Stinking Tickets

Most of you would think that between my 5 month old and my 2 1/2 year old the one who would be waking me up multiple times a night would be my 5 month old. Oh no, Marley is a champ sleeper she would sleep 12 hours a night without so much as a peep, it is Garrick who is waking up. It started out as an endearing little thing he would do, but now it is the most annoying thing in my life right now. Our cute boy has always loved trains, when we showed him the Polar Express it went to a whole new level. We actually "lost" the movie for an entire year. (He never forgot about it and would ask at least once a month about it.) I made the mistake of buying the book this year, now everything is a ticket. Receipts, tithing slips, pieces of random paper, anything and everything he can get his hands on. This in and of itself is not the problem, the problem is that he wants them perfect and he wants to sleep with them. If they get wrinkled he needs them straightened and if we can't straighten them he freaks (can you say OCD). He is constantly asking where his tickets are and finding new ones. Here is where the problem is, he won't go to sleep without them (we've tried and he wakes up hysterical). So what happens is that he wakes up multiple times a night, if it is wrinkled at 1:00am then it needs fixed, if it is not where he can find it he is crying and we have to go find it, this happens at least 2 times every night (OCD). I loath those stinking tickets and would like to tear them up and throw them away, which I have done to the dismay of my bawling boy. I hate the tickets.

Tagged

RULES
1. Post rules on your Blog.
2. Answer the six "8" items.
3. Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving them a comment.

8 Favorite Shows:
1. Pushing Daisies
2. Heros
3. Chuck
4. Life
5. Eli Stone
6. Backyardigans (of Icky's shows anyway)
7. Gilmore Girls (re-runs)
8. Jon and Kate + 8

8 Things I Did Yesterday:
1. Drove to and from work
2. Worked its great being a teacher
3. Went to Target
4. Went to Young Womens (second councelor)
5. Watched Eli Stone
6. Pretended my house was clean so I didn't have to clean it.
7. Stressed about stupid stuff
8. attempted to sleep

8 Things I Look Forward Too:
1. Every other day off.
2. Christmas Garrick is starting to get it.
3. Rome and Greece in April (its not too late you are all invited.)
4. Bed time with Garrick he loves to sing I am a Child of God, and Harry Potter look at the video, hilarious. SO CUTE.
5. The look on Marley's face when I rescue her from her crib.
6. Loosing the baby weight.
7. The first real snow.
8. Friday date night with Carl and some friends.

8 Favorite Restaurants:
1. Boccias de Italia they have the best calzones and alfredo
2. Goodwood
3. Applebees, not really a favorite but I've been craving their fajitas
4. Cafe Rio
5. This great greek place across the river from Notre Dame in Paris
6. If I could afford it I think the Melting Pot would be I'm good with anything smothered in cheese, especially if I am in controll over how much smothering is going on.
7. Fast Food: Chick fil A
8 . Ruby River



8 Things on my wish list:
1. A new denim skirt, very hard to find.
2. No more car payment.
3. Garrick to potty train himself
4. A good book to read (taking suggestions)
5. Another student teacher.
6. More patience with my boys
7. Someone to clean my house spotless every day for free (any takers)
8. Happiness, who doesn't want that.

8 People to Tag:
1. Amy
2. Steph
3. Kimmy
4. Leah? may have been already
5. Mandy
6. Mechelle
7. Jodi
8. Annita

Na, Na, Na, Na

Garrick started walking around the house singing the other day and it took us a while to figure it out. Carl whistled the tune to Harry Potter, which Icky loves, and now he goes around the house singing it constantly. It is the cutest thing. He mostly sings that but at night he'll sing Twinkle, Twinkle as well as I am a child of God. It almost brings me to tears every night. He is getting so big and is definitely a singer like his mom. His other favorite thing to do is ask, "What's your name?" He asks me about 12 times a day, but asks just about everyone we run into. It is very endearing until you've been asked three times in under a minute then it gets a little tedious.

Halloween '08

You all thought you were late sharing your Halloween stuff, well here is ours. Halloween is so fun, Garrick tried on his costume every day that week. Marley of course didn't care. We visited Grandpa up at Weber State, that is a tradition, Garrick loves it. When it came down to it Garrick didn't want anything to do with Trick-or-Treating until they started coming to our house. He had a great time and kept knocking and saying "come in" and when they opened their doors he would walk into their house. We let him stay up late and answer the door for the trick-or-treaters, he kept asking where Harry Potter was (we'd seen one earlier). We had a good day it is a lot more fun now that we have a kid who cares.

In a RUT!!

