Travis, Amanda, & Shelby

Sam

2011-03-14T14:29:00.001-07:00

Can I really call this a blog anymore? Do 4 posts a year really qualify this as an active blog? I don't know. But I feel it is important to note that we have a new addition to the fam!

Introducing Samuel Travis Betenson. :)

Christmas

2010-12-25T02:05:00.000-08:00

Long time no post, I know. I haven't thought much of a blog in the last couple months. But tonight I need to tell someone how wonderful it is to be Santa on this Christmas Eve. It is every bit as magical as being on the receiving end. I can hardly wait to see her face!

Merry Christmas to all our dear friends and family!

Smarty pants

2010-10-08T09:47:00.000-07:00

This morning Shelby was eating her toast, and yelled: "Look, Mommy! A nummer free!"

Shelby- you are one creative little 2 year old. :)

Job Offer

2010-10-06T09:40:00.000-07:00

We have had a recent answer to some long-awaited prayers. Travis got a job!! AHH!!! He called me with the news. He was so happy, he even skipped all of his usual cleverly disguised ways to spill good news. (You know, like: "Hey I've got some bad news...I just got the job." OR "Hey, what are you doing? Uh hu...uh hu....that's awesome. Well I don't have a lot of time, I just wanted to say I got the job. Nope! Not this time--as soon as I picked up the phone, he blurted out: "I GOT A JOB OFFER!!"

You may not understand the significance of this incredible news. Travis graduated in Psychology because he once had a psychology professor he really admired. (How many of us are guilty of this...) Upon receiving his diploma, he quickly learned that this field in no way matches his particular interests and talents. After a good bit of introspection (and help from his wise and loving wife), he realized he wouldn't make the best therapist--conversely, he realized how much he loves crunching numbers. And not just crunching numbers for the sake of crunching (whatever that expression is supposed to mean), but for the purpose of making something big run more efficiently and effectively. It's his favorite thing to do in his personal life...why not transfer those interests into a profession? You know....skills to pay the bills!

And so, I buckled down in my final semester of nursing school and got to work for the both of us. I researched a few good graduate schools, conjured up Trav's first real resume, wrote several application essays, and a few months later he was sitting in MBA school at the U. Bam! I thought my work was done.

Wrong.

This subject matter was some hard crap! Not to mention the exhausting hours of the PMBA program on top of a full time job--it was really getting to him. Every day, I said goodbye to him at 8:00am and he would return at 11:00pm...absolutely exhausted. I felt bad for him. I realized that all of his hard work was for me and unborn Shelby.

One particular semester was an especially hard one to complete, so I decided I would step in and help him with a paper. This got me in a bit of trouble, however, when my nurse walked in the hospital room and saw me working away on a laptop in my hospital bed where I would soon GIVE BIRTH....while Trav was snoring on the window bed beside me. He would interrupt about now and give his defense--the nurse didn't know he hadn't slept in 2 days trying to finish this project before the baby came. Still....it was funny to watch her get so mad and snap that laptop shut!

That year only got harder, as he would come home half dead. I, on the contrary, was quite happy about my day at home with baby Shelby....doing absolutely nothing but giggling at every "coo" that came out of her mouth. I continued to help him, here and there, becoming quite educated on all the finance jargon that's out there. But it eventually got the point where this stuff was so foreign sounding, I needed a Finance version of Rosetta Stone for me to continue to be of any help.

Finally: graduation. Along with graduation came our BIG expectations: 10 guys in fancy business suits racing up our driveway, in hopes of being the first to knock on our door and BEG for Mr. Betenson's finance-packed brain and all it's glory....

Then we woke up.

It took us a while to realize that this job was not going to be handed to us. It took even longer to realize that this was going to require more than minimal effort. Longer to realize that it would take a great deal of effort. But the thing that took us the longest to realize: that we couldn't do this on our own.

Last May--a who year after graduation--while sitting in the temple, I got a very strong spiritual confirmation. I knew that we would be getting a job soon. I knew He had something in mind for us. I also knew that this was going to require way more than hard work....it was going to require faith. Faith like I've never displayed before. As soon as I left there, my faith became my motivation. It was a weird feeling: because I knew there was a job for us, all I had to do now was FIND it.

In the 12 months of prior job-searching, nothing had motivated me more than this new-found faith. I was applying for more than 30 jobs a week, for companies all over the country (even a few in Ireland...that one might've been a little selfish). We've had what seems like hundreds of rejection emails, if they were kind enough to respond at all! We were lucky to get a couple interviews, neither went well at all. But hey-- we were getting response! Our faith was definitely strong. A couple weeks ago Trav checked his phone from the boat at Lake Powell, and found an emails requesting an interview with him. We knew very little about it then, but that phone interview led to an in-person interview, which led to a couple more phone conversations, which led to today....THE JOB OFFER! Travis remembered to thank them for taking the risk on him--after all, he was the only candidate with zero finance experience.

And me...I remembered to thank my Creator. After his phone call, all I could do was get on my knees and thank Him for caring about us enough to let us know He was here with us on this roller-coaster journey, and for giving me a little reassurance that He had something wonderful in mind for us. And all He asked is that we trust Him. I know I have fallen short of this so many times in my life, but I am so glad that this once--I truly did trust Him.

That trust got Trav and I through a few very emotional nights when we felt absolutely drained by rejection.

AND SO, THE VERDICT IS: we are not jobless. We are jobful. ?

Raising Mommies

2010-10-06T09:20:00.000-07:00

My sisters and I are close. Every time we have a girls night, we end up leaving after midnight, with no make up, and with a deep sense of encouragement. Now that we are not in close proximity, we decided we needed to keep encouraging each other in our struggles with life and mommyhood. So we started a blog to share our recent "ah ha's."
RaisingMommies.blogspot.com
We all need a little help with this mom stuff, so feel free to lend us your tips!

Happy Birthday

2010-09-26T19:54:00.000-07:00

pampa = grandpa

She knows.

2010-09-10T15:07:00.000-07:00

Secret's out: I'm not the best housewife in the world. I tend leave my kitchen floors a mess until Friday, as we often have family over during the weekend (including my mom).

Today I pulled out the mop and broom and Shelby jumped up and shouted:
"Yay!! Nanna's coming! Nanna's coming!"

Ouch.

Ah well...I guess I'm ok that she's learning at an early age some of the things we do
for our mothers. I'm pretty sure I'll laugh one day if I see that
she does the same for me.

Announcing...

2010-08-25T14:33:00.000-07:00

Shelby's baby sister!

Or as Shelby would say it, "My baby did-der."

We actually don't know if it's a "did-der or a bud-der", we'll find out about 6 weeks.

So I guess we can say I've completely forgotten what pregnancy is like. I cry at least once or twice a day. No kidding. Areas of danger include: inspirational blogs, country music of any kind, Disney movies (including Horton Hears a Hoo...really?), Dr. Laura, and FOR SURE every video on the front page of the LDS website. Hello!!

I've also forgotten the awesome smells, the zero energy, the "I could vomit at any second" feeling, the vein-filled legs and MASSIVE ankles...ah my poor legs, I'll see you again in 6 months. And the awful nerve pain is creeping in my back again--please no!! Torture.

But wait, here's the good part: I've spent 2 of the most wonderful years of my life with Shelby. And now--yes even now--I want nothing more than to have it all back in hopes of getting another miracle just like her.

So mother nature--go ahead and hand over those pumpkin sized ankles. I'm ready.

Shelby is in the marvelous process of transforming me. And no, not just the physical body of me....but ME. I think I can proudly say that I am about 10% more patient than I was before Shelby. And for that, I am forever indebted to this amazing role of mommy.

Oh, and NO we don't have any names in mind...we'll try seeing the baby first. It would be nice to not worry about a name change this time. :)

She's growing up!

2010-08-10T14:44:00.000-07:00

I'm just going to add to this post, because she has a new little sentence every day!

Last night, the 3 of us were watching Wipeout on ABC.

Shelby snuggled in the middle of us, exclaiming..."ohhhh" when someone had a wicked wipeout.

I started falling asleep so Travis turned it off. Shelby jumped up: "Noooo! VT on, OK?? Feeeease. VT on, ok??"

Trav and I almost fell off the couch laughing at her orders, and how she managed to squeeze a "please" in there, just to see if it helped her cause. Apparently she really enjoys a good wipeout.

-------------------------------------

She was in the bath the other day, and I hear, "Bye bye, Daddy! Bye bye, Daddy!" I walk in wondering what she's talking about. She has the rubber duckies all lined up on the bathtub edge: 2 big mommy & daddy ducks and 3 little baby ducks. The baby ducks are jumping as they shout their goodbyes, giving the daddy duck kisses. She's playing make believe!

She usually talks to herself in her crib for a few minutes in the morning to let us know she is awake. Well, I wasn't home this morning, and Travis was too lazy--I mean tired--to get out of bed. Finally she calls loudly, "Mommy, I wake. Mommy, I wake." Well, that got daddy up.

July.

2010-07-26T17:05:00.000-07:00

What a month! For our family, it has been a month of weekend getaways, lots of zoo and rec center trips, record breaking golf scores (77...yeah Trav!), wild imaginative play with Shelby, and romantic firework views from our rooftop. For me, it has been a month of huge perspective changes.

Many of you may know that I have been heading a small (yet quite busy) photography business. My poor clients can attest that I've been a tad behind on email responses and the overall photo processing. I have recently been taking better notice of Shelby and her mad desire to play like a wild outlaw! And actually, I have found that I have the desire to drop everything I'm doing and join her!

