BODINE FAMILY

Grace = 1 year old!

2011-12-10T21:26:00.000-08:00

My baby Gracie turned 1 year old on December 8th! Time has just flown by too fast! She may have grown up quickly but she is still my little petite diva! I love you Gracie Girl!:)

June Happenings

2011-08-25T20:55:00.000-07:00

During the end of May and into June, summer came on with full force.

Swimming lessons:
Grant again took swimming lessons from our beloved Miss Sharisse. No pictures were taken...thank goodness. Grant cried during all 2 weeks of the session. He did progress and learn. Hopefully next year he will finally get that crying doesn't get him anywhere. Miss Sharisse was a true saint to put up with Grant and all the other crying toddlers!

Check Please! Arizona:
Tyler and my new favorite PBS show is called Check Please! Arizona. It is a show that reviews different local restaurants around the valley. One place that we thought that sounded interesting was the Cornish Pasty Co. It basically only has Pasties which are kind of like a "hot pocket" but MUCH better. We thought it sounded so good that we actually went there for our anniversary....it was delicious. I liked the pasties so much that I tried making some of my own. True, they were not as good as the restaurant's but not too bad!

Piano recital:
The beginning of the year, I decided to start teaching piano lessons. I took on one wonderful student...my niece Rachael. She started from scratch and progressed nicely through the few months she was with me. We held a little recital the beginning of June with a few piece played by Rachael, some duets with me, her mom, and her dad, and a few en sample pieces by siblings.

My two little monkeys:

Oh....you just gotta love these too! They have made the long hot summer days more enjoyable and more hectic at the same time...but I love them!:)

Grace decided to start crawling in the end of June/beginning of July after army crawling all over for quite sometime. It was slow at first but now it is hard to keep up with her.

Update......FINALLY!

2011-08-08T21:19:00.000-07:00

Well...after neglecting this blog for almost 4 months, it is definately time for some updates.
April/May

Gracie:

This little girl of my has developed quite a opinion of her own. She only likes her Mom to feed and hold her. It became very apparent at 4 months of age!

Easter:

As Grant as gotten older, holidays have become more enjoyable! As a little Easter activity, we made some easter bunny paper bag puppets and we taught him the "Here comes Peter Cottontail" song. He loved it!

Grant in his Easter Sunday outfit! He has started to comment that he is "Grant the Man" and he is "handsome" in his Sunday best!

Grand Canyon:
At the end of May, Tyler had the opportunity to hike the Grand Canyon with his family from rim to rim. He had such a blast! I, of course, was quite envious since I had to stay home with the kiddies (especially with Grace who was refusing to take a bottle!).

March Madness...Bodine style

2011-04-01T08:47:00.000-07:00

March was kind of an off month for our little family. It was filled mostly with illness, doctor visits, breathing treatments, and sleepless nights. Despite this havoc, there has been some good parts...I will share with you those highlights....

"Mommy-Grant School"
The beginning of the year, I made a goal for myself that I would try to do a "sort of" joy school with Grant everyday to challenge him and start the preparations for preschool . It was a little ambitious...but I found some resources online that were age appropriate and well outlined. The passed 5+ weeks he has really enjoyed it and gets excited when it is time for us to do it each day. It is so interesting to see how he is retaining and really getting what I am teaching. I am hoping that I can keep it up and do a joy school with other mommies in the neighborhood this fall.

"Thomas the Tank Engine"
Thanks to my sister Natalie, she informed us of an exciting event happening in Globe, Arizona....Thomas the Tank Engine was coming. A traveling Thomas was coming to Globe where it would hook up to a railway and people could ride it. Grant is a HUGE fan of Thomas so we took a day trip to check it out. We didn't end up riding the train but allowing Grant to check it out was enough for him...he was a little overwhelmed by it! But afterward...he couldn't stopped talking about seeing a "real Thomas."

"A visit to Yuma"
The end of March, we headed down to Yuma for two reasons.....1. to visit Whitney, David and their kids 2. The Yuma airshow!
1. David and Whitney were kind enough to allow us to come down and stay at their place over a weekend. It was wonderful to see them and visit with them since we don't get to see them that often. On Saturday while the guys were on (at the airshow), she did a wonderful photo shoot with Grace along with her cousin Allie.
2.While Whitney and I did a girls' day.....the guys went to the Yuma airshow that took place at the local military base there. There were dozens of planes, jets, helicopters, etc. They were able to climb into some and there was a show displaying multiple kinds of jets, planes and etc and their abilities.They loved it!

February Happenings

2011-03-02T21:03:00.000-08:00

Well, time for a new post! February flew by so quickly with many activities and busy happenings.
Adjustments:
Now that it has been almost 3 months, I am starting to adjust to being a mother of two with their demands and schedules. They both keep me on my toes 24/7 but I enjoy every minute (most of the time ;)). Grant has become pretty accustom to having "Baby sister" around the house. He comes up to her quite often and talks to her, making her smile or wanting to hold her. There has been a few times where he has gotten a little jealous and wants me to hold him and instead of her, but its only for a short moment and his attention becomes diverted back to his favorite toy cars.

Baby Blessing:
The first Sunday in February, was Baby Grace's baby blessing. Tyler gave a beautiful blessing to Grace and we were able to have many family members come out to support us on her special day. We had a little brunch afterward at our house with some real yummy treats! Tyler's grandma crocheted a beautifully intricate blessing dress and my mom learned how to crochet a flower that Grace wore on a headband. Some day I would like to learn myself.

Grace is growing up....slowly:
Little Gracie Bodine is now almost 3 months old. At her 2 month appointment, she was 10 lbs 13 oz and 22 inches long. Her measurements were at the 50th percentile...much smaller than her stout older brother at that age. It has been concluded that she will be a petite little thing compared to Grant. She is already showing a little diva personality at times but is mostly mellow the rest of the time. She is smiling all the time and can really hold up her head when doing tummytime (which she hates). We have started putting her in the bumbo chair and she LOVES it. It allows her to see everything all around her more easily. She can sit very contently in there for quite some time. She is starting to sleep almost through the entire night averaging about 6-8 hour stretches.

January

2011-01-20T20:59:00.000-08:00

Hiking!
Tyler and I have decided to hike the Grand Canyon a little later this year and preparation is needed. Tyler has already done a few hikes so far. He did Flat Iron, Peralta, and Mountain Pass. I decided that I needed to start so we went on a little hike around Lost Dutchman State Park. It was a beautiful morning...beautiful hike...but I have ALOT of work to do before I can be ready for the Grand Canyon by May.

Baby Grace
Grace is now 6 weeks old! It is so hard to believe that it has gone by that fast. She is still a little thing....only 10lbs...but she is doing great! She is starting to smile, especially in the mornings. She is having some problems though with colic at night. Hopefully it will end soon!

Elder Zobell
My younger brother Josh is leaving next week to the MTC! He is going to Guadalajara Mexico on his mission. He had his "farewell" this passed Sunday and spoke on the Plan of Salvation. He did such a wonderful job...He is ready to go! I am so excited for him and privileged to have him as my brother.

