cb images

Cortney has a photo blog now...cb.images
he has uploaded a few of the pictures from the trip. enjoy.

holy freak

On our last night on the trip we were in Mexico City and were heading to the very center of town. I was showing Angelique something out the window, to which she said "holy freak". I thought that was an odd reaction to the thing I was showing her. It turned out she saw a fully naked Mexican woman standing there in her birthday suit. The lady was just standing there like nothing was going on. I of course screamed for everyone on the bus to take a look. Then we realized that the whole town square was filled with naked people protesting someone in the government. It was awesome. Everyone on the tour was taking pictures. Cortney unfortunately only had on his lens that doesn't zoom at all. My mom said "this is so exciting". Here is the picture we did get...the guys were wearing loin cloths of some sort...the women however weren't so lucky. They were completely "desnudo" except for their tennis shoes.

It really made me glad to be an American. It is nice to live in a country where they don't let just anyone walk around in the buff.

d300

So I know everyone is waiting for trip pictures...they are coming. Cortney took 20 gigs of pictures though...so there are a lot to go through. Plus my dad has more than half of them on his computer so I have to wait until this weekend to get them when they come down to Utah. I kept a journal the whole trip...so I will eventually write it all on here day by day. So it will probably be boring but there will at least be more pictures.

We have news of a new addition to our family though. Cortney's Camera is here, he is so excited. He set an alarm yesterday morning so he could wake up right when they opened to go pick it up. He was shaking as he was unwrapping it.
Here it is in all it's glory. It is pretty sweet. It is a big day for us....and one he has waited for, for like three months. In fact any time we had down time on the trip he would take out his paper the photography store gave him about his camera...and read it. Over and over. Needless to say he is on cloud nine right now.

Being home has been so wonderful. I absolutely love the USA. It just always feels so great to be home. My kids of course, are adorable. I wish I had Rob's face when he saw us for the first time. He was just SHOCKED. He couldn't believe it and then ran to Cort (no offense) and hugged him so tight. Then Cortney went outside for a little while to take out the luggage and Robbie freaked out. He thought he was leaving him again. We spent yesterday listening to Christmas music and putting up the tree. (only three ornaments were broken in the process...nothing that I can't fix though...I can hear my mom gasping all the way from Washington). We then had Family Home Evening and we told them about where we went and sang some Christmas songs...along with once there was a snowman...about 4 times. I missed my children so much while we were gone. But honestly...there is nothing better for a mom than some time away. I have always thought that it is very important for married couples to go away together...alone...no kids. And this trip was perfect. There is no one I would rather travel with than Cortney...after I got used to him photographing me the whole time...of course. It was just the break I needed. Now I feel refreshed and ready to be back. Everything my kids do for now is so cute instead of annoying and I feel so grateful to get to do what I do.

we're back

ohhh....we are back. It was a great trip. Å trip of a lifetime. Honestly...I can't say enough about it. But for now....I am going to sleep. I am oh so tired. I will catch up soon...
Cortney and I at Palenque Ruins...amazing place. (we don't have too many good pictures of us together...since it is hard for other people to use corts camera.)
angelique justin and I at a mega museum in mexico city.
This is Cortney on the trip...everyday taking a million pictures. He would carry around his camera equipment everywhere. (it probably weighs over 25 lbs) He got a lot of great pictures.

i can see clearly now

phewwww. The stress has lifted. I have done most of the things I needed to do. Almost all of my packing is done. Yeah. Tonight I will clean clean. So the house will be spotless when we leave. Then on Friday my sister in law Nicole (she has a new hair blog and it is delicious) is coming to Utah for a "hair weekend" she is a beautician (man I don't really know what they call hair cutter people these days) and she will be cutting my hair tomorrow. Man I am so excited. I am almost as excited as I am for the trip. I love getting my hair cut. But I haven't in forever. And...my hair is on strike. Do you ever have your hair refuse to do anything...because it has been to long since you've had it cut?? Anyways...I am so glad she is coming down before my trip...it is really convenient. She is also bringing with her my mother in law's camera. Roberta called after I posted about not having the camera and she said she would send hers down. It is like the nicest thing ever to do for us. Cortney is so happy. She originally said she would meet us half way to Rexburg with the camera. How nice is that??

