Merry Christmas!!!

This year my family got together and acted out the Nativity. It was kind of crazy with all the little ones, but it was a lot of fun, and I think it helped us all to focus on the real reason we celebrate Christmas.Tuesday was Kenny's birthday - Happy Birthday Honey! For his birthday, he got ALOT of snow! It snowed ALL day, what a blessing! We had planned to go to Cortez, go out to eat and do some last minute Christmas shopping, but the roads were pretty scary, and Stetson was sick, so we opted to stay home. We did make pizza and watch the BYU game at Kenny's parents' house, and that was fun.

Stetson and I spent the next two day inside as he had a fever and bad cough. Poor little guy was sick on his birthday, and now on Christmas :(

We were able to go over to Kenny's parents' house on Christmas Eve for the traditional candle light dinner. We were entertained by his talented family, and then the kids had a blast breaking a snowman pinata and gathering the loot. We read the Christmas Story from the bible, opened presents, and ate ice cream - a wonderful evening!

Stetson slept in on Christmas morning, which was fine with me! He still wasn't feeling very good, but after awhile he perked up and really got into the spirit of opening gifts. Every gift was so exciting to him - even if it was just a new pair of clothes. We ate a yummy breakfast, and Andy and Alicia and Dodger came over to visit. We went over to my parents' house where we were able to talk to my brother J.J. on the phone; he is serving a mission in Guatemala. It sounds like he is doing very well, and really picking up on the spanish language, as he talked quite a bit in spanish. We ate a yummy lunch and opened more presents. I think the highlight was Josh's gift to Kenny - wow! We usually have a big dinner, pop popcorn, make frape, and watch a movie on Christmas night, but Stetson was not feeling well, so we ended up going home and missing out on the rest of the festivities - oh well!

The next day we went ice skating with Kenny's family on a pond behind his parents' house. I had never been ice skating before, and found out that I am not very good at it! Kenny, however is very good - a talent I didn't know he had. Stetson had a blast getting pulled around the pond in a sled with his cousins.

All in all, we had a wonderful Christmas. I am so grateful that God loved us so much that He sent His son. I am grateful for Christ, for his example and his love. I pray that I will be able to live worthy these and many other wonderful blessings. May the spirit and magic of Christmas remain with all of us throughout the coming year, is my prayer. Best Wishes to you all!

16 weeks. . .

Well, I decided to do a pregnancy update since it has been so long since the big announcement. I will be honest, this pregnancy has really been an eye opener for me. I honestly thought that they would all be a breeze, like my last one - but boy was I wrong! It didn't help that I got the flu and croop and a sinus infection right at the beginning of the pregnancy - - it is bad enough to feel nauseated, but when you can't breathe or stop coughing at the same time - that is miserable. Luckily, that only lasted about a month, and then I just felt nauseated - pretty much all the time, but it got worse if I went longer than about 2 hours without eating. Finally, at about 12 weeks I started to feel better during the day and worse at night, starting at about 6:00. Now, at 16 weeks I am mostly very tired in the evenings with only an occasional evening of feeling sick. So, things are improving! I realize that there are a lot of people out there who are much sicker than I have been, but it was a surprise to me because I was not hardly sick at all with Stetson - a sign that it must be a girl, as I have been told!

We have talked with Stetson about being a big brother, and that mommy has a baby in her tummy, but he just looks at us like we are crazy. I think once my belly starts getting bigger it will be more real to him. I'm not really showing yet, though I have put on a little weight and my clothes are starting to fit a little more snug. Stetson is really sweet with Aspen and Dodger, and as soft as a two year old can be, so that is a good sign.

I went to the doctor at 14 weeks, then back in for an ultrasound at 16 weeks. I knew it was probably too early to tell the sex, but the doc wanted me to have an ultrasound - mostly to confirm the dates, which seem to be right on. The baby is only about an inch long, and weighs about 5 oz, which is amazing after watching it move around on the screen. We saw arms and legs and fingers and toes, and a super cute little profile of its face. Of course I also have pictures of the heart and kidneys and other internal organs, but I can't for the life of me see them. At one point they said that the sex was obvious (girl), but then changed their mind when a little dot appeared down there. . . I guess we will just have to wait and see. I still think it is a girl - if you want to make a guess, I would love to know - just leave me a comment.

So much to be THANKFUL for!

