Exploring Cooking

Braxten has fallen in love with Cupcake Wars and Cake Boss so he's started cooking, with help of course! His first creation was a birthday cake for his dad, it turned out okay but I know what to do better next time. His second creation was Oreo cups that we made for a friend for her birthday. The latest thing he made is chocolate chip cookies. He left his "wallet" outside last night and one of the neighbors returned it so he made him cookies. They are really good and he can't stop eating them. Other than that, he's doing school work and practicing the piano. Oh and you can't forget playing with friends. Him and the neighbor kids are back and forth, but they have a great time!


I've been helping get ready for my sister, Cara's, wedding. I made her a bouquet, which I hope she likes it. I think it's pretty cool and different. I also got to go shopping for her jewelry and flowers for the cake. It's been fun being somewhat a part of the planning. She is getting married in St. George which I am excited about! Other than that, I've been doing stuff with the Primary and Scouting. Life is crazy and I have to use my time wisely, but still enjoying life.


Branden has the same old going on all the time. He has work and scouts. We do get to spend every Friday morning together which has been fun. We've gone to the temple, shopping, and ate lunch at school with Brax. We also played on the playground with some of the kids and taught them how to play four square. We're just having a fun time!

Back to School Time

I can't believe it, but Brax is back in school and has finished his first three days as a 1st grader. He loves school and his new found independence. He is excited every time he comes home. We went to back to school night with him and met his teacher. Brax gets up early to get ready for school and can't possibly wait to head to the bus stop. He is so funny! His new found loves are Phineas and Ferb, Cupcake Wars, and anything dealing with survival. He asks tons of questions. The one day he even designed his own cupcake display. Cooking classes are a next step in our boy's life, according to him. He is also taking piano from me and so far so good. He is a smart kid and we love him very much. I've volunteered to help at the school and I'm looking forward to being a part of his school education.

Phineas and Ferb int he background

He runs home from the bus to beat the neighbor girls and it's so funny to watch!

With Braxten back in school, I have 7.5 hours all to myself to try to get things done. This past week has been a dry run, but I think I'm figuring it out. Branden and I were able to have a date day while Brax was in school. It was kind of nice. I have also averaged 1-2 workouts a day since school began. At this rate I'm hoping to be skinny before school ends. We'll have to see what happens. My pills are finally working and are proving to help with my cycle which is great! It'd be nice if the pregnancy option came into play, but to tell the truth I don't know that I'm quite ready for that right now. I am enjoying my new alone time. I have felt kind of lost and haven't managed time very well, but I'll get it figured out. I should be able to have a clean house.

Branden is just working like crazy on his project at work. He is getting quite tan due to the fact that he's outside most of the day at work. As for me, still light and no desire to go out in the sun all day. It is Branden's birthday on Tuesday. I just gave him cash because he's really good at saving it up so that he can get something he has his eye on. He really wants an air compressor. It was due to the fact that both cars had low air pressure this past week and it was a pain trying to get them filled up. He did change the oil in our car today while I was out and about which I really appreciated! I love Branden and am blessed to have him in my life. Anyway, that's a quick update on the family. Happy Birthday Babe!

Brax's Vision Update

I took Brax to the eye doctor today and learned a lot. I took him to an opthamologist to see what he had to say. I learned his one eye has gotten better and the other staying the same. If you didn't know, he has a lazy eye. It can be corrected through surgery or a patch. His glasses also help correct that and so we'll continue trying that method. He'll always have to wear glasses. He can get contacts when he's 12 or 13. When his eyes stabilize (age 19 or 20) Lasik will be possible or whatever methods they've come up with by then. We ordered glasses for him today and got thin lenses again and they're even thinning them out in the middle so they all look the same. I've always believed it's worth the money so he doesn't get made fun of any more than he will. The eye doctor commented on how well behaved Brax was and that most kids his age don't do that well during a checkup. We are both excited for his new glasses. He starts school on the 11th, but they probably won't get here until the following week. Until then, we'll both be anxious and excited! Anyway, have a great day!

