A Day In The Life

Wordless Wednesday

2012-02-08T09:15:00.001-05:00

Tuesday Truths

2012-02-07T21:30:00.000-05:00

The truth is...Marleigh learned how to count to ten! It is made extra cute by the fact that once she reaches ten she usually yells out, "amazing!"

The truth is...I have a whole bunch of sewing projects that I need to get to. I have been avoiding organizing my craft room and using the excuse that it is too cluttered to work. Maybe now that I have confessed I will do something about it!

The truth is...There was fraud reported on my debit card, so now I get to wait for a new one to come in the mail.

The truth is...I have not been doing a lot of picture taking lately. Marleigh is growing and changing so much, I want to do a better job of preserving the memories.

The truth is...We are almost done filing our taxes! I can't wait for it to be over.

Wordless Wednesday

2012-02-01T22:00:00.000-05:00

Tuesday Truths

2012-01-31T23:30:00.000-05:00

The truth is...I am super excited because my time deployed with the military qualifies me for the Post 9/11 GI Bill. Wohoo for the military helping to pay for school!

The truth is...Marleigh was playing with Rob's stethoscope today. She loved listening to everyone's heart. We got a laugh because she tried to listen to my tummy! (No, she does not know something that you do not know!)

The truth is...I submitted my packet to receive my Massage Therapy License in North Carolina yesterday. Here is to it going through quickly and with no problems, I am really wanting to get to work!

The truth is...I got to help the Boy Scouts learn about how to do a flag ceremony tonight. For some reason I have always enjoyed being a part of a Color Guard. It was quite the experience trying to teach that to others.

The truth is...I got a new cell phone (mine was not receiving text messages, voicemails, etc) and promptly broke the screen. Lucky for me I found another just like it online for super cheap. It is nothing fancy, but at least it works.

Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-25T09:50:00.000-05:00

Tuesday Truths

2012-01-24T17:09:00.001-05:00

The truth is...a few weeks ago Marleigh and I were playing in her room while my mom was over. Marleigh was laughing up a storm and throwing herself on her bed. I asked her how she got to be so crazy. Without any hesitation she smiled up at me and said, "Mommy, Daddy". At least we don't have to wonder anymore.

The truth is...Marleigh has started asking for diaper changes, or "diapie changes" as she calls them. I hope this means we might be close to trying to potty train.

The truth is...I am loving the cooler weather here. It was so much fun watching leaves change and fall. I only wish we could have had a little snow for Christmas.

The truth is...I have been horrible at getting projects done lately. It seems like I never have the time or that I am exhausted.

The truth is...Marleigh will be two in just a few weeks! I can't believe how fast the time has gone!

What?! 2012?!

2012-01-22T22:11:00.000-05:00

Okay, I have been caught, I am horribly behind. My goal this week is to spend some time catching you up on what we have been doing. Please be aware though, that for my own sanity, some of the things that have happened I will be back dating to when they actually took place, so please search for previous posts. I will have the major holiday things, plus some of the other fun stuff that went on at our house.

Mostly as the new year starts we are grateful to all be together. We have been so blessed and truly seen the hand of the Lord in our lives over the past year. While we do not know exactly where this road we are on is going to take us, we trust and have faith in the fact that we are doing what our Heavenly Father wants us to be doing at this time. So here is a little "New Years Letter" type update!

We will start with Marleigh since she is the most enjoyable. She basically speaks in 2-5 word phrases/sentences. She is more stubborn and opinionated than ever. She has favorites, like Blue's Clues, Phineas and Ferb, Veggie Tales, Curious George, Finding Nemo, Cars, Tangled, and other random things. She is very much into rhythm right now. She loves to listen to music and dance, shake her fist, or head bang to the beat. She loves playing with her dogs and it is becoming a pretty even match. She is still continuing to love sign language. She started nursery back in August. She LOVES it. She has never cried, fussed, fought, or had to be brought to us for anything other than a diaper change. She has had some wonderful leaders and will find them on Sunday to give them hugs. She loves being outside. She is obsessed with "vroom vrooms" (vehicles) of all types. In fact, my brother Ryan was having to work on his Toyota 4 Runner. He had it in parts in the garage and Marleigh would see it every day and have to tell all of us "oh, no, owie vroom vroom". It was really hard on her and she was very happy to see it "all better". She has fully started in on the terrible twos. She loves to pitch a fit when she doesn't get her way and believes that everyone is on this earth to make her happy. Mostly she is just fun and entertaining and super cute and the most amazing little girl ever. She leaves me in aw everyday.

When we first got her I spend tons of time looking for a job. I eventually found one at an assisted living facility working as a receptionist. It was a 3 month probationary period. They told me based on my experience and skills they were going to start me at a higher rate than their other receptionists. About 6 weeks into it I went into work and they told me they were letting me go because I was "over qualified". I do not know how my qualifications changed in that 6 weeks, but there was a lot of other issues they were having. While I was very angry and frustrated for awhile it turned out to be a blessing. I decided to apply for the GI Bill and get back in school. I am taking classes online at Ashford University and loving it for the most part. I am working on getting my massage therapy license and I am really looking forward to working in my field. We are in an amazing ward and I have met a lot of great people. I am the ward organist, the Relief Society children's class leader for our monthly activities, and the Boy Scout troop committee chair. I am still trying to work on sewing and craft projects. We have been painting the whole house because of the horrific colors it was when we moved in. Slowly trying to decorate and feel like it is home.

Rob was not able to leave his job in Phoenix and move out here until the end of October. He was able to transfer his part-time job at AutoZone here. When he got here they really loved the work he did, so three weeks ago they made him a manager and gave him a pay raise. He works hard and loves getting to do car stuff all the time. He is also in school, doing online classes at Ashford University. He is working on a degree in Project Management. Although school is one of his least favorite things in the world he is doing really well. He is the 2nd Counselor in the Young Men's Presidency and the Scoutmaster. He has been learning and lot and so far seems to really enjoy it. He loves to spend extra time working on his little Toyota pick-up truck. He and Marleigh are good buds and love to go do things just the two of them. He has also been working on losing weight and has lost 45 pounds since he has been here with us.

So that is a quick update on life at the Roussel house. We have a lot of fun things coming up this year. We are going to Myrtle Beach for our birthdays, we are going to Utah for my sister LaDawn's wedding, and then we are going to Arizona for Rob's sister Meghan's wedding. Mostly we are looking forward to progressing as a family and seeing what our Heavenly Father has in store for us.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-19T20:54:00.002-04:00

Tuesday Truths

2011-10-18T21:35:00.000-04:00

The truth is...Marleigh has become obsessed with mail. She loves to go outside, open the mail box, and find what is waiting for her. I will let her have whatever ads are in the mail, like the pizza one today, and she loves to dance around the house saying, "mail, mail, mail", and kissing it. It is really cute to watch, I will have to try and get some video.

The truth is...Marleigh helped me make banana bread this weekend. It is my first real attempt at having her help me with anything in the kitchen. She was really excited about getting involved. Her favorite part was pouring things in, like sugar and flour. She was very happy and cooperative...until we ran out of things to pour in. Apparently that was the only fun part and she quickly became frustrated and not interested after that. Oh well, I am sure there will be many more opportunities and as she grows there will be more she wants to be involved in around the kitchen.

The truth is...Marleigh is 20 months old today! Where has the time flown to? I can not believe my little baby is almost two! I am so grateful for the little miracle that she is in our lives.

The truth is...Marleigh is an iPad genius. Other than unlocking it and entering passwords she can make it do pretty much whatever she wants. Her is one of her coloring pages - that she saves to the photo book. The other picture she took with Photo Booth which has different lenses that change and allow you to take funny pictures, she loves getting on there and seeing how she can make herself look. It usually is good to make her giggle.

The truth is...I really love banana bread...it is so yummy!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-12T21:03:00.001-04:00

Tuesday Truths

2011-10-11T23:59:00.005-04:00

The truth is...I am cutting this really close to still be considered Tuesday!

The truth is...I have now worked two mornings on my own and I think I am starting to get the hang of it all.

The truth is...Over the weekend I was giving the dogs and bath and Marleigh decided to jump in with them!

The truth is...I really wish I had a picture of the above - maybe next time...

The truth is...We are in countdown!!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-05T23:50:00.001-04:00

Tuesday Truths

2011-10-04T11:24:00.000-04:00

The truth is...We had another fun morning of yard work on Friday. Stephen once again was a sweetheart and did the lawn mowing for me. My mom and I dug up more weeds in the grass and dug out all the weeds that were around the front edge of the house. Marleigh loved helping to pull the weeds, finding bugs, and moving dirt all around. Another thing she really loved was walking through the grass that hadn't been mowed yet. She would hold her hands out and just run through and feel. It was a good time. I love watching Marleigh outside, she just loves being a part of nature. She takes such joy from everything and it is a wonderful reminder for me to take time to enjoy the small everyday moments.

The truth is...That General Conference for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was also this past weekend. I love being able to listen to the words of a prophet and apostles. It amazes me that even though they are talking to millions of people all over the world I feel like their words are just for me. It is such a blessing.

The truth is...Bandit is digging a hole along the fence in our back yard. Actually, it is more of a trench. It is about a foot wide, a foot deep, and three to four feet long. She does not get left outside alone a lot, so I don't know when she found the time, but it is currently her special project.

The truth is...I completed the first part of my training for work this weekend. I will be starting work on Friday and I am excited and nervous all at the same time.

The truth is...I am craving peanut butter m&m's...as in I could probably eat a 5 pound bag by myself right now. Yum....

First Day On The Job

2011-09-29T21:37:00.000-04:00

Today was a new adventure. I spent over five and half hours going through my orientation today. There was actually a lot of good information and it was probably the best orientation I have ever been too. That was nice because it did make the time go faster, at least until I hit the two-inch-thick stack of paperwork to read and sign. I signed away any chance to use the excuse "I didn't know", which is something I am used to with medical type settings. The staff I met are really friendly and I am super excited to work with them. Actually, in a lot of ways I am really excited about this job. The hardest part for me is being away from Marleigh.
I have been so blessed to be able to stay home full time with Marleigh since she was born. When Rob and I got married that is something we discussed and both really wanted - for me to be able to stay home with kids. When we were going through the praying process, that led to this move and everything that went with it, whether or not I should return to work was a big part of it. Even though I am returning to work, we are once again being blessed in the fact that I am only needing to work part-time and the job is regular hours, which is difficult to find in a lot of part-time jobs.
I know that not everyone choses or is able to make the same decisions for their family - and I would never say our way is the best way - every family knows their needs and they all have access to communication with a loving Heavenly Father who can guide their family in the path best for them. I am so grateful for that blessing. I am grateful for a guiding influence. I know everyone jokes that kids don't come with instruction manuals, but I know that mine came with 24/7 pray-in-support (which has been used on many occasions). It is also true of our marriage and of my individual life. What a comfort it is to have that knowledge.
I will return from my tangent and close for now. Tomorrow is a new day and yard work beckons! Wahoo for my little brother, Stephen, who is willing to mow my lawn; my sister, Katie, who is willing to watch Marleigh; and my mom who is willing to help me pull weeds and dig up beds.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-28T20:54:00.001-04:00

Tuesday Truths

2011-09-27T22:46:00.000-04:00

The truth is...I was able to get my background check completed - really easy when there are no records of you :) - so I will have orientation for my new job on Thursday!

The truth is...Marleigh really fought sleep tonight, and then she threw up all over (it is one of the worst things ever to watch your baby girl throw up and know there is nothing you can do to make it better). Afterwards she felt much better and decided it was time to play with mommy again. She finally went to sleep around 10:00.

The truth is...I got my finger prints done for my massage therapy license. I am really excited about getting into massage again. I know it will take a while to work out the kinks (haha) since it has been awhile, but it will be so worth it and so much fun. If anyone in the NC area wants to be a guinea pig once my license comes through just let me know!

The truth is...My internet has been going crazy the last five days or so. It randomly shuts off every few hours. I have to unplug the modem and router, wait a few minutes, and then plug them back in to get everything to work. I have already had one technician come out and they are sending another one tomorrow. I really hope they can get this whole thing fixed.

The truth is...My goal tonight is to be in bed before midnight...wish me luck!

Time to stop being lazy...

