Happy Birthday, Again!

I know that Heather already made a birthday post for Kimber, but I have been wanting to do it all day. So Kimber gets two, lucky!

I was talking to my mother in law earlier and we were discussing how 1st birthdays are really for everyone else, not for the baby. I found this to be especially true with Kimber. It could be because my experience with Addie was more of a traumatic one, but I don't hold it against her.

So for every one's enjoyment (okay, mine really. And Heather's since Kimber is partly her's. I have never seen a non pregnant woman work so hard to birth a baby. Even the Dr. noticed!) I am going to give a short recap of her "birth day". Here we are about 22 non-medicated hours into labor.

Okay, I know I look like I want to say some thing horrible, but I swear that no such word ever crossed my mind. The nurse's name was Susan, I would give my right arm to have her next time. The only word to explain her is phenomenal. Mom is obviously excited and not feeling my pain. This woman had 10 children, why is she smiling?! She knows what I am going through! (Just kidding, Mom!)

After 15 minutes of pushing, here we are! I was so glad- does my face say that?

Here she is, all 7 lbs. 6 ozs. of her.

And one year later, you have this.

Not the most flattering picture but this girl refuses to hold still long enough for me to get a decent picture. This is totally candid. This was actually taken today after she found the frosting I had used on her cake. Addie got it off the counter and was eating it and apparently left it within her reach. She enjoyed it. And the bath.

Happy Birthday Kimby

Kimby, Happy First Birthday! I can't believe that you are already one.

I sure love you and consider you my baby since I almost passed out when you were born from pushing along with your mother. But, I did get to hold you first (after your mother of course).

I love when you come down to the Valley and visit with me you are such a hoot and I sure love you!

Happy Birthday!!!!

My names

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car)-Crystal Yukon.
2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie)- Mint Chocolate Chip Chocolate Chip.
3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name) - Bric.
4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal)-Red Horse.
5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born)-Reed Mesa.
6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first) -Ricbr.
7. SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink)-The Green Water (yuck!). 8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers)-John Clay.
9. WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names )- Ruth Calvin.
10. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter)-LaRosk London
11. SPY NAME/BOND GIRL: (your favorite season/holiday, flower)-Spring Christmas
12. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”)-Peach Socky
13. HIPPIE NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree)-Toast Aspen (sounds destructive!)
14. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour”)-The Music Rain Tour

I tag Mom!

I can see the light!

Okay all you contact, glasses wearing people this one is for you. It's official, today is the last day Doug has to wear glasses. His blindness is about to come to an end.
4:00pm today he will have Lasik at the Lasik Institute in Phoenix. He is so happy to be done with all the prescriptions, eye appointments and bothersome of wearing glasses and contacts, he will be a new man.

My Code Names

YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car)-Lady 4 Runner
2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie)- Rocky Sugar
3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name) - Heva
4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal)-Red Dog
5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born)-Celeste Mesa
6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first) -Evahe
7. SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink)-The Pink Coke
8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers)-Carson Anthon
9. WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names )- Celeste Lyle
10. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter)-Danforth Denver
11. SPY NAME/BOND GIRL: (your favorite season/holiday, flower)-Summer Thanksgiving Sweet Pea
12. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”)-Watermelon Jeans
13. HIPPIE NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree)-Cookie Cottonwood
14. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour”)-The Cooking Rain Tour

Briana you are Next!!

Trash Talk

So I know that I made the last post, but I just had to share this. I talk a lot of trash about this small town. I like it, I just miss my family. Maybe this will convince them to finally move here!

Our trash company is a little family owned business. They are very good and very thorough. This morning was our pick up. They always pick up early, early in the morning so when I opened the kitchen curtains this morning I was surprised to see it was still full. I started to get worried that they didn't get my last payment, which was in cash and I had dropped off at the Mom's "other" work. I quickly called and talked to Debbie, the mom and money lady. I asked her if they had picked up yet this morning and she quickly replied, "yes, did you forget to put your can out? I can call them and have them come by!" Excuse me? Did she just say what I thought she said? (These are the same people that I once saw stop the truck in front of my house, go under the carport and pull my can to the road in order to empty it. We had purposely not taken it out because it was almost empty.) I told her that it was out and she began to tell me that if they ever miss I should just call that afternoon because it is much easier to send someone that day than later in the week because they could be somewhere else in the county. I then asked her if she had received my payment and she say yes. These were her words, "we would never stop picking up without communicating with you first. I know who you are, I know where you live, I know what you drive...it's a small town." I was glad to hear that my money had been received, but should I worry that my trash lady knows so much about me? She just handles the money! After all, this lady knows all this and I have never even seen her face!

