WHITE. PARTY OF FIVE.

2011 Summary

2011-12-15T19:39:00.000-08:00

Man, I have not blogged at all in 2011! Impressive, but not in a good way. Seeing that my last post was pretty much a year ago exactly, is so sad. Last December I decided to go back to school and the majority of my free time has gone to reading textbooks (snooze).....an exciting adventure, none-the-less. For the sake of keeping some record in one post, I will give a run down of what we have been up to!
Starting today and working my way backward....
I finished my last final tonight, so I thought I'd get started again.

I finally got my camera out to take pictures of my sweet kids in front of the Christmas tree (before the ornaments shift anymore- courtesy of little hands). This first picture I owe to Pinterest- We got our house with a double sided fireplace, which we love, but it has our floor tile surrounding it (which we're not fans of). One day we will wrap the entire wall in rock work, but for now my wonderful and crafty hubby built a simple and beautiful mantel in about 2 hours. Stained and hung (impressive, right?). The simple chalk board above was and idea I saw on Pinterest and I got it for under ten bucks - (thank you hobby lobby- I love you so!) I had so many sparkly Christmas decorations, it added the perfect simplicity to the stockings and bay leaf garland.

After 10 Christmases of real trees, I gave up and bought a pre-lit Christmas tree! I love real, but couldn't get my trees to survive from the day after Thanksgiving to Christmas day (they ended up looking like they were about to spontaneously combust).

Here are my three little cutie pies/stinkers!

I got to take Mia to Disney on Ice and it was such a fun little date with my friend Ashlee and her daughter, who's Mia's age.

My Little Mac Buddy turned the BIG 3!!! He had a donut "cake" since he loves them so much. He is such a busy little guy- he is hilarious too! Right now he is really into Batman/Superman and monster jam trucks. I was dreading potty training him so I waited til after Disney World and he was so easy! He only had a few accidents, I'm amazed at how well he has done!!

Here is my sweet little monkey boy, Sloaney!

Here are Mia and Mac all hopped up on sugar, after a busy night of trick or treating!

My Mia Girl turned 5! She got her first "friend" party and it was a blast!

My parents took us to Disneyworld and we had the best time ever! It was one jam packed week of crazy fun! We are trying to make plans to go back- ASAP! (well, once the boys are a little bigger) It was truly the trip of a lifetime.1

I turned 30! It seems old, but I DO have 3 kids and have been married 9 years, I guess it's not that hard to believe. I'm thinkin' my 30's are gonna be even better....

My sweet Grandma passed away. I will miss her, but I'm happy she get's to be with her sweetheart, finally. I'm so glad I got to see her quite a bit over the last year. She was an amazing woman and someone I could always turn to.

My dear friend, Holly and her wonderful boys came and stayed a few days with us! We had such a blast! We got to spend some quality time together, but it just wasn't enough.

Holly asked me if I wanted to do a half marathon with her and the Stephenson Family, in memory of her husband/my friend growing up, Trevor. I'm so glad that I did! I went from anti-runner to finisher (not fast- that's for sure). I enjoy making time to get in a 5 mile run, enough to drop an arm and a leg on a new jogger (early Christmas present).

Jeff's friend from college/high school got married to a really cool person! So happy for these guys!!!

This picture is such a good summary for where our life was at Easter time. A little out of control, but fun!

Stationery card

2011-12-02T13:24:00.001-08:00

Classically Yours Christmas Card

Send Christmas cards personalized with your favorite photos.

View the entire collection of cards.

A White Christmas

2011-01-05T23:58:00.000-08:00

We had a mellow Christmas at home and we really enjoyed watching the kids open presents. They were so facinated by each new present, it was a lot of fun! The favorite presents were: Mia's Jessie Doll (from Toy Story) and a dolphin pillow pet. Those were the 2 things she asked Santa for for Christmas, so when she got them she knew he listened! Mac loved his little Lightning McQueen and 2 other pullback cars and his police car- he lived in that thing for a month.

Sloaney loved all of the other kids' toys and his little weebles!

We are loving where we live! The view could not be better and we have the nicest neighbors/ward!

We went to see my Grandma Ruby up in Rexburg, she just moved into an Assisted Living home. She is so great and has been one of the most active grandmas I know! I admire her so much and the many ways she has served and lives her life.

Mac is 2....very 2!

2010-11-21T23:33:00.000-08:00

Mac is now 2 and you would definitely know that if you spent 5 seconds with him. This boy is on the go from the moment he wakes up until bedtime. He is obsessed with any toy car (he sleeps with 3-5 of them), the movie, "Cars", driving in the car, driving pass other cars, saying the word CARS and even daddy's truck ;). He does not stop, and will only pause if he's strapped to his car seat or high chair. I'm a little confused as to how I got such a high energy kid!? Haha! He is such a little goober and we love him like crazy! He is always making us laugh and is seriously, so funny. Good thing his face is so cute, it saves his little hiney (Literally)! He adores his big sis and will cling to her if he's scared when the babysitter comes and he just loves his baby brother and always shares his food with him and gives his head kisses/licks (gross, I know). Having such busy little boy makes me want to build a toddler size hamster wheel to use up some of that energy....did I say that out loud?

He was so funny when he ate his cupcake, he picked it up started sucking the frosting and in a few minutes he had sucked the entire cupcake through the top without removing his lips once! Such talent!

Fall

2010-11-15T23:44:00.000-08:00

New Pictures!

2010-09-16T22:51:00.001-07:00

I finally wiped the dust off of my Nikon and took some pictures of the kids. Mia is my cheesy little poser and always has a smile for the camera. Mac, on the other hand, is hard to capture (think "wild goose chase"). I did get a couple of his cute little face though!

Sloan was napping while the I took the other pictures, but here he is in his chair with his typical face- a sweet little smile! This little guy is such a sweet little chill baby. We love, love, love him so much! Half of the time I don't know when he really wakes up because he will hang out in his crib (with out making a peep) forever. He doesn't mind the carseat anymore so life is GOOD!

We went to the neighborhood park and they finally got a toddler swing. This is what these two LIVE for!

And here is Sloaney just hanging out.

Trevor

2010-09-13T15:17:00.000-07:00

We were devastated to learn that one of my oldest friend's/our dear friend, Trevor, passed away last month. Sadly my best friend, Holly, is without a husband and a father to her four adorable boys. Trevor was one of the nicest, most postive guys I have ever known! He lived a life of service and generosity, always trying to help others.

His family is making a Memory Book of Trevor and this is what I wrote:

I can't think of too many high school memories that didn't involve Trevor. There were so many group dates, EFY's, stake dances, high school dances and football/basketball games. Trevor always supported his friends in their sporting events. Priebe in basketball, John in football, Ian at Hoopfest and so on. I remember him even coming to my young women volleyball games. Now that is a good friend! We were always at the Stephenson's House just hanging out or being goofy/crazy kids. I can remember beating another car full of kids "off the line" in his mom's car and then slowing down just in time for the other car to get pulled over (I never said we were the smartest). I can even remember playing with him at recess [in 2nd grade] and thinking he was such a nice boy.

