Dearest Blog....

how I have neglected thee... and so many other things these past few months including, myself! However, I hope that's all changing. I'm even posting some new pictures. We've done a few things this past weekend. We took a trip to Capitol Reef and went hiking for Kyle's birthday. We came home and had a couple of beautiful warms days so we took our first Jeep ride of the year with friends. Needless to say, it's dang cold today. That's how Utah is... warm one minute, cold the next! I've also starting walking every night with my friend Ann. I do a lot better at going when I have someone to go with me. It's hard to get to the gym because I have to be to work so early that I don't have time to go in the mornings. I try to go a lunch but that doesn't work and then if I go at night, I feel guilty for leaving Ava because I'm gone all day as it is. It feels like this is such a catch 22, no right answer. So needless to say, I've been trying to do some different things at home and then just walk at night. It must be starting to work because I've lost 10 pounds already YIPPY!!!!!

Things at work are much better. We won't be doing any furloughs our benefits are supposed to go up a little but that's the least of my worries. I've worked in the private sector before and I'll tell you what, I listen to some of the older people that I work with complain about the benefits going up a few dollars and all I think to myself is they have no idea how good they really have it. I'm just glad and so thankful that we have health insurance. Kyle also finally has a job offer. It doesn't start until sometime in April. We don't have all of the details yet so I'll let you know once I know more. I still have some leery feelings about him going to work with an old business associate. He's going to talk with the company this week and see if he could get on a different shift then him. If he can, I think it will be all good. If not, I'd almost rather have him unemployed... how sad is that! I wish I could go into details about the previous business associate but it just makes me a bitch when I think about what happened so I won't do that tonight.

Anyhow... here's some new pictures. The first couple of pictures are from my dad. I love the big trees in the Redwood's.

Jeep Ride

Urs & Franki

Shanan

So tired

Shanan & Franki

Capitol Reef

Blooming Trees

Petroglyphs

Well....

I am battling some new challenges this week. I just feel like I keep getting kicked harder when I'm already down. It doesn't feel like it is ever going to end or we're ever going to catch a little break. I know that there are a lot of other people out there who are in the same boat that we're in right now and I empathize with them. So, I'm thinking of getting another job. It hurts so bad to think that I might have to do this. I'm already away from Ava more then I should be. There are a lot of adolescent group homes where I live and since I already work with troubled youth, I pretty much have the job if I want it. I just need to get back to them and let them know. I'm really really struggling with this right now. If I do take the job, it will put me back a year or so on my graduate degree as well as a lot more time away from the home... and at my job with the state, it's possible that I might have to take a mandatory furlough of 8 hours per month for a year and that my insurance premiums will go up as well. If that is the case, I really have no other choice but to take a second job. I've also went back on my birth control pills... so no baby right now either! I'm also really struggling with that one. There are just so many things I'd like to post right now but it would be from emotions and not logically thinking so I'm not going to post some of those things. So.. how's that for a pity party???

There are some positives though. Ava can sing her ABC's, count to 20 in both English and Spanish and she's only 3 years old! I'm so proud of her. She's such a smart little cookie. She loves to sing songs, dance and play. She's my little sunshine and the light of my life. She's has such a cute personality and a very creative imagination. She drew me a picture on her closet doors. So instead of being the big bad mommy and getting mad, I joined her and we drew a picture together. I told her that tomorrow we were going to paint and once painted, she couldn't draw anymore and she said "okay mommy". I just think with all of the stressors in my house right now, she can feel the stress as well and I think it relieved a lot of stress for both of us. I really don't think she'll ever do it again. If she does, I'll probably have to get mad next time. She's just growing up so fast. Mommy loves you sweet Ava!

So... there's my life in a nutshell right now. I'm hoping for some good weather in the next few days so we can go outside to play and take some pictures. I'll post pictures once I get some. Hope all is well. I'm going to bed! Loves...

Hello Everyone....

I know I promised pictures awhile ago but I haven't had time to hardly even sleep let alone post pictures. However, I will try to get to it very soon.

The abode is still the same. However, I did finally get part of my kitchen painted. This has been a work in progress since I moved into the home. I didn't realize how bad the walls were until I started trying to prep them to paint. Needless to say, we're still mudding trying to fix some of the walls so they'll look good once painted. I forgot how much work older homes were to remodel, even something just as simple as painting is a royal pain in a home where the walls are totally crooked. Oh well... I'm finally getting it! I'd post more about the home life but it really hasn't changed and is just getting more frustrating day by day. We're working through things but again, I'm just frustrated so I'll leave it at that for tonight. The work life is the same, totally busy. This is very good because of job security but also very bad because it means there are a lot more families that are in dysfunction right now.

