Eva Rocks!

Yupp, its true, I said it, Eva Rocks!!! AND ROLLS!!!!

4 months and some change old, and she is rolling from tummy to back :) She has done it a few times now, without Aiden's help :), and it is ADORABLE!!

It is so wonderful to watch her grow! I love her smile, and her giggle, and her chunky, CHUNKY thighs. I love the way she coos and how much she loves her feet. I love it when her hands mesmerize her and how even putting lotion on her can make her giggle because she is just so ticklish!

I am so excited to be her mom, to be here every day watching her grow. Taking in every moment and cherishing them all. She is a ball of personality and I just can't wait to watch it explode!! She loves her brother, she smiles every time he is near. If he talks to her, she lights up more than anything else!! She is so loved but its so clear that she loves just as much if not more!!

Four months in, its going so fast, I can only hope that I am smart enough to truly cherish every single moment and lock it into memory. I love my children SO much!!!

Public Speaking Course-Persuasive Speech

Safety Belts Specific Purpose: I will persuade my audience to agree that all states should enforce primary seat belt laws.

Central Idea: By enforcing primary seat belt laws, more citizens would be inclined to wear their seat belts causing for less lives lost in car accidents.

INTRODUCTION
I. (Attention Getter)
When I was 11 years old, my family, all seven of us, took a road trip from Nebraska, where we lived, to Utah to visit some friends. We set out early in the morning to try and make the trip in one day. My mom, dad, 17-yr old sister and 16-yr old brother were take turns driving and napping while my 14 yr-old and 9 yr-old sisters and myself did anything we could to pass the time. Oh, and also, we had our golden retriever with us. Needless to say, it was a very crowded, and sometimes hostile, minivan.
While driving along the barren Wyoming desert, my 17-yr old sister, who was driving at the time, was distracted by something and began to merge onto the shoulder. The rapid bumping of the tread woke up those of us who were sleeping and caused all of us to shout at to her to “Look out!” This, and the loud noises of the tires, caused my sister to panic and over-correct the steering wheel. By doing so, the van veered back to the left too far for her to recover and we fishtailed before rolling multiple times. My mom, dad, 9 yr-old sister and 14 yr-old sister were all not wearing their seat belts; they were ejected from the vehicle during the chaos.
My mom, and little sister, Nikki, we thrown over a fence yards from the interstate and killed on impact.
My older 14 yr-old sister, Jamie, was thrown from the vehicle and then trapped under the van when it rolled over her and stopped. Her pelvis was crushed and she was facing severe physical and mental disabilities. However, after several surgeries to repair her pelvis and try to relieve the swelling in her brain she died after a week in the hospital due to heart failure.
My dad suffered from a ripped aorta. He was supposed to bleed out within minutes from being thrown from the vehicle. Somehow, he made it to the hospital where they treated his heart and his severe brain injuries as well. He was in a coma for over three weeks. They told us that he was not going to survive. Then they told us that when and if he woke up, he’d be severely mentally challenged. When he did wake up, they told us that he’d probably never regain his memory. By some miracle my father not only lived, but has regained his full memory back and his original brain function but, like the doctors said, he never should have made it to the ambulance, let alone to go on to live a full life.
As for the rest of us, my brother, sister and I, we had been wearing our seat belts. My brother, Derek, was able to jump out of the van as soon as it stopped and go around to assess everyone’s conditions and hold my fathers hand until the ambulance came. My sister, Shauna, was restrained by her seat belt and couldn't get herself free once the car stopped. She suffered some bruising and minor burns on her shoulder and clavicle areas from the seat belt when it restrained her. And me, I suffered from a dislocated shoulder due to wearing my seat belt improperly across my arm and a black eye from a high-speed projectile, which we assumed was a portable TV/VCR.
4 out of seven were not wearing their seat belts. And 3 out of the four died because of it.

II. (Reveal Topic) Seat belts saved me, Derek and Shauna. And seat belts very possibly could have saved my mom, Nikki, and Jamie. Occupant restraints are used to help couple the passenger to the car. They allow a passenger to slow down with the car rather than free flight into the car structure or into the air.

