The Buttars Bunch

Thanksgiving Weekend

2012-01-24T20:23:00.000-07:00

We had a great Thanksgiving weekend with time split between both of our families! We were up with Brad's family in Deweyville from Wednesday to Saturday. We had fun with our new tradition of taking snowmobiles up in the mountain and cutting down our own Christmas Tree. Ours this year was a little tiny one, and Brad's family had their doubts when they saw ours, but it turned out pretty darn cute in my opinion. We also had a delicious feast, some Black Friday shopping, movies, and games. We had a good time up in Deweyville this Thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving!

We then participated in the Davis Family Annual Gingerbread House Event. The theme this year (chosen by Kendra & Kris) was our own homes at Christmas time. It was fun building a mini version of our house! I think we did pretty good! Here are the pictures of the homes that were done this year!

Lorraine Ave (Our Home)

A Picture of Our House To Compare

The 13th East Home (Kent & Erin)

The Rigby Mansion (Kendra & Kris)

Chris Lane Wonder (Andrew & Rachel)

The Parkridge Pad (Sterling & Ashley)

The Wentworth Retirement Center (Jaren- what he feels like he is living in)

2011-12-20T13:37:00.008-07:00

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

2011-11-03T16:10:00.023-06:00

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

2011-10-27T15:43:00.000-06:00

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..."

2011-10-13T11:06:00.001-06:00

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

2011-10-13T10:34:00.000-06:00

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!

2011-10-13T10:11:00.000-06:00

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

2011-10-13T09:42:00.001-06:00

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?

2011-10-08T22:07:00.007-06:00

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!

2011-09-09T08:21:00.003-06:00

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

2011-07-19T08:21:00.028-06:00

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.

Oh How I Need You Summer

2011-06-03T08:13:00.009-06:00

Okay really? I've tried to be patient with the weather this Spring. I know that Spring weather is always crazy and unpredictable but why oh why can't we just have a few more "70 Degree" days in there? How about "70" and not rainy days? Palmer is much happier when we can go out and so is mommy. Here is it is the beginning of June and I almost can't believe it because we had no nice Spring weather!

These are some of the things our family has had going on though while being cooped up (and a few of the days that were beautiful)...

Natalie got married! She was a beautiful bride and we're excited to welcome Cam Merrell into our family. Too bad they had to move to California...

We went to the Sand Dunes with Brad's family. Palmer got to ride a Prowler for the first time. I think Brad was more excited for this event than our lil' guy.

Palmer and I went to the Tulip Festival with my mom and Rachel. This was the first really warm day and it was delightful!

Palmer is becoming so much fun. His little personality is really starting to shine. He is full of smiles (and tears sometimes as well...) and his hair is growing back. Yay! We had a little rough patch with him waking up in the night multiple times wanting his binky but he's been getting better. Love/hate relationship with that binky! He is SO close to sitting (I can't wait) and he is now rolling over from his back to his stomach. The thing that we're trying to work on is taking longer than 45 minute naps. I never knew that a human could have such a strong internal alarm clock but he wakes up from every nap at 45 minutes on the dot. I can watch him wake up from the bedroom door. Yes- he's taking about 4-5 naps a day which means that I really feel trapped inside my house. Maybe just maybe he's going through a phase and will grow out of it? Please?

Life Moves Along in the Blink of an Eye!

2011-04-21T18:13:00.008-06:00

Wow, life moves so fast that it seems like just yesterday I was writing my last post and then I realized that 2 months has flown by. Some happenings in the Buttars family include:

Palmer
*Palmer just turned 4 months old yesterday! It's so fun to see him developing and changing all the time. His big round blue eyes just melt my heart.

*He has learned how to roll from his tummy to his back which means it is nearly impossible to keep him on his tummy. He is also able to do a mini-push up on his tummy- he's just working those biceps and triceps out!

*His dad is so great at making him giggle all the time- I'm working on it :).

*He is able to support his head with his extra large cheeks and does a great job sitting with some added support. Before too long though his legs will get too chubby for his bumbo...poor kid. I am very anxious for him to learn how to sit on his own. Hopefully because he has such a large foundation it should be sooner rather than later!

* He loves cuddling with a stuffed animal to help him fall asleep. Don't mind the creepy stuffed animal in this picture! It's a Dr. Seuss creature and was the first thing I grabbed!

*He is just continuing to gain more and more weight! A couple of weeks ago I just weighed him on my home scale and he weighed in at a whopping 18 pounds! He is going through clothes like they are going out of style. He definitely is my weight lifting practice...all day long.

*Here is a picture of him on his blessing day...what a cutie. He was a GREAT baby that day. He didn't spit up all over his dad while up in the front of the chapel...that was what I was so worried about! It was a fun day to have all of our two families here for support.

Brad
Brad just recently accepted a new position at Packsize. He is now in the Sales Department and I believe the official job title is called a Sales Officer (which basically means he is over the salesmen...luckily not traveling to make sales). This should be a nice change of scenery for him. They treat him really well at Packsize and it's nice to be part of a company that is growing during this rough economy. Unfortunately he does have to travel some for his job. He has been gone all week to Louisville Kentucky and I definitely miss him.

