Art School

I started Art School (Academy of Art University - San Francisco) June 15. I love it! I'm crazy busy but this semester only lasts 6 weeks. This is what I've done so far. Drapery is up next!

So Grateful!

I got a call from Matt today; the baby I placed for adoption with Steve and Angie 7 years ago, born on Friday, June 28. He told me I was suppost to check my email. When I did, there was an email there from their family announcing that they picked up their third adoptive baby yesterday. The little family that was four is now five with little Gracie.

I am so grateful for Steve and Angie. I could not have asked for better parents for my baby. The circumstances that lead me to being pregnant and alone I would never choose to relive. But, being able to bless their baby with one of the three little miracles they have now is something I would never want to change.

Tonight I am feeling very grateful. I am grateful for the wonderful people that Steve and Angie are, for the wonderful parents they are to the baby I couldn't keep, and for the amazing examples they have been for me. I am grateful for the wonderful boy that Matt has become and that I will be a part of his life so that I can see the wonderful man he will become. I am grateful that Ella, and now, Grace have come to this wonderful family.

I am grateful that, because of the choices I made, I have a wonderful husband and two beautiful children. I am grateful for the man that Eli is. He is a great support and source of strength for me. I am so grateful for my little Katie Jo and how all the silly things she says and does brighten my day. I love that she will hug me even when I'm angry with her. I am grateful for my little Wyatt. I love each of his little toothy smiles and his silly little laugh that is so contageous.

I am grateful for my mom and dad who have been such a huge support to me. Espically for my amazing mother! She has strength I don't think I fully comprehend and unconquerable faith. She is my hero! I'm grateful for the rest of my family and friends, near and far, and for the love I feel from them.

And finally, last but not least, I am grateful for the Atonement and for a Savior who would sacrifice so much for me when I fall so easily. And for Hevenly Father who set the whole plan in place.

Lookin' like Mommy!

Eli does have the monopoly on Wyatt's looks but he can't take all the credit for our little Katie Jo!

So Sweet!

I was holding Wyatt when Katie walked up and gave us both a big hug and said, "I love you, guys!" It was so sweet!

Crawling to Standing

I think Wyatt my have gone straight from "army crawling" on his tummy to standing. He is up on his knees crawling now but he's also walking next to furniture. He is into EVERYTHING! Why do they grow so fast?!

See ya later, Alligator!

A few weeks ago, Katie followed me into my bedroom. She was quite the little chatterbox that day. After talking me to several minutes, she said, "Okay, see ya later, Mommy!" and turned around to leave. I said, "Katie, say, 'See ya later, alligator!'" Katie looked at me for a minute and then replied, "I not alligator! I Kay-Jo-Jo!" (That's what she calls herself.) Oh, my sweet girl!

Cloned!

We have always known that Wyatt looks a lot like Eli. I guess I didn't realize quite how much until I pulled up a baby pic of Eli right next to Wyatt's.

Wyatt Get's Some Whipped Cream

My Mom and sister, Steph, came over last night. Mom brought this yummie cake she had made with whipped cream on it. Wyatt, who thinks he needs to eat everything, wanted my cake. When that was gone, he still wanted more so I gave him some whipped cream. This lead to some giggling and the following.

The New 'Do

So I finally got fed up with the blonde. I'm back to my almost natural color now and I think it looks much better! Oh, and that whole, "Blondes have more fun," thing... If you believe that, I have two camels and an amusement park to sell you... :o)

Trip to St. George!

We made a trip to St. George, UT in March to visit my Grandpa and Grandma. We had a GREAT time with them! On the way down, we stopped to see Steve and Angie and their adoreable little kidos, Matt and Ella. We spent most of an afternoon visiting with them. Matt played our Wii and Katie and Ella had a good time together. We brought them kazoos that were tons of fun after they figured out how they worked. We even got fed some very yummie dinner before we left! :o) (I will put and updated pic of Matt and Ella in after I scan one...)

Our next stop was Rachel and Jesse's house. Katie is now in love with their dogs Diesel and Brutus. Brutus took naps with her and everything. We have now decided that we are going to have to get a small dog or two after we either buy or build our own house in a year or two. Rachel and Jess came with us to St. George. The weather was great! Espically since it was snowing when we left Helena.

Eli's Birthday

For Eli's birthday (back in December), the girls at the bank decided to decorate his office...

The kids and I had to go see. Katie thought all the balloons were great! She had a good time popping them with Daddy at the end of the day. Now, anytime we have balloons, Katie says, "Pop it, Daddy!"

The balloons had built up a good bit of static before we got there. Katie running through them built up a lot more! Every time she rolled in the balloons, a bunch would stick to her hair or clothes. It was the funniest thing!

What Katie Did at the Counter...

We just moved into a new apartment about a week and a half ago. Needless to say, my attention has been a little spread out with all the unpacking and cleaning. On Friday I noticed Katie had pulled a chair up to the counter in the kitchen and was playing with something. This is what I found.

From the tip to the eraser to my fingers is how much of the pencil Katie had managed to cram into the orange. She was having a grand ol' time!

Rub-a-dub-dub! Kids in the tub!

Wyatt has finally gotten stable enough that he can sit in the tub with Katie. He LOVES bathtime just like his big sister. Katie like to have him in the tub with her except for her paranoia that he is going to poop while in the water. Any little floatie in the tub causes her to freak-out and start crying. Oh, my kids!

Mama's Boy

I thought Katie Jo liked to be held when she was a baby but it's nothing compared to Wyatt! He wants to be held all the time. He loves to snuggle into my sholder and will hide from other people there. He's taken new steps lately though. When Daddy comes home from work, Wyatt squirms to get to him. Such a love bug! I love my boys!

