Jason, Robin & Carson Lamb

Carson's Door

2010-10-22T10:21:00.002-07:00

This one is for you Dad!

Up and Over

2010-10-17T16:28:00.002-07:00

And yes, the bench was put there to keep him away from the stuff on the otherside! Dang it...

Hurry up already...

2010-10-17T16:20:00.001-07:00

We met up with Jenna and Kaleigh at the park last week, it was nice until about 11. I can't wait for the cooler temperatures that we have been promised for this week!

Love this little guy!

Cowboys...

2010-10-11T16:14:00.002-07:00

Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband. And now he and Carson match (thanks Sam, he loves the hat!!)

Time for another dump...

2010-10-08T05:50:00.001-07:00

This is probably going to be slow going, but I will be providing updates with pictures!

Playing outside...

2010-09-27T16:03:00.000-07:00

When we had dinner at Jason's Dad's the other night Missy took Carson out to play on the slide, swing and tramp. He loved every second!

Gardening with Grandma

2010-09-17T15:46:00.000-07:00

While my parents were in town my mom helped me clean out a few flower beds in the back and plants some new plants. Carson really enjoyed hanging out with us while we worked.

He fell into a muddy bed trying to grab a toy and came up with half his head covered in mud... Lol, it didn't faze him at all. This kid really loves the outdoors!

Botanical Gardens

2010-09-15T15:18:00.000-07:00

My parents came out to visit for Carson's birthday and stayed for several days, so we went to see some sights while they were in town. Today we checkout out the Botanical Gardens in Phoenix near the Zoo. They were really pretty, but we missed wild flower season and the Butterfly Exhibit, so we'll have to catch those next year.

My parents got us a jogging stroller for Carson's birthday, and I am excited to start training for an upcoming 5k!

Carson insisted on walking most of the time (it's his new thing ;) ), and would try to walk into the flower beds, pick the flowers and then eat them... Pretty sure I got a few dirty looks from workers... but give me a break he's 1!

Carson's 1st Birthday Bash!

2010-09-12T16:11:00.001-07:00

WooHoo! We had the big celebration on Saturday, and it was a double birthday party with Carson's cousin Kaleigh. If you have ever met their grandparents when both kids are around I don't have to tell you that, "they were both born on the same day, 09-09-09, and they were 9 hours apart, and Kaleigh was even born at 9pm!" Yeah, way too much information right? ;)

Since it was for both kids we ended up with a big list of people coming that was mostly just family, so we decided to have a pool party and bbq. Everyone seemed to have a good time, and we couldn't keep Carson away from the pool.

The birthday boy!!!

Opening presents, he really wasn't that into it, but he got some great toys that he loves to play with now!

These were the giant cupcakes we made, one for each kiddo to destroy! I think he wants me to hurry up and get the show on the road here.

As you can see, Kaleigh was a little more interested in the cake, whereas Carson mainly liked the candles.

We figured Kaleigh could give him a tutorial.

We had another party at his Grandpa Lamb and Lita's a few days later because Lita had to work the day of his party :(. So we had more cake...

Opened more presents...

And then the adults played with them :P

Thanks to everyone who came and made it a special day!

summer time... when the livin's easy

2010-08-30T15:11:00.001-07:00

This summer Carson spent a lot of time at the playground (he mainly enjoys playing in the sand and watching other kids).

Figuring out how the dog door works. He now lets himself in and out at his own discretion. I will have to post a video of it later.

Now that he can get outside on his own I often find him sitting on the back porch by himself or with one of his dogs. Sometimes he's playing with a stick, sometimes throwing the ball for Koda, and sometimes he just likes to sit and soak up the sun while watching the wind blow the leaves on the trees. I love to sneak up and take pictures of him.

And he always catches me after the first one...

Carson loves his veggies, and found a new one to add to the list. Corn on the cob!

Carson also loves spending time with his Auntie Sam. And we made good use of her pool a few times this summer. It was nice because I got to learn how to do a front flip, and Carson loves being thrown around and dunked.

Other then me and Jason, Sam is one of Carson's favorite people. He always has a big smile waiting for her when she comes over to play!

Projects

2010-08-01T14:49:00.003-07:00

I love having a little boy, and I love making stuff for his room! These are a few projects I used to keep me busy while Jason was out of town for work.

New hat.

2010-07-15T06:22:00.002-07:00

We were in a local tack shop and came across this little kids cowboy hat. It's pretty much the cutest things ever!

Lol, now we all have one ;).

4th of July

2010-07-05T05:56:00.002-07:00

We had a family pool party and BBQ for the 4th. Carson loved swimming with Grandpa Lamb and Lita, and his cousins!

