Stoker Family Blog

Chasing Bubbles Photoshoot

2012-01-31T18:24:00.000-08:00

I volunteered to take some pictures for a blog that I follow in exchange for a pattern. I have to say she got the better end of the deal. The pattern was really difficult to follow and as I was making the dress I realized that she might not have a lot of sewing experience (not that I do). I could see where she was making the pattern more difficult than it needed to be. Anyways, I muddled through it eventually giving up on the pattern and just making it by eye. For some reason I can look at something and I can visualize how to make it in my mind. This isn't always true but for the most part I can figure it out. Anyways, the dress turned out really cute, I just would have made it differently.

So today we did the photo shoot. Jackson was a little jealous that I was shooting only Elizabeth so I let him jump in for a few. We tried to incorporate bubbles into the pictures but it is hard to blow bubbles and take pictures at the same time so they didn't turn out too great. However Elizabeth is so beautiful that anyone could photograph her and get a good picture. She is really photogenic, something she did not get from me.

Jackson making his sad face lol.

chasing bubbles

This picture just brings me so much joy.Such good friends!

Painting with Veggies

2012-01-26T20:30:00.001-08:00

This week we learned our letters and vegetables by doing a great craft. Painting with veggies. For more information on this check out my craft blog. The kids had a great time. We read a book that Aunt Teri sent to them forever ago but they read it all the time. Then we painted using veggies to apply the paint. This takes playing with your food to a whole new level. They made several pictures and plan on sending some to Grandma (check the mail mom).

I have learned that the only way I am going to get these two to pay attention when I try to teach them things is to make a game out of it or a new craft. I have noticed a big difference. Both of them can now recite the entire alphabet and count to 10. Jackson responds to music more and Elizabeth is excellent at repeating words and phrases. Each child is different and having two so close together has really brought this to my attention.

Our New Family Members

2012-01-22T17:59:00.000-08:00

We have a few new family members. Last week Brandon went to trade in our car (more on that in the future, but don't worry it didn't happen yet), and he came home with two guinea pigs! We have been talking about getting them for awhile but Brandon really surprised us all by bringing them home out of the blue. They are so cute. The kids named them Piggy and Pirate. No surprises there. Here is what we have learned about them over the last week.

Piggy

Pirate

-They are super fast. We let them out of their cage and they run all over the playroom. Then when it is time to put them back in their cages they hide. It took me 20 minutes just to catch piggy (he is the skinny cunning one).
-They poop a lot.
-They like to nibble on straw.
-They can lift up their food bowel if it is empty. They will lift it up with their mouths like they are trying to tell me to get them more.

The kids love them and it is really fun to cuddle with the little guys. We even set up an obstacle course for them to go through.

Family Photo Session

2012-01-15T22:23:00.000-08:00

As you can tell from my blog revamp we had our family pictures taken over the Christmas break as well. I know a little late for a Christmas card but that was when everyone would be together. This year we went for a more upscale look with grey, black, and red accents. I made Elizabeth's dress and my own skirt for the occasion. My friend Erin took the pictures. She is awesome and has the best eye for light and placement. I love all the pictures especially the ones of our smaller family because it is not often that I get a picture with all of us in it. She even took a proper head shot of me for my blog and school and whatever else I need it for which was very much needed. I already ordered two large canvases that I got deals on through Groupon and I can't wait to hang them up in our house.

Cancer Watch-The End of the Line

2012-01-10T21:38:00.000-08:00

Today my mom went in for her regular chemo treatment when she got some surprising news...SHE IS DONE! The doctor decided that she has been through enough and no more chemo is needed. She will however have to undergo radiation of the lymph nodes now but hey anything is better than injecting your body with poison every week.

Her fingers and toes are numb, she has lost all of her fingernails on her hands, she is constantly tired and worn out, and she is still in pain from the surgeries so she is a little irritated with everyone. Now it is over. Her hair will grow back, her fingernails will grow back, she will finally have her body back.

She has been going to a physical therapist to help with the pain in her arm and underarm. Although she doesn't feel it is working I know it is because she is getting regular messages of the area, stretching, and her reach has already improved.

Tomorrow she is going to the chemo place one more time to take some pictures for a scrapbook and say goodbye, hopefully never to be back again. I am so happy for her. She is an amazing women, been through more than her share of trials and now she has overcome yet again. There is still a lot of recovery to go through over the next few months. Radiation, breast reconstruction, and a hysterectomy. It is a long road but the worst is over.

MOM as you know and I will always remember:

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Tim 4:7

I love you and couldn't be more happy and proud!

Christmas Review-Part 2

2012-01-09T20:40:00.001-08:00

As I said before we had a wonderful Christmas eve with our family. Brandon's dad told the story of the Savior's birth, a family tradition, and we shared our thoughts. It is really amazing to me how I can hear that story over and over, every Christmas, yet every Christmas I learn something new or have a new insight. I love that about the Church and the scriptures, no matter how many times you read it you will discover something new if the spirit is with you. Elizabeth spent the discussion bopping around from Aunt and Uncle. She just loved all the attention. Jackson was passed out, which actually made it a little easier because I wasn't distracted by little children. (They are just still so young and have short attention spans).

Elizabeth really loved spending time with everyone but I have to say Grandpa is by far her favorite. She loves him so much. He bought pirate and princess costume stuff for the swing for bling so naturally Jackson and Elizabeth took everyone's costumes. Lizzy actually put all the princess stuff on, even the clip on earrings. It was really cute.

Finally it was time for us to head home so we stuff our car and drove back to Albuquerque. The ride was surprisingly fast. We didn't even stop just straight though and it took us a little under 6 hours thanks to Brandon's new radar detector. When we got home we ordered some pizza, put on our jammies, and opened the presents that we left at home and that Santa brought. The kids went to town. It is truly amazing how quickly they learned how to unwrap! Jackson's favorites were his new Geotrax train sets and his Pirate's of the Carribbean ship. Elizabeth just loved everything, she couldn't decide.

And I made sure to give them each a new ornament for the tree. Jackson's was a spaceship and Lizzy got a dog. She thought of it more as a toy and of course was running it around the house which took about 5 minutes to break. (Reminder to myself, never buy anything glass no matter how safe you think it will be.)

It really was a wonderful Christmas and I am so grateful that we could spend it with the ones we love.

Christmas Review-Part 1

2012-01-04T22:59:00.000-08:00

I know it has been forever since my last post. What can I say, I have been busy! Anyways, I will give you a review of the wonderful Christmas we shared this year. We traveled to Arizona to Brandon's parent's house where all of his family joined us. It was so much fun spending time with EVERYONE and it was a really long break almost 12 days off. A much needed break. Jackson and Elizabeth were super excited to see all their aunts and uncles and they were not disappointed. I think Jackson was his Uncle Justin's miniature shadow and Elizabeth was often found spending quality time with her Uncle Filipe.

The Stokers always plan fun activities including miniature golf, hiking, shopping, wally ball, playing Just Dance 3 and the Kinex and swimming at Great Grandma's house.

Jackson really enjoyed miniature gold, he took it very seriously concentrating on each hole and he is actually a really good shot. We might have a future golfer on our hands. We even participated in the annual Stoker Swing for Bling. Justin was the raining champ and he succeeded in winning again but I think Jackson had the most fun adjusting the flags and picking up all the balls with Grandma's kitchen tongs.We also went to Goldfield, AZ and visited the Ghost Town. It was a really amazing place to visit with old west buildings, large wagons and barns, and they even perform an Old West showdown. Liz wasn't too into the load gunshots and yelping but she loved the train.

We even had a Harry Potter themed New Years with all Harry Potter themed foods and a jelly bean tasting contest. I know the kids were devestated when everyone had to go home. The only thing that got them out the door was knowing that all their presents were waiting for them under the tree at our own house. It was a great vacation and holiday. Nothing is better than family.

a child's 10 commandments

2011-12-15T23:16:00.000-08:00

I just found this on Pinterest and had to share it:

A Child’s Ten Commandments to Parents. Reading this just makes me want to do everything to be a better Mom.

1. My hands are small; please don’t expect perfection whenever I make a bed, draw a picture, or throw a ball. My legs are short; please slow down so that I can keep up with you.

2. My eyes have not seen the world as yours have; please let me explore safely: don’t restrict me unnecessarily.

3. Housework will always be there. I’m only little such a short time—please take time to explain things to me about this wonderful world, and do so willingly.

4. My feelings are tender; please be sensitive to my needs; don’t nag me all day long. (You wouldn’t want to be nagged for your inquisitiveness.) Treat me as you would like to be treated.

5. I am a special gift from God; please treasure me as God intended you to do, holding me accountable for my actions, giving me guidelines to live by, and disciplining me in a loving manner.

6. I need your encouragement, but not your praise, to grow. Please go easy on the criticism; remember you can criticize the things I do without criticizing me.

7. Please give me the freedom to make decisions concerning myself. Permit me to fail, so that I can learn from my mistakes. Then someday I’ll be prepared to make the kind of decisions life requires of me.

8. Please don’t do things over for me. Somehow that makes me feel that my efforts didn’t quite measure up to your expectations. I know it’s hard, but please don’t try to compare me with my brother or my sister.

9. Please don’t be afraid to leave for a weekend together. Kids need vacations from parents, just as parents need vacations from kids. Besides, it’s a great way to show us kids that your marriage is very special.

10. Please take me to Sunday school and church regularly, setting a good example for me to follow. I enjoy learning more about God.

Christmas in the Stoker house

2011-12-15T22:46:00.000-08:00

I am finally feeling better, thank goodness. Now I can get back to life, clean my house, and get ready for Christmas which is only 10 days away...what? I know, Dec is flying by. So other than being housebound we haven't really been up to much. It has been rainy here and cold which is just a constant reminder of why we lived in Arizona (lol). I don't mind the rain but the kids go a little crazy being stuck in the house all day. I guess we are going to need to branch out and find some fun places to go inside in ABQ. We have been enjoying the lights and the Christmas spirit right now. The kids love looking for the Elf on the Shelf every morning. I am not always creative with the placement of the elf but he does bring a gift once in while which is kind of a take off from a tradition in Brandon's childhood.

Jackson is very excited about Christmas, asking me every day if it is Christmas yet. And Elizabeth is so excited to go to Grandma Stoker's house. She names everyone she is going to see each day including the dogs. It really is amazing how much the kids remember and take in. Everyone says they are like little sponges but it isn't until you have children of your own that the saying really comes to life.

I decided to make a few gifts this year which is really fun and gives a little personal touch on Christmas. One item that I made recently is Elizabeth's Christmas dress. I have been thinking about this dress for a long time, like 4 months. Finally I knew what I wanted and I made it. It turned out exactly how I pictured it. I just wish it fit a little better on the top, but better bigger than too small.
Jackson will be wearing a sweater, tie combo that I bought from Children's Place with matching colors (black, white, red, and grey). He looks very dashing in it. He is really getting to be such a big boy. Taller, older, smarter. I just can't believe how fast time flies. I have a picture of him sitting on Santa's lap when he was a baby and it seems like a lifetime ago. I am so happy to have him and Elizabeth in my life, I thank God everyday for bringing them to me. But mostly it brings a spirit to Christmas that is so sweet, it brings joy to every day.

Last week we had a Christmas party for Joy School and the kids re-enacted the birth of the Savior. Jackson was a wise men. He wasn't into the Christmas song singing but when it came time to praise the Lord he wanted to be right there. I told him that his part was to bring a gift to Jesus...his response, "But he is up in the clouds."Kids are so pure of heart. All of the kids were great in the play and it was fun to share the story of the birth of the Lord with them.

Tis the Season

2011-12-13T08:39:00.000-08:00

Tis the season to be...SICK. I swear we have been sick for almost two weeks. It goes around the whole family and then just when I think we are over it the next one comes. I thought flu shots are suppose to protect us to an extent? Anyways, right now I am in sanitation mode cleaning the whole house of the germs that have invaded our lives. Hopefully it will pass soon and we can enjoy some holiday activities before Christmas passes. (BTW only 12 days till Christmas). Good thing I got my shopping done early.

Let it Snow

2011-12-04T21:41:00.000-08:00

Yep it snowed here. The perfect amount in my opinion. Sat and Sun it snowed a light fluffy frost. I looked out the window Saturday morning to find my backyard covered in a beautiful untouched blanket of white. There was a little drizzle of fluffy white flakes drifting down melting just as they hit the ground. Seriously so gorgeous I stopped everything, sat on the couch and just admired the sceenery for a few moments of peace. Then came the kids, lol. They were so excited to see the snow. First time ever that they can remember. We got bundled up and went outside. Jackson made a snowman instantly, not at my request (it must be innate). Then we proceeded to make a snowman. Lizzy lasted about 10 min before she took off her gloves and cried that she was cold, proceeding directly to a nice warm bath. Jack and I continued with our snowman. When he was formed Jack had some very specific ideas for the type of snowman he was going to be. Can you guess?....

A pirate of course. We got out the hat and eye patch. Jackson made sure he had all the needed appendages (he really is a perfectionist) and we snapped a few shots before going inside.
Then we had our ward Christmas party on Sat. night where Santa came to visit. Jack talked about meeting Santa all day long, but when the time actually came to sit on his lap and shake his hand Jackson chickened out of course. He wouldn't even get in the picture with Elizabeth and me. He really is such a whimp sometimes.

Our Last 2 Weeks

2011-11-30T21:58:00.000-08:00

Wow it has been 2 weeks since my last post...so what have we been doing?

-online classes
-taking the CFP test
-preparing Thanksgiving dinner (best turkey ever made)
-sewing
-setting up our Christmas decorations
-Christmas shopping
-making Christmas gifts
-sewing (I know but I have been doing a lot of sewing)
-preparing/planning for the RS Christmas party
-counting or at least working on counting
-taking Jackson to school
-going to the gym
-play dates
-park dates
-date night
-guest posting

Basically I am tired. I have something to do every day, aside from the usual clean the house, play with the kids, feed the family, etc. I think that after the new year our lives will calm down a bit but until then I have my calendar out and about 7 lists attached to my refrigerator.
Here are some other things we have done over the past two weeks:

Liz pulled our Christmas tree over right after we set it up and it broke so we had to buy a new one. Good thing it was Black Friday and we got a great deal. I really like the new tree, it is bigger and fuller. Plus I can put all my antique ornaments that my Aunt Sue has passed down to me on the bigger tree. The kids had a great time putting the ornaments on the tree and listening to me tell them about each one. I have a few from my own childhood which brings back so many memories of family and love. I buy the kids a new ornament each year as well so it was fun telling them about their ornaments as well. We also bought an electric train to go around the bottom of the tree this year. That facilitated about an hour of fun, laying on their bellies and pushing the button to make the train circle around.

