Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Ready for PT?

Gavin is too cute. He brough Scott a pair of Donovan's old underwear and insisted that he put them on. He wasn't too happy about having the diaper but underneath them though. Later when I went to change him I didn't have a diaper handy and had to go in search of them. When I came back he had the underwear hiked up his legs, both legs in one whole. My baby is growing up. I don't think he is quite ready for potty training yet, but who knows.

Friday, December 26, 2008

Christmas

Merry Christmas!

I know it has been a month since I last posted. It seems like when life gets busy I don't have time for quite so many updates!!

Christmas was fun. We picked Donovan up on the 19th and had him until Christmas morning at around 10am. We wanted him to have a chance to open his gifts and play at leisure so we decided to have Christmas on Christmas Eve. I forgot to put the gifts out that previous night - Scott and I didn't fully discuss how this was going to go. Anyways what finally happened was that while Donovan was distracted Scott or I placed a few gifts under the tree at a time. Of course Donovan noticed, so we told him that Santa must have done it. I love the innocence of childhood because he took us at face value. I actually believe he knows there is no Santa, but wants to believe so he does. Kind of interesting.

Anyway, of course he wanted to open the gifts right away, however we kept saying "how do you know Santa isn't done." He's a smart cookie and wanted the answer to that. On the fly I came up with the idea of "maybe Santa will write a letter to let us know who gets what present and when he is done." (Who gets what? well, there were no names on packages. Each of us had our gifts wrapped in a different paper so we didn't have to buy tags. Genius right?).

Finally Scott had me take Donovan on a walk with the dog so that he could type up the letter (He was so cute, he wanted to be the one to write it out). When we came back the following note found its way on the Christmas tree:

While Mom and Dad prepare Christmas treats
Donovan and Gavin anxiously in their seats
Each stocking has clues to which gifts are whose.
The Greatest gift being Christ's gift to all of you
His birth and his life all teach great lessons
Yet his suffering and death were even greater presents
For through his atonement we all have a chance
To be together forever with all of our friends
(even France)
I have myself a gift for you too
As family is Scattered. Here is my wish for you.
A chance to start 1 day early
So both sets of parents can celebrate with you
Merry Christmas
Santa Claus

Sunday, November 23, 2008

A - Attached or Single: Attached
B - Best Friend(s): Husband Scott!
C - Cake or Pie: Pie
D - Day of Choice: Sunday
E - Essential Item: a good nights sleep
G - Greatest Accomplishment - hmm, I have several - two are sleeping in bed
H - Hometown - I've always considered Washington a home base for me.
I- Indulgences - hot bubble bath, and a good book
.J - January or July: July
K - Kids: 2,
L - Life is Incomplete without: Family
M - Marriage Date: August 13, 2003 sealed on July 21 2006
N - Number of Siblings: 4 sisters and one brother, plus one sister in AR I haven't met
O - Oranges or Apples: oranges
P - Phobias: closed in spaces
Q - Quotes: faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things, but a hope of things that aren't seen which are true (Alma 32:21)
R - Reason to Smile: Gavin started to walk this week S
- Season: Autumn, it is just so pretty, and I love to wear sweaters.
T - Tag 5 friends:
U - Unknown facts about me: I am an open book.
V - Very favorite store: Walmart - Hmmm, I don't know
W - Worst Habit: I eat too much and drink too much diet soda
X - x-ray or ultrasound: I've had several of both
Y - Your favorite food: prime rib
Z - Zodiac Sign: aries A - Attached or Single: Attached
B - Best Friend(s): Husband Scott!
C - Cake or Pie: Pie
D - Day of Choice: Sunday
E - Essential Item: a good nights sleep
G - Greatest Accomplishment - hmm, I have several - two are sleeping in bed
H - Hometown - I've always considered Washington a home base for me.
I- Indulgences - hot bubble bath, and a good book
.J - January or July: July
K - Kids: 2,
L - Life is Incomplete without: Family
M - Marriage Date: August 13, 2003 sealed on July 21 2006
N - Number of Siblings: 4 sisters and one brother, plus one sister in AR I haven't met
O - Oranges or Apples: oranges
P - Phobias: closed in spaces
Q - Quotes: faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things, but a hope of things that aren't seen which are true (Alma 32:21)
R - Reason to Smile: Gavin started to walk this week S
- Season: Autumn, it is just so pretty, and I love to wear sweaters.
T - Tag 5 friends:
U - Unknown facts about me: I am an open book.
V - Very favorite store: Walmart - Hmmm, I don't know
W - Worst Habit: I eat too much and drink too much diet soda
X - x-ray or ultrasound: I've had several of both
Y - Your favorite food: prime rib
Z - Zodiac Sign: aries