I am in a cooking rut and need help. I keep making the same things over and over again because they are easy. I am enlisting all my blog friends help. If you have a great EASY recipe please comment. I am sick of chicken enchiladas, so is Carl (who is nice enough to tell me he likes them and that they get better on the 4th day), and Garrick loves me enough to chew and swallow anything I put in his mouth. I look forward to something new at least.

Fun Weekend

My brother came in for the weekend so we got together with my family a couple of times. We had a really good time, Garrick loves Josh he chases him all over and they wrestle. The funniest thing was when we were at my Mom's house Garrick found this wig and put it on. He looked hilarious.















Marley doesn't do much but she got doted on a ton because she the is the newest baby in the family. I only got to hold her when she had to eat. This is the cute hat I got her at the Gap. It was finally cold enough for her to wear it.

Halloween Help

I have been searching for costumes for the kids without much luck. What I have decided I want to do is have them coordinate; so I found a cute angel costume for Marley and then I'd have Garrick be the devil. I was trying to think of some other duos we could do with the two of them. If you can think of one, leave a comment.

Busy. . .but not.

It seems like we have had a ton going on but nothing really significant to talk about so I thought I'd update on my cute kids.

Garrick is getting funny and breaking my heart, this morning when I woke him up and told him that we were going to Laura's he said, "I don't want to go to Wara's, I want to stay in the house. Alright, alright." He says "alright" after everything. He also is growing up really quickly. He came upstairs and asked for a snack, we got him some pretzels he walked downstairs with his cup of pretzels when he spilled them he carefully picked them up. After he finished them he came back upstairs and announced that he wanted a drink and proceeded to fill up his cup at the fridge. When he wants to play he tells me, "Put him down, right here." (Referring to Marley of course)

Marley is such a cutie and a great baby. (Don't ask me how I got so lucky.) She is sleeping through the night most nights, and the others she sleeps from about 10:00 pm to 3:00 am. She loves to talk I have been trying tirelessly to get this on tape, every time I bring out the video camera she clams up. She talks and laughs when you change her diaper, it is so cute. She definately has her Dad wrapped around her tiny finger, he brags incessantly about how good she is.

We're just lucky and living our boring life, but are of course overjoyed that our "shows" are back on. We love Heros and Chuck.

Two Months

So Marley is just over two months she is growing well and is now in the 50% for everything. I got looking back at pictures of Garrick and can't believe how different they are. So here is a little look at the kids, you can tell me whether you think they look at all alike.

Marley at 2 months and Garrick at 2 months.


Garrick at the hospital and Marley at the hospital.

The New Edition to our Family

This is the new edition to our family and my last post probably for a while. He stares you in the face everytime you walk in. I think Carl is almost as proud of this as he is Marley. We are batting around the idea of naming him Rex. This is Carl's 341 and 1/2 scoring bull elk that he has been waiting for longer than I was pregnant with Marley. Welcome to the family, even though he still creeps me out a little.

Marley's Blessing

I know I have posted about 5 posts in the last week or so. I'll finish off with two more. We blessed Marley on Sunday the 27th because Carl's brother was in town. It was a great day and the blessing was beautiful, what I could hear of it since the mike went out and there were about 60 screaming kids. Anyway, I found this gorgeous dress online and we had most of our family. There were 26 kids the oldest is 16 and the youngest was Marley 4 weeks, and only I think 18 adults. Our families are getting huge. Anyway here are some cute pics of the day.

These are the Bench cousins that are all within a year of each other, Carson, Marley, Kade, and Paige.

July 24th: Pioneer Days

So the big holiday down in Fairview, where Carl grew up, is Pioneer Days. The day after we got back we loaded our already packed gear and went to celebrate. It was fun as always, and Carl's brother was in town from Arkansas, so all the cousins were there it was good. Carl took Garrick to the parade, which he loved. He kept waving at all the Royalty on the floats it was super cute. He also really liked the band and the fire engines. I think he was the only one of the cousins who didn't insist on having his ears covered as they let off their sirens. He was a daddy's boy all weekend, and Carl even took him to the derby. We had a good time but were glad to finally come home.

He loved trying to get his cousins wet, they yelled and he would do it more. He got himself more than anyone else.

Just like dad.

Waving to he girls.

He did't understand the purpose of the umbrella.

Seattle

Insane!!