I finished another class and pretty happy about that especially since I got an "A". Oh... for those of you who need college text books, go to http://www.cheapesttextbooks.com/ you'll seriously save TONS! Well... better go hang with the family. Hope all is well with everyone. I'm hoping that I'm back to myself very soon and once I'm back to myself, that means I'll blog more again. Loves to all....

So............

my cute, nice, sweet dad sent me a camera... that means I'll soon have some new pictures to post. Thanks Dad!!!!!

Happy Valentines Day!!!

So, I'm really not a fan of good ole Valentines Day. If' you're single, it's known as singles awareness day and even if you have a significant other, the day can still pretty much suck! Kyle and I decided that we weren't going to get each other anything this year. I'm more a fan of bring me flowers on some random day, not a day that he's expected to bring flowers. Anyhow, we decided no gifts this year. Well... that still means that you need to get something as I can't be known as the wife who didn't give her hubby anything for this gift expecting day. So I go shopping and find a cute little something and the cute little something is about $100 so I decide that maybe, just maybe I'll go with the agreement of no gift giving this year. Needless to say, I found the cute little something when I got home online for only $30 so I decide to order it. Well, it was supposed to be delivered yesterday and when I checked my email yesterday morning, it said it was out of stock and my card would be credited back for the amount of the purchase. I'm now back to no gift. I really just figured that it's ok at this point. We agreed on no gifts and when I tried to get something, it didn't come anyway. So I go to the local Walmart and just buy a cute card and me and Ava sign it. So I get up this morning and Kyle gives me a card. I'm thinking it's just a card since he really can't stand this special day. So I open the card and guess what's in it?!? a gift.... Well the nice hubby that he is went and bought me a gift card for a massage and some speciality foot bath. He said that I've been really stressed out with work and things at home and that I need to just do something for myself! WOW... what a sweet guy! So now, here I sit at the computer feeling totally guilty that all he got was a card! Oh well... I guess it's the thought that counts!!!!

So tonight we're going out with my friends Ann & Brett. I think we're going bowling and the somewhere to have a few cocktails. I hope you all have a great day!!! Loves....

Hello Everyone...

Again, I know I suck at blogging right now. I apologize but I just haven't been in the mood to do much of anything lately. I'm overly swamped at work which is good but it totally wears me out and then when I get home at night, I have no energy to do anything. I also have a very hard time in the winter. I used to ski when I lived in SLC and would like to take it up again but no moola to do that right now. I have some friends that I can go and play volleyball with on Tues and Wed nights but then I feel bad because I leave Ava all day to go to work and then have to leave her again when I get home if I want to go and play. It's like a no win situation. I'm so ready for warm weather or even just spring weather for that matter. Ava wants to go outside and play and we go but she's cold in like 5 minutes so then back in the house we go. Lets just say that I'm really looking forward to this Spring!


The home situation is still the same and I don't even like posting about it because I feel like a broken record. Kyle is still looking for work and put it one way, we don't really have anyone knocking down our door trying to offer him a job. I just feel so bad and to be honest, I'm sick and tired of having to defend him to everyone... family, friends, co-workers etc. I promise he's really sending out resumes and looking. There's just not much out there right now for a construction superintendent. Oh I promise... it's more frustrating for me and him then it is anyone else!

All in all things are ok. I still can't post any pictures though. I still can't get that camera to work right. I am trying though as it doesn' t look like I'll be getting another one anytime soon. The picture will not download off of the camera onto the computer and it won't switch over from external memory to my SD card.... here again, is a no win situation. Oh well..... it's all good!!! Loves...

I know I know.....

I so suck at blogging right now. Sorry I haven't updated for a while but I've been very busy at work the past couple of weeks.... and I think I'm totally depressed with the cold. I'm so ready for warm weather. I want to go outside and play. I'm so sick and tired of being in the house! Ava wants to go outside too but we get out there and she gets cold in like 5 minutes and then is miserable and wants to come back in the house. SIGH.... Oh well!!! There's my pity party!

I've had a decent four day weekend now and finally out of those days, have one at home. Things are really the same at my house. Kyle has a pretty good job lead and we're hoping to know something very soon, hopefully within the next week. I'd like to post some pictures but I'm REALLY disappointed in this camera. It takes the worst pictures I've ever seen. I get teary eyed when I think about it. I'm just hoping that maybe I can get a new one sometime soon. I'll cross my fingers on that one. Mom and dad if you're reading... I LOVE YOU!!! hint hint.... J/K. Oh, there's my second pity party on this post!

