The reason I blog...

"You will have significant experiences. I hope that you will write them down and
keep a record of them, that you will read them from time to time and refresh
your memory of these meaningful, significant things. Some of them may be funny.
Some may be of significance only to you. Some of them may be sacred and quietly
beautiful. Some may build one upon another until they represent a lifetime of
special experience."
~Gordon B. Hinckley

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Hello Two Thousand Fourteen

Two Thousand Fourteen...2014!!  How did more than a year and a half go by with out posting anything to this little old family blog?!  I'm pretty sure that when I quit my job at the UofU almost two years ago and had that cute little baby boy...that I thought to myself, "I'm going to have SO much more time to do things like crafting, photography, scrapbooking, and blogging!" 

But let's be honest...I have absolutely NO more time to do that stuff than I did before!  But as I look back on all the fun adventures we've had as a family...I'm sad that the only thing that documented those moments was a sentence or two and/or a picture on Instagram or Facebook.  As much as I love those social media outlets...I've decided that this year I'm going to do more.  Even if it's just for me...and no one else will read this...I want to document more.  

So where does that bring us?  Well let me fill you in on what we are up to...

Well we finally did have that cute little boy on March 9, 2012...his name is Jarek William.  The name Jarek came from a TV show that Jer and I really liked called Chicago Code, and William is after Jeremy's paternal grandfather.  He will be 2 years old in just a couple of months and the time just seems to fly by!  He has brought so much love and joy into our home and to our family.  He is a daddy's boy for sure...he can't wait for dad to come home from work everyday and is his constant companion until it's time for bed!  Mommy usually gets bedtime duties...because dad is a softy...and little Jarek knows it!  If Jer wakes up with him in the middle of the night...Jarek thinks it's time to play with his daddy...instead of going back to sleep!  But despite all that love for his daddy...he seems to love his big brother and sister (and mom) just the same! He is constantly following Clayton around...learning how to play sports, be a ninja, a light saber warrior, a Nerf gun shooter, a monster truck driver, or a skateboard rider!  He's pretty much mastered all of those things too! ;) Jarek also learns lots from big sister, Aspen...like how to take care of babies in the stroller, what sound all the animals make, and how to apply nail polish and lipstick!  We can't take our eyes off our little "monster baby" for a second...because he basically is a walking tornado and likes to destroy things! He is such a sweet baby though and gives the best slobbery kisses and hugs...and when he says "tantou (thank you)" he will melt your heart like chocolate fondue!  I really can't believe he is almost 2 years old...






Aspen is now 9 years old...turning 10 this year!  Holy cow...I will have a 10 year old!  She is in the 4th grade...and just growing up so fast.  She loves everything that makes her feel older..like makeup, jewelry, cell phones, going to the mall, etc.  But she still loves playing with her littlest pet shops, monster high dolls, my little ponies, and stuffed animals.  I see her slowly slipping away into a teenager...so I savor the moments when she wants to play with her little girl things.  I love the person she is becoming.  She is mostly sweet with a side of sassy!  I love the moments when she tries to take care of her siblings...and even when she tries to take care of me.  Along with playing mommy...she keeps herself pretty busy!  She is in the choir and math club at school and also takes ballet and jazz dance classes twice a week.   She recently learned to ski for the first time and loves figure skating when she gets the chance to.  If you asked her today what she wants to be when she grows up she'd tell you a horse trainer!






Clayton is 7 years old...and officially taller than his big sister!  He has grown a lot in the last year...and learning so much as a first grader!  He is reading and doing math so well...it makes me proud to see him succeeding in his school work.  He is my talker...man can he talk your ear off!  He loves to ask questions and tell stories!  He absolutely loves playing video games and right now his favorite game is Skylanders-Swap Force...he loves collecting the little guys for his game.  Clayton learned to play flag football this past summer and played coach pitch baseball.  He enjoys playing sports and trying to find one he likes to play best.  He's looking forward to the snow melting so he can try out his new skateboard he got for Christmas...but for now is having fun giving his little brother rides on it in the kitchen!  He is a a really good brother...to both Aspen and Jarek!  He takes care of and plays with Jarek so well!  I love to watch them wrestle with each other!  He tries to be sweet with Aspen...which sometimes backfires...but for the most part he's very good at being her protector if needed.  We are so blessed to have this handsome little ninja in our family!


 Jeremy is working for the State of Utah in their HR department.  I don't know what his exact title is...I just know that he runs reports, works with data, and loves his job!  We have been so blessed in the decision he made to start working there...it has been a wonderful thing for our family.  He also keeps busy as the Elders Quorum President with our church.  It is a stressful calling/job at times...but I think we both know that it is where the Lord wants/needs him to be.  Jeremy takes on a lot as the head of our family.  He is an amazing step dad to Aspen and Clayton and an amazing dad for Jarek.   He is my rock and my best friend.  I don't know what I would do without him some days as he literally holds our family together!  He takes such good care of all of us...mostly me!  I mean just tonight he basically told me he would be my endless Dr. Pepper supplier for the rest of my life!  What more could a girl ask for?!  Seriously though...I love this man!


