Just The Four Of Us

Guide to Groceries under $250 a month!

2011-12-01T21:39:00.000-08:00

Happy Anniversary!

2011-06-01T20:26:00.000-07:00

6 years ago today, Bryce and I got married. We were supposed to get married on the beach, but it rained all morning. So, at the last minute we changed the location and got married in the cultural hall at our church. I used to think that rain on your wedding day was a bad omen, but I think the heavens were crying tears of joy! Ha ha ha! Bryce and I have had so many ups and downs through out these 6 years. Heck, for the first year I kept wondering if I had made a mistake. As we were reminiscing today, we went through a lot of stuff the first 3 years we were married. We had some family dnamics that we had to learn how to deal with; I became a memeber of the church shortly before we were married; we moved 3,000 miles away from my home; we had 2 kids during those first 3 years. The last 3 years haven't exactly been smooth sailing, but it has been a little easier to deal with. Bryce and I still fight at times, but we know that we are in it for the long run. Between the two of us, I have definitely changed the most. I went from a happy, bubbly, nurse with lots of friends and family to a very unahppy stay at home mom who didn't have many friends. I went through a really rough time after I had Sara. Those were the darkest days I have ever experienced. During these past few years, I have started to become more like the old me. I am a much happier person who has lots of friends that I know I can count on. I wouldn't have made it these past few years without the unconditional love that Bryce has given me. I am not the same girl he feel in love with and married 6 years ago, but I sure hope that I am an even better version of that girl now. Happy anniversary to my wonderful husband!!

P.S. Just 4 more weeks until we are sealed!!

6 Years Ago

2011-05-21T20:56:00.000-07:00

6 years ago today, I became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I cannot tell you how many blessings have been bestowed upon me these past 6 yrs! We also have a little less than 6 weeks until Bryce and I are sealed for time and all eternity! We are so excited to finally be a forever family!

Overwhelmed

2011-05-16T20:53:00.000-07:00

I am having a really hard time right now. I just feel like I am an emotional wreck. The past 10 days has been very rough. Last Friday, the 6th, a friend of ours 8 yr old boy was in an ATV accident. He had a shattered femur and a skull fracture, which has caused his brain to bleed and swell. He is still in an induced coma and no one is really sure what the outcome will be. This happened a little over a yr after our cousins 11 yr old daughter was killed in an ATV accident. So, it has really hit home for me. To top all of this off, my parents were in a really bad car accident Friday night. My mom broke her wrist and is very bruised and banged up. My dad has a concussion and is pretty banged up as well. I'm glad it wasn't worse. I'm just having a really hard time because I am so far away from my parents. I have been crying off and on since I found out Saturday morning. My mom has always been the one to take care of everyone. So, she is having a really hard time not being able to do anything. And my dad has been disabled for 16 yrs so he cannot really help. I told my mom that I wanted to come down for a couple of weeks to help them out and she told me that 2 weeks just really isn't going to help her. She will still be in a cast after I leave and that she still won't be able to drive and use her hand. It really hurt my feelings. I know she is having a tough time, but I just want to be able to help them. I just don't know what else I can do being so far away. I know it sounds silly, but I guess I just never thought anything would ever happen to my parents. It definitely put things into perspective for me. What I wouldn't give to be closer to them. Maybe one day.

Craziness!

2011-04-28T21:34:00.000-07:00

Wow! I just cannot believe all of the tornado's and damage that has happened in the past couple of days. It is so heartbreaking. I grew up in the south, but we just really had to deal with hurricanes. I will take a hurricane any day over tornado's. They are just so scary! At least with hurricanes, you have notice of when a storm is coming. Sometimes with tornado's, you only have minutes! My thoughts and prayers go out to all of those who have been effected by these storms. I pray that God will comfort and provide for each of them.

O, Lord, My Redeemer

2011-04-25T20:51:00.000-07:00

Our Week in Review

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

Boy, the weeks just seem to be flying by here lately! I cannot believe that it is almost May! On Sunday, we went to Chris and Erin's to celebrate Cade's birthday and him becoming a deacon in the church. The kids had a great time playing with all of their cousins as usual. Wednesday, the kids and I went over to Landon's house and played. He really is such a good kid! Thursday, we got to go on a field trip to the Roylance Dairy. The kids had been looking forward to this for awhile. They kept asking me, is it time to go to Jake's dairy farm? They had a blast! On Friday, I kind of lost my mind. I decided that the kids and I would ride the bus to Moses Lake to surprise dad at work. It was definitely an adventure! Plus, Bryce was totally surprised to see us! Saturday was the annual Cox Family Easter BBQ. We had the most beautiful weather on Saturday! We even got a little sun! The kids had a blast hunting for eggs out in the sage brush. There weren't as many of our family members there as there has been in the past, but we still had fun. I so love getting together with Bryce's cousins! We don't get to see each other often, so it is always fun to catch up and let all of our kids play together. All in all, a pretty great week! I hope that everyone had a wonderful Easter!

2011-04-18T21:33:00.001-07:00

Our Trip To The Coast

2011-04-18T20:33:00.000-07:00

Bryce and I went over to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival this weekend in Mt. Vernon. Ever since we moved here and I heard that was such a festival I have wanted to go. I am so glad that we were able to finally go! I love, love, love tulips! Now, all of the tulip fields have not bloomed just yet, but the ones that had bloomed were just beautiful! I never knew there were so many different types of tulips! So, many thanks to the best hubby in the world for taking me! I will remember this weekend forever!

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

2011-04-16T22:35:00.000-07:00

Bryce and I went over to the coast this weekend to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. Here is a sneak peek of what we saw.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-13T22:33:00.000-07:00

DVR

2011-04-12T22:05:00.000-07:00

What did we do before DVR? Seriously? I hate to watch live T.V. Even my kids have to pause the T.V. just so they can go to the bathroom. Oh, the monsters I have created! It is so nice to be able to fast forward through commercials though. I love my DVR!!

Not too Bad

2011-04-11T22:28:00.000-07:00

I must admit that my rice krispie treat eggs didn't turn out too bad. I just hope the kids enjoy them!

Another Chapter Closed

2011-04-08T21:46:00.000-07:00

Last night was Cooper's last soccer game. Woo hoo! Cooper had so much fun playing soccer. Not really sure how much he actually learned, but he had fun and that is all that matters! I'm pretty sure Bryce is glad it is over too. Coaching 7 four yr olds and a five yr old was both hard and frustrating. So, another chapter has been closed in Cooper's short life. His first ever soccer season. I'm not sure if he will play this fall, but I am pretty darn sure that Bryce won't be the coach! Now, it's time for the soccer party!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-06T14:34:00.000-07:00

Do You Ever.....

2011-04-05T21:37:00.000-07:00

look at your child or children and think how lucky and blessed you are? (And I mean looking at them while they are sleeping!) Seriously, I cannot believe how blessed I am. As much as my kids drive me CRAZY, they are a wonderful blessing. I just hope that I will be the mother that they both deserve.

For Shelby

2011-04-04T17:49:00.000-07:00

If I had a single flower for every time I think about you, I could walk forever in my garden. ~Claudia Ghandi

Inspired Words

2011-04-03T20:50:00.000-07:00

"...our children might not remember about the Family Home Evening lesson later in the week, but they would remember that we held [Family Home Evening]."
Richard J. Maynes of the Seventy
(April 2011 General Conference, Saturday Afternoon Session

Such an Embarrassing Moment

2011-04-01T20:56:00.000-07:00

Today, I decided that we should take the kids to see the new movie Hop. What a great idea, right?!?! Well, let me set the scene for you. We left our house at 10:30 this morning so that I could take the kids to the pediatrician to make sure their ear infections were all gone. So, after the doctor, we (the kids and I) went and ate some lunch and then went to Wally World. I must say the kids behaved pretty well. We did a couple more errands while I was wasting time to figure out if Bryce was going to be able to go with us or not. Well, Sara fell asleep for like 3 seconds and then woke up. So, I thought I would just drive around for a bit and let her fall asleep so that she would be in a good mood for the movie.(Now, we haven't taken them to the movies since How To Train Your Dragon came out.) The car drive did put Cooper to sleep, but not Sara. Now, I am really dreading going to the movies and I probably should have said let's just go another day. But, of course I didn't say that.

