The Lunds

Just having fun. . .

2012-02-06T09:04:00.000-08:00

I'm finally posting after a long time. The camera we bought in August suddenly stopped working a few months ago so we had no new pictures to put up. But last week we bought a new one! Here are some pictures of the boys at the airplane park on the Navy base. It's one of their favorite places to visit.

Christmas 2011 in Evans, GA

2012-01-07T15:30:00.001-08:00

Christmas Eve Baths and Hugs

We set up their gifts from both sets of grandparents the night before. They loved playing with their new train set and table with chairs.

December Update

2011-12-21T16:27:00.000-08:00

It's almost Christmas and we're so excited to be spending it with family in Georgia. It's such a blessing for us that even though we moved across the country away from part of our family we are lucky to be close enough to the rest of our family in Georgia. We are really enjoying our new home here in Jacksonville.

Our ward is great! Everyone is so friendly and we feel very much at home. We are excited to have callings already. Daniel is the second counselor in the young men's presidency. He gets to give lessons to the boys on Sunday and go to mutual every Wednesday evening. He says the boys are better behaved than the cub scouts we served with in Provo. I guess they're just a little older and not as rowdy as nine-year-olds. I was called as the nursery leader. They released the previous nursery leader because she just had fraternal twin boys about two months ago. :) I'm excited to serve in the nursery and to start having lessons again seeing that they haven't been very organized in the past few months. The boys love nursery. Liam was a little anxious at first because he has a hard time being away from me. But now he plays on his own and with the other kids. He still keeps an eye on me to make sure I haven't left. :)

On Saturday we went to our ward Christmas party at a member's home. We had such a great time. There was a chili cook-off, hot dog and marshmallow roasting, a hayride through the woods, a playhouse and Santa was there too! The boys loved the hayride and the playhouse. But they weren't very sure what they thought about Santa as the first picture shows.

Liam and Luke have been very talkative lately. They love telling each other "Come on!" And talking about their trucks, cars, trains and airplanes. Luke is beginning to repeat a lot of what we say and read in books. Liam loves pointing out words and letters in everything he sees. He'll just point at random letters and say "Y", "Nine,"T". Some of their favorite words right now are: airplane, sorry, arbol (tree in Spanish), Santa, snowman, cani (for macaroni), cheche (for leche-milk in Spanish), casa (house in Spanish), and 'scuse me OR comper (for con permiso-excuse me in Spanish).

Elf yourself!

2011-12-15T10:36:00.000-08:00

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/JsGIGiteGYJH8sMY?cmpid=ey_url

Hope this video makes you laugh! Enjoy!

Fun in GA

2011-11-29T08:33:00.000-08:00

We had such a great Thanksgiving in Georgia. We loved spending time with family and enjoying a little break. We were so glad Daniel was able to get the day after Thanksgiving off. We were there from Wednesday night to Sunday evening. The boys loved meeting their Granny in Toccoa and all the family they'd never met. We had such a wonderful time. Here are some pictures of one of the many things the boys found to entertain themselves. They are always so curious and love to play together lately. They got together to line up the items in the pantry. The line went from the kitchen to the bench at the kitchen table. They were pretending the macaroni boxes, cans, and soda cans were a "choo choo." :)

The First Two Weeks in Jax

2011-11-12T17:52:00.001-08:00

Today we went to get family Christmas pictures taken at the beach. Here is a picture of Luke while we waited for Daniel to get the car.

Here is Liam before the photo shoot at home. He modeled several outfits for me before choosing our favorite.

Yesterday we went to the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens with our friends. The boys loved the penguin exhibit. It was our last outing with my good friend and her family. I have a friend who is moving away from Jax on Monday. We've been friends since we were in high school and we got to see each other for just two weeks before she and her family move to Whidbey Island, Washington where her husband will be stationed. He's in the Navy too!

Liam and Luke seeing the ocean for the first time on 11-11-11. They couldn't believe how much water they were seeing!

Here is my attempt at making our home a little more homey and festive. I made this fall wreath and put it on the front door.

Liam and Luke enjoying a banana. They wanted to sit in this position. They are so cute!

During our first week here we got to see the Blue Angels perform at the air show on the base. My three boys love their airplanes! :)

This was one of the last rooms in our house we organized. It's Liam and Luke's new playroom! We all love it. It keeps them happy and entertained.

This is what I saw on the outside of our kitchen window one of the first mornings I was here. It's a gecko! They live in the cracks of the bricks on the outside of our house. They're so cute. I'm okay with them running around our home as long as they stay outside!

The Perfect Weekend-- when Daniel came home

2011-10-17T18:14:00.001-07:00

This is an update of what happened almost a month ago on the 15th of October. Blogger wasn't letting me post before. Hopefully it works. More updates will come later as we settle into our new home in Jacksonville.

The day of Daniel's homecoming from ODS finally came! The final leg of his flight was scheduled from LAX to the Bakersfield airport and was set to arrive on Friday night the 14th. Well, the trip had gone very well until this point. Daniel's last flight was canceled! The next available flight was scheduled to leave the next day at 11 am. He rented a car and drove the almost two hours from LA and made it to Bakersfield at around 2:30 a.m. on Saturday the 15th. We were so happy to finally see him! When the boys woke up they just couldn't stop smiling and brought Daniel all their toys and started playing with him. We went out to breakfast with my parents to a local breakfast buffet called Hodel's. Later that day Daniel, the boys, and I went to Murray Family Farms. The boys had so much fun! We got to watch a puppy dog race, joined in on a rubber ducky race, saw some turkeys and peacocks, went on a hayride and got to pick out a pumpkin.
Sunday we spent the day relaxing and going to church. We also went to visit my grandma. We had such a great weekend and were sad we had to say goodbye to Daniel again Monday morning. He drove across the country to Florida. It was a three and a half day trip arriving in Jacksonville on Thursday the 20th. Daniel reported to work. He had several days off to find a home and get settled in. He found a home, had the movers bring our boxes and flew back to Bakersfield to come get us. We're looking forward to living in a new city and for Daniel to start his new job.

We can't wait!

2011-10-09T09:04:00.000-07:00

Daniel will be home on Friday night! Time has gone by very fast for us. We can't wait to see him! He has been doing really well enjoying all the learning and work it has taken to get to this point. We are so proud of him. These are pictures of Daniel when he went to Boston this weekend on his liberty day. He went on the USS Constitution and the USS Stephen Groves . What a neat experience.

A new friend and a new "trick"

2011-09-25T19:06:00.001-07:00

This week Liam and Luke made a new friend. His name is Aiden and he lives across the street. Aiden is three years old and he's from Korea. The boys loved playing with him. He's such a cute little boy.

The video is of the boys doing a new dance they learned. It's a Mexican dance my dad taught them. As soon as they hear him whistle the tune they put their hands behind their backs and start dancing. They LOVE it!