Laura
Not too much new for me... I love staying home with Palmer. I can't imagine trying to balance work and him at the same time (thank you Brad). I did unfortunately fall down the stairs a few weeks ago and hurt my foot. It is now finally starting to feel better. Thankfully I wasn't carrying Palmer.

Other Family News:
*Kendra & Kris had a baby girl, Emmie, on January 25th. She is such a good baby and is darling. Here is a picture of her and Palmer...look at the size difference and they are only 5 weeks apart! I love the other picture because it looks like he is pulling the classic "yawn move" to get his arm around her.

*Andrew & Rachel had a baby girl as well on February 27th. She came 8 weeks early but thankfully is doing well! She was born at only 3 lbs. 2 oz. but is now weighing in around 4 lbs. 8 oz.! Her name is Annie. She is so tiny and precious. I don't have a picture of her yet but when I get one you better believe I'm posting it on this blog! We can't wait to get a picture with all 3 of the Davis grandkids side by side.

*Jessica & Riley announced that they are having a baby this September! They didn't announce until she was 17 weeks along so this pregnancy is going to fly by! They are having a girl...first one on the Buttars side.

*Sterling got home from his mission in Mongolia! We are so happy to have him home (especially Jaren who was sick of being an only child). He adjusted really quickly and it's nice to have the family complete.

*Kevin got in a pretty rough ATV accident but is recovering quite well. We're glad that he didn't get hurt worse.

*Rachelle and Natalie are both engaged which means craziness at the Buttars household. Natalie is getting married next month and Rachelle doesn't have a date planned yet. I can't believe they are both getting married.

Well that's all I can think of for now. I swear I need to make a goal to update this thing at least once a month.

2 Months of Fun!

2011-02-27T13:53:00.010-07:00

Well Palmer is 2 months old and I can't believe how much he has grown, changed, and learned during the past 2 months. We are truly enjoying having him in our family and it's hard to imagine what life was like without him. Here are some highlights of this past month:

We just had his 2 month check-up and confirmed the fact that he is huge! Dr. Brogli was shocked because he used to be coming in for weight checks because he wasn't gaining enough weight. I guess he has made up for lost time (and mommy has discovered that nursing is just not cutting it). He weighed in at a whopping 14 pounds 10 ounces which put him off the charts so basically the 100th percentile. He measured 24.5 inches long which means he is in the 95th percentile. His head is in the 80th percentile. With all this said though if you take his weight and height ratio he is in the 50th percentile so it's not that he's just completely chubby (although he has his fair share of rolls).

He currently loves his mobile. He will be kind-of fussy and I put him in the crib and start winding up the mobile and he starts to get way excited. He loves following the shapes around.

He is a sleeping champ! Last night he slept for 10 hours! It usually averages around 8 or 9 hours and he hasn't been getting up until about 7:00 am. It's wonderful and we hope it doesn't change!

On the other note he has some struggles taking long naps during the day. He will take little 20 minute cat-naps here and there which sometimes makes for a little fussy Palmer. I love the days when he takes 2+ hour naps.

We discovered that a trick to getting him to calm down (and often times fall asleep) is to stand next to the stovetop fan. He usually just immediately calms down and if tired his eyes will start drooping. We use this trick A LOT.

It's so fun to hear all the new sounds he learns to make. Sometimes we'll be able to play together and he'll repeat the sounds we make. He also is getting louder with these sounds.

For the most part he really doesn't like being on his tummy. I'm trying to do it more often because he needs to learn how to strengthen those muscles but it doesn't last long because he'll start bawling. The boppy does help with this because it helps hold him up higher so he doesn't feel so close to the ground. Here was a moment when he was actually very happy chillin' on his tummy.

He spits up a ton! We are trying all different kinds and mixtures of formula (luckily he doesn't even seem to notice or care that they all taste different) and techniques of burping/feeding to see what will help. We are still experimenting... His face often looks like this after having a burp. Needless to say...he wears a bib all day long.

Here are just some other pictures that I love of this lil' boy!

Gotta Love Those Smiles!

2011-02-07T11:15:00.002-07:00

Palmer is smiling and talking so much these days. It makes all the hard and frustrating times worth it! He LOVES this mat that my friend Jenni gave us. This is when he smiles the very most. What a cutie!

Germany

2011-02-07T11:00:00.005-07:00

Brad had the opportunity to go on a week long business trip to Germany a few weeks back! He obviously had mixed feelings about going- excited to visit Europe for the first time but sad to leave the two of us behind. Luckily my parents let me stay over at their place for the week so I wasn't alone with Palmer the whole time. He obviously did not love doing work while he was there but he was happy to be able to spend time with our friends Jan and Viola and tour Hamburg and other sites. One of his adventures was trying to not slow down traffic too much on the Autobahn- cars were flying past him easily going 100+ miles per hour. Palmer and I are so glad he came home safely! Here are some pictures of sites that he saw (unfortunately he didn't take any pictures of him as well).

Palmer Bradley Buttars

2011-01-23T10:35:00.024-07:00

December 20, 2010
11:27 pm
8 pounds and 12 ounces
22 inches long
__________________________________________

For journaling sake I have typed up the whole birthing adventure in my baby journal so in here I will touch on the highlights of the birth and life so far!