Cortney is still sick. We are trying hard to get him better. He is laying in bed right now. The hardest part of him being sick right now...is he has a pretty physically demanding job. And he is about to be gone for 17 days. Last year they finished getting the course ready for winter like the day before thanksgiving. This year they knew Cortney would be leaving so they have been working like madmen....trying to get everything fertilized, aerated, fungisized (sp???) and all sorts of other things that I don't know about. So even when he is sick he has to go work outside in the freezing cold doing hard work. I can tell he will be better in the next couple of days though. (fingers crossed)

Cortney gets sick. I don't know if it is because his spleen doesn't work (it has a lot to do with the immune system...i guess). He got pneumonia when he was little and he gets it a lot now. If we don't get him better that is usually where it goes.

The first time Cortney and I kissed I was at his house watching a movie. All of the sudden he was shaking uncontrollably and so pale. He took me home and could barely walk. Then he didn't call me for over a week. You can imagine how this made me feel. I thought...."well I'll never see him again". Of course I would have never called him...I didn't do that then. So I just chalked it up as a one time hookup. Then about a week and a half later he stopped by my apartment, wondering if I would come to Craigo's with him to get some choco stix. He had an IV needle in his arm. He had been so sick with pneumonia that he had to go to the hospital. And he had to have an IV everyday. It was crazy. That is Cort. Every winter he gets super sick. Two years ago we took him to get a flu shot and a pneumonia shot. One of the two shots made his arm black and blue and he was SOOOO sick for a couple of weeks. He was so bad his friends from work had to come and give him a blessing. So because of that we haven't been brave enough to get another immunization. He is getting better though. I think we caught it soon enough. In the meantime...I have to try my hardest to be nice and cheesy and take care of him. Poor baby.

forts

Oli: "mom I don't know how to build good forts, I never do" (as he is trying to build a fort in the living room out of blankets and luggage)

Mom: "I will help you in a minute, as soon as I am done with this"

Oli: "i thought you said you don't help people build forts"

hahaa

I don't usually help build forts. Oops. He is right. Building forts drives me crazy. Because every 10 minutes it gets knocked down and I have to fix it while someone is crying. So...I am trying to teach him to do it himself...then he can fix it himself. Hahaa.

stress

It is always really stressful for me to get packed for a trip. We will be gone 17 days in Guatemala and Mexico. I am stressed packing for my kids to stay at Cali's. Rob needs 87 diapers. Man poor Cali...that is a lot of diapers to change. Also...we found out today that Cortney's camera will come in stock on Nov 20th. Three days after we leave. I can't believe he isn't going to have his camera. This is a once in a lifetime trip for us and we won't have our camera. SAD. Plus Cortney spent the last couple of months purchasing the lenses he would need. And those lenses alone are more than the camera. We aren't sure what to do.

Oh...also stressing me out...Cortney is sick today. Ahhh. When Cort gets sick he gets SICK.

information

Rob has a fake cell phone...and when you push a button it says "information may I help you"...to which he responds "no".

It is cute.

Today I also heard him saying "hip hip hooray" I don't know where he got that one.

mantha

My sister Sam was here this week. It was so fun to see her. It is also amazing to watch her with two kids. So the other night as I was falling asleep...I was disoriented for a moment and I thought that Cortney was Sam. I shared a bed with her for so long (longer than I have with Cort). I could feel her over on the other side. It was weird.

tagged

so i was tagged by nena forever ago. I don't really have 6 interesting things about me. Especially since I talk so much...everyone knows everything about me...so how interesting is that...6 things you already know and heard about me.

1. I have had the same friends my WHOLE life. And it doesn't matter how little I see them or talk to them...I still feel the same every time I do. It is never weird or awkward. At the same time...I feel like it is really hard for me to make friends. Laura said it is because we have filled our quota of soul mates....hahahaa....I think she is right.

