Taking the kids to jail.....where they belong!!! ;-)

Samantha's preschool group went to the Utah County Jail for a field trip on Friday. Her preschool teacher's father is the County Sheriff so she knew everyone there and got the tour organized. It was a VERY fun trip! It was my turn to take Samantha and our neighbor and since I couldn't get a babysitter for Alex he tagged along.
The first thing we saw was the laundry area and the kids even got to try on some (clean) clothes.

All along the way the officer was telling us lots of fun and interesting information about the jail. Well, fun and interesting for the adults. The kids were just kind of skipping around and playing. Alex was a little hesitant as was our neighbor EJ, but Samantha was running around like she owned the place!! That is one thing about that little girl.....she can make herself at home anywhere! When she goes to Andy's work she walks around like she is the CEO! Funny girl. Anyways, after the laundry we went into the kitchen where they offered the kids some "jailhouse cookies" that were cooked by the inmates the day before. In this picture you can see some of the inmates in the background.

When we were done with the kitchen we went to the control center where they control all the doors and the security systems. They showed us on the security monitor what the inside of the housing units looked like. They were A LOT nicer than I expected and quite modern. It was a very interesting look at how they live. They are given TV and access to games and the officer explained that they give them these things so that they have something to take away for bad behavior. Sounds a lot like raising kids if you ask me!!!

We then went to the 911 dispatch center and talked to a very nice lady about important things for kids to know when calling 911. I doubt many kids were paying much attention since they were consuming their second lollipop for the day!!

Our last stop was outside to play with a Sheriff's truck. Each kid got to push the siren button and honk the horn. Of course, this was a huge hit!! You can tell the officer is a grandpa because he was so patient and sweet with every kid.

Afterward we got to try on some handcuffs. I really hope this is everyones last time wearing them!!!

My little carnivores!

Today we met Andy at work so we could run over to Costco and get flu shots. The kids already got theirs so it was Andy's and my turn. After the shots we did our Costco shopping and decided to go to dinner. We chose Tucanos and I was amazed at the quantity of meat my kids can consume when they want. Samantha was asking for everything and tried it all. I was so proud. Alex was a little less enthusiastic but ate a ton of my pork and beef brisket. The meat was all very good but the beans and rice and cheese bread were CRAP compared to what you eat in Brazil. I think the trip to Brazil ruined me for eating that stuff in the states. It's just not the same!

And another random thought......when did it become okay to get excited about gas falling under $2.00 a gallon? That is just sad, but so typical of these days. I remember when I was a kid my dad RUNNING out to get gas before it went all the way up to a dollar!!! Heaven forbid!! I miss the good ol' days.

Alex's ABCs

Alex is doing so well with his ABCs. Of course he can sing the song because we sing it to him every night before bed, but he is also getting so good at recognizing the letters in words. I got out some flash cards the other day and was quizzing him on the letters and he only missed 6 or 7! Pretty good for a 3 year old I think. He is definitely doing better than Samantha did at this age but that is probably because we work on them a lot more for her with school. They love to eat their cereal with the cereal boxes in front of them and point out all of the letters they can recognize. I love to see them learn and apply their learning. Smarty pants kids!!

Ruth's Diner and Triple D!

Do you remember how this past spring we were invited to Ruth's Diner to sit and eat while they filmed a Food Network episode of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives?? WELL, we have been waiting patiently for that episode to air and it looks like it will be coming on December 1st! It has taken so long that we thought maybe they decided not to air the show but we just got an email from Ruth's saying that the episode will be coming on. It's very exciting! We were ALL over that episode and can't wait to see the cute kids on there. I got a little sassy too and we'll see if that made it in or if they cut the sass out. I will remind everyone again as the day gets closer and I'll post the time as well.

Lizard?

Tonight for family home evening we pulled out the picture of Brigham Young to teach the kids. Samantha saw his picture and said, "He looks like a wizard!!!". Which I thought was funny enough, but Andy heard, "He looks like a lizard!!!". Either way, we both got a good chuckle out of our funny girl.

1 Year and Counting!

A year ago today I had my back surgery. It's hard to believe it has been a year......it really doesn't feel like that much time has passed. This surgery was the first time that I had ever been in the hospital and my whole experience was quite pleasant. I had complete confidence in my surgeon and his team and all of the hospital staff was friendly and knowledgeable. I was lucky enough to have my own room and it even had a nice view out the window of the Salt Lake valley. I was only supposed to be in the hospital for one night but the surgeon decided since I had 2 small kids at home I better stay an extra night and get all the rest I could. My mom was very sweet and stayed with the kids a lot so that Andy could be with me. He even stayed with me the first night and slept on a broken recliner. Neither of us got much sleep that first night! I never experienced much pain after the surgery but I was terribly uncomfortable. It took 2 male nurses to flip me on my side and prop me up so I could be off of my back for a while. They were pretty strong too....it didn't make me feel very good about myself!! The physical therapist came by only hours after I was out of surgery to get me out of bed and trying to walk. It was very difficult to change everything about the way I moved. I had to roll out of bed a certain way, I couldn't twist my back and I certainly couldn't bend. I was given a back brace (more like a corset) that was very helpful and made standing much more comfortable. I was also given something to help me put socks on since I couldn't bend (never used) and a gripper, reacher, picker-upper stick that I used ALL the time......and still do some days when I'm sore.

After 2 nights in the hospital I came home and Andy was able to stay home from work for a week and a half and take care of me and the kids. He did a wonderful job of juggling everything and took such amazing care of me. Honestly, those 2 weeks rocked!!! I loved being in bed, watching TV, reading magazines and taking naps. I got to see and kiss the kids a few times a day without having to take care of them. I got every little whim of mine taken care of by Andy and the sleep was grand!! The only drawback to sleeping all day was that I wasn't sleeping too well at night but I was happy to have my Ipod to keep my company.

