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Left field

2010-01-21T21:59:00.002-07:00

This post is totally random but I was just thinking about all those unfortunate people in Haiti and my heart just breaks for them. Today I saw a picture of a 6 mos old Haitian baby that had both of his parents die in the (1st)quake. Oh, what I would do to be able to bring him here and adopt him into our family.

Adoption update

2009-09-11T08:20:00.002-06:00

Just in case there are still a few of you out there that don't use facebook I thought I should tell y'all what's going on. The adoption agency is going to be increasing their adoption fee by more than double of what it is now. Rumor is this will take place around January so, Jason and I have decided that if Karli will have a sibling we need to take advantage of the original fee which we will be grand-fathered in at. (It's still ridiculous compared to being able to give birth myself and having health insurance to pay for it.) We have turned in our application and had our first interview. Now we will have our background checks done and fingerprints. Once we get a 2nd child (if we are blessed again) the only way we will get more children is by word of mouth so keep your ears open for birth moms looking to place. :)

What we do for fun around here.

2009-05-17T21:51:00.009-06:00

I know it's been a long time since my last post, I think I came to the conclusion that my blog was too time consuming and not that many folks were still visiting it. But for those who did request an update, this is for you. :) These are pretty random but looking through my camera these pictures were the ones that made me smile.
As many of you know Jason is a die hard hunter so this pic shouldn't surprise you.

This one is funny to me because my nephew wishes he had a brother to play with so bad but he is stuck with Karli so my sister was over one day and she looks at the kids and then asks me if I put the "Bob the builder" goggles on Karli, I look at her and this is what Ryder had done. (she's a good sport)
Next we had Easter....

Karli's 1st birthday!!!!!! Wow, how this last year has flown by!! The video at the end is hilarious, I think she was on a bit of a sugar high.

And lastly, Karli's 1st trip to the Hogle zoo.
Oh, I can't forget to post about her first time getting her hair done by a professional hairstylist in a real salon. The stylist was absolutely wonderful with kids and I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a new stylist!

She's off!

2009-03-01T20:25:00.003-07:00

Karli is 10 months old today and I'm excited to announce that she started crawling this last Thursday. (I was crossing my fingers she would do it before she turned 10 mos) It's the cutest thing because she's a natural, if she sees something she's excited about she does this "sprint crawl" so she can go extra fast- I love it. In this video she saw her dad on the treadmill and kept trying to crawl over to him but unfortunately for her I wouldn't let her get too close. I know it's dark but I had to share.

Wishing I was here

2009-02-19T07:55:00.002-07:00

Does she really deserve this?

2009-02-10T12:11:00.004-07:00

Last week I took Miss K. in for her 9 mos Dr visit. I also found out that she is the size of your average 1 1/2 yr old baby-toddler! She's not quite off the charts yet and the Dr also said she isn't "overweight" so we have nothing to worry about. But she did say she is to the age that we need to start disciplining her if she's naughty. Not my child, she's perfect. :) I wanted to get y'all's opinion if you have read this book.

It's really been that long?

2009-02-01T22:30:00.003-07:00

Miss K is 9 months old today! I hate it when people say this but I really can't believe how fast time flies when you have kids. Jason is already trying to talk me into turning in our paperwork again(in May since we have to wait until K is 1 yr old) so we can be put on the waiting list for another baby. I wish I knew how long it will take to be chosen. I'm thinking maybe we'll turn it in this fall. Karli is such a sweet baby but soo incredibly independent. She's so close to crawling forward, each day she is more fun than the last. We love you angel baby!

Will we ever finish it?

2009-01-18T20:57:00.008-07:00

Lately Jason and I have really been thinking we need to get the one room finished that for some reason our builder decided to leave unfinished. Which actually turned out to my benefit because I thought there would be no better place to put all my craft stuff than in its own room. So, we had all the electrical work done and next we're on to the sheet rock. I found these pictures to use as some sort of guide lines as to what I want it to look like. I'll have to take before and after pictures but a combination of these 2 rooms is what I'm going for. It gets me all excited just thinking about it!

Look-alike Meter

2009-01-14T21:51:00.002-07:00

I feel like I have NOTHING to blog about lately so when I saw this on Debbies page it reminded me that I've been wanting to try this with Miss K. The results are kind of funny considering that she only looks like Jason 4% more than me because everyone who meets her says she looks so much like him.

Should I ask him out on a date?

2009-01-02T10:25:00.006-07:00

As I was thinking about what to do on New Years Eve I reflected back on the many New Years Eves that Jason and I would normally go to a movie or hang out with friends so this year would be different since we had Karli. Then I started to think of the last time Jason and I had done anything together alone and came to the conclusion that we had only gone on 1- that's right ONE date since Karli was born and that was for something we had to do for Jasons work. However I'm super picky about who watches her and I don't have a lot of family down here. My poor sister watches her when I go to work so I feel bad asking her and my mom works every Friday and Saturday night which is the only time Jason will stay out past his bedtime(The man needs like 10 hours of sleep I swear). Am I over protective or do you think it's normal?

tRaDiTiOnS

2008-12-22T07:51:00.006-07:00

I feel like I have been such a laggard blogger lately but haven't really had anything significant happen so this post is open to all. In our family at Christmas we have a few traditions. I'm sure like many we get an orange in our stocking, my mom makes the best fudge (making a special batch just for me without nuts), we watch Chevy Chase's Christmas Vacation, and the most rewarding tradition is finding a family less fortunate to be a Secret Santa for. This year my younger sister and I have decided to start an annual book swap for Christmas instead of taking on the arduous task of finding the perfect gift for each other.

Now I'm curious to know what your family traditions are, if you have any? Don't be shy :)

Grandma and Grandpa request updated pictures.

2008-12-04T19:00:00.008-07:00

Karli has ripened to the age of 7 months now and every day is more fun than the last. I adore her little personality. She now has her 2 bottom teeth and can sit up on her own. At her 6 month appt. she weighed in at 19.2lbs (92%).Here are some pictures of her life the past few months.

You can't take her back now!

