The Mower Family

Finally an Update

2011-12-13T22:45:00.000-08:00

Yes, I still blog, I guess. I have been so busy with two girls, and I've competely forgotten what life as a mother of one was like. It must have been a lot easier, but it didn't seem like it. Even though I don't feel like I have a minute to just sit most days, I feel so blessed to have my two girls, they are truly amazing.
Well to summarize our life the last few months...we celebrated Josie's 3rd birthday, had a wonderful Halloween and Thanksgivng....and I can't believe it's almost Christmas! (We cut down our own Christmas tree this year, it was a lot harder to find a tree than we expected.) Anyway, instead of writing a bunch of stuff that no one is going to read, I'm just going to post a bunch a pictures from the last few months. Enjoy!

The Last Few Weeks

2011-08-11T15:04:00.000-07:00

I feel like I should be folding the laundry, or maybe taking a much needed nap right now but alas I am updating the blog. The last 6 weeks have flown by with the birth of Lilah, fourth of July, my birthday, painting the house, Lilah's blessing and Russell's back surgery... I guess we've been pretty busy!
I decided that having two kids is a lot more work than one or I guess Josie is a lot more work now that she has a little sister. She's had a hard time adjusting to life as a non only child but the hardest thing has been trying to keep Lilah alive, Josie is so 'helpful', she's always trying to pick Lilah up, hug her, kiss her, pull on her limbs, headbutt her, dance with her, feed her food, wake her up, etc etc etc.... I don't think it ever stops, it's a bit exhausting. But despite the added 'stress' lately, somehow I'm the happiest I've ever been.

Lilah after her first bath at the hospital.

Josie LOVED the fireworks on the 4th.

Josie in her old bibby. Lilah's blessing.... yes my eyes are closed but unfortunately this is the best picture.

This is Russ just before going into surgery. He had surgery on his back for a herniated disc this last Tuesday. He's doing well and we're all hoping for a quick recovery!

Baby Lilah

2011-07-24T10:00:00.000-07:00

These photos were taken the first week and half of Lilah's life, I can't believe she's already over 3 weeks old and I also can't believe how much different she already looks. :( Thank you Laura for taking these beautiful pictures!

Maternity Pictures

2011-07-11T18:53:00.000-07:00

I know I'm a little late posting these.... they were taken about a week before I had Lilah. Thank you Laura!

Lilah Nicole Mower

2011-07-03T07:45:00.000-07:00

Our sweet baby girl #2 was born July 1 (my mom's birthday) at 8:37 am. She was 6 lbs 13 oz, 19 in long and just perfect. I don't know who is more in love with her, me or Josie.

The delivery was even easier than Josie's. We got to the hospital at 5 am, after a few hours of painful contractions at home. I received my epidural at 6 am and had Lilah about 2 1/2 hours later, after about two pushes. I'm so glad I don't have long labors, I don't know how people do it! Here are some pictures from the delivery. Many, many more pictures of Lilah will be coming in the weeks ahead!

Happy Birthday Russ!

2011-06-13T08:20:00.001-07:00

We celebrated Russell's 27th birthday last Thursday, with some Oreo cake, which was quite delightful!

May

2011-05-30T18:22:00.000-07:00

The month of May has flown by, I'm going to make a quick post about what we've been up to.

We celebrated Mother's Day... Russ and Josie picked out some beautiful flowers for me!

Russ was out of town for 4 weeks for work. For 2 of the the 4 weeks he was in Seattle. I went to visit him for a weekend, Josieless. It was nice have a relaxing weekend alone. We explored downtown Seattle, went to a movie, slept in, took a ferry ride, and ate at restaraunts without a child. It was a nice getaway.
Josie got some new Owl bedding, after some persuasion from me. I was afraid we'd be leaving the store with Tangled bedding but with a little persistence I got my way and we both left the store happy. :)

And last but not least I'm continuing to grow a baby. I'm about 34 weeks and can't believe this little girl will be here in about a month and a half!

Easter

2011-04-28T08:37:00.001-07:00

We had a glorious easter with tons of Cadbury mini eggs for me and Josie and mexican Coke for Russ. We went to two Easter Egg Hunts and Josie didn't quite get the hang of it, but I'm sure she will next year. :)

Josie couldn't look at the camera because she was too busy looking at Finding Nemo

March Happenings...

2011-03-28T10:00:00.000-07:00

I know I need to post some pictures of our house and I promise to get around to it soon. Anyway, we've been trying to be patient waiting for spring, even though it's technically Spring, the weather sure doesn't indicate that. I desperately hope it gets nice soon! Josie has become obsessed with puzzles in the last few weeks, and she is actually pretty good at them. We've been trying to potty train her lately (which has been loads of fun), so puzzles have been a great tool to get her motivated. I think she has around 10 now, with almost every one missing at least one puzzle piece... which is very stressful for me. Russ has been diligently taking care of our yard, there's not much to do yet but he seems to find something to keep him busy out there. Sometimes he likes to just stare at the yard from inside the house... he has big plans. He did put some hooks up for the hammock, which we've been able to use twice. I've just been making headbands and growing a baby to keep myself busy... I can't believe I'm almost 25 weeks pregnant. Hopefully we can decide on a name for this little girl soon!

It's a.....

2011-02-22T16:25:00.000-08:00

GIRL! For those of you who don't know, we are expecting our second child, due in July. I am thrilled and Russ is also excited but informs me that if baby number three is also a girl that it will be our third strike and our last... whatever. :)

Be Mine

2011-02-15T10:25:00.000-08:00

I hope your Valentine's Day was filled with as much love and chocolate as ours!

Josie took our picture... the first attempt didn't quite work....

but this one turned out pretty good for a 2 year old.

Busy

2011-01-27T17:46:00.000-08:00

We've been super busy lately, we bought our first house a couple weeks ago and we're finally getting all settled in. I'll have to take some pictures of the house once I finish painting and decorating. For now I thought I'd post this picture of Josie and Russ. Josie insisted on wearing her snow white costume, with her boots and hat to the store the other night.

Christmas and Stuff

2011-01-03T14:20:00.000-08:00

It's so weird to think that Christmas has come and gone already. I wish I could pause time and enjoy the Holiday season a little bit more. Anyway, here is a picture of Josie helping me make sugar cookies a few days before Christmas. By help I mean she made a huge mess with the frosting and sprinkles and then ate like 10 cookies. She quite enjoyed herself!

My favorite part about Christmas this year was watching Josie open her presents, she was so excited!

Christmas Eve pajamas.

Josie showing me her new Foofa stuffed animal.