So, we pick up Bryce from work and head to the theater. After we had been there for a bit, an elderly couple came and sat in front of us. (And let me tell you, that elderly couple could be a whole 'nother blog post.) The movie had been on for 45 minutes or so. Sara is really getting restless. She had finished all of her root beer and wanted more. So, I was going to give her some of Cooper's. I took the lid of her cup and handed it to Sara to hold for me. When she figured out that I was taking some of Cooper's root beer, she flipped out. So, she jerked her cup away. What I didn't know was that there was still a little root beer left in it. Needless to say, that elderly couple got a nice little root beer shower. I was so embarrassed! I almost started crying. I apologized and apologized and handed them the 1 napkin we had left. I totally wanted to get up and leave at that moment. Thankfully, Sara settled back down and we finished watching the movie.

Now, the theater has a couple of arcade games in the lobby. The kids had been asking to play the games since we first arrived. We told them they could after the movie. So, I head to the bathroom and left the kids with Bryce. As I was getting ready to wash my hands, I heard a little girl crying. Actually, she was screaming. I knew it was Sara as soon as I heard it. So, I rush out to the lobby to see what was going on. Bryce was walking to the change maker thingy and had just left Sara standing there screaming for daddy! I guess she got mad because Cooper sat on the motorcycle game first. So, I ended up grabbing the keys from Bryce and hauled her out to the car. She screamed the entire way to the car!! If that wasn't bad enough, when I put her in her seat, she started to buck and really screamed. Like ear piercing I just broke a bone scream. I just knew someone was going to call the cops on me! I finally fought her enough to get her in her carseat and get her buckled. Seriously, she was in the car for maybe 5 minutes before she was out. I just wanted to crawl under a rock and cry. It was such an embarrassing day and I totally wish I could say this was an April Fool's joke, but nope. It wasn't. Can someone please tell me when it's going to get better? Pretty please??

Preschool Snacks

2011-03-31T21:29:00.000-07:00

I really don't know what my problem is when it comes to bringing snacks for Cooper's preschool class. I just love to do "cool" treats. So far, I have done a cookie snowman and a heart shaped rice krispie treat dipped in chocolate with sprinkles. Well, it is our turn again for snacks in a couple of weeks and I am already stressing over finding something cute. I don't feel like I have to make something cute to be better than the other moms. I guess I just feel like it is the only time I can be creative. Plus, the kids totally love it. The week that we have snacks, they are learning about eggs and flowers. So, I have found a super cute egg shaped rice krispie with M&M's inside! But, I am kind of stuck on what to do about the flowers. Any ideas?? And remember, they have to be somewhat simple for me. I am not that talented.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-30T20:27:00.000-07:00

Thought for the Day

2011-03-28T20:54:00.000-07:00

You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them. ~Desmond Tutu

Somewhat Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-23T20:37:00.000-07:00

Seriously, my favorite time of day!

Cooper

2011-03-22T13:15:00.000-07:00

Our first born who was supposed to have been a girl. What a smart, caring (most of the time), and handsome boy he is. Cooper amazes me with some of the things he says. He is such a funny kid! But, he is also a sensitive little boy. He hates to watch movies with "bad"guys in them. If I am having a bad day, he will come up to me and give me a hug and a kiss to make it all better. I wish I could say that he is a good big brother. He has his moments, but most of the time he is fighting with Sara over EVERYTHING! He actually pushed her off the coffee table the other day. He is all boy!

Cooper just turned 4 in January. It is so hard to think that he will be in kindergarten in a little over a year! He is in preschool right now. He goes twice a week and he loves it! I am so thankful that we have been able to put him in preschool. He has learned so much this year. I am also lucky to have made some more friends. A girl can never have too many friends! Cooper has also made some good friends that I hope we can keep in touch with as the boys grow up. The really cool thing is the little boys that are Cooper's friends, also have little sisters Sara's age. The boys also go to preschool together and some of them even play soccer together. Cooper has become obsessed with dinosaurs this year. He can tell you the names of so many different dinosaurs and random facts about them. Thank you Dino Dan! Cooper also LOVES to read. He is starting to learn how to read. Cooper also loves to do puzzles and play games on the Leapster. He is definitely a smart little boy. There is no way I could go through all the things that he has learned and accomplished in the past year.

I am so thankful that Heavenly Father decided to send me a Cooper instead of a Sara first. It is amazing how much he has grown up in the past year. He can really be a wonderful helper, when he wants to. The kids and I went to Georgia this past summer to see my family and he was such a help everywhere we went. Oh, another thing that makes me so proud of Cooper is that he is really learning about Jesus and our Heavenly Father. He can tell you that we are supposed to obey and follow Jesus. This Christmas, he also learned what the true meaning of Christmas is. We are trying very hard to raise our children right and to teach them the things that are important in life. I cannot tell you what it feels like when your child reminds you to read the scriptures and say prayer before we go to bed. Or to tell you stories about Jesus that he has learned. Or to tell you that Christmas is about Jesus's birth and that we should always help others first. What a beautiful little boy Cooper is and is becoming. I feel so very lucky that Heavenly Father chose me to be his mother.

Sara

2011-03-21T21:50:00.000-07:00

Our sweet baby girl. OK, so she really isn't that sweet. She has her moments, but for the most part she is a fiesty, stubborn, and downright mean little girl most of the time! I really believe it must be an age thing. For my sake and hers, it better be an age thing!

I thought I would just catch up on what she is doing right now. It is so hard for me to imagine that in 3 short months, she is going to be 3!! When did this happen?? I totally believe that 3 is the new terrible 2's! Sara is definitely a talker. Just like Cooper. She is also very much a girlie girl. She loves to wear dresses and cute shoes and loves to have her nails painted. However, she still loves to eat the dirt and dig in the dirt. She knows her ABC's, thanks to Leapfrog. She can count to 8 pretty good. Not sure why she stops there, but whatever. She is slowly learning her colors. She definitely knows pink and purple. We have been potty training for a while now. She was pretty much potty trained, except at night, back in December. But, one day she decided that she wanted to be a baby and wear diapers. So, we have slowly been working on it. She is doing much better these days. She got her first ever strep throat back in November and her first ear infection Sunday. For an almost 3 yr old, I would say that is pretty good.

I am in the process of planning her birthday party. I sure don't know what our lives would be like without her in them. I think one of the funniest things she does is when she gets mad at you, she starts yelling at you in jibberish. Bryce and I always say that she is cussing us out in Japanese! We are truly blessed to have such a beautiful little girl to call our daughter!

Life

2011-03-18T17:33:00.000-07:00

Being a mom is hard. But, being a single mom is even harder. Not that I am single, although there are many times here lately where I feel like it. When, Bryce started back with home health, we really thought that our lives would be "normal"again. Whatever that is. This, however, is so far from the truth. Out of the 7 days of the week, Bryce is maybe home 2-3 nights a week. I do not know how single moms and dads do it. I am most definitely not cut out to be a single mom. I really hope that his work life gets better because if it doesn't soon, we are going to have to make some changes. It breaks my heart when the kids ask for dad because they haven't seen him in 2 or 3 days. (He usually is gone in the morning before they get up and they are asleep by the time he gets home at night). Especially Sara. She is such a daddy's girl. I am thankful that Bryce has a job. Please don't get me wrong. I just wish he was home a little more.

So It Begins

2011-03-18T11:16:00.000-07:00

I am officially a soccer mom! Cooper had his first soccer game yesterday. It was a sight to see that is for sure. Our team, South Africa, has 7 four yr olds and 1 five yr old. The team we played had mostly 5 and 6 yr olds. Our boys loved to fall down! But, they had a great time and that is what matters.

4 yrs Ago

2011-01-08T10:07:00.000-08:00

I was thinking this morning that it was exactly 4 yrs ago today that we found out that we were having a boy instead of a girl. I have to add that this was also 3 days before he was born! I had several ultrasounds when I was pregnant with Cooper and they all said girl. So, needless to say we were totally shocked when the doctor said, "Hmmm....girl parts don't jiggle." Those words changed our lives in a heartbeat! The baby that I had been carrying for 9 months, the one I called Sara, was in fact a Cooper. I wish I could say that I was happy when we found out it was a boy. But, that would be lying. I totally lost it on the ultrasound table. I had EVERYTHING ready for our baby girl!!! Clothes were washed and put up, things were somewhat decorated. Now, here we were 3 days before I was to be induced and we had nothing for a boy! Thank goodness for great friends who came to the rescue! I can honestly say that this was the biggest shock in my life thus far. But, ya know, I cannot imagine my life without Cooper in it. He is a great big brother, most of the time.

