Summer updates

I can't believe that summer is over. Here in Utah, we'll probably have snow by the end of October. BLECH!!! So, to keep me happy, here are some pictures and fun captions about more of our summer. :)

At the end of August, my parents came out to visit. Dad stayed for a long weekend so he could see Abby's first soccer game of the season. He's not the type to just sit around and visit and so, of course, lots of projects were finished. :) He helped Zac remove the nasty water feature from our front yard, fixed lots of bike/stroller tires, painted our garage and lots of other random to-do list things. The coolest one, though....he taught Abby to ride her bike with no training wheels!!! YEA!!





As I mentioned, Abby started fall soccer. This is her third season and we decided to keep her in the Draper league for now so she could play with her bff, Jordan. Three of the other kids on our team this year have played with Abby & Gus in the past, so that's been fun, too. Here's a little video; not much Abby action, but she's there!




Sadly, Grampa went home. I love my dad and it was so nice to have him out here to visit and help out around our house. Come back soon, Grampa!!

Good news = we got to keep Grams for a few more weeks! Mom just flew home Wednesday and, I must say, I've broken down a few times since. While it is nice to have just us in our house, I really miss having another grown up to talk to. Mom always helps me with sewing and crafty projects and I love getting to spend time with her. I do pretty well being out here until we have visitors or a holiday comes around; then I usually have multiple melt downs. :( Mom got to be here for some pretty cool stuff, including:

Abby's first day of kindergarten!! Here's the annual pose in front of the school sign:

Lining up along the wall when the bell rang, waiting for Mrs. Johnson

Blowing kisses to parents before going inside

Heading inside - she didn't even look back! She was so excited to go to kindergarten (it helped that her friend, Sabrina, is in her class). Abby loves school and learning new things. Definitely an amazing little girl! :)


Last, but certainly not least, the twins got their first haircuts! My friend Jessica cuts hair out of her house and she gave the babies their first trims. We probably took about two inches off each, just to shape it all up. They needed it pretty badly and look so cute and grown up with their shorter locks! :) They didn't let me get too many good pictures but here are a few:


Cami went first and Emma piddled around, getting in to Jessica's stuff. These two don't know how to leave stuff alone, they want to check out everything!


My sweet Camers was so good for her haircut. She's the only one of my girls that is semi-cooperative when it comes to hair.


Pretty girl!!


Miss Emma is not a fan of having her hair combed, styled or even touched. I'm amazed that she did as well as she did with Jessica cutting it.

She was seriously in need of a cut, too. Emma has always had this little section of hair that was longer than the rest. It hasn't shown as much since her hair has gotten longer but she needed a trim.


Blurry shot of the finished product:


So there's a few highlights of our last few weeks. More to come!! :)

HELP!

Does anybody know how to change the main gmail address on your Blogger account? It's linked to one that we don't really use anymore and I'd like to link it to my gmail so that I can possibly blog from my phone.....help!

I'm still alive!!

I am so ashamed. I seriously do want to blog. Our internet situation has been crazy since we've moved - my desktop is set up downstairs and our current router isn't strong enough to reach down there (or I need a special cord...or something like that. haha). That makes Zac's laptop our only internet option. I can Facebook and check email from my phone during the day but rarely actually have time to get on the real computer until the kids are in bed. By that time, Zac needs the laptop to do his homework. So....no computer time for me. :(

Things are still crazy around here - I am starting to think that will never change. haha We took the twins to the GI and they haven't had any problems with their tummies since. I guess it scared them straight! :) Soooo grateful that's over...we washed enough sheets, blankets, towels, clothes and carseat covers for a lifetime!!

