Good Hair Days

IDAHO

2011-07-28T12:58:00.005-06:00

June 8-10 we had the extreme pleasure of getting to go spend the weekend at our Aunt Kelli's house. It was a BLAST. We weren't there ten minutes before Dax decided he wanted to try and catch himself some chickens. It was SO FUNNY to watch . I felt bad that I found so much pure pleasure out of watching these poor animals running for their lives from what, I'm sure to them, was one of the scariest things that has ever happened to them!

He caught a few baby chickens. He would have done it all night if we'd have let him!

It took Dubby one pet and he wanted to be catching him some cute chickens himself.

He took off after this one and I KID YOU NOT, he face planted maybe a half an inch away from some horse doo doo. It was so gross! Thankfully it was just a close call but still, just the thought of him landing in poop about killed me.

look at that poor chicken go!

Where did they go?!

The boys LOVED cousin Blake. He and Berklee swam with them and Blake even took them on rides around the yard on the lawn mower. They had so much fun! Whit, Berklee, and Blake were so great and did so much for the boys.

We also got to go to parade, and what would a trip to Idaho without seeing the Courville's be?! So we invited them along and it was a lot of fun. CLLLEEEAAARRRR up until the point where Dubby threw up in the car, luckily mostly landing it in his over stuffed bag of candy. The first thing he said after he got it all out "AWE I puked in my candy!" It was so sad... but after six more times he was feeling a lot better. It was so nice, after he was feeling better Kelli told Kevin and I to go have some us time. It was so nice and VERY much appreciated.

Before heading back to Utah, we wanted to stop and see all of Aunt Kim's new babies. Baby Cow's that is. SO COOL. Those animals love her and she is totally the definition of Bad A! she does some major hard labor and loves it. The boys thought they'd get to ride the tractor... maybe next time ;)

Dubbs looking at one of the poor pregnant Mama cows. I don't know how she was even walking around she was HUGE!

This baby was just learning to walk.

Dax, not so sure he wants to be touched by the baby cow.

We absolutely had a ball and hope we'll get to do it again very soon. :)

The Fourth

2011-07-14T17:14:00.003-06:00

Gosh! It's been quite a while... Honestly, what keeps me coming back is the whole making a book out of my blog posts idea....

Anyway... we've had a fun July and thought I'd post some pictures of what we did on that great day for America...

Before the parade, I wanted to get some pictures of D in the Applegate #5 jersey. He got to be in the parade with Papa Bear and the football players... hence the jersey...

Never to miss an opportunity to catch a potato bug to add to the ones we found collected in his drink holder IN his car seat... yeah... pretty gross!

He didn't change his expression the entire time we saw him BUT he did wave with both hands like he said he would... and by wave, I mean hold both hands deathly still while the truck drove passed all the people... It was hysterical and I can't lie, I got a bit teary.

AND THEN there was the swimming part of the day... HOLY FISH is Dax. I was so glad he had his life jacket on because he literally ran and jumped RIGHT in the pool. I didn't even get out there in time to see it he was so fast. Once he saw the pictures of him jumping off the board he kept going and going off it just to see them...

Dubby actually liked it too! He had so much fun pretending he was a tug boat.

And the boys :)

Old Mc Donald had a .... horse farm?

2011-05-16T18:57:00.004-06:00

I am so behind. I have way to much to catch up on... honestly, for the past few weeks, the scripture " To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the sun" has been popping in my mind. I think there is a little hint in that, that I need to be taking and running with... my kids will only be kids for so long and I need to focus ON THEM... any way, there is a little insight into my thoughts... moving on...

for Dax's last pre-school field trip, we got to go to a horse... place, (hahahaaa, I don't even know what to call it... a farm?) it was so much fun, and honestly so stinky. Much to my surprise, Dax volunteered to ride the horse first... he was so proud of himself and I was the proud Mama trying not to bawl. Also, I was so nervous he was going to fall off... but he held tight and made it through... and helped Dubby ride too...
Here are a few pix :)

about as good as it gets with pictures of me and my boys...

Can you see the ATTITUDE in Dubby's eyes... Yikes! he's only two, can you imagine what that glare will turn into by the time he's 16?!

Clearly he caught the "happy face" as he rode...

Dax wasn't about to feed the horse when the farmer told him to keep his fingers flat because the horse would think they were food if they weren't.... but Dubby did it!

Buy Me Some Peanuts And Cracker Dax

2011-04-28T12:20:00.007-06:00

The day has come and gone and at this point I'm glad. He's four and now it just is... I swear I struggled in a bad way with D turning 4. I took him on a date the day before his birthday and while waiting for "Rio" to start, I looked over at him with his big 3D glasses and literally started to cry. HE LOOKED SO GROWN UP!
I've since spoken to a few friends and the consensus seems to be that it's mainly with the oldest that these emotions kill us... I don't know, but I won't get into all of the physiological jumbo that probably goes along with the craziness of my feelings....

We (Dax and I ) kept going back and forth on what the theme of this birthday would be... at first it was a fishing theme, then it was a camp theme, then plane and then baseball and then Hawk (as in the bird) theme... then we settled on baseball since he's been looking forward to the Tball season... I showed him cakes and let him choose.... contrary to popular belief, he really did like the Boston Red Sox cakes better than the Yankees.... It was a pretty well kept secret till one night I over heard Dax talking to Kev about his birthday and Dax said "What's that called again, Dad?" Kev said "A birthday cake?" "No, no, no, Dad it's a Boston Red Sox cake" to which Kevin responded " I think I need to have a talk with your Mother"...... but up until that point Kev only knew it was a baseball theme.

It was a great party and probably would have been better enjoyed by Dax himself had I not let him take a nap up until our family started showing up... Oh well...

I dragged all three boys to this shoot at 10:00 ON his birthday... he did shockingly well which to me, proved that his mood was great and the nap ruined it all. He loved that it was his day... and quite frankly, at the shoot, I think he loved the attention on him being four.

