Casey & Sheryl

Halloween 2010

2010-11-20T08:23:00.006-07:00

We had a great holiday this year. A few of us got together for some yummy soup and pumpkin carving. Troy and Trevor are always so creative, fun to see what they'll come up with.Lincoln loved the pumpkin when we lit it up for him. He was a bit shy at first, but then got to laughing about the whole thing.
We went out to the pumpkin patch again this year. We went earlier so Lincoln could see the petting zoo- which he loved. He even remembered some of the sounds and names of the animals when he saw them in life instead of just his books. We also did the hayride, pulled by a big tractor that caught Lincoln's eye.I had a work costume party that Lincoln came with me to. So we swung by Grandma's work to visit her as well. Who wouldn't want this cute monkey to come visit!Trick or treating with the cousins. They showed him how it was done. He thought it was pretty great. Dad was such a good sport to take him out in the rain. Luckily it only drizzled for the first 5 min or so, then quit.

Fall 2010

2010-11-17T07:10:00.004-07:00

We went on our last camping trip of the season to South Fork with Casey's family. It was exhausting, one of those trips where ya think, was that even worth it? We camped right on the river and with all the babies we were constantly chasing them away from the water. But it was nice to get out and get some sun.
When we tried to come home, our pop out would not go back inside the trailer. Problem. Casey, with the help of his brother and brother-in-law, was finally able to coax and prod the thing back in. We took it to be fixed - its still- months later, in the shop. Wow, did some damage!This guy has been keeping me on my toes. Luckily this was done with just a highlighter and only on himself. He also loves to get any lotion or shampoo bottle and squirt it all over the floor. I don't get it..My mom was soo generous and took Lincoln for a couple days so we could take a trip to Vegas with Casey's brother and wife. The weather was perfect and it was so nice to sit and eat dinner, lounge by the pool, and window shop without baby constantly pulling me up or away.Goofing offWe went to the dinner show at Tournament of Kings which was fun. We also went to Carrot Top (comedian) and he was hilarious. I laughed/cried the whole first 10 minutes of the show.

Dinosaur Park

2010-11-15T21:35:00.003-07:00

I have taken a break from blogging for a while for several reasons, but I plan to get caught up.

In September my sister-in-law and I took the kids to Dinosaur Park. I think Lincoln had a good time though he was too young to really enjoy the new improvements to their museum.

Lincoln and Dewey were really worried about being left in front of these dinosaurs. They were making growling noises and were moving around a bit.I had to include this picture of them swinging because I have never seen a kid sit in a swing like Dewey is here. Completely forward in the seat, arms and legs hanging limp. It was hilarious.Giddy-up

August Happenings

2010-08-26T10:04:00.003-06:00

We have been up to a lot of random things this month.

Lincoln helping grandpa in the yard.

He is currently obsessed with driving. Give him some keys and a steering wheel, he is happy for hours. Look at the big grin!

We have gone to the Farmer's Market - set up downtown with lots of vendors and musicians.

"Helping" mom with the chores.

Lincoln went in for tubes yesterday. He has had quite a few ear infections and we are hoping it will make him feel much better. We were super spoiled at the surgical center since we had the right connections (my mom works there). It was nice that grandma was able to walk him back to the OR, less traumatizing I think. My mom said he was just content sitting with her, put the mask on and he was out.

We heard him when he woke up. He was definitely one of the babies who comes out of it crying. The nurses told me they couldn't believe how big he was! Once we got him home he settled down and has been doing really well.

This morning he was back to his goofy self.

Island Park 2010

2010-08-17T12:16:00.005-06:00

What a fun time we had this year. Lincoln thought it was great - there was so much going on and so many kids to play with. Although with an active 1 year old, there will be no pictures of me lounging around reading/sunning on this year's post.

We tried our hand at Geocaching; the kids thought it was great. A great big treasure hunt.

He thought dad was super cool chopping wood. He was big stuff when he got to "help"

Hanging out in West Yellowstone

The canoe was a bit overloaded for a short trip down the river

These two, Casey's newphew and a friend, had a hole in their raft. Instead of staying in camp, they brought the pump along. One would pump, one would oar. Ha- you can tell they are halfway to wet here.

This water is cOLd. Uncle Ty is taking one for the team pulling the babies around in the water

This was too cute not to share...

Playing by the river was a daily occurance

All of the grandkids

(Bridger, Navy, Mindy, Grayson, Amy, Lincoln)

New Family Pics

2010-07-26T11:53:00.004-06:00

We had some new pictures taken - Casey's favorite thing to do! (hopefully no one needs my extra hint here that this is sarcasm) But he knows how much I love to have them done. Even though there was a lot of sun and even more mosquitos - that meadow, although beautiful was heaven for them - we got a few pics that turned out cute.

Marsh Lake

2010-07-19T17:28:00.002-06:00

We did a family camping trip to Marsh Lake. The weather was perfect the entire time and it was a super chill week. We had fun lounging about eating good campfire food - especially gourmet smores! Hiking, fishing, kayaking... all good.

My brother took Lincoln out for a sunset cruise

Feeding the babe

Not the best fishing - Casey only caught 2 fish. I think there were too many mosquitos to munch on so the fishies weren't biting

Sexy man chores

My dad goofing around with Charlie

Happenings over the 4th

2010-07-14T13:10:00.002-06:00

We enjoyed the extended weekend and played pretty much every day. We went to several festivals and parades. Had cookouts with family and friends. And of course it wouldn't be a holiday weekend without a quick trip to the Dr (why don't you ever get sick on normal days instead of days when you have to pay for instacare?). Lincoln got pink eye, poor thing. Overall it was a really good week/weekend

Watching the parade

Fun water slide at Grandmas

We went to the hot springs and stayed a few nights.

Lincoln had a ball of course. So much to do and see and mess with.

Having a laugh with dad in the pool

Caught me!

Been Busy

2010-07-13T12:51:00.002-06:00

With good weather finally here, we have been doing lots of fun things.

Like driving grandpa's "tractor" And meeting new friends : Mike & Janiell's new puppy Gizmo

Swimming and enjoying the sun with my friend Megan and her girl Tylee We went out to dinner to celebrate Casey's bday

The three cousins having fun together at a BBQ for our nephew's graduation

Summer Has Arrived

2010-06-25T08:36:00.002-06:00

We went to St George a while back to help my sister move. It was nice to get out of town and we even managed to have time to go swimming! Lincoln was loving it. He kept dunking his face in the water but then come up surprised when he got too much! He was mad when we pulled him out to go home.
Sheryl, Lincoln, and Casey in the background. Really enjoying the sunshine since it was raining at home!My parents use irrigation to water their property. My mom took Lincoln out and he was in heaven. He was laughing and kicking up water. She said he fell down on his bum and got a really surprised look on his face. But then he kept doing it, thinking how funny he was.

Snake!

2010-06-04T08:05:00.002-06:00

We were in St George a couple of weeks ago helping my sister move. It was good weather and we got the job done quickly. Good luck in your new place Brittney! Kent (my brother-in-law) keeps snakes. He has had several different ones over the years. I can't remember what kind he has now...?Lincoln was fascinated with the thing. He obviously doesn't take after his Grandpa Frost who hates snakes, because he was all about touching the creature.