I'm Back!

2011-01-05T21:16:00.000-08:00

After taking about 6 1/2 months off from blogging, I have decided to return. I am saying this up front and I am not saying this to be rude or to be offensive, but I feel like this needs to be said. This is my blog. If you don't like what I have written then you can either email me directly and we can discuss it as adults or you can choose to not read my blog.

I originally started this blog so that my family could keep up with my life and so that I had somewhere to document my kids' life and the things that they are learning and doing. Somewhere along the way, my blog turned into a place where I felt like I couldn't say what I wanted or needed to say. So, as hard as this is going to be for me, it is time for me to be able to say what I want to say on my blog and be OK with that. If you want to come along for the ride, then that is great! If not, that is OK and I understand.

The Last Time

2010-05-25T14:24:00.000-07:00

I am not unhappy where I live. I miss my mom. I don't know what the big deal is with me saying that I miss my mom. I miss the place where I grew up. I love living in Washington. I love the friends that I have made here. I am just so sorry that no matter what I say, it is always misconstrued to me saying something bad about this family or this town or this ward. I LOVE MY FAMILY. I LOVE MY WARD. I LOVE MY TOWN. I leave this post up until tomorrow and then my blog will be gone for good.

Taking a break

2010-05-24T17:38:00.000-07:00

I believe that I will be taking a bit of a break from blogging for awhile. For those of you who were offended about my last post, know that it was about ME missing my family and where I am from. If you have never lived anywhere else in your life, then it is hard to know what I am talking about when I say that the south is different than the northwest. My blog is or was a place where I could share my thoughts and feelings, as well as share some of the things that my children were doing. It has never been my intention to use my blog to offend others. So, I truly apologize for those who have taken offense to my last blog post.

Thoughts....

2010-05-23T22:37:00.000-07:00

I have really been thinking the past several weeks about how much I miss my family. It has been 3 years since we moved to Washington and it just gets harder and harder to be away from them. There have been many times the past couple of months that I wish we could just move back so that I could be close to my family. It is so hard on me knowing that my mom is lucky if she sees my kids once a year. I really miss the south. I think that people there were a little nicer and just willing to do anything for you no matter what. Which, I also think is my downfall sometimes. I always try to be that person that is there for anyone no matter what and sometimes I feel like people around here think that I am some kind of crazy person because I am always checking on everyone making sure that they are all doing OK. (I hope that makes sense and if it doesn't ask me and I will try to explain a little better.) Hopefully, the kids and I will be able to go visit my parents for a couple of weeks in the next couple of months. I just wish plane tickets weren't soooo expensive. I have a feeling though, that if I end up really liking the area where my parents are living right now, it is going to be very hard for me to come home, except that Bryce will still be here waiting for us. I just keep telling myself that if it is meant to be for us to move down there, then some way some how it will happen.

This past weekend was the 5th anniversary of my becoming a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. There are many times when it feels like these past 5 years have just flown by and then there are those times where it seems like it has just drug by. This also means that mine and Bryce's 5 year anniversary is coming up in the next 10 days. Kind of funny to think that by this time in his first marriage, their marriage was already over. We joke about how we have made it and since we have lasted longer than his first marriage, then we must be doing something right!

Dutch Oven Cooking

2010-05-21T23:20:00.000-07:00

Growing up in Florida, I have always been more of a beach girl, who doesn't want to get dirty. (I hope that makes sense.) Well, the month of May has shown me some new experiences that I have never had before. Now, Bryce grew up camping out all the time with his grandpa. I, on the other hand, have never camped out before. Unless, a motor home counts. So, a couple of weeks ago, we had our first dutch oven cooking social. I had no clue what a dutch oven was or how you cooked in a dutch oven. What a learning experience this has been! I have been scouring the internet looking for EASY dutch oven recipes that we could possibly cook and not mess up. Well, the first social was such a success that the men wanted to do another one. Seriously, you can make just about anything in a dutch oven. Boy oh boy, the food is soooo good! So, I have gone from a girl who had no clue about dutch ovens to an OK dutch oven cook. We have had so much fun hanging out with all the families in the Elder's Quorum and just learning to coook together. I think that these socials have gone over so well, that we are now going to have one at least once a month. So, if you have any good and easy recipes to share, please let me know!

I Need....

2010-05-17T18:27:00.000-07:00

a vacation away from my kids. I would like to go stay in a hotel for a whole weekend without them or Bryce. Today is one of those days where I can't wait for them to be a little older. I sure hope that the rest of the week is a little better than today was.

The Mother's Day Gift

2010-05-10T15:22:00.001-07:00

Here is the gift that we made for all the moms at church.

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-09T13:57:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to say Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful moms out there in the blog world!!

"God could not be everywhere, so he made mothers."
unknown - Jewish Proverb

For All The Moms Out There

2010-05-06T12:52:00.001-07:00

Before I was a Mom,
I never tripped over toys
or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not
my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.
Before I was a Mom,
I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind
and my thoughts.
I slept all night.
Before I was a Mom,
I never held down a screaming child
so doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night
watching a baby sleep.
Before I was a Mom,
I never held a sleeping baby just because
I didn't want to put her down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces
when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small
could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.
Before I was a Mom,
I didn't know the feeling of
having my heart outside my body..
I didn't know how special it could feel
to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond
between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small
could make me feel so important and happy.
Before I was a Mom,
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night
every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth,
the joy,
the love,
the heartache,
the wonderment
or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much,
before I was a Mom.

My New Life

2010-05-03T21:36:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day

2010-04-29T11:00:00.000-07:00

Man, is it just me or is this year flying by? I cannot believe that in 2 days it will be May. Which means in 5 weeks Bryce and I will be married for 5 years. In 7 weeks, my baby girl will be 2!! And in just 8 short weeks, I will turn the big 3-0. Aaaaggggghhhhhh!!

So, with Mother's Day fast approaching, I was wondering what are you going to get your mother? Since, my mom lives so far away, I usually just send her flowers and a card. I would like to do something a little more special this year. So, if you have any thoughts please share. On another note, I have been "volunteered" by Bryce to help make the Mother's Day gift that is handed out to all the moms right after sacrament. Now, we could have gone the easy route and just gotten Hershey bars for all the moms, but we are doing something more creative this year. I only wish that I knew how time consuming it was going to be. Because if I had known then what I know now, we would have done the Hershey bars! Ivory and I spent over 7 hours yesterday (yes, 7) working on them and we are no where near done. The sad part is that this is my gift too. So, I am making my own gift. Hopefully, Bryce will realize how much time and effort that has gone into these and he will get me something wonderful! A girl can dream, right?

Work wife-more details

2010-04-26T09:43:00.000-07:00

This lady is a co-worker and she calls at all times of the day. Last night she called at like 9:30. And Bryce knows when she is calling because he has caller ID. Now sometimes he doesn't answer, but 9 times out of 10 he does. I guess the lady's husband moved out and is filing for divorce and so she calls Bryce to tell him what her husband did now or whatever. I have said something to Bryce before about it and his answer is, she doesn't have anybody else to talk to. Ummm, that is not our problem. Anyways, I guess maybe I will try to talk to Bryce again about it.

Work wife?

2010-04-25T21:27:00.000-07:00

Is my husband the only one who has a "work wife"? I guess, I should explain. There is a lady that Bryce works with, who calls him several times a week to talk about her life and all of her problems. Of course, Bryce is too nice to say anything to her, but it is starting to tick me off. Does anyone else have to deal with this?

I am now a Denver Broncos fan!

