Happy Fourth of July!!!

We woke up and went to a morning breakfast. It was really fun. They do a big patriotic show and have really delicious food. It is really fun on the 4th here because it seems like everyone takes it so much more seriously because there is so much history around us. Our breakfast took place just 20 minutes out of Gettysburg. Very cool!

Our town has a really fun celebration. They have live music, kids rides, craft to do, and lots of food to eat. It reminds me of Cherry Days but a lot bigger. I loved Cherry Days as a kid (If you live in North Ogden you understand). I hope this can become a tradition.

They had a petting zoo there and Kate was also able to feed the animals. She is admiring the baby bunnies here.

I took Kate shopping to pick out her outfit. I had this really cute dress with stars and such on it and then we found this very patriotic dog on a shirt. Then I couldn't help but let her pick which one she wanted to wear. Obviously dogs always win over wimpy stars. I bought both hoping she would change her mind but I guess I have to take her cute dress back now.

Halfway through the afternoon it started to rain so we took cover under the trees. After a half hour we gave in and went home.

Of course it was during the long trek to the car that the torrential down pour came. It actually was really fun! We were able to play in the in rain. It beat the tornado warnings we had last year.

We hope everyone had fun. Happy Independence Day!

Kate!

I usually don't post like this but I have to share with all of you, my fellow blogging family, my recent heart ache. I can't explain to you how difficult these last few days have been. Maybe a few of you have faced something similar to my experience. I have recently been alerted to the all too near future of girlhood facing my daughter. Lately I have been receiving several comments (don't worry no one on this blog) from those whom I love the most and are the closest to about my sweet little girl. The troubling part for me isn't that people are making these comments it is more that fact that I am realizing at the tender age of 2 my baby girl is already having to start thinking about how big her little round thighs are and if she really should eat that cookie. My baby of 2 years still looks like a baby. I don't know how else to put it. And those of you who know my family know that is how we are. She is actually perfect weight and height for her age (as she always has been) but she still has her little roundness of an infant. I think one lady referred to her as looking like an "over-developed one year old".

After a culmination of all this I have started imagining the road laid out before her. It truly breaks my heart. I remember as a 4 year old feeling like my thighs were too big and being self conscious. I remember in high school my friends and I always talking about our weight or at least talking about how skinny the other was. For me it was always really a reflection of how I felt about myself. Which was because I was unsure of myself at the time. I felt like I had been taught to fit into a certain category, but of course I never felt like I did. The point of my biggest hang up was when after realizing with both her father and my genes she is bound to be babyish for a few years. I didn't lose all my baby stuff until I was a junior in high school. I had a boy, Ben Read, so kindly remind me of that in 9Th grade. Chris hung onto his up until he was 11. As a parent I think ourvery wish is to save our children from any pain we have experienced as children. Since these memories are so vivid in my mind it broke my heart to think that someday she may feel the exact same way I did and with so many outside influences how could I help it. My struggle became how can I raise a daughter who learns that it isn't how we look but how we feel and what we do that matters most.

I decided I didn't want Kate to have to face that. I never want her think she has to look a certain way to be accepted. It is an ideal that no one can live up to. There isn't a women I have meet to this day that hasn't thought something was wrong with her. I realized there is something wrong here that needs to change and then I realize I, as a mother, can change it. I can't change everyone around me, but I sure can teach Kate different things than what I was taught. I can teach her what matters most about individuals. And that every body is good, special and a gift from God no matter the size.

I really have taken inventory on myself. How I view myself and even talk to myself. Which in all honesty isn't always they best. Everyone has there days. As my sister Melynda put it, "Even if you don't say it they can tell how you feel about yourself." Kate mimics everything I do and I realized she would someday mimic this too.

After much thought and prayer I know now I that I have more effect on how she feels about herself than anyone. Now we have started to talk about having healthy bodies and being strong and exercising and she gets it even at 2 years old. My goal is to never let her hear fat, diet or any other nasty word from my mouth, because I realized if not someday she will say it to herself. My other goal is to instill in her the feeling that comes from being healthy, exercising and eating good foods. Trying to focus on the positive and the possible.

I just wanted to share my experience. I can't quite put into words all my feelings but as hard as this experience was I feel very blessed to have had it. I hope we can all teach our children the true meaning of an individual and how important it is.

