Living Like Kings

The rest of the housebuying story

2009-05-06T09:54:00.000-07:00

After our first offer on this house was rejected, I felt a calm peace that this would be our house, but of course it didn't make sense because they hadn't accepted our offer. We put our second offer on this house on April 3rd. . . it took until April 6th to get it under contract. That gave us 10 days to close on this house and my brother (our mortage broker) did an amazing job at getting us on track to do just that. We had a few hiccups that would lead to us getting an extension. We closed on the home on Wednesday, April 22nd, a day after Kylie's 3rd birthday, and got the keys on Thursday night. It was a stressful week learning about various liens on the title and crazy conditions that would need to be met for our loan approval, but the feelings that we had regarding this house proved true.
Friday morning Mike went over to the home to begin the very necessary renovations. This home had been rented out and was in very poor condition. In fact, when I first walked into the home with our friend and realtor, Kevin, it didn't even take 5 second for me to shrug my shoulders and say, okay, nevermind. My mom came with me because of a change of plans that wouldn't allow Mike to be there. She said, now wait a minute. . . and pointed out that it wouldn't take much to make this a very lovely home. Looking back, I am glad she was there and recognize it as a tender mercy arranged by someone who is looking out for us ;). To get rid of the cigarette smoke smell, we need to paint (first priming with KILZ oil-based primer). We will also be recarpeting, and while we are at it. . . tiling, which Mike has never done, but will be doing himself. . . any tips anyone? We feel like we have received many tender mercies from the Lord in finding great deals and in being the recipients of the generosity of good friends, family, and others. Thank you to those who have "hooked" us up. . . We owe you big time!

My Golden Birthday

2009-04-04T18:51:00.000-07:00

30 on the 30th! I thought 30 might be a hard birthday, but I think 29 was harder for some reason. I remember waking up last year thinking. . . I'm almost 30. . . Aghh! I guess I've been preparing for "THE BIG ONE" for a year now, so no wonder it was no big deal after all.

My birthday got pretty exciting around 2:50 when our realtor called to tell us the house we put an offer on a week earlier was nearing a decision and that it had come down to two offers. . . ours and someone elses. We waited & waited, and scrambled a little to refine our offer only to hear nothing for the rest of the day. Tuesday was another long day as we waited and waited, again to hear nothing. Finally Wednesday morning the news came that they had accepted the other offer telling us we were off by $3,000. We were pretty disappointed feeling like we had come so close to getting a good size home in a location we loved at a great price.

By Friday afternoon we received a phone call again from our realtor who told us the house had come back on the market because the other guy couldn't get approved for a loan. He basically said that if we could match his offer, the house was ours. Great! What was the offer? We found out that actually, our offer was $500 better for the seller. What is going on!?! We were so frustrated by our experience with the other realtor and feel sure that there have been unethical things going on. . . like maybe the other realtor was representing the seller and the buyer and so the other offer was better for him and him alone by $3,000. I am so frustrated! We put in the offer he recommended last night and asked to hear back by today at 4:15 so we can get the ball rolling on this. Why the sense of urgency on this? Because he has made it very clear that this deal has to go through before Monday April 20th because that is when the home is scheduled to go to a forclosure auction. For someone on such a short timeline, he sure is dinking around.

Sorry to dump my frustrations here. This has been an exciting process at times and an infuriating experience at other times. I guess time will tell and what will be will be. Patience, Nichole, patience!

What a Champ!

2009-03-03T16:03:00.000-08:00

Mike participated in a racquetball tournament this weekend for BYU students, faculty, and alumni. He took first place, won a free racket, and had a great time. I think he loved being back on the courts where he spent many early morning practices when he was on the racquetball team from 2002-2004. He looked like "he's still got it." This picture was taken at the National Collegiate Championships in California in March 2004 where he took 2nd in his division. Mike,I think you are amazing!

Hard Mommy Momment

2009-02-18T11:38:00.000-08:00

Today started out as a hard mommy day. Kylie & Madelyn both woke up an hour earlier than usual. Which means I had to wake up an hour earlier too. I was exhausted & NOT ready to greet the day. Thus, I was a little grumpy. As I lay in bed talking myself in to getting up, I hear Kylie say, "Mommy will you change me." I wasn't exactly sure what she was referring to because she has been potty trained for quite some time. She wears pull ups to bed, but has never referred to them as needing "changing." I jumped out of bed and went into Kylie's room only to see her in her big girl panties trying to get dressed for the day. I also noticed a large wet spot on the floor. . . I guess she needed to go potty, but didn't quite make it. She confessed to going potty on the floor, which I promptly cleaned up. I got the girls their breakfast which Kylie refused to eat crying and whining the whole time. AGHH! I convinced her to eat a blackberry & one tiny 1/2 segment of a Clementine orange. She continued to cry. I sent her back to bed until she could stop crying, but as I was laying my screaming 2 year old in her bed, I noticed she still had not swallowed the blackberry or orange. I told her (many times) to swallow it and she tried to do so, until she began gagging which resulted in her throwing up in my hand. I rushed her into the bathroom to clean up the throw up. As I was cleaning both of us up, Madelyn decides to throw a toy key into the toilet and I begin to hear a little splish-splashing. I leave Kylie on the bathroom counter, grab Madelyn, fish the key out of the toilet, wash Madelyn's hands and strip her of her wet clothes. By this point, Kylie has stopped crying and insisted she be allowed to eat the rest of her breakfast. I sat her at the table and she began crying again because she did not want to eat breakfast, so off to bed again. The screaming became more hysterical & I nearly sat on her to keep her in her bed until she stopped crying. She finally stopped and I explained that she needed to stay in bed or I would close her door. She hates it when I close her door, so she agreed to stay in bed. That worked until I got in the shower. After only a few minutes she joins me in the bathroom. I insist she go back to bed and she runs screaming into her bedroom where I find her calmly resting on her bed when I get out of the shower. Whew, we made it to 8:00 am. I gear up for a very frustrating and overly dramatic day, but luckily it has turned out okay. Thank goodness for the library story time. It was just the distraction we needed to set our day back on course.

To Buy or Not to Buy

2009-02-11T13:12:00.000-08:00

We have been house hunting for the past month. We put down three offers: one on a short sale property, one on an apparently very desirable home because it got 7 offers in 3 days - ours did not get accepted, and a third on this home that had been on the market for 116 days. Our offer was countered on the third and we accepted their counter. Then the nervous feelings began to flow. After asking ourselves the question "To buy or not to buy?" for a few days, we decided to hold off our house hunt for a few more months. I guess we just want to see what the stimulus package is going to do to the economy. We are in such uncertain times, and I'm one who likes to have all of her ducks in a row & know exactly what to expect in the future. I guess the answer to our question right now is . . . not to buy.

My Baby is One!

2009-02-11T12:57:00.000-08:00

My baby girl is one year old. What a delight she has been! We love her so much.
We celebrated her birthday on Super Bowl Sunday (which is exactly what her doctor tried to avoid last year. He got lucky and got to watch the game because she came on Saturday just as he had connivingly planned and hoped). She got a "football" cake, which I promise I will never do to her again, unless she asks me for one.

Hello 2009!

2009-01-12T13:40:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how quickly 2008 passed. Madelyn joined our family, Mike graduated & got a job, and we moved to Utah all in the first half of the year. We've been hanging out in my parent's basement for the last half of the year, and believe it or not, those now 7 months have flown by! I just hope that the rest of the winter flies by just as fast. We are excited to take on yet another year and look forward to Madelyn's 1st birthday, our 5th wedding anniversary, our 30th birthdays, Kylie's 3rd birthday, and getting into a home of our own! We feel so blessed by the opportunities awaiting us and the blessings we have already received!