Just a little side note: we have one other family owned trash company in town. One day I saw a mom driving the truck with her little daughter right at her side.

Now people, top that trash talk!

Code Names

I found this on a friend's blog and thought it would be fun. You know you'll want to try it...

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car)-Lady Powerstroke

2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie)- Sherbet Oatmeal

3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name) - Khat

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal)-Yellow Dog (That was a hard one; I'm not an animal person!)

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born)-Jo Mesa

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first) -Hatko

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink)-The Pink Kool-Aid

8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers)-Carson Anthon

9. WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names )- Celeste Lyle

10. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter)-Arvey Atlanta

11. SPY NAME/BOND GIRL: (your favorite season/holiday, flower)-Summer Daisy

12. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”)-Strawberry Slippers

13. HIPPIE NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree)-Eggos Aspen

14. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour”)-The Traveling Rain Tour (Okay, I think I need to get a life. I sat here for a pathetic amount of time trying to think of a hobby. All I could think of was how I spend my days playing with my girls, I don't do anything else! I do love to travel but it just doesn't happen these days, unless you count the frequent 3 hour trips home to the Valley to see the fam. Sad.)

Okay, now I'll tag Heather.

Five Things You Might Not Know About Me

Ok, so it has been really hard to think of things that you don't already know about me. But here are the five things that you might not know:

1. I started playing basketball for the city in 4th grade and went on to play for my school on the "A" team 7-8th grade. I loved playing basketball and my 8th grade season we went 12-2.
2. At the end of 5th grade I had the opportunity to choose whether I wanted to be in the band in middle school so my friend talked me into playing the flute with her. I played the flute and piccolo until my freshman year.
3. One day during 6th grade I had a substitute teacher in P.E. and for an exercise she wanted us to run backwards as fast as we could. On my way I fell backwards onto my wrist and slid across the gym floor, breaking my right wrist.
4. I started doing track my 6th grade year doing the usual middle school events, sprints, relay, long jump and hurdles. In 8th grade I set the school record for the 200 meter sprint. In 9th grade I decided to try a new event so I tried pole vaulting. I loved it! It felt so invigorating to be up in the air! I pole vaulted all through high school.
5. After middle school I decided to stop playing the flute and switch to choir. My junior year my choir teacher asked if I would be in the exclusive girls choir but I had just found out we were moving to Idaho so I was not able to participate. I was very flattered that she had asked me because you have to audition for the chior and I hadn't.

Well I hope you were able to learn more about me and I hope I didn't bore you! Now I want to know more about Bethany, so Bethany tag you're it!

Who says it dosent snow in Arizona?

On a whim Doug and I decided to head up to the Rim Saturday to let Kennedy play in the snow. It wouldn't be any fun without her cousins. We tried to get Ben to come but he had to study, totally understandable. We did talk Kobie and Jared into meeting us. Lets just say there was PLENTY on snow for everyone.

I thought Kennedy would like it but I think it was too deep and she would cry for us to hold her. Kobie laughed that I was wearing my sandals, as always.

We even saw and accident and Doug and I had to drive up the road a ways to call 911. Doug felt like a hero, he said it was his call that got thru. But luckily there were no critical injuries. But there were two Life Flights.

Then we had lunch in Heber at this Mexican place. It was pretty good. Kobie tried her darndest to get us to stay but it was in vain. I just knew we needed to go home. I always enjoy time with Kobie and her family so don't be sad Kobie!

In case you didn't notice-

KIND OF

We have temporarily decided to re-open our blog to the public. It's sort of a technical issue. Enjoy not having to sign in for a little while! Meanwhile, if any visitors stop by (friend of a friend, mother's sister's brother's cousin, who ever you are- you know you're out there!) and would like to become one of our readers just leave a comment and I will send you an invitation when we close up again.

Called To Serve . . .

