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Hayley Meets her Brothers 16 Nov 2014 9:26 AM (10 years ago)

   Grammy picked up Kyle from school and Nolan from his friend Andrew's house and brought them to the hospital to meet Hayley. When Kyle met Nolan he said, "No want it. No thank you," and it was a pretty sad experience for me. My heart warmed up when the boys came bouncing through the door asking to see their new sister. Their proud smiles meant so much to me. I am so thankful I am blessed with these three kids. Each of them teach me in different ways and make me want to be a better person and mother. I love you Kyle, Nolan and Hayley!

Now a big brother! Nolan told us he would rather have a baby sister than a pet bunny. That is huge news!
 Kyle was protective of her from the get-go. He didn't want us to take any more pictures with the, "big light," (the flash) because it was making Hayley cry.


Mama Bear feeling big and tired but mainly HAPPY:

Happy Family of 5:

Kyle gave her this pink teddy bear and the stuffed dog is Nolan's animal that he wanted Tim to sleep with at the hospital :).




Thank you Grammy for bringing the boys and the beautiful red roses they picked out for me.




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Hayley Diane Ray 15 Nov 2014 7:29 PM (10 years ago)

I wanted to type up Hayley's birth story while I still had it fresh in my mind:

  On Monday, November 3, I went for a doctor appointment. I had felt no contractions at this point (my due date was the next day) or any signs that labor would be coming soon. In the past my body never progressed until I went into actual labor, so I tried to not let the feeling that nothing would ever happen get to me too much. One of the comments I got ALL the time from people was, "You haven't even dropped!" Anyway, I showed up to my appointment hoping that all of my walking at the zoo the Saturday before would have done something to bring me closer to labor, but no such luck. We talked about induction. I could have gone in on Wednesday, but I was luckily feeling pretty patient. While I didn't want to go a week overdue, I really wanted this baby to come on her own. I felt comfortable with setting an induction date for Friday, November 7th.

  As the week went on I felt a few different pressures or feelings here or there, but nothing consistent or anything that felt like a contraction. One day I got ready for Zumba, but felt pretty sick so I decided it was better to stay home and rest. My mom said she thought I was getting closer to labor. On Thursday we took the boys to get a treat as our last celebration as a family of four. We got home and put them to bed and then I showered and packed a few things. I wanted to blow dry and straighten my hair but I was just so tired that I decided I would do it in the morning before we went to the hospital.

  After Tim and I went to bed I did the usual get up to use the bathroom scene a couple of times. Tim was fast asleep at this point. After using the bathroom I laid back in bed when I felt something a little wet. I thought, "That's strange," and got up and ran to the toilet. As soon as I sat down the flood came and I started yelling to my precious, sleeping husband, "Tim! Tim! I think my water broke! Love, wake up!" Of course he just snoozed away, so when I found it appropriate I got up, ran to him, hit his feet a couple of times and told him my water broke, then ran back to the toilet. He called my mom and while on the phone I said, "But I don't know how to get up! It just keeps coming!" My mom said it was going to be messy no matter what and brought us some towels. We threw more things together, I had crazy partially dry hair, and loaded up and headed to the hospital.

  At this point we're laughing and excited but I was also worried about laboring through the night. I felt a few contractions on the way to the hospital but realized the fact that I was so happy meant I must not be very far along. It was midnight when we got to the hospital. We were in triage forever where they told me I was only 2.5 cm dialated. Ahhh! With Kyle I was 4 cm when I got to the hospital and with Nolan I was induced, so this was going to be a long time laboring at the hospital for me. My sweet mom followed us to the hospital and stayed the whole night.

  When we finally got into labor and delivery room, they did my IV which is one of the worst parts for me. They can never get it in the first time! The nurse also started my antibiotic for the Strep B. She told me the goal was to get two bags in me, so the baby could come anytime after 6 am. A few hours later I felt ready for my epidural. The epidural is the most nerve-wrecking part for me so I had to mentally prepare myself for it. Tim sat in front of me and I squeezed his hands so tight as they put it in. That seemed to take forever too. After the epidural, at 4 am, they checked me. I was a 4.

  The worst part of this labor was all of the shaking I did. I shook non-stop! My mom tried putting pressure on me to help me stay still and the nurse told me to try and relax, but nothing helped. It was so tiring.

  After the epidural my nurse said I would probably progress a cm an hour, which would put us around 10 am for delivery. My mom contemplated going home to help get the boys ready for school, but I told her I thought she should stay. As the time went on I felt the contractions more frequent and harder.

  At 6 all of my antibiotic was in me and the nurse checked me. I was complete and ready to push! Our little angel was a good listener and waited until 6 am. I felt like it was a blessing I was ready to go because I was so hungry, had a bad headache from shaking so much and was so tired of shaking! The doctor was called and we got ready. One of the stirrups was broken so my mom held my dead-weight leg. It's just better if Tim doesn't get that close to the scene. He almost passed out during Kyle's birth. He stayed by me.

  Dr. Beck came in and we were all set. Of course at this time I didn't feel a contraction coming for what seemed like forever. Finally I said, "Ok here it comes!" And with one contraction and four pushes my little Hayley was born at 6:25 am. They told me to open my eyes and look down and I saw the most beautiful little girl be born. My first comment was, "She's so pretty!" Usually newborns look alienish and a little beat up but she was just so tiny with petite features and the prettiest skin coloring. She was born wide eyed and so alert. They put her on my chest and Tim cut the cord. This was the first baby I was able to do skin-to-skin with right away. I loved it except I was STILL shaking, so I ended up passing her back after a little bit because she kept landing in my neck from the shakes.






   It was immediate love! Honestly, my entire pregnancy I was worried about having a baby girl. I just didn't feel connected to the baby in me like I did with the boys. As soon as I saw Hayley, however, I knew she was meant for me and was the perfect addition to our family. Such a sweet gift from my Heavenly Father. She is the best!! 

  When they asked what her name was I answered right away, "Hayley Diane Ray." Tim and I had a hard time deciding/agreeing on her first name, but we knew for a long time her middle name would be Diane. Tim thinks this is our last kid, so he had told me early on that if I wanted to give her a middle name, I should pick a family name from my side so that one of our kids had a name from my side. Of course it had to be after her amazing miracle of a Grandma. Tim and I agreed on it without hesitation. (And as an added bonus, now both of my parents' names are in her name :)). We couldn't decide how to spell Hayley, but then my dad posted an Instagram with her name spelled H-a-y-l-e-y so we said, "Ok that works!" I love my little girl!
6 lb 14 oz, a full pound smaller than the boys

I love, love labor and delivery. It is my very favorite part of having a baby. Pregnancy is hard for me but I love the miracle of delivering a baby and it puts me on such a high afterward. I'm so grateful I had an easy labor and delivery and that our healthy, beautiful girl is here.

