Markham Madness

Frosty's Fun Club

2011-12-05T13:24:00.000-08:00

Frosty's Fun Club .. Part 2

2011-12-05T12:20:00.000-08:00

When it was time for school to start, Ty hadn't been 100% potty-trained so I didn't sign him up. Now he's rip-roarin' to go, but the next session of school doesn't start until January. I saw this little 'Frosty's Fun Club' and decided to sign him up. To him, it's school. So I took the first day of school pics in front of the house.

Ty was so excited to go to school!!!

Frosty's Fun Club...Part 3

2011-12-05T10:51:00.000-08:00

Ty and Mommy makin' some cookies

2011-12-01T15:59:00.000-08:00

When Isaac FINALLY takes a nap every day, it gives us some "Ty and Mommy" time. I try to do things with Ty that are next to impossible to do when wild little Isaac is awake. So I said to Ty, "What should we do today bud?". His response, "Let's make some cookies!"

So here we are...Making cookies. Ty helped every step of the way.

Thanks for being my little afternoon buddy Ty :)

After the trunk or treat

2011-11-04T22:37:00.000-07:00

Los Serranos Ward Trunk or Treat

2011-11-04T22:28:00.000-07:00

We had a great time at our ward Trunk or Treat. The costumes all turned out great. Tanner was a 'thug', although I didn't really see how his costume was a costume? But hey, he's 14....

Ty and Isaac were both so good about getting into their costumes. Ty, who hates being any kind of dirty, sat there and let me put the red paint on his face. And Isaac, who doesn't do ANYTHING he doesn't want to do, happily marched around in his costume.

It was a fun night!

The Ice Cream Truck

2011-10-25T22:15:00.000-07:00

So we have the same ice cream truck that drives by our house in the late afternoon EVERY DAY! Yes, here in sunny CA, it's EVERY DAY. Ty and ice cream do not mix. Yes, he loves it. But he generally only eates a few bites and then loses interest. So needless to say, I try and avoid the truck. I have to admit that sometimes he'll hear the music and say,
"Hey Mom, ya hear that?" and I reply, "No bud, I don't hear it."

I know, I'm terrible.

Anyway, this particular afternoon Isaac was sleeping and I thought, "What the heck". He was so excited which made me feel guilty for not doing this sooner. But then when he only took 2 bites of his ice cream and was done. I felt a lot better....

Yo Gabba Gabba

2011-10-15T13:18:00.001-07:00

Ty before the party. Anxiously waiting to go. After we had wrapped the present the day before Ty said, "Well, what are we waiting for Mommy? Let's get going..."

Ty was invited to his little buddy Ryder Startup's birthday party. They went to the set of the Yo Gabba Gabba show and watched it being filmed. Ty was so excited. He loves loves loves birthdays and so he was just thrilled that he was going to a birthday party.

Ty is a really social little guy. He's such a good friend. I have mom's tell me all the time that their son or daughter talk about their friend Ty and how he's such a nice friend.

He'll always greet you with a smile and a hello! He's rarely in a bad mood.

He's just a great little guy!

Isaac's First Hair Cut

2011-09-28T09:38:00.000-07:00

I had been holding off on getting Isaac's haircut for as long as I could. Washing Isaac's hair is miserable, brushing it is impossible, and to really brush and style it on Sunday is a fight!

He usually wins, but I try!!

Needless to say, I knew taking him to get a haircut would be a NIGHTMARE!

Oh and it was...It truly was. He kicked, screamed and punched the entire time.

Of course Premier Cuts was having a sale for $6.99 a haircut so their waiting room was packed and it was a show for everyone to see. People were staring as I sat and held his head down while his legs were kicking every which way. He was bright red and sweating, I was sweating. However the poor lady who was cutting his hair was just taking her time, calm as can be. She could have cut his hair for hours. She was in no hurry. How does she do that?

I tipped her $5 bucks. I probably should've tipped her $10.

At the end of the haircut she smiled at him and offered him a lolli-pop. He gave her a dirty look as cussed her up and down. He didn't take her lolli-pop. I'm pretty sure he was telling her where to go. Good thing you can't understand a word he's saying.

Anyway, he gladly took the lolli-pop I offered him on the way out the door.

Oh, Isaac...what am I gonna do with you?

Doesn't he look older now? It's amazing what a haircut can do. It aged him like 6 months!

Tanners first day of High School!

2011-09-24T17:49:00.000-07:00

Mom, "Tanner Smile :)."

Mom, "Tanner, come on, a nice smile."

Tanner, "Mom, this is so lame, let's go."

Mom, "Tanner, we're not leaving until I get a decent picture"

Not quite shirt that qualifies as a smile. But I'll take it.

Good Luck Bud!

Tanners trip to San Diego with the Blocker Family

2011-08-25T10:54:00.000-07:00

Tanner had the opportunity this last week for a last rendezvous before school started. He went to San Diego with The Blocker Family. The Blockers are such a great family. He is actually the bishop of our ward. They have 6 kids, 5 are boys.

Before we moved to Chino Hills I was "shopping" for a ward. I found Bishop Blockers name and number on LDS.org and gave them a call. Sister Blocker called and said that she had 6 kids, 5 were boys, and 3 were in Young Mens. SOLD!!!

Tanner has the greatest friends in our ward. We feel so grateful to be here.

Potty Training

2011-08-23T12:01:00.000-07:00

The past week it's been potty training at our house. I wish I was in San Diego with Tanner :)

This is not the best picture, super blurry, but it'll do.

Can I just say, how cute and little are Isaac's little under-oo's?

Ty is long over-due in the potty training department!!!! He could care less about it. My friend suggested I read the book, "Toilet Training in Less Than a Day".

Although it hasn't taken less than a day to get it right, it definitely helped us out, and he's using his potty. I'd say we're at about a 70/30 success rate. Could be worse I suppose.

For a second I was either delusional/crazy/out of my mind when I thought I would try to potty train Isaac at the same time. That lasted for about 10 minutes and then I got my sanity back.

Happy 4th of July

2011-07-04T11:56:00.000-07:00

The boys in their Old Navy shirts that Grandma Shauna sends every year.

This year for the 4th we went to Steve and Carrie's again. Always a good time!

Tanner's 8th Grade Promotion from Robert Townsend Jr. High

2011-06-10T11:22:00.000-07:00

Greg and Grandma Shauna patiently waiting for it to start. It was hot in that gym.

Tanner is moving on up and out of Townsend Jr. High and we all survived those awful Jr. High years. Tanner is a good kid. With just moving here this year I was nervous about the adjustment to a CA school from a MT school. Two opposites. Tanner is definitely the minority here in Chino Hills. There is a huge Asian population here that works to our benefit when it comes to the schools. He is challenged and has some great examples of scholars all around him.

We know Tanner would do well wherever he was, but are glad we're in Chino Hills.

His promotion ceremony was at Ayala High School. Grandma Shauna was able to come. You know how it is, your friends around, we were crampin' his style by making him take pictures with us.

After the ceremony we went to Chili's with the Cullems, Blockers and Grandpa Markham. It was a fun day!