2011-09-27T00:14:00.000-04:00

Every time I sit down at the computer and start to work on things I come up with some reason I can wait to post an update. I have now used Marleigh crying, Marleigh needing attention, the dogs needing to be let out, painting, unpacking, dishes, laundry, and a million other little things. I actually miss posting updates on the comings and goings of our little family's life, but it is like taking a break from writing in your journal, it is all about wondering where to start and worrying about forgetting things.

I think I will start with our move. It didn't quite go as planned. The trailer was wonderful and we had some great help to get packed up and moved out. After our road trip up to Utah to visit LaDawn, my grandpa, and to attend a convention we decided it would be better for the girls to fly out to North Carolina and for Rob and the dogs to drive out on their own. Considering how crazy it was keeping Marleigh happy for the six hour flight I can't imagine if we had needed to keep her happy for 5 long days of driving!

Rob with the Loaded Trailer

Rob, Tim and Jeremy strapping in the last part of the load

The Loaded Trailer and Dogs on the Road

Rob was only with us for a one night before he had to fly back for work. Since then we have been keeping busy with my family. About a week after we got here, on August 18th, Marleigh celebrated her 18 month birthday!! I can not believe that she is so big and grown up. For her birthday she got a Harley Motorcycle Rocker. She absolutely loves it! She rides on it and makes motorcycle engine noises. She sits next to it and works on it with tools and even occasionally throws her hands up in frustration while saying, "Oh, man!" To celebrate her Oma and Aunt Katie made her a Heath Cake. She absolutely loved all the whipped cream and chocolate - two of her favorite food groups!

Marleigh's Motorcycle

Eating Heath Cake

18 Month Birthday Picture

Since getting into the house we have not totally unpacked. We have been kept really busy with painting the dinning room, which we are using as an office, the master bedroom, and Marleigh's room. The next room is going to be the spare room that I am going to use for crafts and sewing and also as a guest room. Right now we are still using the futon as a couch, but hopefully soon we will be able to move it into the guest room and find somethings a little more comfortable. I haven't yet hung up any pictures or put up shelves, which means the books are still in boxes and the pictures are still wrapped and filling up my bathroom. Luckily it is easy enough to use one bathroom for the time being and boxes of books stack well.

During all of this craziness Marleigh is loving the time she gets to play with her uncles and aunt. She loves reading books with Oma and throwing toys for Chevy. She is in love with grass, bugs and dirt. She loves working in the yard with us, pulling weeds and digging holes. She cries and cries when it is time to go inside and is always asking to go back outside. She, like the rest of us, is trying to adjust to the humidity. She has found some new favorite foods - Nacho Dorritos and bread with honey. She loves climbing on the still packed boxes and cheering when she gets to the top. A new game she enjoys is standing on the stair that steps down to the living room, having me count to three, and then she jumps off!

Nacho Cheese Dorrito Face

Climbing Boxes

I like being dirty - I don't want to go inside

The dogs are a little slower in adjusting. They are not a fan of the regular rain storms since they really don't like rain. They also aren't sure what to do about the dogs that live in the yard behind us. Those dogs are really big barkers and they are constantly making noise and trying to play through the fence. They work as a decent alarm system, but in the middle of the night it can be obnoxious.

We did have one crazy night. Someone tried to get into our back storm door. The dogs went on the alert and were ready to defend the house. Luckily when I turned on the flood light in the back yard whoever was there went away. I had to call 9-1-1 to get a police officer to come and check around the house. It was probably the most terrifying experience I have ever gone through. I have never been that scared. I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who immediately answers prayers for comfort and peace. I am also grateful for a husband who answers his phone, even in the middle of the night, just so I can hear his voice and feel better.

In other news, I have been searching for a job since before I actually got here. I knew that the job search would not be super easy, but I was not expecting it to be so incredibly difficult for a part-time job. I did not have super high expectations for pay, but that did not seem to make a difference. I applied for probably at least 35 jobs over the course of 6 weeks, all of which I felt qualified for based on past positions I had held. Out of that I had only two interviews. I was getting very depressed and starting to doubt if I would be able to find something. I am so grateful for family members and friends who had a fast on my behalf that I would be able to find something that would not only bring in money, but that would still allow me to spend as much time with Marleigh as possible and provide her with a somewhat regular schedule. Today I found out that as long as I pass a background check I will be given a job that is Monday through Friday with set hours in the morning. I feel so blessed. I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who is aware of my needs and the needs of my family, even more so than I am myself. The first interview I had I thought would be a perfect job, I was so disappointed when they never called back. However, after having interviewed for this job I am so much happier than I would have been with the other one. This is much better suited to me and the work environment is much friendlier and more inline with my personality. As I said, I am grateful He knows me better than I know myself. I am grateful He has a path for me individually, and also with my family, that will lead to happiness. I know I don't always stay on it, but I try so hard, and I guess that is the best I can do at the moment, although I do hope to get better.

Another piece of big news, Marleigh is now sleeping in a big girl bed! She still doesn't sleep through the night, but she is slowly readjusting to a schedule and routine and doing better. She loves the bed and her pillows and blankets. I am using my old bedding set that my mom and I made while I was in high school. It is kind of fairy tale/fantasy. It is blue and purple and probably shows that I am so excited for her to be excited about princesses and happily-ever-after. I will put up pictures when it is all finished up.

We are really enjoying the new ward. Marleigh has been going to nursery for the last four weeks and really loves the toys, friends, and bubbles. Yesterday when her teacher walked into the room Marleigh ran up to her and gave her a huge hug around the leg and a kiss. It was so cute! She has not needed me to come get her at all, except for yesterday when they needed me to change her diaper. The only hard part is that she does not like to wait through Sacrament meeting to go, she wants to go straight there as soon as we walk in the building.

That was the long and short version of the last six weeks. I am sure I am missing some thing somewhere that is important, but I will just have to write more when it comes to me! For now, good-night!

Tuesday Truths - Our New Adventure

2011-08-30T20:18:00.000-04:00

The truth is...I guess it is now official that we are living in North Carolina. We are still trying to get settled into the house. It is a work in progress since we are basically repainting the entire house. Probably wasn't the quickest option, but I couldn't bring myself to live with walls that were a salmon-peach color.

The truth is...Marleigh is starting to get adjusted. She misses Daddy since he is still finishing stuff up in Arizona, but she is playing with her uncles to help fill the gap.

The truth is...The dogs think I am evil because they are having to deal with humidity and tons of rain, but they love the yard and the dogs that live behind us.

The truth is...I am still looking for a job. I feel like I have put in a million resumes, but I am trying not to get discouraged.

The truth is...We are really enjoying our new ward. There are lot of families about our age and Marleigh is loving the kids in nursery. She hasn't cried yet and has never had to be brought to me. (I hope I didn't just jinx that!)

As a side note - I know there are a lot of people wanting more updates, and I promise they are coming, please be patient a little longer!

Tuesday Truths

2011-07-20T22:07:00.001-04:00

The truth is...that Marleigh and I are in North Carolina getting thngs ready for our big move. I will try to do a catch up post soon.

The truth is...I am not adjusting as quickly as I hoped I would to the humidity, but it is not too bad at the moment.

The truth is...I applied for a job that would be an amazing blessing for our family if I could get, so any prayers would be appreciated!

The truth is...Marleigh is growing way too fast. Every day she seems to learn a new sign or word and she is gaining serious coordination skills. My mom has puzzles for her that she is learning how to do. She loves putting them together, especially when we clap for her!

The truth is...I have the best husband in the whole world. While I am here with my family he is home in Arizona continuing to pack and finalize touch ups and repairs on the house. He is working so hard and I have to say how blessed I am to have him in my life.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-07T00:19:00.000-04:00

Tuesday Truths

2011-07-06T01:33:00.048-04:00

The truth is...Rob finished his ENG121 class last night! I am so proud of him for all the hard work he has been putting into these courses.

The truth is...We were treated to a super yummy breakfast yesterday morning by Rob's mom. It was so good that I went back this morning for seconds!

The truth is...Tonight we were hit by a massive dust storm known as a haboob. According to the weather service that storm was traveling at 50-60 miles per hour, was 100 miles across, and over a mile tall! It was crazy to watch and be a part of, even if I did ride it out from inside the house! This is an amazing video that shows the storm coming towards you. This one is from inside the storm:

Here is another news report that covered what happened at the airport:

Big Dust Storm Rolls Through Phoenix: MyFoxPHOENIX.com

Thanks to everyone who called to check on us. We are just fine and can't find any damage - other than the fact that the pool is going to need an intense cleaning!

The truth is...We had our friends the Tracy's stay with us over the weekend on their way to vacation. It was great to be able to see them again before we move. We have known them since our dating days in Germany. It is crazy to now be married and for both of us to have little girls so close in age. I am not sure we could have imagined it 5 years ago while taking trips across Europe.

The truth is...I am quickly running out of days to pack. . . luckily Marleigh likes to help. I put stuff in a box and she finds whatever she can to put in the box too! I guess if toys go missing we will find them on the other end!

Garages

2011-06-30T18:58:00.001-04:00

I have decided that they are evil. Here is my list of reasons, just in case you can't take my word for it.

1. They grow bugs - really big ones!

2. They are the man cave. Now, this in and of itself is not a bad thing. However, because of this rule my control freak self is not allowed to touch, move, clean, organize, or breathe on anything without permission. Mind you, Rob does keep it pretty tidy, but still . . .

3. They lead to all sorts of crazy interests - such as little tiny girls who smile, laugh, and get super excited when every they see tools, cars, motorcycles, or grease! Despite what the pictures show I am just as guilty of getting sucked in as Marleigh. Or course, I have admit there is nothing cuter than a little girl helping her daddy work on a truck in the driveway while listening to classic rock music!

4. They don't fulfill their intended purpose. I mean seriously - do you know anyone who actually gets to use their garage for the covered, enclosed parking space it was meant to be? I don't ever remember parking in a garage . . . no wait, I used to park in my grandparents garage when they let me live with them in Utah. It was wonderful, I never had to scrape snow, get wet in rain, or any other such thing that comes from parking in the elements. We should not call them garages, they are not for cars. We should instead refer to them as homes with attached storage facilities, which leads to my last point.

5. Last and currently most intensely personal for me - they fool you into believing that you don't have that much stuff! Honestly - who knew I had so much STUFF! It is everywhere; garages hide way too much. It stacks in boxes, fills shelves, tucks away into the attic and allows you to go on in a sort of blissful ignorance . . . and then you have to move and that ignorance shatters into a million little bits leaving nothing but harsh reality. Last night our ignorance was broken as we began the process of going through all of the boxes in our garage. I am almost inclined to label us as pack-rats because there is just so much. At least the rules associated with item number 2 on this list have been temporarily lifted. It is going to be all hands on deck to get through this one in a couple of weeks.

What about you? Do you think garages are the source of all evil or do you think I am way off base? Please share your thoughts . . .

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-29T16:22:00.000-04:00

Tuesday Truths

2011-06-28T18:22:00.000-04:00

The truth is...I took Marleigh to the grocery store this morning. While I was putting some greek yogurt in the cart she managed to grab one without me realizing it. She bit a hole in the lid and was slurping it out when I turned around. So I let her keep it as we checked out. She was sitting and eating it really nicely, using her finger as a spoon. I decided to let her keep it for the very short ride home . . . bad idea! By the time we made it home she had dumped most of the container on her front and was smearing it across her face. Ahh, the joys of motherhood! I couldn't be mad because I gave it to her, plus she looked super cute! I am having a hard time getting the pictures to connect, so I will try to post one tomorrow.

The truth is...The packing process continues. It is always a long process, but I am having to decide what I am organizing before the move and what I am packing and waiting to organize on the other side. It is amazingly ridiculous the amount of stuff you can accumulate in such a short period of time.

The truth is...We have decided to rent a house rather than try to buy when we get to North Carolina. We think we have found one, we just need to make the deposit. The good news is that it is in my parent's ward and has a huge yard. The only slightly less good news is that the house is a little on the small side. I am excited about that though because I think it will challenge my creative decorating and organizing skills. Is it strange for me to be excited about starting over on decorating all over again?

The truth is...I only have a few days left to finish Marleigh's 4th of July outfit. It is all cut out and I have started sewing, but there is a lot more to go. I am nervous about how it will turn out, but eventually I had to try something with sleeves, so here's to keeping my fingers crossed.