2008-11-06T21:18:00.008-07:00

This last Monday we were able to go to court and have our hearing to make Karlis adoption final. What a relief! It's been a long 6 months in that aspect but our time with her has also gone by so fast! I can't believe my little baby is in 9-12 mos clothes(actually there's nothing "little" about her). Every time I go through her drawers it makes me sad to pack up the ones that no longer fit her. Each and every day is more fun with her and to see her little personality forming is priceless. It's amazing that something so small and that can't even talk can just make you melt. She's perfect for our family and there's no doubt in my mind that she was always meant to be with us. What an amazing thing adoption is! I'm so grateful for our birth parents and the selfless decision they made just over 6 months ago.

If I have learned anything from this whole experience it has definitely been to have some faith. And believe me it was tested to the max when we had to make the decision to know if Karli was supposed to be our baby. I went home and just cried about it because it wasn't your "ideal" adoption. Jason felt that she/he (didn't know if it was a girl or boy yet) belonged with us. I however was scared to death that this baby would be handicap and have all kinds of deformities. I knew that I wouldn't be a good enough mother to a baby with those kinds of problems. Then Jason's dad told me the story of this woman who was expecting Christ to come by her house one day so she started cleaning her house when there was a knock on her door. It was a homeless man who asked her for some food, she looked at him and told him that she was too busy and she wouldn't be able to help him. She got back to her work when a few hours later there was another knock on her door, this time she opened the door to find a small child. He asked her if he could come in and borrow something. She looked at the child and again said she was unable to help him. While still getting ready for her visit from the Savior there was a third knock on her door. This time it was an elderly lady who asked the woman if she could come in to get warm. The woman told her she was too busy and that she was unable to help her. Later that night the woman was talking to Christ and asked him where he had been all day as she had been anticipating his visit. Christ looked at her and said "I've already been to your house 3 times and you've turned me away each time".

After I heard that I couldn't stop thinking about it knowing that this could be a test for us and what if I was the woman in the story and I was the one turning this baby away for selfish reasons? That story was just eating at me and then it hit me like a ton of bricks. I knew at that point deep in my heart the Lord wouldn't give me anything that I couldn't handle so whatever problem(s) this baby may have- I could handle it! After making up our mind to accept this baby I was completely comforted. I knew everything would be ok no matter what happened. Once Karli was born everything about this sweet spirited baby tested perfect. How could I have been so selfish? Why did I deserve such a perfect baby with no problems whatsoever? I'm so glad that my stubborness didn't win and that we were so blessed with such an amazing child. Karli I love you with all my heart, you truly are my angel.

Yay! My shop is finally open!

2008-11-04T21:05:00.002-07:00

I finally got around today to getting some of my things posted so I could open my shop! It's so fun, I can hardly stand it. I can't wait to get more things done so I can post 'em!

Who designs baby shoes anyway?

2008-11-02T21:12:00.003-07:00

The other day Jason came home with these ADORABLE baby cowgirl boots. He had called me earlier in the day and asked what size she wore. I told her she's currently in a 2 but I would get a 3 so she can get a little use out of them. So he gets home and what I saw was the cutest boots ever! I was so excited to put them on Karli and when I did to my dismay they weren't even close to zipping up. So I suggested he take them back and get a 4 and someday she'll grow into them. The next day he gets home with a 4 and this is what we find. Is my daughter just eating the groceries like nobodies business or what? I know she's got little chubby legs but seriously!

Girls weekend!

2008-10-20T09:26:00.007-06:00

This last weekend a bunch of us girls went to Pineview and had a fabulous time at the condo. The weather was outstanding and the company was so entertaining! Saturday morning Marci had a few of the girls working out to her "attack" class. During the day some of us went down to the beach and snapped some photos, we couldn't have asked for better weather this time of year. We played lots of games and of course went hot tubbing! Sunday morning we came home to relieve the husbands of our kids. Thanks babe for watching ours. :) So until next year girls.....

Friday night Tonee, Jenny, Jen, Nikki, me, Shannon, Marci,Karaden, Rashelle, Debbie, Laurel, and Tiffany.

Marci doing "attack" with a few of the girls

Practice makes perfect....or does it?

2008-10-12T15:04:00.004-06:00

So a couple weeks ago I thought I would try these new cupcake pops that looked delicious and they were just the right size for a quick little treat. I went out, picked up all my ingredients including this new food coloring that makes your food NEON colors! I got home and started my new and exciting task of making these pops. Three days later I finally finished up this treacherously long "fun" recipe, even after pleading with my husband to help my shove all these silly things into this tiny mold to get its shape. As I'm getting ready to turn my chocolate into cool colors I quickly learn that you can't add water based food coloring to almond bark!!!!! Urgh! And this is how they turned out???? WTFreak? I thought I would include a picture of how they were supposed to look. :(

My sweet baby is "wigged" out

2008-09-22T11:44:00.004-06:00

This last week I had some fun with Miss K. At my sisters house my nieces decided to try out the curly grayish colored wig and then after I had lunch with my in-laws we decided to see what she would look like in another one of nieces "Miley Cyrus" build a bear wig. I think this one was my favorite.

And she said "I do"

2008-09-13T17:50:00.002-06:00

Last weekend my friend Rashelle went with me to my best friend from high schools wedding in Portland. We had so much fun but unfortunately we forgot to take pictures of anything but the wedding. It was so nice to see so many old friends. It really made me wish I was able to visit more often. Since I was a bridesmaid Rashelle stayed plenty busy snapping photos.

My new best friend is blue and kinda squishy

2008-08-26T22:41:00.005-06:00

Whoever invented the bumbo is a genius. A friend of mine let me borrow hers to see if Karli liked it and she absolutely LOVES it. She sits in it and thinks she's the coolest thing because she can see everything that's going on. This will have to be my next purchase! LOOOOVE IT!

Karli and I spent a couple days at the pool last week and to my surprise she actually enjoyed the water! Next year will be so fun!