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Kyle Plays Soccer! 25 Mar 2014 8:06 PM (11 years ago)


Kyle plays soccer at recess almost every day, so he decided he wanted to try soccer this year. I was a little sad at first because I thought that meant we would miss baseball season, but soccer ended right in time. And guess what-- watching Kyle play soccer is fun! The league's recreational divison was a little (ok a lot) unorganized, but once the games actually got started it was fun. Kyle reminds me of my brother Taylor in that they're both usually one of the best at whatever they are attempting. He did awesome in soccer!
 If only you could see his calf muscles through those socks. They are rocks! I'm glad he didn't inherit my non-defining calf muscles.
One special aspect of soccer was that Tim helped coach. When we realized how unorganized the league was, our friend helped coach at practices and Tim stepped in at the games. The boys loved it. This allowed for high-fives on the field for Kyle!


Happy boy after a good move. Kyle was great at being aware of his teammates on the field. He had a lot of goals AND a lot of assists. I was proud of him for not being a ball hog.

Bear did his best to survive the games by eating sooo many snacks. I'm a mean mom and won't give him electronics. I think it's good for  him to cheer his brother on!

Needing a hair cut but still my cute Bear:
 And of course, GG came and supported Kyle at his games too. We are lucky to have her near us. The boys love when she can come!
Kyle decided he wanted to do a pattern. Soccer, baseball, soccer, baseball. So we have now moved onto baseball! He did ask Tim why he was better at soccer than baseball, so we'll see how long this pattern lasts :).

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Nolan Plays Soccer! 25 Mar 2014 7:46 PM (11 years ago)

In January I signed Bear up for a short little soccer class held once a week. The coach started off the class doing drills and then had a small scrimmage at the end of each class. It was basically hilarious. Nolan loved going, I'm sure, even though if you ask him if he likes soccer he'll probably tell you, "No, because it makes me hungry." Nolan told Kyle he knew the rules of soccer, "No fighting and no whining."
Stretching. I dressed him in jeans bc the grass was so itchy at the park and stuck all over his other pants!

He usually always has his hands up in the air when he is kicking the ball. It's like he doesn't quite know what to do with them yet.


One of the reasons we signed Nolan up was to make sure he really could be active. When we go to the zoo I can barely force him out of the stroller. It was so fun to actually see him run!


Practicing the header.


 They all just run around with smiles during the scrimmage. It's so cute.

 He's on your team Bear! But great job being aggressive.
 I loved him just standing there smiling.
 Nolan was probably starting to get hungry here. Typical three year olds playing soccer. The ball was rolling right behind him and he had no clue.
Another great thing about this class was that I got three other families to sign up with us! Andrew, his best friend, Lily, from church, and Easton, a friend we met through Kyle's pre-school. This meant I got to see my friends once a week too :). And of course GG was Nolan's faithful fan. He invited her to his soccer class one day and she has graciously come every time after to cheer him on.
 
  The coach did a great job with the kids! He related things to their level and spoke really clearly for them to understand. I was really impressed with his patience. I signed Nolan up again and unfortunately I'm not as impressed with the  program this time. We miss Coach Ryan! It's ok because this will be our last and then we will move onto swimming lessons!

  I have enjoyed having an activity just for Nolan.  I feel like we spend a lot of time driving to and from places for Kyle, so I was happy Bear had something that made him feel included too. My boys are growing up too fast!

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Sixth Birthday Party 22 Jan 2014 7:21 PM (11 years ago)

This year Kyle had a combined birthday party with his cousin, Logan. They are just a couple of weeks apart and in the same Kindergarten class this year. Since we would be inviting the same cousins and the same class, Laurie and I just did it together!

  It was a reptile/Duck Dynasty/camo party. Yah, so we really didn't have a set theme but it was cute nonetheless. I called my mom to make sure she was ok with us having the party at the house because it wasn't our usual list of guests (aka snakes). I was nervous since I didn't know most of the kids and a lot were coming, but except for a few I would say that Kyle has a great class! Bless his teacher. I think there are 20 boys and 6 girls in his class.


 Rich the reptile man came. He does an hour presentation that is entertaining for both kids and adults. Unfortunately I'd say about half of the kids were terrified, but I guess they will always remember the party? I love the smiles in this pic!
 A captivated audience:
 Kyle a little unsure:
See that weird mark? I need to get my camera cleaned. Anyone know how I do that?

 Rich kept his reptiles in tupperware and in the big coolers the boys were sitting on. There was a lot of screaming (and laughing) during the presentation, and at this point the kids were wondering what was coming next.

It was Tebow the rhinoceros iguana! Nolan loved this part and talks about it because Tebow would not stay on his diaper!

 Oh the drama...
 Oh my sweet Bear... I love that he his peeking with one eye.


The boys didn't want to stand like a tree, so Aunt Laurie stepped up to the plate. I would have been willing to but he didn't ask for any other volunteers. Oh darn ;). 
 Ok this is so creepy!!

I was proud of Kyle for walking around with this snake. I could tell he was nervous he was going to drop it.

At one point Rich did let whoever wanted to come and have a snake around their neck. I didn't get very many pics of this because all of a sudden there was a long line of Kindergartners who needed to use the bathroom. Wow his teacher must have a lot of patience.


 Oh yes, also proud of him for doing this. This python eats a pig once a month. It takes it 3 weeks to digest the bones and everything.
 Happy 6th birthday son. Let's think of something terrifying to celebrate!!
 The kids did like petting the reptiles.
Even Bear perked up and got brave. It's so fun to see them overcome their fear!

Side note: Rich ended up doing a presentation at Kyle's school a couple of days later. I'm so glad we had the party first or we would have been old news!

Cake time:

The handsome duo with their cake. It cracked me up that they chose this over Star Wars:





Logan is looking for more candles... Good thing Kyle didn't notice. 


We had a great time! My ears hurt from all of the screaming but overall it was a big success. I love you Kyle. You are my handsome Kyle Boy. You are so smart and thoughtful. You make me feel loved and have taught me so much. Happy 6th Birthday!!

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6 year old Q & A 10 Jan 2014 6:42 AM (11 years ago)

It was so fun to look back at Kyle's Q and A's from when he was five. Here are his answers. Straight from the 6 year old's mouth!

1. What is your favorite color? blue
2. What is your favorite toy? Legos
3. What is your favorite fruit? blueberries
4. What is your favorite tv show? Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? bean burrito
6. What is your favorite outfit? Ninja Turtle shirt I bought with my own money
7. What is your favorite game? my x-box game (Disney Rush)
8. What is your favorite snack? frozen blueberries
9. What is your favorite animal? rhinoceros and dog
10. What is your favorite song? Catch a Grenade for You, I want to be a Billionaire, Battle Hymn of the Republic 
11. What is your favorite book? Ninja Turtle book from Kate, Macy and Pierce
12. Who is your best friend? Logan
13. What is your favorite cereal? Cinnamon Toast Crunch
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? play soccer and basketball
15. What is your favorite drink? root beer
16. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? My stuffed animals. 
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Cinnamon Toast Crunch
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? Dominos Pizza

20. What do you want to be when you grow up? Police Officer, I mean a zombie.
  

Nolan was nearby and politely asked if I could ask him the questions too. Here is Nolan at 3 1/2 years old:

1. What is your favorite color? black  
2. What is your favorite toy? boxing gloves
3. What is your favorite fruit? apples
4. What is your favorite tv show? Team Umizoomi
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Corn dog
6. What is your favorite outfit? Curious George shirt
7. What is your favorite game? Dance on the x-box
8. What is your favorite snack? granola bars
9. What is your favorite animal? monkeys and even some rabbits and bunnies
10. What is your favorite song? Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho
11. What is your favorite book? 5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed
12. Who is your best friend? Andrew and Whitman
13. What is your favorite cereal? Cinnamon Toast Crunch
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? jump on the tramp
15. What is your favorite drink? Root beer
16. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? My stuffed animals
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Cinnamon Life
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? Domino's Pizza
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? A farm guy because I want to take care of animals. I will leave the eggs all the long day and then they could hatch. 

