With everything needing to be done for the holidays, I haven't been on to see what's going on much. But hopefully I'll get to catch up on all of you after Christmas. We also didn't get a Christmas card out this year. Sigh.... I meant to, sorry.
Well, from all of us to you, Merry Christmas!!

Love,
John, Kami, Alex, and Connor

Blessings

I wanted to say a special thank you to my dad. He is the best dad I could ever ask for. Last night Connor was suffering badly with a yeast infection. The poor kid just can't catch a break and it seems like it's just one thing after another. His bum itched so bad it was unbearable and nothing I could do would settle him. The medicine the doctor gave me to put on it did little to nothing to stop the itch. I felt completely helpless. After hours of Connor screaming and wiggling with irritation, I did the last thing I could think of and called my dad to ask if he could give Connor a blessing. Even at 11:15 at night my dad was willing to wake up and drive over. I am so thankful for him and for the power he holds in the church to be able to give Connor a blessing. It was only 15 minutes later that he fell asleep and slept the rest of the night. You can't deny the awesome power of blessings when you see it work time after time. I am so thankful for my dad and for his generousness and willingness to help. Thank you dad! I love you! Also, thank you to my mom for helping me take care of him during all his trials! You've saved me more then once! And thank you for letting dad get up in the middle of the night to give a blessing. I love you!

Tis the season to be shopping! Falalalala lalalala

Watch me try and find good parking! Falalalala lalalala

Crowds of people all out shopping! Falalalalala lalala

They better not take the toy I'm wanting! Falalalala lalalala

Merry Christmas!!

What's a holiday without a little holiday humor... Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

Twilight Is AWESOME!!!

I have seen the new Twilight movie. I have to say it so disgustingly romantic and I can't get enough!! I even had to start reading the books again. It's like the craze has started all over again. I love it! If you haven't seen the movie yet... GO!! GO NOW!!! It is SOO GOOD!!! I'm going again. Anyone want to come?

Hooray!!

Connor is doing much better. He's been drinking better, but pretty much the only thing I can get him to drink is apple juice. But as long as he's drinking it's ok! He's still picky about what he'll eat, but he's slowly getting better and eating more. Thank you so much for all your prayers! I know they've helped! Within another week I think he'll be completely better! YAY!!

Update

Connor is still not eating much or drinking. But he's getting enough to still stay healthy. At least I hope he is. But this morning I noticed his lips a little dryer then I think they should be and it worried me. I think he's getting closer to dehydration. I'm doing all I can to get fluids in him, but he just won't take it half the time. We appreciate your prayers! Thank you! I know he would be a lot worse without them. I'll continue to keep updating as things happen. Hopefully he won't need an IV!

Prayers

Connor is still sick, but more then that he's in a lot of pain. I took him to the doctor last night and discovered his whole mouth is full of painful blisters and sores. He hasn't eaten in 4 days, and I can barely get him to drink enough that he stays hydrated. If all of you could remember him in your prayers it would really help. I took him to the dentist today and found out he has herpes of the mouth. It's like getting a cold sore, only since he's never been exposed to it before it's doing this to him. The dentist said that 90% of kids go through this before they're 2. At least it wasn't anything serious. It's just a virus that has to pass. But it's a very painful time for him. As a mother I want what's best for my child naturally. I want him to be safe, and protected. I want him to not hurt. But I can't take away his pain and it kills me. I prayed so hard last night that the pain would stop long enough that he could at least sleep, and I think my prayers helped him. But if you all could remember him in yours I know he would benefit from it. Thank you!