Ready for Church

2011-09-18T19:52:00.001-07:00

Week 1-ODS. . Our first week missing Papi

2011-09-18T19:11:00.000-07:00

We've tried to keep busy this week to make the time fly by a little quicker. We've been going on walks every morning around the neighborhood and twice to the park. The boys have been having so much fun playing with the kids my mom babysits at home. I've taken the boys out to the store a couple times. We've also stayed home and gotten wet in the backyard. We've played with bubbles, fingerpainted, colored and read books.

The boys have learned several things this week. Luke started climbing on the chairs at the kitchen table on Tuesday. By Thursday Liam had gotten up too, but he climbed onto the chair then onto the table!! They have learned to say "bubbles", "mine", "no", "papo", (That's what they call my dad-Papito), "fan", and Luke says "keko" for cheese (queso in Spanish). When we went to the park on Thursday Liam went down the slide by himself several times!!

Happy birthday Papi!!

2011-09-18T18:45:00.000-07:00

Tuesday was Daniel's birthday! We decided to celebrate even though he's far away all the way on the other side of the country. I bought the boys little kiddie pools on clearance for just 3 dollars each! They got wet and LOVED playing outside in my parents' backyard. Then they got popsicles. We have been missing Daniel so much this week. We were especially sad we missed his birthday. Hopefully when he sees these pictures he'll be very glad we got to celebrate even if he didn't. We love you Papi!

Our attempt at family pictures

2011-09-09T08:56:00.000-07:00

We wanted to get some family pictures before Daniel left for training. We didn't have time to get them done professionally so we just used our new digital camera. My mom took them at the park and outside of my parents' home. I now understand that it is nearly impossible to get a good picture with two 18 month old boys who just want to explore and run around. It's a miracle we even got a couple where they are actually looking toward the direction of the camera. At one point we had to take advantage of the ice cream truck passing by and Daniel and I quickly positioned ourselves by the boys while they were watching it on the road. It was pretty funny.

Flying to our next adventure. . . Bakersfield

2011-08-30T20:01:00.001-07:00

We're very happy to report that we made if safely to Bakersfield on the 29th. Liam and Luke were very well behaved on both flights and during the almost four hour layover in LAX. We were prepared with new toys and snacks for the boys. I'm grateful my mom was able to help on the trip. I really couldn't have done it without her.

Here we are now in Bakersfield trying to stay cool. The weather has been dry and very hot. The boys are loving running around the house and getting to play with their Abuelita and Papito. They are getting used to the change very quickly. They miss their dad though. Daniel will be joining us on Friday. He'll be here for a few days before he heads to Newport. We're looking forward to having him here with us.

John and Kristin's Wedding

2011-08-14T18:59:00.001-07:00

Daniel's brother John was married on the 13th to Kristin. We attended the sealing in the Mt. Timpanogos temple. It was beautiful. They had their reception in Lindon that evening. We had such a wonderful day with the family. The boys were SO good. They loved running around the temple grounds and exploring the yard at the reception. We were so glad we could share John and Kristin's special day with them.

Daniel the Navy Officer

2011-08-14T18:52:00.001-07:00

This has been a big week for Daniel. We are so proud of him. He finished grad school about a week ago. On Thursday he was commissioned as a Lieutenant Junior Grade in the US Navy. It was such a blessing that his dad was in town visiting because he was able to perform the commissioning ceremony. Daniel is following in his dad's footsteps since he retired from the Navy several years ago as a Captain. It was a special moment for our family. We are so happy for the life changes that we are experiencing now and for the new experiences coming our way. We are so happy for you Daniel!

Our Georgia Family Comes to Visit

2011-08-14T18:42:00.001-07:00

We've been having such a fun time with our visitors from Georgia. Granny Jan and Grandad came to visit! Carolyn and Eric joined them a few days later. We had fun going to the park, playing with the new playset Granny Jan and Grandad bought, going to BYU and so many other things. We're so sad to say goodbye. But it's only for a short time since we will be seeing them in November when we move to Florida. We can't wait!

Random phone pics

2011-07-26T19:33:00.001-07:00

Some of these pictures are a couple months old, but I posted them just because.

The first one is of Liam trying to climb on the toy box to look out the window. The boys love looking out the window lately because there's major construction happening across the street. They just can't get enough of the big rig trailers, dirt movers and dump trucks.

In the second picture Liam and Luke were watching Toy Story and holding their Toy Story toys. Too cute!

Then there's Liam. a.k.a. The Cool Baby ;-)

The second to last picture is of the boys riding the fun and exciting Target cart for two. They like it so much better than their stroller.

The last one is of the boys at the park.

At the water playground

2011-06-27T18:17:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun Friday at a picnic lunch with our friends Christina, Jenny, and Jenny's little girl Sophie. The babies got to play in the water playground. The boys were pretty cautious and only felt brave enough to walk around when the water was turned off every few minutes. But when it came back on they would get startled and weren't too sure about getting wet. They had fun though. Little Sophie is such a happy little girl. She loved playing in the water and watching the big kids run around.

Summer's finally here!

2011-06-23T15:29:00.000-07:00

We're pretty excited that summer has officially arrived here in Utah. Yesterday it was in 90's for the first time this year. I took the boys on a walk to a park so we could feed the ducks and enjoy the sunshine. Here they are wearing their new summer hats. We hope to be taking full advantage of the warm summer months. Hopefully they'll be wearing these hats a lot!

Our Garden--Mid June

2011-06-16T19:06:00.000-07:00

Recently we've been taking daily wagon rides to see our garden plot in the community garden near our house. My good friend and neighbor Maria and I have planted two plots in the garden and have been waiting patiently for the plants to start growing. It has rained more than usual so it took a while for most of the seeds to sprout. Some even rotted with the rain. We'll be replanting those. We planted tomatoes, chili peppers, beans, carrots, peas, watermelons, cucumbers, cantaloupes, zuchini and Mexican calabazas, and even a few rows of corn. We have a little bit of everything. The boys love to watch me from their wagon when I weed and water the garden . I can't wait until they can actually eat some of the things that will hopefully grow in the next couple months.

Lately. . .

2011-05-20T19:59:00.001-07:00

Liam and Luke are now 14 1/2 months old! They've been learning to use a spoon and fork for the past month or so. Here they are eating yogurt with their spoon. They think it's the funest thing ever.

I've been volunteering at the local library once a month to do the toddler story time. In the month of May I read books and planned activities about bugs. I made these butterflies and had the boys color them as a "test run" for the craft that we did at the library later in the week.

Their new favorite thing is playing in their cribs. I put them in there and usually toss in some stuffed animals and balls. They have so much fun throwing them back out and jumping around in their cribs.

Liam has been walking for over three weeks now. Luke will take several steps but is still a little cautious. They can say several words: mama, papa, amen, ba-bye, baba(banana), uz (for luz- light), agua (water) and more that I just can't think of right now. They can point to these parts of their body when we ask them: boca (mouth), pies (feet), nariz (nose), oreja (ear), dientes(teeth), ombligo (belly button), cabeza (head). They're starting to show us that they understand when we speak to them and ask them to do things like walk, sit and listen.