Jumping on the bandwagon

2008-08-12T14:59:00.003-06:00

With the recent release of the 4th book to this saga I have finally given in to the peer pressure of reading this series. I remember when it first came out and people told me it was about a vampire I immediately lost interest and couldn't stay tuned to whatever else they were adding to try to convince me to read it. I admit it is a fun read so far and can't wait to finish all 4. My goal is to read them all before the "Twilight" movie comes out in December. Ya know... because I have so much free time with a newborn and all. :) I was in a book club with some gals in the neighborhood but I think they unanimously kicked me out since I haven't been there lately so now I will dedicate however long it takes to read about this dreamy Edward guy. Wish me luck!

Cutest girl accesories EVER!

2008-07-26T18:37:00.003-06:00

So Jasons cousin introduced me to this gal that makes all these super FUN headbands, flowers, hats, and piggy pairs! She just sent a ton of them to me to go through and pick the ones I want. If anyone is interested let me know, I'm planning on keeping them through next week then I will send back the ones that didn't sell. And she can do any kind of personalized ones- notice how cute the "Karli" bottle cap flowers are. :) They are pretty reasonable too.

Karli baby is 2 months!

2008-07-12T23:56:00.008-06:00

Above picture is before shots

On Thursday I took Karli in for her 2 month Dr. appt which was harder for me than her I think. The poor thing was given 3 shots and 1 oral vaccination. But she did weigh in at 12 lbs 12 oz (84th%) and was 24 1/4 inches (95th%) which is the height of your average 4 mos old. She has had a fever ever since. :(
Below picture is after shots

hApPy 4th oF JuLy!

2008-07-08T18:26:00.004-06:00

This last weekend we spent some time up at our friends cabin and had so much fun! We lounged around, played a little guitar hero, had a picnic up at Mirror Lake, went 4 wheeling and did a little hot tubbing. Miss K was extra good and I think she really enjoyed her first "camping" trip. :) Thanks so much "Uncle" Sean and Karaden- we can't wait to go again!

Good old Family Reunion time

2008-07-01T17:09:00.002-06:00

This last weekend Jason's family had a reunion and so we rode up with Jason's parents. I thought it was cool- they were doing old fashioned pictures of each family. This is our first family picture other than the few that were taken in the hospital when Miss K was born.

Karlis first trip to the zoo

2008-07-01T16:52:00.002-06:00

A couple weekends ago Karli and I went up to Boise to visit my sister and my nephew Ryder. While we were there Ryder had a trip to the zoo planned with his pre-school group so we were able to go along with them. Thanks Bonnie and Ryder for a fun time!

Results Of Miss K's homemade photo shoot

2008-06-19T17:38:00.006-06:00

I talked Jason into being my "sheet holder" for a couple photo shoots that I did of Miss K. and these are what we were able to get out of it. I love the bottom picture- you can totally tell how much fun she is having. Needless to say after that one it was a wrap!

Happy Fathers Day Jason!

2008-06-15T16:02:00.003-06:00

Karli wanted to give her dad a shout out and publicly say Happy Fathers Day, you're a super dad!

What would we do without this dumb binky?

2008-06-03T13:30:00.004-06:00

Miss K. has decided that she needs her binky at all times so I can't leave her for more than a couple minutes before it falls out. :( It's a good thing that she doesn't use it at night when she sleeps, I really wouldn't get any sleep then. She cracks us up and is starting to smile more often. I will have to try to get that on video.

I captured this sweet picture of our little gangsta baby yesterday

Random pictures

2008-05-24T17:37:00.005-06:00

Ok, Ok, so I suck at blogging now that we have a baby. I've been threatened to post more pictures of Karli so I hope you are all satisfied. :)

Karli's nursery is finally done!

2008-05-19T18:26:00.003-06:00

After having every piece of her furniture and bedding back ordered and putting her beadboard up sideways we have finally completed her room! The bottom picture is a saying that my friend Lindsey gave me that is so perfect- I had to put it up her room right away! Thanks Lindsey!

Happy 2 week Bday to Karli!

2008-05-16T23:29:00.004-06:00

Yesterday Karli turned 2 weeks! She has been so much fun to have around and is such a good baby. The real test for me will be this next week because my sister who has been helping me has gone home so for all of you who have offered to help if I need it- beware, I might be calling you. ;) Thanks to everyone who has brought meals! Oh- on Weds at her pediatrician appt she weighed in at 9lbs!

Sweet Karli baby

2008-05-02T20:57:00.004-06:00

We were just discharged from the hospital tonight and so I wanted to put a few more pictures up. She's still fairly swollen in these but she's getting cuter every minute. :)

She's Here!!

2008-05-01T20:52:00.002-06:00

Shana wanted me to do another post and introduce Karli since they are staying at the hospital tonight and don't have internet access...

Karli was born at 3:24PM
8 lbs 8 oz
20.5 inches
lots of brown hair!!

Congrats to the new Mom & Dad :)

Bored to DEATH in Wyoming.

2008-04-30T16:04:00.004-06:00

Hey everyone! Our internet hasn't worked since we've been here in Wyoming so I don't know how long it will stay but I have been thinking about which pediatrician I want to go with and can't decide. Since most of you out there have kids I want to know who you recommend or don't recommend. Please leave a comment with who you suggest as I guess I really need to choose soon. We haven't heard anything from our birth mom since yesterday so I guess we're still inducing tomorrow morning at 6 am. I will post something as soon as I can. Cross your fingers she's healthy, I'm freaking out. Thanks everybody for all your prayers and concerns!!!! Karli baby (as my 3 yr. old nephew calls her)will be here tomorrow.

Just killin time at Wal-Mart...

2008-04-29T11:40:00.005-06:00

Hey Y'all... it's Shana's sister here. She asked me to do a quick update for all you blogger friends. They didn't have internet access at the hotel they stayed at last night but she should tonight. They finally got a call last night that their Birth Mom had checked in to the hospital so they grabbed their bags and headed over there. When they got there the hospital was sending her home and luckily they ran in to her in the parking lot. She had a DR appt this morning and they said the baby hadn't done anything so if she didn't have it by Thursday they would induce. So Shana and Jason already have work off and know that if they turn around and come back that they will probably get the call, so they are just going to hang out and wait. I asked her what they were going to do and Shana said "well they have a Wal-Mart"... So they were going to kill some time at Wal-Mart and maybe go to a movie or something. Leave them a comment if you want... At least they can read those tonight if they are still sitting around!