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Young Women in Excellence 2 Jan 2014 7:35 PM (11 years ago)

On December 4th we celebrated, "Young Women in Excellence." It's a night where the girls ages 12-17 in my ward share with us some of the goals they accomplished throughout the year. I was in charge of it this year and I really felt like I had no clue if I was planning it right, but I think it turned out cute. The theme I chose was, "Becoming Spiritually Fit." I was really listening to October General Conference with the hope of finding a theme in mind. This talk by Richard J. Maynes really stuck out to me and is where my theme originated from.

The invite:


The refreshment table:
We tried to do a mostly healthy theme. Veggie tray, hummus and chips, smoothie drinks, fruit kabobs, personal fruit pizzas and water.

Blurry pic. My camera was being so weird:

The main decor table:
I made tissue pom-poms out of every Personal Progress value and placed them in front of pages I downloaded and framed about each value. Our Young Women's president made the cute glittered frames and we displayed a picture of each girl and the value she talked about in front of the value. I was able to take most of the girls' pictures near the new Gilbert temple.










It was kind of hard because the girls came in two cars and the first carload the lighting was a lot better but I'm still satisfied with what I got.

For the program, I first introduced the theme and gave a short talk. Then I had each girl talk on a certain Personal Progress value and how accomplishing goals in that value area had helped them become more, "spiritually fit." The Bishop also talked about the importance of becoming spiritually fit and how the temple helps us do that and blesses us. It was a quick, uplifting night. Just the way I like it. (I get ADD in long meetings).



Oh, I forgot. The exercise sweat band colors matched the value they spoke on as well. We had a couple new beehives that I assigned to do the opening and closing prayer :). 

     I originally tried copying an idea of Pinterest, but it was clear that the Lord wanted me to use my own brain instead. I am grateful I had the opportunity to study the talk by Elder Maynes and to think about how important it is to continually nourish and take care of our testimonies, just like it is important to take care of our bodies. The Church is true! I love it and I  love working with these girls.




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Halloween 2013 1 Jan 2014 8:12 PM (11 years ago)

Kyle decided that this year he wanted to be a Zombie Skeleton. I thought he had created a costume until I came across a lady in Ocotillo selling this for $8! I was sooo happy! Even happier when a few days after I bought it I saw it in the Party City magazine for almost $40.


Nolan's costume I found at Kid-to-Kid for $8. I had both costumes ready before October had even come and for under $20. I was a happy mom! It ended up being a blessing as I got sick really close to Halloween.
 I tried to see if Bear wanted something else, or a more soldier-like helmet to go with the costume, but he loved it. He was the cutest little soldier, or, "army guy."



 On Halloween and at the ward Trunk or Treat Kyle's costume was a hit! Everyone said how scary he looked, which of course made Kyle happy. I didn't even think about it until people pointed out to me how usually 5 year olds aren't into stuff like that yet. Of course my Kyle Boy was the exception.

Before and even now, we will randomly find Kyle sprawled out on the ground like this. When I walk into the kitchen he starts to, "raise from the dead." It's hilarious and makes my day when I find him like this.

The other highlight of Halloween this year was picking up GG to go to Trunk or Treat. We loved her costume, especially her mustache! These boys have so much fun with GG!

My boys loved the gift cards to frozen yogurt our overly generous neighbors gave them. Kyle loved the Snickers and Milky Ways and Nolan loved, "Sweethearts." (Sweet Tarts). 


I love these boys! I love their differences and seeing them interact with each other. 

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Being Grateful 15 Oct 2013 8:40 PM (11 years ago)

I think it's so easy to get in the mindset where you compare yourself to others, or think about things you wish you could have-- things that even seem totally logistical and more of a need than a want at times. I seem to go through periods where I am more at peace with what I have than at other moments. I realize it's an attitude and something I have a choice over. If I choose to be grateful, my life is happier and I see the beauty in a simple life.
   I have been really grateful lately that my Heavenly Father has blessed me with an abundance of love for my two little boys. I know it sounds cliche, but I just LOVE them! They are sweet and I love them. They are rascals who drive me to tears and I still love them. I feel like my heart is just filled to the max with love for them and gratitude that I get to be their mama. I think a lot of this has to do with the fun ages they are at. Kyle and Nolan are so opposite from each other in most ways, so they always keep me on my toes. I am grateful for the little boys that they are and the things that they teach me daily.

Kyle
  Kyle loves Kindergarten. He has a desire to choose the right. He is still Mr. Social and loves to have play-dates with friends. He loves adventure. He is an excellent reader and very smart. I am always amazed at his attention to detail. Kyle's behavior has really improved this year. His tantrums are occurring less often (Hallelujah!). He loves Ninja Turtles, Ninjago, being with Tim, root beer, baby doggie and is really into counting money. He often takes my planner and fills in things. For example, he wrote "Fast Sunday," really big on the first Sunday of every month in my calendar. He also wrote birthdays and other funny things. It makes me smile to see his handwriting. He is now interested in cursive. Kyle is always listening to our conversations and wants to know what we are talking about. He gets this from me. I hate to be out of the know :). He is very sensitive to my feelings. He says the most faithful prayers. When Kyle prays for me I know it will help. If Kyle could be granted one wish right now I think it would be to have karate lessons. Hopefully one day we'll be able to do that for him. Either that or to get money. Ha. He is such a handsome boy and getting so tall!

Nolan
 Mr. Bear is just downright hilarious. He is a handful in the funniest of ways and so I'm afraid I'm not good at disciplining him since I am often just laughing instead. He is witty and quick with his responses. He also has the biggest love for life that is such a gift. I say it's hard to have a bad day when I'm with such a happy person all day. Tim and I literally lose count of how many times he says he loves us in a day. Nolan is always telling me, "Mama, I love _____."  Nolan is addicted to baked goods. When he's not thinking about donuts, he's thinking about cinnamon rolls, muffins or cookies. He still loves to run errands. Last time we were at Costco a lady heard him tell me, "Mama, I just love Costco," and she smiled so big. A couple of weeks ago he finally started to play by himself. He wants someone by him all the time and so it is hard to get anything done during the day. He loves when his, "Kyle boy," is home and I am happy to say that they finally play pretty well together. We tried teaching Nolan how to ride the bike with training wheels last week and it was like walking with a blind person on a bike. He was too busy noticing the birds in the sky or the planted flowers to watch where he is going. If Nolan could be granted one wish right now it would be to have a baby bunny as a pet. He loves small animals and thinks if he had one, they would sleep in his bed with him. I told him that wouldn't happen, so he agreed to getting a cage. 

