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Serious Business

2011-08-10T19:01:00.000-07:00

So, I ran a 5K last month, and am now running at least 3 days a week. I have been invited to participate in a triathalon in October, and the crazy thing is that I am actually considering doing it. I see some serious conditioning in my future!

Throw back

2011-07-06T06:48:00.000-07:00

I never thought I would get back into fun running, but after the 5k this weekend, I just might. I ran a 5k and then ran another mile with both boys. It brought back so many memories of running with my dad in the Bolder Boulder. Cody really loves running, and next year we may do the 5k together.

We also had a blast fairwell party with Uncle Andrew. Come visit often, while the boys still think you are cool!

A New Season

2011-04-07T08:34:00.000-07:00

As the season changes, so is my life changing. I am so joyful to be able to stay at home with my kids, and watch them grow up. After working outside the home for more than half my life and for my entire life as a mom it is so different to be able to focus all my attention on my family. I am doing a new study with the women at church, Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow. While we are just two chapters in, it has made me take a serious look at my life and my habits. The prescription for contentment gave me some things to work on: 1. Never complain about anything-not even the weather 2. Never picture yourself in any other circumstances or some place else. 3. Never compare your lot with anothers. 4. Never allow yourself to wish this or that had been otherwise. 5. Never dwell on tomorrow, remember that tomorrow is Gods not ours. I have been habitually discontent in my life, allowing my circumstances decide my happiness. I have started making an effort to be thankful for my blessings, but to be content also with the trials and tribulations. To force myself to live in today and not worry about what has happened or what will happen. Philippians 4:8 is my verse for this season..."whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. I will learn to be content in every situation!

At Least I'm Not As Sad As I Used To Be

2011-02-21T06:40:00.000-08:00

One of my friends posted this as their status the other day, and it made me think about my life. I had a great life by secular views while I was living in Denver; a job with lots of money/benefits, great husband, lots of friends and stuff. I was really sad to leave for Las Vegas, NM. I knew it was the right choice, but was certainly not "happy" about it. This was nothing new for me, I had been in a downward spiral since graduation from highschool. I am amazed at how happy I am now. I had let my circumstances dictate my happiness. I was disconnected Fom God and needed to be awakened. I had allowed myself to be lulled by my fleshly desires to the point of self destruction. When we moved I was forced to go back to my roots...church, every Sunday. It was the only place I knew I could meet people, and start my life over. I have been blessed with an awesome group of people full of love and kindness with accountability to make right choices despite my past. I have found a very real joy deep down in my heart, and I am Sooo Happy!

Motivation???

2011-01-20T20:17:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wanted something so badly it consumes your every thought? I find myself in that place right now. I desire but lack all motivation to change anything. There are many things I desire to change, and have started to work towards routine on some, maybe the most important...daily time with God, scripture memorization and bible study/reading. I am not working towards health, and it has recently occurred to me that I cannot have a complete relationship with God unless I can discipline myself in all arenas if my life. It does me little good to indulge in an unhealthy physical lifestyle even if my spiritual one is getting better. It says in 1 Peter to avoid fleshly desires, not just sinful pleasures, but anything not useful. Need to get my butt in gear literally!

The Encourager

2010-09-28T07:18:00.000-07:00

The past year I have been involved in a womens bible study at church. I have met some amazing women who love the Lord, but one in particular has caught my attention. She always had something good to say, not just in generalities, but specific bits of encouragement. Genuine interest in my endeavors, problems and joys. She is an encourager. This is something that has been weighing heavily on my heart lately. I find myself not wanting to settle, when I really need to remember that just because my best is better/different does not make someone elses best worse. I also realize that I am not the best at everything I do, but expect others to accept ME where I am. I have to remind myself to take a walk in their shoes and appreciate the effort, help and encourage growth...not eliminate or discount people because they are not the best, have not reached their goal/potential. I am sarcastic by nature, and find myself in regret more often than I should because of things I have said. I want to encourage, I want to teach, but also want to have/be the best in life. So I guess this all leads to the question, where is your hope?

In the past I have put more stock in what people around me thought of my life, talents, stuff, job, etc than in what God thought of these things. My heart is changing, but my habits are engrained. Step by step I guess, it's a process of change. God is working in me though.

This weeks question

2010-09-21T06:57:00.000-07:00

Are there people who want to believe in Jesus that aren't able to?

At first I thought NO! But then you said, are there people who want to be fit that aren't able, of couse! We have to choose to workout, eat right, and change our lifestyle.

How do I move myself to action? How do I overcome my weakness, my laziness? What is my motivator?

I know that there is treasure being stored up for me in His bank, but I find it so hard not to focus on the here and now, I want my cup to be overflowing, now. At the same time, I know that I don't lean on the Lord when I have plenty.

I don't want to struggle, strive, work, but know that the narrow path is not easy. It is this battle I must fight. Remind myself constantly that I mustdeny the desires of my flesh and change my lifestyle, change my desires.

The story of a girl...7

2010-09-20T02:07:00.000-07:00

I went feeling unimportant to being infinitely important, a lifesource. Having children was the best thing that ever happened to me. I was no longer allowed to be selfish, I had to grow up. I had to re-evaluate my priorities. If I was going to raise Godly men, I had to be Godly. Not religious mind you, but a follower of Jesus. It was difficult in Denver to do this. We had lots of friends who weren't Christians, and a lifestyle that did not reflect my beliefs.
God provided opportunity for us to move in 2009 to Las Vegas, NM. This wasn't my first choice of places to call home, but as my brother says, NM grows on you! We found a church, which just happened to be going through transition also, looking for a new pastor.

