We are The Rollers

Big Ben...

2010-12-08T16:14:00.000-08:00

is now 9 monthts old! He has so much personality and it really makes me wonder what he will be like a year from now..even though part of me wishes time would just freeze.

9 Month Appointment

21 lbs 9 oz (65th %)

29 2/4 inches (90th %)

He started standing on his own a couple of weeks ago. He still hasn't decided to take any real steps yet, though!

This is the face he makes when you tell him to "say cheeeese!"

Halloween 2010...

2010-12-08T16:10:00.000-08:00

DASH!

Snuggle Bear

8 months old...

2010-12-08T15:50:00.000-08:00

Half of a year...

2010-12-08T15:11:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how much one little person can change in just six months. Or how much has changed just since these pictures were taken!

6 Month Appoitment

20 lbs 1 oz (90th %)

28 1/4 inches (95th %)

During this month, Bennett decide to start the army crawl, which quickly turned into a full blown crawl. I was hoping he wouldn't crawl as early as Landon did, because as soon as Landon started to crawl, my days of getting anything done were over. He got in to EVERYTHING. But Bennett is pretty content to just sit and play, as long as I am nearby.

Who doesn't love a giant cookie?

7 Months

Benny will eat anything and everything. We haven't found a single food that he doesn't like yet. I love it! But his favorite is mandarin oranges, which he is eating in the picture above. If you don't stop giving them, he won't stop eating them! He also figured out how to clap and started jabbering like crazy around 7 months.

Bennett and Landon all ready for church

5 Months...

2010-12-08T14:54:00.000-08:00

Blogging has seriously fallen way down on the priority list lately. But I know if I don't document some of these things while I still remember them, I will be kicking myself later.

Between 4 and 5 months Bennett had two teeth come in simultaneously, and started rolling all over the place. By 5 months he was sitting up like a champ. He was also drooling ridiculous amounts! Seriously. I don't know if I have ever seen a baby drool this much. I know Landon sure didn't.

I can't believe it's been 4 months since I took these pictures!! It seems like I took them a few weeks ago.

Blessing...

2010-12-08T14:49:00.000-08:00

We blessed our little Bennett on the 4th of July of this year. We had a lot of family in town for the holiday weekend, so it was fun to have loved ones there that normally live to far to attend otherwise. Thanks to all who came!

4 months old....

2010-06-29T19:19:00.001-07:00

How did that even happen? The time is just flying by and I find myself freaking out at how fast he is growing. With Landon, I felt like we were always trying to push him to reach milestones. He was rolling over both ways by two months, sitting up by 5 months, crawling by 6 months. And I am pretty sure a huge part of that was us constantly helping him to reach that next thing, only not realizing at the time that he wouldn't be a baby very long. With Bennett, I feel myself doing the opposite because I know he will only stay this little, cuddly boy for such a short time. I just want to call a "time out" and keep him how he is for a while! He is rolling all over the place now, and I feel like it's all happening too fast. I just want him to stay a baby forever. Seriously - I am beginning to worry that with each baby I will only become more and more the mother that will be sobbing at every event in their lives. You know, the embarassing one. The one making a scene at high school graduations. The one that wants you to go to college, but only if you attend the closest one and still live at home. The one that MIGHT give you her blessing when you get married, as long as you agree to move in to the basement. Yeah....I'm headed on a straight path to be that Mom. I just don't want my kids to grow up! (except Landon - if you're reading this - feel free to grow up just enough to grow out of this "bossy, sassy, tantrum throwing" stage. Then don't go any further!)

But I am rambling. So back to Bennett's 4 month appointment.

Let's just say - we don't make 'em small, people!

18 pounds 2 ounces and 27 1/4 inches long

That keeps him in 97th percentile for height and 95th for weight. We have one chunky monkey on our hands and I just love his roly poly thighs!

2 month appointment...

2010-06-29T17:09:00.001-07:00

By 2 months old, Bennett had not only mastered smiling, but also thumb sucking! It has since progressed into a "suck on everything". Any time he starts to get fussy in the car it is immediately followed up by some very loud sucking noises. Sometimes it's his two middle fingers, sometimes it's his blanket, and other times his whole fist. The ironic part is that he won't take a binky! He did the first few weeks after he was born, but now he gags on it if you try to give him one. What a funny little boy.

At his appointment he weighed in at 14 pounds 6 ounces and 25 inches long, putting him in the 97th percentile for height and weight. That is 5 pounds and over 2 1/2 inches in two months.

I think it goes without saying that he is a great eater!

Here he is at his 2 month appointment, about 10 minutesafter getting his shots. Poor thing.

Started sucking his thumb at 10 weeks.
Fresh out of the bath at 10 weeks. Mmmm...I love me a clean baby!

Happy as usual. 11 weeks.

New life with Mr. Benny Man...

2010-06-29T14:10:00.000-07:00

Can I just start off by saying how much I looooooove having a baby in the house again? I love the new baby smell and think it should be made into an air freshener just like "new car smell". I love baby noises, baby smiles, and most of all - baby snuggles. And Bennett is a cuddly little one for sure. And he's destined to grow up lovin' kisses because I have practically kissed that boy's face off over the last four months.

I'll be honest, the first few weeks were hard. Especially with Landon suddenly having to share the spotlight. And I never felt like I could give either one of them as much attention as I wanted to, which left me feeling guilty a better part of each day. Add to that lack of sleep and exhaustion, which equals one emotional Hilary. I need my sleep, people! Or it just aint pretty all around. Anyway, by the time Bennett was a month old (and sleeping through the night!!) I felt like we had all adjusted to our "new normal", and I even figured out how to stay caught up on cleaning and laundry again!

Here is our little guy one week old.

At Bennett's 2 week appointment he weighed 9 pounds 7 ounces and was 22 1/4 inches long. I can't believe he gained over a pound and an inch and a half in two weeks!

Here he is at two weeks old.

3 weeks old

4 weeks old

And he has only gotten bigger, chubbier and more fun since. We sure like him a lot!

Three years old....

2010-06-29T13:59:00.000-07:00

Waaaaay back in March Landon turned the big 3! We tried to make it a special day all about him since a new baby had just joined the mix and stole all of his thunder. I'll be honest, having had a baby just two weeks before, I had neglected to do much planning ahead of time. I felt like a bum for not throwing together a big bash, but it was really nice just spending the day as a family. His requests were simple this year, which made it easy on me. He wanted the same Thomas cake he had last year (and has been talking about since his last birthday) He wanted the "James' red nose train" (which he had been asking for since about a week after Christmas) And he wanted to go to the Dinosaur Museum. Done. Done. And done. We have about 400 pictures from his birthday, but in an effort to catch up on all the many things I have neglected to post about the past 4 months, I will just add a few!

Landon also had his 3 year check up and is currently 35 pounds and 39 inches, putting him in the 75 percentil for both height and weight. That was a change considering he has been in the 90th percentile for most of his life!

At breakfast opening his first present, "James' red nose" (as he calls it)

At the dinosaur museum.

Pushing his new baby brother.

Party with grandparents and cousins.

Even though Landon isn't in my favorite stage of "toddlerhood" and wears me out completely on most days, I still can't believe what a happy and smart little boy he is. He is so full of energy and life and notices every bug on the ground, every police car or fire engine on the street, and every plane or helicopter in the sky. He asks a million questions a day, and picks up on everything we say and do. The other day we were in the car and I almost missed our turn so I had to slam on the breaks. And from the back seat Landon yells, "Stop riding the brakes, Mom!" Where he learned it, I have no idea. I can't remember the last time I said "riding the brakes" in referrence to stopping quickly. I can't believe how fast these three years have gone by and I am excited to watch him build a relationship with his little brother.

