Welcome Fall Time!

Why do I LOVE fall?
1. We get to say good-bye to the pool and hello to the Park...yeah! I am so glad that entertaining Cade no longer needs to involve a swimming suit and a second shower...Yeah for fall.


2. Not only does the rain finally comes to visit but it is still warm enough to play in it barefoot.

3. I can finally start adding things like squash, zucchini, and spinach to the lasagna because they are "fall foods," ya know.

4. Football is here. I know, it isn't always the most exciting thing to compete with the TV on Saturdays but I realized that I can either fight against it or embrace the inevitable... Welcome football! There is nothing like a brisk night, a good game, a lot of adrenalin, and visions of what the world of sports holds for my future.

5. The weather has cooled down and is beautiful. It is now time to break out the pants but still keep out the flip flops and shades. Oh how I love Las Vegas fall weather!

See ya later summer, its been real! We have had fun splashing, sweating, and soaking up the rays but now we are ready for the real reason why people live in Las Vegas.... the beautiful Weather!

The Sweat Escape

As I sit to write this answer to the pond for the week I can feel my cheeks get a little rosy and a chuckle starting to escape my lips because although it is embarrassing, time has healed the wounds into a moment of laughter. The pondering question this week was "What have you learned from your most embarrassing moment?" I must admit that I posted this question already knowing my answer but it has been fun to relive and relearn my moment.
I don't know if my most embarrassing moment could really be classified as a moment but rather a period of life that all accumulated into a moment in time. When I was in high school I started sweating a lot, now it wasn't from sports, running, or any other physical activity, as would happen to a normal person. No, I could be sitting perfectly still and still have sweaty arm pits (not quite to the extent as the picture above though). Now, I know that is gross, but none the less it is true. Well, I did everything that I could think of change deodorant (many times), walk with my arms down and never raise my hands, wear dark colored shirts, wear jackets over my shirts, etc. Well, I made it through high school without too much attention drawn to my short coming but then came college. I was able to keep up with my same tactics and wardrobe necessities that was until Old Navy entered my life.
I had searched all over Rexburg for a job and finally found one in Idaho Falls working at Old Navy. One might think, "Wow, great discounts and a fun job, what else could a girl ask for!" Wrong, my first thought was, "Oh crap, I have to wear a red shirt!" Now, red is the WORST color for a sweaty girl, white, black, cream, anything but red. Well, I tried to wear a jacket over the top of my shirt, that didn't work because 1. it was too hot and 2. they told me I couldn't. So, I just tired to wear another shirt underneath the red one to soak up whatever might come my way, once again, nope didn't work! So, in all desperation I stooped to low levels and did the ONLY thing I could think of, Panty liners. Yes, you read it right, panty liners. I would stick the sticky side on a shirt, have the absorbent side next to my skin and then put the dreaded red shirt over the top. I was stoked!! It totally worked, minus the raw, red armpits I would come home with but anything was better than armpit stains. Well, it was smooth sailing from then on out, or so I thought. Unfortunately I did not have a shirt that fit the right way and that the panty liners fit on so I had to borrow one from a roommate and rig it up every day before work, without her knowing, mind you. One night I got home late from work and just threw my shirt over my desk chair. Well, I got up late the next morning and had to run to class before I "unrigged" the shirt. I didn't think anything of it until I came home that afternoon and found 2 lone pant liners stuck to my desk and the shirt gone. She knew!! I wanted to die!! Later that day she came home wearing the beloved undershirt and just busted up laughing when she saw me. I ended up having to tell her my story and the reason for the madness that I put myself through. In the end we were both laughing at my misfortune and set out to find another solution. In the end I found a better solution and was able to retire my underarm panty liners for good.
So, onto the lesson that I learned from this tragic yet funny time in my life. I have learned that it is okay to laugh at yourself. It is okay to look in the mirror and just laugh. I tend to take myself too seriously at times and feel the need to do and be perfect, which none of us are. But I have seen that the times that I am able to get over my shortcomings, my less than perfectness, my silliness, and just laugh I am so much happier and have much more energy to give to those around me. So, thanks Candra for unknowingly lending me your shirt, for informing me that the backstreet boys sweat too, and for helping me laugh at myself. You're the best!

A Big Thank You!

I just wanted to take a moment and thank Curious George and The Man with the Yellow Hat for entertaining my child this morning while I caught a quick nap, I am eternally indebted to you.
My poor little Cade has been fighting a cold for the past couple of days and therefore spent a restless night last night, as did I, as I was in and out of sleep on his floor until 4 a.m.