Grandma and Grandpa with Dad and Jordan Jordan couldn't leave without a phone call from Bethany!
Wednesday morning found us at the airport saying good-bye to Jordan as he heads to the MTC. It was early in the morning and Brigham and Annie weren't too excited (but they do love you Jordan!). Jordan will be a great missionary. He has the spirit and excitment that makes a wonderful missionary.

My Top Five...Finally

I know that you all have been long awaiting this...but I finally did it.
Here are some things that you might not know about me. After this, I am tagging Allie.

1. When we were first married, Ben used to tease me because I used 2 pillows every night to sleep and he only used one, very flat pillow. Now he uses one for his head, one for each arm and one for his legs! And I only use one pillow! (I think it's because he steals all the others away from me.)
2. I broke my arm in 6th grade roller skating New Years Eve. But the funny thing about it is that it didn't actually break! It bent! I looked like Gumby! It was really gross because every time I would rotate my arm, I could hear and feel the bones grinding against each other. I was so sad and ran immediately to get my violin and to see if I could play it and when I realize that I couldn't I just cried and cried. The bone doctor said that he only sees that type of break about once a year!
3. Now that you know about my broken arm, now for the next one. Ever since I broke it, I have the habit of putting on my deodrant with one hand. It may sound weird, but it's true.
4. During my Junior year of High School at good ol' Queen Creek, I decided to join the band because they said that they needed a flute player. So I learned and played the flute that semester in band. And all the band players got together and decided to make a jazz band that year as well. So I also played the piano in the jazz band. Which was really fun. I also played the violin in the Orchestra and was nominated for some award (or something that I can't remember what) and there is a plaque hanging up in the Orchestra room with my name on it! Yikes!
5. OK, this one may sound really strange, but I love doing our taxes every year. I really look forward to it. And I love balancing our accounts and doing our budget. I look at it as a game. I guess that it's because I really love math. In high school, I took 5 years of math! Crazy! My Senior year I took math as an elective! I'm a little rusty now, but I still love numbers! I know, I know! I'm one of those nerds that people always make fun of!

Partners In Crime

I was able to go down to the Valley last week and spend a few days at "home." The girls and I had a ball! We got to spend time with everyone and enjoy being with the family. Addie and Kennedy got to spend a lot of time together as well. Here are a few a their "adventures." I'm not sure what else to call it.

While watching Kennedy for Heather one day, I told Addie and Kennedy that we would go for a walk, but first I needed to check on Kimber who was sleeping. I sent them outback alone for just a few seconds. As soon as I got out there I couldn't see them anywhere but could here the drums going in the shop. Here is what I found:

I sat and watched for a few minutes and just had to laugh. Kennedy took over the drums-

and Addie grabbed the microphone. If you remember the post about Addie's love for Hannah Montana, then you won't be surprised that she was singing "Life's what you make it."



I kept Kennedy again for Heather and although the girls were really well behaved, they get some type of wierd energy when they are together. I decided to give them a bath- and holy smokes! Have you ever seen 2 year olds do belly flops in the tub? Let me tell you, it's halarious! Unfortunalty I didn't get any pcitures of that. You would have loved to see it! After their bath I got their jammies on and let them loose. They decided jumping on Grandma and Grandpa's bed would be fun. I know how Mom just LOVES wrinkles in her sheets, so this was perfect! (Kidding, Mom!)

I got them down from there and thought they could calm down with some popcorn and M&M's and a movie. That lasted for a minute before they were off again... this time I found them in Taylor's bed.

They have a good time together and I wouldn't have it any other way!

(In Heather's defense Kennedy's eye is rug burn! She fell down the stairs, I promise, I was there!)

Super Cooper

Awe, look at Coop! Isn't he cute? He sure is growing fast and he is so much fun.

I got to babysit him yesterday and he was a joy to have. I love how he gets so excited he rubs his feet together so fast his shoes and socks come off.

He loves to eat Honey Nut Cheerios. I put some on the saucer and he would grab them with his little fist and his hand would shake in excitement before he could get them to his mouth.

He also would get really excited and yell "DADA, DADA" along with some raspberries.

La La La La Kennedy's World

What has Kennedy been up to latley besides the mischief of every day life?

She has become quite the little talker. She has also discovered my name and rarley do I hear "mom" anymore it's always "Heather". We are working on correcting her but I have a feeling it will be a while.

