Life and Times of the Godbold Family!

Just what I needed.

2010-10-10T18:18:00.000-07:00

I know, I never post here. Honestly, I've been consumed lately with so many things to do. Some days I feel that I don't have time to breathe, let alone look back. Anyway, I was reading a few blogs this evening, just taking a moment to breathe, and came across these two items, which were just what I needed, at this very moment.

First, this scripture reference, from one of my favorite blogs, Joy's Hope.

I was struggling a lot last night with my Papal's death, and what it really means, along with my testimony of what happens after we leave this life. I realized that while I may not have a particularly strong testimony, what I do have a lot of, is hope. And this scripture really spoke to me last night, and left me with a feeling of peace, and joy. It was just what I needed, and it came out of nowhere. It's one of the things I love about this blog, she just exudes grace, and charm, and faith.

Then, tonight, I was perusing some random blogs. In fact, I can't even remember how I ended up at Four Flights of Fancy, but I came across this guest post, that seemed to speak right to me. It's no secret that I'm not a huge fan of living in Utah. In fact, there are days I might declare that I downright hate it, and I'd honestly be embarrassed to admit how many minutes I spend each day planning ways to move out of this place. Much like the author of this blog post, I fancy myself a Southern girl, and picture myself living in a tiny town, a black dot in the middle of nowhere, with lots of property, a wrap-around-porch, and plenty of quiet. I'm often discouraged by the very real blessing of Jon's job, which holds us here, very tightly. But, this blog post reminded me that the trite, old adage, "Bloom where you are planted," springs from more than cliches, but from the reality of His plan for our lives, and our inability to understand it. For me, it reminded me of the wonderful family, and friends we have here, things that I would surely miss if we left. It reminded me of my New Year's Resolution (long forgotten, by now) to be more positive about this place we have been planted, and try to make the best of it, while we are here.

I'm going to just quote the whole post here, because I'm too blog-illiterate to know how to link to it properly, but the original post can be found HERE.

"It's not a mystery to anyone who knows me that I'm not Southern California's biggest fan. I fancy myself a woman that would fit in perfectly in the deep South. Large plantation shutters, slower lifestyle, no Blackberrys, all-day lemonade and long, drawn-out conversations, on my wrap around porch.
That's much more my style.

Last evening we joined friends for dinner and while we were waiting for them to box up our leftover fajitas and for the husbands to pay the bill, a revealing conversation began (isn't that when all great conversations start? Just when you have 3 restless children, needing to go to bed and a waiter waiting for you to leave your table). How it came up, I have no idea, but within 3 minutes, both my friend and I were sharing how we longed to leave Southern California. Not in the "I hate So Cal" kind of way, but more of the "general discontent with the lifestyle" variety.

We played verbal tennis, shooting reasons back and forth about why we would want to leave. There were plenty of reasons shared and enough realistic to solicit a move. We both agreed that moving would be the easiest part.

All through the conversation, the phrase, "Bloom Where You Are Planted" kept creeping through my mind. It was quite annoying, to tell you the truth. Besides being kinda kitschy, it's never something I say or share with others. It's not a cliche statement I email often, so why was it there? The more I thought about it, the more I realized it's purpose. I totally got it-in fact, for the first time last evening, I embraced it.

I have been placed in California. Southern California.
God has selected this to be our home for the time being and while I tend to think I know best, intuitively I know that the Lord doesn't make mistakes.
He has us embedded in this community, on this street and in this house.
He has us mingling with our neighbors, attending our church and spending time with the dear friends we have made here.
We live here for a purpose and this purpose won't and shouldn't be wasted because it's for a divine reason.

Believing that God has a reason for what He does, I can only assume that there is a reason we are here and here is where we will remain until HE gives us a reason to leave. Not until I find one.
Otherwise, imagine all of the wonderful opportunities I would be wasting. Imagine the friendships I would be saying goodbye to and the home we would be driving away from.

Yes, Southern California might not be my very favorite place in the world.
But my LIFE in Southern California is special to me. My friends, family, church, home, community.

