A Polson Family's Adventures {with a little life in between}

It's Not About Supporting a Cause...

2012-02-06T21:23:00.001-07:00

It's about saving a life.

Many who know me know that if there's one thing I hate more than anything else, it's cancer. I've lost many loved ones to it, seen many friends and family go through it, and I don't want it to be one of the leading causes of death anymore. Awhile ago, I came across a blog about a sweet girl named Gabby. She was 5 years old and battling brain cancer. Since her passing, I still frequent her blog out of concern for her family who is still struggling with her passing, but also to follow the progress of them setting up a foundation called Get Well Gabby.

Their foundation is almost set up and deep in my heart, I see this being as big if not bigger than the Susan G. Komen foundation. I want to see this foundation succeed. Not just for their family but for Gabby. Gabby's biggest message was "Believe" and I believe that this foundation will accomplish great things. I ask you to follow the Get Well Gabby blog. Honestly, it will break your heart some days. Her parents are still struggling with their grief and trying to find their way in a life without Gabby. Gabby's dad John is the primary writer on the blog because it's his outlet, and he is very honest about how he feels.

I know my blog doesn't reach many people, but I'm asking you to also spread the word about Gabby. You never know who's life hers will touch.
http://getwellgabby.org

Monster Success!

2012-01-30T11:40:00.004-07:00

The Monster High party was Saturday and despite taking it down to the wire getting ready, it was a huge success. All the kids had a great time and Stetson was totally surprised with how it all came together.
The birthday invite my sister and I made

Main kitchen display

I made different signs for different stations I had set up in the house

A 'Welcome to the Party' table by our front door

Personalized Monster High Shirts I made for all the kids

Party hats, gold necklaces, leopard dog tags, and ring pops in the wire basket - Clawdeen is into fashion & gold

The kids all ready to party!

My youngest in her Monster High shirt - her's was the first one I did which is why it looks different than the others

A Flip Flop & Football Craft for the kids

I didn't get a picture of the table set up, but here's one of the kids working on their crafts

Had to get a picture of the girls all wearing their finished flip flops

These were the different signs I had on the food table. Draculara is a vegetarian vampire, Holt likes hot things, and Duece is the son of Medusa and has snake for hair

Various pictures with above signs

My husband made the coffin cupcake holder and I made the cupcake toppers that you see poking out of it

I made personalized water bottle labels and also set up a table for drinks. I picked up single serving juice mixers from the dollar store so kids could either have 'blood red' juice or water

We put ice in the black bowl in the middle

Some tid bits about the DIY projects I did:

*T-shirts and cupcake toppers idea came from Pinterest and eBay. Instead of buying them, I made them myself (t-shirts were on sale 4 for $10 at Michael's and the iron on transfers where $8.99 for 10 after using Michael's 40% off coupon.) Michael's didn't have the smaller size shirt for my youngest, but Hobby Lobby did and it was $2.99
*I used clear plastic picture frames for the station signs that I picked up at Dollar Tree.
*The stand holding the coffin is just a kitchen stock pot with a tutu I had made for my youngest around it.
*My husband designed and made the coffin out of Mat Paper (the same mat you use to frame your pictures in a picture frame - it was $4.79 after 40% off coupon at Hobby Lobby and is bigger than poster board.)
*The flip flops were $1.99 each at Hobby Lobby and I bought 1/4 yd of 4 different fabrics. I get them into 1/2"x 5" strips to tie onto the flip flops. I would probably make them 6" long next time, and I had fabric left over.
*The footballs were picked up from Dollar Tree and they used crayola markers (which got all over their hands and rubbed off but at least it's washable lol) and stickers to decorate them.
*My sister helped me design all the graphics using Photoshop and I either had them printed off at Office Depot or by using my own printer at home.

The party lasted for 2 hrs and it was the perfect amount of time to do everything and still leave a little extra play time for the kids before getting picked up by their moms and dads. I can't wait to throw another DIY party - although my husband might beg to differ lol.

An 8th Birthday Party to Remember

2012-01-24T12:01:00.000-07:00

For the past month I have been working down a list of ideas I have for Stetson's 8th Birthday party this weekend. Even saying that she will be 8 simply amazes me! Who would've thought after a rocky relationship, I would've come out on the other end a stronger person with a mini-me that can turn any frustrating day into a smile and is so quick witted that sometimes I think I need to go back to school just to keep up with her. Don't get me wrong, I'm a mom, I have my moments with her too; but she is my Princess and because of that, she is getting a party to remember for her 8th birthday.

Now some people may be reading this and thinking of that horror show "My Sweet 16" - yeah, that's not me (although my husband might beg to differ). I'm very thrifty in my planning and making it as much of a DIY party as I can. She wanted a Monster High party so there have been many hours searching on Pinterest, Google, eBay and Etsy. I love to throw and plan parties and events so whatever I could dig up, I've made notes of and put into motion to make possible. A couple years ago, Casey and I decided that our kids would only have a big friend party every couple of years. Stetson's last one was actually when she turned 5 and we went to Chuck-E-Cheese. I'm sure as she gets older, the party theme's will dwindle and they'll be replaced with having a friend sleep over or something equally not mom friendly cuz she'll be hitting the age where mom's are lame lol.

So what's on the agenda for this Monster High party? Well, thanks to my sister's help with editing some things in Photoshop there will be fun signs, home made theme t-shirts, customized water bottle labels, and my husband will be making a coffin cupcake holder. I'd love to share pictures of some of the things already made, but that would ruin the surprise of seeing it all put together :) The best part about all of this is that our original plan for her birthday was to do a swim party at the Aquatic Center, but thanks to the art of being crafty, this party has turned out cheaper than that by about $40!! Love it!

I can't wait to see the look on her face when she sees all I have in store for her. She really is a wonderful daughter and does so much to help us around the house and take care of her siblings. A little to much really, but she's got good intentions at heart. Love you Stetson! In two days you'll be 8 and I hope this party is a party to remember :)

Homemade BBQ Sauce

2012-01-16T11:54:00.002-07:00

I'm not one to buy BBQ sauce at the store so when it comes to dishes that involve a BBQ sauce of some sort, I usually look for recipes that have you mix up something rather than just add a bottle of sauce. While searching Pinterest for a slow cooker rib recipe one day, I came across one at Dukes and Dushesses and since then, I have used this BBQ recipe on everything from ribs to pulled chicken sandwiches. The ingredients are pretty much guaranteed to be in your pantry and the flavor is amazing!

2 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. flour
1/3 C. water
1/2 C. white vinegar (I've also used apple cider vinegar)
2 TBS soy sauce
2 TBS ketchup
1/4 tsp ground ginger (I substitute cloves)
1/4 tsp garlic powder

*I also add 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper for a little spice*

Mix sugar & flour in a sauce pan, add water.
Stir until blended
Add remaining ingredients.
Stir until sauce comes to a boil and thickens

The other great thing about this recipe is that you can adjust it as you see fit to make it spicier, sweeter or have more of a vinegar base. I think it would also be great with meatballs or little franks. I think I'll be trying that out for Superbowl :)

Bad Things Happen to Good People {and that sucks!}

2012-01-15T22:15:00.000-07:00

Lately I feel as if my life is being plagued by bad things. The crazy thing about this "plague" is that it's not happening to me. Yeah, I've had my share of kids driving me crazy, I'm tired of living from paycheck to paycheck, and how am I gonna afford that copay moments; but those aren't "bad" things. They're just every day life situations that a person just has to deal with.

When I say "bad" things I mean a woman who wants nothing more in life than to be a mother (and I have to add, she will be a GREAT one) but her body keeps throwing her more curve balls than we can count, a husband in the hospital fighting one illness after another when he's got a loving wife and kids at home that don't deserve to be without him, a single mom who thought she was going to lose her home - saved it - only to find out that the new mortgage company sold it out from underneath her when she was told they would help her save it, or another family member diagnosed with cancer when they just got done rejoicing another one being in remission.

'Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.' Proverbs 3:5-6

I know that there is a plan, one bigger than I understand, but it still doesn't stop me from wanting to throw an angry fit like my 1 or 3 year old would do.

New Look, New Title, New Year

2012-01-13T12:36:00.002-07:00

As you can tell, I've been working on my blog all morning :) Stetson is out of school today for a teacher planning day so it's given me freedom to sit on my butt on and do nothing productive around the house. Typically I would be figuring out what was on my to-do list, trying to guestimate how long it would take me to get done, and chopping things off because I wouldn't have time to do it before having to get Stetson from school thanks to Friday being a half day.

So what's new for 2012 - I don't know yet (besides the new blog look lol.} I haven't set any new years resolutions or made any huge goals. All in all, I can't say I'm looking forward to anything this year, other than much praying that my SIL gets pregnant because I'm seeing her constantly disappointed and hurting from negative results is killing me! I shouldn't say I'm not looking forward to anything...I do have a new niece arriving in April and my little sister is getting married in August, but as exciting as those things are, I'm just a person on the side experiencing the joys of it all.

Casey and I don't have any MAJOR plans this year. Trying to plan a trip to Jackson for our 6th Anniversary in April (OH CRAP! I hope my new niece doesn't come while we're gone :/} -- we were hoping to buy a house, but looks like we'll have to wait until September to make that happen, which means it will probably not happen until 2013 when we get next years tax return for a down payment. We want to pay off the blazer, get Casey a new truck, pay off some bills, and blah blah blah. Like I said, nothing exciting.

I do want to do more with my blog this year. I remember when I lived in Florida and social networking wasn't a nationwide phenom - my blog was all I had for speaking my mind and blowing up the internet with non-sense. I want to post more about the things I make, plan, do and get back to speaking my mind. I started doing a little of that towards the end of 2011, but as much as I love being on the computer, I find it difficult to log into my blog. Guess we'll see what happens. Maybe I should make creating goals and sticking to them my new years resolution lol.

Well, I hope you enjoy the new look and I hope your 2012 is off to a good start. Before I end, I have to add:

HAPPY 75TH BIRTHDAY GRANDMOM!!

I don't get to spend it with her due to her being in Reno, but I love her tons and will hopefully Skype with her later :)

Busy Busy Holidays

2011-12-20T10:04:00.008-07:00

For some reason the end of the year doesn't just mark a lot of end of year craziness, it also brings on the added Holiday Festivities and shopping chaos. We've had Casey's company Holiday party, the I {Heart} Weston fundraiser for Primary Childrens Hospital CICU, Stetson had her Holiday Dance Recital, the Otterstrom Christmas Party, and we went to see the lights at Temple Square. I know it bugs the crap out of Casey when our days get full and there is no time for relaxation, but for some reason, I totally LOVE it!

Us with Stetson after her Holiday Dance Recital

Me and my girls at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building

We've also been having fun with our elf Chippy and the kids are excited to get up every day and see where he may be. We did have little miss Sierra decide to take him for a walk (apparently she didn't want him looking at the tree that day), but thanks to our "magic dust" plan, all was well the next day :) Some days we go all out, other days we just move him from one shelf to another, but the kids' excitement is still the same and that's awesome!

I read a blog yesterday that was hilarious and making fun of parents that go all out with their elf. I'll admit, going all out every day would be draining. There have been nights where I forgot to move him and was hurrying to find somewhere on a random Sierra or Wyatt wake up call at 4 AM, but he still gets moved and I think I would be just as disappointed as the kids if he was in the same place when I woke up the next morning.

Here are some more of our adventures with Chippy :)

Chippy the Pirate

Flying back and forth nightly can get exhausting, time to relax in a marshmellow bubble bath

Hanging with Santa

Peek-a-boo Chippy, we see you!

So with 5 days left until Christmas, the Holiday chaos will soon be coming to a close, Chippy will be leaving us and we'll be preparing for another new year with the hopes of blessings and new adventures coming to us. I wish all of you the same and hope your Holidays are ones to remember.

Chippy Likes to Swing

2011-12-09T12:01:00.005-07:00

We don't have a star, but Chippy thought the ceiling fan would do to swing from :)

Wyatt showing me where Chippy is:

Our Newest Christmas Addition

2011-12-09T11:16:00.010-07:00

This year I decided to start entertaining my children with The Elf on the Shelf. When I first thought I'd do this tradition, I didn't know there was a book involved, so while shopping at Hobby Lobby last month I found an elf that I thought would be perfect (and in my $2 price range lol). As I was looking around on the internet and Pinterest trying to come up with nightly ideas I realized that there was a book attached to this cute little elf if you start it the traditional way. Oh GREAT!

Well, after getting the gist of it all and watching the show on CBS (thanks CBS) lol, I came up with a way to introduce it to my kiddos. It helped that we had recently done videos from Santa thanks to http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/home and I was able to tie that into everything. So after getting my idea into place, it was time for our Magic Elf to arrive :)

First, Santa "sent" a letter:

Casey found it outside when he came home from work. The kiddos were VERY anxious to open it since they had just found out they were on the naughty list (I wonder if this would qualify as cruel and unusual punishment?) Inside it looked like this:

Good thing the kiddos didn't notice my typo "Santa Claus" on the letterhead vs "Love Santa Clause" with an E lol

The letter read:

Dear Stetson, Wyatt and Sierra:

I hope you are behaving better since the last video I sent. I wanted to let you know that since you have been on both the nice and naughty list this year, I am sending a special "Magic Elf" to your house. This elf will be in charge of helping me keep track of your behavior and will report back to me at night on how you're doing.

If the Magic Elf does not accompany this letter, don't worry, your elf will let him be known to you shortly. Be sure to give him a name and be VERY careful not to touch him. If you do, your elf will lose all it's special Christmas magic and won't be able to get back to me at the North Pole to report on how you're doing.

Because the magic Elves that work for me like to have fun an play games like my reindeer, I am also including this special pouch of Christmas dust for your parents. This dust will allow your parents to touch your elf without him losing his powers. I have found this helpful for when the elves like to play with your toys or do some baking in the kitchen. The Christmas dust only works for your parents though, so if your elf needs to be moved from his place, make sure you are good girls and boys and let your parents know you need help.

I wish I could let your Magic Elf stay with you all year long, but on Christmas Eve you will have to say good-bye to him so he can return with me to the North Pole until next year. I know his stay won't be very long, but I'm sure you'll have fun getting to know your elf and seeing all the surprises hiim and I have in store for you.

Remember, I am watching and your Magic Elf will be reporting back to me so be on your best behavior. Ho Ho Ho & Merry Christmas!!

Love,
Santa Claus

After the kiddos read the letter, they instantly went searching to see if our elf had arrived, at which time, I put him on top of our tree where they later found him. Because there were lots of questions from Stetson {being the inquisitive 7 year old she is} I had dvr-ed and Elf on the Shelf show on CBS last week and pretended like I had no idea it had been put on there. Playing that helped clear up the questions and gave Stetson and Wyatt our Elf's name.

Yay! Welcome Chippy! Stetson also thought that our elf looked very much like Chippy and that also helped with the "belief" aspect of this fun little adventure.

So off to bed we went, not knowing what our Chippy would be up to when we awoke Thursday morning. Apparently, the lack of snow outside made him think he needed to have one inside :)

It's been fun starting this new tradition in my little family. I look forward to coming up with something, whether it be all out, or him just hanging out somewhere, every night and seeing Stetson's anxiousness to find him in the morning. Wyatt enjoys seeing him, but leaves the finding up to Stetson lol.

Stay tuned for more of our adventures with Chippy this holiday season :)

I'm Thankful {{WAY BEHIND}}

2011-11-29T09:19:00.005-07:00

Because I opted to do my 'I'm Thankful...' posts on my blog, I ended up falling extremely behind, but as I sit back and look at all the blessings in my life, I know that listing one thing a day not only causes me to reflect, but also to dig deep. I often wonder why we only do the month of November to come up with something to be thankful for every day. Granted, based off of my epic fail this month when it comes to staying on top of things, I can see how it would be hard to jot down one thing everyday for 3 months, 6 months, or even a year; but just cuz I wasn't physically writing something, didn't mean I wasn't mentally cataloging something.

16th: Thankful for love and all that it brings into my life
17th: Wyatt - he may be a momma's boy, but it shows how much I am needed in this life
18th: Thankful for being able to speak my mind.
19th: Friends and their never ending support when you need them

and so on and so forth...

One thing I don't think I've ever written down is God. I am very grateful for my faith and belief in God. So why don't I say it? I don't make a habit of shouting from the rooftops about how I feel or make it known daily that I follow the Bible. I don't know Bible verses off the top of my head and I don't even think I could tell you all of the Ten Commandments; but I do believe in God. I do believe in Heaven and Hell and most of all I have faith. Faith that I will see everyone I love in Heaven, faith that even in the roughest moments of my life things will work out, and faith that when I get to Heaven regardless of the decisions I made in life I will be forgiven for my sins and be accepted with open arms into His kingdom.

I have read a quote many times that says "We may not have it all together, but together we have it all" and that is exactly how I feel about my life. I wouldn't trade a single person (gay/straight, Christian/Buddist/Atheist, rich/poor, smart/dumb) or a single event that has happened for another. In fact, I would say if someone told me to pick only one thing to be thankful for in my life, it would be acceptance. Acceptance of God in my life, my own acceptance for those different from me, and others ability to accept me for me.

I said I don't know a lot of Bible verses and I really don't, but I do know this one and think of it often as I'm going about my day. I suppose I'll just leave it with you and end my month of thankfulness by saying 'Thanks' to all of you for being a part of my life and following this blog (even when there may be a post you don't agree with lol).

Romans 14:1-3 Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them.

