Life in pictures

I took the plunge and decided to pursue becoming a VA. I want to work but working outside the home would do more harm them good. I realize how incredibly lucky I am to live for free and stay at home. Still 28k a year is hard to live on. My one big goal is to have a paid off home by the time Sydney is in 5th grade. Any money I make will go to save up for that. Something inside me just feels like we need to do that. Anyway this is my attempt. I've updated my resume and today I gott first rejection at a job. I'm not sad about it. Actually I'm proud to have even applied. I want my girls to seey effort and pray that God will help with the results. 

London Update - 14 months

Lots has happened with our little London. We took her to her 12 month appointment in February and the doctor was concerned because even though  she scooted like crazy but never crawled, or even liked to be on her feet, or walked about the table or anything. So I took both her and Sydney to be evaluated at the Children's hospital in Bloomfield. Both got a two hour evaluation. It was very apparent that London was behind. After the evaluation we found out that she has a "sensory tactile" disorder, which means that she is not comfortable in her own skin and that's why she is not wanting to be on her feet. 

The therapist recommended intense therapy of twice a week. At home they told me to do a special brushing exercise and take off socks and pants. Also there is a waiting list to actually get into the program so they said it would be another TWO months before actually getting in. Sigh. However after three weeks of brushing London is now crawling and walking in my fingers. She has really blossomed! 

London is growing a lot and is talking a lot! She is very social. She is playing with other babies well. London has also become a huge fan of books. she loves loves her BabyBug books and will point and  hoot until I read it. She loves all the little rhymes! She loves to dance and will move her little booty! So cute. 

London is also saying mama, dada, doggie, baby and I think that's it. She is very loud and really loving the wave at people. At church she is very loud and has a hard time actually staying in class. We usually end up walking around the halls a lot which I hate but it is what it is. 

London is also a BIG eater. She usually out eats Sydney. She is also much more open to new foods than Sydney. 

Just this last week I looked at London and she seemed "big" to me. Her face, her little body seems a lot longer. She's growing. It makes me happy and sad at the same time. I'm not a fan of babies, but I see her growing and I see how fun it is when they are a little bit bigger. I love the thoughts of my girls playing together and running together. 

Oh London I feel SO much joy when I'm with you. Your face is adorable and your personality is sweet at candy. There is not a day that goes by that I don't take you out and several people will comment about how adorable you are - and it's true!!! 

Tyson's Thoughts

Tyson wrote these thoughts about his girls while at work. I love them and I'm sure they will love to read it in the future!


4/24/14
Sydney: I love how you ask daddy and mommy to read a book and as soon as we get done reading it. You say gain, gain! Gain!
I love how you come up and give daddy a big hug (you put your head between my knees grab both my legs) and you grunt Errrrrr and shake back and forth for 2-3 seconds.
You constantly want the ipad or iphone to watch movies or play games.
I love when your so nice to London when she is crying to go over and hug her or rub her back and say. Is ok… IS ok! Then immediately go back to whatever you were doing.
I love singing with you and when you sing along. Do you want to build a snow man? Do you want to run and play. I don't see you any more, come out the door it’s like you've gone _______.... You finish AWAYYYY!!! In your cute off tune voice.
I love when you crawl on my back and want piggy back rides and when you beg for more.
You are really independent now. Your dad does not like this. We used to be best buddies and now you like to do your own thing.
You must be on a streak because you really make dad upset when he asks you to do something simple like: put your plate away Sydney. “NO” I just want to come over and put you across my knee and play a game called wack a mole on your booty! Luckily mom has some how gotten across to you that it is not kind to say “NO” But no thank you. It is really hard not to get upset at you when it is so cute when you say no thank you. Example: Sydney, please clean up your toys “no, thank you.” I almost want to go pick up every toy for you. (key word almost) I still let you pick them up. But I help.
You look so ADORABLE! Mom does your hair and you are one beautiful little girl. Your growing up so fast.
I love how you try to fit in dad’s shoes, or creating different uses for ordinary daily things. Example: wash clothes as shoes.
One of my favorite lines you say is, Mom, where r you?
I love when you come crawl on dad and lay down on me as we watch tv.

You are one brave little kid and give dad heart attacks everyday. Both you and mom laugh at me because I am so protective of you and paranoid your going to hurt yourself.
You love being outside even when it is FREEZING cold outside.
You love to pull everything out of our baskets that have our glasses, books, pens, etc on our nightstand.
You are really good at problem solving. If I have a treat in my hand and I cover it up with my fingers. You will use one hand to move the fingers and then my hand will slam shut so you still can't get the treat. So you use one hand to hold my fingers open and then use the other hand to get the treat.
You throw tantrums and fall on the ground pouting.
So I was playing Titanfall the other day and you woke up from your nap and came downstairs. Instead of turning off the computer immediately, I decided to finish the game. Well every time I would shoot an enemy you would do a high pitch scream. Then London chimed in and I couldn't concentrate and was getting my butt kicked. So I turned it off. Lesson learned.
So we had Marco and Melynda visiting from Utah and they stayed with us. So we moved London’s crib into our room. Well when I was moving her crib back to her room after they left, I broke it. The wood split. So that night we decided to put you in a toddler bed. Dreading what was going to happen… You have done amazing. Staying in bed. You would dangle your feet over the side of the bed or play with the curtains but to this day you have not come off the bed.  I must say I am very impressed.
You have become much more of


