Our Life

Leaving Tijuana.

2012-01-19T22:10:00.000-08:00

Last night we packed up the car, and by packed, I mean our car is packed and every inch of available space has been used. (Please remind me of this when I am tempted to buy ANYTHING.)

We had our last taco feast:

We had a friend come over to take all of the food and cleaning supplies that we couldn't take with us. She gave us some cookies to take with us on the road, and then we were ready to go.

We woke up early and took our last family picture in our Tijuana home.

We crossed the border for the last time. I am not going to miss the border. AT. ALL. I think I have mentioned that before, so I won't dwell on it.

The border- for the last time.

Now for home leave. We are so excited to visit with our friends and family.

Saying Goodbye.

2012-01-18T22:32:00.001-08:00

One of the hardest things about moving is leaving friends.

One of the best things about moving is the excuse to get together with friends.

Double Date with Corey and Mark.

The moms and kids of our playgroup.

The ladies I work with at church.

We had a few other going away get togethers, unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures.

It doesn't mean I like them any less.

I have made so many fabulous lifelong friends here- both in Tijuana and San Diego.

I will miss you, but you will always be in my heart.

Changes and houseplants.

2012-01-06T15:54:00.000-08:00

I have a lot that I need to do. However, I just came home from having a root canal, and don't feel like doing much. I was looking at pictures and marveling at the changes our family has gone through, particularly Thomas. When we arrived, he was still a baby. Now he is an energetic toddler.

We have all changed a lot. Some of our changes are quite obvious, and some we keep inside.

Thomas grew from this:

To this:

Jack grew from this:

To this:

We all went from:

To:

My heart is sad as we prepare to move. We have met incredible people, and it is hard to leave.

However, I have come to find that the people I love are a part of me forever, and I take them along with me. In both my thoughts and my prayers.

Now the houseplant portion of the post.

I don't have the traditional "roots" that a lot of people speak of, but I don't want to be left out of the botanical metaphor. Therefore, I have decided that I am a houseplant. I have roots, but I take them wherever I go. Everyone I have met has become a part of who I am, and who I will become. Maybe this doesn't work for everyone. So far, it has worked for me.

Another thing about being a houseplant- there is potential to plant it in the ground to become a permanent feature.

Who knows, maybe someday.

Today, I am hoping that it will be in San Diego.

Not only for the amazing people, but for the perfect weather.

Favorites of 2011.

2011-12-28T12:43:00.001-08:00

Welcome to my wrap-up of 2011. This year has been a year of discovery. Maybe since I turned thirty, I was more open for change, more open to change up my "normal". I found some new favorite things this year, and since I love it when people tell me about their favorite things...I thought I would tell you some of the things I discovered this year.

MUSIC:
There are very few albums that I like to listen to the entire thing, but this year, there were several.
(The release date might be earlier than this year, but I started listening to it in the last twelve months.)

Mumford and Sons- Sigh No More. Awesome album. I listen to it a lot, however, one of the tracks "Little Lion Man", has the "f" word in it. We can't find the clean version...any ideas?
One Republic-Waking Up. This album came out awhile ago, but it is full of really great songs.
Adele- 21. AWESOME. I listen to "Someone Like You" on repeat. I sing it as loudly as I can every time it comes on, which makes the boys laugh. Good times.
Jenny Oaks Baker- Wish Upon a Star and The Best of Jenny Oaks Baker. Jenny Oaks Baker is a fabulous violinist. This music is relaxing, and when the boys are tired in the car, they ask to listen to it. I saw her perform in person twice this year. She is a lovely person, with incredible talent. The Wish Upon a Star is a Disney themed album and one of my favorites is "A Whole New World" as a tango. Fabulous.

BOOKS:
I love to read, but since I had classes this year, I didn't have a lot of time for reading. As soon as I finished my classes in August, I started reading. I have found new favorites:

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. Seriously an awesome book. It is long, but well worth it. There are a lot of philosophical ideas -most I agreed with, some I did not. Whether you agree with everything, it is a really thought provoking book. Loved it.
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand.
Room by Emma Donoghue.
Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
The Stephanie Plum Series by Janet Evanovich. I saw a preview for the first book being turned into a movie (One for the Money), and I started reading the series. It is about a bounty hunter from New Jersey. Probably the funniest books I have ever read, I find myself laughing out loud- a lot. Only negative- there is quite a bit of swearing.

BEAUTY PRODUCTS:
When I walk into the make-up section of a store, I am overwhelmed by how many beauty products there are. Here are some of the ones I found that work for me.

Erase Paste by Benefit (Sephora). This is my very first concealer/under eye cream, and it is a dream. I feel like I look younger as soon as I put it on. (I put it on after I use my foundation/tinted moisturizer.)
Tinted Moisturizer. Seriously, I had not used this until this year, and now I am in love. I was using Laura Mercier (Sephora), but that was too expensive. I found some at Target that fit my budget more, it is the Boots brand. It has been working perfectly, and it is a fraction of the cost.
Luminizer. This is a great product. It makes my skin luminous. I had no idea how to use this, but one of my friends showed me how. I use High Beam by Benefit (Sephora), I got it as a sample, and am almost out. I am going to try the Boots brand for this as well. I have found if there is a product I want to know how to use, head to Sephora (or any make-up counter) and ask.
Coconut Oil. My friends, it has changed my life. I use it for EVERYTHING. Moisturizer, eye make-up remover, lotion, anytime I need moisture, I use it. I buy mine at Trader Joe's but you can buy it anywhere. It is in a semi-solid state until it is warmed up. I know it sounds weird to put oil on your face, but it really is amazing. My skin has been fantastic since I started using it. The real test will be using it in Utah's dry climate.

I would love to hear about any products, music, books, anything that you have fallen in love with this year, or ever really. Go ahead, share the love.

What would a wrap-up post from me be without pictures? Here are a few of my favorites from 2011.

Thomas:

Jack:

Ben and me:

Happy New Year! May 2012 bring you happiness and adventure.

(At least until the world ends in December)

Best Christmas. EVER.

2011-12-25T09:18:00.000-08:00

As declared by our precious year old, after opening his presents.

This was, indeed, the best Christmas ever.

Merry Christmas to friends and family, wherever you may be.

Nothing says Christmas Eve like a snowball fight in 60 degree weather.

2011-12-24T17:17:00.000-08:00

I had Christmas Eve planned out. We were going to spend the day listening to Christmas music, and I was going to cook a scrumptious feast.

We changed our plans when we were told about a church activity in the afternoon. Then, the church thing was cancelled, and Ben was looking forward to a non-feast sort of day.

So we went to Sea World.

They have a special Christmas Celebration, including Snow World.

We went and threw snow balls, (although after we did the loud speaker came on announcing that throwing snowballs was prohibited) built a mini snow man, and frolicked in the white stuff.

Warm weather + snow = a life long dream come true.

Happy Christmas Eve.

Fly Me Away.

2011-12-22T08:43:00.000-08:00

I had a really clever idea this year for sending off our letters to Santa. BALLOONS! We were going to write our letters, attach them to some balloons, and send them off to the North Pole. Brilliant, creative, and just amazing, right? Yeah...no.

I had high hopes- see they love the balloons.

It could have been a great idea if every thing went as planned, but it didn't. First, we got the balloons, and the boys were so excited! We went home to write our letters, and I wrote mine, just as I was supposed to. I asked for some outrageous things like world peace, ginormous diamond earrings, a new car, you know totally non-realistic, but AWESOME requests. The kids started out strong, but ended up throwing their lists on the ground, refusing to finish, and refusing to pose for the camera so that I could document my amazing idea. Seriously, kids. They obviously don't understand my need to record every moment of creative genius that I have.
It all deflated from there. The fits continued and I gave up. Fine. I guess Santa won't get his letter this year. Fine.
Then Ben came home from work, and I went to bed. It was a rough day.

We could save the balloons for tomorrow.

Maybe not.

Deflated.

My genius.

My creativity.

The balloons.

Deflated.

Now on to my next amazing idea...

The end of the fence.

2011-12-19T09:08:00.001-08:00

One of the things I have wanted to do since we arrived was to see the border meet the ocean.

We finally made it. I thought there would be more of a fence in the ocean. It doesn't seem as intimidating as I thought it would be. Although, we could see Border Patrol through the fence, watching, waiting.

My favorite part was seeing all of the different sayings and pictures on the fence. The one with the balloons reminds me of the movie "Night Crossing". The picture of a sickle and hammer reminds me of living in Moscow.

Fancy Pants.

2011-12-17T09:08:00.000-08:00

Did you know that I love to dress up and do fancy things? I think it might be one of my favorite things.

One of my friends invited me to the Victorian Tea at the Hotel Del, which is the historic and iconic hotel on Coronado Island, in San Diego. I couldn't say no, I didn't want to say no. It is what my dreams are made of. Fancy hats, fancy foods, and hooty-tootyness.

I loved every moment.

Thank you friend.

And thank you other friends for letting my kids play with yours.

-I owe you both.-

Preparation: Not thinking about it.

2011-12-14T12:29:00.002-08:00

Moving is hard. No matter how many times you do it, there are always some challenges. Not to mention leaving awesome friends, not knowing when you will see them again.

This move is no different.

In order to take my mind off the frustrations and the sadness, I find as many things I can to take my mind off moving.

This time I have several things:

Christmas. Nothing like buying more stuff to pack up to take my mind off of moving.
Going on home leave. We get about a month to go "home" and spend time with family and friends. This time, for part of our "leave", we get to go to Seattle to see my parents. Neither Ben or I have been to the area, and we are so excited!
On our road trip across the USA, we are going to be able to see my sister and her new baby!
We have a few months of training, and we are going to try to make it up to New Jersey to see all of our Jersey friends. That, and some time in NYC!
This is the best one: there is a good chance that we will be able to go to Paris on our way out to Sri Lanka!

Ben and I have wanted to go to Paris together since Jack and I went (without Ben- because he was in training). Paris. Even if just for a day, it is something to look forward too. Even if we are all jet-lagged and tired. Even if we only get a few hours. That is all we need to go to a few spots, take some pictures and eat some good food.

Now if we can figure out a way to have a babysitter in Paris...

