Petersen Family Blog

School!

2011-08-26T21:29:00.001-07:00

Reagan started first grade this week. It's all day. We're both loving it. School is the best!!!

The really scary nightmare for a mom of potty training...

2011-08-14T21:24:00.000-07:00

Remember how I was DREADING potty training Skyler practically since the day he was born? I can't believe it but he picked it up in, oh, about a week. He's had less accidents than fingers on my hands. I am so so so proud of him.

I think what it comes down to is:
1. He was ready (I didn't really even bring it up until he was 3 years old)
2. He is easily bribed with marshmallows. (he calls them Mashmallows)
3. He likes to please people (unlike older sister who likes to do the complete opposite of what you want her to do. Talk about the potty becoming a control issue!)

So there you have it. Potty training doesn't have to be horrible. I never ever thought I would be able to say that.

Vote for me!

2011-07-01T08:00:00.001-07:00

Will you ALL go to this site and scroll down to #5 365 Days of Slow Cooking and click like??? It will take less than one minute. Pretty pretty please???? Thanks in advance!

3 year old and newborn recap

2011-06-12T21:59:00.000-07:00

Reagan and Skyler about 3 years ago

Skyler and Reagan today (almost 3 and almost 6)

Remember when I wrote this post about having a new born and a 3 year old? That was about 3 years ago. Now my newborn is my 3 year old and my 3 year old is my 6 year year old. Weird. Time flies (correction: some days it definitely does not fly).

Anyhow I thought I would give an update since this is a topic that leads many people to my blog apparently. Apparently you all know what I'm talking about when I say that 3 year olds are hard. This is why I think 3 year olds are hard:

1. Potty training. Usually you are potty training your kid right around this age. Need I say more about potty training? It just absolutely is the worst.

2. They may or may not have a new sibling right around that age. That adds a lot of commotion to their little lives and daily schedule.

3. They think they are big but they are not. They think they can do a lot more than they really can. They get frustrated when you tell them no. They get frustrated when trying to do something and their bodies won't cooperate like they should.

4. They are usually getting out of the daily nap. This leads mom to pull out her hair. This leads to no down time for moms. Moms need kids to take naps. Naps are what keep moms going. Naps are a moms best friend. Naps are what keep moms semi-sane. (Can you tell I really like naps, for my kid and for me?)

Any other things that make 3 year olds hard?

On the other hand, they really can melt your heart. Like Skyler saying to me, "Mom do you want to watch Ni Hao Kailan with me and snuggle?" Then proceeding to make me sit it a chair with a blanket and snuggle. He is so perfect (and so crazy *see above notes 1-4).

Anyhow, for all those with 3 year olds and newborns out there I want to tell you that the first year is pretty hard. But that when that 3 year old goes to kindergarten (and even preschool) life gets a lot better. So good luck to you.

Just some pictures of my kids

2011-06-12T21:54:00.000-07:00

Reagan and Skyler at the Dinosaur park in Ogden

So true, so true

Saying goodbye to her kindergarten teacher

New swingset!

Yay for summer!

Reagan's the one with the R and the one who is probably a foot shorter than most kids in her class!

Not so happy about me taking pictures at her graduation.

I'm in depression about this...

2011-05-22T14:12:00.000-07:00

She already looks so different with her tooth gone. wah.

Book Review: Life Is So Good

2011-05-02T13:54:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading this book on the airplane. What a great book! It's an easy read, interesting and so uplifting.

It's a true story about a man who was born in 1898 and lived for 102 years. He learned to read at the age of 98. It's a fascinating history lesson as well. He lived through the entire 20th century!

I felt inspired by his attitude and his efforts. What a great example of perseverance!

Book Review: To the Rescue The Biography of Thomas S Monson

2011-03-29T18:42:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading the wonderful book. It was very well written and kept me laughing and crying throughout the whole book. There were so many stories that I've heard before but even more stories that I hadn't heard. My favorite chapter was the one about his childhood. I can just imagine President Monson coming home with a bunch of dogs or sharing his pet rabbits with his neighbor. It is a great read and very inspiring!

Celebrity Collage by MyHeritage

2011-03-06T19:52:00.001-08:00

MyHeritage: Celebrity Collage - Genelogy - Old photos

What is the BYU honor code?

2011-03-04T21:39:00.000-08:00

With so much media attention on BYU honor's code right now I thought I would write a post about it. As a BYU alumni I am proud of my alma mater. I am proud that there is an institution that is strong enough to stand up to the values they have set forth and not simply "look the other way" when that would be the easy thing to do. It is interesting to note that with such a stringent code (no alcohol, attending church meetings, chaste and virtuous life, etc.) BYU is # 1 on U.S. News and World Report's "Most Popular Schools" list. Which means that out of all the schools in the report BYU had the highest percentage of accepted students who actually enroll at that university. That was ahead of Harvard and Yale. WOW! This tells me something. It tells me that there are many people out there that are looking for something better than the world has to offer. That the students who apply want to live the standards set forth and they want to be with other people who live the same way they do.

With so many people out there asking "where is the Mormon's freedom of choice?" and "why do Mormons have to live all these rules?" it's interesting to note that all those who go to BYU have signed up by their own free will to live the honor code. In fact, that is what is drawing them to the school in many cases. It's kind of refreshing...don't you think?

3 Strong

2011-02-14T20:17:00.000-08:00

Do you want to be strong? Do you want to be lean? Do you want to have energy to function in everyday mommy life? My NEW blog that I'm writing with a couple of friends just rolled out today. Check it out! You'll learn something, get motivated and inspired!

Disgusted

2011-02-07T17:48:00.000-08:00

Lately I've been noticing how bad commercials are. I am watching my perfectly appropriate show and then a commercial will come on that is totally innappropriate and often laden with porn. Mind you, my shows aren't on past 8 pm typically. I'm so sick of tv and movies and how totally tasteless they have become. It is offensive and uncalled for. Anybody else agree?!?!

