Glen, Dana and Emmy!

Emmy is TWO!!!!

2012-01-27T21:25:00.000-08:00

Summary of how she is now....

Wakes up happy, jumps out of her toddler bed (her old crib with one side off) and comes into Mommy and Daddy's room silently. Hits her baby monkey on the bed and when I turn over she smiles and says "All done night night Mommy"
Getting her ready in the morning is a breeze, she chooses her outfit, sits for her hair to get done and is very cooperative! She loves going places, and asks to go to "Chuch" all week long! Who wouldn't look forward to Nursury?

She can repeat most things and can communicate all of her thoughts in a mixture of French and English and uses a very throaty "ARRGH" (trying to say it how Mommy does) for some french words like Coeur and Beurre.
She has doesn't even attempt GrandMary and Grampa Greg but instead says: "Meh-wie" and Ganka.
Her response to everything is a very quick "Thenx" or a "No Thenx" if she doesn't want it or to do it.
She notices everything, like usual, and points it out. A few recent examples are: the couple behind us were sleeping in Stake Conference and she pointed to them and said "They night night", everyone around us heard her including the couple, they woke up and said "Oh we got busted" :) and Daddy licking his fingers this morning. She is a little police woman with Daddy, and doesn't like it when he hugs Mommy or does anything with me for that matter, she competes for every second of attention that I give him. Poor Glen!

Differentiating between who is a boy and who is a girl is a favorite! She delites in pointing to all of the family members, whose pics are on our fridge, and telling me who is what. She calls girls "goys" and is sure that Baby Brother is "No boy, Goy!!!" She kisses my belly over and over, saying "Hi to "Baby Pottarh", asks for him to "Bouger" (move in French) while keeping her little hands on my belly! I think she thinks my belly button in the way to see him so she is always trying to open it up. We graduated from her telling me "No Ahhh baby out Mommy" to the other day when she told me that "Baby Pottarh is coming Mum" with a big smile on her face. We are reading a bunch of books about baby brother coming etc. and she loves them.
When she is eating and likes it she says "Good Cookie (Cooker) Mom" with the intonations like our family does! Hilariously cute!
She says "I...Uv... You" with the person's name at the end...Favorites include Mommy, Ganka, Meh-wie, Dora (Victoria) and Daddy.
When my phone rings, she tells me calling it a "Nown", she can't quite pronounce the letter "f", and tells me that Either Daddy, Dora or Uncle Brock are calling :) For some reason she loves Uncle Brock even though until her birthday she'd only seen him once since her baby blessing.
Lynkhan graduated from Lynkie to Lynka. Every morning she and Daddy go feed Lynka/Bella and when she sees them after a trip out etc. she greets them by saying "Hey Guys".

Almost every sentence that comes out of her mouth ends with Mom
Her little intonations are so expressive now....especially when she is displeased.
She said her first six word sentance "Unca Bock's coming my birstay Mom" a few days before her birthday.

On Jan 17th I wrote:
Emmy is in her room for nap time. Not sure if she is on her new toddler bed or not but she has been singing Twinkle Twinkle/ABCs and talking happily to herself for the past 15 minutes. Today she has been telling me, "It's my birthday Mum", "I love you" and singing sorry followed by a big hug.
Her song is all mixed up, her birthday isn't until the weekend, her " I love you is so quick, it's almost indiscernible, she shouldn't do things that require a sorry, yet spending today with her has been pretty close to perfect and I can't help love her more than ever....if that's even possible!

On Jan 21st we held a birthday party for Emmy
This is the invite we sent out...
Babies, babies everyewhere, but wait....Emmy isn't a baby anymore!
We are going to celebrate her second birthday and we would love it if you would come! We will be serving food and a princess cake!

The day before her birthday and about 40 people came! It was such a fun party and we really enjoyed hosting the party. It has been a long time since we had one here and we have attended so many at other peoples houses.

Emmy was kind of hesitant at the beginning to

Year in Summary!

2011-12-31T21:56:00.003-08:00

Hello Friends,

We hope that you enjoyed your Christmas season, had a wonderful year and are looking forward to the new year! A quick summary of our year is as follows....

In January we moved into our new home that we had been renovating for all of 2010! Emmy, our daughter, celebrated her first birthday! I celebrated 1 year of full time mothering! She is such a joy and blessing in our lives.

We threw a big party for all members of the family with a bouncer, cakes and the whole thing!
Ashawn Cranford, who we were taking care of full time, celebrated his 4th birthday in March! It was kind of like a foster situation but he called us Mommy and Daddy and we loved him like he was our own. Unfortunately it didn't work out for him to stay with us permanently but he was a big blessing in our lives, and we will love him forever! He is a wonderful little boy and we miss him.

In May, my sister Bree got married to a wonderful man named Christopher. I attended all 3 of their celebrations in Utah, Cardston, then Calgary!

Paige and I continued the big road trip to Osoyoos then down to So Cal again! It was a 4000 mile round trip trip with 3-4 children, and two pregnant Mommas who were morning sick! It was funny that we both found out we were pregnant during the trip and are expecting another set of twin cousins... three weeks apart just like Jude and Emma are.

Except for one wonderful trip to Oklahoma being home for the fall was great! Christmas and New Years was so fun with Mom, Dad, Grams and Vic. Now we are celebrating New Years with Bree, Chris, Carter and Micheal as well!

All the best to you all,

Love Dana

Glen's Christmas Greeting!

2011-12-31T21:56:00.001-08:00

Hey Familia and amigos, Dana and I set up the tri-pod and took some pics
yesterday. Me thinks yous might could enjoy 'em. :)

Hope all is well. I don't know if we are sending Christmas cards out this
year... Well, I know I'm not, maybe Dana has the time to do so, if she
doesn't, consider this an update and Christmas card to you :)

Quick up date:

First of all, All is well! As my boss says "In the ways that matter most, I
am a rich man" I too feel that way. We may not have lots of money, but the
blessings that we have received have been.... Unbelievable!

EMMY.... is pretty much our life. She has a little big mind of her own.
Controls me like none other. My heart melts every time I have to leave her.
"Daddy no bye-bye pees (please)" For the last little while, she has been
wearing a little "baby" under her shirt. She is trying to be like her
mommy. She sleeps, eats, and even goes to church with it on. If you notice
in the pictures there is a little lump under her top, it's not a tumor. We
tried to take it off her... Only once, and we are not going to try again.

These are the things she loves: (most likely in this order)
Her mom, her baby monkey that is stuffed in her shirt, her pink blankie, her Opa (my dad, who came to visit
for 2 weeks and every day made sure that he spoiled her with chocolates),
her "Tia-Ita" (my first cousin from Mexico, who is staying with us, her name
is Ana, we call her Anita and Emmy calls her "Tia-ita". It's been great
having her with us, (we don't want her to leave), Elmo, picking and eating
avocados, her pink boots, her "noman"(snowman) pj's and some dresses that
Oma sent her, Lynkahn, Bella, Dana's first cousin Brock, going for rides,
and then me. I'm sure there are more things that she loves but that is
pretty much her world right now.

DANA...
Well, for those of you that know her, she's pretty much the same,
only better, I'm thinking of changing her name to "DANA 2.0" or "THE DANA 2000". She pretty much does everything to keep this house running,
including keeping me in line! I think I would need about two, three, maybe
four women to do what she does. Not that I'm looking for 4 women to replace
her, just saying. She is hitting the gym, doing yoga, playing volleyball,
biking with Emmy in a little trailer behind her, and keeping up with all the
things that go along with her church calling, choir practices, orchestra
practice (yes, she is playing in the local orchestra).

She is prego and is due Feb.22. She says that she is going to hold him in until the 23rd and give me the best birthday present ever. I hope she can, I think it would be neat to share the same birthday as my boy (takes the focus off of me aging).
Oh, did I mention that she had Emmy potty trained at 18 months. Ya, she
read some book and then next thing I know, one day later, Emmy is going
"good pee-pee" and no longer "bad pee-pee" and she goes "poo-poo bye-bye" in the toilet. Wow.

For those of you that are wondering about Lynkahn: (He has been part of my life since September 2001. He is still ever so fast and strong, has not slowed down yet. He's got some grey, but that doesn't stop him from chasing
away any coyote's that get within 1000 yard of the house!)
I hate to say it, but he pretty much took a back seat, 4 years ago when I married Dana (as far as time spent with him). Since Emmy came along, Lynk has pretty much been thrown to the back of the bus. He's fine though, he's always had some sort of K-9 companion. This year some family left us a beautiful Doberman pincher named Bella. They have bonded like no other.
They enjoy chasing rabbits whenever they feel like it. They are always ready
for our daily walks through the groves and pretty much love being around
Emmy more than they do me. They are never fenced in and have hundreds of
acres of groves to roam. When they die, they probably won't have it so
good.

As for me, let's see: (NOT TRYING TO BRAG)

Beautiful awesome wife-CHECK
Beautiful awesome daughter-CHECK
Awesome dogs-CHECK
Beautiful view-CHECK
Over 60 different fruit trees and grape vines on our property-CHECK
Knowing who I am and where I came from- CHECK
Super duper job, with super duper bosses- CHECK
Abundant blessings- CHECK
Super friends-CHECK
High powered rifle- NOT CHECKED (hint Dana)

What more can I say? Somewhere, sometime, I've must of done something
right, but I doubt I've done all I can to be worthy of this all.

I wasn't planning on doing this, just sending some pics out to some fam and
friends. Then I started writing a few things and one thing lead to an other
and here we are.

Merry Christmas!

Glen

P.s. Dana does not know that I'm sending this out. So you might get another "official" Merry Christmas later.

Thankfulness list at Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T11:06:00.000-08:00

I got this idea from the Power of Moms site that Paige introduced me to and from the book by Pres Gordon B Hinkley called "Way to Be". He says in the first chapeter: Be Grateful. Count your blessings and gifts and privileges and see just how long that list is. I imagine that each of you will have difficulties ahead. None of us can avoid them. But do not dispair. Do not give up. Look for the sunlight in the clouds. And be grateful for what you have. "

I started this on Thanksgiving but now there is enough to send it off for you to enjoy!

Here is my grateful list:

Heavenly Father: He is a genious, his plan is perfect and he was willing to sacrifice his son so we could return to live with him. After becoming a mother I can now understand that concept better! The fact that he answers even the most mundane little prayer I offer!
Jesus: The fact that he was willing to suffer for me and that he gave me the gift of the resurrection and the possibility of eternal life!
The Holy Ghost: Such a wonderful feeling of peace, joy, contentment and love that comes when I am following the promptings!
The Church/The Gospel: Perfectly organized, beautifully simple, promotes good, healthy choices and people!
The scriptures: The fact that we can read the words of the most inspired men, that the earth has ever known everyday is incredibly powerful!
Glen: Serving me so charitably, loving me unconditionally and being so patient with me!

Emmy: The joy that she is brings to our lives, her loving example of Christlike love, even for her baby dolls that she takes care of all day!
Our new baby boy! We can't wait Loving and adoring parents and siblings: Without them I would be a much different person...in a bad way! I love them and depend on them so much!
Anita: All her help and that she saw something good in the living the gospel and wants to have it be a part of her life!
Heinz: His great example to Glen and their handymen services! He is amazing and can do anything he puts his mind to!
Carmen: The fact that she raised Glen to be a stalwart in the gospel!
Lizette: The fact that marrying Glen gave me another sister to love and adore is quite wonderful!
Neices and nephews: Man I love those people so much and am so glad they are a part of my life! What gems!
Good friends: They make life so much more enjoyable and lovely!
Our Dogs: I love it when they run next to me, play and protect Emmy, enjoy sniffing around and chase rabbits. They are so happy and content! Freedom! The capacity to act as I wish and do as I wish!
Our home: Location, size, design, views, trees, and the fact that we got to renovate it the way we wanted!
Work: what it teaches, the rewarding results, the independance it gives, and the money it brings in, produces and saves!
Organization! Something I have really been studying over the past while, the order that results, and the peace it brings!
Cleanliness: Life is so much better when my home, body and spirit are clean!
Clothes: To wear and protect us from the elements! Cute clothes that make Emmy look even cuter!
Excercise! What a difference I feel when I workout, or play a sport or do yoga! My productivity and focus improves. Endorphins really help!
Music: Can you even imagine a life without it? It would be so dull and boring! It is such a powerful force for good or evil. Be careful with it!
A heater and air conditioner that works!
Warm blankets at night or during a cold day
Sunny beautiful days
The rain: Here in So Cal it is a bit of a novelty
Birds singing: They are such pleasant additions to the environment
Good, healthy food to eat: The variety and quality available adds such a beautiful dimension to life!
Fresh air
Delicious water!
Technology: The fact that I can contact any loved one within seconds, as well as learn so easily and readily!
Slippers! Without them my home would be a lot dirtier and my feet would be cold even faster, all the time!
Our kitchen table: The beauty and simplicity, yet elegance! It helps us come together as family and friends!
Our fireplace: Warmth, comfort and coziness it adds to our home.
Christmas time: The fun, decorations, and fact that everyone, whether they realize it or not are ce

24 weeks, 10 lbs, Baby is 12 inches and 1 lb!!!

2011-11-04T08:42:00.000-07:00

This is an exciting week in the pregnancy. At 24 weeks our baby is in the safe zone. Where he can survive outside of utero if needed, he is 12 inches and 1 lb!!! I have now gained 10 lbs which is more than I had with Emmy's pregnancy by this point but c'est la vie! I am feeling great except for some really intense allergies which show up especially at night time and until the morning sun brightens and settles the allergins. Glen can't believe how bad they are and that he, who is Mr. Allergy Man isn't having any problems. Pregnancy brings on hyper sensitivities in multiple aspects of life.

Emmy and I is getting back into the swing of things here at home after our wonderful trip to Tulsa Oklahoma and Dallas Texas! Her scar is practically perfectly healed and the stitches come out today!

She went to sleep at 7 last night and is still sleeping at 8:30. I get so much done when she sleeps longer at night! The trip threw off her sleeping and nighttime potty pattern. She slept horribly while there and wet the bed almost at every nap! I am so grateful that she is back at it now! I am so glad! It is fully exhausting to wake up so many times a night having to change sheets and jammies each time!

The nesting stage has already begun and I have been on the clean up and clear out mode for a while. Our house is as always a work in progress but some of the big projects that I wasn't able to find the energy for before are coming about. Having Anita here to babysit or help with the cleaning or cooking has really been wonderful. She is a sweetheart and we love her lots. Emmy does too, despite her "No Tita" spells that she gets into. They play so well together and sometimes Emmy will go over to Anita when she knows Mommy isn't available and want to be held or to play a game or get some food.

Emmy loves the dogs and now calls Lykhan "Lynkie" and Bethoven "Bayo" and has got Bella's name down without the funny tongue sticking out!

She is speaking so much and has said three 5 word sentances. She starts a lot of sentances out with "Ish" (It's) and I want. No is her favorite staple as well as "Peech" (Please) when she knows she won't get it without it. She loves standing up in the fridge to check out her options and deciding what she wants to eat. She has been getting her own bowl or plate or cup from the cupboard along with the eating utensil. I still speak to her in French, but she mostly responds in English. It is funny how she mixes the two up in her sentances ie. "Dirty naiz". She calls the Moon "Luna" instead of "Lune" but understands when we ask her "Donde esta" or "Ou est" (Where is).

Her selection in clothing is definately her own. As she won't wear certain outfits and wants to wear her little brown, pink and green one every day! She does this funny voice like a little growl, throws herself of the floor and whines/cries until she realizes it isn't getting her what she wants. Some of her newest sayings are "Pillow" "Wet, no dry" and vica versa, "Gangkie" for blankie, Nite nite, and many more words.

She wakes up every morning reporting happily if her blankie is wet or dry and pointing out items she knows how to say. Whenever I am on the phone and say goodbye to the person she says "Bye Daddy", assuming, that I must of course be speaking to him.

Mommy is still the only one who can take her to the potty, and if we are around Daddy or Anita when she tells me she needs to go than she tells them "Bye Bye". She loves reading and Mommy singing to her while she goes potty, as well as pointing out all the items she sees around her!

The renos have been on hold for a while while we got our car situation pulled together. I hadn't really cleaned out the Excursion since our trip to Canada this summer so it was fully nasty with little fruit maggots crawling under seats etc. We also just found out the the XXXX in it needs replacing, it won't start but the batteries are still good. Elly (the Element who hadn't been used since we bought the Honda Oddessy from the Formicas) just got revived and cleaned and I am going to drive it until we have our 3rd baby. We thought we were going to have Ashawn still so we bought Ody, but he is with Mima now so we don't need it. Luckily we were able to sell it to Charlie and Jess for what we bought it for!

We are babysitting Bethoven still and Ann is going to pay us $10 a day for that! Hooray! Can't wait to collect that money! Bella and Lynkhan sleep by the front door and Beethoven in back and they all get along really well and stay on the property all but when we go for our walks. It is nice to not have to cage them in the dog run all day.

As for health and excercise. Glen has been playing soccer once a week with the guys from the ward and mountain biking a few times. I love going to the Zumba and Yoga classes at LA Fitness and playing Volleyball with the ladies at Valleywide! Taking the dogs for a walk once a day is always a goal and two times a day sometimes happens.

Got to go, the little angel just woke up!

Halloween, Tulsa, and Dallas!

2011-10-31T08:42:00.000-07:00

We redid the trip Tulsa Oklahoma trip, Dallas Cowboys Stadium for the BYU football game but this time was a little bit different! We once again I was 5 months pregnant but this time not only do we have an almost two year old but Emmy and Rob have an adorable 5 month old named Loie! Emmy was talking about seeing baby Loie the entire flight there and loved her from the getgo. There were moments when Mommy or Daddy were holding Loie that she wasn't so excited about her but by the end of the trip she was sharing her favorite thing in the world....her pink blankie that Emmy gave her at birth. These two little additions changed the dynamics of the trip quite a bit! Everything was way more laid back, slow moving and tiring than the last time. We didn't get to half of the events or do half of the options but despite that it was a perfect trip.

Big Emmy as she was referred to this weekend brought three present at the airport...Emmy Maryjoy a little white bear, flowers for me and a jar of Nutella for Glen....reminiscent of a trip to Hawaii back in College. We got delicious Braum's ice cream and Glen at half of the Nutella jar that night, so he couldn't sleep because of the heartburn. Gluttony with a consequence, yet he did the same thing, overeating, the next night, and the next as well! The Garbers and Bairds know how to eat really well and we enjoyed the wonderful food and their amazing hospitality.

Staying in their guesthouse which is attached to their garages was perfect because Emmy Maryjoy majorly digressed in her potty training and sleeping while there! We would have been a big disturbance if we were in the main house. Their property was full of fall colored leaves and huge acorn trees. I could totally imagine fireflies and fairies living in those vine covered trees! So pretty and green. Their home reminds me of a British cottage, tucked into the landscape so perfectly and quietly! Inside is all decorated with period specific pieces and Turkish rugs.

