A day in the life of Anne Lee

A Real Blog, not a Travelogue

2012-01-16T13:46:00.002-07:00

So, I feel like lately, blogging has turned into such a chore. I'm pretty sure that I'm not the only one feeling this way, especially from other posts from people that I've read. I don't want to quit though, especially since I don't journal, and I don't scrapbook, so it seems like blogging and I are stuck with one another. I figure, though, that I might as well write one REAL post for the year. Get it over quickly, right? In a way, it will be an update, because I'm so stinking behind on my posting that by the time I get to stuff, life has completely changed!

Me: Well. Yes. Me. I've got a lot of stuff going on right now, but life is super good. Let's break it down, shall we?

Work: Work is good. I would definitely say that some of the luster that was there when I began has worn off. Not because I don't like the job, or want to work in some different type of unit, but moreso because I've had my eyes opened to some of the drama that inevitably occurs in the workplace. Recently, I was able to take my turn as being the "brunt" of all of the smack talk. The thing that really bothered me about this situation is that the main aspects that I was being ripped on for were totally unfounded! Now, don't get me wrong, I have PLENTY of faults, but it really chapped me that the things people chose to focus on were things that actually weren't true. That's annoying. Morale is low in my unit, and I think that one of the reasons is because we are able to save people that would otherwise be dead, but after they get past the "pretty much dead" phase, it's a slow recovery. This causes the patient and their family to basically be really sick of us, and the feeling becomes mutual, because we feel unappreciated. Woah is me, right? In good news, it's amazing to me to see how far I've come in the almost 10 months that I've worked there. Of course, there are still many situations that I'm totally uncomfortable with, because the patient is too sick, but patients that seriously scared me when I first started, I feel ok with. It's really refreshing and rewarding to be able to reflect that say, "Hey, I'm really good at what I do, and I'm only going to get better".

School: Yeah. I'm back in school. Apparently, I was smoking crack for the month of October, because I decided that not only was I going to go back and get my Bachelor's, but I was going to go full tilt and enroll in a Master's Program, as well. They're kind of wrapped into one, so technically I only have 2 classes left until I'm onto the Master's portion. I like this program, because I'm able to go at my own pace, so I started and slammed 8 classes out really quickly. Unfortunately, I'm stuck right now writing a paper about pressure ulcer prevention that is making me want to slit my wrists. Hopefully in the next week or two I can be done with that, and go on my merry way again. I'm going to be getting my Master's in Nursing Education, and I hope to be done in a year. After I finish, I plan on basically doing the exact same thing I'm doing now, but with more options that I can teach if I'd like to cut back on hours. If nothing else, being a clinical instructor seems like a pretty sweet gig, and I wouldn't mind looking into that. Who knows.

Personal: Well, the staggering weight loss of 2011 appears to have come to a halt. After being down 35 lbs, and being in the smallest size I've been in my entire life, I must say that the Holidays and the fact that we ate out more than one person should ever admit, I'm only down 29, and the smallest size is only happenin' with slightly looser shirts. :) I'm sick of feeling like crap though, so the past week or two has gotten me back on the wagon. Crossfit is going extremely well, and I've found myself able to do a lot of things I never thought I could. Pull ups being one of them. I'm getting a lot faster at those, but I still have a long ways to go. Always room for improvement, right? My CSA has been on hold for almost 2 months due to loss of crops, and I'm dying. I knew that I loved my Jacob's Cove, but I didn't quite realize that I have no clue how I'll ever live without it. It's slated to start again in the next few weeks though, so that should be fabulous. Church is good, I really like being back in this ward. There are so many great people. Jason and I are doing as well as we have in years. Man it feels nice to both be done with school (mostly), and working in professions that we slaved over to get to. We're able to spend more time together, and now that we actually make money like real people, we're able to do things together that we weren't able to afford previously. We've been working really hard to make a serious dent at our student debt, and I feel like we're doing a really good job with that. We still have a long way to go, but at least it feels do-able now. Next up, a house!

Jason: Jason passed the NCLEX, and, after almost 4 years, left his job at the Prison. I was sad to say goodbye to the amazing health benefits that we enjoyed, but I'm not sad to say goodbye to the negative environment that he was constantly around. He accepted a job making killer $ at Salt Lake Behavioral, where he works at a Psych nurse. While this is totally not his dream job, we figure that if you have to be at work, then making the most money possible is a good option. After we've paid off our debt, he'll probably re-evaluate what he wants to do long term. He's still volunteering with Sandy fire, and recently passed off a HAZMAT class and certification. He's also been working out a lot, and recently dislocated his finger playing church ball. You probably shouldn't even get me started about my feelings about church ball. Jason is a great dad, and he makes me laugh, so I can't complain. I'm not sure if he feels this way, but I feel like since he started at SLB, he's NEVER at work, so I love hanging out with him all of the time.

Hazen: Hazen is perfect. Ok, so he's not perfect, but I love that little boy more than words could ever say. He makes all of us so happy. He's in his second year of Preschool, and his teachers absolutely love and adore him. I am told on a regular basis what a wonderful little boy he is. Seeing how smart, and wonderful, and kind he is totally reaffirms basically everything about my life. I never thought that someone could be capable of bringing me so much joy. I'm currently trying to decide if I should send him to Kindergarten next year, or if I should hold him back. I'll keep you updated, of course.

I feel like that's pretty much all there is to it regarding what's going on with the Lee family. Things are good. Life is good. Hopefully I won't suck so badly at blogging in 2012, but, knowing how I roll, that's probably a lie.

Hazen's November Artwork

2011-11-30T14:04:00.000-07:00

Jason's Turkey

2011-11-25T14:57:00.000-07:00

I lucked out in the sense that Jason is pretty dang good at cooking. I can always give him a recipe, and he is able to make a good meal out of it. I've lucked out, because there are far too men who refuse to even set food in the kitchen. I don't have time for that crap! Luckily, when we found out that we would be making a turkey for Thanksgiving, Jason took it on eagerly. He had always wanted to brine a turkey, so this was his perfect chance! He brined it for a day or two before Thanksgiving, and then when the special day came, he took on all of the preparation with the aforementioned bird. This was fine by me, because lately, raw meat is grossing me out more than ever! Hazen, being the eager helper that he is, wanted to help with getting the turkey ready for the oven. So, we washed his hands, and let him go to town! He was only really into it for all of 45 seconds, but hey, it makes for a good photo op, right? The turkey turned out amazing. I have to hand it to Jason; he's made a lot of really delicious turkeys before, but this was probably the best. Way to go, babe!

One Little Skeleton

2011-11-05T14:55:00.000-06:00

So, for one of my classes (Post on how I'm back in school forthcoming.....), I got sent a pretty legitimate looking skeleton. I also got sent a fetal pig, but that's another story. I tried to keep it pretty well hidden from Hazen for a while, because I'd prefer he not think my school stuff are toys. Well, he and Max were playing, and they definitely found Mr. Skeleton, and showed him who was boss! I about died laughing when I saw that they had set them up on a pillow, and were holding him hostage with their swords. I don't know how Mr. Skeleton was feeling, but I most assuredly would have been scared of these two pirates! I love how the boys are developing their imagination so much right now. Every day is a new story or a new type of make believe, it's so much fun!

Happy Halloween!!

2011-10-31T15:10:00.000-06:00

I am THAT mom. After swearing forever that I would never let my kid have those "dumb" Halloween costumes, duh duh DUUUUUHHHHHH, Here we have it! Hazen saw Optomus Prime in the Grocery store. Yeah. That's right, Smiths, and he had to have it. This was the costume he hoped and dreamed about, nd in his mind, there was no other option. Sigh. So, dumb, commercialized Halloween costume it was. Luckily he's cute, so he was adorable in the costume. We were in Seattle for Hazen's Halloween party at school, which was held on the Friday before (dumb). Fortunately for us, Heather still had her annual Halloween trick-or-treating and fun, so Halloween wasn't a wash! The weather was beautiful, and we definitely scored. Hazen couldn't have been any happier! He ran and ran and ran from house to house, and loved every second of it! We love that we live so close to cousins, because I honestly don't know that the kid would know what to do without his cousins for fun occasions like this! Thanks Heather and Brad for hosting us yet again for another Halloween!

October School Artwork

2011-10-31T13:57:00.000-06:00

Thanks for the Fun time, Seattle!

2011-10-30T15:04:00.000-06:00

So, as with all things, even the most fun experiences must come to an end. Our trip to Seattle was no exception. We had so much fun, and I am SO happy that we decided to all go together on our trip. The trip wound up with some more delicious food (sensing a theme yet?), and some more fun. We watched several movies, took plenty of naps, and once again, just had a generally great time. Hazen was really sad when it was time to go, because he loved spending time with Uncle Dougie and Auntie Ashley. Jason and I talked about how lucky we are, because we can seriously take Hazen anywhere. He is so easy going, and always down for an adventure! He didn't complain when we were in the car, and really, the only time he was angry was when he was super hungry! This trip just reaffirmed to me how important and how fun family vacations can be! Thanks Ashley and Doug for letting us crash at your house for 5 days!!