Birth Order

2011-02-01T17:45:00.000-08:00

Book Review Time!

I just finished The Birth Order Book by Kevin Leman. I LOVED it so much! I keep telling Greg all the things that I learned. And now I am totally psycho-analyzing all the people in my life.

On a personal note, I think birth order has such a huge impact on your personality and why you are the way you are. I am totally convinced that if Skyler had been born first he would be a completely different person. I am totally convinced that if I had been a first born I would be totally different. If you have kids, you should read this book. If you don't have kids, you should read this book. It is a fun and easy read and very eye-opening.

You know you're probably shopping in the wrong store when you hear...

2011-01-29T20:04:00.001-08:00

"do you have size 00 here?"

"yes, it's right here. it's probably our most popular size."

Hello tweeny bopper land.

Working mom

2011-01-23T17:50:00.000-08:00

Here is a conversation I had with Reagan the other day:

R: When I grown up do I ever have to work?
Me: Huh?
R: Like some moms who have jobs. Do I have to work when I'm a mom?
Me: It's up to you and your husband.
R: I never want to work.
Me: You'll have to talk to your husband and make it a priority for you to stay home with your kids.

Long, long pause.

R: Mom, I don't want to talk to my husband!

In between world

2011-01-20T14:02:00.000-08:00

I don't like going shopping. I really never have. Too much standing. Too much trying on things that don't work. Too much worrying about price. Etc. Etc.

But lately I don't like going shopping because I feel like I'm in an in between world. I am not ready to shop in the women's section, but I can't really rock the juniors section etither.

Where do you shop? What are some great places that would fit my personality and stage in life?

Three's a crowd

2011-01-19T20:46:00.000-08:00

Has anyone else experienced this with their little girls?

Having one friend over is great for hours and hours but having two friends over is a mom's nightmare. I have to constantly intervene to tell them "to be nice." They butt heads and can't decide what to do. So they end up bugging me. It seems like three really is a crowd with 5 year olds.

I don't like Costco

2011-01-14T14:58:00.000-08:00

I really don't.

I let my membership expire in May and purposely haven't renewed it.

It's too crowded and it's way overrated. The prices aren't even that great.

So sue me the rest of Utah.

Treats

2011-01-13T17:21:00.000-08:00

I think if I could give up treats I would probably lose about 20 pounds, stat.

I love treats. I exercise 6 days a week so that I can eat them 6 days a week.

Anyone else like this?

Banana bread

2011-01-12T21:43:00.000-08:00

Why is my banana bread so awesome?

Why do other people's banana bread have those little black things in it? Mine doesn't. I think that's what makes it good. What are those little black things? A spice?

A hundred pushups

2011-01-06T11:51:00.001-08:00

One of my many ambitions for this new year is to do 100 consecutive pushups.
No, I'm not talking about the "girl" pushpus. I'm talking about REAL pushpus. Do you think I can do it? I'm doing a program on hundredpushups.com and hoping that I can keep up with it.

Boo yeah.

I kind of forgot that I had this blog

2011-01-05T17:59:00.000-08:00

It's a new year!

I'm feeling motivated. Woo.

Enter to win a free cookbook!

2010-09-21T19:58:00.001-07:00

Head over to my crockpot blog to win a cookbook. Do it do it do it!

First day of the rest of our lives

2010-09-04T20:43:00.000-07:00

Reagan picked out her outfit for the first day. She had to wear a shirt underneath the plaid one because it was "too itchy." When she got off the bus she said, "mom! I told you not to pick me up from the bus." Hmmm, are we in kindergarten here or in high school? She has been to school for 5 days and we have both loved every minute of it. I'm not the kind of mom that is sad when her kids get big enough to reach milestones. I love the quiet afternoon time. Skyler sleeping and me just listening to the silence. It is a beautiful thing. Just when it gets a little too quiet for me, Reagan comes busting through the door talking until she goes to bed.

Montana Trip

2010-08-17T21:36:00.000-07:00

Reagan's 5th Birthday!

2010-07-26T20:54:00.000-07:00

I love summer birthdays. Period. I already have 2012 planned. A summer olympics theme. It's going to be awesome.

All that build up...

2010-07-19T21:45:00.000-07:00

Last year when Reagan turned 4 we had a well-child check up at the pediatrician's office. At that time the doctor asked her if she wanted her booster shots then or when she turned 5. What kid is actually going to say, "yes please. I will take my shots now." So she opted to get her booster shots (or kindergarten shots, as she calls them) when she turned 5. Well, she turned 5 on Saturday and we had her 5 year well child check today. For the past year Reagan has been fretting over these shots. "I don't want to go to kindergarten because I have to get shots." "I don't want to get shots." "Why do I have to get shots?" ALL YEAR LONG! She is one who doesn't forget about stuff. She remembers forever! (Why did so and so push me when I was 2 years old?...um really? that was 3 years ago.) So I delicately told her last night that we would be going to the doctor today and she would get weighed and measured and yes she would get her shots. She took the news pretty well and I was quite surprised. So I am expecting this girl to freak out today and guess what she said, "ouch" two times and that was it. No crying, no kicking, no screaming, no running away. Wow. I am pleasantly surprised by this totally out of character, very mature way of acting. Nice! However, now she is all worked up with the peeing in a cup...so I guess we'll talk about that for the next year.

There's a first time for everything

2010-07-15T17:32:00.000-07:00

After lunch today I called for Reagan. "Reagan, Reagan, where are you?" I couldn't find her anywhere. Then I looked in her bed. She had gone into her room and laid down on her bed and fallen asleep. That is what I call an amazing miracle. This has never happened before. I was so happy because I promptly put Skyler down for his nap and read my book (the Help...a great read) for 3 hours. I'm not ashamed to admit it. I am lazy when I can be. And today I could be. Yay for me!

Happy Birthday, Skyler!

2010-06-24T13:40:00.001-07:00

We had a fun day at the park and the pool and then a little party in the backyard. He didn't stay still long enough for me to take pictures of him opening any presents. But he did pour about 10 cups of water on his head just to get a reaction out of the adults.

p.s. doesn't our grass look awesome?