Making pies for Thanksgiving. The kids helped me roll the dough for the crust. Jackson was actually really good and it and a big help.
This is Elizabeth's favorite activity these days. Painting. Not just painting, painting herself. I have learned that when Liz is painting she must do it naked because she really enjoys making herself "beautiful" by adding lots of colors to her tummy, arms, face, and even her hair. After her painting is done we immediately follow it with a bubble bath, her second favorite activity.
We are busy but happy and looking forward to the holidays with food, family, and friends.

Fall Themed Service

2011-11-16T22:30:00.000-08:00

Jackson learned about service this week in joy school. They made a service sticker chart and learned about serving the community and our family. So when he got home the first thing he did was want to do a service project. It was a beautiful sunny day and fairly warm (50 degrees) so we went in the back yard and racked some leaves. It was so much fun. We racked and racked until we made a huge pile. Then of course we jumped and rolled in it! I just love fall and the beautiful color changing leaves.

I think this is the first time the kids have ever played in the leaves. It brought back all my childhood memories. Working in the yard with my dad. The roads lined with orange and yellow trees, leaves sprinkled on the ground. The fall wind brisk, a bit chilly, and smells amazing. I am just loving the weather in Albuquerque.

Creative Endeavors

2011-11-11T22:22:00.001-08:00

Starting my own clothing line....

I wish. I'm not quite there yet but I have been doing a lot of sewing lately and come up with some very original ideas, most of which are my own designs. Want to see what I have made in the last month alone (not counting Halloween Costumes)?

I am currently working on a swing jacket for Liz, a Christmas skirt for her, Christmas shirts for both the kids, and a black dress for Liz. Good thing I have a girl or my creative outlet might be stiffened. My little muse always happy to pose for the camera.

Cancer Watch.The Next Round

2011-11-10T21:52:00.001-08:00

It is far past time for an update. Sorry for anyone wanting to know what is happening. Since my last post my mom has finished her first round of chemo, had a 3 week break, and is now into the last chemo stretch (1x/week for 12weeks). I think it is just wearing her down going in every week. On the plus side the chemo is less severe and she doesn't have to have the bone shots so that is a big relief on the bod. After her last round she was feeling really crappy (only word to describe it that I feel comfortable using.) She was nauseas, tired, and just worn down. So the doctor decided to give her a blood transfusion. After that she bounced back and found relief. Sometimes the body can only take so many chemicals before it breaks down.

Another side effect is a neurological disease that sometimes appears in chemo patients on their palms and bottom of their feet. It can be really bad, raw, red, and blisters. My mom's case was mild but itchy, raw, and red. Thankfully the doctor gave her some lotion that seemed to sooth it a bit but soon after her skin peeled off. She described it as similar to a snake shedding it's skin. I know that might be TMI but I am really trying to be clear and accurate in what has been happening for our family records.

It is ironic that most of the problems my mom has faced so far are side effects. Things to consider when fighting the battle of cancer. It is not just the fight but there are many obstacles along the way. Last month was breast cancer awareness month...I hope all of you had someone in your prayers that is battling this disease right now. It only takes one person to effect hundreds.

Happy Halloween

2011-11-04T22:33:00.000-07:00

A little late but better than never....our Halloween update. This year we were lucky enough to go to AZ for Halloween. Brandon had to go to Phoenix for a CFP course so we tagged along. It was really fun to visit our family and friends again. But it wasn't all fun and games I had to work too. But at least my work is fun, taking pictures of families I love. I actually booked 10 families over the week so that was a great surprise. That is one of the reasons this post is so late...I have been editing.

Anyways, we had a really fun Halloween party with our AZ mom's group. I really miss those moms.

We carved pumpkins on Sunday, well mainly just Diane, Brianna, and myself but the kids liked looking at the pumpkins and giving us advice on what to carve. And of course we watched Disney Halloween Special, a tradition that both Brandon and myself shared growing up as children. We carved a pig pumpkin for Liz and a pirate for Jackson (what else would we carve right?)

Then we went to the neighborhood Halloween party on Halloween. BEST PARTY IN TOWN. Food, games, bouncy houses, and candy. Can't beat that. The kids had a lot of fun this year playing the fishing game (Liz won stretchy bracelets), tossing the football and bean bags, and of course the bouncy house. They mainly stuck to the little kid bouncy house but Lizzy was brave and went down the slide a few times with all the big kids jumping around, running up and down the slides, and just being too rowdy. She really is so brave. But what I think Jackson liked the most was the fact that Grandpa dressed up like Jack Sparrow as well.

Then we tried trick or treating for the first time ever. I didn't take Jack last year because I have this rule that you have to be able to say trick or treat to actually get candy. Anyways, it wasn't a total success. The first house Jackson said trick or treat but then he tried to give the man his own candy. Then next house it was the same. I figured by the third house he would understand. But he was so excited to ring the door bell that he tripped, fell on his face on the cement and ended up crying with a huge abrasion on his face. After that he was done.

Lizzy however wanted to try a few more houses. She was so cute. Saying trick or treat and Happy Halloween then thanking the people for the candy. When someone wasn't home she would say, "oops this house is broken, try the next one." But the cutest part was that she didn't understand why the people weren't inviting her into their homes. She would wait by the door even after they closed it. So sweet.

Even though the kids didn't quite understand everything about Halloween it was still so much fun watching them enjoy a holiday that I love and I can't wait for next year. Something about children brings magic to every holiday.

Fall in Albuquerque

2011-10-23T19:40:00.000-07:00

I LOVE the weather in Albuquerque. I never thought I would say this but I am really liking living here now. The seasons are so beautiful and it is so nice to get back to my roots with all the outdoor activities. Lately it has been about 65 degrees and sunny. A small chill of wind but the sun and blue skies are so lovely it just makes you want to spend all day outside. Which we do often. This weekend we decided to take a little adventure and travel up to the woods. The drive was amazing. The autumn colors...orange, yellow, red, green, the woodsy smell, and the sun shining down on us. We hiked up in the Sandia Crest listening to the animals, climbing on trees, and enjoying the adventure. The kids had a blast and even hiked about 2 miles which is amazing. I felt so at peace, and it reminded me of my dad. I have been thinking about him a lot lately and this was the perfect day to reflect on my life and memories with him.

Cloudy Days

2011-10-19T20:23:00.000-07:00

I swear whenever it rains my kids act like they have never seen rain before, and let's face it they haven't seen a lot. But seriously whenever it rains they run out of the house for a great time in the cold rain, usually with no shoes on. I have to explain to them that when it rains that usually means it is cold outside. Last week it rained a lot here, which I happen to love being from the great Northwest. So I wrestled the kids into their rain coats and boots and we went out to play. There is something about stomping in puddles that brings a smile to a child's face. I love the rain. I love the smell and I kind of like the gray skies. Makes me want to snuggle up with a blanket and a good book. I did get a few shots before I decided to get out of being soaked and warm up inside.

Harvast Festival

2011-10-17T23:09:00.001-07:00

Man is October flying by or what? I can't believe it is almost Halloween. This is by far my favorite time of the year and my favorite holiday however I haven't even gotten around to many fall activities because we have been so busy. We did however take a trip to the Harvest Festival at the bio park this past weekend.

(On another note why do pumpkin patches cost so much money these days. I remember going to the pumpkin patch with the pumpkins on the vine for free and picking out the perfect pumpkin with my dad growing up. Is that so much to ask for? )

Anyways, the Harvest Festival was really fun. They have all kinds of Halloween decor around the park and new exhibits including a creepy crawly room complete with snakes, softball size spiders, and glow in the dark scorpions...not that we haven't seen enough scorpions in AZ lol. The kids thought the bugs and creepy crawlies were so cool. I was a little grossed out, but just a little.

There was also a country twang band playing, lots of tractors and chickens, and of course pumpkins everywhere. The day was brisk but sunny, perfect fall weather. I really couldn't have asked for a better day to spend with the family outside enjoying the beautiful fall in NM.

Gearing Up for Halloween

2011-10-12T20:46:00.000-07:00

The kids are full on ready for Halloween. Jackson asks me every day...is it Halloween day? We are going to Arizona for Halloween this year because Brandon needs to take a class for his CFP in Phoenix (he is taking the test in less than a month AAHHH). I am excited and sad because it is so beautiful here right now. The trees are yellow and orange, the weather is a brisk and sunny 68 degrees, YET I miss Arizona so much.

Anyways, we have been practicing our Halloween dress up a lot lately. Costumes every day. We had a few friends over the other day and all the kids ended up dressing up and pretend playing. The boys were pirates (of course) and the girls were princesses. They pretended to capture Captain Hook which is a blow up penguin and slaying the giant sea monster (a stuffed octopus). I just love watching them allow their imaginations run wild and create crazy adventures.

It's Official

2011-10-07T21:06:00.000-07:00

It's official 1 whole week and no accidents and no diapers! Amazing! I am so proud of my boy. He is really independent wanting to go potty all by himself. He really is a take charge kind of boy and stubborn. I need to remember this for the future. He will do it when he wants to. Same thing with walking. Walking around the furniture for 3 months and will not let go...then one day he does it and never falters. I guess he is a bit of a control freak like his mama.

We have had an agreement for months that if he fills up a potty chart with stickers he will get a bike. Well that happened in about 4 days, lol. So we went and bought a bike. He was a little scared and nervous at first (like always) but by day 2 he was riding it around the park with no problems. A couple of spills but got right back up and rode again. Another word to describe him DETERMINED.

Honestly I can say this now but I can't believe how easy this has been. All my moaning and worrying for him to be out of diapers and now that he is he just goes, no problem. I guess he really did know when he would be ready. Wisdom to all you mothers...trust your child. Most of the time they know what they need.

Cancer Watch...An Update

2011-10-04T22:54:00.000-07:00

Some of you are probably wondering how my mom is progressing in her treatment. Well this past week was a not so good week. Up until this 3rd treatment my mom was feeling pretty good. A little tired but for the most part she was feeling good.

She had an amazing opportunity to have a makeup consultation with professionals through the breast cancer society. They taught her how to make her eyes pop and some good skin treatments. At the end she took home a huge bag of free makeup including a lot of high end products. She even learned how to tie some special scarves around her head. This was a really nice pick-me-up for her as last week she began loosing her hair.

Last week she received her 3rd treatment and I think that all the chemo has been building up in her system because it hit her like a ton of bricks. She was super tired, nauseous, and didn't sound like her chipper self. Thankfully only one treatment left in this round and then she will get a nice 3 week break. Hopefully she will be feeling better before that last treatment.

Now for a few words or pictures of encouragement:

If these girls can do it you can pull it off:

Love you mom.

SUCCESS!

2011-10-04T00:23:00.000-07:00

Yup, you heard it SUCCESS! Jackson is officially on his way to being completely potty trained. I didn't want to mention anything too soon in case I might jinx it but it has been 3 days of no diapers. It started with a meltdown.

This weekend I was running a little short on diapers but I didn't want to go and buy more until Monday because I have a Costco coupon. So I told Jack that he had to wear underwear this weekend. Yeah he freaked out. He threw a huge tantrum and cried for like 20min complaining about needing to wear a diaper. But then I asked him if he needed to use the bathroom and he said, "No," so I said, "why do you need a diaper?" I think it clicked. He stopped crying and decided to go with underwear and the toilet. 3 days now, no diapers, and only 1 accident, even through the night.

CELEBRATE and thank goodness. Let's just pray it continues.

reflections

2011-10-02T09:50:00.000-07:00

Time for an update on our life. As it is General Conference weekend I find myself reflecting on my life. How am I doing as a mother? What are my trials I am facing right now? How can I improve? What do I need from the Lord at this time? What does the Lord need from me?

Here is what I have come up with:

-The work of a mother is never done. No matter how much I try or how well I feel I am doing, there will always be something more to do. I feel I need to spend more time with my children. We may be around each other all day long but how much of that is spent interacting with them. This is an ongoing goal of mine. Some days time just gets away from me. With such a busy life it seems there is never enough time to accomplish everything I want to. I need to cherish this time when they are young and loving and at home with me. Instead of letting them play alone I should put forth more of an effort to play with them. Have tea parties, build train sets, play dress up. I think I take for granted the fact that they are so close and such good friends. I need to realize they need me to play with them not just alone.
**Speaking of, could they be any closer? I love that they are such good friends.

Jackson reading to Elizabeth in bed. Teaching her and asking her questions.

Two peas in a pod. They like to snuggle and sleep together. Melts my heart.

-My trials are simple. I think about all those that are struggling in so many ways and what a blessed life I have right now. Not to say I haven't faced large life changing trials in my life but as of now my largest trial is getting Jackson potty trained. I need to show my gratitude for this relief more often, for the Lord has blessed our family.

-Which brings me to how can I improve? I feel like I am taking the gospel for granted lately. I know it is true but I do not out wordly express that or show that to the Lord as I should. I need to read and pray more often. I need to share more with those in need. I need to find those who need this church in their lives and bring them to the light and happiness. Since I joined the church 10 years ago I feel a burden has been lifted from me. Like I am in an untouchable bubble. Where other people in my life are struggling I do not. Whether it is financially, emotionally, physically, or morally I am protected. Therefore I must remember this and give thanks for these blessings, for they are great!

-What do I need at this time from the Lord? Every time I watch General Conference I try to pray to know or hear what is right for me at this time. Often I do not know what I need to hear. I do know so far that I need to read my scriptures more often. I need to bring the gospel to my children more. Sometimes I think they are so young, just the basics are important but the truth is it is never to early to teach about the Lord and Jesus Christ. I do know that I am hoping to hear about patience. My patience is not great as of lately. I find myself quicker to frustration. Less understanding that my children are only 2 and 3 years old. And I fear that if I do not practice more patience I will lose that respect and feeling of love in my home.

-What does the Lord need from me? He needs me to remember that my children are a blessing to me and he is trusting me to show them the truth. I need to remember that his work and teachings are the words they need to hear and it is my responsibility to teach them and give them the foundation to live righteous lives.