We love you, Landon!

Can't get enough of this boy...

2010-03-15T18:43:00.000-07:00

He's here...

2010-03-07T14:28:00.000-08:00

Bennett Clyde Roller

February 23, 2010

8lbs. 13oz.

21 inches

Not much to report...

2010-02-01T17:22:00.001-08:00

Yeah...if you haven't noticed, every year around the holidays the blogging stops happening. It gets so busy that I don't keep up on posting, and then I get so far behind that I can't catch up. So....with that being said, we DID have a great Christmas! There's nothing I love more than great food and family. I am not too hard to please. New Years, Landon got really sick and within a day or two I was right there with him. So we spent New Years in bed. But it was just fine with me because we all caught up on all kinds of much needed sleep. Within a few days of the New Year, Chris was right back in school and everything quickly went back to the regular grind.

As for now, I feel like I have been pregnant for about 2 years now and it seems like each day is starting to drag. We have a little over two weeks until Baby #2 is estimated to arrive, but I am having so many Braxton Hicks contractions and all kinds of aches and pains that I am hoping means he won't wait that long to make an appearance. (That may just be wishful thinking!) At my appointment on Friday I was dilated to a 2 - 50% effaced - and my doctor could feel his little head, so at least SOMETHING is happening. With Landon I was a week overdue and locked up like Fort Knox. I was beginning to wonder if I would be pregnant forever. Thank goodness for pitocin these days or I may have been the lady that never went into labor.

I have been meaning to post this picture for months now. Many of you may have already seen this on Facebook, but this ultrasound picture is from a couple of months ago. While they were checking things out, this little guy put his legs above his head and left them there the whole time. This baby may just come out sucking on his knees!

We are definitely getting super anxious and excited to meet our new little one! We will keep everyone updated over the next week or two. Everyone cross your fingers for me that I don't have to wait any longer than that!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

2009-12-22T16:50:00.001-08:00

INSIDE...

and OUTSIDE...

I sure love this time of year.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Happy Halloween...

2009-11-01T11:04:00.000-08:00

We really had a blast trick or treating with Landon this year. That boy knows how it's done! He didn't waste any time running from door to door and by the time we were on our way back he was so tired he wanted to be carried. He stopped and handed me his pumpkin full of candy and said, "Here Mama, you can hold. You can say 'trick or treat'." Poor kid wore himself out! He got to go out with a bunch of his cousins and it was really fun watching them have such a good time together. My only regret is that I didn't take more pictures.

Although, as you can see, Landon doesn't cooperate well when it comes to having his picture taken. SO... I had to take what I could get!

Landon and his cousin Aaron were buddies the whole night!

We hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween!

I won!

2009-10-22T19:33:00.000-07:00

So a few months ago I entered a giveaway for a photo session and cd with an award winning Utah photographer...and I won! We actually weren't planning to do family pictures this year, with me being preggers and all large and in charge, but we weren't going to pass up this opportunity. And let me tell you, Melissa Papaj is fantastic! From the first conversation we had over the phone you would have thought we were already friends. She is so friendly and outgoing, and she took so much time asking questions and trying to get a feel for what kind of pictures we wanted and what type of scenery we were looking for, so we could find the right location. We decided on Antelope Island because of it's variations of scenery, and she spent 3 HOURS taking our pictures.(which was more than I expected considering she was volunteering her time) She was so patient with Landon, who was less than cooperative, and we went all over finding different places to shoot. We are still waiting while she finishes up the editing on all the pictures, but she did send me a sneak peak of a few that she already had done.For all of you folks in the Davis County area, she is right in your neck of the woods! I would absolutely recommend her to anyone and I can't wait to use her again!

Amen...

2009-10-01T19:50:00.000-07:00

The other night as we sat down to eat dinner, Landon wanted to say the prayer..

"Heavenly Father,

Thank you Granny, Papa, kitties and cousins.

Thank you food.

(Throws hands in the air)

AMEN!!"

It was so sweet....and entertaining!

Baby Roller #2...

2009-09-15T18:33:00.001-07:00

It's a...

BOY!!

We don't have much in the way of names yet, so suggestions are welcome!

Landon and Duncan...

2009-09-13T18:53:00.000-07:00

Landon and Duncan are definitely the best of "frenemies". One minute they are cuddling and playing around, and the next minute one of them is driving the other crazy. But Landon sure loves his little dog and wants to take him everywhere he goes!

THE END.

Baby on Board...

2009-08-16T19:48:00.000-07:00

That's right, folks! We are expecting baby #2 in late February! At my first appointment I had an ultrasound where we got our first glimpse at our little lima bean. Here is baby Roller at 8 weeks.

On September 15th we will find out the gender of the baby and we are dying to find out. Neither one of us really cares either way, it will just be nice to know so I can get shopping! So cast your vote on what you think it will be!

Independence Day...

2009-07-29T19:43:00.000-07:00

It's about time! My blogging skills are really just going down the drain these days. I had intentions of posting these pictures the very next day, and that clearly did not happen. Sigh. Oh well! Regardless, we had a very fun 4th of July this year. We barbequed with our good friends The Halvorsens then headed over to Riverton Park for the festivities. Landon loved the fireworks this year and is having a hard time comprehending that he can't see more until next year. It was fun watching his reactions to all the bright lights and loud sounds.

Here are some pictures from the park.

Landon, clearly having a grand ol' time.

Our cute friends Jon and Kelly

One of Duncan for good measure.

Landon looking fierce with his awesome glow-in-the-dark sword and remnants of his black eye.

Our whole family. It is rare that you see us all in once picture.

Hope everyone had a fun and safe 4th!

I hope he never remembers these days...

2009-06-29T20:49:00.000-07:00

All in all, Landon's surgery went really well. He has had no complications or problems healing and in just a couple of days he was back to his old self. The first two days were rough. I felt so bad for my little man. You could tell he was in a lot of pain and really uncomfortable, and it broke my heart that I couldn't do anything to make him feel better. However, being a Primary Children's made me so grateful that Landon has never had any serious illness. Sitting in the waiting room and walking through recovery we saw so many children there who were there for major surgeries or suffering from much more critical situations than we were there for. It was heart wrenching. Although Landon seems to catch every cold and flu within a mile radius and has his fair share of getting hurt, he has never had anything life threatening. And we are so very grateful for that. My heart goes out to all those families!

Below are some pictures from while Landon was being prepped for surgery.

This was the tiniest blood pressure cuff I had ever seen.

Checking vitals.

Rockin' his hospital pajamas. Yes, even the child sized ones open in the back...but at least they get bottoms to go with them!

His little I.D. bracelet

He has no idea what's coming here.

And now here he is trying to recover from a hard day. I am sure he was not amused at my picture taking.

To make matters worse, two days later he fell while walking out to the car and got a massive raspberry on his noggin. Though he got over it fairly quickly.

And if THAT wasn't bad enough, he fell head first out of a shopping cart and got a serious knock to the head and black eye. I honestly felt like the worst parent on the planet. Still do. I'm not sure who was traumatized more...him or ME. I'm pretty sure it was me.

Poor kid can't catch a break. We love you, Landon!

6 a.m...

2009-06-16T14:37:00.001-07:00

That's what time we will be checking into Primary Children's tomorrow morning for Landon's surgery. They said to plan to be there most of the day. The surgery itself only takes about an hour, but they won't release him until they have watched him for a while and he has eaten something and kept it down. Already my nervous mother worries are kicking in with the "what ifs." I really don't like the thought of Landon being put under. My Mom hated whenever any of us had to be put under anesthesia, and a story she told me when I scheduled my appointment to have my wisdom teeth taken out will probably haunt me until I die. For the sake of not haunting any of YOU, I won't tell it. :) I remember thinking that she was worrying way too much, and feeling glad that I wouldn't be awake to feel a thing. Little did I know that ten years later I would be in her position, thinking about the very same story. THANKS MOM!!