**If you want to know more of my feelings on acceptance you can read a post I wrote in July about it after I returned home from Girls Camp. Even though my experience was with the Mormon religion, I think every religion has something positive that can be learned from it. What I Learned at Girls Camp **

I'm Thankful - Day 15

2011-11-15T14:13:00.003-07:00

Today I am thankful to have had Pop-pop in my life. He was a wonderful man who knew a lot about everything. I cherish the memories I have with him doing geneaology, going walking with him at night when he was training for his 5K's, eating ice cream and being able to just hang out and say nothing. He was retired Air Force and worked at Thoikol on the shuttle boosters. He was a rock among men and even when his life was ending, he was still quick witted and loving. I miss you Pop-pop, this day and every day. I hope there's a celebration of life going on in heaven for you. Happy Birthday!

I'm Thankful - Day 11, 12, 13, & 14 {slacker}

2011-11-14T20:48:00.001-07:00

I am a total 'Thankful' slacker lol.

Day #11
This one is a no-brainer {cuz it was his birthday}, I'm thankful for my husband. He goes to work 8 hours a day, 40 days a week so that I can stay home with our kids and do what I can to raise our family. He loves me for me, and although some of my quirks may not be his favorite thing, he still lets me be me. I never had a vision of what the man of my dreams would be like, but as the years go by and our marriage grows, I know he is the one I was meant to marry and be with for the rest of my life. I love you honey and I hope you enjoyed your birthday.

Day #12
I'm thankful for Chris. Yes, I am thankful for my daughters dad. Sure he gave me a wonderful daughter, but today I am grateful for that fact that he is trying to turn his life around and be there for Stetson like he hasn't been before. He is paying for 1/2 her dance stuff, which allows us to be able to afford for her to go and do something she loves. Today {the 12th} he took the time to drive up and see her perform in her first ever dance performance and then took her out for lunch and ice cream afterwards. I may not always be happy with the guy, but I am thankful for seeing the smile him being there put on her face.

Day #13
I am thankful for motivational words. Whether it be religious or just something I may come across during my day. I may never realize I need it at the time, but as soon as I read it; it's like a light bulb has turns on and a peace comes over me.

Day #14
I am thankful for Pinterest. I'll admit, it probably takes up more time in my life than it should, but it has helped me expand my cooking and crafting horizons, as well as given me some of those motivational words I mentioned above. It's made me laugh, and even made me cry at times. I don't know who came up with this wonderful virtual pinboard, but I LOVE it!

I'm Thankful - Day 9 & 10

2011-11-10T11:00:00.001-07:00

I'm Thankful - Day 9
Yesterday I was thankful for my friends. I seemed to have been having a blah day and could always find a smile in one of their status updates, a post on one of my status', a text or an email. It seemed like every time I was getting ready to just check out for the day, someone was there and I'm grateful for that.

I'm Thankful - Day 10
Today I am thankful for the innocense of children. Their simple minds and the funny things they say are highlights of my day. People keep asking Wyatt what he wants for his birthday and his response is "candles - 3 of them" {candles on a cake}. When I told him he had to start asking Santa for things, he said "I'm going to Santa's house?". Sierra doesn't say anything yet, but her actions and cute sounds say enough sometimes. And Stetson, I swear, is to smart for my own good. I have 3 great kids and although I am thankful for each of them individually (Wyatt's will be on his birthday lol); I am thankful for what having kids brings into my life every day (even the trials).

I'm Thankful - Day 8

2011-11-08T21:55:00.001-07:00

Today I find it only fitting that I am thankful for anyone in the cancer fighting field. I don't care if you raise money, you do the testings, are a doctor who make the diagnosis, or part of a research team trying to find a cure; I am thankful to all those that make a disease like this, their cause worth fighting for. I have been on both sides of the fence, whether it be lost loved ones or celebrating the lives of those who have won their battle, my life has been forever changed by this horrible disease and I don't know what I would do if it wasn't for you. I know my little blog doesn't reach many, but if there is anyone out there in cancer fighting field that reads this, Thank You!

"Ice cream is happiness condensed." ~Jessi Lane Adams

2011-11-08T21:39:00.001-07:00

Almost 6 years ago, I lost my grandpa to Multiple Myeloma (cancer). Last year, on his birthday I got as many of my family members together to have a day of remembrance for him on his birthday by enjoying an ice cream treat in his honor. My grandpa was a HUGE fan of ice cream. It didn't matter what other forms of dessert were in the house, as long as he had ice cream, his world was complete. He couldn't just eat ice cream though, he had to share his enjoyment with those around him, even his dog Babies.

When he was diagnosed with cancer, his doctor put him on a strict diet. I'll never forget his disgust in hearing he had to eat frozen yogurt. At first he obliged, always asking Dayna to get him an after dinner bowl of ice cream, to which she'd reply that he had to eat the frozen yogurt. I think the frozen yogurt was doomed from the start in the Topper household. I don't recall it being long before real ice cream was all you could find in the freezer again. {I miss him}.

There wasn't a vacation he took that didn't involve taking his kids and grand kids down to an ice cream shop to to get ice cream. Whether it was a trip to Bear Lake, going to Baltimore to see his mom and everyone on the East coast, or making sure that the ice cream was stocked in the freezer when we would all travel up to the Eagles campground to see him. As time went on, every family trip me and my siblings took with my mom also involved a souvenier related to ice cream for him lol.

"I doubt whether the world holds for anyone a more soul-stirring surprise than the first adventure with ice cream." ~Heywood Broun

As my children get older and I continue to watch them grow, I often think of my grandpa and how he has missed getting to know his great-grandchildren here on earth. I think about their first experiences with ice cream and the feelings it stirs within me. The longing for my grandpa, the joy of having these blessings in my life, and the new memories that ice cream is creating in my little world. I wonder if ice cream will hold special memories for them like it has me over the years. I wonder if Stetson will remember back at all the times Mama T let made sure she had ice cream just cuz she knew Stetson was coming over, or if Wyatt will remember the huge smile on Papa Polson's face every time he got to see Wyatt take his little itty bitty licks of chocolate ice cream from the cone.

"Without ice cream, there would be darkness and chaos." ~Don Kardong

I don't know how I went the first 5 years after his passing without doing an rememberance day for him. After last year, it seems as though that's what we should've been doing all along. This year marks the 2nd annual event and my mind keeps toying with an ice cream social to raise money for cancer research or a family that is going through one form of cancer or another. I would still do it on the 15th of November in honor of his birthday, but I think that there is truth behind the last quote I mentioned and maybe I can't provide light in the form of a cure, but maybe someday I can provide more of those soul-stirring surprises the world needs.

I'm Thankful For - Day 5, 6, & 7 {YIKES}

2011-11-07T12:32:00.003-07:00

Well, 4 days behind, but not any less thankful :)

I'm Thankful - Day 5:
For my daughter Stetson Marie. She's a light in my life on a dark day. She is talented, goofy, loving, understanding, and helpful. She is the oldest of my 3 kids and does what she can for us when we need help with things around the house or with her siblings (there are days with complaints, but she's only 7 lol). She was a blessing from God when things were going crazy in my life and every day she continues to bless my life even more.

I'm Thankful - Day 6:
For my daughter Sierra Elsie. With her cute little cabbage patch face and stunning blue eyes, her face captures the hearts of everyone she meets. Whether she's smiling or crying, I can't help but love her and don't know where I'd be without her snuggles. Another blessing from God that was very unexpected, I thank him every day or bringing her into our lives.

I'm Thankful - Day 7:
For a roof over our heads. It may not be our dream home or an ideal living situation for our family, but it's comfortable, in good condition, and keeps us living within our means. We have food in our pantry, warm beds to sleep in, heat, and running water. But no matter where we are, as long as we're together, it doesn't matter what the roof over our heads is, we'll make it through anything :)

I Am Thankful - Day 4

2011-11-04T12:13:00.004-06:00

Today I am thankful for Five 9's Communications. In a time when most people don't know if they'll have a job from one day to the next because of the economy, Five 9's has managed to play every year smart and although they have had there slow months and things got scary, work has always been there for my husband. No talks of going under, no talks of downsizing (at least not the long time employees). Because of Five 9's, I am able to stay at home and be with my kids on a daily basis and take care of my family. We are able to put grocery's in our house, a roof over our heads, and occasionally able to get out and do that family activity we've been talking about for months. Thank you Five 9's for giving my husband a job and the financial means we need to be a happy healthy family.

I Am Thankful - Day 3

2011-11-03T12:07:00.004-06:00

Today I am thankful for the internet. I realize that some people are afraid of everything that the internet entails. The creeps, the virus', people steeling your photos, etc. But for me, the pros outweigh the cons. The ability to sit down and allow my children to have a face to face relationship with their grandparents, great grandparents and other family members that they can't see on a daily basis. The fact that a father can experience the birth of his child while serving his country in a far off place. Being able to have a virtual photo album for my family to flip through whenever they want and see how much my kids have grown and what they are accomplishing in their lives. I enjoy being able to do research on things, whether it be a disease my family has encountered or my family history, from the comforts of my own home without having to make my kids go out on a cold rainy day or endanger our lives driving in poor weather conditions. Or maybe it's just finding a quick craft or project that I can do with my kids and continue to build long lasting memories with them. Despite it's troubles, the internet has done more to bring my family that is spread across the country, and sometimes the world, together to create ice cream remembering party's and relationships that were on the verge of being forgotten.

30 Days of Things I'm Grateful For

2011-11-02T12:34:00.002-06:00

Because I tend to write a novel as to why I am grateful for things during this time of year, I have decided to write my 30 days worth of things I'm grateful for here on my blog. Since today is November 2nd, I'll be posting two things, but hopefully I'll stay on top of it and get back here every day to put something new :)

November 1st:
Yesterday (and every day) I was thankful for my mom. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her. She's the best friend and best mother a person could ever ask for. She's always stuck by my side through thick and thin, whether she agreed with me or not. She never judged me or got on me for wanting to be the person I wanted to be, in fact, she encouraged it. Another one of the many things I love about her is that I can talk to her about anything, and when we get into a disagreement, we say our piece and move on.

Not only is she an amazing mother, she was born to be Mama T. Watching her with my kids and seeing the smiles that come over their faces is priceless. She isn't afraid to get down and play on the floor with them, or go crazy on the trampoline. The adventures are never ending, even if they begin and end in the playroom. The amount of love that she has for everyone in her life is more than any one of use could ask for.

November 2nd:

Today I am thankful for smiles. Even when I'm having a hard day or my kids are driving me crazy, there is always a smile somewhere that brightens my day. Whether it be from the mouths of my own kids, my husband walking through the door after having a good day at work, or pictures that I've seen someone post on Facebook. A smile is contagious and bring light back into any persons day.

Take It From Me is doing a Doodli-Do's Give-A-Way {so excited}}

2011-10-13T12:05:00.004-06:00

Before I saw this give-a-way, I was IN LOVE with Doodli-Do's {squeal}. Now here I am telling you all again how cute and fun these prints are and you are REALLY missing out if you don't have at least one in your home. I know the economy has got all our pocket books having hunger pains {feed me}, so go visit Take It From Me to hear from someone else how wonderful these prints are and enter for your chance to get two of your very own {happy dance}. These prints really are fun - some will make you laugh {giggle}, some will have you nodding your head {yessum, that's me}, and others may bring a tear to your eye {remember when...} - but the bottom line is you won't be disappointed. So head on over to visit Take It From Me and enter today!

{Triplets} For a Very Deserving Family

2011-10-03T16:53:00.004-06:00

My husbands cousin Ray and his sweet wife Crystal are expecting triplets in the next couple of weeks. When debating on what to get them for their gift, I kept thinking I'd do another diaper cake knowing that with triplets coming, they'd definitely be in need of diapers. After perusing Pinterest I found diaper wreaths that someone had pinned, but they linked to a seller on Etsy. I couldn't find any tutorials on how to do them, but the basics of it seemed pretty simple, so I set to work trying to figure it out. In the end, I love how they turned out, but would recommend only doing them or getting one if you are able to display it as part of the decor because unless it's hanging, the top diapers just fall backwards. :)

In the end, I made two girl wreaths and one boy wreath because that's what they're expecting. I picked the ribbons based on the bedding sets they had on their baby registry and the country lovin' family they are.

A picture of all three together

{Girl} wreath #1

Each wreath had a large embellishment bow that has an alligator clip on the back to be removed and clipped on whatever the parents would like (it's to large to be a hair bow).

Spiky hair bows for {girl} wreath #1

{Girl} wreath #2

Large bow for {girl} wreath #2

Spikey hair bows for {girl} wreath #2

{Boy} wreath

Bow for {boy} wreath

Because you can't put hair bows on a boy wreath, I went to C-A-L Ranch and picked up a stuffed horse that I placed on the bottom of the wreath (so it looked like it was straddling the wreath). I wish I had gotten a picture of that part, but we picked it up on the way to the shower and I didn't take my camera {slacker!}

I didn't actually make a tutorial for all of this, but if you want to know how, I'd love to show you. I saw these on Etsy going for as high as $60 for 1 {faint!} My cost to make it was around $36 for all 3 {happy dance!}, I bought jumbo box of Huggies for $20 (after coupon), the ribbon cost me $7, the wooden letters cost me about $2 each, and the wire I used for the wreath form cost me $3. I also had diapers still left which I also gave to the mommy and daddy to be :)

A Funk Above the Rest

2011-09-20T11:27:00.000-06:00

For the past couple of weeks, I've been in this funk. Everything and anything seems to be setting me off and I feel like I'm in a world of utter chaos and confusion. Trying to potty train Wyatt and he is leaving me in a sea of pee; Stetson seems to think that she can blame anything she is told to do and doesn't get done on Wyatt; Sierra is teething, whiny and needy; and I can't seem to get on top of any of my household chores. Poor Casey is left in the backlash of everything and feeling the snaps and wrath that all of the above is causing.

To add to the rough seas of pee, blame and neediness I am once again upset over something that quite honestly just shouldn't upset me. I'm not one to question why people choose to live their lives the way they do, and I do have a better understanding now as to why those people have made such decisions; but I don't like when such decisions filter into my life making me feel like I have to live as if people don't exist. Everyone who knows me knows that I love my family and friends with my whole heart. I may not get to see them as much as I'd like, but they are always on my mind and in my heart. I like to give praise to those I know that do great things, I like to "ooo" and "awww" over little ones that I know, I like to make sure the word of prayers needed are spread as far as I can get them when someone is in a time of need, and I enjoy documenting my life via Facebook, Blog, Journals, and letter writing because when I'm old, gray and senile this is what I'll have to remember it all by. That's just me.

Some people choose to keep their lives private, I get that. Some people fear the internet, I get that. Some people are OCD about cleanliness, I get that. Some people think that being spontaneous is asking for punishment...ok, I don't get that, but I can see how it can be scary lol. I am probably one of THE most understanding people someone will ever meet so for me, having to censor things that I post in the documentation of my life is like having to purposely lose a puzzle piece, leaving the yeast out of a bread recipe, or believing in the Bible but denying that God exists. Alright, the last one is a little extreme, but I'm sure you get my point.

So how do I combat all this? How do I respect someone's wishes, but still fulfill my needs so that I can be happy? Every option at this point seems more disrespectful than the option I thought of before. I don't want to live as if someone doesn't exist in my life and I don't want to live constantly afraid I'm going to do something that will upset them. In this moment of need and confusion, I turned to various scriptures and quotes that I love, and it reminded me why I live my life the way I do; putting others needs and wishes above my own. Making me feel guilty for being upset over such petty things. I still have no answers on how to handle this, I'm still frustrated because I feel as if I'm having to censor my life to accommodate the wishes of someone else, and now I feel guilty for even thinking about myself when I'm not a selfish person.

I've thought about writing a letter, that's always seemed to work for me in the past; but in this situation, I think it would just end up being misunderstood and cause a big blow up. I need to just let this all go. Do what I need to in order to be happy while respecting their wishes. What movie is that line "{click}{click}{deleted}" from?

I Believe

2011-09-08T09:32:00.004-06:00

I believe in the power of prayer and I believe in this little girl. Get Well Gabby

Doodli-Do's is Having Some Fun

2011-09-01T14:17:00.005-06:00

My sweet photographer friend Ann with Anniemations Photography has started a new adventure to promote her cute 'doodling' skills. Doodli-Do's is full of fun sayings and cute little doodles put down on paper for your home decor needs. As is in Ann's nature, she is doing a fun little contest on her Facebook page and although the prize has yet to be announced, to enter is simple. All you have to do is:

*'Like' Doodli-Do's on Facebook
*Post your favorite quote as a comment on the Doodli-Do's wall.
*Have as many people you know as possible 'Like' your comment.

The person with the most 'Likes' wins!

Don't have a favorite quote or don't want to enter, then go to their page anyway and 'Like' someone else's quote (or my own lol) and help them boost their winning chances. I love give-a-ways and contests, and love them even more when it's helping someone I know boost their businesses awareness :)

Slow Cooker Ribs with Sweet n' Spicy Mustard Sauce

2011-08-31T11:15:00.016-06:00

Have you ever gotten lost in google land? You know, when you're trying to find something and you either get lost clicking on one link and then another within and then another within that site? Or you get stuck in rewind where you click a link, don't like it, go back to your google search page, click the next link, don't like it and go back to your google search page? Welcome to my world. I knew I wanted to cook ribs in the slow cooker today, but was longing for something besides a bbq sauce recipe. 1: because of the lack of bbq sauce in my house at this moment and 2: because Casey doesn't really like ribs so I wanted to do something different with them.