Food Tour 2011

2011-10-30T06:02:00.000-06:00

Now, I don't know if you recall, but when I went to Seattle last year, we dubbed it "Food Tour 2010". Well, this year put last year to shame. We literally ate everything in sight for 5 days, and it.was.awesome. From the book that Ashley had sent me before the trip, I had highlighted and bookmarked several places that I had wanted to go, and go we did!

Wednesday: We flew in, and started with a late lunch at a Pizza place that had fancy pants Pizzas. We were there for Happy Hour, which was good, because I would have been really annoyed if we paid as much as we would have had to if we went during regular hours. The best Pizza that we had was the Truffle Pizza. YUM! After, we headed over to a doughnut place that we had seen, and then I ran quickly over to pick up some cupcakes for later. They had unique flavors like Lavender, and Tomato Soup, and Sweet Potato Pie, and they were much different than the cupcakes that they have everywhere in Utah, because they weren't so sweet. Probably not something I'd eat daily, but good nonetheless! After, we drove to Issaquah to Ashley and Doug's gorgeous house, and got settled in. That night, we had some Thai food for dinner, and it was really good! I got in trouble for not ordering enough, but I definitely redeemed myself later on down the road.

Thursday: We got up and went to Crossfit that morning, so we just had a really light breakfast. Then, for lunch, we went to Whole Foods and sampled a plethora of the delicious foods that they have to offer there. We also bought $30 worth of salt. What, is that weird? Next, we met up with Ashley and headed over to Pike's Place. We bought a few chocolates at a fancy chocolate shop, and then went to do the whole tasting experience at Pike's. It did not disappoint, and was both delicious and beautiful all at once! I bought some truffle oil and also some specialty balsamic vinegars that are seriously out of this world. I also went to a cheesecake place and bought a bunch of cheesecakes that we ate later that night. Also delicious!! For dinner, we picked Doug up from work, and headed over to Ezell's chicken, and got a huge bucket of fried chicken. It was legit! Hazen just really enjoyed being able to gnaw chicken from the bone, and the boys were happy that they were getting enough to eat.

Friday: We started the day by kind of doing our own thing for a while. The boys and I went out for a lighter lunch at Panera, and also went and looked at model homes for fun. I LOVE doing that. It seriously never gets old. That night, we got a babysitter for the kids, and headed out for an AMAZING Italian dinner. We didn't get any pictures, I think because we were too busy stuffing our face with food. We got the Chef's menu, which meant that we got to have AS MUCH AS WE WANTED of all of the food that we ordered. We got crab cakes, Lobster Carbonara, and Beef Medallions, to name a few. After we finished eating and eating and eating and eating, we pretty much needed to be rolled out of there. We all went to bed pretty early because we were feeling sick from how much we ate, but it was incredible!

Saturday: For lunch, the boys and I went to Paseo, which gets a post of its own. For dinner, Ashley and I went out in Seattle, and then went to Dillatente's for dessert where the Mocha Praline didn't disappoint, as per usual.
So, basically, it sounds slightly ridiculous to write a post completely about the food we shoved in our faces while we were on our vacation, but we enjoyed every minute spent together!

The Sammie that deserves its own post

2011-10-29T14:57:00.001-06:00

Hello. Meet the best sandwich that I think I've ever eaten in my life. This is coming from someone who grew up in Danville, home of Domenico's, which, prior to me partaking of this sammie, had the best sandwiches in the planet.

No longer. Not only was this one of the best sammies I've ever had in my existence, but it just might well be one of the best articles of food I've ever eaten. Meet the Cuban Roast from Paseo. We're talking slow roasted pork shoulder with aoili, cilantro, lettuce, caramelized onions all on a lightly toasted baguette that the angels in heaven constructed themselves. $8.50, but I would probably pay $20 for this sandwich.

We picked the sammies up, and then headed over to a different neighborhood where we found some outdoor seating. It was such a gorgeous day, and I was surrounded by the two best people in my life, and I was eating arguably one of the best things I've ever eaten. It was one of those moments that just couldn't have gotten better. I can't wait to go back and partake of this little dream. Hopefully sooner than later!!

Pumpkin Patch in Seattle!

2011-10-29T13:19:00.000-06:00

We were able to go to a pumpkin patch while we were in Seattle. The weather had been perfect for us our entire visit! It was just a little bit misty, but the weather cooperated with us for the most part. We had a little tractor ride that took us out to the pumpkins. We were slightly unwise with our seating choice, because we had to dodge mud the entire ride. Bennett was able to pick out a pumpkin, and Hazen got his face painted. We also bought some delicious salsa and apple cider. I'm loving all of the farms and ready availability of local grown food in Seattle. I wish we had even more opportunities like that in Utah! It was time for Bennett to have a nap, so the Lee family temporarily stole the Clark's Jeep and headed downtown for some more exploring!

Seattle Hanging Around

2011-10-28T12:55:00.000-06:00

When we weren't super busy running from here to there, and shoving every bit of food in our mouths, we enjoyed the opportunity to just hang around a little bit. Bennett and Haz had some moments that were a little rough, but they also did play together, too! We were so lucky to have Ashley and Doug's beautiful house that we were staying in. It's such a nice place, and it was a great landing place while we were staying there!

Seattle!! Pike's Place

2011-10-28T12:42:00.001-06:00

We took the boys to Pike's Place, which as you know, is a Seattle must. It was such a beautiful day, and Hazen didn't quite know what to do about all the hustle and bustle. We tasted the different testers that they had out there, and tried our best not to let anyone steal our kid. Hazen was both horrified and intrigued by the flying fish that the men were throwing around. He couldn't tear himself away from such a sight! I think that I've sold the boys on Seattle, which isn't too hard to do seeing what a great place it is!

Going to Seattle!

2011-10-26T15:51:00.002-06:00

Sometimes things around here get a little too overwhelming, and a little crazy, and you've just got to get out! With Jason passing the NCLEX, and me working crazy hours at work, it was time for a little get away with the family. No better place to go than Seattle! The boys had never been there, and I absolutely love everything about Seattle, so I made a phone call to Ashley, and the trip was in the works! As if I wasn't excited enough, Ashley sent me a book which highlighted some of the best restaurants in Seattle. To say I was excited was quite the understatement! So, just as Utah was starting to get cold, we hopped on the plane and went on our way.

This was Hazen's first plane ride that he was old enough to remember. I'm telling you, everything about this age is so magical! This kid gets so excited about everything, and it's so much fun to share it with him. A few days before we left, I started telling him at bedtime that he was going to get to go on an airplane in x days. He didn't really get it at first, but he was still excited. Getting to the airport was awesome! We got there early enough, parked, and we were able to take our time getting things situated. He was so happy to hold the tickets, and of course was very willing to take his shoes off when he went through security. When we were on the plane, so many people commented that they didn't even know that there was a kid close by. He was so happy, and would excitedly exclaim a few times, but there was no whining, or any obnoxious kid crap. The flight was even during the time when he usually takes a little rest, so he asked if he could lay on my lap and snuggle with me for a good portion of the flight.

After we landed, the flight was pretty empty, so I decided to ask if he could take a picture with the pilot. Not only did the pilot say that it was ok, but he asked Hazen to come sit with him in the cockpit! I was so surprised, because I thought that was a definite no-no now! Hazen went to touch a few buttons, and when I quickly exclaimed that he needed not to do that, the pilot assured me that he was ok, and that he could touch whatever he wanted. It was really neat! Needless to say, getting to "fly the plane" is something that Hazen is still talking about now!

Lady Danville Night with the Girls

2011-10-20T13:07:00.000-06:00

Of course, if you didn't know by now, you know now that anytime Lady Danville is in the vicinity, I am there, and I am stoked about it! I can always count on my girls to be there with me, so we planned a girl's night. We started the evening with a dinner at The Dodo, and it was delicious! Since it was a Tuesday, and Tuesdays are apparently Buy 1 get 1 Free night for desserts at the Dodo, we decided that we probably needed four desserts. Duh.

After dinner, we headed over to The Venue in Salt Lake to hear Lady Danville play. They were playing with Jack's Mannequin, but let's be honest- they could be playing with anyone, and we'd still be there! As per usual, the concert was amazing! They are so talented, and I love their music so much. After the concert was done, the girls headed home, and the boys got there super late. When they got to my house, I had spaghetti and bruschetta waiting for them. For dessert were delicious brownies.

The next morning, we had green smoothies and pumpkin pancakes before sending them on their way. I love it when they come into town, and especially when they stay with us. They are such great guests, and of course wonderful guys. Hazen liked meeting the "dum du dum" guys, because they sing his favorite song.

