The Whitaker Family

Living Nativity

2011-12-09T07:14:00.001-08:00

Last night our stake put on a live reenactment of the Nativity. Everything about it was fantastic. A strong spirit, wonderful actors, beautiful music and narration, superb lighting, warming hot cocoa and delicious cookies! The only thing missing was the live animals for petting. The company we hired just didn't show!? I hope there wasn't an accident or something. I know it was disappointing to the children, but we hope they show up tonight and tomorrow night.

I think this Mary and Joseph are the most beautiful of any I've ever seen. And what's cool about this year is that Mary is actually pregnant with her first child!

Mormons are CRAZY!?

2011-11-10T14:00:00.001-08:00

Somebody tell me WHY people are so afraid of Mormons? Tell me WHY people assume what others say about the religion to be truth, when in reality what they say is false? Tell me WHY some people disown their own family member from joining the Mormon religion? Tell me WHY people don't just go learn about the religion before making crazy assumptions and believing absolute lies? Tell me WHY some people flat out refuse to learn anything about the religion when really they know nothing about it? Tell me WHY, if this religion is so false and crazy, is it one of the fastest growing religions in the entire world? WHY, WHY, WHY? I can guarantee the majority of non-Mormons have heard strange things and have completely skewed views about the beliefs of the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints--aka Mormons.

The older I get, the more hurt I become about issues surrounding my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (nickname: Mormons). I'm fully aware that the church is not well-liked in the United States and other countries. (eg. Did you know that the opposition to voting for a Mormon President is among the most common voting biases? Just look HERE). And I'm not trying to persuade you to vote for Mitt Romney. I'm not even positive I'm going to. My point here is that people are opposed to Mitt Romney based SOLELY on the fact that he is Mormon. That is wrong. So would it be if somebody was not voting for a candidate based on that fact that he/she was Catholic, Baptist, Non-Denominational, Jewish, Black, Hispanic, Gay/Lesbian, etc.

I'm also fully aware of anti-Mormon literature which may portray part-truths, or truths that are twisted or altered to sound crazy, or even blatant lies. Wouldn't it make more sense to learn about the church from official Mormon sources (www.lds.org or mormon.org) or active members themselves?

I also know of other Christian religions teaching anti-Mormon topics. Why don't they focus on learning about their own beliefs rather than trying to "disprove" the Mormons? We don't have classes on any other religions and their accused "wacky" beliefs and are never learning ways to disprove anyone. That's simply not Christian, would you agree?

But let's get to the real issue here. The issue that is bothering me today is the issue that people are saying that we do not believe in Jesus Christ--that we are not Christian.

Do those accusers know anything about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints? Do they even know the name of our church? Have they studied what we believe? Are they associated with active members of the Mormon faith?

Let me tell you just a glimpse of what we do believe.

1. We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. (First Article of Faith)
2. We believe that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer, and that He atoned for the sins of this world.
3. We believe that through the atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel. (Third Article of Faith)

The whole purpose in writing this is in hopes that my friends who may have skewed views about the Mormon religion will look to find fact rather than fiction about what I and millions of other Mormons believe. The reality is though, they probably aren't going to be reading this OR responding to anything that I say. But there, I said it, and it feels good. I am a MORMON and by golly I'm stickin' to it. And I'm not crazy, or brainwashed or cult-like. I'm a follower of my Savior, Jesus Christ, and I always will be.

Halloween

2011-11-07T09:03:00.000-08:00

Just a few pics to get started, I still need to get more off my point-and-shoot.

We went to the "Pumpkin Patch" which was actually a mini (very mini) carnival with pre-picked pumpkins sitting all around on haystacks and the ground. They were waiting eagerly for someone to pick them. Unfortunately for them, the pumpkins at the grocery store were only $3 while these were like $20+ for the same size. You can bet where we got ours!
It was Michael's bedtime so he was tired and a little cranky. But he tagged along anyways, and eventually took a little snooze. This little guy melts my heart. I can't get enough of him.
Mylie enjoyed the little rides. She also liked the jumping castle for like 45 seconds. Seriously!? What a waste of money Mylie! Oh the animals were a hit too. Richie took her to pet them while I stood outside the fence and snapped a few pics. If you know me well, you may also know that I'm not a huge fan of animals. More specifically actually, not a huge fan of touching and smelling animals. I really do enjoy looking and learning about them and visiting zoos and such though. Enough blabbing. Here's our night on the town!

Notice the sexy bandaid on Mylie's lip? She peeled some skin off it earlier and insisted on wearing a bandaid on it all night. We tried pretty hard to get her to take it off, but her stubborn nature won the battle. At least we can have a good laugh over it!

Family Pics

2011-10-08T21:08:00.000-07:00

Thanks to one of my BFF's Liz for taking our family pictures while she was here visiting from Gilbert, Arizona. We adore them!

Santa Ana Zoo

2011-09-17T22:45:00.000-07:00

The Santa Ana Zoo is great!...if you love birds and monkeys! Because that's pretty much all they have there. However, it really is a beautiful zoo--doesn't smell bad and has lovely grounds. It was nice to get out as a family and do something. And of course it was fun for me to take some pics!

Mylie Turns 3

2011-07-18T09:30:00.000-07:00

Mylie's at that age now where she gets excited for upcoming events. Holidays, birthdays, etc. We'd been talking about her upcoming birthday for about 2 months. She was always asking questions about it, talking about when it was her birthday...then, telling us what she wanted, saying that she wouldn't ever be 2 again (which actually made her a little upset, she said she wanted to be 2 forever!), practicing putting 3 fingers up and more!

The night before her birthday she was super excited. We told her when she woke up in the morning it would be her birthday...little did we know she would be up at 3:00 in the morning! She came into our room and asked, "Is it my birthday now?" To which we responded, as nicely as one can at 3 am, "No Mylie it's not your birthday yet. Go back to bed." She disappeared. Around 4:15 when Richie got up with Michael he went in the living room where he discovered Mylie rolling around on the couch, still awake. We thought she was rolling with excitement, but due to a conversation we had with her yesterday, she was actually trying to hide from Richie! Ha ha! She asked Richie if she was 3 yet. She asked if it was her birthday and if she could open her presents. She wasn't about to go back to bed. That's when I got up and took her to her room and laid down with her. I knew I needed to get her back to sleep before the sun started showing AT ALL, because once there's the slightest bit of sunlight, Mylie demands it's time to wake up. But if she's sleeping through the light, she sleeps longer. So as the nice mommy that I am, I told her that if she didn't go back to sleep right now, no presents in the morning. And guess what, she went to sleep.

We got up at 7:30 (and that's sleeping in for us!) Mylie didn't want to wait until the evening to open her presents so we did it right then. She had been asking for a bike, so we got her a princess bike and Dora helmet. She ended up liking the helmet more than the bike! We did get the bike a little big because it was either get a 10-inch princess bike or a 16-inch. There were no 12 or 14 inch princess bikes. Luckily her feet still touch the pedals. And the bike will last her longer. It was pretty hilarious taking her to ride for the first time. She kept pedaling backwards which would stop her abruptly. She would watch her feet instead of where she was going and run into bushes, grass, benches, etc. I was trying pretty hard not to laugh.

When Richie got home from work we went to Chuck E. Cheese, which Mylie was dying to do. She had a ball, and Michael was perfect. Side note: I have the most wonderful little boy! He is the best baby ever!

After that we had cake and ice cream--and Mylie was super excited about the traditional, big cupcake for her birthday. She kept reminding me that it would be pink. My cake decorating skills are still pretty awesome. I'll see my sister this week, so hopefully she'll provide me with some good tips!

And now, the pictures, in no particular order. In fact, pretty well OUT of order.

Blondie

2011-07-13T22:13:00.000-07:00

I'm glad to report that my kids are getting better from their coughs, and Michael from the whooping cough. Michael no longer does the scary/weird sounding cough, and barely coughs at all throughout the day. Richie thinks he never had whooping cough to begin with since the county health department told me the test results were positive but inconclusive. Hmmm. Regardless, I'm so happy this is all passing. I can sleep again without jumping out of bed to sit my coughing baby upright.

I cut my little Michael's pretty brown hair and now he's blond! Had to take a few pics of the little guy, and Mylie, of course naked, had to be in a picture too. I wouldn't want it any other way!


Sweet Smile

I love the "suck face". Always wanted to take a picture of the face while breastfeeding but for obvious reasons I never did that. It's just so dang cute!


I love this sweet picture

Let Freedom Ring

2011-07-07T23:12:00.000-07:00

I LOVE the 4th of July. It's my other favorite holiday. You know, besides Christmas!

Perhaps it's the patriotic feeling I get (which to be quite honest, I don't feel too much of the rest of the year), decking out--head to toe--in red, white and blue, or the magnificent music that truly makes me feel proud to be an American!

But it may be the yummy smells the grill emanates, the splashing and playing in and out of the pool--EVERYONE hops in on this special occasion, or the company of friends and family.

Or maybe it's the spectacular displays of fireworks accompanied by the loud booms that you feel pounding within your own body. Sometimes I can't help but "ooooo!" and "aaaaaah!" out loud. And it's always a little disappointing when the fireworks come to an end, but at least I have next year to look forward to!

