The Dishes

Livi turns 5

2011-05-24T09:50:00.000-07:00

Wow. Livi turned 5 this month. She still takes my breath away.

She had a princess party and Thanksgiving Point.

Livi's First Late-Over

2011-04-30T07:33:00.001-07:00

Livi got the word from her friend, Avery, that late-overs are the Big Kahuna. So of course, she wouldn't stop talking about when OUR first one would be. I finally settled on a Friday night when daddy would be out of town - it would be a fun distraction. The guest list: mom, livi and keaton, and all of livi's stuffed friends. It was a large group. We made a cool fort out of sheets, blankets, my full-length mirror, and some chairs. Then livi had to decorate it before we could start. She used clips and barrettes and brought in pillows and blankets to make it "cozy". Could be a budding designer... We danced to music and read some books under the fort, snacked on Livi's favorite snacks - doritos (fire chips) and oreos and giggled at the silly things Keaton would do. Pretty soon I realized Keaton wouldn't stop until he ate the entire package of oreos, so he went off to bed. Livi and I had so good quality girl time, and then I convinced her it was time for bed, but only with the promise that we'd do it again soon!

Keaton's teeth aren't rotten, they are covered in oreo crumbs.

Old Stuff

2011-04-30T07:15:00.000-07:00

These are all from December and January - I'm just trying to catch up! But they were too cute to leave behind. :)

Livi and her cousins, Brendon and Lauren - we wish they lived her in SLC, but since they don't, we get what we can out of them while they are here to visit!

This past Christmas was so fun because both of the kids were finally old enough to get into it. We really "tried" not to spoil them because it ends up biting you back later. But it's hard to resist all that cool stuff out there! WE LOVE TOYS!!

Livi and Keaton just can't get enough of that fresh white snow!

Keaton's going for big thrills:

Reading some Christmas books:

No Boyz Allowed

2011-04-27T14:37:00.001-07:00

A couple weekends ago, Kelly sent Livi and I on a mommy-daughter date. We jumped at the chance! It was well-deserved and much-needed time together for just us girls. So we jumped in the big red car and drove down to Orem so Leona and her coworkers could pamper and color our nails and toesies.

Then we drove up to Alpine to visit Dear Lizzie - a darling boutique ooozing with girlie frillies. We ate lunch in the bistro connected to it (I still claim that they make the best sugar cookies on the planet) and wandered around the shop touching, smelling, ooo-ing and ahh-ing. I just love my little Livi. I feel like we are already creating this awesome, special bond that only moms and their girls can have. She IS my pretty, sweet little girl. And I'm lucky to have her around!

Bummer Sick Day

2011-04-14T16:18:00.001-07:00

Today Livi has spent some time bonding with the toilet bowl and other various puke-catching vessels. Keaton was a little distraught without someone to play with so he finally gave in and just lay down beside her:

BTW, this was a few hours ago and now she's doing much better. And no, I didn't make her camp out on the kitchen floor - the poor thing just ended up there. :(

Nothing Much

2011-04-05T15:48:00.000-07:00

I don't know what to say but I'm ready to have something else at the top of our seldom-used blog than Run Baby Run (thanks for being so supportive Kelly, but that doesn't top my list of "most flattering pics ever") ha ha I love conference. It happens twice a year, both at my favorite times of the year: Spring and Fall. I always have this picture in my mind of me and my little family curled up by a cozy fire after a delicious home made breakfast listening intently to the words of our Prophets. ha. Livi and Keaton almost immediately asked me to change it (Keaton said, "Want Apple TV mom, want Apple TV". I didn't give in though, and pulled out some coloring and a few lame-o crafts to distract them (Keaton's now very excited about cutting things with scissors - great.) But Sunday morning I really needed the spiritual pick-me-up so I let them complain. Luckily, I was able to listen to all of Sunday morning's session, feed them lunch, and put them down for naps before the second session started. (A little divine intervention perhaps?) Elder Scott's address began a barage of emotionally hard-hitting talks that I ate up, one after another until they were over and I found myself wishing I could hear it all again. I didn't stop crying almost the entire time. Not because it was sad, but because I am a GIRL and I don't just get chills if something inspires me. Elder Scott's talk was one of my favorites: http://lds.org/general-conference/watch/2011/04?lang=eng&vid=882591213001&cid=3

I truly enjoyed the quiet hours last Sunday as I re-dedicated myself to my husband and my kids. To letting them know continually that I love and appreciate them, and not just through my actions - moms naturally do the "actions" all day long. But through my words, my thoughts, and my actions beyond what is required or expected of me. I love my family so much but I am so grateful for the tender examples Elder Scott shared of his love for his wife. He reminded me that loving someone cannnot be taken lightly - you need to show them, tell them, and be there for them. I am inspired.

Run baby run.

2011-01-29T09:47:00.000-08:00

Trish won't admit it, but she kicked major butt running her first half marathon.

She finished in 1:49. That is a 8:30/mile pace and got her 54th in her age group.

We are so proud. Here she is finishing.

Retrix and Such

2011-01-13T08:37:00.000-08:00

So Dixie has a post about music from our past here.

At her request, i am adding to our list of grooves we danced to.

Goodbye Daddy.

2010-12-03T06:54:00.000-08:00

Each morning little Livi gives me a special goodbye. After she gets a kiss and a hug, I pull out of the garage and always see this image.

If you look closely you will see a little arm through the blinds waiving to me.

9 months huh

2010-11-30T19:59:00.000-08:00

Wow, we could have had a kid by now.

I think Trish has thrown in the towel on the blog. I have been trying to think of something spectacular to break the silence but nothing has come to me. So you get this thought instead:

Why do they put walnuts in the "Premium Nut Mix"? Who likes them anyways? Its like throwing a few stale potato chips in the bag with fresh ones. It just makes it take longer for me to get a good handful out of the can when i have to jiggle the walnuts out. If its just to fill the can up with some cheaper nuts, lets just go with some good old peanuts.

The Thinker

2010-02-23T14:16:00.000-08:00

Just wanted everyone to know that Kelly survived his GMAT. In fact, he more than survived - he got a great score!

Surprised?

Then you don't know him very well. He didn't have nearly enough time to study and prepare for it, but as he always seems to do, he pulled it off and drove straight back to work after he was done. Why waste a few good hours of daylight and go home to rest, right? He'll be finishing his applications in the next couple of weeks. After that, we'll have a few quiet, blissful months before he starts into an MBA program (either BYU or U of U). We are excited to see the light, even if it is 2+ years away.

The night before his test, Kelly spent a few hours studying, back at the office (there isn't much quiet space at our house). When Livi said her prayers, she said, "bless daddy that he won't have to study or work anymore."

Well Livi, I don't know that your prayers were answered in the long run, but for the next few months, we'll have our daddy back.

We are so proud of you, Sweetie!

Answers

2010-02-08T09:28:00.000-08:00

Question 1.

So again, we have evidence: Almanac predicts next two years 20% less rain.

We have conclusion: People will buy fewer rainsuits.

So we have some assumption being made to connect these two. The question is asking, what additional information weakens the assumption the most.

So first i would try to guess about the assumption before you read the statements.   It is pretty clear, coat buying is linked to rain. You could say, people buy more raincoats when it is raining. Or people buy more raincoats when it predicted to rain. Either of these connect the evidence and conclusion. These questions are easier if you focus on the assumption.

Now on to the statements:

A. nothing about assumption
B. nothing about assumption
C. nothing about assumption
D. nothing about assumption
E. This talks about our assumption here. It actually attacks it. Since our assumption is that people buy more raincoats when it is raining, this statement says people buy them for the opposite reason.

E is the answer.

Number 2.

This one is pretty straight forward. You just need to know enough information about the variables to be able to say Yes or No is the first set greater than the second set.

1. Says x is positive. So x is any number greater than 0.    I would plug a number in there to look at the statement:

5y + 5 - z > z - 5 + 5y

Even though x could be 5 or 5,000,000 we can see that we really have no idea now if the statement is true. So number one is insufficient. so we know answer A and D are out.

2. Says z is negative. SO z is any number less than 0. I would plug a number in there to look at the statment.

x(-5) + x - (-5) > -5 - x + x(-5)   also written as. Still no idea if this statment is true or not. So now we know B and C are out. Only C and E are now options.

Let's try using both sets together now. We might as well put our numbers in.