Preschool graduation and some random pics

2010-06-08T19:51:00.000-07:00

Convo with a 4 year old

2010-05-25T20:26:00.000-07:00

As we're driving by some horses today...
Reagan: I know the difference between boy horses and girl horses.
Me: Oh really, what?
Reagan: The girl horses have long eyelashes.
Me: Yeah.

Date night

2010-02-26T21:29:00.000-08:00

I was getting ready for a date tonight with Greg (something we don't do enough). Reagan and I had this little coversation:
R: Why can't I come too?
Me: Because sometimes moms and dads just need to be together alone
R: Why?
Me: Because we're trying to keep ourselves from going crazy
R: Oh. You have to go alone so you can pretend that you aren't anyone's mom and dad for a little while.

EXACTLY!

Who has prettier hair?

2010-02-18T15:50:00.000-08:00

Shaun White?

Or me?

What do you think...should I go for his look? I think I look pretty.

Multi-tasking

2010-01-20T21:03:00.001-08:00

I realized this week why I'm not a good mom. I am not a good multi-tasker. I can only concentrate on one thing at a time. Once that thing is overwith I can move on to other things. Hence, why having 2 kids has been so hard for me. Screaming Skyler and Reagan trying to get my attention at the same time just doesn't work for my one-track brain. I am a much better mom when I just have one kid at a time.

Almost there...

2010-01-07T15:38:00.000-08:00

I'm sooooo close to being done with my 365 days of slow cooking! I am getting so excited. I looked straight past Christmas for this moment. It's going to be a huge weight lifted off my back when this is done. Tune into my last days of slow cooking here.

Thanksgiving

2009-11-30T09:54:00.000-08:00

Sorry that you aren't part of my family. Because if you were you could be part of this awesomeness...

40+ pies, 70+ people for dinner, and loads of fun. Missing you already, Thanksgiving!

In Montana

2009-11-21T19:59:00.000-08:00

I'm at my mom's house and she says today to me
"I bet you are just so exhausted at the end of the day" (referring to the incessant talking of Reagan and the frantic craziness of Skyler)
"yes mom I am"

Thank you for noticing...that's all I want sometimes. For someone to notice how hard it is sometimes and to acknowledge it.

I've been looking forward to this for 6 months

2009-10-24T10:55:00.000-07:00

I'm leaving on Monday for a cruise for 5 days with Greg. No kids. We're celebrating our 9 year anniversary on Wednesday.

Things I am looking forward to:
*Being able to read a book on the airplane with no interruptions
*Sleeping in, taking a nap, staying up late
*Eating good food and not cooking it
*Being served my food and not serving it
*Warm weather
*Peace and quiet
*Being with my husband without kids, being able to talk and not get interrupted

It's going to be a great week folks. Try to not to be too jealous.

Cleaning girl

2009-10-13T17:45:00.001-07:00

A conversation with Reagan:

Me: It's time for bed
Reagan: Mom, I just need to clean the bathtub before I go to bed
Me: Um, okay

The next day

Me: Reagan what are you doing? It's time for bed.
No answer, I enter the bathroom and find her cleaning the toilet. She is embarrassed that I find her.
Me: What are you doing, bud?
Reagan: I'm cleaning the toilet.
Me: It's time for bed
Reagan: Mom I just need to clean the bathtub before I go to bed
Me: You just cleaned it last night
Reagan: But Mom, it's so dirty I need to clean it again
Me: Um, okay but hurry up

TLC=Great shows

2009-10-01T13:17:00.001-07:00

Has anyone else watched the show I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant? It sounds so weird but it is so fascinating to me. It is about women who seriously go the whole 9 months without knowing they are prego. Then they go into labor and can't figure out what is happening.
"No, I'm not pregnant"
"Yes you are, and you're crowning"
"WHAT?!?!"
"Here's your baby"
So crazy. I can kind of understand when it is a really overweight person and the baby is just kind of hidden. But last week was a girl that was 100 pounds. At the end of her pregnancy she weighed 110. But still, how do you not have a baby bump or something that would tip you off?
At the end of my pregnancies (or even by about 7 months) I seriously look like I have a basketball under my shirt. I don't think I could ever go even 5 months without figuring it out.

Drool

2009-09-22T20:54:00.001-07:00

Skyler seriously is the most drooly kid ever. As you can see in this picture there is a constant wetness around his neck and all over the top of his shirt. He has all his teeth so it's not that he's teething. He just is a fountain. I wonder how he's not completely dehydrated.

First Day of Preschool

2009-09-22T20:50:00.000-07:00

Reagan loves preschool
Mom loves preschool
Skyler loves preschool
It's a win win win situation for all of us.

Skyman

2009-08-21T10:27:00.000-07:00

Reagan's Carnival Party

2009-07-26T19:17:00.000-07:00

Reagan's birthday was on the 17th. She turned 4, which is weird to think about! She'll be going to kindergarten in a year. We had a great carnival party for her and she loved it. It was good times.

Birthday girl!

Ball toss

Balloon Cupcakes

Welcome banner

Ping pong ball toss

"Bounce house" aka trampoline

Clothespin drop

Eating cupcakes

Facepainting by Grandma

Facepainting designs

Fish pond

Food booth

Football throw

Snowcones

Prize table

Present time

SOOOO glad we have a nice big tree for shade...it was over 100 degrees that day!

Happy birthday Reagan!!! We love you!

Skyler Turns 1!!!

2009-07-15T17:35:00.000-07:00

Old Testament weirdness

2009-06-10T20:07:00.000-07:00

I found this little Old Testament picture book. I decided to read some of it to Reagan tonight. So how do you explain to a 3 year old why someone puts a baby in a basket in the river. Or why people put lamb blood on their doors? It's kind of over MY head, let alone hers.

