Scary Car Seat

Exhibit A – My little SWEETIE

Exhibit B – The CAR SEAT

Exhibit C – The POORLY installed car seat

Exhibit D – The MOUTH of an almost 9 month old

Exhibit E – Large piece of FOAM

Exhibit E was extracted from Exhibit D after she had it in her mouth for over 30 minutes without us knowing (we thought her small gags in the car were from the puff cereal she was eating in the car… she has a bad gag reflex like her mother). I went to nurse her and she started crying, it was then, in the dark I saw a foreign object in her mouth. I’M STILL SHAKING.

Hopefully the free replacement parts will actually work!!

8 years and 2 kids later.

 

We celebrated our anniversary on the 2nd and I just have to laugh.  It wasn’t the most memorable anniversary, but it had it’s memorable moments. 

I woke up early with Dave and we had French toast together.  It was nice to be alone in the stillness of the morning.

I gave Dave a funny card (seemed like the right year for humor, not frilly cards- Dave was in tune with that and returned the humor later that night), Then he opened my surprise present for us…  Utah Utes tickets for the UCLA and Oregon St. Games! It may not seem that exciting, but if you are a Utah fan who has been away for 3 years and now they are in the PAC 12 it is exciting!

Dave worked.

I took the car to the shop and walked about 4 miles to the park and library with the girls.

Ran some errands ending up by Dave’s work and more restaurants.

I was in my grungy clothes from the craziness of the day.

The girls were long overdue for baths and didn’t have bows.

We met up with Daddy for dinner at Olive Garden.  Me in my Grunge and Dave in shirt and tie.

Dave helped Anna most of Dinner and I helped Maddie.  We did get to talk… a little.

Our Waiter was coo key and took a long time, even got Anna’s order wrong. By the time Anna got her meal, we were done, especially Maddie.

We went and got frozen yogurt @ Menchies (one of my new favorite things)

Drove home in separate cars through an almost tornado- Dave got some impressive photos.

I went to the store in the downpour.

On my way home I was laughing thinking over the evening and heard the country song, “You’re gonna miss this.” I started to cry. 

I went home to girls in PJs. We laughed with them and put them to bed. They are so stinkin’ cute.

No, we didn’t have a romantic dinner for 2 on our anniversary. But I would not change this time for anything.  I love my girls and and so thankful for my little family that started 8 years ago.

I am thankful for a wonderful husband who keeps me going, works very hard, is more on top of things than I am, and loves his girls. 

I am thankful we have times to be together even when I feel grungy.

Happy Anniversary Babe!  I love you and our little family.

A little bit like Lot’s Wife

So last night I actually got in bed before Dave, a first in…. who knows how long.  I wasn’t feeling too great and the girls were finally asleep.  I took a bath, gave myself an overdue pedicure and went to bed.  Well tried.  I laid there thinking, as most women out there probably do and couldn’t sleep.  In the end I think Dave, once he came to bed, actually fell asleep before I did.

I thought about what a whirlwind these last two months have been.  I am very happy to be here in Utah and have enjoyed all the get togethers, taking swim lessons with good friends, living at my parents house and watching the cousins play all day and almost all night long.  Now things are winding down a bit and I am getting settled in my new home and new city.  I love the space of our new home and many other good qualities it has, I am getting more comfortable.  However, even though we are “close” to family and friends last night I was thinking back to Modesto and all that I loved there.  I was missing a bunch of things. I made lists in my mind of what I would blog about and all the things I miss. Who would have thought that this “little” city would bring so much joy to me?  Not that I am not happy here in Layton, because I am, but I think everywhere you go in life whether it is on a vacation, to a get together with friends, college or moving out of state there is a piece of you that misses those moments.   I would never go back to high school, that time has come and gone, thank goodness, but I don’t feel that way about Ann Arbor or Modesto.  I would go back.  At least when I am up here in Layton, not in close proximity to those I know and love, then I would go back to having friends 5 minutes or less away.  I just keep hoping that our new neighborhood and ward will prove to be as much fun and inviting as my past 2 wards were.