Jacob's Cove

2011-10-06T14:36:00.006-06:00

One week's spoils- Kale, Swiss Chard, Brocollini, Napa Cabbage, Regular
Cabbage, Cucumbers, Zucchini, Squash, Beets, Grape Heirloom
Tomatoes, and Regular Heirloom Tomatoes. Yum!

Let me let you in on a little secret that has seriously changed my life. Now, I hate to sound dramatic, but honestly, after nearly 26 years of feeling like I've constantly been fighting with my weight, BAM, this secret has revolutionized how I see food.

For as long as I remember, food has been both a comfort and an enemy. Something that I loved so dearly, but something that I hated, because I viewed it as the thing that kept me from meeting and achieving my goals. If I wanted to lose weight, then food was this forbidden treat that I was only allowed to eat so much of each day. Every different diet that I would try meant that there was some food group, be it dairy, carbs, or meat that I just wasn't allowed to eat. I had to be careful about how much fruit I would eat, because, you know, fruit has a lot of sugar. Low carbs, low fat, low calories.....little results.

Until now. At the end of May, we decided to join a CSA in the area, Jacob's Cove. We had set aside some of our tax refund, and decided to make the jump into what, at the time, seemed like a somewhat costly endeavor. Beforehand, we paid $460 for 13 weeks worth of 2 shares of this CSA. This means, that for about $35/week, I get roughly 14 lbs of veggies and fruits that had been picked THAT MORNING. Oh, did I mention that not only are they picked that morning, but they are grown only 5 miles away from our house? The produce that we get is the highest quality produce I think I've ever eaten. It's seriously amazing. It makes me so happy and energized to be eating such incredible food!

So, now to the weight loss/diet part. Since the end of May, I've lost 30 lbs. Yes, internets, I've come out and admitted the exact number. People keep on asking me what I've been doing, and honestly, the answer is Jacob's Cove. Since we've started our CSA, I've pretty much tried to obliterate highly processed foods from my diet. Do I still eat sugar? Sure! As long as it's homemade. Do I worry about fats in food? Nope, as long as it's a high quality and not a processed trans-fat. I don't eat as much meat as I used to, and I completely don't miss it, but I'm still eating cheese. Straight up dairy kind of makes me sick now, so the days of enjoying a glass or two of chocolate milk now and again are pretty much gone.

I never thought that I'd be one of those weird people who believed strongly in the whole "local-ganic" movement, but I am! I love everything about Jacob's Cove and their incredible produce. Did you know it's possible to almost shed tears over Heirloom Tomatoes? You can.

So, the before. Keep in mind, I was working out as frequently as I do now at this time, so increase in exercise is not the main reason that I've lost so much weight. What's funny, is I didn't really feel BAD at this point of time, but I definitely didn't feel as great as I do now!!
And, the after. I apparently don't really have any normal pictures taken of me lately, so you might have to use your imaginat

Fieldtrip to the Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-05T12:34:00.000-06:00

We had our yearly fieldtrip to HeeHaw farms with Preschool. This year was slightly different, because since Hazen and Max are in different classes, I didn't get to hang out with Heather the whole time, but we still had a great time. While we were there, I was able to chat with Hazen's teacher for a long time, and she just told me over and over again how much they love Hazen. Of course, that makes me feel so good. I love that baby, too!

We started the day with a visit to the petting area. Hazen liked being able to pet the animals, but luckily he wasn't super interested in getting too close and comfortable with them. After, we went on a Hayride, which he thought was so much fun! Luckily, the kid is pretty easily impressed. :) We topped off the fieldtrip with a trip through the corn maze and picking out a perfect pumpkin for Haz. He was very particular about the type of pumpkin that he wanted. It needed to be round, and "wittle", and orange, with no green on it, "even though green's my favorite color, but pumpkins aren't green", and not too "heaby". We found the perfect pumpkin, and he was so cute, carrying it around all by himself. He didn't want me to do it for him, and as he was lugging it around, he would tell me, "Mommy, I'm carrying it all by myself, and getting big and strong like Daddy. I have to be bigger so I can go to the fire station. So, I'm carrying this pumpkin so I can get exercise and have tons of energy!" What a cutie.

I had a great day spending time with just my little buddy. I love it when we can spend time just the two of us, and we had a wonderful time!

Happy Birthday to ME!

2011-10-04T16:10:00.000-06:00

So, my only request for my birthday was to spend it with people I love eating good food. That's EXACTLY what I got! I've wanted to go to Bambara for a long time now, and my buddies were more than willing to accommodate this request. We had such a great time sharing food and laughing like crazy. For my birthday, they got me a Fitbit, which I had only vaguely heard about in the past, but now I'm obsessed! It's so much better than the Body Bugg, in that it's more discreet, and more accurate, so I'm loving it! I haven't been able to spend a lot of time with friends lately because I've been so busy with work, and I really realized how much I've missed it. I'm so lucky to have such wonderful friends who love me, and even if we haven't seen each other in a long time, they go out of their way to make me feel special. I was also able to spend some great time with the family, and sleep in, so it was wonderful weekend. 26 was such a great year, so I'm skeptical if 27 can top it, but you can be sure that I'm going to try all I can to do just that!

Hazen's September Schoolwork

2011-09-30T16:44:00.004-06:00

Fun at Work!

2011-09-10T15:57:00.000-06:00

It's not super fun that we're able to stop and really have a good time at work, but when we can, we definitely try! I feel so lucky that I work with such great people. There's never a shift that goes by that I'm not spending the day with at least a few people I consider good friends. Not to mention that so many of the people that I work with are brilliant, so I always have ample opportunity to learn! The other week, we were able to have breakfast for dinner. It was so much fun! I brought cinnamon rolls that were gone within a matter of minutes, but that wasn't all for food. Someone brought a griddle, and there was also a waffle maker present, so we had a full on feast. It was a nice change of pace to be doing something different. We had a really good time with one another, and I look forward to more fun days to mitigate the difficult ones!

After Work Snuggles

2011-09-07T16:25:00.000-06:00

So, for work, I'm required to work a 50/50 schedule, which means that in a month, 1/2 of my shifts have to be day shifts, and 1/2 of my shifts have to be night shifts. In addition to this, I have to work at least 4 weekend shifts a month. Sometimes, I come home from a night shift, but definitely want to still play with my baby. The easiest way to ensure that this happens is to have little buddy come snuggle with his Mama in bed. He's so cute, and oftentimes, he'll even come tuck me into bed before I fall asleep. I love that boy more than anything in the entire planet!

Boating with Ang

2011-09-05T14:41:00.000-06:00

I've caught the bug. After living in Utah for 4 years, and wondering constantly what the draw of owning a boat and going boating at any available opportunity was; I understand. My awesome friend Angela, who I know from Crossfit, but have discovered that she is way more fun than just having as a gym friend, invited me out for a day of boating. There were several of her firefighter friends, and a bunch of our friends from the gym, and it was such a fun day! We went out on Utah Lake, which was perfect, because it's only a few minutes away from our house, so time from leaving the house to time on the water was roughly 25 minutes. You can't beat that! After getting into the water, it's only a matter of minutes before you have free access to open water and all the wave surfing you desire! I was really nervous the first time we went, because it had been years since I had tried to do anything that required me to be towed by a boat. :) I was lucky that I had a boat full of great teachers, and I was able to get up almost immediately! It's incredible the difference that Crossfit has made in all aspects of my life, because I guarantee if I wasn't as strong as I am now, it would have been a lot more difficult. We had a fabulous day out on the boat, and I was thrilled when only a week later, I received another invite to go again! This time, Jason and Hazen came with us. We went out with Ang and her little boy, as well as another friend, Alaina, and her little girl. these two Mama's are AMAZING, and they were able to surf with their kids on the same board. Super awesome! It is so much fun to get out and do something so different than what I experience during the day to day, without having to travel very far away from home! I can't wait for next summer, and I hope we can go boating plenty more!

A Prisoner in his own home

2011-09-02T15:17:00.000-06:00

Little buddy has developed quite the imagination. I know I've probably said it before, but it's coming out even more now than ever! For Hazen's birthday, we also got him a box of dressups, that included a Firefighter outfit, a Pirate outfit, and of course, a police officer outfit, complete with handcuffs. So, one day before bed, we found Hazen, our little prisoner, all locked up and sent away to await.....

Or at least until Mom and Dad came to save him and send his cute little booty to bed. :)

Goodbye to a Fun Summer

2011-08-31T15:40:00.000-06:00

We love living here, because Hazen has so much fun with his friends. This summer has meant endless hours playing outside in the yard, imagination building fun, the occasional fight, and of course, ice cream and Shave Ice. We're so lucky to live next to two kids that are exactly the same age. We love summer!

Back to School!