Getting old

2009-06-10T20:02:00.001-07:00

Greg is turning 30 on Saturday. I started dating him when he was 20. That makes me feel so old. We've been together throughout all our 20's. Crazy.

Conversation with Reagan

2009-06-02T06:23:00.000-07:00

Reagan: Mom, today is my wedding day.
Me: Cool, who are you marrying?
Reagan: I don't know
Me: What about Dad?
Reagan: No, he got married to you last night (Anything in the past is referred to as "last night")
Me: What about Skyler?
Reagan: No, babies can't stand up and dance at the wedding.
Me: What about Bracken? (A boy from her preschool)
Reagan: Sure

Terrible 3's

2009-05-08T19:08:00.000-07:00

I'm not trying to complain. Maybe I am. But are all 3 1/2 years olds as hard as Reagan? She seriously throws tantrums over the silliest things. Yesterday she had a tantrum over me eating half of her otter pop. Maybe I shouldn't have eaten it. I understand that. But it was melting and Skyler and I thought it looked good. She had already had one too. Anyway, that is not the point. When she saw what had happened she FREAKED. She yelled and screamed for a good 20 minutes. Now this happens probably AT LEAST once a day. Sometimes on a bad day it is several times. I'm just wondering if this is normal. If it will EVER get better. It feels like it won't. It feels like I am going crazy. Actually, I think I already AM crazy. It feels like I'm going crazier. How do moms stay sane? How do you learn how to not resort to the immaturity level of your child. Like sticking out your tongue at them, repeating everything they say, or having your own adult temper tantrum of sorts. I never thought that motherhood would be this hard. It tests my limits each day.
Disclaimer: I do love Reagan. At times she is very charming and cute. That is what is so hard. I KNOW she can act better.

News Story

2009-05-07T15:29:00.001-07:00

The news story that ABC 4 filmed earlier this week about my crockpot blog is on this link. It aired early this morning and should air again this evening at either 5 or 6 pm.
Fun stuff!

Good Things Utah = Good Times!!!

2009-04-24T15:15:00.001-07:00

For those of you who didn't get to tune into GTU today you can go to my crockpot blog and get the link to view the clip. It was a lot of fun!

Good Things Utah

2009-04-22T17:15:00.000-07:00

I am so excited! I am going to be doing a cooking segment on Good Things Utah on Friday. For all of those of you who live in Utah, don't forget to set your DVR's to channel 4 at 10:00 am to record it. Wish me luck!!!

Easter kids

2009-04-15T10:19:00.000-07:00

seriously???

2009-04-07T12:42:00.001-07:00

Dear Reagan,
Seriously, it's not funny anymore. I can't take the 5:30 am wake up calls. I am going insane. Please stop and stop now.
Love,
your mom

March in like a lion...

2009-03-30T06:23:00.001-07:00

out like a lion!
Seriously, it is the end of March. Where are you spring? I think I've been inside for about 5 months straight now. It's not funny anymore. I told Greg if we ever get the chance to move to Hawaii we are doing it.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2009-03-15T05:49:00.000-07:00

Isn't he the greatest?

P.S. Check my blog 365daysofcrockpot.blogspot.com for a new cookbook giveaway!

New member of the fam

2009-03-07T18:16:00.000-08:00

So, I'm not pregnant and won't be anytime soon (see previous post). But Reagan has a new sister named Grace. Grace goes with us everywhere. She is very polite and quiet. It is Reagan's imaginary sister. Reagan always makes sure that Grace gets her seat belt done up in the car and that Grace has a place to sit and the dinner table. It's been pretty funny to watch. I'm sure when Reagan gets in trouble she'll start blaming Grace too.

Question

2009-03-06T14:58:00.001-08:00

Dear people who have more than 2 kids,
How are you not insane yet? Inquiring minds want to know.

Sleepovers

2009-02-23T11:15:00.000-08:00

Here's an article my mom came across about whether or not to let your kids have sleepovers. I really agree with the author. Some good things to think about...

He's so perfect to me

2009-02-21T11:33:00.000-08:00

Finally!

2009-02-20T14:14:00.000-08:00

After being sick the past week and not eating all that much I'm finally down to my pre-pregnancy weight. So, that is what it took. That and giving up chocolate on weekdays. It only took me 8 months but hey I'm back and I'm happy to step on the scale again. I only gained a little over 20 lbs to begin with and Skyler was 8 lbs 4 oz...so I'm not sure why it takes so long. I guess there is truth to "9 months on and 9 months off."

Tired of it...literally!

2009-02-11T16:03:00.000-08:00

Reagan has been waking up progressively earlier and earlier this week. 6:30, 6:00, 5:45, and today it was 5:15! I was so furious with her. She went to bed at 9 last night! What is up with that? I'm not sure how to get her to sleep in later. I can't keep getting up this early it is killing me!

We now own a...

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

MINIVAN!
Now I know what you're thinking...you only have 2 kids. Why make the leap now? Well, Greg's dad bought a new vehicle and so they traded us the minivan for our blazer for their 17 year old daughter. She's thrilled and I'm thrilled. Greg and I liked minivans before we had any kids. We were always trying to finagle my mom's van out of her, but it never worked out. People call us nerdy but we don't care. We think it's SWEET!

365 days of crockpot

2009-01-28T09:28:00.000-08:00

I've decided to try to cook something in the crockpot each day for a year! I'm not sure why...I just thought it sounded like fun and a challenge. I decided to blog about by experiences and share the recipes. Here is a link to the blog...enjoy!

2009-01-27T07:28:00.000-08:00

Ha! I laughed out loud when I read this post today on my sister's blog

Best Friends

2009-01-27T07:26:00.000-08:00

This pretty much sums him up...

2009-01-23T10:03:00.001-08:00

Searching for the perfect pair of jeans

2009-01-14T19:44:00.000-08:00

Why is it so hard to find the perfect pair of jeans? This is what I want:
Dark wash
Boot cut
Not stretchy
Short (length)
Medium rise

This is all I can find:
Low rise, skinny jeans, stretchy fabric

Any suggestions?

