Our Little Family

Fall Family Pictures

2011-11-09T12:10:00.000-08:00

My mother-in-law took our family pictures a couple weeks ago! I love the fall leaves and the pretty colors outside right now so I am really glad we got them done when we did! She did a great job! I have a lot of updating to do about the last few months but I will save that for a later post! I hope you enjoy all the pictures! There's only about 100! ;)

...Summer...

2011-06-21T21:12:00.001-07:00

Well summer is finally here!! The weather has been so much nicer the last couple weeks and we are really enjoying it! Krew could play outside all day if we let him! Kamden seems to like it outside too. He is already 3 1/2 months old and is growing like a weed! He has been such a good baby. He has realized that he has hands and is starting to reach for things. I also just set up our jumper for him and he loves it. One of my favorite things is to watch him watch Krew! He just smiles at him and sometimes laughs at him and it is so cute to watch! I just love my boys so much!!
We have been having lots of fun and have some fun things planned for the summer! We have a couple weddings coming up and our yearly Bear Lake cabin trip! We (tyson) just finished our fire pit in our back yard which makes our nights a lot of fun! Summer time is just so nice and relaxing! I love it!
Krew won an awareness contest on facebook for EA/TEF (the birth defect he was born with). He gets to have his own page in a book they are making which will feature his photo and birth story! I will have to post more about that another time but we needed an up to date picture of him so we took a bunch of pics one night! I posted a few below! I hope everyone's summer is going as great as ours is!

...6 weeks old and newborn pics...

2011-04-21T19:49:00.000-07:00

Our little Kamden is 6 weeks old today! It does not seem like it has been that long! Everything has gone pretty good and I am getting more sleep then I expected. He has been such a great baby even if he has been a little colicky lately! ;) Krew is still a great big brother! Too great sometimes! I sometimes wish he wasn't so obsessed with him. Like when I finally get the baby to sleep he will go look for him and pat his head and say "hi daby!" (baby) and wake him up. Or sometimes he will decide the baby doesn't need his socks and will pull them off along with giving him knuckles or high fives! He also likes to poke Kamden's eyes and nose and pull on his ears or fingers while naming what body part it is! And the list goes on... But it is cute and I shouldn't complain because I'm sure before we know it they will be beating each other up! So for now I will just cherish all these fun memories!
At 6 weeks Kamden:
*pretty much sleeps, eats, poops, sleeps, eats, poops, etc. etc. etc. all day long. He is starting to wake up for longer periods of time though.
*is obsessed with his pacifier and freaks out whenever he notices it is not in his mouth
*is starting to squeal, coo, and has smiled a couple times
*is starting to like bath time
*loves listening to baby music and likes the sound of my blow dryer and vaccuum
*has been rolling over since he was 3 weeks old! Not even kidding! I thought it was an accident at first but he does it ALL the time!
* And last but not least, is loved SO much! He is a cute little stinker!

Here are some pics my dad took of him when he was 2 weeks old!

...INTRODUCING...

2011-03-17T11:42:00.001-07:00

..Baby Kamden..

March 10th 2:55 PM
7 lbs 6 oz
19 inches long
and perfect

Last Wednesday I went to my 38 week appt and I was dilated to a 3 and 80% effaced. I really wanted my Dr. to strip my membranes in hopes that it would put me in active labor but he said he wanted me to come back the next morning and check me again. If I was any more dilated then he would send me to the hospital and we could get things going. So what's a girl to do? I pretty much stayed busy walking all day, cleaned, did squats, and walked on my dad's treadmill for quite a while that night. I made sure I had babysitters lined up for Krew, and I took my hospital bags with me hoping he would send me in. Well sure enough I was dilated to a 4! I was SO excited! So my Dr. called labor and delivery and told them I would be checking in at 10 am. It was about 12:15 when I finally got checked in and settled in labor and delivery. The nurse checked me again and i had already dilated to a 5 since my appt a couple hours earlier. So I would have been heading up there that day anyways even if my Dr. wouldn't have sent me. My Dr. then broke my water at 12:15. At about 1:30 they gave me pitocin and I got my epidural. My contractions started coming so fast and strong that my epidural couldn't keep up in my upper right half so I could feel a lot of pain on that side. The nurse decided to check me at about 2 pm and I was dilated to a 7. The pain was getting worse so she checked me about 2:20 and I was already at a 10. So they hurried and called my Dr. and got everything ready so I could start pushing. I pushed about 4 times and our sweet little boy arrived at 2:55 pm. They immediately put him in my arms and I instantly fell in love! There is nothing quite like meeting your baby for the first time! It is just priceless!
I was a little nervous to feed him for the first time since that is when Krew started choking and went blue when he was born. The chances of this baby being born with the same birth defect went from like 1 in 3500 to 1 in 100. And since they can't detect it in ultrasounds very often I was a bit scared this baby would be born with the same thing. But he ate like a champ and is a very healthy baby! We have really ejoyed being able to do all the newborn things we never got to do with Krew. I have been home since Saturday and things have went really well. Krew is such a good little helper and he is so cute with his little brother! He loves patting his head, giving him his pacifier, sitting next to us when I feed him, and trying to show him all of his cool toys! I am so in love with all 3 of my boys! I feel like the luckiest girl in the world!! :)

37 weeks and my cute new nephew

2011-02-25T21:24:00.000-08:00

This pregnancy has flown right by! I can't believe it is already almost time to meet our little bundle of joy! I have been feeling pretty good but I have been in a lot more pain this go around. I definitely think he will be here really soon! I have been having some pretty nice contractions, cramping and back pain. As of last Wednesday I am dilated to a 2 and 80% effaced. Everything is looking great and I can't wait to meet the little guy!

My sister, Alisha, just had her baby Wednesday night. He is the sweetest little thing ever! It made me that much more excited for our babe to get here. It is going to be so fun having them so close in age! We definitely our going to have our hands full with all these little boys running around! :)

Christmas 2010

2011-02-25T20:59:00.001-08:00

So I know I am a couple months late posting, but hey, you know how it goes! Christmas was so much fun! It is so fun having a child to celebrate Christmas with. He was so excited about all of his new fun toys. Santa brought him some books, coloring books, a pop up tent, jammies, a doll, and his most favorite of all, a leapfrog laptop. He would not put it down all day. And about the doll... I figured since we are going to be having a new baby here soon I would get him a doll so he could learn how to be soft and feed it and get used to the idea of helping me with a baby. He loves it and it is so cute to watch him with it. He was holding it one day and it fell off his lap and he picked it up, said "uh oh" and gave it a love and a kiss. He is going to be such a great big brother!
I am already so excited for this next Christmas when he will understand who Santa is a little bit more! :)

..Krew turns 2..

2010-12-13T23:01:00.000-08:00

WOW!! I can't believe my little boy is 2! It is bittersweet! Two years ago today he just got done having major surgery to keep him alive. And look at him now! Who would have thought?! I am SOOO proud to be his mommy! He is the greatest blessing ever! He has been through so much already in his short life and is one brave little kiddo! He is my little Superhero!! :) I love you so much buddy!!

We celebrated his and Gracie's Birthdays by having dinner, cupcakes and ice cream, and opening presents! It was a lot of fun and they got spoiled! Happy Birthday Gracie and Krew!!

It's a.....................

2010-11-24T00:00:00.000-08:00

BOY!!!!!!!

We are very excited to be having another boy! Krew is going to be so happy having a little brother to play with! He LOVES babies so we are hoping he loves this little guy when he realizes that he will be here to stay! :) I can't wait to see how different he is from Krew physically and personality wise. It is hard to imagine anything but another little Krew running around! I mean really, I don't think they come any cuter then Krew! Anyways, I hope you enjoy our ultrasound video. You can see his cute little face in the very beginning and at the very end. The middle part is mostly of his body parts. We can't wait to meet him!

And then there were.....

2010-08-22T09:53:00.000-07:00

..4..

Yep, you guessed it! Baby #2 will be here sometime around March 20th! We are sooo excited!!

...4th of July and such...