So I'm not sure if this lack of business focus is due to a tapering interest in the hobby itself...of if I'm just flat-out more interested in playing with Shelby! Either way, I recognize that my desire to spend more time with my sweet daughter is a blessing. Who knows what's in store for the business--I'm understanding more fully the whole "time and season" concept. And nobody knows when those seasons are except me (if you're me , of course---if you're you, then you'll know when they are too...ok stop, Manda.) Anyhoo, this was just one of the many epiphanies this month.

But I'd like to share just one more: freedom. The word has been on my mind all month long, and the concept has strangely made it's way into our recent situations of struggle. We have been tempted to feel like we are just downright stuck in a rut. Then we came across 2 Nephi in our reading: "Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to choose."

We are free. FREE--to choose our life paths, our friends, our careers, our homes, our hobbies, and ultimately how happy we want to be. That scripture has saved us this month.

This video also speaks that same thing to me. I am so moved every time I listen to the story. It makes you think about what decision you would make, if you were forced to choose between freedom or your life. I like to think I would choose to die for freedom. After all, so many millions throughout history have made the same choice, including our Savior.

Here's the video:

Isn't she beautiful?

2010-07-06T11:38:00.000-07:00

We had a fun holiday weekend with the family up in Eden. I find that my batteries have needed recharging. And nothing does that better than spending time with my loved ones
in the most beautiful surroundings.

And tell me you like her new cowboy boots as much as I do. :)

Ballerina

2010-06-21T15:18:00.001-07:00

Everyone has been telling me, lately, that it is a good idea to put Shelby in some kind of dance class. We agree...well, I think it's a good idea, Trav will allow it until age 5, then she's picking up the golf club and never looking back.

She has loved learning dances since she was able to walk. And as long as she has an audience, she'll dance all day long. I put her in her jammies the other night, then noticed that the too-too hanging on the wall matches a little too well. So I put it on her, and she immediately started dancing like a ballerina. I never taught her that--there must have been some Barney episode where Baby Bop does a ballet dance... ?

Well, regardless, I think its only a matter of months before Shelby gets her real live too-too, with a real live stage, with a real live audience clapping for her. Sorry Trav, you're out voted.

Lately

2010-06-11T11:19:00.000-07:00

What have we been doing lately?

We finally made it down to Cedar City last week. I swear it takes a miracle to get us down there, but we are so glad we did. We don't see Trav's family that often so it was nice to go spend some quality time...

...and it's always nice to get away from the house for a bit. This place has become such a project lately that it gets so overwhelming just living here amongst all the plans. Does that sound crazy?

It's been busy, but it's good busy. It might seem that our little family is all settled in. But I can't help but feel the opposite--I feel like we are in such a transitional stage...like something big is just around the corner. I can't tell what it is quite yet. It's exciting--although I know that a feeling like this probably means I should be scared or nervous for what lies ahead rather than excited. But excited I am...I can't help it. For now, I'm trying to do what I need to do in preparation, keeping my little family in order. Isn't that the task of the year!

Shelby is changing every minute--most of you wouldn't recognize her. She mimics everything she sees. Trav and I paper-rock-scissors for the task of putting Shelby down, and she loves to play...except she would probably loose every time if we actually took advantage of the fact she doesn't know how to throw anything other than "rock". Although we are tempted, occasionally, to just beat her, and tell her to go put herself to bed. :) We're not bad parents.

When we go to the swimming pool, she'll run away from me as fast as she can and dives into the deep end with no life jacket. And she loves the water slide--not the whimpy little kid one--she has ride with Mommy on the BIG kid one, that's where the money is! After all, she'll be 2 years old next month...leave the dinky stuff to the little kids. She's a raging fireball, to say the least. But then she sees ballerinas on TV, and she'll mimic them, gracefully dancing on her tippy toes with her hands above her head.

The worst one yet: when anyone (including her self) releases any kind of bodily noise, she yells: "Niiiice!" It really is awful. I could almost kill Travis for that one.

That's us lately...just waiting for "the next big thing", trying to stay un-busy while working, taking pictures, and trying to come up with things to entertain the craziest almost-2-year-old there every was.

Time with Shelby

2010-05-25T15:01:00.000-07:00

Shelby tagged along with me today on my search for a few photo locations. She should know by now that doing this will inevitably result in a camera in her face. There's really nothing else new to share...just a few looks at a very beautiful girl.

I thought a bus pic was fitting. If you know Shelby, you know that she is absolutely crazy about school buses. Every morning it's the same routine: Shelby reads/sings to herself in her crib for about 15 minutes, then when she hears the school bus pull up at our house, she screams: "Mom! Bus! Mom! Bus!" I race into her room and run her downstairs and open the front door, where she walks out on the front porch, yelling and waving "Bye bus! Bye bus!" I don't know what we're going to do next week when school lets out and the bus stops coming. I just means we'll have to come up with a different morning routine, but it also means we'll have a much better looking lawn!

5 years today.

2010-05-20T19:40:00.000-07:00

Five years ago, Travis and I tied the knot. And what are we doing tonight? Watching a special on where we're going five years from today.

We're golfing Ireland, baby. I'm not sure I can wait five years. Although this trip could get ugly-- Trav will likely get lost somewhere on the 54th hole, while I spend most of the trip wandering aimlessly along the beautiful countryside.

For now, we'll let Travis heal from today's back injury and snuggle up together in front of NBC's comedy Thursday. I love us. Happy anniversary, Travdor. :)

in shock.

2010-05-12T08:21:00.000-07:00

Remember how I am really a blonde?

Remember my laptop?

Remember how it used to be my laptop before it fell off my car on the freeway and became road kill?

Don't ask how it happened--not just because it's embarrassing, but because the effects of it are absolutely excruciating.

Thousands of pictures.

I keep thinking of vacations, birthdays, family photos, chocolate covered Shelbys...all of which the evidence of is scattered across the freeway.

Don't worry--it's ok to laugh a little at the ridiculousness of the situation, while feeling sorry at the same time. Travis did. I did. :) What else can ya do?

Want to hear the funny thing? As I stood there on the side of the road, helplessly staring as the zooming cars continue to smash the tiny remnants, one of Barney's most annoying songs came to mind (and by the way thanks, Big B., for letting me memorize all of your songs just in time for Shelby to switch her sights to Elmo). Here's the song:
Oh, oh, oh, ya made a big mistake
Oh, oh, oh, there's no need to shiver and shake
All you need to know, for goodness sake,
Is that you can learn from your mistake.

Ok, Big B., I'm taking your advise. I promise that if I ever leave something on my car again, it will be a Diet Coke...not my laptop.

happy mom day

2010-05-09T23:27:00.000-07:00

Who says Mother's Day is a lame holiday? Not me. Valentines, now that one needs some serious reconsideration. And I'm not just saying that because my sweet, loving husband absolutely refuses to acknowledge it (We are very careful not to mention the V-word in our house). But just wait--I'm going to defend Mr. Wonderful right now.

Today, he spoiled me with the best Mother's Day ever. I worked last night so when I got up this afternoon, I awoke to a ready-made meal. He had even planned the meal Saturday night! When he went to Little Caesars yesterday, he decided to pick up an extra Hot-N-Ready...specially for Mother's Day dinner. And of course, tonight's pizza was much better than last night's.

But I'll be honest, he really did make the day special, going out of his way to wait on me. And best of all, he wrote me the best card I have ever received from anyone in my life. After reading his note, I realized something: when I think that part of me is getting lost in the chaos of diapers and work and laundry, I'm not lost. Because he sees me. Yes he, the often crude-minded, golf-addicted, hilariously wonderful man of mine. He knows me better than anyone on earth; he sees how I struggle to manage my priorities, and he sees what I accomplish every day-- and best of all, he sincerely appreciates it, even amazed by it.

Isn't that what Mother's Day is all about? That's why I prefer it to V-day. I'll take a letter like that over a heart-shaped box of chocolates any day. Yes, even mindy mints from Mrs. Cavanaugh's.

Speaking of appreciating Mom's, I thought this was a pretty humorous blog post-- it's about a Dad's experience as a stay-at-home-dad for one day. I hope you laugh out loud like I did.

She's gone.

2010-05-06T16:20:00.001-07:00

Our favorite little Jess is gone. It's been a whirlwind last couple days...couple weeks, actually. Weddings, mission farewells, baby blessings, and actually saying goodbye (for now) to one of my best friends. I finally gave on makeup the last couple days, because those darn tears come at random and unexpected times. I figured out that what sets it off the most is seeing Shelby playing around with that big smile on her face. Jess has been the best auntie to her, and has helped show me how to be a good mommy.

The other night, all my siblings and I had a sleepover together (Jess was set apart and needed a companion!). It was so great to spend that time with her, and hear her talk about her readiness to serve with all her heart.

She is one amazing person who is incredibly full of life. She is a huge example to me. And she is leaving behind several nieces and nephews...sheesh when did that happen? We joke about how there could be twice as many when she returns. Yikes!

We will miss her terribly, but I know Shelby will remember her wonderfully energetic and playful Aunt Jess.

After all, Jess made sure the first name she could say was "Jess" (and it sounds so cute with her little lisp!).

Seek Learning

2010-04-29T13:21:00.001-07:00

Shelby and I made a very special trip the other day. She made her very first visit to the library.