This is a story of a girl...6

2010-07-26T01:43:00.000-07:00

My knight in shining armor, the love of my life, best friend, lover. Call him what you will, he saved my life. I met Jason at UPS. He worked on the airplanes that we loaded. I knew I would marry him from day 1, and it happened very fast! Eight months from our first date, we were married. The first 2 years were hard...with only 8 months under our belt, there was still a lot to get to know, and living with someone changes the whole dynamic of a relationship. I was a terrible communicator, and obviously had enough personal issues for the both of us. To add to the stress, I lost a pregnancy in the first year. I started seeing a councelor, again. We made it through, although there was doubt in my mind to this point as to whether I had made a good decision. The turning point for us was really Crossroads Community Church in Parker, Colorado. We found a great community of believers here, and began to actively seek God's plan for our relationship. This was the best season of my life. Once again, I felt very loved, accepted and truly had something to give/offer. I was not looking for anything, I was full and overflowing. We did service together, worked hard, and began to grow together.

This is the story of a girl...5

2010-07-21T01:29:00.000-07:00

Colorado Christian University...what can I say about this pivotal period in my life? I can't help but wonder how different my life would be if I had really been there. Although I was attending a Christian school, I spent less time with God than any other time in my life. I thought that everyone my age made choices like I was, that it was just a "stage" of life. As I talk to Christians my age, most were not involved in these things. I was so entwined with the secular way of life that I willing believed Satan's lies for my life.
This was my first experience living with someone besides my family, thankfully a good one. The 3 girls that I roomed with this year have been some of my best lifelong friends. We have so many good memories together. They kept some light in my darkest hour, made me have a conscience. After my first year I chose to leave CCU and enroll at Metro State college of Denver. I say enroll instead of attend because I missed more classes than I attended. This year held more of the same, but with a much heavier heart. I was starting to see where my tracks were leading, but couldn't figure out how to get back from the point of no return.

This is the story of a girl...4

2010-07-13T07:41:00.000-07:00

For most of my life I defined myself by what made the people around me happy. When I was in the height of my depression, I stopped caring about what other people wanted me to do, and in turn stopped caring about what was good or right for me. I began to live my life with a very secular view, I immersed myself in things that made me feel good. It started with swing dancing. I took a couple lessons, and found that I was very good at it. I met a lot of fun people, none were Christians. After a few months I began to teach with some of the guys, spent all my free time at the clubs, started smoking (tobacco and marijuana), experimenting with other drugs and had multiple partners. I got a lot of praise in this environment, and for the first time in my life I felt like the star. Maybe this is why I could not see the grave I was digging. My life was kind of like Sheryl Crow's song says..."if it makes you happy, it can't be that bad. If it makes you happy, then why the hell are you so sad." Looking back, the three years between the time I graduated high school, and when I met Jason were filled with everything I had been taught not to do. I lied to my family about pretty much every aspect of my life, under the illusion that it would keep them from worrying. The truth is that I knew I was off track and was embarrassed. While most things I was doing were not bad in and of themselves, my motivations were. I was mad at God for letting me be sick, for ruining my life.

This is the story of a girl...3

2010-07-08T01:29:00.000-07:00

I graduated high school on time, just barely, and continued my education for the sole purpose of keeping health insurance. I did not want to go to school, so I only applied to 1 school. Thankfully I was accepted to Colorado Christian University. I stopped trying to kill myself in the literal sense, and moved to a more dangerous method, sex, drugs and alcohol. I was drunk or high almost everyday. I was going to school, waiting tables and teaching dance lesssons, running. Running from what? From my disease, from my choices, from my depression, from God. I continued on this path of destruction until I met my husband. Jason made me want to be a better person. It is sort of amazing to me that one person could have such an impact on the course of my life. We dated only 6 months before we were married. September 29, 2001 was the day...it seems fitting to me that the best day in my life to this point came just after one of the most destructive in our nation's history. We started going to church together, and although my life was not together, it seemed there was a light at the end of the tunnel.

This is a story of a girl...2

2010-07-01T01:53:00.000-07:00

I accepted Christ as my savior when I was 13, but had never had any event in my life to really warrant a "savior". At 15 my world got rocked. On a day I can see vividly, my friends at basketball said it looked like my eyes were glowing. I was severly jaundice. We saw a doctor, and they poked and prodded, but could not figure out what was wrong with me. I can't remember how long this went on, but I do remember being terrified that I was quarintined. I never really thought about dying...looking back, certainly a real possibility. Finally, I was diagnosed and started on the worst drugs in the world to suppress my immune system. The drugs weren't near as bad as the withdrawl...I became depressed, but did not communicate my needs with anyone. I started failing classes at school and withdrew from family and friends. It got so bad that I started to cut myself, stopped eating, andeventually took a whole bottle of Tylenol. Fortunately my stomach didn't digest it...I have never thrown up so much. After a short stay at the mental hospital and much therapy, I guess I decided life was worth living. But not really.

This is a story of a girl...

2010-06-30T09:53:00.000-07:00

When I first started to ponder the story of my life, I started where I usually start...in comparison. I feel my life is inconsequential, boring, not exceptional. I did not go into the military like my brother and sister. I have not traveled the world or saved anyone's life. I have not taken anyone's life either. I do not have my degree, or really any plan to get it, yet. However, as I really thought about who I am today and how I got here, I realized that it us quite an amazing story. I was born and raised in small town America, in a Christian home where lots of people loved me. I am naturally talented in many areas, but I prefer to be comfortable rather than exceptional. (I am working to change this about myself) I did well in school, sports, music, and enjoyed being as busy as possible. I was normal...until I wasn't.

A new beginnig

2010-06-21T17:29:00.000-07:00

I am starting to make adjustments to this new life that we embarked on more than a year ago. I sometimes feel I will never fit in, that I will always be just a visitor in my own life. I know this is not the truth, but why does it take so long to feel, really feel like you belong somewhere?I have some friends, but they mostly still feel like aqaintances. It is nice to have family close, I just wish it was my side sometimes. I miss my old life, but am trying to move forward. In a time of so much change, I just want some more of the same old!