Friday morning Emmy and Rob worked until noon than we were off in their little black SUV. Emmy squished in the back with Adam Zenff who is such a sweetheart! The babies were wonderful and easy, little Emmy Maryjoy is a great traveler! So easy and happy! We arrived after the game had started but that was fine with us....we were there for the company more than anything. Emmy's sister Lauren had prepared little blue and white Tutus which the girls wore to the game! So cute! We had great seats at the end line and I got a huge surprise!!!! Crystal Stevens/Schanson was there and we got to catch up! I haven't seen her since their wedding day 4 years ago! She and Sean look great and I couldn't believe that I was seeing her. The entire trip, I kept thinking...I need to get in touch with Crystal, but didn't have my phone and didn't do it! Anyway, seeing her was a total tender mercy and I am so happy! BYU lost, but that is okay.

We found the perfect sleeping situation for our group, and despite being in 1 room we did pretty well. Glen didn't snore for the first time in forever and Emmy slept the whole night (until 6:30). Swim and bath and off we went to meet up with Emmy Baird's family. Meeting her grandma was surreal, she is the perfect Granny, nice straight dentures, a little bun on her head, the sweetest soft voice and a southern accent! I love her and I only met her one day. Aunt T drew our caricatures which is awesome and we got to see historic downtown Grapevine Texas. Emmy bought Emmy Maryjoy a Texan straw hat and Chris added to the growing collection of toys she had given Emmy Maryjoy by giving her a wirly do! She loves it an gets Mommy to blow in it all the time!

Sunday Brad made us a Grits and ham omelet that was to die for before we got to hear Emmy and Rob speak in church, they are wonderful individuals, with such beautiful understandings of the gospel. Rob's talk was perfect for us to hear....choosing the best, and not letting distractions get in our way of progression. After Emmy Maryjoy's nap Dr. B-Rad Garber was ready to remove her mole. I watched the whole procedure, but Glen had to step out while he cut the little crevice out. He did three internal stitches and six little exterior stitches. We will be surprised if she has any scarring. Emmy acted as his assistant, Emmy Maryjoy was strapped in a little boat/papus and cried "I want out", "I want up" and "No Aowee bye bye" a few times, but she didn't scream the whole time and there were moments when she was totally fine, while he was cutting and stitching. She let Daddy take her "sticker" (anesthetic bandage off before starting) without moving, directed which songs she wanted to have sung to her during the procedure, said "Bye bye Aowee" and even told Dr. Garber "Thank you" in sign afterward.

He gave her a monster mash singing zombie afterward, which she wasn't sure about but she was happy before within a minute after finishing. It was amazing how big the actual mole is, and we are going to send it in to get examined. The procedure took about half an hour and we were expecting to pay for it but he wouldn't except anything in the end. We feel so grateful and indebted to the Garbers and Bairds for their generosity and charity towards us!!

Monday passed so quickly as we said our goodbyes and got ready for the flight. It was nice to spend a little more time with Emmy and Loie before leaving. We love the Bairds and Garbers and can't believe how lucky we are to have them as our friends. We really hope that they will come and visit us soon!!!

Emmy Maryjoy got to go trick or treating in the airport which was really cute. Each time she reached into the buckets she grabbed two....she already knows how to do it! "Tick o Teat" is as articulate as we got with the whole "Trick or Treat" saying but that is okay! Glen pretended to sting her with her little bumblebee costume that I got her and wouldn't let it get close to her, so I was really excited when Emmy got her a little Ladybug dress costume!!! I had just bought little ladybug wings for myself, a little one outfit for Porter for next year, so it will be so much fun! We will all be Ladybugs!!!

Our 4th Anniversary!

2011-10-09T21:03:00.000-07:00

Glen and I are celebrating our 4th anniversary today and I just want to write some of my feelings...

4 years ago today we enjoyed the most beautiful day of our lives. It was a day to be remembered and one that I feel so happy just thinking about. Most everything, except me not having Glen's ring organized properly for the ring ceremony and a few other details, went perfectly. The people who came to celebrate with us, so many loved ones, perfect weather, the Temple ceremony performed by Elder Nadauld, the beauty of the day, the location for pictures and the reception, the horse drawn buggy, the music done by Ryan Shupe and his band, Nancy Hansen and James Conlee, the first dance, the great dancing with family and friend, the send off at the end of the night was so fun and the amazing honeymoon which we enjoyed to the max! Wow! We still feel like we had the best wedding experience ever! We could not have wished hoped or planned for a more beautiful, magical time!

Now that 4 years are past I feel so grateful to our Parents and to our Heavenly Father for helping that to happen! We know that we could not have done it on our own and we are indebted to them forever for all of the work and preparation they did to get us to that point. A temple wedding is not just a day it is the beginning of an eternal bond and relationship that is the result of lifetime of lessons, work and help. Now that we are parents of a sweet little girl, the most I can wish for her is to find a mate that will love her as much as Glen loves me, that he will love, sacrifice and live for her the way her Daddy does her Mommy! We are halfway finished the pregnancy our first little boy and I hope and pray for him already, wishing him the love of one like his Mommy who will serve and sacrifice for him as well! The day that they are blessed to take their spouse to the temple of the Lord will be the one when I will feel complete with my work as their Mother. Hopefully I will then have the assurance that they will be well cared for by another, by one who will love them as much as I do! We were told when we got married that the love that can be found in marital relationships can bring the most joy in this life. At points I questioned that idea, but today I sure feel it is true! At points in my life I thought to myself that I couldn't love or feel more loved by my parent, siblings, friends, mission companions, and my daughter! Today I feel that love but especially the love of my sweet husband!

Looking back we realize that we knew so little of each other, yet somehow it was enough to know that he was the other part me that would make me whole and I for him. So much has happened in these short 4 years and I know that over our lifetime here on earth so much more will happen as we work, play and grow together. We enjoyed the first two years, being newlywed couple; fun, full of couple time, and pretty carefree. The next two have been filled with baby preparation, newborn adjustments and lots and lots of work. Despite or maybe because of times of intense stress and frustration, we have grown closer together and finally are starting to really "get" each other We are able to laugh and talk out some of the things that used to annoy us about each other. We know about each other's little quirks and don't get as discouraged by them. I am finally becoming the homemaker and mother that I would like to be! I feel like every day is full of learning and growth. We have a really long ways to go to becoming the highly effective, powerful couple that we hope to be someday but we are enjoying the process right now.

We were planning on celebrating our anniversary this weekend but had friends come into town so the official celebration is going to be next Saturday! I did gets some little lenses that fit on his camera in time and he supported Emmy, Anita and my girl's night out to Disney on Ice, which was amazing! Glen bought me an amazingly comfortable sectional for our back room which we love! Today he is planning on giving me a one hour none interrupted message! Hooray. At 20 weeks of pregnancy I am starting to feel the extra weight in my belly and body. This little boy is packing on more weight than Emmy did already, or at least I am :)

Those are my (Dana's) thoughts and feelings today!

Little Boy Baby Rusche

2011-10-05T17:55:00.000-07:00

So today we found out the gender of our second child! I am in total shock and am still getting used to the idea. For about an hour after we found out I just kept saying "Oh my gosh I can't believe it!".
I was completely sure that it was another girl but all evidence and three very distinct pictures point to the contrary! We are having a boy and that is for sure! How incredible. This whole pregnancy I have envisioned a little sister for Emmy, little Victoria Maria (Ria for short) nope it was not the case. Porter has arrived unperceived! That is except for a dream that Glen had where he saw a little boy, with brown hair and light eyes like Lizette in his arms. He was ecstatic but then little baby started to grow long hair and Glen was so sad he woke up. But his dream was right and I was wrong!

Emmy is going to be a big sister to a little brother and we are all so excited! It is going to be totally different and I am going to have to buy a whole new wardrobe since all I have are 3 little shoes that work for a boy, that is except if Paige is having a girl, than I can use Jude's clothes on Porter. They are going to find out tomorrow! It is hilarious how I found out I was pregnant the day before her and now they are finding out the gender the day after us! Wow how fun is this.

Talking to everyone was was so fun! I love my sisters reactions! They are so great! Brooke was the only one to guess right on my side, and Carmen and Anita on Glen's side. Dad guessed girl first but then after hearing Glen's grin through the phone he changed his guess. Heinz said "It's either a boy or a girl but a baby for sure" Safe bet Heinz! Mom still doesn't know but will call soon! Everyone else thought the Harris curse/blessing of tons of girls would keep going strong. So far the order of the grand-kids is the same as my parents so I think Paige is going to have a girl since she is due first! Well we celebrated at our favorite restaurants/joints in town, Lemongrass and Coldstone!

Despite being the first real wintery day here in Hemet we are full of sunshine here at Ruscheland!

Bailey dog is so happy

2011-09-19T18:03:00.000-07:00

So the update with Bailey is that she not only gets walked multiple times a day by Matt, Robyn Huff and boys but Matt's Brother and his wife with their little kids come and stick their fingers through the fence to get Bailey to come over and play....Than they tire her out, lay on her (sometimes two at a time) and run around with her. Kelly loves that she doesn't have to worry about her biting or anything. I quote "Bailey is the perfect dog". I can't get over how wonderfully happy I am about her being with them!

The Primary presentation and prep for has been a really good learning experience. The sign language I learned with Emmy has helped me do signs as we sing! I love being the Primary Chorister and Glen loves his calling as 2nd Counselor in the Stake Young Men's Presidency. Tomorrow is a fun singing presentation day! I hope it goes well.

Bailey and Ashawn are gone

2011-09-08T20:23:00.000-07:00

Another huge development is this that Bailey has a new home with the Huff family! I am so happy about it because we had 3 dogs for a while and it was a bit much for me to handle. Bailey is super social and she wasn't getting enough interaction from me so she would go and visit the neighbors, which was quite annoying form everyone involved. We had decided to find a home for her and voila, we talked to Matt Huff and his kids about her one night, and the next morning he came to meet her and took her home. I was all teary eyed when she left but I knew that she would have a better life with them. It is true! Man is it ever true, she gets bathed multiple times a week, gets, walked every night, rides in the car with Robyn to baseball games, sleeps inside on a huge comfy bed, gets to jump in the swimming pool whenever she gets to hot (or bored, which for a Labrador is incredible. Plus she gets loved on every day by 3 boys who have wanted a dog their whole life! That is an answer to prayer if I ever had one!

So we spoke to Ann the other day and it looks like she is doing a lot better after getting some help, she is going to get her own place out by the coast, enroll Ashawn in a Montesorri Preschool. We have mixed feelings about it but feel ok with it and as though we have done all we can. At first it was really hard but we are adjusting to the reality. He was a joy and a handful while we had him. So it doesn't look like he is going to live with us, but I just got a text asking if Beethoven could. She is going to pay us, and then we will see Ashawn every once in a while. Jasmine (his Mom) is going to have a C-Section on the 20th and she is going to keep the baby.

Emmy is all Potty Trained!! It has been since the 3rd and she is doing great! Only a few accidents but she now goes pee and poop in the potty and most of the time she doesn't even require a bonbon anymore! I read and we did "Toilet Training in less than a Day" and man was that day exhausting. We did it starting at 7 and finished the last official practice was at 4:40. Thank goodness for the 2 hour nap in between! By the end of the day we were all out of her favorite junk foods...cheetos and mints and I was running low on steam. I had sort of given up hope because she had had 4 accidents and only 2 successes despite sitting on the toilet every 15 minutes and checking her pants every 5 minutes through this whole time, plus talking pee pee the entire time! She showed me that she passed with flying colors when she held it for 3 hours before walking to the potty and going pee before bed! Hooray! It was all worth it! Hip Hip Hooray Emma Girl!

I tell you I was done with diapers and she had gone 4 nights without peeing her diaper in a row. She knew how to say pee pee, poo poo, vee vee, bum bum, and dry, wet and potty and had been watching me go for a few months now. She is obsessed with anything to do with pottys these days, especially vee vees and bum bums! She plays get my "bum bum" game, when we chase her saying "I am going to get you" and she loves it. I love it too! Her little bum is so cute!
Brooke told me that there is a pocket of time when potty training is possible between and 18 and 20 months and I wanted to catch that so that I have some time (6 months) without changing any diapers. She is so adorable when she is trying to pull her undies up! It takes such an effort!

She is a little trooper on August 7th I wrote "Emmy is growing up so fast! She just wen poo poo in her potty and went to nursery by herself for the first time! Plus she didn't go pee in her diaper all through church and than went in the toilet once her diaper was off! Hooray!

In the mean time she was also getting weaned! I can't believe I didn't post anything about that but it was a relief to have her off the boob right before her 19 month birthday. She fought it for a tiny bit and has only asked for "Doe Doe" (Lo Lo = Mommys milk) twice since then.

August 17th she was finally sleep trained, I brush teeth, put on pajamas, read a book ( she loves the huge French picture dictionary book and now identifies the majority of the objects that she has learned). It took me a long time to do that! I loved the cuddle time with her and finally got to understand what her cries meant and that if I leave her to cry for a few minutes in the night she will actually go back to sleep. She wakes up at 4:30 famished and thirsty, just like I did from birth on, so we get up and snack together before going to sleep until 6:30.

Her vocabulary his increased dramatically over the past while and she repeats everything we read to her. Most of the time it doesn't sound the way it should but she is making progress. One of these days I am going to document her vocab! I am speaking French to her full time and she still understands it all. She says "Ou est Daddy" and a few other 3 word sentences but mostly speaks English...Cold, Hot, Head, Baby, Hat, Horse etc. All dogs other than Bella are "Bailey" to her including Lynkhan.
Now we are at the delayed response and if, than statements, and she says please whenever she wants something.

She loves this little bag that I keep toiletries in, and perches it in the hook of her arm like a purse (don't ask me where she learned that from) plus she loves shoes and has learned to put on her little Maryjanes by herself.

She loves to go in the bain (bath) and is so cute in it. She is all about dirty and always asks me to wash her dirty hands or wash up. She says dirty perfectly and does the sign under her chin. She asks for the "towow" towel when she decides she is done and always wants to cuddle afterward. She is such a little cuddler, which I love. Glen gets a big hug and kiss in the mornings, when he leaves, after prayers and at night but that is about it! Poor guy, she tells him "No Daddy" all the time. She also says "No Mommy" and "No Bella" all the time and throws little fits on the floor, hits, pinches skin, pulls her hair out, scratches herself and has frequent (biweekly) nose bleeds.

She also started going to the Kids Klub at the Gym while I do my yoga, aqua fit, zumba, cycling or boxing classes and has loved being babysat by a girl named Chayenne who's Mom plays volleyball with me. Too bad she is at school again. We will miss her but are excited that she will babysit next year! Heidi Holmes is going to babysit too! Volleyball is so much fun! Bella and Lynkhan don't go running off without me taking them on a run so if I want them to exercise than I need to exercise with them. Emmy likes to walk to touch the gate at the top of the hill or go and knock on Marjorie's door than walk up the hill. I have done one orchestra rehearsal so far and it was not enjoyable in the least except that I met a friend there!

Glen and I have had some amazing moments over the past month! We are in love and working our marriage like always! We are a good team, and are pulling this place together one project at a time. He is a good husband and Daddy who gives up so much for us! We love him tons! Date nights once a week with a babysitter is going to start happening this weekend!

I went to our first appointment with the midwife at Kaiser and I heard the heartbeat and she measured me and said everything looked good and normal. She seemed fine with me having a home birth which is great! Last week I started to feel Squirkler start to move and Glen felt him or her move for the first time the other night. I am starting to show now but in the morning before I eat anything I don't even look pregnant. It is so exciting that there is a little 3 1/2 inch 8 ounce baby in there who is moving around, developing more and more each day! I feel like I am nesting already. I was up til 2:30 last night thinking of all the things I need to do!

Anita Glen's cousin is coming to live with us on the 19th for a while as she goes through her divorce, Dave Shallenberger is engaged and we are planning a trip to Oklahoma to see Emmy Rob and Loey, as well as the BYU football game in Texas. Repeat from 2 years ago! We planted the apple and cherry tree finally and only have a few avocado trees and grape vines to go! We are gong to get into juicing!

2011 August Crazy Times

2011-08-31T20:28:00.000-07:00

Over the past few weeks we have been to Pheonix and to Utah, had plumbing problems, morning sickness, a weird cough, and yes 3 dogs.....Anyone want Bailey. She is super social and I can't handle her visiting the neighbors all the time and being brought back after she visits them.

In Pheonix we stayed with the Ito Family, and Kristin asked for my help with the redesign of her home, a few changes using the materials she already had and voila! It looks like a show home. Man I forgot I have a talent there!
The trip to Utah wasn't what I'd planned on but I got to spend time with Victoria because of it and go to my cousin Meradith's wedding. It ended up being a really good learning experience. I don't have any harsh feelings and got over it quickly because of Glen doing Hypnobabies techniques on me! It was amazing!

Emmy is:
understanding all the French that I speak to her, which I do full time now since We have had Ashawn for 1 day since Brooklyn and Jude left a month ago. He is here right now.
do, tree
ready set go
kisses good morning to wake me up
gives Daddy great big hugs and kisses goodbye than says "Go Daddy" and points to the door
"Night night Daddy"
"No Daddy"
Bailey, Bella
Every dog is Bailey
Meaw Meaw is cat, Moo Moo is cow, Neah Neah is horse, Oohh (howl) is dog because Bella howls sometimes.
She says Turtle, horse, shoe (oesh), hat, hot, dirty,

We are going to do "Toilet Training in a Day" tomorrow! She is 19 months and supposedly there is an opening when they are able to learn it. We have been prepping for about a month and she is getting really aware of when she goes pee. Yesterday she sat on the potty for a record long time, after Ashawn showed her how he goes pee in the toilet.

We officially weaned and sleep trained 5 days ago, and she has cried herself to sleep 1x45 minutes, 1x15 mins, 1 x0 minutes and a couple of times she has cried about 20 seconds. She has decided to not sleep inside of her Phil & Teds tent two times and actually laid there while I left the room, telling her that she needs to stay in bed, go to sleep and go into the kitchen.

We go swimming every day at the Steadman's house! It is so nice of them to let us do that. Emmy goes to the door with her shoes and swimsuit and says "Go go Mama"

I have been de-junking in hopes that it will help tame the messiness, I am slowly going through our house and have already gotten rid of 3 huge Rubbermaids full of stuff and tons of garbage.

I feel like I have been constantly cleaning, tidying and organizing the house. I am learning that God must love the consistency of maintenance, because everything in life needs it, so it is a constant thing in my life.

