Keeping Up With The Rodebacks

AMRG Christmas Party

2012-01-10T22:08:00.004-07:00

I know this post is way late, but better than never I suppose. This year for my company's Christmas party we went to La Caille in Salt Lake. I had never heard of the place before, but it was gorgeous! There were Christmas lights strung in the trees lining the long, romantic pathway with an ice sculpture at the end. Also I am pretty sure this was my first experience with valet parking. I wanted so badly to reenact my favorite valet movie line from Baby Mamma where Carl hands the doorman a dollar, but I was in a nice dress so I thought better of acting white trash.
The absolute best part about this party was the photo booth...and my man's girl face. Not necessarily in that order.

And maybe we made out for a minute.

And naturally we had a party with as many people as we could fit in there!

Josh's helmet is made from one side of my Viking breast plate.

And I had to have some girl time with my bestie, Rach!

But I had to strangle Josh first.

And Broc second.
Just two happy lil' raindeer!

This picture is my personal favorite as it shows off my six chins quite nicely.

Josh was trying to steal the lime light and pushed me off his lap right as the picture was taking. Overall it was an AWESOME night!

Christmas!!!

2011-12-30T19:03:00.008-07:00

Christmas was so much fun with our two crazy boys! First we:

Wrestled with polar bears...

Rocked the night away...

Squeezed into a drum...

Pretended to have hooves...

and pranced around in the grass.

Then we:

Boycotted bath time...

Found our Christmas Eve pajamas...

Drug Mr. Monk into the fun...

And wore him like a scarf.

Finally we:

Acted like hooligans...

Jumped an unsuspecting daddy...

Stole Santa's cookie when no one was looking...

Played like Little Drummer Boy...

Pouted when we couldn't play Wii all day...

Ate some Christmas wreaths...

Wondered where all the snow is...?

Lined up from youngest to oldest...

Were jealous of how much Santa loves Kayli...

Pretended to smile because Daddy was smiling...

Cried at the beauty of an iphone...

Reenacted The Grinch...

Opened some presents...

Ransacked a local restaurant...

With our favorite engaged couple...

Merry Christmas!! I hope you all had as much fun as we did!

T-Rex

2011-12-11T18:11:00.003-07:00

I have been wanting to do a post about Traevan for a while, partly because Asher posts are over-running my blog and also because Traevan is just plain awesome. I have been thinking a lot about my time with Trae. Somehow he has managed to squeeze me into his life since he was one and a half. I find myself comparing the things Asher is doing right now to the things Traevan did when Josh and I first started dating.

Some things that always, always blew my mind about Traevan is that he was and still is the cleanest child I have ever encountered. Even at one and a half he would blow his own nose and wash his hands several times a day. He rarely made a sound and would crawl around picking crumbs off the floor. He was also incredibly content sitting in his car seat, stroller, grocery cart, and I never once saw him protest having his diaper changed. We go through rolls of paper towels when he is over. I once told him when he was playing in the sand that it was ok to be dirty because he seemed so conflicted. He ran around the rest of the day telling everyone "It's ok to be dirty!!"

When Josh and I first started dating Traevan was definitely shy, but he warmed up to me pretty quickly. We played all day together when we had him, and when Josh and I took him home it just hurt. Traevan didn't seem bothered too much when we got married. He had just turned two, and I think he was young enough he didn't mind. About a year later Traevan's mom remarried, and it definitely shook him up. Since Trae was getting old enough to understand, he became much more possessive of both his mom and dad. Because of this and because I was too pregnant to play anymore, Traevan definitely started to like alone time with Josh which I was fine with.

Trae was completely indifferent to Asher and avoided him at first. In Trae's eyes, Asher was just tiny and made weird noises. Nothing exciting there, but seven months later, when Trae got a new little brother at his mom's house things went south for all of us. He decided he hated me and his newest little brother, never hesitating to tell me so. It was devastating to me. I know every child tells their parent "I hate you!", but it is so much different with a son who is not yours. It hurt so much to love a little boy that you had tried to seamlessly welcome in your life, and he decided after two years to hate you. After a few months, many tantrums and a down-pour of tears from both parents and step-parents, Traevan was fine. He now says he loves both of his brothers and me! Hopefully it will last. Sometimes he prefers Josh and sometimes he prefers me, depending on the activity, but I think his hate toward me is gone for now. I love the time we have with him!

Nowadays he is doing preschool books with his mom. I am getting really excited for the beginning of soccer, baseball and the works! I am also looking forward to him learning to read. I read to both boys as much as I can, but I think it will be really fun when he can read to me and Asher someday. He really likes to read books, do puzzles and play memory games when he is over, but lately he has mastered the Wii. Just Dance, Mario Kart and Smash Brothers are his favorite.

It amazes me how grown up he is. The other day he asked Josh in the car "Dad, when I am 8 will you baptize me?" He also tells us that he is going on a mission when he is 19. Traevan and Asher entertain each other so well, and I love that they are such good buddies! Traevan came up with nicknames and sound effects for all of us which are:

Josh= "J-Dawg Woof, Woof"

Kimber= "K-Money Chaching!"

Traevan= "T-Rex Rawr"

Asher= "A-Bomb Boomb!"

So the point of this post is that I really love the kid.

15 Months!

2011-12-11T15:00:00.003-07:00

Does anyone else disagree with "Terrible Twos"? Traevan was an angel when he was two. Traevan's threes were a different story, but I think Asher's terribles might be one. Like for example, last night we made a trip to Target to look at all the things we are "patiently" waiting to buy for Christmas. We were all in the book section, or so I thought, when I went looking for Asher. Right before I could grab him he pulled, not one, but two glass Christmas trees off the shelf to shatter at his feet. I nearly passed out. Also, he has six teeth coming in at the moment so that may be contributing to his outbursts and independent demands. Or is it the Terrible Ones? I have tried to analyze too much, so if anyone has any teething, one-year old, out-of-control child advice-please share.

At Asher's 15 month appointment he was in the 75% in all three areas. He is definitely a healthy, growing boy. He is still not eating textured table food. I didn't realize he was so behind until his doctor said "If he wants a ham sandwich every day that is fine." Asher is working on chips, graham crackers and cheese tortillas if it is broken up really small. I don't foresee a ham sandwich in his near future. A new activity he really enjoys is pushing our desk chair around the kitchen and getting into silverware, pens, the fridge and the Christmas tree. I really love this stage and am so excited for him to be out of it!

Operation Christmas

2011-12-04T22:08:00.005-07:00

It's the most wonderful time of the year! I had to do a quick update on our holiday festivities!

We started decorating early! Yes, before Thanksgiving. Last year I painted some letters that say Christmas. The boys were nice enough to help, but once they were up Trae wanted to spell other words. And Asher is a big help too! I have given up on decorating until my kids are twenty. I keep telling myself "Just don't get attached to anything in this house because it is all bound to be broken."

Traevan loves to decorate!

And we put up the countdown!

This is the only portion of our tree that is decorated. We quickly found out that anything three feet from the bottom would promptly be ripped off and thrown.

We went to Chris and Nicole's house for Thanksgiving! St. George was really nice weather for our Black Friday shopping. Nicole and I rocked hoodies, pajamas and Ugg Boots, and our husbands decided to mock us for it.

When I finally woke up at noon, we played Just Dance! Brynlee and Traevan snapped pictures the whole time, and this is the best one of me. So you can imagine what the rest of them looked like.

Brynlee is a dancing queen!

And Trae has all the right moves.

Speaking of...on Saturday we went to Breakfast with Santa at UVU, and Traevan broke it down while we were waiting in line. The kid was born to be a break dancer.

You may be asking yourself "Does she ever get a real picture of those boys?"

Nope.

All smiles, no tears! I was super happy! I was standing by the camera man trying to get Asher to look at anything but the bell on Santa's wrist. He finally looked up, put on a big cheesy grin and stared at Santa instead of me. It was more of a terrified smile than anything, and we all busted up laughing!

Oh and have I mentioned I CAN'T WAIT FOR CHRISTMAS?!?

Food Poisoning?

2011-11-15T20:05:00.003-07:00

Well, we are not positive it was food poisoning, but the odds are likely. I must say, I am so glad that Josh and I were sick together. Knowing we were miserable together made it less miserable. Sunday night Josh and I both started feeling queezy, and by midnight Josh was throwing up while I covered my ears and tried to get Asher to sleep. At 2am Josh rolled out of bed and bolted for the bathroom again. I sat up in bed and felt my stomach churn, but I thought for sure it wouldn't happen. I have only thrown up once that I can remember. About twenty minutes later I started feeling it, and I completely panicked.

Kimber: "Josh I really don't feel good."

Josh: "It's ok. You'll feel better after you throw up."

Kimber: "How do I do it?"

Josh: "You hug the toilet and hold on tight!"

Kimber: "I'm scared!"

Josh: "You can do it!"

Kimber: "I don't know how!"

Josh: "Just grab the toilet!"

And then it happened. For about five minutes. (I might be exaggerating a little bit.) Instead of following Josh's instructions I turned my head to the tub instead, and with every in between breath I caught I screamed "Josh, I am scared!" while he tried to hide from the noise outside the bathroom door. Finally, he couldn't handle the sound anymore and came rushing in.

I warned, "Josh, do not look in the tub."

Naturally, Josh looked in the tub and instantly hurled to his knees while I ran and hid outside the door. It almost seemed choreographed.

And it is a lot funnier now than it was at the time.

Familyness

2011-11-06T22:12:00.003-07:00

I like the suffix "ness". It fully describes the essence of what I am trying to convey, and I am super lazy with titles tonight. I thought I would do a quick family update!

For our anniversary Josh and I went to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple and did sealings! It was really amazing because I haven't done sealings since Josh and I were sealed on our wedding day. We had so much fun, and it made for an incredibly special day! Afterwards we went to Captain America and Red Lobster. At the end of it all, I realized we had no pictures so our waiter took this one for us. I must have eaten a lot because it looks like I have 20 pounds of shoulder in this picture.

Asher and I like to spoon at the end of a long, hard day. Unfortunately, our couch in tiny and Asher gets dangerously close to falling off. It's the only way to get him to sleep in a non-traumatizing way, but it works on me too!

We have a really- I mean incredibly- difficult time getting Traevan to eat. We have to micromanage every bite and spend half our day convincing him there are other tasty foods besides chicken nuggets and pop tarts. So one day Grandma and Grandpa Rodeback took us out to eat at the mall, and Traevan wanted pizza. I knew he would take three bites, want to go play and eat candy the rest of the day, so I did what any parent would do. I bribed him. $5 to eat the whole slice! As you can see...he did it, and now I know he will do just about anything for money. Concerned? Yes.

Asher has good taste in lingerie.

I was in a pinch for a babysitter one day, and luckily Michelle stepped in to save the day! Sadly, Michelle and Asher were in a car accident on their way home. The girl slammed into the side of her car and swung around to hit the front. Luckily, nothing too serious, but it shook us all up pretty bad! The girl who hit them took off so she must have been ok. Anyway, we are just so glad they are both ok, and that Michelle took such good care of Asher. Car accidents freak me out.