First week of School

2010-01-20T13:39:00.000-08:00

The first week of school was eventful to say the least! Cody was very excited to start preschool with his cousin Cole, and showed me around the room.

The night before, getting backpack and clothes set out and ready to go.
And he's off...

His cubby and desk...

After such a great first day, we had great expectations for a great semester, but the second day did not go so well. Cody fell and cut his head open on a chair, and I had to pick him up early from class to go get it glued back together.

This week at school has gone well, much less eventful!

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T12:30:00.000-08:00

It has been a whirlwind holiday...work is crazy, kids are crazy, and I am CRAZY!!!
We cut down a real tree for the first time, and it was a beautiful one.

Presents were plentiful, I will have to give some old away to make room for the new. Tyler loves the Christmas lights,
and is learning to LOOK not TOUCH. Cody wanted to know if we were gonna have cake for Jesus' birthday, and was very excited to open gifts, and give some to his cousin/friends.

Some of the favorite gifts were a new big boy bed...made by daddy, Gravedigger, dumptrucks and a trash truck. We had sword fights, gun fights and regular wrestling fights.
And finally some great food and fellowship with family.
It was a great Christmas.

2009-09-12T16:37:00.000-07:00

Cody says...
I love you really a lot
That will make me sooo happy
I'm just a little bit sad right now
And when he finishes reading a book, Amen.

I love him.

The Bond of Brothers...or Sisters

2009-08-30T05:50:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Cody got up, and much to my dismay, his first stop was to Tyler's room to make sure his little brother was awake. Today, Tyler woke up first...it is a little harder for him as he cannot get out of his crib by himself, but the first place he went was to Cody's door. I told him that his brother was still sleeping, and he looked disappointed. They love each other, and just want to be together from the moment they wake up.
I remember feeling that way...sneaking out of my room to sleep with Leah or Andrew. I am glad they have each other to share their secrets with. I can't wait to see how their friendship unfolds as they grow together.

2009-08-18T16:19:00.000-07:00

We were visiting at Great Grandma's house today, and Cody was inquisitive as usual...he asked what this contraption was and I told him it was a chip clip. He took it literally and clipped it to a chip and started munching. We got a good laugh out of it.

More pictures...with furniture.

2009-08-13T12:14:00.000-07:00

We still have lots to do, but we have the big stuff unpacked. We have water, electric, septic tank and gas...what more do you need?
The entry way and dining room

The living room

The Longhorns in the kitchen!

The Long Awaited...

2009-08-05T07:56:00.001-07:00

Our house is finally here. They drove it in two pieces from ABQ on Wednesday afternoon. Getting it up the hill was no problem!

The crew came in on Thursday to put the 2 pieces together, and much to my dismay, were not done until Tuesday morning. We started moving as soon as they were done, and almost all the boxes are unpacked. Cody has been extatic to show everyone his new house, especially his toys that have been in storage for the past months. He has been helpful unpacking boxes, and playing with the empty ones!

I love the kitchen, and the ample storage space,

but my favorite is the large tub in the master bathroom.
After a breif argument about furniture placement in the living room, we found the perfect placement for our couches in the large living room.

We have moved everything out of Dwayne's garage, but still need to hook up the electricity before we move in, so all the stuff inside the house still needs to be moved. Hopefully we will be living in our new home by this weekend!

Moving in Tomorrow!

2009-08-03T19:46:00.001-07:00

Our house is ready for move in tomorrow. Can't wait to live in our new home. Will post pics tomorrow.

Our house

2009-08-02T08:54:00.000-07:00

Our house is almost ready to move into. I am sure the workers are tired of my constant progress checks, but I am excited. They have the house together and have taped and textured the seam...just trim and carpet left. Hopefully moving stuff in tomorrow!

Baby doll

2009-08-01T06:14:00.000-07:00

I enjoy our bedtime routine. The kids are cute in PJ's, I like to hear Cody's version of his favorite stories, and listen to what he prays about. Last night we had a normal routine, and when we were done, I went to the door and said "goodnight babydoll" and started to close the door. Cody said "Mom, I'm Cody, NOT babydoll." I almost broke out into laughter!

Tyler's One!!!

2009-07-08T14:28:00.001-07:00

It seems like just yesterday that we were bringing home this new bundle of joy! After more than 24hrs of labor, we were ready to go home. Big Brother Cody was excited to have a brother, and we have spent this year teaching Tyler so many new things. He is growing into such a happy little boy, and loves to be the center of attention. He is rough and tough, and will wrestle with the best of them. He has a hard head(both literally and figuratively), but a soft heart!
We spent the day at the lake for his first birthday...some water wading, rock throwing, food eating fun!

We had hamburgers and hotdogs...and cake of course. Tyler was not sure about the cake, but loved the frosting!
We opened gifts, and Cody was a very big helper.
Can't wait to see what the next year has in store for us.

Summer '09

2009-07-01T08:36:00.000-07:00

It has been a good summer so far, with lots to do and never enough time to do it. Tyler has taken his first steps, and Cody is testing out the potty!

We have enjoyed the pool at the rec center and sweet watermelon on the deck.

The 4th is upon us and the bigger boys have enjoyed the pop its and sparklers almost every night...can't wait to see the big fireworks.

We should have our house by the end of the month, and we are very excited about that. Tyler's fist birthday is next week, and we are going to go to the lake to celebrate!

Colorful Colorado

2009-06-17T06:40:00.000-07:00

We had a very nice trip to Meme and Coco's house last weekend. I think it is the greenest I have ever seen it!