Baby's Bad Day

You always feel bad when your little one gets hurt. But then there are some days when he just can't catch a break. Today was not Connor's day. It actually started last night when he broke out with a fever of 101.3. It continued through the night, and by this morning it had gone down to a 99.1, but again tonight back up to a 101.7. He just felt sick. Then today as he was just starting to feel better after we gave him some medicine, he tripped and fell and smashed his nose. We looked over and he had blood running down his nose. I don't think I need to tell you I FREAKED!! Luckily he didn't break it, but now he has a bruise across the bridge of his nose. But it didn't end there. After I got him settled and stopped the bleeding, I put him down and he walked away only to run head first into the chair and knock himself over. He didn't hurt himself too bad, but he got a little mark on his forehead and of course needed some reassurance. I gotta tell ya... most of you, if not all of you know how accident prone I was as a kid. I didn't get the nick-names "slam bam" and "boomslammer" by making noise with pots and pans. No, hardly a day went by when you didn't hear me crashing into something. And now poor Connor! My sweet little boy has picked up my accident genes and now he's following in my footsteps and doesn't even know it! I feel like I should cover my house in foam rubber. The other day even at my parent's house, he turned around on the stairs and before I could catch him he tumbled backwards. I caught him a few steps down though. But it just goes to show you what this poor kid is in for. I just hope he doesn't start thinking dangerous is fun! Oh boy.. what am I going to do!

Boo At The Zoo

Today we went and did boo at the zoo. My friend Lannette called me yesterday and invited us to go with her. It was SOOO crowded! And wouldn't you know it, this is the only picture we got of Connor at his first trip to the zoo and trick or treating before the batteries in my camera died. Not cool! He's a kangaroo this year. I wish we would have gotten a full body shot of his costume, but he has a little pouch with a baby kangaroo hanging out. It's really cute. Connor wasn't as interested in the animals as I'd hoped, but maybe we just need to give him another year. Alex wasn't with us today. She is spending this weekend with her mom. We had fun today though. It would have been a lot nicer if there weren't so many people, but we made the best of it. We plan on going again maybe in a couple weeks when Alex is here and hopefully there won't be so many
people. We really wanted to take Connor on the train but the line was just way too long. But today was fun. I'm glad we went.

Can't Pass Up A Tag

Copy and paste this to your blogs!

I think... I need to get out more often.
I need... to seriously lose weight!
I know... I'm not always the voice of reason.
I want... to take more vacations with my family.
I have.... an obsession with bagels.
I miss.. the good 'ol days and family reunions the way they were when we were kids.
I fear.. that I'm going to get cancer.
I feel... tired.
I hear.. Connor's rattle, and the tv.
I smell... the remnants of last nights dinner still. (it had bacon in it and always lingers for a long time)
I crave... bagels.
I regret... some past decisions.
I wish... I had more energy and motivation.
I love... my family.
I always... think about how nice it would be to have a nanny on call.
I remember... when I was a kid how accident prone I was, and Connor is starting to be the same.
I sing... primary songs to Connor.
I don't always... feel like being the responsible one.
I argue... more then I should.
I write... poetry, but not as often as I used to.
I lose... pens.
I listen.. to music during the day sometimes.
I don't understand ... how the economy got so bad so fast.
I can usually be found... chasing Connor around the house trying to keep him out of trouble.
I forget... something from 6 months ago that John told me once and thinks I should remember still.
I am happy.... when it's sunny.
I tag anyone who cares to do this.

YEAH BABY!!!

How do you like them apples?! I just finished my next project which came out soooo much better then the others! They're made of Lapis and seed beads, and I have to say.. the earrings were a PAIN IN THE BUTT!!! But aren't they cute! I'm so proud of myself! I should make more! You can't really tell in the picture, but the bracelet is 6 strands wrapped around each other. Cool huh! It looks a lot better in person.

Not That Smart..

Ok.. our dog isn't the brightest crayon in the bunch. I've always thought she was pretty smart. Until she went and ate the zipper off of my jacket. Not just ripped it off and chewed on it, I mean she actually ate it and now it's stuck in her colon and she can't get it out. It's sad to watch her try. It hurts her. I took her to the vet and they gave her a laxative among other things I won't mention because it's gross. But so far she still can't get the rest of the zipper out. Sigh... we have somewhat of a dumb dog.