2010-07-06T20:03:00.000-07:00

We had a very fun and busy 4th of July! I think it is safe to say that we completely wore ourselves out. We enjoyed some family bbq's, some volleyball games, parades, fireworks, and more fun stuff! It is one of Tyson's families favorite holidays and they have a lot of Independence Day traditions! If you have ever been to the Hyrum parade, you have probably seen all the old cars towards the end of it. That would be his family driving mostly all of them. Tyson's cousins own the new Smokin' Blues BBQ so we were also able to enjoy a fireside/dinner there Sunday night. His Grandpa told some stories about when he was younger. He talked about how they were only able to bath about once a week or even longer and that they all had to use the same water. They had to boil the water before they put it in the tub. Can you imagine having to wait your turn and having to bath in cold, dirty water?! It really made me think and realize how much we take for granted in this age and time. In years past, I haven't really thought about why we celebrate this holiday. I have always known why but I just haven't ever really pondered it. This year I thought about it a lot and it made the holiday that much better! I really am so grateful for all the brave and courageous men and women who have sacrificed so much so that we can have and enjoy our freedom! I am so proud to be an American!!

Grandma and Grandpa bought him a new, cool bike. It doesn't have wheels so he won't crash.

he loves microphones

talking on the phone and Gma and Gpa's

eating at Tys parents

weeeee

watching the parade

Gma and Gpa Harris

Smokin' Blues

Bear Lake Weekend

2010-06-24T13:34:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we headed on up to Bear Lake! We stayed in the cabin with Tyson's parents and brothers from Boise along with their families, and also with my mom and Kirk, Carl and Stacie, and my sisters and their families! To say we had fun would be an understatement! We are going to make it a yearly tradition from now on. We got up there early Friday and spent the day relaxing, and playing games at the cabin. On Saturday we headed down to the lake and enjoyed some time on Kirk's boat, the waverunners, and playing on the beach. Then Sunday, we packed up and enjoyed a few more hours on the beach before getting our Durango stuck in the lake trying to pull the waverunners out! It was definitely a vacation we will never forget! We are so glad we got to spend some much needed quality time with our awesome families and friends! Until next year...

...mwah...

Krew can finally eat bread and let me tell you.. he LOVES his pb & js

Isaac and Krew fighting over toys. Krew is 7 months YOUNGER than Isaac. He is one big boy!

I guess Krew won that one! :)

Pops and his little buddy

Tyson's brother's little babies, Maddie and Karson

My mom and Kirk

Stac and I

Tys & Carl

Trying to get unstuck! Thanks to the guy who owned this tractor!

...Mister Krew...

2010-05-25T12:06:00.001-07:00

Our little boy is only 2 weeks away from being 1 1/2 years old! I seriously can not even believe it! He seems like such a big boy now! These past 2 weeks he has suddenly turned into a little terror! A VERY cute little terror, though, I must say! A few weeks ago at his last surgery, his Dr. told us he doesn't need another surgery for 6 months. Yippee!! He has even been able to eat more of a variety of food lately too. We are very happy about all of it! We LOVE this little man sooo much and feel so blessed to be his parents!

Here is a little list of things about him at this age:

-He loves taking baths. Every night when I say "Let's go take a bath," he runs to the bathroom and tries to take off his own clothes.

-He loves snuggling and giving wet slobbery kisses. I love it too. He always brings me his blankie and plops down right in my lap.

-If he does something he knows he is not supposed to do, he will run up to me and put his finger on my lips so I can kiss it.

-He loves eggs, hashbrowns, pancakes, and cookies. And of course the chocolate milk.

-He does not like salad. It is the only thing I try to feed him that he refuses to eat.

-He loves playing at the park, being outside, and going on stroller rides.

-He loves dogs.

-He loves to sing. We sing I am a child of God every night before he goes to bed and he hums along the whole time.

-He loves his teddy bear.

-He loves playing peek-a-boo.

-He loves music and he loves to dance.

-He loves to read books.

-He loves playing with other little kids.

-He is obsessed with lights.

-He still loves his daddies guitar and gets mad that I don't know how to play it good.

-He likes to color.

-And he still hates the vacuum. Or anything that is loud for that matter.

We LOVE you Mister Krew!!!

March of Dimes March for Babies

2010-04-28T20:33:00.000-07:00

I recently joined the March of Dimes March for Babies hoping that I could help raise money for families and babies that are born premature and with birth defects, or other medical problems. After Krew was born with his birth defect, countless people have reached out to us and have helped us along the way. Everyone has made such a huge difference for us. I can not possibly thank everyone enough for all they have done. I tried to think of way to thank everyone and pay everyone back for everything but there is no possible way for me to do that. So instead of trying to pay everyone back, I will try to pay it forward. This is the reason why I have joined March for Babies. I want to help make a difference for another baby and their family even if it is just a little one. I am trying to fundraise money and I am also participating in a 5 mile walk in honor of Krew and other babies born premature or with other problems. If you are interested in helping you can join the walk too or by donating money. I have a link to my team and the March for Babies site on the right side of my blog. All money goes directly to the March of Dimes March for Babies and helps babies, their familes, research and more. I only have 24 days to reach my goal so any help would be very much appreciated!

And p.s. we are all moved in to our new home! pics are coming soon!

...Girls Weekend...

2010-03-08T21:02:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we headed down to Salt Lake for a girls weekend with my mom's side of the family. We rented a 4000 square foot basement to stay in. It was so beautiful! It had a jacuzzi, tanning room, steam room, sauna, exercise room, theater, and much, much more! We had sooo much fun! We got there Friday afternoon and spent the day there just playing games and hanging out. On Saturday we went shopping all day, went out for dinner, and played more games that night. Then on Sunday we stopped by a few more places on our way home. It was so nice and relaxing and a very much needed trip. It was my first time leaving Krew ever so I was a little nervous before we left. I missed him and Tyson like crazy but I'm so glad I had the chance to go. I'm already counting down the days till next year when we go again!

Don't worry, these aren't our real bows!

..."Because She is a Mother"...

2010-02-18T22:41:00.000-08:00

Tonight I came across this talk by Elder Jeffrey R Holland after reading a quote on a friend's blog. (Thanks Taryn :) ) I have been a little emotional and bummed tonight since Krew had another surgery again today. Even though it went really good and he is making good improvement, I just still have those days when I wish He didn't have to go through all of this. I know I came across that quote on her blog for a reason tonight. I looked up the talk where the quote came from and thought I would share it with all of you. I am so grateful and proud to be Krew's mom and for the blessings of Motherhood! And I am also grateful for all the great examples I have of Mother's in my life including all of you! What an honor it is to be a Mother!!

LDS.org - Ensign Article - “Because She Is a Mother”

As of late...

2010-02-10T19:34:00.000-08:00

We have been staying pretty busy lately! We are SO excited for our home to be done soon! It shouldn't be too much longer. It's at such a fun stage right now because everything is finally coming together. We got our cabinets and countertops put in this past week and the flooring in the bathrooms and laundry room. Today our light fixtures got put in and now we are just waiting for the wood floors and carpet. I'm so proud of Tyson and all of his hard work! He has learned so much and has put forth all of his time and effort so that we can enjoy and have our own home! Love you babe ;)

Krew and I have so much fun together everyday! I never knew how hard being a stay at home mom would be! It takes a lot more energy than I ever thought. And I wouldn't trade it for anything! I feel so blessed that I am able to stay at home with him. He is quite the character! It seems like everyday he is doing something new.

At 14 months he:

-puts keys in the door knobs to try and lock/unlock them

-helps me clean and wipe up all of his messes

-loves to play his daddies guitar and do anything else his daddy does

-turns off the tv when mommy is watching it

-hides all of his pacifiers

-throws things out of his crib so he can say "awe ohh"

-waves to people in the grocery store and while driving in the car

-tries to plug things into the walls

-likes to dance

-still loves the broom

-still hates the vacuum

-says momma, dadda, bye bye, nigh nigh, yum num, awe ohh, and hi

-likes to play peek-a-boo and walk around the room with buckets over his head

-still loves to snuggle

We sure love you Mr. Krew!!

