New Frontiers

Motherhood: An Eternal Partnership with God

2010-08-30T13:27:00.002-06:00

I am behind the times, and just watched this today. I had a conversation with a friend in which we were discussing the difficulities of being "mom" and how we felt like sometimes we just weren't doing a good job. I know for a fact she is a fantastic mother, and I hope I am doing ok, too. At the end of the day I often feel exhausted, and frequently question my ability to fill this heavy role I have taken on. Even more so now that we are going to welcome another one. The words of Elder Holland brought me great reassurance today, and I know the Lord hears my prayers. I hope you enjoy, and all you mothers take heart.

A Tale of Two's

2010-07-17T00:41:00.003-06:00

So I am officially a horrible blogger, but I decided that life is only going to get crazier so I need to start documenting it. The last couple of months have been filled with a lot of "two's." Bear with me as you read through - the end is worth it!

Turning Two

On Saturday, June 19th, our little Abby turned 2! She woke up the morning and must have gotten some memo that since she would be two, she had to act like it. She ushered in the "terrible two's" in perfect form with several temper tantrums just to make sure we knew she was in fact a toddler now! We celebrated her birthday down in Salt Lake on the 14th at my parent's house with all the family that was around.

Abby is OBSESSED (to put it lightly) with the Disney Princesses. We got her Princess cake (the chocolate one) from a local bakery up here two days before her party. It was DIVINE and everyone loved it. Abby was in love with the Princesses on it and kept waving her hand over it in admiration. I think it made her day. She still carries the little dolls around ALL the time. Her Aunt Aubrey brought the Cinderella cake for her to have all to herself.

She loved opening presents, and received more princess paraphernalia than she knew what to do with. She kept repeating, "Oh, Wow!!" every time she opened something. She was totally spoiled by her Aunts and Babaa's (and Mom & Dad). She is one lucky little girl!

Abby loved her party and talks about having a party all the time. And in her mind, every party must have cake and presents. I tend to agree.

Two Best Friends

Abby's two best friends from the last two years moved out of state at the beginning of June. We were able to do a little photo shoot with them before everyone got busy, and I am SO glad we did. Abby misses her little friends so much and I think I miss their moms even more! We were so blessed to have little girls the same age and move into our little area at the same time. We helped each other (through) quite a bit and became so close.

From One to Two

And finally, we found out back in March that we would be going from our little family of three to a family of four in late November. And yesterday we learned that our little babe is another girl! Abby has insisted all along that the baby in Mommy's belly is a "baby sister" or a "baby gurl". I guess she knew more than we did! She gives my belly kisses and tries to share her "mimi" and "snuggly" with the baby.

.Hand up by her face

Looking up at her chin, lips, and nose with hands up in front of her face.

Her tummy and legs, with her ankles crossed.

It's a girl!

A Spirit of Calm and Peace

2010-01-22T21:12:00.007-07:00

Peter, Little A and I sat down after dinner tonight and turned on the Hope For Haiti Now broadcast. Little A was entranced by the music of Alicia Keys and sat motionless as she watched pictures flash across the screen. I was taken aback at her attentiveness. I limit what she is exposed to, but this was different somehow. I know she is far to young to comprehend any of what she sees, but I knew as I watched her look at the pictures and listen to the song, her little mind(conscience, spirit..?) could sense the sadness. I quietly explained to her in very simple terms what I could, and while I know at 19 months old, it likely meant very little to her, she seemed to grasp the sincerity of my words. My mother heart knew this is only the beginning of a lifetime of learning about the desperation in the world that surrounds us. Peter and I discussed the fact that we will have a great responsibility to help Little A and the rest of our children process the events of the world we live in.

As Little A and I sat down to go through the nightly bedtime routine, we opened the Book of Mormon to where we left off last night and as I started to read, I was touched at the timing of the verse that we were on. It was Mosiah 4:16:

"And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your
succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need;
and you will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain
and turn him out to perish."

I explained, as we often do, what that scripture meant in layman's terms. We then knealt down to say our nightly prayer. We have been helping her this week to say the words herself by whispering them to her and having her repeat them. Tonight I said most of it, but as I prayed for Haiti, I urged her to say the words "peace" and "succor", words she has never learned before. She repeated them, and I felt the Spirit strongly there with us.