It's about time!

2008-04-26T22:53:00.003-06:00

I finally have a blog worthy update! I know you all are probably wondering what the heck is going on, well me too. We hadn't really heard any news or updates on how our birth mom was for the last couple weeks until tonight. Kevin called and said he had talked to her and she had gone to the hospital last night because of having a lot of contractions (which ended up being braxton hicks) and really bad back pain. The Dr checked her out, said she wasn't dilated but for some other reason said it looks like she will most likely deliver in the next two days. She has a Dr appt on Tues so her Dr said IF she hasn't delivered by then he will induce her on Weds!!!!!! She also told Kevin to tell us that she's really excited for us. How sweet is she!!! Also our birth dad called in to the agency to tell Kevin that he is going to send us some pictures. I'm excited for that because when we met both of them he seemed way too nervous for us to take pictures so I don't have any to show Karli what her birth dad looks like but we did take some of our birth mom. I can't wait!!! The anticipation is killing me! So moral of the story is: NO LATER than Wednesday we will be parents! YIKES!!

Update

2008-04-17T20:54:00.002-06:00

This update isn't very exciting but we found out that our birth mom will for sure be delivering in Wyoming. :( I'm so bummed about that but her mom really doesn't want her delivering while she's in jail so our birth mom decided not to "voluntarily book" herself. I'm literally sleeping with my phone just waiting for the call. They have changed her due date to the 28th but her first 2 babies came 2 weeks early so she has carried this baby longer than her others. Technically we have 11 days until she's 40 weeks. I'm dying, I thought she would have been here by now.Maybe this weekend.?????????

Ok, Ok drum roll please..............................

2008-04-13T22:19:00.005-06:00

So I know I told all of you that I would finally reveal the name sometime this weekend so here goes. If you don't like it then just pretend you do because this is just how it is. :) I wanted to finish my wood letters of her name for this post- who would have thought it was going to be 11pm on Sunday night though. :(

Adoption Update!

2008-04-11T21:54:00.002-06:00

Kevin called us tonight as we were leaving the house and so of course the first thing I thought was that our birth mom was in labor. Then my heart stopped beating because I've been putting being prepared off forever. Needless to say, she wasn't. But he did tell us that this last week she's had pretty steady contractions so she went in to see the Dr and he said she was fine and that he would see her back next week for her appt. We're making serious progress now- sounds like she's seeing her Dr regularly YAY!!! Anyway, Kevin said that when he talked to her she was still solid with her plans of placing and also added that she goes to court on Monday and will find out what state she will deliver in. If she goes to jail now= Utah. If they wait to book her until after delivery=Wyoming. And sorry folks we don't know what kind of crime she committed. (I've had a lot of people ask.) All that matters is that she's a sweet soul that is making a brilliant choice to place her baby. Cross your fingers that she delivers in Utah, I REALLY don't want to stay in Wyoming in a hotel for a couple weeks. Good thing for the credit card I guess. :(
My goal this weekend is to wash her clothes, pack her bag, pack our bag and put her car seat in the car so we're ready for the big day! Oh- by the way, I think I've held you all in suspense long enough, I think I will post her name sometime this weekend(before my husband tells everyone. He's a pushover and can't keep a secret-love ya babe). I have to say to all the sweet gals in my ward that check my blog for updates, I honestly from the bottom of my heart really really appreciate all of your sincere excitement and joy for us. I had no idea so many people cared. Thanks.

What's your poo telling you? Read at your own risk

2008-04-09T22:24:00.004-06:00

The other weekend Jason and I were in Vegas and I had to stop in at one of my favorite stores (Urban Outfitters) that we had in Portland and found this treasure! I'm not really sure how but every conversation that I have sooner or later turns in to a poo conversation so this book fits me to a tee. It kind of drives Jason crazy because if anyone is ever feeling yucky no matter if it's a headache, bellyache, etc I always recommend taking a poo. He just rolls his eyes and tells me that taking a poo doesn't help everything. In fact it was kind of funny because while we were out shopping I didn't have my credit card so I tried to hand the book to Jason to buy for me and he just looked at me with the most disgusted face and said "how are you going to buy that without any $?" I gladly told him that he would be buying it for me since I didn't bring my wallet. After about 10 minutes of begging him he finally gave in but the poor guy had a red face the entire time at the register. Let's just say this book has been a hit every where I take it. Maybe when it's my turn to host the book club this will be my choice. Ha Ha
If you're interested in the book I noticed that Barnes and Noble also sells it- here's a link http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Whats-Your-Poo-Telling-You/Josh-Richman/e/9780811857826/?itm=1

A-Z Tag

2008-04-09T21:35:00.002-06:00

So I just read Debbies blog and she has threatened me to do this so here goes:

A- ATTACHED OR SINGLE: Attached, for six years!
B- BEST FRIEND: Jason
C- CAKE OR PIE: Pie.. Chocolate cream pie

D- DAY OF CHOICE: Saturday
E- ESSENTIAL ITEM: Lip gloss

F- FAVORITE COLOR: pink
G- GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT: scoring the manliest husband EVER! :)
H- HOMETOWN: Portland, Or

I- INDULGENCES: tropical locations, how can you say no to that?
J- JANUARY OR JULY: July for sure!
K- KIDS: Soon!!!!!!
L- LIFE IS INCOMPLETE WITHOUT: happiness
M- MARRIAGE DATE: March 23, 2002
N- NUMBER OF SIBLINGS: we're so disfunctional but all together 4 bros and 3 sisters LOL
O- ORANGES OR APPLES: caramel apple

P- PHOBIAS OR FEARS: If you know me at all you know I'll say GERMS!
Q- QUOTES: "I never said it would be easy... I only said it would be worth it."

R- REASON TO SMILE: We will have a baby in a few weeks! (Where the hell did the "S" in this tag go?)