2011-08-25T15:44:00.001-06:00

The end of August meant the end of summer and the beginning of school. This was both awful and awesome, all in one. Awful, because I seriously had one of the best summers of my life playing with my little buddy, and awesome, because Hazen's back in school! We get a few hours a week to either catch up on housework, nap, or Jason and I go to lunch a lot, which is really fun, too. Heather was really sad to be saying goodbye to her little buddy, because she's a really good mom. Meanwhile, I skipped right out the door while singing happy little songs of joy. Hazen loves school, though, and he always gets along so well with his teachers. His teachers have told me what a joy he is to have in class, and how he always brightens their days. I've had some pretty long conversations with both Ms. Kathy and Ms. Holly, and they both have nothing but good things to say about my little buddy. It makes me feel like we're definitely doing something right, because he brings so much joy to those around him. I love that baby.

Family Day at Sandy Fire

2011-08-13T23:19:00.005-06:00

Shortly after Jason got on with Sandy Fire, they hosted a Family Day at their training facility. Other than the fact that it was held on one of the hottest days of the summer, we had a great time! Hazen got to work a fire hose to put out a fire that they had. It was fun to see both Haz and Jason being so excited about all things fire! My quest to have Hazen become a doctor isn't going very well as long as Jason's around. It looks like the boy is full on board with following in Daddy's footsteps! In fact, a statement that is pretty common around here these days is, "No Mommy, I can't be little. I have to grow bigger, like Daddy, so I can go to the fire station with him". Sigh.

It's really neat that Sandy would put together a day like this. I'm really impressed with the many trainings that they do already, and I think that it's a good move for us to have made.

Summer Fun at the Lindon Pool

2011-08-13T22:58:00.005-06:00

This year, one of our "big" purchases was a season pass to the Lindon Pool. It stole my soul a little at the beginning, because it was EXPENSIVE, but at the end of the day, it's been worth every penny! Pretty much every day that I'm not at work, Haz and I go to the pool and have tons of fun in the sun. It's been so awesome seeing how much Hazen has grown up this summer. The first few days at the pool, he was super timid, and didn't like going down the lazy river, or down the water slides. Even being in floaties would make him nervous. That is SO different from how he is now! He's brave, and adventurous, and loves to splash and even put his head under water. It's amazing. I can bring my kindle, and hang out by the poolside, and he just plays for hours. Don't get me wrong, I swim with him too, and we have such a great time! Going to the pool has truly been one of the highlights of my summer. I love seeing Hazen's little tan body compared to his white white white bum bum. Next year, we'll probably put him in swimming lessons, but it's been great just going to the pool to play. I'm seriously a little depressed that summer is ending soon, I don't know how I'm going to wait until it returns to us next year. Thanks Lindon Pool for the most epic summer ever!

Hazen boy Turns 4!! Pt Three

2011-08-09T14:17:00.000-06:00

After the fun of the birthday party, Hazen's next request was to go to the pool, and to take "lunch in a bag". So, we headed over to Wendy's, and got Hazen his requisite chicken nuggets and fries and a "hangerbur", and went to the pool with our contraband food. Our time at the pool was a blast! Hazen of course loved having the undivided attention of BOTH of his parents the entire day. He has gotten so brave at the pool, and buying a floaty was seriously the best decision that we made all summer!

After the pool, it was time for naps, and we all took a pretty hardcore nap. After naps, it was time for dinner! Now, most kids that I know traditionally request "kid food" for their birthdays. Not my boy. For his birthday dinner, all he wanted was sushi, or to go to "the silly meat place with chickens and tongs"; ie, Tucanos. Seeing that we had gone to sushi for Jason's birthday only 2 weeks prior, Tucanos it was! We invited Grandma and Grandpa to join us, and we all had a great time! Hazen definitely ate his money's worth of meat, and we all enjoyed a great meal together! With how busy we've all been, we haven't been able to go out to eat with grandma and grandpa much, and it was a lot of fun.

After dinner, we headed home and opened presents from Mommy and Daddy. This year little buddy sure scored! He got a soccer goal, a baseball tee, and a robot that helps Hazen learn letters and numbers. He sure has a lot of fun playing with all of his toys, and he's got quite the swing on him!

We sure love our big four year old boy. He's the highlight of our lives, and it was so much fun having a day solely dedicated to celebrating him. There's nothing more that makes our days bright than his funny little personality and smile. We love you Hazen. We've loved these past 4 years, and can't wait for a million more with you, little buddy!

Hazen boy Turns 4!! Pt Two

2011-08-09T13:16:00.000-06:00

If you remember, Hazen requested a Robot birthday party for his 3rd birthday. It is pretty much impossible to find good robot stuff just in the store, and his "awesome" robot party ended up not being so awesome. In fact, it was kind of lame. I'm thinking my all too smart child caught on to the fact that he kind of got jipped, so, for literally a year, he's been requesting another robot party. I was hell bent on making sure that it was a good one, and it was!

They started the party off by getting robot antennae to wear throughout the celebration. While we waited for everyone to get there, they were able to color in their special robot coloring books that I ordered. Online, because, you know, you can't get robot stuff in the stores.... Next on the docket was another craft of making space themed picture with foam stickers and letters. The kids seemed to really enjoy it, and the results were darling! After that, we did yet another crafting activity, and made robot necklaces. I was a little worried that the holes that they needed to thread the string through might be too small, but everyone did great, and no one even needes any help.

Finally, it was time for presents and cupcakes. Hazen really lucked out and got some great presents, especially a ton of squirt guns from his friends. I made robot cupcakes for his "cake" and the kids loved eating those and cheetos. Just doing my part to perpetuate childhood obesity.....

Hazen had a wonderful birthday party, and we were so grateful to all of our great friends for coming and helping us celebrate his special day!

Hazen boy Turns 4!! Pt One

2011-08-09T13:05:00.000-06:00

For weeks prior to his birthday, Hazen was asking for a puppy. While this was a charming request, we all knew that it would come to fruition sometimes around never. Luckily for me, and for his sweet little boyhood dreams, he also wanted a pillow pet. That was something we could accomodate! To start off his day, we had his pillow pet waiting outside his room, so it was the first thing he saw when he woke up. He was so excited! For breakfast, we invited Grandpa downstairs, and we had pancakes with whipped cream, sugar, and bacon, as per Hazen's request. It doesn't take too much to make that sweet boy happy, and it appeared that we were off to a great start!

A 4th Birthday

2011-08-08T00:00:00.000-06:00

Dear Hazen-boy

Today you are four. Today, you surpass all odds that we thought you might achieve by four years. Today, you remind me yet again, that four years ago, the best thing that could ever happen to me, happened.

There are defining moments in everyone's lives. For me though, little buddy, the single most important event that has and will ever happen to me was the moment you joined us here on earth. You know, it's funny, looking back, I thought I loved you. To be quite honest, sometimes I don't even think I know the depth of this love I have for my sweet little boy. Oftentimes at work, I have people ask me why I decided to be a nurse. Did you know that even now, four years later, it's hard for me not to get a little choked up when I reply, "It's because of my baby". Your presence here has changed the entire course of my life, and for that I will be forever grateful.

You get me. You know just how to push my buttons, and believe me, sometimes you do, but you also know the ways to melt my heart. It's not rare when you and I are out running errands for people to comment on the beautiful relationship you and I share. Sometimes, after a long day, I sneak into your room, crawl into your bed, and hold your hand. I whisper stories about how much I love you, and kiss your sweaty little cheeks.

Your laughter is infectious, and it makes me so happy to hear it throughout the house all day long. Everyone who knows you LOVES you, Hazen boy. Your grandparents absolutely thrive on the relationship you have with them. Your cousins love you, and even Mommy and Daddy's friends treat you like family.

Hazen, I could write novels about how much I love you, but it would never do justice to the depth of emotion I feel for my sweet boy. You are my universe, my center, and the reason I exist. Until the end of time, I don't think I could find another Mama who loved her boy as much as I love you. Thank you for making my little realm of existence better. Thank you for teaching me about what love really is. Thank you for letting me be your Mommy. Until the end of time, I will try, however I can, to show you how much I love you.

Happy Birthday, Little Buddy.

Love, Mommy Girl

A Beautiful Evening in the Canyon

2011-08-02T14:52:00.000-06:00

Several weeks ago, Hazen went up the canyon on a Saturday night that both Jason and I were working. It made quite the impact on him, and I found him asking to go back over and over again. Who am I to say no? So, on another Saturday night that everyone had off, we invited cousins and Grandma and Grandpa to join us up American Fork canyon. It was such a beautiful night! Jason and I were in charge of getting stuff for sammies, and everyone else brought some sort of food, as well. We went to a part of the canyon that I had actually never visited before, and it did not disappoint! It took a while to get up there, driving on a very windy, dirt road, but once we were there, we saw the lake, and the beautiful views, and I was definitely glad that we had set time aside to have such a fun get away! We ate dinner, and then the kids and, lets face it, us, had a great time trying to skip rocks, and attempting to teach Hazen how to pee in the wild. Cousin Max is a lot more adventurous when it comes to things like that, but they both still had a great time. Brad brought his motorcycle and took the kids on rides. It was so much fun to have such a great, inexpensive evening only minutes away from home. Believe it or not, I also really enjoyed not having access to my phone or the internet for several hours. I know that I am way too accessible, so it was nice to just turn off the phone and focus on life while I could. I'm sad that the summer is over, but I hope that we can maybe take one more trip up the canyon before the long, cold winter comes back to bite us in the butt!