She loves to read. Every morning she will pull every single book off her book shelf and sit in the corner of the room and look through them. She definitely has favorites, but she's getting tired of the baby books. She wants books with real flimsy pages and real sentences. Board books don't cut it anymore. However the idea of buying 20 new books was out of the question because we're just a little bit poor. So I hoped that the magic library card would be at least one way to satisfy her mad quest for knowledge. After spending over 2 hours at the library, I figured I was right.

Shelby's recent learning craze has lit a tiny spark in me. As I sat there watching her race back and forth from the isles of books to the table, I was reminded of the importance of education. It almost made me miss being a college student ...almost. :) I realized that among the many things I try to get done in a day, I should always be setting aside time for the edification of Shelby's brain...and mine. The Lord reminds us that we are here to learn “of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad.”

I wonder if this means replacing The Biggest Loser with something a little more mind-nourishing. Sure it's entertaining and inspiring, but if it hasn't done it's job in getting us to the gym by now, it probably won't.

Three Amigas

2010-04-18T23:47:00.000-07:00

Shelby and I took off to St. George this week. It's been so nice, but it's gone by SO fast. I wish I had more time to spend with my Betenson ladies...but Shelby thoroughly enjoyed seeing her 2 new cousins.

They are some pretty cute amigas, don't you think?

Shelby "unplugged"

2010-04-13T11:55:00.000-07:00

We went out and took some family pictures the other day. It's always fun getting Shelby all dressed up.

However...

However, there's something so sweet and beautiful about this raw, carefree side of her.

I can't help myself--I just love her.

Saturday

2010-04-10T18:04:00.000-07:00

What a day...

Two morning photoshoots and several hours on a full yard makeover. I am officially pooped.

Travis and I are now vegetables here on the couch, and we both could use a nice foot massage. Any givers out there? :) Arg- why do I take on days like today when I have to go to work tonight? Maybe they won't mind if I sleep most of the shift.

Easter Reminders

2010-04-08T14:21:00.000-07:00

Easter came at the perfect time this year. I've been struggling a little lately with the various things on my plate (all you out there with multiple children are probably laughing at my weakness right now). But whether or not I deserve to feel overwhelmed, I do. This last week, I worked every other night, which has been pretty rough on me as I try to keep my brain straight. And lately I've been thinking of the many things that I would like to do, instead of working. And I've been feeling a little short on hope that circumstances will ever been different.

Last Friday night, I realized how desperately I needed the general conference address. I wasn't sure what sort of message I was looking for, but I knew I would get the fuel I needed. And of course, what I got was way more than fuel.

One of my favorite quotes came from Julie Beck: "Peace, joy, and hope are available to those who measure success properly." So you're saying that in my crazy life, if I really really focus on the few things that really really matter...I'll have peace? I think I'm going to give that a shot.

And aside from needing conference...I really did need Easter. I needed the Savior to remind me that there is absolutely nothing to feel hopeless about. His plan is still in full swing. We've read the book, we know who wins. The power of His sacrifice is still strong enough to save me from death, not to mention my little daily struggles. And the best reminder: He still loves me and hasn't forgotten me. This is good news, because I still need Him.

Oh yeah, and He is sending His strongest spirits to help Him accomplish it all.

This truth spoke to me so clear as I held my new little twin Nephews on Sunday. Those boys are such strong little messengers of hope and conviction. Not to mention very handsome little guys.

Changing gears, Shelby enjoyed her first Easter Egg hunt. She spotted this little treasure from clear across the yard...

She gave her new barney doll a quick hug, then stepped back as she gave him a confused look. I think she had expected him to be a lot bigger than someone who would fit in her Easter basket.

Maybe you're just bigger than you thought, Shelby.

Bowling

2010-03-29T15:35:00.000-07:00

We enjoy bowling in our family. Trav and I each have the whole get-up: our own ball, shoes, and bag. You might call us nerds, because that's exactly what we are. We took a bowling class together when we were dating, and we've been pro ever since.

I got so excited when I saw this bowling set at Walmart for $5. We were determined to witness the replication of our bowling genes. After the first few minutes, we gave up on her rolling the ball. We took her closer to the pins and told her to throw the ball at them. After several misses, we stuck her just inches from them. Still a miss...yikes.

We assume she got tired of failure.

Still hope--Trav thought he might pass on his wicked juggling skills.

Maybe someday, right?

Sorry about the plethura of video posts. Sometimes they are just plain better at describing our lives than my words are.

With their help

2010-03-23T15:02:00.001-07:00

The race is over! *Holla!* Not only did I survive...I did much better than I had imagined.

Here's why. I spoke with my cousin Rachel the day before we left. She gave me this advise: think of 13 people who have inspired you, write them on a small piece of paper. Dedicate each mile to one of those individuals. When you pass each of the 13 mile markers, think of each person. As you think of the great things that person has done and the challenges they have overcome, it can give you a little push as you struggle up that hill.

I decided to fill my list. Of course it included 5 of my heroes: my siblings.

I thought of my amazing mother, and her more amazing mother.

But then as I started running, the list became more and more broad. My mind wouldn't stop! I started thinking of neighbors, college roommates, cousins, high school friends. All of which have survived some immense challenges, and have accomplished great things in spite of (or in many cases, because of) those challenges. I thought of several of my quadriplegic and stroke patients, one of which is currently dealing with the fact that he will never be able to feed himself again, much less have the joy of feeding his new baby girl. But he, like all of these others, have chosen to see things differently, and have been able to accomplish incredible things with what they've been given. The thought of these wonderful people helped me push forward a little faster. Sarah, for example, said she kept thinking of our sister Jess: If Jess can live 18 months in Thailand, I can certainly finish this race!

But when it came it mile 11, my jell-o legs were giving up. I had to pull out the big guns. I started to think of my 2 reasons to breathe in and out.

Travis and Shelby have taught me a lot. Sometimes life gets so hard or painful that we feel like just giving up or running away. Heavenly Father must have known we would feel this way at some point in our lives--so he gave us a close few who make our lives worth living. These are my close few. Some days, they help me put one foot in front of the other. And that's exactly what they did last Saturday. It was definitely the sweetest sight to see them cheering me on at the finish line.

After the race, Jess and Sar and I spent hours sharing our thoughts during the race. Let me tell you, this little exercise not only made for a very successful race, it literally was an experience that changed my life.

Oh and quick message to my legs, if they're reading this-- I'm sorry. I really am, but sooner or later you're going to have to start walking normal. I can't get anything done with this stupid limp!

And quick message to my heart-- you're welcome. Just remember this favor I did for you when you start to see Cadbury Egg remnants floating through your arteries. Sorry. :)

What did I do?

2010-03-18T11:04:00.001-07:00

A few months ago, something evil came over me and told me that running 13.5 miles could be fun. Stupid, stupid Manda. :)

This has not been easy for me. I did my final run on Tuesday. Even in spite of my training, I could have sworn I heard these very birds mocking me! (Then again everything was mocking me: every mail box, every mile marker, every smirk-faced old man in a motorized wheelchair.)

I told Travis that it got so bad that I started to day dream that a random car would pull over and kindly offer to take me back to my car. I decided then and there that I would take the offer without a second thought. And that, my friends, is how you know you're in trouble!

Although I must say that I am quite stoked about spending the weekend away with Travis and Shelby in beautiful, marvelous Moab.
We need it this week.
Very, very badly.

Home Videos

2010-03-04T16:03:00.001-08:00

The 3 of us watched AFV last night. It got us in the mood to watch a few of our videos.

Shelby, the little chatterbox.

Shelby knows that we hug dad when he leaves for work.

And I must brag about my husband's wicked golf skills. This golf season is going to be amazing...I even got new shoes! Shelby will soon learn of the amazing adventures to be had in a golf cart.

Olivia puts up with her weirdo cousin...and actually seems to enjoy her!

my latest read

2010-03-01T00:37:00.001-08:00

So working 2 nights in a row has me on a crazy sleep schedule.

Therefore, instead of sleeping, I finished my book-- and my life is officially changed! But then I might just have a weird taste in reading material. All I know is, it's late, but I'm SO GLAD I stayed up to finish this. Somebody knew I needed to hear this message tonight.

"What's the world's greatest lie?" the boy asked.
The old man replied, "It's this: that at a certain point in our lives, we lose control of what's happening to us, and our lives become controlled by fate. That's the world's greatest lie."

It's a cute story story that left me with the resolve to follow my heart...and also left me with mounds of warm fuzzies. The perfect recipe for good dreams. :)

Old habits die hard

2010-02-22T10:31:00.001-08:00

Who has Shelby seen do this? I'll give you two hints: it's one of her parents and it's NOT ME!

Gross, right?

Shelby, I promise that's not what keys are for.
Daddy, let's try to keep our bad habits unseen by the innocent.

Thank you, Barney

2010-02-18T09:33:00.001-08:00

So here is how I found out that Shelby loves Barney. She was watching TV from the top of the stairs, when Barney's theme song came on. Before I knew it I heard, "thump! thump! thump!" She plopped down the stairs, ran across the room...

...she slowed as she approached the TV, opened her arms wide, and... the best part...

gave the TV the biggest hug I've ever seen.

I could not believe what I had just witnessed--it was the most bizarre thing I'd seen her do! Well now Barney has taken place of all the others as our daily show. I don't mind it...I forget how catchy all the songs are. I was actually almost embarrassed at how many songs I already knew. :)

Her latest thing is when the "I Love You" song comes on, she immediately goes around the room, hugging and kissing everything in the room: her toys, the couch, the TV, me...

I love it. Now any time you want a hug and a kiss from Shelby, all you have to do is sing Barney's song. A wonderful discovery.

