The Big 3-0!

Yes, I am 30! Okay, I actually turned 30 a couple months ago, just way slow to blog! Some have a hard time with this age. I am happy to say I am not one of them! I never really understood the problem with getting older. I love my age, and I love the experiences my life has brought me. The last bad birthday I had was when I turned 20. I worked 6am-6pm 2 days in a row as a cna at the hospital, then had clinicals for nursing school the day prior 6am-6pm, and had more clinicals that day, still 6am-6pm. The nurse I went with was mad at me. We were doing same day surgery and PACU, and our instructors told us to change into PACU scrubs right when we got to the hospital. The nurse I followed was angry I did this. When I got there, she had me sit in a chair and had the other nursing student (who did not dress in PACU scrubs) do everything. I had to sit and watch. I sat for two hours, then my nursing instructor came to check on me. She lectured the other nursing student about listening to her instructions, and made her immediately go change into the correct scrubs. At this point, the nurse I was following realized I was really supposed to be in the scrubs I was in. She then let me start helping out with patients, but I sure didn't like her! I went to my parents that night, and everyone was gone until ten. It was miserable. The following day I decided I wouldn't let anything ever ruin my birthday again. And every birthday since has been fantastic! I have the perfect life! I have the sweetest husband, the cutest little boys, and an adorable dog! What more could I possibly ask for:) Now prepare for lots of pics. If you don't get through them all, I don't blame you, but I sure think they're cute!

Matt got me a snow cone maker for my birthday. First flavor we tried? Tiger's blood of course:)

Matt threw me a surprise birthday party at my very favorite restaurant, Brick Oven:)

Best part of getting older is that my kids and nieces now blow out my candles. I always laugh so hard, I can't blow them out!

One of my favorite pics ever!

Chillin' with the boys

Josh loves feeding the ducks at my dad's work

Matt's fall softball team with my grandpa. All but 2 are my relatives:)

My mom helped me bottle peaches this year

Josh loves playing with Grandpa Wood!

My little computer buddy

My parents went to Disneyland and brought Josh some mouse ears. He loved them!

Gotta love going for walks!

Waiting on our hayride to the pumpkin patch

It was a cute little place, and Josh loved the hayride over!

BATTLE!

Had to dress up for the ward Halloween party, since my cute Young Women were in charge of it:)

Josh dressed up as a Gogan (if you don't know, watch Pete's Dragon), and Anthony was my little Tigger:)

So anxious to get to the next house, he kept running ahead

Nothing like a bunch of two-year-olds trying to eat donuts with no hands!

My bro works at Adobe, and they always have the BEST Halloween stuff! Justin's department did a Harry Potter theme, thus the costume.

Josh and his cousins, Kaitlin and Savannah, waiting in the funnest line ever! There was a live band, amazing costumes, a yo yo man, and people making balloon animals for the kids!

Still the coolest line ever! Josh pet this disgusting creature! I hid from it! They also had a boa constrictor you could pet. It was pretty neat!

I made Josh get a picture in front of the Cars display, but he saw the candy and was trying with all his might to get to it! My bro got better pictures. I gave up trying as I was struggling with this little handful! By the end, I had to put the candy Josh grabbed back, because his bucket was overflowing!

My bro, Mike, was Battle-cat, Josh was He-man

They then switched so Mike was He-man and Josh Battle-cat:)

My baby

The fam

Poor Josh got so sick! Threw up one day, high fevers the next, woke up with this face the next day. His eye swells like this with his allergies on occasion, but he also was coming down with a cold. The day after, he got a cold sore on his lip, then it spread and blistered across his whole face! Still had the cold, and kept picking at his nose, and a week later ended up with impetigo! Poor kid!

This is how bad his face looked on the very worst day

Splash time!

Best thing about the fall. FOOTBALL!

Leaf fight!

Watching the snow

Anthony isn't a snuggler, so this is a rare pic!

My litte bro, Brian, helping Josh make a candy turkey after Thanksgiving dinner

The kids were playing on the tramp. I went out to take a picture, so Kaitlin posed. Josh and Savannah were quick to follow!

My sweet 95 year old Grandpa! Love him so much!

Matt went to put Anthony down for a nap. He was gone for a while, so I went and checked on him. Yeah, sure, put the baby down for a nap!

Christmas tree hunting the day after Thanksgiving. Anthony had fun until his face got cold!

I sure married a hottie!

My parents annual Christmas bush!

We like it bushy, too, but have to keep it within reason so it fits in our house:)

Putting up the tree. Of course, we don't have any pictures of it up yet!

Josh fell asleep a couple hours before bed. We didn't want to be up all night, so we made him walk downstairs. Apparently he was really tired, cause he took a few steps, then collapsed like this! Good thing Matt was holding him!

My boys, great buddies (sometimes)!

Time for bed! Good night!