A couple of months ago I was having a hard day and crying in bed. The boys walked in and saw me upset. They said they were going to get something to help me. So what did they bring back? A bag of m and m's and a big bottle of pepto bismol. It made me laugh so hard! Chocolate and medicine! It was so loving of them though to think that they could help their mama. See how sweet they are? I just wanted to write down some things about this age so I will remember! I love my boys!

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My Sweet Elle 17 Sep 2013 8:46 PM (11 years ago)

At the end of April I got to watch my cute niece Elle while her parents celebrated my brother-in-law, Sam's, graduation by going on a trip to Mexico. It was so special for me to be able to enjoy her for those couple of days. She is so cute and entertaining.








     When we first found out that my parents would be serving a three year mission, I remember my sister saying to me, "If I have a baby while they are gone will you come out and help me?" Of course I said, "Yes!" and even offered to be her doula, but for some reason she never took me up on that part.
  When Curtis and Candace went to Argentina to see my parents last year I had agreed to watch their son Reed. We figured out the dates and felt like it was far enough from Alli's due date that I would be able to go be with her and then come home to watch Reed. As time got closer to Candace and C-bug's departure date, and Bubby was still a beautiful prego, it was looking like I would not be able to be with Alli until after they returned and Elle would be a couple of weeks old. As plan B, I figured out a date that I could fly out once Curtis and Candace returned home, and then they would help watch the boys so that I could go be with Bubby.
   
   Well, the more evident it became that I would not be there right after the delivery, the more I was starting to lose sleep. My mind would race at night. I had once felt peaceful about going to Alli's after my brother's trip to Argentina, but now I felt like I needed to get out to Utah sooner after the birth rather than later. I called Candace and expressed my thoughts and we came up with a plan that when they left to Argentina, I would fly a few days later to Utah with my nephew Reed. 

Reed would go to his wonderful Grandma Denise's house, and I would go be with Bubby, Sam and Elle. After my time there, I would fly back home to AZ with Reed and continue watching him until his parents returned. It was a crazy plan that involved a lot of details from everyone, but once it was made I was able to sleep again at night!
  It was such a treat to cuddle my newborn niece and to see my little sister as a new mom. 



I also had a fun time with my RooBear. He was a great travel companion!
  What no one was expecting was that my mom would have a stroke while Curtis and Candace were in Argentina. Soon the pieces to this big puzzle began to make sense. The Lord had put so many of us in different places for a reason. What a blessing it was that Curtis, Candace, and my niece Charlotte were with my parents for the days leading up to the stroke, and when it happened. What a blessing that Denise and I were able to be with Reed.
  Two weeks after my mom had her stroke I was on a plane to Buenos Aires so that I could be there as she began her rehabilitation. It was while I was waiting for my plane out of Phoenix that I had realized it was also the day in my, "plan B," that I would have been arriving in Utah to be with my sister. I am so grateful I was prompted to change my plan B (even though it meant a lack of sleep :)), and that so many people were willing to change their schedules to make it happen. Alli being accepting of my crazy schedule, Denise taking off work to watch Reed, Candace listening to my concerns and being up for making it work without any hesitation. And of course TRay, he's the quiet supporter through all of my craziness every day! Had I stuck with plan B, it probably would have been over 2 months after Elle's birth that I would have arrived in Utah. I don't know that me being there really made much of a difference in my sister's recovery, but it meant so much to me to be there and to try to help her like my mom would have. As I waited to board the plane to Buenos Aires, I felt blessed and grateful that I had already had that opportunity.

 I wanted to record this lengthy series of events as a reminder that our Heavenly Father is aware of all of our needs. He knows more than us. He loves each one of us. And also, that family bonds are one of the best things ever created.




Happy First Birthday Eleanor Rae! I am so proud to be your aunt!

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Photo-op Successes and Failures 15 Sep 2013 2:46 PM (11 years ago)

Last year after going to church in Greer we pulled over on the side of the road and took one of my favorite photos:


So naturally I wanted to pull over again and try to take another photo. We went at a different time of year than last time so the fields weren't as green. Most of the photo op was a disaster.

1. It was very windy.


2. As soon as the clouds parted for the sun to shine through, one of the boys wasn't having it.
3. Since the brother shoot wasn't happening, we trusted Nolan with the camera. Nice shot Bear. It's almost straight. 
4. We cut our losses and decided to just get back to the cabin. Imagine our surprise when someone was ready and willing to smile with Smokey Bear.

I knew Tim really, really wanted to take more photos, so in the spirit of Father's Day, I snapped a few more when we got back to the cabin. My favorite boys and their totally natural smiles: 

Mama and the ninos:
 Jenni snapped this for us:

After the trying experience in the open field, I was excited to find these two shots when I downloaded my photos. Wind-blown hair and all:
 My life:

Maybe it was worth the stop after-all! Right Tim?

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Trip to Greer on June 16, 2013 14 Sep 2013 8:23 PM (11 years ago)

We had the wonderful opportunity of going to Greer with the Konkles again this year. The boys have been asking me about, "Benson's cabin," ever since we left last year, so we were all thrilled to be able to go again. This year Miss Ivy joined us, as Jenni and I drove up with the kids on Thursday and the dads joined us Friday night. The kids were awesome in the car, even Benson who didn't watch a show like Kyle and Nolan got to in the back.

  I love going to Greer and being able to just be outside!! Such a treat in the summer. Nolan loves humming birds and while I was pushing told me, "Push me high into the trees so I can be with the honey-birds." So cute.


    On the way to go fishing we happened upon a parade. As in, someone came up to the car and told us we had to get off the road because the parade was starting. I wondered why so many people were sitting outside. I thought it was just a beautiful day!

Guess who was the most excited about the candy. I love this pic. True Tim. :
Can you spot Kyle?
Nolan giving me a wave:

Here is my, "Stop to smell the roses," boy. This time it was a weed, but it didn't surprise me nonetheless.

Kyle boy and I waiting, waiting, waiting.
After no success, we decided to go to another location. 

Story of our lives: Bear trying to hug or touch Kyle, Kyle not having it. Bear loves to just throw his big head and body weight at you. I love these pics though because Kyle is laughing and not freaking out. We have made progress!!
All of the boys fishing:

Kyle was so patient! We waited for literally hours.
Benson and Nolan:

The sequence of Kyle catching his fish:
Jenni yelling to me that he caught a fish. Luckily I had my camera ready!

I love the little arch in Kyle's back and Tim instructing him:


 Kyle has his proud, tongue-in-cheek face on:
 Bear is probably just thinking at this point that he wants to pet it.
Happy Boys:
 Benson may have gotten a little wet during the hoopla:
 Mason soon caught one too!

And after the excitement of Kyle catching his fish calmed down came the 20 min (at least) drama of trying to tell him why the fish wouldn't be a pet, and that we (as in Mason, Jenni and Tim) had to either eat it, or we needed to let it go back in the water. Apparently catching a fish isn't fun if it isn't going to be your pet.

