Only the Beginning

Still Deciding....

2012-01-27T22:01:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had a friend, family member, or even an acquaintance decide to name their child the name that you wanted to name your child? Not because they heard it from you but simply because they liked the name and they were just lucky enough to have their child before you did?

I actually haven't experienced this, but I (often) worry that I will. Total waste of thinking time, I know, but I'm just selfish like that I guess. It's actually more of a feeling of "I don't want to look like I'm copying you" than it is selfishness. I wouldn't care one bit if someone used the same name I use, as long as they use it after me. I don't like doing what other people do. Not selfishness but pride perhaps?

Anyway. Tyson and I have the names of 3 boys (including upcoming baby #2) and 2 girls picked out already and I'm pretty sure we love them enough that we won't be changing them. I've debated back and forth whether to reveal them all just for the sake of "claiming" them before anyone (over the course of the next 7 years) else discovers them (because I thought of them first, of course), but then I ruin the fun of keeping the baby's name a secret until it arrives. You know what I mean? It's always fun to find out someone had a baby and learn what name they picked out. But then again, if we already have our names picked out, it's not a matter of discussion and waiting until the baby arrives to decide, so is there really any reason to keep it secret?

Back and forth and back and forth I go.

Anybody out there feel particularly inclined to convince me one way or the other?

Sentimental

2012-01-26T13:28:00.001-07:00

With the anticipated arrival of baby #2 comes a whole lot of time spent wondering what he'll look like, how well he'll sleep, how well he'll eat, how labor and delivery will happen, how I'll recover, how Teryn will acclimate, how I'm going to get around with a toddler in one hand and a newborn in the other, etc. etc. etc. You get the idea. Tomorrow marks my "full term" mark and with every minute that passes my mind races more and more rapidly.

I mentioned in my last post that everything is ready and waiting for the little man to get here which has freed my mind to think past the necessities and start planning for the fun stuff. That includes his blessing outfit. Teryn's blessing outfit was really special because it's the same outfit Tyson was blessed in when he was a baby. Being the sentimental person I am I don't want to bless any of our other sons in the same outfit because when they're all grown and have sons of their own, who would inherit it? It's Teryn's and only Teryn's outfit so he can bless his son in the same outfit he and his father were blessed in, and all of my other children will have their own blessing outfits so they can hand them down to their children too.

So a few weeks ago I started looking online for blessing outfits and discovered they are quite pricey. That's not what our pocketbook needs right now. I know it's a special occasion that calls for equally special clothing, but when you know your baby is only going to wear it once in their lifetime (for only a few hours to boot) it's not something I (personally) can bring myself to spend money (that I don't have) on. Plus, in comparison to an outfit that was passed down from a father, how sentimental is a store-bought outfit anyway?

With that said, I started tinkering with the idea of making his blessing outfit. I have a sewing machine and basic enough knowledge of patterns that surely I could put something together, right? Or what about crocheting? I haven't crocheted in years- -probably 15 years, respectively- -but surely I could figure it out and come up with something?

After some thought and internet browsing I decided I would test my skills at crocheting. I found a few patterns that I liked but had no idea where to begin with understand the pattern lingo. I asked my mom and she didn't know either but she let me know that a lady in our ward that lives just down the road from me is really good with crocheting and could help me out. I planned to call and ask if she could help get me started, but while laying in bed that night my mind raced with ideas and none of them entailed anything I couldn't pull off with the minimal crocheting knowledge that I already had. So I decided I didn't need anyone's help. I was going to create my own and do it all by myself! (Call me hardheaded? Stubborn? Independent? Ignorant? Yeah, I know.)

I'll tell you right now, it didn't end up quite like I anticipated. Almost, but not exactly. And that's OK. I can't get too perfectionistic considering I really don't have much crocheting experience. I did learn three important things along the way that I need to remember the next time I attempt such a project.

1) The more you add to a project the smaller it gets. As the knots get tied together again and again, it shrinks. Think bigger and it will end up the size you want.

2) Choose your crocheting material wisely. The yarn I chose is a soft baby type yarn but it's quite heavy which made for quite the bulky little outfit. Cute and soft, but a little more hearty than anticipated.

3) Crocheting hurts your hands. Well, it hurts mine anyway. I'll know never to attempt anything larger than this outfit.

It's far from perfect but it was made with much more love than anything I could have purchased.

I hope that it will be as special to Ryder as Teryn's outfit will be to him.

He Can Say What He Says Because We're Best Friends

2012-01-14T21:41:00.002-07:00

A few nights ago I told Tyson we needed to take an updated pregnancy picture. He went to get the camera and I went to the door in the living room like always. When I lifted my shirt for the picture our conversation went something like this:

T: (face aghast) "You're huge."
D: (laughing) "Thanks dear."
T: "Seriously. You are really big. Let's not do this ever again."
D: (still laughing) "What do you mean?"
T: "You look really uncomfortable and it makes me feel bad. We don't need to have any more kids."
D: "Well I still have 6 weeks to go....I'm only going to get bigger."
T: "I'm sorry."

That probably makes him sound rude but he's not. We're best friends and we're honest with each other just like best friends should be and I like it that way! Love you babe =0)

But seriously. I am huge. And I'm feeling it. Last night when I went down the stairs to get to the bathroom I felt like my water would break and he would slip right out of me then and there. He's dropped in the last week and I feel much more pressure than I ever felt with Teryn. With the pressure comes major waddling. M.A.J.O.R. I wasn't doing myself any favors when I decided to get outside and haul 7 or 8 loads of wood the other day. Bad idea. I have an appointment on Monday and I'm really curious to find out what the doc has to say. Maybe my due date is off by a month! Wishful thinking.

Nah, I'm really not feeling that miserable. I've actually had a lot of energy lately. As soon as the holidays were over and the new year was here, the decorations came down and all the baby stuff came out. All of the clothing is washed, his crib is prepped and clean, his car seat and swing are laundered and waiting, and I have 192 newborn diapers waiting to be filled. The only necessary thing I haven't done yet is pack my hospital bag. I was so paranoid and over-prepared with my first hospital bag I think there's a little thing inside of me that feels like I don't even need one this time around but I know there are a few essential things I better get together so I can call myself 100% prepared.

Something not-so-good that I've experienced lately is edginess. I've been really emotional and poor Tyson always gets the short end of that stick. Not that I take things out on him but he's the one that has to deal with the unstable pregnant wife. It's been better these past few days but man, it sure came around full swing about a week ago. I'm trying to keep it under control.

On a happier note, the greatest thing I've been experiencing lately is craving good food! I eat an apple a day plus whatever other fresh produce we have lying around and I crave water. Sweet things still hit the spot every once in a while but I've wanted more fresh food and I know it helps with my energy. As for baby, he is moving like crazy and I've finally started feeling his hiccups. Teryn had hiccups ALL the time. In fact that was probably the majority of the movement I felt with Teryn. With this one, I feel hiccups but not nearly as often. Maybe they're just so muted compared to his chaotic dance parties that I don't notice them as much?

Anyway. Enough of the jibber jabber. On with the belly.

31 Weeks

34 Weeks

And today marks 35 weeks which means only 35 days to go!

He Loves To.....

2012-01-08T21:27:00.001-07:00

build fires with his daddy,

wear mommy's sunglasses,

watch Toy Story 3 on the iPad in mommy's and daddy's bed,

jump in the tub with his clothes on,

read books to himself,

shave just like daddy,

take all the measuring cups and spoons from the kitchen and nestle them neatly by the fire,

help mommy haul wood,

eat cans of corn,

play in his cardboard hut with his daddy,

and so many more things that I just can't capture with the camera.
We love our little man!

Christmas Letter 2011

2012-01-05T14:40:00.003-07:00

the TODD Family Christmas Letter
Volume 2: 2011

Here is a look back at our eventful year……

*January* Tyson begins his last semester at Utah State University! *February* Tyson tears his meniscus. First surgery of the year.*March* We celebrate our 2^nd anniversary and Teryn turns one year old! * April* We sell Tyson’s truck. Sad day. *May* Tyson graduates with a B.S. in Economics and a B.S. in Political Science! *June* We find out we’re expecting baby #2! *JulY* We meet with the doctor for our first ultrasound. Baby #2 is due February 18^th - -Dani’s birthday! *August* Tyson gets a job in Roosevelt, UT. We leave Logan and move back to the Uinta Basin. *September* Dani buys a kiln and starts a little ceramic business. *October* We find out baby #2 is a boy! Teryn is getting a little brother! *November* Tyson tears his meniscus again. Second surgery of the year. *December*And here we are, almost halfway through the last month of the year! My, how time flies. Aside from a few unexpected surgeries and Teryn’s recent hospitalization after catching croup and pneumonia, we have been healthy, fortunate, blessed, and happy. We have every reason to be grateful for what we have, especially at this time of year. As we celebrate our Savior’s birth, may we all remember that every blessing we enjoy comes from Him. He is the real reason for the season. Sending our love and best wishes to you and yours!

Merry Christmas!
Love, Tyson, Dani, Teryn, and Baby Boy #2

New Years

2012-01-05T14:39:00.000-07:00

Our new years festivities weren't the most exciting or outrageous but they sure were enjoyable. A few days before the new year a handful of our old friends went to the cabin but Tyson had to work so he wasn't able to come until our second night there. We mostly overindulged in yummy food, played games, watched movies, reminisced about old times, and those of us who aren't pregnant enjoyed the hot tub. New years eve day we left the cabin and stopped in Vernal at Dennis and Michelle's to watch the U of U play their bowl game. They won in overtime and it was really fun to watch! When the game was over we made our way to Roosevelt to spend the night with Greg and Betty. After losing so much sleep at the cabin I didn't think I would make it to midnight but Greg and I stayed up watching a Coldplay concert and it was the first new years I've been awake to experience since 2007! Greg was great company since Tyson fell asleep =0) It was a lot of fun!

The next morning our church schedule changed to 9:00 am so we were out of there as soon as we woke. I'm really excited for the new time because it means we can all go to church as a family! 11:00 and 1:00 meetings are difficult with a child who needs a nap but refuses to sleep anywhere but his crib. For the past year Tyson and I have been taking turns each week staying home while he sleeps so it will be a wonderful change to get to church and back home before noon!

Here's to an awesome 2012! Cheers!

Our Holidays

2012-01-04T16:48:00.000-07:00

I wish I could come up with a way to make time slow down during the last few months of the year. The "holiday season" is such a wonderful time and it goes by much too fast. We were grateful to be back home this year so we weren't in such a rush to see everyone and get back out to the city for work. Our family time was definitely the best part of our holidays.

I got the tree up just after Thanksgiving and had already done all my shopping so there were immediately gifts to tuck under the tree. I had a lot of fun making the yarn ball ornaments and it turned out Teryn loved them too. Within the first 24 hours of having the tree up he took 4 or 5 of them off the tree and threw them around until they were thrashed. I learned that having a Christmas tree with a 20 month old around means redecorating the tree every day.

Can you tell my favorite color is lime green? =0)

Teryn never messed with the presents because he didn't understand what they were. He used them as stools to climb up and play with the tree a few times but that's it so it was fun to open presents on Christmas and let him see that there was cool stuff inside! Santa brought him some wood puzzles, books, toy trucks, a potty chair, and a Little Tikes basketball set. Everything but the potty chair was exciting- -he screamed when I tried to sit him on it, so it will just sit next to the big toilet in the bathroom until he's ready.

He LOVES his basketball set! Definitely his father's son =0)

Santa brought Ryder some binkies, diapers, and a few new outfits, including his home-from-the-hospital outfit. When Tyson opened it he asked, "is he going to fit in this?" It's so little! I remember when Teryn was a newborn and I thought 18 month clothes were so big and now he's even bigger than that! We've already forgotten just how tiny a newborn is so we are excited to be reminded! We also ordered a glider rocker for Ryder with the money we received from our Summer Citizen friends out in Logan. We love it!

Santa surprised Tyson pretty good this year. While we were in the city for Thanksgiving he took a trip to Smith & Edwards and came back raving about a hiking bag he really wanted. I talked him out of it because I thought it cost too much and he already has enough hiking bags. Being the easy-going sweetheart he is he let it go and never talked about it again and that's what made me want to get it for him. The trick was figuring out which bag it was without him knowing. I talked to my nephew Dylon who had gone with him that day and he remembered that the brand of the bag Tyson really wanted was VooDoo Tactical. I called Smith & Edwards and gave them the only information I had- -the price and the brand. They came back to me with two choices, I looked both of them up online, and my nephew told me which one it was. Tyson was pretty surprised and quite excited when he opened it, so that was fun. He also got a Zac Brown Band CD, a picture of the Logan temple that I made in Relief Society, and some flannel sheets.

Santa was very good to me this year as well. I really wanted/needed a new camera so Santa let me do the research and find the one I wanted. Surprise! =0) Tyson spoiled me with some beautiful jewelry, an apron, and a pair of new shoes. Love my man!

This is the first picture I took with my new camera and it's the only picture I got of Tyson and I on Christmas. We're so happy =0)

Oh yeah! And I can't forget that we got a toddler bed for Teryn and put him in it for the first time on Christmas Eve too!

I found it on KSL in Ogden and Tyson's brother Brandon swung by to pick it up on his way home from Logan. I was excited to see Teryn's reaction to a big boy bed, but he didn't give us much. Just like he reacted when we put him in a front-facing car seat, it was more of an "it's about time!" reaction than a "WOW! So cool!" reaction. Kind of anti-climactic. Oh well. The first night he ended up on the floor and slept there the entire night but he's managed to stay in his bed every night and every nap since! Well, as far as we know he has. We lay him down when it's time to sleep and he's there when we go to get him after he wakes. I think he loves the idea of being able to get in and out of it on his own, but he also knows what bedtime means and he just stays put where he should be. It's so sweet to watch him sleep in it.

And he finally gets to actually use the quilt I made before he was born, so that's fun.

We spent Christmas Eve at my parent's house along with my brother Bret's family. Christmas morning we went to church with Greg and Betty. Here's Teryn in his Christmas outfit from Grandma Henrie.

After church we opened gifts. Teryn took his precious time with each present, ripping small pieces and laying them on the arms of his chair one by one.

It was a very relaxing and enjoyable day full of good food and family. We came home that evening to sleep in our own beds and first thing the next morning we packed up and headed to Vernal for a few days with Michelle and Dennis. Teryn finally got to meet his cousins Isaac and Evan and I didn't even get a picture of all of them together! Dangit. We opened gifts and filled ourselves even more with delicious food and treats. Oh, and we definitely played our share of Rock Band!

We were so blessed this year- -especially, like I mentioned, to be home and able to really relish the time we got to spend with our family. We're so grateful for all the generous gifts we received but the best part of Christmas was just being with the people we love. We're already looking forward to next year!

One For The Books

2012-01-02T21:52:00.001-07:00

We had quite the new experience this past month. I caught a bit of a cough that made my throat sore and I was miserable for a few days. Within a week of my catching it, Teryn caught it too. I could sense his misery setting in on the night of December 8th but I had volleyball games that night so I left him home for Tyson to take care of him. We set up the humidifier, rubbed his chest with Vicks, and made sure to give him regular hits of Tylenol to prevent a fever. The next day he was still miserable but his symptoms were minimal so we just made sure to keep him hydrated and let him rest. Later that afternoon, we could feel that he was getting hot so we took his temperature and he was at 102, despite our regular Tylenol doses. We did what we could to keep him comfortable and lower his fever. The next day, Saturday, I had a Relief Society activity first thing that morning so I had already planned to leave Teryn with my mom. He had a miserable night and was having a more and more difficult time breathing so I dropped him off in his pajamas with a sippy cup full of grape juice and a handful of movies to just sit and watch. (Guess which one he chose? Toy Story 3 of course!) I was gone 3 hours and when I came back to pick him up, my mom said he only got up 3 or 4 times during the time I was gone. Normally, he is always going going going so getting up only 3 or 4 times in a 3 hour period would have been odd, but the fact that he was watching Toy Story 3 made sense. I've mentioned before that it's the only movie he will sit down and watch from beginning to end, so I didn't think much about his lack of activity- -especially since he was sick. As soon I walked in though, he started whimpering and reaching for me so I snuggled him up in my arms and he just laid on me while we continued to watch the movie. My heart was breaking for my little boy, but I was convinced from the way he sounded that he was simply catching the cough that I had earlier in the week so I still wasn't too worried. Plus, I was enjoying his desire to cuddle and be close to me. He never sits still for two seconds, so I was taking in every minute that he wanted to be snuggled.

Well, after the movie was over I gathered his things so I could get him home and ready for a nap. When I got home, Tyson and I tried to get him to eat but he seemed so uncomfortable and moody that we gave up. We took his temperature and he was down to only 101 from 102 so we decided it would be a good idea to call the pediatrician's office before Sunday to get an opinion on what we needed to do. Tyson stayed with Teryn and got him to sleep while I called and talked to a nurse. I described Teryn's symptoms and the nurse recommended that we get him in to be seen before they left the office for the day. It was 1:45 and they wanted us there by 2:30 so we woke Teryn and jumped in the van for a quick trip to Vernal. Poor little guy just zonked out on the way there. He looked so helpless. I still didn't know how concerned to be and I didn't know what to expect from the doctor's visit. I thought it would be just a quick in-and-out before they left their office, but we soon learned that there was more to be concerned about than we realized.