Good TV

2009-01-13T10:50:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited for good TV to be on again. American Idol starts this week. LOST next week and new episodes of The Office. Last year Reagan loved to watch American Idol with us. She still talks about David Cook and David Archuleta. I started watching LOST when Skyler was born (in June) and he was about 2 months old when I had finished the first 4 seasons. Needless to say, I was watching at least one episode a day if not more. I've had withdrawals all fall. It's nice to have an escape sometimes isn't it? I was watching Jon and Kate plus 8 last night and Greg said, "why do you watch this show, doesn't it just stress you out?" I told him that is makes me appreciate my life more knowing that I just have one 3-year-old instead of 6! Man, I think that I am crazy now, just think if I had 6 3-year-olds!

Keegan we love you

2009-01-05T07:54:00.000-08:00

There are not too many people that can come into your life and in less than a week have an everlasting impact for good. Let me introduce you to one such person. Keegan Jason Watson was born on Monday December 29, 2008 at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center. Due to his serious medical condition he was life flighted to Primary Children's Medical Center in Salt Lake City. I was the first one to arrive at Primary Children's to meet the helicopter. The life flight nurse told me that she didn't expect him to make it through the night. After several hours the doctor was able to stabilize him. Meanwhile back at Utah Valley our hearts and prayers went out to my sister Katy (this is Greg writing) who was told that she would probably never see her baby again. After 6 days of a roller coaster of ups and downs baby Keegan slipped into eternity where he could live with God our Father for time and all eternity.

I can't help but think of Elder Lance B. Wickman's 2002 conference talk where he said, "As to the healing of the sick, He has clearly said: "And again, it shall come to pass that he that hath faith in me to be healed, and is not appointed unto death, shall be healed" (D&C 42:48). All too often we overlook the qualifying phrase "and is not appointed unto death" ("or," we might add, "unto sickness or handicap"). Please do not despair when fervent prayers have been offered and priesthood blessings performed and your loved one makes no improvement or even passes from mortality. Take comfort in the knowledge that you did everything you could. Such faith, fasting, and blessing could not be in vain! That your child did not recover in spite of all that was done in his behalf can and should be the basis for peace and reassurance to all who love him! The Lord—who inspires the blessings and who hears every earnest prayer—called him home nonetheless. All the experiences of prayer, fasting, and faith may well have been more for our benefit than for his.

I know that the fasting and faith and prayers was for our families behalf. He was able to receive his body and to be hurried home to live forever with that God who gave him life. As I was looking at my 6 month old son Skyler yesterday I was overcome with the overwhelming spiritual impression that they knew each other before they came here and I was saddened not only for Katy and Jason's loss but for Skyler's. He lost his best friend. I will always remind him that he needs to work hard and be faithful so that he can return to be where Keegan is.

His life will not be lost in vain. I have already recommitted my life and my focus so that I can be where he is. Jason and Katy are my inspiration. I could not have asked for such a wonderful sister and brother in-law. I can't help but get emotional as I think of their last interaction with Keegan when the decision was made that he needed to be taken off life support. He was wrapped up in a blanket where he was brought to his mother where she was able to hold him for the first time until he literally breathed his last breath and was taken home to that God who gave him life where he will live forever in celestial glory.

Neil Diamond is my friend

2008-12-23T12:22:00.000-08:00

"There are two kinds of people in the world...those who like Neil Diamond and those who don't"

-What About Bob

I am definitely one of those people that like him. Greg and I attended his concert in Salt Lake on Friday night. It was a delayed anniversary present. We had the greatest time...at least I did. The best part was that he played so many of my favorites like Shilo, I am I said, Love on the Rocks, You don't bring me flowers, Holly Holy, Cracklin Rose, Cherry Cherry, and Play me. Usually when I go to concerts I go home a little sad because the singer didn't do my favorites and played a lot of songs I didn't know etc. Not this concert...it was seriously the best. I would go again in a heartbeat. I was perma-grin the entire time. Greg thinks I'm quite nerdy, which is probably true. There were, however, 2 couples in front of us around our age and the men got up and danced and were so happy when "Forever in Blue Jeans" came on (the wives weren't as enthusiastic).

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-22T15:01:00.000-08:00

6 month stats

2008-12-22T14:57:00.000-08:00

Skyler went in for his 6 month appointment today. He was 18 lbs and 27.5 inches. 60th percentile for weight and 83rd percentile for height.

Sleep runs my life

2008-12-19T06:49:00.000-08:00

Sleep has so much to do with how I feel each day, how much patience I have and how I function. I was so pleased when I sleep trained Skyler and he started sleeping until 7 am! Well, then the time change came and he was waking up at 6 instead. That's still okay. Then it was 5:30. Well the last two nights I've put him to bed around 7 or 8 and then he has woken up at 10, 2, 3:30, 6:30, then finally 8:30. I wondering if this is a new habit? Or if it is growth spurt? What is going on??? If I just knew I could fix it. Also the fact that Reagan has been getting up at 6:30 am on the dot isn't helping. I hate it so bad. Reagan has a child lock on the inside of her door so she can't get out of her room without our help. When she wakes up in the morning she goes straight for the door and KNOCKS KNOCKS KNOCKS as LOUD as she can. It is the worst feeling when I hear that knock. It is like I am in high school again and I hear my alarm clock beeping (I had to get up for a paper route and seminary at 4:30 am). Help!

My Creation

2008-12-11T06:26:00.000-08:00

Here is the BEFORE...a little media shelf that I got on craigslist for $5.

