The Fab Fords

Summer

2011-08-31T20:52:00.003-06:00

Jeremy

2011-03-07T14:22:00.004-07:00

We are enjoying our little boy so much, I have forgotten to post pictures on here.
He is definitely the sweetest thing!

So far, 3 kids are easier than 2. Keep fingers crossed it stays this way!

New Baby Boy!

2011-02-07T16:28:00.002-07:00

Everyone is well. Lizzy did a super job. I couldn't be more proud or humbled.

Boy, 6.5 lbs, 19 inches, very cute. Still working on a name. Jamison wants him to be named Indiana, after his favorite game of the week, Lego Indiana Jones.

#4 Birthday!

2011-02-04T12:12:00.005-07:00

Jamison turned 4 in January!

He had a fun party at preschool and one at home with his church friends.
"Can I have a party with my nursery friends? But not my preschool friends because I don't like my preschool friends."
Ummm, sure Jamison.

Since he has been trying to snitch our camera lately, we got him his own kid-proof camera.
It has been a big hit and there are many unflattering pictures of me on it.
And a lot of Vivienne's feet.

Jamison asked for a rainbow cake and this is what he got.
He was pretty excited about it and asked for one next year.
Glad that went over well!

Smiles

2011-02-01T16:15:00.004-07:00

For some reason, Vivienne always blinks for the camera.

Which results in all of our pictures looking like this.

And yes, that is a black eye and a backwards cap our little punkster has on.

Merry Christmas

2010-12-23T16:35:00.002-07:00

From our family to yours!

Happy Halloween

2010-11-02T10:36:00.003-06:00

Halloween changes once the kid knows how it works. Jamison has been asking "is it Halloween yet?" every day for the last month and a half. Lo and behold, it finally came! Now he keeps asking about Christmas.

Walker's family has their traditional Phamily Phest for Halloween.
We were zookeepers... appropriate, I think.

Walker's aunt had a little story time with the kids.
Can you tell which kid was scared of her?

Quincy was very sweet and helped her feel better.

Thanks to Heidi for the pictures! We were too busy being zookeepers for real to take any...

Click here to see Heidi's blog for more pics of the party!

Preschool

2010-10-18T12:51:00.003-06:00

First day of preschool!

Does anyone else have a hard time getting their kids to smile for the camera?

Birthday Girl

2010-10-17T13:44:00.004-06:00

Vivienne is 2!

Vivvy Fox is the funniest kid.

She is always pulling funny faces and dominates any conversation.

She loves sugar, dolls, and being outside.

She goes to bed with a doll in one arm and a soccer ball in the other.

She is sweet and loves giving kisses for owies.

Loves loves loves anything with babies.

Vivienne thinks she is as old and big as Jamison and cries every time we drop him off for preschool.

It's a hard time to be little (as Jamison would say).

The Winner

2010-10-03T16:39:00.001-06:00

Congratulations to Rebecca!

Birthday Giveaway

2010-09-03T15:29:00.002-06:00

The time has come for another giveaway! Simply leave a comment (just your name, if you like) and in one month I will draw a name out of a hat. That person will receive a fun goody package from me in the mail. Hurray for birthdays!

If you can't leave a comment, e-mail me and I will include you.

Book Club

2010-09-02T09:57:00.003-06:00

Some friends started a new book club.

We had our first meeting/party last month and it was lots o' fun.

We read The Help.

Read it, I highly recommend it!

I left before the picture was taken, but I was there...

#3

2010-08-23T16:23:00.003-06:00

If anyone didn't know (all ten of my readers), we are expecting Ford baby #3.

Due date is February 4.

We will not be finding out the gender.

5 Years

2010-08-16T16:39:00.002-06:00

Happy Anniversary to us!

Popsicle Fun

2010-08-11T13:12:00.006-06:00

Cabin

2010-08-09T10:12:00.004-06:00

We are fortunate enough to have a family cabin here in Utah. Jamison's first visit was last summer, and he talked about it ALL winter. When we finally were able to go this year, he was shaking with excitement.

I have many, many fun memories of the cabin as a child. As an adult taking children, I've realized that it is more work for me. But seeing the enjoyment on Jamison and Vivienne's faces makes it all worth it.

Next time you see Jamison, ask him about the cabin. He can talk about it for a while! And Vivienne learned to say "river" and "rock" last time we were up. Can you guess what her favorite activity is?

Hair

2010-08-04T16:11:00.005-06:00

So, I got a major haircut in May:

Vivienne did not want to be in this picture.

A Special Kind of Party

2010-08-03T13:11:00.002-06:00

This might sound morbid to some of you, but I assure you it is not.

For the last 8 years, my immediate family has celebrated my grandfather on the day he passed away (death day). Or more affectionately known as "Grandfather's D-Day Party."

We have a big dinner with all the foods that remind us of him. Fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, cheetos, canteloupe, watermelon, diet Dr. Pepper, Fresca, etc. (Yes, we usually have tummy aches the next day.) While we eat, we go around and share funny/sweet memories of Grandfather (or for the in-laws, memories of their own grandfathers). And it is not uncommon that we are all laughing so hard we can't talk for 5 minutes. After dinner we have the traditional screaming contest (usually won by my dad) followed by Grandfather's favorite movie, The Music Man.

I look forward to, and enjoy, this party more than most other holidays we celebrate. Yay for Grandfather! He was tough as a boot!

V Update

2010-08-02T17:19:00.007-06:00

Vivienne

Age: 21 months

Disposition: happy, cranky, silly, mad

Likes: anything outside, animals (specifically dogs), food

Dislikes: being told she can't have candy

Favorite food: anything

Favorite activity: being outside, playing with dolls

Goals: learning new words

J Update

2010-08-02T17:07:00.013-06:00

Jamison

Age: 3.5 years

Disposition: "I'm really good at sharing my food with the other kids"

Likes: "making cookies, animals (specifically cats), puzzles, singing songs"

Dislikes: "Vivienne"

Favorite food: "peaches and apples"

Favorite activity: "watch Super Why"

Goals: "do better at games and fix stuff with Daddy"

May Vacation

2010-06-04T13:41:00.004-06:00

In May, Walker and I were lucky enough to enjoy a little get-away. We flew down to Disneyland for a day, then drove to San Diego. We stayed on a fun resort on Coronado Island, and would highly recommend that cute place to anyone. We rented bikes and rode around, visited Hotel Del (where Some Like It Hot was filmed!), and ate lots and lots.

