The Porter Place

And one more makes... 4!

2010-05-09T18:08:00.000-07:00

Yes... We are expecting!!! Granted, it is a few months earlier than expected, but nontheless, we are very excited for our little "Christmas present." What I am really looking forward to is the 14 week mark so I can feel like a person again instead of a nausious, tired, moody mess :) Josh has been great and is awesome at picking up the slack in the kitchen mostly. Apparently there is some mysterious smell coming from our fridge that only I can smell... even after it has been cleaned out for the millionth time! I've given up. I'll leave time spent in the kitchen to Josh... Josh would say that he spends more time doing laundry than cooking, but whatever :) Lainey has been so cute about the new arrival. She says things like, "Where's your baby? Is it growing?" "Oh, don't fall down the stairs and hurt the baby" "Mom come play with me. Your baby will love it! It will say, 'I love you mommy!'" She is the cutest! Sometimes I wonder how I will ever love another person as much as I love Lainey, but I also wondered that about her before she was born. The amazing thing is that love grows-

Happy Spring!

2010-04-15T15:43:00.001-07:00

Really? It has been since BEFORE CHRISTMAS since I posted? Where has the time gone? I've missed all my friends :) We are great and busy and great. School is down to 7 weeks- YEAH BABY!!!-sorry- and we will be starting our end of year testing soon. Lainey will be three on June 1st- again, where does the time go? Seriously?! She is getting more and more adoreable everyday. She is loving the spring weather and wants to go out and play with the older kids that live on our block... unfortunately (its heartbreaking) they aren't too interested in playing with a 3 year old. Josh and I have gotten in touch with our inner 3 year old and let the dishes and housework slide for a few hours. She is a sweetheart and seriously the love of my life (you too Joshy-love)- Josh is SO so glad the ski season is over and is looking forward to our family vacation sometime this summer. Not sure where we are heading yet, but he's excited for the time off! We hope all is going well for our friends! Love you all!

What? I'm posting???

2009-12-22T22:47:00.000-08:00

We still dont have the internet, so my chances to blog are few and far between. We are in Tropic for Christmas- Josh took the week off so we could come and play. Lainey is so cute and is growing up so so fast. She is little miss personality and it is amazing to me how much she knows. The other day I was getting ready and I could hear her singing various Christmas songs and "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam" to her dolls. Where did the time go? At times I feel like she is getting so grown up, but she still loves to be babied (sp?) and rocked and cuddled and I love that. She truly is the light and life of our lives. Here are some pics that my good friend who is amazing took of our little family. My sis in law took some great ones too, but I don't have them with me down here... so thats a download for another day :) Have a Merry Christmas!

Wake Me Up When September Ends...

2009-11-06T15:36:00.001-08:00

We had a really fun trip to Southern Utah for Conference weekend. We stayed at Little Creek and attempted to hike the peak, but none of us knew the right trail and we got ledged up- we made it about 3/4 of the way up before we had to come back down.

On that Friday, Josh and I woke up early and headed towards Powell Point for sun rise, we missed the sunrise, but it was so beautiful and clear- Kodi really enjoyed it too :)

We were the only ones up there, so this picture is courtesy of my camera timer and a log.

Happy Halloween! Guess what we were-----

Lainey really had fun trick or treating, and has asked almost every night since if we can go again! The following pictures were taken at Gardener Village- They do some really fun stuff for the holidays! Lainey loved all the witches!

Happy Fall!

2009-10-21T15:57:00.000-07:00

YAY! I love this time of year! The leaves, the weather, the chilly nights with something warm to drink while snuggled up on the couch watching a movie... ahhh. I do miss the daylight though. Life is good- we are staying as busy as ever with work and everything else that I try to do. Lainey is growing up so fast! I love how sweet she is, and how bossy she can be. She definitely has her own opinion! We have been working on potty training her- She is doing great! Josh is keeping busy after hours with projects around the house. He just tore out our downstairs shower because, well, it was disgusting. We are glad he did, there was a really bad leak in the drain and mold everywhere. I am excited to start another tiling project! Our house is looking pretty good if I do say so myself... I need to post some before/after pics, but I don't have my camera here at the inlaws (no, we don't have the internet yet. we need a better computer before we commit to another monthly payment!). School is...wow... moving right along! I have 30 kids in my class and let me just say that I am exhausted by the time I get home. They are cute kids though and I do enjoy my job. Yesterday, the first thing Lainey said when she woke up was "I want to go to school with you!" and it broke my heart to tell her she couldn't come and she cried. I'm really looking forward to Thanksgiving break so I can have some days off with her! Happy Fall!

Love- the Porter's

p.s. I have to send a shout out to my wonderful hubby- Last Saturday, Lainey and I went shopping with my sis, and well, we are our mother's daughters and needless to say, we were gone ALL DAY! I came home to find that the house was clean, the laundry was done, the lawn was mowed, and he had finished ripping out the shower (and cleaned up the mess...thank you very much) I was totally surprised! He truly is the BEST!!!! Love ya babe!!!

One Crazy Summer!

2009-08-22T13:00:00.000-07:00

Here is the front and back pics of our house that I was supposed to post like 3 months ago....

i have so much to post! i can't believe it has been 3 months since my last one! It really has been a crazy summer. We bought a house the end of May and as soon as school got out, I started remodeling (i.e taking down wallpaper, painting, decorating) and playing with Lainey as much as I could! There were lots of YW activities including Girls Camp... Family reunions, playdates, and our annual anniversary vacation. Oh, yeah... school is starting again, so pretty much since Aug. 1 that has been the only thing I've been able to do- We don't have internet at our house yet, so that is another reason I haven't been very consistent. hopefully we'll get it soon!

Happy Birthday Lainey!

2009-06-10T10:59:00.000-07:00

Lainey is TWO !!! And it was her party... she could cry if she wanted! Lainey's party was so much fun! Granted, I probably went a little over the top for a 2 year old, but I was so excited to do a princess party and she was too. I was so glad that our friends and family were able to be there. Lainey loved when we sang 'Happy Birthday' and opening the presents. She has been singing "Happy Birthday" to her new doll family ever since! We love you Lainey girl!

Update

2009-05-19T16:06:00.000-07:00

So it has been awhile! I can't believe how fast time goes by. We are all doing great, Josh is uber-busy at work, making sure all is well with his groups, both in-house and not. And me, I'm in complete survival mode while we wrap up the last few weeks of school- I'm SO excited for summer so I can feel like a mom again (well a mom of 1 as opposed to a mom of 24!) We are going to be closing on a house in our neighborhood on the 27th and we are very excited about having our own home, and I am excited for the renovations! We are planning on doing most everything on our own, so it should prove to be a busy, yet productive summer break.Lainey is growing like a weed and everyday has learned something new. She can even read (recite) some stories by herself! She goes to bed now like a big girl (much to our dismay... we miss 'rockabye'!) and can speak in sentences. Lainey spends every waking moment outside!

