All Smiles

Vanna has been such a sweet joy in our lives. Vanna has smiled alot since her birth mainly because the poor thing was a little gassy (she'll hate it when she's older and finds out I told everyone that :)) but she has just started to smile, for real, and coo - it's adorable. Her first smiles were for her daddy-no fair.

Vanna is growing like a weed. She had her two month old doctor's appointment last week and weighed in at a whopping 9 lbs. 12 oz. Ty and I always make bets on what the kids' weight is going to be at their appointments and he was closer this time. I was off by more than a pound. Vanna took me by surprise. Her little cheeks and thighs are not so little anymore.

For the longest time Vanna was our Sleeping Beauty all day long and hungry all night but I think she's finally getting things figured out. For three nights now Vanna has slept 6-7 hours straight - so now mommy is all smiles too! This is wonderful compared to the 3 or 4 or 10 she used to wake up before.

It's amazing to me how quickly babies grow and learn. Vanna is already spoiled because she throws a fit when she's set down. We always give in because she's such a cuddle bug and that goes away too fast. We also give in because when she gets mad-she gets mad and immediately turns bright red and hardly breathes from crying so hard. Of course it all shuts off when you pick her up. Is it too early for her to be having mood swings :)? Regardless of her temper and impatience we love her to death and are so happy she's a part of our little family!

It's Official

Well, it's official - Ty is a pharmacist!!! Ty had to take two tests to obtain his pharmacy license. He took his law test last week and his Naplex this week. A person has to at least get a 75 on each test to pass. Ty received his results from the law test late last week - he got an 85! And he got his results from the Naplex yesterday in the mail - are you ready for this - he got a 139! So he got his license in the mail and had his first day at work as a pharmacist yesterday which he said went pretty well.

I'm sure it's only natural to worry about how you did and Ty definitely did, but me and the kids had no doubt he had done well. After seeing the results of this last test, Ty's words were, "I smoked those tests." - yes he did. We are so proud. Just wanted to share the news.

Happy Father's Day

Ty is an amazing multi-tasker. He makes being a great husband, father, provider, etc. look easy. I don't know how he does it. He goes to work all day and then comes home to study for his tests (to obtain his license) and somehow still finds time to spend with his kids and me. He has this cool laid back personality that can somehow handle it all. Thank goodness for that personality - it calms me down when I never stop worrying about everything and "get my panties in a bunch" as my step-dad would say.:) I am a better person with him than I ever was alone - he completes me. Anyway, I appreciate all Ty does for me and our family and wanted to wish him Happy Father's Day again.

We spent our Father's Day at church of course and then simply taking it easy. Ty was able to take a break and just enjoy the kids - and even take a nap with Vanna. This doesn't happen very often as I mentioned all that Ty has to do above. Cash helped me pick out one of those cards that plays music (he's facsinated with those) to give his dad along with a level that Ty has been wanting.

Later, we hung up a couple pictures on our walls. Cash was driving us crazy by getting into everything such as the tape. Ty found a solution to this problem as you can see below. He thinks it's comical to torture poor Cash. Cash was rolling around the floor trying to somehow free his arms from the tape. It actually was pretty comical.

Then we played outside and enjoyed the amazing weather. It was a good day and I think Ty had a good time.

Cash: These Are A few Of My Favorite Things

Cash is a typical little boy I think-one of his favorite things is to be outside where he can run around, ride his bike and play in the dirt. Cash was helping me pull a few weeds from our yard on Thursday and he found a little puddle in a corner of the yard that doesn't see as much sun as the rest. I didn't realize it was even there or that that was what he was sitting in until I heard splashing. By that time it was too late so I let him enjoy himself. When it was time to go in he was soaked from head to toe and covered in mud. Cash got to take two baths that day.

Cash has discovered bugs this week-spiders in particular. While playing outside he's come across a couple spiders and tries to touch them. He thinks it's funny when they scurry away from him so fast. Yuck! Like I said: typical boy I think.

Another favorite of Cash's is playing with his dad. By the end of the day I think Cash is bored with me and I become chopped liver when his dad gets home. He runs to Ty when he comes in the door and won't hardly let Ty put him down. When Ty finally does get to put him down Cash follows him everywhere (even into the bathroom). It's been hard for Ty to get his studying in without ignoring Cash but that will all be over after today - YES!