Way Behind on Blogging

A lot has been going on this summer and the time has flown by. In just two weeks Brax goes back to school and I'm just not ready for that yet. We've been trying to get all of our playing in. In June we went to Lagoon with the Anderson clan, that's what we got from Branden's parents for Christmas last year. We were all geared up to go and everything seemed fine in the morning. We got to Lagoon and did a few things. We'd only been there an hour when Brax started complaining that his head hurt. I felt his forehead and he was burning up. He felt miserable so we didn't do much. I pushed him as far as he'd go. We went to Lagoon-a Beach and he slept on one of the lawn chairs for quite a while. At about 7 he told us he wanted to go home to Grandma's house. We spent that night in Glenwood and Brax still didn't feel good so we packed up and came home. It was Father's Day weekend. That Sunday I was put in as the Primary 2nd Councilor which has kept me really busy. Brax and Branden stayed home because Brax wasn't any better. I took him in to the doctor the next day and found out he had strep throat. That's the 2nd time this year. A couple days after the doctor's visit my sister-in-law and her daughter came to visit. Brax took such great care of E. while she was here. He wouldn't go play with friends, he had to play with E. It was really cute. After they left, he talked me into continuing trying to have more children. The doctor gave me medications for my nausea and migraines. The nausea pills work great, but the migraine one not so much. Anyway, I'll try to condense the rest.


We stayed in Hurricane for the 4th of July and had a great time. We spent most of the day with friends and we had so much fun. I didn't take many photos though.


On the 7th-9th of June the women and children from the Cowley clan came down to visit. The girls went to Tuacahn and saw Tarzan and Cats. Shanelle and Cara were also able to get their hair done. We spent the one day taking the kids around. We went shopping, out to lunch at Pirate Island, and also to the splash pad. I think we wore them all out. The final day we went shopping and to the pool. Cara was antsy to get home for a date with her man. He proposed that night, so now we're helping get ready for a wedding. Anyway, we headed to Richfield on the 10th and spent a week camping at Fish Lake with the Anderson clan. It was a lot of fun and quite relaxing. The return home was not so relaxing, but eventually I will get over my own stupidity.

Down here they have a 24th of July parade which includes most of the primaries from the wards. Our ward put together a float. Brax rode and I walked along the side. It was a lot of fun and luckily not too hot. Anyway, that's been our adventures in a nut shell. I will include a few photos, but I haven't taken a lot so I do apologize for that.


I also forgot about all Branden has been doing. He was able to take time off and go to Scout Camp at Lake Powell. He had a lot of fun and got sunburned, but I think he had fun. He also got to go fishing in a private pond, swim at Sand Hollow, and is preparing for Youth Conference this weekend. He gets out and about a lot with the Young Men.


I am going to try to blog more often and will have time to do so once school starts. We're having a lot of fun and loving life. By the way, Branden's brother is moving down this weekend. We're excited to have more family close.

Summer Has Begun

The end of May and beginning of June have been full of different activities. Braxten finished Kindergarten and met his 1st grade teacher. He is so excited to go to school all day. I'm excited for the time to maybe get back to a few activities I've started and never finished. T-ball has also ended along with Braxten's first swimming lesson. He is going to have another lesson at the end of the month and is so excited. We've got some fun activities planned. The theater here has free kids movies once a week and I've promised that the ones we haven't already seen, we'll attend. We're also going to try to go to the pool once or twice a week. I guess that's how you beat the heat. The summer is full of possibilities.




I am still playing softball and getting ready for the tournament to start next week. I'm enjoying the exercise and the people I on my team. The side effects of my medications have done me in finally. We've decided NO MORE pills. For once, I feel completely at peace with this decision. I really like how things are in my life at this time so we're taking a break, whether permanent or not, I don't know. I don't think it's fair for Brax and Branden to sit at home with me while I'm throwing up. I hope the pills wear off soon and that life can return to some what normal. I want to try to lose weight and with Brax in 1st grade, I should have plenty of time to get my workouts in.

Over Memorial Day weekend, we went to the Richfield area to see family and help decorate graves. It was a fun weekend. We also drove up to Fish Lake one day to see some friends. We went out to eat at Bowery Haven. They have great food! Fish Lake is special to us because that is where we had our first date, got engaged, and enjoyed our honeymoon. That's also where we had our engagement photos taken. I am grateful for all the fun opportunities I have in my life with my family.

I got Brax some new movies because they were on sale for a pretty good price. We got Wall-E, The Incredibles, Up, and Brother Bear. I love it when Brax watches Wall-E and just laughs. When he laughs, I do too. It is his new favorite movie. I love my son dearly and look forward to all the time we have to get to know each other better. I am proud of him for all his accomplishments.