2010-04-24T08:57:00.000-07:00

As some of you know, I am a huge Florida Gator fan. Of course, that means Tim Tebow too. Tebow is not only a great quarterback, but he is a phenomenal person as well. Tebow has had lots of critics saying that he would never make it in the NFL and that he wouldn't be drafted in the first round of the NFL draft. The draft analysts said that Tebow would possibly drafted in the 3rd or 4th round. Well, suprise, suprise. Tim Tebow was drafted in the 1st round of the draft. The Denver Broncos drafted Tebow as the 25th pick of the 2010 NFL draft! Tebow was drafted before Clausen and McCoy. So, to all the haters out there, give Tebow a chance to prove what a great player and person he is.

Easter.......

2010-04-05T19:13:00.000-07:00

I have started this post 4 different times already and I just can't seem to get it right. With Easter being yesterday, I have thought alot about our Savior and the atonement. How grateful I am to be a member of The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. To know the plan of salvation. To know that I will have an eternal family one day. Wth all of this in mind, our family and our community lost a precious child yesterday in a tragic accident. When you don't know what to say or how to say it, but want to help so badly and yet you can't. These are the times when we need to remember the gospel and the promises that we have been given, even as hard as it is. When, really during these times all you want to do is ask why. I know that there really isn't anything I can say, except that my heart is breaking and how much I love you all. I want to bear my testimony that I know that Thomas S. Monson is a living prophet. I believe in eternal families. I am thankful for my loving Heavenly Father; for my Savior that gave his life so that I may live. I love this gospel and I am so very thankful to have this knowledge. I know that as I stay close with the Lord and walk the straight and narrow path, that eventually good will win. I say these things in the name of thy son Jesus Christ. Amen.

"Each of us will taste the bitter ashes of life, from sin and neglect to sorrow and disappointment. But the atonement of Christ can lift us up in beauty from our ashes on the wings of a sure promise of immortality and eternal life. He will thus lift us up, not only at the end of life, but in each day of our lives."
--Bruce C. Hafen, "Beauty for Ashes: The Atonement of Jesus Christ, Liahona", Apr. 1997, 39

Is It Already April?!?!

2010-04-01T08:30:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe that it is already April! Where has this year gone? Of course, maybe I am the only one who feels like the months have been passing me by like I am standing still. My tulips are slowly coming up. Cooper gets so excited every time we go outside. He always has to check on them and make sure they are still growing. I can't wait for them to bloom! Don't forget that today is April Fool's Day. So, be careful what you fall for!

P.S. My next post is going to be my 200th post!

Let The Spring Sports Season Begin!

2010-03-26T10:40:00.000-07:00

Soccer started this week for Cael, Cason, and Grace. They had their first game on Tuesday. It looks like they had a lot of fun. Below are some pictures that I took at the games. Cooper was so excited to see the twins and Uncle Brent! All during the game he kept asking if he could go say hi to the twins and Uncle Brent. It was pretty cute! Oh, by the way, I have added another widget to my side bar. It is to a blog called Chubby Cheeks Thinks. The blog was just started by my friend Kim. She has great reviews, recipes, coupons, giveaways and more! Go check out her blog and leave her some love!

2010-03-26T10:31:00.001-07:00

Check Out My New Widget

2010-03-17T21:22:00.001-07:00

You will notice over on the right hand side of my blog is a new widget. Pepsi currently has a contest going on called the Pepsi Refresh Project and they are giving away $250K! StopSMA, an organization dedicated to curing SMA, is in third place at the moment. So, please take a few moments, click on the widget and vote for StopSMA! They are currently in 3rd place. The money will go to research. Oh and you can vote everyday until March 31. Thanks so much for all the support for Dakin!

Post Hysterectomy Depression?

2010-03-10T09:29:00.000-08:00

***Disclaimer-This post is a woe is me. So, if you don't feel like reading it then don't. And if you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all! :-) *******

I am just wondering if there is a post hysterectomy depression, kind of like post partum depression. I have been in such a funk lately. It seems like all I do is cry and usually over the stupidest things. I have been trying to get out of the house more and stay busy thinking that will help get me out of this funk. But, that isn't even working. I am still having a very hard time knowing that I cannot have anymore children. It makes me feel like such a failure, especially being LDS. Don't get me wrong, I know how lucky I am to have 2 healthy, beautiful children, but it is still very hard. I see baby clothes and just get so sad that I can't buy them anymore. We have 5 people in our family right now who are pregnant and although I am so very happy for all of them, it definitely makes me sad. So, if anyone has any thoughts as to how I can deal with all this, please let me know. I just ask that you be gentle.

Is It Spring Yet?

2010-03-02T08:40:00.000-08:00

The weather has been absolutely beautiful the past several days! This is most definitely one of my favorite times of year. This winter has been so mild compared to the other winters that we have lived in Washington. I don't think that the groundhog got it right for us in the Columbia Basin. If this is what another 6 weeks of winter looks like, we will take it for sure!

16 and Pregnant

2010-02-26T20:49:00.000-08:00

I am pretty sure that I have said this on here before that I love reality tv. A while ago as I was channel surfing, I stumbled upon the show 16 and Pregnant on MTV. Now, I normally am not a fan of MTV. As I started watching the show, I couldn't help but feel so sad for these girls. Don't get me wrong, I understand that they made the choice to have sex and unprotected sex at that, but it is hard watching these girls struggle to make the right decisions when it comes to the baby. The hardest part for me is that these girls think that their boyfriends are going to be there for them and their child and then their boyfriend dumps them or cheats on them or whatever. Anyways, I just watched an episode and just felt so bad for the girl. Her boyfriend broke up with her when she told him that she was pregnant. I guess they got back together and then he broke up with her again, got back together, and the cycle just continued. Maybe it is because I am older and am not as naive as I used to be, but I want to reach into the tv and tell these girls to kick these guys to the curb and focus on their child and their future.

So, I guess my question for you is, do you think that this show is helpful or hurtful for teen girls? I read an article today about it and I am kind of split on how I feel about it. I think that teenagers need to see the struggles that these girls go through, not just with their boyfriends, but with school, their parents, and their friends. On the other hand, a lot of these girls think that having a baby is just going to be like dressing up a doll. So, what do you think?

Had To Share

2010-02-24T20:25:00.000-08:00

Our Weekend In Tacoma

2010-02-22T18:07:00.000-08:00

Bryce and I went over to Tacoma this past weekend for the state wrestling tournament. Since, this was my first time at state, I really had no clue what it was all about. Friday afternoon, we checked into the hotel and went straight to the Tacoma Dome. We then proceeded to sit there for the next 6 hours watching wrestling. Yes, I said 6 hours! The worst part was that I forgot to bring my book with me and I don't have a smart phone, so I sat there completely bored. Don't get me wrong, there were some good matches, but I didn't know any of the kids wrestling. So, Saturday morning started at 7 a.m. Way to early to be up on a Saturday morning! Off we went to the dome for another long day of wrestling. This time however, I brought a book. The Warden boys and girls did great! Actually, the girls placed the highest they ever have at state this year. After we ate lunch, I stayed back at the hotel and rested and cried because I missed my kids. As much as they drive me CRAZY, I really do miss being away from them longer than a day. Anyways, the Warden boys placed 3rd overall and the girls tied for 6th. The best part of the whole weekend was when we stopped at North Bend and got the kids some clothes. Carter had some super cute dresses! We ended up spending way too much money, but it was totally worth it. The kids had a great time with Kylee and the rest of the Buck's. I cannot thank them enough for watching the kids for us. I think the kids were even a little glad to see us.

Update on Cooper

Thursday afternoon, I decided to take Cooper back to the doctor. I am very gald that I did now. Come to find out, his infection came back as strep. So, the medicine that they had him on (Septra) doesn't work on strep. So, Dr. Bond put him on Amoxicillin. And holy cow, Cooper took it! I was so excited!! Today, I ended up taking him back because it still didn't look good. Cooper got his antibiotic strength upped and some Bactriban to put on his finger. Now, I am worried because the Amoxicillin is now orange, not pink. So, I hope that he will take his medicine. Either that or I am going to ask them to just cut his finger off!!

Update on Cooper

2010-02-18T08:36:00.000-08:00

Well, the infection is not MRSA or staph. So, that is great news! But, he still isn't taking his medicine. Bryce said that we should just soak his finger like we are supposed to and that should take care of the infection. I sure hope so because I don't like holding him down and forcing him to take it.