I Was Tagged By Abbi

5 Lists (everything in no particular order)

5 Joys:
1. watching Connor learn new things
2. baking
3. driving in the mountains
4. Sleeping
5. camping (as long as I get to sleep unlike last time)

5 Fears:
1. Spiders and fish
2. getting a call that John got sucked into a machine at his work (it happens!)
3. heights in narrow places, ie. cliffs, ladders, etc.
4. bugs in general
5. drowning

5 Obsessions:
1. having a set place for everything
2. Connor
3. organizing the movies so all the sets are together
4. my cell phone (I know.. it's sad)
5. being ON TIME if not early

5 Surprising Facts:
1. I have never been to Cabella's
2. If you asked me what an Allen Wrench is I probably couldn't tell you.
3. I can't water ski.
4. I love bagels with cheese and jam melted in the middle. (it's good try it)
5. I have double jointed toes, but only on one toe on each foot.

5 People to Tag:
1. Kortney
2. Shana
3. Mom
4. Audra
5. Jessi P*

Nearly Hairless

Macey has had her first grooming experience and it has left her looking like this. They had to shave her because of matted hair that couldn't be combed out. (I do brush her, but our brush wasn't getting the mats out good enough). She's nearly hairless now. Alex said she looks like a bobble head doll because of her poofy head and stick like body. Haha. Poor thing. Good thing hair grows back! But this at least gives me an excuse to go buy her a cute little sweater since she's always cold now.

Ideas

I'm currently waiting for a shipment of beads to come so I can make some more jewelry. I've had a really hard time finding these too because of how expensive they are, and most of them you have to get imported from China or India. This time, it's going to be a whole lot better then the ones I made before though. But I'm trying to come up with ideas for other things too. Like what kind of stones do you like in jewelry? The beads that I'm waiting for are Lapis. They're beautiful. But I'm always looking at different beads and thinking.. is this something that people would really like? So if you would please, give me some ideas? I know diamonds are always a favorite, but I really can't afford them. But if you were looking at home made jewelry, what kind usually catches your eye? Any ideas would be appreciated. :)

Good Job John!!

Today was John's graduation from ITT! He was Valedictorian for his field, and he had to give a speech. He was soooooo nervous! John isn't the best public speaker, but I'm proud of him for doing his best and for graduating with HIGHEST HONORS!! Woo hoo! You rock hun! I would have more pictures of him graduating but my camera crapped out on me and they all came out fuzzy. So I get to steal some from my mom. Anyway.. Good job hun!! Just 2 more years to go!

I just want to say that I've started drinking green tea to help with weight loss. I got a powdered drink mix that is supposed to taste like natural peach.


It's not very good.

Just thought I'd share that.

Tah Dah!

I've started my own jewelry making "business". These are the first two things that I've made. They're made with real gemstones and semi-precious stones. The bracelet is made with white turquoise, aqua terra jasper, and white coral, and the necklace is made with the same only instead of the turquoise I used white howlite and a moss agate pendant. I'm pretty happy with my first time efforts. Now to try and sell them and make more! :)

Brain Damage??

The other day Macey was caught doing a bad thing and chewing on a electrical cord. Before I could stop her however she got the shock of her life. Haha. I know I shouldn't laugh, but looking back on it it's just so funny. Anyway, she knows not to chew on cords now. But I just saw her licking the old computer printer that's under the desk, and a bunch of other plastic things around the room. Connor's walker for example, and the side of her dog dish. Well.. I guess maybe she got one too many brain cells fried? Our dog has issues but we love her. :)

A Day In The Life Of John

I wanted to do a little blog dedicated to my hubby. He works so hard for us and tries to do everything he can. Even with his busy schedule he still manages to have time for the good things in life. Here's a little about how his day goes.

5:00am - wake up and get ready to go to a job he HATES.
5:30am - leave for work to be there by 6.

Works all day from 6-4, sometimes later.
4:30-5ish - gets home from work

Have dinner around 6 usually, shower and spend time with family until kids go to bed.

