Little Snapshots

November 2010

2012-01-29T15:01:00.001-05:00

So, in an attempt to get caught up (I just can't seem to make my self skip a whole year- especially a year that included the birth of Charlie) I'm going to try to pick highlights from each month and get this blog up to date! So bear with me and enjoy some cute pics (if I do say so myself....). :)

November was busy. Gwen, who is always ready for the camera, wore a new dress that she just loved to church and wanted pictures. Isn't she a cutie? She was also able to dress up for her class at school and was more than excited to wear her Tinkerbell costume.

Here are some pics of Hurricane Henry running around in the backyard. He even "posed" on the swing for me- wasn't that nice? :)

These next pictures are an attempt at an FHE about Thanksgiving. We started talking about the American Indians (is it safe to call them that anymore- I can't keep up)... We rigged up a tent out of sticks and a blanket and the kids were thrilled. The almost knocked it down in their enthusiasm dozens of times. I kept trying to get a picture of them inside the tent, and could never get a good angle of both of them at once. Oh, well. They had a blast and hopefully learned a little something... As you can tell from that last picture, Henry was quite cozy and in no hurry to get out. :)

Gwen is 5

2011-12-14T01:37:00.002-05:00

So, after a looooong break, I am going to attempt to keep up with our blog again... At some point, I'd even like to get it caught up again. But for now, I'd like to start with today.

Today, is Gwen's 5th birthday. Wow. I feel old... Anyway, I wa just reminiscing ( I hope that my spell check is working) about her baby and toddler years and so I thought I'd post a few of my favorite pictures. This is more for my benefit than yours, but I think it's fun to see that changes. So enjoy :)

Boo at the Zoo 2010

2011-08-02T23:58:00.007-04:00

By October, it was finally cool enough to take a little trip. So, we joined the Martin family and headed to the Columbia Zoo. The kids had a blast! :)

Patriotic Photo Shoot

2011-01-12T01:52:00.001-05:00

4th of July

2011-01-12T01:18:00.003-05:00

We had fun at Nana and Papa's and then enjoyed fireworks with friends. A great day!

Paula Deen Gwen

2011-01-12T00:38:00.003-05:00

Gwen making Chicken and Dumplings with Dad...

Can you tell she's having fun?

She's a great little helper. :)

Henry approves. :)

July Fun

2011-01-12T00:24:00.003-05:00

Having fun at Monkey Joes- the kids loved it!

Gwen found a comfortable spot...

Happy Father's Day!

Cuteness

2011-01-12T00:11:00.002-05:00

Some cute pics from July 2010- trying to catch up.... :)

Still a little wobbly...

He loves to set in Gwen's doll stroller even though he barely fits! :)

Merry Christmas!

2011-01-01T10:26:00.000-05:00

The kids were great with Santa this year. :) Merry Christmas!

June 2010

2010-12-05T21:28:00.003-05:00

June 1st was Henry's first birthday. We had a small family party at Nana and Papa's where the kids enjoyed time with their cousins.

Balloons!!!!

Doesn't he looked thrilled to be wearing his hat?

He liked the cake but wan't a fan of having it stick to his fingers...

We also celebrated Nana's birthday a little late- thanks for sharing with Henry, Nana! :)

Yay! Presents!

Henry got some help with his presents...

A happy boy. :)

Myrtle Beach 2010

2010-12-01T21:15:00.006-05:00

May was a busy month. After Beau's graduation and commissioning, we went to Myrtle Beach with some friends. The kids had a blast, even though it rained for most of the trip. The Dunes had a great indoor waterpark for the kids to play in, and I'm pretty sure they enjoyed it more than the beach!

Aaaah- this is the life...

Look at that form! That's my girl! :)

The kids loved this submarine that skirted water everywhere.

Gwen always loves the beach.

Henry, on the other hand...

Gwen and Payton warming up after a swim.

The indoor Lazy River was definitely a favorite. We're hoping we can go back next year!

May 2010

2010-12-01T21:02:00.003-05:00

Happy graduation day!

The kids LOVED having their cousins all together!

Cute cousins!

After Beau's commissioning- Henry's wearing Uncle Jason's Stetson. :)

That Face

2010-11-06T22:00:00.002-04:00

So much personality- that's my Gwen. :)

The Pizza Thief

2010-10-09T22:17:00.005-04:00

The cute smile and boo boo are used as a distraction in order to obtain his prize.

His triumphant "Happy Dance."

Pizza is suddenly cast aside in order to obtain the awkwardly located ball...

Looks comfortable, doesn't it?

He finally admits defeat and sits down... He also finished the pizza. :)

From Shanda's Blog

2010-08-27T23:22:00.001-04:00

Friday, August 27, 2010

Post Surgery
Thank you!!!! You heard our prayers! tears of joy. Just received news from the Doctor -- Shanda has no visible signs of cancer!!!!!!! She has a pronounced inflamation of the bowel and the lining of the abdomen. She has serositis (tissue that lines the abdomen that is inflamed and weeping) They removed one ovary and a section of the bowel that was twisted and attached to the abdominal wall. No need of doing Hipec(Heated Chemo) at this time!!!!!!!! She is still in surgery but the doctor came and updated us. The joy we feel is incredible! Thank You so much for your prayers, what a blessing.
Posted by Larry, Shanda, Aana, and Addison 4 comments

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Prayers for Shanda

2010-08-26T22:23:00.004-04:00

Please keep Shanda in your prayers. She's having another major surgery tomorrow. She's already been through so much and come so far. You're amazing Shanda. Our thoughts and prayers are with you, your family and your doctors. We love you!

http://larryandshanda.blogspot.com/

Thirty One

2010-08-10T21:56:00.005-04:00

So here's the reason why I haven't been blogging lately. Hoping to find some time to catch everyone up very soon! We're very busy but doing well. :)

http://www.mythirtyone.com/shellieperson/

Ballerina Gwen

2010-06-03T23:48:00.003-04:00

She loves ballet- can you tell by this picture? Gwen's first recital was in May and she did a wonderful job.

Video of our little dancer:

http://www.facebook.com/shellieperson?v=app_2392950137#!/video/video.php?v=1433309882617

Congrats!

2010-06-03T23:37:00.001-04:00

The handsome one in the middle, is Lt. Person- just in case you were wondering... Congrats on your commissioning!

Happy Birthday!

2010-06-03T23:34:00.001-04:00

My little man is 1-year-old! Where did the time go? :)

Happy birthday, Henry!

Shanda

2010-05-29T20:55:00.004-04:00

Please, please, pray for Shanda. She is making very difficult decisions at this time and has had a very hard time with her chemo treatments. She's an amazing person with a beautiful family. Please keep Shanda and her family in your prayers. Thank you.

http://www.larryandshanda.blogspot.com/

Update

2010-04-26T21:25:00.005-04:00

I'm working, Beau's in school, and the kids are growing...

Want more? :)

Okay, okay. Beau is almost done! YAY! He graduates with his Bachelor's in History on May 8th. We are definitely counting down the days. He'll also commission as an officer on May 7th with the Army National Guard. We're looking forward to having some of his family come and join us for the graduation and are looking forward to being done with this part of school!

Gwen is too smart for her own good and a prima balleriana. She has a ballet recital May 15th and has been showing me her moves around the house... Hopefully that means that she'll actually dance when she's on stage! We shall see...

Henry is growing like a weed and is babbling like crazy! He's cruising all over the house and is still as sweet and content as ever!

Shanda's Surgery

2010-03-04T21:51:00.003-05:00

Please keep Shanda in your prayers.

Her BIG surgery is MARCH 8th.

Thanks!

Janurary

2010-02-20T21:30:00.004-05:00

A visit from Dad Pomeroy, Henry's new teeth, my new job and lots of fun in between- it was a busy January!

Trying Cheerios for the first time...

Caught! :)

Ballerina Gwen

A visit from Dad

Yummy buttons...

Gwen enjoying some Papa Pomeroy time.

Gwen had to use a step stool to get in... I couldn't even be mad because they were so cute. :)

Henry has 4 teeth and isn't afraid to use them!

Watch out- here I come!

Craziness

2010-02-08T21:01:00.004-05:00

So- I'm not sure how I figured that working a full time job would allow me to have more time to blog... It hasn't. I'm working about 30 minutes away from home and about 45 minutes away from Gwen's daycare, so I spend a lot of time in the car. I have very mixed feelings. I'm grateful to be scanning- when I'm actually scanning. It's been a slow start, but I'm sure it will pick up.

I'm having a hard time being away from the kids so much, but I feel that it's what I'm supposed to be doing for now. I just need to read my scriptures and my blessing more often to be reminded of the big picture. I'm grateful that I can work. I'm grateful that I have the skills I need to make it worth my time away from my family (for now).

I'm grateful that Beau is closer to being done with school. He gradutates in May with his Bachelor's. He's applying to PA's schools now (in addition to school, ROTC, and Army Reserves). In May he'll be joining the National Guard in order to get further help with school. Wish us luck!

