The Name Game

Stephanie tagged me for this meme. I feel so cool. I got tagged. Thanks.

What did you name your kids and why?

When Trent and I were married, but not yet pregnant we had discussed naming our first boy Jackson Wesley. We liked it a lot. Soon after that my oldest sister got pregnant and told me that they both really liked the name Jackson and it was one of the only names they agreed on. I was happy. We weren't even pregnant so it didn't bother me that they used that name, he is such a cute little Jack. The day before my nephew Jackson was born we found out we were pregnant. Trent didn't want to discuss names until we knew the sex of our baby. Turns out we were having a boy. I started making lists of names I liked. He started crossing out the majority of the names I liked. My little sister Karen had mentioned a long time before to me that she wanted to have a son named Tucker. I was really starting to like that name, and what do you know Trent liked it too, and it was one of the only names that we agreed on. It sounded masculine and simple, easy to spell and pronounce. Nothing made up. We wanted to wait until he was born to make it official so we kept Chase as a back-up name. However, I didn't really want to name my baby Chase, I wanted to name him Tucker. Trent thought that Tucker Trent sounded good together and when he came out, we thought, "There he is, our Tucker Trent."During my pregnancy I got a lot of mixed reviews about the name, but I am so glad we chose it. I love it and think it fits him well.
Our second pregnancy we found out we were having a girl. When I told Trent how much I liked the name Delia and thought it would be perfect, he immediatley nixed it. Crap. Time to start the list. I thought a family name would be nice, but not necessary. My main criteria was that I liked the name, it wasn't made up, it wasn't spelled weird ( sorry, but I just hate names that people spell differently than they are meant to be spelled, plus people never get it right their whole lives), and that it wasn't too common (I don't want my kid to be one of four Jenny's in her class or something like that). Once again Trent crossed out most of the name on my list. Charlotte was always one of the top choices, we wanted to take 2 names to the hospital to choose from, Charlotte remained as the top choice as the other name changed from week to week. I decided since I have always liked my middle name and I wanted a short middle name for my baby that Charlotte Joy sounded pretty cute. We also thought Charlie/Charly was a cute nickname. So out she came and we were down to Charlotte or Paisley. Trent looked at me and I said, "Why don't you decide, I like both." Charlotte it is. We love it and everyone else seems to too, which is great, but not important.
We will probably have 2 more kids and who knows what they will turn out to be named. Right now I love the names Henry and Crosby for a boy. For girls I love Paisley, Amelia, Bridgette, and Daphne. I guess we''l just have to see.
I want to tag Abbie, Emily, Lindy, and Tori.
What did you name your kid(s) and why?
For Emily and Abbie- what names did you like and how did/is the deciding process going.

Dinner Conversation

Last night at the table.
Tucker: "The suspense is killing me."
Me: "What? Where did you learn that?"
Tucker: "A napkin."

This kid is always saying new phrases that crack me up and surprise me. He has been saying "Yestermorning" about anything before today, which is funny because my little sister Claire used to always say yesternight. He says "Oh my gosh" and has been telling me he is ready to say " Trick for treat". He also likes to play Sneak and Hide with his Dad. His version is mostly just running from his dad, as he hasn't quite gotten the hang of hiding other than crouching behind the couch. Then when Trent says, "Tucker where are you?" he immediately says, "Here I am." It's pretty great to watch.
He loves throwing pennies in fountains. He loves "cleaning up" the house wiping down everything with wipes.
Yesterday I found him on a toy phone saying, " Hi Claire. How are you?" Pause. " You don't need to tell me twenty times, okay Claire."
I wonder where he could have heard that.
Charlotte is walking so well. She can turn mid walk, she goes all over the house without any coaxing. She's so independant and darling. She loves playing with her big brother and pushing his trucks. She is also doing some pretty cute babbling now. She is a noisy eater and loves big people food. I have some cute video I will share soon.

Congratulations!