Zion National Park

2009-03-28T19:15:00.000-07:00

Since Leslie had a short week, I took some much needed vacation days ( I am so glad ski season is winding down) and headed to Southern Utah to spend a couple of days at Zion National Park. I won a couple of free nights at the Zion Lodge from my company holiday party so we were able to stay there. It was very rustic and quaint- the location couldn't be beat! We arrived in the park at around 10:30 PM on Thursday night, under an amazing starry sky. We didn't realize the splendor of our surroundings until the morning came. We had a blast! This was our first actual vacation as a family (just the three of us). Nothing is better than spending time with those that you love. We took some great pictures. Enjoy.

Lainey was a real trooper. Most of the time she was just on my back in the carrier, but she got out and hiked when she got tired of being strapped to my back.

She isn't as little as she looks either so a break for dad was always nice.

Leslie and Lainey on the balcony of our room. We had great views and a lot of fun!

What a Happy Family!

We had an awesome time. Too bad we have to work for a living- You'd see alot more posts like this if we didn't!

Life Keeps Going...

2009-02-23T17:24:00.000-08:00

Today was my Grandma Evans' funeral. She left us just 4 short months after Grandpa passed away. I have many mixed feelings that I wanted to sort out- First of all, there is the obvious sense of sadness and loss. It is hard for me as a grandchild to see them gone, but most of my sadness is directed towards my mom, who has lost both parents now. The aching and homesickness that she must feel is surely overwhelming. Another feeling is 'the stretch of generations' i.e. the fact that life keeps going. I am now where my mother was when life was just beginning- My parents are the next generation to pass on, and that in itself is heartbreaking. The feeling of excitement about Grandma's passing is a little confusing and I do attribute that to my beliefs that families can be and are forever. Grandpa prepared the way and I am sure was there to greet her as she moved from this life to the next, as was her mother that she never knew, her grandparents, who so lovingly raised her as their own, her son, Doug, who died a few years ago, a few grandchildren who were only here a short time, and all those anscestors that paved the way for us. As we stood up as grands/great-grands to sing a medley of primary songs today at the funeral, i was amazed at all the empty seats. What an amazing posterity that Grandpa and Grandma left behind! Well over 100 people are alive and active in the gospel because of these two and no doubt because of their testimonies and their examples. They have impacted so many lives, including many who were not family. Cousin Frankie Lou gave this poem in her talk today that described the way my Grandma lived her life: "A bell is not a bell until you ring it, a song is not a song until you sing it, and love was not meant in our hearts to stay, love is not love until you give it away."
Grandma was such a loving, caring, wonderful woman. She always greeted us with our face in her hands and a kiss. I remember many summer days spent at her home in Parowan, and she made sure we always had anything we needed from ice cream, to freezer pizza, pop, candy bars, to a bag or two of popcorn to keep mom and dad awake on the ride home. She made good use of her aloe vera plant doctoring sunburns, and she gave 2 dollar bills to every grandchild for their birthday. When we needed to stay over, she would pull out the hide-a-beds and make sure we had more than enough pillows and blankets. She was there for every blessing, baptism, ordination, graduation, pageant, and as many sporting events she could make it to. Both her and Grandpa were very involved in their grandchildrens' lives. When Josh got a job at SUU and needed a place to live, there was never a question if it would be okay to live with Grandma and Grandpa. Anyone was welcome, and I know that Josh was loved and appreciated. She told him so when we came down for Grandpa's funeral. After Lainey was born, they came to see the new baby just days after she was born. It was so neat to see the innate mothering instincts that Grandma had, even when her mind was suffering from the effects of dementia. We were able to stop by last Sunday to say 'goodbye'. She had a stroke about 2 weeks ago and was gradually declining and in a lot of pain. As I sat next to her and held her hand, it hit me how quickly this life passes, and how much I loved that special lady. As we went to leave, she wouldn't let go of my hand, and something unspoken passed between us. I knew that she knew who I was and that she was pleased with how I was living my life. I know that she loved me. Life will be different now, but I pray that we (her posterity) can keep her and Grandpa alive in our memories and traditions and that we can pass those valuable things down to our children and grandchildren.

Pics of the cutest baby ever!!! (I'm not biased at all...)

2009-02-01T19:46:00.000-08:00

Lainey had her first visit to Kiddie Kandids yesterday. It took her a little while to warm up, but when she did, we got some way cute photos!

Quick Update

2009-01-21T13:56:00.000-08:00

Hey! So it has been a long long time since I updated and I thought I'd let you all know what has been happening in our crazy lives lately. We moved out of the basement of my in-laws and into their twin-home rental on the 2nd of January. It has been absolutely crazy getting everything unpacked but I am feeling at home now. It has been a little interesting getting back into the whole 'living on our own' thing again, but Josh is wonderful and really does help out alot. Lainey loves her new room and her new space and Josh and I are loving having a separated kitchen/living room/bedroom, not to mention a finished bathroom... Lainey loves having a bathtub too. Over the last month she has gone from being a baby to a toddler. She is now almost 20 months, and is talking up a storm! Josh and I love every minute that we get to spend with her. She refers to herself as 'Laineybaby' and uses that whenever she wants us to give her something. She has also learned the word 'mine' which is just too cute. She puts her hand on her chest and says "mine... momma, mine... Laineybaby" She is quite the independant soul. She knows exactly what she does and does not want and although she is beginning to throw tantrums, they haven't gotten too bad yet (knock on wood). All I can say is that she is just stinkin cute!!! School is, well, school. I am glad it is on the downhill slope and hopefully I'll survive the rest of my first year! Josh is staying really busy with Sundance Film Festival again this year, but he really enjoys his job- Hope everyone is doing well!

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, to Disneyland We Go! (Well, went...)

2008-12-19T14:36:00.000-08:00

For the Porter Family Vacation this year, we went to the 'place of a million dreams' (Which is a little bit exaggerated if you ask me. I only realized 3 dreams: go to Disneyland with my little family, meet the princesses, and look Johnny Depp in the eyes- well a figure of him as Jack Sparrow anyway... and one nightmare: my wedding ring was stolen out of our hotel room by the maid...) We were there for 5 days and loved every minute of it!

Lainey was way excited for her first plane ride:

Here she's reading up on the emergency directions:We met some fun characters (these are just a few):

She loved the princesses, I think we met every one. She would take her autograph book right up to them and practically sit on their lap. It was so cute! We ate breakfast in Goofy's Kitchen- That killed all resolve I had to stick to my weightwatchers plan on our trip...
Lainey loved all the rides that she went on. The teacups and carousels were her favorite I think:

Josh's dream store (second to the Jeep Dealership:)

She got 5 whole days with mom and dad,And we played every minute of it!

But I think she had a good time......don't you?