Sprinklers

2010-06-02T11:08:00.003-06:00

Casey was getting the sprinklers up and running and Lincoln was desperate to play in the water. So I gave in, stripped him down, and let him have at it. He would run straight into the stream of water and laugh and laugh. This guy has no nerve endings I swear.

So fascinated with the water!

Play Time

2010-05-21T12:47:00.002-06:00

My aunt was so kind to babysit Lincoln for me last month. She takes him from time to time and as you can tell by the pictures below, he loves being at her house. She spoils him with playing all day, so many things to see and animals to watch. Its so nice when I have to work, I have such great family who love on my baby.

My aunt text me these pictures while I was at work.
"They have horses mom!""and things to drive"

Easter 2010

2010-04-16T09:37:00.002-06:00

We had so much fun with Lincoln this Easter. Even though it was cold, we were just happy it wasn't raining. The city had a candy hunt at the park and it was packed! Lincoln enjoyed the craziness and even sat down to pick through the goodies. He was more inclined to put treats in his mouth than his basket but overall he did really well!

He found his basket from the Easter bunny! Look what I have mom!Ultimately pulling rocks out of the planter was more entertaining than his basketThis dog (Casey's uncle's dog) loved Lincoln - and the feeling was mutualHappy Easter!

March

2010-04-01T09:25:00.002-06:00

March went by so quickly. Maybe it was the gloomy weather, but the camera just didn't make it out that often. But here are a few highlights from our month.

Since much of my day revolves around chasing this monkey, included are a couple pics to show his favorite spots

We went to St George one weekend to spend time with my sister. It was nice to get away and to visit. Her baby was fun to snuggle and hold, though Lincoln was not happy about sharing his momma! Kent, Britt, and Beckett at a dinosaur exhibit.

Some friends of ours came over and hung out one night. Their baby girl Lilly was born 4 weeks after Lincoln. Its times like this when I remember that he really is big for his age...

(do you love the look on his face about having to share his car)

Grandma Taylor gave the boys their Easter presents early. They both LOVED the pinwheels. They also got some fun books, one is a pop-up book and whenever we read it Lincoln is mesmorized.

Birthday Party

2010-02-23T07:08:00.002-07:00

We had so much fun at Lincoln's Party. Thanks to our family who came and brought such nice gifts! Lincoln was spoiled for sure.

The balloons were tied down using a bottle of water. Lincoln helped himself!Opening gifts. His cousins were so excited they could hardly stand it and were always ready to "help" open when Lincoln wasn't paying attention. They also helped play with the gifts later :) So excited about his new car, he climbed right in. This toy caused quite the traffic jam, with all the babies trying to get in at once... Birthday cake. I was a little worried about making it, but I think it turned out ok. Lincoln was definitely into tearing it apart and flinging pieces everywhere. Fun that he was enjoying it so much!

Walking

2010-02-22T09:11:00.000-07:00

He just thinks he is big stuff these days. He has gone from taking a few shaky steps to walking around the entire house. It certainly makes him seem much older to be walking. And gets him into more trouble, more quickly. The other day he let himself out of my mom's house! He's not supposed to do that yet!

Guess Who is 1

2010-02-18T08:34:00.004-07:00

My baby yum yum is now 1 year old. I was talking to Casey last night about our lives 1 year ago. We were waiting all day to find out if the hospital would allow me to be induced and had received negative news late that night. We were so anxious to meet our little guy and so excited to be parents. At six-thirty the next morning on the 18th the hospital called and asked if I would want to come and how quickly could I get there. It was such a whirlwind but of course turned into hurry up and wait.

Finally we got our boy and it has been an adventure ever since. From swallow studies at the hospital to the cutest fat chubbies and so many smiles. We have enjoyed showing him all of the best of life. There are some things I never thought I would do as a mother, being silly is so not my thing. But all I can think of now is I want my baby to have the best of everything - and if that means singing silly songs or making myself look silly to get a laugh out of him, its worth it.

Winter Fest

2010-02-17T11:03:00.002-07:00

For our Valentine's date, Casey and I got a sitter and went to the Winter Fest. They brought in huge dump truck piles of snow and turned 25th street into a giant snow hill. They had some fun events. We also went to dinner and a movie. In all it was a great day and nice to spend time alone together!

Here you can see where the snow has been piled on the street
They had jumps for the skiiersA dog costume contest. We got there just as the contest ended so we saw the dogs as they were leaving. We felt bad we didn't bring Charlie, he would have loved it.

Game Night

2010-02-11T06:31:00.004-07:00

Our neighbors have season tickets to the Grizzley's hockey games and invited us along one night. It was a fun new thing to get out and do and the game was intense. We even got a puck to take home! Some of these guys are such big dudes...
(the pictures I had weren't any good, this is from the website)Poor Charlie is on a diet. Breaks my heart when he gets this look on his face

Disneyland

2010-02-04T11:33:00.004-07:00

We had so much fun last week on our trip to Disneyland. We traveled with Casey's whole family and it all worked out really well. It was so fun to see all the kids so excited about everything we did. We had yummy food, fun rides, good company and great weather.

I think Lincoln got much more out of the trip than I expected. He was enthralled with many of the rides. So while he won't remember the trip, I have lots of cute pictures and we enjoyed being together as a family.

Only proceed if you want to see a million pictures from the trip :)

All of the kids lined up in theirs strollers, ready to go. We tried to get Barb to sit next to them in her wheelchair, but wouldn't. (she broke her leg last summer and needed a bit of help with all the walking)

Off we go!

So this is how we did naps while in the park. Lincoln really was soo good the entire time.

One of his favorite rides, Its a Small World. So many bright, fun things to look at.

Swimming in the pool with dad. He got mad at me for pulling him out, he loved it so much.

The haunted mansion

What a good dad

California Adventures!

This one kills me. A Bug's Life. Lincoln sat, eyes glued to the screen, the entire movie. Kept the glasses on the whole time. Trying to get as close as he could during the submarine ride for Finding Nemo. He was squealing and laughing and clapping his hands.

Who loves Disneyland?!

Whats up Baby

2010-01-26T08:23:00.003-07:00

Lincoln has been growing like a weed. I thought I would just post some fun pics of his current happenings.

Beckett is doing great. He has recovered from his hospital stay. The doctors released him Saturday night and now mom, dad, baby are all back home resting.

Lincoln loves this toy. He thinks he is hot stuff pushing it around the house.I made cupcakes and thought Lincoln would enjoy a taste. And enjoy it he did.Having fun destroying grandma's kitchen with his cousinStarting to walk! He will get so pleased with himself; he takes a few steps then claps and snorts enthusiastically.So much excitement, its no wonder he still enjoys his naps. So sweet.

Beckett Update

2010-01-16T14:32:00.006-07:00

Beckett has been doing well today. Doctors think he has severe laryngomalcia. They have given him a sedative in addition to some pain medication so he is sleeping easier and not fighting the breathing tube. They also have him on steroids because the acid reflux has made his airway so swollen which is what they think is causing his airway to close. They also think he might have soft cartilage in his throat so it doesn't keep his airway open as it should. Finally he is receiving Prevacid to ease the reflux.