III. (Credibility Statement) Along with my personal experience with the harsh reality of the statistics, I have done a lot of research on the effectiveness of seat belts and the consequences for not using them.

IV. (Relevancy Statement) All of us drive in vehicles every day. We, along with our loved ones, are put in possibly dangerous situations each time we get into a car. By taking just two seconds to fasten the safety belts, we are not only protecting ourselves, but each of the passengers in the vehicle.

V. (Preview) The problem is that, for different reasons, many people are not wearing seat belts. The solution is simple; by enforcing primary seat belt laws, more citizens would be inclined to wear their seat belts causing for less lives lost in car accidents. Transition: The difference that a seat belt makes is the difference between life and death.

BODY
I. (MAIN POINT 1)
When used properly, lap/shoulder safety belts reduce the risk of fatal injury to car occupants by 45 percent and reduce the risk of moderate-to critical injury by 50 percent, and yet one out of four Americans still do not wear safety belts.
INTERNAL PREVIEW: Different people have different reasons for not wearing a seatbelt, but none of them follow the evidence and none justify putting their lives at risk.
A. (SUBPOINT) Seat belt laws have been enforced (in most states) since the 1980’s. And yet, we’ve all heard the excuses why NOT to wear them but that is all they are, excuses, and they are based on common misconception. 1. Belts are uncomfortable or inconvenient. 2. I'm not going far and I won't be going fast. 3. I'm a good driver, it won't happen to me. 4. Belts can hurt you in a crash. 5. Drivers in air bag-equipped vehicles don't need to wear safety belts. 6. I have a better chance of living if I’m thrown clear in a crash.
B. But these excuses are twisted at best. The Michigan State Police Dept and the National Safety Council proved these most common myths to be false. The Fact is, ("Safety belt myths," 2012) ("Safety belts myths," 2012) 1. Belts are uncomfortable or inconvenient— Initially people may find safety belts uncomfortable, confining or inconvenient simply because they're not used to wearing them. Those people who have made wearing safety belts a habit can testify that once their use does become a habit, there is no discomfort or inconvenience. 2. I'm not going far and I won't be going fast—Most crash deaths occur within 25 miles of home and at speeds of less than 40 miles per hour. 3. I'm a good driver, it won't happen to me—You may be a good driver but you cannot always control the other drivers on the road. Even if you are driving defensively, a drunk driver coming around the next curve may not be. Again, you never know what might happen. Buckle up every time -- every trip. 4. Belts can hurt you in a crash—Properly worn safety belts seldom cause injuries. If they do, the injuries are usually surface bruises and are generally less severe than would have been the case without any belt. Without the belts, you could have been thrown out of the vehicle and been injured severely. 5. Drivers in air bag-equipped vehicles don't need to wear safety belts—Lap/shoulder belts should always be used, even in a vehicle with air bags. Air bags are a supplemental form of protection and most are designed to deploy only in moderate-to severe frontal crashes. Also, air bags will not help in a side or rear impact or rollover crash. Air bags, combined with lap/shoulder belts, offer the best available protection for passenger vehicle occupants. 6. I have a better chance of living if I’m thrown clear in a crash — Being thrown safely clear in a crash is almost impossible. When you're thrown, you may be thrown through the windshield, scraped along the pavement, or even crushed by your own vehicle or another one. The idea of being thrown from a car and gently landing in a grassy area beside the road is pure fantasy. Your best bet in a crash is to stay inside the vehicle, securely held by your safety belt. 1. The Montana’s Department of Transportation explains it this way, “Consider this: A car going 40 mph would hit a tree with the same force as hitting the ground after falling off a 50 foot cliff. 2. “A person inside the car would hit the windshield with the same force as hitting the ground after a fall from a five-story building.” ("Three collisions in," 2011)
C. To truly understand the value of always wearing a safety belt, it's important to understand some of the dynamics of a crash. Every motor vehicle crash is in fact the sum total of three nearly simultaneous collisions: 1. Vehicle's Collision - This initial collision causes the car to buckle and bend as it hits something before coming to an abrupt stop. This occurs in approximately 1/10 of a second, or literally the blink of an eye. The factory-designed crumpling of the car's front end absorbs some of the force of the crash and cushions the rest of the vehicle from the force of impact. This enables the passenger compartment to stop more gradually than the front of the car 2. Human Collision - The second collision occurs as the car's occupants hit some part of the interior. At the moment of impact, unbelted occupants are still traveling at the vehicle's previous rate of speed. When the vehicle comes to a complete stop, these unbelted occupants slam into vehicle components such as the steering wheel or windshield. 1. There is also great potential for person-to-person impact. In a crash, occupants tend to move toward the point of impact, not away from it. 2. Unbelted rear-seat passengers who have become high-speed projectiles often strike people in the front seat. Many serious injuries result from the human collision be it within themselves or due to harsh contact with one another. 3. The Internal Collision - Although an occupant's body eventually comes to a complete stop, the internal organs still move forward. Quite suddenly, these organs smash against other organs or bones. This third collision often causes serious or fatal injuries.
D. Properly fastened seatbelts distribute the forces of rapid deceleration over the chest, hips and shoulders. 1. These are among the largest and strongest parts of a person's body and can thus endure greater levels of force. 2. In a crash, the seatbelt stretches slightly to slow your body down and lessens the distance your upper torso travels before stopping. 3. It also reduces the chance of the "human collision" phase of a motor vehicle crash. http://www.1stnevadalicense.com/course_sample.html?p=6 E. While it is true that sometimes the force of a crash is so great that nothing could have prevented the injuries. Studies have consistently shown that injuries in most serious crashes would have been much more severe had safety belts not been worn. 1. The Virginia Department of Transportation estimates that nearly 50 percent of those who died in traffic accidents in 2007 were not wearing their seat belts. (http://www.nsc.org/safety_road/DriverSafety/Pages/SeatBelts.aspx) 2. Forty-two percent of passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2007 were unbelted. A 2009 NHTSA study estimates more than 1,600 lives could be saved and 22,000 injuries prevented if seat belt use was 90 percent in every state. (http://www.nsc.org/safety_road/DriverSafety/Pages/SeatBelts.aspx)
(INTERNAL SUMMARY – Overall, there are no benefits to not wearing a seatbelt but there are plenty of risks, greatest of all, death.)
TRANSITION: So how can you get that last 25% to wear seat belts?