Asher is kind of a little terror these days! Regardless, I still do not understand the people who say "When they are mobile, it's all over." I love that Asher can crawl and walk, discover and explore, create havoc and panic. It warms my heart and keeps me on my toes!

I just thought this picture was hilarious. Traevan is growing up so much! He can beat me at Mario Kart on the Wii, and he informed us tonight that he wants sisters at both houses since he already has brothers. Good to know, but I love watching our boys play and fight with each other. It cracks me up every time!

Asher is now feeding himself which is adorable and a nightmare! I am constantly scrubbing him and a five foot radius around his high chair. It's hard not to wonder how much food is actually getting and staying in his mouth.

This is one of the many costume ideas Josh had but didn't make the cut, partly because he could not commit to a costume! I kind of gave up on the costumes, and then he literally showed up on Halloween night with horns and a go-t. Just in time! Anyway, Josh is now working for the State as an employment specialist which basically helps people with disabilities find employment. We have both been loving it because he is getting great experience! And he just registered for his LAST SEMESTER at UVU this week! We are ecstatic!

Halloweenness

2011-11-06T20:57:00.008-07:00

Have I ever explained how much I love the holidays? I'm not talking just Easter and Christmas; I mean all of them. Any reason to do something out of the ordinary gets me excited! Halloween is no exception! I really had to be selective in my choice of pictures because we had so much fun! Below is documented: Carving pumpkins and carameling apples, my work Halloween potluck party, and trick-or-treating with the family!

Trae was not sure what to think about the pumpkin insides.

Josh was getting handy with the knife!

Michelle and I made carameled apples with orange, white-chocolate drizzle! Oh and a plain ol' apple on a stick for me.

Lickety-lick

Eddie, my adopted brother-in-law, received more than a carameled apple that day...a Sharpie, red mustache compliments of Bo!

Mmm, mmm, mmm. Anyone jealous of mine? I didn't think so. I don't even like apples, but I wanted to feel included.

Traevan chewed all the caramel off of his. Success!

Part 2: AMRG Party

The party clan!

The Wicked Witches, both East and West, got their revenge on Dorthy that day.

Hey look! I found Waldo!

Just hangin out with the Home Wrecker and Tinkerbell.

The Real Housewives of Jersey made an appearance!

I get to work with Malibu Beach Ken!

And my best friend ever, Mrs. Frizzle! Let's go on a field trip!

Part 3: Trick-or-Treat

Traeven got to trick-or-treat with his mom this year and transformed into Bumble Bee!

Don't be fooled. The hat is part of my costume. Josh was Satan or a Mormon if you are one of the many who believe Mormon's have horns.

Baby Skeleton and Aunt Nikki

I tried super hard to paint Asher's face. Fail. As soon as I put the black around his eyes he started rubbing them, and shortly we were all covered. I put black in his hair and gave up, but we had so much fun trick-or-treating with the Martins and Baby Ashton! Oops! Apparently I didn't take enough pictures.

Happy Halloween!

TWO YEARS!!!

2011-10-30T22:08:00.003-06:00

Josh and I celebrated two years on October 29th! Do we still have the newlywed spark? Yes we do. Like DYNAMITE!

I can honestly say that each and every day together makes us both better people. I am amazed at how much our personalities have fused and how much fun we have together. I am not saying it is effortless. The opposite really. Josh and I work hard improving our communication and team work every single day, and I am so grateful I married a man willing to work so hard on his degree and career, but mainly on our relationship. I know we always come first in each others eyes, and everything else falls into place. I know we can make it through anything. I love him with all my heart.

Here is to two amazing, crazy years together! And many more to come!

Guess Who Is Walking?!?

2011-10-22T20:33:00.002-06:00

Asher has been taking a few tentative steps for quite a while now, but I didn't consider him "officially" walking until today. He is so much more confident than before! I am so excited! (Sorry that it's sideways.)

A Trip to the Reservation!

2011-10-15T12:11:00.006-06:00

My company does life-flight for a large portion of the Navajo Reservation so I held on to the wing of the corporate plane and headed to Chinle, Arizona.

Don't judge! I am a paper pusher and am easily amused.

During one of our many flights that day, the co-pilot door popped open. All of us office ladies were freaking out, but as soon as we realized everything was fine I had to snap some pictures. Melodi had to try and hold it shut for about an hour until we could land. All the while her hair blew out the door and the rainstorm we were flying through soaked her!

The reason for the trip? Four years ago one of our life-flight teams was flying to Colorado to pick up a patient, and tragically they never made it. One team member, Dana, was a Chinle Native, long-time employee and close friend of many in the company. Each year we honor their memory by traveling to Chinle, Arizona and cleaning the stretch of highway from the Chinle Hospital to the airport, a stretch of road traveled many times by the entire crew.

Mike- Program Director, Chris- Nurse, Shanon- VP Marketing, Brenda- Nurse

Just a sample of our awesome company!

Dana's family also comes to the cleanup for his memorial. There were a lot of tears and hugs shared between his family and our medical crew. It was so sad but powerful.

Kelli- Nurse, Jill- Nurse, Jen- Dispatch Manager

Quick, off-the-topic story about Jill. When she is not saving lives, she is playing roller derby. Her name? A Cute Trauma- "because I am cute, and I cause pain instantly" Haha! Love it.

Melodi- Executive Assistant

What a poser!

Dana's niece was ready for take off! When we made it back to the airport we had a BBQ!

Speaking of poser...Chris showed us around the life-flight plane! They are much bigger than the little corporate planes. I would love the opportunity to ride in one sometime, but not under the usual circumstances.

During the BBQ our crew was paged out to transport a patient so I was able to see the team in action!

Len- Pilot and Chris-Nurse prepping the plane before the patient arrived.

Melodi and I just enjoyed the ride and scenic view!

I am really grateful for the opportunity I have to travel once in a while for my job. I know I wouldn't be able to otherwise, and it is fun to be able to do so with people who are like family!

Letter

2011-10-15T11:44:00.006-06:00

Somehow the Elders Quorum convinced the Elders to write a letter explaining how they met their wife, etc. I didn't want to lose it so I am putting it here-on our blog/journal for safe keeping. Here is Josh's letter about us!

"Once upon a time Kimberlee Fay Rodeback was born on March 6, 1989.

This cute little girl grew up in Delta and loved her grandmother,

reading, and spending time at the lake. She hoped to one day teach

and inspire people and students and hopefully write a book.

Suddenly she was a young woman and pursued a degree in English and

a career in teaching. However, she stopped short to put her husband

through school. She soon met the man of her dreams---me!

Upon meeting her at a devotional at UVU I remember thinking she is

going to come sit by me because I look good! We spent our first date

mini golfing at Trafalga in Orem; although not the greatest, but the

first of many exciting dates. We were married on October 29, 2009.

Along the way our fairytale grew to include 2 children: Traevan-4 and

Asher-1 with many more to come in the future. My wife's perfect day is

spent with her family at the lake or reading in a quiet place. Her favorite

splurge would be on a bunch of clothes and books. She has all sorts

of talents, including teaching, piano, writing, sports and singing.

She shows she is amazing at every turn by putting her passions

and desires in all she does. I love her now and forever because

she is the woman of my dreams, which has encouraged me

to be the best! And so this darling girl and lucky boy

lived happily ever after!"

-Love Josh

The Tired Tale of Motherhood.

2011-10-08T09:44:00.004-06:00

Now that Asher is one, I am trying to taper down the monthly posts and include the other two boys in my posts more often. Asher is now 13 months and that innate desire, no, NEED to blog is overcoming me. And Asher seems to be the only one I feel the NEED to blog about.

First thing on my agenda is there has been no walking, just steps. Asher only dares to take help-free steps when he is really excited about whatever it is he is headed to like a computer screen or a bath tub. The Spirit must have given him confidence one day at church because he attempted to walk between the aisles. He was doing great until he was trampled by a family of five. Since then, he has been a tad shy about walking.

Instead of walking he has averted all his time and attention to climbing. The boy has to be on top of the tallest thing in the house. His favorite route is to climb onto the couch, then up the back of the couch using the window seal as a step, then onto our kitchen table to play with the laptop and hide his binkie in the candle warmer. You may be wondering if I am in a constant state of panic? Yes, yes I am. There is no stopping the child. He can climb into and out of the bath and on every bed in the house.

Secondly, every moment from bedtime to breakfast makes me want to rip my hair out, or what is left of it. Asher will sleep through the night in weekly spurts and then get up during the night in weekly spurts. I almost feel like it is harder now than when he was tiny because he doesn't just fight sleep, he battles with sleep. Every time we suggest closing his eyes, he takes it personal. And when we finally get him to sleep by routine rubbing his back, rocking and bouncing this 25 pound child for half an hour, we gently lay him in his crib. This moment is crucial. If he sees us, it is all over. We literally drop to the floor and army crawl out of his room while holding our breath. Just when we are back in bed and thinking we are home free, he cries, jumps up and pushes the door fully open so we can better hear his upset screams. He then proceeds to throwing his binkie against the wall, and we are all up-again and again and again.

Repeat process until in tears, and then repeat again.

Lastly, Josh let me try out the camera, and I snapped these pictures of my "innocent" little boy. Although it appears I snapped them so I could bemoan my loss of sanity in this post, I thought I would try out a little photography action. So let it be known, I tried.

Our First Trip to the State Fair!

2011-09-26T20:08:00.010-06:00

During our eventful first trip to the Utah State Fair we...

showed off our teeth...

rode a buckin' bronc...

and a pony...

slept...

pretended to fly...

like airplanes...

danced...

with the seals...

ate some cotton candy...

played toys...

learned to drum redneck style...

pet the baby calf (who was parked strategically next to the beef recipe pamphlets)

acted like a wild animal...

ate a little more...

played some ring toss...

chillaxed...

looked for some strangers to maul...

watched the fashionable geese...

played with balloon dog...

were abducted by aliens...

had a bit of a sugar rush...

drove a tractor...

were surprised...

licked a couple things we probably shouldn't have...

and loved every minute of it.

Asher's Birthday Party

2011-09-20T15:16:00.004-06:00

For Asher's Birthday Party the Rodebacks and the Howells headed to the reservoir in Delta for a day at the lake. Sadly the weather turned ugly on us, but it was a memorable day regardless!

Try not to mistake Sully for a blue money with horns.

The little birthday boy!

Asher put those new 8 teeth to work! His birthday cake was his first time eating sugar (or at least that everyone let me believe)! I am sure people were sneaking it to him months ago, but we like to pretend anyway.

After he dug into his cake! He preferred using a fork rather than his fingers. We may have yet another OCD child on our hands!

Speaking of OCD children...Traevan had a blast riding wave runners with dad and Uncle Bo! Traevan said he liked rides with Uncle Bo better because he didn't get wet.

Grandma Mimi's beach pose!

The Monster cupcakes my sisters made!

Grandma Bev and Asher! 81 years apart! Thanks so much for everyone who came! We had a blast and are so grateful for our families.

Happy Happy Birthday to Asher!!!

2011-09-11T16:53:00.004-06:00

It came and past. The bittersweet day known as Asher's 1st Birthday...also known as September 5th. My how I love this boy! I was packing up all his 12 month size clothes, and ran across the outfits from his first three months. Initially, my heart broke. Asher will never be able to wrap his entire fist around my one finger again. On the other hand I love how much he has grown and my heart nearly burst each time he learned to laugh, roll over, wave goodbye, say "dada" and crawl. Each of his accomplishments has been a triumph for all of us, and I wouldn't trade a single moment.