We left the kids with my parents. I think the kids like them better.
Many special thanks to the parents!

To blog...

2010-06-01T14:28:00.003-06:00

...or not to blog? That is the question I have been debating for the last 6 or so months. But here I am again.

So wish me luck in this umpteenth attempt to keep up!

3 Years Old!

2010-01-27T14:07:00.003-07:00

Happy Birthday, Jamison!

We had a great party full of cupcakes, pizza, Blocos, and puzzles.

The next day both kids woke up sick.
The day after that, mommy woke up sick.
And 1 week later we are still recovering.

That's what I call a party.

1 day old

1 year old

2 years old

Merry Christmas

2009-12-24T12:36:00.004-07:00

From our family to yours

Snow Babies

2009-12-14T11:19:00.004-07:00

No One Told Me...

2009-11-15T19:53:00.003-07:00

...that being a mother led to black eyes.

Caused by Jamison throwing his head back in my face.
Beware moving two year old heads.

Enjoying Fall

2009-11-05T13:20:00.006-07:00

This was our first year at the annual Kasteler Halloween Phamily Phest

Jamison = Norbert the dragon
Walker = Hagrid
Liz = Hogwarts Professor
Vivienne = Harriet Potter

J Update

2009-10-16T16:44:00.008-06:00

Jamison

Age: 2.75 years old

Disposition: "me no good boy, me happy boy"

Loves: animals, puzzles, zoos, merry-go-rounds

Hates: bedtime, being told what to do, when Vivienne gets his toys

Favorite food: cheese, noodles, cookies

Favorite activity: puzzles, naming animals, swinging, movies, coloring

Goals: going to bed on time (never happens)

V Update

2009-10-16T16:18:00.012-06:00

Vivienne

Age: 12 months

Disposition: happy, giggly, wiggly

Loves: eating, Michael Buble, moving, destroying

Hates: being confined in silly contraptions, Jamison bugging her,
not being able to reach what she wants

Favorite food: anything and everything

Favorite activity: playing with Jamison's toys, especially puzzles

Goals: walking (so close)

Happy Birthday Baby!

2009-10-08T11:19:00.004-06:00

Vivienne turned 1!

Winner!

2009-10-04T11:38:00.003-06:00

Jamison drew a name out of his hat (he loves hats) and...

Congratulations to Mitzi for winning the birthday giveaway!

Birthday Giveaway

2009-09-16T13:05:00.004-06:00

What better way to enter the blogging world again than with a giveaway?

I haven't officially celebrated my birthday for two years. Don't ask, it's painful. This year I decided to get back into the birthday swing of things and am taking a note from Heather.

Write a comment (just write your name, it is as simple as that!) and on October 3rd, I will draw a number. The lucky winner will get a nice goody package from me in the mail.

4 Years

2009-08-16T09:21:00.004-06:00

Happy Anniversary to us!

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-21T11:20:00.004-06:00

The other night Walker went shopping for a Father's Day gift for his dad.

This is what he came back with:

Seriously?

Walker claims this is the best gift ever.

"When you're working out in the garage and you get dirty, just grab one of these!"

I guess it's a guy thing.

Confession

2009-06-20T08:42:00.002-06:00

Is it wrong that I actually enjoyed having my wisdom teeth out? Other people watched my children for 2 days. I was able to relax in bed all day, something I haven't done in 2.5 years. Thanks, wisdom teeth! Oh, and thanks to the people who watched my children!

Me and My Gal

2009-06-08T15:47:00.003-06:00

Wheeler Farm

2009-06-05T21:08:00.002-06:00

Walker and I each spent many summers visiting Wheeler Farm.
And the kids loved it just as much as we used to.

I have a feeling we will be going a lot this summer.

Twinners

2009-06-04T13:24:00.001-06:00

Looking through old photos, I found one of Jamison at 7 months,
in the exact same position as Vivienne (in the previous post).

They look like siblings to me.

Standing Up Already?

2009-06-04T10:53:00.004-06:00

Surprise!
This is what I found when Vivienne woke up this morning:

And We Are Coming Back Live...

2009-06-03T14:38:00.003-06:00

...in 5, 4, 3, 2...

Be Back Soon...

2009-05-08T15:54:00.008-06:00

We are experiencing blogger's block. Please be patient as we work on this problem.

Boise

2009-04-16T14:01:00.004-06:00

Here we are enjoying our week of relaxation in Boise.

We miss you, Daddy.

6 Months

2009-04-08T12:50:00.003-06:00

Vivienne is 6 months old today!

She is the cutest.

A rolling-over machine.

Pro at grabbing anything and shoving it in her mouth.

Loves her rice cereal.

Sleeps through the night. 8pm to 8am.

Loves cuddling with her daddy.

Such a happy baby and a joy!

Coco Sailore

2009-03-16T14:37:00.007-06:00

My talented cousin now has a shop on Etsy. If you've never looked at Etsy, check it out now.

And I mean now.

Cocosailore has the cutest shirts. I bought Felicity and Jamison.

And have my eye on a couple more.

They really are the cutest. And at good prices. What more could you ask for?

Jamison has a fear of short-sleeved shirts right now.
So we might have to wait a bit before he'll actually wear his shirt.

And I apologize for the lame-o pictures. Not quite the photographer...

More Proof Jamison Was Here

2009-03-12T21:43:00.003-06:00

California

2009-03-02T11:30:00.005-07:00

This past weekend Walker and I were able to visit California. We were brave and left the kids behind. I sure missed them. But it was nice to sleep in and have some alone time. Don't judge.