So in review it is simple: More Christ less world is needed in our lives. If we strive for this we will continue to be blessed.

NM State Fair

2011-09-28T14:24:00.000-07:00

I love this time of the year. Fall brings so many great things...cooler weather, brilliant colors, and fun family activities. We plan on taking full advantage of the nice weather here (70s to mid 80s) and enjoy all the fall activities including pumpkin picking, corn mazes, hay rides, and the state fair which happens to be the first event on our list.

We went down to the New Mexico state fair as a family last week. Wed is 2 for 1 day which is awesome because the kids are free so it only cost us $7 to get in. Good thing too because we neglected to check the weather report.

We got to the fair and I came to the realization that most fairs are not very classy. Let's face it...carnival rides and the people that participate in the fair tend to be lower class. Not to say we didn't have fun but the state fair tends to draw some pretty shady people. I guess it is all that fried food. Anyways, we went and rode on a few rides and walked around a bit before it started to rain, scratch that more like pour down on us. It didn't look like it was going to let up any time soon so we decided to call it a day after only 2 hours at the fair. The kids thought it was great. Jackson was really brave and rode on a caterpillar roller coaster with me that was surprisingly fast. Liz rode on the dinosaur ride by herself because by that time it had started to rain and Jackson just wanted to go home. On our way out we bought a yummy corn dog (my favorite fair food) and some deep fried Oreos that were DELICIOUS.

Here is the problem...I grew up with the Puyallup fair. The BEST fair ever. They have grounds set up specifically for the fair. The rides are like a mini amusement park, the food is AMAZING, and all the other attractions can not be beat. I think in fair terms I was spoiled and so any fair I go to doesn't compare and I tend to be disappointed.

We still had fun even if it wasn't the best day or place to go.

Pretty Girl, Smart Dude

2011-09-25T15:37:00.000-07:00

Elizabeth is just getting more beautiful every day. I recently made a mustard and gray dress for her and couldn't resist spending some quality photo time with my girl while Jackson was sleeping.

Jackson has been going to Joy School the last 2 weeks and he is loving it...as am I. For those of you who don't know what this is it is a home preschool program that rotates between houses of the mom's that are involved. We each teach a week and then get 3 weeks off. I love that he is learning knew things, socializing with the kids, and spending time away from me (because he is such a mama's boy). He has a lot of fun and I get to spend 2.5 hours a day 2 times a week with Elizabeth.

I really haven't had a lot of opportunities to spend time alone with her. She really is a funny girl. She helps me clean the house and we play with the baby dolls, brushing their hair and serving them tea. She is such a girly girl and I have to admit I love it.

Jackson is speaking really well lately, using phrases most adults use. He is a very social kid, making friends every where he goes. And I love that he is getting older so we can play games now and do more advanced crafts like painting or cutting.

This week we made pumpkins. I cut out the pieces and he glued them together. He knew where every piece is suppose to go. He made one of me, himself, and Liz...there wasn't room for dad so he told Brandon he would make one for him "maybe later".

It cracks me up how observant he is about things like that. He always makes sure his clothes match when he gets dressed in the morning and if something is out of place he points it out.

Costume Party

2011-09-21T15:00:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago our play group had a costume party. It was so much fun seeing all the kids dressed up as their favorite characters. Some of the kids brought multiple outfits. I think it is a great idea for a playdate because it encourages imagination and creativity. Plus it give them an excuse to bust out all the old Halloween costumes. Lizzy wore her tutu and Jackson went as Jack Sparrow. However while we were there the kids traded and tried on some of the other costumes including an Elmo costume for Liz. There were princesses, monsters, and superheros. At the end we got a really cute picture of all the kids dressed up. I hope they decide to do this once a month because we all had a blast.

Lizzy doing "The Smolder"

YO HO A Pirate's Life for Me

2011-09-18T14:41:00.000-07:00

Jackson is obsessed with pirates. Jack Sparrow and Jake (from Jake and the Neverland Pirates a Disney cartoon). He already has a Jack Sparrow costume that I bought from Costco, so this weekend I made him a Jake costume. I took an old white shirt of his, cut off the collar and sleeves and added the ties in the front. Then I made the vest out of felt and some bias tape. Now he can play pirates all he wants with his pirate swords and new pirate costumes. We will have to see which one he will choose for Halloween, only 6 weeks away (he is counting down).

Scrap Tutu

2011-09-13T23:46:00.000-07:00

This week I made a scrap fabric tutu for Elizabeth. For all the information go check out my craft blog.

We went to our weekly church park playdate today. It was so much fun. The kids had a blast playing at the park with the other kids (for 2.5 hours!) and I got to know some of the amazing women in our new ward. I have a really good feeling about this ward. Everyone is super nice and really active. They have something going on almost every day. Story time, park playdates, volleyball Wed nights, sewing enrichments, book club...all my favorite activities. And I met one girl who it turns out actually took the cooking class at BYU and I was her TA. What a small world! As much as I miss AZ and all our family and friends there I am really starting to like Albuquerque as well.

Girls Just Want to Have Fun

2011-09-13T23:26:00.000-07:00

Last week my mom and sister went shopping. Not just any shopping...wig shopping. As the doctor told her she will most likely loose her hair after this weeks treatment so she decided to be prepared. I am really bummed I couldn't be there but I have to say they made a good decision. The wig they choose actually looks like my mom's hair about 10 years ago, but not dated.

Long and curly...my mom loves long hair. Not your style mom.

Short and stylish. This is actually my favorite.

AND THE WINNER IS...

If you are going wig shopping I couldn't have choose a better shopping partner than Sarah. What can I say...the girl knows hair.

Happy 2nd Birthday Baby Girl

2011-09-10T20:01:00.000-07:00

Today Elizabeth turns 2. Man this year has flown by. It is amazing how much they change in a year but even more amazing how much they change that second year. She went from no hair, barely walking, barely talking, to the skipping, galloping, bossy girl, giggly girl I know today. Here are a few things I know about Elizabeth today:

-She is fiesty.
-She likes to be tickled but will tickle back.
-She is already starting to rebel. If I do something she doesn't like she fights back by doing something she knows I don't like. For instance, she says "no mom...I'm going to take out my pony tail" Or "no mom, I am going to take the train set apart." But she says it in a raised voice like she is daring me to stop her.
-She talks in full sentences and has a very good vocabulary. Probably over 300 words.
-She loves pigs.
-She loves Tangled and watches it nearly every day. That and "Meet the Robinsons" (but not as much as Tangled.
-She loves the playground.
-She climbs on everything.
-She likes putting on makeup with mom, having her toenails painted, and wearing pretty princess dresses.
-Her favorite food is soup (all soup) and eggs.
-She loves to take care of her babies.
-She likes galloping everywhere.
-She has an amazing memory and can tell me what her favorite books say or repeat her favorite songs including the full alphabet.
-She loves to sing songs and dance.
-She puts her arms in the air when we go under bridges and says "whooo".
-She loves bubbles.
-She makes the best faces on demand including the innocent face and the smolder.
-She likes to come up and whisper things in your ear, especially I LOVE YOU.

She is a sweet little girl and I love her so much. Sometimes I watch her or lay down in her bed with her and I just cherish her little personality and what she brings to our lives.

We had a pig party to celebrate her birthday with a few friends. I even made a pig pinata that she and Jackson helped make.

Then today we had a family day. We went to see the fishies at the aquarium (her request) and then to the bio park. Later tonight we went to a Japananese steak house for some cooking entertainment and of course eggs and soup. She didn't like the fire but enjoyed the onion volcano they made. Afterwards we came back to house and enjoyed some pig cupcakes and opened presents. It really was a great day together!

Tangled Doll

Princess Dresses
Lama Lama and Time for Bed

Pig Beanie

Play dough Ice Cream set

Chemo Week 1

2011-09-07T21:49:00.000-07:00

My mom started chemo this past week. She is currently receiving two types of chemo Paclitaxtl used to treat breast cancer and ovarian cancer and doxorubicin an antibiotic used for all cancers. The first 4 treatments will be administered every other week. These are the most potent of the treatments. The day before each treatment she goes to the doctor and has a blood check to make sure her white blood cell count is at least 1500. If that checks off then she goes back the next day for the treatment which consists of two types of chemo over a 4 hour period. They give her some relaxation medication that makes her really drowsy. Not asleep but not really awake either. Then they give her a shot for her bone marrow that increases her white blood cell count. The nurse gives the patient an option of taking the shot in your arm or stomach. My mom has learned to take in her stomach because it hurts less. The shot makes her bones ache increasing more each day for the next week or so but she figured out that taking Claritin will help with the bone aches.

After those first 4 treatments (about 2 months into treatment) they will give her a 3 week break to recover. Then she will receive Cyclophosphamide this is the mildest form of chemo that slows the growth of cancer cells. This treatment will last for 12 weeks and be administered every week.

So there is the medical facts. Now onto the personal effects. My mom is actually feeling pretty good. Rarely sick, especially if she takes the nausea medication every morning before she actually feels nauseous. She did have her white blood cell count checked this week and it was only 400, which is really low. She had a slight temperature of 99.0 but even this slight rise is cause for concern because her immune system is fried from the chemo. She cannot be around anyone with the slightest cold or illness symptoms including children in general. The doctor told her not to worry and that her count will most likely go up over the next week. She has to monitor her temperature several times a day to make sure it does not rise over 100.1. If that happens she needs to go directly to the emergency room because there is a risk of infection.

Mainly she is just achy from the bone shot and tired. Most of the other cancer patients and doctors have warned her that after the 2nd dose of treatment she will probably lose her hair so she has been out wig shopping. It is actually kind of fun trying on wigs and different looks. I guess she is making the best out of a bad situation. One of my mom's best traits is making the best out of a bad situation. She knows she has no control over it so there is no reason to dwell on that fact. I am grateful for her positive outlook on this whole trial and the faith she has to move forward. All in all after one treatment things seem to be going as well as can be expected.

A Shirt and a Shoot

2011-09-03T23:11:00.000-07:00

I know you are all dying to see pictures of our new house. Well, I am almost done unpacking and as soon as that happens I will post some pictures. I can tell you this though:

It is small, much smaller than our Mountain home and even our home in AZ
It is old, but with some small updates. Fresh paint in the whole house and bathroom cabinets
It has 4 bedrooms (YAY)
It has very narrow doorways and hallways. We couldn't even get our pink couch in the play room.
There is no AC and it is hot here!
It feels more like home. And I am really starting to like it.

And it has an amazing backyard! Lots of shade. Some grass and beautiful rocks all around. It is fenced with vines along the fence and it is amazing how private it feels. And there is a huge tree which I love for laying under to read a book or swinging a pinata from (y0u will see soon).

We took advantage of our wonderful yard this week and shot a few photos. I feel like I never have enough good pictures of the kids. Especially Jackson. We need to work on that. I made a shirt for Lizzy this week so I wanted her to model it for me. She was hesitant hence the lollypop. But I still got some pretty cute shots.

Only two good ones of Jackson. He is so stubborn. Liz is a camera magnet and such a poser.

Potty Training for Mommies

2011-09-02T21:20:00.001-07:00

Why don't they have potty training for mommies? Not that mommies don't know how to go potty on the toilet but I have to tell you I am loosing my mind with trying to potty train Jackson and could really use some encouragement to keep trying, and trying, and trying.

I feel like I have tried everything. He will be 3 years and 5 months old next week, I KNOW he is ready. He is just stubborn. He will go on the floor next to the potty before he chooses to go on the toilet. I have tried rewards even going so far as to offer to by him a big boy bike if he goes 10 times. We have a star chart next to the potty.
He just says...I don't want a bike.
So I ask what do you want.
Nothing.

Next I go negative.
" Fine if you don't want to go in the potty you have to wear diapers like a baby. And I will treat you like a baby. Take naps, have me feed you, etc."
HE LOVED IT. Plus the naps just made him stay up all night, hence more work for me.

When I feel like I am loosing it which is almost every day I shut the door behind me and take a time out so I don't yell at him. Because that is what I want to do. I am so frustrated. So he cries and says he loves me. Then I feel bad...but not too bad because soon he is peeing or pooping on the floor again or in his pants.

Just when I think I am making some headway and he pees in the toilet and we celebrate! Then he doesn't do it again for 3 days continuing to pee in his pants or on the floor.

So far he has gone in the toilet 3 times in the past year and a half since we started this whole process. Seriously, is it suppose to be this hard?

For the time being we are back to diapers and I am looking for plan F. (A few books have been recommended but I am hesitant to buy something to have it not work).

I am contemplating working with Elizabeth and hoping that Jack will catch on. But it is so hard to try again with another child when I have been so unsuccessful with the first.

I know I am complaining but I need to get it out. Here's to tomorrow and hoping it is a day of no accidents.

Jack after he successfully when in the lightening car potty. Please happen again soon!

Last Week-#4

2011-08-30T22:29:00.000-07:00

Our last week of our month long vacation we said goodbye to daddy and headed to Arizona for a week of fun in the sun. We drove from California to AZ and I have to say the kids are getting good about driving long distance in the car. I didn't hear a peep out of either of them. Once we got to Arizona I realized a great reason for us moving. It is so freaking hot there. I blame it on the cooler weather on the beach. But also I think that when you live in Arizona you have time to acclimate yourself with the heat rather than being thrown right into it. Seriously we got out of the car and it felt like a hair drying blowing us in the face.

That night Brandon and I got some alone time and headed off to see the final Harry Potter movie while the Aunts babysat for us. It was nice to spend some time alone with my hubby. BTW the movie was okay. Too short but summed up the story nicely.

Then Brandon had to go home on Sunday while we spent a week hanging by the pool and meeting up with old friends. We went to the mall splash pad with Gabby and Heather. Gabriella never likes splash pads but I think Liz and Jack were having so much fun she decided to give it a try...and she LOVED it.

We also met up with a bunch of friends from our old mother's group and went bowling. Jackson was awesome. He rolled the heavy ball and had pretty good form for a 3 year old. Lizzy just liked dancing around and watching. It was so nice to see all our friends. I miss them so much. I never had girl friends in high school or even many in college but these women are so amazing and I love every one of them. It felt like home.