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Giving Thanks

2008-11-18T17:39:00.000-08:00

Being the time of year that it is, I can't help thinking of all of our blessings, reminiscing, and getting a little too excited for Christmas. It is hard to believe that Thanksgiving is next week, but I am all too ready for a good long break from school. Teaching has really helped me see just how blessed I was to be born into the family I was, to be raised the way I was, and yes... even grow up in Tropic. The church has played such a huge part in my life and I don't know where I would be without it. The blessing of a Temple Marriage is one that I hope I never take for granted. Today in class, a couple of boys started singing primary songs during 'workshop' and I didn't stop them, even though I should have. It was so sweet to hear those tender messages in the middle of my crazy day, I just let them sing on since no one else complained.
I am convinced of the power of prayer. I know that the Lord gives us what we need. I overheard a talk the other day about praying for what we need. The Lord doesn't give us scorpions when we ask for eggs, he doesn't give us a stone when we ask for bread, so why do we complain when our 'eggs' aren't cooked the way we like? The Lord gives us what we need, not necessarily what we want. We should be praying in a way that aligns our will with his. Only then will we be truly at peace and on the right path. Anyways... I hope everyone has a happy Thanksgiving, fun with family, and that we all can realize and give thanks for our blessings.

Trick-or-Treat!

2008-11-02T17:51:00.000-08:00

Halloween was fun this year! We were a fairy-tale family- The kids at school loved my costume, it was fun to be dressed up the whole day- except for the glass slippers!

My Prince Charming...

I had a lot of fun making our costumes! I used my prom dress, but I made Lainey's and Josh's costume.

The 'Charming' family

The girly girls...

Lainey loved Trick-or-Treating! She would take her bucket, knock on the door, and everyone gave her tons of candy because she was so cute! It was a lot of fun and the weather was awesome!

We've done a lot since the last post, and we wanted to share at least a little of what our life is in pictures. Grandpa Evans Passed away on October 18. He left a big hole in our family that will be hard to fill. Ever since I can remember, I have wanted Grandpa to know who I married and my kids. Josh had the opportunity to get to know Grandpa first hand while he lived with them for the 3 months before we were married. He learned how to get hay, ride up to 'Little' and open gates, and he also learned that "that which does not kill us makes us stronger" Grandpa always had a comment about the size of Josh's feet, calling them skis, or saying "Well, it takes a bigger foundation to build a Temple than an outhouse!" Grandpa Evans worked in the Temple with Josh's grandpa Max, so they had a special connection there. When Lainey was born, Grandpa insisted on coming to visit and bring us dinner (It had to be on a Tuesday because that was the day you could get a chicken fried steak meal for $2.99 from KFC) It was so sweet to see how tender Grandpa was with Lainey. I am so grateful that he was as much a part of our lives as he was. He was a great man and will be greatly missed... So if you live in Southern Utah and you see the big bull... think of my Grandpa- The original cowboy "On Top of Ol' Brian Head...."

Getting wood by Tropic Resevoir... Josh was happy to be reunited with his old jeep for a day...

A trip to the Zoo (sometime in September...)

Bling Time!

2008-10-12T19:43:00.000-07:00

So, because I didn't think I had enough on my plate, I started making interchangeable watch bands that are way cute and really fun. I have set up a blog that has all the info and pictures and everything. Check it out and let me know what you think! Its http://bling-time.blogspot.com Oh, and remember Christmas is coming ;)

She's Perfect!

2008-09-22T15:55:00.000-07:00

Today was Lainey's 15 month appointment so I took the day off. I was just going to take the afternoon off, but I was feeling pretty gross. Anyways, despite her picky eating habits, she is still 60% in weight and 97% in height. Dr. Ralston said she's just perfect! I didn't need to take her to the doctor to find that out :) Sorry, I'm not really braging, she's just so stinkin CUTE!!!

School is going well, I have a cute class, only 20 students so far. I started with 22. I'm sure I'll get any new little second grader that moves in. I really do enjoy teaching while I'm doing it, but it is so hard to be away from Lainey and know what I'm missing out on. She is my sunshine and it is still an adjustment everyday.

Tag!

2008-09-03T18:02:00.000-07:00

Four Random Things I Love About My Husband: His Jeep obsession, His love of stupid 80's movies, His silly inside and totally inappropriate jokes, His conversations that start with "People are so dumb! or So I was listening to KSL radio today...." Sorry one more thing... I love how I can ask him any actors name and he can tell me... It usually goes like this: "So you know that one guy that plays on that one movie with that one blond lady?" "John C. Riley" "Oh yeah... thanks babe!"

Four Jobs I Have Had: Waitress at the Pizza Place, Library worker, Visitor Center Clerk, Teacher

Four Movies I Have Watched More Than Once: Anchorman, Zoolander, P.S. I love you, Better Off Dead (Awesome!)

Four Places I Have Lived: Tropic, Cedar, Tropic, Cedar, Tropic, Cedar, Cedar, Cedar,

Taylorsville.... And Mexico... For a Week!

Four TV Shows I Have Watched: The Office, What Not to Wear, Scrubs, CSI New York

Four Places I Have Been Most Recently: My classroom, Walmart, South Towne Mall, Olive Garden... Yum!

Four People Who E-mail Me Regularly: Josh, Ellen, Shellie, and Jillian Michaels...everyday...

Four Favorite Foods: Costa Vida/Cafe Rio pork salad, pizza, chocolate anything, Reeses'

Four Places I'd Like To Visit: Italy, Paris, London, New York

Four Things I Am Looking Forward To This Year: UEA break, Thanksgiving break, Christmas break... and possibly a trip to either Disneyland or the Carribbean!

Four (five) People I Tag: Lindsey, Jen, Brynn, Kathy, .....and Esther...

Summer Vacation Part III: Southern Utah

2008-08-31T20:19:00.000-07:00

During any vacation, this is probably the hardest thing. Driving. We did it a lot. In fact, we put over 1000 miles on our brand new Jeep Patriot in a 10 day period of time.

We had a lot to keep us busy in the car, though. We had our CDs, but more importantly we had snacks. You can't go on a road trip without necessities, such as easy cheese and crakers, chips, sodas, and various candy conglomerates.

We drove through Zion National Park on our way back to Tropic. We missed Lainey so bad that we didn't even stop to do any hikes. We promised ourselves that we would go back through on our way back home, but we never did. We were too tired. we got some nice pics though!

Here we are stopped waiting for our turn to go through the long tunnel. Great photo op for us to stand in front of our newly broken in 2008 Jeep Patriot.

Doesn't Leslie look HOTT? Notice the other Jeep in the background. There must have been 4 or 5 cars behind us and another in front. We were all out of our vehicles because it was a ten minute wait to allow for a large tour bus to come through the narrow tunnel.

Before settling down in Tropic for the next couple of days we decided to take a random trail in Red Canyon (right before Bryce Canyon National Park) It was great fun!

Summer Vacation Part II: Las Vegas Baby!

2008-08-31T19:13:00.000-07:00

I know that this isn't the image that one correlates with Las Vegas, but the visit to the Las Vegas LDS temple was the most edifying part of the trip. We visited the temple before our appointment and timeshare presentation which is the reason we went to Vegas in the first place.

This is the view from the 27th floor of the Sahara, where we were put for two nights for attending the presentation. We upgraded to a suite for an extra $50, and it wasn't bad even if I am used to Marriott...I really wanted to be able to use my Marriott perks in Vegas, but free is better than discounted any day of the week!
We enjoyed walking around and seeing the sights, even if it was 107 degrees during the day and 103 degrees at night. We bought a couple of passes for the monorail, and that saved our feet from ast least falling off! I was able to speak to a couple of Italians on the train as well. That made it all worth it.I had to have Leslie take a picture of this. I was hoping for a bigger crowd to show off for, like Tom Hanks had in Big, but I wasn't disappointed as I had the talent but not the extra takes!