The truth is...Marleigh loves boxes . . . but not for packing. She loves them for the climbing in and playing in!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-22T23:06:00.001-04:00

Tuesday Truths

2011-06-21T22:05:00.003-04:00

The truth is...We are moving to North Carolina!!! We will be moving the end of July. I know that is really soon, but that is when our lease ends. This is a decisions that has required a lot of prayer. We have been trying to find the best way for Rob to be able to focus on school full time and pursue the career options he desires. It is a really bittersweet decision. While we will be very close to my family, we will be leaving the area where Rob's whole family is located. We also have some great friends and an amazing ward. Even though it will be hard in some ways, I am grateful for a husband who seeks out and listens to the Lord's will for the direction of our lives.

P.S. Anyone in the area who wants to help pack, clean, or watch Marleigh let me know!!

The truth is. ..In debating the pros and cons of renting vs buying a trailer to move ourselves - buying the trailer won out. We now have a 20 ft long, 8.5 ft wide, black car hauler trailer sitting in our driveway.

The truth is...This past weekend we got to have my Aunt Sherrie and four of my cousins stay with us. They live near one of the Arizona fires and were evacuated. They were very blessed and did not lose anything to the fire. It was a lot of fun to have them here, but we are glad, for their sakes, that the evacuation order was lifted. We keep the rest of those affected by the wildfires in our prayers. (Some how I failed to get a single picture taken while they were visiting - fail!)

The truth is...Sunday I was asked to speak in Church. Rob likes the benefits of them asking me on Father's Day because he did not have to speak. My topic was Become as a Little Child, which was a talk given by Sis. Stevens this past General Conference. It was a great talk and I learned a lot by preparing for it. It was kind of strange to be speaking for the first time when we are moving so soon afterwards.

The truth is...Marleigh likes the word "pretty". She likes to make her Daddy "pretty" when they play together. Yesterday she pulled out her box of hair accessories and asked for "more, please". She kept asking over and over until we had put every headband or bow on her head. I have the picture of her and Rob. I will try to find the headband picture for tomorrow.

Tooth Number 9...For Real This Time

2011-06-16T10:47:00.000-04:00

Yes, yes, I know, I posted about Marleigh getting teeth 9 and 10 awhile ago. Apparently they were false alarms because I can't find those teeth anywhere in her mouth to save my life. However, sometime in the last couple of days (it is hard to tell for sure when since she isn't a huge fan of letting anyone feel her gums) she had one of her back molars break through on the edges! No wonder she was so cranky! The only down side is that it was only one tooth which means this will have to be repeated again. Maybe the rest of them will come in all at once?

What do you think - is it easier for babies and parents when they teethe several teeth at once, or is it better one at a time?

All I know is that for the moment my little girl is feeling much better and significantly happier!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-15T15:50:00.000-04:00

Tuesday Truths

2011-06-14T20:54:00.000-04:00

The truth is...We have been working with Marleigh on using the word "please". We will just say that it is a work in progress...

The truth is...I finally took some pictures of Marleigh's nursery to share with my grandma who lives in Montana. The quilt hanging on the wall is one that she cross-stitched and quilted for me, she did one for each grandchild. I thought I would share the pictures here too. Rob build all of the shelves on the walls and the letters for Marleigh's name were done by our friend Amber.

The truth is...I tore out all of the articles that I liked from the many massage journals and magazines I had collected. The plan was to scan them into the computer. Well, a couple of months ago I made it through a stack of over one hundred articles - it took me a week. I recently found a stack I missed. I have spent the last couple of days trying to scan in the additional 60+ articles. I know this is a good thing and part of the purging process, but it is so tedious and boring that if I ever see another one I might cry.

The truth is...I have learned a lot about perspective this week. Two nights ago Marleigh woke up every 30 minutes after she went to bed at 6:30 pm until about midnight. After that she was awake every ten minutes or so until after 1:30 am, at which point I gave up and held her the rest of the night. She slept like I rock, I of course didn't get much sleep. Last night she went to be at 6:30 again, but this time she only woke up every two to three hours all night. So my new perspective is that being woken up 5 times during the night is not so bad.

The truth is...Someone decided to do a drive by today and egg our vehicle. Luckily a member of the ward noticed it and let us know. It was so hot today that the egg had cooked onto the paint. Luckily we were informed soon enough that we think we have avoided any serious damage.

Marleigh and Her Opa!

2011-06-14T00:06:00.000-04:00

I am constantly amazed by the wonders of modern technology. My dad has been in Iraq for just over three weeks. We have yet to go more than three days in a row without being able to have a video chat with him! Since we didn't see him except for by video chat before it is almost like he never left - although the background of his video is vastly different! Marleigh usually enjoys these chats - although she is definitely hitting her stride with the pre-terrible-twos, which leads to interesting conversation attempts!

Today when he got on the call with us he was eating chips - which he kindly offered to Marleigh. The video is a little out of focus because I was trying to hurry and catch the moment, but hopefully you get the gist of the funny moment that followed!

Grandma Marie

2011-06-10T11:54:00.000-04:00

We found out yesterday that Rob's Grandma Marie passed away during the night. Even though we knew that she was not well and that this time would come, it is still hard lose her. Rob was really close to her, and even though I only knew her a few years I adored her. She was her own person - for better or worse.

I still vividly remember the first time I met her. She was very concerned about my "white, pasty skin" and was worried I would burn in the Arizona sun. She promptly provided me with a broad rimmed straw hat that had belonged to her mother. She wanted me to wear it, even though we were in the house. She couldn't imagine how I was going to survive the desert sun.

She was so amazing with Marleigh. Every time we talked on the phone she wanted to know what Marleigh was doing. She adored her and I loved watching them together. It was hilarious to see the stubborn streak as it stretched across the generations!

We will miss you, Grandma, but we know we will see you again. Until then, we love you!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-08T14:26:00.000-04:00

Tuesday Truths

2011-06-07T22:46:00.000-04:00

The truth is...This past weekend was our niece, Kaylee's, 4th birthday party. Marleigh had so much fun playing with her cousins in the bouncy house and water. She was outside playing for several hours and exhausted herself trying to keep up with the bigger kids.

The truth is...Right now I really, really want some ice cream, but I am trying to be good...so grapefruit it is!

The truth is...The worst part of sewing for me is cutting out the fabric. Usually that is what holds up progress on many of my projects. I don't know why I find it so mentally draining, but that is how it is.

The truth is...I need to get video of Marleigh when her Daddy gets home. It is one of the most tender times of day for me to watch those two together. As soon as Marleigh hears Rob's truck she runs to the window and starts calling for Daddy. Then I open the door and she bangs on the screen and screams out "Daddy" over and over. Once I open the screen she takes off down the driveway to get to him. This is followed by Rob calling out "Marleigh"or "Squeaky" before picking her up high and hugging and kissing her. It is just beyond words the feelings I get when I see that precious sight.

The truth is...I put up pictures of my dad in uniform for Marleigh to see while he is in Iraq. Today she walked up to one and said "Opa" and then blew him a kiss. She is just so stinking cute!

You Might Be A Redneck If...

2011-06-04T18:09:00.000-04:00

. . . While driving home we see you out in front of your house drying your car with a leaf blower!!! I seriously wish I had a picture of this to share with you. We were laughing so hard. I could not believe that someone would actually do that! I mean, do they think it is like one of those fancy gas station car wash's dryers at the end?! I guess this answers that question that has been burning in all of you minds...yes, there are rednecks in Arizona!

Disappearing Teeth

2011-06-03T18:29:00.000-04:00

Well, those teeth, numbers 9 and 10, that I thought were in have decided to go into hiding. Which means my sweet Marleigh is still acting like she is teething. I don't think it is fair for teeth to be able to do this to little babies, but so it goes. In the meantime we wait for them to make their reappearance.

Today Marleigh got to go play with her cousins, Kaylee and Recker. She had so much fun running around the house and getting into everything. I am happy she has cousins close to her age that she can enjoy.

Ice Cream Memories...

2011-06-02T23:19:00.000-04:00

You know how they tell you that memories can be associated with senses - such as a certain sound or smell? Well, I have to say that I have a lot of memories that are associated with taste. I distinctly remember my first taste of oyster and the entire memory surrounding it (long story for another time). I can also remember my great-grandma's cheesecake and my grandma's pecan pie. Time spent at my grandparent's farmhouse is interwoven with the taste of oatmeal, molasses on whole wheat pancakes, tomato sandwiches and more. It may seem silly to some people, but so it is.

Well lately, I have had memories being pulled up of my first trip out of the country (if you don't count Canada, which really...who can?). When I was 16 I had the pleasure and privilege of traveling to France as part of Cloggers West, a high school dance team. We traveled over there to perform as part of their summer folk festivals (which are an amazing experience). We spent almost 4 weeks based out of an elementary boarding school near the coast. I remember it was an elementary school because only the girls fit in the short beds that were in the rooms! There are tons of memories from that place that I won't get into at the moment since you are all probably wondering what any of this has to do with ice cream. So finally, here is the point. Every day most of our group would walk the 1 1/2 miles down the road to the grocery store to buy Magnum Ice Cream bars. They were SO good and we could not get enough. The locals got quite the kick out of these silly Americans and their need for simple ice cream bars, but they just didn't get it. As you may or may not know there have been tons of commercials lately for these Magnum bars because they are coming to the US. I have not had one yet, so I am hoping it has not lost the wonderful taste that my memory holds onto, but every time those commercials come on I am reminded of hot summer walks in France with a group of friends having the experience of a lifetime.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-01T10:05:00.000-04:00

Tuesday Truths

2011-05-31T10:36:00.004-04:00

The truth is...We had a wonderful Memorial Day yesterday. Rob worked on his truck, we did some shopping, and then went to a BBQ with some amazing friends. Marleigh got to swim in the pool - which of course made her day. I am not sure what I was thinking, because I didn't take the camera!!! Oh well, I guess you will just have to use your imagination!

The truth is...Rob finished his second course yesterday. I am so proud of him for the all work he is putting in. School really is not his favorite thing, but he works so hard to do well.

The truth is...The purging continues - it is amazing how much stuff you can accumulate without even realizing it.

The truth is...Marleigh has perfected her high-pitched-I-am-a-girl scream. I don't know where she learned it, but she is really good at it! I need to try and get it on video so you can all experience it!

The truth is...We went to El Paso, Texas, this past week for one of my bestest-buddy's daughter's 2nd birthday party. It was so great to be able to see their family and spend time with them. The girls are only 9 months apart, but thanks to Marleigh being so huge they are pretty close in size. Each time we get together they play together a little better. It was such a fun time! I have some more pictures coming from the bounce house and such that I will put up as soon as I get them.

This is the cake we made for her party!

Apparently it is way more fun for two girls to scream together!

Not sure how well you can see this, but when we got to the exit point for the airport I let Marleigh out of her stroller so she could run to Rob. He was taking video with his phone and at first she was so excited and screamed and ran, but then she got so overwhelmed by seeing him that she just stopped and started to cry until he came to pick her up!

Marleigh fell asleep holding her sunglasses on the drive home

Teeth

2011-05-27T02:02:00.000-04:00

I have to say that one of the hardest times to be a parent is when the baby is teething. Marleigh had one tooth break through her poor gums yesterday and another one today! The poor girl has been struggling for a couple of weeks, but the last couple nights have been hard. Hopefully she can be done for awhile!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-26T00:40:00.000-04:00

Tuesday Truths

2011-05-24T14:18:00.000-04:00

The truth is...This evening for Activity Days we took the girls to JoAnn's to pick out fabric to make pajama bottoms. They are going to be learning basic sewing. It was crazy - I never imagined three girls could make so much noise and be in so many places all at once. They are sweet though so it was fun.

The truth is...I am in the process of inventory on all our books, cds, and movies. It is going to be a long process!

The truth is...Marleigh put my phone in the dishwasher - let's just say it doesn't work so well any more, so I got to change my number to Rob's old phone. Thank goodness it still works...

The truth is...I am sewing a little outfit for my friend Amber's daughter. I will have to take a picture once it is done. I have spent a lot of time taking out seams and laughing at silly mistakes I have made. It has been quite the learning experience.

The truth is...Marleigh's signing vocabulary is really improving. She is really funny because when she doesn't know the sign she just starts waving and moving her hands all over while she talks to you. She is such an amazing kid!

My Big Girl

2011-05-21T12:39:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we went to Marleigh's 15 month well-baby appointment. I can't believe how quickly she has grown up. She is such a joy, even if it is an exhausting joy! Before her appointment we went outside to play, and since I have my camera back, to just take some snapshot pictures. I want to be able to look back and remember this little baby face. She changes every day and more and I more I see a little girl and not my little baby.