I have a feeling the hardest part about tomorrow will be actually getting up early enough to make it to the hospital by 6:00. Landon inherited my love for sleeping in and we are rarely out of bed before 9:00 - so it's not going to be pretty! But Chris is going to give him a blessing and hopefully we will all be able to get some good sleep tonight.

Keep little Landon in your prayers. Hopefully he will have a speedy recovery. We will keep everyone updated on how everything goes.

Meet Duncan...

2009-06-14T19:38:00.000-07:00

This week we welcomed a 3 month old, 1.5 pound puppy chihuahua to the family! His name is Duncan and he is so much fun. For those of you that remember Randal, we loved him dearly. But he became a little jealous and out of control after we had Landon. He was a really hyper dog and needed lots of attention, which was fine until we had a new baby and Landon became our attention. Eventually we had to give in and we gave him to a good family about a year and half ago, but we have never stopped wanting a dog. Now that Landon is older and loves dogs, we decided to give it another try with a young dog, who will be raised around kids and never know the difference of being "the baby"and having it's roll filled by a really baby. To be honest, on the drive home after getting him, anxiety set in because let's face it, I will be the one home with him all the time. And right now, Landon is full force in his "terrible two's" and alone is hard to deal with some days. But Chris gave me his solemn promise that anytime he is home the dog will be his responsibility, and he will take him out every morning before he leaves for school and work, and will be "extra nice" and help out as much as he can. Well I'm holding him to it! But so far, Duncan has been amazingly mellow and loving, and is learning really fast. He hasn't had any accidents in the house and is really just happy to be around people. We haven't heard his bark yet, and I'm really hoping to keep it that way. For the most part he really just loves having something to cuddle up to, and is happy to just follow us around all day. He is so sweet and cuddly and we just love having in our little family!

This is his preferred sleeping situation if we aren't next to him on the couch.

A Day Out With Thomas...

2009-06-11T13:11:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are some pictures from our day in Heber riding Thomas the Tank Engine. We had a really fun time! The weather was perfect and since we went on a weekday it wasn't overly crowded. The only trouble Landon had was every time Thomas would leave to take all the passengers for a ride, he had a hard time understanding that he would be back and then he could stand next to him again. Other than that, it was really fun and I think Landon could have spent the entire day there if we would let him!

We took like three hundred pictures, but here are just some of the fun ones...

Long past due...

2009-06-06T19:23:00.001-07:00

I am letting way too much time pass between posts. I always have so much to say at the times when I can't get one the computer to say it. I sometimes lie in bed at night thinking of all the things I need to post about, and actually consider getting out of bed to do it. But from past experiences know that only makes falling asleep even harder than it already is. I feel so busy now that summer is here, though I am not exactly sure what is tying up my schedule more than usual. Maybe it's all the time spent outside with Landon. Another problem is that some of our pictures end up on the laptop and others on our office computer, so I will find myself intending to post but I will be on the opposite computer than the pictures I want to write about. (not sure why I feel I can't post without a picture!) Either way, here is my ditch effort to update on all the many events going on with the Rollers as of late.

First and foremost - Chris has finished his first year of Pharmacy school. Yay! One down. Only two more to go. I keep reminding myself that it will go by quickly, but this year really didn't seem to go by all that fast. However, I do feel that we have settled into a schedule of some sort and have finally adjusted to the little amount of time we get to spend as a family. The one good thing to come of that is really looking forward the time we do have together. I think that Chris has pretty much accepted that hours and hours of studying is just going to be a big part of his life for the next few years, and I have accepted that even though some days I feel like a single Mom, it's a sacrifice that will be worthwhile in the future. Man, I never realized how easy I had it before!

The week that Chris took his last test of the year was jam packed full of studying. But the day after he finished we headed up to Heber with Landon for "A Day Out With Thomas." The following day we hit the road to Vegas with two of Chris' buddies from school and their wives. I am on the wrong computer so - pictures to come!

2 year appointment and sad news...

2009-04-23T12:14:00.000-07:00

Landon had his two year appointment a couple of weeks ago and he is healthy and growing and looking great! He is talking, counting, naming shapes and colors and running all over the place. However, we also found out that he might need surgery and were sent to see a specialist to make sure. For Landon's sake in years to come, I won't go into much detail. He has what is called Penile Torsion and will be having surgery on June 17th to correct it. It's scary to think of him being put under for the operation and I'm sad that our little man will go through a painful recovery. Even though we are pretty nervous about the rare complications that are associated with any surgery, it's reassuring to know that he will be under the care of the doctors and nurses at Primary Children's and couldn't be in better hands.

We will keep everyone updated the day of the surgery and let you know how everything goes!

Happy Birthday...

2009-04-16T12:11:00.000-07:00

Our blog is two years old this month!

Here's to not neglecting it so much in the year to come.

Four down, many more to come...

2009-03-29T12:12:00.000-07:00

March 12th was our 4 year anniversary. We spent most of the day downtown eating and shopping, and mainly talking about how once Chris is done with school we are going to take some sweet vacations for our future anniversaries. But it was great just to spend some quality time together, since that rarely happens anymore. Only two more years, people! No, I am not referring to the number of years left in our marriage. Only two more years left of Pharmacy school. Now that's going to be a celebration! So be sure to watch for our 6 YEAR anniversary post where we will be jumping up and down with the excitement of Chris's graduation.

Love you, Chris Roller!

Happy Birthday, baby boy!

2009-03-26T10:04:00.001-07:00

On March 9th our little Landon turned 2! Oh, how the time flies. This kid is a crack up and has more energy and spunk than ever. He spent the day playing with cousins and running all over the place with new toys, and was pretty worn out by the end of the day.

Thanks to my Mom and Chelsea for helping me make Landon's cute cake! Okay, let's be honest. They did pretty much the whole thing.

A big THANK YOU to all of our family that came to celebrate with Landon. We love you!

Happy Birthday, Landon! We love you and can't get enough of your fun personality.

And finally, the moment I have been dreading for the last two years...

Potty Training. Wish us luck! We're going to need it.

March Madness...

2009-03-18T22:58:00.001-07:00

This month is a crazy one for us. Between Landon's birthday, our anniversary, my good friend getting married, and Chelsea here for a visit we are definitely keeping busy! I have tons of pictures and lots to post about, so stay tuned!

Choo Choo!

2009-03-05T12:34:00.000-08:00

Landon is obsessed with trains. OBSESSED. He absolutely loves them. He has one in his hand at almost all times, and he takes one to bed with him every night. He also likes to play with cars, however, he takes all of his cars and trucks, lines them up like a train, then pushes them from the back and says, "Choo Choo!!" and various other train noises. He even puts a little person in the back of the truck like a conductor.

Being the train lover he is, naturally he adores "Thomas and Friends" and knows every character's name. So as part of his birthday we bought tickets to "A Day Out With Thomas" up in Heber. We can't wait to take him! I don't think he will be able to contain himself seeing a life size Thomas.

One whole year...

2009-01-17T19:35:00.000-08:00

For those of you who remember this post, I would like to announce that I have officially gone without biting my nails for one solid year. That's right. I kicked that habit, and I kicked it good! Not sure why I was able to do it this time when I have tried to quit so many times before. Was a "New Year's resolution" really all I needed? I'm not sure, but today I went out and bought myself an array of nail polish to celebrate. So if next time you see me I have florescent orange nails, you will know why.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas...

2008-12-23T14:53:00.000-08:00

I love Christmas. But this year I seem to be exceptionally antsy for some reason. And tomorrow the festivities begin!