I am forever grateful for the friends I had in high school. Trevor was the kind of friend that made you think, "I know that my Heavenly Father loves me because of people like him in my life."

Trevor was such a great person with a huge heart. He was always serving others with a great big smile on his face. I was lucky enough to get to see him being a wonderful husband and an amazing father. He and Holly were a great match and made the perfect team, as parents. The love he had for his family was so obvious to us. He was a great example to me, and I learned so much from him.

If you knew him, you might enjoy this SLIDESHOW. He had a beautiful family and life.

Mackers!

2010-07-06T00:04:00.000-07:00

I finally got a photo session for Mr. Mac! He is such a little stinker and rarely sits still long enough for A picture- let alone many- anyways, it was crazy but I'm hoping my sister-in-law got a few of his face and not just the back of him running in the opposite direction!

I'm so thankful for Nursery!

2010-05-12T14:17:00.000-07:00

Mac is ONE BUSY (by busy I mean crazy) LITTLE BOY! Don't get me wrong, he's not BAD. If he can run around or be strapped to his high chair/car seat he is a good little guy. Outside of those ranges- like trying to hold him in your pregnant lap for 3 hours...not so good. We love the little man to pieces! He is hilarious and is always putting on a show and (in rare moments) is the best snuggler. We are over our embarrassment, when he chucks his sucker across the room and B* slaps Jeff across the face and screams while everyone watches me take him out of the quiet classroom (many with their sweet little toddlers sitting quietly in their lap). That's just who he is, and he won't be changing anytime soon!
Since Sloan was born, we have not stayed for all three hours of church it just wasn't worth the fight. Then on Sunday (a few weeks early of him being 18 months) we took him to nursery and ahhh....church was so wonderful! He saw the kids, said, "WOW!" and took off for the toys without looking back. That was the best Mother's Day present! (For those of you who have met Mac, can appreciate this post).
I gotta soak it up while I can, I have another 18 months ahead of me.....at least Sloan is a lot more mellow. So far.

...for the love...

2010-05-07T23:17:00.001-07:00

Oh my gosh, I'm a blogging slacker! Now that I'm not pregnant I am re-committing myself to the cause! Since this is my one form of journaling, I have a lot to catch up on. For now I will just post you some beautiful pictures of our sweet little Sloan.

SLOAN PATRICK WHITE
Born 3.17.10
6 lbs. 6 oz.

For Me?

2010-01-05T23:10:00.000-08:00

This year, Jeff and I decided to set a budget and to use it JUST on the kids. We called a truce and agreed not to get each other presents....or so I THOUGHT! My brother picked me and the kids up from the airport because he and Jeff got home a few days early and he was already at work for the day. After being home for a few hours I went upstairs to this....

..ummmm, yeah...I was a little shocked. To say the least. I have been searching for a canopy bed for years and have not found one that I liked enough to fork out the $$ for. Jeff's mom had asked him to make her a project/sewing table (like one he had made me) and has been working out in the garage the week before we left for Spokane. So when he'd say, "I'm going to work out in the garage", I thought he was working on that. He then would wake up early (and when I say early, I mean early. The man has to leave for work at 5:30 AM) everyday, then worked while I was gone and before I got home to finish it. IT IS SO AMAZING! It is seriously the best present I've ever gotten in my life! The bed in itself is unbelievable, but the effort behind it is like a Mastercard commercial: PRICELESS.

I don't see how I could be any luckier to have someone who loves me so much and whom I adore just as much.

Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa Williams'

2009-12-31T22:15:00.000-08:00

We went to Spokane for Christmas and everyone, but my oldest brother and his family, were there. My pregnant self flew up early with Mia and Mac...I was pretty nervous but luckily Mac fell asleep as soon as we took off and slept most of the way, both ways! My prayers were answered- YAY!

It was a week of F-U-N! My mom packed the week full of events, there was hardly time to sit around and relax. We took the kids to Chuck E. Cheese, everyone got their teeth cleaned (a perk to being the kids of a dentist), the ladies went and got massages and to lunch at The White House then it was the guys' turn, the holiday cruise on Lake Coeur d' Alene, some Christmas shopping, games and going out to eat! It was so much fun!

The Christmas before Christmas

2009-12-18T22:49:00.000-08:00

Since we went to Spokane for Christmas, Santa came to our house early so we didn't have to fly the presents back and forth. Jeff and I "manned up" and hit "Black Friday" this year. All of our Christmas shopping was over in 4 hours! We got some amazing deals that made it worth waking up at 4:30 AM. Mia had been wanting this Princess keyboard/vanity since she saw it on TV and it was 1/2 off, which makes it all the sweeter. Mac got and activity table, trucks, etcs. It was pretty quiet but the kids had so much fun playing with their new toys and games!

Mac is 1!

2009-11-22T22:02:00.000-08:00

Our little Macky turned one! He kind of opened some presents (mostly Mia opened them and he played with the wrapping paper) and then we had the family over to watch him demolish his cake. He did not dissapoint! It took him a little while to get started, but once he tasted the frosting...it was all over for the little cake (he is so my kid)!

2009-10-31T21:44:00.000-07:00

HALLOWEEN
We attended the ward trunk or treat with the kiddos, some friends and Mia's little cousins. Mia was Snow White (again) and Mac was a crazy little skeleton. Jeff dressed up in his favorite, and only, woopie cushion costume. My sister bought him a "fart machine" to use with it, but since we are somewhat new to the ward it remained quiet this year...hehe. Mia had a great time running around collecting candy! She ate most of it while she was going from car to car! Mac hung out with me while I handed out candy. It was pretty low key and the kids had fun.

Jeff and Mia carved a pumpkin and then we baked the seeds, Mia had a good time helping her dad and playing in the mush! (Look at Jeff multi tasking- haha)
We also made some gooey caramel and cinnamon apples. Super sweet and super messy. Since it was such a nice day, I posted a picture of the lake from our house...Utah does have amazing fall weather!

Where have I been???

2009-10-13T13:47:00.001-07:00

Oh my gosh, it has been a long time since I've posted anything!!! I have a little excuse.....I'm freakin' pregnant, AGAIN! Haha, yes, it is true....we are having our third baby already (let me help you out with the math there- Mac will be 18 months when this baby is born)! We are a little surprised, but pretty darn excited too. I just started my 2nd trimester and am feeling like I have enough energy to shower daily and get on my computer (that only works 50% of the time).
Mia just turned 3 and is soooo grown up, sweet and cute! She is in love with Diego, Tinkerbell and likes anything "princessy".
My amazingly talented, sister-in-law took these adorable pictures of her (I'll post more later). If you live in Utah and want need a photographer- let me know, she's awesome!