They are mine.
And I will Bloom Where I Am Planted.
Enjoying the moments, rather than complaining about the weeds."

Just sharing some recent photos!

2010-06-29T17:50:00.000-07:00

The Sweet Life!

2010-03-01T14:53:00.001-08:00

Just wanted to spend a few minutes to share one of my favorite websites with the locals. Sweet Life in the Valley has all the great goings on in the Prove/Orem/Utah County Area on an adorable, crafty website. Restaurant reviews, local companies, if it's going on in the valley, and worth going to, it's on sweetlifeinthevalley.blogspot.com. If you visit right now, you have the chance to win a Cuisinart Food Processor!

Ashlyn Dinah

2009-09-13T13:27:00.000-07:00

She's Here!

Ashlyn Dinah Godbold was born at 6:53 am on September 2, 2009. She weighed 7lbs 7oz, and was 20 inches long!

We are all home, and things are going even better than expected. Ask me again in 2 weeks, when my Mom goes home, though, and I may have a different answer.

Yesterday, my Mom and I took the kids outside for a little photo shoot, and got some really great shots!

One more day!!

2009-08-31T13:39:00.001-07:00

Great news! My doc is going out of town for the holiday, so they are going to move my c-section up by 1 day!! Which means that I only have one more day to be stuck pregnant! Woo Hoo!!!! Could the news get any better? So, baby's birthday will be Sept. 2, which still doesn't make the Sept. 1 school deadline, but is still 1 day before the original Sept. 3 date! And anyone who's ever been pregnant knows that every day counts in the last week of pregnancy!

We'll probably be in the hospital for 3 days, I'm hoping no longer. We should have internet access, so hopefully I'll find time to post some pics here, or to facebook. If not, I'll get to it when we get home!

$2 buys a lot of fun!

2009-08-11T18:45:00.000-07:00

Today, we had the pleasure of going to the Children's Discovery Garden at Thanksgiving Point for their $2 Tuesday promotion. We went with Jon's Mom, Sarah, and all the kiddos! I was expecting a small little garden where the kids could jump around, and boy was I surprised! I was thoroughly impressed with the place, and even at the regular admission price of $6 per adult, and $4 per child, it's a STEAL for family entertainment. At $2, however, it's just AMAZING!

The first thing we saw when we walked in was this HUGE ark/fountain/water park area. Landon had a BALL, and just jumped right in! I was wishing we had brought his swimsuit, and a towel, but I decided to just let him go ahead and get soaked. I figured the sun would dry him off, and it did!

He and Brooklyn held hands ALL day long, it was adorable!

Doing the "my pants AND underwear are soaked" waddle:

And, since it was a garden, after all, there were some GORGEOUS flowers! And since Jon's Mom (our Master Gardener) was there, I actually learned the names of some of the flowers I like, which will come in handy if I ever get that flower bed planted!

There was also a really neat Koi pond as well, where the kids could feed the fish. Jon's Mom was nice enough to give Landon a boost, since my belly's pretty in the way these days.

But, by far the most impressive sight (besides my ADORABLE little man, of course) were the waterfalls! They were absolutely gorgeous! I managed to snap a few pics of Landon in front, and in the last picture, you can see just what he thought of all the NOISE!

All in all, it was a REALLY great time! There was SO MUCH to see. I'm quite sure we didn't see it all, even though we managed to get lost in the regular gardens (who knew they were connected?), and found a secret way out! So, any of you looking for something to do this summer (particularly on a Tuesday in August) should head out there, ASAP! It was really a ball!

Next week, we're going to hit the Dinosaur Museum, which is also a $2 Tuesday inclusion (which saves us like $22 for our family of 3!!!!). I swear I have no ties to Thanksgiving Point, in fact last week with Camille was my first visit ever, I've just been thoroughly impressed with what they have to offer! A fair warning, though, be prepared for LONG LINES, and LOTS of traffic if you hit up $2 Tuesday. I'm willing to bet they MORE than make up for the difference in admission cost by the sheer number of kiddos and parents who show up!