The first thing the nurse checked was Teryn's oxygen level and it was down to only 83%. The doctor came in and immediately admitted Teryn to the hospital. The nurse brought in an oxygen tank and mask for Teryn to use until we made it to the hospital and he did not like that one bit. He fought and fought and fought us while trying to put it on which only made his breathing worse. Tyson and I were actually quite amazed at his strength and perseverance. He was not going to let us put that mask on his face for the life of him until I started humming primary songs. He calmed down enough that we got the mask on him and then I kept humming so he would stay relaxed until we could get him to the hospital. Luckily, our pediatricians office is actually hooked to the hospital so it was just a short walk to his room once paperwork was complete and the hospital was ready for us to arrive.

We got to his room and soon learned just how much of a fighter he is when it took 4 adults to restrain him so the nurses could do what they needed to do. It started with another oxygen machine that had the nostril inserts instead of a face mask. Then it was the oxygen monitor they had to strap to his toe. Then it was the IV. Because he's such a fighter, we thought an IV in his ankle would be more manageable than in his arm because we could hide it under the blankets once it was in. First attempt in his right ankle. Failed. Next attempt in his left ankle. Failed. Last attempt in his right arm. Success, but only temporarily. Later in the evening, I could see his arm was swelling so we called a nurse in to check on it. The IV had infiltrated his arm so they had to pull it out and try again. Nice. Finally, the fourth attempt in his left hand was successful and he managed to leave it alone for the duration of his stay, except the nurse wrapped his hand and forearm around a splint so the IV would stay where it needed to be and the cast-like dressing got in the way of him being able to read books or do anything else with his hand. That was frustrating for him.

I was able to watch everything they did without too much sadness, but I lost it when they went up his sinus canal to suction it out and clear his airway. I hope I never have to experience that again.

While everything was going on I tried to stay close enough that I could sing quietly in his ear and keep him calm. Ever since he was born he's loved music and it's amazing how it calms him. Primary songs allowed us a few tender moments amidst the chaos of it all.

Once they got him set up and settled in, they started doing tests so they could diagnose what was going on. His heart rate was reaching as high as 180 bpm and as I mentioned before his oxygen level was down to 83%. They tested for RSV and it came back negative, but by x-ray examination and monitoring of his vitals they let us know that he had croup and pneumonia and he would need to stay at the hospital for a minimum of two nights. That was quite the wake-up call for me. I'm pretty much completely inexperienced in the sick department. I don't remember ever even having a fever, let alone croup or pneumonia. I've never experienced anything that rest, hydration, and time can't fix, so to learn that my little boy needed help that I wasn't able to give was a completely new concept and it broke my heart. I'm still convinced that what he caught was exactly what I caught just days before but his immune system wasn't able to fight it like mine was and it quickly took it's toll. It was so sad to see him so helpless and miserable. The way he whimpered and cuddled with his eyes closed was heartbreaking.

Thankfully, Grandma Michelle lives just minutes away from the Vernal hospital so she came to the rescue with dinner for Tyson and I and a little DVD player with Toy Story 3 and circus animal cookies for Teryn. Seriously, that saved the day. After all his trauma, he was so happy to have his Toy Story and cookies. It would have been an extra miserable hospital stay without them. Thank you so much Grandma Michelle!

While she was there, Tyson left to pick up a few things and the radiologist showed up to take Teryn for a few x-rays while he was gone. Luckily Grandma Michelle was there since I'm pregnant and unable to be in the x-ray room, but unluckily for Grandma Michelle that meant she got to be the one who fought Teryn to keep him where he needed to be for the x-ray. I can't say it enough- -he is a F.I.G.H.T.E.R., the little stinker! After a few attempts they managed to get x-rays clear enough to examine and we went back to the room.

Michelle left shortly after that and then later that evening Grandpa Greg stopped by. By then Teryn was calmed down and so into his movie that he wouldn't even look at him. Night came and we decided to put Teryn in a hospital crib rather than him sleeping with either of us in a bed. The crib looked like one you'd see in a hospital in Nazi Germany and seeing Teryn in it made me even more sad. They gave us some baby scrubs for him to sleep in and we settled in for the night. It was a L.O.N.G. night. Teryn was in and out of sleep every 15 or 20 minutes, whimpering every time he woke. He would try to re-situate and move around but all the cords he was hooked to got in the way. A nurse finally came in and added 7 feet to each cord to give him some wiggle room and that helped a lot so we were able to get a little bit of sleep. By morning his oxygen levels were in the high 90s and his heart rate was back to normal. He was feeling much better, which made the day even more miserable. He didn't understand what the heck was going on and he was feeling well enough that he just wanted to get out of there but we still had another night so we did what we could to keep him occupied and happy. He watched Toy Story 3 another two times as well as a few other Disney movies. Every time he tried to stand up in his bed and move around he got so frustrated that he was tied down. By then he would cry and reach for me or Tyson every time a nurse or any other unfamiliar person came in the room. He fought us every time we tried to give him medicine too. It was traumatizing, for all of us.

That night Grandpa Greg, Grandma Betty, Lance, and Lexi came to visit and Teryn was in a much better mood. He was a little hesitant to interact at first but he was giving them high 5s and smiling before they left. We were all very happy to have the company.

They took Teryn off oxygen before he slept that night and whether or not he could make it through the night without it would determine his discharge. Tyson had to work the next morning so he left after we got Teryn settled for the night. I pulled his crib up close to my bed so I could be as close to him as possible and we both slept fairly well considering the frequent nurse visits. There were a few times when I woke in the night and looked over to check on him only to find him sitting up in his crib watching me sleep. It was kind of funny, actually. By then he was feeling 100% better and probably wondered why we were still there. He has never slept in the same room as me ever, so to have me by his side was odd. We both enjoyed it.

It was a good night and since Teryn made it without oxygen the doctor discharged us around 8:00 am. We probably would have been discharged around then no matter what, but we didn't have to take an oxygen tank home with us since he made it through the night without it so that was good news.

Teryn had one last fight when the nurses came in to unhook him from everything but once I took his scrubs off and put his pajamas on it started to click that we were going home and he was so happy. When we got home he ran around the house as if he had just been released from prison. He was still coughing, but his breathing was back to normal. He rested quite a bit for the next few days and he watched Toy Story 3 at least a few more times. He had 2 antibiotics to take for 5 days and by then he was pretty much recovered. All I can say is thank heaven for modern medicine! Over the course of everything that happened, I couldn't help but think of mothers with children in the same situation hundreds of years ago. Especially in the moments when Teryn looked at me with such helplessness. At least I knew he was in good hands and everything would be OK....I can't imagine my child looking at me so helplessly and me knowing that there was nothing that could be done and knowing I would lose him. Thanks to such thoughts, I shed my fair share of tears over the course of our stay at the hospital. I'm just so grateful for the knowledge the world of medicine has that enables them to help people. Especially children. Especially my son.

I only had my phone to take pictures so these aren't the best quality but they illustrate a bit of the whole experience. Notice the two blankets Teryn never parted with. They earned themselves the name Dotty & Spotty. Neither is one or the other- -together they make Dotty & Spotty. They must have become his best friends while we were at the hospital because he's taken them everywhere with him since.

Just Pretend...

2011-11-22T21:33:00.001-07:00

Just pretend this post was posted last Sunday. As in November 13th, last Sunday. I had intentions to sit down and write that day but that obviously never happened.

Teryn turned 20 months on the 13th! I don't know when I posted last about a month-birthday, all I know is it's long overdue! Before I know it, he'll be two! It's amazing how much he grows and learns and changes every month.

Although his head just gets stronger and his whining gets louder, I love this stage. He is hilarious! He's figuring out how to jump off things. We have a small board book tote that stands about three inches off the floor and he loves to stand on it, crouch down (to gain greater momentum?), and then jump off. Although, it's not yet a full-on jump, it's more of an exaggerated step. So funny. Tyson has also taught him how to fake sleep. He'll lay his head down and breath in and out with a "sshhhhhh". Hilarious. He jabbers a lot lately which is very entertaining. 95% of what he says isn't understandable but it's fun to listen to. He talks into anything that resembles a phone and lately he's started laughing as if there's someone on the other line telling him a joke. Too funny. He's decided he loves to try on and walk in any shoes he can find. Even Tyson's shoes! (Size 14!) He gets around in them surprisingly well. He's caught on to blowing his nose, although he doesn't really blow his nose, he just spits into a tissue to make it sound like he did. He loves to help us build fires in the fireplace. He especially loves crumpling up the paper and blowing on the embers to get them going. He has given "kisses" for quite some time but lately he loves to give "squeeze" hugs. He just grabs on and squeezes tight when we ask for hugs. Love it. He doesn't mind so much when I hold his hands to walk which is a big change. He's also learned to eat with a spoon quite well. And he L.O.V.E.S Toy Story 3! Not just Toy Story in general, Toy Story 3! I've even tested him with all three choices and he chooses 3 every time! And when I play it, he will sit and watch it from beginning to end EVERY time! It's quite amazing actually. Anything else I try to interest him in only keeps his attention for 5 or 10, maybe 15 minutes, but he would watch Toy Story 3 every day, all day if I'd let him. It's amazing to watch him react with the characters too. I wish I knew what his little mind was thinking!

Now for some pictures. He is getting back into his photogenic mode so picture-taking is fun again.

Here he is sporting (someone's?) shoes.

And again...straight out of the bathtub and into some shoes....

And again.....

OK, this picture need some 'splaining.....

I did laundry a few days ago and when Tyson got home from work we went upstairs to make our bed and put everything away. Teryn discovered my underwear drawer and started pulling things out one-at-a-time and taking them out of our room. He wasn't hurting anything so I let him continue without a clue of what he was doing. Well, when we finished putting everything away, we came downstairs to this:

He was taking everything one-by-one to the stairs and throwing it to the floor below! Don't ask me why? But he sure enjoyed himself! Ha ha!

So that's all for that little munchkin. As for the growing munchkin, he is as active as ever. I really can't say that enough! Seriously, my belly is doing things that it didn't do until I was at least 8 months pregnant with Teryn and I'm barely at 6 months! It tosses and turns and pokes and waves and jiggles and jumps and on and on and on. It's pretty crazy and still mostly surreal, actually. I'll be the momma of another little boy in just 3 months! Rock on.

We got our 3D ultrasound yesterday and he cooperated just enough to give us a slight idea of what he looks like.

Here's his face, all cozied up to my placenta. He has cute lips, huh? =0)

His left hand, also cozied up to my placenta.

His left foot.

Aaaaanndd......that was enough of that, he said. He pulled his arm over his face and hid from us. That's exactly what Teryn did when we attempted 3D pictures of him. Kinda funny.

And just because I know you're all wondering how huge I am....

So there you have it! My 20 month munchkin and my 27 week munchkin. Only 13 weeks to go before they get to meet each other =0)

One long? Or several short?

2011-11-05T14:54:00.000-06:00

If you checked out my Precious Prints blog, you'll understand why I haven't been around for a while. And so much has happened since my last actual post- -do I cut everything into individual events and write lots of short posts because I'm neurotic like that? Or do I just throw it all together in one big long post and get it over with? I think I'm going to submit to the long post and just get it over with. (Especially since I'm sitting here at the Holly Fair with nothing better to do and my internet connection is much better than it is at home. So much better that I can finally upload and view my friend Tiffany's beautiful, high quality photos!)

So, in chronological order......

Two weeks ago, we woke up to this:

October 18th, I think it was? Tyson got a call from his boss that morning telling him work would be canceled. Exciting for me but not so exciting for the pocketbook. Oh well. It gave Tyson the chance to clean our chimney, cut the wood slats we had loaded a week before, and we were able to make our first fire!

(Teryn is getting more excited about the camera again. I have no excuse not to take pictures anymore.)

A week later, October 27th, Tyson and I left Teryn with Grandma Henrie for the night and headed to town to play ball. We went to the college so Tyson could play basketball and within two minutes of the game he tore his meniscus. Again. Our buddies, Shane Morrill and James Aland, carried Tyson to the van and I took him to his dad's house where the local physical therapist could come take a look at him. I helped him get comfortable before I had to leave to make it to my volleyball game and hurried back to check on him when it was over. The physical therapist showed up while I was there for a minute and confirmed that Tyson's meniscus was torn. Nice. I had to leave again for one more volleyball game and when it was over I ran home to get some overnight necessities so Tyson could just stay put on his dad's comfy leather couch (watching the World Series on his XXL HD TV =0) and we stayed the night. Everyone was at the state volleyball tournament so we had the house to ourselves (thanks Greg and Betty!)

I left Tyson the next morning to make it to my big ultrasound. All is well with little Ryder! They measured everything but didn't give me many numbers. His heart rate was 142 bpm, he's about 10 inches long, and he's got a strong 3-prong umbilical cord. I asked how his femur and foot compare so they measured and his femur was 4.2 cm and his foot was 3.5 cm. Maybe his feet won't be as big as Teryn's? Then again, their measurements can't be compared because Teryn's big ultrasound was at 20 weeks and Ryder's was at 24 weeks, so the ratio would be off by a month. Anyway. Fun little information nonetheless. No pictures to post (the disc they sent home with me had six pictures- -(basically) all the same shot of his face and it's kind of scary, so I'll spare you.)

Greg and Betty arrived home that afternoon. I took Tyson to the Orthopedic Surgeon to get his thoughts on Tyson's knee and he put him on the schedule for surgery the following Tuesday, November 1st. He gave Tyson a prescription for some pain killer to hold him over for a few days and we decided to spend another night at Greg and Betty's for the BYU football and 7th World Series games. We hung around for the majority of the next day and then headed home to settle in for the night. Tyson wasn't able to make it up the stairs (I still haven't posted much about our awesome farm house, have I? I'll get on that.) so we camped out in the front room by the fire place.

My bed on the floor

Tyson's bed and bedside pharmacy

The first fire I've built in (at least) 8 years! I didn't even have to use more than one match =0) Tyson taught me well. Up until that night, I kept saying, "I don't know how to start a fire, but I know how to make a fire bigger!" Once a pyro, always a pyro.

A few days later was Halloween. When I started looking for costumes for Teryn I found so many cute ones but every one of them had either a hat, mask, or hood, and I knew Teryn wouldn't tolerate them so I kept looking. Then I ran across this awesome Anakin Skywalker costume and I went no further =0)

Before we went anywhere, I carried Teryn to the neighbor's house and stood him on the doorstep to trick-or-treat. I put his bucket in his hand and told him to knock. He stood there waiting like, "what the heck is going on?" No one was home, so he was that much more confused when we walked away without anything. The next stop was Grandma Henrie's house and I did the same thing: stood him on the doorstep with his bucket and told him to knock. When she answered the door and dropped four candy bars in his bucket, he let out a big excited "oooooooooooohhhhh!" Then of course he wanted to eat all four of them and he had a fit when I wouldn't let him. We took him to Grandma Stevens and attempted to trick-or-treat at her door too but she wasn't home from work when we arrived so we just let ourselves in. She got home and we sat down for dinner but we had to fight to convince Teryn he needed to eat chili instead of candy. We weren't very successful. We thought we'd try to take him door-to-door trick-or-treating but we soon realized more candy would just mean more fighting so we decided against it. Maybe next year. Our last stop was Grandpa Greg's house and Teryn helped Grandpa hand out candy instead of trick-or-treating. It was pretty funny to watch him stare at all the kids in costumes- -especially the scary ones, ha ha. Tyson and I just enjoyed the company and relaxed the rest of the night. And we ate our share of candy, of course =0)

Tyson the Gimp, Me the Incubator, and Anakin Skywalker =0) Maybe next year Tyson and I will be more festive, but I think our "costumes" were legit enough for this year.

So first thing the next morning Tyson went in for surgery. He was in and out in less than 3 hours and I took him to Greg's house to recoup for the rest of the day. (Are you wondering why Greg's is the place of choice? It's close to home, it's comfy, and we love the company of course, but our TV is going berserk and it's pretty much unwatchable, so to avoid complete bed rest boredom Tyson needed a TV.) Tyson was on crutches until the next day but his pain was manageable enough that he didn't need pain killers. He put the crutches away the day after that and walked well with only a knee brace, still with no pain killer. Yesterday morning he took the wrap off and he's feeling great today! He'll go in for a follow up next week but as far as things are looking he is good to go. One of those unfortunate, unexpected events, but we're grateful that it went well.

That's it for now I guess, so this is me signing off until the next exciting happening =0)

Precious Prints

2011-11-03T21:35:00.002-06:00

When we moved back to the Basin in August, I soon realized I needed something to keep me busy (a.k.a keep me sane) now that I don't have a job. (I know you're all saying, "just wait until the next baby comes...." I know, I know. But I can't wait that long.)

Enter:

I've always loved ceramics, so I decided to buy my own kiln and see what I can do to start my own mini business to help fill my time (a.k.a. keep me sane =0)

Take a look at what I've done so far at www.getpreciousprints.blogspot.com and tell me what you think!

Can I Vent?

2011-10-20T12:53:00.000-06:00

Just for a minute?

First, last week when Tyson and I went to the doctor for our 22 week ultrasound, I expected it to be the Targeted Ultrasound (a.k.a. "big" ultrasound) where they measure the baby's body parts and check all their organs, etc. They performed that ultrasound at 20 weeks with Teryn, so I assumed 22 weeks was high time for it, right? But as I mentioned in my last post, we were in and out of the ultrasound in less than 5 minutes only having found out our baby's gender and seen his face. After leaving the doctor's office, I got more and more curious the more I thought about it so I called back a few days later.

Me: "When I saw my doctor at 22 weeks last week, I expected a Targeted Ultrasound. Do they not do that at this hospital?"
Receptionist: "No, they do. You just have to schedule it with Radiology."