Zac, as I mentioned is still working on his MBA. I thought that finishing school was hard when we were newlyweds but doing it with three small kids, a wife and a full time job is really a lot! He's doing well so far - but we appreciate any positive thoughts you might have! :)

So far, we've had two sets of guests in our new house! Meemaw and Pa (Zac's grandma and her hubby) came to visit earlier this summer for a couple of days on their way back home to AR from CA. We loved having them - I always tell Zac that, besides him, Meemaw is one of the greatest things I got from our marriage. :) The girls loved having the company and so did we. It was right in the middle of the babies tummy issues and it was so nice for Zac and me to have someone else to talk to and something to focus on besides our own problems! :)

Then during the last two weeks in July Zac's parents and sisters came to visit. They took a couple day detour to Denver (Abby went, too!) and then we did some fun things around Utah. Pawpaw and Zac built a swingset for the girls' birthdays, we shopped, took a day trip to Capitol Reef/Goblin State Park, fixed up my front flower bed and just hung out. Definitely a fun visit! During all of this, we asked my MIL to take some family pics of us. Unfortunately, we decided to take them in the afternoon, which isn't my girls' best time of day. But we did manage to get some fun shots, hope you enjoy them!!

That should do for now. I PROMISE to update again by the end of the week! :) I'm also hoping to get some new recipes up on my food blog, I've tried some yummy stuff lately. Leave me some comment love and let me know how y'all are doing!


We started off on the couch, in all our Razorback gear. GO HOGS!!!!
(We have to represent the Hogs in Utah!)


WOOOO, PIG SOOIE!!!!


After the couch idea went downhill (I'll post those pics later!) we decided to try the stairs. It's the girls' favorite place to hangout and we thought it might add a fun element. Crazy might be a better word. :)


Abby insisted that we have a picture of us together. I love this girl!


And pretty much head over heels for this guy. :)

We never get just normal pics...always have to add something goofy!


Always showing off his big mouth....
....and Kirsten was not impressed. :)


Silly siblings!!

Holy cow....

That's the nicest way to say how we've been doing lately. :) Here's a look at our last few months...

We looked and looked and looked at houses. After finally giving up on what we thought was our dream house in Pleasant Grove, we found an awesome deal in Riverton. We offered on it the same day we saw it. Someone else offered the same day but we got it! A couple of days after we got it under contract, we were at the house with Mark, our realtor, taking measurements. In the middle of our time there, in walked another realtor to show the house. She was very confused about why we were there and Mark quickly informed her that the house was under contract! :)

We closed on May 3 and moved in that weekend. We had originally planned to take our time moving. But Zac decided to start classes for his MBA and we needed to get moved before that started. We were so sad to leave our friends in Draper but we've been so fortunate here in Riverton. We have amazing people in our neighborhood and at church. Our cul-de-sac has several little girls, which thrills Abby!!

Two weeks ago I was driving to work and was side swiped by some idiot that wasn't looking before he switched lanes. End results = wretched headache from knocking the window frame, messed up neck and back, and a totaled van. I'm so very grateful that the kids weren't with me and that things weren't worse....but it sure has made a mess of the last couple of weeks for us! We just got another van today (same exact model, just a different color - dark blue) and are working on getting all the medical stuff lined up.

Another bit of craziness....some sort of stomach issue has been bothering us, especially the babies. Cami and Emma (more Emma) have been vomiting and had diarrhea off and on for over a month. After a few trips to the pediatrician and one visit to the ER, we're still not 100% sure what's going on. Things got better for a few days, then it all started over. We have another appt next week and are going to get in with a pediatric GI dr as soon as we can.

As crazy as things have been, we are trying hard to see the Lord's hand in our life. We have been so blessed that the car accident wasn't more serious, that we were able to find a van for just the right price and we have fabulous friends and family who are so loving and supportive. Although Zac and I have both had a few meltdowns, we are trying to stay positive and trust that things will work out for the best.

Well, that's a brief update. i'm hoping to get some pictures and some more fun information up soon. So stay tuned! :)

Updates

Another random-ish post, mostly for updates.

When Abby said her prayers tonight, my heart melted! "Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for this day. Please help us love Jesus. Please help us all know in our hearts that everybody is special, that Jesus made us all special." LOVE this girl and this age. She's so innocent and unassuming. She loves everyone and loves to make others happy. Sure, she has her moments like any kid but she really is so tender hearted.

