THE RUDENS

SNOW!

2012-01-22T21:22:00.000-08:00

It wasn't much and it didn't stay, but it made for a fun 20 minutes in the backyard!

Sleepy girl - been a trend throughout my life...

2012-01-22T21:09:00.000-08:00

We love family!

2011-10-23T22:11:00.000-07:00

This past weekend my sister CarolLynn came to visit us here in Oregon. It's nice to have people visit from out of town because then you actually get out and do some of the things you want to do. So, we started off by going to the Children's museum in Portland.

Jimmy loved the doggies!

Andrew busted out his rock star moves on the stage with his singing and dance moves.

And of course, he couldn't get enough of the train table.

Jimmy especially liked all the buttons he got to push.

We spent a good amount of time at our neighborhood park. The fall leaves are gorgeous right now!!

No shortage of cool trees to climb!

Then all of our neighborhood friends came out to play!

On Saturday we enjoyed the amazing fall weather at our local pumpkin patch.

Thank you Aunt CarolLynn for the visit!

Memorial Day Weekend

2011-05-28T15:48:00.000-07:00

Warm weather won't show it's face here in Oregon so, for Memorial Day weekend the in-laws said screw it and opened up the pool anyway! On Friday it was 57 degrees...... but the pool was 84. This was the scene outside of the pool.....

And here's what it looked like IN the pool...

The rest of the evening was filled with these three cousins running around singing "na na na BATMAN"!

Grandma did her best spoiling making cookies, which had to be served with ice cream - of course - followed by popcorn and a movie in bed.

We stayed the night so we could get some extra time with Joel and Camie who were in town. The boys continued their fun while "helping" Bapa with his projects outside.

More cousins showed up for some hide 'n' seek. Pretty comical watching 2-4 year olds play that game. Good thing they have some older cousins to show them the ropes.

Thanks for coming to visit Joel! Made for a great party weekend! We'll miss you!

Pretty great to be 28!

2011-05-28T14:35:00.000-07:00

I've decided I'm never going to feel old. When you are the youngest of 9 in your family and then you marry a man 4 years older than you, you never feel old.

This year I got spoiled big time for my bday. To start it off, I spent the weekend before with these fantastic ladies! Yes, the WHOLE weekend... no kids.... 3 hours away from home. Awesome.

We stayed at my friend Haley's parents home in Black Butte (near Bend, OR). Absolutely gorgeous! We were spoiled with good food (thankfully some of the ladies like to cook), relaxation, and hours of chatting and laughing. The ladies got to see my uncontrollable laugh/cry more than once. Such a blast!

I mean SERIOUSLY good food. (thanks Laura!)

On Saturday evening we cruised the streets of Bend then made our way to Typhoon for yummy Thai food.

We got home Sunday evening tired from staying up late but happy as can be! A great pre-bday party!

On my actually birthday, Dan decorated like a champ.....

Which included a cute bday note on the mirror....

Then he made us all a delicious breakfast ....

He took Andrew to get me some gifts the day before. I scored a set of erasers, a pez dispenser, and a giant frog pen. That kid sure knows my tastes!!

Dan and I were able to steal away for lunch at our favorite Korean food restaurant. We then hoped over to the mall, ordered me some bright red Toms, then made our way over to the Cheesecake Factory for some banana cream cheesecake! Delicious!

That night we enjoyed an amazing evening at the park with some of our friends. I love these people!

We even got to play a little catch. The pregnant ladies and all!

Absolutely stellar day! Thanks to all my family and friends for making me feel wonderfully special!

This wasn't on my birthday but I still wanted to share some cute pics of the kids outside our house on a pretty amazing evening. I LOVE this private driveway we live on. Makes for a great place for bike/walker cruising!

And occasionally Jimmy gets daring enough to let go!

Photoshoot

2011-05-18T22:52:00.000-07:00

I did a fun photoshoot for our church young women's group. Such an ideal night. You can't find a more beautiful setting. You can see more on my photography blog.

Easter

2011-04-30T21:33:00.000-07:00

We had a great Easter weekend. After endless days of rain the sun came out for an amazing couple of days. On Saturday we were invited to a friend's parent's home for lunch and a big Easter egg hunt with several friends and their children. The setting was gorgeous and the kids had a blast.

On Sunday we enjoyed a goodie-filled Easter basket (tulips came from the tulip festival, will post about later)...

My handsome man and boys...

After church we headed down to Grandma and Bapa's house for Easter dinner and celebration. The boys LOVE Grandma's house!

We enjoyed an Easter egg outside with all of the cousins.

Jimmy sure loved those colorful eggs!

HAPPY EASTER!!

Jimmy

2011-02-24T22:26:00.000-08:00

Oh man I love this kid!! Jimmy is almost 9 months old and I can't even begin to tell you what an angel he has been and continues to be. Don't ask me where the super blond hair, fair skin, and blue eyes came from but we think he is the most beautiful thing ever!

Jimmy's milestones (for my own record):

5 months - sitting up

7 months - crawling

7.5 months - standing up, pulling up to things

8.5 months - waving

10 months - walking (that's my prediction)

Fun things about Jimmy:

He's a giggler - super ticklish

Thinks his brother is HILARIOUS

Puts EVERYTHING in his mouth - our little scavenger, if I've dropped something on the floor, he'll find it.

Loves food - always lunging for anything we are eating

Loves to wrestle with Andrew on the bed

His hair has settled (used to call him Conan) but now it's getting long - not sure whether I should cut it or not

Those blue eyes are killer!

Has two bottom teeth and one top (side) tooth coming in - that should look real cute!

Loves the vacuum - chases it all over the house!

Happy, happy child!!

LOVE YOU KID!

Autumn Park Days

2010-11-10T16:12:00.000-08:00

This is how we feel about the beautiful October weather.....

You never know how long the good weather will last so we were at the parks for multiple hours every day soaking it all in.

Nothing beats a good day at the park!

Pumpkin Patch

2010-11-10T15:27:00.000-08:00

We made it to the pumpkin patch this year. The rain almost kept us home but we decided that if we waited for the rain to stop for us to do anything then we would be waiting for the next 9 months!!

We had a good time but the best part was getting out and doing something as a family.

Halloween Party 2010

2010-10-24T22:43:00.000-07:00

Dan's sister hosted a super fun Halloween party on Saturday for all the kiddos. Andrew was Nacho Libre and Jimmy was supposed to be Jimmy Neutron (pics taken from my phone). Then on Halloween night I dressed up like a chef and he was my bag of sugar. I made their costumes with some help from family (thanks Judy and Camie). There were a few wardrobe malfunctions but what can you expect from a rookie. I got such a kick out of Andrew dancing that night. There are a couple of videos posted below of him getting jiggy. Oh man I love that kid.

Looking back on the weekend I realize it was a little too much to take on by myself (Dan had another homeshow this weekend, he had one last weekend too. Back to back weekends kill me). Trying to do anything more than just take care of my kids these days just results in me loosing it. Makes me sad that I can't manage more than the basics but that's just reality for me right now.

I guess what I'm really saying is.....I'm exhausted, GOODNIGHT!!!

Nacho libre bust a move

2010-10-24T21:43:00.000-07:00

Nacho dancin

2010-10-24T21:31:00.000-07:00

Late summer fun!

2010-10-09T22:53:00.000-07:00

A good friend of mine lives out in the country, which is only about a 5 minute drive from our home. Her daughters are some of my favorite babysitters! Andrew and Jimmy usually go over to their house (because it's SO much more fun) when they tend. It's a treat whenever I get a chance to go to their home. The setting is absolutely gorgeous and the lighting is always so pretty, especially through the summer.

A few weeks back my friend and I played around with our cameras in the hay field across the street from her home. Her 5 beautiful kids were our models...and Andrew got in on a few, couldn't resist this cute face!

The fun also involved running and jumping through the hay.

And then it turned into this....

The hay looks a lot softer than it actually was, but they all didn't seem to notice a bit.

GOOD TIMES!

Oh, and Jimmy decided to have his own kind of fun inside...

Look who just turned 2!!

2010-08-20T13:39:00.000-07:00

We had a fun combined birthday party with his cousin Tilly.

Happy 2nd year big guy!! (More pics to come)

The Rudens

2010-08-03T23:09:00.000-07:00

I'd like you to meet Dan's parents, Alan and Judy Ruden. When it comes to in-laws, I won the jackpot. It's pretty incredible how amazing they are. Here in Oregon we live by Dan's parents and 3 of his siblings and their families. For about three years we lived in the same neighborhood as all of them! Now we are a 40 minute drive away but we (well, at least me and the kids) still get down to see them multiple times every month. Our visits tend to get more frequent during the summer when the days are long and the Ruden pool feels like a resort.

The best part is seeing Andrew run around with all his cousins. 9 of his 11 cousins (1 more on the way) live here and boy do they have a good time together! I love how close they all are in age. Makes for crazy family gatherings but man is it fun! (Jimmy is the only one missing in this pic)

On the 4th of July we set up tents on the side yard of Alan & Judy's home and had a little campout. It was a gorgeous evening and we had a great time hanging out with everyone.

I'm pretty sure this one of Leslie and Chase is my new favorite picture...

On Sunday I took pictures of some of the kids so we could update the picture wall in Alan & Judy's home. While going through the pics I was pretty blown away by these adorable little faces. We are so lucky to live so close to all this family.

Sunday afternoon mud bath

2010-08-02T00:16:00.000-07:00

What do you do when your son finds a mud puddle while in his church clothes?

GRAB THE CAMERA...

Daredevil

2010-08-01T23:48:00.000-07:00

We took a trip down to the Washington County Fair yesterday to visit Dan at his booth. Dan had his eye on this attraction and knew Andrew would love it. It was a hit! This little man has absolutely no fear. It amazes me to see the things he's willing to try. Sure makes his daddy proud.

Blogger design

2010-07-27T23:42:00.000-07:00

Does anyone know how I can get my blog design back to just plain old white? I want it to be like my photo blog http://annierudenphotography.blogspot.com/ . Any ideas?

Jimmy is 8 weeks!

2010-07-27T23:31:00.000-07:00

Oh man this is a good baby! Happy, content, and sleeps 8-10 hours every night! And is it just me or is this child absolutely GORGEOUS!

That is, until he gets his CRAZY EYES!!

Good intentions

2010-07-23T21:01:00.000-07:00

So much for blogging every day this month. I admit, it was a pretty ambitious goal, especially with a newborn. Now I'm going to try to blog on Sundays but no promises this time. Dan starts his crazy home show schedule next week which means late nights and weekends for the rest of the year. Not that I'm complaining, I would be thrilled if he were as busy as possible!
It's really too bad. I would love to sit down and write every night but it's all about priorities, right? A clean house and sleep make the top of my list at nigh and lately there doesn't seem to be any time for much else once the kiddos go down. Although tonight, blogging won out over cleaning. I just can't clean that kitchen, gather up the dirty clothes and diapers, or pick up those toys again today.
I was going to talk about how Andrew has become our little parrot, mimicking all our words and how Jimmy is growing like a weed but Jimmy just started giving me the cue that he's ready for his 3rd dinner. So, I'm out.