Thank you Adam Sandler.

2010-07-04T05:48:00.000-07:00

"Stop looking at me Swan!!!"

Outside.

2010-06-22T06:17:00.002-07:00

It was nice and cool today, well at least this morning. Carson and I enjoyed the weather in the backyard on a blanket with some toys.

I'm not sure where he got the ability to raise one eyebrow at you, but his timing when deploying this technique is usually impeccable.

Nothing like a good bean pod to start your day! (no I did not let him eat this!)

What fun is playing outside without finding a good stick to hit things with?

A few bits of random

2010-06-22T05:28:00.002-07:00

Just a few updates... Carson has 4 teeth on top now. It was funny because his incisors came in first (aka his fangs). Weird, I know, but he looked like a "vampire" for about a week (well that's what the girls are church told me) lol.

Carson still loves to get strapped into his Baby Bjorn and go for hikes! It still isn't too miserable out here, so we went to the river the other day while we had some visitors in town. It was pretty crowded.

He loves his water. I suppose that's only natural when you grow up in a desert. He still isn't really interested in anything else, no juice or anything sweet.

He also still loves to take baths. Well actually he loves to take showers, but he will take a bath as second choice. Shower is one of his favorite signs, and he gets a big smile and starts signing shower whenever he hears the water start running.

Jason traveled a bit this summer, but we got to see him for his first Father's Day! Carson loves his spending time with his daddy, and frequently walks around the house calling for him when he's gone.

We love you! Happy Fathers Day!

The pseudotwins!

2010-06-11T23:40:00.006-07:00

We have officially kept them alive for 9 months! In celebration we whipped out the camera and had some fun, and then played in photoshop later (so addicting!).

I can't believe how much they are becoming little people already!

Carson's serious face... We actually see this one a lot.

Pretty girl!

Give me a hug!

Cool weather and a nice view...

2010-04-23T21:19:00.006-07:00

We recently found a new hike pretty close to the house. It gives the dogs a chance to run and you can see the Superstitions completely unobstructed. Carson enjoys being packed around in the Bjorn, so it makes for a nice afternoon or evening, especially with this cooler weather!

Jason, Uncle Jeremy and Carson reaching the first lookout...

I know the ground looks level here, but they are actually standing pretty close to the edge where the ground drops off!

Carson is always happy for a chance to get out of the house!

One of the dogs must have been doing something funny! (I love this pic!!)

Family shot.

Not sure what we were all looking at, but it's fun to see how Carson's eyes are a mix of Jason's (blue), and mine (brown)... They are kind of a cool grayish-green color, I hope they stay that way.

Uncle Jeremy and Koda on top of one of the peaks

Jason and Carson on top of one of the peaks!

Titus kinda looks like he's about to attack in this picture...

The sun casting long shadows across the Superstitions as it sets in the West.

I love AZ sunsets (even though this picture doesn't really do it justice).

On the top of more boulders! Those boys love to climb!

All in all, a very satisfying hike and there was only one cactus attack (poor Koda got it this time).

A welcomed smile...

2010-04-16T22:41:00.000-07:00

Nothing like coming out of a long test to this beautiful smile!

Easter

2010-04-04T21:58:00.001-07:00

Carson's Easter suit... (he was actually a pretty good sport about wearing the hat)
****P.S. Side note, I made the pants and hat, Jason got mad at me for not including this "important" fact previously...

Crawling lessons from his cousin Brooklynn

Hunting for Easter eggs - Grams and Uncle Jeremy hid them pretty good.

The twins holding hands...

Our family

EveryoneTime to go home

Carson and Titus

2010-03-31T22:35:00.000-07:00

Carson loves his dogs, and they love him. They hang out with him while he plays, and eat the food he drops on the floor for them. They also are a quick fix when he's upset, not many things can turn his tears to laughs quite like one of his doggies coming over to give his little hand a quick lick. Titus came in to hang out with him the other day and I happened to have my camera ready!

Ninjas and Curtains

2010-03-19T12:59:00.005-07:00

I FINALLY finished the curtains for Carson's room! Hooray, I'm sure my husband will be happy to have my "mess" from the project cleaned up. I also made something extra for Carson with the left-over scraps. P.S. Thanks Kelli for the letters in Carson's room!

As most of you know, Jason loves martial arts. I think it's genetic, because Carson loves to watch his daddy practice, and will also sit with him and watch YouTube clips non-stop. So I made him a ninja pillow. He blends in with his room, and scares bad guys away. Carson wants to know if you can find his new friend in the picture above.

