My Sweet Big Boy

Well that was kinda scary. I went to write this quick post and several of my keys wouldn't work. (Tayv fell on my computer this morning.) But I restarted and all is well. So on to the post...

I haven't written much about Tayv in quite awhile because frankly, he's the cutest kid in the world and I don't want to make everyone else feel bad. Just kidding. Really, it's just so hard to describe the cuteness of some of the things he does or says. Nate doesn't even get it half the time. But he has said several things lately that might be cute even without seeing or hearing it.

-Last night, after dinner at Formosa while I was putting him in his car seat. He reaches out, pulls me in for this big hug and says very giddily (is that a word?): "I'm so so happy!"

-This morning I asked him if he was having a good morning so far. When he said he was I asked what was making his morning so good. He thought for a second then said "Um, my mommy." I don't think I did anything special, just got blessed with a seriously sweet boy.

I've been thinking a lot lately about so many parents who have children die, get kidnapped, get diagnosed with cancer, etc and even more so, about how much I love being a mom and how blessed I have been to not have to deal with losing a child. I hope to always be able to keep that in the for-front of my mind and live for it.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to clean off my desk so I can get some Christmas cards out to y'all and have a place to put my computer so as to avoid any more scares.

A quick, non-creative update (I am supposed to be working after all!)

I feel like I fell off the face of the earth! Really, though, we're alive and pretty busy! We haven't hooked up our Internet yet so I go to the clubhouse to get my work done online but that's pretty much it for net time! We mostly have our boxes unpacked-I'm just working on the office still. And I haven't done much for decorating yet because, well, let's just say my tastes can be expensive! Nate is loving his job and is learning a ton. Tayvin did not want to be potty-trained this morning so we'll try again next week. And I am just trying to keep everything running here while doing Mary Kay a little on the side.
We went to Alaska for my birthday and got to see so many people that we miss so much! Then Nate's brother came up from Arizona for a few days. I put him to work hanging pictures. (He didn't get as frustrated as Nate when I changed my mind, plus he didn't have opinions that I didn't like.) So thanks for the help Mo, and thanks for coming up-it was good to see you! It's starting to get cold here but we can still go outside with just jackets and I love it! No baby on the way yet, but keep watching-one day....
Gotta Run! We love and miss everyone and hope you are all doing great!

Just a little update

-We are in our new place and love having our own space! (Ok, we’re half way in.)
-Nate has been at his job for a little over a week now and he loves it! Soon he will be trained enough to be running things by himself and he can really see the potential in the job. We were so blessed to find this job
-Tayvin is coming up with all kinds of new things to say…Lately….
-“Are you sharing mom?”
-“ Yah, I actually did.”
-“Are you cuddlin’ with me?”
-“We’re goin’ to our Salt Lake house?”
Of course, this doesn’t even do it justice- it’s just too stinkin’ cute to describe.
-Nate’s parents came to visit for a few days and it was so good to see them-especially for Tayvin.
-We’re planning a trip to Alaska in November sometime-probably the second week, so put it on your schedules!
-My Mary Kay is going well, I just need to get my but in gear but I have so many fun ideas for Christmas. (So if you’re in need of a gift for a man or woman, let me know!)

That’s about it for now, we don’t have our internet hooked up yet but we’ll keep you posted! I promise to post pictures when there are no more boxes in the living room! We hope everyone is doing well!

Wow!

I received this in an email and wanted to share it!
It was written by an 8-year-old named Danny Dutton, who lives in Chula Vista, CA. He wrote it for his third grade homework assignment, to 'explain God.' I wonder if any of us could have done as well.

EXPLANATION OF GOD:'One of God's main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace the ones that die, so there will be enough people to take care of things on earth. He doesn't make grownups, just babies. I think because they are smaller and easier to make. That way he doesn't have to take up his valuable time teaching them to talk and walk. He can just leave that to mothers and fathers.'God's second most important job is listening to prayers. An awful lot of this goes on, since some people, like preachers and things, pray at times be side bedtime. God doesn't have time to listen to the radio or TV because of this. Because he hears everything, there must be a terrible lot of noise in his ears, unless he has thought of a way to turn it off.''God sees everything and hears everything and is everywhere which keeps Him pretty busy. So you shouldn't go wasting his time by going over your mom and dad's head asking for something they said you couldn't have.''Atheists are people who don't believe in God. I don't think there are any in Chula Vista. At least there aren't any who come to our church.''Jesus is God's Son. He used to do all the hard work, like walking on water and performing miracles and trying to teach the people who didn't want to learn about God. They finally got tired of him preaching to them and they crucified him but he was good and kind, like his father, and he told his father that they didn't know what they were doing and to forgive them and God said O.K.'! 'Hi s dad (God) appreciated everything that he had done and all his hard work on earth so he told him he didn't have to go out on the road anymore. He could stay in heaven. So he did. And now he helps his dad out by listening to prayers and seeing things which are important for God to take care of and which ones he can take care of himself without having to bother God. Like a secretary, only more important.''You can pray anytime you want and they are sure to help you because they got it worked out so one of them is on duty all the time.''You should always go to church on Sunday because it makes God happy, and if there's anybody you want to make happy, it's God!Don't skip church to do something you think will be more fun like going to the beach. This is wrong. And besides the sun doesn't come out at the beach until noon any way.''If you don't believe in God, besides being an atheist, you will be very lonely, because your parents can't go everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can. It is good to know He's around you when you're scared, in the dark or when you can't swim and you get thrown into real deep water by big kids.''But...you shouldn't just always think of what God can do for you. I figure God put me here and he can take me back anytime he pleases.And...that's why I believe in God.'

P.S. We moved into our apartment tonight. We won't be staying there until next week though-we can't pick up our mattresses until Monday and I just didn't feel like roughing it. Good thing too, cause we are absolutely beat! It was crazy carrying EVERYTHING up 3 flights of stairs... Thanks Mom & Dad for your help!

Oh yah...

I'm so stinkin' tired! All I wanted to do was come home, lay down by Nate, and go to sleep. I came home. I layed down(I have a rule-I don't have to use proper grammar when I'm this tired.) And I couldn't sleep. I just have all these lists, ideas, and plans going through my head. Anyway, I realized I really didn't say much about Nate's job. He has been offered a manager trainee position with Ryder Transportation and will start Monday. We are trying our hardest to move in tomorrow but we keep having to wait on people so we'll at least get the moving truck packed then I might be moving us in on Monday while Nate is at work. We went to IKEA for the first time ever today. Let's just say I will probably not ever set foot in Walmart again! We love it and found most of the furniture we need there. Can I just say, I love living in the lower 48! Forgot how bad I missed the convenience. Now we just have to figure out how to see everyone in Alaska more conveniently.
I went to another training meeting tonight and loved it! I am so stoked for Christmas and all the things I can do for my customers! So I might just be calling you all... :) I have so many ideas for Christmas gifts so give me a call if you need new ideas! We'll keep you updated on everything and hopefully we'll be seeing those of you in Alaska very soon!