So- we miss seeing our friends, but appreciate your patience with all of our craziness. :) We're doing well and we're blessed- just look at those cute kids! :)

A Post from Shanda

2010-01-07T17:46:00.003-05:00

Here is a post from a friend of mine. Shanda and I were in Young Women's together growing up and she graduated a year ahead of me from Greenbrier. Please keep her and her family in your prayers. Thank you so much.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Yesterday Rocked my world....

I was diagnosed with cancer. I am shocked, scared, humbled, and anxious to know more answers. My family and I would greatly appreciate your prayers in our behalf!

It was a surreal day where I had to call my husband at work to tell him that I had cancer. I had to call my mom, dad,sister, and other family. I NEVER imagined I would have to do that!

I will try to update my blog with more information as we get it. What I know right now is that I have cancer. It is a VERY rare cancer that originated in my appendix and they found it after a regular lab test once I had my recent appendectomy. Even though my appendix has been removed, we know that I still have some degree of remaining cancer on my colon. We will be doing more tests as soon as possible to see if it has spread beyond that. I will also be having surgery next week to remove the right half of my colon and several lymph nodes. The doctor will be able to more accurately stage my cancer once this surgery is complete. He knows that I am at least a stage 2...but he is very hopeful that that is all.

What lies ahead might be a bit of a LONG road, but I will beat this...this is day two of my journey and I feel strengthened by my Heavenly Father. I would have never known about this cancer without the strange bouts of appendicitis that I have had...so they were disguised blessings. I have great faith...but need your faith and prayers as well. This is SCARY!

Posted by Larry, Shanda, Aana, and Addison at 3:42 PM 17 comments

http://larryandshanda.blogspot.com/

Christmas Part 1

2010-01-03T13:58:00.002-05:00

Here are some pics from Christmas at Nana and Papa's house. Gwen loved unwrapping everything and Henry loved the wrapping paper. :) A good time was had by all.

This is definitely one of my favorite presents! :)

Pre- Christmas Fun

2010-01-03T13:40:00.003-05:00

We went to our ward Christmas party a few weeks ago and Gwen had a blast running around with the other kids (especially her friend, Peyton) and eating Christmas cookies. The last pic is from Lights of the South- my favorite Santa. :)

Birthday Girl

2010-01-02T23:43:00.004-05:00

Gwendolyn turned 3 on Dec 13th. (Time sure flies!) Of course her birthday was Princess themed and she enjoyed having her family with her to celebrate. :)

Look at that grin...

She's so excited about her chef's accessories- she's our little Paula Deen!

The gang's all here!

Enjoying her new pjs!

Woo Hoo!

2009-12-29T22:20:00.010-05:00

I just accepted a position as a full time Cat Scan Tech today! Yay! I'm looking forward to doing what I went to school for. It may even be something I can do part time in the future (hopefully). Mabye that means I can blog again from time to time. :) For now, here are some pics of us from Lights of the South. Hopefully I'll be able to post more soon!

My sweet, busy girl!

My sweet little man!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-16T23:38:00.003-05:00

I'm totally biased, but I think we have the cutest kids ever. There- I said it. :) I'll be posting more soon...

Gwen just turned 3 years old!

My little man, Henry, is already 6 months old!

Things have been crazy... Working, looking for work, Beau's school, sick kids, etc... Anyway- hopefully I'll get back to more blogging and will be able to fill you in on the last few months soon. We're doing well and hoping that all of you are too.

Merry Christmas!

I'm done

2009-09-24T13:50:00.003-04:00

I took my CT (Cat Scan) registry test today and passed. Hallelujah. :) I'm so glad and relieved to finally be done. Now comes the fun part- job hunting... Wish me luck! I'll keep you updated!

Coming Soon!

2009-09-18T23:38:00.003-04:00

I'll be updating the blog soon- probably next weekend. Lots of great pics from this summer: Henry's blessing and our trip to Maryland. :) Hope you'll check back soon! Thanks!

Summer fun

2009-07-03T21:22:00.005-04:00

The many faces of Henry...

And here's Gwen having fun with her Aunt Kim, Uncle Thad and cousins at Nana and Papa's house...

All the cousins- now the girls are out numbered!

One Month Old!

2009-07-01T21:40:00.005-04:00

I can't believe it's been a month! Henry is doing great and growing all the time. He's almost too big for all of his newborn clothes already. :) He's sweet and starting to "coo" and squeak when we talk to him. Gwen is a great big sister (even though it looks like she may have hit him in the head in that picture- she didn't ). She's very sweet with him and always wants to give him kisses or pat him on the back (which can be a bad thing when he's sound asleep...). Enjoy! I still have more pics to add in the next post!

This really should have a a cartoon bubble...

Here's Henry!

2009-06-17T21:21:00.002-04:00

All right- I've been getting a lot of slack (Kim) for not updating my blog... So I'm posting a few pictures to appease you. The full story will have to come later when I have some more time. Henry was born on June 1st, at 10pm- 8lbs 5 oz, 20 3/4 inches long. I was induced that morning around 11am, but luckily only had to push for about 45 min. Things have been very crazy since then because we have all been sick. Anyway- enjoy the pictures and stay tuned for another full update. :)

Here's Henry!

He's a little sweetheart... :)

A shot of his hair- he has a good bit and it's definitely blonde.

Cuteness.

The Photoshoot

2009-06-17T21:08:00.003-04:00

Thumbkin

2009-03-11T14:29:00.004-04:00

Tantrums

2009-03-05T10:50:00.009-05:00

So, my sweet Gwendolyn has been sick this past weekend with the lovely stomach bug that's been going around. (And did I mention that Beau was out of town?) It was a LONG weekend... Because she was sick, I stayed home with her and babied her, etc. She finally started keeping food down around Monday, and Tuesday she seemed pretty much back to normal.

Now for the fun part. I took her back to daycare yesterday so I could go to work and Beau could go to class. This was definitely not what Gwen had planned for her day. She let us know in no uncertain terms that she was going to do what she wanted when she wanted. With LOTS of cajoling and after lots of tears, she finally made it to daycare. She was fine once she got there, but of course I felt guilty and stressed out about it all day. I ended up picking her up a little early to ease my guilt. When I got there, she was in the middle of singing time and did not want to leave ...of course.

This morning felt like deja vu. I tried to give Gwen extra time, this time expecting her mood. Finally I was able to get her dressed and she even let me fix her hair. As I'm trying to walk out the door with her, she throws herself down in the hallway and starts kicking her feet and screaming- a royal tantrum. So much for her cute hair. One of her shoes flies off and she is not about to go anywhere. I put everything in the car and told her that her dad would need to take her (I was already running late). As I started the car she came running to the door. We finally made it to daycare again with her sniffing the whole way. When we got in the classroom, the teachers could tell we had had a fun morning (hopefully they didn't think I had just beaten her, which is probably what it looked like with her puffy eyes and crazy hair)...I was all stressed out when I finally made it to work.

Here's my question for you- any suggestions? All of you with toddlers have probably had one of these fun experiences at one time or another. I try to give Gwen choices so she can feel in charge, but she is the queen of dawdling... And then of course, if it's not perfect, we are graced with her temper. Don't get me wrong- a lot of the time she is truly sweet. She is gentle with her baby dolls and the cat. She will snuggle with Beau and I (when she's in the mood). She's smart- she loves to learn and read books and dance. So how do I direct this independence? I've looked up a few things online and included them in case anyone else is in the same boat. I've also been told about a book called "The Strong Willed Child" from a Christian author. I may look into it. I know her energy can be directed for good (at least most of the time), so I'm working on it. Share any thoughts you'd like. :)

Toddlers Today
http://www.toddlerstoday.com/articles/socializing/toddlers-who-run-the-show-6048/4/

Parent Hacks

http://www.parenthacks.com/2006/11/tell_strongwill.html

Baby Henry

2009-02-27T22:57:00.009-05:00

Here's an ultrasound (obviously) of baby Henry. He's attempting to push the umbilical cord out of his face. :) He kicked and moved and made the sonographer work for her money when this was taken... I'm pretty sure we're going to have our hands full once he's here.

We had a scare a few weeks ago during another ultrasound. They saw a small cyst and were concerned about his bowels. Because of this, I had bloodwork done and decided to do an amniocentisis. It was definitely NOT a comfortable experience. Having an audience in the room to observe didn't help my nervousness, either. I've already made it very clear that there will NOT be students in the delivery room when we get to that point. Anyway, at least the procedure was quick, and the results were definite. Henry is definitely a boy (which of course we knew) and his chromosomes are completely normal. They took this ultrasound yesterday just as a follow-up and everything looks great. :)

Things I Love

2009-02-13T20:36:00.007-05:00

So, in honor of Valentine's Day, I've decided to make a list of things that I love about Beau and Gwen... So here it goes...