The latest goings on!

2009-08-05T15:34:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know, it's been WAY too long since I posted a blog update...Figured I'd better get on here before it deleted itself or something! We have been SO busy the past little while, the time has just FLOWN by!

In baby news, I'm happily still baking the little girl, and my c-section is scheduled for exactly 4 weeks from today! It's so hard to believe it's almost time to meet her! We've been working on the nursery, and on switching Landon into his new big boy room, which has been a lot of fun! Jon and I also gained a new, grown-up master bedroom (we switched rooms with Landon), complete with brand new mattress that doesn't have any huge craters in it!

This is Landon's new big boy room:

And Ashlyn's nursery:

Our new room:

I've also been learning to sew. Here are some of the projects that have been keeping me busy:

Blanket and Burp Cloth:

Nursing Cover:

Crayon Roll for Landon:

More Burp Cloths:

And, lest you think we haven't been having any fun, yesterday our friend Camille and her adorable little girl, Brylie, invited us to $2 Tuesdays at Thanksgiving Point. It was really great, and Landon and Brylie had a great time seeing (and touching) some really cute animals, including a baby horse, and baby cow!

We're Off!

2009-04-27T13:05:00.000-07:00

Well, we're off to Ohio! Landon and I will be gone April 28-May 19, and Jon will be with us from April 28-May 6. We are so excited about this trip, even Landon has been begging to get on the airplane "with" Gee Gee and Uncle Chucky. I think he's going to be quite disappointed when he realizes he's stuck with just good old Mom and Dad for 8 hours before he gets to see them!

So, I'll probably do an update post or two, while we're there, so you can all be jealous of the great fun we're having! If not, we'll see you on the flip side!

Oh, and I did have my official 20 week ultrasound today, and everything looks PERFECT! She's still a she, there were no markers for Down's or Spina Bifida, or anything else, and my placenta has moved up, and we're no longer worried about an accreta, or anything like that! If all goes as planned, my c-section will be Sept. 3, which suddenly doesn't seem very far off at all! Also, I think we've picked a name, Ashlyn Dinah! Ashlyn, because we both like it, and Dinah after my Mom!

Well, it's a baby.........

2009-03-20T11:45:00.000-07:00

So, thanks to my WONDERFUL sister-in-law, we were able to get an early glimpse at our little poppyseed, to see exactly what kind of little bundle of joy I'm carrying this time around. We are happy, proud, and excited to announce that Landon is going to have a new...

......

.....

....

...

BABY SISTER!!!

That's right! We're expecting a little baby girl! And, I have to admit that I've already been shopping, and am more than a little excited about all of the PINK! And Landon is THRILLED that he's been right all along (everytime we've asked him if he wants a baby brother or a baby sister, he has said a baby sister, consistently). We'll have our regular "medical " ultrasound on April 23, but I would be absolutely SHOCKED if they say anything different. We looked all OVER THE PLACE, in just about every position possible, and never saw anything even remotely resembling "boy parts." The infamous "3 lines" indicating a baby girl were clearly visible in every shot. Jon is THRILLED to hear the news (he, too, had been predicting a baby girl), and when he heard the news, he said "You mean I get to have a Daddy's Little Girl?" We are VERY excited!

So, without further ado, here's the photographic evidence. On the top right, is the "money shot." You can see the three lines on the left, and on the right, you can see her feet pressed together, heel to heel (like she's doing the butterfly stretch). Her jnees just didn't make it into the shot. Our favorite is the one on the top left, where she's waving to us. You can even see all of her little phalanges!

Absolutely Amazing!

2009-03-10T19:06:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know I owe you all a "real update," but most of you know my love of medicine, and my dreams of being a surgeon, and this article is just AMAZING! Modern medicine is amazing, and I can't imagine loving anything else the way I love it!

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/03/10/multiple.organ.removal.tumor/index.html

Can you believe it?

