The Dancings!

Viva la Diva!!!

2010-11-19T12:22:00.000-08:00

This is an actual, word for word, misspellings and all excerpt from Braelin's Journal. I'm not going to feel bad about putting it on my blog because she left it on the kitchen table.....what does she expect? I'm going to read it, and when I think it's this hilarious and telling into the life of my nine year old, I'm going to share it as well. You can think I'm a terrible parent, I really don't care. :)

Here it is:

O my GOSH!!! (Kyle)

Today: October 26, 2010 (Tuesday)

Did you know that I love attition. Well this boy named Kyle likes me. At first I kinda liked him, but when I found out that he likes me, I did not want to like him. So he is crawling all over me. He's in my gum class. So evry tuesday we play tag. So evry time I'm there (im always there). I just want to dich P.E. so he always trys to tag me. So i try/do tag him. So today he was in the line, right behind me! We were talking, I think he said, "Just say a sware word at me and I'll leave you alone. I don't want to say a sware word beacuse I don't want him to give away his attition. So you still know that in 3d grade I said a lot of sware words I said the B word, Aword, AHword, and the S words. I just don't want to do it.

Seriously.....(oh, this is me again, btw). I'm glad I've never heard her say those sware words.....it would certainly get MY attition!!!

Looking at the Silver Lining

2010-11-12T13:37:00.000-08:00

Dinner with good friends......
Your daughter thinking she is actually going to make a sandwich....

Sunday afternoon naps....

Big grins.....

Dressing up.....

A beautiful sunset.....

This is how I know I am loved.

The Next Year

2010-10-04T11:43:00.000-07:00

It's been a year. A year of staying at home as a mommy. A year of financial uncertainty. A year of major mistakes and lessons learned. A year of depression, and medication, and continued depression. A year of many joys staying at home and nursing a beautiful growing baby girl. A year of loneliness and of yearning for the companionship of other adults, while at the same time wanting to crawl into bed all day. A year of denial, regret, some acceptance and lots and lots of reality. Did I mention it's been a year?

I am hoping that by the end of this year I can get my ducks back in their row. That next year will be filled with the happiness of a bright future. I hope that I can get out of this funk, that I can turn to my Heavenly Father again for help. I hope that the dark days are replaced by the acceptance of my situation, that I will not have the strong desire to escape, but that I will have the strength to forge ahead. That I will use my running shoes for their proper purpose. That the smile on my face will be real instead of forced. That the desire to do the right thing will come from inside of me rather than knowing my children deserve that much. That the depression will be ultimately medicated, if not gone. I just hope that next year I know what the heck I am supposed to do with next year.

These are the thoughts in my head. It's crazy to write them out, because they are dark, and they are scary. But it's therapeutic. Writing has always been a comfort to me. Even when I was young, I would write to get out my feelings. Many letters went unsent. Some were sent and never arrived to their intended. I write words in my head. I talk to myself all the time. In writing, I hope to find the answers I am looking for. I hope to sort things out. And it helps a lot.

Someday I hope to look back on this year and be able to say that it was a catalyst to something better. That the struggles and the heartache and the tears were worthwhile. I hope that my children and my sweet husband have not been forever affected by my difficulties this year. I hope that they know that they are my main motivation for getting out of bed every morning. They are the reason I know that there is still a Heavenly Father who loves me, and who is waiting for me to get back down on my knees. They have been my light in this year of gray. I love them more than anything else. More than any job, more than my house, more than a title and a paycheck, more than financial gain or security, more than I love myself. Oh, I hope they know that.

Braelin's Birthday

2010-09-14T13:03:00.000-07:00

Braelin turned nine on August 28, 2010. We had invited six of her friends to a "loosely planned" birthday party (read: cheap) and as of Friday night hadn’t heard anything from her two friends from school, no big surprise there. I had room in my car for four girls with seat belts, assuming at least one of them wouldn’t be able to come. So, Braelin tells me that her friend from school had told her that she wanted to come, but that we needed to go and get her. Of course, I have no idea who this child is or where she lives. Braelin assures me she knows where she lives.
So, we set out on our adventure with three girls from church, Braelin, myself and Brianna, Braelin’s aunt. Braelin is insistent upon “swinging by” and picking up Raven, so she directs me to the neighborhood. We get to the street she lives on, and Braelin says, “She lives three houses, two or three houses down from Chrislyn”. Oh, great! Where does Chrislyn live??!! So, the knocking begins. I felt like a madwoman. “Hi, I’m here to take your kid…..this is totally legit.” After the THIRD house we knocked on, we found Raven’s. Her mom said that Raven was at Chrislyn’s house. So, we go down to the house and here comes the two girls. What follows can only be described as a ruckus. Running in and out of houses, with phones that don’t work and dads that don’t speak English, and little girls running up and down the street trying to put their shoes on as they go. I just sat there thinking, “This is going to be a really, really bad idea.”
I couldn't have been more wrong.
Well, we got everyone in the car. Braelin and Brianna had to share a seat/seatbelt so that everyone I wasn’t related to had their own. The minivan was abuzz with chitter chatter.

We got to the downtown YMCA with a few minutes to spare before the Mommy and Me Zumba class began.
Zumba with six tweenies is just about as much fun as anyone can ever have. They were hilarious, and just grinning from ear to ear. It was the most fun I think I have EVER had working out! And let me just say that at this point, I was really glad we brought Raven, because she was putting it ALL out there. I mean, ALL. OF. IT. And I loved it!

After Zumba, we walked across the street downtown and took an elevator down into the elusive tunnels of Downtown Dallas. Because it was the weekend, most of the tunnels were closed, but it was still cool to think we were under all of those big buildings.