Easter 2011

2011-04-27T10:46:00.000-07:00

We had a great time celebrating Easter with my parents this year. They were came to visit for the weekend. On Saturday we took the boys to the community Easter egg hunt. It lasted a total of thirty seconds and the boys each got one egg. They got to trade it in for a ball, which they loved. On Sunday they got Easter baskets filled with fun toys and we hid more eggs for them in the lawn outside our apartment. They knew exactly what to do and loved filling ther pails with eggs. It was so cute to watch.

Just blankets and chairs. . .

2011-03-31T19:54:00.000-07:00

The boys had so much fun yesterday playing in the fort I built for them. Who knew chairs and blankets could be so exciting!

A bad mommy moment. . .

2011-03-14T18:30:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we had our first broken bone in the family. Yes, Luke has a broken leg. So sad. Here's the story. This is going to be long. I just want to have it in detail for memory's sake:

Luke has been pretty fussy for the past week or so because he has four teeth coming in at the same time. We've been trying to keep him happy with teething gel and tylenol when necessary. Sunday was an especially hard day for him. I have to take care of the boys by myself during the first two hours of church since Daniel plays the organ in sacrament meeting and the piano for the first hour in primary. Well, the boys were pretty wiggly and fussy. I took them out to the foyer and they played a little. They were still pretty fussy the rest of the time at church, especially Luke. Well, we decided to all go to choir practice in the evening. We get to choir and the boys are pretty good for the first fifteen minutes. I held Liam and a lady in the choir held Luke. Luke let out a scream when he realized he coudn't see me, so I went to get him and had him play with Liam on the floor next to me.

They were okay at this point. Luke was still whining a little. I took my eyes off them for a couple seconds to look at the words in the hymn and somehow Luke lost his balance and faceplanted on the floor. He started screaming and I picked him up and he was okay. He's been overreacting all week long to little falls because his teeth are keeping him pretty uncomfortable. Then Liam starts getting pretty squirmy and they want to go out to the hallway and play. I held one baby on each hip and walked down to the benches in the sacrament meeting room. There was a nine year old girl who wanted to push Liam around in a little stroller. This was when I bent down to put Liam in the stroller while still holding on to Luke. I heard Luke scream. I thought it was because his leg got somehow twisted when I bent down. I was wearing a long skirt so maybe it got stuck or something. I really don't know how it happened. He was fine after a few minutes but I thought maybe his leg was hurt more than just a twisted ankle because he wasn't moving it as much. We got home and he was pretty happy and normal.

After dinner, we tried having him stand holding on to us and he wouldn't put any weight on his left leg. Daniel thought we should wait it out and see if he felt better the next day. I didn't want to wait so I called the clinic. Daniel took him in and sure enough he has a broken leg. The bones right above his ankle have a fracture. Sad!! I felt so incredibly HORRIBLE!! :( Poor little baby. He got his cast today. Hopefully it'll heal in a few weeks.

The Blue Wagon

2011-03-10T18:49:00.000-08:00

Today was the first "warmer" day we've had this year. It was 60 degrees! It was a little windy but I had to take advantage of the sunshine and take the boys out on their first ride in their new wagon. They were smiling and giggling the whole time. Don't they look so happy?

Party Time!!!!

2011-03-05T16:37:00.000-08:00

BEFORE

DURING

AFTER

Our B-day!

2011-03-05T16:31:00.000-08:00

Liam and Luke turned one yesterday. They each got their own muffin with a candle for breakfast. We didn't do much since their party was today. We did go to Toys R Us to buy some last minute gifts. While we were there they got their own Geoffrey the Giraffe birthday balloon. They LOVED them. Liam would not let go of his. It was so cute to watch how happy they were to have their own balloon.

Nothing like pizza then a trip to outerspace!?

2011-03-02T08:47:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we got to spend time at the Gateway in Salt Lake City. The boys had fun spending time with their uncle John who met us there for dinner. We ate at the California Pizza Kitchen. Yum! Liam and Luke had their first taste of pizza and it looks like they loved it! We then went to the Clark Planetarium and looked at the exhibits.

Fun with Friends

2011-02-18T18:24:00.001-08:00

We had so much fun yesterday when Christina, Jenny and her cute little Sophie came to visit. I hadn't seen my friends since we moved and Liam and Luke hadn't met Sophie. They're less than three months apart. She's soooo cute!!! The babies had fun playing with toys, stealing them from each other and eating snacks. The rest of us enjoyed a yummy lunch and just talked. It was such a nice change. Enjoy the pictures!

One month shy. . .of a year old!

2011-02-08T13:37:00.000-08:00

Liam and Luke are eleven months old already! They are doing new things every day. Luke loves to dance to any music he hears; on TV, radio, cell phones. His favorite is dancing to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles theme song. Daniel found this out. Liam is now standing up using the couch, toy box, my leg and in his crib. He looks so cute!

Lately they both have been sick with colds/stomach bugs. We actually had to go to the doctor on their eleven month birthday. They have been so sleepy during the day and having a hard time sleeping at night. Their appetite was gone for a couple of days but seems to be coming back a little. Poor babies. They're having trouble keeping any food down. We're just keeping them rested, hydrated and happy with lots of hugs and cuddling. Right now they're actually taking their third nap of the day. They were practically falling asleep on the carpet as they crawled around the apartment. I took the hint and put them in their cribs instead.

Big Boy Haircuts

2011-01-23T18:34:00.001-08:00

This week Liam and Luke got their first short haircuts. At Christmas my mom had trimmed their hair. It was getting so long! It grew out very quickly. Don't they look so much older now?

Getting into things

2011-01-18T16:40:00.001-08:00

Now that the boys are a lot more mobile they love roaming around the house and opening drawers and cabinets. They are also starting to pull up on their knees and sometimes will pull up to stand.

What a year. . looking back (Jan.-Apr.)

2011-01-02T09:09:00.001-08:00

January: I looked like I was about to go into labor but really I was almost thirty weeks pregnant. By the end of January (31 weeks) I was put on bed rest and had to stop working.
February: Bed rest! It was fun at first. Daniel took on all the chores and anything/everything I couldn't do. He even had to help me get off the couch!
March: We welcomed Liam and Luke into our family on the 4th. Then the fun began!
April: In the first couple months of our little boys' lives we had many visitors come meet them. Aside from sleepless nights, they brought us so much happiness.

What a year. . looking back (May-Aug.)

2011-01-02T08:53:00.001-08:00

May: The boys are two months old and starting to smile. They love playing with their new play mat.

June: We video chat with Tia Miriam and Eric every day. On Eric's birthday we surprise him with a little "virtual" party. :)
July: At the end of June we move to a new city. We finally get settled in. Liam and Luke are enjoying their own bedroom. This month, the boys get their first professional photos taken.

August: We keep enjoying the summer and the boys learn new tricks.

What a year. . looking back (Sep.-Dec.)

2011-01-02T07:51:00.000-08:00

September: Abuelita and Papito came for a suprise Labor Day visit!

October: Luke and Liam started learning to drink water from a cup. The last week of October Granny Jan and Grandad came to visit from Georgia.

November: Daniel is sworn into the Navy!

December: We had so much fun in San Antonio visiting primo Eric!

