Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
Life in General
Again I must apologize for having not written in WAY too long. Life gets away from you at times (especially being an army wife with two kiddos!)
Where to start...
Matt's parents drove to Texas and surprised us. Well, I knew about 24 hours before, but no one else did. :) Matt got a phone call from Andrea, his mom, and she sounded concerned so he was startled awake and then she told him she was at the front door and she couldn't get in! He was so shocked and the look on his face was priceless. They stayed for about ten days and we mostly hung around the house playing with kids. Andrea and I both love Target, so we had to make that trip. Matt was working crazy long hours (as is typical right now) so he missed the trip to the Waco Park Zoo. Grace loved the animals and the little playground in the "Asian Jungle". I didn't bring my camera, my Father-in-Law has all of the pictures. I forgot to download them while they were here. Sorry! We crafted, read books, played with the dog, and just enjoyed one another's company. So great to have them come visit.
Shortly after they returned home, our little dog got sick. Wyatt got Parvo and went downhill fast. By the time he showed symptoms and we got to the vet, there really wasn't any chance for him. I tried to offer at home care for him for three days, all the while watching him slowly slip away. He was such a sweet little guy and our family will really miss him. Especially his BFF, Grace. They ran all over the backyard and dug in the garden... It was pretty traumatic for Matt and I to have our little Wyatt gone so suddenly. Matt wants another dog, I'm not so sure.
Our family has been sick a lot lately as well. We all had a cough which kept most of us up at night. Matt got sick first and struggled for a few weeks before Ella and I joined him in the cough fest 2010. Poor Ella would cough so hard she would wake up gagging and screaming three or four times a night. Eventually her doc came around and gave her antibiotics. She's healthy now, but I was sure worried there for a while. I was the last to recover, and I'm happy to say we are all healthy again!
Breaking news! Ella is crawling! She started at about 9 months and has not slowed down one bit. She is always going. Her favorite places to play are her big sister's room, for obvious reasons, and the bathroom. She likes to hear her voice echo, so when it's bathtime she squeaks and giggles. She loves water! She splashes and plays. The girls love to take baths together.
Grace is growing like a weed. One day she was firmly in a size 5 shoe and the following week she barely fits in her size 6's! Crazy! She can wear all of her size 2T clothes without them looking baggy, which is a relief since she'll be 3 in August! Maybe they'll end up like me and my sisters. They were both taller than me while in grade school. Oh well!
Grace loves to take center stage. She stands up on the fireplace hearth and sings as loud as she can. Her songs usually consist of "I love you....Heavenly Father...I love you someday!" Her lyrics crack me up! They bring a smile to my face, and who wouldn't? She has a smile and personality that can light up any room. Everywhere we go, people are drawn to her. It's those big blue eyes and bright smile. Oh, and the pigtails, and her little shoulder shrug, oh....and .... you get the drill. She's too cute for her own good!
I have been receiving "messages" from Grace lately. She has a mini notebook that she carries around and draws on with a tiny yellow crayon. Then she folds them up, licking her finger in between each fold (who knows where she learned that?) and then folds them as small as she can. When she gives them to me, she smiles and looks at me saying, "Here's a message for you." So quirky and sweet. Gotta love that kid of mine!
Matt just completed what is called a "Spur Ride." It is two days of pure torture! He had to take a PT (Phys. Train.) test and qualify with a high score and then they started at 4 am and made them do outrageous things while carrying all of their equipment, and often times carry other soldiers as well. They did blindfolded gun assembly, grenade and tank firing ranges, they had a simulated battle segment where they tended to the wounded, they had two CRAZY Ruck (Sp?) marches, all this and more! It ended the following day at 1 pm when he received his silver spurs. In 1 CAV they receive their gold spurs for deploying. So now he has BOTH! Thank goodness, because I saw his wounds this last week and I don't ever want to see him go through that again! Poor guy, he slept a ton and soaked up countless applications of Bag Balm and Neosporin. So proud of my Matty! There are pics on Facebook under Pictures of Me.
Our garden is growing! More pics to come on that!