We left late Thursday night. On the plane, Walker got to chat with the VP of Maxim (not the magazine). That was a little thrill for him.

We arrived in San Jose about 11:00pm. With the help of our trusty GPS, in our rented car, we were able to make it to the hotel before midnight, despite having to re-work our route due to accidents. Cindy, the GPS, made our trip more enjoyable on the whole. There was no need for maps or dealing with getting lost. Amazing!

Walker was in meetings on Friday so I got to lay in bed and do... wait for it... absolutely nothing! I even had breakfast in bed by myself! Our hotel, Cypress Hotel, was really nice. I especially loved the polka dot and animal print theme. I'm serious.

That evening we visited Stanford University. Gorgeous campus. My favorite part was seeing two old professors, with beards and pipes, arguing. Classic.

On Saturday we drove up to San Francisco. We got to see the Golden Gate Bridge, ate lunch at Fisherman's Wharf, and had dessert at Ghirardelli's.

We had a fun trip. But the best was coming back to our sweet little kiddies. They're the cutest! Thanks to the Fords and Christina for watching them!

Research

2009-02-20T13:49:00.008-07:00

Last month I took Jamison to the doctor for his 2 year check up. After waiting over 30 minutes (torture!) the doc declared Jamison healthy and happy. Then he proceeded to tell me about a research lab they're doing for a meningitis vaccine and would we like more information? Sure. Three research technicians then entered the room. After going over everything, I decided to go for it. First, apparently this vaccine is going to become a standard for kids (so Jamison would have to get it sometime anyway). Second, we get paid for it. All we would have to do is read and sign a bunch of papers, get Jamison's blood drawn, give him the shot, record his temperature for a week, then come back in a month and get his blood drawn again. So I signed his name away.

2.5 hours, 6 suckers, 1 cup of water thrown at a nurse, and countless tears later, we were done. Whew. I sure regretted my decision. Poor kid.

Yesterday Walker took Jamison to have his blood taken for the second time. They were in and out in less than 10 minutes. Coming home, Jamison walked through the door with a big smile and showed me his sucker. And (almost) all my mom guilt washed away.

Walker gave me the check from the doc, but it's still sitting on the counter. We both feel guilty about using Jamison's blood money. So it's going to go towards his diapers. And maybe he'll get a toy out of it, too.

P.S. The nice research man called me yesterday and after many phone calls, we figured out that Jamison missed one of his regular shots at 18 months. So the poor little guy has to go in again. Maybe he'll get 2 toys out of that money.

And I can't write a post without adding a picture of Vivienne. Cutie pie!

A Child's Version of American Gothic

2009-02-01T20:13:00.005-07:00

Where's Waldo?

2009-01-26T14:47:00.004-07:00

I checked on Jamison during his nap and found this disaster.
Can you find the sleeping boy?

I eat these cheeks every day.

2 Years Already?

2009-01-23T13:37:00.012-07:00

Jamison turned 2!

The cake is supposed to look "furry" (coconut icing) with dog paw prints, before they fell off.
Jamison just liked the candy.
And I'm trying to prevent him from burning himself.

We celebrated with pizza, cake, toy trains, animals, and cars.
Could life get any better?

5 days old

Jamison is spunky, fearless, and funny.
He loves dogs, cats, elephants, coloring, wrestling with Daddy, puzzles, hide and seek, organizing, and movies.

4 months old

Jamison definitely makes our home a happier place.
We are so glad to have him!

1 year old

Entering Blogland Again

2009-01-21T13:36:00.004-07:00

I have been meaning to post new pictures and stories for a while. Every time I try, either my mind goes blank or a baby starts crying/whining. Story of my life.

So, thanks to Heather for kicking me into gear. Here we go again...

Christmas was great. We flew up to Boise on Christmas Day and surprised my Mom, who thought we were staying in Utah for the holidays. Her face, as she answered the door, was priceless. This was the only time the entire Marshall side was together, so my Dad arranged for a family portrait session. Do not attempt that with a 2 month baby and a toddler. Chaos ensues. But overall, the holiday was fun and the kids were troopers on the airplane.

Jamison is still our happy kid who loves to destroy things. I think that's his mission in life. Recently he watched a movie where Gene Kelly tap dances on a table. He loved it and clapped every time the dance was over. We thought it was really cute until he started dancing on our kitchen table. When we vetoed that, he moved on to his little red craft table (see above picture).

Jamison is my little cookie maker/helper. Or in other words, he likes eating the dough. He is also good at helping me unload the dishwasher and doing the laundry. It takes me three times as long to get it done, but as long as he's happy, I'm happy!

Vivienne has turned into such a smiley baby. This picture doesn't do her justice. I'll admit we were worried when she cried for the first month and a half of her life, but she has really turned around. She also is sleeping through the night. I mean, from 10:00pm to 8:00am, with few interruptions. Heaven! She is still as bald as a billiard ball, which I think is cute. What I don't think is cute is strangers asking if she's a boy or girl when she's wearing pink clothes with bows and frills, while wrapped in a pink blanket.

Our family goal for this year is to get our food storage and emergency kits in order. I found a great website that sends e-mails every two weeks to help you accomplish these goals. This is something I've been intimidated by, but am excited to take it one step at a time and to work together as a family on it.

Another goal I have is to blog more frequently. I'm sure I've said that before. But this time I'm putting Heather in charge of keeping me in line!

Cute Kids

2008-12-08T16:26:00.008-07:00

Don't you think Vivienne looks a little like Yoda in the family picture?

Lesson Learned

2008-12-05T10:36:00.002-07:00

Last night we learned that if you forgetfully leave a bowl of popcorn on the floor, a toddler might find it and stick three popcorn kernels up his nose.

Just a thought.

Nursery

2008-12-01T17:17:00.008-07:00

We are excited to say that Jamison loves his nursery class in our new ward. We were worried since he had some freak outs in our old ward after we were released as the nursery leaders. But lo and behold, he had a great time on Sunday. He even drew a picture for me.

