Blessed this Christmas

Our little tree. I have to get a real one or Christmas doesn't seem the same.

My beautiful brown eyed girl. She's growing up so fast

My Blakey! How can you not love that face?

So in my last post I was complaining about everything that was going wrong and all the stuff I had to do. Well, I was sure humbled today. We went to Blake's appointment today at Primary Children's and my eyes were opened to how really worse it could be and how blessed my family has been. His appointment was in the orthopedics department and soon as we got there I saw a boy about 9 years old who couldn't use his legs. When we were leaving I noticed a mom who just had a baby (the hospital mug and walk gives it away every time) was also leaving the hospital but she was leaving without her baby. It got me wondering what was wrong with her baby and if it was going to be okay and how she wouldn't be able to take her or him home with her for Christmas. An uplifting thing that I saw also on the way out is that two women brought bags and bags full of toys to give to the kids. I overheard the person working at the desk ask who they wanted to give them to and they said to whoever needed them. I was sure put in my place and shown how truly blessed I am.

Here comes the real cheesy part but having the Christmas Spirit is about being able to enjoy the holidays and your family and the kind deeds people do despite what is going on in your life. I really am looking forward to Christmas and being able to see my kids' reactions when they open their presents and just spending time with my family. I wish that everyone could be as blessed as I am on this Christmas.

When It Snows It Dumps

In the title I'm not entirely referring to the weather. Last Christmas I wasn't able to completely relax and enjoy it. We left for Uruguay on New Year's Eve so through the whole Christmas season I was stressed about getting ready for it and getting everyone prepared for the big trip. This year I thought, "Yes! I can just sit back and enjoy all the good things of Christmas." Not entirely so. All this stuff has been heaped on us at once. Blake has been working with The Early Intervention group because he was late at walking and still has problems with feet placement. The physical therpist thinks he needs braces for his legs to correct the problem. So I had to go to his pediatrician to get a prescription for those. Well, no big deal because it was time for his check up anyway. I told his doctor what was going on and he disagrees with the physical therapist and has referred me to an orthopedics doctor. Blake's appointment is scheduled two days before Christams.
I myself went to the dentist earlier this week because a tooth was bothering me. We don't have dental insurance but I was able to get an emergency appointment with the free clinic. The plan was to do a root canal and after they had been drilling for what felt like an hour they thought they should take more x-rays to see if they got everything. Turns out that the tooth wasn't worth saving and so they decided to pull it. Well, guess what? The roots go up into my sinus area therefore requires the expertise of an oral surgeon. So now for the past couple of days I've been searching for dental insurance that will cover this procedure without a waiting period because I've got to get it done within a month.
On top of these two things I have my husband pressuring me to get some immagration papers filed. The paperwork is to get his status changed from conditional resident to permanent resident which I understand is very important but technically doesn't have to be done for another month. If any of you have dealt with immigration you know that a simple form doesn't cut it. You have to send every kind of proof that says you truly exsist and says you are who you really say you are.
I know that I really shouldn't be complaining because it could be a lot lot worse. The purpose of this very long post is to vent and complain and throw a pity party that I don't get my worry-free Christmas. Something tells me that as long as I have kids on this earth that's not going to happen. Have a very Merry Christmas everybody!

Can I Really Do This?

When my Jayla was born she was the sweetest baby. She hardly ever cried and I didn't realize how little she cried until I had my second one. She was so easygoing and most the time happy. She made the transition into motherhood a lot easier. Around her being 22 months old things started to change. I think she was replaced in the night with her evil twin. Well, maybe not something that drastic but she does have her multiple personality moments. It first started as the terrible two tantrums which I thought I was handling okay but she's started something new. She's starting to talk back to me. Not so much talking but more like grunting, screaming, and pointing her finger at me. She's also hitting and pushing Blake thinking that she's the boss. I thought that I would know how to handle these things but turns out that I'm pretty clueless. Things that I have tried are not working and I'm losing my patience. I look back and that baby thing was easy. This stage is a whole new ball game. Am I sure that I can really do this? Whenever I'm challenged with something new I always try to tell myself to take one day at a time and things will naturally get easier. Does it really apply to this? I know that if my mom is reading this she is probably laughing. Laughing so hard that she is crying. She's thinking that it's finally pay back time and she's right.

