Project

I have become a bit of a fan of happy little Life's blog because she does cute little things like THIS. She also has an etsy shop that I like to frequent. I don't buy anything but I do get ideas. She has perfect directions on how to create a quilt. Please don't get any expectations, but I found some fabric that I LOVE, and we'll go from here. I can't wait, I will keep you posted!

We got a Pool!

When I saw Paxton in this pool, at this angle, I laughed until it hurt! I still can't look at it without laughing. The story is, I have been searching high and low for a good-cheap-will last forever type swimming pool for the boys. It has become an issue this year because I don't have Annie hanging out with me. It was much simpler when she was there to hang out and watch Paxton with me. Now with two, and being a lone care-taker I am not so brave. This being my first dilemma, I decided I had better purchase a pool. Second dilemma, what size. Gauge is just a baby, so something small. Paxton is huge, so something bigger?

All my questions were answered when I happened across this lovely thing at Walmart for a whoppin' $3.94. One ring, small enough, but big enough too. It fit every category that I was looking for... or so I thought.

After some time blowing up the tiny thing, and just about blowing out both Ryan and my lungs, you have here, our summer swimming pool!

I blew it up and then, just because we haven't de-bugged our yard yet, I filled it up on the trampoline...Once Paxton sat in it I couldn't stop laughing!

Then Gauge joined him...neked


and they loved it! So I think I will find a cool spider-man sprinkler, he's a huge hit around here, and I then we'll be gold!

UVSC Car Show

I forgot to post my pictures of the UVSC Car show last week. It really isn't the same now that it is held at Thanksgiving point. Ryan and Aaron hit the swap meet and then once Ry has seen Mustang row, its really okay to leave. It is still a nice excuse to get the kids packed up and get out, we hit is early and get out of there before it gets too crowded.Pax at the cool old restored city bus
Paxton sporting daddy's sunglasses

The Ford GT

Gauge, totally fighting the urge to sleep

Flashback Friday

This could just be, my FAVORITE picture of Ryan.

Gratitude

So for the last few days I have found myself just feeling...so much gratitude for all that I have. I guess that I am superstitious in a way because I almost feel like if I say that I am grateful, I am bringing attention to the fact that I have it so wonderful and it will be taken away. I don't know if that makes any sense.

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Tonight I spoke to a man on the phone who lives in a place that is known in our small city as the dog house. You can guess what type of place this is. This man came home to a room in this building, the place he calls home, to find that it had been broken into. He knew that it had happened within the last hour because he had gone to the store, and when he returned on his bike he said, it was obvious that no one was there. He then went off on a tangent, and I brought him back to where he was by saying, so you came home on your bike...and he responded with "yes mam, I am very poor, its all I have" This man sounded like he was at least in his fifties.

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We then had an officer come in and tell us the happenings of the night because tonight was quite busy, and we wanted the details that you don't get from callers. One of the stories that he told us was about a woman who is only 27 and quite crazy. Literally. Whose grandparents were trying to drag her into the hospital to unload her onto someone else. This kind officer, one of my favorites, told her that she looked quite beautiful tonight (in her aqua green bathrobe and dirty slippers) and asked her if she would speak with him. She had obviously never been treated so well by anyone else and told him that she would do whatever he wanted her to. She then went with him into the hospital and began the first steps in getting some help. She also told him that she was in love with him and she tried to kiss him, but that's another story...the point being, she has no one, and she is un-loved, and its not her fault.

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Tonight we had a young man try to end his life. Something that we deal with often here, but his attempts were of such a serious nature that I began to get curious. When I looked up his drivers license I found that he was only 20 years old. What at that young age, could be so horrible that you would feel the need to end your life? The answer to my question is also given to me by the kinds of things that I know from working here. But in my own life, I cannot comprehend.

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To top it off, thanks a lot Kate, I find a blog that is written by a man whose wife has been diagnosed with cancer. They have a small child, and then had to abort the one she was pregnant with, due to chemotherapy and other things that she couldn't endure while pregnant. He is not handling it well. Its hard to read and to realize what all they have endured so far, but you can't help but read on and cry.