As for me, I'm just crazy busy all of the time. My business is booming and I have two beautiful girls that I get to spend quality time with every day. We read, color, sing, dance, and all the while have fun. It is quite stressful at times, but I know the end goal and I'm determined to get there! We are about the finish the Book of Mormon with Grace and it has been such a blessing to read it with her. We are all learning from that time together.
Where to start...
Matt's parents drove to Texas and surprised us. Well, I knew about 24 hours before, but no one else did. :) Matt got a phone call from Andrea, his mom, and she sounded concerned so he was startled awake and then she told him she was at the front door and she couldn't get in! He was so shocked and the look on his face was priceless. They stayed for about ten days and we mostly hung around the house playing with kids. Andrea and I both love Target, so we had to make that trip. Matt was working crazy long hours (as is typical right now) so he missed the trip to the Waco Park Zoo. Grace loved the animals and the little playground in the "Asian Jungle". I didn't bring my camera, my Father-in-Law has all of the pictures. I forgot to download them while they were here. Sorry! We crafted, read books, played with the dog, and just enjoyed one another's company. So great to have them come visit.
Shortly after they returned home, our little dog got sick. Wyatt got Parvo and went downhill fast. By the time he showed symptoms and we got to the vet, there really wasn't any chance for him. I tried to offer at home care for him for three days, all the while watching him slowly slip away. He was such a sweet little guy and our family will really miss him. Especially his BFF, Grace. They ran all over the backyard and dug in the garden... It was pretty traumatic for Matt and I to have our little Wyatt gone so suddenly. Matt wants another dog, I'm not so sure.
Our family has been sick a lot lately as well. We all had a cough which kept most of us up at night. Matt got sick first and struggled for a few weeks before Ella and I joined him in the cough fest 2010. Poor Ella would cough so hard she would wake up gagging and screaming three or four times a night. Eventually her doc came around and gave her antibiotics. She's healthy now, but I was sure worried there for a while. I was the last to recover, and I'm happy to say we are all healthy again!
Breaking news! Ella is crawling! She started at about 9 months and has not slowed down one bit. She is always going. Her favorite places to play are her big sister's room, for obvious reasons, and the bathroom. She likes to hear her voice echo, so when it's bathtime she squeaks and giggles. She loves water! She splashes and plays. The girls love to take baths together.
Grace is growing like a weed. One day she was firmly in a size 5 shoe and the following week she barely fits in her size 6's! Crazy! She can wear all of her size 2T clothes without them looking baggy, which is a relief since she'll be 3 in August! Maybe they'll end up like me and my sisters. They were both taller than me while in grade school. Oh well!
Grace loves to take center stage. She stands up on the fireplace hearth and sings as loud as she can. Her songs usually consist of "I love you....Heavenly Father...I love you someday!" Her lyrics crack me up! They bring a smile to my face, and who wouldn't? She has a smile and personality that can light up any room. Everywhere we go, people are drawn to her. It's those big blue eyes and bright smile. Oh, and the pigtails, and her little shoulder shrug, oh....and .... you get the drill. She's too cute for her own good!
I have been receiving "messages" from Grace lately. She has a mini notebook that she carries around and draws on with a tiny yellow crayon. Then she folds them up, licking her finger in between each fold (who knows where she learned that?) and then folds them as small as she can. When she gives them to me, she smiles and looks at me saying, "Here's a message for you." So quirky and sweet. Gotta love that kid of mine!
Matt just completed what is called a "Spur Ride." It is two days of pure torture! He had to take a PT (Phys. Train.) test and qualify with a high score and then they started at 4 am and made them do outrageous things while carrying all of their equipment, and often times carry other soldiers as well. They did blindfolded gun assembly, grenade and tank firing ranges, they had a simulated battle segment where they tended to the wounded, they had two CRAZY Ruck (Sp?) marches, all this and more! It ended the following day at 1 pm when he received his silver spurs. In 1 CAV they receive their gold spurs for deploying. So now he has BOTH! Thank goodness, because I saw his wounds this last week and I don't ever want to see him go through that again! Poor guy, he slept a ton and soaked up countless applications of Bag Balm and Neosporin. So proud of my Matty! There are pics on Facebook under Pictures of Me.