We snuck the fish home and Mason cooked it. Tim offered the boys a bite and we got this response:
Right there with you buddies!

Jenni and Mason, and sweet Ivy. I somehow only got one other pic of Ivy and she was crying in it :(.

Thank you so much Jenni and Mason! We treasure our friendship and can't believe we ever got you to move into Arlington in Provo! :)


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First Day of Kindergarten 13 Aug 2013 9:07 PM (11 years ago)

Well I had been dreading this day since pre-school ended. As the summer passed and it was getting closer to the school year, I got more and more emotional. I even started crying reading a Ninja Turtles book to Kyle because I thought how sad it was that I wasn't going to be able to read to him whenever I wanted during the day. Obviously I needed to realize that this was more about Kyle than me :). After the Meet the Teacher night my anxiety lessened as I saw how excited Kyle was for school.

Here he is on his first morning of Kindergarten in all his glory (and a special mosquito bite on his forehead). He wouldn't wear the new shorts I got him and he has shirts he never wears so I didn't buy him a new outfit. 
 A story about his lunch. He is not a big sandwich guy and wanted me to pack a bean burrito for his first day of school. Luckily the Sunday before his Papa mentioned how he eats peanut butter and jelly sometimes. That was all it took for him to be ok with me packing a pb and j for him.

  Another miracle was the backpack. Kyle had been using the same backpack his Grandma got him when Nolan was born 3 years ago. Last year I tried to shop for a new one with him but it was a traumatic experience. Tim said he didn't want Kyle to have a character backpack, but I knew if Kyle was happy with it and willing to wear it then that's what he would get. My sweet sister sent me a $10 credit to Kohls she got in the mail so the day I got it in the mail I told Kyle we were going to get his backpack. On the way out the door he told me he was going to get a lego Star Wars backpack. As luck would have it Kohls had  one! Hallelujah! There were no tears from either of us.


 This year was also the easiest time we have had shopping for shoes with him. Normally it takes over an hour to decide on one pair. His socks usually bother him too, but we were able to settle on these shoes without any of us losing our cool! Hallelujah again!
 My sweet boys. I love them so much. Bear still has bed-head or what we refer to as, "bunny hair." When his hair was longer it used to always stick up on each sides like little bunny ears.
 Crazy face.
 On our way. This picture makes me laugh because I was trying to get a photo with Kyle and Nolan photo bombed it. I like it with both my boys anyway.
 Tim was sweet and came with me for moral support. We were running a little late (maybe due to all my photos) so there was no time for a long good-bye. The teacher just took him straight into the class and away he went. He LOVES school and is such a smart little boy. I have the list of the sight words for the year and out of 82 he only needed help reading 4 of them his first week of school.
When I picked him up that day he was all smiles and kept telling me, "Kindergarten sure is great!"
I was surprised at how fast the time went.

I'm really excited to see what he learns this year. So far it seems a repeat of last year but I'm hoping as the school year continues he will learn new things! I love you my Kyle boy!!

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I'm a Mess 16 Jul 2013 10:18 AM (11 years ago)

We've had a wonderful summer together this year. Even on our tight budget and Tim's busy schedule I feel like we have had great family time, including our vacations together. We were able to go to San Diego for a weekend, Greer, and Puerto Penasco. With three trips Tim only missed a total of two days of work. We feel so grateful to those who helped make these trips doable for us and that our car never broke down!

  Anyway, now we are home. It's a week before Kyle starts school and I'm a mess! I have become so anxious about everything. I can't focus. What waterbottle should I get Kyle? What is the best type of lunch box? I hope the kids are nice to him. I hope he doesn't have a freak out on the days the cafeteria serves things like tuna fish that will stink up the cafeteria (I still remember the days they served fish). I hope he will put his closed-toe shoes on fine the days he has PE and that it won't be a big battle. What will it be like with just my Bear all day? Will he feel lonely? How will we all adjust?

I'm not good with change.
I'm not good with one of my best buddies leaving all day.

Will his teacher love him and be patient? I think so. I mean, she's the one who chose to be a Kindergarten teacher! Did I pick the right school? Will he be challenged intellectually? How will his innocence be challenged?

  Tim and I have called Kyle, "Everybody's best friend," for awhile. He has amazed me with how quickly he makes friends where ever we go. He has a talent for remembering people's names. I hope he chooses good friends at school.

  Bear will start pre-school in August. In my mind I used to think I would have a third kid by now, but I don't. Sometimes it makes me sad, but I normally just try to focus on how much I can love my boys right now and give them my attention. I am looking forward to being able to volunteer in Kyle's class when Bear is at pre-school. I didn't get to volunteer often in his class last year since I had to arrange someone to watch my Nolan Bear.

Anyway, I'm sure I'm a bit nutty. I'm also sure I'm not alone. I just wanted to write this down so I can laugh at it later. Maybe in May of next year when school ends and I realize Kyle is still one of my best buddies and we all survived.

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Memorial Day Weekend 2 Jul 2013 4:11 PM (11 years ago)

On Memorial Day weekend our friends, the Luffs, came to visit from El Paso! We met the Luffs in San Antonio, and the last time I saw Courtney I was about to pop... as in I was close to having Nolan. I'm so thankful that we have been able to stay good friends through phone calls the past three years!
 Courtney and I took the kids swimming on Saturday morning but it was still pretty cold. The guys had fun riding.



Later that afternoon we took the kids to Jump Street. We wanted to go out that night but I could not find a babysitter for the life of me! Maybe there are horror stories of my kids circulating the babysitters of Chandler...

On Sunday we went and visited the construction of the Gilbert Temple. It is such a beautiful temple and I love that there is a big park with lots of green grass near it. That area will always be beautiful! I can't wait until the construction is done and it opens. Before the temple is dedicated, there will be an open house where anyone from the public can walk through and take a tour. If anyone wants to go with me, let me know!
The cute Luffs!


The kids were given rocks of the type of stone the temple is constructed out of. 
Kyle gets upset pretty easily when the sun is in his eyes. Poor guy. Can't even fake it like Nolan. Ha!


The kids played so well together. Kyle and Jackson were little buddies all weekend long.
  (I think it looks like it rained salt from their pretzels...)



 On Monday they packed up and left in the morning. It was so nice of them to come out for such a quick trip. Friends that you can just hang out with are the best! Thanks for making the drive Luffs! Next time the guys stay home while the moms go out! :).




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Happy Happy Happy 20 Jun 2013 3:46 PM (11 years ago)

   My mama heart is happy! Today when Nolan woke up from his nap (notice the bed-head), Kyle gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek! Kyle has given Nolan a hug before--rare-- but it has happened. I cannot think of a time, however, that he has ever given him a kiss on the cheek! 3 years later! I am so happy and proud of Kyle. Bear's face lit up. That boy loves to be loved. These two make me happy, happy, happy.