I am 100% positive that Jamison did not draw this. Nor did he say he was thankful for mommy, unless the nursery leader has some gift of language for understanding him. All the same, I love seeing it on the fridge everyday.

Today, Jamison was playing in his room while I was making his lunch. I must have taken a long time because when I checked on him, this is what I found:

Together Again

2008-11-27T16:47:00.002-07:00

Well, I'm not sure how to sum up the last few weeks. We've survived and are still in one piece. We drove down on the 16th and didn't get our internet or phones working until yesterday. When I was finally able to call my parents, my Dad said "it was like when the Apollo 13 capsule emerged from the reentry blackout and everybody starts to cheer and hug. We can hear Liz and Walker and Jamison again! Hurray! Hurray! They're alive!"

We've been welcomed with open arms from our family in Salt Lake. Between us we have over 75 relatives in Salt Lake (yes, I counted everyone).

We are renting a home in Millcreek that is 1 minute away from our favorite restaurants: Cafe Rio and Barbacoa. Walker is still loving his job and I am still loving being home with the kids. We are mostly unpacked and organized (Walker, good man that he is, unpacked most of the boxes before I came) and are finally getting settled.

Jamison fell in love with an ugly orange tupperware that belonged to my parents. He wore it all the time -- in the bath, in bed, in the car. My parents graciously gave it to him before we left, but I am thinking about mailing it back to them. It sure is ugly.

Vivienne is still our little dainty girl, but definitely has a good set of lungs. She is smiling occasionally and is sort of getting on a schedule. Although the last 4 nights we have been up until 2:00am with her. I guess that's her new schedule.

We've enjoyed Thanksgiving week and are very grateful for our many blessings... most of all for being able to be together as a family again.

Blessing Day

2008-11-27T16:21:00.006-07:00

A thoughtful pose

We had the opportunity of blessing Vivienne in Boise on November 16th. It was our last day in our beloved Bergeson Ward. We had the blessing, then hopped in the car and drove to Salt Lake City. I am grateful we were able to say some last goodbyes to our dear friends, which of course just added to the emotions of the day.

Here are some not so very good pictures of us:

The picture made me laugh... a lot. This is pretty much a bad picture of everyone. Don't ask me what Vivienne is doing. And yes, that is marker on Jamison's forehead and a tupperware hat on his head.

I think Vivienne likes being pushed by Jamison.

Ode to Dr. Klomp

2008-11-10T15:30:00.001-07:00

Here's what I know about the man:

He was married and had a few kids. His wife got cancer. For six months she stayed in the U of U hospital and he drove down to be with her every weekend. A while after she passed away, he married again. He had two more kids. They are in elementary now, while the older set are grown up. He has grandchildren the same age as his younger kids. He was a Stake President. He is now our Stake Patriarch. He is always on call... always. He is old. He had no plans of retiring (so he says). He jogs to the hospital from his home. He has a glass eye. He learns Chinese for fun. He calls me "Miss Lizzy." He always tells me he is proud of me.

As odd as it may sound, I will truly miss my doctor.

As a side note, when Walker and I were discussing baby names, Walker asked what Dr. Klomp's first name was.

"Robert," I said.

Walker replied, "Well, if it's a boy, let's name him that with the middle name of Red."

You figure it out.

Welcome to Crazy Town

2008-11-02T14:03:00.002-07:00

I think I have officially gone crazy. This last week, we found a nice family to rent our home. We feel good about the renting situation and decided to go for it. The only bad thing is that they need to move in ASAP, so that means we had to kick into high gear to get moved out. Walker came up from Utah with his parents on Friday, we packed up every last thing we own (in 1.5 days!) and he is now driving the big moving truck back down to Utah. I am staying at my parents for two weeks, while I wait for my doctor's appointment, and while Walker finds a place for us in Salt Lake. Then our little family can finally be together again. Yahoo! I am ready to put an end to this chapter of our lives!

Jamison has handled everything very well. He is now used to Walker coming and going for weekends, and is familiar with driving to the airport. He has become more clingy the last couple months, and I think it will be a relief when things finally settle down. And sorry we didn't get any Halloween pictures. Jamison absolutely refused to put on his cute monkey costume. I mean, he was kicking and screaming on the floor. Maybe next year.

Vivienne (AKA Miss Piggy) continues to grow and grow and grow. She still has her days and nights mixed up, which makes for a very tired mommy. We also had a visit from the dreaded mastitis fairy (commiserate with me, Mitzi) this last week. Why does it seem like everything happens at once?

A huge thank you to all who helped us pack and load our stuff. And an especially big thank you to my mother who has lived with me for the last 2.5 months and is now letting us live in her house.

And now I'm going to go take a nap while the kiddies are both asleep. Miracles upon miracles!

The Adventure Continues

2008-10-22T11:33:00.007-06:00

Here I am, back at the single parenting again. Walker left for Utah on Monday and I am still in Boise with a toddler, and now a newborn. My mom has truly been an angel in helping me out. Who knew that getting up in the middle of the night could be so fun? She deserves the title "The Baby Whisperer." Who knew that she could calm the baby in two seconds flat?

Jamison is now 21 months, and for the most part, loves life. Fortunately we haven't had a repeat of the bundt pan episode (I hid it, much to his dismay), but he did manage to get his fingers stuck in a door yesterday. His book of the week is "The Cat in the Hat" and he loves hiding in closets.

Vivienne is becoming quite the charmer. She seems very aware of what is going on around her and needs to be where all the action is. At her doctor's appointment yesterday, we discovered she had gained 12 ounces in one week. That's my girl!

Jamison's stylin' hair after a nap.

He gives me this look a lot.

Farmer Jamison

2008-10-19T11:06:00.010-06:00

While cleaning out our garden this week, Walker was surprised to find these carrots. We didn't have much luck with our garden this year (it was ignored after Walker left for Utah) and these carrots were a nice surprise.

Our little cowboy.

Jamison somehow got this bundt pan stuck on his head. He couldn't get it off and started panicking. Walker had to force it off, leaving a bruise on Jamison's forehead. Five minutes later he wanted to do it again.