II. (MP 2) Enforce primary seat belt laws and implement enhanced enforcement programs. More citizens would be inclined to wear their seat belts causing for less lives lost in car accidents.
(INTERNAL PREVIEW: Seat belts save lives. States that enforce primary seat belt laws have higher percentages of citizens that wear seatbelts.)
A. Primary enforcement laws allow police officers to pull over drivers and issue tickets just because the drivers—or their passengers— aren’t wearing seat belts. Secondary enforcement laws only allow police officers to issue tickets for seat belt violations if drivers have already been pulled over for another offense. 1. According to the National Safety Council, Secondary enforcement significantly limits the ability of officers to enforce seat belt laws. 2. 31 states plus the District of Columbia have primary enforcement of seat belt laws, meaning police can stop vehicles and write citations for failure to buckle up. 3. 18 states have secondary enforcement, meaning police can issue a seat belt citation only after a vehicle is stopped for another reason. 4. Seat belt use is 13 percent higher in states with primary enforcement (88 percent) than in states with secondary enforcement (75 percent). (http://www.nsc.org/safety_road/DriverSafety/Pages/SeatBelts.aspx)
B. “Enhanced enforcement” programs seek to better support seat belt laws by either increasing the average number of citations each officer issues or by increasing the number of officers on patrol. These measures are supported by publicity campaigns, like the successful “Click It or Ticket” initiative. 1. In North Carolina and across America, millions of deaths and injuries occur because people don't use safety belts and child passenger safety seats. Research shows that appeals to "do the right thing" don't work for the people who don't use belts. What gets them to buckle up is high visibility enforcement. That means checkpoints and traffic tickets for drivers not using belts. 2. Research has shown that enhanced enforcement programs increase seat belt use by a average of 16 percent. 3. North Carolina's "Click it or Ticket" program began in 1993 to increase seat belt and child safety use rates through stepped-up enforcement of the state's seat belt law. 4. Just last September; the police of Charlotte-Mecklenburg County issued 75 citations in just three nighttime seat belt checkpoint operations in Charlotte.
C. (SUBPOINT) According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, seat belts are the single-most effective traffic safety device for preventing death and injury on the highway. Wearing a seat belt can reduce the risk of crash injuries by 50 percent. (http://www.nsc.org/safety_road/DriverSafety/Pages/SeatBelts.aspx) 1. Seat belts dramatically reduce risk of death and serious injury. Among drivers and front-seat passengers, seat belts reduce the risk of death by 45%, and cut the risk of serious injury by 50%. (http://www.cdc.gov/Motorvehiclesafety/seatbeltbrief/index.html) (http://www.nsc.org/safety_road/DriverSafety/Pages/SeatBelts.aspx) 2. 2. Seat belts save thousands of lives each year, and increasing use would save thousands more. Seat belts saved almost 13,000 lives in 2009. If all drivers and passengers had worn seat belts that year, almost 4,000 more people would be alive today. http://www.cdc.gov/Motorvehiclesafety/seatbeltbrief/index.html 3. 3. A 2009 agency study showed that more than 1,600 lives could be saved and 22,000 injuries prevented if seat belts were used by 90 percent of those on the highways in every state. (http://www.nsc.org/safety_road/DriverSafety/Pages/SeatBelts.aspx) 4. 4. Seat belts saved more than 75,000 lives from 2004 to 2008, according to the federal agency. (http://www.nsc.org/safety_road/DriverSafety/Pages/SeatBelts.aspx) 5. 5. Safety belts could save an additional 1,600 lives and prevent an additional 22,000 injuries each year if usage was 90% in every state. http://www.nsc.org/safety_road/DriverSafety/Documents/Seat%20Belt%20Enforcement%20Primary%20Secondary%20States.pdf
INTERNAL SUMMARY – Primary Enforcement Seat Belt Laws and initiatives such as the Click-it or Ticket program are the only way to get those percentages to come up.
TRANSITION: No one can afford to not take two seconds and click in his or her seat belt. CONCLUSION
I. (Summary Statement) 1 out of 4 people is still too many. A deadly car wreck can happen whether you’re going 10 miles an hour or 80, just around the block or across the country, riding in the back seat or driving. We can’t control the situations we are put in, but we do control what we do to protect the ones we love and ourselves. Please, don’t be fooled by the myths and don’t ever think that it couldn’t happen to you because it can.
II. (Memorable Closing Statement) It happened to me, and it killed those that I love. I am here today because I put my seat belt on. And I am here speaking for those who can’t because for them, they learned their lesson too late. Wear your seatbelts, every time, and make it home to your families.