Utah, Utah, Utah!

Kate and I have been in Utah now for almost three weeks. We have had such a awesome time. We have to visit Northern and Southern Utah as our family is all spread out. It is nice to get to see the scenery and beautiful mountains. Thanks to everyone who has been so wonderful! This has been a great month and has made this ever long first trimester go by fast.

These are the cutest kids I know. Some of you might be surprised but these are Melynda's three girls. 8,5, and 3. They are so big. That is Jay's little boy on the end. Poor boy is the only one with 7 girl cousins.

Dave and his girls.

St. George is amazing. They have this new awesome water park in Town Square now. We have spent 3 days there.

Back at home my baby is all alone and learns most of her stuff from us. Obviously we must not be as good of teachers because she is learning like crazy here. One of the best and worst things is her new found independence. She now insist on getting dressed in her P.J.'s all by herself. Now she usually ends up going to be without pants because I can't help her and she hasn't quite figured out that second pant leg.



Nothing like Sisters!

Happy Birthday Jayci!

My niece Jayci turned 2 on May 27th. We had a birthday party but more importantly we had cupcakes which she had been requesting for weeks.

Kate and Jayci are helping get ready.

These were her super easy cupcakes we made. She loved them. It was so hard to keep her away from them until the party started.

Kate's always up for ice cream and cake.

My sister and her husband ran in the Ogden Marathon. Jay ran the 1/2 marathon, and Justin the full. They both did awesome. I was really sad I couldn't run but I am already planning on next year you guys.

4 Years in Love!

Today, May 11th, is Chris and my four year wedding anniversary. It is so amazing to think that it has been that long. We have come such a long way. We started out as just a waitress and a manager in St. George, Utah and somehow ended up in Maryland as a mother and a working for the government. I took these questions off my sister's blog. Just thought it was a good way to tell about him:

1. Where did you meet? At The Pizza Factory. Romatic....I know!

2. Do you rememeber what he/she was wearing? No, all I noticed was his red hair.

3. Where was the first time you kissed this person? Out on the grass at my sisters house. I was so nervous I was shaking.

4. How did he/she ask you out? He asked me to ride with him and the "Crew Team", in the Dixie College Homecoming Parade. If any of you have ever been to Dixie you know they don't have a Crew Team. It was really fun! We had shirts and everything. We rode in a boat that was being pulled by our friends. Everyone kept saying that they didn't know Dixie had a crew team. Ha ha!

5. Where did you go for your first date? Our first offical date we went to Chili's and then went and saw Under the Tuscan Sun....not a good date movie. Can you say...Akward!

6. How long did you know this person before you became a couple? Not sure it just kind of happend. We just started spending everyday together after that. I never wanted to be away from him. The day after we were in the Homecoming parade we went to a fireside together and somehow I knew after that night that this was serious business. He thought I was crazy but I could already feel myself falling in love with him and I was super scared.

7. Has this person ever proposed to you? Yes, he proposed on Leap Day. This year was the first time since our engagement that we could "offically" celebrate it.

8. Do you and this person have kids together? Oh ya! We have 1.5 kids. Kate is 19 months and baby #2 is due on Christmas day!

9. Have you ever broken the law with this person? Uh! He tends to run a lot of stop signs and sometimes red lights. Technically I don't but I am always riding shot gun, clinging to the seats for dear life.

10. When was the first time you realized that you liked this person? The morning he picked me up for the parade he was on the phone with another girl that we worked with. He handed me the phone and said "You need to convince her to come with us." I saw green. I told her she didn't have to come if she didn't want to and hung up. I was totally bummed because I thought he liked her. Little did I know he was trying to get her to come for his friends. Whoops.

11. Do you get along with any of the ex's of your partner? I said "hi" to a couple. I don't think I would want to be best friends with any though.

12. Do you trust this person? Yes, I trust him with everything.

13. Do you see your partner in your future? Absolutely. We will be with each other forever! ; )

14. What’s the most expensive thing this person has given you? My wedding ring

15. What is one thing he/she does that gets on your nerves? When I am mad at him and he gives me my space. I really just want him to appologize so we can be happy again.