I've got back into my school work in the last week and will have another class finished next week. I'm on track to graduate in June 2010; 18 more months! The school was gracious enough to give me a grievance on my student loan payment and dropped it in half because Kyle is not working. I was so very grateful they were able to do that for me.

Ava is her usually self. My little stinker and I wouldn't have it any other way. We want to take her sledding later and I will really try to see if I can get some pictures and post them.

Well... I'm off to do laundry and clean house. Hope all is well with everyone. I PROMISE I will post again very SOON!!!! Loves...

Biggest Looser

Hi Everyone.... I was reading the news this morning and came across this blog http://utahtib.blogspot.com/2008/12/biggest-loser-6.html they're offering a "biggest looser" contest starting this Friday. Check out the blog, it sounds like it might be fun!!!!

Silly Ava....

So when Ava woke up this morning she was doing her morning snuggling with mommy. When mommy's not home, she'll snuggle with daddy. Well I've been home since Christmas and I have to go back to work on Monday and we've snuggled every morning for the past 10 days. So I tell Ava this morning that mommy has to go back to work in two days and Ava says no mommy, you can just stay home with me. So mommy tells her well... mommy's got to bring home the bacon. This is where it gets good. Ava looks up at me and says "but mommy, we already have bacon"! What a silly little girl! I just thought I'd post about my morning funny.

I should have some pictures from our New Year's party soon. I don't have any myself because I forgot my camera :( so I have to wait to get the pictures from my friend before I can post. I sure hope that everyone had a safe and happy New Year. Talk to you all soon. Loves....

Goodbye 2008.... Hello 2009!!!

I thought I'd just take a moment to remember this past year... its not been the greatest year for our family but there were some very good things that happened in 2008. We got married, Ava turned 3, had several fun camping trips with friends and a fabulous Lake Powell trip. I'm so very close with my family and I'm very thankful for that. I have some of the greatest friends in the world. I've also met some great new friends through blogging. We've overcome some very significant trials this past year and Kyle and I are still close and probably closer then ever. Although there are still days I could tell him to go live in the trailer out back. However, I did get one more kick in the teeth for 2008 in the mail yesterday. I guess the trail of bad luck needed to go out with a bang as well. I won't post about it right now but I will later.

So... goodbye 2008, bring on 2009. I have a feeling that 2009 is going to be a great year for us! We are going to welcome in the New Year with friends. We're having dinner at Shanan's house then going to the local pub. It's going to be a blast! I hope you all have a safe and Happy New Year. See you all next year!!!! Loves....

Shopping

So I went shopping with my sister today to see if we could find any good deals. We did not succeed. First of all, we took our kids with us BIG MISTAKE!!!!! Ava was the instigator today, not Kyden and she was a full on stinker. She'll either stay home or Kyden will stay home next time. It seems like we can take one of them and they're perfect little angels but when you take both, it's a recipe for disaster.

We started at Old Navy and from there, made our way over to the mall. Once we got to the mall, there was a great big sign in Victoria Secret that said SALE.... so of course we needed to browse. We both found us a really cute pair of PINK sweats that we both wanted. We tried to order them online but they were out of stock so we were both like SWEET, they have our size. In the mean time, I had to take Ava and Kyden out of the store to spare the other shoppers with their behavior. So I'm sitting out on a bench waiting for my sister to come out with our cute pants and I've finally got the girls calmed down when the cleaning lady who doesn't speak very much English comes over to our bench to clean. We were sitting by some semi dead poinsettia's and the girls were playing with the leaves that had fallen on the ground. The lady looks at me and comes uncorked that that girls "picked" the leaves. She was seriously freaking out and then started pointing at Ava telling her bad girl, bad... I then come completely uncorked as they hadn't picked anything. I won't tell you exactly what I told her but I wasn't very nice and I speak just enough Spanish that she knew exactly what I said. I'm not that type of a parent that lets my child pick flower or plant leaves in a mall or for that matter anywhere to keep them entertained. She could have asked me before she yelled and pointed at my child. I'm really surprised that I didn't get kicked out of the mall today! So then out comes my sister with NO pants... I'm floored! I ask her why? Well she gets told that they don't have the same sales in stores that they do online so if we were to buy them in the store, they would be $40 instead of $18 if we ordered them online. SPARE ME!!!! No wonders stores are going out of business when they can't even compete with their own online stores!