Beau

Enjoys cooking and does it better than I can!

Brings me chocolate without me asking

Loves Gwen to pieces

Can be trusted to do Gwen's hair in the morning and do a good job!

Likes to watch nerdy medical shows with me so we can discuss them!

Does his best to make me happy

Will help me around the house (which is a big deal when we're both so busy!)

Doesn't mind sports but isn't addicted to watching (I think I'm a bigger football fan than he is!)
Is a righteous Priesthood holder

Likes to build things

Likes to help people

Likes to watch the History Channel (it usually bores me to death, but at least it's educational!)

Likes being married (It's a shame how many people complain about being married!)

I love that he's going to school and has joined the Army Reserves to provide for our family

He's my best friend

Gwen

I love the way her skin smells (like family)

How she loves to dance to any music

How she tries to sing along and asks me to sing the "Ariel Song", "Beauty Song" or "Cinderbella Song"

How she tries to do everything by herself- even if we're running late! ("I do it!" "Gwen's turn!")

How girly she is- she'd wear her princess dress anywhere

How quickly she's learning

How she remembers most of the kids' names in her daycare class

How she gets excited to see her Nana and Papa

How she says "Thank you" after receiving something

I love her crazy hair in the morning (and if you ask her about it she'll tell you "It's crazy!")

How she likes to read the "Jesus book"

How she grabs my hand and puts it on her back at bedtime so I will rub it while she falls asleep

How she calls "Mama or Daddy" from her bed in the morning even though she could get up by herself!

How she calls her favorite woobie (blanket) "Pink; " the others are "Yellow" (even though they are all duplicates of the same blanket and are all pink!)

How she likes to cuddle with her daddy on the couch

I love the noise she makes as she sucks her fingers to fall asleep

I could go on, but I'm sure you're bored now... Thanks for letting me share some of my favorite things about some of my favorite people. :)

Christmas pics- Finally!

2009-01-31T13:12:00.007-05:00

Ok- so it's only taken me a month, but I'm finally posting some more of my Christmas pics. Enjoy!

Gwen had a blast opening her stocking.

She loved all of her gifts and loved this ballerina from Aunt Jessica. :)

Downtime after a busy morning of opening presents with her cousins- nice Cheetos smile. :)

Pics over at Nana and Papas with the cousins

Andi and Molly showing some sisterly love.

Gwen loved her play kitchen that her daddy worked hard putting together. Thank you, Nana. :)

December

2009-01-09T20:12:00.006-05:00

This December has been a very busy one for us! I still have more pictures of Christmas to post after this one, but I thought I'd share photos of our visits from Beau's family. Elliot, Andrea and the boys, Andi and Molly all came to visit us during Christmas. It was a great time and Gwen loved having her cousins to play with.

Gwen, Brock and Scott chillin' on the the couch.

Andrea, Elliot, Brock and Scott

A trip to the Riverwalk

We had fun at Lights of the South

Picture with Aunt Molly

We attempted to get pictures of Gwen sitting with Santa, and this is what we got... Luckily, this Santa was very adept at adjusting to nervous kids like Gwen. He told Beau to sit in the chair and we all just waited to see what would happen next. He walked away and at the last minute ran up behind the chair for this photo. :)

The whole crew at Lights of the South- we're so glad you all came!

Gwen's Birthday

2009-01-03T20:43:00.009-05:00

We celebrated Princess Gwendolyn's 2nd birthday on December 13th. We had a small family party and encouraged Gwen's girly side to come out even more (not that she needs any coaxing to be girly). :) We had Cinderella decorations and Gwen enjoyed playing with her cousins. She loved opening all of her gifts and the big hit was her princess dress trunk from Nana. Thank you to all who were there and to those who thought of her!

Gwen tried her best to play with everything at once- notice the back pack as well! :)

Birthday Girls

2009-01-03T15:07:00.003-05:00

Here are the birthday girls- Myla, Reagan, and Gwen. :) Gwen attended a "Baby Doll Party" at the Arnolds house a few weeks ago and had a great time. She brought her own baby doll and played with many of the little girls from our ward. They had cute baby doll cookies and took home handmade baby dolls thanks to Jenny and Leigh's hardwork. Thanks for the fun time!

It wasn't nearly as loud as you would think! :)

Do we have a futre doctor? I guess we'll just have to wait and see!

Some pics

2008-12-10T22:45:00.004-05:00

I found tons of pictures on our camera from about the last two months, so here's quick update. :)

We were able to stop in and see our good friends Megan and Mitch in Columbia, SC as we headed to Beau's Reserve Unit for Family day. We loved staying with you guys and hope we can visit with you for a longer period of time soon!

Gwen absolutely loved the Moon Bounce that the Reserve Unit had at the park. We went to the park on post for activities and food. Gwen loved the playground and all the room to run, but this was definitely her favorite spot!

She saw a nearby pond and it was all I could do to keep her from walking right into it!

Daycare project for Thanksgiving

Fun with the cousins. :) The best part is that this was completely spontaneous (the hats anyway). I keep a stash of hats in Gwen's playroom for her to dress up with. The kids had been quietly playing after Sunday dinner and then one by one came out with their hats on! We just had to take a picture!

Daddy's Girl

2008-12-03T22:05:00.004-05:00

Flutter kicks!

Maestro

2008-12-03T21:29:00.002-05:00

A few pictures of our future musician... :)

Gwen loves to sing with us at church- even though she doesn't know the words- we love it. :)

The Movie

2008-11-24T10:26:00.003-05:00

Okay, soon I will be posting more family pics, but for now I thought I would deviate slightly from my normal updates. Who saw the movie last weekend? I'm sure a lot of you did. :) I went with some girls from work and we had a great time. We all really loved the movie and we're all avid Twilight fans. Yes, we had to put up with some twitterpated teenage girls, but we weren't much better once the character, Edward, walked on the screen. :) There was a bigger mix of people in the theater than I was expecting. It seemed like quite a few boyfriends/husbands decided to make the sacrifice and and came with their loved ones. Of course the movie had to leave out some parts of the book- it's inevitable. They also added some ethnicity to the characters (I didn't think so and so was Asian, but whatever). They also took some liberties with some action scenes ( I'm pretty sure no one was climbing trees in the book). Otherwise I thought the characters were right on. Okay- maybe Jasper was a little too bug-eyed the whole time, but that's pretty much how he's described, so oh well. The leads were perfect and I'm glad we went to see it. I'm still trying to convince Beau to read the series (don't think it's going to happen), but I might be able to drag him to the movie since he's put up with me acting like a teeny bopper everytime the previews came on tv. What did you guys think of the movie? I'm looking forward to the next one. :)

Halloween

2008-11-11T22:04:00.004-05:00

Better late than never, right? Here are some pics from Halloween. Enjoy our little "Dorothy!"

There's no place like home... And yes, that's Toto under her arm. :)

Ringing Nana and Papa's doorbell...

Enjoying the spoils...

Singing "Happy Birthday" to the pumpkins and trying to blow out the candles.

Our little pumpkin family

As an update, Beau and I are doing well. We're very busy with school and work and Gwen. :) We'll get a small break in early December from school so that will be a nice little breather. This will come just in time for Gwen's birthday, Christmas and visits from Beau's family. :) If we haven't spoken to you in awhile, know that we think of all of you and look forward to free time when we can visit and call again. Hope you're all doing well. :)

Pumpkins!

2008-11-01T19:02:00.003-04:00

Here are some pictures from our trip to a local pumpkin "patch." Gwen had lots of fun- mostly throwing the small pumpkins and watching us chase after them, but fun just the same. :) These cute pictures are thanks to our friend Debi Chatfield. It was great luck that we got there just as she was leaving since my camera had just died the day before. Thanks again and enjoy!

Proposition 8

2008-10-22T14:43:00.008-04:00

This is a family blog- that's why I'm including this important post from a friend about families. California is dealing with an upcoming vote that will determine the state's definition of a family called Proposition 8. This proposition supports that marriage is between a man and a woman. If this propostion does not pass, the repercussions will affect us all. In states where all types of "marriages" are already recognized, mandatory "Equality" curriculum is taught to kindergartners without the parent's notification or consent. I hope that all of us can stand up for what we believe in and support the Proclamation to the World- it was obviously divinely inspired by a Prophet of God.

The Family: A Proclamation to the World
http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,161-1-11-1,00.html

Here's a link to a Jessica's blog with her views on the subject in California:
http://www.thebodenfamily.blogspot.com/

I asked what we could do to show our support and Jessica mentioned just getting the word out through blogging, and if we were able to, donating to the cause. There is a button on the right side of Jessica's blog that takes you directly to the Protect Families website if you're interested.

This link is an interview with a family in Massachusetts where all types of "marriages" are already state recognized and supported. Parents don't even have the right to speak out or protest the early teaching of their children about these topics without retaliation from the law. It's a scary thought and one that could easily become the "norm" for other states if this propostion is not passed.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1815825713

Please take the time to get involved and show your support in any way you can.