His impromptu pose...

the invite...

Before the festivities began...

The amazing cake...

The Boston M&M's... seriously so fun!

and the Dax M&M's... LOVED them, even though for the price, Kev wanted me to charge a $5.00 fee for each handful taken...

All the colors of the Dax batch... I though white was easier to see...

What's a baseball party without cracker Jacks?

He came out of the house and said "What........the heck....... is this?!" He was so glad to get to ride it somewhere other than in the store... He wanted a Hawk bike so bad... the only kind we could find close to that request was a Tony HAWK bike... so we figured Eh, that works... he seemed pleased.

This part was just embarrassing. D didn't want to let anyone else hit the pinata because he wanted to win... not in the Charly Sheen sense of the meaning, but in the get all the candy so nobody else can enjoy it way...

Dax and Miss Soph playing their game that they just LAUGH doing...

Bennett! Love this kid!

Apparently Dax was all pictured out and took off on his bike so I couldn't get a picture of him with his friends....

Happy #4 D!!! Here's to hoping #5 takes a lot longer to get here ;)

A Kitchen, Bathroom and a Bedroom... All in One Post

2011-03-18T08:00:00.002-06:00

Well... it's DONE! Minus the curtains for the sink window and the knobs and the bead board... but we'll get there.
This was something that after it was all done, I was like, WOW that really could have ruined our kitchen and cost us TONS to fix had this not turned out. I don't know if it's because all the blogs I follow about re finishing things that I was able to not think and just do... who knows... but we did it and Kev had full faith in me so that for sure helped... here is a glimpse into the journey of old but new cabinets!

I had been wanting to do this forever... and then I came across what Maria Killam said on her blog and I bought everything the very next day. She said:

"When I am standing in a kitchen that looks very much like this one, and I recommend that this kitchen be painted white or cream--as soon as the words out of my mouth--the wife's face lights up and the husband looks horrified at the prospect of painting THE WOOD! I'm not sure why most men have this reaction but it's pretty common. Men usually come around once they understand that it's not about the wood, it's about the fact that it's dated. And to be clear, I don't advocate painting ALL WOOD, just kitchens in this era. So for those of you with this kitchen, reading this right now, there's really just one thing you need to know: This kitchen IS NEVER COMING BACK. So the only way to extend the life of it is to prime it, paint it, and install new brushed nickel hardware. Period, end of conversation."
She obviously wasn't talking about my kitchen, but it felt like she was :)

Here is the before picture:

Here is the after:

1. FIRST OF ALL TAKE PICTURES... I always forget but mean to take before and after pictures. Kevin and I often talk about how we wished we had before and after pictures of our house when we moved in... BUT we don't...which makes me sad... so TAKE THE PICTURES. That's the first step

2. Wipe everything off with a wet towel...

3. We were told by some people that we needed to totally sand down everything. I read a lot of blogs that went ALL OUT on the sanding. We're talking plastic everywhere, everything taped down kind of a deal... We didn't do that. Kevin never thought that that would be necessary and when I went to the Benjamin Moore paint store in Kaysville, I got THE BEST help/info from their salesman. He said exactly what Kevin had said, sand down the uneven, rough, old parts till it's smooth with the rest of the cupboard. We already had a square of sand paper and it was done in minutes... no plastic required.

Here are a few pix of what we started with...

With all the decor on top of the cabinets...

without all the decor...

4. You will scrub down every single inch of your cupboards with TSP Cleanup.
This part made me sick to my stomach. I can't believe how gross these were. I did notice that they have a knock off at Walmart, but in the end, it will cost more because it doesn't go as far. This cost $6.10 and we didn't even use half to scrub it all down. But seriously, be ready to be grossed out. This cleaned the cabinets up so good, I was half tempted to leave them. It cleans great!

***For good measure, I washed them down again with a damp cloth...

5. Primer: When the salesman talked to me about primer and prices I about fell over. I was thinking I'd just use the Walmart brand we already had. The kind we got is amazing. We did two coats on everything and we still have over a half a gallon left. It goes a long way. It sticks well and washes off nice and makes for easy clean up with tools. Cost=44.03

6. Paint: We chose Benjamin Moore 0C-92 Mannequin Cream...
We started by taking the cabinets off the boxes. It seemed like it helped get to the tough spots, which it did but we just made sure we had them in an order so we wouldn't mess up what went in what spot.
I rolled seven coats on the boxes.
We painted two coats on the inside of the cupboards and seven on the outside. I painted until I couldn't see the grain of the old wood. So it may be different for you if you try it.

With it all down... yes, I've since cleaned out and re organized the insides of my cabinets...

This is before the glazing...

We chose a brown color to mix with the clear faux glaze finish. I just picked the brown that matched our tile back splash the best.

The glazing made me nervous, so I left that job to Kevin... he's awesome at everything so I wasn't worried...
Here is the color. He said once he got over the fact that it looked like poop, he was fine ;)

Here is the cabinet after glaze. Yes, we still needed to do the goof off on the hinge....

Here are the before and afters of each cabinet...

It was a great experience and I would totally do it again. We still need the bead board under the counter and the hardware, but we'll get there.
I will say that it definitely makes it easier and faster with two people. We had a system down were Kevin did the brush work and I did the rolling. It worked out great. It only took three days to do which I was so glad about. I love projects but I hate living in a construction zone!

I once had a teacher that gave the class a piece of paper and said "Write the directions on how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich"

Let's just say I found it quite difficult to give detailed steps that were different from the song "First you take the peanuts and you mash em, you mash em. " :)
So if I didn't give enough info on the how too's feel free to ask, I know I'm not good at talking let alone giving directions.

As I mentioned before... taking pictures is a MUST DO. I wish so bad that we had a before to show of this after. If you saw the bathroom when we moved in. The counter top was terribly tiled and falling a part. We lived with it as long as we possibly could and then just took care of it... here is the bathroom now...