Pictures from the trip Jack and I took to Paris in 2007.

We went with my parents, one brother, and two sisters.

It was an awesome trip, and I am excited to go back.
(Can you believe how little Jack is? )

The great thing about looking forward to something is even if it doesn't work out the way I have it in my mind (which is almost certain), it is getting me through the next few weeks.

For right now, that is what I need.

Waiting.

2011-12-10T16:07:00.001-08:00

This week I feel like half my life was spent waiting in line at the border.

Recalculating.

2011-12-09T14:34:00.001-08:00

Today I got lost driving home from Ben's work. I made two mistakes.
1. I had my cell phone in my purse, locked in the trunk.
2. I listened to my GPS.

The first mistake prevented me from calling Ben for some directional help.
The second mistake took me from dead end to dead end up 90 degree hills.
After twenty minutes of recalculating, I finally turned off the GPS and figured out my way home.

This experience was quite coincidental, because the first week we were in Tijuana, we got lost in almost the same place. Almost two years later, I had the confidence that I could find my way home, if I could find a main road. I didn't feel completely lost, just frustrated that I wasn't where I wanted to be.

I have totally changed the way I see Tijuana-- it used to be unknown and intimidating. Now, it is home.

I really look forward to making Colombo our new home. I can't wait to drive home from the airport, and see Colombo for the first time. It is one of my favorite things about moving to a new place.

Oh, and I hate GPS. (Except when I love it.)

Becoming Grateful.

2011-12-04T19:13:00.001-08:00

I have been greatly blessed, and the last little while I have taken for granted everything I have.

The other day, I went Christmas shopping, and met Ben for lunch. I was complaining during lunch that I wished that we had a bigger budget for Christmas, because there are a lot of things that I want to buy for myself and everyone else.

After lunch, we walked to exchange some money. We saw a woman with two young boys, and she asked us for some money. Ben gave her a few pesos - about two dollars worth. We exchanged our money, and on the way back, we saw the woman and her two boys sitting on a curb, eating a quesadilla. My mind went immediately to the few pesos that we gave her, and how that money very likely went to buy that quesadilla. Ben and I both had this thought at the same time, and we gave her a few more dollars. My heart broke when I thought about this mom worrying about how to feed her children.

It is impossible to adequately put into words what this experience meant for both Ben and me. It was a blessing for both of us to realize how fortunate we are.

I am so grateful that Ben has a job that provides a wonderful life. Our needs are taken care of, and more.

It made me feel ridiculous for complaining about our Christmas budget, and it put life into perspective for me.

I hope that I will be more focused on what I have and not what I do not. I have been blessed with so much, and for that I am truly grateful.

We would not be good pioneers.

2011-11-29T08:27:00.001-08:00

We tried to go to the point where the border meets the ocean, but we were not successful.

It was a long walk, and we didn't make it very far. After five minutes, Jack complained that we had been walking forever. Thomas could not make it more than a few steps before searching for rocks, and throwing dirt. It took us about 30 minutes to walk 100 yards. When we made it to a point where we could see Mexico, but not the Ocean, it was unanimous that we turn around and go get ice cream.

That stadium in the background is where Ben and I went for a bull fight. It is Mexico.

The next two pictures are of the border, around the same area from both sides.

Just an interesting view.

Border from the United States side.

Border from the Mexico side.

Thanksgiving.

2011-11-25T15:12:00.001-08:00

Palm Springs for Thanksgiving.

It was a dream come true. My dad was staying in Palm Springs for work, and invited us to spend the day with him.

It was wonderful. We enjoyed the Thanksgiving Buffet that the hotel was serving- the food was fabulous and the deserts were dreamy.

It was a great Thanksgiving, I didn't have to cook or clean-up, the weather was perfect, and it was wonderful to spend time with my dad.

I asked Jack what his favorite part was, and he said, "when grandpa bought me a toy car and a cookie, and talking to grandpa."

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanks Dad, for letting us spend the day with you!

Family Pictures. One of my favorite things.

2011-11-20T18:51:00.001-08:00

It's Christmas card time again, and I am so excited!

My friend Chelsea, of Crow Candy Photography, took our pictures, and they turned out wonderfully.

Here is a little sneak peak.

I am going to work on our cards now.

Preparation: Organizing.

2011-11-17T15:33:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I felt overwhelmed by my closet, and I decided to get it organized. I took everything out of the closet, drawers, did all the laundry and piled all my clothes on the bed. After thinking it through, I tossed all the clothes on the floor so that I could make piles on the bed. It took a lot longer than I anticipated, but I was able get everything organized. Now I feel a lot better about life.

On to the rest of the house.

The next step in preparing to move is to plan for home leave.

We are spending a few weeks in Utah, and we have to figure out where to stay. Hotels are expensive and I think spending the entire time in one place is a lot to ask of any our friends and family. What is the saying about visitors and fish, they both start to stink after a few days?

We don't want to impose on anyone for more than a few days, and are now accepting offers.

To sweeten the deal:

I will make breakfast and dinner, and the children are pretty good at windows and dusting.

I'm just saying, it could be a pretty good situation.

Think about it.

Today, we finally carved our pumpkins.

2011-11-16T19:38:00.001-08:00

We're only a little late.

Today I was cooking up a pumpkin to make some puree, and Jack remembered that he hadn't carved his pumpkin yet.

We ate pumpkin bars, carved pumpkins, and it was perfect.

Watching the Sunrise

2011-11-15T17:06:00.001-08:00

One of the best things about driving home at four in the morning was to watch the sunrise.

Absolutely breathtaking.

I went away for the weekend.

2011-11-14T12:06:00.001-08:00

Have you ever heard of Time Out for Women? It is a two day seminar that has motivational speakers. It is geared towards LDS women. This years theme was Choose to Become. I really wanted to go, so a few weeks ago, I bought my tickets.
I left Friday morning and arrived in St. George just as the event began. It was a long drive, and I was not in a very good mood. The evening was just fine, and I met a new friend, but I was not in the mood to sit for another few hours after being in the car all day.
The next day, I recruited my sister, Taylor, and my aunt Keena to come with me, and my new friend sat with us. It was fantastic. Taylor, Keena, and I left for lunch, it was so crowded that our lunch went way over, so we didn't go back for the afternoon session. (Sorry Amber for ditching you, I hope it wasn't too lonely.)
That night my grandpa made dinner of steak and salmon, my great-uncle gave me some great information about Sri Lanka. It was so wonderful to spend time with family.
I left St. George Sunday morning at 4:00 am. It was way early, but it worked out perfectly because I missed the traffic out of Las Vegas to California.
I came home to my wonderful family.

Here is the truth.

This weekend was nice. I loved the quiet drive, I loved seeing my mom, sister, aunt, grandma, grandpa, and great-uncle. I really enjoyed some time away from cooking dinners, changing diapers, and listening to the daily noises of two little boys. I thought the conference was okay, but my expectations were really high, and I was a little disappointed. I would have rather stayed in town, avoided the long drive and had a nice date with Ben and a girls night out.

Thanks Taylor, mom and Keena for driving to see me. It means a lot.

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for letting me stay with you, and making us a yummy dinner.

Thanks Uncle Al for the information about Sri Lanka. It is exciting to learn about our next home.

Thank you, sweetheart for watching the boys for the weekend, and thank you for letting me take a nap when I came home.

I love you all.

Sharing Melts My Heart.

2011-11-10T16:43:00.001-08:00

It's moments like these that make being a mom so amazing.

The border.

2011-11-04T21:30:00.000-07:00

Pictures of the border between Mexico and the United States. It seems like such an insignificant fence that divides two nations.

I love San Diego and I love Tijuana, but crossing the border is really difficult.

When we first moved here, it was an enormous source of anxiety for me. Just thinking about how crossing the border stressed me out, makes my blood pressure go up.

My anxiety is gone, but it is still a source of frustration. Going North, coming back South, there are moments of frustration. There are days when crossing the border will only take a few minutes both directions, but there are days that we spend more than an hour waiting. You never know what is going to happen at the border, and that is part of the frustration.

Even with the frustration, it has been amazing to live in such a remarkable place.

A double rainbow after a day of rain.

Lame-O.

2011-11-02T20:53:00.000-07:00

The last two holidays Ben has had off, I have been sick. (Today was a Mexican holiday- All Souls Day.) The good part of Ben having off when I am sick is that he watches the boys so that I can rest. The bad part is that we had awesome plans, and they were ruined by my lame-o immune system.

I was ready to have an exciting day when I was suddenly slammed by terrible aches, running nose, sore throat, and extreme lethargy.

I wanted to document that I did, in fact get dressed for the day before putting my pajamas back on and slipped back into bed.

In other news, this is Thomas' new favorite toy. It is only one inch tall. "Robot", as he is affectionately called, has been buried in sand, lost in the bottom of the toy box, and has been a pain in the butt to find every time Thomas loses it. Thomas carries it everywhere, clenched in his hand.

We hope that Thomas finds a new favorite toy, something significantly larger.

A knight and a pilot.

2011-11-01T09:13:00.001-07:00

These pictures were from before our church Trunk-or-Treat on Friday.

On Halloween, we had trick-or-treating at Ben's work, but neither of the boys wanted to dress up in their costumes. Jack told me that he had already worn his knight costume for Halloween, and didn't want to do it again. He wore a police officer coat and Thomas wore his Batman cape, with their regular clothes and crocs. Very Halloween-y.

When we left for Ben's work, Jack started not feeling well. By the time we were trick-or-treating, he had a fever. We left early and he spent the night curled up on the couch with a warm blanket.
We decided not to carve our pumpkin. Maybe tonight...

I think I have found my shopping fix in Sri Lanka.

2011-10-31T13:35:00.001-07:00

Do you see this? Gap and J. Crew make some of their clothing in Sri Lanka.

Yes, I am a size 8, and I weigh 140 pounds. Now you know.

Do you know what this means?

I am going to go from thrift store shopping to factory shopping.

Also, I found an article about one particular factory in Sri Lanka, and it said this: The factory, which was built in 2008, also showcases Sri Lanka's new drive to become the 'world's number-one ethical apparel sourcing destination'.

So that is good news.