...a new best friend...

2010-01-11T15:48:00.000-08:00

This might look like just another boring broom to you,

but to this little man it is the coolest thing ever!

In fact, this broom is Krew's new best friend.

He could play with it all day. And I mean all day.

He even cries when I try to take it from him.

Now if I could just teach him how to clean with it...

...CHRISTMAS...

2009-12-27T10:53:00.001-08:00

We had a very merry Christmas this year! We had so much fun watching Krew with all his new fun things. All of his Grandparents spoiled him, way more than Santa ;)!

On Christmas Eve we went to my dad's house and ate dinner, made gingerbread houses, and opened presents. Then on Christmas morning, my mom came over and watched us open our presents. Tyson made us a nice breakfast and then we headed over to his parents to open more presents with them. We spent the rest of the day relaxing, played some games at my sister's house, and visited with family. Then the day after Christmas, we went to my mom's and had Christmas again over there!

I love this time of year when time slows down a bit and we can reflect more on the birth of our Savior and all of our many blessings. It's so great to be able to spend more time with family and friends and enjoy each other's company. We really enjoyed Christmas this year and we are so grateful we are home this year as a family!

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas as well!!

...Krew's Birthday Party...

2009-12-15T22:25:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we celebrated Krew's 1st Birthday! We had a joint birthday party for him and my niece Gracie since her birthday is the day after. Tyson's mom and dad came up from Boise and all of our family here came to celebrate with us along with a few close friends. We made a yummy spaghetti dinner (Alisha did most of it), had cake and ice cream, and opened presents! It was so much fun! Krew was so funny with his cake. Well more like pudding pie, but he really enjoyed it! Since his doc said he can't eat "real" food yet, just really runny and pureed foods, we decided to have a normal cake for everyone else and a pudding pie just for him! But I think he liked the pudding pie way more than he would have liked cake! It took him a minute to eat it but once he tasted that first bite, he LOVED it! He also got a lot of really cute and fun toys!! He got spoiled! Thanks so much to everyone who came and to everyone that helped out too!! Happy Birthday Mister Krew!! WE LOVE YOU!!!

My very 1st fondant cake! I have been wanting to make one for a while so now I can say that I have! Thanks to my sister who helped me learn how to make it. It turned out pretty cute I think! The top of it wasn't what I imagined it to be since I was in such a hurry but overall I was pretty pleased.

He was clearly enjoying himself!!

Grandpa and Grandma Perkes

Gracie and her adorable castle cake! My sister is pretty talented!

the beautiful Meghan and Krew

Carl and Stacie

Grandma and Grandpa Sawin

Cassie and Steve

Grandma and Grandpa Harris

...sooo, so blessed...

2009-12-09T21:56:00.000-08:00

This is more for my journaling purposes so don't feel like you have to read...

So tomorrow is my little baby boy's 1st birthday and I am feeling a little overwhelmed with feelings right now! I am so happy and excited for all the fun things he is doing and how big he is getting, but I also can't help but feel a little sad he is not my little baby that I can just cuddle with and hold all day long anymore! (although he is still likes to snuggle :))

I can't believe he is already 1!! It has gone by sooo fast! It is so much fun to watch him grow and to see his little personality come out! I can't imagine my life with out him in it. His birthday brings back so many memories! I have been thinking a lot today about this past year and all the joy and happiness it has brought to us! One year ago tonight, we had just got done at Tyson's work christmas party where everyone was asking when I was going to have our baby. I kept telling them all probably in about 2 weeks from then when my due date was. If only I would have known that early the next morning I was going to go into labor... If I could go back in time and give myself some advice, I would tell myself to go to bed WAY earlier that night, eat a bigger dinner, enjoy my big huge belly, and cuddle with my husband. But I think ultimately, I would tell myself to just trust in the Lord and know that everything was going to be all right!

So the next morning, 5:41 am to be exact, I woke up with stomach cramps. Within about 3 seconds my water started breaking. So I waddled into the bathroom as fast as I could while yelling to Tyson that I thought my water had broke! (the doctors don't tell you your water doesn't stop breaking- it keeps going for quite a while). So I called my sister and asked her what to do. So I called the hospital, ate a big breakfast, and we headed up to the hospital! It seemed like I was the only one there! I got to pick my labor and delivery room and I got all settled in. Within a couple of hours I got my epideral, Tyson and my dad gave me a priesthood blessing, and things went smooth sailing from there! I really enjoyed the whole experience! It was so much fun. (at least the whole labor thing). And I feel so blessed it went so well for me because I know that's not always the case. I was only in labor for about 12 hours until I started pushing! And 45 minutes later, our little bundle of joy arrived! It was such an amazing experience! We instantly fell in love with him!! We got to bond for about a half hour and all the family got to meet him. Then I sent everyone out except for Tys and my sister so I could feed him for the first time. (My sisters a pro at this stuff so I had her help me.) It went pretty well for about 5 minutes. Then Krew made a big squeal, and he started to turn a little blue. I sent my sister to get the nurse for me. The nurse came in and took my little guy from me and said she would be back in a minute. Well a few minutes past and they said they were just checking a few things on him and that I could get settled in my room upstairs in the meantime. So about an hour or so past when our pediatrician came in and said he needed to talk to us. Then he went on to say that our son was born with a birth defect called tracheoesophagealfistula. He kept explaining but I lost it and didn't really hear anything after that. Then I heard him say that he was going to be life flighted down to Primary Childrens where he would have surgery to fix the problem. About an hour later, the life flight Krew brought him into us so we could say good bye to him one last time before they took him. They ended up being able to take him by ambulance because he was so stable. So we said our sad goodbyes and off he went. That was the longest night of my entire life.

We were blessed since the very beginning! If I would have had to have a c-section, I wouldn't have been able to be discharged the very next morning from the hospital so I could go see him. Also a majority of the babies born with TEF (shorter name), have heart problems, are premature, have limb problems, kidney problems, and some are even born without a bum hole. He didn't have any other problems when he was born and was very healthy otherwise. Also, a couple weeks before this, my mom got a job in Salt Lake and had just moved into a new apartment about 20 minutes from the hospital, so we never had to worry about finding a place to stay. And this was just the beginning of many, many blessings through out this time in our lives. When he was 2 days old, he had surgery and everything went awesome! His doctor is one of the best and is also the surgeon who performed the surgery on the conjointed twins a few years ago. He stayed in the NICU down at Primarys for 3 weeks. He had good days and he had bad days. After about 1 week we were able to start feeding him again and we could finally hold him again too! Every day he got better and better. We witnessed a lot of miracles while we were there. And not just with Krew, but with other babies as well. He never ceased to amaze us. He is such a strong and determined little guy! He has been like that since the day he was born! We got to take him home a few days after Christmas! It is a Christmas we will always cherish and never forget! Since then he has had a few complications that I have mentioned in other posts and has had to have 4 minor surgeries since then. We thought we would be done with them but just found out at his last one he will need about 6 more! Once a month for 6 months and then we will see at that point what needs to happen. But they are nothing compared to his first one and they have all went great! There are SO many worse things that he could have been born with and other things that could have went wrong, but didn't.

So as I am looking back at this past year, I am thinking about all the many blessings we have had poured upon us. There are too many to list but the biggest one is of course Krew! He has blessed our lives in so many ways! Do I wish that he was born healthy and that he wouldn't have had and still continue to go through all of this? Yes!! But I am TRULY grateful for these experiences too in so many ways! They have made me grow in so many different ways and helped me do things I wouldn't have thought I could do otherwise. I am so grateful that I have the gospel in my life and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that it is true! I know our Savior lives and loves each and everyone of us and that he gives us experiences in our lives to help us grow and to prepare us for what He has in store for us! I know He has a plan for us and wants us to be happy. He is the reason for all the good things I have in my life. I am truly blessed!!

Thanksgiving Day and a sneak peek of the CUTEST booth at the november fest....