Between 9 or 10 - go to bed.

That's just a little of how his days go. That's also not to mention he goes to school after work twice a week and in the morning on Saturdays. We love him and appreciate everything he does for our family. I know it's hard on him, and he doesn't always come home happy because of it, but I'm grateful that he still does it. Thank you honey! You take good care of us!

Spice Of Life

I have discovered since I've been with John that I need spicy foods. Mainly salsa. When we first met I didn't like spicy foods that much. All my life I haven't really liked it. But he never let up about how I needed to try a jalapeno, or try some hotter salsa. Well now all I have to say is.. thanks a lot John! Now I HAVE to have it! And my favorite snack that I crave now? Saltine crackers and salsa. It sounds gross, but I love it! Most people wouldn't see liking spicy things as a bad thing though. And they're right. It isn't. What makes me mad is the fact that my immune system was so bad before I started to like spicy things that now I actually NEED it in order to not get sick! So I guess I should say thank you, because I'd still be getting colds left and right without my new love affair. But also a sarcastic thanks a lot for making me need it now like a drug. Sigh... I just can't win.

Yay! I got a new template. Thanks Brynnley for showing me how! :)

Computer Dumb

I want a new template for my blog.

But not the ones they offer in the template thing. I want a cute one.

But I'm computer dumb.

Help?

MONEY!!

I need my own money! I don't work, and if I don't remember to get money from John before he's not home I end up in the situation I was just in... standing in line at the grocery store with a full cart and a baby and finding out I don't have the debit card.


Think I need my own money?... Yeah. Me too.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KORTNEY!!!

Today is my big sisters birthday!! Happy Birthday!! We're having a bbq tonight for her big day and I'm sure it'll be a lot of fun! MMM!

Frustrated

I don't like to post negative things, and I try not to. But I need to know something. Why is it that kids think it's ok to listen to one parent but not the other? Or they know they can't get away with treating one bad, but try to with the other? These are the problems I'm having with Alex right now. She listens to John and fully respects him and his word. Me on the other hand... not so much. It's the same with her real mom though. Alex doesn't treat her mom good at all, but for some reason, Jessica lets her get away with it. But then she tries to pull that same behaviour with me only I don't let her get away with it. That only makes it worse though. It's like it becomes more of a challenge to her and she just tries harder to win. It's a constant head butt. John has tried to make her stop, I've tried to make her stop, but it's a losing battle. She doesn't think she needs to. We've sat down as a family and talked about what she thinks I do to make her want to treat me this way. What comes out is she resents me for making her do chores, giving her guidelines, and overall making her have common rules. Even though most were in place before I even came into the picture. Now she has someone to blame (she wouldn't dare blame John because she knows how much trouble she'd be in if she treated him like that). I don't mean to unload my problems on everyone. To be honest I don't even think of people reading this. It's more like a therapeutic outlet for me since I don't really have anyone to talk to about this stuff. John just gets mad when I bring it up because he doesn't like dealing with the problems either. I get too much built up and I just have to release. To those who have read this, I apologize. But I do feel better.

More Then A Little Excited

I am STOKED!!!! about the Twilight movie coming out!! I got a little disappointed though when I found out it was coming out in December and not October. And I'm a little disappointed about who they got to play Edward. He's ok, but the one trailer you can see on You Tube, that guy would have been so much better in my opinion. But.. I'm sure I'll love it anyway! I finished reading the 4th book too. It made me sad since there won't be a 5th. Or will there?? I don't think so, but I would love it if there was! Anyway, I'm SO FREAKIN EXCITED!!

Doors, Drawers, And More Doors

As Connor is becoming more and more mobile, he has discovered the joys of opening and closing doors, drawers, and anything else that swings. I haven't gotten a picture of it yet. He hasn't gotten into what's inside them yet (I'm sure it's just a matter of time before he does). He just likes to open and close the doors. He thinks he's pretty clever when he shuts himself in the bathroom or shuts me into the pantry... yes.. he has done that more then once actually. But it's not long before he needs you to open it again so he can close it.. again. I guess it really is the simple pleasures in life. I wonder what he'll love to do next?