We finished off our Downtown date at House of Blues. This is where things really started to get interesting. I can’t even explain it, but the pictures that follow will show you what my words could never say. Happy Birthday, my beautiful Braelin! Thank you for letting me come on this incredible adventure with you! you!!!

These Days

2010-04-01T20:18:00.000-07:00

I was perusing Facebook today and I found a statement in that little box underneath one of my friends' pictures. The quote describes exactly how I feel these days, and I love, love, LOVE that I found it!! As I am quickly approaching my 37th birthday, which means that I am even more rapidly approaching 40 (really?), I am starting to look at life differently. Call it a mid-life crisis if you want to, but I think you just get really reflective at this age, and you start wondering about all kinds of "stuff".....everyone reacts differently to this wondering, and the quote pretty much sums up how I feel at this point in my life:

"Life is short.....Break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably, and never regret anything that made you smile."

Life is short......That is for sure!! I mean, wasn't I just in high school? Wasn't I just home from a mission? Didn't I just get married? Seriously???? Where does the time go? It is flying, and I can't keep up, and I still feel 23, and then I look at myself naked and I realize that is NOT the case, because, WOW!!! Anyway, life is very short, and it goes by waaaaaaaay too fast!

Break the rules....it's okay to do this as long as you don't make a habit of it. I have been thinking about all these rules I have running through my head....make sure you do this, don't do this, don't even THINK about doing that!!!! And there is all this guilt that I don't need, and unhappiness that I don't need to feel, and things I could be doing instead of worrying about all the things I should be doing that I'm not, and all the things I shouldn't be doing that I am. Every once in awhile, it's nice to just put all that aside and be okay with who you are and what you need. But like I said....don't make a habit of it!!!

Forgive quickly.....I like to think of myself as someone who forgives really quickly. Problem with me is that sometimes I forget to "forget". I hope that the next half of my life I find myself moving on. That I can forget the things that others have done that have hurt me, and I can forget the things that I have done to hurt myself. I also hope that the stupid things I have done haven't done irreparable harm, and that those I have hurt can forgive me quickly and move forward in their lives....whether I am still a part of it or not. I am learning a lot these days about forgiveness, and I am grateful for these lessons.

Kiss slowly.....that's right!! Is there anything better than "that" kiss? Bradley has always had this special way of kissing me, and it still makes me weak in the knees, even fourteen years after the first time! The first time I kissed him, I knew I was going to be in trouble!!! I also knew I wouldn't be okay just kissing him once. It's amazing, and it's sooooo great that my stomach still does unpredictable flip flops when he kisses me like that even though the rest of our relationship is relatively void of spontaneity. I mean, we have three kids, and we're old. But those slow kisses will NEVER be old. NEVER. EVER. NEVER.

Love truly.....pretty simple concept, right? But not always easy to follow through. I have loved loads of people in my life, but how many have I loved TRULY? To me that means that I am happy for them no matter what, that there is no malice, no jealousy, only happiness toward them and all that they are. I have loved a couple of people truly, and they are all part of my family with a couple of friends thrown in for good measure. I am so blessed to have these people in my life. Some of them have been easy to love. Other's harder to love, but I think that loving someone truly comes from going through challenges and coming out the other side better people.

Laugh uncontrollably....this is my favorite thing in the WORLD to do. I love to laugh. I love to tell stories that make other people laugh. I love watching my children laugh. I was born of an extremely witty man, who has taught each of his children well. We all have a sense of humor that is wicked, witty and downright dirty sometimes, but it gets us through all of our "stuff". I can laugh about anything, and I'm so glad I have this coping mechanism. My favorite thing is to laugh so hard that tears are running down my face, no sound is coming out of my mouth, and my stomach muscles feel like I've just done one hundred sit ups. That's when I KNOW something was super funny!!!

Never regret anything that made you smile.....Self explanatory. And I 100% agree.

I also like the quote, "Life is short. Get the shoes." Also self-explanatory. And I also 100% agree.