1) Just a few hours after typing my last blog entry my water broke in the Walmart Parking lot- yikes! What a hard decision to know whether to run into the bathroom in Walmart of risk driving home. I'm so glad I drove home. I would have hated being stuck in that bathroom. I had no idea how much water came out!

2) I held out and went for 6 hours without an epidural. Brad was a HUGE help to me during this time. He was by my side the entire time- helped me breathe through the contractions and maintain eye contact with him. I could have never gone through this experience without him by my side. He was incredible. BUT- I realized that it was only going to get worse and was so not worth it so I broke down and got the shot. Oh blessed relief! Luckily I had been in enough pain to not even notice them giving it to me. After it set in I took a nap!

3) My body was progressing pretty quickly and then it just STOPPED! I stayed at a 6 1/2 for 4 hours- blast it! The doctor didn't want to give me Pitocin due to the fact that my contractions were plenty strong (2 minutes long and 1 minute apart) and his heart rate was slightly dropping with the contractions. Also our baby was staying at a -1 station and not dropping anymore. Oh and he decided at the last minute to flip around so that his head was facing up which requires more room to fit out (which the doctor had previously been shocked as to how NARROW my bone structure in that region is).

4) So after about 8 hours of laboring and all of the above issues we decided to go with a c-section. We knew beforehand that this was a huge possibility but it was still hard to make the final decision. After that decision was made things just went very fast!

5) An operating room is everything you have ever imagined- large, bright, sterile, etc. They numbed me up even more (weirdest feeling in the world), put a sheet up to cover my lower region, put an oxygen mask on my face, and secured my arms down. They said that I might feel some tugging and pulling but luckily I don't think I felt a thing! Brad got to peak over the curtain as much as he wanted to view the surgery. He watched some of it but stayed with me to keep my attention away from what was happening.

6) After only about 8 minutes of beginning the surgery I heard the best sound in the entire world- my baby's first cry. Brad and I both immediately started crying. What an amazing and incredible experience. We had waited and hoped for 9 months to hear that first sound and know that he was healthy!

7) The nurses had told me that they would hold him up for me to see- they didn't. Brad said that he was purple and they had to suction fluid out of his mouth so that may have been why. The nurses invited Brad over to help clean him up. I guess Palmer hosed the area down immediately when they set him down. Brad then came over to me and I in tears told him that I wanted to see our baby. He offered to show me a picture of him from our camera. So the first image I got of our son was from our digital camera. Pretty sad but better than nothing! He then brought him over to me. It was so hard for me to not be able to hold and cuddle him because he was BEAUTIFUL. Tons of dark hair, calm as can be, and a miracle.

8) The adrenaline from the days events got to me and I was SHAKING all over the place. It was so hard because when I finally did want to hold him I didn't dare because my arms were shaking so bad. Luckily that finally died down and I was able to hold my son. I still couldn't believe that he was really here.

9) The hospital stay was great. The nurses were so helpful and I'm so glad that with the c-section I got to stay there longer. I definitely needed their help with my recovery and most of all the whole nursing thing (whoever says that nursing is natural for you and the baby is not telling the truth!) It was fun to have people come and visit but I especially cherish those times that it was just our little family at the hospital enjoying our time together. Because it was the week of Christmas Brad didn't have to go to work for most of the week so he was there for a majority of the time. I loved it.

10) We came home on Christmas Eve- what a neat next few days! I had always imagined how much I would love being able to sit in our living room with only the Christmas tree lights on as a family and we were able to do it. This was an incredible time of year to have a newborn.

11) Palmer has been a fantastic sleeper from the beginning. He usually gets in at least 5-7 hours of straight sleep before waking up to be fed. This definitely makes the transition into parenthood a whole lot easier. We just hope it sticks!

12) Palmer takes after his father. He has a bottomless stomach that can't seem to get enough food. I have had to supplement him because my body can't produce what he needs (thanks Mom for those genes). If he doesn't nurse from me he drinks about 6 ounces from a bottle. This is as much as an average 4 month baby eats! His cheeks are starting to gain some weight on him from all this eating! Funny thing is that for awhile we were worried because he was losing weight. Now we definitely don't have that problem!

13) I had no idea how time consuming it is to take care of a newborn! I feel like I just get through a feeding (although it takes twice as long when I am nursing and then giving him a bottle) when it's almost time for him to be hungry again. I now understand why they say that a mom is lucky to get dressed by 3:00 in the afternoon. I feel like I live in my pajamas.

14) He is so strong! From the beginning his neck has been so strong and he can push away from you so easily. He will be supporting his head in no time!

15) He LOVES getting his diaper changed. He will calm right down when we set him on the changing table and sometimes I just want to leave him on there afterwards because he is so content.

16) He is officially smiling. They say that at this time they are gas smiles but no no- I can tell when it is a gas smile versus a real smile. We'll be playing with him and kissing his face and his whole face will light up. It makes my heart melt.

17) Brad has amazed me with how naturally he has slipped into the whole parenthood thing. That is definitely a bonus to marry someone that was the oldest of 6 children. He can sometimes calm Palmer down in ways that no one else can.

18) It is just so much fun to see him change and grow every day. In some ways it makes me sad that he is growing up so fast but it is exciting to see what new things he will learn.

We are learning along the way but LOVING being parents to such a wonderful little boy. The three of us couldn't be happier!

Still Waiting....