5(-5) + 5 + 5 > -5 - 5 + 5(-5)
-25 + 10 > -10 - 25
-15 > -35

We can see the statment is true. We didn't actually need to determine if it was true or not, but just that we COULD determine if it were true.

Since x and z could be any positive and negative number, we should try different numbers. It has to always be true in order to answer D.

2(-1) + 2 - (-1) > -1 - 2 + 2(-1)
-2 + 3 > -3 -2
1 > -5

We can see it really doesn't matter which numbers we choose for x and z, the statement is true.

So we can answer D.

So, nobody wins......

Yeah! And all I have to say is...

2010-02-02T17:09:00.000-08:00

the answers

2010-01-30T19:47:00.000-08:00

This is a long post. But to start off, some good news. Today another practice test, i am at 580. Going the right direction again.

Ok. I am giving out the answers.

The first question:

Every argument has evidence and a conclusion. It also needs some connection between the evidence and the conclusion, and often it will have some assumptions built in to this connection even if they are really weak.

For this question we have one sentence of evidence: “because cars need to be useful methods of transport, car designers must keep an eye on the practical utility of their product."

Then we jump to the conclusion: Car design is not art.

The question is asking for an assumption that connects these two together. We also have a “for this reason” phrase that helps us ignore the first sentence as any form of evidence.

So we need a statement that supports “cars designed for use = car design is not art”

A. This is an assumption actually supporting the opposite, cars are art.

B. This doesn’t really add or subtract from the argument. Since all it really tells you is that the level of practicality varies.

C. We aren’t really concerned with what should happen in the future. We need to connect cars being designed for utility with car design is not art.

D. This is the connection we need. Something isn’t art if you design it with utility in mind.

E. Not sure why this is even in here.

Question number 2.

OK, for the sake of mom or others I will try to explain it all.

The question is: If a and b are postitive integers, what is the value of ab?

So, we have one fact listed. a and b are positive integers. So we know they can’t be a negative number, and we know they are integers. (that means 1, 2, 3, etc, but not 1.3, 2.1, 3.4, ect.)

Now the question is, yes/no do we know the value of ab? Explaining a bit further, a and b are variables, meaning right now they represent single actual numbers, but we don’t know what they are. The question is asking us what ab is, or what a times b is. So we need to be able to know what both a and b are to answer.

Statement one says, a is 200% more than b.

This tells us the relationship between them, but not what they are. So if b was 10, a would be 30. Think of it this way, 100% of 10 is 10. 200% MORE than 10 is 30. But this does not tell us what a or b is, and we need to know both, so this statement does not by itself allow us to answer the question. So right now we know answer A and D are no longer an option.

Statement two says: b is prime number less than 3

Remember that prime numbers are numbers only divisible by themselves or 1. So, 2,3,5,7,11 are all prime numbers. But we know it is less than 3, so this statement tells us b = 2. Now we know b, but we don’t know a. In order to answer the question “what is ab”, we need to know both a and b. So we can say statement two does not by itself allow us to answer the question. So, know we can eliminate answer B. The only ones left are C or E.

In order to check for C and E, we need to look at the statements together. So we know that b =2, and we need to know a. Looking at statement one, we can see we can get a. We know a is 200% more than b. If b = 2 then we know a = 6.

So we can now answer C. When you use the statements together, you can answer the question what is AB?

Did I mention you need to average 2 minutes per question if you want to finish all of the questions?

So Dixie gets half a prize. I will post another set later, i guess Dixie's office have been working them.

Four innocent letters.

2010-01-25T15:42:00.000-08:00

So I have this desire to have a master's degree. I say desire and not dream, but it has never really felt like a dream, more like a desire. Probably because I never doubted I would eventually get it. The problem is I need to score well enough on this GMAT test thing to get in. More specifically, I need to get above 600. The test is pretty much two sections, Math and Grammar/Reading. Contrary to what my family believes, i am not that great at math, mediocre really. I am probably actually better at writing then math, even though it seems contrary to my personality.

So I enrolled in a Kaplan prep class to get me ready. I took an inital practice test to get a baseline, 570. I am thinking, "this is going to be easy". After a week of studying, i took another practice test, 560. Ok, I started it a 8pm, and it is a 3 hour test, so we'll just chalk it up to fatigue. After another week of studying, I took another practice test, 540. Hmmm, we seem to be going in the opposite direction here. Strangly, i am doing a little better each week at the math, and much worse at the grammar/reading. So this week is officially the first week I have changed my desire to get my MBA to my dream to get my MBA. Wish me luck.

To make it interesting, since i have never done a contest, i am posting a math and grammar test for you. The first one to get them both correct gets some cool prize from me. The problems are labeled easy, medium, or hard. These are EASY problems:

Q: Throughout the last century, many car designers have received accolades for being great artists. However, because cars need to be useful methods of transport, car designers must keep an eye on the practical utility of their product. For this reason, car design is not art.

Which of the following is an assumption that supports drawing the conclusion above from the reason given for that conclusion?

A. Some cars are made to be placed on display and never driven by anyone.
B. Some car designers are more concerned than others about the practical utility of the cars they design.
C. Car designers should be more concerned with the practical utility of their cars than they currently are.
D. A thing is not a piece of art if its designer pays attention to the thing's practical utility.
E. Many artists own cars.

Math, this below is how most the freaking questions are. The don't just want you to do math, they want you to use some reason as well. So, you have to evaluate which of the statements, 1 and/or 2, allows you to be able to answer the question.

Q. If a and b are positive integers, what is the value of ab ?

(1) a is 200 percent more than b

(2) b is a prime number less than 3

A. Statement (1) BY ITSELF is sufficient to answer the question, but statement (2) by itself is not.

B. Statement (2) BY ITSELF is sufficient to answer the question, but statement (1) by itself is not.

C. Statements (1) and (2) TAKEN TOGETHER are sufficient to answer the question, even though NEITHER statement BY ITSELF is sufficient.

D. EITHER statement BY ITSELF is sufficient to answer the question.

E. Statements (1) and (2) TAKEN TOGETHER are NOT sufficient to answer the question, requiring more data pertaining to the problem.

Reading time with Grandpa

2010-01-11T19:41:00.000-08:00

A few livi-isms and Keaton

2009-12-14T20:57:00.000-08:00

Livi: Maybe we can sing the Bakery song.

Dad: The bakery song? How does it go?

Livi: B A K E RY........B A K E R Y...............B A K E R Y ( to the tune of Behold a Royal Army) (Victory, Victory, Victory)

She has turned this line in Mulan's "Be A Man"

"You must swift as a coursing river"

into

"DAH DAH DAH DAH DAH Carseat Radio"

I love it.

She has turned into the great quiz artist.

A few days ago, she said, " Daddy, which princess has red hair, a purple bra, and green fins." After I nailed that question, it was followed with harder ones involving blue and pink dresses, a few hair colors, and some with glass slippers. I know way too much about disney princesses than I should.

Lastly, the other day she said, "Daddy, there is a monster inside of me, and he wants to come out."

I am not sure how to interpret this but I am thinking it is one of these options:

1. She has found a new way to describe gas.

2. She has viewed part of the Aliens trilogy without us knowing it.

3. She has, at a young age, recognized the internal battle in all of us to put off the "Natural Man" and bend our will to the will of the Father's.

4. She is talking nonsensical.

Then there is Keaton. He still barely says Mama and Dada. But he is walking everywhere and continues to polish his ability to get everything he can reach into his mouth, and he sure is cute.

Nothing Here but Happy Stuff

2009-11-17T20:35:00.000-08:00

OK, to make up for the drone of boring (and somewhat depressing) posts over the past few months, I am finally showing off some pics to brighten up the place.
Starting in July
(yes - JULY)...
Here you go:

JULY (what else should I call it?)

Livi and Lauren -

cousins sharing a little secret by the pool

Livi was terrified of the fire truck sirens when they drove by in the I.F. parade

I was so happy to see her standing up to her fears

Little Patriot

KEATON'S 1st BIRTHDAY
NOT a fan of the cake

Livi and cousin Kole. Seriously, Rock - he's as big as Livi
For those of you who don't know, this little slugger is just 6 wks older than Keaton!
And SOOO handsome!

Livi: Yack, yack, yack

Keaton: Yeah, yeah, yeah...

Livi had been begging to go see the temple, so we made a family night of it

What a fun trip!

She tells Kelly that someday she's going to wear

mommy's wedding dress and marry "her Kelly" in the temple.

I guess she's on the right track.

Pedis for Livi and Mommy

I love those little toes

SEPTEMBER

Livi started preschool on September 3rd. She was SO ready!