Fighting off bad dreams!

The prom...

2010-03-17T12:22:00.000-07:00

Today was no fun. Honestly I've been trying not to think about it for the last six months. When Carson was born he was scheduled to be circumsized in the hospital, but they had to put it off for 6 months until he was big enough to be able to handle general anesthesia. The reason was a twist in the skin (called a torsion), that could give him problems in the future if we didn't wait to do it more thoroughly with a urologist surgeon.

Though the surgery was not major it still was really bothering me and Jason to think about the poor little guy being knocked out. On top of that we found out that they would take him away from us before they put him under. Jason gave him a blessing the night before, and when we headed to the hospital we were happy to see that Carson was in good spirits despite not being able to eat since 3 in the morning. He enjoyed playing with his toys in the waiting room and then we went back and took his vitals and got him changed into his hospital gown.

The nurses came in to go over last minute instructions and then they took him away... It about made my heart break, but he's such a little trooper, he didn't cry or anything (at least not while we could hear). The last thing the nurse said was, "Next time you see him, he'll be all ready for the prom!" haha, that at least made me laugh...

He played with his daddy in the waiting room while I filled out paperwork, before they had us go in the back to get him changed.

In his hospital gown.

Cuddling after his surgery.

I am so grateful that he's home now. He's a tough little guy!

Blog Dump!

2010-02-26T00:57:00.003-07:00

It's been sooooooooo long since I've posted anything on here! We have been taking lots of pictures and videos of Carson, and it's insane how much he's grown already in just 6 months! I can't believe that it's really been that long. So this dump will probably go from his blessing all the way to now! Enjoy...

P.S. As an update Carson is growing like a weed! He was only in the 10% for weight and 25% for height when he was born. At his 4 mo appointment he weighed 15 lbs. 8 oz. and was 26 in long putting him in the 80% for weight and 93% for height.

Day at the Park # 2

2010-02-25T22:55:00.007-07:00

Carson, Kaleigh, Jenna and I took advantage of the beautiful day today and went to the park. The main attraction.... ducks! The kiddos enjoyed watching them as they swam around and fought over the bread chunks we through in at them.

These never quite worked out and caught everyone in them... but Kaleigh's eyes look awesome in this picture!

Carson always does that with his head because he is trying to find something to chew on.

Checking out the ducks.

Aunt Jenna and Kaleigh

aw shucks....

Carson is constantly checking everything out now, it's so much fun watching him learn about new things.

Jenna's favorite duck...

Day at the Park

2010-02-04T23:43:00.005-07:00

Jason and I took Carson to the park to see the ducks today. We forgot to bring bread so we used a crumbled up granola bar to feed them instead... Not sure that worked out so well for them.

After we had our fill of ducks we checked out the playground.

Mmmmm applesauce.... Or not!

2010-01-31T00:23:00.001-07:00

Jason hates applesauce, and apparently the apple doesn't fall from the tree... hehe

The jumper and bumbo

2010-01-29T00:09:00.002-07:00

Haha, this bib was courtesy of Aunt Sam...

I love this crooked smile!

Hope his eye's stay gray-green like this.

Stinky Feet!

2009-12-25T00:52:00.000-07:00

This totally cracked him up!

New hike

2009-12-22T00:28:00.001-07:00

We found a new hike that's not too far from the house (thanks Jer)! The river is deeper and wide there so the dogs love to swim in it and it has a lot of trees and undergrowth so it doesn't feel as "deserty" as a lot of the other places we go!

Proof that AZ does show some seasonal changes, ha.

Sometimes the hikes get a bit long, so Carson usually crashes before we head back to the car.

Bath time!

2009-12-15T00:44:00.001-07:00

He's like a fish in water... He loves to kick around and play but has also fallen asleep in the tub because he gets so relaxed...

Titus checkin in to make sure he gets clean!

Time for bed!

Visits

2009-11-17T08:45:00.000-07:00

We found out this fall that my Grandpa Smith (my dad's dad) has a large heart aneurysm. It took a turn for the worse and started leaking in November so I decided to make a quick trip out to see him with Carson before Thanksgiving instead of waiting till the spring. My dad and sister ended up being out there at the same time, and we had a nice visit. I'm glad I went then because my grandfather passed away in January, so it was nice to spend some time with him before then.

Grandpa Smith, Me and Carson and Great Grandpa Smith.

It seems like every time these two are together they decide to take a nap.

Grandma Julie lovin on Carson.

Auntie Sam with Carson in his infamous moose pj's.