2010-12-20T13:07:00.002-07:00

Well if you were to look at my blog today you would see that it says that I have only 3 days to go... I hope that it's only 3 days (or less)! This anticipation is very nerve-wracking! I'm not sure how much more of it I can handle! I've been trying to be pretty active the past while to help these contractions come more often (I've been having contractions off and on for the past week but nothing super consistent) but it doesn't seem to be helping. The question is...if he doesn't come by the 23rd do I continue to try to be active to get into labor or do I lay low for a few days so I can get Christmas out of the way?

Am I done with work yet? Who knows. I took a personal day today and my principal just approved one for tomorrow as well. I can do a half day on Wednesday right? The main reason why I don't want to go in this week is that the longer it takes to start my maternity leave the more things that I think I need to do to prepare for my long-term substitute or other things come up that require more time than what I want right now! On Friday I was at the school until 6:00 trying to finish up all sorts of things. I wish that my school had gotten out on Friday for the break like other schools in the area!

Luckily things have looked like they are progressing as far as my body goes. As of last Tuesday I was dilated to almost 2 1/2 cm and 70% effaced. I go in today and I hope that I have progressed even more. We got to have an ultrasound and see our lil' baby last week! It was fun to be able to see him one more time before we REALLY see him. We did learn a couple things though...he's not so lil' after all (he measured at being around 9 lbs. and 1 oz. - those ultrasounds can be off but we're pretty sure that he won't be a 6 pounder), he took after both of his parents and has a very large head (they measured his head circumference as being in the 96th percentile...ouch), but everything else looks very healthy (we were able to see the 4 chambers of his heart and other organs working just perfectly). Unfortunately the doctor has been very shocked about how narrow my pelvic bones are and with the size of this kid we have had some good chats about this delivery. He has just warned me that a c-section is a very large possibility. I still want to try to have him normally but it's good to know ahead of time that it might come to a c-section so I won't be upset. The thing we care about the most though is that he comes out safely and that my body does okay during the whole process as well. We just need to get him out before he continues to get bigger!

No, we don't have a name yet. We still roll a few around our head but haven't made a decision about it yet. Brad likes to call us "name snobs". No, I'm not worried about other people "stealing" it before he comes. We just don't want people's opinions, we want to wait and see him, and it gives somewhat more of a surprise to people when we have him. Hopefully we can decide on one before we leave the hospital!

I do have to say that this whole business of being ready for him to come any day has been pretty neat around the Christmas season. Let's just say that I had to hold back a lot of tears at church on Sunday when two of the speakers not only talked about the miraculous birth of the savior but their own experiences with the miracle of birth. I think it will be so neat to have him in the hospital and our home this season. I can't wait!

Second Trimester

2010-10-07T20:01:00.004-06:00

Well I have successfully made it through 2nd Trimester and these are my thoughts so far:

1) 2nd Trimester is a heck of a lot more enjoyable than the 1st Trimester! Besides having to eat a little more often, a growing belly, and some more sleep required it's been fun!

2) I LOVE watching the lil' guy move around in my belly. Brad laughs at me because he'll walk into the room where I'm resting and I have my shirt pulled up so I can watch my stomach. It's so crazy! (In fact I'm trying to watch him move and type at the same time...it's a slow typing process :) ). His favorite time to move around is around 8-10 at night. I've discovered that if I try to be motivated and go to sleep early I lay in bed without sleeping because he's moving too much.

3) Belly Bands are a lifesaver. I wore maternity pants for the first time this week...I've been able to hold out this long. It was a well spent $16.00!

4) Heartburn has been a constant companion for the last 5 weeks. Tums are a lifesaver...I wouldn't survive without them. They say that the more heartburn you have the more hair the baby has...this is going to be one hairy kid!

5) I was somewhat dismayed to realize that what I thought were "loose" and comfortable pajama shirts are now too small. I wear Brad's t-shirts now...

6) It's taken me awhile to figure out the most comfortable sleep position that will help keep me on my side and keep the heartburn to a minimum. I think that I have finally figured it out and it requires 5 pillows to make it happen. Brad has had to give up all ideas of sleeping anywhere close to me.

7) I think that God made us have to go to the bathroom a lot during the night to help us get used to what's to come. I think that I'll be pretty well prepared.

8) Some pregnancy symptoms that I haven't experienced any more than my pre-pregnancy days (but I'm sure some will come): intense cravings for a certain food, forgetfulness, clumsiness, and being overly emotional.

9) Leg cramps in the middle of the night are terrible.

10) The confusion of the whole months/weeks thing with pregnancy. If they are going to say that a pregnancy is 40 weeks why the heck do we say it is only 9 months? I am currently 29 weeks which if I do my math correctly that would mean that I am 7 months along but if I tell that to people then they will think that I only have 2 months left when I really have 3. But I feel like if I only say that I am 6 months along (and that won't be 7 weeks for 3 more weeks) that I am cheating myself of some time. How did they decide to go with such a screwed up system?

11) I thought that I would hate people touching my belly. It doesn't bother me so much.

12) I am NOT a needle person but I have to say that I have done very well with all the blood tests and shots that I've had to get. (I have the rH factor and have had to get a couple of shots periodically for that). I haven't passed out once!

