New Employee at the Hosptial

I am an official employee of:

I recently was offered a job as a Child Life Specialist. Don't worry, I won't be leaving my kids for a job. I am in a supplemental role so I will only be filling in when needed. This is a dream I have been working for since 2000. It has been a long haul!!!
So for those of you who have never heard of a child life specialist here is just a breif description of just a part of what I do:
"A hospital can be a scary place. Helping kids cope with stress and uncertainty is what child life specialists do best. They assess needs and explain what is about to happen, using age-appropriate language and medical play. They calm fearful patients with relaxation and distraction techniques. Soon that scary place isn't so scary anymore."
If you want more information, I have plenty and I could talk your ear off- I have a lot of passion for what I do.

Budding Artist

I can't say that I know for sure but I think Corbin has some artistic talent. I know you think I am crazy for even suggesting it, since he isn't even a year yet. But why don't you tell me what you think after watching some of these, I know my other two children couldn't do this at Corbin's age:
At nine months he was copying the kids as they drew on the easel and now he can hold a writing utensil correctly every time he finds one.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Thankfully this magnadoodle can keep him busy for quite a while!!!
So far this is what Connor and I have produced:
Dylan- Sport star
Ashlyn- Dancer
Corbin- Artist
Pretty good list, should we keep goin?

A 3 Loaf Day

Today made me miss the snow, because it was fun, but I also realized there are a few more pluses of southern living:

1. IF (did you see that- if) it snows it isn't much- NEVER enough to actually shovel and boy do I hate shoveling!
2. Everyone stays home even if it is just one inch- Connor came home half day cause no one was at work
3. The stores were EMPTY - half of them at the mall didn't even open today and the other half where barely staffed because "no one could get to work."
4. They cancel school- wait for it, wait for it- the day BEFORE they are expecting to get a FEW inches of snow!!!!!!

Isn't it great- who wants to come live here???? This is the exact opposite from Cleveland! In Cleveland we would get so much snow we can barely dig ourselves out, yet school is still on and work is too!

So around here they label their winter storms by how many loaves of bread you will need to "get through it." So this was rated a three loaf storm. What can I say????

The snow was irresistible and we finally got out to play in it with the last hour of light left. As you can imagine, the snow was not great. All powder, can't make a snowman, can't make snow balls, can't sled, so what do you do????

Play on the Trampoline!! Boy am I glad I haven't listened to Connor tell me a million times that we should take it down. Did you know that you can make a snow angel on the tramp, then jump a little and it evens out the powdery snow again so you can start fresh for a new one??? Then we ended up getting our fill of sledding!!! I was surprised that my little Ashlyn was the tough cookie here. She would have stayed out forever and the cold snow down her neck and on her face didn't seem to phase here, while Dylan screamed bloody murder at the smallest speck of snow on his face (and of course he was the one dishing the snow balls!)

So here is a video our our kind of sledding (as you can see NC would never get enough for real sledding):

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Here is a funny video, excuse the coughing child and the darkness, it is still worth a look:

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

And we had to make our way to the kitchen for hot chocolate, where I found this:

Another generation of a chocoholic! She is stealing my birthday chocolate!!! She moved her chair over and stole it.

Christmas in Cali

So my old roomie, Kim, thought she was the last one on the planet to post about her Christmas, but I beat her good!

We traveled out to Mission Viejo and San Clemente, CA for Christmas. All of my immediate family was there visiting my Grandmother and my Aunt. We loved seeing everyone and FINALLY getting a full family picture taken. We also enjoyed running on the beach, playing with the kids, going to the park, swimming in my uncles pool, digging through all of my grandmother's very cool things, and of course- not sleeping. We enjoyed 12 hours of travel on each end (with three young children) as well as a three hour time change that didn't kick in with my kids until the day we returned home. 4am in California is very beautiful!!! It also ends us up with a lot of sleep deprived children!!

We really enjoyed a fairly quiet and relaxing Christmas. We did a live nativity on Christmas eve- as you can see, Connor makes a great Donkey!! And for those of you who haven't heard, this Mary (my newest sister-in-law) really is carrying a child!!!!

And my kids were supposed to be the three wise me. Dylan ended being a shepherd and Ashlyn was the donkey's care taker (dad) and Corbin, well he was a spectator!

Our kids were in Heaven having their cousins around. Dylan especially loved his cousin, Kylie. They were literally inseparable and I think he cried when we left.

I love when my sister, Carrie, red Curious George's Christmas and all the kids were SILENT!!!! She is the best. We sure will miss you!

Connor has put an official ban on traveling. So if anyone wants to see us, you will have to come here (I think the weather was warmer here than in CA!!!!)

For New Years Eve we went to a friend's house for a little party. We eat our hearts out as well as played games galore. We made sure to get home early to be rested for our flight to New Orleans the next day (another reason for the travel ban.)

So now that the holidays are over, you can continue to enjoy reading about ours!

100th Winner

Well I didn't even have to guess which post sweapt the winnings (and by far). So out of all the 100 posts, this is everyone's favorite: Enjoy it again or for the 1st time.

To me this was hilarious- especially Ashlyn, but you will have to judge it for yourself. This is our self made "wrestling mat" and it gets used daily. Now that we have it I don't know what we would do without it.

2009

So here are my New Years Resolutions:
1. Make two meals a week from scratch
2. Finally take out my belly ring
3. Limit my blogging to 3 hours a day
4. Go to Church once a month
5. Help put the kids to bed every night

6. Get my warts removed off of the back of my ears
7. Finally quite picking my nose
8. Stop staying up all night and blaming my tired eyes on Corbin
9. Start exercising
10. Stop making Connor wash the dishes EVERY night.

And you thought I would tell you my real New Years Resolutions, then I would feel accountable to you for all of them!!! Actually #10 is a real one. Connor does most of the dishes- isn't he great!

All Cooped Up

Sadly I can say I don't think I have left my house for three days unless it was straight to the doctor and back. With us all being sick and the weather being wet, we have had to get pretty creative!! This is what we were up to yesterday...

Luckily it was as much fun as it was 10 years ago!!

Best supporting Wife

With all those movie awards I decided I need one too. So I gave myself the best supporting Wife award and this is why...

Yep, I went to the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans with my die hard Utah fan of a husband. And here I am even sporting a Utah shirt (don't worry, BYU is still my first love.) I have never been to New Orleans before but it was gorgeous. Here are a few pictures mainly of the French Quarter- one of the many amazing bands we heard, one of the many beautiful tour carriages, the classic beautiful building, General Beauregard's home, the Cathedral, the convent, the trolley, the flea market's abundance of Marti grass apparel, the holocaust memorial, and the old fashion ferry.

Then for the game day fun- tailgate party, Corbin decked out for the game, at the game, fun with the band, "super fans" dressed as an "incredible Ute fan" and Ute Indian, and all of us (Connor's Cousins and us) around town.

I saw a little shop that was named:

I mean doesn't a name like that draw you in? Even for the items they sell.
It was a great trip, but it ended in another strep diagnosis for me (as well as an ear infection.) You didn't think I could get it again did you!!! But Corbin got it the worst- he has and ear infection, strep, and cutting not one, but TWO teeth. Poor guy. We are officially SICK (no pun intended) of traveling, so y'all will have to come see us instead. Next post will be Christmas and New Years I promise.