Halloween with Palmer was such a blast! He was great at wearing his little bumble bee costume and he absolutely loved going Trick or Treating. We were only planning on going to a couple of homes but he was having so much fun that we stayed out longer than we planned. Unfortunately I didn't get a great picture of just him in his costume because it was impossible to get him to stay still...but I have a few that capture the events of the Halloween week!

Here we are at a friend's Halloween Party. The little bee family (I'm supposed to be the beekeeper's wife).

Visiting Daddy at work!

Trick or Treating!

10 Months

I can't believe that Palmer is already 10 months old. 2 more months and we'll have a 1 year old! Here's the update on our lil' Palmer-buddy:

-Palmer is really becoming his own little person. It's so much fun to see him develop his personality and figure out stuff. I feel like he is really just starting to "get it". -He has 7 teeth that are currently showing! The last tooth that came in was not pleasant for all in the house but you feel bad for the poor kid.

-He is still extremely large for his age :) but I feel like he's starting to lose just a little bit of pudge (mostly around his face). He is wearing 18 month clothes. Holy moly- it freaked me out when I looked at the tags of some of his clothes and it said "toddler".

-He crawls all over the entire house pulling himself up to anything and everything. Unfortunately some of those things aren't very stable- such as the cheap Ikea chairs in the picture below, our garbage can which came crashing down along with him and spilled dirty garbage all over him. Guess he'll just have to learn! He's getting so tough though; so many times he'll fall and hit his head and just get right back up to doing whatever he was doing before the fall.
-He now can entertain himself for quite a long time which is great for me getting stuff done around the house. Too bad a lot of that time is fixing the things that he has undone!

-For awhile he was a pretty rough sleeper during the night. He would wake up and not go back to sleep for a couple of hours. Luckily this week he has improved dramatically and we've enjoyed sleeping through the night again.

-When he waves good-bye it's so cute because he waves at himself rather than the other person.

-He's still spitting up! Aargh! For awhile he was doing so great and I thought he was over it. Nope! And now he plays in it, crawls through it, and makes a mess everywhere.

-Often when we hand him any sort of vehicle with wheels (tractor, car, truck, etc.) he makes an engine sound. Guess he learned to love these things from his daddy!
-For the most part he is a great eater and now wants to grab the spoon before it gets to his mouth and feed himself.

-He claps his hands when we say "yay".

-He's learning how to throw a fit when I take something away from him.

-When I start up his bath he will come crawling up to the bathtub with a big grin on his face and will just stand there and watch it fill up.
-He is a constant chatterbox. There is always a sound coming out of his mouth and when there isn't it usually means he's up to some sort of trouble (or he has put something into his mouth). Lately his sounds have really become more like "talking". I feel like he's really trying to tell us something. -He can now say "momma" and "dadda". Usually my name is accompanied with crying. He just repeats my name over and over again while he is upset.

-When he hears a noise outside (dog, garbage truck, motorcycle, etc.) or sees something unusual (like the snow falling the other day) he looks around, gets wide eyed, and says "Oh!"

-He is like a little puppy dog. He's always sticking something in his mouth and crawling all over the house with it hanging out of his mouth. Here are just a few examples of catching him in the act.

Here are some other pictures taken this month that I like. He's getting so hard to take pictures of because he just wants to be all over the place or he is so fascinated that he doesn't want to look up at the camera.

*Halloween Post Coming Soon*

Eve

This last Easter I was given a book by my mom called, "Eve And The Choice Made In Eden" by Beverly Campbell. I started reading it and then summer got in the way so it got neglected. I picked it up again about a month ago and couldn't put it down (which is a big deal for me because I have a hard time finishing church books). This was exactly the book that I needed to read. I whole-heartedly recommend that all women (and even men) read this book.

