8.22.2011

For Posterity...

Two years ago in July, Ty and I were high on life. I had just completed my first year of classroom teaching and was part of a leadership team at school. Ty was working really hard and we had just purchased our first home. We had been married for almost two years and were fighting the 'baby hunger' by hanging out with friends and going on dates.

We had some extra money in our bank account as the summer approached and we decided to spend a good chunk on a big vacation to Chicago. It was so much fun!! We did our research ahead of time and got some great deals on museums, tours, restaurants, everything. We ate and shopped and just enjoyed our  vacation to the fullest!









About two weeks after we got home, bad news came. In threes. First, our air conditioning in our new house died. We had to replace the whole unit and do some duct work. Then, Ty's car had to have the entire ENGINE replaced. At the same time, my car started having all sorts of problems and ended up needing A LOT of work...

When it was all said and done, we started the summer with about $15,000 in the bank account and by the end of summer, we were borrowing money from both sides of our family.

We have not been at either extreme (money to burn or borrowing) since that summer. We manage our money well and we always have enough for our needs and a lot of our wants. I am grateful that we had that experience because it taught us several things.

1. Live in the moment. I didn't regret our vacation for a second! Sure, we spent a lot, but we were smart about it and we really did have a great time. It was recharging for us as a couple and was the last big trip we took before having kids.



2. Pray. Because you don't have control over anything. No, it wasn't as bad as Job in the scriptures, but we felt pretty low and really had to rely on our faith to get us through it.

3. Trials are a GOOD thing! It was humbling to have to rely on our family for help, and the whole experience really brought us together as a couple. Each trial during that summer brought with it a host of separate issues (like my bunny dying from heat in our house while we waited on the repairmen), but just knowing that we were going through it together made us so much closer.

4. You will survive! There have been several experiences in my life that remind me that Heavenly Father won't give us trials that we can't overcome and that summer was one of them. I am glad I can look back on that experience and realize the blessings that came and how much stronger we are now because of it. We survived! And we survived together!


Flash forward to last week... Ty's car was acting funny, but didn't seem like a huge deal. We figured we would get it in to the shop on his next day off. That sweet little Mazda had plans of its own though and died on the side of the road on the way to church basketball. Awesome.

We can manage being a one car family, so we just took turns using my car and asked Bennett's babysitter very sweetly if she could bring him home a few of the days (love her) when Ty was working. No problems.

Sunday. Driving to Chandler for family dinner, MY sweet little Prius starts acting funny. And then proceeds to completely DIE about a mile from their house. Double awesome.

After towing it from one mechanic shop to a Toyota dealership, it has been determined that it will need $2500 worth of work.

To which I can only say one thing: RIP Trusty Prius.You had a good run and served me well through my last year of college, my first years of marriage, two pregnancies, one child, and lots and lots of shopping trips. Thank you for conserving gas on my way back and forth from Flagstaff, Phoenix, Chandler, and lots of other exotic locales in between including one amazing honeymoon to Mexico. You will be truly missed.

The verdict is still out on what kind of repairs Ty's car is going to need, but I'm not waiting here with bated breath or anything. We can handle whatever comes. We will be stronger when we emerge on the other side of whatever trial we are being faced with. And our family will only be blessed by the experiences that bring us closer together.



We may not have it all together, but together we have it all.

8.10.2011

Travelling on Foot

It's official, Bennett can walk.

I've been denying it for weeks now. Our friend, Blaine, told me that I was being so modest since most mom's freak out when their kid takes a first step. But in reality, it freaks me out that Bennett is growing up so quickly! Walking really takes the 'baby' out of him and I didn't want to admit that it was happening.

Even more so than having a second baby, seeing Bennett walking just reminds me that I am in a new stage of life (motherhood? adulthood? what do you call it?). Someone asked me if I had seen the new Cowboys vs Aliens movie and my response was "No. BUT I did get to see my one-year-old start walking! Yay!" He didn't get it.

Tucking in the elbows- could he BE any cuter??
Bennett hasn't crawled at all in days. He can walk without even looking where he is going. He can carry a toy in each hand. I even caught him 'talking on the phone' while he was walking around the living room. It is all very exciting, but still SO WEIRD!

ah, Life.

It is sometimes hard for me to accept that this is my life now... maternity dresses, sippy cups, and skinny jeans in size 12months.



But here I am, loving every minute! I honestly wouldn't trade this for anything :)

8.01.2011

Veggies

Sometimes I read articles or recipes that are designed to help moms hide veggies and other healthy foods in their kid's dinners. Maybe I should be taking notes.

Ty's dinner plate vs. my dinner plate...


I think Ty's brother, Tom, said it best when he said, "that green stuff's not food- that's what food eats!"

We instituted a new rule at dinner- everyone has to eat a veggie!! Ty's favorite veggies are cooked broccoli and Brussels sprouts- the stinkiest ones! I don't cook them very often, but even still Ty is trying his hardest to eat some kind of veggie at dinner without gagging- usually corn or some iceberg lettuce.

Fortunately, Bennett is turning out to be a GREAT eater despite genes he has inherited from dad. He loves avocados, carrots, and even beets! He and I have been known to share slices of supreme pizza with a salad on the side. He even likes snacking on cucumbers and tomato slices. The only veggie this kid won't eat is green beans. Go figure.

Do black olives count as a veggie? Either way, they are one of Bennett's favorites! I like slicing them into little rings and putting them on his fingers!




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