The doctors are thinking about removing the breathing tube tonight or tomorrow to see how he does. He would first have to pass a squeeze test. Britt does not want it removed unless it can stay out since it causes pain and increases swelling each time its put in and out. Monday they are wanting to do another test where they use a camera to view his throat to make sure there are no problems there (soft spots, holes, or swelling). At this point their worst case scenario is having to have surgery where they put a stint of some sort in his throat.

**Update on Beckett. Today (Sunday) baby is looking much better. Late yesterday they finally got a feeding tube in and we think the milk has made a big difference. His color is looking better and his face is less swollen. They turned off the ventilator to see how he would breath on his own. The first time he lasted 25 minutes and the second 30 minutes before he quit breathing. They plan on doing a scope tomorrow.

**Beckett has been off of his ventilator for 12 hours now. He is doing well. They have taken him off milk until his bronchoscopy later today.

**Beckett had the scope done with surpraglottoplasy (trimming of the exra tissue causing blockage). He is back in the room waking and still has the airway out. The doctors are feeling good about expected improvement.

Baby Beckett

2010-01-14T20:21:00.003-07:00

I thought I would do a quick post about Brittney's baby.

Baby Beckett stopped breathing yesterday morning. Luckily, our mom was visiting and she was able to get him breathing again. (She is an RN and actually works in recovery). They got him to the hospital and put him on a ventilator. He is breathing easy with the oxygen. They have done a lot of tests including RSV, pneumonia, meningitis and so far everything has come back negative. At this point they don't know why he is struggling to breath on his own. One idea they have is that he has really bad reflux, causing his airway to swell. There are specialists coming to see him this afternoon, hopefully they will know more then. In the meantime they have started him on steroids for the swelling and breathing.

Brittney and Kent are staying at the hospital with the baby.

*Brittney and Beckett have flown to Salt Lake City to get care at Primary Children's Hospital. The doctors felt they could do better testing here and any follow up procedures that might be needed. Kent will be driving up in the morning.

New Babies

2010-01-08T13:22:00.006-07:00

The unbelievable happened on Thursday, Jan 7. I got a text around 7 am that my brother had his baby girl! They named their baby Auralee; their second child. About an hour later, I received another text from my sister who had her baby boy named Beckett. How crazy that the 2 cousins were born on the same day!! They were both born within 1/2 hour of each other. Love sweet new babies.

New Years

2010-01-08T13:18:00.002-07:00

New Years was great! As per tradition, we went to Red Lobster for lunch to celebrate my Grandma Lewis' birthday. And yes, I ate my body weight in shrimp.

We had some friends over that night. Using some leftover fireworks, we had fun ringing in the New Year. Of course, the weather was terrible that night...This was probably not the brightest idea...

Chuck E Cheese

2010-01-04T11:08:00.003-07:00

We tagged along to the place 'where a kid can be a kid' with my in-laws. Of course the kids are all crazy excited and can hardly sit still to eat their pizza grandma generously bought for them. In truth, we all had a good time. Even Lincoln got to be in on the fun!Here I am playing some ski ball. You can see my niece, bro in law, and mother in law in the background. What you can't see is that Lincoln is standing next to me, in front of my lane; he wasn't exactly helping my score. My nephew Grayson with his loot.Casey won enough tickets to buy his fav baby this wonderful prize.

Christmas 2009

2010-01-01T13:42:00.003-07:00

We had a great Christmas this year filled with family, fun and food. Christmas morning we did gifts at home and then went to my parent's for my dad's world famous breakfast. We received some great stuff from my family. Casey is most excited about the Wii my parents gave him. We watched a movie, grazed on yummy food all day and visited my cousins.

Later at night we went to the inlaws for gifts. The grandkids sure go nuts and it makes for a fun but loud party. I thought Lincoln would have been more into things, at least enjoy the paper being ripped off. But he was really quite neutral. We enjoyed spoiling our baby and can't wait for years to come when we can start traditions and have him enjoy it.Lincoln and Dewey loved this toy! Its a little piano and they played with it on and off all day.We exchanged names for the grandkids and this is what we gave my niece Mindy. She loves dolls and was so tickled with it. Not that you could tell by the look on her face..

Last of the Yums

2009-12-24T17:12:00.002-07:00

Quick post to show the last of my Christmas baking. Happy Christmas Eve!
Eggnog Truffles

Today's Treat

2009-12-23T21:37:00.004-07:00

On the agenda was homemade caramels. These are trouble; caramels are my weakness. I could probably eat the whole batch and enjoy every second.Casey and I were out on the town tonight. Shopping around Christmas is never a good idea for me...I will go into a store to buy a gift and it turns into: one for you, one for me. But we had to go since Casey had procrastinated on a gift for his mother. Amazingly the stores were not bad. We'll see how bad the grocery store is in the morning...

Case in point: these darling boots. Casey asked, "so are these supposed to be part of your Christmas?" My reply, "no, I had better have them now."

Count Down to Christmas

2009-12-22T17:27:00.003-07:00

I am in baking mode now with just a few days before Christmas. I love trying new fancy treats, but the drawback is cost. Casey nearly died when I had him pick up the ingredients for this week's desserts and it rang up to around $30. Hopefully it pays off by the feelings of pure ecstasy when eaten.
Today's Treat:
Chocolate Tarts with Peppermint CremeOh, and this guy is now 10 months old. I could eat those chubby thighs

Family Pics 2009

2009-12-17T08:30:00.002-07:00

We finally got a family picture done! I figured it was about time. I worried it would be too cold, but the pictures ended up looking really good in the snow.I also counted this as Lincoln's 9 month pictures. At his Dr appt he was 32 in tall and weighed almost 27 lbs. He is busy busy - he doesn't even like the jumparoo anymore because then he can't go everywhere.His new favorite face. What a gomer.

Busy Season

2009-12-14T18:44:00.004-07:00

I went to lunch with my co-workers today - always nice to be paid to eat :) A few of them started talking about what a hassle the holidays were and how they couldn't wait to have December over with! I couldn't believe it! I love everything about the holidays!

I have been making the most of the season. This weekend I took Lincoln to see Santa (maybe I'll post the picture later), went to lunch with my sister-in-laws, had a gift-wrapping party, and partied with my cousins - thanks to my bro for the turkey at dinner!

I have some serious baking to do if I still want to give out candy to my co-workers and in-laws. I LOVE homemade candy. Good thing the sweets are not so plentiful year round.

Lincoln just thinks he is so big. He has been pulling up on furniture and walking in the scooter thing. You can tell in his face when he is pleased with himself. So funny.

Funny Website

2009-12-09T06:52:00.002-07:00

If you are looking for some simple fun, I have been visiting a website lately: www.cakewrecks.blogspot.com. Its focus is on highlighting "when professional cakes go horribly, hilariously wrong" and shows pictures of actual cakes that are for sale. Sometimes it makes me laugh out loud.

Thanksgiving Weekend

2009-12-01T17:26:00.002-07:00

It was a really busy week to finish off November! My mom had her surgery but is doing really well. She was able to spend Thanksgiving at home, they released her just in time. Thanks to everyone who sent their love!

