By Request, Peter's Proposal

Julie wanted to know how I ruined Peter's proposal. Well, we were long distance and visiting each other a lot. He was a really slow mover, and I wigged out one night on the way up to a cousin's wedding with him. I told him that it seemed like we were never going to get married, and that things just weren't working out. Seriously, I must have been PMSing or something. He had told me earlier that someone had bought the ring I liked when he went back to get it. Well, as I was crying and worrying (see, I worry a lot) he said, "Well, you know how I said that somebody bought your ring? Well, it was me." I was so embarrassed that I made a big deal about it. I felt so stupid. He told me that he was going to propose at the airport when I would be flying back to Vegas the next week. Instead, he gave me the ring before I flew back. We were just talking in his room and he pulled it out of the top of his sock- he didn't have any pockets. It was pretty funny. We still to this day ruin each other's surprises all the time. We are both good guessers and bad at keeping secrets from each other!

What's up with Us

We went up to my mom and dad's house in Logandale to visit for a week. Peter dropped us off, then came back home to work for the week. We went the back way through Echo Bay to get there, because we detest driving through Vegas. There would have been traffic (there always is) and the freeway systems suck. The kids had a blast playing with their aunt and uncle and grandparents. They loved the dog, Kit, and the cat, Cat. We will have to get a dog in few years. I mean, they really loved the animals. Eden would just scream with delight every time she went outside so she could "pat" the dog. She would stand at the window inside and say "doggie!" all day. She was so funny. Poor Kit is getting old and probably wanted to be left alone!

Kisses for everyone!

Since we came home, we have decided to either wait or just not go through with treatment for Levi's head. I spoke with his pediatrician today and asked her advice. She couldn't even see it until I brought it up. Then she could. But it is so minimal and would be totally cosmetic. He does not have any medical reasons for getting the DOC Band. Plus, we were told that a lot of problems correct themselves over time. Levi used to favor one side, but he has been moving his head by himself back and forth. He loves tummy time and can hold his big melon up for quite a while! So we are convinced that all will be well if we forgo treatment. Our insurance wouldn't have covered it anyway.

Jonah will go in for his next appointment on Thursday. He has an appointment with the school Psychologist first, then the Speech Therapist. I am a little nervous because I don't know what to expect. He still repeats a lot of stuff that he doesn't understand. He is getting better, but unless you are around him all day and really tune in to how he communicates, you might not think he is delayed. But the first lady we met with knew right away that he was a little bit delayed. You can also tell when he's around kids his own age. I am a worrier, I admit. People probably think that I make a big deal out of little things that aren't really problems and will fix themselves. I admit that with Levi, I was probably a little critical and overly worried about the small and even unnoticeable problem with his head. But I am sure that Jonah is a little bit delayed. I have studied Child Development, have done case studies on preschool kids his age, and I kind of know what to look for. So I really hope that he can get started with classes and we can all enjoy the blessing of being able to understand each other around here! It gets pretty frustrating sometimes.

Other than that, we finally put away our Christmas tree the Sunday after the kids and I returned. Pretty embarrassing, but I am just glad it's finally out of my dining room! I have been reading a lot of letters and emails that I wrote and that my family wrote to me while on my mission. It reminded me of the great feeling I had while serving full time. It definitely was a choice time in my life. I am planning on keeping the letters, but transcribing them so I can back them up if anything happens to them. I have gotten a little sentimental lately remembering old friends and companions and what Russia and the work were like. It has been really good for me to reflect on it.

I am almost done with the furniture that Kira and I were doing. They turned out really cute. I will post pictures soon.

Tagged...

How long have you been together? Almost 5 1/2 years

How long did you date? We started dating October 02, got engaged Jan 03, and got married in August 03. So almost a year, I guess.

How old is he? 31

Who eats more? He does. He thinks me and my family eat like birds.

Who said "I love you" first? I honestly can't remember. How sad is that? Probably him. I can't imagine that I would have said it first.

Who is taller? He is.

Who sings better? I have had more experience singing, but he sings very well.

Who is smarter? We are both smart in different ways.

Who does the laundry? Me.

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? We switch every time we move. I like to sleep closer to the door so I can get up the kids if I need to without walking around the bed. I'm on the right this time.

Who pays the bills? Peter does.

Who mows the lawn? No lawn, unfortunately. Desert landscape. But when we get one, Peter will.

Who cooks dinner? Me. Peter cooks a great breakfast though.

Who is more stubborn? Probably me.

Who kissed who first? Peter kissed me first. I thought it would never happen!

Who asked who out? Well, my grandma pretty much set us up, so she really initiated it. But Peter asked me out.

Who proposed? Well, Peter tried to. I kind of ruined it.

Who is more sensitive? I'm not sure. I used to think me, but now I think Peter is.

Who has more friends? I think I do. Peter's brothers are his friends.

Who has more siblings? Peter has 7, I have 5.

Who are you tagging? If you read this, you're tagged...

Some of my Favorite Stuff

As I was getting ready this morning, I realized that I was running out of something I use everyday that I absolutely love. You know how you love certain products and you feel like you just can't live without them? Well here are a few of mine. I will probably remember more, and I'll add those later. I'd be interested to see what everyone esle's favorite products are, so please post about this on your blogs!