We spent most of our days swimming in the pool and hanging out with the family. Jackson went down the slide all by himself. So brave! All Brandon's sisters were still in AZ so it was fun shopping, chatting, and doing girl stuff with all of them. Sometimes I forget that they are my SIL, because I feel so close to them. All I can say is Cameron better marry somebody amazing if she wants to get into the Stoker Club (lol). (Sporting their Napoleon Dynamite shirts from the dollar store)

By Sunday we were sad to go but it was time to head back to our new rental house (we only lived there for 5 days before we left on vacation). The trip was stressful but wonderful. Seeing all the people we love and are so far away from, it is just nice to be with family.

We Love the Beach

2011-08-26T16:24:00.000-07:00

From Seattle we flew to California to meet up with Brandon and the rest of his family at Newport Beach. (For those of you counting this is week 3 of vacation). Brandon flew to AZ and drove over to California with his family to meet us there. They rented a house right off the beach. It was amazing. A short walk to the best sand and about 2 miles from the pier. I have never been to Newport and I have to say this is going to be a yearly trip if I can make it happen. We had the best time. I realized something as I was lying on the beach reading a book...the beach is the best place for a family with young kids. The kids don't go too far in the water but have plenty of things to do. They can dig in the sand, play in the waves, find shells, entertainment for hours. And I could actually relax. Trust me I needed it after the stressful trip to Washington.

Jackson loved it the most. He made new friends with kids on the beach every day and just had a blast running in the waves. We rented bikes for the week too. I have to admit I haven't gone on a bike ride in years. Both Jack and Liz loved the back seat on the bike and feeling the wind in their face. It was the most fun and relaxing vacation we have ever taken as a family. Just lots of family, sun, and fun.

Here are a few things we enjoyed while in Newport:

Knott's Berry Farm. Verdict...very inefficient staff but still fun. It was the first time either of them were brave enough to go on rides, and they loved it. They even went down the log ride. Liz rode with Grandma and Grandpa and when she got off she smiled and said, "Mom, I got wet, WOW." It was so cute. Jackson rode with Brandon and I and he looked terrified in the picture they took but said it was really fun after we got off.

We ate corn dogs on the beach. Jackson ate the whole thing. Fitting the entire corn dog around his mouth with every bite. Funniest thing I have ever seen.

We went for walks and bike rides on the beach and even got in a few morning beach runs. Nothing like exercising with the smell of the ocean.

Lots of boogie boarding. The waves were huge! A little scary but still super fun. And I wiped out a few times.

Made sand castles every day, just so Jack could knock them over.

We also had a chance to fly a kite. Jackson has been wanting to fly a kite for like a year. He was so serious holding the string.

Eating salt water taffy and Balboa bars on Balboa Island.

Enjoying fresh seafood, Mexican style at The Rockn' Baja.

Spending time with the whole family (minus Felipe who had to stay and work...we missed him).

Our Last Weekend in Seattle

2011-08-24T16:12:00.000-07:00

Our last weekend in Seattle was really special because we got to attend my cousin Mark's wedding. He is such a wonderful guy and his wife has been with him since they were in high school. It truly is a match made in heaven. The setting was gorgeous. In North Seattle at a house on the water. They house was not so much a house but more a mansion with these amazing winding gardens and an amazing view. Mark and Morgan were married outside, I seriously can't think of a more magnificant backdrop for them to say their vows. Most of my family was there so that was really nice too. They had all kinds of fun activities but super laid back. Croquet, bouchie ball, and even crackers with bubbles for the guests. You can tell the kids had a blast. Plus they served Thia food because that is the location of their honeymoon. It was so YUMMY. Just a great celebration of love. Plus the photographers fell in love with Elizabeth and Jackson so I am expecting a lot of great professional shots of the kids and me.

Jackson and I in the secret garden.

Lovely sisters.

Concentrating just like daddy.

My little beauty.

Uncle Adam giving instructions to Jack, lol.

Looks a little guilty doesn't he?

The dogs were definitely a highlight.

Erica and her handsome son, Ryder.

Oh Seattle how I love you. Best part right here:

And the Sun comes Out

2011-08-21T17:29:00.000-07:00

Finally the second week we were in Seattle the sun came out and we got a decent week. It is no where as hot as Phoenix or even Albuquerque but still warm enough to spend the day in the pool or go outside for awhile. A few years ago my mom bought a blow up pool in the shape of a frog that squirts water out the top. They thought this was awesome. Lizzy actually dove in the pool before there was water in it. We played in it several days in a row while my mom was recovering the hospital from her surgery. My cousin brought her son Ryder over to visit as well. He is 9 months old and so cute. Spiting image of my cousin.

We also took a trip to Pike Place Market. My favorite place to go in Seattle. There is just something about the smells of the market. The fish, the salt water, the flowers, and the food. We made a couple of purchases in the market including fresh doughnuts, smoked salmon, and a bunch of flowers in pinks and white for my mom (breast cancer colors). Then we headed down to the waterfront for some sight seeing and to chase the pigeons. I love the bustle and hustle of Seattle but I have to admit I am a bit out of practice in the driving area. All those hills and stop lights. I guess I have been living in suburbia for too long.

Our Big Scare

2011-08-20T15:50:00.000-07:00

On the last Sunday we were in Seattle were hanging out on the deck at my uncle's house enjoying an amazing blue sky. It is not often this happens. My aunt, 2 uncles, Jackson, Elizabeth, and myself were out there together when I look over in the corner. It was a blur but in about 2 second Liz leaned against one of the beams on the deck and it gave way. She did a kind of 180 spin and fell 12 ft onto the concrete below. I was in shock, frozen. It felt like everything was in slow motion. I ran down along with everyone else to find her sitting on the ground crying a little but pretty calm. She looked at me and said, "Mommy I fell down, I fell down off the deck," and then tried to stand up.

I know from my health background that I should leave her there and not move her but she was trying to stand on her own so I scooped her up and laid her on the floor in my uncle's house. Again so brave she barely even cried. In retrospect I think she was more scared about everyone crowding around her than she was hurt. I on the other hand was freaking out in my mind searching her body for any evident injuries. Other than a few scraps I noticed her tummy was firm and rigid. Instantly this sends worst case scenarios through my head. From internal bleeding to a nail puncture to bruised organs. The paramedics arrive and put her in a c collar and strap her down to the spinal board. They cut off her clothing and show a few large cuts down her left side and some small ones on her tummy. We have to whisk her off to the hospital. At this time Jackson is crying hysterically because he knows she is hurt. Elizabeth is screaming at the top of her lungs because she is tied down and doesn't recognize anyone around her. I have to leave Jackson behind with my aunt (who he doesn't know) and ride with Liz in the ambulance. Hardest thing of my life leaving him behind when he is so worried and scared.

Lizzy is still crying so I start singing to her. This is the only thing that calms her down. In the hospital they do a full workup: CT, x-rays, and extremity checks by about 5 doctors and 3 nurses. All I can do is continue to sing to her and try to let her know I am there. Try to stay strong. Try to say a little pray in my mind for her safety and health. My mom finally arrives (she was visiting Derek's family about 40 min from our house) and I can't take it anymore. I break down sobbing worried about my little girl. Derek is so wonderful and knows exactly how he can help. He goes to check on Jackson and takes him to the cafeteria to get some food. This calms me a bit knowing that Jack is safe and with someone he knows. My mom just supports me. No tears, strong as always. My mom has something in her that turns on when people need her. She doesn't panic, she doesn't cry, she just stays strong and positive.

Finally after about 4 hours the doctors decide that there is no internal bleeding just a bruise on her liver but they are a little concerned about her spinal x-rays and want her to stay in the hospital overnight so the pediatric radiologist can look at them. In the meantime she has to keep the c collar on. She is still so brave. I was so proud. She did everything the doctors told her to do. She looked at them when they tried to check her eyes, opened her mouth when they asked her to say ahh, and stayed still even when they were poking and pricking her. We finally got up to our room where she slept in a crib that had collapsible rails and plastic that rolled down from the ceiling. Whenever I left the room or had to sleep it looked like she was in some kind of baby cage. SHE LOVED IT! She thought it was so fun hanging out in her own space, coloring books, playing with play-dough, and watching Thomas movies. They even gave her a small pink teddy bear that she instantly fell in love with.

It was a long night. We watched Thomas 3 times and finally by the morning I could tell she was feeling much better because she was eager to walk around. There she was walking around the hospital floor in her c collar and diaper. So cute I must add. If I wasn't so worried still I would have taken a picture. The nurses told her she had to go back to bed in this cute way, "Lizzy you are suppose to be in your bed" with a little smirk. Everyone fell in love with her because of her smile and her cooperation. She was a champ. We finally got released from the hospital and by the time we walked out of the hospital doors she was back to her old crazy, smiling, fun loving self. All that she had was a few scratches. She did act very clingy to me over the next week or so but I kind of enjoyed that because she is usually so independent.

Biggest scare of my life and thankfully the Lord was watching over her. It was a miracle.

Science Center

2011-08-17T17:34:00.001-07:00

Once we got back we had some fun at Grandma's house. Indulging in activities only Grandmas allow. We bought ice cream from the ice cream truck. The kids thought this was AMAZING. Fun ice creams delivered right to your door.

They took a bath in Grandma's gigantic jet tub, and Grandpa did not think this was so cool since there were bubbles and water everywhere.

And making play dough cookies at the counter with Grandma.

The one thing we did the first week was go to the Science Center. I haven't been there in ages and forgot how much fun it is there. They have a new human anatomy section which was a little to old for the kiddos but I enjoyed it. There is a huge toddler area with slides, pots/pan/pipes for making music, and building blocks. We spent about an hour in this section alone. Then we went and saw all the reptiles and even got to see a boa eat a mouse (Yuck but super fascinating). Elizabeth's favorite section was the dinosaurs that move and growl and Jackson loved the space section even taking a turn in a space ship launch. We finished up with a trip to the butterfly room and a few rides on giant insects (none of which were real, except the butterflies). It was a great day not only to see how excited the kids were in discovering everything but I got to spend it with my mom and my sister whom I love.

A Wedding

2011-08-17T17:05:00.000-07:00

I know all of you are dying to hear about our month long vacation of the West Coast. Okay maybe not dying but lets face it these days any good news is fun to read about. So here is part 1 of 4.

We started our trip in Seattle for two weeks to visit my mom and the rest of our family. It is so expensive to visit Seattle these days so we can only afford to go once a year. And now that my mom has cancer and will be undergoing chemo soon it was time for us to pack up our little ones and head to the great northwest. Unfortunately Brandon had to stay home to work so it was just me and the two kids. The flight went well, 3 hours is not too bad when you have a lap top playing movies and lots of snacks. They didn't sleep at all but were fairly good passengers.

Instantly I remembered why I moved from Seattle. In my mind it is beautiful, green, smells great, lots of fresh fish, and beautiful mountain tops. But there is a reason it looks like that all the time RAIN. One day is not so bad but the rain went on for four days straight and I thought maybe it would never let up. The kids loved it but I was no so pleased. It was nice to get out of the hot weather for awhile.

We actually only spent 1 day in Washington before loading up the car and driving down to Oregon for a wedding. My best friend from high school! Beautiful Brook. My mom drove with me which was nice to spend some alone time with her. Brook got married in an amazing vineyard and her wedding was somewhat a cross between Vegas glamor and a fairy tail. We walked down to the vineyard on a red carpet and took pictures in front of a Brook and Evan backdrop complete with empty frames. Then we sat down to see the bridesmaids and groomsmen dance down a winding path to the arch as Brook drove up with her father in a blue vintage car. The ceremony was magical. Funny, loving, and so moving as her grandfather presided. Then there was dancing, yummy food, and bon bon girls passing out chocolates. Going out with style she left in a helicopter whisked away with her lovely new husband.

It was so wonderful to see Brook and the man who won her heart. She will always hold a special place in my heart. We actually only went to school together for 1 year before she moved back to Oregon but we stayed in touch and out lives always seemed to intertwine miles apart. She left in a helicopter whisked away with her lovely husband. Our lives may change but our bond does not and I know it will stay that way for our entire lives.

The kids had a great time running around the grass and Jackson made a great friend, Olivia. She kept calling him "my boy" and they played, held hands, and gave each other hugs. I think the romance bug even hit my three year old. When we left he gave her a big hug and said, "thanks for having fun with me." It was so cute.

Jackson hanging out by the fountain with Oliva

Cleaning up the feathers that the flower girls dropped.

Liz being her cute self.

I DO!

The beautiful bride.

The wedding party. Love this picture.

Bon Bon girls.

Leaving in their helicopter.

Wow look at that dress. She designed it herself. AMAZING!

It only lasted 2 days but it was well worth the trip. I am so happy she found someone who can love her for the amazing, ambitious, quirky person she is. Thanks for sharing your special day with us Brook.

Cancer Watch Day 17

2011-08-11T21:48:00.000-07:00

I know it has been a long time since my last post and a lot has happened. Try to remember that this is coming from a second person view so I might be a little off in some of my information but here goes.

My mom was released from the hospital almost a week ago and has not smoked a cigarette in 16 days! WOOOHOOO. She hasn't used the patch in 6 days! I am so proud of her and her fight against addiction. Here is what she has told me about the experience so far. "I crave cigarettes all the time but I just tell myself you don't need it. I want to smoke but I never want to smoke again." What a though addiction and she is handling it like a champ. Smoking for 33 years mind you. Her main motivation is in two parts. 1 She remembers how painful it was with all her lung issues and getting the chest tubes in. 2. Her mastectomy is not healing well and she knows part of that is the smoking.

Which brings me to the cancer part of her trial. Her wound is not healing as well as the doctors would like and so she still has a drain tube in which is more of an inconvenience than anything else. She spoke to her oncologist yesterday and the really good news is that her cancer is only a stage 2 even though she waited almost a year to get it checked out. Really lucky! The original tumor in her breast was totally removed with clean lines and they also removed 11 lymph nodes 3 of which were cancerous. There is no telling how many lymph nodes are actually infected because it is totally random and there really isn't a percentage. All they know is it is present and they will try to kill it with chemotherapy which will begin in about 3 weeks (or whenever her mastectomy has completely healed).