My aunt and uncle hosted dinner this year and we had a big group! I love getting together with so much family, I hope its something we keep doing but that's really up to the generosity of those with big enough homes to take us all in!I have gone shopping on Black Friday for years now and I love it!! I do wish these stores wouldn't keep opening earlier and earlier. Come on, 3 am? But since Old Navy opened so early (where I snagged some good deals for babe and hubby) I was also able to be at Walmart's opening at 5 am. Walmart was cRaZy but so fun.We also went to a neighborhood festival. Of sorts. Basically we showed up for some hot chocolate, donuts, and a hayride. Its a get together to replace buying gifts for each other and instead money raised from the night is donated to families in need.

Its Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas...

2009-11-20T16:51:00.002-07:00

I went shopping with my mom and aunts on 25th street. Even though the people riding looked cold, it did seem like a rather festive way to shop.
My nephew Bridger turned 1! He is the one on the bottom right hand corner.Who invited this guy?

Halloween

2009-11-14T11:54:00.004-07:00

So I realize its November now, but I figure better late than never. We had a really fun Halloween with the Lincoln baby in tow. How fun to dress him up and show him off! We went trick or treating to a couple of houses; my grandma had prepared a special "treat" for Lincoln - a couple jars of baby food and a mini pumpkin. For the first time since Casey and I have been together we did not dress up for Halloween. Those of you who remember some past costumes, there was a little less laughter in the world without Casey's brilliant ideas. See here to remember the magic.

(Parental bias coming up)

Does it get any cuter than this?

Fun Weekend

2009-10-29T08:33:00.002-06:00

See this is why fall is such a great season. There are so many things going on, activities and family stuff. And there is so much more to come! We did something new this weekend. I talked Casey into taking me to the Junction City Big Band Dance. He had never done this kind of thing before, and dancing is definitely not something he would normally agree to. But after some cohersion from his loving wife, I got him to shake his groove thing all over the dance floor. My brother and sister-in-law went with us.

First we stopped for some dinner. We got our checks and had a hard time figuring what was which... I don't know what kind of short hand this is:

I know you were hoping for a video of Casey's moves, but all I thought to get was this picture to capture the memories

My mom just loves her snuggy-cheek grandbaby. And Lincoln gets a kick out of "playing" the piano with his gramma

Pumpkin Carving

2009-10-20T13:58:00.003-06:00

My sister was in town for the weekend and we did lots of playing. We went to lunch just us girls and shopping. One night we got a crew of family together for carving pumpkins. Brittney also had a baby shower and received lots of those darling baby gifts.

Lincoln after getting his "big boy" haircutI carved the beagle pumpkin, does it look just like Charlie?Dewey had a grand time, this one was just his size

Cornmaze

2009-10-06T21:27:00.003-06:00

We went to a local cornmaze for some fall fun. It was a pretty cool place. They have a tractor/hayride where they take groups into their fields and you can pick your own pumpkin. They also have games, booths, etc for kids that my nieces and nephews enjoyed.
Obviously this guy was enthralled

Baby Laugh

2009-09-28T10:22:00.002-06:00

You can tell from this video that my baby gets the biggest kick out of his dad; anything from Casey is laugh worthy. For those of you who might be worried, no, he is not actually hitting babe.

South Fork 2009

2009-09-21T12:08:00.004-06:00

We went for a short camping get-away last weekend with Casey's family. Even though the river is cold, it doesn't stop the kids from getting in and having fun. The babies didn't seem to mind the water and are all getting to the point of being fascinated with splashing around.

So fun to have cousins to play with!

Casey's sister Tami and her hubby Ty

Taking it Easy

2009-09-17T08:59:00.002-06:00

We have been doing a lot of playing lately and just enjoying life. Casey and I celebrated yet another wedding anniversary - and still lovin it.

I had to renew my driver's license this year and was looking at my old photo and comparing it to Casey's. I thought it would be fun to show how we used to look when we were dating and first married. Seems like forever ago when I see these pics!We went fishing at the Bear River...obviously this guy knows how to have a good timeHere Casey is showing off those amazing engineering skillsMy old roommate from college was in town! It was fun to get together. She is so cute and so much fun. I just wish she lived closer so we could hang out more often.

Six Months Old

2009-08-31T18:42:00.004-06:00

Our little guy is not so little anymore. At his six month checkup he was 22 1/2 lbs and 29 inches long. Thats off the charts in both categories! I wonder if this guy will ever stop growing...

He is still such a happy baby...everyday he gets more fun!

Jumparoo

2009-08-13T07:41:00.003-06:00

My baby is a goofball. When he's in his jumparoo he just kills me; its so funny to watch. Thought I would share...

County Fair

2009-08-12T10:13:00.007-06:00

Over the weekend we attended the county fair. My mom was nice enough to watch Lincoln so we could have a night out alone together. It was fun to see lots of people we knew, exhibits, animals. Funny to see the jr high and high school kids hanging out there and realizing how old I am!

Casey was in flavor country with his snow cone...

This pig was over 1000 pounds!! It was a monster!!

Casey said this was the billy goats gruff littlest brother

Island Park 2009

2009-08-06T08:10:00.005-06:00

It was that time of year again! Time for the annual family camping trip to Island Park. We were gone for an entire, blissful week. I miss waking up and being able to walk out my door and see the river and enjoy the mountain air. It was a rather eventful trip this year. It took Casey's uncle 15 hours to get there as he had 2 tires blow out, a belt break, and a fan blow up and smash his radiator. Guess thats what you get for only driving your 25+ year old truck once a year up camping.

Our nephew Bridger fell during the trip and had an object shoved down his throat causing blood blisters all around his mouth and down. Poor little guy.

Worst of all, my mother-in-law fell out of a trailer and broke her leg. It was a really bad break and she had to have surgery to put rods and plates in to fix it. She stayed 4 days in the Rexburg hospital but is home recovering now. It will be a long recovery - 8 weeks on crutches and a good 6 months before she is done with all her rehab.

Despite the drawbacks, we had a really good time.

Of course I got some reading time in...

We went to the bear and wolf exhibit in West Yellowstone. They had a habitat there as well. I never realized wolves were so mangy. And this polar bear was huge! Floating the Henry's Fork is a must...
though Lincoln didn't really like the life jacket
At Mesa Falls

Looking at the falls from above My mother-in-law brought this little tub and all the babies loved getting bathed in the sunshine!

Rodeo

2009-07-23T18:17:00.000-06:00

What a fun time at the Rodeo this week! It was really hot when we got there but that just means it was perfect weather for a snow cone. All the riders were great - and they even had a fireworks show afterward.

Giddy-upMy niece Amy was in the Rodeo! She did the Muttin' Bustin.' They put the little ones on a bucking sheep and send them through the chute. Its so funny. They are hanging on these sheep for dear life and the crowd is gasping as they are tossed around. One little guy held on despite the fact that he slipped and had his arms around the sheeps neck, hanging under the belly!

Gone Fishin'

2009-07-22T08:56:00.005-06:00

We've been out fishing at Willard several times this year and it has been pretty slow. Casey has said we need to teach Charlie to find those fish for us. At the end of the day, it doesn't mean we can't enjoy ourselves still, right?!