Memorial Day 2011

2011-05-30T11:40:00.000-07:00

For Memorial Day we went to Greg's brother and sister-in-laws house. They have the best backyard ever! An awesome pool, hot tub, swing set, and all the toys you could ask for. Tanner played catch/drown your neighbor in the pool while Ty swam and Isaac spent most of his time in this little Play House. It was a fun Memorial Day!

This is why I never take pictures.

2011-05-30T11:33:00.000-07:00

Today I thought my boys all looked nice in their church clothes so I wanted to take their pictures. What a joke!

Tanner won't ever cooperate when it comes to taking pictures and Ty and Isaac are following in his footsteps. So this is as good as it got before it was time to walk out the door.

Ty's Surgery

2011-04-30T11:13:00.000-07:00

Ty had a very large mole on his thigh that was worrying the heck out of me. Every time I changed his diaper I would get a ton of anxiety. I have to say, I'm not really a stressed out person, but when it comes to my kids health, I become super paranoid!!! It's not a good thing.

Anyway, I took him to the Dr. in December and they referred him to a pediatric dermatologist who then referred us to a pediatric surgeon. All of these Dr. appts were traumatic for Ty. He loves going to the Dr. but every time they touched or measured him, he was not a happy guy. Anyway, we left it alone for a while. Went back to the pediatric surgeon the beginning of April and the mole had doubled in size in only 4 months. Not good! So needless to say, they removed the mole. For an adult, no biggie. For a little guy, a big deal. He had to be put out to have this done.

He was such a trooper. They are so good to the little kids and can I just say modern medicine is amazing. They gave him this drink that pretty much made him out of it. He was awake, but wasn't really there. They give him this so that he would be okay for the I.V. and he pretty much didn't remember anything after that. All he remember is that he got a cool race car, stickers, a few rides in his magic bed on the elevators and a lot of attention!

So now he always wants to go to the Doctors office. Pretty funny!

Our new Wagon

2011-04-10T11:37:00.000-07:00

Grandma Shauna and Grandpa Dave got Ty and Isaac a wagon for their birthdays. This is the morning it came and they could hardly wait to hop in. I'm sure some good times will be had in this ol' wagon.

Killin' time...

2011-03-25T11:45:00.000-07:00

Ty always has to have a drink when he's in the car. Kinda like his mom and the rest of the Hooper family.

At our house we get cabin fever very easily. We've got to get out of the house and find something to do until Tanner gets out of school. So we usually go to Target and get a popcorn and a soda. Or we just head on over to the "Sev" for a soda and a treat. Before I was a stay-at-home I used to make fun of my sisters for always going to the gas station. Now, I get it!

Exciting, huh?

Tanner has been ordained a Teacher

2011-02-07T12:56:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday was a SPECIAL DAY for Tanner.

He was ordained a teacher!

What an awesome kid we have!

Greg and I always talk about how blessed we are to be Tanner's parents.

He's such a kind, funny (yet serious), love-able kid.

We love him so much :)

We are so thankful for all the love and support Tanner receives from family. Lynn, Cerise, Steve and Grandma and Grandpa Markham came for his ordination.

We wish that Grandma Shauna and Grandpa could've been there too!

Skateboarding AKA Gateboarding

2010-11-23T21:47:00.000-08:00

Tanner loves when Ty goes outside and skateboards with him.

Ty can't say his SK so he says "Gateboarding". It's pretty cute.

Tanner's new little hobby. I guess we live in the right location for that. He's getting pretty good at it!

Welcome Markhams to Beautiful Chino Hills

2010-10-20T19:45:00.000-07:00

So some of you might, or might not, know that our family has moved to California. Greg's wildest dreams have come true!!!

We live in the beautiful city of Chino Hills. I was so hesitant to move to California because I thought I wouldn't be able to handle the crazy fast life that I assumed it would be. I mean, it seemed like it would be a far cry from Billings, MT. I was so wrong! I really love it here. The streets are paved with trees and everything is so green. There's something always blooming. Really, it's gorgeous!

We're all loving the warmer weather. Greg is 199% stoked to be close to the beach again. Tanner likes school and is making a lot of friends. Ty loves our house; thinks he's the King of this Castle. And Isaac is just a happy little guy.

All in All...

We feel like this is where we're supposed to be for now.

Life is just good!

I know the Lord is mindful of this little family

and for that I am overwhelmingly grateful!

2010-08-22T19:17:00.000-07:00

This summer our family took advantage of Yosemite National Park since we were so close. How beautiful is that place! Seriously...

Tanner is such a great big brother!

Isaac just hanging out with dad.

Ty just being Ty.

We packed a picnic and sat on this blanket. I lied down for a little R&R after lunch and this is what I was looking at. The tress are unbelievably tall!

Just chillin..Greg taking his turn with the camera.

This was kinda a cool angle. Who knows what Ty's looking at...He's so funny. Always in his own little world. I think I was kinda that way when I was his age.

My boys. My life!

Our Summer Oasis...Fresno CA

2010-07-01T19:40:00.000-07:00

This picture is mostly just for my memory and a journal entry.

This is the apartment we lived in over the summer while Greg worked in Fresno. I thought I would hate Fresno!!! Suprisingly enough, I really enjoyed this summer. It was nice just to hang out and enjoy the summer.

No work, no schedule, just lived life.

That's kinda a different pace for me. So I really appreciated that time.

Isaac is 3 months old!

2010-03-17T14:09:00.000-07:00

Isaac is 3 months old. Wow! How did that happen so fast?

He is just talking up a storm. Although Greg said it sounds more like he's singing a country song....Ha! Ha! He's right.

He's playing around now. Grabbing hair, shirts, fingers and whatever

else he can get his hands on.

He loves his brothers. They tend to get the biggest smiles out of him.

He's also laughing a ton. He's very ticklish under his neck (that's if you can reach your hands under there with all the chins he has in the way).

He's just as snuggly and loveable as ever!

Just some random pictures I've taken....

2010-03-14T13:56:00.000-07:00

Isaac getting out of the tub. He looks so cute when all you can see is his little face. He kinda looks like E.T.
Ty with Elder Tabor and Elder Moore. He always loves when the missionaries are around.
So do we!

Just the boys hangin' out on the couch.

Ty hanging out with Dad...Dad making a cheezy smile because I asked him to smile.

This hat is just so adorable so I had to take a picture of him in it.

Ty wearing Tanner's UTAH hat. Tanner and I had nothing to do with this. He just likes red. What can we say..

Ty loves wearing our shoes around the house.

Greg playing with the little boys.

Isaac is 2 months Old

2010-02-14T14:49:00.000-08:00

Issac is getting more and more pleasant as the days go by. He's slowly coming out of the colic nightmare....He smiles a lot now. Still loves to be held all the time and things he's being tortured if he's in a room all by himself. He loves company. I'm sure he'll be a social kid!

2010-01-23T20:50:00.000-08:00

Little Isaac just shy of a month old. Isn't he the sweetest, most adorable thing, you've ever seen!

Pictures of our Boys

2010-01-23T20:48:00.000-08:00

Nicole came to visit and took these cute pictures of our boys. Thank heavens because who knows when I would've done it.

I just love these 3 boys!

Isaac is 1 month old!

2010-01-17T20:15:00.000-08:00

My sister, Nicole, gave me these stickers to put on Isaac every month as he gets older. Here's month number one.

