Devin, Alicia & Carson

Goal Setting

2011-10-13T13:51:00.000-07:00

There are two major things on my mind these days. Lose weight, and save money. I think pretty much every American has this goal. I thin k I have had these goals my entire life! Sometimes I do very well; then it all disappears! Be it gaining back the weight, or having to spend the saved money on something unexpected.

I have been successful in the weight loss department this time around. So far, since May, I have lost 30 lbs total. I have fallen off the wagon a bit upon returing to Utah. I got out of a routine, and I am just starting to get back into it. So far this week, I lost another pound. I have continued to eat well, splurging every now and again, so I didn't gain any weight. Work and Carson also provide me with a bit of physical activity. However, not to the degree I was getting this summer. I began to do Zumba again daily, and I am feeling better! Less tired, more motivated. I want to stick to my goal!

As far as finances are concerned, things just are not working out like we planned. We wanted to move in with Devin's parents because we assumed the cheaper rent would save us quite a bit of money. Our goal was to have a little extra spending money, and at least $300.00 a month leftover to put into savings for a down payment on a house. I was also thrilled that I would be making more money in a new district. Well, life happens. The extra money moved me to a higher tax bracket- no extra in the check. Gas is more expensive since I have a commute. Carson ended up having to go to daycare. There goes anything "extra" and our savings account. Fabulous! We were in a bit of a tough spot, not sure what to do! We had enough for our needs, but we wanted to be responsible and save as much as we could so we wouldn't have to resort to credit cards and so that we could get a house when Devin graduated. I was really stressed out for a few days. I was really upset, too. I prayed and prayed for a solution. Devin fasted on Sunday. We had a righteous desire, so we decided to turn to the lord for help. I feel like we were immediately blessed. We had some friends give us suggestions. Devin decided to try to donate plasma. He went on Tuesday, and the process took 5 hours- (riding TRAX, screenings, bloodwork, physical, the actual donation, and back on TRAX) We were so glad that he qualified! Also, it didn't make him feel sick afterward, and didn't bother him. It just so happens that the clinic is right next to the U of U, and since he can donate twice a week, he will go after school. That money every month (for as long as he can handle it) will be the EXACT amount we wanted to put into savings. Devin considered getting a job, but we would need something VERY flexible because of our hectic schedules. I am so glad this worked out! Also, yesterday, during a meeting, it was brought up that they needed after school tutors, and the pay would be significant, and the hours would be extremely flexible. I automatically volunteered. I can't express how blessed we feel. I am grateful that things are working out, and I hope that they can continue to.

I think that if you have goals, you need to have a plan. It is always nice to say, "Oh yea, I want to do this this and this," and then not follow through. How can you? You need a starting place, and you need to have realistic goals. My weight loss goal is 7 lbs a month, but the main goal is making sure I work out at least 20 minutes a day, and make smart choices. For money, the main goal is to save every month, but we have to be more conscience of our shopping decisions, driving decisions, entertainment and so on. If you can set little goals along the way, it can help you accomplish your main goal much more quickly! I won't be sad if I only loose 2, 4, 5 whatever lbs each month, as long as progress is made. I won't mind if we only get $100 in savings because progress is made.

Maybe this doesn't work for everyone, but for me it is important or I would go crazy and feel like I failed every time. I don't want to spend every month feeling like a failure, because then I would want to quit and give up on whatever it was I was trying to accomplish in the first place. I have learned that from past experience, and this is what works for me. I am curious, what works for you? What have you found that works best? Any input is always appreciated!

Alicia

Carson: 15 months old

2011-10-10T14:11:00.000-07:00

Holy cow. I have a 15 month old! Time is going by so quickly! Time flies when you are having fun, blah blah and all of the other standard issue sayings that go along with this.

Carson,

You are so dang funny! You are a walker now, so you think it is fun to run around and spin in circles. Last night you ran right into a wall, bumped your head, and knocked three pictures down. You cried, but once your picture was back up, you pointed and said, "Bubba!?" and then made the rounds with mine and daddy's pictures as well, acting as if nothing happened! You are pretty tough, but we are finding that you aren't fond of some of grandpa's halloween decorations when it is dark! During the day you think that they are funny and say, "ooooooh!" But when the lights are off it isn't very funny! You start to panic and run towards us or if we are holding you try to turn your body as far away as you can or you will point in the opposite direction of the dropping, talking skeletons, as if you want us to get you out of there! Fast!
You still love Snickers! Every time he enters a room you say, "hi doggie!" It is so cute. You still walk over to him and hug him, and you are getting softer when you pet him. The only downside is you have started to pet me and daddy on the face, which is kind of funny. :)
A thing that drives me nuts is that you are so attached to your daddy! You two have this thing where he says, "baby?" and you reply, "daddy!" I try and try and TRY to get you to say mama or mommy, and you shake your head no, or call me "baba". NO! I am mommy! I know that you know this because you called me mommy every day last month! I don't know what has changed but I can tell that you are doing it on purpose to drive me nuts. :) Yesterday, you would say "mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..........................aaa?" Then giggle. I can tell you are just trying to bug me. :)

You are so cute when you waddle around. We just got you a pair of Tiny Toms and you like to walk with them on. Whenever we return from somewhere or we are in the car, you take them off. You like to peel the velcro back and forth!

Whenever I am sad, like I was Thursday when your great-grandma Nancy was diagnosed with cancer, you walk up to me, hug my leg, get on my lap and cuddle. I appreciate that about you. I can already tell that you are going to be such a sensitive, funny, loving boy- just like Daddy!

You have started to hit, and this month you and I got in a bit of a fight. You hit me in the face very hard a few times. I told you to put your hands down and to be nice with your hands, but you kept hitting. So, I smacked you back! Not very hard- you giggled. And continued to hit me. We went back and forth for a bit, and then I yelled at you. You looked at me, and your little lip quivered, and you started crying! You wrapped your arms around my neck and snuggled in. Even though I was upset, it was so sweet to have you cuddle up like that! We borrowed a book on having nice hands called, "Hands Are Not for Hitting" Hopefully that will help with your new favorite activity.

You are pretty much off baby food now. You occassionally have rice cereal in the morning, but you love waffles with yogurt and fruit! Your new favorite thing is corn with ketchup. Yuck! You were being a stinker and wouldn't eat any of your veggies so I decided to add some ketchup to your corn. It was inspired because now you will eat it every day! I figure it is better than no veggies at all, right!? You will always eat if chicken nuggets are involved. I don't think you should eat them every day, but your dad and Grandma disagree. I don't want you to be a picky eater like your dad was! You need variety. I promise you will thank me later!

I picture you saying, "Thanks mom!" Like in the chicken nugget commercials, every time you get them. I am glad you like at least one thing!

We would like to say "Thanks Carson!" For finally sitting through sacrament meeting with out being a terror last week. We appreciate it. :)

You are so big! And so loved! Always know that. We hope you never doubt or question how much you are adored!

Love,
Mommy (and Daddy, too!)

Parent-Teacher conferences & a little bit of babbling.

2011-09-28T16:02:00.000-07:00

I am sitting here at the most fun location on the planet. Parent-teacher conferences! Let me tell you, for a special ed teacher- they are extremely boring. I appreciate the parents who do decide to come, but it is usually parents that I see every day anyways! As I am writing, a school counselor approached me to see how bored I was- it is a fact that special ed teachers usually stay pretty "un-busy". I have a book out, Ipad, laptop, diet coke, finished work, and lip gloss.Yep- I am prepared! Yesterday we had parent teacher conferences as well. Two days of parent teacher conferences.It is fun to b e able to people watch, match parents to their children and say, "Ohhhh......now I get it! The apple doesn't fall too far from the tree!"

Yikes. I get Friday off in return so that is good. Friday is also payday. The first one since May! I can't wait. Devin still has school, and we have decided to send Carson to daycare still because it is part of his routine, he really loves it, and we have to pay anyways. :)

When they get home we are headed to the mall to pick up Carson his very first pair of these:

I just adore the Tiny Toms! He is not very into shoes right now, as he is pretty much a full-blown walker. I am hoping these soft, moldable shoeswill encourage him to walk in them, and more importantly, keep them on his feet!

Here are my favorite quotes from today:

One of my students likes to undress sometimes. Another student, who barely talks, looks at him and says, "HAVE YOU NO SHAME!?" I about died. You may not think this is funny, but if you knew these kids, you'd pee your pants.

Another from an adult to a student: "______, you smell like a taco!"

And, one I hear everyday: "Mrs. Hardman? Do you think I should go fart out in the hall?"

Talk about having no shame.

fancified oatmeal!?

2011-09-26T06:39:00.000-07:00

I have been eating oatmeal for breakfast religiously since July. Let me tell you, it gets boring! I am not talking about the delicious little "____& Cream" kinds, either. I'm talking steel cut oats with cranberries or bananas and a small amount of brown sugar. Gets kind of hard to eat, let me tell you!

I love eating oatmeal in the morning because it really fills me up all day. However, last week I was struggling. Dreading having to eat it. Then this morning, I had a genius idea!

Peanut butter, banana and honey oatmeal. OH MY YUM!

I didn't add a ton of peanut butter or honey, that kills the purpose of a nutritious and delicious breakfast. But every bite this morning was a gift from above. Could it be because my tastebuds have been warped from boring oatmeal? I don't really care! I am stuffed, satisfied, and ready for the day. Take that Mr. Quaker.

A little creativity

2011-09-25T19:41:00.000-07:00

I like to to to be creative! I feel like I make an honest effort, anyways. I love exploring Pinterest in my down time. I want to improve myself, so I love looking up new recipes, new ideas for my classroom, and most importantly, new ideas for my little basement! We aren't working with much so every little bit of inspiration is good for me!

In the last few weeks I have:

Refinished a chair

Refinished a dresser

Painted a design on a rug

Made some awesome dinners

Made some fun decorations for home and classroom.

Here is the thing- I feel like when I look at these websites or other people's blogs, I want what they have. Badly! I can't wait until I have my own house, more money, more kids, more space, more everything!