We don't have much to give, and giving to Haiti has been in my thoughts constantly since the earthquake struck. The day it happened, Peter came home from work and we both had had the same thought during the day that we needed to give something. We decided to give what we could through the LDS Church's Humanitarian fund, but I still felt we needed to do more. As I thought about, I decided to clean out our closets and donate what clothing, shoes, and other items we had that we just didn't need. Little A had clothes that she outgrew before she ever wore that still had the tags on them. I had intended to send all of it to some charity that would distribute it, but quickly discovered that items (especially used) weren't wanted as much as money was. I finally decided that the best route was to give it to the Deseret Industries, where the money from the sales would filter back into the Humanitarian Fund, and to take the new clothing items to the Church's Humanitarian Center. It just feels like so little.

My heart aches for Haiti, for the children without parents, and for the parents who have lost children, and for those that are just hanging on to life. The First Presidency of the Church released a statement today, and I found it especially poignant.

What are you feelings on the tragedy in Haiti? How are you helping your children understand it? What are you doing to help?

Open For Business!

2010-01-04T13:56:00.005-07:00

My etsy shop is up and open for business! You can check it out at http://www.junepopdesign.etsy.com/ !

You can also visit my website devoted just to the items I am making at

http://www.junepopdesign.com/ .

I am so excited to get this started and think I have created a couple unique products that I love. Let me know if you are interested in something custom that you can't quite find in stores! I am hoping this will enable me to continue to enjoy staying at home with Little A and pursuing my creative talents.

Fall Bliss

2009-10-31T22:28:00.006-06:00

Feeling Great and Eating Well

2009-08-03T22:56:00.004-06:00

This week has been a huge success. It is amazing what a bit of positive thinking and determination will do. I lost a total of 5.5 lbs this past week. I now weigh less than I have since before I graduated over 2 years ago! It feels so good! And just losing the weight has proved motivation enough for me to keep up these new habits I am developing.

Now, what am I doing different? First of all, I am trying to stay focused, which has been the most important part. Second of all, diet and excercise. I sat down last Sunday night with an equation I found for figuring out the amount of calories I should be consuming to reach my optimum weight. I don't have it at hand, but my number worked out to 1400 calories. I also began the week by documenting everything I ate and when I ate it. I don't do anything drastic with the things I eat - I just try to consume healthy, natural, un-processed foods.

I also began walking/jogging the River Trail up the canyon every morning with Peter. It is approximately 4 miles round trip. We just put Little A in the jogging stroller and head out. I think we made it up there 4 days last week. We took Wednesday off, and I deep cleaned my (non-air conditioned) kitchen on Saturday.

TIP FOR THE WEEK:
While perusing other blogs, I found this great web-site (www.eatingwell.com) which has been an awesome tool. It has some good recipes which feature calorie and fat counts, and which you can bookmark into a menu planner. That same program allows you to track your food intake, similiar to the Weight Watchers site, only FREE! I have really enjoyed using it!

I'm Going to Jackson

2009-07-29T22:50:00.009-06:00

To make up for a post with so many words...here is one with very few:

THANK YOU FOR A WONDERFUL TRIP, GRANDMA AND GRANDPA!

Selfish

2009-07-29T21:41:00.003-06:00

I am struggling to find the words to express my thoughts tonight. Peter and I just returned a few days ago from a week-long trip to Jackson, WY. As I mentioned in a former post, last week was the week I wanted to attain my weight loss goals.

I didn't make it.

It is no surprise to me. It is a dissappointing feeling to know I didn't reach a goal I so badly wanted. But the truth is, I didn't want it bad enough. I want you to know I have not quit, I have not failed. I am losing weight. I haven't gained back any of the weight I have lost, and I weigh less than I have almost 2 years. And I am proud of that. It is extremely frustrating to be where I am at right now, but I do feel I am making progress.

But I came to a realization last weekend. This goal wasn't set for the right reasons. The process wasn't taking place for me. The goal was set to make others happy, to prove something to those I love. I was doing it for Peter, for my daughter, for my family. Those are worthy things, and I realize that, but they were not appropriate reasons for me to lose the weight. In order for me to find the motivation, I have to do this FOR ME. That sounds selfish. It feels selfish. But it also feels right.