Christmas In San Antonio

2010-12-27T19:33:00.000-08:00

We had such a fun time visiting Miriam, Travis and little Eric in San Antonio. Luke and Liam loved crawling around their new house and playing with their cousin. We enjoyed the nice weather were glad my parents got to join us too.

(Sorry, the pictures are not in order)

The boys loved all the attention they got from their Abuelita and Papito. Here they are on Christmas day wearing their new pajamas.

Liam and Luke wearing the hats they got from their Abuelita and Papito. They helped each other open this present from their Tia Miriam, Tio Travis and cousin Eric.

They got cute reindeer stuffed animals.

Luke had just opened his first present on Christmas Eve. Christmas pajamas!

Liam opening his first present. He loved the paper.

On Christmas Eve we dressed up the babies and Eric as the three wise men and had a little nativity. They're such cute wise men. :)

Here's Eric enjoying the 70 plus degree weather at the park. We had a delicious barbecue.

Taking pictures at the "North Pole"

Crawling around the kitchen floor with Eric. Eric loved pretending he was a baby too. He copied all their baby talk. Pretty funny!

Here they are getting a bath.

Hats and Fun with Paper

2010-12-09T07:14:00.001-08:00

What is it about paper that keeps babies so entertained? It's seriously their favorite thing to play with. Maybe I should get them paper for Christmas? :)

Trying on papi's military hats.

Here are Liam and Luke wearing their winter gear. My mom made them these cute hats. I'm glad they love wearing them. They're adorable. They have fun taking the hats off each other. It's funny to watch.

Wacky Wednesday

2010-11-24T13:31:00.001-08:00

Here are a few fun pictures of the babies being silly with a pair of clown glasses. Since it is extremely frigid today (highs in the teens) we will be staying indoors. To keep the babies entertained I pulled out these glasses and snapped some pictures.

It's a great look for them don't you think? :)

In the Navy

2010-11-15T15:40:00.000-08:00

We're so happy that today Daniel was sworn into the Navy. We have waited for this day almost two years! Daniel is especially happy. This is like his dream come true :) Now he'll just continue finishing up his degree and will get paid a salary at the same time! It's awesome!

They gave us lots of free Navy stuff like bumper stickers, t-shirts, little balls for the babies and even scrubs for Daniel and me. The babies really liked the hats that came with the scrubs. They're pretty excited about their papi being in the Navy. :)

Reflecting

2010-11-12T19:54:00.000-08:00

I was just looking through pictures and was reminded of how my life has changed for the better in the past five years. These pictures were taken at Daniel's grandparents' house here in Utah. The first one is one of the few family pictures we have at the moment. The second pictures was taken at Thanksgiving in 2005. Daniel and I had gotten engaged just a couple days before. Sure, we're not as thin as we used to be or as young. :) But despite the challenges we've had together, we really have a lot to be grateful for. We've gone through some trying times with Daniel's job loss, the stresses of work, or the lack of work, and recently learning to be new parents. We can say that all our prayers have been answered at the time that helped us the most; even if it meant having to be very patient. Right now we're looking forward to Monday when Daniel will FINALLY be sworn into the Navy. It seems like we've been waiting for so long! It has been an answer to many prayers and we're so happy the day is almost here! Who knew five years ago that we'd have the challenges that we've had and that we would have grown so much as a family. I love them so much. I love my boys!

Eight Months Old Today!

2010-11-04T20:19:00.001-07:00

Today, November 4th, Liam and Luke turn eight months old. Here are a few of the things they like to do:

Luke:

scoot on his belly

clap

dance

look at books

sit on his own

reach his hands out to be held

eat puffs

be sung to

Liam:

play peek-a-boo

laugh

make cute baby noises

roll around really fast on the floor

play with cords

sit on his own

be kissed

drink from a cup

Dancing, Scooting, and Just Being Cute!

2010-11-01T07:11:00.000-07:00

Here's a video of Luke dancing. He started doing this several days ago. Any chance he gets he'll wiggle and dance. He'll be in the exersaucer and start dancing when I sing to him. He even dances to my ringtone and church music! As you can tell from the video, he loves doing it when he's playing on the floor. Actually, I just put him down for a nap and he was half asleep, kind of whimpering a little and wiggling his little body like he was dancing. It's so funny!

Here's Liam just relaxing in the exersaucer. They both absolutely love it! Liam is such a happy baby. Getting smiles out of him is so easy. Yesterday we went to church and Janelle, Daniel's mom, held him in her arms and he fell right to sleep. When he woke up he didn't even make a peep. He just opened his eyes and looked around. He's our little happy boy!

Halloween Preview

2010-10-29T20:36:00.000-07:00

Today we went to The Gardner Village with Daniel's parents who are visiting from Georgia. It was extremely windy but we managed to get a few cute shots of the babies in their jedi knight costumes. They are the cutest jedi knights I've ever seen!

Our #1 favorite thing to do

2010-10-23T07:05:00.000-07:00

Now that the weather is about to get cold we are mourning the loss of our daily walks. We go on two walks a day to the park and sometimes to the library. It's supposed to snow on Monday so maybe we'll start taking our walks somewhere warmer like the mall.

How to drink from a cup

2010-10-23T07:01:00.000-07:00

Here are the babies at their first attempt drinking water from a cup. They really like it. Especially when I let them play with the empty cup.

Give us a boost-er

2010-10-03T17:23:00.000-07:00

Before the booster seat: Happy babies eating on the bumbo chairs

Here they are with their new booster seats. They love them! I love them too. Now I don't have to sit on the floor to feed them and they keep themselves entertained with the toy insert while I prepare their food.

Just Playing

2010-09-25T19:24:00.000-07:00

This week has been pretty much me and the babies doing this together since Daniel has been working the graveyard shift and going to class. Both boys are going longer between naps now and are down to three naps a day. Sometimes they nap at the same time, but most of the time they seem to take turns. So this means I get to keep them entertained and happy for longer stretches of time. They LOVE going on walks. The weather has been pretty nice lately so we usually take at least one or two walks each day. We go to the park by our house or to the library. They are also getting more mobile. Liam will roll around the floor until her reaches his toys or Daniel's "toys" aka "the electronics". Luke doesn't roll around as much but he does roll out of his bumbo chair on purpose. It's really funny to watch. I have taken several cute videos of the babies lately but I'm having a hard time uploading them. I will get them up as soon as I figure out the problem.

Super Daniel!

2010-09-13T18:19:00.001-07:00

Today is Daniel's 27th birthday. I made a card for him and this picture was on the front. I actually edited it myself using paint. It took a while but I managed to do it on Friday when the babies miraculously took two naps at the same time.

I just wanted to dedicate this post to him. I am so happy to have Daniel in my life. He is such a hard working and loving husband and dad. He has recently gotten a new job at the hospital and has been working so hard for our family. On top of that he's taking more classes than he's ever taken at one time. He's constantly busy but still manages to make me and the boys smile and laugh at the funny things he does.

Thank you Daniel for all you do. I hope you had a great day. WE LOVE YOU!

Six month stats and new pj's

2010-09-09T19:34:00.001-07:00

Gracias abuelita por nuestras nuevas pajamas.