Our little sweet pea.

Family Portrait

2008-10-12T09:37:00.002-06:00

Shortly before this picture was taken, Jamison gave Vivienne a friendly smack in the face. We are in a for good time.

Perfect

2008-10-09T21:26:00.008-06:00

Viva la Vivienne

2008-10-08T20:15:00.005-06:00

1:18 p.m.

6 lbs 14 oz

20 in

name: Vivienne

disposition: irresistibly sweet

hair: brown peach fuzz

Lizzy did a fantastic superwoman job today! Hurray. We'll throw up some more pics tomorrow when the lighting is good.

Ready or not, here we come

2008-10-07T08:00:00.004-06:00

Tomorrow morning we are checking into the hospital at 6:00am to be induced. I am nervous, but excited to finally have this baby. My doctor is optimistic that it will be quick (at least quicker than last time) and he thinks the baby is about 7 1/2 lbs. He was one ounce off with his guess of Jamison's weight, so we'll see how close he is on this one.

We've had a fun weekend having Walker home. Jamison sure misses his Daddy when he's gone. They've had lots of fun playing in the dirt in the backyard (although Jamison got a talking-to for hitting Daddy in the head with a little shovel) and wrestling in the living room.

I'm So Glad When Daddy Comes Home

2008-10-01T11:03:00.004-06:00

Wednesdays are no fun anymore, Daddy. Mommy doesn't sit outside with me to watch the garbage men. Hurry home so we can do boy stuff again!

Posted by Jamison

Updates

2008-09-28T10:48:00.002-06:00

I apologize for the blogs being few and far between. There has not been much to update on and life has been busy as always.

Walker is still in Utah working away at the new job. He is enjoying it and has seen some success with his project. Yahoo!

Jamison has been sick this last week. Poor little boy just sat on the couch with a fever for a couple days. We got him on some antibiotics, which has done wonders, and my happy boy is slowly coming back. He has discovered the world of movies and loves "The Jungle Book" and "Curious George." Oh, and did I mention that he's obsessed with Muppets? He continues to stack his books in piles and make neat little rows of things around the house. And hats... he loves hats.

I'm continuing to get bigger (is that possible?) and am counting down the days. After experiencing life as a single parent, I have new appreciation for those who do it full time. And I am fortunate that my mother can help out so much. It has definitely been an eye-opening experience and I am very excited for Walker to come home this Friday!

Proof Jamison Was Here

2008-09-18T09:46:00.002-06:00

What NOT To Say To a Pregnant Woman

2008-09-09T16:06:00.001-06:00

1. "You look like you're about to pop!"
2. "Are you due any day now?" (Asked when the pregnant lady still has 6 weeks left.)
3. "You have a big pumpkin up your shirt."
4. "You're fat!"
5. "You look a LOT better with this pregnancy."

These have all been said to me within the last two weeks. And how should I respond? I usually just do the old smile and nod routine. In my defense, my doctor is still encouraging me to eat as much as I want whenever I want, because he's still not satisfied with my weight gain. So there :)

Baby Update

2008-09-03T14:25:00.004-06:00

At our doctor's appointment two weeks ago, Walker and I told the doctor about our moving situation. He said it was no big deal, and that we'll just pick a date to induce so that we can be sure Walker will be there. So, at my appointment yesterday, we set a date. We'll go into the hospital bright and early on October 8th to start the induction. Which means I'll have the baby a week earlier than the original due date. Boy oh boy, am I excited to not have to play the guessing game this time around. And I won't need to bounce on the exercise ball, drink raspberry leaf tea, or eat spicy food at PF Chang's (all of which were done with Jamison's birth).

Only 5 weeks from today. The countdown is on!

First Haircut

2008-08-31T16:50:00.001-06:00

Jamison has needed a haircut for a while. I just couldn't bring myself to do it. But after looking at the scraggly mess after naps, I just had to do it. I was a little worried about doing it by myself, but fortunately, any Muppets movie keeps him well entertained. He didn't even notice what I was doing. Here are the before, during, and after pictures.

Changes

2008-08-25T16:24:00.004-06:00

Change is inevitable. But sometimes it jumps out at us when we least expect it.

Walker left yesterday to start his new job in Salt Lake City. And I am left in Boise to take care of a 19 month old crazy boy while being 8 months pregnant.

After working through all the different scenarios, we decided this was the best one. I will stay in Boise for the baby's birth, after which we will pack up and move on down.

This will most definitely be a hard 2 months, but I am grateful for the support of neighbors, friends, family, and the ward. Keep those meals coming!

I won't lie and say we're happy and excited about the move. We are perfectly content in Boise and in our house. But we won't fight against what we're supposed to do.

For me, one of the best parts of the move is that I won't have to get a new Utah driver's license. Yes, after living in Boise for 2 years, I still don't have my Idaho driver's license. Don't ask, long story.

Heart

2008-08-22T22:02:00.009-06:00

Liz and I have set some blogging rules for ourselves, in order to minimize the kitschy-ness and promote the entertain-ability of our family blog. We know there are thousands of others out there, clammoring for your attention just like ours -- so we thank you for visiting, and want you to be glad you stopped by for a visit.

The rules run as follows. There will be no lol's and no pictures of our dinners. Words will be properly spelled and as grammatically correct as the sanity of the day allows. Stick with brevity in word...and picture. Dignity, always dignity. And so forth...

I guess they're more like guidelines, really, since certain rare situations merit their breaking. Tonight will be one such time.

We thank Andrades of Boise for going the extra culinary mile the other night. Yes, here is a picture of our dinner. How could so much love between a pair of burritos go blogless. We heart Andrades; and we heart each other.

(Heart is now going on the forbidden list.)

It's Official

2008-08-22T10:17:00.001-06:00

We're moving to Salt Lake City, Utah.

More details to come...

Look-Alikes

2008-08-20T15:47:00.004-06:00

Many people have commented that Jamison looks like Liz's dad.
What do you think?