Let's be honest here, it's all of these! It started in my childhood--spending time with extended family. Morning parade. Suncreen. Pool time. Barbeque. Watermelon. Corn on the cob. Popsicles. Cousins. Listening to adult conversations. Cards. Games. Water balloons. FUN.

But my all time favorite thing to do on my other favorite holiday was attend (uh um...drum roll) The Stadium of Fire! Some may not be impressed by this glorious production, held annually at the Lavell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah. But I am thoroughly impressed each and every time I get to go. Sadly, it has been a few years since I have been able to go as I do not live in Utah anymore, and my husband isn't as awestruck by the production as I am. But I hope that someday I can start to take my kids to it and help them love this holiday as much as I do.

Some things I love and remember about the Stadium of Fire:
Patriotic presentations
Jets flying really low over the stadium
Stomping our feet on the bleachers
The "wave"
Parachuters
Dancers
The Osmonds
Pledge of Allegiance
Beach Boys
Motorcyclist on the tightrope
Martina McBride
Human cannonballs
Reba McIntire
High diver
FIRE--lots of it!
Music
Candy
Fireworks WITH patriotic music (they are ALWAYS better with patriotic music!)

Well you'd think that I got to go this year since I am talking all about it. But no. Not the case. We did have a fun day though! A stake breakfast and short presentation, swimming and barbeque with some friends, and fireworks on the grass that evening. I loved how Mylie kept saying, "Mommy, I'm excited for the fireworks!" Maybe I can trick her in to loving the 4th as much as I do so we can share in our anticipation and excitement for it in years to come.

Thanks Mom and Dad, for creating such wonderful memories for me.

Happy Independence Day!


It was so hot at the stake breakfast, Mylie attempted to cool herself down with a leaf/

I love this swim outfit. Thanks Gwama Ameen!

Almost ready to go see fireworks!

My Kids are Sicker than Your Kids

2011-06-29T16:02:00.000-07:00

Did I get punished for saying my kids were cuter than your kids? Because you KNOW I was just kidding didn't you? I love kids and think that almost every kid is cute!

In May, both of my kids, my husband and I started coughing (or in the words of Mylie, we "got the coughs"). Mine got better, Richie's lasted a little longer, and Mylie and Michael's got worse! I took Michael to the doctor first because he's started sounding like a cough I had never heard before. Can't even explain it or copy it with my own voice. But it scared me. When his doctor heard it she clearly got nervous and gave him a breathing treatment right away. Then she sent us to ER because she was afraid it was bronchitis or the whooping cough.

The ER doctor never heard the cough but diagnosed Michael with an upper respiratory infection. They did take a snot sample to be safe and said they would call me with results...which they never did.

About a week later I got a call from San Bernardino County Health Department telling me that Michael's test results came back positive but inconclusive for the Whooping Cough (which can be fatal!) And can somebody please tell me what that means?...positive but inconclusive??? The woman I talked to asked several questions and we came to the conclusion that Mylie probably had it too, but since she's been vaccinated it would last half the time--50 days--and not be as severe. So poor Michael will be coughing for at least 100 days! Holy moly. That makes me sad.

I took Michael back to the doctor who had FINALLY gotten test results back from the hospital and she confirmed it was the whooping cough. She gave me some samples to take home and do some breathing treatments on my own at home. He's also taking a couple other medications, and to tell the truth, I don't feel like anything has really helped yet. His doctor told us yesterday at his appointment that we're doing everything we can do for whooping cough, so just keep doing it.

The kids should not be contagious anymore. They have finished their antibiotics and should be clear and good, although Michael's doctor was nervous about him being around my sister who is currently pregnant with severe hyperemesis...that's a whole other story, my goodness! But if we were around you when the kids were contagious and now you or your kids have a cough, I apologize from the bottom of my heart! And PS, I was told that we need whooping cough boosters about every 10 years. So if yours isn't up-to-date, now is a good time to take care of that since the whooping cough is coming around again!

And because I posted, I can't help but add a couple pictures of my cuties. Then I'll go look at your blogs to see your little cuties too, and I'll smile.

I'm a Big Girl Now

2011-06-29T00:08:00.000-07:00

Mylie officially became a big girl last night. She made a decision. A BIG decision, all on her own. And it almost made me cry watching my baby girl stick to it--to something she really, really wanted!

Sunday evening Mylie got into my jewelry box. When I caught her she explained to me that she just wanted to wear some earrings. I told her she couldn't wear my earrings because her ears weren't pierced. She proceeded to BEG to go get her ears pierced...even AFTER I explained the process to her and told her it was going to hurt! We agreed that she could get her ears pierced the next day.

Monday morning rolled around and Mylie certainly hadn't forgotten our conversation. She talked about it with Daddy before he left for work, then we decided we would do it while he was at work. As we're getting ready for the day she said, "I don't want to get my ears pierced now." I asked why and she said she was too scared.

When Daddy came home she changed her mind again. So for Family Home Evening we went to Victoria Gardens and found Claire's. When the ear piercing girl came, Mylie got scared again and ran away! Richie assured her that she did not have to get her ears pierced if she didn't want to. Through tears and I'm sure internal torment, Mylie said she still wanted to do it. She continued to whimper but was determined to get earrings in those lobes.

We waited until she was really ready and she chose to sit on Daddy's lap and hold a teddy bear for the event...and here you see it, play by play...

She was soooo scared!

Cleaning the ears.

Marking the spots to pierce the ears.

Trying really hard to smile!

Closer up of her trying hard to smile...

And BAM! Left earring in, no tears! Second earring, here it comes!

And then the tears flowed freely and immediately.

But I couldn't believe how brave she was! She was completely still for the whole process, and even though she knew it was going to hurt and was scared to death, she stuck with her decision. I couldn't believe it. To me that says a lot about her character. I hope her decision making is this strong during her teenage years...I mean as long as her decisions are GOOD!

She was all smiles after wards, but obviously not for the camera.
She was happy to get her regular strawberry ice cream
mixed with M&M's.

And there's the beautiful earring!

I will eventually get her smiling with those beauty's. Mylie girl, you amaze me and I just love you to pieces. But you're growing up SO fast! Stop that!

My Kids are Cuter than Your Kids

2011-06-22T22:45:00.000-07:00

I hope you know I'm kidding.

But of course I do totally think my kids are adorable. I believe my Graves' genes have taken control of my kids' looks. I've had a few people tell me Michael looks just like me, and if you could see pics of me at Mylie's age, there's no question that she's my daughter. I do see Richie in them too though. I hope they both get Richie's brain power cuz I got nuthin' in my noggin.

Here's some recent pics of the little cuties.

(and PS, after reading all that, it seems as though I think I am adorable. Well, I do. Ha ha ha!!!)

What the heck is going on with her shirt???

Isn't Mylie a sweet sister?!


Oooooo I love this one!

Happy Birthday Richie

2011-06-22T22:19:00.000-07:00

A little past due, but just wanted to post some pics from Richie's 28th birthday. You can tell from the pictures that we made it a HUGE deal. Ha ha. And yup, there's Mylie unclothed once again.

The big birthday cupcake has officially become a tradition. Mylie is totally looking forward to her big pink cupcake for her upcoming birthday. Now if only I knew how to decorate a cake. Mine are absolutely hideous. Any tips out there?

Michael's Blessing

2011-06-20T20:53:00.000-07:00

I just love this little guy and adored his blessing outfit as well. Richie gave such a sweet blessing and we really enjoyed our company--Richie's mom and step-dad, sister Patrice and her family, and brother Ryan and his family. Most of the pictures of Michael will probably look pretty much the same to you, but to me, each of his different smiles and faces is so precious to me. I love being a mommy.

Yup she's never dressed. Whenever we come home from being anywhere she strips immediately!!!

I just LOVE his smile! And it's soooo easy to make him smile!

Had to have a serious face picture too. =)

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice

2011-05-10T22:43:00.000-07:00

Mylie has been neglected since Michael came along. (I hope I'm not the only one guilty of this crime!) We took her out to get some Mylie pictures and rewarded her smiles and cooperation with her favorite treats--M&M's and jelly beans. I'm disappointed that we didn't get shots of her beautiful blue eyes. She couldn't help but squint in the sun, which I totally understand because I am the same way. But we did get some silly shots, cute smiles, and pictures with her best buddy--Daddy.

Best Buddies

Photo Shoot

2011-05-03T19:27:00.000-07:00

My friend has a great studio setup in her home, so yesterday I went over (like all day...sorry Stacey!) and we took some great photos of Michael. Newborn shots are not on my forte...I won't be pursuing business in this area. But I love the way these turned out! So precious.

Happy Easter!

2011-04-23T16:32:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter from our two little monkeys to you!

Michael Kevin Whitaker

2011-04-12T16:17:00.000-07:00

He's here and we're so happy!

