Three men and a Lady

Briannnnn

2012-01-24T21:07:00.000-07:00

For my birthday present last year Will got me tickets to Brian Regan. He is seriously HILARIOUS! If you haven't heard him, look him up on youtube. Originally the seats were row 33. Then I got an email saying they were opening another show up. So we got on first thing and bought four tickets. (my good friend is also a Regan lover, so we got some for her too) We ended up getting front row but way off to the side. About a week later I got another email saying they were opening ANOTHER show. This time we bought six tickets, and another friend of our bought six tickets, and we got seats 1-12 on row one!!!! We made a night of it and went to dinner and a show with 3 other couples. We had a blast! Will was crying the whole show because of how hard he was laughing.

I lent my lens out to a friend, so the images aren't the best quality. (Compliments of Will's phone actually)

January happenings

2012-01-22T14:14:00.000-07:00

Since Spencer refuses to take a bottle, we started him on rice cereal.

He liked it.

We have also been potty training Lincoln, which means a lot of time spent in the bath tub.

Lincoln doesn't seem to mind it.

Lincoln is constantly putting a smile on my face. While eating his lunch he put his bowl on his head and said "Happy birthday head!"

Spencer hanging out with his girl friend Hadley.

CHD Awareness week

2012-01-15T14:46:00.000-07:00

CHD Awareness week is February 7th-14th.

Having a child with a congenital heart defect is heart breaking. Watching your child suffer is something no parent should have to go through, and no one can really take that hurt away. However, anyone can help make a parents burdens a little lighter.

Two days after Lincoln's birth I walked through the hospital completly drained. The last two days were a whirlwind of emotions and I was left with little hope. I walked into Lincoln's room to find a stuffed animal racoon sitting on the end of Lincoln's bed. I asked the nurse where it came from. She said Lincoln won it at Bingo night. Tears filled my eyes, and my heart filled with hope. My baby was lucky. Someone had donated this little racoon having no idea how much joy it would bring to someone who had little to be joyful about. You too can make a difference.

As part of CHD awareness week I will be collecting items to deliver to the families that have children in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at Primary Chidlren's as well as items to donate to the kids in the hospital.

I will be putting gift baskets together for families:

Snacks

Cards

Note books/pens

Blankets

Water bottle containers

Treats

Gum

Books/ magazines

Top Needed Items:

They ask that the items be new or lightly used.

Nail Polish
New Release DVDs (child appropriate)
Match Box or Hot Wheels cars
XBox 360 Games - rate E
Snappable Newborn Sleepers (0-12 months)

Rattles - washable, no cloth
Bubbles
Washable Crayola markers
3 oz. containers of Play-doh

*Email me at caradahl@gmail.com to arrange for me to pick up items you would like to donate

A complete list of items to donate can be found at:

http://intermountainhealthcare.org/hospitals/primarychildrens/donations/service-eagle-projects/Pages/home.aspx

To donate online go to:

http://www.childrensheartfoundation.org/

Congenital heart defects are America’s and every country’s #1 birth defect. Nearly one of every 100 babies is born with a CHD.
Congenital heart defects are the #1 cause of birth defect related deaths.
Congenital heart defects are the leading cause of all infant deaths in the United States.
Each year approximately 40,000 babies are born in the United States with a congenital heart defect. Thousands of them will not reach their first birthday and thousands more die before they reach adulthood.
Each year over 1,000,000 babies are born worldwide with a congenital heart defect. 100,000 of them will not live to see their first birthday and thousands more die before they reach adulthood.

Lifelong Disease

Almost half all children and adults with complex congenital heart disease have neurological and developmental disabilities.
There are an estimated 2,000,000 CHD survivors in the United States.
For the first time, more than 50% of the CHD survivors are adults.
10% of all CHD cases evaluated in an Adult CHD clinic are first diagnosed in adulthood.

4 months!

2012-01-08T14:01:00.002-07:00

My heart has been stolen, yet again, by this little man!
He is so sweet and loving. My little cuddle bug.
He smiles at everyone he lays eyes on.

Weighing in at 14 pounds!
He is still 24 inches tall.

His eyes light up when he sees his big brother!

Oh how I love him.

First Night

2012-01-03T20:53:00.000-07:00

On New Years Eve we decided to go the the First Night at the Provo Town Center. It was nice to have it inside, and we really enjoyed it.

~Happy 2012~

They had all sorts of things for kids. Lincoln rode the carousel a few times.

Will and Lincoln both entered the hot dog eating contest.

Lincoln won.
Just kidding. But he did down one hot dog pretty fast.

They also had a magic show, a puppet show, juggling and a live animal show.

The 80 pound tortoise was the coolest.

Hope everyone had a wonderful New Year, and may 2012 be full of happiness.

Goodbye 2011!

2012-01-01T22:13:00.000-07:00

It's been a wonderful year! Free of hospital stays! Here is a little picture recap of the year.

January-Lincoln had his first taste of snow.

We celebrated my step dads birthday, without him for the first time.

February- We announced that our little family was growing.

March- Found out we were having a boy!

Celebrated St. Patricks day with corn beef and cabbage.

April- Had a fun month full of Easter egg hunts, and trips to Thanksgiving point, and This is the Place to see cute baby animals.

May- My baby sister graduated from high school!

June- We entered Lincoln in another baby contest! He got directors choice.

And of course we went to the Strawberry days rodeo.

July- My sister Soni came to visit. We spent a lot of time basking in the sun at Seven Peaks. The highlight of the trip was the Stadium of Fire.

August- My Friend Nikki threw an amazing baby shower.

We celebrated our anniversary at La Chaille.

And Will's 30th birthday!

September- We welcomed Spencer to the world.

And celebrated my birthday.

And loved on this little guy.

October- We went to Tennessee to visit family.

And celebrated Lincolns 2nd Birthday.

November-Lincoln and Spencer met Santa, and neither of them cried.

December- Was full of festivities! Temple square, more Santa visits, Riverwoods, gingerbread houses, and a visit from Will's mom.

What a wonderful year! I look forward to another great year with my wonderful family.

Christmas 2012

2011-12-28T20:00:00.000-07:00

Dear family and friends who didn't recieve a Christmas card,
I am sorry. I had every intention of sending them out and never got around to it.
So here it is.

I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas! We had a wonderful day relaxing at home.

Lincoln loved his horse and train table. I was going to get one or the other but I found them both on KSL! So I ended up spending less on the horse and the train than I would have spent on either one new. I love KSL.

Christmas dinner.

Christmas Breakfast. I made the most delicious buttermilk syrup. It was yummmmy!

Temple Square

2011-12-22T16:11:00.000-07:00

We picked Will's mom up from the airport last weekend and stopped by Temple Square on the way home. Note to self, do not go to Temple Square on a Friday night. There were so many people!

Lincolns new favorite game is hide and seek. I had a hard time finding him in this spot.

It's the most wonderful time!

2011-12-15T15:49:00.000-07:00

I love Christmas! Everything about it. Most of all I love spending time with family and friends.
Our friends Dave and Kelli came over to make ginger bread houses. Last year this is what our ginger bread house turned out like....

And so I learned my lesson and used hot glue this year. It worked wonderfully. I highly recommend it!

Lincoln kept eating all of the candy.

Our friends Eric and Kellie invited us up to Temple Square to have dinner at The Roof. We had been wanting to go for a while. OH MY GOODNESS! The view, the food, the DESSERTS! Holy cow, everything was amazing. Needless to say I broke my diet for the night.

We seriously tried a little bit of everything! It was awesome.

3 months!