I stayed up one night while we were in Jackson talking with my brother and his wife about my husband's school and career choices. Jeremy made the comment that whatever Peter wants to do, he has to be selfish about it in order to make sure he achieves it. He made the comment that it sounds terrible, but in order to accomplish something very important to you, you have to do whatever it takes to make it happen and do the best job you can if you truly want to be happy with what you are doing. And when you are happy doing what you want to be doing, everything else will work out. (Sorry if I butchered this, Jer.) Your family will be happy because you are happy with your choices, you will be successful because you are proud with what you are accomplishing. As I sat here tonight, I realized that this applies to me.

I am going to be selfish. I am going to do what I need to do to lose this weight. I am going to take myself into consideration first. It sounds awful, but as I begin to accomplish this goal for myself, I will become happier, in turn resulting in me becoming a better mother, a better wife, a better woman. I have already started, and it feels different this time. I can feel the success and happiness starting to run through my vines.

SimplyBe: A Giveaway

2009-06-06T00:14:00.006-06:00

I found this photographer (www.simplybephoto.com) through the family I tend for. She takes beautiful photos and I am itching to get some done for Little A. She has a giveaway going on through the weekend. Check her out! You'll get sucked in by the photos and understand where I am coming from! I think she could capture Little A's Baby Blues wonderfully.

Post Edit: The link for the photographer was hijacked somehow and was taking people to a weird site. Hopefully it works correctly now.

What You Really Want

2009-06-06T00:00:00.000-06:00

Really, we all just want to see pictures...

My two loves

A Work In Progress

2009-06-05T23:38:00.004-06:00

Well, believe it or not, I did not drop off the face of the earth. I am lousy at following through with things, I will get that out on the table right now. I am determined not to "belly-flop" though, consider me mid-dive.

I have officially lost all the baby weight which is a wonderful feeling. I gained back most of the weight I lost, but have managed to lose it all plus a few more pounds (about 11-12 pounds total) in the last two and a half weeks. If I keep my focus, I am able to progress. I am so dissappointed in myself, though, for all the time wasted. I have a million reasons why it hasn't happened like I planned. Some are legitimate reasons and some are just excuses. But I am working on it.

I wish I had more self-discipline. I am learning everyday of new weaknesses I posess, or I guess I should say I am starting to recognize existing weaknesses. I want so badly to overcome each and every one of them immediately and become this perfect, strong woman. It has been a great struggle this past week or so to realize that that is not going to happen as quickly as I would like.

I don't know that I have ever been so tired, er, exhausted, in my entire life. There have certainly been times when I have felt worn down and burned out, but there has generally always been a respite following them. Right now, I see no respite in sight. I love being a mother with every fiber of my being. It is truly the role I feel most qualified to play in life. Everyone tells you how tired you will be, but I don't know if it is a concept one can even comprehend until they find themselves here, carrying this mantle that is motherhood. I was not, am not, prepared for the strain of sleepless night after sleepless night. It is taking a toll on me. Little A has had double ear infections followed by teething followed by more double ear infections followed by more teething, for the last 4 months. She sleeps so well during the day for her naps and is the picture of pleasantness, but nighttime rolls around and she is up consistently two to three times a night. Add to that the fact that my husband works a swing shift, and my nights are shot. I wake up around 6:30 am and lay in a fog for an hour.

I need to find a solution. The looming thought of weaning Little A has been on the forefront of my mind lately. It breaks my heart, but I know that in order to lose the weight I need to lose it is going to have to take place. It also might help her sleep through the night better. But she WILL NOT take formula or milk. This is foreign territory for me, and I am at a loss.

That is how I feel right now... at a loss.

I apologize for the length of this post, and the fact that it is likely not coherent. But I feel like things are sorted out a little better in my head...and isn't that the point?

Weigh In & Playlist

2009-02-10T21:19:00.009-07:00

Sorry I am getting this posted so late. Folding what felt like 50 loads of laundry (I am pretty bad, I wait until we are on our last pair of underwear to do the laundry. I really hate it!) all morning and taking care of 2 babies all afternoon slowed me down a bit today.

The results for Week 4:

Pounds lost: -1

Inches lost: -1" total
Waist: -.5''
Hips: -.5''
Chest: I am no longer going to measure this. Where I am nursing it is impossible to get an accurate number.

I am fitting into clothes I haven't worn since the first month or two of my pregnancy, and some from before that. It is satisfying. I know it is not a large number, but I am ok with it.