Asher's stats this go around are: Weight 24 1/2 pounds 71 percentile

Head Circ 18.7 inches 81 percentile

Height 32 inches 95 percentile

What does this mean in non-percentile terms? Asher is heavy, healthy and happy. At 1 year old he is nearly 3 feet tall which is half my height and can reach anything and everything he wants.

Asher has escaped from Bumbo prison so he promptly received a high chair for his birthday.

Last week he started eating table food. He still throws up if his cereal puff finds it's way to the back of his mouth before being sufficiently dissolved, but the kid has gag reflexes like a penguin. Between that and assurance from his doctor, I keep giving him table food. His favorite foods in the whole world are milk, yogurt, milk, banana cookies and milk. Before starting table food he was finishing off an entire gallon every two days.

He likes to work and play hard always anticipating the flash.

The camera loves him. Or maybe the mom behind the camera. Asher is not going to know what to do with himself when he goes to preschool and there is no one constantly following him around snapping pictures. What can I say? He was born to be a star!

He is sleeping through the night as long as no one breaths too loud. Any tiny moment or noise will wake the sleeping monster!

Pretty soon this will be for real.

He likes drinking anything in mommy's cup! Namely strawberry shakes, apple juice and orange juice. He does have a sippy cup, but he is nice enough to share some backwash once in a while.

My messy lil' man! Bath times are still the favorite portion of the day! The only problem is now he throws a leg over the side of the tub and tries to sneak in with his clothes on.

The little guy loves water! He is not walking just yet, but is so close! I am excited for him to learn because I am sure it will be great exercise!

This video cracks me up every time! I was licking my lips and he was blue in the face. So funny!

Asher is also in 18-24 month clothes depending on the brand. (I pray that someday we will live in a consistent baby clothing size world.) He loves his daddy and looks up to Traevan so much already. It's amazing! He loves to babble, play with toys, dance and laugh. He is the sweetest thing since pie. I actually ran across the meaning of his name. Asher means "happy" which I find very fitting. We all love him so much and are excited to see what an incredible little boy he becomes!

Englishist?

2011-08-28T22:55:00.002-06:00

We are turning over a new leaf in our book and creating a new chapter. Here is a little documentation of what we are all up to both past and present.

Josh just finished up his summer employment at Eco First Pest Control. Let's just say it was an experience, both good and bad. He has been working 12 hours a day, 6 days a week. Although he is now on the job hunt again, I am grateful to have my husband back, and he is grateful to reclaim his soul from Eco First. Josh starts a full schedule of school tomorrow which we are both ecstatic about! He has two semesters to go including this one before he finishes his Bachelors in Behavioral Science. SO EXCITED! He loves school and all of his classes so I am sure these last two semesters are going to fly by!

Traevan is constantly questioning us "why?" and also teaching us a lot of interesting facts about colors, letters and numbers. With Josh's crazy work schedule I have gotten to pick Traevan up by myself a few times this summer, and every time I go to his house he gets really excited to show me his new homework. He has preschool learning books that his mom helps him with every day, and he LOVES it! He is going to eat school up! Unfortunately, he still has two more years before Kindergarten but at least he will have a head start and is excited!

Asher is almost one. I think I am in denial. I must have magic appendages because he walks all over the place as long as he is holding on to one finger. He gets incredibly frustrated and instantly cries if he hears a door open or close, if you won't put him in the shower with you, you won't let him pound on the computer or if you take away the slobbery keys. He is still struggling a little with baby food. As long as it isn't too thick it's ok. He loves yogurt, blueberries, pears, bananas, squash, peas, oatmeal and zucchini. He loves being chased and scared. Nothing gets him laughing like a game of hide and seek in Wal Mart...people probably think Josh and I are crazy. He loves his aunts, uncles and grandparents, but he is at the separation-anxiety stage and cries whenever I leave. A spoon will literally entertain him for hours! He loves to flick his wrist repeatedly while holding whatever his heart desires such as spoon, toothbrush, sock, keys, pen, and necklace. His birthday post will be coming soon!

Now to explain the title of this post. I am still working full time but have decided to take two night classes at UVU to get a little closer to finishing my degree in English. One of my textbooks puts it plainly. "History majors become historians; psychology majors become psychologists; biology majors become biologists. What do English majors become? Englishists? Englishologists? Waiters?" As exciting as waitressing would be, I have recently changed my emphasis from Education to Writing Studies. I want to eventually be an English professor someday (don't judge my blog-it is not English perfect by any means), but because I do technical writing for my company I thought it would be more relevant-and faster- to finish my degree in Writing Studies. I have always loved school, but basically- I am terrified. The last semester I finished up when I was 20 weeks pregnant. Now that Asher is older and we're all getting more sleep, I thought it might be a good idea to start back up working on my degree, but I am afraid. Afraid that I will love it too much, or not at all. Afraid I will realize my passion for English, literature and writing has faded, or that inexplicable craving for words and their formations will return double fold.

Maybe my next update will have explained my fears, but maybe not.

Fishing

2011-08-28T22:34:00.003-06:00

I am all about comparisons. Seeing how different life is, how far we've come and all the changes (good or bad) that have happened. Josh has been working so hard all summer we've barely had a chance to do anything fun together so one night after work we went fishing. Last summer we went fishing at least once a week so I wanted to do a quick comparison of our fishing trip this year vs. our fishing trips last summer. Enjoy!

Josh's Catch- Summer 2010

Josh's Hopeful Catch- Summer 2011

Kimber's Batman pole and prego belly- Summer 2010

Our sweet little Asher- Summer 2011

Our Family- Summer 2011

Asher was anticipating the flash in this one. Looking back it is crazy to think that this time last year I was waddling around the lake, and we were eagerly awaiting his arrival. Now I can barely keep up with him! I can't wait to compare future fishing trips to come!

Asher's Favorite Movie

2011-08-10T07:38:00.004-06:00

The title of this post is somewhat deceiving. Asher has a lot of favorite movies and shows. He is kind of a TV junkie, but we're working on that. Anyway, I have caught him laughing hysterically at several shows like Ice Age, Hairspray and Over the Hedge as shown below. At least I know he has a fantastic sense of humor!

Birthdays, Cakes and Toys! Oh my!

2011-08-09T22:09:00.010-06:00

This little sugar explosion turned 4 on August 1st! Our fantastic weekend started out with a trip to the water park followed by cake, presents and partying!

Traevan is adopting more and more of Josh's classic expressions.

Don't worry...we made sure to get pictures of all 63 presents covering his face.

Behind those Legos lies an expression similar to this one. I swear he had fun! Traevan has a habit of saying "CHEESE" really fast and dropping his smile as the camera snaps. Apparently Timmer needs to be quicker.

This is my sad excuse for a dinosaur cake. Traevan recognized what it was supposed to be so I suppose that is all that matters.

We let Trae open his pajamas the night before. I would say from his Josh #37 expression that they were a hit!!

Asher has matching pajamas and thought it would be fun to play with the rice pack inside the cupboard. LOVE his little dimples, but it made me a tad claustrophobic.

Grandpa Rick and Grandma Mimi gave Traevan a "New Bike" (in my best Bob Barker voice). We made him close his eyes before we brought it out, and when he opened them he looked all over the ground for something in wrapping paper. It took him a minute to figure out that the surprise was the blue and yellow neon bike a foot from his grasp, but as soon as he did his face lit up!!

While at the pool the song "Stayin Alive" came on the loud speaker so Josh and Trae had to put their water fun on hold for a little grooving. Everyone in the place was watching and laughing. Unfortunately we didn't get any of my sister Nikki shakin her thang.

"Ah, ah, ah, ah...Stayin Alive, Stayin Alive"

My sisters are all clearly overwhelmed by the excitement of a 4 year old's party.

There is no place Asher would rather sleep than curled up with Uncle Bo!

On second thought, Micah is a fantastic option as well!

Asher was EXHAUSTED and fell asleep in the lazy river.

Brynlee also turned 4 on August 8th!

She is the cutest thing since Barbie!

Nicole and I made her a flip flop cake with complimentary cupcakes, starfish, and sand.

Asher was unsure about his first time in the swing...

Happy Birthday to my two favorite 4 year olds!

Father's Day Weekend!

2011-07-10T16:18:00.006-06:00

Josh's brother and sister-in-law, Chris and Nicole, blessed their baby Boston on Father's Day so all of the Rodeback's headed to St. George for the weekend!

We had to have a little sister-in-law bonding time! Don't worry...I look 300lbs.

Traevan had a blast! He stood on the balcony all day Sunday asking why we couldn't swim. Little did he know, he was in for a treat the next day!

Asher crawled over to see Boston, and they instantly cooed and smiled at each other for quite some time. They were adorable together!

Nap time!

Nana and Boston

Traevan is a stunt artist!

And Brynlee learned to float with no floaties!

Don't mind Josh's Voldemort face.

Our smiley little man!

Boston is all smiles too!

Teamwork! Brynlee and Traevan rowing together with the water guns. They were glued at the hip all weekend. So much in fact that Traevan followed her into the bathroom at the hotel without us noticing and came running out shouting "Dad! Brynlee doesn't have one of these!" while dropping his pants. Easily the funniest thing that happened all weekend.

Boston loved the water!

Brynlee's graceful leap...

Traevan's high jump...
and Josh's cannonball. Impressive!

Me and Baby Asher just soaking the tanners with our sweet water gun! It was really a fantastic, much-needed trip! We had a great time, and we don't get to see Chris and Nicole enough! The drive back was another story... do NOT read if you have a weak stomach. Consider yourself warned.

Asher started crying during the drive so I felt around in his car seat for his binkie. Wham! I stuck my hand right in a glob of poop. So we frantically pulled over at the gas station in Beaver. I carefully took him out of his car seat and carried him at arms-length to the bathroom, but noticing the strange texture-Asher stuck his hand down there, grabbed another glob and smeared it all over my boob. I made it into the bathroom only to find no diaper changing station. So I laid the little pad that comes with his diaper bag down on the floor in front of the sink. As you can imagine the mess spread like wildfire. After taking his clothes off it was now smeared on his head and all up his back. We were engaged in a heated wrestling match with Asher desperately trying to discover all the intriguing wonders of the nasty floor and me attempting to wipe him clean. A lovely crowd gathered to watch and for some reason I seemed to be smearing it rather than containing it. After all of his toys, my clothes and the floor were contaminated, I cleverly had him stand while I diapered his little tush thinking it would be the safest alternative to the poop covered floor. Asher then proceeded to pee high and proud for the gathered crowd. I laughed out of hysteria, the onlookers shook their heads disapprovingly and Asher glanced inquisitively at the hand dryer bellowing an unfamiliar noise. Needless to say, the floor was cleaned, my clothes were changed, and Asher's tush was finally diapered. Somehow we made it home, but it turned out to be quite the adventure!

Asher's 9th Month!