We have put offers on two houses this week (that brings the total to three). One is in Draper and would keep us in the same school for Abby (I really want that one!). It is close enough that I could keep my crossing guard job, which would be nice. The other one is in Riverton, just a few miles from here. It's a nice house with more space than the one in Draper....not far from either of our jobs. We are also thinking about putting offers on at least on more. Hopefully we'll hear something this weekend and be able to start making a decision. :)

Things have been going pretty well at 1800contacts. I've been so nervous since we started actually taking phone calls yesterday and it's bugged me. I finally figured it out today when I was coaching with Emma, our trainer. It's been so long since I've felt new and 'uneducated.' I was in banking for six years - even though I switched banks, they're all pretty similar. By the time I left US Bank, I rarely had to ask questions about things, I just knew my stuff. And I've been a sahm for a few years now - I'm pretty comfortable with my abilities there. :) So this humbling experience of being new and not knowing my stuff is not my favorite thing!! But our trainer has been super supportive and has made me feel really good. She told me that I've got the friendliness and the personality - I just need to learn the products and get comfortable. "That's a much better thing than somebody that knows the products but is mean to customers!" is what she added. hahaha Not trying to brag on myself - I guess I just feel the need to boost my self esteem a bit since this whole experience has been so rough on me. I'm probably making it harder on myself but I think that's just what we women do. :)

Zac is doing well at work, too. He should be starting his MBA program in the next few weeks. Combine that with my new job and the house situation and we are accepting any and all prayers we can get!!

The twins are growing quickly and developing their own little personalities. They are happy girls, just like their big sister. Emma is a little parrot and tries to say most everything we do. She says all kinds of things: thank you, hello, backpack (Dora), map (Dora), shoe, socks, bye bye, two, up, down, touchdown...all kinds of fun stuff. She loves to hug, cuddle and be right in the middle of things! (She and Abby have a lot in common with their Aunt Kirsten.) :)

Cami doesn't talk quite as much (doesn't really need to with two big mouth sisters!) but she says plenty: touchdown, thank you, all done, bye bye, eye (she can point to her eyes, ears, nose and mouth). She is a great little helper and is so good at understanding and following simple directions, such as 'bring me your shoes.' She's a little clumsy, though. :) She has a tendency to not pay attention and walk into things or trip over the carpet. She loves to give kisses and is a super sweet girl.

As hectic as life is, I feel so very blessed to have the wonderful family that the Lord has given me. I love my amazing husband and I am so blessed to have such wonderful baby girls. Life is good!!

Update

Yes, I stink at blogging. I also stink at journaling. So, my children will probably grow up and realize that nothing is recorded and they'll think their mother was asleep the entire time they were growing up.

Well, I hope they remember that their mother was just busy trying to raise them to be capable, amazing adults. That she was trying to enjoy the moments she has with them and help them become all they are capable of being. Cliche, I know. But starting my new part time job has left me dwelling on some things.

Yup, new job. I started training to be a Customer Service Rep at 1800Contacts. From what I've seen, this is going to be a fabulous company to work for. Onsite gym, onsite (heavily subsidized) restaurant, tons of perks, etc. The training schedule is kinda crappy, so my mom is out here for a few weeks to help with babysitting. Once I start my regular schedule, though (after four weeks of training!), it'll be better. Kinda crazy (super early on Sat, Mon, Tues and super late Thurs and Fri) so that I can work around Zac's schedule and we can avoid as much outside babysitting as possible. Although I am taking names for people that want to help with kids when needed, hahaha.

The plan is to use my paycheck to pay off some bills. And, hopefully, I can start to work from home sometime and keep the job part time till the girls go to school. Then, maybe add a few more hours and stash money away in a savings account, once things are paid off. That's the long term plan.

We are still looking for houses. We are so madly in love with one that we found in Pleasant Grove, about 18 miles south of Draper. It's a foreclosure and all that stuff is done - we're just waiting on the stinking bank to list a price. It's so aggravating and we would normally just move on - but something about this house has gotten us. When our realtor, Mark, showed us the house we just felt something....it felt like home. Maybe it's not and maybe we're crazy. Guess we'll see. :) But for right now, we're looking around at other houses and waiting/hoping that this one will hurry up and list.

So, it's been a little stressful around here. Things are changing a lot at Zac's job right now and that's stressful for him. So if you have any room in your prayers/good thoughts, we'd really appreciate them. :)

To leave on a cheerful note, here's some random pictures of our cuties....since I know that's the only reason y'all really read this. hehehe

Enjoying a (rare) nice day outside. The babies got these 'bikes' from Mamaw and love them. Cami's a pro - Emma likes to go backwards. :)

Abby got some press-on nails for Christmas and finally decided to try them. Within five minutes, she wanted them off! They're reusable and are now tucked away in a drawer.