Her appointment went really well. She know about 20+ words, which is above where she needs to be. She follows simple commands, when she wants to. She can attempt to write with a pen, and loves taking every opportunity to practice. From my mommy opinion she is perfect! She is of course continuing to grow like a weed. She is now 33 inches tall and weighs in at 26.4 pounds!!! She is getting so huge! We love her so much, she is our whole world!

Really?!

2011-05-19T15:36:00.000-04:00

Okay, I just have to share this. Last night Rob, Marleigh and I were out running some errands. We were going to be latter than planned so we decided to stop for some food. Arby's was on the way so we pulled in. We decided on drive through and pulled up to the speaker to order.

"Welcome to Arby's. I just need to let you know that we are currently out of beef, but please feel free to order anything else off our menu. What can I get for you today?"

REALLY??!!! How are you going to run out of BEEF at ARBY'S! That is the main menu item. I don't there to order chicken. What am I supposed to do, order just curly fries? I was shocked, amazed and baffled. Rob and I got quite the laugh out of it. Just thought I would share our moment of humor.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-18T11:07:00.000-04:00

Tuesday Truths

2011-05-17T18:13:00.000-04:00

The truth is...I worked on several projects for a friend of my sister's who is having a little girl this month. I made two boppy covers, a nursing cover, and a car seat tent. I think they turned out pretty well. It took a little longer than I thought it would, but I had only ever made the car seat tent before, so from now on it should be quicker.

The truth is...Rob is an amazing car guy. He does all of the basics like oil changes, but he also takes on these projects that I could never imagine being done in a driveway! Yesterday he put a two inch lift on his truck. I would write out everything involved in that process, but I am sure I would mess it up. We will just leave it at saying that I was very impressed!

The truth is...Today we got to go play at Grammy Roussel's house. Marleigh had tons of fun playing with her cousin Recker. It is awesome that she has a cousin so close to her in age.

The truth is...Marleigh had been really into Finding Nemo lately. She thinks it is so funny - especially the EAC and turtles! One of her recently learned fun things to do from this movie is to head bang someone and then tip her head back and say "duuuude!".

The truth is...I love my calling at church. I work with the 10-11 year old girls in a program called Activity Days. They work on activities related to building faith, serving others, living the gospel, and developing their talents. They are amazing girls and they teach me so much every time I am with them.

I Have My Camera Back!!!

2011-05-14T23:55:00.000-04:00

I have the most amazing husband ever! For Mother's Day Rob got me a new lens to replace the one that broke. I am so excited to have my camera back and be able to take pictures. I feel like I have been going through withdrawals for the last couple of months. In honor of having my camera ready to rock and roll again I decided to give you a little peek at a day in our life through pictures.

Daddy leaves for work and blows us kisses good-bye...

Marleigh makes faces while eating...

We have fun making messes and playing with anything we can find...

We attempt to make dinner...

Daddy gets home and we give him lots of love, even the dogs...

Tuesday Truths

2011-05-11T18:39:00.000-04:00

The truth is...I made chocolate chip cookies today...not a bad thing...but I used twice as many chocolate chips as the recipe calls for..what can I say, I love chocolate!

The truth is...I have been crazy stressed lately.

The truth is...Our neighbor's dog got Parvo, so now we are trying to watch our dogs extra close. We are hoping the fact that the neighborhood cats are scared of our yard will help.

The truth is...Marleigh cries for 10-15 minutes anytime Rob leaves for work...she loves her Daddy!

The truth is...A two day nap sounds awesome right now...

Catch Up - Marleigh's Birthday!

2011-05-09T14:40:00.000-04:00

Wow, can you tell how bad I have been at keeping up with this? Marleigh's 1st Birthday was February 18th. We celebrated the week before and also the day after. She had a small party with family while we were up in Utah. It was great for her to be able to celebrate with her Bapa King and the rest of our family. She got to play Ring-Round-The-Rosy and London Bridge. She wasn't quite sure what to think of her cake, but it made for a good practice run!

Opening Presents

Playing London Bridge. "I can't believe they caught me!"

Her Yummy Lemon Cake

Light the Candles Daddy!

"What am I supposed to do with this?"

Yummy!

The plate might taste better?

"More" - her favorite sign!

The day after her actual birthday we had a fun BBQ birthday party for her at home. It was so great to see al the friends and family who came to celebrate with her. I can't believe how big and grown up she is getting! She had so much fun celebrating Veggie Tales style!

Happy Birthday to Me! Check Out My Birthday Outfit!

Party decorations and balloons

Daddy and Aunt Meghan rockin' the BBQ

Presents - where do I start!

Yay! It makes noise!

Larry and Bob Cake made by Grammy Roussel

Chocolate cake for everyone else - also made by Grammy Roussel

This cake is AWESOME!!! Yummy, yummy!

The Birthday Girl Family

Mommy - I want more cake!

Tuesday Truths

2011-05-03T23:42:00.000-04:00

The truth is...Marleigh and I are finally getting over our colds. We had been doing better for awhile and then slipped back into it. Luckily we are almost completely done now, just a little cough left.

The truth is...We were able to spend the weekend with a family that Rob knew while stationed in Germany. They were out here with there two kids. We were able to go walk around Tempe Beach Park and Mill Ave. We also went out to dinner at Hard Rock Cafe. It was a lot of fun and Marleigh enjoyed having older kids around to play with. If she had a choice I think she would request all older siblings...not sure how to make that work!

The truth is...Marleigh and I are traveling to Texas for a 2nd birthday party at the end of the month. We bought our plane ticket yesterday and we are super excited!

The truth is...While our weekend was a lot of fun I got super sun burned! Especially my face. My lips burned so bad that I have a couple of blisters on them - so not good! That will teach me to forget the sunscreen.

The truth is...I love being a mommy - there is nothing better. Marleigh has started giving kisses spontaneously and it is the most wonderful feeling in the world to have her walk up to me, put her hands on both sides of my face and give me a kiss. She is also a pro twirler now and will twirl to any music she hers. She is amazing!

Tuesday Truths

2011-04-26T11:17:00.000-04:00

The truth is...Our Easter Sunday was not as expected. The night before Marleigh ran a fever and Rob woke up sick. We were able to go to Sacrament Meeting though which was wonderful.

The truth is...Our wonderful friend Katie came over for Sunday dinner and we got to play Settlers of Catan (best game ever!). It is always so nice to spend time with amazing people.

The truth is...I am not sure I am ready for the weather to be in the upper 90s just yet; can't we keep Spring just a little bit longer?

The truth is...We spent Saturday with Rob's family having a pre-Easter celebration. There was great food and a fun craft. Marleigh had tons of fun running around with her cousins. It was a good day.

The truth is...I am almost completely done with my home organization binder - I will be so glad to have everything organized and easily accessible.

Sleep

2011-04-22T00:10:00.000-04:00

So here is my totally random thought for the day. Is it possible for more sleep to make you more tired? Marleigh once again had a wonderful night of sleep; which in our world means she only woke up twice during the night. At this point I think I could honestly say I love the woman who wrote The No Cry Sleep Solution, you can read more in this previous post. Anyway, that is beside the point. Because of Marleigh's improved sleep I have also been getting more sleep than I have had in over a year. This should be wonderful news, but I am more tired than I was before! I feel like every day is a struggle to stay awake. Am I the only one with this problem?

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-20T15:55:00.000-04:00

Tuesday Truths

2011-04-19T15:22:00.000-04:00

The truth is...My family lives in North Carolina and they had 3 tornadoes touch down near there house this past weekend! They have been having the craziest weather this year. Luckily they are all okay and there was no damage to the house.

The truth is...My calling in church is Activity Days for the 10-11 year old girls. Tonight we are having one of their semi-annual recognition nights. It is a Daddy-Daughter Sock Hop with ice cream. I am supposed to give the message/talk and I feel totally underprepared. Wish me luck.

The truth is...I am still working on the purging/organizing project throughout my house. Much more daunting than I had anticipated.

The truth is...I started reading The No-Cry Sleep Solution earlier this year. We got very distracted, but I finally finished it and have had a sleep plan in place for a week. Marleigh's average nap time has increased from 20 minutes to 1 1/2 hours and she has had three nights where she has slept for longer than 4 hours straight! One night she even went 6 1/2 hours!!! For those of you wondering why this is so exciting for the mother of a 14 month old - she has never slept through the night and since she was born I can count on my fingers the number of times she has slept for longer than 2 hour stretches all night long. So for over a year I have been waking up every 2 hours to nurse her and rock her back to sleep. I have loved having that quite time with her and think it has been one of the great joys of motherhood, but I do need to start sleeping again. I could not let her cry - I am a pansy - so I was so grateful to find this book. I know we still have a long way to go, but I am so excited!

The truth is...I saw this idea for stairs at the TipJunkie website. It is sooo cute! It makes me want to have stairs just so I can do this!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-13T17:55:00.000-04:00

Tuesday Truths

2011-04-12T21:53:00.015-04:00

The truth is...I took Marleigh with me to JoAnn's today so I could get some fabric for some projects I am working on. It was very interesting to have a following through the store! Marleigh was talking, singing, and making noises as loud as she could. There was this group of older ladies who would pop up every few minutes, peek at her and then say such things as "We hear that beautiful baby", "Aren't you cute", etc... I swear Marleigh started making more noise just to keep her fan club around.

The truth is...I can't complain about the sweet women thinking she is cute. I always hear horror stories about being in stores with a loud child and people telling you to shush or leave, I will definitely take a following over that option any day.

The truth is...We finally found a helmet that would fit Marleigh's head! We have been looking since we got her the seat for our bike. I was so excited to find one that I didn't even care that it was a boys (they were out of girls), I didn't want to risk not finding it again. Marleigh loves it though because it has "vroom vrooms" (cars) on it!

The truth is...I love looking at the blogs of crafty people - I hope someday to be able to make some of the amazing things I see.

The truth is...Marleigh is in teething mode again (still?). She has been drooling up a storm, she even leaves little puddles when I pick her up from her nap! It is super cute, but I hope these teeth break soon!

My Grandma - Elaine King

2011-04-07T17:44:00.000-04:00

On February 6th, 2011 my amazing maternal grandmother, Elaine King, passed away. I have waited two months to make this post. I am still not sure that I will do her the justice she deserves, but it would have been her birthday on the 5th of April and I didn't feel like I should wait any longer.

For those of you who never had the privilege of meeting this amazing woman I will try to describe her. She was strong, beautiful, compassionate, organized, sweet, funny, understanding, wise, and had a powerful testimony. She always knew what to say to make you feel better or when you just needed someone to listen. During the beautiful memorial service she was compared to the woman in Proverbs 31:10-31. I can think of no better or truer words to describe her. She taught me so much. I was so lucky to be able to spend so much time with her, not just while I was growing up, but also while I had the privilege of living with her and my grandfather. I am so grateful that Marleigh was able to meet her and spend time with her. My Grandma was a hero of mine. She will always be someone I strive to become like.

We have this saying in our family, "It's all Grandma's fault". It is a long story, but basically everything good that happens in our family can be traced back to a choice she made or something she did. We was a light for our family.

While it was hard to lose her on this earth, I am so grateful for the knowledge that she is sealed to our family forever. I know that we will see her again. I know that she continues to watch over us and that she is surrounded by family who went on before and who love her. Her words of wisdom and wit I hear in my head all the time, including "Get Over It". I know that she is with me and I know that I will see her again. So, until we meet again, Grandma, I love you!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-06T11:45:00.002-04:00

Kudos to my amazing sister-in-law, Kayla, for this awesome picture! Can't wait to share more pictures from her One Year Old Photo Shoot!

Tuesday Truths

2011-04-06T00:35:00.000-04:00

The truth is...Marleigh has a new love in books. She pulls them off her shelf, pushes me to the chair, puts the book on my lap and holds her arms up to come sit with me. She has favorite books, and ones she won't hold still for, so I spend a lot of time reading the same book over and over, but it is so fun to watch her joy.

The truth is...Marleigh's new favorite sound is "vrrooommm" which is the sound any and all cars, trucks, and motorcycles make. Any time she sees a car in a book or we go to get in the car to leave she make s the sound. It is adorable, and of course Rob loves that she is interested in one of his passions.

The truth is...I was able to listen to almost all of both general conference sessions on Saturday and most of Sunday. Marleigh did pretty well with entertaining herself and of course nap time helped too. She loved leading the music anytime the choir sang though. It didn't matter what she was doing, she would come running into the room so she could listen.