2009-11-26T20:43:00.000-08:00

We had a very good thanksgiving day! This year we spent it with my mom and my sister's families. The food was delicious and we ate a TON. Krew even got his own turkey and sweet potato dinner. He can only have pureed food until after his surgeries are over, so we made sure he didn't miss out on all the good stuff. And as you can tell by the pictures he really enjoyed it! After we ate we played games ( Tys and I won) and just enjoyed everybody's company! We love Thanksgiving. It is such a great and special time to reflect on all of our many blessings! We have so much to be thankful for!

Tonight we went to the rec center and helped my sister Alisha set up her booth for the November Fest. It has a TON of cute stuff for babies/toddlers/etc.. She has aprons, tutus, leg warmers, sleeves, hair bows, clips, head bands, purses, and really cute boards to hang your hair clips on and more! It is all very cute and stylish, and also very affordable. So whether your looking for christmas gifts, birthday gifts, or just for fun, then you should go check it out. It's kind of in the middle of all the booths on the main floor so it is pretty easy to find. You won't want to miss it!! There's a little sneak peek below of what you can find there. Happy shopping!

Aunt Cassie and Krew

just loungin' around

yum, yum

mom and alisha

tyson and ryan

steve

sisters

benjamin

.........................................................................................................................

really cute boards to hang your clips/bows on (or whatever else you want to hang on them)

adorable tutus (she has a lot more too you can choose from)

cupcake onsies

crocheted slippers (bunch of styles to choose from including ballet style that ties up the ankle)

adorable girl and boy aprons (a ton of different patterns and styles that velcro, tie, ect.)

i love these purses and bags. they make great gift ideas (hint, hint tyson)

these are leg warmers and can also be used as sleeves under your child's shirts. For boys and girls. i LOVE them. sooo cute.

she has probably close to 75 different patterns to choose from.

warm, soft blankets. they are adorable and also come in different colors like pink and black.

What I'm thankful for....

2009-11-24T22:56:00.000-08:00

....couldn't live without em'....

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Better late then never....

2009-11-11T22:35:00.000-08:00

Well we FINALLY have the internet again, so it's time for a little update. Or more like big update. I know I say this all the time but I seriously can't believe how big my baby boy is getting! He is 11 months old now and is getting bigger by the second! He started walking when he was about 9 1/2 months old and hasn't slowed down since! He is such a determined and smart little guy! He is also quite the entertainer! The other night I was getting him ready for bed when he decided to put his pajama shirt over his head so it was covering his eyes. Then he started walking around the room and would purposely bonk into the couch and fall over while laughing his head off! He did this for about ten minutes and was laughing non stop! I tried to get the video camera out, but of course it was dead! So maybe next time I will be prepared!

About eight weeks ago I noticed he was having a hard time swallowing and he was getting his acid reflux really bad! When I would try to feed him he would start choking a lot so I called his doctors office down at Primary Childrens so he could be seen. They had warned me from his first surgery when he was born that his esophagus might restrict on him where they had connected it and that he would maybe need some more surgeries to stretch it. Well it did restrict quite a bit! It was about 4-5 mm and a baby his age is usually about 12 mm. So he has had to have surgery every other Thursday since then and has his last one (for now) tomorrow! They are not near as complicated as his first one when he was born and they also can do these ones by going down his throat with a scope instead of through his side! So we are very grateful for that! We are so proud of him too! He does so good with them and always makes a speedy recovery! I count my blessings every day that I have him! He is the most precious gift I could ever ask for! He has the sweetest little spirit and we just love him so sooo much!

Well we had a very fun Halloween! It was so much fun to dress Krew up! He didn't like his costume very much at first but he got more used to it. He was for sure the cutest lion I have ever seen!

Tyson's Grammers and Grandpa came to visit us last month and helped work on our house! His Grandpa was such a big help and I loved spending time with his Grandma while the guys were busy working away! Our house is coming along pretty fast. They are almost done with the sheet rocking and the siding. It's looking so awesome! It's beginning to feel more real to me now that we will be in our own home in just a couple months! I can't wait!!

Sorry about the long post and all the pictures! I hope you enjoy them! :)

8 1/2 months already?!!!

2009-08-24T18:08:00.000-07:00

Holy Cow!! I can't believe my little baby boy is already almost 9 months old!!! It really all has been in the blink of an eye! He is getting bigger by the minute! And he is just so cute too! It seems like he is a little toddler now instead of a little baby! He is crawling everywhere and getting into everything! Especially the things he shouldn't be getting into! He crawls up the stairs now (scary), and I think he will be walking before too long! He can pull himself up into standing position and walk along the side of things and also stand for a few seconds by himself! He is just such a strong and determined little guy! It's amazing how much personality can be inside of such a tiny little thing! Here are some of the things I have learned in the past 8 months;

-that cell phones, remotes, keys, and anything else with buttons are way more fun than any other toy you can buy

-babies can unfold a whole laundry basket full of clothing in about 5 seconds even though it takes you twenty minutes to fold

-always lock your phone before you let your baby play with it. Otherwise they will accidently call someone and that person might hear you say something or sing something you probably didn't want them to hear

-babies love their mommies and they don't want anyone else to hold them when they are sad

-when a baby crawls over to you while crying "Momma" it will melt your heart

-that nap time is one of the best times of the day

-babies love to rip up paper, especially important pieces of paper

-babies love to be really noisy and unhappy at church more than anywhere else

-babies are the best cuddlers

-and that being a mom is the BEST and the MOST rewarding calling you could ever have!

2009-07-12T17:05:00.000-07:00

Where do I even begin?? I'm not going to tell you I'm going to be better at blogging ever again because obviously I'm not doing so good at it! But what can I say? It's summer and we are enjoying every second of it!! About a month ago we had our family reunion at the bear lake cabin which was a ton of fun minus the bad weather! It's always so fun to see family we don't see too often! We also have been to the pool a few times and I think Krew really likes the water! We dunked him! He was smiling after! You might think that is mean of us but they actually make you do that in baby swimming classes! We had a very fun 4th of July watching the big parade and of course the cruise in parade too! My Aunt and Uncle actually won the give away car about fifteen years ago so we have always liked going to it! Also this past week we were finally able to stake out our lot for our home we are building! We will be able to start the framing this coming week! (Pictures to come) And we got to pick out the exterior colors as well which is a lot of fun! So pretty much we have been really busy and enjoying the summer!

Krew has been doing so many new things! My baby boy is growing up way too fast!! He is already 7 months old! He ways 18 pounds and he is very tall for his age! He is going to be a big boy when he is older! He is starting to crawl too! He almost has it down! He can put one knee forward but can't quite figure out how to move the other one! He eats veggies now, sits up on his own and he also says "MAMMA!!" I love it! He is watching sign language videos now too but hasn't done any yet! It will be so nice when he can show me what he wants and why he is crying! We just love this little boy so much!! I'm sorry about all the pictures but we have family who doesn't get to see him very often so I always post a lot for them! Enjoy!!

Exciting News!!!

2009-06-03T18:16:00.000-07:00

We are FINALLY building our first home!!! I can not wait to not pay rent anymore!! They will be breaking ground in about two weeks or so. It is 4 bedrooms and 2 baths and is all one story! It will be one busy summer but it will be so worth it when it is all done! We applied for the "sweat equity" homes where you all help build each others houses with the help of a construction company! You get all sorts of discounts and deals since it is sweat equity! I think we will also take more pride in it since we will be building a lot of it ourselves!! We are so excited and can't wait!!