2009-01-20T08:38:00.000-08:00

Can you believe that just under 3 years ago, Landon looked like this:

And just under 4 years ago, Jon and I looked like this:

And in about 7 months, I'm going to look like this again:

It's just crazy to think about how time flies by. The past 4 and a half years have gone in the blink of an eye! Sometimes I'm left searching for the pause button, hoping for just a few more months of Landon's cute ages & stages. And other times, I'm scrambling for the fast forward button, trying to get out of the uncomfortable, early parts of pregnancy. Too bad neither is available, huh?

Just a quick update as to what's going on in our lives, NOW, Jon is taking two classes online, Theatre and Ethics and Values. He's LOVING all the papers he has to write (NOT), and he's really buckled down and is working hard. I, on the other hand, am not taking any classes this semester, as it turns out that the chemicals used in lab aren't compatible with pregnancy (unless you desire a baby with 3 arms and one eye, which I don't!), so I'm not taking ANY classes this semester. I was really looking forward to it, but I'm quickly realizing how much I truly enjoy school, and am more than a little sad to be missing out this semester. Landon, however, is clearly LOVING having me home all the time, so that makes the transition a little bit easier. I think I'm going to sign up for a cake decorating class at Roberts in February, though. It certainly won't be physiology, but it should be fun, and give me a little bit of grown up time each week.

I probably won't update too much over the next few weeks. My Mom and step-Dad get to town tomorrow morning, and we have plenty of fun activities planned to keep us all busy. Including fighting the crowds in Park City for the Sundance Fest. Then, next Wednesday, Jon and I are leaving to meet my brother and his girlfriend in Las Vegas for the weekend. My Mom is babysitting, and I'm so excited that she's able to do that for us! Landon will be SO spoiled when we get back. Then, my brother and Shannon are coming back to Utah with us for a week, and they leave on Feb. 7. Feb 11, Jon's parents FINALLY get back from their mission, and we will be waiting dutifully at the airport for them!

So, if you don't see much from us over the next few weeks, you know why!

THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT

2009-01-16T09:33:00.001-08:00

Okay, after reading this article ( http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=5330424 ) , along with thinking about all of the other negative press, that PRESIDENT Bush (not just Bush, or W, he is the President of the U.S.) has gotten, I'm so fed up, I just have to say something.

I think that it is absolutely shameful the way our media, and our citizens have treated President Bush throughout his administration, especially as it nears an end. Don't get me wrong, I certainly haven't agreed with every decision he's made, but I also do not doubt for one nanosecond that EVERY decision he's made has been in the best interest of our country, nor do I wish to EVER be in a position to make some of those decisions.

I think it's absolutely ludicrous the way average citizens talk about our presidents, and events they know absolutely NOTHING about. How many of us are qualified to make a decision about war? How many of us have any CLUE whatsoever what sort of formulas and thoughts go into these choices? I can guarantee you it's not as simple as the media, and left wingers would have us believe (Iraq has oil, so let's declare war).

How many of us have ANY IDEA how many times America has been saved from another attack thanks to measures put into place, in part, by President Bush. How many of us WANT to know? Laughing at people in other nations throwing a shoe at our PRESIDENT is shameful. I am ashamed that so much of our country treats our president like some nerd who shows up uninvited to a party. Regardless of our politics, we should be able to get behind our president and stand UNITED. Lest we forget that "United we stand, divided we fall."

I certainly didn't want Barack Obama to be elected as President, I don't agree with his proposed policies and politics, but you can be sure that on Jan. 20, 2009, I will refer to him as PRESIDENT Obama, and I will support him and pray for him as the president of this great country.

I do NOT think it's "ethnocentric" to believe that America is the greatest country on Earth. To echo PRESIDENT Bush's sentiments from his speech last night, millions of people risk their LIVES every day to just get the chance to experience American life. We have more opportunities available to us here than any other place in the world, if we'll only take advantage of them, and I think the only way we can continue to maintain this lifestyle and to be this strong, great country, is to STOP APOLOGIZING for our success, and our patriotism. When did patriotism become politically incorrect?