I absolutely love this stuff called Lemon-Aid, made by Benefit Cosmetics. It's just an eyelid primer, but it is amazing! It evens out the splotches on my eyelids and a lot of days, I don't even put eyeshadow on over it. This is the thing I am running out of, and I'll have to get more when I get home, because I have to get it at Macy's- but it is worth the trip!

I also love this kind of Blistex. It smells really good, and it's creamy. I put it on before I put my lipstick or gloss on so it's not as sticky. Love it.


This product is awesome. After watching a TV show about anti-perspirants, and how they are bad for your body, I decided to try this stuff and I love it. I guess anti-perspirants keep you from perspiring, which is good for the body to remove toxins and waste. if you block it up and use something designed to keep you from perspiring, you keep those toxins in your body. Anyway, this stuff doesn't do that, but it still keeps you from stinking. Ha ha.




I love these Color Catchers. I hate it when I get a new piece of clothing that might bleed so I have to wash it separately just to make sure. These things work! I just put one in with every load that has a new item in it. I have never had something bleed onto another piece of clothing with one of these in the load. Plus there is a coupon inside each box for your next box of Color Catchers.

These are great too! They have saved my kids' clothes so many times. They are about $5 a box, but I can get 5 or more uses out of them before they go in the trash. They are a lifesaver at restaurants!

Nevada Caucuses

You have all probably noticed that I have a Ron Paul ad on my blog. I haven't posted about him yet because I don't like to push my political views on anyone and I really hate having confrontational conversations about anything. It accomplishes very little and usually just aggravates both parties. I think it's possible to have a civilized conversation about things that people are passionate about, but it just doesn't happen very often. So, although I've generally kept quiet about my support for Dr. Paul, I wanted to post about his accomplishments in Nevada! The Republican spot went to Romney, of course. There are a lot of Mormons here which helped him out, I'm sure.
I still think that it's amazing how news stations have chosen to keep Ron Paul out of the media and debates, ignoring him entirely. But they just can't ignore his message. Young people everywhere have a chance to save our constitution. It's pretty sad that "his opponents say that his campaign to restore the constitution is controversial, even 'nutty', while supporters point out that the very fact that a constitutional platform is being labeled extreme should be a wake-up call to every American citizen." (Moapa Valley Progress, p.6) It seems that the parties' differences are dwindling. I don't understand how some of the candidates can call themselves Republicans and that people don't think Dr. Paul is one. Republicans just don't seem to stand for what they did before.
Anyway, this post was not meant to rile anyone up. I'm sorry if I have offended anyone. I just wanted to congratulate Dr. Paul and his fans on the 2nd place spot in Nevada today! I know it doesn't count, but he is making some headway, and getting his message out. His fans understand that it is not about Ron Paul, it is about his message of freedom, limited government control, and reduction of programs that spend billions of dollars that we don't have. After living in Russia and seeing what socialism has done to a nation, I am so against it that I just can't support someone who wants to chose my health care for me or force me to pay for someone's welfare or social security, which I will never receive a penny from in my lifetime. Sorry! I'm going off again. I will stop. But I am very happy that the message is getting out there. It is so inspiring and I am thrilled that he beat John McCain for 2nd. We'll see how he does for the rest of the Primary Elections. If you'd like to check out his website, it is very thorough about his beliefs on every issue and his previous voting records.

www.ronpaul2008.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Paul

Following Up About Jonah and Levi

I took Jonah to his speech assessment appointment today. It was at our local Elementary school. We met with one of the teachers and she did a few tests with Jonah. They were mostly based on his ability to recognize pictures of things and say what they were or what they were doing. He did okay on a few of them, but after a while, it was pretty clear that he didn't understand what she was asking him to do. For example, there was a picture of some scissors. Then below that, there were three pictures of the same scissors in different positions, and he was supposed to tell her which ones were the same. I know he could figure that out, but he did not understand what she was asking him to do. The teacher said it's pretty clear that he has a little bit of a speech delay. They tested him in 5 areas. I think they were Language, Social, Emotional, Behavioral, and Cognitive. She said that it was obvious that he was behind in Language, because he had a hard time expressing himself through words and also understanding words or questions she asked him. She said that he might be a little behind in each of the rest, due to his delay with Language. I guess Language is a big one and can impede progress in any or all of the other categories. They checked his hearing and vision last to make sure that he was able to see and hear because that can also affect speech. But his hearing was good and he can see 20/20. So, although the teacher said that she can't guarantee it, she is very sure that Jonah will be able to go to the preschool. We have a few more steps to take, then he can start. We need to meet with the school's Speech Therapist and Psychologist. After that, he can start classes! I am actually really excited for him, because he is a smart guy- just can't express himself well. I think that being in a social learning environment will just get his speech really going. Plus, I think it will open up a lot of things that I haven't noticed in him. The teacher was really impressed with his ability to do puzzles (even 24 piece jigsaw puzzles) and counting and letters. So once his speech is encouraged out of him, I think he'll be a pretty smart dude.