We got back in time to catch the tail end of my brother's families visit to Phoenix. So we were able to spend an afternoon with Chris, Esther and her bump, and Jay. Esther took some great pictures of Carson and then the two cousins!

This is probably Jason's favorite picture of his boy so far!

Funny how much of a size difference there is right now. Carson and Jay are about 1 year and 4 months apart.

I think Carson was done with the pictures by now, but Jay loves smiling for the camera!

Kaleigh's Blessing

2009-11-01T09:09:00.001-07:00

Carsons twin.. er I mean cousin, Kaleigh Ann was blessed today. And it gave us the opportunity to take some good pictures with family.
The cousins and their mamma's!

Auntie Sam

Tio Kolby

The standard four generations pic on the Lamb side. All of these guys are oldest boys! How fun.

Carson Rolls Over

2009-10-26T12:06:00.001-07:00

1 month and already so much bigger!

2009-10-09T10:40:00.000-07:00

It is amazing how fast they grow... The first 2 pictures are from when we first brought him home from the hospital. The second 2 are at one month!

The twins... 1 month

2009-10-09T09:33:00.001-07:00

Carson Jeremy and Kaleigh Ann were 1 month old today, so we tried to take some pictures of them together. They are funny because their schedules are completely opposite though. So when one was sleeping the other was awake and vise-versa. Anyways, it was fun, and it's fun to see how they compare to each other in size as they continue to get older.

Carson is pretty good at relaxing once he's tired enough...

My zen baby.. haha

Kaleigh is still a bit bigger, but Carson is catching up!

Their first punching match... At this point Kaleigh had smacked Carson in the face a few times because she wanted her pacifier, and he woke up and started swinging back... It was pretty funny.

One of my favorite faces that he makes.

Carson is also a pretty serious guy. He will smile and laugh too, but he often has this kind of look on his face. Makes you wonder what he's thinking.

Daddy's little boy!

2009-09-25T10:31:00.002-07:00

This is how I often find Jason and Carson...

Carson Jeremy

2009-09-16T11:09:00.001-07:00

I guess this is a bit over due but Carson finally joined our family officially on 09-09-09. He is beautiful and everything went well. I ended up having a c-section because he was breech, I was a little nervous/frustrated with that turn of events but I found a wonderful doctor last minute, and everything turned out well! He was just a little guy coming out at 6 lbs 10 oz, and 19 1/2 inches.

Belly Pics

2009-09-01T11:16:00.000-07:00

Some fun pictures we got to take right before the baby came.

My little basketball.

Don't miss out of the newest stimulus plan!!!

2009-08-26T22:03:00.003-07:00

(Click on image for a clearer picture!)

Boy I was in need of a pick me up today! Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Lamb!

That's SOOOO Gay!

2009-08-16T18:42:00.006-07:00

Has anyone seen the new "That's So Gay" commercials. I thought these were a joke or a spoof or something. But it is actually a real ad campaign! Are famous peoples lives that empty they have to look this hard for a cause to get behind??? I'm sure it will win an award though, I mean, it wouldn't be PC if an ad like this didn't. Why don't they go for something more worth while, like stop taking the Lord's name in vain, or swearing all the time because it makes you sound like an uneducated idiot. Check out these links if you don't know what I'm talking about.

Hate is a strong word, but I really really really don't like you.

2009-08-07T17:02:00.003-07:00

Ok, so maybe hate isn't too strong... Mosquitoes suck (duh dum cha)! I forgot that they are one reason I don't enjoy the south during the rainy season (though there are many other reasons to enjoy it). Nothing like your legs looking leprous from all your red, bloody welts.

And last but not least the wasp... Not so funny story, but as I was trying to hurry out the door the other day, one of these little guys was trying to hurry in. I didn't even see him, just felt him sting me - on my stomach - through 2 layers of clothing. Nothing like a big (think larger then a dvd) sized red itchy welt on your pregnant stomach to make you feel sexy! I have to admit that my anger got the best of me and I spent the next 30 minutes trying to kill him, it did dull the pain.

P.S. Please don't worry about the sting, it's fine now, no allergic reactions, and it won't hurt the baby. Plus the red and itchiness is almost gone!

A new addition to the family...

2009-07-17T11:36:00.009-07:00

So let me paint you a picture...

I'm sitting at the computer trying to compile a bunch of numbers and information for our company. The whole time Jason and I are talking back and forth about how to move forward with different scenarios, employees, etc... We've been at it for several hours, when out of no where...

(Jason): Do you think our dogs would accept a pig?