Grace's photoshoot

2010-12-18T13:27:00.000-08:00

This is my first poor attempt at doing a newborn photoshoot....Someday I would love to take some classes and get a fancy camera and take even better pics. These didn't turn out too bad thanks to my beautiful baby Gracie!:)

She's Here!

2010-12-11T11:53:00.000-08:00

Grace Noelle Bodine
12/8/10 8:40 AM
8Lbs 6oz 20.9 inches

Past Due date and updates

2010-12-05T20:55:00.000-08:00

It has been too long since my last post...need an update to share.

November came and went.
-Most of the month was me getting ready for baby girl Bodine with deep cleaning of my house top to bottom and finishing up her room and projects.
-Took a couple of Parent University classes through the Mesa district to help me keep my teaching certification current.
-Had Thanksgiving with my family. Tyler did the Turkey a special way with covering it with salt pork.
-Had the Bodine family Pie contest. Won with "Best presentation" of pie with my Raspberry Chiffon pie.
-Had Bodine family come and finish doing final deep cleaning of our house before baby comes.
-Put up Christmas decor in and out of house
-Due date came on December 3rd and went with no baby.
-Will be induced on December 7th.
With being past due...life has been a little frustrating but Grant has lightened it up with some crazy, funny antics:
-I played my flute with Tyler playing the guitar with a little musical number with our family. At the end of it, Grant shouted out " Yeah Mommy! You did it Mommy!"
-Grant kept slipping out and running out into the street while we were decorating our house outside for Christmas. I got frustrated and put up a baby gate to keep him from going outside. He got so mad and he pulled the gate so hard, he removed it and got out. He was so proud of himself, he smiled ear to ear while shouting, "I did it! I did it!"
-In the mornings lately,he has been waking up in the morning before us and coming into our room, turning on the light and shouts "Wake up Mommy! Wake up Daddy!"
-He refused to take a nap today after church. I was so tired and frustrated that I put up my pack and play and put him in it with some blankets and pillow. He did not like that at all. I was hoping within a few minutes or so he would settle down an go to sleep. Instead he shouted out "Mommy! Mommy! Where are you? Want out! Want out! Daddy! Daddy! Where are you? No like it!" He kept saying this over and over. I finally gave up and went in to check on him. I found him totally buck naked! He was so mad, he ripped off his clothes and diaper and threw all the blankets and pillow out of the pack and play!

Oh my silly Grant! :)

Happy Halloween

2010-10-30T21:11:00.000-07:00

Halloween Cookies:
A couple of weeks ago, Greg and Jaime's girls came over to decorate some Halloween cookies! I made some orange and purple frosting to decorate some yummy sugar cookies. We had a blast decorating some unique cookies. Rachael especially liked eating the black sprinkles that blackened her teeth. Even Tyler got into it!

"Truck or Treat":
Tonight, our ward had our "Truck or Treat." It was a real struggle the last few weeks to get a costume figured out for Grant. Still learning how to sew, I did not make him a costume (someday I will). He refused to wear a fireman costume I found at Target so I decided to take him to another costume shop and have him pick out what he really wanted. He picked out a Scoobydoo costume. He loved it! He wore it several times this passed week before the Truck or Treat and we practiced on saying "Trick or treat" to get "Monster candy." As we took him around the various cars to trick or treat he did say it a few times and I even got a thank you out of him! Way to go Grant! I think he actually enjoyed it!

A Garden!

2010-10-11T22:15:00.000-07:00

This passed Saturday we finally did it! We started a garden in our backyard. We had a raised planter filled with gravel,rock and weeds. We had talked and talked and talked about planting a garden when we moved in the middle of February. With waiting around too long...it got too hot so we had to wait until it cooled down. Finally, we became proactive and DID IT. Tyler dug up the gravel, sifted out left over rocks, mixed manure into the soil, and added in a drip line.
Earlier this evening, we planted our seeds: lettuce, spinach, onions, and many other veggies. We will be clearing out more gravel and put in tomatoes and herbs and hopefully many other "producing" plants soon. Wish us luck!:)

Grant helping Tyler mixing up the soil

Grant loved digging in the dirt!:)

Planting seeds

Domestic Diva

2010-09-02T09:09:00.000-07:00

The last few weeks, I have been working on becoming a domestic diva: learning to sew and learning to can. While I was teaching, this was the farthest thing from my mind. Well...priorities changed. I am now in a new chapter in my life and wanting to become better in my new role of as a "stay at home mom." With the wonderful help of my mother, I have started these new activities.
Yesterday, we had a fun filled day of canning raspberries and finishing up baby quilts and blankets. I still have alot to learn but I am really excited about what I am learning and creating. Next week we are canning peaches and hopefully start some more baby projects!
Here are some pics of what I have been working on:

Oregon and the Redwoods

2010-08-07T21:15:00.000-07:00

Grant and I by the largest of the redwoods we found near the trail!

a Redwood stump along the side of dirt road near the trail head.

Grant and Tyler on the trail!

During the last week of July, we went with my family up to Oregon Coast for a week. We stayed in a beach house in Florence. It was absolutely beautiful with breathtaking scenery. For an entire week, we ventured up and down the coast visiting various beaches, lighthouses, tide pools and hiked in the lush green forests.
Tyler, Grant and I took a couple of days and drove down into Crescent City, California to hike on a trail right in the redwood forests! It was incredible! Tyler was blown away by the humongous size of the trees. While we drove along a dirt road toward the trail head of our hike, we were surrounded by the gigantic trees. Tyler kept saying “Wow! This is so cool!” The hike was amazing! We were completely dwarfed by the trees. It looks like we were hiking in a scene from the 3rd Stars Wars movie and at any moment a Ewok would be popping out from the shrubbery. What was really interesting about the hike besides the breathtaking scenery was the complete silence in the woods. There were not even any birds chirping! It was so still and serene. It was an amazing hike!

Its a......

2010-08-04T12:55:00.000-07:00

Well....our little peanut is a .......GIRL! I am so excited! During the ultrasound I was totally expecting to hear BOY but it was a girl. I asked the ultrasound tech if she was totally sure and she said yes and she wouldn't of said what it was unless she was totally right about it. Now...I need to start thinkin' pink and start getting ready for this girly to come into our lives in December. Lots of work...but We are so excited!:)

BOY or GIRL!?!?!

2010-07-09T08:31:00.001-07:00

Next week, on Wednesday, is the BIG ultrasound! Is it a boy?...Is it a girl?...What do you think?! Check out the poll and tell me what you think. :)

10 Mile Hike!

2010-06-30T12:07:00.001-07:00

A couple of Saturdays ago, we went on a family hike on the Horton Creek trail. It is about 15 miles east of Payson nestled in the pines. We decided on a last minute Friday afternoon to go...but it was well worth it. We woke up around 5 and left by 6...getting on the trail by 8:30. It was beautiful weather with a slight breeze the whole way. According to Tyler's research....it was suppose to be a "moderate" hike. There were some bit challenging parts (for me being pregnant and out of shape!)but not too bad with our hiking poles. By lunch...the trail ended at the Horton spring. It was beautiful! After all the crazy crowds left, we hung around a bit and enjoyed the area....There was tons of wild life and beautiful wild flowers everywhere. It was an enjoyable day...even for Grant! We can't wait for more hiking adventures together...IN THE REDWOODS IN A FEW WEEKS!!!!