Daddy's Shoes

Katie Jo loves to wear shoes! She doesn't care who's shoes she's wearing as long as she can clunk around in them. Earlier this year, she decided that Daddy's shoes were a bit too big and needed some "adjustments" to help them fit her feet. What a smart girl!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Our little family celebrated Valentine's by watching Eli jump into an iced over Spring Meadow Lake for the "Passion Plunge." It's held every year the Saturday closest to Valentine's day to benefit the Special Olympics. Eli was sponsored by Valley Bank and was very brave (and a little stupid) and jumped right in. We're so proud of our silly Daddy!

I don't know if you can see them... but the white specs in the photo are snowflakes... It was cold!

Valentine's night Eli and I were treated to free babysitting by my parents so we went out to dinner at Jade Garden, my favorite local restaraunt and the place Eli proposed almost 5 years ago. After dinner Eli gave me a Black Hills Gold ring that I had been eying. Isn't it pretty?!

I have the best hubby ever!

An Accidental Blonde

I decided I didn't want to pay for highlights anymore when I could get a frosting kit at WalMart for $7.00 and do it myself. I hadn't done it on myself before but I'd helped my Mom do Steph's hair and I've had highlights several times at the salon. I figured I couldn't screw up. Well, I didnt exactly screw up... I just pulled a bit too much hair through the cap. So now, instead of being brunette with blonde highlights, I'm blonde with brown lowlights. It's taken three days before I stopped being suprised when I look in the mirror. I like it but I'm going to grow it out and go back to brunette with blonde highlights.

When the babies need Mommy

Friday night Eli and I worked hard to get the kids in bed so we could watch a movie together. Of course, the kids didn't want to go to bed. Wyatt wouldn't go to sleep and then stay asleep unless I was holding him and Katie wouldn't stay in her bed long enough to sleep. When we finally got both of them to sleep, Eli and I settled in to watch "Serenity." About half way through, Katie woke up from a nightmare. I had her come lay next to me on the couch so she could settle down and go back to sleep. Unfortunately, her crying had woken Wyatt so Eli picked him up and brought him to the couch too. Even though he was wrapped and warm, he wouldn't lay quiet with Eli. He kept whinning until I had Eli lay him on my other side.


So here is the result... me, squished under two babies. After having Wyatt lay with me too, he and Katie stared at eachother until Katie drifted off to sleep. Wyatt continued to stare at her and even cooed for a while before he went to sleep. What can I say... I have to babies who think they always need Mommy.

The Director's Dinner

Every year Eli and I attend the Director's Dinner. It's for Valley Bank employees and Director's and their guests. We get dressed up and have a catered dinner somewhere nice. This year we were at the Red Lion Inn. Dinner was delicious! Some sort of very tender steak and shrimp. Eli always gets my shrimp.

We ended up sitting at the same table as our Valley Bank President, Andy O'Neill, for the second time in 4 years. I sat next to him 2 years ago and accidently shot salad on his sleeve while trying to stab a cruton. I was horrified but he just brushed it off and told me not to worry about it. (He is a very nice man.) Needless to say, I was tense all through dinner but I am happy to report that there was not a single incident the whole night. Until we picked up the kids and I hurt my foot, that is...

Anyway, this is the picture taken of Eli and I that night. Aren't we cute?!

I Pulled a Stupid!

After a nice date Friday night, Eli and I headed back to my mom's to pick up the kids. I was wearing high-heels for the first time in a long time. I had done really well in them all night. No stumbling or tripping. I was very please with myself. However, when we got to mom's, Eli and I were both in a hurry to get the kids out and get home since it was late. Eli grabbed Wyatt and took him out to the van to load him and I followed with Katie. I was having trouble on the porch since my heels were narrow enough to slide between the boards but I made it safely to the stairs. It's just three steps from the porch to the ground. Against my better judgement, I told myself I could make it down those three steps carrying Katie Jo. I made it down one. In one of those amazing slow motion seconds, I realized I was falling and would land on Katie so I twisted so that I was more toward the bottom. I almost set Katie down while I fell (she wasn't hurt at all) and I got to make a trip to the Emergency Room for a suspected broken foot. Thankfully it wasn't broken, just bruised and sprained. This is my foot about 48 hours later.

It's still really swollen and lots of funny colors buy getting better. When we got to the hospital there was a golf ball sized lump on the side of my foot. It looked terrible! They gave me a shot of something for pain that the nurse said shouldn't make me loopy. She was wrong. When we left the hospital about 30 minutes later I was dizzy. 20 minutes after that, we pulled up at home and my time perception was off on top of the dizziness. I got inside and got ready for bed and crawled into my blankets. I was really tired and wanted to sleep but it was not to be. For whatever reason, the pain killers made me hallucinate. I was seeing cartoon animals in my head. Not thing scary, just very weird. Then I started talking about what I was seeing. I couldn't make myself quit. No idea why! Eli said I had Tourettes. Poor Eli had to listen to me for about 2 hours before I finally conked out. What a trooper!

So Very Tired!

We all know that kids sleeping has got to be one of the cutest things ever... espically when we weren't planning on them sleeping. He's some pics of the kids when they fell asleep unexpectedly.

Katie Jo fell asleep on her Princess couch... and then proceeded to fall off...

And here is our little Wyatt. Typically, he will not go to sleep unless he is wrapped up tight. On this particular night, after getting Wyatt ready for bed, Eli set him down under his "cow" and went to brush his teeth. When he came back out, this is what he found. Poor little Wyatt was wiped!

Lately, if Katie wakes up during the night she comes and crawles into our bed. Most mornings she wakes me up but this morning I think she was a bit tired still. When Wyatt started crying, she covered her ears and went back to sleep.

Don't you just love it when they sleep?!