Very possibly the most boring post I've ever written.

I'm kinda getting sick of looking at the word suck at the top of our blog. I don't particularly like the word, especially now that there are little ears and eyes around, but I had to bite the bullet for the umbrella stroller's sake. Anyway, so here's a new post so that we don't have to look at it anymore.

We found an apartment! It's kind of a long story but I'll give you the quick version. We viewed 3 apartments in person. Every time I found one online that we could afford and had enough space for us turned out to be restricted income. Now seriously, if you're barely bringing home over $2000 a month, how can you afford $1000 in rent? We don't get it but regardless, we didn't qualify. Granted our income is nada right now, but that will be changing soon, hopefully. So we looked at one apartment that we mostly loved out near Bluffdale-great rooms, great grounds, great neighborhood, crappy kitchen (which we all know is the most important room to me,) and tinier than a pea living room. So we kinda put it on the back burner for another day-decided we should probably look at more than one apartment before we signed a lease. So the next day we go to "Apartments on the Green." It looked beautiful online. Sadly, that was not the case. The model apartment smelled like smoke and let's just say I wouldn't feel safe there.
So we met my dad for lunch and while driving away we spotted an apartment. We checked it out, loved it, put down a deposit and are now just waiting for Nate's offer letter from the company he should be starting for next week. We're so excited to be moving on with our lives and to have a place of our own! And we can't wait to have everyone come see it. Hopefully we'll be moving in on Tuesday. I'll post pictures as I get the apartment set up.
Oh, and sorry, that was so not a quick version!

A million reasons umbrella strollers suck, I hate them, and vow to never touch one again!

I must warn you, this gets ugly (as you could probably tell by the title) and super long. I try not to do negative posts. I even try not to think too negatively, or even worse, dwell on it- but I must get this off my chest. Perhaps if half the world (or more accurately, half a dozen) people know of my absolute disgust for umbrella strollers, I will feel a little better. (I'm actually not sure disgust is a strong enough word for how I feel, but I just can't think of a word strong enough for this hatred!)
A few weeks back Nate made a comment about not wanting Tayvin to get used to us lying down with him to go to sleep. Not that we usually do, in fact he is very not used to it. But it was kinda funny because the week before, Nate had just volunteered to lye down with him right after saying prayers. So when he made the comment, I naturally called him a hypocrite. Well, tonight I'm sitting on my bed with my laptop waiting for him to come to bed. Guess where he is? Yup, lying down with Tayvin oh, for like, the last hour or so. Volunteered too. But hey, I'm an understanding wife (every now and then,) I get that he wants some quality time with his boy...so here I sit, so ready to write this post that has been brewing in my head for exactly 33 hours and 45 minutes.
Here's the background:
Yesterday we went to the zoo with my mom, sister and her family, and her husbands' cousin. I was supposed to be going to a meeting afterwards so I was a little scatter-brained (as I seem to be a lot lately) while I was getting ready. This resulted in my sweet husband (who skipped his run to get ready so that I could go running instead,) having to move the car seat and get the stroller in the car. I actually didn't mention either of them, he just did it. I tell you this because it WAS greatly appreciated. In fact, I forgot all about needing a stroller until we had been gone 45 minutes. So when I asked if he got the stroller he said yes. Now, just know, I have bought 5 strollers and still own 4 because I gave one to Jeanne to have at her place. But Nate totally knows I prefer one of them over all the others-the original, most expensive one. The others are just kind of random- a double stroller, a jogging stroller, and an umbrella stroller. Now you can see where this is going, right?
Yah, Nate put the umbrella stroller in the car. He said he knew I didn't "prefer it," but didn't know of my utter disgust for it. So basically I was just PMSing anyway and that was it! I was livid! Not necessarily at Nate, just the fact that I hate the umbrella stroller and absolutely do NOT like using it. It's only there for emergencies! So as I walked through the zoo, trying not to be ornery to everyone that made me push the stupid stroller around them, I was blogging in my head-even told Nate so. (He thought I should be grateful for his support of my blogging by giving me something new to post.) So here are my million (well maybe more like ten) reasons why umbrella strollers suck, I hate them, and vow to never touch one again (at least until our next trip where I pack the trunk so full of other junk, that I can't fit my "preferred" stroller in it!)

1. No cup holders. I didn't actually have a drink, because my water bottle was in my huge purse (which we'll discuss later) but my mom always has a coke with her. And since she didn't really have a reason to bring a stroller, we really could have used a cup holder for her coke!
2. The handles are too low. I'm not exactly a tall person-5'6" is pretty average for a woman. I know there are plenty of women and maybe even a few men that are that short, but those handles are so low even I have to bend down to push them. But not enough to lean on them, just enough to make my lower back hurt (which happens plenty without the dumb stroller.)
3. Lack of storage! After we were out of the car and headed into the zoo, I realized I had forgotten my sunglasses in the car because it was cloudy and I hadn't been wearing them. I told Nate I was going to go get them so I'd just meet them in there. Know what he said? You might want to shed your jacket when you go. Are you kidding me? If I had MY stroller, I wouldn't have to worry about it because not only could I hang it on the top of the stroller, but if I wanted to I could put it in the basket on the bottom of the stroller!
4. Bringing me to my next point, what the heck am I supposed to do with my big 'ol purse? Now, I like to think I have graduated from the diaper bag stage-at least temporarily. So I have a big purse. Granted, most of the time I have a few snacks, toys, and diapers in there. But it's a bangin' purse and it's leather and it's heavy! I most definitely don't want to be carrying it around the zoo all day anymore than I want to be carrying my jacket. But forget hanging it on the back of the stroller! The handles of the purse were just a little too short to fit over both handles of the stroller without pulling at the seams (which we all know would usually constitute a small lecture from Nate) but a little too long to hang off of one handle without dragging and scuffing the bottom of my new cute purse. What's a girl to do? Oh, and if one of the kids wasn't in the stroller, it could not be left unattended or the stroller would tip backwards because of the weight of the snacks, toys, diapers, and massive amounts of money in there! :)
5. Seat belt (or whatever they want to call it.) I suppose, it would hold a child in the stroller, were it to tip (which Autumn and I know a little about) but not very comfortably. I guess we've been a little spoiled with our other stroller, but ya know, it's got padding around the straps and all and it's so much easier to fit to the child, and to do up and undo. Enough said.
6. What about nap time? When we have outings like this, it's just a little hard to schedule nap time. So often, I call upon my trusty stroller to make this more convenient for me. My "preferred" stroller has three different levels at which it reclines. The (because I don't even want to claim it as mine) umbrella stroller doesn't even have one level at which it reclines, because let's face it, it sits a child straight up. Resulting in the bobbing of the head neck kinks. Why would I force something like that on my child?
7. Tiny wheels that barely make it over piles of dust, let alone the curbs or rocks. When I was in the airport on one of my last few trips, grabbing the stroller after the flight, the pilots were teasing me about having the 4X4 edition and kindly reminding me of the checkups that need to be done on the chassis or something like that. It was actually pretty funny but they weren't joking. That stroller will pretty much go through anything a jogging stroller will. So once again, MY stroller has spoiled me and umbrella strollers suck.
8. Brakes. On most nice strollers, you lock one brake and both of them are locked. Not on umbrella strollers. Gotta take the time to lock/unlock both. Otherwise, your kid will look like a dog chasing his tail.
9. "Look Ma', two hands!" It just doesn't have the same ring to it. I often drive my stroller with one hand, and sometimes if I'm really feeling gutsy, I'll stick out my stomach as far as it goes and drive with no hands. (I'm pretty sure that will be tons easier once I'm pregnant.) So having to devote the only two hands I've got, when I really need several more, to driving a stroller-just not convenient!
10. 2-handed folding and opening. And my last reason, is probably the one that bugs me the least right now but I know if I were in the airport, that would differ. Ya know, most strollers now days are 1-handed folding and quite frankly, I'm just too lazy and too busy to bother using two hands to fold and unfold a stroller that I don't even want to be using in the first place!