This year has been rough. According to the literature given to me by the doctor I was supposed to "take 3 months off of work". HA! Yeah, that doesn't really work with a 2 and 3 year-old. I was lucky to get my 2 weeks and so recovery has been slower than I would have liked. Normal I think, but slow when you have 2 kids and a house to take care of. Andy has been great and has always helped with whatever I needed and has understood all the days when I have needed to lay on the couch for a while. Thank goodness! The worst part has been the chronic pain related depression. That wasn't something I had expected to happen but it hit, and it hit hard! I've never dealt with depression before. Or chronic pain. I had seen pharmaceutical commercials about the relationship but never thought it was true. I never understood how you could be depressed! I thought you could just snap out of it! I thought you could just decide to be happy! It really is not that simple. The worse my pain was, the worse the depression was. The worse the depression was, the worse the pain was. It was a vicious cycle! I finally got to my breaking point after Andy had been on a few business trips in a row and I was fed up with the kids, the house, Andy, depression, pain, all of it! I went to the doctor and he prescribed Zoloft for me which has been HEAVEN SENT!! Not only has my mood and outlook on life gotten better, my pain has been so much more manageable. I have been on the medicine since July and I plan on staying on it for at least another 6 or 7 months. Maybe longer if I need it! I know depression can be one of those taboo topics but it can happen to anyone for any reason and there is nothing to be ashamed of. I believe it is a real chemical imbalance in your body and if you need to take a little pill everyday to enjoy life and your children, it is worth it! I have far more patience with my kids and that is all the excuse I need! I just wish that the doctor would have warned me of the possibility of getting depression following the surgery. I think maybe it could have saved me a few months of hating life. Oh well, it's taken care of now!

Overall I am glad that I did the surgery. I am no longer afraid of falling and causing more damage to my spine. Although I still think I'll avoid my sister's house in the winter!
And.....in case you didn't see this in my previous post, here is my titanium back.

Officially ready for the snow!

Today we officially got ready for the snow! I know it's going to be coming.....it's lurking somewhere in the sky ready to drop on my house and ruin my day. So today we went out early and cleaned up the whole backyard. We pulled plants, put away kids toys, cleaned up and stored the sand box and put away the outdoor furniture. It took us a couple of hours but the yard looks great and the best part was I now have clean windows!!! Our downstairs windows get wet everyday in the summer when we water our lawn so the water buildup is horrible! I pulled out my trusty Lime-A-Way and sprayed the tar out of the windows and now I can see the sun pouring through my windows!! It really is amazing how nasty they were and how it clouded my view of the outside world! Now everything looks so clear and sparkly! The clean windows just might be my favorite part of fall!!

The kids napped today so we were able to stay out a bit later tonight and enjoy being with our kids. We went to my sister Kami's house and my other sister Richele took our family picture. It's been about a year since our last one so I figured it was a good time to get one. I think they turned out good and I also had Richele take couple pictures of Andy and I....which hasn't been done since our wedding!!! Those I think turned out great as well. I'll post some when Richele gets them back to me. After pictures we took the kids to dinner and they were sweet and well-behaved. Amazing what a little nap can do! Well, it's 8.30pm and I'm exhausted, so I'm going to bed. I washed the sheets so they are clean and soft and smell nummy! They are calling to me!!

Maybe I'll start calling him Spot.

I'm going to start laying down newspaper for Alex to sleep on if he can't get his bowels under control!!! If I put him in a diaper at night he gets lazy and pees and poops in it.....even in the morning when he is awake!! In which case he's usually kneeling in bed at some funky angle and the diaper leaks everywhere. That's even in the super heavy duty Nighttime diapers! If I put him in underwear he still sometimes lets loose and pees all over. Either way I have washed his sheets pretty much everyday for the past few weeks. I'm tired of it. Maybe a catheter is a good idea!! When I was in the hospital for my back surgery that catheter saved my life!! Anybody know how to insert a catheter in a 3 year-old? Ew, that's gross. Maybe I will have to find some other solution.

Health or Money??

Does anyone else ever feel like you have to choose between good health and saving money?? I would love to be able to buy all organic and all natural products, but they are SO expensive. I would love to buy the healthiest food but sometimes feel it is too expensive to buy on a regular basis. Same with other products like all natural toothpaste and skin care. In a perfect world we'd all be using the most natural, most "green" products. But not many of us have the money to sustain that kind of lifestyle. I suppose I could rearrange our budget to accommodate for these kinds of expenditures. I just really wish that I could buy healthier things for my family at the same price as everything else. Are the products priced higher just because they can? Because they know people will spend that kind of money? It's kind of how I feel about cleaner cars. Natural gas, hybrid and electric cars are far better for the environment (thus, far better for us) but they are priced higher. I wish car companies would stop putting money into making "cooler" cars that all look the same and start working on making engines that run cleaner and cost less. Most of you know me and know that I am no environmentalist. I'm not a fanatic when it comes to this kind of a thing, but I do care about our earth and mostly I care about my families health. It sure would be nice if companies cared a little less about making huge profits and cared a little more about making good products accessible to everyone. I guess the world just doesn't work that way. Like my mom always told me, "If wishes were fishes we'd all have a fry.".
I'll climb off my soap box now.

I Voted!

I went a voted today. I waited a total of about 1 minute for an open booth and it only took me about 3 minutes to complete my voting. THAT is a successful voting experience in my opinion. Apparently 3 o'clock is the time to go vote. It's been such a long campaign and I am tired of it all but I have to admit that I am nervous to see who wins. I think both candidates have good qualities and both have bad qualities. I feel like I just voted for the lesser of the two evils! It's going to be an interesting morning seeing who wins......
I do feel blessed that we get the opportunity to vote.....even though I know my vote really didn't count for much. I think the voting system is wrong and needs some tweaking. But I digress. I am grateful to live in the country that I live in and be an American.

I believe I can fly!!!

I believe in a lot of things.

I believe my kids are the best kids in the world.
I believe my husband is the sweetest and best man ever.
I believe I belong to the only true church on the earth.
I believe I will be very excited when the elections are over.
I believe NO ONE should EVER wear a tube top.

But this weekend I became a believer in something else. I now believe in the POWER of..........


THE KSL.COM CLASSIFIEDS!!!

I sold our double stroller on ksl.com a couple of months ago and it sold FAST. Andy came across some old speakers and a few other things that we decided to sell on ksl.com. A couple of things weren't even listed 12 hours before I had numerous calls and emails and eventually $50 in my hot little hands!! I have a guy coming from Layton tonight to buy a speaker for $85 and look at some other speakers we have. I have a guy in Las Vegas that wants me to ship $75 worth of speakers to him. The phone is ringing off the hook for these things!!!!! The point is, if you need to sell something fast, go to ksl.com. AND, listing is FREE!!!
I sure wish KSL were paying me for this advertisement!

