Drake's bringing sexy back!

Gotta love a cowboy huh?

Drake and Jack think they're so sneaky!  For fifteen minutes last night Tara and I worked with the boys to eat their veggies.  All they had to do was eat two green beans and they would get their after dinner treats.  The boys cried, kicked and screamed no.  So when they both finally gave in and ate them, we cheered and got up and got their mini bags of skittles and opened them for the boys as they chewed.  But they kept the green beans in their mouths and spit them out as soon as the treat was handed over!

Tonight was "Show your work night" at Gwen's school.  She loved showing us around.  Here she is in the "library" reading a book to us.

The kids can come out here to the porch and paint, and water the plants.

Here are the birds that Gwen gets to feed.  They're sisters in case you were wondering.

And the "birds eat seeds, that's silly huh?"

Gwen also gets to feed these fish.  "And at night the black one comes out to eat! That's kinda wacky huh?"

Gwen is showing us the crumb picker upper that she likes to use.

And this is where Gwen LOVES to hang out.  In front of the painting easel where she creates her masterpieces such as shooting stars, rainbows, and princes holding dead princesses!  I'm not too sure about how she came up with that last one.  

Daddy and his little smarty pants.

I came in Gwen's room this morning to find Gwen changing her clothes:

me: good morning Gwen, did you keep your bed dry last night?

Gwen: well the boys (Jack spent the night last night) climbed up onto my bed last night and they peed all over it.

me: huh? really? are those your wet panties on the floor?

Gwen: well after the boys peed on my bed, they peed on my panties too.

I'm in love...

With my new table cloth!!

But in more exciting news, I also found a new place to put the kids in time out!

Tara and I took the kids to the Mesa Southwest Museum where the kids were in awe of the jail cells.  But imagine the luxury of just having to roll out of bed and having your bathroom right there!  ;)

We panned for gold, and Tara and I are hard core gold panners!  We are so circa 1800.

We went because the kids are really into dinosaurs right now, and uh oh... is that a stegasaurus just on the other side of that red fence from Gwen?

The kiddies had so much fun playing with these little dinosaurs, 

and Gwen is mid pee pee dance.

Drake's big day

Tuesday Drake's day started out on the wrong foot. I put him in time out and he accidently locked himself in the bathroom. So I looked over the door frame only to find no key to get him out. I checked over all the doors in the house and there wasn't a single key! I didn't know what to do. I was watching my friend's two little boys, so I couldn't just grab Gwen and go search out a neighbor home to borrow their key. And in the mean time, Drake's cute little hand was sticking out from under the door and he was saying "mommy, want you". So the poor boy was locked in the bathroom for an hour and a half before I finally found a little screw driver to unlock the bathroom door!

Then he got into mom's make up-AGAIN!! Time out again.

Later my sisters and sister in law came over to take the kids to the pool, I had to stay inside with two sleeping little boys, but shortly after they left, Tara brought Drake back to me and told me he fell and hit his head on the side walk. 

And look at the bump he had on his noggen!

But despite this huge goose egg, he seemed to be fine.
We just sat on the couch with ice on his head and watched "dinosaurs".
(The Land Before Time)

He took a short nap, and played with Jack, then started getting cranky and lethargic.  He didn't eat his dinner, even though it was pizza.  He then fell asleep, slept all the way home from my mom's, and was still sleeping when I took him out of the car.  I put him on the couch where he woke up.  Not too long after that, he got up and started towards me saying, "owie".  I asked him where when he just started puking!  I picked him up, was in a little bit of shock, didn't know what to do and then thought I should at least get him off the carpet.  He puked a couple more times before I thought it'd be best to get him over the toilet.  (I don't know why it took me so long-all I could think about is that this is a big problem and I don't know where my cell phone is!)  Luckily right after I got Drake in the tub and washed him off I heard Ryan get home.  

So we dropped Gwen off at Gigi's for an overnight and rushed Drake off to hospital.

He was admitted immediately where they put an IV in his cute little hand.  He was mad, but was exhausted.  So quickly fell back to sleep.  And he slept in between bouts of puking.

The doctor advised that he would need a CAT scan and because he probably wouldn't hold still for it he would need to be sedated, so a children's hospital would be better.