Emmy at 18 months

2011-07-30T20:35:00.000-07:00

I just want to say that I have been a super Mommy over the past little while. Exercising 1 hour a day, taking my prenatals, getting healthy food and enough rest. Haven't been completely off sugar like I did with Emmy yet, but am going to start soon. Last week we took Emmy to the Dr Appointment, she is right on track with all the numbers, and the Dr said she looks like she is doing great! We got her first shot which was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be, for her and me. No side effects and she is doing great!

The same day I had my first prenatal visit for our new baby, the ultra sound showed 1 baby in there and all the #'s and rates looked good. All limbs are developing and the guess date (due date) is Feb 22nd! The day before Glen's birthday! I wasn't sure which if it was the day later or not. Maybe so the baby may be born on his or her Daddy's birthday!

Since Jude and Brooklyn left to Chicago and Ashawn has been with his Mima Emmy and I have been spending a lot of one on one time! We are reading together and playing together, naps have been consistent, we are slowly weening, she is really understanding all the french I speak to her and responding to what I am talking about!

This is a summary of our days together these days.....

We wake up at 6:30 after Emmy having woken me up multiple times a night by crying "Mommy, Momma" and nursing twice. Last night was the second night she has slept 7.5+ consecutive hours this time she didn't even stir once between 11 and 5:30 when she walked into my room and did her usual routine. Climbs by me and takes my eye mask off and give me a big smile with a big "Mommy" to go along with it. Then she gives me a big open mouthed kiss and turns to the baby that we put in the crib the night before and says "Baby". " Bella" which she says with her tongue out of her mouth for the most part of it as she looks out the window for Bella dog. She loves Bella!!!

Next we read some books of animals and flowers. She makes the sounds of the animals as best she can and does the signs she knows.

We go for a walk of a bike ride with the dogs, as she sits in the "voiture de babes" happily with her dolly, water, granola bar and blanket. Feeding the dogs afterwards, which she does very efficiently, with a few nibbles of their food, for which she gets Mommy all riled up. Then off to weeding, watering, and cleaning.

Next breakfast, usually oatmeal or eggs..she loves eggs with Ketchup!

Off to do our errands, sports or appointments before returning for our nap at 12:30. After a 1.5-2 hr nap we do some learning with her Melissa and Doug toys. Her newest development is to stack blocks and thread the bead through on the threading toy!

Dinner prep, feed dogs, spend time with Daddy, prep for bed and sleeping at some time between 7 and 8.

Daddy's thoughts!

2011-07-27T21:55:00.000-07:00

It's different, being a dad. I'm slowly getting use to it. I don't think it really has hit me yet. Every morning my heart breaks as I leave to work. I so look forward to the days end as I get to go home and see my girls. On my drive home I often catch myself giggling in anticipation- much like a happy little school boy in line to see Santa at the local mall. My heart melts every time I hear her yell "DAAATYYY" as she runs towards me when I get home from work. Kind of like having the dogs wagging their tales running towards the truck as I pull in.... only a million times better :)

Emmy and I have a great bond, but she is definitively a mommy's girl. I can pull all the treats out from behind her ear, throw her high in the air and catch her, play steam roller, or horsey or chase or "daddy-is-going-to-get-you" or hide-and-seek, smell her "stinky feet" or any other form of exhausting child entertainment and as soon as she's done, and she's board with me, she will point in Mommy's direction and say "Mommy, Mommy".... C'mon girl! what am I... chopped liver?

I feel like she understands everything Dana and I talk about. She is very observant and makes great eye contact. She speaks with her eyes. Sometimes she gives me this look like "why do you talk to me like that? I understand normal talk, you don't have to talk baby to me". When I do puppet shows for her, she looks at my mouth then at my eyes and basically tells me that she knows it's me speaking and not the puppets, but that she appreciates my silly ventricular efforts. She is no dummy.

Something that always make me smile is when she and I stick out our pointer fingers and she say's "E.T." (as in "E.T. phone home") and touch fingers. She's never seen the movie E.T. but then again she doesn't need to since she so smart and already know's what it means without seeing the movie.

Somehow we picked up another big dog- Bella. Bella is a Doberman and loves Emmy, but probably not as much as Emmy loves her. She'll lie on the ground and let Emmy pet/ rub her sticky little hands all over her... I don't know how she knew, but the other day Emmy poked her a little below Bella's tail and said "veeeeee-veeeeee" ... don't worry, I washed her finger immediately and apologized to Bella on behalf of Emmy for such an intrusion.

I am pregant with baby #2 :)

2011-06-14T12:54:00.000-07:00

Well after 3 pregancy tests with a faint positive line and having my non-pregnant sister pee on one too we are sure about the results! We are going to have another little baby in 9 months. We were planning on getting pregnant in August so that we would have a birthday every month from Jan-May but got a bit carried away on our honeymoon getaway in Banff (where Glen proposed) just over 4 years ago! Emmy will be 26 months and the due date will be Feb 16th! Close to a Valentines baby! We will see if she comes on time like Emmy did or a few days late means the baby could be born on Glen's birthday the 23rd! Anyway I knew from the conception date, feel pregnant already and we are very happy! No more sugary, unhealthy foods for this body for the next long while. We are in baby making mode!

Emmy is getting great practice with babies since we are staying at Brooke's house and little Kaiya is the tiniest little five month old you have ever seen. Emmy is on a hitting streak with the other cousins but is so sweet with "baby Iaya"! She gives her hugs, cuddles, pats and kisses as she says her name all day long. We are hopefully going to get her out of the hitting stage quickly, but I think she does it for attention now. Shoot!

Today we listened to DJ Mike on the U of I radio station and he played a song for Brooklyn that had her name in it.

Potty training Emmy is my next feet this week! I want to get her started while all the cousins are going in potties around her. I just read in my Montessori book and she is at the end of her Sensory Period for that! Shoot, should have read that section sooner! Cloth diapers and a call to Sandy Price is in order!

Emmy is going to be a big sister!

Travel Time again! 4000+ miles here I come!

2011-05-08T21:06:00.000-07:00

So this is the travel summary......

View Larger Map

May 8th? Emmy and I packed up Zina our new white Excursion to head on a 4139 mile round trip road trip through Utah, to Cardston AB, Calgary, Banff, Moscow ID, Osoyoos BC, to California. Most of it except the trip to Utah will be accompanies by Paige, Brooklyn and Jude! This is going to be a heck of a trip and I am sure that after driving that much, and being away from Glen for that long we will be home for a nice long while.

The reason for the early trip up is because Brianna and Christopher are getting married! They have been dating since I was their EFY counselor when they were 16 years old. They are such a great couple and I am so excited for them. Christopher is a stellar, service oriented guy, and Breezy could make a success out of marrying just about anyone! I can never get over how accomplished Bree is in so many different aspects of life! She is truly a Renascence woman and I think Christopher is so lucky to have her as a wife!

Upon arriving in Utah Heinz and Carmen met us at the tire place where I needed to get our tires rotated. They were so excited to see Emmy, as she was them. They played away with her and enjoyed having her spend the evening with them while I went to a pre-wedding reception family party. The next day we enjoyed Bree's wedding reception where she looked like a May day/Greek Goddess! Gorgeous in every aspect. The reception was beautiful and classy, although there was a little rain the crowds stuck around!

Christopher planned an after party at his grandpa Glen's house up Spanish Fork Canyon. It is huge, gorgeous and has a tennis court that we had a dance on! One of the funnest nights of my year. I danced like a teenager with Bree, Paige, Dad and Vic and loved every minute of it. Victoria loved every minute as well since a handsome suitor was working the moves on her and by the end of the night they were holding hands!

Paige was really overwhelmed and stressed when I arrived at her house, she was finishing the grand-kids dresses and Jude's bow tie, as well as packing and preparing the move to Chicago! She is such a busy go-getter of a Mom! Plus she cooks like a real chef EVERYDAY!!! I am so impressed with all she does and is!

Trey and Brooklyn drove seperately up to Cardston, although we did stay the night in Great Falls together! The kids enjoyed a great little playground by the river there. As we were driving we were realizing how crazy we are to be doing such a long trip with such young children. At least it is with sisters that is all I can say!

Cardston was looking pretty grey and dismal the night before their wedding but the Family Planning Dinner in ????? was beautul and wonderfully entertaining. All the family members stood up and told stories about Bree and Christopher! They sure are interesting people and as the night went on I realized more and more how perfect they are for each other!

The next morning was way more hectic than Brooke, Paige and my wedding mornings because instead of simply having a 4 week old there were 5 little kids running around, needing to get dressed etc. Dixie and Charlie were great hosts and I loved catching up with Nikki Wright for a few minutes the night before the wedding. Glen and I hadn't seen each other in a week and a bit so we were so happy to see each other there! Poul Bay made it once again! I love him and how constant he is in our lives!

Bree was simply beaming and the day was cloudy but perfect. Other than a scare with a couple of family members having expired temple recommends all seemed to flow from there. The sealing was beautiful, the preparations for the reception was hectic once again because of the kids! We aren't the helpers Mom is used to having at weddings anymore because of them. There were a few regrets on our parts as sisters but Bree and Christopher left feeling very happy with how their reception went! It was so fun seeing the Calgary friends again. I wish I could have talked to more of them for longer. The Harris family was absolutely wonderful to have and see! I love those guys. We had a wonderful Harris Family Brunch the next day where we all caught up on each other's live before everyone left! I was super sad that I got sick on their wedding night but as the saying goes "Better me than Bree" or was it "Thee"? Haha.

For the next two weeks I was sick in bed and Emmy got sick for the first time in her life! She threw up for the first time and was not doing well at all. I am not sure what I got but we suspected that it came from Jude Jude who Glen termed "The Petry Dish" since he always seems to have a runny nose or something. Anyway I got it, Paige had it to some degree, Glen, Mike and Dad got it! Brutal illness! Dad got a blood clot in his leg again a couple of days after the wedding and we were so worried for him since he hadn't had one in 7 years and the more he get the worse off the results could be. He healed up after taking major doses of Kumiden.

Paige was staying at Brig's old house and Emmy and I stayed at the condo. Glen was there for his vacation so we went in my sick state and all to Banff and Lake Louise...I mustn't have been that sick because we had a wonderful honeymoon experience and made our second baby! I told Bree when she got home that I had her Honeymoon baby for her, so she didn't have to have it. Somehow I knew since day 1 that I was pregnant. Paige kept saying, you should stop telling people since you don't even know! I think she was saying that because she should have been telling people that she was pregnant because she did know but was in denial! Our babies are going to be 2 weeks apart AGAIN! Crazy eh!

We did manage to meet up with Melanie Akenhead, Anne Klein, Morgan Allen and go to the Zoo with Rachel Hornburg, Nathan's sister. Emmy loved seeing the animals and it brought back so many memories of childhood and Waldorf Class field trips! After a few more miserable days in bed Paige and I headed off to Osoyoos to open up the place for summer!

'

April was awesome thus far!!!

2011-04-22T23:33:00.000-07:00

Ashawn keeps saying winners these days. I keep wanting to write them down on FB to record them but don't every time and forget them. So here are a few I remember or wrote down. Today as he told he was going to leave with his grandma he said...Daddy are you going to miss me when I am gone at my grandma's? When Glen said yes he said "I will come home tomorrow so don't worry".

On March 28th he said "Ashawn is so cute! Today he must have been reading my mind because he too was thinking about love languages. He said, "You love me by feeding me healthy food, Meemaw gives me love by feeding me sugar food, Auntie Harmony loves me by giving me presents! So true haha. He also said that his taste-buds like sugar food and his body likes healthy food. Oh the other thing he said was, "and I show my love to you by being your helper"

On April 12th I wrote "Ashawn just said that Glen "is the goodest Daddy ever" as he fixes his toy. Last night he told me that He and Daddy were just talking about the yummy food you made. You are a good baker. He also told me that he missed me while he was gone and that he is glad to be back! He also told me he loves me as he was carried off to bed tonight! Soo cute! It makes all of the peepee diapers, and freak out sessions worth it!"

I absolutely love his prayers...They are so short and sweet and from the heart. He has gotten better every month and now is applying things we have been learning about from our Bible book story reading time. He loves every Bible book we have and today exclaimed that he loves reading the scriptures, right after Glen announced reading time, after I reminded Glen :). This morning and so often he prays like this..."Heavenly father, bless us to obey the law and be happy and not get a cold shower. In the name of Jesus Christ. AMEN". This morning he also asked to be "brought back to life (like Lazarus) and be healthy" and asked if we pray "to the Lord or to Jesus?" When we reminded him of the format of prayer he understood quickly and was happy with the answer. He has a really good heart and such a love for the scriptures. I love him so much.

He calls me "Momma" or "Mom" these days and Glen "Daddy Glen" or "Dad" as though he has graduated from the baby terms Mommy and Daddy.

He and Emmy are best friends and love playing together and squabbling over little things the other has. They race the big wheel and tonka bike and play well together for the most part.

Emmy is amazing too! I can't get over that girl! She is so dang cute and is starting to tell me things in full sentences (with mostly unrecognizable words) but I get the jist.

On the 7th I wrote "Emmy says "Go" now when she wants to jump off something, race on the bike (with the help of Mommy) dive down, race etc. Tonight she said "Go" and started running. She is speaking in mostly unrecognizable sentences in this funny little nasal voice. Every once in a while we will hear some words we understand. Man I can't handle her cuteness." I thought her nasal voice is because I speak nasal French to her but she is over that...I think she was just finding her voice.

On the 8th I wrote "Today Emmy folded her arms and closed her eyes for 3 seconds during morning prayer this morning, helped me wipe up, run the doggies for 1 hour with no fuss, played in the bath happily and is now napping by herself in her own little bed. Wow she has come a long way in just over a year."

Today was a big day 2 big things happened:

1. She won't take her morning naps and the quote by the man who wrote Happy Sleep Habits Happy child says that once they loose the sleep it is lost forever, and that letting them cry and fall asleep is more important than being cuddled and loose that invaluable sleep. He also says that kids who nap end up being happier, smarter and less likely to be fat or brats. So she needs her naps and despite the fact that the crib reminds me of a little jail cell and I wonder if cribs/pack n plays have anything to do with people not being as scared of being locked up in prison cells later on in life? I finally gave in and set up her crib....and she loves it. She took her nap this afternoon in it, with me laying in the LoveSac beside her. It was so cute. She was in with her favorite pink blanket and binky, and for about 45 minutes she was jsut playing with her pink teddy bear and glow worm (which she passed me through the bars, sitting up checking if I was still there. She eventually fell asleep and slept for 2 hours straight.

I got a calling as the primary chorister for our ward. I love it and have so much fun with the children singing and playing all day on Sunday. I feel so lucky to have that calling. There was a training the other night and it was so inspirational listening to Cynde Wells talk about all of the wonderful miracles that music can bring into our lives. The most interesting thing I found is that I haven't been in Primary or heard the songs for 15 years now and the moment that I got in there all the songs are back in my head and voila there I am confidently leading the kids. The Primary President Ana is so sweet and said I look like I have done it before and look so natural up there. What's not to be natural again. They are children and I love music. My Mom instilled that in me and I am so grateful to her for that.

Glen got released from being Stake Young Men's Secretary and called again to be the 2nd councilor. He loves the youth and they love him. He has done so much good in the other presidency and I am sure will continue. The funnest thing about his new calling is that he gets to teach Missionary Prep 2x per month in the singles ward. How fun would that be.

Our House is really coming together, yet so far from being done. We bought 75 plants the other day for an average of $10 each, and got everything from Peaches, Apricots, Nectarines to Pecans and Passion-fruits. We got 14 grape vines7 avocado trees as wells as a few flowering plants such as lavender and Asaylia.

Inside we have a bunch of Curtain rods that are laying around waiting to hand up as well as some curtains. I am debating whether to be adventurous enough to sew some curtains/roman blinds or just forget about it and go with what we have bought. There are so many options of material etc it would be fun to sew my own, but oh so much work. We are still missing a few mirrors, light fixtures, and closet doors. Slowly slowly.

I took the stress button off the other week when I realized that the reno emergencies could wait and that I need exercise to be really happy, so for over two weeks now I have done just that every day. Brooke my ultra outdoorsy/fit active Sister (like they aren't all) inspired me to look around for the Calgarian made Cougar Chariot jogger/stroller/bike carrier on Craigslist and for my birthday Glen bought me the Chariot 2 Cougar which I can't believe how amazing it is! We got it from this very clean and proper single dad who took such great care of it for $600! This included $345 worth of attachments that we would have had to buy so we (mostly I) are so happy!!!

The first run I took both kids on, voila, through the orchard we went, no problems or worries, up or down sideways, the Chariot took it all in stride and made my run so much fun. Some guys from my ward who were mountain biking said I was crazy but if that counts as crazy...bring it on. Ashawn constantly asks to go on another run/bike ride when he fears I may be done and Emmy goes over to the Chariot and pats on it, wanting up and lets me place her in there, put on her safety strap and sits there perfectly relaxed and quiet the entire time. She loves it. On my second bike ride I hit a thorn that put a hole in it's tire. So I am waiting on Glen to fix it. I need it by Monday when Shawny comes back, but until then ran with my old single stroller/jogger today with Emma and was so happy.I love the feeling of being fit and exercising! No wonder I was such a happy teen/college student. Endorphines sure do feel great!

My sister Paige introduced me to the Power of Moms Organization when she was here last month. I am using their organizer system for my daily to do list and I have completed so much more with it. I want to start a learning circle here in town and am so excited to learn more about the Power of Moms.

Next fall, if we still have Ashawn I don't want to drive all the way over to SJ for Preschool and want to do a Montesorri/Waldorf Style one here form Emma and Ashawn. My friend Emily already has her daughter in Montessori in Murrieta and has been wanting to do this too. We are so excited about it and started planning yesterday.

March-cuter than ever

2011-03-30T16:57:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Ashawn's 4th Emmy's 1st and My and Glen's birthday last Saturday and had a wonderful party!!! Quite a few people came and we really enjoyed their company.

Here is the invite that we sent out!

Hello Friends,

We are officially moved in and the construction debris is finally almost gone. We are not feeling quite as stressed out because we have already done the hard stuff. After 1 year we have thrown out, torn out, built up, painted, moved, decorated and it is now officially time for a party!

Emmy & Glen have already had their birthdays pass with little celebration. Mine is next month & since Ashawn, at age 4, is the only one who really needs a birthday party with all of his "FWENDTS" (friends) we are going to celebrate it on his birthday!

We are so excited to have you over and celebrate the reno, move in and our birthdays with us. It should be a fun party since we are going to have a jumper for the kids,delicious Mexican food by Jesus Cabrera, and amazing cakes by Brynn Anderson. Seeing her creations are alone worth coming to see. Check her out on Facebook!
Hopefully everyone stays in good health and it doesn't snow or rain. Sunny California weather is what we are hoping for and probably will get. But rain or shine, in sickness or in health we are going to have this party! So come on over.