Family Home Evening Performance

2008-10-04T23:46:00.003-04:00

Here's our little performer (and her daddy) giving us a little show for Family Home Evening. Of course she only does cute things when she's in a t-shirt and diaper... Oh well. :)

ROTC

2008-09-18T20:23:00.003-04:00

Here are a few pics from Beau's swearing into ROTC. They held it at the Augusta Green Jacket's baseball stadium right before the game. I didn't have the best seats, so hopefully you can pick Beau out. :)

In this photo he's on the front row, fourth one in...

He's enjoying the people he's met in ROTC and staying busy with all of his history classes and endless papers. :)

Gwen's Tag

2008-09-07T00:10:00.005-04:00

My friend Michelle tagged Gwen, so I thought I'd be a good sport and participate on her behalf! :)

Name and meaning: Gwendolyn Nicole
Means "white wave" and it's Welsh; I've always liked old fashioned names. I had already picked this name out when Beau reminded me that his grandmother's name is Gwendolyn, so we went with it.

Age: 21 months

Nicknames: Punkin, Sweet-girl, Babydoll, Little Stinker

Favorite activities: Playing outside, dressing up, coloring, singing and dancing

Favorite foods: Pizza, spaghetti, popsicles, raisins, cheese, anything sweet

Least favorite foods: Anything green, anything we ask her to eat when she's not in the mood

Favorite music: "If You're Happy and You Know It, " "Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree," "The Itsy Bitsy Spider"- really anything she can dance around to. She also tries to sing hymns with us in church...

Favorite toys: Her "Woobie," stuffed elephant, any ball she can throw, her dress-up hats and jewelry, our shoes

Favorite book: Big Red Barn

Favorite item of clothing: Her white Easter hat- she wears it all the time!

What makes her sad: When she doesn't get her way, when mommy or daddy leaves

What makes her happy: When we come to pick her up, when she can use a "big cup", when she's getting chased around the house, singing along with "Signing Time", when she can play outside, when she gets to see her cousins, putting on "makeup" like mommy

Who am I going to tag? Anyone who has kids and would like to participate! Thanks!

September Showers

2008-09-06T23:13:00.004-04:00

Okay- people take pictures of their kids in the tub, right? So please don't think I'm too weird for sharing these. Gwen recently decided that she would no longer sit down in the tub during baths... She will temporarily sit down for bubbles, but that only lasts until the bubbles disappear. Tomorrow she may change her mind again, but so far this has lasted for about a month. Beau found a child's shower attachment that sticks to the wall so that the resulting spray is Gwen's height. So far, it's been a big hit and made bath time a much more pleasurable, albeit wet, experience. I should not have been surprised with her reaction to the shower based on her outdoor reactions to water... see "Baby Pools Are Boring...". If anyone has ideas of how I'm supposed to stay dry during these sessions, please let me know (I can't do the whole tandem showering thing...).

Looks a bit creepy to me, but Gwen doesn't seem to notice...

As you can see, the steam was fogging up the lens- but if I can have a happy and clean toddler, then I sure don't mind getting wet in the process. :)

Family fun

2008-09-06T23:05:00.002-04:00

Here are some pictures from Conlan's 3rd birthday- he's getting so big, so fast! Gwen always has fun seeing her Papa, Nana and cousins!

What a handsome guy!

She's such a girlie-girl... we love it. :)

Jumpy Gwen

2008-09-06T22:42:00.004-04:00

Here are some pics from our trip to Jump City. At first we were afraid that Gwen was too little to enjoy it, but she quickly proved us wrong. :) She had fun jumping and tumbling around and showed us her enthusiasm with her little happy dance...

August

2008-09-06T22:16:00.005-04:00

Beau's birthday was Aug 6th- here are some pictures... better late then never! :) Love you!

Our little performer- seen here standing on Nana's fireplace...

Uh- looks like trouble! Gwen and Talmage- 6 months apart. :)

We are family

2008-08-19T23:06:00.006-04:00

Lots of love in these photos!

This one was taken during Beau's birthday celebration. We always end up out in the comfy sunroom...

This is during a recent visit from my dad- chillin' on the couch. :)

On another note- Beau and I started classes yesterday. We both have tons of studying to do and Beau will also have several History and Humanities papers to write, but we're excited to be on our way. I feel like I can see the light at the end of the tunnel even though we're only at the beginning. :)

Baby pools are boring...

2008-08-03T17:17:00.006-04:00

So last weekend we were able to go to Hunter and Peyton's birthday party at the park. It was a fun and relaxing time and we were happy to attend.

Cute Peyton turned 1

Happy Hunter turned 4

We knew that there was a huge fountain at the park and I decided to bring Gwen's swimsuit just in case although I didn't have high hopes. This has been her usual reaction to outdoor water works....

Not so happy. So I decided to wait to see if Gwen would be interested in the water before I put her in her suit.

The inquisitive toddler creeps in cautiously towards the spouting chlorinated water after seeing other children playing and having fun...

Wait! The fountain sprays water right into my face if I get close enough!

Yea! Let's do it again!

Lots and lots of water... and an ever-expanding, soaked with water, regular diaper... So much for the swimsuit. :) I did change her into her suit later and she went right back into the water to enjoy round two with Daddy.

Notice that I didn't put any cheese puffs on Gwen's plate...

And notice that she much prefers her Daddy's plate...

Thanks for the yummy cupcake- Happy Birthday Hunter and Peyton!

Update

2008-07-28T22:07:00.006-04:00

So- we're still alive here in Martinez. Sorry it's taken so long for me to post anything, but you may have to be more patient with me in the near future. I'm getting everything lined up to take on online class in early August. I'll be rotating at an area doctor's office while I'm taking this course to become certified in taking CT scans (CAT scans). I've been stressing out trying to get all my ducks in a row because the class is also out of state which makes it difficult to get my questions answered easily. I'm amazed that anyone can get into college anymore... So- things have been crazy and will only get crazier. I will continue to work part time while I'm attending the CT program. Here's what my lovely schedule will look like:

Mon- Rotate 8-6pm

Tues-work

Wed- Rotate 8-4:30p

Thurs- work; online class 6-9pm

Fri-work

At some point I"ll also need to study and of course see my wonderful family, so wish me luck. Thankfully, the course only runs from Aug-May. After that I'm hoping to find a part time position so I can be home more with Gwen.

And to add to the craziness, Beau is attempting to attend school full time and work part time as well... So- please keep us in your prayers. And if you don't hear from us as often as before, just know that we're thinking of all of you and we'll let you know if anything really exciting happens.

The following pictures are from July 4th- I have some more recent ones that I hope to get posted soon. :)

Home again

2008-06-23T22:05:00.009-04:00

So, Beau has returned! Last Wednesday I left for Fort Bragg to pick him up. After a long trip and yet another fun "adventure" in getting lost (what is it with me and getting lost in Fayetteville!), I finally arrived on post. Thankfully, our room was close enough to Beau's barracks so that when his Cadre eventually did decide to give them free time (6:30pm- good thing I didn't get there early) he was able to just walk over and meet me.

We visited for a little while then he had to get back to his barracks before lights out (ninja- style). :) We found the auditorium the next morning where the graduation was held and met up with Jason and Jeanette- they both looked so great and it was awesome to be able to visit with them.

During the ceremony Gwen was pretty good- we just kept sneaking her goldfish crackers even though the sign clearly read "No food or drink allowed." Hopefully we didn't leave crumbs... She clapped after the songs ended during the slideshow and said "Yea!" and everyone giggled. Then- I tried to get up to take a closer picture. Bad move- Gwen started shrieking for "Momma" and I rushed back to quiet her down. Eventually she couldn't take anymore sitting in her stroller and Jason scooped her up and took her outside the doors so she could walk around in the foyer. So I was able to listen to the rest of graduation and Gwen was much happier. Thanks, Jason. :)

After graduation, we took lots of pictures, visited with Jason and Jeanette, and with Beau's fellow soldiers. It was nice to be able to relax a little. After Gwen's nap we headed over to visit with Niki and Todd. We let the kids play together and enjoyed some good home cooked food. Once we put the kids to bed we were able to hang out- just like old times. :) Thanks for sharing your home with us, Niki and Todd.

The drive home was easier with two adults and the portable dvd player we parked in the backseat. I wouldn't use it for short trips, but it was a definite help for this car trip. However, if I hear one more Elmo song... I'm going to have to find some less annoying kids dvds- maybe Baby Einstein? But since Gwen asks for Elmo now when she wakes up in the morning, I don't think I'll be getting rid of these anytime soon. Marketing genius...