And lastly, this has nothing to do with Christmas but Russ and I celebrated our 4th anniversary on the 28th. I can't believe it's already been 4 years... however, sometimes it feels like it's been an eternity. :)

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-23T09:19:00.001-08:00

December Happenings

2010-12-21T18:04:00.000-08:00

I can't believe Christmas is almost here, it seems like it should still be summer, but alas the Christmas season is in full swing. Josie has been really excited about everything Christmas this year. When my mom was decorating the tree Josie said, 'I so esited!' She was even excited to see Santa, that is until it came time to sit on his lap. I can't wait for her to open her presents because I have a feeling she's going to be 'so esited' about those as well.

This last weekend our friends Matthew and Michelle invited us to their cabin. Josie couldn't wait to get outside, we bundled her up like the kid from A Christmas Story, to make sure she didn't get cold in the snow. It was a fun weekend...we had a great time eating yummy food, playing in the snow and relaxing by the fire!

Thanksgiving Weekend

2010-11-30T15:31:00.000-08:00

I didn't take any pictures at Thanksgiving and I haven't really taken many pictures this last month. :( We did however have a very yummy Thanksgiving and I made three banana cream pies, that turned out quite well, if I must say so myself. For now I hope you will enjoy this great quality picture that Josie and I got at the mall on Black Friday with our friend McGruff.

Family Pictures

2010-11-11T08:10:00.001-08:00

My sister Laura took our family pictures last month and they turned out really well. Josie was actually pretty good, which is quite a contrast from last year!

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T18:44:00.000-07:00

Josie was Snow White for Halloween this year. She absolutely loved her dress and warmed up to the idea of taking candy from strangers very quickly. She loves sweets... like her mom!

Cousins Kiya and Faith

Cousins Ty and Crew

Aunt Nicole

This has nothing to do with Halloween but I thought Josie looked cute in this picture with my slippers on and no diaper. It's a bit risque I know, I'm sorry. :)

Back in Idaho

2010-10-17T07:50:00.000-07:00

I guess it's time for a quick update. Russ' parents came to Las Vegas and helped us pack all our stuff for the move back to Idaho. We were so grateful for their help!

We've been back in Idaho for two weeks now and are glad to be back home. Russ had a week off from work so we went to American Falls to visit his family... we took Josie bowling for the first time, which she quite enjoyed.

We went to the Boise zoo this last week. Josie's favorite things were the Tigers and sitting on this giraffe.

We really enjoyed our time in Las Vegas but are sure glad to be back in our homeland. :)

More Vegas Sights

2010-09-20T21:36:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know, we will be leaving Las Vegas in less than two weeks and moving back to Idaho. Russ was offered a job in Boise and we just couldn't pass it up. We've really enjoyed our time here in Vegas, except for the heat, and are really sad we won't be around for the mild winter... it's what got me through the summer. :( I think Russ will miss the buffets more than anything else. Anyway we've been trying to see some more of the Vegas sights before we leave. This last weekend we saw the lions at MGM Grand and the Botanical Gardens and fountain show at the Bellagio. All three were quite enjoyable.

Labor Day Weekend and Josie's 2nd Birthday

2010-09-07T14:23:00.000-07:00

We decided to take a last minute trip to California for Labor Day weekend. It was Josie's 2nd birthday on Saturday so we took her to one of her favorite places, the beach. We went to Venice beach, walked along the board walk and spent the afternoon playing in the sand and cold water. Josie could have stayed there all day. That evening we took our son (yes son, Josie was mistaken for a boy several times on Sat, I assume it's the lack of hair and the ambiguous gray shirt she was wearing) to a Dodgers game, where Josie yelled and clapped along with the crowd. I think she had a pretty good birthday. On Sunday we went to see the LA Coliseum, then stopped by a local Farmer's Market before we headed home.On Monday, during timeouts and half time of the Boise State game (which we are very happy about... I thought Russ was going to lose it), we quickly celebrated Josie's birthday. I had big dreams for Josie's birthday cake this year but after the first cake burned (thanks to our wonderful oven) and I realized I didn't have all the things I needed to make what I wanted, I made a simple cake with a crown on top. There's always next year.

Her favorite present is her new bus or as she says 'fus'. I can't believe it's already been two years since Josie was born. She has brought more joy to my life than I could ever have imagined. I am truly blessed to be the mother of such a special little girl.

Touring some Vegas Attractions

2010-08-22T16:28:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday we thought it would be fun to go see Hoover Dam. However I'm not sure what we were thinking because it was 110 degrees outside which is slighlty too hot for an attraction that is outside and in the sun... Josie was miserable. It was a nice Sunday drive at least.

On Friday we went to the M&M's store and Coke Factory. Josie couldn't keep her hands off pretty much everything in the store, especially the chocolate (she takes after her mother). We got a sampler tray of Coke products from around the world. There were 16 flavors, some were really good, but the Beverly from Italy, with its nice friendly name, was absolutley horrible, like really horrible.

These following pictures are of Josie being her crazy self. She's getting good at saying 'cheese' for the camera.

Another Year Older...

2010-07-20T11:52:00.000-07:00

I've decided that birthdays aren't quite as magical as they used to be. When I was little I used to count down the days until my special day and it seemed like it took forever to come. I remember older people saying that birthdays are just like any other day and sometimes they didn' t even want to celebrate because they'd rather not think about getting older. How could this be? I thought. But now I understand. I still love birthdays and enjoy celebrating mine, I just wish the years didn't go by so fast. The thought just occured to me the other day that I am now closer to 30 than I am to 20. How did that happen? I know it's not that old but it is for me because I'm still only supposed to be 16! :)

Anyway... for my birthday we got a Boston Cream Pie from Costco on Saturday and couldn't help but eat it the days leading up to my birthday, which is why you see a half eaten cake in the picture. Russell brought some flowers home for me and put them in a pitcher since we don't have any vases. I think they look beautiful. Josie colored a happy birthday sign for me, she also colored the wall. Even though it wasn't quite as magical as it was 20 years ago, I still had a great day! (Russ took a lot of really cute pictures of josie with my birthday sign and I couldn't resist posting most of them.)

California Dreamin'

2010-07-06T18:46:00.000-07:00

To celebrate Russ' graduation and our 'new' life, but really just because.... Russ, Josie and I spent the fourth of July weekend in California. We stayed in hotel next to LAX, it was a very nice hotel but maybe not the best location, we'll have to stay closer to the beach next time. The weather was a little colder than we had anticipated but the 70 degree temp was a nice relief from the Las Vegas heat. We walked down the Hollywood walk of fame, explored Chinatown (where I payed to use the most disgusting bathroom I've ever seen), drove around Beverly Hills, went to 2 different beaches, and enjoyed the 4th of July festivities at the Longbeach Pier. We had a great time!In front of the Hollywood sign. (It's next to my head.)

The Beverly Hills Diner

Los Angeles Temple

Josie loved the hotel and was super hyper when we first got there.

We took this especially for Nicole.

Josie overindulged a bit while on this trip.

Huntington Beach

Longbeach Pier, in front of the Queen Mary.

Out of Control

2010-06-24T07:44:00.000-07:00

This little girl is out of control. Her little personality is really coming out and she's getting more and more fun all the time.