The Last Hour

2010-03-27T10:40:00.000-07:00

I received one of those phone calls this morning that you hope you never receive. My beautiful sister was on the other end of the phone, and could hardly choke out the words. She told me something really horrible had happened. All of a sudden, a dozen scenarios went through my mind, and my body went numb. She told me that her best friend, Taylia Olsen, had died that morning. You see, Taylia lived in Michigan and was in the same ward as Sara. They were best friends. And by best friends, I mean that they did everything together. They even took turns cooking dinner for each other's families. As a working mother, at the time I didn't quite understand the relationship, and thought it was odd to be that close to someone. Now I am at home, and I totally get it. I understand the need to be close to someone as a mom. Someone that gets what you are going through, and sees you for who you are as a woman, not just a carpool driving, cooking, cleaning and putting-out-the hottest-fires-mommy. So, Taylia was Sara's someone. And now she is gone.
Taylia moved to China with her sweet family awhile back. Sara had been on skype with her many times, and they still communicated frequently. She was doing her daughters hair, and collapsed and passed away. Just like that. Bradley and I are both friends with her on Facebook, so we went to her page. An hour or so before she passed away she had been on Facebook playing Farmville. I said to Bradley, "If she had known she had an hour or so left, do you think she would've been on Farmville?" I began to cry and knew I had to blog. If I only had an hour or so left in my life, what would I do?
I would tell the people in my life what they mean to me. So, I am going to do that right now.
Bradley,
With everything that we have gone through in the last twelve years, you must know that you mean everything to me. Highs and lows, ups and downs, you are my constant. You have always wanted to take care of me, and sometimes I haven't let you, and for that I am sorry. I'm a stubborn girl, but this stubborn girl will love you forever, and for always, and no matter what.
Braelin,
My beauty. You and I are too much alike for words. I can feel your moods by whether or not you've eaten or slept enough. You are so precious, and have such a tender heart. I am blown away by your ability to love others so freely. I am so grateful for all that you teach me each day, and for your sweet hugs and kisses. They build me up, and I know that my Heavenly Father loves me every time I look at you and your sweet smile.
Devrie,
Devrie-Doo. My fiesty angel. You make me laugh so hard. I could look in your big, amazing brown eyes forever and just wonder how we got so lucky to have you. You are so smart, and I'm a little scared that you are already smarter than I am! When you purse your lips to kiss me, I feel so lucky to get that smushy kiss. I love our time together each day, even though it might not seem like it all the time. I feel very blessed to spend my days with you.
Aislen,
My baby girl. What a blessing you have been to me. I love spending time nursing you. Just you and me. It is so tender when you rub your sweet soft hand on mine, something you do every time you eat. You are spoiled because you are my last and I don't want to miss a thing....I missed a lot with your sisters, and I will pick you up every time you cry. You have the greatest dimples, and when you light up each morning, it warms every part of me. I love you, my little stinker monkey.
Mom,
I love you. What more can I say to someone who has been everything to me? I am so grateful that you are my confidant, and that you listen to me, even when I'm being ridiculous. Thank you for teaching me how to love unconditionally. You are amazing.
Daddy,
I have always tried to make you proud of me. Lately, I don't feel like I've done a very good job of that. Nevertheless, I hope you are proud of me, and I hope you know how much you mean to me and how much I look up to you. I love you.
Matt,
My little big brother. So proud of you and your accomplishments. You are a great husband and dad, and those two things are the most important. I love you and Andi and your boys very much, and wish I could see you more.
Sara,
My sweet sister. I couldn't bear the thought of you not knowing how much you mean to me. You are my go-to gal. I have never laughed harder. You get me. And I see you, and how wonderful you are. Not to mention the fact that you are just absolutely beautiful. I am so proud to call you my sister. I love you. I love being Aunt Lo-Lo to your amazing girls, and I hope George and your family know how much I love them.
Evan,
O-Evan. The most loyal of the bunch. And sooooo stinking hilarious! I had so much fun just talking to you and reconnecting when you came out here to help me paint my kitchen. Every time I walk in here, I think of you, and your willingness to come all the way down here and help out your nearly non-existent big sister. I love you very much. I want the best for you always, and I believe in you. I hope that you know that.
Ian,
I will never forget the time we were in Baton Rouge and I was a complete basket case, and you gave me a blessing. What a man you have turned out to be. And how awesome it was to share that experience with you. My little brother is a spiritual giant. I am so thankful for you in my life. I love living vicariously through your awesome experiences, and I am so looking forward to your bright future. I love you so much.
Mom and Dad Dance,
Thank you for treating me like your daughter. Thank you for loving me despite all my weaknesses. And thank you for raising such an amazing son. No, he isn't perfect, but he loves me and my girls more than anything. And when it comes down to it, that's all that matters, huh? I love you both more than you could ever know.
Sabrina, Eric, Julia, Quinn, Brianna, et al,
Thanks for putting up with me and all my crazy antics. I know that I have no filter, and sort of busted in on your family and talked about loads of things I shouldn't. Thanks for loving me anyway. I have so enjoyed all the times we have been together as a family. I love seeing you all and talking and laughing. It's just the best. What a great family I married into.

All my extended family....I love you as well. I am so grateful that I believe what I believe. And I do believe that we will all be together forever someday, if that is what we want. I am thankful that I am surrounded by people that I WANT to be with forever. That makes the journey there much more enjoyable, and the destination that much more exciting.

So, Taylia, I know that Farmville wasn't what you would've been doing had you known you were in your last hour. I am taking the chance to write down my feelings, and I'm sure they would've been very similar to what you would've said had you known Heavenly Father was taking you back today. Know that in the wake of this very, very sad day, you have taught me a very valuable lesson. I cannot procrastinate, I need to say what needs to be said, I need to do what needs to be done, and I need to love more than I have been.

We never know when our last hour is up, and I want to take advantage of every minute I have.

Blah, Blah, BLOG!!!

2010-03-25T15:09:00.000-07:00

So, yes, it's been forever since I've blogged. And why, you ask? Well, let's see here....Let me think of a very good excuse.

I GOT it!! I had a baby!! And yes, I know that was nearly six months ago, but it's thrown me for a MAJOR loop, so I'm still using it as an excuse. Sue me.

So much has happened since October, it's almost easier to just pretend that snippet of time didn't exist and start over. But that wouldn't be fair to the last six months, so I will do my best with some pictures:

We had a baby girl. We named her Aislen. It isn't pronounced Ass-len. It's Ace-lin. Like Ace In The Hole. Or Ace of Base. She's a pistol. She was born real fast, and we are real glad we didn't turn around to get the camera because she would've been born in the car without an epidural.

The girls were flowers for Halloween. I made their outfits. I had officially lost my mind at that point.

Devrie continued to get into loads of trouble, especially when Mommy was nursing the new baby.

We celebrated Thanksgiving at home just the five of us. It was an event, but I think it was more difficult to get everyone outside to the gazebo for a semi-family picture. (Bradley took it, so he wasn't in it.)

Braelin had some visitors in December when she was Baptized. We also blessed Aislen the same weekend.

Grandma and Grandpa Dance came down for the baptism and blessing. It was awesome!