Please feel free to come for as long or as short as you would like. Don't worry about presents, we are just excited to have your presence! Please RSVP so that we can prepare the right amount of food!

Sincerely,

The Rusches

It was a success as in that there was no rain and about 60 people who came. Quite a few couldn't because of sicknesses etc. The food was awesome and the cake too! Brynn did an amazing job. Not only did it look good but it tasted amazing!!! I can't even believe that making a cake like that is possible. I didn't want to eat it but alas that is the point of it!

Ashawn loved the bouncer so much and we didn't even miss Poppy aka Pegusis because we had both Hercules and Pegusis on the cake as well as the cutest little angel cake for Emmy!

Emmy got a little singing dog that she loves! When it sings she dances.

Here is a little description of Emma right now....

When I ask her to sit in her bumbo chair to eat (in French) she does it and today after I gave her some sting cheese, I looked over and voila she had already sat down in it.

She says "Here you go" in very slurred terms "heyugo" and thank you when I give her something, once again in very slanged terms. When I am wiping or sweeping she helps me and does it on her own sometimes. Today she took the lid off the laundry basket and put it back on before being done with it. She babbles all day and does a cute little closed mouthed smirk. She is so dang cute with her blond hair that is getting so long! It is almost time for a haircut because her bangs are getting in her eyes and her back looks a tiny bit mullety except when I have pigtails in, then it looks sooo cute! She is running around now and loves the fact that she can move so fast.Glen and I can't get over how adorable she is! So kissable.

She loves Emmy's blanket and brings it to me whenever she wants to sleep or nurse. Emmy Gerber Baird is pregnant!

Ashawn is doing a lot of things now that he is 4. Eating tidily 2x so far, putting his bath toys away without help, staying on the potty until I wipe him, not freaking out when I am putting Emmy to sleep, and getting himself dried off in the bathroom are a few examples, he says the cutest things ie. Are we going to the Doggie Dr now? May I pleathe have Thom More Thcubie Du Thnacks Pleathe? He was disappointed that I decided not to go to Utah this morning like we had planned. He was so excited to see Brooklyn, Lizette and Ginger!

We will go in May instead for Bree's Bridal shower, Reception and then drive to Canada with Paige!

We just put in the application for Emmy's Passport! So exciting that Bree is getting married to Christopher (finally) and we are going home to Calgary!!! Can't wait to see some old friends.

We went to the Dr. the other day and she was in the 25th percentile for height, 75th for weight and 95th for head circumference. You can tell she has nothing lacking up there that is for sure. She doesn't miss a thing. Quick body, eyes and brain that is for sure.

We are dealing with the whole debate about vaccination etc. Our Dr is definitely for them and gave me some reading material to help in our decision making.

Jasmine Ashawn's Mom is pregnant again and Mimaw is freaking out. We will see what happens next. Right as we were having a wonderful time with him, He was doing his best ever, Brooklyn and Jude came for two weeks and he was such a pain in the neck. Now that he is by himself he is back to his cordial self.

We took a Freelife Trip to Rexburg Idaho...Glen's old stomping ground and visted our friends Charlie and Jess! It was super listening to Rick Handel, the scientist who did all of the research/developed all of their products speak. He is an amazing guy and we feel so lucky to be a part of Freelife. We made our first promotion by having 3 people signed up. So we have our Product paid for and Glen is loosing weight fast. Emmy was pretty adorable on the trip and it was her first plane ride. This is what I wrote of FB on March 8th. "Emmy is amazing. She is the best little traveler. She loved looking out of the airplane window on her first flight. She made friends with the kids in front and behind her and was so pleasant! This morning she climbed into her carseat for the first time.

The house is done for the most part and the party forced us to get all of the junk from the back room and yard into the garage, now we just have to take care of that and get rid and organize it!! Big project ahead of us for sure. I bought some curtain rods and the curtains that we hung in the dining room make it feel so much more comfortable in the kitchen at night. We hung the Chris Picture along the hallway and it all looks so beautiful.

Heinz came to help us get ready for the party. He got the play set finished in it's place with sand all around etc. It looks so great and the yard really pulled together. It feels so great to have it all flattened and beautiful. We got a bulldozer to come and dig out the hill by the palm trees. It is going to look so great once Glen finishes what Heinz finished with the railroad ties.

Valentines+ the past month!

2011-02-13T20:50:00.000-08:00

Ashawn is at a great age. I love it. He has been so happy and well behaved since we moved up here. He has had 2 whole days of perfect behavior and many with only warnings for timeouts.

He loves preschool with "the kids" and the library. We finally went and he is so excited to get some books about bees! He tries to pet and pester the bees but is unsuccessful so far getting stung, like I keep warning him.

He and I did a little backing and he now loads his dishes, sweeps, and gets his snacks out. He is growing up so fast. He calls me Mommy a lot now, and Glen Daddy. Where's my Daddy is what he called out while Glen was playing basketball, the other night. We are going to talk to Mima about him this next month.

I told Ashawn that he's my favorite little boy in the whole wide world and he responded by saying "you are my favorite Mommy". It is funny to hear how he hears words spoken around him ie. Lightning Green (light green) and "Net Flex movies" Flex is Mima's other dog. He'is so lovable, hug-able and kissable.

At preschool he is getting so good at all of the tasks. Practice makes perfect. It is amazing the improvement in all of the aspects he has learned. Emmy comes and "helps me" and seemed to listen to the teacher and followed the example of the other classmates when they were asked to sit on their carpet squares. So cute.

Ashawn and Emmy rode a horsey for the first time the other day. Sarah Duffin (an amazing wonderful, musical, beautiful girl in our ward let us ride her horse named Poppy who is a sweet 18 year old mare. It was so wonderful and now Ashawn says he wants a horse at our house too. Maybe in the far future!!! Emmy seemed to love it. Check out this smile.

Everyone who sees her walking around says that she is kind of small for her age. The average is 28-29 inches and 22.25 lbs. So she is actually in the

I can't believe how much she has developed over the past while. Today she was dancing to the music in sacrament. Twirling around and bopping up and down. So cute.

She runs now, especially when I am coming to get her from the dog yard (where she loves to go and eat the dog food and play and drink their water. Yuk. She has only been successful at each of those once and I felt like the worst mom ever each of those times.

She loves the dogs. If ever I can't console her when she gets injured I just ask where are the dogs? and voila she is looking around for her best buddies. She has a little plastic dog that she walks, picks up, holds close and pats it on the back like I do with her, in the house and when she is outside she walks Bailey and Beethoven. Hilarious because both of them are taller than her, yet they let her do it and when Ashawn tried to take the leash from her, man did she tell him off. She holds her ground with him. She thinks it's funny to snatch his hair, the tight curls are easy to catch with her little fingers and he always lets out a squeal. She tries it with me but it doesn't work.

In the mornings she wakes up, takes my eye mask off and leans over to give me a kiss. Mouth wide open but so cute. She gives high fives, pom pom taos, kisses, hugs and hits now. Her newest words are coca and dodaododao. She definitely understands what is going on and follows basic prompts. Oh ya, the other day I asked her if she wanted to go to sleep and she put head down on her hand (the baby sign for sleep), plus when she wants milk she goes smack smack with her lips. "Nanao" and a shake of the head lets me know when she doesn't' want something that I am offering and she looks at, points and leans into the thing she wants while saying "dat" when she finds something she wants.

We got Emmy a hearty tutu and a soft cream blanket with hearts etched into it for her birthday and Ashawn is loving his Tonka bike that he got for Christmas although he is just now getting really good at riding his Big Wheel. Emmy loves to stand on them while I push her.

The other day I was working away on the computer while the two of them sat on the front lawn filling sand in their buckets and Ashawn said....I am making a sand castle....Emmy is making tortillas! What the heck, kids say the darnedest things eh. Carmen & Glen thought that was logical since she is 1/4 Mexican. :)

She and Ashawn are hilarious together. The other day they were in the bath and Ashawn commented on how he can now tell Emmy is a girl. I thought of the obvious, but he said that it is because she has eyelashes, and that he is a boy so he doesn't have any. They play so well together and are very happy and independent while doing it. I now have a few hours a day when they are content playing nicely together. Life is good. They wonder around the property and pick up and carry and hit and kick and ride and pet all day long. They are both pretty quite as they methodically go through their activities. California living is so easy, warm weather, fresh fruit, cool breezes etc. Life at the citrus house is 1000000000% better than I thought it would be even. We love it, the kids love it and the dogs love it too.

Our house got a major improvement when Glen talked Tommy into installing Solar hot water. We no longer have major power outages because of an overload and the water has been steaming hot as it came out no matter night or day. 130 gallon tanks rock!!

We finished unpacking the last box on Jan 21st but will finish moving the last item from the garage tomorrow, the day before the short sale if final. We had to come up with $3750 to make it happen, plus we didn't realize that Brock had listed our fridge in the sale way back, so we are out a fridge. We got a really stinky one from the Hamiltons who just moved to Utah. I can't get the smell out though! Yuk.

We have been going for walks and reading scriptures each morning and time passes so much slower when we do those things first. Glen can't wait to come into Emmy's room first thing in the morning. I understand why. She is addicting and neither of us can get enough of her.

We just settled our accident case which is a relief. No 10 days of trial needed and we got our expenses covered and a little bit of change in our pockets for a new suit for Glen and a new fridge for me.We recently got injections in our necks which seem to have helped the most of all. Amazing technology!

I have been quite stressed and moody lately but recently got back on the drenamin iron, & vitamins and feel a lot better. I also really am enjoying the TaiSlim liquid that helps my nerves.

Glen has lost 13 pounds since starting on the diet almost two months ago. He has worked two jobs, moved two houses, taken care of two dogs & an almost two personality wife for the whole time and has had the energy and constant blood sugar through the whole thing.
We made the first level of promotion Star Director 1 in FreeLife! E

Brooke had her baby Kaiya Leone! So cute we are excited for her and I have yet to hear about the birth experience. Since becoming a hypnobabies doula I helped Lisa Sorenson with her birthing preparations. She said that listening to the hypnobabies scripts made such a difference in her birthing experience. I have wanted to get to know her since the day I heard her sing a song that she had just written, plus the day she was teaching aerobics at the stake center. She is an amazing and I want to hang out more. I keep finding these amazing women in my stake. So many and so little time to spend with them. She was the most relaxed yet the most in control of any of her 6 births.

I met a new best friend named Taylor Mitchell in our ward. There is also a lady named Josie who has 9 kids and I am inspired by her spirituality. I can't wait to get to know her better. The ward members are so welcoming and friendly. Brynn Anderson just moved in too and I love her! She makes the most amazing cakes and is going to make one for Emmy and Ashawn for their party that we are planning to have on the 26th.

On Feb 8th I wrote of FB "I feel like a wonderful Mom tonight. Emmy fell asleep at 5:59 which is just 1 minute before her bedtime. She and Ashawn took their morning nap today too :) We are giving Hero Points to Ashawn to reward his behavior. He loves "Good Guys" aka Heros and has such a desire to be one. He gets a sticker to put on his calender with each point. He has been behaving so well lately, and we are in a real good groove."

One year of being a full time Mom! Emmy is one!

2011-01-21T19:06:00.001-08:00

So tonight was a beautiful night watching the kids and reminiscing of last year and all of the changes and experiences I have experienced. As I am speaking one year ago, I was in Hypnosis giving birth to our first born child. We still were't sure what we were going to name her or what she was going to look like, only had an idea of the little Hoo like siluette from the ultrasound. We had the perfect birth and our baby doll arrived without a cry. She checked out perfect by our midwife Karen and Mom, Heinz and Herman were there to see our new arrival.

It is amazing what happens within the first year of life...Emmy has done a 360 transformation from a beautiful little toothless, hairless bundle of cuteness to a walking, gurgling little girl with curly golden hair and eight beautiful pearly whites. What Glen and I can't get over is how funny it is that we thought she was the cutest thing back then, when she is nothing compared to what she is now. She was kind of funny looking without her hair etc. Her features have all changed too. She has always had these inquisitive eyebrows but has so much expression to her face. She is such an expressive girl. She had a clogged tear-duct that Carmen and Heinz paid to get fixed and now no more teary red eye for her.

We went to the work retreat that I was birthing through last year. It was fun to show Emmy off and introduce her to some of the Synergy people. When I picked Ashawn up afterward he said, "I want to got to the party too, to the party with kids!"

Today she started to cry when her Daddy went away for the first time. She was toddling around, squatting down, falling down and getting back up, and carrying all kinds of things all over the place and loves the fact that she can follow me wherever I go and doesn't freak out when I am out of sight except if she is tired.

When music comes on she bobs up and down to the beat and if she has a little shaker/rattle she will shake it to a constant rhythm. All of that prenatal music time paid off.

She has these dark chocolate brown Latin eyes that melt anyone she looks at. She is a mix of the Rusche side. Carmen's eyes), Glen's profile and body type as of now, Opa and Glen's ears and head shape, but she is all girl. The way she holds her hands when she walks and has this natural attraction to her baby dolls, puppies, and anything sweet. Her baby fat is still intact although she is starting to have some nice thin legs and defined arms. Her smile is contagious and I just can't help but kiss her face and neck hundreds of times each day. She giggles like heavenly music, kisses with her mouth open wide, hugs and cuddles without reserve, leans back when reading a book, perfectly content and comfortable until she realizes that the page is done, or so she thinks, and that it must be turned, which she does with the utmost efficiency. When she is concentrating on something her lips are together, with a very serious look on her face.

She is really starting to understand what is being said. The other day we asked her if she wanted to ride her horsey and she went over to it and wanted to ride it. I asked her to bring me her blankey than we can cuddle. Today I said "Emmy come and cuddle with Momma and voila she came in to cuddle plus pulled the blanket up to her neck. Speaking of necks, she loves to hold things under her neck to feel their texture, and brings blankets up around her back up to her neck on both sides. Basically everything she does is amazing to me....I am such a first time Mom.

When she wants something she points her little finger at it and says "DAT, dat". Just figured out that she uses her tongue to breastfeed and now lapping her tongue up like a little doggy is how she says she wants to eat something. When she is playing with something and I take it away without her permission she freaks out, throws her head back, arches her back if being held. If she is on the ground she sits down, puts her head and hands to the ground and cries. She likes to open and close doors and drawers which sometimes ends up in an ouwie or two. She has had 4 nosebleeds in her life so far and each one gets easier for me to handle. I bawled harder than she did for the first one, the last one I didn't even freak out. Hooray I am getting better at being a Mama too.

She brings so much joy to our lives. I cannot believe that at one point we didn't have her. She is our biggest blessing thus far, and that is really saying something. I cannot believe how much I am in love with these babies. They are so soft, cuddly, loving and sweet.

Today Ashawn had a great day.I love him and can't get enough of him except when he whines and is disobedient. Luckily he is an obedient good boy and we have a good time. He didn't whine as much as usual. He should be over that soon, but has a hard time adjusting to being here and there with different rules and standards. He is such a sweetheart. Last night when Emma was all dressed up for the party he woke up from his nap and say, " You look pretty in that dress Emma", he also was holding her pink bunny rabbit when he was giong over to Mima's and forgot to give it back to her. He felt so badly that he made Mima drive after us to try and give it back. He kept saying, "It was an accident".

He is learning to be quite manipulative from a little teenager I know. He says to me. "If you're not nice I am not going to be your baby", and "You're not a good Mommy" because I don't give in to his shinanigins. He also says things like "I love you", Please and thank you. He is a pretty well mannered boy, he takes his shoes off at the door, remembers to wash his hands when he comes in from playing. His forehead is so fatty and I love kissing that and his cheeks of course. Emmy loves pulling his hair and

He can turn on and off his whining like a switch, I hate it when he does it yet he continues to do it everyday. I need to kick that habit right away before Emmy picks up on it. He is learning all about good and bad manners and what Gentleman do and don't do. He's the little "Gentleman" and Emmy is the little "lady".

He loves preschool and any chance to be social with the kids. He is very sociable and likable, so is popular with the kids. It is interesting to see what an impact TV has on him. When he watches a movie in the morning if I am feeling weak and tired and let him, than that is what he talks about all day. It is replayed over and over in his mind.

One of the girls at preschool is a teacher and did an evaluation of him. She says he needs extra work on cutting paper which he now does, gluing cleanly, finding patterns, recognizing letters and numbers and putting numbers in order, and tracing top to bottom, counting past 11, and reciting the days of the week and months of the year.

He's realized that he can control the dogs by holding their collars. Lynk and Bailey are moved up here, Glen made a great little spot for them behind the Guest House. They love running through the citrus groves and whenever Bailey looses sight of us she goes back up to our house on the hill and overlooks the groves, searching for us. I trained her to go potty in one spot on our property and that is where she has gone since then.

Both of them love playing the piano, and randomly go up and plunk away. So cool. They also really love bubbles, chalk, holding grapefruits on our walks and Mommy time, and will squabble over it.

Alex the cat has been MIA for about a month now :( so sad. Beau is with Ginseng (Jade's beautiful white cat) hanging out in Ann's house until the move is done.

It feels so wonderful to be in our new house and to make it feel like home. I love what we have done so far and can't believe our blessed luck in finding, purchasing and fixing up this house. The view is incredible and every morning when Emmy is up before the sun is, I don't mind as much because that way I can see the beautiful sunrise changing the colors and views over the citrus groves and mountains.

Emma at 10 months

2010-11-30T20:44:00.001-08:00

She is now....

crawling up and down stairs

standing and cruising on everything possible

Opening cupboards and drawers and pulling everything out

Walking holding onto our fingers (with big strides)

Crawls on the carpet and scoots on hard surfaces

Throws fits when we take something she likes

Likes Cats and Dogs and says Daudg and a two syllable word for kitten

Points at the kittens, waits until they bite her, pulls it away and

Asks for the food we are eating with a smack or with here eyes

Likes to play pom pom tao (bumps foreheads)

Enjoys taking the dogs for walks

Hates her car seat

Plays hide an go seek by pulling something up in front of her face

She does an under bite grin sometimes

Loves her Mama, Dadda and Ashawn (who makes her laugh often)

Gets really giddy when she is tired.

Gives such nice hugs!!!

Likes eating everything she has tried so far except avocado (even lemon and grapefruit) but especially raisins and cheerios!When I was wearing a fur hat the other day. She kept looking at me and smiling away!!! So cute.

Grabs Glens pen from his shirt then crawls away with it as fast as she can. When he says "I'm going to get you she crawls faster then squeals to a halt. Glen takes it back and goes away. Then she does it again!

She spends the first part of the mornings with her Daddy and when she comes in the room she gets sooo excited and crawls to me then latches on.

Ashawn is doing well at preschool and learning his 123s and ABCs! He had a wonderful Thanksgiving Break with Mima and Auntie Jade.