3 Years

2008-08-16T10:02:00.001-06:00

Happy Anniversary to us!

Our Mud Boy

2008-07-30T10:23:00.002-06:00

What Jamison looks like on an average summer day:

Spudman 2008

2008-07-28T09:23:00.006-06:00

Walker participated in his second triathlon last Saturday. He did the Burley Spudman race five years ago, right after his mission. The weather was wonderful, the drive was short, and Walker did a great job!

Before the race:

After the race:

RLS Update

2008-07-22T14:56:00.005-06:00

I loathe bananas. Walker, on the other hand, loves them. I give all my banana flavored Runts to him. He wishes all Runts were banana flavored. Jamison also loves them. He eats one for breakfast everyday. My point? After trying a lot of tips and suggestions on how to beat RLS, I have found only one thing that helps: eating a banana every evening. Something about the potassium. I hate it, but it works. Why oh why?

Wednesday

2008-07-16T10:19:00.003-06:00

Wednesday is definitely Jamison's favorite day. It's the day the garbageman comes! He sits in his favorite chair by the front door and waits patiently. Sometimes they'll even honk the horn for him.

Swimming

2008-07-14T19:23:00.004-06:00

We've finally started to take advantage of our neighborhood pool. Jamison was sick for a bit, but now we're going full force. Today he figured out how to putter around by kicking his little croc-clad feet.

Here's our cute froggy (with a sly look):

Swimming makes for tired boys:

Our Little Helper

2008-07-07T13:11:00.004-06:00

I looked out the window to see what the boys were up to.
This is what I saw:

Every gardener needs a mickey hat.

Curly

2008-07-01T13:04:00.007-06:00

Jamison has this great curl on the back of his head. We can't bring ourselves to cut it.

Favorite Things Swap

2008-06-29T14:36:00.006-06:00

I love getting fun packages in the mail. Who doesn't? I was excited when I got Rachel's package containing some of her favorites things -- which are all Italian. Included were these things: a cute apron, pasta, pasta sauce, chocolates, an Italian cooking magazine, and an Italian mix CD. The sauce was Bertolli tomato and olives, and it was really good. Thanks for the fun stuff, Rachel!

Pregnancy Woes

2008-06-28T09:07:00.004-06:00

Have you heard of Restless Legs Syndrome?

Description: If you've started feeling an uncontrollable urge to move around in bed to relieve crawling, tingling, or burning sensations deep inside your legs, you most likely have restless legs syndrome (RLS). Some researchers estimate that up to 20 percent of pregnant women develop this problem during the last few months of pregnancy, though others believe it's much less common than that.

You'll usually notice symptoms when you're at rest, especially right before you fall asleep or when sitting still for long periods, such as at the movies or during long car rides. Most of the time, you'll feel it in your legs, but some women experience it in their arms as well.

Moving your limbs brings immediate relief, but unfortunately, it's only temporary. As soon as you sit or lie down, the sensations return. Your restless legs may even be waking you up once you're asleep.

Well, it's back again for me.

Although my pregnancies aren't that easy, I feel bad complaining when I hear of ladies who are violently sick for the entire 9 months. Or the poor ladies on bed rest. Or the poor ladies who have infertility problems.

So, first off, I am very grateful to be pregnant and for having the opportunity to have kids. With that aside, I don't like being sick for the majority of the 9 months (yes, that's still going on) and I absolutely HATE having Restless Legs Syndrome.

Scene: Exhausted after a day with the little naughty bunny, Jamison. (He's not really that naughty, but some days he can be very trying.) Get in bed, am almost asleep, when BAM!, it hits. Feel the need to move my legs or they start twitching and burning like crazy. Switch positions. This works until my body completely relaxes and then BAM! it hits again. Roll over again, which is becoming difficult now. Throw covers off. Now have a shivering body, with red hot legs. Try putting covers over top part of body and sticking legs over side of bed. Doesn't work. Try getting out of bed and walking around. Doesn't work.

Nothing works! I did this for 2.5 hours last night. I think I finally just fell asleep out of pure exhaustion and frustration. Then I wake up at 6am with the same thing. Ah, misery.

I have no clue how I got through this with the last pregnancy, or how I'm going to get through this with this pregnancy. But, I am glad that it only lasts during the pregnancy. And at least it will help prepare my body for the exhaustion of getting up with a newborn every 3 hours at night. I guess that is the one plus of this situation!

Slowly Learning

2008-06-24T16:42:00.002-06:00

Slowly but surely, Jamison is learning how to eat with a fork. In the meantime, we're having a lot of fun watching him.

Simple Pleasures

2008-06-24T11:18:00.009-06:00

Here are three things that are simple pleasures to me:

Bath & Body Works Mentha Lip Shine

Want minty fresh lips? You can get these in any shade and in lots of different flavors.

Bing Cherry Chocolates from Harry and Davids
These are the best. You can get them in most any flavor, but the cherries are my favorite. I love splurging on these. And since Walker isn't partial to them, I get them all to myself!

Anne Taintor Products
These have to be the funniest things ever. My sisters and I love these products and laugh and laugh over them. Check out Anne Taintor's website for more.

Big Boy Bed

2008-06-23T09:51:00.004-06:00

The time is almost here for Jamison to be moved into his toddler bed. Sad day, indeed. Fortunately, I found the cutest bed set for him. The Very Hungry Caterpillar is one of his favorite books.

Mister Rogers

2008-06-17T13:45:00.002-06:00

For the last 4 or so months, Jamison and I have watched Mister Rogers' Neighborhood every week day. Jamison now knows the opening music and will come running into the TV room when he hears it. He gets excited when he sees the trolley, and especially the man. He dances to the songs and tries to snap his fingers with Mister Rogers.

Over the months, we have seen how many things, from orange juice to cheerios, are made. We have visited dance studios, bakeries, zoos, and underground mushroom farms. We have been reassured that we won't go down the bathtub drain, that cows do not bite, and that it's alright to be frightened or shy.