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All of these things are pretty much every day things to me that I usually keep locked away. I don't talk to people about them and I am sorry that I posted what I did, but its really been toned down for the reader. Usually people don't want to hear these things. They don't want to know that they go on, and they shouldn't have to. But I hear these things every day and the job is, you don't let it get to you. We have calluses here and we laugh about things for protection, we don't take this stuff home! Here you can't ask why and its for our own good. We rise to the challenge of getting help there when its needed because someone needs to do it. But for some reason, maybe its the fact that I am a woman, or a mother, or maybe its because I just needed to vent, for once...to someone other than my poor husband...but I can't help but be upset. I can't help but wonder why. I can't help but vent today, and as scared as I am to admit it, because I don't understand why, I can't help but be grateful to my Lord. Because I know what others lives are like. I am kind of comprehending how blessed I really am, but I am definitely not comprehending why.

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I am so grateful for all that I have. I am so grateful for my perfect husband and beautiful children. My beautiful home and...this is embarrasing, for our 6 cars. (that number should be going down soon) I have a job that I love that I could support my family on if I needed to, but I don't have to because I have a healthy strong husband. I have my brain and my body that works perfectly. I have a yard and a piano and I live in a beautiful place. Most of all, I have the gospel and the knowledge of Him. I know that he knows me and that he has blessed my life so much. I guess that I just needed to say thank you, because as angry as my heart is, it is so full.

May Birthdays

There are so many birthday's this month that I decided I had better post them all in one blog. I realized this after I missed most of them and the one person who will not forgive me is going to notice that I posted this after her birthday...sorry Annie.

Happy birthday to:

Annie

Athlyn

Uncle Jack

sweet little Kaitlyn

JP

Aaron

Melyna

and everyone else, we love you all!!

When I find some pictures...I'll post em!

Correction

...Okay, now that I have checked on the price I need to re-phrase...I will have to hopefully one day, save up enough to get me ONE of those! I really got so excited I had to blog about it!

"No Memo, No!"

When I say that we were able to spend some time with Ryan this weekend, what I really mean is, we packed a lot in. We hit the museum, the park and even got to hang out at the UVSC car show... which I gotta tell ya, is becoming quite the tradition.

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If you guys ever get a chance to hit Thanksgiving Point, I highly recommend it. They have so many cool things for kids! This time around we hit the dinosaur museum and we really enjoyed ourselves. One of our favorite parts was a 3D Shark movie that we watched.

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Right now Paxton is pretty big into sharks. Actually, he is into anything and everything. What I mean is that he has a shark that he loves to play with when he sees it. He also loves Nemo, or as we know the movie in our house to be called, Memo. When Paxton plays with his shark, it doesn't swim, it flies. How do I know? When I ask him if the shark is swimming, he says "no mommy" So then I ask if he is flying, and that is exactly it, "yes" he says! He says it every time, that the shark doesn't swim, his shark flies. I think it is cute. Paxton also has a fish that he plays with in the bathtub. The poor fish probably wishes Paxton would choose any other character, but fish mean Memo to Paxton!! I don't know how many times I have heard the phrase "No, Memo, No!!" come out of that bathroom while he is playing in there. That movie is currently a favorite at our house, so between his flying shark and Memo, we pretty much knew 3dSharks would be a hit.

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The best part of our whole trip was that during the movie things would come out at you in 3D. In the movie we were in the ocean and jelly fish or ocean creatures would float out toward us. Paxton would reach out and try to touch them. It was the best, I just about died when I saw him do it. I thought he was going to fall off of his chair a few times because he became so involved in the show. It was the first movie that we have taken him to that he was able to sit through. I recommend it to everyone. We will be back, they have a dinosaur movie in 3D as well and I gotta say, we're hooked. Here are a few pictures inside the museum.

This one below is Paxton measuring his foot to the Brontisaurus foot

In this picture, Daddy chased him through a cave. He was bookin' it

Outside

or as Paxton says, Side. This weekend we were able to get a bit of time with Ryan which was so wonderful! Depending on the day at work he could be home earlier or later and we were able to get a couple of days where he was home early. I am loving the schedule!

In the picture below, it was getting pretty late. I began to set the sprinklers only to notice Paxton was stripping down. He was down to the diaper and ready to head on into the water. I quickly ran inside and grabbed him some trunks to make him proper, and we ran through the sprinkers like crazy!! I had more pictures, but I was not ready for picture taking. We may have to wait until mommy gets a tan before we can post swimming pictures with me in them.