After much googling, facebooking, various distractions of the web and child kind and Pinterest. I found two recipes that I was able to blend into one while adding my own twist.

I started out by following Lana's recipe at Never Enough Thyme...:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut the spareribs into serving size pieces, about 1 or 2 ribs per piece. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Place on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet.
3. Cook for 30 to 45 minutes until ribs obtain a light golden brown color.
4. Remove from oven and transfer to a large slow cooker. Layer the ribs adding barbecue sauce to each layer as you place them in the cooker. When filled, place the cover on the slow cooker and turn it to the lowest heat setting.

This recipe obviously didn't help out my 'no bbq sauce recipe' need. So on The Free Motion Quilting I found this recipe. Although the sound of the recipe sounded really good, I lacked certain ingredients. Namely the liquid smoke, cayenne pepper, and tomato puree. Casey also doesn't enjoy the cooking with beer aspect so I altered that a little too and came up with this recipe:

2 cups yellow mustard
1 cup spicy brown mustard
1 can Dr. Pepper
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
10 TBS brown sugar
1 cup ketchup
2 tsp worchestershire sauce
3 TBS Franks Red Hot
1 TBS black pepper
2 tsp salt
1 TBS garlic salt
1 TBS soy sauce

Mix all the ingredients in a sauce pan and heat until sugar is dissolved. You can make it sweeter by adding more brown sugar, or spicier by adding more Franks or cayenne pepper if you have it.

Once the ribs were done in the oven, I put them in the slow cooker and covered them with my sweet/spicy mustard sauce and have left them to do their thang in the slow cooker.

I prefer boneless ribs, but ended up using country style ribs. By the time they were done in the slow cooker, it didn't really matter because they were falling right off the bones.

The final result was a happy husband, a child asking for seconds and me thinking these were the best non-bbq sauce ribs I've ever had :)

***I apologize for the crappy picture. My camera battery was dead and all I had was my cell phone to take a picture with.***

Need Some Changes...

2011-08-31T08:48:00.002-06:00

...to my blog lol. I feel like I don't really talk about anything interesting (or at least anything that I don't already talk about on Facebook) so I want to try and make a conscious effort to change things up. I want to post more recipes, tutorials, or other miscellaneous things I try my hand at. Maybe some poetry...ok, not really lol, I haven't written poetry since I was in Florida. I dunno, but something needs to change to make this thing more interesting lol. Any suggestions? Today, I will try my hand at a recipe and if all pans out, I'll come share it. That's a foot in the right direction anyway right?

2nd Grade, Here She Comes!

2011-08-22T22:17:00.003-06:00

Stetson showing off her 1st day of school outfit & her new backpack

Today was Stetson's first day of 2nd grade. I feel bad for her because this is the 3rd school she has attended since she started school. 2 kindergarten teachers, 1st grade stayed the same, and now in Clearfield for 2nd grade. All I can say is my princess is one amazing girl! She has always loved school, but when I picked her up today, she was the most ecstatic I have ever heard her be. She made 2, maybe 3, no 4 friends (it changed every time she told us lol) and says her teacher is nicer than her Farr West teachers (she said the same thing about Mrs. Jones last year.) She also thinks the playground was "made for her" because it has everything she loves and the monkey bars are the best :) I love how little kids look at things and can't wait to see how much she grows this year. A special thanks for my mom taking her to school, I know that's what Stetson wanted and I think it made her day that much better :)

Bye Stetson, have a good first day!

No Slowing Down Yet

2011-08-03T15:29:00.003-06:00

After June, Casey and I thought, "Ok, no more booking up the weekends. We need some downtime" and yet it never fails...there's always something going on and I always want to be a part of it lol. July was just as busy as June with the 4th of July, a Polson Cancer Sucks family party, and a camping trip with my family (all VERY good times and so glad we did them.) Now August, which was suppose to slow things down, has filled itself up with more good times (and I thought this was going to be a lazy summer due to our big Disneyland trip.) This weekend Stetson and I are going to go check out an open house at Shaw dance company to see if it's something Stetson wants to do and my dad is getting remarried (that's a whole other blog post) to a nice lady named Sue. No complaints here, just hope things continue to stay happy & positive like they've been. Next weekend, we are making a trip to Reno to see my grandma & Uncle Michael. I don't know if Casey would agree, but I'm thinking this needs to be a yearly thing :) Then on the 20th we have a Monroe family reunion. Can we say "Wow!" I haven't been around any of the Monroe's (other than my dad - and one bar trip with a cousin) in YEARS!! I've never been close to them and have just started to connect with them on Facebook (thank you Facebook lol). Needless to say, I'm excited for this and hope that it turns out well. Last but not least...the week of the 22nd! Stetson starts school, we're celebrating Sierra's 1st birthday with my family, we're going up to Monte camping, and Sierra turns 1! Maybe September will be the lazy month lol.

Some Summer Time Fun in Pictures

2011-08-03T15:04:00.004-06:00

'
Wyatt enjoying some chocolate ice cream at our Polson 4th of July sleepover

Sierra & Stetson swimming in Papa & Grandma Polson's backyard

Stetson rolling down the hill while waiting for the Farr West fireworks to start on the 4th of July

Sierra's crazy morning hair-do at our Cancer Sucks Party/Campout

Wyatt playing in the dirt with cars while up camping at the Eagles

Growing Up!

2011-08-01T19:17:00.002-06:00

Every day I am amazed out how much my kids grow and learn. Today was no exception to the rule, and I think it was even more shocking because I am behind on getting things done. With the help of my sister, I took Wyatt & Sierra in for Wellness visits. Wyatt's was his 2 yrs visit (um, yeah, he's almost 3 lol) and Sierra's was her 9 month visit (26 days before she turns 12 months lol). Because Wyatt was behind on shots since being 18 months old, the poor boy had a total of 7 shots, that they were able to combine some of and condense down to 4. He was such a trooper visiting with Dr. Church and the nurses (the past year he's only been in to visit while Sierra was getting checked.) He had a hearing test done and his hearing was good, his lungs and physical developments are all right on track and he weighed 32 lbs (75%), his height was 38.5" (90%), and his head circumference was in the 75 percentile.

Sierra was lucky and didn't have to have any shots, but they did poke her thumb and take blood to test for Anemia (which is standard for 9 month olds). Her iron levels were fine and all is well in that department. She is a healthy little girl and despite some eczema, she is growing as she should :) She weighed 18 lbs (25%), is 27.5" tall (15%) and her head was in the 75 percentile. I'm starting to think that big heads run in the Polson family lol. Good thing they are cute and proportionate to their bodies lol. She is a little shorty, which means she's going to take after me, but that's ok, that's what they make tall shoes for :)

Stetson was the lucky one, reaped all the benefits of visiting the doctors aka the treasure tokens and suckers without any pain of the pokes lol. I did have to pick up her shot records so we could get her registered for her new school next week. I can't believe she'll be in 2nd grade this year. Where does the time go?

What I learned at Girls Camp

2011-07-11T10:00:00.003-06:00

Being a non-member, I had no idea I was going to have to talk on Sunday, but had often thought throughout the course of the week what I would talk about if I were asked. I never did come up with an answer, but then I was asked....and well, here it is :)

Before Bishop asked me to talk, I had wondered what I would talk about if I were asked to speak. Girls Camp was something I had never been to before & I had no idea how I would narrow down all the experiences I had while up there; but when Bishop called, the word "acceptance" instantly came to mind.

Webster defines acceptance as the act of accepting; to receive something willingly, to give admittance or approval, or to recognize as being true. From the day I received my calling as an assistant camp director to the day I left camp, all of these definitions has applied to my journey with the Young Woment and leaders in this Ward.

On our first night there we had Family Home Evening and listened to various speakers on the Articles of Faith. Since I didn't gorw up in the church, all of these were pretty new to me. I listened to each one, but there was one that stood out most to me. The 11th Article of Faith says: "We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may."

After I heard this I thought, "Wow, what a great way to welcome someone like me." Now, don't get me wrong, I got over the need to be accepted a long time ago, but I was extremely nervous and had some worries. I can tell you now it was lame of me to have them and I should've been more worried about the fact that I wasn't going to hear people right when they talked and it would later reflect in my camp award from the Laurels.

After Monday's family home evening night with the Articles Of Faith, the rest of the week continued to open my eyes to the true meaning of acceptance. Whether it was me being accepted as an equal by everyone around me despite my lack of knowledge, me accepting the tachings of those that I shared the week with, or even the simple fact that I had to hike up a hill multiple times to form a better relationship with the girls even though my tight pants told me it wasn't making a difference physically.

During Testimony Meeting I listened to and felt how much each of the Young Women and leaders had grown during Girls Camp. I listened to some of them accept changes in their lives and others accept the church for the first time. With every new testimony, I kept thinking about what President Gertsch had said earlier that day. He said, "In the end, if we haven't chosen Christ, it won't matter what we've chosen."

I don't know about you, but to me, that is the ultimate definition of acceptance. I have accepted Jesus Christ in my life. I have a testimony that he died for us so that we could have eternal life. I have experienced the power of the Holy Ghost in a newborns hug and I know that if I hadn't accepted this calling, I would've missed out on one of the greatest moments in my life.

In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

It's been a whirlwind of a week!

2011-06-08T10:03:00.004-06:00

Wow! I feel like June is flying by without even yielding for yellow lights lol. We've been house sitting for my mom for the past two weeks and I am still trying to get things in order for the Relay for Life and Girls Camp. Casey has been going to a BICSI class this week which adds to the chaos. I shouldn't really say that, because him taking a class and studying when he comes home isn't chaos, it's just being the single parent for the week that tends to be chaotic. I always welcome him taking classes though because it means higher certification levels and hopefully one day it also means he'll be paid what he deserves to be paid.

It's been fun hanging out at my mom's house though. The kids are absolutely loving the change of scenery as well as the freedom to go outside as they please (my mom has a completely fenced yard so there isn't as much worrying going on when it comes to cars and the road). Wyatt loves the sandbox and tramp, while Stetson tends to scooter around and color with chalk lol. Sierra goes outside once in awhile, but for the most part, she's only out there if we're doing work on the trailer or hanging out watching the kiddos.

Speaking of the trailer, we have finished all the repairs and finally got the title and licensing done. It's the beginning of a new lifetime of adventures for this trailer, with the first being the Relay for Life (which I can't think of a better place to christen it at.) We MIGHT take it up to Willard Bay this weekend and have a mini camping trip since the work done on it has REALLY made us want to go camping, but we'll see. Casey has his test on Saturday and we still need to get new tires for it; which means that if we go anywhere, it's gotta be close.

I'll post pictures of the repairs as soon as I figure out the easiest way to get them from my cell phone to the computer :)

Tons On My Plate & Lovin It!

2011-05-26T10:54:00.002-06:00

Yesterday was the beginning of many countdowns I have going on in the next 30 days and although I am starting to feel a little pressure, I am 100% loving it!! The two biggest events in my life will be the Relay for Life June 24-25th and then I leave for Girls Camp with many wonderful girls and women on June 27th. As crazy as things are about to get; I am surprised my focus hasn't been all over the place - although I still have time to get done what needs to be done without feeling the time crunch lol. Ask me the week before both events and I might be a little scatter brained lol.

On top of those two things; tomorrow is Stetson's last day of school, we are finally getting around to repairing our trailer, we are house sitting for my mom for the next 3 weeks and we're going to be moving into our own place. Maybe I should start freaking out a little bit?? Nahh!! I have found that I am most happy in my life when I have things keeping me busy (as if 3 kids doesn't do enough of that lol); but it's filled the void of not working and I think that's what I enjoy about it.

This week my focus will be on getting the wonderful YW in the ward first aid certified by doing a certification relay (special thanks to my MIL for the idea). We'll have a walking path from the church to my MIL's house with first aid situations along the way, then we'll have a first aid carrying race, a stretch of pathway trivia, and then finish at my MIL's house with a fire & some alternative cooking fun :) I really do want to thank my MIL for her recommendation on putting me in this calling. I've never been to Girls Camp (of any nature) and I feel blessed to be able to share this first time experience with her and my SIL Brandie. God truly is an amazing part of my life and although I don't follow a religion in a traditional sense, He is with me and has guided me through both the good & bad. I find myself a stronger and better person every day by taking the words and wisdom of the Bible and the teachings of all the religions I have been a part of and the testimonies of everyone I know.

Before I hop off the computer, I need to say "thank you" to my wonderful husband. Although I'm sure he's not always happy when I get in crazy busy mode, he manages to always stay supportive and stands by my side as I do what I need to do to pull things off. He watches the kids, gets involved in projects to help and takes me in his arms or lends a listening ear when my frustration levels start to peak. I couldn't do what I do without him by my side. I love you Casey!!

So Blessed

2011-05-18T09:48:00.005-06:00

I know on Monday I complained about a lot of things, one of them being a lack of support from some people; but I do want everyone to know that I am truly blessed in my life by loving and supportive people. Today, I was brought to tears of happiness by the people I have in my life and the support system I have behind me in regards to Team N.U.T.S and the Relay for Life.

I probably shouldn't have posted my last blog post, but I think part of me needed to. I have a tendancy to look out for others before I care about myself; and although it's not a bad thing, I think people tend to take it for granted and expect me not to speak my mind when it comes to how I'm feeling. I do have feelings and am a person that gets hurt easily. I would rather shrug it off and move on most the time instead of holding a grudge, but sometimes frustrations need to be vented and that's what my last post was about.

If I were to pick words to describe how I feel today, they would be: humbled, blessed, excited, and anxious.

Humbled because seeing the donations we have received and the verbal support I have gotten makes me realize I shouldn't have said what I said. Blessed because I am surrounded by so many good people in my life. Excited that we have reached our team goal and we still have 37 days left till the race. Last but not least, anxious, because I can't wait to see what our final team donations totals!!

I can't thank everyone enough for what they've done for me and our team for this race. I want to send a personal thank you to:

Michelle Johnston
Holly, Chris & Weston Remkes
Braxton & Caiden Remkes
Robert Topper
Cindy Leavitt
Susie Turnbow
Rebecca Morris
Crystal Empey
Kathy Miller
Carolyn Topper
Staci Parkinson
Stephanie Johnson
Tony & Donna Topper
Wendy Monroe
Patti Johnston
Robert Topper
Rob & Lisa Marsh
Dawn Polson
Marla Parkinson
Shelby McGavin

You donations to myself and our team are greatly appreciated! I know there are many more that have donated towards other members on our team that also made reaching our goal possible, and they are just as important in recognition, this is just the list of names I had access to :)

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart!

Sometimes I Wonder...

2011-05-16T11:53:00.003-06:00

The past couple of weeks or so, I've been sitting here thinking about myself (yes, I'm having a selfish moment in my life lol) and how something that should affect me doesn't; yet little things that should be easy to shrug off, sit heavy on my heart & mind. I also started wondering why I sensor myself so much. Am I that terrible of a person that I can't just speak my mind and if someone has a hard time dealing with it, they should just understand that I said it because that's who I am? That's what I do when I encounter people who say things I don't agree with (and believe me, I do that more than I'd like to.)

I find myself to be a pretty accepting person and I feel blessed to be that way, but nothing bothers me more than when I find myself being someone who ISN'T accepting. For the past month there have been some ups and downs - I don't agree with some decisions that have been made and quite honestly, I'm hurt by them. Then I think "Crystal you're not being very accepting." Maybe I built up to much excitement anticipating what was to come. Maybe I should have just stuck to my original thoughts on the matter and just let the chips fall where they may. With all these "maybe" questions running through my mind, I found myself knowing that the reason I wasn't being accepting was because I wanted to be able to feel all the joy that I let them feel when they were in my shoes.

I'm not one to dwell on things I can't change, and the fact that this is creating such an emotional roller coaster in my life also makes me think "What the heck!?! Why are you letting this get to you?" Then I realize it's because I don't just let how it's affecting me affect me. I take in how it's affecting those around me and eventually, how it's affecting me isn't really the priority. Well, dang it! I want to be selfish once in awhile! I want to scream and say "Why don't you think about someone besides yourself!?" If only it were that easy in this situation. Damn myself for being an out of the box thinker - for being accepting, understanding, and supportive.

What's crazy is I've just spilled these 3 paragraphs, and I don't feel any better. I still censored myself, I still put everyone's feelings before mine, and I'm still accepting the situation as it is. I care about everyone in my life. The one's I don't care about...actually, they bug the crap out of me...are in my life because not having them there, would be devastating to someone I love. I do what I can to make sure a situation stays under control and I accept the things I can't change because that's just it, I can't change them.

In a little over a month, I am participating in the Weber County Relay for Life and I would love nothing more than to have everyone I care about to support me, my family, and my friends in this race. I realize not everyone can be there, donate money, or buy things to be supportive; but is it so hard to say "Wow, that's awesome. I'm sorry I can't do more, but I am so grateful you are doing this in honor/memory of family/friends/cancer patients." Don't get me wrong, I'm not asking for people to toot my horn or give me a big head. I'm doing this because it's my own personal way of doing something for a cause I care a great deal about. But to me, if I knew someone who was doing something like this for a mom, grandparent, cousin, aunt, etc; I would make sure that I recognized the hard work that person was putting into what they were trying to accomplish. I don't care if it's a race, putting together girls camp, trek, or raising money for a good cause; everyone needs support and if all I can give is a "job well done" well then I would think that the recognition would be appreciated.