13) We keep getting asked the question if we have a name picked out. Nope! Pretty sure we'll be one of those couples that are deciding one quickly as we're leaving the hospital so it will have a name on his birth certificate other than "Baby Boy". I can't even make up my mind on where to go out to eat...how am I supposed to decide on a name?

13) This whole constant worried thing that I experience for my baby's well-being...is this what mothers experience for the rest of their lives? I think I'll die of stress! I keep on thinking the worry will go away once he is in my arms but I have a feeling that it will only be increased.

Well I feel good so far...we'll see how 3rd trimester treats me! We're sure excited for him to come. I haven't yet thought too much about the delivery thing. I'm sure I'll get more worried about that when the time gets closer :).

I Finally Surrendered

2010-08-20T09:15:00.004-06:00

Okay...so many of you know that I've been stubborn. I've been holding out and not interested. I've considered surrendering before but realized that I didn't want to do what was "popular" but most of all... the subject just did not interest me. Well I surrendered (somewhat on a fluke...I'll explain later) and I think with somewhat of an open mind. Now that I've finished with the first one I can only left to wonder, "What the heck is all this hype about?!?" I was not all that impressed and not too sure if I'll continue on with the next however many there are.

So if you haven't yet figured out what the heck is I'm talking about...it's the book Twilight.

So to begin, I love reading and I'll admit that I like a book with a little bit of romance. When I heard about Twilight years ago (while I was student teaching in the winter of 2007- pretty sure the book was very new at that point and not many people knew about it) I thought it sounded like the most unappealing book in the world. The teacher who was recommending it loved a book about vampires? Honestly? Not my type of book. As it became more and more popular I still kept on thinking that I was just not a vampire reading type of girl.

Then as women and my students became OBSESSED with it I couldn't help but be even more turned off. There just seems something wrong about married women wearing "Team Edward/Jacob" shirts and swooning over either one of them. Sure, I'll be the first to admit that I think that characters in books or movies are attractive and that I'll watch a certain movie because a certain George Clooney or Jake Gyllenhal (those are just some of the many attractive ones out there) will be in it or I'll listen to Michael Buble and my heart melts a little bit. But honestly...some of these women are way to obsessed and it just rubs me the wrong way.

Well, just earlier this week I just recently discovered that the library has a place where you can temporarily download an audiobook or ebook (just one that you read on the computer). Way cool. I was in hopes that they would have the second Hunger Games book because I had just finished the first and was dying to read the next (but didn't want to be #537 on the waiting list at the library). Sadly they only had the audiobook and I only listened to about a half a page and couldn't stand it any longer. The reader was terrible! So I kept on playing on the website and just wanted to see if Brad's old laptop would download an ebook. Well I went to the "Most Popular" page and of course Twilight was near the top of the list. I didn't know what the others were and so without much thought I downloaded it. After it was downloaded I decided I would read one chapter to see what I thought. I read one chapter and decided to continue.

Well I finished it just barely and I can't tell you how many times I rolled my eyes or thought that the storyline/dialogue was somewhat ridiculous. I really did try to have an open mind. Like I said before...I like my romance but this was so sappy I couldn't handle it. I was also largely disturbed by the talk of "her scent" and him sneaking in to watch her sleep at night. Last time I checked that would come up under the definition of stalking. Not romantic at all. I also kept on trying to figure out why the heck this "perfect Edward" was so in love with "boring Bella". She has to be one of the most boring main characters ever! From what I could figure out it sounded as if it as only because of her scent and he couldn't read her mind...yeah that's great but I don't think I would find that extremely flattering. More depth please.

We'll see if I read the next book. I've heard the story line gets more and more outrageous so I don't know if I can handle it. I may read it if I want to read something and I don't have another option but I'm not jumping on to the library website and putting the next one on hold at this moment. I guess now I can say I have given it a try.

Now let's talk about The Hunger Games series...that's some good reading!

***Sorry to all the Twilight fans out there who may read this and have their fists clenched the entire time with anger--- you're fine to love it all you want. It just wasn't for me I guess. ***

Home Projects

2010-08-16T10:36:00.005-06:00

So working on a house takes a lot of time---and that presents a slight problem when you seem to have a lack of extra time to put towards the house. Brad and I are sure hoping that when summer ends the craziness will die out as well and we can put some more focus on the house. We are currently sleeping in the basement because our bedroom is all torn up. We are doing some closet work which means that all of our clothes are also in the basement lying across all the pieces of furniture we have down there. I've been working on tearing off the dang wallpaper for weeks now....our next house will NOT have wallpaper :)! It'll be great to have a finished product and it shouldn't take too long...if we only had more time :).

So this is a picture of our bathroom that we finished awhile ago. Brad did such an amazing job with all of the molding work around the beadboard, the tile, and everything else. It's so fun to have a room that we have changed to our feel like it is truly our own.

So here is a before picture and them some after pics.

It's A Boy!

2010-08-16T10:03:00.005-06:00

We are going to be welcoming a baby boy into our family! We had the ultrasound last week and it was a wonderful experience. We got to see some amazing views of our little baby moving around like bringing his foot up to his mouth, moving arms behind head, etc. The thing that was amazing was that with all the movement that he was doing in there I couldn’t feel it at all. It makes me realize how much he moves when I can feel it!