I've always had a hard time understanding the need for "the fall" and Eve's role regarding her decision to eat the fruit. I just felt like there was more to Eve than what you you read in the scriptures or learn about in the temple. I wanted to understand but wasn't sure how to. This book opened my eyes, helped me understand the necessity of "the fall", and most of all deeply appreciate what happened in the garden and how it applies to me today. I feel like I now gain so much more when I go to the temple. I understand more of what my role is, as a woman, in the gospel and how men and women are each given specific qualities that together create a symbiotic relationship. I know why Eve made her decision and I now can say that I love her for it! She was (and is) an incredible woman and is unfortunately so misunderstood. Most of the world have seen her actions as wrong and that she was disobedient. Instead it is quite the opposite. She made a huge sacrifice but she knew that it was what needed to be done. Together with Adam they stepped into the unknown, away from God's presence, because they loved us and were willing to give all of their comfort for the possibility of future generations.

I'm not going to go into much of what is in the book, but I did want to share a quote and poem that was near the end that really resonated within me. The poem, written by Beverly Campbell, was inspired by the following quote from President Howard W. Hunter. It reads, "As our Lord and Savior needed the women of His time for a comforting hand, a listening ear, a believing heart, a kind look, an encouraging word, loyalty--even in His hour of humiliation, agony, and death--so we, His servants all across the Church need you, the women of the church."

The poem:

"We Will Stand"

A hand reaches out.
A voice is heard.
A prophet's invitation-plea: "Come stand with us."
Type and shadow of another voice: "Come follow me."
Woman answers: "I will stand with you!"
"Woman has always stood," Echoes from corridors of time.

I am woman in the Garden--Mother of all living who
courageously partook that man might be.
I am woman at the stable--Who gently acquiesced that a
God-child might also be.
Will I stand?
Without question I will stand!

I am woman at the well--first to whom Jesus revealed
Himself as Messiah, anxious to alert others of identity divine.
I am woman-friend of Jesus--in whose home of faith the dead was raised,
disciples taught saving truths sublime.
Will I stand?
Could I do other than stand?

I am woman with the alabaster box--anointing the Savior unto His burial;
lone in recognition that crucifixion is near.
I am woman at the tomb--asked to deliver the glorious
message that a risen Christ did appear.
Will I stand?
Indeed, I will stand.

In the Garden
At the Cradle
By the Cross
Woman has always stood!

As a woman-disciple I will utilize my love, intellect, and
energy to strengthen my family and then the families of our society.

As a daughter-disciple I will see selflessness, sacrifice, and
compassion as traits of the Savior; I will focus on
righteousness, service, and wholeness.

As a sister-disciple, I will stand with and I will stand for
His beloved prophets and apostles, and with His
servants all across the Church, just as did my sisters
stand with the Savior, even in the hour of His
humiliation, agony, and death.

Out of my strength I will offer--
A comforting hand
A listening ear
A believing heart
An encouraging word
An unstinting loyalty
A partnership of trust

Will women stand?
To the last breath.
We will stand!

"If You're Going to San Francisco..."

Yes, we went to San Fran. No, we did not wear flowers in our hair. But we had a good time! Brad had to go their for business so Palmer and I tagged along with! It was great because Brad's company paid for his flight and food and our hotel stay (for part of the time- we extended the trip a bit). So it ended up on being a pretty good deal. The take-off on the airplane put Palmer to sleep both there and back which was a great thing. We pretty much did all of the usual touristy stuff and Palmer was a trooper! He did a great job staying in his stroller non-stop and always on the go. While Brad had meetings the first couple of mornings it worked out great because I was able to stay at the hotel for Palmer to get a good morning nap and then we would meet Brad downtown. The weather was constantly changing but isn't that how it always is in San Francisco? We sadly never got to see much of the bridge due to the fog. One of our favorite things did was we rented two bicycles and biked from Fisherman's Wharf, across the Golden Gate Bridge, and over to Sausalito. It was beautiful and warm over in Sausalito and the prettiest town. It feels like something on the French Rivera. While I love visiting San Francisco I would never ever want to live there. Too many hills, too many crazy people and morals, and disappointing California weather. It was fun to take a trip with just our little family!