T- TAG four FRIENDS: Kristen, Summer, Amy and Nikki
U- UNKNOWN FACT ABOUT ME: I have gained 30 lbs since I got married- EEK!

V- VERY FAVORITE STORE: The Buckle

W- WORST HABIT: popping my knuckles
X- X-RAY OR ULTRASOUND: I guess Ultrasound

Y- YOUR FAVORITE FOOD: The triple chocolate meltdown

Z- ZODIAC: Scorpio

Registering

2008-03-30T18:32:00.003-06:00

So yesterday I decided since we knew we were getting a girl I thought I should head over to Target and register since I've had a lot of people ask me if I have yet. Oh my gosh, who would have ever known it could be sooooo fun? If anyone can think of "must-haves" that I may not have thought of, please let me know! I can't wait to meet this spoiled little baby!

Adoption Update!

2008-03-26T21:23:00.004-06:00

This last weekend we met the birth parents and LOVED both of them. We learned so much about them and are looking forward to keeping a relationship with them through this. Jason completely hit it off with the birth dad and they were talking non-stop the whole time. Kevin actually had to butt in to the conversation and end it so that we had time to meet our birth mom. She was adorable and so sympathetic to the whole situation. When Kevin asked her what her plans were as far as when she would notify us of the birth she just looked at me and said "I want you to be there, as soon as the baby's born and washed off you need to be the first one to hold him/her because there's a special bond and you need to be the one to experience that if you're going to be his/her mom."That made me melt because that's way more than I could ever ask for. So we will have our bags packed and ready to go since we will have a long drive ahead of us. I may have to drive since Jason drives like an old man behind the wheel. (I still love him dearly)At our face-to-face she told us that she had a Dr appt set up for yesterday for an ultrasound so for all who are wondering............................ we are getting a GIRL!!! From the ultrasound, everything looked good and she appeared healthy so cross your fingers that she is born healthy too. We have picked out a name but I think I will keep that for another post just to get you all coming back to my blog. LOL(If I have already told you the name, keep your lips sealed) :)

Tribute to my dad.

2008-03-18T22:13:00.004-06:00

Today is the 10 yr anniversary of my dad being hit by a train. It's a day that our family likes to celebrate because our dear old dad survived this monster accident. We know that he has a special purpose being here and that he surely has (at least) 9 lives. Even though this accident has changed his life in so many ways, we're so glad he's still around. Even if he did turn a little cuckoo from it. :) The picture of him in the hospital is with his buddy "Joe" that survived the accident with him. They both broke their necks together- 2 peas in a pod.I also thought I would post a picture of his most recent close call. The bottom picture is of a cement rake that flew off a semi trailer and went right into the windshield of the truck he was driving. You may have to look closely at the windshield. Maybe we shouldn't let my dad drive anymore. Joking but we love you dad!

Yet another update.

2008-03-17T20:07:00.003-06:00

So I guess there is no consistency with these updates anymore. They are kind of sporadic. Our case worker called today and told me that she talked to the birth FATHER and told him that we were heading up to Wyoming this Friday to meet with the birth mom and he mentioned that since we'll be up there that HE WANTS TO MEET US TOO!!!!! Shoot me now! I think I need a prescription of Valium. ;)

Adoption Update! Long story short

2008-03-11T18:50:00.004-06:00

I got a call from our caseworker yesterday which freaked me out because it was a Monday and either she or her supervisor have been calling us on Fridays to give us updates before the weekend. So my heart started beating a million miles a minute because when I answer she says "We've got some great news!" Then the idea ran through my head that our birth mom went to the Dr and found out the gender so then my palms started sweating and I was completely nervous because I have come to the conclusion that it's best that I don't know until she/he is born. So she puts Kevin (supervisor- you'll get to know these characters if I continue blogging about them enough) on the phone and he told me that our birth mom came into the agency and was asking him if we were still interested in adopting her baby. (she must be nuts because we're freakin ecstatic) He tells her we're very interested and he asks her if she wants to see us at the hospital when she delivers. She thinks about it and tells him that she would like to see us at the hospital and then she tells Kevin that she thought we sounded like fun people and thinks we should all meet before the baby is born!!!!! I'm dying because I don't want to say the wrong thing, I don't really know what to say at all and if you know me- you know that I'm the Queen at putting my foot in my mouth when I talk to people anyways! So Kevin is arranging our trip to Wyoming to meet with her. Yikes! I may have a heart attack before this is all over with.

Our baby shopping adventure

2008-03-09T16:35:00.004-06:00

Jason and I (actually it was all me) decided that we should start getting prepared for this little bundle of joy that we are expecting so we have bought a couple necessities but there is sooooooo much we still need. I think I will wait to get more stuff until she/he is born. I'm not really into the "everything yellow" idea (or is it green).?? I found these cute clothes, we were thinking 2 boy and 2 girl outfits should get us by at least to get it home from the hospital. ??? I know these look big but they are all 0-3 mos. And this is our travel system that we picked out. There are too many choices! It's all starting to seem so real. YIKES!!

Adoption update...I CAN'T HOLD IT IN ANY LONGER!!!

2008-02-27T20:49:00.003-07:00

I have been debating on how I want to post this for some time now. About a month ago Jason and I were called by our caseworker and she told me that she wanted us to sit down with her and her supervisor. I thought it sounded kind of unimportant so I told her that we had plans that night so we could meet the next day . She proceeded to tell me that they needed to talk to us right away, preferably at 4:30 that same day. We went down to the agency and sat down with the 2 of them. Her supervisor (Kevin) tells us about a situation where a birth mom is pregnant, has admitted to substance abuse supposedly only until she found out that she was pregnant but since then hadn't used. He also said she "claims" that she's has been to the Doctor but the agency is unable to confirm that so the sex is unknown. And she also informed Kevin that she is in a lot of trouble with the law. He then tells us that they gave her a pile of 12 profiles to look through and that when she got to ours she held it and and said "THIS IS THE FAMILY FOR MY BABY". (That makes me cry every time I say it) Sooooooooo, he tells us to go home, pray about it, fast, go to the Temple and try to make the right decision. We leave the agency and Jason is all excited while I am extremely hesitant and not really feeling the same feelings as him. At this point I was nervous, scared, disappointed and pretty much freaked out. I kept thinking to myself, "everyone else gets this big announcement with flowers and gifts, an ultrasound and gets to meet their birth mom" while we are faced with this HEART WRENCHING decision and a birth mom that never wants to meet us." We mention it to our parents and try to take their advice. We went to the Temple, prayed and prayed and prayed. Finally after a story that Jason's dad told me and reading our p.blessings Jason and I realized that we should say yes to this baby and know that Heavenly Father won't give us anything we can't handle. So, our birth mom is due April 17th, so cross your fingers she sticks with her plan.We are ecstatic, hoping for the best but expecting the worst.

