Crazy old photos

I was looking through my old photos tonight, hoping to get some inspiration for scrapbooking or something, and found a few crazy ones. Here is what Alex's cleft looked like for anyone who has never seen a cleft in the soft pallet. See how his mouth has a gaping hole in the back there? He doesn't have an uvula and that was the part that was repaired with surgery in 2006. And yes, food and drinks came out of his nose when he ate. It was really a pain...



Here it is several hours after the surgery. It took him a long time to wake up and cheer up (go figure... it took a while for the surgery!) Here he is being so sweet despite the obvious hospital around him (he had to spend the night... it was awful). Ironically 2 days after coming home he wanted to drink with straws and eat chips. Hello!!!

Look how cute he looked... okay, so he shouldn't have gone through this but at least after the terror of the first few hours of him waking up screaming this was a much happier kid. (It was a nightmare that I don't want to ever re-live). The arm braces were so he couldn't put anything in his mouth by the way, they were the smallest ones and *way* too big for him so he didn't wear them much.

Alright, I'd play "guess the kid" but hello, we only have one girl! lol. This is definitely Ariana, at 1 year, when her hair was finally getting thicker. SO funny. Camden definitely can't deny his sister is related by the way, look at that! By the way, look at my gorgeous cupboards! (laughing evilly). I did paint them and I thought they were *awesome* in that teeny kitchen we had. Glad we don't own that house anymore though.



Ha ha... funny photo of Camden for you tonight. Not his best photo but heck it was funny. Any time you flip the viewer of the camera around and he sees himself, well, this is what we get... booger and all. Man I'm cracking up over here, got to lay off that candy. :)

Survey about hubby

On a SAHM board I'm on we were asked these questions... since I took the time to fill it out I thought I'd share them. :)

How and where did you meet your hubby? What were your first thoughts when you met him? What attracted you to him?

Okay, we met on a blind date *but* I met him before that, he just doesn't remember. (The first time I met him I said "no way I'm going out with him" and almost called and canceled the date... lol). I definitely wasn't prepared to be attracted to him. We went mini-golfing and had a ton of fun. We didn't date for a while though so it wasn't instant love or anything crazy, just friendship at first.

Where did you go and what did you do on your first date?

Like I said, we played mini-golf at Scandia.

How long did you date before he proposed?

We dated 2 months before he proposed!

Tell us about his proposal to you.

Not much to tell. lol. He kept hinting at it and I was panicked. He did throw it out there so to speak and I told him don't ask me just now, I wasn't sure. That night I finally felt that it was right but didn't see him for a few days so had to wait and tell him that next week (it felt like forever). We did have him ask my dad for permission and didn't tell him we'd already agreed to be married (secret engagement, that was kind of fun). We finally made it "official" by buying some flowers that night (at Wal-Mart, of all places, it was the only store with flowers at 7:30 on a Tuesday night where we live!) He asked me to marry him in the car at the church parking lot. lol. So romantic (lol) but oh well. :)

What was your wedding like? Did everything go according to plan? Did either of you cry? How big was your wedding, and who stood in for you (bridesmaids/groomsmen)?

Gosh, our wedding was amazing. We were married in our temple and words can't explain how absolutely gorgeous it was. Yes, we both cried (especially after when we hugged friends and family who came). After we took pictures and then had the reception that evening, which was very big and so amazingly gorgeous. We had an enormous wedding line, it really was big. (I think I had 2 maids of honor, 5 bridesmaids, 2 jounior bridesmaids, 1 flower girl, 2 best men, 4 groomsmen, 1 ring-barer). It was nuts but we really enjoyed it!

What did you do for your rehearsal dinner?

We hosted it the week before and it was at the RainForest Cafe... it was a lot of fun!

Where did you honeymoon and what did you see and do there?

Do there? Hmm... that's a really funny question. We actually bought passes to Disneyland (we lived a few minutes away from it at that time) and would just hop over there several times a week. That was a total blast!!!

How and when did you know he was "the one?"