Halloween and Alex's new bed

I realized I never posted a picture of Alex in his new big boy bed!! The headboard is from his crib and I made the duvet cover. He LOVES orange so I knew I had to put some orange in it. Not my first choice but he seems to like it. I think it turned out good. It still reminds me of the Denver Broncos with the navy blue and orange! Glad it has the gray too! I still need to make some pillows to go on top but have put away my sewing stuff for a while.
Samantha decided she didn't want to be a witch after she wore her witch costume to the zoo. I asked her what she wanted to dress up as instead and she said, "It's a surprise, but I need to buy a fairy wand!". My first guess was that she wanted to be a cowgirl.....but it turns out she wanted to be a fairy. I was okay with that since the only thing we had to buy was a wand and she had everything else. This is her posing for me before she left for preschool. She looked so beautiful!! I hate to admit that I am insanely jealous of my daughters good looks!! Aren't you??
After Samantha got home from preschool we dressed up Alex and went to daddy's work to say hello and show off and go to lunch. Turns out my friend Ashly was in the area with her cute kids and they were able to come to lunch with us. It was a lot of fun. After dinner we went to the church for their Trunk or Treat. It was the first time we'd gone to a Trunk or Treat and it was great for the little kids. My sister-in-law and my niece came with us and we had a great time letting the kids get their candy. I'm a terrible mother and forgot my camera so I have no pictures of the event. Use your imagination!

Things you don't want to hear when waking up....

I was trying to catch a quick nap on the couch while Alex was napping and Samantha was watching something on TV. I was just falling asleep when Samantha taps me and says, "Mom, I have gum in my hair.". NOT something you want to hear while you're trying to catch some Zzzzz's.

This story reminded me of another funny/awful sleepy story......

I went upstairs to nap when I wasn't feeling well one day. Andy was home and downstairs with the kids so I figured all was well. Little did I know that Andy fell asleep on the couch while the two little rascals had some fun a mere 4 feet from sleeping daddy. Samantha some how got a hold of the Vaseline and proceeded to smear it ALL OVER her brother's head. All over her stuffed animal too. Andy woke up and, being the good father he is, took some pictures before bringing them upstairs to wake me up. Nothing like waking up to a HUGE mess. Alex was greasy for days and my carpet still attracts dirt on the "Vaseline spot" as it is now known. This was a couple of years ago but I still cringe when I see Vaseline.

Oh crap! Maybe he'll end up being a salesman!!

The other day I took the kids to Great Clips to get their hair cut. Usually I cut their hair and I think I do a pretty good job but we were right next to Great Clips and I was feeling frisky! I was just planning to cut Alex's but it looked like so much fun to Samantha that she requested her hair be cut as well. It was funny to see the difference in the two kids in the way they interacted with the lady cutting their hair. Samantha just shyly answered her questions and didn't offer any other information. Alex, on the other hand, was asking HER questions and very much interacting with her. He offered information like, "I'm 3!", and "I like orange!", and when she noticed his Diego shoes he asked her, "Do you like Diego?". I thought it was adorable that he was trying to have a conversation with her and wasn't just answering her questions. They both sat very still and were very cute during their haircut. I guess I know where to go next time I'm feeling too lazy to do it myself!

All your fault Andy!

I'm quite certain that my husband wants me to gain some weight. Why else would he buy the best Halloween candy way too early and leave it within my reach?? He knows I can't leave candy alone! He knows I'd eat the whole bag if no one was around to notice! This is why I'm convinced he wants me to get tubby. So fine, your wish is my command baby!!! I'm going to lock myself in the pantry and snarf down Twix, Kit-Kats and Milky Ways.
Sigh.....we shoulda bought Smarties to give out!

My Vignette

www.shabbyapple.com is having a contest to win a dress, shoes, bag and accessories! How could I NOT enter!!!! Thanks to my friend Jenny for finding this.

AROUND THE WORLD IN AN OUTFIT!!!!

Every morning I wake up and check my Blackberry to see my appointments for the day. My energy breakfast shake is ready for me when I get out of the shower. My make-up artist and hair stylist are in the bathroom ready to make me beautiful for my busy day. I have many important clients to see today before I jet off to Milan in First Class for my upcoming fashion show. I have to choose an outfit that will cross international boundries. An outfit that will look good in any setting and say to everyone, "I am in charge." The outfit I choose for this important day is......


This little black dress is anything but ordinary. The lace can easily go from daytime meetings to nights on the red carpet at my fashion show. The shoes are incredible and prove that I belong in this fast paced life. My hair is curly with one side pulled up and secured with this lovely flower. Finally, I put my Blackberry, lip gloss and credit cards into my perfectly matched clutch. It's going to be a hectic day but at least I know I will look lovely!
.............................................................
"Mommy, mommy!!!!!"
I roll over in bed and see the clock read 7:00 am. I grab my teal polka-dot pajamas, pull my hair in a pony-tail and get my kids out of bed. We go downstairs in the dark. I make them chocolate milk to drink while they watch TV and fight over toys. I start a load of laundry. In a little while we will have breakfast. Then bath time. Then more fighting. Then it will be lunch time and nap time. I pray for them to sleep but as I hear them making noise upstairs I know that I will be lucky if I get them to rest for 30 minutes. Then it's time for the park....snack....play-time.....dinner....bath....bed.
It's almost bed time before I even realize that I am still in my teal polka-dot pajamas. And my hair is still in a pony-tail. I haven't even put on a pair of shoes today. Or touched my purse. There is no need for those things taking care of 2 kids and a house full-time.

It's no big secret which life is really mine. And I'm okay with that. I adore my life as it is. However, if I could add a little something (the ensemble) from my story life to my real life it just might be perfect! Just a little outfit to escape from my ordinary life. An outfit my husband can take me out to dinner in and we can pretend there are First Class tickets to Milan in his pocket.

Fall fun

Here are the kids in daddy's old shirts painting their pumpkins. They looked like little ghosts!


