hugh happenings

Controversy: Because I'm a Glutton for Punishment

2011-12-09T08:10:00.001-06:00

A friend recently posted a video on facebook about a boy raised by lesbian parents and how he turned out "perfectly normal". And with that, the floodgates opened. A polite yet passionate debate ensued with comments on both sides of the story. I have to say that it was a very open conversation and no personal insults were exchanged.

However, I was disturbed by some of the comments on both sides for a few reasons. First, on the side supporting same sex marriage, there seemed to be a dismissal of the words of our prophets, present and past. This is not okay with me. Second, on the side opposing same sex marriage were the apostle-quoting, "my way is the right way" sort. Also not okay with me. So, I commented. And then I realized that what I said was only half of my heart-felt feelings on this subject. Because I know I don't have all the answers, many of my posts and comments, here and elsewhere, are often train of thought. The problem with that is that now my train of thought (that is often derailed) is now out there for everyone to ~~judge~~ read. And this is where I ask for some help. Because of the "conversation" on facebook, I've been thinking a lot about my feelings on this issue. I want to know what you think. How do you feel about this issue? I don't want a bunch of bashers making unkind comments or a regurgitation of doctrine. I want to know genuinely, how do you feel and what do you think about this issue and the people dealing with it?

To get you started, here are the comments I made to my friend, mostly in reaction to some comments by others. Keep in mind that there were others comments posted between these ones, so it may not flow perfectly. Also keep in mind that the conversation was among members of the church and I happened to be the only female who weighed in (Also keep in mind that, though I often feel like the grammar police, I've noticed many grammar issues with these comments. Apparently, my train of thought has the grammar skills of a sub-average high school student hee hee). It was an interesting discussion with lots of doctrinal issues exchanged. But ultimately, this is where my thoughts led me.

#1: thanks for sharing this. it's interesting to read the the comments, too. i will say that i am deeply conflicted about the issue of same sex marriage. on one side, you have people who deserve the right to have their love legally recognized. on the other hand, if that "right" comes with direct consequences for our church, specifically temple ordinances, then i will always have to choose saving ordinances over temporal happiness.

i don't think any member of the church who supports same sex marriage would do so if it has adverse consequences to temple ordinances. however, since we all know that same sex marriages will not be recognizes as eternal in nature (based on the understanding that for eternal progression, an eternal union must be able to procreate), why not allow them to be happy.

i think we have a real problem in the church with quickly dismissing people who don't fit our definition of worthy. thirty years ago, my husband would have been dismissed (and some would still dismiss him today) because he is black. there were many members who said that blacks would never hold the priesthood or receive temple ordinances (elder mcconkie among them). thankfully, they were wrong and i have a wonderful, righteous husband who serves his church and family faithfully. there are those who would argue that being black and being gay are very different. they would say one isn't a choice and one is. i don't know whether it's a choice or not, but that's not my place to decide. we don't choose our trials, but only the manner with which we address, overcome, and trust in the Lord to carry us through them.

my point is that when we are quick to point out what we deem as "wrong", it usually comes back to bite us. i am glad i don't have to be the judge of mens' hearts. i hope and pray that there is a way for everyone to have some joy and happiness in this life and that it doesn't come at the cost of temple ordinances.

#2: the only reason i brought in the 1978 decision is simply to illustrate how finite our thinking is and our inability to see how the Lord might direct us. Even the leaders, who i believe are inspired, often do not know the full picture. in the end, all things will work out in the eternal scheme. i understand the wide gap between the definition of the family and the rights of the priesthood given to every worthy male. thankfully, we know who is really directing the work on both sides and we have to trust that His judgement and council is sound. that said, i sincerely hope that we can be more compassionate towards the trials of others, as we hope they are towards our trials. gospel knowledge aside, everyone deserves to at least feel that they're heard and valued.

#3:

i think in my effort to be "nice", some things got lost. like jay and danny, i don't believe we should hide our faith "under a bushel". i believe we should stand up for our church, its leaders, and the gospel we hold sacred. i do not expect or want the church to change its position on same sex marriage. i believe in our living prophet with all my heart and am willing to honor the covenants i have made. i just wish that people would simply be a little more compassionate.

i am often disturbed by members who hide behind their "beliefs" as an excuse to dismiss someone who doesn't fit the mold. they dismiss people of other faiths, people who believe different than they do, people who look or act different, or people who've made decision they don't agree with. we've all done it and will probably continue to do it, but using the gospel as a reason to exclude is not something Christ would do. in the current political climate, it is fascinating to see other christians attempt (yet again) to marginalize the church by finding reasons we're "different". my only hope is looking for things i have in common with anyone and everyone around me. i will not apologize for my faith or the beliefs that are not popular. but i do think our role as members of the church is to help people understand our beliefs through compassion and commonalities, rather than condemn their actions because they don't fit with the gospel as we know it. we will never be able to be instruments for missionary work if we ostracize people at every turn. our job is to believe the doctrine, live the doctrine, and share the doctrine. it is not to judge or assume an attitude of "our way or the highway".

i am ever grateful for the saving work of the gospel and especially the gift of the plan of salvation. i recognize that we all have need of the atonement, whether members or not, and my only goal in life is to help my family and anyone who is willing to listen receive the blessings of the gospel. but they won't listen unless they know they're loved, even if we don't agree with their choices.

So, where do you stand? There will be NO judging and berating others' comments. Just share.

Festive

2011-12-07T12:45:00.000-06:00

We got our trees and most of the decorations set up during the Thanksgiving break. The kids were ~~not~~ very helpful. But the best part of the Christmas festivities was Teya. Her dancing, singing, and random fascination with the lights on the tree.

fail

2011-11-29T09:05:00.000-06:00

yep, i've already fallen off the wagon and haven't posted in over a week. however, i have a reasonably good excuse. i was stuck in the kitchen for two days and buried under Christmas decorations. that said, our decorations are finally starting to cooperate and go where they're supposed to. if i could say the same for my children, i'd be fantastic. :-)

we had a nice, relaxing thanksgiving holiday with some friends. it was perfect. the kids played. the babies slept through thanksgiving. the adults got to sit and enjoy a meal and many, many plates of pies. we saw the annual kids christmas movie and everyone was happy. i even got a good run in thanksgiving morning before the craziness began. it was a good day and i didn't cook for three days after that.

i'm a little behind in my annual holiday stuff. i didn't post a "thankful" post because i'm still working out what i'm thankful for...or at least the things that don't sound like a cliche. obviously, i'm grateful for my family, that we have a good job, a nice, warm home, food on the table, etc. but beyond that, i'm really trying to be grateful and it's taking some effort.

i've found myself just wanting to be alone and getting frustrated with nothing in particular. i at least have the slef-restraint to not take it out on my kids. don't get me wrong, i know i have a good life but getting into the holidays just feels like too much effort and nothing seems to be working the way it "should." i'm working on keeping up the traditions we've established and it makes me happy to see my kids so excited. but so much of the stuff about the holidays just feels frivolous and stupid and a complete waste of time and money. ronell and i have felt pretty strongly that we want to give our kids a good Christmas, but i don't care about all the toys and crap. call me a humbug, call me moody. it's cool. but i realize now, more than ever, that all i care about is my family and enjoying my life with them. life is so precious and i don't want to waste me my time thinking about what toys my kids get for Christmas. i want them to truly understand why we celebrate.

this year, we are trying to teach our kids more about serving others, sharing the joy of Christmas with others, and focusing on the things that matter most. we went through the toys and gave away some pretty nice stuff. both palmer and portia had a good cry (which means i did, too) but we talked about giving up things so others can be happy and sharing the blessings we've been given. i want them to really understand that this time of year is more than just making your letter to santa as long as possible or getting the best deal on a toy. it's about creating joy and memories and spending time with the people who matter.

so, while sometimes i say to myself, "what's the point of this stupid ....(fill in the blank with anything you'd like)?", i realize that there are things about this holiday season that i want my children to remember and cherish. i want them to understand how Christ brings joy, peace, and hope to our lives and this season is a good reminder of that. i want them to understand that this life is more than just an accumulation of possessions. i want them to understand that there's more to life than fun, and yet fun is an essential part of life. i want them to feel the comfort and peace of the Holy Ghost and never let that gift go. i want them to be grateful for the Atonement. so, i suck it up and do the things that will bring them joy and happiness this season and hope that the lessons they're learning will stick with them and that they will remember what matter most.

Sisters

2011-11-22T23:03:00.000-06:00

today is the first of many days that i will wake with a heavy heart, remember, and pray for my sister. i find myself thinking about sisters today. is it because i listen to my two girls finally learning how to play together without fighting, just simply being kind to each other and laughing together? is it because i think of my family gathering in san diego for thanksgiving and wishing my little family and i were there with them, making more memories? or is it because i've spent the day thinking about lexie and brizzy and the experiences they will miss out on with holland?

i peeked in on my girls today (mostly because it was way too quiet in the toy room) and this is what i found.

(sorry for the crappy picture quality. i was trying to take pictures on my phone without them noticing)

portia was sharing her crayons with teya and they were actually interacting and having a conversation...and teya wasn't eating crayons or ripping portia's drawings. they were laughing together and, though it looks an awful lot like a choke hold, portia spent a good portion of their time together with her arm around teya, helping her draw her name and picking up the crayons teya frequently dropped. after snapping a few photos, i quietly closed the door and sat on the stairs, crying.

i cried for lexie, knowing she won't have moments like this with briz and holland. knowing that, as aggravating and hurtful sisters can sometimes be, there is nothing quite like a sister. someone who knows your brand of crazy and can commiserate your family's idiosyncrasies without judgement. someone who tells you how it really is without killing your spirit. someone who will cry with you and love your babies as much as you do.

i cried for brizban, knowing she probably won't ever fully understand this missing part of her life. knowing that she won't have this amazingly special girl to teach her to share and hurt and love. i know she will have siblings, when the time is right. but it just hurts my heart to know that this opportunity isn't her's right now.

i know holland is happy where she is and any unhappiness she might feel is on behalf of her family still here on earth. i know that there is a plan that makes it possible for nick and lexie to see their baby grow up and experience the things they didn't experience here. but evenso, i'm selfish on my sister's behalf. i want lexie to have those experiences. i want nick to get smothered in nail polish and hair bows and tiaras by his two princesses. i want brizzy to have a buddy to talk with at night after mom and dad leave their bedroom. i want lexie to have the fun experience of dressing up her girls in matching outfits and seeing how they ~~dread~~ look forward to those outfits. i want my girls to have little girl cousins who can't wait to play together.

i think one of the most difficult aspects of this grief process is mourning the "if only" moments. if only we could see holland blessed. if only we could see her start walking and running. if only we could see her joy and trepidation on the first day of school or on her wedding day. coming to terms with the fact that i want these moments for my sister does not mean i lack faith has been one of the hardest things to explain. i cannot even begin to describe some of the experiences of the last month, mostly because they are meant for our family. there is no doubt in my mind that we have a Father in heaven who knows each of us personally and cries with us and rejoices with us. i know that the plan of salvation is a plan of eternal happiness. and yet, sometimes i'm genuinely just really pissed that Heavenly Father would do this to my sister and her husband. i know it's stupid and shallow and very finite of me to be mad, but i get mad. mostly because i don't know what else to do. so i get mad....

...and then i pray for my sister. i pray that she will have the strength to survive this with her sarcasm and wit and wonderful personality still intact. i pray that she will have the comfort and guidance she needs. i pray for her marriage and her husband. i pray for her to know peace and hope. i pray that i will be as close to the spirit as she is. i pray to keep remembering the things holland's brief life have irrevocably imprinted on my mind and heart.

today is the one-month anniversary of holland's death. i have been thinking about, crying for, and praying for my sister all day. at the end of the day, i have nothing profound to contribute. i still feel completely helpless and at a loss for ways to help my sister. i still wish i could take this burden for her. but i am grateful for what i have and what i know. i have my belief in a loving Savior. i have my love for my family and my desperate pleas to God that i can make the most of my time with them. i have a renewed desire to be better, to merit an eternal association with this beautiful little girl and to be with my family for eternity. it may not be a lot, but i'm okay with that.

i really should be sleeping....

2011-11-19T22:57:00.001-06:00

...but i have to fulfill my promise and post twice a week, especially since tomorrow will be a week, i think.

This week has been good and bad and everything in between. I've had some good days and moments, but since last Sunday I've been sick. First, I got the flu with the achiness and fever. Luckily, it was Sunday, so I sent Ronell to church with all three kids (I heard he did perfectly, which is as expected because our children are angels for him, and less than angels for me). I, meanwhile, slept from 9-2 and then went back to bed at 4:00 for a few hours and to bed at 8:00. Monday was a little better but then I lost my voice for two days and yelling at your kids via whispering is just not very effective. I think they literally looked at me while I was trying to tell them to pick up the junk around the house and rolled their eyes, even Teya.

By Wednesday things were a little better, however I still had no energy and tons to do. So, I did nothing but watch a friend's little girl (who is one of Portia's favorite girlfriends) while she had her fourth little baby girl. Thursday was a nice break from mommyhood when my kids were all at school or mom's day out (greatest invention ever. i'm not ready to let someone else take care of my baby all day, but one morning a week is genius. i actually can get my hair cut, shopping done, dentist visits accomplished, etc. without having to swap with someone every time. genius.) But my babysitter for enrichment bailed at the last minute and Teya erased all my etsy listings (note to self: don't let toddler near my sewing room, duh?!), so it was mcdonalds and letting my kids stay up way too late while I served dinner and washed dishes and vacuumed and cleaned up after our enrichment dinner. At least Christy and I did it together, though I still wasn't feeling great and my voice sounded like a man smoker voice. But it was good to serve other people and I'm glad I was able to be there.

Friday, Teya decided to start cutting molars and cried all morning. But at least she took a monster nap and Ronell was home from his quick trip to Dallas, so I got a couple things done. Still had the scratchy voice.

Today, I decided to put my money where my mouth was and move the kids around. I've been feeling for awhile that Palmer needed his own space. So Teya and Palmer switched. We now have a girls' room and a boys' room. Palmer's room is big and empty right now. I guess I better start looking for a desk or reading station or something for his space. Portia thought it was a great arrangement, until she realized she couldn't go in her room for three hours in the middle of the day while Teya napped. It felt strange to split up my dynamic duo, because they've been together for so long. But Palmer's getting older and we're trying to encourage modesty and respecting others' privacy, which is tough to do when they were sharing space. The only bad news is that my matching quilts for their shared room are now nixed (it's not too sad, because I was only halfway through piecing the tops anyway). The good news is that Palmer is getting a boys quilt and Portia will get a quilt like Teya's girly nursery quilt, but in brighter shades. Maybe I can finish before Christmas? Too ambitious.

Well, I need to go to bed because I'm teaching Relief Society tomorrow. So wish I had that calling. So much easier to teach once a month than plan creative activities every month! But such is my life...for now. My goal for next week? Exercise!! I haven't had enough energy to even think of working out (or clean or cook or anything, but that's not really new, is it?). But Monday, back to to the grind....just in time for Thanksgiving!

Good night!

P.S. Some of you asked for pictures of me. Well, tell you what. I'll post pictures of myself when I reach my goal or when I get around to doing Christmas photos....which may end up being a very happy Valentine from our family! :-)

catharsis

2011-11-14T20:53:00.000-06:00

in case you haven't noticed, i haven't been around much. i think i've been in a very real funk for the last six months. it took some serious jolts to get me out of that ~~funk PMS~~ whatever you want to call it.

jolt #1: my doctor telling me without sugar-coating it that if i really want another baby, i need to "get healthy". uh, thanks. luckily he also offered some help. two months and 25 lbs. down, i think i'm getting the hang of this exercise thing...and i kinda like it, a lot.

jolt #2: having a "mom's day out" once a week that gave utter freedom one day a week for five hours. what did i do with myself? worked out, grocery shopped, and blew way too much time on pinterest (friend me, we can join the time suck together). needless to say, i had some serious conversations with myself about time management and what i want to be when i grow up.

jolt #3: after listing those very trivial, but self-awakening jolts, this may seem a little trite. but this jolt rocked me to my core. about a month (has it really already been a month?), my mom called me while we were driving home from the temple to tell me that my sister, Lexie, and her husband, Nick, had lost their two month old baby girl. i was in shock and spent the better portion of the three-hour drive in denial and utter helplessness. sometime soon, i'll write about some of the emotions i've been feeling, but this is not that post. needless to say, it's been a month of very personal tender mercies and tears when i'd thought i'd run out of tears.

but these jolts have caused some good things to become very apparent to me. i need to take more pictures/videos of my kids. and share them, of course. i've been better about writing in a journal for the last two months than i ever have been before (thank you DayOne app). and i've realized that taking care of myself in every aspect has to be a very real priority in my life. one aspect that i've been neglecting (seriously, pick any aspect and i'll tell you what i'm missing) is the intellectual stimulation that i seem to require to function.

most of my intellectual stimulation is satisfied with some good reading (twilight is not considered "good" reading in my book, just in case you're wondering). but as i've been pouring my heart and soul into my journal in the last couple months, i've realized that i miss writing well. i read the blog my sister writes, and i realize that though i might use the pregnancy/motherhood excuse for losing all logical brain cells, i think it's simply because i've let my brain (and my vocabulary and my body and my fingernails and on and on) atrophy. so, here is my resolve: i resolve to be a better blogger and write better blog entries at least twice a week. that may not sound like much, but you're lucky i'm pulling away from facebook and pinterest and the google reader and moda bake shop and my silhouette and my eleventy million projects to answer your plea for more of my time and witty banter (i do realize that banter implies you reading, replying, and generally conversing and that will be my expectation from here on out, k?). so there it is. wait for it. i.will.deliver. it might be all lower-cased and somewhat random, but you will get me twice a week.

oh, and because i'm a mom and i know you're really just here to see how gorgeous my kids are today, here's my peace offering. it's not much but it's better than no pictures.