2011-06-24T21:19:00.004-06:00

Asher is 9 months already! And here are the stats:

Length: 29 inches 75%

Weight: 22 pounds 73%

Head: 18.5 inches 91%

I will quickly announce...ASHER IS CRAWLING! At about 8 and a half months he finally got the hang of it, and three days later-there was no stopping him. He has now moved on to pulling himself up on everything and walking along side the said object. He is a bit tipsy so I don't anticipate him walking until he is a year...which is coming way too quickly.

My little sleeping men.

The good news is Asher is all smiles!

The bad news is Asher is obsessed with The Wiggles. He insists sitting on the floor with his feet on the screen.

Asher still loves his bath time, but now he insists on sitting up and playing with toys. Chewing on that loufa is his favorite past time.

Asher loves bath time so much that he likes to crawl back to the tub, stand up and stare longingly at his loufa.

Again...OBSESSED with The Wiggles. He has recently picked up this incredibly fake smile, and I am thinking we need to find him a new show. The Wiggles are pretty obvious culprits.

Asher is applying to be the newest pilot at Eagle Air Med!

Asher is such a big boy!

Nancy's 70th Birthday Party!

2011-06-24T20:37:00.003-06:00

Josh's grandma, Nancy, had her 70th birthday in May! So naturally we had to celebrate. The Rodeback's don't say no to a good party.

Brynlee and Nanna

Brynlee and Traevan serenading Nanna. Traevan doesn't mess around when it comes to the birthday song.

Micha, the baby whisperer.

Smiley Boston!

Bo and Nanna
Buddies just horsing around.

This is the frame containing several of the family pictures we took with a scripture about families walking in truth and righteousness. Needless to say, she loved it. Nancy is a fabulous grandmother and great-grandmother, and we are all excited to be spoiled by her for many more years to come. Love you, Nancy!

Graduation!

2011-06-24T20:18:00.005-06:00

My sister, Kayli, graduated high school May 25th! We weren't sure she would make it, but as you can see...we're all so proud!
Our pirate faces.

My baby sister, Malori. Notice the similarly long dark hair, skin and eyes. If she wasn't 7 years younger, we could be twins!

The Eliason clan at Mi Rancherito! My grandma's fro barely pokes over the table. (middle left)

This picture is as normal as we get.

Kayli's beauty pageant walk! I made her a leis on the drive down out of a black-feather boa, pink ribbon and money . Luckily it turned out, or she would have been leis-less.

Asher knows how to party...

after watching aunt Malori get her fiesta on!

Congrats Kayli! I can't believe you are all grown up. We love you so much and can't wait to see you reach all your goals and dreams. Good luck at Snow!

Rodeback Family Pictures

2011-06-11T15:04:00.007-06:00

Grandma Nancy's 70th birthday was coming up so we decided to hurry and snap some pictures of the family for her! Pictures from the actual celebration are coming.

Josh's serious face is pretty serious, but I love it!

My little Rock Star!

And here are all the Rodeback children. Precious.

Traevan doesn't like picture taking so much. We had to bribe him to get the picture below!

Chris, Nicole, Brynlee and Baby Boston!

The whole Rodeback clan!

Besties.

A random shot of the grand kids minus Boston.

I love being a Rodeback! They are such a great family, and I love them all so much! I absolutely could not ask for better in-laws.

My Sweet Friend Becca...

2011-06-05T22:14:00.004-06:00

If you have ever read my blog you know that Asher is the topic of nearly every post-even before he arrived. I am so in love with my little guy. There are crazy frustrating moments when I want to pull my hair out or let him finish the job, but then there are moments where I just hold him to my chest and cry out of overwhelming love and gratitude. I knew parenthood was the greatest blessing Josh and I would ever be blessed with in our marriage, and I did not enter into motherhood lightly. I was ecstatic, overwhelmed, scared, and dedicated with each passing week while we awaited Asher's arrival. When the day finally came for my little baby to be placed in my arms my entire world changed. Unfortunately, my sweet friend Becca has been unable to conceive so far. After hoping and praying for many years Becca and her husband Jesse have turned to adoption in hopes of experiencing the above mentioned miracle of parenthood, and there is nothing in this world that would make me happier than to see her experience the love I feel everyday. I am unable to place a baby in her arms, but I am posting her profile on my blog in hopes that someone you know might be able to. You can also find their adoption blog on the left had side under Fun Blogs titled "Hoping to Adopt".

Becca and Jesse-Hoping to Adopt

The Beginning of Many

2011-05-31T21:29:00.002-06:00

Due to my recent domesticatedness I began tampering with different ingredients such as agave. Amazing-enough said. As you may or may not know sugar and white flour make me incredibly sick. Not just white sugar. Any kind of sugar you can imagine=me close to my death bed. Many people ask "How do you live without sugar?" Very carefully.

Tonight I got creative, and somehow an orange chicken stir fry recipe was born. I just thought I would share in case anyone wanted an easy alternative to a sugar-free life... or meal. No one who doesn't absolutely have to should commit to an entirely sugar-free life.

Orange Chicken-Kimber Style

Cook 1 1/2 cups brown rice
Brown bite size pieces of chicken breast in a drizzle of olive oil
Add two cups chopped yellow zucchini
Two cups broccoli
Two cups sugar snap peas
Two cups baby carrots
Mix 1/2 can of melted 100% orange juice concentrate
With 1/4 cup agave
And 3 Table Spoons soy sauce

Cook in skillet for 15 minutes uncovered. If you are feeling adventurous try sprinkling a tiny bit of cayenne on top.

Pantry Secrets!

2011-05-30T14:50:00.004-06:00

I attended a bread class held by a lady in my ward at her mom's house that was incredible! The two ladies made four different kinds of bread from one batch of dough. From the grinder to the oven the whole process took only one hour. I was amazed! Not only was the recipe white, wheat or both, but you can substitute sugar for agave or honey and experiment with flavors to your heart's desire. You can make pizza crust, cinnamon rolls, bread sticks, whatever you can think of! Honestly, I love the idea of making a weeks worth of meals in one hour. LOVE. IT.

You may or may not know I struggle with cooking. Even out of a box. Suddenly, bread-making has never seemed so possible! The most revelatory element that came from this bread class was not that I could learn to cook from scratch, but the amount of $$$ these ladies save each year by avoiding the grocery store and cooking from scratch! They went on to tell stories of how their classes have helped people get off welfare and enable mothers to stay home with their children.

Growing up I never considered being a stay at home mom. Many of my friend's moms stayed home, and I knew how much it meant to them. Still, I never once had the desire. Nine months ago my perceptions changed, and since then I have done nothing but try to figure out a way I can stay home with my baby-before he is no longer a baby! I just thought this class was incredible and wanted to share in hopes that it could help someone else too!

http://www.pantrysecrets.net/

8 Months of Motherhood

2011-05-07T22:42:00.002-06:00

Don't worry-you didn't miss it. I skipped Asher's 7 month post and many other posts as a matter of fact. I might have to backtrack someday when life isn't so hectic. Don't hold your breath folks! Anyway, I have been a mother for approximately 8 months to this little rascal. Oh my...how I love this boy! I think this poem sums it up:

You don't really understand human nature unless you know why a child on a merry-go-round will wave at his parents every time around - and why his parents will always wave back. ~William D. Tammeus

I often think to myself that if someone were stalking me, they would think I am a lunatic. Constant babble, baby talk, and animated faces would surely be enough to admit me to a psych ward with a sedation drip. Totally worth it!!
Asher taught Jimmer how to Jimmer.

Asher is sitting up by himself like a champ! He is also getting his second tooth which is pretty much killing us all. Quick declaration- I boycott any future teeth. He can eat pured vegetables till he is five. This teething business is not worth being able to eat a cookie!
Asher is not crawling quite yet, but I still consider him mobile. He rolls around, pushes backwards, and does the snake to get what he wants. He is too creative to crawl just yet. He also gets on all fours and rocks, works out those biceps in push-up position, and-my personal favorite- relaxes in his sexy pose as displayed above.

And there is that cute tongue! At least he is not a Kiss baby. He prefers holding his own bottle now, and still refuses solids like the plague no matter which flavor, mixture, consistency or temperature. Josh is and always will be his favorite person! He is a daddy's boy for sure! He has taken up contortion so that he can observe whatever it is that catches his attention-which is about everything. But most of all- I am so surprised at how vocal this child is. He is always making sounds whether he is content or ticked, and he is always coming up with new ones!

Love, love, love this boy!

This is me being outspoken.

2011-03-16T22:21:00.004-06:00

I really don't consider myself to be an outspoken person especially on my blog. My posts are usually about the kiddos or my better half, but this post is about something incredibly important to me. I simply feel I can stay silent no longer. I apologize in advance if my opinion offends anyone as that is the farthest thing from my intention. This post is for my loved ones-especially my women loved ones-who are affected by this infectious belief.

The statement I would like to make-sex is sacred. Simple as that. The wide-spread belief is that sex can be casual, meaningless, harmless, and fun. I don't believe it. Not for a second. Intimacy is more than a feeling, but a connection.

I don't buy into the assumption that people should and can have "open relationships". It goes against everything natural. Regardless of your beliefs, think about how a person's entire identity is affected when discovering feelings of same-sex attraction. Imagine a shattering heart when finding out their significant other has been unfaithful. Visualize the devastating affects of sexual abuse in its many forms, and how life-altering the consequences can be. I simply do not believe that if sex were a form of harmless fun, the above situations would have such an impact on a person's soul.

That being said, I absolutely cannot stand to watch all these "reality" shows where one man sleeps with three women in one night, and they are expected to be emotionless through it all. There is nothing "real" about it. It devastates me to think that my sisters, daughters, cousins and friends are subject to this kind of persuasion. My hope is that people will have more respect than to subject themselves to shallow beliefs and cheap morals.

Ok-if any of my three readers are still reading, I hope you are not offended.

6 Month Asher

2011-03-13T14:44:00.003-06:00

I feel like it's ridiculous that I am even posting about this right now. But apparently Asher is 6 months, or so the doctor claims. I am just in denial that we are closer to his first birthday than his birth.
Asher is now a pro at rolling, laying on his tummy and grabbing anything in close proximity. He has gotten up on his knees a couple times as if ready to crawl, but fortunately it hasn't happened yet. I am sure we will be baby-proofing our floor within the month though.

Solids are getting messier as his swollen gums make him more likely to stick things in his mouth during feedings. Those dang teeth are like sharks waiting to attack. I'm sure we'll know it when they do because my sleep is bound to be in critical condition.

And he is getting so close to sitting up all by himself! I think it is taking him a little longer because he has more length to balance. I always thought that the newborn stage would be the greatest of them all, but I am thoroughly enjoying this stage! Asher is such a blast.

Here are the stats:

Height 27 inches

Weight 19lbs 7oz

Head Circumference 45.25 cm

While he has dropped from the 90th percentile for height and weight down to the 83rd, he is still in the 87th percentile for bigheadedness. That's my boy.

Happy Birthday Josh!

2011-03-13T13:58:00.004-06:00

Josh turned 29 on February 11th! We celebrated for like half a week mainly due to our conflicting work/school/work schedules and to celebrate with Traevan and the Rodebacks. Here is a depiction of night #1 at Tucanos.

Josh gets a little giddy around sugar after being married to me for a year and a half.