Sterling & Ashley's Wedding

My brother Sterling got married to his high school sweetheart Ashley Alder. We couldn't be more excited to have her officially join the family. The wedding was a beautiful day and everything turned out wonderful. They were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple, had a wedding luncheon at the JSMB, and a reception in the courtyard at The Grand America. Ashley looked stunning and I was entirely jealous of her hair. The reception was absolutely beautiful and everyone felt like it was a wedding you see in the movies (we even got to have a mashed potato bar served in goblets!). They did a great job planning the wedding. They were both so happy and it will be fun to see them as newlyweds although I don't envy their schooling/financial situation. I am so grateful that Brad and I were engaged and married after we both graduated from college so we didn't have to do the whole "poor married college student" thing. Here are some pictures of the wonderful day!

California Here We Come!

We had our traditional Davis family vacation to California this year. Oh, how I love this trip. We get a beach house somewhere in Southern California (this year was Oceanside) and just relax, boogie board, read, take naps, eat good food, play games, and maybe take a day trip to a theme park (Disneyland usually). We go every 2-3 years and we've been doing it ever since I can remember. This year we went with the Glen & Janene Davis family for the last time because our families are just getting too big. We had a blast as usual! The weather unfortunately at the beginning of the week wasn't great. The ocean was warmer than the air! But by the end it was sunny & warm! We spent hours in the ocean and I got trampled by a few waves. We decided to leave Palmer with Brad's parents. We missed him terribly but it sure was nice to have a little vacation ourselves. He did great for them and it was fun for them to have some more bonding time together. Here are some pictures of the week!

Palmer at 6 Months

My sister-in-law, Rachel, and I took 6 month pictures of Palmer. They turned out pretty cute! These are some of my favorites:

Do I Miss Teaching?

Boy I feel like I get asked this question a lot. So I decided that maybe it was about time to write my feelings down on paper (err.. I mean on the world wide web). Besides I think it's probably good for me to sort out all of my feelings regarding this question. So below are the things that I do and don't miss about my past career.

What I Miss:
-Being surrounded by a whole bunch of adoring students. I even loved just walking down the hallway or in the cafeteria and children that I didn't even know come up and give me a hug or say hello. Makes you feel good!
-Seeing the excitement on a student's face when they finally grasped a difficult concept or they understood something new.
-Gaining 30 new friends/children each year. You grow pretty close to those students and I always had a hard transition into the next year because I didn't want to let go of "my kids".
-Teaching Social Studies (American History). I loved most subjects (except for writing) but Social Studies was by far my favorite. I loved the simulations, projects, and most of all the appreciation and pride for our wonderful country that I tried to instill in my students. They finally truly understood why we celebrated Independence Day and the sacrifices made for our rights today. So many students complain that history is boring- but it all depends on how it is taught and it made me feel good that I was doing my best to bring it to life.
-Working with adults- sometimes it gets a little dull around the house and I crave adult interaction. I loved talking with Ruth (the secretary) and Carolyn (my principal).
-Feeling like I was keeping myself educated. I hope to start attending some classes and such to not only keep up my license but to feel like I am still learning and expanding my own mind.
-The stricter schedule of my day. I think that because I had less time at home I probably used my time better. I would maybe say the stricter schedule to my year as well? It was strange when it turned to autumn last month because it was the first time in 20 years that I did not return to a school setting in the fall.
-The excitement of starting a new school year. I always had grand ideas of ways that I wanted to improve my classroom that next year. Most of them were forgotten by the third week of school when the craziness kicked in- but nonetheless it was exciting and motivating.
-Most definitely the paycheck. Not saying that I got paid well- but it's hard to see any of it go.
-Working with Amy Flynn (a fellow 5th grade teacher). She moved the year before I left so I don't know if this really counts but she definitely became a kindred spirit during hard times.