Change Can be a Good Thing

We have had a lot going on in the past few weeks at our house. With the big Iron Man race in town, we went and drove the places they'd be competing. It was a lot of fun. The emergency helicopter landed in our neighborhood twice that day. Brax was able to look inside. Every time we heard it, we'd run back outside. We were able to watch it land and take off both times. A couple weeks ago I was able to help watch our neighbor's son while they were in Florida. We had him two days for a total of 17 hours. It was a lot of fun for Braxten to have someone to play with. I did take them to the splash pad one day and they had a great time there. I did get a new cell phone, but I wasn't happy about it. Branden and I were goofing off one night with my phone and it landed in his cup of water. How it happened, I have no idea because it barely fit in the cup. I miss my phone and absolutely loved it. There are things about the new one I'm liking and things I don't like, but I'm sure I'll get used to it before long. My cousin came down with his little family a little over a week ago. They also only have one child. We had a mother-child day out on the town. We went to the splash pad, go figure, and then to Pirate Island for dinner. It was a lot of fun and the restaurant was great fun. It also had an arcade and little playground in it. The two kids played for quite a while and were sad when we had to leave. It was good for Brooke and I to talk though. It was just fun all around! I am still playing softball and let my competitive side come out last week. Of all days to wear shorts, I decide it's better to slide than be out. I got a nice raspberry on my leg which is healing nicely. Who knows what will happen this week? We also had a co-worker of Branden's come for dinner. I was in a cooking mood, so I made clam chowder and three pies. I decided we couldn't eat all the pie, so I invited some friends over for pie after the softball game. I felt bad that their two kids were up, but it was a lot of fun!

T-ball is also in full swing and actually almost over. It has been fun, but too much crammed into a short time period. I think next time we'll do fall soccer and t-ball. It might make it a little easier. He only has 2 more games and then we're done. He is going to be taking swimming lessons here in a week as well along with his piano lessons. Braxten is busy all the time and seems to enjoy it. He loves to play with friends and just have a great time! He only has two more days of school and is counting them down. He loves school, but is excited for summer break!

Now for the changes. I got highlights done by a professional for the first time ever. I'm not very daring, but we're working on baby steps and maybe next time I'll go a little more drastic. The rest of the changes have occurred in the backyard. The last couple weekends we've put in sod and a sprinkling system. According to the little neighbor boy our backyard looks awesome and it looked terrible before. It is still a work in progress. We saved the gate side of the house to hopefully put a workshop in for Branden and some gravel. Against the block wall we saved room to put in a garden. According to Branden, the garden is my duty and I look forward to it. I was going to post some of my thoughts and feelings, but I think this post is long enough!

BeforeAfter
I just thought this picture was funny!

Great Blessings

I know I posted Monday, but I just had a few things to post today. First of all, I want to say how wonderful it's been since I started buying Bountiful Baskets. I'm getting my family to eat a lot more fruits and vegetables. It's even what Branden snacks on. He's lost 10 pound in a month and I'm so proud of him! He's been trying really hard and I need to do that as well. I'm trying to help him any way I can.

Braxten finished soccer this week and I'm so excited about that! He has 4 more t-ball games and 14 days of school left. He is out this week for Kindergarten Testing. He is such an amazing kid. He is usually willing to help out and such a Mommy's Boy. If I'm not going somewhere with Branden, he won't. I'm trying to get them to do a few things together, we'll see if it works out.

I've had a few trials this week, but nothing I can't handle. I donated blood on Thursday. I've donated at least 10 times before and never had a problem. I sat down, ate my cookies, and drank my juice. One of my friends was donating, so I went and talked to her. I was standing for 3-4 minutes when I got light headed and all of a sudden couldn't hear anything. I sat down and we continued visiting. I guess I was really pale. They had me take more treats on my way out and I made it home. I've been sick ever since. Who knows what's going on? Branden had a physical for scouts, so I asked the doctor while we were in there and he said it can last a few days. I hope that it goes away soon! This week is the end of my second series of pills and I can't decide if I'm ready for another test, but ready or not here it comes!

I do have to post about some of the wonderful people I've met here. I want to thank Abbie for inviting me to play softball and always being my friend. She is there to rescue me in Primary and just always have a listening ear. Crystal P. has been great to get to know me. She listens and laughs with me. She's always inviting me to do different things and we're going out this week. I have so many other wonderful friends that this post would go on forever, but I will list their names. Thanks also to Alicia S., Lynette, Lisa H., Megan J., Megan T., Jesse, Susan, Cheryl, Jaylene, and Tasha. All are special for different reasons. I also have a new friend named Julia that also has PCOS and has gotten me to open up far more than I ever expected. I've talked about feelings I didn't know I had and it helped to relieve a lot of pent up feelings. She understands me and lets me know she has been and is still going through the same things. She is amazing and so are all these other wonderful women.