So Isaac is a little high maintenance. But we still love him. He cries and cries every night and we run the vacuum to try and soothe him. Some nights I just stare at the vacuum and wait for it to blow-up. But it's hanging in there, just like us.

Ty still doesn't know what to think about Isaac. I can tell he's mad at me though. I'm no longer his number one choice. He goes directly to Greg. Hurts my feelings sometimes...but things will get back to normal soon, I'm sure.

We love you Issac. Even though you're "rockin' our world". We love ya!

Happy 13th Birthday Tanner!

2010-01-15T20:49:00.000-08:00

My how the years have passed...I can't believe Tanner is 13 and in Junior High. Tanner is such a good kid. Hasn't turned into an awful teenager yet. I'm seeing some of the beginning stages lately though...

Tanner goes to Will James Middle School and is a solid student. He's always on the honor roll and made it to the 3rd round in the Geography B. Not too bad if you ask me. Tanner plays basketball with the ward on Tuesday nights and attends Young Mens on Wednesday nights. He's active in the scouting program and will no doubt be an Eagle Scout one day (or he isn't Grandpa Markham's grandson ..)

Like every other teenager he loves his video games, ipods and facebook. He's always trying to convince me of all the reasons why he needs a cell phone and I'm always trying to find reasons to say no. When it comes down to it, I just don't want him to be that grown-up yet.

He loves to be around his family. He's a great big brother! Sometimes I worry that he'd rather hang out with us than his friends. But I'm grateful he still thinks we're okay to be around and wants to talk to us. I know he'd do anything in the world for me and he'd give anyone the shirt off his back. He's one of my best friends and the best kid around.

I love you Tanner!

Merry Christmas 2009

2009-12-25T21:14:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas from the Montana Crew! We missed Cars, Cara, Ryleigh and Everest!

Introducing Issac Wahlen Markham

2009-12-16T20:53:00.000-08:00

Sorry, Greg really only got the gross pictures of Isaac right when he was born and nobody wants to see those..LOL!!

Ty and Isaac. He wanted to crawl into the little plastic cradle the whole time.

Ty just couldn't get enough of Isaac.

A great big-brother.

He'll be such a great dad someday.

Issac Wahlen Markham was born December 14th, 2009 on a freezing cold day in MT (-9 degrees to be exact). He was 7 lbs. 13 oz. and 21-1/2 inches long. He came el' natural! No drugs for this mom. Not on purpose, obviously!
He's a healthy little boy and just loves to be held CONSTANTLY. We're excited he's here and can't wait to get to know the littlest member of our family!

The Latest...

2009-11-17T19:24:00.000-08:00

Just a little update because who knows when the next time is that I'll take the time to update my blog.

We were "completely nuts" again and opened up this store in the Billings Mall. It's a bigger project for me than The Sno Shack was, that's for sure. Isn't it cute though? Many prep hours were put into this little shop to make it look like it does now and it's still a work in progress. Thanks to all the family & friends who have helped along the way. It's definitely taken "A Village", especially since I'm pregnant and worthless in a lot of ways.

But it's open, people are coming, the food is great, and we have great employees which makes my life a little bit easier.

Greg is still working for Rocky Mountain Hospice during the days but spends most nights at the mall hanging a shelf or painting or something of that sort. Our anniversary was last week and I think I might have seen him for 5 minutes. He's working very very hard!

Tanner is "good-a-kid" as he could ever be and I just appreciate him so much for not making my crazy life any crazier. He's so good to Ty and I. Always willing to do whatever. What a great husband/father he'll be!

Ty is getting bigger and bigger by the day and learning a ton of new words. The average person couldn't understand him, but we can, and I guess that's what matters!

The littlest Markham should be here some time in December. My actual due date is December 20th. We're excited for him to join our little family and it'll be nice for Ty to have some company, other than me, during the day.

Life is a little hectic and crazy for us but one thing remains constant, we are extremely blessed and grateful for this completely nutty life we live, and in the end that's what matters most!

The Big Guys First Day of Jr. High

2009-08-25T19:38:00.000-07:00

So here's our big kid Tanner. Can you guys believe how big he is? Good Luck at Will James this year Tanner. Jr. High is a tough place, I just hope he comes out of this the same kid that he went in.

4th of July 2009

2009-07-04T13:08:00.000-07:00

This year for the 4th we were lucky to have the whole Hooper Clan come to Billings to celebrate. We ate a lot, went to the park one day, went to The Laurel parade and then had a BBQ at the Warnicks house. It was a lot of fun!

Oh What Do You Do In the Summer Time?

2009-06-15T15:22:00.000-07:00

As most of you know Greg and I opened a little Sno Shack this summer. It was a definite learning experience. You wouldn't think a silly little shack would be time-consuming, but it kept me totally busy. This is one day of making flavors at the Markham house.

Ty's First Steps - Take 2

2009-06-05T21:49:00.000-07:00

Ty on his Horse!!!

2009-04-21T08:05:00.000-07:00

Makes us laugh every time. Doesn't he have serious rhythm??

Happy Birthday Ty!!!

2009-04-15T14:43:00.000-07:00

Today is Ty's birthday and what a fun year it's been so far. Since most of you don't get to see Ty a lot, I thought I'd tell you a little bit about what he's like on this special day of his.

Ty loves to play!!! He's going, going, going, like the Energizer Bunny all day and night. And when I say all day and all night, I mean it. Trust me, I wouldn't joke about something like that. LOL!!! The guy never sleeps. I think he's worried he'll miss out on something if he does..

Ty rules to roose at our house. He just crawls from room to room in the house to see what everyone is up to. He'll enter the room with a smile and if you happen to be around he'll give you a hug and a kiss, then politely go on to the next room. He'll find me in the kitchen and is most helpful unloading the dishwasher (while I'm loading it). He also empties the drawers on an hourly basis. We've just dedicated most of the drawers to Ty. When he's with his dad he likes to help unpack his books up in the 'man cave'. And he makes many trips downstairs to visit Tanner. I couldn't really tell ya what he's doing in the basement. I try not to go down there (turning into my Mom). He also loves to play with his cousins. The Warnicks house is the "fun house" so it's always exciting being there.

Ty's favorite foods are:

Pancakes

Macaroni & Cheese
Meatballs
Cake
Pizza
Peanut Butter Toast, like the rest of us (no worries, very lightly spread, I know he can choke...)
He loves anything with a lot of flavor to it...He's a good eater!

Ty's favorite toy is his little horse in his room. He never gets tired of that thing. It always makes for a good laugh for the rest of us. I'll try and post a video so you can see why. Ty also loves to listen to music. While driving in the car he'll bee bop away to the music. He doesn't really like watching TV but if he does he'll watch Little Einsteins or The Backyardagains.

Once a week we go to the mall. Not just because I love it, but because Ty loves it as well. He loves to lounge out in his stroller, snack on his cheerios, and watch all the people go by. He could really spend hours there and be fine (trust me, we've done it). He's also very content on going to any sort of store and strolling around in the cart. There's not a ton of babies around here so you can imagine all the attention he gets when he goes out. He gets and gives a lot of smiles.

As you can tell, Ty is just this little ball of joy (minus his sleep habits - we're working on it)!