More of the little man

2010-07-07T23:55:00.000-07:00

Guess who slept 9 hours straight last night?! Yup, you heard it right, 5 weeks old. I can't believe it. How did I get so lucky. I don't know that babies come any better than this little man. I could just eat him up!

Gotta love the parted hair. I expected it to start falling out bit but that hasn't happened yet. I hope it stays, it makes him look so mature.

He got his daddy's blue eyes. That makes me very happy!

One more interesting fact about Jimmy. He has a 3rd and 4th nipple! Yup, he probably wouldn't like me announcing it but it's true.The doctor confirmed it. You can kind of see them in the picture. They are very faint but definitely there below his normal ones. The doctor said they fade as they grow. Super fun, huh Jimmy!

A tribute to Dizzy

2010-07-06T21:34:00.000-07:00

I just learned that Dizzy died a few days ago of cancer. For all those from Mesa Arizona you know exactly who I'm talking about but for everyone else this video will give you a glimpse into the life of a man we all loved. You could always count on Dizzy to make you smile as you drove down Main street. Dan and I even had an awesome dance move we learned from that great man. Thank you Dizzy. Your love of God and joy of life was spread far beyond the intersection of Stapley and Main!

Boys will be boys

2010-07-05T23:29:00.000-07:00

We have a great little park around the corner from our house. It has a nice little play structure and a grassy area but the part Andrew enjoys is the little forest attached. When we visit the park, I typically find myself following him around as he finds cool sticks and charges through the brush.

The green here is unreal!

Andrew particularly enjoys this super cool tree. There are plenty of crevices for him to climb inside, sit, and throw dirt. That's his favorite.

(see all those sticks and branches on the ground. He trips on them over and over again. Doesn't even phase him though. He just hops right up and keeps on trekin')

He also loves the dirt hill slide.

Are you catching on to the theme? This little boy loves dirt.

At least now he's not constantly trying to eat it.

That's a new development.

It's amazing to me to see how inherent it is for little boys to do little boy things like this. Yesterday he picked up a little Nerf gun, pointed at his dad, and started doing shooting sound effects. Where did he get that? Seriously? Not to mention the sound effects that go along with toy cars. I get such a kick out of this little boy. Can't wait to see Jimmy trailing right behind him through that forest.

.............boys.

Good friends make life oh so good!

2010-07-04T17:41:00.000-07:00

We've lived here in Sherwood for a little over a year now. The best part about this place is the people. We have made such incredible friends. Good friends make life SO much better, especially as a stay at home mom. It's the only way to stay sane! Fortunately for me, there are a whole load of women in this area who get to be full time moms. So it's not too hard to find someone to meet you at the park or the zoo, go on a walk, plan a fun activity, or go for a girls night out. It's so nice to have friends who are always willing to help when in a bind or have an appointment and can't take the little munchins. What's interesting is that most of us moved in within the last year or two which made it that much easier because we all need each other.

(Lunch and pedicure with the girls for my birthday!! Check out all those pregnant bellies! Can you guess which one is the faker!)

Andrew adores all of his little friends! Just mention any one of their names and he starts jumping and screaming with excitement. Every time the door bell rings he looks at me and says "Mimi?" (aka: Addie) or "Bow-wow?" (aka: Baur)

His buddies at "Pump it Up", aka- the "jump jump place"

Hangin at the park

Speaking of Mimi and Bow-wow, Amy and my other good friend Haley and their kiddos came over the other day and played in the back yard. It made for such a fun afternoon. They were all so cute I couldn't help but take a bunch of pictures. Especially of Andrew and his girlfriend Addie. Obviously by the cast, Addie is a pretty tough little girl and she loves to play with balls so she and Andrew get along real well.

On the left we have the ever so cute and wonderful Bow-wow and Haley

and

On right we have the ever so equally cute Addie and Amy (oh and sweet 'ol Jimmy)

I also have to mention all the wonderful women in our ward. Haley and a few others threw me a baby shower a couple months ago. During the party I looked around at all those amazing women and was overwhelmed with gratitude for their friendship and example. They all are at different stages with their families and I just love to sit back and take notes about what their doing and how their doing it so I can do the same with my little family. They all have such positive attitudes about life and motherhood. Oh man I love these women!

We just LOVE our friends!

Prego with James

2010-07-04T00:07:00.000-07:00

My good friend Jen did a little photo shoot of me while I was pregnant with Jimmy. I'm glad she was insistent about doing this because I probably would not have done them and now I'm so glad I have that time documented. While pregnant I just feel large and awkward but really it's such a miracle and should be celebrated.

This pregnancy was much more difficult than the last. Probably because this time around I was chasing a little toddler around all day. I went from being so sick in the 1st trimester to a broken tailbone during the second trimester (which was completely miserable). Once it got to the point where I wasn't so uncomfortable with the tailbone I was well into the 3rd trimester, and we all know how comfy that gets. So needless to say I've been pretty happy about being NOT pregnant. (oh did I mention the sinus infection, yeah, first time, not fun. After that experience I was glad to be JUST pregnant).

My good friend Tangi had her baby girl 2 days before James was born. Gotta hate when you're friend is due the same time but you happen to be double her size, jerk :). But really it was so fun to go through it all together. Now we get to tackle the newborn thing together too!

Although we tried over and over again to explain that there was a baby in mommy's belly, Andrew never quite grasped that concept. He thought Jimmy was code for belly. Whenever we'd ask where baby Jimmy was, he'd lift up his shirt and point. He didn't pay much attention to the growing belly, however, it did help ween him from his bottle. I used to rock him at night while he drank one. The belly eventually made that routine too uncomfortable and he refused to do it anymore. Bye-bye bottle! (I do miss that cuddle time thought).

I gotta say, I don't miss being pregnant right now but I am grateful for the ability and experience. It's a love-hate relationship for me but really I consider it God's greatest gift. Such a miracle.

Back to Blogging

2010-07-02T19:04:00.000-07:00

I want to blog again. I didn't want to for a long while, but now I do, and I'm doin' it! Here are my reasons:

It's a great way to document life (which is passing very quickly)
It connects me to friends and family who are away and who I miss very much.
It gets me thinking about life and is a great outlet for those thoughts
It motivates me to take more pictures and actually do something with them

And since this is how I work, I've decided to make a goal to blog everyday for the rest of this month. You know, just to get me back in the habit again.

So away we go!!

Dan and I went out last night to celebrate our 6th anniversary. Every year we go out to dinner (and no, we didn't go to sonic,although I do LOVE their limeades, this is just the most recent pic I have of us) and talk about the previous year in detail. We talk about highs, lows, emotions, facts, progress, our relationship, etc. It's a good opportunity to look back and see where we've been and where we're going. We concluded that although we feel so happy and blessed, this year has been rough! I'm pretty sure we came to the same conclusion during our recap last year too. Hopefully this doesn't become a consistent pattern:). But as I say this all I can think about is how grateful I am for it all. The Lord has absolutely been looking out for us and keeping us afloat. He's been showing us our weaknesses and helping us make them our strengths. I think that right there describes it best. Nuff said!

Just to give a little update of where we are and what we're doing now...

In a matter of one month we got a new home, new job, and a new baby!!! A little crazy but new is fun!

First off we moved again (but not too far) from our apartment to a duplex here in Sherwood Oregon. We now have a yard (YAY!) and a garage (I was so done with apartment parking!).

Thanks to craigslist we were able to make the yard extra fun with this little trampoline..

And this rabbit...

I'm not sure what it is with me and rabbits but I sure love them and so does Andrew. We named him 'Bubba' (something Andrew could say) and after barricading the yard, we let him roam free. Who knew we were getting such a tame little guy. He's like a dog. He hops right up to you and wants to be pet. He even lays there and lets Andrew throw dirt at him. We can't open up the back door without him hoping in and making himself comfy in our living room. Andrew then chases him around. Totally entertaining. He often sits by the door and begs to come in. I think even Dan likes him. He's a keeper.

Next, a new job. Dan has been through a few different jobs this past year but now he's back to doing the garage biz full time. Wish us luck...again! You can check out the website to see exactly what he's up to: http://www.gorgeousgarage.com/

Then there's Jimmy! Oh man he's a little angel. If every baby was like him I'm pretty sure I'd have a dozen. At about 2 1/2 weeks old he went ahead and slept through the night and he's been doing it pretty much every night since (he's 1 month old now). Oh be still my heart! And who's that good lookin' man, hubba-hubba!

As for me, I'm enjoying the full time mommy life. It took me a while to fully accept (and love) that as my primary role but now that I have, it is SO rewarding. I even cook now! I know!

Well that's us and if you care to find out more, just come back tomorrow because I'll be here all month!

I'll leave you with some fun pictures from the last little while, enjoy!

He does this after almost every meal. Makes a mommy feel like she's doing a good job:)

Daddy's boy!

Just like Papa...

Father's Day with his boys.

I'm out!

James Alan Ruden

2010-06-15T16:06:00.000-07:00

Introducing JAMES ALAN RUDEN!!!

aka: Jimmy

Born June 1, 2010

8lbs, 11oz, 22 inches long

Labor and delivery went really well. Much easier than with Andrew. I was induced again when I was 5 days overdue. My babies just don't know how to come on their own (or I'm just impatient - Andrew was 4 days overdue). They started the pitocin at around 4pm and I delivered at 9:06pm. Gotta love modern medicine!

My mom came in town a few days before Jimmy was born. She was able to be there in the delivery room when the little man was born.

Andrew thinks Jimmy is pretty cool although he doesn't pay him much attention, which I prefer at this point.

Gramma and Bapa think he's something special too!

Jimmy's middle name comes from his Bapa Alan. Very fitting since he came out with blonde hair and blue eyes just like his Bapa.

Jimmy was extra spoiled by all the visits from Aunts, Uncles, and cousins!

My dad came in town a couple days after we got home from the hospital. So fun to have them here!

Andrew sure liked all the attention from his Papa and Nana. He had an entire audience for all his awesome tricks.

Andrew had a bad cough and runny nose when we got home from the hospital so we didn't draw much attention to the new baby in the house. After a few days though, Andrew finally asked if he could hold Jimmy. Of course we made a big fuss about it and took lots of pics. Andrew was so sweet with him.