Thursday night, March 30, at 11:00 pm I went to the Community of San Bernardino Hospital to start my induction. They just monitored the baby and me until 5:00 am then started me on Pitocin. I was so nervous because Mylie's delivery was so long and so hard, and to top it all off I pushed for 3 hours and got a fourth degree tear. Fun stuff. But this delivery was entirely different. I asked for an epidural as soon as they would allow me one. I am the biggest contraction wimp in the world. The anesthesiologist was fantastic. What a blessing. Just like last time, the epidural was working but I still felt pain on the left side of my stomach. The anesthesiologist didn't want to give up on this epidural though. She felt like it was good so she finagled with it a little and it started working perfectly. I couldn't have been happier!

My mom came around 9:00 am to cheer me on. I'm so thankful that she could be there and also grateful for wonderful friends who were willing to have Mylie for the day. She was pretty worn out by bed time!

After waiting a few hours to dilate to a 10, I was finally ready to push a little after noon. And the miracle was that I only pushed this time for 15-20 minutes. I was expecting AT LEAST one hour! I came out with a second degree tear but compared to a fourth, that's just fine with me!

The true miracle was watching little Michael's appearance into the world on March 31, 2011 at 12:24 pm. It was amazing and beautiful and I couldn't help but cry a little. I got that feeling of pure love and joy. My heart was bursting with it, and I couldn't wait to hold and cuddle him and stare at his amazing face. To love him this much right now, here on earth, makes me realize that the love our Heavenly Father has for us is absolutely unfathomable to me. We are so blessed to have this little miracle and blessing in our lives. He weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces and was 21.5 inches long. (Someone please tell me where this height is coming from?!)

Of course Richie was fantastic. He is hands down the best husband for me and father for our children that I could ever ask for. I am so grateful for his unconditional love, support and understanding of everything about me. He is so loving, faithful and committed to our family, and more importantly our Heavenly Father.

Mylie got to come visit her brother around 4:00 that afternoon. We had really been struggling with whether to name him Michael Kevin or William Kevin. I really like both names and neither one of us could decide, even after we saw him! Mylie was sure his name was Michael. When she got to the hospital Richie said something like, "Did you come to see baby Will?" She burst into alligator tears and kept saying over and over again, "His name isn't Will! His name is Michael!" (You can tell who won the name war.) We are very happy with the name we chose, as Michael is Richie's late father and Kevin is my dad. Thus Mylie is named after both of her grandmothers (Joleen as her middle name = Joni and Eileen combined) and Michael is named after both of his grandfathers. It couldn't be more meaningful to me.

I couldn't wait to leave the hospital and they finally discharged me around 3:00 pm on Friday. We came home to Mylie and my mom--all smiles, blue welcome balloons on the patio, and grateful hearts. We just love our little guy and Mylie has been really good with him so far.

As for me I'm healing fine and adjusting to my new sleep schedule. I have been so grateful to have both my mom and then Richie's mom here to help entertain Mylie and keep the house in order. I've been soaking up every little minute I get to spend with Michael, and at the same time feel a little guilty that I'm not spending more time with Mylie. She does need her mommy time.

Ready to go home!

Welcome home!


I came home from taking Michael to a doctor's appointment to this: Mom reading and Mylie playing on her iPhone. Mylie sure loved that thing. Our phones don't even have internet! I'm seriously thinking about getting Mylie an iTouch for her birthday. =) JK

We thought it was funny how Michael was sleeping in his swing the other day.

Michael with Grandma Eileen.

Preference

2011-02-16T15:55:00.000-08:00

Which Photo do you prefer and why?

Click on photos to make them bigger.

Santa Baby

2010-12-10T11:12:00.000-08:00

Mylie met Santa! AND she liked him. AND I'm very happy that she liked him because I got this adorable smile out of her.
I'm loving that she's excited for Christmas this year and understanding it a little more too. She has been watching Jesus' birth from the Living Scriptures and loves it. Richie has hated those things since we paid so much for them, but he just mentioned that at least this one has "paid off" because Mylie knows the real Christmas story!

Pretty Lady

2010-11-14T22:28:00.000-08:00

My mom sent Mylie the CUTEST holiday dress, and this afternoon before church I made Mylie model it for me. She is one cute model! Thanks mom, you spoil us all!

I'm in Love

2010-11-14T22:20:00.000-08:00

Can you blame me? These two melt my little heart. They are best buddies--Mylie cant' get enough play time with her daddy. And Richie is the best daddy in the world. I love watching them play together. I hope the love that they share never fades and that Mylie can someday appreciate what a special guy she has in her life. I sure do! Love you!

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T20:11:00.000-07:00

Instead of carving pumpkins we let Mylie paint one. Boring I know. At least she had fun and next year we will definitely carve!

Missin' My Fam

2010-10-15T22:13:00.000-07:00

I got to take some pics of my parents while visiting Oklahoma. They turned out so good--here are three of my faves.

Bye-Bye Bottle!

2010-10-15T00:24:00.000-07:00

Mylie's pediatrician told me that she needed to be off a bottle by 16 months at the latest. Today Mylie is 27 months and still has a bottle. (I'm an awesome mom). I tried once before, and she didn't drink an ounce of milk for 3 days. I'd give her milk in a cup and she's throw it across the room. Wonderful. I gave up.

My sister-in-law gave me an idea about having a bye-bye bottle party. Richie and I talked to Mylie about this party for over a month, and decided that after we got back from our trip to Oklahoma we'd say bye-bye to her precious bottle! Tonight we made a special trip to Walmart and let Mylie pick out her new milk cups. She chose princess cups because she is totally in to princesses right now! There was no question about it--Tinkerbell, Dora--didn't even get a glance! Princesses were the front-runners from the get go.

When we got home we unwrapped her cups and she immediately wanted milk in them. So we put milk in one, then invited her to throw her bottles in the garbage! (Which I got out later for hiding because bottles are NOT cheap!) I couldn't believe it but she actually threw them away, one-by-one, with a smile on her face. I think she was smiling because we were cheering and clapping and making a huge deal of the ordeal. Nice.

Even bed time was smooth sailing. We gave her some milk in a cup, she drank it up and didn't ask for a bottle. AND she stayed in her bed. (Which we have been working tirelessly on since we moved to California and she transitioned to a big-girl bed.) Aaaaaa. Let's hope for peace tomorrow, I kind of doubt it...

And those of you who know us well also know that we have a finger sucking problem too. Not Mylie sucking her finger, but MY finger. (And occasionally Richie's finger). Yes, it's weird, it's gross, it gets great looks, laughs, questions about teething, and I have even been told by a stranger to stop, but it has been her soothy pretty much since day one. Soooo we decided to kill two birds with one stone tonight and say good-bye to our precious fingers as well. She "took" our fingers off and threw them in the garbage as well. I think this finger thing will be harder than the bottle. She wanted our fingers during "Wizard of Oz" and she begged for mine at bed time. Sigh. Did I mention it's not only a habit for her but for me too??? Yup, it's great. We're in public and she throws a fit or has a melt down--in goes the finger and everything is better. She gets hurt--oh, there's that finger, shushes her almost immediately. One o'clock church and she needs a nap, finger time! It works for EVERYTHING. But I guess all good things (and bad things...) must come to an end. Wish us luck!

Videos!

2010-09-27T19:41:00.001-07:00

Mylie is just too cute so here are a couple videos of her so you can all agree how cute she is.

My Favorite Beauty Products

2010-09-23T15:52:00.000-07:00

I decided to show my favorite beauty products just for fun. Then I'm hoping some of you will do the same so I can branch out if I ever wanted to.

So let's begin. I LOVE this stuff.


Clean and Clear Deep Action Cream Cleanser. My mom's friend's kids had perfect skin and she swore by this stuff. My little sisters used it and now I do and I would like to swear by it as well. It works! I don't get nearly as many zits. How great is that?


Clinique Moisture Surge is my newest love. I got this as a white elephant gift but it is the greatest moisturizer EVER! I only use it in the morning because it's expensive, but it keeps my makeup on and from my face getting greasy! LOVE IT!


Mary Kay's Timewise Day Solution. I don't know if it really works, but I think it does. It's an age-fighting moisturizer. I put one squirt on with my Clinique Moisture Surge. It has sunscreen in it to protect my face too, which is what I need cuz I'm getting some serious sun spots on my face and I'm only 30! (Okay, almost 31).


Clinique Superbalanced Makeup for Dry/Combination skin. This stuff rocks. It's medium coverage but smooths out my skin quite well (minus those nasty sun spots). I have this theory that we dry our faces out too much while trying to get rid of those zits so our skin overproduces the natural oils trying to compensate for losing so much. SO my recommendation is to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! This stuff is awesome.


Mary Kay Eye Primer. This stuff is one of my favorite products ever. I put it just under my eyes and on my eyelids and no kidding, it keeps my eye makeup from smearing, creasing, running, etc. And when I forget to use it my shadow doesn't got on as evenly and smoothly. Greatest product. Small tube but lasts FOREVER. Like a year or more.

Love Mac Eyeshadow. Period. (Not this color though!!!)


Also love Mary Kay Eyeshadows. This one is cheaper so more attractive.