We hope that all of you take some time to enjoy this time of year and have a fantastic Christmas!

Deep fried smores...

2008-12-19T08:57:00.001-08:00

Yes. They are every bit as good as they sound.

We heard (after Christmas) last year that Hogle Zoo does lights time of year. So we, and our cute friend Kelly, decided to bundle up and see them this year. IT WAS FREEZING! So we didn't stay as long as we would have liked to for fear that Landon might lose a limb due to frost bite. But they were a lot of fun none the less. They really put a lot of time and effort into these lights. It was amazing some of the scenes they created all with lights. And as mentioned before, they sell DEEP FRIED SMORES. I can't imagine how you actually deep fry a smore, but I didn't ask questions, my mouth was full. They also have some seriously tasty hot chocolate that helped to keep our hands and insides warm.

With all the the fun lights we kind of forgot about watching for animals. We did see a few in some of the indoor exhibits when we would run in to defrost a bit. But with or without the animals, it's definitely worth going. I think we will make this a yearly event. Landon was mesmorized by all the fun lights. It is definitely geared towards entertaining kids more than the average light exhibit. Plus, I'll go back every year just for those smores!

Sleeping, I am not...

2008-11-13T21:21:00.000-08:00

Insomnia. Gotta love it.

Since I was about 17 I have had this come and go insomnia problem. I am pretty sure I can thank my mom for it. But, I will have it terribly for about 6 weeks and then, on it's own it will go away for a couple of months, only to return for another six weeks again. One might think that I could get a lot done during the wee hours of the morning without a toddler pulling at my leg. But I am usually so tired and frustated that I am not asleep that I don't do much of anything but lay there and wish I was asleep. I have tried counting, deep breathing, and I'll be honest, a Tylenol PM from time to time. But nothing (other than the Tylenol PM-but I try not to make a habit out of it) seems to work. It's wearing me out.

So for all you fellow insomniacs out there, (or fellow non-insomniacs, either way) any non-medicated suggestions for me? It would be fabulous if someone had some "miracle cure" that I just didn't know about. And I promise, if you have it, I will be sending goodies your way!

Can you hear me now?

2008-11-09T20:29:00.000-08:00

Alright, now that we are private I will get to posting!

Let's start with Halloween. This year was a riot with Landon. Knowing he was going to be a lion, we started teaching him what a lion says early, so by Halloween he had it down. Anytime someone said anything to the effect of "Are you a lion?" he would fire back with a loud "Raaar!!" The yelling he did on his own, we didn't teach him that part. And let's be honest, with the tights he was wearing, he was pretty far from frightening.

We let him trick or treat a few houses and after about three doors he had "trick or treat!" or something pretty close to it down as well. I think taking him trick or treating was just as much fun as when I used to go myself...especially because he did all the work, but I still got the candy.

The week before Halloween we went to a Trunk-or-Treat where Landon had these pictures done. They show his vast array of facial expressions.

Heading to Private Town...

2008-10-13T10:08:00.000-07:00

Hello all!

We have decided to go private. If you would like to continue viewing our blog, please send your email address to hillyrolly@gmail.com or leave it in a comment and I would be happy to add you!

Thanks!

Alaskan Wildlife

2008-08-27T18:38:00.000-07:00

Here is some of the wildlife we caught on camera while in Valdez.

You can always tell where the Sea Lions are about to come up because there will be a group of seagulls waiting at the surface to try and steal a fish from it's mouth.The salmon were running while we were there so it was prime time to catch a glimpse of other animals doing some fishing.

This guy decided to take a nap in the middle of the parking lot, so he counts as wildlife too, right?

Valdez, Alaska

2008-08-16T19:10:00.000-07:00

For part of our trip, we made a drive to Valdez to camp for a few days. Valdez is an Alaskan hot spot when it comes to fishing. Also, for those of you who remember, this is where the infamous Exxon Valdez oil spill happened back in the 80's. Valdez is amazing. There were waterfalls around every corner, along with a giant glacier off the side of the highway, and all sorts of wildlife. Just a few hundred feet from where we were camping was a Bald Eagle's nest. You could hear the babies chirping all the time and on occasion we caught a glimpse of them being fed. It seemed like every time we turned around there was some sort of animal to take a picture of. It was definitely an awesome way to experience Alaska!

Whack-a-Mole Hill

2008-08-11T09:54:00.000-07:00

A few miles from where Chelsea lives there is a little Mole Hill. These Moles should be listed among the tourist attractions in Alaska because they are the friendlist little creatures you will ever meet. They are so used to having people feed them that as soon as you set foot on the grass they are at your feet waiting to be fed. They aren't scared of people in the slightest. We were just in the neighborhood and decided to stop by, so we didn't come prepared with anything to feed them. I found some pretzels in the car, but apparantly moles don't like pretzels. These things were too cute not to feed, so we headed to the nearest store to get them something they would like: honey roasted cashews.

It was fantastic! What I wouldn't give for a Mole hill in my neck of the woods!

Let's get this started...

2008-08-05T22:27:00.001-07:00

Well we are back from Alaska. It was sad to leave, but good to come home. In fact, it was marvelous to be home because Chris was a sweetie pie and cleaned the house spotless, and bought Landon and I fun presents while we were away. Which gets me to thinking that I should abandon him more often, wouldn't you say?

First of all, Alaska is the bomb. That's right I said it. The BOMB. In fact I might go as far as to say that it's "DA BOMB." If you ever have the chance to go there (in the summer) I highly recommend it. That whole state is like something straight out of National Geographic.

I'm not even sure where to start. I'll do my best to hit the highlights of the trip. Let's start with family. Landon had the time of his life with his cousins. Being the only boy among four girl cousins only made it all the more fun. And my sister lives on like two acres, leaving him endless amounts of room for him to run free and be a boy. After a few days of rain, he and the girls spent about two hours outside splashing in the mud puddles. I don't know if I have ever seen Landon have more fun in his little 16 month life.

Now Landon is stuck here with just me and no mud puddles.

To be continued...

Wow. I suck.

2008-07-19T21:07:00.000-07:00

As you may have noticed I have been seriously neglecting my blog. "Where are the pictures of your trip?" One might ask. Well, they can be found next to the pictures from the 4th , which are trapped under my good intentions to post all the fun things we have been up this summer. If I were to try and catch up, I wouldn't even know where to start. So, I make a solemn vow to keep up from this point forward. Let's start with this week, shall we?

On Tuesday, my Mom, Landon, and I are catching a red eye flight to Alaska. Red eye, because we are hoping that Landon will be unconscious the majority of the flight. Alaska, because that's where my sister Chelsea and her family are, therefore making it the second coolest place on the planet. She has been living there four years now and I haven't been to visit yet. What a crap shoot of a sister I am, right? Well, as part of her punishment for taking her wee ones and ditching Utah, I have been making her come visit ME every year. But, her guilt trips finally cut deep and I gritted my teeth as I purchased an $800 ticket, non-stop to Fairbanks, Alaska. If you are thinking right now of all the amazing places you could fly to for 800 dollars, trust me I have been down that road. Hawaii. Bahamas. Warm, tropical islands with oceans stretched as far as the eye can see. Yeah, well Chelsea doesn't live on a tropical island so who needs 'em!

Chris won't be joining us, so he is going to have 11 days to run free of his father and husbandly duties. If you need to reach him, strap on a head set and sign on to XBOX live. Or, if you're feeling generous you can bring him a home cooked meal. I am sure Arby's and Taco Bell might get old after about a week.

This will be the longest that Chris and I have been apart since we met, so we'll test out this whole "absence makes the heart grow fonder" deal and let you know how it goes. :)

M.I.A.