Devrie cut her hair. TWICE!!!

It snowed on Christmas Day in Dallas!

We managed to make it through Christmas morning without disgusting amounts of presents....it was GREAT!

In January and February we went to Utah twice. We got to see a lot of family, but it was sad, too because we had to say goodbye to Grandpa Buxton, who we love so much and miss dearly.

We celebrated Devrie's 3rd Birthday just last week. We are loser's and didn't take any pictures of that, but this is what she looks like today:

So, now I am pretty much caught up! With the Blog, anyway. The rest of my life is a nightmare for even the strongest of procrastinators! But, at least my BLOG is updated. That's how you get into heaven, right?????

The First and the Last

2009-10-09T11:21:00.000-07:00

So, this week I have had the extreme pleasure of being at home with my girls, or, more specifically, with Devrie. About midway through the week I realized that this was my first week with her where we got to spend alone time together. And I also realized it's my last week as well because the new baby will be here next Thursday. So bittersweet. So, we are enjoying lots of Dora and Sesame Street and eating and reading together. She has made no mention of Carmen, her nanny, so it hasn't been nearly the adjustment for her that it has for me. There are times during the day she will come right up to my face and just smile, as if to say, "I am so glad you are here." It makes me want to squish her. She is such a multi-faceted child. One minute you are so frustrated with her busy-ness, the next minute, she is edible, and you really do want to just eat her up.

She has no idea what she is in for next week. I'm sure there will be LOTS of good stories. Hopefully none involving life threatening injuries of the new one by the two year old. I'm assuming just lots of "annoying" helping.

I am totally looking forward to Braelin's reaction to a new baby sister. Now that she is eight, I think she will be more motherly toward this baby than she was with Devrie.

I am sooooo ready to not be pregnant anymore. I just can't get over my bump...it's really more like a large boulder these days. And of course, you have to get up slow, because you never know what parts of your lower body are going to be affected by actually moving.

I've also decided that Dr. Braxton Hicks is an evil man. AND, I don't think men should ever be responsible for naming, inventing, deciding, or commenting on ANYTHING that only happens to women. There: I've said my peace.

Things That Make You Go HMMMMMM.....

2009-05-04T09:04:00.000-07:00

So, the last couple of weeks have been fairly uneventful, but it seems that during times of blah, some pretty interesting things can happen.

Case in point: I changed OBGYN's with this pregnancy because I didn't want to have to travel clear to Plano for the 5,000 doctor's appts. that inevitably come with having a baby. Needless to say, this pregnancy has been VERY different from the other two, despite the fact that I'm convinced we're having another girl. I have not felt well, and the migraine headaches had gotten out of control. My new doctor prescribed Vicodin for the pain, and I will tell you that the Vicodin laughed wickedly all the way down to my stomach, where it spread into my bloodstream and did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to help the pain in my head. I almost gave myself a lobotomy. So, I called the nurse to talk to her about my dilemma. I do not know nurse Jenny, I had never met her. I called her very early that morning and left her a message. She returned my call at 4pm, and this is how the conversation went:

Me: "I'm am still in so much pain, and the Vicodin isn't helping at all."

Her: "I TOLD YOU THAT YOU NEEDED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH DR. SUMAKIA, THE NEUROLOGIST!"

Me: "Ummmm, I don't recall having that conversation."

Her: (Getting more impatient) "YES, WE CANNOT HELP YOU WITH YOUR MIGRAINES, YOU NEED TO SEE HIM. WHY HAVEN'T WE SEEN YOU IN APRIL?"

Me: (Getting more nervous) "Ummmm, my next appointment is for May 13."

Her: (frantically flipping through papers) "YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO GO SEE THE PERINATOLOGIST BEFORE YOUR 12TH WEEK. YOU ARE NOW 14 WEEKS. DID YOU SEE HIM YET? DID YOU? DID. YOU?????

Me: (Completely freaked out) "Ummmmm, no, to be totally honest, I was just trying not to throw up at my last appointment, I don't remember anything except for that."

Her: (heavy sigh while flipping through papers) Dramatic Pause. "Oh, wait, you know what? I am confusing you with another patient we have who also suffers from migraines and who is also ADVANCED AGE."

Me: "________________?" (What the hell do you say after that?)

I'm not even going to tell you what I wanted to say to her after she said that to me. I should've just hung up, instead I followed all the orders she barked out, and went and saw my OB AND the Neurologist the next day, just in case I DIED in my sleep from being so freakin' old! It was amazing to me that at the doctor I could actually pee IN THE CUP (no drippies) ALL BY MYSELF, after having driven myself to the doctor's office without causing any vehicular accidents along the way. I didn't even need my walker, nor did I need to park super close and take advantage of the Handicapped sticker permanently adhered to my license plate. I didn't ask for the senior discount at lunch, or at Ross while I waited for my prescriptions to be filled at the Kroger. I was pretty proud of my aging self. Stupid lady....

So, onto the second half of that day. I am at home laying on the bed with a pounding migraine. The meds still haven't kicked in from the neurologist, but I am hopeful. These days, we throw Braelin and Devrie in the shower together. They can't drown in there, and it keeps the floor a lot drier, since they have this strong desire to see how much water they can actually splash OUT of the tub. I was laying there in all my pathetic glory, and Bradley was in and out of the bathroom playing referee. Suddenly, there was a ruckus, followed by Braelin crying, then Devrie screaming (she can communicate with the dolphins, I swear). Bradley entered the bathroom immediately (the scream insists that you do this so you can stop the noise) and opened the shower door. The conversation went like this:

Bradley: "What is the problem?"