I have wanted to do this to the mirror or A mirror for forever! A little back story...
The theme that the people were going for that were here before us was everything daisy. I'm sure the woman was just thrilled with the fact that the knobs on the cabinets, the hinges holding the mirrors up AND the decorative tile were all daisy's.... I myself, LOVE when I find things that go together... so I will be kind and just say the owner before and I have complete opposite tastes... SO, that said, I was ecstatic when Kevin said that the molding around the mirror would be easy...and we could take the daisy hinges off!!! it took one Saturday to put the new counter and sink in, and to paint the cabinets black over a brown similar to what the kitchen cabinets were. I love the end result.

Now, I'm sure if someone were to move in tomorrow they would probably hate the powder blue knobs... but like the previous owner, I was thrilled that they matched the color scheme. How I love Hobby Lobby... :)

Again, no before pictures. We re did Dubby's room into a big boy room. We tried the bunk bed idea but neither boy went for it... so we decided we could do something new and just for Wyatt. He LOVES blue and loved that he got to pick the color of his room...

This is what you see as you walk in...

This AMAZING book rack was basically dropped off at my door free of charge. My great neighbors were getting rid of stuff so they asked if I was interested in this.. I was like UM HECK YES I AM!!! There were a few beams that needed to be fixed. So Kev put in some screws and slapped on some stain and wallah... my favorite thing about his room!

The letters are a fun story...I really like the trendy idea of the kids names being on the wall. Dax has it and he loves it. I wanted to do the same think for Wyatt but wanted it to be totally different from D's room... so I just searched out the letters of his name on google, picked the ones I wanted, printed them, bought some 8x10 boards at Hobby Lobby and modge podged them on. I really, really love them. I especially love that it's all different than Dax's room. It's all Wyatt's and he loves having his own room.

Little coat rack...

Ok... so that's what we have been up to. I love change... especially this time of year :)

Litttle Bit of Craftiness...

2011-03-17T11:38:00.005-06:00

Dax had treats for pre school this week. The theme for this month is transportation... The teacher changed it up and started sending reminders with the kids the time before they are to bring treats so they don't forget. On the reminder she put what the theme for the month is, what they'd be learning that day and so forth... I LOVED that she did that because you know how I love themes...so we made these traffic lights out of graham crackers, peanut butter, and peanut butter M&M's... I hope it was a hit at school, because it was at our house...

(I don't know why this is underlined)

I don't know if I mentioned that Kevin and I were called to be Sunbeam Primary teachers. I have to say that I am really excited for the new experience.
I have a little bit of insight in that call, if you don't mind me sharing...

it was about a month or so ago that I felt like Dax was getting older (duh) and I wasn't sure I was communicating with him the right way... or if I was just not on his level... which I'm not, but refer back to when you were a first time parent and how it felt so odd to talk to a newborn... what do you say?! It's not that I couldn't talk to him, I just wasn't sure how I could make sure I was teaching him correctly. Every single day he comes up with more questions that I feel unprepared to answer... anyway...I had been feeling like I needed some help. So in my prayers one night I asked that Heavenly Father would help me to know how to teach Dax... a little while later we got the call... now I need to throw this in here... Dax was NOT wanting to go to primary... to say it was a fight to get him there, was a HUGE understatement... so I know that he was a big part of why we were called. I kinda brushed it off to that until I got a thank you from the R.S presidency. In the card, on of the counselors said "You need this time to be with your kids because when they get older you won't have the influence you have now" right as I read that, I KNEW that the call we had just gotten, was an answer to that prayer. It was a great feeling to know that that small little prayer, that to me, wasn't a huge request, just one that could maybe help me through my day to day.... became something that will help me to know how to teach my kids, to teach my new kids in my little class. It will help me to teach the gospel to these sweet little spirits and quite frankly, help me to recognize the simplicity of our gospel. It's not something that is hard. Our teachings are simple enough for a little 3 year old to get and I believe that Heavenly Father made it that way for a reason. Sure, we need to study but we don't need to go so deep that we get confused. It's a simple work and a work that I'm so lucky to get to be a part of. The sunbeams are a RIOT!
Tonight Kevin and I are going to take these little handouts to our kids in our class. We've only been there one week so I want them to get familiar with us AND to get a little St. Patrick's day treat :)
I COULD NOT find "Lucky Charms" anywhere...so I just got the malt-o-meal knock off...

What We Did Tonight...

2011-03-16T23:02:00.004-06:00

It is SO fun being a parent. I got the biggest kick out of decorating for St. Patty's day 2011. I have to admit, this little "holiday" has freaked me out for most of my life. I remember going to Elementary school and there being green feet all over the walls and on our chalk boards. Something about little green men everywhere didn't sit very well with me... still doesn't, but I think of it more in terms of the boys now. It's not about me. They absolutely LOVED setting up the leprechaun trap with their Dad. I love making these memories. There really isn't anything better than this!

Coming through the front door...

Heading up the stairs...

THE TRAP!

we used broccoli for bait... because... well... it's green so leprechaun's MUST like it...right?!

Heading to the fridge to get a drink... (we ran out of green paper...so we used window paint...luckily we had some. We'll just say he took off his shoes)

Feet and messy hand print to open the fridge (we were laughing so hard at ourselves trying to figure out how to do the hand print)

The drink of water...that turned green (thanks to food coloring) because he drank it...

He left gold nuggets on their breakfast chairs...

And right next to each of them...

and they'll find other gold nuggets in random spots too!

He also used the toilet but you get the idea of that... you don't need to see the green water ;)

Happy St. Patty's day. Hopefully you have something pinch proof to wear!