I think it was the night he "almost" proposed... well, sometime in there. See, he was the only guy I'd ever dated and I was worried that I was making a mistake and jumping into it too quickly. I wrote him an email and explained that, but after I sent it I was worried he'd think I was breaking up with him! I was crying all day, worried about seeing him that night. When I finally did he was surprised and said he'd not understood half of what I'd said in the darn email. (roflol). Duh! I think that was when I realized I really didn't want to lose him.

What is your "song," if you have one?

We have 2 songs actually. One is by AirSupply- that song "Two less lonely people" and the other was the one we danced to... Christina Aguelera's "I Turn to you"

Back to school and naughty kids

Well for those who don't know Ray is continuing with school and going for his Masters in Math Education (yes, I know... he is a Math geek and loves it). Sigh. He finally finished his credentialing this Spring but we figured since we were already going full force, and because Masters will give him a higher pay scale, we needed to keep pushing on with this. So he's once again going to college in the evenings meaning I am lonely and sad (lol). Honestly though, my sister is living with us now and that really helps out when she's not working. It's just hard to have him back at Cal State after having such a nice summer together.

We're doing good, staying busy trying to get Alex into preschool (eek). He's not potty trained so that's been hard to find somewhere but we finally have and are waiting for a spot to be open for him. It's nerve wracking for me of course but he would do so well with the social interaction.

By the way, Ariana is now several inches taller than her brother. It's so weird to see them side by side because, well, she definitely doesn't look like a 3 year old. She gets it from both sides of the family but I like to think it's more from me... I was always a whole head taller than most kids my age (my sister and I were always told we were in the wrong grade at the beginning of the year). We just grow tall kids! :) Alex is tall for his weight... we have to give him something. lol.

See, she's taller! By the way, she dressed herself that day (lol) and Alex is playing with a doll... a Cinderella doll... and no that doesn't bother me. :)

Oh, and the boys are now in a very boring room. Alex climbed into Camden's crib during naptime recently and helped him *rip off* the wallpaper border I had so carefully hung in there a year and a half ago. I was shocked to come in and hear *rip* followed by giggling and "good job Camden". Ugh. I did take pictures, just like any good mom would, and then with Alex and Ariana's help ripped it off the rest of the room (it was too late to save any of the pretty paper). So now they have a boring green room... too bad for them. I just keep waiting for them to rip down Ariana's. (By the way, it's one of the few rooms in the house with borders. I don't tend to like them but they were easy enough to change later so we went with those).

Camden kept giggling and saying "cheese" to the camera... that's why he looks so crazy here... and yes he had just finished dinner

Yes, those are spaggeti handprints thanks to Alex who eats that stuff *all day* (ick)

There is a funny video that goes with this photo... maybe I'll attach it... and yes she really is taller than him

The evidence...

8 years

8 years ago today was the day that I married my sweetheart. I definitely can believe it's been 8 years, we've been through a lot together, but then I also can't believe time has passed so quickly. In the last 8 years we've survived

* Lived in a studio apartment for 10 months (teeny, it was a hotel room converted, the walls were thin, and we were on the staircase of the busy stairs... our apartment always shook).
* Lived in a small 1 bedroom apartment for 10 months or so
* Bought our first house for my 21st birthday :) (lived there 4 1/2 years)
* Struggled with infertility
* Spent many nights crying in Ray's arms about wanting a child
* Driven 7 cars... been in 3 car accidents together, all male drivers and none our fault (2 semi-serious... the cars were totaled)
* 3 pregnancies
* 1 premature birth and NICU stay
* 2 amazingly normal births
* 1 surgery of a cleft pallet
* 2 seizures and praying our son wouldn't die in our arms
* 8 years of school (and still going... he's started his Masters degree)
* Being jobless
* 3 years of teaching
* Many laughs
* Dozens of bouquets of roses
* Standing by each other as equal partners despite opposition that wants to tear us apart
* 1 grandmother's untimely death
* Countless priesthood blessings for comfort or healing

I'm sure the list could keep growing to include me keeping a few lbs on after pregnancy, Ray and his gimp knee from basketball so many years ago, and even crazy looney family members who are determined to make our lives miserable (his family). None of that really matters though...