This was pretty cool. Leslie caught it in video.

We spent quite a bit of time at Ceasar's Palace, but at least it wasn't hotThese are a few random pics to finish up the post. It was hot and we were ready to go! On to Southern Utah

Summer Vacation Part I: LeFevre Family Reunion

2008-08-19T19:52:00.001-07:00

Don't I have the best husband ever?!?! I was impressed... anyways... On our vacation, I took 150 pictures over 10 days, so I think it will be best to post in sections...
I started my new job officially on Monday the 18, but I had workshops August 6,7,8 and we left for Southern Utah on the 8th, so it was a pretty crazy week. On Friday the 8th, I only had to go half day and Josh had stayed home in the morning to watch Lainey and so after I got out of my workshop, we all went to Park City and Lainey and I chilled and swam at the hotel until Josh got off at 5 and then we drove to Tropic. We had planned to go out to Deer Range (my Grandpa LeFevre's ranch that is between Tropic and Kanab via the Grand Staircase National Monument... if that makes any sense...) But it had been pounded by rainstorms and everyone was stuck at the ranch and we couldn't drive there until Saturday morning. When we finally got out there, we were glad to be there, but had to be shuttled on 4wheelers from the gate to the cabin because of the mud... it was really bad! We were looking forward to riding horses and Josh wanted to drive Grandpa's old CJ5 Jeep, but it was too muddy and the jeep was missing a battery for some reason... We did get to enjoy visiting with family and playing 'reunion' games for a few hours before the afternoon thunderstorms started again. Everyone was running around like ants trying to get things packed in trucks so we could get out of there before we got really stuck- One truck did slide into a pond but there were able to pull it out with a tractor. My family headed back to Tropic and everyone else headed to Kanab (dirt roads) and they ended up having to wait 3 hours while a flash flood had ran its course, so I guess we were the lucky ones. On Sunday, my cousin reported his mission in Orderville, and the weather was considerably better. We had a really good dinner and extra time with extended family. It was really good to be all together and honor the memory of Grandpa LeFevre by keeping the family reunion tradition alive.

To be continued...

Because I can

2008-08-18T20:58:00.001-07:00

I just wanted to write a quick little note, because I am able to access the blog now. Instead of posting pictures that we took while on our anniversary trip, I wanted to take the time to praise Leslie and what a wonderful and strong woman she is. It has been hard for her to leave Lainey, and today was the first official day away. It was a teacher preparation day at the elementary school, and Leslie has been gone all day to make sure that her classroom is ready. I was left to nurse a wicked sunburn that I received at the Marriott Charity Golf Tournament today and to try my hardest to take care of Lainey tonight. Leslie is the most amazing woman and the best wife that I could ask for. She is a great example to me. I hope to someday be as great as her. I LOVE YOU!

Just because

2008-07-26T22:01:00.001-07:00

I really wanted to post tonight, but my camera is downstairs somewhere, and I'm not... So I decided that this post will be dedicated to my wonderful husband...Josh. Every Saturday, he is the one to wake up with Lainey and is so wonderful to take her everyday after work so I can have a little time to myself. Lainey was so excited that he was home today and she wouldn't even come to me... it made me a little sad, but I know she just needed a change! I couldn't have asked for a better husband! He knows me so much better than I know myself. When I'm down or just having one of those days, he knows exactly what to do to help me feel better. And when I can't figure out what I want, he can... he is so understanding, so caring, and so much fun! He really is my favorite person and my best friend. We are planning a trip to Vegas (courtesy of WorldMark timeshares, i.e. a two night trip because we went to a presentation and we have to go to another one down there) and St. George (Zion) in a few weeks for our anniversary and I am so excited to have a little vacation with just the two of us! Lainey is great and she is so much fun, but there comes a time... after a baby turns 1 I think... that a break from them is a good thing!!!

I am so grateful that Josh is a worthy priesthood holder and that he makes the Gospel and his family his priorities. The best thing about Josh (other than he is the best kisser ever!!!) is that I know he loves me no matter what... makeup or not, fat or thin, blonde or red headed... I know he loves me for me and I could not be more grateful for that!

WARNING: Its a long one!!!

2008-07-18T06:47:00.000-07:00

Afer I finished uploading pictures, I realized that they are in reverse chronological order and I didn't want to move them around, so I'll tell the story in reverse! We had such a fun time in Tropic. Lainey and I both loved being down there and were grateful we could spend as much time as we did with my family!

This picture was taken the Sunday after we got home... she was so tired, she fell asleep with her Goldfish crackers in her hand! Lainey and Gramma April- look how good they match... and it wasn't even on purpose!

Josh took this picture... isn't it sweet? We went camping at Pine Lake on the 4th of July and Lainey loved being out in the wilderness. She had a good time collecting rocks and pinecones. When we were getting ready to leave, we had the doors open in the Jeep, and as we were loading in, we found a little line of rocks inside the door that I guess she wanted to take home!

This is another picture Josh took... The old and the new... We took the old one down for Lesha to use since she'll be 16 in January and we didn't really have the space to keep it up here...

4th celebration at the Tropic park

She sure loved that snow cone! She loved the big bathtub! We don't have one yet, but after this trip, I think we might have to get one!
July 3rd was my grandpa Art's 91st birthday (He's the one with the cane... his brother Al is the other guy...) They're both just a couple of 'old farts'! It was great to be able to visit them while we were down.

We went to the swimming pool in Parowan when we were there visiting Grandma and Grandpa Evans... It brought back alot of fun childhood memories!
Here, Lainey is flirting and waving to some boys... hmmm I wonder where she gets that from?!

I had tried several times to catch Lainey making the 'lamb' sound on video, and finally did! Logan and Lesha are raising lambs for 4H and Lainey loved them! The first minute of this clip is really the best part, but I think it lasts for about 2...

Like I mentioned earlier, Lainey loved the big bathtub! She would try to eat the bubbles by putting her face in the water... It was so cute!

Pictures for Dad

2008-07-02T21:06:00.000-07:00

So we are in Tropic for the week... yes, again! I've got to get my fill before I become a full time teacher in August... Lainey went swimming for the first time today in a big pool and she had a blast! I was nervous to have her in so much water, but it was a lot of fun!

"No, No Lainey!" This is a naughty moment caught in picture... She thinks its funny to get into grandma April's plants and eat the dirt.
I thought it was adorable that she took her little beau-dog puppy toy to see the real dogs...
We've had a lot of fun so far and I'm sure I'll have more pictures to post in the upcoming days... Josh, we miss you and love you so much. Thanks for letting us have a little get-a-way! Kisses!

Taylorsville Dayzz and other pics...

2008-06-28T19:57:00.000-07:00

So today was a fun break from the norm. Its Taylorsville Dayzz this weekend and they have a parade, carnival, entertainment, the whole shabang! Lainey was quite interested in the parade. She would wave at almost every float that went by.

Lainey's cousins Abby, Ben, and Colin were there too. She loves being around them!