Our garden is growing! More pics to come on that!
As for me, I'm just crazy busy all of the time. My business is booming and I have two beautiful girls that I get to spend quality time with every day. We read, color, sing, dance, and all the while have fun. It is quite stressful at times, but I know the end goal and I'm determined to get there! We are about the finish the Book of Mormon with Grace and it has been such a blessing to read it with her. We are all learning from that time together.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Won't Aunt Lacey be so proud of me!
I'm finally updating my bloggy, won't Aunt Lacey be so proud of me! :) Thanks for giving me a kick in the pants for never writing!
LOTS has happened but it would take weeks to get it all written on here. So I will just write about the recent things.
Daddy has been home for THREE WHOLE MONTHS already and I can't even believe it. I swear I blinked and it is March already! Ahh!
Matt's unit put a marriage retreat together for all of the returning soldiers. We went to Great Wolf Lodge near Fort Worth, TX and the hotel was AMAZING! Everything was interactive and there were so many things for kids of all ages. Grace loved the story time, the arcade, the water! It has the world's largest indoor waterpark! No joke! Daddy took her in the wave pool, down pint sized waterslides and she had the time of her life. I think this summer she will live in a bathing suit, just like her Auntie Mistie did when she was a youngen. I wish I had taken more pictures, but the water is an enemy to my DSLR camera. I didn't want to take the risk. But we had a great time and it was most definitely a retreat!
Grace, Matt and I were all sick a few weeks ago...and it lasted for what seemed like forever. Then we all got healthy and Grace got Strep! Poor thing, she was fine one minute and then had a temp of 102 the next. We had her in the doctor's office then the ER then the docs office again. She was so sad and tired and mopey. I have never seen her that sick before. She threw up for the first time in her life (beside the reflux of her babyhood). Her fever was crazy! When we took her to the ER, they gave her more ibuprofen, tylenol, popsicles, stripped her to her diaper and it stayed at 103.9 for hours! Talk about a scare. Then Tuesday of this week we took her to doc again because she wasn't drinking, eating and she was sleeping about 2/3 of the day. She wouldn't talk, only mumble...definitely not a happy Gracie girl. They tried to give her an IV, but the nurse accidentally pulled it out just as it was finally in. (It took 20 minutes to get in and 1 sec to fall out!) She was so traumatized that she drank two full cups of water within minutes of it all being over. They gave her a book of stickers, a stuffed bear, and SIX suckers because they felt so bad for her.
She is now 100% better!
We started our own little indoor garden and Grace has her own little watering can to help tend to it. Matt put in some garden boxes in our backyard so we grow a great garden this year. I am so excited! Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, pumpkins, brocolli, beans, onions, you name it!
I bought the girls Easter dresses from Gymboree and they have got the be the cutest things I have EVER seen! Tulips! Matt even thought they were pretty cute so I splurged and got them matching everything from hairbows to socks...shoes and dresses! Then I saw the little outfit for Ella Bella that was so cute I just about died! See pictures below:
When I put Grace in her dress she spun around and said, "I'm a princess girl!" So funny. She refused to take it off for her nap, but I insisted.
LOTS has happened but it would take weeks to get it all written on here. So I will just write about the recent things.
Daddy has been home for THREE WHOLE MONTHS already and I can't even believe it. I swear I blinked and it is March already! Ahh!
Matt's unit put a marriage retreat together for all of the returning soldiers. We went to Great Wolf Lodge near Fort Worth, TX and the hotel was AMAZING! Everything was interactive and there were so many things for kids of all ages. Grace loved the story time, the arcade, the water! It has the world's largest indoor waterpark! No joke! Daddy took her in the wave pool, down pint sized waterslides and she had the time of her life. I think this summer she will live in a bathing suit, just like her Auntie Mistie did when she was a youngen. I wish I had taken more pictures, but the water is an enemy to my DSLR camera. I didn't want to take the risk. But we had a great time and it was most definitely a retreat!