It's great to have Beau home. It took him a few days to get used to not having to be somewhere every minute of the day. Gwen is slowly adjusting to having Daddy home. She's a Momma's girl right now and we're considering a "vacation" for me on a Saturday so Gwen can spend some quality time with her Daddy without me around to distract her. I'm all for it except I wish I had won a spa trip or something... Good thing a quiet trip to Barnes and Noble and a pedicure will do the job just as well. :)

Father's Day

2008-06-15T14:06:00.007-04:00

Happy Father's Day!

To all of the amazing fathers in my life- we love you so much!

Hot Dogs

2008-06-08T23:51:00.005-04:00

This past Saturday, it was 101 degrees outside (not the heat index). So, what did Gwen and I do? We went to the park to see a group of people raising money to train dogs for the blind. We didn't stay long, but Gwen loved watching all of the different kinds of dogs. These are my co-worker's beautiful Australian Shepherds, Chili and Cheyenne.

"Eyes"

Cooling off- that's what we should have done ourselves!

Cutest Poser

2008-06-08T23:12:00.008-04:00

I promise that I didn't pose any of these pictures-
Gwen wouldn't have let me anyway!

Memorial Day

2008-05-27T21:48:00.006-04:00

Gwen and I left for Fort Bragg, N.C. last Friday and ran into some traffic along the way (busy traveling weekend). Despite the traffic, we made good time and were able to visit with Beau by Friday afternoon. I met Beau's roomates, Chip and Manny and it was nice to finally put faces to the names that I've heard so much about. I will say that I'm positive that Beau was lucky to get such great roomates and I enjoyed meeting both of them.

The three amigos- Manny, Beau and Chip

Saturday we were able to run some errands in town and, as Beau said in his post, eat some good food for our anniversary. :) Sunday I picked Beau up from his barracks and we headed to church at his brother, Jason's, ward. We were also able to see Niki Deca (our friend from D.C.) and AnnaMolgard which was great- I only wish we'd had more time to visit. After church we spent some much appreciated downtime at Jason and Jeanette's house. Here are some pictures from that afternoon.

Beau and Jason- and yes, Jason IS smiling.

Gwen and Victoria- Gwen just loved being with her cousins.

Kisses for Julian

Fun with Daddy.

We were sad to leave Beau and our family in N.C., but we'll be seeing them again in less than a month. Beau has about 3 more weeks of AIT and then Gwen and I will travel again to see him graduate. Hopefully we'll have more time to visit our friends and family then.

2008-05-25T14:32:00.004-04:00

Hey Y'all, It's Beau. I'm almost done with my Initial Entry Training, and boy am I ready. Shellie is here with me in Fayettenam for the 4 day weekend (and I even get all 4 days off) and it has been nice. We celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary with fillet minion and Cold Stone Ice Cream. I'm amazed at how big Gwen has grown, and I love her curly hair too! She warmed up to me with a little cajoling, but she sings my name (Daddeee) and then calls me by my first name! Words cannot describe my appreciation to all who have been so supportive of Shellie while I've been gone.

Happy...

2008-05-20T22:19:00.006-04:00

Happy birthday, Mom- we love you!

Happy birthday, Fran Martin!

Happy birthday, Sarah Palmer!

Happy anniversary to me- 8 years!

From baby to toddler

2008-05-03T20:26:00.006-04:00

These are two videos of Gwen. The first was taken in January of this year and shows Gwen dancing. The second one was taken just a few weeks ago in April. She starts out dancing and then just decides to be silly and yell at the cat. :) I just can't believe how fast she's changing!

Beau has finally "graduated" to gold phase in his AIT training. It's the last phase before his actual graduation, so he should finally be able to keep his phone with him and go off post on the weekends. This IS the Army we're talking about, though, so I'm not holding my breath just in case. :) Hopefully all will go just as he's been told. Beau's doing well in his classes and has met several other soldiers that he hangs out with during his downtime. He's in good spirits and wants to thank everyone who has asked about him and helped us out while he's been away. Maybe he'll be able to post his own message soon.

They Might Be Giants

2008-04-21T23:10:00.005-04:00

http://www.amazon.com/Here-Come-Bonus-Tracks-Video/dp/B000V5YOZ6/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1208833591&sr=1-1

Okay. I'll admit that I'd only heard two songs from They Might Be Giants- "Birdhouse in Your Soul" and "Istambul"-until I met Beau. Then he introduced me to the rest of their quirky, crazy, fun music. Well, they have produced several children's CDs and I happen to LOVE their latest. It's called "Here Come the 123's." I heard one of the songs on a day when I had the Disney Channel turned on. The more I listened, the more I liked it. I found the CD at Target when I was of course shopping for something else. It's one of the few children's CDs that I actually enjoy listening to. The songs are catchy and simple and get stuck in my head (and I don't mind). :) If you're looking for something different, but kid-friendly I'd recommend this one. Oh- click on the link to hear samples of the songs (I couldn't figure out how to download the songs from my cd, so hopefully you'll get the idea from this). Just press pause on my music (at the bottom of the blog) so you can actually hear it. Enjoy!

Spring pictures

2008-04-17T20:37:00.012-04:00

I'm posting more pictures of Gwen just in case Beau is finally able to get to a computer to see them. So- enjoy. :)

"Are we done yet? "

Our sweet Gwen

Fun Pics of Gwen

2008-04-12T01:02:00.003-04:00

Masters and Allergies

2008-04-11T22:58:00.012-04:00

One of the many scoreboards

So, it's Master's Week around here. All of the dogwood trees and azaleas are blooming and beautiful. And all of the news on television starts out with the Master's Report. I don't mind, I just wish I could go to the Tournament again sometime. Even if you hate golf, the course is just amazing and worth seeing at least once. And you can't help but get excited about the Tournament when you hear the roar of cheers from another hole. The Practice Rounds are especially fun to attend. These are the days when the players are still relaxed and more likely to interact with the crowd and have fun. This year, ESPN covered the Par 3 Tournament on Wednesday where the golfers' kids were allowed to help caddie.

Golfer Trip Kuehne and his son

When I was a teenager I worked on the course in one of their many food tents. Although the smell from the food tent by the end of the week was definitely memorable, even more memorable were the quiet walks into the gate as I made it to my assignment. I loved the smell of the freshly mowed grass (they mow every morning during the Tournament) and the sound of the birds chirpping before all of the crowds arrived. Because I was assigned to the 13th hole, I was able to enjoy the long winding walk along the paths of azaleas and dogwoods. Ah, memories... Of course once the crowds arrived, I did have to go to work.

For those of you interested in the details of the Tournament, I'm sure you already know that it's being broadcast on ESPN and the Golf Channel. Around here it's on the local stations, too, of course. And here's the online version- there are a lot of great pictures on the site and up to the minute scores. I feel like I'm a sports anchor... oh, well... :)

The Offical Site of the Masters Tournament
http://www.masters.org/en_US/index.html

Now, being able to boast of beautiful dogwoods and azaleas does have it's price. And for me, it's paid in the form of Zyrtec. And apparently, I'm not the only one-

Worst Cities for Allergies This Spring

http://www.fitsugar.com/1541391

"Think your city must fall on the list? Here are the top 25 worst allergy offenders:

1. Lexington, Ky.
2. Greensboro, N.C.
3. Johnson City, Tenn.
4. Augusta, Ga.
5. Jackson, Miss. "

So, there are many reasons to live in Augusta- especially if you love golf or the outdoors. Just remember to bring your Zyrtec.

Beau's Address

2008-04-09T22:39:00.002-04:00

Here's Beau's address at Fort Bragg:

PFC Beau Person
Class #03-08
A Co 3rd Bn, 1st SWTG
USA JFK SWC
Bldg 3004 Ardennes St Stop B
Ft Bragg, NC 28310

I was finally able to talk to Beau and he's doing well. He is now able to use his cell phone in the evenings and on the weekends. I'll include more info in my next entry. :)

See- I told you! :)

2008-04-05T22:20:00.001-04:00

MyHeritage: Look-alike Meter - Family reunion - Pedigree

Beau

2008-04-02T12:55:00.002-04:00

I spoke with Beau on Monday. He's doing well, but it sounds like they've decided not to give them as many freedoms as they initially promised- big surprise to all of you military wives, right? :) He hasn't been able to use his phone (he had to get special permission to call me) and he wasn't allowed to go off base for church this past Sunday. He said that there are 7 other LDS soldiers in his group, so they were allowed to hold their own service on base- at least they let them do that. They're trying to make arrangements to get to the closest ward and it sounds like they'll be taking a taxi every Sunday. I think his AIT will go in phases the same way that Basic did so that he should gradually gain more freedom. We'll see. He said that he's sending a letter so I should be getting it anytime now. I'll let you know.

Ear Tubes

2008-03-25T23:00:00.002-04:00

Gwen's ear tube surgery was yesterday morning. They told me to just wake her up and bring her just as she was, so I brought Gwen in her PJ's with her blanket and woobie. We got to Augusta ENT at 6:45am and my mom met me there. We were quickly taken back to a pre-op room where I was able to ask Dr. Barfield questions. Apparently, after her follow up, I won't have to worry about using any earplugs for her, even when she's in a pool. That's a relief to not have to worry about all of that. I was also able to talk with the anesthesiologist. He skillfully distracted Gwen with a stuffed animal and gently whisked her away before she was able to get upset.