It was an easy step for her, she's such a sociallite and loves her teachers.

We are happy to have her learning and growing so fast...

but mommy shed a few tears that day.

OCTOBER

We went to see the witches at Gardener Village and (for the second year in a row) accidentally showed up on the Witches Night Out

FYI, this is typically an event for women - the number of men in the Village that night is usually about 5. And they all work there.

Kelly was thrilled.

But, despite the high level of estrogen in the air, we still had a great time. And I promised to look at the calendar next year before we show up on the wrong night, for the 3rd time in a row...

thanks for being a trooper, Kel

See? he came around

HALLOWEEN

Livi was a ??? The first person to guess gets all of our leftover candy

We ran into a group of girls in the neighborhood and Livi insisted that we tag along. There were two sets of twins and they were so darling! They didn't have to slow down for Livi at all though - she grabbed onto to their hands and ran right along beside them.

After running with them for over an hour,

I heard her say to one of them, "I wish I had big legs like you!"

Livi still talks about Megan, the one in the blue Geisha costume. "Mommy - remember Megan, the Blueberry Muffin girl?" I'm just glad she doesn't know what a Geisha is.

Their mom (in the cute witch's hat) and I complained about the cold, snacked on the girls' peanut M&M's, and trotted along happily behind - for two hours. Halloween Rocks!

Orbit's Halloween Party

Keaton: I just hate it when I walk into a room and someone else is wearing the same thing...

Despite the fact that both of her parents suck at baseball,

Livi took some pretty good swings at the pinata

Dance Class - all dressed up

This is the face that lets Kel and I know that destruction is eminent

They were supposed to be tip-toeing through a scary forest

livi didn't quite get the idea

RANDOM HAPPY STUFF

Princess

Devil

HARVEST FEST, IDAHO FALLS

Livi and Jace JAMMIN to Uncle Shane's country beat

Keaton just staying warm

Go Uncle Shane and the Wise Brothers! (He's the guy in the black Stetson)

Yeah, he's pretty much famous

TROUBLE
Why does he always have his binki? Is it from Livi - just so he'll keep quiet while he becomes the object of her endless torments?

MOST RECENT PIC

(yes, you're almost to the end of this post - I know you're sad about it)

One last dance with daddyWe set up a special day with Livi last Saturday and went to see Disney Princesses on Ice - just mom, dad and Livi. We all had a great time - she especially belted out the tune when they played Mulan's theme song, "Reflection". I'm not gonna lie -

she was adorable

Thoughts

2009-10-18T19:52:00.001-07:00

Have any of you ever seen or heard an amazing story that inspired you to be a better person? I just had a simple thought tonight that I wanted to write down for my own sake, and anyone reading who might feel like me once in a while.

Lately I've been feeling a little like the frog that fell in the bucket of cream - I know that in theory, if I just keep kicking it will eventually turn into butter and I'll be able to hop out. But for some reason, the cream just keeps getting deeper and deeper and my legs are getting tired (maybe it's because we haven't had a decent night's sleep for months - thanks kids, I love you.) In other words, I've been feeling overwhelmed, inadequate, disorganized and frustrated.

But tonight I was doing a little blog stalking, (yeah, instead of catching up on all of those things that are making me feel like the frog in the bucket) and I checked up on one of my favorites. As I read her thoughts, I got a very familiar, energizing feeling that makes me want to kick my frog legs a little harder. It's that same feeling I get whenever I listen to an inspired speaker, read a great book, or hear a story of personal triumph. I felt ready to try again, and somehow do better this time.

Of course, in the very midst of my Wonder Woman moment, I suddenly had a destructive thought:

I sure need a lot of inspiration. Ha!

And once I opened the door, other thoughts quickly ran through my mind:

Does this mean I'm weak and inadequate?

Is it bad to need constant positive influence in my life?

Why do I need so many reminders?

The ugly little monsters ran around in my head for several minutes before I realized one simple thing.

Sometimes I just forget, and that's OK.

I get caught up in day-to-day things that put me into a survival mode rather than a self-improvement one. I am not a failure because I need to be reminded (often) of what I need to be and how I truly want to live my life. I am only a failure if I don't try.

and so i keep on kicking.

Keaton raids the kitchen

2009-10-01T08:40:00.000-07:00

Eye-Opener

2009-09-09T16:14:00.000-07:00

Please take a few (15) minutes to watch this video. I am hereby swearing that I will never text while I'm driving again - and I'm totally ashamed to admit that I have. Sometimes we just need to take a second to think about what we are doing and decide if it's worth it or not. Be safe. Love, Trish
ZEROFATALITIES

Don't Worry

2009-08-26T10:55:00.000-07:00

Maybe everyone else has seen or heard him, but i discovered Bobby Mcferrin is pretty freaking cool. I am not a huge jazz fan, and I hate his "don't worry, be happy" song. But this guy is pretty talented.

Blackbird

Somewhere over the rainbow

I don't know why, but this is pretty cool

Why, oh Why

2009-08-24T15:24:00.000-07:00

A picture to break the silence.

Sorry i wasn't there to protect you son. If they pull out a dress, scream, kick, and yell as if your life depends on it.

Finally moved in................now time to unbox.

2009-08-08T22:29:00.000-07:00

2009-07-09T08:30:00.000-07:00

Sorry to break the posting silence with a political one, but i can't think of anything else to post and I have tried to become more politically aware lately.

I think the question of government involvement in the economy is the big question of the day. We have seen General Motors become Government Motors. CEO's have been replaced, companies have been bailed out, and the government gains more and more influence and control in private business.

Now we have the Glenn Beck's, and Rush Limbaugh's clamoring to call it the end of the world. Republicans triedg to get the Democratic party's name changed to the Socialist party. We are often muttering that capitalistic is what we have always been, and now we have become something else.

My comment/question to you is, do we really want our economy unregulated? Do we really want someone to stop policing the monopolies, the anti-trusts, the insider-trading, etc, etc Should we do away with the FDIC? Then when banks fail, the government really won't be involved.

I watched a report detailing our fall into this recession. The biggest thing jumping out at me was how the unregulated mortgage industry contributed to/caused this fall. We are in this trouble largely because of the practices of one of the most under-regulated industries in our economy.

I am not saying I am all for government control. But at the end of the day, I think everyone wants SOME level of government control in our economy. How do we know when it is enough or too much? Is it ever going to be perfect, or will it always be a little too far either in either direction?

New Home on the Horizon

2009-06-17T15:36:00.001-07:00

The bank has accepted our offer, so aside from any possible setbacks, we could be moving in by the first part of August! One of the first things I'll do is set up the computer so I can finally catch up on the pictures I've needed to post the past few months! The kids are growing so fast - Keaton's now crawling (yes, finally - I know) and he has two teeth (again, FINALLY). Livi doesn't stop - talking, running, jumping, screeching, and yes - she is now officially potty trained. Don't worry - I won't share pics of that. It was, however, quite lucky that she did her "training" while we lived here in the rental and not on my new carpet.

We are really lucky to have such great friends and family who have encouraged and supported us in our decision to move. This has been a long, drawn-out process, but now that I see the light at the end of the tunnel, I know it will be worth the few months of inconvenience to end up in a home where we can stay for a long long LONG time (because I'm not planning to do this again anytime in the next century)!

New home - here we come!

Rain and Music

2009-06-13T21:09:00.000-07:00

If you've never heard of Jon Schmidt, you probably don't live in Utah. He's a local artist whose albums you can usually find in Deseret Book. His latest creation has become the 2nd most watched video on Youtube and if you haven't seen it yet, check this out. I'm listening to it again with the patio door open so I can also hear the electric thunderstorm going on outside. It's keeping me awake - not from the noise - I don't want to miss the storm! I would be so happy if this weather went on for the rest of the month. Nature and music are so inspiring to me - hope you enjoy this little sample: PS - Dixie, I think you'll really like this one!

My Latest Fav Song

still here

2009-05-31T16:29:00.000-07:00

We are still around. Just surviving in a condo rental with only the laptop, so no pics for you today. Just a few livi comments to share:

Mom: Livi, you need a time-out. Go sit on the chair, and count to 20.
Livi: How about I count to one.

Shortly after one of us (i am not saying who) let a stinky one go.
Livi: Sniff, Sniff, Sniff. What's that smell like?
Un-named Parent: oh, i don't know. oh well.
Livi: Sniff, Sniff. Smells like a green egg.