Surely I didn't hear him right... At this point it was such a departure from the previous conversation that I almost fell out of my chair, laughing, and shocked...

A pig? In our backyard? Running around with our 3 dogs (yes, for those of you who haven't kept track, we are up to 3 large dogs in our family)... Coming in and out of the house through the doggy door? And what about me accepting a pig into the family???

As I finally composed my self enough to say something intelligent and coherent (I think it specifically was "What the hell!") my dear husband proceeded to lay out his very logical thought process...

If we're going to eventually buy one of the properties we've been looking at with a few acres, and set back towards the forest service, we'd have more run-ins with rattlers. And apparently hogs/pigs are somewhat impervious to rattlesnake venom, and will attack and kill the snakes without any hesitation. He then proceeded to site all the articles and books he has found on the phenomenon. My husband is always prepared for any kind of objections.

All I can envision the whole time is some pink piglet being chased around by my huge dogs squealing at the top of it's lungs , and then the opposite when it's bigger, and it chases them.

If any of you know my husband very well, you can rest assured that now, somewhere in our future is a pig/hog... Great...

Looking forward...

2009-06-25T11:45:00.004-07:00

Not to be cynical, but this is pretty dang funny...

The home stretch!!!

2009-06-21T17:24:00.008-07:00

Everyone keeps asking if I'm "popping out" yet! It's no fun not being around so ya'll can just see for yourselves, so I figured that I'd post some pictures. I've been taking a new picture each Sunday for the last few weeks, and here is what I ended up with. I'm finally in my 3rd trimester, which means just 12 weeks left. We're so excited for the little guy to be here! We love and miss everyone and will see you in August!

Hidden in the city...

2009-05-31T18:33:00.014-07:00

Since we've been in Tennessee for the last month we've had a lot of rain, Yuck! This turns our backyard into more of a swamp than anything and means the dogs have spent a lot of time locked up inside. Combine this with the fact that the further you travel East in our country the less "open" land there is and you will get to our current predicament. Dogs that are used to a lot of exercise getting into trouble from being confined for too long.

Last Sunday was finally nice and sunny so we took the dogs out looking for a good park, or hike to get them out of the house and backyard. While driving down the road close to our house we saw some college aged kids walking down the railroad tracks in swimsuits and towels. Jason pulled over and found out that there was a secluded trail that took you back into the woods and after awhile dropped you off at an abandoned rock quarry filled with water and surrounded by cliffs (perfect for jumping off). So today after church we threw the dogs on their leashes and started walking. The directions ended up being pretty good, and after about 1 1/2 miles we walked out of the thick forest and saw this...
Of course this view comes from hanging off about an 80' cliff... We hiked around to where the trail was right off the water and let the dogs swim. Boy they love it. It was hilarious to watch them, and there were 2 other groups of kids that were getting a real kick out of Koda fetching his "bird" (a.k.a. any stick we could find) and Titus constantly falling off ledges into the water because he's so reckless.
Jason decided to jump in and enjoyed a swim. I declined as my rapidly expanding waistline has thrown off my already impaired sense of balance and there weren't many places to exit the water that were particularly easy. Jason also decided to huck it off about a 40 foot cliff right before he left and the dogs freaked out... Kinda funny. These aren't the best pictures of the place so I'll post some more later, but it was an enjoyable afternoon, and my dogs are finally fairly exhausted for the first time in about a month.

So thank you, local college aged kids that let my silver tongued husband talk you into telling us about a local secret (they sure were resistant at first to tell a "newcomer").

P.S. The crazy thing about this quarry is that it is literally right in the middle of the city, and you would never even know it (literally in between 2 major roads). It's just so dang forested out here that even in downtown you feel like you're in a more rural area. Crazy!!!

those fortune cookies really work...

2009-05-29T16:15:00.002-07:00

Jason and I had Chinese food the other day and I got the funniest fortune... How did they know???

Husband Tag...

2009-05-21T21:07:00.003-07:00

So, I've never done one of these before, but I figured I'd give it a try Kel!

1. He's sitting in front of the TV, what is on the screen? Dirtbikes? Southland, House... But it's more the computer then the TV...