2011-12-09T14:20:00.000-07:00

Wow that went fast! Spencer was three months old yesterday.
I know I have said this several times before but he seriously is such a good baby!
I am simply smitten with his sweet little spirit.
He gives a huge open mouth grin to anyone who gives him some attention.

I love this picture below! Spencer has a sly smile on like he just did something naughty to make Lincoln cry. Really, Lincoln just didn't want his picture taken. It's a little out of focus because Linc was trying to kick the camera.

Spencer loves sucking on his hands! He refuses to take a binky but loves those little fingers. I just hope he doesn't find his thumb.
He is such a content, happy baby. He still rarely cries.
He only wakes up once at night to eat, and has become a little more vocal about it. He still doesn't cry, just a few squeaks and then I know he is ready to eat. :)
He is a pro at tummy time and can hold his head up like a champ.
Oh I just love him!
And Lincoln. He's still cute too.

ok, ok, and Bosco. You are also still cute.

Brothers

2011-12-04T15:13:00.003-07:00

We have heard people say that Spencer looks exactly like Lincoln and then then other people say that he looks nothing like Lincoln. Personally I think that Lincoln looks more like me and Spencer looks more like Will. You can definitely tell that they are brothers but they each have their own look to them. Lincoln-monkey, Spencer-sea turtle. They both have the same adorable smile.
What do you think?

Blessed

2011-11-29T15:01:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!! I cooked my very first turkey. I was terrified it would turn out like the turkey on Christmas Vacation, but it actually turned out great.
We decided to boycott black Friday shopping this year, at least at the big stores, people are crazy.
So we spent the weekend relaxing, swimming, watching movies, and playing the Kinect.

We failed to take any pictures on Thanksgiving day, but luckily I remembered to take some of Spencer's blessing. Unlike Lincoln's blessing where I totally spaced it. Will gave him a name and a beautiful blessing at our church on Sunday. My sweet little angel baby that never cries, cried. the. entire. time. I must say, even his cry is adorable.

I feel like it is tradition to make a list of things you are grateful for, so here goes. in no particular order
The Gospel
My boys (all three of them miracles)
Disposable diapers
Bosco, seriously the best cat ever
My family
Freedom
Our home
Will's boss
Will's Job
My friends

Stats

2011-11-21T11:20:00.000-07:00

We just had Spencer's two month appointment. (He was two months on the 8th, so we are a little late)

weight~ 12 pounds 12 ounces ~ 75 percentile
height~ 24 inches ~ 75 percentile
Head circumference ~ 14.5 inches ~ 25 percentile

Wow, we have a big boy! Lincoln was always in the lower percentile.
I must have super fatty milk because this kid only nurses for 5 minutes! TOTAL! One side, 5 minutes.

He keeps me on my toes!

2011-11-16T23:15:00.002-07:00

I have a very active toddler. Don't believe me?

This was right before bed time. He is like the energizer bunny.

So I am constantly looking for ideas on how to keep this little guy entertained.

I found this lovely list via pinterest.

101 things to do with your toddler.

Color
Blow Bubbles
Play Hide-and-Seek
Peek-a-Boo
Play Chase
Do Finger-plays
Sing a song
Collect rocks in a basket
Make an obstacle course out of cushions and/or furniture
Make a fort out of cushions and sheets
Go for a Walk
Make a Car out of a Box
Read a book
Go to the park
Finger-paint
Play with Play-Dough
Toss Bean bags into a Bucket
Play the shell and pea game
Dance to music
Download games for toddlers from the Internet
Practice putting things in and taking things out of boxes and bags
Make a temporary slide out of a table leaf and your couch
Roll a ball back and forth on the floor
Scoop dirt or sand into a child's bucket (or use a serving spoon and bowl)
Practice climbing by stacking boxes on top of each other (only with adult supervision)
Put on a puppet show
Go fishing with a yard stick and yarn
Make a Horseshoe game
Make a Shape Puzzle
Play paper basketball
Run through a Sprinkler
Play with a bucket of water and a sponge (PLEASE WATCH CHILD AT ALL TIMES!)
Make a Drum out of an oatmeal box
Play with a kazoo
Wash windows together
Bang on Pots and Pans with a spoon
Brush each other's teeth
Play dress-up with stuffed animals and your child's clothes
Stack canned or boxed food on top of each other
Let child stack mixing bowls inside each other
Make a playhouse out of a large box
Let child play with a sticker sheet (make sure your child doesn't eat them!)
Put stickers on fingers for finger puppets
Play a musical instrument together- i.e.recorder, piano, etc.
Go on a Smelling Hunt
Frost Cookies
Plant a flower or vegetable plant together
Roll a tennis ball into an empty trash can or bucket
Draw on a mirror with dry-erase markers
Play hide and seek together- trying to find a stuffed animal or other object
Have a splash party together in the bathtub
Put a leash on a stuffed animal and walk around the house
Record each other on a tape recorder (great for scrapbooks or journals!)
Make and try on paper hats
Give a piggy-back ride
Play "Horsey"
Talk into an electric fan (it distorts your voice)
Play tug-of-war with a blanket
Collect flowers (felt, artificial, real...)
Make a camera and go on a Safari
Play games with frozen juice lids
Disconnect your phone and pretend to make phone calls to relatives
Leave your phone connected and really make phone calls to relatives- let your child talk too
String large beads onto or along a shoelace
Squirt each other with squirt bottles
Glue shapes onto paper
Make sock puppets
Make paper puppets
Fill an old purse with toys
Use a paper towel tube as a megaphone
Make binoculars and go "Bird Watching" or "Stuffed Animal Watching"
Put snacks in different fun containers (paper sacks, empty canisters, etc.)
Act out a story from a book
Walk on a balance beam- use a 2x4 placed on the ground
Draw with chalk on the sidewalk
Sketch an outline of your child on the sidewalk or paper with chalk
Paint child's palms with tempura paint and blot on paper. Makes a great card for loved ones!
Put lipstick on child and kiss a mirror
Make a puddle on cement and splash barefoot in it
Let child decorate and eat an open peanut butter sandwich
Make a toilet paper barricade for child to go under, over, or through
Do the Hokey Pokey
Make a super-hero costume out of household items
Do Knee-Bouncing Rhymes
Play "Red Light, Green Light" saying "Go" and "Stop"
Make a shoe-box train for stuffed animals
Make a pillow pile to jump on (keep it clear from any hard surfaces, including walls!)
Make an easy puzzle with felt and Velcro
Make bracelets or collars for stuffed animals out of pipe cleaners and jingle bells
Learn numbers from a deck of cards
Play the matching game with a deck of cards
Make a domino chain
Have a picnic in the park, backyard, or living room!
Play dress up in Mommy or Daddy's clothes
Make a tin cup telephone and talk to each other in it
Make a nature collage
Mirror each other
Make a "Mummy Mommy" with toilet paper
Make a tape recording of short music selections and instructions to move in different ways
Make and walk along a toilet paper trail
TAKE A NAP

2 months!

2011-11-08T13:15:00.000-07:00

Sweet baby Spencer is two months! Where did my newborn go?!?!

~Spencer at two months~

Always smiling

Loves his brother

Loves bath time

Really good at holding up his head

Doesn't like it when mom has dairy

Sleeps for six hour stretches at night (now that I am off dairy)

He wakes me up to feed him by kicking his feet and sucking on his hand

Rarely cries

Will not take the bottle

Hates the binkie

Thinks naps are lame, and would rather stay up and play

Likes when daddy's beard tickles his cheeks

Speaking of cheeks, I love his little cheeks!

Ewww I could just kiss them all day, and most of the time I do.

Love you baby!

Family Pics!

2011-11-03T19:54:00.000-06:00

We decided it would be easier to hire someone to take our pictures instead of just using my tripod like we have in the past. They turned out super cute! I had too many favorites!