Braelin: "Devrie stuck her finger in my bum, and it hurt REAL BAD!"

Evidently, she had bent over to pick up a toy, and Devrie, being at BUM level saw the opportunity and took it. The scream came from Braelin hitting her over the head with whatever it was she had picked up.

Okay, so don't ever start laughing hysterically when you have a migraine. It just makes it worse.

(Old pic of Devrie and Braelin in the tub, before the poking began)

Easter Sunday 2009

2009-04-13T14:03:00.001-07:00

So, I have to do two posts today, because I can't pass up the opportunity to show off my little girls in their Easter garb.

I was up on Sunday morning at 7am (those of you who know me well know what a HUGE sacrifice this was). Had to get ready fast so I had a good hour to do everyone's hair. Normally, hair isn't one of my top priorities on Sunday mornings. We are lucky if it's brushed let alone all up in little "things". Also, I'm just not that good at doing hair. I have very little patience, and my fingers don't work like they should. And what luck that I have two daughters with the hair swirl in the back, which translated means, "Impossible to part." Everyone else at church has these perfect parts down the scalp, my kids, looks like a zigzag on crack....

Anyway, back to my story. So, I had an hour to do hair, right? Wrong. At 8:30am, I had finished Braelin's hair and started on Devrie's. She would not sit still. I had this lattice idea that I had found on a blog from a mom that knows what she is doing, and I will tell you: "Do not attempt this when you are running late or pregnant". I started to go to a very bad place when she wouldn't sit still, and I couldn't get the piggy's to criss cross. I started to get the sweats, and it was looking like she might have to go with her "helmet hair" to church. Thankfully, I pulled it together, and this is how we ended up at church...10 minutes late:

What I Wish I Could Do!

2009-04-13T13:45:00.001-07:00

I know I am not the only one out there who at times wishes they were doing something else. Like, I really look at certain people and think, "How'd they get THAT gig?"

For example: Samantha Brown from the Travel Channel. I mean, she gets PAID (and I'm sure it's A LOT) to go on all these fabulous vacations, eat great food, get all kinds of spa treatments...this is her job, people. How can I get one of those? I could totally do that.

Why can't I make lots of money by making invitations like the one I did today for a friend?

I'm so jealous of people who get to be cute and creative at work all day...how fun would that be?

Or how about this...You are a divemaster, and you get paid to go scuba diving every day of your life....seriously?

Now, I am NOT complaining about my job...especially in this economy and during such uncertain times, but it's alright to dream, and I am gonna do it!

I will say that my little company has been so good for me in this respect. It has been so fun to be creative and build something from nothing that people not only appreciate, but that they are actually buying! That is something to be excited about. Now, if I can just get enough people to buy all of them that are sitting in my garage...I might have room for my scuba diving equipment in there!

Lauren

Devrie Doo Turned TWO!

2009-03-23T13:37:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe this child is already two years old. It's so interesting thinking back to when we first found out we were pregnant. It had been just Braelin and me and Bradley for so long, it was hard to imagine life with another child. But now, I can't imagine life without her. She is such a joy in my life, and, although exhausting, I wouldn't change anything about her. Well, maybe that scream of hers that travels up and down my spine and forces me to give her whatever it is she is screaming about so she will stop.

So, let me tell you a little about Devrie.

1. From the time I could feel her kicking, she never stopped moving. She wasn't one of those that slept in my tummy during the day and kicked at night, oh, no...it was constant. I would be traveling on a plane, and there she was, like an alien trying to get out of my belly.

2. Once born, she continued moving, and she really is 100 miles an hour all of the time.

3. After the first year, she finally started sleeping through the night. The 100 mph all day helps her crash and burn at night. You can hear the house sigh once her bedroom door is shut each night.

4. She can already carry a tune. Even though the words to whichever song she has in her head may be jumbled, I know exactly what she is singing.

5. She is a bilingual wizard...every day she amazes me that she can understand both languages so completely.

6. Nothing gets past this child...you know how with some kids you can hide the remote or the chapstick, and they will think it just mysteriously disapearred? Nope, not her, she will look until she finds it, she knows you hid it somewhere in the couch!

7. Everything right now is "MINE"!

8. Before you leave, she will ask you for "mos", which means Eskimo kisses, which means you won't want to leave.

9. She loves to dress herself, and if you pull out the wrong thing, she will let you know it.

10. She loves shoes...a crazy love for shoes already. She says, "Patas", which means feet, and she wants to try them all on and look at herself.

11. If she could be outside all day, she would do it, no matter the weather.

12. If you say the word "shower" or "bath", she will sprint to the shower, strip down, and scream until you turn on the water.

13. When her daddy comes home from work, you would think he'd been gone for 2 weeks, she is so freakin' excited to see him.

14. When you try to leave her in the Nursery at church, she vomits so you'll come back. It works.

15. When she wants you to be quite, she says, "Shhhh.", and holds her finger to her nose instead of her mouth.

16. She has these amazing brown eyes, and we have no idea where they came from...we are guessing my mom's side, but who knows...

17. She thinks Desatin is face cream, and hand sanitizer is shampoo, and toothpaste is a treat.

18. She can get into anything and any place you have tried to lock. The other day I locked the bathroom door for some privacy, and she came busting through the walk in closet and out the other side, like, "hey, I almost missed you, lady! What gives?"

19. She can program a cell phone better than I can.

20. She wants to do everything her big sister does, including, dancing, singing, tumbling, swimming, talking. If Braelin is doing it, she is gonna try.

21. She can beat the tar out of Braelin.

22. She can beat the tar out of Mommy.

Here is a picture of her after she ate her birthday cake after her 1 year old party.