Yesterday was one of his best days ever! He was such a good boy all day was so nice to Emma and played well and was happy. His prayers are so cute.... Heaveny Fader. Please help be happy. help be not naughty. In d name of Jesus Christ.....Amen!

He is so excited for Christmas this year and Santa and the reindeer etc. So cute!

Our house is almost ready. Victor is working on the walls in the rear of the house. He has put up the drywall and now has to re texture it. Paint is ready and then we have the carpet lined up to do. The baseboard, mirrors and light fixtures still need to be installed in the front of the house but other than that we are ready to move in!!!!

The family arrives in 15 days so we'd better get on it and finish up!!!

Emmy is 9 months Old and it's Halloween!

2010-10-11T11:06:00.000-07:00

Emmy is 9 months old so cute! Glen and I keep thinking to ourselves. She must be the cutest baby in the world and that we should put her in baby modeling/cutest baby contest but then we realize that every parent thinks that way.
Glen insists that he can't get enough of her and that it is hard for him to go to work everyday.
They go out with the dogs when she wakes up at 6:30 on the dot every morning so that I can get a little bit of extra sleep before Glen goes to work. She says "Daw, Daw" when she sees the dogs and tries to push the garage door opener, then looks aroudn to see the door open right away. You can't get anythign past this girl! She is SMART!
She is a little crawler. She follows me around all over the place, which helps her not feel so scared or sad when I walk the other way to do something.
Today at church she was playing with my scripture marker in her mouth and really enjoying it. I switched a black pen for it and she got so mad. I gave it back and she was happy, then tried to switch it without her noticing and voila! MAD!
She is a little social butterfly! She wouldn't go to sleep during the entire church today despite me trying everything! She and two babies her age were playing in the back of the gospel doctrine class today which was so cute.
She has been sick quite a bit over the past few weeks and grew acustomed to me sleeping with her. Rolling and crawling happen at nights so we sleep on a little mattress on the floor. When she isn't fully asleep or wakes up as I try to slip her onto the mattress to go sleep in my bed she rolls onto her tummy, sits up and reaches over to me and flops down.
Her little head flopping ritual is adorable to witness. When she gets tired, it is like the weight of her head becomes too much so she drops down and rests it on anything that is soft.
Her balance has improved a lot. Glen tried to push her off balance the other day but couldn't!

Ashawn is doing preschool now. We (the girls in our ward are doing JOYSCHOOL) and it is great! I play volleyball while Emmy naps on the days I don't help out/teach. and he loves playing and learning with the kids. Our fridge is covered with his artwork from school and he has gotten a lot better at writing. This week he finally started tracing the letters better by himself.
He is getting so big and grown up now.
Over the past while he corrects me in ways that I correct him. He says things like...."You made a mess, so you have to clean it up. Glen is going to be mad and put you in time out." or "When a person says no you stop right away" These are some phrases we use with him and when I am out of line, he tells me. When we make something yummy he says, "We need to eat it fast before Tommy eats it all". He thought it was OK to pee in his diapers because Glen had been saying "It's ok to pee in you pull up at night but it is bad to pee when you're awake." When I told him that it's not ok to pee anywhere but in the toilet he got it and hasn't peed in his pullup since. The only hastle with that is that he'll wake up mulitple times a night and say "I gotta go pee" followed by us saying "ok you can go than" followed by a "But I can't see"
He is soo sweet with Emmy, he constantly wants to play with her and see her and he can really make her laugh. He jumps at her and says "ROAR" and she cracks up. He also does "Peekaboo" and "ABOO" which she loves.
He also has reverted a little bit in regard to wanting to be just like her and the two of them have the cutest baby conversations mixed with laughter! He loves his "little Sister" and she loves him!
Everything we say to him no matter if he knows the answer or not merits the response, "WHY?" he is a why monster. Most of the time I say, "You tell me why Ashawn" and he does. He is a little conversationalist for sure.
I wish that I could remember some more of the things he says.Oh here is one. "If I don't go be with Mima, she will have to buy another kid". Here is another. "I am a good eater, so I can grow up to be big like you and Daddy Glen!" I am your baby and Emma is your baby? Why?
The sweetest thing that has happened lately is that he has started calling me "Mommy" and Glen "Daddy Glen" more often. Especially when he is tired or sleepy.
He is getting really good at playing the piano now. He plays "like Tommy"
He is such a handsome little guy! We love him so much and want the best for him. He is such a pleasure to have around!

Since the rain has hit, snails have too. One day there was one sliding down our window and another peeking out from around a corner, another day sliding down our driveway (that snail ended up crunched by our tires by accident later. He is so curious about them and was really happy when I told him that it is ok to touch it. They really are interesting little things.
Because of dead bugs etc around we have been talking about safety and accidents and death lately and we have talked about where our spirits go when we die. To heaven with Jesus if we are righteous!
He is a really good listener, and obedient boy. We feel so lucky to have him in our lives.

He has been telling everyone about how he wants to be "The Red PowerRanger for Halloween" whenever the subject comes up, as well as how Emmy is going to be a lady bug, Brooklyn a butterfly and Hazel a bumblebee.

So our house renovation looks like it is finally wrapping up. Bro Cabrerra is working hard on our cabinets and already brought up our island. I am so excited to see it I cannot handle it!
We still need to install our counter-top...Ikea's butcher-block that we will seal with Linseed oil, and hook up our sink, garborator, fridge, double oven, cook-top and a few more light fixtures. Baseboards, and carpets are ready to go in this week, as well as work done on the rear room. Rojas is helping us with the wiring. Insulation, drywall, texturing, primer, paint, baseboards than carpet and light fixtures and voila our reno will be done!!!! (for now)
Shoot that is a lot of things to do! Plus move into the Citrus House and move out of Remo house.

At times I really do feel that this reno will never end, I have washed up the whole house so many times and have had so many anticlimatic moments but maybe this time it will happen soon. It had better because we have my whole family (minus Trey) coming for Christmas plus we NEED to be in by December 1st and our Remo House just got a signed offer and we are waiting for the banks approval. Hopefully it goes through this time. We put January 5th as the move in date for the new owners.

Yes, Glen and I are both feeling stressed, especially since we don't have the cash to pay workers right for their help right now. Well we will figure this all out sooner or later. Hopefully not later.

Emmy is 8 months old!

2010-09-21T20:05:00.000-07:00

She is so adorable, I can't even handle it!
She was wearing the most adorable little green and blue and brown shirt with little bunnies and bears all over, and a little jean mini skirt. Her hair is growing out so perfectly that our neighbour asked if I cut it.
Today Mima took care of her while I ran some errands (and I got so much done!!!! super achievement mode with no babies. When I arrived home she was sharing her ice cube (in her mesh eater) with Mima and giving her smiles etc. This was after 5 hrs of me being gone and her not even eating, and only having one nap all day. She is so chubby and squeezable, plus she has started to point at the dogs and say "daw, daw" and give the best hugs and kisses/hickeys on my neck. She uses her pointer finger for everything, and has started grabbing and touching everything with such precision.
I can't believe what a little talker she is. I do, I wanna, Dada, not Moma very often anymore, but there are a few others. She is truly amazing. Ashawn and Mima heard her say something today and turned to each other and said "Did Emmy just say that?"
I got Glen's guitar fixed so that he will start playing and have joined the Eagle Orchestra at MSJC. It is so fun playing so much music.
Ashawn started his 3rd week of preschool today and it was his first day being the perfect student. Last two weeks while I taught he was still learning how to raise his hand etc.
I must say that I am becoming quite the cute little Moma. I make healthy diverse lunches (which is nice because I eat better too), I sewed his little carpet square which I must say is really cute!!!!! blue and white checkers with a sheep A sewed on top. Paige would be proud that I am actually cooking meals, Over the past two weeks I have cooked more than our whole marriage combined. The house is clean and I am doing one deep clean item per day and we are slowly moving over to the new house. Our kitchen will be done soon and I saw the door etc today and am sooo excited!
Got to go to sleep!

A bloddy day!

2010-09-19T21:17:00.001-07:00

All is well in the end but in the mean time not so much.
I am ready to write about yesterday.
Two traumatic things happened in the same day.

Emmy fell off of a 4 " mattress, head first, and did a faceplant. Resulting in a bloddy nose and a split open lip. I bawled almost as hard as she did and felt so bad about leaving her on it, and entered the room just in time to see her do it.

Then we get a call about Ashawn, who had thrown his hand back toward the bathroom door at Denny's and split open his right ring finger and a little bit of his pinky. They had been there for Jade's birthday breakfast where it happened. When we got the call they were in the ER waiting to get an x-ray to see if it is broken, before getting stitches.
when we arrived he was sitting happily with the bandage on his hand eating Doritos and the Slurpee we got him. Going into the operating room he was still fine.
Injecting the "numbing juice was horrible and he screamed and screamed. My heart broke again and I cried some more. After cuddling and talking through the experience we decidec that getting stitched up would avoid a lot of pain for a long time so it was a good idea. I had him in a body lock so he couldn't move during the operation but the doctor (a total jerk, who didn't even address me as a person) insisted that he lay on the table by himself. Bad idea, the tears came and came and came and I think Ashawn is now traumatized. The doctor insisted that his finger was frozen, over and over again, but Ashawns screaming each time he did an insizion, told me otherwise. A few adorable little sayings as it all happened were "When do I get to see my little sister Emmy?", "I don't like it", "Stop it", and when I asked him what he was going to get afterward as a treat for doing such a hard thing he said "A sucker" in between sobs. Pour little guy.
I was fighting to hold him down the entire time (which seamed to last forever), and was totally sore and tired afterward. So was he. I carried him out of the room and we laid him down in the stroller, where he relaxed and almost fell asleep while I pushed him. Man just thinking about it makes me want to cry! The doctor didn't even address him and talk him through it or anything. The whole procedure started at noon and ended at 5:30. Moral of the story is never go to Hemet Hospital.

At the end of the night, Glen wanted to take Emma and I out on the dirt bike for a ride. I told him I didn't want anyone else to get hurt tonight.
So I went upstairs and while changing Emmy's diaper, she hurt herself while playing with panguin at the end of her 1st toothbrush!

When it rains it pours and I was exausted by the time my head hit the pillow last night. Then I had a horrible night sleep, dreaming of all kinds of gore and blood....vampires, people trying to hurt my babies etc.

She is so cute!!!!

2010-09-11T22:32:00.001-07:00

I just have to write today because I cannot believe how much is happening each day.
Over the past couple days she has started to say words...not just mama dada baba but ido etc.
She uses her little pointer finger
Today was her first time riding on the swing. Oh my if babies can get any cuter I cannot believe it. She laughed and giggled and kicked her little legs.
Playing the piano today she played a game with me...

She has changed so much over the past few weeks!

"Muma" in response to someone saying say Mama
Crawls like a fiend. I guess I will have to baby proof two houses since we arent moved in yet.
Smiles away still
points to everything!
Patted her leg when she saw the dogs! Baby sign for DOG!!!
Gives kisses on the mouth....comes at us with a wide open mouth!
Glides along anything that she can and stands up as much as she can
Gets into everything
Opens drawers after seeing us do it only one time!

Emmy is 7 months old and has hives

2010-08-22T15:30:00.000-07:00

Today is her 7 month birthday and the poor baby is covered in hives from head to foot! I feel so horrible. She still sleep/nurses through the night. She woke up at 3 and I was tired and thought she could start on solids and it would help her sleep. So I gave her banana and some yogurt and cod liver oil (Brooke sent me an article about why grains aren't the best for a babies first food and which are. Anyway I am not sure if it was the yogurt, some additives in the orange flavored cod liver oil.
The second I gave her the yogurt she rejected it in a big way; a stream of milk and yogurt all over both of us. It was so fast and sudden that both of us just sat there wondering what the heck just happened. Anyway at 9 pm that night after she had slept for 2 hours she broke out with hives, first on her legs than a little on her arms and now all over. The only places that don't have any hives are under her diaper, back, head and forehead. I was stressing so much about it, we even gave her Benadryl with no real effects and the hives worsening. I looked at all kinds of rash pictures online, and almost got sick myself but realized that she just has hives. I have read that generally 1-2 days is how long it lasts, but it could up to 2 weeks or a month.

While researching online I found that Dr Sear's site and webmd are great resources.

Today she was reacting to seeing pictures. She squints her eyes and looks at it intently, her eyebrows raise up and she makes a squeel! Even though she kind of sounds like a little donkey it is so cute!

Ashawn has these hilarious ways of saying thing.... dats de truff is one he says at the end of many sentences. "Emmy's a funny girl, and that's the truth"
He tells everyone "Emmy is my baby sister". Glen took him to the fathers and son's camp out and since then he calls Glen Daddy. Sometimes he calls me Mommy too which is sweet. Little sweetheart!

He is such a sweet boy.Today he told me that Emmy is a funny baby and asked who gave me a baby. I told him Heavenly Father did. Ashawn is in this "Why" stage of life. He asks why to everything. So he asked Why did he give you babies. Ashawn baby and Emmy baby in your belly. I am special". I told him because Heavenly Father loves me. He said that "I love Heavenly Father too, and I love my brother too". I asked him which brother and he quickly responded "My Jesus brother". Wow he is so sweet.

He told me that today is a good day and blew me kisses! I love him.
Today Ashawn's babysitter told Ann that she cant babysit him anymore. There was no notice, but we were hoping to take care of him this fall anyway. We are having one of the best days of his life. He has helped me scrub and wash the soaking dirty clothes, we did music time and he played the piano with both hands, his finger tips and even did a "cross over"! Emmy likes playing piano too and I get some violin in!

I love the random sentences like..."I like avocado now. I want you to make a potato sandwich." Meaning tomato sandwich.

The hives and all signs of hives are finished!!! Hooray! Aug 25th.

July Trip to Canada

2010-07-17T11:12:00.000-07:00

We are here finally! Yeah!!! Osoyoos is such a wonderful place and brings back so many wonderful memories! It felt like a real exedus this time. Glen, Ashawn, Bailey Dog & I made a long trip to Orem. He is such a little trooper, smiling the whole way, talking to himself and asking for books and certain songs. We listened to three along the whole way. Brother Iz, A Prayer by Andre Bocelli and Kermit the Frog singing Somewhere Over the Rainbow. He started singing to them by the end and mouthing the words the rest of the time. He is so smart! He had memorized the ryming parts of Humpty Dumpty

After a wonderful time with Carmen, Heinz, Lizette, & her boys, Dave Shalley in Orem. We went to Discovery Park, which is awesome and full of learning with the boys, then to Tocanos Brazilian Grill to celebrate Paige's birthday. It was so delicious and fun. Ashawn and Brooklyn were so excited about seeing each other. Little cousins liked singing pretending that they had microphones but they were using the wooden block from Tocanos! So cute!

Paige, Brooklyn, Jude, Emmy, Bailey Dog & I traveled on from Ogden through a totally different route due to following the GPS. Moses Lake and Soapy Lake were interesting towns. The babies were good little travelers, but at times we wondered if we were nuts doing that long of a trip! Thank goodness for the Motel 8 in La Grande! Brooklyn and I went swimming while Paige slept. What a birthday. We had a great Mexican meal for her celebratory lunch (she was sung to with a Sumbrero on her head), than we ate a whole bucket of Huckleberry ice cream as we drove. She needed a camera case and I got her a LIFE magazine that has all of the Heaven on Earth destinations on it. We also read some other books and sang songs on the way.

Bailey is a little trooper, she almost got smooshed by the luggage and almost jumped out the window because she had to go poop so badly. She couldn't hold it so her new bed and the rear of the truck had poop on it, so did she. I was so grateful that Brig and Ryan Haner washed her for me!

All in all the trip was a success!

Baby Reviews:The Best & Worst Baby Paraphernalia

2010-06-24T21:57:00.000-07:00

BABY SEATS:
Bumbo-get it on craigslist & the tray at Target!
Nursing pillow- Great for young babies who are just learning to sit on their own!

JUMPERS/PLAY STATIONS:
FisherPrice-we like our and got it for 1/3 the price at a thrift store

CAR SEATS:
Graco-lighter weight than some

STROLLERS:
Graco has a weird buckling system and doesn't turn well!

JOGGING STROLLERS:
Best: Chariot-made in my hometown Calgary! Double stroller and bike trailer in one! Awesome!
We got our single stroller from DI for $10 and it works like a charm

NURSING STUFF!

I consider myself an expert in Nursing Paraphernalia since I produce milk like a cow!

I am in the market for the best Electric right now
MANUAL BREAST PUMPS:
Definitely not Lansinoh my hand gets sore and the angle makes it so that milk spills out easily! Horrible design!

BREAST MILK BAGS:
Lansinoh

BREAST CREAM (FOR SORE NIPPLES):
Lansinoh

BREAST PADS:
Reusable Nuk
Disposable-Lansinoh
-Not Nuk or

BABY CARRIERS:
1. Paige's Baby Wrap! Check out her website BaoBeiBoutique
2.Ergo Baby
3. Baby Bjorn

Emmy is 5 Months Old and getting cuter and chubbier by the day!

2010-06-22T22:39:00.001-07:00

Emmy is so dang cute and getting so big!
I couldn't believe the difference today as I looked at her envisioning what she looked like 5 months ago. She barely fits in her car seat now, whereas I had to put a rolled up towel under her bum and another under the car seat holder to prop her up. I weighed her today and she weighs 17 lbs! Wow I must say that is a feat and I am proud of it!
S
he is such an easy sweet baby! I just feed her, swaddle her and put her in her crib and she falls asleep automatically! Amazing really. She got a diaper rash, which I thought might put her out. Nope she just smiled right through it.

She is known for her smiley, friendly personality. She looks across the room and makes eye contact with people and then smiles at them. At church and wherever we go people comment on how beautiful she is. She really is a pretty baby (not that I am biased or anything).
Her new fascination is her feet. She has found them and is constantly doing the happy baby pose.
She jumps in her playpen off of one foot and than the other. She also plays with two hands at once.

Oh my goodness I almost forgot! She got two teeth a few days ago! I didn't even think she was because I hear that babies are so slobbery and cranky when that happens! Nope not my happy baby Emmy. She was chewing on her fingers and hands quite a bit but that was the only sign.
Her voice has gone from squeeky high pitch to a more normal baby sound. Did I mention that she sings? Yup, when music is on there she goes.

She loves Ashawn and likes to look and listen to him more than eating. Some times that is annoying for me and I send him out of the room to feed her (which he doesn't quite understand)
She is a little talker. She is learning how to talk and does so on a regular basis.
I couldn't imagine a better baby!

Ashawn is so cute. He is a good little talker. He is easily self entertained.