As for me...I'm busy getting fat...and growing a baby!  That's right...in case you were not aware...we are expecting baby girl in exactly one month...maybe sooner!  My official due date is February 2nd...but I'm secretly hoping that I will be induced a week early like I was with Jarek.  My group B strep test came back positive again so I will need to be hooked up to antibiotics before I can deliver...and planning for that is easier than not!  This little girl is also currently breach...so unless we can get her to do a somersault in the next few weeks...I may be looking at a C-section. And that is kind of freaking me out!  Other than growing a baby I'm trying keep busy by getting ready for baby #4 to join our little family...oh and you know trying to raise 3 other little munchkins at the same time...and then every once in a while (if I'm lucky) I get to squeeze in a little photography or date night with the hubby!

I know I keep saying it...but truly I am blessed!  2013 was a great year for us...lots of craziness and fun adventures!  I can't wait to see what 2014 has in store for us!  Hopefully I can keep this little family blog up to date and better record all the awesomeness!  Here's to another great year...

 For a small 15 second peak at what last year looked like...click on the link below!

http://flipagram.com/f/6lBWlA4xe3#

Wishing you all peace and so much love this next year~

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Anticipation...

I obviously have lots to catch up on...but this will have to do for now.  Baby boy will be here anyday now...and if not by thursday then he will for sure be here on friday!  We are scheduled for an induction friday morning...and the anticipation of him being here will finally be over.  Wish me luck! 

Anyways, I finally handed my fancy camera over to my sister to take some belly shots of me yesterday in my ugly backyard.  I think she did a pretty good job...don't ya think?

Me at 9 months preggo...




Photos taken by my sister, Melissa.
Edited by me.

Can't wait to finally meet you baby boy...we love you so much already! 

All the love in the universe~

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

I saw mommy kissing santa...

...and she wasn't happy about it!! 

I took some Christmas pics of my niece Aly...isn't she adorable?! 
You can see more here.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

I updated...wahoo!!

Geez!  I can't believe it's been so long since I've updated the blog!  Shame on me! 

Lot's has happened since we found out in July that we are going to have a new baby join our family...I'll give you the short version of some of the important events and a few pics to go along with (so you don't get bored reading!)...

~My brother Mark and his family came to visit this summer.  It really was a lot of fun
to have them stay with us!  We did lot's of fun stuff together like
 swimming, spending time with family, and more swimming! 

Finally...updated family pics...
 too bad they got outdated the very next day when my sis had her baby...oh well...maybe next summer?!

~the kids were signed up, enjoyed, and passed level 1 of swimming lessons
By the end of the session they were both swimming under water like fish...they absolutely loved it!
and I couldn't have been prouder of them both...they have my love for the water!
~I attended the I Heart Faces photography workshop in Park City...it was amazing! 
Super informative, learned lots, took lots and LOTS of pics (you can see some of them here),
met some pretty amazing people, and made some new friends!
 Plus it was free (i won the giveaway spot to the workshop!)
...what more could you ask for?!
hey that's me...


~Went camping at Tanner's Flatts with the Marsh Family...had lots of fun as always!  If I wasn't lazy...i would have edited these and put these in a collage...but i don't care that much right now! 

Clayton with Gma Debbie...
being silly...
smore kisses with auntie rachel...
zach teaching the kids how to save the world...
Dave being our cook...jer observing :)

~Went to the Temple and did family names with Mark and Amber! 
Such an amazing spiritual experience to do the work for our ancestors...it made it so much more special! 
From baptism to sealings...it was awesome!  

~The kids spent 1 WHOLE week in Boise, Idaho with my Mom and Mike...they had a blast! 
 It was a nice break...but we missed them like crazy! 































~Jer started school...
working on an Executive Masters of Public Administration at the University of Utah

~I photographed a wedding in August

~My lil sis had her baby Aug. 15th...we love little Aly to pieces!


~Aspen started 2nd grade...

~Clayton started preschool...

~We went to the state fair...ate lots of junk food...
and watched the kids ride on every kiddie ride...
I got in trouble for taking their picture while they rode the ponies! 
I know i'm terrible for not wanting to pay $5 each for some dude to take a picture with his point and shoot camera...when i could take one for free with my professional camera...I would have gotten away with it if it wasn't for the stupid pop up flash...i had forgotten to switch my settings after letting someone else take a picture on "auto"...oh well! 