Teya playing the keyboard (alas, no piano in my home....yet. maybe santa will reward me for my good beahvior this year).

teya on her way to "school". she hates taking off her "packpack", even when she goes into her classroom. that thing is bigger than she is!

Palmer & Portia on halloween (not the utter lack of hair accessories in portia's hair. this is what happens when daddy does halloween alone).

Teya & brizzy on halloween. clearly, a lot of love going on here. actually brizzy was very annoyed with teya on our short trip home. teya is just old enough to be annoying but not nearly big enough to play with brizzy. brizzy kept asking me where portia was.

Holland Kay Cottle

2011-10-30T19:50:00.000-05:00

I've been horrible about updating our family blog. I know it. You know it. There's not really any good excuse. However, I would be remiss if I didn't pause and share this video.

On Oct. 22, Ronell & I were driving home from the Oklahoma City temple when my mom called to let me know that Holland, Lexie & Nick's two-month-old daughter, had died early that morning. I can't even begin to describe the emotions I felt in the last week. However, as I've spent the last week reflecting on life, death, family and the plan of salvation in my life, I've come to realize that the Lord truly does know us and, even in the hardest moments He is there to comfort, guide, and instruct us.

I've watched as countless people have reflected on the life of this angel. I never held her in life, nor did I know her the way my sister did. But I have felt her Spirit and influence in my life. I've felt raw, bone crushing heartache for Lexie, who was still nursing her beautiful little girl and just getting into the routine of mothering two kids. I ache for Nick, who is one of the most caring, kind, nurturing fathers I've ever known.

While I can't begin to describe the experiences of the last few days, especially those of the funeral and burial of my perfect niece, I wanted to share this video of my niece's brief life. There are still many moments of helplessness and sadness. But I know she is doing a great work on the other side and that she will always watch over her family.

Mr. Jobs

2011-10-06T07:55:00.000-05:00

Your time is limited so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma, which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

Steve Jobs

**I promise I'll be back later to actually update my blog. I just loved this quote.

I'm a Farmer's Wife

2011-07-19T17:36:00.003-05:00

blocks 1-5, a photo by purplepoppydesigns on Flickr.

Wondering what I mean by a farmer's wife? No, it's not because i live in Arkansas (though I do see more cows daily than one ought to), but because I've joined the group. The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt Flickr group, that is. I'm way behind the group, mostly because i finally got up the gumption to buy the book and use up some of my scrap stash to make these neat blocks. I'm doing bright colors because it's more my style. I've also decided to hand piece all 111 blocks. Crazy, maybe. Fun, Definitely! So, here are blocks 1-5.

P.S. Flickr loaded my photo all crazy. I promise I know how to take a pic of quilt blocks. And, yes, the basket one is upside down. I'm learning.

Happy Easter

2011-04-24T19:40:00.006-05:00

update: sorry for having nothing to say with this post. This is the picture that was supposed to be with this heading.

Coveting

2011-03-31T16:12:00.000-05:00

I know. It's bad to covet. So, instead I reallyreallyreallyreally just pray I sell a few more quilts and can fund this purchase.

Why? Because I've always wanted to make a color wheel quilt. I have the pattern, but the thought of picking out (or collecting scraps from) 52 fabrics that coordinate and work makes me want to curl up in a ball and pull my sweater over my head. Besides, why spend my precious time on that when purlsoho has already done it? Genius. Now I just need to sell, sell, sell. I'll be adding three more quilts in the next week or so.

Also, anyone know how to get the pics off my iphone so I can post them here?

Finito

2011-03-31T08:19:00.000-05:00

In Italian, there are two translations for the word finito. It means finished, but depending on what helping verb you put in front of it, you are either finished or dead. This morning, I registered for my very first 5K. I've NEVER run in a race. I shlepped through a social mile walk last fall and wanted to do more. So, here's my commitment to be healthier. I'm running on April 30 in the Race for a Cure 5K. And I will be finito one way or the other.

A Thought Before Bed

2011-02-28T22:15:00.002-06:00

As I sit here before bed, checking up on friends and bloggers, I came across this sweet message. Having been without Ronell for most of February and having spent another long day running around, trying to exercise, and ending up with all three kids at the doctor's office, waiting for Palmer to be diagnosed with swine flu, I think I needed this. I know I'm far from a perfect mother and oftentimes I wonder what irrevocable damage I'm inflicting on our kids. I wonder why my body is still paying for the miracle of childbirth x3. I wonder how to teach our children the absolute essential things they need to know before they're on their own. I wonder how I'm supposed to juggle a nearly-six-year-old braniac son, a four-year-old ~~diva~~ princess, and a very busy 10-month-old and still maintain my sanity and a clean house. I wonder if I should do more to serve others and yet not lose myself completely. But most of all, I often wonder if I'm doing what my Heavenly Father needs me to do and be. So, if you wonder any of those things and others, I'll pass this along (thanks Kristen):

Still Here...Sorta

2011-02-19T21:54:00.000-06:00

Did you think I died? Or did you not even notice that I've taken a totally intentional pause from blogging? Okay, it wasn't intentional but since getting my new BFF (aka, the iPhone), life gets updated on Facebook instead. Once I figure out how to blog post from my phone, I will. Until then, just know, I HAVE thought about blogging and hope all is well out in the blogosphere.

P.S. One really good way to know that I haven't died or been buried under 21 inches of snow is to follow us. Plus, it makes me feel special to know that someone other than my husband reads our blog. :-)

Out takes

2010-12-24T13:12:00.002-06:00

So, Ronell took some adorable pics of the kids about a month ago and I finally got around to doing our card this week. There were too many cute ones, so I thought I'd post the ones we didn't use in the card.

Palmer: Loves loves loves Kindergarten and calls me Miss Glover (his teacher's name) at least once a day. Our little smarty pants in whizzing his way through school and has already completed the kindergarten and first grade reading program, as well as being awarded the "Math Master" award for the first quarter. He loves playing outside, even when it's cold (relatively so, I'm still thinking it's warm here, even when it's only 40 because there's no snow) and has decided to teach himself how to golf. We enrolled him in tennis lessons this year and he enjoys doing that, too...when he's not playing computer games on PBS Kids or reading. He's slowly paying more attention to Teya and has recently started trying to teach her to crawl, much to my dismay.

Portia: Our little diva. She asked for make-up for Christmas. She loves to ~~smother~~ take care of her baby sister and loves playing with any baby in sight, even the dolls. Her newest imaginative tool is her "Princess house". If she's ever told she can't have something or doesn't like how things are going, she says, "That's okay. I have four babies at my princess house so I'll just play with them." Or, "at my princess house I have a doggy and a horse." Fine with me, means I don't have to get one here, right? Portia started dance this year and LOVES it (understatement). She's got a great memory, too and can usually tell me what steps she's doing. She is our budding artist and loves to draw, color, cut out, glue and basically use up any supplies left out to create pictures and cards for everyone she knows. She's loving her preschool class and loves showing everyone what she's learning.

Teya: Our baby has gone mobile! She's doing the "commando" crawl at the moment, but it suits her fine, especially on our hardwood floors. She gets up on all fours but slides back to her tummy when she tries to crawl. She hasn't cut any teeth yet (which is crazy) but she certainly drools and bites enough to make up for it. She sleeps like a rock with 12-13 hours at night and three naps and is the easiest, calmest baby I've ever seen. She finally has started liking some baby food but she'd still rather eat the real thing. She loves kids and has the greatest laugh when any kid, but especially her siblings, play with her. We've started signing with her and she attempts "More" and "eat" but it usually results in her just sucking her thumb. Her new favorite things are Portia's dolls and grabbing cheerios.

Last of all, I had to share this picture. This is downtown Rogers and it's got these great classic Coca-cola murals. I love that our kids are totally in their own world. I probably would have sent this one out as our card if Teya was in. Next time. For now, I'm off to make rolls and ham for our get-together tonight. Happy Christmas Eve! May Santa treat you well and let you take a nap tomorrow. See you tomorrow for the morning chaos pics.

M.I.A.

2010-12-07T14:06:00.001-06:00

Sorry I've been out of touch recently. I've decided I'm not very good at juggling many activities and prioritizing. Also, my external hard drive that has most of my pictures on it is being weird and won't connect with my computer. But I'll give you what I got, people. So, here's a quick update:

1. Halloween: It happened. :-) We went to the ginormous Walmart home office trick or treat bash. We filled two reusable shopping bags (the big blue Wal-mart ones) and used this candy all weekend for parties and trick-or-treaters. I think there's still some lurking in cupboards. I'll post pics when I figure out my hard drive issue (grrr).

2. Thanksgiving: it, too happened. We had a few couples from work over. It was small, quiet, and perfect. But we had sooooooo much food. I went a little nuts. Ronell failed to take pictures of the table.

She was actually very helpful.

I'll get back with more pics, I promise. Because as fun and witty as I am, I know you're really just here to see the kids. I don't blame ya, that's why I'm here. :-)

Crafty

2010-11-09T07:41:00.000-06:00

I will post Halloween pics tonight, I promise. I just saw this website and loved the crafts they have. They have the whole kit ready to go. Makes a craft group easy, right?

Dog to the Rescue

2010-10-27T12:36:00.000-05:00

Portia likes to sleep with a dog that looks like this one.

Portia: Mom, where's my dog?
Mom: Which one?
Portia: the salvation one. You know, with spots.

A New Meaning for the "Eternal City"

2010-10-25T14:37:00.001-05:00

The past week, a world away, President Monson, held the ground-breaking ceremony for the Rome, Italy temple. I can't begin to describe how happy this makes me feel. Though I know it will be a few years before it's completed, I know this temple will be an incredible instrument in fulfilling the mission of the LDS church and helping the work to progress even more. This means no more three day train rides and long days in the Swiss temple for the Italian Saints. This means many Eastern European Saints (Romania, Albania, Greece, Turkey, etc.) will not have to travel for days to get to the temple. This means more couple not postponing marriage because they can't afford the trip to the temple. This means so many things for so many people and it makes me so happy, I almost cry every time I think of it.

In addition to the temple, there will be a meeting house, a visitors' center, a family history center, and housing complex. Of course, it will be constructed of marble and have beautiful frescoes inside. While I'm sure there will be people who may think it will pale in comparison to Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel, I know this temple is more beautiful simply because of the saving ordinances.

This is a historic event. To have a temple in what the world deems the "center of Christianity" is a miracle. For so many years, there have been so many road blocks to getting the church into Italy and getting the country to recognize our church, our beliefs, and our members for the true value they hold. For so many years, missionaries and members have heard people say, "Well, missions to Europe are just about planting seeds" or "Don't expect people to be too open. It is Europe, after all." I never did believe that. I know the people of Italy and Europe need the gospel as much as the rest of the world and have been praying for this for decades. Having this temple here means we've finally made some progress with the people of Italy and Europe. I am so grateful for this ground breaking and all that it means to the people of Italy. Someday, I will get to this temple.

To see what President Monson had to say about this historic event, click HERE.

Out of the Mouths of Babes (OMB)

2010-10-06T19:20:00.002-05:00

Palmer threw up at school today and had to come home. He was sad. I was sad, mostly because I couldn't run errands. However, after a shower, clean clothes, and a nap, he was just fine.

Palmer: Mom, do you know why I threw up today?
Mom: Probably because you weren't feeling well and had to get it out of you.
Palmer: Nope, I threw up because I was sick of work stations and wanted to read.

Portia: (while combing her hair after her shower) Mom, I gotta get all the nuts out of my hair (as opposed to knots).
Mom: Really? Why?
Portia: because otherwise I'll have squirrels who want to live in my hair.
Mom: okay. so let's comb your hair.
Portia: one of my friends at school said her hair gets a rats nest in it. I think i want squirrels instead of rats. They're cute.
Mom: how about we just keep your hair nice and clean and then no animals will live there?
Portia: okay. But maybe if it's clean, i could be a princess and wear make up.

I LOVE Glee!!

2010-10-03T20:17:00.003-05:00

I so missed Glee and major withdrawals over the summer. It did not disappoint. I loved these:

I actually enjoyed the Britney episode this last week, too, but somehow I didn't think the "Slave for U" video was quite appropriate for my family blog. Who knew Brittany S. Pearce could dance and sing like that? :-0 Just you tube it.

P.S. Anyone know how to resize the video to fit in the post section. This bugs me.

While You Were Gone

2010-09-30T21:51:00.000-05:00

I have a friend in Seattle (shocking, I know, hee hee) whose husband travels for work. She keeps him up to date on what happens while he's away from home. She's much more "with it" than I am. So, honey, while you were gone......

...our house is still standing.

...the kids are still alive.

....the laundry is done...

...what? Laundry's not done? Oh, well it's clean. Good enough, right? Rest assured, all will be well before you come home. Please, please, please, come home soon. :-)

Five Months

2010-09-25T21:20:00.001-05:00

I'm five months! Here are some things I'm up to these days:

* I LOVE playing with Palmer and Portia.

*I light up when Daddy's around. He can get me to laugh faster than anyone else.

*I roll over both ways but am usually content hanging out on my back with my thumb in my mouth.

*I like to drool...a lot. Mom thinks I should be getting teeth somewhat soon because my drool has exponentially increased in the last week. I now wear a bib most of the time and I like to chew on that, too.

*I sit up for a few seconds and then lose it and end up folded in half. But when I'm sitting I know I'm a big girl.

*I am a very conflicting baby. I'm usually pretty easygoing, unless I have a poopy diaper or I need to eat, then I get intense. I also like to intensely study my toys...and people...and football on TV.

*I finally have chubby legs, though Mom says I'm not as chubby as the other two were.

*I intently stare and smack my lips when others are eating and I think I might like food. But I don't love rice cereal or baby food. I think it's just too much effort to learn how to eat from a spoon and I just want to grab from whatever plate is nearby. I hate being left out at dinner time but I really don't like utensils. So I just eat my hands and hope someone gets the hint that I want food.

*I get very excited when someone puts me in my car seat because I can see Palmer and Portia get in the car and I know I'm guaranteed to have some play time with Portia. But if we're not in the car, I don't love my car seat. I mean, what's the point of a CAR seat outside the car. No one else has to stay strapped in to a seat where they can't see anything going on!

*I love being outside and staring at the trees next door. They're mesmerizing.

*I just like to relax and watch other people. I don't reward everyone with a smile, but I'm content to just be included.

*I've recently found my voice and insist on yelling as loud as possible, preferably in a place that resonates, like the chapel or Walmart. Mom thinks I'm funny, well maybe not, but at least I think I'm funny.

*Mom thinks I'm about 26 inches long (I prefer "tall" because I know I'm a big kid) and about 15 lbs.

Generally speaking, life is good, especially when I get to hang out in the toy room on the big kids' bean bag chairs. What more could I want?

Out of the Mouths of Babes

2010-09-23T18:56:00.000-05:00

One of the interesting things about Portia attending preschool at the Church of Christ is the songs she comes home singing. They're all good lessons, just...interesting. Today, this was the conversation about her new song.

Dad: (after Palmer sang his song about the months of the year), Portia, did you learn any songs at school?
Portia: Yep. (getting out of her chair and with hands on hips, sways back and forth) "I don't want to be a hypocrite" (emphasis on the "hip") over and over.
Mom: Portia, are you a hypocrite?
P: No.
Dad: Is mommy a hypocrite?
P: No, but Daddy is.
Dad: Portia, what's a hypocrite?
P: It's an animal.

Good to know she's learning important life lessons in preschool.