The Nutcracker

2008-12-19T13:03:00.000-08:00

Mike & I attended the Nutcracker ballet on Thursday night with my uncle Roy & aunt Lisa. JJ & Natalie also attended. I love the ballet! We had AMAZING seats (front & center) and enjoyed a wonderful dinner before hand. My uncle is one of the most intelligent, insightful, & generous men I know. We always enjoy it when he stops by to visit (really I think he just gets a kick out of Kylie & Madelyn). We are grateful for his influence in our lives! Thanks for everything Roy!

More Than You'd Like To Know

2008-12-16T14:27:00.000-08:00

Mike & I did a fun activity for date night last Friday. . . It brought back fond memories & gave us a few giggles. (I saw this on my sister-in-law's blog & thought it might be kind of fun). We both wrote down fifty random things about each other. Here's our list:

50 Things About Nichole (according to Mike)

She . . .

Is the most beautiful woman I know
gets annoyed when one uses the word "sweetheart" too frequently.
can’t stand wrinkles in her socks
is my perfect match
loves me
is the best kisser . . . EVER!
has the most beautiful eyes
loves to pinch my bum
her perfect date includes going out for dinner
knows very little Spanish
enjoys modern dance
LOVED college (mostly because of the dating experiences)
loves to stay busy
is very detail oriented
plays the piano
wants to take voice lessons
wants to learn Photoshop
wants to learn more about photography
would love to travel to Hawaii as long as she doesn’t have to snorkel
is very ticklish, but won’t let you tickle her. . . be prepared to get hit if you do
loves to go to Broadway style shows and the ballet
knows how to build an awesome camp fire
is ALWAYS cold
was a picky eater as a kid
likes to cook only if she has the right tools. . . you could say she is a pampered chef
thinks she is taller than me
has the most contagious laugh
is a wonderful mother
desperately wants to have a home of her own
would rather talk face to face than over the phone
hates my driving
never forgets a thing
loves to tease me about my amazing fishing skills
served her mission in Oakland, California
is the 2^nd of 5 kids
intimidates my dad
was 2^nd runner up to Miss Midvale in 1997
Loves to buy power tools
has worked as a server, 2^nd grade teacher, teacher’s aid, teacher & supervisor @ the MTC, sales associate in a toy store & shoe store, office manager, pampered chef consultant, & would like to own her own (successful) business.
was the 2^nd person to “pin” me
loves to read non-fiction
gets car sick easily
has never been snow skiing with me
will never drive a quad alone again
loves to shop at Target
is a great listener
is very thoughtful
is afraid to drive big cars
chocolate chip cookies are at the bottom of her treat list
is very concerned about finances & the economy

50 Things about Mike (according to Nichole)

He. . .

thinks he is funny
was a high school wrestling star
was a member of the BYU racquetball team which became a National Championship Team in 2003 & 2004
Coached the NAU racquetball club team
has a doctorate in physical therapy from NAU
doesn’t stop at stop signs, use his blinker, & follows too closely when driving
is a great daddy because he is all about the FUN!
snores (even when he is awake)
wants to learn how to speed read
has never hung Christmas lights
currently works as a physical therapist, teacher, & a tutor . . . he is very busy
works with the young men @ church
would play racquetball everyday if he could
is very kind & gets along with just about everyone
has worked for his dad, as a pipefitter, apartment complex clubhouse after hours manager, and as a physical therapy aid
wants to own his own business someday
is the 4^th of 5 children
his other half during our Flagstaff years was Tim Cook
is always willing to help. . . rarely says no unless I make him.
when we got married he still believed in the Easter Bunny
left me 10 days after we got married (to attend Nationals with BYU’s racquetball team for a week)
went camping for a weekend a week after Kylie was born
served his mission in Bogata, Colombia
was my tutor in statistics @ BYU which is where we met. . . (I pulled the better grade; he was just so fun to study with!)
is an eagle scout
didn’t get his driver’s license until he earned his eagle
hates it when I pinch his bum, but it’s just so irresistible
is a very thoughtful gift giver
can’t build a fire for the life of him
has a TERRIBLE memory
considers himself a fisherman, but has never caught a fish
loves Chili’s chips & salsa
has a bigger sweet tooth than anyone I’ve ever met
gives the best massages. . . Mr. Magic Fingers!
his favorite TV show is Psych
loves the Bourne series
looks like he’s riding a bull when he wakeboards
Lake Powell is a favorite vacation spot
wants to get into real estate investing
looks AMAZING in blue (matches his eyes)
is never sexier than when he is in his red hoodie, blue jeans, & flip flops
wore flip flops even in the winter in college
hates having to wear business casual now that he’s working
likes the Jazz
informed me on one of our first dates that he has good looking feet (he actually does have nice feet)
couldn’t kiss me for a whole month after we got engaged
ALWAYS makes fun of his height
can beat my studly six foot plus brothers in a wrestling match. . . kind of fun to watch
is a very hard worker
bakes sweets on Sunday afternoons . . he makes the best brownies

Payback time!

2008-12-07T12:02:00.000-08:00

Madelyn loves this! It's the only time she gets to push Kylie around.

This is Madelyn practicing walking about 3 weeks ago. She is now officially walking at 10 months & 14 1/2 pounds. Cutest thing EVER! She knows she's pretty clever too. Perhaps that's what makes it so cute.

I am Thankful

2008-12-04T09:54:00.000-08:00

I planned to make a Thanksgiving Tree with cut outs of Kylie's hands for the leaves. We never got to the tree, but we did make the leaves & taped them to our door. Kylie came up with all but 5 of these items by herself, although I did help her put them into complete sentences. It was so cute to hear her tell me what she loves. Here is her list: (The first 12 are in order. . . notice where mommy comes into her life) ;)

1) My hands can do many things
(after tracing and cutting out her hands, this was heavily on her mind!)
2) I love my sister!
3) Daddy is a hard worker
4) Papa does fun tricks with me
5) I love to live with Grandma
6) Pooka got all better (he had surgery after he was attacked under the fence by our neighbor's dog. . . it was pretty gruesome)
7) Yogi makes me happy
8) I like to read books
9) I have aunts, uncles, cousins & grandparents who all think I am SPECIAL!
10) It is fun to visit Grandma Mona
11) Going to church makes me happy.
12) Mommy takes good care of me (I helped her come up with this one)
13) The scriptures teach me about Jesus
14) Prophets help me know what's right
15) Jesus loves me
16) Hugs and Kisses make me feel loved.
17) Making music is fun to do
18) I love to honk the horn & drive in the car (anytime someone leaves our house, Kylie tells them to honk the horn)
19) I like to draw & color
20) I love my Temples (I'm not sure this is LDS Temples or Shirly Temple. . . she loves them both)
21) When I obey I'm happy all day.
22) I love to laugh
23) Heavenly Father hears my prayers
24) My body can dance and move
25) I have many talents

Happy Birthday Mom

2008-11-30T12:30:00.000-08:00

My mom is 29 for the twenty somethingth time. Those of us who live in town all got together to celebrate her birthday. I am so grateful for my mom. She is a wonderful grandmother to my girls. They both adore her because she makes everything fun and makes them feel so special. Kylie loves to help grandma sew, clean, cook, and decorate. She frequently requests grandma's special smoothies for breakfast. A day with grandma is ALWAYS a good day. We love you mom! Happy birthday

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T22:25:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween from the Princess & the Pea!

Zipporah's Visit

2008-10-31T22:08:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun with Zipporah, Braden, Conner, and Haley when they came during Halloween while Branden was off-track. We kept them so busy that they may never want to come back.