Hogle Zoo, the park, and Boise ( in other words- LOTS of pictures)

2009-05-27T18:36:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we went to Boise to visit Tyson's family! Our bestest friends Carl and Stacie came with us! They are pretty much family and Tyson's family all agrees as well! He has a LOT of family there and most of them have never met Krew so we were able to visit a lot of them! We stayed at Tyson's Aunt Shelly and Uncle Brad's house. They are always so nice and good to us when we stay there! So on Friday night we hung out there and Tyson's dad and mom came over so we ate pizza, watched basketball, and played the wii! On Saturday we went to Famous Daves which was sooo good and visited with more family after that! Then we went to Tyson's Dad's house for a barbecue for dinner! On Sunday I finally got to meet one of Tyson's Grandpa's! His name is Mick and his wife is Judy! I am so glad I got to meet them! They are so nice and they were so cute with Krew! After that we went to Tyson's Grammer's house for lunch and to see more family! Then we headed back home! It was so nice too see everyone and if any of them read this we hope you all know how much we love you and how grateful we are for you too! Especially Tyson's Dad and Grammers!! ;)

Tyson's Grammers, and Grandpa!! (Ken and Sharon)

Tyson's Dad (Craig)
A No NO!! :)
Four Generation picture! You can't tell they are family at all can you?
Another four generation picture! This is his Grandpa Mick in this picture!
Judy and Mick with Krew

Carl and Stacie
Tyson, his cousin Blake, and Aunt Shelly

These pictures are from a few Sundays ago!! After church we went to the park with my Dad and Linda and my sisters! We just enjoyed the day playing at the park! Krew loves being outside!!

A couple of weeks ago my sister Alisha and I loaded up the kids and went down to Salt Lake to spend the weekend with my mom! We took the kids to Hogle Zoo on Saturday and then to the Mayan to eat lunch after! They all loved it! We had a blast!!

Krew kept doing this all day! He was being so funny! He just wanted to pull my hair and suck on my face all day!

It's about time I update...

2009-04-22T20:03:00.000-07:00

Where to start? We have been so busy lately and I know I promised I would be better at updating but I really do have a good excuse! We moved (yay) and we don't have the internet yet at our new place so I haven't been able to get on and update! So I finally made Tyson bring me up to the hospital where he works so I could use the internet here!

So like I said we moved into a new place about 3 weeks ago and we are loving it! We have also been enjoying the nice weather and we have spent a lot of days shopping, playing at the park, and just enjoying life! Krew is growing up sooo fast and he won't slow down! It seems like every day he is doing something new and learning a ton of new things! He rolls over now, he can hold things by himself, and he is almost sitting by himself as well! He also just started eating rice cereal which I think he actually kind of likes! He loves his rides in his stroller, still loves baby einstein movies, loves putting anything and everything in his mouth, loves his 3 hour naps, and loves to cuddle! So that pretty much sums it up! Sorry about the picture overload but I just love them all and couldn't decide what ones to pick! So I just picked them all!

...What we've been up to...

2009-03-20T17:01:00.000-07:00

Here is what we have been up to lately...

Enjoying this warm, sunny weather

Watching Baby Einstein in the bouncer and learning lots

Taking long 3 hour naps which we love

Celebrating Grandma Jeanette's Birthday!! Happy Birthday Grandma!!

Playing Mario Kart on the Wii

Spending lots of time together

Celebrating Krew's 3 month Birthday

And playing and talking lots on the jungle mat!

So pretty much we have been having tons of fun together!! I can't believe Krew is already 3 1/2 months old! He makes the cutest noises and we discovered he loves watching TV. So we have been putting in the Baby Einstein videos for him and he just talks back to the TV the whole time! It is so cute! He is growing up way to fast! We just can't get enough of this little guy and are looking forward to this summer so we can go do lots of fun things together!

....Krew's Baby Blessing....

2009-03-03T13:22:00.001-08:00

Last Sunday was Krew's baby blessing! It was such a special day for our little family! If any of you are wondering why you weren't invited it is only because we had it at my dad's house and we only had our parents, grandparents, and siblings there! The doctors wanted us to wait until at least April to take him to church because of RSV and all the other fun stuff. We however, did not want to wait that long so we decided to just have a home blessing for him! We just love this little guy so much and can't imagine life without him! His blessing outfit was so stinking cute on him and he looked so handsome! It really was such a fun day and I'm so glad we got to spend it with our families! Tyson did such an amazing job blessing him! I feel so blessed to be married to him and that he is a worthy priesthood holder! He has given both me and Krew many, many blessings these past few months! I am so glad we have the gospel in our lives and feel it is such a blessing to know the church is true and we are a part of it! We could not have gotten through these past few months without it in our lives! Well I hope you all enjoy our pictures! =) Oh, and yes I died my hair brown! I think it might be back blonde though shortly!

My sisters and me

Isn't he the most handsome little boy you have ever seen??!!

My grandma and grandpa! My grandpa only pretends to be so ornery!!

My momma, me and Krew

Tyson's dad, mom, and brothers from Boise

...our little Krewser...

2009-02-22T20:29:00.000-08:00

It's been a while! I'm sorry about my bad updating skills! This past month has flown right by and we have been loving every single minute of it! There is NOTHING better than being a mom! It is the best thing ever! We love our little Krew so much! He has the sweetest little spirit and is oh so precious! He loves to play and make all kinds of noises! He also loves to sleep and eat! He is sleeping through the night pretty well even though he is really squirmy for about an hour around three or four in the morning! Yesterday he started to reach for his toys on his jungle mat for the first time and he also started to rub his eyes and suck on his hand! He is growing up soooo fast! He is almost 3 months old already! Yesterday we had our first family outing (besides doctors appointments)! We aren't supposed to take him any where yet until April but we did any way! Don't worry- we kept him covered and in his car seat the whole time! We went to buy him his blessing outfit and let me tell you, it is so cute! We had a lot of fun and it was so nice to finally go somewhere as a family!

Today we went to my dad's house to eat dinner and play games! My sister and her kids were there and her baby Isaac and little Krew would not quit smiling at each other! It was the cutest thing ever! They are going to be best buds here soon! Well here are some pictures of the past few days! I promise I won't be such a slacker at blogging any more!

...Dinner with Friends...

2009-01-24T13:49:00.002-08:00

Last night we were able to go out to dinner with some friends! We went to Cafe Sabor and it was delicious! It was so nice to see everyone that was there and catch up on what everyones been up to! We had a lot of fun and it felt great to get out of the house and take a break from everything! It's amazing though how an hour after we leave to go somewhere I want to go back home because I miss Krew so much already!!! It's hard to leave him but I know he is always in very good hands! His grandma and grandpa Perkes baby sat him for us and I'm glad they were able to spend some time with him!

I'm so glad we got to see all of you at dinner and we definitely need to get together more often!

me and my babe

oh how i miss you mel

one of my favorite people

mindi, ashley, jessy, meg, me, and mel

i love you girls

Fun weekend!!!

2009-01-18T18:44:00.000-08:00

Well last weekend was a really fun one! It was my sister Cassie's Birthday and we started celebrating on Thursday! We had a girls night and went to dinner at Ruby Tuesdays and then we went to the movie Bride Wars which we loved! It was hilarious! Then on Friday we had a birthday party for her with all the family! We couldn't take Krew with us because he isn't supposed to really go anywhere for a few months because of the RSV season and he is more susceptible to getting it! Which is a bummer because we really just want to show the little cutie off but I would rather him stay healthy! But his grandma and grandpa Harris were VERY excited to baby sit him for the first time! On Saturday my mom, sisters, and a few friends came over and we played games! My family LOVES playing games so we had an absolute blast! And the fun didn't stop there! Today we went over to my dads and had a potluck dinner and played more games! So we have had a ton of fun these past few days and have enjoyed it all very much! I love spending time with my family especially my sisters! They are my best friends! I love you both soooo much and I hope you had a fun Birthday Cassie!!!

As for Krew- he is doing really well and we are having so much fun with him! He has given us a little attitude these past few days! He is so funny and sometimes we just can't help but laugh at him! He loves to grunt at us and he is starting to make really cute sounds! He also loves his tummy time! I swear one of these days he is going to just take off crawling! He has such strong legs! We are still waiting for that first real smile! He just stares at us like we are crazy! Well here are some pictures from this past week! Sorry there are kind of a lot!

Welcome Home Krew!!!