Hot Springs

2009-07-20T12:19:00.004-06:00

We spent the weekend in Idaho at the hot springs with Casey's family. There is a campground there and pools, slides, etc. Lincoln didn't quite know what to think about the water. He just sat there and stared at it but I think he was enjoying himself.

BBQ and the 4th

2009-07-10T18:17:00.004-06:00

Summer is in full swing for us and we have been enjoying every minute!

We had a BBQ with some of Casey's friends...super good eats and a good time. They had set up a water slide for the kids and we all pitched in on fireworks and had quite the show!As part of being a winner in the baby contest, Lincoln got to ride in the parade! He couldn't figure out why so many people were waving and smiling at him, but I was really glad he was happy the whole time instead of crying through it. The baby girl who won, sitting next to us, is only 1 month younger, can you believe their size difference?!Some cousins and friends watching the paradeHanding out at the park: fun booths, food, and friends BBQ at the in-laws for lunchMindy loved the sparklers

Baby Contest

2009-06-30T09:52:00.002-06:00

As part of their 4th of July festivities, our city held a baby contest on Saturday. I entered Lincoln in a couple of categories and out of those he won: Darkest Hair, Most Photogenic, and Looks Most Like Dad. (I can't believe he didn't win chubbiest, I thought it would be a no-brainer). It was so much fun - proud dad and grandma/grandpa sat in the audience cheering on Lincoln. My mother-in-law had prepped Lincoln the night before, telling him he was "going to make all the other babies cry because he was going to win everything." She is so funny. In case you are wondering, we had to have them judged in diapers, because no, I don't make it a habit to take him out in public without clothes on.

The coolest part? Oh yeah, it was when my baby won overall in the contest! Ok, so technically he won in the male division for 0-6 months. And boy did he win in style...

The fun didn't end there though - the local newspaper must have caught wind of my sexy baby cuz Sunday morning we found this:

Finally a Nice Day

2009-06-29T08:29:00.003-06:00

We finally had some nice weather this month. My sister was in town and we decided to enjoy the sun at the pond behind my parent's house.Charlie loves my dad

Dewey loved riding in the kayaksLook at this adorable beagle puppy!! My cousins just got her - love puppies. Charlie loved her too, he kept sniffing at her and playing with her

Smith and Morehouse

2009-06-22T10:28:00.006-06:00

This last week we went camping with my family up to Smith and Morehouse resevoir. It is a really pretty lake, surrounded by pine trees and mountains. We had really good luck fishing, catching a bunch of trout. I didn't realize how intense the sun was and toasted my legs while boating on the lake. When I say boating I mean Casey's blow up raft. It works really great on these smaller Uintah lakes that won't allow larger boats. All the suckers fishing off the shore were jealous of our cool ride...

Here I am with my trophy fish - yeah right. I mEAnt to leave the big ones for Casey

Lincoln stayed on the shore with grandma. Love that face

While we were camping, Casey celebrated the big 3-0 birthday. I surprised him with some yummy cupcakes I had made ahead of time. The weekend before we had a BBQ with a bunch of his friends in honor of the big day.

Yard Sale

2009-06-10T09:39:00.003-06:00

My sister in law and her family have a great big yard sale every year. After finally getting all of our stuff out of storage, our basement looked like a disaster with boxes and junk everywhere. We decided to do some major cleaning and get rid of what we didn't need at the sale. Obviously if it has been in storage for a year we probably didn't need a lot of it. At the end of the day we had made a few bucks and had a fun time too. What didn't sell went straight to the DI on our way home.

The thing that cracked me up about the sale is what people will buy cuz its cheap. We had some old rabbit ear antenna that I actually thought we should just throw away and someone ended up buying them! Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought with the digital switch coming you couldn't use them anymore...?
Casey marked this cute guy at $2 a lb and we got some offers...but we decided to keep him after all.

Super Sweet

2009-06-05T09:45:00.002-06:00

Casey decided to be sweet and surprise me with some flowers. I decided to try out a cool feature on my camera. Super sweet.

(Professional photographer - still a no)

Bonfire and Big Boy Chair

2009-06-03T09:04:00.002-06:00

Last weekend some of Casey's cousins were having a campout up on Monte Cristo. We decided to join them for a cookout. The weather barely held up for us. The guys threw the football around and did some target practice. Of course the girls talked and ate. All in all, good stuff.
Lincoln is now getting good use out of his big boy chair. He is also starting to take an interest in having toys, though at this point he still hasn't figured out its easier to play with them if he were to open his hand instead of smashing at them with a closed fist.

Cousins

2009-05-28T08:15:00.002-06:00

I thought it would be fun to do a picture with the 3 cousins who are the same age. Lincoln is just over 3 months. In the middle is Casey's sister Tami and her baby boy Bridger is almost 7 months. Jayna is our sister-in-law and her baby girl Navy is 7 months. Its fun to see their progress and realize Lincoln will be sitting up on his own soon, looking at the camera, and playing with toys. Not quite there yet as you can tell in this picture...

Blowing Bubbles & Grandma Frost

2009-05-21T08:23:00.003-06:00

Lincoln has learned how to blow bubbles - what a goofball. Here is him and dad 'chillin' on the couch.

Lincoln also loves his grandma Frost. She knows just what to say to get his biggest smiles.

Landscaping

2009-05-18T10:24:00.003-06:00

We have been putting in a lot of time landscaping at our house. We had curbing put in and had to tear out sod. I do not recommend having to tear out sod, its a lot of work, avoid it if you can. Casey ended up hauling off 3,000 lbs of grass, dirt, etc to the dump. Then we brought in a couple loads of dirt, purchased some cool new plants and trees, and spread fertilizer. Miracle Grow has this nifty new product you just attach to your garden hose and spray - awesome. Gardening for dummies. I can't wait for everything to start growing and see how it turns out! Hopefully we don't wish later we had hired a professional to design our yard...

Monday

2009-05-04T14:36:00.004-06:00

I hear ya baby...

Tummy Time

2009-04-28T18:05:00.003-06:00

Thought I would give a quick update on Lincoln. We just had his 2 month Dr visit and this kid is off the charts. He is above the 97th percentile in weight and in the 90th for his height. But he has a pinhead - only in the 50th. Everyone says we are growing us a football player.

We also had some testing done at Primary Childrens. He has been choking when he eats so they did a swallow study - coolest test ever. They have an x-ray going on him the whole time and they feed him dye, watching its progress down his throat. So you watch his jaw and tongue working, then as it travels the esophagus. Unfortunately, we also saw it go into his trachea. Apparently its somewhat common. There are 3 reasons he is having trouble. 1 - he doesn't have the suck, swallow, breath pattern(you moms will know what this means) 2 - he has acid reflux 3- the cartiledge in his trachea is not fully developed and doesn't shut tight when eating.

The solution for this is medicine for the reflux and adding thickener to his bottles. Since I was nursing him, its making my life much more difficult. Strangely enough for how frustrating it could sometimes be, I miss it. The Dr said maybe as early as 2 weeks we can introduce the thin liquids again, but we'll see.

On the positive, he is still getting his workout time during the day. As with most babies, from what I've heard, Lincoln does not enjoy his tummy time. You can see the look he is giving me...