Now for the playlist!! Thanks for your suggestions. I think I included all I could find and download. Oh, and Mel, I am a sucker for some good '80's music, but my tastes are a little more "synthesized", I think.

The Playlist is off to the right ===========> And you can listen to most of the songs at the bottom of the page. Check it out!

Come. Read. Comment.

2009-02-04T22:23:00.003-07:00

Regardless of what the Blogger Role says, this blog has been updated more recently than 3 months ago. This post is simply to make it appear as more recently updated, because no one (except Hilary) is reading my blog. LAME!

I beginning to feel like the pathetic girl at the outcast table.

Weigh-In

2009-02-03T13:14:00.004-07:00

Week 3 Results:

Pounds lost : 2
Inches lost: 1" total
Hips: 0"
Waist: .5"
Chest: .5"

Simply stated, progress is rewarding! I was down four pounds at one point midweek, but a birthday dinner with the in-laws took care of two of those for me. Like Peter has said - this is probably more sustainable than large amounts lost one week and none the next.

Ok, so my goal for this week (besides losing some more L B's) is to come up with a decent workout playlist. It is amazing how something so silly can make or break your enegry level, and quite frankly, my list sucks right now. I am sending out my plea to blogdom! Help me save my playlist!! Leave me 3+ songs (artist and title) down there in the comment section that you love to work out to. I will publish my finalized list once I have one that I feel I can listen to for more than one session.

It's 6 AM? Really?

2009-01-28T14:30:00.005-07:00

She did it! She finally slept through the night again!! I thought the day would never come.

Hallelujah!

After 2 months of getting up at 2:30 AM or 3 AM and then again at 6 AM, Little A decided it just wasn't worth waking from sugar-plum land last night. I heard her talking to her self this morning, rolled over to see the clock (expecting it to read some unholy hour yet again) and laid there in stunned shock to see it was 6 AM. I fed her, and she decided to go right back to sleep for another 2 hours!!

Prayers have been answered, and the world quite possibly could be coming to an end.

Note: Not an actual photo of last night's miraculous events.

Weigh-In

2009-01-27T21:09:00.003-07:00

Let's just get this out on the table:

Week 2 Results:

Pounds lost : 0 (But at least it wasn't a gain.)

Inches lost*: 1.5" total
Hips: 0"
Waist: 1"
Chest: .5"

I am disappointed, but not surprised. I let too many things interfere this past week like the weather, a child who decided sleeping at night was not her cup of tea, and the risidual soreness from a few Pilates workouts. The excercising is not a problem, as long as I get it done. I really enjoy my workouts, and they provide some much-appreciated solo time that is so rare as a new mom.

I try to only buy healthy foods and make most everything from scratch. I avoid prepackaged, easy-to-prepare, death-in-a-box meals. We live on skim milk, wheat bread, lean chicken breasts and 96% lean ground beef in this household, a carry-over from growing up in the house of a post-heart bypass patient. Now, don't get me wrong, there are occasional treats here and there, and our Sundays are usually days of gratifying meals with family and friends, but we by no means live on junk food here. Even if we wanted to, we simply couldn't afford it.

I feel like I am eating pretty healthy. I try to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables everyday, and I drink (I have slacked in the last 3 days or so) close to 120 oz (!) of water. So why am I struggling ? Could it possibly be that I am not consuming enough calories?? Being a nursing mom, I am wondering if this is a possibility.

I need to find my zone regarding this whole process. Once I do, I think things will progress better. But I feel like I am moving ahead rather blindly.

Weigh-In

2009-01-20T13:02:00.009-07:00

I have been dreading this all day. Why did I agree to do this?? Oh yeah, because I want to fit into this:

and to have arms that look like this again:

And so, my results for Week 1:

Pounds lost : 1

Inches lost*: 3" total

Hips: 1"

Waist: 1"

Chest: 1"

*I measured about 3 weeks ago, so this is not the result of 1 weeks work, I don't think.

I will admit, I was quite disappointed this morning by the low loss. I really worked hard last week. I will definitely be giving it a little more this next week. This is working, though. The fact that I have decided to regularly post about the journey has made me think twice about what I do, and motivates me to try harder for a larger number of pounds off next week. Even if that means scraping ice off of the car in 5*F weather at 7 AM, while wearing capris in order to drive to the gym while my husband and daughter sleep warmly under their covers.

High Dive

2009-01-13T21:55:00.000-07:00

I have been contemplating this next move for over a month now...