An attempt at intelligence

2010-02-14T13:59:00.000-08:00

It's no secret that I fit the typical dumb blonde stereotype.

In fact, I sometimes wonder if the writers of these jokes secretly follow me around to get ideas.

Well I have a feeling that they won't be following me anymore...

What do you think?
You might be wondering how this attempt at intelligence is working for me. Well I strolled into work the night I had it done, and had several HUGE blonde moments throughout the shift. My friend was not very gentle when he said while laughing, "Manda, you may have wasted your money."

Oh well. Over the years I have come to fully embrace my genetics. It's who I am. This is whole brunette thing is merely a fun tangent.

Now if I can just keep up on correct medical terminology, I won't lose my job by getting sucked into to the blonde medical terminology:

Artery -- Study of paintings
Bacteria -- Back door of cafeteria
Bowel -- Letter like A.E.I.O.U
Caesarean section -- District in Rome
Cat scan -- Searching for kitty
Cauterize -- Made eye contact with her
Coma -- A punctuation mark
Diarrhea -- Journal of daily events
Dilate -- To live long
Enema -- Not a friend
G.I. Series -- Soldiers' ball game
Labor pain -- Got hurt at work
Medical staff -- Doctor's cane
Pelvis -- Cousin of Elvis
Post operative -- Letter carrier
Rectum -- It almost killed him
Secretion -- Hiding thing
Tablet -- Small table
Terminal illness -- Sickness at airport
Tumor -- An extra pair

Although, coworkers might argue this comes pretty close. :)
I guess I'll be seeing you joke-writers out there very soon.
We'll make it a party. I'll bring chips.

Play Dates

2010-02-08T09:13:00.000-08:00

We're learning how to play nicely with others lately. Although I'm not sure how much Shelby's learning, she's becoming a bit of a bully. Who knew?! :) I've said before that we babysit Olivia twice a week. Well now we've added Hudson to the weekly schedule on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

If any of you thought Shelby was (is) chunky, meet Hudson (or more affectionately known as "Bubba"). Bubba is barely 1 year old and weighing in at over 30 lbs. Shelby is barely 26 at 19 months, if that gives you a visual comparison. This boy is a TANK! And what do you get when 2 big babies both want the same toy...fight, fight, fight! They both hold their ground pretty well, so the scores are pretty even. Although it seems to be causing a problem in nursery, yesterday, when Shelby slowly made it around the room pushing every kid down.

I guess these are life skills yet to be learned. At least she gets to learn on someone her own size.

My Old Man

2010-02-04T13:24:00.000-08:00

Travis has turned another year older, and for the next few days, I get to enjoy being 4 years younger than he is. Travis is 28 years old. 28! He is trying to talk me into the fact that he is middle aged. The man does have quite a few aches and pains, and his fair share of physical ailments. (And if you ask me, he's also losing a little brain power, if you know what I mean...I try to explain this to him when I'm aching to win one of our debates. After all, I am always right.)

So I threw my old man a birthday party yesterday. He was so cute, all happy and frail. His little old lungs couldn't manage all those candles, so he asked Shelby help him out. Of course, he called her Squirt because he couldn't remember her name. I should've remembered to put her name on her shirt. That's what we've done with him now--all his shirts have his name on it, as you can see in the picture. Poor guy, I can't imagine being that senile. He asked why no one was singing, and why there was only 3 candles. I didn't have the heart to remind him that he lost his glasses and his hearing aid.

At least he did 2 things right some years ago: he married young, and he married a nurse--the luxuries of a nursing home without the expense! Free bed baths for life!

Well Travis, I do love you, even though your young body can sometimes feel like a feeble one.

And when you actually do reach this point of life, as we all will, I will love you then too.

Happy birthday to a handsome ol' man! :)

BIG announcement:

2010-02-02T02:42:00.001-08:00

Can you guess?

Probably not, because you'll probably guess that I'm pregnant. Well I'm not.

But this is equally cool...

My baby sister is SERVING A MISSION!!

And can you guess where?

BANGKOK, THAILAND!!

You might be wondering, "How on earth is a 21 year old girl going to manage in Thailand for 18 months?" What do I have to say to that?
You don't know Jessica.

This girl is amazing.
Her heart is bigger than Thailand itself.
She will absolutely love the tar out of those people.

And most of all, she is ready to take the big jump-
to put every ounce of trust she has in the Savior,
knowing He will fill in all her gaps.

If you ask me, there's not much to fill in, but then I might be just a little biased.

I love you Jess, even if you do hate this picture.

Too bad, I love it.

Adieu, my pupils.

2010-01-28T21:30:00.001-08:00

I have now officially retired my role as piano teacher. Tonight was our "farewell recital", and although I'm definitely glad it's over, it was a little bittersweet.

Best part of the night: one of my beginner students called in sick, minutes before the recital. :) Hehe- I don't blame her at all. I remember when I used to wonder if there was an immunization for stage fright. I later learned there was, it's called getting up and embarrassing yourself enough times until you become immune. One of the other beginner students experienced this first hand tonight. She and I played a duet, and when we began playing, I didn't recognize a single note she was playing. She was just desperately plunking away at random keys, hoping it would all be over soon! Luckily the duet was able to hide a little bit of the agony. Her mom said to me afterwards, "I didn't recognize what she was playing at all, did you?" It's OK, Mallory, you'll have plenty more stage fright booster shots in your lifetime. I'm still getting mine.

Well- sigh of relief! It's over! I am glad I took this on, even though it has been a HUGE struggle. I have found that I love teaching. The timing is just wrong for me to be in a role like this. Shelby does love the afternoons when the kids come over. She really hasn't known any different than to expect the afternoon to bring a house full of excitement. I still remember the days when she had a crush on McKay, and he would put his stickers on her head while she beamed back at him.

Who knows? Maybe I'll pick this up again later in life. Perhaps when Shelby is old enough for me to say, "Go entertain yourself, mommy is working." At this point, those instructions would send Shelby right to the scissors and knives, and other sorts of 'safe and age appropriate' activities. And if I'm really going to be honest with myself--I think she's been needing much more of mommy's full attention.

Life is full of "good" things, as this new year is teaching me. This piano teaching is one of those things. The challenge is to allow myself to let go of the good things, as needed, in order to leave more room for the better and best things. And right now, I have a pretty good idea what the best things in my life are.

Or rather, who they are.

it's time to get ill!

2010-01-26T10:04:00.000-08:00

Why do we get sick?

I was thinking this as I was laying under the doctors' desk at work, between puke trips to the bathroom. Staring at people's feet as they walked by (getting paid for legitimate work-related tasks), I never once wondered what germs might be on the hospital floor where my hair was now strewn about.

Then I thought, why do we have kids? Answer: so they can get us sick. :) It sounds rude and awful, but the answer was actually quite comical to me at the time.

Shelby's doctor had kindly explained I could try with all my might to avoid it, but the stomach flu is pretty oober-contagious.

And I didn't care to try to avoid it. Besides, all she wanted to do was hug, hug, and hug! With some snuggles in between. Hello!! Try to avoid THAT from the cutest 1 year old on the planet. We got her a smiley-faced balloon---a toy that could entertain while requiring little or no physical exertion. She just lounged on my lap staring at the wall, turning every so often to give me one of her sweet little hugs. We were switching out bibs a couple times an hour, poor little sweetheart tossed her cookies every 10 minutes.

Although Travis quickly reminded me that I used the wrong bib...only the BYU bib can be used for puking purposes. :) And yes, I may have taken advantage of Shelby's docile mood to play with her hair. It didn't turn out as planned...she looked a little like Elvis when the curlers came out.

So as I laid there on the hospital floor, my mind wandered back to earlier that day when I held Shelby tight in my arms during all her pain. And I suddenly wanted nothing more in the whole wide world than to be embraced in one of her sweet, heavenly hugs. I tell you, when I feel her precious little arms wrap around my neck, my entire world changes. These hugs speak far too much love to remember any gloomy thought.

So pros and cons to this illness:
Cons: headache, fever, hunger in the midst of constant nausea, emesis (doesn't sound as gross in medical terminology), terrible body aches and pains, and my favorite--the "hershey squirts" (as my work friend calls them...I think I'll use that when charting my patient's condition next time).

And the Pros? Let me just say that 3 days of snuggles are definitely worth it.

Oh by the way, shout out to the world's greatest husband for taking care of us all weekend! Shelby and I are SO EXTREMELY LUCKY!

OLiViA

2010-01-14T12:22:00.000-08:00

This semester, I have the wonderful priviledge of babysitting little Olivia twice a week. Liz, please know that I LOVE doing this!

After all, Shelby gets to have her little sidekick,
and it would appear that Livvy doesn't mind it at all. :)

My favorite part: Shelby reading Olivia a story.
Too cute for school, as Shelby's daddy often says.

The wonderful Mommy Moments

2010-01-12T12:24:00.000-08:00

Shelby usually finds her way into the pantry. When she does, she'll find herself a snack and bring it to me, set it on my lap, and sign "more". It's usually a small box of cereal or a package of marshmallows, and I'm usually prepared for these snacks.

Today's pick, however, caught me off-guard. It was a bag of powdered sugar, and it was twisty-tied shut. Of course I laughed and turned to grab the camera. When I looked back, I found that she had already figured out the twisty tie!!

So these are the moments where a mommy is torn:
Do I quickly snatch the bag away before the inevitable mess occurs, or...

...or do I sit back and watch, giggling all the while.

Today I picked option #2.
Besides, these moments are passing by way too quickly.