Obviously, I haven't mentioned names other than my own throughout all of this and I'm never going to. Some of you may know who I'm referring to, I hope most of you do not. When all is said and done, I hope in some way this post can affect all of us when it comes to how we think and react to situations. I'll always keep my thoughts to myself if it means hurting someone else. I'll always adjust to whatever is easiest on the situation, and I'll always make sure someone's hard work is recognized, even if it's something I may know nothing about or even care about. The things that make me happiest in life (besides my hubby, kids, and family) revolve around making others happy. Some day I hope I can partake in a truly selfish moment, but even if my thoughts wander in to selfishness, my actions will always be to take care of someone else first.

Thank you Clique Photography

2011-05-05T19:46:00.004-06:00

After 5 years of marriage, Casey and I finally had professional pictures done of our whole family. Thank you Clique Photography for being amazing photographers and taking such wonderful pictures of us :)

Disneyland or Bust!!

2011-05-05T19:05:00.004-06:00

With little Kaylie arriving early on the morning of April 27th and my excitement of being an Aunt with a local niece, I kinda skipped over posting pictures from our Disneyland trip. What was such a great vacation and the weather was perfect! After all the fibs we told Stetson in the process of getting there, when we actually pulled over into a school parking lot and told her, she didn't believe us lol. Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the trip :)

Stetson just found out she's going to Disneyland
Wyatt loved the princesses, but Snow White seemed to be his most favorite
Me & Wyatt on the Heimlich (from Bug's Life) train

Stetson & my cousin Michelle on the Heimlich train. She was Stetson's ride partner the whole trip & was a key person in making this trip possible. She is AMAZING!

Stetson & Baloo the Bear. I really love this picture cuz she had no idea he was doing that to her mouse ears

Pluto, Casey & Sierra

Waiting is the WORST!

2011-04-26T19:50:00.003-06:00

At 5 PM this evening, we got the phone call! Kanion's water had broke! She was scheduled for induction on Thursday, and had been dialating a cm a week since 4 weeks ago. So now here I sit...WAITING! I have decided that I really don't want to have anymore of my own children, but waiting for delivery is a much easier process when you are the pregnant one. I also have decided I must be an open book to people because I am all about updates, and I am realizing some people just aren't like that lol. Oh well! So now, here I sit waiting for news that my little niece Kaylie has entered the world. I have two nephews from my older sister Jackie, but as much as I'd like to be active in their lives, I'm pretty much not. They live in Colorado and the only time I get to see them is when my sister comes here to visit. When my nephew TJ was born, she lived here in Utah, but I was still young so the excitement was different and I still didn't really get opportunities to visit. Needless to say, I am a first time aunt when it comes to being there from the beginning & I'm just wicked excited!

1 Week till Disneyland Surprise!

2011-03-30T15:13:00.004-06:00

It's official! There is 1 week till we leave on vacation and Stetson still has NO IDEA!! I feel bad cuz I've even gone as far as telling her that we were going to go this year but now we're not cuz she can't listen (I know, mean mom, but in the end, it will make the surprise even more fun.) I think what makes this trip even more awesome is that next Wednesday is mine and Casey's 5 yr anniversary and we're spending it together as a family. Granted, a Hawaii vacation or a cruise would've been nice, but the smiles on our kids' faces will make it one of the most memorable vacations ever!

Ladybugs & Flowers Baby Shower Theme

2011-03-29T14:30:00.008-06:00

I want to thank everyone who helped out with the shower and for all those who came and made it worth all the effort :) Here are the pictures of how everything turned out :)

~Baby Shower Invite Front~

~Baby Shower Invite Back~

~Diaper Cake~

~Strawberry Freezer Jam Party Favor~
We put a little label with the quote from the shower invites on top

~Flower Table Decorations Made Out of Bottles~
Inside the bottles are green jelly bellys

~Ladybug & Flower Sugar Cookies by Layers of Love~
My husbands cousin Jennifer owns this company and makes adorable cookies, cakes & more. If you have a party coming up, you should definitely check her out!

~Kaylie Blocks my Mother-In-Law Made~
We put them on the table with the freezer jam or people to see as they were coming and going

Hopefully the next pictures that get posted in regards to little Kaylie Bug will actually be of her :) A little over 5 weeks to go!!

Planning a Baby Shower

2011-03-14T14:36:00.003-06:00

I have planned many a things in my life...I've assisted with fundraisers, thrown kids' birthday parties and even had a DIY wedding. Every time I do something, I like to try and out-do what I did the last time, while still keeping it under control cost wise and with as many DIY projects as I can. So when it came time to do a baby shower for my wonderful sister-in-law Kanion, I went searching for ideas. After talking it over with everyone, us girls decided to do a lady bug themed party because Kanion calls their little girl her little Kaylie Bug (such a cute name & nickname already - I can't wait till she's here - - ok, sorry, getting side tracked lol).

Have you ever tried to do a search for lady bug themed parties? Ugh!! Everything is the traditional red and black lady bug with bland decor ideas. So not exciting. I have turned out to be WAY out of my element with this party. So, where does one begin?? Funny enough, we began where any party would begin, with the invitations ;) My mother-in-law has gotten involved with Stampin' Up and just before we started getting down to planning business, she came home with this wicked cute card they had made! We knew we wanted to do the bright pink and black instead the traditional red & black (although we have mixed red into the color scheme too), and I found a wicked cute lady bug stamp at Joann's so we've been moving forward. I also think any good party needs to involve a cute quote. That didn't seem to be to big of a problem because the first one I found, I loved: "Ladybugs all dressed in red, strolling through the flowerbed. If I were tiny just like you, I’d creep among the flowers too!"

Unfortunately with Sierra's hospital stay, I didn't get to assist much with the invitations, but my mother-in-law and sister-in-laws did such a GREAT job with them! I hope everyone loved them as much as I did lol. Game ideas have proven to be very easy and we've come up with some cute DIY things as prizes for the winners. One thing you can always count on with the Polson's is food and I thank everyone who have banded together to help with the food portion of the shower. Now, with any party I love favors (although I'm not sure this was originally in the plan lol) and I have to thank my wonderful mother-in-law for taking on the task. Of course, I can't tell you what it is cuz it will ruin the surprise, but think Spring :)

So why I am posting about this lol - well have you seen how OUTRAGEOUS people can get with their party planning?? Looking up ideas and even loving the Hostess with the Mostess blog, I look at things and think "HOLY COW!!" how do people afford this?? Needless to say, it's moments like these I am glad I have started becoming even slightly crafty. I also look at party's like this and think "I wish I could give someone a party like that!" I know that we do the best with what we've got and I hope things turn out like I am imagining, but regardless I love my family very much and I love how we can all come together and put together something fabulous, no matter how simple it might be :)

Nuts 4 TuTu's

2011-02-09T16:01:00.003-07:00

I have started a new side fundraising venture for the Relay for Life race I'll be doing with my family and friends on June 24th-25th in Ogden, UT. I will be selling TuTu's, bows, and tie-able headbands and payments can be made by clicking this donate button:

or by sending cash or check to myself. All profits will be donated towards the $1000.00 goal that Team N.U.T.S. has set for the Relay for Life.

Cost of TuTu's:
$10.00 ea for infants
$12.00 ea for toddlers/children
$3.00 ea for bow clips
$5.00 ea for tie-able headbands

More info to be posted soon or check out the Nuts 4 TuTu's facebook page :)

It's Official - Team N.U.T.S. is a go for the Relay for Life

2011-02-03T15:29:00.003-07:00

After sitting down and talking with my visiting teacher Susan last week, I was able to come up with an acronym for a word that, funny enough, is actually dear to me in the cancer world. During my grandpa's last week of life, he wasn't in his "right mind" as he called it a few times lol. We'd joke and laugh about things he was saying or doing to make light of the seriousness that we all knew was about to occur. One night while we're all there talking about the days events, my grandpa looks at all of us and says "You may think I'm crazy, but you all are nuts." and ever since then, it's just kinda stuck with us.

Well, as I was trying to come up with a team name, the 'nuts' part kept sticking with me. Then it came to me and acronym with many meanings - Never Underestimate The Spirit. Now for those wondering, initially this was not a religious thought. My first thoughts on 'spirit' were about the spirit and courage of those that had left me due to this disease - my grandpa, my great Aunt Pat, and my husbands cousin Jan. I also thought of the spirit and courage of those still with me - my mother inlaw and my husbands aunt Kathy. Then I thought of my own spirit, the one that people keep telling me is infectious and caring; and I thought, "God is trying to tell me something. Team N.U.T.S is it!" and yet again, I was faced with another definition of 'spirit'.

So on Monday, me along with my mother inlaw, sister inlaw Brandie and her husband Eric, and brother inlaw Kevin with his wife Cambria, all went down to Fat Cats where they were having a Relay for Life kick off party and registered to participate in the Relay for Life event on June 24th & 25th. I really can't explain how stoked I am to be a part of this and even better to be a part of it with so many wonderful people that I love and care so deeply about!

If you would like to know more about this great event and how you can be a part - check out my Relay for Life page :) Here can see more about myself and my goal, as well as my team, and how to join us in the fight :)

Team {Insert Name Here}

2011-01-30T15:15:00.002-07:00

Every year it seems that Cancer takes a grasp on someone new in my family. Some people I am proud to call "A Survivor" and others I am proud to call "An Inspiration", but I consider none of them lost. All of them are still very close to my heart and on my mind. This year, after hearing of two more people standing up to fight the fight and being forced to "remember" one way to soon, I have decided to do two cancer walks this year. On May 7th, I'm going to participate in the Susan G. Komen: Race for the Cure walk at the Gateway and on June 24th I am going to participating in the Relay for Life event in Ogden.

The Race for the Cure hits close to home on many fronts. My Grandma Topper's sister passed away from Breast Cancer, my wonderful Mother-In-Law Francine is a Survivor, Casey's Aunt Kathy is an Ovarian Cancer survivor, and another family member was diagnosed with breast cancer just a few weeks ago. To say I will be proud to stand next to my Mother-in-Law during this race is an understatement. She is a daily inspiration & shining light in my life, and I love her so much!

The Relay for Life is an overnight walk where a team is built & you take turns walking throughout the night. Teams pitch tents, play games and hang out while raising money for The American Cancer Society. Luminaria can be purchased in memory of those that have been lost or to celebrate those who have won or are still fighting. They will be lit the night of the race and burn throughout the night while those who participate walk. The only requirement for this race is that someone from the team is walking at all times.

I picked this race to celebrate the lives of two people; my Grandfather, Pop-Pop Topper and Casey's cousin Jan, both were lost to a cancer that isn't a traditional cancer. Both were an inspiration in my life. My Grandfather taught me that life isn't about the years you have but the quality of life you live. He was also an avid race walker in his final days and it's about time I started doing my part. We also had Jan's funeral on Saturday and during it another of Casey's cousin's spoke of something Jan taught her, "deserts first". She spoke of how it was a testament to Jan's life, always going after her dreams and looking after others before taking care of herself.

Everyday I sit and wonder how I can do my part, but I can't allow myself to sit on the sidelines anymore and not fight back. I can't let finances be my excuse anymore because really, its a months worth of Dr Pepper (which I really don't need lol). That's my choice and view on it anyway. So tomorrow I start this racing journey by registering for The Relay For Life. If I end up being the only person on my team, it's going to be a long night, but not as long as the chemo & radiation treatments my loved ones have fought through. If I don't raise any money, that will bite but I'll try harder next year.

I am, however, putting this call out to all my friends & family. Unite with me & do the relay :) It'll be a fun night for a good cause. We all know someone who has been affected by cancer and every little bit helps :)

GIVEAWAYS ARE FUN!

2011-01-28T08:37:00.004-07:00

Happy Friday everyone! I started mine off by entering a giveaway to win a cute Organic Bloom picture frame or a digital scrap paper set. You should enter too! These frames are fabulous and the paper is SO CUTE!!

Go visit Brooke Busby Photography's Blog and post a comment about what makes you happy. Easy as pie! You can also get additional entries by liking her facebook page, sharing the contest on facebook and doing like I am now doing - sharing it on my blog! :)

I Loves Me Some Holiday Decor!

2011-01-24T14:20:00.002-07:00

In my crafting adventures I have also found a new love for home decor. I haven't made anything that is home decor related yet because I don't really have anywhere to put it right now, but I have been keeping my eye on this one blog called Craftily Ever After because she has introduced me to holiday themed Subway Art. This one in particular is for Valentine's Day and I don't know what it is about it that stands out to me, maybe it's just the simplicity or the fact that it goes with everything that makes me scream "I WANT ONE!" lol.

Luckily for me, she is giving one away for free if I share it with all of you so it's a good day :) I may not have room for it, but I'll find somewhere to put it in mine and Casey's room so we can feel some v-day love :)

No Room for Excitement

2011-01-20T17:08:00.003-07:00

Do you ever feel like there's no room for your excitement? Either because there's to much crap going on, that it feels wrong to be excited about something else; or because everyone else is so excited that it overwhelms yours and you feel like it doesn't belong? I'm sure people feel the first more often than the second. I wonder why I feel this way. It really doesn't matter and I shouldn't be dwelling on it - hence this post...write it down and be done with it lol.

"Feeling Crafty" hairbow moment....

2011-01-16T15:37:00.004-07:00

We'll call it a quasi-success lol. I made it without any major hitches. The tutorial was just for one layer and then you use a covered button as the center, but I was feeling patriotic and daring so I attempted to make it a three layer flower. You can't tell but there is a bottom layer of the blue and white stars fabric that I wanted to be bigger than the red. I was working with scrap pieces of fabric and didn't measure my red right (I thought it would be the width of the fabric that made it smaller when it was actually the length). I also didn't keep my smallest blue & white star layer aligned correctly so you can see the underside of the fabric where the two ends meet. Overall, I give myself a 'B-' on this project & Stetson an 'A' for being such a wonderful model of it :)

I also don't have any clips to actually attach the bow to for an anchor on the headband so I used a bobby pin for now. This bow I will probably end up being used for Stetson's dolls :)

Where does the bow making go from here...I've got my next "feeling crafty" moment in my head - tomorrow, I shall visit the craft store :) It involves the 4th of July & my two little girlies in matching outfits :)

I Like to Call Them "Feeling Crafty" Moments

2011-01-16T14:00:00.003-07:00

I keep going through these, I like to call them, "feeling crafty" moments and I'm wondering if I'm biting off more than I can chew some days. Most of my "feeling crafty" moments come from blog/website hopping and seeing cute ideas and thinking "why should I pay for that? I could make it!", so I search for a tutorial and, sure enough, there's always one out there. Today I am trying my hand at making some fabric flower bows that are all the craze. Now, I go to a store and spend $3-$7 on these things, and why? Cuz I like for my kids to look cute! But I keep getting this visual of me wrapped in fabric, tied together with thread, and covered in glitter from a "feeling crafty" project gone bad. So far, all my "feeling crafty" moments have turned out better than I expected. Sierra's tutu was adorable, the wings - eh, not so much lol. I've made picture frames as gifts with modge podge and scrap book material(which reminds me, I'm going on a month behind finishing Stetson's dad's Christmas one to put her school picture in. Oops, my bad!), and I've made blocks with vinyl letters on them to spell out nifty things like "jingle" with a bell hanging off the top of the 'j' block. So now, here I go, with "feeling crafty" idea # I don't konw - wish me luck!

Highlights From 2010

2011-01-06T20:40:00.014-07:00

I can't believe it's 2011 already!! I have a whole separate post about the crappiness 2011 has brought me so far, but thought I'd start my year of posts with my top 10 in 2010 :) ::in no particular order::

1: Our 3rd child, Sierra Elsie Polson, was born on August 27th(ok, this really is #1 lol)

2. I got to be a part of two AMAZING fundraisers - 1 for my friend Leah whose son was diagnosed with Kawasakis Disease and another one for my friends Holly & Chris to help raise money for medical bills after their precious son Weston was born with a heart defect.

3. Became part of I(heart}Weston - this charity was started by Sharida Packard with Clique Photography for baby Weston Remkes. Thanks to his awesome parents, this charity group plans to continue on with future proceeds going to Primary Childrens Medical Center.

This is one of the "Pictures with Santa" that was taken at the I{heart}Weston Dinner & Silent Auction on Dec 19th.

4. Surprised my grandmother with my Aunts & Uncles on Mothers Day.

5. Thanks to my wonderful MIL & FIL, Operation Polson: New Year, Fresh Start was a success!

6. My brother in-law & his wife had a successful IUI & are expecting their first child, a little girl, in May :)

7. My little cupcake was blessed

8. Family trip to Yellowstone

9. Ice Cream in Remembrance of Pop-Pop Topper was started on November 15th in honor of my grandfather's birthday :)

10. I heard about an internship with Ann from Anniemations Photography and passed the word along to my sister. It's a weird thing to have as a highlight for 2010, but when Shelby becomes the fabulous photographer I know she will be, I'll look back on this day and smile!

November Has Come & Gone

2010-11-29T10:50:00.007-07:00

My first November post was 2 days into November, and my last November post is 2 days from the end of November lol. Where did the month go? It's definitely been a busy one. We had Casey's birthday on November 11, we did an ice cream in memory of my grandpa night on the 15th for his birthday (to be continued every year), Wyatt turned 2 on the 17th and then there was Thanksgiving, which included 2 dinners - one at my mom's and one with my inlaws. Overall, its been a very good month with many things to be thankful for.