Summer's End

I hate when summer ends. Don't know why. No one here is in school(thank heavens). We can really pick and choose when to go on vacation, and I usually prefer going in the fall when it's a little bit cooler. And summer is so blasted hot! But I still hate when summer ends. It's been a fun year! Josh has loved swimming in our little pool in the backyard. He loves the outdoors, but struggles with the heat. He will play baseball and "run the bases" in the backyard a few times, then he'll throw his hat off and toss his bat and say, "It's too hot!" Anthony is becoming a little chatterbox! I think he may be teething. His gums are swollen and he is so fussy! He's making up for being a perfect angel his first three months. But I adore the little guy, and love him so much! I am loving not going to work! I think my hubby is loving me not going to work as well. I'm much happier with life! I love my new calling in Young Women's. I'm over the Beehives, and they are the cutest, sweetest girls! I also love the women I serve with. They are so on the ball, and I'm so glad I'm not president over the Young Women:) My Grandpa turned 95 this year! He misses Grandma so much, I know it's been such a trial for him. Grandma died 2 1/2 years ago! I think my whole family finds solace visiting her grave. My mom and her sisters make certain it always looks beautiful. I love going now and again to just reminisce about the amazing times together. And I love spending time with my most amazing husband. He's always doing such sweet things like dropping my kids off at our parents and taking me to a movie, buying flowers, etc. What would I ever do without my sweetheart? I won't even think about it. No more blabbing, now just summer pics:)

Isn't he the cutest thing?

And isn't Josh the other cutest little thing:)

Anthony loves going on walks with his big bro.

Gotta love $2 Tuesday at the Dinosaur Museum!

Josh was excited to get to touch one of the dinosaurs.

Matt and his boys.

I know, I look way too chipper when a shark is about to eat me!

My boy is getting to be a chunky monkey:)

Giz worn out from a long day of running away from Josh!

Way back when on July 4th. We got Josh out of bed early to watch for the jets.

Fathers and sons camp out. Very disappointed cause we lost pics of Anthony camping with us at the ward camp out! At least we found the ones of Josh!

Josh kept Matt up till 2:AM! He loved the lantern!

Boating in Mona. We were the only people on the reservoir!

Matt showing off his mad skills!

Matt took Josh out on the tube. I thought Josh would freak, but he hopped right on!

Josh crashed on the boat. Matt loved snuggling with him.

Matt crashed at my parent's. Anthony loved snuggling with him:)

What is summer without the zoo? I thought Josh would pick the tiger to ride on. Nope. The panda! A boy after my own heart:)

A very dark pic of me and Anthony with the mama and baby elephants. Matt's idea!

Terror when faced with a water-squirting dinosaur!

He did much better with this one. He said, "Hi T-Rex!" Then, made Matt hold him, a bit nervous.

Josh with his cuz, Kyle. Whenever we go to see Kyle, Josh now says, "I'm so excited!"

Matt and Josh at Thanksgiving Point. Still gotta love $2 Tuesday!

Me and my handsome hubby:)

Had to get a pic of just me and my baby. Don't you love the flowers?

My Josh

My Anthony

"Bye, Mommy!"

Two simple words that changed the course of my life. Anthony is three months old. Quite the milestone. He is past the colicky stage-though he didn't really have one; sleeping through the night; and, if he gets a fever, he no longer requires a lumbar puncture to rule out sepsis in a newborn. It also means the end of my maternity leave. My first scheduled day was Saturday. I dreaded it as it came closer. I love being a peds nurse, but I love more being a mom. Friday night I put Anthony to bed. He looked so sweet, so innocent, so perfect. I caressed his face as he slept, and told him I was going to work the next day. I know he doesn't understand, but I still had to explain why Mom wouldn't be there for him. I then went in to put Josh to bed. I said to him, "Josh, I won't be here tomorrow. I have to go to work. You get to spend the day with Dad." He gave me a big pouty face and said, "Bye, Mommy!" Tears were in his voice, and it broke my heart. I left him in his room and turned to Matt. "I can't do this anymore. I can't leave my babies!" Matt gave me a hug and told me, "That's fine. Quit your job." "When?" "How about Monday?" I was a bit in shock as I said, "Okay, I will." I have had so many doubts since then. How are we going to pay for the continuing education credits to keep my license? How will we come up with the money for car registration, new tires, medical expenses, even the gas in my car! We've used my money for all of this. But I know it is the right decision. The knowledge of it burns within my soul. I know the Lord wants me at this time to stay home with my boys. I don't know how we will come up with the money, but we will find a way. We just have to have faith that the Lord will provide, and go from there.

It may sound silly to some when I say it is changing the course of my life. I only worked two days a month, but I have been a nurse for ten years. I worked so hard to get where I am today. It has always been a major defining part of my life. I was twenty years old when I started working as a nurse! I have always prided myself on my skills. And I'm now cutting the last ties I have to my profession. I will miss my hospital, I will miss my coworkers, I will especially miss the cute little kiddos I took care of. I will miss the feeling I get when I help a child get better. And, prideful as it is, I will miss the pediatricians telling me what a great nurse I am. But I now get to spend all my time with my family, and working to make our life at home as great as my life was growing up. The greatest gift my mom gave me was to always be there for me, and now I can do the same for my children.