I was installing a lock on Livi's door. The latch type with one side having a long run with a single bend.
Livi, picked up the latch, and blew on one end........"That looks like a saxophone, daddy"

When i get home and talk with Trish, Livi can't stand it. She has to join in.
Livi: Daddy stop. I need to call you a question.

new template

2009-04-28T19:09:00.001-07:00

So i guess there were some people who couldn't see our blog template when they came to the site.

So without consulting Trish, i threw this one on. If it changes in another day or two, you will know why.

Happy Easter! and other belated messages

2009-04-22T15:31:00.000-07:00

Livi and I took advantage of Keaton's nap time and did some festive egg coloring. It was always such a big event growing up when mom and dad would dress us in our worn-out clothes, cover the kitchen in newspaper and let the egg decorating begin. My inner scientist comes out as I mix colors to make pink, lavendar, yellow, orange and (my favorites) blue and green. Easter is the only time of year when the scent of vinegar and hard-boiled eggs suddenly makes me feel nostalgic.

Not long after we finished, Keaton decided to join us (note the bed head). Livi was giving him some sister love when she stopped and said, "Mommy - Keaton spit up on me." (it was actually just a few drops of his gallons of drool that he constantly leaks all over the place) So, like the helping sister she is, Livi grabbed a wash cloth and proceded to clean him up.

Speaking of bed head, Keaton got his first haircut a couple of weeks ago. As you can see in the pictures above, he was getting a little shaggy, and though I love the skater look, Keaton's hair is so cute with a faux-hawk and his hair was getting too long for it. So to Cookie Cutters we went. Livi had to be a part of the fun (she would probably rate that place higher than Disneyland) so we let her hop in the barber's seat too - she needed a trim anyway.

Handsome devil!

A last-second shot before we head to church and they cover their cute Easter outfits in fruit loops and spit-up.

The Annual Easter Egg Hunt at Dori's house. It was chilly but fun and the kids all got some great loot. Except for Livi - I was hoping for more chocolate and caramel but she seemed to find all the eggs filled with stickers and smarties. Boo!
Not that I would have eaten her candy or anything.

And finally (yes, this is a LONG post) here are some sweet pictures of Livi - the flowers were irresistible - I let her go ahead and pick some. What the heck - we're moving anyway! And yes, that is chocolate on her face. Some days you just don't feel like cleaning up and following all the rules. It was a frosty for lunch, followed by frolicking in the usually forbidden flower beds, a bubble bath with tons of bubbles (she got a hold of the bottle and dumped the whole thing in) and a very late nap. She was one happy kid!

THE END

Cute. Nuff Said.

2009-04-05T11:45:00.001-07:00

Princess 24/7

2009-04-05T11:34:00.000-07:00

I love watching Livi as her fashion sense evolves. Anything with pink goes together, right? She says, "Mama, I look PRETTIFUL!" as she clicks across the kitchen floor and back again - her version of the catwalk. (Notice the pointed-toe pose)

Tagged.

2009-04-01T12:26:00.000-07:00

I was supposed to open my sixth folder and upload the sixth picture, so here it is. A shot of Kelly and his buddies after a hunting trip to Logan a few years ago. He's the cute one on the left. Just a note - we made an agreement long ago that he could go hunting as long as
A: I didn't have to clean it and cook it
B: He doesn't hang the remains on my living room wall (or any other wall, for that matter)

2009-03-28T18:44:00.000-07:00

I am a little late, but 5 years ago last Thursday Tricia married me.

We dated for 3 months, and had a 3 month engagement. It kind of seemed strange that after 6 months, I could be so certain you were perfect for me. But certain I was, and it was without doubt. Now each day with you provides me the evidence to support that strange 6 month surety.

You are perfect for me.

Thanks for the best 5 years of my life, here's to a bunch more.

pa rum pum pum pum

2009-03-19T19:42:00.000-07:00

So Livi has really been into instruments lately. She watches shows about them and knows quite a few. Her favorite is the drum. She always asks, "Daddy, can I have a drum", so i tried giving her an empty formula bucket to beat on. Next time she asked, "Daddy, can i have a REAL drum".

Sorry Trish

Usually she takes a bow when she is done with a song.

Daddy's Job

2009-03-19T13:36:00.000-07:00

Kelly's office has a tank full of fish that Livi is glued to every time we go to his work to visit. With that in mind, here's a little conversation I had with Livi today:

Livi: Mommy, where's daddy's car?
Me: It's at _____, where he works.
Livi: Yes, daddy works at ______. Well he's very busy at work, mommy. Cuz he has to watch the fish all day.

2009-03-16T13:38:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody! I just wanted you all to see my new look. I just got my braces on last Thursday and everyone says they totally make me look younger. What do you think? xoxo Trish

My Funny Kids

2009-03-16T13:11:00.000-07:00

Keaton is getting better at standing as long as he's holding onto something. Still no urge to crawl though. I even tried helping him get into the right position but he gave me a strong stiff leg and a very dirty look.

Livi would be forever happy if we traded our home for a carousel. So in lieu of the real thing, she can get pretty creative.

Our first jaunt outside since the air has cleared out and the temperature rose above freezing! We ended up stripping most of the blankets and gloves before we made it a block from our house. Mom's a little too worried about the kids being cold.

The Happiest Place On Earth

2009-03-04T20:47:00.001-08:00

Last weekend, we took our kids on their first trip to Disneyland.

Dave and Colleen were able to come along for the ride, so we had some extra hands (and eyes) on Livi. THANKS Grammy and Papa!

Livi loved "It's a Small World" and still asks to go on it again. Dumbo was another fave. She says, "Remember when we went on Bumbo? That was so much fun!!"

She wasn't scared of the characters like I thought she would be and loved Mickey's house in ToonTown.

The picture speaks for itself - she LOVED the carousel. This was the only ride we went on more than once.

We actually ended up celebrating my birthday while we were there - very cool!

Little Cinderella

2009-03-04T20:33:00.001-08:00

Livi is really into washing the dishes. So I fill up the sink with soapy water and she requests her "step" and her dishes which consist of two funnels, a couple of liquid measuring cups and whatever else I let her put in the water. When she spills on the rug (it's inevitable) she uses the dish towel to try and rub it off.

The other day I pulled this out to clean off the counter tops and she said, "Oh - it's Green Works. Naturally."

Is that her hair?

2009-03-04T20:15:00.000-08:00

Awww... 1994.

As Napoleon Dynamite once said, "I like your sleeves. They're real big." Yes, this is my ENTIRE senior class on Prom Night. No, I didn't have to go the Prom with my cousin.

Tagged... AGAIN

2009-02-17T13:21:00.000-08:00

Man, I hate these things. It's fun to read others' comments but I hate trying to come up with my own. Kelly would have his done in about .2 seconds, but I take forever! So here's my hard-earned list (time: 2.4 hours) :

8 Favorite TV Shows
1. American Idol
2. Today Show
3. So You Think You Can Dance
4. The Office
5. HGTV
6. Wonder Pets
7. Clifford
8. Go, Diego Go!
NOTE - I pretty much only watch TV when I'm on the treadmill and Livi's watching with me or when Kel and I are catching up on a wk's worth of DVR. There are a bunch of shows I'd like to watch but don't ever get around to it. (see "things I did yesterday")

8 Things I Did Yesterday
1. Changed numerous dipes (two kids = LOTS)
2. Cleaned house
3. Organized kitchen pantry (finally!)
4. Walmart with the kids - yeah, that was fun
5. Laundry
6. smooched on Kelly and the kids
7. walked on my squealing treadmill - I'm getting it fixed tomorrow!
8. Dishes, dishes, dishes

8 Things I Look Forward To
1. Going to Disneyland - we'll even be there on my birthday!
2. Springtime
3. Someone to invent no-cal chocolate milkshakes
4. taking the kids to the park in our sweet double jogger
5. traveling more with my family once the kids are older
6. maybe going to Costa Rica this fall
7. selling our condo
8. Seeing Keaton crawl

8 Favorite Restaurants
1. Citrus Grill
2. Epic
3. Tiberon (sp?)
4. Flemmings Steakhouse
5. Tsunami
6. Tukashi
7. Chick Fil-A (gotta love their peppermint milkshake!)
8. Arby's (and these guys have the best jamoca milkshake)