Healthy Kick in the B. U. T. T!!

Our house has not been one of healthy foods lately. Sure, I don't just cook junk for dinner, but we've been lacking for the most part the veggies, and other healthy things. I know.. It's my fault. John has been saying a lot about how he wants to get back in his "health nut phase" as he calls it. I agree we need to (Me especially). Well just as we said that, Chip and Ellen (John's brother and sis-in-law) brought a whole box of health food. You know, the good really expensive stuff like Kashi and Natural Foods. The stuff you want to buy but just can't justify spending so much on it. Apparently they have a friend who gets them all they can eat and then some for free. Since they can't eat it fast enough, they've been giving some to us too. Super nice!! So now we have been eating a little healthier. :) But will someone remind me what flax is good for?

2 Years Down, So Many More To Go...

Today is our 2 year anniversary! Hooray! We're celebrating by taking a little weekend getaway. 2 vacations in a row, I must be lucky! John's mom is here staying for a couple days, so she's watching the kids while we're gone. I know it's only been 2 years, but it seems longer. Happy anniversary honey!!

Our Trip To Yellowstone

We got back from Yellowstone today and we had such a good time! We saw so many cool things and animals! We saw Elk, Bald Eagles, Bison, Deer, and even bears!! We went to a place called Bear World and saw the bears. They were all free roaming and came right up to your car! They also had a really neat petting zoo that the kids loved. They got to get really close to some neat animals. We weren't lucky enough to see any bears in Yellowstone, but my parents saw a brown bear run across the road on their way to Yellowstone! How cool would that be! We are all so exhausted. We found out Connor doesn't sleep well (if at all) in tents. He spent every night sleeping with me, and woke up constantly. That part was NOT fun. But we made the best of it and apologized to our camping neighbors for his lack of sleep. These are just a few of the pictures I took.



The river outside our camp site towards Old Faithful.




Old Faithful erupting.




John happy to not be driving anymore.

Connor lounging and also being happy to be out of the car.

These were some elk we saw at Bear World, but also saw a ton at Yellowstone.

Look at the size of his antlers! We saw 2 other HUGE bull elk in the park, but I didn't get a picture.

This is a rare albino elk. His eyes are blue!

Some elk I saw across the river in Yellowstone.

Grizzly in Bear World.

He sat right next to our car window!

Connor got to pet the goat in the petting zoo. He wasn't too sure about it.

They had 6 baby bear cubs at Bear World. They were soo cute!!

Black bear.

Me feeding a deer at the petting zoo.

Connor didn't like the pig. Haha.

Alex, John, Connor, and Nana petting the deer.

Connor even got on it's back!

Mammoth Hot Springs







Mammoth Hot Springs

Surprisingly we didn't see hardly any bison. Usually there are tons everywhere. But I did find this guy resting in a field off the road.

John and Alex at Mammoth Hot Springs




Mammoth Hot Springs

Off To Yellowstone!

I finally get a vacation!! We get to go to Yellowstone and are happy to have my parents come too. We wished Kortney and Cody could have made it, but we still have our big family trip coming up with them. I'll make sure to take a lot of pictures! Have a great weekend!!

Feisty!!

We've made a discovery!! We discovered a new breed of animal. We call it a "piranha dog". They're feisty little things with lots of bite! In the above picture we see the notorious piranha dog biting and attacking it's nemesis..the foot. Stay tuned for more hair raising action!

WHO ARE YOU???