2008-06-21T13:55:00.000-07:00

I have finally started reading the Twilight series. Once I finish and get my house clean again, I should be back.

15 month appointment...

2008-06-11T21:35:00.000-07:00

Landon had his 15 month appointment yesterday. He weighed in at 25 pounds (93rd percentile) and 33 inches tall (60th percentile) He loves to give kisses now, which makes makes my day. And his most repeated phrase lately is "Oh no!" And he says it in situations that actually apply, like when he falls down, or drops something, which totally surprised me. That, and "no, no, no" which he says in just about any situation, which does not surprise me since we are saying that to him constantly! But he's a cutie pie and keeps me laughing all day long. I can't believe how fast he is growing!

And we're back...

2008-06-09T22:03:00.000-07:00

It was a crazy trip, but we managed to only run out of gas once, and made it home with only two traffic citations. So the trip was eventful to say the least. There are about 467 pictures from the trip and waaay too much to document in just one post so I figured I would break them up in to several posts as to not bore everyone to the point that you don't check back again.

As for now, I have about 16 loads of laundry to do, so I need to get to gettin'! But I will leave you with one picture from the trip that documents one of our proudest moments as parents.

The best part is, he's not a "picker." He just likes to see just how far he can cram his finger up his little shnoz.

5 a.m...

2008-05-30T19:58:00.000-07:00

That's what time we are hitting the open road, bright and early tomorrow morning. Chris, Landon, and I, along with our good friends Carrie and Brandon are heading up to Seattle and then on to Vancouver, British Columbia. (wow. was that the longest run-on sentence or what??) Chris and Brandon served their missions in Vancouver so they are taking a trip down memory lane, and Carrie and I are along for the ride...and the shopping. It is a 12 hour drive to Seattle, so hopefully we all make it there alive and in one piece and our hearing still functioning properly. Landon has a scream that pierces the ears, and in a car, it amplifies as it bounces off the windows.

According to our good friends at weather.com there is a good chance of rain. So hopefully that won't put a damper on too many of our outdoor festivities. Well, I am off to do some laundry and get packed, my favorite part of going on a trip! (riiiight.)

Isabell's Umbrella

2008-05-14T20:08:00.000-07:00

My sister in law Ashley just launched a blog dedicated to her little business and shop, Isabell's Umbrella. Be sure to stop by from time to time to shop and get in on the fun giveaways! You will find her cute little prints to be perfect for almost any occasion.

Be sure to check her out!

Happy Mother's Day...

2008-05-11T19:29:00.000-07:00

Landon says several words, but none of them are Mom, Mommy, or Momma, or really anything close to it. He says "Daddy" all the time, which is what made this little moment today so great.

Chris: "Landon, say Daddy!"

Landon: "Momma"

And my Mother's day was complete.

Oh Sweet Sadie...

2008-05-08T21:03:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't already know, Ashley and I are teaming up and participating in the Oh Sweet Sadie! Art and Gift Show this weekend. I have gone to several of these shows over the last year and finally decided to participate. They are fantastic! Each show blows me away with all the creativity and things to see. There is something for everyone; home decor, food, jewelry, art, photography, clothing, shoes, designer jeans, tons of things for children and babies, magnet boards of all sorts, and much MUCH more. There is a childcare room if you don't have someone to watch the little ones, so there is no excuse not to come.

So if you live in the area (or anywhere surrounding it) stop by to check out mine and Ashley's booth, and stay to see all the other awesome booths...but mostly come to see ours. he he

Long time, no blog...

2008-04-29T21:02:00.001-07:00

Yikes! I haven't updated in quite a while. Partly because we have been be crazy busy and partly because I haven't really had anything too interesting to update about. So for now, I will at least change the scenery for those of you who are "daily blog checkers" so that you will have something new to look at.

We will figure out something witty and exciting to post about soon. For now, we leave you with...Dramatic Chipmunk!

Oh, what our life has become...

2008-04-01T20:19:00.000-07:00

Now that Landon as walking, it has only added height to his ability to get in to things. He is now reaching drawers and handles that he couldn't reach before, and it has opened up a whole new world of excitment and treasures for this little boy.

We tried to put boxes in the way to block his access, but that merely slowed him down a bit. However, it did put our food storage to some use.

So now, this is what our kitchen has become:

On the bright side, maybe that lock will keep me out of the refrigerator.

Easter weekend...

2008-03-24T20:14:00.000-07:00

We had a very fun and busy Easter weekend. Neither Chris or I have ever really done much for Easter, but with Landon it just gives us one more reason to take him to do something fun, and excuses to buy him stuff. On Saturday we had an Easter egg hunt and BBQ at my sister's (forgot my camera for the egg hunt, but of course!) watched "Enchanted", and also took Landon to swing at the park. This little boy could swing all day with no problem.

Sunday, we spent with Chris's side of the family eating lots of food and watching "Enchanted" again. For his Easter basket - well it was actually an Easter bucket because all the baskets we found were pink or purple and we figured we would most likely get more use out of bucket than a basket, and I here I go rambling so back to the point- We filled it mostly with summer clothes and bath toys since Landon doesn't eat much candy. Oh, and also "Enchanted"...that was mostly for me, Landon only watches through the cartoon part at the beginning, he has no interest once they become real people.

But I would have to say my favorite part of his Easter bucket would have to be his Easter outfit. I love buying this kid clothes! We got him the cutest little pair of shoes. Actually they aren't that little. His feet are so fat we had to get a full size bigger in order to get them on his feet. But we figured that since now he is walking, he can walk in style, which actually required re-learning how to walk since he had never walked in shoes before. With his new outfit came a new haircut, that actually turned into a buzz cut. His hair grows so fast that we figured we would trim off some extra to buy us some time in between haircuts.All in all, we had a great Easter. We hope that you and your families did too!

12 month appointment...

2008-03-21T09:51:00.000-07:00

Landon had his 12 month appointment last week.

He weighed in at 24.5 lbs (71%) and 31 inches (86%)

Three years and many more to come....

2008-03-18T16:06:00.000-07:00

March 12th marked Chris and my 3 year anniversary. Three years has flown by, yet it seems like we have been married much longer than that. To celebrate, we went downtown to do some shopping and eat at the Melting Pot. If you haven't eaten there, put it on the list of things to do before you die. It is a must. We had a really great anniversary and I am looking forward to many more.

Happy Birthday...

2008-03-17T15:18:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday was Landon's first birthday. I can't believe that it's been a year since we first brought him home from the hospital. On the day he turned one he started walking all over the place. He has been holding on to things and walking for a while, but not on his own. Now he is all over the place! He is quite the character, he never slows down and is in to everything, but always so happy! It's hard to imagine what life was like without him. He really didn't care at all about the cake. We should have saved time and just given him a bowl of frosting. Once he had eaten all of the frosting, he just left the cake.

Wendi Aarons...

2008-02-29T14:59:00.000-08:00

After reading a recent email about having " a happy period" my sister, Chelsea decided to google the author, Wendi Aarons. She called me at work and told me that she had a blog and that I had to read it. This woman is HILARIOUS!

If you didn't get the "happy period" email, she has that one on there as well.

I heart Missy Higgins.

2008-02-28T11:24:00.001-08:00

Every now and then I come a cross a song or singer that is so good I have to tell everyone about it. .

I LOVE Missy Higgins!

Her latest album, On a Clear Night, will not disappoint. You can check out her latest single here.

Shame on you if you fool me once...

2008-02-20T13:42:00.000-08:00

Shame on me if you fool me twice! This is what I get for letting Landon out of my sight while I started the laundry. You think I would have learned my lesson the first time. I guess not.

Same drawer. Does anyone know how to child proof a lazy susan??