Here is a picture of her after she ate her cake at her 2 year party:

Still crazy, just older...

It's been too long!

2009-03-12T08:53:00.000-07:00

So, here it is, almost the middle of March. Devrie is about to turn two, and I haven't even posted Christmas yet. What is wrong with me? Oh, wait, I remember...I need 29 hours in the day. That way, I can blog, work out, make a healthy meal instead of a drive thru meal, work, commute, help with homework, say more than 3 words to my husband (Goodbye, Hello, Goodnight)....etc. etc. Does anyone else feel like there just isn't enough time? Honestly...

So, here is a picture of Christmas!

It's not a picture of us, but I still think it's funny. I just think duct tape is funny, I always have, I don't know why.

So, this weekend, I plan to take pictures of Devrie for her birthday so I can at least keep some sort of record of her growth. I will post something more entertaining shortly.

Signing off....

Lauren

Ear Plugs, Magnets and True Love...

2008-12-28T20:18:00.000-08:00

Before I blog on our Christmas festivities, I have to tell you about something WONDERFUL that has happened in the past couple of days.

Let me preface this with the fact that I have been VERY patient the last few (years) with the snoring. Up until about 3 months ago, I very rarely kicked Bradley out of the bed. But, lately, it's just gotten to the point where I can't be nice anymore. My poor husband has slept out on the couch more in the last few weeks than in our entire 10 years of marriage, and not because he is in the "dog house." His snorning can
peel.
paint.
off.
the.
walls!!

So, last night on my way to a drive-thru dinner of I know, I know, NOT nutritious, but OH, so yummy!!!

I stopped by the CVS pharmacy to get some earplugs and look for something to help the snoring! After much looking, I found this:
Evidently, you put this nose ring in your septum, and the magnets attached magically make you stop snoring.

I also picked up some of these fabulous earplugs, and an US weekly (I'm a sucker for trashy magazines)

So, I took it all home. When it was time for bed, Bradley and I began our normal nighttime ritual, and then we began the new one: Nose ring for Bradley, yellow and pink earplugs for Lauren. We looked at each other and started cracking up! Nothing like true love to keep you both in the bed together...we'll try anything!

Okay, so let me just say...in the midst of a sick 21 month old who was up all night, that nose ring WORKS! Hallelujah! For all those wives out there who are at their wits end, go to CVS and get this contraption...it helps A LOT. If your husband has sleep apnea, you might be out of luck, and if you can figure out how to get him to the doctor, and to wear the sleep machine, you are a better wife than I, and you need to blog about how you have that kind of control...

Anyway, check it out. I am sooooooooo excited! Life is good!

Merry Christmas!!

2008-12-22T13:19:00.000-08:00

We are soooo excited about this Christmas! We made a pact to avoid the normal craziness, and we are now to the 22nd of December, and I think we might just pull it off! Very small focus on the material "stuff", very large focus on our sweet little family, and the true meaning of Christmas. I am looking forward to it all. We went to church on Sunday, and Braelin sang with her Primary and I sang in the ward choir. It was nice. After church, we attempted some "we have perfect children" photos in their red dresses...note to self: don't try and take pictures after church. Everyone is tired and hungry, and they pretty much hate that you are doing this to them before they eat. Bradley threatened Braelin within an inch of her life, and we got a couple of decent ones. I really should put her sour faces on here for posterity, but I really do want everyone to "think" I have perfect children.

Tonight we are making the rounds to deliver our Christmas gift. I spent some time recording 5 Christmas Carols at a studio to send to friends and family. It was so fun to be recording again. But, it's also expensive. I gave myself 2 hours of studio time to record 5 songs. Not nearly enough time to get it all perfect, but other than a couple of notes here and there that make me go "hmmmm", it turned out to be a really fun project, even if I can hear myself breathing way too much. I need to spend some time getting my voice back into shape...not to mention many other areas of my body. I practiced in the car while commuting to work, and by the time I was ready to record, my voice was tapped out! I used to be able to sing for hours with no strain at all, this time I was really feelin' it. But, nevertheless, it ended up serving the correct purpose. Mom cried today when she got the CD...she hasn't heard me sing for a couple years now, and really, the CD was more for her and Dad than anyone else. Did I mention how much I love my mom and dad?

They are so great, and such a support to me and my family and all we do! It's so nice to know that I can still call my mom whenever I want to and she will support me and love me no matter what.

Anyway, I will blog after Christmas and let you know how everything goes. I am wishing for all those that I love a very merry Christmas and the best new year YET!

Scuba Diving

2008-12-19T10:37:00.000-08:00

I am going through withdrawls....why did I have to fall in love with such an expensive hobby? I want to see that water again...the color of which there are NO words!

I love everything about Scuba Diving.
I love the fact that it is the one thing that Bradley and I both enjoy doing together, that we are both really good at!
I love getting up early (yes, that's right) to meet the boat...
I love all the different type people you meet.
I love the preparation and the boat ride out to the dive site.
I love speaking Spanish to all the dive masters and boat help.
I love hearing about all of the different experiences people have had.
I love the smell and taste of the salty air.
I love the weight of the oxygen tank on my back.
I love free falling backwards into the water.

But mostly....

I LOVE being under the water! It is so peaceful and serene. The gurgling sounds of the water and your breathing are hypnotic. The colors of the fish and coral is astounding. It's like another life that exists that you never knew about, except that for 30 minutes, you get to be privy to everything that is going on in it. Other than the fact that sometimes you get stuck on a boat with some old guy in a speedo (eewww!), there really isn't anywhere else I'd rather be.

