Summer

It has only taken half a century to update things...for some reason plugging in the cord to download photos is quite an undertaking.  Needless to say...there are quite a few months to update on and we have been having tons of fun.

First off...Seattle.  Went up there as my old roommates were going to be there and it was an adventure we wanted to do together.  The Public Market was super fun.  Logan got a wooden airplane I ended up painting from there that is hanging in his room.  

The boys proving where we're at

He LOVED Tayler.

It's funny one of the things I have learned about Logan is that as soon as he is embarrassed or shy but wants to be with a person.  He'll quick and point at something in the distance and start speaking gibberish.  If he does that we know he thinks that person is cool in his book.

Hit his head on the space needle and trying
to suck it in...he has the cool girl looking
at him...

Beautiful weather

Went on a tour of some interesting art.

Amazing colors...the only challenge through this was keeping
Logan from breaking or doing something we shouldn't.

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The following is more random pictures of the summer...

Portland has a ton of yummy food trucks...so we had to
check it out ourselves.  Delicious fattening food.

The State Fair

State Fair- on a tractor.  He sticks his
tongue out when he's thinking hard.

Easter...he knows he looks goofy.

He knows what to do for a camera

Enjoying the nice weather at the park.

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We went camping at Nehalem Bay State Park with the Keeley's.  We LOVED loved the boat riding and crabbing.

Jack mainly slept on the boat ride

these tough guys were in charge of pulling up
the crab traps...we caught several but were
allowed to eat two

Naomi lovin it

Logan was a little weary of the rocky boat
and all the kids were frightened by the crabs.

While we were waiting for our crab to cook...took some pics.

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Trip to Utah

We loved out time in Utah.  We had so much fun doing so many activities.  The Jeff & Jessica and the two nieces were so much fun to spend time with.  Of course seeing Logan loves his grandparents and Uncle Jake.  There were so many other great moments not pictured.  We were too busy often enjoying our time. The last day we realized we had almost no photos.  There's probably so much more to say but Logan is pulling at me at this point...

At the Living Planet Aquarium

Inside a sharks mouth

Checking out the tanks

petting sting rays

Getting to know the cousins.

petting the animals

Jake's Eagle

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The rest because I am in a hurry...

Grandma's birthday with helpers.

Helping with our busy day log splitting.

ice cream at the beach

Kids always choose the brightest colors

Halloween outfit.

At the beach.

Sorry...I was in a HUGE hurry with this blog and obviously bit more than I can chew...so hopefully the photos are worth a thousand words because I certainly have almost none to add for words.  2 year olds.  Let's see I've been prying out Sharpie's...tape...tubes of Hydrocortisone cream...keeping him from shoving a string in the fan he made work...it's a party.

Bottom line...we had a blast this summer.  End of story.

April Fool's

Before you find yourself immersed in the cute pictures to follow...let me tell you an April Fool's story unwittingly (or at least I hope) played on me today.  SO...I was walking down the hallway at work when I noticed on the side of the wall on top of some a cable box of some sort was a cup with another cup upside down on top of it.  I thought how strange this was and picked it up to investigate.  After all, it is my job to investigate all oddities down this hall ;)  Well, the timing couldn't have been more perfect.  As I was grabbing this cup, one of my favorite CNA's (yes I have favorites, haha) came sauntering down with hot chocolate in one hand and hot coffee in the other.  Just as she neared me (promise I never would have planned it in a million years) I opened this cup.  To my surprise, there was a spider scurrying in the bottom of the cup.  I screamed like the little girl I am and flung the spider with the cup out of my hands, the CNA jumped and got the hot beverages all over her hands.  It was one of those moments I just wish was videotaped.  By the way, who does that?  Who puts a cup with a spider in it without a note or passing on the message.  That person likely didn't even see the unveiling.  Crazy people.  If there is anything to write someone up for...I think it should be for that, hah!  A warning out there if you ever catch me busting out laughing randomly, it just may be this recollection of this perfectly timed moment.

Work is never boring...I come home daily with a story.  Today was many...this lady, oh boy...my scrub tops I always thought were nothing remarkable.  Today, my red panda top is apparently labeled as "very provocative."  Really lady?? Those are pandas??  Her idea of provocative and mine oddly enough are different...the other top I have is with a more abstract pattern became sperm swimming after eggs (yes, same lady).  I'll let you imagine that top up, which as you can guess it looks far more innocent...I swear, now I think twice before choosing some scrubs.

Now I digress to a mini-update...we FINALLY got Jimmy's desktop functioning, woop woop!!  It is spring which only makes me happy.  I gave up on that 50 mile bike ride spoken of earlier.  We're totally goin to enjoy the camping part and a mini-bike ride.  Cheaper and less stressful.  Work has gotten to this miraculous time period where I have a record getting out on time 4 out of 5 days a week last week.  I tell you this time of year may as well be Christmas!  Oh, and Jimmy is rocking school...I mean it, he amazes me how well he's got it together.  I'm just so grateful for all these wonderful things going on in our lives.  