Too Cute Not To Share!:)

2010-06-09T20:41:00.000-07:00

Got Some News!

2010-05-13T20:49:00.000-07:00

(borrowed this from some SILs!;) )

YOU KNOW YOU ARE PREGNANT WHEN...

~You beg your husband to come home from the grocery store with crackers, Sprite, Ginger Ale while you are crashing on the couch

~NOTHING sounds appetizing and you force yourself to eat...atleast...something

~Your husband starts to make the majority of the dinners during the week.

~You feel some relief that you atleast did the dishes that day

~You try to sneek in a nap the sametime as your 17-month-old

~You feel winded walking up stairs

~You see pregnant women everywhere

~Everyone you know is pregnant

~All 3 of your Bodine sister-in-laws are pregnant too

~You get choked up watching any of the Mormon messages

~Nothing seems to fit you just right anymore

Anyway...beside all this, we are excited to announce that we are expecting!

Baby Bodine Due December 3rd!

Inspiring

2010-05-04T12:17:00.000-07:00

Meet the Newest Member of Our Family!

2010-03-25T07:39:00.000-07:00

Introducing....Marley the Dog. She is a West Highland Terrier. We found her on Craigslist and picked her up yesterday...We have been considering getting a dog for awhile and researching what kind of breed would work best for our family and home. We had considered a mini schnauzer, but it wouldn't work out to be such for sometime with some of the breeders we were in contact with. We wanted to get a smaller dog and one possibly to have inside...depending upon if it was hypoallergenic and the right size. When we saw Marley, I knew I wanted to check her out. Tyler called on about her and took her home the same day. So far...she has been a great dog! For still being only 15 months old, she has a pretty calm personality, extremely intelligent, and playful. She already knows 3 to 4 commands and basically house broken. I think it will be a good fit!

A Get-Away!

2010-03-19T10:28:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week, we went with my fam to Carlsbad, Cali for a short get-away. We stayed at the Carlsbad Inn, not too far from the beach. Grant LOVED playing in the sand and organizing the sand toys in and out of his cousin's baskets (a new hobby of his). The weather was absolutely beautiful especially when Tyler and I got a way for a little bit and took some beach crusiers along the coast! I wish we could of stayed longer...but... you can't have too much of a good thing!:)

My two cute nieces who came along for the trip! (Rachael and Lauryn)

Carrying his organized baskets

He loved the sand....especially eating it!:)

It's About Time!

2010-01-27T21:40:00.000-08:00

A month has passed by....absent from the blogging world. I need to share some stuff!

Well....first things first!
1) Grant's 1st birthday was on December 23rd. It was hard to believe that my little sweet guy had been with us for one whole year. It has been such a joy to see him grow and progress and learn so much each and every day. We celebrated his big day with a trip to the zoo with cousins,turning his car seat around (what a world of difference this has made to his riding in the car!!!!), his 12 month check up with shots (97th percentile for height and 50th for weight),temple lights and and a small family get together with cake, ice cream and hot chocolate! I am not sure he knew exactly what was going on....but I think he enjoyed the attention!

2)Christmas followed shortly behind with time with family and reflections upon the birth of our Savior!....Tyler was a sneeky man and surprised me this Christmas with a new Dyson vacuum. 1000 thread count sheets, nice new pillows and throw pillows! I was so excited about the vacuum I couldn't wait to start vacuuming once we put it together!Yes, it may sound a bit strange....being excited about a vacuum....but with what I was using before....you would be pretty excited too!:)

3)And finally....after 8 months of being QUITE Patient.....an acceptance on an offer to a short sale house! YES! Miracles do come true. We put an offer on this house on May 28th and we received a written acceptance. It has been a true test of our patience and faith but...the Lord does answer prayers! We will be closing within about 2 weeks and moving into our new home the end of February. It is located in East Mesa around Signal Butte and Warner. Yes...it is WAY out there, but it is a beautiful area and we feel that is where we are suppose to be!:)

With Cousins at the Zoo!

The turning around of the car seat! He loved it!!!!

Grant had his favorite meal for his birthday dinner: Daddy's spaghetti!

Grant devouring his birthday cake!

My vacuum!:)

The House!

Merry Christmas Video!

2009-12-26T15:21:00.000-08:00

This is a short video of the Bodine family side that Tyler and I made this year. Hope you enjoy.

Family Pics Nov 2009

2009-11-24T20:58:00.000-08:00

We went down to the Mesa Arts Center and Whitney took some updated family pics. Check out some of my favs!:)

A Hiking We Will Go!

2009-11-19T10:19:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday, we woke up to beautiful weather to go hiking. We decided to go on the Peralta Trail to Fremont Saddle. Tyler strapped Grant up in our vintage baby backpack and were off by 8:45. It was such a beautiful morning...just right for hiking. Grant enjoyed it except when we would stop to take a break. He wanted to keep going...(notice his scowl in the pics). Tyler and I had forgotten how steep the hike was and...it was a little harder for Tyler carrying 25+ lbs on his back....but all in all, it was a fun morning spending some fun times as a fam!:)

Photo Shoot

2009-11-09T10:30:00.000-08:00

My sis-in-law Jaime asked me to take some pics of her kids for their upcoming Christmas Cards. We went out to the grounds of the Pulte Bella Via area in Mesa (just love it!:) around their fountain and such. I took a bunch of pics and some actually turned out not too bad. Check them out and tell me what you think?!

Pumpkin patches, Halloween and Birthday Celebrations

2009-11-06T20:14:00.000-08:00

A few days before Halloween, Grant and I met up with my sister and her daughters at a pumpkin patch. It was a fun morning with a hayride, farm animals, and pumpkin decorating. Grant LOVED the sheep at the farm. He loved petting its soft wolly coat.

Halloween was a festive and fun evening. We visiting with the Bodine and Zobell family. Grant was a pumpkin, I was a pumpkin farmer and Tyler was a computer! (how befitting:)

On Nov 5th, we went to Organ Stop pizza to celebrate Sage's 6th birthday. Grant got a little overwhelmed with all the loud music, lights,etc. but I think he liked it!

Pics in the Park

2009-10-30T23:03:00.001-07:00

Last Saturday, I wanted to get out of the house and take Grant to the Park. Tyler came along with us with a camera. Here are a few shots of Grant we took at the park. He LOVED the swing and all the attention he got from us while taking pictures.

10 months old!

2009-10-20T22:40:00.000-07:00

This week my little guy turns 10 months old. I can't believe this sweet lil' guy has been a part of our family for that long. Time has really flown by. He is a real blessing to our family and I believe I have been so spoiled to have such a good baby. I am looking forward to see how he continues to learn and grow and develops his personality even more.