Randoms

2010-02-15T20:50:00.000-08:00

I have come to realize that our kids are going to pick up all of our bad habits. They both bite their nails (I do that) and Cooper chews on his fingers (Bryce does that). So, on Thursday I noticed that his pointer finger on his left hand looked infected right below the nail. I tried to put some neosporin and a bandaid on it, but Cooper wouldn't leave it on. By Friday, it was looking mighty bad. So, I took him to the walk in clinic and yep, it was definitely infected. The doctor told me to soak it 3 times a day in warm water and Epsom salts. He also prescribed an antibiotic. I really thought that the soaks wouldn't be so bad. You stick your finger in water for a few minutes. What's the big deal? I knew we were going to have some issues with Cooper taking the antibiotic.

We get home and I try to get him to do the soak. Oh my goodness! It was horrible! I eventually got him to soak his finger for a few minutes. Now, the really hard part was at hand. Cooper refused to take his medicine. Did I mention that he is supposed to take it 3 times a day, as well?? Well, I have tried just about everything to get him to take it. I have put it in soooo many different things (from food to drinks) and he always says it tastes funny. No, he doesn't see me put it in there. So, I held him down and tried to force him to take it. Yeah, that didn't go so well. Brye figured he could hold him down and get him to take it. Yeah, not so much. So, Sunday morning, before church, I held him down while Bryce stuck a syringe in his mouth and gave him his medicine that way. He still didn't get the whole amount that he was supposed to, but I guess it is better than nothing. So, today, I again called the walk in clinic and spoke with a nurse. I asked her if there was anyway that we could get the antibiotic changed and she said no. That the medicine that they have him on is in case the wound culture comes back as MRSA and there is no other substitution. She said, "You just have to make him take it." I wanted to ask her did she have kids because it is easier said than done. Hopefully, the wound culture came back today and hopefully it is not MRSA that way we can get it changed. I know that I am about to sound like my mom here (as well as many other moms), but I really hope that Cooper has a child just like him!!

Friday night, I was able to go out with some friends and go see the new movie Valentine's Day. Oh my gosh! It was so good. I laughed and I cried. It was some much needed time away from the kids, even if it was for just a couple of hours. I also thought I would share a picture of the beautiful tulips that Bryce got me for Valentine's day. Even if it was a couple of days early!

What Makes You Feel Pretty?

2010-02-10T21:18:00.000-08:00

Today, I got my hair cut and colored. It had been 6 months since I had last gotten my hair trimmed. So, it was definitely time! I absolutely love it! I only got 3 inches cut off and my layers re-worked, but man, I can tell a difference! I actually feel pretty for once and I think it makes me look a little younger, which I really needed right now as the dreaded 3-0 is in a couple of months. Anyways, so what makes you feel pretty?

Who Dat?

2010-02-08T11:00:00.000-08:00

Well, the Saints won! It was an awesome game! There were a couple of funny commercials, with the doritos and the casual Friday being my favorite. Now, the chant for the Saints is the whole who dat song. I found that it originally came from When The Saints Go Marching In that was sung by Aaron Neville in 1983. I found this video on Youtube and thought it was pretty good. So, enjoy and tell me what your favorite commercial was!

Super Bowl XLIV

2010-02-06T22:35:00.000-08:00

VS

Tomorrow is the last day for professional football. Until, next fall that is. If I had to pick who would win, I would say the Colts. I have been a Colts fan for awhile. I love the Manning brothers!! But, I have always follwed Peyton since he was a quarterback for the University of Tennessee. So, ideally, I would love for the Colts to win. However, it is always nice for the underdog to pull out a win too. And heavens knows, the Saints deserve it! Maybe we will all be singing Who dat? tomorrow. In case you don't know what it is, here are the words: "Who dat? Who dat? Who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints? Who dat? Who dat?" Either way it will be a great game! Oh, and if the game sucks, at least the commercials should be good!

SMA & Dakin

2010-02-03T22:48:00.000-08:00

**I know this post is long, but I would love it if you read through it all. This post is about a very special little boy who needs your help.***

For many women (and some men), blogging is a way to vent, share their ideas, document their lives, and sometimes even find lifelong friends. One of the women that I have come to know is Devon. She is the most amazing woman! But, more than that she has the most beautiful little boy named Dakin. Dakin has SMARD, Spinal Muscular Atrophy with Respiratory Distress (SMARD) is part of the Spinal Muscular Atrophy family of disease. Dakin was 3 months old when he was diagnosed with SMARD. This is the description of Dakin's blog, come along as we chronicle the adventures of a small super hero who has Spinal Muscular Atrophy with Respiratory Distress. We know you will feel the joy that he radiates and find hope in his smile. The first thing that caught my attention when I first started reading about Dakin's journey, was his smile. Seriously, he looks like he is one of the happiest kids on earth!

One of the great things about the blogging world is the inspiration and courage that you get from others. When I think about all that Devon does on a day to day basis, it just amazes me. Here I am complaining about Cooper being a stinker, when I should really be focusing on how lucky I am to have a healthy child. From Devon's blog, I have read about so many other families and their stories about how they live their lives with SMA. The SMA community is a very tight nit community. The parents are there for each other through the good times and the bad. And sometimes it seems like there are more bad times than good. It breaks my heart reading about the families who have lost a child to this disease and the struggles that they face daily. These are some of the strongest people you will ever meet.

I guess the reason why I am sharing Devon and Dakin's story is to help spread the word about SMA. SMA is the number 1 genetic killer of children under the age of 2. There is currently no treatment and no cure, but the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) selected SMA as the disease closest to treatment of more than 600 neurological disorders.Researchers estimate that we are as close as only a few years away from finding a treatment and/or cure.Because scientists know so much about SMA, SMA is considered a "model" disease with direct impact on research into many other diseases potentially benefiting millions of people. Please take 30 seconds and sign the Petition to Cure SMA. This landmark legislation will help SMA afflicted kids as well as a host of other neuromuscular diseases, and perhaps Dakin's as well. Please help us and pass the word along!! www.petitiontocuresma.com

I think I could go on and on about Devon, Dakin, and the many other families out there that are struggling to find a cure for this disease. Please visit Devon and Dakin at their blog http://ventsuperman.blogspot.com/. Lastly, I would like to leave this poem with you that I found on the internet. It was written by Kim Ambrose. Devon, this is for you.

Little boy, my little man, light and love of my life,
So precious, so gentle, you are my shelter, my shining light.
You are totally dependant on me, on your own there is nothing you can do,
But little man, this may surprise you, for I am just as dependant on you.

We seem to make each other stronger, just by us being together,
Sometimes when I hold you, I wish that moment would last forever.
At times when things get me down, I want to just sit with you for a while,
So you can speak to me with your eyes, and run to me with your smile.

Moments we've spent together are some of the happiest I've ever had,
I want to laugh with you when you are happy, and cry with you when you are sad.
I want us to lean on each other as we continue to grow together,
Because the love I have for you, little man, is a love that will last forever.

Some people may see a mountain and think it's much too high to climb,
But to you and I it's simply another hill, it's just a bit bigger this time.
We have some challenges ahead of us, but together these challenges we'll
get through,
And I thank God everyday for this special gift, this special gift that is you.

Happy Groundhog's Day!

2010-02-02T09:26:00.000-08:00

Well, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow today, which means six more weeks of winter. Now for those of us living in Washington, this has been a very mild winter this year. So, I guess six more weeks of winter won't be too bad. Since I grew up in the south, we always had Gen. Beauregard Lee to tell us whether will have an early spring or six more weeks of winter. Today, Gen. Beauregard Lee did not see his shadow. So, the south should be having an early spring this year, which I know they will love since it has been colder than normal this winter. Hope everyone has a great Groundhog's Day!

Might Be Going Private

2010-01-31T10:12:00.000-08:00

So, over the last week, I have recieved some comments on my blog that were a little off. I don't want to make my blog private because there are many different people that read my blog. Good people, kind people. However, if I continue to get weird comments, it will be in my family's best interest to go private. So, I just wanted to give everyone a head's up.