Oh and did I mention earlier...we bought a spendy car (anything new to us really is "spendy").  The dealer pulled a fast one on us and we fell for it...long boring story, but hopefully our lesson is  learned.  In the meantime, we have these awesome blue lights to light up our feet (just in case we need to check out and see which one is the gas and brake) because who doesn't NEED that in their lives.  OR the awesome light up that says "Civic" on the little step into the car.  The ridiculous computery thing in the middle..I'm sure there is some other weird feature.  Oh, or how about how it is lowered a couple inches and has Accord tires (it is a Honda Civic 2014).  Regardless, we feel plenty silly and will be paying for our distracted moments that day in the Honda dealership.  Happy days...I guess there are worse things that can happen.  Eventually we'll maybe enjoy the odd features :)

That was too much reading...now for pictures!!

He's his Daddy's boy

Not prompted in the slightest.  Logan's so funny.  He comes to me and pulls his jacket closed, then flings it open with an "ah! ah!!"  We laugh, so of course this little comedian milks it.  I think I even have a video.  He has such personality.  Always out there to make us laugh.

A boy after my own heart...cookie dough!

Jimmy's Samoa's

Haha, I told Jimmy that the Samoa's were too expensive.  I mean really $4 for a box of Samoa's.  I nearly fell on the floor when I heard the price.  A 50 cent hike was too steep for my liking.  What does Jimmy do...well, he makes his own.  We probably spent more than $4, but as much sweetness as a couple of these bad boys consumed put me on sweetness overload.  I may be good for a couple years!

Grandma's Birthday

One of the best parts of living near family is being able to actually celebrate birthdays with them, rather than sending cards (like we do for those in Utah).  My grandma is the biggest sweetheart ever...she gives one of the best hugs on the planet.  Just warms my heart thinking about it.  Love her.

The Keeley Clan- gotta swing in the other cute children around

It's not a fair picture of them...at least of Katie & Jared's kids...doesn't matter they are still cute anyway.  Jack is the little boy on the right, he was so funny this past Sunday he was getting upset about being in his high chair.  It was like he forgot how to cry...he just kept spitting and spitting...although the whole time you knew he really mean't it as crying.  That little squish is what tempts us to get pregnant with every visit.  Naomi is one crazy girl and such a terrific playmate with Logan.  Their new found pleasure is "Ring Around the Rosie".  Katie has reported that Jimmy has successfully taught Naomi how to eat her baby dolls...you read it right, EAT.  Oh, cannibalism, uh I mean Jimmy.

Driving

I will get many more tantrums from my poor judgment.  I thought it fun to have Logan "drive" on my lap.  We go around the parking lot of my parents a couple times.  He LOVES LOVES LOVES it...which is bad bad bad.  And yet I still choose to share my bad parenting ideas, well anyways, Logan is all over anything gadgety.  Making the wipers go, then the hazards, then the horn all taking their turns and together.  He can't get enough and I can't help but give in occasionally.

and witness the beautiful weather, good enough
to enjoy my parent's rope swing.

this is the "I can't help myself" bedding

I don't know if you've visited Pottery Barn kids much, but I can easily go broke there and apparently do to some extent.  We have moved on from our crib and the jungle to airplanes.  We set it up in our front room while he having his final nap in his crib.  He is so dang cute.  Every time going down for bed or having anyone new over it is all about showing off his room and the airplanes.  Then he makes the sound of an airplane whooshing past with the hand motions.  I thought I would only fall in love with a little girl for my own child, but how can this stud not make me fall in love.  Just when I have been through 5 time outs in the course of an hour he gives me a hug or blows me a kiss or does some other sweet thing that suddenly I forgot what he did to get me upset in the first place.  Now I know how my brother got out of trouble so well first hand, haha.

Lovin it.

Play-doh

He is a busy busy guy...my favorite age I am almost definitely sure this time is a one year old.  It seems he rarely is out there to make me mad.  Really the only times he is driving me crazy is when I am distracted by making dinner, cleaning, etc and can't involve him in on it.  He loves to do everything, so if I give in to one time stirring the bowl...you better bet a tantrum ensues every time there after if I don't let him stir the bowl.  Well, that is all!  Hope all is well with any of our fellow readers out there!!

Adjusting to Toddlerhood & Christmas update

Well, it seemed with moving out of my parents actual home into our new place (across the driveway from them.  We mostly love it.  My parents made it possible for our lives to be much easier and affordable.  We live in a beautiful home.  It's 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, a kitchen with actual counter space (thanks to "the bat cave" for perspective- aka one of my 1st apartments that had my table as counter space, and many other odd features), it fits everything we need.  We got to picked mustard yellow for most of the house/apartment a light blue green for the bathroom and uneventful colors for Logan and our room.  Love it...I got so tired of all the white in all my previous places, it was tempting to go for extremes as fire engine red and hot pink.  Thankfully I was sensible...