We saw the witches, had a picnic, and rode the ponies at Gardner's Village. . .

Enjoyed trick-or-treating during Boo at the Zoo. . .

Celebrated Mike's Birthday . . .

Picked pumpkins at a pumpkin patch . . .

Carved pumpkins . . .

Went trick-or-treating, played in the leaves at Grandma Mona's, and went Christmas Shopping.

We sure were busy, but boy, did we love having them here. I'm beginning to think year-round school isn't bad after all.

Grown up? Who, Me?

2008-10-29T12:42:00.000-07:00

Mike is another year closer to growing up. I'm afraid, however, that he will forever be one year closer, but never quite arrive. No this is not another short joke. . . Mike is just a big kid. He loves to have fun. This is one reason that I married him (I will admit, sometimes I have to remind myself that this is one of his strengths, not his weakness). As I see him with our children, I realize that his fun loving nature will be a great blessing to our family that will bring us many fond memories together. He keeps me young & keeps me laughing. I love you, Mike. Happy Birthday!

First Place

2008-09-10T14:32:00.000-07:00

I think this is the first blue ribbon I've ever won, so I just had to show it off! Our ward had a chili cook off, and thanks to pampered chef, mine was voted as the first place winner! If anybody wants to try it, I've attached the link tot he recipe. Enjoy!
http://www.pamperedchef.com/our_products/recipesearch/recipedetail.jsp?recipeId=58201

An $85.00 Smile

2008-09-08T14:41:00.000-07:00

Well, at this age, I can hardly blame her. I guess it's all my fault. We took Kylie to the dentist, and my little two year old has two cavities. We brush her teeth everyday, but somehow some "sugarbugs" snuck in and set up camp. Guess we will have to cut down on the treats and be a little more diligent with the brushing. Cavities or not, doesn't she have the most precious smile!?!

Here are a few tips I learned from Kylie's pediatric dentist:

1) It's not how much sugar you eat, it's how long the sugar stays on the teeth. Sticky treats like fruit snacks are among the worst culprits of cavity producers.

2) CHOCOLATE is Kylie's dentist's treat of choice. . . I knew I liked this guy!

3) Stay away from spin brushes. . . manual is better!

4) Lie your child down on his/her back to brush their teeth, you'll have a better angle to get those molars.

5) Children like to squeeze their lower lip to prevent the toothbrush from getting the bottom fronts. Hold onto the lower lip and pull it away from the teeth to get the toothbrush in there.

The Big Job of Sprinklers

2008-06-30T15:54:00.000-07:00

Grandpa's been working on the yard all summer, but it looks like we might be working on it again next summer. That's not because we didn't help. Kylie is Grandpa's biggest helper!

Silly JJ

2008-06-28T15:21:00.000-07:00

You know you have a cool uncle if he's not embarrassed to wear pink. JJ LOVES PINK! And not just Kylie's pink. He has lots of his own pink stuff. JJ, we think you're cool!

Nap-time Antics

2008-06-17T14:37:00.000-07:00

Kylie is in a phase where if she doesn't take a nap, she has a total meltdown & is ready for bed by 5:00, but she also refuses to take a nap. We've been forcing the issue, but she has really been resisting the idea of a mandatory nap. Here are some of her nap-time antics.

Dadisms

2008-06-15T15:40:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I wasn't going to do this, but I cannot tell a lie. I do know who did the last diaper change. It was Mike. He will probably hate me for revealing all of his dadisms, but I think they are so hilarious, I just have to share. I wish I had a picture of each of these to share.

Twice now, I have noticed Kylie's shoes on the wrong feet, not because she put them on wrong, but because dad did.

I've gone to change Kylie's diaper, only to find she was wearing an itsy bitsy teeny weeny diaper of Madelyn's.

One morning I went to change Kylie's diaper. As I removed her diaper, I found another very soggy diaper under it. I guess putting a diaper over a dirty diaper counts as changing a diaper. Who knew!

I make fun of Mike for these silly mistakes, but let me also say that Mike is the best dad in the whole world! His little girls absolutely adore him and squeal with delight in his presence!

Father's Day

2008-06-15T15:30:00.000-07:00

Great-Grandma Mona got a surprise on Father's Day. She was enjoying holding Madelyn when I glanced over only to find a bare bottomed surprise. I don't know who did the last diaper change, but it sure didn't stick!

I've tried my hand at cake decorating a few times. This is about as good as it gets. Hopefully I get some points for the effort.

Mike's Been Beggin'

2008-06-03T15:05:00.000-07:00

So Mike's been begging and he finally got. He's been wanting a good bike since his triathlon in April. His parents bought him one as a graduation gift so he can ride to work since we live so close. We kind of figured. . . what good is a bike without a trailer if you have kids. . . So, we bought the accompanying trailer. Kylie LOVES it! I can't wait until Madelyn is a little bigger so we can all go out for a ride.

Angelic Help

2008-05-31T14:48:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure I ever want to move again. What a project! We allowed ourselves only about a week to pack up and move, but we had so many projects to do to get the townhouse ready for renters, (i.e. work out a lawn watering solution, hang rain gutters, fix a gas leak & dryer, etc.) and at the last minute, Mike decided to go on a fishing trip with his dad and brother. I was so overwhelmed with all that I needed to get done, but my sweet mother-in-law & Mike's sister Tammy came to my rescue to help me pack. Carol took Kylie for 3 days (during the day) so I could get things done. My friend Amber (who had 2 children . . . and was very pregnant with her third . . . and was in the middle of packing herself) watched Kylie for a while as well. Thank you to you angels! I couldn't have done it without you!

Light at the end of the Tunnel

2008-05-09T14:43:00.000-07:00

We've seen the light at the end of the tunnel for awhile, but today, we stepped into it! Mike is done! He's graduated from NAU with his Doctorate of Physical Therapy! Congratulations on your great work Michael King, DPT! So what's next? We will pack up our little townhouse, move into my parents basement, study for and take the boards, and begin working to save up our pennies for our own new home.

Just Keep Swimming!

2008-04-25T19:14:00.000-07:00

So at the last minute, Mike was talked in to doing a mini mountain bike triathlon with my sister Rachele, her husband Robbie, and my sister-in-law Natalie. None of them really trained for this, but this courageous foursome persevered and finished thanks to a little fish named Nemo. The triathletes made and wore their own shirts donning the orange mascot reminding them to just keep swimming, biking, and running. The girls and I had a big job ahead of us too, so I wore a shirt reminding us to just keep watching. It was fun watching each of our athletes cross the finish line. Way to go team!

I'n Two!

2008-04-21T14:33:00.000-07:00

Ask Kylie how old she is and she'll tell you again and again, "I'n 2" as she proudly holds up two little fingers. Here is my little 2-year old! Cutest thing I've ever seen, but then I might be biased! We love you Kylie! What a blessing of absolute joy you are to our family!

Sharing the Glory

2008-04-21T14:24:00.000-07:00

We had a joint birthday party for Kylie and her Uncle JJ. Here are a few pics of that family event.

My B-Day Bash

2008-04-05T16:31:00.000-07:00

Sorry to do two posts on my Birthday. I had to share my thoughts, but want also to write about what we did. Mike took me to Salt Lake's fancy restaurant, The Roof on Saturday night. YUMMY! When can we go again, Mike? Sunday, my girls and I were all sick so we stayed home. Madelyn had been sick all week, but she appeared to be doing better and gave me the best birthday present a mother could get. . . lots of smiles and coos. Mike gave me a beautiful bouquet of fruit (yes, fruit not flowers) from Edible Arrangements. Also YUMMY! My siblings all came over to spend some quality time. Sure was fun to celebrate with my family around.

