Snowy Day

Cute Boys!

Here are a few pictures I have taken recently that I thought were worth blogging.

I have a New Years Resolution

I have been thinking a lot about my Scotty today. We "celebrated" our 6th anniversary at the beginning of November. (I say "celebrated" because with a toddler and a new baby and no money we didn't get a chance to do as much for or with one another as we would have liked.) Scott got creative and built me a beautiful wood shelf for our front room, (I had been wanting to get the electronics up on the wall for months so Cohen couldn't jam 4 dvds into the WII again!) We also went to dinner ALONE (Woohoo!) and once we got the kids to sleep we got to spend some more time together. The year before, our 5th anniversary, was over shadowed by our 5th miscarriage that we were in the middle of going through at the time.
I guess this year I don't want to celebrate us only on our anniversary (because that doesn't always happen :)). I want to celebrate us each and every day!
With two kids, dogs, jobs, cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, bills to pay, laundry and spot cleaning to do, bath time, bedtime, nursing, diaper changes, entertaining kiddos, outside responsibilities, etc I feel we have gotten lost in it all. I think back to the 3+ years we had just as a couple before our little Cohen came to us and miss the constant cuddling, kisses and dates (since every night was a date night!).
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my babies and all that comes with our life, but this New Year I want to concentrate more on why we started this family in the first place. Because of the love and the dreams that we share! I want to put more emphasis on US. I think there always is a learning curve after you have a baby (be it your first, second and so on) where it takes some time to get back in the groove of even making time for yourself and each other as a couple. So now that we are feeling more settled with our little guys it is time for some hot date nights for me and my love!
(Anyone want to swap children to avoid babysitting fees? :))
I can't wait for Scott to come home at the end of the work day, be it 5 or 10 pm. So much of the time I am wrapped up in poopy diapers, sticky messes and still needing to finish cooking dinner (or shower :)) that I don't get to wrap my arms tightly around the man I love and want to be with forever and tell him welcome home. (We do all celebrate by saying "Daddy's home, Yeah for Dad!" as Cohen runs for hugs.) I guess I am just feeling so lucky to have him as my husband and best friend that I miss him and want him to myself more. He has been working a ton so I think that is what has brought on these feelings of longing for my honey...
So this New Year I want to try harder to let go of the dirty dishes and screaming in the back ground and live in the moment and enjoy all that I have been given by marrying such an amazing man.

Scotty,

Thank you for the unconditionally loving support, for continually encouraging me, for your willingness to work so so hard to keep things afloat, for being a great example and loving father, for helping me keep things undercontrol (especially when I get overwhelmed), for the sweet texts throughout the day, for always loving anything and everything I cook, for being excited to come home after work, for remembering the trash cans, for the support and love you show to my family and yours and others, for your love of the gospel, our savior and our Father in Heaven, for taking me to the temple to be sealed together forever and for each and every kiss you have given and will give me.
I am so in love with you my sweetheart! Thank you for our life together...
Happy 6 years, 2 months and 7th day Anniversary!!! :)

Love, Me

2009 in Review

January
We spent lots of fun family time sledding and snowboarding while Scott's company was slow.
My dad visited from Colorado.
We found out we were pregnant (#7) which included lots of blood tests and holding my breath!
February
We continued to silently hope that everything would be fine this time...
We decided to move across the country to Boston with APX.
Spent lots of time with Cohen and all our family close by.
March
First Ultrasound! Deep sigh of relief! Great heart beat! Planning for a healthy baby coming in September!
My dad visited from Colorado.
Were trying to figure out what to do with the dogs during our temporary move.
Scott's worked picked up more and was busy, but decided to still go with APX.
April
Scott turned 28!
The dogs moved to California with Scott's sister and parents.
Prepared for and made the move! Scott drove and left a week or so before Cohen and I flew out to meet him.
May
Scott worked, worked and worked some more with a little site seeing on the side.
Cohen and I explored Boston, got settled, made friends and played!
Found out our new baby is going to be a boy!!!
June
Cohen turned 2!
Moved back from Boston... :(
Boating on Utah Lake and catching up with friends and family!
Enjoying being home and the beautiful Utah summer.
July
Scott started a new job with great benefits and salary!
Scott's family reunion in Grover, Utah!
Got our dogs back!
Growing and Growing and starting to get anxious for the baby.
My Grandparents visited from Moab.
August
Cohen made the big move to a toddler bed.
Stephanie, Scott's sister, and her family moved to Utah temporarily and we had lots of fun with them and Michelle's family.
Lots of BBQs and outside fun!
September
Anxiously awaited through weeks of inconsistant contractions for the baby to come!
Our new baby arrived finally! Welcome Ryder!
Scott's family came to visit and help out.
Adjusting to life as a family of 4 and went better than anticipated thanks to all of the help from family and friends!
October
I turned 26!
Cohen's first time trick-or-treating!
Lots of walks up the canyon like the months before.
Started construction on the boys play house!
November
We enjoy the first snow fall of the season with our boys!
Celebrated our 6th ANNIVERSARY!
Ryder's first trip to the ER.
Went to Moab for Thanksgiving with my family for our first family vacation!
Scott was laid off...
December
Job search and side work.
Sledding with cousins.
Scott's parents and sister are here for Christmas.
Lots of fun family time and holiday get togethers!
Ryder's blessing.