L.I.F.E

2011-03-15T10:35:00.000-06:00

Sunshine Promises

2011-03-13T23:04:00.004-06:00

http://www.sunshinepromises.blogspot.com/

Honestly, I came across this blog on accident. I cried all the way through each of her four posts. (It's that new)
It really speaks for itself so I don't want to write too much on it other than I left with a really great feeling and went directly up from the computer, into my boys rooms and gave them a big kiss and a whisper into their ears that I love them.... In my patriarchal blessing it says that there are things I won't go through personally but will need to learn from others experiences... that line came right into my head as I read her sweet words. It's true... we are strong when life is easy but how are we when the road gets tough... the toughest... where do we turn?

Anyway... enjoy... it was a great thing for me so I thought I'd post it... :)

"You thought these emails were for free"

2011-02-22T14:54:00.003-07:00

"This week i was asked by an investigator in a lesson if i was happy like
with my life because the guy is really stubborn and first he asked my
companion he was like elder rengifo are you happy and then he turned
to me after he answered and asked me if i was happy and i said "psssh
of course i am!" and then after he said "seguro" like if i was sure
and then i bore him my testimony of why i´m happy and i explained to
him how i had a period in my life where i wasn't happy and now it´s
clear to me of what things i need to do in my life to feel true
happiness not just a momentary bliss of happiness. i went more into
depth with him but i just don´t have time to write everything but when
he asked me it i didn't just say i was happy just to say i was happy i
said it because i truly am happy with my life right now and i said i
was happy because i truly meant it and it really made me reflect on
my life and think of why i am happy, rather than, why i SHOULD be
happy. and i have a favor to ask of everyone who reads this i want you
to send me an email explaining why you are happy but not only in one
sentence really reflect on why you are happy. if you´re not well then
what is it that you think you should do to be happy? ya you guys
thought this emails were free but NOPE! ha ha k well i need to go now
i´ll talk to you guys in a week and on the phone in about 10 more
Sundays! and if i don´t get any emails of why you are happy...i hope
you can sleep at night...ha ha just messin' but i´d really like to know!
i love you guys soo much! chow from Ecuador!"

So this was the thought/assignment from my little brother's last letter. It got me thinking and honestly a memory from this passed weekend came right to my mind....

I have heard over and over that family dinner time is essential to family closeness. I believe it! I really do. I have a lot of memories growing up of times and conversations at the dinner table. I will admit though, that with Kevin not getting home until 6:30, the boys and I have usually eaten by the time he comes through the door.
This past Sunday, we got to eat dinner together at the table. After the prayer, Kevin told the boys how great they were in Sacrament, which then lead to asking the boys what they had learned in their classes. I asked Wyatt what songs he sang, when he started singing "Child of God...and he has sent me heeeya" and we all started laughing... I remember laughing and looking at the boys and at Kevin and thinking (really!, I thought this before Cam gave us our assignment)"This is why we should have family dinner, this makes me so happy." Just being with them and talking and laughing with them make up my everything. Those three boys are my happiness. They teach me so much about myself. SO MUCH in fact, that I get to grow daily. They challenge me, they love me, and they serve me... EVERY SINGLE DAY... and the great thing about it is that they don't even know it.
Where I used to get lost with the many hats us Mom's and Wives wear, I don't lose myself anymore. They don't let me. I have found myself and my place with them and in this world and that in and of itself does great things for a person... and that lucky person, is me ;)

On Valentines day, Dax was at school, Wyatt was still asleep (he slept till 11:30, he was so sick) and I was ironing. It was so quiet and peaceful and I had such a feeling of contentment. I felt so much love and appreciation for all that I have and for all of the blessings in my life. I have a healthy family and a great Marriage and wonderful kids that make me laugh every single day.
The past little while I've struggled with how to raise my kids so that they stay strong to the principles and commandments that the Church teaches, and close to their Heavenly Father as they grow older. To be honest, I've felt so much hopelessness... I mean, the world is so harsh and unkind and unaccommodating to what I want for them... but in that small, little, mindless moment, I felt content for what Kevin and I are doing with and for them, to help them know where to turn and how to always feel like they have a place in this world, for where our lives are as a whole. I can't tell you what that did for my day... actually, for my entire week. It gave me so much enthusiasm for dinner together AND for Family Home Evening. BOTH made all the difference this week.

I'm thankful for Camren's assignment. It made me write this experience down. I used to be so great at updating my journal with every day happenings, but it just hasn't been happening. So there it is... Maybe this will help you reflect on why you are happy and not just why you should be... what it really is that gives you that feeling....

HAPPY SINGLES AWARENESS DAY!!!!

2011-02-14T08:00:00.001-07:00

I mean... Happy Valentines Day!!!!!

These were the valentines that the boys did for their class mates, friends, teachers, and family members.
Wyatt was his usual self and was actually very accommodating. Dax on the other hand, had to be persuaded. It finally took me bribing him with the Christmas train, that's in the crawl space, to get him to do this for me... but he did it and I'm so happy with the results.

Here is what they looked like when complete...

My Valentine gift from my Valentine came this past weekend... when he finished a coffee table that I bought a few weeks ago for $20.00. I'm not into the country look, which this table clearly is for.... so because I needed a change, decided a new project was needed. I really didn't expect Kev to do the entire thing... I just asked him to sand it for me... but he did it all and I couldn't love it more...

Again, I forgot to take a before picture in the living room... so this is your only idea of what it was before...

This is the after...

I swear I spent an hour just looking at knobs... it eventually just came down to the price. I really loved ones that were 7.00 a piece... spending 14.00 wasn't exactly something I wanted to do... so I settled on these that were 3.00

I already had this fabric and thought it worked just fine... again, I didn't want to spend that much and the fabric I liked at the store... was pricey...

Anyway... Happy V-day to me :)

I hope everyone has a great day and is thankful for the ones they love and that love them right back...

A Tender Realization

2011-02-12T09:47:00.004-07:00

The Invisible Mother

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way
one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and
ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the
phone?'

Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping
the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner because no
one can see me at all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only
a pair of hands, nothing more! Can you fix this? Can you tie this?
Can you open this??

Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock
to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What
number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30,
please.'

Some days I'm a crystal ball: 'Where's my other sock? Where's my phone?
What's for dinner?'

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes
that studied history, music and literature--but now, they had
disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going,
she's going, she's gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a
friend from England. She had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and
she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there,
looking around at the others all put together so well. It was
hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty
pathetic, when she turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and
said, 'I brought you this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe.
I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her
inscription: 'With admiration for the greatness of what you are building
when no one sees.'

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover
what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after
which I could pattern my work: 1) No one can say who built the great
cathedrals--we have no record of their names. 2) These builders gave
their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. 3) They made
great sacrifices and expected no credit. 4) The passion of their
building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A story of legend in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the
cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny
bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you
spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be
covered by the roof, No one will ever see it And the workman replied,
'Because God sees.'

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost
as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you. I see the sacrifices you
make every day, even when no one around you does."

No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've
baked, no Cub Scout meeting, no last minute errand is too small
for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you
can't see right now what it will become.
I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of
the people who show up at a job that they will never see
finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer
of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever
be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to
sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's
bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My Mom gets up at 4
in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey
for three hours and presses all the linens for the table." That
would mean I'd built a monument to myself I just want him to want to come
home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend,
he'd say, "You're gonna love it there..." As mothers, we are building great
cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is
very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built,
but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of
invisible mothers.

How lucky we are!

New Addition

2011-02-11T20:10:00.005-07:00

The boys love their Grandma and Grandpa Horsey... Wyatt talks to Grandpa Horsey on his play phone on a daily basis. I remember Dax standing at our basement door as Grandpa finished our basement and him knocking on the door saying "Gampa.. you need dink yet? Are you workin hard?" Both boys have had a special relationship and love for their Great Grandpa Horsey...So, when Gram and Gramps called to let us know that their new colt had arrived... we made a special trip down to see the new addition to the family.
Dax inherited my sense of smell and the entire time was literally chomping at the bit to get out of that barn. He could not stand it... but really, if you notice the walls, they are covered in poo... so the smell wasn't exactly rosy.
Wyatt kept having to say "it won't bite me" to get himself to go up to the gate. I am surprised that any of the pictures worked because I was laughing so hard at Dax and his many reactions to the smells and getting his picture taken. It was hysterical!
I love that my boys love my grandparents. I consider them two of my best friends and enjoy every second I get with them.
I have many memories of being at my Grandpas house and watching him in the back yard with his horses. Trace and I always loved Jet BJ and were sad when the day came that they sold him. I have only the best memories and I'm just glad that my kids get the same experience.
Now... we just have to come up with a name for this lil' fella.... the last one they had was named "Dashin' Dax" because Dax was the newest addition to the family at the time it was born... so... if anyone has any great ideas for names.... let us know :)

If I remember right, I think they said this is the white horses seventh boy horse... yikes!

Notice Dax yelling at me...

Here again, he was getting mad for two reasons... One, because I was taking another picture of him and two, because he really wanted fresh air...

Another happening would be that Dax has entered Primary... saying that it hasn't been the easiest of transitions, would be an understatement... we did finally figure out that me taking him wasn't helping. He did better when Dad took him... I guess he felt tougher... anyway... he struggled and then one of his sweet teachers... Sister Dirk as he calls her (Her name is actually Sister Thurgood, but he knows her husband, Dirk... who showed him how to shock worms out of the ground... so he calls her that) brought him over some gummy worms, and a nice note... which made his day. The next Sunday, he went to both singing time AND class... where as before, he'd only go to the class part. Below are some pictures of them in their cute church clothes that Grandma Shauna got them for Christmas....

Dax, toward the end of one of his prayers: "and thank you for keeping us safe and I'm not being a Sunbeam, name Jesus Christ, Amen"

This is just a cute picture of Wy and his buddy Bennett in their Jazz uniforms...

Now or Never

2011-01-13T19:52:00.003-07:00

I will be honest... I'm not in love with 2011... but because 2010 ended on a good note with Christmas being so fun, I thought I better jot down the memories before I get so annoyed with 2011 that I don't write anything. As we've always been taught, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it :)

I'm going to start with the present and move back.... Below is a Valentine wreath that Dev, Amy, and I made... MAN did finding the material turn out to be more of a chore than we planned... but I think it ended up being totally worth it. Yes, we are still in January, but as Amy put it(which ended up being my excuse to hang it up before February) "Love is ALWAYS in season" I almost didn't go with the red, for fear that it would clash with the orange door... I could NOT be more thrilled with the outcome. It was such a fun project.

The girls at work... you will notice that I have a heating pad... That would be due to the fact that I have four kidney stones that I'm dealing with inside my body. It has been a ROUGH week and honestly, it doesn't seem to be looking up just yet.... I've been lucky to have a lot of help... but I'll be SO thankful when these annoying stones are gone. I wouldn't wish this on anyone.

It turns out Dax has been on a creative streak as well... he decided to build himself a snowman and name him Frosty. He built Frosty all by himself AND found the tree to steal the stick arms.

This was just a picture of the boys while takin' the picture of Frosty. Don't mind the windows... :)

One of the other blows of this year is that the boys BOTH have pink eye... you can see it in Dax's left eye but not so well in Dubby's... you can see that his left eye is swollen, but you should see how pink it is... it was quite the adventure heading to the doctor on pain killers. Thanks to my Mom for driving us over.

Now on to the happy memories... Nina gave the boys "Santa Dust" to put on the side walk so that Santa could find his way to the door in the fog... they LOVED it... it was so fun and is a new tradition for sure.

Dax got what he wanted! He wanted a helicopter SO badly... lucky for him, one of these helicopters has been on his wish list for years so it made it a great gift for both of them.

Dubby got a computer so he can help me "dedit" my pictures :)

The boys playin' with all the new toys!