I for one am PROUD to have voted for PRESIDENT Bush, and proud to stand behind him today, and THANK HIM for his service to this country. He has been faced with some of the hardest decisions of any president in the last several decades, and he handled them with graciousness, with earnesty, and with a heavy mantle on his shoulders. I believe that history will judge him more kindly than we do today, and it will come out eventually, the sacrifices he made for this country, to his own detriment (as the yellowcake issue this past July clearly shows, but was not reported in the liberal media). I am grateful that he was never afraid to mention the greatness of GOD in his speeches, and his daily life, and that he didn't sugarcoat the truth of good and evil in this world.

I think we are a much safer nation today than we were 7 years ago, and that we all owe a huge debt of thanks to this man, who had the strength and fortitude to make decisions that he felt were in the best interest of our country, even when it hurt him politically, and garnered world criticism.

My politics, and personal opinions notwithstanding, I wholeheartedly support President Bush, and hope that you will also be willing to put aside your politics, if only for a small second in time, to take a moment to thank the man who has run our country for the last 8 years. I also put aside my politics and issue a solemn prayer and support for the man who will be our president for the next 4 years, and I hope that the rest of this great nation will get their heads out of their butts and do the same.

The Poppyseed...

2009-01-14T08:40:00.000-08:00

We've been calling this new little one, "the poppyseed," after reading last week, or the week before, that the closest approximation to size is to the lovely poppyseed. This week, the baby is the size of a sweet pea, or roughly half the size of a blueberry, but we're kind of stuck on "the poppyseed," so it remains the nickname of choice. Much better than "it," don't you think?

I am lucky enough to have an AWESOME sister-in-law who is also an ultrasound tech, so last week, when I was feeling crampy, she took me back to assuage my fears! And, we got to see the lovely little sac, that the poppyseed is calling home! This might not seem so amazing to you, but it's pretty amazing to me, and more importantly, there was only ONE little sac, and it was in the exact right location, which is even better!

Other than being an incubator (Anne said it best there!), things are pretty good around here. I'm starting to adjust to being home, and not in school, and Landon sure seems to like it that way. This week's goal is to NOT go into town everyday, and so far, I've only gone in once since Saturday, which is some sort of personal record for me! Today's plans are to bake some bread, or some cinnamon rolls, to actually make a homecooked meal for dinner, and to just relax and try to kick this cold to the curb for good.

First Kiss!

2009-01-03T10:51:00.000-08:00

Yep, it happened. New Year's Eve was so magical, Landon had to grab his first kiss! It was with our good friends Nate and Camille's little girl Brylie, and was too cute not to grab a picture!

Going for it...

GOT it!

Christmas!

2009-01-03T07:45:00.000-08:00

Okay, I figured I owed some Christmas pictures, since it has been over a week already!

Christmas Day for our little family:

The Stockings after Santa left:

The tree after Santa left:

Landon sleeping peacefully when we went to bed (about 1 am!) on Christmas Eve:

Landon seeing Santa's "cresents" for the first time:

Learning to use his favorite new four-wheeler:

Me, with my new Bosch and attachments (isn't my hubby the BEST?!):

Jon opening his new Blu-Ray player:

Landon opening his new guitar:

I'll spare you the rest of the present-opening pictures, as they're all the same, just with different gifts! After a VERY exciting gift-extravaganza, we went to Jen's (or Dayne & Sarah's, or Mom & Dad's) house for family breakfast, which was really great, though I forgot to bring my camera so I can't share the festivities. We spent the rest of the day as a family at Andrea's house, just helping the kids with their new toys, and playing games. It was a really great, relaxing day, and we felt so blessed to have had such a great Christmas morning, given the economy, and so many who are suffering right now.

On Tuesday, Dec. 23, we had our annual family Christmas Eve party here at our house in Payson. I'll share a couple of those pics with you, including the one of Jon's parents up on our big screen!