Speaking of Andrew, he's awesome! This kid amazes us. He's almost 22 months and is as active a kid as you'll ever meet. I'm not sure he knows how to walk, it's a full sprint wherever he goes. The only thing that keeps this kid still is when he gets to play with my iphone (I apologize for any random phone calls from my son). He loves any kind of sports balls, bikes, dogs, jumping off of things, chasing older kids at the park, jumping in on soccer/bball/any kind of ball games anyone might be playing, wrestling with his dad, saying "night night" to everything and everyone before going to bed, playing with his friends, swimming with dad (completely fearless-scares me to death), ginkies (binkie), stealing our apples (we can only get in a bite or two until he insists on having it), looking at pictures and home videos of himself - not Jimmy, jumping on his new trampoline (pictures below), chasing around his rabbit - Bubba, going on walks in his stroller, playing with his cousins, and throwing the occasional tantrum. Basically, he's practically perfect in every way. But that's just our opinon, I think his grandparents agree with us too.

I mean seriously, check out this athlete! All boy!

Back to Jimmy -- From what we've been able to learn from him so far, he's pretty much perfect as well. How in the world did we get so lucky!:) He's a pretty mellow kid, eats well, and has only been waking up 1 or two times each night which I am incredibly grateful for (Andrew didn't sleep that long until he was 8 months). I forgot how much newborns poop, he's doing pretty awesome at that too. That's kinda the run down of a newborn though... eats, sleeps, poops, and has his parents enthralled will every cute little, gassy face he makes.

We just love these boys of ours! We feel so incredibly blessed and grateful that all went well with the pregnancy and birth. Thank you for all your well wishes and help as we adjust to our family of 4!

Bye for now!

Validation

2010-04-21T14:18:00.000-07:00

Christmas in Arizona!

2010-01-16T13:37:00.000-08:00

Okay, so this might be the lamest thing I've ever done on this blog but obviously I'm having a hard time getting around to posting pictures etc. SO, I'm going to redirect you to my sister-in-laws blog to tell you about our amazing Christmas and New Years in AZ! She basically sums up everything we did as a family and even has a few pictures of Dan, Andrew, and myself. Also, take note of the absolutely adorable nieces and nephews. I sure love all those kiddos.
http://71toes.blogspot.com/2010/01/in-laws-christmas-wrap-up.html

Andrew and I went down for a little over 3 weeks! I was in heaven. It was the best trip down to AZ I've ever had. Andrew could not get enough of the cousins, tangerines, and long walks in the sun. Dan joined us for about 10 days at the end. The first day he got there we took a nap together on the trampoline (ahhhh....). The oranges were just too good to describe and the time with family and friends was incredible. It's a whole different experience going down there now that we have a kid. Kids just make life a whole lot more fun.
Speaking of, we are have a little boy at the end of May. I'm pretty sure we're naming him James but calling him Jimmy. Now that I'm past the first trimester, I'm feeling great. This little dude is wiggling and jiggling inside me all the time and I love it! This is the fun part of pregnancy! I get a little stressed thinking about having two little ones but we'll take that on when it comes. Andrew will be about 21 months when James comes along. I've been told it can be pretty rough in the beginning but I look forward to them having each other so close in age.
Well, there are a few other things that made it on my New Years Resolutions besides blogging so I'm not sure how often this will be updated but I'll do what I can.... HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Blogger issues

2009-11-05T15:13:00.000-08:00

I have a question for all those blogger users. When I'm trying to put together a new post I can't seem to move around the pictures like I used to. It makes me want to throw a fist through the computer screen. Is anyone else having this issue? Every time I try to do a new post I give up because it's so frustrating to me. What's the problem? Is it me or is it blogger???

Unexpect Blessings

2009-10-19T12:59:00.000-07:00

Funny how you plan and plan and plan for life and in almost every way possible, things happen completely opposite of the set plan. After all the unsuccessful plans Dan and I have made over the past couple of years, it's interesting that we still feel the need to have one. Then as we look back and contrast our plan versus how things actually turn out, we are almost always grateful for the reality over the failed plan. Probably because it helps us remember who's really in charge and He helps us feel at peace with His plan for us.

With that said, we are grateful to announce, we are expecting child #2!! He or she will join our little family the end of May or beginning of June 2010. Dan is thrilled and I am feeling pretty miserably sick and tired but during the random good days I occassionaly have (like today), I'm pretty excited too. Not to say I'm not incredibly nervous about having two babies less than 2 years apart, but many have done worse so I guess I can't complain. I think I would be a little more nervous if this little dude weren't the most amazing little guy EVER! I'll take a dozen of him!

Are you loving this cool guys outfit, yeah nothing more awesome than sweat pants and vans:).

1 YEAR and a month

2009-09-27T19:26:00.001-07:00

We have been eating this guy up lately. He is too much fun. He started walking the first week in September and he hasn't paused since. I LOVE this stage. Some of my favorites...
- He's starting to understand things like "go get your blankie".
- He says "uh, uh" (kinda like "ruff ruf") whenever he sees a dog.
- He gives big wide open kisses
- His dance moves included the squat, spinning, and arm flapping
- He started the 'throw yourself on the floor' protest (maybe not my favorite thing, but still pretty cute)
- He has 4 top teeth and 3 bottom, perfect for taking care of all the food he scarfs everyday.
- He has the biggest pot-belly. We love to let him hang out without his shirt so he can show it off.
- He LOVES the bath. When I take him in and start the water, he goes to his toy basket and makes sure all of his toys make it in the tub before he tries to climb in himself.
- I'm loving his hair lately. Big 'ol semi-curly mop.
- Whenever he sees our friends kids he starts screaming with delight, then he runs over and hits them on the head (we're workin' on it).
- He's impossible at church. That's why we got him some nice Sunday clothes so at least he looks cute while he's running the halls. - He loves other kids especially the older ones, always following them around.
- If there's a ball in the room, he will find it, and don't even think about taking it away.
- Give him anything and eventually he will throw it. It's only a problem in his high chair and at the grocery store.
- He's a momma's boy :)
- Peek a boo NEVER gets old
- He won't sit still while I change his diaper unless I sing, Old McDonald usually does the trick.
- He likes to bring me books to read. I'll start reading and by page 3 he's off.
- He LOVES being outside. What will we do once the rain comes! - He thinks it's really funny when we say "no".
- His current list of words: "kaka" = cracker, daddy, dadu = thank you, bye bye.
- He likes to tackle
- He's a tough kid, not much crying from injuries. Whinning to be held, now that's another story.
- New walker injuries to date: gash in eyebrow and lip, goose egg on the head, and scratches on the face from a face plant into the bark chips.
- Did I mention he's the cutest thing we've ever seen?

My Big News!!

2009-09-23T07:17:00.000-07:00

I am extremely excited to announce the launch of my business website www.accentreductioncenter.com!!! CHECK IT OUT!!!!

A huge THANK YOU to the amazingly talented Angela Hardison with SeeSaw Design for her incredible graphic design skills. You must check out her blog, she is one of a kind.
Another huge THANK YOU to Jason McKenzie for building the site with his ever so talented SEO skills. Let me know if you need a good web programmer, I'll get you his info.

For those of you who are hearing about this for the first time, let me explain. The Accent Reduction Center is an online course for non-native English speaking adults who are having a difficult time communicating effective in their profession as a result of their foreign accent. We offer a variety of live instructional courses via video conferencing (100% online, typically about 12 weeks long).

This business idea was first introduced to me about 3 years ago by an amazing woman who was my supervisor in the schools. Although she was unable to pursue it herself due to family health issues, she was supportive of me as I started looking more into it. In March I got serious and started spending every free minute researching and eventually started working on the business development. I spent the summer getting trained, writing content for the website, and getting my program ready for actual clients.

I started my first 3 clients about 3 weeks ago and I start a 4th client next week. It's been going extremely well. We've had a few small tech glitches but nothing we haven't been able to fix. I'm completely confident in my program and truly enjoy working with these incredibly intelligent and motivated adults. So, if you know anyone looking for a quality, online, accent reduction program, direct them to the ACCENT REDUCTION CENTER!

My nieces are SO cute!

2009-09-01T08:15:00.000-07:00

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY!!

2009-08-19T22:51:00.001-07:00

Happy 1st Birthday my amazing little boy! I just can't get enough of you! Almost walking...
His cousins did a great job celebrating with him!
Happy Birthday to cousin Tilly who turned 1 only 5 days before!
The actual day of his bday we made a visit to the doctor (poor sick kid) then went swimming with some friends and then out to Famous Dave's for dinner. I think he enjoyed himself even though he probably would have preferred to go home and get some sleep.

Happy 1st bday little boy. How about a big kiss!

Andrew walking

2009-08-14T22:19:00.001-07:00

Sorry about the lack of posts this summer but hopefully this video will get the ball rolling again. Enjoy!

All moved in!

2009-06-10T19:43:00.000-07:00

Boxes are unpacked, pictures are hung (mostly), and we are into our routine here in Sherwood. We are definitely loving it so far. Andrew seems pretty happy with it all... Dan and I both have our home offices set up; his in our bedroom and mine in the extra room. What a great guy to let me have my own space. We've spent some good time in the pool at our apartment complex plus we still find our way over to Grandma and Grandpa's pool every once in a while. Andrew loves the water and gets a little upset whenever we have to get out.
We have met some wonderful people here already. We met a great couple at the pool our first week and ended up at their house for a BBQ that night. We've done a number of things with them since. They are a ton of fun, we love hanging out with them! It helps that we are interested in a lot of the same things, including photography! I'm so excited to have a friend who likes to go play with the kids and our cameras. Doesn't hurt that she has kids this cute...
And that she is this beautiful!

Plus now I can finally get some good pictures of ME and Andrew! Thanks Jen!We also discovered the Sherwood farmers market last Saturday. It's close enough to walk plus we found out about this elderly group who make delicious doughnuts downtown for $.50 each. We couldn't resist. We came home with fresh strawberries, a bag full of veggies, and this amazing bouquet of flowers for only $10. I can't tell you how much I loved the smell and the feel of having these in my home. Bliss. Have a good one!!

Audrey's Wedding

2009-06-05T10:05:00.000-07:00

Miss me? I knew you would:). Once you get so behind in blogging it's hard to get the motivation to get back into it. But today I did!! Hooray for me! My motivation was sparked by these pics I took for Audrey's AMAZING, MAGICAL, PERFECTLY PLANNED weekend of friends, love, and oh so much fun! (to learn more about Audrey, go here)

Dan, Andrew, and I flew into SLC on Saturday the 23rd of May. Dan dropped me off to meet up with the girls at a spa. We got Sushi for dinner then headed over to the melting pot for dessert. I LOVE these girls! It was so fun to be together with the 3 A's again plus we had plenty of time to bond with the Heidi's and Amy.

On Sunday I spent the day (my 26th bday) at my sister Julie's in Layton. My parents and sister CL made it as well. We had a great day with a fabulous meal, delicious cake, and a whole lot of quality time.