8 Things I Wish For
1. A girlish figure instead of a boy's (nursing did a number on me)
2. For Kelly to never get sick - not even a sniffle
3. For Livi to understand me when I try to "reason" with her (ex: "Livi, you should go potty in the toilet because that's what everybody does.")
4. For more energy to play like a kid
5. A MASSIVE garage (I guess anything bigger than what we have would suffice)
6. For a mute button when Livi screams - I'm pretty sure I've lost a certain amount of hearing since she hit toddlerhood.
7. For grocery bags to be biodegradable - I feel guilty every time I leave the store with 10 lbs. of plastic bags. Oh, I have the re-usable ones, but YOU try carrying them into the store along with a purse, a 25-lb toddler and a car seat with baby #2.
8. More arms (see #7)
9. For a date night with Kelly

8 People to Tag
1. Gina
2. Dix
3. Kel
4. Colleen
5. Kris
I don't think anyone else reads this blog, so that's it.

crunch crunch crunch

2009-02-17T11:49:00.000-08:00

Keaton must be teething - he loves when I give him cold things like carrots and washcloths to chew on. If I don't give him something, he usually has his fist or his foot in his mouth instead.
And while we're on the subject of carrots, I just found the coolest gadget at Walmart to keep my crudites fresh. Livi loves carrots, celery, cauliflower and broccoli, but I hadn't figured out the best way to keep chopped veggies fresh (for more than 2 days!). The typical tupperware doesn't cut it because it doesn't "breathe". So anyway - this little veggie keeper was around $10. It's big enough to hold a whole head of broccoli in one side (cut up) and cauliflower in the other. I usually mix it up with celery and carrots too. The best part is, I don't have to pull out the cutting board everytime I want some fresh vegetables. Finally an easy way to be sure we get our daily servings of vegetables!

Keaton discovers his reflection

2009-02-13T19:06:00.000-08:00

More from Liver

2009-02-13T18:48:00.001-08:00

Sometimes we find that boppy the bunny gets hungry. Yes, that is a toddler spork.

So here are a few of my favorites:

I need you Daddy.

Daddy I want you.

Daddy I want to hold you.

Daddy I want to snuggle you.

Daddy guess what? I love you.

I want a peanut butter sandwich. That will make my tummy feel better.

Be good at work daddy, at Orbit Medical.

Have fun today daddy, listen to mommy.

My New Favorite

2009-02-05T14:07:00.000-08:00

I just found a great kitchen hand soap and hand cream that look pretty enough to put on your counter. Love this brand - the scents aren't over-powering and a little goes a long way! I bought some of the dish soap in Ginger and Sicilian Lemon and it makes the whole kitchen smell great when I used it to wipe down the countertops. Sanguinelli orange fennel smells fantastic too. If you go to ebubbbles.com you can order free samples!

6 Mos. Old and Life is Good

2009-01-31T18:56:00.000-08:00

We really have had a hard time getting Keaton to smile.

2009-01-31T18:47:00.000-08:00

Livi: "oh, daddy i hurt my finger"

Me: "I'm sorry. Which one?"

Livi: "This one here." (shows index finger) Yes, the over-done kid flipping the bird shot will have to wait.

Me: "you want me to kiss it better?"

Livi: "no daddy, i got it. mmmmmwha" kisses her own finger and walks off

Different Drug Problem

2009-01-26T12:16:00.000-08:00

As far as I could tell, this was an article published in the Avoyelles Parish, a local newspaper in Louisiana. I think it's post-worthy - The world needs more parents like this! Read on...

Different Drug Problem
The other day, someone at a store in our town read that a Methamphetamine lab had been found in an old farmhouse in the adjoining county and he asked me a rhetorical question, "Why didn't we have a drug problem when you and I were growing up?"

I replied, I had a drug problem when I was young: I was drug to church on Sunday morning. I was drug to church for weddings and funerals. I was drug to family reunions and community socials no matter the weather.

I was drug by my ears when I was disrespectful to adults. I was also drug to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents, told a lie, brought home a bad report card, did not speak with respect, spoke ill of the teacher or the preacher, or if I didn't put forth my best effort in everything that was asked of me.

I was drug to the kitchen sink to have my mouth washed out with soap if I uttered a profanity. I was drug out to pull weeds in mom's garden and flower beds and cockleburs out of dad's fields. I was drug to the homes of family, friends and neighbors to help out some poor soul who had no one to mow the yard, repair the clothesline, or chop some firewood, and, if my mother had ever known that I took a single dime as a tip for this kindness, she would have drug me back to the woodshed.

Those drugs are still in my veins and they affect my behavior in everthing I do, say, or think. They are stronger than cocaine, crack, or heroin; and, if today's children had this kind of drug problem, America would be a better place.

God bless the parents who drugged us.

Submitted by a concerned citizen.

More livi

2009-01-23T20:53:00.000-08:00

Livi: Hey Mom, i'm a baby.

Trish: Oh ya.

Livi: I eat bottles and stuff.

Location, Location

2009-01-15T13:45:00.000-08:00

Lately, we've been teaching Livi about her surroundings - where she lives, where grandma lives, where Dora lives, etc. etc. So, I shouldn't be surprised when this is what she came up with:

Livi: Where do you live, mommy?
Me: I live in Sandy, Utah. And where do you live, Livi?
Livi: I live in Disneyland, with Daddy.

I guess Keaton and I are just the hired help.

Watch Me Grow

2009-01-14T09:18:00.000-08:00

On the 29th, Keaton will hit his 6 month mark. I can't believe how fast the time flies! Livi loves to hold Keaton "I want to take care of Keater," she says. So when I put him on the chair with her I could NOT believe how big he is getting!

2009-01-12T20:21:00.000-08:00

Tonight's conversation:

Livi: Hey Daddy doh.

Me: Yes Livi.

Livi: I have a great idea.

Me: Oh ya, what's that?

Livi: How bout we go and get a chocolate kiss! (she has wised up because previous requests for just a "kiss" resulted in a big wet one from daddy)

Me: A chocolate kiss?

Livi: Well, Ok-----A green one.

We try to keep her in check, but she has developed her mama's sweet-tooth.

Shoe Fettish

2009-01-07T22:22:00.000-08:00

Livi loves my shoes. Or anyone's shoes, for that matter. Anyway, I had to try and catch her with these 3 inch heels, but by the time I grabbed the camera, she figured out just how uncomfortable they are...

2009-01-04T19:23:00.000-08:00

I don't know why, but lately i am just cracking up with Livi and her conversations. She has been talking for quite some time now, but it just seems like now they are more full blown conversations.

Last night, driving home from dinner went like this:

Livi: Uh, where we going daddy?

Me: We are going home. Is that all right?

Livi: Uh, no.

Me: Well where should we be going?

Livi: HMMM..... Dairy Queen.

Me: But we just had some ice cream.

Livi: But.........

Her new favorite thing is to cook "brownies" in the kitchen with mom.

She asks for gingen (ginger), mary (rosemary), and caraway (caraway).

Her unwrapping skills have fully developed in the last year.

A few random pictures..

2009-01-01T20:47:00.001-08:00

The gingerbread tree.

I only had to ask her once to pose for this one.

Livi giving herself a white-wash.

2008-12-28T11:02:00.000-08:00

Here are the rest of the photos from the recent photoshoot.

Click me.

Livi Bed

2008-12-24T14:02:00.000-08:00

Ok Kelly here.

I have decided it makes no sense for the both of us to have blogs. So i will occasionally post on Tricia's.

Livi had been doing the toddler leap from her crib the last few nights, so we figured it was time to convert her bed to a toddler bed.

So. This was her initial reaction. We thought, man this is going to be easy.

Then when we went to check on her after she went down for a nap.

I have also come to realize that she is not quite as brilliant as i had previously thought. Even though upon entering our room it is very clear that Tricia's side of the bed can be reached with the shortest toddling distance, she decides to make the trek around to my side of the bed. I can only hope that she is still brilliant and just disoriented by the cloudy sleepy feeling that she must experience when attempting to negotiate such paths at the wee hours of the morning. You may also note that she has recognized the value in keeping a spare binki within arm's reach at all times.

Sweet Sweet Baby

2008-12-14T20:34:00.000-08:00

Last week, we had a session with a very talented (and super nice) photographer, Angie Monson (Simplicity Photography). She's downtown in the Benihana building so you really get an urban feel in the outdoor shots. Angie was so great to work with - Livi ended up having a bad day (she threw up on the way home) but Angie got some great images anyway. She posted some for us to see on her blog so we could choose a few for Christmas cards. Seeing these sample pictures of my babies made all the stress of the day worthwhile. I can't wait to see the rest! To check them out, click here.