Recent Happenings from Vegas...

2010-06-15T07:50:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday when it was a 100 plus degrees, we decided to take a drive to Mt. Charleston. It's about 30 min away from our place, about the same distance as the strip but in the opposite direction. It was quite pleasant and very comfortable at about 70 degrees. It felt like we were right back in Idaho. We plan on visiting often.

We celebrated Russell's 26th birthday on the 9th. I made him Chicken Enchiladas for dinner and some Pistachio Pudding cake, which I ended up eating most of. I put trick candles on his cake. Josie thought it was hilarious.

And the for the most exciting news....... Josie went pee in the potty! I got the little potty out just so she could get used to it and within about 10 minutes she peed in it. I'm sure it was beginners luck but I was very excited!

Home Sweet Home?

2010-06-06T17:00:00.000-07:00

We've been in Las Vegas for a week now. My parents drove down with us last Sunday, spent the week here and drove back home on Friday morning. During our first week here we explored the strip a bit (saw a lot of crazy people), went to about 5 different Walmarts about 10 different times (saw some choice people there too) and went to the Fantastik swap meet (where yet again we saw some interesting folk). We've been busy all week getting all the things we need to make our condo feel like home including a new HD tv, slipcovers, chairs and toilet paper (since my parents will no longer be providing it).

We really like the area of town where we live. We're right on the edge of town, literally, there's just desert between us and the mountains. We're about 30 minutes away from the strip and we have almost all the shopping we could ever need within about 10 miles, including Costco and 2 Targets, which are my personal favorites. We're enjoying life here so far, except for the above normal temperatures, I hope I can survive in these triple digits.

We miss all our friends and family at home. We especially miss free rent, free satellite tv, free Internet, garbage/mail service, Sunday dinners and all the other countless luxuries provided by the Larry and Cindy Pond household. But it feels good to be on our own, even if it is way more expensive!

Here are a few pictures from this week. Sorry they're aren't any from the swap meet, cameras were not allowed, which is quite unfortunate.

Nan and Grandad

Russ and Josie on our strip venture.

The view from our complex entrance.

More pictures of our place and our adventures here in Vegas to come....

Just a couple...

2010-05-25T15:22:00.000-07:00

Just a couple more days 'til Russ comes home, just a couple (or few) more days in Idaho, just a couple days at the cabin....here a just a couple photos. Josie and I spent the weekend at the cabin in Stanley with Tara. I'm not sure when we'll be back there so I wanted to have a fun day outside. I wasn't too thrilled when I woke up to several inches of snow on Sat and Sun morning. We spent most of the weekend inside... oh well, it was still beautiful.

My New Headbands

2010-05-11T14:09:00.000-07:00

My sister Laura was kind enough to take pictures, yet again, for my etsy shop. This time they are of me, which is kind of exciting! I'm really excited about these new fabric flowers, they take a lot of work but I think they look beautiful! You can visit my shop here http://www.justjosie.etsy.com/

Our Last Minute Trip

2010-04-29T19:10:00.000-07:00

Josie and I couldn't wait the whole 7 weeks to see Russ, so last Monday we hopped on a plane to Vegas to hang out with him for a week. We stayed with some relatives of Russ' that were the nicest people ever, they were very good to us and fed us tons of food. We looked for apartments without much luck, drove around the city we'll soon call home, and enjoyed the beautiful weather. Now we only have 4 more weeks!

Our Last Days with Daddy

2010-04-13T22:25:00.001-07:00

Russ started his new job on Monday, yay! However he's in Dallas for training and he'll be gone for seven weeks, which is not so yay. Josie and I already miss him very much, 3 days down and 44 to go. Anyway, on the days leading up to Russell's departure, the three of us spent some good quality time together. Russ' last day of classes was Thursday, so we took Josie to the Zoo (where a lion hunted Josie, but seriously, it charged the glass and got right up to Josie's face... thank goodness for the glass.) and later went out for ice cream to celebrate. On Saturday we went to a movie and dinner. Then Sunday morning we bawled our eyes out and said goodbye. We can't wait for Daddy to come home!

The Lion that wanted to eat Josie.

Daddy, Josie Chippy Time

Josie and I on Sunday evening, missing our Russy.

This is what we're using to count down the days until dad gets home.

What Did the Easter Bunny Bring You?

2010-04-07T14:35:00.000-07:00

Well if you ask Russ, nothing, because he is very certain there is no such thing as the Easter Bunny. According to him, a Bunny that 'poops' eggs is beyond belief, so not only does he not believe but he claims he won't allow our children to believe in such an insane idea. However, he loves Easter candy more than anyone, go figure. Anyway, despite Russell's negative attitude towards the bunny, we woke up Easter morning to beautiful candy filled easter baskets. I guess he's lucky that Josie and I believe. :)

Josie couldn't wait to dig in.(And yes my daughter is wearing boy pajamas.)

Russell's candy spread.

Black Eye

2010-03-28T15:46:00.000-07:00

I know what you're thinking but no, we did not beat her. Josie's been a bit clumsy lately and fell off the kitchen stool, hit her face and has this beautiful black eye to show for it. She looks fabulous in these pictures, I know.

Spring is in the Air

2010-03-13T15:57:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday was such a beautiful day that Russ, Josie, and I took a walk after church. I can't wait for the nice, warm weather! Here are some pictures from our stroll.

18 Months Old and Viva Las Vegas

2010-03-04T18:49:00.000-08:00

My little baby isn't really a baby anymore. Josie is 18 months old today, time sure flies. She is getting quite the personality. She loves to eat cheese, chocolate, wheat thins and wipes. Her favorite things to do are dance, play outside, and push her stroller around with a towel on her head (wierd I know). We sure love our little 'sose' and couldn't imagine life without her!

Josie got pink eye for the first time a couple weeks ago, and she was kind enough to give it to me.

And last but not least... we are moving to Las Vegas! Russ got a job with the IRS at the Las Vegas office. He starts in April, so we will soon be residents of Sin City. I've never been, so it should be interesting, but we are very excited!

Featured on Etsy!

2010-02-13T08:41:00.001-08:00

One of my headbands has been featured on Etsy's main page!

I feel like I should have a speech prepared... I want to thank my sister Laura and her amazing photography skills, without which non of this would be possible. I'd also like to thank Russ and Josie because they are my inspiration! :) I am very excited, as you can tell! Go to http://etsy.com/ to check it out.

Josie and Headbands

2010-02-03T22:17:00.000-08:00

Surprisingly this last month has flown by. Usually January seems to drag on but this year I've been so busy that I haven't had time to hate it. I've been busy chasing Josie around of course but even busier making headbands. I starting making and selling headbands on Etsy in the middle of December and I feel like I've been making headbands non stop ever since. But I've really been enjoying it, it's given me the creative outlet I've been needing.