New Year's Resolutions

2010-09-07T13:48:00.003-05:00

I might be the only one, but I hate New Year's Resolutions. However, I do think evaluating your progress and setting goals for the future is something I'm learning is a necessary part of my spiritual growth. So, we've been in Arkansas for two months exactly, Palmer started Kindergarten, Portia started preschool and the full fall schedule looms upon us. I think this is a new chapter in every aspect of my life and I have an opportunity to reflect on things I'd like to change. There are the obvious ones: lose the baby weight from all three kids, eat better, do more with my kids, etc. But I started thinking about what I want to become and who I really want to be. One excellent by-product of a mission is you learn what good goal-setting looks like. I haven't had enough self-confidence for so many years that setting goals felt like just another way to fail. So, I begin at the beginning and start with goals I can live with but that stretch me.

Yesterday, I experienced my first "race" as a participant. I'm not a runner and I didn't run this race. I went because new ward friends invited me and I sometimes have to force myself to make friends. I'm not really good at it, maybe because I think I'm not good at making friends. Anyway, I walked it with a couple friends. Had a horrible race time (walked one mile in 28 minutes, we weren't trying, just chatting) but learned something good about myself. I could do it..if I wanted to. As I watched other friends (the "Sole Sisters" Mormon crew) and their kids run 1 mile, 5k or 10k, I realized I wanted to feel that sense of accomplishment. So, here are my goals for this semester (how many years since I graduated from college and still my mind functions in semesters..it's a manageable time frame).

1. Be a runner (thanks for the inspiration, Amanda). I would love to join my family in the epic relay team next year and actually contribute. I want to run a 5k or 10k and not be sucking wind from step 1.
1a. Work out four times a week. I have no excuse not to.
1b. Actually stick to a habit of good eating (still working on exactly what that "good eating" will look like).
2. Be a good mom.
2a. Make memories with my family.
2b. Spend time with each of my children each week.
3. Be a scriptorian. (I'm not going to set a specific number of minutes to study. But daily is the important part).
4. Be happy.
4a. Look for the funny, good, positive moments and focus on them. This isn't denying reality, just choosing to see the miracles, tender mercies, and just plain goodness in my life.

I think that's it for this semester. I'll let you know how it goes.

Sole Sisters (current and previous members of the Rogers Ward and their families)

The previous bishop of our ward, Barry Wall, and his wife, Mechel. He is amazing. He was in a serious accident a few months ago and that's his own wheelchair he's pushing. If he can walk one mile after almost losing both legs, I can do it after three babies. :-)

Walking buddies Amanda Millerberg and Rachel Drown, some of the first people we met from the ward when we came out last December.

A spectator who makes me smile daily and fills me with gratitude.

Adjusting

2010-09-03T12:25:00.003-05:00

For someone who was, how shall we say, excited to leave Provo, I find myself missing some things about P-town. This is a little hard to admit but I think most of the things I miss are things people miss just by virtue of location change. Other than friends, family, and Cafe Rio, Provo didn't fulfill many of my needs. I loved living in a college town...when I was in college. Year after year of staying there just made me frustrated, spiritually, emotionally, physically. One thing I learned quickly is that too many Mormons are not good for my psyche. But now that I'm gone, there are things I miss and things I wish I'd taken advantage of. I miss the familiarity of Provo. I knew where everything was, who to call in any kind of jam, who the best babysitters were (usually my MIL and sister, Sierra), where to take my car for repairs, the best quilting stores, and other such things. I miss Costco and 24 Hr. Fitness being two minutes away (really I miss anything being two minutes away, it takes about 10 minutes to get anywhere here, thanks to the sprawling cow/pig/goat/duck pastures) Learning a new area (I can't say "a new town" because really this area is about 12 little towns and two bigger ones and everything is spread out) is a nice challenge, unless I need something and don't know where to go.

So, as I waxed nostalgic about the convenience of living in Provo while making the 15 minute schlep to the gym, I started thinking about why this change isn't so bad and not nearly as drastic a change as other friends from the MBA program are experiencing. There are lots of similarities between NWA (that's NorthWest Arkansas) and happy valley and all of them are good things.

1. The downtown areas of both Rogers and B-ville are grids, just like the entire state of Utah. It makes navigating a little easier. (I say prayers of gratitude daily for my GPS, though).
2. Rogers has a "tree streets" section of town, too. It is more commercial but it's still a nice thing to see. I also take Pleasant Grove Rd. to get home.
3. It's a very religious and conservative area. We're the only conservative county in AR and it's not unusual to see bumper stickers bashing Obama (my favorite said, "So how's that whole hope-y change-y thing going for you now?") or declaring to the world that they are indeed "Jesus freaks" (you have to have been raised outside Utah for this to truly warm your heart, think high school prayer flag ceremonies).
4. If they don't have one of those "ornaments" on their cars, they've got something designating them as official Razorback fans (usually it's a giant window decal or silver-plated hog or license plate). One thing I love is being in an area where there are rabid (not avid, rabid) football fans. I loved being part of the BYU fan base and enjoying the games with friends. But one wonderful difference is here, in the South, they know how to tailgate and barbeque.
5. One thing there's never a shortage of in both happy valley and NWA is a plethora of minivans. Maybe because I'm secretly coveting other's vehicles (substitute this one for "thou shalt not covet another's a**", though maybe I do wish for someone else's derierre), but it seems that everyone here drives a minivan or a 3 row SUV. Love it.
6. The last part of NWA that makes me miss Provo a little less is this:

It's sad but I'm a die-hard Costco and Target girl. I'm slightly a snob and never set foot in a Sam's club or Walmart until college. As I forayed into the new territory of Sam's Club (the nearest Costco is 400 miles away and I figured Wally world pays for our lives, so I should have a little brand loyalty), my heart warmed to see familiar products lining the shelves. I'm a dork. I know. But I learned an important tidbit about our favorites bulk shopping stops. The "private label" (yes, I'm married to a marketer) brands for both Costco and Sam's are made at the same location, using the same ingredients, etc. Who knew?!

I LOVE my new area and have loved getting the feeling that we belong here. Every day I find something else that makes me realize that this is where we're supposed to be right now. Life is good. I am actually excited to discover new places and take advantage of all the great things this place has to offer. Plus, when all else fails, I have these to cheer me up and make me realize how truly blessed I am.

Again, sorry for the picture quality. I'm trying to learn how to use Ronell's camera and I stink at it. Also, the coordinated outfits were not planned. They picked their own clothes, except Portia wanted Teya to wear her blue dress, too.

A Random cleaning tip

2010-09-01T12:35:00.001-05:00

So, I love my new house. One thing I don't love are the giant mirrors in every bathroom. I don't love them for several reasons but namely that I have to look in them (no avoiding giant wall length mirrors) and that I have to clean them. No matter what product I used, they all left streaks. I don't love cleaning and having it look like I didn't clean is even worse. So I scoured the internet and found a possible solution. Mix equal parts cleaning solution (green works, windex, etc.) and white vinegar in a spray bottle. Spray on surface and clean with newspaper....yes, I said newspaper. Works like a charm. The site said to dump out half the windex and just fill to the top with vinegar. Wasteful, wasteful people. I just poured the windex into a measuring bowl and then split it in half. Then I added vinegar to each bowl (in equal proportions to the windex, i.e. 4 c. windex+ 4 c. vinegar) and poured into two spray bottles. Now I have double the cleaning solution and only spent $3.00 for two bottles. They said to get old newspapers or buy a ream of newsprint. Um, no thanks. I went to the newspaper printing plant and asked for their end bolt of newsprint. They sold it to me for $5.00. It's roughly 200 ft. of newsprint. Voila! Streak-free cleaning. I was so excited I had to share.

P.S. The newsprint also works great for kids art projects and it's much cheaper than butcher paper. Because, let's be honest, I don't think I'm going to clean my mirrors often enough to warrant 200 ft. of newsprint lying around my house.

Preschool, Day 1

2010-08-30T20:25:00.001-05:00

Today was Portia's first day of preschool. While researching preschools in the area, i noticed a couple interesting things. 1. Most preschools are run by the churches in the area. 2. Preschools not run by churches cost a lot of money. So, we opted for the church option. Portia attends the Church of Christ preschool called "Creation Corner". I might have been a little skeptical if some of the other LDS friends hadn't told me their kids have all gone to church preschools and been fine. At Portia's school, they have a weekly letter, shape, color, and Bible story. Skewed as it may be, my rationale was "hey, we believe the Bible 'as far as it is translated correctly', so if they misinterpret it, no biggie, we've got the Book of Mormon to do the teaching." We decided, though, that it might be time to actually spend time reading the Book of Mormon every night with the kids, now that they might be exposed to some "other" teachings. So far, after day 1, everyone seems really nice. Seriously, you can't go too wrong in a Christian preschool.

Portia was in heaven. She loved putting her lunch in her backpack, taking the pictures, and going to school with other kids. She kept asking me if she got to ride a bus the first day. Her latest question about school is, "So, this week I'm in preschool. How many more days until I go to Kindergarten like Palmer?" Somehow the answer ("lots and lots of days") isn't sinking in. But true Portia fashion, she hit the ground running. She walked into her class, hung her backpack up in her cubby (Proud momma moment when she recognized her name. Yep that's my kid), and headed to a group of girls playing with dolls. I asked for a hug and a kiss and got a quick peck and "see you, Mom." When I picked her up at 1:30, she grabbed her backpack and proceeded to say good bye to every kid in the class (by name). I was a little worried about her getting tired (school is 9:00-1:30) but clearly that was misplaced. This will be so good for her to branch out and meet more kids and get a little more structure besides nursery (yes, she's still in nursery because she missed the cut off date by 2 months) and home. And, it will be REALLY good for me. :-) I love this kid and love watching her shine in these social settings. I hope she can contain her excitement this year.

What a ham! (sorry for the bad photo quality, these are on my camera phone)

Her expression is a little weird here. I asked her to put her arms down and do a pretty smile. This is Portia's somewhat contained look. Can you tell she's excited?

Kissing problem

2010-08-29T19:00:00.000-05:00

Mom: (smothering Palmer with kisses) I could just eat you up!

Palmer: No! You can't eat people. That's gross. If you ate all the kids, there wouldn't be anyone left! You should just give me a kiss.

(after said kisses)

Palmer: That's much better and not quite as gross as eating my face. Much better!

Teya Update

2010-08-26T15:00:00.000-05:00

Just a quick FYI about Teya. We went to the new pediatrician today.

Weight: 14 lbs. 12 oz (50%)
Height: 25.9 in. (65%)
Head: I don't remember the measurement (25%)

She's turning out to be a standard-sized baby. It's crazy but she's still our smallest baby. She's actually wearing some 0-3m. and some 3-6m. clothes. The other two never stayed in 0-3m. for more than a couple weeks. Well, at least her clothes are getting more use.

In other news, she rolls. Both ways. And LOVES rice cereal.

I Have a Kindergartener!!

2010-08-21T21:07:00.002-05:00

Though it's hard to believe I have a child old enough to be in school. I'm so glad Palmer gets to go to school. On Thursday, Portia, Teya and I walked him into his classroom, snapped a few pics, and kissed him goodbye. Surprisingly enough, I didn't cry. I thought I'd lose it, so I parked near the exit. I think I was more nervous than he was. He put his backpack in his cubby, sat down at his table, and started playing with the blocks. He even asked the girl sitting at his table her name, told her his name, and started chatting about school. He doesn't usually do that, so it put my mind at ease a little. I did find myself checking the time throughout the day and thinking about what he might be doing. That day went by so slowly, I felt like I was counting down the seconds until he got off the bus (yes I let him ride the bus home on the first day. I kind of freaked out at the though my of baby on the bus, though). Palmer's report on his first day of school went a little like this:

Mom: (hugging Palmer) How was your first day?!
Palmer: Good.
Mom: What did you do?
Palmer: Played outside twice and ate my lunch. Mom, guess what? (pointing to the bus as it drives away). That's my bus. Do I get to ride it every day?
Mom: If you want to.
Palmer: Oh, good. I like the bus, but it's a little sweaty on there. I'm thirsty.

So, highlights from school were recess, lunch, and the bus ride home. I don't think school's changed all that much. He loves his teacher already and was very disappointed that he didn't get to go to school today. Two days down, thousands more to go. Woohoo!

Palmer outside our house before leaving for school.

Palmer and Miss Glover (note the Arkansas Razorbacks poster in the background. Gotta love those hogs!)

Trouble

2010-08-18T14:56:00.000-05:00

Four Months

2010-08-16T22:20:00.002-05:00

Today is Teya's four month birthday. I haven't documented that many milestones in this little one's life. It's been a busy four months. She hasn't been to her check up yet so I'll update with those stats. But, as far as I can tell she's growing in length a lot and a little in weight. She weighs roughly 13 lbs. and is 24 in, on the average side. Everyone thinks she's bigger because she's got the cheeks and chubby thighs. But we'll see what the real stats are next week.

Teya has been such a joy to have in our family. She is a pretty calm baby, except when she sees her favorite things: kids, water, and my nursing cover. Ha! We tried out rice cereal this past week and after the second time, she got the hang of it and loved it. You could tell she thought she was a big girl, eating her big kid cereal with the kids.

She's easily entertained and LOVES to watch her siblings run around. She loves to be a part of anything they're doing.

She is getting more mobile, though not quite rolling. She'll kind of fall from her tummy to her back and the look on her face is priceless. She is startled every time.

The only concerning part of about Teya's rolling skills is that she only seems to be able to roll back to front in her crib. More often than not, this is how I find her. It's a little scary but she's got amazing head and neck control and I love that squished face look.

One of Teya's favorite things is water. She loves the bath and the pool. She figured out how to splash with her feet and any time she's in water, she happily splashes away. One of my favorite times is after her bath at night. It's just Teya and Ronell and I. She's s happy and calm and content. It's contagious. Plus, who doesn't love to snuggle with the freshly washed baby.

I love cuddling with this one. She's starting to laugh and interact more, which is so fun to watch. She is starting to discover toys, especially if she can get them in her mouth. I'll lay her on a blanket with a bunch of toys and somehow she scoots her legs in a circle and ends up closer to the toy she wants. I'm so excited for the age when she can sit but not move. However, if she's anything like Portia, that won't last long.

We're still working on sleeping through the night. She was doing 10-4 and then going back to bed until 7. We've had a few hard nights recently (still working on the cause), but she still wakes up every morning, happy and sucking on her hands.

I'm so grateful to have this calming child in our home. She makes everyone happy just to be around her.

In Need of Advice

2010-08-15T18:50:00.000-05:00

For a few years, Ronell has been telling me I should sell my quilts and other random stuff I've dabbled in (burp clothes, binky clips, nursing cover, car seat canopies, etc.). I'm a little overwhelmed with the Etsy shop idea (I think I'd get lost in the oodles of talented people). Now that I live in Arkansas, there's a bigger market for people willing to pay for this stuff (they're not the super saver crafty Utah folk), but I don't know how to market. I've got information for wholesale stuff. But I'm a bit of a wuss who fears total rejection (and losing $$$$$ in overhead for supplies). So here's where you come in. Any ideas on how to get started in marketing my stuff? Should I stick with quilts? I've had random strangers ask me where I got my nursing cover, binky clips, canopy, etc. Should I start small and do matching burp cloth sets? Any advice on localized marketing? Feel free to just email me.

P.S. I am aware that some of you already make and sell these great things. No hard feelings if you don't want to share trade secrets. :-)

O.W.C.A.

2010-08-14T10:25:00.000-05:00

My kids' new favorite show is Phineas and Ferb on Disney channel. They've especially loved the "Summer Belongs to You" special. I have to admit it's pretty funny and songs are strangely dance-able. There are funny lines and funny characters. One set of characters that makes up a sub-plot involves animals as secret agents. Phineas and Ferb's platypus is Agent P. Their organization is called the "Organziation Without a Cool Acronym", or O.W.C.A. Palmer told me today that he wants to be a part of the O.W.C.A., and I quote, "I love the Organization Without a Cool African". Well, maybe they'll let him in, since he does have ancestors from Ghana.

Kindergarten Thoughts

2010-08-11T08:44:00.002-05:00

(this is last year's "First Day of Preschool" picture)

With exactly one week until my oldest child heads off to Kindergarten, I've been thinking a lot about how I feel about this milestone. Here's what I've got so far:

Pro:

*He is soooooo ready for kindergarten.

*He will be challenged (hopefully) in school and they'll know how to help this too-smart kid.

*Social interaction with his peer group that I don't have to organize or host.

*Structure to his day, which he needs.

*All day Kindergarten means I have time to actually do something before he comes home.

*Not having to buckle three kids into the back seat of my Passat all day.

Con:

*I will really miss him.

*I'm not sure I've taught him everything he needs to know to fend for himself at school. What will I do if he gets picked on? Gut reaction: beat the other kid up.

*I feel like I need more time with him before sending him off into the world of kids, school buses, and the things other kids might teach him (language, birds and bees misinformation, annoying habits, etc.)

*I'm now governed by the school calendar and can't go on vacation whenever I want (though in Kindergarten, I still might pull him for the mid-year Disney trip, we'll see).