When anyone in the house gets home they can't wait to see the little guy! He is the light of all of our lives. We love this little guy!

Basketball, Basketball & MORE BASKETBALL!!

2009-02-03T12:01:00.000-08:00

Tanner's biggest fans!!

Some other members of Tanner's fan club!

The star himself! (I know, the kid won't smile in pictures???)

The Action.

Tanner with his good friend/teammate Hayden.

More Action.

At any given week from November to January, you could find the Markhams at a school basketball game at least 2 times a week, and sometimes up to 4 times a week. It was a good time. We enjoyed watching and Tanner had a lot of fun playing. He's learned a lot and has become good friends with the kids on his team.

It was fun having the Warnicks come to a few games and a real treat to have Grandpa and Grandma in town for the tournament. Tanner's a pretty lucky guy :)

Who's more tired after a ward party?

2009-02-01T20:57:00.000-08:00

I'm on the activities committee at church and for any of you who have ever served on that committee, know how tiring the day of can be.

Poor little Ty was passed from one kid in the ward to the other. There was no nap, no sort of structure. Nothing he's used to in a day.

So the answer to the question is...Ty is more tired after a ward party than mommy!

My Lil' Shopping Buddy

2009-01-19T15:29:00.000-08:00

Ty's favorite thing to do (well as far as I can tell) is go to the mall and walk around. He'll just sit in his stroller for hours with any complaining and watch the people go by. So on day's when we have nothing to do, I know it'll be easier to go to the mall than to sit home with him. Nothing better than a content baby :)

2009-01-15T15:27:00.000-08:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TANNER!!!

12 REASONS WE LOVE TANNER

1-HE MAKES US LAUGH

2-HE IS ALWAYS AWARE OF OTHERS FEELINGS

3-HE'S ALWAYS WILLING TO HELP

4-HE'S A GOOD BROTHER

5-HE'S FUN TO BE AROUND

6-HE IS ALWAYS TELLING US INTERESTING FACTS

7-HE IS A GOOD LISTENER

8-HE IS A GREAT FRIEND

9-HE'S SENSITIVE TOWARDS OTHERS

10-HE IS A TEAM PLAYER

11- HE KNOWS HIS WEAKNESSES

12-HE'S A GOOD LEADER

2009-01-07T15:13:00.000-08:00

GEOGRAPHY BEE

So I am soo proud of Tanner. He is the winner of the 6th grade Geography Bee!!!! I am so excited for him. That's a big deal. So now he'll go on to compete against the whole school. So we'll see how it goes.

What I want to know is where his brain came from?? He is such a smart kid!!

It goes to show that making your kids read a lot totally pays off!

Our Greatest Gift This Year

2008-12-21T21:21:00.000-08:00

Ty loves to get into the gifts and tree. After I took this picture I just thought to myself "He's been our greatest gift this year!"

Christmas morning Ty will care more about the wrapping paper than any gift he gets! We love, love, love this little guy!

Billings Christmas Parade

2008-12-04T19:26:00.000-08:00

The day after Thanksgiving there's a parade in Downtown Billings.

Rocky Mountain Hopsice, (Greg's work) has a float in the parade. So the Markhams and Warnicks showed up to support the cause.

We passed out candy to all the kids and froze. It was a fun time and we always just love hanging out with eachother. I just love my little family :)

Splish Splash I Was Hatin' This Bath!!!

2008-12-03T19:13:00.000-08:00

Ty usually loves getting in the bath but I get nervous about water getting in his ears because I don't want him to get an ear infection. So now that he sits up so well I decided I'd try the big laundry room sink instead. After a couple of slippery falls and getting dunked a couple of times...(I know, sad) I've decided Ty needs to wait a little longer before bathing in the "Big Boy" sink.

Tired Tired Ty.....

2008-11-24T21:03:00.000-08:00

In Memory of Kiley

2008-11-15T22:57:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday morning I received a phone call from one of my good friends, Jake, letting me know that his nephew, Kiley, had passed away the day before. Allyson, who is Kiley's mother is one of the best friends I have ever had. Tanner and I spent a lot of time around Kiley when he was younger and they lived across the street from us.

Like his Grandma said, "Kiley was full of it". But he was also such a sensitive, fun-loving kid and he LOVED his mom! Kiley has struggled with addiction the past few years and lost the fight on Monday night.

Tanner, Ty and I came to Utah so that I was able to attend the funeral. I wouldn't have missed it for the world! It was a nice day and I appreciate the testimony that both Jeff and Chris shared. I'm grateful for the knowledge I have of the plan of salvation. I'm grateful for our Savoir and his mercy. I'm grateful for a Heavenly Father who loves all of us. I'm grateful that Kiley won't struggle any longer.

I'm so sad for the Steins. Especially Allyson. They have always been a second family to me. Over the years Lindsey and Allyson have watched Tanner countless hours for me. I've eaten at Chris and Jeff's house for more meals than I could possibly remember. Any of them would do anything for me. I am very grateful for our friendships over the years.

So, since this is the closest thing to a journal I have, I wanted to post this because today was an important day to me and an important day for the Stein Family.

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-03T14:25:00.001-08:00

After

Before

This was a great Halloween! Let me first off say how nice it is to be home and not working on Halloween. For years I've been working and rushing to get home because it's the last day of the month. Not anymore though...I am so grateful to not have to work full-time anymore!!!

That being said...Halloween was more enjoyable for us! We carved pumpkins with the Warnicks the Monday before. My mom sent the kids a bunch of pumpkin carving stuff and the pumpkins were provided by the Warnicks garden (pretty impressive, huh?) Tanner worked so hard and long on his pumpkin and it paid off because it looks great!

Halloween night we went to Greg's work for a fun Halloween party! Tanner won first place in his costume (pictures were taken by Greg's co-workers and haven't been emailed to me yet). He was Greg's boss. For first place he received a $25 gift card so he was stoked about that! Ty was a little dog and just the cutest little puppy we've ever seen! As you can see in the picture above, Tanner and Carter just loved our little puppy too!

Tanner had his first "party" on Halloween night. We loaded up on treats and 5 kids from our ward came over and watched Arachnaphobia. The ride to and from the boys houses was so entertaining for me. It's funny the things they talk about at this age!

The Jeppersens had us over for funnel cake and wassle. They are such a neat family. We really love our ward here. Everyone is so nice and friendly and they've just made us feel right at home.

We're just really enjoying our new simple life here in Montana :)

Greg met MaryLou Retton

2008-10-02T19:03:00.000-07:00

I know the picture is super small...but Greg met MaryLou Retton at a conference he was at today. He was super excited!!!

Our little Cowboy

2008-10-01T16:27:00.000-07:00

Not a very good picture, I know. We were just hanging out and put this hat on Ty. He thought it was great! We figured he'd fit right in with the Good Ol' Boys here in Montana. Isn't he cute?!

2008-09-28T12:45:00.000-07:00

Okay, Mom. Here's an actual photo!! He loves to bounce in his little bouncer! He just sits back, starts movin' his little legs, and ENJOYS!!