P.S. oh yeah, on Friday we learned from Kevin that she has a warrant out for her arrest so if anyone knows where she is, I think jail is sounding like a good home for her at the time. :)

Is it just another steakhouse??

2008-02-25T19:37:00.006-07:00

This weekend Jason and I were able to experience our first taste of Brazilian food. Our friends invited us to go with them to the Braza Grill and the food was fabulous. We were able to try grilled pineapple, fried bananas and so many yummy kinds of meat. Afterwards my friend Karaden and I drug the poor husbands to see the movie "P.S. I love you" which I really enjoyed and recommend. I want to tell Sean and Karaden thanks for a fun Saturday night! I will attach the menu to Braza if any of you are interested to see what they serve. :)
http://www.brazagrill.builderspot.com/menu.html

The husbands obsession

2008-02-12T19:27:00.000-07:00

This last weekend the Hunting Expo was here in Salt Lake so of course Jason had been looking forward to this since he heard it would be here a couple months ago. He was so excited he called his dad and invited his parents to come down for the weekend. We were also lucky because Luke and Lori came with them. It seems like it's not very often that we get to spend time with either family since we live so far away so this was a real treat for Jason and I. On Friday we went to the hunting show and then on Saturday we decided to take a trip up to the State Capitol which surprisingly is very cool. If you get a chance to check it out I would recommend it. We also went to the Salt Lake Cemetery to visit President Hinckley's grave. While we were there, we also found other Prophets graves like: Pres. Wilford Woodruff, John Taylor, David O. McKay, and Spencer W. Kimball. Weird as it may sound, it was a lot of fun. (The pic.at the capitol is of Luke, Lori and the kids).

iNsPiRaTiOn ...........oR dEsPeRaTiOn?

2008-02-05T21:28:00.001-07:00

So last night after Jason and I got home from work we had a lot of shoveling of snow to do so we got started. As we were finishing we notice the bishop comes walking out of his house and is walking towards us. My only thought was "Please don't ask us to speak in church, please please!" So the three of us share some small talk and then he looks at me and says "So Shana, we'd like extend a calling to you" and all I can think is "Thank goodness it's not about speaking" So he then says we would like you to be the Relief Society Chorister. I BUST up laughing because I'm soooooo not musically inclined. I said while laughing "I'd be happy to do it as long as the women don't mind watching me wave my hands around" and I asked him if he was sure he asked the right person. He then explains that there is a guide in the hymn book that I can refer to. Then my dear husband pipes up and tells the bishop that I'm a good singer (at this point I give Jason the look of death because I'm honestly NOT a good singer) and then the bishop asks me if I would be interested in singing a solo in sacrament!!!!!!!! WHAT THE HECK? While all this is happening Jason is thinking it's stinkin hilarious! So I tell the bishop a final yes about conducting, and that I would do whatever he wanted me to do. We say our goodbyes and the bishop turns around while walking away and says "Oh, Shana........... we will sustain you this Sunday and I will be sure to let you know if anyone votes against you" (with a big grin). So, needless to say, I've been doing some searching for some inspiration and found this video that gave me some good ideas.I've decided to just have fun with this calling and to just go nuts.

Let's hope for a better day tomorrow........

2008-01-30T22:25:00.000-07:00

My day today got off to a terrible start so of course I figured I should blog about it. So, on my way to work today approx 6:45am, I was driving on the icy roads left over from last night and I notice up ahead of me there was a school bus pulled off the side of the road but didn't have any flashers or other lights on. So I slow down even more because I also see that across the street there was a small group of kids and there was no telling what they might do. Keep in mind at this time of day the sun still hasn't' come up yet. So as I'm driving I'm keeping an eye on the bus and the kids and the next thing I know there was an Expedition coming towards me and one of the kids DARTS RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER AND SHE NAILED HIM!!! I freak out and grab my phone to call 911. As I'm doing so the lady that hit him grabs a blanket out of her car and wraps the boy up that's now laying in the middle of the street after flying about 20 feet away from where he was hit. The dispatcher asks me how old the boy is and I say he looks about 8yrs. I approach the boy and ask him how old he is and he tells me he's 15. (Ok, it was dark and he had a coat on with a hood over his head, cut me some slack) so I ask him whatever else the dispatcher has me ask him. In the mean time the stinkin bus turns on his flashers-k, I think it's a little late for that! Short story long, the paramedics took him to the hospital that I work at then I found out that he was life flighted to a different hospital. The poor kid but I also felt SOOO bad for the sweet lady that hit him. She just kept saying to me over and over "the bus lights weren't flashing, I would have stopped, I swear they weren't on". So, I had to wait in my car until a police officer could interview me and I thought I would take a picture. It was with my phone so it's not very good quality. The kid had already been taken away at this point. He ended up having several injuries including a nasty leg break. Here's a copy of the story but I don't believe the bus driver tried to warn him not to cross- doesn't make sense. http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=2575314

The good ol' days!

2008-01-29T19:03:00.000-07:00

This last weekend Jason and I went up to my parents for dinner and while we were there, Jason found this jewel! My mom doesn't have very many pictures of us kids at ALL so to find this one was like Christmas for me. This picture is 25.5 YEARS OLD and in mint condition. The people in it consist of my older sister LeAnna, older brother Doug (who I might add was the cutest little cowboy EVER) and then myself and little sister Bonnie. My sweet Aunt made Bonnie and I these adorable outfits. I know this post is completely random but I couldn't help myself. :)

Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley has passed away

2008-01-27T20:58:00.000-07:00

Officials with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced this evening that Church President Gordon B. Hinckley has passed away.