We were able to get a good look at his heart, spine, blood flow, kidneys, a hand with 4 fingers and a thumb, and even his lips! I sure love living in a time where we have technology to do this. It was so comforting to see that everything is developing as it should and he looks like a healthy boy so far. He was being very stubborn at first and we thought we were going to have to leave without knowing what we were having. He was sitting straight down (basically right on my bladder- I could feel that one ☺) with his legs crossed in front of him. With some poking and prodding we finally got him to adjust a little bit and move around to see that he was a boy. We're excited!

Now I just need to come up with some name ideas....

Here's a picture of the lil' guy. I love this one because you can see his foot and his face. Cute little thing!

Christmas Delivery!

2010-06-26T09:33:00.003-06:00

I'm so excited to finally announce that Brad and I are expecting a baby on December 23rd! We are definitely hoping that either the baby comes about a week early or a week late (not just a couple days late :) ). We are so excited and definitely a little nervous for this new stage in our lives.

I'm now 14 weeks along and life is getting so much better. My 1st trimester was pretty rough- I was throwing up about once or twice a day, my appetite was pretty much gone, and I had absolutely no energy or motivation. But things are definitely starting to improve- I only threw up three times this week and I feel much more myself.

We've all ready been able to see 3 ultrasounds of the lil' tot because I was threatening miscarriage at one point, my normal 10 week check-up, and a scare of possible appendicitis at the Emergency Room. As much as I don't like some of those scary things to happen there is nothing cooler than seeing that baby grow every time they do an ultrasound and hearing the heartbeat. What a marvelous experience. Life couldn't be better!

After Brad Saw The Last Post....

2010-02-08T13:47:00.002-07:00

Okay- so after my husband saw the last post he called me up and demanded that I change it. While he does most of the remodeling stuff around the house and I try to keep it clean, and put dinner on the table-- I guess I do have to say that I help him with some of the small stuff. The night after writing that post I helped with grouting the tile in our bathroom. He has to teach me how to do a lot of it and sometimes I say "no way, no how" but I do try to do all that I can.

Thank You!

2010-02-03T08:25:00.004-07:00

I just want to say how grateful I am for my husband. He comes home from a hard day at work and without any hesitation or complaints changes into his grubby clothes and gets to work on our house. I am so grateful that
1) he is willing to do all that he does without complaining
2) that he knows how to do so much (he has done some pretty major electrical work, tiling, painting, texturing a ceiling, putting in new windows, inserted a fan, and so much more)! It not only saves us so much money but also really makes us feel that this house is ours.
I sometimes feel so lost because he's doing all sorts of things that I can't help with.

Thanks so much sweetheart!

Gotta Love Kids

2009-12-09T16:26:00.003-07:00

So I was correcting my students science tests today and I had a few laughs out loud and knew that I had to post them.

Here they are:

The question was: "Describe the steps you would take to make a simple working compass". Now---we did an experiment where they made a simple working compass by magnetizing a needle, sticking it Styrofoam, then sticking that in a cup of water- the needle points north. We also talked about it a few times and it was in a movie we watched. Almost all of them got the question right but there were a few answers that were pretty clever.

- "Take a piece of paper, write North, South, East, and West. Take a paperclip and attach it." (if only it were that easy).

-"I would take all the direction letters off" (yes...I suppose that would make it more simple)

-1st- You take the compass and put it towards north. 2nd- pick it up and walk west. 3rd- turn back north and there you go :) (the smiley face was included on the test)

Next question: "Why does a compass needle point north?"

-"It has to or else it won't work" (true, true)

Last one: "What do the magnetic fields of a bar magnet, horseshoe magnet, and disc magnet have in common?"

-"They all have magnetic fields" (as if the question didn't already state that out).

If they are going to get the answer wrong at least it gave me a laugh! Luckily for the most part they did awesome on the test. :)

A "New" House

2009-11-04T10:26:00.008-07:00

Life has been so absolutely crazy since my last post (pathetically from July) that I have put off blogging. Especially since we've had some big events happen since our last entry.

So to start off with the most time consuming and exciting bit of news....we bought a house! We had been looking every spare moment for about 2 months and we were starting to become pretty frustrated. We definitely were coming into the housing market without too much knowledge so we had to many times adjust our price range, expectations, areas of our search, etc. Luckily Brad and I pretty much had the same idea of what we wanted.

Well the push to find something really increased when we were supposed to be out of our apartment by the end of the month. I was off track for the summer so I started making daily drives around neighborhoods looking up homes we had found on the internet. Well one day while I was looking for a house just in some Millcreek neighborhoods northeast of where we were currently living I happened to drive past a house that I became interested in. I called the number on the sign and the real estate agent basically just told me, "Sorry that house is already under contract." So I moved on. Later that night the agent called me back and left a message on my phone explaining that the contract had fallen through because the person had gotten extremely sick, lost his job, and no longer qualified for the house. She had looked up my number on her caller ID and wanted to know if we were still interested in it. I called her back later the next day and we were the first people to go through it after the broken contract. We fell in love with it. It was exactly what we were looking for: a nice neighborhood with big trees, perfect starter house size, an older house with lots of character, and it just had a good feeling inside of it that we hadn't felt in any other house before. So we played the little offer/counter offer game and finally got it under contract! We were so excited.