Place an X by all the things you've done up until this point in your life!Answer 29 questions at the end.This is for your entire life...
Gone on a blind date (X)
Skipped school (X)
Watched someone die (X)
Been to Canada (X)
Been to Mexico (X)
Been to Florida (X)
Been on a plane (X)
Been lost (X)
Been on the opposite side of the country (X)
Gone to Washington, DC (X)
Swam in the ocean (X)
Cried yourself to sleep (X)
Played cops and robbers (X)
Recently colored with crayons
Sang Karaoke (X)
Paid for a meal with coins only (X)
Done something you told yourself you wouldn't (X)
Made prank phone calls (X)
Laughed until a beverage came out of your nose (X)
Caught a snowflake on your tongue (X)
Danced in the rain (X)
Written a letter to Santa Claus (X)
Been kissed under the mistletoe (X)
Watched a sunset with someone you care about (X)
Blown bubbles (X)
Gone ice-skating (X)
Been skinny dipping outdoors
Gone to a drive-in movie theatre (X)
1. Any nicknames: Kam-slam, Boomslammer
2. Mothers name: Elaine
3. Favorite Drink? Rootbeer
4. Tattoo? rub on, or permanent?
5. Body Piercing? My ears
6. Do you like your job? Love it...But I don't get paid for it.
7. Pets? Our puppy Macey
8. Favorite vacation spot? There's too many, but I really like Bora-Bora, and Hawaii
9. Ever been to Africa? yes
10. Ever eaten cookies for Dinner? No
11. Ever been on TV? yes
12 Ever steal any traffic signs? no
13. Ever been in a car accident? ...yes, but most weren't my fault
14. Drive a 2-door or 4-door vehicle? 4 door
15. Favorite salad dressing? ranch
16. Favorite pie? cherry, or rhubarb
17. Favorite number? I've never had a favorite number
18. Favorite movie? Pride and Prejudice
19. Favorite Holiday? Christmas
20. Favorite dessert? Hahaha....too many!
21. Favorite food? Italian
22. Favorite day of the week? Friday (I get a break from the kids!)
23. Favorite brand of body wash? Bath and Body Works: Coconut Lime Sebena
24. Favorite toothpaste? As long as it's mint it's ok.
25. Favorite smell? Good food cooking in the oven.
26. What do you do to relax? Lay in bed and watch tv.
27 How do you see yourself in 10 years? Older and hopefully still happy.
28. Are you happy with your life? yes

Poor Macey

What's a little dog to do?...

It's pouring rain outside and hitting the top of our porch pretty hard. You can't really tell in the picture, but she's hiding from the sound of the rain. Poor thing. She just doesn't know what to do. I hope it doesn't wake Connor up from his nap.

The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Want to know the secret for making super soft, super yummy, super GOOD chocolate chip cookies?? Pudding! That's right.. you heard me correctly. It's Jell-O instant pudding. Wouldn't have ever guessed it huh? I made a batch of these cookies and they were AWESOME!! They are so soft and chewy and just MMMMM!!! So, I thought I would share the recipe and you guys can share in the goodness! Keep in mind though, this recipe makes about 7 doz. so you can also half the recipe. :)

4 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 cups butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 (3.4 oz.) packages instant vanilla pudding mix (or you can choose your own flavor)
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Sift together the flour and baking soda and set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the pudding mix (dry, not pre made) until blended. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour mix. It works best to blend it a little at a time. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet(s). Bake for 12 minutes. Edges should be golden brown.
When you make them they will come out looking doughy, but I promise you they're done! 12 minutes is all it takes and they will be PERFECT!! Trust me! Let me know if you make them and how they turned out! :)

Memory Game

I'm going to play this too. Hope you all play! Here's the directions...


1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments.

Bugs.. BE GONE!! *POOF*

I haven't mentioned this to anyone because it's really gross. I've said before how we had spider issues, well.. we also have a HUGE ant and earwig problem. So now.. dum da da dum!.. Orkin to the rescue! We're getting rid of those nasty critters for good! This is funny but gross, John got attacked by flying ants this morning in the driveway on his way to work. They were flying into his head, swarming on the porch light, and otherwise infesting the garage door. EWWW!!! This has got to be stopped! I will be so glad when they are all gone! I'm too grossed out to want to be outside in our yard much. I want my home back!