The truth is...I know that many people will say this (and Elder Holland spoke about it), but I felt so much like this conference was meant for me personally. I gained so much, both from the words spoken and the spirit that I felt. I am sure I will have more to write about this in days to come, but the truth is I am currently feeling the very powerful truth of the this conference.

The truth is...Rob is doing really well in school and I am so proud of him. He is not really a big fan of school, but he understands the importance of education and so he is willing to push through it for himself and our family. I am amazingly grateful for the example of the importance of education that he is giving Marleigh.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-30T11:01:00.001-04:00

Tuesday Truths

2011-03-29T10:34:00.003-04:00

The truth is...There is a commercial for this birth control that is really frustrating to me at the moment. They show a stork trying to give these women babies, but they are saying no so they can buy a house or travel. I know there are individual circumstances that require different things, but it irritates me that they have this whole notion that if you have a baby the rest of your life is over and nothing else can be accomplished. GGGRRRR..... (sorry for the soap box/vent)

The truth is...This past Saturday Aunt Kayla took pictures of Marleigh for her 1st Birthday. We went to the Mesa Arts Center to take the pictures and Marleigh wore her cute hot pink birthday tutu. I can't wait to show them to you all!

The truth is...I SO excited for General Conference this weekend! How amazing is it that we are able to listen to a prophet of God, and the apostles, speak to us twice a year?! I feel so blessed to have the gospel in my life and I love this semi-annual boost. If you want to know more about this conference and why it is important you can go here.

The truth is...Marleigh has been really into books lately. She will take me in her room, get a book, and then wait by the rocking chair for me to read to her. She has always loved to look at pictures of the Savior, so one of her favorites is a picture book called, "He Lives". It was done by Hilary Weeks and Simon Dewey. I love Hilary's music and Simon's artwork so it is also one of my favorite books to read to her. This is one of the songs out of the book.

The truth is...I love being a mom. There are days I think that I am going to lose whatever thin grasp I have left on reality, but I would not trade it for anything. I am so grateful for a husband who works so hard so I can stay home, for the blessing of a good job so that is possible, and a daughter who makes every moment a miracle.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-23T13:25:00.000-04:00

I know this is supposed to be "wordless" Wednesday, but I have to give kudos to Jessica, my sister-in-law. She took this awesome and adorable picture this past weekend. If you would like to have some adorable pictures taken of your kids or family get in touch with her. She is awesome.

Tuesday Truths

2011-03-22T23:46:00.001-04:00

The truth is...I am working on a home organization binder. I have been searching the internet for pages already made that I can use, but none of them are quite right, so I am now making my own. I will let you know how it turns out.

The truth is...Rob starts school today. I am so proud of him and the effort he is putting in.

The truth is...Marleigh broke our camera. She managed to grab the strap and pull it off the desk. We think only the lens is broken, but won't know for sure until we try a different one on the camera. Keep your fingers crossed!

The truth is...This past weekend we got to spend time with Rob's family. Aubrey and her kids were able to come down with Meghan for the day. It was so great to see all of them and Marleigh loved getting to play with everyone.

The truth is...Today is my brother Ryan's 22nd Birthday!!! He is such an awesome brother. He tries to act all tough, but he is such a sweetheart. He is also an amazing uncle. Every time we visit he manages to teach Marleigh tons of new things, some of which only an uncle could teach. We love you Ryan!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-16T14:19:00.000-04:00

Tuesday Truths

2011-03-15T15:44:00.000-04:00

The truth is...Marleigh is fearless. This week she has jumped into the pool (with 50 degree water), climbed onto the table using a chair she pushed over, climbed into the window using a pillow and ottoman, and other such crazy stunts.

The truth is...The past two Friday's we have gone over to Grammy Roussel's for a play date with Cousin Kaylee. Marleigh has so much fun seeing the chickens, swinging, playing in the grass, and trying to keep up with her older cousin.

The truth is...In my attempt to get more organized I am finding myself feeling far less organized then I was when I started.

The truth is...I have really been enjoying the 70-80 degree weather. The only depressing part is that it is only the middle of March - I don't want to know what August is going to bring!

The truth is...I am addicted to citrus fruit. I will sit down and eat 3 grapefruit in a single sitting, guzzle orange juice by the pitcher, and put almost an entire lemon in my lemon water.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-09T12:19:00.002-05:00

My Robbie's Birthday!

2011-03-09T00:03:00.000-05:00

My amazing and wonderful husband's birthday is today. There are no words that describe how incredibly blessed I am to have him in my life. He is a great husband and an unbelievable father. Like I said, no words describe, but I wanted to give him a shout out - even if he prefers to stay out of the spotlight.

So, Happy Birthday, Robbie! I love you!

Tuesday Truths

2011-03-08T11:56:00.002-05:00

The truth is...Rearranging the house is taking a little bit longer than planned - can we just call this a work in progress?

The truth is...Marleigh is finally starting to grasp the concept of putting things away. If I start putting toys in a bucket or something she will join me and put stuff away as well. The down side? After we are done she wants to dump it all out and start again!

The truth is...Has anyone else ever noticed that the master bedroom is always the last to get cleaned, organized, decorated, etc? In my house it seems to become the dumping ground for all the other rooms as they get cleaned, and then when I am done with every other room in the house I get to mine. There has got to be something wrong with that!

The truth is...I don't mind doing laundry, but for some reason lately I have really hated having to fold and put it away.

The truth is...I actually, usually, enjoy doing dishes. Strange - I know.

27 Years Old...

2011-03-05T00:16:00.207-05:00

Does it count for anything if I don't feel 27? Birthday's just aren't really a big deal for me. I have come to the conclusion that the number doesn't really matter - it is all about how you feel and what you are making of life. I have to say that when I was 18 I had a much different idea of where I would be by the time I was this age. What is it they say about the best laid plans? Don't get me wrong, I am in no way complaining. My life is daily proof to me that Heavenly Father has much better plans for me than I could ever make for myself (and this coming from a plan-a-holic!). In honor of my 27th birthday I would like to list 27 of the best things that are in my life or have happened in my life that I believe have helped to get me to where I am today. Please keep in mind that these are in no order whatsoever and this is in no way a complete list.

1. I was born into an amazing family. As Nephi said, I was "born of goodly parents". They taught me well and I am so grateful to have them in my life. I also have the most amazing siblings in the whole wide world. There are not words that describe what they mean to me and I will never be able to list all the ways they have impacted my life. I know I am the oldest, but I have learned so much from each of them.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

. Yes, I am a Mormon!

3. I am married to the most wonderful and amazing man. He is my best friend, my confidant, my balance when I get a little crazy (which is more often than I will admit), my rock, my constant, my true love. He helps me stay grounded. He always compliments me. He believes in me, even when I don't believe in myself. He sees me for who I am, but also for who I can become; he has a never failing confidence in my potential. I am so blessed to be loved by him.

4. I had the amazing opportunity to dance as part of Cloggers West. I happened into clogging when I was about 13 and immediately feel in love with it. I was able to join Cloggers West when I was in high school. I performed countless times and was able to travel to Europe for International Folk Festivals two different summers. It gave me the opportunity to meet so many people from so many different places. At one particular stop there were 47 different countries represented. Looking back I don't think my high school self truly appreciated everything I gained from those experiences, but luckily I can look back on it now and finally grasp all that I learned.

5. Thanks to an amazing mom and a supportive dad I was home schooled most of the time. I did attend kindergarten and first grade while we were living at Ft. Bragg. Later, when we got to Utah, I asked to go back to what at the time I thought of as a "real" school. My parents took me down the hill and signed me up for 6th grade. I learned a lot that year, not all of it positive, and most of it having nothing to do with academics, since I had already done some of it. I learned that when I take responsibility for my learning I really can learn whatever I want and it didn't matter whether I was in classroom with 30 other kids or at my kitchen table; learning is up to the individual. I am not saying that there are not great teachers out there, because there are, I just count my mom at the top of the list. Because she not only taught me academics, but how to take responsibility for my own learning, to believe I could learn anything I wanted to, and showed me that the world was at my fingertips.

6. I am thankful for parents who fully believed in the principle of agency. Just after that 6th grade year I could not decide if I wanted to return to home schooling or stay and attend 7th grade. My parents told me the decision was mine to make. I told them that it was too big a decision and they should decide for me. They talked with me about prayer, listening for answers, fasting, and reminded me that I could ask my Heavenly Father for direction. I will always remember that Sunday, it was the first time I remember fasting for my own purpose and not my family's or the ward's. After church I barricaded myself in my room and I prayed. For the longest time I felt nothing, but I kept waiting. I got the strongest answer that I should return to homeschooling. I am so grateful that I did, but I am even more grateful for parents who didn't make decisions for me, but allowed me to work it out for myself and at the same time strengthen my testimony.

7. All the past relationships - they taught me some things I did want and a lot of things I didn't and make me more grateful for the wonderful man that I am married to.

Mount Timpanogos Temple
on our Wedding Day!

8. When I was 12 they completed the construction on the Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple. Because I was in the temple district and in the youth program I was able to work at the Open House. I would help people find seats for the video presentation before entering, welcome people at the doors, and help in the display area. The last day of the open house a senior missionary couple took us in groups through the temple. I am crying now as I think of how in awe I was of that beautiful feeling and the spirit that was present there. There is a room that is for brides to use while they are at the temple to be sealed for eternity. When we got to that room the sun was shining through the windows and reflecting off of all the mirrors and glass. This wonderful sister asked all us to promise ourselves that we would make it back to that beautiful room, or one like it in another temple, to be married. That we would not marry anywhere besides the temple. That moment was when I knew I could never be married for any less than eternity inside the House of the Lord. Later that week I was able to go back inside for it to be dedicated. There is such a power found inside these sacred buildings. I can't imagine how much it impacted my life to have those experiences so early in my life.

9. I grew up surrounded by books. There were books in my home, there were books in my grandparent's homes, there are now books in my home. I traveled the world in those books and had my mind opened to new possibilities. They gave me a love of reading that has allowed me to expand my world.

10. When I was 15 I was trying out to make the Cloggers West team. I was so excited, because I had been waiting several years to be old enough to try out. The week before when I had been practicing I slipped and fell. It didn't seem to hurt and I forgot about it. At tryouts I must have done something funky that aggravated it because by the time my mom arrived to pick me up I could barely walk. Tryouts were three days, and I had barely made it through the first. My mom took me to a chiropractor who found that almost all of my vertebrae were out of alignment. He adjusted me and said that I should rest for 3 weeks, he also told me that I would probably have muscle spasms for at least a few days. I was in tears the whole way home, I was going to miss the rest of tryouts and would end up having to wait a whole extra year to make the team. That night the muscle spasms just got worse and all I could do was lay there and wait for the next one. My dad asked if I would like a priesthood blessing. I said yes and he called our wonderful home teacher, Brother Gale. In that blessing they promised that if I had faith in the blessing I would make a full recovery, have no lasting effects, and that I would be able to finish trying out for the team. I did not have another muscle spasm after that blessing, I slept through the night, I woke up with no pain. I did not go to tryouts that night, but I went back to the chiropractor who was amazed at how much better I was doing. He did not have to adjust anything. I returned to tryouts the final day and was able to dance without restriction or pain. Yes, I made the team, but more importantly I gained a testimony of the power of the priesthood. I have had many priesthood blessings since then and every blessing promised to me in those blessings has been fulfilled. I know the priesthood is truly the power of God on Earth and I thankful for its guiding influence in my life.

11. I have moved 23 times in my 27 years. Not only has that made me a really good packer of boxes, but it has taught me that friendship does not end when there is distance, home can be anywhere your family is, that the gospel is the same no matter where you live, to live and enjoy every moment because change is coming, and that you are never anywhere that Heavenly Father can't find you. (Or when I was 5, where Santa couldn't find you!)

12. Music. I guess I could say that nothing else needs to be said, but that wouldn't be in keeping with the rest of these long rants! There has always been music in my house and there was always a wide variety because my parent's tastes were always vastly different. My mom taught me to play the piano - I was probably her worst student ever because I wouldn't practice, but she kept at it. Playing the piano has provided an amazing emotional outlet through my life. My dad would take us to choir, and I was able to participate in some amazing choir performances throughout the years. Music brought so much joy to our home and helped me to feel the spirit. I love that like books, it was part of my home I could take with me everywhere I went and that has become a part of my home as an adult.