On Monday we enjoyed a fun picnic with Audrey and Josh's families. We felt pretty special to be included. Both of them scored when it comes to in laws, greatest families ever! After the picnic we freshened up a bit and made our way over to Red Butte Gardens for a quick wedding rehearsal. Then it was off to Josh's parents home for the rehearsal dinner. The setting was beautiful and the food was AMAZING. We had a great time sitting around and enjoying all the family and friends. These two were the most fun to watch, the little love birds. As the evening was winding down the 3 A's (Audrey, Ashley, and Annie) were able to steal away for a little while. I was taking pics of Audrey... Then it turned into Audrey and Ashley...

Then Ashley's hubby Derek came by and took a few of the three of us. Which ALWAYS turns into this...Then this...
And finally after at least 15 or more not-so-flattering belly laughing shots, we are able to pull it together for this... Oh man, I LOVE THESE GIRLS!!!After the evening came to a close, I kissed my hubby and boy goodnight and went off with the girls to Audrey's house for a night-before-wedding sleepover. Fun stuff. I can't tell you how much fun it was to be with Audrey the night before she got married. What a special time in life. She was so giddy. After all the girl talk and some super flattering just-before-bed pics, we finally made our way to bed. We got up early the day of the wedding and went for a little run somewhere up in the SL mountains, beautiful view, wish I had my camera. Then we went back to Aud's got showered then headed to get our nails done, followed by hair. A serious day of pampering. While Audrey was getting her hair done Ashley and I went to get her ring cleaned. I, of course, took my ring off and put it in my purse and proudly wore Audrey's big 'ol diamond the rest of the day. Don't worry, I gave it back.

On our way back we picked up Audrey, threw the dresses in the car, and headed to Red Butte. All the girls got ready together then headed for the big "production". The most amazing moment of the ceremony was watching Audrey "walk down the aisle" or pathway in this case. There wasn't a dry eye. She was beaming and there could be no other person in the world that deserved that level of happiness then Audrey. She was beautiful and she finally found someone who, like her father said in his toast, could "bring the light back in her life".

After the ceremony we did pictures then enjoyed Italian soda's while waiting for them to take their own pics. We had an amazing dinner, every detail of that dinner hall was gorgeous.

During dinner a few of Audrey and Josh's family and friends made toasts to the newly weds. They were a beautiful combination of tender and hilarious. They made the obvious case that these two were meant for each other and will have an incredible life together. Welcome to the family Josh!

CONGRATULATIONS AUDREY AND JOSH!!! WE LOVE YOU!!! PS. The MVP husband award for the weekend goes to DAN!! He was the most amazing, supportive husband in the world. He took over baby duty for almost the entire 5 days and let me enjoy every minute I could with Audrey. Not only that but he did it with a big smile and not a word of complaint. Thank you my dear, I LOVE YOU!

Beach house

2009-05-13T19:41:00.000-07:00

We made it over to the beach house for the last time a couple weekends ago. Dan's parents are selling it this week and we will miss if very much. Our great friends Abraham, Sara, and their little Penelope joined us. Good times.

Cowboy Caviar

2009-05-05T13:56:00.000-07:00

A few friends were asking for this recipe so I thought I'd share it with the rest of you. I got it from my sister Laurel. It's a pretty delicious chip dip...

Cowboy Caviar

11oz can Shoepeg Corn

12oz can black beans - drained

2-3 diced tomatoes

1 bunch green onion

2 avacados chopped

1/2 - 3/4 Cup Cilantro

1 pkg Italian dressing

1 1/2 lime juice

1/4 tsp Cumin

Garlic Salt to taste

Click Chicks Weekend

2009-04-28T09:55:00.000-07:00

On Saturday my wonderful hubby took the boy while I went over to the coast with some of my photographer lady friends. Seriously the coolest group of girls ever!! We talked photo at the beach house then walked over to the beach for a little photo session. We didn't shoot for long but I got some great tips to take home and play with. We took turns being the model. What a SASSY group of girls!!!

Dianne's McGiver move... yeah, she's THAT good!

A little fun with post processing...

I get to 2nd shoot a wedding in August with Sara Gray (3rd from the right). THANKS SARA! CAN'T WAIT!

Change of plans...again

2009-04-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

Over the last year our "plans" have changed just about every couple of months. Things have been a little up in the air to say the least. It doesn't help (or does, depending on how you look at it) that Dan and I are quick decision makers. When we feel good about something, we don't mull over it for too long. This last week was no exception. On Friday night we got talking about our next move and realized that we needed to go with our original plan and move to Sherwood. On Tuesday we went rental shopping. On Wednesday we applied and our application was accepted. On May 15th we'll be moving into an apartment in Sherwood...decision made.

Tulip Festival

2009-04-20T14:42:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we took our little family to the annual Tulip Festival in Woodburn. Unfortunately we weren't the only one's who thought that was a good idea. It took us 3 1/2 hours to drive 40 miles to this great event. Totally worth it! Andrew loved ...... eating everything. We could NOT keep him from grabbing everything within his reach and putting it in his mouth. We call him our little ninja cuz he's so fast! We were fishing thing out of his mouth all day! And after skipping a nap, he was pretty ready to go home.
HAPPY SPRING EVERYONE!!!

Social Contract

2009-04-17T11:28:00.000-07:00

This last week there have been two separate situations that have caused me to sit back and analyze myself a little more. Now, I'm fully aware that I can be pretty blunt, sometimes a little too honest (some things just shouldn't be said), unintentionally insensitive, and quite competitive but I don't think I realized to what extent.

The first situation was a conversation I had with a good friend of mine. We got talking about first impressions and she filled me in on her first reaction to me. A couple of years ago when we first moved here we spent New Years Eve playing games with this couple. We were playing death Jenga (a little spin on regular Jenga to make it more interesting). Of course, I got all into it because it's a game and I'm a little competitive, okay, a lot competitive. I guess in my mind,that's what makes games fun. Well, my friend couldn't feel more opposite. She told me that after we went home she and her husband had a conversation about me. Apparently she took my playful competitiveness as if I was trying to be rude or mean. Her husband told her "I think what you see is what you get with Annie". That's really what it comes down to for me. I don't have ulterior motives, I am just a little rough around the edges. I'm glad he said what he said because thankfully she gave me another chance and now we are great friends.

That conversation got me thinking which led to an in depth conversation later that night with Dan. Dan is wonderful, he definitely counters my abrasiveness. He is a wonderful communicator and always finds a way to soften what I say. He was able to give me some good honest feedback and I realized that I really needed to focus on being more sensitive. I think often I get in my head what I want and then go full speed ahead towards it without taking into consideration the feelings or opinions of others. That's not okay and I need to work on it.

A few days later I was watching an episode of "House" called "Social Contract". If you haven't seen it you should go to hulu.com and watch it. Basically this guy has a neurological disorder and can't filter what he says so he ends up being brutally honest with everyone, not abiding by societies "social contract". The main character, Gregory House, has the same tendency and really has only one friend who is okay that they don't have any kind of contract. I'm definitely not THAT extreme but it did help me realize why I've always had a hard time clicking with other girls and why it takes a special person to be my friend.

So, for all those I've unintentionally offended, I apologize. I'm not a mean spirited person, I just don't have enough of a filter, but I'm working on it! A big THANK YOU to the friends I do have, you are pretty special people.

SALE PENDING!

2009-04-10T13:53:00.000-07:00

That's right, there IS someone out there who can buy a house and they chose OURS!!! We are thrilled and feel great about the price. We will be renting a newly finished duplex around the corner for a while until we can figure out our next move.

I'm a little sad to leave this great home but this is such a huge blessing for us right now. YAY!

7 MONTHS

2009-04-09T11:07:00.000-07:00

We're still here and this little boy is still growing! We've notice he has tapered off in the weight department but we've seen such a change in his "look" and development. He's definitely more active and interested in the world around him. His latest tricks.... full turn-abouts on the belly, scooting backwards, big reaches for toys with a little help from the back foot, he can go from sitting to a full side reach back to sitting again, etc. etc. He's getting to be so fun and interactive.

The one "trick" we (I should say "I" since I'm the one who listens to it all day) just LOVE is the high pitch scream he does every few seconds. It's not a cry, more like he discovered his voice and how high and loud he can get it and he REALLY likes the way it sounds. I literally have to put ear plugs in my ears because it physically hurts, it's that high and loud... and constant. He also likes to do a low growl, I like that one a whole lot more. Makes me smile every time. Besides the vocal play we are enjoying this little guy SO much. It blows me away that we get to keep him! He really is such a great baby. Very easy going, not much ruffles his feathers. Andrew and I were "on the road" to AZ, Utah, and Idaho for 3 of the 4 weeks in March and he was a champ. There were a few sleep issues but even with not much sleep he continues to have such a sweet disposition.

Most of the time...

Oh man, this one melts my heart.

What's the HAPS?

2009-02-23T19:56:00.000-08:00

Here's what we've been up to:

Dan has been working his tail off trying to get his business up and running. He was working all last weekend (Thurs - Sun) at a home show in Portland. This is his 3rd home show and hopes to do one almost every month. Makes for a long week/weekend for both of us, but is usually worth it. He has also been doing several remodel projects. I'm not sure I remember what it's like to have Dan home at night. I'm sure grateful for his hard work, love that man!
He just got his trailer wrapped with graphics, looks pretty cool if you ask me.
Our home is officially up for sale. We've been official for a few weeks but have had only 2 not-so-promising showings. Apparently it's not a great time to sell a home. Who knew.

I am starting up a private speech practice from my home. A former client was wanting me to see her son privately so I looked into what it would take to bill insurance, etc. It's looking pretty promising so I'm going for it. The business is called Clear Communication: Speech Therapy Services. I should be ready to go in the next few weeks. Wish me luck!

I've been getting in touch with several wedding/portrait photographers from the Portland area. We are going to start getting together once a month. I'm thrilled to get to know these women. They are all amazingly talented photographers and I'm WAY out of my league but I'm eager to learn and what better way then to network with the BEST! Here are a few: Missy , Deyla , Melissa, Jenni, Megan. Here are a couple pics from some of my recent shoots (besides what's on my photo blog).

I've been getting crafty lately for bdays. I've made a frog, birthday banner, and a personalized memory game. I'm reminded how much I LOVE to sew! I forgot to take a pic of the memory game but here's where I got the idea.

Andrew and I are headed to Arizona on Sunday to babysit 6 of my fantastic neices and nephews for a week while their parents go to Hawaii. Oranges....Sunny skies.... family.....Mesa....CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am in charge of planning our ward activities. Our next activity is this Saturday. We divided up the adults in the ward to go to different families homes for dinner. We are then meeting up at the church for dessert. We have 74 adults participating. Should be fun. I like planning parties. Next up, ward lip-sync :)

Andrew is all smiles and giggles lately (besides the week of croup). Peek-a-boo is a hit!

