Jackson Hole day 2

Austin and I got up very early on our 2nd day in Jackson, like around 3:30, we finally got him back to sleep in bed with Heath and I around 4:30, but he was lying across the bed with he feet in my stomach and his head in Heath's leg but we could not move because we were afraid we would wake him. Then he was awake again at 5:30. I really did not want him to wake up my parents again so I put on my jeans and grabbed his coat and we went outside. It was actually pretty chilly that morning in the low 40's. Allie was up by 6:30 so we grabbed her coat and went for a drive up toward Grand Teton National. We could not go to far because we had not bought our National Park pass. So we drove around for about 30 minutes and then went back to the house. Matthew was our breakfast chef each day making either blueberry pancakes or sunny side up eggs. After we all got up and ready and headed off to Jenny Lake in Teton national park. Again it was beautiful (I think I must have said that over 100 times a day). I know my pictures do not do it justice. We did not realize we were going to be hiking that day and did not have a backpack carrier for Austin. We started to push him along the path but less than a quarter mile into it we realized we could not do it and either I would have to go back and hang out by myself or we could all carry him. So we opted to carry him and everything started out great. Our hike was listed as 2.5 miles (but it felt more like 4). Allie was great, she never once complained or said she was tiered, she would just keep trucking along with us. I was so proud of her for being such a trooper. Austin on the other hand did great till the about the last half mile. Then he quickly started to melt down. It was after 1 and he had not had lunch or a morning nap, things quickly went down hill for him and Heath. We found out we could take a boat back across the lake and decided Heath and I and the kids would be on the next boat. The rest of the family stayed to hike up to some falls, and we got on the boat. Austin literally bawled for over 45 minutes but the minute we got across the lake and off the boat he stopped crying (go figure) we drove home and he took over a 3 hour nap. That night we grilled out and ate on the back deck, and then did smores on the grill. My parents even planned and gave out "awards" each day. Allie got the award that day for the best hiker and got a Frisbee, beach ball, and water ball all with my dad's company logo. (all of our awards had the ING logo on them). She loved the beach ball we had to blow it up and play with it outside.

Here we are walking off toward the boat- melt down was in full force here, but you would never know if from the pics.

I did not actually see these falls - they were higher up the hike once we left but thought the pic was great.

Overall it was a great day even though Austin had a melt down, however Heath's arm was so sore he could not lift him the next day.

Jackson Hole Day 1

Saturday the 19th, we got up very early to get to the airport with the kids to get the car dropped off, all chacked in, etc etc. The flight was pretty full so that ment the 4 of us in one row (we did not buy Austin a ticket this time). Over all the flight was pretty good except the lady in front of us who was traveling with her 3 kids decided she needed to recline her seat right into Austin and I and when Austin pulled up on her seat, she turned around and gave us a dirtly look and moved to the open seat next to her. I could not believe she was so rude especailly considering she was flying with her 3 kids. Austin and I got up and pretty much hung out with the flight attendents at the back of the plane till he fell asleep. As soon as we got there I knew I loved it, the cool air (I think it was in the mid 60's when we landed- keep in mind it was in the 80's when we got up at 5:45 back at home), the mountains, everything was green anf there was still snow on the mountains-yes i could spend some time here.

Once we got the car we headed off to our house we were staying at and got situated. It was great (except for all the dead animals on the walls). Then off to Bubba's we went. Bubbas is a little BBQ place a co worker had told me about and she was right in that it is very good. The rest of the day we just hung out with my family, and went and walked around the main square of Jackson. Jackson has tons of little shops and places to walk around so we did that. They also have a park right in the middle of the town area, with these huge arches made out of elk horns.

On a side note Allie was so excited to see my brother she could not stop talking to him. My grandmother once called Matthew a tall tree and Allie acts like that is his name. Everything out of her mouth was Tall tree this and tall tree that. Matthew decided to call her short shrub and she could not figure out what he was talking about. It was all really cute to see her so excited to see him.