What I Do NOT Miss:
-The stress. There was always too much to do and not enough time. I always felt like I was letting something slip, but without devoting my entire life to teaching I had to let go at some point.
-Correcting papers. Grades. Report Cards. Oftentimes my evenings were ruined (and unpaid) trying to stay on top of grades.
-Parent Teacher Conferences. Enough said.
-Bad behavior or trying everything possible to motivate a student who could care less.
-Working with careless parents. It was heartbreaking to see some of my students fail purely because their parents didn't care.
-Working with some people that were impossible to please and inconsiderate to almost everyone around them. This was a biggie for me. When I get frustrated with Palmer I just remember what I could be dealing with and then I feel much better.
-Feeling inadequate. I knew I was a good teacher and my students scored well on end of year tests but I always felt like I was shorting them on something. Every teacher excelled in one or two categories. But I wanted to excel in all of them. Once again it comes down to the too much to teach and not enough time.

For the most part I just really don't even think about teaching. It almost seems like that was a whole different life of mine and now Palmer is my life. Do I wish I were back? Sure there are things that I miss and can't get in any other setting but for the most part I am happy with where I am right now. As I read through my list I realize that I still feel many of those emotions and can get those same highs & lows with just being a mom. I get to see the excitement on Palmer's face as he learns how to do a new trick. I get to have my child love and adore me every day (and of course I love and adore him right back). As my children grow up I can teach them the importance of our country, take them on field trips, and volunteer in their classroom. At the same time, I feel those feelings of inadequacy. Am I doing enough? It seems like some moms are so much better than I am but I have to remember that we all have our strengths and weaknesses. The stress of my day is different now but I still feel that there are so many things I would love to accomplish but somehow it just doesn't get done (make my own bread, become a better bargain/coupon shopper, study my scriptures more, exercise, etc.). I guess that's just life, huh?

Basically I loved teaching and I love being a mom, but I can't imagine doing both. Those hard nights when neither Palmer or I sleep well- I can't even imagine having to go to work the next day. I don't even want to think about how inadequate I would feel if I had to take care of work on top of church, home, family, friends, and my own little family responsibilities. I'm sure that if I had to teach for financial reasons I would make it work (and I know many amazing moms out there who are able to do all of the above plus some) but I thank my Heavenly Father every day for knowing that working might just put me over the top and letting us find a way for me to stay home. Will I ever go back? Possibly. I kept all of my stuff if that means anything. I don't forsee it anytime in the near future but maybe down the road I might get the itching to return. Who knows?

Blogging Help!

Okay so I need some help on blogger. On some people's blogs on their contacts list it shows what the title and date of the latest post was for each contact. I want that. How do I put it on my blog? I've tried looking all over the place and call me stupid but I can't figure it out. Help anyone?

Our Summer in Pictures

Palmer has started solids. What a mess!

He is rolling all over the place these days! He is starting to scoot himself forward. Crawling here we come!


Palmer LOVES his daddy.


I was spoiled on my 26th Birthday!


We are part of a challenge with some members of my family which involves exercising and limiting treats. I am actually starting to enjoy running!


Brad went to Sweden and then Chicago for business.
He's turning into quite the world traveler!




Palmer has two teeth and is now sitting! Yay!


Happy 4th of July Everyone!


Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 2) came out in theatres. It was so fun to see but definitely made me sad to know that it is all over. Harry Potter has been a part of my life since I was in middle school. What an amazing series.


We've gone swimming a few times (here in SL and up at Lava Hot Springs). Palmer was not sure of what to think about it at the beginning but loves it now! Last time he fell asleep while we were in the pool!


Now we just have a couple of camping trips, a trip to California, and a family wedding to finish off the summer! Remember when you were a kid and it seemed like the summer was forever long? Time must go faster as an adult.