So much to give

When Daniel was in Uruguay he met and fell in love with a little girl. She is 15 months old, her mother died when she was 5 months old, her father has basically abandoned her, and she is blind. Daniel's father and his girlfriend, who are both in their mid-60s, have taken her in even though they barely have enough money for themselves. Daniel says that this girl is so beautiful and despite everything she is always happy and smiling. We looked into what it would take to adopt her and bring her here but Uruguay regulations make it nearly impossible to do so. For the past couple of days I've been gathering some stuff to send to her. As I was going through Jayla's old clothes I was overwhelmed by the realization that I am so lucky and blessed. We have more than enough for what we need. Meanwhile, this little girl is going without clean clothes and proper food and has no toys to play with. It breaks my heart that I can't do more for her. We're going to try and send money for her whenever we can but it won't be near enough for what she needs. She needs a loving home where there are people capable to provide her with things and the special attention she requires. I think after having kids I am more sensitive in these situations because I just imagine if my kids had to go through that. I pray that our contributions will be enough to help her live a happier life. We have so much to give, so how can we not.

He Finally Did It!

He does this downward facing dog position thing to stand up.

He almost lost it here but he recovered.

My Blakey boy who is 18 months old is finally walking! I've waited for this for a long time. He's funny because he just decided to do it all of the sudden. He thinks he's hot stuff now. I don't think he gets that it's something you do to get somwhere. So far he just does it to play around and show off. Hopefully, he'll start doing it more so I don't have to lug him around everywhere.

Painting Fun

Jayla thought this was the coolest thing ever.

Blake got more paint on him than on his paper.

One of the finished products.

I had bought finger paints a while ago but decided to use them recently to make signs for Daniel for when he got home. This is Jayla's new favorite thing to do. She loved it! But she wouldn't use her fingers. She had to use a paint brush and if any got on her hands she would say, "Ew!" and had to have it wiped off. (I hope she's really not that girly) Blake kept wanting to eat it and even succeeded a couple of times. Good thing Crayola products are non-toxic.

Daniel's Home!

Daniel finally came home yesterday. His flight wasn't to arrive until 2:00 pm and I thought he would call me in between his other flights to let me know he was okay. Well, I never received such a call so I called him when I knew he wouldn't be on the plane, and his phone was turned off. So of course all of these horrible scenarios pop into my head. I'm always worried about him going through customs and that they'll find him suspicious and they won't let him onto his next flight. It turns out that his mom had packed his cell phone in his carry on and he couldn't find it. Typical male. So everything was fine and he was on time. When Jayla saw him coming she ran to him with a huge smile on her face and gave him the sign that we had made. It was really sweet. Blake just kept saying, "Pa pa pa!" It's so good to have him home. We missed him so much. It's been bittersweet for Daniel because he missed us and wanted to see us but it's also hard to leave his family especially not knowing when he'll see them again. It was a good trip for him and he's glad that he went. Now we're back to the real world.

99

To participate just copy and paste in your own blog, and bold all of the things you have done. Mine are in red.
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty-I've walked around the outside of it.
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Ran a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied-at one point in my life
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo's David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain.
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check-It wasn't completely my fault. The bank didn't make a deposit correctly.
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy-Does a blanket count?
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating-I didn't actually kill it but was a part of the process.
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone's life-Me and my best friend joke that I saved her life. We were hiking and she tripped and fell over the side of the trail. I ran and grabbed her and pulled her up. Later we saw the switch back was just 3 feet below her. But at the time we thought I was saving her life and so we just refer to it as that.
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Tagged

I was tagged by Brittany M. What you're supposed to do is post the fourth picture in your fourth picture folder and then write a little something about it. After you have posted your picture you then tag four other people.