I have been sick and just started sone antibiotics. Last night was the General Relief Society broadcast. I did not feel well enough to attend, so I stayed home. When my mother in law returned, she shared some things that President Uchtdorf shared. The main thing was to be happy now. don't waste your life waiting for the next best thing. Live YOUR life now. We aren't supposed to covet our neighbor, but that can be really hard at this stage in life. It is hard to not want what others who may be a little farther along in the journey than we are. The important thing to remember is to enjoy the journey!

I am grateful that the lord gives us exactly what we need,when we need it. I am inspired to take others creativity, and use it to strengthen and sharpen my own talents. Others talents aren't to be envied, but to be shared so that we might benefit from them in some way. That is the way Heavenly Father intended it I'm sure. I will add some pictures tomorrow of the imperfect yet talent developing things I have been working on!

Carson: 14 months old

2011-09-09T21:41:00.000-07:00

Dear Carson,

Tomorrow you will be 14 months old! Here are some things about you that we want to remember forever, like how you always close your eyes when I say, "cheese!"

Likes: Snickers the dog,screaming,dancing, daycare friends, chicken nuggets, trail mix m&m's, any kid of fruit (especially bananas and watermelon), splashing in toilets, drinking bathwater and dog water,bath time, rough housing with Mommy and Daddy,people who wear glasses, being tickled, thunder, climbing stairs, changing the channel, talking on the phone,cars, trucks, unwinding toilet paper, going on walks, opening drawers and making messes in general.

Dislikes: Pasta of any kind, peas, strangers without glasses, not getting his way, diaper changes, being out of food, being prevented from doing any of the above "likes".

Abilities: Can walk a dozen steps before sitting down or falling, says "mama, dada, goggie, bubba, bye, hi, hola" and "yea". Can almost feed himself with a spoon, can pull himself up on anything, can climb up and down the stairs, can dump out containers and put stuff back in, looks at us when we call his name, climb off the bed, blow kisses, play peek-a-boo, can sign "please" and "finished"

Personality: You are pretty funny. You like to laugh a lot, even when you have no idea why you are laughing! To you everything is really funny, or really sad. When you want something, you scream and point, or say, "dis!!!" and point to it. When you don't get your way you scream louder. You like to drop things off of your high chair to get our attention, and then you get mad when we take it away. I promise, it is for your own good! You are very independent, but like to have someone to play with. You are pretty demanding right now, and don't like it when Mommy or Daddy are busy. You like living with Grandma and Grandpa Hardman, because they love to play with you all the time when they are home. You love to rough house and think it is so fun when we tickle you, chase you, or try and scare you by saying "boo!" You get really shaky and laugh when we show you "the claw!" You get so excited and crawl away as fast as you can. You are so much fun! You are just starting to enjoy cuddling again. You love your blankets all of the sudden, and we are finally able to stay for church because you will sit on our laps and snuggle. You like it best when Grandma Hardman snuggles with you. She is really good at putting you to sleep.You love to cuddle with Snickers as well. You like to pet him, but sometimes you get a little rough and pet him too hard. Usually you just lay on his tummy or put your cheek on the top of your head. He sure loves you and likes to follow you around the house. You are a sweet boy with so much love! We are so happy to be your parents!

Love,

Mommy & Daddy

Analogies

2011-09-08T06:42:00.000-07:00

My husband thinks I am smart.

Like, super smart. And he thought this was great.

I was writing my brother Jason, who is on a mission in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida for our church.

I had a pretty eventful day on Tuesday at work. I ended up having physical altercations with three of my students. Hey- coming back from a three day weekend is TOUGH! I won't go into the details, since the nature of my job is private, but I had three sad kiddos. There was hitting, kicking, biting, scratching and bruising, and I was the punching bag for their frustrations. Hey- it's what I'm paid to do!

Anyways, in the letter, I was trying to connect my life to Jason's life in the field. I wanted to give him an anaolgy. Several people that day kept asking me if I was okay. "Are you mad?" "Are you hurt?" "Don't you just hate your job?" No. The answer is simply no. I LOVE my job. This is where the analogy comes in.

Just like missionaries, you are thrown into a new place (for me, new school) with people you don't know.Yet somehow, Heavenly Father gives us the ability to TRULY love those people. I never quite understood how missionaries could love people they didn't know very well. Well, now I do. I barely know my students. Yet, I love them more than anything. I can truly say that I feel such a strong love for them, much like a parent would to a child. They are mine, and I love them.

So how does this relate?

I belive that when you are doing exactly what the lord wants you to do, and you are where he wants you to be, you are blessed with that ability to love. This gift helps me get through the hard times. I am where I am supposed to be, so he is taking care of me. Of us.

Along with that, these are some of the most innocent creatures on the planet. I know now how Heavelny Father can love us unconditionally. We may do silly things, like hit, bite, kick and scream, but he remains calm, loves us through it, and picks us up when we are done, feelings unchanged. Am I comparing my self to him?

ABSOLUTELY NOT.

I am simply saying I GET IT. I have learned this lesson. I hope I pass the test.

No window basement tour. Enjoy,

2011-09-03T20:41:00.000-07:00

Sounds depressing, right? No windows in the living room. Kind of sucks! When my in-laws built this house, this room was intended for my Dad in law to use as a "migrane room." Nice and cool, and dark. When we moved into the basement in April, it made the most sense to use it as our living room. I was skeptical since I am a natural-light lover. We have plenty of light in our bedrooms, thank goodness. First, I wanted to paint the walls a warm shade of yellow to somewhat brighten it up. It didn't exactly work, but I still love it!

Here is the couch wall. I love the pillows but want a lot more! I pinned some on Pinterest that I would love to add to our couch! I have some fabric and some plans. I adore the ruffle pillow I scored at Costco!

This is the second refinish on this chair. I love how the aqua looks with the yellow walls. Ignore the dresser. It is a temporary till I get this bad boy finished:

I want to paint it cream and get all new cute Anthro type hardware! I have dreams of a mustard dresser but those will have to wait until we have a house with lots of rooms!

This is my most favorite piece ever. I know it is popular right now, but I liked it back when. I swear this is my motto. It truly helps me get by! I love the green with the yellow wall!

Here is the somewhat cluttered corner. I love the double mirror, my cute owls and the lamp. We need the lighting! On the side of the dresser is where Carson's toy stash. I want to do something cute with the star. Not sure if I want to modpodge paper, paint it, or maybe make it a photo collage. Ideas?

Carson's first steps!

2011-09-02T20:54:00.000-07:00

These aren't exactly his very first steps, but they are the most he has ever taken at once! This week we have just been getting two steps here or there. He isn't very happy here, it was time for bed! So glad to capture this moment, albeit shaky! He is getting way too big!

Please ignore my hair, no make-up and pj's!

Poop & Art

2011-09-02T17:29:00.000-07:00

I have a kid who POOPED his pants yesterday.He KNOWS how to use the bathroom. He is very high functioning. It was not fun- my wonderful principal helped me clean him up. What a GREAT guy! Anyways, I want to decorate my classroom, and I sure do love free subway art! Here are some I am going to print:

I also want to make these super cute banners I found on Pintrest, using math and reading flash cards! Maybe some pennant banners, too. I feel like I will be in this room for awhile, so I want to make it look awesome!

New year, new class, new school, new city, NEW EVERYTHING!

2011-08-30T19:47:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks I started in Murray School District. I was pretty nervous. I have never worked in another district besides Provo, and I wasn't sure what to expect. I already knew the technology would be lacking, and technology is what I love about special education. There are so many fun things you can do with it in a classroom! And, let's be honest, I got really used to the luxury of having it available!

After a few days of new teacher meetings, (I had to start all over, I still get my years in some respects but as far as PTO and Sick days,- a provisional three years. Boo!)

I met a few people on my new team, and fell in love! I love working with people who know how to get the job done, yet can have a fun time and laugh along the way. I work best under those conditions!

I was able to set up my room with the help of the fabulous lover boy that is my husband. It was a bit of a rush, but we got it done!

On Friday 2 weeks ago, I had 7th graders. Oh boy. So cute, so little! Such dolls! A few toughies, but nothing this pro can't handle! (Ha!) We only had 4 that day and I was covered in sweat, curtousy of no AC and chasing around kids constantly. It is a hard transition to Jr. High!

I had the weekend to recover, but Monday brought the 8th and 9th graders. They were just as cute and fun, and not as difficult! Tuesday was all grades, and we had a few accidents and injuries. All was well, and I was shocked by the amount of support I had and the various amounts of people who came to check on us!

I am loving Murray and Riverview Jr. High so far! Everyone has been so welcoming, and I am thrilled to be working with Severe/Profound students. They have such a sweet, special spirit about them. It is such a blessing to be able to work with kids that you know have a ticket straight to heaven! I hope that I can be all that they need, understand them, love them, and most of all, I want them to know how much I love them and care for them. It is truly a blessing to have this job. I hear a lot of, "Oh, you are going to Heaven!" "What a talent you have!" "You must have so much patience!" "You will be blessed for doing this work!" - I agree with the last statement. I am blessed. Maybe not for the reasons one might think, but I truly feel rewarded every day. The smiles, hugs, and small progress bring so much joy to my life. I can truly say I love my job! Who else can say that? :)

There she be! Can't wait for those spring blossoms to reappear!

Family BBQ, Masterson style.

2011-08-29T17:16:00.000-07:00

So before I go any further, allow me to preface this post with the fact that Devin, Carson and I were the only sober ones present. Love my family. They sure like to party!

My uncle Marty is a fantastic BBQ-er. He made us tri-tip, linguica, beans, salad, bread, the works! It was so much fun, and a great way to end out time in California. This was the first time in a LONG time, as in YEARS that we were all able to get together!

We were pretending to kiss- just being goofy!

Our pretend kiss turned into Samantha falling and it looking like I am eating her face.

Gang banger.

Devin got some sisterly love.

Don't worry. HE IS NOT really drinking that! (It is a wierd family traditon to take a fake drinking picture when you are a baby. Don't judge.)

Fake kiss for my real lover.

My sisters, myself and Uncle Marty!

I have more pics but blogger is being slow. Oh well.

San Francisco!