We are loving our new house! Jeff just built an arbor for our patio (that won't go in 'til next spring)...so we have this cool arbor sitting over rocks and dirt. It looks lovely ;)

Mac is SO adorable! He is trying to walk, loves to laugh and is one crazy spaz of a boy! We bought Mia a little Tinker Bell tent w/a tunnel and they laugh non-stop when they are in it together (or Mac does all by himself, too). He loves to climb stairs, peak under cabinets and doors, dance and jump in his bouncer. These last 2 weeks he's been sleeping in til 8 AM and life is liveable, again. He is a completely different baby than he was 4 months ago....we are so grateful for Prevacid (for his reflux)!

July

2009-07-13T09:29:00.000-07:00

After a pain in the ___ closing.....we are finally moved in and settled! YAY! We are loving the new house and need to win the lottery so we can afford to decorate/landscape it! Just kidding....sort of... No really, we are feeling so lucky to be in this great home and finally start "rooting" our family some where. We love the gorgeous view of the lake/mountains and are finding tranquility in the "Saratoga Lifestyle".

We do find it humorous that we've never given grass a second thought, until we didn't have any. Instead I have a yard full of rocks and tumble weeds that mock me every sunny day that Mia wants to play outside! We had to laugh as we sat in envy watching the neighbors grass being put in...lawn envy...who knew?? Mia is adjusting well to "the brown house" as she likes to call it. Mac is getting mobile and I'm remembering that we haven't had to baby proof a house with stairs before....

Since it has been a couple of months I'll catch you up on what we've been up to:

We moved out of our Lehi House the last part of May, only to find out our move-in date was being pushed out another 2 weeks (possibly more). So Jeff's very, very generous brother and sister in law let us live/mooch at their huge house until we could get the final "OK"! During that time, I went to visit my brother and his family (including my newest, cutest, little niece- Daphnee) in Shelly, ID. I was able to see my Grandpa, that I haven't seen in years. I also got to visit with my Aunt D and Uncle K from Wyoming.

Once we moved in we unpacked and were settled in in about 2-3 days. The next weekend Jeff and his other brother took Mia and his oldest kid off to Grandma & Grandpa W's then on to San Diego for a little surf trip (as part of his Father's Day present). It was kind of fun with just me and Mac at home, I forgot how relaxing 1 baby can be. But after a day or 2 I didn't really know what to do with myself.

The weekend after that my brother Scott and his fam came to town for a fun, fun visit! We took the kids to "Jump on It" (an indoor trampoline playground) and it was a blast....not a bad work out either. My brother is Mac's "stylist" (no he's not gay) and gave Mac a little mohawk to match his boys' little mohawks! We love it! He is definitely "too cool for school" now.

Over the 4th we saw some old friends from California and did the Alpine Slides up in Park City. Mia had so much fun! We set off our own little fireworks in our driveway and watched a couple of the firework shows across the lake.

This last weekend we were in St. George for a family reunion for Jeff's grandparents. They are nearing 100 great grandchildren! It was in the 100's everyday we were there- we were happy to come back to 90 degree weather :)

New House

2009-05-08T13:17:00.000-07:00

After years and years of renting in expensive places and moving around, we are finally ready to settle down and buy a house! We are thrilled to finally call a place "our's" and be able to do the changes/fixes we've been itching to do. We found a great place in Saratoga Springs and while the commute will be a little longer for Jeff- we are excited to be in a peaceful neighborhood with a lot of young families. While I wasn't the biggest fan of us moving here, I know it was the best thing for our family and I can't deny how well everything has fallen in to place. We are crossing our fingers for a smooth escrow and can't wait to start moving (after moving a million times, it will feel really good to know we won't be doing it for a LONG TIME)! We've got our work cut out for us for the next few years and we are pretty darn excited about it!

Mia was so cute when looking at houses, she kept saying, "Mommy, let's get this house!" Mac- on the other hand- was usually crying ;) He really is getting better and better everyday and turning into a sweet/happy boy!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T20:47:00.000-07:00

We took Mia to the ward Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday. She was a little overwhelmed by all of the other kids, but was very content with the 8 eggs she collected. We have spent the week looking at houses so Easter was kind of an after thought and ended up being pretty low key. Mac is getting big and is a little sweetie pie (when he's not crying because he's in his carseat). He loves to snuggle and adores his big sister!

Yummmmmm....CANDY!

Potty Training and more...

2009-03-07T20:13:00.000-08:00

Mia filled out her first potty chart last week. She was dying to go back to Chuck E. Cheese since she went with her cousins last month, so we took her there once it was full. She's done great....although everyday can different, she'll be super excited to go somedays and others...not so much. We are so proud of her progress though and know she is trying really hard. She is hilarious because we jump up and down and clap each time she goes, so when she sees us go "potty" she'll do the same thing and say, "Good job Mommy/Daddy!", like it was our first time.

Mac is getting sweeter and cuter everyday. He smiles and coos a lot! He can still cry LOUD and can get pretty mad in his car seat, but he's already sleeping through the night (knock on wood) so I can't complain too much. On a good day I can get them both down for a nap and get a few afternoon z's, myself.

Blessing Mac

2009-02-10T00:42:00.000-08:00

We blessed Mac on 1/31 and were so happy a lot of our family could make it. It was a busy weekend, and we had a lot of fun seeing everyone. The blessing was great (if you could hear it over Mac crying the whole time)! We found out he has acid reflux and was put on some meds a couple weeks back. It takes them about 2 weeks to start noticing a difference...so unfortunately he was having a bad night that night.

My brother, Scott, gave Mac his first haircut (his hair was so getting so long). He was soooo good while he was getting it cut! He looks like a cute little boy now!

Here are some more pictures from that weekend:

more pics of Mac

2009-01-05T13:02:00.001-08:00

Christmas

2009-01-05T12:43:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful, laid back Christmas. We were able to see my parents and Jeff's also. Mia had a good time opening presents, she was a lot more mellow than we thought she would be. It took her about a year to open her presents, but she was really cute and sweet about everything. We were happy to make it all about her with the arrival of her new baby brother. Mac is getting chubby fast! We bet he will double his birth weight (6 lbs 9 oz) by 2 months, like Mia did! We love out babies chubby!

We spent Christmas Eve at Jeff's brother's house. We had a great dinner and they did their traditional nativity with the kids. Mia was a cute little angel and had a great time with all of her cousins and both sets of grandparents.

Cute Little White Boys

2008-12-15T22:39:00.000-08:00

Really, I'm not prejudice! I finally got a picture of Mac and his "older" cousin (by 10 days) Tyson. Both boys came earlier than planned (Mac by 2 weeks, Tyson by 4). They are so cute and little, but starting to fill out. Tyson is Jeff's brother Nathan's little guy. Mia's best buddy is their 3 year old, Andrew. When Mia gets together with Andrew, the 2 are little stinkers together. We are a little worried what these two sweet little babies will turn into in a few years!!!