2. You're out to eat; what kind of dressing does he get on his salad? vinegar and oil

3. What's one food he doesn't like? tomatoes... they will really make him throw up I think...

4. You go out to eat and have a drink. His drink would be? Water with a lemon.

5. Where did he go to high school? Flat Head High School

6. What size shoe does he wear? 11.5-12... ( and I agree kelli, this IS a boring question)

7. If he was to collect anything, what would it be? guns, knives, bikes....

8. What is his favorite type of sandwich? philly steak

9. What would he eat every day if he could? Steak, BBQ or Spagetti...

10. What is his favorite cereal? Good question, we usually only eat the healthy stuff, but I'll go with Capt Crunch with Crunch Berries as a special treat

11. What would he never wear? His collar popped.... makeup... (what is with these emo kids)

12. What is his favorite sports team? does a favorite moto x rider count... but he does enjoy watching the Suns...

13. Who did he vote for? Certainly not the guy who is now ruining our country

14. Who is his best friend? Me of course!

15. What is something you do that he wishes you wouldn't do? cut him off in the middle of a conversations... but biting my nails is up there as well.

16. What is his Heritage? Scotch, Irish and Swedish

17. You bake him a cake for his birthday; what kind of cake? probably chocolate or jello cake with fruit on top.

18. Did he play sports in high school? Does getting in fights with the jocks count? I think he tried wrestling for a year but he was mainly a board bum on the mountain.

19. What could he spend hours doing? Watching martial arts, any kind of bikes and gun clips on You Tube. He also enjoys arguing in political forums with all the people who voted for our current President

20. What is one thing you appreciate about him? He can always make me smile, and he always expects the most from himself!

I tag...

Jenna,
Sarah,
Rachel,
Jessica, and
Brittany

One thing that is great about Britain...

2009-04-13T19:16:00.001-07:00

My husband served his mission in Britain and still likes to watch some of their TV shows and movies for nostalgia sake. If you like "American Idol" you should check out the British version "Britain's Got Talent" I've seen a few clips from this show now, and the talent they stumble on is amazing. Totally unassuming packages, but check out these videos for some knock your socks off surprises.

Susan Boyle Sings on Britain's Got Talent 2009 Episode 1 @ Yahoo! Video

Wild Flowers

2009-04-06T15:12:00.003-07:00

The last couple of months have brought such pleasant weather. Making spending time outdoors a must! We've found several new hikes along the salt river, and the dogs always enjoy sniffing around new places. It's also fun to see the desert so pretty with green patches and wildflowers popping up everywhere. Too bad it's getting hot now. I guess it's time for us to go somewhere else for the summer! ;)

More pics

2009-03-20T10:23:00.005-07:00

More Ultra-Sound pics. The doctor said its too early to tell for sure, but she thinks its a boy (you'll see the arrow pointing to the "clue" haha.) Fun stuff, amazing how much change there is in just a few weeks. This time, we could see the little legs kicking and the head looking around.

When September comes...

2009-03-10T18:11:00.003-07:00

Well we figured it was time to let the cat out of the bag... We'll have a new addition in our family sometime in September (probably)... And no, Jason hasn't talked me into another dog! ;) We actually just picked up the CD with these ultrasound pictures today and we thought we'd share!

The second one is the heart rate, although, the report actually said it was 160 bpm not 163... Crazy doctors, they have trouble keeping stuff straight!

You've got to be kidding me!!!

2009-01-10T20:19:00.003-07:00

Jason and I were headed to Kolby's football game, and as we exited the freeway we noticed this car next to us. Please note, that though you can't see it (as this picture was taken with the crappy phone on my camera) Exhibit A is the woman's hand holding a cigarette just at the edge of the barely cracked window. Exhibit B clearly declares that she was a very young passenger on board.
Talk about gross and negligent. I'm probably overly upset by this display because I have several children in my life (via work) who are suffering at the hands of unfit, and uncaring parents. And all attempts to help or improve the situation have been thwarted. I know most parents out there have at some point felt unfit or unsuccessful, but I salute those of you who actually try very hard to provide your children with a stable home and family life. Especially those who have to tackle unfriendly and painful circumstances; yet you still seem to give your children the best chance of growing into the wonderful people they have the potential to be. The rest of you who seem stuck on your lame excuses can rott in .... well you know where I'm headed with that. Ok, off my soap box!

Domestication Projects...

2008-12-09T15:49:00.006-07:00

I just got my mill! WooHOo, thanks mom and dad! I've been dying to try it, but I was sick for a few days after the Thanksgiving invasion at our house. So now that I'm so better, I got out some wheat.
Ground some flour...And used another special gift (thanks Chris and Esther).
To make Ebelskivers. Though messy, and time consuming, these little pancake balls with fruit in the middle (called Ebelskivers - and no this is not a made up name, they are Norwegian pancakes). A fun filled family tradition from somewhere way back when!
My husband (and his friend Allen) enjoyed the project. And now I have home ground wheat sitting in my freezer ready for more baking projects!