Last week we went on vacation - well, I did. Kenny had meetings, so Stetson and I went along for the ride. We spent a wonderful three days swimming, shopping, watching TV, and just relaxing - it was WONDERFUL! The only thing that would have made it better was if Stetson and I hadn't been sick :( Oh well, it could have been worse! Definately something to be THANKFUL for!Stetson enjoying the "big" bed at the hotel

Saturday morning I hurried home to make it to Monticello in time to hear our Relief Society General President, Sister Julie Beck. It was SO worth it to get back for that! The meeting was so awesome! The spirit was so strong for the entire two hours, and I was filled to overflowing. Sister Beck came with no notes, just her scriptures, the Proclamation to the Families, and the Conference Issue of the Ensign. She invited anyone who wanted to ask questions, and she answered them. Of course I wasn't brave enough to ask any of the questions I had, but

her responses to the questions of others answered ALL of my questions. What an awesome experience! Something else to be THANKFUL for!

Saturday night my niece Aspen Jennette Palmer was born. A beautiful little girl, weighing only 5 lbs. 8 oz., 19 1/2" long, with big beautiful eyes and tons of hair. It was an expected C-section, but not an emergency, and her daddy was able to witness her birth (the first of their 4 children). Both mom and baby are well and healthy. Congratulations Josh and Candice! Definately another blessing to be THANKFUL for!

Aspen Jennette, and big brother Zackary

On Tuesday, November 24th I celebrated 9 wonderful years with the love of my life. I honestly can't believe it has been that long, and yet I can't imagine life without Kenny. He is such an awesome example, wonderful husband and father, and shows more patience, understanding and support than I deserve. Some of the things I love most about Kenny are his positive attitude and contagious smile. When Kenny walks in with that big smile and sparkling blue eyes, everything seems right! I love you tons hon - forever and ever! Something else to be THANKFUL for!What a PERFECT time to celebrate THANKSGIVING!!! After a pretty rocky month, my family sat down together for a yummy dinner of the traditional Turkey and mashed potatoes. One of the highlights was when my mom asked us to go around the table and each say something that we are thankful for. I could have gone on all day, but instead I narrowed it down to a few things that I belive make all the others possible - the gospel, the atonement, and prayer. By the time we were done, we all had tears in our eyes. Seeing my parents sitting together at the head of the table - definately something to be THANKFUL for! 5 lb Aspen on her first Thanksgiving, next to the 16 lb turkey

Just a preview of the wonderful buffet of food we enjoyed on Thanksgiving

And finally, one more thing to be THANKFUL for - my handsome son, Stetson.

2A State Football Champions!

The early morning trip to Alta High School, and freezing in the snow storm was all worth it to watch the San Juan Bronco Football team win the 2A State Title. Way to go boys!!! The first quarter was beautiful weather, and I started to question why I had brought so many blankets and coats. But just before half time it started to get dark, and by the time the Royals and the Cheerleaders took the field to dance, it was snowing pretty hard! The girls did awesome - even though they were freezing!

I wondered for a minute if they would cancel or postpone the game, but nobody missed a beat. Some guys started shoveling the lines, reporters covered their cameras with blankets, and the boys came out of the locker room ready to play football. As I sat in the stands under an umbrella, wearing who knows how many layers, wrapped up in a warm blanket, and still shivering, my admiration for these high school boys and their coaches increased. The turf field was covered in snow, and very slippery. It was snowing so hard, you almost couldn't see - especially the guys in the white uniforms! The wind was blowing and the snow almost burned as it hit any bare skin. But the boys played as though their very lives depended on it. Under these conditions, the boys couldn't play football like they had practiced, they had to dig down deep and play with something else - HEART. It wasn't talent or skill that won this football game, though the Broncos possessed plenty of both, it was the determination and heart of a good group of young men who knew what they wanted and were willing to do whatever it took to get there. This is an awesome group of young men, and they DESERVE to be the State Champions! Way to go Broncos!!!"Never give up!" quarterback Cameron Shumway, ready to make a pass in the snow "It was all worth it!" the San Juan Broncos celebrating with the trophy

(my brother Jesse, #55, is the guy to the left of the guy holding the trophy)

A Halloween Surprise

The best part about Halloween is that we also get to celebrate my brother Jade's birthday. And this year was extra special because he turned 16! Congratulations Jade! We love you tons, and are so proud of you for your accomplishments and the wonderful young man you are becoming!Jade worked for us on the ranch this summer, and did an awesome job. So, for a thank you gift/birthday gift we had Shawn Jack make some new chaps for him. He must have liked them since he used them as part of his Halloween costume, dressed up as a cowboy. Though it didn't really seem like he was "dressed up", Jade is a cowboy, and a good one too! Happy Birthday little bro!