6 MONTHS!

2009-02-18T21:16:00.000-08:00

Happy 6 months Andrew!!

Technically it was yesterday, but I had to make sure we had the stats:

17.8 lbs, 56%

26.8 inches, 63%

Andrew celebrated his 6 month birthday with a case of croup, poor little guy. Gave us a good scare the other night but he's doing much better now. Hopefully he'll be back to his happy, content, smiley self in no time.

We sure love you, boy!

What a weekend!

2009-02-16T09:54:00.000-08:00

For Valentine's Day we spent the weekend at the beach house with our good friends JP and Brittany. We had the greatest time! The weather was amazing, Andrew was a doll, and JP and Brittany were hilarious. Here's a recap:

Got out the door a little later than we wanted, corn dog hut was closed, corn dog hunt continued..

Rocked out all night playing ROCK BAND. Dan has crazy mad beginner skills on the drums, Brittany must stay home all day practicing the guitar - EXPERT 100%. JPizzlnizzle's avitar was hot and everyone sucks at vocals, although I think I got extra points for the running man.
Andrew slept like a champ

Lazy morning, great chats, out the door by noon.
Incredible hike on the Cascade trail. Perfect weather and perfect baby in the Bjorne.

JP fulfilled his bucket list dream of driving on the beach, and never felt cooler.
Sand dunes, the cape, and new territory.

My zen moment of nursing Andrew at the edge of the cape. I was one with the universe:)
Fat Freddies - burgers, fries, milkshakes, and CORN DOGS - mission accomplished!

Relaxing at the beach house, great conversation, and homemade pizzas.

Oh yeah, and HAPPY VALENTINES DAY! - Dan managed to sneak a little V-day treat and card in, how sweet.

Playing with Vintage

2009-01-26T22:10:00.000-08:00

Andrew's latest and greatest

2009-01-25T17:52:00.000-08:00

This little guy has been melting our hearts lately. What a sweet boy. I have a lot of other things to write about including Christmas and then our trip to see Nana and Papa (which I'll definitely get to) but I want to write and make sure I don't forget this stage. Here are Andrew's latest traits and tricks:

Just turned 5 months old on the 17th!!
He's big, I mean REALLY big. According to Dan and our unofficial scale he's around 18-19 pounds. I call him my chunky monkey.
He's not rolling over yet but he can sit up pretty well. The only rolling we're getting is this half roll and it mostly happens in the tub. Speaking of rolls...
We figured out this morning that he recognizes his name. We administered a little test, he did not respond to Jacob or Kale, but he did respond to Andrew. Yup, it's official, he's the smartest 5 month old in town.
Andrew is ALL smiles. The best is when we go in to get him in the morning. I gotta get that on video.
He's ticklish under his arms and on his back, cute to see him squirm.
He has been sucking his thumb lately. It looks a little something like this... (fingers out, never tucked)
He is officially too fat for the bumbo chair. So sad. It was fun while it lasted.
He just grew out of size 3 diapers. Maybe we can pass on all the extra's to his 1 year old cousin.
Sleeping like a champ. He goes 12-14 hours at night waking up twice to eat which only takes about 10 minutes... GLORIOUS!!!
Naps are nothing to brag about.
He has a little cold right now, and his mom really likes to suck his boogers out with that little gadget, poor guy.
He's all about the squeals and slobbery raspberries.
He has a fantastic bald strip along the back of his head. Thinking about shaving the mullet.
He's a cuddler, and I was praying for a cuddler.
Whenever I nurse him he touches my face with his hand. It makes me want to have a dozen just like him.
nursing is my favorite and judging by his size, Andrew likes it too.
Whenever anyone holds him, he keeps his eyes on his mom. I love it, dad doesn't as much.
He gives big open mouth slobbery kisses. He gets so many kisses from his mom all day he probably just wants to return the gesture.
Love this boy...

Catch-up part 1 - Thanksgiving

2009-01-16T19:56:00.000-08:00

I am in need of some major catch up. Let's start with Thanksgiving. We spent Thanksgiving in Arizona with my family. We stayed with my brother Dave and his family. His wife Shawni wrote about it here.

Except for a baby who wouldn't sleep without his swing (which we ended up buying on Craigs list while there), we had a fantastic time. Instead of writing about it all, I'll just show pics...

The Turkey Trot - all who ran from the fam...

Andrew and I were there to support (and Dan was in bed)...

neices and nephew playing at Nana and Papa's house...

Thanksgiving night we got together with my cousins. There were over 40 kids at the house, complete chaos, but fun to catch up with my cousins...

Had lunch with my high school friends Stephanie and Spencer. Spencer brought his little guy, Benson. We went to get pics of the two boys and Benson threw up all over Andrew's head.

He didn't like our reaction...

When we tried to get a pic with Steph and Andrew threw up all over her, too funny...

Took the neices and nephews to bounce-u...

Dan looking for a challenger...

Some of my sisters...

CL and the little man...

FHE with the cousins...

Andrew was all loves with his chin kisses...

I was glad to return the love...

Lucy and Andrew enjoyed some good nakie time together...

We also enjoyed lots of late night chats with Dave and Shawni. Thanks for letting us stay with you guys, we love you!!

She's Engaged!!!!

2009-01-14T21:45:00.000-08:00

Nobody deserves this more than her. CONGRATULATIONS Audrey and Josh!!!!!!!!
Josh, you found yourself one AMAZING woman!

More snow pics

2008-12-28T15:43:00.001-08:00

On average we get about 2 inches of snow each year. These last 2 weeks we have had close to 2 feet! Our city doesn't even own a snow plow so this is what our roads looked like for over a week.

Better late than never

2008-12-28T14:43:00.000-08:00

Andrew finally got his Christmas presents yesterday. His two wonderful Grandparents got him an exersaucer and a bumbo chair. We got them off of Craig's list but weren't able to go pick them up until yesterday because of the snow. Andrew was very understanding and is having a whole lot of fun now!

He also just discovered the little friend in the mirror on his floor gym. It has been a big week!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

2008-12-19T21:14:00.000-08:00

Clear, quiet morning after the storm...

2008-12-19T19:55:00.001-08:00

Last night we got more snow and this morning could not have been more beautiful...

Andrew and his daddy watching through the window...

The latest and greatest

2008-12-17T20:33:00.000-08:00

ANDREW IS SLEEPING IN HIS CRIB!!! (we are proud of him and REALLY proud of ourselves)

I got bangs and I love them. This is the lowest maintenance haircut I've ever had.

I've been getting some photography jobs and learning a ton each time I shoot.

My friend Brittany and I spent the whole afternoon yesterday making Santa cookies (a Pothier family tradition). She's fun.

We got hit with a HUGE snow storm. The Portland area doesn't know how to handle the snow except to close down EVERYTHING!
With school being cancelled, we've had time to make real snow cones...

Followed by hot chocolate, sugar cookies, and a fire.

During the first night of snow and ice, Dan's friends Abraham and Solomon came to the door, asking "can Dan come out and play?" They spent the next half hour trying to stay on their bikes.
Left our Christmas shopping until the last minute and now we can't get anywhere with this snow. But it's okay because we're broke and we weren't going to buy presents anyway:)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!

This is my idea of a good time!!

2008-12-12T21:43:00.000-08:00

Oh the fun one can have with a new lens, an old barn, and some spunky 16 year olds. I stayed up way too late last night playing with these on my computer. I have too many favorites so I'll just post a whole bunch of them. ENJOY!

I know, creepy. But then look how sweet...

What? You want more of Andrew... OKAY!

2008-12-04T20:01:00.000-08:00

This little one was the biggest champ on the airplane to and from AZ for Thanksgiving. A serious Angel. Sleeping while in AZ on the other hand, what a mess. Unfortunately our son is highly dependent on his aquarium swing and yoga ball (we sit and bounce on it to get him to sleep). We now own TWO aquarium swings, one here in OR and another now in AZ. We must have looked ridiculous packing around these two oversized baby items everywhere we went. Rookie parents.

Our goal now is to free him from these attatchments before our trip to see my parents in Rexburg in January. Wish me luck!
Now for some adorable pics of our fantastic little boy.

Trying to get baby to smile while taking pic = chopped off head

Thanksgiving pics coming soon...

Apple Pickin' & Horses

2008-11-22T12:47:00.000-08:00

I did a photo shoot with a family yesterday. I was thinking we were going to have to stay indoors because of the rain but the rain cleared and we were able to head outside. We had such a great time picking apples and feeding them to my friend's horse. We had a winning combo - cute kids, good weather, and beautiful surroundings. I love doing these photo shoots because it gets me outside doing fun things like this. I get to do it again this afternoon too, can't wait!

We also found this fantastic blue barn. I then spent the rest of the evening and night playing with these photos. There's a serious learning curve I'm having to overcome. I'm really hoping to get faster at the editing process. I'm happy with the results but it took me WAY too much time.

We got rid of our television yesterday so last night while I was on the computer Dan paced through the house trying to figure out what to do. I think there will be a learning curve with that one too.

Tonight will be filled with more computer time for me, which I don't mind at all. I am working on a photo book from Snapfish.com. Oprah was giving away free 20 page books on her show last week so I signed up. Deadline is midnight tonight. I hope I finish!

3 MONTHS OLD!

2008-11-18T20:43:00.000-08:00

I got Andrew giggling tonight, just in time to meet all his Aunts, Uncles, and cousins down in Arizona next week. I don't think you will ever meet a happier or more content child. Oh man I love this guy...

Blue Steel

2008-11-14T20:47:00.000-08:00

The Guys

2008-11-09T20:30:00.000-08:00

And a few for my sister-in-law...

Little hands and toes

2008-11-09T19:30:00.000-08:00

I get such a kick out of these precious little hands and feet. Check out my photography blog for more from this adorable family.

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-06T14:23:00.000-08:00

I think we have started a fantastic Halloween tradition. At about 5:30pm on Halloween evening we got busy setting up in our driveway our recently purchased fire pit and hot cocoa thermos as well as our camping chairs and treat bucket. Dan got the fire going and our good friends Abraham, Sara, and their little Penelope came over with some amazing homemade snacks. We sat out there all evening around the fire enjoying all the little trick or treaters that came our way. Several of our neighbors stopped to chat for a while making the gathering even more enjoyable. We were able to put Andrew down for the night (love those monitors) and Penelope was accommodating enough to fall asleep right out there by the fire in her stroller, giving us more time to hang out with her great parents. I didn't get a picture of them that night, but I do have this... (what a good lookin' family)

Dan's brother and family stopped by the "fi-ya" for a while too...
After all the trick or treaters and friends dispersed, Dan and I lingered around the camp fire. We stared into the hypnotizing flames, held hands, and talked about how much fun this simple activity turned out to be. There were two key elements that made it successful, good food and good people. We find so much joy from the people in our lives. We have been very blessed to find extraordinary people wherever we go. Thank you to all those people out there who make our life rich and meaningful. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

(a little side note to the top picture... I bought that Halloween outfit for Andrew earlier that day, after having it on him for less than 30 minutes he had a total blow out all over it. Knowing that it would be the ONLY time he would ever wear it, I hurried and washed it so he could wear it that evening. Totally worth it, what a cutie)

Weekend Recap

2008-10-28T16:15:00.000-07:00

What a weekend! My head is out of the fog and I can breathe again. Here's a recap...