Here is a recap of the month in pictures :)

Wyatt excited about his ride on Thomas the Train from Papa & Grandma Polson

Rootbeer floats in memory of my Grandpa. Happy birthday Pop-Pop!

Sierra's first Thanksgiving

How about a snow cold 7-Up?

Trick-or-Treat Fun :)

2010-11-02T22:06:00.003-06:00

Wyatt the elephant & Stetson the go-go girl getting ready to trick-or-treat

Sierra the little ladybug (I made her wings & tutu)

What a Great Weekend!

2010-10-18T12:05:00.004-06:00

I love this time of year! Fall/October/November are my absolute favorite! Over the weekend I got to have so much fun with my family celebrating this wonderful time of year. Saturday, me & my mom took the kiddos to Black Island Farms in Syracuse and got to slide on some wicked cool slides, see some cute animals, play in a corn box (a sandbox that uses dried corn kernals instead of sand), go through a corn maze, and take a hay ride. It was so much fun to see the excitement on Stetson & Wyatt's faces and they both loved every minute of it! I am pretty sure Stetson's favorite part was the maze & it's a toss up for Wyatt. I'm not sure if he liked the slides better or watching the tractor pull us on the hay ride lol.

Me and the kids at Black Island Farms

On Sunday, I was able to go and here my MIL & FIL speak at church. Although I don't believe in choosing a religion, I do believe there are aspects of every religion that we can learn and grow from. My MIL & FIL are wonderful examples of people in the LDS religion that I love to listen to talk. They're testimonies are very strong & their ways of teaching what they know is so great, although I had to give my MIL grief for bringing tears to my eyes at the end of her talk. I love her so much & look up to her, she is a great woman!

After church, we went to my mom's house to celebrate Randal & Shelby's birthdays. We had a fabulous dinner, painted pumpkins, opened presents & ate some cheesecake and funfetti birthday cake! We don't get to spend a whole lot of time together as a whole, but when we do, you can always count on a good time :)

Wyatt painting his pumpkins & hand lol

Stetson & Shelby painting their pumpkins

My finished pumpkins

What a Great Couple of Days

2010-10-11T21:22:00.003-06:00

It's been a great past couple of days & even though the kids have been battling colds, I can't help but look at my life & see how blessed I am. Friday evening & Saturday were crazy days. Friday my husband put up with me going from place to place trying to find me a new pair of jeans. I have been battling the in-between stages of post-pregnancy with my normal pants being either tight or to small & maternity pants being to big. In the process of my hunt, I ran into my friend Carrie Elwell, whom I hadn't seen since 7th grade! We recently reconnected on Facebook, & she recognized Casey & the kids from my pictures as they were standing outside Aeropostle waiting for me lol.

On Saturday morning we began the hunt for a dress shirt & dress pants for Casey & Wyatt for church. We ended up at Penney's & got a good deal on everything thanks to being there before 1 PM (I love early bird specials!) We didn't find a white button down shirt for Wyatt (of course I have seen plenty since lol), but that's the way it goes, luckily we had nice shirts, just not white ones. Then it was home to get things ready for Sierra's blessing on Sunday. Later that night, we ended up venturing back out to the stores to get some tulle so I could finish Sierra's Halloween tutu & Casey wanted some drawing supplies. We also went on a hunt to try & find me something to wear to church on Sunday (I have one denim skirt that I wear anytime I go, it's a good thing that I don't go often or else people might catch on - oh wait, I just told everyone lol.) Did I miss the memo that said long skirts are non-existent in stores right now? Well, if I did & you did too, consider this your memo lol. I did see some at Penney's today, but I am to frugal to buy their dress clothes unless they are on clearance. I did find me a wicked cute shirt to wear though so that's what I ended up with. By this time, our kids were pretty sick of being pulled from store to store so we went home, got the kids squared away for bed, and then I headed to Wal-mart for lunch meat & the final things we needed. Lets just say it wouldn't be an event that I am in charge of if I wasn't up until midnight getting ready for it.

Despite all the craziness, Sunday turned out beautiful. Casey did a great job blessing Sierra & gave a heartfelt & touching testimony.

**I love you honey!!!***

We had a wonderful family luncheon afterwards, the only people missing were my mom (she was at the blessing, but had to go home to sleep before work), my dad, & my brother Logan. Once again, I send out my thanks to all who came and to all who brought a side dish! Side dishes or not, it wouldn't have been as special without the love of family. A special thanks to my Max & Francine for allowing my family to be here as if it was our own home, and for allowing us all to be together for this special occasion! I love you both very much!!

Today, Casey called into work to stay home & help with the two little ones who are battling colds. After Stetson left for school, Casey said I should surprise her and have lunch with her, but we had already decided that Stetson needed new pants (almost every pair of hers are floods that we roll into capris lol.) So instead of having lunch with her, I went & checked her out of school & off we went on a Mommy/Daughter afternoon adventure. We went to McDonald's for lunch (her choice), then went and did some shopping, got some frozen yogurt & enjoyed some long overdue time together. We even took some goofy pictures along the way :)

Like I said, crazy past couple of days, but it was worth every bit of stress, enjoyment, & even some happy tears :)

Halloween is coming & Fall is here!!

2010-10-04T12:20:00.003-06:00

I can't believe it's almost Halloween! What's even more exciting it Fall is here & it's my favorite time of year!! We haven't really had much for Fall weather, in fact, it's been in the 80's for the most part with no rain - until today!! I am loving todays weather! Things here have been sorta busy, but not really lol. Having Sierra & Wyatt home with me all day keeps me on my toes & it's never a dull moment...I think I would actually love a dull moment in my life right about now lol. Stetson is doing good in school which is awesome! I got her midterm report & she has 3's & 4's (cuz that's the good grades you get in Elementary school lol) accept in homework (she has a 1) - which I am not understanding cuz she swears she is turning it in. I have emailing her teacher on my to-do list today to find out what's going on.

So not a whole lot is really going on around here. We had a great conference weekend with my in-laws as always. We have a tradition where everyone stays the night on Saturday night, and while the guys go to their meeting, us girls either do a craft or bake some goodies. Then we all pitch in to get dinner made & then Saturday mornings we partake in a yummy breakfast & watch conference. This time was extra special because my MIL's birthday is today so we took the weekend to celebrate that too!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FRANCINE!!

This year we decided to each work on our own craft & I have decided to attempt to make Sierra's Halloween costumer. She is going to be a lady bug, but instead of the tradition costume I am making her a tutu (which has proven to be easy, but red glitter from the tulle has found itself in more locations than I can count lol), gonna attempt to make my own baby leggins, & will make her some cute little wings. I have found tutorials for all & even saw the exact costume (with some minor differences) at a boutique I went to Friday with my MIL. The added bonus, the costume she was selling was for $25 & I haven't even spent $10 and I am making the baby leggins which didn't come with her costume.

I'll post pics when done and keep you all posted on this home-making adventure lol.

Wyatt is going to be a cow & Stetson wants to be a super-hero. She can't decide between Cat Woman & Wonder Woman, although I will probably opt for Wonder Woman since she was a cat last year. Well, it's getting to be Wyatt's nap-time, which means it's time to go for a drive lol. Is there anything else exciting going on before we adventure out....OH YESS!!!

I'M GOING TO BE AN AUNT AGAIN!!!

I am so happy for my BIL & SIL, Shayne & Kanion!! I am even more happy to finally be an Aunt again. My sister in Denver has my two awesome nephews, but I don't get to see them much so I'm excited to have a cute little niece/nephew here locally to dote over! :)~ Hopefully we will know by Christmas what they are having :)

SHE'S HERE!!

2010-08-31T13:39:00.003-06:00

Sierra Elsie Polson was born August 27th @ 2:33 AM. She weighed 6 lbs 6 oz and was 19 1/2 inches long. She has a little bit of jaundice that we are monitoring, but other than that, is a very beautiful & healthy little girl.

1st Day of 1st Grade

2010-08-25T15:34:00.004-06:00

Waiting for the bus :)

Waiting to get into school :)

Time is Winding Down

2010-08-24T20:14:00.002-06:00

Everyday seems like it should be the last day of my pregnancy, but alas, here I am, still carrying this little one lol. We had another hospital visit on the 14th and although I dialated 1 cm while there, I wasn't dialating fast enough for them to keep me. I haven't had any consistent labor pains since. Basically all false labor that is annoying more than anything. When we went into the doctors Friday, I was still at a 4 but my uterus had dropped (it was sitting high at the hospital) & he didn't seem to think that I would make it to 39 weeks (which is when I can be induced.) So far since then, no hospital visits - a lot of sleepless nights, and I am learning more & more how stubborn little miss Sierra is going to be.

On another note, Stetson starts 1st Grade tomorrow & I can't believe the school year is already here! We went & met her teacher last night & she seems very nice. Today in the mail, Stetson received a postcard from her :) I just think that's awesome! From what I hear, she is in a teaching position because she genuinely loves teaching, not because she needs to have a career or job. I hope the rest of the school year brings as many positive things as just the past couple days have. Stetson is also riding the bus for the first time this year. She could've rode it last year, but with her being in Kindergarten, I just didn't see the point cuz it was just as easy to take & pick her up. She is wicked excited so finally get to do this - hopefully she still feels that way after tomorrow lol.

35 Weeks Turns Exciting & Tiring

2010-08-09T15:17:00.003-06:00

I post one day about being at 35 weeks & the next thing I know, I am going into labor. What a way to start the last 5 weeks of this pregnancy lol. Contractions started at 8 PM on Thursday & although Casey kept asking me if we needed to go to the hospital, it wasn't until about midnight that I thought we should due to them getting stronger & closer together. After 3 shots of Tribuline & a dose of some pills mixed with some morphine, they finally stopped & at 4 AM we were able to go home. So, still no baby, they say 35 weeks is a grey area because most babies, although everything is fully developed, still have problems with their breathing & sucking reflexes. 9 out of 10 of them end up on at least some sort of breathing treatment (usually a nasal tube) & a feeding tube for about a week. Since coming home, I have been completely useless. I wasn't put on bed rest, but I might as well have been, because I don't feel like doing anything. I am most comfortable laying down, but she is still fighting to be free & decides that when I am laying down is the most opportune time for her to wiggle & a jiggle around.

So now everyone is wondering when she will actually come & I still can't say one way or another. I know quite a few people who had contractions stopped cuz the baby was coming early & they went to term or past term. I know others that the stopping of contractions only lasted days & they had a new arrival shortly after. The nurse on duty (who was COMPLETELY AWESOME!) told me that chances are if I went into labor again, they would probably just let it take it's course. If I had been at least 36 weeks when we went in Thursday, they probably would've still sent me home until things got a little stronger just because I was only dialated at a 2 when I went in & when I left (after 4 hrs). Physically, I am still feeling some prego aches & pains, but they haven't been anything consistent - more like braxton hicks contractions. My next appt is on Thursday for my 36 week visit, so we'll see what happens :) All in all, I am doing good.

Wyatt had his first close up hang out with a baby last night & things went really well & he was very gentle with the little one. Hopefully he is that way when Sierra comes - he could've just been being good cuz he knew the baby wasn't sticking around lol. Stetson has been helping out a ton, and although I know it's probably been the hardest on her because of her being older and more being expected of her, she is a great big sister & I am so blessed to have her as one of my children :)

35 Weeks Down; 5 To Go

2010-08-04T22:18:00.002-06:00

Wow! 5 weeks left...it's crazy to look back & realize I was half-way through my pregnancy with Wyatt when I started this blog. Not a whole lot has changed since then as far as my everyday life goes, but my kids sure have. Stetson has been through her first year of school, Wyatt is almost 2, and now we have a 3rd child (that was totally unplanned) on the way. We have also gone from renting a 3 bedroom house to living with my mother & father in-law (which has been both helpful financially, but also for my sanity).

I also started my Scentsy adventure when I started this blog & that has been both rewarding & a blessing. I'll admit, it has it's up's & down's but most of it is my own motivation. I have met some great people & am still 100% in love with & behind this product! I was not happy with having to miss convention this year, but with it being so close to my due date & Wyatt having come 3 weeks early, Casey & I felt it best that I stay home & not go walking around a convention center for 3 days lol.

So what's my story today? Well, I have gained 42 lbs with this pregnancy (which is the most I have ever gained in my life), my feet - wait, let me rephrase - my foot (yes, just one lol) has finally decided to swell, & if she drops any lower, she's going to fall right out of me. I don't know how many times in the past week I have been asked when I'm due & people are freaked out by me still having more than a week left. I thought the lady at COSCO was gonna make me go home because she thought I was going to pop. My theory with Sierra - she's going to go right to the due date, despite how I actually feel. My only concerns are A) That she comes either (at least) a week before or a week after August 25th because that's when Stetson starts 1st grade & B) She isn't a 10lb+ baby. Other than those two things, she is free to come when she wants lol.

Well, I gotta try & get Wyatt thinks I have been on the computer to long & keeps trying to take the laptop out of my hands lol. Good night everyone! Hope all is well!

It Isn't Summer if Your Kids Aren't Dirty

2010-07-21T20:53:00.004-06:00

Feel so blah...

2010-07-21T11:33:00.002-06:00

I swear this past week has dragged on. You would think that when you get down to your bi-weekly & weekly prenatal appointments, time would go by faster, but it doesn't. I think time has also slowed down because Casey & I went from being extremely busy with family stuff for the past 2 months to having virtually nothing. We are going to Tough Enough to Wear Pink night tomorrow at the Ogden Pioneer Days rodeo. It's a tradition that started 3 yrs ago & has continued, having more meaning now that my MIL is a breast cancer survivor.

On top of everything we have been doing, I also made the decision to quit smoking. Yes, I know it's bad for you, and especially not good during a pregnancy, but that was my life. Now I am 10 days smoke free & really feeling no pain from it. For me, smoking was never really a nicotine addiction as much as it was a time pre-occupier. My key smoke times were when I needed a break from the kids, talking on the phone, when I was bored, and when I didn't want to clean lol. Maybe that's why I have turned so lazy of late?

So next week is my 34 week appointment & then it's weekly from there - Wyatt came at 35 weeks & weighed 7 lbs, so I'm not entirely sure what to expect with little Sierra. Each of my kids have been different in terms of labor. I chose to get started with Stetson @ 38 weeks because I was living with my dad who was an over the road truck driver & he kept driving me nuts worrying about me going to labor & having something happen while being home by myself lol (labor lasted 8 hrs). With Wyatt, I was just going with the flow, if natural labor happened it did, but was hoping I would't go to term knowing he was on his way to being a 10 lb baby. I ended up having really bad braxton hicks contractions the morning that he came, but because my blood pressure was high, they ended up inducing me (labor lasted 10 hrs). All my kids have been healthy, with no major complications or health issues (and I did smoke with Stetson & Wyatt). I guess things will work out in the way they are intended, I just know if she hits 10 lbs, I am going to be freaking out lol! There is one thing I can say for certain though, I will be happy when my life revolves around my kids again & not having to pee every 5 minutes!

How About Another July Scentsy Giveaway??

2010-07-17T22:12:00.002-06:00

Scentsy's 2010 Spring & Summer scents have a way of making your mouth water & this particular scent could help quench any summertime thirst. I am a delicious scent reminiscent of a soda fountain drink. What scent am I?

You can use a catalog if you have one, or go to my Scentsy Consultant Website and click browse to view the online catalog, to find out what scent is making my mouth water right now :) Post a comment with your answer on or before July 31st to win a room spray in this scent :) Winner will be picked by a random number generator so even if someone has already posted the answer, still post a comment with your guess so that you have a chance to win :) Winner will be posted on August 1st :)

And the winner is.....

2010-07-17T10:13:00.004-06:00

Sorry I am behind on getting the winner out on this contest, but I am excited to say that the lucky person to receive a FREE SCENTSY BAR is....

Congratulations Chris Monroe (known from it being a duplicate post on Facebook)!!! Send me an email with your address & the scent you would like your bar to come in & I will get it sent out to you :)

Stay tuned, a new contest will be coming today!!!

Happy 4th of July!!

2010-07-04T13:08:00.002-06:00

I love the 4th of July holiday! This year we added a new twist to it & went to Logan for Logan's Run & the Cruisin' car show. Despite being 7 months prego, the day was great! The weather was under 80 degrees, it was breezy & slightly overcast. Stetson got tired of walking around & hot, but overall was really good (even though we had some excited/bored issues). Wyatt pretty must just chilled in the stroller & enjoyed the ride lol - he loved when cars would start up & rev their engines & we found him this shirt that says "I'm gonna drive a Chevrolet when I grow up, WATCH OUT!" with a picture of a 55 Chevy truck on it (for those who don't know, this is fitting because of Papa Polson's 59 Chevy truck.) The only downfall to every car show we attend is that my father-in-law isn't ready to put his in one :(

Today we are pretty much just laying low, but will take part in the Farr West festivities tomorrow :) I haven't managed to take any pictures yet which is completely unlike me, but hopefully tomorrow I'll take some :)

Happy 4th Everyone!!

July 2nd Scentsy Contest Starts Now!

2010-07-02T10:13:00.005-06:00

In honor the "Bring Back My Bar" winning bars that were available starting yesterday, for this new contest all I want to know is...

What's your favorite Scentsy Scent (past or present)?

How do you win? Just post a comment on here letting me know what it is & you'll be entered to WIN A FREE SCENTSY BAR!! Last days for entries is July 15th so post your favorite scent by then!