I can't wait until my girls are old enough to go with us. They are both already fish, so it's pretty much a slam dunk that they are going to love it as much as we do.

I am secretly hoping that things kind of go to pot here with this "new" administration, and that I might have to go all ex-patriot and end up in Cozumel or Roatan. Absolutely fine by me!

Christmas Cards in Photoshop

2008-11-13T08:41:00.000-08:00

So, I decided that I'm not that thrilled with Costco Christmas Photo Cards. I mean, they are alright, but I really wanted to do something fun this year. So, I decided that I was going to design my own in Photo shop. Then I went overboard and designed like 5 different cards, and now I don't know which one to use. I plunked pictures in them, but obviously want to put family pictures in place...that is if we ever take one I like (or that makes me look like I'm still a size 6).

This is the only way I keep in contact with some of my dearest friends...ironic, I know, but it's true. Once December hits, every day at the mailbox is like a gift. I get pictures of friends and their families, and I get to read all about their exciting lives.

I. CAN'T. WAIT.

Anyway, back to my debacle. Now I don't know which one to pick, so I need your help. Vote for your favorite!

#3
#4
#5

Your votes will count! And, once I've decided which one to use, the rest are up for grabs, so if you want the file, I can send it to you, you plunk your picture in, and presto....Christmas cards!

Family Visit

2008-10-21T07:38:00.001-07:00

We said goodbye on Sunday to Mom, Dad, Sara, Zealin and Ian. Mom and Dad came down for 9 days, and it felt like 9 minutes. Why do the weeks go by so fast when people you love come to visit? We took some pictures, and it's good to have a pic of them together again.

While mom and dad were here, we painted and wallpapered my kitchen. It was a serious project, one I never would've been able to accomplish on my own. We wallpapered over ugly wood paneling...which worked surprisingly well after we filled in the grooves, and we painted the rest of the kitchen a beige color. All the trim was painted black, and it looks awesome....so much better than the old way. Now I just have to refinish all 54 cabinets, and redo the backsplash and get new countertops and it will be good as new. (makes me feel like taking a nap just typing it) Dad also fixed the ballisters on our gazebo which became very loose when the 80 year old oak tree fell on them. They look great...thanks, Dad!

So, Thursday night we went and picked Ian and Sara up at the airport. Sara came down with Zealin...so cute! And busy! She is only two months older than Devrie, but talks like a mad-woman, and is quite a bit larger, although Devrie most certainly held her own. The arrival of the three of them made the house feel smaller, and the chaos that is so often associated with the Bates Family began. Sara decided that she should cut hair while down here to pay for her ticket. Over the next two days, she cut and/or colored: Brenda, Melissa, Catherine, Erin, Carmen, Juslin, Ian, Bradley, Caryn, Cristina, Lauren, Bradley and Devrie.

Now to the best part of my post: Devrie's first haircut! Did I mention we did this in the middle of a Carne Asada BBQ with all my family, my nanny, her husband and daughter, and one of Ian's friends from Austin? It was hilarious. I didn't think she would sit still, but I guess the little bugger actually knows how, if there is a sharp object near her head. She got a little pixie bob, and it is pretty hilarious. Here are some pics:

I also took some pictures of Sara, Zealin and Ian. Here are some of my favorites:

I cried real hard when everybody left. The whole way back home. Then I took a nap and I felt a little better.

That's what sucks about living so far away from family. When they come to visit, you are so excited you can't hardly stand it. Then they leave and you can't hardly stand it.

Thanks for coming to visit...We loved having you!

Devrie Doo

2008-10-06T07:54:00.000-07:00

So, from the time Devrie was a little 6 pound screaming ball of fun, we have always called her "Devrie Doo". I even have little songs for her that go along with the "Winnie the Pooh" theme song, and Scooby Doo..."Devrie, Devrie Doo, stinky poo..." (this song usually comes out of my mouth during diaper changes).

Well, her name isn't Devrie Doo anymore. It's Devrie Don't. As in, "Devrie, don't climb up on the table" or "Devrie, don't put your toothbrush in the toilet!" or "Devrie, don't shampoo your hair with fruit cocktail!" or "Devrie, don't throw all your socks in your diaper pail" or "Devrie, don't hide mommy's glasses inside a toy purse under the wet bar" or "Devrie, don't pull mommies feminine products out of her purse during church!"

Not that she listens anyway. She just looks at me like I'm some sort of lunatic and then continues on her merry way. The other day she was wimpering in her room, and I went in there to find her UNDERNEATH her toppled over dresser! It takes A LOT to get this child to cry. Oh, did I mention her favorite thing to do when I take something away from her that she wants...mostly markers that Braelin leaves all over the house. She screams and then bonks her head on the hard floor. As hard as she can. Sometimes two or three times. It's lovely. She has a constant yellowish mark on her forehead from hurting herself. I don't know what we are going to "doo."

Meanwhile, Braelin had an eventful week at school getting in trouble nearly every day. She is talking too much....hmmmm....wonder who she gets that from? Well, she got a yellow letter, which is really, really, really bad. It said on it that she had received a time out in PE for being disrespectful and calling names. A far cry from the day she kicked a boy in the face with her winter boot in Kindergarten, but nevertheless, a big deal.

I asked her what happened. She said, "I don't want to tell you." I said, "You can tell me anything." She said, "I can't tell you this...it's really bad." As my mind wandered much farther than it needed to, I said, "It doesn't matter what you said, I still want to know." She said, "I called Adrian a name."

"What did you call him?" I asked.

"Buck-tooth China." she replied.

HUH?

I said, "Is Adrian Asian?"