We have gotten to know all the characters very well, yet our favorite is Lady Elaine Fairchilde. Anna Platypus and Mayor Maggie annoy us a bit, but hearing Lady Elaine call people "toots" makes up for it. And who can go a day without seeing Neighbor Aber or Lady Aberlin?

If any of you are ever in our neighborhood, stop by. Jamison would love to show you his favorite episodes.

So what do stay-at-home moms DO, anyway?

2008-06-13T14:35:00.005-06:00

I hear this question frequently: "What do you do all day?" If I try to explain what I do all day, it doesn't really sound like much. After Jamison was born, my mother cut out this article from the newspaper for me. I love it. (Thanks to the Carolyn Hax advice column!)

Question:

Best friend has child. Her: exhausted, busy, no time for self, no time for me, etc. Me (no kids): Wow. Sorry. What'd you do today? Her: Park, play group ...

OK. I've done Internet searches, I've talked to parents. I don't get it. What do stay-at-home moms do all day? Please no lists of library, grocery store, dry cleaners ... I do all those things, too, and I don't do them EVERY DAY. I guess what I'm asking is: What is a typical day and why don't moms have time for a call or e-mail? I work and am away from home nine hours a day (plus a few late work events), I manage to get it all done. I'm feeling like the kid is an excuse to relax and enjoy - not a bad thing at all - but if so, why won't my friend tell me the truth? Is this a contest ("my life is so much harder than yours")? What's the deal? I've got friends with and with-out kids and all us child-free folks get the same story and have the same questions.

Answer:

Relax and enjoy. You're funny.

Or, you're lying about having friends with kids.

Or you're taking them at their word that they actually have kids, because you haven't personally been in the same room with them.

Internet searches?

I keep wavering between giving you a straight answer and giving my forehead some keyboard. To claim you want to understand, while in the same breath implying that the only logical conclusions are that your mom-friends are either lying or competing with you, is disingenuous indeed.

So, since it's validation you seem to want, the real answer is what you get. In list form. When you have young kids, your typical day is: constant attention, from getting them out of bed, fed, clean, dressed; to keeping them out of harm's way; to answering their coos, cries, questions; to having two arms and carrying one kid, one set of car keys, and supplies for even the quickest trips, including the latest-to-be-declared-essential piece of molded plastic gear; to keeping them from unshelving books at the library; to enforcing rest times; to staying one step ahead of them lest they get too hungry, tired or bored, any one of which produces the kind of checkout-line screaming that gets the checkout line shaking its head.

It's needing 45 minutes to do what takes others 15.

It's constant vigilance, constant touch, constant use of your voice, constant relegation of your needs to the second tier.

It's constant scrutiny and second-guessing from family and friends, well meaning and otherwise. It's resisting constant temptation to seek short term relief at everyone's long term expense.

It's doing all this while concurrently teaching virtually everything - language, manners, safety, resourcefulness, discipline, curiosity, creativity. Empathy.

Everything.

It's also a choice, yes. And a joy. But if you spent all day, every day, with this brand of joy, and then, when you got your first 10 minutes to yourself, wanted to be alone with your thoughts instead of calling a good friend, a good friend wouldn't judge you, complain about you to mutual friends, or marvel how much more productively she uses her time. Either make a sincere effort to understand, or keep your snit to yourself.

I've Been Tagged

2008-06-13T14:04:00.002-06:00

4 Jobs I have had
1.) Ada Community Library -- for 2.5 years in high school
2.) Testing Center at BYU-Idaho
3.) Teacher Assistant at LDS Business College
4.) Intern at the SLC District Attorney's Office

4 Movies I would watch more than once
1.) Singin' in the Rain
2.) What's Up, Doc?
3.) Freaky Friday
4.) School of Rock

4 Places I have lived
1.) Salt Lake City, Utah
2.) Boise, Idaho
3.) Rexburg, Idaho
4.) That's all!

4 Places I have been to/visited
1.) France
2.) New York City
3.) Disneyworld
4.) Hawaii

4 Favorite Foods
1.) French Fries (or anything potatoes)
2.) Cupcakes
3.) Pizza
4.) Hamburgers

4 Places I would like to Visit
1.) Austria/Germany (Walker's mission)
2.) Italy
3.) Prince Edward Island
4.) San Francisco

4 Things I am looking Forward to
1.) Having baby #2
2.) Swimming and visiting the zoo with Jamison this summer
3.) Jamison and baby #2 getting a cousin (who knows when?)
4.) Taking a vacation (maybe next year!)

4 Friends I am Tagging
1.) Holly Whatcott
2.) Rebecca Nielsen
3.) Mitzi Cannon
4.) Starla Erickson

A New Hobby

2008-06-09T15:40:00.005-06:00

I had a goal to blog every 2-3 days. But I've been distracted. Doing what, you ask? Well, let me tell you!

My friend Heather has introduced me to digital scrapbooking. As most of you know, I am not very crafty and haven't scrapbooked a thing in my entire life. But I am darn good with a computer mouse and I have some creative juices in my brain bursting to get out. Enter digital scrapbooking. I think we're a match made in heaven.

One thing I've never understood about scrapbooking is how expensive it can be. Digi scrapbooking can be completely free, if you have internet and Photoshop. I'm pretty inexperienced in Photoshop (I was trained in InDesign), but fortunately I have a clever husband who knows just about everything you need to know about computers. I'm slowly learning and am having a great time.

These are some pages I have done this week. I'm not quite satisfied with them yet, but here they are:

Playing at the Playground

2008-06-04T14:13:00.003-06:00

Jamison's first time down the big slide. I think the pictures are self explanatory.

Fanci Freeze

2008-06-02T14:23:00.007-06:00

On Saturday, we treated ourselves to some ice cream cones at our local favorite, Fanci Freeze. This little place has been open since 1947, making it the oldest ice cream/burger place in Boise. Here's a description from Boise Weekly:

Shakes, malts, spins, sundaes and the Boston shake (one part sundae, one part shake) are what have made Fanci Freeze a Boise favorite for years. But because we can't live on ice cream alone, Fanci Freeze also serves a whole mess of burgers, some of the crispiest tots in town and even a grilled cheese for the non-meat-eater.