"Huke, I am your Father"

2011-07-27T14:25:00.000-06:00

Max's birthday falls on Jason's birthday, and also 12 days before Hazen's. I fear that for forever, Hazenboy will be slightly sad on Max's birthday because he's so excited for his own! Max had a great party this year. He decided to go with the theme of Star Wars, which was so unique, and SO Max. Heather made all of the kids Jedi costumes, which Hazen refused to wear during the party, but of course wore it for several days afterwards! There were plenty of activities for the "Jedi Training Camp", and the party was topped off with Abbie dressing up like Darth Vadar and all of the kids getting their very own light saber. Great party, Heather, and Happy birthday, Max!

Another Summer BBQ

2011-07-24T23:14:00.000-06:00

To add to our fun summer BBQing, we had a little BBQ at Becca's fiancee Kevin's clubhouse of his condo. It was great to get together with the girlies, because I've been so stinking busy this summer, so we just haven't played as much as we used to. Everyone brought their own meat, and something to share, and we just hung out and talked. We even swam for a while, but the pool was pretty cool so we spent most of our time in the hot tub. The kids played and swam, and there were no tantrums. Sam had wrist surgery the week or so prior to the party, so she had to keep her wrist protected from the water, a task she accomplished with this handy dandy shower bag. The only bad thing about summer, is that it seems to end way too soon. Another successful party!

TICU Summer Party

2011-07-20T14:30:00.000-06:00

Well, I suppose if you've been living under a box for the past several months, you wouldn't know how much I love my job. I love it. Did I mention that lately? Well, at the end of July, we had a summer party that was a blast! I didn't get as many pictures as I would have liked, but I did take a few. We went to Miss Lynda's house, and had a really delicious meal, as well as some great company! My favorite part of the night was when it was winding down, and we all sat out on the porch and I was able to listen to the many stories that everyone had to share. I'm so lucky to work with such great people that have so much EXPERIENCE. I literally can utilize every interaction I have with them as a learning moment, but we also have a lot of fun! I love my job, and I look forward to the many years that I'll have to continue being a part of the team. :)

Happy Fourth of July!

2011-07-04T17:41:00.000-06:00

I was scheduled to work on the Fourth of July, so we decided to play holidays the way Utah does, and celebrate it on whatever day we wanted to. We had some friends over, and started the evening with Kebabs and other delicious food. It was great, because the kids were all able to play in the backyard while the adults ate and chatted. Jason and I love how many great friends we've made at crossfit. They are so much fun to workout with, and so much fun to play with.

After eating, we headed over to Provo to watch the fireworks from an elementary school nearby. The fireworks were actually way further away than we initially thought, so we couldn't really see that much, but we entertained ourselves with glow sticks and sparklers, as well as with a little box of fireworks. It was great hanging out with our buddies for an early celebration of the 4th.

Camp Grandma

2011-07-02T17:56:00.000-06:00

Fourth of July weekend, my mom decided to have "Camp Grandma" in their back yard. This involved Pizza for the kids, followed by smores, sparklers and pop rocks, along with a little glowstick fun. Hazen had been looking forward to this event all week, and kept on asking me when he would be able to sleep in a tent with Grandma in the backyard. Heather was the trooper of the group, and stayed in the tent with my Grandma and the kids. I slept snug as a bug in my bed. I know, I'm no fun, but the way I look at it is, I get so LITTLE sleep as it is, that I might as well take good sleep when I can get it!

Hazen didn't like the pop rocks, they made him really nervous, but as always he loved the sparklers, and the glow sticks were a hit with the kids. I took over "marshmellow roasting" duty for the babies, not so much because I'm nice, but because I think it's fun. :) I only caught Milsie's marshmellow in fire. Sorry!

When it was time to retire to the tent for bed, some did better than others. By this, I mean that every time Hazen would hear ANYTHING, he would loudly exclaim "What was that!?!" The kid also woke up at 5:30 am, so Heather took him to Walmart so he wouldn't wake up the other kids. Next time this happens, she'll have to send him downstairs so that she can get a little bit of sleep!

Haz is still asking when he can go camping next time. I'll have to get over my aversion to crappy nights sleep and take him sooner rather than later!

Abe-y Baby Comes to Utah!

2011-06-28T17:36:00.000-06:00

I suppose that this year was my lucky year, because I was able to see Ken Abrams twice in the year! He was in Utah for 2 days, most of the time I was working, but we scheduled for me to pick him up at the airport on Sunday after church, and then go to lunch at Red Iguana, my favorite mexican restaurant in Utah. We were only able to be together for a few hours, but it was fun to catch up again! It makes me so happy that even though it's been 9 years since I've graduated, we still hold a special spot in one another's lives. Sure love you Abe-y baby!

It's not me, it's you

2011-06-26T23:02:00.003-06:00

My blog sucks.

I realize this, and I'm trying to rectify this. But, I blame you, my readers. No comments equals no real desire to blog. So here we go, I'll try to get better, and be more witty, and post more than pictures of my kid not wearing pants, and actually update more than once every never, and you people leave me comments. Deal?

**Ok, fine, the MAIN reason that I'm not blogging has nothing to do with lack of comments, and everything to do with the fact that I WORK ALL OF THE TIME, but I am really just scamming for comments. Is that so wrong?

Sabrina's Wedding

2011-06-25T13:57:00.000-06:00

On June 24, my good friend, Sabrina married a wonderful guy, Tim. We were invited to the sealing in Manti, but I had to work, so we weren't able to make it. Of course we didn't miss the chance to attend the reception the next day with Wade and Jenny. Sabrina is beautiful, and she looked absolutely gorgeous at the wedding! I'm so glad she found someone like Tim. He treats her like a queen, and that's exactly what she deserves. He has two little girls, and she's going to be such a wonderful stepmom to them. She's always so cute with Hazen, and he has quite the crush on her because she's so pretty! It was fun to be able to dress up and have a nice little night out with Wade and Jenny. We love you Sab!

Welcome to Sandy Fire, Jason!

2011-06-18T14:52:00.000-06:00

Jason has worked for Pleasant Grove Fire for almost 4 years now. It's been a great experience, but we decided that it was time for him to begin testing for other departments to see if he could gain even more. So, he tested for Sandy fire, and was accepted onto their Volunteer department! This is especially exciting because they only hire their full time guys from the volunteer list. The department had a really nice program a few weeks ago to swear in the new guys. It was really neat, and helped us feel like part of the team. In the 4 hours that Jason went on his ride along there, he went on 3 calls, so I know he's going to be super busy and it's going to be a great experience! It's also fun because they transport to IMC now and again, so perhaps ONE DAY he might have to transport an aneurysm to me in Thoracic. Ok, that's a long shot, but that's the ONLY way we ever see the paramedics in our unit. :)

Jason will work at least 24 hours a month in Sandy, and has several training opportunities each month as well. I think it's going to be a really great fit for our family. Now if we could only find a way to teleport ourselves from Utah County to Salt Lake County to do without the commute....

Hazen enjoyed most of the swearing in ceremony. Well, until he realized that Daddy would be getting a "shiny badge", and Hazen wouldn't. It's 3 weeks later and I'm still hearing about how much he wants a shiny badge like Dad's! Can't wait for the fun stories I'll hear from Jason about all he does at Sandy.

Lady Danville Visits again!

2011-06-15T15:07:00.002-06:00

As you know, we're Lady Danville groupies. Anytime that they come into town, I'm first on the list to go see them. Currently, they're touring with Jack's Mannequin, and to all of their SLC fans, there was no concert scheduled for Utah. So, being the wonderful group of people that they are, they made it a priority to at least drive through Salt Lake and stop to have a little picnic/acoustic jam session in a park. It was so neat! There were at least 100 people there, and everyone just loved and adored them. They really are so incredibly talented.

Hazen was so excited to see the singers of his very favorite song, and he was really interested in playing frisbee with everyone. I can't wait until Lady Danville comes and does an actual concert again, and I know it's just a matter of time until they are headlining their own shows!

Summer Water Fight

2011-05-29T22:36:00.000-06:00

We pretty much had the longest, most awful winter ever. It wasn't necessarily colder or stormier than other winters in the past, but we had zero spring, and it went on FOREVER. I'm talking well into June, people. When the temperature finally tipped the scales at a whopping 75 degrees, we whipped out the shorts and t-shirts, and started going to the pool whenever possible. One of the last days of May there was a peek of nice weather, and when I was at work, the grandkids and grandma decided to have a water fight. This involved many sprinklers, changing the direction of the heads, and hoses, and the kids had a BLAST! I am so happy that Hazen has such fun grandparents that are willing to get messy and have fun at a moment's notice. He talked about the water fight for weeks!

Like Son, Like Father?