She said, "No."

I said, "Does he have teeth that stick out?"

She got more and more frustrated, "NO!"

"Then why did you call him that?" I asked.

"I DON'T KNOW!" she wailed.

Well, that was the end of that. She doesn't even know what she's talking about. So after a stern reprimand, and a reminder to apologize to Adrian, I dropped it. But not before I Googled "Buck tooth China". 5 entries. My daughter uttered a phrase that only exists on 5 websites. I think that's pretty genius if you ask me!

WalMart

2008-09-24T08:12:00.000-07:00

You know those days where you really want to say something, but when you finally have the time, you can't think of what to say? Okay, so that is me right now. Hopefully if I keep typing it will get better. I had this goal that I would blog at least once a week, and that lasted like one week...Nice...

My mom and dad are coming to visit in a couple of weeks! I am sooooo excited! My dad has never been to Dallas, and the last time my mom came down was when I had Devrie. I am hoping to have some time to re-decorate my kitchen, or at least get started before they come. We'll see (translation: Never gonna happen).

I've also decided that WalMart pharmacies are sucky! Yea, they have $4 prescriptions, but you pay for it in the end.

Speaking of WalMart, I am so proud to say that I walked out of the WalMart last night with ONLY my prescription...I didn't buy anything else! Braelin decided that fake nails were totally worth spending her allowance on, so we did have to stand in line, but I was still proud of myself that I didn't spend anything. This AHA moment of course was brought to me by Oprah's show on Tuesday, with Suze Orman telling all of us that we are living a lie and should sell our homes and stop spending money that we don't have! I have money, but I spend too much of it on crap I don't need, so I am really going to try to reel it in (Translation: If it's not a GOOD deal, I won't buy it, but if it's a good deal, I'll probably justify buying it)

We walked out of the store, and I was so thrilled with myself! Only to look down and realize that Devrie was missing one of her shoes. Which means we had to go back in there and retrace our steps....all the way to the back of the store in the craft section (you know where I'm talking), find the shoe, and then try not to look at anything on the way out the door. I have a serious problem.

This Weekend!

2008-08-11T08:31:00.000-07:00

Let's see, what did we do this weeking? Well, for starters, I finally cracked open the book, "Twilight", so I'm sure I'll be MIA for the next few days, much to Bradley's dismay. When he saw me with it last night, he just rolled his eyes in the back of his head. I know, I know, I'm a junkie for a great book.
Braelin decided she would invite the "love of her life" and his family over for a BBQ on Saturday. We are so glad that she keeps us social, we are losers otherwise. Anyway, the Christofferson's came over in the afternoon. We enjoyed an hour or so in the pool with all the kids, (Peter and Bradley were having more fun than our children!)and then we stuffed our faces with yummy hamburgers and hot dogs a la chef Bradley. I don't know what he puts on those burgers and hot dogs, but they were goooood! It was a really fun afternoon.
Sunday we relaxed as always. Devrie got hold of a candy bar and smeared that everywhere, then took her diaper off during her nap and smeared THAT! everywhere, so into the shower she went. A small victory for Devrie who would be in the water 24/7 if we would let her. We watched a bit of the Olympics...I still can't get over Michael Phelps...the guy is NOT human! All in all it was a great weekend. Hoping that the next one comes really fast!

All About Braelin

2008-08-07T09:18:00.000-07:00

Things about Braelin you should know:
She cried for an hour when Chelsea Hightower got voted off So You Think You Can Dance.
She says the best prayers ever.
She gives hugs to everyone.
She hates wearing her glasses.
She swims like a fish.

She would swim outside all day if she could.
She loves broccoli.
She loves balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
She is in love with Ben Christofferson.
She snorts when she laughs.
She can do a mean cartwheel.
She sings off key at the top of her lungs when she listens to the IPOD.
She asks if Jesus can hear her thoughts.
She plays with mommy's hair.
She loves her weekly allowance.
She has decorated her bedroom, and wants it all painted pink.
She is in love with the Jonas Brothers.

We're Finally Blogging!

2008-08-07T06:55:00.000-07:00

So, I've given into peer pressure, and finally decided that it's time to start blogging. I am horrible about writing in a journal, so maybe a web chronicle of our lives will earn me some extra points.
Bradley and I have been married for 10 years. We live in Duncanville, TX and we will have been here for 2 years come December. Our sweet little Devrie was born here, so Texas will always be close to our hearts, whether we stay here or not. During our marriage, I felt most at home in Logan, and maybe (hopefully) someday we will get back there.
Braelin will be 7 at the end of August. I can't believe how big she is getting. She is such an amazing little girl...so loving, and such a great big sister! We worried that there would be too large a gap between the two, but she loves playing with Devrie and they have a blast together. Devrie is our little spitfire. She is way too smart for us! And she has all of the hard-headed qualities that Braelin somehow steered clear of. With Braelin, you could say, "No, No" and she would walk away. With Devrie, you say "No, No" then she says, "No, No" then proceeds to throw her daddy's t-shirt into the toilet. But, we love her bunches nonetheless.
Bradley is working himself into oblivion as the Director of Sports and Aquatics at the YMCA in Irving. I am enjoying my days as an Executive Assistant for student housing. It is stress free, and so much fun. I love who I work with, we have a blast. As for the girls, they are taken care of by our Nanny from Nicaragua, Carmen. She has helped all of us keep our Spanish on the up and up, and of course Devrie's first word was "Hola", not "Hi", but we don't mind one bit. Carmen is a blessing from heaven since both of us are required to work right now. I do have plans to be in the house if and when another child joins our family. Cross your fingers...