First Lost Tooth

I can't believe it. Tyler just lost his first tooth last night. I was so excited for him especially since he was so brave and so proud when it came out. He couldn't stop grinning and then running to the bathroom to look. But to me, I'll admit, it was a bit sad too. Every milestone Tyler goes through makes me feel like time is passing by way too fast and that I'm just not ready. I can still envision him as my little two year old, my little boy. And Makenzie as my baby. It's hard to admit that he's not a little boy anymore and we all know that Makenzie isn't anything close to a baby. But it's hard to let go of that. And while I'm so proud of him and of all the progress he makes and all the stages he goes through, a part of me just thinks, "Please don't grow up. Just stay my little boy forever". But time goes on and there isn't anything we can do about it except treasure the little moments.

Here's a quote I found that helped cheer me up a little:

"One day at a time--this is enough. Do not look back and grieve over the past for it is gone; and do not be troubled about the future, for it has not yet come. Live in the present, and make it so beautiful it will be worth remembering".

I love you Tyler, you silly boy!

Mike's First Entry

Finally the moment you have all been waiting for, Mike publishing on Mel's blog. This is likely both the first and last time I do this since I start work with Cisco in about a week and a half. I've been in contact with a few of my future colleagues via email during the past couple of weeks and I'm both excited and scared stiff to get going. I'm sure it will work out great and hopefully our brood learns to love the Bay area as much as we do Utah.

While we have found a place to live in Fremont, our contract will not be in force until June so we are still here in Bakersfield with Mel's parents for another few days. They have been very generous and we were lucky that they could put us up for a few weeks. Despite their hospitality, however, we have had some trouble filling the time over the past couple of weeks. In an effort to get out of the house and get Ty and Kenny some fresh air, we decided to drive to Sequoia National Park a couple of days ago....Hence all of the nature photos.

The drive to the park entrance was only about an hour and a half to cover the 120+ miles from Bakersfield, but the 12 or 15 miles from the gate to where the big trees are took about an hour. The gate sits at about 2000 feet above sea level and after what seems like a million switchbacks you find yourself at just over 7000 feet in the Giant Forest. I'll admit I'm a bit of a geek about this stuff so sorry about any nature lessons.

The first shot is of me standing in front of an average Sequoia by the roadside.

Just after entering the park is Tunnel Rock--The park road used to run underneath it. Maybe they moved the road because the left side looks a little sketchy. Kind of reminds me of a Wiley Coyote trap for the roadrunner.

The kids are sitting in front of the biggest tree (and the biggest organism for that matter) in the world---"The General Sherman" As you can tell, T-Bone had seen quite a few big trees by this point---he's not that impressed anymore. Kenny is just happy holding her sticks....simple pleasures. It is tough to really show how big the tree is....if you could put the tree I'm standing in front of in the first picture next to this one, Sherman would probably be about three times as wide. It is around 275 feet tall, but the really impressive thing is the girth. At ground level it is 40 feet wide while at the top the trunk is still nearly 18 feet wide. It is between 2200 and 2500 years old and they say the amount of new wood it grows each year would be roughly the same found in an average sized 60 foot tree. Like I said, I'm a bit of a geek.

General Sherman in the foreground right, a taller, skinnier Sequoia in the background.

When we first arrived in the Giant Forest it was about 2:00 in the afternoon. We hiked around a bit and quickly realized that we hadn't packed enough warm clothes. It was about 30 degrees colder than down in the valley and we were in the clouds for the first couple of hours. Mel kept on saying that it reminded her of Endor in Return of the Jedi. All I know is that I had a stick in hand ready to beat down anything humanoid and furry that moved.Anyway--It was good to get away for a few hours and breathe some cold fresh air. Hope you are all doing well----more from Mel soon.

The Definition of "Bored"

Tyler: Mom, ya wanna know what "bored" means?
Me: Sure Ty, what does it mean?
Tyler: It's like when you sit as still as a statue and look all around confused.
Me: Yup, sounds about right to me.