Since it rained nearly everyday, we spent a lot of time at the pool...although we did get some time at the park and a walk on the Niwot trail, complete with throwing sticks in the pond and searching for wildlife.
Uncle Andrew kept us entertained as usual,
and we even made it to church at flatirons. Cody did a nice job practicing small talk with Coco(what your name is?) and complimented shoes, hair and anything else he could think of. Tyler was happy to have so much attention, and showed off his skills while cruising around the furniture...he will be walking before we know it! The train was a little scary at night, but we went to check out the tracks and caboose in old town Niwot, and that was a huge hit.

So Many New Things

2009-06-07T18:21:00.000-07:00

It seems that everyday Tyler grows bigger. His face and body are changing as he leaves babyhood behind and becomes a little boy. It makes me want another baby, but not enough to actually have one (yet)! He has started to walk behind toys, and thinks that it is soooo cool that he can do this. Cody is also growing everyday, and has developed some serious language skills...he talks all the time. He loves to talk on the phone and to his friends, I am surprised he doesn't talk in his sleep. His new favorite activity is Golfin it. To the layman, that is golfing. He plays in the yard, and will even watch golf on TV with Daddy. Before long Cody will be out with the boys every weekend playing golf for real. I can't wait!

The best of Friends

2009-05-31T19:50:00.000-07:00

I am starting to really enjoy having 2 boys so close in age. I can see the great friends my boys will be already. Tyler idolizes Cody, and Cody loves to be the boss of someone. I love to watch as Tyler lights up when his big brother comes into the room. It reminds me of how much I wanted to be like my big sister. It is also fun to watch as Cody tries to control every move that Tyler makes! This also reminds me of my sister:). They are definitely boys...they love to be outside, dirty and wild. Smack down is my favorite activity to watch...and their favorite to play. Cody does most of the smacking down at this point, but Tyler thinks it is hilarious and laughs every time.

I can't wait for the things to come as my boys grow up together in this wide open space!

The Not So Big City

2009-05-03T13:07:00.000-07:00

The kids love living in the not so big city. They have joined the local gang which involves wrestling, working out, and just hangin around.

I love the mountians around our house, and how bright the stars are at night...just can't wait to see them from our own house!

It's official!

2009-04-18T15:20:00.000-07:00

We no longer own a home in Denver. The closing went well, and our house is SOLD. Work on the new home site is in full force! Cody is super excited about the backhoe and the dirt piles, and Tyler is not sure what to think, but knows it must be cool if big brother is so excited about it. We are excited to have our new home, hopefully by May!!!

Manny and Monique go to Vegas

2009-03-30T15:01:00.000-07:00

We made it!!! Not to the city of lights, but the original Vegas...We unpacked the truck and got our rooms situated, but there is still a lot of work to do. At least for now we can sleep, and there is always good food when Dwayne Craig is around. Cramped quarters now, but hopefully our house will be ready soon! More to come about our new life soon.

Cody's new room, complete with big boy bed and spiderman sheets and blanket...Thanks Meme and Coco!

Mommy, Daddy, Tyler and Fish...Can't wait to have our own room!!!

More Milestones

2009-03-25T19:30:00.000-07:00

He's mobile!!! Tyler can officially crawl anywhere he wants to go. Usually this is the entertainment center or to get at cords. He is also fond of Cody's toys. He hasn't found the stairs yet, and thankfully our new house will not have these! Tyler is much happier with this new found mobility, but Cody is not sure he really likes it much.

Tyler has 4 teeth, the two front on top and bottom...I have been unsuccessful in getting a picture, but will keep trying. To add to my insanity, Cody is also cutting his 2 yr molars...it has been a grouchy house lately.

Cody is still bigger!!!

Empty

2009-03-22T20:33:00.000-07:00

As I pack my cabinets, drawers and closets into boxes, I am filled with an emptiness. I am sad to leave this house, or perhaps not the house so much as the memories I have built in it...the first house we bought, the house I brought my babies home to. This is the first time in my life that I will not be living in Colorado. The first time I will be far enough away from my parents that I can't just see them whenever I feel like it. I am realizing how many people I really am going to miss, and I am sad.

A new life

2009-03-11T10:29:00.000-07:00

I am excited to begin our new adventure in NM. I was beginning to worry that we were going to sell our house before I had a job or insurance for the family, but God is good and has provided me a transfer with UPS. I start on April 1st...and no it is not an April fools joke! We also have an offer on our house it is amazing how everyrhing is coming together. I am excited to start a new chapter, but sad to leave friends and family in Colorado. More frightening to me is the prospect of finding a new doctor...yuck:( Let the fun begin!!!

Milestones!!!

2009-02-12T09:24:00.000-08:00

Tyler is 7 months old and has finally cut his first tooth, after much chewing...on everything!

Life is good when you are 2!

2009-02-12T09:20:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we had the priviledge of taking Cody to a monster truck show at the Pepsi Center. He was totally captivated and hasn't stopped talking about the monkey monster truck since we left. He is soooo cute!

New for the New Year!

2009-01-10T19:46:00.000-08:00

Christmas was good to us all, both boys got more than they could have hoped for. Here are some favorites.

I love children, they keep things fresh. I don't have to make new year's resolutions in order to change my life...it is ever changing! I love how a good night sleep can cure all wrongs and the simple things make the biggest smiles. Tyler is now sitting up...mostly on his own. He can balance for almost a minute as long as there are no major distractions.

Baby it's cold outside

2008-12-16T20:33:00.000-08:00

It has been so cold here the last couple of days, and I mean below zero cold, but Cody still wants to play outside. He is cute in the snow, can't wait to take him sledding!

It's the little things...

2008-12-16T20:30:00.000-08:00

Tyler learned how to breathe through his mouth and he is so cute breathing in and out really quick, just to show me that he can do it! it really makes me laugh.

Two down, sixteen to go!