Some of his most recent sayings are:

"I wanna see EMMY" he then goes face to face and stares at her for a minute.
"Hi Emmy"
"Tickle tickle tickle" as he touches her neck....with no response from her.
"I'm a good big brother?"
"That's my side"
"I drink Mommy's milk when I was a baby?"
"I want Mommy's milk!"
"Daddy Glen"
"That's my Mommy!"
"Your Tommy, I'm Ashawn!"
"If I don't go pee in my pants I get a treat?"
You can fill the space with just about anything and I hear it on a daily basis.
If I _____ I get a treat?" He is definitely treat motivated.
"I dint pee my pullups!"
"I'm sowwy"
"......and dat's the truff"
"Aaron's birthday is pathst. And my birthsday is pathst?"

We've gone swimming a lot lately and he is really taking to the water. He knows to keep his floaty on and we've talked about the consequences if he goes in without it. He often sqeels "I'm drowning" but the rest of the time has a huge smile on his face.

Glen is away at scout camp this week so other than a couple of distant calls with bad reception we are out of touch. I am trying to get a lot done without him here and am also trying to catch up on a little sleep. He is glad I have Tommy and Herman around.

The house is really coming along:

Tom our painter from church is finishing up the final touches and rooms in our home! We are so lucky to have his help! He has done a great job and cut in very nicely. His thoroughness is exactly what I needed!

Tomorrow and over the next 5 days our kitchen & hall floor is being laid in the most amazing travertine. It is Turkish Travertine that has some cream colors, yellows, reds and whites. The veining is gorgeous and it has the tumbled edge finish. We found it at Stonex in Anaheim which is owned by a Turkish man named Elche. He is wonderful and I would definitely use him again! We chose Robert from Roberts tile Setting to do it. He sounds like he knows what he is doing and I told him about my perfectionism and he sounded up to the job. We are having it laid in the Versaille pattern that was used in the Chateau there. It is going to be gorgeous!

Glen, Herman and Eddie all helped take out the tile and prepare the floor for the new tile! I am so grateful for all the help!

We are puting Dupont Smartstrand carpet from C&C Carpets in the front room and possibly some seconds dark brown Smartstrand carpet from New York Flooring in Anaheim in the rear room.

Glen and Elder Bailey are going to lay the bamboo which is going to go in the bedrooms! What luck we have! Elder Bailey laid floors as his job before the mission! We are so blessed!

President Steadman is going to knock the ceiling out in the back room and then build the ceiling two feet higher. It will be flat across the top but vaulted otherwise. I am excited about the possibilities of that room in the future. Now it will be the bonus/storage room.

We are getting Bro Cabrerra to build our kitchen. He quoted us $8 K last time we spoke. We will see now with the changes in the design.
We are going to reuse our cook-top and double oven which will save $$$$!
Best Buy is where we got our sweet garbage disposal and LG steam dishwasher!
We are going to have the cinnamon colored cabinets in Maple with flat fronts. Home Depot quoted us $20 000 for the kitchen I want! Yikes. We are glad to get it for less!
I am excited about quartz counters but Glen likes granite.
We found our single basin 18x32x10 18 gauge sink at Expo in Anaheim for $247 which is $100+ less than anywhere online or in Home Depot! We also got the faucet for $99 whereas the comp at Home Depot is $437. Yikes we almost got taken for a ride there.

Sister's Spring Break 2010 & Rusche Family Reunion 2010 hosted at our house!

2010-06-11T10:04:00.000-07:00

Sister's Spring Break 2010!

Brooke, Paige, Brooklyn, Hannah & Jude's visit!

It was so much fun having the Sisters Spring Break at my house. We enjoyed the Sunny weather, fresh produce and pool days! I am so glad that we were able to make it happen and especially that Brooke and Hannah came last minute! Thanks for sharing Mike!
The time flew past because every minute was jam packed with kids, food, and fun!
We decided that we are a good team. Paige is an amazing cook, Brooke gets projects started and done, and I take care of the kids. We need to live in the same town for sure.

We decided that we (the Harris Family) have such weak genes. None of our kids look like each other nor us. They all look like our husbands! :( Ok, I guess it is not the end of the worlds because we all have darn good looking husbands!

Cousin Time

Hannah is a regular doll. Despite her petite stature she is walking around like a little trooper, with a few misteps and falls in between. She likes getting into everything (including my pyrex dishes that almost hit her foot before crashing down). Brooke is such a cute Mommy and I can really tell she loves her baby girl.

It was the first time for Brooke or Paige to meet Emmy and my first time meeting Jude. He is a bright blue eyed baby and he and Emmy were instant friends. The cutest thing that they did was unbelievable. I placed them side by side on the Love Sac and Emmy reached over and grabbed his hands. They sat there for about 10 minutes holding hands and when they broke the grasp, Jude reached over and grabbed hers. They did this over and over each time we placed them together. They also turned their heads to look directly at each other while laying there. Soo cute!
Jude is an easy baby boy who is all boy and a very welcome addition to the girls party.

Brooklyn and Ashawn love eachother despite their squabbling over Ashawn's Minnie Mouse. They played with eachother all the time which was very tiring because we needed to play police Mommy because they are such snots to each other. Oh well, it was fun cousin time all the same and Ashawn was sad after she left and asked about her for days!

Rusche Reunion 2010

It had a very sporadic beginning but turned out to be so much fun. The entire Rusche side of the family decided to drive down from Utah and come see us. Ashawn remembered all of the Chapple's names right away and loved playing with his "cousins". Curtis played with him so well and sometimes I wondered who he wanted to be his Mommy more me or Lizette.

The first morning that Heinz and Carmen were here I got up at 8 and found the lawn mowed, the mattress washed and another big job done! He is sure a hard worker!
Carmen was feeling privilaged to be Emmy's first babysitter. The morning we needed to go pick up the tile we tried again to give Emmy the bottle and she took it! Hooray! Carmen successfully fed and took care of Emmy during my first away outing. I felt weird leaving her but it was fun for Ashawn to have me to himself and fun for Emmy and Oma to bond. On the 15th Emmy was playing with Oma's hand, grabbed her finger and chomped down on it. To Carmen's dismay Emmy had two teeth that sunk into her finger! Emmy has two teeth on the bottom that are now well on their way coming in!

Some of the highlights were showing them the house, the boys helping unload the tile,making strawberry jams and cookies with Lizette, and Yummy meals prepared by Carmen, swim day at the Steadmans, than the Youngs (where the boys met Taylor Phiffner, who they all thought was hot!) and of course Dallin's purchase of his first car...Grandma and Grandpa's little silver 1986 Honda Civic! He couldn't sleep the night before he left because of excitement! We felt badly for them when the head gasket blew on it in Saint George. Thank goodness for Handyman Heinz who can fix anything. Dallin has a new interest in mechanics!

Mackay and Mathew are adorable and so sweet. We are so lucky to have nephew like them!

Emmy is 4 Months Old 25 inches and 15 pounds

2010-05-23T19:16:00.001-07:00

I though I lost the entire blog entry right as I was finishing up but it is here. So I included them both here. #1 & 2.

#1

Emmy is 4 Months Old 25 inches and 15 pounds and today I counted 3 extra rolls on her arm. I still just can't get over how cute she is. I produce milk like there is no tomorrow and now have tons of it stored up in the freezer. She still doesn't need a bottle and
So she is so adorable.
At 3 months she started sleeping the night in her crib and is now a pro at sleeping by herself for the night. She still starts making eating noises every 2-4 hours. I have been getting a bit more solid rest but have figured out that I will probably never have another solid night sleep in my life. I used to be a deep sleeper but now it I wake up to the slightest sound. She wakes up happy as can be makes a few coos then gives us a big smile upon seeing us for the first time.
She has mastered the whole sitting up thing on command. We take her by her pudgy little hands and say "Up, up, up" and voila, she uses her whole body strength to do a sit up (with a little help) and now goes straight from laying down to standing up. For a while there she would wrap her little legs around my arm to help her sit up.
She is a little talker. She does the cutest little squeals for joy as her little arms shoot up from her sides.
Her head control and eye control is amazing. She doesn't wobble at all and today as I was leading the music in primary she was watching me from across the room.
Some of my favorite moments are when she is nursing, fills up than looks up at me, stares as she is smiling with her mouth wide wide open. She is such a happy girl!!!
Her newest little trick is to grab my arms or clothes as I am changing her diapers. It takes me way longer to do because I bask in the sweet moments with my baby!
I love being a Mom, Emma is my newest love who I feel I have always had.

#2

Emmy is 4 Months Old 25 inches and 15 pounds and today I counted 3 extra rolls on her arm. I
still just can't get over how cute she is.

She is the love of my life and it feels like she has always been a part of it, thank goodness for eternity and temple sealings. To have her forever and always is what I look forward to.

So at 3 months we started successfully sleeping her in her own bed and she is now an old pro. Other than waking up every 2-4 hours she sleeps right through. I think my chances of being a deep sleeper will forever avail me. I went from being So to say the least I am a tired little Momma.

She is now a pro at standing up and sitting up from a laying position. We say "Up, up, up" while holding her hands and she flexes her arms and body while pulling herself up.
Her head doesn't wobble any more and she has great neck power. Today she was sitting on Glen's lap watching me from across the primary room as I conducted the music!

My favorite new trick is when she grabs my arm while I change her diaper. She has mastered the intentional grab and is working on precision with her hand eye coordination.

I have been below my pre-birth weight for a few weeks now. I haven't been this skinny since I was 15 at 123 pounds! She is sucking all the fat out of me I guess. Don't worry Mom, I am eating more than ever. My short haircut is quite the statement. Yesterday at my mission companions wedding a girl stopped me and told me that she loves my hair, "and that's a compliment because I am a hairdresser". Last week an older man at church made my day by telling me that he hadn't seen me before but that I am very beautiful and look like a model. I guess my boy haircut is OK on, despite what some might think. It is just so easy and cool.

The other day I had to go to the neurologists the other day and got tortured with needles and shocks! I felt like an experimental patient as they did it. Poor me! I have bruises to prove it too but the good news is that the tests came back normal and I don't have carpel tunnel. I guess it is just tendinitis. Too much drafting in college I guess.

Glen is eating healthier and is playing church league basketball. He is trying to loose the sympathy weight he gained since Emmy was born. He is a gourmand: someone who loves good food and when he cooks it shows. We have had the missionaries as well as friends over a few times and each time we have an amazingly delicious spread on the table.

Our home is coming along. One more demolition job and we will be on our way to having our dream home. The priming and painting is started and we are so happy with how it is turning out. I am finally getting my creative juices back! Hooray! After coming up with over ten different layout options for the kitchen, we decided that the best, and cheapest option would be to knock the front doorway out which will open up the house and give us the space we need to have the layout I have wanted from the get go. Making the final decisions is hard to do for me but it is getting more and more clear every day.

2010 May - Emmy is so dang smart!

2010-05-02T22:21:00.000-07:00

While Oma was here the other day she was blowing bubbles with her tongue out! Emmy actually learned how to do it! Today we were doing Lalala's and sticking her tongue out! She did it too! She is dang smart! Yesterday while sitting in her little jolly jumper Glen showed her how to spin her little piggy wheel! Then she did it!

She is now....

clasping her hands together
grasping onto my clothes
hanging on while being carried
putting her hands in her mouth
self soothing!
sleeping nights in her own bed
allowing me to work while she sits!
sitting in her bumbo!
taking the binky!
sits in her jolly jumper and bounce a tiny bit!
falls asleep in all different places
is so smiley!
recognizes voices from across the room!
a very happy baby!

May 6th

Laughed and rolled over for the first time both within a couple of days!
She has the cutest little laugh.
She was getting some tummy time an pulled her little legs up and rolled over!
We love her!

Emmy is 3 Months Old Today! 13 weeks, 13 lbs and 23 inches!

2010-04-21T21:49:00.001-07:00

I can't believe that she is already 3 months old but another part of me feels surprised that I have only known her for that long. It seems like she has always been in my life!

She is developing so quickly. She now.....

interlocks her fingers
picks up toys, rattles and binkies
brings everything to her mouth!
gives a wide open smile that looks like it is going to burst her body
can sit up by her self
loves her bumbo chair and she loves
just got her jolly jumper and didn't know what to do with it
holds her self up in a standing position
mid gulp looks up and gives me a wide gummy grin and just stares at me like that!
is really holding onto blankets, practicing her hands and grabbing things!
loves her activity center, the rattle is her new interest
watches me play the violin and studies it out!
watches TV intently when there is music playing
sings when music plays (Glen describes it as a dying chicken sound)
concentrates on my face until I look at her then smiles at me when I look at her
looks toward the sound wherever it is
is able to latch on with one try whereas she had to peck like a little bird before
takes 4 naps a day
is starting to sleep in her own bed!
is chubby and has more and more rolls by the day!
gets smiles and comments about how beautiful she is!
still the love of our lives.

My friend said it the other day when she spoke of her little girl Ellie, when she said "She is so cute, I wish I could just bottle her up and keep her as she is forever". Each day I can't believe how adorable Emmy is and how much I love her! She is incredible to me!

We so grateful that she is ours and that we can look forward to having her for the rest of our lives!

Here is Glen's message about Emmy tonight!

Out of all the kids Glen has seen he thinks Emmy is the cutest by far and he is not being biased :)

That is a word for word dictation by the way.

More about Emma at 2 months almost 3!

2010-04-20T11:11:00.000-07:00

Emmy is such a sweet baby. She has this adorable little cry, bright eyes that we get to see when she is awake. She sleeps like a little angel. Some of my favorite times to watch her is when she is sleeping.

Since her birth her poop has gone from black and sticky meconium tar like substance to such an intriguing color of butternut squash yellow! She had really solid poop for a while but generally it is a soupy texture. Interesting how her body is going through all of these stages already!

She looks at the camera already! I am not sure if she is intrigued by the shape, flash or is just a little photo princess but she sure is good with it.

Wherever we go people comment on what a beautiful baby she is and that they cannot believe that she is only a couple of weeks old. She is not the classic newborn I guess.

I wrap her in my robe and she and I hang out all day long. She is so beautiful and intriguing to me. When she is in there she stares up at me, head tilted back and the calmest look on her face.
Her skin is so soft I love feeling it as I go about her baths, diaper changes, and dressing sessions.
She doesn't fit in most of her outfits and is so tiny and fragile. I thought I felt comfortable changing babies, but newborns are a different story. Thank goodness my Mom was here to help me do her first bath and so many other things while she was here. I love my Mom so much! I thank God for her often.

She has slept in our bed since birth and I love it. She is the sweetest little thing. I feed her on side, when she is full she de-latches and places her face next to me, she sleeps there and when she is squirming and hungry I switch sides and voila, she eats again!

Her little head bobs around as she tries to find the nipple. We did the baby fed breastfeeding trick and she did it just as the movie said she would. She crawled, nudged and found the nipple by herself! So cute!

I love breastfeeding. It is the most amazing bonding time. She is so beautiful as she nurses. I just can't help staring the entire time.

26th My birthday

2010-04-15T12:38:00.000-07:00

The day started out with a wonderful message from newly returned missionary Brianna and Mom! Emmy looked toward the phone and listened intently! I smiled the whole way through.
Brooke's call was next. Her card arrived later on, it was a tiny card that says...Happy Birthday DQ, Auntie Dee, MD (Momma D).A small package from a small little girl (and her Mommy) less to pack to your new home! Congratulations! Hugs to Emma too!
Vic called and sang to me and sounded so happy. What a joy she is to me. It was so fun catching up with her.
Later that evening Dad called and organized a big conference call with Paige, Brooklyn, Brig, Mom, Dad and Bree! How fun.
I spent the day doing things that I usually don't make time for like taking two naps with Emmy and playing my violin! What fun!
In the meantime Glen had organized a wonderful evening of fun, though we changed some of the plans to go over to Allison's house for a wonderful dinner. She was 7 days from her due date, but was feeling oh so ready. I couldn't believe that she hosted us when she already has 2 kids, a dog, a house, a husband, plus a belly of that substance. She went into labor right after we left and delivered her baby Elise the next day. I can't wait to see her baby girl. They have the most beautiful kids!
Glen bought 4 pairs of new pants and a few new shirts and was so sweet watching Emmy while I shopped.
By the end of the night the day was full and I missed my family members after their display of love for me. Glen is so patient and kind and sweet! I love him lots.
This was my first birthday being a Mom and little Emma gave me two of her best blowout diapers ever! She is so sweet! She also gave me lots of smiles and Joy and proved her Maryjoy again! She is such a happy baby! I love being a stay at home Mom!
The next day we hung out with Ashawn, Charlie and Jessica. They are a couple who we wish lived closer because they are so fun to be around!
I can't believe that I am 26! I think I will just keep turning 25 over and over. Growing up too fast is how it goes I guess!

House Renovation Progress

2010-04-11T22:33:00.000-07:00

The project has gone as follows.....

First things first...
The garage. Walls were sheetrocked and painted by Heinz and Glen. The floor was cleaned, washed, painted and epoxied. It looks like a show case now!

Glen, Heinz, Eddie, Carmen, Grandma, Grandpa, Mom and Dad and many other helpers have torn out all of the carpets, cleaned off wall paper, scraped off the glue, tiles and carpet off the floors. Cleaning up multiple stages has been intense. We have gotten multiple loads worth of junk to the garbage. It is amazing to see the before and after pics. We will post them soon.

President Steadman orchestrated the removal of the lowered ceiling, knock out the brick wall that blocked the view at the entrance of our home. They took out the big black dresser/bookshelf, knock down the kitchen walls, all the while sustaining the ceilings integrity by transferring the weight to temporary walls.

Bishop Rojas our electrical man did a good job being patient on my lighting decisions. He wired and de-wired the entire home. It is fun to envision our home in it's finished state. Lighting makes a huge difference and I hope I did it right.

Bro Flores is done dry walling two thirds of the house. He just needs to finish the flattening and re-texturizing the front part of the house. We just need to sand, prime and paint the walls, lay the floors, lay the floors and install the electrical. Then we can start moving in.

It feels like that day is never going to arrive, but it will. For a while there was pressure that the short sale that was pending. But the date is past since our buyers dropped out last minute. So we are back to showing the house when necessary.

Here are some before pics!

The guest house had a dated color combo and a nasty carpet. After going through many different color options at many different price ranges we settled for a tile looking German made laminate. Fresh white paint and wide wood plank baseboards update the home nicely and freshen this tired little place.
Here are some pics of the reno job!

My new role...Mother/Manager/Designer/Organizer/Shopper/Boss Girl

Heinz and Glen but mostly Heinz laid the floor! It looks way better!

Our MOVE IN GOAL was my birthday but it doesn't look like that is going to happen but we are making progress on the house especially after our nephew Dallin spent the week digging out the wall behind the guest house. The yard is really shaping up. Mathew, McKay and Curtis came for the end of their spring break and they helped so much. They dug up the rose bushes, finished digging the wall, moved the concrete dividers and filled in the low points in the yard. we just have to do the front yard and then all of the ankle breaking drops will be gone.