He passed away at his home about 7 o'clock this evening with his family was at his side. President Hinckley was 97 years old. He was the 15th president of the church.

HoLy SnOw!

2008-01-24T20:14:00.000-07:00

So Monday morning rolls around and of course I'm trying to take advantage of every second to sleep until my 5:30am alarm goes off and the next thing I know my phone starts ringing- DANG IT, now I'm up. It's Jason on the other end of the line and he's telling me that there's quite a bit of snow coming down and I should probably get going if I want to make it to work in time. K, I work 10 miles from my house but it normally takes about 20 mins. to get there so I'm thinking, he's just exaggerating about how much snow is really coming down. I get up and get ready and go to leave and can hardly even get out of my driveway. :( If you live in Utah you probably know the guys(or gals) that drive the stinkin snowplows have the cushiest (is that a word?) hours to work because they DON'T plow until like noon. So needless to say it took me about an hour to get to work because my poor car bumper literally had to push the snow out of my way. As soon as the sun came up I took a picture off our balcony at work. Moral of the story: If your husband gives you advice, he may actually know what he's talking about. :)

LuNcH WiTh ChArLeNe!

2008-01-21T18:01:00.001-07:00

So my friend Charlene and I have been trying to get together for lunch for seriously over a few months sooooo, we finally made it happen and I was able to meet her sweet baby Jules for the first time. Thanks for a fun time girls! Love ya!

Jason pulled the wool over Ryders eyes.

2008-01-21T17:55:00.000-07:00

This video is probably only funny to me. Jason was trying to trick my nephew and tell him that he was putting his "spiderman" beanie on since that's his favorite one and to see his face when he realizes that he has been tricked was hilarious to say the least. This may be one of those that you would only appreciate if you were there. ?? (the video is really "grainy", I guess that's what I get for using my 100 year old digital camera). :)

I have been tagged by Sally!

2008-01-19T16:01:00.000-07:00

My Husband.....

What is his name? Jason

How long have you been together? Married for 6 fabulous years

How long did you date? We only dated for 6 months

How old is he? 33 next Saturday! Happy early birthday Sweet cheeks!

Who eats more? I would like to say Jason but sometimes I wonder because the man is NEVER hungry. ??

Who said I love you first? I honestly can't remember. I know I'm awful.

Who is taller? Jason at a whopping 6'2"

Who can sing better? Hmmm, Jason tells me I'm a good singer but I think he's just being nice because he knows I love to do it.

Who is smarter? I'm sure both us us think we each are. he he

Who does the laundry? I have the best husband ever because he totally helps me out with the laundry.

Who pays the bills? That would be me.

Who mows the lawn? We both do BUT, Jason does it more than I do.

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Well, that's hard to answer because normally Jason does but lately his back has been hurting so he trades me sides thinking my side will be better. ??

Who cooks dinner? Me normally but on occasion Jason offers to do it.

Who Drives? It totally depends on what we are driving. If we take the car then I drive, if we take the truck then he drives. Although I would way rather drive the truck. :)

Who is more stubborn? Ummm, I guess me.

Who kissed who first? Jason kissed me.

Who asked who out first? When we found out about each other, neither of us wanted to date anyone so we decided that we would just meet and be friends but he called me first.

Who proposed? Jason did. We went to Sun Valley,Idaho for the weekend and while we were there he proposed. It was very sweet, I knew he was up to something because he was acting really weird but I had no idea he was up to that.

Who has more friends? Me.

Who wears the pants? We have had this discussion many times. We both think it's equal.

I'm tagging Debbie, Sarah, Bonnie, Brandy and Lori!

Adoption Update!

2008-01-08T19:32:00.000-07:00

I was able to talk to our case worker last night and she informed me that agencies other than ours (Centerville) are in fact showing our profile and she also let me know that we have been on a soft hold 4 times. !!!!!!!A soft hold is when a birth mom has our profile and is considering us. She didn't say that we were currently on a soft hold but I was ecstatic to hear that at least some one is showing our profile. :) Hooray!!!!

Congrats Jamie and Rebecca

2008-01-03T19:26:00.000-07:00

While Jason and I were in Idaho over New Years we were able to stop in to see my brothers new baby that was born on Christmas Eve. That means that she will have to share her birthday with my sister LeAnna. Welcome to this big world Lilly Jane!

My homemade Christmas gifts!

2008-01-03T19:22:00.000-07:00

Preparing for Christmas was a lot of fun for me this year because I decided to make a lot of my gifts. I'm so proud I have to post some pics. of some of my crafts. :) The big square frame is a magnet board I made for Jason's mom with all the grandkids names around the frame in vinyl and the magnets are pictures of each kid. I thought it turned out cute.

Yummy recipe!

2008-01-03T19:11:00.001-07:00

I hope everyone's holidays were as great as ours were. I found this recipe and thought it looked good so I tried it and it was a hit at one of our parties. You use the checkerboard pretzels, hershey's hugs(I know this pic I used reg. kisses), and m&m's. Place the hugs on the pretzels and put them in the oven about 170 degrees for about 6 minutes or until soft, remove them and place the m&m's on right away and then put in fridge until the chocolate has hardened. My preference is eating them when they are still cold. They are DELICIOUS!!!!

Logan, the Sky Angel Cowboy!

2007-12-15T10:58:00.001-07:00

This video clip was emailed to me, you have to listen to it.It's a 12 year old boy who called in to a radio station. This little kid is the cutest thing I've ever heard. What a sweet boy. I hope our kids can be as in tune as him. I just want to hug him.

Zoo lights!

