Christmas treated us well

I think I was on the nice list this year because I was spoiled :)

So was Taryn. Christmas eve I slept a wink and finally got up at a quarter to six to get my own self ready and take many glances at the pile of presents gleaming in the low light of the Christmas tree.

So so magical...

Robbie and I had stayed up til one setting up Taryn's new baby doll set of necessities. I thought with baby sister coming, she would love to take care of her own. More like her own 4. For each piece of the set, there is a baby making good use of it.

When I finally convinced Robbie of waking her up at 7:15, she knew right away who had come by when I said...Guess who came!!

"Santa Claus! He so nice mommy, he bring toys!" Thank you ho ho..."

Actually she really could care less about St. Nick. Every time he was around this season she got the shakes and wanted to go in "the other room." But then again, when he's not visibly seen, she thinks he's alright.

I got a camera (It's turning into a tradition, by the time Christmas rolls around mine is out of service...I guess I just make good use of it all year long) For Robbie's sake, let's hope this one lasts a bit longer.

I also received many other goodies from my list of wants. I surprised Robbie with a new coat. Why does that man have to have such long arms!! At my parents house we were surprised with a kitchen aid mixer! Yay, I've been wanting one for quite some time. Taryn got her wish of Princess Barbies. I think that was the first gift she opened there, after that she wasn't interested in much else.

Grandma go-go gave her a mini vanity to help keep her beautified. Another successful gift.

Then there have been the dress ups... oh man, she would LIVE in the shoes, crowns, skirts, anything that is princess-like. She was spoiled with the shoes (she usually makes anyone with heels take them off so she can dance around in them) I guess they all decided it was time she had her own.

So the last few days have looked like this...


such the girly girl.

Overall Christmas was wonderful. In many ways it felt the same, yet in the back of our minds we all felt the emptiness of my Dad sitting in the corner enjoying the sight of his children getting too much. Always the one with the garbage sack to collect the unwanted wrapping paper. He and my brother are always the same with the way they open gifts. They wait. They are handed ones with their names, yet they don't fret to open them in a hurry. Then they each have a big pile of un-opened presents at the end.

Silly boys.

Like my mom said on her facebook status the day after Christmas...

check.

some kind of normal

After some much needed blog stlalking, I decided mine needed an update.

The normal kind...

So here's some mommy blog pics and the usual stuff us moms post... in a nutshell.

Halloween did happen.

It included a neighborhood trunk or treat. My first one eva. I didn't know how decked out everyone treated their trunks, so I guess I went obverboard? Oh well, I got lots of compliments!


p.s. - all pics are from my iphone, not too sharp, but is better than nothing!

We did the pumpkin patch thing....






My high school buds did our traditional halloween partay get-togetha.

Don't know why I decided to stick my prego gut out, I wasn't really even showing yet...weird.


I was a witch and Robbie was a nerd.

Taryn was an extremely cute witch for Halloween. I even made some of her costume (only the parts that needed a hot glue gun and tying) I loved her costume and I think the trunk or treat we went to at Dan's grocery store was the one and only time she wore the entire ensemble.
I had to tell her she was a "princess witch" to get that to work. Even then I got lucky.


This picture was right in the middle of all these Halloween ones. I can't not post it. The last home game I went to for Oly football. My Dad was holding Taryn while I tried to get a cute shot of her in her new hat and gloves I had just bought for that evening.
I want those big hairy calloused hands back...

I can see him perfectly through this picture, it makes my heart hurt.

Ok...I was going to stick to normal. But it's hard... I don't feel normal.

Let's see what happened next. Oh ya, November happened and it felt like everyday was 10 days, but at the same time looking back it's all a blur.

Then we did Thanksgiving and though I feel blessed with love, peace, the gospel, the atonement and so many other "eternal perspective" things. I also feel sadness and would give every "earthly" blessing to have my Dad back here as my Dad, the man who can never be replaced.

So.... now we are onto December. I really do LOVE Christmas time. I am celebrating, and so is my family. I decorated the house and made it cheery and bright. I added a few more things to make me smile. Amy Grant sings in the background and makes me think of Christmas's past.

Month by month, Week by week, Day by day... hour by hour I know the Savior will lead me through and continue to bear this burden that sometimes overwhelms me.


This month I will think of Him fondly, with new eyes, and celebrate His birth.

heaven sent

It's hard to even know what to say as time keeps moving on day by day.

I'm still overwhelmed with the spirit and the comfort it keeps bringing me. My Dad's funeral was amazing. Perfect and amazing. The speakers spoke with the spirit, their words have touched me deeply and I will be forever changed. There was an ocean of people who came to learn more of my Dad and what he brought to this earth. They left knowing him.

As each new day begins, I hear the words that our dear friend Jim Lindsley spoke to my family through his talk on Monday.
He asked us, "What would your Dad want you to do now? We have life ahead of us, LIVE IT!"

So as hard and as different things may be, that's what I keep telling myself. Live it.

We have fond and happy memories to hold onto, as well as new and exciting ones to make. One that keeps me smiling is the arrival of our new baby...GIRL! Yes, baby girl :) What an amazing experience that will be. Straight from heaven, a piece of my Dad I'm sure will be sent with her.

Thanks for giving me strength and hope baby girl.
I love you.

breathing

It amazes me to think of our bodies and how intricate and fragile they really are. As I am growing this baby inside of my belly, I try not to focus on how many things have to be done in order for him (or her) to come into this world healthy and whole.