2008-09-18T16:41:00.000-07:00

We are so stoked that it's Biggest Loser time again!!! This is Greg and my's favorite T.V. show. I seriously would LOVE LOVE LOVE to be on this show. Not because I think I'm obese or anything but because they just get to workout all the time!!! I know, I know...I'm a little nuts. But WE LOVE THIS SHOW!!!

Our New Church Callings

2008-09-14T12:32:00.000-07:00

Greg has been called to be a Ward Missionary and I've been called to be on the Activities Commitee - once again. We're excited to be able to serve in our new ward and get to know people. Greg is excited to be really involved in missionary work. He loved his mission and loved being a missionary. As for me and the Activities Committee, it'll be fun to plan activities. It's a good calling. A few big weeks out of the year that take the life outta ya, but other than that, it's great!!

One of my favorite things

2008-09-10T19:15:00.000-07:00

My sister-in-laws both had this watch and I wanted it sooo bad so my cool mother-in-law got me one for my birthday! K-Coolest watch EVER!!!!

It has a heartrate monitor that's attached to it and when you exercise it tells you your heart rate, how many calories you've burned and how long you were in your target heart rate/fat burning zone. I'm telling you, it's great if you exercise! If I was Oprah, I'd buy ya'll one ;)

The Republican National Convention

2008-09-05T08:54:00.000-07:00

I've gotta say, I have been glued to the RNC and news. I love the energy and excitement that was felt during the convention and to see people's patriotism shine!! Wasn't Mayor Guiliani a total comedian that night? I loved the way Sarah Palin's little girl, Piper, helped take care of her little brother (hair and all). I learned a lot of things about the candidates I didn't know and it was nice to hear some of their views without someone else talking over them like in the debates.

I think Sarah Palin is great! I think that she's got a back bone and doesn't care what lobbyist and big-time power heads think. I think it's hilarious that she sold her jet on e-bay. I don't know if I would've gotten rid of the chef though...LOL!!! I told Greg if he ever thought I was a spit-fire, he could be married to Sarah Palin...He agreed.

Anyway, I feel like when she speaks that she just another mom down the street. I feel like she sees things the way that I see them and has a lot of things in common with the average American Woman.

I'm excited for a change and hope that she and McCain, along with Cindy McCain and her big heart, make it to the White House. They have my vote!

You've Gotta Move with the Cheese...

2008-09-02T10:43:00.001-07:00

Well, it's official. We've moved from our home in beautiful Cedar Hills. Left family, friends, neighbors and ward members that we love. Some of you in the corporate world might be familiar with the book/presentation, "Who Moved My Cheese?" Anyway, it's the best way to describe what our move is all about. The book is about 2 mice. One finds a huge amount of cheese and settles with what he has and the other is constantly looking for more cheese to progress. Anyway, kinda a funny way to describe it but it's what comes to mind.
We've been praying for an opportunity and we're so glad and grateful for my Uncle Shane who provided us with one. We're in Billings, MT and Greg is working for Rocky Mountain Home Care. We're all excited to be here!
Tanner started his first day of school today. Here in MT the school is K-8 grade. So Tanner is in Middle School with a locker and all. What a transition to make all in one week. A new state, a new school, new friends, MIDDLE SCHOOL (YIKES)...When I dropped him off I was sooo nervous for him. He'll do great though. He didn't seem nervous so why should I be, right? He's always been the class clown and makes friends easily. So no need to worry, right Mom?
This morning Greg said to me, "You're lucky you get to stay home with the kids!" And my response was, "You're right, I AM LUCKY!!!" Lucky and blessed in more ways I can even comprehend. We're grateful for all who helped us move...Especially Lynn, Aaron & Angela. We couldn't have done it without you!!!!!!!!
Anyway, kinda a journal entry more than a posting...

Ty has a tooth!!!!!

2008-08-28T12:08:00.001-07:00

Grandma Shauna noticed Ty has a tooth! I didn't even notice...He's such a good little guy and he hasn't been crying or anything. It's his bottom right tooth and it looks like the left one is on it's way. If my camera wasn't broken and at the repair shop I would take a picture of it, but what can you do? I want to be able to tell him when he was older when he got his first tooth and this is the only way I'll remember it.

Ty has a Contagious Laugh!

2008-08-15T12:55:00.000-07:00

It's Official...I'm UNEMPLOYED!!!!!!!!!

2008-08-12T12:46:00.000-07:00

So it's official...I'm unemployed!!!! This is the first time since I was 15 years old that I've been unemployed and it feels awesome!!! One word - FREEDOM!! Thanks Greg for taking it all on!!!!Anyway, this is a big deal for me so I thought it was blog worthy :)

Tanner and Denver heading out to Clear Creek

2008-08-04T08:44:00.000-07:00

Tanner and Denver left for Clear Creek this morning. It's a week long camp sponsored by the school district for 5th graders. Tanner is less than thrilled about going. I told him he'd have fun once he got there. He and Denver always have fun!! So it's just Ty and I this week...No plans...AHHHHHH....A little calm after the whirlwind of the last couple of weeks..Now I can concentrate on getting this house sold or rented!

Wahlen Reunion 2008

2008-08-02T08:10:00.000-07:00

The Wahlen Reunion was a lot of fun. Doing anything with the Wahlens is a good time!!!! We ate, went to the park, swam, visited...and ate some more!!! The top picture is a picture Tanner and Greg will always cherish with Grandpa Wahlen. What an awesome awesome man!!!
We are so lucky to be part of this family!!!!!!!!!!

Our Special Day

2008-07-31T23:02:00.000-07:00

It was a great day!!!! Ty was blessed and I went to the temple for my first time!!! Both were very memorable experiences and I'm grateful that our family and friends were there to share it with us! All of the pictures of Ty and our little family were taken by other cameras so I'll add more later!

Let me just say to everyone that I appreciate their examples and unconditional love and support. Me going to the temple has been a long awaited day not only for me but for my family. We can't wait to be sealed as a family!

Summer So Far.

2008-07-30T05:23:00.001-07:00

Bear Lake hanging out
Trying to get out of the water before the mosquito's come!!! Yikes!!

Having fun on the boat

Tanner not wanting my Dad to take him tubing for fear of dying..LOL!!!

Slip slidin' Away

Everest and Ty zonked out from all the festivities!

Ty's first time at the Beach!

Tanner and Ty watching Star Wars

Tanner was really sick almost the whole time we were in CA.

It's been a fun/crazy/hectic/busy summer so far!! We were in Huntington Beach visiting Greg and the rest of the fam for a few weeks. We just got back last week and turned around and went to Bear Lake for the Hooper Family Reunion. Nicole and her kids are in town which is always fun!! I'm still working 30 hours which I think might send Me, Tanner & Ty over the edge! Hence, why I never update my blog...So here it is in a flash folks :)

Memories....

2008-07-20T19:06:00.000-07:00

THIS TAG IS TOTALLY HITTING THE BLOGGING WORLD...CAN'T WAIT TO READ YOUR COMMENTS!
1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I have together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember....
2. Next repost these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty cool (and funny) to see the responses. If you leave a memory I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave a memory for you.

Tanner has moved on up on in the lunch line...

2008-06-13T21:18:00.000-07:00

For some reason I can't make these pictures bigger...

Tanner signing the adoption papers.

Everyone outstide the courthouse afterwards.