The most wonderful time of the year

2008-12-07T17:33:00.004-07:00

The time is officially here to break out the Christmas decorations. Each year my husband helps me hang lights outside (I think this is in an effort to make sure I don't fall off the ladder), pick out a fresh Christmas, and decorate it! Now it smells like Christmas trees all over my house! MMmmmmmm...

These are some of my favorite ornaments. The first one is a little mountain climber and he climbs the rope when you pull the bottom string... hehe

too funny...

2008-11-07T14:45:00.003-07:00

If you're familiar with "The Onion" this is one of their latest videos.

Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are

Our favorite time of year

2008-11-06T14:24:00.000-07:00

The weather is beautiful outside right now! The last several days we've turned off the a/c and just left the windows open. This is the time of year that I love living in Arizona. I even hung our hammock up the other day, now occasionally I catch my husband sleeping in it. Only on Sundays though, he has to work hard the rest of the week so he deserves his break!

huh... well then

2008-11-05T22:31:00.006-07:00

I tried not to watch the elections yesterday after I turned in my ballot. I had a feeling it would ruin my evening. And as I thought about who would be our future president I reflected on some of my favorite funny campaign ads, and some of the hilarious SNL skits that people came up with this year, I thought I'd share a few...

And finally my favorite... hahaha, this is just funny (sorry for the bad word).

On a more positive note I was happy to hear that the propositions to amend the state constitutions in favor of traditional marriage in Florida, Arizona, and California all passed, as well as a good piece of legislation in Arkansas. However, I know that we are in for more of a fight as suits have already been filed to California trying to strike down the amendment, and I'm sure more are to follow.

3...2...1...Blast Off!!!

2008-10-30T17:07:00.009-07:00

Today I went with my sister-in-law Jenna to Linens N Things (they are going out of business and you can get some killer deals right now). I was just giving Jenna some moral support, picking out stuff for her and Curt's new apartment, and didn't intend to buy anything. On our way to the checkout I spyed something that I had to get. Jason and I are always looking for ways to make healthier snacks and treats and I've been wanting one of those make-your-own-popsicles molds. Well they had one on sale, with just one catch...

They are mini rocket ships... I figured, oh well, we'll have kids eventually, so these will make some little kidlets happy later.

My first batch of rocket ship yogurt pops is now in the freezer. They are actually kinda cute... Who says eating healthy is no fun?!?! ;)

Pumpkin Carving

2008-10-29T21:00:00.007-07:00

We love this time of year! So many fun things to decorate, good smells, and lots of yummy food to eat. Jason and I look forward to kicking off our favorite string of holidays every year on Halloween. You've already seen our Halloween decorations, but they are not complete until the pumpkins have been carved. Last year we did it way to early and our little guys didn't make it to the big day. So this year we waited until a few days before Halloween to carve our pumpkins. Boy does it smell good to cut into them! I guess it's time to make some pumpkin bars...

Here's our test run with the candles! Sorry the pictures are so crappy, I was using my phone.

Trick-or-Treat Forecast

2008-10-26T17:33:00.005-07:00

Hahahaha! This is hilarious and sad all at the same time. Out here in the phoenix area, it's more truth than fiction. Good luck this year all you adorable trick-or-treaters...

Fro-Robin

2008-10-22T13:00:00.015-07:00

I've noticed that the clothing/fashion industry is cycling through styles from the yester-years. Bell-bottom jeans and leggings, I've even heard the perm is coming back. In and effort to keep up with the times I re-vamped my look. My inspiration is my own dear Mom.

(MOM)

(ME)

(the next morning)

And for those of you who think this is a joke, I assure you, this is my real hair and not a wig! SEE

I'd like to give a special thanks to Jenna who helped me with my new doo, and Samantha (you were a clutch player last night with the whole pumpkin bar thingy!)

Our latest adventures

2008-10-21T22:22:00.018-07:00

Sooooo... It's been awhile since I posted last, and to be honest it's because we've been keeping pretty busy. So here's the rundown of what's been going on.

We had a special little visitor for a few days, who is an excellent kitchen helper (almost as good as our dogs ;)).

I dyed my hair black

Our (well technically Jason's) little sister Jenna got hitched. Cute couple eh?

Jason had a birthday! WOO HOO! And we had a fun filled barbeque with family and friends. His present (a blue-tooth) is now, semi-permanently attached to the side of his head but I caught him without the new toy for this picture. (Yes the hat is photoshoped in)

My brother and his wife and my little nephew came for a visit from Dallas. Jay was so much fun to play with, he is a sweetheart and we were so happy to see him and Chris and Esther!
I decided to change my hair style (yet again). It's kinda a throw back to my mom! Love ya mom. I'll post some pictures tomorrow.