My cousins brought me this cute little onsie yesterday. With Christmas next week, and the way Mac has been growing, I figured I better get it on him ASAP!
Thanks Ashley & Val!

My Little Sweeties

2008-12-13T23:51:00.000-08:00

Baby Macky is now 3 weeks old and weighs 7 lbs. 9 oz. Recovery has been much better/quicker because Maclaren came early and I was able to do a VBAC (instead of the scheduled C-section that I was planning on). Adjusting has also been much easier with baby number 2, since we have a little experience! He really is a great baby and Mia is just crazy about him. She has been a great big sister and is our little helper (bringing me diapers, wipes or paci's). Jeff has also been amazing and takes one of the middle-of-the-night-feeds so I can try to get as much sleep as I can. We seem to have found the balance quickly this time around and we are loving our 2 kids!!! We are getting really excited for Christmas...since Mia can get into Santa/presents/etc. this year.

Here are just a few pictures that I have taken over the last little bit.

A little earlier than expected...

2008-11-24T00:03:00.000-08:00

Maclaren Jeffery White
November 21, 2008
3:55 AM
6 lbs. 9 oz.
20.5 inches

Doing what he does best (for now)- SLEEP!

Proud, Big Sister, Mia, loves "her" Baby Macky!

He looks a little beat up here, but still so cute.

I'll post more later...we just wanted to show off how adorable he is!

Trick or Treat

2008-11-04T13:19:00.000-08:00

For Halloween we went to our ward "Trunk or Treat" with Jeff's brother, his wife and their "Hulk". Mia had a great time getting candy from everyone and cruising around with her dad and Andrew. Jessica and I sat at the car and passed out candy- we are both due in December and are in that "uncomfortable" stage.

Jeff and I wore some costumes that we already had...my shirt worked very hard around my belly. I wondered if it was going to (unintentionally) tear some more!

Mia hasn't been a fan of dressing up until she saw how much her cousin loves to put on his costume. She also isn't too much of a girly girl, but after Halloween she kept asking for more sparkles in her hair. I can see her slowly becoming more of one.

We thought she was a cute little Snow White and now she loves anything with Snow White (or any other princess) on it.

I'm 2

2008-10-20T16:02:00.000-07:00

Mia is turning into one cute/sassy/little toddler! She laughs at the silliest stuff, and you never know what she will think is funny- or not...I think she gets her humor from her dad. She is a great talker and is very into mimicking whatever you say. Mia will always act shy at first, but then breaks the ice by showing you what a good "jumper" she is (see last photo). She loves to sing "ABC's", "Twinkle, Twinkle", "Teddy Bear", "I'm a little teapot", "The Wheels on the Bus", "Pop goes the Weasel" and is so smart! She would probably be potty trained by now if her mom wasn't so lazy.

Mia is so independent and a big sweetheart, she loves to come up and pat my big belly and say, "baby brother". We don't know if she quite gets what she is in for, but she does love babies. Everytime we see a little baby she says, "Oh, so tiny and cute!" She also got a baby doll for her birthday that she loves to push around in a little stroller and give a "bath" to.

Mia also loves shoes! This started a while ago, but she is obsessed with bringing me my shoes so we can go for a walk or bringing other people their shoes (sometimes it seems like she is trying to hurry them out of the house) but she is just trying to help. It has been amazing to watch her turn into her own little person. We get such a kick out of the things she does. It is amazing to see the world through the eyes of a 2 year old.

WOW! It's been a long time....

2008-10-19T23:48:00.000-07:00

at Cornbelly's Corn Maze/Pumpkin Patch

The move to Utah has been an adventure! We moved into a HUGE ward with Jeff's brother and his wife and little boy. We're talking like 4 or 5 nurseries, 2 elders quorums, 1 large RS and sacrament meetings that always take up most of the gym. There are tons of young families and it is humorous to see the whole neighborhood headed to church at the same time. Driving to a stake center just down the street with another church building across the street about a block further down. Being among the masses definitely brings back memories of our BYU ward.
We were anxious to get down here, before my belly did anymore growing, and to just be settled in. Mia and I flew (thanks Jeff and Nathan for doing the driving) into Salt Lake and it felt a little surreal to me, and I finally realized, "I'm living in Utah". We love the house that we found and were pleasantly surprised to find it a few blocks away from Jeff's brother's place. My brother, Big B, was looking for a change of pace from Spokane/N.Idaho and decided to moved in with us. He thought he'd improve his odds of finding a woman. We are excited to have him living with us, especially since Jeff has been flying back to Bellevue 4 days out of the week for the past 2 months.
Jeff is anxious to be home (here) for good. The hotels, flights and eating out are getting old and we miss him like crazy. Home just isn't quite "home" with out him here all of the time. We've never been much for spending any time apart anyway, so this has been pretty tough for us. Mia and I flew up to Seattle to be with him 2 of the weeks, but with the move and everything- living in a hotel was kind of tough on Mia and we have seen some new melt downs as a result. She is a trooper though and is getting back to her old self (with the exception of some new toddler 'tude, but that can be expected).

Although moving to Utah was kind of like moving to another planet, we love all of the family activities it has to offer. We love living so close to Thanksgiving Point, since there is always something going on. Last weekend we went to the Corn Maze/Pumpkin Patch for little kids. Mia loved jumping on the huge air "pillows", going down the big slides, seeing the little pigs and goats, and playing on all of the toys. We went with Jeff's brother and Mia's older cousin (who she just adores...we are starting to get the feeling they are gonna be trouble together)!

Mia's 2nd Birthday was 2 weeks ago. She was so fun to watch open her presents and be a part of the fun. Again, we had a family party with lots of cousins, ice cream, cupcakes, etc. She gets so much love and attention from her cousins....she loves to be so adored.

Jeff turned 30 about a month ago. We were excited that his parents were able to be in town to celebrate. We went out to eat at Tucanos at The Gateway Mall (that was one of our favorite places to go to when we were dating). Jeff's brother and wife and my brother, Brian, came too. Brian moved in with us last month, which has been nice, especially when Jeff has been back in Washington. We have really enjoyed living so close to Jeff's siblings and their families as well. It is fun to have get togethers and have our house full of people.

Goodbye Pacific Northwest

2008-08-26T00:32:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe the time has finally come for us to say "goodbye" to Seattle. I'd always thought that once I made it back to Washington I would never leave. We have enjoyed the time we've been able to spend with my sister and her family and we will miss them dearly...Mia will miss her Ferguson cousins and Lauri & Ty-Ty. I will definitely miss the time I've been able to spend with Lauri. Over the last 2 months we've finally started a "Girls' Night Out" every week. Now we don't know why we didn't start sooner!

We have been trying to get in as much as we can on our weekends, since we've known that time is running out. Last weekend we went to Gasworks Park on Lake Union with the Fergs and then spent the evening downtown on the piers and had dinner at "The Crab Pot".