Twenty-Nine

2008-04-05T16:05:00.000-07:00

I woke up last Sunday, not thinking "I'm 29 years old," but rather, "Oh my gosh, I'm almost 30!" It was an interesting realization that this upcoming year is my last year in my twenties. What a decade! I feel like life has changed soooo much from the time I turned 20. Almost getting married, but not; completing college; serving a mission; getting married; entering the work force as a teacher; having 2 kids; surviving my husband's completion of graduate school, getting our first real job; and in a few months. . . moving. . . again. This year needs to be a great one to top off such a great decade. I don't think I can have another kid before I leave this decade (I guess I could, but I would rather avoid the torture of 3 kids under the age of two). Maybe I need to pick up a new hobby, or just find time to do the ones I already have. I've been wanting to learn about photography, maybe I should take a class. Maybe Mike and I need to take a really great vacation. . . hint, hint Honey! My sister Rachele is trying to convince me to run a marathon. I guess now is as good as ever. Yeah, right! I have no desire to do that. . . maybe a 5K. I've always wanted to write a book just because I think it would be cool to see my name on the front of one. . . really I don't have anything to write about. I don't know. It sounds like I'm having a mid-life crisis, doesn't it. I just want to do something cool before I leave my twenties. Let me know if you have any great ideas!

Here Comes the Paycheck!

2008-04-04T12:33:00.000-07:00

What once was uncertain is now a little more certain. . . at least for the next two years. Mike hasn't graduated quite yet, but he has been offered and accepted a job! And real life begins -- isn't real life when you start getting a paycheck? He is about to sign a two year contract with Mountain Land Rehab as a staff Physical Therapist. He will be working in West Jordan, Utah (6 miles away from where my parents live in Riverton). So . . . we will be moving into their newly finished basement apartment while we save for a down payment on a house and wait for the perfect opportunity to buy a home of our own. I think my parents are looking forward to having two little granddaughters living in their basement. I'm looking forward to some free babysitting once in a while! We are going to miss Flagstaff and the friends we have made there, however, we will be visiting fairly often as we drive through to Phoenix to visit family. We will be renting out our townhouse in Bellemont, so if any of you know of anyone who needs a place to rent, please let us know!!!

Easter Events

2008-03-31T13:21:00.000-07:00

Riverton city Easter egg hunt, dying eggs, finding Easter baskets after church, spending time with family. We had a fun Easter!

2008-03-31T13:02:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite parts of weddings is the children all dressed up in their fancies. Here are just a few of my favorite pictures of Kylie & her cousins at JJ & Natalie’s wedding.

Last of the Weddings

2008-03-31T12:50:00.000-07:00

Well, the deed is done. JJ is finally married and he is the last of my siblings to do so. We are so excited for him. . . mostly because we love Natalie so much. She is so good natured, fun to be with, and perfect for JJ. They were married on March 18th in the Salt Lake Temple. The ceremony was one of the most beautiful that I have attended, the weather was chilly, but the sun was shining. Idon't think it could have been more perfect for the very special couple. Congrats to the newly-weds & best wishes for your life forever after!

A Name & A Blessing

2008-03-31T12:30:00.000-07:00

We blessed Madelyn on March 16th, two days before my brother JJ’s wedding. All of my family (except for Brandon who was at his Airforce officer training camp) and all of Mike's family were there for the special event. I feel like it is so neat when an entire family gathers together to celebrate and welcome a new member. What special bonds are strengthened through everyone’s efforts to gather. Thank you all for coming!

I Can't Hear You!

2008-02-25T15:05:00.000-08:00

A question I frequently hear is “How is Kylie adjusting to a new baby sister?” This picture doesn’t quite say it all, but it sure says a lot. Apparently she thinks the baby cries too much.

M&M’s & Potty Training

2008-02-25T14:25:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I thought I would take on the monumental task of potty training. Now I’m asking myself, “What was I thinking?” I started by trying to sit Kylie on the BIG toilet. . . the one mommy & daddy uses, however, she FREAKS out. It seriously scares her to death. Granted she is pretty petite and could probably fall in if I ever let go of her. I was nervous her fear would prevent us from ever getting her potty trained, so I bought a training toilet. What a hit! She loves it! A little too much if you ask me! She ALWAYS wants to sit on it. 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes. . . she loves to just sit there pants on, pants off, it doesn’t matter. . . she just loves her potty chair! We’ve been successful: each time she sits on it, she leaves a little something in the bowl. When she does, she gets a treat! She will pretty much do anything for a treat!
For a few days about a week ago, she decided she was done taking naps. I cried! Then I started bribing her with a treat. If she takes a nap, she gets a treat when she wakes up. It works like a charm! Oh, how thankful I am for treats! I know kids probably shouldn’t be bribed, but if it means I get a few minutes to myself, I’m doin’ it!
Back to potty training: I’ve pretty much decided that it is easier to change a diaper than sit in the bathroom with Kylie for several hours a day. I think we will hold off for a little longer!

Mommy, Mommy! Poop!

2008-02-25T14:17:00.000-08:00

Mommy, Mommy! Poop!
That’s what I heard repeatedly coming from Kylie’s bedroom half an hour after putting her down for a nap last Friday. Upon entering her room, I found Kylie standing on her bed with one hand on the wall and her pants off. Thankfully, her diaper was still somewhat intact. As I got closer I noticed poop on her shirt and hands including the hand that was on the wall. She stood there as if she didn’t know what happened, but it was clear to me that mommy’s little explorer had been exploring the contents of her diaper. YUCK! I quickly carried her into the bathroom, cleaned her up and then fearfully inspected her bedroom. I was so grateful to find virtually no mess in her bedroom . . . just a little on the wall which turned out to be a quick cleanup! The bed & sheets were free of any doo-doo!
Ahh, the joys of parenthood!

My Funny Valentine

2008-02-19T14:49:00.000-08:00

We sure do love Daddy!

My How Time Flies

2008-02-19T14:22:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how big my baby is! My first baby that is. Kylie is growing up way too fast! I once looked at my newborn Kylie thinking, I'll never forget how tiny she is or what she looks like or what she sounds like. Well, now I look at Madelyn and think. . . Oh, I forgot Kylie was ever this little. It is terrible what time can do to one's memory. It makes me want to take a lot more pictures & video recordings of Madelyn because I just don't want to forget these precious first weeks & months. Here's just a few things that I had forgotten about newborns:

How much they poop!
How often they have to eat.
How tired I get from those many mid-night feedings.
How precious they are to cuddle with when they are asleep (I do that a lot less with Madelyn than I did with Kylie because now I have a toddler to take care of in addition to a newborn. . . still in survival mode, by the way!)
How much laundry a little 6 pound person can produce!
How much joy they bring!
How hard it is to keep my clothes clean after being spit up on all the time.
How perfect they are!

Not only am I forgetting what newborns are like, but I think I've already forgotten how miserable labor can be. I nearly did the whole thing natural (no drugs) this time. . . I think I only had about 6 contractions after the epidural was in place, but it never reached its full effect before Madelyn arrived. How could I have forgotten already how incredibly painful the whole process is!?! I guess there are somethings that are worth forgetting.

Thank Heaven for Grandmas!

2008-02-12T11:42:00.000-08:00

I am now on my second day alone with two children of my own. Yikes! I already need a vacation! My mom came for a week to take care of us and did she ever take care of us! She cooked every meal we ate, bought us tons of groceries, made two table runners, helped me with Madelyn's birth announcements, entertained Kylie, made us delicious treats everyday, vacuumed, cleaned our bathrooms, did our laundry. . . she even dusted our ceiling fans! I don't know what I would have done without her! Mom. . . thanks for all you did and continue to do for our family! You are the best & we love you! When can you come again!?!