Livi Love

2008-11-23T20:21:00.001-08:00

Gratitude No. ?? OK - I've lost track and haven't kept up on this, but it doesn't mean I'm not grateful for things. LIVI is one of those things. I just can't imagine life without her spirited little personality adding drama and spark to our family. She has lately come up with the funniest things to say. A couple weeks ago, she started throwing a tantrum, so I told her I would be downstairs with Keaton when she was ready to stop crying and come down. She kept crying and thrashing around a bit in my room for at least ten minutes, and then finally came down to the bottom of the stairs and said, "Mama?" I said, "Oh Hi Livi - are you OK now?" She sniffed a couple times and then said, "Yeah, Livi was just fweakin' out..."

Like I said, I just can't imagine life without our little Livi.

Keaton's "Smilestones"

2008-11-23T20:08:00.000-08:00

Kristina gave me this idea and I should be doing it anyway, so here are some of the cute little things he's been up to lately:

Since about 2 months old, he has been strong enough to stand. We just hold his hands so he doesn't fall over (balance issues - he's got his mother's genes).
He's rolled over onto his back 3 times.
He has been smiling (REALLY SMILING) since about 1 week old. This kid is a ham!
He laughs out loud, especially when we tickle him (since about 2 1/2 months old)
He has always been very alert, but he laughed at his reflection at around 2 1/2 months
He can hold his head and upper body really well but still not quite strong enough to sit up on his own
He's still scared of Livi, but he's warming up to her. She's truly never done anything to hurt him, but Keaton's a big chicken when there's any loud noises around and Livi is anything but soft and quiet. :)
He loves having "conversations" with us

Gratitude No. 18

2008-11-18T13:06:00.000-08:00

18. I'm thankful that Livi loves Keaton so much. She's been a great sister from day one - never once showing signs of jealousy or resentment that you often see when a new baby comes along. She says, "Want to hold Keater," and "Want to take care of Keater." She's always concerned when we go somewhere that Keaton is coming along too. And whenever I bring him into the room, she runs up and says, "HI KEATER!!"

Gratitude No. 17

2008-11-18T12:41:00.000-08:00

17. A Super Grandma!Kelly's mom - Colleen - is such a fun Grandma. She plays with the kids (get-down-on-your-knees kind of play), has a toy room in her house, calls often to see how they are doing, makes blankets to keep them cozy, and even sends packages in the mail. Livi was pretty excited to see what grandma sent this time - it was a hand-painted turkey decoration for our pumpkin. How cute! Thanks Grandma Colleen - you really are special and the kids are so lucky to have you for a Grammy!

Gratitude No. 16

2008-11-16T20:44:00.000-08:00

16. The Gospel of Jesus Christ. This one came pretty easily for me today, since it is Sunday and all. :) Truly, I am so thankful for the Gospel that teaches me the way, shows me how to follow it, and gives me hope that even though I am imperfect, if I do my very best and accept the Savior's help with the rest, I can and will make it. What better guide to life could I ask for?

Gratitude No. 15

2008-11-15T18:40:00.000-08:00

15. I'm grateful that Keaton is such a good baby. I took him with me to the outlet stores today and we shopped for 3 1/2 hours, stopping only once to feed him. He was such a little trooper. I guess I'm just not used to it because Livi would never have lasted that long at his age! It's such a nice change to have an easy baby (so far...) :)

Gratitude No. 12, 13 & 14

2008-11-14T13:10:00.000-08:00

Wow - this is tough. I didn't think it would be so difficult to come up with something I'm grateful for everyday. But most of the things I'm most grateful for deserve more than just a one line post saying, "yea, I'm grateful for my family". And since I'm not one of those blogging fools (like Gina and Dix) who can pump out the posts like no other, I'm struggling here. ;) blah blah blah - back to my gratitude post...

12. I'm grateful for good friends. I'm lucky enough to have a wide variety - some to ask when I have questions about my kids, others who give me great cooking tips. Some are great to shop with, while others I can count on to give me a spiritual boost when I need it. Every woman needs her girlfriends and I am so thankful to have mine - you know who you are. :)13. Today's collection of children's movies is so great! They are educational, and they keep my busy little Livi from getting into trouble while I feed the baby. I don't know how my mom did it.

14. Rob and Kristen recommended a book to help us make it through the toddler years and beyond without hating every minute. It's called "Parenting with Love and Logic". Kelly and I have been reading it and testing out the rules with pretty good results (so far...) I'm thankful continually for the help parents have these days in raising smart, caring, and independent kids!

7 things...

2008-11-12T11:45:00.000-08:00

Suzie tagged me so here's my little 2 cents...

7 things I can do:
1. cook
2. make others feel comfortable
3. decorate my home (although it is a work in progress, ALWAYS)
4. get my post-baby butt out of bed every morning to exercise - just 5 more lbs to go!
5. breast feed a baby while walking
6. look for the positive
7. speak in public

7 things I cannot do:
1. DRIVE and talk, read, think, or anything else, at the same time
2. Turn down chocolate - especially on a bad day
3. Argue without crying (I agree with Suze on this one)
4. organize quickly - I can do it really well, it just takes a millennium
5. nurse in public
6. write. I can edit anything - that's why it takes me forever to write something. I can't just let the ideas flow, I have to write it perfectly while it's coming out. Dix and Suzie - I wish I had your talent!
7. make a decision - 31 Flavors is my worst nightmare

7 things that attracted me to Kelly:
1. Funny
2. Smart
3. Great eyes
4. Spoils me rotten
5. He's a great uncle (thus, I figured he would be a good daddy - I was right!)
6. He thinks I'm pretty even without makeup!
7. He is a gentleman

7 things I say most often:
1. No way!
2. OLIVIA!!
3. Hi Keater Bug!
4. I need something sweet...
5. Peanut Butter or curly noodles?
6. I'm trashed.
7. I love you -

7 Celebrity Admirations:
1. I totally agreed with Suze on J.K. Rowling - what I wouldn't give to be able to tell my kids a story like that!
2. Nie Nie - can't she be considered a celebrity?
3. Oprah. She's done a lot of good and affected millions (also, she gives away cars!)
4. C.S. Lewis
5. Florence Nightingale. She's not really a celeb, but she's always been one of my idols.
6. President Hinckley - who doesn't love him?
7. Michael Jordan. I know, I'm old school.
8. I just had to add one more - Christopher Reeve

7 Favorite Foods:
1. Sushi
2. cobb salad
3. milk shakes
4. chocolate chip cookies
5. smoked almonds
6. seafood
7. Silk Chocolate Soy Milk (ya, Suzie got this one right too - I buy two at a time)

7 people to tag:
1. Dixie
2. Colleen
3. Gina
4. Leesa
5. Alli
6. Kristina
7. Kelly - he probably won't do it, but his answers would be funny if he did

Gratitute No. 11

2008-11-10T13:50:00.000-08:00

11. Of course, I'm grateful for Kelly - he's the perfect partner in crime. I couldn't possibly list all the reasons I am thankful for my sweetheart - at least not in this post - but here are a simple few: He makes me laugh, helps with the laundry, empties the dishwasher, gets up in the morning with Livi, leaves his work at work, tries to make my life easier, listens to me gossip, worries about our future and does something about it, does a great job supporting my spending habits, cares about my family, can fix anything but has the guts to call a pro when he can't, likes my cooking, has a great testimony of the Gospel, gives me flowers for no reason at all, and is an awesome daddy-o to Livi and Keater. I am so lucky to have such a caring, smart and devoted man in my life. Love you, swti!

Gratitude No. 9 &10

2008-11-10T08:39:00.000-08:00

9. I Know my Savior is really there. I went to Fast Sunday yesterday feeling a little depleted on the spiritual end of things. Luckily, my sweet friend Tiffany bore a testimony that really touched my heart and rejuvenated my own testimony. She reminded us that when we have doubts, a good thing do is "keep it simple". When we pray, simply ask God if he is there - if he is listening when we need him most. Her suggestion made me think about my own knowledge of His existence. I realized that no matter what trial I might be struggling with at the time, I can always go back to the basics - I know that He is there, and that He loves me. If I ever doubt that, I can ask Him myself! I'm so thankful to I have that knowledge; it can really be a source of hope and strength.