A few weeks ago we took the 2 minute ferry to Jetty Island (in Everett) and had a great time walking and sinking into the squishy beaches- at low tide.

So Happy Together

2008-07-28T09:01:00.000-07:00

Jeff and I celebrated our 6 year anniversary on 7/20. I can't believe how long we have been together! Time has gone by so fast and we've had so much fun. I also can't believe I found such a good guy at a young age (and being LDS- everything happens so quickly, too). It seems like yesterday we were neighbors in Chatham Town saying hi to each other in the parking garage or waving at each other through our kitchen windows...

Now here we are with baby number 2 on the way and a past filled with a lot of playing and becoming even closer than we'd ever imagined. Jeff and I work so well together, that it is scary. I can't imagine having a closer friend or better husband. Once we had Mia, I feared that our whole world would revolve around her and the dynamics of our relationship would change. I am relieved to say that- after some adjusting- we've managed to find "the balance". Our alone time together only comfirms what a great team we already are and how that helps us be better parents.

We were able to spend the weekend on our own. We went out to eat and cruised the mall before our late night movie. The next day we rented a canoe down at UW campus and paddled across the lake to Washington Park Arboretum. There were lily pads and ducks everywhere- not to mention the lush green landscape that is synonymous with Seattle. It felt like we were on a Disneyland ride through a rain forest. It was very fun and romantic (if you ever get a chance to do it, I highly recommend it). After that we strolled Univeristy Village, we haven't enjoyed shopping like that since we first got married.

A Normal Life Appreciated

2008-07-23T14:41:00.000-07:00

Last week our little family had a major health scare that really made us step back and evaluate the important things in our lives. The stresses I had earlier that day were normal (toddler stuff, tired from being pregnant, moving details, etc.). In just seconds all of that was obsolete. We waited 48 hours in agony, over "what if's", "now what's" and "how could this be", for test results to come back. I waited in the Dr.'s office watching other people and felt jealous of (what I assumed was) their normal lives/health. After (what felt like months of waiting) we found out everything was OK and I was a very small statistic that causes a test error.

It took a few hours for everything to settle in and to know that we were all going to be ok. I have never been more grateful for my health and mild little life. I've also never felt more empathy for people that find out life changing news about their health. I guess you get so comfortable in your own skin, that is is very easy to think "that won't happen to me" about a lot of things. I know my details are vague, but I just want to express my gratitude to friends and family and the love and support that they give us. This small trial renewed our faith in our relationship with one another, our family and prayer.

I don't get as easily frustrated by the little things and I hope I keep this feeling for a long time. Thank you for your friendship.

YAY!!

2008-07-11T18:10:00.000-07:00

Today, we found out that we are having a
BABY BOY!!
We are sooo excited for Mia to have a little brother! After the appointment she kept saying, "brother". We all could have guessed it was gonna be a boy (since only a small percent of Jeff's family is girls), but since we had a girl first we didn't want to be too confident.
I'll post a pic of the ultrasound later tonight!!

Mia will be 21 months old (tomorrow)

2008-07-10T13:57:00.000-07:00

Mia will be turning 21 months old tomorrow, but since we are having our ultrasound then (to find out the sex of the baby) I wanted to be sure to put some recent pictures of her up.

Mia is such a sweet and smart little girl! She knows soooo many words and can speak very clearly. She is very polite and always says, "please", "thank you", "bless you", "you're welcome" and when we ask her if she'd like something, she answers so sweetly, "Sure!" She does have a few words that make her sound like a sailor, but we are working on them ;) She is starting to sing a lot and has part of the ABC song down.

Like her parents, she is a little shy at first. The way she likes to break the ice is with a "high 5" and "knuckles". She used to slap a little (mostly Jeff- hehe) but we taught her to touch faces soft and nice and she calls that "soft face".

Mia can't help but dance if a hip-hop song comes on the radio and she love, love, loves Mickey Mouse (of course she didn't think he was all that great when we were AT Disneyland).

I couldn't choose just one picture, so I had to make a slideshow!

CHECK BACK TOMORROW TO FIND OUT WHAT WE ARE HAVING!!!

Father's Day Weekend

2008-06-26T13:37:00.000-07:00

My sister and I took our hubbies to Traxx Racing in Mukilteo. The cars go pretty fast and it gets a little crazy during the race (including some mild road rage)! It was a little spendy for the few minutes it lasted, but something you gotta at least try. We then went to see Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. It was entertaining (as to be expected) but the ending did not live up to our expectations.

We had a lot of fun with the Fergs! It will be hard to move away from them :(

The next day I made "Pancake Puffs" for breakfast (from the info-mercials)! It is a pretty fun finger food and we made the different versions throughout the week.

After church we went to a great park in Everett that overlooks The Sound. The weather was awesome and Mia loved swinging on the swings and then walking through the little arboretum next door.

She is a sweet little Daddy's Girl!

Mia at SDCF

2008-06-24T14:39:00.000-07:00

When we visited San Diego I went into my old work, San Diego Commercial Finance. Mia was very shy, but had a great time with the phone in the breakroom. My friend, Ninette, sent me these pictures and I thought they were cute!

In A Strange Turn of Events...

2008-06-24T14:10:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows how difficult it is to move to a new place and start from scratch. When we moved from San Diego it was just starting to feel like home (that only took about 5 years). Well, here we go again...

We were very excited to move to Seattle and I have always wanted to make it back to the Northwest. The rain/gloom was tough on us, but the beautiful summers along the Sound are very rewarding. We've loved living near my sister, her husband and all of her kids. We also enjoy seeing my family in Spokane quite frequently.

Jeff has been working for Big D Construction (based out of SLC, UT) and his project Washington Square -in Bellevue- is wrapping up. We will be moving to the Salt Lake area this fall! It was hard for me to accept, and I lived in denial for as long as possible. We know this is where we are supposed to go and are looking forward to living near Jeff's family again. I can't say I thought I'd end up back in Utah (no offense to anyone who lives in or is from Utah) but I thought we'd be here for good. I am glad that many of our friends and family live in the area and know that will help us transition smoothly.

We are extremely excited for affordable living, too!! FINALLY!

We will be moving a couple of months before baby #2 is due- which means I will be useless to Jeff as a moving partner (yay- for me).

I guess we'll have to take up snowboarding and start hiking!

some pictures from our trip

2008-05-28T19:31:00.001-07:00

Our trip to San Diego....Why did we move?!?!?

2008-05-28T15:15:00.000-07:00

We spent the last week with Jeff's parents and his brother, Nathan (along with my dear friend and sister-in-law, Jessica and our adorable nephew Andrew). We had such a great time spending time with them at the beach, Disneyland, SD Wild Animal Park, swimming at the resort and more time at the beach. Mia loved getting to know them and loves her cuz Andrew! We had a little time to spend with old friends from home, church and work and we are sooooo homesick for our old life (we went to In-N-Out sooooo many times!!) I thought it would be fun to go back, but figured it had been long enough that it would feel "different", but I was wrong! Not to say that we are not grateful for the way our life has turned out and we have SO enjoyed living close to my family, but the SUN felt soooooo nice after these long winter months!!!