Glad you were born!

Yesterday was Nate's birthday but I was crazy busy spending time with him and getting his birthday dinner ready. So here's my top ten list of why I'm glad he was born:

1. Support- Nate is really quite supportive of anything I decide I want to do. He might give me crap and occasionally make me feel guilty about it, but he's there to help whenever he possibly can.
2. Ambition- One of the main reasons I fell in love with him is his drive and ambition. The guy's got dreams and I have no doubt that he'll achieve them.
3. His Eyes- They're beautiful. Enough said.
4. Confidence- Although it may get him in trouble sometimes. And sometimes I'm so sick of it I just want to scream, I love that he is confident in who he is and what he can do.
5. Family- I love how he values family and I love knowing that WE get to be his family-forever.
6. His Family-(I won't actually put their name in, for safety.) Although I joke about it and give them a hard time, I love Nate's family and am so grateful to be a part of their lives.
7. Color- Nate is very different from my family. And I know it's been hard for him to fit in, but I love the dynamic he brings to us.
8. A higher level- Let's face it, Nate is good at almost everything he does, especially sports, and sometimes I just hate it! But he is always giving me something to reach for. Because one day, I swear, I will be better at him than something other than dancing and singing.
9. Stubbornness- I hate that Nate is stubborn-it makes life hard sometimes, but it is nice to know there is somebody in the world that is even more stubborn than me.
10. Tayvin- I'm sure other people have many of these traits, but NOBODY could have given me the exact Tayv I have. He has so much of Nate in him, it's scary sometimes, but I love, love, love, that he has the same ambition and love of knowledge that Nate has.

Happy Birthday Babe, We're so glad you were born!

A JOB!!!

Just a quick update on our situation- Nate was offered the job on the spot on Tuesday and after some thought and prayer we accepted it. After we accepted, he received 4 more calls for interviews and 1 more job offer. He is seriously looking into a few of them-one of them being for Smith and Barney (a financial group.) In the meantime though, he will start at the one job and give it a chance. We're just a little leery of it though because he's required to work every Sunday after church. Anyway, we don't know where we'll be living yet but we're excited to get on with things! Keep us posted on your lives!

Another dissapointing update

I've noticed an unusual amount of traffic on my blog so I can only assume somebody really wants to know what happened with the Logan job. He didn't get it. I've taken a long time to blog about it because quite frankly, we were stunned. Call it pride, arrogance, whatever you will, but Nate's good at business and he's good at management. Therefore, I fully expected him to get the job. We did find out yesterday, however, why he didn't get it. One of the questions they asked him was what his long term goals are. He told them that eventually he wants to own and run his own small business. Apparently, they didn't hear the whole after retirement part of the goal and decided he was only interested in the job to pass the time. Now that we've had time to adjust and look at other jobs, we're really quite glad he didn't get it, because we probably wouldn't have turned it down. He would have had to work from 11 pm to 7 am and quite possibly 7 days a week for who knows how long. He wasn't thrilled about the idea and let's just say I was... less than thrilled also. So really, we were blessed in not receiving the job offer.
Nate is in Salt Lake right now, interviewing for a management training type job that pays less but has great benefits and is exactly what he's looking for. He has also applied to many others so now we'll just wait.
My Mary Kay business is going well and I'm actually really having fun with it. By no means am I rolling in the big bucks but hopefully soon, it will pay off.
Tayvin is doing great and is growing so fast. The kid's always been talkative, but lately I can't even keep up with him. (And he's giving his dad a run for his money when it comes to the talking award.)
That's about it for now, but we miss you all and hope to hear from you!

P.S. I'm seeing some strange traffic so if y'all can leave me a comment, let me know who is checking our blog-even if we don't know you!
Thanks!

My Musings

I've gotten caught up in two different blog worlds. The "Here are pictures of the cutest boy in the universe and here's what we're up to" world. And the "anybody wanna know what I think?" world. So I've had two blogs for awhile now but have had a hard time deciding what to put where. Anyway, I've decided to start separating my posts a little more. So for those of you who don't care for my musings, you're in luck because I probably won't be posting them here anymore. For those of you that are still trying to figure out how my brain works and want to listen to my not-so-marvelous musings, visit me here.

i am

This was by far the coolest tag I've seen... enjoy!
i am: going to get up EARLY tomorrow and work out.
i think: that we could accomplish world peace if women would pull together.
i know: I am a daughter of God.
i want: my children to become good, faithful, confident people. And I want a baby.
i dislike: picking up after my husband.
i miss: everything on TV! I always feel left out but don’t really want to waste my time.
i fear: losing a loved one-especially Nate or a child. It literally makes me sick to think about it.
i feel: “like a woman…doo doo do do do doo do”
i hear: silence-this is why I blog late at night or early in the morning!
i smell: like my new Mary Kay perfume-It’s divine!
i crave: sweets constantly.i cry: during every sad movie and often when Tayvin cries.
i usually: don’t want much to do with politics but lately…
i search: for my phone in my huge purse way too often!
i wonder: about things that I can’t possibly understand.
i regret: not learning from all of my mistakes.
i love: that I have a special mommy/son relationship with my little momma’s boy!
i care: way too much about what others think of me.
i always: want to throw parties (themed especially!)
i worry: that I will always have a mommy body.
i am not: skinny, tall, tan, or blonde.
i remember: “yesterday. Lookin’ back it doesn’t seem so far away…” any Colors fans?
i believe: respect can solve and eliminate any problem.
i dance: basically anytime I hear music.
i sing: CONSTANTLY!
i don’t always: pray and read my scriptures like I know I should.
i argue: about pretty much anything.
i write: in my journal every 2-3 years. Pathetic huh?
i win: very few games against Nate. Love the guy, but seriously, must he be good at everything? i lose: my patience and my mind way too quickly.
i wish: on stars.
i listen: to my boys play and don’t think life could get any better.
i don't understand: what is so hard about shutting the closet doors.
i can usually be found: jumping from one thing to another, not always finishing what I start.
i am scared: to death of spiders, snakes, rodents, you name it-I hate it.
i need: to hold FHE with my family.
i forget: how blessed I am way too often.
i am happy: with my life.
i tag: anybody that wants to play. I do hope somebody will do it though-this one is fun to see others' random answers!