~ Dan was at a home show all day Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for work. He also worked long hours the few days before making it a very long week/weekend.

~ Andrew had a stomach bug over the weekend and was up all hours of the day and night. Not much sleeping happening for anyone (oh and we also found out yesterday that he has Thrush).

~ On Saturday I hosted a pumpkin carving/cookie decorating party. It was a lot of fun but if I would have known Dan wasn't going to make it, I probably would have canceled. It was a lot of work to host something like that on my own. Let's just say the clean up did not happen until today.

Uncle Sean is all about the entertainment. The barfing pumpkin was a hit.

~ We had an excellent Stake Conference. Andrew slept through both the Saturday evening and the portion of the Sunday sessions I made it to. The Saturday night session is always my favorite. The spirit is always so strong and the talks are always exactly what I need to hear.

~ I had my first really big mommy breakdown on Sunday evening. I was beyond exhausted, Andrew was screaming, and I couldn't handle it any more. Thanks to my sister-in-law Amy for taking the boy while I slept and thanks to her 2 1/2 year old son Zack for being close enough to the spirit to be the answer to my prayers and know that Aunt Annie needed help.

~Also a big thanks to Dan for sending me over to his parents house and taking full night duty so I could get a full nights sleep. I obviously was a total wreck.

~ I learned that I need to do a better job about asking for help before it gets to the point of total breakdown. I learned that it happens to all moms, especially new ones, and other moms are always happy to help.

~ Dan's sister Megan, her hubby Sean, and their little Matilda were in town. We got lots of Tilly time. One of these days we'll be able to set these two next to each other and they'll actually notice each other. Until then...

Did I mention she's 5 days older and 5 pounds lighter than Andrew? (Thanks Tilly for the extra Halloween onesie - Andrew had a little accident, plus, it'll be another 6 months until you'll fit into it anyways)

~ Last night (Monday night) Andrew pulled a 180 and slept from 8pm - 5am, ate (10oz!), then went back to sleep until 8am. I think the tummy is back to working order. He's back to being content, smiley, and the cutest thing his mom has ever laid eyes on.

~ Andrew's latest thing is sucking on his right hand. He attacks it like Dan attacks a big slab of steak. But, unlike Dan, there is a certain order or sequence to how he goes about his business.

First you have the pointer and middle...

Then he'll move on to the middle and ring fingers... Then it's all but the pointer and thumb...
Then he attacks it all!!!

I think he would swallow it if it weren't attached to his arm. Love this kid.

Pretty Peyton

2008-10-23T21:28:00.000-07:00

This little one is growing up and man o' man is she a pretty one. Thanks for the visit girls and for encouraging more snow cone making, yum!

Maple Red

2008-10-23T20:55:00.000-07:00

I spotted this red tree last week and knew it would be a great spot for pictures. Add these red-head beauties into the mix and you get a winning combination. Check out my photography blog for more of this gorgeous family.

Best night ever!

2008-10-20T13:43:00.000-07:00

Andrew had his best sleeping night ever last night. He slept from 9:30pm - 4am, then 4:30am - 7:30am!!! WHHAA HOOO! I feel like a million bucks and he has never been cuter!! He has been so content to just hang out and look around lately. This is his favorite spot on the couch. Oh I love those chubs! (He is official out of newborn and into the 3-6 month clothes) Check out these eyelashes. It's a good thing we dress him in all blue or he could pass as a little girl. On Monday and Wednesday mornings his Grandma Judy tends him while I go running. It was raining this morning so I went on their treadmill then jumped in their hot tub. As I was sitting in the hot tub (in a covered outdoor patio), I watched a deer wander through their side yard. It doesn't get any better. I'd say this has been a pretty fantastic day so far.

Ruden Highlights

2008-10-17T19:53:00.000-07:00

I think about posting almost every day but never really seem to get around to doing it. I think it's because I feel like I need to provide a big long explanation of each event, which takes time, so then I never actually end up doing it. I have a new strategy now, lists! This way the happenings of our lives get recorded and therefore remembered even if I don't have time to write out all the details. So here we go. This is what we've been up to...~This sign is my find of the year from ROSS. It's hanging in my kitchen and is a great reminder. For example, the dishes didn't get done today but I sure enjoyed cuddling on the couch for 2 hours with my sleepy baby boy. ~Andrew is 2 months old today!! He weighs 13 lbs 3oz, 24 inches long and is in the 85th percentile. He is sleeping better (up 2-3 times a night) but at this point he's either in the swing or the car seat next to our bed. Whatever it takes, right? He's a very smiley, social kid who has his parents wrapped around his cute, chubby little fingers. ~I bruised or broke my tailbone while giving birth to this bundle of joy. It still hurts and from what I've heard from others, it'll be hurting for quite a while.

~I LOVE LOVE LOVE being at home with this boy. Working full time the last couple of years has made me even more grateful for the opportunity to stay home. I love not knowing what day of the week it is. Instead of watching the clock all day I feel like the hours and days fly by. This is a great job.

~Speaking of jobs, Dan is no longer working for his dad (no homes being built or sold = no work = no job for Dan). He is now working full time on building a business with his brother. They are dealers for Gorgeous Garage (a garage organizational system). Dan is definitely charting unknown territory but he is truly enjoying himself. He is tapping talents, interests, and abilities he never knew existed. I've been so incredibly impressed with his drive and ambition with this project. When Dan gets excited about something, watch out, it's contagious.

~I'm also working on drumming up some business of my own. I just got this flyer printed up today and am going to get out tomorrow and talk to some families around here that might be interested. I figure it's a good way to practice and make a little money along the way. We'll see what comes of it. ~Fall is here in Oregon and it couldn't be any more beautiful. The leaves are on fire and covering the ground. Fall is my favorite season and definitely does not last long enough.

~We have felt the slow down of the economy 1st hand this year and are incredibly grateful for it. We are truly figuring out what our actual 'needs' are which makes us realize how little we actually do 'need'. It has been refreshing and kind of fun to find ways to save money. We are being reminded of how much pleasure comes from simplicity.

~This summer the youth in our church sought out to read the entire Book of Mormon driven by an intricate program called S.T.O.M.P. (Students trying out Moroni's promise). All the youth and leaders were divided into 8 different teams. We had team captains, a point system, and a reward swim party with some sweet rewards for the finishers (10 adults & 13 youth - I was thrilled!).We also made these fantastic trophies for the winning team...They LOVED it!

~ I just got released from my calling in the Young Women's program. It was a fantastic 2 years, I love all those girls, but with a new baby and a husband as the Scout Master, it wasn't too feasible. I did get a new calling which I am VERY excited about but I can't tell yet, maybe next week.

~We are headed down to sunny AZ for Thanksgiving this year. Can't wait.

~We have a rabbit named Mojo. We got him at the beginning of the summer from a friend who was moving. After forgetting about him in his cage for almost a week while we were preparing for and having our first child, I decided to let him free in our backyard. He is now fat and happy as he has helped himself to our incredibly weak garden (5 strawberries, 2 squash, a few tomatoes, and 1 green pepper). Before Mojo...

After...

We also enjoy him a lot more now that we can look out our window and see him frolicking in our overgrown lawn. ~ After a particularly stressful day of sleep deprivation and a fussy baby, I called a friend to come watch Andrew went on a run in the rain, then enjoyed this in my backyard. It helped. Okay, I think that's everything I've been wanting to write about. Hopefully now I can keep updated a little better with this new format, we'll see I guess.

Handsome Samson

2008-10-13T20:08:00.000-07:00

Dan's sister Allison was in town this week with her cute boy Samson. That boy is quite the charmer. We will miss them when they leave tomorrow. Thanks for visiting!!

Baby blue eyes

2008-10-08T15:07:00.000-07:00

Just finished editing these pics from a recent photo shoot. Can you believe these eyes!! I forgot how much I love doing this. I convinced myself that I wasn't that into it but I think that was pregnancy talking. Now that I have my body back and a little more energy, I'm falling in love with this process again. I'm thinking I might make a little business out of this, anyone interested?

Halloween is coming!

2008-10-06T20:26:00.000-07:00

Memories of Halloweens past...

What a great holiday.

Singing praises to my sister

2008-10-03T15:33:00.000-07:00

My sister Christy came to visit last weekend and she could not have come at a better time. Let's just say as a mother of 6, she sure has a few tricks up her sleeves. Andrew went from sleeping 2-3 hours max on Wednesday night to 5 1/2 hours on Sunday!! That's not to say that he is consistently sleeping that long now but he is definitely doing better. Now I'm up about every 3 1/2 - 4 hours to feed him, which for now is totally doable.

It also was perfect timing because I was feeling good enough and comfortable enough with the whole mother thing to get out and play with her. The greatest thing about having Christy visit was how excited she got about the simplest things here in McMinnville. That's a good thing because that's basically all we have...simple. Here are a few things we did...

Ate lunch with my in-laws made with lots of fresh food from their garden. We topped it off with some raw apple cake made with apples from a neighbor.

Walked around downtown, did a little window shopping, and got an ice cream cone (Andrew was with us in the Bjorne, slept like a champ). This picture was from last year around this time, our downtown is something special. On Friday night we got some pizza, salad, and root beer at our favorite pizza place. Delicious.

On Saturday morning Dan took Christy on a 7 mile run around our little town. I gladly volunteered to stay home with the boy;). Picked berries from the wild blackberry "weeds" in our neighborhood. A first for Andrew as well. He LOVED it.Christy joined my book club later on that day and got to meet some of my friends. Once again, yummy fresh food, butternut squash/curry soup and rhubarb tart for dessert.

After book club we rode our bikes downtown again for more shopping and more ice cream (Christy bought some really cute earrings). Went to the Relief Society broadcast together that night. It was so nice to go with my sister, even though I spent half of it in the mothers lounge feeding Andrew and listening to it through the speakers. Enjoyed eating dinner together afterwards and getting the serious giggles.

Great night of Survivor and The Office. Oh I love that the season has started again!

Andrew was blessed on Sunday morning at church. Andrew behaved wonderfully and Dan did a great job, if he was nervous I couldn't tell. After church we went on a walk through a nearby park.