Halloween!!!!

2011-11-01T10:44:00.000-06:00

We had a wonderful weekend full of Halloween fun and lots of goodies!!!

Pumpkin Creme Brulee, YUM!!! I broke my non-dairy diet for the night so I could try it. Hopefully I won't regret it later today.

Homemade root beer. I will have to admit, looked cooler than it tasted.

The Kemp boys and Lincoln chompin on their suckers.

Lincoln's first time trick or treating.

Bff's!

A family of Angry Birds!

Mummy dogs.

Owl cup cakes.

We also hit up our ward trunk or treat on Saturday.

I had to defend my costume to a bunch of kids. I was not Perry the Platypus, I was the blue angry bird.

My two cute skeletons!

Saturday morning we went to Thanksgiving point.

Lincoln always loves a pony ride.

Hope everyone had a fantastic Halloween!

Happy Halloween!!!!

2011-10-31T15:38:00.001-06:00

Yes, in order to get him to perform I had to sing the map song first.

Love, Lincoln

Pumpkins!

2011-10-29T10:02:00.000-06:00

We finally got around to carving/painting our pumpkins. Lincoln had so much fun I had to pry him away from his pumpkin.

I picked out my pumpkin thinking Spencer could fit inside it, and delicately rest his head on the side. (photo ops on the brain)

I think I underestimated the size of my baby.

Still pretty stinkin adorable.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar!

2011-10-24T14:04:00.003-06:00

Saturday was Lincoln's birthday party, It was a blast! At least I had fun anyway.

Loved how the cake turned out! Lincoln had a blast picking off the skittles.

Lots of friends to help us celebrate!

Lincoln helped himself to endless suckers. He was in Heaven.

Ice cream cone cup cake. Yum! To bad I couldn't eat any.

"On Saturday, he ate through one piece of chocolate cake, one ice-cream cone, one pickle, one slice of Swiss cheese, one slice of salami, one lollipop, one piece of cherry pie, one sausage, one cupcake, and one slice of watermelon"

The dessert table

Butterfly/Caterpillar suckers

Happy Birthday to my little caterpillar! Thanks to everyone who came!

The many faces of Spencer

2011-10-23T23:19:00.001-06:00

I couldn't pick my favorite, so I just put them all. He was the perfect little host for Lincoln's birthday party Saturday.

6 weeks!

2011-10-21T12:14:00.000-06:00

My sweet baby Spencer is six weeks, and I take any chance I can get for a photo shoot.

Spencer is such a good baby! We are loving his sweet spirit. His smiles, coos and gurgles melt my heart. Even at 3 am, which is when he smiles the most.
He weighs in at 11 pounds 4 ounces!
He loves his big brother, and Lincoln loves him.

Tennessee

2011-10-20T22:13:00.000-06:00

We had a fantastic week visiting family in Tennessee! We had so much fun and the boys did great. It was so fun watching Lincoln enjoy the much needed interaction with other kids. He had a blast.

We got really lucky and three of the four flights we were on we were able to get a seat for Lincoln. You can only have one lap baby per isle so on one flight we weren't able to sit by each other. But the rest we did. :)

(excuse the image quality, the lens we took was broken.)

We were welcomed by chocolate and flowers.

Lincoln LOVED playing with his cousins. Here he is hiding with Lydia.

We went to the Worlds Fair Park and went up the Sunsphere.

Here we are at the top.

Lincoln giving Afton a hug. How sweet.

Lincoln concentrating really hard. (notice the tongue)

Lincoln decided to join the singing group.

Upside down building.

Ripley's Believe it or not.

We also went up to The Great Smoky Mountains. It was beautiful!

Russ, Sharlene, and us.

We went to a civil war museum. Lincoln was only interested in the cannons.

Sharlene and Lincoln at the Smokies

Market Square

Everyone loved Spencer,
Emma holding Spencer.

Sydney holding Spencer

Sharlene holding Spencer.

Thanks so much Sharlene and Russ for having us!

Notice anything different?

2011-10-18T12:34:00.000-06:00

Mr. Lumpy head is no more!

Spencer is pretty excited about it!

After we got the ultrasound done around 2 weeks, we were told that if it didn't go down any they may have to a needle aspiration in order to test the fluid and verify that it is just a cephalhematoma,

and not something more serious.

At three weeks we measured it and there had been no change.

At four weeks it still hadn't budged.

My mom had suggested using tea tree oil. At the time I thought, ehh probably wont work.

But now I was willing to try anything.

We started putting it on last Monday, a couple times a day.

And by Friday, the three inch bubble was completely gone!

There is some calcification that will take several months to go away, but it is hardly noticeable.

We were also in Tennessee that week, so it could have just been the southern air.

(Post to come about our trip)

And if you weren't convinced that tea tree oil is magical, I got sick on our way home, soar throat, massive head ache, it was awful. I decided, what the heck, throw some tea tree oil on my neck. (You can't ingest it) The next morning my soar throat was completely gone. And I felt completely better by the end of the day.

Maybe it's all in my head. Maybe it's all in Spencer's head. But hey, it worked.

Happy Birthday!

2011-10-16T19:49:00.001-06:00

My sweet baby boy is two years old. It's hard to believe that two years ago I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. I looked over every inch of his body, I counted his long fingers and toes, noticed his ears were identical to mine, and instantly fell in love with him. A few hours later our world came crashing down around us as we learned that Lincoln had several heart defects. We went from feeling the greatest joy we had ever experienced to the greatest sorrow. I reflect back on those first six weeks of Lincolns life often. I remember the daily struggles, and more importantly the daily blessings. Lincoln is so strong and full of life. It is no wonder he was able to survive all that he did.

Since we are having a party next week we decided to just do a cupcake for his actual birthday. We went to the cupcake chic and let Linc pick out a cupcake. Well two, we shared one last night and he got his own today. :) Then we opened a few presents.

Today Lincoln was so excited for his Birthday, he crawled out of his crib (for the first time) to wake us up at 6am. I am surprised it has taken him this long to figure it out.

Lincoln at 2 years:

Favorite movie is Lion King.

Likes raspberries, strawberries, green smoothies, chicken nuggets, cheese, apple juice, and anything sweet!

Loves his little brother and his cat Bosco.

He is very social and loves to be around other people, especially kids.

He is full of energy! He goes and goes non stop.

Loves to help.

Loves hugs and kisses.

Loves to sing and dance.

Loves to color and play with play dough.

Favorite phrases:

"Come on!" (He says it when he isn't getting his way)

"Love you mommy, daddy, Spencer."

"Lets do this!"

"Come on daddy, come play"

"I wanna hold you."

"What is that mamma?"

"I'm sorry."

"Here you go."

"Whatcha doin here?"

Happy Birthday Baby boy!

We Love you!

One Month

2011-10-09T20:51:00.000-06:00

My sweet little baby is one month old!

We are so in love with this little guy.
He is such a good baby. He usually only wakes up twice at night. The only time he really cries is when he gets a tummy ache. He is super gassy, and I am afraid it is because of all the dairy I consume. So next week (after I have made all my planned meals) I am going to try to go off milk for a few days and see if that helps. I can not even tell you how much I am dreading it. I LOVE MILK! Lincoln and I go through a gallon a week. sigh. Well I guess we will see.
His hematoma hasn't gone down any :( At his 2 week appointment the Dr. ordered an ultrasound since it hadn't gone down. They did the ultrasound and said they were pretty sure it was still just a hematoma and they would just watch it a little longer. I don't know what they will do since it still hasn't shrunk any.

Why you shouldn't leave a two year old unattended.....