We now venture over to The Buckle and I decided that I was finally going to suck it up and buy me new pants since I haven't bought a new pair in over a year. I was going to wait until I lost a little more weight but I really needed some now. They'll just be a little looser here in a month! We go in and I get the BKE Wendi Jeans and pay for them. Well when we get to the car, I realize that I bought the wrong size. I bought the extra long length instead of the regular length. I'm really not that tall and the extra long ones were probably the length of my entire body. At this point, my sister and I are going to the Provo Mall to meet my dad who took my nephew to his house to stay for a few days. I just figured I change the pants at the other store.... FIRST NOTE TO SELF don't ever try on the Jean's the sales lady thinks you will like better ever ever ever again. I now do not like the BKE Wendi's as much as the Big Star Maddie's and well... there's $30 difference in price between the two and yes, the Big Star's were more but I LOVE THEM!!!!! SECOND NOTE TO SELF don't tell husband how much you paid for them or he will choke you! THIRD NOTE TO SELF remember just how cute they look before you think about the price! FORTH NOTE TO SELF never take children shopping with you again! As of this point, Ava will not have any siblings. I might change my mind tomorrow but right now I'm pretty set on Ava being an only child.

So tomorrow is New Year's Eve. My grandma is taking Ava for the night so we can go out and do something. We are going up to my really good friend Shanan's house for dinner then most likely the local pub. We have a good time there. So I'll post some picture of our little get together on Thursday. Does anyone have any fun plans this year????

Well that pretty much sums up my day and our New Year's plans. I'm ready for a big glass of wine or might just skip the wine and dive right into the Crown tonight. I've got this week off of work so if I want, I can go on a week long party. I probably won't but it sounds fun.... Loves

Happy Holiday's....

Hi everyone... sorry I haven't posted anything for the holiday's but I've been sick for a few days. Here are a few pictures from Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Ava had so much fun and got WAY too much stuff. She's had so much fun playing with her new toys. I've been working on the new camera and not very happy or impressed with it right now. It didn't come with an instruction book and it won't switch over from internal memory to my SD card so I can only get a few pictures before it's full. It doesn't have some of the features that my other camera had and so I'm kinda sad that one is broke. This one would be great for Kyle, just not great for what I want it for. Maybe I'll get lucky and get my "wish" camera for Mother's Day. It's a Nikon and kinda pricey so I'm sure that I won't be getting one anytime soon. Oh well... a girl can wish though can't she?????

Also, my friend Kaci over at My Three Sons needs some words of wisdom and prayers right now. Her youngest Carson who's 2 is very sick and could possibly be having some heart problems as well. I'm crossing my fingers that's not the case. Anyhow, please visit her blog you can get to it from my side bar and leave her a little message. She loves meeting new people especially her fellow bloggers and needs all the support she can get right now.

Guess who finally has a new camera.....

I do and couldn't be more excited! It's not the nicest camera in the world but will do exactly what I need it to do. Here are a few pictures that I took before the other one died.... oh and for those that asked, I found my other camera at my mom's and have no idea how it got there!

For sale....

or free! husband and three year old.... any takers? Must be willing to return at a later date!

I know I know....

I'm WAY overdue for a post. First I found my camera but it's caputs. The batteries go dead after one picture so it's pretty much gone. What that means is that the camera that I bought Kyle for Christmas, is officially now mine. However, it's at my aunts house so I have no pictures to post right now. I tried to get them off of the SD card last night but I did something wrong and they didn't save. Oh well... they're still on there so I'll post them later! However, that means I need to find something else for Kyle for Christmas and have no idea what to get him or really any extra moola either but I'll come up with something. He might just get a homemade card and a picture colored by Ava. That will probably be the best gift anyway.

Ava is doing so good and is so excited for Christmas this year. I can't put any presents under the tree because she keeps opening them. It's pretty funny. We put lights up on our house and every time we leave the house, she tells the lights "by Christmas lights, I love you" and then blows them a kiss... so dang cute. She also does the same thing with the tree and everything else in the house for that matter.

Kyle is still looking for a job and we are still just plugging along and hoping for the best. We really never thought that I'd be the bread winner of the home but that's okay. I deal with it better then he does. He's become a pretty good "stay at home daddy" in the mornings. Ava has only been going to daycare for a few hours each day so she can still have the interaction with the other children and so we don't loose her spot at daycare... and Ava LOVES daycare and we really like Marcia, our daycare provider.

Well that pretty much sums up what's going on a my house right now... not much and I know, boring! Hope all is well with everyone. I promise I will post again very soon! Loves....