Getting back to Josie... Sometimes she is out of control and her hair is even more out of control. She doesn't have much of it but it's actually quite long along the mohawk region. The other night Russ and I decided to give her a mohawk to see just how long her hair really is. Too bad it's not that long everywhere.... someday.

Her mullet in a twist.

Goofing around with Granner-Nan.

She insisted on wearing my slippers to the store. (Yes she is 'talking' on the phone)

She usually screams when she's done eating. The other day I wondered why she was so quiet, then looked over and saw this.

Boxes make the best toys.

Christmas, Our Anniversary, and the 'Stache'

2010-01-01T15:54:00.000-08:00

We had a really good Christmas this year, we were very spoiled! Russell got some power tools, I got clothes and some fun cooking stuff and Josie got a doll named Sophia. She loves her doll and tries to change her diaper, brush her teeth and feed her with a bottle, she is a very good mommy. These two pictures show how excited Josie was for Christmas.

Tara and Josie relaxing on Christmas Eve.

Hanging out with Nicole.

Our presents from Santa.

Russell in his new Timberland boots (yes Afton he got another pair). Tara in her new fishing waders.

Nicole got lots of pop and movies, she was very happy.

Josie's mad face, she wants the camera yet again.

Russell and I celebrated our 3rd Anniversary on the 28th.

The happy couple.

And last but not least. You may have noticed that Russ has been growing a beard. He started about 2 months ago but the other day he decided it was time to shave...

however he decided to leave this gem on his upper lip and is keeping it until after church on Sunday, lucky me.

Our Christmas Card

2009-12-15T23:41:00.001-08:00

Make a Smilebox greeting

I know this is super cheesy but I thought we'd wait a couple years until we send out real Christmas cards. Enjoy!

These are a few of her favorite things...

2009-12-10T21:58:00.000-08:00

Chips or as we call them chippys...
cell phones...

a comfy chair...

hiding in the closet...

tara's banana chair...

playing in the diaper box...

bath time...

taking pictures with mom, kind of.

Something she doesn't like... taking pictures with Santa. We went to the mall last week to sit on Santa's lap. The 'elf' told us that to take our own picture we had to stand in this crappy spot. They're trying to encourage people to buy pictures because if Santa doesn't make enough money then he can't come back next year. So this is what we ended up with.

The next night we had our ward christmas party. Josie didn't like sitting on Santa's lap there either.

I am Thankful for this Girl

2009-11-27T22:39:00.000-08:00

I gave Josie her first purse a few weeks ago, she loves to carry things around in it, especially her cell phone. She likes to walk around and find random things around the house and stuff them inside. Sometimes I find tampons and pads in it, silly girl.

She wants the camera.

This picture is courtesy of Tara (my sister). This is Josie's scrunched nose smile. I haven't been able to get a good picture of it.

Tara came home for a few days last weekend. We went to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner. Then on Friday Tara and I went to Costco for a much needed sample trip.

We celebrated Nicole's Birthday and ate costco chocolate cake, the best cake ever.
And celebrated Tara's Birthday.

I made Tara Black and White cookies....

and Nanaimo Bars.

Russ, Josie, and I celebrated Thanksgiving at the Mower's. We weren't able to stay long but we had a great time and ate yummy food. I made Banana Cream Pie and it was suprisingly delicious. Later we tried to play cards but we were interupted by babies.

My attempt at getting a picture with Josie, she wasn't in the mood. (Oh, I colored my hair this month, I am brunette again.)

Josie was exhausted from our quick trip to Grandma and Grandpa's and slept the whole way home.

Josie loves to go from room to room and pull everything out of the drawers. It's so much fun, especially for Mom.

She wants the camera again.

Happy Halloween and other things...

2009-10-31T21:12:00.000-07:00

We've had a somewhat uneventful October. Earlier this month we went to the park and fed the ducks, well Russ and I fed the ducks, Josie just ate the bread.

Josie is getting quite the personality, sometimes she is just out of control and I feel like I'm contantly picking up after her. She loves to pull all the wipes out, throw diapers everywhere, eat toilet paper, and throw things in the garbage, ie. my cell phone.

Last week Josie and Russ were really sick. We took Josie to the hospital on Saturday because she had a really high fever and had trouble breathing, we found out she had Croup. She hated the hospital and freaked out anytime anyone even walked into the room. Needless to say the 3+ hours we spent there were fun. She has since recovered but still doesn't have her voice back. Russ and I think she sounds like Chunk from Goonies, especially when she cries.

When Josie was feeling a little better we took her for a walk downtown to enjoy the fallness, all she wanted to do was push the stroller the whole time, we didn't get very far.

For Halloween we went to our ward party on Friday night, where Josie won the Best Baby Costume. On Halloween night we spent time with my sisters and all their kids. We went trick or treating and ate tons of candy!

Family Pictures

2009-10-11T14:12:00.001-07:00

My sister Laura took our family pictures for this year a few weeks ago. Josie was very difficult, which is always fun. However, I think we still got some good pictures. Thanks Laura!

Lions and Tigers and Bears...

2009-09-25T15:58:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Russ and I took Josie to the Zoo for the first time. It was Russ' first time to the Boise Zoo too and I think he had way more fun than Josie. His favorite part was watching the Tiger walk around. Josie really enjoyed the monkeys and penguins and I liked the giraffes. The zoo is quite impressive these days, as Russ would say "it's pretty legit."

Random Pics from the last few weeks:

Russell and Josie enjoying the last days of nice weather.
Josie knows she's not supposed to get into the wipes but she does it anyway.

One of her new favorite things, wearing her blocks around her neck. (Yes I know she looks like a boy here)

New York

2009-09-10T10:08:00.000-07:00

Russ and I had a great time in New York City. We walked A LOT, so much that every part of our bodies ached. We went through Times Square many times. Russ' brother Dan works in a building near Times Square. On Friday evening we ate dinner at his office and enjoyed a great view of the Empire State Building. On Saturday we spent the afternoon in the Ironbound distict in New Jersey, where the Brazilian neighborhood is, we ate lunch and Russ got a much needed brazilian fix. Sunday was our last day in the city. We spent some time in Central park and then went to check out the view of the city at Liberty State Park. It was a great trip, we missed Josie a lot, but it was great to get away. Here are some pics from our trip.

Anxiously awaiting the Subway.

In front of the Statue of Liberty... it's that tiny thing to the left.

Wall StreetOur first of many times in Times Square.

Wasington Square Park

The ESPN Zone, an obvious must for Russ.

Next to me and Josie (I hope), Russell's favorite person.

Rockafeller Plaza

Russ looking like a cancer patient in the only Pacers memorbilia in the NBA store.

The Manhattan Temple

This is the gift we bought Josie at FAO Schwartz on her birthday. Not sure if she likes it.

Russ found some much wanted Brazilian items.

The Brazilian areaish

Waiting for the train to the City.

Trying out my new sunglasses.

Russ trying out my new sunglasses.