(don't you love her chubby little thighs!!)
Mia loved the beach and waves and even stood up on her dad's surfboard (with a little help, but she's better than I ever was).

My morning sickness was even less noticable on the trip, and returned when I got home :(.
Jeff had a great time surfing with his brother, Nathan, and our nephew, Justin! We wished it hadn't been stormy during the middle of the trip, but they squeezed in a few trips and although there was a shark attack less than a month ago (yikes) they still couldn't get enough. There were even some dolphins playing in the waves with them on the last day.

It will take me a little while to sort through and upload our pictures from the trip, but I'll get them up here eventually!

JADA'S GIVEAWAY

2008-05-08T14:05:00.000-07:00

My friend Jada is hosting a Giveaway for her cute craft/scrapbooking products- She is so creative (such a talented scrapbooker)! The acrylic stamps are so cool...I might have to order some anyway.... Here is all of the info from her blog:

"As many of you know I am a Close To My Heart Consultant. Close to my Heart has awesome crafting supplies of all sorts. I love all their products. I am holding a Giveaway to promote my business. The deadline to enter is the 11th of May by midnight. The winner will be announced on the 12th by Noon. Anyone entering qualifies for 10% off their next order. (Order has to go through me and not the website for the 10% discount.)

To enter the giveaway all you need to do is email me your Name and Address. Email your info to: johnnyandjada@msn.com

What you can win:
Any of the Solo alphabet stamp sets of your choice, or anything of equal or lesser value. I will also be including a CTMH block that will be big enough for the largest stamp of the set."

***If anyone is not familiar with CTMH products feel free to check out my website at www.stampanddesign.myctmh.com We have a wide selection of Acrylic Stamps, awesome paper packets, and millions of accessories. ***

Victoria B.C.

2008-05-07T13:35:00.000-07:00

I forgot what it was like to be pregnant....

2008-05-07T13:18:00.000-07:00

Many of you noticed my baby countdown....yes, we are expecting baby number two! We are very excited and were hoping for this. We are thrilled for Mia to have a little sibling. She is such a sweet little thing and loves to take care of her stuffed animals and dolls. I was packing for our weekend getaway and she kept coming in and taking one diaper at a time out of the room. When I was finished, I went out and found her laying them on her Hello Kitty, Coco. It was so cute! She loves to carry her around, dance with her and is the best snuggler. She kept trying to put clothes on her and is now wearing Mia's old pajamas. We are so lucky to have such a little sweetheart for a daughter. We know she is going to be the best Big Sister!

I've been told that you forget what it is like to be pregnant (so you'll want to get pregnant again). I remember the morning/evening sickness, but I definitely forgot how tired and grumpy I get! The strong smells and nausea are something else, too. Poor Jeff and Mia! I have found a little comfort in the Unisom/Vitamin B6 combo, but then am really groggy all day. Throwing up has been a little less than the first time, but I keep telling Jeff that if we have more kids- then we are adopting them!

I know I only have 7-8 more weeks of this and then I'll be golden!! I had my first Dr. Appt. today and was able to see our little baby bean with a heart beat. It was very exciting!

This is Bliss

2008-04-07T13:36:00.000-07:00

It has been hard for Jeff and I to adjust to the Seattle area (mainly the weather), but after a great weekend we can now say, "I could live here forever." Who knows what life will throw our way, but we love the charm of the different little cities and the general low key attitude that is felt here. Plus, now that the sun is coming out more we find any excuse to get out!

After some inspiring General Conference talks...Jeff packed a lunch and the Xterra with blankets, the stroller, my rollerblades and his long board (surfboard? No! He wishes! It was his skateboard). We headed to West Seattle and parked at the boat launch on Alki Beach. After some yummy sandwiches, snap peas and blueberries we got our gear together and took off down the sweet boardwalk that has the best view of downtown Seattle. (And yes, my husband is nearing 30 and still rides a skateboard. If you saw the smile on his face you'd swear he was 15 again.)

As if this wasn't a perfect day already...we drove through the cute "beach town" and found the nicest little park on the water. We saw a little swing and had to stop!

Mia had a great time running around, petting a few dogs and riding on her daddy's shoulders. We decided this was our new favorite spot and will have to come back often.

A Little Girl Time

2008-04-03T13:58:00.000-07:00

My good friend, Holly, came in town last weekend. Of course the day she came was the coldest and we tried to go to Pike's Market, but wimped out after about 40 mins. We ended up going back to Lowell's for a yummy breakfast. The waterfront view is seriously impressive. We then visited my favorite malls- Bellevue Square and University Village (where we got massages), went out to dinner at "The Daily Grill", stayed downtown at The Renaissance and went and saw "Juno". That movie is soooooo funny! We were probably laughing the loudest in the theater...so maybe we were a little hard up for some entertainment?? Pregnant Little Holly was a trooper- we hoofed it all around downtown (minus one cab ride due to rain)! Anyways, it was great to have "girl time" and catch up with each other. I wish we lived closer because she is such a good friend we have a lot of fun together!

Mia loved Holly too! She even offered her "car seat crumbs"...hahaha- so sweet...

Easter Weekend

2008-03-23T20:33:00.000-07:00

We had a quiet little Easter weekend and visit with my cousin, Ashley. We did some touristy things before she had to head back to Utah. We were supposed to get together with my sister's family and friends, but a big dinner will have to wait til next weekend.

Mia had a great time finding Easter Eggs this morning! And there is nothing like a wiggly toddler, hopped up on sugar at church! We got Mia a bubble machine...it was the best $10 ever spent. We all love it- she gets pretty sad when I turn it off.

Four Things

2008-03-08T08:25:00.000-08:00

Four Things...

Four things about me that you may or may not have known, in no particular order. The directions are at the end.

Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. retail (gotta love high school- The Buckle and A&F)
2. Customer Service for Porsche Cars NA
3. Teller
4. Admin. Assistant

Four places I have lived:
1. San Diego
2. Provo
3. Rexburg
4. Spokane

Four TV Shows that I watch:
1. LOST
2. CSI (Las Vegas)
3. Rule of Engagement
4. The Hills...WHAT!?!? (I know- it is my guilty pleasure)

Four places I have been (other than where I lived):
1. Grand Cayman Islands
2. Puerto Vallarta
3. Dominican Republic
4. Las Vegas

My last four cars:
1. Xterra
2. S60
3. Xterra
4. Civic

Four of my favorite foods:
1. Macadamia Crusted Mahi w/ banana sauce (at Peohe's in SD)
2. Seared Ahi Tuna
3. Chicken Pad Thai
4. Crepes (I miss European Connection...sniff, sniff)

Four things I look forward to in the next year
1. My life with Jeff and Mia
2. getting my business going
3. having Mia potty trained
4. a trip to San Diego

If you have read this, tag you are it. Copy and paste on your blog with your own answers

New Camera!