For Christmas, the girls got crocheted baby dolls from "Grandma 'Nita" aka Juanita, one of my mom's bffs. She's like a second mom to me and is always amazing to our kids. They love their dolls and blankets (they all got blankets when they were born). We love our Grandma 'Nita!

Valentines

We're not huge Valentine people around here. We're cheap, usually attempting to avoid candy, and celebrate our anniversary two weeks later on February 28. (If anything, we buy cards and candy on the 15th when it's on sale!)

This year, though, we surprised Zac with dinner from Chipotle grill. He wasn't at his desk, so we left a note and headed home. About an hour later, I got a phone call: "You little punk! Now I have to step it up!" hehehe

So I got flowers when he got home and Abby got a single (silk) rose. You would have thought Zac brought her buckets of gold, she was so excited. "Mommy, I'm so happy that Daddy brought me a rose!" Sooooo stinkin' cute!!

So, in honor of Valentine's Day, what are your traditions? Are you a flower person or not? I, personally, love to get cut flowers. They look pretty for a few weeks, then they die. I don't have any green in my thumb - so at least with cut flowers I don't feel bad about them dying. :) And my favorites (and the ones that have lasted longest) are usually the Wal-Mart flowers. Who needs a $60+ flower arrangement? I just want some color in my kitchen. :)

So, come on.....exit your Google reader, come to the actual blog, and share your thoughts. :)

Chatter Bird

Hey, friends! I recently discovered Latter-day Chatter and I love this site! As the name implies, a lot of Jessica's stuff is geared toward the LDS church. BUT she also has lots of cute things in her store for holidays and other fun stuff. Downloads for super cute printables, Valentine cards, file folder games, visiting teaching handouts - fun stuff that you need to go check out! (Tell her I sent you!)

Scripture reading

Last night we read Matthew 2 for our scripture. (It's actually a hybrid storytelling/scripture reading for Abby...but it works!) This is the chapter that talks about the wise men coming to see Jesus and the angels giving warnings to protect the baby Jesus from King Herod. Abby wanted to say our family prayer after that and in her prayer she said,

"Thank you for keeping baby Jesus safe so that we could love Him."


I nearly cried. I love this girl! She's been asking so many questions about Jesus, Heaven, etc. and it's been so interesting to see how her mind works. Love her!

Sorry....

I know I've been gone for awhile! I was in Arkansas visiting family for about six weeks and never managed to find time to update. It's funny how I was there, with help for the kids, and stayed busier than I am when I'm here by myself. Go figure. :)

I've also been so upset that I screwed up my blog template that I haven't wanted to post. Working on fixing that. Grrr. (Thanks, Jess!)

If nothing else, I wanted to get up a post about Emma's upcoming surgery. Our baby girl needs tubes in her ears and the big day is next Friday, January 21. We took her to the ENT yesterday and made the final decision.

Dr. Kelley looked in her ears and told us she had fluid in there - even though she just finished up a back-to-back dose of antibiotics. The fluid could have been in there for two weeks or several months. He went ahead and had her hearing checked, too. I went in a sound booth with her on my lap. The audiologist lit up a box right in front of us and then would play sounds, at varying volumes, in side speakers. Emma didn't react at all to the lower volume sounds. At this point, I'm trying not to cry!! I know there are worse things but having a child with hearing problems is a huge fear of mine. After the sound booth, she did another test that measures the ear drum's reaction to sound from an earpiece. Normally, the reading should print out in waves....Emma's was nearly flat in both ears.

So, this fluid needs to GO! Next Friday was the first available appointment and I jumped on it. We'll have to be at the Primary Children's clinic in Riverton around 6:30am. (ick) She'll go under a general anesthesia and the procedure takes about 15 minutes. I know that tubes are common and they do them all the time but it's still a bit nerve-wracking to know that your baby is going under anesthesia! So if you have room for an extra little prayer for our family, we'd appreciate it!