My sister gave me the idea to make a little kitchen for Reagan for Christmas. Here is the link to some of the ideas: http://www.ohdeedoh.com/ohdeedoh/toys-kids/roundup-diy-play-kitchens-069808

Here is the after:

The pie I'm bringing to Thanksgiving even though it won't matter because there are a million other ones

2008-11-25T20:57:00.001-08:00

Bob Evans Peanut Butter Pie
1 5 oz. pkg. Jell−O Instant Vanilla Pudding
2 cups cold skim milk (you could use any milk you like)
1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped
1−1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 prebaked pie shell of your choice (use a ready made, refrigerated
crust, or you can bake your own), lightly browned
1 − 8 Ounce container of Cool Whip (or store brand equivalent)
Garnish: chocolate syrup & crushed peanuts
Whisk together pudding mix and cold milk in bowl until creamy. Add 1/2 cup
whipped whipping cream, peanut butter. Whisk until completely blended. Pour
into baked pie shell, cover with generous layer of Cool Whip whipped
topping. Put in freezer for 1 hour until set. Remove from freezer, drizzle
with your favorite chocolate syrup & crushed peanuts. Cover, chill 2 hours,
serve.

pumpkin cookies

2008-11-25T20:54:00.001-08:00

EASIEST yummiest pumpkin cookies ever
1 spice cake mix
1 14 oz can pumpkin
chocolate chips
mix up, bake for 10 minutes at 350.

modern day miracle

2008-11-25T20:49:00.000-08:00

So, I'm sorry there are so many posts about potty issues but seriously that is my life for the past year. The last 2 days Reagan has worn her underwear and she has had zero accidents!!! She has gone #2 four times! That seriously is remarkable. I am so happy. I just hope she will keep it up.

only 37 kinds of pie???

2008-11-22T10:29:00.001-08:00

Dear Thanksgiving,
You are seriously my favorite holiday...or at least in the top 3. You make me so happy. I love that I get to go to Franklin Idaho and visit my family. I love that because of you I get to choose from 30+ different kinds of pie. I love that I get to eat the best rolls in the world because of you. I love that your whole holiday revolves around eating good food and a lot of it. Thank you Thanksgiving you are my best friend!
Love,
My stomach

Monster Baby!

2008-11-17T13:51:00.000-08:00

My sister, Gina had a baby yesterday named Kaitlyn Anne Benson. She is beautiful...so I went to the hospital to visit and realized Skyler is like a monster compared to her. He is SO huge!

proposition 8

2008-11-03T11:18:00.001-08:00

check out my friends post on proposition 8 in california...it is very well thought through

embarrassinig secret

2008-11-03T11:00:00.001-08:00

I'm so embarrassed for myself that Reagan is not potty trained yet. I feel like a failure. She is 3 years and 3 months. The Dr. told me to stop putting pressure on her and let her wear a diaper everyday if she wants. So that is what we've been doing. The good news is that she is not holding her poop in anymore and is not costipated. She loves her diapers and chooses them everyday over panties. Of course when she chooses her diaper she will not go pee in the potty. Why would she? It's such an inconvenience and it's so much easier to just pee in the diaper. I'm so sick of her smelling like urine. I'm so sick of changing her diapers full of poop. I feel like she literally will wear diapers for the rest of her life. Anyway, as you can tell I'm very frustrated.

Happy Halloween!!!

2008-10-31T10:48:00.000-07:00

4 months old!

2008-10-23T15:22:00.000-07:00

4 month stats:
16 lbs 8 oz (exactly double his birth weight) 79th percentile
95th percentile for height
31st percentile for head circumference (don't you think his head looks bigger than that with those chubby cheeks)

While the doctor was rotating his hips and checking them he was laughing and laughing. It just shows his personality...so happy and easy going!

My theme song for Skyler is "you make me so very happy, i'm so glad you came into my life." It really expresses how I feel about him. By the way, he has now slept through the night until past 7 am for 4 nights in a row. This makes me like him even more!

What a beautiful night

2008-10-20T14:13:00.000-07:00

Went to bed at 10:30 didn't get up until 7:30! The BEST night ever! Please Skyler, don't tease me. Just do this every night.

Feeling ugly

2008-10-18T14:50:00.000-07:00

Dear postpartum body,
I don't mean to sound disrespectful of you but I'm kind of sick of how you are makinig me feel lately. When I was pregnant I was excited to have my body back. Now that I "have it back" I kind of want to go back to the pregnant body. At least I had thick hair that didn't fall out it clumps everyday. I also had a big tummy back then, but at least there was a reason for it...there was a baby inside. There weren't big dark circles under my eyes from lack of sleep. I'm just feeling a little ugly lately. Sorry for the self pity. No I won't post pictures of myself.

Halloween Party

2008-10-18T14:48:00.001-07:00

Last night we went to our ward Halloween party...here is Greg and the kids...GO BUCKS!

Day 3: A Light at the End of the Tunnel

2008-10-10T09:48:00.000-07:00

Last night I fed Skyler around 8:30 and then he stayed up for a little while and then I put him down. He fussed for probably 4-5 minutes and then fell asleep. This was by far the least amount of crying. Then he usually wakes up for a feeding around 11 or 12...well last night he didn't wake up until almost 4 am! This gives me so much hope. Hopefully that will eventually stretch out until 6 am. I am so proud of him. I feel a million times better today than I have for a while. I actually got 5 1/2 hours of sleep in a row!

Day 2: is this for real?

2008-10-09T13:37:00.000-07:00

Last night was the 2nd night of ferberizing Skyler. He was so mad mad mad when I put him down to sleep. He cried for a LONG time...probably a 1/2 hour. They said the 2nd night is harder than the first because they are testing you and seeing if this is really for real. He finally fell asleep and then woke up for his late night feeding at 2:30 am (which is usually at 11:30 or 12). Then he slept until almost 7. So there was no crying except for when I put him down around 9. So that was better. Hopefully tonight he won't cry as long. I'm really proud of him and myself and I feel so much better than waking up a million times to put his binky in.