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Trip to CA June 8, 2013 18 Jun 2013 6:53 PM (11 years ago)

When I heard my brother Chris and his family were going to be in Southern California I really wanted to drive the kids out to see them. A 6 hour drive sounded much more doable than a 12 hour drive to see them where they live in Northern California. Except there was one problem, I am direction deficit and do not trust myself and my GPS to get my kids pretty much anywhere outside of a 30 minute radius.
  I thought it would only be a dream when Chris called and suggested we just leave Friday after Tim got off work. What a great idea!! (He's always smart). Tim had a deadline that Friday so we were nervous he would have to work really late, but we were still hopeful. Luckily we got on the road by 6:30 that night!
  Saturday morning Chris spoiled us with donuts and then it was off to the beach!


   Bear didn't care for the freezing cold water much, but he LOVED looking for sand crabs. He had so much fun picking them up and holding them in his hand. He loves animals.
He insists on wearing this shirt backward. He likes the, "lifeguard," to be on the front. I also tried to buy him a new suit that actually fits, but he didn't want it. Saved me some money I guess. Now we just roll the waist and hope he doesn't moon people like he had at the splash pad. 
 

Kyle and Kate were crazy and played for hours in the frigid water. I can not get over how much fun these two have together. All I could hear from the ocean was non-stop laughter from these two. I hope they will always be good friends.
I told them to put their arms around each other. Kate listened and Kyle didn't throw a fit about it. I consider that a win-win.
 Kate was brave enough to try the boogie board. She was the only one who did it. 
 
 Cute Jenny and sweet Pierce watching Kate go!

 Lots of playing in the sand!:

 Fun mom Jenny running with the girls:
 
 These 3 make me happy!



After the beach we went and spent some time on Balboa Island with Uncle Roger and Aunty Cheryl. They have quite the little set-up there. We went on a nice walk and then had some yummy dinner with them and Lisa, Audrey and Brady. On the way home we stopped off at the frozen banana stand. Bear devoured mine and told Kyle, "These sprinkles are healthy Kyle." It was delicious!

Playing Uno with Uncle Roger. Nolan called Roger, "Papi." Last time we were with Roger he got him confused for my dad too :).

 Love these kids. Getting all four of them to smile was impossible. Their faces crack me up.


On Sunday morning we woke up and went over to Lisa and Dave's for a delicious breakfast with some cousins. Here is the second generation of cousins:

 Joe, Cara, Chris, Jenny, Dave, Lisa, TRay and Me! I think Kyle was our photographer.
 Wonderful Aunt Cheryl and I:
 We figured out that Dave and Tim had never met even though Tim has been in the fam for 7 years. I bet taking this picture made their dreams come true:

I am so grateful we were able to make the quick trip to CA for the weekend. It was so wonderful to spend time with Chris, Jenny, Kate, Macy and Pierce and my Heyman cousins. We always have fun when we are together. I am glad we were able to make memories with my little family. Some of my favorite memories are road trips with my parents and siblings growing up. Thanks Chris for letting us tag along and thank you Roger and Cheryl for all of your help!

Hopefully we can make another beach trip when it is actually warm and sunny!

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The Jack in the Box 4 Jun 2013 7:50 PM (11 years ago)

About three weeks before Nolan's birthday we were reading a Fisher Price lift-the-flap book. One of the flaps was a jack-in-the-box. Nolan pointed to it and said, "I want that for my birthday. This." "A jack-in-the-box?" I questioned. "Yes!" he answered. And he was set on it from then on out.

  I'm not sure where besides the book he has played with a jack-in-the-box. I asked him what the toy does and he made a turning motion and sang, "Pop goes the weasel." So he knew what it did... I just still don't know how he knew.
  At his birthday party he was about to open an action figure when I asked him what he thought it was. He said, "I think it's a jack-in-the-box!" (When clearly the package was much too small). Imagine his surprise when he actually got what he wanted on his actual birthday morning:

I could watch that video a million times. Here he is winding it up for the first time:
 He was surprised it was a clown even though this is the one he picked out online...




He was also spoiled with other gifts from family. Musical instruments, Power Rangers book, a drill set, nursery rhyme CDs that the boys giggle at everytime we are in the car, and this pirate ship from Papa and Grandma. I was getting big smiles from Bear, but for some reason he just couldn't open his eyes that morning.


After dinner we sang to him again with his leftover b-day party cupcakes. For some reason he ends up being just in underwear on Sunday evenings. I guess I should enforce getting dressed after taking off his church clothes.
 Love these handsome boys!


How sweet is this pic of Bear and GG smiling at each other? We are so lucky to have GG close to us!

A lot of the day was spent Skyping with Papa and Grandma and Nolan's cousins. I am so grateful for technology and the amazing way it keeps us all connected!

I do have to say that Nolan was wild on his birthday. He was unusually irreverent during Sacrament meeting and tried to be Mr. Funny boy all day long. He sure did love all the attention! We love you Nolan!


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Happy Birthday Bear! 3 Jun 2013 12:29 PM (11 years ago)

We celebrated Bear's third birthday this weekend. It's hard to believe that my baby boy is 3! Nolan is the best. He is shy when he wants to be and Mr. Funny when he wants to be. He loves Power Rangers, go-gurts, playing with friends and of course being with his big brother Kyle. He is a cuddly boy. He loves his dad and we had problems the past month with him waking up really early in the morning and coming into bed because he wanted to eat breakfast with Dada before Tim left to work.
   Nolan still loves to be on the go. He loves running errands, but his three favorite spots are probably the, "blue grocery store," (Albertsons), Costco, and the pet store. We only go to the pet store for pure entertainment. He often requests to go to the Children's museum, Chuckie Cheese and random places like a farm, "to hold a baby ducky." He is currently saving any change he finds for Chuckie Cheese. I hope he forgets about that place.
  We had a small party at the park nearby that also has a splash pad.


 Look at cute Bentley's smile:
 Look at cute Bear's smile. He's been waiting for this moment.
 Haha. I loved that he sang to himself as well. 

 The gang.
 Benson:
 Beautiful Bailey:
 Ninja Turtles!


 Pushing Dad in the water:

 Mi Familia:
 Uncle Matt and Aunt Ruby were so nice to come and hang out:

 Nolan giving Kyle a, "My lady!" Pete's family taught this to the boys. They run up and grab your hand (or in this case your arm), kiss it, and say, "My lady." Kyle was not happy about this afterward.

My beautiful cousin Christi is always so nice to come out to Chandler to celebrate with us. Love you Christi! (We were even college roommates before :))

Mason was nice to take a break from his conversation and smile (inside joke). He wins Dad award for bringing Benson with sunscreen on and everything to the party while Jenni was out of town. 

Nolan and Lily. Nolan is the only boy in his nursery class at church, but he has found a good friend in Lily!

I love little Benson standing directly under the water.

I learned that you can pay to reserve a ramada for birthday parties. I learned this because a frantic lady came up to me and asked if my party was the one set up under the ramada. I told her yes so she said, "Well I paid for it to be reserved at 10:30!" Ok lady, simmer down. It was 10:06, so we hurried everyone to the table, sang to Bear and opened presents. We had everything cleaned up and moved to the bench at 10:27. The rest of the party was celebrated on this bench :). Hey, the kids were happy. 

I will forever hold this picture dear to my heart (and not because my arm looks gigantic), but because sweet Bear is in his mama's arms and looking at the camera! He has such a hard time looking at the camera. I love my Nolan Bear so much! He reminds me to take pleasure in the simple things. 