Brazil day in New York City... insane.

Central Park

Park Avenue

Russ and Owen (our nephew)

Russ and his brother Dan

Dan, Laura, and Owen. Thank you so much for letting us stay with you and for all your help.

Liberty State Park

Josie's I love New York onesie.

Happy Birthday Josie!

2009-09-04T18:51:00.000-07:00

I am in New York without Josie and I miss her so much. Today is her birthday and I thought I would reminisce. Here are some pictures from the day she came into the world and changed my life forever. I love you Josie... Happy Birthday!

Josie's Birthday Party

2009-08-31T21:52:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Josie's 1st birthday this last Saturday. Why a week before her birthday you ask? Because Russ and I will not be with on her on her actual birthday, we will be in New York. I'm a horrible mother I know, believe me, I've stressed about this a lot. Anyway, for her party we went to the park and had pizza, cake and ice cream. Josie got some great gifts. Russ and I got her a telephone that makes a lot of noise, which I am now regretting. After opening presents, I stripped her down to her diaper so she could attack her birthday cake. She did quite the opposite. She was not interested in the cake at all. She obviously doesn't take after her mother.

Josie has been changing a lot this last month. She is waving all the time, she says 'hi dad', she gives kisses and as of Friday, she walks! She is getting more and more fun all the time. I'm convinced that she's the best baby ever, but I may be a little biased.

River, Cabin, and 'Our Twins'

2009-08-03T22:36:00.000-07:00

A week ago Russ took a cataraft down the river for the first time. Josie and I drove along the river and stopped to watch where we could. Both Josie and I really wanted to go on the boat but I told her she's too young, and that maybe she can go in a couple years. Anyway, Russ did awesome, at least I think he did, because he made it down the river alive and we had a fun time watching him.

This last weekend we headed to the cabin in Stanley with some of the fam. We had a fun time, we roasted lots of marshmallows, and relaxed on the beach at Redfish. I think Josie's favorite part of the trip was playing in the water with Dad. She loves the water, even if it's freezing.

This last week I've been helping watch my sister's baby, Lincoln. He's two weeks younger than Josie and the easiest baby ever. However, even though he's super easy, two babies are much harder than one. It's probably just because Josie gets more high maitenance when another baby is trying to get my attention. When Josie gets upset Russ likes to tell her "Mom's trying to take care of your brother". I've definately decided that I do not want twins and I have a lot of respect for my two sisters and mom who have been lucky enough to have them.

Happy Birthday to Me!

2009-07-20T19:55:00.000-07:00

I am now a quarter of a century old, very exciting! I had a great birthday. Russ tried so hard to make it special for me. On Saturday Russ and I floated the Boise River (thank you Stephen and Afton for the raft). There were a ton a people on the river, most of which were well, interesting, so it was a little crowded but we still had a great time. Later that night we went to to dinner at Chili's. On Sunday (my actual b.day) we didn't do anything too exciting. We just had dinner with the fam, opened presents, and had cake. Here are some pictures from the wonderous day.

Here is the cake Russ made for me. It was his first time ever making a cake.

Russ said Josie came to him and said she wanted to make this sign for me. She is so sweet!

Here is Josie just being cute.

The 4th of July

2009-07-06T21:42:00.000-07:00

For the holiday weekend we went to visit Russ' family. We went swimming at Lava Hot Springs, had a BBQ (until it started pouring rain), and then we went to Idaho Falls for the big firework show. We had a great time!

Below are some pictures that I took of Josie in the bath the other day. She loves the water!

Josie's First Camp Out and Other Stuff

2009-06-25T10:42:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we took Josie camping for the first time. We went with some friends and just relaxed and enjoyed the outdoors. It rained for the first couple hours but then it was quite nice. I think Josie had a good time, except for when the smoke from the campfire got in her face.

Lately when I try to take a picture of Josie she tries to get the camera, so she's always super close and then she gets mad, this is what I end up with.

One more thing... Last night we were hanging out on the trampoline and I just thought Josie looked so cute with her sunburned eyes and new teeth. So here are some more pics.

Happy Late Birthday to Russy!

2009-06-11T21:23:00.000-07:00

It was Russell's 25th birthday this last Tuesday. We celebrated on Saturday by eating at Tucanos, which is Russ' favorite restaraunt, he loves the meat and he especially loves the Guarana because it comes in a can. Then on his actual birthday we barbequed and ate some cake. For his b.day Russ got some new shoes, a new set of scriptures, and a big thing of steak from Costco. His birthday was extra special this year because my sister Laura had her baby. So now Russ shares a birthday with baby Stella or as Russ likes to call her Satin (don't ask).

Beginning of Summer

2009-06-08T22:06:00.000-07:00

Summer has officially begun and we're really enjoying it. Josie loves to be outside, she really enjoys the pool, the golf cart, and bike rides. She is so fun and she's growing up so fast. However, apparently she's not actually growing a lot. I took her in for her 9 month doctor's appointment today and these were her stats... weight: 15 lbs 4 oz (5 %ile) and height: 27 in (30 %ile). The doctor is a little worried about her weight so we have an appointment in a month for a weight check. Josie still doesn't like solid food, so hopefully she has a change of heart this month. Here are some pics of us enjoying the beginning of summer.

No Doubt Concert

2009-05-26T22:18:00.000-07:00

I went to the No Doubt concert in SLC with my sisters Steph and Tara and my niece Marlee on Memorial day. We had a great time. We were super close, up against the rail, which was great, except for the bruises on my hip from being rammed up against it. Tara and I have loved No Doubt for about 13 years now. This was our sixth time seeing them in concert. The first time we saw them we had the crappiest seats possible, this time we were so close that we actually got to touch Gwen. Pretty exciting! Here are some pics, courtesy of Tara.

A Crib for Josie

2009-05-20T19:28:00.000-07:00

Since Josie was born she has slept in a co-sleeper next to our bed. The co-sleeper is about the size of a bassinet so she started to out grow it at about 6 months. We didn't have her other crib ready yet so I tried to keep her in it as long as possible, but when I found her on the floor after a nap one day, I decided it was time to finish her crib. We got a crib on craig's list in January, it was an oak color, which I don't like, but it was such a great price that I thought we could strip and stain it a different color, no big deal right? Wrong. This turned into the project from hell. After Russ and I spent hours applying all of the goopy stripping stuff we discovered that the back panel of the crib was not real wood. So instead of staining it we would have to paint it, but since we had already applied the stripping stuff we had to remove all the old stain. Anyway, to make a long story short, we wasted a ton of time and money just to paint it, which we could have done from the beginning. Oh well, I'm just glad it's done. Here is the finished product, I think it turned out well and Josie really likes it. She also loves her quilt that Grandma Millie made!

I thought I would add this picture because you can see Josie's little teeth. She finally got two teeth a couple weeks ago, she sure enjoys biting everything now, especially me.

Recent Happenings...