Well that's nice to know! Nothing was ever even mentioned about a Targeted Ultrasound, let alone having to make a seperate appointment for it. Good thing I've already been through this once so I have an idea of what to expect and what questions to ask! We now have another appointment to get it done next Friday the 28th.

Now, this morning I've spent hours on the phone getting tossed back and forth between Evenheat and Laguna manufacturing technicians. You see, I recently purchased a ceramic kiln from ksl.com that didn't come with a manual and I've been trying to figure it out. Evenheat is the manufacturer of my kiln and Laguna is the manufacturer of my ceramic clay. Between the two of them, I thought I'd get all my kiln/ceramic questions answered. I was wrong. Terribly, terribly wrong. One technician even went to the point of telling me that my kiln is basically unusable and I need to add all these different gadgets to get it to work. (Mind you, the cost of the gadgets he wanted me to purchase were 3x more expensive than I even bought the kiln for in the first place!) Finally, one technician gave me the number to a small business retailer who distributes kilns and he gave me every answer I need to master my kiln! He was a totally down-to-earth guy from Michigan who obviously has years of experience with kilns and ceramics and that's what makes all the difference! I thought the manufacturers would have every know-how to get me where I needed to be but they have no idea!! I'll know in the future to contact the people who USE a product, not who MAKE a product to get answers to my questions.

What Did I Expect?

2011-10-14T20:48:00.001-06:00

I'm a Henrie....I married a Todd....

Henrie + Todd = BOYS! Duh! What did I expect?

No question about it, Teryn will be getting a LITTLE BROTHER in February!

This morning Tyson asked Teryn if a brother or sister was on the way and he swore Teryn said brother. At least someone knew what they were talking about =0)

The ultrasound was really funny because it was so opposite from Teryn's 20 week ultrasound! Teryn was SO obstinate and it took a lot of coaxing to get him in a position that allowed us to find out his gender. We spent at least 20-30 minutes with the ultrasonographer trying to get him to cooperate and even then, we never could get a 4D picture of his face- -he kept himself well hidden. But not this little man. We were in and out of the ultrasound in less than 5 minutes. We could tell his gender almost as soon as we started the ultrasound and he stared straight at us so we got a peek of his face too! The doc will try for a 4D picture at our next appointment and if the little guy is as photogenic as he was today we'll get a good shot for sure. No numbers or measurements to report on- -just the reassurance that he's strong and well and everything looks great!

It was almost laughable to see the change in Tyson's disposition before and after the ultrasound. Since today was my first appointment with my new doctor at a new hospital, we made sure to arrive early enough to complete any needed paperwork. Well, we arrived plenty early and had quite the wait before seeing the doc so Tyson was ready to go home before we even started. But after leaving the hospital, he was so excited to know he's got another boy on the way! He definitely has an added skip in his step =0)

And of course I'm excited too! Regardless of how those Asians got my hopes up =0) Another boy will be so much fun! I'm especially excited to see how different he is from Teryn. His looks, personality, attitude, tendencies, etc. Teryn looks like me and acts like Tyson.....will this one look like Tyson and act like me? Oh, the things to imagine......

One thing we do know though, his name will be Ryder Jaxon. I've loved the name Ryder for a really long time and I can't wait to use it. We chose the name Jaxon for a particular reason too, we're just waiting to see if anyone catches on before spilling the beans ;)

So there you have it. No more secrets! The wait begins for another Todd boy to come into our home!

Turn your head to the right. It's his face and you can see his eye!

After they took that last picture he pulled his arm over his face.

**Not-so-fun-but-noteworthy-news** My phone died last night. Nice. Luckily we had a replacement phone already so I could just go to verizon.com and activate it, right? Wrong! I activated the new phone but my old phone and new phone are unable to connect to each other because I'm not in a digital area. Nice, again. So until I can access my old phone information in a digital area, all my contacts are lost. Perfect day for that to happen, right? Sorry to those of you who were expecting a personal text with the news! And sorry to those of you who've texted me and I've had to ask who the heck you are! Now you understand why! (Maybe those of you who text me from now on can include your name in your message to avoid all awkwardness =0)

It's a.......

2011-10-13T09:39:00.000-06:00

day before we find out what we're having!

Ba ha ha. Did I get ya?

Our appointment is tomorrow at 2:00 pm. I'll be back with the verdict as soon as we get home!

I'm kind of freaking out with excitement so I'll keep myself busy today doing laundry, mopping floors, baking banana bread, vacuuming, and other domestic things. Oh, and I'll be playing 2 games of volleyball this evening. HA! We'll see how that goes.

Halfway

2011-10-04T20:46:00.000-06:00

Here I am at 20 1/2 weeks! Yee haw! My pregnancy is halfway over? That's crazy!

Only a few things to update on.

The obvious first: my growing belly. I feel huge already but I'm grateful for the nice people who still act like they can't even tell. I love my belly growing and I don't mind pregnancy weight gain- -but when I feel 35 weeks pregnant at only 20, it's nice to know that maybe I don't look that way.

Second: the ever-active baby! Holy cow, I feel this baby a lot! And it feels different than it did with Teryn? I can't explain how, but it does. It feels more like the first time I've felt a baby move than it did the actual first time I felt a baby move, if that makes sense? I started feeling it at about 18 weeks and Tyson was able to feel it for the first time last week! One night when it was consistently moving in the same spot I pulled up my shirt and told Tyson to watch and he SAW it too! I didn't even feel Teryn until I was 22 weeks along, so it's fun to feel and see this one so small so early. We'll see what kind of power I'm in for over the next 20 weeks.

Last: food. Cravings are pretty much obsolete at this point. Nausea is pretty much obsolete too, but I can feel if I haven't eaten enough carbs. And I have to be careful with sweets. If I haven't eaten enough "good" food my stomach will not tolerate sweets. Other than that, I'm a happy-eating mommy! Still avoiding cucumbers and bananas.

We are counting down for our doctor appointment next Friday!! Can't wait until we don't have to call our baby "it" anymore! It's been interesting to see how Teryn interacts with other babies. He seems a little jealous and upset if I hold boy babies but he wants to kiss and touch and talk to little girl babies. I brought a baby doll home from my mom's house and Teryn isn't interested in playing with it, but he seems to know exactly what it is and touches it softly. It will be a lot of fun to see him become a big brother.

An attempt to suck in.

Tyson wanted in on the fun =0)

Those Asians

2011-09-29T13:08:00.001-06:00

Asian people are among the most wise and intelligent people I've ever met. I consider myself a believer in their theories, philosophies, procedures, and ideas. You know, like all that Chinese Zodiac stuff? I'm a Tiger, Tyson is a Tiger, and Teryn is a Tiger. That explains a lot about our family dynamics. Or how about Chinese Acupuncture? Ask me sometime about the experience I had with with it on my mission. It will make you a believer too.

I once saw this Chinese Gender Predictor chart on a blog I follow.

Well, Teryn was conceived in June of 2009, making me 23 years old. According to this chart he should have been a girl! Not accurate, right?

Wrong!

My sister-in-law and I were talking about this predictor and she reminded me that Chinese people (well, Asians in general) calculate their ages differently. They go off the LUNAR year. DUH!! I KNEW THAT!!! According to the Lunar year, I was 24 when Teryn was conceived, so it's perfectly accurate!

In that case, Baby #2 was conceived in May of this year, making me 26 years old. Looks like a little girl is on her way! After all, those Asians are genius =0) I guess we'll see just how genius on October 14th.....

She'll be born in the year 2012, making her a Dragon. Another strong head to add to the mix, but at least Tigers and Dragons get along! Maybe someday we'll get a more submissive little one to soften our household.

Are there any other Chinese Zodiac believers out there? How about the gender chart? Was/is it accurate for you?

(Click here for a chart that goes to age 45.)

No Rhyme Or Reason

2011-09-29T08:30:00.001-06:00

I can't tell you how many blogging ideas run in and out of my head every day. Ironically when I'm nowhere near my computer. Most of my ideas probably aren't worth a post of their own anyway, so I've decided to just sit and rattle some of them into their own random compilation.

* Bountiful Baskets chose their name well. We picked up our first basket last Saturday and BOY was it bountiful!

* I prefer Honey Maid graham crackers over any other graham crackers.

* Life would be much easier if I weren't so neurotic about washing my face and brushing my teeth every morning and night.

* I am getting really anxious for October 14th! I'll be happy whether our baby is a boy or a girl, but I would be lying if I said I'm not hoping for a girl. Especially since Tyson and I finally found the perfect name.
* To cut or not to cut my hair?

* Unpunctual people really rub me the wrong way. I mentioned this in my last post. If you've been given a specific time to begin or end, or allotted a particular time to take, keep that time!!! How difficult is that, really?
* Paper or plastic? Plastic.

* Cap'n Crunch is better than it's generic. Same goes for Fruit Loops. Oh, and Cheerios. And Honey Comb.

* There must be something in Neola water. Since moving back home my eyelashes have multiplied in both length and fullness.
* Teryn has hit quite the naughty stage. Do I try to discipline him, or just ignore him?

There's more where that came from but that's all I can think of right now.
Phew, I feel so much better now.

Me to Z

2011-09-27T08:37:00.001-06:00

I have the urge to blog before I get caught up with anything this morning. A friend of mine posted this on her blog and I thought it was kind of fun so here I go.

A. Age: 25
B. Bed size: King. My brother and sister-in-law gave it to us when we moved. Tyson and I can sprawl out as much as we want! It's like a breath of fresh air.
C. Chore that you hate: I don't always despise the same chore, every day is different. But it would probably be safe to say that mopping floors gets neglected more than anything around here.
D. Dogs: Can't wait until we have one. Or two. We even have their names picked out.
E. Essential start to your day: A kiss from my little man.
F. Favourite color: Green. Particularly lime/olive/moss green.
G. Gold or Silver: Silver. I like gold but I don't feel like I can pull it off.
H. Height: 5'3".
I. Instruments you play: Piano. Kind of. I can still play 3 or 4 songs that I learned over 10 years ago but I haven't learned anything since. I play by ear, I can't sight-read, so learning new music isn't easy.
J. Job title: Wife and Mommy.
K. Kids: Teryn Gregory and baby boy or girl to arrive in February.
L. Live: Somewhere between Roosevelt and Neola, UT.
M. Mother's name: Bev.
N. Nicknames: Dani or Dano.
O. Overnight hospital stays: Only once. March 12-14, 2010: Teryn's birth.
P. Pet peeve: Lifelong pet peeve: mouth smacking. Recent pet peeve: when people don't keep time. How hard is it to plan a meeting or an event and start and end on time???
Q. Quote from a movie: "Quiet musical hog, knock it off!" - Toy Story 3.
R. Right or left handed: Right.
S. Siblings: 6 older brothers.
T. Time you wake up: 7 or 7:30ish.
U. Underwear: Only on days that end with 'day'.
V. Vegetable you hate: Cucumbers as of late. They give me heartburn.
W. What makes you run late: Getting my hair just right.
X. X-Rays you've had: Right ankle, back, neck, mouth.
Y. Yummy food that you make: Chili and cornbread. Mmmm.
Z. Zoo animal: Monkeys.

I Never Understood

2011-09-20T13:11:00.002-06:00

When people find out that I have 6 older brothers and no sisters, their typical reply is something like, “how did you survive?”. I just laugh and tell them how much I loved it. My brothers made me tough, they taught me how to use tools, they taught me how to get dirty, they threw me in the ditch to teach me how to swim, they taught me how to play catch, they taught me how to fish, they took me on motorcycle rides, they threw me in the air, they taught me to have no fear, and they loved me more than most little sisters are loved. Really, I loved growing up as an only girl. I never had any want for a sister.

As I grew, I imagined what my future family would be like. I would make sure to stop having children after having a girl because I didn’t want to risk having another one. I wanted only one daughter and I wanted her to grow up with only brothers just like I did.

But now I’m at that future family phase and I want differently. At this point in life, I wish I had a sister to talk to about everything. I wish I had someone to call for advice or just to shoot the breeze. I wish I had someone to share marriage and family stories or problems with. I wish I had someone to sympathize with because either she or I had been there before. I wish I had someone to go out for girls’ nights with. I wish I had someone who has been with me through the good times and bad. I wish I had a sister to call my best friend.

It didn’t hit me until a recent family get-together that I’m kind of a lonely one-and-only. (You should know, our get-togethers are quite segregated. Men hang with men, women hang with women, and children hang with children.) I used to hang out with all my brothers, but now I’m married it’s kind of assumed that I should hang out with the women. And I love my sisters-in-law but I’m the only one that’s not an in-law so I don't quite fit in there. Family get-togethers aside, regardless of the great relationships I have with my sisters-in-law, they all have their own sisters. How could I feel comfortable calling on them for all the things I mentioned above when I know I’m not the one they come to?

I’m not seeking sympathy, nor do I necessarily want things to change. Things are the way they are and I’m blessed to have the family I have, these are just real thoughts I’ve had over the course of this second pregnancy. I would love to find out that this baby is a girl, and if she is, I pray she’s not my only one. I pray I’ll have at least another (if not more!) so she can have the sister(s) I never had. She’ll still have brothers to teach her everything my brothers taught me, but a sister to walk by her side would be an irreplaceable blessing.

Whoppin' Update

2011-09-15T21:17:00.000-06:00

The Man

Tyson is loving his new job. And I love what he comes home looking like =0) He works 4 tens, Monday thru Thursday, which is awesome. He has enjoyed being close to the mountains again and most Friday and Saturday mornings he is out for a hike before Teryn and I wake. He’s planning an overnight hiking trip next weekend and spending all of his extra time planning for it. He bought himself a new hatchet for his birthday and he’s like a little kid on his first trip to Disneyland. It makes me smile- -I love my mountain man. He’s also enjoying having a yard to take care of. He’s done a great job of sprucing up the place. Pictures to come.

The Woman

As for me, I don’t know what to do with all my time! It’s such a breath of fresh air being relieved of the apartment complex! It’s been a wonderful change to be able to plan my days, sometimes with nothing at all, and watch them come to pass as I’ve anticipated. I admit though, I probably waste more time than I should just because I can. I think I’ve gotten ready for the day before noon only thrice in the last month. And that’s OK for now, it won’t last for long. I’ll get back to my busy-body self as soon as I catch up on sleep and lost time with Teryn. I’ve also got a hobby-turned-business in the making and if it turns out well it will help keep me busy. It’s really exciting! More on that later.

The Kiddo

Teryn. Oh, Teryn, Teryn, Teryn! This boy fills my days with action and laughter. His personality is really blossoming and he is hilarious. Who knows where he comes up with the faces he pulls! He is a busy body but doesn’t say much. Last week he finally added “no” to his vocabulary of “mom” and “dad”, but that’s it. He also jabbers something that sounds like a buzzing “peezpeezpeez”. Sometimes it sounds like “babies”? Sometimes it sounds like “please”? We don’t know. He also says something that sounds like “amen” after we pray sometimes. Some days I worry that he doesn’t talk, but then I remember that he’s an unusually stubborn toddler who probably knows exactly what he wants to say but just chooses not to speak because it would make things too easy. Little stinker. He throws and hits everything and screams at us when he doesn’t get what he wants. Terrible twos at 18 months, anyone? I love my little guy but I’m not going to sugar coat this phase. He really is a terror most of the time. But the rest of the time he is soft hearted and likes to cuddle more than he used to, which I love. He’s a charmer and knows how to use those big blue eyes when he’s in trouble. He loves to read books and feed me popcorn. He’s learned to be more careful on stairs after he fell down the staircase in our new house and bit 4/5 of the way through his lip. He loves to sit out in the gravel driveway and suck on rocks while he waits for daddy to get home. He loves trying to catch Praying Mantises. Lately he loves to play in vehicles. He knows what keys do and where to put them. He will show off and dance and play until the camera comes out. Then he becomes a zombie. He thinks I’m the coolest mom in the world when I give him a treat. He wants to flip the light switch when we enter or leave a room. He notices little girls wherever we go and tries to woo them and give them kisses. He loves to feed himself yogurt with a spoon. When his hands get dirty he runs them through his hair to wipe them off. He’s figured out how to roll his eyes and thinks it’s hilarious. We took him to nursery for the first time last Sunday and he didn’t even turn back. Once he saw toys and kids he didn’t care where we were. Over all, I would describe him as busy, funny, hard-headed, tenacious, sweet, hard-to-handle, and hard-not-to-love.