*This is the beginning of lots and lots and lots of years with kids in school and all that goes with it (PTA, fundraisers, teacher gifts, birthday celebrations, holiday celebrations, HOMEWORK, etc.). And I'm not sure I'm prepared to be the taxi cab for years to come.

*I debate whether five really is old enough to go to school all day. At Kindergarten orientation, those kids sure looked really young, Palmer included.

So there are my thoughts. Not very conclusive, but that's how I feel. I'm excited for him to go and yet I can't completely deny the motherly instinct to keep him home and protect him. But our job as parents isn't to shelter them from the world, it's to teach them how to thrive in any situation.

Random side note: Is it mean of me as a mom to say that if this was Portia starting Kindergarten, I'd send her off with a party and celebrate my freedom for the next 13 years?

A friend had a great idea to have a family theme for the school year. I'm leaning towards this idea because it might help us be a little more focused during the school year. I think I'm going to do something about trying new things or "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." Any suggestions for less trite sayings?

There's No Point, Really

2010-08-07T17:22:00.000-05:00

So, I started writing individual posts to catch up on our summer so I'd have it for journaling purposes when I finally get around to printing my blog. Um, I gave up. So you get the post of lists.

List #1: The Move
After getting home from California, we spent the next two weeks getting rid of stuff and getting ready to move. The problem with that is that we weren't allowed to pack anything. So, we cleaned out some drawers, got rid of a few toys, and then played for two weeks. On June 18th (my sister's anniversary), the "packers", as I called them, came and in about six hours packed up our entire house. We spent the day getting ready to drive to Oregon and hanging out in Miriam's apartment next door (Thanks, Miriam). Here's what our house looked like after that day. Sorry if they're blurry.

Dining Room, where we stored half the boxes from our storage unit.

Teya's room, where the other half of our storage unit was put. We have a lot of stuff.

Master bedroom

Shower. The moving company (and some friends) gave us the advice to have a "Do Not Pack" place, where we could put the stuff we were taking with us. Our's was the shower. Luckily, we never use this shower. And yes, we fit all this in the trunk of the Accord.

What do you do when all your toys are packed? Have a tape rolling contest down the hall. Whatever entertains them.

This is what Teya did while they packed and moved us.

On June 20th, we finished cleaning our place and headed out to Oregon for a visit while our stuff was sent to Arkansas.

List #2: Oregon

We spent a lot of time in the water in Oregon. First, we went to a little park and played in this:

Then we went to this fountain another day:

And here's what Teya did while the other kids played in the water. She looks angry, she's just squished.

After a few days of rain (it is Oregon), we headed to the newly remodeled cabin with everyone.

Because there's no beach at the cabin, we loaded up on the dock. It was a little windy, so Teya and I didn't spend much time down there. But if you look closely, there are no men on this dock. Here's what they did:

They built a wood shed.

and played with bebe guns.

and here's what Teya did.

After the Fourth of July Festivities (at which, I might add, we were attired in sweatshirts, pants, and blankets. It's July, people!), we spent one last day with my family and then flew to AR. World's. Longest. Flight. But the kids were good.

List #3?(I lost count): Rogers, AR

Exactly one month ago, we moved into our new home. If you want to see pictures, they're on Ronell's facebook page. If you're not friend with Ronell, you might be the only person that isn't, but I'm sure he'll be nice and add you.

Since moving in, we've:

*unpacked

*gone swimming in our subdivision pool

*unpacked

gone swimming in our subdivision pool

*unpacked

*spent a stupid amount of money getting stuff for the house (toilet brushes, shower curtain, broom, groceries, etc.)

*went to church

*unpacked

*gone swimming in our subdivision pool

*had dinner with friends

*registered Palmer for Kindergarten (Yikes! I'll post later about my feelings heading into this new experience)

*found a pediatrician.

*unpacked

*gone swimming.
*hunted in vain for the camera battery charger (the only bad thing about someone else packing your stuff, it's in very random spots)

Before the camera died, here's what I got:

Not the most flattering picture but it was the only one that wasn't blurry.

And here's what Teya did while we swam. Actually, she swam and loved it but I couldn't watch the crazies, hold Teya, and take pictures. I'm good, but not that good.

So that's July.

Now that we've been here exactly one month, I thought I'd share two last lists. Glean what you will from it.

List #4: What I Miss About Utah

1. Family

2. Friends

3. Mountains (you don't realize they're there half the time but it was a little unnerving to drive around Rogers without that buffer)

4. Temples (OK. City is 3 hours away)

5. Everyone had kids so my crazy children were usually ignored.

6. Airport (Tulsa is 2 hours away)

7. BYU (mostly the sports but I guess the school, too. I guess)

8. Distribution Center (I know, I'm weird)

9. Cafe Rio

10. City Life (I know SLC isn't the most cosmopolitan city in the US but it's better than nothing)

List #5: Things I LOVE about NW Arkansas

1. Southern Hospitality (everything you've heard is so true, random people say hi to you everywhere)

2. New friends

3. Our HOUSE!!!

4. It's so lush and green here. My kids loved all the fields with cows, horses, ducks, etc. And there are lots of them.

5. It's family friendly. Everyone has kids (most families have two) and most things are catered toward children.

6. It's conservative and very religious. I've counted no less that 13 different churches in a three-mile drive. One of the first questions we got asked when we moved here was, "Hey have y'all found a church yet?"

7. The Hike and bike trails. We've decided we're going to be an outdoor family because, well, we now live in the "Natural State".

8. Schools. With 20 kids per class (as opposed to my 37) and the morning Pledge of Allegiance (which most schools have done away with), I love the schools. It helps that the school districts here are ranked 32nd in the country (that's out of how many thousands of school districts nationwide).

9. Income. Yes, it's nice to have an income.

10. Humidity. I know, I'm weird. But I love feeling like I'm wrapped in a nice, warm hug every time I leave the house. I will admit, though, that the hug gets a little stifling after about five minutes but that why I also love the AC and fan in every room in our house.

Well, that's it for now. If you made it this far, you deserve a special treat. Here's what Teya does best. Don't you love the way she sleeps?

Ourkansas

2010-07-12T21:58:00.001-05:00

I have a gazillion posts to catch up on but I wanted to share this. It's kind of great to have the world validate our prompting that our new home town, Rogers AR, is a great place to live. What they don't mention in this article is that the town is booming and we love it after only a week.

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2010/snapshots/PL0560410.html

P.S. Thanks to Anna Fowler for the title. I stole it from her.

Daddy's Day

2010-06-20T15:40:00.001-05:00

We're just stopping into Portland on our way to Seattle for a few days to visit friends. So, that's my excuse for not having pictures of the daddies in my life. But I wanted to quickly document this day for my favorite men. I am so grateful to be married to and raised by men who are admirable, kind and loving. Ronell and I have our struggles, but I take great comfort in knowing that he loves his family and would do anything for us. He makes time for his family. I jokingly say he's never grown up, but it's one of the things I also love. He knows how to have fun in virtually any situation. Ronell is empathetic and understanding and patient. He knows how to let people know he cares and exactly how to meet their needs. I am grateful that I get to learn from him and grow with him in the many adventures we've experienced and will experience.

It wouldn't be Father's Day without me expressing my gratitude to my dad, David. He has taught me so many things and has been a shoulder to lean on in difficult times. He loves kids and every kid I know loves him. I know my kids prefer him to me. :-) He has a love of learning and instilled it in all his children. He has the strangest sense of humor but it always made me laugh. He willingly sacrifices anything to meet his family's needs (and often wants). He is thoughtful and kind and knows exactly what to say to buoy my hopes and confidence. I am grateful that I was raised by a father who loves the Lord and loves us.

Though it's a day filled with travel, I've been thinking a lot about the influence of good men. I know my life wouldn't be the same without the influence of the men in my family, in my extended family, in Ronell's family. I know that so many of the problems in our world can be traced to the lack of fathers in the lives of kids. Though they often get chastised and berated for their weaknesses, I am grateful for men who sacrifice and work hard to make their lives and the lives of their families the best they can be. The world needs good men and I feel lucky to have been raised by and married to a few of the best men I know. Happy Father's Day. You deserve more than just a day and I hope you know how much I love you.

The Major Blog Updates

2010-06-11T23:22:00.001-05:00

Just to let you all know, the previous eight (yes, that says eight) posts are updates from the last two weeks of our lives (I posted them all tonight but for journal purposes changed the date to coordinate with the events). There are tons of photos and a few good stories. Your patience will be rewarded. Now, I just have to get my house ready to be packed by total strangers, ship my car to AR, clean out the condo, pack, and drive to Oregon for two weeks before flying to AR and moving into our new house. Should be fun!

Palmer's Birthday

2010-06-08T00:04:00.000-05:00

In addition to the craziness of baby blessings, vacation, and getting ready for the move, Palmer celebrated his 5th birthday. We had cake and ice cream when everyone was here for Teya's blessing (and no doubt Nona and Papa will do something in Oregon, too). He was perfectly satisfied with having his cousins and friends around for cake. He had lots of help blowing out candles.

On Monday, his actual birth day, we took him to Fat Cats to go bowling. Now, if you know Palmer, you know he was in heaven. Not only does he love to bowl, he asks to go to Fat Cats virtually every time we drive by it....which is often, as it's right near Provo's main thoroughfare. I'm sad that all the pictures of his bowling skills were blurry. However, here is evidence that he rocked the bowling game.

In addition, the poor kid had his kindergarten check up on Tuesday. He was a tough kid and got three shots. Okay, not really, he cried for about five minutes after. But when he was told he didn't have to have any more shots until he was 12 and he got a treat, he was fine. He showed his bandaids to everyone everywhere. He's healthy and growing: he's 42 inches tall (75 %ile) and weighs 45 lbs (75 %ile).

I'm so grateful for such a kind son as our first child. With all he's gone through in the past six months, I'm amazed at his progress and his resilience. I'm grateful for his inquisitive mind and his caring heart. I'm grateful for the laughter he brings to our home and for the kind and thoughtful things he does. I have learned so much from this amazing child and I can't wait to see what he teaches us next. Happy Birthday Palmer! We love you.

Blessed

2010-06-06T23:52:00.000-05:00

We blessed Teya today. It was a sweet experience. Teya is such a calming, sweet baby that it only made sense that her blessing brought peace and calm into my heart. Ronell, his brothers Dewayne & Jason, Charles, and Brent Williamson were in the circle.

The kids before church. For at least the next month, I'll actually get to have Ronell home to help get the kids ready for church. In addition to blessing Teya today, Ronell finally got released. It's been a great experience in our ward and we'll miss the Grandview 2nd ward.

The babies. All three sister-in-laws in the Hugh/Watson family were pregnant this year. In order from left to right: Kya (born Feb. 10), Teya (born April 16), and Caleb (born March 16). We're sad to move away from Teya's buddies but it will always be fun to visit and play with these cute kiddos.

Sea World and San Diego Beach Adventures (you're going to want to see this one to the end, it's worth it)

2010-05-29T22:58:00.000-05:00

On Wednesday night we drove down to San Diego and stayed with McKenna and Paul (thanks, Paul, for letting us take over). We rested and relaxed on Thursday (not really, we spent the day making decisions which house to buy, formulating our offer, waiting for the counter offer, and praying about whether to sign over our lives). But Friday, we hit Sea World and it was a success. Considering the fact that our children LOVE animals, it was safe to say they loved this day.

Saturday was spent at the beach (Coronado Beach, for you San Diego dwellers). It was so beautiful and relaxing.....

until Palmer needed to go to the bathroom.

Palmer asked to go potty after a few hours at the beach on Saturday. We told him to go in the ocean. He turned around and started walking toward the water. Halfway there, he turned around and gave us the look that said, "Are you sure?" With six adults urging him on, he headed toward the water. At the water's edge, he stopped and started pulling down his pants to pee in the ocean. At this point, everyone on the very crowded beach starts laughing. To add to Palmer's humiliation, three dogs begin circling him. He tries to run away with his pants around his ankles. It literally scared the poop out of him. Yes, our son decided to poop in the ocean. Ronell raced towards him to help and took his shorts out further in the ocean to rinse them off, while I had the pleasure of cleaning Palmer off. It's a good thing we were in CA, because they had no problem with my son running around in his birthday suit for a good five minutes. It was priceless.

Finally!!! She Smiles

2010-05-27T22:20:00.000-05:00

While on vacation in California, Teya flirted with smiling. She cracked half-grins all the time, especially at Ronell and I. But today she finally cracked a real one. Here's the evolution (sorry for the fuzzy photo of Sierra's fingers, it was the best smile).

Trying to decide if we're worth the effort.

Humoring us with the half-grin.

Getting a little over-excited.

And the silly grin.

She's now decided to coo at me and try to talk to us. She hasn't smiled at anyone except Ronell, Sierra, and I. But she stares in wonder at Palmer and Portia and gets really excited when they're around (which is constantly).

California Adventure

2010-05-26T22:45:00.000-05:00

Day 3 took us to California Adventure. I'd never been (yes, it's been that long since I went to Disneyland) and the kids had a blast. I think they might have enjoyed this day the best, simply because they knew all the characters and themed rides. Obviously, I have failed as a parent because they don't know most of the Disney classics. Anywho, they LOVED California Adventure.

Disney, Day 2

2010-05-25T22:34:00.000-05:00

Day 2 brought princesses and Papa! We spent the day in Fantasyland and a few other random places. We hit everything and even were ready to stay for the fireworks. But apparently they only do fireworks Thursday-Sunday nights. Lame. But we still had a blast.

Disney, Day 1

2010-05-24T22:22:00.000-05:00

We decided to venture down to the land of Sunshine for a visit to Disneyland and San Diego. Since we'll be landlocked for the next few years and closer to DisneyWorld, we thought we'd give the kids a taste of the original Happiest Place on Earth. Since pictures are worth a thousand words, I'll let you figure out how we fared.

Housing Update...the Real one

2010-05-24T13:50:00.056-05:00

For those of you who've followed our Arkansas housing adventure, here's the second installment (and hopefully the last until we post pictures of the house once we've moved in).

After returning from Arkansas (heretofore abbreviated to AR...it's just too annoying to type it out), we got the floor plans for the house we love (house #1) and a few other floor plans by the same builder. We found a floor plan that was virtually the same as house #1, but it was a little smaller (3000 vs. 3200) and, therefore, $25,000 less (I only understand this jump in price after learning all about "price per sq. ft"....it's fascinating, I assure you). We asked if the builder could build the smaller house (house #2) in Creekwood. He agreed, provided we put down earnest money. That's normal, however, he wanted significantly more money than is reasonably expected for earnest money. So back to drawing board. After comparing house #2's plans to a house the builder had already started (house #3), we found that they were virtually the same, expect no study in #3. After talking to the builder again, he said house #3 was ready for interior elements and could be finished by July 1st. That was good news and we decided to go with house #3. So, we put in an offer, it was accepted (with a little more earnest money than expected but still way lower than House #2), and away we went. The beautiful part of all this is that the builder agreed to several things (those arkansans, they include sprinkler system, landscaping, and a fence in the house price): 1. A fridge, which is abnormal for builders to put in a fridge. 2. Blinds, also abnormal. 3. We could move in on July 7th and pay rent until our Provo condo closes (essentially, we're paying his construction loan payments). Once we square that away, we can close on our new house and we're good to go. At first, I was hesitant to agree to that, because I hate throwing money away on rent, but I realized if we built a house, we'd be renting for at least five months anyway. At least this way we only move once and get to enjoy our beautiful new house. So, here's parts of the house (I apologize for the quality of some of the pictures. They were taken with the interior designer's iPhone). I don't have pictures of all the rooms yet. These pictures were taken mostly to show us progress on major interior design elements.

View from the front. We'll obviously have garage doors, a driveway and a landscaped yard. We're hoping they leave that gorgeous tree.

View from the backyard. No outdoor fireplace, but we will have serious outdoor fans (a mus in the crazy humidity of the south)

Closer view of the front door and dining room.

Kitchen (iPhone photo, so it's not crystal clear...as a random side note, Ronell says these pictures would be clear if our designer had the "new" iPhone...he's such a tech snob)

Closer view of the backsplash. The gas stovetop will go here, too.

Dining room (all the major wood in the house is the same as the beams).

Master Bathroom sinks. Still missing faucets, mirrors, and lighting.