We moved in around the middle of August and have been working on making it our own ever since. The house was built in 1941 (very old so it has a lot of quirky things about it) and had previously had only one owner which we thought was pretty cool (it was an estate sale). From everyone we have talked to it sounds like they took care of the house like you wouldn't believe. The daughter said that they weren't allowed to run in the house, the neighbors say that it was so clean you could have eaten off the floor, and supposedly the yard was the husband's pride and joy. So needless to say- the house looks like a grandparents house complete with wallpaper, linoleum, orange carpet and wood paneling downstairs- but it is in great condition. So we'll continue to take small projects at a time to update and modernize but try to keep some of it's character there as well.

Here is a picture of the house when we bought it:

We realized that since it was going to start turning colder soon that we should tackle the outside first. It was in great shape but we wanted to liven it up a bit. We have painted the top siding (oh for quite awhile there were multiple colors up there while we were trying to find the paint we had in mind- I think the neighbors thought we were crazy), taken off that hideous storm door, painted and attached shutters, painted the door and hardware, changed the mailbox and porch light, torn off the gray porch carpet, reinforced the raingutters, painted the trim and white picket fence next to the house, removed those shade awning things over the windows, taken off the drapes and replaced with blinds, fixed some cracks in the cement, pulled out rose bushes and fitzers, and done many other things around the yard.

This is the outcome (when it gets warmer we are going to fix the trim and railings on the porch).

Now it was time to start tackling the inside stuff! I went off track the last week of October so one day I decided that it was time to work on the upstairs bathroom. When you start remodeling you realize how funny they did things long ago. So the upstairs bathroom looked like this before (notice the lovely wallpaper and light fixture):

I think we'll keep the lights as a weapon! :)

Well my mom and I tore off the wallpaper (amazingly enough it came off in full sheets) only to discover that the walls before were painted a nice really bright peach color. After much scrubbing and sanding the glue is finally off all the walls and ceiling (oh yes- there was white wallpaper on the ceiling). The most exciting part though was when Brad and I removed the large mirror. Behind the mirror was a cutout in the wall with a box that fit perfectly into the hole in the wall. It was like a moment you see in a movie when you start thinking, "What if they put their life savings or some expensive jewelry or old coins in this box???". We pulled the box out and sadly inside there was only old newspaper to fill the space (apparently it was November 1976 when they did some remodeling in the bathroom). It looks like the box (which was hollow from the other side) was the old medicine cabinet that was set in the wall. We're still looking for our hidden treasure though!

We have now torn out the linoleum, the sink, and the toilet. Now the fixing up can start rather than the demolishing. Wait to see the finished product!

More events coming soon!

Summer Happenings

2009-07-12T14:01:00.002-06:00

This summer has been a crazy but fun one! Not only because it started out with rainstorm after rainstorm but we've also had a lot of fun doing all sorts of things. June is always crazy since I am still teaching and dealing with all of the end of year junk but we manage to squeeze in some fun as well. Here's a list of the good times we've had:

Memorial Day Softball Game with the Davis family
Natalie's high school graduation on the same day as Kenny and Michele's baby birth (The Buttars' side)
My 24th birthday (thank you all for the birthday wishes and thanks Brad for the wonderful day!)
Game night with my college friends every month
Brad running the Wasatch Back Relay! He had to run the Ragnar (the hardest leg of the race) and did awesome!
Sleepover at the Bunkhouse- very primitive but oh so fun
4th of July celebrations- Deweyville breakfast & parade, Logan fireworks, and then a gorgeous 4-wheeling ride up to the top of Mt. Logan
Tinfoil Dinners up Millcreek Canyon with some ward friends
Beauty & the Beast at the Murray Amphitheater
Mother's Day, Father's Day, Kevin Buttars birthday, Natalie Buttars birthday, Bob Buttars birthday, and so many more
Manti Pageant and sleepover in Salina
Landen Buttars (Kenny and Michele's baby) baby blessing
Family Reunions galore
Finishing my 2nd year of teaching
Retro dining experience at The Road Side Cafe in Oakley (if you've never been there you gotta go- it's in an old railcar and the best Philly Cheesesteak sandwich you'll ever have in your life)
And so much more......

All that we have left to do is waverunning, a camping trip with some friends, Harry Potter 6, 24th celebrations, my Mom's Birthday, and whatever else we can think of to do! If you have any suggestions we would love to hear them!

Forever Strong On and Off The Field

2009-05-28T21:40:00.002-06:00

One of my favorite movies finally came out on DVD this week! For any of you who have not yet seen this....see it! This is the best locally made movie around. It's inspiring, entertaining, and impressive. This movie reinforced my feelings of rugby vs. football....rugby is tough stuff and so much more entertaining. We just bought it and I can't wait to watch it again!

Teacher Appreciation Week

2009-05-07T22:19:00.003-06:00

Teaching can be an exhausting job and many times I wonder why I put myself through such stress (especially during report card time). Yet it is one of the most rewarding and fun jobs as well. I think back to those days at Cookies By Design or the Dry Cleaners and it makes me so grateful I don't have to do that anymore.