She had her first taste of poptarts, and I think they were a hit! She ate a whole one by herself!

At the fair/carnival they had a petting zoo. Lainey loved seeing all the little goats and pigs. They had a llama and a donkey too. She did freak out a little when a mama goat got to close. She clicked her tongue at the llama because she thought it was a horse, and she would bark at the goats. I guess its the size thing.This was from the other day... Isn't she adorable? She likes to brush her teeth with me and watch me put on my makeup. When I put on my lipstick, I say Mmmmwwahh, and Lainey says it too. The other day she kept pointing to her books and saying 'mmmmwwahh, mmmmwwahh' and I couldn't figure out what she wanted. Finally I realized that it was a book that has a picture of lipstick in it. She is so smart!

She found this little towell in the laundry and I put it on her head. She thought it was pretty fun! I love her poses, too.

Josh is such a wonderful dad! He loves to take care of Lainey when I need a break. This was from the other night when he put her to bed. They really are the loves of my life.
It has been so fun to play outside this last week. Lainey has enjoyed playing in the pool and I've enjoyed getting a little bit of a tan! Josh got to come home early on Tuesday because of a power outage in Park City, so he got to play with us too. It was so good to share our normal day with him! He works so hard and hates that he misses so much of her day. He is always willing to take her when he gets home. We love going on walks, swinging, playing outside with the puppies, anything to get out of the house if its not too hot.

Lainey and the Ducks...

2008-06-27T20:54:00.000-07:00

There once was a little girl who loved ducks. She played with ducks in the bath, she read books about ducks, and she even had a ducky towel. One day, her mom and dad took her over to the river by their house to show her something very special. The little girl could not believe what she saw... ducks! Ducks of every size, shape, and color! There were mommy ducks, baby ducks, daddy ducks, grandpa and grandma ducks, too. There were even a few families of geese. The little girl was captivated by the noise that the ducks made and was soon 'quacking' back at the them.

Her mom and dad kept the ducks close by feeding them bread. They gave a piece of bread to the little girl to feed the ducks, but the little girl decided she was hungry too, so she ate it instead. The little girl loved her new feathered friends, and she returned each week to feed them from that time on... well until the city put up a sign saying that we couldn't feed the ducks anymore because it was causing a rat infestation...

Mama

2008-06-25T14:23:00.001-07:00

I LOVE BEING A MOM!!! Even on the rough days, Lainey just melts my heart and changes my attitude. She has been really jabbering alot lately, and I love it! She says "Awww" when she hugs her monkey, baby, duck, bunny... anything soft and cuddley. She does this 'Ohhh' like in "Ohhh, how cute!" when she sees something she likes (I have bought her an outfit or two because of this reaction) and the other day, she said 'Ohhhtut' Josh and I looked at each other in amazement... Our little girl is talking! She now says 'Mama' when she wants me, which is so wonderful. I love spending my days with her and I am really sad they are numbered. School begins on August 18th for me, and although I am looking forward to using my degree, I am so so sad to leave Lainey. She truly has been such a huge blessing in our lives... mine especially. I remember telling Josh before she was born how scared I was about raising a baby and how much it will change our lives, and he just reassured me that everything would be great and life wouldn't change that much.... eh, wrong!!! Life is unrecognizable from what it was a year ago, but it is so much better! It has been tough, I'm not going to lie, but Lainey has kept me sane... in a way :) She has given me something to look forward to each morning, helped me be more organized, helped me lose 60 pounds, and made me a better person. We are more focused on our family and the values and faith we want instilled in our children. Isn't it amazing what happens when you become a parent? Anyways, just thought I would share my thoughts :)

Happy Father's Day!

2008-06-16T12:51:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day!

We spent Father's Day with my two favorite Dads... My dad and Lainey's dad! We went to Tropic for the weekend and had a great time hiking Bryce and just being out of the city.
My mom drives for the Shuttle at Bryce during the summer, so she worked her magic and got us into the park for free!

Lainey's new horse from Grandma April and Grandpa Layne... she clicks her tongue every time she sees it. She can even dismount it the right way! What can I say... Its in her blood!

Here's another 4 generation picture... My mom's mother, Hazel Evans (87), mom, me and Lainey. My mom looks awesome, don't you think? She's lost like 26 pounds on weight watchers in the last two months! Way to go mom! They just got back from a Hawaiian cruise that they went on for their 25th anniversary. They brought back some fun clothes, jewelry, and a tie for Josh, and some awesome pictures!

Of New Cars and Birthdays

2008-06-03T10:44:00.001-07:00

So here's the newest member of our family... a Jeep Patriot! We love it... especially Josh. It is technically his car, since it gets almost 27mpg and has 4wd. It is so roomy and so comfortable and accommodates our long legs very nicely. So yeah... and if you were wondering... we didn't go fishing... its a stock photo, but ours is just like it.Lainey turned 1 on Sunday... Holy cow! We had a bbq on Saturday to celebrate- and it was way fun. It was such a nice day and Lainey loves having company to show off for! (and check out her adorable curls!) This is Lainey and her future hubby Jacob (he's our neighbor)
I decorated this magnetic board that I got from Roberts and Josh painted the toy chest, also from Roberts, and I did her name with vinyl letters using a Cricut. She loves her cute doll and the princess books and looks so adorable in her new sundress... Thanks Shellie, Julie and Amy!
She loved her cake. She dug right in... both hands!

"We are a happy family!"

Update

2008-05-14T20:02:00.001-07:00

So here's what we found out at Primary Children's today... She has buckle fractures in both the tibia and the fibula and will have to wear this hard cast for 4 weeks... she'll have to wear it until June 11... after her birthday :( I was wanting to have a little pool party, but oh well. We might have to have a belated party after she gets it off. She held perfectly still while they put her cast on and when we got home she couldn't wait to get down and play! What a trooper! Thanks for your thoughts and prayers!

A Broken Leg

2008-05-13T21:12:00.000-07:00

We went to Tropic for Mother's Day last Thursday. Friday morning, Lainey missed the step that goes from the kitchen into the living room in my mom's house and landed hard on her right leg. She cried a little, but not for very long, so we thought she was okay. A little while later, however, she wouldn't put any weight on it, so we decided to take her to the hospital in Panguitch. The doctor checked her out, twisting and tugging on her leg and she didn't cry or anything, so he thought it was just a pulled muscle but wanted to have some x-rays done just in case. (Lainey did cry during the x-rays, but that is a big scary room and a big scary machine!) They did reveal that she had in fact broke her leg, or well kinked it anyway. It is her fibula (the small bone in the lower leg). The doctor explained it like if you were to bend old celery, it wouldn't snap, just bend or kink. She gets to wear this fun little fiberglass splint for 3 to 4 weeks (according to the Dr. in Panguitch... we're going to Primary Children's Fracture Clinic tomorrow for a follow up) The doctor said that in his 18 years of practice, this is the youngest person he has seen with a broken leg. Lainey is now able to walk with her splint, and she is doing really well (except for an ear infection) and isn't put out at all. I just wish that we didn't feel so awful about it! It was really hard to choke back the tears when the doctor was showing us the x-rays. I just kept thinking that our little girl is hurt and broken, and that it wasn't something that I could kiss better. I have just wanted to hold and cuddle with her and she has wanted to be 'babied' which has really been good for both of us. She was getting to be quite the independant and demanding soul! So anyways... there's our drama... I hope you all had a happy Mother's Day!