So, that's the story with the house we're buying in AR. We're very excited to get everything finalized and get out there, but not without a seriously relaxing visit to OR to see my little brother come home from the mish and the rest of the family, too. :-)

Hanging with Miss Teya

2010-05-18T22:28:00.000-05:00

I just had to share this picture because I love it when Teya's awake. She sat and watched the Celtics game last Thursday with Daddy in the hotel. She was totally relaxed and wide awake. She sleeps a ton still but I love watching her when she's awake because it's so easy to see how much she's learning and developing. She's so close to smiling at me, it makes me almost want her to get a little older...almost. She's still a runt but she's growing in length finally (the only way I know this that she's finally fitting into 0-3m. clothes, even though they're baggy, they fit length-wise). Her brother and sister still love her (sometimes a little too much) and we love cuddling with her. I've decided to enjoy cuddling with Teya, even if it's messing up her routine a little. She still eats and sleep well, just that I let her sleep on Ronell or I a little more than I ever did with the other two. I know, I'm going soft. But it's so peaceful, I can't stop. :-)

House Hunting Report

2010-05-17T10:18:00.000-05:00

This past weekend Ronell, Teya and I flew to Bentonville, AR to look for houses. First off, it's still crazy to me how cheap housing and general cost of living is out there. Second, it was BEAUTIFUL! It's green and lush and tree-laden and open. Our kids are going to love that there are wide open farms everywhere with cows, chickens, horses, ducks, etc. I might actually become a runner simply to get a better view of the area.

After three long days of looking at new homes, half-completed homes (which are really hard to envision completed for me), and existing homes, we found a builder we love and have decided that we'll work with him to build a home. Now, don't think we're that special because it's a spec home....one that he would already be building anyway. However, because we can hopefully get in from the ground up, we'll get to put our own touches and pick our own finishes, which is awesome. If we can swing it, here's the house we love..... (we'd get to pick the exterior surfaces, too, so it would look a little different than this, but this is the floor plan we love).

I won't bore you with pictures of everything, but my two favorite things about this home are

the kitchen (duh)!

and the big, open family room (you can't really see the floors because the home is still under construction, but it's got beautiful hardwood floors). I also love this fireplace.

Ronell's favorite parts of this house are the porch with fans

the cool outdoor fireplace

and the study....minus the random red wall.

Like I said, it's not a done deal. We have a lot of things to work out still (Like selling our condo, please spread the word, the link's in the sidebar on the left) but it's kind of surreal that we'll have have a home we can all fit in that has enough storage for us and a backyard. It was a great trip and reminded me how lucky we are to have a job at all, but have a great job in a great community, too.

I'm totally my mother's daughter

2010-05-11T20:46:00.000-05:00

Over the years, I've had many people tell me I'm just like my mom. When I was a teenager, that was an insult. As a young adult, I just smiled because I still didn't really get what that meant. But now that I'm a wife, mother, and supposed to be a grown up, I love it when people tell me I'm like my mom....for the most part. :-) One of the many things in which I'm like my mom is this.....

Church clothes must coordinate...or at least not clash.

While I realize this is somewhat OCD of me, there's something about making sure my kids having similar color schemes in their church clothes that makes me feel good. I know, it's weird, but if you look at what my mother put us in, you'll get it.

Family photo, yes I'm 13 and so not happy about being in this picture...neither is Sierra. :-)

Again, somehow I got suckered into the coordinating outfits thing at 13. My mother had no shame.

Things got a little better.

Most recent Ainge Family Photo. Apparently, my children have continued the tradition of "no children smiling in family photos".

Seriously, though, I'm grateful for my mom and all she taught me (and all the things she tried to teach me that I ignored). It's coming in handy as I attempt this mom thing for the third time. I love you, Mom, even if it is two days after Mother's Day.

Just a Little Frustrating

2010-05-06T19:05:00.000-05:00

So it's been almost three weeks (tomorrow) since I had Teya. I'm pretty much completely recovered and feeling good. I'm absolutely ready to hit the gym and started going back on Monday. But then Teya decided to revolt and stay up for 3-4 hours every night. She's not crying, she's just awake.....which means I wake up feeling like Night of the Living Dead. If she would just cooperate and sleep a little more at night, I'd have enough energy to work out. So there's my frustration, I want to work out and take advantage of having Ronell home so I don't have to brave the kids' club, and Teya is frustrating my plans. Silly girl. Tomorrow, I WILL go to the gym.

In other news, I'm very proud of the fact that I can wear my pre-pregnancy jeans (too bad I can't zip them up, ha!). Now if those pre-pregnancy jeans were a size I actually wanted to be, then I'd be really proud. For now, I just have be happy with be the same size I was last May, which is not a bad place to be three weeks postpartum.

Two Weeks

2010-05-04T10:27:00.000-05:00

The stats:

Height: 20.5 inches (50 %ile)

Weight: 6 lbs. 15 oz. (25 %ile)

Head: 34 cm (25 %ile)

Either the hospital was wrong, or we have the fastest growing infant. I think the hospital was wrong. But I was a little surprised that Teya hadn't put on more weight. But her doctor said that if she's gained her birth weight back, that's normal. Well, she'd only lost 3 oz. in the hospital, so she's put on 5 oz. since coming home. Maybe she'll always be my little shrimp. I guess it's not fair to compare Teya to her siblings, who both gained at least 1 lb. by their two week appt. and were chubby with rolls.

Clearly, no rolls here. A friend did this comparison with her little boy, who is two weeks older than Teya and I thought it was cute (P.S. Mimi, I'm all for an early betrothal). Portia was happy to share her baby.

Palmer varies between ignoring Teya and wanting to hold her. His pajamas say, "Big brother". Too bad you can't see it. So far, the kids have been great with Teya, other than a few incidents of Portia trying to pick Teya up by her middle. Mostly, she just gives Teya lots of kisses and hugs.

Things I've Been Working On

2010-04-29T16:39:00.002-05:00

In the past couple months, I've spent almost more time at my sewing machine than anywhere else. Here are some of the things I've been working on.

A diaper stacker to coordinate with the bedding my mom made. I love these greens and browns.

The "girl" quilt. The circles are hand-appliqued onto the background. I finished the boy squares, but didn't get around to putting them together. I guess it's a good thing Teya was a girl.

The bed skirt my mom made. She also made new bumper pads with green minky and a coordinating green polka dot.

Initially, I wasn't planning on doing anything new for this baby. But then I felt bad because I'd made something new for the other two and didn't want this baby to feel left out (like she'd really know the difference). I found instructions for recovering the carseat, grabbed a spare car seat at our MBASA clothing swap (just in case the recover failed miserably, I didn't want to be without a car seat cover), and deliberated for months over a good gender-neutral fabric. I finally decided to do the black minky I'd been hanging on to for a few years and this adorable red & white polka dot.

the inside of the carseat. I also made a coordinating cover that snapped to to the top of the carseat and covers the baby.

A group of friends from MBASA (the MBA spouse association) got together and decided to make quiet books. We each chose a page and made "copies" for everyone. Because it was so much fun, we ended up doing two rounds. Round 1 had 14 members and round 2 had 19 members. With that many pages, I decided to compile two quiet books, one for the toddler and one for a preschooler. Here's the toddler one. Portia's already obsessed with it.

Match the shapes

Mom's purse and the Apple Tree (Portia was so excited to see a wallet and real chapstick in her purse)

The tool box and the Barn (I need to finish making the other farm animal finger puppets)

The car pages (complete with real toy car)

Notebook page (I need to put the paper in the top pocket) and ice cream sundae.

Gumball machine and Frog pages

Train and Teepee pages (with compass and toy Indians)

Oven and cupcakes pages (so far this is Portia's favorite page)

Tie the Kite Strings and Ocean pages

House (I need to put family pictures in the windows and doors) and Alligator pages

Lion Texture page

And Here's the Preschool Book

Button Flowers page

Dress up Pages (I did this one for round 1)

Clock and Braids pages

Mailbox and Shoe pages

Tic Tac Toe (I did this one for round 2) and heart puzzle pages

Robot and Piggy Bank Pages

Memory game and Bead Counting pages

Weave the Cherry Pie and picnic basket pages (Palmer loves the food on this one)

Noah's Ark page (I need to make the finger puppets for this one, too)

These projects were so fun to put together and I have a storage bin full of projects yet to be finished (or started). But the thing I'm most proud of is this little cutie.

Teya sleeping during the day. We're still working on getting her to sleep more than three hours at night. I haven't really started Babywise with her, other than the feeding/sleeping schedule. I'm a little less rigid with this one and I'm not sure I can handle letting her cry. So I've made my own night time drama, I guess. :-)

Portia's most oft repeated comment about Teya is, "She moved!" Being the shrimp that she is and given that she's not the most active baby, I can see why Portia (and others) don't think she's real. She actually looks chunky here but really her clothes are just too big.

I'm sad that I just missed a smile with this picture. She smiles a ton. I don't believe it's just gas, but she really only smiles when she's asleep, so I'm inclined to think she's smiling at her dreams.

Don't let this fool you, either, she's mad that I took off her clothes. But I had to show off my little shrimp's chicken legs. I love that her little onesies are newborn and are still too big and too long for her. We love having this calm child around. She's been such a good baby so far.

Hallelujah! We Made It!

2010-04-25T16:21:00.002-05:00

On Friday, Ronell graduated from the BYU MBA program. We are so proud of him and all he's done in the last two years. It's been a great experience for our family.

The pre-graduation luncheon at Rodizio's grill.

Our little family (that's not really so little anymore)

It was a little tricky getting a group shot.

First year team buddies, Mike Livingston and Heather Archibald

Matt Kempton, Ronell, Paul Winterowd, David Liddicoat, and Ken Carpenter

Ken Carpenter, Ryan Wilson, Joe Nabrotzky, Mathew Harrison, and Ronell

Kyle Freebairn, Ronell, Steve Jackson, Ryan Allred, and Dave Harper

Ronell and his parents, Donna and Charles Watson

my mom, Stacy Ainge, Ronell, me, my dad, David

Beginning the procession to his cushy floor seat.

The Graduates

Getting his degree

Kind of hard to see but Ronell's hugging the Dean, Dr. Craig Merrill.

Just a little excited to be done.

The weather was horrible on the day of graduation but right after the ceremony the sun came out just long enough to snap a few in front of BYU's entrance.

I'm so proud of Ronell. We made it, honey!

Yes, we did take pictures of our child, I swear

2010-04-21T13:19:00.002-05:00

So I finally got around to getting the pictures and videos of Teya off the camera/flip and saved to the computer. Really, though, I could have posted pictures of Portia and no one would have been the wiser. Here's the newest Hugh.

Hours old.

First Day Home

with big sister, Portia at the hospital. (Um, please disregard the chia pet that is Portia's hair. I obviously wasn't around to do her hair).

with PD. He actually wanted to hold her. The day before he said hi to Teya and then asked if the TV in my hospital room worked. Baby steps.

This little lady has mastered the scowl. She might be regretting that skill when she has frown lines at age 2.

Teya's Story

2010-04-18T19:29:00.000-05:00

First: a warning. If you've never read a birth story (or seen one), it's lots of information. I'm just saying.

So, here's the story of Teya's birth. Like Teya, it's short and sweet. I'd been having contractions on and off for almost two weeks but nothing progressive. On the 14th (Wednesday), my mom flew into town. She was a little nervous about showing up before the birth and didn't want to "waste" time here with no baby. But Sierra had a concert, so she came and played with my kids, which was great. The morning of the 15th (Thursday), I had my 39 week appt. A little ticked that I'd even made it that far, I was ready to do whatever necessary to get this baby here (Can you tell I'm a little impatient?). My doctor said I was still about 80% effaced and Teya was head down and I was dilated to a 3. She then stripped my membranes, which is not really a pleasant experience but not as bad as labor. Almost immediately I noticed a difference in my contractions. I started having more back labor, which wasn't fun. I think that was because I was carrying Teya more in my back than I had with the other two.

So, I went home and went about my day. Palmer had a soccer game, we went to dinner at Brick Oven, and just played with Nona. All the while, my contractions were progressively getting closer together, but not any more painful. We put the kids down for bed, my mom went home and Ronell and I just relaxed on the couch for a bit (relaxed is a loose term for having contractions and trying to be calm and relaxed). I went to bed around 10 and Ronell went to Oliver's to play the Wii (it's been their "thing" this last semester of MBA school). I woke up around midnight with serious contractions. I called Ronell and told him to come home. Then I ran next door and grabbed my neighbor, Miriam, so she could hang out at the house (thanks again for that, Mir). My contractions were virtually on top of each other but I could still talk through them and walk around. But I learned my lesson with Portia and thought it would be safer to go to the hospital (I had a little doubt at this point whether I was really in labor or just wishful thinking).

We got to the hospital at 12:40 and they checked me. I was dilated to a 5 and my contractions were right on top of each other. They called my doctor and asked if I wanted my water broken. I figured I might as well just do this and get it done faster, so I said yes. She came in and broke my water at 1:10am and immediately my contractions were seriously intense. I had a moment of doubt about going natural and said, "Maybe I should have gotten that epidural". My doctor said, "Too late. Sorry." She didn't sound very sorry. :-) Within about a minute of breaking my water, I felt the need to push. I'd dilated to about 9 1/2. My doctor asked me to do a few more contractions and then we'd be ready. That was the longest 15 minutes of my life. I pushed twice and Teya's head came out (with the cord wrapped around her neck), one more push and her body came out. And our little shrimp was born at exactly 1:30am, weighing in at 6 lbs. 13 oz. and 18 inches long. It took her a minute to come around so they wisked her away, but she finally started crying and moving and was fine. From start to finish was 50 minutes and I pushed for about 10 minutes. It was perfect.

Teya weighing in.

From the first second she was born, Teya was sticking her tongue out. So far, she's easily "pacified" and is totally content with a binky and lots of noise around her. She is, by far, the calmest baby we've had. All our kids have been pretty easy, but she's the calmest.

Our not so little family. Not sure why I'm so squinty-eyed and what the kids are looking at, but you get the idea.

I'm so grateful for this little girl in our lives. Her influence is already calming and I desperately need something calm in my life. She seems pretty easy-going and willing to take Portia's smothering and everyone's kisses. I'm always amazed by the birthing process and what a miracle it is. I'm grateful that Teya, though small and short, is perfectly healthy and has brought such peace to my life in the last couple weeks. I'm glad she's a part of our family.

And the newest member of the Hugh family is.....

2010-04-16T19:27:00.002-05:00

.....baby Teya Jean Hugh. She was born on April 16, 2010 at 1:30am after 30 minutes of transition and 20 minutes of pushing. She's our smallest baby at 6 lbs. 13 oz. and 18 inches long. Pictures to come soon.

Still here

2010-04-12T13:57:00.000-05:00

In my efforts to be positive, here's my list for the day:

1. I got to work out for an hour. (that won't be happening for at least a few weeks, I Hope)
2. It's the last week of classes for Ronell.
3. The weather is beautiful.
4. I get to take a nap today.
5. Physically, I feel great.

Obviously, no baby yet but the good thing is, this little one has to come out some time, right?

Patience

2010-04-07T23:34:00.000-05:00

is not my strength. 12 days to my due date and I'm sooo ready to go. My body is getting great practice with all the contractions I'm having. I think this might be the only time in my life where I welcome pain. Hear that, baby? I'm ready when you are. :-)

Selling the Condo

2010-03-22T13:59:00.000-05:00

The time has finally come for us to sell our condo. We've loved living here and being a part of this community and ward. So, if you know anyone in the market for a condo for themselves or their newly married/returned from mission children, feel free to pass along the link. Remind them that if they have it under contract by April 30, they can qualify for the $8,000 new buyer credit.

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/Unit-50_Provo_UT_84604_1117123794

One Hot Egghead

2010-03-21T22:56:00.000-05:00

Portia: I know who that is (pointing to Humpty Dumpty on the cartoon).
Me: Who is it?
Portia: That's Hunky Dunky.

A Jealous Moment

2010-03-17T23:44:00.000-05:00

So my two sister-in-laws, Katy and Elli, were due respectively in February and March. We just went to the hospital to meet Mr. Caleb John Hugh, the newest cousin. So, we now have a one-month adorable little niece, Kya, and little Caleb. I'm the only one left to have our 2010 baby. I'm jealous of my SILs for lots of reasons (like the fact that they're not pregnant anymore), but the biggest reason is that I just want to KNOW!! Okay, I haven't had a hard time with the surprise factor until seeing these little ones. Oh, well. Only a few more weeks (5 at the most) and then this little peanut will be worth the wait.

Portia, the life coach

2010-03-16T09:51:00.000-05:00

One of the many reasons why I love Portia is because she's a huge motivator. Every morning, we get the kids dressed and ready for the day. Palmer talks about going to school and Portia talks about going to the gym. She throws a fit when we can't go but has been very patient with me the last few weeks. I think this pregnancy has finally caught up with me and I'm exhausted. Or it could be pregnancy combined with the chaos of graduating, moving, selling/buying a home, etc.

Yesterday, I asked Portia if she wanted to go to the gym, she said, "YES! It's been too long and I need the gym today." Me, too, kid. Unfortunately, I think I worked a little too hard, combined with sitting on a hard chair at my sewing machine (Thank you, quiet book pages) for 2 hours yesterday, my sciatic nerve is shot this morning. I told Portia my back was hurting this morning so we couldn't go to the gym. Her response: "That's okay, Mom. Do you want me to rub your back? Then maybe we'll go to the gym tomorrow and stay for a loooong time. But today we can just play games. " She's such a sweetheart, when she wants to be.