Job update

For those of you who haven't heard, we're still in the interviewing process. Our first pick is paying for a trip up to Logan for Nate to come spend a day interviewing. We'll go up Wednesday to look for houses/apartments then stay the night and he'll interview the next day while I spend time with my sister and her kids. We're really excited about this company. The benefits are great, it's a huge company that promotes from within, the salary is significantly higher than the others, they give a lot of bonuses, and they have tuition reimbursement for MBAs which would be fantastic! Hopefully, it works out and we'll know soon. We can't wait to get on with things!
We'll keep you posted!

Out of the mouth's of babes...

Tayvin's been so sick for the last week so instead of eating he's been drinking lots of juice and water. He also hasn't been talking much (which we all know is so out of character) but a couple days ago he was asking for his water or juice and this is how it went:
Tayv: "I like water."
Me: "I'm glad, mommy likes water too and it's good for you."
Tayv: "Grandpa likes juice. Grandma likes Coke-she doesn't like water."
Me: "Nope, Grandma doesn't like water does she?"
Tayv. "Daddy likes dinner."

Nate was not amused. We all thought it was hilarious. In all fairness, though, I think he really just couldn't decide what daddy likes because he drinks juice, water, and Coke.

Then this morning after I got Tayvin dressed from his bath we were all sitting on his bed talking and playing when Tayvin says, "Daddy, I love you" then comes to give him kisses and hugs. I had been trying to get him to come give me kisses and hugs for a few minutes. When Nate asked him who loves mommy he goes, " um, um, um, um..."
Not fair!

Happy Birthday Baby Boy!

I know, I know, his birthday was 4 days ago but I was so busy I didn't have time to do a post that day. I should have gotten up early to do one since that's the only time I can blog lately, but I was up till 4 the night before so I didn't get up until 7. Anyway, in honor of Tayvin's birthday, here is a list of things I love about him:

• I love that no matter how upset I am, his smile can melt my heart in an instant.
• I love those beautiful blue eyes with long lashes that just sparkle all the time.
• I love that he says "sorry Mom" when he has to slip by me.
• I love that he knows his manners and only has to be reminded half the time of using them.
• I love that he loves to learn. He's always trying to use our words and asks about so many things. I hope he continues to have that love for learning his entire life.
• I love that when I'm sad or crying he takes it upon himself to make me feel better.
• I love his morning hugs when he's not too busy to cuddle with his mommy.
• I love how he says his name.
• I love that he loves music as much as his mommy and is always willing to dance or sing with me.
• I love his confidence in himself. Sure, sometimes it gets him into trouble and he's going to have to manage it, but the kid will go far in life because of it.
• I love how much he loves his family. From Grandma M to baby Haylie, he loves all his family and loves to pray for them.
• Basically, I'm just the proudest mom there is and could go on and on forever. So, Tayvin, Happy Birthday baby boy, I love you.

Under Construction...

Being that I'm living in Utah in the summer and can't go anywhere without seeing "Men at Work" signs and more orange cones than any one person should have to view in a life time, I think it's quite fitting that our blog is under construction. I've been up since 7 working on it, trying to update our background in honor of Tayvin's birthday, but to no avail. I'm doing it the same way I've always done (and we all know I change my background almost as much as one changes their underwear,) but there's a glitch somewhere. So please excuse the new, not-so-completed look of our blog. When I get another chance, I'll try to iron out the kinks. Too bad I can't write codes like Chad...

A day late and a dollar short...

Is that how the saying goes? I haven't got the day right yet this week. Everyday I would tell Nate it was a day later than it actually was. (Not that I wake up and say, "Good Morning Honey, today's Tuesday." But ya know, I'd just be planning or something and say it was the wrong day.)When I tried to get my brain straight today, I overcorrected and thought it was Tuesday. Nate "lovingly" corrected me AGAIN and informed me it's Wednesday... Whatever! Anyway, so since today is Whatever Wednesday, I'm supposed to post but I really don't have the energy to do a list or really anything so here's what's going on...
-I've been working on birthday party plans, I'll give you info after the party when I have pictures but the theme Tayvin picked was dinosaurs so we've got all kinds of dino things planned. (Actually, I gave Tayv the options of cars, animals, or bugs and he chose animals but then I couldn't find the right kind of animals for invitations so we changed it to dinosaurs.) Which brings me to my next grrr... I swear dinosaurs must be extinct or something... I have looked at so many stores for dinosaur anything and I have had no luck! No wrapping paper, gift bags, stickers, nothin'!
-Nate has had a few interviews and a few more coming up. Our first pick is one in Logan but we're not sure about all the details yet so we'll let you know what we find out!
-I'm starting to sell Mary Kay. I'm still not completely sure how I feel about it-I want to do it to help people and earn a little extra money but I'm not willing to spend a ton of time away from my family so we'll see how it goes. I'll probably be sending out invitations to my debut party in the next few weeks so if I know you and you have skin, you'll probably receive one! In the meantime, here's my plug... If you have any questions or want to learn more about it, leave a comment or call me... :)

We hope everyone is doing well...we miss you all!

Reasons I LOVE summer

I am absolutely soaking up the summer here, and can't even begin to count the reasons I love summer but here are my top ten:

• Peas. (Or pretty much anything homegrown.) I'm pretty sure if you've tried them, I need not say more. But for those of you who have not been so blessed, I"ll attempt to explain. Up until I was probably in junior high, I don't think I'd eaten frozen peas. There was just no reason to even try. My mom loves gardening and always grew peas. In fact, I think she used picking peas as a reward for behaving or doing our jobs. I've been out most days picking peas and I usually have them gone in an hour or so-I try to savor them. Is there anything better than homegrown peas in the pod? I submit that there is not.

• Biking. We've been working on that triathlon and thus have been biking a lot. Although it's not the same as biking the coastal trail and not near as pretty, I love getting out there and getting quick-moving exercise.


• Green Grass. I love soft green grass and let's face it, in Alaska, most of the grass is green but not so soft. I'm pretty sure the most important thing to my mom in the summer is her yard, more specifically, her grass so it's pretty soft here. Although, being in a drought, we are struggling to keep it green but we're doing our best.


