Finally playing together

After Xander was born, Mena would treat him like he has the plague or something.  He loves her so much and finally she is playing with him and I love it.  Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of times when she steals his toys and yells at him for playing with her things.  Her favorite thing to say is "my turn", because I always tell her to give him a turn.

Xander just loves Mena.  He follows her everywhere.  She'll run down the hall and he'll crawl after her.  My favorite thing was this past Sunday, I woke up to them laughing in their room.  She loves to make him laugh now.  She'll crouch down in her bed or around a corner and pop out at him and he'll laugh.

Xander has been trying to hard to pull up and stand, I think it's because he wants to chase after his sister.



He often falls a lot because of this.  He is a lot more brave than Mena was.  He tries to stand with everything and this usually causes him to fall and bonk his head.  He's getting better though, I swear he'll be walking by a year.  To me, that is amazing since Mena didn't start walking until she was 19 months.

Projects

I have been really using the Internet lately to learn how to do stuff.  The home we live in has a lot of walls...a lot.  I love photos, whether I took them or they are old family ones.  I embarked on a photo project. 

I wanted to do all white frames, with black and white photos inside, but I wanted to distress the frames.  Some I did crackle and added embellishments.  When I went to home depot, they didn't have the normal crackle paint I used, so I got the Martha Stewart one that sort of goes on like a putty.

The other frames I wanted that old wood look.  I've bought things that were distressed like this, put I never knew how it was done.  It is so easy!

First, I used paints that were also primer.  Behr has those types of paint.  I painted the frame in a blueish grey.  Once it was dry I took a candle stick and rubbed it on the frame, especially on the edges.  The wax is very important, it creates like a barrier.  I then painted the frame white and waited for it to dry.  Once is was dry I took fine sandpaper and rubbed the areas that I had rubbed with the candle.  Once you see the under color, stop sanding or you'll sand that part off too.  That's all there is to it.  If you want three colors showing, you would do the same process again with the candle and the sandpaper after the third coat was dry.

This is the wall thus far.  They are all family photos, from both Nick and my side.  I plan on adding more.  Also, I love those 3m sticky things for hanging photos.  I was afraid that I was going to have to make a ton of holes with nails, but I didn't have to.

Next project is making circle skirts and tutus, because Mena is always asking to wear a tutu.



Saying Goodbye

So our good friends Sarah and Jeff left for Ohio.  It was a sad day when we said goodbye, but it's not like they won't be coming back...all their family lives here (for the most part).  Also, thank goodness for Skype, I love it.

I think Sarah is going to miss my kids more than me, lol.  She has been there since they were born though.  I refer to them as Aunt Sarah and Uncle Jeff.  Our kids just love them to pieces.  Mena gets so excited when I tell her that Sarah is on the phone or Skype.

They are safe in Ohio and I'm excited for the adventure they are going on.  I'm not going to lie, I cried when she left, but this gives me an excuse to go visit in Ohio.

7 Years

Today is our 7 year wedding anniversary.  Wow, I can't believe that it's been 7 years.  We look like babies in the photo above; well we kind of were.  I was twenty and Nick was twenty-two when we got married.

We met after my freshman year of college at ASU.  He had been home a couple months from his mission and I was working because I couldn't afford tuition at ASU.  I didn't like him at first.  He was not my typical type.  We met bowling because during the week it only cost a dollar a game and we were all poor; he was a friend of a friend.

I kissed him after knowing him 3 days, never did I think we would be engaged six weeks later.  I know..crazy.  Back home in CT, that is like unheard of, but not so much out west.  We were engaged for 7 months and then married in the Mesa Temple.

We've gone through a lot, lost a lot and endured some crappy things in the past 7 years, but we've accomplished more.  We've brought two amazing kids into this world.  Even though I call Nick some days begging to know when he'll be home, I love them. 

Since we've been married, I've earned 3 degrees and Nick soon we'll be the first in his family to finish college.  We've grown-up a lot and have become stronger people.  He may not be as mellow as he use to be, but I've softened a lot.

He is my best friend.  He drives me nuts, makes me laugh, grosses me out, listens to 'girl talk', encourages me and puts up with me.  I love him and thankful for him.