2009-01-02T15:37:00.000-08:00

Yay!! We are FINALLY home!! We got to bring our little bundle of joy home on Monday! It was a very exciting day for us! It is so nice to be home together as a family! We are really enjoying it! I can't believe he is almost already a month old! Crazy how fast time flies by! The first night home was a little rough! I didn't get to bed until five o'clock in the morning and Krew was ready to wake up again at six thirty! It was great! Luckily he fell back asleep at about eight until one! So I took a little snooze with him! He is supposed to eat every three hours but we were both in desperate need of sleep so I let him stay asleep and finally woke him up to eat! I don't know what it is but he can sleep for hours and hours when I fall asleep with him in my arms! I always have to wake him up! He must know I'm his mommy! =) Well the past couple of nights have gone much better! He wakes up twice or three times to eat and then he goes right back to sleep! He is such a good little baby! He only cries when he is hungry or has a dirty diaper! He loves to be cuddled with and he also loves to hold onto your finger when he is sleeping! He is just adorable and we love him more than anything! We have so much fun together! Here are a few pictures from the past couple of days! Hope you all had a Happy New Year!

He must have been excited to come home too because he was giving a thumbs up before we left!

Just leaving the hospital finally!

He loves his glider! It moves forward/backwards and side to side! I Definitely recommend getting one of these!

Just hanging out with Papa Sawin

You gotta love their cross eyed faces they pull!

Best News Ever....

2008-12-27T15:07:00.001-08:00

Well before I get to the really good news (which you can probably already guess what it is) I will tell you about the last couple of days! We had a very good and fun Christmas with our baby boy! On Christmas Eve we got to bath him for the first time! It was a bit of a challenge because we had to leave him in his crib and sponge bath him because of his pic line in his arm! But we had a lot of fun doing it! On Christmas day when we arrived at the hospital we saw that Santa had visited all the babies in the NICU! He spoiled them! Krew got some more clothes, blankets, books, toys, socks, and money! This Christmas has been very different for us but we will never forget it! It was a very special one and has really made us realize what Christmas is all about! On Christmas night the doctors told us that if Krew didn't improve his eating by the morning they were going to have to put his feeding tube back in! This would be a major set back! We were a bit bummed! Well on Friday morning when we talked to the doctor they said he ate better than he ever has! Almost doubling his numbers! So not only did they not have to put back in his feeding tube but they also took out his pic line! It was very exciting! All of the doctors were so impressed and happy! So the great news is that we get to go home on Monday!!! Yippee!!!! As long as he keeps doing what he is doing! Which he will because he is such a strong and healthy little boy! We have had so many miracles and blessings poured upon us these past few weeks! We are overwhelmed with gratitude and love for all of you and our families and even complete strangers! We can't quite put into words how grateful we are for all of you! We love you all very much and we can't wait for you all to meet our precious little Krew!!

Christmas Day! I bought him a Christmas outfit to wear but he peed all over it so they had to put him back in hospital clothes! So I will have to take pictures of him in them later!

After his bath Tyson decided to comb his hair into a mohawk!

Two weeks old...

2008-12-23T21:36:00.000-08:00

Well tomorrow Krew will be two weeks old! These past two weeks have flown right by! Which makes me both happy and sad! Happy because it seems like we haven't been down here for that long and sad because I feel like I have missed out on his first two weeks of life! Even though I have been to the hospital every day to see him it's just not the same as being able to be at home with him and hold him when ever I want! I just have to remember how blessed we are to have him and how everything has worked out so well for us. Everything has gone perfectly for us considering the situation. There are babies in there with him that have been in there for much longer. One baby girl has been in there since June and she is blind in one eye and has a broken femur. It is so sad to see but her mom is so positive about it all and I haven't heard her complain once! We have met so many neat people while we have been down here and everyone has been so good to us!

Well Tyson had to go back home for a few days to work so Krew and I have been able to spend some time together alone! Even though I would rather have it be the three of us, I have been able to bond with him a little! He finally graduated to a crib today! He is maintaining his body temperature a lot better and his feeding tube got taken out too! Yay! No more tube down his throat! He also is no longer a naked baby! He gets to wear clothes now! No word yet on when we get to go back home but we are looking forward to our first Christmas together as a family! We hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and we love you all!!

Update on our little Krew...

2008-12-21T20:09:00.000-08:00

Krew's first time being burped

Krew's first time eating

Krew's bear we made for him at Build a Bear

Hello everyone! This is Ashley finally! First of all I want to say THANKS so so so soooo much to all of you for all your love and support and for all of your prayers! We can't say thank you enough! We have been soooo blessed and continue to be blessed every day! Every day something changes and gets better! Our little guy is so strong and is healing very quickly! They did his eating test on Thursday to see if there were any leaks where his esophagus was stitched together and they found no leaks! Yay! So he finally got to eat after a whole week! And we finally got to hold him again! It was a very exciting day! He has to drink my milk out of a bottle right now for a few days so they can measure how much he is getting and work him up to 2 ounces. Then when he is up to 2 ounces I will finally be able to breast feed him! He is a very good eater but his poor little stomach isn't digesting it all very well! He is only digesting a little bit at a time. As far as a coming home date- We aren't quite sure. We are hoping next weekend! The doctors said he has to be up to full feedings and be digesting it all and then he also has to be able to maintain a good body temperature on his own without his heated light above his bed! He is doing very well though and is such a strong little guy! We are so proud of him! He is our little hero! We love him so much! As you have all probably read we have had so many neat experiences while we have been down here! Tyson and I have always been close but this sure has brought us so much closer together! He is such an amazing dad and husband! I admire and adore him so much! Thanks again to everyone for everything! We sure are blessed to have such good family and friends! We love you all! We hope you all have a very good Christmas!

A few pics of Krew...

2008-12-15T18:52:00.000-08:00

Ok...so this is the best I got! They are from the night Krew was born when the Life Flight crew came to get baby Krew. I am still trying to get them to e-mail me some more recent pictures! But hopefully you will enjoy these ones!

Another Update, and one great Christmas gift!

2008-12-14T13:57:00.000-08:00

So I just thought I would update you all again, and since not a lot has changed, I will share a neat little story with you all! Krew is doing very well, Today they are taking him off of his ventilator completely and they are taking some of the tubes that help with drainage and air pockets. Those are all very good signs! Ash and Tyson are in great spirits considering all the circumstances. Yesterday they went to the gateway and made Krew a personalized bear from build a bear. They wanted something for Krew to have from this experiance when he is older. They got to record a voice message and all. They even put a little heart in it that they both kissed! How sweet huh?! It was made with lots of Love! Another cute little story, on the day of the surgery, a group of teens walked up to Ash and Tyson in the hospital and put a big jar of money in her lap and said Merry Christmas! What an awesome gift! Ash said she cried, and was very thankful to them! Then that same day they got to meet The Utah Jazz basketball team who was at the hospital doing services for the children. She met them personally and shook their hands, I think they even gave them a signed autograph book! So even through the tears and emotions, there have been some very neat experiances throughtout it all to help them pull through it and keep their heads up high! Thank goodness for people out there who reach out their hearts to help make a difference to those who may need it. I hope it reminds us all of the real meaning of Christmas, and the gift of love and service can sometimes mean more than any treasure you could find under a tree! I wish I had more pictures to show you. I've been trying to get them to e-mail me some! I guess I'll forgive them since they have a little more important things to think about!!!!

Krew's Surgery

2008-12-12T17:42:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, it's Cassie again, just giving you all an update! Little Krew went in for surgery today, there were no problems with his heart, and everything went just great! He is a strong little guy and doing incredible! Ashley is recovering good as well! She is staying down in Salt Lake with Tyson until Krew gets to come home, which won't be for a little while. He has to wait for a week to be able to feed off of Ashley, and if all goes ok, he should be able to go home shortly after, so maybe in two weeks, hopefully before Christmas! We are all praying for that! Ash wants to say thanks to everyone for their thoughts and prayers, and all the sweet comments. She has been able to read them, so keep 'em coming!

Our Little Krew...