Here are the babies' six month growth stats:

Liam- 15 lb. 4 oz. ; 25 1/2 inches tall; head is 17 in.

He's in the 10th percentile for weight and height and 25th percentile for his head

Luke- 16 lb. 9 oz.; 27 5/8 inches tall; head 17 3/4 inches

He's in the 90th percentile for all of his measurements

Half Birthday!

2010-09-04T20:07:00.001-07:00

The babies are six months old today! I can't believe how much they've changed in so little time.

Here are a few milestones the boys have reached.

They now eat baby food. They have tried only vegetables and rice cereal up to this point. Their favorite is squash. Liam loves eating a lot more than Luke. Luke makes funny faces and doesn't really open his mouth but he's getting used to it. I started giving them water in a sippy cup. They don't really know how to drink from it but they still like playing with them. Eventually they'll learn.

They both roll over all the time. Liam loves to roll over in his crib. He sleeps on his belly now and won't fall asleep if he's on his back. So I have to keep going in his bedroom to roll him back over to his belly or he'll just play in his crib and not fall asleep. Luke still sleeps swaddled. He loves being all snug and cozy. They sleep for a 7 to 8 hour stretch, nurse and then go right back to bed and sleep for 3 to 4 more hours.

They now notice each other all the time. They even baby talk to each other, smile and laugh. It's so cute!
They are both so happy and smiley. We are so happy to be the parents of such great boys!

Hill Aerospace Museum

2010-08-15T10:18:00.000-07:00

Saturday we got the chance to have a little fun as a family. It's hard to go out with the babies especially because they still nurse every 2-3 hours and need to nap pretty regularly. John, Daniel's brother, came to visit and we went out for lunch to Fazoli's. Then we spent a couple hours at the airplane museum at Hill Airforce Base. Daniel and I had visited a few years ago when we first got married. He was really looking forward to seeing all the jets and helicopters again and I was mostly excited to get out of the house and do something with the babies. The boys were pretty good and we enjoyed our day together.

Turbo Legs

2010-08-11T18:36:00.000-07:00

This is a video of Liam showing off what we call his "turbo legs." He kicks his legs really fast. The boy has so much energy. He was actually doing it a lot more right before I started filming. But, of course, they always stop doing it when you want to capture it on camera. :)

Can you do this?

2010-08-11T18:35:00.000-07:00

Elder Alvarez

2010-08-06T09:17:00.000-07:00

My cousin entered the MTC this week. He will be serving in the Denver south mission. He flew from Bakersfield to Salt Lake city on Tuesday and Daniel picked him up from the airport. He spent the night in our apartment and had fun meeting our babies. Wednesday Daniel took him to Provo where they had lunch at BYU before he took him to the MTC. This is a picture of him with the host missionary that was helping the new entering missionaries. We're so excited for him!

Photo Shoot by Giggles N Smiles Photography

2010-07-25T16:46:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures from Liam and Luke's first professional photo shoot. They turned out so cute! Luke did really well but Liam wasn't too amused. :)

More pictures! Finally moved in. . .

2010-07-12T18:22:00.000-07:00

I'm finally posting pictures of the babies' bedroom. This post is for you, Miriam. :) There isn't much up on the walls yet.

Here are Luke and Liam playing before bed.

This is the view from the rocking chair glider.

The view from the closet.

This is an adorable poster designed by my friend Linna. It's the boys' names spelled out by animals. Thanks Linna!

The next two pictures were taken from the door.

Playing with our stuffed animals. . .

2010-07-11T18:05:00.000-07:00

This week Luke and Liam started sleeping in their cribs for naps. Until now they had been taking naps on their bouncers. I was a little nervous at first because I've heard that sleep training could be pretty hard for little ones and their parents that have to hear them cry. Well, they did really well! They take about four one hour naps now. A lot better than they had been doing before.

Four month stats

2010-07-06T15:26:00.001-07:00

Today the boys had their four month appointment. They got shots. Not fun :(

Here are their stats:

Liam-
Height: 24 in.; 16 percentile
Weight: 12lbs. 7oz.; 17 percentile
He's still our little baby, but growing at a great rate.

Luke-
Height: 26 in.; 84 percentile
Weight: 14lbs. 13 oz.; 47 percentile
He's pretty average in weight but is really tall for his age. I guess he takes after his daddy.

We're four months old!

2010-07-04T18:59:00.001-07:00

The boys are four months old today. They are getting really good at tummy time and they both can hold their heads up. Luke was the first to roll onto his back during tummy time several weeks ago but now Liam does it every time he's on his tummy. Luke started scratching his head this week. Liam loves to kick his little legs. I call them his "turbo legs."

We have moved to a new city and are settling in. The babies have their own bedroom and sleep in their own crib. We have a bedtime routine we start at about 7 or 7:30. Every other day they get a bath. Then we sing a song and say a prayer. They both sleep until sometime between 1:30 and 3:30 when they wake up to eat. Then they go right back to sleep. Sometimes they eat one more time in the early morning before waking up for the day between 6 and 7. A couple times Luke has slept from 7:30 to 5:30, eaten and has fallen back asleep until 7:30. Hopefully they will both adopt this routine. :)

They love to "talk" to people and even to each other. It's so cute! When they play on their play mat Luke will reach over and try to grab Liam's nose or eyes. I have to keep a pretty close eye on him. They both really like to have books read to them. They are learning so much and growing fast. Tuesday will be their four month appointment. We have moved to Clearfield now so we have a new pediatrician. I'll post more pictures of them and their new bedroom later in the week.

Zumba WAKA WAKA with Katie in response to Shakira's 1Goal.m2ts

2010-06-23T20:15:00.000-07:00

Here's a fun video of my Zumba class doing Shakira's world cup song WAKA WAKA. So much fun!! I really love this song.

Baby Boys on the Bumbo!

2010-06-10T10:58:00.000-07:00

3 months old today

2010-06-04T12:57:00.000-07:00

The boys are three months old! I can't believe how fast time flies by. As of a week and a half ago Liam weighed about 10 pounds. He's doubled his birth weight. And Luke is now almost 13 1/2 pounds! They are growing fast and cuter by the second. The first thing they like to do in the morning is "talk" to me and listen to me sing to them. They also really like staring at the curtain when the light shines through. They are getting better at tummy time and can hold their heads up. Liam loves sucking on his hands. Luke just likes sucking on his pacifier.

Cutie Pies

2010-05-31T08:52:00.000-07:00

Liam is looking at the monkeys on Luke's pj's

I love Luke's cool half smile. And doesn't Liam look so happy?

We have several nicknames for our babies.

Liam: Little Liam, Liamcito, Liamcin (pronounced Liam-seen)

Luke: Lukie poo, Lukie p'lukie, or just Lukie

for both: cutie pies, bros or bro bros

Close-ups and new toy

2010-05-19T19:52:00.001-07:00

Liam

Luke

The boys are enjoying their new play mat.