So it's official. Tanner has been pushed back in the lunch line. I say that because when I told Tanner he was getting adopted his response was, "Now I'll have to move back in the lunch line." Isn't that funny? The way kids think is so simple.
This was an amazing day! We are so grateful for everyone who was able to come and take part in Tanners adoption ceremony! I'm sad my Dad couldn't be there because I know this meant a lot to him and it was a day he and my mom have been waiting for for a long time! My parents have done so much for Tanner over the years and still continue to now. I'm also sad my sisters couldn't be there :( It's hard having big events like this and not having them here!

I appreciate Judge Bazelle for being able to see the big picture and for allowing Greg to adopt Tanner. I appreciate Grady, our attorney, who spent all the time he did to get this done without charging us a single cent. I appreciate my mom and the brunch that she had afterwards for everyone to enjoy. I realize every night when I say my prayers how much people are constantly serving my little family. I don't know what I continue to do right to be soo blessed???
You know, it didn't take the adoption to make Tanner Greg's son but it's nice to have it official and on paper! I worried how the transition would be with Greg and Tanner after we were married. Tanner wasn't super excited to make our little duo a trio. But with Greg's kindness, sensitivity and goofiness it's worked!
We are a happy little family!

How Cute is He?????

2008-06-12T22:05:00.000-07:00

Here's an updated picture of Ty. This is us going to Tanners baseball game yesterday. He's smiling now and it's so much fun! He's such a good little guy!

Where have I been you ask???

2008-05-19T22:02:00.000-07:00

So you're probably wondering if I've fallen off the face of the earth and why I haven't posted any pictures of Ty as he's progressing in life. Well, the poor little guy has colic. It's really quite sad. For both me and him :) You feel so bad for them because they're miserable in pain but am I the only one who feels kinda bad for myself too? I think I say about 500 prayers every night. 250 on Ty's behalf and the other 250 on mine. I pray for patience I know I didn't have before. And then I'm blessed with it. And then 5 minutes later when those patience have vanished, I pray for more..LOL!! I forgot how hard babies were and I know many of you can relate!

So that being said, I will quickly humble myself and say that I am so grateful to have a baby. Especially one that is healthy otherwise. He's such a sweet little snuggly guy when he's feeling well. I know that it could be so much worse!

Anyway, I miss checking in on everyone and their blogs! It's been hard keeping up.
Wow, I'm rambling...probably time to go to bed...LOL!!!

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

2008-04-25T12:45:00.000-07:00

Tanners baseball season started this last week. Their team has been working hard and practicing a ton! Tanner has an awesome coach spends so much time with the kids! Tanner got to pitch as well. He was soo stoked and he did an awesome job! We were so proud of him! Keep up the good work Tanner!

Jazz Playoff Game

2008-04-24T11:45:00.000-07:00

Greg and Tanner got to go to the playoff game. Tanner was so excited to go and they had a fun time. Tanner was excited about his free Jazz shirt. We're proud of Greg for not wearing his Karl Malone Lakers jersey! The only thing he loves more than surfing is to egg on Jazz fans.

Kelsey took some pictures of Ty

2008-04-22T18:53:00.000-07:00

Today my cousin Kelsey let Ty and I come over and she took some pictures of the little smurf! How cute are these pictures!! Kelsey was so patient and good with Ty. I think these seriously look professional quality. Jocelyn was also a huge help. Here are some of mine and Kelsey's favorites!

I think Kelsey and Jocelyn should open up shop! Thanks again!!

2008-04-21T16:00:00.000-07:00

Tanner got 100% on his states and capitals test. He hardly even studied. He also took a test a couple of weeks ago on The Constitution w/over 100 questions and only missed one! I'm telling ya, read to your kids!!!! It makes them smart!

I think I'm dreaming??

2008-04-21T13:12:00.000-07:00

I just have a sec to put this on because I know I'll wake up from this dream soon...
I'm dreaming that my son is awake, not being held and not crying. He's also sitting in his little vibrating chair listening to the ocean (obviously his dad's son) so I figured I must be dreaming...LOL!!!

Ty's First Outing

2008-04-20T18:47:00.000-07:00

Ty's first outing was to Grandma and Grandpa's house for Sunday dinner. Aaron, Angela and Everest were there too! Check out pictures of the big event!

Thank Heaven for Mothers!

2008-04-20T10:25:00.001-07:00

As Greg pointed out..."When you're a baby your mom takes care of you and then when you have a baby she takes care of you again." Isn't that the truth! My mom and mother-in-law have made this week so easy on me. They've been cooking, cleaning, entertaining Tanner, laundry, bringing lunch, grocery shopping...you name it, they've been doing it!

I just wanted to say thank you to them for all their love and support! Tanner and Ty are lucky to have such awesome Grandmas!

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-04-18T18:28:00.001-07:00

The Lightweight Champion of the World

2008-04-18T17:19:00.000-07:00

Here is our new baby boy! Enjoy these pics. I am going to add a lot more later on. He is sweet sauce and we love him so much! This is the craziest thing I have been a part of. (This is Greg posting.) He has a lot of Hooper and a lot of Markham in him, but we are relieved he doesn't look purple anymore. I thought we were having a baby, and then a little purple man came out. Right when he came out his hand was up along the side of his face and shoulder. I instantly thought he was trying to 'brush his shoulder off' like Kobe Bryant does sometimes in games, or like Jay-Z sings about. "If you're feeling like a pimp Tyson, go and brush your shoulders off."
He is so awesome. I am holding him right now as I blog and I am just thinking about how I have added a new person to my all-star list. You made the cut Tyson Gregory. You are a huge blessing and we are so stoked to have you. We would have been more excited if you would've come sooner, but we know your old man is a procrastinator too. We'll just have to nurture that right out of you, so surfing lessons this summer bud. No time to waste.

2008-04-16T14:51:00.000-07:00

Introducing....Tyson "Ty" Gregory Markham

born April 15th @ 3:49 pm

8 lbs. 2 oz.~ 20 1/2 in. long

More details to come soon

Ty's Birthday Story

2008-04-15T10:29:00.000-07:00

It all started at 5:30 this morning. Greg and I got up and got ready hoping and praying there would be room in the hospital for us this morning so we could go in and I could be indouced. I made 9 batches of jam last night and thought that might put me into labor alone, but no such luck! So we called the hospital and the nurse said to leave as soon as we could.

We arrived about 7:40 and they took me to a room and got me started. Unfortunately they tried and missed a couple of times to give me an I.V. Third times a charm and we were ready to rock and roll. We had a nurse in training named Rachael and she was the best! I couldn't have asked for a better nurse! Your nurse can make all the difference in what kind of experience you have.

So I started at a 3 and progressed to a 5 within a couple of hours. The contractions were coming stronger and more consistent but I the anasthesiologist was busy with a c-section. At the rate I was going I could have had the baby prettt quick. Well I had no interest in having the baby natural so the nurse stopped the patosin and gave me some pain medication called Nubain. Within minutes I felt like my head was going to explode the stuff was so strong.