13. Friends. There have been some that I have only had for a short while, and others that I have known for what seems like forever. They have blessed me, pushed me, challenged me, helped me, and ultimately made a better person. I have learned something from each of them. I love and am thankful for all of them.

14. The Krizin Family. My second family who we met in Utah. They are awesome and love me for me, even if I am a little crazy.

15. Knowing all of my grandparents. Not everyone can say that they met all their grandparents, and fewer can say they got to know them well. Each of mine are very different, yet in many ways very similar. They have taught me, loved me, encouraged me, and even let me live with them. I am convinced there are some life lessons that can only be taught by grandparents. I am so blessed by them and I am who I am because of them.

16. Aunts and Uncles and Cousins who have been willing to be a part of my life. I think I can honestly say that each one has taught me something and made me a better person. It is the best that when I say I have an awesome family it means not only immediate, but extended as well.

17. In-laws. Some of you may think I am crazy, but I married into a great family. It is big, loud, crazy, and sometimes obnoxious, but full of love, fun and of course - great food! You know it is a great family to be a part of when you don't hear "in-law" used when describing family relationships. They are awesome!

18. Good food - this may sound silly, but if your life has never been impacted by really, truly, yummy, amazing food then you need to eat more!

19. Having a courtship. Rob and I did all of our dating while we were stationed in Germany. With our friends, Amber and Shane, we took all sorts of 4-day weekend trips. They included Italy, Netherlands, Austria, and London. We also enjoyed Germany and went to the Black Forest, Frankfurt, and Neuschwanstein. But one of the best parts was all of the wooded areas. Rob and I spent hours and hours walking through the woods around my parents house. That was really awesome, because that meant we talked for hours and hours. I love that we didn't have a typical dating relationship; we had a courtship and it was perfect.

20. The callings I have had in the church have definitely impacted my life. I have been a primary teacher, chorister, pianist, young single adult rep for both a branch and a stake, sunday school teacher, ward missionary, and now activity day leader. I have loved all of them. They have stretched my comfort zone. They have taught me patience, understanding, and how to give sincere service. I have come to love all the people I have served with and all those I served. It is one of the great parts of being a member of the church.

21. Heavenly Father has definitely given me ample times in my life where I had a plan and He had a plan. I am a stubborn, plan-a-holic. I want to know exactly what I will be doing every day for the next 5 years. Ya, you could say I am a little controlling. He has always shown me that His plan will bless my life. I didn't want to deploy with my unit to Germany, and after I did I found out if I hadn't I would have been deployed to Afghanistan for two years. That is just one example of many. I am so blessed by His awareness of my life.

22. My time in the military has of course been a huge influence in my life. If I had not joined I never would have met Rob, Brittany, Helms, Littlefield, Amber, Jeannine, Sarah, Ed, and a multitude of other people. They have been friends that are more like family. They have supported me and been there and are just amazing people. The military also taught me many life lessons most important of which may be that you should never laugh when a drill sergeant is yelling! I also know that I am the way I am because of the military. I think (hope) that it is for the better.

23. My parents always took us outdoors. We went camping. My dad was always taking pictures. We would work in our yard or plant a garden. As already mentioned, Rob and I walked for miles while dating. I think that my life has been altered by my love the outdoors. You can appreciate so much in life if you can learn to appreciate the outdoors.

24. Seminary and Institute were absolutely critical in developing my personality and view points. I loved being able to delve into the scriptures and take the learning so much deeper. I was given so many spiritual growth opportunities. I was blessed with so outstanding teachers who were able to share their testimonies and passion for the gospel.

25. I have had a variety of jobs over the years. I worked at a Taco Time, a tanning salon, did babysitting, nursing assistant, car wash attendant, customer service at an Edible Arrangements, office manager for a chiropractor, enrollment for an online university, and as a medic and occupational therapy assistant in the military. They have all created a wide variety of unique situations that have solidified my values and given me opportunities to learn and grow. I have enjoyed each job for a different reason. I am grateful for each opportunity and how it affected me.

26. Also during high school I had the chance to work at a therapeutic horseback riding program in Highland, Utah, called Courage Reins. I would take care of horses, assist with lessons, and helped organize the office. It was one of the most amazing experiences. I learned from the horses, the other volunteers, and mostly from the people who came to take lessons. They were such incredible individuals. They were brave, determined, and full of hope and optimism. They made me a better person.

27. Last, but of course not least, is Marleigh. When we first got married I didn't think we would have any problem starting a family. I was so excited and ready to have children. I went through 3 miscarriages and after over a year of trying went to see a fertility OB/GYN. We had been going through all of the preliminary tests and were getting ready to start treatment when we found out I was pregnant. I was started on medication to maintain the pregnancy right away. We were so excited and so nervous all at the same time. Our doctor called it a miracle pregnancy. He had no idea how I managed to get pregnant on my own. All throughout the pregnancy she stayed the miracle baby. The birth was not what we planned, and was again a miracle that both of us came through without major problems. She is the most amazing baby. She is smart, sweet, fearless, curious, mischievous, and loving. She has absolutely blessed our lives. She continues to be a miracle every single moment of every single day. I am in awe of her. I love her more than I ever imagined was possible. She helps define who I am. I want to be better because of her and for her.

So 27 years - 27 things, it is not a lot, but they have been definitive and shaping in my life. I am grateful.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-02T15:34:00.000-05:00

Tuesday Truths

2011-03-02T01:28:00.001-05:00

The truth is...Marleigh decided she wanted to get in the pool yesterday. Don't ask me why she thought that would be a good idea, the water had to be around 50 degrees! After her nap she was banging on the back door. I thought she wanted the dogs, so I let them inside, but she kept screaming and banging. Then I took her outside, because she does love being outdoors and it was sunny, if still a little chilly. But she kept fussing and pointing - to the pool. I thought she was crazy, but I figured if I took her socks off and dipped her feet that she would get over it really quick. Not so much...she loved it! She got excited and laughed and just wanted to splash. When her daddy got home, he said he would get in the pool with her. I guess he thought if she could handle it that he could as well. Once again...not so much. After about a minute he was freezing, she was still splashing and happy and we decided she would just have to be sad. So they climbed out and we got her wrapped up in her towel. She started fussing again and pointing at the pool and Rob decided it was too cute and caved in. He is so wrapped around that little finger! Rob once again braved the pool to give her one more minute of splashing in the water. Then out we came again and distracted her with warm water in the house instead. Apparently I gave birth to a baby polar bear!

The truth is...We finally painted the crazy yellow room. Lovingly referred to as the Prozac room by my sister, LaDawn. Before and after pictures to come soon!

The truth is...I passed my infant massage examination. This means I will be teaching Infant Massage Classes to parents. I am so excited and can't wait to get started!

The truth is...I am in a moving kind of mood. We have been in our house for over a year. This is the first year since we have been married that we haven't moved. I am okay that we aren't moving, but I still get the itch to move furniture around at least and change things up. So we have done some rearranging and so far I am really liking the results.

The truth is...Marleigh is a climber - and it is scary! She will climb on anything she find including her stroller, storage boxes, the dogs, etc. She is so proud of herself and claps every time she gets to where she wanted to be, but it might give me a heart attack soon.

Family Pictures 2011

2011-02-28T13:38:00.000-05:00

On New Year's Day we were able to go out as a family and get pictures taken. We drove out to the King Family Farm. The house was built by my great-grandfather and there is lots of land out there that he used to farm. My Aunt Ellen now owns a lot of it and still farms part of it. All of my first memories are at that house. We lived there for the year that my dad was in Korea and then spent lots of time there while my dad was stationed at Fort Bragg. My grandparents put countless hours into fixing up the house. The whole farm has a special place in my heart, and you can ask Rob because I talk about it a lot. It has become my ideal of home. My grandma and grandpa used to take me for walks out behind the house and into the fields and woods beyond. We would go past the tobacco barn, the catfish pond and to the little rope bridge across the creek. It was such and joy to finally be able to take Rob and Marleigh and share this special place with them.

Christmas

2011-02-26T23:10:00.001-05:00

We were able to travel to North Carolina to spend Christmas with my family. We were so excited to go see them and spend time together. Due to ticket prices and trying to fit within a budget Marleigh and I flew out early on December 14th. I would like to say that traveling by plane with Marleigh is getting easier, but I am not sure that is an accurate statement. I am adapting to traveling with an infant better and she is getting more mobile and therefore creating new and interesting ways to make every flight a new adventure. We flew nonstop from Phoenix to Charlotte and then took a small puddle jumper into Fayetteville. Marleigh slept for a good portion of the flight, which helped. We also took a couple of laps up and down the aisle of the plane to get out wiggles.

Since we were there so early my brothers and sister were still finishing up with school for the first few days. Marleigh provided many distractions and excuses for them to get out of as much as possible though. It was so much fun to enjoy the Christmas prep with my mom. Side note - I have the best mom ever! LaDawn flew in on the 23rd from Utah and we got started on making yummy goodies for caroling. Rob was able to take 3 vacation days and combine it with his holiday days to take a little over a week off of work. He flew in on Christmas Eve morning. Marleigh was SO excited to see her daddy. One of the first pictures in the slide show is her face when he picked her up in the airport. After getting Rob settled in and letting him take a nap (his flight was over night) we set out to deliver the goodies and sing carols. It is a blast to carol with my family because we have people to sing all four parts, so we can harmonize a couple. We sound pretty gosh darn impressive if I do say so myself!

Christmas Eve was full of Boucher family traditions. My parents got each of us an ornament that was representative of something significant from that year, this year was Marleigh. Rob has joined in this tradition and now gives me and Marleigh an ornament each year that is significant to our family. He chose Harley Davidson, since we have been to 6 of them this year and Marleigh LOVES them. Next was a picture book from my parents for each of us. Our family has always been huge on reading and my parents want to support our library building, so each year is a new book. Then we read the book out loud, which I always enjoy. After that came my favorite part of Christmas Eve. We have a family home evening with songs and the reading of the story of the Saviors birth. I love that my parents have always tried to make this the emphasis of our holiday season. It was so wonderful to share these traditions with Marleigh. We also started a new one for our family - we gave her special Christmas pajamas to wear to bed that night for Christmas morning. I know that she won't have personal memories of this first Christmas, but I know that she will come to love these traditions as much as I do.

Christmas morning was a blast. It did not take Marleigh very long to figure out how to rip the wrapping paper off of the gifts. She was soon smiling and ripping like a pro. She got lots of fun new toys to enjoy, but like every good baby found just as much joy and excitement in the boxes! Christmas was so special and enjoyable for us. What a blessing to watch Christmas fresh and new through the eyes of a child. Joy is the only word I can think of that comes close to describing my emotions.

Although we didn't get a white Christmas, that evening and into the next morning it snowed over 8 inches!!! It was crazy, beautiful, and amazing. Marleigh was fascinated and enthralled with the snow, but did not want to anything to do with touching it! This was made all the more funny by her insistence on going outside every 5 minutes to watch and feel it fall. She just could not figure out what to do with it. She did, however, perfect her use of the word "brrr". It is so adorable, especially when accompanied with her little shiver dance. I wish I could have caught it on video.

The rest of that week was spent hanging out, enjoying Katie's 11th birthday, and taking family pictures. We also had to take down the Christmas tree since it was a real tree. This could only be accomplished by chopping it into three pieces while it was in the living room and then carrying it outside and throwing it in the woods. Marleigh was absolutely traumatized by this entire event and got very upset with all of us I will get up a slide show of the family pictures soon. Attached here is a slide show of a very few of our over 800 pictures from the trip. I will hopefully be able to convert the video from my video camera and get some video of her opening presents soon, but until then, please enjoy what is here.

I didn't get a chance to post this before so I will now - I know that Christmas is an amazing season because it celebrates the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. He is the whole reason. Presents, caroling, goodie baking, and all the other traditions are beautiful and significant in their own ways, but I hope that we can all remember through out the whole year that they are not the most important and certainly not the only parts of the holiday season. I know that my Savior lives. I know that he came to the earth as a small baby and went through all the experiences that come with life so that he could better understand our sorrows and joys, heartaches and happiness. There is nothing in our lives he can not understand. I am so grateful for his willingness to come to earth, live a perfect life, suffer in Gethsemane, give up his life, and then rise again to give my life meaning and hope. I am grateful for his promise that my family can be together forever...because what point is forever if it is not spent with them.