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Pre-School Graduation 16 May 2013 8:14 PM (11 years ago)

Today was Kyle's pre-school graduation! It was so cute and fun to celebrate with him. He has learned so much this year. His reading constantly blows me away and at the end of the school year they started doing addition and subtraction. He is really catching on well!

Here he is on the FIRST day of Pre-K in August 2012:

And here he is today, May 16, 2013:

I can't really decide if he looks older in the pictures, but I do know he has grown taller!
I just love these boys!

Graduation Ceremony:
Walking in. How cute is the idea to have the kids wear their dad's button-up shirt backward?

Kyle was the first person to receive his, "diploma." Each kid told something they were grateful their mom and dad did. Kyle said we, "cook him breakfast." Thank you Kyle for considering cold cereal, "cooking."

Group Shot:
Yes, that does look like my child:


With his wonderful teachers Ms. Susan and Ms. Carolyn. Ms. Susan read individually with the students every day. When Kyle told her the books he was reading were too easy she started giving him harder ones  and he has done great. Thank you Ms. Susan for helping him learn to read!
 Ms. Susan told me one day when the kids were switching centers Kyle yelled to his buddy Soren, "Good-bye BFF!" He has so much fun with Soren and they loved playing on the playground after school every day.

I am so excited for summer and hope to cherish the time I have with you Kyle before kindergarten steals you away from me. You are a good friend, try hard on your work, and love to make others laugh. I think you are smashing. 


I also want to remember that today you asked me, "Mom, when am I going to come alive after I am resurrected?" You are such a deep thinker for a five year old! 

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Bye-Bye Fleni! 14 May 2013 8:51 PM (11 years ago)

I arrived in Argentina around 8 in the morning. After I went through customs and got my luggage, I found the remis driver, Jorge, who would be taking me to the hospital that my mom and dad were at. Have you ever driven in a tiny car with someone for almost 2 hours who doesn't speak the same language as you? It was actually pretty fun and funny. By the time I left Buenos Aires I felt like Jorge was my friend.

  I could tell when we were getting closer to the hospital. I was so anxious to see my parents! I started to cry a little as we pulled up and then when I saw my dad come out I ran up to him and gave him a big hug. I missed my dad! We then went to my mom's room. I had imagined the moment in my head a million times before at home, and I would tear up everytime I thought about seeing my mom again. I shed a few tears, but not nearly what I had anticipated would happen. Instead there was just a feeling of relief to be with her and I was so happy.
  My mom was discharged from the hospital and we took an ambulance to Fleni, the rehabilitation clinic we would be staying at. I could not believe that the ambulance driver and EMTs were smoking in the front seat and the cigarette smoke was traveling back to us! I don't think that would fly in the U.S. I stayed at the in-patient rehabilitation clinic for just over a month (minus a few days we spent at a hospital towards the end of my stay). This little room was our home!

  I have tried to write this post a couple of times, starting to write some of my experiences and it never comes out just right. Instead, I just want to remember how lucky I was to spend that one-on-one time with my amazing mother as she began her stroke recovery. I don't want to forget how much we could feel the power of prayer daily, through all the ups and downs.


 My bed/sitting area/eating table:

From my bed I would look and see my beautiful mother:

And I can't forget the cross that would greet me each morning:
Our view from the windows:

When my dad would come into town it was fun to look out the windows while we waited for him. My mom would get so excited when we saw him. True love!

My mom's board. Pics of all of her kids and grandkids, Christ, and her daily schedule of physical therapy.

Our closet. It wasn't hard sharing this small of a closet when you get to wear warm-up clothes all the time! My favorite way to dress!:
 These keys look like they are from another century. I had to lock our valuables every time I left the room.
 Also outdated was the shower. It is very awkward to shower without a curtain. Water goes everywhere! I tried to point the nozzle in the corner so it wouldn't make as big of a mess. When I was done showering I would have to page someone to come and squeegee the floor. (Well, my mom would since I didn't really speak the language...)
In the mornings I would walk down to the dining hall to get my breakfast. I ate either media lunas or fracturas every morning with a glass of water in a styrofoam cup. I tried to use my Spanish on the cute lady that worked behind the corner. She was really patient with me :). I really liked her and was sad I didn't say good-bye to her before I left Argentina. One time when my dad was with me she said my dad and I had the same smiles. That was the first time anyone had told me that and I loved to hear it! 

This is Luis, our favorite physical therapist with my mom and I on my last day. Luis was the 3 o'clock therapist. He practiced his English with us and told us the little he knew about Mormons. He was so friendly, and the only therapist that welcomed me to stay with my mom while she did her therapy :). He wanted me to ring the bell on my last day, but I know how much work goes into the days before you ring the bell so I just took a picture with it.
  It is very humbling to be in a room with such strong people who are working to re-gain skills they once had. Some will never be able to do certain things again, but they still worked hard to improve what they could. When someone was done with their time at Fleni, they rang the bell on their last day. It's a victory for everyone involved.  




When the weather was nice I enjoyed walking around the grounds at Fleni. It was a great way to stretch my legs and to occupy my time during my mom's therapy. If it wasn't too hot and my mom wasn't too tired I would push her around outside in between a therapy session. It was beautiful.

Fleni:

We always looked for the burrowing owls when we went on our walks:

My cute Mom and Dad, so happy to be together:

The Third Wheel:

 Towards the end of my stay my mom had some more medical problem and she needed to be transferred from the rehabilitation clinic to a hospital. As the paramedics came into our room to get my mom ready to load into the ambulance I got a phone call saying I would not be able to sleep at the hospital with my mom. This made me nervous as I hadn't left her side and it was the worse timing for them to be telling me where I was going to sleep. After I hung up the phone we started to walk out of the room and Sister Carter called. (President and Sister Carter are my parent's friends who serve over the Buenos Aires West mission). Anyway, Sister Carter had no idea what was going on and just called to check in on my mom. Her voice (and her English!) comforted me in the moment. It was just a reminder that my Heavenly Father always knows our needs.

  Another tender mercy was Dr. Brunt. He and his wife would visit my mom and I on the weekends and he always brought fruit with that he bleached so that it would be safe for me to eat. His medical knowledge is amazing. He waited with me at the hospital and then the next night invited me to go out for, "Mexican food," in Buenos Aires with the other senior missionaries. Here I am with he and his wife:

On the way back to the clinic from the hospital the ambulance drivers got lost! Can you imagine that happening? Such funny times. Except I had to go to the bathroom even before we left the hospital so the detour was stressing me out. I-- who never knows where I am going-- even tried telling the driver, "It's near the restaurant Tia Monica's!" I had previously eaten some fine Argentine steak here with my dad and the Brunts.

  One weekend we broke free from the clinic and went to the Carter's house. My poor mom got very dizzy in the car and I don't blame her! I was feeling sick and I was the healthy one. Looking out the window caused my sickness. I mean, look at how far over the lane our remis driver was. No one stays in their lane. The driving is scary!!