By the time I went into the waiting room and got comfortable, the surgery was already over. It took about 15 minutes and then a few more minutes for her to come out of the anesthesia. It did freak me out a little to see her so disoriented while the gas was still in her system, but she quickly came out of it. We stayed in recovery for a half hour and Gwen drank 3 full glasses of apple juice since she had not been able to eat or drink since the night before.

When we got home Gwen was very tired and clingy, but otherwise doing well. After a good nap and lunch, she seemed almost as good as new. I've been keeping an eye on her ears today before taking her back to daycare tomorrow. She does have some drainage, but she's not acting like she's in pain like she was during her ear infections. And she lets me put in her ear drops without too much fuss. Overall, she handled everything very well and I'm so grateful. Hopefully this will help to keep her healthier.

Easter

2008-03-25T22:44:00.004-04:00

We took a picture on Easter Sunday before Beau had to report to the Fort.

Conlan, Talmage, Madison and Gwen- what a cute group!

Blue-eyed girl

The Latest

2008-03-25T20:05:00.024-04:00

What a week it has been... Last Wednesday, my sister-in-law, Andrea, came down to stay with me so that we could drive together to Columbia for the graduation (her husband was graduating, too). Beau's mom and dad would be driving down to Columbia from Maryland. When Andrea got here from Atlanta, the weather was terrible; the kids were tired and it was getting dark. So, I made a quick phone call to confirm that our reservation would still be available, and we decided to stay for the night and leave first thing Thursday morning.

We left early Thursday and had beautiful weather. We made it to our seats and then heard, "Boom, boom, boom!" On the field there were many different colored smoke bombs going off in front of the line of trees in the distance. A huge cloud of smoke billowed across the field and then all of the soldiers appeared through the haze. A very dramatic entrance- I would have enjoyed it more except that the boom scared Gwen and she was huddled against my chest. She quickly recovered, however, and we were able to listen to the introduction for family day.

Once the instructions were given about what the soldiers were and weren't allowed to do, we were able to meet up with one another. Of course, everyone rushed the field, all looking for their own family members, so it took a long time for me to actually get down from the bleacher seat that I had with Gwen. As I got to the front railing, my phone rang. The caller ID said that it was Beau's mom, so I quickly answered hoping she had found Beau (since I couldn't find him in the see of green uniforms I was looking at). It was Beau and he was standing just below me on the the field! I handed Gwen off to him and made it down the stairs as quickly as I could. Gwen had no problem going to her Daddy and promptly laid her head down on his shoulder.

Once we finally met up, we took a few pictures and then found Elliot and his family. The guys were only given an on base pass, so we had to compete with everyone else for lunch. We ended up waiting two hours for Burger King- yum. At that point, I didn't care what we ate, as long as we ate. Thank goodness I had snacks for Gwen.

Elliot, Dad Person and Beau in front of the Maryland flag

The boys

After lunch we went to check into our hotel on base- I had been anxious about it and wanted to do it earlier, but we weren't able to. Well, we got to the desk and they said the reservation had been cancelled. I was so upset. I "politely yelled" at the desk clerk asking her why it was cancelled when I had spoken with someone the night before who had told me our reservation would be held. Of course she said that there was no note in our file and that there was nothing she could do since they weren't a regular hotel chain. After saying a few more words about the fact that we would have driven our three cranky little kids through the downpour if we'd known that we were going to lose our room, it was clear that were weren't getting anywhere. We ended up going to the Travel Agency on post to try to make other arrangements. I was still so upset that I decided to take a walk with Gwen and I let Beau and Andrea handle the details. They eventually emerged with a hotel room off base for the first night and an on base apartment for the second night. I had been told of course, that the on base apartment had been booked solid when I tried to reserve it two weeks before, but I digress...

Beau's lovely bottom bunk

Elliot, Scott, Brock and Andrea

We finally got everything sorted out and took a tour of the barracks with Beau and Elliot. Afterwards we went to a social at the church building on base. The missionary couple in Beau and Elliot's branch wanted to meet their family. They were very nice and were sad to see them leave. Later we grabbed some food and then Elliot and Beau had to be back in their rooms by 8pm. As we drove back through the base after dropping off the boys, I was able to listen as the different companies sounded off outside their rooms. Their chanting echoed off of the brick buildings and sounded like one voice- it was a very proud and patriotic moment for me as I listened.

The next morning we made it to the graduation field just in time. The companies marched in a parade around the field behind the amazing band. After all of the awards were given for each company, we were finally able to meet our soldiers on the field. Once again, it was mass hysteria- I really wish they would have just kept everyone in their companies so we could find them more easily. After wandering and wandering, Beau borrowed someone's cell phone and I was able to find him. We took some more pictures and met everyone for lunch. Mom and Paul were able to come which was a nice surprise for Beau.

After lunch, Beau was free to go, but Elliot had to return by 8pm. We found our apartment and got settled in so the kids could take their naps.

We found out Saturday morning that Beau didn't have to check in at Fort Bragg until Sunday around 11:30am, so that gave us more time to visit with everyone. Eventually we drove up to Fayetteville to stay with our sister-in-law Jeanette, while Elliot and Andrea stayed in Columbia (Elliot's AIT is at Fort Jackson, SC). I brought Easter baskets for Gwen and Beau, so Beau was good enough to humor me. :)

Sunday we were able to go to Sacrament with Jeanette and then Beau had to report to the Fort. I left after dropping Beau off on base and headed out on the road. Gwen did well for a little one who wasn't feeling well, and I was home by about 4:30pm. Beau was able to call last Sunday and Monday, but won't be able to call again until this Sunday. After that he should be able to keep his cell phone with him and have free time in the afternoons. Since they don't have an LDS chapel on the base, Beau will be able to go to church with Jeanette every Sunday while he's there. Eventually he'll get a pass that will allow him to leave base during the weekend as long as he stays in Fayetteville.

Gwen has just shoved as many jelly beans as possible into her mouth...

At some point I'll be visiting Beau again while he's at AIT, but for now I'm just going to try to get back into a routine with Gwen. As soon as I have an address for Beau I'll let you know- he would still love to receieve letters and he may be able to receive phone calls after awhile. I'll keep you posted.

Ears and Graduation

2008-03-23T23:02:00.002-04:00

This will be short since my eyes are hardly staying open as I type. I got back today from dropping Beau off at Fort Bragg, NC for his AIT Training. He and Elliot graduated from Basic Training at Fort Jackson this past Friday. We are very happy he's done with this firt part and looking forward to a little more freedom to communicate (although that may have to wait for a week or two while he's gettting started at Bragg). I have lots of pictures from our short weekend, so I will post them soon. Gwen's ear tube surgery is tomorrow morning early, so I'll let you know how everything goes.

Gwen's ears

2008-03-04T11:55:00.002-05:00

Well, we went to a doctor at the Family Clinic on base today to have Gwen's ears checked again. The infection is once again coming back, and after hearing about her history, the doctor went ahead and referred her to an ENT. Of course, I can't get an appointment with the ENT for about a month. So now we wait again. This time Gwen's on amoxicillin so we have more fun diapers to look forward to (and her system hasn't even had time to adjust since the last round of antibiotics). So, we'll be having lots of yogurt, and I'm going to try to find some acidophilus supplements to try to help her out. So, that's all for now. I'll keep you posted.

Pavement Picasso

2008-03-03T20:39:00.001-05:00

Very cool artist-sorry about the random music with it. :)

Cutie pie

2008-02-29T22:09:00.009-05:00

Here are some fun pics of Gwen from the past month or so- Enjoy!

Watching "Baby Signing Times" in her chair.

She loves her musical carousel.

I'm one cool chick...

There's no place like home...

Kisses...

Worn out from running through the halls at church...

Counting down

2008-02-29T20:24:00.005-05:00

We're counting down until March 21st... Beau wrote to tell me that his platoon was fitted for their class A uniforms this past week. That's what they'll wear to graduation, so everyone's getting pretty excited. He's doing well and of course staying busy.

Gwen just finished up yet another round of antibiotics- this time in the form of shots. Her ear infection from last week never cleared up, so we ended up back in the doctor's office. After the third shot the doctor checked her ears and said that they were still full of fluid. She sent us to an ENT who of course took one look and recommended tubes. The problem is that our Tricare coverage starts tomorrow, so all of our visits will now need to be through Eisenhower. Gwen has an appt at the Family Clinic on Tuesday so we'll see if they can just refer us back to the ENT we already visited. If not, we may have to go through MCG. It doesn't matter to me- I just want her feeling better as soon as possible.

Madison turned 4 yesteray- how time flies! Here she is in her birthday tiara. She got her very own big girl room as a birthday gift and she was very excited. Happy birthday, Madison!