Unfortunately sometimes it is unavoidable. I thought his room was a safe spot.

I love Halloween!!!!

2011-10-04T14:29:00.000-06:00

I was sitting there thinking about all the stuff I need to get done. Then I remembered I haven't posted on the blog for a while. Oh well, I guess the laundry will have to wait.

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays...okay they are all my favorite. Upon realizing it is now October and no longer September, I put up my Halloween decorations yesterday! In the excitement decided it was time for Halloween attire as well. :) My decorations aren't really that awesome, so I will just post pictures of my boys, who are awesome!

Lincoln is protecting Spencer from the giant spider handing from the chandelier.

Lincoln teaching Spencer "the Lincoln" smile.

Timber!!!!

On a different note, Lincoln picked out a new hat at Walmart. He likes to wear it around the house.

I love my little monster!

Thinking about.....

2011-09-26T16:06:00.000-06:00

Going private....Any thoughts?
I always figured I would want to make my blog private when we had kids, now two little beans later who knows who all reads this. Not that I think that many people do, but what if some weirdo googles most adorable kids in the world and finds our blog. A bit paranoid? Yes.
Anyway, would anyone who reads this now still read it if it were private?
Are my kids as cute as I think they are?

Adjusting to two

2011-09-22T21:06:00.000-06:00

Do these sweet little things test my patience? Na...there too cute right?

Lincoln has actually been adjusting very well to having a new baby brother. But he is....fun....to keep up with. He is so full of energy and curiosity. And so, it's true I have been losing my patience, a lot.
And as I am asking him to the nth time to stop jumping from the window seal on to the couch, I have to remind myself that he is not TRYING to drive me to my breaking point, he is just a toddler whose needs are not being met. Mental, emotional, physical? If he is jumping of the walls, literally, then I need to take him outside to exercise a little bit.

So as I finish nursing Spencer and walk into the kitchen to see this.......

"Fat cake mamma, Fat cake!"
(That's what he calls cake)

What needs of Lincoln were not met you ask?
I forgot to give him a snack.

Bumpy head

2011-09-21T19:35:00.006-06:00

We noticed the day after Spencer was born that he had a lump on the left side of his head. After freaking out a little bit and calling the pediatrician we were assured that it was fine and it would go away on its own. My midwife came over the next day to check on us and told us he had a cephalohematoma. Which is a fancy way of saying he has a blood clot under his scalp. They said it should go away in a couple months. So yesterday Will was looking at Spenc and said "Babe, What if they were wrong, what if it's not a hematoma? What if it's Spencer's twin?

Since we will be spending some time with the bump, we will refer to it as his twin until it goes away. Any name suggestion? We had a hard enough time coming up with a name for Spenc.

I don't mean to brag...

2011-09-19T11:33:00.001-06:00

......but could my boys be any cuter?!?!

Spencer let me know that he did not appreciate my photo rampage. Hopefully he will get used to it...I can't control myself.

One year older and wiser to....

2011-09-18T21:59:00.000-06:00

Saturday we celebrated my 24th birthday! whewww! That was a jam packed couple a weeks! Now to start planning Lincoln's party.

One week!

2011-09-15T18:37:00.000-06:00

The first week of Spencer's life has been drastically different from the first week of Lincoln's life. When Lincoln was one week old I was sending him off with Will to California on a life flight. The next day I was in a plane my self sobbing uncontrollably because I missed my boys.

But today, one week after Spencer's birth, he is snuggling on my chest as I type this post. Every now and then he makes a little grunt and it makes me smile. Every time it reminds me of how lucky I am.

The first week of Lincoln's life I was driving an hour up to SLC every day, walking up to the 2nd floor, with my inflatable donut tucked under my arm, to see my sweet baby. Looking past the wires, iv's and incubator to see his sweet face.

This last week I have laid in bed with Spencer curled up next to me. Only needing to turn my head to see his face. I wake up to his cries and nurse him instead of my alarm on my phone telling me it's time to pump.

This last week has been an amazingly different experience, of which I am eternally grateful for.

My recovery has been 100x easier, thanks to Will forcing me to stay in bed, and my mom and Justine for watching Lincoln. I am loving the fact that I also don't have a cold right now like I did the week after I had Lincoln. I am not missing coughing and sneezing every 5 min.

Lincoln is adjusting great, and he is loving being a big brother. Every morning he comes and gives me and Spencer kisses. Every time he leaves a room Spencer is in he has to come and give him a hug and kiss first.

Spencer is the sweetest thing ever!

We took him in for a check up the day after he was born and the doctor said he looked great.

He is a great nurser (super fast), and usually only wakes up 3 times at night.

We love him so much!

I didn't know how it was possible to love another baby as much as I love Lincoln, but I guess what they say is true, A parent's loce is whole no matter how many times it is divided. ~Robert Brault

He loves to hold his little brother.

I snuck my camera into my room and did a little photo shoot. I haven't edited them yet but they are still pretty darn cute!

His eyes look really brown in this picture. I'm not sure if Lincoln's were this dark or not...we didn't really see them all this much.

Happy Anniversary???

2011-09-14T17:34:00.000-06:00

Thankfully we celebrated our anniversary the Saturday before I had Spencer. (since he decided he wanted to share our anniversary) Will took me to La Caille. It was amazing!

Even though I am 6 days late I just wanted to devote a post to my amazing husband! The last 4 years have been full of challenges and blessings. I'm so grateful for such an amazing man to be by my side. I know everyone says that but seriously, do you know this guy? He is the best!

Spencer's Birth

2011-09-11T19:13:00.000-06:00

I woke up Wednesday morning, disappointing once again that I hadn't started labor in the middle of the night. I got Lincoln out of his crib and started making him breakfast. At 8am I started having contractions. They were 5 min apart but I tried not to get too excited. Around 10am Will came into the living room and noticed I was having one. He made a joke about having the baby today and I said "I better be, they have been every 5 min for the last 2 hours." We were both excited but knew we were still a ways away from actually having the baby. I was in labor with Lincoln for 24 hours.

So we decided to go to Costco to kill some time. I had been craving their delicious chocolate donuts for weeks and had resisted, but I figured I deserved them. My contractions stayed every five minutes through the whole trip. I got some interesting looks when I had to stop walking in the middle if the isle and had to squat down on the ground. Going to Costco with your pregnant/in labor wife is a good way to spend too much money. Everything I picked up of the shelf and said "oooo that looks good." Will threw into the cart. We came home, put Lincon down for a nap and put on a movie that Will insisted was hilarious. Half way through I decided I would rather be relaxing in the tub. I decided I better have my mom come over to watch Lincoln since I had been having contractions that lasted a min. every 5 min. for the last 6 hours. I relaxed in the tub for a bit and then we headed over to the birthing center around 4pm. To my dismay I was only dilated to a 2. I wanted to cry, but my midwife was very reassuring and said I just had a little more work to do. Will and I walked around the mall for a while and went to the movies. We decided we better go to the dollar theater in case we had to leave.

We got home around 8pm. My little sister came over to spend the night and my mom went home. I got in the tub again and around 930pm I started to feel Spencer moving down. We called our midwife and told her what I was feeling. We met her at the center at 10:30. They checked me again and I was a 6 1/2. Wahoo progress. We hung out in the room for a bit and then got in the tub again at 11pm. We debated having them break my water so we could get Spencer here before our anniversary. We decided not to and just to let him decide when he was born. After pushing for about 20 min my sweet baby Spencer entered the world at 12:14am on September 8th.

I can not explain the pure exhilaration you feel from holding your baby for the first time. Such an amazing experience! The best part, we took our baby home with us! He is perfection and I am in love with him!
I hear him cry in the night and it makes me smile. It's so nice to have him home with us. He is the sweetest thing ever!