• Summer Rain. You can smell it coming and there's nothing like it.


• Lightning Storms. I made Nate come outside with me at midnight a few weeks ago to watch several lightning storms going on at the same time. My favorite is sitting under the big trees, protected from the wind and rain and watching the lightning off in the hills. (We did have a small fire from lightning just down the road the other day though, it shook the house when it hit and shocked my dad who was outside-Scary.)


• The Smell of Grass. If you know me well, you probably know that's my favorite smell and I'm trying to take advantage of it. When my mom and I were deciding what chores I would take care of around the house, I begged for mowing!


• Summer nights. I love sitting outside in the evening, not needing a coat, and looking at the clear sky. There are so many stars out at night down here and it just can't be beat. Hopefully before the summer is over, I can talk Nate into sleeping outside under the stars with me.


• The Sound of Sprinklers. I grew up hauling pipe and all though it's not my favorite activity, I appreciate what it means. We work the land here and I have such great respect for those who do. The sound of sprinklers reminds me of working the land and of my childhood.


• Horse rides. My dad will pretty much ride anytime of the year but I'm more partial to summer rides. It's so amazing to be up exploring the mountains on horseback and spending time with my family. Oh, and the sunsets on the mountain are breathtaking.

• Sun. Duh. There's just nothing like lying in the sun with your eyes closed, just soaking it in.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go eat lunch. Do you think it's possible to OD on peas?

Bear Lake

I will warn you right now...I used all my creative juices on cards last night so this will be a terribly boring post...

We left on Tuesday morning to go to Bear Lake for our Anniversary. We stopped in Evanston to buy Tayv some beach toys then went straight to the beach. We had so much fun watching our boy play in the water and then the sand. He was a little scared in the water if we weren't too close to him and he did go in head first once and had to be saved by daddy. I love Bear Lake though because it's shallow for so long that I could just let him play in the water and not worry about him going too far out. He and Daddy made a sand castle but we couldn't find any buckets so we had to buy a flower pot. So good job boys, making do with your lame, but too expensive, tools. Tayvin declared later that he was making soup and cookies with his shovel. He even added water to his "soup." I think this means I cook too much and should probably cut back...right babe? :) On the way back, I spotted a caterpillar. I've been trying to notice things that may be common to me but that Tayvin doesn't know about, and point them out so he can learn. So we stopped to watch this caterpillar that was inching faster than I can walk and all the sudden Tayvin just stomps on it and says, "Ew, bug. Stomp on it!" I reacted fast enough that he only got one stomp in and didn't kill the poor thing but it took everything we had to not laugh hysterically. Then I had to explain that we only stomp on bugs and spiders, not caterpillars. I think I've trained him well, we should never have another bug in our house again!

We camped on Rendezvous beach that night. Tayvin went to bed early so Nate and I played cards and ate candy! The next morning we went back to the beach for a few hours then went back and packed up camp. We went over to look at Nate's grandparent's old cabin then stopped for lunch and raspberry shakes... Most definitely the reason people go to Bear Lake! Thanks for a fun trip and a great anniversary, babe!

I put all my pics on my flash drive and lost it so as soon as I locate it in all of my scrapbooking stuff, I'll post pictures.

Only 3 years?

Today Nate and I are celebrating our 3rd Anniversary. We're sharing it with my parents, who have been married now for 30 years, and my sister who has now been married for 9 years I believe. It's so crazy to think that in that time we've finished school, helped raise the Culver kids, and had a baby who is now two! And yet, there are days when I feel like I've been married most of my life. But either way, I'm pretty excited to know that we have so many more years together on this earth to learn and grow together. To raise a family in the gospel, create a loving home, and be an example of Christ have always been my top three goals and Nate helps me get closer to those each and every day. I still remember that seriously hot and beautiful day 3 years ago and wouldn't change it for the world. Happy Anniversary Babe! Here's to many more Sundays. :)

Lame

I know I've been a totally lame blogger-spending more time on other people's blogs than mine but what can I say? They're more interesting than I am.
Anyway, it's been almost a week since I said I would post about Nate's job and here I am...just now doing it. I do have excuses though, this is what we've been up to.

-On Friday, Nate quit his job. He just didn't feel like everything there was 100% honest and didn't feel like he could work there and keep his integrity. So he has another offer and is still looking into a few jobs. Hopefully, by Monday he'll be back to work.
-We also went camping Friday night. We packed up the 4-wheeler and took Tayv up to my family's hunting spot for the evening. I was just on a role-I forgot the hot dog buns, all the s'more supplies, pillows, and a few other things-but I remembered the matches and Tayvin so oh well.
-We went to Salt Lake on Saturday to get Breaking Dawn (I would have been there at midnight but I accidentally promised Nate I would go camping with him and didn't think I should back out) and eat dinner with Nate's cousin and her family. They absolutely loved Tayvin and he couldn't get enough of Aanika either.
-On Sunday I woke up and basically couldn't move my body. I don't know if I got the flu or what but I still don't have full use of my arms/hands. It's getting better though, I can get out of bed without crying now.
-My nephew came to stay with us on Sunday and just left today, it's been fun for Tayv to have someone to play with and beat up on him.
-And of course, I spent a couple days reading Breaking Dawn-I finished yesterday morning and am still deciding what I think about it. Caution: Spoiler coming up....



I did love that it ended well for everyone-I'm a sucker for happy endings!
-Nate's brother Mo will be in Salt Lake for a few hours Friday night so we get to go to dinner with him and then maybe see his wife, Julia for a minute before they head up to Idaho.
-Then...Nate's dad comes in Saturday morning for a day and we'll be picking him up then maybe going to the zoo with him. I'm so excited for Tayv to see him, just sad Jeanne can't come. (Hope you're feeling better, Jeanne.)
-I mentioned our Iron Man triathlon a while ago and we're starting it today, I'm only 5 lbs from my goal so hopefully this will finish it off...wish us luck!
Anyway, I'll seriously try to keep everyone updated on the job situation...

Out of the mouth's of babes...

Tayvin and I went shopping for new church clothes for him yesterday. We couldn't really find any we loved so instead, we just bought us some new clothes. (All on sale, of course.) He wanted to show everyone his new 'cowboy shirt.' So we went over to where they were hauling hay. This is how it went down:

Tayvin: "Cowboy shirt!"
Uncle Terence: "Wow, cool cowboy shirt. Where'd you get that?"
Tayvin: "The bag."
Uncle Terence: "Where?"
Tayvin: "The bag."
Me: "Translation? The bag."
Uncle Terence: "What bag?"
Me: "The shopping bag, Ter."

I sure wish that's all it took for me to get new clothes. Of course, then we'd have to build a second house for my clothes.

Check back later, we'll have news on Nate's job....