"Fussy" and "Sore"

2008-02-04T19:57:00.000-05:00

On Saturday while I was home with Gwen- which is a treat now that I'm working- I noticed that she was unusually fussy. I felt bad because I was afraid she was bored now that she's used to being around other kids during the day. Tonight I realized that the reason she was fussy is that she just cut four teeth all at the same time! The poor thing cut one more bottom tooth (in the front) and three 1st year molars! She let me rub my finger in her mouth while I was brushing her teeth so I could see all of her hard work. I'm lucky that she has such an easygoing personality. And now I also know why she hasn't been eating anything lately! I finally got her to eat cold pasta and frozen peas with her glass of milk tonight. I'll have to try more cold foods for awhile until the swelling has calmed down a little.

Beau sent a letter to tell me about his tough week. He's had a lot going on, so he basically sent 4 letters all together and finally mailed them on Friday. This week they had to do the stereotypical timed obstacle course and the infamous "gas chamber, " called the Nuclear/Biological/Chemical Training center. They crammed 40 soldiers in a 20' x20' room full of very concentrated pepper spray. First they make them just break the seal of their masks so that they're breathing in some of the gas while they have to yell out their names, rank and social security numbers. Then they are marched around a corner where they have to pull off their masks and respond to screaming drill instructors. They have to recite the "Soldier's Creed" and then their rank. They also have to open their eyes and tell the drill sergeants how many fingers they're holding up. Beau said that several soldiers got sick, but that thankfully, he wasn't one of them and that the burning subsided a few minutes after they were out of the room. He said what helped him most was that he was trying to keep one of the guys in his group calm during the whole ordeal. And Beau's been promoted to Team Leader, which will give him more responsibility within his platoon.

On another note, Beau was asked to give a talk last Sunday about "who he is at his core." Elliot, his brother, was able to attend and pass the sacrament, so he was glad to see him. Beau said that he has had the opportunity to bring an investigator from his platoon almost every week to church. And He and Elliot were able to give one of the older female soldiers a blessing this past Sunday. I'm so glad to hear him talk about the church and his ablility to excercise his Priesthood authority while he's in Basic. It keeps him centered and focused with all of the craziness around him.

Beau wanted me to tell everyone hello for him and to let everyone know that he's sore- "which means I'm working hard. "

Free Rice

2008-01-30T22:01:00.000-05:00

It's a fun vocabulary game- and it helps end hunger. What's not to like? Thanks for the recommendation, Jenny! Take a look!

http://www.freerice.com/

"Stand a little taller..."

2008-01-29T21:10:00.000-05:00

"I want to urge you to stand a little taller, to rise a little higher, to be a little better."

(The Quest for Excellence," BYU Nov. 1998)

What an amazing prophet. He will be greatly missed. I am so grateful for his leadership and direction for us during such a time of change and growth for the church (Mar 1995-Jan 2008). I receieved the call Sunday night from my sister-in-law, Andrea, who lives in Salt Lake. She told me that Pres. Hinckley had died peacefully at home due to age related causes. I can only hope that I'll be as mobile, quick-witted and optimistic as he was when I'm 97. I know that he is finally able to be with his wife again,whom he spoke of often.

Back at Southern Virginia College, I was able to sing for President Hinckley with our choir during a Regional Conference. It was incredible. When he walked into the room, the Spirit was overwhelmingly strong and everyone became quiet. I knew instantly that he was a prophet of God. I had known before, through prayer, but it was amazing to feel it so tangibly. It was hard to keep a dry eye. And then when the Columbia Temple was dedicated, we were lucky enough to be in the same room when he spoke. To hear him bear his testimony of the Savior was amazing. And the love he had for his wife was evident while she sat and listened to him. I'm so grateful for his leadership and example during the last 12 years- a very formative group of years for me. I will miss him greatly, but I know that the Priesthood keys are still active and I am grateful for the organization of the church.

“This is my prayer for all of us—'Lord, increase our faith.' Increase our faith to bridge the chasms of uncertainty and doubt. . . . Grant us faith to look beyond the problems of the moment to the miracles of the future. . . . Give us faith to do what is right and let the consequence follow.” ( “Lord, Increase Our Faith,” Ensign, Nov. 1987, 52–53.)

Graduation info for Beau

2008-01-29T17:10:00.001-05:00

I just received a letter about Beau's graduation from Basic Training. Here are the dates:

Thursday, March 20th - Family Day 10am-8:30pm
Friday, March 21st - Graduation 10am
Saturday, March 22nd - Reports to Fort Bragg by 5pm

Thursday, we're allowed to visit him on post at Fort Jackson, SC. The next day is graduation and then he has to be at Fort Bragg by Saturday. If you want to go to graduation, let me know so I can give get you a copy of the gate pass that you'll need to get in. I also have a map and directions, or you can just click on this site for the info: http://www.jackson.army.mil/161/graduation.htm.

Beau's letters are upbeat. He said that they had to do the ropes course the other day and the Drill Sergeant told him that he would probably freak out. "Maybe it was the huge glasses that made me look like a nerd, but I looked at him and said, 'Please, I used to do this for a living, Drill Sergeant' (between firefighting and being a repelling instructor); and he shut up and let me go."

They also started their Combat Lifesaver class. The first class was about airway management and the the Drill Sergeant asked for a volunteer to insert a nasal trumpet into a dummy. "I was happy to oblige since the practice dummy kept challenging everyone to fight him. I was nice as I rammed that tube without hesitation and then the teacher told me that I couldn't answer anymore questions. For the rest of the class she would start a question with, 'Except Person...' ." So I hope that Beau realizes that what he may lack in youth, he makes up for in experience. :)

Gwen and I are doing well. We're getting into a sort of routine, which is a good thing. She seems to be handling everything well, and for that I'm grateful. I'm also grateful for all those who have been willing to help out and those who have called to check on us. I hope you're all doing well. :)

Update for Beau

2008-01-22T21:15:00.000-05:00

Beau's doing well- or as well as can be expected for being at Basic Training. :) He's sore from running and doing push-ups all the time, but other than that he seems to be doing great. He can receive letters, pictures, and cards and I know he'd love to hear from anyone who would like to write. Here's his address:
PFC Beau Person
B Co 1/61 Infantry Regiment
3rd Platoon- Vipers
Fort Jackson, SC 29207

Giving Daddy a kiss.

So far he's been able to call every Sunday, so I'm grateful for that, even if he only gets to talk for 8 minutes. This is the schedule he listed in one of his letters (which would explain why he's sore):
05:00am Wake up
05:30 Assemble
05:45 PT
06:30 Shower, shave, change
07:00 Breakfast
08:00 March/classroom
09:00 Push-ups
09:15 March/classroom
10:00 "Clean barracks after the drill cadre flips bunks that sucked (mine hasn't been flipped at all)"
11:00 Lunch
12:00pm March/classroom
1400 PT
1500 March/classroom
1600 Push-ups/classrooom
1700 Dinner
1800 March
1900 Classroom
2100 Sleep

"Helping out Mama"

Gwen and I are doing well. I'm getting used to my temp. position and the other employees are very nice to work with. Gwen is handling her new schedule well, other than catching a cold pretty much every week. I think she gets bored with our house, so it's fun for her to explore new places. Well... I've got to get up early and start all over again tomorrow, so I guess that's it for now. I'll keep you updated when I hear news from Beau.

She loves her teddy bear.

When it rains, it pours...

2008-01-15T22:36:00.001-05:00

So, let me tell you a little story that might make you feel better about your day. It's about a week and a half ago on a Friday and I'm finishing an interview for a temporay job. Although I really like the office, I don't expect to hear from them because the hours they want and the hours I want are not a match.

Saturday I receive an urgent call from Beau, who is still in processing for Basic Training. Apparently, we somehow managed to be married for almost 8 years without having an official copy of our state marriage license. And of course, without it, I can't receive my military I.D., which means I also can't receive any insurance benefits. This means that I have to make an emergency call to Beau's mom in Maryland to see if she can pick up a copy of our license for us from Baltimore (which is an hour away from Hagerstown where she lives) and fax it to Fort Jackson, SC first thing Monday morning. Thankfully, she is willing and able to go to Baltimore- but I had a feeling that she wouldn't just be able to pick up our license without some sort of ID from me or Beau. But, until Monday, everything's closed, so I have to wait and see.

Sunday night, Gwen doesn't sleep at all- which is highly unusual for her. She doesn't have a temperature until the third time she wakes up. I give her Tylenol and end up sleeping on the floor with her because she won't fall asleep any other way. I decide that I'll see how she's doing in the morning and then decide about a doctor's appt. for her.