*So far 2010 has been going well. Thankfully Scott started another new job at Complete Restoration. He is doing flood and fire repair again and enjoying it! And I will update as the year continues!*

Keepin' Busy!

(I finally updated the last couple months, so check below for new posts!)

Having two boys is so much fun and a lot of work, especially since the two year old can do terrible things when I am busy nursing, bathing, changing the baby or showering, cooking or cleaning the house and not entertaining him. I am nursing Ryder as I type (sorry for the visual) and wondering why he keeps biting me and why Cohen is being so quiet in the other room. The moments when he actually keeps himself busy, I end up paying for later. Like when he painted most of the couch with my liquid (oil based) eye shadow and again with concealer. Its amazing what messes he can make in just a matter of minutes. My house is not that big, it's not like I am very far away, but all he needs is a wall separating us to get into mischief!
Cohen is also a grazer so I try to keep fruits and veggies, cheese, crackers and lots of other snacks available to him, but he still goes for the dog food or eats half a cube of butter whenever possible.

(Poopy Diaper Intermission)

Well that brings me to the next subject, potty training...
Cohen got his big boy potty last night! Our number one issue though is he doesn't care about having a wet diaper. He actually couldn't care less if he marinated all day! I think he needs some more time.
I hate to talk about all the trials with Cohen and then move on to what a good baby Ryder is, but that is the reality of life right now so that is how it goes!
Ryder is three months old now and has brought me so much joy among the chaos of layoffs, past due bills, new jobs, temper tantrums, holiday and family drama that I honestly don't know where I would be without him. The loony bin probably! This was probably the hardest year to have another baby, but he has been the best part of this past year, I can't imagine him not coming when he did. He is so smiley and even tempered and a breath of fresh air! Scott and I stare at him in amazement and awe, we didn't know it could be this... enjoyably easy.
Cohen had a rough start with him and even asked if he would "go bye bye to work" (like Daddy), but once I explained that babies don't work, they stay home with their mommy's he realized he was here to stay.
They are learning to enjoy one another. Cohen loves when Ryder smiles at him and he likes to hold him on occasion. Ryder loves to suck his fingers and look at his hands and especially watch Cohen as he bounces through the house.
I look forward to all the many years as a family and all the fun adventures we will have with these amazing little guys. Motherhood for me, is definitely a journey of extreme highs and lots of stumbles, but I hope my boys always know that being their mother is the very best gift and greatest accomplishment I feel I could have ever wanted.

Ryder's Blessing

We blessed Ryder at church the Sunday after Christmas. It was a special day for us and we enjoyed having all of Scott's family and some of mine there as well as close friends. Ryder looked so handsome in his little outfit (thanks Ash!) and Scott was a proud Daddy! (Cohen was pretty impossible to have in any of the pics so he is M.I.A.)

Christmas Day!

We feel especially blessed this year by all our family and those who helped give us a great Christmas!
2009 was hard for us, like so many across the nation. But it has also been humbling and strengthening to see the outpouring of love and support we have received so I am grateful for the trials and what they teach us.
Christmas morning Cohen was so excited to see his very own bike from Santa in front of the tree!

We spent the morning together unwrapping toys and playing!

I wish I had taken more pictures of the rest of the day at Michelle's house, but we were busy with all the kids, toys, cooking and having fun together I didn't have a chance!
I really couldn't have picked better sister-in-laws! Stephanie, Tracy and Michelle have been great friends to me and I love them! They are supportive and fun and there for me when I need them! Too bad two of them live in California. But Michelle is so close I can walk to her house so that kinda makes up for it!
I love when Scott's parents come visit. They are a great example to us and I am grateful for the love that they share and the values they have taught their children.

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and spent it with the ones they love!