So Drake got his first (and hopefully only) ambulance ride.

We waited and Drake slept, until it was time for the CAT.  Then he was very upset.  They hoped they wouldn't need to sedate him, so instead they just drugged him.  It was AWESOME!!  I want some of what ever they gave him for tantrums.  ;)  Almost immediately he calmed and started singing with me.  But when they got him strapped into the bed thingy, he started to panic again.  They gave him another dose, and immediately he just started giggling.  

See, look at him laughing as he goes in.  

So we had a very long night, Drake has a mild concussion, but he was discharged early Wednesday morning, and just has to take it easy for six weeks.  How am I supposed to make sure a two year old takes it easy?  He also has an ear infection.  :(  

just real quick

I just realized I never put up some pictures of Gwen's first day of preschool.

She is attending the  Montessori House  and loves it!   She says her new teacher, Miss Nikki is so nice, and Gwen loves getting to eat lunch at school.  

I also just wanted to put in a little update on what I've been doing.  WORKING ON THE HOUSE.  I've been a painting machine, but took a break to do kitchen curtains.  So here's a little kitchen before and after.


I love my new green kitchen!!!  The walls are a honeydew green, and I love it because they just feel so fresh and clean-good to have that feeling in the kitchen!

kids are awesome

Jack and Drake doing their new favorite moves-swinging arms at each other.

This is why I had to go sit with Drake in nursery today, he was hitting other kids!!

BFFs

Our kid is so sexy!  Boots and a diaper?  Come on!

Gwen: Mom, do you still have milk in your boobies?

Me (surprised!): What?!

Gwen: Do you still have milk in these? (patting her own little boobies)

Me: No.

Gwen: Oh, it's cause me and Drake drank it all, huh?

Me (trying not to laugh): Ya.

Plaid people

I hope ten years from now it's still cool to wear matching homemade clothes!

But they love it now!

(yes we still haven't put our bed together, and are still needing nightstands)

A story about Gwen:  The other day I was at my parents where they always have pop.  We drink it and keep it hidden from the kids so they won't be drinking it too.  Well, I was going inside to grab my cold can of DDP(diet Dr. Pepper), and just to be funny I said to my sister, "I'm gonna go get my beer".  Well of course Gwen heard me and she's so smart, she put it together with me going to get my hidden pop, so later when she saw my DDP, she asked "mom, can I have some of your beer?"  Uh oh!!!!!  I quickly explained that that was not beer, we don't drink beer, etc.  What was I thinking?  She's a sponge!!

A story about Drake:  With our new bathroom/bedroom set up, I've found it's easier to keep all of my makeup in a makeup case and I sit in front of our big full length mirror to put it on.  Drake likes to watch and points to his eye and says "eye" while I put on my mascara.  So last night as I went into my room to get ready for bed I saw Drake had got into my makeup and there were three tubes of mascara open, and black steaks all across the carpets we just had shampooed, and the mirror!  I got Drake out of bed brought him in and explained that that was naughty, etc.  So today I was visiting with the RS presidency who came to meet me when Drake came down the stairs and said hi, and all over his face and shirt were big black streaks of mascara!!!  I explained again and I hope he learns.

soap box

In the short time that we lived in California, we heard a lot about Proposition 8.  It is an important issue because it will affect the rest of the country.  This is because any couple can go to California and get married then go back to they're home state that will then have to recognize the marriage.  The basis of society is the family, and it is being attacked!  

And this has even been taken a step further:

California Supreme Court’s have ruled that California doctors who have religious objections to artificially inseminating same-sex couples can no longer refuse to treat them.  The Court’s decision overturns a previous state Appeals Court decision which ruled in favor of the doctors in 2005. 

“This latest ruling proves that advocates of same-sex marriage are not simply seeking tolerance, but rather are pushing for compliance in every corner of California society,” said Ron Prentice, proponent of Proposition 8.  “They will stop at nothing to chip away at the free speech rights and the rights of conscience of Californians everywhere, forcing individuals to accept their lifestyle even against a person’s personal or religious beliefs. It is a slippery slope against the individual rights of Californians.” 

Here's the just of Prop 8-

*  Eight years ago, California voters decided to keep marriage between a man and woman               (propostion 22).