2011-08-29T16:46:00.000-07:00

Before we headed back home to Utah, we decided to take a trip to San Francisco, to visit our lovely friends, The Pattens! Jeff is currently in dental school there, so we wanted to see there new home! Gena and I have been friends for years and we just adore them! Gena was so gracious to take Carson for the evening so that Devin could check out the city with me! (He has never been!)

We headed over the golden gate bridge in the glorious bay area fog. Devin was bummed. The whole time I sang the theme song to "Full House." How could you not!?

The wind was pretty intense. We got out and stopped to lookout at alcatraz and the bridge, but couldn't see too much!

We headed over to Pier 39 for some touristy stuff. The fog had cleared so Dev got a nice view of Alcatraz!

Holy mini donut heaven! We decided to try some since the line looked long. We assumed they must be popular. We got a dozen to split, and ended up going back for more! We wanted to bring a BUCKET. Yes. A BUCKET of them back to Gena and the kids!

We also checked out some fun stores, went to Haight and Ashbury, and drove the windy steep hills!

Upon return, the girls and Carson were having a fun time dancing around to the Tangled soundtrack. They didn't have a pretty dress for Carson to wear. I don't think he minded. :)

Around the corner from the Patten's, on our way out of town, we found an awesome view of the bridge, minus the fog! We needed to take a picture to show to Carson when he is older!

He was pretty tuckered out after a fun vacation. He loves his Milton Monkey!

La Vie Petite Winner!!!

2011-08-11T16:28:00.000-07:00

La Vie Petite Winner!!!

Yes. I WON. That beauty in the picture!

I don't even know what to say except for today has been fabulous!

We got back from CA late last night (will blog about that later) and today we have been running on little sleep and adrenaline! We unpacked, I checked out my fabulous new school, unpacked my classroom, went and bought posters to hang in the room, and found out I won this fantastic skirt! I am beyond excited!

My throat hurts now because I was squealing. Carson was concerned and Devin thought I won the lotto or something! I grabbed Devin and we jumped up and down while I shouted, " I WON! I WON!" Over and over again. All I can say is wow.

I feel lucky today!

Extended Stay

2011-08-06T22:00:00.000-07:00

Well folks, it is about time to go home. {Utah}

Last night Carson had his FIRST ever SLEEPOVER! He spent the night at his Grandma and Grandpa's in his Auntie Samantha's room. They were all very excited to have him over! {Jessica, Melissa & my mom & dad} Mia, one of their dogs liked him being there a little TOO much! Carson was laying on my parent's bd drinking his bottle, and Mia got right in his face & licked off his milk dribble. Carson was pretty amused, until Miss Mis got a little too fresh with him & went for the french kiss. That pissed him off a bit. ;) He did not want us to leave! We ended up having to run to the store to get him more milk, because he wasn't going to settle down without a little refill. He fell asleep right after!

It was strange not having him with us, but we slept amazingly well! We even got an extra hour of sleep this morning!

After I zumba-ed, {is that a word?} I showered and went over to get him around ten. My mom wanted him to stay but I brought him home for his nap. He was in one piece still & seemed happy so it alieviated my concerns and he will most likely stay again before we leave!

After his nap we went & visited my Uncle Marty & Aunt Carolyn. Carson played with their "goggie" and crawled in the grass. it was fun! Tonight Amanda and Danny joined us for some of Grandma's famous Spoon Tacos! {Fancy talk for Nacho's with Taco toppings} We had a fun time visiting!

My friend Mickaela took some wonderful pictures of Carson last week. They are on facebook right now. I will add them to the bloggy when we get home!

Speaking of home, We have decided to leave Tuesday morning instead of Monday. I wanted to stay a day longer because Nancy had a fever and we couldn't really see them today & we still aren't certain about tomorrow. When I talked to my Grandpa on the phone he seemed upset that we were leaving so soon. I felt bad because I wanted to spend some more time with them as well. On Thursday we went to dinner with them but I wanted to be able to hang out with them at their house so they could play with Carson. Now we will do that on Monday!

Getting ready to go home sucks. I want to go home, don't get me wrong, but I don't want to leave! It's like ripping off a band aid I guess. I hate the packing, loading, and the pull out of the driveway. I hate the stop at the gas station and the road out of town to the freeway. I just want to snap my fingers and be back home. I hate goodbye's I guess. I just have to remember it's not a godbye, just see you in October!

{Guilty} Pleasures.

2011-08-04T22:46:00.000-07:00

Let's talk about my current guilty pleasures. Some guilty {and somewhat embarrasing}things that make my day enjoyable. :)

In no particular order:

Big Brother
Jersey Shore
The Today Show
All of the Real Housewives shows
Arrowhead Lemon Water
Diet Pepsi
Bran Muffins
Teen Books
Blog stalking
Taking Silly Pictures of Carson
TMZ.com
Pretty Little Liars
The Secret Life of the American Teenager
Home decor
Slim Fast chocolate shakes
Bananas with Peanut Butter and Honey
Zumba
Walking dogs
Roaming Wal Mart for no reason
Making lists
Planning
Buying cute cothes
Kissing my sweet boys
Night time cuddles
Country Music
Lil Wayne {edited}
Jamba Juice
Gossip Magazines
Thrifty crafts
Thinking about the future
Laying out in the sun
Plucking my eyebrows
Facial exfoliations
Pedicures
Fun nail polish
Visiting my Grandpa
Reading stories to Carson
Degrassi
90's are all that on Teen Nick
Dirt Road Anthem Remix! Jam of the summer!

Sure! I could say more, but this good. :)

Sad day.

2011-08-03T22:12:00.000-07:00

i was on a walk this gorgeous evening with my sister Jessica, Carson and my Grandma's dog, Molly. As I was walking around the neighborhood, chatting with Jessica and listening to Carson sing his lovely song I dubbed "Mama", it hit me. We go back to Utah in FOUR days. FOUR. This summer had flown by! I am having mixed feelings about going back. I am a bit homesick. I miss my stuff, I miss our own space. I miss my Utah friends and family.. I am excited to start my new job. I am worried I will not keep up with working out. I am scared for Carson to start daycare. I am happy my family was able to have so much time with Carson. I am glad we had the chance to make so many memories. The memories are what I will take with me. It is inevitable- we have to go back. I am okay with that. I really can't believe we are done with summer! I just try and fill my head with thoughts of fall...candles, leaves, cool air, halloween decor, ahhhh...!

Ok. I feel better.

All Dressed Up {La Vie Petite Giveaway}

2011-08-03T21:11:00.000-07:00

All Dressed Up {La Vie Petite Giveaway}

i want this skirt!

Work it, girl!

2011-07-27T21:58:00.000-07:00

July isn't quite over yet, but I thought I'd update my progress with weight loss!

In June I lost 10 lbs, and so far in July, I have lost 7 already! Woohoo!

I am praying. PRAYING! That I can keep up with the daily workouts when I get back to Utah and back to work! I am not sure if I want to get up earlier, (a struggle) or wait till I get home. (Another struggle, as some days I get home totally exhausted!)

I was happy to learn I lost 7! I went to water aerobics with my grandma (all older ladies in attendance) and afterwards I weighed myself on the doctor-type scale.( Those are more accurate than the 15 year old scale I have been using!) The scale said I had lost 3 more lbs than I had thought, and was the end of the day, AND I was fully dressed with shoes on, and wet hair. So who knows! But I am pretty happy with my progress. Zumba has motivated me to eat better, and if I indulge a bit, I add some more activity! I am just really loving it! I am back to where I was pre-pregnancy. I gained quite a bit from fertility treatments and being on bed rest. Now, I just need to get back to pre-Devin weight! :)

I am thinking about trying a Zumba dvd ad well to add some variation. I want to try Zumba RIPPED.We will see!

Oh thank Heaven for Summer 2011!

2011-07-26T22:03:00.000-07:00

Oh thank Heaven!

That is how I have been feeling this summer! It has been positive in SO many ways.

We have been blessed with time. We are able to be in California and have Carson establish longer than a week relationships with my side of the family. Even though he won't remember, I hope was able to document our trip successfully to share with him later.

On the same topic as relationships, Devin and I have had a great time "reconnecting". It wasn't that we were disconnected, we just didn't have a lot of time for eachother last year. Between work, school, and the addition of Carson, we had only gone on 2 dates. Being here has allowed us to spend more time together in a relaxing situation {for the most part}, and we have been able to appreciate eachother a little more. We have been able to break out of the monotimy and try new tngs. Last night as we were getting ready for bed, we both had the song "Remind Me" By Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood. The song really does not pertain to us, but like anyone with a one year old, we don't have a lot of time for romance! {Shocker!} We spent quite a bit of time reminiscing about when we were dating, first married, and all the excitement that came with it. Last night reminded us of how important it is to keep things fresh! We already have made plans to brake out of habits like dinner and a movie, and try new things together. It sounds so simple, yet has made a difference and brought back the old excitement when everything was new. Even if you have been with someone four, or even fifty years, there is always something new. A new journey, a new adventure to embark on together!

I have also had time for myself, another rarity. I have read so many books! {Like 18!} Worked out daily {it has been years!} Attended all 3 hours of church {nap time for the monkey, and he refuses to fall asleep} And........more time to spend with my family! Not to mention I am rejuvinated for a new school year!

We have to go back to Utah in 2 weeks, and get back to our routines. {New routines, truly.} New job, new school for Devin, and Daycare for Carson. We will power through the changes like we always do!

impulsiveness.

2011-07-21T10:34:00.000-07:00

So. How does one stop being so impulsive? I am impulsive. Besides obnoxious, impulsive is good word to describe me. Perhaps I am obnoxious because I am impulsive? I'm sure it is related.

Impulse moves:

Moving to Utah: Worked for me!

Engaged after three weeks. But hey, it works!

Car purchases: So far, so good.

Having a baby: wouldn't change a thing!

(Now here is where I get caught up)

Shopping: I am sooo impulsive. It makes me a bad shopper. When it comes to clothes I NEVER look for deals. I don't care if it might go on sale tomorrow. I want it, and I want it now. So, that makes a problem. I buy similar items. I buy too much of something I already have. For example: How many black cardigans do I have? Ohhh probably a dozen. But they are all different in some minor way! What is the answer!? Make a list? Be better at discerning between needs and wants? HELP!