10. Elder Wirthlin's conference talk, "Come What May, And Love It." It was bright, hopeful, and encouraging with tips on how to face adversity and overcome it. He said, "in spite of discouragement and adversity, those who are happiest seem to have a way of learning from difficult times, becoming stronger, wiser, and happier as a result."
His talk was filled with great examples and some funny stories about how he himself had looked at a tough situation and decided to handle it with humor and an eternal perspective, rather than letting it get him down. He concluded by saying:

"I know why there must be opposition in all things. Adversity, if handled correctly, can be a blessing in our lives. We can learn to love it. As we look for humor, seek for the eternal perspective, understand the principle of compensation, and draw near to our Heavenly Father, we can endure hardship and trial. We can say, as did my mother, “Come what may, and love it."

To read this talk and others, go to www.lds.org

Gratitude

2008-11-07T12:13:00.000-08:00

In Sunset Magazine's November issue, they quoted a previous editor, Genevieve Callahan, who wrote the following for their November 1930 issue:

"Nothing on Earth is more beautifully, wildly extravagant than a sunset. Gold, silver, all the jewels of the rainbow are broadcast for the world to enjoy for a moment before they are lost forever in the ocean of night.
Sunsets are just one phase of Nature's extravagant habits. She thinks nothing of planting a million seeds in order that one may germinate and grow. She buries riches deep in our aountains where they may or may not be found. Always she is wasteful.
And yet we humans are taught that it is sinful to be extravagant. We decide to be prudently thrifty when a bit of whole-hearted extravagance would do worlds for ourselves and others.
The offering of whatever gifts are within our power - hospitality, service, sacrifice, love, or material - is to be encouraged. Generous giving begets real gratitude, and gratitude goes hand in hand with joy. For a new thrill in this Thanksgiving season, try Nature's way. Be extravagant! Give gratitude! Give yourself!"

This article really spoke to me. With our economy the way it is and the holidays coming, I found her words uplifting and timely. There is always something to give, no matter how little you have, and always there is something to be grateful for.

So for this month, I've decided to post 30 things I am grateful for - big or small. These are in no particular order - just what seemed important that day. Since I'm starting this on the 8th day of the month, I'll give my first eight today:

1. My wonderful, beautiful family. I heard once that Home is where you go when no one else will take you in. That rings true for me. We have similar quirks and traits that distinguish us from others. We enjoy traditions and memories from our times together. We share common characteristics like blue eyes, curly hair and the love of music because we share genes (in my case, we also shared jeans). Although they may not always share my opinion, my family understands me. But most of all, we share a love and concern for the same people - each other. Dear family, I am so grateful to have each one of you in my life. Thank you for being mine.

2. My AWESOME in-laws. I hate to call them that because it sounds like I only claim them because the law says I have to. Thankfully (since this is a gratitude post) my family-in-law is very easy to be grateful for. They have welcomed me in like one of their own and I actually even LOOK like I belong (dark hair, blue eyes). There is one thing that does set me apart though - they LOVE to play cards; I, however, need a coach to play UNO. In fact, for a long time, I thought they were playing a game called "Texas Roadhouse".

Thanks for being so warm and caring - I feel so lucky to have married the man of my dreams, but it was icing on the cake to get such a wonderful family along with the deal! PS - pretty sad that the most up-to-date picture I have of all of us is from our wedding! We need a new family picture!

3. Footed PJs. Whoever invented them was a mother and a genius. They stay on, keep the little tootsies warm, and they look adorable. (see pic)

4. The freedom to vote for our leaders and the laws that govern our country. OK, so I'm the first to say I'm glad the election is over - no more stupid phone calls from senator-so-and-so, or obnoxious mailers from councilman what's-his-face. But I was actually excited head over and cast my vote on November 4th. It was Keaton's first visit to the polls, so we pulled out the camera of course!

5. The first snowfall of the season! Why do we call it bad weather when it's snowing outside? I look forward to this every year as the leaves turn and the weather gets cooler. Time to pull out the thick fuzzy socks and hot cocoa. If you don't like snow, don't live in Utah where our license plates say, "Greatest snow on earth!"

6. Bubble baths. I love my water babies - no matter how dirty they go in, they always come out clean in the wash.

7. Home. I may complain about the creaking floorboards, the weeds in my flower beds, or the paint in the dining room, but overall I'm so grateful for the safe, comfortable and happy house we are blessed to come home to.

8. Salt Lake City, my current hometown! There's so much to do here that I love - snowboarding, biking, hiking, snow shoeing, shopping, the ballet and the opera, good restaurants, and lots of history and historical homes. I really am thankful to live in a place that fits me so well.

Halloween

2008-11-02T09:23:00.001-08:00

Livi wanted to be a cowgirl, so this is how it turned out. Kelly took her Trick or Treating and brought back lots of good loot. The little bandit luckily didn't notice that I threw most of it away.

Kim and Troy with their twinners, Chase and Cooper. We had friends over for fondue and hot cider. Fun times!

Kristina's Visit

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

Kristina finally came to visit last weekend, so we got to see little Elea. As noted in image no.1, she is not short on the hair gene. Everywhere they go, people have to stop and stare at her luscious locks. Lucky girl! She's only a couple weeks older than Keaton, believe it or not. Anyway, what a sweet baby. Thanks for staying with us!

Daddy's Girl

2008-11-02T09:05:00.000-08:00

Livi is enjoying some YouTube time with daddy. Little tree monkey.

Livi's New Toy

2008-11-02T08:56:00.000-08:00

Livi is so fascinated by my breast pump. She dances to the sound it makes. Go little Livi - get busy! Yeah, so anyway, here she is trying it out for herself.

Witches at Gardner Village

2008-10-22T13:42:00.000-07:00

Halloween (along with all the other holidays) is so much fun at Gardner Village. I met Helen and Nick there and we took the kids to Sweet Afton's where you can easily walk out with a month's worth of calories in just a few bags of candy (their fudge is so delish!) We shopped some of the other cute boutiques too, but really the main attraction this time of year is their collection of animated witches. Livi was scared of most of them (surprise) but she still had a great time. Love this place!

Keaton slept through most of it, but it was cold outside and he was warm and toasty in the sling, so I can't blame him.

Yummy Autumn

2008-10-22T13:37:00.001-07:00

What a Blessing!

2008-10-22T13:11:00.001-07:00

I'm Thankful For:

We love you all so much!

What a GREAT Weekend!

2008-10-22T12:49:00.001-07:00

Livi spent most of her time treking through the bushes
and eating rocks. Delicious!

Cute cousin Emery

Grandma Colleen and Papa Dave posing with their SIX grandkids.

Dave's birthday was on the 12th so they waited until last wkend to celebrate with us down here in UT. It was so much fun to have everyone together for a couple of days - the kids get along great and have a blast playing together. We sure wish you all lived closer! Dinner was fun at Bucca di Beppo and his birthday cake was a delicious German Chocolate from Kneaders. We'll be getting our cakes there from now on - it was soooo good!

Stealing a Kiss from Keater

2008-10-22T12:45:00.000-07:00

Bitten!

2008-10-10T15:47:00.000-07:00

For those of you who care, there's an AWESOME new trailer for the Twilight movie, coming to theaters next month (can't wait!)

Go to http://stepheniemeyer.com/ to view it.

Baby of Mine

2008-10-06T15:14:00.000-07:00

There's something to be said about the love a mother has for her son. No doubt, I loved Livi from the moment I found out I was pregnant, and that love just grows stronger each day. But the bond I seem to have with little Keaton is different. Not better - just different. My little prince has me wrapped tightly around his adorable little finger, and no matter how loud the cry, how messy the diaper, or how much he just wants to be held, he can do no wrong. I always dreamed of having a little girl, and Livi has been more than I imagined. But I have been sweetly surprised by the tenderness I feel toward my son. What a special gift he is!

Kelly Jr?

2008-10-06T15:10:00.000-07:00

I got my daddy's eyes, teeth and forehead.

Hopefully, my shoulders will not end up like daddy's too.

baby parts

2008-10-06T15:06:00.000-07:00

I Love My Keeter Skeeter

2008-09-24T20:20:00.000-07:00

BENADRYL - yeaaahhh!

2008-09-24T20:16:00.001-07:00

A Hunting We Will Go

2008-09-24T20:05:00.000-07:00

Just a few pictures of Kelly and his dad on their trip to Adak, Alaska last year.

Breathtaking scenery!