Hope you all had a beautiful and wonderful Christmas!

Thoughts...

2011-02-02T17:14:00.000-05:00

**Fair Warning: Random Thoughts, Not Required Reading**

Do you ever have days where you feel completely lost in your thoughts? Before one can end another has tumbled in and swirled around. Your mind seems to be spinning, you think it is just spinning through the same stuff over and over, and then just when you think you have it figured out something else comes in and you have to start over. This probably does not make any sense, but I have been having those days lately. My mind is caught up in this swirl of thoughts and emotions as things in my life seem to float suspended in time. I feel that I am at this type of crossroad in my life. There are a lot of different choices and actions, that once made will set a direction for my life and the immediate future. I think of Elder Uchtdorf's talk back in 2008. He talked about how a being just a few degrees off course can put you in a drastically different place then you planned. I want the choices I make to have a positive outcome, not just for me, but for Marleigh and Rob. I want to be on the path that Heavenly Father wants for me. It can be difficult to sort of the voices of the world from the quiet promptings of the Spirit, and a mind tumbling out of control with thoughts doesn't help.

I guess the point I wanted to make is that despite all this craziness going on in my life right now, despite the changes that are inevitably coming, despite all the things in my life that I don't have any control over, despite myself - I am so grateful for the knowledge that my Heavenly Father is aware of my life, He knows me, He will not leave me alone to make the decisions that are before me. No matter what happens He will answer my prayers and provide me with guidance. No matter what happens He has blessed me with the peace that comes from knowing that my family will be together forever. I am eternally grateful for that knowlege and peace and comfort.

To those of you who actually read this, thanks for listening to the ramblings. I hope that you have also found the peace that comes from knowing that there is a purpose and plan to this life - even on the craziest of days.

I am such a slacker....

2011-01-30T20:45:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I know I said I was going to post all about Christmas. And I am so behind on Marleigh updates it is not even funny. So I am going to make a real effort to get caught up this week. So if anyone out there actually reads this - I am trying.

Just a couple quick updates. Marleigh got in tooth number 8 on Friday. She seems to be feeling much happier now. She has had a slight cold for the past week, but is on the tail end. She took a 4 hour nap today!!! So she should be feeling much better. Also, this wekend she has been starting to run! Rob will chase her and she will put her hands in the air, scream and take off. It is so cute. She is growing up way too fast!

Anyway, so hello again blogging world. I missed you, but I am back.

Tuesday Truths

2011-01-18T12:51:00.000-05:00

The truth is...I feel like such an extreme slacker because I haven't done a post in over a month! I have so much that I need to catch up on!

The truth is...This past week I have had mastitis...worst thing ever. I have to say that I would never wish this on anybody.

The truth is...I married the best man in the whole world - sorry to all you other ladies out there. While I have been feeling bad he has cooked, cleaned dishes, washed laundry, picked up around the house, taken care of Marleigh, and even took a day off of work. He cares so much and would do anything for me. He is such an amazing husband and father. I am so incredibly blessed by him.

The truth is...Marleigh has tooth number 7 in, and I am just waiting for number 8 to bust through. I can't wait, teething is no fun at all.

The truth is...Marleigh learned how to walk over Christmas! She loves to walk all over the place now. The dogs don't know what to do with it. She loves to squeal really loud and then body slam them. She also loves to be chased by Daddy. She walks as fast as she can away from him while squeling and waving her hands in the air.

Tuesday Truths

2010-12-14T23:25:00.001-05:00

The truth is...that yes we did manage to get all of the packing for our trip done - even if it was after midnight.

The truth is...we had to be at the airport at 6:00 am this morning in order to check bags, have Marleigh's birth certificate checked, get through security and make it to our gate.

The truth is...Marleigh slept for about 2 hours of the 3 1/2 hour flight to Charlotte, NC, and the whole flight from Charlotte to Fayetteville.

The truth is...our plane for our flight to Fayetteville from Charlotte was delayed by over and hour. We didn't leave until after the time we were supposed to be landing. However, our pilot decided to make it up to us by flying so fast that the normally 45 minute flight was 20 minutes from wheels up to wheels down!

The truth is...we are finally in Fayetteville after 8 hours of traveling. We are so excited to be here, but we miss Rob, aka Daddy. Can't wait until we get to be together for Christmas!!

The Zoo

2010-12-11T18:10:00.000-05:00

A week ago Friday we were able to go with a woman and her son from our play group to the Phoenix Zoo. Marleigh had never been and I was excited for her to see the animals, especially since her wild animal touch and feel book is her favorite. We packed up our lunch and headed out.

Our first sighting was the giraffes. This is how our conversation went:

"Marleigh, look at the giraffes!"

"Dog"

After walking up a long hill (Mommy is not in as good a shape as she thought!) we saw the tiger.

"Marleigh, look at the tiger! He is like in your book. He says 'rar'."

"Dog"

The lions were up and moving around, which I thought would make it easier for her to see them.

"Marleigh, it is lion from your book! Can you say 'rar'?"

"Dog"

We did some more wandering and saw many other animals. At one point we walked out over this lake.

"Marleigh, look at the birds!"

"Dog"

"Not quite, sweetie, those are turtles."

"Dog"

"Okay, they are dogs!"

"Dog, dog, dog!!!!"

"Almost, koala, but really good job."

"Dog, dog, dog!!!"

I love that Marleigh is so excited to use her words. It is just obvious that we are going to need to learn a couple more before our next visit to the zoo. Although, when we went to the petting zoo portion she did say, "bah", for the sheep.

We stopped in the shade for some lunch. Marleigh's new favorite snack is graham crackers.

After lunch we went to, Brandon's (the little boy we went with), favorite park in the zoo. It has lots of sand. Marleigh fell in love with all the sand. She kicked her feet and pushed her hands all around in it. She even tried to eat it! I think her smile says it all!

It was a fun day and we are really excited we got to go. It looks like a Zoo pass may be in our future. Then Marleigh can see all the "dogs" all the time!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-12-08T15:53:00.000-05:00

Tuesday Truths

2010-12-07T15:49:00.000-05:00

The truth is...Today is our 3 Year Anniversary!! Rob decided that it is the anniversary of chocolate, so I got yummy mint chocolate cookies. Thanks to my parents we were able to enjoy an anniversary dinner at Texas Roadhouse. It was a busy day, but still wonderful. It was made all the more so by sharing it with our sweet baby girl. I am so grateful for Rob. He is the best husband. He is patient, sweet, caring, protective, and just enough crazy to keep life fun. He is a wonderful provider who has worked so hard to allow me to stay home and raise Marleigh. He also has the most amazing faith and trust in our Heavenly Father. He teaches me every day and makes me want to be a better person. I love him so much. I cannot express in words how happy it makes me to know that he is mine forever.

The truth is...Marleigh got tooth number 5 on the 3rd. We got two nights of good sleep...and now she is back to teething again. Six and seven don't look to be too far behind.

The truth is...We got our Christmas tree and decorations all set up. It was so fun enjoying this time with Marleigh, she has made it so magical for us. It was wonderful to watch her play with ornaments and try to help Rob put them on the tree.

The truth is...This is the first year we do not have a real tree, due to traveling. We are using Rob's Grandpa Johnson's tree - it has seen a few Christmases, but it still looks pretty good. Every year we clip a little branch of our tree and put it in a ziplock bag with the date. This year I didn't think we would, but Rob took out wire clippers and snipped a little branch off to put in a bag. I think it will make for a fun story later on.

The truth is...Marleigh and I were able to go to the zoo with a friend from our ward. She has a pass and invited us to come along Friday morning. We had so much fun. I will have a post with more pictures on that soon.

Four Generations

2010-12-04T12:29:00.000-05:00

While on our trip I was really lucky to be able to get four generation pictures for Marleigh. I feel so blessed to still have these amazing sources of wisdom in my life. I know Marleigh won't remember taking these pictures, but I hope they will be a reminder to her of just how many people love her.

Oma, Great-Grandma King, Tara, and Marleigh

Tara, Marleigh, Opa, and Great-Grandma Hale

The Journey of 3500 miles begins with...

2010-12-03T19:00:00.007-05:00

...Veggie Tales and a Portable DVD player!!!

You may think I jest, but seriously, it is the only way we survived. It was a really great trip and we are so grateful we were able to go. Here is an overview of our 2 1/2 weeks of fun.

Marleigh and I left on October 24th to drive to Utah. Needless to say, I was very nervous about driving that far with just me and Marleigh, but we made it to Kanab, Utah, with no big problems and were able to crash there for the night. Marleigh even got to enjoy their pool. The next day we drove to Orem, Utah, where we were able to spend a couple of nights with my sister LaDawn. We loved being able to hang out with her and have some fun girl time. Monday is also the day that Marleigh and I decided to get sick. It was no fun at all...stuffy noses, sore throats, and stiff bodies combined with cold weather to make it not so enjoyable.

Wednesday, October 27th, the rest of my family flew into Utah from North Carolina. When Marleigh first saw everyone she got really excited and had to keep touching everyone. She was slightly thrown off and confused because she is so used to seeing them through the computer. It took her a little while to warm up, but then she was more than happy to be held and loved by everyone.

We were able to spend Thursday and Friday with my mom's parents in Lehi. It was so wonderful to see them, and this time Marleigh didn't cry every time she saw her Bapa! Friday night Rob was able to fly in from Arizona. Marleigh was very happy to see her Daddy!

Saturday was the big King Family Reunion. We started the morning at Thanksgiving Pointe. They had a corn maze, fall activities, and a pumpkin patch. It was so fun to see everyone and spend time together. All of the older cousins did the big corn maze while the rest of us enjoyed the "kid" activities. Marleigh slept through the beginning because she was so cozy with Opa, but she eventually woke up and enjoyed the fun with us. My graceful moment (yes dad, I know it is a good thing I am not saved by grace, haha) was going down the big slide they had on this hay bale tower. I went down fine but when I went to stop my shoes worked a little too well and I ended up tumbling end over end! Let's just say it is probably a good thing Marleigh was still asleep with Opa. Some of the other favorite activities were peddle cart racing, being digested by the big monster, and sitting in the big rocking chair.

Yummy...straw

Once upon a time...

Marleigh asleep in the carrier with Opa

The infamous slide right before I biffed it!

LaDawn and my silly faces!

Ummm...ya

Marleigh and a pumpkin pick finalist

The maze was so easy she did it with her eyes closed!

Again, ummm...ya

Peddle cart races...I lost

The monster that digested us

Marleigh's ride down the slide with Opa, luckily he lands better than I do :)

She doesn't have fun with her daddy at all...

Me and all my cousins

My mom and all her siblings with their spouses

After all that fun we were of course starving - so to IHOP we went. I think the waitress almost cried when she saw our big group coming in. After enjoying that meal we went to my mom's parents house.

One of our tables at IHOP

The Whole Yabadabado Crew

All the cousins got to hang out in their community center playing games. Rob taught a few of the cousins how to play pool. Marleigh just slept! Then we dressed up for Trunk - or - Treating in their neighborhood, which luckily was indoors at the community center, because it was rather cold, wet, and snowy. Our family dressed as the Flinstones! I think we pulled it off rather nicely.

Marleigh and her Great-Bapa

Marleigh and her Great-Grandma

Marleigh dancing in her costume

Our Drive On Theme Picture

Once everyone was back from getting candy we opened our time capsules. We started them while we lived in Utah when I was in high school. We were supposed to be opening them the last 5 years, but never had everyone all together. So that night we were able to catch up on the unopened ones. It was kind of crazy to see all the things we were doing and the events that were happening.

Road, road, and more road...

The next day we left for Montana. It is a long drive, especially with a baby, but it was made all the more interesting by the cold! Yes, it was cold outside and snowing, but it was also cold in the vehicle. This was thanks to the fact that our thermostat got stuck and wouldn't turn to heat, so every time we had to defrost the windows we had to turn on the cold air. It was a tad bit chilly to say the least. So the girls spent the drive bundled up in blankets and coats to stay warm. Marleigh of course didn't mind because Veggie Tales was on! On the drive up we stopped in Missoula, Montana, to see my Aunt Barb and her family. We were able to catch dinner with them so they could meet Rob since he was going to fly out in a couple of days.