When I finally crawled into my nice cozy bed I was praying that for some miracle Cade would sleep in to a ridiculous time so that I could get a little bit of shut eye. However, 7:30 rolled around, about 40 minutes earlier than normal, and I had a 2-year-old in my face trying to whisper, "mooooooommmmmm" tap, tap, tap in the face, "mooooooooommmmmm." So needless to say I was a little on the grumpy side. We ate breakfast and I tried to shake off the sleepies but to no avail. So, we flipped on George and I attempted to rest on the couch as Cade jumped on and off of me for the first 10 minutes and then gave up on me and turned his attention to George and his adventures. So, for the first time in my 2+ years of being a mom I have never been more thankful for the 30 minutes that Curious George filled our home. Thanks PBS kids and thank you George!

It's That Time Again

So... it is "Pondering" time again and so I decided that to jump back into it I would start with an amusing thought. The pond this week is, "what have you learned from your most embarrassing moment?" Go ahead, think about it, laugh about it, blush about it and I think that you will be surprised that you actually have learned a valuable lesson from a moment you wished never happened. Have fun and don't forget to share your insights with us on Friday.

Low and Behold

Can you believe it....my child actually looks like ME!! I totally think he looks like Jared and so does everyone else but according to this fun little program I can claim him as mine! Side note: the pictures are not that great. It is hard to find close ups of myself and Jared, we are always on the other side of the camera but if you want one of the neighbor, relative, or the mailman I am sure that I have one taken and saved on my computer :)

My Feelings Exactly...

This past weekend we drove to Pasadena, California to watch the cougars play UCLA in the Rose Bowl. We had such a great time despite the fact we left the stadium feeling like this picture. They played their guts out but couldn't catch a break from the refs and the game ended in a 27-17 loss. However, we were all proud of our cougars and their hard work and effort.
I must admit that my husband is the BIGGEST BYU fan that you will ever meet, however, this little road trip was MY I idea. I don't know what has gotten into me this season but I am really enjoying college football. I have had fun learning about the players, the strategy, the game and it doesn't hurt that my hubby and my little boy eat, breath, and live BYU cougars.
Lucky for all involved Cade did not make this trip with us. He was able to stay with Uncle Jason and Aunt Melissa and play with the twins in Brian head. He had a great time playing in the dirt, kicking sticks and collecting rocks. He loves his cousins so much and has such a good time with them. Thanks Melis and Jas for taking Cade-o and making it possible for us to live like "careless newlyweds" for a moment. We love you guys!

How we "Rested" on our Day Free of Laboring

What a great weekend we have had! Even though it was Labor Day we definitely did not rest from our labors but made the most of the few days and were on the go every minute that we had. We took off to Utah on Saturday morning and made it there in time to drop off Cade with Nana and run to the BYU game, literally. We had to run from the temple parking lot to the stadium in my flip flops...it was rather entertaining, but we made it! The game was HOT, hot, hot, but it was so much fun. The cougars played well and we all came home with hoarse voices and sore throats from cheering.

Jared went to the cougar shop and bought me my first BYU jersey. I am actually really excited about this season and think that we will have a good time cheering on the cougs.

On Sunday night we had a birthday party for Cade and his cousins Harrison and Benson. We had a great time with the family and what party would be complete without a pinata and water balloons.

We woke up early on Monday morning and drove to Lemmington (about 2 hours south of Provo) for the Lemmington Rodeo. Jared grew up attending this rodeo and so we were both super excited to relive childhood memories. The majority of Jareds extended family, on his dads side, lives in Lemmington and Lyndall so it was fun to meet aunts, uncles, cousins, and other family members that I havent been able to meet before. The day was full of food, candy, snow cones, cookies, and all the other good sticky stuff that kids love.

Cade loved seeing the calves and actually got much closer than I had expected him to. He would talk to them through the fence and loved to climb all the way up to the top so he could see them all.

Everyone had on their best cowboy clothes and I just couldn't get enough of how cute all the kids are. (More pictures of the cowboys on my photojournal). They also had all kinds of activities for our entertainment... races, sheep races, water balloon tosses, calf money runs and also all of the other fun rodeo activities.

Before we left we stopped at Jareds dads grave. We haven't been there since I was pregnant so it was fun to take Cade to see his "papa in heaven."

Cade talked to his papa in heaven, told him how old he is, that he loves him and that we miss him. There is a lion engraved on the headstone and Cade wanted to give the lion kisses and so Jared joined him.

It was a very sentimental moment and very touching for all of us to visit the man that gave me my husband. The cemetery is in a little tiny town and in them middle of a hay field that is trimmed down, not the most beautiful area but the surroundings are breath taking.
We had a wonderful weekend and a great drive home. Cade was a champ and slept the whole way home while Jared taught me about BYU's offense and the defense they run. We had a great time with our family, with each other, and reliving memories. Thanks to everyone for such a great time.