2. I never spend money. Which is weird because when I was in college my monthly allowance would be spent every month by the 5th. I would decide that I would rather have 5 new pairs of jeans than eat. When I was a little kid, I could find what I wanted for Christmas at a gas station. Somehow...being an adult has made me more like my dad, I can't help it. (I do like to go on trips and am willing to pay to travel...also like my dad) I just can't buy things just because. It is really annoying sometimes.

3. I hate...hate...hate high waters. As in pants. Being a tall awkward girl from the time I was in the 5th grade did that to me. I remember being selfconcious of the 6 inches of hairy ankles (preshaving) showing out of my cord pants in the 5th grade. In my growing up days they didn't have pants with 36 in inseam, or Longs. They had 1 size. So today...I never wear pants that aren't all the way to the ground. I even have a hard time with capri's because that is what my pants used to look like on me. When my children's pants even border on being to short they are put into the "clothes that don't fit pile".

4. In my 27 (gulp) years of being alive I think for 1 or 2 of those years I have had my own room. Personally I don't like it. Sam and I shared rooms for FOREVER. Even when we got our own rooms (I was 15 or so) I would sneak into her room or get her to come in mine almost every night. Then after that I had my own room for a while...but I would get either sam...or Laura...or my high school boyfriend to talk to me before I went to sleep. Then on to college where Amber and I pushed our beds together. And then at 19 when I was married I had Cortney to talk to. I don't know how people do it. I have to talk to someone to fall asleep. Even now when Cort is gone I have a hard time falling asleep.

5. I love to wear tall shoes. One of the happiest things about me getting better from my RA was the fact that I could wear high heels.

6. I freak out when people get hurt. I plug my ears close my eyes and run to another room. I am not scared of blood or gore...just people being hurt. Luckily for me Cali stays real calm when someones eye or mouth are bleeding...or when someone has three marbles down their throat. When I was in college I was a health science major...I was thinking of being a nurse. Then Cortney and I were the first people on the scene of a really bad car accident and I freaked. I knew then that I was in the wrong major. No matter how much I liked reading and learning about helping people when they were hurt...or sick...I couldn't do it in real life.

2 years

My baby is 2. (well he wasn't actually born until 1:45 pm on 11/11) Rob is still so sick. I feel so bad for him. Before he was so sick that he couldn't do anything but sit and be so nice and kind. Now he is getting a little better so he can fully express how bad he feels. We tried to have a fun birthday for him today but he was just sooo grouchy. I was pretty tired from having family here for so long (man I have been on the go since justin and angelique got married in july). So I didn't really want to plan a party. I made a cake and we went over to Cali's (kaelynn and jason's kids were there already and Justin and Angelique came too). He opened some presents, but he was just a sick boy so he wasn't too animated about anything.

So sorry more cellphone pictures (our camera should be coming any day now.) Anyways this was Rob today at Toys R Us. We didn't have a present for him and they hook you up on your birthday. He was thrilled about the balloon.
His cake. Cortney thought it would be sweet to put tons of candles in the shape of a 2...then we also had sparklers.
It took forever for all of the candles to be lit. Rob kept blowing them out. Then when I started the sparklers he wouldn't blow at all. He was pretty freaked out. Oh and yes....he is wearing Christmas pj's.

From Rob's Baby book about his delivery.

I was scheduled to be induced. We arrived at the hospital at 6:30 a.m. They immediately got me changed and started on pitocin and hooked to an IV. At eight Dr. Baxter came in and broke my water. I was still in no pain. About a half hour later I had my epidural. It was great. Then I just rested and waited. Cali came @ 11:30 I was dilated to a 4. I thought I would have lots of time before I had the baby so, Justin was coming for a visit and so were Bob and Roberta (with Oli). Cortney went outside to find his parents and bring them in. In the meantime...the nurse came in and checked me...then Dr. Baxter came in and checked me and he said the baby would be out in 1 push. I immediately was nervous because Cortney wasn't there. The doctor was kind enough to take a seat on my room's couch and wait for him to come in. I was pretty frantic...I tried to call Cort but he didn't answer. He came though. Just in time. Bob and Oli and Justin waited in the hall. While Cali and Cort and Roberta came in for the birth. It was pretty awesome. I had absolutely no pain and had some good friends to talk to. It couldn't have been better. Rob was 7lbs 5 oz. Everyone commented on how dark his eyelashes and hair were. Oli smiled so big when he met Rob. He kept saying "hi", he really wanted Rob to be Jonas.I know kinda gross picture...he just barely "came out", so he wasn't cleaned off yet. I love how alert he was when he was born. (both of my babies have been wide awake when they were born...eyes wide open)
Here he is getting cleaned off. I love his little face. He still looks the same to me.



