Cousins

We had some of our "Tano" cousins come visit this past weekend. We always love having visitors, and we did our best to show them a good time and wear everyone out in the process. Some of the places we went, we've been to before, and some of them were new even to us.

We went to the Ballard "Locks". That was a new one for us. It was really cool. It is where the Puget Sound meets Lake Washington, and because the water is at different levels this structure was built to hold the boats and raise or lower them as they move between the two bodies of water. There was also a "Salmon Ladder" there, and the kids loved seeing the fish swimming and jumping, and all of the baby salmon swimming in their pools.

Everyone Watching the boats go by.

Buggy and his cousin "J" became good friends while they were here.

After that we took a trip downtown to the Aquarium, and also went on a harbor cruise.

Buggy petting the starfish.

The boys and some of the cousins in front of the fountain outside the aquarium.

Jellyfish Beefy.

A view of the city from the harbor cruise.

The next day we went to the beach for a while, and the kids had fun playing in the water, even though it was cold. I forgot the camera (of course) and then in the afternoon we went to Snoqualmie falls, another first for us. They were beautiful and well worth the trip.

View from the top.

View from the bottom (after a really steep hike down).

A (very rare) family photo before making the return hike.

Everyone was tired after that climb.

Uncle "B", Aunt "C", and the cousins.

We had a lot of fun guys, thanks for coming to visit!

July Cards

Yeah, talk about putting off a post until the last minute. I've been meaning to do these for a week now, and am just getting around to it. Here are the cards I made this month. I went on a "birthday theme", and I actually kind of got lazy and just did 3 (4 if you count color variants) different variations on the same card. Instructions for the card can be found here. It is a super fun card to make. Enjoy.

The colors on this first one are a little brighter than I would normally go. Honestly, I designed it around the ribbon. It was some that had been in my collection for too long, and it was time to use it up.
I love the little bugs on this one.
These next two are the same card, just different colors, because I couldn't make up my mind.
Oops, the cake is a little crooked, oh well.
On a side note, I have to add a thank you to those of you who look at my cards when I post them. I sometimes feel like it is just a silly thing that I do mostly for myself, but it is fun to share them with others as well and it makes me feel good when I can do that, even if they are a bit silly.

Tagged!

I've been tagged by Kellie. "Three" - and here they are:

Three Joys:
1. My Family and My Faith
2. Learning
3. Really Really Good Music

Three Fears:
1. Losing My Kids (in every sense of the word) or My Husband
2. Nightmares - Same as Kellie, I have had some crazy vivid ones lately where I wake up panicked and near tears.
3. The Dark - Yes, I am still afraid of the dark. I use night lights all over the place and we keep one of our hallway lights on all night.

Three Goals:
1. Be Grumpy With My Kids Less, and Happy With Them More
2. Get more organized
3. Take Time Everyday to Enjoy What I am Doing

Three Obsessions:
1. Stamping/Making Cards
2. Magazines - I know, kind of weird, but I love to read magazines.
3. Reading

Three surprising facts about me:
1. I Rock at Wii Bowling, but suck at Wii Tennis. In real life, I suck at bowling, and can hold my own at tennis (or at least I "used-to-could")
2. I Love to play drums. I used to do it a lot (and I was pretty good) but I had to give up playing/teaching for a while when Beefy was born. Hopefully someday I'll go back.
3. This one is kind of cool. I am the youngest of 6-three boys, three girls. My husband is also the youngest of 6 (3 and 3) and wherever there is a girl in my family there is a boy in his and vice-versa. There is a 22 year gap in my siblings and only an 11 year gap in his.

Three people I'm tagging:
1. Leanne
2. Julie
3. LaShaunna (welcome to blogging)


Thanks Kellie! That is always fun, and some of those really got me to think which is always good.

Six Years and a Day

I'm a day late with this. I had good intentions to get this posted yesterday, but the day, as usual, got away from me. Yesterday was our anniversary. Six years. Sometimes it seems like it just happened and we are still newlyweds and sometimes it seems like we have always been this way.
My husband and I met while going to school at Utah State. I was a freshman and he had just returned from a church mission in Germany. We were both in the marching band (I know, terribly romantic), he played trombone, and I was on the Drumline. One of his friends was dating one of mine, and we both got dragged along to the same party one night and ended up sitting next to each other while playing games. He tried to be smooth and was totally hitting on me, it was pretty funny actually, but for some reason he had charmed me. The rest is history. Our first date was the next day, and we've pretty much been together ever since.
We got engaged three months later, and we were married in the Salt Lake Temple on June 18th, 2002. (us, and like 85 other couples) We had our reception the next day, in my parents backyard. Today is actually the anniversary of our reception (so I guess I am not too late). After a very short honeymoon at a bed-and-breakfast, we moved back to Utah State to finish school.

