"Mommy I fixed Cara's hair."

This morning Caleb came into my bathroom where I was getting ready for the day, scissors in hand, smiling ear to ear, and said, "mommy I fixed Cara's hair."  The phrase every mom dreads hearing from her four year old son.  My heart sunk to my toes.  "You didn't cut it did you???"  "Yep, I did."  I held my breath as I hurried into the living room to see the damage.   I have to admit it could be much worse he took a few sections out of the back that will not affect pulling it back.  Basically he gave it a serious thinning, but all in all didn't cause major damage.  Unfortunately their piggy bank puppy, Daisy, wasn't so lucky with her ears.  Daisy is one of Cara's favorite toys.  Just before the hair cut I took a picture of Cara feeding Daisy breakfast.  At least we can hold onto the memory of her cute long ears.  I am glad that Cara's hair is only partially redesigned, and I am hoping Caleb has learned that cutting hair is not acceptable.

 


 

Easter!

Our Easter celebration started on Saturday morning at the park next to Cathie's house with a big West Point, Easter Egg Hunt.  The kids have had a little practice with Grandma Iva and at the Lows so we thought they were good to go.  Well. . . we were wrong.  In the 0-3 category Cara couldn't wait until they said go.   She kept dashing out into the eggs upsetting the children around her.  When it was finally time to go she ran, and ran, and ran.  It took some coaching to help her remember that she needed to pick up eggs.  She and Emi did well. 


 



On the other hand Caleb was excited and ready to go right up to the point that they said go.  That is when he started to freak out.  He broke into tantrum mode which put him way behind the other kids.  When Josh saw that Caleb was about to have no success he took him to the "special needs section.  Josh's comment was, "it was obvious that he had special needs."  The poor kid buckled under pressure. 


 



The Easter Bunny made it to our house this year even though Josh didn't understand why the Easter Bunny needed to bring presents.  He thought hiding eggs would be sufficient.  He tried to tell me it wasn't Christmas, but I held out and the kids scored a $120 swing set from Walmart.  I say if the cheapest swing set worked for me (my family had an identical one to the one we have for 15+ years) it will work for my kids too.  The kids love it even with the snow still in the back yard.  Josh was not happy trying to put it together on Easter afternoon when ALL of the screws were just a little bit too short.  It is amazing what a hammer and a frustrated man can do.  Caleb informed Cara's speech therapist on Monday morning that his dad is a builder and "he can build anything."






Our eggs didn't get colored until the Monday after Easter, but I am quite proud of myself for even embracing the messy tradition.  Honestly, it was quite fun.  I think we came up with some egg-celent designs.

House is Leased!

One of our financial challenges this year has been making payments on a home we built as a spec in Star, Idaho (a suburb of Boise.)  When we started the investment in the winter of 2006 the market was hot and it seemed that there was no way to loose.  Unfortunately lots of other people had the same idea and the aria got overbuilt and then of course the mortgage market crashed leaving us with a beautiful empty home and large payments.  We have learned that there is no such thing as a "safe" investment because from all angles this appeared to be a great one. We feel so fortunate to finally have it leased out.  This last week Josh and I took a day trip to see the home and make sure everything was worked out with the woman leasing the home.  She is somewhat of a celebrity with a radio talk show she is running from the home.  You may want to check it out at www.daytona-n-friends.com.  "Positive talk around the clock."  We are excited about what she is doing with the place and hope that she will be able to buy it within the year.  Following are a few pictures. 


 

                       
 


We took a few minutes to stretch our legs in Twin Falls and to see the falls.  Being a native of Idaho I don't believe I have ever seen them.  It was awesome. 

We are Expecting!

The time has come to make the announcement official. We are expecting! Luckily it is something that we really wanted because I have been so sick. It has been a rough month or so. I guess I had it in my mind that sense I was better with Cara than with Caleb that this time I would be even better. Boy was I wrong. As rough as it has been I am really trying not to complain and to count my blessings that Josh and I are able to be parents again. The widget we have added to our blog is so that Josh can keep track of how far along I am. I am going to keep my eyes set on the weeks I have behind me not what lies ahead. I want to share with you some excerpts from my journal as I was trying to look past being sick and count my blessings.

1. I had two miscarriages in the last six months and I am grateful that this pregnancy is sticking. I really do want to have a family and I am grateful that I am capable of bearing my own children. When I think of the heartbreak of those who can't I am so sorry for them. I know that is much worse than this temporary discomfort that I have.