The Trying Three's

2010-01-25T20:58:00.000-08:00

It is a common misconception, in my opinion anyway, that most moms think that the 2's are going to be the most challenging. The longer I have been a mom, the more I have heard the 2's are nothing compared to the 3's. I have also heard that the 4's are pretty trying as well. In retrospect, Cooper's 2's really weren't that bad. But, man these 3's are most definitely trying. And he has only been 3 for 2 weeks! I never knew that being 3 meant lots of whining, crying, TANTRUMS, and basically acting like a baby all over again. I hope that this "phase" doesn't last too long. Because if it does, you can find me at the Grant Co. Mental Health hospital!

Coins For Comment

2010-01-23T19:43:00.000-08:00

One of the hair blogs that I follow knows a couple who are in the process of adopting from Haiti. They have been trying to adopt these children for 2 years now. Of course, since the earthquake everything is just chaos. So, anyways, the lady that does the blog is donating 10 cents for every comment left on this particular post. Please head over there and check it out and leave a comment! I am having a hard time putting the link to the blog in my post. So, here is the blog address: http://babesinhairland.blogspot.com. If anyone knows how to put a link in my post, please let me know!!! And thanks for helping out this couple!

A New Beginning

2010-01-20T21:31:00.000-08:00

Well, last night was Bryce's last night at the hospital. He starts his new job tomorrow at the home health agency. I just really hope that he likes it. Heavens knows, I didn't like doing home health! Hopefully, this will be a positive change for us and our family.

On another note, I have a very hard time understanding why people hold grudges or lie when it is something that they initiated. Does that make sense? Kind of like when a man cheats on his wife and decides that he doesn't want to be married anymore. So, the wife moves on and finds someone else (now they were in the process of getting their divorce) who loves her, cares for her, and he feels the same. So, why is it that the husband who cheated and didn't want to be married anymore turns it all around to where it is the wife's fault? Maybe I will never understand it, but wouldn't telling the truth, as hard as it is, be the best thing to do? Does trashing someone to mutual friends make you happier, cooler, or the better person? Sorry, I guess I am just trying to understand the way some people think and how they can live with themselves for the things they have done and said.

Some thoughts

2010-01-17T22:32:00.002-08:00

I am going to start this post letting everyone know that I am going to be talking about my thoughts and feelings about some things. So, if you don't really want to know, skip this post and just look at some new pics of the kids. They are pretty cute if you ask me!

I have been trying very hard to be OK about not being able to have anymore kids. But, in all honesty, it still hurts, as bad as when we were told we needed to be done having children. Although, I am so very thankful for Cooper and Sara, there are still times when I feel like our life just isn't complete. I love holding babies and snuggling with them. It just feels right. Even though, I am so very happy for everyone that is pregnant and just had a baby. I love seeing all the new little spirits that have been brought into our family. I guess I am just feeling a little down about everything. I have hoped that over time, that I would start feeling a little better about things. Maybe I just need to give myself a little more time. So, if I seem a little sad sometimes, know that it is not anything that you have done. Or, if I ask to hold your baby, just know that I am trying to move on and anywhere I can get some baby lovin', I am going to try. So, y'all just keep poppin out babies for me to love and dote on!

2010-01-17T22:32:00.001-08:00

Happy 3rd Birthday Cooper!

2010-01-12T22:37:00.000-08:00

Cooper 1 day old
Cooper 1 yr old
Cooper 2yrs old
Cooper 3 yrs old

Yesterday, our little boy turned 3. I cannot believe that Cooper is 3! Where does the time go?!?! I remember having him like it was just yesterday. My pregnancy with Cooper was a great one! We thought that we were going to be having a little girl who we were going to name Sara Elisabeth. Boy, were we shocked when the doctor told us oops, it's a boy. Thank goodness we found that out 3 days before Cooper was born. Looking back now, I know that we were blessed with Cooper for a reason. Or maybe it is just that Heavenly Father has a great sense of humor!

Cooper has grown so much over the past year. He is 39 inches tall (75-90%) and he weighs 31lbs (25-50%). He started pre school this fall and is loving every minute of it! It amazes me how quickly he learns things. He knows his ABC's (most of them anyway, he skips a couple around k, but picks up again with p), can count to 10, can spell his name, write his name, knows all of his shapes and colors, asks tons of questions, loves to read, loves to draw, loves to play with ALL of his cousins, and he loves to dance! Cooper is also a very loving child. He will come up to me and hug me and tell me how much he loves me or tell me to have sweet dreams when I go to take a nap. Cooper is such a joy to have in our life when he is not driving us crazy!! Our lives would certainly be boring without him in it.

I hope that Cooper knows just how much we love him and how proud he makes us each and every day. I am so grateful to have been giving the opportunity to raise him, teach him, and love him. He truly is such a blessing! Now, if he would only go to bed!! Anyways, happy birthday kiddo! We love you more than you will ever know!!

Welcom Home Elder Buck!

2010-01-06T00:41:00.000-08:00

Bryce's cousin Chance just returned home last night from his mission. I have never experienced the return of a missionary before. I do have to say though, Chance did it in style! His flight was supposed to land at 10:38. Well, I rode to Moses with Rick, Grandma Cox and Aunt Deby. We got to the airport right around 10. When we walked in the doors, there was no one there(OK there were some strangers, but no family). A plane had just landed several minutes prior to us arriving at the airport. So, by the time we walked into the terminal the passengers were getting off the plane. We were hoping that that wasn't Chance's plane since no one was there yet. But, sure enough I saw someone with a suit on. So, when we were able to see the person with the suit on, it was indeed Chance. Even though, his parents weren't there or his siblings, he looked so happy. After, he hugged all of us, we called his mom. Aunt Sharon thought I was calling again wanting to know what time I was supposed to be at the airport. Little did she know that it was Chance! So, after waiting for a few minutes, we saw several cars pull up and park. The next thing I saw was Haley and Kylee running towards the doors. It was so awesome to witness these sisters being reunited with their brother after 2 years. Of course, nothing compared to Chance reuniting with his parents. You could feel the love in the room. Anyways, more and more of the family showed up and by the time Chance's plane should have landed, everyone was there. It was such an incredible experience and I am so glad that I went. I know how very proud we all are of Chance and the work that he has done for our Heavenly Father. I can't wait to see all the great things that future holds for Chance. We have missed you and are so glad that you are home!! Welcome back Chance!

Help Find This Missing Mom

2010-01-04T19:38:00.000-08:00

Out With The Old and In With The New

2009-12-31T19:16:00.000-08:00

I know that most of us make New Year's resolutions almost every year. I don't know about anybody else, but I can never seem to keep mine longer than a week or two. I thought that maybe if I posted my resolutions here, then y'all can hold me accountable. So, without further ado, here they are.

1. be sealed to Bryce and the kids
2. daily family prayer
3. daily family scripture
4. write in a journal at least 3x a week

These goals don't seem like they are too hard to achieve (except maybe for the sealing part, but we are just waiting on word from the First Presidency). I know it is just going to have be getting into the habit of doing those things. So, may you all have a very happy and safe new year! May 2010 be all that you wish for and more!

As the year comes to an end...

2009-12-29T14:03:00.000-08:00

So, with 2009 coming to an end, I have been doing a lot of reflecting over the past year and all the changes and the accomplishments that have been made thus far. We were finally able to go visit my family in Florida this summer. This was the first time that they had met Sara and the first time for many of them to meet Cooper.Bryce and the kids also went to Disney World for their first time. We were also able to meet my brother's newest son, Justin. Bryce and I went to our very first NFL game with some of Bryce's brothers. In October, my mom was able to come up and visit us. It was nice for someone in my family to finally see where we live and get to spend some quality time with the kids. So, here is a run down of what the family has been up to over the past year.

Cooper-The biggest change is Cooper's life this year, has been that he started pre school. He is such a smart kid and loves to learn and ask questions. Lots of questions! He can count to 10 (and a little further sometimes), spell his name, recognize his name, and he knows some of his ABC's. Cooper loves to draw and has become quite a car drawer. He loves to help no matter what it is. He is also one of the most stubbornest children I know. (I have no clue where he gets it from. :-))Cooper is also a very sweet child, at times. He always gives hugs and kisses and tells me how much he loves me. There are times when he will just come up to me and give me a hug and tells me that he loves me. He has just recently started telling me sweet dreams when I go take a nap. When, I got home from the hospital, he took such great care of me. He "tucked" me in when I went to go lay down. Cooper also loves to "kiss" your boo boo's to make them better. He is such a blessing to have in our lives. Now, if only I could get him potty trained!!