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Experimenting

2009-10-09T15:51:00.000-07:00

So, for a while now I have been wanting to learn how to have an "artistic" eye for photography. I want to be able take great shots and make my photos have that "look". I try to experiment with my old digital on Grant and nieces once in a while. Sometimes.....it goes alright but most of the time....not quite so. So I think I might look into taking a class or two and save up for the coveted "CanonRebel!"

Grant

2009-09-30T21:25:00.000-07:00

My little guy is sure growing up. He is now 9 months old. He had his latest doctor's appointment last week and is continually growing like crazy.
Here are his stats
height: 31 inches (97th percentile)
weight: 22lbs 5oz (75th percentile)

He is continually crawling all over the place and cruising along the furniture. He now is letting go after he pulls himself up and stands by himself quite well and for lengthy periods of time. He actually took a little step by himself the other day! His personality is pretty evident now with being pretty mellow most of the time and then spurts of being opinionated....be he is a real joy to have in our home!

Bodine Update

2009-08-20T16:04:00.000-07:00

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After some neglect, I think it is time for some updates with my postings.

Grant the Gregarious:
My little...well...not so little guy is now 8 months old! At his last doc's appointment, he was 20.2 lbs and 28 inches tall. He is in the 90th percentile for height and 75th for weight. He is just getting bigger and bigger all the time. Within this last month he has mastered the art of CRAWLING! Yes, he is crawling. All day long, all that I seemed to be doing now is chasing him around our apartment making sure he doesn't get into things. Sometimes though he does follow me around like a little puppy dog. I tell him aloud "Grant...come on...follow mommy" and he obeys! Hopefully that will continue in the years to come. Grant is also babbling up a storm. Mamama, Dadada, Bababa, etc. fill the home all day. I am so excited but a little sad to see my little guy growing up!

Short Sales.....
Well, we are getting closer to having our first home....hopefully. One of the homes that we put an offer on came back that it was accepted but the bank needed to approve it. Anyway, we opened escrow, got an inspection done....earnest money and such...but now its a waiting game to hear back. I did hear today from our realtor that the offer is being "reviewed by someone" at the bank or Country Wide. How long it will take is unknown. However, there have been some "tender mercies" with this. Tyler and I feel positive about this home and are trying to stay hopeful. It is in the Lord's hands where He wants us to be!

28 years old...
Last week I turned....28. I am all so much more closer to 30! I may at time not feel or look it, but it came to pass. On my b-day... my lovely sis-in-law Kasey and bro-in-law Tyler babysat Grant while Tyler and I went out. We went to Pei-Wei...YUM...checked out some potential furniture for future dwellings and then ended the night with some well deserved Ocean Blue. Low key birthday but it was nice to have a date night!:)

The Many Faces of Grant Bodine

2009-07-23T12:52:00.001-07:00

Guess what I can do!:)

2009-07-15T15:39:00.000-07:00

Last week at 3:30 in the morning, I heard Grant wake up. He normally sleeps sounding through the entire night so this was totally out of the blue. Anyway, when I went into his room, I found him standing up in his bed! That little stinker had the biggest grin cross his face. He knew exactly what he was doing and he was so proud of it! Ever since that night, I have found him standing up as he wakes up from a night's sleep and all of his naps. He is so proud of this new accomplishment. He is even creeping around the floors and trying to stand up on anything he can possibly get a hold of and also getting into anything he can. You can probably guess it....it's time to baby proof our home!!!!!
Oh...by the way....Grant now has his first set of teeth and biting everything he can sink his teeth into!:)

2009-06-25T14:49:00.000-07:00

Well, I have been asked by some people what the houses Tyler and I put offers on look like. Here are the pix and MLS numbers so you can check them out!
We put the offers on them over a month ago and not much progress. Those darn short sales! Hopefully we will know soon. I am still going out with our realtor and looking though!

Carmine House
MLS #4104047

Quicksilver house
MLS #4165663

Also, last week, I decided I wanted a little change and I went brunette....again! and got it cut! It's a bit different but I like it!

I love my Grandpa

2009-06-25T11:39:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, all of my parents' grandkids were here and Whitney took pictures. Trying to get all nine to be perfect for the picture did not quite happen. Oh well! We tried! I snuck a picture in with Grant and my dad! It is so cute. Grant, I think, looks alot like my dad! I will post the group picture soon!\

One more video! I couldn't resist!

2009-06-24T12:38:00.000-07:00

My son totally sounds like a parrot! He has a new thing where he squawks like a real parrot! He even flaps his arms when he is really getting into it!:)

Total Cuteness!

2009-06-24T12:27:00.000-07:00

I caught Grant giggling at something really silly. It was totally cute!

Grant the Vegetarian?!

2009-06-09T10:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I had Grant try out some Beef with Beef-broth baby food mixed in with Sweet potatoes. He LOVES sweet potatoes so I thought if they were mixed in with the beef he might like it....well....he didn't. See for yourself!:)

Grant's 5 Months Update

2009-06-04T14:32:00.001-07:00

Grant is now 5 months and continually growing like a weed! He has to totally be upto 18 lbs or more. I am about done hauling him in his carrier up and down our stairs to our apartment!

Recently he has been really growing and developing in many ways.

First of all, he LOVES his baby food. He has 3 regular feedings a day and he can down 2 to 2 1/2 whole baby food jars in one sitting. I hope I am not giving him too much. Is it too much? When he eats, he looks just like a baby bird reaching out for food. He gets really fussy when he has to wait "too long "for me to spoon up more food. That silly boy.

Next, he is able to sit up on his own for quite sometime before toppling over. Everyday he is getting more and more sturdy!

Third, he is able to hold in a crawling position now on his hands and knees. He can almost go up on his own and hold it for sometime. He gets frustrated easily and just rolls over when he is done.

Finally, his favorite spot to take a nap is in Mommy and Daddy's bed. I know...I am totally spoiling him with this, but it is amazing how fast he falls asleep when his head hits the pillows. What is so funny though is that he adjusts his body and head to just the right position that he likes... and then he is out!

He is definitely developing a little personality being a little stubborn and persistent...but most of the time he is very mellow and happy! I love my little guy!

He Did It!

2009-05-18T19:47:00.000-07:00

He did it! Tyler is now finally graduated from college! He graduated in Business Administration from ASU last Thursday. It has been a long 5 years with working full time during the day and late night classes at night.... but he made it! I am so proud of him! Way to go Tyler!:)

Bodine Grandkid photo shoot!