Happy Birthday loves from Asher!

Joshy had to do a little dance with the Tucanos crew to earn that sugar.

Love him.

And here is a depiction of celebration #4 with Traevan! He put the candles in the cake and even helped Josh blow them out. Josh is an amazing father, husband, pillow, masseuse, chef, laundry maid, and best friend. We are so blessed to have him in our lives and can't wait for many more birthday celebrations to come!

Goodbye Sweet Saturn

2011-02-10T19:33:00.005-07:00

A couple weeks ago, I was driving to work and was in a car accident. To make a very long story short, a water truck leaked onto the off ramp instantly creating ice. I was rear ended, hit a cement barrier and was then rear ended again.

Farewell, sweet Saturn of five years.

We have seen many places, and you have comforted many emotional breakdowns. You have been the stage for many rock shows and made every get away feel like a road trip no matter the destination.

( Last, but not least...the only window that shattered. )

Our family, many friends, and even some enemies will remember you fondly.

The Boys!

2011-01-27T21:39:00.004-07:00

Time-out kind of backfired. He threw a fit for a while and then was out cold.

Asher can now sit in his Bumbo! I think he gets a little tired holding himself up, but we're working on it!

Again, I don't know why this picture loaded sideways.... Spartacus (the dog at Nikki's apartment) was totally freaked out by Asher at first, but after a few secretive sniffs behind my back, he became a little obsessed. Every time I turned around Spartacus was laying next to or over Asher. And he flipped when me and Asher left. I thought he might bite my ankles off! Crazy animal.

Asher is such a happy baby! Josh and I are so blessed to have such an adorable little guy who makes our lives so much livelier!

Yep. It's "Solids Time" (in my best MC Hammer voice). Asher is almost 5 months!!!

I started giving him rice cereal before bed to help him sleep. It doesn't seem to matter. He gets up once during the night regardless of what or how much he eats, but it's still fun watching him get used to the spoon action! My favorite is when he smiles with a mouth full of cereal and it all comes dribbling out the sides of his mouth. How do you not love to laugh at that?

Asher and Daddy are twiners! Whoever dresses them both must think alike.

Speaking of dressing Asher...I was trying to put his pants on one night and he caught sight of the TV. He wedged his little head in between my knees, and there was no breaking his stare!

Should I be concerned??

4 Months!

2011-01-07T19:26:00.004-07:00

It's that time again! Here are the stats:

Height- 26.5 inches
Weight-16 pounds 6 oz
Head Circum: 43.5 cm

I have felt slightly cheated because I feel like he is growing way too fast, and now I have my proof. Asher is in the 90th percentile across the board. His pediatrician actually thought the chart was wrong and that this was Asher's 6 month appointment. Pretty big since he started out in the 9th percentile. We might have a tall boy on our hands! He is trying so hard to roll over, but ends up kicking in circles on his side. He is also starting to like solids which is a lot of messy fun. And I used to think his smile was the best thing in the world, but now I know I'm wrong. It's definitely his laugh!!

So Josh was playing "drummer" with Asher and he thought it was so funny. Until I started filming of course, and then he just stared blankly at the camera. Still cute!

Christmas Shinanigans

2011-01-07T19:00:00.005-07:00

We actaully split Christmas day between both our families, but my camera died so you only get half the pictures now...half later.

Traevan dug right in! It went much faster than last year!

The poor kid threw up all morning. He dropped his present and ran right as I snapped this. So sad, but I still laugh when I see this picture.

Kayli, i-Carly, and Asher

Asher so tired during one of the many shopping sprees.

Sugar cookies round 2 with the Rodebacks! Pretty sure Traevan had way more flour than cookie.

Flour buns!

Don't be fooled...Traevan isn't smiling for the picture. He is on a super, sugar high.

The boys! Apparently the flash was bright, but Asher took it like a man.

Nothing Like a Good Quote...

2010-12-29T08:39:00.004-07:00

"There is something about words.In expert hands, manipulated deftly, they take you prisoner. Wind themselves around you like spider silk, and when you are so enthralled you cannot move, they pierce your skin, enter your blood, numb your thoughts. Inside you they work their magic."
-Diane Setterfield

Christmas Card

2010-12-17T23:00:00.001-07:00

So this is the closest thing we're going to get to sending out a Christmas card. Maybe next year I'll be more on top of things.

So Merry Christmas blog friends!

The Pre-Christmas Game Show

2010-12-15T19:59:00.006-07:00

I really love that Christmas is like a month long!

Santa's Little Helper is off to the North Pole! "Hi, ho. Hi, ho!"

Don't mess with this! (More like Santa's Little Bodyguard.)

Josh and I at the Messiah!

My company's Christmas tree. Apparently I'm one of the few in the office who knows how to put on lights, so I got to decorate two trees this year!

Asher is finally taking a binky! I know it is hard to break them away from it later, but it's so nice to have something besides a bottle that will sooth him. And lately, he thinks he needs to hang on to it. Don't worry little man...it's not going anywhere.

Josh and I right after my "magical" company Christmas party! They hired a magician who was down right hilarious. Josh kept saying "My cheeks hurt from laughing so hard!" and "You better not get fired cause I am already looking forward to next year's party." They also had a hot chocolate bar with every kind of hot chocolate you can imagine. It smelled good anyway. AND my company gave me a Nook Color for Christmas! It's an e-reader with tonz of extras...pretty much like a mini ipad. LOVE IT! Well, at least I think so...I'm waiting patiently till Christmas morning to open it. Only 10 more days!!!

The Reason For the Season

2010-12-15T11:37:00.003-07:00

This year I have heard an awful lot of people complain about Christmas by saying, "I hate Christmas. It's all about commercialism." While I agree that shopping can easily go overboard, it is so sad to me to hear people say they hate Christmas. In my opinion, people did not ask for Christmas to be all about the presents. Advertising has created a retail monster; work in a Barnes and Noble for one holiday and you'll understand.

However, I firmly believe that people who want to celebrate the birth of Christ easily can. I just thought I would reflect on some of the things that our family has done this year to keep the spirit of Christ in our remembrance. I really love giving gifts! I think there isn't anything more Christ-like than giving to your friends, family and people who matter most to you.

Josh and I went to the Messiah this year. Anyone who performs or attends a performance of the Messiah cannot say that Christmas has lost it's meaning. The inspiration is written into every note and dynamic. There has never been a greater honor to our Savior than Handel's music.

Also, my company provides life flight services on the reservation, and we often transport children without shoes or even a coat. Our employees donated thousands of dollars worth of clothing, games, and school supplies to a boarding school in Chinle, Arizona. These children have been abandoned, abused, or their families simply cannot afford to take care of them. It was absolutely overwhelming to see the stacks of gifts ready to be delivered! I'm sure there was not a dry eye in the room.

I feel like Christmas is our reminder each year to break out of our day to day routine, and remember and honor Christ by extending his love.

Asher is 3 Months Old!

2010-12-11T08:45:00.002-07:00

So my little baby is little no more as you can see from the pictures. These pictures are comparisons from when he was a newborn to now. I'm not sure he is going to fit in his swing or tub in a couple months.

Very first time in his swing!

3 months old!

Very first bath!

3 months old, a bathing veteran. Oh how I love that confused expression!

Asher....

discovered his hands and likes to suck on both at the same time
gets overly excited before I get him out of his crib in the morning, smiling and moving his arms at an incredible speed
still hates tummy time, but is getting so strong
strains to sit himself up when he is laying down
loves to say "gooo"
is starting to stick his little tongue out when he smiles
likes watching Cat in the Hat and Curious George (don't judge. I have to get ready for work somehow!)
is almost in 6 month clothes and oh so chunky
loves to watch the ocean mobile in his crib
is sleeping in his crib like a champ, and we're both getting much more sleep
loves smiling for his daddy
watches Traevan play like he can't wait to be playing with him
still loves snuggling with mommy in the middle of the night

Thanksgiving!

2010-12-02T20:23:00.004-07:00

So of course the pictures are in reverse order, but we were lucky enough to spend Thanksgiving in St. George with Chris and Nicole. As you can see, Brynlee was a great babysitter. The day we left she came up to me and asked if Asher could stay at her house.

A me and Josh picture! These don't happen very often anymore...

Before we left for St. George, Traevan and I made sugar cookies! This picture is of Traevan eating some "frinkles".

So fun, but very messy!

Traevan wanted to play my guitar. Here comes the next Keith Urban (minus Australia).

Oh and we finished our tree!

With a little help from Traevan.

More smiles! I just can't get enough of them.

He is SOOO long! He's been in 3-6 month clothes since he was 2 months, and it blows my mind!

My Smiley Baby, and my 1st video!!!

2010-11-29T21:09:00.000-07:00

Josh always gets the best smiles out of Asher....so jealous!

Newborn Pictures!

2010-11-24T11:13:00.001-07:00

Yes, he is no longer a newborn. In fact, he looks tiny in these pictures compared to the squirmy, smiley baby I now have. Oh how I love these pictures! Thank you so much Elise!

I think he was a little cold in this one...

Everyone says this looks like a womb picture which my sisters think is weird, but they thought ultrasound pictures were creepy. I just love it, and I'm guessing if you are pregnant or ever have been, you would like it too!

The end.

My Company Trip

2010-11-18T16:30:00.000-07:00

Have I mentioned how much I love my job? Seriously, it's such a perfect fit for me. I work as an Outreach Specialist for an air ambulance company who serves the four corners region. This week I spent two days flying to each of our bases in each of the four states to give a presentation and meet our medics and pilots. FANTASTIC trip! I work for a phenomenal company. So I guess I am proud to be apart of it all, and to feel as though I help patients and to make the company more efficient. I like the challenges, the deadlines, and the fact that there are monstrous problems I try to solve. Every day is different, and I love it almost every day!

Here are some pictures of the flight back from Arizona. Our pilot got fancy with his flying, and we had an amazing view!

Our flight from Colorado to Utah was crazy! The wings were icing up so we put on oxygen and flew at 19,000 feet through a wicked storm which would have been rather neat if the heater wouldn't have died on us. We flew for two hours in -5 degrees. Needless to say, I could barely walk when we got off the plane. Everything below my knees was frozen. So there are no pictures from that flight.

My Rock

2010-11-15T15:57:00.000-07:00

The one thing that has easily had the biggest impact on my life is being a member of the LDS church. I grew up inactive, and I clearly remember the way I lived my life and the way I felt. I know what kind of life I would now have if I hadn't embraced the gospel when I was thirteen.

I love being a member of this church and knowing that I can spend the rest of my life studying the gospel to gain a testimony of each principle through my life experiences. I don't need to understand it all right now, or ever.

Having a direct line of communication with Heavenly Father is my greatest comfort, and I understand the dire need to constantly have the companionship of the Holy Ghost. I am so grateful for the cleansing power of the Atonement, but mostly I wouldn't even know myself if it weren't for the miraculous healing power of the Atonement. Between cleansing and healing, I feel whole. I am simply so blessed that I can call upon either of these powers no matter what happens in my future.