On Saturday we went with my family to the Boo at the Zoo and I have never seen so many people in my life!! It was packed! Samantha was a witch and Alex was Batman! Samantha didn't wear her hat much though so I enjoyed being part witch for the day. Probably not much of a difference from my day-to-day self to be honest! Samantha woke up with a bit of a cold and runny nose so she was a little off for the day. They were troopers though and enjoyed seeing the animals and collecting candy! It was a beautiful day....though a little too hot for all the walking around we did.

Book Confusion

I just recently read The Lucky One (said with a sing-song voice) by Nicholas Sparks. Which is about love and romance and lots of squishy stuff like that.

And now I am reading Lords of the Bow (said with a BOOMING voice) by Conn Iggulden which is a book about Genghis Kahn.

I cannot think of two books that contrast each other more. I think Genghis Kahn would be seriously offended that I even included a book about him in the same post as a book about finding true love thousands of miles away!! In any case though I enjoyed the girlie book and am enjoying the manly book as well. I swing both ways!

Still has a lot to learn!

Even at this young age Alex is learning how to deflect women's questions regarding their appearance. He still has a long way to go, but not bad for a 3 year old. Here's how it went down......

Me: "Alex, do you think mommy is pretty?"

Alex: With that confused and sly little grin "No."

Me: Pouty face and sad lip hanging out

Alex: "Um, what's that noise?"

Yeah, there was no noise in the house. It was silent. Good try little buddy! But the correct response would have been an immediate "YES, you are SO pretty mama!". Andy, get to work on teaching this little boy!

Actually enjoying the scriptures

I've never really enjoyed reading the scriptures too much. I do it, but haven't gotten much enjoyment out of it until now. We decided that we wanted to start reading the scriptures with the kids every night before bed. Not the kid version, the REAL version! Daring, I know! We are starting with 1 chapter each night from the Book of Mormon. The rule is that the kids have to sit on their bottoms with their arms folded and surprisingly, they do a great job! After the chapter has been read we explain to them about the chapter using kid friendly terms and try and pull a lesson out of it for them. This is the reason I have been enjoying the scriptures so much........I have to dissect the meaning of the chapter and it has really helped me appreciate and understand the scriptures more. I think sometimes as adults we over analyze everything and if we would just try to think more like kids do we would enjoy not only the scriptures more, but life in general.
That's just my two cents!

Poor Pip

Saturday morning when we left for Park City Pip was just dandy, as usual. When we got home Sunday around 1:00 she didn't look so good. She was all puffed up and quiet all day and got worse and worse throughout the day. I kept her in our bedroom last night to keep an eye on her and around midnight she passed away. Poor little birdie! I saw her eating before bed and thought that was a good sign and I kept hearing her walk around her cage so I figured she might be feeling a bit better. I was wrong. I made Andy check for sure if she was dead and then take the cage to the garage so I didn't have to look at it. Then I laid in bed and cried for 2 hours and when I finally fell back to sleep I had all sorts of odd dreams and Andy said I tossed and turned all night. It was not too fun explaining to the kids why they couldn't see Pip and what happened. Thankfully we've talked about death before and how your spirit leaves your body so that helped the kids understand a little. Samantha cried a lot (I think mostly because I was crying and she really wanted to see Pip) but pretty soon after decided it was time to get another pet!! Kids sure do know how to rebound! I wish I did a better job of that. When Andy gets home from work today we're going to have a little funeral and bury her in our yard. I know we didn't have her for too long, but I sure did love her.

6 years a Higham!

Today is Andy's and my 6 year wedding anniversary! We had a fun weekend away while my dear sweet mom watched the kids for us. The kids had a great time with Grammy and Grampy playing and doing crafts and having a sleepover while Andy and I went to Salt Lake and Park City and Midway.
Saturday morning we dropped the kids off at my parents house and then drove up to Salt Lake. We went to the Farmer's Market first since it was the last weekend it was going on for the year. We only bought a couple headbands for Samantha but we always enjoy walking around and seeing all the people and smelling the yummy food. We've taken the kids there a couple of times and it was so nice not to have to worry about the little ones getting trampled with the mass of people. The weather was pure heaven all weekend which just made everything better! After the market we walked over to The Gateway and did a little browsing and weather enjoying. Our tummies got a little grumbly so we headed downtown for some lunch. Once again, the weather was so great so we walked the 5 or so blocks to this fabulous German deli near the Capitol Theater. I ordered the Weinerschnitzel and Spaetzle and Andy had the Goulash and Spaetzle. It was amazing and filled our bellies just right! They also had a bunch of German candy and especially these Vanilla Milk Wafers that I am addicted to. I was able to find them in New York once and when I saw them yesterday about had a heart attack. My kids were lucky enough to try one.....but I'm sure that's all they'll get!! I'm sure my friend Ashly will remember these wafers and our love for them! After lunch we walked back to the car and drove to find this patisserie that Andy had heard about with this amazing pastry. This place is only 1 of 6 in the US that makes this particular pastry from France. It's called the Kouing Aman and is from the Brittany region of France. It's a little bit of heaven. It's hard to describe but it's flaky like a croissant but has a bunch of sugar in it that carmalizes and makes it chewy and sweet and delicious! I highly recommend it.
After our sweet treats we drove up to Park City and hit the outlets for some shopping. It's sad, but we pretty much bought the kids stuff and only I got 1 pair of boots. Even when you're away from your kids they are never far from your mind, right? We checked into our hotel after shopping and then went to dinner at a place that wasn't even good enough to mention. At least we had a yummy lunch to make up for it.
In the morning we drove to Midway to The Blue Boar Inn for brunch. It's an adorable B&B that we ate dinner at the night we got engaged. We've always wanted to stay there overnight but have never done it. Now that we've had brunch there though.....we're for sure going back! Tasty! After brunch our fun was over and we headed down to Springville to pick up the kids. They were not particularly excited to see us but napped for us when we got home and we had a fun afternoon in the backyard playing football with them. Good times.

Do you know how you can REALLY tell I'm a Higham now????? Most of my post was about food. And I described it in way more detail than you needed. If Andy had written this post, it would be about a page longer with even more description about the food. If the Highams know how to do anything, it's eat and shop!!! Oh, and travel. Which is why I'm proud to be a Higham!!!
I love you Andy! Happy Anniversary and thanks for the fun weekend!!!