2008-03-04T14:03:00.000-08:00

So I finally got myself a DSLR! I've been wanting one for YEARS- but have not yet had a reason to spend the $$ for one. Since I am starting my little biz I figured I could do a lot of the pictures myself..."If only I had a nice camera...hmmm..." Luckily- Jeff agreed that it was a good investment.

We went to the cold beach and tested it out- it is amazing the quality you can get! Here are a few pictures that I really liked. Really, anyone can be a pro with these things!

DRAWING

2008-03-01T12:20:00.000-08:00

First of all- thanks to everyone who entered! I recieved sooo many entries and really appreciate you spreading the word.
I had my drawing (Jeff was my "lovely" assistant) and the winner of a combo set or apron goes to:

Stephanie C. of TX

Runner up (and the winner of a bib):

Jada M. of OR

I will be doing another drawing next month so check back around 3/20.

THANK YOU!!

MIA MCKELL GIVEAWAY!

2008-02-21T13:53:00.000-08:00

So my friend, Heidi, came up with the best idea to promote my product- Have a giveaway on my blog! So here I am....(in case you did not get my email)

What I need:
*email me your name/address
by Feb 29th, 2008 midnight.

The winner will be announced March 1st, 2008 by 12 pm.

The winner will get to choose from a bib/burpie/paci set, 2 bibs/paci set, or a childrens apron of their choice from my website Mia McKell Baby. Even if you don't have kids that age- you can enter and keep it as for the next baby shower, etc.

Feel free to spread the word! (Thanks to all of you who already have!)

GOOD LUCK!!

Our Little Talker

2008-02-15T13:45:00.000-08:00

Mia is quite the talker these days! She says her words pretty clear for a 16 month old too! Her favorites are ball, more, kitty, mama, dada, "it's you" (when she see's a picture of herself), baby, grama, grampa, eat, spoon, stars, light, quack-quack, 'ibbit (when she sees a frog), Santa (followed with an immediate "hohoho!"), hello (yes- not just "hi"), happy, bread, banana, apple, etc. She can also say some of her relatives' names: Lauri (go figure), Big B and she calls her little cousin Ryker- "Cracker" and then she does the sign for it too- haha! She's hilarious! We are realizing that we have to start watching what words we use since she is starting to mimic us!

When I was pregnant I had heard a lot of fuss over babies and signing and was definitely skeptical, but I could also see the benefits of trying it. So when Mia was 7 months I bought 2 "Signing Time Videos" and would watch them with her occassionally (so I could learn the signs too). We love them! She started really doing the signs at 10+ months and it has helped us communicate with her. Most of the words she knows so well are the ones we sign with her. So if you are looking into signing with your baby, I recommend "Signing Time"!

Mia Loves Every-baby

2008-02-07T13:28:00.000-08:00

I don't think she knows she's a baby because anytime she's around other babies she loves to hug and kiss them and try to take care of them. She is so sweet!

We swap babysitting with some friends in the ward and Mia would not leave their little guy alone (Poor thing- Look at his face!). She kept hugging, patting and kissing him. She also does this with her stuffed animals, too... She will be a good big sister someday!

Jeff's New Job

2008-02-07T13:00:00.000-08:00

We've had a hectic last few weeks (expensive truck issues- and we decided to get a new car), but things have calmed and we are feeling extremely grateful. Jeff just got offered a great job on a commercial site in Bellevue. He has been very comfortable at his last company (being a superintendent on a residential site), but has been thinking about changing to commercial construction and then this opportunity came along...I can't help but think about how blessed we've been since we've gotten married. Things have moved smoothly in all aspects of life and offers like this "just happen" for us. He is great at what he does and I know he'll always be successful in whatever he does.

I am so grateful to have Jeff in my life. He is such a good and caring husband and father. I can't imagine a better "partner" to go through life with!

Here is a picture of the site he'll be working on
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/eastsidenews/2004115479_square09e.html

Secret Shopping

2008-01-21T10:34:00.000-08:00

For the past 5 months I've been doing mystery shopping and have really enjoyed it! Now that I'm (mostly) going to be doing my baby business stuff I thought I'd share my secret with everyone! It is fun if you enjoy writting and have the time. Jeff and I really liked being able to eat out (those ones reimburse the most- anywhere from $25-120). I had a difficult time finding a good free site (JUST KNOW that the legitimate ones are always free) so I ended up finding about 20 companies through 1 website. It helps if you live in a bigger city, but they generally have jobs all over the country. It takes a while to sign up for all of them, but then you just get emails everyday and can accept which ever jobs you want. Here are some stores and restaurants I've shopped:

InSpa- massage and facial
Red Robin/Johnny Carino's
Applebee's
Target
Outback Steakhouse
Chevy's
Ruby's
Zao Noodle
The Keg

and different banks, bookstores, some fast food, retail stores (Gymboree, Babies R Us, Banana Republic, Fred Meyer, etc.), a vet visit, tanning salon and a lot of local restaurants! Generally the restaurant and spa shops are most worth your while. It has been REALLY nice to eat out and not feel guilty about spending the money! Most places reimburse you between 30-60 days via paypal. If you want more information definitely let me know. It took me a long time to find the sites so I'll be happy to pass along the information and help someone else get started! Happy Shopping!

VISIT: www.jobslinger.com to get started!

Bibs, Burpies & Aprons- Oh My!

2008-01-18T14:31:00.000-08:00

As some of you know, I've caught "the bug" that many stay-at-home moms do! I've just started my own little business of baby accessories! I have 3 boutiques (here in Seattle) that picked them up....I'm excited to be off to a good start! You can check out my website @ Mia McKell Baby and if you like anything- just email me and I'd be happy to give you the items at cost! I also have lots of other fabrics not on my site. I'm excited to get the product out there and hope it will do well (disregard the prices I have listed- they are mostly to give stores a price range for re-sale). If you have a baby, I'll send you a bib if you'll take a picture of your baby in it (and write me a short testimonial) so I can use it on my website! DON'T WORRY- I won't use any baby names/locations- it will just be a collage of babies wearing the bibs!!
I'm still "perfecting" the toddler apron and trying to make a less girly- boy apron. I also hope to be moving into custom baby bedding.....Like I said, if you are wanting any of these items I'd love to do them for my friends and family at cost!
I'm really excited to have something that is MINE! Luckily Jeff has been just as excited for me and filling me with lots of confidence and support!

A Funny Little Video of Mia

2007-12-20T15:06:00.000-08:00

We never know what Mia is going to laugh at, but we thought this was so cute. We love how she tries to immitate Jeff too...bah-bah-bah...