2008-11-03T06:41:00.000-08:00

Assuming that Cody moves out at 18...we have 16 years to go. We celebrated his 2nd birthday this weekend. Just a small family celebration with a couple fun presents.

Memories

2008-11-03T06:15:00.001-08:00

It is fun for me to remember things I did as a child, and watch my kids experience them for the first time. We went to Meme and Coco's house on Halloween and raked leaves from their tall, tall trees and played in them. It was really fun. I remember raking leaves at Nana and Papa's house and sliding and playing in them when I was small.
I also remember trips to California Where my mom and dad said things like... this is the house I grew up in, or this is where I went to school and thinking it was weird that they wanted to show us that stuff. Now I find myself telling Cody the same things.

Pumpkins

2008-10-27T08:24:00.000-07:00

Halloweeny

2008-10-27T08:09:00.000-07:00

It is really fun to dress kids up...so mine have more than one costume!

Jason and Josh (aka Shirley and Eldon) won the costume contest.

Monkeys, monkeys everywhere...

2008-10-15T17:51:00.000-07:00

Manny and Monique are having fun in CO, and are glad to have so many friends. Even Tyler has a mini monkey!

2008-09-29T07:44:00.001-07:00

This one is for you, Uncle Andy!!!

On another note, today is Jason and I have been married for seven years. Today is our anniversary! I still remember all the details of the day just like it was yesterday. I can't believe it has been that long...and glad to have 2 sweet boys to share our celebrations with this year.

Monkeys come to visit

2008-09-22T08:20:00.000-07:00

It was a busy weekend...we went to Meme's house on Friday,just for fun, which is unusual. We started at Starbucks
and spent the afternoon at the pool.
Then after a short nap it was back home to see the new fish tank! Jason traded in his two other tanks for a 120 gallon salt water tank. It is really nice! We are excited to have Manny and Monique at our house and they fit right in with my monkeys.

Thanks to Noah and Aunt Leah for potty training the monkeys and getting them some really cool big boy pants!
The weekend would not be complete with a little drama...Cookie gave me two weeks notice, because she got a job at a daycare...and Sunday was our first day at the new babysitters. It went well for a first day, but first days are always hard. Her name is Safiyah and she is really nice. I will let you know how it goes this week. Here is some cute pics of the boys before we left to her house.

Labor Day at the Park

2008-09-09T21:32:00.000-07:00

We spent Labor Day playing! We had a blast with Daddy at the park...Here are some video and pictures from the fun day!

Who's who

2008-09-06T21:44:00.001-07:00

Just a couple pics to show how much the boys really look alike!

Coco - a complicated person!

2008-08-29T19:57:00.000-07:00

Coco is a lot of fun...He came to visit and eat dinner while MO was away in Chicago. We had tacos, then went to the park. Cody showed Coco the ropes - slides, swings, balls - it was a lot of fun. Coco was a wild horse on the way home, and Cody held on for dear life! Then bath time, where Coco tried to stick as many letters on Cody as possible. After Cody was in bed, we saw how boring Coco is too, he put Tyler right to sleep! Then we enjoyed some Coke floats, and Coco had to go home.

The faces of Tyler

2008-08-27T20:47:00.001-07:00

Ready for fall??

2008-08-27T20:38:00.000-07:00

We have enjoyed the summer, but we are ready for some cooler weather! I have a new system for dinners, a 3 week rotating menu and it is saving us some money, not eating out. Some other benefits include eating as a family every night, and teaching Cody better table manners. I think Tyler can smell the food cooking, because he always seems to wake up hungry just as soon as I am ready to sit down to eat. We are excited for fall, we will be doing MOPS this year! It starts in Sept. and I am very excited to meet some other Christian women who live close to me.

Cody is going through a stage where he loves his daddy more than me, and wants to do everything with Dad! He also loves Coco and asks about him everyday! Guess I can't complain, they are two great men!

First Day!!!

2008-08-20T07:40:00.000-07:00

We all had our first day yesterday...It was back to work for me, and Cody and Tyler went to Cookie's house. All things considered, I felt it was a very successful day. I only cried a couple of times and Cody had a blast playing. I think I will be able to incorporate my daily meal plan into the new schedule without a problem, and I still have mornings to play with the boys. My boss is glad to have me back, and I see that there is a lot of work to do, but am up for the challenge. Cookie is a great care provider, and I am thankful that God lead me to her. She has a kind heart and loves children. Thanks to Aunt Leah for the cutest first day away outfits ever...it is really fun to dress my boys up in matching clothes!

The last week :(

2008-08-13T13:05:00.000-07:00

It is my last week of maternity leave, and I am sad to go back to work. Fortunately it will be part time, only 5 hours a day. We have had a busy week...Water park,
visit with Nana at the airport during her layover
and much more to come. I feel like I need to get as much fun in this week as I can...even though I will still be with Cody and Ty-Ty(Codyism) in the mornings.

Lenny came to visit after his 2 week vacation in Oregon, and was talking about how hard it was to go back to work, I can't imagine how hard it will be after 6 months off!!!

Big Boy!!!

2008-08-06T13:58:00.000-07:00

No picture today, I just thought everyone should know that Cody took a nap in his Big Boy bed today...yesterday he tried to climb out of his crib for the first time and fell out. So I thought it was time to move to his toddler bed, and he did GREAT!!!

A day at the Zoo!!!

2008-08-05T13:14:00.000-07:00

We took advantage of a day under 90 degrees with a day at the zoo. We joined some ladies from my new MOPS group and my daycare provider Cookie for a very fun day. I think that Cody had more fun climbing up on the wood fences than looking at the animals, but he did really like the Gorillas, Elephants and oddly enough I think the big horn sheep were his favorite. The child interaction is fun for me to watch at this age...the kids just kind of stare at each other. They want to play near each other, but don't want to say hi or get too close. Cody enjoyed looking at the animals and Tyler slept most of the day...a good experience for our first real outing!