2011-05-20T17:57:00.000-06:00

Jason's parents were here for a day a few weeks ago, and they were able to attend the PG Fireman's Breakfast. One of the things that Jason really wanted was to see his dad dress up in his turnouts. It was so fun to see how giddy Jason was about the whole ordeal!

He Showers!

2011-05-15T23:06:00.000-06:00

Anyone who knows Hazen know that he has a lot of really wonderful, strong qualities. They also know that bravery is not among them. He really is darling, but truth be told, the kid is a LITTLE bit of a wuss. Up until very recently, taking showers fell under the category of things that made him nervous. One day though, I brought him in with me, and he LOVED IT. In fact, he loved it so much that he decided that he wanted to stay in there while I got ready for the day. When we were in Disneyland, the kid wanted to shower like 4 times a day. I can't say I really blame him because it was so cold, but the showers are NOT short. I'm just glad that my little buddy is getting braver and bigger in certain aspects of life. As long as he stays my baby forever, I don't really care what he does. :)

NICU Reunion 2011

2011-05-15T15:02:00.000-06:00

So, unfortunately, we missed last year's NICU reunion, so we made a special plan to go this year. Instead of having it at the hospital like they have in years past, they held it at a park not too far away. The weather was lovely, which was nice, because Utah pretty much had a 9 month winter. When we pulled up, it was a huge ordeal! There were bounce houses, and tons of tents set up with games and prizes, so they definitely went out of their way to make things nice. The disappointing thing? The lack of NICU staff that were present. Now, I don't mean to sound rude, but if I'm going to go hang out somewhere for the afternoon, I'm not going to see other families who have had preemie babies, I want to see the wonderful people who made my little darling the healthy little buddy he is today. So, I was bummed because we didn't see one nurse or Dr that we know.

However, as I'm apt to do, it was a great opportunity for me to reflect on my little boy who has overcome so many odds. There is literally not a day that goes by when I don't stop and stare at him and seriously marvel at how grateful I am to have him. I love my Hazen more than anything in the entire planet, and I would and will do anything for him forever. I hope he has even a smidgen of understanding of how much I love him, because if he does, then he will realize that I truly believe he can be, do and accomplish anything he sets his mind to. It's been so much fun watching him grow up so much the past few months. He's such a big boy, and I can't believe how much time has flown. In only a few months, my baby will be 4! I always ask him if he will stay my little tiny baby forever, to which he responds, "No, I not. I'm bigger and bigger. But not big like Daddy. But I still wub you, Mom".

Hazen boy, you keep on growing bigger and bigger. And you better not ever get big like Daddy, or else it will be awfully hard to hold you. Mama loves you big much, bigger than the ocean, and bigger than all the trees. And of course, bigger than all the giraffes at the zoo.

California: Part Five

2011-05-09T22:00:00.001-06:00

May 7- This morning, we all loaded in the car, and decided instead of going to the beach, we would just drive straight to Vegas. Luckily, this car ride was really painless as well. I think, in hindsight, nothing could ever be so bad as the first long ride, so everything else looked great! We got to Vegas and took the kids to the pool for a little bit, but it was WINDY. Since Hazen pretty much was obsessed with Wade's kids, we decided to let Devon babysit again, and ordered them pizza while we went to the Paris buffet for dinner. I mean, let's be honest, do we really need to pay $15/kid for them to not even really eat what was offered? Heck no! The adults had a great time. It was really nice to have Devon there with us, because he could give us some adult time so it didn't feel like we were just entertaining little kids for a week straight.

May 8- As all things must, this trip had to come to an end. It was Mother's Day, so my only real request was to go to Hash House A-Go-go for breakfast. I knew that it would be the type of place that Jason would LOVE! The wait was about 30 minutes, but that's better than the hour and a half wait that it was by the time we left. I didn't get any pictures, unfortunately, but know this; the food rocked. After that, it was time to get in the car and drive home. As we drove more north, the weather proceeded to get crappier and crappier, so we were happy to have had several days of beautiful weather! So, what did I learn from this trip? Vacations with anyone other than just you and your spouse are HARD WORK. There requires a lot of planning, and flexibility, but in the end it is SO worth it. We've been home for almost 2 months, and Hazen still asks us on a daily basis if we can go on vacation again. He talks about it all the time, and knowing how much he loved it makes it even more worth it. The Olsens were the PERFECT vacation buddies, because they are super chill, and I love the kids. There was never a time when I thought, "Crap, I wish we would have gone on the trip by ourselves....". It was seriously great. 10 days was a little long, but I think it's mainly because I thrive on a schedule, and by the end I was actually really anxious to get back to work and NOT eating out! Jason and I are actively saving for our next vacation, which involves a little car trip to go see a girl that I might not ACTUALLY be related to, but is still my sister....(hint, hint, Ashley....)

All in all, a great time, a great trip, and a great success! I can't wait for our next trip!

California: Part Four

2011-05-07T18:03:00.000-06:00

May 5- I am a firm believer that Day 2 of anything is always the hardest day. Day 2 of a diet sucks, Day 2 of 3 working is always hard, and Day 2 of Disneyland wasn't exactly the easiest thing in the world. To be fair, for the most part, everything was great, and the kids were doing awesome until about 3 pm, when we realized that we hadn't fed Hazen an actual lunch. Most of us were doing just fine, because we had so many snacks, but little buddy wasn't exactly chomping on the snacks like the rest of us were. So, needless to say, both of our blood sugars tanked at about the same time, and let me tell you, it was a match made in heaven. After we got him fed with some "real" food (yogurt, cheese, apple slices), life was grand again. We were ready to hit the park for the rest of the night until closing. After the park closed, my friend Cheryl, who I went to Nauvoo with, drove down to Anaheim with her cute husband, Kyle. The 5 of us went
to The Cheesecake Factory. My poor, sweet baby was so tired, he didn't know what to do with himself, so he did what any other cute kid would do; he slept. He full on sprawled out on the booth that we had with his head in Jason's lap, and his legs in mine, and snoozed the entire time we were eating. After we had enjoyed our meal, I went to pick him up, wherein I learned that he was sleeping so soundly that he had wet his pants! Needless to say, I held him the drive back to the hotel instead of putting him on Cheryl and Kyle's new car seat! After a quick bath back at the hotel, he was out again for the night.

May 6- Our third day at Disneyland! We decided to hit up our favorite rides one last time, as by this time we had been to and seen almost everything. We went for a few hours in the morning and early afternoon, and then headed back to the hotel to take a much needed nap for a few hours before going back to close the park down. For dinner we all went to Outback, which was delish, as per usual. I'd have to say that the last night in the park was hands down my favorite park of the entire vacation. We went to some rides together, and then decided to split up so Wade, Jenny and the kids could go on some of the bigger rides while we let Haz choose whatever ride he so desired. We watched the Fireworks together, and then we went on the carousel, Small World, and the Dumbo ride. I don't know that I've ever seen Hazen so happy! It was truly a magical experience just having him hold my hand and give me frequent hugs because he was just so ecstatic, and he didn't know how else to express it. As the park was closing, we told him that he could pick out any toy that he wanted. Knowing that stuffed animals are his love language, we went to a store that had an ample array of stuffed animals, and he immediately saw a Mickey that he fell in love with. He was so happy, and couldn't stop hugging and kissing his new Mickey. Being the sucker that I am, I told him he could pick out another toy if he wanted, to which he responded, "No Mommy. I just want Mickey to take him home. I love him so much!" After we paid for his toy, he couldn't stop giggling, and looking up at me and saying, "Thank you so much for taking me to Disneywand, Mommy. I just wuv it so much!" The entire tram ride back to the car, he couldn't stop laughing and giggling, and giving me hugs because he was so excited. It definitely made every hour worked in order to afford the trip worthwhile.