Cash loves his new basketball hoop and anything to do with balls. It's funny though - he'll hold one ball and beg his dad to shoot another ball while he just sits and watches. I guess he thinks his dad is pretty entertaining as well. Cash loves to play hide and seek with his dad too but I think it's because Ty is so loud and good at scaring Cash when he gets found.

For a while now Cash has been facinated with walking around in "big kid" shoes. Our house usually has several pairs of shoes lying around that he's been scooting around in and is finished playing with. He also loves to put things in his pocket (which makes doing the laundry even more fun). His favorite thing is to put a couple coins in his pocket and hear them jingle as he walks around.

Cash walks around with his hands in his pocket all the time now. I think he looks like such a stud in this picture!

Cash is just plain entertaining and definitely one of our favorite things. He is getting too big too fast. He is finally getting a little taller and finally getting his K-9 teeth - all four at the same time. He is such a good big brother - he likes to throw Vanna's diapers away and hold her bottle for her. We just love the adorable kid to death!

Cash's 2nd Birthday

I know we celebrated Cash's birthday with family before we moved but it didn't seem right not to do something on his actual birthday so...we made another cake and did it all over again.

Cash actually did really well on the "blowing out the candle" bit (but not before stealing a taste of the frosting). He followed his dad's lead and did it all by himself (although it wasn't hard enough to actually blow out the candle completely).

Vanna even got in on the celebration - well kind of. :)

He had a huge piece of cake but wanted to get down to play with his new toy before finishing it - no surprise there.

James and Orillia had sent Cash some money for a birthday gift so we got him this basketball hoop. Cash's friend Carson, in Pocatello, had one like it and whenever Cash went there to play - he played with the basketball hoop.

Ty set up the hoop while Cash was taking a nap after church. When he woke up and he saw the hoop he whispered "oh" and left his mouth open in the oh position (that's the best explanation I've got) and looked at me with a look of complete joy on his face mixed with a question of "is that really for me?" It was perfect. He has played and played with that thing since.



I think Cash had a good time and enjoyed his birthday #2. I can't believe two years has gone by. He's not our little baby anymore, in more ways than one. We didn't know we could be so happy and enjoy our kids so much.

Moving Day

Next on our agenda was: Move to Payette. The week following Ty's graduation, we spent our time boxing up our little apartment, although our apartment didn't seem so small when it filled so many boxes. My mom came in to help us with the chore and of course, Cash thought he was our helper as well. Here he's climbed into the empty cupboards - he was having a great time.

I also just had to let my mom hold and enjoy Vanna for a minute cuz soon she wasn't going to have that chance so often.

Our good friends and neighbors, the Nelsons, helped us load the Uhaul the day before take off. Then we headed over to the Carlsons to do one of my favorite things - socialize (I think it's a girl thing.) We had dinner with the bishopric and their families and enjoyed every minute of it. We're leaving so many good friends and people.

Moving day was Friday, May 16th. We said our goodbyes (which was especially rough with my mom - it was hard to leave her) and were off.

(Ah yes, you'll see I got a perm and I actually like it. It's easier to do which is helpful now that I'm getting two kids ready in the morning.)



Ty's parents drove up to Payette with us and helped us unload the truck. The drive went much better than I had expected with two little ones - thanks in large part to the portable DVD player we got for Cash. He was enertained with 101 Dalmations for half the trip. We got to Payette at about 5 pm and unloaded the truck. We realized we didn't have water just minutes too late for the city to come turn it on for us so we were without water for the weekend - that was fun. Anyway,we were all exhausted by the end of the day.


Saturday we went and bought a washer and dryer (oh gosh, it's so nice to finally have our own) and a refrigerator and entertainment center (to fit Ty's big screen TV one day - hopefully we can get it for him this month - it is supposed to be his graduation present). We also enjoyed a little drive as we showed James and Orillia around the area and where Ty will be working. Our friends in Fruitland - the only people we knew here - let us use their shower thank goodness and we made it through the weekend on bottled water.

So many goodbyes! Sunday we said farewell to Ty's parents but not before taking some pictures. We are so grateful they could help us out with our big move.