The magic of Christmas

2009-12-29T10:29:00.003-08:00

This is the face of someone who's wrapped in the magic of Christmas:

It's priceless.
And I love her Christmas jammies, don't you? Daddy picked them out.

Girls Day

2009-12-22T08:11:00.000-08:00

I may complain, here and there, about having to work. I might even whine about the aggravating impact of night shifts on my sleep schedule. But there is one thing I absolutely can't complain about-- the people I work with. Especially the night shift crew. I've never had so much fun at work as I do now; I've also never been the minority as an American. :) I can't even tell you how amazing these people are. I learn so much from them in our wild 3:00am conversations! (Sometimes I wake up after a shift remembering a conversation we had, and thinking: 'Did we really talk about that?' ) In these last 10 months, I've come to love these guys like family. I've never had a job where I'm actually relatively excited when I drive in to work. Everybody agrees, and we've concluded that it's not the work itself...believe me, I don't find 'bowel care' all that fun. It's the coworkers standing next to me who make the job a little easier...and actually quite humorous. :)

So Travis: whenever I get the groaning attitude about work, just remind me of my days at Kolob Regional Care Center, and I PROMISE I will keep my mouth shut. I'll take my 2:00am wheelchair races down the hall over that place...

any day.

The great part about that day, Yu (the gal on the other end) and I just came off of a night shift. Yu looks gorgeous. I do not. Someone explain that to me.

Christmas Spirit.

2009-12-14T12:48:00.000-08:00

I finished designing our Christmas card-- woot woot!

You might think we're on top of it this year, but you'd be wrong. Our tree was finally assembled last night, and our lights aren't even up yet. These tasks are not easy when you live with Mr. Scrooge himself. It's ok, a few cracks of the whip and those lights will be up tonight. :) Merry Christmas!

Can we get a round of applause?!?

2009-12-04T08:14:00.000-08:00

At a year and four months old, Shelby has finally made a decision:
Walking isn't so bad, after all!

By the way, she'd LOVE to hear your congrats. She definitely feeds off others' enthusiasm.
Go Shelby!

Behold the unsupervised:

2009-12-03T16:05:00.000-08:00

Who teaches lessons on how to use a spoon?
Just when I think she's got it down, this happens.

An utterly atrocious request.

2009-12-01T04:31:00.000-08:00

Dear future patients:

Snow is not yet here, but it will be. And when it is, drive in it. Not too 16 year old-like, but not to grandma-like either. Or maybe just test how well your brakes work on the ice. Oh, and don't forget strap on that snowboard, and fire up the old snowmobile. Winter means snow, and snow means danger sports...yes, unfortunately danger sports can sometimes result in injuries. So what'dya say? Feeling a little careless?

I know, I'm awful! I should get glove-slapped for thinking such a terrible thing. But for just a minute, think of this from a poor old nurse's perspective. I've got Christmas shopping to do (or more acurately... I've got a massive pile of black Friday baby clothes to justify). So when you're being all cautious-like in this cold weather, it means this big and glorious institution is pretty much void of all you sick people. Which therefore results in my getting the phone call where I get to hear the bittersweet words: "We don't need you."

So answer me this, how am I supposed to get Shelby that 17th pair of pink pants that she desperately needs, if y'all are staying inside where it's safe and warm? Think of me....no, think of sweet little Shelby.

And now that I think about this just a little further, I really hope that those who read this will not be showing their faces here. This is for all of the other people I don't know...wow I better stop now before I get the ol' lightning bolt.

I changed my mind---be safe everyone. Shelby will just have to do with 16 pairs. She's only a baby, for crying out loud.

I know, I know....there are those of you who could care less about the frivolous worries of a night nurse. But this is important to my tired brain at this dreadfully early hour.

Enough of the 32 pic-filled posts!

2009-11-23T11:08:00.000-08:00

So to cut down on this dreadful problem,
check out my new photo blog!

amandabphoto.com

Hopefully it will allow this blog to be a regular ol' blog.
And no, I'm not attempting to be a pro--this is just one of those things that keeps my fire lit. :)

Back to the basics

2009-11-16T11:28:00.000-08:00

Life has become quite busy. I could make a list of everything that has me up at night, but instead, I'm going to show you what I've done this morning. I've decided to focus my eyes towards this beautiful little person living with me.
Sometimes I forget to simplify-- to do nothing but adore the snot out of this chubby little face. When I do this, I remember what's important. Shelby, thanks for the much needed paradigm shift you regularly give your mom.

Livvy

2009-11-04T18:14:00.000-08:00

This is what happens when you let me babysit, Liz.

Halloween

2009-11-02T11:15:00.000-08:00

What'dya think? Would you give us a record deal? I promise Shelby makes some wicked sweet music when Trav strums her tummy. Our concerts will sell out for sure. :)

The best part is-- I had to work that night. You better believe I was the only nurse on the floor wearing neon pink with blue hair. I had to promise a few old ladies it was only for Halloween...for some reason they had a hard time trusting me messing with their IV's.

Laundry

2009-10-31T06:56:00.000-07:00

So we've been adjusting to normal life....does that justify the fact that we had a laundry pile big enough to hide 6 small children? Well, needless to say, I was folding for a long while yesterday. Shelby decided she wanted to do the same. She crawled into her room, pulled out all her jammies, and started folding them.

Thanks for the help, sweetie.

Check out her facial expression...she's a real life housewife.

She's wondering how much of her to-do list she can conquer before she picks up the kids at 3:00.

And did anyone see the amazing sunset last night??

Cruise

2009-10-30T11:01:00.000-07:00

It's taken me a while to start reflecting on the trip-- Shelby needed a couple days to forgive us for leaving her. But she's back to being her crazy little self (thank heavens for babies' short memories). But the trip was fun. Taking trips with siblings is a blast! Although it was decided that having all the sibs there would've been better. Someday, eh?

For now, back to real life and diapers. But I have to admit, I have never been more excited to change a diaper in my life! This trip made us realize that Shelby is a big part of us now. Well Shelbs, next time you can come. (Of course, you might be 14-- but it's something to look forward to).

Our ship had a flow rider on it. Trav was up there workin' his skills whenever it was open.

And how did the twins do? Fabulous!
Although they weren't a big fan of the food.
They weren't eating 4 lobster tails each the way Nate and Trav were.
Yep. Gross.

Happy six years, Trav.

*

Bye bye, our little Guido.

2009-10-17T02:39:00.000-07:00

We're off.

I should be excited, right? Well I think I am...It's just that when I rocked Shelby to sleep tonight, I couldn't keep from crying. Shelby stared at me as though she wondered how a mommy can cry like a baby. Am I ridiculous? Nah-- (well I might be, for other reasons). No I think I'm justified in loving her so much...if you know her, you know why.

Shelby, don't change this week. And don't forget Mommy and Daddy. We love you-

P.S. for those babysitting her, let her watch these videos if she gets fussy. She loves videos...especially those she stars in. She likes herself almost as much as we do.

Her first attempt at becoming a civilized human being:

Her first attempt to climb stairs:

Her first realization that the weirdest things in life often produce the greatest entertainment:

Isn't she great? Admit it--you'd cry too.

*

Missy

2009-10-11T22:20:00.000-07:00

I got to hang out with my in-laws this weekend. Missy was coming up to pick up her husband who has been stationed in Texas. We took the opportunity while she was here, of course, to shoot some pics of her CUTE belly! She is due in a few weeks.

While we waited for his plane to get in, we ran a few errands to pass the time. It was easy to see that Missy was incredibly anxious, clutching her cell phone to catch any word from him.

Yeah. I definitely teared up. :)
I'm surrounded by some pretty amazing people.

The rest of the pics....

Six Years

2009-10-05T07:15:00.000-07:00

Wow. Really? That long? Time flies...

Six years ago this month, Travis and I went on our first date, and boy was he smoooooth.

He came up to me before our volleyball game and said, "So there's this guy...who really wants to ask this girl out on a date...bowling...and if 'said guy' asked 'said girl' on this date.......what do you think she might say?" Ok maybe not so smooth. :)

Well I wasn't going to let him off easy: "Travis are you asking me on a date?"

Seeing him squirm a bit, I believe the response was something like: "Um, yeah." I didn't mind the cheese, I had enough butterflies in me that I was mostly concerned about preventing takeoff.

And there it began, just a couple of freshman in college (wow we were young!). 2 years later we were married, another two years we graduated together. Another two years and we've got a cute little house and a cute little baby.

When people describe their marriages this way, it often appears that life has been a bed of roses. Well allow me to quickly squash the illusion. It's been tough. And although it's light years ahead of where we were the first year, we still have our occasional shameful moments of contempt. But the saving truth is-- he's still got my heart. I know things would be very different between us now if those butterflies had never made such a forceful entrance...cause those butterflies come back and visit us often. :) I love, you Travdor.

And so in celebration of six years....

Yup. We're heading out.

Next week, we're cruising to the southern Caribbean with Emily and Nate. Em and Nate, as some of you might know, are expecting twins. So, life as they know it, will end abruptly. And if another member is added to our team (in the far and distant future)....well let's just say there's no better time than now.

Oh, and one last thing. Dear Shelby, pleeeease don't start walking while we're gone. You've made it this far being a lazy baby, one more week--it's all we ask. Love, Mommy and Daddy.

Hobbies: a good thing?

2009-09-30T10:24:00.000-07:00

Travis and I had a funny conversation last night. We both acknowledged how great it is that we have our hobbies. Now that we've said goodbye to school life, it's fun to pick up something else that challenges us. We love the guts out of each other. And although these hobbies are ones we don't always share together (as much as I love walking 3 miles on the golf course just to hit the ball into every possible body of water), it makes the time we do spend together more enjoyable. It's because we've both spent a little time on us as individuals.