Happy Holidays from the Whites!

2007-12-19T08:49:00.000-08:00

The end of the year makes us reflect on our past and all of the love and support that has gotten us to where we are. We feel truly blessed to have you in our lives. We hope you have a wonderful Christmas and that 2008 brings you love, peace and joy.

It is our hope that our lives will cross paths again, soon.
MUCH LOVE-

If I have your address...you are getting this card in the mail!

Christmas Tree

2007-12-12T12:45:00.001-08:00

Our tree is up and we are actually ready for Chrismas this year!!! We are glad that we actually get to HAVE a Christmas, since last year we were moving the day of. We put only a few plastic ornaments on the bottom to see how Mia would do and tied the tree to the wall with fishing line (just in case). Mia actually does really well and just likes to look at it. She just likes to point to the ornaments and say "ball".

I tried to take some pictures of Mia in front of the Christmas tree. It was tough to get her to sit still, and only a few turned out OK. She is quite the little character these days. She is a true toddler (minus tantrums...so far).

No Soup For You

2007-12-11T12:22:00.000-08:00

I have really surprised myself this year. Ever since Mia was born my "housewife/mommy" chip has kicked on and I love to cook and sew (I never knew I’d turn out so domestic, but it actually fits me). I've been making baby bibs and just made this little apron for Mia. She loves to be in the kitchen! She mostly makes messes and pulls everything out of the drawers, but we have a good time. Mia really likes the soup ladle and talks some serious gibberish- it reminds me of the Soup Nazi episode of Seinfeld. I made it since she is getting a little kitchen for Christmas, but I had to try it on her first.

After Thanksgiving

2007-11-29T13:31:00.000-08:00

We have been so lucky to live in beautiful cities that have a lot to offer. Jeff and I try to take advantage of "the sites" when we can. Last weekend we spent Thanksgiving with my sister and her family, some friends and also the missionaries. It was a lot of fun and we ate some EXCELLENT FOOD! That weekend the sun broke through so we headed downtown to the public market and to do some Christmas shopping. There were great decorations an a lot of impressive street performers (there were even 2 teenage boys giving out "Free Hugs" in the middle of Pacific Place...I loved it when an older man gave them a hug). Mia had a great time people watching! She was a little leary of the Santa at Pike's Place, but didn't cry 'til after the picture! YAY!

TACO TOWN

2007-11-15T12:12:00.000-08:00

This was on my friend, Heidi's page. It is funny!!

My Hair: 10 Inches Shorter

2007-11-09T13:06:00.000-08:00

I have been wanting to donate my hair for some time now, but finally followed through! I happened to catch the Oprah that had Hillary Swank on the show, talking about it. I've kept my hair long for soooo many years and I figured it was time for change, too. I feel like I've lost 5 pounds from my head (too bad it's not elsewhere)! Anyway, it's for a great cause! If you want to do it too, just got to www.beautifullengths.com. Now I'm an official "MOM" (isn't that what every new mom does, chop off her hair?).

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

2007-10-31T19:04:00.000-07:00

We went to our ward Trunk or Treat and handed out candy. Mia was Minnie Mouse and Jeff was a whoopie cushion. Mia didn't really like him in that costume....can you blame her?

New Pics

2007-10-30T12:20:00.000-07:00

I finally got Mia's 1 year pictures taken. They are scanned, so they're not the best quality. Picture day is always a little stressful, but she was a champ! We went to Clix! and they were great with Mia. It was tough to get her to stay in one place, but we got a couple of cute ones!

California Fires

2007-10-27T12:26:00.000-07:00

Jeff and I were in disbelief when we saw the news of the California Fires. It was déjà vu- seeing the footage of homes burning and billowing smoke clouds blocking out the sun. It is surreal that they are going through this again, so soon! We can’t help but feel gratitude to be safe in the rain, but worry for our family and friends. We are relieved to know that even though some of them were evacuated, they are now safe. If we still lived in our old place, we think we would have been evacuated at some point too. Our hearts and prayers go out to those affected by the tragedy. This picture was taken not to far from one of Jeff’s job sites down in Chula Vista. It is from www.signonsandiego.com.

Taking Good Care of My Baby Teeth

2007-10-27T00:13:00.000-07:00

Mia usually doesn't like hats or headbands. So when I put this bow on her I thought she'd tear it right off, but she saw herself in the mirror and LOVED it. She wore it all night- what a silly girl! She also loves to brush her teeth! If I let her take over, she'll bite and suck on it forever (making her Grandpa Williams so proud).

The Birthday Girl

2007-10-16T12:57:00.000-07:00

We spent Mia’s First Birthday in Spokane with the Williams Grandparents and cousins. It is always a little overwhelming with all of the kids and new faces, but Mia had a great time. We enjoyed the visit with the siblings that we don’t get to see very often and we tried to cram in as much as possible while we were there. We went through the corn maze, rode the little train and picked out pumpkins at Green Bluff, had family pictures taken, went out to eat (a lot), went downtown, went over to our property in Mica and just had a nice visit with the fam. Mia was one of the 3 granddaughters celebrating a birthday. As you can see in the video she enjoyed her cake once she realized it was ALL FOR HER! I think she would have eaten the whole thing if we hadn’t taken it away, too!

Daddy's Girl

2007-10-10T00:21:00.000-07:00

I knew I was going to have a daddy's girl before Mia was ever born. I know Jeff is (and will be) an excellent father, but even he admits that she's got him wrapped around her little finger. She just adores her daddy and thinks he is the greatest thing in the world! I'm prepping myself to be the enforcer....she already bosses him around...hehe.

Mia's Turning 1!

2007-10-03T12:47:00.000-07:00

We can hardly believe that Mia will be ONE on the 11th! She is a funny little girl, we get such a kick out of her! She is walking now and is always looking for trouble. She loves to pull Tupperware, clothes, toys, etc. out of drawers. She is babbling a lot and can say "mama", "dadda", "dubdub" (for Jubjub), "ball", "ow" (for meow), and has started her own language. She loves books and music! If a good song comes on the radio/TV she can't help but start boogieing! She used to "raise the roof" a lot, but now opts for head bobbing and wiggling her bum.
Yes, I'm such a "mommy". Who knew I would be so entertained by the things she does!

2007-09-28T21:46:00.000-07:00

After having mastered the code/templates for Myspace, I realized that blogging gives family/friends better updates. I finally caved in to the social pressures and here I am! I'm excited to have a "journal" since I haven't faithfully kept one since I was fourteen.

As in most peoples lives, our family's theme this year has been "CHANGE". We became parents to the cutest baby in the world, moved to the Seattle area and my commute to work became non-existent (and I can go in my pj's)! We are finding it easy to be Mia's mom and dad. She is an adorable, sweet, sassy and funny little girl! She is always cruising around and finding something to get in to.

I hope you will enjoy catching up with the Whites and this will inspire you to keep in touch, as well :)