Healthy and Whole....these words have an entirely new meaning to me.

My Dad is in the ICU, he has been there since Friday morning. I have never had a trial like this before and I am touched by how many angels are near me and my family as we pray constantly for my Dad to keep fighting.

My Dad is the description of strong. He never gives up, I have full faith in him that he will recover and stay here with his family. My Dad loves us so very much, he does everything for us. He is a healthy man and unfortunately had a bad mix of pneumonia mixed with swine flu.

That combo is bad...bad bad bad.

Yesterday was awful. I know yesterday was when my Dad was losing in his game against the swine. The doctors had to do their jobs and tell my Mom hard things. We cried and cried and cried... but then we prayed and prayed and prayed. Heavenly Father has heard our prayers and has talked to us through the scriptures. I know this. I know he is helping my Dad fight back.

Today I woke up with the most calming and overwhelming love. I didn't even waver the thought that things would get worse. Worse is not an option. Lisa (my sister) felt the same way, we know our Dad. He rocks, he won't let something like the stupid swine flu make him take his exit. Last night his nurse turned on some classic rock, which knowing my Dad, gave him a boost. Led Zeppelin can change things ;)

Today has been filled with good news, but by no means has let us out of the woods. These woods are thick and deep, but my Dad is good at finding his way out of anywhere. He's going to find the best way out and make sure he doesn't get lost.



I know it.

han - fri - ry?

I felt like a ravenous beast tonight as I ripped into my much anticipated bag of Chinese food. The poor guy who delivered it was tipped with a lot of quarters.

I was out of cash and I had already paid the very non-english speaking lady over the phone.

Like every other pregnant woman I have my cravings, but tonight salty noodles (that were not the ten cent kind) was all I could think about.

I had already been out on errands all evening with Taryn and since delivery was free I figured I'd hurry home and make the call. Well like I said earlier, the lady on the other end wasn't very fluent with the #1 language in this country.

She repeated the order, it sounded right enough (chow mein was said....that was good enough for me) I'm pretty sure I made it clear delivery to ME was my request, then she asked for a phone number.

"Ok, ready in 10 minutes." she replied.

"Great! Thanks!"

So I rushed Taryn into the tub, and then realized I had no cash..."hmmm, I better call back and figure that one out."

"Ming's Garden."

"Hi, I just called in an order and realized I didn't give you my address as well as a card number. I have no cash so do I need to pay over the phone?"

"Uh, ya ready in 10 minutes. You pay with card."

"I know, can I pay over the phone because I can't give your delivery man cash. Does he have a way of taking cards?"

"ya, you ok. We do that. 10 minutes?"

"Ok, uh, thanks."

25 minutes pass by...I'm freaking starving, going into nauseous hunger mode, and now annoyed that I didn't make it extremely clear I wanted D-E-L-I-V-E-R-Y!
Call again...

"Ming's Garden."

"Ya it's me, the girl that called 30 minutes ago. I'm still waiting for that food you said would be here in 10 minutes. Are they coming or what's the hold up?"

"Your food ready. Pick up."

"No, I wanted it delivered.... your website says you deliver for free, I live right up the street." (Now I'm thinking, I wish I would have put Taryn in the car and made the trip over and picked it all up myself!)

"Oh, you want delivery? Ok, what you address?"

"So NOW can I pay over the phone???"

"Ya, you give me numbers." - that part was fun. Do you usually give them your zip code in the middle of the card number and expiration date? Weird. "Ok, I deliver fo you."

minutes later.... knock knock knock

YAY! Finally...FOOD!

I sign my receipt, give the man a load of quarters, and thank him for his kind service.

Next time Ming, I'll make a stop on my way home.

Thank you...come again...ching!

a change of heart

For the past month or so when I go in to get Taryn out of her crib in the morning, or from a nap, she is looking across the room to one of her many shelves.

She always points in the same direction and says the same thing,

"Skaaaeee mommy!" --- translation: scary mommy.

I'd ask her what was scary and she'd point again saying, "right dare..." (right there)

So after a few times, I held her up and made her really pick out what was so "Skaaaeee!" She touched and then flinched away from the metal heart box I had added some pink touches to when decorating her room.

I couldn't figure it out. What was so scary about a heart shaped box? Then as I looked at it with little kid eyes it struck me....

can you see it?

Ya, I guess that is a scary face!

Finally one day I decided it was time. No more scary faces in my babies room!

So we took care of it...

Now she's the one with a very happy face.

missionary packages

whoa whoa whoa hold the phone.... 2 posts in one day?

I know, not really like me lately, but this had to be shared...asap!!

This past Saturday I was working at the salon doing one of my favorite neighbor's hair and she tells me about this Men's Wearhouse commercial she saw and swore Robbie was in it. I told her it could have been his brother because he, of course, looks similar to Robbie and has done some modeling. Plus it's something random he would go for...

Anyway...flash forward to tonight. I'm watching my DVR'd SYTYCD and as I'm clicking the 30 second skip ahead button it happens to land on this for a brief 2 seconds



Uh hello... isn't that my husband!?!

So I backup and actually watch the commercial and then totally freak out and yell for Robbie to watch it. Normally he disagrees with me on his
other
lookalikes,
but this one is a dead ringer!!

I found the commercial on youtube... have a look for yourself.



I think he's been doing some male modeling behind my back...

merman! MERMAN!!!