Mac's eye brushes. I would NEVER go back to using sponge applicators. These brushes are fantastic---make my eyeshadow go on flawlessly. And they are washable (I use shampoo) so they NEVER have to be thrown in the garbage! Well worth the purchase.


Love Mary Kay's eyeliner. Glides right on, stays on. Couldn't get any better than that.


Mary Kay's Eyebrow Definer pencil is the truest hair color pencil I have ever used. My grandma was sold on it long ago and my mom recently discovered it's wonderfulness. So if you need to enhance your eyebrows without looking fake, here's the way to do it.


Mac's Lipglass. This is a fabulous lipgloss that actually has color when it goes on, AND it stays on! My favorite color is Oyster Girl. Light pink--I don't do bright lip stuff. I need to get more daring I guess!


Mary Kay Ultimate Mascara is great. I get the lash lengthening one though because it's cheaper and still good!

But I think my newest favorite mascara is Clinique's Lash Power Mascara. The only problem is that it doesn't come off with soap or eye makeup remover. And not just water. Well you only use water but then you have to pretty much pull it off your lashes. Kind of a pain but it's the best I've used.

So there you have it. That's what's in my makeup bag...what's in yours? I guess I'm a Clinique/Mary Kay/Mac user only. I haven't branched out much besides the cheaper products (Cover Girl, Maybelline, etc.) which I am NOT a huge fan of at all. So if you have any cheaper secrets to share, let me know, or post it on your blog!

Fall Mini Sessions

2010-09-17T08:15:00.000-07:00

We Love the Mumford's

2010-09-10T09:40:00.000-07:00

We made some really great friends while living in Tucson. One family was the Mumford's, and we were lucky enough to have them come visit us! They came Saturday while I was still in Utah, but I got back a few hours after they showed up. Since my plane was late, Wendy was privileged to make all of US dinner on her first night of vacation! Thanks girlie! We played lots of Mario on the Wii, played cards--Hand and Foot, ate way too much ice cream and Oreos and drank more than enough cream soda. Monday we went to Hollywood and saw a Chinese theater, theHollywood Walk of Fame, and went to Ripley's Believe it or Not Museum. (Very interesting!) We also went to Santa Monica Beach and Pier. Tuesday was Disneyland Day. We were trying tirelessly to convince Wendy beforehand that Disneyland is FUN and magical and amazing! I think she liked it just fine, but not as much as the rest of us! We love you Mumford's! Please come back! Mylie needs her bff Brooklyn and I need some close friends around me...

love the face

such sweet friends!

favorite ride--pooh bear

all tuckered out!

To Utah and Beyond!!!

2010-08-01T21:31:00.000-07:00

Well not beyond Utah actually. But whoppa-dee-do-dah-day Mylie and I get to visit! We'll be there August 29-September 4 and are SO looking forward to our visit to see family and friends.

I've been pursuing a part-time career in photography as you know. If you are a Utah'n and would like a schedule a photo session with me while we are there please let me know. You can look at my photography blog and see my work and pricing there.

http://angiewhitakerphotography.blogspot.com

Lotsa love,
Moi

Videos of Mylie

2010-08-01T10:42:00.000-07:00

I Can't Not.

2010-07-30T15:18:00.000-07:00

So I've had people comment on Mylie's eyes like crazy and ask if they are enhanced or something. The answer, shamefully, is YES! But I just have to do it! It's addicting. (And yes I have somewhat of an addictive personality). It's beautiful. It's too fun to make the eyes pop--to make people drawn to the face right away. Yes she has pretty eyes all the time, but why not enhance them a little, just for the fun of it?

Which One?

2010-07-29T21:55:00.001-07:00

I need to get advertising my photography here in Rancho because I really need some business! (Not only do I need it but I want it!)

So help me out here, this is my first attempt at anything like this. Which do you like best and why? Any suggestions for improvement? (Don't feel bad, I take constructive criticism quite well--I was a teacher...)

Click to see them larger. It's hard to see what they say in this size, you can get a real feel when you see them bigger.

Thirsty???

2010-07-18T18:20:00.000-07:00

I Just Can't Resist

2010-07-18T18:17:00.000-07:00

I have an obsession. My baby girl Mylie! I can't stop taking pictures of her. It's ridiculous. I have hundreds. Possibly thousands. And I just keep click-click-clicking away. What's good about snapping shots now is that she will actually smile! She used to run from the camera every time it came out. Either that or she would frown, scowl, or turn around. But now I get 100% cheesy grins from ear to ear. And with that comes a scrunchy nose and squinty eyes, and it makes me want to keep on snapping, and clicking, and shooting and saying "smile!" So I guess you might say my second obsession is taking pictures. Yup, I think so.

Happy Birthday My My!

2010-07-18T18:03:00.000-07:00

Mylie turned two. TWO! Already? Where has time gone? Don't get me wrong, I can't even remember life without my little lady, but man how time flies!

I love my little Mylie girl. She gives the best hugs and kisses. My latest favorite is when she runs up to me, smiles, grabs and pulls my head into her chest, rests her own head on top of my head and squeezes!

I love how she wants to be around me 24-7 (although sometimes I DO need to get something done!) I even love how she loves to suck on my finger. Oh it's so sweet. To others it is weird and gross and should be stopped by now, but to Mylie and me it's one of our most loving connections. It's her comfort blankie--and it's me!

She loves to play at the park, swim, jump to me in the pool, go to the beach, go to the splash park, read books, do puzzles, push her baby stroller around, play with her baby dolls, put her baby dolls to bed, play with blocks, run, jump, climb, swing, ride her bike, say hi to kids and while pointing to herself exclaim, "This is Mylie!" She loves to splash in the sink (and her new water table), eat otter pops, cucumbers, mac and cheese, frozen corn and peas, grapes, and strawberries--and anything else sweet. She lets me do her hair the way I want to--as long as she's plopped in front of the tv, and sometimes with an Otter Pop or a Dum Dum. Mylie has a face and giggle that make my insides feel joyful!

Mylie does not like being told what to do, getting her diaper changed, washing her hair, drinking milk from a cup, getting water in her eyes while bathing, eating right when she gets up, mommy exercising, being held by strangers, riding in strollers when she wants to walk, and pickles.

We had a little celebration with Mylie on her birthday with just Richie and me, then had a party with the Miller's, Richie's sister's family--Patrice, Matt, Joshua, Amanda, Aaron and Camille. Camille and Mylie are only 4 months apart. Mylie thinks Aaron is the funniest person EVER on the face of the Earth. True statement.

Now I know why I didn't go the route of cake-making for my career!

This is what Mylie discovered when she woke up!

Aaron (the funny one) with Mylie

She was very excited to open presents! She got blocks and puzzles from us.

Mylie with Camille

Grandma Ameen (Eileen) gave Mylie this AWESOME water table!

Cinco de Mayo

2010-07-18T11:57:00.000-07:00

We had an AWESOME Cinco de Mayo party with our friends in Tucson. Valerie and Matt graciously showed and helped me make two pinatas--one for the adults and one for the children. Unfortunately we didn't make them strong enough so not everyone had a chance to whack. Fortunately everyone got candy and it was still a blast! Check out the pinata smackers. Watching adults hit a pinata blindfolded makes me laugh 'til I cry every time!

Mylie Girl

Wendy

Brooklyn--Mylie's BFF, so sad to leave her...

Matt

It seriously was a very fun party. We even had people standing around watching the party. Lots of great food, friends, and fun. To top it off we had a dance fiesta. Check out the amazing dancers. Especially Naomi and Becky. (Sorry Val and Becky, I couldn't resist).

Naomi

Becky

Brooklyn

Austin

Becca and Baby Boy H

Baby Baker

2010-07-12T14:41:00.001-07:00

I wanted some photos of Mylie cooking to frame and put on my kitchen wall. I saw a friend do that with her kids and it was so adorable. I didn't get great ones today, but these are still cute--cute enough to put on the blog and remember forever. Tee hee hee.

California Girl!

2010-07-01T15:35:00.001-07:00

Sunglasses--Grandma Eileen
Dress--Grandma Jo
Dolly--Grandma Wannie
Flower--Mommy
Curly locks--Daddy
Complete and utter cuteness--All of us!!!

Easter Sunday

2010-06-19T12:14:00.000-07:00

I love Easter Sunday. Love church, love the food, and love the company. We got together with our good friends for Easter dinner and did another small Easter egg hunt which of course the kids loved. We gathered at the Slivka's new home. They have a fantastic view from the backyard of the desert and some mountains. They also have grass, which is quite a treat in Tucson!

Mylie trying to hold all the babies and bottles they have. She kept dropping them and we thought that was pretty funny!

Love this Daddy-Daughter picture.

You better believe it, once Mylie discovered the candy, she pigged out. No more egg hunting.

Too bad the boys' picture is blurry!!!

My awesome girl friends.

My favorites!

Easter Egg Hunt

2010-06-19T11:46:00.000-07:00

My friends and I organized an Easter Egg Hunt for our kids. I brought close to 50 eggs. We started the hunt, Mylie picked up about 3 eggs and then realized there was candy in them. She plopped herself down on the ground, opened up the eggs, and started to stuff herself full of colored jelly beans. She had no interest in finding anymore eggs--all she cared about was that candy! Darned candy. We had fun anyway. Here is Mylie and some of her cute friends. Garrett, Henry, Brooklyn, Trevor, Mitch, Brynlee, Lucy and Livvee. (Mylie sure misses you!)