The verdict is in...

2008-02-19T20:26:00.000-08:00

Chris got "the call" last night and has been accepted to USN school of Pharmacy! What a smarty pants. He was among the first round of candidates that they extended offers to, so he got to pick which campus he would like to go to (South Jordan) and also gets a partial scholarship for his good grades. Hooray! We were not expecting that, so we are very grateful.

I am so proud of him and the hard work he has accomplished to get in to pharmacy school. I am always impressed how he can work full time, watch Landon, and still get such awesome grades!

What a swell guy, don't you think folks??

Who does this kid think he is??

2008-02-17T14:32:00.001-08:00

Just when we thought we had baby proofed the house, Landon managed to find the one cupboard that wasn't child proof, and that was only because it is a "lazy susan" and we couldn't figure out how to do it.

Chris and I were relaxing on the couch when Landon sounded like he was having a little too much fun. And of course, he was!

On the upside, he ate a bunch of it while he was at it. Maybe some of that fiber will keep him regular.

Knock on wood...

2008-02-13T15:25:00.001-08:00

Just a short post to say that tomorrow will mark exactly FOUR WEEKS with no nail biting! I am actually a little shocked I have made it this long so I think I will just give myself a little pat on the back.

Roller Look-alike Meter

2008-02-05T11:22:00.001-08:00

MyHeritage: Family trees - Genealogy - Celebrities - Collage - Morph

2008-02-03T14:11:00.000-08:00

I am pretty sure that if I saw someone standing on the street with a sign like this, I would give them money.

Viva Las Vegas!

2008-01-31T21:21:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we took a short trip down to Vegas so that Chris could interview for the pharmacy program at USN. Jon and Kelly, some good friends of ours, joined us and we had such a good time. The weather was pefect. About 60 degrees and sunny, which is wonderful compared to the freezing snow craziness we have had here this week. While we were there we did some shopping and went to some awesome buffets. We also decided to go to Madame Tussauds wax museum since neither of us had been. If you are ever in Vegas, I highly recommend it. We had a blast!

Chris felt like his interview went really well. They said it might take a couple of months to hear back, but we are hoping with his good grades, good looks, and witty charm he will get in. :)

I'm a slacker.

2008-01-30T00:47:00.000-08:00

Ashley suggested a while back that I set up an Etsy shop to sell the bows I have been making. After many months of thinking, but not doing, I put some of my time in front of the computer to some use and took her advice. I haven't done much yet, but it's a start.

So here it is: MumbowJumbow

Mostly I just enjoy making bows and girly things. But since Chris is tired of me trying them on Landon I figure I might as well put them to some use.

What a great man...

2008-01-28T10:08:00.000-08:00

June 23, 1910 - January 27, 2008

Don't know where all this motivation came from, but I think I like it.

2008-01-21T23:19:00.003-08:00

So I guess I am feeling bold this year with my resolutions. One might think, having never had resolutions in past years, shouldn't you ease your way into them? Maybe start off with an easy one this year? Well I guess I am making up for years passed because I'm going for the big one! And the big one is...(drum roll please) I am going to quit biting my nails!

For those of you who know me, or don't know me for that matter but have ever caught a glimpse of the gnawed of nubs where nails normally reside, then you know that I am not just a casual nail biter. It's not a "I am feeling a bit stressed or nervous and I need a little nibble" kind of thing. I have a full fledge biting, ripping, tearing, whatever it takes to ensure that no nail is left behind kind of problem going on here. And it's been going on for 25 years! Part of me is hoping that maybe they have some sort of online support group for nail biters, because I might need to seek a professional to help me kick this one. But I am up to the challenge! I am finding that the bigger the challenge, the more motivated I am to prove to myself, and I suppose everyone else as well, that I can do it.

So if any of you out there are nail biters, or better yet, recovering nail biters, any helpful words of wisdom??

Here are my seven...

2008-01-21T22:06:00.000-08:00

After much procrastination, I figured it was time to post my "seven random things about me. I was tagged by Ashley and I figured, what good is it be tagged if I don't follow through?

So here they are:

1. I love to color. Like with crayons...in coloring books...6 year old style. Give me a box of crayons (good ones, like Crayola. Not the "no name brand" kinds that are waxy and break on you) and a coloring book and you will have one happy camper! What's even better is that I read once that coloring is a stress reliever! So maybe we all need to set aside some time for some coloring sessions and the world will be a better place. :)

2. When I was younger, I collected stamps. Like postage stamps, not the cute kinds you use for cards and scrap booking. That kind might be understandable. Not sure how it started, or at what point it stopped, but I had quite the collection going and to be honest I have no idea where that collection is today. And the more I think about it...stamps? STAMPS? Of all the hobbies for a little girl to have, how did I end up with that one?

3. I looooove grits! You heard right. Grits! Sometime during my travels through the Midwest, I saw them on a menu and figured, why not? And I guess the rest is history because I have them for breakfast (and sometimes lunch....and sometimes late night snack) about 3 or 4 times a week.

4. I am a reality show junky. That one is a little hard to admit. The dumb thing is, every time I see a commercial for some new reality TV show, I roll my eyes just as much as the next person. But all it takes is not changing the channel ONE time because I am doing something like folding laundry or making dinner, and next thing you know, I am tuning in the next week. I guess someone at the network is doing their job right.

5. I wear my retainer every night. I am wearing it right now as I type actually. The best part is that it's glittery hot pink, with dark blue foot prints on it...yeah...chose that one when I was 13.

6. I love circle ice. Not the big circle, with the hole in the middle that you will find in most ice machines. I am talking the hard to find tiny circles that are almost like a slushy. My greatest discovery was finding that Sonic sells it by the bag. And even better than that, is that it's only a dollar!

7. When I was little, I couldn't wait to turn 12 so that I could pass the sacrament. You can imagine my disappointment when I figured out that only boys pass the sacrament. Why it took more than a second to realize that all the people walking around with those little trays were boys, I will never know. Oh man, I am a weirdo!

For anyone who hasn't done this yet, you definitely should. Not only will we learn a bit more about you, but like me, you might come to the realization of what a nerd you are!

And another year down...

2008-01-20T17:44:00.000-08:00

Happy (late) New Year everyone! 2007 was a great year! Our family of two became three and with that came alot of changes, happiness and learning. I don't regret to say that as the new year rang in I was completely unconscious on the couch. Not the most eventful of New Years Eve's, but man, it was a much needed sleep. At midnight, I woke up to a "Happy New Year" kiss from Chris, only to fall right back to sleep. That is, until our neighbors ran around banging pots and pans (honestly...I didn't know that anyone actually did that. Really...I didnt.) One thing I love about the New Year is the feeling of "a fresh start." In the past I have never made many New Years Resolutions, so I decided that this year I would start. I always have little goals or things that I want to work on and the new year gave me a platform to start from. We are only a few weeks in to 2008, but I am feeling optimistic and so far, so good!

Landon is huge. He is so much fun, but he just isn't a baby anymore! He looks like he is two! We got him ready for church on Sunday and he looked so grown up I just had to take some pictures!

It blows me away how much he is constantly growing and learning. His most recent endevor was trying to climb out of his crib (we thought he was napping) only to face plant into his book case. It left him with quite the goose egg, but just in case it didn't scar him the first time, he tried it again the next day. (once again, when he was supposed to be napping) We don't know how he does it because we have his crib matress moved down as far down as it will go. We are going to move the book case however, so that if he attempts it a third time, he will have a bit of a softer landing. He is so fun and always so happy, we just LOVE having him in our lives.