Grace, Matt and I were all sick a few weeks ago...and it lasted for what seemed like forever. Then we all got healthy and Grace got Strep! Poor thing, she was fine one minute and then had a temp of 102 the next. We had her in the doctor's office then the ER then the docs office again. She was so sad and tired and mopey. I have never seen her that sick before. She threw up for the first time in her life (beside the reflux of her babyhood). Her fever was crazy! When we took her to the ER, they gave her more ibuprofen, tylenol, popsicles, stripped her to her diaper and it stayed at 103.9 for hours! Talk about a scare. Then Tuesday of this week we took her to doc again because she wasn't drinking, eating and she was sleeping about 2/3 of the day. She wouldn't talk, only mumble...definitely not a happy Gracie girl. They tried to give her an IV, but the nurse accidentally pulled it out just as it was finally in. (It took 20 minutes to get in and 1 sec to fall out!) She was so traumatized that she drank two full cups of water within minutes of it all being over. They gave her a book of stickers, a stuffed bear, and SIX suckers because they felt so bad for her.
She is now 100% better!
We started our own little indoor garden and Grace has her own little watering can to help tend to it. Matt put in some garden boxes in our backyard so we grow a great garden this year. I am so excited! Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, pumpkins, brocolli, beans, onions, you name it!
I bought the girls Easter dresses from Gymboree and they have got the be the cutest things I have EVER seen! Tulips! Matt even thought they were pretty cute so I splurged and got them matching everything from hairbows to socks...shoes and dresses! Then I saw the little outfit for Ella Bella that was so cute I just about died! See pictures below:
When I put Grace in her dress she spun around and said, "I'm a princess girl!" So funny. She refused to take it off for her nap, but I insisted.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
He's HOME!!!
To see pictures of our reunion go to my facebook page and scroll down until you see Kacy Bowe's entry with all of the pictures! She did an amazing job!
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Pictures
It has been nearly a month and I haven't posted anything! So much has happened. Matt's parents came a few days after I had Ella and then a few days after Matt arrived home for R & R. We packed up and went to a fun little tourist town named Fredricksburg and stayed in a rustic bed and breakfast. We played horseshoes and dominoes and let Grace stay up WAY too late! It was a lot of fun..stray cats and donkeys were also guests at the inn. (No joke!) Matt blessed Ella on Fast Sunday and we took some new family pictures with Ella.
Matt and his dad did some projects to clean up the outdoors and organize the house and we celebrated Grace's birthday a bit early so Grams and Gramps could watch her open their presents. She was given a two week long birthday this year! Crazy, but she had a lot of fun. Matt took her on an official Daddy-Daughter date to lunch and WalMart to pick out some birthday presents. She came home loaded with sugar, chicken nuggets and toys! He bought her a cool swimming pool, nail polish, books and clothes.
We had a lot of great family time while Matt was home and Grace's imagination grew about a million times over. (Daddy is the imaginative/creative play parent!) She now enjoys being chased by the "Monster", putting on imaginary make-up (sound effects and all!) and she misses her daddy like crazy all over again. Can't say I blame her. They played in the sprinklers (see below) and built an art table together. Daddy is just so much more fun!
Matt left and my mom came again. We didn't do house projects this time...instead we made baby announcements and played with the kiddos. We watched movies and had a lot of great conversation. A great time for all. Grace misses Grandma now, too.
Lots of changes...now we're about to enter the last three months without Matty and I am trying my best not to countdown and make it seem longer. I will try to post more often, but I am not going to make promises...I don't need another item on my weekly "To Do" list right now! :)
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Saturday, July 25, 2009
Ella Sofia
Ella Sofia joined our family on Wednesday, July 22nd at 5:56 am. She weighed 7 Lb 5 oz and was 20 inches long. She was in a rush to get here...I was only at the hospital for just over 2 1/2 hours before she was born. What a wonder! I'm in love again!
This is short because I have found myself with much more to do these past few days...but I promise I will elaborate and share my "unfortunate" yet fortunate birthing story with all of you.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Visitors and New Pics
My mom just went back to Phoenix on Wednesday. She was here for 8 days and we kept busy the entire time! I can't post pictures of the projects we did, because they are a surprise for Matty when he gets home in a few weeks. But we did a LOT!