She is still in a lot of pain. Her chest is a dull, throbbing pain while her arm has a sharp pain when she lifts it over her head. She also has very limited usage of her arm. After talking with her tonight I get the feeling that she is encouraged by the not smoking but is most worried about her arm and if she is going to be permanently impaired. She has been doing the exercises the doctor recommended but she lost some recovery time by being stuck in the hospital bed for her lung issues. I told her not to worry, it takes time and she is only 2 weeks post surgery. Does anyone know the recovery time for dissected lymph nodes? I need to do some research.

Overall she is feeling much better and will be a lot better once she has the last tube removed. I think it is just hard being attached to all these devices especially when you already feel like you are not yourself because part of your body is missing.

Cancer Watch Day 7

2011-08-02T17:57:00.000-07:00

Well my mom is still in the hospital 7 days after her mastectomy and it doesn't look like she is getting out of the hospital today. We left off with her having a second chest tube plugged in which still didn't work so they did a bronchoscopy to clean out her lungs of all the fluid and mucus. Once the doctors did that her lungs were clean and she was breathing clear. However the doctors wanted to keep the chest tube in until her lung not only re inflated but also completely healed. This made her very uncomfortable and it is a painful experience. Imagine a garden hose in your ribs poking your lungs. She explained it as a knife stabbing her in the front and the back. She is on pain meds but those can only do so much. Then her tube got a kink in it and that set her back another day. So in short an outpatient procedure has turned into a week long hospital stay. The good news is her mastectomy is looking great. Healing really well and she is able to walk around and move a bit. The hospital stay is also encouraging her quit smoking goal as she has not smoked for 7 days using a patch to help her get over her nicotine cravings. Yeah mom!

A Mastectomy and Chest Tube

2011-07-28T09:31:00.000-07:00

My mom's mastectomy seemed to go smoothly for the most part. The surgeon completed it in a timely manner and removed all the tumor as well as the infected lymph nodes. They sent her home the same day which I don't understand after major surgery but whatever. She came home and was in a lot of pain which they said she wouldn't be. She was also very sick from the anesthesia which is common.

After a night in pain she decided her meds weren't working. The hospital called and said they found something on the radiology report and they wanted her to come back in. So she went to back to the hospital. By the time she got to the hospital she could barely breath. It turns out the surgeon nicked her lung and had an idea she might have and she still sent her home. I AM SO ANGRY!

So they put in a chest tube to help her breathing. Unfortunately because she is a smoker there is fluid in her lungs and a mucus plug was blocking the chest tube. So they took her back to surgery and put in a larger chest tube which seemed to improve her breathing. It did improve but as of this morning she is still on oxygen and not breathing well. The doctors have a pulmonary specialist doing breathing exercising with her and helping her learn to breath correctly. She will be in the hospital for today and I am not allowing them to release her until we are sure this problem is solved.

Complications from surgeons and smoking and now my mom's health is in even more danger and this is just the beginning. It is going to be a long road. Please pray for us and my mom.

Family Trials

2011-07-26T17:32:00.000-07:00

This has been a tough week for our family. As many of you know we are visiting my mom in WA this week. I try to make a trip out at least once a year to catch up with my family and smell wonderful Seattle, the salt water the rain all that great stuff. We have been catching up on a few of the sites (to be posted later) but mainly hanging with Grandma and Grandpa.

Well we had quite a scare earlier this week. I was out on my uncle's deck with the kids, talking with my 2 uncles and my aunt when all of the sudden one of the beams on the deck that Elizabeth was holding broke loose and she fell 12 ft onto the cement. I think she actually spun around because she scraped her side on the remaining rail and then landed on her bum. Talk about a mom's worst nightmare. I ran down and found her trying to stand up so I picked her up and brought her in the house where I laid her down on the floor and tried not to move her. The ambulance came and took her to Mary Bridge children's hospital. They x-rayed her, gave her a CT of her belly, and checked her over from head to toe. The only problem they could find were a few minor abrasions on her side and her arm. Other than that completely healthy. They did keep her in the hospital over night for observation (which I was so happy about for safety) and made her wear a c collar until they had a pediatric radiologist check out the x-ray.

She was so brave. Talking the whole time, crying a little, but mainly just listening to the doctors and following their instructions. She was the best patient. Everyone that saw her fell in love with her in the hospital. By the next day she was walking around the hospital wing back to her old self and riding on a toy car they gave her to play with. It is a miracle.

The other issue that we are facing this week is my mom undergoing her first stage of treatment for breast cancer. She found out about it about a month ago and had a mastectomy today to remove her right breast and some of her lymph nodes on her right side. The cancer seems to be localized to those areas so hopefully they cleaned out all of the cancer cells today. Next she will undergo chemo in a few weeks and eventually she will receive an implant to replace her missing breast. It is going to be a tough year but I know she will get through it. Honestly the hardest part will be quitting smoking. What a relief to me, finally she will have to quit smoking. Probably the only good thing about this whole ordeal. I plan on blogging about her struggles and triumphs over the next year to tell you the story of a real breast cancer survivor.

If you are reading this I just ask that you please pray for our family and keep us in your thoughts. Another trial for the Miller family.

Every time we face a trial in our lives I am reminded of my favorite scripture:
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith 2 Timothy 4:7

Show me your Muscles

2011-07-06T15:27:00.000-07:00

I love these kids! We have been packing ready to move again on Friday and they have been so helpful putting all their things into boxes. For those of you keeping count this will be our 8th move in 5 years. Can't I just stay in one place for awhile?

Anyways, as we are packing the kids keep trying to help lift things and they say SHOW ME YOUR MUSCLES! Let me just tell you where they learned this phrase. Previously I haven't been able to get the kids to drink regular milk. They refused. However I recently learned a new trick.

One day we were eating dinner and Jackson had this feet at the edge of the table. He was trying to move the table but couldn't because it was stuck on something. Instead of telling him to put his feet down I decided to take this opportunity to encourage some milk drinking. I told him if he wanted to move the table he would need muscles. And the only way to get muscles is to drink milk. So he took a drink and then he tried to move the table again and magically he did. He thought this was AMAZING! So then he drank some more and the table moved again. Now he loves drinking "muscle milk"so he can improve those big muscles.

Score 1 for mom!

Dancing in the Rain

2011-07-05T08:22:00.000-07:00

I has been the hottest and driest summer here in New Mexico in a long time. Not that we would know being it is our first summer here but apparently this weather is not normal. I feel like it is much cooler here coming from Phoenix, lol. Anyways, there have been several wildfires here and so the skies are very smokey and congested. And because of this there was a no firework warning for the 4th. Sad, as you may know I have inherited a little bit of a pyro love from my father. We did buy a few small things, small fountains, sparklers, and a pagoda (my all time favorite). The kids thought it was really exciting, especially Jackson. Elizabeth was not too sure. (I didn't take any pictures because I was busy enjoying the moment but we got some video for our family home video collection.

The day before the 4th it rained, AMAZING! I think my kids have only seen rain a handful of times. It is funny because whenever it rains they want to go out and play in it. As a Seattle native I am so accustomed to rain I forget how fun it can be. I actually love the rain. I bought Jackson a rain slicker the other day and Elizabeth has this beautiful rain jacket I got from my friends Jill and Adrianna at my baby shower.

The kids had so much fun running through the puddles and dancing in the rain. They rode their bikes, stomped in the puddles, and stood under the drips coming off the side of the roof laughing hysterically. I love how the simple things can bring so much joy.

Jackson did remind me that he could be wearing his Thomas rain boots that he wanted me to buy him but I told him it was a waste because he will never wear them (this was like 2 months ago). That kid has a memory like an elephant.

Photo Shoot and a Dress

2011-06-29T14:37:00.000-07:00

As many of you know I have really gotten into sewing since Liz was born. I haven't done any scrapbooking in over a year (so much for keeping up with the baby books). But I have a lot of sewing projects to show Elizabeth's growth and style in her first two years of life. And, I have been expanding my sewing knowledge by creating pieces without patterns.

Now don't get too impressed. Kids clothing is really actually easy because there is no darts, or worrying about curves or any of those other issues that you would face when making adult clothing. Kids clothes are all about shapes; squares, triangles, and tubes. But still I am really proud of how far I have come since college and my love-sac fiasco (a story for another time).

Anyways here is another project with out a pattern. This project was inspired by this super cute GAP ruffle dress. I saw this dress and thought I CAN MAKE THAT! I just love all the little details. The ruffles around the neck, and the synched waist with ties. Plus it is perfect for the 4th of July. I found this adorable fabric from fabric.com that matches my little Lizzy's eyes perfectly.

And here are some shots from my other hobby that has not been flourishing lately but I still love taking pictures.

Isn't she gorgeous! I just love her little sweet face, especially when she is smiling.

The most beautiful crystal blue eyes I have ever seen. Brandon is worried for the future teenage Lizzy with her looks and spunky personality. We are in trouble!

Doing somersaults. Her current favorite activity.

Two peas in a pod, not smiling at the camera of course but looking good.

Check out that face, she is so funny.

I love these kids.

TOP 25 on Circle of Moms

2011-06-25T00:36:00.000-07:00

Hey go and vote for my blog! I have been chosen for top 25 blogs on Circle of Moms.

Wow, I love the blogging world.

Summer at the Stokers

2011-06-24T21:45:00.000-07:00

Well we are moving, soon. Don't know where yet but we will be moving in the next 3 weeks somewhere. Can you say...WHAT? I know. I am so stressed. As many of you know I don't do well with unpredictability. I am a planner and I need to plan. I have been looking for a rental house for the last 3 months. Seriously almost every day. All the houses are either too small, too expensive, no yard, total mess, etc etc etc. I keep readjusting my expectations. At first I wanted something similar to our house in AZ. Then I settled for a 4 bedroom with a small grass area. Now I am down to a 3 bed with a smaller grass area. Every time I find something that might work I find out there are already 3 or 4 applications in for the place. I looked at a house today that isn't even on the market to rent yet and they already have 8 applications in. AAAHHHHHH. Yeah. I am having a hard time.

Our house in Arizona still hasn't sold and it doesn't appear it will be selling anytime soon so we can't really buy. I had just realized that we will be living in the mountains for a while longer. Then the owner of the house we are in now informed us she needs us out by the 3rd of Aug. The CRAZY realtor has her convinced that the extremely over priced house will all the problems that we are living in now will sell if there are no tenants living in it. Whatever.

Yup, I'm venting again. I just don't know where else to turn. I want Brandon to know that I love and support him and I am trying to have a better attitude. I actually have been happier lately aside from the house situation. We joined a gym which is so wonderful. It is amazing what exercise does for the mind and body. And we are meeting a lot of nice moms in our mother's group which is awesome to have someone else to talk to.

On a more chipper note here are some of the adventures we have been on lately.

Jackson is obsessed with Cars again. Yes the movie is coming out but super obsessed. That kid cracks me up. He wore his Cars hat, Cars shirt, Cars swim trunks, Cars socks, and Cars sandals (I tried to tell him that we don't wear socks with sandals but he doesn't care). Then he carries around his Cars lunch box. He wore this for 3 days in a row (I washed it once). Jackson is learning the Alphabet now. We worked on the letter A and he drew his first A. Then he was so excited about it he drew 6 more. It was really fun to see how excited he was about learning and proud of his work.

Elizabeth is such a big girl. She talks so much and is about ready to be out of her crib since she has started climbing on everything. She is also fighting back when Jackson picks on her, she is so fiesty. She is showing off her intelligence too. The other night she told me, "This chicken is yumy mama." It was so sweet. She has started saying the prayers at dinner and at night time as well. I just love her little spunky personality and her interest in learning.

We have been trying to stick to our Saturday Family Day. Last week we went to the zoo because Jackson wanted to ride the train. It was really hot the kids faces were bright red by the end of the trip but it was still so much fun. We had a picnic, fed the ducks, and walked around. And of course we rode on the train which was totally lame because it was really slow and just went around the back side of the zoo but Jackson loved it. The extra large ice cream didn't hurt either.

They really are so much fun. I have been enjoying spending time with them a lot lately. Just watching them laugh and play together, it makes me so grateful to have healthy happy children.

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-17T15:41:00.000-07:00

Check out how cute this Father's Day gift is. I made one for Brandon since he already bought himself a Father's day gift (new golf clubs). Go to this LINK to learn how to make it.

Summer Days

2011-06-13T20:01:00.000-07:00

Still no luck with the potty training but I am taking your advise, backing off, and not talking about it. Other than that things have been going pretty well around here. We are working more on learning, it is so nice being on Summer vaca because I have the afternoons (when I used to have to do school work) to spend some quality time teaching the alphabet, counting, learning colors and shapes. It is weird because Elizabeth is almost at the same level as Jack even though I work with him a lot more. She just picks things up so quickly. They are both really smart but in very different ways. Elizabeth is very vocal. She is always talking or singing and asking questions. Brandon and I joke that when she is 16 she will just repeat, "can I take the car, can I take the car, until we give in." Jackson is very visual. He sees something and remembers it. I think that is why he picks up on shapes and colors quicker than counting or saying his ABCs. They both love to read which I feel helps them a lot too. We read every night. Lately it has been the same books, "Lama Lama Red Pajama", and "There's a Nightmare in my Closet." Jackson thinks it is him in the nightmare book, he cracks me up.

One thing that has been super tough lately is Jackson's separation anxiety. I am hoping it is only a phase but every time I leave the room he screams bloody murder. And then he says, "I love you mommy don't leave me." I try to reassure him that I would never leave him alone but it doesn't seem to be taking. Honestly the crying is driving me a little crazy.

Last week we made waffles in watermelon shapes. It is so easy and yummy. Make your favorite waffle recipe, mine is buttermilk waffles. Then separate the batter into two bowls and put some green food coloring in one and red food coloring in the other. Then you pour the green batter in a circle around the outside of the waffle iron (with a hole in the middle) and fill in the hole with the red batter. Add mini chocolate chips to the center and cook. They come out looking like watermelons. Fun food that the kids love and perfect for summertime.

HELP HELP

2011-06-08T01:04:00.001-07:00

HELP, I cannot get Jackson to want to go potty on the toilet. Every day we try and he just doesn't want to do it. I have tried everything from sticker charts to candy by the toilet (not my fav I got desparate). I even put a new toy that he has been wanting right by the potty. NOTHING. He loves running around in big boy underwear until he has to go and they he asks for a diaper. How do I get this kid interested in going on the toilet? He is over 3 now and I am worried and to tell you the truth a little embarrassed that he is not potty trained yet.