2. Zofran went generic after I had Cara. (The medication I take so that I can keep food down.) With my other pregnancies I (the insurance) payed $45 for each pill. I have almost quadrupled the dose I was taking with Cara and I am so grateful that they do not cost what they used to.

3. My discomfort is temporary. I know that my sickness will go away in seven months and I will get a prize at the end. I am so grateful for that!

4. I am grateful that I am not experiencing this alone. My husband loves and supports me. I am so thankful for a husband that is a team player and is a worthy priesthood holder. A few weeks ago Josh and I were laying in bed and it was just like you see in the movies. I felt like I was starving. I hadn't kept anything down all day and all I wanted was macaroni and cheese. (I haven't eaten that sense I was 10, but in the last couple of weeks I have had it everyday for lunch.) Unfortunately we were out and Josh was very tired, but he went to the grocery store and stocked up for me. I ate some before going back to bed and I slept better than I have for a long time. I wasn't even sick in the night.

5. Caleb and Cara have been so sweet and worried about me. For the first few weeks that I was sick Caleb would ask me each and every time I got up, "are you going to throw-up." He would ask with such concern, and Cara has taken it upon herself to be my nurse. Although Caleb doesn't hesitate to tell me how disgusting it is. He has done his share of gagging because it sicks him out, but he has to watch.

I do have one kind of funny story. On Saturday morning I was about to jump in Josh's car when I started to gag. (I don't go to the bathroom when I feel like I am going to throw-up or else I would be in the bathroom all of the time. I don't go until I start gagging.) Of course I wasn't thinking clearly, all I could think was that I didn't want to clean up puke in the the garage or the car. Instead of just running out to the yard I stupidly jumped in the car and backed out to the yard, all the time I was gagging and just trying not to loose anything in Josh's car. Once I got out of the garage I jumped out of the car to do my business, but the car was still in reverse. At that point my breakfast started coming out, but I was getting run over by the car door as the car continued backing out. I jumped back in the car keeping my head hanging out the door to put my foot on the brake while I finished what needed to be done. Needless to say I was really glad no one was looking as I closed the door and drove away, I am also pleased to announce that the car and garage were saved.

Birthday Princess

Cara turned TWO on Saturday. She was a cute little birthday princess.


We are looking forward to "the terrific twos." She really is a great kid.


She has been so cute with me sense I have been sick. She gets me her blankets when I am laying down. I can't decide if she thinks she is my nurse or my mommy. She tries to feed me and she is always sweetly touching my face or hair and affectionately saying "mommy". She is a sweet little girl, but she knows how to keep up and be tough like the boys. On Friday we had five boys at our house four and under. Cara had no clue that she was any different than them. At one point I saw her chasing after them with a helmet and a gun. As they were wrestling that day I also had to peal her off of a four year old boy who was crying because she wouldn't get off of him and later a three year old boy. Caleb has taught her to wrestle with the best of them. She has also added the word "chout" aka "watch out" to her vocabulary. She always throws an elbow at her brother as she says it.

Happy 4th Birthday Caleb!

Caleb had a great birthday! It was a party all day long. He was lucky enough to have his friends and cousins here all day and then loving visitors all evening. The day started with him yelling from his bed "mom come get me up." He couldn't stop talking and he just wanted to know when his birthday "starts." I tried to explain that it was all day, but he needed a starting point. Thanks to everyone who made it a great day!

Making the most of all this snow!

Last weekend we had a wonderful time snowmobiling with my family. The kids loved it! They didn't care how cold they got. They just loved bouncing around on the snow. It is hard to see who is who because they also insisted on wearing their goggles. Who can blame them?



The snow is now officially above the fence at my parent's house. I can't remember there ever being this much snow. I berried a snowmobile up the canyon while riding with Cara and Colter. Cathie was with me and she had Caleb. She took all three kids home and picked up some muscles, Cody, to come and rescue me. The pictures don't give justice to how much show there really is.



While I waited to be rescued I came across this beautiful tree. I am sure there are many object lessons that could be taken from the way that it has held onto its beautiful fall leaves. Mostly I was just awestruck with the beauty.



When the kids weren't on the snowmobile they were on the sled taking advantage of grandpa who would pull them up the hill to sled down.

A Moment to Reflect on President Hinckley

Life is crazy and busy and sometimes crazy busy, but with the passing of President Hinckley I thought it would be nice to post a couple of tributes that have touched me. I hope you can take a moment to consider the life, mission and example of President Hinckley too.

