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Going Private

Okay... We are following the trend of basically everyone else and privatizing our blog. Please send me your e-mail address (you can e-mail me at keralea@hotmail.com if you want) so I can put it on the list.

What I will do is create a different blog name, so whenever I update that one, I will post on THIS blog so it comes up on your feed. Happy blogging everyone!

Nienie - A Must Read

Does anyone ever struggle to find a blog to read when you're bored? Well, that's the predicament I found myself in tonight. (I know, you are so sad for me) I have been recommended this blog for quite some time, so I finally decided to check it out:

Her name is Stephanie Nielson. She's a Utah native who was in a plane crash with her husband 2 years ago. While rebuilding her life with her four kids and husband from scratch, she has chronicled her ups and downs and it is SO uplifting! So much better than online shopping or reading about celebrity gossip. If you'd like to check her out, click here. She really is amazing, and I assure you you won't regret spending time reading her blog. It makes you appreciate life so much more, appreciate the simple things in life you normally take for granted.

If you like her blog, you will probably like Mindy Gledhill's song dedicated to Stephanie. Click here to listen to it. My favorite line: "It's not about your scars. It's all about your heart."

Tonight I am thankful for each day I have with my husband and baby boy. Life is so fragile. Grateful for each hug, each kiss, every minute with my loved ones. What are YOU grateful for?

Ethan Falling Asleep

This was a big hit on Facebook, so I figured I'd share it with the Blogging world..

By the way ...NO I don't feed my child soda - I was just trying to get him to stay awake while driving home. As you can see.. that didn't work!

Pumpkin Patch

Going to the pumpkin patch is something Billy and I just started doing last year, but I really like that we're making it a tradition! I was really excited to go again.

... Ethan wasn't..

Since he didn't enjoy the red wagon, I thought he'd like the pumpkins. That's a negative.

DON'T MAKE ME BE DORA!

Although Brit enjoyed being The Hulk - for obviously reasons.

Our Night Away

This weekend was so wonderful! My mom in Medford came up to visit with her kids, and treated Billy and me to a hotel night's stay in Newport. It was our first night away from our little man - and it really was much-needed! At first it was really hard to be away from Ethan, but then it was like before we were married. We had a wonderful, care-free night. We were rested and ready to handle parenthood by the time we drove back to Salem. So thankful to my mom for making this possible!

First, we went to The Social Network! One of the best movies I've ever seen. Can't wait to see it again!

How amazing is this lighthouse? It's in Newport, where we stayed. I really can't wait to come back to Newport to explore what it has to offer.

Billy and me before we left our hotel room. There aren't many pictures of our date because we were just having to much fun! Having no dark circles under my eyes has been nice for once!

Gail's B-Day

This last week, Gail (Billy's mom) celebrated her birthday, and her wish was to have dinner at Moe's in Lincoln City. Of course we were more than happy to take her! Who would pass up a trip to the coast?? Not this girl.

Our view from where we ate. It was truly an amazing day out!

Grandma feeding Ethan. He was in love with the clam chowder! I can't blame him though - it's amazing.

Ethan got antsy in the restaurant after just a few minutes (as always), so I took him for a stroll around the restaurant to the dock/beach. Here he is reaching for the ocean. I think he MAY just be related to me!

This sunset was one of the most gorgeous I've seen - mostly because of the reflection off the ocean.

Icing Gail's cake.

Gail blew them all out! So no boyfriends....right? :)

Music

I have seen this a bit on Facebook, and thought it would be fun to blog about music that had an impact on me throughout the years! Now, don't make fun. This isn't necessarily a compilation of my all-time favorite music, but more of an example of how music has impacted me in chronological order. The journey starts with:

Jewel: Pieces of Me album. I was 13 when I purchased this at the mall - my VERY first CD purchase. I came home and listened to it over and over and over again. I loved every song on it, and would listen to each repeatedly while typing the lyrics to send to my "boyfriend" from camp. I'm sure he was just as moved by it as I was :) This really was my introduction to how much I loved music, and I started listening to the radio once I bought this CD, which opened up a WORLD of musical possibilities!

Britney Spears: Baby One More Time hit me in 8th grade. How could I not include this in my selection? I loved everything Britney - I wanted to BE Britney! Her "Sometimes" video totally spoke to me! I even watched the video enough to memorize all the dance moves - and then yes, I performed them at church dances. I'm so embarrassed for myself!

I'm sure this might be confusing, as this follows Jewel and Britney Spears, but Dave Matthews' album made me realize there was more to music than pop. Dave has a questionable voice, but his lyrics and use of instruments is moving. My friends and I were obsessed with this album, and it seemed we always had this in the background while hanging out.

This album came out when I was 20, and I was at such a difficult point in my life. This album was all about learning how to stand up for yourself and, more importantly, about hating on men - which I fully supported at the time! It was therapeutic to listen to. Plus, she has a flawless voice. So much fun to sing a long with!

Unlike Kelly's album, I started listen to Fray's How to save a life just as life was looking up for me. I had just started dating Billy again, and I had started to go back to college in Provo. It wasn't so much the lyrics or anything that moved me, but the feel of the music. To this day, I can't listen to it without getting that warm feeling of how every thing's going to be alright!

Billy introduced me to Dave Barnes, and we even had one of his songs as our wedding song. I included him because this is when I learned to love again. Like The Fray, I included Dave because his album brings me back to a pivotal point in my life.

A little out of place maybe? Lady Gaga is an artist that has helped me branch out in my music selection. She's completely weird and out there, not afraid to take risks, which I feel is so important in life. Plus, how can you listen to her and not want to "Just dance?"