It was a good day. I am grateful for Rob. He is a HANDFUL. But he is like me...so...he is going to be awesome. He looks and moves sooo much like Cortney. It makes me so happy to have him....I can't wait to have more.

Oh...Man...someone just got pulled over in front of our house. The were pointing either a tazer or gun at him and yelling for him to get out of the car and lay down on the ground. This is awesome. Cortney and I just snuck outside to see if we could hear what was going on. No such luck but there are three other cop cars here now and they have been here for like 15 minutes.

another game

So tonight we were lucky enough to get to go to another BYU game. My mom watched Cali, Sam, and my kids tonight...all seven of them (Tyson came to the game too). It was such a great game. So fun. A little stressful at the end when we were only up by 5 and they had great field position. But no, we won. It was awesome. We sat in the second row. It was crazy close. It was hard to see so close but when they were playing in front of us I could see and hear everything they did and said.
We took this picture with Cortney's cell phone. It was beautiful weather once again. I thought we would freeze. But it was perfect. We sat next to Linh and Isaac...HAPPY BIRTHDAY LINH. The poor girl had flip flops on. She used my coat as feet and leg warmers though.
I had to have Cortney take this picture because I wanted to show how close up our seats were. CRAZY huh?? We were right in front of TCU's Horned Frog Cheerleaders. Seriously they were no good. It was driving me crazy. Cosmo got out in the end zone and did like 20 back hand springs in a row. He put the super frog to shame. I seriously could have put that frog costume on and have done a better job. That is sad. What a great night. It is late now. So goodnight.

poor robbie

My little R.O.B. has been soo sick for the last couple of days. When he was a new born he had RSV...but besides that he has been pretty healthy. I hate seeing him this way. Poor thing can barely breath. The funny part is he is so well behaved when he is sick. No yelling, no hitting, and no biting. A couple of my nieces and nephews are sick as well. Sam is here...I really hope her twins don't get sick.

I also wanted to say...I voted. My dad kept saying he raised kids that vote. So I did. I knew which way I wanted to vote...I just didn't want to have to drive over to my voting place. But I did. I got a sticker.

BYU

Yesterday morning Cortney got a call from one of his friends (Rory) saying if we wanted them he had some BYU tickets we could use. I love, love going to the games and yesterday's game against Colorado State was only broadcast on the MTN which means I would have had to listen to the game on the radio. So it was very exciting to get the tickets. I called Cali to see if she would watch the kids...of course she said yes. It was soooo fun. Even on the long walk to the stadium (Cort and I were all decked out in BYU apparel) I was so excited. It is SOOO fun to be without our kids. I know that sounds horrible. But the whole time I was remembering how fun I can be...and crazy, and hyper. I forget about those things sometimes. As we got to the stadium the game was barely starting. Cortney and I were buying lunch (another fave...is there anything better than stadium food?) I got a pretzel with cheese (I can't help but want this...I think of Chief Mo cafeteria every time) and Cortney got a yummy pulled pork sandwich. The stadium was so loud and standing underneath everyone was so exciting...they were all stomping their feet. I love seeing everyone in cougar stuff...I felt pretty proud of our fans...and the stadium was sold out so that was nice too. I always get mad when I see empty seats at games. We then made our way to our seats , and they were wayyyyyy up there. Almost to the top...but they were on the 50 yard line and our seats were #1 and 2 . So we weren't trapped in by a whole bunch of people. They were actually great seats and I could see everything perfectly. The weather was the best...the perfect fall day. It was so fun. And we killed Colorado so the game wasn't even stressful at all. I cheered and cheered until my voice was nearly gone. Austin Collie after he scored a touch down...he is one of my favorites...I loved him before he went out on his mission and now that he is back...the love continues. He is just so dang fast.
Here Austin Collie and Manase Tonga are celebrating the touchdown. I love this picture. I can't imagine being able to jump that high in the air.
I couldn't help but notice the cheerleaders. They kept doing this sweet move I guess that is called a helicopter. They would hold on like this and spin around in the air. It was awesome.