2009-05-11T14:55:00.000-07:00

For Mother's Day, the Bodine grandkids had a photo shoot to hopefully get a good pic for their grandma. Aunt Whitney took all the wonderful photos. She is getting really good at it. It was a bit of a struggle to get one good shot...but Whitney got it! Way to go!:)

family picture

2009-05-11T11:42:00.001-07:00

Random pics and happenings at the Bodine's

2009-05-06T10:47:00.000-07:00

Well...Grant is seriously growing like a weed. Last week I took him in for his 4 month appointment and he now weighs a woppin' 17lbs 5oz and measures at 26 inches. He is in the 70 to 80th percentile for weight and height. Will he ever slow down? He again did not like his vaccinations but he endured it! On Friday I also started him on rice cereal! It was so hilarious seeing his reaction to it and how much of it got all over his face. Not much was really eaten!:) (pics to come!)
Yesterday he was not happy when I was trying to do the dishes so I whipped out the snugli and strapped him in....Note to self....bad idea and never do again. As I was unloading the dish washer, I accidently bumped Grant's eye with the edge of a pot. He started freaking out. I hurried to get him out the snugli so I could check out how bad his eye was. It started swelling up and turning black and blue. I started to freak out myself! I called my mom and then the doctor's office to ask what I should do. They told me with an eye injury that I should bring him in. I hurried as quick as I could with me in my nasty grubby stinky workout clothes to the doc's office. They checked him all out and said he was okay. Thank goodness....but he has a lovely shinner to show off now!

What happened last week!

2009-04-26T15:18:00.000-07:00

Last week....what a fun and wonderful week! Tyler's younger sister was sealed in the temple on Thursday to Tyler Klein. Kasey looked so beautiful. They are so happy together and Tyler treats her so well. It was a beautiful sealing and there was a sweet spirit present in the sealing room of the temple. That night they had a reception on the Wright house (Provencal). It was a huge party full of incredible flowers (done by my multi-talented mother-in-law Delynn), delicious food and and fabulous band. With so much partying, everyone was completely exhausted the next day.
On Friday, I tried to be a real Betty Crocker making homemade pizza for lunch and butterscotch oatmeal cookies. They turned out alright...I could of done better though! But, while I was baking, Grant was being such a cute little guy sitting in his bumbo sit. Everytime I looked over at him, he would smile back with the cutest little grin! I had to take some pics of him being so cute! I couldn't resist!:)

4 Months Old!

2009-04-20T15:02:00.000-07:00

This week my little guy turns four months old! Four months old! I can't believe it! Time has really flown by. He has his next doctor's appointment next week. I am anxious to see how much he has grown. I know he has to be getting closer to weighing atleast 18 to 20 lbs now. I went through some of my old pics and picked out some of my favs of Grant growing up. He has changed so much!

Newborn Grant

1 Month Old

2 Months Old

3 Months Old

4 Months

Grant has really progressing as well as getting taller and chunkier. He is rolling over, laughing, smiling, cooing, sleeping almost through the entire night, and so much more. In addition, he has definately developed his own personality. He can be very particular sometimes!:)

I love my little Guy!:)

Happy Easter

2009-04-11T11:33:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpFhS0dAduc

This is what this Sunday holiday is all about!

Family Pictures

2009-04-01T22:52:00.000-07:00

Cousin Photo Shoot

2009-03-24T22:03:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, my sister-in-law did a photo shoot with her son Will and Grant. It was fun getting some shots of them together but a struggle at the same time. Grant was not in the best of mood...however...Whitney got some cute pictures of them together. Check them out!:)

My Lil' Man is Growin' Up!

2009-02-27T13:26:00.000-08:00

Grant went in for his 2 month check up with the Pediatrician today. I was excited to see how much he had grown but kind of scared for all the vaccinations he was going to get.
Well, my little man did alright with everything except the shots. He weighed in at 14lbs 12 oz, and 24.75 inches long. He is in the 95th percentile for weight and 92 percentile for height! My little guy is not a little guy! He is HUGE! What is scary to think is that me and 2 of my other siblings (Josh and Nat) were only 18 lbs at a year. Grant will surpass that before we know it.
Now for the shots...He was a bit fussy before the shots started. I think it was just the different environment and the pediatrician poking and prodding him. However, when he received his various shots he was so MAD! I had never seen his face that red before! When he got his heels pricked for his second round of PKUs he barely made a grunt and was asleep during the whole thing. It was a complete opposite today. It took awhile for him to calm down but he quickly fell asleep. Poor little guy! Hopefully he will do okay for the rest of the day!

33 things about Me

2009-02-24T12:42:00.000-08:00

1. Where is your phone? front room, bedroom
2. Where is your significant other? work
3 .Your hair color? brown/blonde
4. Your Mother? a grandma
5. Your Father? a worker
6. Your favorite thing? SLEEP!
7. Your dream last night? odd
8. Your dream/goal? An eternal family
9. The room you're in? kitchen
10. Your hobby? read,draw, piano, shop, blog, walk
11. Your fear? worms, heights,small spaces
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Busy mom, volunteering/serving, in a house
13. Where were you last night? at home
14. What you're not? Party animal
15. One of your wish-list items? a house!
16. Love Someone? My husband
17. The last thing you ate? soup
18. What are you wearing? shorts and t-shirt
19. Your TV? big enough
20. Your pet? Gizmo the sugar glider
21. Your computer? "the Hulk" desktop
22. Your mood? tired mommy
23. Missing someone? My sister, my grandmas
24. Your car? old
25. Something you're not wearing? earrings
26. Favorite store? Target
27. Your Summer? HOT
28. Where did you grow up? Mesa, Tucson
29. Your favorite color? Blue
30. When was the last time you laughed? today
31. Last time you cried? Yesterday
32. Something you crave? homemade cookies
33. pet peeve? dirty dishes
I tag Kelli, Whitney, Kasey, and Susan and anyone else who wants to be!:)

My baby boy

2009-02-19T20:43:00.000-08:00

Grant has been growing like a weed. Everyday he seems to be growing up so much and changing. This morning I had a sweet experience with him. Most of the time when he wakes up he usually is fussy telling me " Hey mom! I'm awake! Pick me up and feed me!" However, he didn't. He was just stirring in his bassinet. When I went over to pick him up, he gave me the biggest smile. After picking him up and feeding him, we hung out a bit in my bed. As I was holding him and talking to him, he smiled back with the biggest smile I had ever seen on him. He was such a happy little guy. I started to think to myself of how blessed I am to have him in my life and be a mother. Despite all the time spend in taking care of him, nuturing him....it is all worth it once you see the smile on his face!:)

Life with Grant and a Sweet Baby Blessing

2009-02-03T10:22:00.000-08:00

Well, it has been over a month now since Grant has joined our family. Life has turned up-side-down and inside out but....in a good way. Being a new mom with all the job requirements, as I have found, is 100 times harder than being a 6th grade teacher. It has been quite an adjustment for me not doing what I had done for: teaching, grading, discipling, etc...now it is feedings, burpings, changings, bathings, etc. Grant has started, almost, on a routine especially at night with the 4 B's (bath, bottle, book, bed). With that he is now sleeping around 5 to 6 hours at night with only waking up once. Hopefully this will continue and lengthen so Mommy can get more sleep at night also!:) Grant has also started smiling and responding more this past 2 weeks. He will focus on who is talking to him, watching people walk acrossed a room, and smile and talk (coo) back. My little man is growing so fast!

On Sunday was Grant's blessing. It was a special experience. Tyler was able to bless him with my dad and Tyler's dad in the circle (Grant's names-sake). There was a great spirit that was felt in that Sacrament meeting. It was really touching to see Tyler bless our son. He has been a wonderful new Daddy.

