Photos

I don't like to post with out a few pictures so I am over loading you with a bunch!




Owen's first memorable experience with sledding at Lee Canyon. We got there early and had the entire meadow to oursleves. Well other than a Dad and his two kids riding down the hill in a plastic kiddie pool--Desert rats for you!Owen loved it and kept his hat and gloves on the whole time, it was a cold one. He was fearless and wanted to go with his daddy down a big hill. Here he is heading up the hill with Brett and Cameron





Owen loved the tubes and would just lay on a tube until someone would either pull him around in it or head up the hill for another WEEEEEEEEE!!




He was so silly and would not smile the entire time there. Maybe he was frozen? Uncle Tommy and Ethan came with us much to Owen's delight. He asked for tommy all day long. We love Tommy, he is the best with my Owen!


Cameron got leave from Afghanistan for two weeks and surprised us all on Sunday the 27th. We were all happy to have him home for a bit. We are very grateful for his service in the military and hope to have him return again safely. Cameron has always asked when Owen would be big enough to play with and now he is.They were silly together and Owen is lucky to have so many great uncle that love him!

2010 bring it on.......

Happy New Year! I am looking forward to this year and all the excitement new goals and a new start bring. Christmas and New Years were a happy time for us. Brett made it through both holidays with minimal sleep and overtime hours and I was fortunate enough to have some time off work to get our new place organized and just be with Owen. I was sicky sick and so our picture count is pretty sparse. Owen was so overwhelmed with gratitude on Christmas morning he would randomly say "TANK YOU SANTA" as loud as he could to make sure the jolly fellow heard him.He is a sweet little man and I am happy he is learning his manners. I am going to make more of an effort to post even the silly things, so that I don't forget...Here's to resolution #17!!!
ps Owen had a good day at nursery all things considering; his accident leaving his pants unwearable, having his best friend "Jensen" back only to find she is going to be released, and then to top it off, going back to nursery pant-less and shoe-less despite my pleas to go home, he was determined and I am impressed. What a day
Brett is off to Denver to test for their Fire Department. We are praying for the best

The Smell of Christmas

The last two weeks Owen has had two run-ins with Santa, neither of which were very successful, the last was at the Venetian/Palazzo Christmas Party for the kids. It was actually really well done, with bouncy slides, carnival games, and a ton of food. Part of the festivities were to go and see Santa and get a 5 by 7 photo with him. Owen kicked and yelled soon as we headed towards the Jolly old man. I managed to get Owen to sit on my lap next to Santa for the photo, not smiling, but not crying. The first encounter was with Grandma at her Primary Christmas Party. As you can see Owen refused to sit with Santa, and cried histerically. I don't know what it is about Santa but Owen just wouldnt go to him. Owen talks about him all the time and knows that Santa is bringing him presents. I thought after seeing him love all of the characters at Disney Land that he would just be thrilled with Santa this year...nope.

Owen finally calmed down enough to take his Candy Cane and bag of M&M's, he walked away and with a quick look back said to Santa with his eyes "I respect what you do, I just dont like you."

So last night when we were getting ready to make our annual trip to the Magical Forest, I asked Owen if he was ready to go see Santa? Owen with shoes in hand said "no" and ran to put his shoes way. If that was where we were going, he didn't want any of it. I had to tell Owen about the train, the Carousel, and all the lights, before convincing him it would be okay.

I have to say I love the Magical Forest, what I love most is the smell. I think its the funnel cake mixed with popcorn, mixed with hot chocolate, mixed with the cold brisk air. It brings back so many memories for me volunteering at the Magical Forest. There were many a Christmas Seasons that Chad and I spent almost everynight that they were open going there and dressing up in their animal costumes and running around all night.

I also do have to say that I like the old Magical Forest better, back when the trail was made with bails of hay, there was no inside food court, all of the singers were outside, the train path changed every year, there was no gift shop, it was a group little cottage houses that you bought all of your goodies and snacks from.

Where ever you are and whatever your doing, we hope you are having a very Merry Christmas!