Marleigh so happy to be out of the car seat

Aunt Barb and Uncle Al

Katie and our cousin Grace

Our cousin Ethan and Stephen

Marleigh and her Great-Grandma Hale

The next week was spent in Kalispell, Montana. It is a beautiful area and where my dad's mom lives. She had never met Rob or Marleigh so it was great for her to meet and spend some time with them. We made s'mores, carved pumpkins, played games, went on walks, swam at the pool, drove through the Buffalo Preserve, ate buffalo burgers, visited Harley Davidson, shopped at the Huckleberry Patch, and just enjoyed our time together. We even had an early Thanksgiving Dinner, complete with Green Jello Salad and fresh rolls.

Whitetail deer

Stephen with antler tower

Marleigh feeling the buffalo fur

Marleigh watching out the window in the park

Marleigh's fascination with a squirrel at the
visitors center at the park

Rob enjoying s'mores

Katie enjoying s'mores

Marleigh warming up in the hot tub after the pool

Marleigh's all smiles when she is with her daddy on a motorcycle!

Marleigh entertained herself with untying her Great-Grandma's shoes and stealing her cane when she wasn't looking. She also learned lots of new things. Katie helped her walk around and play with toys. Stephen taught her to like fruit loops. Matthew taught her to stick her head and feet through the railing. Ryan taught her to turn lights on and off and to climb stairs. They made sure she learned to enjoy many different types of food from them like olives, pancakes, etc. Her Opa taught her to spit and say, "tada"; which sounds a little more like "da-t". Oma taught her how to put the rings onto her toy. While we were up there she also got her two top teeth in.

Playing with Uncle Matthew in the railing

Untying Great-Grandma's shoe laces

Love my Uncle Stephen

Aunt Katie loves me so much

Aunt LaDawn makes me smile

Uncle Ryan helping me get smarter

The good news is for the drive back we had heat. However, it wasn't to be the last of our vehicle trouble. I had an exam to turn in and so we stopped by Fed-Ex/Kinkos to make some copies. We were in the store for 15 minutes and when we came back out and started the car we heard a weird noise, followed by a flapping noise and the smell of smoke. Luckily there was a Tunex right across the street. We called them and they said we probably couldn't do more damage by driving it over there. So across the street we went. It turns out that a spark plug had been blown out by a not so great piece of the engine. It was a tender mercy that he had done the same repair the day before and the kit comes with two parts, so he already had the part to do the repair and he had time that day to fit us in. Even though it would not have been our first choice of fun things to happen, we are grateful to know we were being watched over.

We were able to stay in Utah for 3 more days and visit with my Grandma and Bapa King and LaDawn. It was so great to have the time together as a family. I know I was hoping to see a bunch of people while I was up there, but Marleigh was sniffly the whole time and I didn't want to spread germs around to everyone. So please know we love all of you and are very sorry we couldn't see everyone.

Marleigh and I ended the trip with the drive back home. We stopped in Paige for the night to break the trip into two days. We finally got home on November 11th, 19 days after our journey began. There were tears, broken vehicles, laughs, hugs, and yummy food. But mostly there was family and memories made. It really was a great trip, but in the end, there is no place like home!

We are alive!

2010-11-12T11:35:00.000-05:00

So we just got back from our 2 1/2 week vacation. Marleigh and I drove to Utah by ourselves and stayed with LaDawn for a couple of days. We picked up my family from the airport and had a family reunion in Utah on Saturday (Rob flew up on Friday). We then drove to Montana for a week of fun in the cold (Rob flew home from Kalispell). Then we drove back to Utah, had a few more days, and then Marleigh and drove home by ourselves. It was a long trip and I have been very out of the communication loop, but we have tons of pictures and more details to post soon.

Thursday Thankfulness

2010-10-22T23:31:00.000-04:00

I am thankful for...one hour photo printing and developing.

I am thankful for...our friends the Tracys only being a 6 1/2 hour drive away instead of a plane ride.

I am thankful for...cooler temperatures and finally feeling like fall.

I am thankful for...a house full of dogs, probably only because it is temporary, but still, 5 dogs can be fun.

I am thankful for...bath time full of baby splashes and giggles.

Wordless Wednesday - Late

2010-10-22T23:27:00.000-04:00

Tuesday Truths

2010-10-19T15:36:00.000-04:00

The truth is...I might possibly be crazy...(yes, snickering is allowed)

The truth is...I might have blown a fuse today while trying to power wash the back patio.

The truth is...Marleigh ate part of my Otterpop yesterday - this might be a bad thing - sugar!!!

The truth is...Marleigh really loves black beans, her daddy let her have some out of his burrito last night.

The truth is...I finally got pictures developed from a trip I took to Idaho and Yellowstone with my friend Amy in the summer of 2007!!! The sad part is the film was exposed to heat, so the pictures are grainy, but the good part is at least I have them!

Thursday Thankfulness

2010-10-16T11:31:00.000-04:00

Okay, so for some reason Blogger saved this as a draft and didn't post it. So I will try again :)

I am thankful for...a husband who knows how to repair and do maintenance on cars so I don't have to pay anyone else, make an appointment, or spend 3 hours in a repair shop. It is just so very convenient. And as an added bonus I have learned a ton about cars in the process...makes me feel pretty darn smart when I can figure out the type of vehicle or why the vehicle is making a certain sound.

I am thankful for...the miracle that is Marleigh and the amazing new things she finds to do every day.

I am thankful for...thunderstorms and sunny days because each makes me appreciate the other.

I am thankful for...ice cream...if you need an explanation you would not understand!

I am thankful for...new windshield wipers. It is amazing what a difference it makes when you are driving down the road and can see!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-10-13T20:39:00.000-04:00

Tuesday Truths

2010-10-13T02:07:00.000-04:00

The truth is...I am really excited because I get to work with our good friend Tim to create a food blog. He is an AMAZING cook...stay tuned for details.

The truth is...Marleigh is starting to walk along furniture - watch out world here she comes!!!

The truth is...I am in the middle of a couple of sewing projects, including our Halloween costumes - maybe a little crazy on my part, but I am having so much fun.

The truth is...I have Jon Schmidt's Love Story Meets Viva la Vida as my ring tone. It rocks.

The truth is...I found a whole big bunch of more papers to scan into digital copies on my computer. Time consuming, but it frees up space and is less clutter.

Smell Like A Monster

2010-10-11T00:59:00.000-04:00

Somedays you just need a good laugh like this one...

Thursday Thankfulness

2010-10-07T13:10:00.000-04:00

I am thankful for...temperatures below 100 degrees.

I am thankful for...a wonderful ward full of amazing women.

I am thankful for...a healthy family.

I am thankful for...electricity. Once it goes out you realize how much you rely on it.

I am thankful for...books. You don't need electricity to enjoy them!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-10-06T14:02:00.000-04:00

Tuesday Truths

2010-10-06T02:46:00.010-04:00

The truth is...Marleigh has decided that at around 1:00 am until about 3:00 am she is not going to sleep unless she is being held. Rob thinks it is because she is teething again...I hope that is all it is.

The truth is...I want to remodel our kitchen and bathrooms...only one problem...we rent...

The truth is...We had a huge storm here today. There were trees blown down and flooding. There was huge hail that made it look like it had snowed in places. It was a little bit crazy. You can see some pictures of the damage here.

The truth is...I had an Activity Days (bimonthly activities for 8-11 year old girls in our church) Recognition Night this evening. It was a lot of fun and I am looking forward to doing more with them. I also made Pumpkin Cream Puffs for the activity tonight. They turned out really yummy.

The truth is...We had General Conference this past weekend...and I will have to listen to it on my own. Marleigh just would not stay put for us to watch and our internet went out - totally stinks. So I was able to listen on Sunday Morning, but I am happy I can watch anytime I want!

Thursday Thankfulness

2010-09-30T10:57:00.001-04:00

I am thankful for...a wonderful husband who knows how to help me come down from my stress-filled panic mode.

I am thankful for...Rob having a day off of work to spend with Marleigh and me

I am thankful for...Ikea - there is nothing else that needs to be said, they rock!

I am thankful for...our new Ford Expedition - it's very cool - pictures to come.

I am thankful for...greek yogurt - thank you Amber for introducing us...

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-29T10:55:00.000-04:00

Tuesday Truths

2010-09-28T14:53:00.000-04:00

The truth is...I am very super excited for our upcoming trip to Utah and Montana. This will be Rob's first chance to meet my dad's mom and baby sister. I am so happy they will finally be able to meet in person, and not just talk on the phone.

The truth is...Marleigh is dangerous. She can pull herself up on pretty much anything. She is also able to get herself to a sitting position whenever she wants. Time to lower the crib!

The truth is...I am super excited for General Conference this weekend. I am so grateful for a living prophet and apostles that are able to give guidance and instruction to me.

The truth is...I miss the view of Mt. Rainier in Washington. It brought back memories of seeing it everyday when we lived there before...well at least everyday that it wasn't too cloudy!

The truth is...I love looking back at old pictures. I love that it lets me remember fun times that I have had. It helps me to count my blessings. Here are some that I have pulled up recently.

My Battle Buddy, Sarah, and I at my graduation from N3 school

Holly, Me, and LaDawn at Europa Park after getting our faces painted

Wesley, Allen, Chad, Dad Roussel, Rob and Sean
This was during my first visit to Arizona. They took me out shooting in the desert.

This picture was taken the day after Rob and I got engaged. This is one of the trails that was behind my parents house in Darmstadt. Rob and I would walk back there for hours at a time, it is also where Rob proposed - it was the perfect spot!
Ahhh....memories!

Thursday Thankfulness

2010-09-23T15:11:00.000-04:00

I am thankful for...200 blog posts because it is 200 thoughts saved so they can be remembered.

I am thankful for...Marleigh's delight when she says Dada.

I am thankful for...Our Stake President's (church leader) challenge to lengthen our prayers. I need to take the time to ponder and listen when I pray.

I am thankful for...Having an empty seat next to us on the flight back from Washington, being on the last row, and that Marleigh could sleep for most of the flight.

I am thankful for...sunshine. I thought I would be happy to escape the heat, and I was for a few days, but it is so nice to be back in Arizona where we always have plenty of sunshine. It lifts my mood and gives me energy.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-22T15:29:00.000-04:00

Tuesday Truths

2010-09-22T02:01:00.037-04:00

Amber and I in Europe 5 years ago

The truth is...Marleigh and I had an amazing 10 days in Washington with Amber and Madison. It was so much fun to spend time with them. Amber and I got to talk about when we first met and think, "Who would have thought 5 years ago that this is where we would be now".

Amber with Marleigh and Madison at the fair last weekend.

The truth is...It took some time to adjust to each other, but I think Marleigh and Madison are becoming fast friends. They are only 8 1/2 months apart so there will be many adventures to come for them...our little M&M!

Madison reading to Marleigh

The truth is...Marleigh is now 7 months old! She can army low crawl like a pro, get onto her hands and knees, get to sitting from being on her stomach, and she is starting to say dada and mama. She has also been able to pull herself to standing a couple of times. My sweet baby is growing so fast.

The truth is...While in Washington I got to visit my Aunt, Uncle and Cousins - who I haven't seen in 15 years!! I also got to visit my Uncle Ed and Grandma and Pop Hosey. I wish I could have had more time, but it was so wonderful to see them all, even if it was just for a little while.

Uncle Ron, Aunt Diana and Family

Uncle Ed, Tara and Marleigh

The truth is...I have been doing more sewing and I am loving it! I made a car seat tent for a friend from work, it turned out pretty cute I think!

Car seat tent with flannel underside.

Thursday Thankfulness

2010-09-10T01:54:00.000-04:00

I am thankful for...a slightly empty flight to Seattle so that Marleigh and I could have a whole row to ourselves.

I am thankful for...Marleigh handling the flight like a pro! She must have her Mommy and Daddy's love of travel and adventure. She did really well, and although she was loud she didn't scream.

I am thankful for...temperatures below 70, real fall weather, and the chance to wear my sweaters that have been put away for over two years.

I am thankful for...time to spend with Amber and Madison. It is so great to have time with friends who live so far away.

I am thankful for...scriptures that help to remind me of important truths and to stay firmly rooted where I need to be.

Tuesday Truths

2010-09-07T22:12:00.000-04:00

The truth is...Blogger isn't letting me add pictures to my posts which has me frustrated...

The truth is...I leave tomorrow morning for Washington to see one of my bestestest buddies Amber.

The truth is...I am freaking out about flying with Marleigh.

The truth is...I LOVE banana bread!

The truth is...I have the BEST husband in the whole world - it is okay - you can be jealous!