My mouth: It is very impulsive. I say yes too much. I say no to the wrong things. When I am frustrated it comes out through my words. My words may be directed at the right people, and I may be telling the truth, but why am I so driven to say certain things when I know nothing good will come of it? I have always sort of felt that it was my job to let people know what they are doing wrong, and to let them know they need to fix it. Be more like me, perhaps. Well, that isn't working. How do I stop? Help!

I think it is important to recognize our flaws. I recognize mine. I have known them for quite some time. However, I am not sure where to begin bettering myself.

I have turned to Heavenly Father for strength and answers. I guess I am still waiting. Maybe I do have the answer of "STOP!" or "Just knock it off!" but, we all know how well that works! Just ask Carson! ;)

Just like kids again!

2011-07-19T23:00:00.000-07:00

This past week has been so much FUN! We have had quite a few adventures!!

Last week, we went to the Santa Barbara County Fair to see Clint Black. We went with my sister Samantha and her boyfriend, Steven. I ran into quite a few old friends and friends of the family, and enjoyed a great show with my man! We have never been to a concert together, and was so happy to be able to share one of my favorite pastimes with my hubs! After the show we all headed to the ferris wheel, and for a meager $5 a person, we were able to ride! We got our own "cart" and had great time. Who doesn't want to kiss the man of their dreams at the top of the world!? (Well, top of Santa Maria) We cruised down Broadway, hit up Taco Bell, and bumped Jason Aldean all the way home!

A few days later, we went to the Santa Barbara Zoo with the fam! It was Melissa's birthday, so we thought that it would be a fun activity for Carson and us "big kids". Carson loves birds, and adored the flamingos! He likes the monkey's a lot, too! The weather was hot and that makes a baby grumpy pants. He was done fairly quickly, so we headed to the Elephant Bar. There, Carson assaulted our waiter with a straw and menu. He was a good sport. No charges will be pressed. ;)

Now for today, I spent the day with my Grandpa
and Nancy and Carson! Dev went golfing with Danny, but he joined up with us and went to Mi Amore. YUMO. Devins order was wrong so they had to fix it. Pet Peeve Alert!!!!!! I should do a series on pet peeves.

After we got home, here comes the "just like kids". We watched Red Riding Hood, which was uber creepy, FYI. My man and were prancing in the fog out front and decided to bang on the windows to scare Pam and Bobby. They were scared alright. I am quite the giggler so I had to hide in the neighbors bushes momentarily so that my fits of laughter bust us.This charade lasted about thirty minutes of us running, hiding, attacking. Haha! We got busted, but it took me back to high school and college and all the times was forced to stay in the car because I was too loud. My apologies. :)

Beachy Keene.

2011-07-14T13:11:00.000-07:00

Today I am blogging from the lovely, overcast Refugio beach in Santa Barbara. We headed out with Aunt Pam, Jessica, Courtney and Bobby. Devin stayed back to help my dad install wood floors. He is such a nice guy! Nothing says summer quite like diet coke, cheeto puffs, sand, sun, ice cold California ocean water, and a sweet baby soaking it all in for the first time. Hopefully he doesn't eat the sand! :)

Carson's Circus

2011-07-11T19:00:00.000-07:00

Carson's 1st birthday was yesterday! We had a party for Carson at Miguelito park in Lompoc. We have a lot of family parties there. When my grandma Masterson pssed away, my Uncle Marty was a park ranger there. We planted a tree there in her honor. The park has special meaning to us, and it was a special occassion!

We invited our whole family, (over 30 people) and EVERYONE came, minus a few cousins. It was so fun to see everyone! We had a hot dog BBQ, my dad made his famous potato salad, Grandma made fruit salad, and we had different things like peanuts, Cracker Jacks and popcorn to go with the Circus theme.

I made the decorations out of paint sample cards gathered from Wal Mart and Home Depot.

We ordered the cake from Albertson's, and with it, we got a free 6" cake since it was Carson's first birthday.

He LOVED the cake! It was so funny how he ate each balloon one by one, then attacked the cake. This kid was all about frosting! He is his Momma's boy!

He had a fun time opening his presents! He got a lot of fun stuff and some clothes, too. He loved taking the paper out of the gift bags and pulling out the loot!

After the party, per Masterson family tradition, he had his very first McDonald's Happy Meal! He loved the fries and had a couple bites of his cheeseburger. After all of that cake, I think he was pretty full! The worst part was, they gave him a Stawberry Shortcake toy! He still liked it. :)

Thankfully my dad was able to come after work. Unfortunately he was not able to get off of work. I forgot to mention he came over in the morning to share a cinnamon roll with him, also a Masterson family tradition!

He went to bed early from being wiped out. All in all it was the best day he will never remember. :)

Thank you so much to my wonderful Masterson and Wood family who made this all possible. Love you!!!

Dear Baby Carson:

2011-07-09T22:21:00.000-07:00

Dear Carson,
Tomorrow you turn one.You have blessed our life for one whole year!Last year at this time mommy was in the hospital waiting for your arrival! Time has gone so fast! You have grown in so many ways! You are so silly! You love to dance. Any time music starts to play, you flap your cute arms and rock back and forth. You love to giggle as well. Auntie Sammye cracks you up when she pretends she is a puppy. You love dogs and enjoy playing with anyones dogs. You love swimming, walks in the stroller, car rides, watching mommy zumba, three hour naps, playing catch with daddy,playing with remote controls (you like to see the channels change), play with car keys, shake pill bottles(they are childproof!) and you love the sound of your voice! You love to sing, yell, scream and talk! You say "mama", "dada", "daddy", "up", "bye" and some other random babbles that have sounded like words! Your grandma really wants you to say "grandma"- we shall see about that! She also wants you to watch Barney but we are trying to prevent that as well :)
The things you do bring smiles to our faces! Our current favorites are peek a boo (you cover your eyes and giggle!) and we especially love your hugs and wet kisses! Now that you are turning one, we probably need to put a stop to your toungue kissed! You lick our faces an bite our noses. We think it is silly, but we can't have that your first day of kindergarten!
We love you more than anything. We couldn't imagine a better life. You are everthing to us, and will always be! One day soon we hope to give you a sibling who we will love just as much! If we could give you any advice, it would be to never doubt yourself. Stay close to the gospel. Trust us, we want the best for you! And, you will never remember the pain you have right now from teething! You have two teeth on the bottom, with your top two right behind! You only got your first tooth a month ago! I guess you're a late bloomer! Anyways, we love you. In closing, here are the lines to your favorite song: Falling in love, is such an easy thing to do. Birds can do it, we can do it, let's stop talking let's get to it- let's fall in love!!
Love,
Mommy & Daddy xoxo

ps- I will add pics once I have a computer again!

Zumba

2011-07-07T23:18:00.001-07:00

I love Zumba! Who doesn't!? Well, I have been doing every day this summer, except for two days when we were at my aunt's.Some dayys I do the 20 minute work outs, some days do the 20 plus some single routines, and when my sweet boy allows, - do a 45 minute routine! I always end with going n a walk.So far, I have lost ten lbs. I feel good about it, it is not too hard, and it is something I can do daily. I have been watching what I eat as well. I have a slim fast and a fruit for breakfast, a yogurt or the breakfast fruit for a snack, a lean cuisine for lunch, and a light dinner, or more salad and some of what everyone else is having. It isn't inconvienient, and it has been pretty rewarding! My goal is to shed 7 lbs a month, and try to keep that pace for the next year. I think it is realistic, and manageable! That's what keeps me motivated best, rather than saying, "I want to lose 75 lbs!" That is a little overwhelming. I will update my progress as a source of accountability. Any suggestioms are welcome! :)

Stats: June: -10 lbs
July: we shall see!

It's no fun not having a computer!

2011-07-07T00:15:00.001-07:00

From my blackberry, here is my ipad plea:

I need one! I would be SO productive! and it would increase my self-esteem, because that is what productivity does! I could: (in no particular order)
- do lesson plans wherever am at!
-keep in touch with my family via skype, anytime!

- could keep up with my blog, therefore doing family history, enriching our lives, and our sons! :)
- could find new ways to be inspired!
-have scriptures handy!
- read books!
- and feel really cool.

You've just got to ignite....the light....

2011-07-04T09:58:00.000-07:00

Baby you're a firework.

How is it possible, that one sweet little boy, who will be ONE YEAR OLD next Sunday, can have so much personality? He truly lights up up our world. (Cue corny music)

And then there is this guy, who I made pose in front of a rose bush, is the one who makes me see fireworks. Love this guy!

Today we are still in Bear Valley Springs. We are going to try and beat the heat- (100 degrees, no A/C!) maybe swim in the kiddie pool, have a good old-fashioned cookout with Aunt Pam, Uncle Pat, Grandma, My great Aunt Dorothy, Mom, Courtney, Bobby and us. It should be fun. Afterwards we will head down into Tehachapi to watch fireworks. Last year on the 4th, We sat in our front yard and watched Stadium of Fire fireworks while Carson kicked the crap out me. Hopefully he will like them this year! We hope everyone has a wonderful holiday, full of good ole' American stuff like hot dogs, fireworks, swimming and family! We know we will!

Summer Happenings

2011-07-02T14:47:00.000-07:00

For Father's Day, I got together with these girls, and thought that it would be fun to surprise my dad and Devin with tickets to a Dodger game! We even went and bought everyone a t-shirt. It was quite the adventure getting the shirts, too. We went to some blackmarket latino shop and almost crapped our pants a few times due to the unsavory environment. Scary scary scary!AND, the shirts weren't even cheap! Well, we looked good! :)

The game was on a Wednesday at 12:30 and it was HOT. I was previously burned the day before from adventures in the pool in the backyard at Grandma's. It wasn't too bad though. I toughed it out for the men. :) Another perk was that all of the food was 1/2 off that day, it was a throwback day. Saweet! Normally Dodger dogs are $5.75. CRAZY!