Sara-What a year Ms. Sara has had! She has had tons of first this year. Sara went on her first plane ride this summer. Sara was very lucky to be able to celebrate her 1st birthday with my family, as well as at Disney World. When we got home from Disney, Sara had another party with Bryce's family. She began walking shortly after her birthday. Sara also went swimming for the 1st time, which she didn't really like. She has started talking (finally!). Her vocabulary is at about 10-15 words. She is learning new words every day. As Sara has grown, we have noticed how much she is looking like Cara. I do believe that Cara is one of Sara's favorites. Sara is one of the happiest little girls, but when she gets mad, boy she lets you know it! She is such a daddy's girl! Sara is also a bit of a monkey. She loves to climb on EVERYTHING!! I am so thankful that Heavenly Father has blessed me with such a beautiful, blue eyed little girl.

Bryce-Well, in comparison to the kids, he hasn't had such an interesting year. Bryce is still working at Samaritan in the Special Care Unit. Unfortunately, Samaritan laid off about 45 people before Christmas. In order for Bryce to keep his job, he had to go back to working nights. He has done a wonderful job of providing for our family. I am so glad that he did marry Francis. Because if had never married her, then I never would have had the chance to meet him and fall in love. Bryce is such a wonderful husband! I couldn't ask for anything more!

Me-Once again, my life has not been all that interesting. I have just been trying to learn how to be a better mother and wife. The biggest change in my life has been me having a hysterectomy. After months and months of dealing with the wonderful issues of being a woman, the problem was fixed. This has been one of the hardest things that I have had to do in my life. It has been 2 1/2 weeks since my surgery and I am doing good. I have my good days and my bad days. It is kind of hard to take care of 2 little ones, while doing the things my doctor would want me to do. Luckily, Bryce was able to take 2 weeks off to help me out around the house and be the mom. I would be lying if I said that I am completely fine with everything. It is still hard to see a woman pregnant or find out that someone you know is pregnant. It is hard knowing that I will never be pregnant again. I will never have the opportunity to bring another child into this world. As hard as this has been, I have to say that I have learned so much about myself this past year. I have never been this happy in my life. (OK, maybe when I was in high school.) I am the luckiest woman in the world! I have a wonderful, loving husband, and 2 beautiful children. I don't think there is anything more in this world that I want. Well, except to be sealed to Bryce, Cooper, and Sara for all eternity and world peace. Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-24T20:23:00.000-08:00

I found this on lds.org/topic/christmas. I'm not sure who said this, but it really puts things into perspective.

The gift of Christmas isn't wrapped up in presents or parties. The gift of Christmas is Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten of the Father, the Son of God. As you follow Him, you put people first. You may spend less time in lines and more time serving others. You may spend less money on - and more time with - the people you love. You may lose yourself and you may find everything else that matters.

Christmas Spirit

2009-12-23T21:13:00.000-08:00

With Christmas just 2 days away, I wanted to share this video.

A Song For Mormons

2009-12-18T21:15:00.000-08:00

2009-12-15T21:09:00.001-08:00

A Little Silly

2009-12-10T22:05:00.000-08:00

Twas the night before my uterus comes out and all through the house, the kids are snuggled in their bed, while visions of furniture to climb dance through their heads. Bryce laying on the couch and me eating jello and broth. When arose such a growling stomach. Bryce jumped from the couch to see what was the matter. Away to the fridge he flew like a flash. Threw open the door stood aback. When, what to my hungry eyes did I see, but a cup of orange jello!just for me! With a husband so kind and dear, I knew that Heavenly Father sent him here to be my one and only. As I get ready to head to bed, I remind myself of all the things to be thankful for in my head. As a new day approaches, my life will be forever changed. So, thank you to those who have thought about me in my time of need.

Just Some Random Thoughts

2009-12-08T21:52:00.001-08:00

The past couple of weeks have been some very long and hard ones for us. So, forgive me if my thoughts are kind of jumbled up. I just needed to be able to put it down and see if that helps clear my mind some.

With the way the economy is, everyone that has a job should feel very lucky, as well as, blessed. Bryce learned a month or two ago that the hospital was going to be making some cuts. We were a little nervous that Bryce might be one of the ones to lose his job, since he has only been at the hospital a little over 2 years. Well, Bryce kept his job, but unfortunately 45 others did not. The only setback for us (which I guess it depends on how you look at it), is that Bryce will no longer be on day shift. He will be working nights again. Even though, I am very grateful that he still has a job, I am nervous about what I am going to do with the kids during the day while he is trying to sleep. I know that everything work out the way it needs to, I just have to keep reminding myself.

I have also been having some health issues. Actually, I have been having them for over a year now and finally will get some closure from it all this week. I have had lots of female issues for years, but since I had Sara, my body decided to become even more crazy. I went to my family doctor to try and figure out what was going. After 9 months, I decided to go to my OBGYN. The first thing she asked me and Bryce was, were we done having children. Boy, was that a bit of a shock to me. We of course said that we had no idea. So, we made a game plan and then we went home and talked and talked and talked. I couldn't really make a decision one way or another. I finally asked Bryce what he thought we should do and he said that we needed to be done having kids. I guess, there was a part of me that knew that the decision was the right one. It is just a very hard decision to make when you are only 29, with 2 young children. I researched the procedure that the doctor wanted to do and I just wasn't sure if that was the right thing to do for me. So, once again Bryce and I had a lengthy discussion and finally came to the decision for me to have a partial hysterectomy. Basically, I will keep my ovaries and then have everything else taken out. So, as of Friday, I will no longer be able to have children.

I keep trying to tell myself that I am so lucky to have 2 healthy, beautiful, and happy children. I know that there are so many families out there that can't have any biological children of their own. But, in all honesty, I am so very sad. I am sad that I will never get to experience being pregnant again. I am sad that I will never get to hold my own newborn again. I am sad that I am not able to give Cooper and Sara a little brother or sister. I am sad that I will not be able to give Bryce another child. I am sad that I feel like a failure as a woman. So, on Friday my life will change drastically once again. I just pray that everything goes smoothly and that my recovery is fast.

2009-12-07T22:10:00.001-08:00

It's been a while

2009-12-04T22:14:00.000-08:00

So, I took a very long break from the blogging world and I am going to try to get back into it. I have a very hard time being able to express myself when I have to censor what I say or how I say things so that some people don't get offended. When I found out that someone was reading my blog and then controling our lives because of the things that I said on here, I was just turned off by blogging. We moved thousands of miles away so that we could have our own lives and not be controlled anymore. So, I will say this here and now. If I say something on this blog that you (and you know who you are) do not like, please don't take it out on my husband, who has nothing to do with what I write, take it up with me. I started this blog to be a record of our lives. So, that one day my children can look back and read about some of the crazy things they did. Anyways, I am sorry that I have been gone for so long. I hope that some of my regulars will come back and continue to read and give support where needed. Thanks so much to everyone who has been an inspiration to me through my blog, as well as their own.

2009-12-03T22:46:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Some Family Firsts

2009-10-06T21:54:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday, Cooper went on his very first field trip. His preschool went to an apple orchard in Royal City. It was also my very first time going to Royal and an apple orchard. The kids had so much fun! They were able to pick a ton of apples. I was amazed to see everyone of the children eating an apple. I guess I just assume that most kids don't like fruit. I will tell you this though, apples just picked off the tree are delicious!

Today was yet another first for our family. We have been so blessed to have healthy children who have not been majorly hurt or injured or even really that sick. I guess our luck was bound to change eventually. This morning while I was getting ready for a doctor's appt, Sara got her thumb slammed in a door. I'm not quite sure what happened, but when I heard her screaming bloody murder, I knew it was bad. I guess she was trying to go into Cooper's room and he didn't want her in there. So, being a 2 1/2 yr old her slammed his door shut. Well, Sara's thumb was in the door jam (where the hinges are). When Bryce brought her into the kitchen, I thought I was about to die. Her thumb was so dented in, that it was crooked. It was also bleeding around her nail.