Introducing....

2011-09-08T11:14:00.000-06:00

Spencer Russell Dahlquist
Born September 8th 20011 at 12:14 AM
8 pounds, 4 ounces
21 inches long

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!

Labor Day weekend!

2011-09-06T11:49:00.001-06:00

So I didn't go into labor like I had hoped for over the weekend, but we made good use of our time.

We went to the Living Planet Aquarium in Sandy. It's the first time we have gone, Lincoln loved it!

We went to Hee Haw farms. Friday you get in for free and the rides are just $1.

Saturday we went to the Farmers Market in Provo. My mom has a stand there so we like to take advantage of the free face painting.

Lincoln has developed a new smile, and a love for green smoothies.

Here's the cheese again.

Monday we hiked up to Battle Creek Falls with our friends Dave and Kelli. Lincoln loves his bff's Tyson and Zach.

Happy Labor day!

Happy 30th!

2011-09-01T14:37:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday to my amazing, loving, caring, thoughtful, wonderful, funny, devoted husband!

I would have got this post up yesterday had I not spent 3 hours making the blasted cake. Note to self: Use the cake mix from the box next time.

Ok, so I know this doesn't look like it should have taken that long to make, but here is the fruit of my labors. The fondant didn't work out like I wanted it to.

We went to the movies, (Lincoln sat through the whole thing!) and then went to Tucanos for dinner. MMMMM, Nothing makes a pregnant lady happier than all you can eat salad, bread, soup, yummy pineapple and MEAT! I would say this year was way better than last year.

How is Lincoln taking it?....

2011-08-23T22:27:00.000-06:00

I wondered if Lincoln would be sad when I quit my job, he loved going to school. I was worried that he would ask me everyday when we would go back. We have been busy, busy the last two weeks, and I think he is doing alright. :)

We went to see some horses. Remember how he loves them? He was one happy camper.

My brother Corbin was in town from Pennsylvania, (who I didn't end up even getting one picture of) we went on a picnic and took a quick dip in the fountain. Notice Lincoln's diaper on the verge of explosion.

Played some ball.

Then my sister Soni came to visit. We went to the fair in Spanish Fork...

And then went on another picnic, and took another dip in Salem pond.

We also hit up Seven peaks!

Lincoln loves the water. He is a little fish.

So I think it is safe to say that he is enjoying himself as much as I am.

Maternity Pics

2011-08-22T13:29:00.001-06:00

We decided we better snap a few pics before I pop!

Showered!

2011-08-13T21:44:00.000-06:00

My sweet friend Nikki threw me a baby shower! This girl is seriously amazing. Her calling in life is throwing parties. I had so much fun and loved seeing everyone. Thanks so much everyone who came!

36 Weeks!

2011-08-05T12:11:00.001-06:00

Here's another belly shot. This pregnancy has gone by so fast, I can't believe I will be holding this little guy in my arms in about 4 weeks!

On another exciting note, today is my last day of work!!!! After today I will be starting my career as a full time mom! I am going to miss working, but overall I know I will love spending more time with my little man.

I can't get enough!

2011-07-26T09:29:00.002-06:00

I can't get enough of these blue eyes!!!! I love this little guy more than words can say!
He learning and growing everyday, and will be two in two months.

ZOO!

2011-07-24T22:38:00.000-06:00

Ever since Lincoln's jungle birthday party he has been crazy about animals! We finally took him to the zoo, and he LOVED IT! He was running from animal to animal, making all of the animal sounds.
His favorite was the elephant.

However, he was not a big fan of the one that blew water at you. Look at his sad face.

Will, and Lincoln imitating the giraffe

We had a very fun, very HOT day at the zoo!

32 weeks!

2011-07-08T22:01:00.000-06:00

I am getting pretty excited to meet this little guy, and even more excited for Lincoln to have a little brother. I can hardly believe that I am only 8 or so weeks away from having 2 kids!
We officially decided that I wont be going back to work. I was planning on working until I had the baby but Lincoln has been struggling at school (biting and hitting) and we decided it would be best to have a few weeks off before the baby comes to get him on a schedule and have some mommy/Lincoln time. SO my last day will be August 5th.
I'm super sad to quit, I love my job! But I know that I will love being a stay at home mom even more.

Here's a 32 week belly shot. I think I have taken like 4 pictures total this time around! Last time I took 4 or so a week so we could make a time laps video. Worth doing ONE time.

At this point I am feeling pretty good. I have lost my appetite yet again, however I am not complaining. I have already gained 26 pounds more than I wanted to.

July happenings.

2011-07-07T10:17:00.001-06:00

It seams that we have been going non stop for the last couple weeks! Gotta love summertime!
My sister Soni was here visiting the last week, we spent the time soaking up the sun at Seven Peaks, hitting up Trafalga, and watching movies.

Oh we also went to the Stadium of Fire! The boys were all pained to have to listen to an hour of country music, but I loved Brad Paisley! He is a fantastic performer.

We had a surprise birthday party for Soni the first day she was here.

We went up to our family cabin for a day to celebrate my moms birthday!

It's been a fun couple of weeks!

take time to smell the roses

2011-06-29T11:35:00.000-06:00

Strawberry days rodeo

2011-06-28T20:58:00.000-06:00

Oh how I love the rodeo! The strawberries and cream make it that much more enjoyable. Lincoln LOVES horses. We drive past them everyday on the way home from work, and we always have to stop for Lincoln to say hi to the "Neighs". Then as soon as we pass them he says "More, More."

Father's Day

2011-06-20T23:28:00.001-06:00

Happy father's day to my amazing husband!

Lincoln is so lucky to have such a patient, loving, kind, and faithful father. I hope that he can follow in his footsteps. I don't think Will realized how much he would love being a dad. He does a fantastic job at it.

I try really hard on father's day to focus on how lucky I am to have married such an amazing man, and not on the fact that I miss my dad and step dad, but it will always be a bittersweet day. I made it until 11:30 without crying yesterday. I was so close. I think the thing that gets to me the most is that Lincoln will grow up without a grandpa. :( It's a good thing Will is a good enough dad to make up for it.

Another baby contest, another medal...

2011-06-19T20:25:00.000-06:00

We didn't have our hopes high going to the award ceremony after Lincoln's less than stellar performance due to his being scared of the judge. I can't blame him, she was a little scary. Lincoln wouldn't even smile! Which is so unlike him. After we walked away from the judging table a photographer came up and started snapping pictures of Lincoln. She told us how cute he was, asked for his name tag and walked away. We didn't think much of it.
Lincoln was not a big fan of the judges, but he did love the play room. Who would have thought that foam peanuts could be so entertaining. We sat back and watched Lincoln make a mess, knowing we didn't have to clean it up.

So on to the reward ceremony, they listed off the winners and it wasn't a shocker that Lincoln wasn't on the list. Then the lady who we thought was a photographer stood up. She was actually the chairman and awarded Lincoln with an honorable mention medal. It's not first place but we are still proud parents! (and still think he's the cutest baby in the world.)

Go Lincoln!

Lincoln's big boy room.

2011-06-15T20:18:00.001-06:00

I have been planning, collecting, and crafting things for Linc's big boy room for the last year and a half. It all started when I saw an alphabet wall on some design blog that I fell in love with. I wanted to do it in the nursery but decided that I better wait until we bought a house and knew we were going to be there a while. So I have been collecting letters for the last year, and now his room is complete! One of the reasons I was excited for another boy was that I could but all of my time, energy and money into the room instead of the nursery. (I also have my dream girl nursery brewing in my head.) And eventually both boys will be in the same room so I was doing it for both of them. :)
Here is the room before:

And after:

And again after Lincoln has 3 seconds with it.