Easter Bunny Baby Emmy

2010-04-11T19:08:00.000-07:00

OUR BABY EMMY!

We had so much fun with little Emmy this April. She was the hit at ward Easter Party. Brooke sent us an adorable little bunny costume.

As a two month old "Emmy Joy".....

blows bubbles!
holds up her head and looks both ways!
stares at different objects daily as though she just notices them for the first time!
catches and keeps eye contact with everyone around her!
bursts into a smile that overcomes her whole body! So cute!
is so interactive as usually! A social butterfly already :)
coos and talks and squeaks and wales!
wakes up every morning for an hour long release session!
looks for our eyes to be open and like Ashawn gives us a big smile first thing!
hold her head up really well!
stands up with some assistance!
loves doing exercises with her Daddy-to the lefts and rights, crunch time, stretches, and more!
weighs 12 POUNDS!
almost double her birth weight!
is 23" LONG!
looks like a 5-8 month old!
is chubby as can be with new rolls starting each day!
had two very defined DIMPLES!
is a BROWN EYED GIRL! Her eye color came out dark brown like Oma Rusche and Ashawn!
loves sleeping with, on or beside anyone especially Momma D!
wakes up and drinks every 2 hours like clockwork!
is the LOVE of OUR LIFE!

We truly can't believe we ever lived without her! She is a little piece of heaven that has strengthened out testimony of the pre-existence and Heavenly Father's plan for us. She motivates us to be better people, to eat healthier and to live better.

PICTURES

We have been wanting to take a photo shoot of Emmy since her birth....
We don't have the best stuff for backgrounds or drops but we have been given some adorable items that we have been given. Thanks to everyone who gave us the support!

Brooke gave us this adorable little hat! Emmy Garber Baird gave us the softest pink blanket along with many other sweet gifts!

Glen gave me a couple of dozen daffodils for Easter! So cute! He is a thoughtful sweetheart!

Here is the hat Grand Godmother Ginger gave her! Isn't she a chubber!

Here are a few cute Baby Momma pics!

Glen is really getting good with the D7000 camera that he got to take pics of our kids!

I love the comparison via hands. Look at how tiny she is!!!

She has really gotten to know her Opa Heinz and sleeps on his chest each night while her Momma gets stuff done.

Glen is sure a wonderful Daddy who loves his little

Although we have so many wonderful pictures, she likes looking at the camera except sometimes :)

March 2010 Emmy is a little darling!

2010-03-14T22:44:00.001-07:00

Emmy Maryjoy is truly a JOY for us.

This month she...

loves riding in her wrap that Auntie Paigee made for her!
looks up and stares into my eyes!
started smiling in response to someone looking at her!
can really hold her head up and is starting to be able to turn it on her own!
loves being held 24/7

Brooke sent us a 1.5 month birthday package! So sweet. It was full of balloons, clothes & a bunch of little cards that explained them: Swaddlers, White & pink shoes, "A warm blanket in DQ colours", the cutest pink & white Easter bunny costume with a cotton ball tail on the bum, Stripped blue and yellow bathing suit, Winnie the pooh hat to match the onsie hat I had (random eh!) because I am "the Winnie the Pooh girl in the family", and a new "Sweet Spring dress for Sweet Emma", they loved the green & pink polka-dot one on Hannah.

We are slowly moving along with our home renovations!

The men from church are wonderful craftsmen but are working around their many calling and jobs. We have two bishops and our stake president who are all in the construction industry. Our already well built home is getting a face lift to be proud of.

Carpets are already out and the walls are getting torn down built up. Ceiling and walls are going to be flattened and re-textured.

Choosing light fixtures and flooring is my task at hand. Oh ya, redesigning our torn down kitchen is another slightly large item on hand. Wow I need to make sure to do it right since we are planning on staying in this home for a long time. It is our dream location and a very functional home that we love. Oh ya have we mentioned the beautiful view. We enjoy the beautiful dramatic sunset every day that we are up there.

Heinz has been here for a while. He is a wonderful help and catalyst for good. He goes over to the house every morning after taking the dogs out and stays there until night fall. Each day as the sun goes down he says "There goes another day you'll never see that day again"

To say the least this whole renovation is an adventure!

Emma's Baby Blessing

2010-02-16T23:12:00.000-08:00

Glen did such an amazing job and so many of our family members and friends came for her Baby blessing! It was such a sign of support and love.

Here is the list:
Alberta Sevy
Carmen
Maryjoy (Mom)
Lizette Chapple
Anita Salazar (Glen's Mexican cousin)
Herman Mark
Susan Derby
Michael & Shelby Price
La Christie & Fernando (Glen's cousins)

Member's in the blessing circle are as follows:
Glen
Heinz
Greg
Grampa Joy
Bishop Stahle
Elton Cruz
Doug Price
Mat Clark
Matt Huff
Johnathan Hollist
Tommy Shallenberger
John Evans
George Gray
Wayne Minor
Brent Absher
Todd Bagley

Some Highlights of the blessing Glen talked about;

Health and strength to overcome illnesses at a rapid rate
To be strong, heal and know what to do.
Have a love for life, others, herself & the gospel.
Serve the Lord and use her talents to bring others to Christ.
Be a good example.
Good mind to learn & get a good education.
Have temple marriage & be a stalwart in the gospel.

Glen did a good job despite Emmy starting to cry right in the middle.
What more could we ask for for our baby girl! She is one of Heavenly Fathers elect!

Curtis and the boys weren't able to make it but Lizette did. They sent an adorable congratulations card that said:

Glen, Dana & Emmy,
Thinking of you on this special day. You have a beautiful daughter.May the Lord pour out his blessings upon your family and home always. Wishing we could be with you.
Love Curtis, Dallin, Makay, & Matthew

Jan 22, 2010 Baby Emma Maryjoy Rusche

2010-01-22T21:09:00.000-08:00

It was pretty ironic that the morning I finally got my prego shots taken by Glen was the morning the Birthing waves started up! I felt the urgency I guess!

Mom's gift was her presence! The afternoon I took the pictures above I called Mom as my birthing waves were 4 minutes apart and 1 minute long many hours. We thought it must mean the baby is coming soon. She was partly afraid that she would miss Emmy's arrival yet partly relieved. Her experience with Paige at Brooklyn's birth was so traumatic she tells me she is done with attending her babies births. Too much for a loving tender Momma like her. I am just so glad that Emma decided to wait a week to come. Mom changed her flight and flew in the next day (Friday the 15) rather than the 21st as planned. She was in full gear to help usher in a new period of our lives, but the week ahead was full of preparations and important experiences that got us all really ready for her birth. Everything was calm and perfectly prepared when Emma decided to come starting Jan 21st! Can you imagine how stressful it would have been if Mom had arrived that night?

A few days later as the pro-drominal labor continued on, and on for a week the most wonderful thing arrived in the mail. A baby shower by mail from my Sisters who are scattered throughout the USA!

Breezy who is on her mission in San Fernando CA sent me a "Sweet Baby Girl" card saying..."Dana and Glen,I bought this card long before you knew you were having a baby girl. I just had a gut feeling (or hope) that she'd be a little chica :) So I decided to buy this and I was gonna send it either way (boy or girl). I am really excited for you both. I hope the delivery goes smoothly. You'll be in my prayers.
xoxo Su missionara Hermana Harris
There was a little cartoon of a little sister missionary with a quote coming out saying "soy una tia!" So cute there is a pic of her and three other sisters.

Vic sent us the cutest onesie with a smiley face on the back and "Carpe Diam Daddy" on the front. Such a cleaver inside joke between Glen and her. It is quite relevant since Emmy is like a little alarm clock every morning she starts moving and kicking around every morning at 6 am!

Brooke sent an adorable package that was full of clothes. The hat matched Paige's bag she made perfectly! Those sisters are two of a kind:
Her note goes as follow...
Dear Dana and Glen,
We are all so excited to meet baby Rusche, though maybe not as excited as you two probably are! It's getting so close!!!
These stars are magic ferry dust to help the delivery be swift and pain free! The rock has a special message on it and can be rubbed & squeezed for focus during the birth :)
The hat & sweater I saw a long time ago and had to get for your baby girl.
xox Brooke, Mike & Hannah Joy!

Paige sent a package full of wonderful creations that she handmade.
Her wonderful note is as follows...
"Dee Danes,
I am so excited for you to enter Motherhood "Officially" (since you're already a second mother to so many already). I hope you like the fabric of this purse! -Which I do and so does everyone I see- The Nursing shawl is super basic, but it covers the back & front & I love mine.
All my love, best wishes and prayers that you have a "comfortable, easy birth"
Love Paigee

The last quote is from Hypnobabies which we both used for our hypnoanesthesia births. It was unbelievably helpful talking to Paige about it all as I prepared for my hypnobaby! The bold and beautiful diaper bag is the talk of every room I walk in with. So much care and detail went into it! The purple nursing shawl (that matches my boppy cover perfectly), she included a perfect newborn sleeper, which Emmy wore often. It had little mary jane looking shoes, little lady bug on the side and hearts all over!

Dad gave me heart earrings that Grama Harris set apart for me for when I have my baby. So thoughtful. I cried upon opening it at the baby shower the girls on the street threw me!

My family is so thoughtful and caring! Thank you all!

That baby shower was so sweet all the ladies and girls from 3 houses down gave Emma and I. We got a whole new wardrobe and many other essentials. Having multiple babies between them they knew what is important when you have a baby. We ended up using every piece that they gave us! I couldn't believe the love and generosity shown to us! Thank you so much ladies!

After much thought and juggling around with names. We decided upon Emma Maryjoy Rusche as her official name. Emmy Joy is her nickname and she suites the Joy part for sure! Emma is a name I have always loved and there have been quite a few Em that I have met and loved in my life. Emily Patry for one! Love that girl! Fun friend, amazing athlete, model, smart girl! Emma Garrett-Kelly McBrides cousin. Singer, sweetheart, who served her mission in Paris France at the same time I was on mine! Emma from England on my mission-the sweetest, gentlest runners and spiritual giant despite so many trials. Mary Emilyn Garber (Emmy) is the reason we call her Emmy! Funny story, without knowing that Emmy's name is as above, I was considering Mary Emmajoy! Funny eh? Emmy Baird (married name) is such an amazing sweet person, nice beyond nice, spiritual as can be-helped write EFY manuals-Smart as can be- just about to graduate as a doctor of medicine in OK, plus she is so musical-plays piano amazingly well and sings like a lark!

The Maryjoy middle name come from a few sources! My Mom as the most obvious source. Grandmother Maryjoy kept telling us that Maryjoy is a mouthful for anyone but especially kids! MAWYJOEE is how they pronounce it after much thought. Adults write it various wrong way Mary Joy, Mary-Joy, MaryJoy none of which are correct! Oh well we love it and hope that our little Maryjoy will grow up with all of the wonderful attributes of her grandmother. First of all, I couldn't imagine a better Mother...She personifies the song Mother Mary by the Beetles. She is a saint in so many ways. Despite having 6 kids she always made time for scripture study, FHE, Temple attendance, Visiting Teaching and various callings. She excelled in all that she did. Juggling so many schedules, needs and personalities so beautifully must have been incredibly tough, yet she did it with such grace and appearant ease. She is so knowledgable about good health and diet, that despite sicknesses that came our way, she used antibiotics once with 6 kids, and we were generally healthy, happy kids. She made it possible for all of us to pursue our interests and insisted upon us developing our talents. She is a beautiful singer and woman. She is a timeless beauty and classic in so many ways! She is an a artist of oil, paint, clay, fabric and style. Boring is not a word that I would ever think of associating with her. She is so interesting and dynamic! If the name could be motivation for her to be a wonderful mother, artist, and beauty, I would be so happy.

Mary Brianna Harris my sis is another reason why we like her name Maryjoy. She is like our Mom in many ways. She is constant, loving, artistic, athletic, spiritual, and musical. Since she was little she did her night time prayers, scripture study, practiced her piano, did artwork. Now she is a talented artist, accomplished pianist, college tennis player, returned missionary and already past relief society president.

Mom and Brianna were named after Grandma Mary Sorenson. She was a feisty go-getter of a lady.
Grandpa Joy is the reason for the Joy. He recently passed on but a week or so before he came to meet baby Emmy Joy and be there for her baby blessing. He spent some real nice time with her, holding her while she was still brand new. He said that she gave him energy and rejuvenated his soul. He gave her a grandfather's blessing. He said she is going to be a beautiful singer, and spiritual lady. I think they really did bond.

Glen and I decided to take the Hypnobabies class from Cynde Gardner from Bright Paths Hypnotherapy and have a home waterbirth. After looking into a few different midwives we decided upon Karen Pecora since she reminded me of my Mom with her quiet confidence. She ended up being the best choice for sure! She runs her midwifery practice out of Lake Elsinore. They call it Blessed Beginnings which is very fitting, and is exactly how it was for us!

Family, Friends & Fun for Christmas!

2009-12-27T13:51:00.001-08:00

We just finished our first Christmas at home as a couple. It was really fun to start & carry on new & old traditions.
Abraham, Herman, Lizette, Curtis, Dallin, McKay, Matthew, Glen & I enjoyed our time together so much. What a wonderful group of people. We really had fun...no stress or drama, in relation to the festivities. We were lucky to have Heather, little Ashawn, Jasmine & Jade join in on some of the festivities too!
On the first day that the Chapples arrived we made a "must do & eat list". These included Universal Studios, Paintball, White Elephant Gift exchange on Christmas. We also planned breakfasts and a few dinners and made a shopping list. The must eat list included Dana's Cornflake Peanutbutter dessert, "Glen Toast", Gourmet Oatmeal, as well as the best Mexican Hot Chocolate of our lives. Lizette made her chocolate chip cookies and I actually baked a bit (this is a once a year event in the Rusche Household :)
After shopping was done on Monday it was time to just hang out and enjoy each others company while preparing meals & helping clean up.
The boys are such fun to have around, a lot of different energy than what I was used to growing up with a family of girls but so fun. Ashawn especially liked Matthew and when he left this morning he whispered "I want Matthew to come back". He calls the nephews the boys and woke up on the 26th & 27th after sleeping over, saying "wanna go down stairs and play wit da boyz". We sure love him! After trying to stay still despite waking up before us, he watches quietly for our eyes to open & gives us a HUGE smile & giggles. What a little angel he is. Over the past few months he has gone from being really attached to me to wanting to do everything with Glen. Although this morning he was having a "Dana Morning". Whenever he wants to cuddle he prefers me for some reason...maybe the additional padding :).
We got to know his Mom Jasmine better over the past couple of weeks since she moved back from Ohio & we really like her. She has been sweet and lovely to have around. Ashawn definitely got her contagious smile from her.
I didn't feel up to going to Universal but the rest of the family had a great time. Christmas Eve was spent doing the thing all the boys & men were most excited about....Paintball. Lizette was excited too and turned out to be quite the little fighter. She won for being the cutest player...in her Army Surplus Store, secondhand, "Officer Higgenbothem's" camo outfit. Being 8 months along didn't really facilitate doing much more than watching and taking pictures, which I did and actually really enjoyed doing. They played from noon until sundown for $10 plus paint and air. Glen had almost enough equipment to outfit the whole gang. Herman ended up really enjoying himself and looked like a little GI Joe out there. I haven't seen him smile as he did this Christmas week. He is one of the family members now. Some highlights of the games were Glen pegging multiple people between the eyes & Abraham in the exact same place twice, Lizette surrendering Dallin & taking McKay out after he started celebrating taking Glen & Curtis out. Glen got skelped by someone and there was a joke about Herman doing it.
That night over paintball stories were told over our Turkey Spagetti, Spinach Walnut Tangerine & Cranberry Salad, Sparkling Apple Juice for toasts. Not exactly the Traditional Christmas Eve dinner but we loved it.
Christmas morning started out with "The Boys jumping on our bed at 7 am saying "Wake up, wake up, it is Christmas!" just as they have done to their parents over the past 17 years. We loved it. They are such fun boys.
After a beautiful breakfast we opened the stockings, which included fresh Californian pomegranates & tangerines, candy canes, reindeer dust as well as individual items for everyone. "The Boys" loved the Flart toy that everyone was shocked to find out I got for them being the fart Nazi that I am.
Ashawn was overstimulated from all of the gifts he got at his house, so we waited until Christmas night to open a few. Lizette made him a little camo froggy blanket that he loves, and he opened his little monkey scissors after waiting his turn to roll doubles during the White Elephant Gift Exchange. We enjoyed passing around random items, such as an Ant Farm, Grinch Toilet Seat, Christmas Toaster, Pop Can Camera, Children Need A Stable Home picture frame & others. Glen & I ended up with the first two which we had before beginning. Hahah it was really fun.
As for real presents I got a couple of yellow notes from Glen one says...
Dana, Dec 25, 2009
Merry Christmas!
This coupon is good for one house on a hill by some citrus groves!
Love Glen
The other says...
Dana,
This coupon is good for one Blendtec Blender!
Merry Christmas.
Love Glen :)
How cute is that. I am so excited about both of those presents! Isn't he sweet!
We continue to love our dogs and enjoy walks with them in the field by our house. Aren't they beautiful?

Christmas Time!

2009-12-21T02:59:00.001-08:00

We are so grateful for another Christmas season. We are really starting to get in the spirit of it with all of the wonderful festivities.

T'is the season to be jolly...
Music is playing a large part in our lives right now. Grandmother Maryjoy would be happy to know that our baby in utero is getting plenty of mental stimulation.

Dana has sung in both the ward & stake Christmas choirs (Christmas compilation of songs & Handel's Messiah), played the violin for our ward Christmas party and listened to Christmas songs otherwise. She can't seem to get enough of it, as usual.

Both Glen & Dana are on the activities committee and are so excited for their first Rusche Christmas in their home. Lizette and the boys, Abraham (the newly returned missionary), and hopefully Carmen & Heinz will join us for Christmas. We will see who can make it.

Decorations and past Holiday traditions are being exposed again and we are excited to continue some of the wonderful traditions our parents have taught us.

With our Baby Girl on the way Dana is getting more and more motherly. There is only one more month to go and she is feeling the crunch, while not getting stressed about the major life changes on the way.

It looks like with January we will not only be having a dreamy new baby but also a dream home!
Over the past few months we have been searching for an investment property if nothing else and looked all over our valley. We decided after seeing every neighborhood there were two that especially intrigued us. Park hill and an area called Sprague Heights. The first is a wonderful close community with a gorgeous view of the San Jacinto mountain range.
Here is a letter we were thinking of sending to the homeowner...a 96 year old grandma in Texas.

Dear Homeowner,

We just wanted to let you know how much we love your home and property! We can’t get over the view and lovely feeling there. We would love for you to consider our desire to buy seriously.

Let us introduce ourselves to you. Our names are Glen and Dana Rusche. We are both Canadian born American Citizens. We have been married for two years and are seven moths pregnant with a bouncing baby girl.