And I put up our Halloween decorations (Jenna's favorite is the scary guy in the chair, just ask, and Sam loves the phantom in our tree so much that she hit the curb last year staring at him, or was that Jenna?).
Oh, I love this time of year. (Minus this whole election thing, it really stresses me out).

Yes for marriage!

2008-09-24T16:01:00.008-07:00

On Novermber 4 we have an opportunity to amend the Arizona constitution to specifically define marriage as:

"Only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in this state."

For those of you who live in Arizona you can find out more about this proposition through the permanent link I hyper-linked to this graphic at the top right side of the page.

Please give careful consideration to this proposition, and register to vote. This is our chance to help institute a change for the better in our state. For those of you who live elsewhere there is a good chance that something similar is coming on a future ballot in your state! Now is the time to stand up for the value system we want to raise our kids with, and I am positive the result of this proposition, and others, will indicate where our country is headed in the future!

P.S. Everything went fine for my parents down in hurricane country, they didn't have power for about 48 hours, but things weren't too terrible.

Trouble brewing

2008-09-12T10:06:00.005-07:00

Well we're home now! Have been for about a week. It's so nice to be back in our own house after living out of boxes and apartments all summer. The pups are happy to have their backyard back, and all their favorite hiking spot too.

In other news, I've been closely watching the weather the last few days. I'm from hurricane territory and as of today Ike is headed straight for Houston. My parents still live down there in a suburb south-east of town as well as friends scattered all over the place. Thankfully the people who needed to get out have and the rest of them are in for a killer storm. My parents are in an area that will be safe from any water walls or flooding so they just boarded up the windows and will weather the storm, but their not in any real danger. Here's a picture of what's brewing in the gulf.

Cool huh? Nature is amazing... but scary too. Hopefully Ike keeps sucking dry air and stays at a category 2.

Jason Appreciation Day!!!

2008-08-22T12:02:00.011-07:00

Tuesday was Jason Appreciation Day! A whole day completely dedicated to my husband. My new friend Liz Marshall introduced me to this wonderful idea. In a nutshell it is a random day I pick each year to tell my husband thank you for all his hard work to support our family! This was my first go at it, and I think it went over pretty well! To start off he woke up to a big sign in our living room window and some new toys (he's been missing his dirt bike while we've been traveling for work this summer)!

Then I drove him to his appointment for a massage. And after that I picked up Indian Food for lunch (yum yum). That night we spent some quality time together over dinner and a movie in bed.

Thank you for all of your hard work sweetheart, I hope you had a great day! And thanks for the idea Liz!

A date with destiny...

2008-08-16T20:03:00.007-07:00

A friend of mine explained a very important concept to me this summer. It's called your shoe destiny. Every girl has a shoe destiny. It is the pair of shoes that fit you so perfectly and are so you that they were MEANT for you. If you pass up your shoe destiny, you will inevitably regret it FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. I thought I found mine Wednesday night at Aldo.com. Unfortunately my date with destiny will have to be postponed, as I was seriously disappointed when I actually tried them on. You can imagine Jason's relief, they were not cheap! Just remember girls, there are a few things in life you don't want to regret, and passing up your shoe destiny is one of them!

2008-08-05T21:16:00.013-07:00

On Sunday we took the dogs to the river about 20 minutes from our apartment. The water and play time was greatly anticipated by all. Thought I'd share some pictures so you can see where we're currently located.

An update!

2008-07-26T21:56:00.001-07:00

Jason and I are currently in a small town called Tracy in central California located near Modesto. It's nice to be in an area that is a little greener, even if only for a short stay. We will be back in Phoenix sometime in September.

We'd like to say congrats to all of our family members that have had exciting news lately! Chris and Esther have a new little boy, Jay Leslie; Jenna is engaged and getting married to Curt Kleiner on October 3rd; and Jarrod and Rachel have a new little girl, Brooklynn Elisabeth!

Hello

2008-04-14T01:02:00.002-07:00

Well we thought this might be an easier way for everyone to keep track of us. It also provides a great opportunity for a readers digest version of our lives in the last few years so here goes. We got married, went to school at BYU, bought a house in Provo, got our first dog Koda, got our second dog Kira, started Jason's company, moved to Arizona, sold our house in Provo, bought our house in Mesa, got our third dog Titus, started Robin's company, moved to Las Vegas for a few months, moved to Tracy, California for a few months, and will soon head back home to Arizona (for at least a few months). Now that was a mouthful!