Day 1: Not for the faint of heart

2008-10-08T09:57:00.000-07:00

So last night after I put Skyler to bed around 8:30 he woke up for his late night feeding around midnight. After that I put him down and he fell right asleep with no pacifier. Then I turned off my monitor and in my mind said that I am not going to go in there until at least 6 am. Greg sleeps with this really loud fan and so I shut Skyler's door and our door and I couldn't hear a thing until about 3:25 am. I listened and sure enough Skyler was crying so loud and it was so sad. I just said to myself I'm not going in there. I was thinking in my mind, "i could end this all right now by going in there and giving him his passie" but I held strong and didn't go in. I let him cry for 20 minutes and then he put himself back to sleep!!! Of course, I couldn't sleep because I was so nervous/excited the whole night. Then he didn't wake up to eat until after 7 am! So then for this morning's nap I put him down and he cried and I'm sure wanted his passie but I just let him cry for about 5 minutes and then he fell asleep. The other thing I did was not swaddle his hands down like I normally do. That way if he wants to suck on his fingers he can to help him go to sleep. I put an extra warm sleeper on him. If you're going to try this I have to say that you need to be tough. Because if you go in there because they are crying forever that only teaches them to cry long enough to get there way. Good thing I have no heart :)
I'll post tomorrow and hopefully tonight will go well. Soon I'll be sleeping through the night again too!!!

Ferberization

2008-10-07T19:32:00.000-07:00

I've had it! The last 5 or so days Skyler has been waking up several times a night. I know it's not because he's hungry. I figure he has become dependent on his pacifier to get him to sleep, so when he half wakes in the night he needs it to go back to sleep. I've decided to use the Ferber method. I used this with Reagan and am an advocate. I love the book "Solve your child's sleep problems." It helped me understand what was going on and has sections for all different ages of your children and all sorts of problems. So the first night you are supposed to put the baby down and go in after a 5-10 minutes and tell them it's okay and then the next time you go in it's after 10-15 etc. I put Skyler down without his pacifier and he screamed and cried. It was so sad...but lo and behold I didn't even have to go in once! He fell asleep before the 10 minutes was up. I'm hoping this will help solve his sleep issues. I AM EXHAUSTED!!!

Answers to trivia

2008-10-04T12:11:00.000-07:00

M Russell Ballard:
He is a great-great-grandson of Hyrum Smith
He also took over his family’s car dealership and managed it for some time
His favorite meal is steak and French fries

Joseph B Wirthlin:
He is a distant cousin of the late President Hinckley.
He was involved in football and track in high school and played several years on the University of Utah football team. He gave up his senior year of football to serve a mission from 1937-39 in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
He is a big believer in planning and makes a daily list of what he needs to accomplish.

Robert D Hales:
He was born on August 24, 1932 in New York City, New York.
He then earned an MBA degree from Harvard in 1960.
As a baseball pitcher, he once threw a no-hitter

Jeffrey R Holland:
His father was an Irish immigrant who had formal education only up to the seventh grade
His parents served in the same mission at the same time. He claimed to be the only missionary who said goodbye to his parents at both the start and end of his mission
From 1980-1989, he served as the 9th president of BYU

David A Bednar:
While he was a student at Purdue, he baptized his father into the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1979.
He was a faculty member at the University of Arkansas from 1980-1997
From 1997-2004, he was the president of BYU-Idaho. He led the transition of the school going from Ricks College to BYU-Idaho.

Quentin L Cook:
He is the great-grandson of David Patten Kimball, who helped carry members of the Martin Handcart company across the Sweetwater River.
He served as a missionary to the British Isles, where he was a missionary companion with Elder Jeffrey R. Holland,
He worked as a lawyer for many years in the Bay Area

Thomas S Monson:
He served in the United States Navy near the close of World War II
In December 1981, he was appointed by President Ronald Reagan to serve on the President’s Task Force for Private Sector Initiatives
He was called as an apostle at age 36 and has served as a Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church since November 10, 1985

Henry B Eyring:
He lived in Princeton until his early teenage years
He met his wife in Boston when he was going to Harvard for grad school
He is a wiry 6 foot 3 and 163 pounds

Russell M Nelson:
He grew up in an inactive family where it was all about football instead of church
He performed heart surgery on Spencer W Kimball
He had 9 daughters in a row and the 10th child was a 12 pound boy

Richard G Scott:
One summer as a teen he went off to the Ozark Mountains to play the clarinet and saxophone in a dance band
He attended George Washington University and received a degree in Mechanical engineering
His girlfriend told him she’d only marry a returned missionary, so he went on a mission to Uruguay

Boyd K Packer:
He attended Weber State, Utah State, University of Utah, and BYU
He has skills as a wood carver and an artist
He was a seminary teacher

L Tom Perry:
He was the neighborhood leader among the boys. No umpires were needed for their ball games because he had an unusual ability to arbitrate disputes
Shortly after he was called to the 12, his wife passed away
He says that the greatest talent that the Lord has blessed him with is enthusiasm

Dallin H Oaks:
He was a Justice of the Utah Supreme Court
His Father passed away when he was only 7 years old
His wife described him in these words: “he never, never criticizes anyone. I’ve never heard him say anything unkind about anyone and we’ve been married almost thirty years.”

Dieter F Uchtdorf:
He was born on November 6, 1940 in then Mährisch-Ostrau, Czechoslovakia,
He played in bombed-out houses and grew up with the ever-present consequences of a lost war and the awareness that his own country had inflicted terrible pain on many nations during the horrific World War II
At fourteen, he dreamed of becoming a pilot. He pursued this dream as a career, and has become one of the most recognized and honored commercial pilots in Germany

D Todd Christopherson:
He went to Duke Law School
When he was a teen he participated in the Hill Cumorah pageant
His mission president was Richard G Scott

Blog

2008-09-30T10:43:00.000-07:00

Check out my sister's blog it is always fun and has great stuff on it...
http://youaremyfave.blogspot.com/

Constipation Station

2008-09-30T10:34:00.001-07:00

That is the name of our house lately. Reagan WILL NOT go #2 on the potty so she holds it in forever and then gets so constipated and it hurts her so bad when she finally does go. I'm so sick of it. I'm not sure how to help her. Does anyone have any advice?