St. Patty's Day...a little late

2010-06-19T11:26:00.000-07:00

For St. Patrick's Day we had a little party. Everyone brought green food, the kids looked for gold coins and played pin the shamrock on the leprechaun, and the adults played green Family Feud. (Which was an awesome game by the way). Melissa and Landon won so they got a photo session, OH so cute!

Here are just a few pics of our fun evening.

Oh Boy

2010-06-14T16:20:00.000-07:00

Boy oh boy have I got a lot to catch up on. For my future blogging reference:

St. Patty's Day Party
Cinco de Mayo Party
Visiting Oklahoma
Going Away Party
The Move (UGHHHHHH)
Las Vegas
St. George
How Much I Like California
How Much I Love California
How Much I Adore California

That's right. I guess I can just go into the last 3 items listed. Why do I love California? Well funny I ask because almost everyone I know would say, (or think, I could tell it in their faces), "WHY would you want to move to California? It's too expensive, too crowded, and the air pollution is horrible!) Well phooey to money, people and pollution, I don't care! First off, money is overrated (HA!--I tell myself that to make it bearable). Second, I LOVE people, so what's the big deal? Third, the pollution clears up for a good part of the year. I'll take it for the AWESOME weather that I get here. May I inform you that our weekly forecast is in the 80's as a high ALL week long. And not to mention it's nice and cool in the late afternoons/evenings, throughout the night and in the morning. Which makes fora nice, cool breeze from the open windows during these times. Have I convinced you yet? Well no worries, I'm just getting started. We are only 15 minutes fro a major airport, 25 minutes from a temple, 4 minutes from our church, 1 hour from the beach, 40 minutes from Disneyland, and 1 hour from Richie's sister and her family. We have grass, trees, mountains and singing birds. And the shopping here is amazing! You've got every store you'd ever need and then some. I could go on if I thought about it longer, but I'm done talking. I'm done trying to convince you. If that didn't then I don't know what would. Perhaps for some of you it will just convinced you to take a little vacation out here and visit me! TTFN. =)

Videos of Mylie

2010-03-27T10:26:00.000-07:00

I know family likes to see these so here are some videos of Mylie:

Spring in the Desert

2010-03-11T14:25:00.000-08:00

Mylie and I took a ride to Sanctuary Cove yesterday afternoon. I had never been there. I couldn't believe how beautiful it was. We've had quite a bit of rain lately so the desert floor, usually just plain ol' dirt, was magnificently green. It looked like there was a nice, thick layer of grass growing on the desert floor. It was breathtaking, I couldn't stop oohing and aahing over its beauty!

Have You Heard?

2010-03-09T20:27:00.000-08:00

We're moving to Rancho Cucamonga, California at the end of May. Richie got offered an internship position by an audiologist there. We are very excited about this opportunity, and I am excited to live in California. Hopefully that will bring more visitors our way!

When Richie first hear the word "Cucamonga" he was kind of upset because he thought he had invented that word when he was a little boy. He actually called his sippy cup his cucamonga. Crazy kid.

Model Artist

2010-03-09T20:22:00.000-08:00

Mylie has taken up art. She loves it, and she's actually quite good with a crayon. She focuses very well while composing her masterpieces. Just look at that concentration!

Oh, did I mention Mylie is also interested in modeling? I told her she needed a lot of practice walking in heels and wearing different kinds of clothes. She decided to practice in Mommy's stuff. She makes my insides giggle.

Cuteness

2010-02-18T15:19:00.000-08:00

Mylie is C.U.T.E. Believe it. Okay so I'm a little bit biased. But just look at that face!
Mylie asks to go to the park every day. Usually more than once too. And we do. Our second home is the park. She's a great climber and has absolutely no fear climbing, going down the slides, or going high on the swings.

Another thing Mylie loves is her Daddy. She really looks forward to him coming home so they can play, play, play! And she can't get enough!

She loves popping bubbles on her nose,

and has recently discovered that she loves doing puzzles.

This is what Mylie does when she closes her eyes and folds her arms for a prayer. Tee hee hee. I love this one!!!

And last, Mylie loves just being cute and entertaining Richie and me all day long.

Magic Kingdom

2010-02-18T15:05:00.000-08:00

Disneyland is a magical place. The minute you enter the grounds you can feel it. The sights, the sounds, the smell, it all adds up to make one feel like a small, excited child once again!

Mommas (Richie's mom) got to come with us this day! We were excited because it was Mylie's first time and were looking forward to see her reaction to the experience. Thanks to my mom and dad's generosity, we got into Disneyland for free.

Unfortunately there was constant rain. Fortunately we still had a great time! Unfortunately, because of the rain I didn't get to take many pictures. Fortunately the lines were nothin'! We pretty much walked on to all the rides. Mylie's favorite rides were Pirates of the Caribbean, and believe it or not, Pinocchio, which she called "YO!"

What's up with my HAIR?

Cali, Cali, Cali. Oh How I Love You

2010-02-18T14:51:00.000-08:00

Richie had a conference he needed to attend at the Disneyland Resort, so we took full advantage and took the whole family. (I know, such a large group!)

We got to stay with Richie's sister Patrice and her family. We just love visiting them. They are so much fun. It was rainy a lot, but Mylie didn't care. She loved playing in the backyard, which she called the park, rain or shine.

Poor Baby!

2010-02-18T14:42:00.000-08:00

Mylie got this horrible rash from Amoxycillin! Her doctor called it Erythima Multi Forme. He said it should go away anywhere from a week to months. Luckily for her, it went away after 3 days, and she was all ready to head to California.

When you're sick, you sometimes get princess treatment. Mylie got to watch The Little Mermaid, cuddled up in her blankie with her pillows, baby, and bunny, eating her favorite snacks.

Michelle and JoRyan

2010-02-01T13:42:00.000-08:00

Michelle (my sister) got married while we were in Oklahoma. She married a dashing and kind young man named JoRyan Johnson. It was so much fun getting to know him and his family over the break. I got to take pictures for them at the temple, and my friend, Holly Austin, took the reception pics.

JoRyan's mom made this beautiful cake!

Merry Christmas (better late than never)

2010-01-31T15:53:00.000-08:00

Christmas morning was so much fun with Mylie. She was especially excited about her big, blue ball, her Geo Trax train set, and her stroller. Papa and Grandma Jo also gave her a book with pictures of all the members of the family. She loves to look at that and name everyone.

Mom and Dad gave Lisa a laptop! Look at that happy face!

Daddy got sleepy after presents and a big brunch!

Christmas Eve

2010-01-31T15:36:00.000-08:00

We had a delightful Christmas Eve dinner of cheese and chocolate fondue with every dipping thing you could imagine. It was so much fun and different from what we've ever done. In fact, we never have had fondue as a family. The cheese fondue was my favorite. I think I gained my 15 holiday pounds from the cheese alone. Oh, and not to mention Eileen's sugar cookies.

Papa and Grandma Jo gave Mylie and Kyler their Christmas PJ's this year. I loved how the two little cuzzies matched in their green froggy jams.

And last, just some random pics from Christmas Eve Day.

Why I Love Mormonism, Part I: Joseph Smith's First Vision

2010-01-27T13:37:00.000-08:00

I have an incredibly strong testimony of my church, its teachings, and my Savior, Jesus Christ. I try to live a Christ-like life and set an example. One thing I am terrible at is expressing my testimony to others, sharing my beliefs, and just simply expressing my feelings about my Savior to others who also believe in Him.

I want to write several posts about why I love my religion. If I tried to write it all right now, it would take me days of sitting here type-type-typing away. So I'll focus on one things at a time.

So many people are scared of Mormonism. Why? I don't think many understand what we believe and who we are, otherwise it absolutely would not be frightening. We are not a cult, we are not devil worshipers, we believe is Jesus Christ, and we live good lives.

My focus today is on Joseph Smith. I want to tell part of his story.

This story is either completely true, or completely blasphemous. I had to find out on my own, as we all do, if it was true or not. Obviously I got an answer to my prayer, otherwise I would not be here telling of his experience.

After our Savior died, wicked people persecuted and killed the Apostles. Thus the priesthood authority that had been on the earth was lost. Soon enough, doctrines were corrupted, truths were twisted and changed, and the inhabitants of the earth entered into a world-wide apostasy which we call the Great Apostasy. Eventually new churches emerged with their own ideas of truth.

In the early 1800's there was a lot of religious excitement in the eastern United States. Joseph Smith, living in Manchester at the time, was confused about which church to join. He said, "In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself: What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it?"

Joseph retreated to the Bible to seek guidance. He came across the scripture James 1:5 that reads, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."

Because of this scripture, Joseph Smith decided to do just that, to ask God. In the spring of 1820, at age 15, Joseph Smith went to a quiet, secluded grove to pray to his Father in Heaven, to ask Him which church he should join.