2009-05-12T13:24:00.000-07:00

Our lives haven't been too exciting lately but I'll write a little about our recent happenings. Josie is now a professinal crawler, she likes to follow me everywhere. However now that she can actually crawl all she ever wants to do is stand. She especially loves to stand against the couch and try to play with the laptop and pull the keys off. Josie still doesn't like to to eat. She doesn't hate it as much as she used to but it's definately not something she enjoys. Which is wierd because I absolutely love to eat, I just don't get it. Russ has been working really hard lately, finishing up this semester at school. Unfortunately he doesn't get a break when it's over, he starts summer classes next Monday. I had a good mother's day this year. Russ and Josie were so good to me and I got chocolate, which makes any day good!

Russ had a filling at the dentist... his mouth is numb.

Easter Weekend

2009-04-13T14:59:00.000-07:00

Our family had a fun Easter this year, especially because it was Josie's first. We had two easter egg hunts, we colored eggs, and ate tons of candy. Josie's favorite part was playing with the plastic eggs.

On the Move

2009-04-08T10:33:00.000-07:00

Josie is officially on the move. She isn't quite crawling yet but she can sure get around, and she's getting into EVERYTHING. Her favorite thing to do is get into the shoe basket so I moved it, but then she found something else to do, I caught her chewing on the kitchen floor mat, DISGUSTING, I know. The adventure has only begun. Oh and she has been doing some funny pilates/yoga moves lately. Her favorites are swimming and downward dog.

Josie's Six Month Photo Shoot

2009-03-28T11:31:00.000-07:00

Josie had a photo shoot with Laura this last week. She did awesome but got super tired towards the end. I'm really excited because Laura got some great pictures. I am so lucky to have a sister that is such an amazing photographer! Thank you Laura!

Merry Marchness

2009-03-17T13:33:00.000-07:00

Russ loves college basketball, so he always gets excited for March Madness. He said it's like his Christmas, he's weird. He likes all of us to fill out brackets and this year was Josie's first time. We're still not done filling hers out because it's a very long process. We hold up two toys, each representing a team, whichever one she chooses wins that game. We have to give her breaks because she starts to get annoyed after a few picks, so needless to say, it will take us a while to finish. I'm supposed to be working on it with her while Russ is gone today, I haven't yet. Russ has been impressed with some of Josie's picks and she's even predicted some upsets. Below is a picture of Josie trying to make a pick.

I thought I would add in this last picture because Josie looks so cute and it looks like she actually enjoys eating. Feeding Josie has been quite stressful for me, it's definitely not easy. She is finally starting to not hate it as much. She'll take a few bites then she's done. Before she would scream and cry when I would move the spoon towards her, so she has improved.

Six Months Old!

2009-03-05T21:55:00.000-08:00

Josie turned six months old yesterday, it's hard to believe that she's already so old. I can't imagine my life without her now, she brings me so much joy. She went to the doctor today so here are her stats: 13lbs 12oz (10%ile) and 25 in (25%ile), she's a petite little thing. Today she ate rice cereal for the first time. She wasn't sure if she liked it at first but then started opening her mouth really big when I moved the spoon towards her. I'm excited to try new foods the next several weeks to see how she likes them.

Valentine's Day

2009-02-16T19:41:00.000-08:00

We had a really good Valentine's Day this year. Russ got me some roses and chocolate covered strawberries along with some other candy that I could pick at. He got Josie a candy bar that he covered with a special valentine's wrapper, which she enjoyed chewing on. The three of us ate dinner at On The Border, which was quite delightful, then came home and watched a movie. Very exciting, I know, but we had a really good time.

Juicy

2009-02-03T13:31:00.000-08:00

Not much has happened the last couple weeks so I thought I'd post some pictures of Josie. She will be 5 months old tomorrow and is getting more fun all the time. She's rolling all over the place and her absolute favorite thing to do is suck on her feet, and everything else.

January so far...

2009-01-18T18:28:00.000-08:00

The month of January is probably my least favorite month, with the end of the holidays and constant cold weather I always get kind of depressed. Russ and I have been really missing the blue skies since the Boise valley has had an inversion for a week now, so we decided to take a drive up Bogus Basin road to see the sun. We had a really good time and enjoyed the view. Here are some pictures from our 'trip' and some cute pics of Juicy.

A New Year, A Dead Deer

2009-01-04T13:56:00.000-08:00

I hope all of you have had a good new year so far, we have. In fact we feel grateful to be alive and well, and happy that our car is also well. On our way to American Falls on New Year's night, we hit a dead deer, yes a dead deer. We came up over a rise and didn't see it until it was too late. We hit the mound going 78 mph, it lifted the car a little but didn't do any damage, it just left some blood and fur on the bottom. We feel very fortunate, the Lord must be looking out for us.

On a lighter note... Russ and I celebrated our 2nd Anniversary on Dec. 28 and have decided to try and give it a go for another two years, but we'll see. (jk) We had a nice relaxing evening, the two of us went to dinner at the Cheescake Factory, which was quite delightful.

Mower Christmas

2008-12-30T10:08:00.000-08:00

We had a really fun Christmas. Josie went to see Santa a few weeks ago, I think she liked him because she didn't cry. Russ, Josie and I spent Christmas at the Mower's this year. It was my first one away from home, it was different but I had a really good time. Josie had a lot of fun, she 'played' in the snow, opened presents and dressed up like Grandma Millie.

It's Christmas Time

2008-12-12T09:22:00.000-08:00

We have had a fun December, and we are enjoying the Christmas season. Actually, Josie and I have had a fun December, Russ on the otherhand has been sick and he is just trying to get through the last couple weeks of the semester.

Last week Josie and I went to the Jim Brickman Christmas concert with my some of my sisters. I know what you're thinking, I took my baby to a concert. Well I'm sure that's what everyone at the concert was thinking too. Let me tell you, it was not a good idea. I missed most of the first half, but Josie slept after the intermission so I was able to enjoy some of it.

Josie turned 3 months old on the 4th. I can't believe how fast time has flown by and how big she is getting. She is so much fun, she loves to smile and squeal, especially when I sing Christmas songs to her. Here are some pictures that I thought were cute of her.

Give Thanks

2008-12-01T13:24:00.000-08:00

We had a good weekend at my parents for the Thanksgiving holiday. I have so much to be thankful for this year. I am especially thankful for my wonderful husband and sweet baby girl. We had fun with Josie this last weekend, she adds so much joy to our lives, even when she's screaming and crying during half of Thanksgiving dinner. Here are some pictures from our weekend.

I just thought Josie looked so cute in this picture...

Josie loves to hang out with her dad and watch football.

Russ wanted to help with Josie, so he put on my sling to carry her.

A Rolling Good Time

2008-11-24T22:55:00.000-08:00

Josie rolled over for the first time today. You can see that my life is really exciting if this is what I'm blogging about right?! Anyway, I thought is was really exciting and I can't believe how my little girl is growing. Here are some pictures of the rolling process.