Above is a picture of our kitchen and below are some pictures of the outside of our new house - how exciting!!! We'll get some pictures posted of the inside once we get a little situated.

A Triple Header

We had a packed weekend before we moved. Ty graduated May 10th and on May 11th we blessed Vanna. We wanted to bless her in Pocatello before we moved even though Vanna was still so new and tiny - to do it in the ward we had grown to love so much and also so that it would be easier for family to attend.

I truly don't think I've ever heard a better blessing given by a father to his sweet daughter (but I'm sure I'm biased). Ty truly did an amazing job. Vanna behaved well during the blessing. We didn't hear a peep from her and of course she was beatiful in her long white dress and big white bow.

Cash is kissing Vanna's head here, we just didn't catch it real great. He has been so good with Vanna. We haven't had a single jealousy episode yet. He just likes to pet her and kiss her head. When he hears her crying he'll say, "uh oh" and run to her where he then says, "hi Nanna". I've been so pleased with the way he's so easily taken on the role of big brother. Cash is such a blessing and joy in our lives - now Vanna is too.

After Vanna's blessing we had a luncheon outside our apartment where we celebrated her arrival and blessing day, as well as Cash's birthday and my mom's retirement. Cash's birthday wasn't for another couple weeks but I wanted him to feel special and be with his cousins one last time before we left. So we had cake and ice cream. Him and his cousins dug right in. Cash loved the marshmallows and skittles on the cake. Cash got a couple books from family and we got him his first bike. He loved to sit and tip-toe his way around the playground on any bike he could find outside so we thought he'd love his own bike - we were right.

Like the title says - we had a triple header. We also celebrated my mom's retirement. We were a little early on this celebration as well but again, our family wanted to do something for her before we moved. She had taught for 33 years and we figured she deserved some recognition. She also got a cake and each of us kids provided her with a new updated family picture to display on her new shelf Tab's building for her. We also got her a nice set of lugguge to accompany her on her trip to Nauvoo. That's what her and Tab are doing to celebrate her retirement (and Tab got her a new sewing machine - he spoils her - but that's what we like).

I have been so blessed to have such an amazing mom! She took care of me beyond anything I could have expected while I was on bedrest and trying to take care of Vanna in the hospital. She and Tab watched Cash several times, she took care of all my household responsibilities like cleaning and laundry. I counted and I didn't do a load of laundry for 8 weeks! She made many meals for us, did my grocery shopping, oh she just did oodles. I couldn't have asked for a better mom. She made it hard to leave makes it very hard for me to be away. We have so many to thank in our families and ward for all their love and help through our ordeal as well! We thank you and love you!

Graduation-It Finally Came

Ty finally graduated!!! The big day was May 10, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. He will be so embarrassed that I posted this stuff but I have to brag him up a bit. I couldn't be more proud of Ty. He's accomplished so much more than I know I could have done. His schooling was so hard and required so much. Ty did it so well too - he made the dean's list every semester of pharmacy school and so he graduated with high honors. He also received an award the night before graduation, at a pharmacy banquet dinner, for communications while doing his rotations. We plan to hang his diploma and award up in our new house - now I just have to decide where.

Ty had been going to school for 8 1/2 years so graduation day had been long awaited. I thought he deserved a congratulatory kiss!

Doesn't he look good in all that get up? One set of cords is for his high honors and the other is for his membership in Rho Chi.

Yes, Vanna was there to watch her daddy graduate. Where we were due with her so closely to Ty's graduation date we were really wondering how things were going to work out and just hoped she wouldn't come while I should be watching him "walk the walk" for graduation.

We left Cash with our amazing friends, the Jepsons rather than make him suffer through the 4 hours or so that it took to get through all the graduates. He had much more fun playing with his friends Carson and McKenzie. This was just one of countless times the Jepsons saved us with their generosity and help. We will miss them since we won't be so close anymore. We also got to see some of our other friends graduate - Crystal Roskelley, Anton Nelson and Ryder Carson.

Ty's mom and dad and my mom and stepdad were also there with Vanna and I to watch Ty graduate and celebrate his accomplishment. In fact, Ty's parents took us to Sizzler afterwards to eat - Yum!

We're just so glad this day has come!