The adult table in the living room: (the gifts under the tree are the ones that my family sent from Ohio...think they spoil us a little bit?)

The food-we had a turkey, dressing (or stuffing), brisket, green beans & bacon, mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls, salad, sausage balls, deviled eggs, I think we had it all...except for Chucky Chicken!:

The desserts-My Mom shipped me the amazing strudels overnight from a bakery in Ohio. Isn't she the best?:

And of course we can't forget the time-honored (and my FAVORITE) family tradition of singing family songs after dinner. This is something I always imagined families doing together, but never thought they actually did, so this tradition holds a lot of meaning for me. And this year even Anne joined in the festivities, and not only did she join in, she LOVED it! She and Granger updated the songbooks to include some songs from our generation, and it was really neat to have oldies like Dad's favorite, In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree, juxtaposed with some new songs like The Way I am.

Granger with his guitar:

Dayne & Sarah:

The kids, singing:

Mom and Dad on the webcam:

After we got smart, and put Mom and Dad on the big screen!

And it should be noted that we owe LOTS and LOTS of thanks to Nick, who wasn't there, but covered LOTS (like 5) of cases that evening so that Jon could be home and help me with the party! That's one great boss (and a pretty good brother-in-law) right there. So thanks to Nick (and Andrea) for their sacrifices! And even more thanks to Granger and Anne for coming over early (like 6 HOURS early) to help me get set up since there were so many surgeries that day, and Jon couldn't do the prep work with me! We are lucky to have such a great family! I get homesick for Ohio, and my family there, quite a lot, but having such a great family here makes it easier to be so far from home...though I did tell my Mom that if I'm having twins like Jon keeps taunting me about (I'm not BTW) she has to move here for at least two years!

Some BIG news for our little family!

2008-12-29T14:37:00.001-08:00

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here's 2.....

Disney Magic Part 2

2008-12-13T08:43:00.000-08:00

Okay, I SHOULD be studying, but I needed a break, and a quick pick-me-up, so I figured I'd take a few minutes to update the blog with some more Disney pics!

Monday Nov. 3, our first day in the parks!

The very first park we went to was Disney Hollywood Studios.

Here's Mommy and Landon getting ready to leave:

Landon got to see all of his favorite morning cartoon characters live on stage! He saw Pooh, and Mickey, and the Little Einsteins, and Handy Manny! Here he is standing up, and dancing!

Hollywood Studios was not our favorite park, a lot of the kids' activities were shows, which were AMAZING, but we wanted some RIDES! So, we left Hollywood Studios at about 12:00, went back to the hotel for some lunch and a nap, and then went to EPCOT in the afternoon. EPCOT was by far Jon and I's favorite park. The rides were GREAT, and the food was even better! They have these pavillions for all kinds of different countries (Canada, Mexico, China, Norway, France, Italy, etc), with these elaborate sets, and FOOD! It was really neat. The first night, we didn't really visit many of the pavillions, but we did do a lot of fun stuff:

Landon's favorite was "The Seas with Nemo and Friends" pavillion. They had a REALLY neat ride where they had a HUGE aquarium, and they had animated Nemo/Dorie swimming in the aquarium with the real fish. It was really cool. After the ride you could go upstairs and see the whole aquarium, with dolphins, and sharks, and turtles, and rays, it was amazing.

In this picture, you can KIND OF see Nemo in the corner of the aquarium. It was hard to get good pics of this, since flash pictures weren't allowed:

Here's Landon and I in front of the sign for the attraction:

Jon was SUPER excited to see the "big golf ball" that is iconic of EPCOT. He said it was something he always wanted to see, but never thought he would. So after we got a pic of him outside it, we went inside to ride Spaceship: Earth. It was a really neat, slow-moving ride that took you through dioramas of Earth all throughout history. It was one of our favorite rides, narrated by Judy Dench.