But this is my favorite - a shot from their trip to New Foundland a few years ago... I love a man in a uniform. :)

I Read Nie Nie

2008-09-18T20:31:00.001-07:00

I just read about this story on my sister-in-law's blog (Thanks Dix!) about a young mother named Stephanie Nielson. She is a popular blogger oozing with style, wit, humor, confidence and a strong testimony of the Gospel. She and her husband, Christian, were recently in a plane crash that left them both severely burned. Since the accident, they have been recovering in an Arizona burn unit while their four young children are being cared for by two of her sisters.
I am in love with their inspiring story - do check it out if you have the chance! Her blog is called I Read Nie Nie. From there, you can also go to a blog for updates on Stephanie and Christian's conditions. Her wonderful sister is updating her blog with past posts as well as keeping us up-to-date on their kids.

Nick Names

2008-09-18T20:31:00.000-07:00

Livi's been us her own little nick names lately. I thought they were good enough to share:

Me: Mama Mi or Mama Trish (sound familiar, Kris?)
Keaton: Keater Skeeter, Lil' Feeter or KEEE-UHN
Kelly: Daddy Doo

2008-09-11T21:22:00.000-07:00

I hate to dwell on anything negative, and certainly don't mean to dredge up awful memories, but I thought it would be almost sacreligious not to mention the tragic day that was 9/11/01. I still remember clearly what I was doing that morning and how those awful events shook my sheltered world. The state of shock I felt was reflected in the faces of everyone around me - not a soul was left untouched. It seemed like everything stopped moving while we helplessly watched the Twin Towers fall. I think we all took those events very personally - actually grieving as though we had each lost a member of our own family that day. But, although it took a traumatic event such as this to do it, a powerful sense of unity was created as we all mourned together. I am sure the terrorists didn't plan on it, but what they did that day created a stronger, wiser group of people. I like to call it MY COUNTRY.
I want to send my love and prayers to the men and women fighting for our freedom and safety, and to the families who stand behind you. I truly am proud to be an American. God Bless the USA!

September's Recipe

2008-09-11T14:09:00.000-07:00

It's been a while, so I thought I'd share a recipe. I just threw this one together for a pot luck the other night and it turned out pretty good, so here it is:

Chicken & Tortellini Pasta Salad

7 to 8 oz. cooked tortellini pasta
2 cups cooked and shredded chicken
4 mozzarella cheese sticks, cut into 3/4" pieces
1 2-1/4 oz. can sliced and pitted olives, drained
1-1/2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup snipped fresh basil
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1-1/2 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp dried oregano, crushed
1 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

Toss together first five ingredients (through tomatoes). For dressing, combine the remaining ingredients in a container with a tight-fitting lid and shake well. Toss with pasta mixture. Chill 4 hrs to overnight.

Labor Day Weekend

2008-09-04T20:49:00.000-07:00

Kelly's family finally got to come down to see the baby last weekend. Most of them stayed with Rob and Kristen (Big Thanks to the Gallup Hotel!) but we all got to hang out and catch up a little with them during the day.
The kids get along so well and have a lot of fun together. I sure wish Livi had them here so they could play together all the time!

Livi and her cousin Jace - he is so cute with her!

Pretty Princess Lauren

Grandma Colleen and the kids playing with the costumes
she brought down. What a cool grandma!

Grandma and Papa Albiston with the kids

Bed Head

2008-09-04T20:41:00.000-07:00

If I put Livi to bed with wet hair, this is what it looks like when she wakes up. I just love her curls!

Livi's Latest - What have we done?

2008-08-29T14:16:00.000-07:00

Livi loves Wendy's. It's a little embarrassing to admit that she's already discovered the vast world of fast food, but there you have it - she's a junkie. This is how it goes.

Livi: TRISH!!

Me: Uh... yes Livi?

Livi: Mama go to Wenny's get nungets, fries, Wenny's shake, white milk, no sauce.

Me: ?!

Livi: Nungets please?

2008-08-25T12:56:00.001-07:00

Keaton is doing great, as of his 4-week mark on Monday. He's almost 9 lbs. and is sleeping pretty well. Livi loves her brother. She's been so cute with him and yells out "HI BABY KEATON!!!" everytime she sees him. I don't think he's a huge fan of her just yet (note how thrilled he looks when Livi is holding him...) but soon he'll be following her around and bugging her to set him up with her friends. OK, so that's a few years down the road yet. Anyway, here are some of our recent pictures.

Swingin' Sling!

2008-08-16T09:52:00.000-07:00

I just found the cutest baby sling and decided to try it out. If I put it on right (it's kind of tricky to get it just right but I'm getting used to it) Keaton falls asleep every time he's in it. The one I found is even reversible so I'm not stuck wearing the same color every time. There are a lot of brands of slings out there, but I bought this one from Rockinbabysling.com and so far, so good!

Our Little Princess

2008-08-08T18:39:00.000-07:00

Livi is suddenly into the "princess" thing. I swear, I have never pushed this onto her. If anything, I think I've discouraged it. I guess subconsciously I've been hoping she'll grow up to be a strong, determined girl who wouldn't ever get pushed around or taken advantage of. For some reason, the princessy girlie pink stuff didn't seem to fit that picture.
So to completely contradict myself, I went out and bought this gooey Barbie princess ballerina outfit for Livi to get her excited about dance class (it started today). She loves it, of course, and even dresses Boppy in it (her stuffed bunny, who up until this point, we were sure was a boy...) After watching her little face light up I couldn't help but get excited with her. Princess stuff isn't so bad I guess.

Livi didn't get very involved with the group today but I think she'll warm up over the next couple of weeks. Luckily, Kelly was able to come along today and while I fed the baby he swallowed his pride and tried a few of the moves with all the other moms and their girls. Livi still wasn't entirely sold on the idea, but like I said, it will probably just take some time. (Then again, maybe she's just faking shy to get daddy to do more of the Teddy Bear Cuddle.)

I didn't notice that my flash was off, so most of the pics are blurry (ugh!) But you get the idea - we thought she looked so cute in her pink tutu and little black leotard. She turned on the charm after most of the class was over (30 minutes doesn't give her much time to warm up) and finally started playing along. We thought it was great and she didn't want to part with her tutu when it was naptime. Girls are so much fun!

New Pics of the Boy Child

2008-08-08T08:13:00.000-07:00

Bath Time - Before and After (his hair is a little curly when it's wet...)

He already has the best little disposition. He's happy, so we're all happy!

The News

2008-08-02T06:06:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Kelly for posting pictures of our newest addition - David Keaton. His birthday was Tuesday, July 29th. My water broke at 7:45 a.m. and he was born at 1:18 that day - with no complaints from Kelly and I. We would prefer the quick and dirty if we go unmedicated. He arrived quickly and fairly easily (but almost too quick for the Doctor to get there in time!) I think he decided he'd had enough of the bat cave and wanted to make his entering similar to the way rockets enter outer space. I had to be on O2 and they pulled Dr. Larsen from a C-Section just in time to catch the little guy before the panicked nurses had to do it themselves. All the rush and fanfare aside, he is healthy and beautiful - 7 lbs 2 oz and 19 1/2" long. Same weight as Livi and just a half-inch shorter. I guess we like to stick to the same recipe.
Speaking of Livi, she has handled it all very graciously (for a two-yr-old). She says, "Oh baby Keaton so cute," and "Livi hold baby Keaton." She hasn't seemed jealous, although at times a bit confused. Now's for the heart-breaking part: Kelly said he's heard her saying to herself, "Mama be right back... mama be right back." Wow - that made me feel like a big failure. She's such a little sweetheart, it crushed me to know that she's noticed when I'm not around. Yeah yeah, I know - kids are resilient. I just wish she didn't HAVE to be. Anyway, I'm starting to get the juggling thing down a little better so I can have my Livi time and be sure that Keaton doesn't starve in the mean-time. This is tough but with grandma here to help until Tuesday, it's been a lot easier (thanks Colleen)! And Kelly takes daddyhood very seriously - every time he comes home it's like Christmas morning. He's made sure to shower Livi with all sorts of new toys and books and I've been able to try about every nursing aid available on the market. Keaton gets new clothes and a 10-year supply of wipes and diapers in every color and brand, not to mention gas drops, a manicure set, wee blocks (if you have a boy you know what these are for) bottles, binkies, a new cool lamp for his room, and even a new baby thermometer - just in case (we already have three.)
Life is good here and we feel so blessed to have two healthy kids and so many awesome friends and family (that means you, if you're reading this) to love and support us. Thanks for cheering us on! We love you!

He's here!

2008-07-31T08:53:00.001-07:00