For lunch we got together and made a Halloween Feast, complete with pizza, bones and blood (breadsticks and red sauce), and mummies (little smokies wrapped in bread dough). It was a lot of fun, and super yummy too. The kids had a blast!

Next we went to the Quarter Final football game where the San Juan Broncos played the Kanab cowboys. The Broncos didn't play their best, but they did play well enough to win the game 13-7. So, it is on to the semi-finals next week in Cedar City. Go Broncos!

This year we dressed Stetson up as a basket of laundry, he started the day as a basket of clean laundry, but by the time we went trick-or-treating he was a basket of dirty laundry. He really wasn't impressed with this costume, I guess it was just too bulky or something. Don't worry, next year I will let HIM decide what he wants to be for Halloween. . .

. . .but this year, he had to make an announcement!Yup, it's true, Stetson is going to be a BIG BROTHER! The due date is June 1st - we are super excited! Don't worry, I will keep you posted!

Disclaimer: I ordered this shirt with plans to put it OVER a costume, but when they sent the wrong size (6 months), I had to move to plan B - make the shirt PART of the costume. I pinned it, along with lots of other clothes, to his clothes, cut out the bottom of a laundry basket, and PRESTO - a basket of laundry!

State Cross Country

I am so grateful that I was able to go and watch the State Cross Country Meet at Sugerhouse Park in Salt Lake City, even if it was a very long and eventful trip. Me, my mom and Stetson left town at 4:30 am Wednesday morning, assuming that the race started at 11:00 am. As we started through Price Canyon, Stetson got carsick - a first for him - so we had to stop for a few minutes to clean everything up. When we got to Provo we stopped to get gas, but when we got back on the freeway, we realized we were headed to Las Vegas instead of Salt Lake. So, we exited the freeway, and made a U turn to get back on the freeway, which would have been perfectly fine, except that we weren't in the turn lane, and there was a cop RIGHT behind us - yeah, we got pulled over - - yet another delay. We found Sugarhouse Park, and a place to park, and were just getting out of the car when the San Juan bus, with my dad driving, pulled in. I looked at my watch and it was 10:50 - the race should be starting in 10 minutes, and they are just getting here? No, we were misinformed, the race really started at 12:30 for the girls and 1:00 for the boys. Holy cow, we could have gotten another hour of sleep! Oh well, at least we weren't late!

All the runners from San Juan did a great job! My neice Brielle took 7th overall, and the Girls team took 1st!!! Congratulations girls! My nephew Taylor took 1st overall, and my brother Jade took 11th. The Boys team took 3rd overall, the first time they have placed in the top five at state since 1995 - way to go boys!San Juan High School Cross Country State Champions!!!

The boys cross country team at the starting line

Just getting warmed up

Jade (second from left), in 10th place at the 1 mile mark

Taylor Francom (far right) 2A State Champion

I am so glad that Stetson has these awesome examples to follow. I know Jade was a little disappointed in how he finished at State, but I was very proud of him. He ran a great race, and had a great finish! Plus, to finish in 11th place at State as a sophmore is quite an accomplishment. Good job Jade! I am so glad I was able to be there to watch, you did awesome, and you have nothing to feel bad about!

We ate lunch with the cross country team at Chuck-A-Rama, then went back down to Provo where we met up with my brother Jordan. We did some shopping and then took Jordan back to school to study while my mom and I did some more shopping. It took us forever to get anywhere because we kept ending up in the wrong lane and missing the turn. It was pretty late when we finally got back with Jordan for dinner, and Stetson and I were completely spent. So, we stayed in the motel room while my mom and Jordan went to dinner.

