Sunday Walk

My niece, Anna, made the suggestion to take a walk to the elementary (MY elementary) last night. It was a gorgeous night. I couldn't refuse. In the end everyone but Nana decided to come along. So after cake and ice cream to celebrate the April birthdays, we took the much familiar walk up the street and down the old walkway. It hasn't changed much yet in some ways it has. It's a much shorter walk and the fence doesn't tower the way it once did.

Noah was very excited to see where I went to school and said my school was "so cool!".
The playground has totally changed. It has a lot more to play on and the kids (aaaand adults) loved climbing and swinging. I love my playful family.
It was fun to take a walk down memory lane last night.

"We are Westland! We are a team! 

We like to do things that turn out supreme. 

Try to compare what we are sharing.

 Learning to work our problems is quite daring

. Catch us. We'll take you on. 

We like to find out where we belong. 

We will reach our destiny. 

We are Westland Elementary!"

Must have walked this path a thousand times or more.

Even Papa came and played.

Robert and Ella enjoying the swings.

Swingin'...

Introducing! Tommy the Dog!

{Old draft}

Early 2008

So I've never formally introduced my dog and since he has had a pretty traumatizing experience recently (neutered, poor baby.) and is a big part of our family, I thought he deserved some attention on the family blog.
Tommy is a full bred Golden Retriever *Ooooo! Ahhhh!* and will be 3 years old on June 10th. We got him when he was a couple of months old and was about as sweet a puppy as you could ever want but I, uh, didn't like him. (Am I just so evil?) He required SO much attention and training that it took away from my other human 2 month baby boy. However, after lots of training ("No, Kyle's stuffed bear canNOT be your bed buddy!") and getting used to one another Tommy and I are now good friends. We have come a looooooong way in the last three years. He has become a wonderful, excited, loving, potty-trained, semi-obedient, lap dog wanna-be, walk lover (calm down, Tom), vacuum/mop, 90 lb., foot warmer of a man or woman's best friend.

Old Drafts

So I've been going through old blog posts and have found that I have a lot of drafts that have never been posted and that have great information.  I don't feel I have time to go through and finish them but I do want to get them on here. Also, some of them go in blog books that have already been printed.  So I will be posting them randomly here, under simply "Old Drafts". Enjoy!

January 2008

Dang. I am tired. I have bags under my eyes from...well, you know where and I don't want to do anything but go to crawl into bed. The cause of my stupor? My sweet, beautiful, precious, little...no, make that big, baby boy, Noah. Over the past 2 weeks he has woken up an average of 4 times a night. Now remember, this is the AVERAGE. Some nights it was upwards of 6-7 times. He has had a nasty cold and ear infection.  Poor me..I mean, poor baby. Prior to this insanity, he was still getting up 2-3 times a night and he wasn't even sick. Some nights he'll wake up and I'll feel so frustrated that I pull the pillow over my head but then come morning I'll go into his room where he will greet me with a smile to make my heart melt. This is the reason I am a Mommy. This is the reason the bags under my eyes are worth it. Its amazing how the memory labor pains diminish, the wakeful nights fade,


See? Couldn't even finish the post I was so tired. ;)

Journal Jar Monday

*What will you do after you graduate from high school? What do you want to do?*

It has been a solid 14 years since high school and a lot has happened. My plan was to get a nursing degree, get married and have some babies. Some things have worked out as planned. Some not.

Here is what did happen:

When I graduated from West Jordan High, I started at SLCC ( Salt Lake Community College) in Fall to start on generals for nursing. I messed around, dated a little, changed my mind about nursing, and went to a lot of dances with my older sister, Cyd.

As the age of 21 quickly approached and after a lot soul searching and pondering, I decided that on a mission was where I wanted to be. I spent 18 months teaching the people in the Southern most part of England (England London South). What an experience (We'll save that for another Monday).

When I got home I went back to SLCC, joined "Sounding Joy" (an Institute choir), had A LOT of fun and met a really sexy guy who, lucky for me, is now my husband. I finally got my associates in English a month before Kyle was born (phew!).

Sounding Joy before the "sexy guy" joined.

(Picture stolen from RaeLynn :)

So yeah, I don't have nursing degree (still would like one) but I was married to the man of my dreams and have three beeee-utiful babies! Way to go me!