16. What is the thing you do that gets on his/her nerves? When I steal all the covers. He hasn't stopped talking about it for 3 days....come on I was sleeping!

17. Where do you see each other in 15 years from now? A couple kids and maybe back in Utah or still here living the good life. And completely in love!

18.Will this person repost this? Yes he loves to see what I blog about. Lucky this time it is all about him.

"Naaaya, Naaaya!"

Our poor neighbors. They had the unlucky chance of winding up next to us and we have toddler who is crazy about their dog. Well really any dog but their dog is the closest target for Kate. My poor neighbor is due any day and my sweet little girl at least once or twice a day escapes from my grasp and finds her way over to their front porch and cries out-or shouts- "Naaaaya, Naaaaya"-the dogs name is Nala. And she does this until either: (A) I come and pry her from the porch-literally-kicking and screaming or (B) my sweet neighbor comes to the door and gives Kate a look at the dog. It isn't as if she plays with the dog she just watched her run around and sometimes pets her.

The other day I was trying to unload the car and I couldn't hold Kate and everything else. I told her to go find Nala because I was afraid of her running down the street or in the road as she often does if she can get away. All our neighbors cars were gone so I thought Kate would just stand at the door, yell for Nala while Nala barked back at her, until I could come and get her. Then all the sudden I see this cute little white dog come running around my legs and I thought "what the heck-Kate did you let the dog out". No, all her cries for the "puppy" had brought my neighbor to the door. They were home! I felt so bad. I know, no big deal, but it is a big when any woman 81/2 - 9 months pregnant has to get up for anything. She is so nice to Kate though and just lets her do whatever. I feel so lucky to have ended up by such great people because as I have learned your neighbors really do make a difference.

Band aids, Bears and Sunglasses!

We have this beautiful park in our town. It is about 4 or 5 blocks and there is lots to do. Some of my friends and I went their for a picnic and to let the our kids play. We were parked by a busy road and Kate took off running from me. Now when she hears me say "stop!" she runs faster the opposite way. It is great! ;) Anyway she totally biffed and scrapped up her knees. It was really sad. There was blood and all. Okay not that much blood but I swear I never want to see her hurt like that again. It was sad. My sweet friend Di ran and got her first aid kit, because I forgot mine, and we bandaged her up. Every now and then she would cry out in pain because her knees hurt. The worst part was spraying the antiseptic spray. Remember that stuff that your mom used to spray when you got cut and it burned like crazy. Ya! I had to do it and I felt so mean. Well I have learned that band aids don't stick stick to toddler knees. They have some repellent that doesn't allow it. I can't keep them on for the life of me.

These are Kate's boys. I walked into her room and found her snuggling up to her Pooh Bear. I know you can't tell very well but she has 3 stuffed animals in with her and she snuggles all of them. I just loved how she has her arms rapped around them.

This year Kate has gotten in to sunglasses. I think it is because she has seen me wearing them. My friend Heather bought Kate some last year for summer and she wouldn't even let them touch her face all the sudden though she loves them. I went and splurged on some for her and oh boy! She is one good lookin' girl. She will wear them all over town with me and to church if I would let her. She is the only person I know who can wear sunglasses inside a store and not look foolish.


This is her with her flowers she is helping me grow. She can't keep her hands off them.

Running, running, running!

This is the perfect title for my blog because this is what I feel like I have been doing lately. This week Kate and I had to ditch out on plans with some of our friends this week because she, specifically, and I are pooped! We have had a blast with family and we are already missing them.


This is me and my girl. We don't get very many pictures together because I am always the one taking them, so I took matters into my own hands. It was difficult as you can tell. She is so fun!





I am training to run a half marathon right now. Me and my two sisters are running the half marathon and Jayanne's husband is running the marathon. Hopefully we will all make it. Right now we are all hitting some bumps in the road but I guess it will make it more worth it if we can get through it. These two are my cheering section. They have been awesome and have even gotten me out running when I didn't want to. If any of you have advice or what not please share. I could always use a little boost. The closest I have ever come to a track team or what not is when me and Chelsie Overman were managers in Junior High. We didn't do much.

I told Chris he looks like the uni-bomber in his clothes. I told him if I was out running alone I would be afraid of him. What a cute guy!