To-Do List

2010-03-07T22:42:00.001-06:00

1. Register at the hospital and give them our birth plan (yes, this is our third child and yes, we finally created a birth plan).
2. Pick a real estate agent (normally I stay far away from them but Walmart's paying, so why not?)
3. Finish de-cluttering the house.
4. Clean my house
5. Fold the five loads of clean laundry hanging out in the basket.
6. Do something for my cabin fever children.
7. Go to bed before 11pm this whole week (it's more a goal but I WILL make it happen).
8. Finish the baby quilts (yes, that's plural...it's the only bad thing about being surprised, I have to prepare for both).
9. Clean my house.
10. Clean my house.

Nothing big, just my life. However, I will post the video of our daredevil children sledding in Park City. Believe it or not, Palmer was the daredevil and Portia chickened out. Watch for it!

I'm a Hypocrite, so sue me

2010-03-05T22:44:00.000-06:00

I just have one quick thought. I love blog-stalking and I find it better use of my time than random internet surfing. Does anyone else get bummed when they check friends' blog and no one has updated? I get bummed and then I realized a very sad thing....there are often weeks that I go without posting. I'm guilty of blog droughts and, therefore, a total hypocrite. Oh well. Keep checking. I'll get something meaningful up here soon. Meanwhile, back to de-cluttering and deep cleaning my house. So fun, especially when the belly impedes my ability to do much.

Happy Birthday to Princess Portia!

2010-02-24T13:46:00.001-06:00

Today our little princess is 3. I am so grateful for this joyful, spirited little girl, even if she knows how to push my buttons. On her special day, I want to share some of my favorite things about Portia.

1. She is one of the most caring, considerate children I know. She always looks out for others.

2. She loves babies and other kids. She's already decided she's ready to take care of our new little baby.

3. She's very independent. That may sometimes be a bad thing, but it's been so nice to have her take the initiative on learning to do everything from potty train to dressing herself.

4. She has the best hair ever. Though it's sometimes a struggle to get her to let me comb her hair, it's cute and crazy and totally matches her personality.

5. One of my favorite things about Portia is that she decided she couldn't wait three more weeks to join our family. It was a pleasant surprise to have a February baby when my due date was March 20. She couldn't wait to play and hasn't stopped since.

6. Portia's smile and laugh are infectious and every time she flashes that smile, everyone around her smiles.

7. Portia is a talker and has the funniest things to say. My favorite thing right now is to listen in on her phone conversations with her "friends."

8. She is a loyal friend. She refers to her little group of friends as "my girls", which is hilarious, and is so excited whenever she sees anyone she knows. She also has a knack for remembering names (she'll thank me for that someday).

9. She is a great sister. She has so many strengths but always has time to play with her brother. Whenever they are playing together, they have a great time. Portia adores her brother and wants to be everywhere he is.

10. She loves to cuddle. She loves to sit on my lap to watch TV or read books and has to sit as close as possible to whomever she sits with. She makes my day frequently by walking up and throwing her arms around me, kissing me on the cheek, and saying, "I love you, Mom." She usually finishes up with a pat on my cheek.

I am grateful for this amazing little girl and all that I have learned from her already. I'm excited to see what the future brings for this sassy, fun-loving, genuinely happy little girl.

(Last year's birthday)

Update

2010-02-07T20:13:00.000-06:00

I just wanted to update you all on the results of the Wake Forest Competition. Our BYU team didn't win the grand prize, but they did win the Fan Favorite vote, which got them each a Flip video camera. Ronell said it was a great experience and he thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the MBA students from some of the top universities in the world. I'm glad he and the team had a good experience. It looked like they had a blast, even if it didn't bring home the cash. I'm proud of their team and the positive way they represented BYU.

BYU needs your vote!

2010-02-05T14:07:00.002-06:00

This weekend Ronell and five friends from the BYU MBA program are competing in a Marketing Competition in Wake Forest, NC. First prize is $50,000! As part of the competition, voters can cast their vote for their favorite team. So, here's your chance to support BYU and Ronell all in one swift click of the mouse. Please vote by Saturday (that's tomorrow). Here's the link: http://www.marketingsummitlive.com/photos2/. Take two seconds and vote for the BYU team. Their competition is Ohio State, Notre Dame, London Business School, Wake Forest, IESE Business School (from Spain), UNC and Dartmouth. It's pretty stiff competition but I know BYU will do great.

You can also follow all the action here: http://www.marketingsummitlive.com/ . Ronell just got interviewed...and he was the only one not holding a giant Starbucks coffee at 1:00am!! Click on the "36" posts in the right column to see Ronell and his team. Go BYU!!!!!!!!

Withdrawal

2010-01-21T10:28:00.002-06:00

It's sad, but I'm having Glee withdrawal. Hence the playlist made up of Glee songs. Anyone else feeling the void?

A Long Day

2010-01-19T22:54:00.003-06:00

Today was one of those days where I couldn't wait to put the kids down for bed because I knew they'd sleep like rocks. This is what our day looked like:

8:00am--Take Palmer to preschool
8:30am--Work out at the gym for an hour
9:40am--Grocery Shopping
10:30am--Brave the post office to mail a package
11:00am--Wait for the slowest train ever for 15 minutes
11:15am--Pick up Palmer and Logan (a friend's son whose in the same class as Palmer)
11:45am--Take Logan home (yes, it often takes us 30 minutes to get the kids all bundled up, walk out to the car and get them home in one piece)
12:00pm--Head over to the Carpenters' for some much needed lunch and playtime.
3:30pm--We finally left the Carpenters' and headed home for a little break. I'm sure Emily was glad to be rid of us.
5:00pm--Dinner without Daddy, because Tuesday's his night class.
5:45pm--Watch a little TV (while Mommy finally showers for the day)
6:15pm--Bath time
6:45pm--A little more TV while we wait for Dad to get home
7:15pm--Prayers and Brush teeth
7:30pm--BED TIME!

Needless to say, most of our days are crazy but this one was extra fun. It was a crazy morning and a fun afternoon. I think this says it all. This is what I found when I went into the family room to call the kids for dinner.

Maybe Because I'm Pregnant But........

2010-01-12T17:14:00.000-06:00

I found this article fascinating. A friend, Jamie W., shared it on her blog and I loved it. It's long but well worth the read. A great possible explanation about the importance of women in God's plan. Enjoy.

In My Dreams......

2010-01-08T20:58:00.001-06:00

I would be able to afford some Louboutins and look like this after having twins! :-)

The Card

2010-01-04T13:52:00.002-06:00

We were kind of cheap this year and only sent our Christmas cards to people who live far away from us (next year that will be everyone because Bentonville AR is not near anything!). So, if you're lucky enough to live near us right now in good old Provo and you were dying to see our one-of-a-kind card, this is for you.

Happy New Year: We're Going to Arkansas!

2010-01-03T22:48:00.002-06:00

Some of you have probably heard and some of you are probably interested to know, the Hugh Family is heading to Arkansas and I, Ronell, will be working for Walmart Corporate. I have been blessed in my business school experience to have multiple offers from reputable companies (Adobe and Xerox) in two industries. But ultimately, we felt Walmart would provide us with the best opportunity and experience for our future.

Let me you tell how we made the decision. First, I had been networking and working on a full-time position as a Product Manager at Microsoft and felt that Bri and I needed to have a good idea of Walmart and Arkansas before a final interview with Microsoft happened. After receiving my offer from Walmart in October, I told Bri that we need to head east and check out Bentonville. So, during the first weekend in December, Bri and I made the journey out to Arkansas for a 4 day weekend. We thoroughly enjoyed our experience. The company was awesome, the community was family-friendly and -oriented, and we both felt it would be the best opportunity and experience for our family as whole. Once we returned to Utah, we decided that we now needed to wait and see what happened with Microsoft.

I received an email while we were in Arkansas from my Microsoft recruiter informing me that the Office team wanted to interview me on Friday, December 10. I made my preparations and flew out to interview with Microsoft. When I arrived, I was the only person from a school west of the Mississippi. I was interviewing with students from Wharton (3), Harvard (2), Duke and Carnegie Mellon. I did my best and decided that now it's in the hands of the decision-makers and the Lord. After my interview, I waited until the next Thursday and received a "no" from Microsoft. Two days later, we left for vacation in Oregon with my in-laws.

On Monday I received an offer from Adobe (Omniture) and they gave me 4 days (Christmas Eve) to make my decision. With the pressure on, I went to the Portland Temple and contemplated my little family's future. Bri (who was sick) joined me later in the temple and we talked and received the resounding reassurance that the Walmart is the best opportunity and experience for our family. We felt at peace about our decisions and I informed Adobe that I couldn't accept their great offer and on Christmas Eve I informed Walmart that I would be heading to Bentonville.

We are excited as a family for this new opportunity and now look forward to finding a great house to make our home and getting ready for the journey of a lifetime.

Why I Love My Kids

2009-12-14T08:11:00.000-06:00

Reason #1:
Portia has to bring her baby doll in the car with her. Now that it's cold (our high this week was 24*), she has to wrap the baby in a blanket before gently carrying it to the car. The other day, while driving, I hear her straining to get something. I look back and see her desperately trying to reach the doll blanket that had fallen to the floor. Then, as I turned around, I hear, "You gotta be kiddin' me! Blanket, come on!" So I grabbed the blanket and tossed it to her.

Reason #2:
After breakfast this morning, Palmer brought me his plate. I said, "Thanks, buddy, for bringing your plate over." He hands it over, bows, and says, "My pleasure" and runs off.

Reason #3:
Because we have church at 1:00pm (thankfully we go to 9:00am in January), we have lots of morning time to kill. Other righteous folk would spend those hours reading scriptures and teaching their children. I'm satisfied with cooperative play time. This morning the kids flipped some toy chairs over and created ramps for their cars. At one point, Palmer left the room (probably to use the facilities) and I hear Portia yell, "Palmer you get back here and play with me or I spank you bottom!" Apparently I need to stop using that empty threat.

Reason #4:
Palmer reading to Portia. Need I say more?

Rethinking

2009-12-09T23:23:00.003-06:00

I just looked at our outdoor thermometer. 2 degrees Farenheit. Checking weather channel says it's 4 * but feels like -4. Gee, that's just great. I'm rethinking my love of Utah's four seasons right now.

It's a .........................................

2009-12-01T17:05:00.000-06:00

BABY! Are you surprised? I love seeing people's reaction when we tell them we're not finding out the gender of our baby. There are lots of logical reasons why being surprised by this one makes sense (we're prepared for either one, we're moving shortly after the baby's born so no need to set up a nursery, etc.) but really it's just because I've always wanted to be surprised. I'm very proud of the fact that neither Ronell or I had the urge to find out while at our ultrasound today. All that really mattered to me was making sure our little one is healthy. And everything was perfect, even down to the little one sucking a thumb while the technician snapped this shot.

Now we need to find some names. That's really the only challenging part of not finding out the gender, naming the little one. But I'm sure at some point I'll post a poll of our favorites for your approval. For now, we're overjoyed that our baby is healthy and apparently very content in it's current location. Palmer and Portia were fascinated by all the body parts they saw and the loud heartbeat. They're still a little confused as to why we can't "take our baby home" yet. We're halfway there!

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T22:51:00.000-06:00

I just wanted to wish you all wonderfully Happy Thanksgiving. We spent the day up in Daybreak (S. Jordan) with Lexie's in-law's, the Cottles. It was quite a crew and our kids were wiped by the end of the day. But they had a blast, the food was great, and the company was fantastic. I'll grab some pics from Lexie and post them soon. For now, I just wanted to say how grateful I am to have so many blessings this year at Thanksgiving. Here are my top ten things to be grateful for right now:

1. My family
2. The Gospel
3. Our home. It may be in Provo, but it's all our's and it still always feels good to come home to our lives.
4. Beautiful weather. Other than a little wind, today was another gorgeous day. I don't mind all the leaves falling, if it means beautiful weather that my kids can still play outside in.
5. Choices. This sounds funny but I'm grateful that we have so many options in our lives right now. Our future is wide open. At this time next year, we could be in Seattle, Orem, or Bentonville and I'm excited about the many possibilities.
6. Computers/ Technology. There's so much I can do with a click of a mouse that 10 years would have been unthinkable. I love how the gospel moves ever forward with the help of technology.
7. Babies. I loved seeing my niece, Brizzy, and her cousins, Libby and Kloey, who are 2 months younger than her. They are so curious and in awe of everything around them. I want to be more like that.
8. God books. No matter how busy I am, a good book always calms me down and allows me a brief escape from the mundane-ness of my life. One of goals in life is to have enough space in our home to have a library. It might start as a shelf or two but I'd love to create a reading nook, complete with comfy chair and good lighting. (I might have to steal the comfiest chair from my mom, along with the her knitted blankets, but it will happen!).
9. Second trimester. Silly, but soooooo true. I honestly feel better during 2nd trimester of my pregnancies, that the not-so-pleasant part (you know, the 1st & 3rd trimester, birth, recovery, newborn craziness, sleepless nights, etc.) seem worth it. Oh, and the cute little caramel baby that is the end result is worth it, too.
10. Love. As the Beatles so aptly said, "All you need is love." Cheesy and very Oregonian of me, but I'm grateful to know that there are people in this world who love and care about my welfare. It makes my life so much better. Of course, nothing trumps knowing that my Father in Heaven knows my every thought and intention and still loves me.

I hope you all have a safe and happy Thanksgiving. I hope you have many reasons to give thanks today.

Thanks Update

2009-11-23T11:52:00.002-06:00

So, I've been keeping track in my journal of some of the things that I'm grateful for. But it is a little difficult to come up with some "new" ideas. Most of my gratitude is for my family or something related to my family, so I've had to start thinking hard about what I'm truly grateful for.

Nov. 12: I spent the day stressing about a presentation on mealtime with kids I had to teach as part of our quarterly Relief Society meeting (formerly known as "Enrichment"). I actually learned some new ideas for getting my kids to try new things. I think what I'm most grateful for is that Ronell and I have never had to struggle to put good food before our kids. Even if they choose not to each much, I know that at least Ronell and I can provide for them.

Nov. 13: I'm grateful today for days off. Fridays are the only weekdays that Palmer doesn't go to preschool and it's nice not to rush to get him out the door. Because I know that next year, we won't get any weekdays off when he starts kindergarten (yikes, I"ll have a kindergartener!), I'm set on enjoying them now. We don't get dressed right when wake up and I usually get most of my projects done. It's a good day.

Nov. 14: Today I'm grateful for two things totally unrelated, quilting and my in-laws. I'm doing a monthly quilt class that results in a gorgeous pieced and appliqued quilt. I love learning new techniques and I find myself getting quickly obsessed and feel the need to try out my new skills on every new project. I'm grateful for my mother and father-in-law because they called and asked if they could take the kids for the afternoon and then kept them from 2-7pm. It was so nice of them. Ronell and I went to dinner, packed up summer clothes (it's finally getting cold enough to actually wear long sleeves), and enjoyed watching some football without worrying what the kids were doing. It was a great treat.

Nov. 15: I'm grateful for inspired speakers today. We had Stake Conference and our Area Authority, Elder Daniel Jones spoke to us. I loved so much of what he said. He gave us 20 ways to save our families in the last days. I won't list them all here because then this post would be insanely too long. But some of my favorites (other than the standard ones we all think of) were 1. Be Consistent (echoing Elder. Bednar from conference), 2. Have companionship inventory (we've gotten out of the habit since b-school), 3. Arrive 15 minutes early to church and sit towards the front, 4. Encourage children to get as much education as possible, as well as seeking continuous learning opportunities, 5. Teach your children to save for their own missions and college education.

Nov. 16: Today I'm grateful for my kids' excitement. As part of MBA Spouses Association, we took the kids bowling for FHE. Palmer was is heaven. He was so excited, even if he only knocked down one pin. Portia had a blast, mostly because her friends were there. She only came to our alley when it was her turn to bowl, then she'd shove the ball down the alley and walk back to her friends, without even seeing where the ball went.

Nov. 17: I'm grateful today for time I have with my kids. We built a fort today after naps and watched a movie. It was fun to see how excited the kids were to hang out with me. I know that will quickly fade, so I love that I'm one of their favorite people right now and I'll take every kiss and snuggle I can get.

Nov. 18: I love eating good food at good places. We went to dinner with some of the recruiters from Walmart at Chef's Table in Orem. I'd never been there and felt a little under-refined (if that's a word). It was good to learn more about the good people and the environment of Walmart's home office. I'm grateful not only that we have an offer in this economy, but that it's with a company filled with people who seem to genuinely want to help my husband and I and our family have the best possible experience.