Our Little One

2009-01-26T13:42:00.000-08:00

Going Private Again

2009-01-07T08:14:00.001-08:00

After more thought and consideration, We are going to try making our blog private again and for sure this time.. We would love to add you to our invite list. :) We will be making private by next week!

2008-12-29T14:00:00.000-08:00

William Grant Bodine
12/23/08
8LBS 8OZ
21.3 inches

New Post!

2008-12-22T19:03:00.000-08:00

Finally: I am posting on my blog after only a 2 month delay. Yes, I do believe I am a horrible blogger but I have some good excuses this time for my absense from the blogging world.
First: Getting ready for Baby Bodine.
Today is my actual due date....however, nothin' happen here today. The last two months Tyler and I have been finishing getting the baby's room ready and getting the necessary supplies/necessities for a baby. I never realized how much is needed for just one little person. Tyler jokes around saying that our son has more clothes and stuff than he does (which is actually true!:) ) Anyway, I just finished up some shopping today and I feel that I am ready. If he doen't come by the end of the week, I already have an inducement scheduled for Friday at 7:30 AM. So basically, I am going to be a mommy some time this week! :)

Second: Finishing up the 2nd quarter of teaching 6th grade
The past few weeks I have been finishing up projects, grades, etc with my students. There has been several long days and even weekends (yes, I am a weekend warrior!) to finish stuff up. Besides doing my many teaching duties, I also has some work to put together for my resignation. Yes, Tyler and I decided that after my maternity leave that I will be staying home with our baby. After some great contemplation and prayer we both felt this was the right decision. Some great opposition was faced with this decision which made me contemplate if this was right but within the past 2 to 3 weeks everything has work out well and things have been put in place just right for this decision to come to pass. I believe that I have been truly blessed because of this decision. I know it is right and I am excited for this new chapter in my life. I did grow so much as a person and learned so much through my 5 years of teaching but, that chapter of my life is now ended and I am moving on to a greater calling.

New Post! New Post! New Post!

2008-10-23T17:43:00.000-07:00

Well, it's about time!...Lots of things going on. Lost of things to share.

David and Whitney blessed their son Will. He is such a cutie. Will and Baby Bodine will be about 4 to 5 months apart.

My older sister, Natalie celebrated her 29th b-day. I got to visit with her and her girls on her b-day for a while while she was at my parents' house. Since she and her fam moved out to Litchfield Park, we don't see each other as much especially with our busy schedules and the distance. It was wonderful to see her and visit with her!

And yes....it is down to only 9 weeks until my due date. I feel soo huge but according to my doc, I am still measure small. No 10-pound baby in my future!

Tyler's mom celebrated her big 5-0!!!! She may be a grandma but she has the energy and spunk of someone half her age. For her b-day we went out as a fam to Nordstrom's cafe and than onto Jesters! It was a fun and wonderful night of celebrations!

Baby Boy Bodine Update part2

2008-08-31T16:25:00.000-07:00

Okay, its' about time that I posted these pics!:)

Side view of Baby boy Bodine. I think he looks like his daddy from the side!

The other picture was taken on my B-day a few weeks ago. Lots of people have said to me that I barely am showing but I feel huge! I shouldn't say too much though because I still have 4 months to go!

Baby Boy Bodine Update

2008-08-31T15:58:00.000-07:00

Sorry for such a delay in posting but it has been quite a hectic month! I started back to school the first week in August with staff meetings, meet the teacher and getting really ready for the first week. I now have been back with the students now for 3 weeks and it is going fairly well but extremely BUSY. I was a bit unsure of what the future would hold with starting a new year with a brand new grade level and curriculum to teach, but I believe that I am really being blessed! Tyler started back this past week at ASU while working full time and taking a LSAT prep course. He is pressing forward with all his heavy load the best he can.

In the mean time between all of the chaos, we have been getting ready for our baby boy! Yes....Tyler has actually gone shopping with me to pick out some different things! Some of my fav purchases so far are:
The changing table: I found this on the Babies `R Us website and fell in love with it. When I purchased it I told Tyler that "some assemble is required." I under exaggerated on that!
The Chicco travel system: I debated for quite sometime if I should get a travel system or not. I decided on this one after doing some research and decided that it was the best and cutest!
JuJuBe diaper bag: My friend Lorianne had one and totally raved about the brand. I found one at Last Chance practically new for less than half the regular price. I was so excited about getting it. Tyler was pleased with it also because it wasn't "too girly" and he would be okay if he had to carry it around when needed.

Despite all that we have done so far, we have yet so much more left to go with getting ready!. Hopefully all will be ready for when Baby Boy Bodine shows up in December! :)

It's a Boy!

2008-07-30T16:16:00.000-07:00

Tyler and I went together to the Ultrasound imaging place this morning and found out the news that we are having a BOY in December! In the beginning part of the ultrasound, it was so amazing to see the clarity of the baby, it's measurements and movement. You could see at one time, the baby reaching up to scratch the top of its head with the movement of its little fingers in such detail. Eventually, the ultrasound tech asked if we wanted to know the gender and we gave a resounding "yes" and she pointed out that it was a boy. and BOY!, it was pretty obvious! As you can probably guess, Tyler was beaming from ear to ear. He predicted it would be a boy from the moment I told him I was pregnant. I had been sitting on the fence with thinking it could be a girl or boy for a while. However, within the last couple of weeks I had a feeling that it was a boy. That feeling became even more apparent in the beginnings of the ultrasound... I am excited for this little boy to join our family! It is such a great blessing! I just hope he is not as mischievous as his daddy was when he was younger! We will just have to wait and see!:)

Is it a Boy or is it a Girl?!?!

2008-07-15T08:59:00.000-07:00

I am now at 17 weeks and time is just flying! I can't believe it. My first trimester was not fun at all but it could have been worse! Now the second trimester is soooooo much better! I bet many of you would agree. However, I have had to make some wardrobe changes!:) I will be posting a pic some day soon!
Well, I am scheduled to go in for my big omnious ULTRASOUND on the 30th. I am so anxious for it! I am hoping the baby cooperates so we can find out what it is! Tyler is pulling for a boy....I am on the fence but I would really like a girl! What do you think?

A Get-Away to Greer, AZ

2008-07-01T09:54:00.000-07:00

(My nieces Hannah, Rachael, and Lauryn)
So far this Summer, trying to survive the scorching heat while fighting the morning sickness of a first trimester has not been easy. However, I got to get away with Tyler and my family to Greer for a weekend! and OH MY Gosh! It was so wonderful up there! Perfect weather and so beautiful. The highs in temperature didn't get higher than 80 to 85 degrees and it actually got cold at night! It rained even too!!!!! We went as a family up the canyon in Greer along by the creek on some trails. It was absolutely beautiful and peaceful. I couldn't ask for a better get-away!

Got Some News to Share........

2008-05-16T17:15:00.000-07:00

Tyler and I are expecting!!!! Our baby is due on December 22nd. We will find out in July what we are having!