Here's the deal. You can come visit us and we will go shopping.

After we go shopping we can head over to the Maldives for a few days.

Google it. You will want to come over immediately.

We can stay in a hut over the water.

Promise.

A question of great importance.

2011-10-30T20:46:00.001-07:00

Did I get your attention? I hope so. I need some help/advice.

I bought some pants that fit me perfectly the other day, but they are the wrong color. (Another thrift store find.) I want to wear them this fall/winter, but the pink color isn't right for that. I have looked at the Rit Dye website to be inspired. I just don't know what to do.

Since the pants are pink, my plan is to keep it in the pink/purple/orange family. Any ideas? All suggestions will be appreciated.

Now I give you the PINK Pants:

And that ends the DIY segment.

2011-10-27T09:11:00.000-07:00

I had two projects that I started and took forever to finish.

Here they are.

This is the desk that I introduced awhile ago, and the finished product. As you can see, I kept it very similar.

The second project was finding a way to hang my necklaces. I bought a coat rack at a thrift store, stained it and spray painted the hooks.

Now I really need to get the house ready to move. I have strollers to sell (anyone want a Phil and Ted's Vibe?), clothes to give away, and rooms to organize.

We have about three months left here, and in that time we have Thanksgiving and Christmas. I have a lot to do.

Thus ends my DIY kick, at least for now.

Thrifty Mcthrifter.

2011-10-24T21:53:00.000-07:00

Until a few weeks ago, thrift stores made me nervous. The smell, the customers, the thought of buying other people's stuff--none of it appealed to me.

It all started with the frame I bought a few months ago, and from there I started buying home goods including these lovelies:

Goblets 10 for $7.50

Pampered Chef platter- $4

Then one day I found a table cloth (under platter); it was a step towards clothing, but I was still nervous to get clothes. Then I had the tie-shirt project, and didn't want to spend much money on it. I went to my favorite thrift store and bought shirts and ties to use. When I was buying the shirts, something happened- I became comfortable with thrift stores. I began searching through racks of clothes.

Since then, I have found some amazing treasures. I have even bought shoes- which a few months ago would have completely grossed me out.

It has become a fun challenge to find clothes I like in my size. It takes a lot of time and a lot of searching, but there are some fabulous finds. It helps that there are some well-stocked thrift stores in San Diego.

Michael Kors shoes, just my size. Barely worn.

Everything here including two belts, not pictured, all for under $50!

I have had so much fun, and it makes my clothing budget go so much further. It is a win-win.

Hooray for thrift stores.

If you think thrift stores are gross, that is fine with me, it leaves more for me to find. (Smile. Wink.)

If you want to go "thrifting" with me, I would love it. I imagine going with friends would be so much more fun.

Preparation: "The Dress".

2011-10-20T16:30:00.000-07:00

Every year in November, the Marines celebrate their "birthday". In order to celebrate, all over the world wherever there are Marines, there is a party. In the case most of the Embassies around the world, it will be a Marine Ball. It is a BIG DEAL. Dressing up, dancing, dressing up. Sunday best is not good enough for this soiree, no sir.

Finding a dress for this event is a big deal. I have heard of women buying dresses appropriate for the red carpet. I have seen pictures of lovely ladies dressed in extremely glamourous dresses.

Buying a dress for the Marine Ball is something I have thought about since Ben got this job. Seriously. I am excited for a Marine Ball. I love that I have an excuse to buy a gorgeous dress.

The problem is finding a dress. I need something modest. However, I want to be sexy, glamourous, and gorgeous, without looking like the Mother-of-the-Groom. You know what I am saying? I realize I am getting older, but not old enough to give away one of my sons in marriage. Certainly not old enough to dress like I am.

For my dress, I require sleeves, a back, and my cleavage (what little I have) to be covered. This is difficult. I have found many, many dresses, but they are usually missing one key requirement.

I realize that there are options to make an immodest dress modest, but I don't want to. Adding a jacket, bolero or other cover can often take away from the beauty of the dress. I want a dress that is whole and complete. As is, if you will.

Now, it is not all bad. I have found a few options, but the options are extremely limited.

This is the next thing I am doing to prepare. Searching for a modest gown that is glamourous, sexy and will take away Ben's breath when I walk in the room.

That and I need to buy some SPANX.

I would love suggestions if you have some.

Growing boys.

2011-10-18T20:52:00.001-07:00

After taking the boys to the doctor for their yearly check-up (yes, it is late), we learned that Jack is perfectly average for a four year old, and is Thomas is the size of a three year old.

They are both perfect. (As if I needed to tell you that.)

Jack is now looking forward to being 40 pounds so that he can sit in a booster seat.

We hope this desire to gain weight will help in his desire to eat vegetables, fruits, and proteins.

Let's not do that again.

2011-10-14T21:29:00.001-07:00

Last week was a rough week.

It all started last Saturday, although Saturday was a great day.

Our treadmill broke, and I decided to run outside. It was a beautiful day, and I was so excited to take my workout from the treadmill to the outdoors. If you have been to my house, you know that we are surrounded by hills. Steep hills. Why did I think it was a good idea to run? I was working from a couch-to-5K app, and during the run it shut down- so I started it over. I ended up running longer than I needed to, running up hill both ways. I was tired, but felt good. The rest of the day was spent sewing, and it was great.

Example of the hills.

The next day was Sunday. It was a great day, however, at 3:00 am Sunday night/Monday morning I woke up sick. Really, really sick.

I was up until the kids woke up the next morning.

I laid in bed all day, and did not even have enough energy to play angry birds. Yeah, it was that bad.

I had a fever, was sick, and remember my Saturday workout? I was sore.

Miserable.

Tuesday, we took it easy and the boys and I watched "Tangled" about five times.

Wednesday we went to the pumpkin patch. It was 95 degrees, and a little hot for the boys, so we didn't last very long.

On the way home we stopped for some fast food which I should have avoided, partly due to the fact that I was semi-recovering from a stomach bug. Well, I found a hair in my food. You know, the kind of hair you don't want to ever find ANYWHERE- especially in food. Yuck.

Thursday I made ratatouille for dinner, and it didn't turn out as well as I expected.

(Does any one have a good recipe?)

We ended up eating frozen pizza.

Friday I was hoping to escape my bad luck by going for a run on the beach. I had visions of running down the beach with a gentle breeze, sunshine and beautiful water. Wrong. It was foggy, and I couldn't see very much. It was also high tide, so the sand I could run on was soft, and not the packed down sand that I imagined I would be running on. Definitely a let down.

This is looking towards the ocean.

Last week was rough, but there were some wonderful things that happened, as well.

1. Ben had the day off on Monday, so I didn't have to do anything. Then when water was making me sick and I needed something else to drink, Ben took the boys to buy me a half a dozen different drinks.

2. The boys were pretty good when I needed a down day. They played well together and let me rest.

3. The boys were each able to get their own pumpkins, and when I was buying some for decoration, the lady gave me a deal because I was honest about the price.

4. I live somewhere that I can run on the beach.

5. Even if the beach didn't look the way I wanted to, I could still listen to the waves, and with the fog, I could pretend that I was all alone on the beach for most of the time.

6. I am grateful that my body works and if I want to run, I can.

7. I made beef stroganoff for dinner tonight, and it was a hit. We will definitely make it again. The recipe can be found here.

The end.

I'm sewing. I'm a sewer. I'm sewing.

2011-10-08T21:25:00.000-07:00

Remember "What About Bob?" and the "I'm Sailing" scene?

In continuing the attempt to find a hobby I love, I borrowed my friends sewing machine.

I wanted to start with something easy, so I made a pillow cover. Actually I made two. One yard of fabric, two pillows.

As I was sewing, I kept repeating in my mind, "I'm sewing. I'm a sewer. I'm sewing".

That, and when I first started using the sewing machine, I stuck out my tongue when I was concentrating.

I don't think sewing is my thing, but it was fun.

I used this tutorial.

I bought the fabric at fabric.com and the pillow forms at Ikea.

Then feeling confident of my skills, I went for something a little more complex (I had to use pins). For this project, I used this tutorial.

I haven't finished all the way, I still have to add a little button/embellishment.

I bought the ties and the cream colored shirt at a local thrift. The second shirt I already owned.

Here are some pictures of me trying to take a picture of the shirt.

So cute.

We love birdhouses.

2011-10-05T17:46:00.000-07:00

Bird House Kits: $2.00

Paint & Paint Brushes: $2.00

Ten minutes without fighting: Priceless.

A Haircut and Silliness.

2011-10-04T08:38:00.001-07:00

Last night Thomas had his first home done haircut, courtesy of Ben.

Thomas did well, usually when he gets his haircut, he cries the whole time. This time he only cried was when the hair got in his mouth.

Jack on the other hand cried the entire time Thomas was getting his haircut. He was mourning the loss of Thomas' hair.

When the haircut was done, Jack would not take a bath with Thomas. He said that he didn't like Thomas with short hair. He liked him with long hair.

Eventually the dramatics ended, and he was able to make peace with the entire situation.

Just in time to play with the props for some pictures.

Best. Party. Ever.

2011-10-03T07:30:00.000-07:00

I have been planning a way to celebrate my birthday for a year. After several different ideas that had to change because of work, schedules and other things, I finally decided to have a birthday party. For the last month, I have been moving forward and planning. Then, a week ago, another setback happened, and I was going to cancel my party.

The party was supposed to happen at my friends house in San Diego, however, last Sunday she found out that she had to attend a funeral and was going to be out of town for my birthday. Very sad. She said that I could throw the party at her house anyway, but she has cats. Do you remember what happened last time we were responsible for someone's pet? I was not up for losing another cat.

The only answer in my mind: cancel the party.

Then Ben told me that we should have the party here, at our house. The only bummer? My friends in San Diego would not be able to come, so I was really disappointed.

Even though there were a lot of complications, it was totally worth it, because it was the best party I have ever had.

There was a photo booth, amazing desserts, fireworks, and excellent company. Really, an amazing party.

If this party is any reflection of how my 30's are going to go- I am excited to see what happens.

My Life in PIctures from Loved Ones.