Last but not least, Gauge learning how to jump on the trampoline, while flexing. Look Sarah, I don't know if you remember, you got that outfit for him when we first got pregnant...I love it!

Three Mr. Cleans!

My boys shaved their heads this week. I have three Mr Cleans!! Something that Ryan and Paxton have done for the last two years and cute little Gauge did it this time too. It was hard for us to cut off Gauge's little fluffy hair-do that he has grown but I love that the boys look the same for summer! (by the way, it is impossible to get Paxton to cooperate for pictures anymore)!!

Flashback Friday-Saturday

Last week, first bath together.

Summertime, Summertime!

It's summer outside, and it is so wonderful! There is nothing like waking up to 70 degree weather and the smell of lilac bushes in the air at night. If you haven't noticed due to my poor blogging lately, it is getting busier at work too. I usually only find the time to blog here because as you all know, my computer is in a dark little room in our basement at home and the computer is too slow for my lack of patience. There is just too much to do at home anyway! So I have to apologize for not blogging as much but really, I love it when its busy at work, that's when it is fun. Graveyard shift is really busy in the summertime and it has only just begun so I am really excited. The crazies are commin' out!

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I have a few projects that I want to get done this summer. Ryan and I are making plans to finally get the house finished. I am tired of the remodel stage where things are torn apart or not finished completely. We are done with the remodel break and we are going to get started. I can't wait. I have so many things that I want to do both to, and around the house. We need to tear down a wall, redo a patio, refinish our living room floor, paint the living room, tile the kitchen... the list is already getting pretty long, but you get the picture.

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I have also been really getting the hankering for quilting. I am a quilt freak. If I had a ton of money to spend, there is a pretty good bet that I would spend quite a bit of it on quilts. When I am pregnant and in that "nesting" phase especially. So I decided that it was high time I learn how to quilt. There is a blog that I found that takes you through the process of how to make a quilt. I just need to find the right material and then find the time. I never thought of myself as a girly girl, or someone who loved girly things, especially sewing, but I am finding more and more that the longer I am a mother, the more I feel the want to do things like this. I want to do so many things now. I don't know how I am going to do them all. Maybe this summer I will focus on the projects and come fall and winter I can get into the quilting and cooking.

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On another note, Ryan and I have decided that it is high time we purchase a BBQ. Every summer we tell ourselves that we are going to get one, I think this summer we are going to go and find the one that is made for us. We have actually decided that we could probably live on BBQ and be quite happy. Which brings me to my next hurrah, I have the fourth of July off!! Woohoo! It is one of my favorite Holidays. I am quite a patriot at heart. I have a lot of pride for this Country and I love U.S. History. I love the festivities on the 4th and I Love, Love the celebrations! I have worked jobs that require weekends and Holidays the last 8 years. All 24 hours a day, 7 days a week places. This is a big thing for me. Now to decide where we will go for this wonderful day!

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I am sorry I have not been very good with the blogging, the summer excitement and business has kept me away, but I will do better! I will have to post pictures of our before and after projects of the house. Oh, and of the bronco. I promise, it is on the list and it is a priority. We have scheduled out our days so that Ryan will have Saturdays to work on it, and to work on everything else he can't do during the week. It should be done in like, couple of weeks...

Mom-hood

It is still officially Mother's Day and I am at work with a bit of free time so I thought I would take a minute to write something. This is the only picture I have to post right now and I have to say it is one of my favorites. Gauge is at such a cute age where he is everything that makes you want a baby. He is old enough to laugh and smile, he grabs his toes, giggles, he is chubby, and he touches my face when I talk to him. I just LOVE being a mother.

I love that when I walk into a room Gauge finds me and I find him watching me. When I smile at him he immediately smiles back. I love that Paxton wants me to kiss his hurts, or calls my name at night when he needs a hug. I hate when they are sick, but I absolutely love that they turn to me to feel better. I love singing them to sleep at night and that no matter how irate they are, if I sing to them they quiet down. I love how hard it is to be a mother, I think that is what makes it so special. I just love being a mother!