As he was praying, a marvelous thing happened. Joseph wrote, "I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun which descended gradually until it fell upon me. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son, Hear Him!"

In his vision, our Savior told Joseph Smith not to join any of the churches. Why? Because He said that the churches were all wrong, and "...all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: 'they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.'"

We know that the churches our Savior was talking about each had faithful, Christ believing members who were seeking truth, but what had happened in each of these churches is that they didn't have a fulness of the truth. Meaning they had bits and pieces of truth mingled with ideas from man who had changed doctrines and ordinances, and passed these ideas down from one generation to another. Because of this, our Savior and other heavenly messengers directed Joseph Smith to organize Jesus Christ's church on the earth again.

And that is just the beginning to this wonderful gospel that we have here on the earth. Everyone has the opportunity to pray to God and find out for him/herself whether or not this story is true. Though I was raised a Mormon, there was a point in my life where I had to know, for myself, if it was true. I did as the scripture tells us to do. I asked Heavenly Father, with faith, and I received my answer.

You may be thinking this is a crazy story. You may be thinking it is blasphemy, or you may just not want to pray and ask. So this is my invitation to all who have read this: I promise you that if you pray with true intent and faith, you can receive an answer too. I know it.

Stay tuned for Why I Love Mormonism, Part II
It's either going to be The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ
or The Plan of Salvation/Happiness/Redemption

What's your vote?

Family Pictures

2010-01-10T23:22:00.000-08:00

My friend, Holly Austin, took some great pictures of our family while we were visiting Oklahoma. Love how they turned out. Here are just a few of my faves.

Gingerbread Houses

2010-01-10T14:29:00.000-08:00

I love Christmas at "home". Don't you always consider your parents' house home? I love the feeling, the music, the comfort, the food, the games, the movies, the activities and especially the company I'm with.

One evening we made deliciously delightful gingerbread houses. However, Richie's creative brain and my creative touch got smashed by our competitors.

Due to my parents' package of broken gingerbread, they really had to get creative! And because of their ingenuity and understanding of our current economy, all our guests voted their house the best.

I don't know what those people were thinking! If I were a home buyer, I certainly would have chosen this house. Nicely kept, neatly decorated, color coordinated, delicious! James, Corie and Lisa, my vote was for yours! Theirs and ours tied for last. But I do give it up to mom and dad for making the best of what they had.

Second place house: Cassie and Bryon's. PINK. Fun. Crazy. Lots of stuff ALL over it. Kind of like the place they live in now. Tee hee hee.

Third place house: Michelle and JoRyan. Very inventive. They took the pre-made/pre-cut pieces of gingerbread and created their own castle! Not to mention we've got Mario and Luigi guarding the castle with Princess on top. Sweet. I love Nintendo. I love Miche and JoRyan's castle.

And Richie's and mine. Not bad, not great, not original, not exciting. Organized, Christmasy, and WE liked it! (until we saw everyone else's!)

Here are our houses all together.

Taking Off

2009-11-03T22:19:00.000-08:00

I am officially "taking off" with a lifelong love of mine! Thanks to KRISTEN CHRISTENSEN , who took Mylie's pictures while visiting Oklahoma, I was inspired to just do it, to get started on something I've always loved--photography. I'm still in the learning process and know that I will always be learning new things in photography and photo editing. So to help me "fly" I am offering a Holiday Special. Click HERE to see my work and rates so you can book a session with me!

This is Halloween, Halloween, Halloween!

2009-11-01T23:21:00.000-08:00

Slivka's second annual Halloween Party was a success! We were required to come in costume, (though one family arrived as themselves). And by darned I was going to be something better than I was last year! And not only that, but our family was going to match. Here we are, in all our Oompa Loompa glory. Thanks for all the votes, we won the costume contest!

Valerie spent countless hours on their amazing Peter Pan, Captain Hook, Wendy, and Tinkerbell costumes. They were certainly the most incredible. Richie kept saying they got robbed in the costume contest. I guess I would say ours were the funniest which won more votes, and theirs was the best. I think Valerie was fine with it though since she got to see Richie do an awesome cartwheel when we heard the results.

How stinkin' cute are the Incredibles? I had a hard time deciding on who to vote for. The costumes were great!

I'm lovin' the parrot on the pirates shoulder.

Pippy Longstocking, Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, and Richie. Huh? That's right. Sterling was Richie for Halloween. Can't you tell? BYU shirt, and a hat that says "Audiology Rocks." The only hat Richie has EVER worn since I've known him!

I have to say that I think this little lady makes the cutest Piglet in the world. Ain't she adorable!?

And I must admit I think there is no better Charlie Brown than this lil' guy! I somehow missed the nerd and the WHO from Whoville.

Ohio Baby!

2009-11-01T22:54:00.000-08:00

In October I met up with some of my best friends for a Girls' Trip (plus our kids). We met at Lauren's house in a teeny tiny town in Ohio called The Plains. I knew we would have a great time together, but I certainly had even more fun than I imagined!

We visited an old, enormous, abandoned insane asylum called the Ridges, ate some disgusting AND delicious food at an eclectic Indian Restaurant in Athens, shopped the no name shops along the red brick roads in town, visited a dazzling art museum in which all the art was created by disabled people, walked the rows of inviting food and folk music at the Farmer's Market, had a delightful picnic at a lake that stood as still as glass, played at the park, and took insane amounts of pictures. I couldn't believe the beauty of Ohio in fall. The leaves were so vibrant and beautiful that I couldn't stop ooooing and aaaahing at their magnificence.

This picture was taken by Lauren's husband, Trevor

We also drew each other's names from a hat and had 20 minutes to shop for that person's "birthday present" for 2009. Later we gathered together and had a party for us all and exchanged gifts and giggles. Not to mention we made enormous amounts of food and treats that made me gain at least 5 pounds during the week.

Lauren summed up nicely on her blog of some of the things she learned from our "extravaganza"!
1.) A good dose of laughter is healthy – I need to do that more often
2.) Stories are always so much funnier many years later –especially when told from another’s perspective
3.) You can never have too many cooks in the kitchen
4.) There’s something about food and happiness that go together really well
5.) It doesn’t matter if you buy matching clothes if you all live in different states
6.) All kids LOVE and need their mommies
7.) 6 adults + 5 kids in one small house with one bathroom (and one bathroom plug) works out just fine
8.) 1:00 am talks can be very enlightening
9.) I'm not sure if personality tests are all that accurate :)
10.) I need my girlfriends

I agree with Lauren. I need my girlfriends. I love my girlfriends! I only wish all the girls could have come...it will happen in the future. What a great week!

Photo Shoot

2009-09-20T20:46:00.000-07:00

Mylie had never had her pictures taken professionally until last week! My mom knew of a fantastic photographer, so we scheduled to have Mylie's pics taken. I was so excited I had to go get her a new outfit. I don't have the pics yet, but I attempted my own photo shoot with my boring camera. For not having a great camera, these pics are pretty cute. I can't wait to get the amazing ones though! I wish I was a photographer!

Before, During and After

2009-09-20T20:38:00.000-07:00

My mom and I took on a big project one day while we were visiting. Since my parents just moved into a new home, my mom has much work to do--painting, decorating, etc. (Although I think it already looks fabulous!) Anyway, all the walls were white to we took on the task of painting the kitchen, breakfast nook, and utility room. We started around 9 am and didn't finish until around 11 pm. What a day, I LOVE a finished product! Here are some before, during and after shots.

Oklahoma

2009-09-20T20:27:00.000-07:00

Mylie and I flew to Oklahoma to visit my family for a week. We had so much fun! Mylie adores Papa, Grandma Jo, Aunt Cassie, and Aunt Lisa! She loved spending as much time as possible outside throwing rocks, banging rocks on rain gutters, throwing and fetching balls, riding her little bike, and bouncing on the trampoline. She also loved going to the park with Papa and watching the ducks at the pond. What fun! We love visiting our family!

My Projects

2009-09-07T21:18:00.000-07:00

I've taken on a new hobby. Sewing. I inherited a wonderful sewing machine and was very interested in learning to sew. My friends Karli was excited about this too because she wanted a sewing buddy! She taught me how to sew these cute little bloomers for Mylie, and also a little dress that I don't have a picture of yet.
I was inspired by a couple friends to make a quiet book as well. This has really been a fun project that keeps me busy (as if I'm not busy with Mylie) and gives me something to create and have fun with! Can't wait to finish, but then what?! I'll need another project! Guess I'll have to take on wood carving or pottery or something like that! Or I could get back in to blogging more often again!

Mylie's Newest

2009-09-07T21:02:00.000-07:00

Mylie has grown in so many ways. She keeps me on my toes and certainly keeps us laughing.