Vacation???

2008-08-04T14:38:00.000-07:00

I have come to the realization that I will not have a relaxing vacation until my children are old enough to take care of themselves...at least 5 years...

It was a very busy week! Jason was in Texas for his Nannie's funeral, so Cody, Tyler and I went to Niwot so Mimi and Coco could help me watch the two boys. We went to the pool everyday, and Cody is now an expert at the slide and jumping off the edge.
In the mornings we would drink coffee or bottle in Mimi's bed and watch the news...some days Mister Bear joined us.

Great Great Uncle Gil came for dinner one night, and told us about his internet dating experiences! We had brats for dinner and boy were they good.

Mimi had Girls night out at Liz's pool, and so Coco picked up some Abo's pizza and we enjoyed every last piece.

We did a bath every night before bed to get all that chlorine off, Tyler even joined in the fun.

We read books and had some naked time downstairs before putting Cody to bed...Mimi and Coco are now Goldbug experts!!!

Thanks Mimi and Coco for all your help...We miss you and the pool already!

Close ups

2008-07-28T14:03:00.000-07:00

It has been requested that I post some close ups of our newest addition...So here they are. And since I can't resist here is a cute video of Cody on his way to a career!!!

Forget Me Not...

2008-07-17T14:17:00.000-07:00

It is a form of torture I think, that we forget the pain of various activities so we will do them again. I remember climbing Long's peak with my dad when I was younger, and each time I swore I would never do it again. The next year there I was, on the face of the majestic peak...You forget the pain, but remember the great veiws and funny stories that come out of the difficult hike.Having children is kind of the same. Cody has grown up so much and is such a good helper that I had forgotten how hard it is to dress someone who doesn't help you...or how hard it is to change the diaper of a squirming new born!!! I must say that having two children is difficult, but not as hard as I thought it would be...ask me again in a few months though, I have a feeling it will get harder.

I am trying to get in as much quality time with my two sweet boys as I possibly can...my first day back at work will be Aug. 19 :( Cody loves to ride his bike, but we have to do it in the morning because it gets too hot in the afternoon. I just let him go out in his jammies, and I thought you all would enjoy his choice of shoes.

We play in the sand box in the afternoon, once there is some shade in the back yard...but Cody doesn't like the sand on his feet. Here is a little OCD moment brought to you by Cody.

I can't wait for Tyler to be a little older, so I can watch my two boys play together! What a blessing to have two healthy baby boys, I never thought I could love so much!

It's a Boy!!!

2008-07-11T19:25:00.000-07:00

I know, I know...We thought it was gonna be a girl too! We have been blessed with another healthy baby boy. His name is Tyler Kaleb Craig, he weighed 7 lbs 5 oz and was 19 3/4inches long. He was born Tuesday, July 8 at 12:11am. It was a long labor(more than 24hrs), but totally worth it. I only wish he could have come a little earlier so his Aunt Leah and Uncle Andrew could have seen their new nephew.

Cody loves to be a big brother and wants to share toys, food, bottle and everything with his little brother. I can't wait to see them playing together when Tyler gets a little older.

Bedtime Already :(

2008-06-21T19:19:00.000-07:00

Cody is such a happy boy, but has started to despise going to bed...He just wants to keep playing! He does, however, like the process of getting ready for bed, so I thought I would share our routine with you. It starts in the bathtub, Cody really loves to pour water from one cup to another and set up then knock his ducks and toys off the edge.

After about a half hour or forty-five minutes and some very wrinkled fingers and toes, I help Cody put his toys away and we get out of the tub. The next step is to brush teeth. Cody loves this step, I think more for the way the toothpaste tastes than the actual brushing, but that is ok.

After we brush our teeth, we go downstairs and watch one of our now numerous truck videos and give Dad a hug and kiss goodnight, then it is time to read a couple books and go to sleep.

We are trying to get Cody ready for his transition to the big boy bed...so we read his stories in the toddler bed, then get in the crib for sleeping.
Since we have a video monitor, I can see Cody's personal bedtime routine which includes reading stories to his monkey and saying goodnight to the trucks, tractors, and walls in his room. He really is tooooo cute!

Summer of Fun

2008-06-17T19:42:00.000-07:00

As we prepare for baby Craig, I am making sure to give Cody lots and lots of love. He loves to be outside, but with temperatures in the 90's it has been hard. We wait for shade in the back yard and play in turtle sandbox that Coco brought down for us. I have taken nesting to a whole new level...Jason has been busy the last 4 or 5 weeks completing projects for me. He re-did the walkway in the front, installed a new kitchen sink, put in french doors where the sliding glass door was, and perhaps the biggest project, he installed wood floors in the living and dining room. It was cute to see Cody working with Dad. He would take his small tape measure over and try to trade it for Dad's. He had to try on the knee pads,
and of course had to take a break with Dad.

I can say that I think we are ready for the baby to arrive, but I am still anxious to have two small children in the house. I am also preparing to go back to work. After my experience with Cody, I am trying to make sure that all the details are worked out before the baby comes. My application to go Full-time to Part-time has been approved and I now just need to go in and sign the paperwork. Jason and I are staying close to home, because it really could be any day now. My sister Leah is excited to come visit and possibly see the baby be born...She has asked me if I could plan to have the baby in 2 1/2 weeks. I told her I would put my order in, but that God was in control of that. It would be nice to have the baby early, since my family will be here for Tom and Joanna's wedding, but as my mom says, you shouldn't plan on an early baby.

