Six Months Old!!!!

i can still hardly believe it, but our little munchkin turned 6 months old yesterday!!! i took some super cute pictures of him to document it, but my camera isn't that good, so they LOOKED super cute i thought, until i actually got them on the computer so they were big enough to look at. because of that, you won't get to see them. but just take my word on the fact that he is freakishly adorable!

lately he has been putting some serious effort into learning to crawl. he just doesn't get that you have to use both your arms and legs at the same time to make it work lol. my favorite thing ever is when he gets his cute little bum up in the air but his face is still squashed into the floor! i'll have to get a picture of it or something, because it is seriously adorable! he is learning to make different vowel sounds when he babbles, and it is super cute. his favorites right now are mamamamamama and babababababab. and he LOVES screaming in a very shrill way, and laughing when i copy him. he laughs all the time now and it is soooooooo cute! another thing he loves is grabbing peoples faces and staring into their eyes. and trying to grab your lips. and he also loves sucking on his daddy's nose too haha. and his hand/eye coordination has definitely improved over the last couple days . he has started pinching...(which i don't exactly love, since i'm the one that is usually the recipient of it, and he pinches so hard i've got bruises lol) but, he doesn't know any better so we don't yell at him. despite that, he's pretty much one of the most well-behaved babies i've ever seen! and we just LOVE HIM!!!!!

An Amazing Weekend!

Everything about this weekend was perfect! we loved having our families here to share it with us, and were so grateful that they were so willing to travel so far to be here with us! It was so special to see our sweet little boy in white and have him sealed to us for eternity! he had pretty much all of the sister temple workers in love with him after only a smile! i was told over and over again how he was stealing all of their hearts and how he was such a joy! we are so blessed to have a son that is so joyful and sweet and that has such a precious spirit! after the temple yesterday we went out to a visit goldfield ghost town with Caleb's mom and dad, and we got to walk around and see a gunfight, and take a train ride. it was tons of fun, and after, we got to go to dinner and meet up with my parents. my dad took us to a place called organ stop pizza, and it was SOOOO cool! i'd never been to a place like it before, but i'm pretty sure we'll have to go back sometime! even though we spent the whole weekend doing things and definently not relaxing, it was still amazing! caleb didn't get any time to himself and has to go back to work, and even has drill next weekend, so he won't get a break for a very long time, but he says it was worth it. we are so glad to have finally been through the temple and to be sealed for eternity now! and we're grateful for all our friends and family that supported us, and were understanding and loving. i know many people are rude and judgmental to those who don't get married in the temple originally, and we weren't any exception to that. i know there were plenty of people who looked down on us for it, but there were also wonderful people who never once judged or were unkind, and those are the people that we're so thankful for, and that helped us get there! we know how truly wonderful the temple is, and loved every second of it! we had such a special day there, and even were lucky enough to be able to have caleb's grandfather come from utah to seal us, and it was incredibly special for us! he told us to come back often, and we're planning on it! we can't wait to go again soon! :)

Loving Life

so, i'm back from my second trip to Idaho! and it was of course, AMAZING!  i was so glad to get to be there for Bethy's wedding!!! and i got to see nearly all of my dad's side of the family, plus i got to see my cousin Ahna on my mom's side that is leaving for her mission! it was wonderful to see so many supportive family members there! i'm sure it meant alot to bethy to know that her family loves her and supports her no matter what! Connor and i missed Caleb a TON, but it was still a good time. and i think Caleb missed us just as much, if not more. i know for a fact that he missed my cooking! not really sure why...lol i mean, its not much, but suppose it IS better than the pre-cooked meals i left frozen for him everyday. he told his mother he was sooooo sick of leftovers all week! lol we're very glad to be home, and have spent tons of time together as a family during this weekend, since Caleb's days off are fridays and saturdays. and on another positive note, we now have less than two weeks until our parents/families come down for our exciting weekend!!!! yay! :)

since our return from Idaho, Connor has gained the back strength to sit up unsupported! we are very proud of our big boy! take a look at how handsome he is!!! ;) occasionally he will get so excited he lifts his feet up and goes over like a seesaw and smacks down on his back, so i like to put a fluffy pillow behind him about where his head would fall, just for safety. he loves to sit and play with his toys!