I was able to get my epidural and Grandma, Grandpa and Tanner showed up and everything was ready to go! Well Ty's heart rate was dropping and we had to stop the patosin again. Nobody knows for sure why but I'm guessing it was from the Nubain. It had such a bad affect on me I'm sure it's what affected him and made his heart rate drop. So now I was getting stressed out and upset because his heart rate was dropping. I wasn't cold but couldn't stop shaking for a couple of hours. I was so worried about his heart and everything going okay. It was a hard couple of hours.

Well his heart rate was under control so they started the patosin again. He was doing great this time and within a half hour or so it was time to get things wrapped up! After 4 or 5 sets of 3 or 4 pushes he was here!!!!

I couldn't believe how purple he was! He was screaming and yelling! He was mad!!!! He was weighed and my jaw almost hit the floor when they announced he was 8lbs 2oz. That's a big baby in my opinion! I couldn't take my eyes of him. I was kinda in total shock that he was here. You wait for this moment for so long and when it hits, it seems almost surreal.

I still can't believe what a miracle life is...We were so glad to have him here! I am so grateful that he is was healthy and everything went as smoothly as it did! We are truly blessed!

Tomorrow is the Big Day!

2008-04-14T21:38:00.000-07:00

Here I am, 40 weeks pregnant! Don't I look great?

This is my cute little cousin, Cassie. She text messaged me this picture today. I love it! It made my day! She's very excited about all the babies being born into the family. Thanks Cassie for the picture :)

So I am scheduled to be induced tomorrow! So unless there's a huge amount of women who show up tonight to have their babies, I'm good to go! Thank heavens! I went to the doctor this morning and he was almost suggesting I wait another week until my eyes filled up with tears. Then he changed his mind. Who says crying doesn't get you anywhere? I'm not a cryer, but you gotta do what cha gotta do!

I don't know who's the most excited for me to have this baby; Tanner, Greg or me? I was crazy and made 9 batches of strawberry freezer jam this afternoon so I'm not feeling anything but swollen ankles!

Today was a day of "lasts" for Tanner. We went to run erands and Tanner said, "This is my last day of running erands as an only child." We were eating dinner and Tanner says, "This is my last dinner as an only child." Needless to say, Tanner is excited! He probably knows more about pregnancy and labor than any other 11 year old out there. What a good sport and support he's been during this pregnancy!

I'm not sure if Greg is more excited to have the baby or excited about the fact he gets to take a week off of work?!? No, Greg is sooo excited! He can't wait for this baby to get here. He is going to be such a good dad!

Honestly, I have mixed emotions...I feel like I'm beginning another chapter in my life. I have LOVED the one-on-one time I've been able to have with Tanner. It hasn't always been the quantity I would have liked, but it has definitely been quality time! I just hope that the bond Tanner and I have will always remain strong.

I'm a little nervous to basically be starting over again. As I've said before, I go into Babies R' Us and break out into hives because for some reason the reality hits there!

This posting was really more a journal entry for me than anything. So if anyone is still reading to this point, wish us luck and include us in your prayers tomorrow :)

Nope- No Baby Yet.

2008-04-13T20:17:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it??? I know that today is my due date and I'm not technically over or anything but everyone I know who was supposed to have their baby either the same time or after me has had their baby! What's up with that? SOOOO FRUSTRATING!!!

I go to the doctor tomorrow morning and I'm hoping he'll induce me sometime within the next couple of days. If he tells me he'll see me next week at my "weekly appointment" my response will be, "I'll see you at your funeral tomorrow!" LOL!!! Just kidding, my doctor is great. I have to give it to OBGYN's, what a time-consuming, minute-by-minute job!

Let me just say I am soo grateful that I'm able to have a baby and that both of us are healthy! So I know I have no room to complain. It's just been an emotional couple of weeks. I've learned I am a very "steady" person. I don't like the unknown or the ups and downs in life. I just like things steady and predictable. Therefore, this is teaching me huge lessons! Hopefully this isn't a preview of what this kid is going to teach me the rest of my life ;)

So I'll leave it at that and tune in tomorrow for an update-

David Everest Hooper is finally here!!!!!!

2008-04-10T20:17:00.000-07:00

He's finally here!!!!! Our nephew, David Everest Hooper, was born this evening. He shares a birthday with his Aunt Natalie and Nicole. He weighed 7 lbs. 9oz and was 20 1/2 inches long. From what I can tell he has his moms nose and his dads lips. We are so excited for Aaron and Angela.

Now little Ty needs to come so Everest can have a buddy! You think if I sit and stare at this picture long enough it'll put me into labor? LOL!!

Happy 30th Birthday Natalie and Nicole!!!!

2008-04-10T18:11:00.000-07:00

Today is Natalie and Nicole's 30th birthday! I am soooo glad that they were born into the Hooper Family! I JUST LOVE MY SISTERS!!! They are my best friends and I can't imagine life without either of them. (When I was younger you would have never heard me say that!)

People always ask me if it's hard being so close in age to twin sisters but most the time I feel more like we're triplets. They're soo good to always include me in everything. It's just always been that way. They, and my mom, would'nt have it any other way.

Another thing people always ask me, kinda funny, is which sister I like better???? Isn't that a funny thing to ask? My response is "I could never like either one of them more than the other, they're both two totally different people and I appreciate different things about both of them and get along with both of them the same." People also ask me who I'm most like out of the two of them and my response to that is "I'm kinda a little mix of both."

Anyway, here's to Natalie and Nicole! I appreciate your love, friendship, support and example :)

ABC Tag

2008-04-10T14:08:00.000-07:00

My sister Nicole "ABC" tagged me- so here goes..

A.ATTACHED OR SINGLE?
Attached to Greg
B.BEST FRIEND?
Natalie, Nicole, My Mom, Greg and Tanner
C.CAKE OR PIE?
Cake for sure.
D. DAY OF CHOICE?
Saturday
E. ESSENTIAL ITEMS?
My purse and everything in it.
F. FAVORITE COLORS?
Green.
G. GUMMY BEARS OR WORMS?
They taste the same to me...
H. HOMETOWN?
Salt Lake City, UT
I. INDULGENCE?
Exercise.
JANUARY OR JULY?
July...Especially July nights in UT. You can't beat em.
K. KIDS?
A son and another on the way..
L. LIFE ISN'T COMPLETE WITHOUT?
Family, Friends and Church
M. MARRIAGE DATE?
Nov. 11, 2006
N. NUMBER OF BROTHERS AND SISTERS?
2 sisters, 2 brothers, 2 sis in laws, 3 bro in laws
O. ORANGES OR APPLES?
I like both but I'd likely choose a crisp green apple over and orange.
P. PHOBIAS OR FEARS?
I'm scared of the dark and I hate scary movies.
Q. QUOTE?
"The chief cause of failure and unhappiness is trading what we want most for what we want at the moment"
R. REASONS TO SMILE?
Greg and Tanner make me laugh.
S. SUPERMAN OR WONDER WOMAN?
Neither...I've never been into super heroes.
T. TAG 5 PEOPLE-
people I chose to tag down below
U. UNKNOWN FACT ABOUT ME?
I love cinnamon bears.
V. VEGETABLES?
Salads..especially the Explosion Salad from Chili's
W. WORST HABIT?
Not picking up after myself.
X XRAY OR ULTRASOUND?
Ultrasound.
Y. YOUR FAVORITE FOOD?
Sandwich with chips/fries or Mexican Food.
Z. ZODIAC SIGN?
Leo.