Me & My Girls

2008-02-12T11:15:00.000-08:00

Madelyn Ivy King

2008-02-11T09:43:00.000-08:00

Our sweet baby is here at last! She entered the world on February 2, 2008 @ 12:38 am weighing in at 6.0 pounds and 18 inches. She is a little angel and a perfect baby. . . sleeps plenty, cries very little. Kylie loves her new baby sister and is such a big help to mommy. I feel like the luckiest mommy in the world to have two beautiful, sweet, little girls!

Large & In Charge!

2008-01-25T13:17:00.000-08:00

I don't know why I would do this to myself, but here is a picture of me large and in charge. Taken last night, this is the first pregnant sillouette picture I've taken during this pregnancy. Last time I think I took at least five pictures so I could document the growth of my belly. This time, I just haven't wanted to watch my self grow fat I guess. Anyway, here I am at 38 weeks.

Big Girl Bed Adventures

2008-01-11T10:49:00.001-08:00

With a new little sister coming in just 4 weeks who will be kicking her big sister out of her crib, we bought a twin bed for Kylie. She spent her first night on it last night and only fell off once! I was a little nervous, because she is an all-over sleeper. I put pillows along the floor and left the baby monitor on so I could hear any thuds that might occur. Around 1 am, I did hear Kylie screaming for help. I ran into her room only to find her hips on the edge of the bed, her feet on top of the bed, and her head lying on one of those pillows I had so carefully arranged on the floor. We got her back into bed and she was able to stay in bed the rest of the night. One thing I am not looking forward to as Kylie grows up is earlier mornings. Once she's up, there are no bars to keep her in her place. Now it seems that she is in charge of when she can get out of bed not mommy or daddy. Oh how I hate losing that control!

Christmas Break

2008-01-11T10:19:00.000-08:00

Well, this is the last lengthy Christmas break that we will ever get for the rest of our lives. . . well at least until we retire. Mike finished his 2nd internship at DeRosa Physical Therapy in Flagstaff on Dec. 7, 2007. We spent a few days relaxing and getting ready for about 3 1/2 weeks of being away from home, and then departed on our vacation. The Phoenix weather was amazing and time with the family was wonderful. . . especially after not being all together for a year. Kylie enjoyed going to the Wild Animal Safari Zoo, seeing the lights at the Mesa Temple, playing with her first non-related babysitter while mom & dad enjoyed going to the Forgotten Carols, and playing with her cousin Kaitlin in Great Grandma & Grandpa's RV in Casa Grande. Kylie didn't enjoy the visit to her orthopedic surgeon and getting x-rays of her hips taken. We learned that all might not be as well as we thought with her hip dysplasia and treatment may be needed after all. We will follow up in 6 months for another X-ray before anything can really be determined. If treatment is needed, we hope it is only bracing and not surgery.

We said good-bye to the Phoenix sunshine on Dec 26th and left for home, but only for a brief visit. We unpacked and re-packed then got ready to go to Salt Lake for a week. Mike enjoyed a day of skiing with my siblings while I stayed home feeling large and incharge with just a month to go before the baby comes. My dad took advantage of free labor and put the boys to work framing the basement. We met up with old friends and just enjoyed being with family.

We returned home to Flagstaff a day earlier than we had planned and are glad we did. It started snowing Saturday morning and didn't stop until Monday night. Our back yard ended up with about 2 1/2 feet of snow! Our driveway too. . . poor Mike who had to do the shoveling -- you can bet I played the pregnancy card on that one!

We had a wonderful break with plenty of relaxation and fun. Kylie and I miss Mike as started his 3rd internship on Jan 9th at Larson Rehabilitation Services. We susre love him and are grateful for the hard work that he puts in to becoming a great physical therapist.

How Do You Walk Your Dog?

2007-11-28T13:53:00.000-08:00

No, we don’t take our baby dolls for walks in the stroller. We take puppies for walks in the stroller. I think Kylie takes after her Grandma Debi and Aunt Rachele when it comes to her love for animals! Grandma was found climbing down into a deep canal to rescue a dog when she was a child, and Aunt Rachele has a dog that has to wear a diaper all the time. You really have to LOVE a puppy in order to put up with that mess! I guess a love of animals is just in Kylie’s blood; and really, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I think it’s adorable!

Getting Ready for Missionaries

2007-11-28T13:23:00.000-08:00

Mike and I took Kylie down to Phoenix to get ready the house ready for our return missionary grandparents. We took care of a few VERY simple “maintenance” issues, restocked a few items, washed and returned the Yukon we have been borrowing, hung a welcome home sign, and decorated for Christmas. Jim was there on Friday evening to help us, and Tammy came down on Saturday to help. We figured Jim and Becky will have enough on their plate just getting home, unpacking/reorganizing themselves, getting ready for all their kids to come home for a Christmas visit, and taking care of all the homecoming traditions such as speaking in church and reporting to the Stake High Council, etc.
This turned out to be one of those projects however where our hearts were bigger than our actual abilities. What I mean is, that once we saw how many Christmas decorations were in the upstairs closet, we became very overwhelmed and didn’t know where to put anything. Mike and I decided we would just do the tree and hope they would appreciate that. Thank goodness for Jimmy and Tammy, because they were the real masterminds behind the decorating and knew more than Mike and I where things usually went. We felt good about how things turned out, however I’m sure it is not perfect. Here’s where I need to give them permission to make any changes they feel are necessary. We won’t be offended in the least . . . promise! Hopefully it takes a little of the Christmas load off of their shoulders so they can just concentrate on getting themselves moved back into their house. They may take one look at everything and with a deep sigh, just think to themselves. . . “Bless their hearts for trying.”

Thanksgiving

2007-11-28T13:07:00.000-08:00

We enjoyed a Thanksgiving feast at Mike’s sister Carol’s house. We had a smorgasbord of people there . . . some of Carol’s family, some of Kevin’s family, and a friend from the ward. It made for a very enjoyable Thanksgiving Day. One never would have guessed that this was Carol’s first time hosting such an event. It truly was spectacular! Thanks Carol!
Kylie adores her cousins and was always found right where the big kid’s were. In this picture, she and Sara, (notice also Kylie’s puppy Cuddles) enjoyed watching this competitive game of chess played by Tanner and Emma. Mike and his brother Jim taught them the rules of the game and I was amazed at how quickly they picked them up! What smarty pants!

Tickle, Tickle!

2007-11-28T12:49:00.000-08:00

Tickle, tickle! That’s what we say when we dust the furniture. Kylie loves to be tickled and loves to tickle not only Mommy and Daddy, but our furniture as well! She loves to help me in whatever ways she can! Cooking dinner, making my bed, putting her dirty clothes in the hamper, and yes, tickling the furniture! What a sweetheart!

Our Missionary Countdown

2007-11-14T11:54:00.000-08:00

Mike's parents will be returning home from their mission in Montreal Canada in just a few weeks! We are so excited and can't wait to have them home! Kylie and I made this missionary countdown to keep track of how soon we get to see Nana & Papa. Kylie did a great job of threading the straight pieces of paper through each ring while I did the stapling. Pretty good team if you ask me!

Our Little Butterfly Has the Sweetest Smile!