California: Part Three

2011-05-05T17:44:00.000-06:00

May 3- Tuesday morning, we got up and did several loads of laundry, gearing up for the second part of our vacation. We went to lunch with Jason's parents, and then got on the road to Southern California. I am more than pleased to announce that this drive was night and day compared to how awful the drive through Nevada was. I forgot how useless the 5 was- man, there's nothing there, but Hazen was a dream come true, and even slept for an hour or so. I was also so impressed that he didn't need any emergency restroom stops. He was able to tell us when he needed to go, and if we weren't totally close to a bathroom, he was able to hold it until we were there. GO HAZ! We arrived to our hotel in Anaheim within a half hour of Wade and his family. The kids were so excited to be there! Hazen kept on looking out the window at the gates of Disneyland saying, "Thank you so much for taking me to Disneyland. I'm so happy to be here!!" We could have saved a crapload of money if we knew that he would be that excited from just the gates of the park! For dinner, we went to Red Robin, then tucked everyone in to bed. Hazen woke up at around 4, and crept into my bed where he asked me if we could go to Disneyland that minute. He was just too excited and happy! I got him to go back to sleep for another few hours before our big day ahead.
May 4- Wednesday morning, we got up around 8 and prepared for a long day in the park. When we booked our hotel, I called the guy and asked the hotel's proximity to Disneyland. He told me that it was right down the street. I asked him if it was close enough to walk, and he asked me, "Well, do you have legs?", so I assumed that it was super close. Well. Minus 40 points to the douche bag who clearly has never walked THE MILE AND A HALF to and from the park on a 95 degree day with 4 kids. We were already sweating by the time we got to the park, and I pretty much resigned myself to the fact that I was NOT going to be pretty for the next three days in the park. The kids were so excited! There really is something magical about Disneyland. Yes, it is so exhausting to parents, but I feel like all of the hard work was so worth it because of how much the kids enjoyed it. Before we left, Jenny and I went to Winco and stocked up on snacks so that we wouldn't need to eat inside the park. I have to really hand it to the little kids, Hazen and Kambree for being so brave and not disowning us all as parents when we took them on the big kid rides. Our motto was, "If you're tall enough to ride on the ride, you're going with us. Sucker." My personal moment of parental victory was when we went on the Tower of Terror, and the kids asked me what ride we were going on, and I told them we were about to embark on the Tower of Fun and Delight. After we got off the ride, Hazen looked at Jason and I with a look of pure terror in his eyes and said, "Mommy. That ride was not fun. I did not like that ride at all." He also developed this cute little thing that when he would get nervous before a ride, he would start shaking and have to pee. Aren't we the best parents in the world? Oh well, you have to toughen him up some way! Our first day at the park was SO FREAKING HOT. I don't remember the last time that I sweated that much for such a prolonged period of time. For lunch, we decided to walk across the street to get McDonalds (puke). I was so hot that I just got a shake and giant Diet Coke for lunch. This is even after Jason and I went into the park STOCKED with water. (1 gallon jug, 2 1 liter Nalgene bottles, and 10 bottles of water) I'm a water snob. I don't drink water fountain water. Judge me. We stayed at the park until closing, then made the long, long, long, long walk back to the hotel. That night, we took Hazen to Wade and Jenny's room, and Devon watched the kids while the adults went to Bubba Gumps for dinner. The kids were all asleep within 10 minutes of us leaving them. We were sure a rowdy bunch at dinner; we pretty much inhaled our food, and then were ready to crawl into bed!

California: Part Two

2011-05-03T17:36:00.000-06:00

May 2- Today included plans for seeing more friends, which I'm all about. We drove to Danville to hit up Domenico's (again). I got my other favorite sammie, so I was a big fan. We spent at least an hour sitting and chatting with Fara and Marisa. Marisa hadn't seen Hazen in a really long time, so it was fun to be able to show off my giant to her. Back when Haz was in the hospital, Marisa would drive from Spanish Fork all the way to Lindon to drive me to go see my baby. She's wonderful in every way, shape and form, and I wish that I could see her more often. After lunch, the boys and I headed over to Walnut Creek to do some shopping. In a perfect world, I would have the world's largest kitchen, and I would buy everything from Crate and Barrel. In a perfect world, we would also have a Crate and Barrel in Utah. (IN A FEW MONTHS WE WILL!!!) I decided to exercise some restraint and only get mother's day presents for our moms. Finally, it was time to go over to Ken and David's house, and have a wonderful evening with them. I love that Jason knows and understands that I can't go to the Bay Area without spending time with these two men that I love and adore so much! He even makes sure to wear cute clothes that he knows that I will approve of! The food and company did not disappoint, and I loved seeing them both dote on Hazen. It's fun to know that we have family in so many aspects whenever we go back to Northern California. We just missed out on seeing the Tighes this time. Next time, for sure!

Our California Vacation: Part One

2011-05-02T16:43:00.000-06:00

With school being DONE, we decided to do something that we had not done yet for our entire married life since having a kid: Go on a vacation! How refreshing it is to actually have an income to pay for aforementioned vacation! We might have a ridiculous amount of student loans to pay for, but we figured, hey, let's go on this trip before buckling down with work. We scheduled to go from April 28-May 8. Yes, that's a freakishly long time to be on vacation, but it was fun. Oh, did I mention that we drove? Blurgh.

April 28- I had ICU class, and Jason worked, but we wanted to leave that night and drive as far across Nevada as we could that night. He also had an interview with Sandy fire that night, so we didn't get to leave until 9:30 pm. We were both feeling super awake and alert, so we weren't too worried about getting tired. We got out of SLC, and as we were driving, I noticed that the wind was picking up. By the time that we were about 50 miles out of Wendover, the wind was blowing so hard that I was using serious muscles to keep the car from flying off of the road. We had the music turned up full blast, and we still couldn't hear it. Jason would basically scream at me to try to tell me things, but we couldn't hear a thing. Needless to say, by the time that we got to Wells, NV, we were OVER it, and decided to pull off. The impending blizzard didn't really help things. I called to see if we could get a room at a certain motel, and we were TURNED AWAY because they didn't want Hazen to sleep there. After a few choice words were shared, we found a comfort inn, and turned in for the night.

April 29- Today was the best day of my life. And by best day, I mean, "Please, for the love of all that's holy, never make me drive 10 hours through the dessert with a 3 year old". Today we drove. Hazen cried. I cried. It was ugly. Then we got to Livermore, and life was better. I don't particularly want to remember the details of the ugly.

April 30- We got up refreshed and ready for a good workout after eating McDonalds in the car the day before. Jason and I looked up the nearest Crossfit, which just so happened to be a few blocks away from his parents house. We went and had a KILLER workout, which left us pumped for the rest of the day. I decided that I needed to make a little trip to Danville, so we piled into the car along with Jason's sisters and parents, and headed over to Domenico's. It did not disappoint! After, we walked around downtown Danville for a little, then Jason, Hazen and I headed over to the Shembri's to see our old neighbors, and also to see the old house. That night, we all went to dinner at Tomatina's, thus continuing to round out the delicious food tour of the Bay Area.

May 1- We forgot church clothes, which was a major oversight on our part. I guess that's what happens when you do all of your packing for your trip only hours before you leave for vacation. Jason put on one of his Dad's suits, along with sneakers to wear to church, Hazen wore shorts, and I stayed home, because I was NOT about to wear jeans to church. Yes, my pride goes that far. After the boys got home, we decided to take a drive to Oakland to go see the temple. It was such a beautiful day, we really lucked out! No temple trip is complete without a stop to Fenton's so, we grabbed some ice cream on our way home. Delicious, as per usual. I can't remember the last time that I've been to Fenton's; it's probably been at least 4 years, so it was good to go back! After we returned to Livermore, Jason's brother Brian and his family came over, and we BBQ'd. That evening, I also drove to San Ramon to go see Marisa and meet her little girl, Fara. Great times were had by all!

Hazen's April Schoolwork

2011-04-26T16:21:00.000-06:00

Little Mess Makers

2011-04-10T17:41:00.000-06:00

Several months ago (I know, I know....) I had to work 2 or three night shifts in a row, which basically means that I am useless around the house in the interim. I was especially stressed about making sure that there was plenty of food for us to eat beforehand so I wouldn't have to cook between shifts. Jason was super sweet, and sent me off to bed while he proceeded to make a deluxe Thanksgiving type meal. This was a particular victory for me, because he always gives me a really hard time about making messes in the kitchen, but this time, my boys managed to use almost every pot that I own.

In the end, it didn't matter because I didn't have to clean it up, and I had some killer meals for the next few shifts. Thanks Jason and Haz for taking care of Mama!

Exciting Newness...

2011-03-20T14:15:00.002-06:00

Anyone who is my facebook friend knows that I just scored myself a job in the Thoracic ICU. I couldn't be more excited if I possibly tried. Let's be honest, too- I am terrified! I'm so happy, though, because I feel like all of my hard work is finally REALLY coming to fruition. I've wanted to be an ICU nurse since day one of nursing school, and here we are. I am! I start tomorrow with new employee orientation, then I'll have my ICU class twice weekly for the next 10 weeks. I also work my first shift in the unit on Friday, and I am so nervous! So, with that in mind, I think I'm probably going to start a new, private blog that will chronicle my adventures as a new ICU nurse. I have to be super selective with who I invite to the blog, but if anyone is interested, let me know.

Hazen's March Artwork

2011-03-20T12:35:00.000-06:00

Hazen's Fort

2011-03-12T16:17:00.000-07:00

Hazen is getting to the age where he does so many fun "boy" things. Recently, he discovered the beauty of forts. For pretty much a week straight, every time that we were at home, Hazen would request us to build him a fort. He played in there, watched TV from there, would try to fall asleep in there at night and bedtime, and would even eat in there! He is just so cute and funny. Sure love my little buddy!

Gratuitous Pictures of a kid I love

2011-03-02T12:25:00.000-07:00

Hazen has been helping me a lot more in the kitchen lately. I realize that it takes like, 4x the amount of time that it would otherwise for me to cook, but it's just so cute to have him help! He's even recently graduated to where I'll let him touch raw meat, as long as he's super careful about not putting his hands in his mouth, or touching anything else before he washes them. He does a really good job with it.