No surprise that it's of one of the kids. This was taken May of this year just before Blake's first birthday. We were just playing before bedtime and Blake is a typical boy and loves to throw the ball. Also notice all of the DVDs around him. One of his favorite things to do would be to empty out all the DVDs on the shelf. Thankfully he is past that stage now. Now I tag Scott H, Kate H, Bridget S, and Kim L.

The Wonder of the Sky

I had a unique moment today when I was playing in the park with my kids. Me and Jayla were swinging around these poles and I tilted my head back and I saw the big, beautiful sky. When I was a kid I loved to lay on my back and watch the endlessness of the sky. It made me feel so small but at the same time so special to be part of the world. How long had it been since I had gazed at the sky? So long that I can't even remember. I get so caught up in my own life and my problems I forget that I'm part of a bigger picture. There is an eternal plan for me. When I looked at the sky today I was reminded of these things. I'm struggling to find the right words for exactly how I felt but I hope I never go that long again without taking time and enjoying the wonder of the sky.

Uruguay

The Montevideo, Uruguay temple. Daniel used to play soccer where this temple is now.

This is my sister-in-law Monica and her kids Paula and Nico. We stayed with them while in Uruguay.

This is the beach at Piriapolis. This was my favorite of all the beaches. It was very laid back and not as touristy.

Sorry, I couldn't get it to turn the right way but this is La Plaza de Libertad (I think) in Montevideo. I loved the city and the architecture of the buildings. Very beautiful.

This is Punta del Este. The main tourist beach. I don't know the name of the sculpture but it is a giant hand that is emerging out of the sand. Jayla is sitting on the thumb. Pretty cool.

Obviously my thoughts are on Uruguay right now. Last year we all went as a family to visit and spent a whole month there. It was really long but it was such a great experience. I met most of Daniel's family for the first time and fell in love with them. They are so great. Daniel is a bit older than me and he's the youngest in his family so it's weird that his Mom could be my grandma, his oldest sister could be my mom, and my oldest nephew is only 2 years younger than me. Also, one of my nieces is pregnant so that means I'm going to be a great aunt. Aahhh! That sounds so old. I speak very little Spanish and they speak no English so it was difficult to communicate sometimes but I love them and they are wonderful people. Uruguay is a beautiful country and is a big tourist attraction for southern South America. We went when it was their summer so last year I missed a whole month of our winter. We had some interesting experiences. We only had a car for the first week we were there and the rest of the time we rode the bus or walked which is what the majority do over there. We must have been a site. We had two babies, each in their own stroller, and a huge diaper bag trying to catch a bus. The first attempt was really nerve racking but by the end of the month we had things down. Daniel had told me horror stories about the bus and how the drivers barely slow down for you to get on or off and people never give up their seats. So I was pretty freaked but everyone was so nice. People always gave up their seat to me because I was holding a baby and there were occasions when somebody would carry the stroller while I got off. Another crazy thing are the soccer games. Me and Daniel went to one where the two big rivals were playing. We didn't sit in the crazy section though. The crazy section was filled with people who never sat down and were constantly cheering, singing, or swearing. They were also lighting off fireworks right in the stands. There have been stabbings and shootings after a big game so Daniel said we had to leave before the game was over. He was in protective mode. We got to go to the beach a few times and it was fun but would have been better without little kids. Jayla was great but Blake hated almost every minute of it. I found my first Americans there and was so excited. They were from Conneticut there for some college thing. Overall the trip was great and we want to go again. We'll probably go when the kids are able to remember it better and have the memories. I'm proud that my kids are part Uruguayan and I want them to be proud of it also. So I hope that we will be able to take many trips so they can learn of their heritage.

Curious George Obsession

This one of Blake has got to be my all time favorite.

My kids love Curious George! I found this video on YouTube that has clips of the Curious George movie set to a really cute song by Jem. They freak out when they watch it. It's hilarious to watch them. So of course I had to post some picures of their reactions while watching it. They could watch it all day long.

