Blessed

I think it's been at least a year since I've posted a blog.  Mostly because I've been slaving away in school and haven't even had a spare moment to write about it.  I mostly wanted to post because I am so grateful.  I know that being born into the gospel is one of the greatest blessing that I could have ever been given.  Friday night, John, Carter and I went down to Temple Square with my wonderful sister, her husband, and their little boy Riley.  It was packed, cold, and I threw up in the car on the way down (yeah, I STILL get car sick).  When we got there, seeing the temple all lit up and beautiful made all the difference.  We got to watch the nativity and be reminded of the reason why we celebrate Christmas. 

On the way home,  John and I were talking.  It went something like this:
John:  I think you need to pick up some extra shifts this week if you can.
Me:  OK, I can probably do that.
John:  Yeah, my entire check is going to the house payment so it's on you to make money so we can get Christmas gifts.
Me:  OK, if I work most the week, I can probably make enough.

Something you need to know about my little family.  Each year, we try to find a family that is in need that we can help.  When I was young, my dad was out of work and I remember receiving beautiful Christmas gifts from people in the ward (anonymously).  That has stayed with me my entire life and now I try to pay it forward each year.  This year however, I wasn't sure how we were going to pay for our own gifts, let alone gifts for another family.  Driving home, I just kept saying to John, "I still want to try and get gifts for another family, somehow, some way, we will make it happen". 

Saturday morning, I was sitting on the couch working on my portfolio and John went out to take something to his sister.  When he got back, he said "Come here!!!"  I was busy working on my portfolio so I said, "Why?"  He said "JUST COME HERE!!"  So I walked over and he was holding three pieces of paper.  I looked down and he had three checks in his hand from Intermountain Healthcare.  We had overpaid on some medical bills...not just a little but $377.50 to be exact.  I looked at him and immediately burst into tears.  He said to me, "I hope those are tears of joy" and I just nodded my head yes.  I also came to find out that we had overpaid on some other medical bills and we had another $110 coming our way in reimbursements.

Heavenly Father had taken care of us.  I honestly do not even know what or how I had overpaid almost $500 in medical bills and not known it.  I don't think I need to know.  All I know for sure is that we will be able to help another family have a wonderful Christmas.  We will be able to buy gifts for our son and a few gifts for each other.  Heavenly Father really does make a way for us.  I will testify to that. 

      AND  

Love always, 

My baby is almost 18 months!

 Carter is getting SOOOOOOO big!  Here are some recent pictures of him!  Enjoy!

This is a blog post I started (and never finished) in July...enjoy haha!

Apparently, I'm not very good at blogging when I say I'm going to...so sue me.  Anyhooser, summer has been pretty fun considering we've spent most of it out in the yard...but who is complaining?  Certainly not me :)

Alright, I guess I'm starting right where I left off...on the 23rd, we did fireworks at my sister in law's house and Carter absolutely LOVED them!

 His first sparkler...which he wanted to eat

You guessed it, the flash was unbelievably bright!

He's the cutest!  LOVE that dimple!

I definitely took like 800 pictures that night but I'm sure you don't want to see them all...moving on!

We took Carter boating with his bestie, Riley.  (And Crys and Ash...duh).  He really liked that too.  We don't get to spend as much time with them as we'd like but we really like to get together as often as we can.

 Carter in his massive life (I would say jacket but it's not) bodysuit!  PS, he's no longer a binky baby :)

 Johnny Poo and Riley

 Swimming at Pineview

Daddy and Carter before lunch

 My boys playing in the water

 My favorite picture of the entire day...he is ASLEEP!  He is sitting up in the boat, while it's going 25 MPH...sleeping!  ha ha, I love it!  He even started drooling.

 Me getting ready to tear it up ;)

 John...babysitting lol

 Sexy farmer tan husband

 He loves his mama

 Johnny Poo on the tube

Me and Crys before Harry.  We loved it :D  Please excuse my creepy eyes, sunburned-ness and cleve...yup

 

My baby drinking from a cup :)  We're trying to start him early so that when he turns 1, we can ditch the bottle for good

 

This is at Crystal's the night before we went to Lagoon.  Carter was playing in Riley's ball pit :)

 "Shh...don't speak"

 Both zonked out on the way to Lagoon

 waiting in line for the boats!  One of the few rides they can go on.

Oh aren't they so big???  I can't believe it!

Oh boy...

I'm going to be completely honest...the only reason I'm posting to my blog is because it's one of my requirements for my Technology class haha.  It's really been...a while since I've posted.  It's not that I don't love blogging, because I do.  I just find myself so busy that the last thing I think is "Hmm...haven't posted to the blog today."  It's usually, "The house is finally clean and Carter is in bed, I could watch a movie but I'm just so tired."  The clock usually reads about 9:05 by this time ;)  Life has been pretty intense lately.