2007-12-13T20:17:00.000-07:00

For family night on Monday we decided to go with our friends Richard and Lana to the zoo's 1st annual Zoo lights. It was actually pretty fun and they did a great job with all the lights. I recommend it to anyone who is looking for something fun to do. However, if the weather is anything like it was when we went I recommend GLOVES!!!! Jason and i are both genious' and didn't think to take any. Here's a link: http://www.hoglezoo.org/

Mexico baby!

2007-12-05T21:35:00.000-07:00

So I had a wonderful opportunity to go to Cancun with my friend/frequent traveling buddy Rashelle. We went from Nov 26th-Dec 3rd and had such a fun time. The weather was between 84-87 degrees the entire time and we had a blast! We went on a jungle tour to go snorkeling and the fish were literally swimming into you. (kinda freaky, ok WAY freaky!!), we rented wave runners and also went parasailing. Although I do have to say it was awful being away from Jason for that long. I begged him to come but he couldn't get the time off work. (He said next time he may want to go) :)

Stay tuned, my Cancun pictures are coming soon....

2007-12-04T20:47:00.000-07:00

Our birth parent letter

2007-11-09T19:47:00.001-07:00

So I think everyone knows (or at least I hope you all know) that Jason and I are hoping to adopt a baby someday. Since we are FINALLY approved and in the adoption books I thought I would put a copy of our letter that we have written to our future birth mom and/or dad for everyone to read. We have poured our heart and soul into this letter which took us a couple months to get it just right in hopes that one day a birth mom will read it and feel like we are the right adoptive parents for her baby. You will have to click on the page to be able to read it. Thanks for looking!

Not your average family wagon

2007-11-04T10:24:00.000-07:00

So the other day I was out shopping and as I was leaving Tai Pan I saw this car and couldn't resist taking a picture. It reminded me of the Dingo on the movie "Just married" It was too funny!

The hottest new thing in candles.....

2007-11-01T19:41:00.000-06:00

I don't know if you've ever heard of these but they are my new favorite thing. It is called Scentsy.So you buy a warmer that plugs in that has a light bulb in it. That's what melts the wax. It's so great because you can leave it turned on unlike the warmers that use tea lights. And the smells that scentsy has are to die for. My current favorites are cashmere, french kiss, and tuscany garden! They smell so good you will want to eat them. (not recommended). I have a friend that sells it so if you are interested here's the link. www.scentsy.com/lanam

In Loving memory of Gabriella. 6.15.07-6.15.07

2007-10-29T22:24:00.001-06:00

Also on my last visit to Boise, my niece's headstone came in and it turned out beautiful! We made a trip to the cemetery to see it.

Go Bonnie!!!!

2007-10-29T20:26:00.001-06:00

On Saturday my little sister participated in her first "real run" and she did amazing! It was held at the Maximum Security Prison in Boise and little did she know the prisoners would be having recess as she ran by. Eek! I have to give her credit for such determination and self discipline to train for such a big event. Way to go Bon!

The Norskes were sealed for eternity!

2007-10-29T20:15:00.000-06:00

So this last weekend was incredibly special for me. My little sister and her family had the opportunity to be sealed and I felt so honored because they asked me to sit in proxy for their sweet baby Gabriella who was born way too early this last summer.They chose this day Oct 26th because this was Bonnies due date. During the sealing the spirit was so strong and we all know that Gabby was there with us. What a special feeling it was! Thanks Bonnie, Chris,and Ryder for letting me take part in such a big part of your lives. I love you guys!

Daft Hands - Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

2007-10-25T18:17:00.001-06:00

This is so cool, if you haven't seen it, turn your speakers on and watch. This kid is way good! Beware- this song WILL get stuck in your head. :)

OK, So after years of debating I finally got the nerve up to try DARK hair. It's so weird but I think I may like it. Here's before and after.

2007-10-21T19:52:00.000-06:00

Thanks Bonnie for doing such a fantastic job!

On Saturday we took a train ride to pick out a pumpkin. It was a little chilly but so much fun. My nephew Ryder LOVED the "choo-choo".

2007-10-21T19:49:00.000-06:00

Bonnie, Chris and Ryder getting ready to board the train.

2007-10-21T19:47:00.000-06:00

Enter at your own risk- Jasons mom held this SUPER halloween party this year and here are our pix to prove it.

2007-10-21T19:37:00.000-06:00

Enjoying the last days of sunshine as a dog.....

2007-10-14T18:50:00.000-06:00

Jason and I bought the dogs some toys since they currently think our BBQ and our newly planted trees are toys to chew on so I snapped a couple shots of the three of them. And I love how they use the curbing as a pillow, they're too cute.

The message for the day is:

2007-10-10T21:13:00.001-06:00

2007-10-05T21:19:00.000-06:00

So last week Jason and I went to dinner with our friends Andy and Krystal. Andy suggested that we go to this new ritzy burger joint downtown that supposedly had excellent burgers. So we all order and keep in mind that I normally would order off the kids menu- this place didn't have one. I don't even think they allowed children in. This was indeed off of the ADULT menu. So I get my burger and honestly the 4 of us couldn't stop laughing. I have to give credit to Andy though, my burger that I got down in 1 bite was fantastic- really. This is it.......

These are a few pictures Jason and I chose for our adoption profile.

2007-10-01T19:37:00.001-06:00

Rashelle and I went to Universal Studios and Sea World

2007-10-01T19:21:00.000-06:00

2007-09-30T17:58:00.000-06:00

This little bugger at Bear World was following Jason around the park and every time Jason would get food for the deer this goat would ram him in the legs, crotch, you name it and he tried to ram it. It was the funniest thing (for everyone but Jason). LOL

Jason being attacked by a bear at Bear World :)

2007-09-30T17:56:00.001-06:00

Jason and I at one of the falls, it was FREEZING!!

2007-09-30T17:52:00.001-06:00

Jason and a bison. Jason's mom almost had a heart attack watching him pose. Eek!

2007-09-30T17:46:00.001-06:00

Jason and I with his parents and little brother Joe in front of the Grand Tetons

2007-09-30T17:42:00.000-06:00

I'm posting a few pictures of things we did this summer. Enjoy. This one is obviously Jackson Hole. :)

2007-09-30T17:24:00.000-06:00