he got to sit up and play in his bath for the first time yesterday, instead of me laying him on his back. he was SOOOOO excited about it. i was extremely nervous and didn't want him to smack his head or fall in the water face-first, but he did very well and only slipped around a few times and i was was attentively watching and catching him each time, so i'd say it was a definite success!

we just LOVE having such a sweet little boy in our family! Caleb got him to fall asleep at church today and it was pretty much the sweetest thing i have ever seen! how come babies look so angelic and peaceful when they sleep, but are so dang mischevious and energetic awake?!?!?!? everywhere we go we get constant compliments and remarks on him. on the airplane to and from idaho nearly everyone said how cute he was or how sweet and well-behaved, and especially how much he looks like his mommy! haha i still think its depends who you ask, and in my opinion, he's got caleb's features on my face, and is the perfect blend and perfect just the way he is! its so fun! :) we are so lucky to be his parents! and while on that note...let me just say that i'm lucky to have the wonderful parent's that i do also! i know that without that guidance, love, and support of them i wouldn't be half the person i am today! and also my siblings. i LOVE my siblings! the older i get, the more i appreciate them. and i think that i'm pretty lucky to be married to a man with great siblings also. family is just SO important to me!!!! well, that may be a bit off topic, but i wanted to make sure people know it.

back to the topic at hand.... haha. everyone enjoying the brief summary of our oh-so-exciting days???? you better be.

Caleb has been working super hard and doesn't even complain about being tired. he's such a hard working husband! and, he's even thinking of picking up a part-time job on the weekend at papa murphy's. we were in there getting food the other day (cuz i had found a super nice coupon and decided to make it date night) and caleb was talking to the owner and mentioned that he used to work at one several years ago, and the guy perked right up and was hinting that he always needs more weekend help. i'm amazed that he'd be able to work anymore than he already is, but i guess that's what you do for love: work a million-bajillion hours so that your wife can stay home with your son, so that you can provide comfortably for them. what a wonderful man! he definently keeps busy.

Connor and i have been also keeping busy playing and cleaning, and i've recently rearranged my apartment, and i'm working on making a cute dress. i know my skills aren't the best, but i'm willing to learn and would like to improve. i have seriously slacked on my fitness stuff the last several weeks, and i really need to do better, but i was pleased to see that i've made it back down to 135 lbs. better, but still not good enough. i'm determined to to better and restart my routine, and maybe take time to go down to our fitness center sometime. but we'll see... no promises :).

Life is Good :)

It is crazy how quickly time has been passing these last few weeks! Connor started moving around on his tummy this week. i was shocked, but then i realized yes he may be growing up fast, but its better to be doing it early than not learn to do it until way late. He tries to scoot but usually only gets one little push in before face-planting. he hasn't quite got the hang of moving the arms in coordination with the legs. but he can turn himself in different dirrections, and on monday (the 7th) he even rolled from his tummy back onto his back! he has only done it that one time, but it is definently a step in the right direction. lately he will automatically roll onto his tummy when i put him down, but then gets tired of it and screams to be rolled back over, only to promptly roll back over the second after. he's such a silly boy! i've started giving him baths in the big tub instead of his little one, and he has been LOVING it! he thoroughly enjoys splashing!!!!! but, he tries rolling over in the water, which of course scares the crap out of me! i usually stop him quick enough, but the other day he got half way over before i managed to grab him and got a mouthful of water, which scared both him and mommy very much! so, needless to say, we've been taking a bit of a break from  the fun baths lol.

Connor and i have been preparing to go to Idaho on Tuesday for Bethy's wedding! i'm of course super excited, but a bit sad that caleb cant' come and will have to be home alone the entire week. he's been working hard every day, and has come down with a bit of a cold. i hate leaving him when he's sick! he's been working a 3:30-12 shift during his training. but he's only got one more week of that, and then it changes to 4-1:30. he says its not too hard of a job, and we're very grateful that he has one now. we've been working hard to stay within the new income, which requires strict budgeting, which i'll admit is a challenge, but we're managing fine. i know i miss everyone in Idaho alot right now though. i've got  no social life, which isn't bad, just boring. i know i need to put all my spare time to a better use, but i'll admit, i'm not really one of those people who is good at little crafts and projects to make me home cute and stuff. i really gotta work on that!!! other than that we've just been preparing for the temple, and spending time together as a family. life is good :) i love my little family!