1. Mylie started walking around 11 months, and is now a pretty good little runner too.
2. She still loves books, especially Richie's Gospel Principles book in which she can simply shuffle through the pages. That keeps her occupied for quite a long time.
3. She loves playing in her crib--as long as we're in the room with her. She holds on to the rails, jumps, giggles, and plays peek-a-boo with her blankets. She also lies down in her crib and goes crazy kicking, wiggling, shaking her head like crazy and making funky noises.
4. Every single day Mylie makes her way into our bedroom, finds Richie's alarm clock, opens up his night stand drawer and places the alarm clock inside the drawer. Then she closes it and her task is complete. I think she's taken on her Grandma Jo and Great Grandma Wannie's traits. PUT YOUR THINGS AWAY! Richie and I get a good laugh about that every night when he goes to set his alarm clock and it's not where is should be.
5. She is communicating what she wants fairly well. She has learned to sign eat, more, water, milk, all done, again, please, and thank you.
6. Mylie makes animal sounds of a duck, fish, dog, pig, monkey, elephant, dinosaur and lion, and even makes the sounds of a car and tractor!
7. Her words that have meaning are now "dada, mama, duck, and hot." I think she tries to say "I love you" too.
8. Mylie loves being chased. Tell her to run and she'll take off with a squeal.

We just love our little lady and really enjoy every stage of her development!

Fun Times

2009-09-07T20:38:00.000-07:00

We really had a fun summer with all we got to do, places we got to visit, and people we got to spend time with. Oklahoma and Utah were our highlights, but we've also really enjoyed spending time with friends here in Tucson.
At the end of July my good friend Kristin and husband David and son Adam drove through Tucson on their way to Oklahoma. We had the pleasure of having them stay a night! We had so much fun catching up, chatting, and taking a morning swim. David even went on a morning jog. HOT!

We went camping with several families on Mt. Lemmon. We had a ball. Especially the night when all the kids kept each other up all night long with their waking up and crying (all the kids) or even giggling! Who giggles at 3:30 am? Oh, that would be Naomi and Gabe! With no naps and exhausted little kids, we didn't hear a peep the second night! Yay for a much better night's sleep. We also played games (our favorite being Sterling's rendition of the Newlywed Game) ate a bunch of food, walked around the lake (looks more like a very small pond though), and watched our kiddos throw sand all over their heads and their friends' heads. Fun times! We'd do it again!

T-t-t-tarantula Time!

2009-08-18T08:51:00.000-07:00

Two nights ago, Richie touched a tarantula...TWICE!

Mylie is ONE!

2009-08-02T22:58:00.000-07:00

My baby turned one July 15. Wow time flies. I remember those long nights I thought would NEVER end. But I also remember holding her little body in my arms in complete amazement of her being, of her perfection and sweet spirit! Oh how I love my little girl.

Finishing Utah

2009-08-02T22:43:00.000-07:00

My oh my see how much I had to catch up on? I tried to persuade Richie to do this post but I was unsuccessful!
What else did we do in Utah? We looked at the Tahitian Noni Gardens--beeeeeautiful, with Donna and Kate, we played cards and Speed Scrabble with Wannie, Pop Pop, Donna, and Kate, we went out to eat--A LOT, we had a nice dinner with Grandma and Grandpa Graves at Wannie and Pop Pop's house, we went to BYU's art museum, we ate at Brick Oven with Richie's family, we went over to BYU's dinosaur museum, we visited Richie's Dad's grave and my Aunt Heidi's grave, we visited with some of my old roommates and their families, and of course we just enjoyed being with family!

Fourth of July

2009-08-02T22:05:00.000-07:00

The Fourth of July is my next favorite holiday after Christmas! (Fourth of July in Utah anyway, that state REALLY knows how to celebrate!) We spent it this year in Orem with Richie's entire immediate family. It was so much fun! We had a barbecue and went to the Pleasant Grove fireworks, which were great! We did sparklers on the grass at the junior high where we sat to watch the fireworks. I love sparklers! I love fireworks! Have I mentioned that I LOVE the Fourth of July? Mylie was intrigued with the sparklers and fireworks too. I have a feeling that she will also love this holiday! Here are some snapshots of the family at the fireworks field!
Pics:
1. Mylie
2. Our Fam
3. Top: niece Jessica, Sis-in-law Pamela, Mommas (Eileen), Sis-in-law Patrice, niece Jeanette. Bottom: Sis-in-law Rachel with nephew Landon, me and Mylie, Sis-in-law Schuyler.
4. Nephews Brevyn and Aaron
5. Mylie with her cousin Joshua
6. Neices Amanda, Addy and Kamryn
7. Ryan and Schuyler
8. Jeanette, Michael, Pamela, Jessica
9. Matt and Camille (and Troy back there!)
10. Rachel and Landon
11. Troy

Utah

2009-08-02T17:45:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun in Utah. We stayed with Great Grandma Wannie and Great Grandpa Pop Pop. The von Zastrow's and Davis' were visiting too--that was a special treat! We really miss living close to family and Utah itself. You can't beat those beautiful purple and green mountains!
Pictured in order:
1. Mylie with Pop Pop
2. Mylie with Wannie
3. My cousin Shalin, Aunt Jeanne and cousin Kate
4. Sister Lisa and Aunt Donna
5. Cousin Max, Uncle Dave, and friend Logan

Finishig Oklahoma

2009-08-02T17:29:00.000-07:00

Here are some snapshots from the rest of our trip to Oklahoma.
Mylie with Graves side cousins--Kyler and Conner.

Aunt Cassie and Cousin Kyler.

Mylie with Daddy.

Mylie with Aunt Michelle.

Mylie with Grandma Jo.

Papa and Grandma Jo.

Kolby's Grave

2009-08-02T17:19:00.001-07:00

We visited Kolby's grave one evening. It was sad, sweet, and special. I continue to ache for the loss but am also happy with the knowledge I have of the plan our Heavenly Father has for us, the beautiful Plan of Salvation.

Turner Falls

2009-08-02T17:10:00.000-07:00

We got to go to Turner Falls with my dad and Michelle in Oklahoma. It was so pretty and a lot of fun! I would describe it as the smaller, not quite as amazing but still pretty cool version of Havasupai Falls in the Grand Canyon. We definitely learned that next time we go we need to bring a cooler full of food, a few blankets and chairs to sit on, and lots of suncreen to spend the whole day there! Lovely! Michelle and I enjoyed this cool slide too!

Mylie LOVES Oklhahoma!

2009-06-25T13:14:00.000-07:00

Mylie has been having a blast here in Oklahoma! She absolutely adores her Grandma Jo, Aunts Cassie, Michelle, and Lisa. She has a blast with her cousin Conner and likes looking at her baby cousin Jayden. She's waiting for Grandpa Kevin to get home from a business trip, and will see her Uncle James in December.

Mylie has really enjoyed being outside. She loves splashing in the fountain in the backyard, pushing the blue ball all over the place, playing in the hose, bouncing on the trampoline, going to the splash park, and eating the sand at Lisa's volleyball games. Not to mention, she also loves sucking on anyone's fingers who will offer them to her. Yum Lisa! Your finger is like candy!

Friends

2009-06-25T13:08:00.000-07:00

We're here in Oklahoma visiting my family. A couple days ago I got to visit with 2 of my best friends! We had babies so close in age we had to get some pics. Lauren had Bryce 1 week before Mylie, and Robyn had Kenzie 1 month after Mylie. Aren't they cuties? I love my girlfriends!

Puppy Chowin'

2009-06-25T12:40:00.000-07:00

Mylie thinks she is part puppy. You can see she really enjoys her 4 1/2 pearly white, picket fence teeth. Thanks Mylie for reminding us that those little teeth work really well!

108

2009-06-11T23:13:00.001-07:00

I met a lady the other day at the Department of Economic Security. It was a hot day--in the 90's I believe, and in she walked with a beanie on her head, a sweat shirt, sweat pants, thick socks and shoes. Now I realize this is no excuse for dressing this way in what I consider to be pretty hot weather, but come to find out this lady was ONE HUNDRED EIGHT YEARS OLD! I've never met anyone that old!
Let's paint a better picture here. She was Vietnamese, about 4 feet tall, few if any teeth (I can't recall exactly), super knobby knuckles, and clouded eyeballs. She spoke Vietnamese, walked in on her own (no cane, walker, wheelchair, etc.), and interacted with Mylie but putting her hand or finger out for Mylie to touch or grab. She was actually with her daughter and granddaughter. They were all making a fuss about Mylie's cuteness (who wouldn't!?), then with great pride, her daughter offered to share her mother's age with us.
There's really no point to my story other than to say that I met a really really old person, born in 1901. Boy, she has seen A LOT. Have you ever met a REALLY old person?!

Mylie's Favorite Activities

2009-06-01T08:33:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday!

2009-05-26T20:36:00.001-07:00

I have a new nephew! Kyler Jayden Weske was born May 21. He was 6 lbs 10 oz and 19 inches long. I love his cute little face and thick, dark hair! Congratulations Cassie and Bryon! Love you guys!

The Hearing

2009-05-19T10:18:00.001-07:00

If you are interested in reading about the hearing for the young boy who attacked Max you can click HERE. Very interesting!

My Baby's Gettin' OLD!