Our newest bribery!

Most people know I'm pretty against bribery. Nate and I have had several discussions about not using dessert to bribe our children to eat dinner, as that will put dessert on a pedestal and make them think it tastes so much better than healthy food. (I'll spare you the rest of my theories on childhood obesity and such.) But for several reasons, I'm okay bribing Tayvin with the puppies. (For now at least.)


Reason #1: It won't make him fat. In fact, it's good exercise for him to run from the puppies when they're licking him and he doesn't like it.


#2: It makes it a novelty a little longer. Ya know how kids beg and beg and beg for puppies and you try to explain how much work they are but they don't listen? Then after you've caved and they've had their puppies for more than a few days, they suddenly think that even playing with them is a chore? Well, Tayvin is obviously too young to beg for puppies and to understand the work concept but still, knowing my sweet boy like I do, I know that it will wear off. So the more I talk it up, the longer it will last. (At least I hope so...)


#3: It gives him something to look forward to in the morning.
Anyway, without further ado... Here are pics of Tayv with the newest bribery...Crash and Sassy

And a couple cute pics of Tayv...The last one is his new thing-his fake smile!

"Oly Mokes, Bampa!"

...As Tayvin would say.

My Parents will both reach the top of the hill this year-the big FIVE-OH! My mom's birthday was in June and my Dad's is in October so we decided to throw them a surprise party. My sister, however, leaves for New Zealand in a couple days so we figured why not throw the party in the middle of July, when they would least expect it!?! And it's a dang good thing we did because holy cow, were there a lot of slips... from my mom walking in to my aunt's house where we had 50 black and white cupcakes and a zillion kabobs on the counter, to my sister slipping and asking my dad if mom knew about the surprise yet! So needless to say, it was a little stressful but so worth it in the end! Holy Smokes, Grandpa!

The Only Picture we got of the veggie bouquet and my sisters...

I love this picture of my tough-cowboy dad with the baby...

Not much to say...

Well, it's Whatever Wednesday, which is my blogging day but I don't have a lot to say. Here a few tidbits of what we've been up to...

-Nate's job is going great! A few things have happened at the office that are pushing him harder and faster into the next level, but he's loving it. Hopefully, at this rate he'll be opening his own office before Christmas. He's taking a crew to Vegas in a couple weeks to do a week long blitz. Tayv and I might fly down and stay with him for a few days but we'll have to see because it's all guys that are going.

-My sister will be reporting to the MTC a week from today and we're not looking forward to it. She went to St. George for the weekend with some friends and while she was gone, Tayvin was looking at a picture of her and said to me in the saddest voice, with his puppy-dog look, "See Aunt Rara." I think that will be the hardest part about having her gone for so long- seeing her miss out on the kids' lives. Heck, she'll hopefully have 2 more nieces/nephews when she gets back.
-We got two puppies... Before my dad had grandkids, he was pretty much like a grandpa/favorite uncle to his roping partner's little boy. Jarom would always come sit with dad in sacrament and dad would always have candy for him. Apparently, he took Jarom a puppy once and Kurt (his roping partner) said he would get back at him. Well, last week I get this call...
"Hello?"
"Hi Princess, is your dad home?"
"Yah, just a second I'll get him."
"No, no, no. Is your son home too?"
"Yah...?"
"Ok, thanks, bye"
I got off the phone thinking how weird it was and explained it. My dad knew instantly what it was all about, I believe it went something like this...
"He better not be bringing a puppy."
"What?"
"Didn't I give Jarom a puppy once and Kurt swore he'd get back at me?"

Anyway, about 30 minutes later Kurt showed up with two puppies that look exactly the same. I couldn't stand for them to be separated so we ended up with both. They're both girls and Tayvin loves them! (I'll get pictures of them as soon as Tayv wakes up.)

-We had a great 4th of July! I flew in the morning of the 4th, Nate picked me up and we pretty much went straight to the parade. It was fun for Tayv to see the horses and get to catch candy. We went to the rodeo that night (thanks, Dad) where Tayvin loved the bulls and fireworks. He kept telling me how he wanted to ride a cow. My little bull-rider in the making.
The best part for me was the beginning of the rodeo. I'm very patriotic and usually can't get through the Star Spangled Banner without crying. They did something a little different this year before they sang the National Anthem. There was a flag ceremony while they played this incredible new song (which I've yet to find.) Anyway, it of course brought me to tears and I'm sure I looked like an idiot but I have such a great love for this country and most especially all those who have and are sacrificing for our freedoms. Not just those in the armed forces, but also their families and friends. I cannot imagine how hard it would be to sacrifice a spouse, child, or parent but I also could think of no greater honor. Thank you, to those who make sacrifices on our behalf.

Some things I'm looking forward to...

-The local Melodrama is next Monday and Tuesday to kick off the celebration of our beautiful state's birthday. I grew up going to the Melodrama and usually knew all or most of the actors. I wanted Nate to experience the comedy and fun of melodramas so I took him to one that was put on in Anchorage for Rondy (I think.) It was okay, but not near as great as I remember them. So guess what we're doing for FHE on Monday? That's right... I'm going to subject Nate to more of my home-town memories. (In all fairness though, it's my turn right?)
-Batman! We've been planning this date for a looooong time now. We considered going last night at midnight but the last time we did that, we paid for like a week. We even had my mom pick up our tickets earlier today when she was in Park City so there was no chance it would sell out. The reviews have been great Oh, and Nate's buying me popcorn!
-Triathlon- There is a triathlon here at the end of August that I just found out about and really wanted to do, but since we haven't been training for it, I didn't really want to spend the money on it. So instead, my sis showed me this program that she's doing with her work. It's a two-week triathlon where you run 26.2 miles, bike 112 miles, and swim 2.5 miles. Of course Nate doesn't want to do it because he hates swimming, but I think I've talked him into it. And just for the record, it's not like I enjoy parading my stretch-marked, white skin around in a bathing suit either!
-Crafting- I'm loving the time I have not worrying about work and everything else. My mom and I split the housework and cooking so I stay busy enough to not go crazy but don't feel so guilty sitting down to play with Tayvin or read a book. So naturally, I'm getting excited to have some time to scrapbook, make cards, and find some super cute crafts I want to make!
-Our own space- Nate and I have never really had our own space. Since we got married, we've lived in somebody else's house. Not that we regret living at Helvi's-it was a great opportunity for us to start our family and finish school with no debt, and it was so fun being a part of the Culvers' lives. But let's face it, it's time. Tayvin needs his own room and we need our own space-Can't wait until we have it!
-BREAKING DAWN! I already talked to my mom about babysitting Tayv for the day so I can go to Salt Lake, get the book, and spend the day at the park reading. But this morning I looked into which stores are holding midnight sales the night before. I'm not usually that type of a fan but I'm considering it... (By the way, they've started the quote of the day on her website for anyone who missed it.)