HELP ME!

Our Long Weekend

2011-06-03T20:34:00.000-07:00

This week was a little better I must add. After searching for a new place and finding NOTHING I have come to the conclusion that our current rental is very nice even with the small problems. I just need to ignore the insane realtor, deal with the malfunctioning toilets, and the long commute and just be happy. Brandon had Monday off so we decided to spend some time together as a family. It is true that moving to ABQ has brought us closer together as a family, that is one good thing about moving here. We went to the BIO park again together, I just love it there. They have a new butterfly exhibit that the kids loved and it was a beautiful day to walk around enjoying each other and the weather. Liz wore her new romper that I made for her, she really is so beautiful and gets more beautiful every day. Jackson is growing up too. He remembers everything now and really takes everything we say literally. I have to watch what I say around him more than ever.

Here are some funny things they have been doing lately:
-galloping around saying yeeha. They gallop everywhere
-Jackson tells me I am pretty and that he loves me all the time. I think he is still worried I am going to leave him. When he says he loves me he always softly touches my face, it is really sweet.
-Elizabeth likes to tell me that her name is Lizzy. It is really funny because she says it with such sass
-They love chasing the lizards around the yard and going for walks to the mailbox. When we walk they call it an adventure. They like to pick wildflowers along the way and tell me what color they are.
-We like to play tag at the park, our new game

They really are such beautiful children. So loving and full of energy. They wear me out but it is all worth it. At the end of the day when they say I love you and give me kisses, or they want to read books with me. Sometimes I forget that all they want is to be with me. For me to play with them and teach them and love them. I spend my days cleaning, and running, this week I took a few days to just be with them and I fell like my attitude and heart are in a much better place.

Princess in a castle

Dino peek-a-boo

Honey I shrunk the kids

ROAR

Goofy faces

I'm flying

Pretty butterflies

Their new hangout place

That's Life

2011-05-28T21:40:00.000-07:00

We had such a great trip I was so sad to leave. I know we can't live with our parents forever but if we could I would definitely do it. I loved having people around all the time to talk with, watch movies with, or even run errands with. I miss having family close by and I miss all our friends.

We are back in New Mexico and things have been busy. I have to admit...I am not too fond of ABQ. Maybe you have gotten the vibe before but now I am admitting it. I know I just need to give it some time. I know it was the right decision to move here I am just having trouble adjusting to a new place. I don't like the woods. It is lonely, and there are tons of bugs. Plus we have 3 lizards living in the water fall in our backyard. Kind of creepy, don't worry they are harmless, but the kids love them. I still haven't really met any mom friends so that is hard too. We did join a playgroup so hopefully something good will come from that.

We are looking for a new house to rent but the housing market here is awful. The realtor of our current house is being ridiculous. She came into my house while we were gone and changed all my furniture, made Brandon take down our family pictures, and even made him scrub and clean parts of the house that weren't even clean when we moved in. I hate feeling like I am living in a prison. I feel like we can't live here. We can't decorate, we can't make messes, we can't even have a picture of Christ in our house. Plus we live at least 30 min away from everything. It is getting old having drive an hour every day if we want to do something. The houses we have looked at are all tiny and ones that we like are way overpriced (like $2000/month in rent). It is ridiculous and frustrating. I feel like I have looked at 100 houses in the last week and none of them seem to be working out. I guess I just need to keep at it. I just wish our house in Mesa would sell so we would have some money to put down on another house here. Unfortunately there hasn't been much interest. I loved that house. It was so nice compared to what I have seen here, I can't imagine why no one is interested in it.

We are also looking for a new car. After our road trip we have realized that our car is small and cramped and we are in need of an upgrade. Plus when it snows here we are going to need something to handle the weather. I feel like there are so many changes going on I am not myself and I feel crabby and unhappy which is not good for our family. I know this is a somber post, I think I just needed to get my feelings out so I can move forward.

On a happier note here are some fun pictures from our last week in AZ. Hopefully we will be able to make some great memories here soon.

Jackson pretending to be Harry Potter.

Playing in the sprinklers

Lounging by the pool

Jackson sporting his Schwab hat and eating a smoothie pop.

climbing on the waterfall, thanks for the cute outfit Grandma Miller

Lots of swimming

OH SNAP the Contest has begun

2011-05-24T18:51:00.000-07:00

Everyone, please please please go and vote for me for the Oh Snap contest to win tickets to the conference. The voting ends on Wed at midnight so go and vote now. I am #8.

OH SNAP

Thanks.

Our Week in AZ

2011-05-14T15:38:00.000-07:00

We have been having a blast this week in AZ. I love AZ so much and really miss it. I miss the people, I miss the sunshine, I miss the clean roads. I am getting used to ABQ but I really do miss AZ. We have been hanging by the pool, shopping and watching movies with my SIL and MIL and going to the zoo. Ashley was visiting this week from DC so it was really nice to hang with her as well. We couldn't have asked for better weather. Mid 80s to early 90s which is unherd of at this time of the year, not too hot ...just right.

Here are some pictures from our trip so far.

Real pioneer women chopping wood in dresses, lol.

Bon fires by the pool.

Happy 17th birthday Cam.

Liz sporting Grandpa's glasses.
Look at the giraffes mommy.
Jackson acting grumpy. Being 3 sure is tough.

Getting their shoes shined with Aunt Ashley.

A ride on a dragon.

Playing on the splash pad.

The only downfall is Brandon is all alone at home and we are really missing him. The kids only got to see him for a day and they keep asking "where is daddy"? Then they say, "he's at work". They are so cute. They are really going to miss Grandma and Grandpa who they love hugging, kissing, and getting tickled by. It is just so nice to be around family.

Chairman's in Hawaii

2011-05-08T22:48:00.000-07:00

Who would ever turn down a free trip to Hawaii? Well not us that is for sure. Brandon was so amazing at his job last year that his company invited him to a conference on The Big Island. Chairman's is held every year at Schwab to honor those employees who performed in the top 1% in their area. Isn't that awesome? I am so proud. Honestly he mentioned it to me a few months ago but said he probably wouldn't get it and then to my surprise one afternoon he calls me and tells me that he got it and we have a fully paid trip to Hawaii in April. So we packed up our cramped car and drove to AZ to drop the kids off at Brandon's parent's house before heading to the Big Island for 5 days of paid for fun in the sun. And since we haven't taken a vacation in like 4 years we decided to extend our stay for an extra 4 days.

Schwab set everyone up in an incredible hotel, The Fairmount Orchid in Kona. It was beautiful. Right on the beach with a great cove for snorkeling, fully stocked and paid for mini bar, and a stipend for any food that wasn't covered during our stay. Brandon had to work on Sat morning, and all day Sun but the rest of the time he was free to hang with me. We met some great people and there was a party every night with live bands, drinks, food, and the smell of the ocean. I even did yoga by the seashore, talk about relaxing.
We laid on the beach, played volleyball, and even went on a catamaran boat for some snorkeling and sailing.
Brandon even bought me a oceanside message for mother's day while we were there.
We also got to hear from the creators of Planet Earth on how they made the movie and what they enjoyed most about it. It was incredible to hear their stories and see the behind the scenes of such a great documentary. Seriously, best vacation ever.

Then after the conference we switched hotels (the first one was a little pricey for us) but the beach was even better at the second hotel (Waikoloa Beach Resort and Spa).
We took the next 4 days to explore the island. We went to downtown Kona for some shopping and sight seeing, and even attended a luau. Then on Thur we took a tour around the island and hit all the great sights. We saw Rainbow falls which was really flowing with water because it had been raining the previous days.
Then we went to the zen gardens for lunch and the Volcanos National Park where we walked through a lava tub, saw a giant smoking crater, and enjoyed the beautiful rainforest.
Next we went to a macademian nut farm for dinner where I tried about 12 kinds of mac nuts and got to crack a nut. We also tried apple bananas and strawberry guavas. They were so fresh and tasty.

We finished our tour at the lava fields. We stopped in this great local town with shacks for a bar and ice cream stand. It was awesome to be around so many of the locals and talk about life on the island. I even tried their local drink Kava which is suppose to be a natural healing drink made from the roots of the awa plant. Honestly it tastes like muddy water and didn't feel any effects. Then we made the treck out on the lava fields in search of some lava flowing action. Unfortunately no lava was flowing but about a month ago there was spiting lava everywhere so I guess we missed it by a few weeks. We did collect some really neat lava rocks on fresh lava (only about 3 months old) with gold and blue speckles in it. We left on our tour at 10am and didn't get back to the hotel until 11pm so it was a long day but full of interesting places. The only annoying thing was this tour guide from another group that kept making us move for our pictures. He was terrified of us falling into the water. Seriously we weren't even close to touching the water and I didn't know that the tour provided a babysitter for people in their 20s.
Friday was the relax day, we got some sun on the beach and bought gifts for our family before catching the red eye home to get back to AZ at 7:30am.
It was a great trip and kind of an early honeymoon gift. It was so nice to spend time alone with Brandon knowing the babies were well taken care of by Grandma and Grandpa. I don't think we will be attending Chairman's again next year with Brandon's new position but I told him he has about 5 years before he has to take me back (we were in Hawaii 5 years ago for our honeymoon).

I think Jackson is ready to join us next time.

Easter Party

2011-04-25T20:16:00.000-07:00

It was a very emotional Easter this year for a few reasons. First we have never spent Easter away from our family. It was sad not being with them on such a momentous occasion. Thankfully some of our new friends here in NM invited us to their house. They have two kids that are around the same ages as Jackson and Elizabeth so the kids had a great time together.

We were lucky enough to hear wonderful talks and lessons at church. It made me realize how grateful I am for the atonement and the Savior. I was sitting at church listening to the talks and thinking about how important my role is as a mother to guide my children in this life. Mother's have an affect on their children that we are sometimes unaware of. Our children listen to us and follow our instructions in every situation. Even when we think they aren't listening, they are. As a mother I need to make sure my children know who the Savior is and what he has done for them. We are here because of Him, and we are able to return to our Heavenly Father because of Jesus Christ.

The third reason I was so emotional is because it was the 12 year anviersery of my dad's death. When my dad died I took it very hard, crying a lot and loosing myself in the process. I wanted to talk about it to everyone except the rest of my family did not wan to talk about it. They put his death and their feelings deep inside themselves, and rarely spoke of him. As the years have passed I have come to a deeper understanding of death and why things happen in life. If my dad hadn't died I wouldn't be the person I am today. His death encouraged me to find the church which led me to my husband who gave me my wonderful children. I have a chosen life and I am grateful every day for that life.

Enough with the heavy, here are some wonderful pictures from our weekend.

Painting eggs
Easter Baskets
Egg hunt at the Cox's
Egg hunt at our house

No nap and too much candy made for a very long day and an early bedtime, lol.

Our Visitor

2011-04-22T15:02:00.000-07:00

We have a special visitor this week which has been wonderful. Aunt Sarah has come to visit us in our new home in NEW MEXICO and the kids have loved it. She is so helpful to me around the house and with the kids and it is nice to spend some sister time with her. It is hard being so far away from my family especially now that we moved away from Brandon's family too. I love that the kids ask where she is by name and give her kisses. We even got in a game of tennis the other day which I haven't played in like 6 years and I was VERY VERY rusty to say the least. I will be sad to see her go on Wed. Here is what we have been up to so far.

Our Zoo Trip:

The ABQ zoo is amazing. They have such a variety of animals and the exhibits are really fantastic. I think it is the best zoo I have been to aside from San Diego. Plus it is super cheap. I used my zoo pass but still if you are just visiting the area this should be on your list of things to do. The kids had a great time and Brandon even played hookie from work to spend the day with us. We couldn't have asked for better weather too. It was the perfect day.

Sarah and Liz enjoying a bubble bath in the jet tub. I love how Liz is totally covered in bubbles from head toe.

Lizzy sporting her new pink poka dot sun glasses.

Lizzy, Jack, and Sarah stuffed in the backseat of the car. We really need a car upgrade, lol.

**Don't you love the new editing effects? Totally Rad photoshop actions. I am so in love.

Celebrate Easter

2011-04-18T19:31:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share some Easter ideas with you all before the big weekend.

First I made the kiddos dress in their Easter outfits early just so I could snap a couple shots for all of you to see. I made Lizzy's dress and Jackson's tie. Jack thought it was so cool to have a real tie just like dad. Brandon even tied it for him.

After the photoshoot we made resurrection rolls. I have seen these floating around the web and have to admit I love the idea for Easter and they taste really good. If you would like to teach your kids about Christ and Easter this is a great lesson and activity. You can find the instructions HERE.

Happy Happy Birthday-part 1

2011-04-14T22:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday, It's your Birthday.

Yup, we had a birthday in our house this last weekend and my little baby boy turned 3! I was laying in bed reflecting on what I was doing 3 years ago and the early months of Jackson life. He was such a good baby. A little fussy in the evenings which was solved with a walk around the apartment complex. Now as he says he is a "big boy".

We had a wonderful, low key birthday. We were going to go check out the zoo but it started raining so we ended up going to the aquarium and bio-park instead. The best part is the zoo, aquarium, and bio-park are all one membership. The kids LOVE the aquarium. It is small but pretty great. They had big sting rays (6ft wide) and a large shark tank with some pretty fierce sharks, we are talking big teeth that really stick out of their mouths. Jackson really liked the jellyfish and Liz spent a lot of her time on this giant starfish statue. I think Brandon was a little bit in shock at how active those two are. Running around, jumping, and screaming with excitement. (It is good for him to have a taste of what everyday outings are like with a 3 and a 1 1/2 year old, hehe).

When we were done looking at all the fish for the 3rd time around, we headed over to the bio park. It is a great park with separate biospheres. We spent about an hour and a half there and only saw about half the park. There was a toy train section where the kids could push a button and make the toy trains go. And of course it was a Thomas train which made Jack really excited being that Thomas is his current obsession. There was also an area with all these blown up statues like huge carrots and a giant water kettle. They had the best time running around and climbing on everything.

Then we went home and after the kiddos and dad took a nap we had cake and opened presents. I made Jack a Thomas cake and he was so nice to let Elizabeth blow out his candles. What a good brother right? He loved all his gifts including a Buzz Lightyear action figure and sleeping bad from Grandma Sandy and Grandpa Derek, and a dress up construction outfit from Grandma and Grandpa Stoker. He was so appreciative of everything saying thank you after he opened each present.