They raked it in for sure. It was a great Christmas!

2011-01-01T19:57:00.003-07:00

Four More Days... and a New Perspective...

2010-12-21T15:05:00.004-07:00

I can't believe that we're only a few days away from Christmas. This year has gone by so uncomfortably fast.
Ever since I've had kids, my feelings get so tender around this time of year. I think about Mary and all that she had to have gone through mentally during her trek to have Jesus. I think about our Heavenly Father and his love for his Son that he sent down to do what he did for all of us. I think sometimes, the latter hits my heart more. Mainly because I really don't think that I could have done it. I've had my Abraham and Isaac experience and I really struggled with what my choice was... anyway, it makes me even more grateful for our Heavenly Father and his love for all of us.

The boys wanted to go outside so badly today. We went through the timely process of getting them all dressed for the cold and they went on their merry way. As I watched them, I got all choked up. They see everything with so much excitement. The world is their giant play ground. While as they play, I'm constantly looking for what's around them that could or would hurt them. TOTALLY the Mama bear mentality.
I took my camera out and I got a few pictures that I love. I will forever look at those pictures and remember the joy they found running around in that watery snow. It wasn't great snow. We couldn't have built a snowman out of it, but they didn't care. They loved it all... I'm trying to find the good in the world every day. Most days I'm just wishing I could go back in time and my kids could grow up when I did... I hate that I think that way.... today gave me the opportunity to notice what I'm needing to change. To me, that's seeing the world through a child's eyes...even if through mine, there is a LOT more caution, I hope I can succeed at seeing the good around me and recognizing every day for what it is... a gift :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Current Happenings....

2010-12-14T16:31:00.007-07:00

I have a few excuses as to why it's been such a gap in between posts. One, and the MOST stressful part of my last two months, was that our computer crashed. It was a joke. I had two weddings and eight family photo shoots on the hard drive. Luckily, I had backed them up. But still. It made me sick, still does, to even think about it.
Second, my photography business has kept me super busy... so doing anything but editing has been my life. I'm not complaining, just saying :)

So, since my last post, a Thanksgiving has passed....
The Applegate side of the family always has a "Gate Gang Turkey Bowl" the morning of Thanksgiving. It's ALWAYS a blast. It was quite a difference not having Cam there, but Dad's smack talking surly didn't ease up. I wasn't even a contender seeing as I let Dax and Wy bowl for me every other time. I think Kevin knew that I'd do that and took FULL advantage. He came in second, which is really first because Rich (my Mom's brother) doesn't count. He's a pro bowler and he wastes us all every time... anyway, Kevin was very pleased with himself.... we'll see how well he does when it's me against him... not him against a three and one year old.... :)
Here is the 2010 bowling picture....

Wyatt was SO excited about the whole thing...

My Mom and her Laurel class donated a Christmas tree to the Festival of Trees...so we went to go see it as well as all the others. I was pretty excited to show the boys all the trees...yeah, remind me to NEVER take them again. That was a JOKE. I will say there wasn't a tree that was dedicated to a newborn that died, that I didn't get choked up walking by. There were some really neat dedications. One tree went for 10 grand. THAT'S a lot for a Christmas tree, but at least it went to a good cause....

My Mom's tree decor and tree...

Dax admiring the Dino tree...

Probably the most exciting happening has been Wyatt's second birthday. Can you believe he is TWO?! I can't. It was SO FUN though. He could hardly believe all the presents were for him.

He had a Skate Board themed party. He loved the cake! He kept saying "MY skate board cake, huh Mommy."

The treat table....

Dax got a baseball helmet for his third birthday. Wyatt wore it a lot more than Dax ever did...but of course when he would wear it, Dax would decide he needed to wear it... Dubby got his very own helmet from Grandma and Grandpa Hair. He was thrilled!

Dax could HARDLY contain himself with joy at each of Wyatt's gifts. He even screamed out what we got him well before Dubby even got to it....

I think Wy consumed more sugar that night than in his two years combined...

My big two year old... where did the time go?!

He's had to sleep with his Tractor bike that Grandpa and Grandma horsey got him every night since his Birthday. He's also had to sleep in his "Racing Jammie's" (lightning McQueen pj's from Gram and Gramps alligator) The biggest fights come from who gets to ride the bike that Nina and Papa gave him and who gets to play with the remote control monster truck that we gave him..... After Dubby finished opening all his presents, Dax took Wyatt's face and said "I sure hope you will share with me Dubby"....and actually, he has been a very good sharer.... though, he's a lot more patient than I'd thought he'd be about it too.
That same night, during tub time, I asked Wyatt if he had a good birthday and he said "More Birthday" I think he enjoyed every second of his special day. Thanks to all who helped us celebrate!
We've been busy and happy all at the same time. I'm sure next week will only bring more memories to share. Until then......... ;)

2010-11-05T09:28:00.004-06:00

During my 1-4 o'clock hours, I've been at a loss. I miss my Dr. Laura program. It's not on KNRS anymore and sometimes, listening to too much political jargon (Sean Hannity filled her slot) makes me ornery.

It won't come as a shock that I am a subscriber to the Dr. Laura blog. I read this article this morning, and I really wanted to share it. I don't have a Sister. I always wished my brothers to be sisters, but it wasn't in the cards. My parents always said God loved them enough to only send them one daughter, never really got it till I was older... but I forgive them. I wasn't the easiest teenager. Anyway... I have, however, been blessed with a Mom who is my best friend and a certain friend that I believe is my "soul sister" and I mean that in the real way, not like " hey sista, go sista, flow sista" I mean she is my eternal friend. Someday we hope that we will live in the same retirement home. :) The following article made me thankful, yet again, for such great friends. Which you all are :)

Ya Gotta Have Friends

November 4, 2010 on 12:00 am

I’ve been giving something a lot of thought lately, and have decided to share it with you - to influence you (if you’re not already) to open up to friendships.