Cute nieces

2008-04-04T22:53:00.000-07:00

Check out these cuties! During Spring break at the Cabin, we had a bead party and I made necklaces and bracelets for all the sisters and nieces. The little girls had a blast and were pretty good at stringing the tiniest of beads with me!

While the wife is away.....

2008-03-29T22:17:00.000-07:00

While I was gone last week up at Millett family cabin with my sisters in law, Tyler decided to have some fun. He went out and got a new HD LCD TV with surround sound system and rearranged the front room. It was a surprise when I got home. We had been talking about it and said he might go do it while I was gone. Well, low and behold he did. It is pretty cool though. He was like a kid in a candy store with it the weekend he got it. He also got a fancy-pants universal remote for it to. His next toy he is going to get is a Blue ray...With the rearranging of everything in the front room, I had a really bare wall. Tyler took me on Friday and let me get some "knick, knacks" and shelves to decorate the wall with. I had alot of fun trying to figure out what I wanted but after looking at a few different store I got it all figured out! The best store that I went to was Orange Patch boutique on McKellips!

Spring Break!

2008-03-22T21:17:00.001-07:00

I have been so bad lately with my blog! Finally a post from me! Well, this week was spring break! After a long quarter of teaching a well deserved break arrived! The last two weeks before the break was really hard with my students and even me wanting a break. They were so ready for one even a month ago. Their attention spans and enthusiasm for learning exponentially decreased! However, this week has been quite a relaxing and rejuvenating one.
So what did I do?.......Well, the beginning of this week I did some shopping and spent some time with my family with some sleeping in and relaxing at home. I also went out to eat for lunch and dinner at Carraba's (totally check it out if you haven't) and Paradise bakery (wonderfully delicious and my favorite is the turkey articoke pannini! It is a must to try if you go) On Thursday I left with my sisters in law and 3 nieces to go up to my sister in law's husband's family cabin. Let me just say....it was fun and really relaxing. It was nice being with the girls and watching some chick flix (ENCHANTED!), nature hikes, and just chilling out! Tonight I went and visited with an old friend of mine, Kristy who was in town from Provo. It was so wonderful to see her, her husband and new baby Justus. He is such a cutie! Well, school starts back on Monday, even though a week off isn't much, it was a wonderful week. I will be going back relaxed and ready to get back to work!:)

going private?!

2008-02-10T12:14:00.000-08:00

Well after some thought, Tyler and I are going to make our blog private. If you would like to be part of our blog circle, please add your email address to the comments. Thank you guys!

Mmmmm....Cheesecake!

2008-02-10T12:05:00.000-08:00

On Friday, Tyler and I met up with some friends at the new Cheesecake Factory in Mesa. Of course, Tyler just went because he wanted Cheesecake. It was so fun to see those we haven't see for so long (Susan and Kent and Kim and Jon!) Tyler and I split some delicious Thai lettuce wraps and Bang-bang Chicken and shrimp. The saying "the quickest way to a man's heart is through his stomach" was proven as Tyler walked out of the resturant with a smile on his face!

A month of pianos, leather jackets, Operas, conferences, College and Crackers, and movies with swords

2008-02-03T19:17:00.000-08:00

Well its has been quite a while since the last post. With some encouragement from friends I will sum up the various activities and occurances for Tyler and me since the last blog:
Pianos and Jackets: For Christmas my incredibly wonderful husband got me a new black sheepskin leather jacket and a digital piano! We found the piano at Costco for a reasonable price and size that it was perfect for our apartment living. I was so excited to get it! I felt so horrible when asked to play in church ith my dwindling capabilities and talents in piano. Now, I am able to practice and learn new pieces to play!
Opera: Also for Christmas, Tyler got me ticket to the Phoenix Opera! It was to a concert called the Gems. It was a collect of vignettes of arias from various well known Operas like Rigoletto, Carmen, The Tales of Hoffman, etc. They had one of my ulitmate favorite pieces from Lakma called the flower duet! It is absolutely beautiful!...It was a wonderful night! We got dressed up in our fancy, fancy clothes (with my fancy new jacket) and hit the town for a lavious night!
Conferences: I conducted 2nd quarter conferences with parents. It went well and I have wonderful supportive parents!It has been a true blessing to move to MacArthur
College: Tyler started back to ASU East in January, night classes. He is taking 13 credits this semester. He is one busy guy with working full time during the day and being a full time student....He is gone 3 nights a week and then does his internet class work on Thursday. It gets kinda lonely at night during the week but I try to keep myself busy with different projects, and off course, grade, grade, grade!!!!YUCK!
Crackers: I went to lunch with my friend Lorianne and we went to the new Crackers and CO. restuarant on Greenfield and Mckellips and OH MY GOSH! It was so good! Everyone should check it out. I had their Spinach and Articoke soup and then Chicken Portobello mushroom sandwich. Lorianne had their Chicken Tortilla soup and some chicken, bacon, something sandwich! It was so delicious!!!!I highly recommend it!
Movies with swords: Over the weekend we went up to a friends cabin with Tyler's family and friends for a movie movie marathon weekend.Last year we did a Star Wars marathon. This year we did movies with swords. Why?....Long story....Anyway we watch about 5 to 6 movies/ The only criteria for the moview we watch were that they had to have atleast one sword so there was quite a variety from Count of MontiCristo to the musical Calamity Jane (you have to look very carefully for those swords). It was fun to get away and relax and have some fabulous food and munchies. Thank you Cindy for letting us come!:)

Wow! We did it!

2007-12-22T08:04:00.000-08:00

Wow! The semester for Tyler and the 2nd quarter for me finished a couple of days ago.He survived his finals and I survived the crazy last week with my 28 anxious and antsy students. It was a crazy couple of weeks for both of us. I barely saw Tyler as he was studying late or finishing up stuff at the firm (computer stuff). I hope this Christmas break will be relaxing for both of us.....I still have to finish up grades though....but I will take my time!

Jewelry by Steph

2007-11-14T22:16:00.000-08:00

As a hobby on the side, I have been making bead necklaces and bracelets. I have had some people say I should do "bead parties" or try selling my stuff. I am not quite sure and I really don't know where to start though. I love doing it and I would love to try doing stuff like that but I don't know. Here are some pics of some of the stuff I have made. Let me know what you think!!!!!

Tyler the cook!

2007-11-04T11:54:00.000-08:00

After church today Tyler decided to cook something up. He is such a little chef. He calls himself the King of the kitchen. With our crazy schedules we never really have a sit down family dinner until the weekend. When we do plan to have these types of meals, Tyler takes over the kitchen and puts together great meals....He is very creative and can put together anything and make it taste great!

Before and After Pics

2007-11-04T11:42:00.000-08:00

Hair cut or Hair chop!!!!!

2007-11-02T12:12:00.000-07:00

Well, after alot of thought and contemplation......I did it! I chopped my hair. I did have shoulder length blonde hair but it is totally different now...it is now it a brunette bob with some suttle blonde and carmel highlights.Totally drastic than from before. However,I wanted a change. My hair was totally dead and dry and lifeless. It needed something drastic to liven it up; and I totally did it. I will be posting some before and after pics soon.:)

Tennis?