REFERENCES
75 tickets given at charlotte seat belt checks. (2012, October 05). Charlotte Observer. Retrieved from http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/10/05/3578844/75-tickets-given-at-charlotte.html Dewey-Kollen, J. (2004, April). National seat belt enforcement mobilization. Law & Order, 52(4), Retrieved from http://www.questia.com/library/1P3-643439341/national-seat-belt-enforcement-mobilization Hostetler, K. (2012, October 21). Candlelight vigil raises awareness on seatbelt safety. ABC 13 News. Retrieved from http://www.ktnv.com/news/local/175151241.html Planek, T. (2004). Proceedings from a symposium on high visibility enforcement - building sustained safety belt use. Journal of Safety Research Special Issue, 35(2), 131-244. Retrieved from http://www.nsc.org/safety_road/DriverSafety/Pages/SeatBelts.aspx Policy impact: Seat belts. (2012, January 20). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/Motorvehiclesafety/seatbeltbrief/index.html Reinartz, J. (2012, October 26). Seat-belt use is simply about education. Austin Post. Retrieved from http://www.postbulletin.com/news/stories/display.php?id=1512926 Safety belt myths and facts. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.michigan.gov/msp/0,4643,7-123-1593_3504_22774-13689--,00.html Seat belts: Every person, every seat, every trip. (2011, January 04). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/Features/VitalSigns/SeatbeltSafety/ Safety belts myths and facts. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.nsc.org/safety_road/DriverSafety/Documents/Seat Belts Myths and Facts.pdf Three collisions in a crash. (2011, April 18). Retrieved from http://buckleup.mt.gov/docs/three-collisions-in-crash.pdf Use and maintenance of required safety equipment. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.1stnevadalicense.com/course_sample.html?p=6