Grace started Kindermusik last week and it is so much fun to see her in class. She dances and loves to watch the older kids. I can't wait for Daddy to take her to the class. She loves the musical instruments!
I finally have a few pics of me with the "Ella Addition." I haven't had many opportunities to have my picture taken during this pregnancy...being alone in TX and all. But, my mom took a few, so I thought I'd share the pregnancy glory. Ha ha ha.
This is us getting ready for Jazzercise!
Grace started Kindermusik last week and it is so much fun to see her in class. She dances and loves to watch the older kids. I can't wait for Daddy to take her to the class. She loves the musical instruments!
I finally have a few pics of me with the "Ella Addition." I haven't had many opportunities to have my picture taken during this pregnancy...being alone in TX and all. But, my mom took a few, so I thought I'd share the pregnancy glory. Ha ha ha.
This is us getting ready for Jazzercise!
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
Out with the Old
It has been too long since my last post, but life has been CRAZY! My business, swim lessons, Jazzercise, Grace, Ella, house, planning for the inevitable! (The list could go on forever!!!)
Anyhow, a few fun things have been going on lately. Grace took two weeks of Mom and Tot swim lessons and finished them yesterday. She is pretty good about being in the pool for a bit, then she wants to get out and run around. Scares me to death. We spent a lot of time in the 1 ft pool. Of course, I had to be in the pool with her, so that meant an 8 month pregnant woman in a bathing suit...not one of my best looks :)I avoided the camera and took pictures with her swim instructor helping her instead.
I was able to dunk her under and she didn't cry...she will kick her legs ferociously and she loves to try and blow bubbles. We'll be working on that in the bathtub from now on until the skill is mastered. She loves to splash. Though, like every kid her age, she refused to put her head back in the water. She won't even do it in the tub, so I knew it was going to happen. But, overall she loves the water and she can't wait to show Daddy all her new big girl skills.
As for the title of the blog... My friends in Texas already know that we purchased all new appliances, but I thought I would post the pics! I was Lowe's on Memorial Day and saw the insane sale they were having on Energy Star rated appliances and then they were giving a MILITARY DISCOUNT on top of it! Talk about crazy good prices. We saved over $500 on our appliances and they installed them for free! (Even the dishwasher!) I used my dishwasher for the first time tonight and could not believe that it actually washed AND dried the entire load and it didn't sound like it was going to catch fire like the last one. The fridge has 2 cubic feet more space and an ice maker...going to do wonders for me this summer! The stove heats so fast and I can't wait to bake cookies and make yummy Sunday dinner casseroles when Matty comes home.
Old Fridge
New Fridge
Old Dishwasher
New Dishwasher
Old Stove
New Stove
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
New Additions
This is her new playset I bought last week. She now has her very own slide, though she is scared to go down at times. She likes when we go down the big slide at the playground (as long as I'm sitting beside her!) She loves to go in the backyard. Thanks goodness for craigslist!
This is Grace's new "big girl bed." She has a hard time staying in it! She doesn't sleep well yet, so we are taking it slow. Some nights she sleeps in her crib.
Grace has a new found love for her blocks. We sit and build towers and then take them apart every day. It's funny because I have taught her the "Clean Up" song and she always says "Clean up, clean up, clean up the blocks" when I sing it. Future architect?
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Recently...
Our Ella
Our little family has been changing a lot this past few months. Grace is suddenly seeking complete autonomy in public, Ella is growing stronger each and every day, I am growing larger each and every day, and Matt is being worked to death!
I mentioned in a previous post that Grace is really starting to talk more. Her new favorite words are outside, lips, yes, and help. Of course, there are the most prominent words which are always Mommy and Daddy. But, I must say that she will repeat just about anything I say. Funny how you become a whole lot more aware of saying "crap" when there are little ears listening. Granted, people say a whole lot worse things, but I don't want mine picking anything up from ME.
I am now 30 weeks pregnant! And as I mentioned, Ella is growing stronger. I have an aweful lot of Braxton Hicks contractions and it seems she is always kicking a foot out so I have an assymetrical stomach. I'm the only one who seems to notice, of course.