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Life as a teacher

Life as a teacher has its ups and downs. I am loving my students. They make me laugh every day - this gutteral gaphaw that has them roaring and trying their darndest to make me do it again. I love being surrounded by strong women and sharing my life with them. The teacher I share my "home base" is wonderful. She is definitely a kindred spirit. Most of the other teachers in my sphere of influence add a smile to my life every day. I can't imagine my life without the opportunity to help shape the lives of children whether they be my own two and six year olds or my 14-18 year olds!

Friday, November 14, 2008

Birthdays and introductions



Well, Donovan had his Birthday last week. He is now 6 years old. I can't believe how big he has gotten. It amazes me at how fast time flys. He recieved his "big boy" bike. The last bike we got him was for his third birthday. Scott found it at a yard sale for $5.00. It has served its purpose very well the last three years. Donovan learned how to go on just two wheels and the bike is just getting too small for him. Scott found a new one on sale at Target. It is Donovan's favorite color - green.




Well, onto the introductions. I've never posted a picture of our dog Thumper. He is a pug/beagle mix. He's a bit high strung, but maybe with time he will get calmer. He is beautiful!!! As you can see his favorite toy is a small rabbit. (kinda ironic wouldn't ya say). He is mostly good with Gavin. He does try to lick Gavin's face and nip his ears. The two of them wrestle, it is really cute to see. It's too bad you couldn't see Gavin's face in this picture.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008


Doesn't that face just say it all! Utter contentment. Gavin LOVES blankets, and anything similar to blankets. He was tired and he gathered all the blankets and clean towels in the livingroom. He piled them ontop of the couch and grabbed his tigger. He then climbed up onto the couch and snuggled. Scott took this fabulous picture of Gavin. Don't you just love that smile!

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Trick or treat











Trick or treating. I remember last year feeling silly dressing Gavin up as a lion and having him go trick or treating. I wasn't planning on giving him any of the candy he collected. Heck, he was only 8 months old. This year he was a dragon. Green, wings, the whole nine yards. Guess what, he got to eat some of his candy. He would see me open a piece and he gets all excited. He smacks his lips and his eyes brighten to an azure blue. Have I created a monster? Yeah, and a soda monster too. He gets so mad if I don't share with him. I should be stronger, but his excited little giggle which turns into a shrill scream gets me every time. I always think "a sip won't hurt." Yeah right, right? Well, he enjoyed going out and trick or treating. He rode on his daddy's shoulders most of the time and giggled when his brother would pass by. Donovan would walk with us up to the next drive way. He would then look at us and say "now can I run" he would then run up the driveway and call out his trick or treat to the people at the door. If they asked him any questions he would growl at them. Hmmm, bat man growling? I think he forgets that he isn't a tiger like he was when he was two. Then again, he growls whenever a stranger talks to him. I guess he is taking "Stranger Danger" at full face value.






Gavin wouldn't stop trying to get candy. It is amazing that at 20 months old he recognizes the wrappers of candy. Donovan got upset when I told him I had to go through his candy first (due to the recalled candy from China of all places). His comment was "Genevieve, don't eat all the good stuff!" with a wine. Heck, how did he know I was going to pick out all the good chocolate. Thank goodness his idea of the good stuff and mine are different. He didn't want me to take his crabby patty's and fruit snacks. I just wanted the chocolate!