Jon in front of the big golf ball:

Spaceship Earth Dioramas:

We did a LOT more at EPCOT, but we didn't take pictures of EVERYTHING. Jon and I rode Test Track, with Disney's awesome Parent Swap program. With this program, one parent waits in line to ride a rid that their child is too short for, and then when they are done, the other parent gets to ride without waiting in line at all. It made it really nice for us to be able to do some of the more grown-up attractions. We also rode Mission:Space, a simulator of space flight, which made Jon motion sick.

After a long day, the last thing we wanted to do was to go wait in line to eat at a restaurant (because it was always like a 2 hour wait if you didn't have reservations), so we got some Outback to go, and ate in our room. Here's Landon enjoying his late night dinner:

All right, now I really do need to get back to the studying, but I will post some more great pics soon!

Just popping in...

2008-12-02T11:17:00.000-08:00

Just popping in to say that I won't be popping in much for the next 2 weeks! I know, I'm REALLY behind (I have pics from Halloween thru Thanksgiving to add here), but I have a final exam in lab tonight, an algebra exam tomorrow, a physiology quiz on Friday, a physiology exam on Monday, an algebra exam on Tuesday, an algebra final on the 12th, and a physiology final on the 16th. So, as you can see, I've got NO time to be here, or anywhere but in a book for the next two weeks! Lots of apologies!

Disney Magic Part 1

2008-11-17T08:14:00.000-08:00

Okay, I have been VERY delinquent on posting new pictures and blogs. It's been sort of a mad-house here, trying to catch up on school work, so I decided I will break up the Disney trip stuff into several posts...So, today's will be the first in the series.

Day 1: Travel

We got up VERY early in the morning (5:30 am) in order to get to Nick's house and then to the airport. Landon did really great on the airplane, and he even got to go into the cockpit with the captain and see all the buttons! Of course, we all got a little nervous when Landon started saying "Landon push the button!"

In his seat, with his toys:

In the cockpit with the captain:

Our trip started out on a GREAT note, when a family getting ready to go home gave Landon two Mickey balloons that they couldn't take on the plane! He was SUPER excited, and we were too, when we later found out said balloons cost $10 each!

Once we got to Orlando, we realized that our rental car company was NOT in the terminal as promised, so we had to lug all of our luggage onto a shuttle and over to the company...NOT fun. But, it was quick and easy to get our car, and we headed off to our hotel, with the help of Nick's GPS. It took us some time to understand the GPS, and the freeways in Florida, so it seemed to take FOREVER to get to our hotel, the Liki Tiki Village (how's that for a name?). We got checked in and our room was AWESOME! It had a full kitchen, master bedroom, huge bathroom, laundry room, dining room, and living room, with TWO flat screen TV's, and a jetted tub! Not to mention the fully screened in lanai with gorgeous views of the woods! Here's some pics of our room:

Kitchen:

Dining Room:

Living Room:

Bathroom:

Master Bedroom:

Jon, on our lanai:

Since it was only 6:45 pm when we got settled in, we decided to go to Downtown Disney for dinner, and to get a look around. Downtown Disney is an AMAZING shopping/dining complex on Disney property. They have EVERYTHING there, and I probably could have spent everything there, too! There was a 40,000 sq foot Disney store! Seriously! 40,000 sq feet! It was AMAZING! We got Landon his very own Mickey ears (the most expensive felt ever), and went to dinner at Emilio and Gloria Estevez's Cuban restaurant, Bongo's. We got this cuban roasted half chicken that was to die for, but so was the price! I guess that's what vacation is all about! Afterwards, we walked around the shops, and Landon got SO excited when he saw the statues of the characters. He HAD to give Mickey/Minnie kisses. It was adorable! And the Lego store had these AMAZING life-sized statues of dragons, and dinosaurs, and families. It must have taken weeks to put them together.

Landon's ears:

The lego statues:

The character statues:

After dinner and shopping, we went back to the room to get a good night's sleep before heading to the parks the next day. Landon had a BALL staring at himself in his Mickey ears, in the giant mirrors in the living room. And it was SOOOOO nice to be able to put Landon to bed, and still hang out and talk/watch movies afterwards, which we can't normally do when we stay in hotels because we're all in the same room.