Thanks All!

Thank you to everyone who left a comment of encouragement for me going back to school! I really appreciate it and to tell you the truth, it helps ease the pain of going back to school! Thanks again friends! Andy appreciates it too. Love you!

Back to School Blues

I'm going back to school! I never finished my Bachelor's degree because I got stuck deciding what road I wanted to take and then I decided to go on a mission and work full time until I left. Then I got married, moved to New York and had 2 kids!! Life happens fast!!! A few weeks ago I saw an obituary of a man we knew in New Jersey. He died of cancer after 7 months and left behind a wife and 5 kids. This sort of freaked me out. What if Andy died? I could work as a Pharmacy Technician but that really doesn't pay great. I could work in Accounting, but without a degree I think it would be difficult for me to find a good paying job. Of course, my solution was to just get a couple million dollar life insurance policy on Andy!! The kids and I would do well with that! AND, I bet it would be cheaper than me finishing my degree. Andy, however, is into education and wasn't too hip on my idea. Bummer! SOOOOOO, I signed up for an independent study course through BYU that will eventually transfer to UVU. My plan is to take as many independent study classes through BYU as I can (they are cheaper) and then when the kids are both in school full time (assuming we are living in Utah) I will go back to day school at UVU and finish with a Business Management degree. That's the plan but it remains to be seen what exactly will happen!!
I received my first class packet in the mail yesterday and it was enormous and very daunting. I guess Andy and I will be studying together at night!! And at the end, we's gunna be the most edumacated couple who's ever been! Word!!

Silly Samantha

When Samantha is well rested she is fun and hilarious! She napped yesterday (hallelujah) and because of that nap she was fiercely funny. Here are a few of the things she said yesterday (I was actually smart enough to write them down if you can believe it!).

- I can't remember the exact situation but we praised Samantha for something and her response was "That's cuz I'm fabulous!".

- Samantha was asking her daddy how he was going to make the mattress fit upstairs and Andy said "I've got mad skillz". So Samantha asked "Where'd you get those?"

- I had told Samantha I was going to take her to the store with me because she napped and when it came time to leave she asked if I was going with her. Me, being the ever sassy mother responded "No, you're going to drive yourself to the store.". With tears welling up in her eyes she said "I can't, I'm too young to drive!".

Pickin' Pumpkins

Because the only one that can be trusted in our family is Chad, I have no pictures for this post. I'm sure Chad will get them to me when he can, but for now, you'll just have to hear about our evening and not see it for yourself! Sad, I know!

Last night we went to a pumpkin patch for dinner and some good ol' fashioned pumpkin pickin'. The pumpkins belong to my brother-in-law Greg's dad. Every year they have a weenie roast dinner before they head out to pick some pumpkins and they were kind enough to invite us this year. It was quite cold but the kids were bundled pretty well and seemed to be fine. We ate our dinner then headed to the patch. We found some perfect pumpkins and the kids enjoyed finding small ones to carry. We got a ton to decorate and cook and we were so appreciative that they were free!!! The kids had a great time and I think the adults did as well. Thanks to all the Cook's for inviting us!

Big Day!!

Today has been a big day so far!!! Alex and I went to RC Willey and bought him a big boy mattress set for his new big boy bed!! Then we picked up Samantha from preschool and when we got home I discovered that I sold a duvet!!! My favorite one (Plum and Sun) sold. It was also the first one I made and it is so cute. I hope the lady who bought it enjoys it! I have 2 other duvets in mind that I am going to make twin size for kids beds but I was hoping to make a sell before I made them. Now I have! Yippee!!

Seriously????

Really?? Seriously??? It's snowing!!! Just the other day it was warm and beautiful and we noticed a tree flowering and budding like it was Spring! And now.....SNOW! Utah weather is weird. Much like it's people! ;-) Ha ha

New Routine

Samantha has this new routine in the mornings that she is quite fond of. As soon as I open her bedroom door she scrambles out of bed and RUNS into my bedroom and LEAPS on my bed. She proceeds to crawl to my side of the bed and snuggle down in the covers. I then turn on the TV and she watches Sid the Scientist and Super Why. I close the door so she's all by herself (ie. no Alex) and the little munchkin is in heaven!! It's brutal to try and get her out to come downstairs for breakfast. On Tuesdays and Thursdays when she doesn't have school I let her stay in there longer but the other days when she has school it is not easy to get her to come out! Sometimes I think these kids with siblings just need a little time alone. It sure is nice on me as well to only have Alex downstairs to deal with first thing in the morning. It sure is a cute little routine and seeing her all snuggly in my bed makes me want to join her!!

The San Francisco Treat

The weather the past couple of days has been glorious! 70's, sunny, crisp and beautiful. I told Andy that I wished we had a lot more days just like this. He was quick to remind me that about 70% of the time that is the weather in San Francisco. If you can't tell, he's gunning for us to end up living in the Bay Area. He better get working on a higher paying job cuz, damn, it's expensive to live there!!!

Free Advice (unless you feel like paying me!)

If you weigh yourself....which, honestly, I don't recommend.....but if you must, weigh yourself first thing in the morning. NOT late at night after eating a huge dinner.

In case you're interested Ladies!

Here is a link to win a new handbag. Thank you to Corinne for pointing this out to me. There are a few cute bags there to win! Good luck!

www.handbagplanet.com

I'm in love.......

If anyone would like to purchase these for me I wear a 7.5 and would like the red. These would make a fabulous Christmas present for your favorite Kristi!!! Which would be me. I've included the link for ease of shopping. You're welcome.

http://www.shopbop.com/hint-strap-wedge-kors-michael/vp/v=1/845524441822347.htm?folderID=2534374302023800&extid=affprg-2465214-KORSS2007110192

I just have 4 words for you....

CINNAMON BUTTER POUND COFFEECAKE!!!

Costco. Check it out. Be like me. Eat the whole thing by yourself. You will NOT be disappointed!