Happy 10 years Heath

I just wanted to put a message up to my wonderful husband. We had our first date 10 years ago on July 24th. Who would have guessed back then where we would be today. I love you so much honey and can't wait to see what the next 10 years has for us.

MIA

Sorry to all 3 of you who actually read my blog for being MIA for so long. We were in Jackson Hole Wyoming all last week with my parents, brother and sister. To say it was great does not even begin to explain it. We are so lucky that we could all make time in our busy schedules to come together and spend time together just the 8 of us. I will be adding a day by day journal of all our activities within the next few days as soon as I get my pictures uploaded. My mom and I both have the same SLR camera and since they are big we did not want to both bring one so she brought hers and we brought our old one, which meant our pictures were not as good as hers so I want to wait to include them. I hope you all are doing good, we are but it has been hard to get back in the swing of things this week. Talk with you all soon.

I got my new shoes on

I love to wear new Tennis shoes, I know I am total dork. But there is just something about wearing a new pair for the first time that takes me back to my childhood. I love how bright and white they are. I will be so upset when someone steps on them or i get something on them (I am sure that will happen soon)I completely have a new spring in my step, and I completely feel like they could make me run really fast, that is if I ran. I feel tall and like I look athletic (now you know I am loosing it) but I just love it. I got these great new Asics tennis shoes about 3 months ago and could not decide if I wanted to keep them. I actually did not even try them on, I just got them and new i would try them out at home and decide if they fit. So I pulled them out a couple of months ago for about 20 minutes but i was going to the gym and kind of afraid to wear them while working out, because I had not fully broken them in. Today I decided was the day, my old ones are really looking bad and these were just calling me. They are white, pink, and grey so they are supper cute, and actually they are super comfortable. Especially considering today is the first time to wear them all day. I feel like singing that song that came out last year (I think) that goes "hey I got my new shoes on and everything..." (I do not know the rest or the other artist but I bet some of you know the song I am talking about.) So that is me today loving my new shoes, maybe they will inspire me to get out and start running, maybe not it is like 1,000 degrees outside today- you all know the only running I will be doing is chasing after Austin.

Speaking of Austin I forgot to mention he is getting like 4 new teeth. The one on the top left side-next to the front tooth) is showing and the front left one just started to break through yesterday. The two on the right are also really close so he is going to have a mouth full real soon. He is still not walking or really standing alone but boy is he fast at cruising the furniture and crawling. That boy will be up the stairs in about 2 seconds if we do not block them, and he loves to see me running after him. Whenever I am chasing him he will stop and look at me grin and then go even faster, he thinks it is so funny. Trouble I tell you trouble.

Ok and hear is my funny Allie story I forgot to mention the other day. We were all at Target and they had these Top Model barbies on Clarence, I made the comment that there was no way i would ever buy this for Allie that it looked like "Street Walker" Barbie, she immediately looked up at me and Heath and said- What's a street walker? Oh gosh think fast think fast- what to say, then Heath saved me by saying- she said she looks like Walker (ie Walker Texas ranger) Allie laughed and said no she doesn't and walked off. Saved . Anyways i am sorry if you let your daughter play with dolls like this but to me that is way to provocative- No way will I let her play with them. What happened to the nice barbie we used to play with? Maybe I just don't remember but I do not remember her wearing such little clothes. Oh well had to pass on this funny story.

"It sounds like I beat you up"