2011-09-27T19:30:00.003-07:00

Thank you everyone for sending wonderful pictures. I have been blessed with amazing people in my life, and I am grateful for the love and friendship I have been blessed with.

My mom and me.

My dad and me.

Going away party before we moved to Moscow.
Summer 1998

The next four pictures are from my Snow College Days, sent to me from Anja.

Anja was my first college roommate.

Lindsey, Anja and me.
I look kind of scary in this picture.

Me and Anja

Anja and me.

Nothing like traveling to go see a school basketball game.

These pictures are from my days as a missionary in Rochester, New York. The first two pictures are from my good friend Ashley.

Missionary meeting in the Sacred Grove.

The day I came home from my 18 month mission.

Family Christmas pajama picture- 2004

These next pictures were submitted by my dad. I had never seen them before, and absolutely love

them.

We had a BBQ reception a few months after we got married, in Virginia. We did not feel like getting dressed up again in the August heat, so we made it very casual.

We didn't have wedding cake at our first reception, so we did the whole cake feeding thing.

Family Pictures, 2006

My grandpa's funeral in 2006.

Halloween Party 2008. Some of my good friends from New Jersey. I am the one in the red dress, red teeth and black wig. My friend Melanie (who sent me this picture) is sitting next to me in the Olive Oyl costume.

This is the most creative picture. One of my friends from New Jersey drew us in front of the church we went to. We have both moved, but still keep in touch.

(Isn't this awesome?)

Thank you so much for sending in your pictures. Just so you know, if you were thinking of sending pictures, but think it is too late- it is not. I would love any pictures, at any time.

Cultivating my creativity.

2011-09-21T21:58:00.000-07:00

I had an idea. It was a borrowed idea from a few friends,

Anja and April (who I have met in real life and think is spectacular).

My goal was to take an inexpensive frame and turn it into something extraordinary.

Here is the frame as it started.

I put Jack next to it, so you could see how really large it is.

I went to Home Depot to ask what I needed to buy. I left with sandpaper, a paintbrush, and paint. Oh, and instructions to clean the paintbrush really well so that it would last awhile.

I sanded the frame down and painted it. I was really impressed with myself. I didn't make a mess, and it looked how I anticipated!

Then I cleaned the brush. Except, I didn't know that the paint was oil based, because I didn't know that I was supposed to ask. So I tried to wash my brush in the sink. In case you didn't know, water doesn't do anything to oil-based paint, except make a big mess. My hands were stained, the sink was a disaster, and the paintbrush was getting messier with each drop of water.

I yelled to Ben that we needed to make an emergency trip to Home Depot, immediately. He had to come with me, because I couldn't drive with my sticky hands. Since it was 7:00 pm, and the boys were tired, it was not the best news, and he said "you and your projects".

I was not deterred. We bought Mineral Spirits and it was all better. Crisis solved.

This is my finished project.

The maps I bought from here. The heart is located in the city we lived, and the pictures are family pictures when we left/leave that place. The center is the Temple that we were married in.

I still need to paint the clothespins, but good enough.

I am really excited about the way it turned out.

I even have another project in the works.

This one is a little more "involved".

This project is inspired by my friend, Emily.

Here is the before picture.

Birthday wish comes true.

2011-09-20T22:14:00.000-07:00

I picked up the boys today. They have just spent the last week with my mom. That's right, my mom took the boys for an entire week, and they all lived to tell the tale. Even better, Ben and I had an amazing week together, without the children.

Ben and I started our week by meeting up with Chris and Monica in Las Vegas for a few days. We have done Vegas many times, but these were the highlights.

When walking out of the Paris Casino, I saw some cupcakes in the Valet booth. I asked them where they bought them. They described in detail where I could find them, and then one of them asked me if I wanted one. Umm...Yes. It was so good.

It wasn't even ruined by the fact that five minutes earlier, I had eaten this:

I pretty much ate desserts the entire time. What happens in Vegas, right?

This is the first time we have ever taken a picture in front of the VEGAS sign.

After we took our pictures, we met this "Junior Reporter" from Fox News. He was doing a story comparing Las Vegas to Atlantic City. My moment to shine, I must say. I didn't get to see the final product, but I don't care, I just love that I was interviewed.

Applying lipgloss before the interview.

Thanks Chris and Monica for another fabulous trip to Vegas. It keeps getting better and better. I am grateful we have moved on from the HoJo, but anywhere we stay, it will still be fun.

It was an amazing trip, and I am so grateful to my mom for watching the boys. It was the PERFECT birthday gift!

My favorite time of year and an assignment.

2011-09-07T14:29:00.000-07:00

September has arrived, and it is one of my favorite times of the year. Mostly because it is the month of my birth.

I am particularly excited about this year because I have a significant birthday coming up. You know- the big 3-0.

Last year was an amazing birthday spent with all of my friends around the world.

This year I have another idea.

This year I am feeling a little nostalgic. Most of my pictures are in storage, and I will not see them for a few more years. So, this year, I would like pictures of you and me. From the distant or recent past.

If you don't have a picture of the two of us together, how about a stick figure drawing or an edited photo to make it look like we were together at the Grand Canyon or on a hot air balloon or the Great Wall of China. Anything.

I would like the pictures by the 26th of September. That means you have time to search it out and find the perfect picture of us. I am excited to see what you come up with!

You can e-mail me pictures benily05 (at) gmail (dot) com or if you want to mail them and you have my address, that will work too.

Just so you know- I will be probably be putting them on the blog, unless you ask me not to.

It is going to be a great birthday!

Here are some pictures I found in the one album that is not in storage.

First day of school 1991.

I am in the green and black.

Pretty sure I always thought I was cooler than I actually was.

Christmas 1987.

I am the child in the center surrounded by Jodie, Allen and my Grandpa.

What is going on with my hair? And my face?

Sisters.

Paige, me, Taylor.

Family picture 1983?

I am the one in the stripes.

I love my parents' glasses.

My aunt Jodie and me.

I think this is when she came home from her mission.

Little Things.

2011-08-28T21:05:00.000-07:00

On our way to church this morning, we discovered our car tire had a bolt in it. We had a choice, go before/during church to get the tire fixed, or wait until after church to fix it. I told Ben that we needed to go to church, and we could fix it after.

That is what we did.

After church it took us awhile to find a tire store that was open and didn't have a three hour wait. We ended up finding a little place that could fix the car immediately, and it only took 20 minutes to fix. The best part, they didn't charge us to fix it. It was our shining miracle of the day. We got to go to church, and we didn't have to pay to have our tire fixed. Life is good.

Racing.

2011-08-27T21:32:00.000-07:00

Jack and Thomas racing up and down the hill in front of our house.

Preparation: Driving.

2011-08-20T09:02:00.000-07:00

This week I have been ~~worrying~~ thinking about the driving situation in Sri Lanka. You see, when we arrive, we will have to learn to drive in the passenger seat, on the ~~wrong~~ left side of the road.
I am actually a little worried about this. Not only for the fact that I will be disorientated inside the car, but I am pretty sure the traffic is going to be extremely intimidating.

I have thought of a couple of solutions to practice driving on the ~~wrong~~ right side of the car.

Find an old mail truck.
Deck out our car with a driver ed's package. (You know the one with the extra brake and accelerator?)

Obviously there are benefits and disadvantages to both.

The mail truck would be the most authentic experience, but I am not sure I could get car seats strapped in. Although here in Tijuana, I don't think anyone would notice if I just let the boys play in the back.

Putting the driver's ed package in our car would help in getting orientated to controlling the car on the right side of the car. However, since it is only the foot controls and no steering wheel, I don't know if that will be all that effective.

Even if I do manage to practice driving on the passenger side of the car, it does not help with driving on the left side of the road.

Do you see the dilemma?

Any suggestions?

The next thing on my to do list is to find out if I will be able to get my brows and 'stache waxed in Sri Lanka. If not, I am not sure how to calculate how much wax I will need for two years, or the kind to buy. I have tried to wax myself before, but I was never very successful.

Maybe they offer classes at the local beauty school.

Wow, I have a lot to do.

Preparation. Step One.

2011-08-09T09:46:00.000-07:00

My semester is over! I am looking forward to taking the next few months off. There are two reasons for the break:
1. I have to take a placement test for math. I have to take it at the testing center which is located in Utah, so we will do that on our home leave.
2. I am starting to prepare for our move to Sri Lanka.

There is a long list of items on my to-do list. My own "honey-do" list if you will. The top item on my list: Cooking.

Yes, cooking. I like to cook, but it does not come naturally to me. What comes naturally to me is using pre-made items and calling it my own. I particularly like Costco and just add water style cooking to help me make dinner every night. However, when we move to Sri Lanka, the luxury of pre-made dinners will not be there. I will need to feed my family, so I am currently dusting off the cookbooks, google-ing all sorts of ingredients I have never heard of, and making dinner.

Last week was the first week of my experimenting. I made dinner EVERY night. Okay, I make dinner every night anyway, but this week, everything was homemade, or nearly homemade.
Here is what we had last week: (Each food item is linked to the recipe)

Meatloaf
This was really good meat loaf. Ben did not like the way it looked, but said it was the best tasting meat loaf I have ever made. (I don't know if that is really saying much.)

Crockpot Chicken and Biscuits (yes, I made the homemade biscuits)
This is our new favorite.

Crockpot Chicken and Potatoes
I really love this, Ben just likes it. I love that it is simple, but so flavorful.

Homemade Hot Pockets
These were so amazing! I loved the flavor and that it was simple to make. Next time, we will make some sort of sauce to make it more like a pot pie.

Chicken and Quinoa Burritos
These were good, but a little bland. The next day I used the leftovers for lunch, and it was a perfect meal.

Then we had leftovers one night and we went out to celebrate the end of the semester.
I felt so accomplished. This week I am trying to come up with some more recipes. Suggestions?

Chicken and Biscuits

Homemade Hot Pockets.

Next on my list: Finding make-up that doesn't melt in humidity. Any ideas?

That reminds me, I am turning the comments back on. It's time.

The Truth About the Last Year.

2011-08-06T17:30:00.000-07:00

It was about a year ago that I admitted that I was seeing someone to help me with anxiety and depression. (Remember me leaving the shopping cart full of groceries at the store?) It has been over a year, and I finally feel like I can talk about what happened next.

