My Therapy Session

So I'm starting to think that blogging is a therapeutic release. I swear it makes me feel better. Today went much better. Greg got off work and came home for the evening and didn't have anywhere else to be all night! Brayden and Tawny were so excited to spend time with their daddy and so was I.

Recently Brayden has been making some pretty interesting observations. Here's a few I thought you would enjoy.

Scene: Taking a bath at Grandma and Papa's house.
Grandma: "Brayden, should Papa take a bath with you?"
Braydenn: "No. Papa not fit in the bathtub. He needs the ocean."

Scene: Driving in the car with Mommy"
Brayden: "Mommy, Grandma doesn't drive very good. She goes back and forth, she eats her food, she talks on her phone...It's kind of scary."

Scene: I'm getting dressed (ie: trying on my pants that STILL don't fit, hoping something changed since yesterday)
Brayden: " Those are tooooo tight. Maybe Daddy's pant will fit you. I go get them?"

He's so helpful isn't he? He's so cute and has the best intentions I can't really be upset at all. And he's right. Maybe, just maybe, if I'm lucky daddy's pants will fit me.

I'm Alive...But Just Barely

The last few weeks have been so hectic! Where to begin... Greg was gone for a week, and then I was gone the next week, which was really stressful because Tawny is most definitely not a fan of the bottle. If I'm going to leave my family for a week it should be for somewhere really amazing like Bali or Fiji. Where do I go? To Utah to work 15-18 hour days in the freezing cold bitter winter. Did I mention it was crazy cold? I was so anxious to get back I worked late into the nights and came back a day early. My boss was even nice enough to pay the fee to switch the ticket. If you're reading this Dan, THANK YOU! I can't tell you how great it was to see my family again. Also, a big thanks to my mom and Grandma Wanda for watching the kids while I was gone and to Greg for supporting me in everything I do. Where would I be without my family?


I thought this week would be my catch-up week, but no matter how fast I run I am falling farther and farther behind. I had way more work then I thought, Brayden is making me pay for being gone by doing everything I DON'T want him to do, Tawny is sick and I had an Activity Days to coordinate today (a youth group at my church). Why does everything take so long when you have kids? For example, today I needed to make cookies. No big deal right? You would think it should take 30-45 minutes start to finish, right? HAH! Here's how it went

11:15 Start mixing butter and suagr
11:21 Tawny wakes up and wants to eat
11:35 Add vanilla
11:36 Brayden attempts to break his neck on his bed (see post below)
11:45 Add eggs. start mixing
11:48 Brayden's hungry. He wants dinosaur 'chichen', no macaroni and cheese, no dinosauar 'chichen' ... I finally gave him both.
12:05 Mix dry ingredients
12:07 Tawny decides mommy will hold her or else!

You get the idea. I didn't finish the cookies until 1:45pm. Two and a half hours!!! I wish I could say I was exaggerating, but I'm not. But I must say they are some of the best cookies I have ever had so maybe they were worth it. But everything always works out just fine. The cookies got done, the girls loved the Activity Days, and my children aren't dead. All in all, I'd say it's been a pretty successful week.

And just to clarify, I love my kids, my husband, my life. I have been incredibly blessed. We are healthy, my husband and I have great jobs, we love our ward and have so many friends here, and we have family that would be here at the drop of a hat if we needed them to. I just don't always have the clarity of mind to realize it.

So anyways, here are some pics of Brayden that he wants to show to grandma and papa. He thought his blue tongue was so cool. He was pretty proud of it.

Like Mother, Like Daughter

Everyone is constantly telling me how much Tawny looks like me. So I thought it would be fun to do a little side-by side comparison. The first pic is of me at 5 1/2 months and the second two are of Tawny at 6 months.

I only have a few baby pics of me and this was the only one that scanned well. I'll have to borrow a few more from my mom and put those up also. I tried to get a profile of her smiling, but she didn't really feel like cooperating. But the resemblance is definitely there (at least I think so).

Because things have been so busy, I have let a few things slide a little longer than they should have. And I know it's February, but I finally had the kid's Christmas picture taken. In my defense they were taken in January, but I haven't gotten around to doing anything with them. Man, that's not much of a defense is it? Some of you will be receiving them in the mail (realistically by April). But for the rest of you, I thought I'd post them because no one should be denied the pleasure of viewing them.