The next six years have been defined with many more major life changes. While in school we moved twice, and both went to school year-round for 3 years. We had Buggy, and we both graduated when he was 10 months old. We went on our first family vacation to Disneyland too. We've moved another 3 times since then, one of them was a 1000 mile "big move". We've had another kid (Beefy) and we've lost a little girl too. My husband got his dream job and I got to adjust to being a stay at home mom. We've bought a house, two new cars and even a little bit of furniture. And we've got to have lots of adventures, and met lots of really great people along the way. (Hurray for that)
Neither of us are as thin or as young as we used to be, but that's okay. I guess the most I could ask for is an eternity's worth of more great years to come. I love you babe!

The Photo Bug Strikes Again

So, once again, Thanks to my photographer friend "AM" I have a whole slew of way too cute pictures of my kids (well, maybe I am a little biased). Anyway, as per the norm, there are about a billion of them, (let me know if you would like to see more) but I couldn't resist adding a few of my favorites to my blog. Yesterday we took the boys into "AM"'s studio to get birthday pictures. They had a lot of fun just playing, and there definitely were some shots that were better than others, but overall for session with very little posing, we got a lot of good. Thanks "AM".

Poll

I've added a poll to the side of my blog. I did this because I am genuinely interested in other people's opinions on this subject. I've actually had this happen to me a few times in recent weeks, and I am never sure if the way I responded was a good idea. Anyone who is confused can refer to "here" and "here". So, let me know what you think. Thanks.

Birthday Mayhem

Buggy (in theory) didn't get a birthday party this year. He got one last year (when Beefy didn't) and Beefy got one this year. Our plan was to just take the two boys to Build-a-Bear because Buggy has wanted one for almost two years now. Our neighbor "S" and his mom asked if they could come along too, and so we decided to make a small party of it and have pizza and cake after the bear fun. Of course the boys had a blast at build-a-bear and loved the pizza. "S" and his mom and dad got the cool award for the night though. For Buggy's birthday gift they got him the cutest little Radio Flyer Scooter. And (as anyone with two kids close in age knows) because you have to keep things even, they gave Beefy one too, as a belated birthday gift. Both, of course, matches to the one "S" has, so they all can be the same. My boys were thrilled. Scooters have been high on their priority lists for months now, and to get one and a trip to build-a-bear, and pizza, cake and Ice Cream all in one night was just too much! Thanks "S" and your mom and dad for the great birthday presents. They were a hit. Overall, even though it was a "small birthday" Buggy made out like a bandit and had a pretty good day.

Cake! (with a green bear on it, because that is what he asked for)

The birthday boy with his (and his brother's) spoils from the day.

"S", Beefy, and Buggy playing in the truck.

Beefy with his scooter and bear. Naturally his favorite part was the ball.

"S" with his baseball player build-a-bear.

An Ode to the Cost of Gas, and Why I Love My Car

So, have you ever wondered if it is possible to fit 3 adults 3 children and 2 1/2 months worth of groceries into a Honda Pilot. Well, I am here to tell you it is.

"K", "J" and Buggy in the Middle Seat

Beefy in the back with all the "stuff" - "AM" was behind the camera and I was in the driver's seat

This was not in fact tested solely for the purposes of social experimentation. It just so happens that the grocery store of choice for budget conscious families is about 25 miles away. Incidentally it is also the same store that my first "Locking the Keys in the Car" incident took place. But, I digress. So, because of the cost of gas and the not at all close proximity of the store, when I mentioned that I was going on my monthly grocery trip a couple of my friends asked if they could tag along. Of course we all got more than we expected, and we were squished in there pretty tight, but it (and we) all fit.

And that my friends, is what I call good engineering.

Random Thoughts

So today I found empty Hershey's Kisses wrappers in my peanut butter jar. I haven't a clue how they got there, but I can sure wager a guess. Sometimes, I think is is probably a blessing that I don't know everything that goes on with my kids.

Happy Birthday Buggy

Buggy is four today. It makes me feel old. It doesn't seem like it was that long ago, and yet, there are days when I don't remember life before him. A lot has happened in that time. He has moved four times in his life. I've been through two pregnancies since him. My husband and I have graduated from college, made a halfway-across the country move, bought a house, and we are on our third "family car" since he was born. No wonder it seems like he has always been here. In honor of his day, I would like to tell the Buggy story.