Lindy had a beautiful baby girl (her third one!) early yesterday morning. Ellie Rae. I got to visit her and hold her and sniff her. I took my camera, and totally forgot to take pictures. Derr.
Also Happy Anniversary to Adam and Michelle! I am so jealous you are going on a 6 day getaway with no kids!
This week I am looking forward to:
Tuesday night: Missonaries over for dinner.
Wednesday night: Visiting teaching, soccer practice, and young women's.
Thursday night: ?
Friday night: Jake and Abbie's halloween party.
Saturday: Tucker's soccer game, Our ward's trunk or treat/chili cook-off.

I am also getting ready for Andrea's baby shower and now helping Trent's little brother's fiance plan their wedding for December 2! Yay for keeping busy!

All is Well

Friday night Blake and Andrea came over. Andrea ran to Albertson's with me and I treated myself to a coke. Although the movie I picked out really sucked and we didn't watch it, it was nice having company, chocolate and coke to cure my blue's. Saturday morning out of the blue, Trent scrubbed our bathroom! And it is still clean. I think he was inspired. I let myself enjoy Tucker's soccer game, instead of getting frustrated. Then we spent forever, waiting to get into soccer team pictures. It wasn't the funnest thing, but at least Charlotte slept in her stroller for most of the time. We all took naps at the same time after lunch ( a good remedy for just about everything!) That night Trent and Tucker came home with pizza and our Blockbuster movies came in the mail. Trent was just absolutely sweet, running me a bubble bath and rubbing my feet. My pity party is so over! I am so grateful for this weekend and my wonderful little family. Thank you everyone for sending me encouraging comments. I knew I wasn't the only one who has those days or weeks, and it's good to hear it.

Cheese with that whine?

I feel like a big, tired, sad, blob tonite. I never spelled tonight like that before. Weird. Anyway, I don't know why I feel so sad. Nothing went particularly wrong today. Last week I was mad. Trent and I were fighting. Nothing too huge, I guess. Or so he tells me. Today was fine we went to my mom's and my sister's for visits. Trent won't be home until 7:30 or so, which is always a bummer. He blew a trailer tire on the way out of Christopher Creek. The guy does work too hard though. Yes TOO hard. He is gone at 6:00 every morning and gets home around 5 usually. I guess it could be worse. He was more physically exhausted when he was working on cars, but even nowadays he is pretty out of it by 8 pm on our couch. I won't delve into all the time I feel we are not getting to spend together. I would just go off and nobody would benefit from it. All the things that bother me have been slowly adding up into this big ball of gooey bothersomeness. My bathrooms are never clean, my hair needs trimmed and colored, I need clothes, I hate my body, I'm a bad mom, I'm a bad housekeeper, I don't want to make dinner, I have endless amounts of laundry to fold, I'm not sexy, and on and on and on. I am NOT depressed. Even if someone has expressed their concern that I should be medicated- another thing that is nagging at me, even when it was probably meant to be a harmless comment.
It's just a bad day. Week. A trough. In The Screwtape Letters C. S. Lewis explains that all humans have peaks and troughs in their lives- "As long as he lives on earth, periods of emotional and bodily richness and liveliness will alternate with periods of numbness and poverty."
I still haven't finished this book, but I am really enjoying it. It really gets you thinking.

No more, I promise.

Celebs and me

How time flies

Tucker says this is him as a baby.


I was so busy trying to figure out 100 things about me I haven't been writing what I've been doing. Well Saturday started out with Tucker's soccer game. It was a rainy morning and stopped just long enough for the game to play, stopping right before the game and starting again immediately after.
Tucker was the kid standing in the middle of the field with his hand in his pants and no clue where the ball was. While I am sure it was a nice spectacle for the folks around us, it was pretty frustrating. I think I only made things worse by shouting and yelling trying to get him to go to the vicinity of the ball. One more distraction. Trent's parents came and enjoyed the sight. Hopefully the coach will do scrimages at practice. Tucker does fine when he has his own ball and is practicing kicking goals, but when there is a crowd of kids and only one ball he just figures, why go over there, someone else has the ball.
So after Tucker's game, Charlotte and I headed down to Tucson to see Abbie and her beautiful new baby. It was really fun to see them. Abbie's mom Susan was there too which was fun. Charlotte refused to nap in another baby''s crib, so she was mad and wouldn't let me set her down for about the last hour or so. Yay. I made dinner with her strapped to me in the Baby Bjorn. Then we headed home. Charlotte slept the whole 2 hours.
Monday, Jill called. Yay something to do! We got together and took the kids with us to Souper Salad. Tucker and Charlotte enjoyed cantaloupe, honey dew, cottage cheese, and breadsticks. I stuffed myself with salad and breadsticks. We rented Click on the way home and the kids fell asleep in their carseats. What a nice afternoon!
Tuesday I fugured I would be inside cleaning mostly when Lindy called. Would we like to meet her at the mall, yes we would. The kids played at the play place until they were ready for lunch. After eating they went on the carousel. Tucker enjoyed it. Then we got Charlotte some cute pants and a shirt at the Children's Place, all for 5 bucks! Headed home and once again the kids concked out in the car. Unfortunately with these car naps Tucker doesn't go back to sleep once we get home. Thank goodness Charlotte does. Trent came home with a little pop up goal and we all went to the park for a little practice.
I wonder what today will hold.