My absolute favorite part of the LDS church is knowing that I can have an eternal family. I never realized the vital importance of the temple until months after Josh and I were married, and I am so grateful we made that decision. I love knowing that our marriage is founded on eternal promises to each other. Promises that we will be beside each other attempting to create a perfect, eternal marriage in this life and the next. Knowing that our babies will be blessed because of the way we try to live our lives, and hoping to see them make the same decisions because it will bring them the same happiness.

If there is one thing I could wish on everyone, it would be to find and know the love I feel for my Heavenly Father, my Savior and his church. And here is one of my favorite quotes:

"The Lord spoke to her of his love for her-that he cared for her, that he died for her. He said that he would have died if she had been the only one. He would have suffered at Calvary for her sins, if hers had been the only ones." -Carlfred Broderick

Just a little bit of us lately!

2010-11-14T18:25:00.000-07:00

Have I ever expressed my frustration with uploading pictures to blogger? Cause it is a nightmare... every time. Hence, my pictures are not in the order I would prefer, but here they are anyway.

To start off, we've been doing a lot of this lately. I try so hard to stay awake all day, but I find myself asleep on the couch not knowing where the last two hours went a little too often.

I caught this picture of our little Trae right before he ate one of his incentive skittles. (We're in the potty training process.) Also note the scar above his eye. The poor little guy had his second round of stitches! A little much for a three-year-old if you ask me.

My little Asher is smiling more and more! Josh always gets the best ones, but I thought this one was pretty cute. I just love those dimples and they are getting more and more defined as he gets chunkier and chunkier! Asher was in the 9th percentile for weight when he was born, and he is now in the 47th percentile. Plus, he is way too long for any one piece outfit. His toes end up smashed and curled in the footies!

And I just wanted a picture with him...

This is our first year having a Christmas tree so I jumped the gun and put it up a bit early. I'm too excited!! Plus, I have no decorations so I am just gradually putting them on as I buy things. Maybe it'll be finished by December, maybe not. I fell in love with these glass snow flakes and had to buy them so they are officially the first decorations.

And Josh decided to help too. Darth Vader won't last much longer if I can sneak it off the tree without Traevan noticing!

Traevan was way excited when he saw our tree up! He even helped me put the last two strands of lights on!

And my little Asher just cooed and gurgled on the couch while we decorated!

The other day I snapped this shot of Asher sleeping. I just think it's cute when he puts his arms over his head. We saw him do this during two different ultrasounds!

But he didn't like the flash so much. Maybe I should stop being Mammarazzi?

My Baby is 2 Months!

2010-11-08T21:36:00.000-07:00

My little man had his shots today. He cried harder than I've ever heard him, and I cried while trying not to watch. Luckily Josh is the strong, level-headed one in my moments of hysteria. Asher now weighs 11 lbs 11 oz and is 23 inches long. He likes to try and eat the blanket during tummy time.

He fits perfectly in his swing and tub already! I'm not sure what we're going to do in two more months...

The first smile we've caught on camera!! LOVE it.

NYC

2010-11-08T19:18:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK CITY! That's right. My sister and I went to New York two summers ago. It was my very first time flying and going anywhere really. Greatest vacation ever!We were headed to Ellis Island, and the sky line behind us was amazing!

A little Marlyn Monroe?

This was the first picture I took, and it captured everything. I remember this moment so distinctly. I'm so glad Nikki and I decided to brave the big city! We went to two Broadway shows, Hairspray and Chicago. Both amazing! We saw all the sights, ate interesting food, and we were the minority for a week. Oh and on our last day there we decided to do some last minute shopping, and I almost got hit by a taxi. Ah, New York.

My Second Family

2010-11-05T20:46:00.000-06:00

Oh wow...our senior year. Every person in this picture has been such a great friend to me, and I think so highly of each of them. We are all so different, but had an amazing time together! I miss you guys. And I would just like to point out that Jono looks like he's twelve in this picture. haha

Rachel Rawlinson- My amazing musical inspiration. She is such an honest, confident person who can befriend anyone. Hence why she is friends with me. We have such similar passions that our friendship is quite effortless. And she was good enough to take care of me when I had my wisdom teeth out, both times.

Rachel Mae- My homie from the OC, my partner in crime, and oh so many other things. We have had so many fun times together from 4th grade to college. We have kept a running log of all our inside jokes over the years, and although we don't remember what half of them mean anymore, I know we spent hours laughing over each one. At the moment she is serving a mission in Montana, and I couldn't be more proud to be her friend. She is such an amazing, strong-willed person who has incredible commitment to the gospel.

Kristy Lynn- She is the closest thing to a journal I've ever kept. I cannot think of a single thing I haven't told her. Kristy is one of the most loving, caring people in this world, and I don't know what I would have done with out her. Since we were eleven she has been one of my best friends and easily one of the best examples to me. I want to be just like her when I grow up.

Fran- I guess her real name is Kaitlyn, but she will always be Francakes to me! She was one of my very first roommates in college, and although we haven't been friends too long, I know we always will. She is the closest thing to a book club I will ever have. I miss our long talks, swapping book recommendations, and doing her hair in crazy ways, but mainly I just miss her face and wish I saw her more.

Emily- Clearly from this picture you can see that there was never a dull moment. Emily is unlike any other person I've met. Incredibly dedicated, incredibly motivated, and incredibly passionate about school, music, dance, and life. She is what I imagine Wonder Woman looks like.

Josh- Oh how I love this man. I have never laughed so hard, cried so much, and felt so close with someone. He is my grounding rock when I become hysterically emotional, my pillow when I need to cry, and my comedian when I need a laugh. I'm amazed at how each day brings us closer and each diaster strengthens us.

Insomnia

2010-11-02T10:09:00.000-06:00

I have never handled sporadic sleep or no sleep very well, but I must say I feel like I am getting the hang of it! I don't even cry from exhaustion anymore. Don't get me wrong, my body feels achy and I often look as though I'm walking on stilts. Slow and methodical, like I could topple over from a breeze that only I feel. In the past two months I've simply accepted this lifestyle.

Even after a night of filling bottles, countless burping attempts, and being sprayed awake during a diaper change I somehow don't break down. Watching him watch us as we get him ready for the sitter makes me not want to leave his side. How long will he stare at us like we are the most amazing thing he's laid eyes on? His cooing and flashes of a smile leave me breathless, and I am already wishing I didn't have to spend another day away from him. I kiss him until the last minute, and then I'm back to walking into walls. Sigh...I love my little guy.

A recent picture of you and 15 facts about yourself

2010-10-31T13:10:00.000-06:00

By no means are these facts interesting, but here they are:

I am allergic to sugar
I have a scar on my hand from boiling sugar
Sugar and I are clearly enemies
I have studied two years of French and two years of Spanish
I cannot speak or read anything but English
When I was in elementary I made up a fake newspaper and wrote around 50 different articles just for fun.
I am the second of four girls
My favorite genres of music are country and jazz, polar opposites
My all-time favorite artist is Ella Fitzgerald
I've lost track of how many head injuries I've had
I began taking college classes when I was 16
I am seven years younger than Josh
My three passions are: reading, sports, and music
I am a morning person
My favorite food group is vegetables

October 29th, 2009

2010-10-28T14:20:00.000-06:00

"I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride; so I love you because I know no other way." -Pablo Neruda

Josh and I have only been married a year, but then I can't remember a life without him. The life we've started has been miserable, incredible, hectic, and astonishing depending on the chapter, but each moment I think of is sweet in my memory. There are many things I could say to describe our relationship, like the time we got in a water fight that soaked every room, or when Josh sang "our wedding song" to me in the car with no warning, or maybe the security I felt in his hand as we anticipated the arrival of our first baby. Then again, I think I'll let some of my favorite pictures describe our first year together.

Josh, I love you more than I can say.

The Challenge!

2010-10-28T09:29:00.000-06:00

When I first started blogging, I was a bit stressed out about people seeing and reading my blog. I was self conscious about what to write and if I had anything worth writing about in my fellow blogger's eyes. That is when my amazing friend Kristy said to think of my blog as a family journal. Bless her and her wise words. I started getting braver with each post and began writing with my family and future family in mind. So when I saw this challenge on half of my friend's pages, I thought that it would be a fun blogging experience that would be fun to look back on in the months and years to come. So yes, I am hopping on the band wagon and trying out this challenge! Some people were doing a post every day, and some were doing a post once a week. Daily seemed too much like a chore, and when I considered posting for 30 weeks my first thought was "That would take almost as long as a pregnancy!"
I think I'll just post when I get around to it. Probably somewhere in between daily and weekly.

1- recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself
2- the meaning behind your blog name
3- a picture of you and your friends
4- a habit that you wish you did not have
5- a picture of somewhere you've been to
6- favorite super hero and why
7- a picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you
8- short term goals for this month and why
9- something you're proud of in the past few days
10- songs you listen to when you are happy, sad, bored, hyped, mad
11- your favorite book
12- how you found out about blogger and why you have one
13- your favorite quote and why
14- a picture of you and your family
15- put you ipod on shuffle: first 10 songs that play
16- a childhood picture
17- someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why
18- plans/dreams/goals you have
19- nicknames you have and why you have them
20- 10 reasons you fell in love
21- a picture of something that makes you happy
22- something unique about you
23- something you crave for a lot
24- a letter to your parents
25- what I would find in your bag
26- people who have passed on that meant a lot to you
27- why are you doing this 30 day challenge
28- a picture of you from last year and now, how have you changed since then?
29- in this past month, what have you learned
30- your favorite song

The Little One

2010-10-07T23:02:00.000-06:00

Here are some cute pictures of Asher while he is one month. I am going to try really hard to document his growth frequently so here it goes! Josh thought this was one was hilarious because the bottle popped out while he was sleeping and it looked like it was sticking up his nose. haha Oh Joshy...

Here are all my boys playing cars!

Asher loves his baths!

My dad may be the proudest grandpa I have ever encountered.

Asher instantly balls his fists and puts them against his face every time he has a bottle. So cute!

I have no idea why this picture loaded sideways, but he is loving his swing more and more every day!

I love it when I get a good, wide-eyed picture of him! He has amazing blue eyes and I'm excited to see what color they will end up being.

This is my FAVORITE picture of Asher so far! I love it, but he doesn't look like a newborn anymore...sad.

Asher and Josh pulling pirate faces! I love my men.

Our 1 Month Mark!

2010-10-03T20:26:00.000-06:00

My little Asher is one month old today. All those people who have told me that they grow up too fast can pat themselves on the back, cause they're right. And here are some good and bad things I've learned in the past month:

We'll start with the bad:

Postpartum is incredibly more miserable than pregnancy in my opinion.
I am a complete failure at breastfeeding.

And the good are all about Asher! He:

loves staring wide-eyed all around the room
is completely content until he sees me and then starts searching for food
rests his fists on his cheeks holding the bottle in between every time he eats
sometimes gives one, soft fake cry just to get my attention
loves his bath so much that he actually fell asleep in his tub once
loves, loves, LOVES to snuggle
is the best baby a girl could ask for

I keep finding myself day-dreaming about what life will be like when he starts crawling or eating baby food, but I try to stop myself when I notice. He is only this tiny and precious once, and I plan to enjoy every moment, never pushing him to develop more quickly.