Beating the Heat

2008-05-20T13:02:00.000-07:00

We are starting to feel the heat of the summer during the day...mid 80's the last 2 days has kept us from playing at the park. The slides, stairs and swings are all HOT!!! It is amazing how quickly kids learn the meaning of words and I love it when Cody uses new words in the right context! Without time at the park we have been playing in the yard, riding bikes, drawing with chalk, blowing bubbles and eating ice pops.
Cody loves to ride his bike up and down the sidewalk, taking the occasional break to throw a rock back into the yard or look at the trees. He is just too darn cute!

We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Cody's little sister...Just 7 weeks til the due date. I have almost finished painting in Cody's room for the new John Deere theme. Here are some pics for you to look at.

The Countdown Has Really Begun

2008-05-14T14:08:00.000-07:00

I was looking at the calendar today, and realized that I have only 8 weeks left until my due date. This is both exciting and a bit overwhelming. I have so much that I want to do in preparation for Alyssa's arrival. I remember this time in my pregnancy with Cody, it is a much different experience this time. With Cody, I had nothing to do once I went on maternity leave from work except prepare for him. I could paint at my leisure, nap everyday, and run as many errands as necessary. This time around, I spend my days at the park or riding bikes with Cody and have to complete my housework and preparations during Cody's nap. I have purchased paint for both Cody's new "big boy" room and Alyssa's nursery. Cody's rug is almost half way done, and I figure if I am diligent I can have it finished in a couple weeks. I have also made some necessary purchases from my favorite website, craigslist, a double stroller in almost mint condition for $80 and a toddler bed for $30! What a great way to save money. As soon as I have something complete I will post pics so you can see the new rooms. I have found someone to watch Cody and Alyssa when I return to work. Her name is Cookie and she lives 2 minutes from my house. She has 2 beautiful daughters, 16mo and 30mo old. She has also turned my on to a mom's group in the area, so I can meet other working moms in the area. We play at the park at least once a week and have had a mom's night out! Pray that I will be able to work out all the details and feel comfortable with this arrangement in the next couple of weeks.

Warmer days!

2008-04-29T14:53:00.000-07:00

As the days get warmer I am enjoying watching Cody play outside. He loves to run around in the front yard, riding his new bike...$2 at a garage sale, and drawing with sidewalk chalk. It brings me back to my childhood when my mom had a job at the chalk factory, and we had every kind of chalk imaginable...drawing stores, houses and playing with the neighborhood kids all day long.

Jamboree '08

2008-04-18T19:51:00.000-07:00

Who ever thought you could have so much fun with family!!! We were blessed with the most amazing destination for our reunion this year...a chateau near Jamestown, with no near neighbors and more than enough space for the 9 of us.
The Hot tub was nice for some evening relaxation, and fun for the boys to play in. The mountain setting was great for our growing and ever curious little boys, and it was fun to watch them play together.
Manny and Monique, my dad's sock monkey's, provided much entertainment for Noah and Cody. They have their own suitcase with clothes for every occasion, a travel journal, favorite books and a photo of their family so they don't get lonely while they are away...They went for a visit to Chicago with Noah and the Young's after the Jamboree.
It was good to spend time with family and can't wait for Jamboree '09.

New Plans For The Nursery

2008-03-31T13:22:00.000-07:00

After careful consideration and discussion, we have decided to do Alyssa's nursery in a pastel pink, green and yellow theme. I am researching bedding and blankets right now, and preparing to buy paint. If you find something in these colors let me know, I will consider it. Here are some of my finds. Tadpoles Pink Toile 4 Piece Infant Bedding Set - Sleeping Partners - Babies "R" Us

MiGi "Sweet" 4-Piece Crib Bedding Set - MiGi - Babies "R" Us

Vintage Floral 3 Piece Crib Bedding Set - My Baby Sam - Babies "R" Us

Hope you like what you see, can't wait to show paint chips at the long awaited Jamboree '08.

Family

2008-03-25T15:58:00.000-07:00

It is so weird to me that you can grow up with someone your entire life and still not really know them. I have read both my brother and sister's stories on their blogs and find that there are so many things they have experienced that I knew nothing about. It is strange to think of Andrew as a grown man, with so much life experience. I just think of him as a little boy squeezing the glow worm so hard and still not getting any glow! And to think of my sister with indecision and questions of what life will bring doesn't fit. What a great mother she is! I just wish they lived closer so we could share our adult lives as much as we shared our childhood.

Happy Birthday Adam!

2008-03-17T13:24:00.000-07:00

After our short trip to NC we had enough time to recover and it was down to NM to visit with Jason's side of the family and celebrate Adam's birthday.
It has been fun to see Cody play with his cousin Cole and open up to Grammy and Papa. Since we don't see them much it took a couple days to feel at home. Baby Cade is doing great and is one of the chubbiest babies I have seen in a while. It makes me so excited for baby Alyssa to come into the world, but sort of nervous too, it will be a lot of work to take care of two little ones.
There were some early festivities for the Easter holiday, so we went to town for the easter egg hunt and face painting...Cody thought the basket looked better as a hat!

The rehearsal

2008-03-10T15:14:00.000-07:00

Well, it was an interesting trip to the "New South"...Cody and I spent 4 days in NC with cousin Noah, Aunt Lele, Uncle Andy and Mimi. While somewhat exhausting, it was very much fun. We visited some of the attractions, most of them geared toward our little ones.

My favorite was the discovery zone...Here are a few pictures to show you how much fun we had. I learned something about myself, I need to let go a little more and let Cody discover on his own. He loves to play with other children, and he will check in when he needs me. He was so cute playing in the water, climbing on the ropes and even going down the slide. He is just growing up too fast!
I can tell that I am pregnant though, because I felt like crying every night because I missed my Hubby! The emotions ran high, but I reminded everyone to remain calm and remember that there were 2 pregnant women here!!! Mimi got Alyssa a darling white top and Aunt Lele got her a pair of ballet slippers that I am sure will get lots of use when the little girl finally arrives. I feel like it was a good rehearsal for the upcoming jamboree. Hopefully we got all the tears out and we can have a tear free jamboree in CO in April. See you all soon.