I went to church and they talked about Lot’s wife and how she kept looking back, not just looking, but yearning to be back in the city.  She didn’t have faith for the future.  A grandmother spoke up about how she always says she wishes her kids were still playing in the backyard and would love to go back to that time.  She quoted Elder Holland, “ The past is to be learned from but not lived in. We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the ashes. And when we have learned what we need to learn and have brought with us the best that we have experienced, then we look ahead, we remember that faith is always pointed toward the future. Faith always has to do with blessings and truths and events that will yet be efficacious in our lives.”

I really stopped to think. I have been blessed with wonderful experiences and memories, but they are just that.  Memories. In the past.  I need to be better at looking forward to the future and having faith.  I have learned so much from moving around the country and I know bringing those experiences with me will help me with this next step.  So right now it is having faith that I will make new friends and be comfortable here, especially in my new ward.

So in efforts to remember Modesto, but not “yearn” for it I write my list of things that I loved about Modesto and will remember with fondness (yes cheesy, but fitting).

Thank you Modesto for making us happy last year with…

Maddie Jane’s arrival. Park Days. Chatting with girl friends. Library story time. Farmers market.  GNO’s. Scrapbooking/book club nights. Birthday lunches. Play dates.  Music Makers. Taste testing Ashleigh’s yummy treats. Dinners with friends - out and in. Utah Utes parties. Tahoe Joes. Mr. Pickles- no, not pickles, but the turkey sandwiches and Sourdough bread. The Fruit Barn smoothies.Walks to the parks and around the neighborhood. Sister Missionaries. Awesome shower parties. SYTYCD nights. The palm trees next door. Seeing Random uses for garages, instead of parking cars.   Do I dare mention puppies on this list? Lunches with Daddy. A&W. Almonds. Tomatoes. Swing set in the backyard.  Chalk art. Beautiful blossoms in the spring.  Anna’s Nursery leaders.  Primary kids and being 2nd counselor.  Trips to everywhere around us. Mia and Winston playing.  Taking it easy at Kristy’s pool. Picnics. Date nights to Dave’s work events. Dinner at Galettos and Dews. Visitors from Utah.

So many great memories… to many to list them all.

Moving photos

Here’s how we finally got out of there.

We had a TON of help from the Elder’s Quorum and couldn’t done it with out them.  Especially the Rowe brothers as they played Tetris just right and fit us in a smaller truck than we anticipated. (Let’s just say I am still mad at Penske, they were late with our truck and didn’t give us the right one.  But we only ended up paying $330 total plus gas.)

We also could not have done it without fabulous women who helped watch the girls thanks Leah, Melissa, Cindy for your many hours!!! Other women who helped me pack, Didi and Misty.  And families who helped clean Rowe’s, Tibbs and Stices. You were all amazing!! We could not have made the drive without many yummy treats from many people and phone calls to keep me awake. 

Anna chant’s our address so cute so I had to take a photo in front of the address.  I wish we would have taken more photos of the people who helped, but this is what we were able to capture. We will miss our wonderful friends.  I hate goodbyes!  We hope that most of them are “see you laters!”

As we drove away Anna innocently and out of the blue said, “I’m going to miss Kristy, Dave and Winston (their dog).”  If you ask her now what she misses the most about Modesto she will reply, “Kristy and Dave”

Let’s just say, It always has positives, but moving stinks!

Seven now Eight

I cannot believe my little #2 is closer to one year old than to being a newborn. More than that I cannot believe how crazy this year have been and my lack of keeping a record about this little doll. There is so much to remember in the first 8 months!

