O Christmas tree!!

We finally got around to putting up a tree this year. After my stressful week I wanted to relax and have a day full of Christmas fun.  I like to wait to put our tree up until after Thanksgiving and after Scott's birthday.  One event at a time people. This year I face the dilemma of how to keep a one year old out of my tree. Scott thought that getting a small tree and putting up on the card table might work.  It has for the most part, but Rivers still wants to tough the tree all the time and some of the lower hanging ornaments have been removed by some sweet little curious hands...
We like it and it smells amazing!!
Merry Christmas!
 

Christmas lights

Scott and I have gone to see the Christmas lights every year that we have been together.

We were really excited to take Rivers this year.

He loved it, well for the most part.

I may have bundled him too much because he couldn't move,

but he was warm.

How cute is this picture!!

 I forgot my camera, so cell phone pictures will have to do for the memories this year.

 December 2011

 Rivers wanted to touch the light so bad, and run around, but couldn't because he was so bundled he couldn't walk. I loved it.

 I love that face!

 December 2009

December 2010

Awkward family photo?  By far my favorite :)

Rivers didn't like the light last year....

Caffeine wishes and Loft House dreams

So many people don't know this about me, but I'm very high stress

I hide it.

I don't think it's "cool" to be stressed.

I'm sure I don't hide it well, but I think I do.

Last week (12/12-12/17) was probably the busiest week I've had all year, or even since the baby was born.

There are two things that get me through these rough times.

 Pepsi

 Loft House cookies

Seriously, I have been living off these two items for the last 8 days.

(I start early)

Here's why I've been so stressed, it's not just your typical Christmas stress I was dealing with.

Tuesday December 6 I got a notice in the mail that my jury duty wasn't going to be postponed and starting Friday night I had to call in every evening after 5 to see if I needed to report the next morning.

Now I have no problem serving on a jury, in fact

I think it would be fun.

But I am still nursing, and Scott was super busy studying for finals.

Plus in a week (12/13) it was Scott's birthday.

So I made some calls, re-arranged a few things, and got some sitters lined up, on call, in case I had to go in the next morning for jury duty.

I talked to work, and felt certain work wouldn't be affected by my sudden call

to civic duty.

At first my boss flipped, but after realizing that I had no say in the matter and wasn't

doing this to destroy the company, understood that it was the law, (30 days in jail and $1000 fine if I didn't show) and worked with me to take care of things.

Oh, did I mention that on Wednesday (12/14) a big project my Young Women

have been working on for a few months for Shriner's Hospital was concluding with a tour and presentation up at Shriner's Hospital? Yeah been planning that for a while and now I might not be

able to go.

Plus we had a family dinner for Scott for his birthday (that was no stress though).

Scott had finals so I spent all day with a baby with no other adult conversation

until Scott came home.

Also, it was the weekend of the Mormon Tabernacle Christmas concert. Making this

the busiest weekend of the busiest month of the year.

I'm talking getting to work at 3:30 and getting home sometime around midnight.

Serving something like 600 people in a restaurant with only 35 tables. Then getting up the next morning between 6:30 and 7:00 to take care of baby.

Mormons behaving badly at it's peak!!

I pulled through.

Jury duty got cancelled and I can still get called at random, but it won't be this month.

Scott aced his finals and is getting a 4.0.

Rivers has been an angel.

I have amazing co-workers.

The Lord hears and answers prayers.

I also had some help from Pepsi and Loft house cookies, which I think helped me lose 5 lbs.

I don't know how but that's all I've been consuming for the last week and I've lost weight.

I'm sure all the stress and running around and not eating had nothing to do with it :).

Saturday the 17 I finally got everything finished for Christmas, and now just have a few gifts to buy for Scott.

I feel calm for the first time in weeks.

My child is also Hilarious!!

Yes, he's sitting in the fridge.

I guess he got a little hot and needed to cool down :)

Scott's Birthday

I love my husband, he's just the best.
Since I've been married we haven't really been able to enjoy Scott's birthday.
My job is a pain that prevents it, well maybe it's Scott's fault for being born in December, or his parents for decided that it was a good time to have a second child, I'm not sure, but this year we finally got to have Scott a good ol' celebration.
I bought him a few small gifts with Rivers help, but just couldn't figure out what to get him, especially since all he wanted was a trip to the dentist. Big demands I know.
After some thought and prayer and some inspiration from Pinterest I finally came up with something grand.  But first a few pictures

Rivers LOVED these!  such a fun cheap way to decorate

My birthday boy opening his gifts

 So, I found an idea on Pinterest for these playing cards used to tell a husband 52 ways the wife loved him.  We had these old I <3 NY playing cards lying around (well 2 sets actually, but I only used one) and a gift was born!!

 After writing Scott's name 52 times I began to wonder if I was spelling it right.  You know how it is after to write something over and over again it begins to look strange? That's what I was dealing with.  I had to take a break twice and check some mail to make sure I didn't spell it wrong, and his name is short and only 5 letters. I hate how our minds play tricks on us like that.

