DESPERATE TO DECORATE

I really miss decorating my cakes and cookies. I know I really don't have the time right now to do it, but I keep looking up pictures on the internet and there are some amazing ideas out there that I want to try out. Don't these all look so great. One day I'll get around to it.

I NEED HELP!

Okay, I know I had some help getting the cool background on my blog. Well, I really want to change it because I see so many cute ones you guys have. Well, I need help. Yes, I am blogger wallpaper challenged. If anyone is willing to take the time to help a girl out, I'd really appreciate it!

MESA TEMPLE

Yesterday afternoon we headed over to Mesa to check out the temple. It was 114 degrees outside and after we got there I thought it might have been a mistake. It's not like I could just take my 2 month old son out for a stroll around the temple grounds in this heat. But we decided to walk around it and found the visitor's center. It was open and even better it was air conditioned. We went inside. I am so glad we went. A couple of nice sisters showed us around and we saw an exhibit on the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Then we watched the Joseph Smith movie. I loved it and balled. It was so moving and I felt the spirit so strong. It was a great experience for our family and I can't wait to go back there soon. Here are a few pictures we took at the temple. I'm never in any pictures because I'm always the one taking them...

DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT

I took Calvin to the doctor's today for his 2 month check up. He's doing really good except for an annoying blocked tear duct. He weighed in at 12 pounds 14 ounces. Yep he's a moose. And he is 23 inches long. Then came the nasty shots. He got three. And he screamed pretty good. Afterwards mom and he had a pretty good cry together. We've pretty much chilled the rest of the day, taking it easy watching movies and just got back from an evening walk. Overall a pretty good day (minus some tears).

THUMB

So the other day, I walked in to Calvin's room to check on him. He's gotten used to his crib and doesn't even cry anymore when I put him down to take a nap. He usually kicks off the blanket first thing (hates them aparently). But this time it was so funny. He scooted himself all the way to the corner of the crib, his blanket off (of course), knees up and his THUMB in his mouth. He was just sucking away. Aparently he's found a new toy and is in love with it. But for now he only seems to suck his thumb when he is sleeping. We'll see how this all plays out. But here are a few pics of the awesome Calvin and his yummy thumb.

FAMILY PHOTOS

I wasn't able to post these when we first got here to Arizona. Misty took some fabulous pictures for us before we left california. These are a few of my favorites. There are so many good ones. thanks Misty

NIECE

My new little niece, Madalynn, was born yesterday morning. She weighed 7 pounds 8 ounces and is 20 inches long. I can't wait to meet her and hold her. Isn't she precious?!

HE'S GOT SKILLS

Calvin is learning to sit up and lift his head using his arms. you go buddy. it's not perfect yet but it's a start. it's amazing what they didn't do one day, they can the next!

Calvin really likes his play time. His mat is his favorite toy. he loves to look at the lights and kick the rattle at the other end. But he can only be there for about 10 minutes before he gets bored and cranky.

EXERCISING

Calvin is getting to be very active. His favorite exercise is kicking his little legs.

A FUN MORNING

Today, Joe finally started his job in the Air Force. Since arriving at Luke AFB Joe has done training and gone to briefings for several weeks. Tonight, he started the swing shift. It started at 9 pm this evening and goes to about 5 in the morning. But he said it could change to 4 pm to midnight (which I would like a lot better and I think he would too). So, we had the whole day to spend together, which was nice. Calvin had fun too.

Calvin and his daddy (happy belated father's day hun)

Joe has so much fun with Calvin. Here he is trying to get Calvin to make funny faces. I don't think he was having as much fun as his dad was.

Here is Calvin flexing those huge muscles

This is my favorite. Can you say Elvis Presley?!? "Thank ya, thank ya very much"

It's a bird...it's a plane...it's SUPER BABY!!!!!!

We sure do love you little man. You bring us such joy and many laughs too

ZOO ADVENTURES

When Janelle came to visit last week, we decided to check out the near by Wild Life Park. It was a lot of fun. We saw tons of beautiful birds, fun monkeys and lots more. Then this saturday, we were going to go to the flea market in Phoenix, but when we got there, it was closed. So, we used our handy dandy little gps system and found yet another zoo to check out (it was the closest and cheapest thing we could find). That zoo was also great. They had a larger selection of the big animals like elephants and rhinos. Here are some fun pictures that captured the days.

Here we are as a cute family outside the park
A cute capuchin monkey. He was so interactive and playful.....

He even grabbed Joe's hand!

This ostrich was hilarious. It kept opening its mouth over and over again like it was trying to attack us through the fence.

Here's Calvin ready to check out the zoo.

My sister, Janelle, and I outside the aquarium.