Initially we wanted to take my Grandpa as well, but he didn't think that he could handle the drive and the heat. I understood, but was bummed. We decided instead that the next day we would take him and Nancy to Splash Cafe in Pismo Beach for Clam Chowder. He had never been! My love of Clam Chowder comes from my grandpa! When I was little he would make us clam chowder all of the time. Well, he would open a can of Campbells and add milk. ;)

Grandpa clearly loved the goods. He also had some fish and chips. When all was said and done, he said he liked the french fries best. Ha! (They were good!)

We walked on the pier next and Carson loves the seagulls and the ocean! It was fun! We also looked through some shops, where I found this cute hat. When I tried it on, my grandpa said, "Oh, it's sooo you!" I had to get it. If grandpa approves, who wouldn't?

My mom got Carson a high chair when we found out I was preggo. Good thing, he is quite the eater and enjoys his time there!

He has discovered that he has a love of music! He loves to dance and play the piano. My grandma is so pleased with that. She even did an impromptu concert for him while he jammed out!

Carson has also become quite the daredevil. As he is growing and learning, he is getting more adventurous. He happily dove in this bucket to gather some of his toys! It was pretty funny. He was actually yelling right here, but we HAD to pause to capture the moment!

**Wen passed away last night. He was taken off of life support after midnight and passed on shortly after. We are glad to be in California for the summer to support her.

Splish Splash!

2011-07-02T14:23:00.000-07:00

We have quite the water baby on our hands! We knew he liked the water from being in the bathtub! He loves to swin in circles and splash A LOT. We always sing "Splish Splash" during bath time! With it being summer and all, We have had a few opportunities to take him swimming! We got a pool to have in the backyard, but we have also taken him to some local pools as well. He loves it!

Here he is at the pool in Bear Valley Springs

Nakey swim time in Aunt Pam's back yard. (His favorite)

All decked out in the pool in Lompoc!

He loved Pismo Beach! Next week we will try swimming in the ocean for the first time!

Summa Summa Summa tiiiime. Vunerability.

2011-07-01T13:15:00.000-07:00

So, I have a really nice tan! I think that is the goal of summer, right? I have also been doing Zumba for about an hour daily. I LOVE IT. We have an xbox 360 and I do it on the kinect. The scale says I have gained 20 lbs in 4 weeks. I have a feeling it is wrong. My mom says, "maybe it is all muscle!" Ha. Like my post said before, I have been given the blessed opportunity to read! Carson takes 3 hour naps (like right now)and I get to read. Be it in the house, at the pool, or in the backyard. It is fantastic. Pure bliss! Here are the books I have read:

*Water for Elephants
*The Help
*Along For The Ride (Sarah Dessen- great author of mindless summer reads)
*The Hunger Games
*Specials
*Extras
*Sizzling Seventeen
*Three Little Words
*The Art Of Racing in the Rain
*Something Borrowed
*Something Blue (LOVED these books)

There were a few more but I can't think right now. I have gotten my sisters and mom to read some of them. I am passing along the love of reading ;)

Summer has been good so far; based on the above. Time with family, relaxing, great weather.

We were slated to visit my aunt in Bear Valley Springs, Ca this weekend. This is where I am blogging from since we have not had internet access. Originally, the plan was to head out here while they went to LA for a few days. My cousin is in to anime and was going to the Anime LA expo. We were going to look after their house and doggies while spending time with my Grandma and her husband Wen, who also live here in the summer. It is such a gorgeous place!

The day before we were supposed to come, we learned that Wen was being taken to a hospital in Bakersfield. He and my grandma had just left Lompoc to come out here, and he began to cough up copious amounts of blood while at Costco. She took him to the doctor, who sent them to urgent care, who sent them to the hospital where he was admitted. While there, he told the doctor that he had fallen in the garage and hit his head in Lompoc. (News to us- we were there- he told my grandma but we didn't hear. He felt just fine, got up, visibly uninjured.) The nurse noticed his eyes weren't quite responding, which I learned is indicative of a brain injury. They sent him in for testing, and would have the results the next day. My grandma checked in to a hotel, and we were all on standby.

The next morning, it was revealed that he had blood on the right side of his brain, which was adding dangerous pressure. Surgery was imminent, and there was a clot as well that needed to be removed. I spoke to my grandma and we came as soon as we could gather what we needed. My aunt Pam cancelled her trip, but sent my uncle and two cousins. We wanted to be here in support of her, she is so important to our family. My mom wanted to come, but needed to work out how with work. For the time being, Devin, Carson and I would take the 3 hour trip and then whoever else could come later on, would.

We got to the hospital as he was finished with surgery. He had done very well. We did not see him, but went to dinner with his son Dale, and his wife Marian. We came home and waited. We new he was in a medically induced coma, and would need to be until more healing took place.

The next morning it was revealed that there would be a conference with the Doctor at 5 p.m with my Grandma and his son, Dale and Marian. We stayed in Bear Valley, took the baby to the pool, and waited for Grandma to call so we could have dinner together. Around 6:30, I had yet to hear from her. I decided to call to see what time she would be here. When she answered the phone she was crying. My grandma doesn't cry. She is the strongest, most steadfast rock of a woman I have ever met. I admire her strength, so I new something was wrong. My aunt stood next to me, alert, waiting to hear what the news was. My grandma uttered, "It's not good, hon. Not good." While choking back tears. She continued to say that they discovered sometime after the surgery he had a massive stroke, causing brain damage, and no chance of recovery. How could this be? I had a million questions. Just yesterday at dinner we discussed after care and rehabilitation and her plans to care for him. He was going to be fine. Now things had really changed. She went on to explain that on top of that, it was discovered that he was in the late stages of lung cancer. Insane! He had a pneumonia earlier in the month, undergone cat scans, chest scans, you name it. It was not detected. The doctor assured them that if he did not suffer the stroke, the lung cancer would have been a very difficult road and would have led to his passing as well.

Currently he is in a coma on life support. Wen's daughter and granddaughters are on the road from Oregon at the moment. My grandma does not have power of attorney, his son does, so we are waiting for the decision as to when he will be removed.

My grandma is SO strong, a woman of Christ. She stayed with us last night and is doing well. Her time with him was less than two years; their one year anniversary was May 31. They were able to celebrate that. They had a summer of fun planned. I know they both made each other extremely happy. He was 83. He was a sweet man who lived a very full life. He climbed Mt. Fuji! He has done it all, I swear. To say that Wen and I have been chummy is an understatement. I met him when I was first pregnant, and even as an adult. A supposedly mature adult, I was very jealous of their relationship. She was MY grandma. I NEEDED her. I WANTED her to be there for ME when I wanted. That is what I was used to. She was like a teenager, so in love right away. They got married when I could not travel. That made me upset. She was not there for Carson's birth. That broke my heart. I blamed Wen. I was selfish. I am selfish. This is all so personal, but it is my life at this moment. What I have learned in the last 48 hours is that life is to be cherished, enjoyed, and be led unselfishly. I love my grandma and want to be here for her however I can. I was able to see Wen last night, where I gave him a first kiss and second hug in the last two years. I told him I was sorry. I wish I had more time with him. More time to act like a grown woman and not a needy child.

My mom and Samantha arrived late last night. They are at the hospital with my Grandma and Pam right now. Devin and I are at the house with Carson. I wish, more than anything, that I knew how to handle stress. That I had a better way. I try, I promise I do. I clean. I write. I watch trash TV. I walk. But I still get a build up of why's and what if's.

I am happy to be here this summer to support my grandma. Her house will be less empty. I know Carson brings her a lot of joy. I am glad she can watch him grow. She loves him.

Please just keep us in your thoughts, whoever reads this. 2 husbands gone in 6 years is not fair.

books. libros. love.

2011-06-16T00:35:00.001-07:00

so i am posting from my blackberry. you wont get anything fancy. not ever a capital letter, or proper punctuation in some cases. but- i wanted to give you my summer reading list, and some reviews as they come! i love to read, and summer is when i get the chance. even with lil man. he lets his mama read. he knows it is important. :)

first: the help. if you are human. if you have been victim to racism, or have grown up in a house with strong southern values, such as i did, read this book. i want to be a better person because of it. i think that is what a book is meant to do, right?

2nd: water for elephants. a compelling look at history from a circus setting. doesnt sound catchy? no. but this book teaches humanity towards others and animals, and makes you wonder what tales your family members have!

more to come.... 7 books to be exact.

A Very Merry Un-Birthday To You!

2011-05-23T08:21:00.000-07:00

Carson's First Un-Birthday party!

MARCH HARE:

A very merry unbirthday to me

MAD HATTER:

To who?

MARCH HARE:

To me

MAD HATTER:

Oh you!

MARCH HARE:

A very merry unbirthday to you

MAD HATTER:

Who me?

MARCH HARE:

Yes, you!

MAD HATTER:

Oh, me!

MARCH HARE:

Let's all congratulate us with another cup of tea

A very merry unbirthday to you!

MAD HATTER:

Now, statistics prove, prove that you've one birthday

MARCH HARE:

Imagine, just one birthday every year

MAD HATTER:

Ah, but there are three hundred and sixty four unbirthdays!

MARCH HARE:

Precisely why we're gathered here to cheer

BOTH:

A very merry unbirthday to you, to you

ALICE:

To me?

MAD HATTER:

To you!

BOTH:

A very merry unbirthday

ALICE:

For me?

MARCH HARE:

For you!

MAD HATTER:

Now blow the candle out my dear

And make your wish come true

BOTH:

A merry merry unbirthday to you!

Someone loved their cake!
Not so sure about the bowtie.
The food

The tea party table.

Here are some pictures that were on my cell phone from the party. Let's just say I was so excited to throw Carson his first party. I had so many fun ideas, and was loving the party planning aspect of motherhood. It was stressful, but I was determined to make sure that I did it all by myself. I am the mommy, and it was my idea. I didn't want help, and I wanted the control pretty much. I can admit that!

We decided to have a party for Carson in Utah because we won't be here for his actual first birthday. We are leaving on Friday to spend the summer there!

The day of the party didn't start off exactly like I planned. It was raining, and everyone was giving me doubts about the amount of food. I got a lot of, "are you sure that is enough?" I was tired and cranky before the party even started.