 52 acts of service cards.  I'm a genius, and only had to stay up until 3 AM to finish them (I had to go to work first, and Rivers was not helpful at all!)

 Some are funny like picking the radio station in the car, and others are practical like cleaning out the car or sleeping in.  They turned out much cuter that I ever thought

 For his birthday breakfast Scott wanted Biscuits and gravy with Sausage. Not my favorite, but it's not my birthday either...

Rivers was such a fun guy on his daddy's birthday.  He was very interested in what Scott was opening, and even helped him play with the toys that Rivers picked out for Scott.  I took Rivers to the dollar store and let him pick out a few things for daddy.  He picked a coloring book w crayons, some toy cars, and a disk shooting gun.  He really wanted to give Scott a slotted spoon and a fuzzy zebra print Santa hat.  after some discussion we reached an agreement. 

I'm so happy to actually celebrate Scott on the actual day of his birth.

P.S. Becky I will post some pictures of our Christmas tree, per request, once I put it up.  I'm a little slow this year and was trying to go through one event at a time... the rest of the decor is up I'm just not as on top of things as it would appear :)

Discovery Gateway

My Friend Ashley has a family pass to the Discovery Gateway Childrens Muesum.  She was kind enough to invite Rivers and I (along with Megan and Lucas, they are some friends) to go and play with her and her sweet baby girl Jane (who Rivers is totally crushing on).
Rivers had a great time!!
Few highlights:
Ball room
Water station
Toy cars
Elevators
Walking up and down the stairs

Lowlights:
Hand dryers

We had so much fun and we can't wait to hang out again

the water smocks were too big, poor guy kept tripping on them.

Novembeard: The Wrap Up

So Scott wasn't as eager to show off Novembeard as I was.  So getting him to be helpful with daily pictures was a struggle.  Here's what I got.  Such a stud :)

So there you have it, it has come full circle. 

Once the beard started to get full, Rivers didn't really like it, and I think, didn't know who Scott was.

Once he shaved and got a hair cut Rivers has LOVED Scott, he is giving him hugs, and is excited to see him.  It's been so funny.

I'm glad Scott is back!! I'm much more fond of my baby faced babe

Updates...

They are coming, having a few techincal and personal glitches.  Stay tuned

Motherhood: Not for Whimps

So, over the last few days I was reflecting on to the last few years, as I was making Thanksgiving plans and shopping lists.  I began to reflect on last year and how hard it was.  Hard for a few reasons.  One, I had a newborn.  Two, I was still on maternity leave so we had very little income.  Three, Rivers had Colic. Four, Still nursing every 2 hours. Five, Postpartum.
All these factors made Thanksgiving last year really hard on me. I spent the evening crying being mad at my husband and my baby.  It wasn't really either of their faults, but at the time I blamed them both.  It's amazing what a year can make!
Upon my reflection I began to think about all the insane things my child does. From that I began to wonder what his thought process was.  These are a few of the highlights of my wondering...

 He doesn't even like watching TV.  Why would he want to pull out all the DVDs?  He so happy about it too!!

 I'm not sure what's going on here, or how he managed to turn his chair or climb up on it, but he spent most of the morning here throwing toys yelling "Boooom!!"

 Why are there clean folded socks on the kitchen rug, and why would anyone leave them there? Further more why would you pull them out with no intention of wearing them?

 So, this one was actually really fun.  He climbed into my armour and would pop out and say "Boo".  I decided to climb in and try it out too.  Coolest mom ever!!!

 I'm not even sure what's going on here....

 Out of all of Rivers' cool toys he still finds my pots and pans and bowls more interesting.... He spends hours pulling them out and moving them around the house.  I found a pot lid in the tub the other day along with my work shoes and a book.  Really?

 One drink is never enough....

Why go trick or treating when you can just crawl under your high chair and eat food off the floor?

I love my baby, who is now a toddler.  A year ago I wouldn't have ever thought how cute and fun he would be.  I may not understand the way his changing brain works, but it certainly is fun trying to figure it out.
I must go now, there is a number of huge messes in my house I need to clean
Until next time....

Novembeard: Ummmm... lots of pictures of Scott's face

So I got super behind, and I maybe be missing a few days, but we are in full beard effect here at the Shepherd home.

It looks pretty awesome!
Oh what a crazy husband I have!!

One Year Photos

I have a ton of beard photos to up load, but these were on a CD and so much cuter...  Not that Scott's face isn't super cute, but Rivers face is just too cute!!
My sister-in-law got a new job at fotogenix in Sandy and needed a test child to take pictures of, it worked out great with me having a child I needed to photograph.
The photos turned out great! Poor Rivers was starting to get super sicky this day and was just in no mood to smile for the camera, but Allison did a great job and he still looks super cute!!
I still can't believe he's a year old.  Where is the time going seriously?
Enjoy my baby :)

This one is my favorite! He loved being in that barrel!

He is just so handsome!!