So I picked up piano teaching and a little bit of photography. Teaching has been fun because it's motivated me to start learning the songs my old teacher had always dreamed I would learn. (High school was a tad distracting.) I have to admit it's a been a bit of a challenge-- my old, frail fingers don't move the way they used to, but they're regaining strength and it's exhillarating! I often make Travis sit and listen to my new creation.

Now Travis. To say that Travis likes golf is an understatement. To say he is obsessed...again, understatement. :) For real.

He is always figuring out how to better his game. Between the thousands of golf forums and Golf Digest, he does more reading than he did in MBA school. (And let's admit it, this reading is proving to be more worthwhile, eh sweetie?) And clubs must have something to do with it because this guy buys and sells more clubs than anybody! (And congrats on last night's sell Trav.) And I can count on every Saturday morning--yes every Saturday--seeing him walk in the door with the biggest smile on his face, regardless of how he played that day.

So why not? Trav and I have found that exploring our individual talents makes everything else in life just a little bit sweeter.

So here are a few pics in my meager little gallery. Let me know if anybody knows somebody who wants free pictures. I need a few thousand more under my belt to feel halfway legitimate.

Olivia's Blessing

2009-09-23T10:36:00.000-07:00

I had fun shooting pics of my family at Olivia's blessing. Although I'm pretty sure they're sick of me-- I just want some practice. If anyone is interested in lending a model, I would love the chance to practice up! Oh, and you can ask Sarah why Shelby's head is covered in flowers; she seems pretty upset about it.

I hate working.

2009-09-21T14:18:00.000-07:00

Partly because of the constant foul smells that roam the halls
or because I sleep all day and wake up to piles of laundry that stare at me
or because of the patient who sues after you worked your butt off to do everything for them
or because the days just slip on by while my To Do list remains untouched
or because of the hidden guilt that mommy's shouldn't work

but mostly...

...mostly I just miss her.

Thanks for playing with her today, Sar. I can't wait to see her. :)

***(A quick addendum to my original post...
I got some sleep last night, and I'm feeling much less cranky.
Amazing how that works! )***

Babysitting

2009-09-14T13:28:00.001-07:00

Shelby and I got to babysit Olivia this morning. She is smiling!
Let us watch her more often, Liz. I know she loves your law classes, but she seemed to take pleasure in Barney & Friends, too.

Speaking of my role as Auntie, did I mention the incredible news?

Twins!! Emily is having twins!
She told us at La Caille that night by setting these adorable statues on the table.

I love being an aunt. Almost as much as I love being a mommy.

Sign Language

2009-09-08T11:50:00.001-07:00

There's a lot of signing going on around our house lately. For the last couple months, Shelby hasn't said a word that makes sense (other than "ya!" in response to every question).

However, she is communicating pretty well through some hard core sign language. Before this skill phases out, I decided I need to record it. It's not coincidence that nearly every sign relates to food. Oh dear, at least she's learning some manners, right?

Milk.

This new communication is helping to eliminate a little bit of the whining.
...just a little bit.

Shelby also recently found that she likes to "chillax" if you will.
She now does this every time she's in the high chair.

She's changing too fast. Somebody slow life down.

Beach day

2009-09-08T09:48:00.000-07:00

Daddy time.

2009-09-03T14:23:00.000-07:00

I was hanging pictures last night, and I realized how many pictures I have of Shelby and I together. There appears to be a slight inequality between mommy and daddy in this area.

So...

I grabbed the camera, told Trav to grab the kid, and we headed out to the backyard. Quite honestly, these pictures turned out better than I expected. I think I'm actually learning something!

I know without a doubt why Shelby is a cutie...
...my hottie husband. :)

These two clowns are my greatest blessings.

Happy baby.

2009-08-31T09:07:00.000-07:00

Shelby is a constant burst of happiness. I am sure our next kid will be as quiet and docile as they come... our family would be nuts with two of these. :)

Rosie Rosie.

2009-08-26T12:33:00.001-07:00

I took this at my dad's party the other night.
Sorry, but my nieces are the cutest kids around.

Nice Try

2009-08-26T08:14:00.000-07:00

Shelby loves the entertainment center.

Who needs Fisher Price when you have antennas to chew on and dangerous cords to become tangled in?

So Travis made a makeshift lock using one of her toy rings...

...and here's where the ring ended up.
Nice try, Daddy.

(We really need to baby-proof our house.)

P.S.
Does she need glasses?

Our fabulous, fancy G.N.O.

2009-08-19T11:52:00.000-07:00

So my sisters and I-- we have our regular girls' nights. We try not to overdo them, for the men's sake. They like to be included in the fun, or at least they don't like to be left at home with the babies all the time. But let's be honest, they thoroughly enjoy their regular B.N.O.'s. It's like scout camp gone wild. We don't ask questions.

So this particular girls night was nothing short of sensational. We treated ourselves to dinner at La Caille. It was soo beautiful! And the food, oh my. Let's just say there was a raging party going on in my mouth (you were right, Katie). And being treated like royalty in the company of four of my best friends--really made it a night to remember. But believe it or not, the best part of the whole experience wasn't even the food...

...but that part of our conversation has to remain on the D.L. for a short while longer. Ahhhhhh! We tried as best we could to mute our frantic screams (never really works out well for us, by the way---our late night giggles were always loud enough to send Mom storming down the stairs).

What would I do without these guys? Probably wouldn't enjoy evenings as smashing as this.

Butter. I know, right?

And this...
this was my personal favorite. the rack of lamb.

I will never be the same.

And baby Olivia enjoyed herself too! She was such a good baby!

I will miss this.

2009-08-14T12:33:00.001-07:00

She is changing so much-- and if there's one thing I'm going to miss about right now, it's this classic move.

Good morning, Olivia!

2009-08-12T08:37:00.000-07:00

My niece is the cutest newborn baby in this entire world. She joined us last week and she is itty bitty and beautiful. Look, I can prove it...

Big yawn.

The good life.

2009-08-10T12:10:00.001-07:00

I woke up this morning and realized: I live the good life. Husband is my best friend, not to mention quite handsome and stinkin' hilarious. (Yes, sweetie, I still do think that). Baby just can't stop smiling, and that smile gets even bigger every time I glance in her direction.

I don't know what lies ahead, but I'm not too worried. I'm sure we're in for some hard times down the road, but husband, baby and I-- we've got today to enjoy. Besides, these guys make me laugh, and there isn't anything in life more satisfying than that.

Happy Birthday, Shelbs

2009-07-28T14:23:00.000-07:00

/
She did it. She has survived us for a whole year. I'm beginning to think that she might grow up in spite of her childish parents. Her birthday was celebrated in two parties...both of which she was the crowned princess. I guess it's good that I'll never have to worry about an impaired self esteem. She esteems herself to be nothing short of royalty. A fact that is quite evident in these pictures.

Happy birthday, love. You've made this year a blast.

She looks a little like her dad in this...the sideways tongue helps them concentrate.

If you've ever seen the movie "Matilda"...Bruce Bogtrotter. Need I say more?

Matt thought it'd be funny to smash Jessy's face in the cake while she was playing with Shelby.
He was right. :)

Shelby will someday wonder why she had a Kung Fu Panda cake. Her parents are fans.

She got a new onesie-- one of our favorites. It looks great with her new grass skirt, don't you think?

the greatest smell.

2009-07-25T00:47:00.000-07:00

Somebody out there truly does love me.

So I am sitting at my desk at work in the middle of the night, charting on catheters and tube feedings. When all of the sudden, the best smell in the entire world enters my nervous system: RAIN! I don't know how I can smell it-- especially in the midst of various foul smelling body odors, but it is so pungent! It is filling up my senses, as our friend John Denver would say. I think I now understand the inspiration for his song. The English language does not have words to describe how marvelous this is! I haven't inhaled so deeply in a long time. I've never been so grateful that my olfactory nerve is doin' it's job.

I know this sounds a tad dramatic-- I guess somebody must have known how much I needed this tonight. I think I can make it through the night now. I almost glad I'm awake to smell this.

Almost. :)

Lake Powell

2009-07-15T13:46:00.001-07:00

Shelby took her first trip to Powell last week. And is it any surprise...she LOVED it! It was a cool experience to take her there-- I put myself in my parents' shoes, they've been taking us there since we were babies. What a great legacy Lake Powell has turned out to be for our family. I hope Shelby can grow up to enjoy that special place as I have been so blessed to. Thanks Dad and Mary!

Shelby got a new life jacket...as soon as it was put on, she felt that she had to be completely paralyzed. It was pretty restrictive, but she took it to a whole new level. She could only smile and move her eyes. Hands and feet were useless.

She liked swimming with the life jacket--- all she wanted to do was lay back and let mommy do all the work. Talk about leisure swimming...

Admit it, you thought of Spongebob when you saw this pic.
She liked her jetski rides with Grandpa. She's smiling with her eyes closed. She was in desperate need of sunglasses the whole trip.

That's more like it! She LOVED the sunglasses. Thanks for letting her borrow them, Auntie Em.

Yep, that's my dad. I can't think of many guys his age who can still jump the wake.
He's a true ski bum.
Welcome to Lake Powell, Shelbs.