I ended up skipping church, (which I am sure was a bad idea) to set up. I ended up getting a lot done. When everyone else came home we began assembling food. I was getting really excited! We were expecting about 30 people. In the beginning, I was not expecting hardly anyone to come. Let's just say I have friends and family with a reputation of being a tad flaky. Everyone had confirmed and I really couldn't believe it was all going to work out so beautifully!

Things were set up, Carson was down for a nap. (A complicated task that I thought would not happen before the party.) The party was supposed to start at 4, and around 3:30 the phones started going off. We had 9 cancellations. I have a pet peeve. It is a simple one. I understand that people have things come up, I do. But, if you have something come up almost every time you commit to do something, I will dub you a flake. That's just how it is! If you don't want to come, or have something else to do, just say so from the beginning! PLEASE! So, we had 9 people have something come up last minute. I am not mad or anything, simply stating that I let my hopes get the best of me. :)

As family and friends start to arrive, Carson wakes up screaming. It took him a while to calm down. Then, he was pretty mad about the bow tie. :)

As everyone is getting food and the littles are taking their place at the table, my mother in law gets a phone call from Devin's grandma, stating that they were considering taking Grandpa back to the hospital. (He had just been in for gallbladder removal and was having some complications related to diabetes.) Basically, half the party left to take care of Grandpa- which I totally understand, and wouldn't have it any other way.

After some of the changes settled in, we were all able to enjoy ourselves and have a good time. Carson opened gifts, we had cake (which he LOVED), played Pin the Tail on the Donkey, which Isaac dominated. I had never seen anyone get it RIGHT on!

As things wound down, I realized for myself that it is pointless to spend so much money and effort for a party that Carson will NEVER remember, and that pretty much ended up being disastrous, if I want to be negative about it.

As we were getting ready for bed and Carson was coming down from his sugar high, he grabbed my face and gave me a big wet kiss, and I realized that even though he won't ever remember the party, it was worth it, because he is worth it! I love that little boy, and I can't believe he is getting so old. (If you want to call 10 mos old.) I say I will never do it again, but on July 10, it will happen again, and the next year....and the next year....and the next year....

Mad Hatter Preview...

2011-05-21T15:24:00.000-07:00

He cleaned. He cleaned!

2011-05-19T11:02:00.000-07:00

Amazing, right? Didn't last. :( Thanks, honey! xoxoxox

High on life?

2011-05-19T10:59:00.000-07:00

Who is slipping my kid drugs!?
Don'tcha love the snot?

Subway art

2011-05-19T10:45:00.001-07:00

If you are addicted to Subway art, or art with words like I am, here is an amazing site where you can download prints, and then send them to Costco for some quality looking art! I want to make a collage in the hallway. Visit sprik.blogspot.com! Here is what I got:

Several different colors for all of the prints!

For Carson's birthday!

I love all of the color combinations, so I chose ones that match best with my decor- mainly yellow and aqua. I printed some in 5x7's, some 8x10's. I will take a pic of the finished product!

Don't you ever grow up.

2011-05-12T08:27:00.000-07:00

My baby is getting a little too big, a little too fast.

Your little hands wrapped around my finger
And it's so quiet in the world tonight
Your little eyelids flutter 'cause you're dreaming
So I tuck you in, turn on your favorite night light

To you, everything's funny
You got nothing to regret
I'd give all I have, honey
If you could stay like that

Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up
Just stay this little
Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up
It could stay this simple

I won't let nobody hurt you
Won't let no one break your heart
No, no one will desert you
Just try to never grow up, never grow up

Pictures de familia- or something like that.

2011-04-08T06:17:00.000-07:00

Keep calm and....

2011-04-06T10:11:00.000-07:00

I love these old UK signs that were designed during WWII. The original says, "KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON" Which I got a large poster size from ETSY in a pretty lemony green. I found this generator here: www.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk. It was so much fun playing around with signs!

Blog love.

2011-04-06T08:31:00.000-07:00

So, there are a few blogs I stalk every day, religiously. I thought I would share them with you. They give me great inspiration on style for myself and my home, insights and anything else women may feel uplifted by.

Here they are:

http://littlemissmomma.blogspot.com/

http://craftily-ever-after.blogspot.com/

http://www.lisaleonardonline.com/

www.thepleatedpoppy.com/

I just love these blogs. I wish I had the time and energy to put into a dang fantastic blog. I mean, I am dang fantastic, and I know for a fact it would become a sensation. :)

Sicky

2011-03-14T11:20:00.000-07:00

Carson and I are sick. We are just waiting for Devin to take his turn.

On Wednesday Carson started acting sick. By that evening, we had learned our niece, Raegan, was diagnosed with RSV. We called the doctor, and he told us to give him benedryl, and call back if he seems to lose his appetite. Come Friday, Devin took him in. Sure enough, he was diagnosed with RSV as well. The hospital sent over a nebulizer and he is to have a breathing treatment every 4-6 hours. They gave us this cute little fishy mask to go with it, but Carson is not buying it. He just has this heartbreaking cry when we try to put the mask on him. We tried to distract him, but it doesn't work.

That evening, I started to cough. I thought it was odd since that same day, I just finished 10 days of antibiotics for a sinus infections. I ended up going to bed early.

On Saturday, we had plans to go to Layton to Drake's 3rd birthday party, after my friend Sara's baby shower. We knew the party was out of the question because the doctor advised us to keep Carson inside for the next week. I felt fine, so I went to the baby shower.

Later in the afternoon, I started to feel worse and worse, so I ended up sleeping most of the day, then all night. Thank goodness Devin is feeling well so he can stay with Carson. Carson had a fever starting early Sunday morning, and woke up 7 or so times in the night. I was so out of it I didn't notice. Devin gave him a breathing treatment, and he fell asleep on Devin's lap.

On Sunday morning Devin told me I should go to Urgent Care. I went right when it opened, and it was really bust. Lots of coughing babies. I watched 3-4 people who where there after me get called, so I went to the receptionist to ask about it. It turns out she had misplaced my stuff, and got bumped to the front. Thank goodness. 30 min and a blood draw later, I was diagnosed with viral bronchitis. I got a prescription for cough medicine with codeine in it, and came home. I ended up sleeping 5 more hours. When I got up at 4, Carson was feeling a lot better. He ate some fruit and some puffs, and we played. We discovered that he likes the adult portion of the nebulizer because he can chew on it. That has led to more successful treatments.

I stayed home from work today, still not feeling great. Carson slept through the night again, no fever, so he is on the mend. His appetite seems to be back as well. This is our first time dealing with him being sick. it was not easy. I would have given anything to make him feel better! I know that next time this happens we will be able to handle it a little more gracefully. We are just glad he is feeling better!

2011-03-11T10:39:00.000-08:00

i. am. in. love.

This has to be the most COMFORTABLE shoe EVER.
In my mind, Devin and I are going to take up running this summer. But in reality, they just look really cute with jeans and a sweater for work. :) LOVE. IT.

Life As We Know It.

2011-03-11T09:59:00.000-08:00

I do want to be a better blogger, I do. I want to be a writer. I want a lot of things. In 7th grade, at Vandenberg Middle School, I was voted most likely to be a writer in my yearbook. This was courtesy of my peers. What did they know? Perhaps blogging is as close to being a writer that I will get in this life. Instead I enjoy reading other peoples words. Be it books, or blogs. As I read, I think, "I can do that, I want to do that!" Well, this is as far as I get.

Devin and I have been busy making decisions, and waiting on life. I feel like waiting is such a terrible, yucky word. When it comes down to it, all we do is wait. As a child I thought often, I can not wait to be a teenager. As a teenager, I was waiting for adult life. And so it goes. Now we are waiting on school to be done. To buy a house. To know where we are going to end up. There is a lot of waiting taking place. A lot of anxiety, and a lot of uncertainty.

Currently, we are getting ready to move to Salt Lake. We will be in a new city. Devin will be going to the University of Utah for Therapeutic Recreation.

Pros: We will have cheaper rent, utilities. Closer to Devin's family, closer to being done with school. Saving money to buy a house.

Cons: Leaving my friends in Provo. Leaving the city I am familiar with. Leaving my job. Leaving Carson's first house. Living with family, and not alone.

Thoughts: Where is life going to take us? I want answers, and I know that I can't have them. I am not sure where I am going to be working next year. That terrifies me. I will have a job. That is a definite blessing that I know many don't have. It makes me feel almost rotten for feeling so anxious. We aren't homeless, we have a comfortable lifestyle. I JUST WANT TO KNOW EVERYTHING! :)

Carson is adorable. That helps with everything. I just know that with Heavenly Fathers help, we can never go wrong and will always make the right decisions for our family.

Okay, Fine.

2011-02-15T09:54:00.000-08:00

So I am a terrible, awful, pitiful blogger. I update my facebook status, not my blog. Probably because my family has facebook, and they don't look at blogs.

So, I am not still pregnant.

Carson was born 7-10-10, and he is fabulous. Go look on facebook.

Yesterday was Valentine's day. It was fun.

The end. :)

I love you Morgan!