It's a bit like deciding to jump of the high dive...first you talk about it, a lot. Then you decide not to do it. Then your friends call you chicken. You reply with, "I'm not a chicken!" and climb out of the pool wondering why on earth you are doing what you are about to do. You stand shivering in line at the bottom thinking, "Really?! Really?!?" As you begin to ascend the ladder and walk out on the diving board, your heart begins to pound out of your chest, and then you quickly turn back and contemplate going back down the ladder. You probably repeat this process a few more times. What is the worst that could happen? Public humiliation as you belly flop? Pain? A swift rescue by the nearest lifeguard? Or maybe you enter the water smoothly, experiencing a new sense of adventure and the sweet taste of victory for conquering your fear and proving something to the doubters.

I am ready to jump.

Today represents my dive.

Only the days and months that follow will show whether I belly-flop (no pun intended) or show my grace.

I have been working for several weeks to lose weight, eat healthier, become better at taking care of myself. My goal is to be 70 pounds lighter by the Huge Family Reunion in July.

In order to motivate myself and increase my chances at success, every Tuesday I will log on and record my progress towards my goal. I WILL NOT tell everyone my current weight, but will record the number of pounds lost each week, as well as how I am doing it. I trust you to hold me accountable. Check back...let me know you are watching...and "weighting"...and holding your breath as I jump.

I have yet to come up with a catchy name for this weekly post, so if you have any ideas, I am open.

Let the diving begin.

Six

2008-12-20T23:37:00.007-07:00

6 Months! Can you believe it? I am sure you probably can, but I am still struggling.

For your reading pleasure, I bring you my list of 6 reasons I love Little A:

1. Your smile. Even on my toughest days, that little turn of your lips makes me melt over and over again.

2. Your constant state of discovery. I know this is common to all your peers, but to be privy to every new look, sound, and movement you make causes me to bubble up with pride and an excitement I can't explain....

3. Your everpresent desire for attention. It reminds me of someone I know...

4. Your blue, blue eyes. They remind me of your father, and I feel like I can see right into you through them.

5. Your snuggles. I don't think I could feel more at peace than when you are snuggled up at my neck or in my arms, awake and studying my face, but totally quiet and calm, needing nothing more than to just be loved.

6. You made me a mother. I find no deeper satisfaction in this life than being your mom. You have helped me gain more patience and find more inner strength than I knew posessed. You have softened and humbled me. You have given me the chance to find my true calling and nature, brought me closer to my Father In Heaven, and filled me with a great desire to be better. You will always be the child that made me a Mother, and for that you will forever have my heart.

Are you out there???

2008-12-14T20:55:00.015-07:00

So I have been deeply negligent in my blogging responsibilties. I am quite sure I have lost what little readership I had. But in my defense, our household has been plagued of late with illness, sleepless nights, and the busyness that comes with this time of year. By the time I sit down to the computer, it is usually 11:30 at night and my brain is too hazed to function.

It has been quite a month since my last post, though:

Little A began solid food, threw it up, began again, threw it up, and began again (the joy of orange retching has yet to be something I have found).

She learned to sit up on her own.

(If I take pictures from the front, she gets distracted by the camera and falls over...so most of those shots resemble this:)

I got the tree and decorations up WAY early, anticipating the delay that is Little A...

(Why four you ask?? Because I can't handle the assymetry of having 3 hooks with stockings and 1 without...)

Peter got promoted, works a swing shift and finished classes for the semester. Yeah! I think his finals week was just as stressful for me as my own finals weeks were...I am not sure I can handle three more years of this plus grad school..eek!

My wonderful sleeper (remember 9 pm to 7 am anyone?) also stopped sleeping through the night...more on that later.

Oh, and I got a job doing childcare in my home for a baby a little younger than Little A starting in January.

Overall it has been an eventful, satisfying, and sometimes frustrating several weeks...but I think I am back in the swing! Tune in for "The Tale of Tears" coming soon!

Public Again

2008-11-13T23:51:00.002-07:00

Ok...the blog is public once more. I have made things fairly general to keep it a bit more private, but this way people can check it out without having gmail accounts.

Pulling Out The Tricks

2008-11-02T00:41:00.006-06:00

Aunt Makenzi (er...cousin?) came to visit me today... I decided to pull out my tricks for the company. Watch me here (^) trying to get a better look at the Wii as Makenzi bowled. I decided to save this move just for her. Mom has been trying to get me to do it for weeks, but I wanted to save it just for Kenz. I think I impressed.

