"Best Christmas Ever"

Merry Christmas 2011! Highlights:

Max wanted every present to be Polar Express.

He loved, loved getting Cars 2 movie.

He didn't want to talk about Santa at all.

Presents aren't worth having to face Santa whatsoever! Ha.

As Max said, "Best Christmas E-ver!"

feelings

We took Max bowling a couple weeks ago and somehow it melted my heart to see him and Brandon bowling and having fun and Max in his tiny little bowling shoes. It's such a regular thing. But there I am, all emotional and sentimental. That's me.

IT'S A...

BOY!!

We're so excited!

my little max

This is Max's preschool picture. His first school picture!

ipad vocab

Ok, so when I got Max's November vocabulary words I had to laugh when one was "ipad". And, of course, Max knows perfectly well how to say it and what that is. What 3 year old doesn't, right? He loves ipads. They even have ipad Thursday at school each week. He's more tech savvy than me, I'm depending on that kid to keep me up to date in the coming years:)

Halloween came and went so quick this year. I had my first room mom experience in Max's class! I feel oddly old doing that already, but it was so fun! Max was too cool for mom at school, but hugged me when he got home! How I love that kid. I'm proud of him. Here's a picture of his class:

And I pretty much got no good pictures Halloween night. Good mom, Brandi. Sadie and Max were both pirates. He wouldn't wear the pirate hat, but I did get the boots on him with good effort:) You win some and lose some... Happy Halloween!

seven years in...

I met Brandon seven years ago. Today. Wow. AND he even remembered. What a stud, huh? He gave me a kiss yesterday and said, "Tomorrow I met you, seven... or eight years ago". I smiled. Ha! He remembered the day. He knows I'm a day-oriented person. Happy seven years in :)

Baby

Ok, so this baby is kicking my butt. Not really i guess, it's more like my own body is revolting against me. Ahh, pregnancy is a natural thing, our bodies are built for it, right? Why do I feel like I had an organ transplant and it's rejecting it? Nothing about being pregnant is pleasant. I can't sleep. I need to eat all the time but never want to. My pants are all not fitting. Sometimes I just break down because this sickness fog is so hard to handle all the time. I feel the baby squirm when I'm so sick, and it kills me. I hope he/she is stronger than me. I hear Max playing in the other room and I can't even play with him a lot of the time cause I'm so dang sick. "sorry mommy, sorry mommy", "K mommy?" he'll say. And I still have six months...

But then I think of the baby, what a miracle, and how blessed I am. I have a great husband who saves me everyday and good family & friends to help and support me. Of course I wouldn't give it up. It's just hard. But I've done it before. I can do it. This is my refiner's fire. We love what we have to sacrifice the most to get. Remember that. Done.

First Day of School

I just sent Max off to preschool. I felt like it was MY first day of school, I was so dang nervous. He's so little! Getting on that big bus, oh my laws. I'm twiddling my thumbs, I don't know what to do with myself! He was excited to go, thank goodness. I hope he feels that way when he comes home in... two hours and counting...

Grass

This weekend we finally laid our sod!

yeah, it's so nice!

Quick Trip

We did a quick trip of the annual camping trip to Stanley this year. This is how it went for Max:

1. He had all his shoes wet from the river within an hour;

2. He is still not fond of tent sleeping; actually, I (the over protective mother) still think he'll freeze, so I don't make him;

3. His diet consisted of: juice, ensure, milk. That's all. Not so different from home!;

4. He's perfectly content playing outside. He doesn't need toys! Just the great outdoors.

5. He can run extra fast with the mountain air, I'm pretty sure.

6. Who needs roads when you can ride/run/wander through the wilderness/mud/grass/water? Roads are for wimps, apparently.

I wish we could have stayed longer to do some more of the things we love up there! But I'm grateful we went. This was the first year I had both Max and Brandon there together with me!!

What Doing?

The happenings of life in July:

Max makes me laugh, cry, wonder- he's always good at provoking some sort of emotion from me. But mostly he just makes me happy. I love him just the way he is.

Sprinklers are finally in. Curbing is today. We're getting there. I feel like the little engine that could... i think i can.. i think i can... Even though I don't do it, it exhausts me. Ha!

I frequently find him in the sink. Why? You'll have to ask him. Must be fun.

Making a mess is more like it.

I went to girl's camp last week. So fun! It was only the second time I've left Max. I love my calling and these girls and leaders.

That's that. And now it's August!

Happy Birthday to my Hubby

He's 32 today! I didn't even get to see him on his bday last year; I'm so grateful I'm here with him this year. I appreciate things I never would have even thought of before! HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET- HART!

Grandpa Iverson

Brandon's grandpa (Max's great grandpa) passed away tonight. What a great legacy he left for his family! He was one of the kindest, most interesting people I have ever met. He will be missed!

Tonight...

It was five years ago tonight Brandon proposed to me.

One of the happiest days of my life! Love you Brandon.

Summa-Time

Isn't the changing of the seasons great? I'm glad we get it all here in our little valley. Sometimes I wish life was always like a nice sunny summer day, without a care in the world. Like me & Britt in the summer of '88... :)

Eating, Or the Lack Thereof

I know I have vented about this to several people. And it's really nothing new. I just feel extra frustrated about it this week. The garbage can is where 99% of the food I make for Max goes. He doesn't eat enough calories in a day to keep a goldfish alive. Oh, I worry about him!

I see lots of other kids in restaraunts, at the park, wherever, woolfing down whatever is in front of them. How do you do this, moms?

Since the week after he was born and I was back in at the hospital on the verge of tears wondering why it was so hard to feed by baby... it r

eally hasn't gotten too much easier. At least he's barely out of the negative percentiles for the first time in three years, he's got to be getting something, right? I guess all those calories from chocolate milk are good for something.

Even the foods he likes at some point don't last long. toma

toes. mushrooms. green beans. fruit. They work for a little while. Then no more. He must get his energy from the sun or something. Because he certainly doesn't lack in energy. I could feed a third world country with the wasted attempts at mealtime. One day at a time. Keep the faith Brandi.

Thanks for the vent, blog. Now I'm off to clean up lunch, uneaten...

My Life

How did I land such manly-men?

Sometimes I do wonder where these two came from.

(The same mold, definitely.)

They are so much the same! How I love them.

My life is a good life.

Max & Daddy

Yard 'Work'

We are going from rocks, more rocks, dirt and weeds to.......

eventually grass, more grass, flowers, trees.

This is the goal!

I cannot tell you how excited and ready I am to finally be putting in the yard! I was so giddy yesterday to see progress. yay. I emphasize yard 'work' because it's really more play than work, especially for Brandon & Max. It's so fun!

I thought he would ride around the patio and watch. Um, no. Obviously four-wheeling in the dirt, uphill, is much more fun.

This gave me deja vu of when I was a kid, building our house 18 years ago!

No toy is funner than a dirt pile, no matter the kid.

This has been Brandon's favorite project down by the creek. It's not a "before" picture, or an "after" picture. Just an in between. I've learned there's lots of in between! I can't wait for the after pictures of the whole darn thing.

And today I also planted some planters. At least I accomplished something. That's what I like. Spring, bring it on! I've never been more ready.