Blah...

I know I've been a totally lame blogger lately... It's just that when I'm down here with a yard for Tayvin to play in, horses to ride, hay to haul, wood to stack, and family to see, I just don't want to spend all my time on the computer. But today I feel crappy, am still in my pajamas, and have read an entire book in the last 24 hours. Maybe after I get dressed and make dinner (these should never be in the same sentence, I know,) I will update on what's been going on down here in sunny Utah-sorry to those of you who are enduring Anchorage's crappy weather!
Stac

My Wednesday Whatever List

As much as I am looking forward to being back in Utah for a few years, there are many things I will truly miss about Alaska…

1-Family- Of course this one is first. Being 3,000 miles away from my family for over 5 years has been hard. But I was very blessed to marry into the family I did. Nate’s family has taken me in and treated me as their own. From sledding _________, to eating my food off of my plate, they have truly treated me as family, and I couldn’t ask for more.
2-Our Friends- We have made so many friends up here and learned some great games! I couldn’t have survived without them!
3-Coastal Trails- Basically anywhere you want to go in the city of Anchorage, there is a trail to take you there. And I’m not just talking dirt trails, I’m talking paved, often lighted, marked trails. We spent all our time on them last summer and will miss them terribly. Even better than the trails through the cities, are the coastal trails. There is nothing like a midnight sunset on the ocean with your family.
4-Sunsets after midnight- Every now and then, when Tayvin didn’t want to go to bed, we would take off to the coastal trail at 11 or so and bike till the sun set way after midnight. Being the night owl I am, I LOVED it!
5-If you go south of anchorage, you’ll find one of the prettiest scenes in the world. There’s a rather large inlet that often has whales in it. But even when there aren’t any whales, there is the reflection of the sun on the ocean and the smell of pine trees. On one side of the road is the inlet (with mountains across the way,) and on the other side of the road are the mountains with waterfalls falling so close to the road that it’s possible to get splashed while driving by. It is one of my favorite places in the world.
6-Halibut- Anywhere else I go, I just don’t dare order halibut in a restaurant. I’ve been absolutely spoiled with fresh halibut here and don’t think I will ever be converted back.
7-Playgroup-Hands down, Tayvin and I have the absolute best playgroup there is. There’s not much more to be said, it just breaks my heart when I think about not getting to spend time with Autumn, Jen, Julie, Jess, and their kids.
8-Green everything! In late spring, usually about the third week in May, everything blooms! One day you’re just driving down the road and the green just pops out at you. Even driving down the highway, one is surrounded by green everything. It can’t be beat.
9-Construction- This is not something one would usually miss. See, in Anchorage, they have to redo most roads every year or two because of perma-frost. Because of this, they seem to have a pretty good handle on it. Having grown up in Utah and driven there when I have gone back to visit, I appreciate the lack of traffic that Anchorage’s construction causes. With a few exceptions, I’ve not seen any roads that are completely blocked off for more than a day or two. We didn’t know how good we had it.
10-Love of Music- Anybody that knows me well, knows I can’t live without music. Whether it’s dancing, violin, singing, or just listening, I HAVE to have music in my life. I believe so strongly in the power of music and have felt that here in the people also. It’s nice to drive down the road, see people singing to their heart’s content in the car, and not feel alone.
11-Glacier Brewhouse- I would eat there every week if I could afford it. If you’ve eaten there (with the exception of my family who didn’t have a very good experience there,) you know what I’m talking about. I LOVE that place!
12-Comfort- Although I grew up in Utah, I did most of my maturing here in Alaska. I met my husband here and some of my best friends. I had my first child here, and I learned to truly appreciate my family here. I have lived in Alaska for over 5 years and am comfortable with it. It will be hard to leave.
13-Tuukee- Last week I made one of the hardest decisions of my life. I know that sounds a little dramatic, but Tuukee was here before Nate. When my friends left after our first summer here, I was so lonely. After a month or so, I decided to get a dog. I went to the pound one day, just to see if they had any puppies yet, and they had just gotten a batch in. Tuukee was the chubbier one that all the others picked on. I just felt for him. I paid for him, went back to work, and picked him up from the vet 3 days later. He has been with me since and has gone through everything with him. I hope and pray the kids will love him as much as I do and take good care of him.

I've been Tagged!

I was tagged by my sister-in-law who emailed AND called me almost a month ago and still hasn’t heard from me…. Sorry Julia!

20 years ago… I’m not actually sure I remember anything from that far back (sorry to those of you who are like…ancient! : )
-I remember going to Disneyland around this time with my cousins so I was probably idolizing my older cousin Denise. Oh, and riding around in a dolphin wagon at Sea World.
-I loved going “nightcrawler hunting” and fishing with the nightcrawlers afterwards. (I can still give you great instructions on how to catch nightcrawlers, if anyone’s in need of that information. : )
-I was most definitely learning how to be the kind of tomboy my brother would be proud of…too bad society got to me and made me into the princess I am today, huh?

10 years ago… I was an awkward teenager. I was taller than all the boys in my class and stuck in between a clueless phase and a cowgirl phase. Just couldn’t decide who I was-What-ever Mo-tard!
-I had just made the drill team and was loving it!

5 years ago… I had just arrived in Alaska and was working quite a bit.
-I met Nate at the end of July then went and toured Nauvoo, Far West, Adam-Ondi-Ohman, Haun’s Mill, Carthage Jail, Independence, and other church history sites.
-During that year, my first nephew Kye was born, Tuukee joined my family, I met Jess and the boys, and at the end of that year, I started coaching drill team.

3 years ago… I was planning my dream wedding.
-Nate and I were married on the best day of the year, August 12th, sharing our anniversary with my mom and sister.
-In that year I also got pregnant and was glad to be done with school for a little while.

1 year ago… we were counting down semesters till Nate would be done with school and thouroughly enjoying Tayvin and his beautiful smile.
-We were exploring Alaska on our bikes, averaging about 60 miles a week. Those bike rides are some of my best memories with my cute little family.

This year… NATE GRADUATED!
-He landed a great job in Utah in April and two short weeks after his graduation, he left to drive the Alcan with his brother Mo.
-We were so blessed and excited to have all of my family come up for his graduation and some good old fashioned Alaska touring.

Yesterday… was my first day back in Alaska without my husband. It was quite sad since it wasn’t even sunny!
-I also found out another one of my good friends is pregnant, I’m so excited for her! (See post here...)
-I mowed the lawn and went shoe shopping.
-I bought more scrapbook stuff I don’t need. (Please don’t be mad at me, Nate. Just roll your eyes and move on!)
Today… I did a lot of stuff for other people. It was tiring but felt so good to know that I was helping others.
-My mother-in-law also took me out to dinner for helping her out at this great Thai place we’ve never tried.