Fun In Fall

2008-11-05T15:21:00.000-08:00

This Fall has been very fun with a new little baby. Everyday I wake up and am so excited to hang out with Josie. The other day we went for a walk downtown to look at all the beautiful colors, it was quite enjoyable!

My sister Stephanie came to visit this last weekend. Her little baby, Lincoln, is two weeks younger than Josie. I hope they'll be good friends as they grow up. They look like they enjoy hanging out together already don't they?

Yesterday Russ and I went to vote, Josie helped me, so I thought it was only fair that she get to wear the 'I voted' sticker.

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T21:31:00.000-07:00

We had a fun Halloween! Josie and I dressed up as cats. First, we went Trick or Treating with some of her cousins, the weather was perfect. Then we went to my sister Danielle's house for dinner and more treats. We had a great time!

Faith, Kiya and Josie (Bo giving bunny ears)

Josie's Blessing

2008-10-28T14:14:00.000-07:00

We blessed Josie on Sunday, October 19. I was nervous that she would cry during the blessing, but she did really well and Russ gave a beautiful blessing. Here are some pictures of our little family and Josie in her white dress.

Say Cheese!

2008-10-21T14:10:00.000-07:00

Josie has been smiling a ton lately and she just looks so cute that I had to take a picture and post it.

And here is a picture of Russ and Josie, in the kitchen, trying to hide from the camera.

Josie's Birth Announcement

2008-10-18T15:59:00.000-07:00

Mom, Dad and Funny Faces

2008-10-02T09:41:00.000-07:00

Nothing very exciting has been going on in our lives lately. Russ and I are still adjusting to parenthood and less sleep. Well actually I'm adjusting to parenthood and less sleep, Russ is just trying to survive long days at work and school. He helps me whenever he can and has become an expert at changing diapers and putting pjs on, he's a great dad. Josie loves both of us I'm sure but from these pictures which one do you think she loves more?

I tried to take some cute pictures of Josie the other day but she was goofing off and refused to give me a serious face, this is what we ended up with.

Family Pictures

2008-09-26T13:56:00.001-07:00

Laura took some pictures of Russ, Josie and I a couple weeks ago. They are some of our first family pictures!

Josie's Photoshoot

2008-09-21T21:00:00.000-07:00

I know that most people have seen all these pictures of Josie on Laura's blog but I thought I would post some of them on my blog anyway. Sorry that I don't have anything really new and exciting. Josie is doing really well and she's even sleeping really well at night lately. Russ and I are having so much fun with our sweet little girl, we think she's the best baby ever, but we're probably a little biased.

Jaundice Josie

2008-09-10T13:51:00.000-07:00

I took Josie to the Pediatrician for her first visit on Monday. The doctor said that she looked really yellow so she sent us to the hospital to have Josie's bilirubin levels checked. Her score was a little high so the doctor wanted us to keep her in a bilibed overnight. (It's a bed that has blue lights, which help to break down the red blood cells and get rid of jaundice) One of us had to watch her at all times to make sure she didn't remove the eye cover thing. So needless to say, I didn't get much sleep on Monday night, oh the joys of having a newborn. By the way, Russ nicknamed Josie "Jaundice Josie". He's such a sensitive and loving father.

Russ and I are really enjoying parenthood. We couldn't love Josie anymore than we do. She is so cute and she's such a good baby, we are really lucky. Here is a picture of her that I thought was cute.

Josie Noelle Mower

2008-09-05T15:17:00.000-07:00

We had our beautiful baby girl yesterday. She was born at 2:14 pm. She weighed 7lbs 1oz and was 19.5 inches long. Here is a picture of me and Josie. Laura took pictures for us in the delivery room, you can see more on Laura's family blog http://lpfarris.blogspot.com/.

Last Pregnancy Post

2008-09-01T07:46:00.000-07:00

This is the last picture that I will be posting of my pregnant self. I am set to be induced bright and early Thursday morning, unless the baby decides to come earlier. We are so excited for our little girl to arrive, however I'm a little sad that I won't be pregnant anymore. I've really enjoyed being pregnant, I love feeling her move around inside, the whole thing is just such an amazing experience, I will miss it. Anyway... wish us luck, I'm sure we'll need it!

39 weeks and 2 days

The North Fork of the Payette

2008-09-01T07:38:00.000-07:00

Russell went on the river this last Saturday, with my dad and uncle Ralph. The river is an extremely difficult one, a class V +. Russ rode on the back with my uncle ralph, he doesn't have enough experience to go by himself on something that big yet. They almost flipped and Russ got a minor injury on his leg, but he had a lot of fun!

Maternity Pictures

2008-08-12T19:33:00.000-07:00

My sister Laura took these pictures of Russ and I last week (36 weeks preg). They turned out awesome! Check out her photography blog on my links to look at the other pictures she took.

Another Garden Update...

2008-08-08T07:48:00.000-07:00

I wanted to quickly update everyone on Russ' ever expanding garden. It's getting huge and starting to produce lots of food. We're just starting to get green beans and they taste super good. Everything is getting huge and is outgrowing the fence Russ made. Russ is very proud of his creation, as you can tell.

Salt Water Taffy and Six Weeks To Go!

2008-07-27T19:31:00.000-07:00

This a pretty random post. Russ and I actually did have a good weekend. On Friday we went rafting down the South Fork of the Boise, but I forgot my camera so I didn't get any pictures of Russ kayaking like I wanted to. We also went to dinner and then played miniature golf on Saturday night with some of our friends, so it was an enjoyable weekend. But these are the pictures we took. Russ and I stole some of Tara's taffy that she got from Costco, we figured that the bag was so big she wouldn't notice if we ate some. And then here's another picture update of my ever growing stomach. We've still got six weeks left until our little girl arrives!

Our weekend in Stanley

2008-07-18T15:26:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Russ and I went to Stanley with my family. We had a good time relaxing at Redfish Lake and going for hikes. Russ rode the horses and I wanted to but I'm too pregnant to ride them, oh the sacrifices you make to carry a baby. Anyway, we had a really great time at my favorite place in the world.

Russ playing teeter totter on our hike

Redfish Lake

Garden Update

2008-07-09T16:01:00.000-07:00

Russell's garden is really taking off, everything is growing really well, and Russ is really proud of it. The vegetables are starting to bud and hopefully we'll be eating all of his hard work soon!

River, Camping, Russell's New Scooter and 30 weeks pregnant...

2008-06-26T19:50:00.000-07:00

This last weekend was very action packed. We went down the Main Payette river on Friday. Russ wanted to take a kayak but we forgot the paddle so he tried out the cataraft and my dad taught him some new skills. On Friday night we went camping, the weather was really warm and perfect.