This last week was Teacher Appreciation Week and it definitely helped me feel rejuvenated and realize why I do this. No, I don't do it for all the goodies that I receive (just look at the picture below!) although I definitely won't complain. It's those notes of thanks from the students and/or parents that really keep me going. The parents that tell me I have made a difference in their child's life, the students that tell me that they now love reading, and the many other notes of thanks. It's also the excitement on my students faces when we do some pretty cool science experiments or when they finally understand a difficult concept.
Thank you Utah State for preparing me to become a (somewhat) successful teacher. Thank you Brad for all your patience with the hours, and hours, and more hours it takes after school. Thank you 5th grade team for helping me along the way. Last of all, thanks to all those parents and students who make it a successful and awesome experience.

Now the questions is....what the heck do I do with all of these Peanut M&M's?

Finally Caught...Darn

2009-04-26T21:34:00.009-06:00

So when we moved into Fox Point Apartments we plugged our TV into the wall and it worked! We just assumed that it must have come with the apartment. Then we started talking around with other couples in the complex and quickly learned that everyone else was paying for theirs. So we started to think that we were pretty darn lucky! And who in their right mind would call up Comcast or Qwest or whomever the provider might be and let them know that we weren't paying? Not us! So this went on for about a year and half until the other day when two Comcast guys knocked on our door....
Pretty much they let us know that they cut our cable and informed us that we need to sign up for a plan. They tried to trick us by telling us what the most basic package they had was; but then when I questioned them on it they finally admitted there was an even more basic package for only half the cost. Well we were even too cheap for that (since really the only things we watch are The Office, American Idol, and listen to the news in the morning) so we decided it was time to go and buy a good ole' antenna and pull out that digital box that we got. And it worked!
As any of my roommates could stand by me on this statement....I REALLY do not like Comcast. I don't know why, but somewhere in those college years they rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe it was that they tried to charge us too much, or it was that they couldn't get the name right (no...her name is not Jack Poter, it's Jaci Porter), or those calls at 7 in the morning. So needless to say I was happy to have weaseled cable out of them for the last year and then able to get the channels without their help!

And I can't figure out how to get rid of the nice little link to a picture of an antenna that comes along with the text...

Oh How I Love Bargain Shopping!

2009-04-06T20:35:00.002-06:00

Total Boxes: 40
Total Cost: $32.88
Total Savings: $157.78

Thanks to Kendra we found an awesome deal at Albertson's. The cereal turned out to be about 70 cents a box. We went just a little crazy with it! We are instructed to have a year supply of food- guess we got our cereal covered!

Fun in the Sun

2009-03-15T13:15:00.008-06:00

We had a great vacation with the Buttars Family at the beginning of February. We flew to Orlando, Florida and spent a day at Epcot. We then boarded a cruise ship and set sail for 3 nights to the Bahamas! Neither of us had been there before so it was a fun adventure! Unfortunately we never got to swim in the crystal clear waters because at our first stop it was a little chilly so we decided we would spend that day seeing the town and the next day would be swimming. Well the waves were 25 feet at the island the next day so we didn't even dock. Luckily it ended up being good weather on the ship so we could soak in the sun on deck. We then went on an airboat ride in the swamps of Florida and saw a ton of alligators (and then ate gator nuggets, catfish, and frog legs afterwards). I loved escaping winter for a week and eating delicious food :). These are some of my favorite pics.

Model Family

2009-01-28T12:17:00.005-07:00

We got family pictures done over Thanksgiving with my family. After many attempts to make it look professional, I think that Kendra with a lot of tweaking has finally captured us perfectly. She decided that maybe some of our beautiful features would look better on someone else's face. She should really consider making this a profession! (You should really click to see in greater detail). Thanks Kendra for making us look beautiful!

2008 Year in Review

2009-01-19T09:33:00.003-07:00

I told you I would be slow posting stuff on here! To see what a great year Brad and I had click here: Buttars 2008 Year in Review. I recommend playing the slideshow since everything is always more entertaining with music!

The Time Has Finally Come

2009-01-02T10:38:00.003-07:00

I know that people have started blogging. I hear people talk about their blogs and viewing other blogs. I often look at my sister's blog and from there sometimes look at family or friends blogs.

I do facebook, phanfare (for a lot of my pictures), multiple e-mail addresses, and many other things. I love keeping in touch with people and seeing what's going on in their lives but I simply don't have much extra time in my life. My life is fully packed with teaching, planning, grading, church stuff, trying to see family and friends, and then trying to put some time aside for my oh so ever patient husband.

For awhile I was thought the blog thing was kind-of lame. Then I thought that it was pretty cool, but just not for me. I slowly changed to thinking of starting a blog, but thinking that I just don't have time (hence the reason why this blog address has been around since September but I haven't done anything with it till now). I also have wanted to catch up in my journal which has almost come to a screeching halt since the wedding entry, feeling guilty every time I think about it sitting on the shelf gathering dust.

Last night I was catching up with some friends and they all were talking about their blogs. I finally decided to just buckle down and do it. This way I can count this as my journal entries and stop feeling that guilty feeling.

As I said before...my life is crazy. Therefore, I may not have a post as often as all of you. They may be short, just pictures, or no pictures. If everyone gives up on it because I haven't posted anything in awhile, at least I have it for my own journal. But please don't give up on it...just be patient. I guess since it's a new year, I could say this is my New Year Resolution. So, let the blogging begin!