Can't beat crispy tots and shakes. So, on our latest visit, Walker was determined to teach Jamison how to lick the ice cream with his tongue, instead of just sticking his little lips onto the whole thing, thereby creating a large mess. After many attempts, he did it! Another large step for our little boy.

Quick Update

2008-05-29T09:33:00.005-06:00

I am excited to participate in another swap! If you want to learn more, click here or on the side bar "Favorite Things Swap."

Jamison has two molars that are popping through. Yay! Hopefully this means we get our permanent happy boy back.

We went to the doctor yesterday and I am halfway through the pregnancy. Another yay! Apparently I haven't been gaining enough weight, so the doctor told me to eat some milkshakes, burgers, and fries. I love my doctor.

Utah Visit

2008-05-26T09:48:00.006-06:00

Last Wednesday we traveled down to Utah for my brother's wedding. We hadn't been down there since last July, so it was *fun* for me to become familiar with all the free-ways again. The wedding went smoothly, we ate our fill of our favorite Utah eateries (Cafe Rio, Barbacoa, and Crown Burger), and saw most of the extended families. Jamison was a good little traveler although he did get a cold while we were down there. Overall, it was a fun trip, but I am grateful to be in my own bed again. Air mattresses were not designed with pregnant women in mind.

Congratulations, Dan and Staci!

Pregnancy Brain

2008-05-19T16:10:00.003-06:00

For those child-bearing women out there, do you get the crazy pregnancy brain? I sure do.

This morning I was hurrying to get out the door to get to my ultrasound. I wanted to get our tithing check in the mail before I left, so I hurriedly wrote it out while Jamison was biting my leg. I rushed to drop him off at our neighbors, mailed the check, got in the car and jetted. Five minutes later I realized I had stupidly switched two numbers on the check and tithing slip, so it completely didn't add up. I also realized I forgot to grab Walker's laptop that he had asked me to bring. I felt like a big dummy.

The ultrasound went fine. I like seeing the baby, but the drinking 32 ounces of water in 30 minutes in the morning sure is hard. Kudos to those sweet ultrasound technicians -- I can't tell what anything on that screen is.

I was hoping the entire time that the check would still be in the mailbox when I got home. No luck.

Hi, I'm Liz...

2008-05-16T10:23:00.002-06:00

...and I am addicted to Craigslist. The past few weeks I have been lucky to find some great things and now I can't help myself. Here's what I have bought:

our fabulous piano
4 barely used maternity outfits (surprising, considering I have a hard time finding my size)
4 barely used Gap outfits for Jamison
a bread maker
toddler bed for Jamison (he gets kicked out of his crib in 4 months, poor baby)
and a top secret father's day present

There have been some funny experiences with getting some of these items. Well, I guess mainly the bread maker. The lady I bought it from let me come to her work office to pick it up, since it was closer to where I live. Her office happens to be in the Idaho State Liquor Dispensary. So I got to haul my pregnant self, along with my 15 month old, into that lovely place. We especially liked the enormous display cases of liquor bottles.

After that embarrassing encounter, we realized there was no instruction manual with the bread maker. The nice selling lady said she would look for it at home, but could not find it. Great. I did many google searches, finding every manual existing for every Welbilt bread maker, but none for my model, the ABM3100. Eventually, on a recipe site, I found a comment from 3 years ago about Welbilt bread makers. I searched the reply comments and found one from a man saying he had the ABM3100 manual and would scan it and send it to the lady in charge of the site. I e-mailed her, asking if she had it and could possibly e-mail it. Within one hour, I had it. Unfortunately, the 30 page manual had been scanned in one page at a time, so Walker had to do some quick editing last night, and voila, I have my manual. A big thank you to Betsy at recipelink!

This is just one story from my Craigslist experiences. Stay tuned for more...

Turbo

2008-05-12T11:28:00.004-06:00

We have a very friendly neighbor cat who loves to play with Jamison. It keeps him busy while we work in the yard, especially since the cat doesn't mind being harshly petted. We looked at his tag the other day and his/her name is Turbo. Jamison thinks that's a silly name for a cat.

No More Dance Classes

2008-05-08T11:11:00.002-06:00

The sad day has come that our dance classes have ended. After 10 weeks of classes, Walker and I now know the basic steps to the waltz, foxtrot, rhumba, six-step swing, tango, and the cha-cha.

It was a good experience for us to do. On the first day of class, the teacher told us that the men have to lead and the women are not in charge -- at all. What?! I was also excited to not know anyone, but lo and behold, we walk into the first class and there are two people we know! I was pretty surprised about that. It was definitely a plus having them in the class, though.

My favorite dance is the cha-cha, although I was pretty embarrassed when the teacher called me out in front of the whole class for "dragging my feet." Walker liked the tango because he liked imagining he had a rose between his teeth (those are his own words). My other favorite part was watching the cute old couples. Especially the two old ladies dancing together.

As much as we enjoyed the class, it was a big challenge for me to go during my sick pregnant stage. It did force me to get out of the house, though, and we would usually get ice cream afterwards. That always makes me feel better!

Also, a big thank you to the Aherns for watching Jamison for every class. He enjoyed hanging out with you guys, trashing your house, and patting Matilda.

We're planning on taking the intermediate class next year. Anyone else up for taking it with us?

Desperate Housewives Swap

2008-05-05T13:31:00.004-06:00

Thank you, Kimberly, for the fun package!

I signed up for this swap, in which you are paired up with someone and are supposed to send them things that would give them a break from the rigors of being a "housewife."

I got my package today and was so happy to get something fun in the mail. Kimberly sent magazines, movies, lotions, a cake mix, and frosting (my favorite kind, too). And the best part of all is a vinyl wall lettering that says "Bon Appetit" to go in the kitchen. Here are some examples of her vinyls. Pretty cute!