Pippen (aka, Pip)

Well, yesterday we drove up to West Point, Utah and picked up little Pippen!! She is a fantastic little birdie so far and everyone is enjoying her. Especially me and Samantha. Samantha has already turned into a little bird lady, carrying Pip around on her finger, petting her, kissing her and just chatting with her. Alex is a bit more hesitant and frightened around her. He has pet her and just recently kissed her back, so we're making progress.
My nephew Cameron joined us on our trip to get her because he wants a birdie himself. But his mom is just WAY too mean to let that happen ;-). I thought the kids would enjoy seeing all the birds the breeder had but as soon as I walked in the house I knew I didn't want any kids to step foot in there! Let's just say it wasn't the best environment for my kids and my nephew!! Pip is adjusting very well though and seems very happy. I can tell Samantha is very happy because she just said to me, "Mama, having a bird is so much fun!". Andy has been sweet with her but says he is mostly happy that I am happy. He's a good hubby!
Here are some pictures of the new Higham!

A new addition to the Higham family!

Tomorrow afternoon we are driving up to Ogden to pick up a new little parakeet to add to our family!! Well, to add to me anyways. No one else besides my nephew is very excited for her. As Andy said she is "just another mouth to feed". Good attitude, I know!! ;-) It's not like he's even going to have to do a thing to help with her. Much like when we had our kids.....just kidding babe. I REALLY do not want any more babies but I do feel like I want another little thing to love. So, little Pip is going to be just the thing!!

I'll take pictures when we get her home and settled.

Twins???

Alex had his 3 year doctors appointment yesterday and the kid is HUGE! He weighs 34.4 pounds just barely trailing his sister (she weighs 34.8 pounds!). That weight is in the 75th percentile. He is 40 inches tall which is exactly how tall Samantha was just 2 months ago at her 4 year check-up! Explains why people always think they are twins! That height is in the 90th percentile! We just might have a tall boy on our hands which makes me so happy!! The doctor said he is perfect and the nurse was amazed at how far ahead he is for a 3 year old. For example, they asked if he can ride a tricycle. I told them he already rides a bike with training wheels (apparently they usually don't expect that until age 5). She asked if he could say a 3-4 word sentence at which time he spit out a 9-10 word sentence. Question answered!! She asked if he could count to 3 and I think the highest I've heard him count is 18. Also, he is toilet trained. They were very pleased with his health and progress and he was pleased to get a treat at the end of the appointment! I was lucky enough to be in there the day before they started doing flu shots so I also got flu shots for both kids taken care of! Neither one cried at the shots and were very pleased with the cute band-aids given by the nurse.
I TOTALLY deserve this kind of good behavior considering how AWFUL they were at the doctor's when they were little! They used to start screaming the minute we got in the elevator and wouldn't stop till we got in the car. The doctor always said it was good that they were fearful of strangers and were smart to remember at such a young age (probably before 3 months) what happens at the doctor's. It made me feel a little bit better but the ringing in my ears still continues to this day!
Let me just say though, I am extremely grateful for healthy children!!!!! It is not lost on me how huge of a blessing that is.

Regret

I know I'm going to regret saying this in a few months, but I am SO sick of this heat and ready for a nice cool down! Not that cool....not winter....not snow, but a nice LONG fall would be perfect. Knowing my luck, we'll get snow next week and it'll last until April!!!

FINALLY!!!

I don't know how many of you have noticed but on the left side of my blog you can link to my Etsy shop. If you have done this you may have noticed that I haven't sold a thing! Not one thing! I'm okay with it though because I know some of the colors in my duvets may not be many people's cup of tea. If they don't sell I'll just use them myself and I like all of them, so it's all good!
Finally today though I got a custom order for a duvet! I've had a couple people email me inquiring about custom orders but no one has followed through until today. I have ordered the fabric requested and it should be an easy project! I won't make a ton of money off of it, but it will keep me busy and I'm just happy to chalk up 1 sale on my shop!! I have another customer interested in a custom order as well and if she gives me some more information and likes my pricing then I might be able to log 2 sales!! Yeah for me!!

True Love

I could not be more in love with my son than I am tonight!! Samantha had to go to bed earlier because she hasn't napped for days and days and Alex took a monster nap so he got to stay up later. I love it when we get time just with him alone. This is a video of him reading his favorite book. Okay, not really reading, but repeating from memory which, I think, is just as impressive. He got almost every word right (I know most of you won't be able to understand him, so you'll have to trust me) except the last 2 words are supposed to be Beep, Beep, which he changes to Honk, Honk because he likes it better. Isn't he the cutest little boy ever??!! I sure think so. AND he smelled AMAZING tonight so I sat on the couch while he was watching a little show and I just kissed and smelled his head forever. You non-parents out there think I'm crazy, but you parents know just what I'm saying!!

My favorite thing about Fall.

I like television. That's all there is to it! Some people don't, and that's okay, but I really like watching television. And Fall brings new shows for me to enjoy. In particular, Sunday begins a new season of The Amazing Race!! It's an amazing show that takes place in amazing places around the world and is flat out amazing to watch!!! Do you get the feeling it's amazing?? So, if you catch yourself bored on a Sunday night, tune in! It might be the only reason I wake up Sunday mornings!!!
Andy and I would really love to apply to the show and we are quite sure we would CRUSH the competition, but then we remember I'm a cripple with screws in my back and messed up knees. Andy is fantastic with maps and directions and I'll eat just about anything (which sometimes they are forced to do - YUCK) so we make a great team! We travel really well together but the physical aspect of it is what we lack. Plus, I don't know that I could leave my kids for a few weeks. No one is brave enough to take them for that long either!!

Our Summer!

My fantastic brother-in-law Chad took a lot of pictures on all of our adventures this summer and put them together for us. Here is a sampling of the fun we had this summer.

Richele and I with adorable Nicole on the boat.
All the grandkids at the State Fair with the chickens! Doesn't get much better than chicken pictures!
All of us wanted to take home this adorable baby bunny from the Fair.
Andy and I taking the kids down the potato sack slide at the Fair. They really didn't love it.
Samantha and I trying to keep warm together on the beach at Bear Lake. It was chilly!
Greg was throwing Cameron up in the pool and having him smack the ball. It was awesome! Cameron got high!
The original Loveridge family of 5 hanging out in Bear Lake. Aren't we cute??

Bad Dream

Samantha said this just now....
"Mom, I had a bad dream last night. It was about golf. And sports."

I really had no idea sports were so traumatic!!

Times are changing!