~Jer and I celebrated our 1st anniversary with dinner at The Roof!  I totally stuffed myself...
and it was so good...
and a plus that I didn't throw it up later! 

~ Clayton had a birthday...September 22nd...he turned 5!! 
We celebrated with family and he was spoiled! (pics of that coming soon)

~Aspen and I went to Witches Night Out at Gardener Village with some friends...
we had lots of fun...like always! 




















Aspen lasted longer this year...mostly because we did some shopping
...but then eventually she got "sick" of being around so many people! 
She takes after her dad in that way...doesn't like to be around big crowds!
If you look close you can see my 18 week baby bump...

~Halloween was lots of fun this year...but crazy running around everywhere...
We started earlier that day at the school parade...then after school we went to our friend John Johnson's house...so he could give the kids some yummy rootbeer...
then to Gma Darcy and Gpa John's and Dewitts,,,
then off to Gma Debbie and Gpa Dave's to trick or treat in their neighborhood...
we didn't even make it to my dad's because traffic was terrible!
Jer and I've decided that next year we are spending Halloween at home...
we'll take the kids around our own neighborhood, then pass out candy,
eat yummy food, and watch Harry Potter...doesn't that sound fun?!
The time has come that we are sick of running around all night! 
So, if you want to see the kids next year...you'll have to come to us!

Oh...and Aspen was Pippi Longstocking...and Clayton was a Skeleton Zombie :)


























~On November 1st...we had our "real" ultrasound...baby looks good...healthy as can be!
Jer had a hard time trying to figure out what we were looking at...
but as soon as the lady passed by trying to see the belly button...I new it was a BOY! 
We both couldn't be happier and are so excited to have him join us in March! 
Clayton was super excited...and Aspen said "i wanted a girl" but then decided later it was going
to be fun to be the only girl...so far anyways! 

Clearly it's a boy!!

~We spent Thanksgiving with my family at my Dad's house...Jer was worried there would be tofu instead of turkey (we have some vegetarians in my family)...
I tried to assure him that my Dad would make sure we had turkey! 
We did...and it was delicious...especially with the mashed potatoes and gravy!
The only bad thing about not cooking your own dinner...is you don't get to have leftovers the next day :(

And that's all i have...for now! 

Aspen is doing really well in school...despite the fact she says she hates it.  I think she just hates waking up in the morning...getting ready...and the homework!  But she is doing great in Math and she's been reading chapter books on her own like crazy!  She had A's and B's at the end of the 1st term...which we were very happy about!

Clayton is growing like a weed!  Seriously he gets bigger and bigger every month!  He's enjoying preschool...learning his ABC's and counting to 20!  Which some people might say is easy peasy..and maybe your kids have been doing that since they were 2 years old...but I'm very proud of him!  He has never really been interested in singing nursery rhymes, learning his ABC's and 123's...basically anything school related until recently.  He's not dumb though...that kid is a memorizing and gadget fool...he knows how to use my iPod better than I do! 

Jer is enjoying school...i think?!  He's busy doing his homework, writing papers and such.  He's been working at the Red Cross full-time and just got offered a job to work at the Provo office being the Development and Community Relations Manager...basically he'll be taking care of all the fund-raising in provo.  It should be a really good job for him...and for us when I stop working after the baby comes...
I'm not super excited that he'll be working so far away...
especially with only a few months away til I have said baby...
but it will potentially give us the opportunity for good changes in the future
...maybe even the possibility of a new home?!  we'll see...

And me...well let's see...
I'm still working at the U...busy with Young Womens...
and doing some photography on the side (which i love!)
I'm 25 weeks preggo this week...ready for this little guy to join the family!
Being preggo this time around hasn't been the funnest...
I've been sicker, more tired, my body hurts more, and I'm bigger than i ever was with the other kids! 
Most of you already know that I only gained 11 and 12 pounds with Aspen and Clayton (don't worry they were both 8 pound babies)...well at my last appointment at 22 weeks I had already gained 10!
For some reason I think being older has made huge difference...it's harder at 28 than it was at 20 and 23! 
Jeremy laughs because he constantly hear's me say, "my back hurts!!!"
Any one else agree that its harder when your older?!

Baby boy is doing great also! 
He's measuring perfectly...heart beat sounds good...ultrasound says he looks good! 
It's scaring Jer a little bit that things are going so well! I'm just grateful...and hope he is just as good on the outside of my belly as he is on the inside!  The kids and Jer have all felt and seen him move inside my belly!  The kids love it...Jer thinks it's weird! 
It is a little alienish i guess..but I love being able to feel him swim inside me! 

Anyways, life is good!  I'll try to update more regularly...especially once I have more time when baby boy comes in March!  I'm REALLY looking forward to staying at home with my babies...and so grateful that I have a hubby that works so hard so that it will be possible! 


All the love in the universe~