The other 50

51. I worked at Brick Oven Restaurant as the “Host Captain” while I was pregnant.

52. My 22^nd birthday was spent being big and pregnant and nursing my husband back to health from his shoulder surgery.

53. We bought our first home in Provo and moved in about 2 weeks before I gave birth.

54. Tucker was born July 28, 2003. He was 3 days late. After my mom made me drink castor oil I wasn’t worried about pooping on the delivery table. I was emptied out.

55. I am so glad I haven’t had to go back to work since I became a mom! Being a waitress/hostess isn’t really a fulfilling career that I miss.

56. In Utah I met Gina, Tori and Michelle. Lifelong friends and blogging buddies.

57. I had my second baby, Charlotte on December 26, 2005 (her due date). What an easy labor and delivery! I still can’t believe that I have 2 kids.

58. We moved back to Arizona in June. We are renting again which sucks. It is way too hot to be October and there are no changing leaves.:(

59. I miss real seasons.

60. I miss school.

61. I miss pole-vaulting.

62. I miss romance. Being scooped up and carried. Kissing being just kissing, not foreplay. Back rubs, face touching. Whispering and giggling. Being alone together.

63. I miss being skinny. But even more than that, I miss being strong.

64. I miss doing my drawing. That’s my own fault. So is the skinny thing.

65. I miss many friendships that I’ve lost since high school. Here in mesa, I have been able to reconnect a little though. I’ve seen Raan-she and I pole-vaulted together in high school and against each other in college. She always beat me. She set me up with Trent. I’ve seen Diana, we mostly hung out sophomore and junior year. We had some similar taste in guys. I’ve also gotten to see Liza. We bonded years ago when our dads worked together in Wyoming. I hope I get to see them all even more.

66. I’ve got really great in-laws.

67. I am really moody and emotional.

68. I wish my boobs were a little bigger, but not huge.

69. I wish my butt was a little smaller, but not tiny.

70. I like my nose.

71. I like chocolate. I like dark chocolate. I’m not a fan of white chocolate. Unless it is in a white chocolate chip, macadamia nut cookie. Mmmm.

72. I love being a mom. I love nursing. I think women should be able to whip out a boob wherever, whenever (for nursing, that is). Without getting dirty looks!

73. I miss me time though. I hate feeling guilty for wanting time off, because that means Dad would have to step in or I would have to pay a babysitter. Trent’s time seems to be untouchable, he has “stuff to do”. After all, when else is he supposed to do little things if he can’t do them on Saturdays? Am I sounding bitter? I probably am.

74. I would love to learn: to be a great cook, to play guitar, to speak Spanish, to sew more than a straight line, to not yell, and to communicate effectively with my spouse. All things that I think are not too out of reach.

75. I need to lose 15 pounds.

76. I need to drink more water.

77. I need to stop interrupting people. Listen better.

78. I am not scared of heights, but I am scared of falling from a high height.

79. I love working with teenagers. I think it would be fun to teach or be a counselor at a high school.

80. I love clothes. I wish I had money to buy some.

81. I hate to admit it, and I wish it weren’t true, but I do care what people think of me. I thrive on compliments, attention, and affection. I struggle with the lack of those things. Shallow? I hope not.