Looking Forward

So, first of all, let me just share the exciting news our family has! we have set a time and date to go to the TEMPLE!!!!! We'll be taking out our Endowments the morning of Nov 11th, and Nov 12th at noon we'll be sealed as a family in the Mesa Arizona Temple!!!!!! Super Exciting!!!!! we are REALLY looking forward to it! i know it will be the happiest day of our lives!

The next thing i have to say, is that i completely enjoyed General Conference this last weekend. there were so many amazing talks! so many, that i can't even list all of my favorites, i will instead just list the things that i realized from them. I have decided i really must to a whole makeover on my lifestyle...
1st thing... i really must begin doing my visiting teaching. i really have no excuse for not doing it, and by not doing it, i'm just denying myself of blessings, and failing to do my part in relief society.
2nd thing.... i need to learn to use my time more wisely. i have made a long list of things that i should do with my spare time instead of wasting time on facebook...or watching shows on hulu. instead i should be cultivating talents, or spending my time trying to help those around me, or make memories with my family. theres also many other things i could/should do that would be benefiting me so much more than sitting idly.
3rd.... i need to begin teaching my son good habits at an early age. for example...we usually never do FHE because Connor is so young that it doesn't seem to matter, but thats not the way we should be doing it. Our family is our priority, and we need to make sure that shows in every action, regardless of how silly it seems to read scriptures with a crying five month old, or how frustrating it might be to wake up early to say prayers together each day. i must do the right thing at the right time without delay.
4th...my scripture study really needs to be improved. studying is more than just quickly reading another chapter in the B of M. i need to remember to search, ponder, and pray and seek inspiration from them, and to each day have heartfelt prayers. i need to everyday find time for it no matter what.
5th... i need to remember to give myself i break when i fail in some small way and am left feeling inadequate. its easy to feel hopeless and stressed and depressed when you have a long list of things you need to be doing to better yourself, and it seems like you'll never accomplish it all. its human to feel like its impossible to reach goals when you see where you should be in life, and how very far away from it you are. but, thats where the Lord steps in and will help if we remember to let Him. and thats something i need to make sure i never ever forget!

Let me just end by saying, i LOVE the opportunity i have to listen to conference twice every year, and to hear the inspired words of the Prophet and Apostles! it always seems to me like new years whenever everyone is making a big goal for the year, and its my time to reevaluate where i am in life, and make goals to better myself. i love knowing that things that are said are truly from Heavenly Father, and that they are said specifically to us to help lead and guide us in our lives. i was able to take notes of each talk, and it has been wonderful to be able to review it all and keep it fresh in my mind. i hope that i will be able to make improvements in the areas of my life that are lacking... i'm looking forward to trying!

Idaho Trip!!!

we're back from our AMAZING trip!!!! it was so wonderful that at the end it felt much too short, and i didnt want to leave at all! i had been soooo worried that Connor would be so miserable this whole trip, but he was so well behaved and patient. :) and everyone at home in Idaho ADORED him! and of course he just ate up all the attention! while we were there Caleb was ordained and received the Melchizedek Priesthood, and he was able to bless Connor the next Sunday! my mom and i even made him a special baby blessing outfit. it was such a wonderful day! i also got the opportunity to be in the wedding of one of my very best friends...the now Mrs Tabetha Hoadley. it was a beautiful wedding and they both looked soooo happy! and another memorable part of the trip was getting to go to Rexburg and see my sisters and finally meet my NEPHEW!!!!! i was sooooo grateful Caleb was willing to take the extra time to take me there to see them!!! and we've learned that it is unwise to try to skip seeing my uncle when we drive through twin...bad things happen to the car when we think about doing that lol. we had a little mishap with some sensory thing in the car and had to get it replaced, and it ironically happened just as we were leaving my Grandpa's house in Twin Falls... so we just HAD to make a stop in town to see my uncle at his work. bet you anything that we wouldn't have had that problem if we'd just gone to see him on our own free will! never making that mistake again ;). we were very grateful to not have any major car problems during our trip, and that Connor was so sweet and patient during the long drives, even though he desperately didn't want to ever be put in that carseat again. we sure have ourselves a sweet little boy! we made stops in Utah on both the way up, and the way back down, and got to visit family of both Caleb and I, and spend time with Caleb's friends. it was really nice to be able to see so many people! while we were in Idaho i got to see pretty much every single one of my oldest and dearest friends, and it was soooooo wonderful! i miss them all so much, and i never realize it until i finally see them again.