Maddie is such a joy.  She will smile for almost anyone, though sometimes she smile then turn into me and cuddle… a little bit of shyness I presume.  Her smile makes me giddy inside and others have commented on how she just makes you feel happy.  A genuine happy spirit. Her eyes are a Hazel green and always full of wonder and happiness.  I could stare into them all day. She has fuzzy blonde hair and skinny mini arms and legs.  Her mouth, as I said, smiles at everyone and I love the way her top lip curls under on the sides.  Her tongue is also a feature of hers that we know well as it is out most of the time.Madelyn waves with her right hand by sticking her arm straight up in the arm, curling her hand, but sticking her pointer finger straight up. She also gives a big “eh!”  She signs “all done” by waving her arms and responds to us saying, “so big” by putting her arms straight up in the air.  “Dada” was her first word besides, “eh” for “hi.”  “Mamamama” is a regular in her vocab, but mostly when she is hungry…. I know where I stand.  She was saying “nanana” today, perhaps for Anna?She LOVES Mia, watches her with awe and reaches out to pet her all the time.  She even helped me hold Mia’s leash on our walk … which didn’t last long as it ended up where everything else goes, in her mouth.Baby sis is content to just sit and play, or watch Big Sis. She lights up when she sees Anna.  They have the cutest sisterly bond which is so fun to see.   She loves anything soft like stuff animals and towels  Maddie is pushing from her bum to her front with her knees, perhaps she’ll be crawling soon. She is easy going unless she NEEDS something, then she is a ticking time bomb.

Just like Anna, Maddie loves music.  If she is fussy in the car I will turn up the “kid music” for Anna and Maddie will quiet down and sing along.  She thinks it is hilarious when you sing and use her arms for actions. She is finally putting herself to sleep, with just a little bit of fussing.  Which is SOOO nice. Her favorite foods are vegetables especially squash, sweet potatoes, green beans and peas. Fruits seem almost too sweet for her and I have to mix them with rice cereal and formula. She still rarely will take a bottle, sippys are okay, but her favorite way to drink is from a straw.  Mads is a quick nurser, but she is constantly moving the whole time, kicking, pulling my shirt or hair and forget nursing if any one is around.   (side note: Anna came and gave her a toy while I was nursing yesterday, I said to her, “she is trying to eat” and Anna replied, “it is for her to hold so she doesn’t pull your shirt or scratch you!”  Such a good big sister!!)Anna calls her Mads, little munchie, baby sis and Maddie Janers. I love her giggles and kissing her cheeks, It is a joy to have her with us! 

The Fairy Door

Our new “Layton home,” as Anna now calls it, has a FAIRY DOOR!!! We enjoyed seeing them around Ann Arbor, Michigan while we lived there and now we have our very own!!!

Anna had ME color a picture for them and we left if out for a few days by the door.  (Those Fairies took a while to realize we had invited them in.)  But today they left Anna a little sucker treat! We are so excited to have these fairies know where we live!!! It will be a fun year.  Next up… decorating the door and making it more inviting.

P.S.  Yes, our fairy door resembles a doggie door, but let’s be honest Mia won’t be using it.  Also, please disregard my decoration station aka place I have put everything that I haven’t decorated with yet.

Little by Little

This is my theme for the last month.

LITTLE BY LITTLE I WILL …

Pack up and clean my home in Modesto

Find a place to live

Say goodbye (or I like to just say “see you later”) to good friends

Say hello to family and friends

Clean up our rental home in Bountiful for over 100 hours

Find out more and more information on our previous renters and their criminal son.. that is one for the books!

Unpack into storage and live in 2-3 places

Find a sense of structure and routine

Unpack in my new home

Find where something I need is

Decorate

Help my two daughters get over high fevers

Plan for new activities, preschool, vacations, etc.

Get back up on my slalom waterski

Play with my dog

Enjoy my mountains again

Decorate

Garden

Loose weight

Get to know new neighbors and ward

Get back into blogging

Catch up on record keeping

Enjoy everyday with my girlies and husband

(P.S. The photo above is a picture from my bedroom window… so beautiful!)