She's still smiling!

Grandma LeFevre, my mom, me and Lainey... 4 generations!

Pictures, pictures, and more pictures!

2008-05-07T21:27:00.000-07:00

The tulips in my MIL's garden have been so beautiful, and Lainey just couldn't resist, and neither could I. Whenever she sees flowers, she'll sniff (repetedly) until I let her smell them and then she pushes them away. She's so cute!
Lainey the lion tamer...

Sweet Baby

My two loves... Lainey, and my big purse! Jk Joshy! I love you!
This was taken at my surprise bday bbq- Not a fan of my haircut, but oh well, hair grows...
Joshy brought me a dozen roses, and a card that plays 'I'm so Excited' because most of the time, he is ;). He also got me a way cute white trench coat and an external hard drive to accommodate my digital scrapbooking endeavors...
This is what I found on my mirror the morning of my bday- So cute, huh! (And yes, our bathroom is STILL under construction!!!) We have really enjoyed being outside in the nice weather. Lainey loves going on walks and seeing all the pretty blossoms. She can even do the hand actions for 'Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree'!

Check out those eyes!

This is her fake cry face... she does it quite often :) Lately, when she falls down, she takes the opportunity to enjoy it and just relax...

I've really enjoyed taking pictures of Lainey... I worked at Storybook Portraits my last 'single' semester in Cedar and learned a few things. I just wish I had a better camera, a tripod, some studio lights... an assistant... maybe someday. Photoshop makes up for what I don't have, I guess! When you photograph kids, you take like 100 pictures, and usually only 5-10 work out, but usually they are pretty cute. I found myself getting a little frustrated 20 minutes into our little picture taking session, but as I was downloading the pictures, these were my favorites! Lainey gets this really cheesy smile on her face whenever I pull out the camera and then she just ignores it. She did really well sitting on the chair, until she figured out how to get down :)

Here are some pictures I snapped while Josh had Lainey outside in our back yard (I can call it ours if we are living with the inlaws, right?)

her 'scrunchie' face

Lainey points at everything! Birds, planes, cars, you name it!

Mom

2008-04-20T21:18:00.000-07:00

I just had a little time to spare, and I thought I'd share some of the feelings I've had lately. I was sick the first part of the week, and tried to avoid spreading it to Lainey, but she caught it anyway. I don't think that there is anything that brings the love for a child to the foreground in the heart like sickness or hurt does. I would do anything to make Lainey feel better and be happy again. The last few nights as I have rocked her to sleep, the song that was playing on her 'bedtime cd' has been 'You are My Sunshine' and as I looked down at her sweet angel face, my heart overflowed with love for this precious gift of motherhood. There is nothing I could do in this life that would fulfill me as much as being a mother does. It makes me appreciate even more how much my mom means to me, and it is amazing to actually know how much she loves her children. My only hope is that my children will look back with as much love and adoration on me as I do to my own mom and mother-in-law.

Get Scrappin'

2008-04-16T21:25:00.000-07:00

I'm contributing to a digital scrapbooking blog: http://getscrappin.blogspot.com/ It's pretty fun stuff! (but it is addicting!) Check it out!

Long time, no post...

2008-04-06T21:56:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it has been a month since I posted last... Time goes by so fast! I have a lot of pictures to post, and a lot to write about, so read on, if you have the time!

Lainey turned 10 months on the 1st of April, and surprised us by walking about two weeks before that. Now she is 'motating' all over the place and keeping me very busy trying to entertain (and contain) her newfound mobility. Her personality is becoming more and more apparent each day. She is a show off, for sure! She loves to show anyone watching her new tricks, sounds, toys, whatever. Her hair is long enough in the back to do little pigtails... so cute!She is starting to make the same sounds for the same things, e.g. 'mo' for more, 'ba ba' for her bottle or anything she wants to drink, she is even saying 'ze-zuz' when we walk by a picture of Jesus or she sees her Jesus book, she says 'ba' for book, and mama and dada of course... She has been into 'giving loves' lately, which just melts our hearts! She will come over to me (walk or crawl) and put her head against me and say "awwwww" because we say that when we give her 'loves'. She also 'gives loves' to her monkey, big bunny, baby, and pink kitty. She will give kisses to her picture of Jesus (so cute!) pictures of mom or dad, or grandma and grandpa. The other night during family prayer, she even gave Josh kisses on the face. It was the cutest thing I had ever seen! (I know my eyes weren't supposed to be open, but I'm glad they were!) She has grown so much in the last month, I can't believe it!

As far as Josh and I, things are going well. Josh is enjoying his new position, but is as busy as ever. I have been trying to decide if I want to teach in the fall and I have two interviews this week for 3rd and 4th grade positions. Oh, and the Maroon 5 concert has been cancelled, so yeah, I was a little disappointed, but I'm over it. I did finally get a calling in this ward (I guess I hadn't gone to Tropic enough...) but I am the Activity Days director for the senior primary girls. I'm excited- it should be a fun calling. There are only 7 girls in the senior primary, 3 of whom will be moving into Young Women's in the fall. I did want to say a few things about conference... wasn't it awesome? As it was beginning on Saturday morning, I was sad to think President Hinkley wasn't going to be there, but as the 'solumn assembly' took place, I was deeply moved by the chance I had to stand and sustain Pres. Monson as the new prophet and head of this church. The rest of the conference was amazing! Sunday sessions especially... well, the parts I heard between chasing Lainey around and changing diapers (I swear she had more than usual today...) I feel uplifted and edified after being reminded of the doctrine of this true and living church.

Okay, so now I am going to paraphrase Easter, and everything else that happened in the past month. For Easter, we went south and spent it in and around Kanab with my dad's family. We had fun playing in the sand and riding 4 wheelers. We had a picnic with the traditional deviled eggs, shrimp salad, and hot dogs... yum... Lainey was fascinated by the sand and kept trying to eat it! She wouldn't ride the 4 wheeler this time though, it was a little scary to her, and I'm not sure why... she loved it when we were down for Dad's bday...

Lainey was a little spoiled for Easter... but oh well! I filled her eggs with fruity cheerios and her 'stars' which she quite enjoyed. It was funny to watch her try to crawl and stand up in her long dress!

My inlaws got a black lab puppy about a month ago and are trying to house-train it. It has been quite the ordeal, but he's a cute dog and as long as I keep Lainey off the floor when he's around, then everything is fine! They want to have him trained as a seeing eye dog for my sister-in-law's little boy who is going blind. It will be hard to give him up!

Here are some miscellanious pictures that I thought were cute!

Diaper Bag Tag

2008-03-07T09:39:00.000-08:00

My bag isn't really a diaper bag either, I got it at Maurices because it was cute and big, but I have realized that a big bag = tons of stuff! It was stuffed to capacity because we were going to take Lainey out to dinner with us, but then decided to leave her with her grandparents instead.