Nov. 19: Okay, crazy day. I went the NAC (National Advisory Council) dinner and met a bunch of business execs who support the Marriott School. Then I went to a friend's house and munched and chatted until midnight. Then I went and saw "New Moon" with 100 MBA Spouses, students, and friends. It was a blast. I'm so grateful that I've been put in a place where I can develop friendships with people I probably never would have met, had we not been in b-school. I love learning more about them, especially in the setting of such cheesiness as a Twilight movie.

Nov. 20: Today I'm grateful for Merrilee Web. She spoke at a NAC spouses' luncheon and touched my heart. She talked about expecting miracles and embracing them, even when they don't look the way we envisioned them. How grateful I am for the many miracles I experience daily. I didn't really want to go to the luncheon (Major sleep hangover from staying up until 3:30am will do that), but I know I needed to hear what Sis. Web had to teach me.

Nov. 21: Today I'm grateful for modern medicine (okay really just the drugs, ha!). Ronell came home from basketball this morning holding his shoulder and saying he couldn't move it. So, off the BYU Health center urgent care we went. After x-rays, chasing kids down the halls, two juice boxes and suckers later, we had the answer. Ronell partially dislocated his shoulder. So with pain pills and splint at hand, we headed home to spend the day relaxing at home. Okay, really Ronell relaxed, I made 100 rolls and tried to contain the kids. But I'm grateful that I got to take care of Ronell. Sometimes he's a little too independent and it's always good to remind him that he needs me. :-)

Nov. 22: Today we had our Hugh/Watson family Thanksgiving at Katy and Jason's home. It was so nice to sit and enjoy the company of family. I'm grateful for the spirit of the holiday season and how everyone seems to happier, more generous, and kinder than at any other time of year. Maybe it's because we're too cold to care about the non-essentials, but I appreciate the opportunity to get together with family and just enjoy each other's company.

If you made it through the novel, you're very patient. Here's your reward! :-) Our friend Chloe, took our Christmas pictures and I loved this one. Enjoy!

Busy Day

2009-11-22T12:45:00.000-06:00

I don't have time right now to post my thanks for the week, but I have been thinking of them. Yesterday was a busy day (today is, too, but I had zero time yesterday to post). Ronell came home from basketball at 7:15 saying he fell on his shoulder and it was really hurting. So we spent the morning at the Urgent Care center at the BYU health center. Diagnosis: Dislocated shoulder. Luckily, it wasn't completely dislocated and Ronell had already popped in back in the right place. So they gave him a splint and some pain pills and sent him home. He's pretty much out of commission for 4-6 weeks. The rest of the day I spent making lots of rolls of the Hugh family Thanksgiving today and trying to keep the kids off Ronell. To top it off, both my kids have coughs, which don't sound bad but are just very annoying. Fun day!

New Moon

2009-11-20T12:48:00.011-06:00

So, despite the fact that I'm seriously sleep deprived, I really did have a blast last night. A bunch of friends from the spouse association rented a theater for the opening night of "New Moon" (Thanks, Mandi, for doing all the work). We spent the evening chatting it up at a friends house and headed to the theater for our 12:43am showing. I thoroughly enjoyed it.......probably because New Moon was the one book I like from the Twilight series for two reasons: Jacob Black and they went to Volterra, a little town in Tuscany that I visited on several occasions. This movie was much better than the first. I had to fight the urge to laugh at the cheesiness of the first movie, but this one was pretty well-done. It was entertaining, mostly because it featured lots and lots of Taylor Lautner, which is always a good recipe for an entertaining movie. :-) I'm glad my friends coerced me into going. It was definitely worth the two-day sleep hangover. And because he's a little cutie......enjoy.

Under Construction

2009-11-13T00:26:00.002-06:00

I apologize for any weird-looking things on my blog. I'm learning how to make custom blog backgrounds and lots of other fun stuff. Until then, just bear with me.

Are you Obsessed yet?

2009-11-12T15:20:00.003-06:00

My new favorite show is Glee. I can't find the video on youtube but here's the link to watch on of my favorite songs "Defying Gravity" sung by two of my favorite characters, Rachel and Kurt. If you want to laugh, cry, and fight the urge to dance for an hour, I'd recommend "Glee". What an amazing show....and it's highly inappropriate, which always makes for a great show.

Watch it here.

More Thanks to Give

2009-11-11T17:41:00.003-06:00

Here's what's been on my mind:

Nov.9: It's Dewayne's birthday today and I'm grateful for extended family, both mine and Ronell's. Our families aren't perfect but they support us and love us in their individual ways. I'm grateful to have family close, especially as the prospect of having no family around is a sad, but real, thought right now. I'm grateful for the talents and gifts each sister, brother, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, niece, and nephew, mother, father, mother-in-law, father-in-law and how I've grown and learned from every one of them.

Nov. 10: I had a baby check-up today (I'm 17 weeks). All is well with both the baby and I. I'm just barely starting to "pop" but I can still wear all my normal clothes. As I listened to this little one's heartbeat and watched Portia's face light up as she listened to that "thump, thump, thump" (she loves telling people what our baby sounds like), I was so grateful for healthy children. With so many friends and family struggling to get pregnant, stay pregnant, and deal with children with complications, I'm so grateful that I get to be pregnant. I complain about not being able to lose the baby weight, but of all the problems that could go wrong with pregnancy, nursing, and the beautiful babies that are the result of all the discomfort, I'll take it. I'm grateful for the joy that has come to my life because of the children the Lord has entrusted to us.

Nov. 11: Today I'm grateful for Portia and her craziness. She drives me bonkers sometimes with her serious attitude. But then I come out of the shower and see this...
Portia was apparently hungry and decided to grab a slice of cold pizza from the fridge while I showered. I love that she grabbed the biggest piece ever. The best part of this is that she ate the whole thing. That's my little lady. (I did make her go sit at the table to finish it). What a funny kid.

A Month of Thanksgiving

2009-11-08T11:05:00.003-06:00

While perusing friends' blogs, I came across the Baker's family blog and Megan is doing a month of Thanksgiving. I love that idea and decided this is a great time for me to be more grateful for the blessings in the lives of our family. Since I'm a few days behind, here's my catch-up thanksgivings:

Nov.1: I'm grateful for the gospel in my life. I can honestly say I'm a better person because I believe in Jesus Christ and that His Atonement can (and regularly does) renew me and remind me how much I need my Savior and the gospel in my life.

Nov. 2: I'm grateful for the beautiful weather. Generally speaking, November is the beginning of the cold and it's usually in the 40's or 50's. This whole week was at least 65 every day. Combine that with the incredible fall colors and the mountains, and our view is stupendous.

Nov. 3: I'm grateful for Primary. I love that Palmer comes home singing the songs he's learned and loves sharing what he's learned from his teachers. Plus, he's got a crush on our Primary President and asks when he gets to see Sister Roberts almost every day.

Nov. 4: I'm grateful for healthy children. So far this year, the kids and I have been healthy. I'm not sure if I should credit the vaccines they recently got or the fact that we eat clementines regularly, but I'm grateful for health.

Nov. 5: I'm grateful for my husband. Though he's often gone with school or his calling, he makes a concerted effort to be home and spend quality time with the kids and I. He's better at balancing the chaos that is our lives and I'm grateful that Heavenly Father brought us together and continued to assure me that this was the man I should marry, despite all the opposition.

Nov. 6: I'm grateful that Ronell's secured one job offer. Walmart offered us an amazing position. While it's taken me a few days (really, months) to accustom myself to the fact that we might be moving to Arkansas, I'm grateful for a company that sees as much potential in my husband as I do and is willing to give him the chance to grow. Even though we haven't decided whether we're accepting the offer just yet, it's a huge blessing to have a good offer with a company that Ronell wants to work for in a community that so far seems to meet all our needs.

Nov. 7: I'm grateful for good friends. I'm not really a great friend and I'm horrible at staying in contact with my dear friends who've moved. I don't know if it's because I don't love talking on the phone or because I'm just lazy, but I know I need to be better at staying in contact. I truly do value my friends near and far, new and old for all that they teach me and how they inspire me to be a better friend and a better person.

Nov. 8: I'm grateful to be a mom. Though it's hectic most of the time, my kids make me laugh every day and I'm grateful that the Lord entrusts these incredible spirits to Ronell and I. Though Palmer is currently is a pre-adolescence phases where he mumbles instead of speaking and Portia has the attitude of a 15-year-old, they teach me continuously about love and patience and I wouldn't trade them for anything.

(Here's a cute picture of the kids at Halloween. Yes, it's random, but I think blog posts are always better when there's a picture somewhere.)

I can't promise I'll update the blog daily, but I'm going to make a concerted effort to think more about the things I'm grateful for during this month. Want to join me?

Some Serious Catch-up

2009-11-05T10:40:00.025-06:00

Yes, I realize that I'm a slacker. But it really did take all of my energy just to take care of my kids while being exhausted and sick for all of September and into October (and let's be honest, I didn't do a great job of that). Thankfully, I'm in the second trimester and life is much better!!

Here's a recap of our lives so far this fall. There are some funny moments, which I hope make up for my non-existent blogging.

First, I have to share this funny little story. We like to use toilet paper rolls to make telescopes, kaleidoscopes, or rainsticks. One day, Palmer and Portia were fighting over the last toilet paper roll. I asked Palmer to go find another one, knowing that there were at least three in his room somewhere. He left the room and I honestly didn't think about it. Then I hear this from down the hall, "Mom, I can't get it off. The roll is stuck." I go into my bathroom and behold, he'd found the toilet paper roll, just like I'd asked. I couldn't really be mad at him for doing exactly what I asked. I learned from this that I need to be a little more specific when I ask Palmer to do something for me. In September, Palmer played in Provo's "Start Smart" soccer. It was a perfect little introduction to soccer and it was only four weeks long. We thought we'd try this and if he loves it, we'll enroll him in the league for spring soccer. Needless to say, he loved it (serious understatement). Here's his team picture, they were the Houston Dynamo.

Stretching before practice

Palmer and some Dynamo friends. They were all so friendly and energetic, to say the least. I love that about preschoolers--that they have no qualms about being friends with anyone around them and that they're always so open and honest.

This probably goes without saying, but Palmer's favorite parts of soccer were running and scoring goals. I think he's going to take after his daddy and be a striker. Hey, whatever gets the energy out is fine by me.

practicing stopping the ball with his foot, instead of his hands.

Portia was in heaven playing on the playground next to soccer field with a bunch of little buddies. She paused long enough to think about something very serious and then was gone.

Palmer's first day of preschool. He was SOOOOOOO excited, he didn't really want to pause to take a picture. Since we're in school and have no income, we decided to take advantage of the government and put Palmer in the Headstart preschool. I wasn't too stressed about him being going to a government-sponsored preschool, because honestly, the kid already knows how to read and doesn't really need any academic push. It's mostly for the social and he talks non-stop about his teachers and his school friends. I honestly think his favorite thing about school is that he finally gets to "wear a backpack and go to school like Daddy!" Whatever gets him excited about school is fine by me.

At the end of September, my FIL, Charles, graduated from Provo College with a certificate in Pharmaceutical Technology. We're so proud of him, especially since he graduated with high honors.

October came way too fast (and apparently left too fast, too). With some of our friends from the MBA Spouses' group (aka, MBASA), we went to the pumpkin patch. Palmer was in school, so Portia was flying solo, but she loved being with all her friends. You can't tell because she's such a ham, but she didn't really want to pause long enough to take this picture. Her friends were going to play and she didn't want to be left out. Typical Portia.

Portia with one of her best buddies, Emma Allred.

Climbing with Emma and Brielle Mackrory.

Cheesing it up with the ducks. They had a small petting zoo as part of this pumpkin patch. Portia did not want to touch the goats or sheep but loved the bunnies, turkeys, and ducks.

I loved this cute moment, where she finally caught up to her friends, Jenna and Cooper Barnum.

A week later, we went to one of the local fire stations and took a tour of their firehouse and played with the trucks. Portia did not love the firemen all dressed up in their gear and I think one of them was too close to her in this picture. I'm not sure exactly what Palmer's doing but, hey we documented the moment, right?

On the walk home from the fire station, we stopped to play in the leaves outside our condos. One of the things I love about Utah (there really aren't that many so I have to share those things that I love about living in Provo) is the gorgeous weather changes. This fall was no exception. We've had gorgeous weather and gorgeous scenery (it's 68 right now and it's November!).

More leaf fun!

In her true Nona style, my mother knitted these bright but very appropriately fall sweaters. Only my caramel children can look good in this color of yellow. I love these sweaters. This was also the Sunday of Palmer's first Primary program. He stole the show, complete with reading the other kids' lines, trying to sneak towards the podium, and getting super excited about singing the songs he knew really loudly and with lots o f enthusiasm. It was definitely one of those moments where I wish I'd had one of those small digital camcorders. I totally would have snuck it into church.

At the ward Halloween carnival. This year, Halloween was actually pretty fun because my kids got the concept of dressing up as clowns and playing games. Halloween really lasted a week around here, with all the activities and parties.

At MBASA's Halloween party. No clue what I'm saying, but apparently Portia thought it was funny.

Here's the actual Halloween event. My sister, Sierra, came trick-or-treating with us. It took the kids a few houses to get the idea. At first, Palmer would knock on the door about 20 times and when it opened, he'd start walking right into the house. Luckily, we knew everyone we visited. Our last stop was Osmond Ln., where our friends, the Andersons, live. It was crazy, non-stop action. Palmer and Portia thought it was fun to hand out candy and took over the job of manning the door and handing out candy to all the kids who came by. It was a steady stream for the 30 minutes we were there. The best part was that Palmer made comments about the kids' costumes, things like "Oh, you're a princess, how cute!" or "Oh, I like your costume!", even though most of the kids who came by were at least three or four years older than him. He's such an imitator. It makes me laugh.

So, there's our fall. I promise I'll be better about documenting the rest of this holiday season for all you blog-stalkers (Mom).

The kids

2009-09-14T14:03:00.004-05:00

So, since everyone apparently already knows about our news...............
If you can't figure out what this picture means, just ask around.
ETA: April 20, 2010....aka, finals week.
It should be fun. :-)

Where Were You?

2009-09-11T18:11:00.004-05:00

Eight years ago today was a day that most Americans will never forget. I, however, didn't really feel the impact of this day until later. On Sept. 11, 2001, I was in Livorno, Italy as a missionary. It was 6:00pm and we were on our way to the church to teach English classes when an investigator stopped us and said that New York City had been bombed and was gone. Typical Italian exaggeration, I thought nothing of it until we got to church and people were freaking out. It was a very surreal evening spent discussing anti-American sentiments and why people felt so strongly about the US. I'd had a few run-ins with Italians who hated Americans in the months leading up to the attacks, and each one of those encounters shook me. But on Sept. 11, I felt nothing because, as far as I knew it was an Italian exaggeration of a very minor incident. Then we got the call.

My mission president called our zone leader, who called us and told us that we were to find a TV the next day and watch for 15-30 minutes what was happening. That was a first, as I'd spent the last 16 months avoiding TV's. Our ZL also told us that once we'd seen what had happened, we were to return home and stay home all day. We were to cancel all appts. and not call anyone unless necessary. The main reason for this was a rumor saying that the terrorists were first going for important government and fiscal sites and would next be turning to important Christian religious sites. Exhibit A, Roma, less than an hour away. It turned out to be nothing and my mission went on quietly, with very little impact from the events of Sept. 11. The only exception was that we had to stop teaching any Muslim investigators and I had a young Muslim girl with a baptism date already set.

Flash forward to Dec. 5, when I went home. First, we hit blizzards at every stop and ended up changing our flights at every airport. But the best part was the "random" searches. They didn't feel so random when I was "chosen" at every stop on our trip home. I think it was because we had to change our flights at every airport, instead of sticking to our itinerary...which was a red flag for TSA. The other big change was that my family could no longer meet me outside my gate and I had to walk through an empty airport to see my family. That was a very long walk.

But the biggest change I saw was the USA I came home to. When I left, people were mocked for having US flags on their cars, homes, etc. It was not really considered cool to be overly patriotic when I left home. When I came home and saw US flags everywhere, and I mean everywhere, I was a little creeped out. People were more unified and most people felt a comradery with their neighbors that was not there when I left 18 months earlier. It was a nice change but a little hard to get used to. So, while I'm grateful for the changes I saw in my country following these attacks, it makes me sad that it took something like this heinous act to make our country turn to its roots and the God that allowed the freedoms we enjoy. Though this act of terrorism has never really impacted me the way it has most of my friends who skipped school that day to watch the events unfold, I will never forget where I was on Sept. 11, 2001.

It's BAAAACK!!!!!