Friday, October 24, 2008


I can't believe I forgot to mention that Donovan has made another "rite of passage". He has learned to ride a two wheeler. He is so excited. We gave him a choice between a birthday party with his friends at the bowling alley (which is what his mom wanted to do) or a new bigger bike. He thought for a minute and said "I want a new bike." His birthday is on the 6th of november. I can't believe he will be six. He informed me today "After I turn six then I'll be 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, then 20." As he counted one more year I actually visualized each year progressing, and it hit me that he will in fact soon be 20. Wow, how fast life really does pass us by.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008




Geez louise!!!! It has been forever since I last posted. Quick updates. We moved from our cute little house. We are now living 20 min. from the temple (which is where Scott works) and 20 min from the school I teach at. I am now teaching Spanish and Language Arts. Both are interesting. My LA kids HATE the class, it is pretty dry stuff right now. It is a career prep class. We are just finishing a unit on "Dream Jobs" writing resumes and coverletters. FUN FUN!!!!

Gavin is trying to walk. I think the most steps he has taken is about 5. He just is so unsteady on his feet and is so much faster when he crawls. He is enjoying holding onto our hands now though. Up until this last month he would lift his legs up if we tryed to have him walk while we held his hands. He is such a silly boy.

Donovan is enjoying Kindergarten, however he is having a hard time keeping his hands off of other kids. He likes to play wrestle and karate chop. He's already accidently given another child a bloody nose. He had his tonsils taken out last month. He kept getting strep, so now maybe he won't

Friday, August 8, 2008

Snuggle Bugs

Today we found out that Scott's parents are coming to help us move. They are going to bring a trailer to move some of the bigger things. We were supposed to have Donovan through to Sunday night, since it was our weekend, but we gave him the opption of going back to Mommy or seeing Grandpa and Grandma. Donovan picked Mommy of course. He hasn't seen her in two weeks and is ready to go back to her house. Before he left he came and snuggled in my lap. He told me "I'm going to snuggle for 10 minutes." and then proceeded to count to ten, at which point he went back to playing on the computer. He then later snuggled with Daddy before they headed out the door. I was not ready for him to leave. That afternoon as Gavin and I walked to the store I felt Donovan's absense keenly. He is such a chatter box, and I missed his ten million questions as I walked with Gavin. I found myself walking faster just so I could get home and turn the television on. It made me realize how much I appreciate having Donovan around, not only to play with his brother but to keep me company!

Gavin is as much a cuddle bug as Donovan is. Tonight I knew he was ready for bed when he crawled over to me with his sippy cup in hand. He handed the sippy to me and then crawled into my lap. He burrowed himself into the crook of my arm and just sat there contentedly. After awhile he sat so queitly that I thought he slept. I looked down at him, he looked up at me with his beautiful blue eyes and just smiled sweetly. I picked him up and carried him to his crib. He snuggled into his crib with his little behind up in the air. I laid one of his blankies on top of him and he giggled. He just loves his blankies. Gavin has discovered that Mommy can roll her tongue, and ever since he will stick his tongue out at me and wait until I roll mine for him. He just giggles. He does it all day long, including tonight as he snuggled in bed.

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Catching up

So much has happened since I last wrote in my blog. We lost the baby in the beginning of June. I thought post par tum depression was difficult!!! Someone said that the depression experienced after the loss of a pregnancy could be comparable! I guess they were right. It took quite a while to get over the sadness and sorrow. We get to start trying again next month, but I have so many fears surrounding trying again. We'll just see how things go.

Onto exciting news! We have to move. We found a cute 2 bedroom duplex about 20 miles from Scott's work and about 20-30 miles from mine. Yup, I got a new job. I am now officially a teacher. My first day is Monday. I will be teaching Language Arts and Spanish. I'm nervous but excited.

This afternoon I realized that I don't have a baby anymore. I hadn't yet had time to clear off lunch from the table and I walked in to Gavin sitting at the kitchen table with a fork, he likes to play with utensils while he's eating, and eating enchilada's off a plate with his left hand. He just looked so cute and grown up. He has also started to drink out of a cup with no lid. Granted I have to give him only a quarter inch of liquid. He still has a tendency to drink what he wants and fling the cup half way across the room. He still isn't walking. He is just so content to crawl. We had him evaluated and he is measuring developmentally at 11 months instead of the 15 months they have him at because he was a preemie. I know he'll catch up when he is ready. It's kind of funny, he was in such a hurry to get here, but now he takes his own sweet time.