Levi is awaiting his first appointment on Friday to get his head shape scanned and fitted for a helmet (it's called a DOC Band). It takes a week for them to make the band, since they are custom made for each patient. We have had a really hard time deciding if we wanted to go ahead with treatment. It is a big commitment- we would have to go into Phoenix once a week for up to 8 weeks. Having only one car, that is a big deal for us. And that's not even mentioning how much it will cost. So, we have been bouncing back and forth a lot on this one. I have spoken to a few people whose children have worn the DOC Band, and they said that even though the problems weren't severe, they still saw improvements and are really glad they did it. So, unless we receive revelation before Friday, Levi will begin his journey to getting a regular-shaped head and face! You can kind of see the off-balance of his face in the picture I posted of him below where he is smiling. His face is more full on one side, more lean on the other, and his eyes seem to not line up evenly because of that. But then again, I have a more critical eye because I see him every day. I'll post updates as things happen!

First Day of Primary!

Jonah had his first day of Primary today, and he did okay. I didn't really prepare him, because I guess I just didn't know how to explain it to him that he would be going to a different class. We already know his teachers, so that was nice. They actually were in the same ward we lived in back in Gilbert. He cried when I tried to leave him with his class in Sharing Time, so I stayed with him, sitting on the floor by him. I tried to leave a few times, but he wouldn't let me without crying. But he was really reverent and folded his arms most of the time and tried to sing one or two of the songs. He did fine when they went to class. I think that it seemed more familiar to him than being in the Primary room with a bunch of other classes. Our Primary is huge- every year has 2 classes each and Sunbeams has 3, plus there are 5 Nurseries. Anyway, he did pretty well, considering that he is one of the youngest Sunbeams. We'll see how he does next week!

A Huge Congratulations!

Congratulations to my cousin, Danny, and his wife, Erin, on the adoption of their new baby boy! I don't have permission to post pictures, but his name is Carson and he has the most adorable little round face! Congratulations, you guys! We love you and wish you the best!

Mini Update (and brag) on the Kids

JonahJonah is loving his train set he got from Grandpa and Grandma Willard for Christmas. He is getting so big and continues to entertain everyone in the house. He now loves to watch Backyardigans (one kids show I actually love!) and sings a lot of the songs. He loves singing the songs from High School Musical 2 as well. I'd like to get him into preschool this year. He seems to be a little behind on his speech, and I think he kind of regressed when Levi was born. But he is doing better. He knows a lot of words, but is a little stubborn about speaking them. I am actually going to see if he qualifies for a speech preschool that they do here at the local Elementary school. If he qualifies, it's free, and he would go for about 4 hours, 2 or 3 days a week. I think it would be really good for him to get into a structured learning environment. He can already recognize and say all of his uppercase ABCs, even out of order. He counts to 20, but sometimes forgets 18 or 19. It's pretty funny. He is going to be going to Primary for the first time next Sunday (this last week was Stake Conference). I can't believe he'll be going to Primary. He'll be one of the youngest. But he already knows quite a few Primary songs, so hopefully he'll do fine. All in all, he is a great kid and although a little stubborn, he's a smart guy and definitely keeps us laughing.

Eden

Eden is still a crazy girl. She loves running around, screaming and squealing. She is still into sucking her finger. We can't wait until she stops, but have no idea how to make it happen. Oh, well. Her hair is getting pretty long, and can look like a rat's nest if we don't do it every day. (See picture below.) She is going to Nursery now, and is getting the hang of it. She was in the same one as Jonah, so we'll see how she does without him. She can say quite a few words, and every times she does, they come out in a high-pitched girly voice. Maybe that's how I sound when I say them to her. She can laugh like an evil villain and cackle like a witch. I don't know where she got it, but it's pretty funny to hear. She is still a little bit tomboy and a little bit girly girl. She is a daddy's girl and Peter might not admit it, but she has him wrapped around her little finger.

Levi

Levi is such a big boy! He is almost 4 months (on the 15th) and already wears 6-9 month clothes. He has to wear 9 month sleepers because of his height. He is in the 95% for height and 50% for weight. His hair still hasn't grown back, but he has a little red peach fuzz. He is a really happy baby, especially when he is being held or tickled. He loves attention from anyone. We are going to Phoenix tomorrow to get his head checked by Cranial Technologies, since he was born with an abnormally shaped head and his ears are not aligned right. The term is Plagiocephaly. We'll see what they say and if he qualifies for treatment. If he does, he'll have to wear a helmet for a few months to correct the shape of his head. We'll give you an update as soon as we know anything. There are actually a few babies in our ward who have helmets and are being treated for Plagiocephaly.

We are all doing great. I am getting over a headache that I have had for week, and am starting to feel better. We are trying to get back in the groove after the holidays. The tree is still up, and the lights are still up outside. But now that I'm feeling better, they'll finally get put away!

This week my sister, Kira, and I are going to be refinishing some furniture for Eden's room that my sister-in-law gave to me. Kira is a great finisher- she actually worked in Orem as a finisher and is going back this month to continue her old job. She is going to show me the ropes and I'll post pictures of the furniture before and after. It should be fun.