**Winning bar must be a current scent or one of the "Bring Back My Bar" scents listed below :) **

Apples & Pears
Pears come first, then crisp fall apples.

Banana Nut Bread
Right from the oven with ripe bananas, nuts, and spices.

Blackberry Bushel
Juicy, ripe, bursting blackberries. Fruits & Flowers.

Cappuccino
A warm cup of espresso with frothy steamed milk and creamy vanilla.

Cashmere
This sheer floral bouquet combines Moroccan jasmine, lily of the valley, and bergamot.

Cheerful Day
Sunny lemon, white grapefruit, and mandarin with French verbena and wildflowers.

Eggnog
With warm, spicy tones of nutmeg, rum, and cream, this scent is a holiday favorite.

Eucalyptus
Soothing, medicinal, and fresh.

French Vanilla
Sweet, buttery vanilla.

Fried Ice Cream
Vanilla with a nutty touch, along with cinnamon and caramel.

Key Lime Tortilla
Lime and kiwi combine for a south-of-the border sweet treat

Leather
Rich leather scent reminiscent of an old-fashioned leather shop.

Luscious Lemon
Light, creamy lemon.

Mysterious
Spicy, fresh and woody, this masculine fragrance evokes strength and vitality.

Newborn Nursery
Dreamy scent that evokes memories of cradling your little ones.

Pink Plumeria Passion
Hawaiian island blossoms with exotic delicacy.

Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.

Sizzlin’ Coconut
Tempting mix of cinnamon, coconut milk, and rich vanilla.

Strawberry Sweetie
A fruity delight of juicy strawberries sprinkled with sugar and vanilla.

Watermelon Patch
Sweet, vine-ripened watermelon.

"Bring Back My Bar" scents can only be purchased in Scentsy Bars.
Individual Bar = $5.00
3-pk of Scentsy Bars = $14.00
6-pk of Scentsy Bars = $25.00

My Consultant Special for July: Purchase the Scentsy 6-pk through me by phone, text or email & get it for $20.00! That's like buying 4 bars & getting 2 free!!

Discount cannot be applied to website purchases.

Scentsy 'travel pack' giveaway winner is...

2010-07-01T18:50:00.004-06:00

The winner of my first Scentsy giveaway is.... My Aunt Dana! (being as she was the only one who entered lol).

I will start another contest tomorrow that will run until the 15th of July! If you have an idea on what kind of contest it should be or what should be given away, let me know :) Remember, if there is more than one person who enters, the winner will be picked with a random number generator through www.random.org

Congrats to Dana - just let me know what scent you want in a travel tin, hanging air freshener & room spray so I can order them & get them shipped :) They can be all the same scent or different ones. The hanging air freshener & room spray are available in all scents, but the travel tins are only available in about 10 scents :)

Scentsy Product Giveaway - Enter by June 30th!

2010-06-23T13:19:00.002-06:00

Let the giving away of Scentsy products begin!! :)

**this contest will involve being a Facebook fan of my Scentsy page **

One of the many great things about Scentsy's wickless warmers is that there are so many different warmers to choose from, you can put the one in your house that suits your own decorating needs. Not only do they come in different styles but they come in different sizes too!

What Scentsy warmer suits your own personal style? Post a picture of your Scentsy warmer on my Facebook Fan page. Then comment back on this post that the picture is posted.

All posts through June 30th will be accepted, check back on July 1st to see if you won!

What will you win??? With summer upon us and many people traveling, you will receive, what I call, a Scentsy Travel Pack - a hanging air freshener, room spray & travel tin in the scents of your choice!

Contests for Scentsy Product!

2010-06-23T13:09:00.004-06:00

I have decided that I am going to start having contests for Scentsy products, and since Facebook limits the amount of stuff you can type on your status, I will just put a link from my Scentsy Facebook page to this blog & give you the info that way :) I have also signed up for a random number generator so that when I have the contests, the winner will be picked fairly based on the number of comment you were. So if your comment is the 3rd listed & 20 people entered, you would want random #3 to be selected :) I am thinking I will do a contest twice a month, depending on participation so spread the word to all your friends & family :) Some contests will involve being a fan of my Scentsy Facebook page and some won't, but being a fan will give you the best update on when contests are happening so you don't miss out!

I will be posting the first contest soon so stay tuned! Also, if you have an idea for a contest or product you would like to win - just let me know! All suggestions are welcome :)

Crazy Weather

2010-04-24T22:37:00.002-06:00

What a crazy week of weather we had this past week! We went from 70's & sun, to 50's & rain, to 30's & snow, to more 50's & rain then 66 degrees today! It was a beautiful day to be outside, but I am definately feeling the fact that I did not drink enough water. I am tired & have a headache from that burning place below lol. My remedy is a HUGE 64 oz mug filled to the brim with ice & water :) I don't know what it is, but whenever I am pregnant, my water has to be ICE COLD! Not even cold water out of the fridge will do - still have to add the ice :)

It's been nice though, I really did not want to spend much time inside. It did make for a pain in the butt day with Wyatt, but it has more to do with the fact that he just wants to walk around in circles & I get tired of following him lol. He got to ride in the family's 59' Chevy, drive the tractor (which he fell asleep during due to no nap lol), and got to eat his favorite food - french fries :) Stetson spent most of the day playing with her cousin Kodie (and I swear I never spell it right lol) next door at Casey's Aunt Cathy's house. It makes it nice being so close to family for both Stetson's sanity & my own :)

On top of the crazy weather this week, we also decided to implement a new discipline system for Stetson. She really is a good child, but she has a bad habit of doing the same things over & over again with her response always being "I forgot" or "my remembery is broken." Yes, you read it right, remembery lol. So with a calendar of the days of the month on it, for every time she butts into a conversation she shouldn't, doesn't listen, or interrupts she gets an 'X' on the day. Six 'X's' in a row means that she loses a toy to the storage unit. If she's good for 2 days in a row, then she gets an 'X' taken off. So we started it Tuesday & yesterday was the first day we had to deal with the dreaded 6th 'X' lol. She handled it pretty well, mainly due to the fact that she knew she had one more 'X' before hitting #6 & she blew it lol. She lost her big doll house, but overall, I think she is learning from it - I hope lol. She knows that if she goes a week without any 'X's' she'll get it back & hopefully she'll be working on stuff like that before she loses everything. Today was the 1st day starting over from square one & only got 1 'X' so we'll see. I feared the how the weekend would go the most because she's home all day - so far, so good.

Has anyone else had to deal with implementing a particular discipline system for a child? I realize as adults we have to do something to keep our children under control, but I wonder what others do besides the typical time out's and grounding scenarios?

Well, my bed is calling my name! I hope everyone has had a fabulous weekend!

Rough Week....

2010-04-13T23:17:00.002-06:00

What a rough week it's been & it's only Tuesday! Technically the roughness started about a month ago when Stetson all of a sudden started choking on her food when she'd eat. At first it was spiratic, but on from last Friday on, she has choked on at least one meal a day. I took her to the Dr's today to make sure it wasn't a problem with her throat & he said he wasn't seeing anything wrong with her tonsils, no problems with her gag reflex, or any indication that she was having issues swallowing when he had her drink some water so he was at a loss. I did have it being a mental thing (aka she is thinking she is going to choke so she ends up doing it from paranoia), and that's kind of what he is leaning towards, but said to keep an eye on her for the next couple of weeks and make it a non-issue and see if things get better; if they don't, he'll schedule a berry test at the hospital, where she has to drink this stuff and they'll take x-rays of her throat while she's swallowing to see if there are any issues further down. Tonight at dinner she didn't have any problems & the Dr telling her that things look good & she should be fine from here on out seemed to boost her confidence.

Wyatt has also decided to start being more of a Wyatt than normal lol. With the weather being nice we have been spending more time outside & he absolutely loves it, but now he wants to be outside ALL THE TIME! It wouldn't be so bad except when Wyatt gets upset, he has a meltdown that he always manages to injure himself during. Tonight the meltdown wasn't because he wanted to go outside, but my in-laws & Casey couldn't figure out what he wanted & he got upset. When he got mad, he threw himself into the side wooden railing of my in-laws bed & ended up giving himself a huge bruise & goose egg smack dab in the middle of his forehead! His meltdowns almost always involve him hitting his head on something, usually he does it intentionally on the floor or runs himself into a couch or chair & flails his body on it, but when he does like today & gets hurt I just think "geez kid, is it really that bad?"

Between the two I have had my moments of being at my witts end; but I just keep thinking about the smiles & laughter that happens in-between these moments & I smile. I really just hope that love is enough when I feel like I am helpless towards their needs.

On the plus side, we did find out we are having another little girl. We've picked out the name Sierra Elsie & we're all stoked! I still keep calling it an 'it' or 'this baby' - guess it hasn't really sunk in lol. I can't wait to start buying little girl stuff though :) Our next appt is May 5th & it will be the 4D ultrasound. The Dr did a 3D one on this last visit & the detail on those is crazy! I love the 4D too, but the babies always look like a little playdough creation lol :)

Well, I'm gonna go check on Wyatt one last time & head to bed. I hope everyone is enjoying their April - I can't believe it's going by so fast!

Hippity Hoppity Easter's On It's Way!

2010-04-02T11:31:00.005-06:00

I can't believe Easter is on Sunday! This year is already flying & I don't know where it's heading, but so far so good :) I took the kids over to my mom's house yesterday to decorate Easter eggs, and although I didn't think Wyatt would get into it, he had a blast. He didn't like drawing on the eggs, but loved trying to see how many he could fit into one tub of color lol. He also decided the spoons were a waste of time and that his hands would be much more effective. We eventually traded out the dye for a bowl of water after we thought his hands couldn't get any redder. I'm just glad he decided to do it with the red dye instead of the blue lol - I would've had a little smurf for Easter :) Here are a few of my favorite shots :)

Next week is mine & Casey's 4th anniversary, and the weather we have been having reminds me so much of that day. It was absolutely gorgeous & sunny the week before & that morning we wake up to a consistent snow fall. It snowed all day, until about 7 PM that evening when the ceremony was over and the reception was well under way, and then from then on was gorgeous & sunny once again. We have no big plans this year for our anniversary due to some trips we're hoping to make this summer, but hopefully a dinner involving a Japanese steak house & some sushi will be on the agenda :)

Well the kids want out of the house & who doesn't blame them. We have a busy, but fun-filled day tomorrow & we have things to get done before then so we best get to it. I hope everyone has a happy Easter :)

Pictures :)

2010-03-10T20:29:00.006-07:00

Stetson's 6th Birthday
(wearing her birthday crown from school & sitting by her balloons from Grandma Polson)

Wyatt laughing with Papa Polson

Stetson & Wyatt Dancing

Tired...

2010-03-10T20:06:00.002-07:00

....seems to be the story of my life lately. Between trying to keep up with Stetson & school stuff, Wyatt and his everyday antics & carrying a new little one - I am quickly learning the meaning of the word 'spent'. Wyatt's new favorite discovery is the buttons on the front of the TV & how to work the remote. If he isn't turning it off & on one way, he's doing it the other way. The worst part is that to him it's just a big game - even getting in trouble for it is fun to him lol. He also enjoys beating up his sister by biting her & pulling her hair (if anyone has suggestions on how to stop this, they are greatly appreciated lol).

On the flip side, I had a wonderful birthday at the end of last month. My hubby took me up to go shopping & spend the night in Park City. He felt bad that he was taking me clothes shopping when I'm going to turn into a balloon in a month or two, but luckily I was able to find some clothes that will work for now & as I grow - and surprisingly enough, I kept things very cheap lol. Ok, that's not REALLY surprising cuz I'm a bargain shopper, but I didn't go crazy UNTIL he told me that I could get a new cell phone too!! I was so ecstatic! I had been complaining about my old phone for months due to - well, as I call it - being an LG lol. I went with the new Palm Pre & although I have discovered I am not entirely thrilled with it and will be trading it for the Blackberry Curve, it still is a really good phone.

Things living with my mother & father inlaw are going really well. I am happy to say that me and Casey are making progress on Operation Polson: New Year, Fresh Start. I am grateful everyday for the blessings in my life and for having such wonderful family members by my side. I am also extra grateful for my inlaws and all the help with the kids they have been providing.

Stetson is doing really well in school. We had some minor issues with her transitioning to a new school and trying to figure out where she was at vs where the new school was at, but she has transitioned and learned what she needed to very quickly. She is such a smart girl (and smartie pants sometimes lol), and I couldn't be prouder of her. She actually keeps me on track with everything that she is suppose to be doing, what's going on at school, and reading/homework assignments.

The new baby is still an unknown sex, and we probably won't know until our next appt on April 8th, but everyone is swearing it's going to be a girl. I'm happy with whatever comes our way, I would be happy to have a boy & keep the shopping needs to a minimum lol; but it would be fun to start buying for a baby girl again. I just have to say that if it's a boy, it's a good thing we have 6 months to pick out a name because they just aren't coming easily to us. If it's a girl, her name will be Sierra Elsie (Sierra cuz it sticks with our country theme) and Elsie after Mom-Mom Topper (my grandpa Topper's mom).

So that's what's going on in my small little world right now. I'm counting the days until summer when the camping can begin & more days can be spent outside than in.

Little Cherry Blossoms

2010-03-03T15:55:00.002-07:00

Little Cherry Blossoms is starting to do Wednesday giveaways on their facebook page and I am wicked excited about this lol. I went into this store for the first time when I participated in Scentsy's Contribute 2009 & I fell in love with their stuff! I think it's important that we support small businesses in our area, regardless of where we live, it's those businesses that are the backbone of a community. If you're on facebook you should seriously become a fan of Little Cherry Blossoms.

Operation Polson: New Year - Fresh Start

2010-02-10T22:13:00.002-07:00

We all know how New Years resolutions work, you make one & keep it for about a month - then you give up. Not this year! Not only is it a joint resolution with my husband, but it's a lot of short term goals adding up to Operation Polson: New Year - Fresh Start! This resolution started with moving in with my wonderful mother & father in-law. Not only have they been great to let us into their homes for a short time, they have been a wonderful support system & once again I claim I could've never asked for a greater set of in-laws.

Now Operation Polson: New Year - Fresh Start has already given us it's share of bumps; the biggest being that we are expecting baby #3 due September 9th. It was totally unplanned and even though we were unprepared for the news, we are so excited to have another addition to our family. The only reason it's considered a 'bump' is because part of our goals is to get all our bills paid off. Luckily, after having Wyatt, we know what this added bill will cost us & can figure it into our financial plan :)

Stetson did end up in a new school with us moving & she is loving it because she is in the same class as her best friend Zoe. I am not seeing any major concerns with her being behind due to school district changes. She did need some help with some things, but she's a smart girl & has picked up on it quickly. Wyatt is a typical 1 yr old, although he is an emotional child. He loves being in the same house as his Papa & Grandma Polson. Right now his favorite things to do are to sit in Papa & Grandma's vehicles, sing the "itsy, bitsy spider" & "pat-a-cake" song & drive his sister crazy by taking the toys she is playing with lol.

All in all, I can't complain. Life is treating us well and Operation Polson: New Year - Fresh Start is on its way to making 2010 great!

A New Year...

2010-01-03T17:52:00.002-07:00

Wow! I can't believe it's 2010! This past year has seen it's share of ups an downs, but the ups outweigh the downs by far! I am constantly amazed by the family I have been blessed with and my wonderful husband & kids! Wyatt is going to be 14 months & has finally started walking more than crawling. Still not many words coming out of his mouth, but he baby talks things that seriously sound like sentences lol. Stetson is half way through Kindergarten and is still loving every minute of it. She had a countdown for going back to school after Christmas break because she couldn't wait lol. We had a wonderful Christmas & a mellow New Year, but enjoyed every minute of it! Casey has been on vacation and I hate that he has to go back tomorrow, but I guess if companies gave you enough vacation time for a year, they wouldn't get anything done lol.

The end of 2009 has had its share of stresses, my dad ending up in the hospital probably topped the cake. He went to the emergency room the Sunday before Christmas for a kidney stone, only to find out that his aeorta valve had stopped working and another valve is borderline bad. He has an appt with a heart surgeon down at the U of U on Tuesday to find out when he will be having open heart surgery, but the cardiologist is hopeful that all will go well because other than the valve being bad, he is in excellent shape. Apparently this heart problem is common for people who had rhuematic fever when they were young.

Scentsy is going well! I am still loving every minute of it, although December was a rough month. Primarily because everyone I know bought stuff from me in November lol :) I did get a 2nd recruit signed up and will be doing her launch party on the 16th, although, sadly, my first recruit has become inactive due to family issues she had to get squared away. Still, I am happy to be a part of such a wonderful company that allows me to stay home with my kids and a product that I love to have in my home and put in the homes of others :) If you are interested in Scentsy products or selling Scentsy, you are welcome to check out my website http://clpolson.scentsy.us

Other than that - everyone is doing well and everything is going fine :) My new year started off wonderfully & I am hoping it continues that way :)

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

2009-12-01T14:51:00.002-07:00

Summer has come to an end, Fall is on it's way out too...I am so excited for the upcoming holiday season, but am still scratching my head wondering where the year went. We had an awesome summer, although it didn't include as much camping as I would've liked, but there were definately many fun memories to choose from! Wyatt turned 1 on Nov 17th and he is such a handsome guy. He still isn't walking, but likes taking steps here and there. He likes to play pat-a-cake (especially the roll it part), and loves his balls, cars and tractors. He is saying "mom", "dad", "truck", and "woof". He is also going up and down stairs, although the up part still has us on edge because he likes to pause and stand on them. We have also ventured into big people food, but the only things he will eat are crackers, toast w/peanut butter, and McDonald's chicken nuggets lol.