2007-10-10T18:48:00.000-07:00

Yes....I have actually started taking up tennis. I started lessons last week at Gene Autry park in Mesa by Mountain View high school on Wednesday nights. I signed up for the Advanced Beginner's class thinking I was good enough to atleast hit the ball and know some tennis stuff. However, my first lesson was a nightmare!!!!! I really stink. I kept hitting the ball like I was up to bat at a softball game. My instructed kept telling me not to hit homeruns and hit more softly. We went through alot of technical stuff that I totally forgot right after the lesson. I went and practiced with Tyler and then with my younger brother Josh, but we will have to see what my next lesson will bring. Hopefully I will start to see some improvement in myself. I know everyone says you are your own worst critic but, I am really bad! Really!.....Let's see how tonight goes!...I will keep ya posted!:)

The 1st quarter is almost over

2007-09-27T22:24:00.000-07:00

Well, I have almost successfully completed my first quarter at My new school. I have quite a different class from last year and it has been quite interesting. I am enjoying my year so far and have had some great experiences so far. But....what amazes me is how fast this quarter went. Where did it all go? I will be holding parent teacher conferences in no time at all. I scheduled all of them today! Whoa! This year is going to just fly by!

Best Birthday ever

2007-08-22T17:16:00.000-07:00

I just have to say I believe I have the best husband! For my birthday he suprised me better than he has ever done since before we were married! I told him to keep all his plans and surprises secret until my birthday. The only thing he told me was to be ready by 5 the day of my birthday. Well...I was ready by 5 and he picked me up from our apartment. We drove north to Scottsdale and we went to Ruth Chris's steak house. It is considered one of the best steak houses or restaurants in Arizona...It was fabulous and the steak was so juicy and delicious.(www.ruthschris.com). After dinner Tyler asked me where Scottsdale fashion mall was located. I told him where and he said that was our next stop. We left from the restaurant to the mall and we ended up at the Coach store. He told me as we entered "You get what you want." I was dumbfounded!!!!! After some careful consideration I decided to get a wallet to match my purse that I already had. However, I think the wallet was more than the purse in the end! (http://www.coach.com/content/thumbnail.aspx?category_id=317). After I got my fabulous wallet, Tyler told me that my birthday surprises were not quite done. Only 2 or 3 phases were complete. The final phase would take place the next morning. The only information he gave me was to wake up at 6:30, get ready to leave by 7 and check in the car for the directions....Well the next morning came around and I followed the directions. the directions took me to a DAY SPA for a day of pampering! I had a lovely massage, facial and then a pedicure! It was so wonderful and so relaxing. He earned some major brownie points with me for a long time! It was great to have for a way to relax me before the new school year started! My husband is so creative and I hope I will be as such when his birthday rolls around next year!:)

We survived Apache Lake!

2007-08-06T22:02:00.000-07:00

Without a doubt, our trip to Apache Lake was a complete blast. Tyler and I went with his family last week from Wednesday until Saturday. Each day we cruised up and down the lake wakeboarding, slaloming, and tubing. The water was never too choppy which allowed us some ultimate skiing experience. Tyler and I both had 2 goals in mind before we left that we hoped to achieve....well we did pretty well. I did get up on the slalom 4 or 5 times!!!! It took several times but after that I could get up fairly easily. I just had to figure out how to balance myself just right and then it became easier. I also started jumping a bit better on the wake. I cannot clear the wake quite yet, but... in time I may!:) Tyler also improved in his jumping of the wake and also skiing on slalom.
One of the best days for me on the lake was the second day. Right in the morning when the water was clear and calm I got up on the slalom after only 4 or 5 tries. It was kind of nerve racking to not get up but I did it. We later went over to a rope swing on a huge old tree near the shore of the lake. Being terrified of heights I wasn't so sure about swing off of it. But being so pumped up from the slalom experience I swung off the swing with ease. Later, we got out the tubes and went tubing. I decided to go out on one of the tubes with my brother-in-law in the other. My other brother-in-law who was driving the boat swung us all over the place while we hung on for dear-life. As I thought he was about to slow down, out of the blue a humongous wave burst out of nowhere causing my tube to whack me in the face and throwing me off into the water. When I struggled to the surface I discovered that my cheekbones and my nose ached along with my nose bleeding! However, after a while, it wasn't too bad...Later that night we drove back to the motel we were staying at. My father-in-law had noticed large tarantulas along the side of the road. I had a fantastical idea of catching one for my classroom. Well, about half way to the motel we came up on one in the road and my father-in-law, Butch, got out of the car and caught it! It WAS HUGE and hairy!!!! After actually seeing it in person, I quickly changed my mind and we released it the next day after freaking out my sister-in-laws with it.
Well, all in all,the lake trip was a fun, successful and relaxing experience. I hope it rejuvenates me enough for the upcoming school year. We will see!

Apache Lake Here We Come~

2007-07-31T21:56:00.000-07:00

After much wait and anticipation we are going to leave for Apache Lake tomorrow with Tyler's family. With scheduling conflicts we have not gone to the lake as much this summer as hoped. But for the rest of the week we will be at Apache lake soaking in some sun and practicing our mad waking board skills, our slaloming skills, and our knee boarding skills.
Tyler and I came up with a plan to make at least 1 to 2 main goals out of this trip. Tyler's goals were to cut through the wake with ease on the slalom and possibly get up on barefoot skiing. My goals are to maybe jump the wake wake boarding and then get up on the slalom. We will have to wait and see what happens. Hopefully we will be taking pictures to document all of these hope filled achievements. They will be definitely posted if our goals are reached!

School year to start soon

2007-07-26T17:02:00.000-07:00

I have been working in my classroom FOREVER this summer and now finally there is an end in site. I am now at MacArthur Elementary instead of Adams. I will always have a special place in my heart for Adams but I am on to a new adventure. Right now I only have a few things left to do to get ready for the year: copies, sorting, etc. I am almost even planned out for the first 2 weeks! Talk about being proactive. Hopefully with all this productivity I won't be as stressed as I usually get.....I HOPE!

Utah trip!

2007-07-25T20:42:00.000-07:00

Last week I left Tyler all by himself and went to Utah for a sealing at the Timpanogos Temple in Utah. To occupy his loneliness he said he did "this and that and a little more." I am not quite sure what that means but I translate it as him going to Filberto's and watching the discovery channel.
While in Utah I got to spent some time with some relatives I have not seen in a few years. It was nice to catch up on what is going on with them.
One thing I really enjoyed was spending time with all my Zobell nieces. They are known as the "Princesses" and what the "princesses" want the "princesses" get. But I love them!

Start of a blog

2007-07-13T22:29:00.000-07:00

Hi and hello to everyone,
After some creative thought and consideration, I have decided to start a blog and let family and friends know the 4-1-1 on what's going on with Tyler and Steph. I will update frequently to post! Love to all!