Feeding the giraffes was another big highlight of the zoo. Except for their scratchy and slimey tongues

This was at the Phoenix zoo. I love the giraffes in the backround!

CALVIN 7 WEEKS OLD

Well, I think my little Calvin is definitely the cutest thing ever. He is so precious and makes me smile. I love that he is starting to interact more and I just can't get enough of him. Here are some fun Calvin facts. He is 7 weeks old. He can hold his head up pretty good, but only for a short while. His favorite toys are his swing and his little play mat that has a light that plays music. His favorite pass times are eating and sleeping. He likes to smile and coo. He loves it when his daddy carries him around the house. Calvin loves bath time. He doesn't like to fall asleep on his own, but is learning to do so despite that fact. He is my little cuddle bug and I just love him. Here are a few of my favorite pictures.



This one is hilarious. He looks like he's posing for the picture.

Okay, here's my favorite. You just can't help but smile when you see this picture.

I'm not sure what this face was all about but I love it.

Joe likes to let his hair go all wild after bath time and so it ends up being a wild mess most of the time. I love it though.

Janelle and Iattempted the whole faux hawk thing with little man, but it totally curled over. So cute

Another cute photo

Bath time!!! Look at that belly

Playing on his matt. fun fun fun

He loves to sleep on our bed

Another great shot of the the belly

Finally Got the Internet

Okay, I've been dying because I've had to use the internet at the library for the past few weeks. Well, we finally got it today so now I will be able to stay more up to date on everything. And big bonus....I will be able to post pictures. I have so many that I want to post. So, it may take me a while to get it all done. What did we ever do before the age of the internet, I'll never know.

THINGS ARE GOING GOOD

Well, it's been a week since I've been on to post anything. Things are going good as you can tell from the title of my post. Just need to unpack a few more boxes and we'll be DONE!!!! Calvin is doing good. He turned six weeks yesterday. He is getting so big. We weighed him last week and he was over 11 1/2 pounds. Way to go little man!!! He is also sleeping pretty well through the night. Thanks Tami for the book, it's been helping me out a lot (especially when I want to give in). I wish we had our computer so I could post a bunch of pictures, but I'm still having to use the computer in the library on base. We went to a BBQ on Sunday after church. Joe and some of his married buddies at work decided it would be fun to get all of the couples together to meet and have fun. It was great. Met some cool girls. They are married, but so very young. They have kids under a year, so I'm excited to have some friends for Calvin to play with when he gets a bit older. My sister Janelle comes to visit us this weekend. She'll be here for a few days and then will go up to cali to visit the parents. I'm so excited for her to come. Don't know what we'll do yet. Doing good on the whole weight loss thing as well. I've exercised everyday except sunday and have lost 2 pounds!!!! Yay. hope I can keep it up. I've found that rewards work wonders. So, that's what i've been doing to stay motivated. We are going to the Mesa Temple this weekend. I'm looking forward to going there with Joe and Calvin. It will be a fun day I'm sure. Last thing to post is I am trying to get into this program here that the Red Cross does. It is a dental assistant program. Basically if you get in, they send you to a dental office where you would internship for 6 months. The on-the-job training will then qualify you to take the exam to get you certified to be a dental assistant. It's all for free thanks to the military. Basically they have a lot of these programs here for the spouces. I'm hoping to get in. I could kick myself for never getting my bachelor's degree. I have my AA, and I love doing cakes. But I want something I can fall back on. The prophets are always telling us to get more education and that is what I plan on doing. Hope I get in.

MOTIVATED

Okay, so today I started working out. I haven't been really motivated until now because, well, I was preggers, then getting used to being a mommy, then moved out of state, then had to unpack everything. So, today was the BIG day. I'm now ready to begin losing weight. Yeah, I didn't really think I would post this, but I could use all of the encouragement I can get. Besides, it makes me accountable to more people than just myself, and I feel like that would be more motivation. I have many reasons why I want to lose weight. First and formost-for my health. I know what being overweight can do to your body and I don't want to have lots of complications when I get older. Second, for my son. I want to be able to get on the floor and play with him and run around and coach a soccer team or two. I don't want to be the down and out mom who can't keep up with her kids (no fun). Third, I just want to feel better about myself. I know appearence isn't everything, but it's something. And to get out of maternity clothes (for a start) is so appealing to me. Fourth, I'm in a wedding next fall and I wan't to come back and just WOW everyone. Maybe that is a little bit vain and all but well, it's the truth. My plan is to do weight watchers. it worked for me in the past. also, i am walking in the morning with Calvin and in the evenings with joe. I want to throw in an exercise video here and there to get me started. So wish me luck everyone. I'll keep you updated on my progress.

106

106...that was today's temperature as I drove to the library this afternoon. pretty crazy. can't wait for summer to come along.