Bravest Boy Ever

He had never been off a diving board (that I know of) before our visit to my parents in August... He watched Majel do it once or twice and he was good to go... It was fun to watch him get so excited about it.

Well Well

Here I am sitting with no toddler to interrupt me and drag me off to another part of the house for some other need so I get to write in peace for a bit. Lets see where to start....

My parents flew me out out to California with Leland so we could have a little vacation... We Love visiting and seeing all the familiar faces and catching up with dear friends. The trip was great and full of laughs...

I got to see Leighann multiple times... and it was SO fun to visit with her and catch up. She is one of those friends that you never really fall out with even if you don't do more than facebook stalk for a year in between hang outs. She makes me laugh so hard, and we had a great time chatting it up and enjoying each others company. She truly is a best friend a girl could have and I am so glad she made the time for me to see her since she was moving that had to be rough!

Speaking of Leighann she told my friend Todd I was in town so he dropped in for a visit one night. That was also fun (a little shocking... but fun) we chatted and caught up on his crazy life as a cop in San Jose... lots of stories! He is looking fantastic and we had lots of laughs about how life was when we were both at BYU-I. I have some pretty fun pictures from then that some day I will post...

I didn't make a whole lot of time for people while I was there because it was mostly a family visit but I did get to reconnect with a dear friend Laura from high school. I ran into her briefly in 09 when I was there at Target with Leighann... it had been 9 years since I had seen her so it was fun to actually get to sit down and chat with her this time around. She is doing fantastic, and looks fantastic! So fun to hear of all her adventures!

Other than that it was really just family. We went to the Zoo which is where most of the pictures are from Quynh brought her kids along since we went on her birthday those lucky little rats got out of school and we couldn't have had a more beautiful day... I adore the zoo and its always so much fun to go with my mom who is the one who taught us to love it as well.

We visited Emily which was just so fun, I adore those kids and I adore Emily. She cracks me up and we always have good talks. We took the kids to a splash park and played a while there. I think Leland loved it more than Em's kiddos but they put up with him. And we had fun celebrating Zack's birthday with them... and lots of yummy food.

My dad also made the effort to take me to the beach where I always feel like I am home no matter the weather or time of day we go. We made it an evening trip and it was foggy and beautiful! We only got to stay for an hour but it was so worth it. Dad got Leland in the sand and playing in it. Which is a fabulous step in the right direction! Seeing as he usually just cries when he is put in the sand....

And some funny happenings while we were there... Quynh was the fave last year with Leland but this year I think he preferred his uncle Gene... I am not sure though... but she did mess with his Legos which is a crime. But its good she loves him. She was pestering him one day close to the end of the trip and trying to look in his back back when he ripped it out of her hands and said "this is mine moron..." guess its really time (if it isn't too late) for me to clean up my act.... they really do pick up on everything. Thankfully Quynh didn't take offence and we all had a good laugh.

Another funny bit is that my dad came home from work early one day to take Leland to the park... Leland had just found the sidewalk chalk in the garage and had decided he would rather stay there and color... me being ingenious told him he was going to which he replied in his most angry voice ever "I DON"T WANT TO GO TO THE PARK" followed by screaming and kicking. Instead of just telling him he could take the darn chalk I hauled him to the car and buckled him in kicking and screaming... I got to go back inside but Dad had to drive all the way to the park with him screaming... until he figured out where he was and got excited. They stayed and played for about and hour and seemed to have a good time... they came home best buddies...

I am so thankful that I got to go home. We are so blessed to have such good grands out in California who love us enough to bring us home for a visit. Thanks Mom and Dad for a wonderful time! Love you both

Sorry I realize the pictures don't match the paragraphs I figured you would be able to forgive me :D

So much to post

So little time... so here is my list so I will remember what I want to blog about.

~Quynh and Leland's "friendship"

~Pops taking Leland to the park

~Diving Board

~Zoo in San Fran

~meeting Charlie

~Leland's Party

~Robot Pinata
~Issues with words Tramp instead of Champ, Q tips instead of Toothpicks... Hopes iphone app. Feeling overwhelmed... friendship

There is so much more hopefully these will help jog my memories... when I actually have time to sit down and write more.

There is really such a thing as two mama's....