It's funny to me to think that only a month ago we were in the hospital. But the astounding thing is that only three days after his birth, I couldn't remember the pain of delivery if I tried! With every snuggling moment since then, the details of delivery become dimmer and dimmer. Natural birth is worth the five hours of pain, and two days of soreness.

Our First 2 Weeks!

2010-09-19T17:40:00.000-06:00

Asher is so much fun and such a great baby! He hardly ever cries, AND we have had 5 and a half hours solid of sleep two nights since we've been home. (Hallelujah chorus!)

His first bath went unexpectedly well. He loved the water!

I have about five pictures of this same scenario so, needless to say, he naps right here a lot.

This is the swing my mom gave us. Pretty sure he loves it as much as I do!

This picture cracks me up every time! He is in his swing, just chillin'.

And we like to snuggle...

I LOVE this boy!

Asher's Story

2010-09-12T22:18:00.000-06:00

Just in case you didn’t know, I was dilated to a 6 for two weeks. See post below for details. Family and friends kept insisting that I was going to have him soon which both elated my hopes and made me feel that I would probably make it till my due date just because of all the hype. Since Josh and I were planning a long weekend in Delta, all my family kept saying that I would end up having him in Delta, and my friends at work threw me a surprise party that Friday, you know…just in case.

Saturday morning we headed to Delta for a baby shower my sisters were throwing me. I had been having some pretty intense contractions since he dropped at 34 weeks, and Saturday was no different. I was exhausted even before the shower started.
The shower went great! My sisters had it all decorated and planned some really cute games. I loved it! And I really loved seeing everyone. It just doesn’t happen often enough.

Josh works graveyards and had not slept in like 30 hours because he was trying to set himself on my schedule for the weekend. So Saturday night he fell asleep about an hour before I did with a little help from a sleeping pill. At 10:30pm I laid down, drifted off, and about five minutes later shot up in bed. “Josh, my water just broke.” He was incredibly disoriented and started consoling me and putting his arms around me. He thought I was having a nightmare. So I said, “No, Josh. My water just broke!” I jumped out of bed, put a towel in between my legs, and started throwing everything back in our bag.

My mom and little sister, Malori, came running in to help us to the car. I brought Malori along to time the contractions while my mom tried to convince me to stay in Delta to have the baby. I called my midwife to see if she thought I could make it back to Timpanogos Hospital. She felt that I could make it, but if I felt the need to push I should pull over in Nephi or Payson. According to her, having a baby in the back of a car was not ideal. I did not want to have my baby in Delta so I thought it was worth it to try and make it back to Orem.

Really I have nothing against Delta, but I had spent the past two months preparing for a natural child birth. I really wanted to deliver with my midwife because I knew she would be supportive and follow my birth plan the best she could. So we headed to Orem. My contractions were exactly five minutes apart lasting a minute each so I wasn’t too worried. I kept telling Josh to slow down because we were passing cops right and left and somehow never got pulled over. “Honey, you’re in labor!” was his reply.

We arrived at the hospital a little after midnight. My midwife checked my cervix and I was still only a 6 so I slipped into the jet tub for a bubbly bath and jet massage to help me cope with the contractions. The water felt amazing and really helped me relax, but after about ten minutes I was gripping the side of the tub and holding my breath during contractions. My midwife had me count to five during each contraction and imagine drawing each number as I counted. Josh was holding my hand during all this, and after a while he knew I wasn’t concentrating well anymore. Josh then gave me a blessing, and though I don’t remember the details because of a contraction, the blessing comforted me that my body was designed for this purpose and that I would soon have a healthy, happy baby. I tried to concentrate on the fact that each contraction was one step closer to holding my baby.

My midwife decided to check me again just to see how fast I was progressing. After only 20 minutes, I was dilated to an 8. At this point I decided to get out of the tub and into bed. I was incredibly hot and knew it would take a while to get me into position since the contractions were only a minute apart.

I would love to say that I never asked for pain medication, but that would be a dirty, rotten lie. My midwife knew that a natural birth was a major element to my birth plan, and both she and Josh reassured me that I was doing great and did not need medication. Once I knew that there was no going back on my decision to have a natural birth, my mind focused on what my body needed me to do next instead of the pain.

Once in bed, I was at a 9. Malori and the nurse would push my knees toward my back during contractions which really helped ease the pain. Josh held my hand, massaged my back, and kept a cold wash cloth on my face and neck. My midwife soon asked me if I felt the need to push. “I don’t know. I don’t know what it’s supposed to feel like.” I replied. Two contractions later my back instinctively curled around my belly, and I was pushing. In between each push I would collapse on the bed, close my eyes and focus on keeping my breathing slow and even. I was afraid that if I didn’t rest, I wouldn’t have enough strength to finish. Luckily I didn’t push for too long. Once his head was out, I gave one, last, half-hearted push, and he slid right into my midwife’s arms. Asher gave a single, soft cry before she placed him on my chest. He laid content while they cleaned him up, Josh cut the cord, and I stared in disbelief. It was over. I finally had my beautiful baby. Josh and I cried from exhaustion or overwhelming gratefulness while Asher stared wide-eyed back at us and hummed.

Family came and tried to piece him together like a puzzle. “He has your toes” or “He has Josh’s eyes”. Honestly, I don’t see any of me in him. I only know he is mine from his little heartbeat and frequent hiccups that feel so familiar. I love my little guy so much, it hurts. I couldn’t have asked for a better baby or birth experience. I am so grateful for Josh who supported me entirely during my pregnancy and birth. He is such an amazing husband and father. I know I never could have done all this without his help and constant reminders that he loves me.

Thank you, Josh.

Happy Birthday Asher!

2010-09-07T16:09:00.000-06:00

Asher Rylan Rodeback was born September 5th at 2:47 am. He weighed 6lbs 14 oz and was 19 inches long.

This is us about three hours after he was born.

We may have cried a little...
Sorry the pictures are out of order...

Coming soon: The whole story!

The Before Pictures...and the long-anticipated name announcement.

2010-09-01T19:48:00.000-06:00

Sorry there are so many. I just couldn't choose!

Thank you so much Elise! If you would like to check out her other work, go to ceairmet.blogspot.com

Fishing!

2010-08-27T20:40:00.001-06:00

This summer Josh has been introducing me to a life full of fishing! We go every chance he gets, so here are some pictures from two of our trips. Malori frequently had Josh fixing her line, bait, and pole. Obviously we're masters at this!

Look at Micah go! It had to be her new pink fishing pole.

Josh caught a couple craw-dads.

And a couple trout! They were all super little, but fun to catch any way!

One morning after he got off work, he caught this lil' feller!

And we've got Traevan in on the action! His favorite part is casting right behind Josh so his pole whips the back of Josh's legs, followed by his giggles!

Rick and Micah watching their poles and catching some sun.

My dad and his sweet hat.

I caught way too much sun and a fish! I was a little worried about holding it.

Yes, I am monsterously pregnant fishing with a Batman pole. I really have nothing to say in my defense.

We've really had a blast fishing this summer, but Josh is still eager to catch a monster! If you know of any good places let us know.

6 Centimeters and Counting!

2010-08-22T19:07:00.000-06:00

This morning I began to worry a little that I might be leaking some amniotic fluid so I called my midwife to see if it was anything to worry about. She told me to go to the hospital just to be on the safe side, and they could easily check. So Josh and I got ready for church and thought we would just be stopping by the hospital on our way. They checked my fluid and said it was fine, but that I was dilated to a 5! Say what?!

I had no idea. I have been having pretty intense contractions for two weeks since my midwife informed me that my baby dropped, but I just thought the Braxton Hicks were getting stronger, I was stretching out, and going through that uncomfortable stage that always occurs during the last month of pregnancy. The baby was closely monitored and is doing great! Since I am almost 36 weeks they didn't try to stop my labor, and they didn't try to speed it up, so Josh and I spent our Sunday at the hospital waiting to see if our little guy would make his arrival. In 7 hours I was only dilated to a little under 6 centimeters.

We're back at home and anticipating his arrival sometime this week. The doctor said I could slowly labor like this for a few more days, or I could easily go into full-blown, active labor anytime. Either way is fine by me. I can handle the contractions just fine, and I would rather have him spend a few more days inside me if it means he won't have to be under observation. And I'm excited that I most-likely won't make it another month till my due date!

Our little guy is already keeping us on our toes! I can't wait to see him!

Traevan's Birthday!

2010-08-22T18:43:00.000-06:00

Little T turned a whopping 3 on August 1st! To celebrate we went to the Lindon water park and played on the Pirate Ship! Traevan loved it, and us adults may or may not have been entertained as well!

Grandma Mimi and Trae

My skinny, gorgeous sisters and me...

Josh, Rick and Bo

Some pirate dumped a bucket of water on them! Nikki was the only one who escaped.

Traevan is ready for it this time!!
We all had so much fun! Thanks to everyone who came to celebrate with us. We love this little guy. He is always keeping us busy and keeping our families close. We are so grateful for the time we have with him! He is going to be an amazing big brother!!

Fun Blogs

2010-08-18T10:45:00.000-06:00

I did it. I deleted my facebook about two weeks ago, and I am finally ready to admit it and move on. Since then I have been engulfed in blog! (I am beginning to think that I simply spend an unhealthy amount of time on the computer in general, not just facebook.) And from my wanderings on others' blogs I have been led to several informative, inspiring, witty, hilarious, and overall entertaining blogs. There is now a "Fun Blog" section on the right hand side towards the bottom so I have quick access to these great reads.

Back-Roads Photography: Josh's photography blog that I created so he could organize and display one of his many passions.

Charming Expressionz: Michelle's jewelry that she spends hours designing, creating, and producing. So for everyone out there who has asked me about a necklace I'm wearing, this is the place to go.

Natural Birth Stories: For those of you who think this concept is insanity, skip ahead. For those of you who might be interested, I highly recommend reading some of these stories. They are incredibly inspiring and informative about what kind of birth experience is possible.

New Dress A Day: An inspiring and interesting blog about a single woman who lost her job and decided to create 365 dresses in 365 days for $365. She patterns many of her designs off of dresses she's seen on celebrities and magazines. Definitely amazing!

Pregnancy and Parenthood: FABULOUS for a first-time mother like myself who has no idea what to expect. Amazing book recommendations, stories, and thoughts about both pregnancy and parenthood by an amazing woman and first-time mom as she experiences it all firsthand.

The "Blog" of "Unnecessary" Quotations: Hilarious! I think I find this blog so incredibly funny, not because I am a Nazi English buff (as everyone likes to assume), but because the meaning of one phrase completely changes with one innocent little set of quotation marks. English is simply fascinating.

The main reason for this post is because I want more. More of the interesting, witty, writer-ly type blogs that are out there. If anyone knows of any, please let me know! Don't get me wrong, I love following all my friend's blogs; however, I need more filler blogs to satisfy my sick obsession with my laptop while I wait for the majority of my friends who scatter three or four posts throughout the calendar year. I love you all, but holidays just aren't enough.

Two Realizations

2010-08-10T21:53:00.001-06:00

**DISCLAIMER-this post may not be for weak stomachs. If you are anything like my sisters and can't handle words like "uterus" and "placenta", do not read this post. Thank you.