So, we ended up taking Sara to the doctor. We just wanted to make sure that everything was OK. If Bryce had his way, we probably wouldn't have taken her in. But, I was freaking out a little. Anyways, when we saw the PA, she said that kids this age usually don't break their bones because they are still a little soft. She went ahead and ordered an x-ray just to make sure everything was fine. Well, lo and behold, Sara had a small fracture in her thumb. Since it was bleeding and had a little cut, it is considered an open fracture. So, Sara is now on antibiotics for the first time. She seems to be doing OK, compensating with her other hand and still playing and wanting to be around her brother.

Hey There Delilah

2009-09-27T18:31:00.000-07:00

So Much To Catch Up On

2009-09-20T12:05:00.000-07:00

So, I have been very neglectful of my blog the past couple of weeks. I wish I had a good excuse for it, but I really don't. Sorry.

Hmmm....where should I start? Well, the biggest change has been that Cooper has started pre school. He has now been going for about 2 weeks. I was really worried that he would have some seperation issues. However, the first day that I took Cooper, he told me, "Okay mommy, you can leave." It was so hard for me to leave him, especially since I felt like he didn't need his mommy anymore. As soon as I walked ou the front door, I started crying. That has got to be one of the hardest things that I have ever done so far as being a mom. I was so nervous. When I went to pick him up 4hrs later, he was having so much fun! His teacher said that he did great and that he was definitely ready for school. So far, Cooper has gotten to paint, play with clay, and make corn tortillas! So far he is loving every minute of it! Cooper will also be going on his first field trip at the end of the month. His school will be going to an apple orchard. Hopefully, I will be able to go with him since I have never been to an apple orchard.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-08-26T10:39:00.000-07:00

Quote of The Day

2009-08-25T11:59:00.000-07:00

Motherhood is not for wimps.

The Woman on p. 194

2009-08-22T22:11:00.000-07:00

When it comes to fashion and beauty magazines, most of the women featured in them look like models rather than a "regular" woman. As I got onto the internet the other day, this article caught my attention: http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/blogs/vitamin-g/2009/08/on-the-cl-the-picture-you-cant.html
The article is about feeling comfortable in your own skin. Sure wish I felt that way. Anyways, the photo that went along with the story was of a woman named Lizzi Miller. She is, in fact, a model. A plus size model. (She wears a size 12-14.) The reason why and so many other women loved this photo was because it is a picture of a beautiful woman, sitting in nothing but "her underwear with a smile on her face and a belly that looks...wait for it...normal." It was so refreshing to see a "real" woman in a fashion and beauty magazine. A real woman who has a belly and stretch marks. A real woman who loves herself no matter what others think of her. So, here is to you, the woman on p. 194!! Thanks for being such a great role model for girls everywhere! And me. Hopefully, I will be just as confident you are one day.

The "New" New Moon Trailer

2009-08-21T17:49:00.000-07:00

Thankful Thursday

2009-08-20T12:05:00.000-07:00

1. living in the USA
2. Bryce
3. for my brother who is in the Marines

Wordless Wednesday

2009-08-19T08:50:00.000-07:00

Friends

2009-08-17T11:03:00.000-07:00

“True friendship is like sound health; the value of it is seldom known until it is lost.”
Charles Caleb Colton

Larry the Cable Guy-Words of Wisdom

2009-08-14T10:51:00.000-07:00

1. A day without sunshine is like night.
2. On the other hand, you have different fingers.
3. 42.7 percent of all statistics are made up on the spot.
4. He who laughs last, thinks slowest.
5. Support bacteria. They're the only culture most people have.
6. A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.
7. Change is inevitable, except from vending machines.
8. If you think nobody cares, try missing a couple of payments.
9. When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
10. How much deeper would the ocean be without sponges?
11. Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.
12. What happens if you get scared half to death, twice?
13. Why do psychics have to ask you your name?
14. Inside every older person is a younger person wondering, 'What the heck happened?'
15. Light travels faster than sound. That's why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
16. Life isn't like a box of chocolates. It's more like a jar of jalapenos. What you do today, might burn your butt tomorrow.

Just thought we should end the week with some funny thoughts. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Thankful Thursday

2009-08-13T10:34:00.000-07:00

It is going to be very hard for me to think of things that I am thankful for today since I woke up on the wrong side of the bed. But, I am going to try.

1. the cooler weather
2. nap time/bed time (too bad it's not nap time right now.)
3. Courtney- she has been such a help to me lately

Wordless Wednesday

2009-08-12T15:06:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: I just had to post these pictures. They are too funny! I just hope I don't get killed or disowned for doing so. Hopefully, everyone will find just as funny as me.

2009-08-10T22:29:00.001-07:00

The Transformation

2009-08-10T21:49:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, the first steps were taken for us to finally have a yard. We have lived in our house now for about a year and we have not had a yard. Well, I guess we did it was just full of weeds and holes. So, anyways, the elders quorom came over bright and early Saturday morning and went to work scraping the top layer of the grass off, cutting down the apple tree, and moving LOTS of dirt around the yard to try and make it more even. The yard looks amazing and all it is right now is a bunch of dirt. But, it is a beginning! Cooper had so much fun getting to play in the dirt. I don't think I have ever seen him this dirty before. He had mud caked on his pants and his shoes. I still haven't gotten his shoes clean yet! Cooper was also in love with the tractors that they had brought in. Even Sara loved them! I just want to say thank you so much to everyone that came over and helped us! We really appreciate it!

Just Had to Share

2009-08-07T20:48:00.001-07:00

So, a couple of weeks ago I posted a video of a wedding party dancing into their ceremony. Well, I found this video yesterday of the same couple and just wanted to share it. Bryce and I laughed so hard when we saw it. When you watch it, you will know why we laughed so hard. (hint: something in Bryce's previous life!)

Thankful Thursday

2009-08-06T16:03:00.000-07:00

1. chocolate
2. the little bit of rain we got yesterday
3. my new friend Vicki

Wordless Wednesday

2009-08-05T13:30:00.001-07:00

Busy Couple of Days

2009-08-04T11:39:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was busy and fun. We also experienced some firsts this weekend. On Friday, I took the kids with me to Tri Cities. And of course, I kind of got lost, again. It was such a long day with those 2! They just wear me out sometimes. Thank goodness, I was able to meet Courtney over there and she helped me quite a bit with them. Cooper was so excited that Courtney was with us.

Saturday, I went to the Farmer's Market with Kristi and her mom. After the Farmer's Market, we went on the Tour of Homes (or whatever they call it) in Moses Lake. It was sooo HOT! We saw some amazing houses and some that were so-so for the price they were wanting. I love looking at houses and seeing how they are decorated or how the walls are painted. It gives me lots of ideas for our house. I even took some pictures of one particular house that I fell in love with. (Yeah, I know I'm weird!) After the tour of homes, I met up with Bryce and the kids and went to lunch. Then, we were supposed to go to the free concert in Moses Lake that evening, but Bryce decided he would rather play poker with his brothers than spend time with me, sniff sniff.

On Sunday, it was our usual routine. Church, naps, Grandma and Grandpa's. While we were up at Grandma and Grandpa's, Cooper got stung by a bee (a cutter bee) 3 three times! So, that was an experience for us. Cooper was a trooper though! Meanwhile, while we were up there Sara was just a fussy bucket the whole time. So, after we got home and put the kids in bed, Bryce and I decided to relax a little bit. After we had been in bed for a couple of hours, we woke up to Sara screaming. I just thought she needed a bottle and all would be good. Well, when I went into her room to check on her and her room reaked of throw up. Poor baby had thrown up all over her bed. So, we changed her sheets and changed her pajamas and wouldn't you know, she threw up again. Once again, I changed her clothes and took her into her room and started to rock her. Well, not 3 minutes later, she threw up again. Again, I started to rock her and she finally fell asleep and slept the rest of the night. That was our first experience with middle of the night throwing up. Hopefully, we won't have to experience that again anytime soon!

Yesterday, we went to the Aquatic Center and let the kids play in the water for a little bit. Well, Cooper played and Sara just screamed the whole time. Brent and Cindy and their kids were there also. So, Cooper had a blast playing with everyone. After we left the Aquatic Center, we all went to Dairy Queen for dinner. I so needed that blizzard! It was delicious!

Thankful Thursday

2009-07-30T11:46:00.000-07:00

1. friends
2. family
3. being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Wordless Wednesday

2009-07-29T09:33:00.001-07:00