Dog Park

2009-04-22T16:31:00.002-06:00

Casey heard about a local dog park from a friend so we thought we would try it out last weekend. It is the coolest thing. At other parks you have to constantly worry about your dog bugging people and keeping him on leash. Then he can't run around, smelling everything, and getting exercise. At the dog park, everyone has dogs so part of the deal is you don't have to worry that they are annoyed with your dog greeting them or their pet. The dogs absolutely love it. Of course Charlie had to smell everything first before he could just let loose and play. But its so funny cuz the dogs will group up and run around. Someone will throw a ball and 5 dogs will go after it. I think my parent's little poodle would have a heart attack at a place like this, but Charlie loved it. What a fun outing, we will have to make it a regular thing. I hope people keep following the rules so the park doesn't get shut down.

Notice the plastic chairs? My advice if you ever go to the dog park is to not sit in these. They are a fixture of the park...every dog that walks by has to mark it because they smell so interesting. I watched one lady get peed on over and over again.

This dog was in love with Charlie and followed him around all day.

Easter Weekend

2009-04-16T21:48:00.003-06:00

On Saturday we had a BBQ with Casey's family. It was decent weather so we were able to hunt for baskets outside. Lincoln thoroughly enjoyed the festivities - He found his basket right away! Bottles, onesies, and a rattle .. just what he wanted! These masks kill me...

Trevor and Emily

2009-04-10T23:05:00.003-06:00

My cousin Trevor got married this weekend to his girl Emily. I was worried for them because of the weather but the rain let up long enough for pictures. They had a wedding dinner at the Lodge in Perry that turned out really well (I love their turkey fried steak!) Really great evening and I'm super happy for them.

Eggs!

2009-04-08T21:51:00.003-06:00

Even though Lincoln is too young (and too sleepy) to appreciate the occasion, I still have always enjoyed coloring Easter Eggs. Casey thought Lincoln needed an egg of his own. (On a side note, can you believe my new baby already has a double chin?!)Look how talented we are...

Baby Chubs

2009-04-01T10:03:00.003-06:00

Short clip of Lincoln...he has just started to find his tongue and its so funny to watch him sticking it out. The noise in the background is him...some sort of grunting, don't ask me.

Sponge Bob

2009-03-27T19:08:00.003-06:00

We had a friend come visit our house this week. Sponge bob loved hanging out with me, baby, and Charlie. Then it was time to go to Grayson's bday party. They hit it off so well they decided to go home together.

Spring Fever

2009-03-23T19:37:00.003-06:00

It was such nice weather last week we decided to take baby and venture out to the park. The grandkids were there as well. As you can tell we all had a good time, even Charlie (thats a smile on his face can you tell?). In case you are wondering why my nephew Grayson is wearing giant gardening gloves, its because he is a superhero. Don't know what the connection is, but whatever floats his boat.

St Patricks Day

2009-03-18T08:54:00.002-06:00

I have had this cute shamrock plant for several years and decided recently it needed a new pot. Since then it has flourished! I love the cute flowers on it and thought it was a perfect way to highlight St Patricks Day.
My sister in law Janiell was kind enough to let me borrow her bouncy/vibration chair (I'm sure someone else knows what this is actually called). I put Lincoln in it this morning and he loves it. You can tell by the look on his face.
How cozy does this look? Sitting in a soft, massage chair while staring at the fire?

This is what its come to...

2009-03-15T21:48:00.003-06:00

I have been meaning to update for some time but frankly, my life is boring. Lincoln's Dr said RSV is peaking and to keep him away from people. And of course many of our family is sick so we can't even visit them. So I have been stuck at my house taking care of baby. My life rotates between feedings, diaper changes, and naps. Now that's excitement!

To make things more fun, Lincoln has been taking on symptoms of colic for the past week. Last night after 5 hours of crying Casey drove to the store at midnight to try and find something to help. We bought something called Tummy Gripe Water and it seems to help a tiny bit.

For those of you who are mothers, you may want to quit reading now as the next images may bring up bad memories.

This is what I like to call "from 0 to 60..."
Does he look upset or what?!

Just so you know Lincoln isn't all frowny faces, here he is as gangster baby.

Cute Pictures

2009-03-02T13:42:00.003-07:00

We took these pictures the day after we got home from the hospital. A lady in our neighborhood was nice enough to offer to do it. Otherwise who knows when I would have gotten around to having them taken. Its amazing Lincoln has already changed so much even since these were taken.

Overall Lincoln has been doing well. A couple of nights he has made me crazy but I figure it could be worse. He also eats like mad - the kid is going to be a moose.

Charlie wanted his picture done too...

Baby Lincoln

2009-02-21T20:36:00.006-07:00

After 14 hours in the hospital, Lincoln finally decided to make his arrival! He weighed 9 lbs 2 oz and is 20 1/2 inches long. The whole process was much different than I expected. Most of the day was pretty boring, just waiting around.

At about 9 pm that night things still weren't progressing very quickly. The nurse had called my dr to see how she wanted to proceed. The dr had to come up to see another patient and between 9:15 and the time she got there at 10, I had gone from a 4 to a 10. She told the nurse she was going to do a quick c-section on her other patient and she'd be back in 20 min to deliver the baby. I was so glad because I had started to think we wouldn't have the baby until the next morning. The worst part of it was how hungry I was! I guess the contractions were no walk in the park, but what I would have given for some food...

It was nice to have such great care in the hospital and we were a little hesitant about leaving and being up to our own devices. Especially since our discharge was delayed due to complications with his circumcision and we had to have him double checked and receive extra care instructions. After a stressful night we arrived home and seem to be handling things ok. I don't know how long it will take to get used to having a baby around. It still seems very surreal. Charlie isn't quite sure what he thinks of Lincoln yet. We are trying to give him lots of loves so he doesn't feel left out.

Here is the new daddy!

Still trying to figure out what just happened...

Exhausted...I will probably be seeing this face for some time to come
Casey's very first diaper change. His brother was there lending his expertise

Trying to get the little wiggler dressed. It certainly isn't as easy as it looks.

Baby Update

2009-02-09T14:15:00.002-07:00

I figured I should do a quick post to update everyone about my pregnancy progress. My due date is officially Feb 20th. I am somewhat relieved baby has decided not to eat as much during the last few weeks so he hasn't been gaining weight as rapidly. The Dr guesses he is about 7 1/2 lbs as of last week. I have decided not to be "started" a week early. Too close to Valentine's Day, though it doesn't mean baby couldn't make his own decision. Casey told me it would certainly be convenient for him if I had the baby on the 16th. That way he would only have to use 3 days of leave to get 9 days off work. Yeah, no prob sweetness. I'll put in a memo to fetus.

Below are some pics from baby's room. We weren't going to decorate (ie, casey did not want to paint or do anything permanent to the walls). But I saw this border that was simple but cute and he gave in to putting it up. Then I wanted a cute shelf...and some pics. Still fairly resonable if you ask me. And poor baby doesn't have to feel like he is unwelcome.

Random

2009-01-29T09:58:00.003-07:00

Just thought I would put up some pics of the random things we have been doing lately. Ice fishing in Idaho turned out great even though it was super cold that day. We caught quite a few fatty fishies.

Look how cold this fish looksCharlie ran his bum off and was taking a break
Super cold - but I did put those warmers in my boots so my toes stayed warm

My mother-in-law was so nice to throw me a baby shower.