I'd love for anyone else to join in on this Music Experiment!

Girls' Night!

I absolutely love my "sisters" in Salem. Life is so much better with great friends!

We started the night by getting ready together, listening to tunes.

Okay, so going to a club on the East side of town was kind of scary, but soooo worth it!

This pretty much sums up the people who frequent this place of business! Can't believe I didn't find Billy here..

So, Sarah nor I had ever experienced a mechanical bull, so we talked the owner into letting us pay half to ride Black Thunder! It was so worth it. And also, Sarah was amazing.

This was way harder than I thought, but I also think it's probably a lot harder if you're wasted. Mostly, it just really hurt! Glad I did it, but I probably won't be doing it again.

Classy. Christmas lights in September, in the shape of a heart, with a dead animal in the background.

Getting our groove on. Billy asked me if anyone hit on me at the club. I should have shown him this picture as his answer! That's a huge NO.

E's "Gift"

The other night, we were rushing to get our babysitter (thanks, Gail!) and get ready in time to meet friends for dinner. E had taken a bath, we drained the water, and he still seemed content to play with his toys. I figured that's awesome! Now I can put some makeup on!

What I saw staring at me from the tub. I knew he was being quiet, but he just seemed SO content! Then I looked at his hands...

So. Disgusting. Seriously, I had to keep telling myself over and over again, "This isn't poop. This isn't poop."

I am reminded daily that if a child E's age is quiet. something BAD is going down!

Triathlon

Our church organized a sprint triathlon for all the women a few months ago, which I was so stoked about! However, we had a wedding to go to in Arizona, so I never signed up. Long story short, we ended up NOT going to the wedding. It was too late for me to sign up for the triathlon, so my friend Ashley and I decided we'd complete one on our own. It really was an amazing experience to set a goal like that and ACTUALLY accomplish it!

Before the race..

AFTER!

This is really something I never thought I'd be able to do. I came to the realization last year that for years I've sold myself short with my health. I decided that since I COULD attain physical goals, that I should. I'm not sure how many more years of good health I have left in me, but living for the moment like this is serving me really well. So so glad for my good fortune, my family, friends, and church for helping me attain my goals!

Portland Zoo

If you know me well, you know I LOVE the zoo! Oddly enough, I've lived here for 2 years and haven't visited the one in Portland yet. When Mema was in town for Labor Day, we decided it was time.

Us trying to entertain E.. but he was SO BORED!

Group pic with the kids.

Billy trying to entertain E by putting him on his shoulders. Billy in pain from all the pulling and tugging on his hair!

If you read this, you'll learn why I don't go camping.

My absolute favorite part of the zoo! I could've stayed there for hours.

Precious pic of Mema and babes. Mema's smart and always wears necklaces so she can get up close and personal with the E-dawg.

Brookings Beach

Brookings beach is one of my favorite beaches in Oregon. It brings back so many warm memories, since we visited Brookings every summer since I was 12. I can only hope E grows up to feel the same way I do about the ocean. Now, this trip was a while ago, but I figure better late than never!

Taya is one of E's favorites! She's so good with him, and it's always nice for me to have a break when she's around.

Mema trying to keep E from diving into the ocean. Doesn't matter how cold it is. He doesn't care!

This mom was kind enough to lend me a swim diaper. She also provided us our quote of the day! When her older son hounded her to come help him with something she yelled, "I'm busy burying your brother!"

What E does when we say "Cover yourself!"

Cute sequence of E. He couldn't keep still if you paid him in candy:

And the sand beard. Seems we can't leave the beach without one.

Letter to E

Dearest E,

You may try my patience at times. Like the one time in Nordstrom when you wouldn't go in your stroller, and you screamed and did that thing where your body bent backwards, and then you bit me, subsequently making me yell, making others stare at me like a crazy person?

Or those times when you act like you want me to hold you and you're all cute, but really you just want candy or something else you can't have that's on my level?

Or when you scream and yank your body back and forth when I hold you, but when Daddy holds you, you calm right down and fall asleep?

How about how you have ESP about when I'm going to change your diaper, and you wait until 30 seconds after I change it to take the biggest dump of your life?

Or when you wait to take that dump while napping, and then it blows out of your pants and gets all over the crib bedding? And it's so bad that I just have to stand back, take a second, and figure out where in the world I start cleaning up that amount of poop?

And how in the world can you take apart your sippy cups full of milk and dump them all over your pillow, bedding, and carpet? I can hardly even figure out how to take those apart to put them in the dishwasher!

Also, why is toilet paper so appealing?

And when I give you a container with goldfish or fruit, is it really necessary to chuck it at me (half full) when you're done?

Yes, you may try my patience, but you are my little boy, and you are so many other things to me! Sweet, compassionate, loving, and there is so much potential I see in you! You may be stubborn, but show me a successful person who doesn't have that trait! You are my most prized possession, I love you Burrito.

Adventures With My Sewing Machine

I MUST have this apron:

How amazing is this apron? So since I can't afford it, then I must make it! ...even though I don't know how to sew. Some friends and I pulled out our rusty sewing machines tonight and got to work. I might just pull my hair out after my little brush with thread and material. Has anyone else encountered this when trying to learn to sew?? Wow, it's so frustrating! I had to take a break tonight, but I will keep everyone updated as soon as the apron is finished.

In the meantime, click here to check out this girl's website, Jillie Willie. She's a genius with the stuff she's come up with!

Ikea Photo

I have been eyeing this photo at Ikea for weeks. It's pretty big.. and I'm thinking I will put it in our entryway. I can't get this photo out of my head, which means I need it, right?