Playing in the van

Eating a blue Airhead

Mmmmm.....yogurt

Big fat munched-up lip

The Baby
Me at 17 weeks

Baby Todd is now almost 18 weeks along. I realized when I took this picture that it’s only the third picture I’ve taken of this pregnancy! I guess that’s just proof of how fast it’s flying for me. I have other things to concentrate on this time around so that’s helping time pass. I’ve really started to feel the baby move this past week and it’s very active during the day which is fun! Teryn was a nighttime baby so it made for some uncomfortable pregnancy nights and difficult sleep training after he was born. I hope this baby stays on the daytime track! We have an appointment on October 14^th to find out what we’re having! I’m thinking it’s a girl because this pregnancy has been so different from the last. Sickness was much worse this time around, but in an unexplainably different way. I threw up more with Teryn, but I was pretty much wiped out and constantly nauseous for 7 weeks with this one. I’ve only thrown up once with this one though, which is great, and I’m now past the sick stage so that’s even better. I’ve been able to walk every morning since we moved home and that’s helped get my energy back up. I feel like my belly has really popped this pregnancy, especially when I compare the above picture with Teryn’s pregnancy pictures. This picture at 17 weeks compares with my picture at 26 weeks with Teryn. Nice! But things are completely different this time- -I lost so much weight after I had Teryn that I started this pregnancy about 20 pounds lighter than I started the first. I’m still 4 pounds lighter than I was when I got pregnant with Teryn so I’ll consider myself fortunate. I guess it just means my belly will show more this time around! And that’s OK. On a food note, this pregnancy has been so funny! Only four distinct cravings come to mind: starbursts, grapes, jello, and pepsi. Especially jello! The fluffy kind with marshmallows and cottage cheese and pineapple in it! That’s hilarious to me because it’s never been something I’d have eaten more than 4 or 5 spoonfuls of, let alone something I’d go out of my way for, but it’s hit the spot with this baby. On the flip side, there are two foods this baby doesn’t like: cucumbers and bananas. Heartburn galore! As long as I avoid those two things I’ve been pretty well off. As for names, Tyson and I know what we will name it if it’s a boy but we’re having a hard time pinning down a girl name. We have one that we love but it starts with a “T” and I don’t want my first two childrens’ names to be “T” names. Our last name being “Todd”, I dread how many times I’d get asked if we plan to name all our children with “T”s. So we have a few other ideas floating around and I guess we’ll find out how serious we need to be about deciding when we find out what we’re having!

And that’s it for now! Our internet connection makes for s.l.o.w. picture uploading so forgive me if I slack on picture posting in the future. I’ll at least be sure to get a few more belly pictures up by the end of my pregnancy!

Logan Legacy & A Birthday

2011-09-14T16:23:00.003-06:00

Tyson and I left Teryn with Grandmas Henrie and Stevens and took a trip back to Logan for Tyson's birthday weekend. While we were there we thought we'd snap a picture of the homes we had while in Logan.

Tyson lived in the basement of this house for the 2008-2009 school year with his friends Rhett, Jason, and Jeremiah. I spent a lot of time at that place while we dated, beginning in September 2008.

656 North 600 East Bsmt

We got engaged the day after Thanksgiving 2008 and I moved into this 4-plex after Christmas Break. I started two jobs in January 2009 and lived alone until Tyson moved in when we got married in March. The single window on the left was our bedroom and the 3-paned window to the right of that was our
living/kitchen/dining area.

52 1/2 North 100 East APT 3

Despite incredibly low rent, we couldn't take the small space of our 2 room (not 2 bedroom- -2 room.) apartment very long. Additionally, no contract meant no obligation, so we found the next place and moved in at the beginning of May 2009. The left basement apartment was ours. We LOVED it!! You probably wouldn't even have to twist our arms to move back =0)

566 East 1000 North APT 15

After Teryn was born and I quit working we were hired to be on-site managers of Cobble Creek Apartments. We moved in at the end of June 2010. Our apartment was in the corner, second to the end of the left building.

756 East 1000 North APT 60

And we left our Logan Legacy on August 13, 2011! Logan will always hold a special place in my heart. It was my first home as a wife and mother. I'll never stay away for long.

Oh, and one more house! I'm going to miss driving past the Logan Temple and seeing it from every angle in Cache Valley! Beautiful. (Not a bad picture for snapping the shot while we drove by, eh?

Now on a birthday note, we spent our first night, Friday September 2nd, in Logan at our friends Mark and Penny Beutler's home. Penny was so sweet to make Tyson a birthday breakfast! Puffy pancakes (divine!), bacon, fruit, and milk. YUM! And look at the awesome decorations! Thank you for your hospitality!! And for buying milk just for us =0) We miss you guys!

We spent our second night at the Holiday Inn. Really nice hotel- -loved it. We just spent the weekend enjoying each other, eating good food, shopping, and watching movies and college football. Thanks Grandmas Henrie and Stevens for taking care of Teryn! It was much needed time away and alone.

We returned home the afternoon of Sunday the 4th. The Greg Todd clan came to our house that evening and brought a card and this delicious homemade cake for Tyson. Thanks guys!

I'd say my husband is one spoiled man. But then again, I know he deserves it.
Happy birthday babe!

His Very Own Reality TV Show

2011-09-12T18:22:00.001-06:00

Let's try to fit the story of Tyson's employed/unemployed history (since we've been married) in a nutshell, shall we?

~ MARRIAGE. March 7, 2009. We begin our lives in Logan. Tyson is unemployed. He has been seeking employment in Cache Valley since August 2008.

~ SUMMER 2009. Tyson is hired for and attempts four different jobs. In no particular order because I can't remember: 1) Dairy Pest Control. He came home reeking strongly of maneur every day. 2) Cutco. Great product, shady employer. 3) Call center. Surrounded by crazies, receiving menial pay. 4) Concrete. Loved it but not enough work for stability.

~ CHRISTMAS BREAK 2009. Tyson interviews for a soon-to-open South Fork Hardware. Lands the job and starts the first week of January 2010.

~ MARCH 13, 2010. Teryn is born. I quit working. We submit our resumès for an on-site apartment manager position at Cobble Creek Apartments
~ APRIL 2010. Interview for manager position. Job is offered and we accept. We move into the new apartment and start the job June 26, 2010.
~ JULY 2010. Tyson wants a change of pace. Interviews for a CNC machinist job at 3rd Gen Machine. Lands the position and quits work at the hardware store.
~ JULY 2010-MAY 2011. Tyson juggles work, the apartments, full time school, and family. Graduates May 2011 with BS degrees in Poli Sci and Economics.
~ POST-GRAD DECISIONS. Continue at USU and get an MBA? Or enroll in the Diesel Mechanics program at BATC? MBA=$18,000 for 2 year program. Diesel Mechanics=$1,800 for 10 month program. We choose Diesel Mechanics.

~ JUNE 2011. Tyson begins Diesel Mechanic program. He also wants a change of pace and seeks a new job. Interviews for a welder helper job. Welder boss learns that Tyson is seeking to learn about diesel mechanics and offers for him to work on the company's trucks. Tyson is beyond thrilled, accepts the job, and gives 2-week notice to 3rd Gen. Starts the new job 2 days later and is put to work on concrete. At the end of the first day, he talks to his new boss and the boss tells him he'll be working concrete, not trucks. Tyson tells boss he won't be coming back. Tyson calls 3rd Gen boss and tells him what happened. 3rd Gen boss lets him come back. Tyson interviews for a handy man job. Handy man boss offers him the job-working under the table. Tyson talks further with him and learns how shady he is. Tyson turns down offer.
~ END OF JUNE 2011. Tyson finally decides to quit 3rd Gen so if the right job presents itself he is available. Within days of quitting, one month and $1,500 worth of tools later, he learns that the Diesel Mechanic program is not certified (despite the fact all of their advertising sources say it is!). Tyson talks to BATC administration to get his money back. He withdraws from program.
~ JULY 2011. Tyson is out of school and unemployed. He spends all his extra time looking for a new (hopefully long-term) job. July is filled with applications, resumès, interviews, and let downs.
~ AUGUST 1, 2011. After seeking employment all across the Wasatch Front with no results, Tyson decides to make a trip home to seek out opportunities. He fnds a few options and sets interview appointments for the following day.
~ AUGUST 2, 2011. Tyson interviews at both Country Cabinets and Chapman Construction. He is offered both jobs. After calling and discussing with me, he decides to accept the position at Chapman. They ask him to start the following Monday, August 8th.
~ AUGUST 8-11, 2011. Tyson stays in Roosevelt for his first week of work. I stay in Logan and hustle to get the apartment packed and cleaned (thankfully my mom came out to help!). Tyson comes back to Logan the evening of the 11th, we finish packing and start loading a moving truck on the 12th, and we are on the road by 9:00 am Saturday, August 13th.

And here we are! Tomorrow will mark our first month since moving home. The transition was easy and we're quite settled in. Teryn is loving all the wide open space. As I type, I'm out on our back porch watching him play in the weeds and throw rocks. I've cleaned up and gotten dressed for the day but have yet to touch my face with makeup. No use gettin' pretty when pregnancy fatigue has the best of me and all I see are cows all day. Tyson will be home from work in about a half hour and we'll be outside to greet him. He's such a hard working man and it's wonderful to see him so happy and at work again (And not to mention dirty! He comes home dirty and dusty and I love it. I think it's hott! *ahem* very attractive. =0) His employment experience since we've been married (or since living in Logan, rather. Moral of the above story: stable, enjoyable employment is hard to come by in Cache Valley!) has been trying and the stress of it all has taken probably 2 years off of his life. But we're happy to be where we are now and we're curious to see what this new step of our story brings!

Eight Things To Love About The U.B.

2011-08-31T13:10:00.001-06:00

U.B. meaning Uintah Basin, that is.

1) 98.5

2) Marion's

3) Sagebrush

4) Trucks larger than houses

5) Masses of white work trucks

6) Wild sunflowers

7) Roadside milkweed
8) The smell of willow trees

We are home, we're settled in, and we finally have the internet! Since none of the local internet providers could reach us we had to buy a Mifi (wifi hotspot) and much to my delight, it (surprisingly) works really well! I just spent the afternoon eating vanilla bean ice cream with Reese's hard shell topping while catching up on others' blogs. As you might presume from the list above, I spend much of my time in the deafeningly quiet outdoors enjoying nature with Teryn. As much as I love that, it will be wonderful to get back in touch with the world.

More updates to come. Tyson's job, Teryn, Baby #2 (now almost 16 weeks), farm house, etc. For now, I have things to do while Teryn sleeps. Just wanted to hop in and get my feet wet again.

So as to not overwhelm myself.....

2011-08-07T21:56:00.001-06:00

I'll make this brief.

Tyson got a job in Roosevelt.
He was hired July 28th.
He starts tomorrow.
That means he's in Roosevelt.
I'm on my own with Teryn until Friday.

I haven't packed a single box yet.

Everything has to be on a moving truck and out of here by Saturday morning.

Plug all that into an equation and what do you get? Stress, anyone?

We at least found a place to rent, finally. Now I feel like I can start packing because I know what our circumstances will be and how I want to go about it all. I was out home this weekend so we were able to stop and see the house this morning before I came back to Logan. It's considerably old and we have a little work to do with it but the price is beyond untouchable by anything else in the area so we consider ourselves blessed. It's the perfect little farm house and we are excited to have a place to call our own!

More details to come. For now, I seriously need some shut-eye. I can't promise I'll be back before the move, but I can promise I'll be back as soon as I am able.

Until then! Happy packing!

Mirror Image

2011-07-26T18:32:00.004-06:00

They say that the most attractive people are ones with symmetrical faces. Some even say that face symmetry is a sign of good health.

This is the asymmetrical me:

This is the symmetrical me (compliments of pickhacks.com):

That side is better than this side:

Ha ha! Kinda fun and mostly funny. But that's beside the point.

My features may not be symmetrical, but guess what is? My acne. I've gotta be kidding, right?

Check this out:

It's my nightly ritual to search and feel for zits before I wash my face. Nine out of ten times, if I have one zit on one side of my face I have another one in the same spot on the other side. I took these pictures for proof last night. The only four zits on my face, and where were they?

My only claim to symmetry. Isn't it crazy?

Best of Intentions

2011-07-23T23:08:00.002-06:00

I have to write about what happened tonight if only for my own record and entertainment.

But first, a precursor.......

We have 36 Summer Citizens here this summer, most with whom I discuss the LDS church and related topics with quite often (all of them are of other denominations). Many of them enjoy listening to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, so when it was announced in church a month ago that the Mo Tab's Pioneer Day/Patriotic Concert would be broadcast at our Stake Center I thought it would be a great idea to invite our tenants.

I announced it in a tenant meeting the following week. I made sure to get the event information for the apartment bulletin board: June 23rd, 7:00 pm. I included other helpful information such as, "church attire requested but not required (shirt & tie/dresses)" (defining "church attire" is necessary for anyone unfamiliar with the LDS church) and "If you'd prefer a cushioned seat, please arrive 20-30 minutes early" (because heaven knows senior citizens would rather be in the chapel pews than the overflow).

I had many tenants talk to me about the broadcast during the following weeks. Most were concerned about the church attire because they didn't include shirts & ties or dresses in their wardrobe for the summer. I reassured them that they could wear whatever they had- -I just wanted them to understand how everyone else would be dressed so that they didn't feel uncomfortable wearing whatever they wore- -regardless of what they wore they were still welcome. They were satisfied with that.

So tonight was the night. Tyson planned to stay home with Teryn so he could get him to bed while I joined our tenants at the broadcast. 6:30 rolled around and there was a knock at our door. It was Gwen from #58 asking for verification of the church address because they had just driven to the address on the bulletin board and there was no one there. Hmmm. Weird. I asked her to wait a minute while I threw my skirt on. I jumped in with her and John and we headed back to the church. Just behind us was another one of our couples from #62, Joan and Lefty.

All were dressed very nicely just as recommended. Keep that in mind.

We pulled up to the church and sure enough the parking lot was empty. Well, I knew it was the right place, the right date, and the right time, so we hopped out and approached the doors. They were locked. Nice! So I called a friend of mine who's husband is in the bishopric to confirm I wasn't crazy. She didn't answer, but while the phone was ringing another car pulled in to the parking lot. A man wearing a short sleeve button-up plaid shirt, shorts, and sandals got out and started walking toward us. John looked at me smiling and asked, "I thought we couldn't wear shorts?" Nice! The man came with his key and let us in.

We walked in to the quiet, desolate chapel and chose the most desirable seats. After sitting down they joked with me about the "arrive 20-30 minutes early" thing. I proceeded to tell them about "Mormon Standard Time" and predicted that maybe everyone else would start pouring in at about 6:57 pm. The broadcast came up on the screen and the countdown to the concert was at 18 minutes or so. Time passed.....we chatted.......more time passed.......we chatted some more. The countdown got down to 3 minutes and there was still not a soul in the chapel. Nice! Jokingly, I laughed and told them, "little did you know I actually reserved this place just for us!"

7:00 rolled around, the show began, and we were all alone! Nice!!

The concert was incredible! Some amazing music compilations and extraordinary performers. Having the place to ourselves, we clapped after each performance and discussed what we thought throughout the show. It turned out to be really low-key and comfortable for everyone.

The concert ended around 8:30 and we were all very satisfied. It turned out to be quite the funny night for all of us. Joan laughed and told me as she got in her car,
"I will never forget July 23rd, 2011."

Me either =0)

And The Duedate Is....

2011-07-13T20:42:00.001-06:00

We had our first ultrasound today!

As mentioned before, according to my LMP I could have been as far as 12 weeks along today.

I'm not.

The ultrasound says I am 8 weeks along. Not what I necessarily wanted to hear- -optimistically hoping the 12 week thing was real. BUT! Eight weeks along means I'm due when?

FEBRUARY 18th!

Happy birthday to me!!

I actually felt that I would be due mid-February, remember? I even had a secret feeling I would be due on my birthday.

During the ultrasound I had another secret feeling that this baby is a girl.

We'll see how right I am with that one =0)

Here are some ultrasound pictures.

It's fun to compare them to the pictures from our first ultrasound with Teryn, since both were taken at 8 weeks. At 8 weeks Teryn measured 2.34 cm and baby #2 measures 1.97 cm so this one is a little bit smaller but otherwise basically identical. Both of them even have a little halo =0).

As for me......

Here I am in all my 8-week glory. I looked back at my pregnancy pictures with Teryn and I was about this size when I was 12 weeks with him. Guess I'm well on my way. Bring on the belly!

I wasn't surprised to find out I'm only at 8 weeks because nausea hit me pretty hard last week and 7 weeks is about the time I started feeling it with Teryn. Assuming that the nausea will also last as long as it did with Teryn I have the next 4 weeks to look forward to.

We will go back for another ultrasound on August 10th- -my actual 12 week mark. Can't wait to see how the little sprout grows by then!

I might be pregnant if.....

2011-07-13T13:12:00.001-06:00

you see the following deductions from my bank account:

Papa Murphy's

Gandolfo's

Quiznos
Taco Time

Jamba Juice

all within one week.

Everyone knows pregnancy does a number on a woman's sense of smell. The last thing I want to do right now is slave over a hot stove surrounded by aromas that will no doubt rob me of my appetite and replace it with nausea.

I'm anxious to get past this stage. For the sake of our family's health and bank account.

Much Needed

2011-07-05T22:12:00.002-06:00

Something happened tonight that I want to remember. Tyson may not want to remember but I do.

I left the house at 6:00 tonight for a youth conference planning meeting, after which we went straight into our combined activity at 7:00. The young women and young men went swimming at a member's pool and I didn't get home until 8:45.

When I got home all Tyson said was, "you better go check on your son." I asked why. He told me that Teryn had been crying since I left at 6:00. Not just whimpering. Full-on, insatiable crying.

Sad? Yes. Quite. But it filled a void I've been feeling for the past week or so. I've hit the sick stage of my first trimester and it's landed me on the couch for more time than I'd like. Sometimes Teryn looks at me with this face like, "why do you just lay around all the time now?" I'm not able to get down on the floor and play with him like usual and I've been feeling more and more distanced from him.

After I got home tonight I changed out of my wet clothes and put on my fuzzy bath robe. Leaving the light off, I walked into Teryn's room and shut the door behind me. I could hear he was still awake. I walked toward his crib and reached in where I felt him already sitting up with his arms extended for me to pick him up. I pulled him out and sat in the rocker where he just laid on my shoulder and didn't make a peep. He hasn't cuddled like that with me for months. I hummed "A Child's Prayer" and then just held him for a while. I finally asked, "can you give me kisses?" He pulled his head off my shoulder and gave me a sweet little kiss on my lips and then laid back on my shoulder. I hugged him, told him I loved him, and then laid him back in his crib and gave him his blanket. I walked out the door and he didn't make another sound.