now i'll update you all on how we're doing here in Arizona. Caleb found a job the week before we left on our trip, but had to wait until we got back to be able to start. it is a help desk position at a call center, and he gets full time, plus there is overtime hours available. he'll be getting paid $11/hr, plus it is a location that is just down the road from us, so he won't have to drive far away. he'll be working nights, so once he is back enrolled in school in January he'll be able to complete school without having to drop any hours at work. i know the Lord has truly been looking out for us on this. its worked out so that i will still be able to stay home with Connor and have the job as  mommy that I've always wanted! i feel like a very lucky woman!!! Caleb is at orientation today, and after drill, on Monday he starts his training! we're soooo proud of him!

the only downside to this job was that Caleb wouldn't be able to take any time off during the 30 days of training, so he is unable to go to Bethy's wedding with me....so we can't go to the temple at that time like we'd originally hoped. but, we're currently in the process of picking a new day and we're going to get it scheduled in the next couple days. we've got two different days we're tossing around, and as soon as its figured out i'll be able to say for sure what that day will be! we've only got one more temple prep class, then our interviews, so we're soooooo close! we are very hopeful that Caleb's grandfather will be able to seal us. he will just need enough time to get permission if we decide to do it here in Arizona. whenever we decide to do it, no matter what, its going to be done by the end of november! we are SOOOO excited!!!

yesterday our little boy had his 4 month check up and shots, and the doctor agreed with us that we've got one big boy!!! he now weighs 16 lbs, 3 ozs. and is 29 1/4 inches tall! she said he is still in the 90th percentile for height, and in the 75th percentile for weight! the little chunk! we sure love him! he's such a sweetheart! and, we've gotten the go ahead to start feeding him solids! on the trip his daddy snuck him his first bite of icecream, and we gave him his first bottle of apple juice! its a bit unnerving to realize how quickly he is growing up! he's trying to sit up now, and has perfected his rolling skills. and he LOVES smacking his lips together now.... its insanely cute btw. he's got smiles for everyone, and the cutest little laugh too. we just love being the parents of such an adorable little guy!!!

My Little Bug

Connor has officially started rolling over!!!! hes just like a cute little rollie pollie! last week he started rolling over on the bed but i discounted it because the mattress would slop towards me and i kept telling myself that's what was making it so easy. but then this week i had him out on the floor on his back and he rolled himself right over and started hollering at me because his arm was stuck under him. i was shocked! and he hasn't stopped doing it since then. today he even figured out how to roll without his arm getting trapped, and has started to learn to roll back onto his back from his tummy. he loves to lay on his side and squirm around until he has rotated in a full circle. hes a little chatter box too and LOVES to laugh at his daddy and mommy! it is so so CUTE! we just adore him! :) he's 15 weeks old now, and i can't beleive how quickly my little boy is growing up!

we are busily planning our much desired trip to idaho right now! we're down to 12 days until we leave and i can't wait! we get to even spend a couple day in Rexburg with my sisters, as well as i get to meet my cute little nephew!!! Jess is going to take family pictures for us in exchange for me doing her hair too lol. i'm pretty stoked. we don't have a family picture! its about time we get one, and jess does such a good job! i've also got plans to see many of my wonderful friends that i miss so much! i have a feeling it will be a wonderful trip! my only hope is to be able to avoid drama! we'll be staying at my parent's house, so that should help us be able to stay out of it all. but i know Caleb's family wants to see Connor, so i'm gonna have to suck it up and be nice and spend some time, even if i really don't want to. I'm determined to just stay positive!

Caleb is still on the job hunt, and we're really hoping that he'll be able to find something. he did his battle hand off today and is now officially a part of his unit here in mesa, but he will only be doing drills 2 days a month, so we still really need him to find another job. i'm hoping and praying a miracle will happen. at church we have started the temple prep classes, and i really enjoy it. our teacher is a wonderful sister who is such an inspiration to me! i've never witnessed first hand someones battle with cancer until now, and i can honestly say that i know she is an amazing woman, and a wonderful example to me! i'm hopeful her health will permit her to finish teaching us, but if not, i am still grateful for the chance to be able to learn from her. we are planning to go to the temple in October, hopefully when we go to Idaho for my bestest cousin Bethy's wedding! :) theres no for sure date yet, but hopefully in the next few weeks i can schedule everything and start to plan! super excited and looking forward to the future!!!