2009-09-10T09:18:00.003-05:00

I just have to say that the one thing I'm looking forward to about the fall TV season, other than "Glee", is the return of my favorite show ever, "So You Think You Can Dance". For the first time ever, it's on during the fall season. I can't wait to see what these amazing dancers and choreographers cook up. If anyone wants to watch, I'll be at home every Wednesday (and Thursday once those get going) watching it....unless, of course, I'm at an MBASA activity, then you can call me and we'll watch it together, sans commercials. DVR is a beautiful thing.

P.S. I'm so glad Jeanine won. Look at that picture! She's amazing.

Crescent Lake Panoramics

2009-09-07T21:05:00.008-05:00

As you all know, I took a photography class this summer and learned how to do some pretty cool things with my digital SLR. As part of my class, I had to produce a panoramic picture and I finally found a place that warranted my time and effort in creating a masterpiece.

During the first 3 weeks of August, we spent time in Oregon visiting with my wife's family. The last 4 days of our trip were spent at the family cabin located on Crescent Lake in Oregon. The lake and the scenery is beautiful and I decided that I wanted to use this setting as my panoramic picture. Now, for your viewing pleasure, I would like to share with you my pictures. There are a total of 4, but 2 of them are black and whites of the color versions. Enjoy!

August

2009-08-29T09:04:00.047-05:00

Yes, the month is almost over and school starts for Ronell on Monday. We spent the first three weeks of August in Oregon with my family. And we've spent the last two weeks getting back into the MBA world. Rather than try to give a travel log, I'll just show you the pics. Here you go. Enjoy.

First, we went to Salem and played with my sister, Lexie, and baby Brizzy. This is at the splash fountain. Oregon doesn't have pools. They have fountains. Works for me. By the way, I've seen about 50 little girls with this swimsuit this summer and Portia's the only one with a perma-wedgie. Hhmmm, ghetto booty much?

Palmer, enjoying the fountain.

Portia loved baby Brizzy, to say the least. Every time we were around her, she'd try to pick her up, put the binky in Brizzy's mouth, or sit and say, "It's okay, Bwizzy, boo boo." For more pictures of Portia and her cousin, you can look at my sister's blog. She's better at documenting the obsession.

Cousins!

She's such a ham.

I think he found an ant. Shocking, they have them in Oregon, too!

One of Portia's favorite thing to do at Papa and Nona's house was help Nona water the garden. She found a cut-off piece of a hose and spent most of the day pretending to water the plants....especially after she got in trouble for throwing rocks in the fountain.

Playing tennis. Portia's game is obviously not on today.

Palmer was pretty good.

Portia gave up on tennis and starting throwing the ball between her legs. Whatever works.

At the Tillamook Cheese Factory. Crosby, my cousin, and Sierra are holding up the kids here, which might explain the odd expressions.

Portia the cow (and Crosby)

Palmer the farmer

Palmer didn't want to move. He loved watching the machines cut, bag, and seal the cheese. He asked me if he could work here. Um....I don't know.

Sierra, obviously getting more joy from her texting than the hot factory workers.

Portia, Crosby, Palmer, Sierra and Tillamook Cheese.

At least they're all looking the same direction.

At Lake Oswego's fountain. Portia needed a moment.

Palmer and Hudson, my cousin. Yes most of my cousins on my mom's side are under the age of 12, which is what happens when my mom has kids at 20 and I'm closer in age to my uncles than she is. But my cousins adore my kids and my kids think all my little cousins are the best thing ever. It works out.

The splash fountain.

At the Portland Zoo. It was $2 Tuesday, so it was slammed. But the kids had a blast.

Riding the horses at the petting zoo

Palmer was the navigator. He loved looking at the map and comparing it to the signs we saw.

Sierra and Crosby

Portia took a 10 minute nap before the zoo. Needless to say, she wasn't the happiest person there.

We went to Rockaway Beach and I think it was the first time I've ever seen people swimming in the Oregon ocean. I thought it would be too cold for swimsuits but it was so warm my kids gravitated to the water.

Portia underestimated the waves.

The swimsuits came out and the kids spent most of the day playing in the sand.

Gorgeous sunset.

The next day was more typical Oregon coast weather. But the kids were ready for the sand anyway.

Nice, Portia.

Papa and Nona

Papa with the grandkids.

The last few days we spent at my grandparents' cabin at Crescent Lake (central Oregon). This was our view.

Palmer and Portia never wanted to leave the boat. They loved riding the tube but for some reason, I don't have any pictures of them on it. Portia kept asking to go faster. My uncle James taught Palmer to say, "hit it!" when he was ready. He said it every time he got in the boat.

Lexie on the Delta Double.

Ronell showing the kids how it's done.

The water at the cabin is straight snow melt. So, even in August, it's good for a quick dip but nothing too long. I have no idea what's up with my arm here but Palmer thought it was funny that we jumped off the dock.

Throwing rocks with Jaxon (8), Hudson (7), and Nash (6). Palmer was in heaven.

Hot Rod

2009-07-15T12:41:00.003-05:00

This past weekend was not my favorite and has turned into my least favorite week of the summer. One redeeming thing happened this weekend--our good friends, Joel and Bonnie Andrews, were sealed to their adopted daughter, Katelyn, on Saturday. Other than that, the week has stunk for me. Saturday was my 30th birthday. No biggie. Not the best birthday ever but not bad. However, Palmer was sick and Portia didn't sleep well and was cranky. Plus, I was starting to get sick, too. By Saturday night, I had a full-blown fever of 103. Needless to say, Saturday wasn't fun either. Sunday, the kids were a little better but I was worse. My fever never stayed down for more than a few hours after taking Tylenol and I couldn't swallow because my throat hurt so bad. Monday, things still were not good, but the kids were pretty much recovered other than runny noses (which is my biggest pet peeve as a mom because they NEVER stop running). I finally decided to go to the doctor because I couldn't swallow and my fever never went down and I thought I might drown in sweat (sorry, TMI, I'm sure). So, I braved the doctor's office with my two kids in tow. It was an adventure. But, the best part--I have strep throat. That explains it. So I got my prescription of amoxicillin (I'm sure Elli can correct my spelling) and carefully drove home in my fever fog. The rest of that day was still bad and I had to change my clothes five times that night because my fever was trying to break and I was dripping in sweat every time I woke up (which was every hour or so). Yesterday (Tuesday) was better but still had body achiness, headache, and the throat still made swallowing very difficult. But no fever so I could function...barely. Today, so far, has been better but still a little achy and not fully satisfied with the throat functions. But I'm getting better every day. Thanks for all the birthday wishes, especially all you facebookers.

So, in my desperate attempt to be positive about the curves life throws me (and won't let me lose), here are the positives about this experience.

1. I can always rely on Ronell to help me through anything.
2. I lost 10 lbs. in four days--not eating anything but broth and water might do that, but I wouldn't recommend it long-term.
3. It's good to have family close. My MIL, Donna, came over and watched the kids on Monday afternoon, as well as folding the four loads of laundry that have sat on my couch since Saturday.
4. Sometimes it's good to take a little break and listen to your body. I should have done it earlier, instead of thinking I could do everything.

So, why did I title this post "Hot Rod"? Today, while my kids sleep, I'm watching this movie:

I'm in need of some laughs that don't involve my own life. The first time I saw this movie was with my sister, Sierra. At first I thought she was a dork for bringing over a lame movie to watch and then I saw the first scene. I thought I was going to pee my pants or stop breathing, I was laughing that hard. Most of the movie is stupid but there are a few scenes that always make me laugh. So if you haven't seen it, here's my random movie recommendation (think Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre type movie). Good times, especially after the seriously long weekend and the recovery from said weekend. If you want to borrow it, I just picked it up from Walmart for $2.00. Totally worth it.

Lovin' the Photography Class

2009-07-11T21:24:00.014-05:00

About a year ago I bought a Canon Rebel XTi and really wanted photography to be my new hobby. Then I started business school at the BYU Marriott School of Management and had to hang up my new found hobby. So now, fast forward to May 2009 when for my birthday my wife, Bri, signed me up for a photography class. Over the last 3 weeks I've loved learning photography. So now for your viewing pleasure, I introduce my photos:

Below are some more pictures of Palmer and Portia that I took:

This Kid.....

2009-07-10T15:16:00.002-05:00

cracks me up! He was supposed to be sleeping and I opened the door to check on him and found this.
I think the coordinating soccer jersey and tutu are my favorite....or that he is intently counting the numbers on the slide rule. I love this kid.

Warning: Mom Bragging Ahead

2009-06-08T20:31:00.004-05:00

So, I know I spent oodles of time on Palmer yesterday. He deserved it. It was his day. Just a quick update on Palmer. He had his four-year-old check-up this morning. He's 42 in. tall (80%ile) and 37.4 lbs. (85%ile). I thought he looked pretty average but I guess he's a big, tall boy. I think it's mostly because he's finally developed an appetite.

I just have to say that I love this picture. Palmer has a weird expression but I love that he's trying to cross his legs while eating his popsicle. Awesome.

On Saturday we went to see the movie "UP" for Palmer's birthday. It also happened to be the Provo Baby Contest that happens every year as part of their 4th of July celebration. Palmer participated when he was a year (and won 2nd place out of 500 12-15 mth. boys)and I had never entered Portia. So this was the year (it's the last year she can do it). She was sweet and talked to the judges, whereas most kids froze. But because we were taking the kids to the movie, we had to miss the awards ceremony. The coordinator called me today and told me that Portia won 2nd place out of 220 24-30 mth. girls. I was pretty proud of her (and of course of myself and Ronell for producing cute kids). It's always a nice pat on the back when other people think your kids are as cute as you think they are. Way to go Portia!

Top Ten Things I Love About My 4 Year Old Son

2009-06-07T21:24:00.011-05:00

Happy Birthday to my favorite four-year-old!! I still can't believe my baby is four!
Here are ten of my favorite things about Palmer.

10. No matter why or where he sees you, Palmer always assumes you're there to see him. This assumption is simply manifested by his enthusiasm, "Oh hi guys. Come in and play." This is especially wonderful when his mommy is in the shower and the UPS guy tries to deliver a package.
9. Palmer has never just said "yes". He's said "Oh, boy!", "Yessir", and the current favorite, "Sure."
8. Palmer has a MAJOR skin fetish. He has always loved the feel of bare skin. This might be cause for some serious discussion later on in life.

7. Palmer has always been curious. When he wants to, he has the ability to focus on a single task for over an hour. This is no small feat for a toddler.
6. If you ever mention an airplane, he'll talk about going to the airport to get on a plane, "so we can go to Papa's house in Oregon." He will talk about it for months, literally.
5. He uses phrases he hears on TV or reads in books and thinks it perfectly normal. Just watch a show on PlayHouse Disney or PBS Kids (whose logos he recognized at 15 months) and then talk to Palmer. You'll think you're part of the show!

4. No matter where we are or what we are doing, if there is water around Palmer has to throw a rock in it.
3. He can read and will spend a few hours (if left undisturbed) reading in his room. I think one of my favorite moments was watching him give/read his first Primary talk a few months ago. He only needed help with one word "resurrection". We'll have to work on that. Along with reading, he has an insatiable appetite for learning and an incredible memory. If you tell him a word, he'll forever remember it.
2. Palmer is affectionate. He always gives everyone a kiss and a hug before they leave, even the home teachers. He will still cuddle with Ronell or I and often sits by Portia on the couch and puts his arm around her when they watch TV or read together.

1. Palmer is a happy child. That may sound lame but it has made my life so much better having a child who loves life and is happy. He makes everyone around him happy.

Happy Birthday Palmer!! You're my favorite son. I am grateful that Heavenly Father blessed us with such an amazing spirit. I have learned more about myself, the gospel, and what love truly is by being your mommy. I hope you had a great day. I love you.

Have you been here yet?

2009-06-05T07:42:00.003-05:00

For those of who are digital scrappers, I'm sure this is not news to you, but for the rest of the world that I'm trying to convert to digital, you MUST read this site.
This site was created for beginning and advanced digi-scrappers alike. I love it because I get to sample some "big" digital scrapping names for $5.00 and get photography, scrapping, and life tips from an amazing woman named Janet Phillips. I get excited about the things I see on this site and have to be careful when I check it. This is due to the fact that no matter what she has on her daily posts, I have to spend at least 20 minutes learning and trying her tips, as well as browsing the tutorials she links to her posts, along with so many other resources Janet provides. It's amazing. If you're not sold on the idea of digital scrapbooking (which anyone with children under 18 should be....there's no mess!), you should start visitng this site. It may not take you 20 minutes to glean all the great info but it's worth the time. Okay, free advertising over. The image is clickable (I've always wanted to put that in a post. I'm officially a nerd).

It's Time

2009-06-03T13:31:00.002-05:00

I'd like to introduce Portia's favorite sleep friend. When Portia goes to bed, she cuddles up with her babies (at least two), her blankie (she gets to choose one and usually chooses the purple one) and a binky (she has four but always chooses the pink or blue one). Today I finally decided that she's almost 2 1/2 and the binky has to go. She really only had it in the bed for naptime and bedtime but I was ready to be completely done with baby phase. She's potty trained, it's time for the binky to go.

So on our walk home from the park today, we stopped and looked at a low nest in a tree by our house. Portia saw the baby birds and thought they were so cute. She asked me why they were crying, though, and I had a brilliant idea. So, I said, "The baby birds are sad because they don't have a binky to sleep with." She thought of the idea all on her own. "The babies should have my binkies!" "All of them?" I asked. She said, "Yes, then they be quiet and sleep." So we went in the house and while Palmer sat at the table finishing his lunch, I gathered all of her binkies, handed her a few of them and we went outside. I told her that if she put her binkies at the bottom of the tree where the baby birdies were, their mommy birdie would come get the binkies and give them to her babies. She thought that was great. She even said good-bye to the binkies (and the birdies) and we went inside for lunch. All was well.

Until it was time to sleep. Portia screamed and cried and wanted her binkies back. She didn't like those little birdies and spent the next 30 minutes yelling from her crib, "I need my binkies!" She even yelled at her two baby dolls in the crib, "Babies, go get my binkies from the baby birds. They took the binkies away!" She finally dozed off about ten minutes ago, binky-free. I'm sure we'll have another fun adventure tonight when we go to bed. But for the rest of today, we're binky-free. I'm officially free of all things baby! No diapers, no binkies, no onesies, no baby toys, no baby bottles or sippy cups. It's kind of nice....for now.

I Know. I'm Pathetic.

2009-06-01T20:13:00.004-05:00

I vowed that I would not be a crazed "Twilight" fan. I read the books in three days and haven't looked back, except to see the movie with some friends. I have to say that the main reason I didn't want to keep reading was because I liked Jacob. So, much to my delight, he gets his shot in "New Moon." I was a little disappointed in the guy who portrayed him in the movie version of Twilight. However, he totally redeems himself in New Moon.

Exhibit A:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSFMmkMfQ5Q

Exhibit B:

I just think he's a little cutie and a much nicer character. Maybe I'm just not a Robert Pattinson kinda gal. I guess I can't get over the fact that he'll always be Cedric Diggory from Harry Potter.

hugh happenings

Controversy: Because I'm a Glutton for Punishment

Festive

fail

Sisters

i really should be sleeping....

catharsis

ca·thar·sis

Holland Kay Cottle

Mr. Jobs

I'm a Farmer's Wife

Happy Easter

Coveting

Finito

A Thought Before Bed

Still Here...Sorta

Out takes

M.I.A.

Crafty

Dog to the Rescue

A New Meaning for the "Eternal City"

Out of the Mouths of Babes (OMB)

I LOVE Glee!!

While You Were Gone

Five Months

Out of the Mouths of Babes

New Year's Resolutions

Adjusting

A Random cleaning tip

Preschool, Day 1

Kissing problem

Teya Update

I Have a Kindergartener!!

Trouble

Four Months

In Need of Advice

O.W.C.A.

Kindergarten Thoughts

There's No Point, Really

Ourkansas

Daddy's Day

The Major Blog Updates

Palmer's Birthday

Blessed

Sea World and San Diego Beach Adventures (you're going to want to see this one to the end, it's worth it)

Finally!!! She Smiles

California Adventure

Disney, Day 2

Disney, Day 1

Housing Update...the Real one

Hanging with Miss Teya

House Hunting Report

I'm totally my mother's daughter

Just a Little Frustrating

Two Weeks

Things I've Been Working On

Hallelujah! We Made It!

Yes, we did take pictures of our child, I swear

Teya's Story

And the newest member of the Hugh family is.....

Still here

Patience

Selling the Condo

One Hot Egghead

A Jealous Moment

Portia, the life coach

To-Do List

I'm a Hypocrite, so sue me

Happy Birthday to Princess Portia!

Update

BYU needs your vote!

Withdrawal

A Long Day

Maybe Because I'm Pregnant But........

In My Dreams......

The Card

Happy New Year: We're Going to Arkansas!

Why I Love My Kids

Rethinking

It's a .........................................