Obviously we didn't take these pictures I got them from the SL tribune. That is all. It was such a great time. It was so fun. I can't say it enough. Thanks to Rory for the tickets and Cali for the babysitting.

some more halloween pics...just because

Carolina Jones was dressed as Cinderella this year. She looked so cute. The dress had a little hoop skirt underneath. She was so excited.

Cali and I did her hair and makeup...Cali said "doesn't she look like a gymnast??" (meaning...she looked like a little girl with a lot of makeup on ready to do a routine)
Anyways the whole night she kept saying "I look like a gymnast". She is one smart girl. And so cute with her shiny blue eyeshadow.


In this picture Cali told her to show her lips. (please notice Tyson's bYu pumpkin in the backround)


Oh her little high heels were the best part. Everything was on super clearance on disney.com so Cali got the whole costume. These shoes made the cutest sound as she walked around.


Goo girl Grace went as piglet. She just laid in the stroller the whole night. She is one laid back baby. And she looked just like piglet too.


Rob in his bee costume. I couldn't resist more pictures.


Here is a close up of his legs in tights. They went right over his shoes. (so adorable)


Jack and Oli using the force on each other.


The whole group.


Another picture of us enjoying the dinner. Please notice Jason...he spent the whole time frying those scones up. Now, that is a good brother.

t-rex

last night as I crawled in next to my already sleeping husband...he said loudly "you are a tyrannosaurus rex, Austie (austin...one of his good friends)". He then started laughing hysterically and I couldn't help but join in. He put his arm over me...and we both kept laughing...he was dead asleep. And I on the other hand had a hard time falling asleep...I wanted to make sure I remembered what he said so I kept repeating it over and over. I LOVE when he talks in his sleep. I love it even more that he dreams of dinosaurs.

halloween

1st and foremost...I wanted to say Happy Birthday to my girl AmBea. I meant to call you all day...but I am always nervous to call people with brand new babies...just in case they are sleeping (the mom not the baby).


We had a great Halloween night. Cali and I spent the day together...I watched the kids while she went and helped with Jack's class party. Then we realized that she had to do her ward newsletter....and I needed to finish the second Jedi costume. We worked like crazy to get done by the time we were supposed to meet at KaeLynns...we all went over to KaeLynn and Jason's for some chili and scones. YUM. We were supposed to be there at 5:15 and I put the last stitch in Oli's costume at 5:14. We both tried frantically to get all 6 kids dressed and in costume. (stressful) But we did it and all of the kids looked sooo great. We walked around Jason and KaeLynn's neighborhood, and the kids seriously got soooo much candy. Her ward really gives out good stuff.
Here we are in KaeLynn's garage...the weather was SOOOO nice tonight. Our friend Britney was there with her family (she made the delicious chili). It is always so fun to get together. It really was a perfect night.
Jason...Brooklyn...Tyson...Jack and Oli. They ran from house to house and this really was the first year that Oli really got what was going on.
Rob in his bee costume. I put black ladies tights over his sneakers...it was so cute. He was totally mad at me though. He bawled and bawled and tried to get those tights off. He finally got used to it. He was awesome tonight. Cortney would wheel him to the front walk of a house in the stroller and Rob would run up to the door as fast as he could all by himself. He would pick out what candy he wanted and then yell THANK YOU as he turned and ran back. (he RARELY says thank you to me...I couldn't believe how excited this boy was about halloween) He stayed out the whole time we did...and filled his pumpkin all the way to the top. It got so heavy at the end that he couldn't get it up stairs. Oli never could have trick or treated this long when he was 23 months old.
Jack and Oli...my two little Jedi's. I think I went a little overboard. I always do that. Especially since my children aren't even in school and no one sees them. I bet I will be so burnt out on Halloween by the time they are in school that I won't even do anything. But...if I do say so myself...it was one of the best costumes I have seen. (biased I know) And I know they will play with them for a long time to come.
Cali and Carolina...she was Cinderella...and looked so cute (man I have said that a lot in this entry).