We love the Californian sunshine and have really enjoyed the citrus in winter. Since moving here we haven’t fallen ill once and attribute that to eating so much of it. We love the fact that the orange trees surround the home, and that there are mature lemon and orange trees on the property. We also love the abundance of honey bees that enjoy the flowers. We see the property as the perfect place to plant fruit trees, and enjoy the beauty of California.

Dana grew up on a large piece of property, bordering a large park. We loved being able to run around, climb trees and feel secure at home. We are expecting our first baby at the end of January and love the idea of our baby girl enjoying a similar happy childhood.

The neighborhood has such a wonderful, calm feeling. We envision her life being so enriched by the wonderful neighbors we have met, and the care of the local Hemet School District.

We have two Labrador dogs, Bailey Ray and Lynkhan Red, who would love to run the day away in the orange groves, smelling every unique smell and chasing whatever they can find. Dana loves to run and loves the diversity of the area. The mountains make her feel right at home, Adobe Drive reminds her of the rolling hills she grew up next to back in Canada.

Despite being raised in Canada we both have roots in California that make living here feel natural and comfortable. Dana’s Mother was born and raised here and Glen’s Grandma lived the last few decades of her life here in Hemet valley. Glen’s job brought us to the area and we are here to stay for many years.

We are excited at the prospect of bringing this wonderful old house back to life and making it our home. Dana is an Architectural Tech & Interior Designer. Glen was taught by his Father and many jobs how to fix or repair most anything, he is the ultimate handyman. With our abilities, we are certain that coming back to Hemet to look at your home will be a pleasant, gratifying experience.

Thank you very much for considering us as the new owners of your home.

Glen and Dana Rusche

When each of our fathers came to town we took them to show them the nicest area of Hemet. It is a gorgeous hilly section that overlooks acres and acres of orange groves. We never thought it would be possible to actually own a home up there but we are dreamers and looked anyway.

The actual hardcore search for homes came way before actually finding about the sale of this home, and after searching, researching and putting in a few offers on some tract homes all of which had a dozen or so other offers 10% higher than the asking price, we were able to work things out so that we could put in a great offer on this home. We feel so grateful to have been blessed with such good fortune. It felt like Heavenly Father was helping us every step of the way.

The moment Glen saw the property he called and said..."Dana I found our dream home." The next day when we went up there together Dana had a feeling that it was going to be our home. We were sure that the financing wouldn't be possible but Heavenly Father sent us the perfect option on that too! We are so grateful and excited about our future there.

It has been hard to sleep at night because of all of the ideas,to do lists flying through our heads, and pregnancy hunger pains, but now it is time to hit the sack again despite it all. 4 am is no time for a Prego to be up, we wish Dana's body would wait until our babies arrival to wake her up 8 times an night :(

2 Months until her Guess Date!!!

2009-11-23T17:39:00.001-08:00

Today there are two months exactly until her guess date. We are getting very excited, wanting to make sure everything is in order for our first babies arrival. The Reality that she is coming soon is more and more real and it is very invigorating.
The nesting instinct is really kicking in, I have been going over our lives with a fine toothed comb, trying to de-junk, clean and organize everything!
Heinz & Carmen came down and helped us so much with all of the deep cleaning and heavy duty projects.
Carmen cleaned and de-cluttered the entire house, while preparing many beautiful and delicious meals. Our baby girl really appreciated it all the extra nutritional goodies.
Glen & Heinz fixed our generator, Elly's bumper, the VW Vanagan-so it is ready to be sold, plus Heinz moved us upstairs to the Master suite, where we now have room to spare for our new arrival, plus dug up our fruit trees, eucolyptes & shrubs to be transfered to our new home.
We really enjoyed the time that they spent with us and we really appreciate all of their help. Carmen crocheted the most beautiful blessing dress for our baby girl. It looks like icing on a wedding cake, and the little booties look like marshmallow puffs.
The time she spent with us in California was wonderful and she & I fantasized over our baby girl and doted over little Ashawn.
We continue to enjoy his presence in our lives and we love him dearly.

There have been a few new developments in our lives since the Rusche's came. We started seriously looking for homes, thanks to their generous offer to help us out with the loan. We found our dream home, or more so our dream property in our valley. It is a 3 bed, 2 bath, 2258 sq single family home built in the 60's in Hemet. The extra neat thing about it is that it is 3/4 of an acre, an incredible view of Hemet Valley that won't go away, is surrounded by an orange orchard/grove, there is a 700 sq ft casita that has it's own kitchen, bathroom & living space. They are asking $329 K for it but we think that we can offer around $220. The realtor really seems to like us and wants to sell it because she has been dealing with the elderly lady for a long time. 3 offers have come in and none went through. It is also the only house on the market that doesn't have 10+ offers already.
We are really excited and very hopeful about the possibility of living there. It will be a big step up in location, a step down in house size & age but we both see a lot of potential in it and love it. Heavenly Father has helped us with it so much already. Things have gone really smoothly and we will see in a couple of days if it will be possible to own.

Glen is also experiencing the nesting instinct and wants to get a home secured for his growing family. He is such a good Dad already! He is so thoughtful and caring for both of us and is constantly making me health shakes, eggs, and whatever I want to eat. He is a far superior cook and I am grateful.

Our baby girl is bigger and more energetic than ever. I can see her movements through my belly, as well as feel little jabs and moves all over. The newest development is her interest in my ribs! Ouch.

I made the trip up to Utah for Thanksgiving week with Susan Derby, Heather's Mom. She and I spoke Francais the entire way up which was so much fun. It is interesting to see how the language comes back and stays in my mind when I start conversing in it again!

Yesterday Ginger & I drove up to Logan, directly upon my arrival in Utah from California, to surprise visit Victoria for her 19th birthday! She is the cutest college student ever. Gorgeous in every way. Her room was so organized, clean and tidy, she was busy writing an essay for one of her classes, had a cutie of a classmate come and visit, plus showed us a tour of Utah State campus. I saw the infamous Aggie's kissing stand, where both Glen & Bree have become true Aggies! A hilarious tradition where two people stand in a line to kiss under the full moon on this Aggies Podium. They didn't get there by kissing each other though. Thank goodness. That could make things awkward.

It looks like Glen & I won't be together for Thanksgiving this year, due to a change in our situation but all is well, Abraham & Glen will play paintball and enjoy the time when I won't be there to boss them around and get help with my many projects.

This week will be filled with many joyful reunions and celebrations. 2 Thanksgiving dinners and 2 baby showers are among the highlights. Ginger has been such a graceful hostess, as always. I so appreciate her consistency in my life.

2009 September- Traveling around all over the place!

2009-09-19T17:22:00.001-07:00

We stopped in the cutest Bavarian town.. Everything had "The Look!"

We met the sweetest couple, Ludwig & Irene who taught us a lot about apples, trees and hooks.
They have the most beautiful high density orchard we have ever seen! They have it down to a science and you can taste it. The most lush, huge apples and most delicious fresh apple nectar!

They've made it so easy to pick that even a prego can harvest.

We had a wonderful time with Wally & Kristine, Heinz & Carmen, Gramps & Grams! What great company and support!

Isn't my grandma cute! Boys will be boys eh!

Grams commisioned Heinz & Glen to cut down the horrible pine tree she has hated for 30 years.

Some Prego Pics Glen took with our wonderful new Nikkon camera.
He got it so that he can take good pics of our baby on the way.

We went to Utah with our Favorite Neighbor boy ASHAWN GREGORY! Everyone who met him loves him and he met a lot of family and friends. He has so much personality and sweetness, how can we help but love him!

Oma the chef extraordinaire

Opa and Ashawn played the day away! They are good buds and Ashawn still talks about him!

Lynkhan Red guarding little one! We couldn't ask for a better DOG!

Close ups of nap time!

Oh my cuteness!Here is a series of Glen & Ashawn playing football. Man do they have fun!

He's such a little cuddler! We love it!

Oma threw a huge party for family and friends. It was amazingly delicious!

Family hug for Glen, Dana & the Chapples!

The Nephews McKay, Dallin & Mathew are so fun! 3 Brothers who are all boy!

The trip home took us 12 hours because of my pregnancy bladder and little Ashawn's energy.

Glen & Ashawn bonding once again!

This is one of my all time favs of the two of them!

A series of 3 shots....

I love this one too! How can a kid be any more beautiful?

He insisted on wearing his Superman PJ shirt and everyone we passed smiled or commented.

The Mad Greek is a great restaurant. Especially the Greek Salad!

Ok here is another all timer! He is a little baller for sure and a personality!

We tried on a bunch of possible Halloween Outfits but he decided against them all.

Trip to Tulsa Oklahoma & Dallas Texas for the BYU vs OU Football game!

2009-09-08T15:20:00.000-07:00

OKLAHOMA!!!!

What a trip! See the the Google map below ! It was one of those trips that won't be easy or even possible to do once we have kids, a completely random, unnecessary trip just for fun! We met up with a couple of Glen's college buddies....Emmy Baird, Melissa Carress & Brian Henderson!

View Larger Map

When we arrived I was pleasantly surprised at the amazing beauty that Tulsa is covered with. I kept saying what are we doing living in a desert, when we could live in a lush green place like this? The houses were amazing, all made of solid materials and timeless features. It was such a pleasure to drive down the tree covered streets and take it all in. Emmy was such a great hostess, she showed us all the nicest/most architecturally appealing homes in the neighbourhood knowing that I love architecture! She is so sweet!
Chris and B-rad (Emmy's parents) have a beautiful Stone Hedge Resembling mansion where Glen and I were able to stay. In it they have a beautiful dark bedroom and he black out blinds literally did their job! It was like a cocoon in there and I slept like a baby! Thank you SO much!

Then we were off to the BYU vs OU Football game in Dallas, Texas at the new 4 billion dollar Cowboys Stadium. It was the most exciting game! They were neck to neck the entire game and in the end BYU pushed ahead and won 14 to 13.
Out of 75 thousand there were maybe 7 thousand BYU fans but at the end of the game it was only Y fans. The entire stadium went from Oklahoma Crimson to BYU True Blue. It was so fun to celebrate and see the team celebrate and do their New Zealand Haca at the end.

Emmy is an amazing woman and example. She is an amazing pianist, great teacher, smart student (med school brains), spiritual woman, plus she is an amazing cook!
We ate like Kings the whole weekend thanks to Emmy and Meliss (another phenomenal cook). Some things that stick out are the Eggs Benedict (with a citrus flavour to them), Brazilian Limeade, Stuffed Strawberries, and the Chocolate zucchini muffins! Yum, Yum, Yum.We enjoyed ourselves SO much! Thanks Emmy, Rob, Chris & B-Rad for your hospitality!

The last day we went Noodling! Does anyone know what that is? Well this video should give you an idea! Noodling Big CatfishWe had Emmy's friend from the singles ward, a true Okie through and through, take us into the river that had a sign warning all who enter of Harmful Organism in the water, yet we entered.
We were right across from the power plant that had smoke billowing out of it, right next to the river. He explained how there was a triathlon last year and the swimming portion was up river a ways, everyone who participated ended up getting near deathly sick with ?????. Nice eh? He also warned us about the ????? fish that have razor like teeth that split his brothers hand open the other day in this very river.

Other hazards included the DANGER sign posted on the little damn, with an explanation how the water may flood at any moment without warning. To say the least I was a bit scared.
The water was shallow yet murky brown. We were unable to see the bottom or under the rocks where Glen, Emmy and Rob as well as our tour guide, reached to try and lour catfish out with their bare hands.
I stuck my hand in once for about 1 second...just long enough for Glen to yell and scare the heck out of me. I sure as heck didn't stick my hand in again that is for sure.

2009 August-West Coast Trip to home sweet home SO CAL!

2009-08-31T14:08:00.000-07:00

View Larger Map
After leaving Osoyoos Brooke, Paige & I drove to Moscow Idaho where we saw Brooke's new home! It is so cute and the renovations recently made make that old house beam! It is exactly what I imagined for Brooke and Mike! It is so fun to see where my siblings live and where they go each day to do their daily tasks etc. The girls made a trip down the hill to the outdoor market. There Brooke did her veggie shopping and got me the cutest Nursing Cover...pictures to come. Before Mom and Dad joined up Brooke, Paige, Brooklyn and I Mike and Brooke took us on a really fun bike trip all over town and we got to see the beautiful campus where Mike works as a professor! They have a very nice set up there! We are so happy for them.

almost 2300 mile road trip, all with an almost 2 year old, a 3 year old Labrador dog and my sister who is pregnant - due the same time as me!!!

2009 July-Utah, Vancouver, Osoyoos & Family Time!

2009-07-31T14:07:00.000-07:00

The Fourth of July Celebrations were so fun!!!

We arrived just in time after a long drive from California. I heard of the 5k Freedom Run the morning before and got up to do it with Melissa Caress and Emmy Baird! It was really fun. Bailey was the hit of the parade!

Every kid we passed yelled out pointing, "Dog Dog Dog!" One little Hispanic kid told her Mom "Perro Mama, perro!"
Next was the Parade in which my friend Kelty Johnson rode her horse looking like a real pro. Once again Bailey was a hit with all the kids!
Then it was off to Carmen's 60th Birthday Party. She threw a beautiful party and we got to meet some of the Rusche's long time friends. Lynkhan Red stayed with Opa and Oma for the rest of the summer, to go up to the lot and play with his friend Moses.

Then it was off to "The Stadium of Fire" with Glen's boss Steve Shallenberger and his family!
He is so generous & got us tickets! It was so fun.
The Jonas Bros played as well as SheDaisy. We really liked the music & dancing.
It was so patriotic and Glen really felt a part, now that he is officially American!
We got his citizenship this year after he'd been living in the US for 16 years!!!

Then it was off to Vancouver to Celebrate my Grandpa Norman Stuart Harris aka Stew's 96th birthday party hosted by the magnificent Norma and Don Malin (my Dad's Sister and Brother in Law). It was so much fun to see all of our Harris Family and I loved introducing Glen to all the cousins for the first time.
In this foto bottom to top: Glen & I holding little Parker, Julie and Brody, Paige and Brooklyn, Brooke, Kelly, Julie and Harris, Brig, Brent, Kendall, Jen, Scott, Brock, Reed, Grady and Peter

Below Top left to bottom right are all of the girls and the Birthday Boy!
Julie, Mom, Kelty, Jen, Lorraine, Kelly, Kendall, Barb, Norma, Gramps, Brooke & Hannah, Bailey, Dana, Paige and Brooklyn.

Boys top left to bottom:
Dick, Mike, Glen, Peter, Scotty, Geoff, Reed, Dad, Brig, Grady, Gramps & Brock.

Brig and Dad! The two first men in my life!

Next we were off to Osoyoos...the land of the fruit!

Glen & I loved our time in Osoyoos where we ate lots of fruit including plenty of
Mulberries, Peaches, Plums, Apricots & Cherries we sometimes got into fruit fights with them too!

We had family visiting from Czech Republic (Grandma Alberta's Mother was 100% Czech)
Vaclav and his girlfriend Lenka. Missing from the picture is Jitka.
We all enjoyed the Osoyoos Lake which was so comfortable and warm...thanks to the intense and sometimes unbearable sunshine's heat there.

The Harris Girls loved the time spent together. Thank goodness for Sisters is all I can say!

Glen was little Brooklyn's favorite and she insisted upon giving him hugs and kisses upon her "Night night" ritual. His giving of treats might of had something to do with it, but her love is so sweet she loved playing with him even if there were no treats involved!
Brooklyn and Dana had a lot of fun together including a walk in Paige's baby gift to us...a homemade beautiful baby wrap which Brooklyn loves to ride in and Dana enjoyed the comfort of Paiges creation. Thanks Paige!
I met my newest niece for the first time....Hannah Joy! My name sake, as well as Mom's and Grandpa Sevy's too. I was pleasantly surprised when Brooke asked me to be her Godmother! I am so happy about that. She is adorable. I think she likes me or my baby whispering skills took over. She generally doesn't like laying stomach to stomach but she loved it when she was on me. Brooke said it might have something to do with the padding on her tummy or the fact that she loved sucking on my Deltoid.

It's nice to be able to calm a screaming baby.

Hannah and Brooklyn became good buddies over the summer. They are so cute together.
Glen left after one week but Bailey and I to go back to work! She quickly became the favorite.

She and I did quite a bit of babysitting.

Sometimes Bailey would babysit Brooklyn by herself. Brooklyn thought she was walking Bailey but we soon saw that it was definitely the other way round.

Oh my cuteness!

One time when Brooklyn and Hannah were nicely sitting on our laps and Bailey decided that she (being the baby that she is) was supposed to be on a lap too. So she crawled up on Brig's lap and snuggled in giving him kisses all over! She felt his need for a little extra love!

Vic is such a sweetheart and I love her so much. I am her official hairdresser and this time she wanted to try something new...the upside down cut! Yikes, but it worked out and she looks gorgeous as always!

Mom and Dad celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary a little while ago so I used pictures that I scanned before getting married from their wedding day to make a collage mugs for to celebrate for them.

Mom and Dad celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary a little while ago so I used pictures that I scanned before getting married from their wedding day to make a collage mugs for to celebrate for them.

I also made a set for Grandma and Grandpa as they were celebrating their 65th Wedding Anniversary while we were there! Their enthusiasm was real cute, Grandma has them displayed in her kitchen. I wonder if they will ever use them.

I really enjoyed my time with my Dad!

He really makes me feel like his favorite!

Ok I guess we are all his favorites!
But I don't mind sharing his love with a the rest!

Paige and I enjoyed being together as our twin babies grew in our bellies.
Grandpa Greg couldn't be happier for us!

We hope to have the same gender so that they will be great friends.

2009 May- Dana is Pregnant!!!!

2009-05-18T14:06:00.000-07:00

As you can see, we are very excited about the new development!
It came as a bit of a shock to Glen, although Dana felt like the pregnancy test was just an affirmation of what she already knew!

I really wanted to take the test on Tuesday, but Glen insisted on me waiting a few more days. I had taken the test once before and he forever thinks that I am crying wolf. Tuesday afternoon I called Paige and she told me that I needed to take the test now!!! I asked her why and she told me that she took the test that morning and was totally pregnant! Hilarious eh? Neither of us were going to officially start trying until the following month, but our babies wanted to come. They will be little twin cousins. We hope that they will be the same sex so they can be best buds!

2007 October... Our Wedding & Honeymoon Month

2007-10-31T18:26:00.000-07:00

First Comes Love.....

Then Comes Marriage....

Then comes a Relieved Parents and a Happy Couple on a Hawaiian Cruise

2007-10-09T21:16:00.000-07:00

Here is the beginning of a bunch of interesting posts about us as a newlywed couple.
There hasn't been a dull moment since arriving back from my mission mostly because of a guy named Glen.
Enjoy!..