We had an awesome Thanksgiving with both my family and Casey's. This year Casey's family decided to all get together with my MIL's side of the family and it was great to get together with all of them. I am truley blessed for all of the family I have in my life and love spending time with each and every one of them.

I took my sister on her first Black Friday shopping adventure. We had a blast and I got some killer deals. There wasn't a lot of money to spend, but I definately spent what I did well :) We got our Christmas tree put up and our house decorated over the weekend, and Wyatt got to put his 'baby's 1st christmas' ornament from last year up on the tree. He is doing well with not playing with it, and I'm even happy Scamp is staying away from it this year lol. I love the holiday season and this year we got tickets to go see The Forgotten Carols with Casey's family. I have never been but am way excited to take Stetson to go see it. Wyatt is to little to go, but he'll get to spend some time with Grandpa Monroe and Grandma Val :) Hopefully we'll also get to add the lights at temple square to our list of adventures this year and get to go to the Zoo Lights again. So much to do and lots of family time and memories to be had :) As hectic as it gets, I wouldn't trade it all for the world :)

Weekend Pictures

2009-07-20T15:16:00.007-06:00

Stetson by the tractors :)

Stetson with Uncle Blake

Wyatt Checking out the Case tractors with Dad

Wyatt with Uncle Blake

It's Rodeo Time!

2009-07-20T14:49:00.003-06:00

What a great weekend we just had! Despite my house being 94 degrees over the weekend due to needing a new swamp cooler (which, fingers crossed, we'll have installed by our landlord this week), it turned out to be a GREAT weekend. Due to our house being so hot, we stayed the weekend with my mother & father-in-law - and once again, I couldn't ask for better in-laws. Saturday was pretty much the big kick off for the Days of 47 celebration week so that morning we went to 25th street to see the Tractor show and Farmer's Market. The tractor show ended up being not so great, but I love walking around Farmers Market's and seeing what everyone has to offer. Stetson and I went for a ride on a stagecoach and we got to watch Casey's Uncle's ride around with the Weber County Sheriff's Posse. After some coercsion, we even got Stetson to ride on Blake's horse with him lol.

After going to the Tractor show and Farmer's Market, we decided to head up to Liberty Park and see the car show. Low and behold, what do we find, a BEAUTIFUL 59 Chevy truck that is for sale! It's got a 350 corvette engine in it, the perfect combination of paint and chrome, the slat wood style bed...and well I'm a girl so I couldn't really tell you what else it has, but like I said, is BEAUTIFUL! The best part about this truck was the look on my father-in-laws face when he saw it and the flood of memories you could see running through his mind as he recalled the first truck he ever owned. After much contemplation...or maybe it's more of the family pressure, he is considering his options on buying it. All I can say is it suits him well and I can only imagine the great times him and my mother-in-law will have it in if he does.

Thursday is the Tough Enough to Wear Pink night at the rodeo and it has become a Polson tradition to go and show our support for the rodeo and breast cancer awarness on this night. For everyone who wears pink on to the rodeo, a portion of ticket sales will go to the McKay Dee Breast Cancer Research Center. It's a great cause and a great event to attend, so if you're going, make sure you're tough enough to wear pink!!! We are also extra happy to be attending this year to celebrate my mother-in-laws win against breast cancer and because of it, she gets to attend a special dinner for cancer survivors that night before the rodeo!

There are so many good things going on right now - and even some still in the works - I can't tell you enough how much I love my family and how happy I am to get to share all these experience with them. In two weeks is Kevin & Cambria's wedding and a whole new adventure will be starting for them - and I couldn't be happier to have her as a part of our family. Hopefully we'll get some more camping trips in before the end of summer, even if they are only in our backyard :) This is an awesome time of year!!!

Hurray for Summertime!

2009-07-05T15:33:00.008-06:00

I am so happy Summer is finally here and we get to enjoy some warm weather for a little while. I will admit, when I'm stuck at home, it does have it's downfall cuz my house is ROASTING but I am happy to be able to go out and enjoy the warm weather and watch all the fun Stetson is having outside. I still haven't gotten a camping trip in which really bites, but we've had our share of fun so far. Last weekend we went to Pleasant View Days and Stetson got to ride in her first parade. Wyatt also got to see his first set of fireworks and did awesome. He didn't shed a tear!

Stetson in the parade & Wyatt watching fireworks :)

This weekend we had our yearly backyard campout for the 4th of July at my in-laws and totally loved it, us girls even walked in the Farr West 2K race and it was awesome. I am paying for it today, but it's my own fault for not buying new sneakers in the past 4 yrs lol.

My Uncle Michael and his son along with his girlfriend and her daughter get into town today and I'm so excited to meet his new woman :) They'll be staying at my house Monday & Tuesday night since my mom is on the graveyard shift and then we'll be hitting the Eagle's campground this weekend to get our first trip up there this summer rolling :) I love getting to spend time with my family, just wish we lived closer so we could do it more often :)

The kids are doing awesome! Wyatt has gotten 2 teeth in the past week. One last Sunday and one yesterday. He's getting so big and doing the worm all over the floor. He doesn't dig the army crawl, but has discovered he can get around quickly by doing this rocking/lunge motion. When he really gets going, he looks like he's doing the worm - hence the before mentioned comment :) Stetson is being Stetson and I'm loving every minute of it. She's had some listening issues lately which is always frustrating, but she's still my princess and I can't complain :) She has 2 big kid teeth coming in and has lost a 3rd due to no room in her mouth for the new teeth tre o grow. I'm pretty sure it's going to be the pattern until all her big teeth come in. She is also learning how to "swim" as she calls it, by herself. It's more her just being comfortable with doing her own thing in the pool with her arm floaties on lol. But she's learning, and maybe this winter, we'll see about indoor swimming lessons.

Well, Wyatt is trying to attack my camera and is kicking the laptop in the process. I hope everyone had a happy 4th and has an awesome summer!

The Year Keeps on Flying By....

2009-06-07T15:09:00.002-06:00

I hope this post finds everyone well :) Summertime is almost officially here although that you'd never know it with the crazy weather we've been having. It feels more like August, but it's still been nice. Wish I could convince my landlord that it's a good idea to put Central Air in our house, but it doesn't look like that's gonna happen lol. I'm still staying at home with the kids and although times are tough and money is stressful, I'm still loving it! Scentsy is going good, just kind of going with the flow and enjoying the people it lets me meet and the opportunities it lets me have. Not to mention the wicked cute warmers and yummy smells!

Casey's brother Kevin is getting married at the end of July and so we had a bridal shower for her yesterday. It was a really good turn out and she got a lot of great kitchen stuff. It ended up being an extremely long day between prepping and actually having the shower, but I wouldn't have traded it for the world. I loved getting ready with my sister in-laws Brandie & Kanion and we did an awesome job with fruit kabobs and chocolate dipped pretzels (not to brag or anything lol - BUT WE DID!)

Next week Casey leaves for Boise, ID to do a certification training for work. It sucks to be away from him for the whole week, but I've got some great plans of my own with a few surprises thrown in :) This month just started and already it seems like there isn't enough time in it to get done all that needs to be done. Camping is the #1 item on my list this summer and I better get a trip in soon or else I'm likely to go crazy!

Well, I've gotta get some things done before we head over to Brandie's house to celebrate her birthday :) Until next time...hopefully it won't be so long lol.

Me & Casey :) - thx Brandie

2009-04-17T18:11:00.002-06:00

What are your middle names? His: Ward - Mine: Lee
How long have you been together? April 2005
How long did you know each other before you started dating? We had mutual friends in high school, but he knew me better than I knew him
Who asked who out? Casey asked me and Stetson out for ice cream @ Country Boy Dairy
How old are each of you? We're both 28, but Casey will be 29 in Nov :)
Whose siblings do you see the most? His
Do you have any children together? We have 2 wonderful children
What about pets? A puppy named Scamp and 2 fishies
Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple? Being raised in two different backgrounds
Did you go to the same school? Yep
Are you from the same home town? Well my home town is the whole scope of Ogden cuz I moved so much lol so the answer would be no
Who is smarter? I think we both hold our own as far as smarts, we both have our strengths & weaknesses
Who is more sensitive? Casey
Where do you eat out most as a couple? Wendy's for fast food, it's a toss up between Olive Garden and Goodwood for nice sit down style restaurants
Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple? Reno/Lake Tahoe NV
Who has the craziest exes? Casey, I'm pretty much friends with most of mine lol
Who has the worst temper? Casey
Who does the cooking? It's usually me
Who is more social? That would be me again lol - Casey HATES crowds
Who is the neat-freak? Neither off us are really neat freaks - Casey is about his vehicles and his yard, but as far as house goes, we both are slackers
Who is more stubborn? Casey. I can be if it's something I'm passionate about like my family or kids.
Who hogs the bed? Casey, but it's usually just because I go to bed later so when I go in, I have to shove him back to his side lol
Who wakes up earlier? Casey - but it's usually because he has to go to work and I have been getting up at night with the baby
Where was your first date? Country Boy Dairy
Who has the bigger family? Um, Casey has the bigger immediate family, but our extended families are about the same - mine is just more spread out across the US
Do you get flowers often? Nope
How do you spend the holidays? Usually at my in-laws, it depends on if my mom is working, which 9 out of 10 she is.
Who is more jealous? Casey
How long did it take to get serious? It took about 4 months, I had Stetson to worry about
Who eats more? Casey
Who does the laundry? Ugh - me, but we both hate laundry lol
Who’s better with the computer? That would be me :)
Who drives when you are together? Um, it depends, but it's usually Casey :)

Family Fued Style Questionaire

2009-04-15T14:00:00.002-06:00

Answer the questions, but you can't use any of my answers, lets see how many different answers we can come up with :)

1. Name something you use in the shower? Body wash
2. Name something a football player wears under his uniform? shoulder pads
3. Name something people hate to find on their windshield? a ticket
4. Name something a man might buy before a date? flowers
5. What is another word for blemish? zit
6. What is something you cook in the microwave? popcorn
7. Name a piece of furniture people need help moving? Washer
8. Name a reason a younger man might like an older woman? more experience
9. Name something a dog does that embarrasses its owner? Pees on a visitor
10. Name a kind of test you cannot study for? eye exam
11. Name something a boy scout gets a badge for? Tying knots
12. Name a phrase with the word "home" in it? "Home sweet home"
13. Name a sport where players lose teeth? Hockey
14. Name something a teacher can do to ruin a student's day? Give them an F
15. Name the person that is least likely to respond? Dunno lol, I am posting this on my blog
16. Name a bird you wouldn't want to eat? Eagle
17. Name something a person wears even if it has a hole in it? pants
18. Name something that gets smaller the more you use it? bars of soap
19. Name the person that is most likely to respond? Once again, I dunno lol

Where is time going this year?

2009-03-23T14:17:00.002-06:00

I seriously can't believe it's almost April! Where has the year gone this far? It's crazy to think that I just had Wyatt's 4 month old check up & Stetson's 5 yr old check up done and am now booking a room for my 3 yr anniversary. Not to mention April has turned in to a crazy month for me and I haven't even added Scentsy business to it. Lets see, some recaps:

1. My transmission in my car finally died - we took over payments on my dads 2004 trailblazer and I am SO stoked to have a nice vehicle.
2. Wyatt & Stetson's wellness visits...all is well :) Wyatt was 15 lbs 8 oz and 23 inches long and Stetson was 41 lbs and 43 inches tall. Stetson might have a seeing problem, but they said to just watch it. I actually think she didn't do so hot because they were weird pictures on the chart, not the typical ABC style chart.
3. Scentsy is going good, there is an incentive trip planned for September and if I accumlate 16000 points (hitting various goals) I get to take an all inclusive cruise to Alaska, if I get 24000 points I get to take Casey with me :) LETS GO 24000 points!
5. Wyatt is being blessed on the 29th and I think it's wonderful!
6. Our 3rd Anniversary is on April 6th - WAHOO!!

So...I think for the most part, that's what's been going on. I've had some other ups and downs happen in the last little while, but that covers all the important stuff - kids, family, work lol.

OH - and before I forget, I love different FONTS and was searching for some today for my craft night with my in-laws and found this website:

http://www.kevinandamanda.com/scrapbook/fonts/freescrapbookfonts/

Go check it out! You can either pick individual fonts that you like or you can download all of them that she has on there. She also has some yummy looking recipes and some various scrapbook information. :) Well, I gotta go feed my monster!

Scentsy Website Up & Running

2009-02-05T17:27:00.002-07:00

Happy Thursday Everyone! I just wanted to let you all know that my Scentsy website is up and running. You can go there to check out monthly specials, order from the catalog, or see what events I have booked. You can also contact me to set up your own wickless event :) Just go to www.scentsy.com/clpolson to get all your scentsy needs from me with the click of a button :)

A New One - Fr Brandie & Eric

2009-01-26T08:16:00.002-07:00

Rules: It's harder than it looks! Copy to your own post, erase my answers, and enter yours. Use the first letter of your name to answer each of the following questions. They have to be real . . . nothing made up! If the person before you had the same first initial, you must use different answers. You cannot use any word twice and you can't use your name for the boy/girl name question. Have Fun!!

1. What is your name: Crystal
2. A four Letter Word: Cake
3. A boy's Name: Casey
4. A girl's Name: Carrie
5. An occupation: Cook
6. A color: Coral
7. Something you wear: Clothes
8. A food: Casserole
9. Something found in the bathroom: Crystal's (bath)
10. A place: Cape Cod
11. A reason for being late: Car
12. Something you shout: CAN'T
13. A movie title: Curious Case of Benjamin Button
14. Something you drink: Canned Soda
15. A musical group: Charlie Daniels
16. An animal: Cat
17. A street name: Canfield
18. A type of car: Cobra
19. The title of a song: Crazy

I couldn't ask for a better family!!

2009-01-20T11:39:00.003-07:00

Last night, I got to meet my little brother Logan for the first time and all I can say is he's always been family! We had a great night with all of us siblings together, we ordered pizza and just hung out. Randal and Shelby also had some My Little Pony time with Stetson lol :)

Crazy thing about all of us, in the pic we are standing oldest to youngest (me 27, Randal 25, Logan 22, & Shelby 15) and if it wasn't for my 2" heels on the boots I am wearing, I would be the shortest!!! We have all surpassed my mother in height and it looks like Stetson & Wyatt will follow in the footsteps of us siblings and be taller than their mother (me! lol).

Well, I have laundry to do and birthday invitations to make so I'm going to get to it, I just wanted to share the good day I had yesterday with everyone. *Hugs & love*

Happy New Year Everyone!

2009-01-09T21:15:00.002-07:00

We're well in to the new year and I hope everyone enjoyed their holidays! We couldn't have asked for a better Christmas & New Year, although the beginning of 2009 - thus far - is off to a rocky start. We'll rewind and go back to Christmas and the actual New Year lol. Christmas Eve we spent the night at my inlaws and had a wonderful time. We then went over to my mom's and then to my dad's. All in all, it was a great time with all of our family filled with lots of love and gift giving :) New Year's Eve we went over to my inlaws and played games with my mother-in-law, father-in-law, Shayne & Kanion. It was a lot of fun! I especially liked Apples to Apples and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good game to play. Then we went over to my friend Bree & Rob's house to actually ring in the new year.

Despite the ups & downs 2008 started with, it turned out to be one of the best years ever! Casey and I couldn't be happier and more blessed. We were able to move into a bigger house, watch my MIL come out a breast cancer survivor, welcome baby Wyatt into our lives, and continue to watch Stetson grow and constantly amaze us with her wit and personality. My family is doing well and my adventure with Scentsy Wickless Candles is off to a good start. Like I said, I feel blessed.

I won't go into details about 2009 and it's rocky start, but will say that I continue to have faith that strength & love will overcome the ill feelings that are being felt. I'm sorry for my part in the matter and I'll try to do what I can to make things right.

My wish for 2009 - continued love, stregth, good health, & happiness for those I care about and love!

WOW! It's been awhile lol

2008-12-15T19:39:00.002-07:00

I don't get online at work anymore and didn't realize when my last post was. Life on the home front is going good. Work is still trying to get me to come back and I've debated it, but overall I can't convince myself that financially it's the right move, even though I wonder daily how we're going to make things work without me working. Casey is supportive in whatever work decision I make, and I think it's going to boil down to taking a part time job a couple nights a week (as long as they can be set nights) and possibly one day on the weekend. I've thought about going back to work at Sears, mainly because I know I can work whatever I want and they'll work with me.

Baby Wyatt is doing great! We had his 2 week appt last week (a week late) and the doctor says he is doing well. He weighed 7 lbs 14 oz and was 21 inches long. He said he is tall for his age, but his daddy is on the tall side so that's to be expected lol. I've pretty much prepared myself for both my children to be taller than me when they grow up (me and my siblings are all taller than my mom). He'll have his next appt next week and has to get his next go round of hepatitis shots. I am not one of those mothers that thinks that shots causes children to have mental conditions. I do think it's possible for it to occur due to a bad batch of shots or a gene within a child that the shot could cause an adverse reaction, but overall, I think that they are a necessity of life. I wouldn't say he is on any sort of sleeping schedule, but at least he has 3-4 hrs between wake up calls lol. I pretty much take the night shift through the week and Casey takes it on the weekends.