Pregnancy Update

2010-06-09T18:32:00.000-07:00

How far along? 34 weeks and 3 days
Total weight gain: 27 lbs
Stretch marks? Heaven help me. I swear I applied gobs of cocoa butter daily....oh well, all in the name of love!
Sleep? I can't complain tooooo much, but lately my back will get really stiff if I am up on my side too much. Tylenol PM is fabulous and I love it. Lately I have been needing to get up quite a few times in the middle of the night to visit the bathroom, last night was 4 before 5 am....i'm pretty positive his head is smooshing my bladder! :)
Movement: Goodness gracious. We nicknamed him Monkey for a reason. He is quite the wiggle worm! He will stretch when I give him room and his cute little butt will pop out right above my belly button. It's fun because we can hold it and feel like we are interacting with him a little more! However, I DO NOT like it when he stretches so much he kicks me in the ribs. Today he managed to push his head on my bladder and kick me in the ribs at the same time. It was the first time I had to yell at my son! :)
Food cravings: Water! Mountain Dew (which I NEVER liked before) ,V8 splash, english muffins have been frequent, cheese, anything carbs really. oh, STEAK! Which I never liked before, either! He is definitely a boy, who loves boy food.Thank goodness I haven't gained too much weight. What is frustrating is I can barely eat anything. My eyes are bigger than my stomach! I might want more things if everything didn't give me heartburn!
Gender: Boy
Labor Signs: Braxton Hicks, cramps, and I guess high blood pressure counts, because if it stays up, it will be happy birthday to the little man. I am on bed rest until then. I haven't been "checked" yet, but that will start in 2 weeks to see if there is any progress going on down there! (I personally think he is ready ;) )
Belly Button in or out? Flat? Depends on the day and the time. If he is poking out, so is my belly button. If he is hiding farther back, its in pretty far. The top sticks out the farthest.
What I miss: Feeling healthy. This has been a rough pregnancy. And that is not just my opinion :) The Docs agree! Bed rest is no fun, so I miss freedom. It is a bit depressing that it is summer and I am hanging out on the couch when I want to be out and about, walking, swimming, playing in the park, boating, camping, etc, but I would MUCH rather have a healthy, happy, little man!
Monthly Wisdom: Just because you feel fine, you are not. This is true. It's crazy that you and the baby are in incredible danger in regards to blood pressure, and you don't feel a thing! I am learning to listen to my body, and things that I think might be alarming, probably are. I am grateful that pregnancy has forced me to listen to my body more.
Milestones: I just love being able to say "I will have a baby next month!" It has been a long journey, but it really has flown by! I also secretly enjoy the rib kicks because it means my little man is getting so big! :)

Morgan, this one is for you...!

2010-03-15T06:47:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I guess it has been a while since I have updated this, but most of you know what is going on in our lives already!

First of all, on Nov 12, we found out that we were pregnant! It was such an exciting time for us, especially since we had been trying and praying for so long! About 2 weeks later, I was having some troubles and had to go to the emergency room in St. George, while attending Miranda and Jordan's wedding. At the ER, we were told that we would be having twins. Not one, but two! However, there was a problem with baby B, and it did not survive. We found out when I was 8 weeks along that the baby had quit developing. This was indeed a very hard time for us, but we felt so blessed to know that our other baby, baby A as he was called, was alive, well, and healthy! The positive aspect to this is that we have a perfect child in heaven waiting for us! That is very comforting.

If you were paying close attention, you would notice that I said he. We are having a boy!!!! This is such a exciting and scary time for us, and we couldn't be happier! Major changes in life have always been a challenge for me, but they always turn out to be the best things ever! I know having our sweet little boy will be no different! WE CAN NOT WAIT FOR JULY 19TH! (or somewhere around there- he is actually measuring a week large) When we get to welcome our little one!

So, on that note- we are also going to be moving, somewhere in Utah County, where to- I don't know! We have looked at quite a few places, but nothing really seems right. I am pretty adamant about not living below people. We have had a TERRIBLE experience with the elephants who live above us at the moment. They are the most rude and inconsiderate people I have ever met! Even a few weeks ago, the "wife"- as Devin calls her- came stomping down the stairs and banging on our door, because we banged on the ceiling. (It was almost 11 p.m., and things were falling off of our walls- excuse us!) I guess she hasn't heard about me, because all 4 feet and 80 lbs of her tried to get loud with me, so I got louder. And she "shook like a chihuahua" according to my hubby. Haha! I swear I am not a mean person, but when you disturb a pregnant woman, when she is tired, and trying to share the news of the baby's gender, I tend to get a little moody...if you know me, you know that I am always the most sweet and charming girl around...! Right? :) Anyways, we need to move to a bigger place for our little man, and for some piece of mind for myself! If you know of any fab places, please make us privy to the location!

Thank you for reading my banter, and those are the major things happening right now. We are also starting a strict budget/meal and menu planning routine, so maybe I will let my faithful readers out there ( All two of you) know how that goes! Love you all!

Fun Fall Activities!

2009-10-04T06:14:00.001-07:00

So I have come to the conclusion that I love fall. A lot! It is truly a great time of year! Here are some things that I love about Fall:

-The crisp air
-The colorful leaves everywhere, especially in the canyons!
- Fall/Winter Clothes. I love love love layers and sweaters and boots!
-Extra blankets on the bed
- Hot chocolate and red box movies are a must in our house
- Fall scented candles (pumkin spice!)
- Pumpkin cookies
-Utah's love for Halloween. There is so much to do! (Haunted Forest, Haunted Houses, Corn Mazes)
- The lights on the SLC temple go up
-Coming home and putting on PJ's and snuggly socks!
- Refreshing walks in the afternoon
-All the feelings that come with fall!
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY....
My birthday (Thanksgiving) and Christmas are JUST around the CORNER!

Fall Days....

2009-10-03T18:52:00.001-07:00

After the Saturday sessions of General Conference, we decided to grab some hot chocolate from the gas station (Abuelitas!) and drive up to Bridal Veil Falls to enjoy the lovely views. It was chilly, and fabulous!

Somebody call 911...!

2009-10-02T07:02:00.001-07:00

Oh goodness. Let me tell you a little story about illness. It is NO fun. Devin and I recently had a visit from Mr. Flu. Or Mr. H1N1. We haven't heard back from the Dr. yet to confirm. Okay...here is what happened....

On Monday while Devin and I were at work, I looked at him and said, "In the whole time that you have worked here, you never have called in sick, huh?" He agreed. Our jobs are not ones we can just 'call in sick' to. We deal with lives, not french fries. If we are not at work the whole world gets tipped upside down. YES PEOPLE, we ARE that important! :) Devin's boss, Annabelle, commented that his attendance is why she loves him so.

Tuesday rolls around. Alarm goes off. Devin whines. Not like him. He says, "My throat hurts soooo bad! I can't go to work, I just can't!" I sit up to talk to him, and am smacked in the stomach with nausea. I quickly lay back down and think crap. Now that you mention it, my throat hurts too! And I think I'm gonna......you know the rest.

One trip to the toilet and some mouth wash later, I decide its time to call for some substitutes. We need to rest a little bit!

I go out to lay on the couch, my favorite location when ill. I watch the Today show, which reminds me of Christmas time, since that is the only time I can ever watch it. I fall asleep but am awakened by a banging on the wall. I go into the bedroom and Devin is convulsing. Like really shaking. I take his temperature and its 103 DEGREES! He is burning up! I end up taking him to insta-care. He doesn't look so hot...well, he's hot, but he's shaking, so he looks cold. Ya know?

We arrive to insta-care and some large lady at the desk is taking her sweet time talking about Hawaii with another patient. ?(Ok- we have a contagious person here who is going to infect you if you don't hustle...! ) After Devin sits down and I put a mask on him, things get moving. He gets called back and while we are visiting with the Dr, things get worse. He ends up vomiting while I tell his symptoms. Yuck. Add that one to the list!

The Dr. looks worried. Then tells us what I thought all along. "Well, I want to tell you it doesn't appear to be seasonal flu. He has no cough, or congestion, nor a stuffy nose. I'm sure you have heard of H1N1. It appears that this may be that."

Whoa Whoa Whoa! Hold the train up. We can't have SWINE FLU! It's not possible!

"Well, he continues, it may also be mono...."

"Oh good, I hope its that!" Says Devin.

"Umm...mono is worse, Devin!" I say. "You could be sick for months!"

"oh..."

"Well," says the Dr, "do you have good insurance?"

"yesss..."

"Okay, I am giving you both a prescription for tamiflu, and Devin will get a naproxin shot in his butt. That will make him feel better! Also, don't go to work or school for a few days. Both of you."

"Oh....okay...." I reply, and he leaves to get the goods.

Well, after we leave the hospital, I head over to Smiths to fill the prescriptions. I wander around to get sick people food. You know, popsicles, jello, soup,powerade.

I decide to call my family to let them know what has happened. They make some pig kissing jokes, and then my dad proceeds to tell me that he just got back from the hospital with my dear mother, who was taken there via ambulance due to what they suspected was a stroke. (Wait-WHAT!?!?) He goes on to tell me that for the last 2 months my dear mother has not been taking her blood pressure medicine- something she has needed almost her whole life. He said she is back on it and hopefully learned her lesson. Umm. Ok?

I return to the pharmacy to pick up the goods. The cashier swipes the meds and I watch with big eyes the numbers that pop up on the register. After she hits enter, the total comes up. I don't believe it. Then I hear her say, "$152.78"

WHAT!?!?!?!

"Did you get my insurance, I have insurance!"

"Yes ma'am, but these kind of pills are in such demand the drug companies can hike the prices up." Crap. That is a lot of money.

I'm sure it was all Obama's fault. And a democrat would blame it on my pal, George Double-ya Bush.

Anyways. I think- Dang. What a crappy day.

Ohhh it gets better.

The next day of our sickness. I get on Facebook to see all of these status updates about how Vandenberg Air Force Base is on fire. Ummm. My parents house is on the edge of that field. Like 3 miles away. We have been evacuated before because of fires. My sisters have terrible life threatening Asthma. Time to call home again. Find out that they can see it coming and its smoky. Sisters all left to go into town so they can breathe. Kristen just ran out of her inhaler. Will keep me posted. Lovely.

Get updates throughout the night. Feeling panicky. Nauseous. Get sick again. Remember that I scheduled a meeting for the next day after school and did none of the paperwork. Email everyone to cancel. Try and breathe. Devin needs a quesadilla. How convenient, Dev!

Fall asleep at 8pm, up at 5. No work for me. Call for another sub.

OH YEA! And I got a call from Geico saying we had to bring our car to Sandy at 10:40, about 30 min away, to pick up a rental and get it repaired, after another teacher I work with bashed our back end in. Genius. Thank goodness we had surveillance, and the decided to pay.

To make the sicky days worse, they give us a Dodge Callibur to drive for the next week. I think feel sick again. Had lunch with the in-laws. Feeling good. Relaxed the rest of the day. Devin is feeling good, too.

Wake up today, feeling good. Come to work. Walk in to a banner saying how much they missed me, balloons, and a pile of cards. Its good to be back!

2009-09-28T09:28:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to say...that people who just gush and talk about how amazing and wonderful life is EVERY day....are usually full of crap! :)

2009-09-24T07:27:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I guess I NEED to update this thing. Lets see, what is new...