Buggy was our miracle baby. He was due on August 20th. It had been a long hot summer, we lived in a 4th floor apartment and I was working a desk job at the time. All of these factors contributed to me retaining ALOT of water during my pregnancy (as anyone who knew me then can attest to). It was what is medically referred to as "pitting edema". My husband had a lot of fun writing words in my legs with his fingers and watching me grow out of a pair of flip-flops. Because of the other factors though, my doctor wasn't too concerned about the water retention (40 lbs total) until my blood pressure started to shoot up in my 33rd week. Severe preeclampsia. I was hospitalized then and there - I didn't even get to go home from my appointment, just straight over to L&D for monitoring. That was at 33wks 5days.

After 2 days of monitoring, instead of sending me home on bed rest, my doctor decided I just needed to not be pregnant anymore. Labor was induced and after 24 hours of nothing and blood pressures running in the 180/110 range I was whisked off for an emergency C-section. Buggy was born on July 10, 2004 at 34wks 1day. He weighed in at 5lbs 9oz (really good for a preemie) and was 17 inches long. He came out screaming and even peed on the pediatrician a couple of times while they were cleaning him off. He was breathing on his own and all looked to be going well.

(shortly after arriving at the NICU)

My husband followed him off to the NICU while I was recovering. Once there things took a bit of a down turn. They tried to feed him, just to see if he could do it - definitely couldn't. The feeding created lots of stress which in turn caused his O2 levels to drop, putting him on the oxygen tank that would become a regular fixture for him over the next month and a half. They also started an IV (a very sad sight on such a little baby) a heart monitor (precautionary), feeding tube, and he was put under lights for jaundice. The IV only lasted the first day, and he was away from the lights by day 4.

I was under strict 24hour bed rest after the delivery and therefore didn't get to see him until he was almost 10 hours old (I had a nice nurse who helped me sneak out to see him for a few minutes). What a hard thing to go through, me being stuck in my room, and him so far away from me. And it wasn't as though I could just get up and go see him. I had to be wheeled everywhere for the first couple of days after his birth.

(Learning to eat)

I was able to go home 4 days later (a very bittersweet moment), after a week in the hospital. But Buggy had to stay. We had lots of adventures in the NICU (stories for another day perhaps) and got to be pros at being "preemie parents" after his 2 1/2 week stay there. 17 days after his birth Buggy finally got to come home. We brought an oxygen tank home with us, but left the feeding tube and heart monitor behind. (hurray!) We were able to ditch the oxygen about a month after he got home, and from then on he took off.

(Going home day!)

We were told to expect some delays in his development due to his birth circumstances, but we haven't noticed any (unless you can call stubbornness a developmental delay). He is a smart kid who is doing fabulous. He lights up the room, and is full of energy and smiles. He gives the best hugs and is a very loving child, and I know my world is better because of him. I love you Buggy. Happy Birthday.
*On a side note-when we got a new computer last year, we somehow lost all of our wedding pictures and the photos of Buggy as a newborn (why only those ones I never will know). Therefore, these are scanned photos and a lower quality. Too bad, but at least I have them saved now.

My Dilemma

Right now, Beefy has a bad case of the "2 year-olds", and I find myself facing parenting challenges I've never had to deal with before. I know some of you will laugh, and others will hate me for admitting that I've never had to deal with some of this stuff, but I find myself at wit's end, and am desperate for some advice on how to proceed. So here is a taste of what we are facing:

• Separation Anxiety - I can't leave a room without him throwing a fit. Now this isn't a 24/7 thing but it is often enough that I am starting to get really annoyed which in turn makes me cranky, which causes me to be short-tempered and grumpy with my kids which I don't want to be. I am afraid to get a babysitter because I don't want to inflict my screaming tantrum-throwing child upon her. It isn't just that he has to be in the same room, but he has to be on me, either sitting on me or being held. I know this shouldn't bother me, but it is really starting to interfere with my everyday life. He has also in the last 4 weeks refused to go to nursery at church, which is something I've never had to deal with before, and that is also making me very anxious.
  