Matt is doing as well as can be expected. Usually exhausted when we talk to him, but I am so incredibly happy we are able to Skype with him. Grace still knows him and they play and she gives him kisses all the time. She's pretty blessed to have a daddy like Matty. I can't wait until they get to go on Daddy-Daughter dates to get ice cream. I know he's looking forward to it also.
Other than that, life is filled with a whole lot of hodgepodge days that seem to escape me at times. The days when time stands still prove difficult, because my mind wanders to how far away our Matty/Daddy is. Sure love that guy.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Grace is growing up!
I have been so crazy busy getting back into my life here in Texas and I have so much to say! Grace has really been learning a lot lately and saying so much more. She has a few new favorite words, which include: mess, vaccuum, rain, morning, cookie, and the list goes on! She started talking more in Utah, but since we have been home she has nearly doubled her vocabulary. Sometimes I can tell she is trying to say an entire sentence and I can't understand a word of it...all in good time.
I took her on the "big girl" slide yesterday at the park and she giggled and squealed so much it was hilarious! Every time her feet hit the ground, she took off to go up the stairs for another turn. I could hardly keep up with her...this belly is really starting to change how fast I move!
She also had her hair in a ponytail for the first time yesterday. Even though her hairstyles last about ten minutes it was adorable. Her hair is finally getting long enough to try new things. Matt insists that I keep trying to do her hair so she'll get used to it...I think he's right. She looks a bit like a boy when her hair is down.
Matt is doing as well as can be expected. He is often very tired and calls pretty late in Iraq time, but he is always so happy to see us as we are him. These five months have really had ups and downs for me emotionally, but since I've been home and we have seen and talked to him a bit more, I have felt a lot better. I truly love him more than I did when he left. What a guy, my Matty! He puts up with my whining a lot and still loves me! He can't get enough of Grace when he calls, either. She lights up and runs to the office when he calls.
I am now 28 weeks pregnant and Ella is kicking my gut! She is incredibly active and I have Braxton Hicks contractions so often that I am usually short of breath. But I'm still going to Jazzercise and loving every minute of it. Maybe I'll be an instructor when all my kids are in school. That's a bit down the road...
The Texas heat and humidity are rapidly approaching and I am not looking forward to watering the lawn this summer. I think I'll be waking up at 5 am to avoid the heat. I have finally hired someone to take care of the yardwork and I am sad to see the extra money go, but being pregnant and having Matt gone has brought this decision to the forefront of my mind. I had a hard time mowing the entire thing BEFORE I got pregnant...not really a good idea while in my 3rd trimester. Oh well.
Matt and I decided it is soon time for Potty Training to begin. I don't want two in diapers while he is away and she is excited when she sees the potty in the bathroom. Crossing my fingers that once she catches on, when Ella is born she won't revert back to diapers.
I took her on the "big girl" slide yesterday at the park and she giggled and squealed so much it was hilarious! Every time her feet hit the ground, she took off to go up the stairs for another turn. I could hardly keep up with her...this belly is really starting to change how fast I move!
She also had her hair in a ponytail for the first time yesterday. Even though her hairstyles last about ten minutes it was adorable. Her hair is finally getting long enough to try new things. Matt insists that I keep trying to do her hair so she'll get used to it...I think he's right. She looks a bit like a boy when her hair is down.
Matt is doing as well as can be expected. He is often very tired and calls pretty late in Iraq time, but he is always so happy to see us as we are him. These five months have really had ups and downs for me emotionally, but since I've been home and we have seen and talked to him a bit more, I have felt a lot better. I truly love him more than I did when he left. What a guy, my Matty! He puts up with my whining a lot and still loves me! He can't get enough of Grace when he calls, either. She lights up and runs to the office when he calls.
I am now 28 weeks pregnant and Ella is kicking my gut! She is incredibly active and I have Braxton Hicks contractions so often that I am usually short of breath. But I'm still going to Jazzercise and loving every minute of it. Maybe I'll be an instructor when all my kids are in school. That's a bit down the road...