....This is my new best friend... His name is Shaun T.  He is the trainer on the Insanity workouts which I have been doing with 2 of my best girls, Shelley and Jordan.  They are in all my ELED classes with me and I love them both dearly.  Insanity is...well, the name says it all.  They are freaking crazy intervals of pushups, squats, running, jumping and every single combination of the above listed that you can imagine haha.  But really, I've only been doing it for a little over a week and I've already seen amazing results.  about 50 more days and I'm going to look like <-------him...only minus the boyness and plus some girlness ;)




I've been working quite a bit.  I like my job, most days.  I really can't complain...I make really good money for the amount of effort I put in...it's pretty easy and I love *MOST* the people I work with :)

I also got accepted into a scholarship program this semester called Reading in Motion.  I go into a Life Skills Kindergarten class twice a week and teach them reading skills through music.  It is a magical experience (as corny as that sounds).  They learn so much and I get so excited when they make breakthroughs.  I cannot wait to be a teacher and be able to implement all of the things I've learned into my own classroom!

Now for the update I'm sure everyone wants:  CARTER!!!  He is so incredibly great!  He is silly, funny, crazy, happy, loving, energetic, everything a mother could ask for.  He has been saying a lot more words lately...his newest being "Stop it" because I say it to him.  He even points his chubby little finger at me when he says it.  When I ask him if he's hungry, he tells me "Yes" or "Yeah".  So funny, he and John were watching me do one of my workouts the other day and I was doing uppercuts so John taught him to say "uppercut".  It was way funny.  Here I am, sweating my guts out, and I'm laughing because my 16 month old is saying "uppercut".  He loves to play with blocks, his toy elephant, his race track and his ball crawl balls, just to name a few.  He has a stuffed lamb that he sleeps with named Fifi.  He sucks on the tag attached to her bum and it makes me laugh.  I have no idea how it started or how long it will last but it's great.  Only 2 more months until the blissful moment when he goes to nursery :D  I am teaching the 7 year old class and John takes him to Sunday School and Priesthood with him (If his patience lasts that long).  He just always wants to run around and be crazy, which isn't really a church activity :)  Unfortunately, I don't have any really great pictures of him that are recent.  I have a hard time getting him to hold still long enough for the camera to focus ;)

I guess that's all for now.  Please don't expect another blog until either Spring Break or summer vacation haha.  That will be when I'm free from school ;)

As always, thanks for reading!

DAY SHIFT!!! ACCEPTED!!!

For the first time in 3 years, John is going to be on day shift and I am THRILLED!!!  This means that he will be home at 3 every day and can play with me and Carter, eat dinner with us, and just enjoy all the things that we haven't been able to do in so long.  It seems like John has always worked swing because when we were first married, he had 2 different jobs where he was required to travel a lot so I didn't see him much then, either.  This will really be the first time since we've been married that we will be able to enjoy each others' company in the evenings!  I am so incredibly excited!  

Also, I GOT ACCEPTED INTO THE ELED PROGRAM!!  Yee Haw!  That was about a week ago but I haven't had a chance to share my good news on my blog just yet, so yeah!  John and my bestest friend and sister, Crystal, were both there when I opened my acceptance letter!  If only my mom were there, I would have had my 3 best friends there to share in my joy!  I am excited ecstatic to take on this new adventure, but also a little nervous terrified.  Level II starts this fall and my schedule is INTENSE!  I will be doing my practicum Tuesday through Thursday and will be in one of the schools from 8 AM-4PM.  Then when I'm not in the school, I will be in class up at USU.  It's going to be craziness but I'm super happy that things are finally rolling and I am one step closer to graduating and starting my dream job!  (aside from being a mom)

Keep checking back!  After this weekend, I'll be posting pictures from all our fun adventures this weekend!  Carter's first experience with fireworks, his first boating trip and HARRY POTTER!!  Woot!

Much Love,

Jess

Brace yourself for update overload! AH!

It's been far too long since I've blogged but we have been so incredibly busy moving in and getting the house in order that I've hardly had time to breathe.  But here I am, ready to share what's been happening with us lately :)  Well, as you should all know by now, we've moved into our new house and we're loving every single second.  It's so great to finally be able to live in the place that we've been spending every second of our lives working on it seems ha ha.  

My grandparents, aunts, cousin and uncle were able to come visit for my mom's wedding (which I have zero pictures of).  I got this great shot of the boys and my grandpa laying on the floor in our living room.  So cute :)

Great grandpa and Carter :)

Here we are before the open house on June 23.  The picture is kind of small but you get the idea :)

Here's one of us outside our house.  It was so incredibly hot that day and our AC units didn't get installed until the next day so we were basically melting inside ha ha.