82. I try not to offend people. I try to be likeable, funny, and am careful about my appearance. I wish I was less concerned about most of this stuff. I try to be a people pleaser and I think sometimes it stops me from being or saying what I really want or how I really feel.

83. I tent to be hot and cold. Things are great or things are awful. I rarely feel things are just going okay.

84. I love my religion. I don’t think my life has been anything but enhanced by it. I know that I have been a happier, freer person when I am following its teachings and practices.

85. I don’t really like Valentine’s Day. It’s pretty much always sucked. I suppose it all started with being dumped by my 9^th grade little boyfriend that day. I also haven’t had much luck with anniversaries.

86. I have vivid dreams.

87. I am a cat person.

88. The only roommate I still keep in touch with is my good friend Lindy. She is someone I can be totally silly and blunt and weird with. We met while working at the Landmark Restaurant-yummy salad room!

89. I like good teeth.

90. No one could ever convince me that Trent isn’t the most beautiful man on earth. And the best kisser.

91. After our first date I thought Trent was a little boring.

92. After our second date I thought, “Why does this guy keep asking me out? He doesn’t even seem to like me.” Sometimes I still wonder if he likes me.

93. I’ve never ridden a horse. I want to.

94. I’ve never been to a bed and breakfast. I want to.

95. Before I die I want to travel to: Hawaii, China, Europe, and New York.

96. I hate cardio. I like lifting weights.

97. I make lists. Every day. Grocery lists, to do lists, to buy lists, to call lists. This 100 things about me list has been pretty hard since about number 70.

98. I have beautiful, smart, perfect, healthy, strong children. They are the greatest blessing in my life. I love being pregnant and I love the miracle of birth (I have been very fortunate to have had things really easy in that department). It is so amazing the pure unconditional love they give and the meaning they add to my life.

99. I love rain. I love its smell. I love the memory of Abbie and me running through the pouring rain in our clothes getting soaked. We were 15 or 16 and we just ran and played in the warm rain like little kids. It was a great day.

100. I have a wonderful, smart, hard working husband. He always smells good. He makes me mad sometimes. Mostly though, he makes me happy.

100 things about me, well 50 for now

My 100th post, I was going to do the 100 things about me. Like Gina did. Well this is my 103rd post. Close enough in my book. I thought I would break it up. For me, and you.

100 things about me. 1-50

1. I am a girl/woman.

2. I was born on June 22.

3. I was born in Arizona

4. I am the 4^th of 9 children. It goes like this. Sarah, Adam, Emily, Robin, Karen, Teddy, Mark, Spencer, Claire.

5. As long as I can remember we have gone on family vacations to Rocky Point, Mexico for spring breaks.

6. I have always enjoyed drawing.

7. I grew up not knowing my mother’s family.

8. I have two cousins born the same summer as me. Abbie and Jill. I love them.

9. I have always loved food.

10. I was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at the age of 8 (the age of accountability).

11. I have lived in Arizona, California, Utah, Wyoming, Arizona, Utah, and Arizona again, in that order.

12. In California I met my lifelong friend, Amelia.

13. In Utah I went to 5^th -8^th grade.

14. My 6^th grade teacher Mr. Gunn was my favorite.

15. I became an aunt for the first time when I was 13. Gabe is my oldest nephew.

16. I lost a friend to suicide when I was 14.

17. In Wyoming I had my first kiss at age 14.

18. In Wyoming I got in trouble with the police. Twice. No arrest, but a little community service was involved.

19. In Wyoming I met another lifelong friend, Candace.

20. I also learned how to lift weights and pole-vault while in Wyoming. It was the first year girls were allowed to do that sport.

21. Freshman year I broke a bone for the first time. 2 bones actually. In my left foot. Pole-vaulting, 2 days before the State meet. Ouch!

22. I moved back to Arizona during my sophomore year. I changed from a High School with a graduating class of about 200 people to one with a graduating class of close to a thousand! Abbie was at that school.

23. I continued to pole-vault at my new high school. It was the first year Arizona allowed women’s pole-vault. I placed the top 5 at State all 3 years.

24. Although I am not one of those people who thinks high school was as good as life gets, I had a lot of fun and dated a lot.