I went to the therapist, twice. After two times, we both decided that I had a lot of good things going in my life, and that I didn't need to see her anymore, unless I really felt like it. I didn't. I felt good, except for one week in the month, and that was completely hormonal. Over the next few months I worked on using the "tools" that the therapist had given me, and I could tell a slight difference. I started working out more, and tried to sleep on a normal schedule. You know, all the things that are supposed to cure whatever ails you?

Then in December, things started getting worse. I felt sad most of the time. I had a hard time sleeping, and I had really bad days. One day I sat in the hall while the kids were playing, and just cried. I felt all alone. I sat there with my phone, waiting for someone to call, text, or e-mail me to let me know they cared. I was praying with all my heart that someone would reach out. I was praying for anything to change. Nothing happened. I felt betrayed. Not so much by people, but by a Heavenly Father that had left me alone. I had a hard time believing that God could not get someone to reach out to me to let me know that I would be okay. I felt miserably alone and angry.

The next little while continued like that. I told Ben that something needed to change. I did not want to cry and be sad anymore. I hated it. I hated what it was doing to me, I hated that my kids were watching me cry all the time, and I hated that Ben wanted to help, but couldn't do anything.
I knew what I needed to do. I needed to try medication. However, I was terrified. I was terrified of the side effects. I was worried that the medication wouldn't work, and I was terrified that I NEEDED medication. I always told people, "if you need anti-depresants, take them, if that is what works." I could tell others that, but I couldn't convince myself.

I went to the doctor, and I walked out with the prescription in my hand. It took me two weeks to get it filled.

On the first day I took the medication, after a few hours, I felt a change. I called Ben immediately and told him that I was happy. It was a good day.

I was finally me again.

Even after I started medication, I struggled with why I was left so alone, and why a Heavenly Father that loves me would not give me some sort of help, when I felt I needed it the most. Then last week, I read this article. The entire article is amazing, and I would suggest reading it. This is the paragraph that changed my thoughts:

Challenges often come in multiple doses applied simultaneously. When those trials are not consequences of your disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more (see Prov. 3:11–12). He therefore gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion which polish you for your everlasting benefit. To get you from where you are to where He wants you to be requires a lot of stretching, and that generally entails discomfort and pain.

I don't know why things happened the way they did. I am not going to speculate, it would not change anything. What I do know is that the last year has changed me. I have a lot more love and a lot less judgements for people. I feel normal. I can handle and even LOVE life.

*There may be some who read this that are uncomfortable- that's okay. I also know that there might be one person who reads it and doesn't feel so alone. If you need help, please get it. If you feel there might be someone who needs a call, a text, or an e-mail - do it. You never know, you might be a miracle for someone.

A Trip to the Dentist.

2011-08-05T13:54:00.000-07:00

Jack and Thomas went to the dentist for the first time this week.

Last week, one of Jack's teeth started to look discolored (as in turning gray) and so I called the dentist and made an appointment.

I was dreading this appointment because I ~~ignored~~ missed the memo about taking a child to the dentist by the age of one. I was already feeling guilty about that, then add in a gray tooth, and I was preparing to accept my terrible mother title.

However, it was so much better than I expected.

The dentist's office was a kids paradise, there were picnic tables with toys and books, and a tree built into the wall, video games, and bright colors everywhere.

Even though I was nervous, I told Jack about all the cool things that happen at the dentist, and he was excited.

He got x-rays and watched TV while they were cleaning his teeth. He loved it!

When the dentist told me that the discoloration was NOT caused from anything I did, I was so relieved. It was probably caused by a fall or a trauma to his teeth, not due to hygiene negligence.

Thomas also met with the dentist, and in true Thomas style - cried the entire time.

At least he has clean teeth.

Oh, and not once was I called a terrible mother, even when they found out Thomas still has a binki.

Star Wars.

2011-07-31T20:41:00.000-07:00

Jack LOVES Star Wars. I don't know why it started, but it is full force.

The boys, including Ben, often act out different scenes from all of the movies.

This is a typical night at our house.

Jack: Dad, you be Luke, and I'll be Darth Vader. I'll tell you I'm your father, and you say noooo.

Ben: Okay.

Jack: Luke, I am your fader (father, but Jack says it with a funny accent.)

Ben: NOOOOOOO

Jack: Okay, Dad, now you be Obi Wan and I'll be Anakin and we fight.

Ben: It's over, Anakin - I have the high ground.

Jack: You underestimate my power.

Ben: Don't try it.

Jack: (Jack now acts out jumping over Ben, and Ben cuts off Jack's legs) - Jack screams and falls down.

Ben: You were supposed to destroy the sith not join them.

Jack: - incoherent murmuring-

Jack: Now Dad, you be Darth Sidious.

Ben: He's still alive, quick get a medical capsule. (Ben puts on all of the mechanical arms and legs, and the Darth Vader mask on Jack)

Ben: Lord Vader, can you hear me?

Jack: Yes Master. Where's Padme?

Ben: I'm afraid in your anger - you killed her.

Jack: NOOOOOO.

Happy Birthday Take Two or an Evening of Elegance.

2011-07-29T17:20:00.001-07:00

We continued Ben's birthday celebration this week with a fancy dinner with some friends.

It was a wonderful night. We got dressed up, took some pictures, and went to dinner.

We went to Ruth's Chris Steak House, and the food was AMAZING! My favorite part (besides my hot husband) was dessert. The Creme Brulee was to die for. Seriously. Amazing. I think the serving size was made to share, but I ate the entire thing. (Insert oink sound here.)

Thanks friends for an amazing evening.

The Ladies.

The Boys.

2011-07-28T15:47:00.001-07:00

I am in the final countdown to the end of summer semester. Things are going really well, although really busy.

Any day I am not working on school, I try to do something special with the boys.

One of their favorite things to do was finger painting. It was extremely messy (duh), and I must say I am not heartbroken that we used almost all of our finger paint in one day.

The other big announcement is that Thomas is sleeping in a big boy bed.

Only a few more things keeping us in "baby" mode...diapers and the binki.

Soon enough.

For now, we will enjoy it.

Another day to celebrate.

2011-07-22T14:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Ben's birthday.

For the next two months, we are the same age. It makes me feel younger.

I am grateful for Ben.

Some of my favorite things about Ben:

He is my all-time favorite.

He is generous and kind.

He is patient and loving.

He loves me a lot, and that makes me so happy.

He is really good looking which makes me really happy.

Happy Birthday, Sweetheart!

Celebrate another year!

2011-07-10T21:27:00.000-07:00

Our firstborn turned four today!

We are grateful for him and all the energy he brings to our family.

Happy Birthday Jack!

We had church in the morning, but we were able to open presents and play with them before we left.

Jack did not get a party this year because next week he is going to Jedi Knight Camp!

Jack asked for a cake with a volcano and lava. He also said that the lava had to be on the ground.
When I showed him what I had done, he said it was perfect!

Now for a trip down memory lane.

What a happy, handsome young man!

Funny thing happened when I went to buy a cake.

2011-07-07T21:52:00.000-07:00

Thomas was born two years ago today.

We hadn't planned much, as in, we were going to have cake and presents when Ben came home from work.

This year Thomas deserved an excellent cake. remember last year?

When I picked up the cake, I realized how LARGE the cake was. It meant only one thing- a last minute party.

We called up some of the boys friends, and had a little celebration.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY THOMAS!

4th of July.

2011-07-04T07:55:00.000-07:00

To Friends and Family all over the world:

Happy 4th of July!

We are grateful and proud to be Americans!

Lots of Love from Mexico.

And yes, the boys are matchy-matchy, but they are so CUTE!

America's Pastime.

2011-06-25T21:53:00.001-07:00

It was Mormon Day at the Padres today, and since we could get discount tickets we decided to go! We knew going into it, that the boys would not last long, but we felt that since we got a discount, it might be a good opportunity for us to experience a baseball game as a family. It started out great, we all got Padres beach towels because we were one of the first 25,000 fans! Then, when they were throwing t-shirts into the stands, we got one!

We had hot dogs, nachos, and cotton candy! The boys made it to the sixth inning, which was more than we expected.

All-in-all it was a great way to spend time as a family.

The boys walking to Petco Stadium

The San Diego Mormon Choir singing the National Anthem.

Ben bringing us the best food baseball games offer.

Jack shows us how to eat cotton candy.

It is a multi-step process.

Step 1: Check it out.

Step 2: Try out the texture.

Step 3: Take a big bite.

Step 4: Show off a blue tongue.

Step 5: Repeat until it gets EVERYWHERE!

Entertainment.

2011-06-24T16:35:00.000-07:00

Jack was introduced to the Photo Booth program on our computer.

It is his new favorite thing.

Breaking up isn't always hard to do.

2011-06-18T21:50:00.000-07:00

This week was full of laptop frustrations. I lived most of the week from my phone, which was difficult since I am taking three online classes. It was rough. We have officially broken-up with our former laptop. Done. Our relationship is OVER.

Our ex-laptop shut down several times last week with- including a dreaded blue screen. One of the times it shut down was in the middle of an online discussion for one of the classes I am taking. I almost cried. It meant a lot of downtime from my classes that I just couldn't afford.

Since our computer shut down several times, and we had been talking about buying a new one for awhile (actually we started talking about it three years ago-two months after we bought our ex-laptop) we bought a new laptop.

Can you tell, my friends that I am blogging from a shiny new laptop? It is so amazing, I am sure you can.

Even though we bought a new laptop, I still had to make up for lost time without the computer. I had two saving moments- the first is one a friend took the kids for a few hours, and the second is that I took the kids to a indoor playground that had free wi-fi. The kids played, I studied, and we were all happy.

After this week, we decided to all to take a day to unwind and relax by going to the beach. We were all able to do what we love- Ben buried himself, I relaxed on the blanket, Jack ran back and forth from the water, and Thomas laid in the sand soaking in the sun. We also all enjoyed "sandy"wiches. It was such a great day.

Things are still rather crazy. Summer semester is condensed into just over two months, so there are always due dates and always something to do. The good thing is, I LOVE the classes I am taking. It is such a great feeling to be learning and doing something that is 100% for me. It is totally selfish and that is okay. I deserve it.