So, Monday comes along and sure enough, the office I interviewed with is willing to give me the hours I want to work. And they want me to start the next day. Wow. I just have to run down to Spherion and fill out a bunch of paper work... Gwen seems like she's doing better and even goes down for her usual morning nap without a problem. Her fever is controlled with the Tylenol, so I'm still waiting and watching... About 30 minutes later, I get a phone call from Beau's dad. Beau's mom is in Baltimore, her cell phone has died (otherwise she would have called me directly) and she can't pick up the license without a signed consent from me with a notary's signature. And she's waiting for me to fax it to her ASAP. Great!

I drop Gwen off with a friend, after typing up my letter of consent, and run down to the closest UPS store. (I discovered that the UPS store had a notary only after a panicked phone call to my mom at work- thanks, Mom. ) Now, I have to be at Spherion in an hour. At the UPS store, I am of course waiting behind an elderly couple asking very specific questions with several packages, and a man with about 20 small boxes that he wants mailed separately. I'm looking at my watch and just hoping that the notary working there hasn't already gone to lunch. I finally get to the counter and am in luck. The woman helping me is the notary. She signs the consent and faxes it right away. I stand there while she helps several people after me to wait on the confirmation sheet from the fax. Finally, I'm done. I call Beau's dad on the way to Spherion.

After all the paperwork is filled out at the temp agency, I call the friend who's watching Gwen to make sure she's doing all right. Gwen's asleep, so I ask if she minds if I run to Walmart since we're out of groceries. No problelm. I get to Walmart and get a phone call from Beau. (Yes, my cell phone somehow gets reception in Walmart, but will cut off when I'm driving down Washington Rd.) He's worried because it is now 3pm and they still haven't receieved the fax. I tell him the story and he says he's not worried because he know's his mom will take care of it. About 30 minutes later, I get another phone call. Gwen is very fussy and my friend wants to know if she can give her some medicine. I attempt to hurry through the aisles, trying to avoid crashing into any other shoppers. By the time I get to the register, I am just a little frazzled.

In the car, I call Gwen's pediatrician, who obviously doesn't have any more appointments available today because it's almost 5pm. And the next day is my first day of work- not exactly a good day to call in... The doctor does, however, have an after-hours clinic downtown that will start at 5:30pm. Okay.

I pick Gwen up, come home just long enough to put the perishable groceries away and grab a lovely and nutritious Lunchables dinner for my pitiful, sweet daughter. Her little tummy will not allow her to wait to eat until we get to the clinic, so I am deftly manuevering crackers and cheese to the backseat while carefully driving down Riverwatch Parkway. Thankfully, my mom met me at the clinic- it was nice to have some mental, er, moral support at that point.

Dr. Harris is there- yay. She's Gwen's regular pediatrician, and we love her. And she quickly surmizes that Gwen has a double ear infection and is teething because her one-year molars will be coming in soon. I feel awful that Gwen has a double ear infection, but am hopeful that the antibiotics will help her feel better in time to allow me to go to work the next day. Now, we're off to the drugstore. Just a simple prescription to fill and we can go home.

At the drugstore, I see a huddle of people all standing around the Pharmacy area. When I go to the drop off window, I am informed that the computers have been down for the past 2 hours and that they are no longer taking any drop off prescriptions for the night. That's okay (deep breath...) I only have a one-year-old with a double ear infection who's sitting in this cart in front of you and I have to go to work the next day and I only need this antibiotic and I will go to another pharmacy if you don't fill this right now while I stand here and wait for it because if anything else goes wrong today you just might have to peel me off of your countertop while you hide behind your plexiglass wall of safety.... "Well, it's going to be awhile, we're really backed up." That's okay, I'll wait. Mom comes to the rescue again after I've waited an hour with Gwen who is absolutely miserable and tired because it is now past her bedtime. Mom decides to wait for the prescription for me and I "race" home to get Gwen ready for bed. I am just about to lay her down to sleep when Mom knocks on my door with the antibiotic. I finally give the medicine to her and put her to bed. And she actually sleeps through the night! It's a miracle.

Work started the next day, and things have slowly calmed down. After working out child care and trying to get used to a completely different job environment than I'm used to (I'm sterilizing oral surgery trays), I am almost able to take a deep breath. And I'm almost able to laugh about my "Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day." http://www.amazon.com/Alexander-Terrible-Horrible-Good-Very/dp/0689711735

P.S. Gwen and I are doing much better now and are very thankful for all of our friends and family who were, and are, able to help out. Thank you! Oh- and I recieved the insurance packet from the Army and the form for our military I.D., so apparently, they did recieve the faxed copy of our license. Whew!

Beau's Information

2008-01-05T15:03:00.000-05:00

Here are some important dates for Beau for those of you who are interested:

March 20 Graduates from Basic at Fort Jackson, SC
March 24 Starts AIT at Fort Bragg, NC
June 19 Graduates from AIT

He'll be "stationed"at the Recruiter's office working in Martinez,GA until Jump School starts...

July 14 Starts Jump School at Fort Benning, GA
Aug 1 Graduates from Jump School

I spoke with Beau for a brief moment this morning because he needed me to send some paperwork to him. He's in good spirits and will send a letter soon. He doesn't have a set address yet, but I'll let you know when he does.

P.S. Update: I spoke with Beau tonight for a few minutes. He saw Elliot today and said that Elliot's group (the recruits from Salt Lake City) just arrived in Columbia today because they were stranded at the Atlanta airport. They were supposed to have flown to Columbia, so the bus wasn't there to pick them up in Atlanta. Everyone's there now, and Beau and Elliot will at least be able see one another at church. The real training starts Tuesday and that's when Beau will be able to finally mail his letter. That's it for now... :)

Mr. Clean

2008-01-02T22:19:00.000-05:00

So, on New Year's Eve we had a get-together with a few friends to send Beau off to Basic Training. He wanted to get a head start on his new haircut and our friend Chase was only too happy to help. :) Chase even got creative before shaving it all off.

As you can tell by the last photo, Beau was happy with the results. He would keep this look from now on if I'd let him (which I won't). :) Beau left today for Fort Jackson, SC and will be reporting tomorrow morning for Basic. He'll finish in March and then report directly to Fort Bragg, NC for his AIT training. He'll be able to write and call occasionaly, so I'll keep you updated.

Aunt Jessica and Uncle Craig

2008-01-02T21:58:00.001-05:00

On Christmas Eve we drove to Madison, GA to meet up with Aunt Jessica and Uncle Craig who were spending Christmas in Atlanta. It was great to see them- we only wish we'd had more time to spend with them! And we wish Gwen had been more smiley in this picture! It was great to see you guys!

Christmas

2008-01-02T21:06:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! It's hard to explain to a one-year old what the real meaning of Christmas is. I hope that next year we'll be able to add a more spiritual aspect to our celebration since Gwen will be a little older. I was talking to Beau and thinking about the word Christmas. Even though I know that we don't all speak Spanish, I thought it was very interesting that if you break up the word into "Christ and mas," "mas" means "more" in Spanish. So, in my Spanglish translation, that means "more Christ." How appropriate. That's what we all really need. I'm grateful for so many things, including my family and friends and of course, the Savior. How lucky we are to live in a land where the Gospel was restored and where we are able to worship as we please. I also have a new appreciation for the military (not that I didn't appreciate them before). It's just more personal, now. May we all remember the truly important gifts that we enjoy.

As far as Christmas morning goes, at first Gwen just wanted to chew on the bows of the boxes under the tree. Then she realized that there were gifts inside those boxes. She was excited about her baby doll and gave it a kiss before we even opened the box. :)

Here she's opening up her stocking and sitting on her "Bounce and Spin Zebra."

In the afternoon, we went to Nana and Papa's new house to celebrate Christmas with the rest of the family. Here, Gwen discovers the room under the stairs that's the perfect size for little ones...

Gwen loves her quacking duck and her purple winter coat from Nana and Papa! She also loves her musical table (I just forgot to take a picture).

Here's the cute kiddos!

'Twas the night before Christmas...

2007-12-24T22:16:00.000-05:00

Here's Gwen in her new pajamas from Nana and Papa- thank you! In these pictures, she's picking the "apple" (or as she says "a-dool") from the Christmas tree. :)

Success- Gwen sits down to hug her prize.

Cindy Lou Who

2007-12-23T21:29:00.000-05:00

Here are some early pictures of our Cindy Lou, er, Gwendolyn. :)

Playtime with Reagan

2007-12-23T21:22:00.001-05:00

Here are Gwen and Reagan chatting about their busy day...

Okay, they must have been reading the wrong blog...

2007-12-22T23:44:00.001-05:00

Cash Advance Loans

Gwen turns one!

2007-12-15T11:38:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it's been a year since our sweet Gwendolyn was born. She has changed so much! On Thursday we had a little family birthday party for her. We didn't think she'd have any problem getting into her cake, and we were not disappointed! Here are some cute pictures from her birthday...

Here comes the cake...

Family pic with Papa, Nana, Aunt Kim and cousins Madison, Conlan and Talmage.

Now it's time for presents...

Happy Birthday, Gwen!