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I also wanted to tell my Mom how much I love her, and tell everyone else how amazing she is. She is the greatest example to me! Now that I am a mom I think of her and her example every single day. I wonder how she handled all that was on her plate and how she always was and is such a patient, kind, supportive, loving person. When times get hard for me, I think of how she handled things, and how strong her faith was and the example she set for me when I would find her kneeling alone praying. The church song, "love is spoken here" I feel, describes my mom and it is exactly the kind of mother that I want to be. I think that she is just beautiful and I feel that I just can't make her understand how much I appreciate her hard work and her sacrifice for all six of us growing up and I can't make her understand how much I truly love her and look up to her. Mom I love you so, so much!

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Last but not least, I wanted to say how much I love Ryan's Mom. She is also a great example to me and we love her so much. When I was first dating Ryan, the first time he talked about his mom he got emotional. (not a bad sign when your dating a man!) He always tells me how strong she was when she raised him. Some of you may not know but Ryan grew up on a farm. There are also 9 children in his family. His mother has a work ethic like you wouldn't believe and raised nine children while also working a job as a physical therapist. She makes everything beautiful, nothing is or was ever done less then the best. She is a wonderful cook and baker, especially her cinnamon rolls. She is still crazy strong and way active, she could beat me in any physical competition I am sure!! Ryan thinks so much of her and he loves her so much!! We hope that you both have a wonderful Mother's Day!!

Happy Mother's Day

Daddy Work

Well, the time has come and now Ryan is back at work doing the slinger grind. He is working at Slalt Lake Valley Slingers again. They have been kind enough to work around his school schedule for the last 3-4 years and are always happy to have him return. For those of you who don't know what a slinger is, I have a few pictures for you...

Above is a picture of a slinger truck. Although I am not a pro at what they are or what they do, I do know that they are basically a new form of technology in the construction business. The trucks are kind of similar to dump trucks but not really. They have a boom that comes out and with a remote control you can actually shoot the dirt or whatever is being used, pebble rock, top soil etc and you can lay it down instead of what a dump truck does, dumping it into a huge pile on the site. Its used a lot in foundation work. The slingers come in and spread the rock before the foundation is layed. Ryan can actually drive his truck with this remote control and when they are out on sites working, people come out and watch them all of the time because it is so different. Here are some pictures of Ryan out slingin'

In this picture above he is using his remote control on the truck behind him, but if you look closely you can see that another truck is slinging dirt right in front of him

My Hot husband on the back of his truck.

It is already hard for me to have him back to work. I know that sounds really lame because everyone's husbands work, but I realized today how much I am really never going to see him. I got off of my shift at 5am this morning and he left by 5:30am, he got back today at 6:30 and I left at 7pm. I am not a happy camper!! Sorry to vent but as happy as I am for him that he is out of the house and will be in the sun and has a break from school...it stinks.

Lazy Days

This picture is of Paxton coming in from the wet rain and tearing his shirt off...he has been doing that a lot lately...

Anyway, the weather has been TERRIBLE all weekend!! So we have found ourselves stuck in doors with not a whole lot to do. It really is hard to go from perfect, beautiful 70 and 80 degree weather to low 50s in a day. I feel so terrible for Ryan, he is home all day with the kids and when the weather is bad and your locked in doors, you could seriously go crazy. I don't know how he handles it so well and stays so sweet! We have been able to come up with some games and get some cute pictures while we try to keep our sanity. Here are a few pictures from hanging out indoors.

Superman and Batman have turned into some fun pretend games. Paxton is loving to fly, and loves that Dad has muscles so that he can fly. Doesn't he make a cute superhero?!

Mommy sleeps a lot during the work week, so sometimes I get lucky enough to sleep with Gauge. Gauge has been sleeping a lot lately too, I think he is having another growth spurt-I love these pictures. I don't know why because it isn't his best look and doesn't even have his beautiful smile. I think it could be the double chin, or even the fact that he is just sleeping, but I couldn't take enough of them.

This picture is so special to me. He is totally hugging his daddy.

Still got it?!

I have to share this, because it is HUGE for me...I was just walking back into work from my lunch break and I got WHISTLED AT by a car full of young guys!! WOOHOO!! That sounds stupid, but I don't think I have been whistled at since I have had Paxton. Granted, I am located next to the only 2 bars in Provo and this could be the explanation, its also dark outside, but it was still nice.