As for Chris, he heard back from a Pharmacy school finally. University of Southern Nevada called him and set up an interview for next Saturday in Las Vegas. If he is accepted, he will be attending the South Jordan campus in the fall, so in that case we wouldn't be moving. We figured that since his interview is on a Saturday, we would all go and make a weekend of it. Some good friends of us are coming along and next Friday we are off! We really hope that he gets accepted, so wish Chris luck on his interview!

2008-01-07T22:06:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday, Chris!

2008-01-07T19:38:00.001-08:00

On Chris's birthday we went to the shooting range with some friends of ours. Believe it or not, this was my first time at the range with Chris, so I am far from being an expert at shooting. We had a really fun time and Chris put together this little video/slideshow...he also posted it on youtube....not sure how I feel about that! :)

Check this out!

2007-12-20T22:45:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas, everyone!

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1636018606

We are a happy family....

2007-12-20T20:12:00.000-08:00

We took Landon to get some 9 month pictures taken and figured that since we don't have a single picture of the three of us together, we would get some family pictures done as well. We were pretty impressed with Target's portrait studio...especially the price. I just scanned these in and from the looks of it, our scanner needs a good dusting!

We just barely got them back...so when you get your Christmas card after Christmas you will know why...just consider it to be a "Happy New Year!" card. :)

9 Months Old!

2007-12-20T10:45:00.001-08:00

Wow, I can't believe it has been 9 months already! Landon had his appointment the other day and he is a big one! He weighs 22 pounds(70%) and is 29 inches long!(67%) Sadly, he has been so sick the past few months. It seems like whenever he gets over one thing, he catches something else. We all got the flu the day after Thanksgiving, and a few days later Landon woke up with a terrible eye infection. I took him to see his pediatrician and he also had a double ear infection. At his 9 month appointment he still had an ear infection and the beginnings of a sinus infection, so he is back on antibiotics. Considering how he must be feeling he is actually quite happy and energetic!

HALLOWEEN

2007-11-04T20:36:00.001-08:00

2007-11-04T20:18:00.001-08:00

Take the Quiz here!

You are Elinor Dashwood of Sense & Sensibility! You are practical, circumspect, and discreet. Though you are tremendously sensible and allow your head to rule, you have a deep, emotional side that few people often see.

Ever feel like doing this??

2007-11-01T14:00:00.001-07:00

Now that Landon is crawling I sometimes wish I could find a way to make him stay put... A little drastic, but hey, it works! :)

What a Dad!

2007-10-14T15:46:00.001-07:00

A Trip to the Zoo...

2007-10-13T21:12:00.000-07:00

Recently we decided to make a little trip to the zoo before it gets too cold. I hadn't been since high school, and I Chris hadn't been since before his mission. We figured it would be fun, even though Landon wouldn't remember it, or care all that much...but he is always content when there are new things around to see. They were featuring the "Ghost of the Bayou" which is a rare white alligator. I guess there are only like 8 in the world or something. It was on loan from a zoo in Lousiana so we wanted to go and take a look before it was gone. Even though he was in a cage, it was a little uneasy having an alligator stare you in the eyes with only a few inches of glass to separate us. However, it was probably the most mellow alligator I have ever seen. Didn't seem to care much that there were a million people around.

It was so much fun to see Landon stare at all the different animals. I was so glad I remembered my camera! (unlike the 4th of July, which I am still kicking myself for) It was a really fun day and it made me feel like a kid again.

FEED ME!!

2007-10-09T18:35:00.000-07:00

Landon has recently taken it upon himself to take the spoon and eat if you aren't feeding him fast enough...

All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth!

2007-10-07T19:47:00.000-07:00

It's official.... Landon has all four of his front teeth! (two top, two bottom) I am sttill getting used to seeing him with teeth instead of gums when he smiles. Of course, he won't let me take a picture of them. And our stupid camera flashes so many times when we take pictures that by the time it actually snaps the picture, Landon looks all squinty eyed and stunned from all the bright lights. However, I am determined to get one if it's the last thing I do!

He is also crawling, which is fun to see, only we haven't "baby-proofed" our home yet. It's amazing how babies seem to be totally drawn to the things most detrimental to their health! He is always going straight for cords and electrical outlets, when there are 20 toys lying right in front of him.:)

(This is what we end up with since our flash on our camera goes off like 10 times before taking the picture...we end up with a blind baby)

Long time, no blog...

2007-10-07T19:38:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I have had a new post, though I have meant to post about a million things. Chris's started school, which jumbled my work schedule around and it feels like we are always on the go. Lots of new things have happened so I will try my best to update. Chris is currently filling out his applications for Pharmacy school and it's taking WAY longer than we anticipated. His first application took him 4 hours to fill out. Literally. 4 hours. It was all essay questions, and tons of them. He is applying to a school here, and one in Idaho. Those are his two first choices, then he hasn't decided on the third school that he will use as a back up. I say we go somewhere that sounds fun and new...he doesn't really agree because he wants to stay close. So we'll see. I am really nervous and excited to see where we will end up next year.

Landon had his 6 month appointment a few weeks ago. He is still a very big boy. But still very proportional. He weighed 20lbs 6oz (85%) and 27.5 inches long (77%) He has so much personality and makes us laugh all day! We love him so much!

6 MONTHS OLD!

2007-09-10T10:45:00.001-07:00

And....I'M IT!

2007-08-29T11:13:00.000-07:00

I have officially been tagged... TAH DAH!!

4 Jobs I have had:

1. Bagger/Checker at IGA
2. Britney Spears Concert Tour
3. "Debt Counselor" at Consumers First
4. Receptionist for 1800conacts

4 Movies I could watch over and over:

1. Saving Silverman ("Cominawayeehah!")
2. Garden State ("You have to listen to this song, it will change your life, I swear")
3. Anchorman ("Lanolin? Isn't that some sort of sheep's wool?)
4. Christmas Vacation ("Little full, lotta of sap....there's a lotta sap in here.")

4 Places I have lived:

1. Herriman, UT
2. St. George, UT
3. Provo, UT
4. Bluffdale, UT (doesn't look like I have managed to make it out of Utah)

4 Favorite TV Shows:

1. SCRUBS
2. Dr. 90210
3. Reba (That's right....Reba!)
4. Dancing with the Stars/So you think you can dance (they're basically the same show, right?)

4 Places I have been:

1. New York City, NY
2. Belize
3. Cozumel, Mexico
4. Chicago, IL

4 Favorite Foods :

1. Chicken Alfredo
2. PF Chang's Mongolian Beef
3. Crab (drenched in butter!)
4. Chocolate Pie

Websites I check often:

1. MSN.com (for the latest in celebrity gossip)
2. Yahoo! Mail
3. 1800contacts Mail
4. Blogger

4 Hobbies I enjoy

1. Reading
2. Singing
3. Card Making
4. Making Bows (for babies, not for myself)

The chronicles of Randal...

2007-08-27T14:57:00.000-07:00

In all the blogging that's been going on I have managed to leave out Randal. That's probably because there really isn't much you can say about this neurotic animal that lives in our home. For those of you who have had the opportunity of meeting him and or heard his screams as you try to leave through any open door, you know what I am talking about. For those of you who haven't met him, well, the pleasure is all yours.

Lemon Chicken

2007-08-23T13:30:00.000-07:00

Alright all you recipe gurus, I have a new one for you! I haven't actually tried it YET, but my brother made it for my Dad and my Dad thought it was awesome (which says a lot, because my Dad doesn't like anything that is made by anyone other than my Mom) Anyway, if you try it out before I do, let me know what you think. My bro said it tastes very similar to the lemon chicken at PF Changs...I figure if it tastes ANYTHING like the lemon chicken from PF Changs you can't go wrong.

I suppose you could serve it with either rice or noodles. :)

Here you go!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_19367,00.html

A weekend away...