• Sleeping - He has decided that no matter when he goes to sleep (be it 7:30 or 10:30) he needs to wake up at 4:30 am. In the past when he has gone through these stages I have been able to just rock him quickly back to sleep. These days though it takes more like 45 minutes to 1 hour of rocking and even then, sometimes it doesn't work. Because he shares a room with Buggy, I have a hard time putting him back in his crib and just letting him scream it out like I would do if he were alone. Because of our latitude, it is getting light at 4:30 am which just adds to the problem. Then there is also the issue of changing beds. We have a toddler bed for him, and I know he is getting to the age where we should move him, but I have a hard time getting motivation to set the bed up when I can't get a decent nights sleep as it is.
  

Once again, to some these may seem like silly dilemmas but I would really love some advice from anyone who may have been here before. I don't often ask directly for parenting advice so consider this a monumental occasion for me, and leave me a comment. Please. Thanks.

Fun At The Beach

Grandma and Grandpa "Tano" came to visit for the 4th of July weekend. On the fourth we went to a church breakfast and then in the afternoon, Grandma suggested we go to the beach. The boys had a lot of fun, Beefy loved the water, and Buggy was very content to stay away from the water and play in the sand.






Overall a great time was had by all. Thanks for coming to visit Grandma and Grandpa. We love you!

My Lily - A Story of Adversity

Exhibit A:



I know there are a hundred adversity analogies out there, and this is just one more. But it was very poignant to me. Last spring before all of our baby drama, we bought a whole bunch of bulbs to plant in our flowerbeds. Lilies are my very favorite, and so I insisted on these "Red Carpet Border Lilies" for the side of the house. I was very excited when they started to sprout and I love watching them get bigger. Early on in the sprouting process one of the lilies got broken. The boys think that our front porch is great for running along and then jumping off the end of. During one of these such occasions, one of my lily sprouts got jumped on and smashed flat to the ground. I was sad, but such is life, and the other flowers were flourishing. Last weekend they started to bloom. Lo-and-behold, so did my smashed one. I was certain that there was no way we would get a flower off of that plant. All of the other flowers look like the one above. But my little flat, damaged lily continued to grow, and it still bloomed.



It is hard to tell from the photo, but the stem of the flower is laying flat on the ground and the blooms are twisted up coming out of the end. Now to my analogy. I've been really worried lately, our neighborhood has a fairly high number of foreclosures due to the economy, and our property taxes went up (alot) this year. Being that we put a lot of money into our house, circumstances like these put my brain into overdrive causing me to worry about other things too, such as: finances, the future, my kids (the ones I have and the ones I don't), my husband's job, and just life in general. This worrying, which I know is no good, has given me the fear that it is all just going to crash around me, and I won't know how to pick up the pieces. I know that this might be a stretch for some of you. For me though, seeing that flower able to bloom even after it had been jumped on, gave me a real feeling of peace amidst all of my worrying. We all know that we are living in uncertain times, and that the world is going to get a lot worse before it gets better, but it is so good to be reminded that no matter what happens to us we can pick up the pieces and still "bloom". I am thankful that I have the knowledge of a Savior who knows my pains and my fears and will be there if I do in fact get "jumped on" to help pick me up, and continue on. So maybe my mind was working in overdrive when it came up with this analogy, but for me anyway, it works. Maybe it can work for someone else too.

Some Vacation Pics

I've decided to post these even though they are kind of random. I took them to put on my blog, and there is no reason for them to go to waste. So here they are, my vacation photos. Keep in mind that my camera was frizzing out, thus the lack of substance, and randomness.

First, the boys with cousin Ria, doing some stretches at one of our gas stops. I couldn't resist this one, it was just too cute. I told her to get the boys out and let them stretch, and she proceeded to lead them through all of these crazy stretches and dance moves, and they just followed her.




These next ones were taken at my sister's house. My sister, sister-in-law, and I had planned to take all the kids (11 of them) swimming at the local community center. When we got there we found out that they had enacted a rule that no kids under age 4, even the potty trained ones, could go in the pool without plastic pants over swim diapers (that counted for 7 of our group). Well, none of us had plastic pants, and the pool was all out of ones for sale. My sister frantically ran around to a few stores looking for them, while the rest of us played in one of the gymnasiums at the rec center. No luck. By this point the kids were desperate, so we went back to my sister's house and filled up her little pool in the front yard. They played there for probably two hours, and had more fun than they probably would have had if we went to the big pool anyway. Go figure.




So there you have it. As far as my camera is concerned, that was the extent of our trip. Fabulous eh? Actually, we did lots more things but most of them involved just visiting with family, and those make for kind of boring pictures anyway, right? I'll just keep telling myself that at any rate.