Twins.

2011-06-02T07:15:00.001-07:00

Yes, I am the kind of mom that dresses my kids alike. I think it's cute.

Travel Log. Memorial Day Weekend.

2011-05-31T21:32:00.000-07:00

We traveled north this weekend to the Los Angeles area. We had so much fun. We ate hot dogs from Pink's Hot Dogs- Yummy, mine had sour cream, which was surprisingly delicious! We went to the Walk of Fame, drove around the city, played in the pool, ate Papa John's pizza, and saw the Hollywood sign. The boys loved having a bathtub (we don't have one) and took at least one bath a day!

It was the perfect long weekend, and to make it even better, we didn't have any traffic, although the people driving in the opposite direction did.

The only thing that wasn't cool--we came home to no hot water. Coldest shower in my adult life-just saying.

Sympathy in its purest form.

2011-05-24T08:13:00.002-07:00

I bought the most delicious treat the other day at Costco, a crème brulee torte. It was basically a crème brulee cheesecake, and it was so good.

I decided to have it with some friends, and since I am the only one that likes such sweets in my house, I gave them some on their way home. I kept a large piece for myself, and was waiting until the kids were asleep to indulge. That was my plan until Thomas reached up and grabbed the plate, and the yummy treat splattered on the floor. As in-there was a film of crème brulee and cheesecake over the entire kitchen floor. I couldn't even scrap up one bite.

I was so sad, and then in my moment of despair, Jack looked at me, and with all the emotion he could muster, said "Mom, that is tragic."

It really was.

Even though I lost my sweet treat, I am so glad that Jack saw the injustice of it all, and could feel my pain. What a sweet boy.

To tell or not to tell? That is the question.

2011-05-20T21:01:00.001-07:00

I say tell. We know what our next assignment is. Both Ben and I wanted to wait a little longer before sharing, since nothing is ever certain until your plane lands and you put your suitcases in your home. (Even then, there is always room for something to happen.) However, I have a hard time not sharing when I am excited!

Our next post is going to be Colombo, Sri Lanka. We didn't think that we would be able to go overseas again, and some days we weren't sure we wanted to, but both Ben and I are really excited.
An exciting thing about this post- the Maldives are included in the Embassy's responsibilities, so I am really hoping for Ben to have to go on a business trip so we can stay here:

A girl can dream.

If everything goes according to plan, we will be going there when we leave Tijuana next year. It is a good thing we have awhile, I we have a lot of planning to do. You know like figuring out what to take in a consumables shipment, what to wear in monsoon season (I am thinking really great rain boots!), preparing to drive on the left side of the road, and learning how to cook non-prepared/frozen foods. Oh, and I can't forget a dress for the Marine Ball- I can't wait to get all fancy.

Mother's Day.

2011-05-15T15:25:00.000-07:00

My card from Jack.

We were able to celebrate Mother's Day twice. Once on Sunday and again on Tuesday, which is when Mexico celebrates Mother's Day.

Tuesday was a little more significant because Ben had the day off, and it was also our anniversary. We have been married six years, and we think that is a pretty big deal.

Rough Trip.

2011-05-13T20:47:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago my Aunt and Uncle were sealed for time and eternity in the LDS Temple in Logan, Utah. I really wanted to be there, and decided to make the trip north. Unfortunately, Ben had a business trip at the same time, so he wasn't able to come with us. I made the 830+ miles (each way) trip to Logan, Utah by myself. This was my first mistake. My second mistake was slacking on my school before I left, which meant that I would have to leave early so I could get back to finish. We spent two days driving up, three days visiting, and two days driving back. The driving to visiting ratio was (a lot) out of control. Some of the highlights/lowlights:

We only had to stop once on the first day, and the boys were amazing!
We were able to stop and see my grandparents and two of my aunts. Yippee.
Jack opened the car door when I was driving on the freeway, and I had to pull over and close the door. For some reason the child safety locks were off, they will be on forever more. Jack was crying that it was dangerous that I was getting out of the car with all the trucks. Really, Jack? What about opening a car door while I'm driving?
We made it to Logan in time for dinner. I am so glad my sister was there, and all of her culinary skills. She not only made dinner that night, but AMAZING cupcakes. As in, some of the best I have ever eaten. She made more cupcakes during our trip, and they were the best cupcakes I have ever eaten. EVER.
My sister, brother, and I went to lunch and to ice cream. We got a discount at the ice cream place because the person working there happened to know someone that I knew. SWEET!
My kids were able to spend some good time with my parents. Grandma and Grandpa time is precious for both grandparents and parents alike.
My aunt and uncle had a beautiful ceremony, and I am so grateful that I went.
The boys were dressed in the cutest little outfits complete with coordinating ties.
I realized that my family is incredibly talented and I am seriously lacking in domestic skills. My brother decided he wanted a new bowtie, and he sewed one for himself, and it looked fabulous. I think I might be the only one in my family missing the (successfully) creative gene.
I was able to see almost all of my Dad's family, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, although a few relatives weren't there, but it was a great time. (If you weren't there, you were missed.)
I love all of my family and think that they are the best! (Even the ones I didn't see.)
It snowed every day we were there. I wanted to cry. I don't like snow. It made me want to get back down to Tijuana.
The boys and I drove down to Salt Lake for a night, (thanks family) and I was able to buy my books for the summer semester.
Thomas loves to throw his binky under his car seat, making it impossible to grab while driving.
I was able to listen to two different books.
Portable DVD players are AWESOME!!!
I missed a lot of sleep and am still feeling tired. While we were travelling, the boys wanted to sleep in bed with me, and most of the time we were in a queen sized bed or smaller, and one night the three of us slept on a futon. That was fun.
When we crossed into Tijuana, I let out a huge sigh of relief and had never been so happy be back in Mexico, and my own bed.

Almost every time I left the house, I forgot my camera. The only pictures I took were of my grandparents. I am bummed I didn't get any pictures of the kids and relatives or of anything else that happened. I hope I will get copies. (hint, hint)

Fun in the sun.

2011-04-25T21:07:00.001-07:00

We always love to see family, and this week we were able to see Jodie, Nolan and Jacob.

We went to the beach, had some fun on the ferris wheel, and Thomas had his first ride on a carousel.

Safari Park.

2011-04-22T21:07:00.001-07:00

We went to the Safari Zoo Park, and we had a great time! It is a bit of a drive, but totally worth it. The park is much bigger than the traditional San Diego Zoo, but has more of a natural habitat feel.

Thomas' favorite part was lunch, and Jack's favorite part was the foot massage chair. He really lucked out when some kids put a quarter in, but had to leave with their group, so he got a free massage. It made his day.

We ended the day with feeding some birds. Jack loved it, however, he had a hard time leaving because he didn't get to have a bird on his arm. Oh well, next time.

Some pictures of animals.

The giraffes because they are my favorite. The vulture because Jack acted as photographer on our safari tour, and this was the best one he took.

I know that I am totally biased, but Jack and Thomas are seriously cute. They are amazing boys, and they are so much fun. I am completely grateful for these two little guys.

A new experience.

2011-04-09T21:41:00.003-07:00

Last week my youngest sister and her friend came down to Tijuana with my parents. We had an awesome time, and were able to go up to Disneyland for a few days.

My parents wanted to spend some time with the boys, and thought that the boys would have a better time at Toys r Us, McDonald's playland, and the playground. Two days at Disneyland and all of its "diversions" could have been a little much for the boys. It ended up that only the girls and I went to Disneyland.

It was a blast, the girls and I were able to ride all of the "big kid" rides, wait in lines, walk around without a stroller, and eat at fun restaurants. If you ask me, I got the best deal. However, we will let everyone else feel like they had the best time.

The only thing I told the girls was that if anyone asked if I was their mom, I would cry. Luckily, it did not come to that, and I enjoyed my first experience as a "chaperone".

I did miss the boys a few times during the day, and one of them was when we saw one of their favorite characters, Handy Manny.

Of course we had to have the traditional picture of the "Zonkey".

It was a great week.

Small World.

2011-03-27T19:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we had the missionaries serving in our area of Tijuaua over for lunch. I had run into the missionaries one day on the street and invited them over. It was a quick invite, and I didn't even pay attention to their names, or ask any questions about them.

We all sat down to eat and Ben and I began to ask the usual find out questions.

Me : Elder, where are you from? (Missionaries don't use first names on their missions, and replace their first name with Elder, if a male, or Sister, if a female.)
Elder: I am from Orem, Utah.
Me: Elder (insert last name). I have relatives with that last name.
Elder: Where are they from?
Me: Layton.
Elder: What are their names?
Me: My aunt Jer and my uncle Russ.
Elder: No way, they are my aunt and uncle, too!

We went on to discuss how we were related to our aunt and uncle.

We had been to family parties, weddings, and probably Thanksgiving together, but had never talked to each other. I guess a ten year age difference will do that.

Crazy, huh? We spent most of dinner discussing our common family, and I marveled at how small the world is.

After the missionaries left I tried to call my aunt to tell her that we had fed her nephew, and that he was doing well. I also called to have her say hi to his mother, and that he was doing well. (You see, missionaries can only write e-mails home once a week and call on the phone twice a year.) So it was pretty neat to be able to relay this message.

It is such a small world, and it was fun to have almost family over for dinner.

I wish I would have taken a picture, but I forgot. Hopefully next time.

Control Issues.

2011-03-21T21:19:00.001-07:00

There are very few things in life that I have control over. The last little while I have felt that there are fewer and fewer things that I have control over, so today I took control of one thing. My hair.

I am not in love with it. What you can't see is the back is REALLY short.

Jack told me that we have the same hair.

Great.

Ben told me the front was okay, but that I looked like a boy in the back.

Neat.

He did say that he was glad that I was willing to try new things, but it is good that hair grows.

The good news is I have gained some perspective about control. Maybe some things are better in the control of others, even when it has to do with where we are going to live for 2-3 years.

Then and Now.

2011-03-16T22:46:00.000-07:00

We went to Vegas last weekend. Ben and I love Vegas. We are not gamblers or partakers of most of the vices available, but there are so many fun things to do.