The curtains were my favorite find. DI $8. They were perfect!

Dear Universe,

2011-06-14T12:30:00.000-06:00

Dear Universe,
I would like to go on a cruise. I'm just going to throw it out there, and wish, and hope, and maybe in time, (a year and a half would be perfect timing) I will get my wish.

p.s. I will also need someone to watch my kids.
Thank you.
Love,
Cara

I love summer Saturdays

2011-06-12T15:37:00.000-06:00

I love all of the summer festivals! We went to the Saratoga Splash, and the Orem Fest Saturday. Lincoln loved the parade. He waved hi to every float that passed. He danced and laughed the whole time, except when the scary monkey pulled his motorcycle right in front of us. Linc was terrified!

I'm now in my third trimester and getting more and more nervous about having a toddler and a new born. Lincoln has so much energy! I hope I can keep up with this ball of life.

Graduation

2011-05-30T21:06:00.000-06:00

My baby sister graduated Thursday! The graduates all threw bouncy balls in the air since they weren't allowed to throw their hats. Lincoln was going crazy with all the balls bouncing through the air.

Congratulations Cass!

I have to brag.

2011-05-23T13:59:00.001-06:00

I had the most adorable newborn photo shoot. I just have to share!

Check it out here.

Lamb and Wool Festival

2011-05-21T21:11:00.000-06:00

We went to the lamb and wool festival at Thanksgiving Point. Lincoln ran around looking at all the animals. He loved the horses.

I got to hold a baby goat. Isn't it cute?!?! This little guy was only 1 1/2 weeks old!

Here is another belly shot. I'm not taking nearly as many pictures this time around.

25 weeks.
So far we have healthy boy. At our 20 week ultrasound everything looked great. They took a nice long look at the heart. We are so excited to meet this little guy, and hopefully take him home right away.
I've been feeling great the last 5 weeks but morning sickness is starting to come back again, and I am finding it harder to eat. Hopefully this is just a short phase that ends soon.
I had to pack up two boxes of clothes because I kept trying them on and crying when they didn't fit.

Lincoln has learned a new face that makes him look like a little old man. :)

Easter!!!

2011-04-26T10:17:00.000-06:00

Friday we went to the Easter egg hunt at the preschool. At home Lincoln would pick up the eggs like a maniac! The real deal was a different story. Lincoln picked up 2 eggs and he was done.

Saturday we went to This is the Place to see all of the baby animals. Lincoln loved it! He even got to ride a pony. He kept saying "neigh, neigh!"

Sunday we went to my moms house for another Easter egg hunt. Lincoln did much better this time.

Too cute!

2011-04-23T18:21:00.002-06:00

These Easter basket cupcakes are so cute I can hardly stand it!!! I want to make them. I need to make them. Or I could just pretend like I made these ones.

http://www.bakerella.com/ ONE TALENTED GAL!

18 months, 20 weeks

2011-04-16T21:53:00.000-06:00

Lincoln is 18 months today! Nursery here we come!!! Church has been exhausting. Lincoln is a ball of energy so sitting still for three hours is a joke.
Lincoln brings more joy to our lives than we ever thought was possible.
He loves balls! When I go to the grocery store, he yells out in excitement "Ball", at anything round.
He loves buttons, light switches, and little gadgets.
He loves reading books. His favorite book right now is "Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late"
He loves to dance and sing along to the radio.

He spits out the majority of food I give him to eat. Foods he will eat:
Pickles, olives, avocados, bananas, bread, mac+cheese, rice, cheese....and yogurt.
HIS HEART MURMUR IS GONE! It wasn't something anyone was very concerned about, but if it didn't heal on its own he would eventually need another surgery.

You can see in the picture, his scar is very faint.

Today I am also 20 weeks. I'm half way there! The hardest part is over, that is if this pregnancy is anything like the last one. My days of morning sickness are officially over. I'm still pretty tired most of the time but hopefully the burst of energy (like I got last time) will come around 30 weeks. My third trimester was by far my favorite, even though I looked like a whale.
Heart burn is in full swing! I took prilocec with Lincoln but I am a little weary about medication this time around. I've been taking some probiotics the last few days and they seem to be helping.

What we've been up to....

2011-04-14T16:17:00.000-06:00

Lincoln found his binky stash. We took it away when he was about 13 months and he didn't know what to do with them at first, but he figured it out.
We also got Lincoln a baby doll to let him practice being "soft" with baby. He loves it, and gives it kisses. So cute.

We watched our friends two boys last weekend while she was having her baby girl. I had a day and a half of life with a three year old and 18 month old twins. It was a lot of boys! Also a lot of fun! These three played all day long. I wish I could have some of there energy.

Then we crammed all three of them into our car and headed to meet the new addition to the Kemp family.

Little T couldn't get enough of his new baby sister. It was so sweet.

A few weeks ago we had some friends over. They both have 2 year old little girls. Lincoln is totally a ladies man!

Conference weekend

2011-04-07T14:09:00.002-06:00

I love spring. I love the feeling of the changing weather. I find that the random snow storms only help me to appreciate the warm days we do have. I especially love the opportunity to listen the leaders of our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, during General Conference.

My favorite talk was Elder Quentin L. Cook's on womanhood. It was very inspirational and made me want to do better. He talked about how much service the woman of the church do. I have found this to be accurate during my trials. I received ample amount of service by women, not just in the church, but women in general, who were willing to serve. I remember feeling lonely one night while at home when Lincoln was in the hospital. That night my relief society president showed up on my door with jam, bread and an inspirational message. I kept that message with me and read it over and over during the next few trying weeks. Meals were made, care packages were sent, and love was shared.

He also talked about the importance of motherhood.

“No woman should ever feel the need to apologize or to feel that her contribution is less significant because she is devoting her primary efforts to raising and nurturing children.”
I have aspired to do many thing, but the thing that brings me the greatest joy, and the most fulfillment, is being a mother.

Another favorite was Elder Richard G. Scott's talk on marriage, and motherhood.
"Who can justly measure the righteous influence of a mothers love." ~Elder Richard G. Scott
He talked about the sweet things he and his wife did for each other. Something else I can do better on.

Elder Lynn G. Robbins talk on parenting will continue to serve as a guide on how to teach and raise our children. He stated "To do without to be is hypocrisy." He suggested creating "To Be" lists in addition to "To Do" lists. The most important thing we can do as parents is to teach them to be like our Savior. He also talked about how discipline should not be done in anger.

I'm so grateful for the priesthood power to serve as a guide in my life.

New toy

2011-04-04T19:20:00.000-06:00

I found this at the DI for $3! I figured even if it didn't work Lincoln would still have fun with it. We bought a new battery and it totally works! He hasn't quite figured out how to hold the button down.

Ultrasound #2

2011-04-01T22:09:00.000-06:00

We had another ultrasound today, and got a bit of a surprise.....

I couldn't resist....

2011-03-28T21:33:00.002-06:00

We have a ton of videos of Lincoln doing the little things that make us laugh. We love watching them, I'm sure we will love it even more when he is older. Just thought I would share
one of Lincolns many daily adventures.

Mantel Makeover

2011-03-23T10:19:00.000-06:00

We are slowly updating our house, replacing or refinishing all the gold and oak. (which is everywhere) One thing at a time. We finally got around to doing our fire place mantel!

Before:

We had already started sanding and I realized I forgot to take a before picture. You can see the dust on the tile.

Piming

After:

We really liked the way it turned out. Will did most the work.
New decorations coming soon.

It's a.....