25. I never smoked.

26. I never drank.

27. I liked cliff jumping.

28. I learned to wakeboard and liked that too.

29. I loved music and going to shows.

30. My first concert was Silverchair.

31. I went to the warped tour.

32. I went to The Edge radio station’s big concert.

33. I watched local bands and my friends’ bands all the time.

34. I can’t dance.

35. I wrote a lot of poems in high school.

36. I graduated in 1999.

37. I was offered a small partial scholarship by 2 local community colleges to come pole-vault. I ended up going to MCC, because the coach there helped me get a Presidential scholarship too. That is when you place in an honors class and a high enough math level with your placement tests and keep a 3.25 GPA or higher each semester. Not real hard at Community College.

38. I was the first female vaulter at MCC.

39. After 1 year at MCC I moved out of my parent’s house into an apartment with 3 strangers. Girls.

40. I met Trent in late October or early November 2000.

41. We were set up by friends. It was a blind date for him, because we had technically met at pole-vaulting camp when I was 16, which he doesn’t have any memory of. I also knew who he and his brother Blake were, as I had watched them pole-vault at many high school track meets.

42. We had our first kiss the day before Thanksgiving (technically it was the morning of Thanksgiving) after our third date. It was really nice.

43. Trent proposed to me on his birthday (June 25) of 2001. Yes, he asked my dad first. Yes, he was on his knee holding my ring.

44. We were married 8 weeks later on August 18, 2001 in the Mesa temple at 3pm.

45. We went to Cabo san Lucas on our honeymoon.

46. We went parasailing and 4 wheeling there.

47. On September 11, after the horrific terrorist attacks, I spent the day training to sell frozen steaks door to door. I quit the next day.

48. After almost 1 year of marriage, Trent accepted an athletic scholarship to BYU. We spent our anniversary unpacking boxes in our new rental house.

49. I was pretty glad Abbie was in Provo at the time. I spent the first little while searching for jobs and reading Harry Potter books 1-4.

50. At the end of November, after just one month of being off birth control, we found out we were pregnant!

Charlotte's a walker!

Charlotte is an early walker.She never was much good at holding still. She turned nine months old on September 26th. This was a week ago. She is already much better. Sturdier and walking further. We will post more of this fun development.

Edit video online at onetruemedia.com

Oh baby

Abbie finally had her baby saturday night. I will probably have to wait until Saturday to go see her and I can't wait!
Tucker had his first soccer game on Saturday. He cried pretty much the whole way there, cause he was tired and he didn't want to wear shin guards. Once we got there he was okay with the shin guards, but started crying when he was asled to play. So he chose not to start and sat on my lap drinking water for the first few minutes. I convinced him it actually was fun to play soccer with other kids and he went on the field willingly when the coach asked him the next time. He never actually made contact with the ball or really got the hang of anything, but he ran back and forth all the same. It was entertaining, but still very hot (we'll need a shade umbrella this week). Trent now sees what he needs to help Tucker learn and is promising himself he'll make a practice goal for Tucker with pvc pipe. I think as long as Trent can make it to practices to help coach Tucker things can only improve. Right? I think it is mostly just good for Tucker to be involved in a team, and have to take direction from other adults. I felt bad I didn't get him in preschool this year, but I think this is a good activity. At least he still has next year for preschool to help prepare him for school. Besides, with all the cheeseburgers and corndogs this kid eats, we need him doing all the physical activity he can. Thank goodness it is almost perfect weather to start going out to the park. I can't find my camera right at this moment so I will add pictures from the game very soon.

Abbie Watch 2006

No. There is no baby yet. Since Abbie is not able to update her blog at this time I thought I would inform any curious passers by. Abbie spent a long day at the hospital lying in bed hooked up to IV's of pitosin and whatnot. Not only did she not progress (dilate) further than 2 cm, but she was only able to eat clear liquids, i.e. juices, jello, and popsicles.
Before bedtime they took her off the medicine, gave her a sleeping pill, and told her to get some sleep. Jake stayed on the very uncomfortable(from what Trent's told me) hospital pull out thing and Abbie's and Jake's moms had a sleepover at Jake and Abbie's house. This morning after Abbie finishes eating an actual breakfast they will be plowing ahead full force trying to get that stubborn baby out of there. Please send Abbie all your happy thoughts and/or flowers to the Tucson hospital.