1. We are working two jobs a piece. Why? I'm still not sure. I am teaching and working at a group home in Spanish Fork, and Devin is still an aide, and working at the group home, AND going to school full time. What a stud!

2. My sister, Kristen, is coming to stay with us for a while starting on the 6th. If you have ever seen the size of my apt, this should be interesting to say the least.

3. The school year is in full affect. Things are going well, and I am having NO behavior issues. Woohoo!

4. I love Devin, and he loves me. But that is not really new....

Jon minus Kate Plus 8??

2009-05-26T08:32:00.001-07:00

Tabloid Covers

Okay, so say what you want, but I am obsessed with Jon and Kate Plus 8. It's really quite sad. I fell in love with the show about 2 years ago, and I catch an episode almost daily. I don't know why. It's sick, I know.

So, amidst my adorning of "America's favorite family" the tabloids began coming out with some crazy things. Headlines accusing infidelity such as "Jon caught out with mystery woman!" "Kate and the bodyguard!" and now attacks such as "Kate Gosselin: Mom to Monster"

When all of this started coming into the light, I was beside myself! [Ask anyone who is close to me :) ] I was in denial! That is the best way to put it- I thought there is no possible way! They are a good christian family, with lots of love! I guess I was wrong.

After falling victim to reading some of the tabloid rants and raves, I thought, "well...this makes a little bit of sense." After watching last nights season premiere, I listed to how Kate talked about her "job" and putting her kids first. If that were true, wouldn't she quit the show? Wouldn't she take a step back and say, "ok, we have sufficient for our needs? My kids are set? Lets be a family?" You would think so. You would hope so. I prayed so! But no. That is not the case.

If the Gosselin's can not take a step back and re-prioritize their life and step out of the spot light, much to Jon's request, they can save their family.

Kate however, seems unwilling to do so. WHY!?

I looked at Devin last night and said, "there will never be anything that I won't sacrifice if our marriage was about to come to an end." I hope that we never get to that point, and I hope I will never be so greedily involved in something to prevent that.

If you want my opinion, they need to stop the show. As much as I love those cute little kids, its time to call it quits folks, and focus on what really matters.

We really..really... like iphoto...

2009-05-22T06:58:00.000-07:00

So, a couple of weeks ago, Amy and Andrew were over as usual...and it was late...and this is the result...We only hang out with the most attractive people...you know me!
Amy has such Gorgeous eyes!
Devin says my smile can light up a room...
Amy gets prettier by the minute. Jealous!
People do say I have a dominant personality...

Aren't they so cute!?
We managed to take a trip to the moon!
And under the sea!
BFF'S!

Thanks for looking! :)

Alohaaaaa

2009-05-22T06:54:00.001-07:00

So, next Monday, June 1, we are off to Hawaii! We are so excited! Our friends, Blake and Becky, told us about this AWESOME deal on orbitz.com. We were able to get tickets and hotel for a week, for about $800.00! Yes...800.00. We are so exctied! What a wonderful way to spend our 1 year anniversary. I LOVE YOU, DEVIN! THANK YOU!

Easter time...

2009-04-13T08:09:00.000-07:00

SO, this year Easter was kind of sad! We celebrated Easter on Saturday, with Devin's family. Everyone was there and it was nice to spend time with my nieces and nephews. We had a yummy ham dinner and the kids received some baskets from Grandma and Grandpa Hardman and Great Grandma and Grandpa Vineyard. It is so celebrating holidays with little ones. It makes it so much more exciting! We left before the official egg hunt started, because we were heading up north to Farmington to play some games with our good friends, Amy and Andrew. They were at Andrew's parents new house for Easter. Chad and Cindy, Blake and Becky were also there. (Chindy and Blecky) :) The girls played some fun card games and chatted while the guys golfed on the Wii. When the boys were done, we played "murder in the dark." The objective was to catch a murderer, obviously! We turned off all the lights in the basement and one person drew a paper that gave them the job of murderer. We all crawled on our hands and knees, in the pitch black dark, trying to avoid being "choked" by the assassin! I never got to be the murderer, but I did manage to get my arm banged up pretty bad. First, Blake rolled over me as I lay on the floor dying, and shortly after, Chad stepped on my arm. Both guys were attempting to oust the murderer by racing to the light switch and exclaiming that they know who the murderer is. Even though I was injured, it was a lot of fun! It's great having good friends who are at the same stage of life as you are.

On Sunday, we went to church and got some nice reminders about the true meaning of Easter. I am so grateful for Christ's atonement and for the resurrection of our savior!!! The sad part came when we came home and napped for HOURS and ate pasta for dinner, followed by watching Twilight. Not very Easter-y! Amy and Andrew came by for games and brownies but it was sad not being with my family doing all those fun Easter things. Maybe next year we wil be in California, and perhaps with a little one to enjoy all the fun with! :)

We will however, be in California TOMORROW! I am so excited to see my family!

GOSH that was a long post...hope you all care! :)

Our internet has been down at home so I will post pictures soon!

We're rich!

2009-04-10T10:34:00.001-07:00

Okay, not really. But, good news is, in about 1 hour, we will have sold Devin's 2007 Toyota Corolla to some friends of ours! This is great news for us! We have 2 cars, both 07's, and work less than a block from our home, and Devin rides the bus to school. We are happy to have some extra money to stash in savings. Hooray for provident living!

Picture Time!

2009-04-02T11:16:00.001-07:00

April Fools Day

2009-04-02T10:45:00.000-07:00

So, last year I tried to trick my class, and it went....not so good? This year was a different story!

First, we write in journals every morning. I give them some topics, and they scribble away! Yesterday I chose some interesting topics. They read:

1. Why do you love me? Why am I so great? Why do you cry when I'm not here?

2. Write a letter to Mary (she's my fabulous aide) and tell her how much you love her and what a fabulous person she is.

Fix: happie aprul foolz day! the furst to figure this out getz a treet!

We read through the prompts, and tell them to read the fixer on their own.

lots of writing and 45 min later I get responses like this:

"I love Mrs. Hardman becuase she is beutful and she is nice to me all the time and she love me and i love her she is my favrite teacher in the hole wurld she is nice and she takes us to honks if wur good. i think mrs. hardman rocks!" -Tommy

"Dear Hardman is pertty teacher mom and dad love you mrs hardman you are funun i sad mrs hardman not come to work or scool niec hardman wedding husbun devin fun and hims nice and cute. i love hardman. best friend hardman!" -Maria

So, maybe you didn't understand the words but all I know is I have wonderful kids who brighten my day and mean the world to me!!

On a funnier note, they did trick themselves! We decided to trick a student who went to the restroom. The kids hid and told me to change the clock so she would think she missed the bus. That prank flopped. Upon exiting their hiding spaces, one girl cried out, "oh no! look at the time! We are late!" This caused a FRENZY! They went absolutely nuts trying to get out to the bus. Once the got outside they were furious that the bus was gone. I calmly asked the kids if they remembered that I switched the clock per their request. The smiled, and turned around to go back to the room.... :)

My bad...

2009-01-30T21:27:00.000-08:00

So I am an awful blogger. I don't know how to invite people to my blog, so like two people know it exists....I guess I should figure that out...

So Devin and I had a wonderful last 8 months....here is a quick recap

-Married June 6

- Spent many days in the hospital and at the doctor with mystery illness.

-I taught summer school while Dev worked in Park City

-I started working at Provo High School in August, and love it

- Halloween came and went, no big deal

-Diagnosed with Fibromyalgia

-Undiagnosed, diagnosed with two herniated discs in my back

- I had a fun birthday full of Twilight, Shopping, and SUSHI!

-Devin had a Pizza and video game filled birthday

-Christmas was in California

-New Years was quiet

-Devin left those idiots at the Park City, Marriott and now works at Provo High in the classroom I used to work at!

-Health is back on track

- I am now preparing to take the GRE and apply to Grad School.

Not too exciting but thats all I got! :)

2008-06-26T14:38:00.000-07:00

Gena took some AMAZING pictures of us in Ca!
Thank you for being such a wonderful friend, and a fabulous photographer!!!

Married. What!?

2008-06-11T19:45:00.000-07:00

So its true. We did it. Got married. June 6, 2008 in the LDS Salt Lake Temple. It was so beautiful! Its only been a few days, but so far married life is great! Its nice always having that person you love by your side constantly, and you know that they will always be there. What a blessing marriage is!

Happylujia!

2008-03-25T15:42:00.000-07:00

One month until graduation as of today. Yippee!

I was telling my kids how happy I was, and Daniel shouted, "Happylujia!" it was quite precious. :) SO Gena did our engagement pictures at the beginning of the month, and they have turned out fabulous! She is so gifted and I love them! SHe is working on out announcements as well, those should be out soon.

Life is good. Hectic. But good. What can I say. Life is working out for us right now! Trials are ever present but we know they are temporary...!

Apartment Hunting

2008-02-08T20:08:00.000-08:00

Well, today Devin and I ventured out to look for potential places to live. We wanted to start now so that we were aware of our options. We looked at a few places, some scarier than others. There were 4 cop cars outside one area, and we opted not to check that place out again! :) Some other areas had us feeling uneasy, so we decided to check out out last option, where I thought it would be too expensive or impossible to find a vacancy. Boy, were we lucky! There was a 30+ waiting list for spring, and we'd be on the bottom. Right when I lost all hope, a lady said," actually, if you put a deposit down today, I can guarantee one on May 1st. I know of a contract that is up for sale!" We were thrilled! We checked out the apartment and it was PERFECT! We signed some papers, and I will move in May 1st;Devin will follow after the wedding! Its so nice to check things off our list!! :)

We are ENGAGED!

2008-02-06T20:27:00.000-08:00

So, engaged. Yea. We are! It is official. Life came at us very fast, and we have come to the prayerful decision that we want to be married for time and all eternity! The official proposal Happened on January 31st. Devin showed up to my work, unannounced. I received a call on the intercom from Vicky, my school secretary, asking me to come to the office. When I arrived, there were flowers on her desk. I thought nothing of it and asked her what was going on. She said she had something for me, and next thing I know, Devin hops out of the nurses office, is on one knee, and of course....I said YES! June 6, 2008 is the day!