And everyone was so nice to come!

The view from my backyard yesterday morning was too good to pass up taking a picture ofMy hubby is a dork

New Shoes

2009-01-12T06:54:00.003-07:00

In preparation for an ice fishing trip, we decided to buy Charlie some new shoes to wear out on the ice. Its recommended if they are on the ice for more than an hour or two to put something on their feet to protect against water logging or frostbite. Well, as you can see in the clip below, Charlie didn't exactly 'take' to the idea.

Baby Shower

2009-01-08T09:23:00.002-07:00

My aunt Lynita, sister Brittney, and sis-in-law Janiell threw me a shower just before Christmas. It was fun to be able to see everyone, since we didn't have other family parties this year and with Shandee and Brittney both in town visiting.

I don't think Casey had realized how much stuff we needed to have a baby - anytime I tell him we need to go shopping for something he is always dying. I think I did a good job of researching most products we got, from cribs to swings, both on price and user reviews. But then there are other things that slowly add up like crib sheets and binkeys. So we definitely appreciate everyone who donated to the cause! Even more, there were things I got I hadn't even thought about...I'm still a bit clueless about all the needs a kid is going to have.

Here is a picture of my sister and I

Emily is now engaged to my cousin Trevor. She is so fun - last I heard it could be a Spring wedding. She's sitting with my cute mom

Karin and Shandee have both gone to the dark side (hair color). They are both blondies naturally but look super hot with the whole vixon look.

Gotta love cute little baby booties.

Preparing

2009-01-02T22:19:00.003-07:00

We have finally begun preparing a bit more for baby. I guess there is no way around the fact that we have mere weeks left until he is here. We got some mixed news from the Dr this week. Mixed because I am horrified and Casey is pleased. Apparently we are going to have quite the big boy. With 7 weeks left, baby is already 5 lbs. I'm anything but excited (not hard to figure out why) and Casey has visions of a son who can hold his own on the sports fields.

And here is a taste of Casey playing daddy. Thanks to my awesome mom for the carrier/stroller!

Christmas

2008-12-29T08:14:00.002-07:00

We had a great Christmas - especially the part where we didn't have to work for a few days! Christmas Eve Casey's mom throws a big party for friends and family. Christmas morning Casey and I had a mini-celebration at our home before heading to my mom's for breakfast.

Amy and Mindy on Christmas Eve - so excited for Santa they can hardly stand it!

Christmas Eve at the Frost partyCasey got some new toolsMy mom always spoils us at her house Christmas Dewey and I. With his pants he looks like a "who" from Dr Seuss

Tagged - Facts About Us

2008-12-18T07:20:00.007-07:00

1 – We love the great outdoors. Both of us grew up camping, fishing, skiing, etc and it really describes us as a couple. We love to get out and be active. Summer finds us in the mountains with our ghetto camper and beagle, wakeboarding with friends, or trolling for fishies. In the winter we are on the slopes or freezing our bums on a frozen body of water. And I have to say, no one is as sexy as my hubby when he has his mountain man beard and is doing such masculine chores as chopping wood and making fire for his wife (while I sit in a chair snuggling in his coat).

2 – After being married for 5 years we finally decided to try the whole kid thing – and are expecting our first in Feb (boy). We are both a little bit nervous and have been procrastinating on our baby preparation (including a name for the poor guy). Somehow all of a sudden more than 30 weeks has gone by! Our reassurance to ourselves that we will like being parents is that we are so crazy in love with our dog, we are likely to be at least half that much in love with a kid right? :)

3 – Though it might seem weird, we like going to the gym together. I enjoy having him there so I don’t get stared down as hard (the worst is some guys will try to tell me what I’m doing wrong lifting when they have no clue themselves). And it’s a lot more fun to work out with someone else. Sometimes I make him get a spotter with a bit more substance to help him though…can you imagine if he got really stuck on the bench and I was trying to help lift off a bar weighing almost twice what I do? We have a sort of tradition to go to the gym on Thanksgiving morning – its craziness but fun.

4 – Casey’s favorite food is chicken fingers with multiple dipping sauces. Unless you count ice cream as a food – he is in love with hoagie’s corner shakes. My favorite is harder to pin down. Its pomegranate season and I absolutely go crazy for those. But I could probably eat french fries and salad bar every day and be happy (this actually IS what I ate every day in high school).

5 – Funny childhood memory of Casey – he loved Garfield (the cat cartoon). He used to pretend he was Garfield and his mom would have to serve his dinner in a dish on the floor.

In the field behind my parent’s house there is a pond and a willow tree hangs over it. As kids we would always swing on the vines over the water. Once during a family party I was swinging and the vine broke. I fell in, getting my favorite white sandals with jewels all muddy. But what made me really mad was when my uncle told me I looked like a drowned muskrat.
6 - I had a hard enough time coming up with 5! Anyone have any ideas?

Snow

2008-12-16T11:45:00.002-07:00

Finally! "Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas!" I love having snow at Christmas, it just isn't the same without it. How much better is being snuggled by the fire with my hot cocoa when the snow is falling outside! Of course, driving to work this morning was not as thrilling. Casey is such a good guy, not only did he shovel our driveway, he did the neighbors' too! Though he did inform me he would soon be investing in a snowblower...guess we have a lot more driveway now than at the townhouse :)

How does my dog manage to blink in every photo I take of him? What a dork.

Decorating

2008-11-29T11:44:00.005-07:00

We decided not to put off decorating for Christmas until a week before the holiday this year. So with both of us off all weekend we put up our tree!

For those of you waiting to see my expanding waistline...here at 7 months

We found Charlie's santa hat...doesn't he look festive?Casey on the roof doing lights - what a stud!

Weekend

2008-11-24T10:26:00.002-07:00

Saturday we went to a release party for Never Cast Anchor www.myspace.com/nevercastanchor

Casey's cousin is the lead vocalist for the band and they held an accoustic set at the party, sold cds and tshirts.

Sunday found us lounging at the in-laws for free dinner.

Mindy loves her new role as big sister- though Barb has a heart attack seeing the kids running around (not literally running) holding the newborn.

Amy got out this toy with the marbles...anyone remember what its called? I used to love this game. Everyone got in on the fun. Especially since it took two people to hold it altogether - the pieces are old and broken.What a good dad, indulging in playtime with his kids.

Babysitting

2008-11-19T11:00:00.000-07:00

Charlie is getting ready for his new playmate to arrive. He has already been practicing his babysitting skills. Doesn't he look like a concerned caregiver?

Charlie noticed a little bit of leftover dinner...

All clean!

Dewey looks a little taken aback by the supreme treatment from his new sitter

Ok ok, don't freak out if you are reading this Janiell.

Charlie may have gotten in a couple kisses, but I promptly shooed him away. I wouldn't actually leave Charlie to do ALL of the babysitting work...

Bridger Frost Youngman

2008-11-17T08:22:00.000-07:00

Wow another baby! Casey and I went to the hospital this weekend to see Ty and Tami's new baby boy. He is already quite the chunk! I don't think Grayson quite knows what to think about a new brother yet.

The happy family

Look at all that hair!