What did you get for your 3rd birthday?? Anyone remember?? I imagine it was along the lines of a bike, toys, books possibly. Well, you know that times are changing because for my son's 3rd birthday he got an Ipod!! And a game for the Nintendo Wii!! He also got a Spiderman bike, Star Wars toy, Diego toy and other great gifts, but I couldn't help laugh at the electronics. I was the one who mentioned the Ipod idea to Andy's parents so it's not like I'm against it or anything. Samantha inherited my very old Ipod and we filled it with kids music and church songs and Alex has been a little jealous of it. So we thought it would be fun if he could have an Ipod of his own. He got one of the little Shuffles in the color green and it is just perfect for him. I'm not too good with I-tunes so he only has a few songs on there now, but he is in heaven!! He was so excited for it and loves the fact that it clips onto his shirt. He is outside right now picking grape tomatoes off the vine, eating them and listening to his music. What a kid!! Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for the great birthday gift. And thank you to everyone else who gave gifts as well. He is loving them all!

Happy Birthday Buddy!!

Dear Alex,
Today you turn 3 years old! I can't believe my baby is 3! When I look at pictures of you when you were a baby I get very sad. You were such a pleasant, fun-loving baby and I don't think I took enough time to enjoy you. Almost every picture I have of you is with a smile. Even still, when you are doing something you like you are smiling! All summer in the pool; smiles. At gymnastics; smiles. Your smile is possibly my most favorite thing in the whole world!! You have this tiny dimple in the corner of your mouth that melts me! Not to mention your big blue eyes! Basically you are the cutest kid ever!

I think you might end up being a comedian someday. You are hilarious! The silly voices that you do are great as well. You have more personality in your tiny finger than most adults that I know!!! Another word that would perfectly describe you is STUBBORN!! Which is so wonderful when you are trying to learn new things, but SO difficult when I am trying to teach you NOT to do things. You never give up. You were a little afraid of heights in gymnastics but you never gave up and kept trying and now you have no trouble at all. I really admire you for that.

I think you are just very fun to be around! I really enjoy your company. When you are playing alone you have this very concentrated look on your face and it makes me want to stare at you for hours! You LOVE to be tickled and tortured which is super fun for the rest of us! You pretend you want us to stop but as soon as we do, you ask us to "do it again"! I think your most ticklish spot is your shoulders. But I'll get you wherever I can that will make you laugh.

You have a very sweet spirit. You are very concerned for others and you always want to include everyone in the fun. You are a big mama's boy but I love that recently you have been loving daddy too and wanting to be around him. We bought you a Nerf football for your birthday so you and daddy can play catch. Never forget that daddy loves you (and that football is the greatest sport). I think remembering that your parents love you will get you through a lot in life.

I love you so much Alex!! You are a true joy to me and I honestly hope that we will be best friends our whole lives! Thank you for being my baby boy!

Love,
Mama

Pimpin' my other sister

Here are some more photos that my sister took of the kids and me. She would be happy to speak to anyone interested in using her as a photographer. You can see more of her stuff at thecrazycookies.blogspot.com or email her at gregandshell@gmail.com.

Estrogen was in the air!

Last night we had a girls night at my house with my sisters and my mom. It was a great time. We ordered some dinner and sat around and talked then started in on our projects. Kami (ever the crafty girl) brought some supplies to make necklaces and earrings and glitter for glitter toes. We all picked out our favorite paper and made Scrabble pendants and then made some bell flower earrings and pendants. Of course there was a lot of girly talk about kids and neighbors and family and husbands and of course, sex. No girls night would be complete without that topic, right? Don't worry husbands, we were very complimentary!

Pimpin' my sister

This lady has put Kami on her website and is doing a giveaway for one of Kami's jewelry pieces. So enter if you like!
http://www.lifeislikechampagneblog.com/
Congrats Kami!!

Wrong?? Or oh so right??

Is it terribly wrong of me to be in love with a fictional character?? I just LOVE Jim from The Office!! I was watching it last night and was just reminded of how cute and sweet and funny he is. I do want to do something about his hair, however. NASTY! But all men need a little makeover once they get saddled with a female companion. Andy required a few adjustments from the first time I met him, but look at him now!! He dresses great, his hair is shorter and his glasses are MUCH more stylish. Don't even get me started on his jeans!! I knew he had major babe potential. He was just a fixer-upper. (I love you Andy!!)

But let's get back to Jim. Maybe I was just especially noticing him because Andy is out of town and I get a little lonely/randy when I don't have someone to hug and kiss. But I love his sense of humor and how sweet he is. I guess I should probably be after the writer and not the actor, but I doubt the writer is as good looking. But hopefully he has better hair.

Worst. Product Photo. Ever.

If you hurry now, you might be able to pick up a pair of shorts at Banana Republic for 40% off!!! Click HERE to check them out.

A $10 gift card to the location of your choice (that I can have shipped to you online, because I'm lazy like that)will be sent to the person with the best comment/caption. Except for Banana Republic - I am now boycotting them after this hideous ad. Feel free to enter more than once.

Meant for each other

If ever there is a question that Andy and I belong together let this story prove that we are meant for each other.
We were watching a movie last night when the credits started rolling and a very random song came on that neither of us knew. We decided to call it a night and went upstairs. I got in the shower and realized I was singing a very strange song. It was the George Michael song "Last Christmas". I thought it was weird that I had that song stuck in my head and was wondering where it came from. I knew I wouldn't be able to fall asleep with that song stuck in my head so I asked Andy to go downstairs and get my Ipod so I could listen to a few songs before bed. Here is how the conversation went:

"Andy, could you please go get my Ipod from the kitchen? I have a horrible Christmas song stuck in my head."

"That's weird, so do I. But there's no way you have this same song stuck in your head."

"What song is it?"

"It's a George Michael song."

MY EYES ABOUT POPPED OUT OF MY HEAD and we both started singing, "Last Christmas I gave you my heart but the very next day, you gave it away.". We decided that the random song at the end of the movie sounded a lot like this Christmas song and that is how we both got stuck singing it. If that ain't a sign from heaven that we should be together, I don't know what is!!!
For your enjoyment......click here.

Question

Here is a question I posed to Andy today:
Since when did I become that mother that drives a minivan, picks up carpool and shops at Walmart during the day when her child is in school?? I don't feel like I'm old enough to be "that mom"!! I'm freakin' out!