Stetson is doing well. She is anxiously awaiting Santa Clause and counting down on her chocolate advent calendar. Santa has his work cut out for him this year though, she has only asked for 3 things - moon sand, a rainbow brite doll (I'm not kidding lol - I was into these when I was younger), and a doll house. The rainbow brite doll has been Santa's hardest present (or so I've heard lol). Needless to say, it has been taken care of thanks to Santa's bidding abilities :) She has been doing awesome with Wyatt, although is very protective of him around new company. For the most part, I hear at least 20 times a day how cute she thinks he is and how much she loves him and wants to kiss his little fingers and toes lol.

We are slowly getting ready for Christmas, Stetson is taken care of (I started early with her), and Wyatt was easy cuz he's so little there isn't much to get for him lol. My in-laws are almost done and my mom and dad will be done this week. We just need to get our gifts for the names we drew on my in-laws side (Kanion and Brandie, I could sure use some help lol) and pick up one more thing for Casey (and I have no idea what that is.) I also need to get my Christmas cards out in the mail. I get them every year and every year it never fails, I don't mail them lol. I also still need to send out my thank you cards from Wyatt's baby showers, they're done - just need to make a trip to the PO. Geez, I suck lol.

Well, I am going to go spend some time with Stetson, she wants to 'elf' my brother and his girlfriend on Office Max.com lol. Hope the holiday season is treating everyone as well as it is us :)

Happy Thanksgiving (a day early lol)

2008-11-26T13:27:00.002-07:00

I just wanted to come and wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. I know it's a day early, but I don't foresee myself getting online tomorrow :) Things at home are going good. Wyatt is now just over a week old and his facial expressions/gas make me laugh :) Stetson has been absolutely wonderful with him and has seemed to have grown up so much since he was born. She still has her moments as any 4 year old would, but ultimately, if I had any worries about how she was going to be once Wyatt came, they are now gone.

I can't say sleep is something I know much about lately lol. Wyatt gets up twice in the night, but I have found myself getting up before he actually does because I am getting use to the routine. He averages about 4 hrs of sleep in-between wake up calls, his first being between midnight and 1 and then his second between 4-5 AM. He is not a very loud crier so Casey usually sleeps right through them, which doesn't bother me because I know he's the one who has to get up for work the next morning. Can't say I get any naps throughout the day to make up for the wake up calls though lol. Usually if Wyatt is sleeping (he's a newborn, it's quite a bit lol) I am spending time with Stetson or trying to get stuff done around the house.

I had my first 2 child shopping experience yesterday. Luckily it wasn't a huge shopping trip because there was no room in the cart lol. Stetson wanted to sit in the top part and Wyatt was in the main basket, but both were very good :) I know as they get older, it won't be as easy, but we're taking baby steps with new experiences lol. Well, Stetson is wanting my attention and I need to get a the dishwasher loaded. I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving full of memories and love. *hugs*

37 Week update :)

2008-11-13T19:47:00.002-07:00

The update almost didn't happen today lol. I got a phone call earlier from my Dr's office saying that he had an emergency and wouldn't be able to see me today. They asked if I wanted to reschedule and I was like "well I'm 37 weeks pregnant, is there another option?" so they let me see his partner, which, I would have to say is also a good Dr.

My blood pressure was on the high side again, but like last time, nothing to high to worry about. Wyatt is doing good - strong heart beat, now 7 lbs 4 oz, and in the birthing position (which makes getting comfortable non-existent for me.) The Dr said that I have started dialating, although I'm only at a 1, and he doesn't foresee me going any sooner than my due date (also is guessing that Wyatt will be about 8 lbs 4 oz at birth lol). So in other words, it looks like I'm in it for the full 40 unless Wyatt decides to speed up the process or I decide to get induced.

I know I had originally said that I would make up my mind on being induced by this appt, but since my Dr wasn't the one I actually saw, it really didn't matter that I hadn't lol. I keep telling myself if I can just get one more week in at work, I will consider it good and whatever happens from there happens. They did hire my replacement yesterday while I was off and she starts Monday so it makes me feel a little better about leaving. My next appt is scheduled for next Thursday @ 10:20 AM so we will see what happens then :)

It's Wednesday :)

2008-11-12T17:53:00.004-07:00

Happy Wednesday everyone :) I didn't have a Dr's appt today so sorry, no update there lol :) I did go and take a tour of the hospital to get a better idea of what I'll be in for when I actually have Wyatt and although I am still bummed that I won't be delivering at my hospital of choice for insurance reasons, I do feel better about where Wyatt will be joining our lives :) There are also some things that I think will be great for Casey and how he will be involved with the baby.

The one thing I love about where I had Stetson is that everything happened in one big room. There was plenty of space for family and friends to visit the whole time and be able to just hang out and enjoy the moments. At the hospital Wyatt will be born in, things happen in two seperate rooms. There is a labor and delivery room and then they take you over to a recovery room about an hour after you deliver. You can have visitors in either room, but it's limited to 5 people at a time, which in my case means only 3 additional people because of Casey & Stetson being the 2 constant. The rooms really aren't big enough to hold more than that, but it makes it hard to allow family to share in the experience when you can't have them all there at the same time.

I know what some people might be thinking about having family in there while I'm in labor, and honestly, I don't mind. It's actually the visitors that makes the time go by faster. It will just be Casey during the actual delivery and as excited as I know everyone will be, I am sad to say that due to the limited # of people allowed in the room that our parents will be the only ones allowed into the labor/delivery room after Wyatt is actually born. Everyone else will have to wait until we get moved to the recovery room. So those are, as it stands pre-labor/delivery, my negative opinions about where Wyatt will be born.

On to the positives :) About an hour after Wyatt is born, Casey will get to take him into the little mini nursery to help get him cleaned up and get to spend some initial bonding time together. There is a little window where family can watch and take pictures and at that time is when I'll be moved into our permanent recovery room. The hospital supplies a free fountain machine w/coke products for people who are visiting (so you don't have to pay for the expensive vending machines lol) and they use Huggies diapers (anyone who knows my family knows why this is important lol). They have room service that is available to order from so I don't have to deal with the pre-picked meals that most hospitals offer (and I will admit is a downfall to where Stetson was delivered...I don't think I ate anything that was given to me unless it was brought in by family/friends lol). They also teach a discharge class to help transition from hospital to home which will be nice for both of us since it has been 4 yrs since I had Stetson. :)

I have my actual Dr's appt tomorrow, so I will update again either tomorrow night or Friday, depending on how things play out. They do have a wireless connection available at the hospital so if something happens between Dr's appts, I'll make sure Casey's laptop is available post arrival so as soon as I am feeling up to it, everyone will get an update :)

Little Behind :)

2008-11-07T13:30:00.003-07:00

I'm a little behind on my updates with Wyatt lol. Well not WAY behind, but I did have a Dr's appt on Wednesday and there really isn't a whole lot new to report, but he's still growing like crazy. He is now guestimated at 6 lbs 10 oz (he was moving around a lot so we're not sure how accurate that is) and all looks fine if he were to come any time from here on out. The Dr did check my cervix and I haven't started dialating yet, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything. He just said it's safe to keep commuting for now lol.

My next appt is on the 13th and I've pretty much set that as my deadline to decide if I want to be induced or not. I may just have them strip my membrane and go from there (it's like inducing your labor but it could take days to go into effect). Work has picked my replacement but she has to give 2 weeks at her current job which means she would start the week of Thanksgiving (unless she decides to hold it off a week because of the holiday) so it's pretty much guaranteed she won't be here before I leave, so my only reason for sticking around work is to keep bringing in income for as long as I can.

Work has been really great when it comes to this whole thing, or maybe it's because they realize that they don't have to put up with me for much longer ;) lol. I am only working 4 days a week (taking Wednesdays off) and they have told me I can come in later in the day if I need to too. Overall, as long as I'm here by 8 AM I am good, but I'll be happy to be done because come 1 PM I am beat...it's moments like these that I regret ever hating naptime lol :)

So that's the story and updates, overall baby is healthy, mom is healthy and the family is healthy lol :)

Happy Monday!

2008-11-03T10:54:00.006-07:00

Happy Monday Everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful Halloween. Ours went pretty good. My mom had Stetson for the day and dressed up like the scarecrow to go trick or treating around her neighborhood with her (the pic below is of them doing their "we're off to see the wizard" impression)

Stetson had a good time trick or treating and visiting family. All went well until we got home and discovered that for the 2nd time, someone had smashed her pumpkin. They didn't smash mine or Casey's which were the nice big ones - no they only smashed hers again. To say she was distraught is an understatement lol. We told her next year we'll have to stick the pumpkins on our back deck so people can't get to them. She's already saying that next year she wants to be tinkerbell, but she's having a tinkerbell birthday party so we'll see what really happens come 2009 lol :) *Hugs & love*

5 Weeks To Go!!

2008-10-29T11:27:00.002-06:00

Wyatt and I had our doctors appt today and with 5 weeks to go, all is looking good. He's got extremely chubby cheeks going on and is now at 6 lbs 4 oz. My doctor asked how things were going and I told him that I am pretty sure I use the bathroom more than I sleep, I have back pain and my ankles are the sized of grapefruits by the end of the day no matter how much water I drink and how elevated I keep them. He laughed at me and said, "everything sounds normal then."

I did start having some stomach pains this morning, but nothing consistent and probably more related to the fact that I can't get comfortable at night and still try to bend my body in positions it doesn't want to go in. The doctor said to just keep him posted if things change or seem to get worse. I am down to weekly appts now, and will go again next Wednesday morning until Wyatt decides to come or we have to induce labor because he's not wanting to lol.

He said that if I wanted to have Wyatt early, and since the week before my due date is the week of Thanksgiving, I could have him at 37 weeks if I wanted to get induced, I told him my in-laws had a pool going on so if I did get induced, he'd have to pick the date so that I wasn't biased lol. I don't even remember who picked what dates, just remember that I picked the 15th and my brother-in-law Kevin picked the day before me lol. My only reasoning for picking the 15th was because it was my Pop-pop's birthday and I couldn't let Kevin be the only one who picked such an early date....I think everyone else picked the week of Thanksgiving and the week I am actually due.

All in all, I think we're as ready as we're ever going to be. Our next grocery shopping trip I'll probably pick up some formula, just so we have some on hand and don't have to make a trip to the store the day we come home. I have decided not to breast feed yet again, mainly just because I like the ease of being able to make a bottle or have some bottles premade and I want Casey to be able to experience that side of having a newborn and be able to build a bond with him as well. I realize there's the breast pump and all that fun business, but ultimately, I don't see it as a smart investment for us.

The only things that I still need to pick up for the baby as far as nusery style stuff is a baby swing and a tub (with some towels). I think my mom's friend Julie is picking up the tub, but all in all, everyone has been wonderful in getting us what we need and the major necessities. Well, I'm gonna go try and get some work done, I am really thinking I should've just taken today off because it's so slow and I was late due to my appt - why be here? lol :) *Hugs & love to everyone*

Wyatt Fisher???

2008-10-27T13:35:00.003-06:00

My sister-in-law Kanion found this website to upload pics and make a baby out of the two....is this what Wyatt Fisher is going to look like? Hmmmm....definately know he's going to have chubby cheeks based off the last ultrasound pic, but we'll just have to see what comes about in the next 5 1/2 weeks :) The funny thing is if you click on my sister-in-laws blog link to the right, her's and her husbands looks very similiar. What can you say, we're all family :)

I don't wanna work :)

2008-10-21T13:55:00.004-06:00

Ten Things I Wish I Could Say to Ten Different People:
(Which one do you think you are?)

1. No matter what life throws our way, it wouldn't be complete without you
2. Nothing will every come between the bond we have - you'll always be my princess.
3. You've stood by me through everything in my life, I hope one day I can truley repay you.
4. You always know how to bring a smile to my face, even on the roughest of days
5. I wish you were here now to teach my children the things you taught me
6. Miles may seperate us and life may get busy but I'll always be here for you
7. Through thick & thin, having you as a friend is something I wouldn't change
8. You'll never know how truley special our daughter is and what you're missing out on
9. You're not here yet, but I already know you're going to be a special part of this family
10. Family ties can't be bent or broken, I pitty the person who ever tries to mess with ours :)

Nine Things About Myself:

1. I have naturally brown hair
2. I have blue eyes
3. My little brother and sister are taller than me
4. I have a beautiful daughter and a son on the way
5. I hate housework
6. I love my personal time
7. I have a hard time not being so independent
8. I hate people with no common sense
9. I feel like my life is complete

Eight Ways to Win My Heart

1. Love me for who I am
2. Realize I'm not perfect
3. I know I need to make changes in my life, I'm working on it
4. Let me know I'm appreciated
5. Be there for me, even when I may say I don't need you
6. I can't be there for everyone all the time, don't expect me to be
7. Just because I don't have something to day doesn't mean I don't care
8. Some days I like to go out and some days I don't, lets just go with the flow

Seven Things that Cross My Mind A lot

1. How greatful I am for my husband
2. I don't know what I'd do without my family
3. Why am I still working?
4. Finances suck
5. Does everyone in my life know how much I love them
6. I need sleep
7. I need to quit smoking

Six Things To Do Before I Fall Asleep

1. Help my daughter get ready for bed and sprinkle her with magic fairy dust (it helps prevent bad dreams - didn't ya know? lol)
2. Put my dog in the kennel
3. Set my alarm clock on the dresser and my cell phone
4. Go to the bathroom
5. Turn Stetson's movie off and check on her one more time before going to bed
6. Kiss my husband goodnight

Five People Who Mean A lot

1. My hubby
2. My kids
3. My family
4. My in-laws
5. My friends

Four Things I love to Wear.
1. Hoodies
2. Shoes w/heels
3. Victoria secret perfume/lotion
4. My daughters hugs ;)

Three Bands/Songs I Listen To Often
1. 107.9
2. Anything my brother is playing on the drums
3. Whatever enlightens my mood

Two Things I Want to do Before I Die

1. Live life to the fullest - no regrets
2. Take an extravageant vacation

One Confession

1. I always act stronger than I am because I'd rather deal with other people's problems and be their support system than deal with what's going on in my life.

5 Lbs & Growing

2008-10-15T14:34:00.002-06:00

I have been meaning to come in here and update this since I said we had an appt last week but my schedule has been utter chaos since my last post. Ok, maybe not utter chaos, but things got crazy for a bit. My appt never happened, we went to the Dr's and he had to go deliver a baby so we rescheduled it for Monday the 13th. Later that night I get a phone call from Stetson's grandma saying the sperm donor was in the hospital and I had to come get Stetson (she was suppose to stay the night) so they could go to the hospital to see what's going on. Long story short on that, he was cleaning carpets and chemicals mixed, causing his lungs to fill with fluid. He also has excema (that lung disease) and COPD (whatever that is) and is back at home, with the help of oxygen.

Monday, I discover, after not having Stetson at daycare all last week (for inconveniences I'm not going to mention) that daycare is not open on Columbus Day. Um....ok, I realize that government offices are closed and such, but seriously, I think if there is school, then daycare should be open. I was one of at least 5 cars trying to drop my child off Monday morning and the lights were out. No sign on the door...nothing! UGH!!! So I get Stetson taken care of (back to grandma's she goes for another day lol) and get to work and it's just craziness. For those who didn't know, we got about 4-6 inches of snow at my house on Sunday and working for the heating & air conditioning business snow=customer freak outs. I was on call Saturday to help work out because it was so cold people were freaking out, but ad snow to the mix and you might as well cut a person's limb off.

So that's a little bit of my chaos lately - all leading up to my Dr's appt Monday with the baby doing great and me learning he's already 5lbs!!! I keep praying I don't go to term at this point because a 9lb baby does not sound like a grand adventure lol. As of today, I have 7 weeks to go (weeks change on Wednesday for anyone keeping track lol) and to say I'm spent would be an understatement. It's so funny how something like pregnancy is so rewarding, yet it can be so miserable at the same time lol. The good outweighs the bad by far though. :)

Other awesome things going on, my mother-in-law had her last chemo treatment on Monday, my Scentsy is off to a great start (REMEMBER: LAUNCH PARTY 10/25 4-6 pm @ MY HOUSE!) and life is overall really good. I hope everyone else can say the same :)

7 Weeks to go!

2008-10-08T12:27:00.003-06:00

Happy Wednesday Everyone! :) We have another Dr's appt for baby Wyatt today and are on the downhill side of things with 7 weeks to go. Some days it seems like it's so far away and other days it seems like it's just around the corner. This weekend I have a Scentsy meeting and then we are going to Salt Lake to have lunch for my brothers birthday. We are also going to take Stetson to The Gateway to Build-a-Bear so she can build her a stuffed animal and we'll give it to her when we bring Wyatt home from the hospital. I'm not sure how we're going to pull it off completely, but our plan is to say she has to wait to bring it home like we are bringing Wyatt home. We just don't want to get to much later into the pregnancy and try and fit it into our schedule and battle bad weather (that may or may not come lol).

Next weekend is my baby shower that my in-laws are having for us, I'm so excited. My in-laws are crafty people, sometimes I wish I could have the motivation to be a crafty person. I always have good ideas, I just lose patience after awhile. I made a scrapbook for my mom one year for Christmas and when I look through it I can tell where my motivation dipped off cuz the pages are simple compared to in the beginning lol. Maybe with staying at home after Wyatt is born, I'll find that creative gene hidden deeper in me lol.

Well, I've got some work to wrap up before I leave for the Dr's so I'll update again tomorrow after I have visit information :)