Shelby the gymnast

2009-07-08T12:21:00.000-07:00

For a few months now, Shelby has been reaching the objects of her desire by doing the full-on splits. It's pretty entertaining. She's getting older now, and I wanted to document it before she realizes there are easier ways to get what she wants...perhaps a less painful option.

I love nieces.

2009-06-26T13:42:00.000-07:00

Ok I really only have ONE niece. But I already know I love them all...I only have left to meet them. I took these pics a couple weeks ago of my sister Sarah and her husband Cesar. Together, they produced the adorable little Rosemary.

I know they say it's just not possible to love someone else's kids as much as your own. Well I'm going to have to say that nieces come pretty dang close. I might just throw myself in front of a bus for you, Rosie. Especially when you cast that pretty smile in my direction.

And guess who couldn't handle the lack of camera attention.

I love you too, Guido.

The cake.

2009-06-19T08:09:00.000-07:00

So as a few of you know, I took a big risk (or rather, Melissa took a big risk) when I offered to make her wedding cake. Yes I know, apparently I'm stupid enough to venture into a profession I don't belong. But when all was said and done, well, it was done. After 8 long hours and several modified curses, here is the finished product.

Thanks, Missy, for being a guinea pig...in more ways than one. In spite of the cake, your wedding was beautiful!

And what do you think of the picture? And her hair? It would seem that I'm trying to get into the wedding business. Don't worry...I'm at least smarter than that.

No more teachers, no more books

2009-06-15T11:56:00.000-07:00

So it's been over a month, and I realized I never congratulated my buddy on his big day. Trav is finally done!

In fact, both these guys are celebrating an achievement. Travis- a Masters in Business. Shelby- almost a full year of life.
Sadly, however, the fruits of their labor have not yet blossomed.
Travis doesn't have his Subaru STI and Shelby can't crawl.

Well, my friends, all I can say is cheer up...these things will come soon enough.

And you want to know why couldn't Travis stay focused for this picture? Because the fruit of his labor with a really loud exhaust just drove by. When this happens, not a thing in the world can keep his attention.

It's ok, sweetie- I understand. Someday.

Sandy Eggo

2009-06-09T10:10:00.001-07:00

Best trip ever.

Ok, that's debatable...there have been so many. But it was definitely worth writing home about.

Somehow we got everyone there. That's right-- the whole fam damily. It was an awesome opportunity to spend time with all 24 of us. It was especially great to see our East coast family.

Dad and Mary rented 3 condos right on Mission beach for the whole crew. It was a blast. Boogie boarding, beach fires, volleyball, Sea World...and Shelby got her first taste of beach life. Why don't you ask her later if she liked it.

Huge thanks to Dad and Mary for making it possible, and to Emily for planning it. It's interesting how we sometimes describe periods in our lives by the vacations we took at the time. This is certainly a trip that will go down in the books as being one of the most memorable for our fam. I love them all so much.

Also, Shelbs wants to give a shout out to all the aunts and uncles who spent a good part of the trip teaching her how to crawl. I'm afraid she's still struggling to get those massive thighs off the ground. Someday, perhaps. But there's no use wishing the time away. After all, it's kinda nice having a rather stationary child.

First practice session...

2009-05-06T13:12:00.000-07:00

I'm so glad Travis's sister is getting hitched! Partly because it's giving me some good practice on a few of my hobbies. Our good friend Katie took her bridal shots, and she let me follow her around and snap a few of my own. And even though mine didn't turn out anywhere near as good as Katie's, it was a good practice session anyhow. Thanks, Missy, for being such a beautiful model!!

2009-04-26T15:57:00.000-07:00

Aunt Emily came over on Saturday and we had so much fun!

I started cleaning Shelby's ears and Emily said she was making funny faces so she snapped a few pics. She was right!

We soon realized that she was in an exceptionally fun mood, so of course we had no choice but to shoot more pics.

This has been her favorite game since she was a newborn-- we're at the part: "one little nose to smell what's sweet..."

Well Auntie Em-- you can come over any time you want. We always have a blast every time you do. Thanks for the fun Saturday!

P.S. check out Shelby's chin in this picture...do you see any resemblance of an old fat lady? haha- I love her face!

Amanda's new toy

2009-04-20T21:07:00.000-07:00

So, let's admit. When someone gets a new toy, we usually think of Travis. That guy is always on eBay and KSL-- buying and selling all sorts of things. Well, I took my turn-- I got a camera. I just couldn't bear watching our little Googer grow up without capturing these priceless moments. Camera and I (I need to come up with her name) are just starting to get to know eachother. Here's a little preview of our first days together.

Sound Effects

2009-03-24T19:00:00.000-07:00

Shelby has finally figured out how to bend her legs! Mr. Johnny Jump Up is her new friend. She even chose a sound effect that fit the jumping mood. Although, we can't figure out why she chose this one...

a brief update

2009-03-20T15:45:00.000-07:00

These last few weeks have been a bit of a whirlwind! I have gone through the job search process-- applications, interviews, and fortunately some offers! Now I just have to hope that I made the right decision!

Shelby is still kickin' back, lovin' life. What an incredibly happy human she is. We should be more like her.

She's also helping me out with my piano lessons. She's a great motivator...when the students make mistakes on their songs, she fusses loudly. Shelby certainly knows good music when she hears it. And don't tell anyone, but I think she's got a crush on one of the kids. While he plays, Shelby cheers very loudly flashes those pretty smiles. And instead of placing his stickers on the songs he passes off, he gives them to Shelby to decorate her face. Watch out for this one, Daddy.

Chatty hatty

2009-03-02T11:19:00.000-08:00

Shelby is talking up a storm lately, and it's making me wonder what she would say if she could.

Good old friends

2009-02-25T10:23:00.001-08:00

Last week I had the awesome opportunity to meet with some fabulous old friends from...well actually from elementary school. Kaleena, Dana, and Amy (of course I think I knew Amy from day one). It was so great to be able to catch up with them. And mostly, it was so wonderful to see how happy they all are. Isn't that one of life's greatest joys? Every so often, you probably find yourself thinking about random people who have made an impact on your life; and you hope that whatever they are doing now, they are happy. Well, I got to see a little evidence!

There are so many funny memories with these girls, from performing in singing contests in my basement garage at sleepovers (Les Mis is coming to mind) to practicing our awesome N'SYNC moves. And who can forget those crazy late night banters as college roommates? I think it's safe to say I carry a little of them with me every day. And hey ladies, let's not wait another six years, eh? :)

Our Little Tender Mercy

2009-02-10T20:31:00.000-08:00

Tonight is just another Tuesday. Trav is at school tonight, and I have had an especially hard time putting Shelby down. Not because she's being a stink bum, but because I can't seem to pry myself away from her.

I am loving every second I have to stare at her, to hear her funny noises when I throw her into the air, or nibble at her tummy while she giggles, or touch her exceptionally plump cheeks, not being able to help but notice her slobber-covered chin as she smiles her adorable toothless grin. Who knew that such a little person could bring so much overwhelming joy.

All I know is this: although it is very obvious that Travis and I don't deserve someone so precious, I am so grateful she has joined our team. I don't think either of us were prepared for how much love our hearts could hold. Thanks for changing us, Shelby.

Anyhoo-- these are just a few of the thoughts in my head as I lean against her crib, listening to her fall asleep.

Life is good. ...there has never been a bigger understatement.

Happy Birthday Travis!

2009-02-04T19:22:00.001-08:00

Happy....27th Birthday. Of course I remembered how old he is. I've only guessed wrong about 6 times. On Sunday we had a multi-purpose party--Travis was gracious enough to share his day with the Super Bowl.

So here's the big story...I think I actually succeeded in keeping Travis guessing on his birthday present.

I had him open a phony gift filled with things like cereal and water bottles (I pulled random stuff out of our pantry). Unbeknownst to him, there was another gift on the chair behind him... see it?

At the bottom of the box was an X-Box 360 game I knew he wanted (Forza 2, if you were dying to know).

He was trying to appear as happy as he could while he calmly explained to me that it won't work on his X Box...he needs a 360 in order to play it. I have to say I did a dang good job playing dumb: "Oh know, are you serious? I'm so sorry!"

After some help, he found a note in the bottom of the box that read, "Turn around."

And then...

Happy Birthday, Travis. Although he understands he can't even look at until March 27th. Does he really need any more motivation to graduate??

So with all the football spectating, Guitar Hero playing, and gift giving, it turned out to be a fabulously fun day. We all loaded up on great food...even Shelby.

One thing can be said for this girl. She's got the eating thing mastered.

ESPN

2009-01-26T15:32:00.001-08:00

Shelby decided to watch some Winter X Games with her Dad. We couldn't pry either of them away from the action.

Behold your future, Shelby. :)

Bittersweet Cabin Trip

2009-01-21T19:52:00.000-08:00

After the many wonderful years spent in Star Valley Wyoming, we're saying goodbye. We took our last trip up to the cabin last weekend--it's time to sell.

But oh what a fun weekend it was!

We engaged in some "extreme sledding", as Heidi puts it. We did all that we could to get those tubes going: crisco, pam spray...but the good old fashioned snowmobile drag was your best bet, depending on how long you could hang on!

Of course we must have a little competition with Travis around,
so he and Matt had a sled-board contest...

And Travis won.

Yes we were doing some serious synchronized shadow-dancing. How did you guess?

And what was our Miss Shelby doing while we were out? ...

First she enjoyed reading the magazine.

Then she read the paper.

Trav and I went on a Snowmobile ride and we saw a 17 of these furry guys...

Apparently this lady feeds them. They were there the whole trip!