The open house went really well even though it was sweltering inside.  We had way more people that I would have ever imagined walk through out house and it was so nice to hear all the compliments, not only on the house but to us for working so hard to make it happen.  I guess I'd never really thought that we deserved that much credit but it was nice :)  Right after the open house, we started painting.  I just painted an accent wall in our living room and Carter's bedroom.  I haven't taken pictures yet because my mom is going to be painting a mural on Carter's wall and I still have a lot of decorating to do.  But I will be posting lots of house pictures once it is exactly how I want it :)

After we moved in, Crystal came up with Riley and she bought this cute little pool for them to play in.  Riley was way more interested in crawling around the deck (which was burning hot so I'm not sure why...) but they had a lot of fun :)

 Bubba playing in his new room while mom cleaned

Katelyn insisted on feeding Carter...my thought, "well, she can't make that big of a mess"...WRONG!  I went to the bathroom and came back to this ha ha.  It was a great picture though ;)

I'm pretty sure I took this picture before we moved but I love it so much!  His 2 little teeth just make me smile :D

Carter had his first trip to the aquatic center and he absolutely loved it!  He is such a little water baby.  We had a lot of fun.  He loves his cousins

Playing in the pool 

Taking a break while they scan for floaters ;)

 

  

he he he

On July 3rd, we went up to First Dam and had a picnic.  It was such a beautiful day and it was really nice to just lay in the shade with my 2 boys and not think about anything.  

My boys :D 

Anyone who knows John knows that he hates getting his picture taken.  On a rare occasion, I can get him to take some and they usually end up like this ^^

But sometimes we get a great one like this ^^

Such a little ham sandwich!  ha ha, I love him!

  

Loves his mama :D

On the 4th, we went to John's mom for dinner and had a way fun time playing with the Kohler clan!  We love them all so much and are excited that we live down the street from them.  

  

Love being silly with the boys :)

Me and my favorite lil red head, Mayson!

 

Lovin' being bare foot in the summer!

 

 

What little cheese balls!

 

Daddy and Carter swinging

 What a cute family ;)

All the kids on the 4th.  Brooklyn wasn't happy because Stacy took her binky lol.

Carter has recently decided that he needs to help me feed him and this is usually what he looks like when we're dona ha ha.  I love him!

       

 

Poor little guy got his first big owie :(  He bumped his head on the chair when he was crawling around one night.  Luckily it didn't bruise too bad.  Hopefully he gets his resilience from John because I bruise super easy.

Carter is getting so big and so independent!  He crawls all over like a maniac!  He is getting so fast that sometimes I will turn around and he'll be clear across the room or down the hall.  He pulls himself up all over the furniture and will stand by himself for a few seconds (until he realizes what's going on and gets scared and falls on his bum).  I bet he will be walking in no more than a month.  I honestly can't believe that he is almost 9 months old!  I was looking at pictures of him yesterday and almost started crying.  It seems like yesterday that we were bringing him home from the hospital and now he is almost walking!  I know it's so cliche but it honestly just happens so fast!  I just try to enjoy each moment that I have with him and not get too upset if he plays with my decorations or puts fingerprints on my glass cabinet.  The fingerprints are memories, not messes!  So if you come to my house and my tv stand doors are covered in fingerprints, you'll know why ;)

John has been SOOOOOO much happier since we've moved into the house.  I think we all have.  Working 60 hours a week was just taking a huge toll on him and I'm so glad that he's been able to go back to his normal schedule.  It's made us all so much more pleasant to be around ha ha.  John is still loving his job.  His brother keeps trying to get him to apply for this computer job and honestly, I think he would like it and it pays a lot more than what he's making now but he is comfortable where he is and I would never ask him to leave that and take a chance at a place that he may hate.  We are happy living in poverty ;)  ha ha ha!  Just kidding

I'm just enjoying being home with Carter every day.  I was supposed to have a job this summer but it kinda fell through and I can't say that I'm terribly upset about it.  I wasn't getting enough Carter time so I'm taking advantage of the few months we'll have together before school and work start up again.  I did take summer classes and have one online class that I'm still in.  My 2 other classes were only a few weeks and are already over.  I hate online classes.  I don't think I'll ever take another one...I'm just too forgetful and by the time I remember something is due, it's that night and I'm scattering to get it finished and submitted in time.  I'm doing really well in school.  I applied for the Elementary Education program at the beginning of Summer semester and had my group interview on Wednesday.  I felt very good about it and they told me I would be getting a letter in the mail within a week letting me know if I've been accepted into the program or not.  I'm crossing my fingers and will let everyone know as soon as I find out!  If I get accepted, there's a good chance I will begin Level 2 in the Fall which is going to keep me pretty busy, but I like being busy :)

Well, I think that about covers what we've been up to the past few months ha ha.  I will be more frequent with my blogging now that the house is finished, I promise :)

As always, thanks for reading!