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I wanted to add, its not like I don't get the compliments at home. Ryan treats me like a queen. But the whisle says a lot sometimes too.

Flashback Friday

Sarah and I hanging out with our HOT selves at the Mobbs reception.

Mom Back Soon

Well, I think it is pretty much safe to say that this was one of the best weeks ever! I hate saying things like that, but its true! It helps that it was my birthday, the big 27. Thank you everyone for your kind notes and phone calls! Its also Ryan's birthday, today. It is fun having our birthdays in the same week, it makes it feel like its birthday week. Not only that but its the week after the semester ends so Ryan is home and stays here until he goes back to work. That dreaded day will be Monday. Anyway, we have had all week to hang out and that is exactly what we have done. We had a little family BBQ with the four of us and we have watched 2 movies!! I don't remember the last time we saw a movie. We went on a few walks and a lot of drives. Ryan and I have been able to hang out on our porch every night after the boys have gone to bed and just be together! It really feels like it has been since we were first dating that we have had a chance to just enjoy each others company. I feel like I have fallen in love with him all over again! I just love him more and more every day and I am so glad that I am married to him!!

This was also the best week ever for friends visiting. My friend Lisa just showed up this week and it was so good to see her. She lives in California so I don't get to see her very much. We were really close in high school and even more so after high school so it is hard not being able to see her much. She is one of those friends that no matter how little you keep in touch, you will always be close and you will always keep in touch...if that makes sense. She and her husband Shane stopped by and hung out with us for a few hours, it was really nice to just catch up. My friend Kate stopped by too. Kate, it was so good to see you and I can't tell you how much I appreciated that you came by. I found out that she came by 3 different times to catch me home and I really appreciated that she took the time to come find me. I only got to see her for a really quick minute, but it meant a lot to me that you came by!! Thank you!

Now, you all have to hear about Paxton. I am so proud...the kid is TALKING!! It's true!! He tries to say every word that I ask him to say. He would never do that before. Now when he tells me stories I am starting to recognize words like "Neck" He was telling me a story and threw Neck out there. I said, are you telling me that Gauge touched your neck? He just smiled and said Yes. WOW! Now, just about as fast as he decided to talk he is putting phrases together too. Ryan and I stopped at the store the other day and I jumped out and ran inside. When Paxton asked where I went Ryan told him I would be back soon. Next thing I knew when I got back in the car Paxton was saying "Mom back soon" Now he tells me Mom work soon, or Daddy home soon. He says moon, juice, Brother-Gauge is still all one word, work, house, home, stuck, and a whole bunch more. He loves to pretend now too. I see him with his toys all of the time and they are talking back and forth to each other and he laughs while he is pretending because whatever they are saying to each other is so funny. He now pedals his bike, which really made me excited. He could pedal his trike, but it is so small that he man handles it a lot. So we got him a really cheap bike at Walmart because he has outgrown his little trike. We thought that this way he could keep up with us on a walk and he could get his pedaling down. Within a half an hour he had pedaling down well enough that we all made it around the block. He was so proud. So now he jumps on his bike and says "bye mom, work" then he proceeds to pedal into some corner of the yard and then he will literally sit there for a second. Then he turns back around, pedals back and says "Mom, home" and he comes home from work. He does this over and over!

Gauge matage is officially 6 months this week!!! He is so big too! I took him to his Dr appointment and surprisingly enough, he is in the 80th percentile for weight and in the 90th for height. He is just over 19 pounds. He is starting to catch up to Paxton. The Dr was really surprised by his growth spurt....uh huh. Pretty sure he was measured wrong last time, 50th percentile!! I was so happy to see that he is growing right and he is healthy and strong. He is now able to eat solids and I can start feeding him juice. The Dr seemed a little surprised that I wasn't doing that already, but I really think that I have forgotten everything from when Paxton was that old. I feel like I am holding him back now because I am not sure how old he is supposed to be for certain things. Gauge can roll over, and almost roll back onto his stomach. He doesn't seem too concerned about moving around the room yet but he is requiring a lot of attention now. A competition has begun between the two boys for attention making our house VERY loud.

Happy Birthday Baby!

Happy Birthday Ryan! I love you!