Now, a little background. . . I started getting a sore throat last Saturday while we were moving the cows off the mountain and vaccinating our calves. By Sunday I was achy, and just didn't feel well at all! I stayed home Sunday and Monday, but felt better by Tuesday. So I went to work and taught dance on Tuesday. After dance my sore throat was worse, and I had no voice, plus I couldn't sleep that night because I was so stuffed up. Tuesday night I got a total of about two hours of sleep, so by Wednesday night, I was exhausted! I was able to sleep a few hours, but when I woke up about 1:30 I couldn't breathe; I panicked and asked my mom to take me to the hospital. By then I was hypervenilating, and almost passed out in the waiting room. They checked me out, and determined that I have croop, a virus that causes your throat to swell, making it hard to breathe or talk. They gave me some pregnazone to reduce the swelling and sent me on my way. Kind of stupid, I know, but I have never not been able to breathe before, and it really did scare me. Kenny's parents came over and helped my mom with Stetson, then Kenny's dad gave me a blessing, which was a huge comfort! I am so grateful for loving family who are always there when I need them. Again, we didn't get much sleep because Stetson was awake, and just wanted to play. After sleeping in, we came home, and had a very nice, uneventful drive home. I don't know if I have ever been SO grateful to be home before. It was a VERY LONG trip! Thanks mom, and sorry for all the trouble!

The best two years. . .

Looking back, I can honestly say that being a mother has been the hardest, yet most rewarding thing I have ever done in my life. In the last two years I have felt more happiness and joy, and more frustration and stress than ever before in my life. I have grown so much, and feel that my capacity to love has grown as well. I thank my Heavenly Father each and every day for blessing me with this opportunity, and pray that when this life is over I will earn the precious reward of hearing him say "Well Done".

I can't believe that it has really been two years since my precious boy came into the world, and yet it seems as though he has been a part of our lives forever. Stetson is such a joy to have around, and he really is a good boy - even though he throws a pretty good fit once in a while. It is crazy to look back and see how much he has changed in just two short years, and I look forward to seeing how he will continue to change and grow. Since he has now been around for 24 months, I have decided to list 24 things about the little Stet-man:

1. He is a good talker, and mimicks everything we say.

2. He likes just about everyone, but mom is usually his favorite.

3. He is always looking "up", and notices everything in the sky from clouds to birds to airplanes.

4. His favorite activity is unloading something and then loading it back up, or taking somthing apart and then putting it back together.

5. He loves to climb, and can climb up almost anything - including the dishwasher (when it is closed).

6. He has a tender little heart, and when he knows that someone is hurt or sad, he tried to comfort them.

7. He gives the best hugs and kisses ever! But be careful with the kisses, because he is not done until he has kissed you on the lips - no matter who you are.

8. He loves animals, and recognizes each one and know what sound they make.

9. He idolizes his cousin J.D., and follows him around, doing everything he does.

10. His favorite food is popsicles.

11. He loves to eat; if you want to win him over, just give him food - especially if it has sugar in it!

12. When he laughs too hard he gets the hiccups.

13. When he cries too hard he throws up.

14. His favorite movie is Lightning McQueen, and his favorite book if Finding Nemo.

15. He loves his black blanket and his little stuffed bear he named Monster.

16. He has a dog named Bo, a cow named Boo, and a horse named Mater (he named the dog and the cow).

17. He has a cute little cowlick on the front left side of his head, and his hair sticks straight up no matter what I do.

18. He is afraid of loud noises, but loves to ride in things that make loud noises such as big trucks and tractors.

19. He loves to sing, and knows several songs and their actions.

20. He hates to sit still or feel like he is tied down in any way.

21. It is really hard to get Stetson to go to sleep, but once he is asleep, he usually sleeps for quite awhile.

22. His favorite things to say are "hey, you", and "um. . . no".

23. He loves balloons.

24. After he gets in trouble, when he stops crying, he always comes back and gives us a hug, I guess that is his way of saying sorry.

Stetson has his own timing, and does things when he is ready - but whoever said you had to cut your two-year molars ON your second birthday? I guess he figured that it was time. The day before his birthday Stetson started running a fever, and that continued through his birthday and into the next day, then he got a runny nose. All of that combined with a sore bottom, excessive slobbering, and hands in the mouth constantly made for a not-so-pleasant birthday, but oh well! Great Grandpa Black's birthday is the day before Stetson's, but the family had his birthday party on Stetson's birthday this year. We had a yummy dinner and great entertainment, plus it was great to see lots of the family again. They were also kind enough to sing Stetson Happy Birthday - it was fun!This was Stetson's BIG present this year - a new trike! If you can't tell, it is a John Deere, just like Grandpa's tractor. The funny thing is that the balloons were just a side gift, but that is what he loved the most! He was so excited when he saw the balloons, I don't think he even noticed the trike.