New Toys

2008-03-03T16:11:00.000-08:00

I purchased a new camera today, and here is the latest photo of Cody...Getting excited to go to NC

Bedding and Blankets

2008-02-24T08:10:00.000-08:00

Here is the front runner for bedding in the new nursery, let me know what you think. Damask Print 4-pc. Crib Set - Pink : Target
Here are the top three blankets...bubbly - Bananafish Bubblegum Satin Jacquard Blanket : Target Pretty in pink - Babylicious Bloom Yummy Blanket : Target and kind of Mod - DwellStudio™ for Target® Apples Blanket - Pink : Target

It's A Girl!!!

2008-02-23T08:09:00.001-08:00

Well, we have had the long awaited ultrasound and as I predicted, it is a girl...Or so they say! We have decided to name her Alyssa Kallie Craig. I am excited to shop for pink instead of blue. Here are some of the ultrasound photos. Just 20 more weeks and she will be here.

Bath Time

2008-02-08T13:24:00.000-08:00

Thought you would all enjoy a splashing good time!

Lastest news on the Craig Baby

2008-02-02T13:32:00.000-08:00

I had a doctor's appointment yesterday, and am glad to tell you all that everything in going well. It is amazing to hear the baby's heart beat through the doppler, and I will have my 20 week ultrasound in 3 weeks. Can't wait to post a video of the little baby inside me! We are also excited to welcome little O home and hope we can have a little girl for her to play with.

What an Althlete

2008-01-26T08:24:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to send a shout out to Mimi and say thanks for the smiley face ball...Cody loves it!

Put on the brakes!

2008-01-18T14:57:00.000-08:00

Well I have found that even when you have to slow down, the world around you still moves at warp speed. I broke my middle toe on my left foot, and since there is nothing to do for a broken toe, and no pain killers for pregnant women, I must suck it up!

Christmas 2007

2008-01-12T14:03:00.000-08:00

realize that it is already the middle of January, but I figured better late than never. Here are some of the highlight pictures from Christmas, what a blessing to be able to see Uncle Andy, Mimi and Cobra, and all of Jason's family for the holiday! Hope you all enjoy.

An elfin good time!

2007-12-15T11:46:00.000-08:00

Felt I needed to spread a little holiday cheer and add a link to our very own you've been elfed! Check it out. http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1431169406

The newest addition!!!

2007-12-11T20:03:00.000-08:00

I had an ultrasound of the little one, and wanted to share it with you all. Here are pictures of the peanut and a video, so you can see the little tiny heart beat. So exciting Here is the website to view the ultrasound.

Busy Season

2007-12-05T06:53:00.000-08:00

Sorry it has been so long since my last post, all is well in the Craig house. The pregnancy is coming along well, 9 weeks now, and I go for an ultrasound on Friday. Cody is cute as ever, he has learned to climb and is now really into everything. I was so happy to see some of the videos of cute cousin Noah on the Young family blog. I will have to post some video of the codster. It is however busy season at UPS and as it were in the airline industry too, and I do not have time to do it now, so you will have to wait. I will get some of the Christmas festivities for sure.

So many firsts!!!

2007-11-13T21:09:00.000-08:00

Well, it has been a busy month. We had the first Halloween, Cody was cookie monster. We had the first birthday...Thanks to everyone for making it so much fun!!! We had the first haircut, Cody was very brave and curious, but no tears:-). It was so good to have a visit from Uncle Andy and Cody had soooo much fun with him, can't wait until they are getting in trouble together. I will post pictures of some of these first as soon as I can.

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

2007-10-16T21:19:00.001-07:00

I have been without my husband for a week and a half, he has been in Canada for his new job. It has been a long week and it makes me realize how much he really does for me...I miss him terribly, and can't wait until he arrives home. He is excited to see Cody walking and just wants to play. My brother is home from Iraq and has some much needed time off. He will be home for a few weeks and will be able to be here for Cody's first birthday. He really is my best friend, and I didn't realize how much I have missed his company. I only saw him briefly on Monday, but in that little time we were able to get caught up and did some reminiscing. I can't wait for the last week in October when he will be staying with us since I am on vacation. I only wish that he could stay for longer...He will be done with the Army soon enough I guess. Thanks again Uncle Andy!!!

Iron or wood? Six years together

2007-09-27T20:33:00.000-07:00

Jason and I will be celebrating our 6th wedding anniversary. I guess it is a good thing that it doesn't feel like it has been that long. I feel very lucky to have such a good man to be head of our household, and I love him more everyday!

On another exciting note...Cody took four steps on Wednesday!!! He will be walking before we know it.

Time flies whether you are having fun or not...

2007-09-19T07:42:00.000-07:00

I recently had a week of vacation, and most people come back to work refreshed and ready to work after a week of vacation. All it did for me was solidify the fact that I want to be a stay at home mom. It was so great to spend all day with the Codster, and be home when Jason got home! It is amazing how fast the time goes by, here we are making preparations for Cody's first birthday...I can't believe it has been a whole year, it seems like just yesterday that he was so tiny and helpless, now so grown up!

The ever changing life

2007-08-16T19:49:00.000-07:00

Never thought I could love so much. Cody makes me smile more than anything else ever could, even when he is being difficult, it is hard to be mad. He is starting to get into everything, pulling himself up on couches, tables, walls, pretty much anything he can. He loves to eat, he will find the littlest pieces of whatever on the floor, and of course right in the mouth. He loves to eat the dog food, and surprise, surprise, the dogs love to eat his food??? He had his 9 month check up and he is 20lbs and in the 97% for height. He is tall and skinny, just like uncle Andy!!