It was a great day in a new city and I got to spend it with my favorite people in the whole wide world.

Swimming Season

2011-04-04T22:31:00.000-07:00

I think we might still think we are living in Arizona because during our Target trip today I bought both the kids swim suits and it is only 55 degrees in New Mexico today. Doesn't look like we will be sporting these suits for awhile. Maybe they will be able to wear them when they visit Grandma Stoker later this month. Oh well, they were so excited about the suits and too cute to pass up. They tried them on right when we got home and even wore them in the bathtub tonight. These two crack me up.

And they tilt their heads because they think that is posing. So classic!

Elizabeth looks SO OLD in this suit. I was watching her prance around in it showing it off to the camera and thinking to myself, she is not a baby anymore. Then I realized it is probably because she wasn't wearing a diaper, lol. Soon both of them will be potty trained (cross your fingers) and I will really feel like they are growing too fast. I do like seeing the little cheeks peek out the back of her suit every once in awhile though.

I also made Liz a pair of army capris this week. They were originally suppose to be shorts for Jack but I cut them too small. So I added some ruffles to the sides and a ribbon belt. The funny thing is I remember having a similar pair when I was in college. They both took the opportunity to smile for the camera...what a bunch of cheese balls.

(I love love love this picture of them blowing kisses at each other)

Liz ready to throw the rock, I HATE THESE ROCKS in our house. Good think Jack is wearing his helmet. **FYI, she didn't throw the rock.

HUGS!!

Is it Friday already?

2011-04-01T23:44:00.000-07:00

What did we do this week? Well we spent a lot of time at home which is not normal for us but I am still learning my way around and what there is to do in ABQ (like that I am already using the abbreviations). Brandon has been studying for a big test that he has to take on Monday so there wasn't a whole lot of interaction from his end either. We did meet up with some moms and kids from church for a fun craft but you will have to tune in for that later because I'm not finished yet. The moms here are really down to earth and love all the things I love. I think I could make some really good friends if we end up staying in the ward which I am on the fence about because I am not sure I want to live in the mountains. Good news is someone made an offer on our house today. YEAH! I really thought it was going to be on the market for a long time. They offered the full asking price too which is awesome. Hopefully everything will go through, fingers crossed.

Jackson and I did a lot of crafts this week. We played with play dough, colored, used stickers, and painted. I taught him how to fold his paper in half, paint on one side, and then refold it to get the paint on the other side. He thought it was so much fun smushing the paint around and it was a good opportunity to learn his colors which we are working on.

Liz likes playing with the play dough even though she tries to eat it every once in awhile. I awesome did some sewing this week creating a cute summer dress for Elizabeth and a pair of shorts for Jackson. Liz is getting so tall all her dresses are a tad too short I can see her little buns hanging out the back :).

Jackson being grumpy

Next week is Jackson's birthday, I can't believe he is almost 3! Seriously still remembering that chubby baby and now he is a "big boy" or "I'm Jackson" as he tells me. We have a fun week planned so I will make sure to post lots of pictures.

Oh and we bought Tangled! If you haven't seen it yet GET IT NOW. Best Disney movie since Nemo.

GOOD NEWS!

2011-03-29T21:57:00.000-07:00

Good news Good news. All the issues in the house are getting worked out and fixed. The toilet is now running and not leaking. The bathtub is ready for a swim, the internet is FINALLY working, and things seem to be getting back to normal around here. Now we just need to make some friends to go on play dates with which I am sure will come soon. In the meantime we are learning to entertain ourselves and have fun in our new home.

Today was really a great day. We had to stay home because of all the work getting done on the house but it turned out to be just what the kids and I needed. We woke up and watched some cartoons while we ate breakfast. Then we went upstairs and played in the toy room and raced cars. Lizzy raced are caterpillar car while Jackson raced his Lightning McQueen Car of course.

Then we went outside and played for awhile. The weather here is so nice. Around 65 degree which I love. The sun is out so we can wear jeans and a tshirt and not get cold. I have to admit I am glad to be out of that AZ heat (it is already creeping up to the high eighties low nineties there). Then we had a picnic outside and both the kids ate their lunch which is AMAZING! After that we read some books and Liz took a nap while Jackson watched Megamind for the 100th time so I could get some school work done. I have to admit this is the first day in a long time that I wasn't stressed or short tempered. It was nice to appreciate my kids for who they are and spend some quality time with them with nothing distracting me.

Then Brandon came home early and we ate a yummy dinner together. I guess Brandon was a little jealous of all the bonding today because when the kids were taking a bath in the BIG BATH TUB he decided to get in on the fun. So he threw on his swim suit and hopped in the tub with them. It was so cute watching them play in the bubbles with dad and they thought that was really cool. Brandon even turned on the jets, which made Jackson freak out of course (he is so cautious) but Lizzy LOVED them. She was lounging in the tub letting the jet bubbles rub her back and tummy. So funny. She really is a little doll baby.

I usually don't give a play by play of my day but it was just such a great day I wanted to write it down so I could remember it. It has been awhile since I have had a great day like that.

Other funny notes:

This seems to be Jackson's attire lately. I thought it was funny so I decided to post it.

Lightning Car beanie (usually with the matching gloves but not when he is eating), Thomas the Train PJ shirt, Thomas the train underwear (but still refuses to go to the bathroom on the toilet, don't even get me started), eating nutella on wheat toast, hence the chocolate smile. He wears several outfits every day and insists on getting dressed on his own with no help which means most of the time his pants are on backwards and his shoes are on the wrong feet. I am just glad he takes this initiative to put his clothing on himself. He now refers to himself as Jackson or big boy.

Also Elizabeth's hair is finally getting long enough to do something with it. YEAH! I put it in pig tails and it was so cute. She loved having her hair done too. I think she realizes how cute it is with all the compliments I give her so she actually wants to wear bows and girly stuff now. She is so cute I just want to give her kisses all the time.

Our New Home

2011-03-27T18:09:00.000-07:00

I know all of you have been dying to hear about the move and the new place. WELL, here is how it is going. LIKING ALBUQUERQUE (I actually learned how to spell it) HATE OUR RENTAL HOUSE. On the surface the house looks amazing. 3700 sq ft, an acre lot, and 3 car garage. Perfect right? Well as I have learned from living here for the past 2 weeks there are a lot of problems. First we live up in the East Mountains. This is really far! Really far. We have gas stations but no restaurants aside for the local cafe, our cell service is awful cutting off all the time, no cable except for dish network, an overpriced grocery store about 15 min away, and to drive anywhere in town it takes us at least 30 min. Plus to living out here it is peaceful, beautiful with trees, and the houses are really nice. The ward is really great too. But honestly I don't think I can handle having to drive 30 min each way to do my grocery shopping for the week. Also the house it self has so many problems.

First we didn't have hot water or gas for 3 days after we moved in. It was another week before we got any tv and we still don't have the internet (I am using Brandon's phone). We also didn't get mail keys for a week and a half. The realtor is in charge of the house and she is a mess. She didn't give us keys to the house until Thur of this week and she came in an told me I had to change a bunch of my furniture arrangement because the house is still on the market. I told her all the things that needed to be fixed like the toilet that keeps running and leaked on the floor, the master bath tub that doesn't have water, and the alarm system that isn't even set up but still goes off at 4am. She doesn't seem too concerned with fixing it so I can tell you we will be having words with the owners. Also, there are bugs all over. Ants in my kitchen and a crack in the wall that had a spider living in it. Oh and when we moved we had some help (which was awesome) but they lost a bunch of the screws to the bunk beds and we are having trouble finding the right size. And the master shower doors are too short so every time we take a shower there is water all over the floor. I almost forgot to top everything off I put our garbage out on Friday, actually Thur night in the pitch black dark just to make sure it got picked up, and the garbage man didn't take it. It was overflowing and we had a few bags in the garage it was so full. I really needed the garbage to be taken out. SOOO, I LOST IT. I totally flipped out and had a melt down. Just so many things going wrong and I couldn't handle it any more. Thankfully I called the garbage guy and he came and picked it up the next day but still.
Family room
View of the loft from the family room
Master Bathroom Shower that gets water all over the floor
Master bathroom tub that doesn't work but is so deep I am dying to go for a swim
Kitchen with a cute baby in it
Kitchen, the island is granite with a copper top (weird and hard to clean)
Oven/Stove backsplash...SUPER COOL
Dinning room that I am using as my craft room
Loft which is our playroom...AWESOME
The kids enjoying playing outside
Yeah, it snowed here in March. WOW big change from Mesa.

I know I am complaining a lot but I am having a tough time. Moving away from all of our friends and family is hard enough I don't need to be isolated in the mountains with everything breaking down around me. I am better now, and have a lot of hope we will find a permanent place to live in the city soon. I like the woods but not when you have young kids. There are just too many down sides to living so far away.

And the cherry on top of this disaster sundae is the guy that hit my car the last time we came to ABQ doesn't have insurance. He said he did but it expired in Jan and I got hit in Feb. So we have to pay our deductible which is $1000 plus pay for a rental car for 2.5 weeks (another $500) if I want to get my car fixed for something I didn't do. I swear the Lord just keeps throwing curve balls at us and I am striking out. Hopefully things will get better and back to normal soon. But for now I just have to realize it is out of my control and I have to let it go.

BUMMER

2011-03-25T09:03:00.000-07:00

Well, I didn't make it through this week in the OMTWI contest. I really thought that I would even though the competition was tough. In retrospect I wouldn't change what I did. I think it was a great idea and I love the dress. I think I was just a little over my head in the competition. Mainly because the other contestants had TONS of followers on their blogs and they have been doing the craft blog thing for a long time. I am so thankful to all of you for supporting me, I can't tell you how much it meant to me hearing you say you voted for me. Thanks again, MAYBE NEXT TIME. :)

This Weeks Contest Creation

2011-03-24T15:36:00.000-07:00

I AM A LIST MAKER. I ADMIT IT. I HAVE LISTS UPON LISTS. I EVEN HAVE A LIST OF ALL MY LISTS. Okay I'm just kidding about that last part. But seriously I swear I make a list, lose it, and remake lists all the time. I guess I just have SOOO many ideas and so little time to get them all done. Well this week for the 1 Month 2 Win It project we were told to do some SPRING CLEANING, meaning create a project that you buy nothing for. Challenging? Not for me because I have pile and piles of supplies I have collected. Honestly I did this project a while ago for the contest because I knew that I was moving this week and wouldn't have time to get it done. BUT I didn't buy anything for it. Here is what I did:

This weeks challenge was especially exciting for me because I have been dying to do something with my huge pile of "maybe I can make something out of this" clothing. Every time I go through my closet for spring cleaning, I create 3 piles. One is the donate pile, another is the trash pile, and the third is the craft pile.

Now this craft pile has been growing and growing and it was time to really evaluate the "maybe I can make something out of this" craft pile and whether or not I was actually going to do something with those clothes. But, thanks to 1 Month 2 Win It, I had the perfect opportunity to sift through those clothes and find something spectacular to make. Hence the tuxedo dress was born. I found an old tuxedo shirt my husband wore in high school when he waited tables. It was very dated but in really good condition. That is when I decided to use it as a dress for a little girl. I love the pleating on the old tuxedo shirts and it is very hard to replicate so I used that as my main inspiration. This dress is fun and flirty, perfect for spring.
I have to tell you the shirt was U G L Y, ugly and in need of the garbage or a remake. I am just glad I had the great idea of using the pleats. I even kept the rest for another future project (as you can tell I am not too good at actually cleaning out my supplies). But I MIGHT NEED IT SOMEDAY lol. Liz grows so fast that I even added an extra ruffle to the bottom to give it some more length. It is definitely my favorite dress in her closet right now.

Like I said the last round of dresses I made for her was back in Nov and she has gotten a lot taller since then so guess what...LET THE DRESS MAKING BEGIN. I have piles of fabric and ideas ready for some cute new creations. Stay tuned as they pop up on the blog over then next month or so including an Easter dress of course. I LOVE LITTLE GIRLS.

I also need to devote some time and attention to my guy Jack according to Grandpa Derek. So I am planning on making some fun summer shorts and stuff for him as well. Like I said, SOO MANY IDEAS SO LITTLE TIME TO DO IT!

Blogging from NM

2011-03-21T22:34:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the lack of posts lately. We have been busy with out move and getting settled. I have lots to talk about but first I wanted to share my craft from the competition last week. I know you are all dying to know which one was mine, lol.

For those that don't know I posted the HONEY BLOOM DRESS.

Nothing says March like flowers and green. I love the smells that arise in the beginning of spring time. The green grass, the new blooms, and little kids playing outside enjoying the fresh air. This was my inspiration for the wear green challenge. When I saw the challenge I knew right away that I wanted to make a little girl dress, my favorite craft to make.

I searched through my supplies and collected a variety of materials that I thought would work perfectly for this project. First I began with the base of the dress and I found the perfect print. Michael Miller Honey Bee Honey Bloom. Could the name say spring any better? I actually bought this material for another project but it was too perfect to not use for the challenge. Then I looked around for some inspiration and figured out how to make the dress special. I truly believe it is all in the details and that is what makes this dress different from any other.

I used a triangle lace trim that I got at a craft fair for $1 a yard, some small yellow roses, and some white ribbon around the arm holes to give it a charming touch. I also love pleats so I added 5 rows of pleats along the front of the dress and instead of letting them hang freely I decided to top stitch them down which creates a bubble effect on the bottom of the dress. After all this and some further evaluation I decided the dress was missing something. As I was milling through the options, (fabric flowers, another ribbon, some more roses, buttons maybe?) I decided a simple white ruffle around the neckline would be perfect. The ruffle is soft, and sweet. The perfect touch to a little girl's spring dress.

I asked my friend if her little girl would model it for me at a playdate. She loved how easy and comfy the dress was as she danced around for pictures. Another little girl at the play date liked it so much she wanted to be my model too. So I took some pictures of her in the same dress. I can't wait for my little girl to have her turn wearing it this spring.