2007-11-09T14:17:00.000-08:00

So I really wanted Kylie to be a ballerina this year, mostly because I love her cute little body with the big belly and the big bum sticking out. (I’m not sure why this isn’t quite as cute as we get older). The ballerina idea didn’t work out because that would entail my being crafty and making a tutu small enough for my little twinkle-toes. I wasn’t in the mood to get that crafty, so I bought a little butterfly costume from Babies ‘R Us. When we tried it on in the store, Kylie took off running. . . a sure sign that she was ready to play her favorite game, “catch me if you can”. I chased her down through the aisles of the store, but was laughing so hard as I was running because the view from behind was priceless. All I could see was a little head bopping up and down and vibrant pink wings flapping in the wind. I was sold on this costume and so was she!
Kylie LOVED Halloween night! We were home alone while most of the trick-or-treaters came; Mike didn’t get home until well after the festivities had begun. I dressed Kylie up in her costume while we were passing out candy. The first time the doorbell rang, she squealed with delight at the prospect of having a visitor. When I opened the door, there stood a ninja and a Dracula. At this point Kylie was not so delighted and hid behind the door -- She was SCARED! The next several visitors got a scare of their own. Each time I opened the door, Kylie would scream in her high-pitched voice and the trick-or-treaters would JUMP. I guess they weren’t used to being screamed at when picking up their candy. I got a kick out of watching all of this take place!
Let me just say that I did learn my lesson this year with trick-or-treating. I held my bowl of candy out for my first little visitors to take a few pieces of candy, but their little hands were a lot bigger than I thought! Between the two of them, they nearly emptied half of my bowl! I was appalled at how “greedy” these little monsters seemed to be. I held my bowl out for my next visitors, but this time told them they could take 2 pieces of candy. The same thing happened with these three! Little hands dove in to grab as much candy as they could possibly get. After that, I started putting the candy in their bags myself! Why didn’t anyone warn me!?! I ran out of candy by 7:15 pm., and Mike got home a little while later. We went to one house together with Kylie. She was soooo cute and we stood on our neighbor’s door to meet them and visit for about 10 minutes. They loved Kylie, especially as she blew them kisses upon our departure. That one door seemed to be just enough to give Kylie a good taste of what trick-or-treating was like and to end the night on a good note.

Carving Pumpkins

2007-11-09T13:47:00.000-08:00

Carving pumpkins was a two day event for us this year due to Mike’s very busy schedule. Mike and Kylie made “gutting” the pumpkin a daddy-daughter-duo on the evening of Mike’s birthday. We weren’t sure how much Kylie would get into this messy task, so we took off her shirt to thinking a bath would be easier than doing laundry . . . pardon her nakedness. Kylie has always been one to not like messy things. . . she is a very careful eater using only her little pincher grasp to get the food from her plate to her mouth. If she feels any food hanging out of her mouth, she is quick to catch it (between her thumb and pointer only) and place it neatly back into her mouth. She is also very aware now at 18 months of her dirty diapers and wants them changed ASAP! Needless to say, these tidy habits did transfer to pumpkin carving, and she only wanted to help daddy a little bit.
We finished carving the pumpkin the following day for our family home evening activity. We left this part up mostly to mommy and daddy to accomplish. I put the design on the pumpkin, and Mike did the carving. I think the hardest part of the whole evening was getting the picture of the finished product with all those who contributed.

Happy Birthday Mike!

2007-11-09T13:19:00.000-08:00

Mike turned 28 on the 28th of October. I've always referred to this once in a lifetime event as the "golden birthday." To make this birthday extra special, I tried my hand at making a fun and unique birthday cake. I usually use a cake mix and pour it into a 9 x 13 inch pan, bake it, wait for it to cool and then spread frosting over the top. Simple enought, right!?! Not this year! This cake was a little more involved! Because his birthday is only 3 days before halloween, I made this lovely jack-o-lantern cake. It was very complicated to make (considering my skill level) and I doubt he or any of my children will ever have as creative a cake as this again. . . that is unless I forget how painfully complicated and frustrating it was to put it together. Who knows, I just might forget in a year or two. Kind of like forgetting the pains of child birth right? Speaking of which, I am beginning to remember more and more vividly the closer I get to that blessed due date! YIKES! Too late to turn back now, I guess.

Home Sweet Home

2007-11-07T14:54:00.000-08:00

We made it back to Flagstaff on Saturday, October 13th at 1:00 am, just in time to drive down to Phoenix later on that day to celebrate Mike's sister Tammy's birthday! It was fun to see his family again.

Since we've been home, we've been doing some major organizing and cleaning. I think I must be "nesting" as only expectant mothers do. I'm pretty much ready for a baby girl so I don't have any shopping or setting up of a nursery to do. I guess the next best thing is to CLEAN! If you came to my house, however, it may appear that nothing has been done unless you take an exceptionally close look at my baseboards (dust free thank you very much), closets, and the garage. By the time the baby gets here, my house just might look immaculate!!!! That is, unless I run out of steam, which I imagine will happen as I near the end of the third trimester. Here's to nesting!

Look Alikes?

2007-10-03T11:02:00.001-07:00

For almost a year and a half, I've heard from people that Kylie looks just like me. While it is true she looks more like me than Mike, I guess she doesn't really look exactly like me. There really is some of Mike in her!

Sugar and Spice & Everything Nice

2007-09-27T09:31:00.001-07:00

Well, we've had our official ultrasound and the word is in. 2 weeks ago, the doctor thought this baby might be a boy. I wasn't sure if he let it slip or if he was trying to lead me astray. Looks like he may have been leading me astray because according to the ultrasound, it looks like Kylie will be having a sister! Yep, another little girl! Mike says in his heart of hearts, he still wonders if it is really a boy. Most of our family and Mike's co-workers were sure it was a boy. I was convinced as well. . . so much for mother's intuition. We got a pretty clear shot, and the baby definitely has little girl parts. I must admit, I am relieved. As much as I like to shop, I'm grateful that we don't need to buy an all new wardrobe & bedding for a boy while still on this student budget. I've been telling Mike all along that a girl would be cheaper. He kindly reminded me that this will not be the case in the long run. I suppose he is right. . . we'll have to start saving now for their weddings.

Go Cougars!

2007-09-24T10:15:00.001-07:00

Go Cougars! We enjoyed a rather adventurous Saturday as we ventured into our previous stomping grounds for a BYU football game. This was kind of a last minute decision, but we somehow landed some pretty incredible seats. Second row is not bad, right!?! (The picture of Cosmo was taken from our comfy little seats . . . no zoom necessary.) Kylie enjoyed watching Cosmo, although when he came over to say hi and shook Kylie's hand, she started screaming. I guess somethings are better admired from a distance. We were nervous about how Kylie would do, but after the trauma of a jet flying super low over the football field and the cannon going off twice - once for a touchdown and another for the field goal - all within the first 3 minutes of the game, she settled down and got used to the sounds of the enthusiastic fans. We enjoyed the game until the rain came. At first our ponchos were able to protect us from the drizzle, but once it started coming down hard, we left and walked all the way across campus to our car. We did stop for a break at the BYU bookstore as we worked up the courage to go out into the rain again. This time we would be a little more prepared. . . we got a bag from the BYU bookstore to use as a makeshift poncho for Kylie for the remainder of our walk through the rain. Mike's extra shirt we had been using to protect her from the rain was soaking by this point. She sure was a good sport!

Goofy Golfing

2007-09-24T10:05:00.000-07:00

We took Kylie miniature golfing for the first time at Boondocks on Friday night. We had a blast watching Kylie try to figure out what this game was all about. I think she thought it was a game of fetch because we would hit our balls down the green and Kylie would go chasing after them to retrieve them. Once she caught up to the ball she would pick it up and throw it back to us. Her aim isn't quite "on" yet so it is a wonder that no one around us got hurt. The club must have been just a fun stick to carry around while playing this fun game of fetch.