So before I post numerous adorable pictures of my wonderful family I thought I'd nominate myself as the most insane person on the planet. Also realize this is coming from the exhausted fingers of the mother of a 40 lb two year old and a newborn. To begin not only did I volunteer for a surgery where they cut you open, pull a baby out, and proceed to show your husband all of you inerds. But I also listened to talk during the whole procedure that likened me to a cow, because they are talking about how they do the same procedure to a cow. Then just shy of two weeks later I set of in a car with my hooligans and my husband for a fabulous 12 hour ride to Seattle, for my brothers wedding. This week in Seattle was definately more work than play with a newborn. I am just lucky that we have such great kids and that 2 week olds only eat, sleep and poop. Then we arrived home on Marley's three week birthday and left the next day for Carl's parents for the 24th, which is the big holiday in Fairview. Then we arrived home a couple of days later to clean the house and prep for Marley's blessing. We did it early because Carl's brother was in town and he is only in town about once a year. I feel like I have been busier than any normal person should be, and I don't consider myself normal any parents shouldn't. To say the least I would recommend only the rest and relaxation of a new mothers home during the first month or so. Needless to say I and my wonderful husband are definately certifiably INSANE. I am glad to finally be home and able to relax.

MARLEY

Well, we have our newest edition. Marley was born on Monday morning at 9:19 am she weighed 6 lbs 13 oz, and was 19 1/2 inches long. We had another c-section and everything went really smoothly. She is adorable and we are super excited. She has been so fun, she definately has a set of lungs but she is a great pretty mellow baby.
Garrick came and didn't want anything to do with me or the baby. We finally got him to kiss her, he kissed her two times the funny thing was second time he got her hair and he started spitting saying it was yucky. We have two great, cute kids. Yeah!!

Slurper

I know two posts in one day but I am a bit lazy. Garrick is so cute eating soup. He loves the stuff. I have no idea where he learned to slurp out of his bowl but it is funny. And he always blames his 'burps' (which are completely fake) on other people.

7 YEARS!!

Well, Carl and I officially made it 7 years. Sunday was our anniversary. It is amazing how fast time flies. We didn't do anything spectacular because we did go to Europe earlier this spring and we are headed to Seattle in a couple of weeks. He did take me to my favorite restaurante, Boccio's, and we went to see the Hulk (I know very romantic, it wasn't bad, I liked it).

We made it through school and a ton of moves along with that. We have gone through good times and bad. We have worked hard and have a great home and great jobs. We have been blessed with an amazing son and a healthy womb-baby. I love the man so much and he is such a great support to me. He is even nice enough to tell me I look good when I am as fat as I am right now. We are best friends and that makes life so much easier. So babe, I love you, here is to another year.

Hogle Zoo

We went a trip to the zoo with my brother Kevin and three of his kids. We did this same thing last year and I thought I ought to get it in before little sister comes, we had a great time. Garrick liked the animals but could hardly wait to ride the train, I think he was disappointed every time Carter looked at the map and said, "we didn't see this yet." He was funny Brynn and Carter would be looking at an animal and he would be crawling around on the ground finding rocks or sticks to put in a pipe or a hole. He did like the giraffes and he also really liked the orangatangs, the baby was swinging all over while the parents slept, it was really cute. But, the best thing they did for us at the zoo was give me a ticket at the gate. Garrick held on to it all day saying it was his ticket for the train, when he finally did ride the train he didn't quite know what to do. I don't wonder about ADD with him because he can stay focused on trains all the time. We had a great time with Kev and the kids, thanks guys for taking us with you.

Here is his real ticket for the train. We had to let him keep it, he asked the zebras to punch his other ticket, like on Polar Express.


They were all drinking together. I thought it was funny


Paige, Kev and Garrick at the Giraffes, they all went outside.

A New House

Okay, so not really a new house, but it sure feels like it. Carl and I, mostly Carl, have been working for weeks getting tile and baseboards done. We've painted bathrooms and our bedroom. We have been crazy busy for a very long time, and now we are done. On Friday the carpet guys came and we have new carpet, which Garrick says is very soft. We love it and finally feel like the house is our own and not someone elses. Now, if anyone wants to come and be my interior decorator, that would be appreciated, I really struggle with that. Thanks for all the help from the Widdisons and my brothers, pulling carpet padding staples isn't much fun. But we are done and just in time for Garrick and I to enjoy our summer off work, and get ready for the baby sister.

Cousins

Landon and Scott came up to visit. Landon is only about 4 months older than Garrick so they have a lot of fun together. These are some fun pics of them racing. Garrick always says go after he starts running so Landon just ran behind him then would tackle him. I was laughing so hard. We had a great visit. Thanks for the help Scott.

Front Runner

So I know it has been a long time since you could ride the front runner for free, but I am finally posting the pictures. Garrick loves trains and so we thought he would love riding. We had originally planned on riding all the way to Ogden and back, but this family came and sat by us and this lady was letting her kids do whatever they wanted. So we rode from the Layton station to the Clearfield station and back. He loved it and was "Wowing" the whole way.