Moving out created some computer challenges, not to mention Jimmy's computer is out of commission and has been for a while.  Making updating blog posts particularly challenging.  So here is what is feeling like may be a marathon of blog posts :)

Notice our pretty walls...uh I mean the cutest child on planet earth

Christmas time.  The past few years have seemed really dry.  There is almost no excitment.  Children change everything, including my favorite holiday.  One of the most notable was the Portland International Raceway.  It is lit up with the 12 days of christmas and tunnels of lights.  Honestly if we went a year ago, I would have been disappointed spending the money for something so dull.  Then there's Logan...  I let him up front out of the car seat.  What a treat.  He started by plastering his face against the glass and squeal at every little light.  Then it was jumping over to Daddy and "driving" the car.  I thought it was all cute until he reached to point out our speedometer light and honked the horn.  Suddenly I was embarrassed all the people thought we were upset with how slow people were driving through it.  If there was any concern I had I was going to be bored...hah, that quickly disappated.

Logan is a natural at being the center of attention (which 1 year old isn't?).  He loved dressing up as Joseph.

Mary & Joseph

Christmas morning was rather dramatic.  We spent it with the whole family, which was a little overstimulation for Logan.  It was a challenge for this child to understand the the center of attention is not always on him, but drifts to multiple people opening presents.  Once the dust settled we did pretty good with him and his presents.  However, despite Jimmy's wishes this child loves to play pretend with Naomi's dolls and pushing her strollers around.  Such a sweet boy.  Granted the strollers often turn into him parking his slightly oversized tushy (in comparison to a doll's) into that too small doll stroller and have his Dad fly around the house like a mad man.

Christmas morning

Probaby one of the most empowering moments was our realization that there is a our authority to exercise our powers as parents.  Time out has revolutionized our life.  He initially was in time outs frequently over being too loud after being warned, tossing food off his high chair, chucking the wash cloth out of the bath tub when he has been told multiple times no, getting into thing he has been told not to, biting, and whatever else a 1 year knows he can challenge the waters with.  Every day is not perfect, but he now is almost never in time out.  You either start counting to "3" and he stops to think about it and changes his mind now.  Honestly he is a great little one.  Below is our "time out corner", probably a little ineffective this time with it being a minor photo session from Dad.

Time-out

Logan LOVES to be outside.  This cold weather is challenging us all.  Hence probably why we got so desparate and came to the realization of time-outs.  Logan quickly picked up how to stay up on the swing and here is proof below.  Just working on the pumping and avoiding getting distracted by the cats.

Swinging

Puddle Jumping

One of Logan's ultimate favorite past times of all is Elmo.  If I ever need an instant babysitter, it is Elmo.  Elmo makes dinner time possible.  Elmo makes my sanity possible.  Who knew that I would grow to love such an obnoxious voice.

Elmo watching

When Elmo and outdoors are not occurring (and he is not getting into trouble), Logan is using all his powers to get us to read him stories.  Tonight for example, we have this "Heads" book.  It has all these pop-outs and pull outs.  It takes all our attention to keep him from destroying the book, he LOVES it.  Tonight after reading it about 4 times, we couldn't take it anymore.  It got chucked out of his reach.  You should have seen that tantrum...quite incredible and all over a story book.  Generally speaking this boy has got us wrapped around his fingertips.  

Below is my brother, this next week he leaves for Mexico for his mission.  It has been great having him home for a time, although he is getting antsy to move onto this next phase.  I will say, after speaking to my mom, I am worried that his area is not the safest.  Thankfully there is a loving Heavenly Father that we can trust in.  We'll definitely miss him.

Toddlers love Robert!

Beyond our child, work is going well.  In fact it is going so well, I'm afraid I'll be there forever.  The latest is me thinking about wanting to change my job only because I'm concerned I'll be locked forever into the nursing home.  It's hard coming to the realization that I actually love where I am and would be happy doing this as long as I am a nurse.  Truth is I love working with the elderly.  We have had some residents pass away that have come to have great meaning in my lift and it has made me realize the value of my work.  It is funny how so many people can jointly not find the nursing home to be their dream they wished at ending up in (myself included) and that shared reality makes everyone come together and appreciate each other that much more.  I have also found all my actual skills to be near the same of what was on the floor in the hospital, especially similar to comparison of the ER capstone.  I'll always miss one or the other...if I went to peds, I'd miss the elderly.  The grass is always greener, they say.  We had another really couple code blues on my hall, one of which a full code was ran.  It's never dull...

Jimmy continues to work through school.  We have come to realize it is likely another 2-3 years of school.  He is doing well, currently taking a speech class, spanish class, and a computer science one.  

Our big goal together, a 50 mile bike ride.  We'll see.  We initially turned to attempting a bike ride on a Sunday morning...a really DUMB idea.  I lasted maybe 15 minutes and then froze so bad, defrosting killed my hands.  This led to us purchasing and attempting the insanity challenge to assist us in getting in shape.  So far, so good...we're on day 5, so we'll see!

Life is good!