I also decide it is time for a change...no more bottles...I am SO over them.

Happy Halloween

2008-11-01T08:54:00.013-06:00

I helped this week with the MASA Halloween Carnival. I helped put together and run a Pumpkin Bowling booth, which was a lot of fun. Little A got all dolled up as a cupcake and joined me for the festivities. Poor Peter had to work :{.

The red thing on her head is a cherry hair clip I made. I'm actually quite proud of it!

First Date

2008-10-28T16:44:00.006-06:00

Pete and I went on our FIRST DATE Saturday night!

First date since Little A blessed us with her presence, that is. Who knew the first time you leave your child could be SO difficult. She was in very good hands - there is no question there. And she has been left with Peter and my mother before, but never for very long and never during her night time routine. But she handled the separation like a champ. I, on the other hand, I must have been a basket case because Pete offered (er, threatened) to take me home. I stuck it out though, and ended up thoroughly enjoying the much needed couple-time that Pete and I haven't seen since this side of June.

Nachos + Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist = the best first date ever

2008-10-28T16:30:00.002-06:00

Pete and I went on our first date Saturday Night!

First one since Little A blessed us with her presence, that is. It was very hard to leave her, even though I know she was in very good hands. I just never thought that I would have such a difficult time the first time I left her. She has been left with both Peter and my mother, but never for very long, and never during her nighttime routine. This was a real moment of separation. And she handled herself like a champ. I, on the other hand, I must have been a bit of a basket case because at one point Pete offered to take me home. But eventually I calmed down and was able to enjoy some much needed couple-time with my wonderful husband, eating nachos and laughing our way through Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist.

Food For Thought

2008-10-25T00:44:00.003-06:00

I found this quote while perusing various blogs, and I have not been able to stop thinking about it. I think it completely encompasses what I want to to become as a mother and a woman.

"Too frequently, women underestimate their influence for good. Well could you follow the formula given by the Lord: 'Establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God' (D&C 88:119). In such a house will be found happy, smiling children who have been taught, by precept and example, the truth. In a Latter-day Saint home, children are not simply tolerated, but welcomed; not commanded, but encouraged; not driven, but guided; not neglected, but loved."Thomas S. Monson,, "The Spirit of Relief Society, Ensign," May 1992, 101-102

I want to improve.

Sew Domestic

2008-10-14T19:04:00.008-06:00

Okay...so I've been feeling rather crafty lately, and have been in search of a way to make some extra money. I have some things I have been working on and I personally like them better than many of the similiar commercial items that are out there. What do you think? Would people actually pay for this stuff?

Binky Clips

Reversible Magnetic Bibs

Crib Sized Quilts

(The light blue around this quilt is actually the backing, and I will be using the red fabric that is in it as the binding.)

Followers

2008-10-13T09:40:00.003-06:00

Mainly out of curiosity, I have added a followers gadget. If you read the blog, add yourself to the followers listing!! It will post your profile picture under the word "Followers".

Oh! What A Beautiful Morning!

2008-10-13T09:21:00.004-06:00

This morning I woke up to this...

and this...

What a beautiful life!

Out In The Country

2008-09-29T13:53:00.011-06:00

Sorry for the delay in posting, Little A and I have been on a bit of a vacation for the past 6 days. We (and by we I mean my parents and I) took her on her first airplane ride/vacation back here to Southern Illinois. She did excellent on the airplane and the 3 hour drive to my Aunt Linda's. She is quite the jetsetter and I would not hesitate to take her on another trip. Last night she slept from 7:30 pm until 8:30am this morning, with a 6:00am snack. Incredible!

This is Little A with her Great Grandma, whom she was named for.

We have been busy seeing family and taking a final look at my late Grandpa's farm before it is sold at auction at the end of October. Growing up, I came back here just about every summer for vacation to this farm country where my parents were raised, bouncing from Great Grandma's to Grandpa Tommy's and all the different Aunts and Uncles' homes. It was truly idealic. I don't think I really realized that until this trip. Life is certainly slower paced here and being back here now that I am a little older has certainly made me appreciate my roots a little more. Everything is very different. It has been ten years since I have spent any real time back here, and I regret that.