5 PEOPLE YOU'RE GOING TO TAG? Kate Alger, Kelsey Peck, Ginger Palmer, Val Clawson & Katie Harward.

Girls night out with The Biggerstaffs

2008-04-06T07:56:00.000-07:00

Last night my mom and I went to dinner with the Biggerstaffs at Thanksgiving Point. It was a dinner/shower. We had such a good time! Our family just loves the Biggerstaff family. We have so much in common and always have a great time with eachother! It was fun swapping labor stories and catching up.

As you can see everyone treated little Tyson very nicely! Everything was darling!!!! This little guy is going to be the best dressed kid ever. Thanks you guys :)

"Come on Ty, time to come out!!!"

Tanner Watching Conference

2008-04-06T07:51:00.000-07:00

Tanner is such a good sport to watch all sessions of conference and not complain about it! I gotta tell ya though, it's funny, after the second Saturday session he asked, "Mom, are any of the sessions different or is it the same everytime? Will the talks and speakers be different tomorrow?" So basically, until I clarified, he thought he had watched the same session twice yesterday. LOL! I guess I could've thought the same thing when I was his age..
Funny, funny, Tanner!!!

Gross!!!

2008-04-02T21:04:00.000-07:00

Now that doesn't look right, does it? Yes, these are my morbid feet. I know, my scar from my melenoma is gross too, but check out my ankles! Wait a minute, I don't have any ankles...Last I checked only the boney part of your ankle was supposed to stick out...

Oh the joys of pregnancy!!

I have a doctors appt tomorrow so hopefully we're making progress and I'll have this little guy before too long. We are ready whenever he is!!! If he knew how excited we were to meet him and how much he'll be loved, he would've come already!!

Finishing the Basement

2008-03-30T11:04:00.000-07:00

Future Family Room

Future Spare Bedroom

Hallway

Before

We were bursting at the seams here at our house so we've taken the leap and we're partially finishing the basement!!! Woo Hoo!!!

With the baby coming and me working at home most of the time it's not going to work very well having my office and Ty's room in the same room. So we are adding on an office/family room and an extra bedroom downstairs. It's a total of 462 extra square footage and that is music to my ears! We need the space!!!

The bathroom is all wired and ready to go but we'll wait until the fall/winter to finish that. Bathrooms are expensive!!!!

So anyway, we hope this will be done in the next few weeks.

PRETTY EXCITING!!!!

Small Talk

2008-03-20T14:04:00.001-07:00

Another Question:

What is the year, make, model and color of your dream car?

My answer:

A brand new black Range Rover with tan leather interior!

Someday....

"You and Me Both Kid!!"

2008-03-14T21:55:00.000-07:00

So as I sit here all alone with nothing to do (Greg is in Huntington and Tanner is at a movie with Denver) this picture just really says how I feel right now... Funny how you can think of a million things to do if you just didn't have to worry about anyone else but the second the people you worry about are gone, you really have nothing to do! Irony is a funny, funny thing.

2008-03-14T11:31:00.001-07:00

Thanks Nicole and Lacey for making our blog page so fancy!!!

Tanner's Running for Class Senator

2008-03-12T19:01:00.000-07:00

Tanner is in 5th grade this year and they're learning about government so they're campaigning and all that fun stuff. Tanner has been nominated and is running for Senator. This is the picture he's putting on his poster and his slogan is "Vote for Tanner and all your wildest dreams will come true!" I told him he should put a mustache on himself so he looks like Pedro! Tanner is one funny guy!

Small Talk

2008-03-09T21:32:00.000-07:00

So at my mom's house (by the way, I always call it my mom's house...why is that? My dad lives there too???) there is this box of cards and they're called Conversation Starters or something like that. It asks all these random but interesting questions that you'd honestly want to know about a person. So every now and then I think I'm going to post a question and people can answer. Most people who check out my blog know eachother anyway so I think it's a fun way to get to know people a little better....Why not, right?
So here's a question.....

"If you had to live one day of your life over and over again, what day would it be?"

Tanners Science Fair Project

2008-02-26T19:58:00.000-08:00

Here is Tanner with his best friend Denver. They worked so hard on their Science Fair Project. They did it on "Magic Sand". It was really quite interesting. They received honorable mention from the judges! Way to go Tanner and Denver!

I've Been Tagged!

2008-02-11T15:02:00.001-08:00

So my sister Nicole tagged me and what that means is I have to write 6 things that people may or may not known about me.. So here goes:

1- If I could change one thing about the way I looked it would be that I wasn't so white! I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to be able to get a tan! That way I could wear whatever I wanted and look okay. If there was some miracle tatoo (or something or other) out there that could make me tan, I'd do it, no matter the cost!

2- If I could live in any other time period other than now I would have loved to live in the 50's. I think there's something to be said about the quality of life and the quality of people who grew up in that era. Idealy, I would go back to Pearl Harbor and be able to hang out with Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnet!

3- If I could live one day over and over again it would be my wedding day!

4- I love to workout!!!! It's my hobby! When I have an hour of time to kill, you'll usually find me working out! I find myself wishing I was obese when I watch the show 'The Biggest Loser'; that way I could be on the show and get to work out and compete with the other people. I know, little crazy!!!

5- If money weren't an object I would donate most of it to charity. I find myself irritated with people who have ridiculously huge houses and cars. I always say to myself, "I hope they give a lot of money to charity."

6- One day I will run a marathon. Even if it kills me! I started to train a few years ago but I didn't have the time that it took everyday to train. Plus, I get bored running by myself. So maybe I should say one day my husband or my kids and I will run a marathon.

And there you have it folks!

Gregs Birthday Party!

2008-02-10T22:42:00.001-08:00

Well if you can see over the messy counter-top here we are celebrating Greg's Birthday! We had a fun time. Had a baked potato bar and every desert you can think of!

We played Scene-It and had a lot of fun. My poor dad was the last one who got picked though. He's just not known for his quick game-play :(

Thanks everyone for coming and celebrating with us!

Baby Shower

2008-02-10T22:22:00.000-08:00

Saturday afternoon Ranae and Kelsey had a shower for me and my sister-in-law Angela. We are due just twelve days apart! It was so much fun and I am so grateful for all the time and effort Ranae and Kelsey put into the shower!!! Everything was decorated so darling and the food was delicious! My mom, grandma and aunts helped out too and I'm grateful for that.

We had brunch, chit-chatted and opened presents. I got some super cute outfits for the baby and a swing (which was Tanners favorite!) so I was excited about that. He will definitely be a well-dressed little guy. I also got money to put towards a stroller and other things.

I notice last week as I was registering at Babies R Us that I was truly "starting over" and I had major anxiety!!!! It reminded me of all the knick-knacks babies require and all the work!!!!!

But they're worth it!

Thanks Everyone who took part!

Happy Birthday Greg!!!

2008-02-06T12:31:00.000-08:00

Greg is 30 years old today!!!!

Tanner and I just love Greg! To know him is to love him! He brings so much happiness into our lives. He makes us laugh with all his silly jokes and the quarky little things he does. He is such a kind and generous person and has such a good heart. We are lucky to have him in our lives!