All hallos eve

My parents are home:) I missed them and so did Owen. They came home just in time for Halloween and boy oh boy their neighborhood never lets you down. Neighbors decorate their lawns, court yards and give out yummy candy--king size! Owen was Woody(Shelley made an awesome costume) from Toy Story and Brett & I stayed with that theme, me--Little bo Peep,Brett--green army man. Seems to always happen we are on the off years when it comes to dressing up, last year we didn't and everyone did(including M&D)and this year we were the lone couple --oh well. We got to go Trick or treatin with the cousins(Owen refers to Mitch & Ethan as "my boys") and my sweet boy understood to say trick or trea and thank you! Highlights of the evening include:
Owen & Bosty yelling "let's go" to J&T and D as they discuss apertures and film speed
D wearing his ear muffs and getting a lil Almond joy for himself
the little asian kids not wearing costumes and trick or treatin before its dark out, O having a bite from everyone's candy stash
M telling me that "That's just the type of dress you should wear all the time"
E discussing what he would like to be next year
B thinking everyone and everything is " a little scary and not sill magic",and of course D&J having Thriller playing in the courtyard with the smoking fountain, so awesome! Yipeeee for the Holiday season here at last!

Owen rode a horse and the ferris wheel at the pumpkin patch, he was super excited about both and his facial expressions were priceless

I'm walking on sunshine waoooooo.......

Owen laughs at anything Jalen says!


Owen loves to go on walks, he loves to run, walk, climb and jump at any given chance. Soon after waking up each day he will ask for his shoes (usually his cowboy boots like today), find my shoes and head toward the door for a stroll. Today was a lovely day for a walk, sunny, light breeze and just a few clouds in the sky. He asked for his bike and ball and we headed out to find some grass because our complex management decided to tear up about 90% of all the grass:( Our sweet little neighbor Jalen joined us on our walk much to Owen's delight. Jalen is a stud, and so kind. Last Christmas he left a note on our door that would have made just about anyone cry. He wished us a Happy Christmas and that he reminded Santa to leave baby owen a toy. He and Owen played and laughed for almost 2 1/2 hours. It was very sweet and made my whole day. There is something about just being outside in the sunshine, it lightens your whole spirit and makes me think of all the wonderful blessings I have in my life. It was good day

Tubies

Owen is a champ. He had his surgery today and was nothing short of an angel for pretty much the whole day. We woke up super early gave him a quick bath and headed to the surgery center. Brett and I had explained the whole process to him many times but how much of a bilateral myringotomy with tympanostomy tubes does a 18 month old understand, all he needed to know was we would be there with him. We were with him during all the pre-op monitoring and he met his anesthesiologist Dr Brookshire and Dr Yu, his ENT, came him to talk with us as well. Dr Yu is such a good doctor, kind informative, thorough and who doesn't automatically like a Dr with a fanny pac on? When Owen was all set to go he hopped into the little red wagon waiting for him and they wheeled him off. His eyes got really big as he turned the corner and he couldn't see us waving anymore, we could hear him crying and I almost started crying but held it together. The whole procedure was super fast and Dr Yu came out to explain post op prescriptions and let us know how things went. Owen was still sleeping and as soon as he woke up we got to go back to see him. He was restless and cranky and needed some juice but after he got his juice we rocked in the rocking chair for a while untill he was released to go. All in all we had a good experience and are hopeful this coming winter will be kind to his little ears. Thank you to all for your love & concern, we truly appreciate it.

( He really liked his id bracelet and wanted to show me over and over, so I took a picture, and he loves his daddy's fireman helmet and told me CHEESSSE CHEEESSSE until I got the camera out, such a little ham, I love it!)

Loafers?

This morning Owen chose his own shoesies.......and wore them to story time, where he got two compliments on his fine choice of footwear

My little yogi

Owen has his own yoga mat and prefers to practice his sun salutations in his diaper with two binkies. He has his exhalted warrior pose with Rodney Yee down!

Today went by so quickly, before I had a chance to breathe it was already 630 and my Owen was asking for a "BITEEE",(aka a meal, snack or whatever you may have in your hand) I got a good majority of my errands done and we stayed quiet enough for Brett to sleep. He has a tough Friday-Saturday schedule.I work every other Friday now and so Brett has Owen bright and early Friday morning as he walks in from work and I leave for work, his brother and mom help out a ton but I know he is sleep deprived. SO when I get home Friday night Brett gets a little nap and then heads off to work again and on Saturday mornings goes from work to a 6 hour long class. He is training with full gear and a breathing apparatus that I know weighs at least 40 lbs+, in the lovely hot LV weather and today after his first class he brought home all that gear. Owen loves it, I am still trying to find a place for it, under the table perhaps? I am in amazement at his ability to keep going with a smile, he showed me how the gear works and how quickly he has to learn to put everything on(under 2minutes) and I got a little emotional about it. I guess I hadn't really thought the whole "my husband is a fireman" all the way through. I know this is what he wants to do and to see his excitement and enthusiasm today I have to be his support, he deserves it and I love him. So as long as my days may be I know they are never going to be as long as his are and I am tough and I can handle this will be good for me. The First Presdiency message this month in the Liahona is just wonderful, here's a little something to think about:

As you live up to this mission, in whatever life circumstance you find yourself—as a wife, as a mother, as a single mother, as a divorced woman, as a widowed or a single woman—the Lord our God will open up responsibilities and blessings far beyond your ability to imagine. May I invite you to rise to the great potential within you. But don’t reach beyond your capacity. Don’t set goals beyond your capacity to achieve. Don’t feel guilty or dwell on thoughts of failure. Don’t compare yourself with others. Do the best you can, and the Lord will provide the rest. Have faith and confidence in Him, and you will see miracles happen in your life and the lives of your loved ones. The virtue of your own life will be a light to those who sit in darkness, because you are a living witness of the fulness of the gospel (see D&C 45:28). Wherever you have been planted on this beautiful but often troubled earth of ours, you can be the one to “succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees” (D&C 81:5).

Bring on Monday!

I love Fridays. I never mind working on Fridays for some reason and after this week I am just happy to be working at all. Brett started school this week and we are going to seriously be playing tag during this semester. Between my new schedule and his work and school load I will be able to see him for about an hour during the week and a few more on his day off Yipeeee I have learned some hard lessons this week and I feel more watched over than ever before as a little family. I am thankful for my faith and ever optomistic husband not to mention this little guy who just loves his mamas' shoes! check out those thighs :)

Just thinking.....

About the lovely day we had yesterday and how I wish we had turned around to get the camera left sitting on the kitchen counter. Owen and the ocean met, their friendship needs some time. On a happier note the sand and Owen are very good friends and he brought some home in every little crease and fold you could imagine. My husband's team won and he played very well, plus all teeth are still accounted for. All in all a steller weekend

Too fast

Owen's glove has become an attachment to his hand, but he hasn't quite learned that you use the glove to catch his beloved ball. I was so impressed with how smart my little O really is. First time I handed him the glove he put it on his left hand and fit his little fingers in the slots

Owen's eyes are sooo blue, like husky blue. He is looking at the planes, such amazement
this is a pre- hair cut picture, his little poof of hair was so sweet but looking a little rag-muffinsih

I was playing around with the saturation on this one, I think his shirt looks all dirty on the collar

He sure loves his Daddy, they are best buddies and make each other belly laugh, it warms my heart to watch them together!


Owen got his first hair cut last week. As much as I loved his little fro of blondie hair he needed a trim. He got his first baseball glove for being so good during the hair cut, and he mastered ready position for his future baseball career. He is growing up so fast and talking more and more each day. Just one more month until he can officially go to nursery, although he goes in with me now( its my calling) A few of my favorite new words are: bubble, keys, cookie, go, hippo, zebra, duck, woody, icky, doggy, and shoes. The binky has now been restricted to just bedtime if he absolutely needs it and we are hoping to have a binky -free boy very soon! I had a pretty knarly endodontic procedure done a week ago. One of my front laterals was really sensitive and I was honestly praying I wouldn't need the inevitable root canal that usually follows extreme cold sensitivity because I have crowns across the front and with my preferred DDS out of state I was really apprehensive to do anything to them. But I am one lucky girl and have the blessing of working for a really great endodontist who was able to do the apicoecotmy on my # 10 and leave my crown completely alone. Look up the surgery on google and it will show the whole kit and kaboodle. Its pretty bloody so be aware.On a much happier note summer time has has been good to us and with Brett starting his fall semester(& all that comes with him doing full time school and work) soon we are hoping to have one last hooray with new more exciting pictures, but enjoy these. I sure do love this little face!

An Emmy tag

1. What is your current obsession?
Washing my hands and singing the ABCs in my head before I rinse them off. Strange I know. I also am a bit of a facebook fanantic, Brett calls it the "crack"

2. What do you hate that everyone else seems to love?
I don't hate it but I am not really into the whole show of So you think you can dance, it is just not consistently entertaining
And Gladiator sandals--not flattering on anyone but giselle

3. What are you wearing today?
Scrubs-- socks and my ugly but comfortable crocs

4. What’s for dinner?
spinach salad, ham, and green beans yummmmmy

5. What would you eat for your last meal?
cafe rio pork salad and a tropi-colda no banana from tropical smoothie cafe and some good chocolate chip cookies

6. What is the last thing you bought?
two t- shirts for Owen and a back brace for me

7. What are you listening to right now?
the PBS documentary on the church and its members

8. What do you think of the person that tagged you?
Ohhh my emmy, she is a dumpling, I love her very much, she is a little sister to me and I am so proud of her accomplishments and decisions. She is a strong young lady with a very bright future, I have always admired em's ability to stay calm and not get super emotional about stupid stuff. She is smart and beautiful and has a fabulous sense of humor. There is very little she wouldn't try and is always being so supportive to others. She loves her family and is close to her sisters . Her example to them is wonderful. Just writing this makes me miss her even more. I love my little spanky