2011-03-17T21:15:00.000-06:00

We had an ultrasound today! I wanted to make some cupcake bites with a pink or blue center to announce the gender of our baby. My appointment was at 12:30 and I worked at 1:30 so I didn't have time to make them before I found out what it was. So I guessed. I had a 50/50 chance and I made the centers pink.

And the verdict.....

It's a Boy!!!!!!!!

No doubt about it. (sorry baby for exposing you to the world) I'm so excited for Lincoln to have a little brother. My bank account will like it too. Since Linc and this little guy are almost 2 years apart, all of Lincs clothes will fit him in the right seasons. And I wont have to buy the $250 dollar bedding set that I fell in love with. Don't get me wrong, I really wanted a little girl, but I also really wanted a little pal for Lincoln. We are so excited!

Scary alien face picture.

Check out those guns!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!!

Day 30

2011-03-11T18:12:00.000-07:00

The last day! A photograph of yourself today + three good things that have happened in the past 30 days.

We told friends and family we are expecting #2.

No one has had to go to the hospital.
I'm starting to kick the morning sickness.

DAY 29!

2011-03-09T20:53:00.000-07:00

Something you never get sick of doing....
KISSING LINCOLN!!!!
I must kiss and and tell him I love him 50 times a day, maybe more. His little squishy cheeks are just so darn kissable.

Day 28

2011-03-08T21:34:00.000-07:00

My favorite movie?
Baby Mama
Only 2 more days!

Day 27

2011-03-07T19:47:00.000-07:00

A picture of you last year and now and how have you changed since then?
I no longer have blond in my hair.... It's hard to say how you have changed in a year. I guess I'm a little more paranoid about Will. I wouldn't let him take the Christmas lights down by himself. And it's a given that he will no longer work on cars. I get emotional on the drop of a dime, but that could just be a pregnancy thing. I'm a lot less task oriented and just make time for the important things first. Like spending time with my family. Have I mentioned how much I love them?

I'm too lazy to take another picture...maybe later.

Day 26

2011-03-06T21:40:00.000-07:00

A photo of somewhere you’ve been to.
Rome. I'm in love with that city. The sites were breathtaking. By far my favorite.

Day 25

2011-03-05T20:17:00.000-07:00

What’s in your purse?
My diaper bag has:
Wipes
Diapers
Snacks
My wallet
Chapstic
Lotion
Diaper cream
Books
Sissors
Gum

Day 24

2011-03-04T11:47:00.000-07:00

A photo of something that means a lot to you.
This picture was taken November 21st 2009. After almost 6 weeks in the hospital, 3 ambulance rides, one life flight to California, open heart surgery, a kidney infection, hours of tears, weeks of worries, thousands of prayers, and one nerve racking flight from California, we were home. I was exhausted, and so was Lincoln. I laid him down on our couch...he was so still. Will and I stared at him, overwhelmed with relief. What a journey. And now we were all home, together. And nothing else in the world mattered. I took a picture because I wanted... I needed to remember that feeling.

He still sleeps with this blanket every night. :) I love this little man!

Day 23

2011-03-03T23:16:00.000-07:00

Day 22 – A letter to someone who has hurt you recently.
I did write a letter but I'm not actually going to post it on the blog. It's actually very therapeutic.

Day 23 – 15 facts about you.

1- My eyes change color depending on what I am wearing.
2- I occasionally use Will's deodorant, just to mix things up.
3- I used to have a speech impediment. Couldn't say my R's.
4- If you include step siblings I have 15 brothers and sisters.
5- I am double jointed in one thumb.
6- I love to cook.
7- I love photography.
8- I have TMJ disorder.
9- I HATE scary movies. I used to love them but I had too many nightmares!
10- I got attacked by a dog when I was 3.
11- I use to have to llamas.
12- I wish I had the will power to become a vegetarian.
13- When I was little I thought my stuffed animals were alive.
14- I don't like frosting. Unless it is whipped cream or cream cheese frosting.
15- My mom almost named me Mylo. She thought I was going to be a boy.

Day 21

2011-03-01T09:16:00.000-07:00

A photo of something that makes you happy.

Day 20

2011-02-28T19:48:00.001-07:00

Day 20 – The meaning behind your blog name.

The members of my family consist of Will, Cara and Lincoln. Pretty interesting stuff.

Day 19

2011-02-27T21:35:00.000-07:00

Another picture of yourself.
This one is old but it is one of my favorites! I love Lincoln's little face!

Day 18

2011-02-26T20:33:00.000-07:00

Something you crave a lot.
Ice cream. I could eat it every day. MMMMMMMMMMM!

Day 17

2011-02-25T21:43:00.000-07:00

A photo of you and your family.
Me and my crazy family. This picture was from our last cabin trip in 2010. It was the first time in..... I think 5 years....that we were all together!

Day 16

2011-02-24T11:57:00.001-07:00

Your celebrity crush.

I fell in love after watching all four seasons of Prison Break. Don't worry Will knows about my crush. I think Will has a man crush on him. We named our turtle Wentworth. He even graduated from Princeton. Looks and brains!

Day 15

2011-02-23T19:11:00.000-07:00

Something you don’t leave the house without.
That would have to me my head. I have left my house several times without my phone, my keys, my wallet, my purse, my jacket, you know those things that most people don't ever leave the house without. I realize I have a problem.

Day 14

2011-02-22T20:56:00.000-07:00

A TV show you’re currently addicted to.

A few weeks ago Will and I started watching The Cosby Show. We are now on season 2. This episode was one of my favoriotes.

Day 13

2011-02-21T09:56:00.000-07:00

I skipped day 12.

Day 13 my favorite musician(S)

Day 10 & 11

2011-02-19T20:15:00.000-07:00

Day 10 – A photo of our favorite place to eat. Happy Sumo..MMMMMMMMMMMMM
Oh how I love the Sumo! I tried sushi for the first time when I was about 15. It was at an all you can eat Chinese food buffet. It was awful, and I threw it up. Then in college I was introduced to good sushi and I was in heaven!

Day 11 – What’s in your makeup bag?
The four essentials. Mascara, eye lash curler, eye liner, and shine free powder.

Day 9

2011-02-17T21:05:00.000-07:00

A photo of the item you last purchased.

$.88, They are on sale at Maceys.
I needed to make some pies for a relief society meeting. I started making them this morning before work and ended up with oodles of filling. So I swung by good old Maceys to get more crusts making this my last purchase. :)

Pink Lemonade pie

1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (6-oz.) can frozen pink lemonade concentrate, partially thawed
1 (8-oz.) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (6-oz.) ready-made prepared graham cracker crust
Garnishes: fresh raspberries, fresh mint sprigs

Preparation

1. Whisk together first 2 ingredients in a large bowl until smooth. Fold in whipped topping.
2. Pour into crust; freeze 4 hours or until firm. Garnish, if desired.

Day 8

2011-02-16T21:33:00.000-07:00

A song to match your mood.
I love this song. Don't care too much for Katy Perry, so imagine my excitement when Rachel performed it on Glee!!! That's right I am a closet Gleek.

Day 7

2011-02-15T23:08:00.000-07:00

Your dream wedding.
My dream wedding.....that would have to be mine. It was nothing extravagant, just simple, but perfect. I thought I would share one on my favorite moments from it.

Day 6

2011-02-14T19:56:00.000-07:00

A photo of an animal you’d love to keep as a pet.

One of these please.

Day 4

2011-02-13T16:36:00.000-07:00

A photo of yourself two years ago.

Cassidy and I playing dress up. A typical Sunday activity. Jk we both had 80's parties coming up, so we were searching for some goods. Wow. Aren't we awesome? I was pregnant with Lincoln in this picture. Only about 4 weeks.