It was just one of those tender moments that I rarely (never) get with him because he is so busy and curious and never stops for one minute. And lately because I've been so sick he has spent a lot more time with Tyson and I've felt like he's becoming a daddy's boy. There's nothing I enjoy seeing more than Tyson and Teryn spending time together, but I'd be lying if I said I don't feel like I'm losing my little boy.

Tonight reminded me that I'm not.

Independence Day

2011-07-04T20:23:00.000-06:00

Today:

We woke up and took our time getting ready.
We ate at the Freedom Breakfast with our community.
We cleaned the house and enjoyed some down time.
Teryn napped and we watched whatever we wanted.
We went shopping and bought whatever we wanted.
We gave Teryn his first experience with firework snaps.
I took a nap while Tyson and Teryn went to the park.
Teryn kissed a little girl at the park. The girl tackled Teryn.
We ate Biscuits N' Gravy for dinner.
We celebrated a friend's birthday with cake and ice cream.
Teryn went to bed and Breanna came to visit.
We played games and watched a movie.
We will light fireworks after the sun goes down.

All because we are blessed to live in this beautiful, free country.

Let freedom ring! And God bless America!

Crying Headache

2011-06-30T07:28:00.002-06:00

(This was supposed to post yesterday, June 29th, but Blogger wasn't functioning.)

Today marks the third year since my brother Teryn's passing. Three years.

Ironically, I spent the majority of my day at the funeral services of a dear friend's mother.

I didn't know her but the music and regards given at her services spoke volumes about her. It was very emotional for me.

You may or may not know that I was not able to attend Teryn's funeral. He passed while I was on my mission. I still remember the phone call from my father, the disbelief, the roller coaster of emotions, the longing to see my brother just one more time. I know that serving the Lord gave me greater strength to accept his passing than I would have had otherwise. I know that I was blessed for serving the duration of my time, though no one would have pointed fingers if I had decided to return home. I know that I did just what I needed to do and I have no regrets about anything.

But today I realized what I missed out on. Hearing the music, listening to reminiscent stories, and learning what everyone around my friend's mother thought of her was very touching. Searching for parking and sitting in that cultural hall filled with people who loved her was overwhelming.

I can only imagine that Teryn's funeral was just as tender. That the stories people shared and the thoughts given about my brother were very thoughtful, humorous, and heartfelt. That the cultural hall was so filled with people that late comers had to stand along the walls.

I miss you Teryn. Me and everyone else who knew you. Some days I feel like you're the only person who would care about something I need to talk about and I leave you Facebook messages or pray and ask Heavenly Father to relay the message. I can hear your laugh inside my head and I can't help but smile. I think of your outgoing nature that made everyone so comfortable and happy and I wish I could be more like you. I think of your ever-going success in everything you did and it gives me hope that if I just keep trying everything will turn out OK. I miss your wisdom and ability to put me in my place when I need it. I miss your support and concern for me. I miss your adventurous and active life. I miss your generosity and always-caring attitude. Some days it hurts so much to have you gone.

Elder Holland spoke at the funeral today and made sure we all understood that there really is no such thing as death. To the mortal body, yes. But that doesn't mean anything. It's exciting to know that you're still living strong out there, lending an ear, making people laugh, and sharing everything you know. You've just passed on to the next life.....a better life.....and we're just taking a little more time to be worthy to get there.

Thank you for the life you lived and the memories you left behind. Here's to another year brother. Each year down is one year closer to you.

Something Clever

2011-06-28T12:25:00.001-06:00

I tried to come up with something clever for the post title. Pretty creative, eh?

Mostly I just want to sit down and record/vent about what's going on. With my pregnancy, that is.

First of all, who's idea was it to make pregnant women edgy? For someone like me, going from perfectly pleasant and able to get along with everyone to edgy and easily bothered is irritating. I don't mean to make people think I don't have the time or that I couldn't care less, my pregnant blood just boils at an unusually high temperature.

Next on the list, eating. I'm not hungry but I'm nauseous. I'm hungry but nothing sounds good. I'm not hungry but I know I need to eat. I'm hungry but what I want to eat isn't the best choice. Yadda yadda yadda. Hook me up to an IV.

Lastly, fatigue. Shouldn't there be a rule that if you already have a child to take care of your pregnancy won't wipe you out? Poor Teryn. I've been feeling like I've been run over by a train for the past week. I went to my doctor's office and had my blood checked yesterday because I had a feeling my thyroid was (is) freaking out again. It is. They changed my prescription and I hope it gets me back up on my feet. I have a little boy to take care of.

Speaking of fatigue, I was just ordered by the husband to take a nap. When Teryn sleeps I should sleep, he says. The problem is, I feel like I need 6 hours of sleep. There's no time for that. I'd just rather not sleep at all.

Maybe I should add "irrationality" to my list.

Big Fat First

2011-06-21T22:39:00.020-06:00

Anyone remember our couch?

Today it was replaced with this.

For the (2 year) duration of our marriage our house has been composed entirely of hand-me-down furniture.

Kitchen table: handed down by my brother Brandon
(handed down to him by my parents).

Entertainment center: handed down by my brother Ty
(handed down to him by my brother Teryn)

Teryn's crib: handed down by Tyson's uncle Doug.

etc. etc. etc.

Our couch was handed down by my parents (handed down to them by my paternal grandparents) and it has treated us well. No other couch competes with it's comfort, that's for sure. I've spent many nights sleeping alone because Tyson retreats to the couch when he can't sleep in our bed.

It's just old and worn out enough that we thought it was time for something new and we found this couch for a steal that we couldn't pass up.

So into storage the old couch goes. The new one will take some time to break in but we are one-hundred-percent pleased with our first furniture purchase!

Guessing Game

2011-06-17T14:36:00.001-06:00

I was going through my files today and found the results of the test I took at The Center for Pregnancy Choices for my 1st pregnancy.

That time around, my LMP (Last Menstrual Period?) was April 10, 2009.

My estimated due date was: January 15, 2010.

Well, my ultrasound-accurate due date ended up being March 12, 2010. My water broke that day and Teryn was born on the 13th.

This time, my LMP was April 20, 2011.

Estimated due date: January 25, 2012.

I may or may not be as far along as the nurse told me.

I'll be waiting for my first ultrasound to see!

Any guesses?

I'm guessing mid-February.

Long-awaited Love Note

2011-06-16T20:36:00.004-06:00

Dear Teryn,

I can’t believe you are already 15 months old! Every day I catch you doing things that make me think, “how the heck did you do that?” Your personality and abilities keep blossoming and I can already see a little man coming out in you. Lately you:

Cannot get enough of the water. You throw outrageous fits when I pry you out of the bath tub.
Dive down the slide all by yourself. Head first.
Love to swing by yourself.
Have learned how to climb out of the bathtub???
Climb on everything.
Love to jump on my back from the changing table after getting a new diaper.
Have learned how to put sunglasses on your head.
Love to throw yourself into the Love Sac or any other pillow-type thing.
Wander. Aimlessly. Everywhere. You don’t care how close or far away we are. You just keep going.
Respond to every telephone ring and knock at the door. Even if we’re in the middle of playing. No matter how interested you are in an activity, if my phone or the door makes a sound you are on it.
Like to climb on our backs when we’re laying on the floor.
Bring my shoes to me when you want to go outside.
Know when you’re playing with something you shouldn’t and you bring it to me without me asking. Usually.
Have learned how to plug your ears with your pointy fingers when something is loud. It’s hilarious.
Love to peek through mom's and dad's legs.
Randomly crack up at yourself. Who knows what jokes you’re telling inside your head.
Love to pull all the books off the shelf in your room. Just because you can.
Wave “hi” to everyone you see.
Give “high 5” to anyone who asks.
Give kisses to anyone who shows you love.
Love playing with keys and trying to put them in key holes.
Are drawn to knives and screwdrivers and pretty much everything that can poke your eye out.
Like to eat anywhere but your highchair.
Growl when you’re angry.
Love books. But you’d rather read to yourself than be read to.
Dance every time you hear music. You get your dance skills from your dad ;)

You keep us smiling, that’s for sure! We thank Heavenly Father every day that he gave us you.

Love you!
Love, mom

Bath tub escapee.

Playin' with daddy's sunglasses.

King of the book hill.

On Pregnancy Tests and Other Unfortunate Events

2011-06-15T20:49:00.001-06:00

Well now I know what it takes for a girl to get more than 10 comments.

Get pregnant ;)

Thank you for all your congratulations and well wishes! We are very excited.

(Forewarning: male readers may not enjoy the following.)

It was interesting to find out how many of you don't take pregnancy tests and just wait for pregnancy symptoms to manifest themselves. I initially thought, "that's a great idea!" but quickly remembered a number of reasons
why I choose the AHPT route:

1) I didn't feel sick until about 6-8 weeks with Teryn and my body didn't really start changing until after my 1st trimester. I would like to know I'm pregnant
before that point.

2) Additionally, I'm a who-knows-when-it's-going-to-happen menses experiencer*. The absence of a menstrual cycle is not abnormal, 3-4 cycles a year is normal.
Follow me?

3) With that comes the who-knows-when-it's-going-to-happen ovulation. Not so great for planning babies. (After about 4 months of trying with no success I tried ovulation tests so we would know when to try. One 7-day and two 20-day ovulation test kits with nothing but negative results didn't help so we just tried as we were able. In April I had a treatment of Provera and we're finally pregnant.)

4) I like to know whether I'm pregnant or not when Fast Sunday rolls around. While we are "trying", I take a pregnancy test every pre-Fast Sunday Saturday to make sure.

5) Plus, with no symptoms, it's nice to find out there's a good reason for my pants feeling a little snug.

6) It's a relief to know as early as possible so "trying" is no longer a chore. Every other day so you don't miss your window of opportunity is very tiring and nearly impossible with our current life schedule. Now we know we're pregnant, we can go back to having fun again. (Is that too much information? Sorry =0)

7) My incredible doctor has so many patients that I have to call at least a month in advance to schedule an appointment. I called as soon as I knew I was pregnant and the earliest he can see me is July 13th- -a week before I begin my 2nd trimester.

You get the picture.

Oh, and I'll add a number 8) I make better meal choices when I know I'm pregnant so I like to know as early as possible. Tonight was the perfect example. Little Ceasar's Triple Meat Treat Pizza with Crazy Bread or peanut butter and banana on wheat bread. I chose the latter. A week ago I would have chosen the pizza.

What are your reasons for taking ADHTs or waiting for symptoms?

* Experiencer is listed on dictionary.com. I didn't even make that up.

Side Note: those of you who followed my last pregnancy already know that I take bare-bellied pregnancy pictures. I think it shows more and I guess I'm just open and honest like that. Forgive me if you find it offensive. It's for my record, not your entertainment =0)

AHPT

2011-06-13T20:54:00.003-06:00

At Home Pregnancy Tests. Ever used one?

Let me offer some words of wisdom, both to those of you who have and those of you who haven't.

There are many different types of AHPTs and each one is different. There is however one thing they all have in common. A waiting period. Whether it's 2, 3, 5 or even 10 minutes, that waiting period is apparently very important.

I didn't know that.

Tyson and I have been trying for baby #2 since November 2010. Seven months. At one AHPT per month, that's 7(+) tests to date. Those things get expensive.....

There are 2 test lines on each AHPT. One line to show the test is working/valid and the other line to show the positive/negative result.

What you may not know is, there is a possibility that the working/valid line will show before the result line. When I tested positive with my first pregnancy, both lines showed simultaneously so I thought that was the way it's supposed to be. I figured if that wasn't the case then the test wasn't positive. Not true. The test is not finished testing until the waiting period is over.

I took a test last Friday night and the working/valid line showed quickly but the result line didn't do anything so I just threw it away. Another negative. Nothing new. Better luck next time. But something later that night led me to go get it out of the garbage can and look at it. The result line showed positive?!? What the......

So I sat down at my computer to find more information. I learned more about factors that can affect AHPTs and realized the importance of the specified waiting period. So I decided it would be a good idea to take another test first thing the following morning. If only for my own sanity.

Saturday morning when I woke, I just had a feeling that I was pregnant. I didn't let myself believe it though- -I thought I was just convincing myself that I had done the test(s) all wrong and that now I knew what I needed to do, the next test would be positive.

Without telling Tyson, I went to the bathroom and started the test. 3 minute waiting period. The working/valid line showed quickly, as it did the night before. I kept waiting......waiting.....wait......the other line is showing......showing.......SHOWING! We're pregnant! Ahhhh!!!

I still didn't quite believe it though. After 7 months of negative tests, it seemed a little unbelievable. So this morning I went to get a test done by a nurse and she got a positive result too!

And guess what else? She thinks I'm 7 weeks along. SAY WHAAAAA???

Too bad I didn't know how to take a stinkin' pregnancy test.....

I called and scheduled an appointment with my OB for July 13th. We will get an ultrasound and a more accurate due date at that point. The nurse says I'm due around January 25th so we'll see how close she is!

The day we found out - approximately 7 weeks

So going back to Saturday morning- -something funny to add to the story.

Tyson worked so late Friday night that he couldn't even make it past the couch when he got home. I went to bed alone and woke up alone. After taking the pregnancy test I went into the living room to tell Tyson and found this on the kitchen table.

Me: "Who's this from?"

Tyson: "Me."

Me: "Oh, that's nice! Thank you. What's it for?"

Tyson: "I took your iPod to listen to at work and all of your country love songs made me fall in love with you again."

I went to lay next to him on the couch and while we snuggled I said, "Guess what. I think I'm pregnant." He laughed. Ironic that he brought me home a gift. I told him he should have brought me gifts 7 months ago =0)

Anyway. We are really excited. Still a little unbelieving. Mostly because I'm feeling so great that I can't believe it's real. I mentioned last week that I've started waking up in the mornings to exercise again and I have no signs of sickness at all. I'm pretty sure it was hitting full force at this point with Teryn's pregnancy, so I don't know what's going on this time.

So here's to pregnancy #2! To be continued.....

Days Like This

2011-06-09T20:50:00.000-06:00

7:00: Wake up. Enjoy a short minute with Tyson.

7:10: Bike ride to Old Main. Run stairs. Bike home.

7:40: Scriptures and prayer with Tyson before he's out the door to school.

8:00: Teryn wakes up.

8:15: Hair, makeup, clothes. Make bed.

9:00: Breakfast.

9:30: Bake cookies. Pick up and vacuum house.

10:30: Host YW Presidency meeting.

11:30: Lunch. Teryn takes nap.

12:30: Alone time. Tie up a few loose ends around the house.

1:30: Teryn wakes up. Snack time. Playtime.

2:30: Trip to post office.

2:45: Oil change appointment.

4:00: Visiting Teachers.

5:00: Put potatoes in oven to bake for dinner.

5:30: Tyson comes home after unexpected letdown at new job.

6:00: Walk with a friend.

7:15: Dinner.

7:30: Teryn disgustingly fills his diaper. It gets all over the carpet. (I get some in my hair????)

7:45: Teryn takes a bath. Scrub carpet.

8:00: Teryn sleeps.

How do you end a day like this? Cookies.

Twenty

2011-06-08T21:10:00.001-06:00

Top 20 Todd Happenings since May 22nd

1) watched Inception for the first time

2) attended one of my best buddy's sealing in the Draper Temple

3) visited home for Memorial Day

4) took Teryn to play at Willow Park with some friends

5) visited my old employer

6) Tyson started the Diesel Mechanic program at Bridgerland ATC

7) enjoyed ice cream at Charlie's with an old nanny friend and her fiancè

8) attended said nanny friend's bridal shower

9) played with Teryn in the pool for the first time this season

10) dislocated my shoulder in my sleep (nice.)

11) inherited my grandmother's piano!

12) learned how to make Sticky Buns

13) started waking up early to workout (for the first time in *cough* 2 years *cough*)

14) found our dream home!

15) started planning colors/cabinets/flooring, etc. for said dream home

16) learned how to Index at the Family History Center

17) started watching one of my favorite shows-"America's Got Talent"

18) enjoyed dinner at Texas Roadhouse with one of our favorite Summer Citizens

19) Teryn fell face-first in the hot tub

20) Tyson got a new job (!!!!)

Bloggy Business

2011-06-07T08:28:00.000-06:00

Hey all you bloggers.

Help me out.

Just trying to understand- -what is the reason for "following" a blog?

I feel like I "follow" blogs I want to keep up with through my blog list(s).

I know there's a page that shows me updates for blogs I'm "following", but I never look at it. I just keep up with my blog lists.

Tell me if there's something I'm not grasping??

On another blog note, it's really cool when you find out that a craft blog you follow is the creation of someone you KNOW! Awesome!

Something Worth Saving For

2011-06-01T13:31:00.001-06:00

Five years from now we will begin building our dream home.

I've mentioned before that Tyson and I enjoy sketching house plans and imagining this n' that for our future home. If we're not careful we could spend hours driving around just looking at houses. Neither one of us had to convince the other of the fun of it when we got married, we've both just always been interested in that sort of thing. (In fact, while hanging out together when we were in high school I drove him by my (then considered) dream home. He still remembered it 5 years later when we got engaged. Ahhhh, cute =0) What's better- -no need for compromise because we're always drawn to the same houses and we agree on what we like and what we'd alter.