The Texas heat and humidity are rapidly approaching and I am not looking forward to watering the lawn this summer. I think I'll be waking up at 5 am to avoid the heat. I have finally hired someone to take care of the yardwork and I am sad to see the extra money go, but being pregnant and having Matt gone has brought this decision to the forefront of my mind. I had a hard time mowing the entire thing BEFORE I got pregnant...not really a good idea while in my 3rd trimester. Oh well.
Matt and I decided it is soon time for Potty Training to begin. I don't want two in diapers while he is away and she is excited when she sees the potty in the bathroom. Crossing my fingers that once she catches on, when Ella is born she won't revert back to diapers.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Home again
Just a quick post to say that yes indeed, we are in Texas once again. I will post more once I catch up on sleep and unpacking.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Long Time no Post
Just a little hello from Utah. Grace and I have been making the rounds of staying with family and friends for nearly a month now and I am EXHAUSTED! Grace has absolutely loved being around all of our family and especially being the center of attention.
We were able to hide that we are expecting our second daughter until we arrived here in Utah. So, we had a lot of fun letting everyone in on our big secret. Ella is due July 28th, only a few months to go! It was so hard not to slip up about doctor appointments, morning sickness, growing bigger every day... but Matt and I pulled it off. I'll post a video a bit later.
We stayed in Brigham City with Matt's parents first and Grace warmed up to Grandma and Grandpa Merrill very fast. She is Grandpa's girl, no doubt about it. We went shopping, made cards, played with cousins, and helped Grandma get around with a bad knee. She had surgery last week. Grace was showered with kisses and we both enjoyed our time there a lot.
We spent a few days in Idaho with our good friends, the Allen family. We met them at Utah State while living in our cinderblock palace. Abigail and Grace are a few months apart, and they have been friends ever since. They followed each other around and Grace learned how to maneuver the stairs. We went to JCPenney and had adorable pictures taken, shopped, and watched movies. Grace and I really hope we live near the Allen's again soon.
Then we went to my grandparents house (Dad's parents). Grace loved discovering all of the kitchen drawers and throwing everything down the stairs. She showed off all of her dance moves and she sang songs for them. She grew very attached to Aunt Toni who lives across the street. Often chasing her down when she went to leave. She also enjoyed playing with all of my cousins. We also shopped a lot and enjoyed our time there very much.
We are now at my other Grandma's house (who lives with Uncle Rexy, who adores Grace!). My sister Mistie and mom from Phoenix flew in this weekend and we cooked up a storm the past few days to get ready for an Easter picnic in Logan with my other sister Crystal (whose baby was blessed today). It was the first time all of us were together (minus Matty, of course) since May last year. It was a beautiful day and it made me homesick for Logan all over again. Matty and I really loved living in Cache Valley. Maybe we'll end up there again someday.
Grace is going to have a hard time going home with just me around to play with. She loves the family and I will definitely miss all of the help and fun I've had, too. Being nearly 6 months pregnant with an active 20 month old is tougher than I thought. Especially since Matty is so far away.
By the way, Matty is still doing pretty well. He's a platoon leader now and works just as hard as he did before. He calls at all hours of the night (Iraq time) and I worry that he'll work himself sick. But, he is always so excited to hear about Gracie's new talents and hearing her talk in the background. We haven't been able to see him through Skype for weeks now...problems with computer compatibility and webcams. But hopefully she'll be able to see her Daddy soon. We miss him terribly.
We were able to hide that we are expecting our second daughter until we arrived here in Utah. So, we had a lot of fun letting everyone in on our big secret. Ella is due July 28th, only a few months to go! It was so hard not to slip up about doctor appointments, morning sickness, growing bigger every day... but Matt and I pulled it off. I'll post a video a bit later.
We stayed in Brigham City with Matt's parents first and Grace warmed up to Grandma and Grandpa Merrill very fast. She is Grandpa's girl, no doubt about it. We went shopping, made cards, played with cousins, and helped Grandma get around with a bad knee. She had surgery last week. Grace was showered with kisses and we both enjoyed our time there a lot.