2009-05-17T20:51:00.000-07:00

Not Mylie! My other baby, Richie. Just want you to know that I love you! To even think that I ever doubted our relationship during our engagement just blows my mind now.
I couldn't ask for a better husband. You are the most loving, devoted, and unselfish person! I know that you would do anything for Mylie and me at the drop of a hat without a complaint or sour attitude.
You can make anyone smile and laugh at your witty humor.
I love everything about you. Even though I always say you're weird, and sometimes even roll my eyes, I still love the way you dance around the house in your underwear, make up crazy songs, and do annoying things just to get my attention.
I love how you are such a hard worker and claim that you only work this hard for your family so that you can support them (well someday anyway)!
I love your solid testimony and knowledge of the gospel. I love your amazing spirit. This, as you well know, is what originally attracted me to you and still does!
I love your adorable smile, your pretty, blue eyes, and your handsome face. I even love your incredibly manly hands and unique feet!
I am grateful to have a husband who truly cherishes religion, life, and family. And especially me. I recall a conversation we once had in which I asked, "Will you drag me into heaven with you?" To which you replied, "No, but I'll walk hand in hand with you." I'm so grateful for our marriage and that we are sealed as husband and wife to live together for all eternity, so that we CAN walk hand in hand together in the Celestial Kingdom. Happy Birthday Baby! I love you!

9 Months Down...WAY too Fast!

2009-04-22T18:32:00.000-07:00

Mylie understands a few phrases now. It's really fun to tell her to do something and then she does it! Here are a few things she can do on command:

1. Clap your hands! (LOVE it!)
2. Dance! (Shakes her head no as fast as she possibly can, rattling her brain!)
3. Shake it! (Rattles, balls, head, whatever!)
4. Give ____ kisses! (Nice, wet, slobbery, tongue sticking out kisses)
5. Turn off the light! (I hold her next to the switch, and she flips it off)
5. Give me a hug! (She's not a cuddler so will only do hugs when she's in the mood)
6. If you're happy and you know it clap your hands (She loves this song, and the second she hears the first 3 words, she's already clapping!)
7. Wave to ____ (Just learning this one and getting it down)
8. Turn the page! (This one totally surprised me!)
9. How big is Mylie? (Throws her arms above her head)

She also understands the words and phrases:
1. Bunny
2. Eat
3. Daddy
4. Light
5. Fan
6. Outside
7. Come here
8. Ball
9. Baby
10. Mommy
11. Bath
12. Change your diaper
13. Look
14. Mylie
15. Phone
16. Winnie the Pooh
17. Drink of water
18. Read a book
19. Ducky
20. Doggy

It's so fun to watch her grow and develop!

Max

2009-04-16T09:40:00.000-07:00

If you've been wondering about how Max is doing, you can read all about him on his mom, Jeanne's blog. Click here. Thanks for all your prayers and support!

Easter Sunday

2009-04-12T16:53:00.000-07:00

Don't miss the story about the Easter Bunny below! Richie is such a great writer!

Forget Easter Egg Hunts, I Want The Bunny!

2009-04-12T15:13:00.000-07:00

This year Angie and I decided that instead of doing an Easter Egg Hunt, we wanted something better. Why be satisfied with just a limited amount of candy filled eggs, when you could get unlimited candy filled eggs by catching the source itself? So that's what we decided to do, catch the ever elusive Easter Bunny. An Easter Bunny Hunt, if you will. During the early hours of Easter morning, we set up watch. Time passed, and we waited... and waited...and waited...until it seemed the Easter Bunny would not be paying us a visit this year. When all of a sudden, from around the corner, we heard what sounded like the noise of a small bunny delivering some candy filled eggs. We peered around the corner, and to our delight caught a glimpse of the Easter Bunny! It was inspecting each egg, ensuring that each was in perfect condition and ready to be left in our baskets.

We silently crept around the corner, hoping to snatch up the Easter Bunny from behind. The Easter Bunny, however, is not so easily caught. It has been in similar situations before, as many a child has unsuccessfully attempted what we were attempting to do. As we quietly approached, the bunny's keen senses quickly alerted it to our presence. It turned and looked at us in surprise, it had found us!

The bunny quickly turned and took flight, leaving Easter eggs strewn behind it in it's path. It was off to the races!

We would not let it go without a chase, however. We hurried after it closely as it dashed away. Now, the Easter Bunny has never before been caught. It is not an easy thing to do. However, in this case, we were fortunate. The Easter Bunny made a never before, drastic, mistake. Rather than run for the outdoors, it ran straight into our bedroom. It was trapped, we had it cornered and there was no way out. As I leaned down to pick it up, it made one last valiant effort to escape by trying to scurry under our legs. There was no luck for the Easter Bunny this year, however. I snatched it up around the waist and held it triumphantly in the air as it tugged on it's ear in defeat.

We had done it, we had caught the Easter Bunny! Upon capturing the bunny, however, we realized that if we kept it for it's unlimited supply of candy filled eggs, we would be disappointing millions of other little children. We imagined the sad faces of all of the many children who would excitedly wake up in the morning, only to discover that their Easter basket had not been filled. So what did we do with our little capture, you might ask? We took pictures with our little friend, and then we happily let it go. Happy Easter!

Update

2009-04-03T21:58:00.000-07:00

I'm sure several of you have been wondering the same questions that I was wondering. WHO? WHY? And of course most importantly, how is Max doing?

I'll start with the story. Let's back up though to introduce you to the disgusting fella who hurt Max. I don't know his name so we'll just call him John.

Max and John used to be friends. Jeanne and Dave von Zastrow (my aunt and uncle, parents to Max) never did feel like John was a good kid to be friends with. While Dave, Jeanne and Max were on vacation, John decided to steal Dave's Jeep. He was driving it all around Moab and his plan was to drive it off a cliff and watch it explode. Luckily Moab is a small town where everyone knows everyone so he got caught before anything that horrible happened. When the von Zastrow's returned from their trip and learned of the incident, Jeanne talked to Max about not being friends with this kid anymore. Max agreed and just hanging out with him.

Jealousy got the best of John. Max was taller, cuter, had more friends, etc. A couple months ago he beat Max up at school. Killing Max became John's obsession it seems. He told kids at school that he had a gun with two bullets in it. One for him and one for Max. The day he hurt Max he was asking other kids, "If you were to kill somebody with a baseball bat, where would you hit them?"

Max and two friends always walk home from school together. That day Max had one of the boys come to his house. Jeanne was on a business trip and Dave was at work. Max was on the computer while his friend was watching TV on the couch. John and his friend made their way over to von Zastrow's house and quietly let themselves in. John stood being Max and swung the bat as hard as he could on the right side of Max's head. So hard in fact that it knocked the bat out of his hands and hit Max's friend on the shoulder. Then John and his friend took off. Max's friend saw him lying on the ground. He got Max, who was in and out of consciousness, to the car and rushed him to the hospital. They immediately life flighted him to a hospital in Grand Junction.

John has been arrested. Thank goodness!

Max is regaining consciousness and is starting to reason better. He is still in and out of sedation. He's in a lot of pain, obviously, and is especially annoyed with the catheter. According to Jeanne, Max is improving and getting his sense of humor back. For example, he was being asked about his body temperature. "Max, are you hot?" To which he replied, "Of course I am!" He has permanent hearing loss in his right ear, and the nerves in his face have been severely damaged. Doctors hope that with therapy his nerves can be improved or restored. I believe one of the main concerns right now is that he still has spinal fluid leaking out of his ear. I guess that's a bad thing.

Jeanne and Dave are overwhelmed with the outpour of love and support from family, friends, acquaintances, members of the church, and even people they don't know. I think they feel very grateful and humbled. In Jeanne's words, "To everything there is a purpose and a reason under heaven." What a great attitude to have amidst the horrific event.

We love you Max, Jeanne and Dave and continue to pray and think about you constantly. Despite the event, you will be blessed and this trial will make you even stronger.

Head Trauma

2009-03-31T19:47:00.000-07:00

I get sucked into horrible stories I hear or see on TV. Not out of, "Wow this is so good!" More like, "Sheesh I can't believe somebody would do something like that!" Once I watched how some high school seniors "oriented" some juniors by pretty much beating the heck out of them, then laughing about it. I've watched how a couple kids meet up to have a fight while somebody else records it and puts it on You Tube. My sister's junior high friend was getting bullied and ended up shooting the bully with a bow and almost killing him. How in the world do things like this really happen? Do you ever think something like this would happen to you or someone in your family?

I just got a call from my dad. The words, "I called to tell you of another trauma that has happened in our family today." Those are ugly, heart-stopping words that I've heard far too many times. This time it's my sweet 15 year-old cousin Max.
He was beat in the head with a bat by a kid from school in Moab, Utah. Cracked his skull. He was life flighted to a hospital in Grand Junction, Colorado. He is currently in surgery and they are trying to get the fluid off his brain. WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD SOMEBODY DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS? I'm still in shock. My heart aches for Max, for my Aunt Jeanne and Uncle Dave, for my Grandparents and everyone else who knows and loves Max. I feel completely helpless as I'm sure everyone else does as well. I'm so worried about his recovery and what lies in the future. Richie and I and other family members just started a fast for Max. We would greatly appreciate any prayers on Max's behalf as well as prayers on the behalf of all of us trying to deal with this horrible tragedy.