My Grandpa Tommy passed away exactly one week before Little A was born. It never sunk in that he was gone until yesterday. We drove unto his property and his truck was parked in the drive. I walked into the house and was immediately struck with the nostalgia of it all. His coats were hanging in the entry and his boots were sitting there. As I walked into the kitchen, I half expected him to come walking in to greet me. When he didn't, it finally hit me. He is really gone. I felt the sadness all around me. A lot of that was a feeling of regret that Little A would never get to experience the same memories I did as a little girl, and that Peter did not get to see it before it is sold.

It is amazing to drive around and see the combines harvesting the corn in all the fields and to smell the dust from the corn husks on the air. There are crickets all around your feet and rows of corns and beans for miles upon miles. I took this picture just past my Aunt Linda's. I was able to stand in the middle of the road for as long as I needed without worry of a car passing.

Little A 1, Camping 0

2008-09-18T09:29:00.011-06:00

You would think two people who met while camping and who spent the majority of their early times together in the wilderness would be a little more outdoorsy than we are. We attempted our first camping trip since Little A was born (and since we've been married for that matter) last weekend. It was the ward campout up the local canyon, a grand total of ten minutes from our home. Peter spent the majority of the evening putting up the Springbar and inflating the mattress. Little A was doing great and loving the campfire. We finally got her to sleep after nursing in some awkward positions at about 10 pm. All would have been fine had I not attempted to move around on the mattress. I woke Little A and on came the screams.

Out of fear that everyone in the ward would hate us, we grabbed the diaper bag, our inconsolable child and the car keys and headed home at around 11. She realized she had won and coo'd and smiled the entire way home. She continued this behavior until she finally gave up at midnight, content to be at home in her crib. She then offered us some mercy by sleeping straight through to 7 am without so much as a peep, for the first time ever. We then headed back to the camp to retrieve our things and have breakfast. Peter spent the majority of the morning taking down the Springbar and deflating the mattress. Let's just suffice it to say, we don't see a whole lot of camping in our near future.

A's Room

2008-09-16T11:17:00.012-06:00

I am so excited! We aren't allowed to paint or wallpaper any part of our townhome, so I have been looking for a way to make Little A's nursery a little more exciting. Well, yesterday while purusing Target, I found these darling removable decals. It took me about an hour to put them up and I think they look awesome. And the best part is that Little A loves them. She grinned and coo'd from her bouncy seat as she watched them go up. I just about had to cover her eyes while I was nursing her because she kept craning her head back to look at the wall.

Pure Craziness!

2008-09-10T22:19:00.005-06:00

Little A has been screaming lately...a lot. Well, a lot forher - she really is a very pleasant baby most the time. I cut out dairy and chocolate, thinking they were irritating her system and causing colic, started dressing her warmer, thinking that the cooler weather is getting to my summer baby, and kept the gas drops and gripe water stocked up and ready. For the life of us, we couldn't figure out what changed in the last week or two to cause all this upset.

...And then we saw it! While enjoying a nice leisurely visit to our little local zoo Monday with her Aunts Suzie and Aubrey and cousin Devin, Little A decided to open her mouth and smile just right. Suzie caught it at the same time I did, and we were both little bit unsure if we had really seen what we thought we saw. But a double take confirmed it...a tooth. My two and half month old baby is sprouting a tooth! Whether or not it will come to stay, we don't know. But I think I have found the source of the drool, stuffy nose, and the random pain-filled shrieks that come from no where. Don't believe me? Check this out for yourself!

Back To School

2008-08-28T12:36:00.003-06:00

Peter has headed back to school...in the cyber sense of the word. All of his classes this semester are online. Only 3-4 more years to go. I am very jealous and have decided I would like to go back and get a Second Bachelor's or a Master's degree while we are up here. It will likely be an English - Technical Writing degree. We will see if I am actually able to make it work.

We hit the campus Monday to get his books and some school gear for each of us. It was insane! It is amazing to watch how this small quiet town transforms when 15-20,000 20somethings converge onto it. I have never been here early enough in the summer to notice the change that occurs when school starts. The amazing thing to me is how well the regular citizens of this little town handle the transition. Everyone is still more polite than anywhere else I have ever been, even when the lines are ridiculously long and traffic is horrible.

Poor Thing!