We have been to Vegas several times, and I thought it would be fun to compare our previous trips to this one.

First up is my friend Lindsey. The last time I saw her was several years ago. This first picture was taken May 2005. The second picture was taken in a Wal-mart in Henderson this weekend. I couldn't believe it. We had been out of contact, and just happened to be in the same place at the same time. AWESOME!

Second, we have the fish tank outside of the Cheesecake Factory in the Ceasars Casino. The first picture was taken on our honeymoon. May 2005.

This picture was taken on our "babymoon" before Jack was born (May 2007), in front of New York, New York Casino.

This picture was also taken May 2007. I was eight months pregnant and eating a lot (I called it "water weight" at the time). This is at the Rainforest Cafe in the MGM Casino. The other pictures are also at the Rainforest Cafe- Jack and Thomas did not like the gorillas that we were sitting by.

Vegas was awesome. The boys were great, the weather was perfect and we were able to see Chris and Monica to celebrate Chris' birthday!

Oh, and I was able to go shopping. LOVED IT!!!

Making incorrect assumptions.

2011-03-07T10:03:00.001-08:00

A children's museum in Tijuana. 

When I posted about taking classes and that it was going to be busy, I really had no idea what I was talking about. I assumed that I would be busy. I assumed that I would have to change our schedule a little. I assumed that I would be able to continue doing everything as normal. Now I know what assuming does.

I have been busy. All of us have been really busy. I study at night when Ben gets home, and while I study, he puts the kids to bed and cleans the kitchen (nice, huh?). I have attempted to blog or write e-mails, but every time I try to get on the computer, or even look at the iPhone, the kids protest. I am too tired to stay up past 9:30 or 10:00, which means there is no time for the computer. I don't mind, but I have been out-of-touch with most everyone. It will probably be that way for awhile. The blog is going to be neglected, and it could be a few days, or it could be a few months.
As I speak both of my children are crying for attention.

We are alive and mostly well, just busy.

Take Care.

Valentine's Day.

2011-02-14T20:24:00.001-08:00

Nothing says I LOVE YOU like a heart shaped pizza!

Except when my sweet husband tells me that I am absolutely brilliant for a fantastic dinner.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Failed Negotiations.

2011-02-08T10:20:00.000-08:00

Turning 30 was going to be the biggest party EVER (for me).

Here are some of the things I was considering:

1. Go on a cruise and inviting everyone I know.

2. Go to Vegas for a weekend and invite everyone I know.

3. Invite everyone I know to a party at my house. The party of course would be catered under a white tent with furniture brought in just for the occasion. There would be at least one live band, but probably two, and of course, the night would end with fireworks.

Yes, I like to dream! However, since I have decided to take classes online, the budget for my party has nearly disappeared. I am not complaining, I would much rather be working towards a degree than have a big huge celebration. However, the other day I started dreaming again, and looked at our budget, and there was only one place that I would be able to draw any money for the big 3-0 party. This is the conversation I had with Ben.

Me: "If we get rid of our cleaning lady (who comes once a week) and I start doing big cleaning once a week, can I have a big party?"

Ben: "Umm...cleaning isn't really one of your...things, I don't know if we should do that."

I guess I have to think about some other way...

I know I am not the only one who hates cleaning, and so I don't.
Okay, I do clean, but not really well, and I don't like it.

I really hope our next post will be somewhere that we can afford to have help. Either that or we live in a smaller house, and the little boys learn how to help with chores...maybe I should be asking Ben for more kids to help clean the house, not a big party.

Marvelous January.

2011-02-03T10:06:00.000-08:00

Pajama Party this morning.

I feel like January was a month of accomplishments for everyone in our family, but mostly for Jack and me.

First, Jack started out the month wearing diapers/pull-ups. He is now in underwear full time and is doing well with going on the potty!!! He also started out the month wearing his super hero costumes (pajamas) everyday, all day long. It was fun for him, and he loved it, but it was a little difficult for me to allow him to wear it in public. I didn't fight him on it, and now he is okay with wearing them for bed, and sometimes when we are home during the day. (He still likes climbing the walls with his super hero jammies.)

For me. January was extraordinary. I started school again. This has been huge and very time consuming. I love the classes I am taking, and they have given me something to work towards. I am taking a music appreciation class and it is giving me an excuse to go see some concerts and other musical events. I am also taking a health class that is helping me to get off my bum and exercise. Which reminds me, for Christmas I got a pair of Reebok Easytone shoes, and I am hoping for some miraculous results from those as well.

I also read 6 of the 7 Harry Potter books. I read the first one in 2001, so I didn't read it again. It was fun reading the books, and it was entertaining to get lost in a world of wizardry and magic. Reading Harry Potter has inspired to me to try to come up with the next Harry Potter or Twilight-type book. I am going to write down all my dreams (which I have some very vivid, very crazy dreams) and try to come up with something that EVERYONE will want to read, and then they will be made into hit movies, and I will be a billionaire. Wish me luck.

Oh, I almost forgot, I also finished our taxes, so one less thing to worry about. What a busy month!

February is here! The groundhog predicted an early spring, so I think it is going to be a pretty good February as well.

Vacation for three of the four of us.

2011-01-29T09:18:00.000-08:00

Last week Ben had to travel to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico for work. The boys and I did not want Ben to be lonely, so we tagged along. It was awesome! Ben had to work most of the time, but the boys and I had a great time. We went swimming for a few hours every day, and then we would go back to the hotel room to take a nap. It was a great week.

Six things I learned in Cabo:

1. EVERYONE spoke English. There were more Americans (probably some Canadians) in Cabo than anywhere I have been in Mexico.

2. If we ever go to Cabo again, we will try to do an all-inclusive. Our hotel was located between the two main towns and a taxi was between $20-25 each way. Add in the cost of dinner, and it was an expensive night. (It seemed that most of the hotels are located in between the two towns.)

3. Cabo is the second most expensive city in Mexico. (After Mexico City)

4. Jack made it the entire week with only one accident. I would call that pretty much potty trained. (Yeah!!)

5. The boys LOVE the water. Even when it is overcast and only 72 degrees outside, they wanted to play in the pool. I wasn't too thrilled about getting in the water, but the boys enjoyed every minute.

6. I should always do what Ben does. One day he wanted to go out to the ocean, but I didn't want to. When he got back, he said that he saw a whale breaching. The rest of the time I watched for whales, but never saw one.

We had an excellent time. I hope Ben has to do work there again.

Actually, I am hoping for Cancun, Mexico City, or Zihuatanejo.

I always have an excuse.

2011-01-20T13:52:00.002-08:00

For the most part, I have really enjoyed my life and have few regrets. I have made decisions based on what I felt was best for me in the situation I was in. I am not perfect, and have made some choices that were probably not the best, but I can't go back and fix them. However, I can learn from my mistakes, make better choices, and move on.

When Ben and I met, we were both attending a community college in Salt Lake. It didn't take long for us to fall in love and get married. We both continued to go to school full time and work full time, but I was getting worn out. I was tired and unmotivated, so I stopped going to school. Time moved forward and I became pregnant and the thought of going back to school was pushed even further out of my mind. I figured I would go when the kids were older, when we were settled somewhere long enough for me to attend classes.

Then something happened. I struggled for most of last year with anxiety and depression. It was not a good year, and I found myself craving some sort of outlet. Blogging was an excellent source of diversion; however, I was spending so much time on the computer with not much to show for it. I wanted to do something for myself, and the idea popped into my head to go back to school. I dismissed it because I didn't know how I would be able to do school and take care of the kids and everything else that a mom of two little boys has to do. Then I was talking to a good friend who told me to just do it. I talked to Ben and he said just do it. Everyone I talked to said just do it. So I did it. I applied, was accepted a few days later and now I am taking two classes online. It isn't much, but it is a step in the right direction. For the last two weeks I have been getting back into the groove of reading textbooks, taking quizzes and being a student. It has been great. My amazing husband has been watching the kids as soon as he gets home so I can study. He has even cleaned the kitchen each night! I wouldn't be able to do it without him.

I realize that it would have been a lot easier to finish school when I had the opportunity the first time, but I didn't. I can't go back and change that, but I can move forward towards the goal of finishing. It might take several years, but that is okay. I will do it.

That is why this blog has not been updated in awhile. That and since the first of the year I have been reading the Harry Potter books.

Because sometimes life is awesome.

2011-01-12T17:33:00.000-08:00

The last few weeks have been amazing for me. Nothing spectacular has happened, I have just enjoyed a lot of really great days.
Jack has been the source of a lot of my smiles and joy lately. My favorite was when Jack was sitting in between Ben and me, he put his arms around us, and patted our backs. After a minute, he looked at both of us, smiled, and moved his arms. It was a small thing, but such a cute way to show affection.

Then today I was able to participate in training that involved driving forwards and backwards at really high speeds, avoiding cones at high speeds, and making a split second decision at high speeds. It was awesome! I don't know that I am a better driver than I was before, but I certainly can take turns a lot faster!

(Thank you friend for watching the kids.)

Oh, and it was 70 degrees outside today. Things are looking pretty good from where I am.

Qualcomm Stadium (home of the San Diego Chargers)

Also where I learned about the true meaning of serpentine.

Superman Jack.

2011-01-03T13:12:00.001-08:00

This is how we started off 2011-

Jack said that he thinks he fell because he was wearing Superman not Spiderman.

"Spiderman is better at climbing walls, Mom."

I'm pretty sure this year is going to be filled with crazy adventures.

A year in Pictures.

2010-12-29T20:42:00.000-08:00

Normally, Ben has little to do with this blog. However, I asked Ben to participate today.

Out of the kindness of his heart, he accepted.

He picked his favorite pictures from 2010. One picture and a caption for every month.

January- Hungry

February-Snowy

March- Wisdom

April- Sunny

May-Pretty

June-Exhaustion

July- Yummy

August- Fun

September- Good Times

October- Love

November- Memories

December- Happiness

The (un)magic of blogging.

2010-12-28T07:10:00.001-08:00

The other day I reported that Jack was being potty trained, and it was going well. Almost as soon as I clicked publish, it all changed. I will spare you the details, but I will say that Jack is back in diapers. It has been a rough go, but the good news is that we know that he is capable of it. Someday, (hopefully soon) he will be potty trained.