Kennedy has a new love, it's no longer Elmo but Curious George, she loves that monkey!

She likes to eat mac and cheese for breakfast, lunch and dinner and on ocassion asks me for a coke. I swear I do feed her balanced meals and yes every now and again I let her have a soda.

She loves to spend time with Doug. First thing every morning she asks me "where's dad?" before I can even reply she says "hes at work."

Kennedy has also become a little photographer. Thus, the photo of our dog Paige. She took that all on her own. Anytime we get out the camera here she comes wanting to take some photos.

She still LOVES to help me cook. Its almost a hazard now. She figured out how to turn on our gas stove and yesterday I was letting some bread rise on the stove and she turned on the burner. Yikes, good thing I was close by. We have also had to relocate our knives to the top of the fridge since she would get them out and try to cut vegetables or fruit.

She sure enjoys the blocks Grammy and Poppy gave her for Christmas. She gets them out everyday and makes me help her build towers until they crash down and she laughs.




All in all she is a little wipper snapper and we couldnt love her more. She keeps us on our toes and laughing all the time.

Super Tuesday

(I hope my family doesn't mind that I am using our blog to promote a canidate and to encourage voting... I really don't think they will.)

If you live in a "red" state, don't forget to go vote today! It's your duty! If you are still not sure who to vote for check out this link:

(I would also like to add that the fact that Mitt Romney is a Mormon has nothing to do with the reason he will get our votes. After reviewing the issues and paying very close attention to the canidates this year, we feel he is the best man for the job. We didn't get to vote in the last election (for a VERY good reason!) so we are making sure that our vote counts this year. Everyone else needs to do the same!)

At last...SNOW!

We finally got some real snow! I guess I should say we are finally getting some real snow. It started at about 6:30 this morning and hasn't stopped. Here is the latest measurment.

Yup, a little more than 8 1/2 inches, just today! For anyone that doesn't think that is very much, remember...we are in ARIZONA!

We decided to hit happy hour at Sonic and then take a drive around town. If any one really knows us, they know we are a little cememtary obbsessed. We probably go to the Taylor cemetary once or twice a week. It's actually part of what convinced me to move here. After attending Jared's Granny Hatch's funeral I told him"I would love to be burried in this cememtary." About 2 months later we were living in her house and enjoying her cemetary. (It's actually named after Jared's Grandpa.)

As we drove around we noticed that all the headstones were covered in snow, except his grandparent's. There were no tracks that would indicate someone had cleared the snow or anything. Weird! (Their's is the black granite one- with no snow of course.)

Here is a closer look. Yes, it's under a tree but every other heastone under a tree was totally covered.

And here is the front of our house. It's not a great picture because we were doing a drive by.

PS- I just got a phone call from a friendly old woman reminding me to vote tomorrow. After telling me the polling place and times she nicely encouraged me to vote for Mitt Romney. Don't forget to vote tomorrow! It's Super Tuesday!

Happy Birthday Kobie!

Who can belive that the little girl who used to play school alone with her dolls for hours and loved to save every school paper she ever did would have turned out to be such an exceptional woman!

Well, I have to admit I always thought Kobie would turn out just as she is.

As a tribute to you Kobie here are some of your greatest qualities.

1. You are such a peacemaker, never wanting to cause waves you just go with the flow. But you stand for what is right no matter the cost.

2. You are so funny. I love how we can make fun of everything and you think its hilarious! Like Ina Garden!! Or as I thought in-a-garden.

3. You are an exceptional mom. What lucky girls to have such a fun and dedicated mother. Both of your girls are always so well behaved and just as cute as a button.

4. When you make up your mind to do something you go for it! Not just 1/2 way but all the way. Kimbers birth as an example. You wanted so badly to have a natural childbirth after your c-section with Addie. You were determined you could do it and you did. What an accomplishment. Welcome to the natural birth club you are one of the only 15% of women in the US who give birth without pain meds, and didnt regret it.

5. You will do anything for anyone. Service is your motto always taking a dinner, helping a firend or watching a friends kids. Only makes me jelous you live three hours away and cant be closer to me. In all of your callings you serve to your very best potential.

6. Most of all you are a wonderful sister and friend. I am so greatful to have you in my life. You are my friend, my sounding board, mom-backup (when she is gone at school) and I couldnt love you more.

Happy 26th Birthday!!