Deborah Tannen, the linguist, recently wrote a piece published in The New York Times which discussed some research which indicated that people with sisters are happier than those without them. Her point of view was it isn’t women who talk better than men, it’s that they talk more often - even if it’s not about problems. The very act of just communing is beneficial to both.

She pointed out that men - even men with problems - might talk to each other and end up feeling better, even when they didn’t spend ten seconds talking about “the problem.” Why? I believe it’s because talking is a connection, an act of interest and caring, and a remedy for isolation, loneliness, and despair.

My mother was from a small town in northern Italy and grew up during the Fascist/Mussolini era. Her parents owned a restaurant and worked all the time. She did have a sister, my aunt Lucia, who was gunned down by a Nazi firing squad at the age of 20 the very first day she joined the underground movement but, other than that, she learned (sadly) to be contained in herself. That never changed. As I grew up, I never ever saw her have even one friend and she instilled in me a real sense of self-protection. She always told me I trusted too quickly, got disillusioned/betrayed/hurt and then suffered immensely. She was right. But so what? Being “hurt” is not the worst thing in the world. Being disconnected is.

I don’t readily tend to talk about my personal/emotional conditions. That’s now what I do when I get together with friends. I just share life with them. I have a few lovely lady friends right now - a deep quality of friendship - which is so deeply satisfying. I remember my surprise when one of them hadn’t seen me for almost a week and said, “You know, I miss you.” I just about fell down. Why was I so touched? Because for the most part, folks are into their own lives and don’t necessarily pay much attention to subtle niceties like that with friends. At that moment, she was cemented into my heart. What a generous, sweet thing to say. I have another friend who texts me now and then just to tell me to have a great day, and another one who gives me professional massages twice a month simply because she wants me to relax.

My mother missed out on a lot. I’m glad I didn’t listen to her warnings about trust and people. Yes, some have been untrustworthy and unkind, and others have outright betrayed me. But if your heart stays closed to avoid that hurt, then you won’t hear from a friend those words: “Miss you…love ya.” I’d rather suffer some frustrations in return for not missing out on hearing that. I hope you are also so willing.

Remembering and an Update All at the Same Time

2010-11-04T12:00:00.007-06:00

So yesterday Camren flew out to Peru. Which is way further than his mission in Ecuador. He wasn't supposed to leave Provo until December 13. When we entered the MTC, he found out that plans had changed and he'd be leaving to the Peru MTC to serve until the 13th. Then he'll fly to Ecuador.
I wanted to be at the airport to see him off so badly, but waking the boys up at five in the a.m. wasn't something I thought I should do. My parents, Kael, and Cam's cute girlfriend Kelsea all went to see him off.
All morning I was anticipating some kind of news on how it went. I would get all teary when I would think back to when I met Kevin at the airport. I literally ran up to him and jumped on him. It's such a high. And such a great reminder of who, what, and why you're waiting. It was SUCH a hard two years for me. It all turned out the way it was supposed to but I can't help but feel for Kelsea and how she is feeling. After getting so excited to see them off, and then letting them go...it's quite the low.
Even after we were married, when the month of November came... I would feel sick. (That's when Kevin left) The smells, the colors, Thanksgiving, it was all a memory and for me, not one of my fondest.
Then I think back to when Kev and I landed in Mexico for our honeymoon and feeling sick to my stomach when the only sign I could read was the pepsi sign... and that was only because the way it looked. Not because I could actually read it. I remember thinking "we are so not in America anymore." We almost died in our cab ride to our hotel because the cabi was driving way too fast for my comfort. We had NO clue where we were going so he could have taken us anywhere and left us for dead. (Yes, that went through my head) Three days in, I was on a flippen DONKEY ride to the bank. Anyone who knows me KNOWS exactly how well I did with that. It wasn't something I look back on with fondness.
I'm a proud American and that trip largely shaped my appreciation for what we have... anyway, my point is... I can totally imagine the shock it was to be in a foreign country.
My Mom tracked the plane and he got there close to midnight their time. Kev and I looked up the MTC there. It's pretty, but for sure different from what we see in our country.
My heart has been full for my brother who left all that was normal to preach the gospel, for my parents, because, lets be honest, I'm so not looking forward to the day my boys leave and the heart ache of letting them be SO far away, and my heart is full for Miss Kelsea. Life is hard for the girlfriend.
I got to talk to Cam for a sec on the phone. He sounds amazing. ALL the pictures at the Airport were of him smiling. He looks SO incredibly happy.
I'm so excited for Kelsea too. The payoff is so much better than all that you go through while they're gone. When they get back... it really is what everyone said... It really does fly by. :) Love you Kels... hold tight :)

My Halloweenies... 2010

2010-11-03T10:55:00.002-06:00

I was SO mad that it rained like it did on Halloween... The boys did get their fill at the ward Halloween Trunk-or-Treat. They could not believe they could get candy by just saying trick or treat. Dubby's little voice saying it was so funny! It was a great memory. Dax won an award for his costume. It was priceless to see him walk up and get his prize. So funny. He's getting so big. I really can't say that I love that, but I do love the stages. Thanks to Nina for making the fire truck and dalmatian :)

Makin' More and More Memories...And Many More on the Way....

2010-10-29T22:19:00.004-06:00

Would you believe me if I told you that the night Cam entered the MTC, my Mom had a sleepover with Dax, picked up Wyatt early the next day, and along with "Papa Bear"(My dad) took them on a faux dear hunt? Well believe it. She's that awesome. Unfortunately, they didn't come home with a deer, but they did come home with stories to share. My boys just love their Nina and Papa bear. They do so many fun things with them. I'm so glad for the memories that they'll always have with them. I just love these pictures, so I thought I'd share....

The plan was to go deer hunting and then roast hot dogs and marshmallows by the fire up in the mountain, but they didn't allow fires up there, so they went back to their house and cooked em' in their fire pit :)

2010-10-14T12:40:00.006-06:00

Well, Elder Applegate is in the MTC. What an awesome experience it was.