Halloween 2008

2008-11-04T07:25:00.000-07:00

We celebrated the holiday with a new niece! Navy Lynn was born Halloween morning to Mike and Jayna

All of the grandkids were so cute in their costumes. Here is Dewey as the cutest tigger ever!
I remember being more excited on Halloween as a kid than this group looks...

Mexican Cruise

2008-10-28T08:45:00.000-06:00

In celebration of our 5 year wedding anniversary, Casey and I went on a cruise to Mexico. We first traveled to Cabo San Lucas, then on to Ensenada on the Baja California Peninsula. Cabo was beautiful; the heat and humidity were definitely a novelty from what our weather at home is. Ensenada was perfect at about 70 degrees. It had been stormy the previous week but the time we spent there was perfect. Cruising was a fun way to travel. They take really good care of you on the ship: good food around the clock, keeping your room tidy, and 24/7 entertainment.

Looking out at Cabo from the deck of our ship.

Enjoying some sun

Casey made new friends

Another view of Cabo Casey competed in a free-throw contest on the ship
In Ensenada, we went and saw the Bufadora (blowhole). Beautiful place on the coast.

Casey had a yummy fajita while shopping in EnsenadaCasey's favorite action hero..This guy was great, dancing and playing his seashell horn

BodyWorld

2008-10-27T09:11:00.000-06:00

On Saturday we went to the BodyWorld exhibit in SLC with Mike & Janiell and Trevor & Emily. For more information about this exhibit, you can see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_Worlds. It was really interesting to see different parts of the body in such a unique way. Mike got sick halfway through and had to take a breather, he tends to be a bit queasy when even discussing blood, etc.

No pics from inside the exhibit, but here you get to see Trevor demonstrating his knowledge of human anatomy...

Nice day walking from the exhibit to our car
Outside the exhibit

Birthday

2008-10-17T22:41:00.000-06:00

My aunt Lynita turned 50 and her family had a surprise party for her. I have included some cute pics from the big day.

My cousin Karin and her dad with the b-day girl (thanks for the pic tasha:)Casey being goofy

Emily and Trevor hanging out

Prego

2008-10-14T07:33:00.000-06:00

I guess its about time I confess to the pregnancy. After all, I am almost 6 months along (in a week and a half). Casey and I will be expecting a baby boy in February. At our last appointment Casey asked the Dr if she still saw his ...boy parts (he has asked about this since our first appointment). Since our boy is such a good listener ... :) ... as soon as she put the instrument to my belly there is our boy in full glory, showing his dad the goods. No mistaking that display.

Though there have been several requests for a "belly pic"- I have to say there isn't much to talk about there. I basically look fat at this point, so why include a pic of that? Instead I have opted for a pic from his last ultrasound. I have always thought these kind of pics look creepy and sort of alien-like, so either quit reading now or take it for what its worth. (He has both hands tucked by his ears and the umbilical cord is in his face, if you can't make out whats going on).

Walking

2008-10-09T22:35:00.000-06:00

Charlie loves anytime he gets to go outside. I try to take him a couple of times a week. I really hope the city has plans to put a park in near my house once its all developed. How great would a dog park be? I hate when there are other people around and I have to leash him. How is he supposed to get exercise??

Charlie and my parent's dog Kiko.

Fall

2008-10-03T09:27:00.000-06:00

In honor of my favorite season and the fact that I love decorating my house, I thought I would post a few pics of my favorite Halloween decorations. First is this beauty from when I was a kid. My mom had several pics like this one and us kids would always fight over which pic we would hang on our bedroom door. This is my fav, and I stole it from my mom to hang at my own house.

Here is my favorite new decoration. Love it!!

South Fork

2008-09-22T16:02:00.000-06:00

We decided to take one final camping trip for the summer and headed up to South Fork for the weekend. Most of Casey's siblings and kids came with us. Even though it got pretty chilly at night we still had a lot of fun. We went to a school carnival at Valley Elementary (where my sister-in-law teaches), did some fishing at Causey Resevoir (caught a couple of trout and an ugly crawdad), and of course had some really good eats.

Ty, Grayson, and Casey playing in the FREEZING cold river at our campsite

What is it with kids and water?
The beagle and I hanging out

Getting SO Old!

2008-09-16T13:52:00.000-06:00

I could always picture myself reaching certain age milestones in my life. 16 - dating and driving; 18 - move out on my own; 21 - fully legal adult. However, all of a sudden I'm slowly creeping past this age and I never mentally prepared myself. Now I'm sitting on 25 and its crazy! Of course, my in-laws still think I'm a baby. My bro-in-law died on me when I said the first American president I was aware of was Bush Sr.

Casey had class on the night of my b-day so my parents went out to Red Lobster with me so I could stuff myself with shrimp! Casey didn't feel left out - we never go there together since he is allergic to shellfish.

St George

2008-09-04T10:15:00.000-06:00

Over the labor day weekend Casey and I went to St George to visit my sister Brittney and her hubby Kent. Their in-laws are generously letting them house-sit their home in Ivins. We ate out at some yummy restaurants; although Brittney also made her delicious sweet pork salad. We went swimming, hiking, and fishing. It was fun to see them and visit!

Happy Birthday

2008-08-28T18:07:00.001-06:00

My dad turned 54 yesterday! After a yummy steak dinner the fam had cupcakes for dessert. My mom has started a new tradition where she wants the b-day member to wear this lovely hat that lights up and sings. My dad was not especially pleased with the idea...but he was a good sport. Dewey only has eyes for the sweets.

Summer

2008-08-15T09:53:00.000-06:00

Casey and I were camping again this weekend with his brother and family. It was really good weather all weekend and nice to be in the mountains where it was a bit cooler than the 100+ degrees its been in the valley. We went to the dam and had a good time. Charlie met a new friend and they ran amok on the beach.

Big surprise here, reading on a camping trip.
Charlie gets so worn out camping with much more to do than just sleep all day. He snuck into one of my niece's chairs and fell asleep by the campfire.
Mindy, Amy, and Charlie playing in our camper.

Shaelynn Bates

2008-08-11T08:22:00.000-06:00

Shandee and Will had their baby girl on August 5, 2008

Farewell Party

2008-08-04T09:18:00.001-06:00

My friend/cousin Shandee and her husband Will are moving to WI in the next couple of weeks so her family threw a going away party. They have a lot of changes coming up. They are having their first baby (girl) sometime in the next week and have to move about a week after that!

Left: Megan and Brady, Chelli (Meg's mom), Casey and I, Lynita (Shand's mom), Will and Shandee, 4 friends of Shandee's I don't know, Brandon and Tasha, Mike, Janiell, and Dewey, Trevor and his date

Hoop Lake

2008-07-31T08:14:00.001-06:00

Casey, Charlie, and I went camping with his parents and sister's family at Hoop Lake. It was the most random camping site but the lake was beautiful and the fishing was good. I could have done without all of the mosquito bites though! Poor Charlie had them all over his belly.

Casey and his dad cooking breakfast

Giving lovin's to my dog
Grayson was so funny in the boat, pretending like he was a dog and imitating everything Charlie did.
Caught one! The fish weren't monsters but we usually caught a dozen a day. Brent and Barb grilled a few up for their dinner one night.
What a fun lake!