It is not just blogging that changes things. The other day, I was talking to a friend about working, and I said that I want to stay at home and didn't want to get a job that takes me out of the home. Well, I am reconsidering that too.

Yes, it has been that type of week. Things are rough around here. Who knows what will happen when I hit the publish button this time, but I am thinking that for the safety and sanity of those around me, I should not talk or type for the next little while.

Feliz Navidad!

2010-12-26T23:38:00.000-08:00

Our Christmas celebration this year was wonderful. We enjoyed being together as a family. I even made Christmas Eve dinner, complete with turkey and ham (thank you Harry and David). It was absolutely delicious and fun to get all dressed up for a "fancy" dinner. After dinner we opened our new pajamas and read Luke 2.
We were all so excited that Santa was coming, that we put our pajamas on and went to bed early. That also meant that everyone woke up early, but Christmas morning is so much more fun if the sun isn't awake yet.

One of the best parts was when we walked down the stairs, and the boys saw all of the presents under the tree. They were so excited and couldn't wait to start opening each gift (which is part of the reason they saw presents under the tree for the first time on Christmas morning). We would open each present and take time to look at it, open it (umm...some of the toys required a screw driver to open, a little over packaged in my opinion), and play with it before moving on to the next.

I think that the boys were happy with all of the gifts they received. One of the funniest things was as we were opening presents, Jack figured out the difference between presents that looked like books and ones that looked like toys. He started looking for the ones that he thought were toys. I guess it starts young. Speaking of gifts, Santa got the memo on time, so Jack got two Transformer toys.
**Note to self (and to Santa)...no more Transformers, they are a pain to "transform".**

After we opened all of our gifts, our day was full of hot chocolate, playing and sweet treats. We had a great day enjoying the spoils of the holiday.

All dressed up (shoes optional)

All of these pictures of Thomas were taken within moments of each other. Christmas drama at its best.

Merry Christmas to our family and friends. We love you.

Santa in Tijuana.

2010-12-24T07:49:00.012-08:00

We passed by Santa earlier this month and when I asked Jack if he wanted to see him, he said that he didn't want to.

The other day he decided he really needed to tell Santa what he wanted for Christmas. He made sure that he added, "I'm not even scared anymore".

We planned on going to a mall in San Diego to see Santa, but the rumor was that the line at the border was really long, and the malls were crazy {tis the season}. Instead, we found a Santa here in Tijuana.

It was perfect, there was no line to see him, and he spoke English.

The big question is, what did Jack ask for?

Bumblebee, Optimus Prime and Starscream.

Transformers.

Santa may or may not have received the memo in time. I guess we will have to see Christmas morning.

My seasonal accomplishments.

2010-12-23T07:30:00.007-08:00

I generally don't attempt crafty things. This year, however, I was in the mood to create something festive.

These are my attempts.

Button Christmas Trees.

Tin Can Advent Calendar.

I would like to say the ideas were mine, but they came from here and here.

I am the first to admit that most of my crafts do not turn out the way they are supposed to, but these two were easy. The hardest part was finding the supplies. Buttons and pins were particularly challenging.

(Right Jodie?)

If you are interested, I found most of the supplies for the button tress at JoAnn fabrics, in the store and online. I also saw them on Amazon.com.

I found the tin buckets at Walmart.com.

Fear.

2010-12-22T13:28:00.000-08:00

I am not always aware I am afraid of something until I am faced with it, and then, I have a choice to face it, and overcome it, or remain afraid.

The week we left for Utah, there was a shooting at the grocery store we go to locally. There was a family involved, and a little girl (around Jack's age) was shot. In the article I was shown, there was a picture of a car-cart as part of the crime scene.

I didn't think that I was that affected by it, but as the weeks went on, I found myself avoiding the grocery store. Last night, we really needed to go to the grocery store, so we all loaded up and headed out. I was nervous. We parked, went into the store, did our shopping, and went home. Nothing happened. (That doesn't mean I was looking around for anything suspicious the entire time.)

I am not as nervous about going to the grocery store anymore. I am still uber aware of my surroundings, but it is not going to stop me from going out and living life. I faced this fear and moved on.

I am aware that we live in a place where there is violence. I know that there will be more shootings. I just hope they won't be so close to home.

Yes, there are miracles.

2010-12-17T07:15:00.001-08:00

Jack is currently being trained to not rely on diapers. Yes he is.

Miracles do happen. I thought he would still be using diapers when he left for college. Fortunately for Ben and I (and his future roommates), it will not be the case. I am not kidding that I felt like I might be the most terrible mother in the world because my kid was still sporting the padded bum look.
I won't go into any of the graphic details, but I will tell you that he is doing AMAZING. He has not had many accidents, and this morning he woke up and immediately told Ben he needed to go. I am glad we waited until he was ready. Okay, I can admit this now (but I will deny if you ever mention it) perhaps he was ready earlier, but I wasn't. It all works out in the end.

Things that we are looking forward to when Jack is done with diapers:

We won't have to change any more of his diapers. (Duh)
Our monthly expenses will go down.
We can leave him at the playzone at Ikea.
~~I am~~ We are getting a Wii.
I get to sleep in on Saturday mornings (a deal made a long time ago between Ben and I which I fully intend to take advantage of).
My diaper bag/purse can get smaller.
Jack will feel better about himself because when he has to go into a public restroom, his business can be taken care of behind closed doors, not on a diaper changing table.
Ben can take him to the bathroom.

We love our Jack and we are so proud of him.

Traditions.

2010-12-15T16:53:00.000-08:00

I heard a story once about a woman and a roast. One day a woman was making her traditional roast, and her husband was watching her get everything together. He watched as she gathered the vegetables, took out the meat, and put everything in the pot. Before she put the meat in the pot, she trimmed off both of the ends. Her husband (lovingly, I'm sure) asked why she trimmed it. She told him (in a non-confrontational way) that was the way her mom taught her to make a roast. The husband waited until the next family gathering, and took the opportunity to ask his mother-in-law why it was his wife trimmed the ends of the meat in a roast. She told him that was the way her mother taught her to prepare a roast. The husband then asked his wife's grandmother why it was they all trimmed the roast before putting it in the pan. She looked confused, thought about it for a moment, and laughed. She told him that the reason she had trimmed the roast was because the pot was too small and would only fit after she trimmed the ends off.
The mystery was solved.

Traditions have become an important part of our family. There are traditions Ben and I have started ourselves, and there are traditions Ben and I bring from the families we grew up with. Christmas time seems to be a clash of all of these traditions. When we were first married I found it hard to part with what I knew for my entire life. Ben was much better at relenting, but I am finding that there are several {good} ways to do things.
This year one of my beloved traditions is going to be changed, and although it is beloved, I am excited to try something new.
This year, we are going to ask Santa to wrap our Christmas presents. Growing up, Santa brought our presents and Christmas morning we would file down the stairs (youngest to oldest) to find our Santa piles. The presents were just there, lit up by the Christmas tree lights (some years a fireplace), unwrapped, ready to be played with. It was one of my favorite parts of Christmas. This year, I am excited to try something new. It should be an adventure.
Traditions are an amazing part of life, and I like that Ben and I will be able to create traditions together that mean something to our family. For instance, I just had to replace our copy of Fiddler on the Roof (our copy was ruined by mold in our move), which is our traditional movie to watch Christmas Eve. You see, the first year we were married, we went to Blockbuster on the eve of Christmas Eve, and the Christmas movie selection was quite limited. A tradition was born.
I hope that I will be able to be open to new things, even if I have done it a certain way my entire life. There was certainly no harm done trimming the extra meat on the roast; there was a lot of wasted meat.

Utah.

2010-12-13T20:26:00.001-08:00

It all began when Ben told me he was going for a week to a nice sunny location for a work trip. I thought it would be fun to go with him. I called my mom and asked if she could come down and watch the kids. Unfortunately, she couldn't come down because of her work schedule. Instead of giving up, I came up with a new plan, I decided to drive with the boys up to stay with my parents for a week. The plan kept getting bigger in my head so I called my sister, in Iowa, to see if she could possibly come out as well. It was perfect timing! Her husband would be in the middle of finals and preparing for his dental school boards, so it was a good time for her and the kids to get away. It was the perfect plan. We were going to be able to leave the kids with their grandma and grandpa and have fun sister time.
The week before we left, Ben found out that his trip was cancelled. What? This changed everything because it would leave Ben without a car for a week. The day before we ended up leaving, Ben came and said that he was going to be able to come with us! His trip fell through, and they weren't planning on him being at work, so you know, things always work out for us.
Our first stop was Las Vegas, where we met Ben's dad and Lani for breakfast. It was perfect timing. Our second stop was at Ben's brother and his family's house. The boys rocked out to RockBand, and the girls had a great time shopping.
We stayed at my parents and had a great time. We celebrated Christmas a little early, and the kids had an amazing time with Grandma and Grandpa. My sister and I were able to spend some good time together, and Ben was able to spend time with his brother. It was a nearly perfect trip. We wished that we would have been able to see more people; we miss our friends and family. Quite honestly, I wanted to hand deliver all of our Christmas cards to everyone we know in Utah (ambitious, right?). It was a lot less stressful this way. {I hope our friends and family understand, and next time, we are going to try to see everyone.}

Highlights of our trip.

Breakfast with Ross and Lani

The boys rocking out.

Making gingerbread cookies. My dad made the gingerbread, the kids cut out the cookies and decorated. Interesting, my picky eater, loved the gingerbread. Total shock. (The cookies were really good.)

These pictures are of us acting out of the Nativity Story as found in Luke 2. Our version was a little, well, let's say... less traditional. I was Mary, Ben was Joseph, I think Jack was the donkey, and everyone else just played different roles as needed. It was my favorite rendition in recent history.

Seriously hilarious to watch/participate in.

We opened presents.

Grandma and Grandpa and the cute grandkids.

Don't you love Addie's costume? It was one the presents she opened, and had to wear it immediately.

The six kids. Left to right, oldest to youngest.

The whole gang (minus Jason).

Do you love Jack and the Spiderman mask?