This first tribute is from FM100 in Salt Lake City. It is audio only. It is amazing to hear his voice, the testimony that he shares and the way he has influenced the life of others.

FM100 MP3

The second tribute comes from Glenn Beck. It is touching to see someone who is something of a national icon get choked up as he speaks of the Prophet of God President Hinckley.

Glen Beck

I am Chocolate . . .

Sense I am in the blogging mood today I thought I would post this fun quiz. By clicking on the following picture you will go to a little quiz that assesses what kind of ice cream you are most like. This really isn't usually my thing, but today is going slow. In fact, I thought it was an hour latter and I have been waiting for Sami to get home, but I still have an hour. I am grateful for the company she is to me in the late afternoon. Anyway, I would love to know what flavor you are too!




Here are the summaries of all the flavors:

Vanilla (32% of the people who took this quiz got the same evaluation):You're as popular and relaxing as vanilla ice cream. You go with the flow, and get along with all sorts of people. You appreciate peace and simplicity, so you sometimes find crowds and loud noises overwhelming. You are a chilled-out, calming influence on the people in your life, and your friends appreciate how supportive and flexible you are.

Chocolate (21%): You embody the perfect blend of sweetness and seduction. You personality is just as luscious and irresistible as chocolate ice cream. You have a flirty, melty attitude that's easygoing and delicious. You appreciate luxurious, extravagant things, like the way ultra-soft fabrics feel against your skin. Some people want to hog you all to themselves, but you find ways to make everyone feel special.

Mint Chocolate Chip (10%): Mint chocolate chip ice cream wakes up people's taste buds, and you do the same thing when you walk into a room. The chocolatey bits represent your sweet, flirtatious side, and the minty flavor represents your high energy level. You are smart, witty, and you make a great first impression. Your friends value your advice, because you tend to see things from a fresh new perspective.

Strawberry (9%): Your personality is as friendly and appealing as strawberry ice cream (especially the kind with chunky bits of real fruit). You've got a slightly sarcastic sense of humor, and you rarely stress out or take things too seriously. You are cute and sweet, but with a mischievous side. You are a bit of a troublemaker, but only because you're determined to avoid a plain vanilla life.

Rocky Road (8%): You're dramatic and unpredictable, like biting into a scoop of rocky road ice cream. Like rocky road, you can be a little bit nutty (or a little bit marshmallowy) depending on your mood. Your friends never know what they're going to get when they hang out with you €“ sometimes you're calm and sweet, and sometimes you're enthusiastic and flirty.

Chocolate-Chip Cookie Dough (7%): You're as impulsive and impatient as a kid who can't wait for the cookies to come out of the oven. You treat life like a nonstop slumber party, and you like to keep things simple and silly. You scream at horror movies and laugh hysterically at comedies, but you probably can't sit still for a long, boring drama. To some people, you come across as immature, but so what? Your playful personality means you'll stay forever young.

Coffee (6%): Compared to other ice creams, coffee ice cream has a strong flavor, and it's packed with caffeinated sweetness. You're like that, too! You're always busy, and determined to stay focused as you move from one task to the next. You get frustrated when other people slow you down or hold you back, but when you're in control, you can find ways around any obstacle.

Black Raspberry (3%): You are passionate, creative, and inspired. Black raspberry ice cream is an unusual color and flavor, so some people might consider it strange, but your exciting personality is what makes you so delicious. You bring a juicy burst of flavor to everything you do, and your life is packed with one memorable experience after another.

I don't know what happened to the other 4%. Oh, well!

A fun filled weekend.

You know when you have one thing to do you have ten which was the case for us this weekend. We had two awesome events. First, it was the weekend of my all time favorite family tradition the Owen Family Ski Party. The night was amazing as always. My mom brought enough food to feed an army, which we all gladly devoured. The snow conditions were amazing and we were surrounded by our family and friends. Caleb skied a little last year, but this year he spent some more time on the mountain. He is scared out of his mind, but in his whiney voice he kept saying what a great time he was having. It is fun to see him introduced to a sport that Josh and I enjoy so much.














This weekend on Saturday night was the NAI Black tie Ball. NAI is the commercial real estate company that Josh works for. It was so fun to have an excuse to get dressed up and go on a nice date. It was also fun to hear the awards that were given at the party and be reassured that people are making great money in this business, and I know Josh will too.