I can't believe our little Luke and Liam are already more than two months old! They are the cutest. They are way more alert now and love to smile! They make the cutest little cooing sounds and love to interact with their mommy and daddy. They are starting to notice and look at their toys more and sometimes even "talk" to them. It's adorable! I absolutely love it when they start cooing and talking to me while I'm feeding them or even when they just hear my voice. I love knowing that they recognize me. We love our boys.

It isn't any trouble just to S-M-I-L-E!

2010-05-12T12:09:00.001-07:00

Smoky Salmon with Watercress and Bacon-Corn Couscous

2010-05-12T08:50:00.000-07:00

I saw this recipe on the Rachael Ray show and had to try it since I absolutely LOVE salmon and couscous. I left out and/or substituted some ingredients and it was still delicious. Even Daniel liked it. :) And it took literally 15 minutes to make!!

2 filets of salmon, skin removed
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for drizzling
1 large bundle of watercress
Balsamic vinegar
2 slices smoky bacon, chopped
2 ears of corn, kernels scraped from cob
1/2 small red bell pepper, chopped
4 scallions
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup couscous

Season the fish with salt, pepper, and smoked sweet paprika. Heat a drizzle of EVOO in a shallow nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, cook fish a few minutes on each side until just cooked through or a bit pink at the center. Meanwhile, dress watercress withbalsamic vinegar and a little EVOO, then season with salt and pepper. Heat a saucepot over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook to crisp, then add corn and peppers and scallions or onion and stir 2-3 minutes to tender-crisp. Add stock and bring to a boil. Add couscous and turn off heat. Cover and let stand 5 minutes.
Top the fish with watercress salad. Fluff the couscous with a fork and serve along side the fish.

Baby Talk

2010-05-08T08:06:00.000-07:00

Sorry these videos are kind of dark. I took them with our digital camera.

Liam and Luke's Blessing

2010-05-03T09:38:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Liam and Luke were blessed by their dad. We were so happy to have so many friends and family be with us on this very special day for our boys. After the blessing we had a lunch with those who came to see the babies. We had such a great time and truly missed those friends and family that were with us in spirit. We wish you could have joined us but here are some pictures for you to enjoy. Love you.

Froggies and Monkeys

2010-04-27T10:48:00.001-07:00

Sleepy Heads

2010-04-20T09:29:00.001-07:00

Luke has one eye open and Liam is smiling in this picture. I like how their heads are touching!

In this picture Luke is kind of smiling.

Cute Faces

2010-04-16T08:53:00.000-07:00

I love Liam's cute shaggy hair, his tiny lips, and his adorable mini fingers.

I love Luke's little nose, his chubby cheeks and his beautiful eyes.

Bouncers and Bathtime

2010-04-01T11:02:00.000-07:00

Luke right after his bath. What a cutie!

Liam nice and snug after taking a bath. Adorable!

They LOVE their bouncers.

Liam and Luke are four weeks old today. They are growing fast and enjoying life. Mostly they still like being swaddled and spending time looking around. They are more alert now. They like tummy time. Bathtime is not their favorite.

Videos from the new camera

2010-03-27T16:18:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of videos we took with our new video camera. We spent yesterday and today with Miriam and Eric at Travis' parent's house while they drove to Texas. Eric was in a kissing mood with his baby cousins, and this is only a small amount of what he did.

Two week appointment

2010-03-18T14:56:00.000-07:00

Luke

Liam

I can't believe Liam and Luke are already two weeks old. They sleep all day and wake up to eat every two to three hours. They like being tightly swaddled. Today we took them to their two week appointment with the pediatrician.

Ten days ago the doctor saw them to check their weight and progress since leaving the hospital. Liam had lost 7 ounces and weighed 4 lb. 12oz. Luke weighed 6 lb. 8 oz. which was 9 oz. less than his birth weight. It's normal for babies to lose weight in their first few days. Our goal was to get them to their birth weights by their two week appointment.

Here are the stats:

Liam's height and weight are below the fifth percentile but he gained more than one pound in ten days! That is amazing. He just needs to keep eating just like he's been so he can catch up with his brother.

Height 18 1/2 inches, weight 5 lb. 14 oz., head 34 cm

Luke is doing great also. He is in the 25th percentile for his height and head and 10-25% in his weight.

Height 20 1/2 inches, weight, 7 lb. 5 oz, head 36.2 cm

Goal accomplished!. . .and then some!

One week old tomorrow!

2010-03-10T13:17:00.001-08:00

In honor of Liam and Luke turning one week old tomorrow here are some more pictures to enjoy!

Happy Birth-Day Liam and Luke!

2010-03-07T12:00:00.000-08:00

Our boys arrived on Thursday, March 4th! We went in for a doctor's appointment and my blood pressure was still high, as it had been for the past little while. The doctor decided since I had made it to the middle of week 36 he would have me indudced. He said waiting would only guarantee that my blood pressure would keep rising he decided to have me admitted to the hospital. They started me on pitocin at around 11:45. I got an epidural at around four. No c-section was needed! I was pretty happy about that. Liam Daniel arrived at 7:45. He was 5 lb. 3 oz. A little over half an hour later at 8:18 Luke William joined his brother. He weighed 7 lb. 1 oz. They are both doing just great! We love our little boys!

You know you're 9 months pregnant with twins when. . .

2010-02-28T12:37:00.000-08:00

you're hungry ten minutes after eating
your wardrobe now consists of your husbands t-shirts, shorts, and pajama pants
you start mastering the skill of picking up things with your feet
turning your body over in bed involves lots of moaning
your legs get tingly after standing for more than two minutes
you only wear shoes if you absolutely need to
you have a dream that you're having two baby whales instead of two baby humans
your legs are turning purplish red
one of your greatest accomplishments of the day is taking a shower
getting into bed is a form of exercise
you get tired just from watching all the physical activity on the winter olympics
you are jealous of all the chores your husband can do
your husband has to hoist you up off the chair or couch
you start to waddle
even sitting is uncomfortable
sleeping and napping are an absolute necessity
your husband has to trim your toenails

you just can't wait to see your little babies

When and How Big...

2010-02-22T17:36:00.000-08:00

Try to guess the day I'll deliver our baby boys as well as each baby's weight and length. We'll see who gets closest to the actual numbers.

Just post it as a comment.

Birthdate?

Baby A weight and length?

Baby B weight and length?

35 weeks

2010-02-22T17:31:00.000-08:00

I've reached week 35! I'm happy to report that if I go into labor this week onward the doctors will not try to stop it. Now it's just a waiting game. Today at my appointment my belly was measuring 45 cm! If I were only having one baby I would be measuring way past my due date. But since I'm having twins this is pretty typical. I am now 3 cm dialated. The babies' heartbeats sound great. I'll see the doctor again this Thursday and every three days from now on.

34 weeks

2010-02-15T16:05:00.000-08:00

Here I am at the beginning of week 34. We had our appointment and ultrasound today. Here are the stats:

Dialation: still 2 cm

Baby A: 2 days ahead of schedule; 5 lb. 4 oz., head down

Baby B: 6 days ahead of schedule; 5 lb. 6 0z., also head down (not as low)

Me: Exhausted, uncomfortable, hungry, can't believe I have 10 lbs. 10 oz. of baby inside me! I'm hanging in there and I'm happy that I only have a few weeks left at the most!