We spent a few days in Idaho with our good friends, the Allen family. We met them at Utah State while living in our cinderblock palace. Abigail and Grace are a few months apart, and they have been friends ever since. They followed each other around and Grace learned how to maneuver the stairs. We went to JCPenney and had adorable pictures taken, shopped, and watched movies. Grace and I really hope we live near the Allen's again soon.
Then we went to my grandparents house (Dad's parents). Grace loved discovering all of the kitchen drawers and throwing everything down the stairs. She showed off all of her dance moves and she sang songs for them. She grew very attached to Aunt Toni who lives across the street. Often chasing her down when she went to leave. She also enjoyed playing with all of my cousins. We also shopped a lot and enjoyed our time there very much.
We are now at my other Grandma's house (who lives with Uncle Rexy, who adores Grace!). My sister Mistie and mom from Phoenix flew in this weekend and we cooked up a storm the past few days to get ready for an Easter picnic in Logan with my other sister Crystal (whose baby was blessed today). It was the first time all of us were together (minus Matty, of course) since May last year. It was a beautiful day and it made me homesick for Logan all over again. Matty and I really loved living in Cache Valley. Maybe we'll end up there again someday.
Grace is going to have a hard time going home with just me around to play with. She loves the family and I will definitely miss all of the help and fun I've had, too. Being nearly 6 months pregnant with an active 20 month old is tougher than I thought. Especially since Matty is so far away.
By the way, Matty is still doing pretty well. He's a platoon leader now and works just as hard as he did before. He calls at all hours of the night (Iraq time) and I worry that he'll work himself sick. But, he is always so excited to hear about Gracie's new talents and hearing her talk in the background. We haven't been able to see him through Skype for weeks now...problems with computer compatibility and webcams. But hopefully she'll be able to see her Daddy soon. We miss him terribly.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Ode to the Brown Album
This post is for Matty.
When we met, (oh so long ago!), Matt owned a brown '95 Subaru Legacy which he absolutely loved. He often took it up the mountains to go camping, fishing, hunting, and on road trips from Oregon, Georgia, Kentucky, and now Texas. Honestly, he and I have a lot of memories that involve that car. Even some which involve push-starting it! He has loved and adored that car for over 10 years, but when he left we made the decision to either donate it or sell it. Matt had a hard time coming to that decision, but we both knew it was best for our family. It has been started regularly for the past few months, and Matt cared for it well while it was in our care.
When there came on opportunity for someone to benefit from our beloved Brown Album, (also known as Donkey to our other Sub, Shrek)...we were prompted to hand over the keys. So Wednesday afternoon it became another family's cherished car. A good family, at that. So this is a sort of epitaph for Matthew's beloved Subaru. Thank you for being so reliable and for keeping memories alive of our early dating life. We have appreciated your companionship as we started our family and now we wish you the best with your next family.
Now our Green Outback, so appropriately named Shrek, is without a sidekick. But not for long, because I have since decided that Matt's motorcycle will be named Princess Fiona! (He just doesn't know it yet!)
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Happy Valentine's Day!
This is the "I Love Lucy" dress! I think it is about the cutest thing she has ever worn! It is also very cute for V-Day!
Just a quick family update-
Grace is still exploring all sorts of new things. Yesterday it was warm enough to go to the park, so she got to enjoy the swings and she giggled the whole time. (She's going to be an adrenaline junkie one day!) She got a little too close to a little girl and was bumped over...can't even really call it knocked over. She cried a little too long so we left and came home to take a nap.
She is currently testing boundaries. She tends to get upset quickly and screams for no apparent reason at times. I have no idea how long this phase lasts...but I usually have a headache from the screaming. I'm learning patience!
Matt is still doing pretty good. He will be changing areas soon and we don't know what that will mean for him and our ability to communicate with him. We pray daily that we'll be able to at least have some sort of contact. Mostly to ease my mind and let me know he's safe and sound.
I am still going to Jazzercise and my business has actually picked up quite a bit lately. Lots of parties coming up before my big month-long trip to Utah in March/April. I month and 2 days away! I have been counting down since I bought my ticket last month.
Other than that...not a whole lot of news. I'll write more later!
(My new haircut!)
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