Stetson LOVES tractors, so we decided to keep the tractor theme for this birthday, and decorate his cake accordingly. It was HIS idea to add the animals, and he placed most of them himself.Stetson wasn't feeling well, and hadn't really eaten anything for a couple days, so I didn't think he would be interested in his cake, but I was wrong! We let him eat it in the front room, which was super cool. Then, he crawled right up next to his daddy so that they could enjoy their cake together. It was definately a heart melting moment watching the two of them together!Can you tell how much he LOVES his balloons? He had to eat with them, sleep with them, and even take them into the bath tub with him. I could have saved a lot of money, and just bought him the balloons and he would have been perfectly happy - who knew?Later we had a party at my parents' house. My mom gave him this super cute pillow covered in monkeys, which he loves, he got a little stuffed dog from McKady, and a very noisy Lighning McQueen book from J.D. and family. Thanks guys! We made homemade ice cream. By this time he was totally into the "eating in the front room" thing, and took his ice cream and sat down on the front room floor and just went to town.

Still no teeth, but it sure is swollen in there! Hopefully they will break through soon so he won't be in so much pain. His fever is gone, but he is still not his happy self yet. Happy Birthday Stetson! We love you TONS!!!

Busy, Busy, Busy

Every week I think, 'if I can just make it through this week, then things will slow down a little bit'. . . and every week I am wrong! But, I actually like staying busy, and I think if things really did slow down ALOT, I would probably go crazy. But a little break now and then would be nice!

I LOVE watching my younger siblings compete, no matter what the sport. I love to cheer them on, win or lose. I remember how much the support of my family meant to me when I was competing, and I want my siblings to have that same kind of support. Plus, they are all AWESOME!!!I have really enjoyed watching Jesse play football this year, mostly because I know how much he loves it! Jesse could talk football 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and never get tired of it! Plus, he knows so much about the sport - it is really amazing! He would like to be a coach someday, and I really think he would be an awesome coach. Jesse is playing center this year, and his football nick name is "Big Daddy Jesse". I'm sad I don't have a photo from a game, but I did get this one of him practicing (he is #1).The blue guy on the left is my awesome brother Jade, and the blue guy on his right is his best friend, and my nephew, Taylor Francom. These two are super fast! Jade hasn't beat Taylor in a race yet, but he is never far behind! As a sophmore Jade is running varsity for the second season, and is also one of the team captains. Taylor took 2nd in this race and Jade took 6th. Way to go guys!Jens is just an All Around Sports Guy. He is the star of every sport he plays. He is number 12 on the ARL Mustang 8th grade football team, and plays running back, quarterback, defense, and anything else they need him to play. It is so much fun to watch him because he is in on every play. They haven't had a very successful season, but hey, they are just learning - getting ready for the big SJH football team. Good Luck Jens!This is McKady's first year running cross country, and she has done great! Despite the blisters, she keeps on going, no matter what. She is a fighter, and I know she will be successful in all she does. And just think, you can do both cross country and drill team in high school! (can you tell I can't wait for her to be on the high school dance team?)And here is Stetson's best friend. These two are inseparable and unstoppable. J.D. celebrated his 3rd birthday, just two weeks before Stetson's 2nd birthday. But you would have thought they were both celebrating the same day. Stetson helped blow out the candles and open the presents; I'm sure J.D. will do the same for Stetson.

This week we shipped calves and preg-tested the cows. I was so grateful that I was able to get out there and help - even if it was SUPER cold! It actually snowed pretty hard while we were gathering the cows, and I was not prepared at all! Thanks so much to Candice and Kenny's mom for tending Stetson so that I could be there to help. Also, a SUPER BIG thanks to Kirk and Heidi, Kenny's dad, Shawn and Josh for helping us out a TON!!! We couldn't have done it without you guys! I'm so sad I didn't get pictures, I guess it just wasn't high on the priority list. I did get one photo before we started pret-testing. . . who ever thought of using a backhoe instead of a panel to keep cows separated in the corral? We did, of course!