I Am A Robot.

My emotions have always been, kind of hidden. I do not do well with pouring out my soul. I do not generally cry a lot. And when I do, it is almost always within the comfort of my own home, and sometimes not even my husband can see me. When sad things happen, I feel it, I DO get sad. I swear, I do. But I just, I don't cry easily.

TK likes to tease me, that I am an emotionless, cold fish. We both joke about how I am void of any and all emotion. (Clearly, not true seeing as how he has actually seen the evidence otherwise). But honestly, I sometimes worry about myself.

So this morning, I was feeling a little bit emotional. Like I wanted to cry, because we all know, crying can be very therapeutic. When you have a good cry, all of the sudden, everything feels better. Maybe not ALL better, but a lot better. So yeah.. hormones.. emotional... blah blah blah, I decided to test it. A while ago TK and I saw the Trailer for The Impossible. And just a minute into it, we looked at eachother and both agreed, hands down, there was no way we could ever watch that. But I downloaded it, for the specific purpose of a good cry movie. So this morning, I watched it. But not a single tear. Not even when I inevitably imagined my family in that situation. Yes, it was an incredibly sad movie and even based on a TRUE story, but I didn't cry. WHAT THE CRAP IS WRONG WITH ME PEOPLE?!

Either I am a closeted sociopath who is one day going to snap and be thrown into a mental institution where the clothes are super tight, the walls are extra squishy, and I am forced to spend each and every day in a permanent state of hugging myself, OOOOOOOR... I am a robot who is void of all emotion and can only cry when someone programs me to do so.

So I vote robot, mmmmmm kay? Cool.

Go Aiden!

I am afraid that I am going to jinx it. Terrified really, because if I have to go through this process one more time, I think I'm going to run away.... Like, just pack my bags, kiss my family, and leave em with a note that says, "Yeaahhhh, for the next 24 hours, I am not your mother, good luck and please, don't die." THAT is how much I hope this is real and not just my toddler screwing with me again.

We have tried several times, to... ummm... teach Aiden something. (Seriously, I WILL NOT RISK JINXING THIS) We have tried several different techniques... the every five minute reminder, the sit them down every half hour deal, the "look, mommy and daddy do it" awkwardness, pullups, naked, underwear followed a few weeks later by buying really cool looking underwear complete with Lightning McQueen, Buzz Lightyear, Monsters, and constantly telling him, "Now Aiden if you have to go, (ahem, you know) just tell us. You wouldn't want to go on Lightning, would you? He'd be really mad if you got him wet...." I'm telling you, EVERYTHING! And finally, hopefully, found some things that worked for us!!