Russ' scooter, which her ordered from the internet a few weeks ago, finally came. When we came home on Saturday from camping, Russ spent a good portion of the day putting his scooter together. Everyone a had great time riding on it. All the kids had to have at least 2 rides each, then came back the next day for more.

I am now 30 weeks pregnant and I feel like I'm getting bigger and bigger everyday. I'm really enjoying being pregnant, my favorite thing is feeling the baby wiggle all around inside of me. It's so weird that I have a tiny person inside of me.

Last New York Post

2008-06-19T16:15:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday we went for a boat tour around Manhattan and we saw the Statue of Liberty. The ride was fun but a little long. Then we went to the Metropolitan Museum and finished the night by walking around Central Park. It was another really hot and humid day, so my feet and ankles swelled up really bad again and I was exhausted by the end of the day.

Central Park

On Wednesday we saw Ground Zero then went to Chinatown and bought some stuff on Canal St. Later that day after lunch we walked through Washington Square Park and saw a naked girl getting painted, that was interesting. On Thursday, our last day in the city, we ate lunch at Serendipity, did some shopping and rode a ferry from Wallstreet to New Jersey. It was a really great trip and I hope to go back sometime soon. Hopefully Russ can go with me next time. (Check out my sisters' blogs for more NYC pics.)

Frozen Hot Chocolate at Serendipity

Typical Laura

Leaving New York on the Ferry

Our First Day in New York

2008-06-15T21:09:00.000-07:00

This is my first of a few New York posts. I went to New York with my mom, Tara, Laura, Steph and Marlee from Sat June 7 to Fri June 13. Sunday through Tuesday were super hot and humid, so walking all over the city was a little rough those days. We got to Manhattan on Sunday afternoon. That evening we went to Times Square and did a lot of shopping. Monday morning we went to the Today Show and saw Ann Curry, Al Roker and Haylie Duff. Laura and Tara got a picture with Ann, they were very excited. Then we took an NBC tour, we saw the SNL set and some other fun stuff. Tara got us tickets to Conan Obrien that night. (By the way...On the way to Conan we saw Demi Moore and Giselle Bundchen on the street.) For those of you that read Tara's blog about the t-shirt she made for me to wear to Conan...well he didn't see it, we were sitting too far back. But all the people that saw me wearing it thought it was funny, so I'm sure if Conan had seen it, he would have loved it. Anyway, the show was really fun and Conan was super funny and Kate Hudson was the guest, so that was cool. (It was a very celeb filled day.) After Conan we went to eat at Carmine's, an italian restaurant, which was very good. Then we went to Times Square again and took some pictures. (I didn't take one picture the whole time. Laura and Steph brought their really nice cameras and took a million pictures. Laura has all some edited pictures on her blog so you'll have to check them out.)

Marlee and I at Rockafeller Plaza

All of us at Rockefeller Plaza

Marlee and Steph

Dinner at Carmine's

Laura, Tara and I in Times Square

Camping

2008-05-31T20:00:00.000-07:00

Russ and I went camping this weekend with our friends Stephen and Afton. We camped near Garden Valley, Idaho and our campsite was right next to the Payette river. Russ got a new sleeping bag for an early birthday present, so he was very excited to use it. We also got to use our new tent that Russ's parents got us for Christmas, it's a very nice tent (Thank you Ron and Millie). I made tin foil dinners which actually turned out well and we had smores thanks to Stephen and Afton. Russ and Stephen had a lot of fun collecting wood and playing the big fire they made for us. They are so boys. The trip was short but it was really fun and relaxing... I love camping.

Our Cute Baby

2008-05-27T20:45:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd post a new pregnancy picture, I am now 25 weeks and still comfortably pregnant, I'm sure that won't last for long. I also thought I'd tell you to check out my sister Tara's blog for a picture of what the baby would look like if it were half Conan O'brien, I'm sure everyone will agree that it's very cute.

Our Day at the "Beach"

2008-05-19T20:42:00.000-07:00

Russ and I went to Sandy Point Beach on Saturday with our friends Stephen and Afton. We wanted to go swimming because it was super hot but the water was freezing so I only got in up to my knees, I told Russ that the water was too cold for the baby. Russ was the only one brave enough to get all the way in water, I was very proud of him. I'd have to say that our favorite thing about our trip to Sandy Point was the people watching. There were a lot of very interesting people there.

The Cabin

2008-05-11T19:59:00.000-07:00

Russ, Tara, and I went to the cabin (in Stanley Idaho) this weekend. On Saturday we went fishing on the Salmon river and also in some ponds up Yankee Fork. We had a really good time. We all caught a bunch of little fish but Russ and Tara both "caught" big Steelheads. I say "caught" because they did not catch them the normal way, like when the fish bites the lure way. Tara snagged her fish by the fin and Russ caught his in a net. But catching is catching right? Later we went to eat burgers at a restaurant in Stanley that was less than impressive, the food was alright but they tried to poison Tara. (They gave her expired mayo for her burger, you'll have to visit her blog for the full story.) Anyway, needless to say, we a had a fun relaxing weekend at the cabin and we hope that Tara is alright. Here are some pictures from our trip...

Russ and I in front of the Sawtooths.

Russ fishing "Huck Finn" style on the Salmon.

Russ and Tara with their fish.

Russ with his netted Steelhead.

Russ and I on the Sunbeam Dam.

Russell's Garden

2008-05-04T19:54:00.000-07:00

Russ has decided to plant a garden this summer. He's already put hours and hours into it and he hasn't even planted anything yet. He's been working really hard to prepare the ground and installing a sprinkler system. He plans on planting peppers, tomatoes, zuchinni, carrots, beans, corn and so on. He's really excited for this summer project and we hope that it turns out really well. We'll keep you updated on the growth... I'm sure that you can't wait. Here is a picture of Russ next to his garden (or tilled dirt).

Half way there!

2008-04-19T18:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went to the doctor and had an ultrasound. (I am 20 weeks pregnant by the way.)They confirmed again that we are having a girl, so Russ has lost all hope. Actually, I think he's getting used to the idea of having a girl, even though he still tries make a trade with one of my sisters for their baby boys. Anyway, they checked the baby for all her vital organs and measured her. Everything was normal which makes me feel good. However we didn't get a good look at her face because she's really low in my pelvis and wouldn't move, therfore we didn't get a good profile picture. We got a bunch of pictures of her limbs, which is fun but not as cool. I'll have another ultrasound to check her facial features, but not for another 8 weeks. Even though we didn't get any great pictures, I still wanted to post one of her, so here is a picture of her arm.... I also wanted to post a picture of my growing stomach. I'm not showing very much yet, but I've noticed that some clothes make me look more pregnant than others. Anyway, this picture is of me at 20 weeks... I'm half way there!

Hello!

2008-04-18T17:52:00.000-07:00

Hi, this is my first post for our new blog. I've already spent forever on this blog just trying to find a template that I like, I suppose this one will have to do. But, if anyone knows where I can find some other good templats let me know!