33 weeks

2010-02-11T07:54:00.000-08:00

Monday was the beginning of week 33. I didn't go to the doctor this week. They wanted to give it about 1 1/2 weeks before the next appointment. So I go in on Monday, right at the beginning of week 34. This is my third week on bed rest. At first it was great because I got to sleep in and watch movies, etc. Now it's getting a little boring. I will be trying to spend my time doing productive things. I looked online for freebies for parents with twins. I found a bunch of companies that give you coupons and free samples once your babies are born. I will be addressing envelopes and getting letters written so when our babies are born we can send them in and get free stuff. I also used some of the gift cards we got to do some online shopping for cute baby clothes. I'm so excited to see it on our boys.

I'm feeling pretty much the same as other weeks. I have at least five contractions a day. It seems like I get them sometimes when I stand up. It's hard to get up and move around on my own. Daniel helps me a lot! I'm so glad he's home to give me a hand. Otherwise I would be having a really hard time. We're getting things ready for the babies. We bought baby detergent to wash their clothes, a changing table, and will be installing their carseats in the car soon.

Monday we meet with the doctor then we have our last ultrasound. Hopefully everything is on track and the babies' growth is good.

32 weeks

2010-02-04T07:31:00.000-08:00

It is now the middle of week 32. I went to the doctor yesterday and I am still at 2cm and 50% effaced. This is really good. I haven't progressed since I've been on bedrest which was the goal. I've been feeling a lot more uncomfortable lately. It's hard to move. Daniel has to help me get up off the couch or my chair. I don't really sleep well either. I get up at least 3 times to use the restroom and am constantly turning from one side to the other. The babies are doing great though. They move around a lot! I can feel them both kicking and stretching. It's fun to watch my belly move like crazy! I am still on bedrest. The doctor said that I'm pretty much a walking time bomb. He says that labor could potentially come at any minute. All I need to do is stay hydrated and rest. Our new goal is to get me to 34 weeks without going into labor. We'll see what happens. This morning I'm going to my weekly non stress test at the hospital. My next ultrasound and appointment with the doctor are both on Monday the 15th. That will be right at 34 weeks. I'm so excited to see our boys. In the meantime I am pretty uncomfortable but loving the fact that I'm doing it for our babies.

31 weeks

2010-01-27T10:10:00.001-08:00

I've decided to do weekly updates of my pregnancy on my blog from now on.
Today I am at 31 weeks and 3 days (I think). Monday I saw the doctor and we found out that I am 2cm dialated and 50% efaced. This is not a good sign since it is too early to start dialating. So they did a FFN test (Fetal Fiber Nectin). This test predicts whether you will go into labor in the next two weeks. The results came back negative, which means these babies will keep growing inside me for at least the next two weeks. The doctor has put me on "modified" bedrest. I am not allowed to work for the next couple weeks and I'm supposed to stay off my feet as much as possible.

So I am not working right now. I knew there was a chance I would have to do this because of the fact that carrying twins is considered a high risk pregnancy. We don't want the babies to be born before week 35 if we can avoid it. So I'm taking the doctor's advice. I'm so glad I have support from my coworkers and other people at work. I also already had a sub lined up. And what's even better is that she spent the whole day Monday in the classroom with me getting to know the kids and how I run my classroom. We didn't know she'd have to come in for most of the week, but it has been working out great. She is a certified teacher so I don't have to worrry about my sub plans being extremely detailed and long. She's awesome.

I'm at home taking it easy and just doing the best I can to keep the babies "cooking" for at least a few more weeks. Right now that's what is most important to me. I want our babies to be healthy and strong and I need to do everything I can to make sure it happens.

30 weeks

2010-01-23T18:50:00.000-08:00

Here I am at 30 weeks. At my appointment on Monday I was measuring at 39 centimeters. That's about 39 weeks along for someone having a singleton. At the ultrasound two days ago we saw that the babies are now both head down. Baby A is very low. Baby B has done a flip and is now head down. Baby A is measuring 2 days ahead of schedule at 3 lbs. 10 oz. Baby B is 1 week ahead at 4 lbs. 4 oz. We were able to see their hair in the ultrasound! It was pretty neat. There is no doubt they will not be born bald:) I now go to the doctor and to the hospital for a non-stress test every week. Most twins come by week 36 so we're almost there! But 36 weeks seems like a long time to me. We're getting pretty excited to see our baby boys.

Here's an update

2010-01-09T09:56:00.000-08:00

We haven't really taken pictures, so I haven't posted in a while. But here is a quick update of what we have been up to.

We flew to Georgia to spend Christmas with Daniel's family. It was great! We got to relax and have fun together. John, Daniel's brother, came home from his mission to Las Vegas. We were able to suprise him. He was expecting us to pick him up from the Salt Lake airport when he returned from Georgia, but instead we had flown out there. We got to visit Daniel's Granny and Gramps in Toccoa. The whole family had planned a baby shower for us! It was very unexpected and so very nice of them.

The pregnancy is going well. I am growing more and more every day. I am still working. I stay off my feet at work as much as I can and try not to stress about the little things. It's easier said than done with a whole class of third graders.

The babies are growing well and moving a lot! Sometimes it feels like they're wrestling inside of me. The doctor says that I am doing very well. I have all the typical pregnancy symptoms. I have started swelling up in my feet and hands. I eat all the time! It's pretty hard to sleep comfortably. I've also had heart palpitations and a couple dizzy spells this week. The doctor says it's all normal and nothing to worry about. I guess being pregnant makes a mom patient and makes her love her babies even more because of the sacrifices she has made. That's how I like to think about it. We are looking forward to seeing our babies. They will most likely come by week 36 which is in the beginning of March.

I have my next ultrasound on the 18th. I'll post more pictures then.

24 weeks

2009-12-10T06:13:00.001-08:00

Face of Baby B

He's looking forward. You can see his little head and part of his chest. He's on his side and is resting his head on his left arm. The round bubble at the top is where his umbilical cord comes out.

Baby A yawning
They had a hard time seeing all of Baby A's head yesterday at the ultrasound. He's very low in my uterus. They managed to get a side view of him yawning. He's facing up. The dark line going down is the space where he opened his mouth to yawn. The round bubble is his umbilical cord. Very cute!

I love Thanksgiving!

2009-11-29T19:35:00.000-08:00

Miriam and my mom at Gardner Village

Daniel and Eric in his new chef gear that my mom made him

Eric and I
He got sick with the croup :(
That's why he was so cuddly

Daniel's rolls turned out perfect!

We had such a great Thanksgiving break. My parents were able to drive to Utah from Bakersfield and spend a few days with us. We had a lot of fun making food, eating it and hanging out. We had a delicious Thanksgiving feast prepared by everyone. Miriam made the delicious turkey, which turned out better than the one on the magazine cover. :) I made the dressing and cranberry relish. My mom made the yams. Travis made the potatoes. Daniel made the best homemade rolls ever! And Brick Oven and Costco helped with the desserts. We had such a great few days together.