2008-08-22T16:28:00.004-06:00

My little girl is growing up! We went to her 2 month check up and she is as healthy and happy as can be...or should I say "was". She had to get her immunization shots and now my happy girl is not to thrilled with the cruel world around her. She took them surprising well...only a little squeal and no crying really, but I think she was more than a little ticked.

New Beginnings

2008-08-06T10:15:00.003-06:00

Well, I obviously got off to a miserable start with this whole blog thing, but seeing as how life has afforded me an abundance of new beginnings as of late, I have decided to try again! I will do my best to update this little area of mine at least weekly so as not to waste any of your time in looking!

I also decided to change the blog name. In viewing all the many blogs I have happened to discover out there, I have realized that it was seriously lacking in the creativity department. So let me explain the new title: Peter and I met in 1999 (9 years ago this past July - holy cow!) while on staff at a boy scout camp called Camp Frontier. Pete spent 4 summers on staff, and I lasted somewhere around 6 or 7. Many of our best friends have come from our summers at Frontier, including each other. So I have often felt that as we move forward in our lives and away from our summers at camp, we have not left Frontier - we have only entered new versions of it.

BIG NEWS!

2007-11-21T12:53:00.000-07:00

So it's official...we are having a baby!!! Needless to say we are both very excited and ready for this new addition to our family. This will make grand baby #2 on Pete's side of the family and #12 on mine. Both Grandmas were thrilled at the news. I am excited that we will have kids that will be similar ages to their cousins.

The baby is due the first week of July, and has done plenty to make me aware of his/her presence. Anything that has even a slight smell or a good taste makes me extremely nauseous. But I suppose I did not expect anything different!

We got to have our first Dr.'s appointment yesterday. We got to see the little white blur that is our baby on the ultrasound screen, and hear his/her heartbeat. It was incredible and made it all extremely real. What an awesome experience!!!!

Doesn't He Look Sharp?

2007-08-29T19:52:00.000-06:00

Ok - so I am not very good at keeping this thing up to date. I apologize! But, I do have some new pictures to put on. Peter got his "digi's" today, along with a bunch of other equipment, and so I thought I would let everyone see what he looks like. It suits him I think.

Watching him lace up his shoes and walk through the house reminded me of when I was a kid and Dad would come home from work. They were a different color then, but the feeling was the same. It made me think about the fact that both our fathers, and every male sibling is in or has been in the armed services. Pretty incredible.

Here is another picture - blurry, but my personal favorite.

Jumping On The Bandwagon...

2007-08-20T10:58:00.000-06:00

Well, it was really only a matter of time before we joined the blogging forces. The real reason I have been holding back is that our lives have really just not been that interesting. But alas, times change and it looks like we are facing some new adventures. I figured this would be a good way to keep everyone informed. So feel free to stop by and check on us, and I will try to keep this thing up to date.

As of last week, we were sitting here in Draper and loving our place, loving our ward, and discussing how we were going to try and stay put for as long as we could. It was short lived. Peter has been contemplating military service for awhile now, and on Thursday we had an a sit-down meeting with the Army ROTC. They had some great options for him (unlike the Air Force - who appear to not want anyone!).

He has decided to take a 3 year full tuition scholarship and contract with the ROTC, which puts him in line to recieve complete funding for medical school if he gets accepted. Long story short - he is going to have to quit working in the spring and we are going to need to move when our lease here in Draper is up. So November 6 will mark Move #4 in the first two years. We will be living in student housing at the U of U...which is actually a great option. We are excited, but sad to have to leave Draper and not looking forward to packing again :P.

New Frontiers

Motherhood: An Eternal Partnership with God

A Tale of Two's

A Spirit of Calm and Peace

Open For Business!

Fall Bliss

Feeling Great *and Eating Well*

I'm Going to Jackson

Selfish

SimplyBe: A Giveaway

What You Really Want

A Work In Progress

Weigh In & Playlist

Come. Read. Comment.

Weigh-In

It's 6 AM? Really?

Weigh-In

Weigh-In

High Dive

Six

Are you out there???

Public Again

Pulling Out The Tricks

Happy Halloween

First Date

Food For Thought

Sew Domestic

Followers

Oh! What A Beautiful Morning!

Out In The Country

Little A 1, Camping 0

A's Room

Pure Craziness!

Back To School

Poor Thing!

New Beginnings

BIG NEWS!

Doesn't He Look Sharp?

Jumping On The Bandwagon...

Feeling Great and Eating Well