This pictures really don't do it justice. The pleating is so cute and the fabric is a soft cotton which makes the dress comfy and easy to wear. Gabriella really loved modeling for me she was so adorable posing for the camera. Thanks to everyone for voting and keeping me in the competition.
I think Liz was jealous that the spotlight or in this case camera lens wasn't focused on her because as soon as she saw her chance she ran over to Lexie, stood next to her, turned to the camera, and said "cheese". She is so funny. I know she is going to miss these girls.

Time to Vote

2011-03-14T09:57:00.000-07:00

It is time to vote again! Don't forget to head over to 1 Month 2 Win It and cast your vote. Voting closes on Wed. The button is on the right side of the blog.

Beauty Baby

2011-03-13T00:32:00.001-08:00

I just love having a girl. Lizzy may be tough but she is all girl. She loves attention. She loves dresses and fancy shoes. She loves throwing dramatic tantrums. She is my sweetheart. Her favorite activity is to sit on the bathroom counter and play with my makeup while I get ready. It is so funny to watch her watch me. She uses my brushes on her cheeks and eyes. She cleans her ears out with q-tips. She even likes putting on lip stick (which I don't usually let her play with). When I was getting ready tonight I gave her full access and she took advantage. We put velcro rollers in her hair, blush on her already rosy cheeks, and I even let her use an old lipstick. It was just so cute watching her check everything out and play with it. She is so beautiful she probably won't need makeup but it is always fun to try it out, even if she is only 18 months lol.

She doesn't really understand your not suppose to eat it.
Nice smile baby doll.
Um you have a little bit of lipstick on your teeth child.

Don't worry mom I'm still super cute.

Blowing me a kiss.

I took a ton of pictures because she was having to much fun saying "cheese" for the camera.

BTW, we had her 18 month well check this week and she is not only beautiful but in perfect health. She speaks in sentences and has a vocabulary of at least 100 words. She is really good at repeating words and remembering them after that. She loves reading books and does this cute scoot where she stands in front of you with a book and backs her little bum into your lap. She is a very good listener. I can tell when I talk to her she is understanding every word I say. She loves Jackson and Grandpa. They are her favorite people. Her favorite toy is still her pink pig which is becoming less pink and more gray from all the washings. She is very jealous of other babies, especially if I am holding one. She climbs up on everything. Chairs, ladders, and a lot of boxes these days. The only thing she doesn't climb up on is her crib which I am so thankful for. She gives people that she doesn't know this really funny dirty look where she looks at them under her eyelashes and frowns. She gives it to Cameron all the time which is so funny. She loves vegetables but doesn't like cheese or fruit unless it is in something. She is still a really good eater, eating almost anything I put on her plate. She prefers using a fork over her hands so she is very proper and when she is finished with a meal she says "here mama". She is still super brave and fearless but I think she is starting to become more aware of her surroundings and notices when something is dangerous. And she can count to 4 which is as far as Jackson can count before saying the number 8 which is his favorite number for some reason (but that is for another post). She has started expressing interest in going to the bathroom on the potty. I think she will probably be potty trained around the same time or very soon after Jack. She gives really good kisses and has the best little giggle and the softest skin. And it melts my heart when she says "I lub you" to me. I lub you too Lizzy Bug.

Measurements:
Height: 32.5 inches-75%
Weight: 22lbs- 40%
Head: 18- 40%

On to Round 2

2011-03-12T09:27:00.001-08:00

Well I made it through the first round. Thanks to all of you who voted! Check back on Monday for Round 2.

Smith Family at The Farm

2011-03-10T21:00:00.001-08:00

This was an adventure in picture taking and I have to tell you all about it. We decided to take the pictures at The Farm at South Mountain. It is a yummy little restaurant with an amazing atmosphere very country meets chic. Anyways, so I am walking up to meet Shannon and I guy in a van tells me I have to get permission to take pictures there. I totally blew him off, lol, seriously how is he going to find me taking pictures of two little boys in the middle of a large space. However he tracked me down and let me tell you THEY WERE WATCHING US. He told us that we needed to get permission because photographers come and use the ground but don't even buy lunch. Shannon assured him that she was going to buy lunch after wards, which was her plan, and he allowed us to use the ground. Let me just say we smiled our ways into that one. Then we got out the balloons for Boston's 1 year pictures. BIG NO NO. Soon he was back over telling us no balloons allowed. But we talked him into letting us take a few pictures with the balloons as long as we put them back as soon as we were done. Well it never fails. Of course we let the 2 year old carry the balloons and of course he let them go and of course they got stuck in a tree. So here he comes to yell at us and we were thinking we are done. Fortunately he was super nice and we laid on the charm. He got the balloons down with an extremely high ladder (that I held for him) and a very long branch. After that he put a branch on the end of the balloons to keep them grounded. Then another worker came over and informed us that balloons are not allowed and we decided that was enough of the balloons. After all the hassle and all the screw ups the boys were very understanding and took some amazing pictures. They were so patient and I am really happy with the way they turned out.

Prayers

2011-03-09T21:17:00.000-08:00

Every night Jackson and Elizabeth kneel down with me to say their prayers. Most of the time Jackson likes to say the prayer himself. He is so reverent always whispering the prayer. Lizzy folds her arms quietly and listens. This is the ONLY time they are reverent but it is a sweet moment. And Jackson says the same things in his prayer every night which I think is really sweet.

Here is his prayer tonight:

Dear Heavenly Father
Thank you for Grandma and Grandpa
Thank you for the playground
I love you too
In the name of Jesus Christ
Amen

Lizzy says "Amen".

Then I tuck them in and Lizzy says "I lub you". Then Jackson says "I love you too mommy" and he pulls me in with both his arms around my face to give me a kiss.

I love them so much.

LAST DAY

2011-03-09T09:47:00.001-08:00

It is the last day to vote for the OMTWI contest. I just want to tell all of you how much I appreciate your love and support. I am amazed by all your great comments and love you have shown this week. Thanks again and if you haven't voted yet click on the link!

GO VOTE!

2011-03-07T18:37:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, just a reminder to go and vote on the ONE MONTH TO WIN IT blog.

Here is the site again: http://onemonthtowinit.blogspot.com/

Make sure you scroll all the way down to see all the projects and then vote for your favorite. There are some really amazing ideas.

VOTING ENDS SOON SO GO VOTE NOW!

FLAMING

2011-03-05T20:50:00.000-08:00

This week we had so much fun. We went to the Hall of Flame Fire Museum with some of our friends. They had the most amazing collection of fire trucks from really old to huge shiny new ones. Most of the museum are antique firetrucks which are behind ropes so the kids can't touch them but the kids didn't seem to care. THEY LOVED IT! I was so proud of them for not going behind the ropes and climbing on the trucks. Jackson was so excited about all the trucks. He kept pointing out things he liked about them like the lights, and bells, and ladders. It was really neat to see how they have evolved from horse drawn firetrucks to today's modern trucks. There was one large truck that the kids could climb on and a ton of fire uniforms to wear. I couldn't talk Jack into wearing a hat because they were so heavy but he had fun pretending like he was driving the truck. He even pulled down the stick to shift, he is really observant. Then there was a movie which they really enjoyed watching that showed fire fighters putting out actual fires and a kids area with a small firetruck, puzzles, and a fire pole to slide down. Liz especially liked the fire pole. She kept jumping off the stairs and grabbing onto it. FEARLESS. Good thing I was there to catch her. It was a really fun adventure and I am glad we got to share the time with close friends.

BYU?

2011-03-02T23:17:00.000-08:00

I just want to make a small post regarding the BYU basketball team. As a BYU alum I am well aware of the honor code and what it means to live by it. I admit at times it feels restrictive. Most of the rules are not against the law when you break them; however I know that it is with these rules that we are able to have the freedom to make good choices and not suffer undesirable consequences. Sure most people would think that not being allowed to go into the room of a person of the opposite sex is silly. But how many bad choices have been made in a room where two people are alone? Maybe being required to be clean shaven is ridiculous, but having a clean appearance on the outside will help to create a clean standard on the inside. These rules are here for reasons. The President's of the university didn't just come up with asinine restrictions for the fun of it.

I always liken the honor code to playing the piano. There are rules to follow when learning to play the piano. Notes to learn and practice. Are following these rules going to keep you from being a good piano player? NO, it is when we follow these rules that we are able to have the freedom to play whatever we want. The honor code is the same. If you break the rules or make poor choices the consequences of your actions will be negative. Make good choices and you will have a positive outcome.

I am a huge fan of college basketball and have been following BYU all season long. I have to say I am really saddened by the decision of Brandon Davies. I don't know what he did but I know he broke the honor code and I am truly honored to know that BYU stood up for their standards with no hesitation. They know where the line is and everyone is treated equally. It is sad that he made those choices but I feel that BYU basketball will actually be blessed for sticking to the code.

Here is a great article on the issue and I just want to put it out there GO COUGS!

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=6175251

PS. Just checked the scores and BYU lost bad to NM tonight. Have I told you how much I hate NM this season with their two wins on us? Too bad I am moving to the land of the LOBOS

We are on the MARKET

2011-02-25T23:43:00.000-08:00

Our house is officially on the market. Actually funny story about that:

I am driving home from the store with Jackson in the back when we pull up to the house and see the for sale sign in our yard.

Jackson: what's that mommy?
Me: our house is on the market

Jackson runs out of the car to the sign and is looking at it.

Me: Jack Jack what are you doing
Jackson: I want to go to the market

So cute.

It is pretty sad because we cleaned out a bunch of stuff to make it more "model like" for the sales. No more pictures, A LOT less toys (which I happen to like), and less furniture. It is like we just moved in. And we did just move in. I am really sad to be leaving. I didn't think I cared that much but now that it is coming I am getting nervous and sad. It doesn't help that we still haven't found a new place to live yet. Brandon and I went down to NM last weekend to look for rental places but there really wasn't much. Apartments which I am not super excited about and 1 house. The problem is we want a short lease because we really want to get into a house as soon as our house sells and everyone wants at least 1 year.

Albuquerque is an interesting place. It is divided into 4 main sections. NE, NW, SE, and SW. You really don't want to live in the south at all because it is really run down and the University is there. So that leaves the NE and NW. The NW is on the other side of the Rio Grande. There are only 4 roads across so traffic gets really bad. What takes us about 15 min in the middle of the day will take Brandon about 45 min to get to work in stop-and-go traffic. Which leaves us with the NE. We like it but the houses are a lot more expensive. We looked at one house that is the same size as our house in sq footage, but has a much smaller backyard. (We are talking a patio, that is it). It is going for $350k we are selling our house for $220k. BIG DIFFERENCE. It was really frustrating. If we are looking for a house that is a decent size and yard we are probably going to have to go into the East Mt which are awesome and beautiful but far away. Not a big commute for Brandon because it is a straight shot on the freeway, but the houses are a lot more spread out and distance wise it is far. It will take us about 20min to get to church every Sunday. Hopefully we will find a rental option and learn more about the area when we get there. But right now I am frustrated and a little down about having to move.

I don't know if I have any finished pictures of the house on my blog so I want to document them for memories. OUR FIRST HOME!

Check out how green and thick our grass is now. NICE.

So empty:(

One of my favorite features, the red door.

We put so much work into the house and really made it our home. I feel like my biggest fears about moving to ABQ are coming true. I was worried we weren't going to find a house as good as our home now. I know we still need to keep looking, and new houses come onto the market every day, but I really think that this house is a shinning needle in a haystack. Whoever moves in is getting a great deal.

We are Fancy

2011-02-25T23:37:00.000-08:00

We are fancy around here after taking a bath. Elizabeth really likes wearing my necklaces and running around the house naki. She sure has a personality on her.

She has the best little lips. Naturally pink and great for kissing. This girl is not going to be needing any makeup when she gets older. A natural beauty.

Oh yeah, I made the hat. I think it looks really cute. Ever since Sarah came to visit I have been into hats.

BTW if you haven't checked out my craft blog yet please go over and see all the fun crafty stuff we have been doing.

http://acoupleofcraftaddicts.blogspot.com/

And don't forget to sign up as a follower! :)

1 Month 2 Win It

2011-02-22T12:21:00.001-08:00

I AM A CONTESTANT ON ONE MONTH TO WIN IT! AHHH. I am super excited. Not the best timing since I am moving to New Mexico in two weeks but I am ready and willing to give it a try. I got in on the paisley sweatshirt I made for Elizabeth. Hopefully I can come up with some crafty ideas and creations. Wish me luck and don't forget to vote on:

http://onemonthtowinit.blogspot.com/

BEST POST OF THE DAY

2011-02-15T10:23:00.001-08:00

This is the best post of the day. http://www.bluecricketdesign.net/2011/02/look-into-life-of-real-mormon-mommy.html

It was inspired by this article: http://www.salon.com/life/feature/2011/01/15/feminist_obsessed_with_mormon_blogs. I read it, very funny.

I would just like to say THANK YOU to Becca for showing the world what life is really like for mommy bloggers and just mommies in general. I think that in the church we sometimes compare ourselves to other moms. I know I do it. Their families come to church each week looking perfectly pressed, sitting so quietly in the chapel reading their books, and holding hands with big smiles. The truth is most of the time there was a disaster that hit the house in the morning, everyone was dragged to the car (with at least 1 of them crying), and life is not all together as perfect as we would like it to me. But here is the kicker. . . who cares! Life is messy. It may be a crazy life, but it's our life. My house is a disaster most days. I admit it. It drives me crazy. But between my work, playing with the kids, making dinner, washing dishes, washing clothing, and spending a little me time who has time to be a full time maid? Some days chicken nuggets will do for dinner. Some days I just don't have time to care that all my shoes have been thrown on the floor. I don't think the Lord is going to say to me, "why didn't you keep your house clean?" I think he is going to ask me how I treated my family and if I thought I was a good wife and mother. I would love to live in a home where all I had to do was play with my kids all day. . .but that is not life and I am okay with it.

Here is a look at might house today:

Elizabeth's room. Books, blankets, toys, Jackson's bed because he likes to sleep in her room every night.

My bed, unmade most days and on the floor because I still haven't gotten around to buying a bed frame. Ikea and hand me down furniture.

The kids posing in their mess. Jackson is still in his pjs around noon.

Elizabeth eating a marker, don't worry it is non toxic.

The family room/toy room. They take the train apart every day and ask me to set it back up every night.

Yup that is my life. Some days are better than others. Are you brave enough to show your life?

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T14:58:00.000-08:00

Elizabeth blowing bubbles and enjoying the party.

I love her.