2008-12-11T08:18:00.000-08:00

HE'S FINALLY HERE! Krew Robert Sawin arrived on December 10th at 6:45 p.m. He weighed 7lbs 1 oz and is 20 inches long. He has lots of hair and is absolutely adorable! This is Ashley's sister Cassie posting as Ashley and Tyson are just a little occupied! She wanted everyone to know that she is doing very well, and the delivery went awesome! Her water broke at 5:30 a.m. and things went smooth from there! There were a few little complications that were discovered after Krew tried to feed. They found that Krew's esophagus is either not attached or may be only partially attached to his stomach, therefore he cannot eat. They took him in for some tests, and later in the evening the life flight crew took him by ambulance to Primary Children's Hospital. His vitals were very good, and he is very stable. They will be doing surgery on him to fix the problem sometime within the next day or two. They are running a few more tests to make sure his heart is good, as sometimes with his situation there are some abnormalities in the heart as well. So everyone keep baby Krew, Ashley and Tyson in your thoughts and prayers! I will keep you all updated since Ash is just a little busy right now! They are not sure how long they will have to keep Krew, or when he will get to come home. So everyone Pray!

IT'S TIME...

2008-11-29T17:58:00.000-08:00

for us to go private! We figured we should probably put our blog on private now since we could have our baby at any time! You just never know with all those creepy people out there! We are going to have lots to blog about here soon and would love to keep you all updated so make sure you leave your email for me and if you want me to delete it off my comments after just let me know and I will as soon as I get it! We go to the Dr. every week now and last week when I went I was effaced 70% already and he has dropped a whole lot too! My Dr. said I'm a little ahead of where the average is at this stage so just maybe he will be here a little early! Even though this is the best christmas gift we could ever dream of we really don't want to be at the hospital on christmas day so cross your fingers and pray for us! And don't forget to leave us your email! =)

MY BABY SHOWER!!!

2008-11-18T07:33:00.000-08:00

Last weekend my family had a baby shower for me! It was so much fun and I got everything I wanted and needed and more! I LOVED everything I got! My mom and sisters spoiled me! They bought me my car seat and stroller that I wanted and the diaper bag that I wanted and they filled it chuck full with more things! I also got a camcorder from my dad, step-mom Linda, her mom and Heather! I got a TON of blankets and I love them all! I got my sound and movement monitor that I wanted, a pump, a swing, a glider, and a ton of cute clothes! And lots of diapers! Plus much more! We really got spoiled! It was so nice to be able to see everyone who came and we really appreciate all the love and support from everyone! Thanks to everyone who came and helped out! Especially all of my family and extended family! Mom, Cassie, and Alisha- You guys are the BEST!!! I don't know what I'd do without you! I love you guys so much! =)

Happy Birthday Tyson!!!

2008-11-06T09:48:00.000-08:00

Tuesday was Tyson's Birthday! But we really started celebrating on Sunday! We had a family party for him where we had cake and ice cream and played games! Then the morning of his birthday he woke up and I had a scavenger hunt ready for him right when he got out of bed! Every clue lead him to another birthday present! Some of his presents were kind of boring so I had to make it fun for him! His last clue lead him to the kitchen where I had breakfast ready for him! When he was little his favorite breakfast was his Dad's famous biscuits and sausage gravy recipe so I attempted to make it for him! His dad's is a lot better but I think he still liked it! Then he had to go to work so I left one more clue in the car for him and a gift certificate to the Bajio Grill for his lunch that day! Later that night we went to his favorite restaurant Iggy's and had dinner with some friends and then we ended the night watching a movie! I hope he had as much fun as I did!

I love you babe and I hope you had a Happy Birthday! =)

Ryan and Ben helping Tyson blow out his candles!

the Birthday Boy!

Grandma, Haley, and Gracie

Birthdays, Carving pumpkins, and Halloween!!!

2008-11-01T16:56:00.000-07:00

This past week has sure been an eventful one! On Sunday we celebrated Haley's birthday! She is such a cutie and such a joy to be around! Right after her party we went and carved pumpkins with our friends Riley, Aubree, Stacey, and Mckade! Tysons pumpkin was really small and he didn't really have room to use a pattern so he decided to make a Borat pumpkin! I attempted to make a cat one and it turned out better than I thought it would! Then last night we got to go to a Halloween party with a bunch of friends! We ate a bunch of yummy food and played some really fun games! My sister Alisha helped me make my costume! It's kinda hard to be creative with costumes when your pregnant so she had an idea to make me a frog! And Tyson- well I am not quite sure what to call his costume exactly! It was pretty gross though! It did not even look like him! Next year we will be able to dress our little boy up and I can't wait! But we had a blast this past week! It's been busy but it sure was all a lot of fun!

The Birthday Girl! She really wanted a skate board for her birthday!

My cute nieces and nephews!

My mom, Cassie, Alisha, and me!

Tyson and me! And yes- he is wearing Haley's helmet!

Tyson's Borat pumpkin and my Cat pumpkin!

Tyson without his gross, fake teeth in!

Jase and Carl competing during one of the games we played!

Stacie and me

Carl and Tyson! I promise those are fake teeth!

Taiya, Cam, and Ali

Greg and Karly

Saying goodbye!

2008-10-24T22:30:00.000-07:00

It's been a crazy week but I am finally taking the time to update! We had my Grandma's funeral a few days ago and it was absolutely beautiful! All of the grandkids got the opportunity to tell memories we had of her for the funeral service and it was so nice and fun to remember all the good times we had with her! We laughed and we cried. We all feel so blessed to have her as our Grandma and to know that she is happy! We will miss her very much and will always cherish our memories together! We love you Grandma!

GRACE

2008-10-17T13:33:00.000-07:00

Grace Page Turpin

Sept. 21, 1922 - Oct. 16, 2008

My Grandma Grace hasn't been doing very well these past few years. The doctors and nurses had told us quite a few times that she probably wouldn't make it very much longer. But every time she pulled through. It just never was the right time for her to go. Well yesterday my mom called me and told me she wasn't doing well again and that she probably wouldn't make it through the next couple of days. So last night me and my sisters went to visit her. My mom and her sisters were there also and as we all stood around her bed she passed away. I feel so blessed that we were there with her when it happened. She passed away so quickly and so peacefully. It was quite an amazing experience. We all could feel the spirit there with us so strongly. We will miss her soooo much but we are so happy for her. What a peaceful feeling it is to know that she is in Heaven with her husband and the rest of her family and that she is happy now. She was such an amazing person to everyone that knew her. We were all so close to her and we feel so blessed to have her as our Grandma. She truly is a woman of grace! We sure will miss you Grandma and we love you so so sooo much!

8 Things...

2008-10-14T19:47:00.000-07:00

I've been tagged again by my sister Cassie! I know you all are probably sick of me only updating when I get tagged so I promise I will start to do better! But for now just try to enjoy my tags!

8 favorite tv shows-

Family Fued, What not to wear, Wheel of fortune, Price is right, America's next top model, Everybody loves Raymond, Tyra Banks show, and the biggest loser.

8 favorite restaurants-

Iggies, Firehouse Pizzeria, Fredricos, Red Robin, Ruby Tuesdays, Applebees, Eagle Rib Shack in Boise, and Papa Murphys. ( I know- that one is take out but still)

8 things I'm looking forward to-

Meeting our precious little boy, Tyson's Birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, dressing up for Halloween, being able to lay flat on my back again, not having to go to the bathroom every half hour, and moving into our own place.

8 things that I did yesterday-

Ate breakfast, played catch outside with our dog Mya, ate lunch, took a nap, played catch again with Mya, went to the store, ate dinner, and watched Tysons softball games.

Now I have to tag 8 people. So Mindi, Julie, Casie, Dad, Taiya, Ali, Tessa, and Laura consider yourselves tagged! Have fun and you ALL better do this! =)

I've been tagged....

2008-09-27T08:59:00.000-07:00

So my sister Alisha tagged me! I am supposed to write 6 insignificant things about myself that no one really knows! There is a good reason why I don't tell people about some of these because they are pretty strange! So here goes- just for your reading pleasure!