I know, it's weak sauce. It's not the crazy air that Willie miraculously survived. I wish I could have seen it...darn camera batteries! Although we did get an awesome video of Nate. :)

Shelby couldn't get enough of her many aunts and uncles this trip!
She hardly got set down the entire time...which is making this week rather difficult. It's ok, she's getting two cousins in a few months--she'll get her much needed reality check upon their arrival. :)

It was sad to say goodbye. We'll miss the golfing, the day trips to Jackson, river rafting on the Snake, and definitely all this winter fun. This is also the venue of one of our famous girls trips (remember that Jess, Nayo and Soph?). Lots of fun memories. But as Dad says, we'll just have to find another place to make many more memories for years to come!

For now, we still have Lake Powell to look forward to...horray! Shelby's first Powell trip!

Piano Lessons

2009-01-20T13:21:00.000-08:00

So I found some work I can do from home. Today I teach my first piano lesson. And although this person on my lap is obviously very talented, she is not my student yet. I have 4 new students who will hopefully learn something of value from me.
As I sit here thinking of effective teaching techniques, my mind wanders back to my piano lesson days, and the absolutely wonderful teacher I had. If one of my students gets out of this experience even a small portion of what I got from her, I will be so happy. Anyways...there is a fun cabin trip to reminisce about soon!

Our Little Santa Baby

2008-12-31T15:04:00.000-08:00

Another Milestone

2008-12-31T13:20:00.001-08:00

Rolling over is Shelby's new favorite thing. Although we're quite positive that it's only because she has finally found a way to avoid tummy time.

Back to work

2008-12-11T11:48:00.000-08:00

All good things must come to an end. Shelby and I have been goofing around long enough. Back to work we go. I guess Shelby is coming with me...she could totally pass as a nurse, don't you think? Patients will just assume that she is a nursing student who is following me for the day. Although, I can't remember if I ever carried a nursing student in an infant carrier. I guess the idea might not fly after all.

The good news is Travis is officially done with the semester! A whole month off, and graduation is drawing near. So what are we going to do with ourselves and all this free time? We might have to brush up on our bowling skills this winter. Time to find out whether child-bearing has affected our game. We've also got some roaring holiday parties to host. And we couldn't possibly miss an episode of our favorite "top" shows (Top Gear and Top Chef). So I guess you could say we have our time well managed.

And what's new with Shelby? She likes to watch the tube with daddy. Check out her new skills...Trav's got her standing up! She is definitely growing too fast.

Sooper Saturday!

2008-12-03T11:05:00.001-08:00

We had a marathon Saturday last week! After the sibs came over to our house for a mean breakfast, we decided to take on the Body Worlds challenge. Wow. I'm seriously thinking of throwing down the money to see it again! It was fascinating. I wanted to go back to work...if for no other reason than to have more discussions with my patients about the bizarre nature of their diseases! Ok I admit that's weird, but it did reawaken my desire to continue my education. Some day? Anyways it was breathtaking, and I am reminded of the respect that our bodies deserve. I didn't want to leave, but when I saw the glazed over eyes of some of my family members, I knew it was time to call it a day.

What did Travis take away from the experience? The reminder that his body is "jacked", using his words. :) Looking at the joints was especially troublesome. But we posed the question: is the ability to pull crazy stunts (such as this skater dude) worth the pain that follows? If you ask Trav, we all know the answer is "shoot yes!"

After Body worlds we all met at Dad's for the big game. I love it--he was one of the one-day Direct TV customers just so we could all meet up for the game. It was worth it, Dad. The party was great...half of us were Utes and the other half of us were not as cool. (hehe). I can't believe we let a BYU fan hold our baby!

I'm all talk, really, because shortly after the game started the girls and I went for a walk. I love them. If you ever need a good talk, laugh, or cry---well then, find your own sisters! These girls are mine! :)

So, to finish off our sooper saturday, we hit up the new Twilight film. I'll let everyone else give their worthy opinions...as for me, I guess I better find the time (and the will) to pick up the second book!

Cedar Trip

2008-11-24T10:27:00.000-08:00

Sort of a delayed update. Oh well. Shelby and I took a trip to Cedar City to see Grandma and Grandpa. I tried to surprise them by leaving her alone on the porch and ringing the doorbell. It kind of backfired, however, when they opened the door to a screaming baby. But according to these pics, they were just happy to have her around...screaming or not. Aunt Missy had her smiling all weekend!

We found out that
Shelby enjoys watching TV with Grandpa.

And Grandma knew
just what to do to get those giggles out.

My new friend

2008-11-12T13:27:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone. It's me Shelby. Check out my new rattle that Grandma Annette got me. I think we're going to be quite good friends, Rattle and I.

Wait a second-- I've changed my mind. Friends don't deck friends in the face.

Halloween

2008-11-09T19:20:00.000-08:00

Our first real Halloween! We say that because we haven't really celebrated Halloween to its fullest for the last few years. We figured out that apartment complexes don't get very many trick-or-treaters. Our new neighborhood, on the other hand, is trick-or-treating madness! Our front door didn't close much as there was a constant flow of Tinkerbells, Pirates, and Hannah Montanas. Thus, the anticipation of this trick-or-treat frenzy motivated us to get festive. And how could we resist when our baby pea seemed to be enjoying the night so much!

So we dressed as the Flintstones. Yes, Fred and Fred Flintstone as you can tell by our matching outfits. I am actually supposed to be Wilma, but the only costumes I could find were lingerie-ish...("naughty Wilma"?) So we're both Fred, but one of us has bright orange hair... we make do with what we have, ok?

Liz and Willie helped us whether the storm of trick-or-treaters. However, we thought twice about asking for their assistance when one family came to the door. After seeing Willie, who was dressed as the bearded lady, the mother loudly called to her kids who were running to our door, "I don't know about this house, kids." Good thing Willie is not easily offended, eh? I personally think he looked rather pretty.

Em and Nate arrived in their exceptional ensembles. Emily was our favorite Rainbow Bright and Nate was the classic villain! After our dinner of pizza and worm infested jell-o (thanks Em), we enjoyed a side-splitting game of signs. It was the perfect company for a fabulous evening. Happy first Halloween, Shelby!

The next night we had our mystery dinner at Sarah's house. What a blast! Everyone's costumes were so great! They were all dressed as staff members of the 5 star hotel I owned. Travis was the professional bar tender. Check out his wicked handle bars that connect to the side burns. That is art by my definition. But my favorite detail is his gold chain claiming that he is "God's gift to women". Although his costume was good, Dad ultimately won the contest. As the pot scrubber who had dreams of being a rock star, we all thoroughly enjoyed watching him flip his long blonde hair around all night! All in all...a great weekend.

Our first real post!

2008-10-27T13:07:00.000-07:00

As this is our first post, it is obvious that we are not experts at this. But if you don't really mind, then I guess we don't really care. :) The main purpose of this is to update our long distance family and friends on the daily happenings of our family. So whaddya say we jump in?

Just a blurb of background: Trav and I were married in May of 2005. We met in Cedar City via my sister Sarah when she invited him to be on our intermural volleyball team (back when I was better at the sport than he was). We graduated from SUU in 2007, he in psychology and I in nursing. We moved up north where Trav is currently in the MBA program at the U, and I am currently working full time as Shelby's slave :)...jk. Shelby joined our team in July. Since then, our family has reached a whole new level of awesomeness.

This is also a busy time for our us. Travis heads to work early in the morning and gets home from school late, so I have been using this opportunity to influence her with my girly ways. I know as soon as Travis graduates and has more time, he will try to get her out on the golf course! In the meantime, Shelby and I have become quite good friends. We spend most of the day involved in some quality girl talk-- she is becoming rather chatty. Although I'm starting think that new friends are needed, as I am afraid she's getting sick of me. Calling all siblings: bring on the cousins!

Last week we said adios to our wonderful friend "Dal-Pal" Hardcastle. The boys enjoyed an exhausting night of soccer just before he left to serve in the Spain, Barcelona mission. Dal has been dating our sister Jessica for quite some time. And I think its safe to say that all of us (especially all the brother-in-laws) are rooting for his future entry into our family! Who says the decision is up to Jess? We'll see you in two years, Unkie Dal!

Well I hope we can keep this blog thing going! For now, its adios for us. It's way past Shelby's bed time. :)

Who am I?

2008-10-10T09:14:00.000-07:00

Allow me to introduce myself. I am Shelby, the founder of this website. I know there are actually three names in the title, but let's face it-- I own this family. Therefore, it only makes sense that most of this blog will be featuring me, your one and only. However, because I'm nice, I will let mommy and daddy do most of the talking. But you must admit, I am the real reason you came here to visit today. Good, I'm glad we've established that.

So here's a little about myself. In my short life, I have had my share of identity issues. I have already been a Reagan, a Shelby, and a Bob. Thankfully, my parents finally decided on Shelby (although I would argue that 2 weeks old is a little late to make that decision). It's OK, they're doing their best and I love them. Poor mommy just has a tough time making decisions.

If you think that's bad, get a load of this dilemma. I can't decide what I want to be when I grow up! Should I be a gold medalist in the Special Olympics like Daddy, or should I be a ballerina? These are some rough times for a baby. For all you out there who think that life for a baby is easy, try walking in my onesie. You'll see it's not as easy as it looks.

So who am I? I am Shelby Elizabeth Betenson. I am almost 3 months old. I am Mommy and Daddy's baby. I am both a gold medalist and a ballerina. And most of all, I am very happy you stopped by!

Kickstart

2008-10-08T17:10:00.000-07:00