He went 5 days without any accidents, he'd just drop whatever he was doing, playing, computer, eating, anything, and run in and go all by himself!! And then we went to church on Sunday. We had been several places with no problem, and even at church he told me he had to go and we made it in time, but in nursery, I forgot to tell his teachers that he was had kicked the diaper so that was ALL my bad. And he hasn't had a wet bed at ALL!! Well crap, if there was ever gunna be a jinx, I just called it. But yeah, I'm freaking proud of our kid!!! It is such a relief and seriously, I am PRAYING that it sticks!!! He has been amazing through it all!! So yes, lets all give it up for Aiden officially becoming a BIG BOY!!! :)

When he filled up his sticker chart he got a prize. He was so proud. Even before he filled it up, every time we'd have visitors, he'd make them come in and look at all of his stickers and tell them that he'd get icecream at the last square. He was so thrilled.

After we got icecream and we were talking to himat bedtime and asked him about his day he said, "Aiden I-ceems" (aka: Aiden got ice-cream) "oh yeah? what for" and he sat there and put his finger on his chin and looked up thinking real hard and then said, "Aiden potty, Aiden Big Boy!" hahahaha

Love this little man.

A First for Me

I have a boy. I am the mother of a boy and I have officially been inititated into the "I am a mom who would do anything for her son" club. 

Today on our walk, a grasshopper flew onto and perched on Aiden's hand. Being very unfamiliar with grasshoppers and having had a bad run in with a GINORMOUS spider just the other day, he proceeded to flip, his, LID. The grasshopper jumped off and flew a few feet away. Well, being his mother, and the cause of his bad spider fear from a few days before, I felt obligated to calm him down and help him face his fears. So I, for the first time in my life, (aside from rollie-pollies) picked up a bug. I let it crawl onto my hand and walk around a bit to show Aiden that it wasn't scary and couldn't hurt him. While, inside, I was flipping, my, LID. I asked if he wanted to see it too and began to move a bit closer to him. Slowly he warmed up and was about a foot away from it as it continued to try and nibble on my finger.. but I just said, "Oh hey! Its tickling mommy, isn't that cool, Aiden?" while inside I was screaming, "ITS BITING ME ITS BITING ME WHY THE CRAP IS THIS THING BITING ME?!?!" 

Yupp, the things we do for our kids. Eva, please grow up so that I can suffer my comforts by wearing tiaras and sipping air flavored "tea", thanks so much!

But seriously, I DO love my boy, and I would do ANYTHING for him!! I love how brave he is and how interested he is in the world. He loves digging in the dirt and throwing wood chips and fighting with twig swords and I wouldn't have it ANY other way!! 

I love motherhood. Every single second of it.

Tender Mericies

My scripture study this morning led me to this talk by David A. Bednar in the April 2005 General Conference entitled The Tender Mercies of the Lord https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2005/04/the-tender-mercies-of-the-lord?lang=eng

This excerpt, in particular, spoke to me:
"In a recent stake conference, the tender mercies of the Lord were evident in the touching testimony of a young wife and mother of four whose husband was slain in Iraq in December of 2003. This stalwart sister recounted how, after being notified of her husband’s death, she received his Christmas card and message. In the midst of the abrupt reality of a dramatically altered life came to this good sister a timely and tender reminder that indeed families can be together forever. With permission I quote from that Christmas card:

“To the best family in the world! Have a great time together and remember the true meaning of Christmas! The Lord has made it possible for us to be together forever. So even when we are apart, we will still be together as a family.

“God bless and keep y’all safe and grant this Christmas to be our gift of love from us to Him above!!!

“All my love, Daddy and your loving husband!”

Clearly, the husband’s reference to being apart in his Christmas greeting referred to the separation caused by his military assignment. But to this sister, as a voice from the dust from a departed eternal companion and father, came a most needed spiritual reassurance and witness. As I indicated earlier, the Lord’s tender mercies do not occur randomly or merely by coincidence. Faithfulness, obedience, and humility invite tender mercies into our lives, and it is often the Lord’s timing that enables us to recognize and treasure these important blessings."