We took the boys to the water park today. Donovan had a blast going up and down the water slide. He wanted to go down the river by himself on a floaty, but he was scared. He's such a schmooze. He just came up to me and said "You look pretty" After I said thanks he goes "your welcome, Beautiful, cakes!" Where he comes up with this stuff I don't know. I can't believe in a week he starts Kindergarten. Wow, my boys are growing up.

Monday, June 16, 2008

Ah, the pleasures of a new talker! Gavin does not say the bane of all mothers, NO! Instead he will look at you really intently and emphatically state STOP! He is very good at expressing the "sto" but hasn't learned how to put on the final "p" it is so cute that I have to giggle each time he says it. I'm sure as he continues I will stop thinking how adorable it is!

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Gavin has turned into a monkey boy! He has figured out how to climb onto the coffee table. Unfortunately while he is up there he likes to clear it of all its contents, which include some heavy candles. He has also learned how to climb onto the dining room chairs. He just gets up there and giggles.

Donovan and Gavin love playing with each other. Last night the boys began to wrestle. Gavin would climb up onto Donovan and pull him down. They would just giggle and laugh. I wish that I had a camera handy. It was a memory I would like to have kept. Tonight after the boys had their bath Daddy put Gavin on Donovan's bed. Oh, he was so excited. He sat on his bum and bounced. Donovan climbed up and the two of them raced and played. I'm so glad to see them play together. It has been wonderful.

Sunday, June 1, 2008

We have had Donovan since Friday morning. It has been nice to have him. He has started to eat on his own and ask for fluids, so he is on the mend! He does get winded very easily and is rather grouchy. He hates it when Gavin touches him.

Gavin loves having his brother here to visit. He just wants to hug on him, pinch him, play with him. He doesn't get that his brother needs a little space. He has a fever today, and is most likely cutting teeth.

I'm pretty sure that we are going to lose this baby. It is only a matter of time. I'm struggling with it. I asked Scott for another blessing, but he hasn't given me one. I'm a bit frustrated, but since I haven't reminded him it isn't his fault I guess. I just hope that things progress naturally so that I don't have to have surgery.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Is that MY child!

Donovan has been rather ill for that past week. Today his mother took him to the hospital again because she was worried that he was dehydrated. She was right. After IV fluids the nurse gave him some juice. He spit the juice into the nurses face. When his mom told me I was mortified! I can't believe that he would do something like that!

Gavin has been going to sleep on his own for the past week. It is still so hard to hear him cry when we first put him down. I know that if he goes more than 15 minutes I will pick him up, but listen to that!!! No more crying! He's finally asleep. He has also started to do some of the cutest things. He makes motor noises when he plays with cars. Isn't that just too cute? He also will yell in bathrooms to hear himself echo. He waves and says hi over and over again. And he just giggles when you say hi back. He is growing up so fast!

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

What a week

The last couple of weeks have been harrowing at best! On May 14th I thought I had appendicitis. Scott took me to the hospital and after a battery of tests the Doctor came back and told me "your pregnant." Well, we were hoping to add on to our family sometime this summer, but I didn't think it would happen sooooo fast! It has been a hard couple of weeks with some fear of miscarriage. Things seem to be going okay on that front now, but as always pregnancy is a wait and see venture.

Donovan developed viral pneumonia. He spent 4 days in Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital. He came home on Monday, but it is still touch and go. If his fever doesn't come down then he will be headed for the hospital again tomorrow. We were supposed to start our two week vacation with him last Saturday, but hopefully we will get to pick him up tomorrow.

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Welcome to the wonderful world of blogging

In the past month I found out that two of my sisters are now bloggers. I'd thought about it, but never imagined I would try it out. Tonight I find that my creative side needs another outlet.