Amy and I were chatting today or another day ( my brain is SHOT) about mama's and how she and I tended to act as mama's to all of our 6 boys down here, and she got nervous I think and said well you can't have 2 mama's but I beg to differ (can I say right now how grateful I am that Leland will have a sane mama...aka Amy). Today we took our boys to the aquarium where an accident occurred before we even made it inside. I am a freak... and so I freaked out. Leland's wrist somehow got smashed in the van door. He of course choose his sane mama (Amy) to get comfort from and I panicked (Uhmmm when did that happen? I used to be the one who took care of all blood, bumps and bad bruises and now I can't even function when it happens, its like my brain stops completely, guess its good Amy is so close) I panicked that is until I saw the childs face who felt responsible for the accident and then it clicked almost like a switch and I realized I was making it worse for this boy, not the one who was physically hurt not my little boy but for the other boy. He was crushed and suddenly I realized Leland wasn't the only one that needed consoling. I made sure to tell him that is was an accident it could have happened to any of us and not to worry I wasn't mad at him at all. And so as Amy went on being Leland's second mama I went about getting the car locked up so we could go in and see some animals and fish. And as I was locking the doors this boy came around and got a hug from me, said he was sorry and was glad that Leland wasn't old enough to tell everyone who had done it like Noah had when Amy accidentally got his hand in the door. (which is why he remains nameless in this post) It made me smile. And it made me grateful to have my sister back from vacation. I didn't realize how much I depended on her for support and friendship until she was gone for three weeks. So I guess I just want to say how thankful I am to families, to knowing that Leland will grow up (as long as she stays put here in Texas) with a second Mama, who he adores and who I adore. I am grateful that I have someone who loves me here too and who watches out for me and helps me when I need it. Sisters are the best and I only wish my other sisters were closer so Leland could have lots more mama's. Sorry this post doesn't make much sense its all over I think and I am having trouble focusing... So I will leave it where it is.

Awesomest Parents Ever!

I have the greatest parents on Earth!

I get to go to California at the end of August because they love me!

(or maybe they love Leland the most....)

At any rate I am super excited!

They called me at midnight (Amy assured them I would be up... and she of course was right) to get some info from me. I was pretty stoked and went right in to tell Brian (yes he had to be up at 4 that morning... but he'll live right) I think he is thrilled that I will am getting to go so he doesn't have to listen to me complain about missing my parents and sister and brother who are out there.

It should be noted that I did also call my mom the next day to make sure I wasn't dreaming... and she said I must have been because she doesn't remember that conversation...then she started laughing... Only my mom...

SO EXCITED!

Stole this Idea:D

My I wants ....

A vacation

To meet Charlie ( My newest nephew)

To suddenly drop 30 pounds I gained while taking hormones

An organized house

A helper with Laundry that does not involve unfolding everything I have just folded (looking at you Leland)

And an extra car;)

And of course to be pregnant

What I got...

An adorable 2 year old (who turns 3 in September)

A hard working Husband ( who keeps a roof over our heads and food on the table, and thankfully clothes on our backs)

A good Family

A car that works

and for now my health!

Trying to be grateful for what you have is hard till even when you realize there are so many people that would love to have what you have. So its something I will have to work on for life it seems to be happy with what I have. God provides for us and maybe if I can let go of my illusion of control I will be grateful for what I have:D

Zoo Again

We went to the Zoo again but this time Brian got to go with us so we took many of the same pictures but this time we stayed an watched the elephants longer Jenny and Gypsy seem to be more comfortable in their habitat and were out and about today. Brian held Leland up so he could watch them eat and Leland just kept saying "she's eating, she's eating" over and over again. Brian I think tried to explain how an elephant uses her trunk to get food and water to her mouth and Gypsy or Jenny then walked over to their pool and helped herself to some water. We fed the giraffes again today because Brian really likes that kinda stuff, but I think my favorite part was watching Leland "play" with the Lioness. I would tell him not to pound on the glass to which Brian would respond they aren't fish. So whatever a zoo employee was there and would have told us if we were doing something they didn't approve of. I don't know if you can hear it but I tell Leland that the big kitty is playing with him... to which another more stodgy mom informs her kids that the Lion is NOT HAPPY and He shouldn't be doing that. When the girl pressed her mom more she said the Lion was angry. So whatever I guess we all think we know what is best for wild animals.... I am personally just glad there is glass between the Lioness and my son... because as Brian comments she wouldn't be playing without the glass. You can see more pics on facebook... or I will post them here eventually:D