Christy liked the big Oak trees. I loved seeing Christy experience Oregon for the first time. She got excited about all the same things I got excited about when I first moved here. We must be sisters. Christy did a wonderful job doting over her nephew. Christy agrees he is the most amazing, perfect, and beautiful little boy she has EVER seen, she knows exactly what new parents want to hear.

The best part for me was all the time we got to sit and talk. Christy is an amazing woman, wife, and mother. Visiting with her made me wish I had her next door so I could pick her brain every step along the way while raising my family. She is doing an incredible job with her 6 kids. Talk about a mother who knows how to teach and train her children. She takes motherhood to another level. I am in awe. I was so impressed at how much her teenage boys talked and shared with her over the phone through the weekend. It was obvious that they have a great relationship.

I have so many amazing examples in my family. Dan was, once again, reminded how important it is for me to have regular trips to visit my family. We both learn so much from these visits. I hope over the years we can spend enough time with these amazing people that we can reap from their experiences and apply it to our own little family. Thanks again Christy for making the trip out here and for the fun energy you brought with you. I sure love ya!

What have I done, HELP!!

2008-09-25T04:51:00.000-07:00

I thought Andrew was only going 2 hours between feedings at night because he was hungry but I've recently discovered that's not the case. He just does not like sleeping in his crib. Yesterday he consistently went 3 - 4 hours between feedings and slept like a champ. He naps great during the day if he's in the swing, the baby bjorne, or sleeping with me in my arms. Once I put him in his bed, 2 hours max. Now what do I do??? Anytime I try putting him in his crib to nap he sleeps maybe 30 minutes then he's up. I tried letting him cry it out the other day. He screamed for 18 minutes, fell asleep for 20, then was up screaming again. It's a vicious cycle. It's 5 am and he's in his swing because it has only been 1 1/2 hours since I fed him last, I'm not going to feed him again this soon but I can't stand listening to him cry when I'm so tired. I need some advice, PLEASE!!

Hallelujah! He loves the swing!

2008-09-15T13:05:00.000-07:00

Not that I don't LOVE to hold my child but all day every day was getting a little tiresome. My house was a wreck, my butt was literally bruised from sitting with him, and honestly I was going a little crazy. The swing is heaven sent. He naps so well in it too. Between the swing and figuring out how to pump so Dan can help out with one of the night feedings, I'm feeling a whole lot better about life.

This is for all you Andrew lovers out there. And yes, I do take WAY too many pictures of this dude.

Dan's Happy 29th!

2008-09-15T09:43:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Dan's 29th bday at the beginning of the month. His bday fell on Labor Day this year which made for a fun day. Dan is a very easy man to please. I got him his very own yoga mat, block, and strap (the only thing he asked for) and some workout DVD's (P90X, if you've ever heard of it). He was thrilled. He even let me take some pictures while he tested it out. Now that's a secure man and a strong Warrior 2.

Now.....Cobra!

Good job Dan, nice form.

Andrew's gift was being so cute and wearing this onesie. It says, "My dadda is #1". So true.

Later that afternoon we headed over to his parents house for a great swim party and BBQ with the family.

Such a mature 29 year old. Andrew had a nice relaxing time too. And our nephew Jake made sure no food went to waste. Yeah, his plate is the empty one across the table.
We topped it off with the most delicious chocolate chip bundt cake, if I do say so myself.
For all those who don't personally know Dan, I'm sorry for you. He's something special. We'll finish off this bday post with the top 10 reasons I LOVE this man.

10. Nothing is more important to him than our family.

9. He finds so much joy in living simply and makes a real effort to do so.

8. He's extremely kind and sensitive in a very masculine way, a very attractive quality.

7. He's a fantastic dad. Not only is he incredibly helpful with the boy but he literally jumps out of bed when I wake him up in the middle of the night to help. It's actually quite funny to watch .

6. If you need someone to help out, he's the one to call. He's always willing.

5. He knows how to pull up his sleeves and get to work and really enjoys the process. It's not uncommon for him to come home covered in dirt, dust, stain, saw dust, you name it.

4. He's incredibly positive and optimistic. His common phrase of "well, what's the worst that could happen" helps us put problems into perspective. They don't seem to be as big of a deal when you look at it that way.

3. He is very calm and logical. It's very mellowing for me (if that's a word).

2. He is the most amazing communicator. He can talk me down from a freak out like you wouldn't believe.

1. He makes me laugh every day.

Love you babe, happy 29th!

Our Chubby Child

2008-09-07T11:30:00.000-07:00

Andrew had his 2nd appointment with the pediatrician on Friday. He weighed in at 9 lbs 11 oz! So basically in the last 14 days he has gained 22 ounces. He is starting to look so chubby to me now. Rolls EVERYWHERE!

Daddy's little helper

2008-09-06T14:18:00.000-07:00

This little man LOVES his daddy and this dad just can't get enough of his boy. You think you love someone and then you see them as a dad. Wow, that takes it to a new level. I'm amazed at how natural Dan is with Andrew. I guess it can be attributed to the many nieces and nephews he has but he seems at such ease with this little guy. Dan is really good at figuring out ways to calm him down. He's continually informing me on new techniques. My favorite is this one...Too bad it's only dad's finger that gets this kind of reaction. I either have to feed him or go searching for the binky. I guess we both have our ways.
Evenings seem to be when Andrew gets a bit fussy and Dan has been a champ during those times. He takes the boy and lets me go take a bath. I've never really been a bath kind of girl but after having a baby, man that feels nice. What a good man.
Having Andrew in our home has now taken weekends to a whole new level. Instead of trying to be ultra productive I've mellowed out quite a bit and now can enjoy lazy Saturdays a whole lot more. Yesterday, we lied in bed with the boy until about 10am then made breakfast around 11:30am. I didn't get out of my PJs until about 3:30pm. Come to think of it, I don't think I stepped outside our house all day. I never would have been okay with that before. I would have felt like such a bum. But now I have a purpose to the laziness, holding and hanging out with my baby.

Dan doesn't mind this change one bit. He has always been somewhat annoyed with my need to get 'r' done on Saturdays. He's loving the fact that he can actually relax on his day off. Not to mention all the guilt-free TV he gets to watch throughout the week as long as he's holding the boy. Are you getting the idea that I'm a little crazy about time management? Well, I still am but I think I'm getting less extreme, which is a really good thing for everyone. I'm learning a thing or two from this man I married. Enjoy the moments, he does this well.

Family Photos

2008-09-03T16:45:00.000-07:00

We sure like this kiddo.

Thanks Joc!

Grandma Judy

2008-09-03T16:43:00.000-07:00

Andrew sure likes when Grandma Judy stops by to visit...

Drew-Bob, will it stick??

2008-09-03T16:28:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Andrew's Uncle Sean for coming up with the nickname Drew-Bob (Andrew Robert). Could be fun, let's hope he doesn't turn out to be as hillbilly as it sounds.

I also got a kick out of this comparison of Drew-Bob and his cousin Tilly who happens to be 5 days older than him. For Tilly's sake I hope she grows into those frog legs before Andrew learns the rules to steamroller.
Andrew - Tilly
Tilly - Andrew

All content and smiles

2008-08-27T23:04:00.000-07:00

This boy is amazing. I seriously just sit and stare at him all day long and never get tired of it. This is the best.

His big deput...

2008-08-21T14:59:00.000-07:00

I'm hearing you loud and clear. If it's pictures you want, pictures you will get!!!
Here's the little man... born Sunday August 17th, 2008, 1:29am.
Now back to before this little one made his appearance... (2 days before to be exact)

Yup, I was riding my bike up until the end. I loved the faces of the passers-by.
We went into the birthing center on Saturday the 16th (3 days after my due date) just to get checked out. I was having a lot of contractions the night before but not anything strong enough to think I was in full labor. My doctor was on call and told us that I was 2cm dilated and 75% effaced and if I wanted to stay and have this baby then he could induce me, I kindly accepted the offer.

Waiting for the petocin and epidural...
Can't wait!!! (little did I know I still had 12 hours to go)

Dan kept track of our progress with a nice visual, it helped keep us focused on the goal.
It actually was at 8 cm that things got a little rocky. We found out that Andrew was posterior facing making my progress slow significantly. Our doctor began talking about a possible C-section which has been my biggest fear throughout my pregnancy. I told my doctor that we needed to try everything possible to get him here without going to surgery. For the next 2 hours while the OR cleared out, we tried laying in different positions and prayed our hearts out. When our doctor came back to check I was at 9cm but Andrew had not dropped very much. He decided we should try pushing to see if we could get him to move down. Although our doctor sounded a little skeptical in my ability to get him here, I was feeling pretty confident. I was highly motivated and knew that all the yoga, bike riding, swimming, etc. I did during my pregnancy would pay off. After about 15 minutes worth of pushing my doctor was convinced. He got changed and told the people waiting in the OR to go home. We were thrilled, which gave us even more adrenalin. Dan turned on MIKA and I got my game face on. An hour later, our little Andrew arrived (by that point we had moved on to Shakira:). In the midst of pushing he turned anterior and made his entrance. What a miracle.A whopping 8 lbs 10 oz. Hopefully he's not self conscience about his weight, this picture makes him look like he's sucking in. Don't worry Andrew, we love your chub.
A little mommy-son bonding time in the early morning hours following his birth. Poor Dan worked so hard, he needed a little nap.
Lets get another look of this fantastic scene. I can't look at this picture without laughing. Gotta love the neck pillow.
After his power nap, Dan was ready for his daddy-son bonding time.Out of all 31 of my mom's grandchildren, this was the first she was able to see being born. The last delivery she was a part of was when I was born making this moment even more special.
Aren't newborns supposed to look a little more hammered than this? When I first saw him I kept saying "he's so perfect". I'm still trying to figure out if that's because he actually is or if that's what all new mom's think. I'm pretty sure I'm right though.
He did not enjoy his first bath. In fact, we are learning that he has a bit of a temper when it comes to diaper changes as well. Good thing he is easily soothed afterwards.
We enjoyed our hospital stay. Kinda like a hotel with room service, not too shabby.
Oh he melts my heart.
Check out this strong little guy holding up his head. Too cute. Gotta have a good double chin shot.
My two handsome young men.
On our way home after a pleasant 3 days in the hospital (yeah, we managed to squeak in an extra day).
Andrew's cousins gave us a warm welcome home.
Dan and Andrew have had plenty of nap time together since we've been home. I'm pretty sure this is Dan's favorite part about being a daddy.