Double the Fun!

2009-11-12T18:01:00.000-08:00

In case you didn't know. . . Daniel and I are expecting at the end of March. We had our 20 week ultrasound today. We both were thinking we're having a girl. Daniel has been hoping for twins. I kind of thought I was pregnant with twins because I felt movement pretty early and I grew a ton in just a couple of weeks. Well, here's the big news

WE'RE HAVING TWINS!!! TWO BOYS!! WE'RE SO EXCITED!!!

HERE I AM A COUPLE HOURS AFTER WE GOT THE NEWS

ONE BOY

ANOTHER BOY

TWINS!!!

Fall Break

2009-10-17T08:41:00.000-07:00

I had a great and much needed fall break Thursday and Friday. Daniel has been extremely busy with finals, papers, projects and Navy interviews. Miriam, Eric, and I spent time together doing some fun fall activities. Here are some pictures.

Eric at the petting zoo.

Here I am at the petting zoo at Gardner Village.

We took this picture at the Red Barn before going on a hay ride to a pumpking patch.

Miriam with a funny looking witch.

Happy 26th Daniel!

2009-09-13T14:18:00.000-07:00

Today is Daniel's birthday. We celebrated yesterday at Red Robin. He had one of his favorite burgers, the Royal Red Robin Burger which has a fried egg in it. We invited Miriam, Travis, and little Eric. We had a good time and enjoyed some yummy food. Today we will continue celebrating by having homemade cinnamon rolls. They're a birthday tradition for Daniel.

Daniel, I hope you've been enjoying your birthday. I love you!

Back to School

2009-08-22T13:51:00.000-07:00

I had such a relaxing summer that I really didn't want to go back to teaching quite yet. The first day of school was Wednesday. It went okay except for a boy who was pushing my buttons and pretty much doing the opposite of what I was saying he needed to do. The second day was way better after I had a one-on-one with him. Now he's more willing to follow the rules.

I had forgotten how tiring teaching can be. I stand all day and have to move from one thing to the other. The day always ends with aching feet and a tired back. I love teaching though. I really couldn't see myself doing anything else. I guess I was just meant to teach.

Daniel had a class this summer at Weber State. He really liked it but was busy studying like crazy! He did really well in the class and ended up with an A. This week and today he had his official orientations for the MHA and MBA programs. He'll be going back to school this week.

Bakersfield and the Beautiful Beach

2009-08-06T15:27:00.000-07:00

My dad with a sixth finger

(actually it's a stone he found)

He still remembers how to set up a tent

My parents at Hearst Castle

Daniel in front of the outdoor pool at Hearst Castle

Here I am with Katie

My mom babysits this little girl

Last Thursday we drove to Bakersfield to visit my parents. We made it there by dinner time and had a fun night catching up with them. The next morning my mom, dad, Daniel and I got ready to make our way to San Simeon. Daniel had never been to Hearst Castle so we decided to take him there. We made it to Hearst Castle and at first the weather was kind of gloomy and foggy but it cleared up by the time we were on the tour. It was so beautiful! After the tour we went to Cambria and had lunch at a little diner. Then we went to our campsite. I hadn't been camping since my freshman year at BYU which is strange since I absolutely love camping. And Daniel was a Boy Scout when he last went. We decided it was about time. It was gorgeous. We took a walk at Moonstone beach near Cambria. It wasn't busy at all and we even got to see some kite surfers. It was neat.

The next morning we drove to Morro Bay. It was a chilly day but it was worth it. We walked to the shops and around the rock. We came home to Bakersfield after we had a delicious lunch of clam chowder and fish and chips.

On Sunday we went to church and got to see lots of people that I knew when I was a kid. It was fun to see them. After that we went to my grandma's house where we ate her famous "frijoles" (beans). So good!!!!

Monday we just hung out at the house. Daniel studied all day since his class was Wednesday and we'd be driving almost all day on Tuesday. I took several naps and just relaxed. It was awesome.

We got back Tuesday. We had such a wonderful time. It was a much needed vacation. Now it's time to get ready for the fall. The summer really has gone by way too fast for me.

Cub Scout Day Camp

2009-07-17T18:00:00.001-07:00

Daniel and I have learned a lot and really enjoyed serving as Bear den leaders since we moved to our current ward about two years ago. The cub scouts are good kids. Today we went to camp Jeremiah Johnson where they did pioneer activities. We had a good time even though we came home a little sunburned and tired. The boys are fun to be around and it's great that we can help them learn what they need to.

Zumba Fitness

2009-07-09T17:03:00.000-07:00

I'm ready for Zumba!!

I hope this post helps anyone that is looking for a way to lose calories and have fun at the same time. I used to work out and not love it at all. It was pretty boring, actually. At the end of April, Miriam and I signed up for an aeorobics class at BYU. It's actually called Zumba Fitness. We go to it three times a week for one hour at a time.

If you haven't heard of Zumba, it's basically an aerobic dance class and muscle toning to latin music. It's so much fun! Whenever I'm in the class I don't even feel like it's exercise. It's just like a big party and you're burning lots of calories at the same time. I always come out of class sweating and can feel the soreness the next day. It's great! I recommend it to anyone. You don't have to know how to dance. You just follow the instructor. I think they offer the classes in gyms all over the country. Try it and see if you like it!

At Bridal Veil Falls

2009-06-29T18:20:00.001-07:00

A few days ago we took a nice walk to Bridal Veil Falls. I love that place. Carolyn is visiting from Arizona and she came with us. Miriam and our nephew Eric also joined us. Eric had fun riding in the Snugli.

True Men

2009-06-17T13:54:00.000-07:00

This post is in honor of Father's Day for all the true men of the world. We dedicate it to our dads.

WE LOVE YOU!!

Here's a link to a great video about fathers and husbands:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQIQA6s2_Hw

This is another excellent video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhqRMP9meMc

2009 Hill AFB Air Show

2009-06-08T09:10:00.001-07:00

We went to the Hill AFB airshow on Saturday and had a great time. It had been three years since the last show here so we were really excited to go. They had a lot of great planes on display such as the EA-6B Prowler, the E-3 Sentry AWACS and B-1B Lancer. The main event was the USAF Thunderbirds. They were awesome. Here are some pictures of our day:

Three Year Anniversary

2009-05-26T17:28:00.001-07:00

Today is the three year anniversary of our marriage. Daniel and I have so much fun together. Yesterday we celebrated our anniversary. We went on a bike ride on the Provo River trail and had lunch at Macaroni Grill. We had a great day!

I'm so grateful that I have Daniel in my life. He's such a supportive husband and always keeps me smiling. We really are perfect for each other. Thank you Daniel for everything you have done for us. I love you!

My New Haircut

2009-05-24T13:47:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of my new hair. I had a morning devoted to myself yesterday. I went to my aerobics class at BYU in the morning, right after that I came home to change and shower and then went to the salon. I got a one hour pedicure and a brand new haircut. I hadn't gotten a pedicure in over a year and it had been a long time since I'd done anything to my hair. I got a completely new style. I was feeling adventurous. I actually like it.