A Thoughtful Husband

2007-09-24T10:00:00.001-07:00

I LOVE chocolate covered anything, but strawberries especially. Mike called me on Friday and suggested we meet up for lunch during his break. I arrived at the designated location, and Mike had this yummy surprise for me! No special occasion. . . just because. How sweet, thoughtful, and DELICIOUS! I love you Mike!

The World is A Good Place

2007-09-21T14:09:00.000-07:00

The world is a good place, and people in this world are good! I forget that sometimes. . . okay a lot. As I see billboards, TV shows, commercials, women scantily clothed, tatoos and piercings everywhere one can imagine, I often find myself thinking. . . what is this world coming to? Today Heavenly Father wanted to remind me that not all the world is bad. I visited Deseret Book to buy a few good movies to replace some of the TV watching that we do. As I finished up at the register and began to walk away, a little lady standing two people behind me in line tapped my shoulder and showed me a little board book about Halloween. She said, I want to give this to her, pointing to Kylie. I was taken back and didn't know what to say. I tried to thank her, although I know I didn't do an adequate job, and told Kylie to say thank you too. This sweet lady with a twinkle in her eye said, "Oh, she already has. She has been smiling at me." The lady in front of her allowed her to quickly pay for it so she could give it to us and go. I asked her name and then introduced myself and Kylie to Ruth. I think about the Visiting Teaching Theme for this year. . . becoming an instrument in God's hands. Today, Ruth was an instrument in sharing God's love with me. After several rough days, this is exactly what I needed to know. . . that my Heavenly Father loves me and that people in this world are good! Thank you Ruth for that sweet reminder! I hope I never forget it!

Our Little Old Lady

2007-09-19T15:30:00.001-07:00

I've been thinking that Kylie will dress up like a ballerina for Halloween this year. I don't know though. . . after seeing her sporting this wig, I think we may dress her up like a little old lady. Either way, we can take advantage of her protruding belly and big bottom. We are taking votes. Let me know what you think!

A Taste of Sweetness!

2007-09-19T15:17:00.001-07:00

Last week, I walked into a hair salon to see about prices for a haircut & coloring because I just feel like I'm in the ugly slump of my life. I wasn't there long because I quickly remembered we are living on a student budget and the luxury of looking beautiful will have to wait until after graduation. While we were there, however, Kylie discovered a bowl full of dum-dum suckers on the counter. She kept pointing and saying "peas, peas" in her sweet high -pitched voice. (Yes, she is finally developing some manners!) She really wanted one and the receptionist insisted that we take one to go. I was a little nervous to give it to her, but her not so sweet toddler tantrum came out and I unwrapped it and plugged it in her mouth to stop the whining. How's that for standing up to a one-year old!?! I dreaded the thought of the icky-sticky mess that was sure to be mine to clean up upon arriving at our destination. Thank goodness for wet wipes! I don't think I've ever seen Kylie quite as content as when she was sucking on all that sugar! I must admit the mess wasn't that bad, and Kylie has never tasted so sweet!

Such a Ham!

2007-09-19T15:07:00.000-07:00

Kylie knows just what to do when the camera comes out! After all, she has seen it at least weekly since her birth! She now poses either with a smile or usually while pulling some wacky face! Here are just a few she pulled while enjoying a banana. I had to share!

It's A BOY. . . Or Is It?

2007-09-10T16:27:00.000-07:00

I went to see an OB today here in Utah. I was very surprised that they would do an ultrasound at 18 weeks. I started to get very nervous because I hadn't invited Mike to be there! The Dr. asked me if I wanted to find out the sex of the baby today. Boy, was I tempted! Of course I would like to know what kind of baby is growing inside me!!!!! I exercised some great self control, however and told the doctor that I wanted to wait for my husband to be there when I find out. Dr. B said during the ultrasound that "It must be a boy because you feel so differently from your first pregnancy." He then (about half way through the ultrasound) went from calling the baby "it" to "him." Here are HIS legs, here is HIS head, there you can see HIS bum. . . was the doctor trying to throw me off or did he let it slip? I'll let you know in 2 weeks when I have the "official" ultrasound!

I've Been Tagged!

2007-09-10T16:06:00.000-07:00

I was tagged a long time ago by Zipporah. . . never responded (sorry). Then I was tagged more recently by Mandi. They each had a different set of rules, but I'm going with Zipporah's list because I have to tag fewer people in return. Seeing as how I'm new to the blogging world, and I don't have a long list of fellow bloggers, I figured this list would be easier! Sorry Mandi.

4 Jobs I've had
Payless Shoe Source (Sales Associate)
Teacher's Assistant (Rosecreek)
MTC Teacher
2nd Grade Teacher (Westmore)

4 Places I've lived
Midvale, UT
Oakland, CA
Provo, UT
Flagstaff, AZ

4 Favorite TV shows
House
So You Think You Can Dance
Psych
Bones

4 places I've vacationed
San Diego, CA
Cruise from LA - San Diego - Catalina Island - Ensanada, Mexico
Lake Powell
Nauvoo, IL

4 Favorite dishes
Ask me when I'm not pregnant! Right now I don't enjoy eating anything! The only thing I tolerate lately is french fries with Utah's famous fry sauce (mayo + ketchup) Mmmm!
When I'm not pregnant . . . Cafe Rio Chicken Salad
Paradise Bakery Turkey & Cranberry Sandwich
In & Out Double Double
Chili's Crispy Chicken Salad (which is no longer on the menu. . . sad days!)

4 Places I'd like to be
Home with Mike & Kylie
Teaching children
Anywhere with all my siblings!
Tonga. . . I've been told it really is the other side of heaven!

Tag you're it!
Brandon
Rachele
Amber
Jeff

Cousins from across the world

2007-09-07T10:42:00.001-07:00

Kylie & her 2nd cousins. Dawson (2), Alex & Brian visiting from Japan (8 & 3). We haven't seen Alex since he was just a baby & had never met Brian. Brian speaks no english, but that didn't stop Kylie from having fun with him! It's amazing to me how children put up no barriers!

Happy Birthday Braden

2007-09-05T10:15:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was Kylie's cousin, Braden's birthday! He just started Kindergarten & he finally turned 5! We thought about him all day yesterday and wished we could be there in Colorado to help him eat his birthday cake! We think you are one cool kid Braden! (He has informed me that I can not call him "cute" anymore, only Grandma Debi & his Daddy can call him that! I am only allowed to call him "cool"). We are so excited that your daddy will be home from Iraq in less than 2 weeks! That's a pretty great birthday present! We love you Braden! Happy Birthday!

Baking Bread with Grandma

2007-09-04T10:36:00.001-07:00

I am so grateful to be here with my family. My mom has been such a big help to me with Kylie. This morning when I got out of the shower, I came up to see Kylie learning how to make homemade whole wheat bread with Grandma. Maybe now, I won't have to learn & Kylie can be our bread maker! She loves her grandma so much. Grandma feeds her Kylie's favorite foods. . . FRUIT, takes her on walks with Yogi, plays with her at the park, and just spoils her rotten! Such a lucky girl to be so close to grandma for a few months! We love you grandma!

Labor Day Weekend

2007-09-04T07:37:00.000-07:00

Mike's brother Jeff & his wife Sarah came to stay with us a few days over labor day weekend. It was so fun to have them here! (Thanks for coming you two!) Uncle JJ took us boating on Utah Lake for a few hours. It was our first time on a boat this summer & we had a blast! The boys liked to show off thier stuff on the wakeboard. Natalie, JJ's very cute friend whom we all love, came with us too & she had some stuff to show us as well! Pretty good on the wakeboard & ski! I would have liked to have skiied, but figured I probably shouldn't being 18 weeks pregnant with no doctor in town. . . I'd be better off playing it safe. Can't wait for next summer though!