Andrew was so lucky to have his Nana and Papa here to visit this week. Actually, my mom came the Wednesday before he was born giving us 2 1/2 fun filled days together before he was born. We went out to breakfast one day and lunch the next, swam, went to the farmers market, walked around the indoor community center track (it was a blazing 100 degrees outside), and talked, and talked. The timing of her trip could not have been any better. All along I had been praying that the timing would work out and that prayer was definitely answered. I couldn't have planned it better myself. After he was born, we then had a full week of Nana time and help. She was so helpful, cooked fantastic meals, and gave the BEST foot rubs. My dad came on the day we came home from the hospital. It was so fun to see him dote over his new grandson. FYI - he is the Robert of Andrew Robert. No better namesake in my opinion.

Andrew with his Nana, Papa, and quilt made by his Nana.

My dad has a way of captivating babies, it's a gift.
My mom gave a great demonstration of how to bathe a baby. I have yet to try it on my own, I'm a little nervous, especially since he doesn't seem to like it very much.
My little towel baby.
A few of Andrew's cousins came to visit last night. I think they are pretty fond of this little guy and I think Andrew was a little hungry.

My parents left this morning which is very sad, I will miss them, but I'm feeling confident about our ability to take care of this little one on our own. I'm feeling good physically, not 100% yet but getting better every day. I'm looking forward to some good family time with the 3 of us. I'm also feeling extremely grateful to be able to stay home with Andrew. All teachers report to work this week making me very grateful for my new job of being a mom. This kid gets a stronger and stronger grasp on my heart every day we have together. I'm hooked.

Not my own, but I'll take him!

2008-08-11T23:42:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to keep myself busy to take my mind off the waiting game so I asked my neighbors if I could take pictures of them and their new little one. I'm not sure this did anything but get me even more anxious for my little guy to get here! Hopefully our little Andrew is even half as cute as this little one.

Stuff for the "baby"

2008-08-06T12:20:00.000-07:00

Between gifts, hand-me-downs, gift card shopping, and our own collecting, this kid is set. Who are we kidding though really. A baby only "needs" so much, all the "cute" stuff is for the fun of the mother. So here are a few of my favorite things "for the baby".

A crib from my parents and bedding from Target. Gotta love polka dots.

The teddy bear Dan got from his Aunt when he was two. He didn't use it much so it's still in great condition, perfect for the next generation.

A beautiful, home-made quilt from my mom, a diaper bag I'm totally excited about, a "hotsling" to tote around the little guy, the most comfy glider rocking chair ever, and a cute pacifier clip. Oh, "he's" going to LOVE it!

No baby yet, but a wonderful shower!

2008-08-06T11:45:00.000-07:00

I had my 39 week doctors appointment this morning and it's official, I'm going to be pregnant forever. This kid is making no effort toward making his way into this world. As you can imagine, I'm THRILLED about it.

In the meantime, we can enjoy pics from the fantastic baby shower my sister-in-law, Amy, and friend, Kristine, threw for me and Andrew. Thank you to my 10 year old neice for the great pics! No baby shower is complete without the melted candy bar diaper game...

Some liked it more than others...Congratulations to our winners Chantelle and Bethany, they must have experience.Seriously, no child should be this spoiled. His closet is ridiculously stocked. The clothes hanging there are just the 0-3 month sizes! Most of them are hand-me-downs from wonderful siblings. He sure does have a lot of people who love him already! Thank you for all the generous gifts. Now if he'd only just get here already!

Sleep.... I will miss you!

2008-07-25T10:02:00.000-07:00

For an 8 1/2 month pregnant lady, I sleep like a champ! I just completed a 9 1/2 hour night of uninterrupted sleep, and it was GLORIOUS! I did have to turn over a few times, which can be a task (I know, poor, poor me). As long as the temperature is right (very cold) every night is pretty much the same story, my head hits the pillow and I'm OUT for the next 8+ hours. I keep waiting for the night when this little guy starts dancing on my bladder, but so far it hasn't happened and I couldn't be happier about it. My only concern is when he's born. Boy am I in for a rude awakening when I have to actually get up in the night!!!! Or maybe he'll be one of those perfect little babies who sleeps through the night from the beginning... it's possible, right?.....right!!??

Stress case down the home stretch

2008-07-21T08:56:00.000-07:00

I have 3 weeks left till my due date and I'm a total stress case. I have SO much still to do to get ready for this child but have absolutely no energy to do it. Okay, so I don't have SO much to do. In normal Annie fashion I could probably finish it in 2 days but at the pace I'm keeping these days, it'll take me 2 months. Last night I would get bursts of energy, get some things picked up and then have Brackston Hicks contractions and have to sit down, then I'd try it again. They were happening so often that I got myself stressed out that I was going into labor which put me over the top. And why is it that at those moments it feels like it's Dan's fault that I'm stressed out? I think I remember his shoes flying at the wall in his direction and him sleeping in another room last night (doesn't that paint a pretty picture). Poor guy, he might deserve an apology this morning.

Seattle by train

2008-07-08T21:31:00.000-07:00

This year Dan and I celebrated our 4 year anniversary (July 3rd) and Independence Day in Seattle. I just love how those two holidays will always coincide. We have yet to spend an anniversary at home.

Not only did we go to Seattle but we got there by TRAIN. I know, pretty cool! Except that it was neither faster nor cheaper, but still a whole lot more fun then driving.

Dan and I have a tradition of reviewing the previous year on our anniversary. So we did this during the train ride. We go month by month and talk about highlights, low lights, significant events, and the overall feeling of the last year. This year we wrote them down as we talked, I liked that addition.

Once we got there we met up with some of Dan's family, went out to eat, and enjoyed the pier. Dan and his pops(Dan's parents - gotta love Alan and Judy)

We got settled in our hotel room then Dan and I went shopping. I had mapped out the Gap and Old Navy maternity stores before we left. Dan was a great sport about it. He only fell asleep once in the dressing room but the rest of the time he was an active participant, opinions and all. What a great anniversary gift!

After shopping we met up with the family at Safeco Field for a Mariners baseball game. You could not ask for a more perfect night. Great food, good company, and a decent game (although the Mariners lost). The game actually went by a little too quick. We could have used a few more innings...THAT'S how fun it was, I know!

We got there after the hat buying experience, but don't they look cute (the little pink one is for Andrew's little cousin due 2 weeks after him). I promise, Dan did have a good time.

On the morning of the 4th Dan's family took off for home and Dan and I spent the rest of the day roaming around Seattle. We ate breakfast at a great little cafe then walked down to Pike's Market for the rest of the day. Now that's an entertaining place, especially on the 4th of July. Seattle is a funky place to begin with but I think ALL of the crazies come out for the holidays. We had a great time walking, eating, and people watching.

Dan and his delicious Korean dish. I remember vacations by pictures, he remembers them by food. This was a meal to remember.I loved all the fresh flowers.The street performers were something special, especially this fiddler. Gotta love a good fiddlin'.

I picked out this handmade silver necklace and earring set at the market. Thanks babe, Happy Anniversary!

After a pleasant day in Seattle we then boarded our train home to Portland. We were even able to make it back in time for a little BBQ and neighborhood fireworks show. This is how exciting it was....

I know, you wish you could have been there. After a 1/2 hour of this we headed inside and watched way too many episodes of "What not to wear", making us stay up WAY too late. That show just sucks you right in. Dan even has a hard time passing it up.

Happy 4th of July to you and happy 4 year anniversary to us!

Stretched by Light

2008-07-01T20:04:00.000-07:00

I have been through the range of emotions this week concerning photography. It seems whenever I get overwhelmed with the amount of information there is on the subject, I tend to disown photography altogether. I decide that I don't like it and I'll never be any good at it. I convince myself that I don't have a creative bone in my body and that I should just leave this trade to the professionals. Thank goodness for this class because it forces me out of this rut.

I have an assignment this week that is kicking my butt. It's tough and it's making me stretch. After a day of stinkin' thinkin' I finally printed out the lesson and assignment and got to work. I spent a good part of the afternoon out in the heat metering light and experiencing a good amount of trial and error. However, after examining and tweaking the images I came up with, I have to admit, I'm feeling pretty happy about the final product. Thus making me excited about this hobby once again. Now if I could only get good enough to where I felt comfortable, and thus enjoyed, taking pictures of people.... hmmm, that'll be the day.
(more pics on my photoblog)

Happenings of the last month-ish

2008-06-29T16:51:00.000-07:00

Looking through my point & shoot camera I realized there have been several things that have happened in the last month that I haven't mentioned a thing about. I'm glad I keep that little thing with me to document some of these events, otherwise, I just might forget. I'll try and keep it short and sweet and full of pics, here we go...

I had my 25th birthday at the end of May. Dan & I celebrated by going to the temple, shopping, and THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY!!!! Mmmm, my favorite. We ended the day by going to visit some friends from Mesa that moved to the Portland area, Liza and Scott. We had a great time chatting with them. It was fun for me to have someone to talk to from home. All in all it was a fantastic day. I love hanging out with my best friend... (who LOVES getting his picture taken in public)Sometime in May my co-workers threw me a baby shower. They were very generous and we even got some great homemade gifts like this chair next to me. Very cute...

The last weekend in May I went to Boise to meet up with my best friends from grad school, Ashley and Audrey. They are two of my favorite people. It's a guaranteed good time when we get together. What did we do in Boise? Well, mostly sat around, talked, and ate good food. I need no more entertainment when with these girls. (yup, they even got the ugly laugh out of me, on more than 1 occasion)

Andrew even got some love...

They took be hiking even though I was 7 1/2 months prego, thanks guys, I had a blast!

Audrey sure LOVED that sweet mango rice...

"Hey Audrey, can we have some?"

No doubt, a great time. THANKS GIRLS!!!
I finished work on June 12th. YAY!!! I am very excited to be done with my job and to move on to being a full time mom. I will miss these guys though...

Then my niece Brimley came to visit, but we'll save that for a posting of its own...

The day after Brimley left, I was in charge of a young women's campout (which Dan so graciously helped out with...a lot). I was glad to get at least one camping trip in this summer. Those flame broiled hot dogs and s'mores never tasted so good. We had a great time and yes, I did get a good nights sleep thanks to a very comfortable blow up mattress. Slept like a baby. I should have taken a picture of my pregnant self trying to get off the blow up mattress in the morning but no such luck, instead you get to look at these cute girls...Since then I've been organizing the baby's room, reading, and working on projects, but mostly swimming in my in-laws new swimming pool! At about 3:30pm every day I head over and can guarantee I won't be swimming alone. There aren't very many people around here with pools so it always becomes a neighborhood party. I'm sure there will be plenty of pool pics to come. Not too bad of a summer so far but the best is yet to come!!!

Mad TV

2008-06-25T23:08:00.001-07:00

Brimley showed me this video while she was here and we could not stop quoting it. Hilarious!
The day she left I was a mess and could NOT stop crying. I was finally able to gain control when I starting thinking about this video and thinking of specific quotes from it "own that pony tail, work that up-do". Gotta love those little strategies.