Wednesday

Front and Back


Yesterday I finished a baby blankie I've been working on. Flannel is kind of a pain to work with. I am still getting familiar with my sewing machine and well, sewing in general. It's not perfect, but I am very pleased with the results. That being said, you probably couldn't pay me enough to make another one of these. I am going to stick with the simpler kind, which I should have one done soon to show. Sewing is so cool. I love the feeling of having made something myself. Seeing tangible evidence of my hours of work. A finished project is such a feeling of accomplishment. I have told Trent that I hate housework. I feel I am probably not alone in this respect. I know that it is part of being a homemaker and that having a clean, organized home is important for various reasons. I think there are several things that make it difficult for me.
1. It is very rare that the whole house is clean at once-therefore I feel little sense of accomplishment.
2. It doesn't last, which means it is constantly ongoing. Once again, no sense of accomplishment and very little evidence of what I've done.
3. Little, if any rewards. I rarely get a thank you or any mention that anyone has noticed my efforts. I suppose my monthly spending budget could be considered my paycheck, but that is a stretch. This isn't really a complaint, so much as an observation. Men generally work in a system that has very visible rewards. Paychecks, promotions, raises, pats on the back, verbal enforcement ( Nice work, Trent. We want to keep you here for a very long time, Trent. Use my cabin Trent, use my four wheelers. Here's a $500 cell phone. ) I supppose all this is to enhance his job, so I can liken it to me getting a new mop or vacuum. I suppose the rewards of housekeeping can be a sense of pride, self worth, a happy husband, a calm, less chaotic environment. Those things are just harder to see and appreciate, I suppose.

Anyhoo. Wednesday night Tucker had soccer practice. Trent was in Flagstaff yesterday and didn't make it home in time to go. Bummer. Tucker was cute and did pretty well considering we've never really told him anything about soccer other than, you kick a ball with your feet. He liked doing drills where each kid had their own ball, but when it was one ball and a bunch of kids, he wasn't all that interested. That should make for an interesting game day Saturday.

I love the weekend!

Friday Trent called me from work and said he'd been offered some great tickets for the Diamondbacks game that night and would I want to go. Get out of the house with my husband, be around grown people, at a sports event. Absolutely! He said he had four tickets and we could bring the kids, how sweet. I proceeded to call my mother and ask her if she would like to have my kids over for a couple hours. She happily agreed. Thanks Mom! Now we could even invite another couple. I called my sister in law and asked if she and Blake would like to join us. They were actually planning on going to the game already, but took the offer of better seats and sitting with us for company. I was happy to be going out without children, and with a fun couple. Yipee!
I am not a huge sports fan by any means. I absolutely cannot sit on my couch and watch a baseball, football, or basketball game. But being at a stadium with the real thing I really enjoy. Go figure. I had a great time. And very overpriced nachos with jalapenos.


Saturday I made a Wal-Mart run with only one of my children, yay for a 3 year old who wants to stay home and watch his dad mow the lawn. I came home, made the present for the baby shower I was supposed to be at around 1:00 and left the kids(tucked in for naps) with their dad as I headed out the door at 1:30. I enjoyed a fun time eating yummy shower food (is it possible I forgot about lunch? Wow.) and joking around with my old roommates Lindy(whom the shower was for) and Caroline. I am not actually sure how to use the word whom correctly.

This is Lindy holding the "taggie" I made her.


This is what happens when I am gone for 2 hours. Not the bath, the big red bump on my baby's noggin.
Anyhow Sunday was conference and that meant enjoying the day at home with my family. Although I didn't have to stress about getting ready for church on time with the kids or planning a lesson, still I managed to get irritated before worship time. Some petty argument with Trent. I never feel spiritually prepared on Sundays. It is something I really need to work on. Thank goodness for the Ensign, because I will need to read everything again to get all I want out of it. We got a lot of cleaning done around the house, probably not the best Sabbath activity, but it's so much easier when the husband is home and willing to help that I couldn't possibly say no.
Well the weekend ended in kissing and snuggling and the like. Yada yada yada, Charlotte woke up three times and I'm really tired today.