Ok before I go into my blog let me clarify something from the post below- Heath came home last night and said so we fight alot?? that is not at all what I meant it to sound like, he then said "it sounds like I beat you up", now you all know that is far from the truth in fact I am usually the one that pinches to hard and leaves a bruise. -But we did both end up with bruises lately but that was totally by accident. it is actually a pretty funny story- I will give you the short version. Heath, Allie and I were in just laying around in bed one Saturday morning and he decide to tickle both of us, I was trying to defend Allie and I so i pinched him on the back side of his upper arm. (right near the bicep a couple of times- he said ouch but i thought he was just joking around. Later that day he hard 2 small bruises, and he then went on to tell my parents i had been beating him up and he had the proof (what a jerk). So later that same night he was sitting in one of the chairs in the family room and it has these large wooden armrests and as I walked by he decide to grab me and pull me toward him, only problem I slammed my upper thigh right into the corner and it hurt BAD. I honestly could not sleep on that side all night and the next morning I had a bruise the size of a quarter, but each day it got bigger and more purple. I think at it's best it was about the size of a baseball., so needless to say the next time we were swimming at my parents I had to show off my bruise to prove that he also beats me. So just to clarity Heath does not beat me often and we do not fight all the time, we do argue on occasion- like every other married couple out there, but honestly for the most part our arguments are small ones. we very Very rarely have a big fight. Hope that clarifies things

Copying and other ramblings from a birthday girl

OK so I found this on a friends blog and thought I would copy it. Hope you all are having a good Monday- I am for a Monday (it's my birthday) so it has to be at least a little good. Even if no one at work says anything. Don't you just hate that, I am not one of those people that likes to announce my birthday but I try and drop hints but no one seems to get it. I did get a card so i know they realize it is this week, but they usually do cake and send out an email, so i am a little bummed about that. I know it is not a big deal as you get older it is just nice to be remembered, I did get some calls from friends and I really appreciate that they remember me (since I can't say I am as good about theirs). I know this does not really make sense just little ramblings going on in my head.

We had a good weekend we went to Arkansas to see Heath's mom and grandmother and to drop Allie off. Sharon (Heath's mom) has this week off so Allie will stay with her till Thursday and then she will bring her back home. I am so glad Allie is able to do this, I remember as a kid going and staying with my grandmother with such fond memories and i like that she will be able to do the same. She is lucky to get to spend one on one time with each set of grandparents and i think it is so important to help build those bonds. I realize it now even more that I have lost one grandmother- there is just something so special about that relationship that you can't get back. So while I miss her I am glad she is there having fun. And honestly Heath and i got so much done yesterday afternoon because Austin took a long nap. It was such a change to just have one again, especially one that will nap. I think Austin will also enjoy the time of just having Heath and I to himself. I know when he is older that will be important for them both. OK well i have rambled on way to long and must really get back to work now. Here is the thing I am copying-

I am: at work right now

i know: I have work that I should be doing

i want: to leave early and play with Austin

i have: 2 more days of work till I go on vacation

i hate: when my kids are sick and there is nothing I can do

i miss: not being with my kids everyday

i fear: my kids will grow up missing out on things because I was not always around

i hear: the cars on central

i smell: my lunch I just ate (Frozen meal- YUM YUM, NOT)

i crave: anything sweet

i search: for random things on google sometimes- ie- my name, the kids, friends etc

i wonder: where my life will be in 5 years - will I still be at this job have any more kids- who knows

i regret: times when I have hurt the feelings of those I love

i love: being a mom

i ache: when my loved ones are hurt or ill

i care: about about what kind of mom people think I am (even thought it should only matter to me and my family)

i always: wash my fair first when i shower (I know totally random but i could not think of one)

i am not: the best at keeping my house clean

i believe: in God with everything that is in me

i dance: whenever I am being silly or want to make Heath or the kids smile

i cry: alot- lets face it if someone around me is crying I will usually do it to- I think the older I get the more I do it.

i fight: with my husband sometimes

i write: to clear my head and remember things

i win: not much- but that is OK

i lose: sometimes at games just so Allie can win

i never: spell word correctly

i confuse: my boss when i talk about clients

i listen: to KISS FM most mornings

i can usually be found: at work or with my kids


i am scared: Of not being a good mom and really scared that something might happen to one of them one day (this is not an everyday fear but it does creep in every once and a while- usually late at night and then i can't go back to sleep till I talk to the man upstairs (God)and give it over to him- after all he knows there life story from before they were here till they are gone- who better to talk to)


i need: to get back to work

I am happy about: having my parents live so close to me now. I never realized how much I missed them being close till they moved back down here.