Missing Daniel

Daniel has left for Uruguay to visit his family and he'll be gone for more than two weeks. What am I going to do without him!? I already miss him which sounds crazy because when he's here he's always working and isn't home most of the time anyway. It's so true that you don't fully appreciate something until it's gone. Even when he's not home and he's working, just knowing that he's there when I need him is such a big comfort. He is the greatest husband and father. I knew this before but am reminded of it even more. He was trying to be funny the morning that he left. He said that I should take a picture of him in case something happened to him and doesn't make it back and that I would be able to remember what he looked like that day. Not the best thing to say when you're about to fly for 17 hours. I hope that these next two weeks go by fast.

Fall Fun

This past week I've done some fun things with the kids but didn't bring my camera because I didn't think that there would be many photo opportunities because I had to juggle the kids by myself. But of course I was wrong and now I'm kicking myself for it. First we went to Hogle Zoo on Wednesday. It was just me and the kids because Daniel was working. Last time we all went as a family and it was in May and it was so hot. The animals were not active and Blake fell asleep so you can tell how much fun he had. This time was ten times better, I only wish that Daniel would have been there. The weather was so much better and the animals were so fun to watch. Blake's favorite was the monkeys and Jayla loved the zebras. I loved the leopard and the tiger. The leopard kept passing in front of us and once in a while would stop and stare at us. When we got to the tiger it was growling and I thought that was really cool. We'll have to see if we can go again before the weather gets too cold.

Tonight we went Trick-or Treating with their friend Annie and her mom and dad. Daniel really wanted to join us but he has been sick and didn't have the energy. I feel bad that he's missing out on fun stuff but I just keep thinking that in four days he gets a two week vacation in Uruguay so my pity doesn't last long. Anyway, Blake and Jayla had so much fun. Jayla and Annie would run to every door and knock on it themselves. Blake would get so excited walking up to the door and get the hugest grin on his face. He got the hang of things and started grabbing the candy out of the bowl himself. This was the first Halloween that I've had fun in a long time. I've kind of been a party pooper about it and in some ways I still am. Hopefully when the kids get older and we have our own house that I'll get more into it. But now that Halloween is over I can start listening to Christmas music. Yay!

My Blakey

The thing about your own blog is you can write or brag about anything you want to. Right now I just want to gush about my Blakey. He is the most sensitive boy ever. He even blushes! I didn't even know that toddlers can do that. He is such a good sport. Jayla picks on him a lot and most the time he doesn't get his way because Jayla can throw the bigger fit and she wins out. But he just rolls with the punches. He probably knows that he won't always be the weakest one and he's biding his time. He's also the biggest mama's boy ever. I pretend to be annoyed by it but I secretly love it. Well, most of the time. I love my sweet little boy!

He's still not walking on his own but he's getting pretty good with his walker. Watch out!

This is what he does when I ask him where his nose is. It's also what he does when I ask him to say Mama.

I love his big toothy smiles!

He is a master at building block towers. I would call him a genius.

Trunk or Treat

Tonight was our ward's Trunk or Treat. I was actually excited this year because I knew that at least Jayla would have fun and turns out that Blake had fun too.

The little girl in the middle is Annie. She is Jayla and Blake's best friend.

She got the hang of things pretty fast.

Blake just had to dig in early.

Jayla couldn't unwrap her candy fast enough.

Big Owie

Last week Jayla did a face plant into the sidewalk. We were at the park playing and she was jumping down some stairs one by one and she was on the second to last one and just tipped forward and her face broke her fall. She was crying and bleeding and I asked her if she wanted to go home and she said, "Noooo!" So we just kept playing. This was her first big injury so I had to document it.

Adorable!

I just have to show them off. Blake loved the Burger King crown! He thought that he was so cool. I also love this picture of Jayla. She's wearing my favorite shoes. She loves to change her shoes and likes to try mine on all of the time. Like mother like daughter.

I finally did it!

After much pressuring I've finally given in and started my own blog. I can't promise that it will be too exciting but I'll give it my best shot. I figure that it will be good for Daniel's family, too. This way it will be easier for them to stay updated on everything and see pictures of the kids. Before you know it I will probably be addicted.