Day 4

2011-02-12T09:24:00.000-07:00

Day 4 – Your favorite photograph of your best friend.

Day 3

2011-02-11T21:33:00.000-07:00

I skipped day 2 because I thought it was lame. Who really wants to see a picture of something I ate?
Totally cliche but this is my perfect date. I love the ocean, love the sand, love the sun! Will proposed on the beach. Drove me all the way to California just so he could propose on the beach. How sweet.

Day 1

2011-02-09T21:21:00.000-07:00

Post a picture of yourself and how your day was.

I woke up at 7. Figured I would do some Yoga before Lincoln woke up at 8. At 7:05 Lincoln started crying. My plan to exercise was foiled once again. What can you do? Shared a bowl of cereal with Lincoln. Went to work. Came home. Made hot dogs for dinner. Watched Modern family. Got scared when my cat started clawing at the front door. And now I am blogging. What an uneventful day. I LOVED IT!

30 days

2011-02-08T12:20:00.000-07:00

My blogging has been slacking. I've noticed other bloggers doing the 30 day wardrobe challenge. I work at a daycare. My clothes are just not that interesting. So I found this 30 day challenge instead. 30 days of blogging. I will start day one tomorrow!

Day 1 - A photo of yourself and how your day was.
Day 2 - A photo of something you ate today,
Day 3 - A photo of the perfect first date
Day 4 – Your favorite photograph of your best friend.
Day 5 – A photo of yourself two years ago.
Day 6 – A photo of an animal you’d love to keep as a pet.
Day 7 – Your dream wedding.
Day 8 – A song to match your mood.
Day 9 – A photo of the item you last purchased.
Day 10 – A photo of our favorite place to eat.
Day 11 – What’s in your makeup bag?
Day 12 – A photograph of the town you live in.
Day 13 – Your favorite musician and why?
Day 14 – A TV show you’re currently addicted to.
Day 15 – Something you don’t leave the house without.
Day 16 – Your celebrity crush.
Day 17 – A photo of you and your family.
Day 18 – Something you crave a lot.
Day 19 – Another picture of yourself.
Day 20 – The meaning behind your blog name.
Day 21 – A photo of something that makes you happy.
Day 22 – A letter to someone who has hurt you recently.
Day 23 – 15 facts about you.
Day 24 – A photo of something that means a lot to you.
Day 25 – What’s in your purse?
Day 26 – A photo of somewhere you’ve been to.
Day 27 – A picture of you last year and now and how have you changed since then?
Day 28 – Your favorite movie.
Day 29 – Something you could never get tired of doing.
Day 30 – A photograph of youself today + three good things that have happened in the past 30 days.

Help Ezakiel

2011-02-04T12:24:00.001-07:00

Baby Ezekiel is in the hospital with RSV and several heart defects.

Some of the same ones Lincoln had.
He is seven weeks old and could sure use some prayers.

Go to this link to see what you can do to help him and his family.

His mom and dad own the sub zero ice cream in the Provo mall.
Go buy some ice cream anytime to help show your support.

If you live elsewhere you can donate funds
and if you don't have the means to donate,

you can pray and help spread the word.

Thought I would share...

2011-02-02T12:03:00.000-07:00

I went to a conference and had the honor of hearing Shari Dew speak to us. (One of my favorite authors) She showed us this video and talked about the importance of motherhood. She related a story about a friend who sat by the guests of honor at a dinner party. The wife was receiving many awards. The husband turned to her friend and said "So what do you do?" For the first time she felt like being a mother was insignificant. She responded meekly "Oh, I stay at home with our three children."
"Oh." The man said and turned away to talk to someone more interesting.

Why is it that we live in a world where if a woman chooses to stay at home with her children she is missing out on something? Someday I hope to be able to stay at home with Lincoln. I've often felt anxiety about this. Should I be doing something more? But what is more important than raising your children?

"We no longer have the luxury of spending our energy on anything that does not lead us and our families to Christ." Sheri Dew

Don't get me wrong, I know that there are circumstances where it is just not possible for a woman to stay at home with her children. But I still believe that when it is possible it is a beautiful thing.

January 28th

2011-01-31T11:14:00.000-07:00

Last we had a memorial dinner for Steve's birthday. My mom asked me to make some Cincinnati chili. I had gone my whole life believing that Cincinnati chili took great skill to make. Steve was the only one who ever made it. He wouldn't even let us try, it was just to hard and only he could do it. I started off by making sure I had all of the ingredients.

Then I read the instructions...which consisted of 4 steps.
1- Combine packet, water and tomato paste in pan
2- Bring to a bowl and add Beef
3- Mix beef with a fork
4-Reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 1-1 1/2 hours

The end

It turned out delicious. We are all pretty much addicted to this stuff. The only problem is they only sell the packets back east. We have to order it online.

Lincoln sporting the chocolate cake Grandma fed him.

15 months!!!!

2011-01-20T12:43:00.000-07:00

Lincoln had his 15 month check up today. He was very brave and didn't even cry when they pricked his finger. The shot in the leg was a different story. At least he got a sucker after. Our pediatrician always likes to mention how amazing it is that Lincoln is so healthy. :)

Height~30 1/2 inches~ 30%

Weight~ 20 pounds 6 ounces~ 4%

Head circumference~17 1/2 ~2%

To sum it up, Linc is a light weight with a pin head. But we like his small head.

Lincoln is such a joy in our lives. We are loving every minute!
~He still loves his bath time, and tries to drink the bath water.
~Loves Bosco
~Says mamma, dadda, cat, puppies, ball, milk, hi, bye, yes, no,shoe, please, thank you, outside, more, and Will claims that he said "I love you"
~Loves to play outside
~Likes to play with dads quitar
It seams like Lincoln went from crawling to running! He is full of energy and keeps me busy!
Will and I still sneak into his room every night to watch him sleep before we go to bed. I hope I always take the time to appreciate those precious moments.
We still wrap him up like a baby to put him to sleep. :)
I still trace my finger along his scar and think about how different my life would be with out him.
Life is good.

Because everyone loves giveaways!

2011-01-19T11:57:00.000-07:00

Go to http://www.beneathmyheart.net/2011/01/amazing-silhouette-giveaway
To win a silhouette!
(it's like a cricket)

Lincoln's Tricks

2011-01-11T20:04:00.000-07:00

And they said he would be delayed....
Please ignore my annoying voice.

Goodbye 2010.

2011-01-01T20:54:00.001-07:00

Oh what a year! I am excited to start fresh with 2011. To an accident, surgery free year.

January
We went to a 80's night party at classic skating.

In February we were able to go snow boarding, the one and only time this year.

March
Will continued to work his butt off in order to graduate in April after taking time off for Lincoln's surgery. We made sure to make time for Nickel City.

April
Will Graduated from BYU with his Masters.

May
We had a month full of traveling. We went to Moab with friends, California for a job interview, and we also went to Oregon to visit my sister Soni. Shortly after the job interview in Cali, Will got a job offer here in Utah, and we took it!

June was a good and bad month for Lincoln. He had to have surgery, but he did win the Freedom Festival baby contest.

July
At the beginning of July we had our annual family cabin trip. We also bought our first house! On July 15th we said goodbye to my second Dad.

In August Will gave me a couple more ulcers by landing himself in the ICU. He has earned the name miracle boy number two.

In September we celebrated our Three year wedding anniversary and my birthday!

In October we celebrated Lincoln's 1st birthday!!!!

We went to California in November to spend time with Will's family. While we were there we went to Will's 10 year reunion.

We had another nice relaxing Christmas at home this year. And discovered that Lincoln hates Santa.