1- Whenever I am at a store, doesn't matter what kind of store, if I see something out of place I HAVE to put it back in its right place! Like if I see a shirt on the ground I will hang it back up. Or if I see a box or a can on the ground or tipped over I will put it back or straighten it! Sometimes if I walk past and don't do it, it bugs me until I go back and do it! It's a pretty annoying habit!

2- I used to be very accident prone. Especially with other peoples cars! One time my mom and dad were out of town and my friend and I decided to attempt to drive my sisters car! Of course she wasn't home either and we were only 14 yrs. old! My friend stood outside the car and gave me directions on how to drive. When she said to put it in reverse I put it in drive and when I pressed on the gas (way too hard) I drove straight into the garage! I took the bricks on the side of the house and some of the siding off with me! I was very blessed I didn't get hurt at all but I did get in big trouble! Another time my dad wanted a shake from DQ and had me drive his WORK truck to get him one! What were you thinking dad? As I was turning the corner in the drive through I didn't turn quite wide enough and smashed the side of the truck into a pole! It dented the whole entire side of the truck and it was pretty hard to get it unstuck! Sorry dad! Don't worry- I haven't wrecked any thing it at least five years!

3- I am the QUEEN at chinese checkers! Tyson and I used to play at night before bed! That is until he got way sick of me beating him every single time! I started to feel bad for him. So I would try to let him beat me and he would STILL lose! Needless to say he started to not have fun and we can't play it anymore! =(

4- I say really, really long prayers! Tyson sometimes times me and they are usually about eight to ten minutes long! Sometimes Tyson even falls asleep! So if it's my night for prayers and we are both really tired, Tyson will have to say them! I try to make them shorter but I can't- I just don't know how!

5- I have to go to the bathroom at least twice before getting in bed! I will get all ready for bed, go to the bathroom, then we will read our scriptures, and then I will go to the bathroom one more time right before I get in bed! Even if I feel like I don't need to go, I will sit there until something comes out! Even if I have to sit there for like ten minutes! I can't fall asleep unless I do! Tyson gets pretty annoyed sometimes! So do I but I just can't help it!

6- I always have to wash my feet off twice in the shower! I will wash them very first thing and then when I am all done with everything else I will wash them one more time before getting out! And it's not like they get really dirty or anything but I am just a germ freak and I like to wash them off twice! And if I don't than I feel like they are not clean!

So there ya go! I know, I know.... I am very weird! Now you all know how OCD I am about things! Sorry Tyson- you have to put up with so much!

Well I am tagging Aubree, Rosie, Dad, Casie, Chari, Julie, and Karly! You all really should do this! It's a lot of fun!

Day at the zoo!

2008-09-03T13:18:00.001-07:00

Last weekend Tyson surprised me and took me to the zoo! I have been wanting to go for a while now so he planned a day to take me! We had sooo much fun! My mom, sisters, nieces and nephews, and our good friends Carl and Stacey all came with us! After the zoo we all went to Applebees for lunch! mmmmm! I love Applebees! It got kind of crazy with so many of us but I'm so glad everyone was there! I don't know why I love the zoo so much but I always have so much fun when we go! Thanks Tyson for surprising me and making it such a fun day! I love you tons! Next time we go we will be able to take our little boy with us! I can't wait! =)

Tyson and Carl being goofy- as usual!

Is it just me or is my face starting to look chubby?!

The elephants were performing tricks for us!

The white Alligator! Kind of creepy looking!

Camping at Oneida

2008-08-25T11:42:00.001-07:00

Last weekend we went camping up by the Oneida river with my sisters- Cassie, Alisha and her kids, my mom and her good friend Joe. We sure love going camping but we haven't been able to much this summer so we really enjoyed it and we had a ton of fun! On Saturday they all floated the river while I stayed back at camp and watched Haley, Gracie, and baby Isaac! They are so cute! They put on a magic show for me and a circus show and then we went on a rock hunt to find cool rocks! I love all my nieces and nephews so much! They make me and Tyson so anxious and excited for our little boy to arrive!

Me, Tyson, and Haley

Just roasting marshmallows!

Grandma and Haley

Tyson teaching Haley and Gracie how to spit out sunflower seeds

Me and baby Isaac

Me, Gracie, and Haley

It's a........ BOY!!! =)

2008-08-04T11:37:00.000-07:00

Yay! We got to go have an ultrasound today and we found out we are having a little boy! We are so excited and couldn't be happier! It was so awesome to see him and his little fingers and toes! We didn't get to see his face very well though because he was hiding it from us! We did get to see pretty much everything else though! I can feel him move around now too! It is the neatest feeling ever and Tyson has even been able to feel him a couple of times! I love it! Well here are a few pictures of our little guy! Hope you enjoy!

These first two are my favorite! He's hiding!
His cute little legs and feet!
He's still really skinny right now!
His face! You can see his eyes and nose!
     Still hiding!
     I love this one too! Isn't this picture amazing?
     There he is! Showing off his goods!

Pioneer Day Celebration

2008-07-26T22:59:00.000-07:00

Every year there is a two week long softball tournament for the 24th of July. Tysons team was undefeated and they got to play in the championship game on Saturday! They won first place and Tyson also won the MVP for his position he played out of twelve teams! I was so proud of him! There were hundreds of people there watching! After the game they put on a fireworks show! It was a lot of fun and a great way to end the holiday!

Fun in the sun at bear lake

2008-07-10T17:42:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we got to go to a cabin at bear lake and to the beach with all of my family!

It was like a mini family reunion! Much better than the big family reunions where you don't know anybody! Even though I was sick the first night we were there and having to spend most of the night in the room while everyone played games, I had a blast! It was just so nice to get away and relax at the beach in the sun!

My wonderful husband...

2008-06-26T16:43:00.000-07:00

Well since we haven't been doing anything too exciting lately I decided that I would write about the most exciting thing I have in the world and that is my wonderful husband! So here are ten things I love about him!

10- his love for the outdoors

9- his love for sports

8- that thing he does with his nose and mouth before he does something funny

7- his love for animals especially our dog Mya

6- how he always puts others before himself and he loves to help people

5- his dreams and ambitions and the drive he has to achieve them

4- how he always says and does funny things in his sleep

3- how he is going to be the best daddy ever

2- his love for the gospel and our Savior

1- that he loves me for me no matter how goofy, boring, ornery, or nerdy I am

Tyson - thanks for being the best husband ever and for doing so much for me all the time! You make me the happiest person in the world and I love you more than anything! :)

Could it be?

2008-06-02T14:08:00.000-07:00

Well I decided to have some fun this morning and I looked online at the chinese calendar baby prediction chart! According to them I am having a baby girl! I have heard of it being right and wrong but I figured what the heck! So I guess we will find out within the next couple of months if it's right or not! But for now what do you think????

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-06-02T13:00:00.000-07:00

I'm.......PREGNANT!!!!

2008-05-17T19:58:00.000-07:00

Yay!! I finally have something exciting to write about! We found out a about three weeks ago that we are expecting our first baby! We are so excited and can't wait! I am about eight weeks along on Tuesday and they set my due date for Dec. 23rd! We got to go to our first Dr.'s appointment last Wednesday and I had my first ultrasound done! We got to hear our baby's heartbeat and they said everything is looking good! It was the most amazing experience EVER! I have to say though that morning sickness should NOT be called morning sickness... it's more like all day sickness! Some days I feel just fine but it seems like if I wake up feeling sick than I feel sick most of the day! But I did hear it's a good sign that everything is going ok so I guess it's all worth it! Well since most of you are all mothers (and very good ones) I need lots and lots of advice!

2008-04-08T10:47:00.000-07:00

Hi! We have been married for two years on April 27th. It has gone by way fast but we are loving it! We are moving to Austin Texas in a few days until the end of the summer so that Tyson can sell home security systems for Apx. We are really excited but also sad to leave all our family and friends. But at least it's only for the summer so hopefully we won't miss too much. Well we are pretty new at this whole blogging thing so if you have any suggestions please let us know!