2007-08-22T15:33:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we were able to take a little getaway, and it was a ton of fun! Some friends of ours (Brandon and Carrie for those who know them) their brother and his wife own a "second house" in St. George and were kind enough to let us stay there for the weekend. I am sure most of you are thinking the same I am, which is, SECOND house?? I am striving towards owning a FIRST house! But anyway, the house was beautiful and had the most amazing pool and backyard. It was so nice just to be able to get away and have nothing to do but hang out in the sun and BBQ lots of food.

By Sunday we were all sunburned(except for Landon, I lathered him in SPF 50...probably should have given Chris a coat of it as well) and tired from being in the heat and we headed home.

At about Fillmore we hit a road block. There was a huge pile up and they had traffic stopped completely. Everyone was out of their cars and walking around, and we ended up being completely stopped in our car for 2 hours! Thank heavens for Baby Einstein which kept Landon totally entertained the whole time. It sucked to sit on the freeway with nothing to do but wait, however, we were grateful that we ended up in the traffic and NOT in the pile up.

All in all, it was a fun time together with our little family and friends, and a fun way to spend to our weekend.

Kissing 101

2007-08-16T10:01:00.000-07:00

So I have been trying to teach Landon how to kiss. So far, I haven't been too successful. I think I am going to have to wait until he is passed the "everything goes in my mouth" phase.

Hashimoto's Revenge!

2007-08-14T19:32:00.000-07:00

Sounds like a Jackie Chan movie or something, doesn't it? Well, it's not! Let me back up just a bit. About 6 weeks ago I started noticing that my wedding ring was getting really tight, at first I thought it might be the heat this summer so didn't think much of it. After about a week I couldn't get my ring on at all, so I figured I must be retaining water or something. It seemed a little odd to me, however, because I was able to wear my wedding ring throughout my entire pregnancy. So I stopped drinking carbonation to see if that would help, and tried to stay away from salt, but nothing seemed to make a difference. Finally, last week I decided to call the nurse line at my doctor's office. Once I got a hold of someone they told me that swelling in your hands (or limbs) is never a good sign and that it could be a number of different things. So I went in the next morning to have some blood tests done. While I was there, they asked me a list of questions, then she wanted to check to see if any of my glands were swollen. Well, come to find out, it's my thyroid causing all the ruckus! She had me feel my neck and pointed out a large "goiter" and said that my thyroid glands were much larger than they should be and that would explain all the swelling in my face and hands. So they took some blood to be tested and I just got the results today..... Ladies and Gentleman, I have "Hoshimoto Thyroiditis!" For real, that's what it's called. I had to ask her how to spell it so that I could really understand what she was saying. Apparantly it is an auto immune disease where your body attacks your thyroid like it's a foreign tissue or something. Once she gave me a list of symptoms, a lot of stuff made sense. However, my only real warning sign was that my wedding ring wouldn't fit. I was started today on some medication and have to make an appointment to see an endocrinologist so they can take a closer look.

ANYWAY, the point of this blog was not to ramble, I really just had to tell everyone the name of this little disfuntion of mine. I cracked up when she told me the name! Really, who comes up with these names??

Room for changes (continued)

2007-08-11T20:28:00.000-07:00

Alas! We finally have our couches...well, we have had them for a few weeks now, I just keep forgetting to post pictures. They did finally arrive in one piece and we are happy to have them. We also just finished painting Chris's bathroom (and by "we," I mean Chris)

The tooth prevails!!

2007-08-09T21:23:00.001-07:00

After weeks of crying, gnawing, and drooling, ladies and gentlemen....we have at TOOTH! Landon's first little baby tooth has finally cut through the surface. The one right next to it isn't far behind, you can see specks of it just below the surface as well.

I tried my best to get some pictures of the little guy, but it's kind of hard to see with the glare.

2007-08-06T20:32:00.000-07:00

Frickity, Frick Frick!!

2007-07-20T22:31:00.000-07:00

So now it is Friday night and still no couches!! We were supposed to get our new furniture on Thursday during the day. (we have been very antsy to get them since we have been sitting on the floor to watch TV for the last week) Well, first we get a call on Thursday saying that they will be delivered much later than they originally told us. THEN when they delivered the couches there was a ginormous tear in the back of it. They told us if we wanted to keep it anyway they would give us a discount. We contemplated it, since the tear was in the back and could be easily hidden since it would be against a wall. How much of a discount, you ask?? Oh, it was a whoppin' $30!!! So we chuckled at them a little bit and told them they could take it back.

Next they tell us that they don't have a time slot to deliver until Monday! So Chris got on the phone with someone and caused some havoc and they told us we would have it Friday (today) by 7:30. We felt so relieved when we got a knock at the door. They got start brining in all the pillows and what not and they brought up the first half and smallest part of the sectional. Chris told them to be extra careful on the way up and was watching them very carefully around all the corners. Well they got it about half way up the stairs and, AWESOME! ANOTHER TEAR! This time it was all the way across the front. Sooooo, we had to send it back....again. And had to raise some hell with a phone rep....again. And we are stuck waiting until tomorrow night for our furniture....again.

I was going to post some pictures of them, but that will have to wait until tomorrow (hopefully) I could take a picture of our "half couch" but Chris is so frustrated at this point I don't think he would find any humor in it. :)

BIG Little Boy!

2007-07-19T14:16:00.000-07:00

Landon had his 4 month appointment yesterday...

He is 18.16 pounds (93%)

26.5 inches long (91%)

His pediatrician said that he looks very healthy and is "very proportional" which I guess is good since he weighs a lot. That way we know that he is growing all over and not just gaining a bunch of weight. We have started him on solid foods and so far we haven't found anything that he won't eat, which doesn't surprise me considering he puts EVERYTHING in his mouth!

Room for changes...

2007-07-17T22:15:00.000-07:00

Chris and I are in the process of getting new furniture, and to do so, we had to sell our old furniture. And right now the stuff we sold has already been picked up, and the stuff we bought has not been delivered yet. So we are sitting in a pretty vacant house as far as our living room is concerned, which just so happens to be the place we spend most of our time. So.....we decided while we have everything out of the way we would add a few touches here and there to make our living room just a tad bit more appealing. We started with the molding, (0r base boards, whatever they are called) we both really like tall base boards and since ours were in DESPERATE need of being repainted we figured we would make them nicer all together. Our old base boards were about two inches tall and now our new ones are about six inches tall. It's not much of a change but it's crazy how just little things here and there can make quite a difference! Here are some a couple of pictures. It's kind of hard to tell since it's just a picture of wall, but it gives you and idea.

2007-07-17T22:14:00.001-07:00

2007-07-08T19:16:00.000-07:00

We got some video of Landon mimicking my Dad and Chris today. It's a little dark, so I hope you all can see it okay.

God Bless America....

2007-07-04T22:45:00.000-07:00

Exactly one year ago today, Chris and I found out that I was pregnant! Last year made for a pretty exciting and memorable 4th of July... which could really only be topped by this year's 4th having Landon here with us. We went to see fireworks and it was so much fun to watch Landon's eyes light up at the site of all the lights in the sky. We thought the sounds might scare him, but he just stared up at the sky with wide eyes. Like an idiot, I forgot our camera of course and I am kicking myself now that we didn't get any pictures of the three of us. As we were watching the show I was thinking, that I have had some pretty fun experiences on the 4th. I have spent many with friends, and been to shows like the Stadium of Fire. I have spent it on the beach in Portland, where they shoot fireworks in to the sky off a boat out on the ocean. And I have watched them in NYC as they set them off over the Hudson. But none of them compare to the 4th of July I had tonight. I had my husband next to me, and my son in my lap... and I have never felt more blessed.

2007-07-04T22:43:00.000-07:00