The question has been where to build. A common discussion when we visit home is our eventual "settled down" location. We want our children to grow up in the country and we want to be nearby family, but we also want to have our own lives apart from everyone else. After much consideration we've decided where we want to be and it's really exciting! But I've yet to decide whether to disclose that decision or not. Wouldn't want anyone to get there before we do =0)

Having decided where we want to be, we were naturally curious about house plans so we decided to look around. You know, just for fun. Because we can! So for the past few days we've been looking online and alas, we found our dream home! We browsed and studied and considered and imagined and nothing really felt like it could be home for us, but then we found the one. Wanna see?

This house is so us and both of us instantly fell in love with it. With only a few minor alterations it will be our ultimate dream home. My oh my, the excitement!

You know that feeling of just knowing you've made a good choice? Just knowing something is right? That's the feeling in my heart.

So on our fridge hangs that picture as a reminder of what we're working for. What we're saving for. Five years from now, you mark my word. I will be living there.

Motivation vs. Mediation

2011-05-26T07:50:00.000-06:00

Last week schmasht week.

Talk about being run ragged. Eating on the go, showerless mornings, lead-foot driving, never a moment to sit down. I do it to myself so I have no right to complain. Call me Busy Body. Strength? Unfortunate Weakness? It depends which way you look at it.

Strength: 40 shower liners washed and rehung, 30+ mattress covers replaced, 20 drip pan sets replaced, on-site laundry room scrubbed and mopped.

Unfortunate Weakness: Impatience with a cranky toddler who just wants his momma.

Strength: House kept clean, laundry done, grocery shopping finished, errands complete.

Unfortunate Weakness: Sad toddler strapped in the van spending little quality time with his momma.

Strength: Friend's baby shower planned for, hosted, successful.

Unfortunate Weakness: Self-entertained toddler with little attention while momma focuses on baby shower preparation.

Strength: Keeping up with Summer Citizen requests (i.e. maintenance, room rearranging, internet connecting, TV programming).

Unfortunate Weakness: Free-spirited toddler restrained from running as he pleases and forced to folllow momma.

How sad! All of this written down is much more depressing than when it's running through my head. Between being a wife, mother, and apartment manager, it obviously never ends. There is always something to do, and I'm fortunate to say I rarely struggle with finding motivation but I do struggle with mediation. My to-do list fuels me. Seriously, I can feel a surge run through my body when I see my list of things to accomplish. Great, right? It is, if I could just prioritize my motivation. My family relationships struggle when I go, go, go. I need to take more time for my husband and especially my child. I need to let the house be a mess for a day. I need to decide which errands are urgent and which errands can wait. I need to wait to do the laundry while Teryn is sleeping. I need to do so much more than I'm doing for my family. I need to please them before I please the world.

My to-do list is going to be much different today.

No Fear

2011-05-23T09:22:00.001-06:00

Here is my awesome 14-month adrenaline-junky boy.

One.....

Two.....

THREE!!

Who needs parents anyway, right?

Next to master....the swings!

Since 4.27.11

2011-05-22T09:23:00.000-06:00

My mind has been running all over the place for the past few weeks. You'd think the result would have been blog post after blog post after blog post. Not so, obviously. For fear my thoughts would expose my true self I avoided writing about them. And then today I thought to myself, "self, chill out" (basically). So I'm here now, with a small taste of some things I've spent considerable time thinking about.

(Since most of my thought processes were spurred by some friends' blogs, I hope they don't mind my linking their posts =0)

Teryn can be a major handful at times. Major. No no, let me say it again. M.A.J.O.R. Holy moly, I really don't know what I'm in for. I keep telling myself "someday soon he will understand discipline and I will be able to manage his defiance". We'll see about that. Until then, my days are filled with food throwing, mommy slapping, toilet splashing, road dashing, and all other testosterone-driven activities. He is a very sweet, funny boy, but mostly he is stubborn and hard-headed (anyone who knew my brother Teryn is thinking "you knew what you were getting yourself into when you gave him his name!"). All things considered, I am grateful that I have an active son who desires to adventure and explore and tear things apart to see how they work. I'd rather that than a dormant, socially awkward son. I just pray that I can facilitate constructive defiance. And that I can conserve my patience as the days go by. All that said- -the other day I was frustrated and Tyson asked, "and you want four more?" Yes, I want four more. Yes, even if they are defiant, stubborn, ever-active, and fill my hands more than I can handle, I want five children. Why? That's where my first friend's post comes in. As the 7th of seven children, I love(d) growing up with so many siblings (in my case, only brothers). Each of them are so different and their interests are so diverse. I would never be able to tell what I've learned from each of them nor could I share every experience we've shared. I go to each of them for different reasons and I talk to each of them about different things. I just feel greatly blessed to have such a number of incredible siblings and I want that for my own children. Even if they try my patience and make me swear (inside my head, of course). It will be worth it in the end. Plus, I for one don't want to be an Empty Nester at age 45.

Perhaps my thoughts were especially lingering on family since Sunday was Mother's Day. My selfish side got the best of me and the day left me bitter and in tears. For Tyson's sake I'll keep the details to myself- -I'm over it. It just wasn't the perfect day and I really wasn't in the mood to hear about or see pictures of other mothers' wonderful days. But alas, someone else whose day wasn't perfect! Yay! (p.s. isn't her son the cutest!) Her post reassured me that I wasn't the only one.

Sometimes it's hard for me not to compare. Actually, most times. It's an innate trait of mine- -darn the luck. Sadly, Tyson usually gets the brunt of it. He doesn't clean the kitchen like so and so's husband does, he doesn't surprise me with flowers or love notes, he doesn't clean up after himself, he doesn't make dinner, he doesn't get up with our child in the night, etc., etc., etc. This friend's post helped me put things into perspective. Especially when she said, "...he has a lot to offer in his own special way. I had expectations that didn't need to be met. It would be like him expecting a clean house and dinner on the table with a glowing wife and happy kids every night when he walks through the door. Not going to happen." My husband is truly incredible. He is such a hard worker and dedicated provider. He is the most well-rounded, friendly, funny, soft-hearted and kind man I've ever known. Above all, I've never once doubted his love for me. To him I am indispensable. I need to focus on my own shortcomings rather than insatiably criticizing his.

And then there was this post on a whole different subject. It got me thinking about some things someone would need to know before joining my family. We love to get together, but we unconsciously segregate when we do so. The children play, the women cook, clean, and chat, and the men golf. We love milk and follow every meal with some sort of dessert (or two. or three.). We enjoy watching old family home videos. We let our children eat food off the floor. We learn how to swim in ditches. We train our own dogs and build our own houses. We don't like being told what to do, but we'll give the shirts off our backs if we know you need it. My father will talk to you about the Gospel until your ears bleed (or you scream- -whichever comes first). We are thrill seekers and will most likely worry you sick if you don't come to terms with it. Just a few things that come to mind. We are all married and I think every spouse has adapted quite well.

And lastly, there was this post. Mostly her thoughts on frilly, cutesy blogs vs. sharp, uncluttered blogs. In my blog browsing I've found the most enjoyable to read are usually simple and clean. They don't hurt my eyes nor strain my brain. In fact, if you've visited every post I've linked in this post you'll notice that all three have white backgrounds, standard font, and simple layouts. Hmm. Purely coincidence that I learned so much from them? Maybe. Maybe not. Everyone loves pictures and everyone loves decoration but there's a fine line between engaging and annoying. As also mentioned in her post, much can be expressed with color and size and font and justification. Writing can be so powerful when presented in the right way. I'm no expert myself, but I enjoy learning.

So there you have it. Just a few things that have been preoccupying my mind. I'll be back soon with other updates and pictures of recent happenings.

p.s. I've never had more than 9 comments on any one blog post. I see those of you with 20-30 comments and I silently covet. It's OK, I know there are hundreds and hundreds of you out there reading. You just have nothing to say. That's alright. Just another confession.

Summer Citizens

2011-05-19T20:53:00.002-06:00

During the school year, we house students. During the summer, we house Summer Citizens. Summer Citizens are people who live in warmer areas (i.e. Arizona or Florida) who want to get away from their deathly hot summers and enjoy a cooler climate. You know, kind of like Snow Birds who move to warm places during the winter. Makes sense, right?

Well the day has come. Our Summer Citizens started moving in this morning. Only 7 of 19 couples came today which surprised me but I suppose the miserable weather scared the others away until tomorrow or later. We still have 10+ feet of snow in the mountains so you can imagine what Logan Valley is like. We are wet, wet, WET! And the rain doesn't look like it's going to let up on us any time soon.

Utah's always pray for rain. It seems as if every prayer that's been offered for the past 25 years is finally being answered....

Girls Next Door

2011-05-16T22:07:00.002-06:00

Dear Kate, Allison, & Dena (and Denise =0)

Have you ever wondered what I would have done without you this school year? Well let me tell you!

Without you this year...

1) I would have a very cranky baby who would be sick and tired of being stuck with only his mother....day after day after day...

2) I wouldn't have had the freedom to run errands or go on dates with Tyson...

3) I would have watched The Biggest Loser alone every Tuesday night...

4) I wouldn't have stepped foot in the hot tub...

5) I wouldn't have had someone to borrow eggs or vegetable oil from...

6) I would have spent Tyson's late working nights alone...

7) I wouldn't have pulled my mission pictures out and relived some of the best moments of my life...

8) I wouldn't have had anyone to tempt with sugar...

9) I wouldn't have had anyone to watch LOST or have girl talk with...

10) I would have gone insane...

Seriously though...you girls will never know what you did for me this school year. This job was miserably miserable until our paths crossed and we started spending time. Your friendship literally gave me sanity and reason to stick around. And now you're coming back next year and I couldn't be more excited!! I hope the summer flies by quickly =0)

Thanx for everything...especially for taking Teryn in like your own little nephew. He adores you! So do I! You really have been my saving grace this year. Thank you for being wonderful!!

xoxo! Loves and hugs!

Peanut Butter, Chocolate, & Butterscotch Goodness

2011-05-16T21:44:00.000-06:00

Oh boy, do I have a treat for you! It's my new favorite and I'll bet it'll be yours too. Try it and prove me wrong =0)

Super quick, easy, and YUMMY! I'm not a butterscotch lover, but I LOVE these! Just look at them!!

Ingredients:
1 Cup Corn Syrup
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Peanut Butter
12-14 oz. Chex Cereal

1 Cup Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips

1 Cup Butterscotch Chips

Combine corn syrup and sugar in pot and bring to a boil. Add peanut butter and stir just until smooth. (Don't let it boil too long or it will set up too hard.) Pour onto Chex cereal and mix. Spread mixture into sheet cake pan. Melt semi-sweet chips and drizzle over mixture. Follow with butterscotch chips. Let cool and enjoy!!!

(Note: Tyson wasn't in love with the butterscotch the first time I tried them, so this time around, as you can see from the pictures, I did one side with semi-sweet and butterscotch chips and the other side with semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips. Both are yummy!)

p.s. The butterscotch chips don't melt as smoothly as chocolate so they're harder to drizzle. Any tips? Anybody?

May First Thru Sixteenth

2011-05-16T21:30:00.002-06:00

Is May really halfway over already????? What the??

The first week of the month was crazy. It was the last week of the semester which meant finals, move-outs, and GRADUATION!! Tyson graduated!! Woo hoo! He now has two Bachelor's Degrees in Political Science and Economics and I could not be more proud of him! (p.s. He didn't walk so don't ask for pictures =0) To express my pride and appreciation I, along with his and my parents, gave him money to buy an
iPad 2. He was pleasantly surprised and so excited because it's the only thing he's been wanting for months. Now he's taking a few weeks off and he'll be back to school at Bridgerland next week.

Move-outs were bittersweet. I made friends with a handful of tenants so it was sad to watch them pack up and leave! The girls next door especially. They have their own deserving post coming soon. Teryn had a break down when he realized they were gone. Sad day.

Since all the students left we have just been working to get everything clean and ready for the Summer Citizens to arrive. We've had a little bit of down time which has been W.O.N.D.E.R.F.U.L. So wonderful. Tyson and I have felt stressed and quite distant for the past few months but I didn't realize how much of that was fostered by our everyday management duties. Since the students have been gone we are back to feeling newlywed again and it's refreshing.

Last Friday, my friends Kate and Dena (2 of the girls next door) came to visit and spend the night and first thing Saturday morning before any of us woke Tyson went for a hike. It was just what he needed! He itches terribly to get outside and it makes me happy to see him so fulfilled. He's planning a hike to King's Peak this summer and it's all he's going to think about until he gets there. Call him Mountain Man Todd.

Last Saturday evening we walked to a nearby park where the Elder's quorum was having a BBQ. On the walk home, we were about 1/2 block away from our apartment when someone driving by honked and slowed to wave at us. They rolled down their window and without thinking I waved back. When they kept waving and smiling I looked closer and to my surprise it was Susie Dye!! And then I walked closer and looked to the driver.....it was Nichole! Small, small world!! I haven't seen her since I got married 2 years ago and what do you know, we run into each other on the streets of Logan. It was fun to see her and meet her little
(almost 2 year old) girl!

Then yesterday......yesterday.....what did we do yesterday? Hmm.
Nothing out of the ordinary.

But today! Oh today, you made me tired. Today, we wrapped up the cleaning and maintenance of the apartments and took last notes of loose ends to tie before Thursday. Tyson scrubbed and filled the hot tub and cleaned up after the mess the wind blew into the pool over the weekend. Pool maintenance NEVER ends, by the way. I will never have a pool. This afternoon my neighbor (who is my Beehive adviser) and I took a walk to the park so we could get out of our apartments. We planned activities while our sons (who are only 10 days apart) played on the playground. We got talking with another man who was there with his son and while we chatted, a lady approached us asking where she could find Lindstrom Park. It was about 2 miles away from the park we were at and she was walking but she was from Alaska and more than happy that we at least had sidewalks to walk on! We gave her directions and sent her on her way but after my friend and I walked home I jumped in my van to see if I could track her down. I found her about 3/4 mile away from Lindstrom Park and pulled over to offer her a ride. She hopped right in and thanked me- -I told her I hoped she didn't think I was a creeper but she said that type of thing is quite common where she is from so she appreciated it. She just arrived here last week to begin her graduate studies at USU. I welcomed her to Logan and told her I hope to run into her again. We'll see!

And now I'm tired. But I have some pictures to show and possibly a few more posts to write. Enjoy!

A boy who does his business in the bathtub = bathtime in the sink while
mom scrubs and sanitizes the bathtub

Chewing a bouncy ball

Daddy mommy and baby hamburgers

Yes, that is his bum

Tyson's miserable cramming time

The fruits of allowing a few late night hot tub parties

Cheezer

Buddies

On our way to feed the ducks

Here ducky, ducky!

A little resistant....

So Teryn decided to go after them instead

Goodbye Guac

2011-04-27T21:27:00.000-06:00

You've been a good truck. More so eye-candy than practical transportation but we loved the times we shared together. Tyson will always remember restoring you and the purr of your motor will be missed.

WE LOVE YOU GUAC! Maybe we'll see you around? Take care of yourself.

W.E.E.K.

2011-04-25T22:32:00.000-06:00

Is it really Monday already? Really?

If I hadn't lived every crazy minute of last week I'd swear it never happened. It flew by so fast!

Monday......was crazy and too long ago to remember, ha ha. Tyson worked and I'm pretty sure I was swamped with work too.

Tuesday night we had a service scavenger hunt for our Young Women activity. Two teams raced around to different ward members' homes and completed chores for them. The last team back to the church lost- -that was my team. But we got stories and ice cream from one of our little old lady friends, so we really didn't lose =0) She showed us, she has an original Nauvoo Temple window sill! So neat! She would have told us stories all night if we'd have had the time. I'll have to take Teryn to visit her again.

Wednesday night was our Relief Society's food demonstration night. We learned about making and decorating cakes. I couldn't believe the variety of different cakes people prepared and taught about! Some of my favorites were Chocolate Hazelnut, Key Lime, Cherry Chocolate, and Strawberry Shortcake. I prepared one of my favorites, Cherry Dump Cake. Never heard of it? It's called a "dump cake" because that's just what you do- -literally dump the ingredients into the pan and bake! Super simple and uber yummy! Here's the recipe:

CHERRY DUMP CAKE

1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple, undrained
1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling (or other filling of choice)
1 package plain yellow cake mix
¾ C butter, melted
½ C grated coconut
1 C chopped pecans
Vanilla ice cream for serving

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 F.
2. Dump the pineapple evenly over the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 baking pan. Cover the pineapple with the pie filling. Pour the dry cake mix evenly over the fruit mixture so that it reaches all the sides of the pan. Drizzle the entire pan with the melted butter. Sprinkle the coconut and pecans evenly over the top of the cake. Place the pan in the oven.
3. Bake the cake until it is deep brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake topping comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.
**Store this cake covered in plastic wrap for up to 1 day in the refrigerator if using a metal pan, or for up to 1 week if using a glass pan. If using a metal pan, let the cake cool, then transfer it to a glass or plastic container and it will keep, covered, for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.

Really, it's to die for! Even if you're not a cherry lover- -it's amazing! I've tried it with peaches, raspberries, and blackberries, but none are as yummy as cherry. I came home and shared my plate full of cakes with the girls next door while they looked at my mission pictures and listened to my stories. A few of them are thinking about serving so they enjoy hearing my experiences.