Justin and Angelique stopped by tonight too. They walked the whole neighborhood and trick or treated with us. They really are fun. Angelique brought the cutest little treat baggies for all of the kids with a whole bunch of candy and bouncy balls for the boys and bracelets for the girls. What a great aunt! I was really glad they came. I seriously love getting together with my family. I don't have a picture of all of the kids but I will post one tomorrow. I am always kind of sad when Halloween is over. I love it. But my parents will be here tomorrow and that is the start of my crazy vacation filled fall and winter. So I guess I can't be sad...I have too much to look forward to.

book detox

I haven't read a book for a month!!! After reading one almost every other day for the whole summer. I have been so sad and trying to get to the library everyday. It is just so hard and I have had soooo much going on. So here's to getting my kids dressed, shoes on and to the Library today.

So I made it to the library. I had a crazy morning. Ahhhh I am 1/2 of a yard short on fabric for my second jedi costume. Of course JoAnne's couldn't find the same kind of fabric I used. I just know that the cut fabric never found it back to it's place. By the time I made it to the Library I was in a pretty bad mood. I ended up with a whole bunch of books though.

I picked up Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy for Captain Emus' Book Club
I started it should be pretty good. EVERYONE and ANYONE is invited to the book club. I read the first 10 chapters today and that is all they have reviewed so far. The book is pretty good even though it is over 100 years old. It is a nice change of pace from other books I have been reading.

good day

Today was a good day. I got so much done. I love that feeling. I woke up to a mostly clean house. There were some things that I needed to straighten...and laundry to do that kind of thing. Then my visiting teachers came. Then Cali and I headed with the kids to Jack's Halloween program. It was cute. Jack is also a Jedi. Here he is at home before the program.

How cute is he?
He really does look like a Jedi...our kids have all the moves down too.
They sang a whole bunch of great spooky songs.
Jack goes to the cutest preschool. Here are my kids posed on their decorations.
Rob, Oli and Carolina hanging out in the treehouse at the preschool. Robbie was hitting the window with his fist. He is always acting like such a tough guy. When we were coming into the preschool a man was outside and he had this sweet Harley. He asked the kids if they wanted to hear his motorcycle and it was SOOOO loud. Here Rob is holding on to me with all his might (10 minutes later) because he was sooo scared. He never snuggles me so Cali had to take a picture...and I had to post it regardless of the fact that I have no makeup on. (my friend Rachel said something on her blog about people not posting bad pictures of themselves...well this post I am doing two. I couldn't pass up how cute Rob looked in them)

After the preschool thing we came over to my house and I talked to my sister in law Heather and we made plans for them (Heather, and kids, Cameron and Leah, Bob and Roberta) to come down for dinner at our house. I love having people over for dinner. I really do. We hardly ever have things over here because it is just so much easier usually at other people's house since our house is smaller than my other siblings. But it is always so fun and nice to have people over. Plus...I made some pretty delicious food if I do say so myself. It is always so sad to say goodbye to our family when they have to leave...Oli cried for a while after they left (granted it was 2 hours past his bedtime).

Grandma Berta with Rob and Cooper. (Don't mind Rob's dirty face...his face is ALWAYS dirty I don't know why)
I had to post this picture because I love how laid back (you have to say it like snoop dogg) Rob is. He has got his leg crossed and is eating a sucker in his mom's lap while I play with his hair...man that is the good life.

pretty cooper

Some pretty pictures of my nephew Cooper. He is a beautiful baby. And he and I share a birthday...so he has got to be pretty cool. Cortney took these tonight...he and his mom were trying to figure out some stuff with her new camera.