The day before he left, my parents, my boys, Kael, Camren, and I all went up through big cottonwood canyon to just kind of hang out. Which we did. Cam was so quiet and deep in thought. Before we left we got some pictures which are below. You'll find the second one utterly heartbreaking.
That same night at 7 he got set apart. It was the coolest blessing I've ever heard. This kid is going to do amazing things while he's gone. The coolest thing of all is how his demeanor changed after the blessing. It wasn't a spirit of sadness anymore... he was excited... had more of a "let's do this" attitude. It was awesome.
The MTC no longer makes you go into the emotional filled room where everyone builds off of everyone else emotions. We got to walk him up. We got to see him meet his "host" and we said our goodbyes (or see ya laters as I prefer to call them) before he crossed the street. He was so happy. It's a memory I'll forever hold with happiness.

another heart breaker....

I wondered what he was thinking....

We plan to spoil him greatly while he is still in the country :) I'm lucky to have such great brother's. They do the best they can at all they do and I'm so thankful my boys have Cam and Kael and Trace to look up to.
This Kenny Rogers song was always one that made me think of Cammy. I mean from when he was super little wearing Trace's baseball clothes. He always kept trying and never gave up and he always saw the good out of everything. Pus, he has a sense of humor about it all too. Cam is the greatest... and he'll carry that on into his Mission. He's a fighter and always has been. I can't wait to hear all that he gets to see and experience out there. I miss him already but I know that he's having a blast wherever he is.

Farewelling, Grills and the Flu.... in the same month...

2010-10-05T22:09:00.010-06:00

I've been a bit behind on the whole Blogging thing...not too bad, but here's an update...

Cam's Mission Farewell was on the 19th and he's going to be leaving NEXT WEDNESDAY!!! Not sure how I feel about that. I'm so excited for him and I know he'll do an amazing job...on the downside, when he returns......I'll be 29!!! What the..?
I had to go print some things off at my parents house and I saw Cam's suit case in the computer room...half packed... made me a little sick... can't lie, I mean we still have a week, does he already need to be packing?! ;)
Here's a few pix from the farewell...

On the 28th Kev turned 28... can't hardly believe that one... But it was a good day. He got to take the day off AND eat dinner at Texas Roadhouse (our current fave) The boys could have tried harder to make his special day a peaceful one, but they failed MISERABLY. Kev couldn't drop them off fast enough for us to go to dinner and be alone.

His cake was a grill :)

Lucky, lucky, LUCKY me.... got the flu.... AGAIN! here's the thing that kills me. I got the swine flu a year ago within a week of this time! WHAT THE HECK! This better NOT be a trend... and I better not get it for Christmas again. I swear I clean my house. I don't know how that dreadful sickness can't resist at passing our house.

Having the flu TOTALLY ruined our trip to Idaho to see our great friends. Which meant it canceled Dax's long awaited trip to the pumpkin patch with his best friend's Ty and Noah, to the Idaho pumpkin patch. When I told D we wouldn't get to go up, he said "Just drink more Sprite Mommy, then your tummy will feel better and we can go see Ty and Noah".... how I wish that would have done the trick... anyway, luckily Dax's school was going to the pumpkin patch the following Monday and he still got to go to A pumpkin patch.

K, so you have to climb a hay stack to get to the top of this awesome slide. Honestly, the stack shouldn't be as hard as it was for me, but in my defense, I was carrying Wyatt so I had to pull myself up with one arm... Like Kev could resist the urge to take a picture of me climbing.... nice.......

Look at Wy's face

The next time down he wanted to do it on his own... I was laughing so hard....

Once D went once it was non stop.....

Kev is such a good Dad... I love that he can still be a little kid with these boys...

It's a good thing we got rained on (Scratch that)poured on while there because there wasn't any way we would have gotten them home, otherwise.
This next pictures is really for Dev and for the rest of you to see her great work. I mean, really my door has been a headache and a fun change all at the same time... My sweet friend made me this cute wreath to hang on my door. I love it. I promise this will be the LAST picture of my bright, sunshiny door that it probably seems I'm obsessed about ;)

....Serious Contemplation.....

2010-09-17T20:39:00.003-06:00

So... little by little my hair is getting longer, which I've been wanting SO badly... but all of the sudden, I'm seriously contemplating cutting my hair.... SHORT... like the pixie cut short. I've always loved the cut, but up until recently, I haven't really ever let myself get to the point of actually letting myself think about it... I want it just like this cut. Michelle Williams is who got me wanting it. I remember when she first cut it. I was so jealous. What do you think... Check yes or no....well, obviously, there's not box...but what's your vote???? I can't decide.... I NEED A CHANGE! this one is just really scary to me... HELP!

My Pick for the Hunger Games Cast

2010-09-16T10:13:00.012-06:00

Katniss:

Haymitch:

Gale:

President Coin:

President Snow:

Effie:

Cinna:

Peeta:

Honestly, the only one that I truly pictured from the beginning was Liam Hemsworth. I found myself trying to picture real actors so that I could make my list when I was done reading but I forced myself to stop... The one thing that I kept telling myself was that if they cast Kristen Stewart (which I kept seeing all over the place) I'd boycott the entire thing. So, really I didn't imagine any of these people while reading.. EXCEPT for Liam... he was Peeta the entire time for me... The picture I have for Haymitch, is totally what I had pictured, but I'm finding that a lot of people are putting Robert Downy Jr., which I can totally see. I know that I'll have too high of expectations, like I did for the "Twilight" movies, so I don't know why I even plan on seeing the movies... anyway, I thought it was fun to see what people put.

It's crazy how so many people can read the same book and have totally different ideas on what the characters look like... anyway... who do you all picture??? If you do decide to do this, tell me. I want to see who you see :)

Team Peeta! :)