After a little over a month it was time for me to go. Saying good-bye was so hard. I didn't know if I would see my mom sooner than July 2014, when they are scheduled to return home from their mission. After a very tearful good-bye I got back into the remis with the driver Jorge. I tried to control the tears and then as we drove away I muttered, "Bye-bye Fleni!" Apparently he thought it was funny because he told my dad  about it.

On the way to the airport we passed the Buenos Aires temple. Do you know how comforting it is to see your faith all over the world? No matter where I have traveled I have known there is a church I can walk into. The temple looked beautiful.


At one point I received a call at the clinic that I had to go donate blood. The lady on the phone said I could ride a bus over to another clinic/hospital where I would go to donate the blood. I told her I wasn't going to leave my mom's side. She asked, "Well don't you have any friends who can do it for you?" I told her I had no friends in Argentina.

The truth was (and in my moment of panic what I didn't realize) that I did have friends in Argentina! That's what the Church does for you. You have family and friends wherever you are. We told the missionary department about the need for donated blood and there were so many volunteers. Members in Uruguay were even willing to come and give blood.

I am so thankful for the time I had with my mom. 
Mom, you are amazing. I love you so much. Your faith is unwavering. You are humble. You gave others credit all of the time. I loved seeing the love you and Dad have for each other. You are a team. I am so proud of your recovery. You have come a long way from me doing your hair in the mornings and during therapy walking behind you with a wheel chair so you could sit down at the last minute when all of your energy was spent. You deserve a green belt!  



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My Favorite Way to Budget 15 Apr 2013 8:48 PM (12 years ago)

Alright folks, I want to share something with you! I am indebted to my friend Megan for telling me that her sister-in-law Shanda uses this program because I love it! (no this is not a paid review :)).

  We have been married for almost seven years and throughout those seven years I would say the first two years were my best budgeting years. I had a piece of paper held up with a magnet to our fridge and I would track our spending and budget on that piece of paper. Kids, student loan payments, and life made it harder to track my budget on paper. I tried doing it on the computer, I tried excel sheets, I tried Mint, etc. Fail. If they work for you, that is great. I was always frustrated and I felt like my mind wasn't made for budgeting.
   Anyway, I downloaded the trial version of You Need a Budget (YNAB). I will warn you-- you have to interact with the program almost daily (I usually do it every couple of days if things are busy), but that's what I love! I want to know what is going on with my spending. With Mint I would get a review of my spending after it already happened. How does that help me? Isn't the damage already done?
  I tried a couple of times to do the Dave Ramsey budgeting system, but the thought of cash envelopes terrified me. Mainly because I can't find my keys on a daily basis, so how was I going to never lose a cash envelope? This system is very comparable to Dave's teachings, but it tracks on the debit card.  YNAB uses the same, "give every dollar a job," teaching.
  When I was sick for most of February, Tim picked up take-out more than was budgeted for. But since I was sick in bed I wasn't going to the grocery store, so we transferred money from the grocery budget to the eating out budget. It all evened out in the end and we did not overspend. I love being able to do things like that!
  Tim likes that the program is on, "the cloud," so if he has no leftovers and has to eat out at work, he can get on his iPhone and see how much is left in his lunch category. Or if you have a fancy iPhone and see a cute shirt on sale, you can easily pull out your phone to see how much money is in the clothing category! Great things like that.

  Basically I felt like this program was seriously an answer to prayers. I wanted to feel more confident in the way our money was being spent, saved and budgeted. I thought I would share in case you were in a budgeting rut.

  If you try the program and like it, I love talking about it. I'm still figuring out different aspects of it but have loved everything so far!


*If you decide to try it out and want to purchase it after the trial, here is a link to save you $6 off the purchase price 
http://ynab.refr.cc/X8647J5

And that is the end of me sounding like a complete budget nerd. 

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Go Bulls! 23 Mar 2013 8:28 PM (12 years ago)

Today was Kyle's first ever baseball game! We have been looking forward to this day for awhile. Kyle would often ask me how many Saturdays it was until his first game. Watching him play is pretty much the best thing ever (while the weather is nice). This morning was the lame and long opening ceremonies, where you could barely hear the person talking into the microphone. 
Kyle standing amongst the coaches:

Entertaining himself. Nice hats Kyle boy:


My sweet Bear was grumpy this morning. It may have been because we rushed breakfast to get out the door. He is really into giving kisses lately. The best is when he grabs your face and only wants to kiss your lips. He must understand that his kisses soften my heart because when he is about to get in trouble he'll say, "Hold on Mama, hold on." Then he grabs my hand and kisses it! Smart boy!
 After the ceremony. You can tell by his smile that he was loving this!
 After the ceremony we played on the bounce houses and got the kids sno cones. Then we went and spent an HOUR buying Kyle cleats. Perhaps the most painful part of the experience was when another dad and son from the league came in, tried on a pair of cleats, and were out within 10 mins. My dear Kyle, you sure do teach your Mama and Dada patience.
Proud Dad and son:
 With his pre-school friend Ryan:
 Homeless Bear. On this occasion we did not comb his hair before leaving, but even when we do it ends up looking like this:

Game Time!
Kyle played first base in the first inning and was very serious about keeping the ready stance. It cracked me up. He did awesome (when he knew where to look) and even got a kid out! Not bad for his first game!

He had some great hits too! The coach pitches a couple of times and if they don't hit the ball the tee is brought out. Only on his second time up did he need the tee, and his third hit of the game was especially awesome. 
His best friend Catcher. I love this kid:
Kyle coming into home plate. It's so funny that you have to remind this age to run.



Bear was a good sport and when Kyle wasn't looking we let him wear the batting helmet for awhile. Someone stunt his growth. I cannot believe he will be three this summer! 

Great job Kyle! You are excited about baseball and look forward to both practices and games. I am proud of you for finally deciding on a pair of cleats and for wearing your baseball socks without complaining! You have a great arm and a great swing! I know this season you will improve so much. We love you and had such a fun day with you!




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My Sweet Boy 7 Feb 2013 7:36 PM (12 years ago)

When I talk about my, "Sweet Boy," it is usually Nolan. He just has such a sweet disposition about him. Kyle can be very sweet too though, just like he was tonight.

  As we were putting the boys to bed I was telling Tim how I've had a long week. 2 migraines and 2 bad headaches out of 5 days of our week so far makes for a not-so stellar and productive five days. Tonight my headache I had earlier during the day came back. After we put the boys down I went and laid down in bed.
   Kyle came in and said, "Mama, I'm sorry that you have a head ache. I hope it will be gone tomorrow." I said, "Thanks buddy. Me too." Then Kyle suggested, "How about we say a prayer before I go back into my bed that your headache will go away?" "That's a good idea!" We both folded our arms and before I could start to say anything Kyle started the prayer and asked that his Mama's headache would go away. After he closed the prayer he said, "I hope it helps. I think your headache will go away."

Melt my heart.

Sometimes weeks are rough, that's just how it is. Sometimes days seem like weeks. And sometimes all it takes is a five minute conversation with my little boy to make it all better. I'm grateful for moments that remind me I'm doing what's most important, even when it seems daunting.

I love you my Kyle boy.


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