Eyeglasses

A couple of years ago I ran across a blog called Glassy Eyes. The original post that started it all is well worth a read if you wear glasses or contacts. Basically it describes how you can get prescription glasses online for cheap. And when I mean cheap, I'm talking 25 bucks for a pair of prescription sunglasses with all of the antic-scratch, anti-glare stuff, etc. To give you an idea of what a deal that really is, with my eye insurance, the anti-glare coating is usually $45. I've bought 2 pair online, and I'm planning to pick up another one by the end of the year, probably for about 50 bucks. The frames that I'm looking at are usually $350, plus the lenses.

Anyways, I thought I'd share in case anyone else wants/needs another pair of glasses. The prices on these sites are ridiculously low, compared to what you usually pay for glasses, even from Costco. To be fair, the $25 pair feel cheap, but it's nice to be able to keep a pair of sunglasses in Kristi's car instead of hauling mind back and forth.

9/11

The first time I ever heard about Andy was on September 11th. I had just started at Neovest and they called to tell me that I didn't need to come into work. A couple of days later I heard that one of our employees was in New York on 9/11 and was still stuck there. I commented on how his wife must be worried sick. Turns out he was single.
Andy was supposed to be taking the train to the World Trade Center around 8 am to see a client but last minute decided to stay in Jersey City with a co-worker and visit a different client. From across the Hudson River Andy saw smoke and heard rumors and was soon evacuated from the building. He went back to the corporate apartment and spent a few days there waiting for a flight home. He could even hear the buildings fall. A lot of our friends in New York have far worse experiences and stories but I am grateful that Andy decided to stay in Jersey City that day. And I'm grateful I didn't know him at that point so I didn't have to worry!!! I left that up to his wife .

I fall for Fall

This could be a very expensive time of year for me. I adore sweaters and tweed pants and most especially, jackets! I went to the mall tonight and wandered into Banana Republic which combined with this time of year is very dangerous. I found many, many, many things that I wanted but unfortunately (or fortunately for Andy's wallet) they were too pricey for me. I went to the sale rack and found a very cute sweater dress which, of course they didn't have in my size. I think I have a lot of cute things from last year still stacked in my closet so that's a good thing. Let's just hope I'm the same size I was last year.

PS: Andy wants me to say that everyone should watch Wipeout. We are laughing. A lot. And aggravating Andy's cough. He should be studying. But instead he's watching people fall in mud. Totally worth it. Good night, and big balls.

Gymnastics

Samantha and Alex are taking a gymnastics class together and although they've only been 1 time so far I think they really enjoyed it. Alex proves far better than Samantha when it comes to tumbling but she was more willing to do the scary, tricky stuff than he was. He is a little afraid of heights. They were both adorable and I am looking forward to seeing how they progress.

I see you like to chew

Maybe you should chew ... ON MY FIST!!



This movie has earned a spot on my top 10 favorite list. Obviously, that's not a very exclusive list.

Attack of the Killer Tomato!!

I got skillz! Tomato growing skillz! I was in my garden yesterday picking my days harvest of tomatoes when I spied one WAY in the back I hadn't noticed before. It looked rather large so I assumed it was 2, maybe 3 tomatoes crowded around each other. As I held it in my hand I realized that it was in fact 1 GIANT TOMATO!!! I screamed for Andy to come outside and check out my massive fruit (something usually reserved for the bedroom! haha). He was quite impressed and we immediately started taking pictures to document the largeness. Andy also weighed it and it came out to a whopping 1 pound, 10 ounces. Here she is in all her glory!

Here it is in the middle next to a regular sized tomato you would buy at the store and a glass. Oh, and Alex peeking in the back.
Next to a quarter.
We cut it up to grill for our hamburgers tonight but they are WAY too big to fit on the bun so they will be eaten on the side instead. Oh, that is a large plate by the way, not a salad plate. We realized too late we should have taken a picture of it in my hand for size comparison. I don't think these pictures quite do it justice. Trust me, it was awe inspiring!

A few pictures

Our friends from New Jersey were in town and came to visit. The kids got along great and enjoyed playing together. Kaia was Samantha's very first friend and she will always be special in our home!
This was taken the first morning Andy was home from Switzerland and the kids were showing off the t-shirts and toys Andy brought them home. I was totally struck in this picture by how old Alex looks!! It broke my heart just a bit. Don't I have the cutest family in the world??
Samantha took this picture of Andy and I. We're hot.

Samantha's First Day of Preschool

Today was a glorious day! One that not only Samantha has been looking forward to, but that I have as well. Samantha started preschool today and the whole family enjoyed the new routine. Samantha loved going to school, Alex loved being alone with mommy, and I loved only having 1 child in the house and being able to get things done. Oh, and did I mention.....2 full hours of no kids fighting??? Yeah, that was the best! Andy came home from work to send her off and watch Alex while I dropped her off at school. Here are a few photos from this morning.
Doing a sad, silly face for daddy.
Sitting at the computer in preschool. She went straight to the computer first thing.

A VERY Samantha face. Isn't she adorable?Alex being, well, Alex.

The Negotiator

I think I have some sort of future working for the government as a negotiator. You wouldn't believe the negotiating that just took place in my house before naps!!! Most of it having to do with Christmas socks and books and the color of a blanket. You know, the usual stuff that makes nations crumble. I'm certain I'll be offered the job at any moment! Good luck to the poor soul that takes my current position!

Contentment

Did anyone else enjoy the rain last night? Andy got home and we slept with the window open and listened to the rain and felt the cool breeze. All was right with the world.

DUH

Some announcer on the US Open just referred to Michael Phelps as "that swimmer guy that did so well in Beijing". What an asinine thing to say! She (I think it was a she though she sounds VERY mannish) was sounding ticked that Phelps might be the sportsman of the year instead of Nadal even if Nadal wins what would be his 3 straight Grand Slam. I say, let's not compare 8 gold medals in the Olympics to 3 Grand Slam titles. They are both great achievements and don't diss Phelps just because you are a tennis commentator. A very mannish, scary commentator.

Does not play music

Alex has been loving Fruit Loops lately. Only he says it Flute Loops. It's very cute. That's all.