Memorial Day

Memorial Day for me is kind of bitter sweet. I love spending time with my family, eating, swimming and just enjoying the day...but I miss home. Nick and I talked about the term "home" the other day. Right now, I'm sitting in my home typing on my computer, but at the same time my parents is home as well. I miss Memorial Day back in CT. I grew up in a town, that wasn't too big or too small. The city I live in now is like the size of Rhode Island and I'm not kidding. I miss the Memorial Day parade. When I was little I use to go down towards Choate (prep school near downtown) and sit on the grass with my sister Dee and our neighbors Tim and Kate, and watch the parade. When I got older I marched in the same parade. There are a lot of great memories associated with Memorial Day. We had a fun time here though.

Anyone notice what Mena is doing in the background?

On Sunday, Nick smoked ribs and his parents and grandparents came over.

Monday we went to Nick's brother's house for some food and swimming in the pool.

Now, there are pictures of me from Monday, but I refuse to put them on here. I've always hated being in a bathing suite, but then seeing a picture of me in one was just horrible. I can't believe I'm going to type this, but I am going to start my goal of weight loss. Putting it out there, makes me feel some what responsible to go through with this.

College Widow

I know the title "college widow" sounds very strange, but that is how I feel.  Nick had about a week off and he is back to school at nights.  Nick works a very labor intensive job all day long and goes to school at night.  Today it was 108, needless to say he came home smelling fantastic.  He's going to school for engineering.  We are huge supporters of education, I have 2 bachelors and a masters.



I can't wait until Nick is done with school.  I joke with him that I'm a single mom because there are days when our kids don't get to see him.  Tonight was his first day of summer school and after he left, it went nuts in our house.  It started with Mena only eating bbq sauce for dinner and then I gave her yogurt so she would eat something....it got all over her.  It was close to bed time, so she ran around in her diaper.

I tried skyping with my parents and had to contend with Xander's drool, Moose (our dog) trying to jump on the table and then Mena decided to take all the wipes out of the container.  She had a huge pile, showed me them and called it a pillow.  She then sat on the floor and covered her whole body in wipes.  Very soon after, Xander started crying and so did Moose.

Xander before he started crying

I'm glad that Nick is back at school and will some day be done, but in the mean time....it sucks.

Sarah

I moved out to Arizona almost 9 years ago....I can't believe how fast time goes.  I told my mom on the phone today that I never thought I would be here this long.  Almost 8 years ago I met my best friend Sarah.


This was from our trip to CT in July 2009



We have really been through a lot together.  She was there when I met my husband and really helped me with that wedding.  We've had to endure a lot and I won't air it to the world because she knows.

I think we've grown-up a lot together as well.  When we met I was only 19 and she was 18; both still trying to figure out how to be away from home and on our own.  We both can have feisty personalities and we use to get into the dumbest arguments, but we've sort of out grown that.

She was there when I had Mena and I mean literally there.  Sarah held my left leg during labor.  I know some people may think that's crazy, but I am so thankful she was there.  Nick would either hold my leg like a limp noodle or shove my knee into my face, but Sarah was perfect.  And after they whisked Mena away to the NICU, she was the only one with me in the room.

I introduced her to her wonderful husband Jeff who I use to work with (which I remind her of all the time and tell her that one of their children must be named after me).  I am so glad that they got married, because they are amazing together.

Yesterday I found out that they are going to be moving to Ohio.  When Sarah called and told me, it took everything I had not to cry on the phone.  It is an amazing opportunity for them and I am happy for them, but I am going to miss her like crazy.  She has been such a blessing, an inspiration and a great friend to me.  I could call her and beg her to come bring me sanity at night because Nick was at school and the kids were driving me crazy.  She would always come and be there to help.  I refer to her as Aunt Sarah to my kids, because she loves them like they are her flesh and blood.  Ohio is getting two great people.

Basically, I love you Sarah and I know it's not like we are never going to see each other again.  But I will miss our shopping trips, braving the groceries stores and the chance for our children to grow-up with one another.  I am blessed to have you in my life.  Thank goodness for cell phones and skype!