London:  I like when we say yes, yes, yes. You shake your head frantically back and forth. More saying no. Looks like you should be getting a headache.
You can't ever get enough strawberries, You are one of the messiest eaters.
Your so cute when you want more. You sign to us by clapping your hands instead of the real signal for it. But that’s ok. It is still super cute.
I love your cute little scoot on your boot! I just love it!!!
I love your cute smile and laugh. Your laugh is the best. At first it is a high pitch scream AHHhhh followed with a short ha ha ha ha..
I don't like it when you pull your socks off. You think it is the most clever funniest thing ever. But really it is annoying. (ok it is a little funny).
When you are done with your food, we know. Because it all of a sudden starts get tossed over board. Which is the funniest thing ever! It really is hard not to laugh at it. Mom doesn't think it is very funny. But I do.
You are starting to share things. Like this morning. You took a bite of your cracker and then you handed it out as if to give it to me. But knowing you, it is just a nice gesture. Not a real offer. Don't worry Sydney went through the same thing.
Your hair is always a mess. We are still waiting for it to grow out a little bit so we can put it in a pony tail.
You get so excited over dogs. To the point you scream and yell as if your being beaten. But your just screaming off the top of your lungs for joy of a dog.
Even though you are so small. YOU ARE A SEAT HOG! Poor Sydney just takes the beating from you and you just hog the whole Burley.
Your teething at night and it is really sad. Mom gets up and she nudges me to get up at other times to help put a binky in or give you water. It is hard to see you suffer through your pain of teething.
Your ducky lips are hilarious.
You CONSTANTLY kick your feet. You are such a happy go little girl and I love that about you. You can't hold still just like your dad.
You love the bath and having water poured on your head doesn't bother you a bit. You seem more of the grown up than Sydney because she thinks she is going to die every time we was her hair.
Did I mention you are the MESSIEST eater EVER!!??
You have the cutest smile. You never used to smile as an infant. You had sad face/mad face baby syndrome but now you just have cute face London syndrome and everyone is attracted to it. You're the best baby ever!
You are pointing at things you want now. Starting to communicate better. Like you pointed at the big bottle of bubbles the other day because you wanted a bubble party!

Burley adventure

I've had my burley trailer got almost a month and I am so happy with it. I wNted to write a short story about it. 

Back in January 2014 I was looking for ways to save money. Ty and I decided to take FPU again. The classes started February 16th. At our first class our teacher told us about Mr Money Mustage. A 30 year old Coloradoan who retired and teaches about simple living. I looked up his blog and was surprised by how much I liked it. One of the things that he feels strongly about is biking as transportation. It saved so much money and exercise was included. It made me think of the 6 months that I was hard core biking and thinking about selling one of our cars but I stopped when I got pregnant. 

So I started looking at ways to used car less. The one thing I started was walking to our store about a mile away. The double stroller was fine but there was no room for the groceries. So I started researching. Man I had no idea there was a huge world of trailers out there - chariots, burleys, croozers and many more. I was shocked at the price - from 450-1000  for a trailer!!! However I saw that they kept their value really well. 

Do I started out wanting a Croozer which was 400 or so. I started looking for ways to earn money. I sold everything I could on Craigslist. Slowly but surely things started to come together. When I got 300 I looked for trailers on Craigslist. I tested out a chariot trailer but was not sold. I went to rei and looked at burley and was totally sold on the cargo space. I even bought a burley used on Craigslist but the gut lied about the year so I took it back and got my money back. It was quite a learning curve. 

Finally Kayla Thompson gave me her 20% rei coupon. I took it to bicycle village and they priced matched a new Encore for 360. Them I got the wheels for 70. So new it would have cost me 560 but I spent 419. Now this was still a lot for me but through gods help I raised all the money. I felt very grateful. 

So now it's been a month and I have used it a ton! Our walks feel great. The cargo space is amazing! Today I took it on the bike for the first time and it was also great! There were two times I had to get out and walk but it was worth it! The girls seem to love it and I just feel great about taking it places. 

Overall man I really love it! 

Easter 2014

This Easter did not go as planned. Oh man. After a fantastic week with Melynda and Marco we are dealing with sickness. 

Tyson had been coughing on and of for weeks but it got really bad after they left. Saturday we both felt crappy but Sunday struck me way way hard. No church, no Easter bunny and we canceled our dinner we planned for friends. 

I was in bed for 8 hours! It was crazy. Tyson took care of the girls and let me sleep. It was nice. So we surfaced Monday morning feeling better. We stayed in all morning but hit Louisville Main Street during the afternoon. It was gorgeous weather. We walked and shared ice cream and enjoyed the cute houses. 

Geronimo visit

Melynda and Marco came and spent a glorious five days with us. Funny that I said glorious since poor Gabriel gut sick and now Sydney and I are sick, however it was so fantastic in many ways. We had to slow down for baby's. This meant we could talk and reconnect. We did the fun simple things - walking to get yogurt, going to church, playing play dough, coloring, dying eggs. We went to the children's museum and watched movies.

I was a little scared it would be an awckard visit but it was do great. Everyone worked together and was courteous. Melynda and Tyson spent hours talking about business stuff. We feel so blessed to have such great friends. 

Geronimo visit

Things we did:

Children's museum

Walking to king snoopers

Going to church

Swimming at Paul A. Derda rec center 

Watching movies

Playing a dice game

Table top

First step: missionaries sanded most of the table stuff. I spent another two hours sanding it some more. 

Second step: I primed everything but the table tip and chair seats. This took about 3 hours. 

Third step: painting all the chairs and table bottoms. We did three coats and took us about 5 hours. 

Fourth: Gigi Gomez came and helped me stain the table top and table seats. This took forever and we messed up. We put too much stain and after 10 hours it was still wet. We took a layer off and put heaters on it for 10 hours. It was finally dry but we did not have time to put pilyutirayhr on it.  Honestly I am so done with the project we probably won't put it on and just leave it as is. 

Final results: even with no covering I think it looks awesome. So glad it's done. This work is hard and took three times longer than I thought but I'm glad we did it because it still looks better than the grumpy table too we had before.