Tomorrow… I will take my sweet boy to the park and maybe go on a hike.
-I will start scrubbing the apartment (most especially the walls) so that it’s spick-n-span when I leave.
-I will most definitely scrub my bathroom.
-Will be a movie night. We’ll either go to Bear Tooth or rent chick flicks-yay for mother-in-laws!

Next Year… Nate will hopefully be able to move up in the company quickly so we can buy a house sometime around Christmas.
-I hope with all my heart that there will be a need for a nursery in that house…only time will tell.
-My sister will leave on her mission at the end of July to New Zealand-does that rock or what?
-In the next year I will have reread the Twighlight Series who knows how many times but more importantly, I will have read BREAKING DAWN!

I tag whoever wants to play along….

Green Toes & New Shoes!!!

Well, I'm back in Alaska and as you can see, back online! When I'm in warm temperatures for what seems like the 1st time in 5+ years, I just don't want to spend a lot of time on the computer. So sorry to those of you who are as obsessed with other people's blogs as I am.
Just a few random tidbits and updates...
-I got to mow the lawn today so Helvi didn't have to come home to a shaggy yard. I have a pair of flip-flops that I have loved but needed to be put out of their misery. So, I wore them to mow the lawn. The grass was so thick that it kept clogging the bag thus leaving me with stained jeans, green toes, and not-white-anymore flip-flops. Therefore, I went shopping today and added to my shoe collection! (Get to work on that house with a shoe room, Babe.)
-Nate is doing well with his new job. There were a couple of stressful weeks there, but they tell him he is right on track and we can definitely see and feel the improvement. He is working super hard and learning fast. The poor guy has been in Salt Lake in the hot weather (for probably what feels like the 1st time in his entire life) pretty much every day but he's got a good tan to show for it!
-For those of you who are around our family you know that Nate and Tayvin love to talk. (Ok, I might like to talk a little too-but they're definitely worse than me-right?) Anyway, because of Tayvin's non-stop talking, especially in public places, I get alot of people asking me how old he is. (Maybe they're not used to 22 month-old toddlers with 2 to 300 word vocabularies?) So now when somebody asks how old he is, he holds up two hands and says.."owmos TWO!" It is quite cute though.
-He's also getting a little sassy now and then. (I'm pretty sure it came straight from his great-grandma BoDean-skipped me of course :) He was asking for snacks yesterday and being the multi-tasking mother that I am, I distractedly told him 'just a minute.' He looked me square in the eye, held up 1 finger and told me, "ONE min-tuet." And I'm pretty sure he was timing me too.

That's really all I have to share right now, I'm sure one of these days I'll have something of importance to blog about. Meanwhile, stay tuned for my up and coming weekly blog feature... Whatever Wednesday. (See if I call it whatever, I'm not limited to anything, and that's really best for me right now.)

A new update...

Since Nate works so hard on this blog, he has every right to complain that there is no update on it and he is complaining. (sensing the sarcasm about his hard work?)
So, here's the update...
-I'm flying out tonight
-Nate went out on his own today in his own area and did great! Yay money!
-My dear OLD mom turns 50 tomorrow so I guess I better be there to help her out of the bathtub.
-Um, that's pretty much it-I'm really just doing this for Nate.

Love ya babe-Can't wait to see you!

Stac

First Day of School and....

I remember (and have proof of) my mom taking our picture in front of the same tree on every first day of school. Today, Nate had his first day of his first career! I'm sad I wasn't there to take his picture in front of that same tree (ok, maybe I wouldn't have taken his picture but I would have at least gotten up with him and given him many good luck kisses!) I did however, get to talk to him for a loooong time about it. It exceeded his expectations and he really seems to have enjoyed it. I'm so greatful we were able to find something that he will enjoy and also have room to grow in.
I'm getting down to my last few days(at least that's what I keep telling myself) of life as we know it. When we first found out he got the job and when he would have to start, I just cried for several days. It meant that either we had to spend the summer apart or I had to leave everyone and everything in Alaska way sooner than I expected. I needed time...
I want to have a chance to live by my family and friends in Utah but it's going to be hard. This is what I've known for 5 plus years now, and this is where I've done most of my maturing. I've grown so close to Nate's family and many friends here. And seriously, who can resist the beauty of Alaska? Now when Nate reads this, he's going to try to move us back to Alaska much sooner than we planned but I feel like our friends and family here deserve a shoutout. I have four days left here then I will be in Utah for two weeks, then back for a week and a half-but that's not long enough to say goodbye. I was talking about wanting to make some thank you cards for my friends before I leave when Nate suddenly declared that the reason we girls have such a hard time with goodbyes is because we make them too long. (That and we say goodbye, not "so long.") So, maybe I'll just try 'so long' this time and see if it produces a few less tears.....

My Sweet Baby Boy

At times I ache for another baby and sometimes I can't imagine having to share my Tayvin time. Today was one of the later. Tayv was sitting in my lap in front of the mirror saying 'hi' to himself so I said "Hi handsome Tayvin." He smiled at me and said, "Pretty mama" with that look that says you're the world to me. I almost cried. If I had another baby right now, I wouldn't have experienced that. My sweet baby boy...

Some Funnies!

I found these on Motherhood for Dummies -LOVE the Kermit one!

So Stylish!

So, Tayvin and I decided we needed to celebrate Memorial Day somehow and Nate's mom went to England this week so we were quite alone. We made an angel food cake and were eating Strawberry Shortcake. I looked away for a minute and when I looked back at Tayv he was styling his hair with whipped cream. Not just putting it in his hair, mind you, but actually pretending to look in the mirror and spike it! Now yes, I've been known to do his hair a few times before we leave the house (few is a relative term right?) but seriously, Nate has always looked in the mirror more than I have and on top of that, has actually admitted to a time in his life when he spent like 40 minutes on his hair. So, this cute little thing that is obsessed with his looks-not my fault! I must say though, he did a pretty good job with it! (minus the few chunks of cake he left behind.)

And this last one is for you, Nate-we miss you!

(Sorry, forgot to rotate it beforehand.)

Why Women Live Longer Than Men

I'm sorry men, but this is just too funny! I got this as an email compliments of Dani
and had to share it! I was laughing out loud-hysterically! Enjoy! (Leave me a comment if you want me to email it to you!)






Standing on a bucket on TOP of a ladder, brilliant.


That CAN'T be right.


Ummmm..at least someone's holding the ladder steady


Isn't this a violation of the seatbelt laws?

Shouldn't he be wearing a lifejacket?

Wonder what HE makes an hour? It can't be enough.

Who needs a truck?

I get by with a little help from my friends.

Oh yeah, THAT's safe!

HMMM, maybe he couldn't see the huge yellow sign that said CLEARANCE.

Hey, I strapped it down.

........

I've got more I'll post later! I hope you enjoyed them!

Stacia

Our Little Family

I changed my font at pYzam.com