9. If you could have a house- fully paid for and totally furnished – anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Maui-wailea beach

10. If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would it be?
Buenos Aires Argentina, Chascomus or Brandsen

11. What is one of your hobbies?
I really like yoga, its peaceful energizing and you feel so fabulous afterwards.

12. What is your favorite quote?
“Nothing is as constant as change.” I don't know who orginally said it but President Monson had said it many times

13. What is your favorite color?
Purple and red

14. What is your favorite piece of clothing in your wardrobe?
A pair of jeans that I still can't fit into. I don't even like jeans but these are the perfect cut,length and wash and uber comfortble

15. What is your dream job?
I think i should have been a dentist, I like teeth

16. Describe your personal style?
Changing all the time, I go through phases and for the most part just practical now

17. What is your favorite tree?
Cherry Trees and Almond trees, when they bloom they are both beautiful

18. What are you going to do after this?
Check on Owen and go to sleep (hopefully)

19. What is your favorite fruit?
Strawberries and blueberries

20. What inspires you?
When people push themselves to do something hard and they do it. Dilligence and creativity

21. Who was the last person that you kissed?
Brett and Owen

22. What are you currently reading?
Bof M and Chemistry Demystified

23. Go to your bookshelf, take down the first book that you see with a red binding, turn to page 26 and type out the first line.
Environmental toxins, depleted soil, and the everyday stresses of contemparay life also agrue for taking supplements as an insurance policy, no matter how conscience you are about eating well. ( Atkins for Life)

24. What delighted you the most today?
Owen running toward me with open arms and a huge smile when I walked in from work. I also had a really nice patient today,George was his name

25. If your life had a theme song, what would it be?
Beat it- MJ

26. If you bought a wiener dog today, what would you name it?
Stupid

27. What is your most memorable dream?
I have dreams about clay people that chase me and then fall apart, all the time, I have has them my whole life and they are the only ones I remeber vividly

28.What have you been avoiding that you can do today?
Work on Owen's scrapbook and take more pictures of his sweet CHEEEESE face, why I have been avoiding this I don't know

The rules: Respond and rework; answer the questions on your blog, replace one question you dislike with a question of your own.
2. Tag five other people.
People I Tag: Marina, Amanda, Dana, Dani, Liz

Happy 4th of July

Yesterday was wonderful day, full of family, food, fun, and fireworks. I am truly grateful for all the freedoms we enjoy as citizens of this great nation and am forever indebted to the men and women who work so diligently and fought for those freedoms and privileges. Today at church we sang the Star Spangled Banner for our closing hymn and both Brett and I got choked up while singing it. Cameron, Brett's brother is in Afghanistan serving our country and we pray for his safety and quick return daily. The reality of Cameron being there hit home quite hard with us both and we had to take a few minutes to get ourselves together before Sunday School. I was playing the piano in primary and stayed to listen to sharing time, which was about the First Vision. I love listening to how kids perceive Joseph's experience and how willingly they accept it to be true. They know our Heavenly Father loves to help us and will answer our prayers, such a simple truth that so many in this world don't understand. I am thankful to have the restored gospel in my life and to be able to freely worship.The church always comes out with such beautiful commercials, enjoy this one and be grateful for your freedoms.................its not uploading, so go to lds.org and scroll down to the video

Week in Review

I feel like my week flew by and I am just now catching my breath! Work was work, teeth teeth and more teeth. Owen is attached to my side when I am home and I don't mind a bit. he is talking so much and tries so hard to communicate his needs and wants. He has added Bosty(BFF) basketball and two to his ever expanding list of words. I got Brett a "legit"( his words) door hanging basketball hoop and he and Owen can play together for hours. Its so sweet to watch them together! Julie took some awesome family pictures and I am extremely grateful for her talent and time. Grandma Ida Mae was in town for a visit and Owen has made a new friend. He would give her loves, blow kisses and liked to hold her hand. She is so sweet and an awesome yathzee player! We wish she lives closer. I have started Atkins and am 6 days into induction. I feel better, I am sleeping so much better and I know giving up sugar and bad carbs will help get rind of this pregnancy chub. I have learned I am very strict with myself when I get my mind set straight. I walked down the cracker/chips/cookie isle at the grocery store today just to test myself. Proud to say didn't even flinch! Ask me again in ninety days!