Oh So Busy....

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

Life is so busy right now! But then again , when isn't it? Greg is in Virignia this week, training for work. Once he finishes this round of training he should be promoted soon (in the next few months). We could be relocated pretty much anywhere, so watch out! we may be coming your way. Then yesterday I found out that I have to make an emergency work trip up to Utah next week. we are being audited and I need to be there. So Greg doesn't get back until late this Friday, and then I'll be gone from next Tuesday to Saturday. We'll make it work somehow. My mom will watch the kids for us. Just another time I am so grateful to have family close by. It definitely makes it easier to raise a family.

While Greg was gone this week I took the kids to Blythe to see my family. Brayden is having so much fun! There are some things you just miss out on when you don't grow up on a farm, so I'm glad he is getting to experience some of them. He "drove" his first tractor, touched his first frog, rode a horse, went for four-wheeler rides and so much more. Brayden loves meeting all my dad's workers and is particularly enamoured with our foreman, Rigo. Here's a conversation we had this morning:

Brayden: "Let's do something fun today"

Mom: "What's should we do?"

Brayden: "Ummm.....let's go see Rigo!"

Mom: "Should Papa take you for a ride in his truck and you can see Rigo?"

Brayden: "Umm. Nope. No truck with Papa, let's just see Rigo. We can drive tractors, eat food, take naps, talk.....what else should me and Rigo do Mom?"

It continued on but you get the idea. I wish I could see into his head for just a few minutes and follow his train of thought. Well, that's all for now. See the pics below. Also, as a forewarning, there may not be any posts for a while because of my traveling. I haven't forgotten and will be back when I can.

Brayden and Uncle Austin

Brayden said he was "putting Tawny in his pocket" as he put his arms around her.

Yet another "Tawny Burrito"

Saturday Fun

Everyone is asleep, including Daddy, so I thought

I would take a minute to add a new post. The weather has been so nice recently that we spent most of the day so far outside. I just looked at our thermometer and it is 81 degrees. Life's hard here in the desert! But before some of you get too jealous, remember it gets over 115 in the summer. Anyways, Brayden spent a few hours this morning riding his bike. And with the help of his very patient daddy, he finally learned how to use the pedals. He was pretty proud of himself.

After Tawny woke up we all went out to the pool. It's heated to about 80 degrees so it was perfect. Brayden could almost swim by himself by the end of the summer, but I wasn't sure he would remember much. But he jumped right in and started swimming before Greg or I had even got into the pool. I think my heart stopped for a minute.

I didn't think it would be warm enough for Tawny or that she would even like being in the water. But I was wrong on both accounts. She absolutely loved it! We'll have to actually put her in her swimsuit next time.

Play Time!

Brayden had a friend of his over today and they had so much fun! They fingerpainted, watched a movie and completely destroyed his room. They ended the day by riding bikes and coloring on the patio with chalk.



While they were busy having fun, I took about 50 pics of Tawny (not exaggerating). She was super intent on watching them and it was so cute. Here's the best of them

The Most Ridiculous Bed Ever

Greg had work off today so we decided to go look for a new couch. True to form, we ended up buying something completely different. Brayden saw a bed that he just had to have, and since it was on an incredible clearance we decided to get it for him. Actually it was mostly Greg's decision with me protesting that he'll break his neck. But those of you who know Brayden know that he is quite possibly the most cautious 2 year old on the face of the planet, so I'm sure he'll be fine. Brayden has alternated saying about three different phrases since we got it home: 1."I'm so excited! 2."This bed is sooooo COOL!" 3."Thanks guys." I think it's safe to say that he loves it. I just hope he goes to sleep tonight. There are a few pics below.

Here it is in all its glory...

ladder

camo tent ...

basketball hoop

slide

Picture Post

Lots of cute pics to share ...

My "Guitar Heros"

Bathtime in the sink

Brayden and his Uncle Clint

checking out Papa
Brayden's favorite pastime is to "make a Tawny Burrito"
such a messy eater
Music Time
Attempt #58,652,135 at potty training (it didn't work)
Hangin' Out