The Usual Essentials

Wallet, WIC papers, pen
Gum, tissues (used and new...sorry, that's gross, but we've been snotty!)
Hand lotion, hand sanitizer, and for some reason, two colors of lip gloss (I was wondering where they were!)

Lainey's Essentials

Baby food, bib, spoon
Snacks (fruit snacks, 'stars', the Fiber1 bar is for mom because I get grouchy when I'm hungry too!)
Sunglasses (which she never keeps on)
Mittens, just in case :)
Pink monkey, keys, and giraffe
Diapers and wipes
Tylenol and orajel (she just cut another tooth... top left!)

Random Things

Lint roller, because I can never find one when I need one!
Riverdance Ticket- I went with my family for my sister Libby's b-day
Tongue Depressor- for those unexpected throat exams... (Lainey just had her 9month check up and Dr. Ralston gives them to her to distract her while he's checking her ears, nose, whatever)
Ladybug book that I was supposed to leave in Tropic with Grandma April... Sorry Mom! I guess I forgot to take it out after church!

There you have it... a glimpse into the life of a mom of a 9 month old... I really needed to clean out my diaper bag... it was pretty messy! So thanks, Jen!

Grandpa Layne's Birthday

2008-03-03T11:25:00.000-08:00

While I was blogging, I got a call from Josh and he has been offered a promotion! He'll be moving into a Sales Manager position, starting at $38,000 and increasing to $40,000 after the first 90 days! It is such a blessing! He has been on hourly, so he hasn't had any sick days or paid holidays, so this will be awesome! I just wanted to share the good news!

Sunday was my dear dad's 50th birthday, so we spent the weekend in Tropic. It was so much fun! Josh had been really sick, so he wasn't planning on going, but he finally decided to the last minute. We drove to Cedar on Friday because I had to drop some things off at the college and we were feeling 'homesick' for our old college town. If you get a chance, I recommend walking through the new Education building and Old Main. Wow! They have done an excellent job on those buildings, and they are beautiful! I am jealous that I had to complete the education program in the hot yucky classrooms of the old PE building, but oh well, at least I am done! After that little detour, we drove over Cedar Mountain to Tropic (I love that drive!) Lainey did so well considering she spent the majority of the day in her carseat. On Saturday, we loaded up the horses and 4wheelers and packed a picnic for a day out in the Paria (south of Kodachrome) It was so much fun to have everyone there, and Josh really enjoyed riding horses (I don't ride horses...) and we went on a long 4wheeler ride and got really muddy- it was awesome! Lainey had her first horse ride and 4wheeler ride- She loved it! It was so nice to get out of the city and play in the mud!

Obsessive??? Maybe....

2008-02-27T15:53:00.000-08:00

So you might think that I may have an obsession with Maroon 5, and well, maybe I do, or maybe I just really like their music and think that Adam Levine is a rock-star version of my husband... I don't know, but the reason my playlist is all Maroon 5 is because I just got tickets for their concert on April 18 at the Rice-Eccles Stadium @ the Uof U(2nd row by the way...)!!! So I thought I'd share their sweet music with ya'll!

Valentine's Day

2008-02-18T22:24:00.000-08:00

Yay! I'm feeling better!!!

It has been a while since my last post, we have been a sick family. Lainey got a cold just after we got back from Tropic, passed it to me, and although I tried to keep it from Josh, he just couldn't resist my sexy, hacking cough, and so he got sick too :) Our Valentine's day was still very romantic. We spent a good portion of the day together in bed (because we were sick, of course...) I had made a shutterfly wedding book and gave it to Josh, along with two Rascal Flatts tickets for March 7. Josh was very romantic and tricky. After eating a homemade steak dinner with Lainey, He took us downstairs where he had posted pictures of the important places we had been (kodachrome, SUU, the hotel we stayed at on our honeymoon, etc) all over, and had a 'picnic' set up in the middle of the room. After we put Lainey to bed, he gave me a beautiful card that wasn't originally homemade, but he had personalized it and it made me cry. He gave me a spa gift certificate (I wondered... Do I really look that bad?!) No, it is much needed. He put a lot of time and effort into what he did, and I was very impressed. He amazes me at how thoughtful he is... how kind and loving he is to Lainey and me. She just loves him and it is the cutest thing ever! Every night, they have story time and now Lainey insists on a story before naptime too!

Since Kathy introduced me to Smilebox a while ago, I have wasted alot of time on it, but with some cute results... I did a couple, one of our 'love story' and one with Lainey's valentine pictures. It is such a fun program! I love it! Hope you enjoy!

Make a scrapbook - it's easy!

Lainey's Valentine

2008-02-18T21:15:00.000-08:00

Make a scrapbook - it's easy!

Husband Survey

2008-02-04T17:10:00.000-08:00

What is his name? Joshua David Porter

How long have you been married? 2 years 6 months and 23 days.

How long did you date? We met Feb. 20, 2005 and our first date was March 4. I was living in Cedar and Josh was going to school at the 'U' so we spent our waking hours on the phone or instant messenger, and any free weekend together. We were officially engaged in April and then married in the St. George temple in August.

How old is he? He just turned 27! He is getting so old! Just kidding!

Who eats more? It depends on what we are eating... Josh eats pasta like nobody's business, but I have eaten a whole large pizza by myself (I don't even want to think about how many ww points that would be!) I hate that Josh can eat and eat and eat and be 5 pounds lighter on the scale, when I gain 5 pounds just by looking at ice cream!

Who said "I love you" first? Josh did... I was a couple of weeks behind him, but as soon as I said it, he was on the computer, applying for SUU

Who is taller? Josh is 6' 5" and I am 5' 10"- I have always been grateful he measures up to my 'Sunday (shoes)' standard!

Who sings better? Josh would say he does... except when it comes to the hymns!

Who is smarter? hmmm. It depends on the situation... that's all I'm going to say!

Whose temper is worse? I would have to say mine is worse, unless Josh has been working with his dad all day!

Who does the laundry? That's my job now. Josh did it the first 6 months of our marriage. (The laundry room was across the parking lot!)

Who does the dishes? Me... and Josh's mom (since we share a kitchen)

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? I do. We have tried to switch it up a few times when we changed apartments, but since the baby was born, that's my side.

Who pays the bills? Josh has the majority of our marriage, but I have been trying to be more involved, especially since I'm home all day

Who mows the lawn? Josh does. I really don't like to. The house I grew up in has a huge yard...

Who drives when you are together? Josh always does... unless you count my backseat driving :)

Who is more stubborn? We both can be pretty stubborn, but Josh usually gives in first.

Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? Um... Josh? I do apologize after I have calmed down...

Whose parents do you see the most? Josh's, since we live with them. I do try to visit my parents on a monthly basis for several days at a time.

Who proposed? Josh did. I knew he had the ring for a long time... he finally popped the question when we were having a picnic at Kodachrome state park (the same place he told me he loved me). He asked "So, how long do you think it took to make these rock formations?" I said, "Probably thousands of years" He replied,"Do you want to be with me that long?" Then he tried to put the ring on the wrong finger... He was so nervous! It was really cute! Joshy, you're the best!