On Labor day Jeff, Sarah, Robbie, Rachele, Mike, & I went golfing! I hate to golf, but I love to drive the cart! You can take me along anytime as long as I can drive the cart! Kylie had fun with Aunts and Uncles from both sides of her family!

The Big Scary Monster

2007-08-29T08:24:00.000-07:00

Mike mowed the lawn last Saturday and it was a traumatic first for Kylie! The loud noise made her very weary of the big machine. She watched from afar for a few seconds and then would come running back to mom to find some comfort & shelter (hiding behind my legs). She watched with great concern for her daddy who seemed too close to comfort to the monster machine. I guess it could be a frightening sight for one who didn't understand what was going on. Once the machine was put away, however, she was a great help following me around with a dust pan while I swept grass trimmings from off the sidewalks.

One of the Best Grandpa's in the World!

2007-08-29T08:19:00.000-07:00

Grandpa Dale must truly be one of the best grandpa's in the world. After a very long, hard, hot day working in the backyard, he went to get himself a cool treat. . . an A&W Rootbeer Float! This is one of his favorite treats, but did he keep it to himself? No siree! He shared with his sweet little granddaughter & Kylie LOVED it! What royal treatment she is receiving from Grandpa! We love you grandpa & think you are the best!

Happy 2nd Birthday Dawson!

2007-08-27T14:41:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday we went to Kylie's cousin Dawson's 2nd Birthday party at Uncle Barry's house! What a fun day! We got to go swimming, eat some yummy food . . . including, of course, cake and icecream, and enjoy being with family. Dawson got a lot of presents, including the cowboy hat that you see him sporting here in this picture. The party's Hawaiin theme made wearing leas (spelling) and sunglasses extra fun! Kylie is becoming a good swimmer. Earlier in the summer, she wanted absolutely nothing to do with the water, but now, she loves to swim on her belly and jump from the ledge of the pool into daddy's arms. We feel like she has made very good progress on her swimming report card! Way to go Kylie!

Into Trouble . . . and Toilet Paper

2007-08-27T14:29:00.001-07:00

So this is what Kylie decided to do while Mommy was in the shower the other day. She has a keen eye for finding her way into trouble . . . especially at Grandma & Grandpa's house because they have door handles instead of knobs. I'm not sure I will ever have handles in my house. Don't get me wrong! I love the way they look, but little ones can figure them out looooooong before they have developed any self discipline. Kylie has full reign and access to every room and closet in this house. Nothing is safe, which means that I have to be extra vigilant about keeping my eye on her. Darnet! I think I've increased how many steps I take in a day by about 1 million because when things get a little quiet around here, I have to run to find Kylie just to make sure she hasn't gotten into anything that she shouldn't. The other day, we found her not into the toilet paper, but outside in the front yard. . . yes, she can also open the front door all by herself! What a big girl she is!

Poor Yogi!

2007-08-27T14:15:00.001-07:00

Yogi is Grandma and Grandpa's dog. He is a good natured poodle who is getting very old. What a sport he is as Kylie yanks on his tail, tugs at his ears, tries to ride him like a horse, puts her finger up his nose, uses him as a pillow, or drags him around by the leash. His favorite game has become "Hide & Seek." He hides so Kylie can't find him! I can't say that things are all bad for this little K-9! After all, Kylie is always willing to share her snacks with him . . . He has become a big fan of Goldfish crackers! Yogi has done a good job of keeping my little one entertained! Good boy, Yogi!

Whistle While You Work

2007-08-21T14:57:00.000-07:00

Another fun way to keep the landscaping dust off of Grandma's wood floor was discovered by Conner and Kylie. Kylie was laying on Conner's blanket on the floor. Conner wanted her off and started pulling the blanket, but instead of getting the blanket from Kylie, he ended up taking Kylie for a thrilling ride. This turned into a lot of fun with Braden, Conner, Aunt Zipporah, and even Kylie all taking turns pulling someone on the blanket! Who knew work could be such fun!?! Mary Poppin's was right when she said: "In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun, and snap, the job's a game!" Thanks for the tip, Mary!

My Little Helper

2007-08-19T17:22:00.000-07:00

One of the projects that we are lucky enough to be involved in while living with Grandma & Grandpa is the landscaping of the backyard. It is going to be a very big job! A lot of work was accomplished over the last week! One consequence of this project is that the house gets very dusty as dust covered people come in and out of the house. We are so lucky to have Kylie who has proven to be very profficient at using this over-sized (for her) sweeper! She does a good job of keeping us dust free!

More Fun with More Cousins!

2007-08-18T10:28:00.000-07:00

Our little family made a temporary move to Salt Lake on Aug 7th for Mike's 1st of 4 internships. We will be here until the middle of October and are looking forward to spending time with Grandma and Grandpa Kofford! Zipporah and the kids came for one last summer trip before Braden starts Kindergarten. We missed Michael and can't wait for him to get home from Iraq! We sure loved having some of the Kofford cousins here! Kylie won't know what to do without them! She was always one step behind Braden and Conner! She also enjoyed playing with Haley . . . it was double trouble with the two of them together! I can't wait to see these two playing together through the many years to come! I'm sure they will be great friends!

Under the Sea

2007-08-08T17:00:00.000-07:00

We were so excited to spend Saturday, Aug. 4 at Sea World, but we were even more excited that Grandma Debi, Grandpa Dale, and Grandma Mona were able to come with us! Kylie loved to watch Shamu and the dolphins and all their fun tricks! We got up close and personal with the dolphins and enjoyed petting them and getting all wet from their splashing. We saw so many things that live under the sea like the eels, bat rays, penguins, sharks, dolphins, and of course the seastars that you see Kylie touching in this photo. Oh what fun we had learning about God's creations that live in the ocean!

Beach Bums

2007-08-08T16:39:00.000-07:00

Kylie enjoyed her second trip to the beach on Aug. 3. We spent several hours at La Jolla beach with the whole Moffat crew, the first 45 minutes of which were spent getting Kylie used to the idea of sand between her toes and salt water in her hair. Grandma & Grandpa Kofford and Great Grandma Mona were visiting Mona's condo on Coronado Island that same weekend, so they also joined us for some fun in the sun. Grandma Debi built Kylie her own little tide pool to wade in. She had so much fun with the Stephens cousins in her little private pool!

Camping & Cozy

2007-08-08T16:12:00.000-07:00

August started out with a fun-filled vacation to San Diego for the Moffat Family Reunion (Mike's Mom's Family). We missed his mom & dad who were unable to make it because they are serving a mission in Montreal Canada, but we went and we had a great time! This was Kylie's first experience camping and boy were we grateful for the mild San Diego temperatures! I can't really say that we completely camped out. . . we somehow managed to fit a queen-sized air mattress and a pack 'n play into our three man tent. It was a tight fit, but we felt as comfortable as kings!

Joining the World of Blogging

2007-08-07T13:18:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I'm a little out of it! I must admit, I didn't even really know what a blog was until my brother Michael left for Iraq and his wife started a blog to keep us all in touch with them and the news they heared from Michael. I've LOVED visiting her blog almost daily. From there, I had other siblings and friends start and share their own blogs. . . I've been wanting to do my own, but have resisted only because of my slow-as-a-snail, dial up internet. We are getting it for free through the university so I won't complain too much, but nevertheless, a blog would have been more headache than fun. We are now in Salt Lake living with my mom and dad for the next few months, so I figured I could take advantage of more than just free room and board, but a little free high-speed internet access as well! Hope you enjoy!