*  Recently four judges in California's supreme court overturned proposition 22 to legalize             same sex marriages.

*  A "yes" vote on Proposition 8 will overturn the Supreme Court's ruling and restore the               definition of marriage to what was approved of by over 61% of voters.

If you don't live in California, you can't vote, but ANYONE can donate!  Even if it's only $5.  

Please click here to learn more about this important issue!

in AZ

We're here!  And Ryan had been working so hard to get the house all set up for us, and now it's my turn to get to work on the house.  I'm going to paint it...the whole thing!  Luckily Tara is here to help me.  ;)  Since Tara and her kids are in town for a month, Jack and Drake have been inseparable!  It's sooo cute to watch them play.  And it feels so good to be back enjoying the monsoons and loving Arizona!  Ryan is so excited to be a school boy again!  He's got ASU pride now (even though BYU will always be #1) and loves learning about the law.  

But even with all these exciting times we've been having, we miss our family and friends in Sacramento.   Some of the good times....

Laurel's birthday

Grammy's birthday

Candice and Gwen in Lake Tahoe

Des and Zeke

Candice and Buddy

this was after Drake went in Lake Tahoe with out a little swimmie diaper. 

 check out how much water that thing is holding!

Ryan's birthday with cards that Gwen made

Buster trying on Ryan's new shoes (yes, I have good taste! ;)

Laurel, Claire and Gwen decorating cookies

for you missing us so much..

Mom, and Ryan, and anyone else dying because you haven't seen my sweet babies lately. These are cell phone pictures, that's why the quality is pretty low.

Gwen has a fantastic bump/scratch on her forhead from the pool steps. She and her cousin Claire are such dare devils and like to flip into the pool.

And I have so much to post that I can hold off on until I get my camera/computer situation back up and running. That'll still be in a few weeks.

But in other news, I'm sad that I don't get to be home in AZ today since Ryan's off to his first day of school. It's actually just orientation today, but I still wanted to get a picture of him in front of the house with his new clothes and backpack on like a little school boy on the first day of school. I'll get it later and just pretend it was today. ;) Good luck Ryan, love you!

updates

Seriously, one day after Ryan called ASU and told them he was going to be going there, he had the moving truck and was packing up! So Friday I put in my two weeks (and yes I felt like a total moron since I've only been working here for two weeks!). Then Saturday Ryan packed up the moving truck, and it was really scary that there was more room in the truck this time than when we packed it up to come here-we got the same size truck! Then we had a nice break Saturday night when Des and Josiah had us over to watch the UFC fights and have a BBQ. And since Ryan's birthday is Saturday, and I won't be there with him to celebrate, we made it a bday party for him too, Boston Cream Pie and all!
So I'm finishing up here, then will take my time heading home since I have no job to get home to. Ryan starts school Monday. Oh, and since everyone's been asking, we are renting a house in Gilbert, so we won't be in our old ward. :(
And in my preparations to be back in AZ, I'm looking for a preschool for Gwen. Last year she did Carol Billings preschool, and had a fantastic time. So good in fact that she is so excited to go to school again and everyday is asking me if I've found a preschool for her yet. Does anyone know of a preschool with openings still either in the east Mesa area, or our old 'hood?

08/08/08

FIIIIIVE YEARS TODAY!

And I have to admit that I feel bad that I'm still not being the sweetest wife to my husband right now because of the last post. He's decided. We're going back to AZ. So he's packing up the truck and moving our stuff back this weekend. Don't get me wrong...I'm so happy to be back in Ariarizona, but the stress of it all may be more than I can handle right now. So until I can get my computer unpacked and can put together some pictures to walk you through the last five years and tell you how wonderful Ryan is, just enjoy this picture of us old timers.

Oh, and thank you Ryan for this, I heart it and am way impressed with your listening skillz!

kiss him or kill him?

I'm leaning towards the latter.
So as you all know, we just moved to Sacramento. Not a cheap move. To rent a truck and pay for gas, not to mention all the furniture and stuff we gave away, or practically gave away. I quit my job that I liked... alot, and got a new job here.
Now as the school year is approaching, Ryan's questioning his decision to live in Cali and go to school here.
We may be turning around and moving back to good ol' AZ.

or