Who has more friends? If you go by Facebook friends, Josh does, because of all his mission friends.

Who has more siblings? I win that one... I'm the oldest of 5 and Josh is the middle child of 3.

Who wears the pants in the family? That would be me! But I do like it when Josh takes charge!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Tropic

2008-02-03T19:26:00.000-08:00

This post is coming from the tiny town of Tropic... I decided at 9:00 Thursday morning to make a trip to see my family. Lainey and I took off at 11:00 am. leaving everyone wondering what got into me. I just needed a change of scenery I guess! We stopped in Provo on our way down to visit my grandma LeFevre who has been in the hospital up there since Christmas Eve. She fell the Friday before Christmas and was taken to the hospital in Kanab where they found a severe case of pneumonia in both her lungs. a few days later, they took her to St. George because her oxygen levels kept dropping, and on Christmas Eve, they found several pockets of infection along her spine that needed to be removed immediately, so she was life-flighted to Provo. She is now in a specialty clinic for her recovery, which they think will be at least 24 more days. I am glad we were able to stop in... she gets pretty lonely. I hated being in the hospital for the 3 days I was there when Lainey was born... I couldn't even imagine being in one for 3 months!

Lainey is getting cuter everyday! She claps all the time, but she does have two different types... one when she is excited, and one when she wants something (like the sign for more). She loves visiting Grandma April, Grandpa Layne, Lesha and Logan... She finds them very amusing, and I am enjoying the break as much as they are enjoying playing with her!

Tropic has a ton of snow... well, so does everywhere else, but today (Monday) we went sledding! I missed out on that last year, being prego and all. It was really fun! And here's more good news... Verizon now has service in Tropic!!!

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-01-30T21:33:00.001-08:00

Drama Queen

2008-01-28T20:05:00.000-08:00

Lainey turns 8 months this week... did I say 8 months? More like 18 years! She definitely is developing an attitude! She doesn't like to be told 'no' at all! I have been chasing her all over the place saying things that I never thought would come out of my mouth like: "Lainey, no! Don't eat the carpet... cat hair...momma's shoes" " Don't eat that... it's Sadie's food..." She cries now when I take something away, or take her away from something she shouldn't be playing with... (Not yet! She's still so little!) I have learned that Cheerios and bananas are only safe if there are a limited number on her tray... Spray n' Wash is a lifesaver, and naptime is becoming a very precious commodity. She is so stinkin cute, though! I find myself holding her a little longer after she falls asleep, reading her more stories, paying more attention to her new found sense of curiosity, and dancing like crazy to 'Row Row Row your Boat, Mary Had a Little Lamb', and any other song her toys play. Nothing is more amazing than having a child, that is for sure. She has been such a blessing in my life.
Sundance ended on the 27th and now Josh is cleaning up the aftermath. We didn't make it to the big premier... It started snowing right when I was to leave to drive up to Park City, Lainey spit up all over my clothes, and really, I was a wreck thinking that I would be 45 minutes away from her... I was really glad that it had snowed and I had a logical reason not to go. The person who took his tickets said it was a pretty good show. Maybe it will be bought and then we can go see it in the theater... who knows. I'm down another 2 pounds this week... Yay! Its about time for me to go dig through the boxes in the garage for some smaller pants! I just wish it wasn't so cold!

Playtime

2008-01-19T20:55:00.000-08:00

So Lainey had her first official 'date', well play-date anyways, this week with her 'boyfriend' Jacob, our neighbor's son who is two months older than Lainey. She shared her toys very well, and was very fascinated with Jacob's long, dark hair (or maybe just the fact that he actually has hair)...

Sundance has proven to be very busy for Josh. He has logged and delivered over 500 packages to the various press and advertising agencies that are set up at the hotel, he even saw Colin Ferrel. His boss gave us two tickets for a movie starring Jimmy Falon and Lucy Liu next Thursday, so that should be fun (I wanted to see one that had Matthew Perry in it, but beggars can't be choosers ;)
Lainey is growing up so fast! She is getting more daring every day, which is a little scary. She is now trying to bend over to pick up a toy (while holding on to whatever she had pulled herself up to). Today she was finally able to do it without falling over face-first! She has also figured out how to land on her bum when she doesn't want to be standing anymore. It really is amazing how fast they change. Her personality is getting so cute! She always has her tongue sticking out, and she laughs whenever she burps, 'rumbles in her pants', coughs or sneezes (I think she must have got that from her mom...) We have a blast!
As far as my week, I did exercise every day, for the 2nd week in a row, and I lost 3 pounds this week. We'll see how well I do next week... I went to a Pampered Chef party Saturday... I had no idea that they served desserts! Yum! Bad for the diet though...

Numero Uno...

2008-01-13T18:45:00.001-08:00

So after months of deliberation and a formal invitation from Kathy, we have finally decided to jump on the blogging bandwagon... besides, this counts as 'journaling', right? So here's a review of our 2007... Josh and I graduated from SUU, had a baby (Lainey Rae) June 1st, Josh got a job in Park City a week later, and by July 1, we were living in Taylorsville with his parents, where we are currently residing... Lainey has been a huge source of joy and laughs in our lives. When she was six weeks old, she was diagnosed with a dairy protein intolerance and since I was nursing her, that meant no 'yummys' for me (i.e. ice cream, chocolate, milk, and anything made with anything milk related). It really helped me lose all the baby weight (50 lbs) quicker than I thought, which is never a bad thing. I stopped nursing about 2 weeks ago when we found a formula that would work for Lainey, and sadly, I think I am now allergic to milk products, not life-threatening by any means, but I do get pretty sick when I eat it. Lainey has gained 1 1/2 pounds since she has switched to formula, and I have lost 5, so yeah... it was a good thing!

Josh is enjoying his job at the Park City Marriott. It is the official hotel for the Sundance Film Festival starting the 17th, so it has been pretty crazy. I guess it is where all the offices will be, so the sales department has been getting geared up for the big event which lasts almost a month. We have been spending our evenings tiling, painting, sheetrocking, and mudding in the basement to make it a little more livable. We are adding a shower in the 'toilet room' that was already there and we are putting new flooring down in the main room (carpet, tile, and wood flooring) so we are getting good practice for that 'Someday' when we get our own house.

Lainey now owns the house! She can get anywhere she wants too, almost. She crawls pretty good, and has recently figured out how to pull herself up to anything within reach and gets frustrated when she can't! She has new bumps and bruises from her new discoveries, mainly because she hasn't quite figured out the effects of gravity. Lainey is becoming a momma's girl more and more everyday, which is fine with me! I love when she wants me more than anyone else... Nothing like a baby to make you feel important! She has two bottom teeth, and really loves chewing on paper, apples, my jewlery... another favorite pastime is annoying Sadie, the dog, who gets a little freaked out by Lainey's new found mobility. Lainey's new favorite food (besides her new formula) is Cheerios. I have to be careful about how many I put on her tray, because she has realized that she can use BOTH hands to shove food in her mouth (hmmm... I wonder where she got that from?!) So, for the most part, we are healthy and happy, and just enjoying life!

Lainey's first time crawling...