Thursday night was packed with visiting teaching and Young Women auxiliary training. Fun =0)

And then there was Friday. Oh Friday. I was hanging out with the girls next door while Tyson was at school that morning when all of a sudden he called to ask where I was. That was odd- -he usually doesn't just call to ask where I am unless he comes home and I'm not here. So I asked if he was home and he was so I told him I'd be there in 2 minutes. When I walked in our house, there was a shiny, beautiful, brand new bike sitting in our living room??? That little sneak! "Tyson......" I turned around and he spooked me from behind the door- -I screamed and hopped on the Love Sac. What a surprise! I bought a bike trailer for Teryn back in March and I'd been looking on ksl.com for months, trying to find a good quality bike for a good deal but to no avail. My search is now over, thanks to that sneaky (but sweet!) husband of mine =0) Thanks babe! It's perfect. I rode it to meet my visiting teachers that afternoon and Teryn loved the trailer ride! But to say it wore me out would be an understatement. Holy moly. Joy-riding a bike and towing a 13 month old in a trailer are two very different things! It'll be good for me.

Friday Cont'd, I got the itch to rearrange our living room and I love it! I love change. Breanna came over to visit and eat dinner in the evening. We planned to get shakes afterward, but Teryn was being a slow eater so I stayed home feeding him and Breanna made a quick run for shakes. Oreo for her, Reese's PB for me. Mmm. She went home, I put Teryn down for bed, and my friend Nichole Reid stopped by while she was in town. We spent some time reading a few things she's been writing- -I didn't know she was a writer! I loved her work! Someday when she's a well-known author (because she will be) let this post be remembered =0)

Saturday morning Tyson worked and Teryn and I headed down to Utah Valley. I stopped by to see an old boyfriend's family in Orem- -his little sister got sick and sent home from her mission so I wanted to see her. She was actually at the temple when I stopped by so I didn't get to see her, but it was great to see everyone else who was home! From there I headed to Provo for a Brooksby family reunion. We started at a park but it was cold enough that we ended up at a stake center where we just spent time chatting and letting the children run around. I came home that afternoon to a beautiful bouquet of flowers! Ha ha, they actually were no surprise. I got a call while I was in Provo from a man named Don who stopped at my house to deliver them but no one was home. I asked who they were from and he said there was no name. What?? So I told him he could leave them with the girls next door and I'd pick them up when I got home. Well, Tyson called me around 2:30 to see what my schedule was and while we were on the phone I told him about the mystery flowers. They were from him, ha ha! He asked them to be delivered at 3:00 because he would have been home from work by then- -but they didn't and completely ruined the surprise! Ha ha, oh well. They were beautiful though! And another very sweet, thoughtful surprise. Also- -Tyson sold his truck!! That will be a whole other post in itself.

Sunday was Easter. Rather than an Easter basket, I found a little wagon for Teryn and filled it with goodies for our family. When I wheeled it in Easter morning, Teryn's face was priceless- -I wish I'd had the camera! He was so excited for all the treats until he found the carton of Robin Eggs. Then nothing else mattered. Until Tyson ripped open the bubbles! Oh to be a child again when everything is magical! He was mesmerized! Definitely a new favorite. Church was wonderful and the ward choir sang some beautiful Easter numbers.l. The life, death, and resurrection of our Savior are such inexpressible blessings. Really, without them, there would be no trace of happiness in my life. I need to remember to keep Him and His Atonement at the forefront of my mind. It is then that I have courage and strength to live as I should. It is then that I am able to undertake anything that comes my way. It is then that I am happiest and most grateful for all I've been given. I'm eternally grateful for my Savior and I know he lives!

After church, we received an unexpected dinner invite to Liz and Zane's house. We were at the time waiting for our own dinner to come out of the oven, so we decided to save ours for later and accept their invitation. It was delicious food and enjoyable company. We left just early enough to enjoy some sun at the park before coming home. We blew more bubbles and Tyson and Teryn had fun on the slide. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect Easter Sunday.

(And Teryn decided to finish it off by passing a BM in the bathtub for the first time. That part wasn't so perfect. And he did it again tonight. Wonderful.)

(He really doesn't like grass...)

Family Pictures

2011-04-22T13:11:00.000-06:00

Here are some pictures from our free photo shoot a few weeks ago. It was FREEZING that day, as you can see by our rosy cheeks and skin. You can tell that Teryn wasn't thrilled about being out in the cold either. We had fun though, and for the most part they turned out pretty well.

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!

2011-04-21T12:50:00.000-06:00

Dear Grandma and Grandpa Stevens,

Thank you so much for the Easter package! I know it's not til' Sunday, but mom and dad let me open it early. The bunny book is so cool and the eggs are my favorite!! Thanks for thinking about me all the way out here in Logan. Hope to see you soon! Happy Easter!

I love you!

Love, Teryn

First taste of dirt

2011-04-17T21:48:00.000-06:00

The sun was generous enough to give us some time at the park yesterday.

Teryn loved playing with his daddy.

He loved the slide.

He hated the grass.

And he got his first taste of dirt.

Recent Favorites

2011-04-15T14:38:00.001-06:00

I'm all about trying new things. When Tyson and I got married I made a goal to try one new recipe a week with the intention of discovering and collecting a variety of yummy recipes for our family to enjoy through the years. I've decided to share two of my recent favorites.

This recipe was on the back of my Gold Medal whole wheat flour package. Admittedly, I didn't buy the flour. Last summer some of the Summer Citizens left it for me and I never thought I'd use it until I discovered this recipe. I figured it was worth a try- -I wouldn't do anything else with the flour- -and now I'll never turn back. They are DELICIOUS! We like them even better than normal chocolate chip cookies. Ask Tyson- -and he doesn't even like wheat!

WHOLE WHEAT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

3/4 C granulated sugar

3/4 C packed brown sugar

1 C butter or margarine, softened

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

2 C whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 bag (2 cups) semisweet chocolate chips

(I used Guittard real extra dark chocolate chips instead. Divine!!)

Heat oven to 375 F. In large bowl, stir sugars, butter, vanilla and egg until well blended. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt (dough will be stiff). Stir in chocolate chips.

On ungreased cookie sheets, drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until light brown (centers will be soft). Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.

Yields 3 dozen cookies.

This other recipe was found at www.allrecipes.com. I love that site! Especially when I have an ingredient that I need to use but can't decide what to cook. The site has an "ingredients" tab you can select and type in what ingredient(s) you have and it gives you the results of recipes with those ingredients. In this case, I had ground sausage so I searched for recipes with ground sausage and voila! One of my new absolute favorites!! And it's SO so fast and easy! (Notice my alterations- -I can't speak for the result of the actual recipe but we loved the way I changed it.)

MICKMACK

note: double this recipe for 9x13 pan

1 cup leftover cooked pinto beans (I used canned pinto beans)

1 cup leftover cooked macaroni (I used bowties)

1 cup leftover ground sausage

1 large onion, chopped and sauteed (I only did 1/2 medium onion)

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes (I used petite diced tomatoes with sweet onions)

1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley (I omitted this)

1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (I used chili powder)

1 tablespoon chopped garlic (I used about 1/4 tablespoon minced garlic)

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine everything in a large bowl. Mix well and spread in a lightly greased 9x9 baking dish. (I topped mine with cheddar cheese.)

Bake for 30 mins

If any of you try these out, let me know how you like them!

Enjoy!

Good Times, Gratitude, Humility, & Anticipation

2011-04-11T14:12:00.002-06:00

I'll spare you some time and tell you right now- -this is a journal entry. If you're not interested, there's no need to proceed past this point.

What a week!

GOOD TIMES

Tuesday, I met at "Spoon Me" with a bunch of my old After School Club co-workers. I personally wasn't in love with the yogurt, but it was wonderful to catch up with old friends! Then that night I invited the girls next door to watch "The Biggest Loser" at my place. I made chili and cornbread for dinner and we had a lot of fun. Tyson pulled a graveyard shift that night from 10 pm to 6 am and that was a little rough, but he's a champ.

Thursday, I went to my friend Nanci's house for lunch. She's pregnant! Which I didn't know until this week and she only has 5 weeks left!!! I couldn't believe it had been that long since I'd seen her last- -time slips by too quickly. Tyson pulled another 10-6 graveyard shift that night and it was much better than the first one.

Friday, we headed down to Utah Valley to see some friends. We went to Jake and Karlie Mitchell's house in Springville for dinner. Matt and Taylor joined us. It was a good time, but Teryn was too tired to enjoy so we couldn't stick around as long as we'd planned. Instead, we invited all of them to Tyson's Grandma Miller's home in Provo where we planned to stay. Grandma was out in Roosevelt for the weekend, so we were just there to sleep. We put Teryn down for the night and the rest of us stayed up reminiscing and playing "Buzz Word". It was a lot of fun!

Saturday, we first stopped at Stephen and DaRae Jones' apartment to visit. Teryn enjoyed terrorizing their non-child-proofed home. It gave them something to look forward to =0). After that, we headed back down to Springville to see Tiffani and Lui Castro. They have a Black Lab named Tango that Tyson couldn't get enough of. Teryn is used to playing with his grandparents' small dogs, so Tango startled him a bit at first but he got used to him. After lunch, we laid Teryn down for a nap while we chatted. I hadn't seen Tiff since my wedding day and Tyson had never met Lui, so it was great to catch up them. When Teryn woke up from his nap, we packed up and drove down to Salem to see Blake, Sharon, and Gentry Jarvis. I supported Gentry when I worked for R.I.S.E. my second year of college. I developed a friendship with her and fell in love with her family and we've kept in touch ever since. It was great to see them and it was fun for them to meet Teryn. We had a very enjoyable visit. We stuck around only 45 minutes before we needed to be on the road again. A few months back I won a free photo shoot by Blue Bird Photography so April 9th was the day we scheduled to meet. We were planning for spring photos in an orchard or up Hobble Creek Canyon, but the weather didn't work with us at all. It was rainy, snowy, and muddy all day so we changed venues and decided to meet at the Harley Davidson in Lindon. There were a few covered places that allowed us to get out of the rain and snow, but it was still freezing so we only lasted about 25-30 minutes. Even so, she got some great shots! I've only seen the pictures on her blog so far, but I love them all and I can't wait to see the rest! We got back on the road by 4:45 and were on our way home to Logan.

GRATITUDE

When we arrived home Tyson went out to get the mail. There was a letter from IHC. We applied for financial assistance after Tyson's knee surgery in February and had been waiting for the result. Tyson opened the letter and this is what he read, "Based on our careful consideration of the information you provided, I am happy to inform you that Intermountain Healthcare will adjust $4,103.65 from the account(s) listed above, leaving a balance of $0.00." Whhhhaaaaa? We were definitely not expecting that!! We were hoping maybe $500-$1,000 would be adjusted, but the entire balance?? Words cannot express. We are so grateful that there are people who donate to IHC's charity, allowing them to serve the needs of their communities. We will no-doubt give back as our financial circumstances improve, hoping to bless the lives of others as we have been blessed.

HUMILITY

Sunday morning I got a call. "Sister Todd, this is Brother Thompson from the ward. The Bishop asked me to call and see if you and Tyson are able to meet with him before church starts this morning." Three weeks ago when we walked into the chapel, Brother Hollingsworth of the Bishopric approached us and asked how long we planned to stick around. (Our ward has a high turnover rate at the beginning and end of every USU semester and they know Tyson is graduating next month.) We told him we would still be here for another year or so and he seemed happy about that. The next week, two weeks ago, before we went to church Tyson and I agreed that we both thought something was up. We still hadn't spoken in the ward- -maybe they were finally cornering us to give our introductory talks? Two years isn't too late for that, right? When we got the call Sunday morning, we knew something was up. The Bishop wouldn't invite us into his office to ask us to speak, would he? No, he wouldn't. But he would invite us into his office to release me from my 2-year calling as a Relief Society Instructor and call me to be the 2nd Counselor in the Young Women. Exciting, but also somewhat intimidating. Going from a room full of women whom I look up to, admire, and learn from to being the woman who is expected to teach and lead by example. Also, no longer being able to care for Teryn during the 3rd hour of church and giving up my Tuesday nights of Biggest Loser with friends for YW activities. It will be a lifestyle change and I'm a little bit emotional about it. But I guess the Lord sees fit that I have a new challenge and He knows me better than I know myself. I trust in that.

ANTICIPATION

I've mentioned previously that we finally feel like we are getting a handle on our post-grad life. Tyson will graduate May 7th with a BS in Political Science and another BS in Economics. We've considered (what seems like) endless options- -none of which have been entirely convincing. For example, last month one of Tyson's Political Science professors talked to him about the possibility of joining the Poli-Sci Graduate Program. She told him she would be interested in having him as her research assistant- -researching Eastern Asia. Both of us were really excited about it but in reality, continuing down the Political Science road isn't what Tyson wants to do. So we thought about the MBA Program, but there wasn't a particular end in mind there either. Perhaps he would just find a job and start working? But he's found little options there. Back and forth, back and forth, considering options, weighing pros and cons. This has been our last year. Until just last week during Conference Weekend. In our talking about where we're at and where we're going, I mentioned to Tyson that I really don't see him continuing through graduate school. I know he's talked about it, he's wanted it, he's planned on it......but he dreads it. He wants to love school and he wants to enjoy it.....but he doesn't. He hasn't been studying anything he's passionate about. In contrast, I see him light up when he talks about working on the rigs and when he dreams of building our future home and when he works on his truck, etc. He's a hands-on kind of guy. The get-dirt-under-his-fingernails kind of guy. The get-outdoors-and-enjoy-life kind of guy. You know the kind. I told him I could see him getting into a trade of some sort. Carpentry, electrical, mechanics, etc. He told me he had actually been thinking about mechanics recently. Specifically diesel mechanics. He would be great at something like that! And the demand for diesel mechanics is high and always present, the pay and benefits are quite good, and it would be something that could take us back home. Not to mention the program is half the length of an MBA and the price is 10x cheaper (literally). So as of May 16th, Tyson will start the diesel mechanics program at Bridgerland ATC here in Logan. It's wonderfully relieving and exciting to finally have something we're shooting for! And looking forward to! You'd have to ask Tyson, but I think he's pretty excited too =0)

So that was our week!

And to finish it all off with a bang, Teryn ate soap.
Ah ha ha ha!

Here's to another week!

Another Week

2011-04-03T20:24:00.000-06:00

The best part about this week was the SUN!!! (We won't talk about the snow that appeared this morning.) The sun actually came out long enough to enjoy some time out of the house!!! Friday afternoon, Tyson took Teryn along with him to do some work out on the property. Teryn just sat content on the grass, watching every move dad made. It freed up my hands to get some other things done, which was wonderful.

That evening we drove to Draper for my mission reunion. President and Sister Perriton look and sound as great as ever. After they returned last July, they joined reunions with President and Sister Nemrow in October, so this was the Perritons' first 'solo' reunion. A few of us pulled off a last-minute special musical number- -barely. Elder Choi of the 70 came with his wife Sister Ku and it was wonderful to hear from them as well. My age sunk in when I saw so many unfamiliar faces of younger missionaries. I couldn't tell the difference between returned Taejeon missionaries and their spouses. Even so, it was refreshing to see many familiar old friends and their growing families. I love my mission family.

We enjoyed General Conference here in Logan. Tyson's family went to the Conference Center but we didn't feel we could pawn Teryn off on someone else just so we could go, so we stayed home. It was an incredible conference. Many of our prayers were no doubt answered. We finally feel like we're getting a handle on our post-grad life. More to come on that soon. I hope.

First time in short sleeves and shorts this year!

New alphabet bath toys!!

Mom.....

Goin' shirtless.

Check me out girls.....

Epiphany

2011-03-31T13:08:00.000-06:00

I realized something the other day.

In my writing (and also in my thinking and talking), I describe things differently than others. Not necessarily with the particular words I choose, but in the method with which I write (and think and talk).

Take the post below for example. I wrote, "Up until now we've just been using the apartment-provided shower liner". The apartment-provided shower liner. It seems to me that any normal person would perhaps have written something more like, "Up until now we've just been using the shower liner provided by the apartment", or something along those lines. No?

This is my Korean coming out in my English. Koreans are all about description, and they create their descriptions into adjectives, rather than explanations. Follow?

"Apartment-provided" = descriptive adjective

"Provided by the apartment" = descriptive explanation

I think too much.

But I'm happy to know I still have Korean lingering in my brain somewhere.

And now you understand my seemingly-ungrammatical writing.

There I go again.

As Requested.....

2011-03-30T21:50:00.003-06:00

by:

EMILY

Here is my new shower curtain! Up until now we've just been using the apartment-provided shower liner. Eek. I originally wanted a different bath set and I told Tyson it could be my Mother's Day gift, but then I found this curtain in Walmart's clearance. For only $5.00, I couldn't pass it up! And now Tyson can spoil me with something else instead =0)

HEIDI

A while back, you commented on my weekly menu idea and asked how I do it. Here it is! It's just a small magnetic white board- -probably 8x10 inches or so. Everything you see in the left picture is written in permanent marker so all I have to do is write the menu in dry erase marker, then wipe it off and start over each week! You can see by the menu I jotted out, I only actually cook one meal a day- -the other meal is typically something simple or leftovers. That's one of the joys of being a 3 person household- -there are always leftovers =0)

Some weeks I don't follow the menu to a "T". I think it's more of a list of ideas that I know I have ingredients for and since I have them written down ahead of time, I don't have to think too hard when meal time comes. And then there are always those days when something else sounds particularly yummy, so I make that instead and push that day's menu idea to a following day/week. Anyway. You get the idea.

JEANA

Speaking of food, a little while back I posted about being proud of making delicious enchiladas and you asked me to post my recipe. Here you go!