General Conference Trivia game

2008-09-30T09:59:00.000-07:00

Last night we had some friends over for family home evening. I think that this is a great way to do it since you actually have to think ahead of time what your lesson is going to be etc. I came up with a fun game about the first presidency and the quorum of the twelve. It is some trivia about their lives. See how well you can guess (I'll post the answers tomorrow)...

He is a great-great-grandson of Hyrum Smith
He also took over his family’s car dealership and managed it for some time
His favorite meal is steak and French fries

He is a distant cousin of the late President Hinckley.
He was involved in football and track in high school and played several years on the University of Utah football team. He gave up his senior year of football to serve a mission from 1937-39 in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
He is a big believer in planning and makes a daily list of what he needs to accomplish.

He was born on August 24, 1932 in New York City, New York.
He then earned an MBA degree from Harvard in 1960.
As a baseball pitcher, he once threw a no-hitter

His father was an Irish immigrant who had formal education only up to the seventh grade
His parents served in the same mission at the same time. He claimed to be the only missionary who said goodbye to his parents at both the start and end of his mission
From 1980-1989, he served as the 9th president of BYU

While he was a student at Purdue, he baptized his father into the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1979.
He was a faculty member at the University of Arkansas from 1980-1997
From 1997-2004, he was the president of BYU-Idaho. He led the transition of the school going from Ricks College to BYU-Idaho.

He is the great-grandson of David Patten Kimball, who helped carry members of the Martin Handcart company across the Sweetwater River.
He served as a missionary to the British Isles, where he was a missionary companion with Elder Jeffrey R. Holland,
He worked as a lawyer for many years in the Bay Area

He served in the United States Navy near the close of World War II
In December 1981, he was appointed by President Ronald Reagan to serve on the President’s Task Force for Private Sector Initiatives
He was called as an apostle at age 36 and has served as a Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church since November 10, 1985

He lived in Princeton until his early teenage years
He met his wife in Boston when he was going to Harvard for grad school
He is a wiry 6 foot 3 and 163 pounds

He grew up in an inactive family where it was all about football instead of church
He performed heart surgery on Spencer W Kimball
He had 9 daughters in a row and the 10th child was a 12 pound boy

One summer as a teen he went off to the Ozark Mountains to play the clarinet and saxophone in a dance band
He attended George Washington University and received a degree in Mechanical engineering
His girlfriend told him she’d only marry a returned missionary, so he went on a mission to Uruguay

He attended Weber State, Utah State, University of Utah, and BYU
He has skills as a wood carver and an artist
He was a seminary teacher

He was the neighborhood leader among the boys. No umpires were needed for their ball games because he had an unusual ability to arbitrate disputes
Shortly after he was called to the 12, his wife passed away
He says that the greatest talent that the Lord has blessed him with is enthusiasm

He was a Justice of the Utah Supreme Court
His Father passed away when he was only 7 years old
His wife described him in these words: “he never, never criticizes anyone. I’ve never heard him say anything unkind about anyone and we’ve been married almost thirty years.”

He was born on November 6, 1940 in then Mährisch-Ostrau, Czechoslovakia,
He played in bombed-out houses and grew up with the ever-present consequences of a lost war and the awareness that his own country had inflicted terrible pain on many nations during the horrific World War II
At fourteen, he dreamed of becoming a pilot. He pursued this dream as a career, and has become one of the most recognized and honored commercial pilots in Germany

He went to Duke Law School
When he was a teen he participated in the Hill Cumorah pageant
His mission president was Richard G Scott

Some pictures of Skyler

2008-09-26T13:52:00.001-07:00

He is the greatest baby! Fat and happy. I love this stage :)

newborn vs. 3 year old

2008-09-18T10:11:00.000-07:00

If someone would have asked me before I had kids "what is harder a newborn or a 3 year old?" I would have said a newborn. Afterall, they cry all the time and need a million diaper changes, and wake up in the middle of the time. I was WRONG WRONG WRONG! My 3 year old cries way more than my newborn. She causes me so much more mental anxiety than Skyler. Skyler is a wonderful baby. He doesn't sleep through the night but other than that he is simply awesome! Reagan is a 3 year old. If you have had a 3 year old you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't you can't even begin to understand the frustration and patience testing that I go through each day. I do love Reagan and we do have our moments of fun and joy, but it is still very very hard. I'm not going to lie. When does it get easier? Maybe when they go to kindergarten???

Labor Day Weekend

2008-08-28T06:41:00.000-07:00

I used to hate labor day because my dad used to make us "labor" on it. Meaning, we spent 5-6 hours in the yard! Now I love it! Ha ha Dad I'm not going to do any yardwork. I'm not sure what Greg and I are going to end up doing, but he's taking Friday off as well, so it should be a nice long weekend.

You know you're sleep deprived when you dream about getting more sleep. That's what I've been doing lately. The baby doesn't seem to be sleeping any longer at night, in fact sometimes it feels like he's going backwards. Plus, Reagan is now waking up at 6:30 AM! That is the WORST. Sometimes she used to sleep until 8 or 8:30. I'm not sure what the difference is, just that I really hate it. Plus she doesn't really take naps anymore.

Blessing Day

2008-08-27T15:35:00.001-07:00

We blessed our handsome little boy on Sunday at church. He is so great and so big! These are supposed to be pants, but they are shorts on him. We went to his 2 month appointment and he is 13 lbs 11 oz and 24 inches both in the 85th-90th percentile.

Olympics

2008-08-19T17:30:00.000-07:00

I love the olympics, I don't love that they are making me sleep deprived. Or I should say more sleep deprived than I already am. I have been saddend at the gymnastics and the judging. It is hard for me to watch such bias. I guess that's why I like track so much. If you win, you win. It isn't based on what a judge says. Reagan and I have been practicing our floor routines (hers consists of lots of sommersaults and mine consists of a kart wheel or two) and our balance beam routines. We were at walmart today and in the parking lot Reagan walked on the curbing. I told her to hurry up and she said something about being on the balance beam and doing her "nastics."