I know I pretty much say this all the time, but I just don't know what I would do with myself if I didn't have Hazen. There will never be enough words to describe how much I love him. It still, after almost 4 years of having this little bug around, amazes me the depth of my love and emotion towards him. When people at work ask me about my little boy, the first thing I always say is, "The child walks on water". Is he perfect? No, but the few little things that he does that could potentially drive a mama crazy are so far outweighed by all of the wonderful. I tried to be strong when he was sick at the beginning, but if I would have had a glimpse of the happiness that he would bring me just a few years later, I would have been so much stronger and more patient. I love my little Hazen boy more than anything in the entire universe, and I am so grateful for the hugs, snuggles, kisses, and laughs that he brings me on a daily basis.

Hazen's February Artwork

2011-02-28T22:01:00.000-07:00

Lady Danville

2011-02-16T12:01:00.005-07:00

Way back when, I went to high school with a very charismatic, delightful guy named Mike. Mike and I were in the Concert Choir presidency together, and spent QUITE a bit of time with one another. We pretty much lost contact after high school, but about 4 years ago, I stumbled upon some music by a group called "Mikey G and Dan from Danville". It was AWESOME. Turns out, that Mike had teamed up with another guy, Dan Chang, also from Danville, and made a band. Later, they gained another group member, Matt, and Lady Danville was born. I've been following them for a few years now, and when they came out in November or so, I was eager to get my ticket, and bring Jason out for a fun night on the town. It was great, and they were INCREDIBLE. I became a woman obsessed. :) So, when I found out that they were coming back and doing another show in February, I couldn't pass up a girl's night. Sammy, Aub, Becca and I all got dressed up, and went to Salt Lake to see the show. Once again, these guys did NOT disappoint.

This time, though, I got the added bonus of these cute boys staying the night at our house. After the show, they drove down to Pleasant Grove, where I had chicken tacos and chocolate chip cookies waiting. Even at 130 in the morning, they definitely scarfed down the food! I guess when you're out touring, you don't get a whole lot of home cooked food. :) We stayed up and talked for a little while later, and then sometime around 2 or 3, we all retired to our respective beds. The guys were such good sports about being put up on air mattresses, but at least I put chocolate on their pillows. :)

The next morning, they had to leave early, but I got up and made them waffles so they wouldn't have to go out and buy breakfast. It was so much fun having them stay over, and they were so well mannered, and definitely wonderful guests to have. I have given them strict instructions that any time that they are in Utah, our house needs to be their home away from home. If you've never heard of them before, look them up, because I guarantee you will love this talented group of artists!

Valentine's Day for Hazen

2011-02-14T21:51:00.000-07:00

I've sucked hardcore at taking pictures lately. Blogging has lost a lot of its luster, and I'm not quite sure why- but once I get the books back, I'm always happy that I've done it. So, without further postponement, here's Hazen's Valentine's Day Prep!

We were able to find Phineus and Ferb Valentine's, which is something that Hazen loves. He wrote "H"s on all of the Valentines, and then put a sticker closing it. He had so much fun, and was so pleased with himself when it was all said and done!

Love Week 2011, Episode 6

2011-02-13T21:54:00.000-07:00

TODAY I LOVE THESE PEOPLE

I'M SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE A GROUP OF BEST FRIENDS THAT LIVE WITHIN 5 MINUTES OF ME.

THEY ARE SO MUCH FUN, AND ARE ALWAYS WILLING TO PLAY. LOVE YOU GIRLS!

Love Week 2011, Episode 5

2011-02-11T21:36:00.003-07:00

TODAY, I LOVE CROSSFIT

I KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT THINK I'M
CRAZY
STUPID
HARDCORE
OBSESSED

I GUESS YOU CAN SAY I'M ALL OF THE ABOVE.

WHY WOULD I EVER GO BACK TO MY PREVIOUS WAY OF FITNESS, WHEN I'VE FOUND SOMETHING THAT FITS SO WELL????

Love Week 2011, Episode 4

2011-02-10T22:02:00.002-07:00

TODAY, I LOVE THIS LITTLE FRIENDSHIP

THEY MIGHT NOT ALWAYS GET ALONG PERFECTLY

BUT WHEN THEY DO....

IT'S NOTHING SHORT OF HEAVEN

Love Week 2011, Episode 3

2011-02-09T21:49:00.006-07:00

TODAY, I LOVE SEATTLE

THERE IS ABOUT 49% OF ME THAT WANTS TO MOVE THERE TOMORROW....

HOWEVER, THERE'S 51% OF ME THAT WANTS TO STAY
HERE SO CLOSE TO FAMILY.

REGARDLESS OF IF WE STAY OR LEAVE, SEATTLE IS HOME TO
SO MANY AMAZING THINGS!!

DILETTANTE'S MOCHA PRALINE CAKE
the best cake you will ever shove in your face. period.

PRODUCE THAT IS STRAIGHT OUT OF A DREAM
oh, the cooking I could do.....

AND THESE PEOPLE DON'T HURT, EITHER
dougie, bennett and ashley would make living away
from blood relatives ok, because they're family

and i love them.

CAN I GET AN 'AMEN' FOR SEATTLE?

Love Week 2011, Episode 2

2011-02-08T19:52:00.003-07:00

TODAY, I LOVE A GOOFY LITTLE BOY

HE IS CONSTANTLY CRACKING ME UP.

IT'S PROBABLY HARD TO BE SO AWESOME......

Love Week 2011

2011-02-07T19:43:00.000-07:00

So, I've decided to join in on Love Week, 2011, mainly because my blog is SO.FREAKING.LAME. I need a little Lovin' to this little Space in the Internet! One week of things I love. I think I can do it, especially since my life is so blessed!!

So, without any further adieu.....

I LOVE HAVING A BEST FRIEND WHO IS A PHENOMENAL PHOTOGRAPHER

She makes us look good!

Hazen's January Artwork

2011-01-25T15:10:00.000-07:00

The Fort Building Begins

2011-01-16T15:15:00.000-07:00

Hazen has a new interest, one which is cute, but drives me a little nuts! He loves to make forts, or more specifically have us attach all of his blankets from the bed to the kitchen with our old school books. I'm afraid that one day, the kid is going to get knocked out by a 500 page book falling on his head. He loves to bring all of his toys and stuffed animals under the table, and then read books to himself. It's really cute! He calls the place where the two blankets come together the front door. I love that kid!

Hazen's First Dentist Appointment (Kind of).....

2011-01-11T15:02:00.000-07:00

Hazen is 3 1/2, so I figured that it was time to take him to the dentist for the first time. Hoping that he would take to it better than I do, we headed over to the office. I chose a Pediatric dentist, and this one has trains all around the office, which was fun. Hazen saddled up to the chair to get his x-rays done. He did so great, and the dental assistant was adorable with him! Well, after he had finished having the x-rays done, the office manager informed me that Hazen wasn't on our dental insurance!! We signed up for this insurance when he was only a few months old, so I didn't think to add him. Big mistake! Finding out that it would cost us several hundred dollars for the appointment, I decided to wait until we could add him to our insurance, and make sure to have his daddy boy there! Oh well, good first attempt, nonetheless!

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T15:56:00.000-07:00

This year for New Year's, I wanted to do something a little closer to home, and something that wouldn't even require me getting dressed in order to go to. Aubrey had the perfect solution! She threw a little party at her house, and we walked downstairs, and partook of the festivities. It was actually a ton of fun! They played a ton of "Minute to Win It" type games, which was a really fun departure from the traditional board games that I like to play. There was one game that involved bubble gum at the bottom of a bowl of whipped cream. Let's just say that I was so, so close to throwing up. Brown Jason was video taping a bunch of it, and you actually catch my dry heaving on tape. I'm not sure that I'll be utilizing whipped cream anytime soon. We had a hard time staying up until 12! I guess we're turning into old people! We waited until midnight came, gave kisses all around, and then went to bed. 2010 was a great year for me, and I'm looking forward to all that 2011 has to offer.

Playing with his Kitchen

2010-12-29T21:43:00.000-07:00

I think it's definitely safe to say that one of the highlights of Hazen's Christmas was the kitchen that we got him. It won present of the year, and it has really encouraged his cute little imagination to come out in spades! My mom got him an apron and a chef's hat to go with it, and he loves spending hours in the playroom "cooking dinner". The only downside? He'll never let me actually "eat" the food that he's made. "No, Mommy. You have to save it for later! It's too hot." Nevermind the fact that he'll get his "pans" out of the oven without an oven mitt. I feel like the TV has been on a lot less, and Haz has been using his imagination a lot more lately, which makes it so much more fun to be a parent.

Hazen's December Artwork

2010-12-27T21:40:00.000-07:00

A few random pics for the book....

2010-12-26T21:37:00.000-07:00