My family saw many tender mercies from the Lord after the passing of my mom and two of my sisters. Once our angels were on the other side, I saw them in things I had never seen them in before. I saw Nikki in a strangers smile because my little sister was ALWAYS smiling and walking up to random people and treating them like her best friend. I saw Jamie in my quiet moments in our home, when we were at peace because she was always the bringer of peace, trying hard to keep us all from fighting. I saw my mom, in every hug that I received, trying fiercely to never forget what it felt like to hug her. The Lord sends us little blessings, tender mercies, to remind us that we are not alone, that with every step we take, He is right beside us, guiding us along HIS path, the path that he has forged for us to follow.

The Lord loves us, EACH of us. He knows us individually, personally, and profoundly. He can not leave us alone, He loves us too much for that. He walks beside us and carries us when necessary. He will never abandon us. He will deliver us. And we will be blessed.

"When words cannot provide the solace we need or express the joy we feel, when it is simply futile to attempt to explain that which is unexplainable, when logic and reason cannot yield adequate understanding about the injustices and inequities of life, when mortal experience and evaluation are insufficient to produce a desired outcome, and when it seems that perhaps we are so totally alone, truly we are blessed by the tender mercies of the Lord and made mighty even unto the power of deliverance"

I am a daughter of God. I love Him and He loves me.

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2005/04/the-tender-mercies-of-the-lord?lang=eng

Just an Update on Life

Alright, so I'm not perfect.... yet. But I can still try, right?

My last post was about how I'm doing better, and I still am. A few things, including blogging, have gone back to the back burner, but most of them are still in the front grabbing my attention and its been great!! I'm still going out with the sisters as often as I can, I am spending my time with my kids and watching very little TV, I am sticking to my diet and exercising every morning, praying daily and so now, it is time to throw something new into the mix!

An old friend posted her success with a 30day Book of Mormon Challenge the other day. She read 8 chapters everyday in the month of August and read it all the way through. She inspired me to accept this challenge myself for the month of September. A perfect challenge seeing as how I am hoping for many great things to come this month and this would help a great deal. I'm getting my patriarical blessing, finally, in November. I can't believe it has taken this long!! I've been meaning to do it for YEARS... but I finally put the process in motion! So thank you, Brandilyn, for your wonderful example and inspiring me to be better :)

So life as of late, Eva is laughing adorably and Aiden, is again, trying to be potty trained. And by Aiden, trying to be potty trained, I mean MOMMY AND DADDY ARE SICK OF DIAPERS!!! AND IF WE CAN CUT THEM IN HALF, WELL DARNIT, WE WILL!!!!!! Its not going so well, but we are trying our best to stay diligent.

A few weeks ago, Eva had several firsts, her first swim, thanks to Uncle James and his house sitting gig.. She really enjoyed it for a while.. but it was pretty chill, so after about 20-30 minutes, she decided it was time to go. But it was a blast while it lasted. Sadly, I didn't take any pictures... we were having too much fun with our kiddos and its hard to take pictures while both of us each have a child in hand... but they were good memories nonetheless. That same week she laughed for the first time at mommy tickling her neck. She did it twice and then never again. Daddy was the only one to get her to laugh like that for a week or two.. but then mommy found some funny faces and noises that tend to do the trick. She has also discovered her thumb and loves sucking on it, in addition to other little fingers..

Aiden is getting so much better at talking! Using some sentences and LOVES practicing at family prayers. Every prayer time, be it dinner, night time, etc, its always "Aiden say it?!" and if Mom or Dad starts to pray (because we take turns) he always tries to interrupt, "No, No, WAIT! Aiden say it!" He's a cutie and we love him!! And owe him greatly for our progress in our family prayers. Without him, we wouldn't be in such great habit of it.

TK is back to school. After this semester, he has 2 more and then will transfer to UNCC. He and I got to go on our first date in FOREVER. Seriously, the last time we went to see a movie was Iron Man 2!! That was May 2010!!!! Yeah, Holy Crap, Batman. We went and saw Star Trek, Into the Darkness. It was pretty good. An old friend of TK's got us free tickets :) and I swapped doing Tori's highlights for her babysitting the angels... It was a needed, wonderful night out.

So, bottom line, life is great! Thanks for checking in!!