Realization 1- I was reading an article that started out by saying "Love Your Baby Weight". Yeah, no problem! I can easily love the 5 pounds my little guy is contributing, but what about the rest of it? Good news my pregnant friends; here is explanation to this phenomenon.

At the end of your pregnancy this is roughly the weight breakdown:

Baby 8-9 lbs

Placenta 2-3 lbs

Amniotic fluid 2-3 lbs

Breast tissue 2-3 lbs

Blood and other fluids 8-10 lbs

Fat stores for breastfeeding 6-12 lbs

Uterus increase 2-5 lbs

Total 30-45 lbs

"Amen."

Realization 2- I found my first stretch mark. Apparently there is no mercy no matter how diligent you are applying all the necessary oils and creams. When I reported this finding to Josh he seriously consoled, "The good news is that your body will be perfect in the next life."

I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry at the realization that my plastic surgeon is also known as the millennium.

Facebook: The Newest, Deadliest, Health Hazard

2010-08-03T22:15:00.000-06:00

I've been a faithful Facebook member since 2008, but even in this amount of time I have seen a transformation with status updates, picture posts, and the works. When I first became acquainted with this social network, I felt incredibly informed even though I was hearing news that was usually a week old. Over the past two years, the updates are more frequent and a bit different. Like yesterday when a friend quickly uploaded a picture of her mutilated finger after it had been severed. My first thought was "Oh no! I hope she is okay." My second thought was "Shouldn't she have that wrapped up and be on her way to the ER instead of snapping pictures and single-handedly be loading it on Facebook?"

1. That takes talent.
2. That's probably a significant loss of blood.
3. She did get many comments!

I wonder if the Facebook generation will survive the need to post status updates of what is happening that very second whether it be car accident, broken leg, unattached limb, etc. simply for the gratification of having comments from their vast social network of friends they probably haven't seen in years. Just a thought.

Third Trimester Truths!

2010-07-29T10:02:00.000-06:00

32 Weeks! I'm not sure if I feel like I have been pregnant forever or if the time has flown by leaving me apprehensive and rushed to mentally prepare. I had an ultrasound on Tuesday, and our mystery baby is a mystery no more! The baby is definitely a boy which is definitely good to know. A few weeks ago Josh was saying "Maybe you should pick out a girl name before we get to the hospital...just in case." But we have had a boy name picked out for quite a while so one less thing for me to stress over!

The ultrasound was great! Our little guy has his head down and ready. I'm actually a little surprised at how he still fits in there. The ultrasound tech said that he weighs about four and a half pounds and assured me I will not be having a ten pound baby in eight weeks! (whew) AND our baby has hair!! I was so excited about this. I really, really hope it is dark and curly just like Josh's!

I just thought I would quickly reflect on pregnancy before the last month because I am sure my opinion will be tainted by my misery at that point.

Things I will NOT miss about being pregnant:

Acid reflux after eating anything with taste, namely: juice, tomatoes, and anything spicy
Retaining water
Gaining weight other places than my belly, namely my cottage-cheese legs
That awful chubby phase during the first trimester
Using a hair elastic as a button on my pre-pregnancy pants
Itchy, stretching skin
Not feeling cute and dressed up no matter what I wear
People exclaiming "Well that was quick! Wait, how long have you been married?" No worries, everyone! We got married in October, and I'm due in September. Stop straining yourself with the math.

Things that fascinate me about being pregnant:

The dark line down my belly that doesn't match up because my belly button is two inches to the right
Reading about pregnancy, labor, and breastfeeding; although, I am still trying to cope with the thought of that last one
Hearing how amazing and empowering giving birth can be, and praying that my experience will be as well
My sudden surprise at not being able to shave my legs, paint my toes, pick up my dropped keys

Things I will really miss about being pregnant:

Feeling my baby kick
My suddenly, thick, luscious hair
Having unusually great skin
Knowing I am always holding him
Josh painting my toes, shaving my legs, rubbing my back and helping me roll out of bed
Friends, family and strangers putting their hands on my belly to feel him kick

Honestly, I am so incredibly grateful to be able to have a baby even though he is making his arrival a little earlier than planned. My hopes of having children were slim by the time I was fifteen after a surgery and many doubtful doctor opinions. I definitely plan on doing it all over again! (In a few years after I have some time to appreciate my not-so-crazy body for a while)

Those days in July!

2010-07-25T13:33:00.000-06:00

I know it's a little late to be posting about the 4th, but no worries! I forgot to take any pictures on the 4th and was a tad upset. Josh and I NEVER take pictures when it's just the two of us, but I seem to whip out my camera any second there is a child around. Needless to say, we have a lot of pictures of Traevan. He is so used to my snap-happiness that he now will pose on the playground and say "Cheese me Timmer!" (Timmer= Kimber) Ok, now that Traevan's cuteness is posted for the world to see, I will tell about our 4th. We did the Delta usual which is by far superior to any other town celebration. Even Josh agrees. The parade was great, and Josh was introduced to the other half of the town that he didn't meet last year. Because Josh worked a graveyard the night before, he was exhausted and fell asleep for pretty much the rest of the day. I spent the rest of the day with my dad's family out at the rez which was great because it's really about the only time of year we see them all! Reservoir, not reservation. Apparently there is some confusion when I use that term anywhere outside of Millard county. Josh did wake up for the fireworks and took some awesome pictures with his new camera accessory which you can see on his blog back-roadsphotos.blogspot.com. There is also a great picture of a star trail that he took one night out at the rez. (See above reference for this location)

Ok, on to our 24th! We decided to make the day a date since we always seem to spend our weekends with one of our families. I was bound and determined to be snap happy so that we might have a handful of pictures of the two of us to document our first married summer!

When Josh woke up we thought about going to a rodeo. When I say "we" I mean me. I grew up in Delta; what can I say? But I thought the heat might kill me, and there is no way I can sit on wooden bleachers for three hours straight. Then we considered the Emmerson Drive concert until we realized the only difference between the concert and the rodeo was the luxurious grass seating. So we settled on a lovely, air-conditioned theater to watch The Sorcerer's Apprentice. Not our first choice, but it was surprisingly, really good! Documented below is us rockin Guitar Hero in the arcade at Cinemark.

Note to self: Pay attention when Josh has the camera, and push your glasses back onto your face.

Josh's face-melting, behind-the-back solo!

Pretty sure the adolescents in the arcade were staring at my belly, but yes, an 8 month pregnant woman can kick Josh's trash in Guitar Hero. Don't judge!

Then we ate at Red Lobster which, for some reason, was seriously the best food I had EVER eaten. I swear the baby LOVES seafood, or maybe it's just me. Afterwords, we drove to Spanish Fork and watched the Mapleton fireworks while waiting for the Spanish Fork fireworks to start.

This is us being eaten by mosquitoes! Seriously, I got a bite on my forehead and one on my knuckle. Result= hot dog finger. Seriously, it's still huge and swollen! But the Spanish Fork fireworks did FINALLY start, and they were amazing! I just love being with Josh. We have so much fun together and always have so much to talk about. I am so excited to see what is in our future! Nothing like a little summer romance...with your husband!

Me and Steve

2010-07-20T15:33:00.000-06:00

One of my very best friends from high school is on her mission in Montana, and I have been trying to be a good friend and write her as often as possible which is rather difficult for me considering my past experience with missionaries. I have actually written letters to my cousins and found the letters months after the missionaries' arrival back home. Yeah, I am that good. I have been good about writing Rachel though because I normally tell her everything, so now it's just in letter form. Anyway, back to the story. Josh knew how excited I was to hear from her so when he picked up the mail at 6 a.m., he rushed right into the bedroom to give me her letter. It went something like this...

Josh- "Guess what you got in the mail today."
Me- "Hmmm?"
Josh "You got a letter from Sister Nielson!" I suddenly sit up all confused.
Me- "I got a letter from Steve Nielson?"
Josh- "Who the heck is Steve Nielson!?!"

I then collapsed back into sleep with my arms around my body pillow (necessity while pregnant), and ever since then we've called my pillow Steve Nielson. Josh gets jealous that I sleep with Steve every night while he is working graveyards, but what can a lonely girl do?

Maternity Pictures by Josh

2010-06-28T09:14:00.000-06:00

Have I mentioned how incredibly talented my husband is? Well now you know. Josh has always loved photography, but studied it more as a passion than a hobby. A couple weeks ago I was encouraging him to go outside and practice some more. I may have opened my mouth too soon because he chose to shoot me. I really love the pictures though, and it was really fun taking them other than the mosquitoes had a feast on our flesh.

I set up a blog for him so that people could see all his pictures because I feel as though I shouldn't have the only privileged eyes that see his pictures. "Back-roads" is a twist on our last name if anyone was wondering. So you can access his blog under my "Family" in the "Fun Blogs" section on the right hand side, or you can just go to back-roadsphotos.blogspot.com. Leave some comments for him, and if anyone wants some pictures done for whatever reason, let us know! He would love the opportunity to practice some more with someone who doesn't moan when they get up and down.

Prego Pics!

2010-06-23T22:30:00.000-06:00

Josh has always loved taking pictures and is incredibly talented. I told him the other day that he should go out and take pictures more often, so this is what we got. (Top picture) There are plenty more, but he hasn't had time to put them in the right format and all that jazz. I guess I'll have to update later, but here are the past two weeks of my growing belly! 27 Weeks

26 Weeks

Summer

2010-06-11T11:38:00.000-06:00

So I realized a long time ago that Josh and I never take pictures of the two of us! We only whip the camera out when Traevan is around and for good reason. So when my friend Kristy snapped this shot of us at the Demolition Derby in Delta, I had to post it. That's all!

Another Pregnancy Post...Sorry

2010-05-26T12:46:00.000-06:00

I'm not sure what I would blog about if I weren't pregnant so I apologize that all my posts are on the same subject. I just had to say that we had our doctors appointment yesterday which was both frightening and elating! Frightening because I about pass out every time I set foot on the scale. Being stressed about my weight during pregnancy is one thing I did NOT expect to affect me in the least. I've never been so self conscious and worried about it in my life. I keep trying to tell myself that it will not last and it is all for a good cause; still, I fret. And the doctor's encouraging words about me "being right on track" and "expecting me to gain at least 13 more pounds in the next four months" should have been a relief, but I am not looking forward to it much.

The visit was elating because each time the doctor complimented my baby's heart rate or the ultrasound results, I suddenly felt so proud. The doctor said my measurements are great and assured me that every weird thing going on is normal and expected. I exclaimed to Josh on our way home, "Our baby is already outstanding in every way!" Overly-boastful bumper stickers here we come!!

The First Kick

2010-05-15T09:50:00.000-06:00

This is going to be a short one, but I just had to post that Josh finally felt our baby kick last night! YAY! I have been feeling him move and kick for weeks, but no one could feel it externally. I was so excited. Probably more excited than he was, but feeling him kick is my absolute favorite thing about being pregnant! I can't wait for him to be here!!

20 Weeks!!

2010-05-04T22:25:00.001-06:00

So I still get a bit nervous to post my pregnancy pictures on here because I compare to my other friends who are pregnant and I feel HUGE! But here they are anyway... I'm half way there!!! (with a crazy look in my eye)

Here is the side view! Wow, I have popped right out there.