Withdrawal

It's only been about 3.5 weeks since we left Utah and it's already hit me. The fact that Cafe Rio shredded chicken salads are no longer available. My favorite. I loved these salads. I loved the creamy drssing. I actually got so desperate that this past week I actually attempted to make a copycat version. It turned out pretty good- it had the pork, the dressing, the rice and I made my own pico de gallo. I was actually pretty proud of myself, it took a good many hours of hard work to make it but... as good as it was, it just wasn't the same. I know, for sure, that will be the first place I go to eat when I come back and visit.

Best of friends

It was really hard at first to have two young children so close together in age, especially when they were both in diapers. But it has really turned out to be a blessing because Tyler and Makenzie are the bestest of friends. They really play well together...... most of the time. Out here they have really enjoyed spending time with Grandpa, swimming in the pool, jumping on the trampoline and playing outside together. I just hope they stay as good as friends as they grow up.

It really helps with the trampoline that both Makenzie and Tyler weigh about the same and are almost the same height. Isn't that crazy??

Tyler wanted me to put this picture on so that all of his friends and cousins could see how high he can jump and "cannon-ball" on the trampoline.

Mike and I went on our first date in a while- we saw the new Indiana Jones movie which was pretty good I thought. You can start to see I'm getting a bit bigger in the tummy (and all other areas unfortunately). It's almost "elastic-band" time for the pants. yikes!!

I'm pregnant.... again!

Hooray. Well, I've decided it's time to spread the news so for those of you who haven't heard yet- I'm pregnant again. We are so excited to add to our family and get another brother or sister for Tyler and Makenzie. My due date is December 8th so unfortunately I still have a long way to go. But I only have a couple more weeks in my first trimester and then hopefully I won't be as sick. I HATE the first 13 weeks- you feel so yucky, tired, queasy, blah... do I need to go on? but that part hopefully is soon over and then I love second trimester. I'm hoping for a little girl so her and Makenzie can play together. Of course, Tyler wants a baby brother. I'm going through withdrawal right now because if I was still in Utah and working I could look on the ultrasound at work and find out the gender earlier. Now I'm just like everyone else and have to wait and be patient. oh well.

Return to NYC

Sorry it's been so long since I blogged last. We have been visiting my brother and sister-in-law, Alan and Maline, in New York City for the last week. We brought the kids and it has been so much fun to revisit our favorite New York city spots and let the kids play with their cousins. So far we've gone to Liberty and Ellis Island, played in Central Park, rode to the top of the Rockefeller center, ate at Grimaldi's (best pizza in the world), saw "Mary Poppins" on broadway, walked across the Brooklyn Bridge, ate at the famous Shake Shack in Union Square, attended a Yankee's game, and revisited the "whale room" at American Museum of Natural History. Tomorrow we are probably going to go to China Town and maybe out for dessert. I will post pictures as soon as we get back to California where our laptop is. Hope you are all doing well and we miss you!

A week's worth of pictures

Well, we made it here to California. And now that I have access to my computer again, I've decided to put on the "last week in Utah" pictures. It was quite the eventful week. First I had my last shifts at work. Thanks Jessica for the cake and to Mindy, Jodi, and Melissa for making me waffles at 300 in the morning. They were so yummy!

A whole bunch of girls from work took me out to lunch before I left. It was so much fun to see them outside of American Fork Hospital and to see some of their babies. Thanks Sarah for putting this together.

Melissa, Jodi and I (and of course JOdi's cute baby, Landon)

Me, Erika and Teresa

The next day we had Mike's graduation. We watched him walk and then went out to eat with his parents and grandparents.

Congratulations Mike- we are so proud of you!!

Makenzie with Mike's hat on.

The next few days consisted of packing and cleaning. We packed up the moving truck on Tuesday and drove to California on Wednesday. Thankfully everything fit- Hooray!!

Mike's dad drove out to California with Mike in the truck. He flew back to Utah the next day. We are happy to have made it here without any problems and now we have decided to relax for a few days until Tuesday- which is when we leave for our next adventure- a week in New York City.