Brown 1 lb. hamburger

Season to taste with:
salt
pepper
garlic powder
chili powder
minced onions

Add:
1 can tomato soup
1/2 can water
1/2 enchilada sauce

Assemble in pan as desired with tortillas.
Grate cheese on top and sprinkle with olives.
Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes.

You can play with it however you prefer- -I like to use corn tortillas and I layer it like a casserole rather than individual enchiladas. I also like to add a layer of mozzarella cheese in the middle, then top it off with cheddar. And I usually don't add olives.
Let me know how they turn out!

And lastly.....

CHARLOTTE

I told you I bought a mini van =0) Teryn in the back seat is proof that it's mine.

Quick Vent

2011-03-29T14:14:00.002-06:00

Oh my goodness, today has been gloriously productive. I'm even sitting here waiting for Teryn to wake up from his nap, rather than rushing around trying to get things done while he sleeps like usual. So far today, I've.....

Run errands to the hospital, Verizon, and Walmart.
Showed an apartment.
Visited the girls next door for some playtime with Teryn.
Completed all to-do business phone calls.
Swept and mopped the kitchen and bathroom floors.
Scrubbed the tub and toilet.
Hung a new (and long awaited) shower curtain.
Made the bed with different pillowcases and quilt.
Paid bills.
Read up on all friends' blogs.

....and it's only 2 o'clock!! OK, so now that it's all written down it doesn't quite look as accomplished as it seems in my head, but there really is no greater feeling than knowing everything I need to do today is done! That means I can spend uninterrupted time with Teryn when he wakes, and I can enjoy a bit of the day. *deep breath* Wow. I wish I could pull this feeling out of my chest and keep it here to remember.

Big Week

2011-03-27T22:01:00.001-06:00

This week was a big week in the Todd household. 5 reasons are worth mentioning.

Teryn just randomly decided he doesn't want his binky anymore! Last Sunday I tried to give it to him at church, hoping it would help him fall asleep, and he didn't want anything to do with it. That night he didn't want it either....or Monday, or Tuesday, or the rest of the week! I'll probably still keep one handy, but I think it's time to put his binkies away!
Teryn ate and slept SO MUCH BETTER THIS WEEK!!!!! Really, thanks to those of you who shared your thoughts and suggestions. The week started out with a really long night of just letting him cry and fight his nighttime hunger, but it all got better from there. He's eating so much more during the day- -for example, Thursday he ate a whole banana and cereal for breakfast, 2 corn dogs and fruit for lunch, and 1 1/2 slices of pizza and corn for dinner! (Not the best choices for a 1 year old, I know- -but he was loving it!! He doesn't enjoy all the natural, whole, healthy stuff so much but we do what we can.) With all the food and sleep he got this week, he is such a happy baby! We are loving life.
Tyson got off his crutches on Wednesday!! YAY YAY YAY!!! He still keeps one handy for those long days of walking, but he's able to put all his weight on his leg again and it's a wonderful thing. I think him being able to hold and carry Teryn is another thing that has made Teryn so happy this week.
I went to the Justin Bieber movie. Yes, I admit it. What's more to admit is, I enjoyed it. I loved it, actually. I am officially a fan. He is incredibly talented, surprisingly sweet and respectful, genuinely kind, and considerably good looking =0) You're looking at a woman who has never read a Harry Potter book, nor seen a Harry Potter movie. Same with the Twilight Saga. I just don't have any desire to follow society and all it's hype. When the world started talking about Justin Bieber, I had no mind for him.....but then I started seeing him on talk shows and hearing his music now and then and I got curious and gave in. Mostly because of his musical talents at such a young age, and without lessons!! If I ever get a chance, I will definitely go to one of his concerts....wearing purple.
Lastly, Tyson and I got new phones. I've had my phone since I returned from my mission (2 1/2 years) and it finally gave out on me Thursday. Coincidentally, 2 Brothers Communications up here in Logan was giving away free phones Friday and Saturday! Tyson's phone is pretty new and still works really well, but while we had a chance we figured it wouldn't hurt to get him a new phone too. We still haven't moved up into the "Smart Phone" world- -but we're happy with these guys for the time being. New phones are always fun =0)

Teryn's 1st Year

2011-03-26T14:17:00.003-06:00

Watch him grow!

My little handsome guy. Love you.

Day 30

2011-03-23T13:38:00.000-06:00

DAY 30: FAVORITE SONG

Well, the first that comes to mind is "What Hurts The Most" by Rascal Flatts.

But wait a minute.....I love this one too.

And this one....

Oh wait! And this one....

And.....and.......and.......

But the first answer that comes to mind is always the real answer, right?

So I better stop before I get out of hand.....

Teryn's Latest and Not-So-Greatest

2011-03-21T12:35:00.000-06:00

What has Teryn been up to these days? Let me tell you.....

He is walking!!! Well, almost. He walks strong and proud if he's walking to someone. He has yet to just walk everywhere he wants to go. Crawling is still more stable so he takes the easy way out.

He is interacting more with his toys- -especially his little pal "Scout"! He dances with him, talks to him, hugs him, and snuggles with him. It's adorable.

He loves books! He would actually prefer to look at them by himself too. His patience runs short with those of us slow-page-turning folk.

He gives kisses! Nothing better than an open-mouthed, slobbery kiss!

He has learned how to knock! He is on my hip everywhere I go in the apartment complex, so he's caught on to the idea of knocking to get the attention of someone on the other side of the door. Yesterday Tyson played with him while I took a nap and I heard him come to the hall door and "knock knock knock"....."knock knock knock". So cute!

He loves to be outside, which isn't new, but he's figured out that the door knob opens the door to go outside. He climbs up to the door and rattles the knob, begging to go outside. I'll have to start locking it before long!

He loves grapes!! If he knows they're available, he won't eat anything else.

Which brings me to my next point. And I need your help with this. He does not eat. Well, he eats, but meagerly. You saw from his 12 month stats that he has only gained 12 pounds in 12 months. I can accept the fact that he is a featherweight....but I can't accept the fact I know he would be otherwise if he would just eat. We have family meals and we try to feed him what's on our plate as well as giving his own finger foods, but he will take a few bites here and there, then swipe everything to the floor and throw a fit when we try to feed him more. He just wants to play and play and play.....but then nighttime hits and he wakes hungry in the night!!! That's the hardest part about it. He doesn't get enough sleep because he is uncomfortably hungry! Then, we are trying to wean him from his bottle- -but how else do we feed him at 1:00 in the morning? Tyson mentioned we should take him to the kitchen and sit him in his high chair for a real meal so he understands where eating takes place. I agree, but the realistic mother in me knows Teryn would not be happy about that and it would just make for an out-of-control tantrum. I don't think any mother wants to set herself up for that in the middle of the night. So alas, I give him a bottle (sometimes two) to fill him up until morning, but then it's the same cycle over, and over, and over again. Meager eating, fit throwing, insufficient napping, interrupted sleeping. All things combined = one miserable baby. And all you mothers know what that means. One miserable mommy.

I just want my happy baby back, and I know he would be so much more comfortable and happy if he would sleep, and I know he would sleep better if he would just eat.

Can anyone share any light on this subject? Personal experiences, "If I were yous...", or any other hope-giving words? I would greatly appreciate it.

A few videos of Teryn's latest. Enjoy!

First steps! (Not very first, but soon thereafter)

Fun in the tub!

Playing with the hall door. A daily occurence.

Trip Home Part 2: My day

2011-03-19T13:16:00.005-06:00

Since my sister-in-law Breanna and I both had birthdays in February, Betty (Tyson's step-mom) decided to give us a girls day at her spa!! (She owns Merle Norman in Vernal-next to Maurices.
Go check it out!)

We got massages, facials, and pedicures. I'd never had a massage or a facial before, and the pedicure I'd had before didn't compare to the pedicure they gave, so it's safe to say I'd never had a pedicure before either. All of it was glorious!!! (Except maybe the neck/shoulder massage....the masseuse called my knots "baby knots". Carrying a kid sure takes it's toll....ouch!!) Overall though, it was relaxing and so peaceful. The facial was especially awesome. After all was done and Breanna and I were just sitting, waiting for our toes to dry, I looked at her and said, "maybe we need to become girly-girls". Ha ha! It was a whole new world. Loved it! Every girl needs to be pampered once in a while!

These pictures are from Betty's phone so they're smaller than normal.

The foot/heel scrubber they used was incredible. I've tried many different types/shapes/brands but nothing I've ever tried got my feet as soft and smooth as theirs did! The brand is Microplane. I bought one before I left =0) I also bought two O.P.I. nail polishes- -colors "You Don't Know Jacques" and "Bubble Bath". Love them! Happy Birthday to me!

Before we left, our friend Nicky also gave us makeovers!!!

Turquoise for me....

Purple for Breanna!

Thanks Betty!! We had so much fun!!!

(p.s. Blogger finally let me load pictures for the post below)

First

2011-03-17T20:55:00.002-06:00

Sunday the 13th was Teryn's first birthday!! Am I really the mother of a one year old? That's amazing.

We went out home during Spring Break to celebrate with our families. Our first stop was Roosevelt with Greg, Betty, Breanna, and Lexi. Then we made our way to Vernal with Dennis and Michelle. Teryn suddenly caught a cold while we were there so he started feeling a little miserable. We finished our trip with a stop in Neola and ended up coming back to Logan a little earlier than we anticipated because Teryn just was not happy. Poor guy. Nobody wants to be sick on their birthday!! Especially their first (and only, so far) birthday! He was a trooper though. It was cute- -he made kissy sounds when we pulled in our parking lot in Logan because he knew he was home and he was so happy!

Tyson went to church while I stayed home with Teryn on Sunday. After church, we had dinner and Uncle Brandon came to celebrate Teryn's birthday with us. We watched the Toy Story trilogy and then took Teryn to the park. He still wasn't too happy, so we did what we could to celebrate but he didn't enjoy it much.

We decided to wait a few days to let him recover before letting him dig into his 1st-birthday cake. Some friends came on Tuesday to enjoy the show with us.....even though it didn't turn out to be much of a show. Teryn is a consistency eater- -if he touches it and doesn't like the consistency, it doesn't go near his mouth. I don't think he was very fond of the frosting. And since he didn't like the feeling of the frosting, he hardly dug past it. He got a tiny taste, but wasn't interested in indulging himself.

He had his 12 month well check today and it was the first time I think he recognized where he was and what was coming. When I laid him on the table to undress him for his height and weight, he got really anxious and started to whine- -and for good reason. His (4) shots today were worse than past shots....it made him (and me!) very sad. The good thing about it was the Pina Colada Dum Dum afterward, though! He's never had a sucker before so he loved it. Now we'll see what the next few days bring. The Doc said it's common for children to get a rash and fever after 12-month shots. Great. Hopefully we're one of the 'uncommon' ones.

12 MONTH STATS
Weight: 20 lbs 2 oz (15th Percentile)

Mr. Lightweight! Only 12 lbs more than his birth weight.

Height: 30 1/3 inches (70th Percentile)

10 inches longer than his birth length.

Head: 18 1/2 inches (75th Percentile)

80% intelligence- -20% stubbornness

Not sure what to think about the candle....

Take me out to the ball game!

Happy birthday boy! (Notice the runny nose coming on....)

Self-censored bath picture.

Not-so-happy birthday boy.

Miserably sick. Poor little guy.

Happy to be home and packing his birthday backpack.

Trip to the park.

Not interested in the camera. Very much sick.

"What's this gooey green stuff??"

"Hmmm...it sticks well to the floor..."

"Maybe it's not so bad...."

"I'll dig a little further...."

"OK, that was fun. I'm done Mom!"

12-month well check sucker. Yummy!

Day 29

2011-03-16T19:33:00.002-06:00

DAY 29: IN THIS PAST MONTH, WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED?

How to make paninis

the difference between 'emigrate' and 'immigrate'.

I recommend learning both.

p.s. A post about Teryn's birthday is coming- -I promise.

Day 28

2011-03-13T20:17:00.003-06:00

DAY 28: PICTURES OF YOU FROM LAST YEAR AND NOW.
HOW HAVE YOU CHANGED SINCE THEN?

March 13th Last Year

March 13th Today

How have I changed since then?

I've learned well how to change diapers quickly and economically.
I've experienced a tender, more gentle heart.
I've learned what it takes to convince a child to eat.
I'm sleep deprived.
I've learned I can do most things with just one hand
(while the other carries/entertains Teryn).
I've found happiness and pride in being thrown-up on.
I've realized I'm a worrier.
I'm 50 lbs. lighter.
I have greater reason to live.
I've found happiness in simplicity.
I've learned that I can love beyond love.
I've learned that "happiness" is an understatement.

Happy First Birthday Teryn!

(Further update to come....)

Day 27

2011-03-13T11:53:00.001-06:00

DAY 27: WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS 30 DAY CHALLENGE?

Well, there are a few reasons.

The biggest reason is that it gives me something to blog about. And not just "something".....I like the random questions it gives me to answer. Since our blog will become a sort of family history, I like that the random questions will give my posterity a sense of what life is like for me and for our current family. There are some things that would never come up in everyday conversation- -like what you would find in my bag or the first 10 songs that shuffle on my iPod. I think those types of things tell a lot about a person, and they're things that no one could know about me unless they specifically asked.

Another reason is that it gives me something to do. Since Tyson's surgery, I've have him home to keep me company (hence the lack of blogging). Typically, he works 3 nights out of the week and I like to stay up until he gets home, so this 30 day challenge has been a fun way to spend my time waiting. He has a few more weeks on crutches which means he has a few more weeks until he can go back to work. At that point, I'll be back at it.

And I'll probably start another 30 days =0)

Day 26

2011-03-07T17:11:00.000-07:00

DAY 26: WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR FRIENDS

This is kind of a funny question for me. Shouldn't this be self-explanatory? If people didn't think the world of their friends, they wouldn't be their friends, would they? Maybe it's just me.

Well I think just that. The world. I love, adore, admire, respect, and appreciate my friends. I have been beyond-blessed with friends throughout my life. It's amazing how I have different friends in different places for different reasons. Some friends are listeners, some are consolers, some are partiers, some are inspirers. I tell different things to different friends and do different things with different friends. I don't think I could pour a "Dani's Friend" mold, and I like that.

Chances are, if you're reading this, you are/have been my friend at one point in my life. To each of you- -thank you for being who you are and for being who I need/needed you to be for me. There are no words to express my gratitude. I am where I am because of my friends!

Day 25

2011-03-07T09:20:00.001-07:00

DAY 25: WHAT I WOULD FIND IN YOUR BAG

I'm just going to start digging....

Lip Gloss

Chapstick

Aquaphor

Hair Elastic

Floss

Mascara

Lotion

Coupons (Papa Murphy's, Jamba Juice, Redbox)

Eye Drops

Fingernail Clippers

Checkbook

Pass-along Cards

Teryn's Immunization Record

Wallet

More Lip Balm

Post-it Notes

Swatches of Christmas Fabric??

Receipts

Pill Box

Loose Change

Mucinex

CPR Face Cover/Guard

Logan Temple Schedule

Notebook

Gift Cards

Card Wallet

All in this little thing

I'm not a big-purse kind of girl. For me, it's all about compartments/pockets. I'm packing everything I need in this little guy. And it tucks right in the diaper bag so I don't have double luggage when I leave with the babe.

I actually didn't realize what I had in there, ha ha. I can take those fabric swatches out now.....

Day 24

2011-03-06T14:13:00.000-07:00

DAY 24: YOUR LAST FIVE FACEBOOK STATUSES

3/3/2011: "I love Mickey Mouse pancakes....."

(Thanks Dena and Ben! Ah ha ha ha.)

3/2/2011: "My neighbors are cooler than yours"

(Dena, Kate, Allison, and Leticia. Love them.)

3/1/2011: "YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY"

(Explanation soon to come. Hopefully.)

2/27/2011: "Ramen for Tyson. Cous cous for me =0)"

(Epitome of laziness.)

2/26/2011: "I love when there's just a little more ice cream in the carton than I planned to eat...you can't put it back in the freezer with only a few spoonfuls left, right? =0)"

(Right.)

Day 23

2011-03-06T14:04:00.000-07:00

DAY 23: SOMETHING YOU CRAVE A LOT

Best. creation. ever.

Day 22

2011-03-04T10:52:00.000-07:00

DAY 22: WHAT MAKES YOU DIFFERENT FROM EVERYONE ELSE

I can think of 4 things that only I can claim:

1) I am the daughter of Rouel and Bev Henrie

2) I am the sister of Shane, Mykel, Bret, Teryn, Brandon, and Ty

3) I am the wife of Tyson Lyn Todd

4) I am the mother of Teryn Gregory Todd

Day 21

2011-03-03T14:29:00.000-07:00

DAY 21: A PICTURE OF SOMETHING THAT MAKES YOU HAPPY

Everything about this picture makes me happy. His position, his pajamas, his rosy chubby cheeks, his silence. I love to peek in on him and just watch him sleep sometimes. It makes me smile.

Day 20

2011-02-28T15:43:00.001-07:00

DAY 20: SOMEONE YOU LOVE

Tyson Lyn Todd.

I love him because.....

He's my long-time high school friend

He's multi-talented

He's a closet comedian

He is hott

He lets me win our longest tongue contests

He's tall and strapping

He looks at me differently than he looks at
anyone else

He's a proud daddy

He has a bad-boy profile

He's a family man

.....and he will love me even after he reads this post! Right, Tys?

Love you babe!