What matters is I'm married to such a wonderful man. He works so hard for our family and tries to provide us with what we need. He works hard so hard for us so that I can be a stay-at-home mother and take care of the needs of our children. He takes care of us and loves me so much... sometimes it amazes me that he can put up with some of the trials we have but he comes through them so well. He is a rock, he is the one who holds strong when I'm ready to fall apart. He is the priesthood holder of our family and takes that responsibility seriously, I'm grateful for that. He is my best friend and I have no doubt we were meant to be together and have the children we have. I am so grateful he's given me the gift of a forever family and I love him so much. Happy Anniversary honey!

Our engagement photo (hey, no laughing! lol)



8 years later and happy as can be (sorry, we don't seem to have any of just the 2 of us but I like it that way... lol)

Vent about contest

I'm so annoyed. I was in a contest for scrap-kit makers and I swear these contestants cheated! We were given a color pallete and told to make a vintage scrapkit with it. Mine turned out beautiful if I do say so myself. Well a few people took it and made a PINK color with it when there was not even a light pink in the freaking thing. I think they cheated and am really pissed about it but hey, if they have to cheat to win then I don't want to work with them anyways. Oh well right? Had to vent...

Vent about contest

I'm so annoyed. I was in a contest for scrap-kit makers and I swear these contestants cheated! We were given a color pallete and told to make a vintage scrapkit with it. Mine turned out beautiful if I do say so myself. Well a few people took it and made a PINK color with it when there was not even a light pink in the freaking thing. I think they cheated and am really pissed about it but hey, if they have to cheat to win then I don't want to work with them anyways. Oh well right? Had to vent...

Busy but good

Things are busy here but we're doing well. I have started selling my digital scrapkits and gosh, made some nice money in the last 2 weeks or so (shocked the heck out of me). I don't think it will last but I'm not relying on it as an income but rather some play money so heck, keeping that going! We recently went to a Stake Festival celebrating the Pioneers who settled in San Bernardino so many years ago, not the most fun ever but the kids enjoyed it and I loved watching them have fun. (We were cold the first night and sweating like crazy on Saturday... go figure). Jill harassed me for not blogging lately so here I am. :)

By the way, for those wondering we do want another baby and have started trying to get pregnant. I am not telling you this so you can call me once a month to ask how it's going with that, we all know that my body is finicky and won't always do what it's supposed to. It's in the Lord's hands and we are patient... for now. (laughing). We really have our hands full anyways right?

The kids are good, Alex is doing well in Speech and we're working on enrolling him in Preschool. It scares me to death but I think it's extremely important before he's old enough for Kindergarten so we're trying. Problem is he's not potty trained yet (yes, 4 1/2 and no, it's not my fault although I blame myself a lot). He's just been through a lot, not sure why it's not there but when he does it finally it will be in his time and not from a lack of mommy trying.

Ariana is great too, although she's fighting me on the same issue (not potty trained). She's been really loving and a total bossy girl lately, wants to be the mommy and has started calling Alex her younger brother because he's gotten shorter than her, even though he is in fact older. He gets mad, they both fight over the "biggest sibling" spot. (sigh). They do get along great though, don't get me wrong. She's excited about wanting another baby (not sure where she got that idea) and wants a girl in mommy's tummy right now. Goober.

Camden is walking better every day, today he was practicing like crazy. He still crawls like a Spider monkey though and even can crawl sideways like that. It's the fastest thing I've ever seen, I've really got to post a video of it because it makes me giggle and I know he won't do it much longer.

Ray and I are great too, he's enjoying work this year and staying busy with that and running a club after school. Catherine is living here now and working hard to pay her bills, we're proud of her and the kids are really eating it up that she's here.

Well here are a few photos for you. :)

Here are my kids having an orange juice break... same thing every morning...

Camden my Spider monkey... yes... this is how he really crawls...

School is in... no wait... this is a fake school house

Alex and his cousin Dennis... the only boy cousin they have of the 9 cousins

Ray and Ariana making rag dolls... notice she's not even looking... lol.

**Ooh, I found a really funny video of Camden**