Okay, that's all I have time for, today, next time we'll get to the parks!

Some Big News, and Fun Facts.

2008-10-29T09:24:00.000-07:00

Before I start, you won't see much updating around here for awhile, because:

That's right! We're going to Disney World! I'm so excited, I can't stand it. We went to Disneyland in California last year, but it just didn't live up to all of my Magical Memories from when I was a kid. So, I finally talked Jon into taking us to Florida! We'll be there from the 2nd-9th of November, and Landon and I are both so excited we can't stand it! Landon keeps running around the house saying, "Go bye-bye, see Mickey, swim in the blue water!!!" It's pretty darned adorable, if I do say so myself. Of course, I did have to sweet talk Jon into it....

By promising him we could try for a new baby!

We FINALLY got approved for some RIDICULOUSLY expensive health insurance that actually covers maternity (albeit with a HUGE extra deductible), and as Laura would say, perfect practice makes perfect! Jon's hoping we end up with a Disney baby (don't worry, our suite has separate bedrooms), and when I asked Landon what he wanted for Christmas, he said "Um, I need a baby Sister," which was pretty hilarious considering we hadn't told him anything about the new plan yet. Guess he's spent enough time with his cousins to like the idea.

In the meantime, I have two exams and a quiz to take between now and Sunday, and I'm SUPER behind on them. Since it feels like my priorities have been re-examined, it's getting VERY hard to keep up my motivation in school. Of course, I HATE feeling like I don't know it all, so that helps a little bit.

Now, onto the fun facts! Aryn posted this cute survey about our husbands, and since mine is pretty wonderful, I thought I'd do it to!

1. What is your husband's name? Jonathon
2. How long have you been married? Almost 4 years
3. How long did you date? Just under 6 months from our first date to our wedding date.
4. How old is he? 26
5. Who eats more sweets? ME!
6. Who said I love you first? Jon
7. Who is taller? Jon
8. Who can sing the best? I don't think either one of us should quit our day jobs!
9. Who is smarter? I've got the book smarts, and Jon's got the real-world smarts. Although, he's really impressed me this semester! We both compliment each other, I think.
10. Who does the laundry? It used to be that he'd wash and I'd fold, but now that he's so busy at work, I do both!
11. Who pays the bills? Me!
12. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? I do, I don't like to sleep next to the door.
13. Who mows the lawn? Usually Jon. I've done it twice, and both times it looked worse than when I started!
14. Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? DEFINITELY NOT ME! LOL. Luckily, I married an amazing man who knows how stubborn I am, and likes me anyway!
15. Who kissed who first? Jon tried to kiss me on our first date, I only let him kiss my cheek. On the second date, it was mutual.
16. Who asked who out first? Jon asked me out on my first day of work!
17. Who wears the pants? Landon! Once you have kids, you give up that role! In reality, I'll steal a line from Aryn, we each wear a leg, it's pretty much 50/50 around here, although Jon's a sucker when I bat my eyes!
OK so there you have it! So if you read this, join in the fun and post it on your own blog so I can see what you have to say!

Sacrifices and Surprises.

2008-10-22T07:24:00.000-07:00

It's often been said that the secret to life is compromise. I must say, that it's certainly the secret to a good marriage. Luckily for me, stubborn as I am, my husband is GREAT at compromising, and I love him more each time he does!

Likewise, I believe that the secret to good parenting is sacrifice. In the beginning, we sacrifice sleep; glorious, peaceful, and worry-free sleep. Later, we sacrifice all kinds of small, but very important, things, like our sense of good hygiene (let Mommy get that booger for you, or catch your vomit in my hands), some brain cells (one cannot speak in monosyllabic sentences for that long without suffering a vocabulary repression), some taste buds (look, those strained peas are really 'good'), some nerves (hence the reason our children are so often on our 'last one'). But perhaps the most important sacrifice we can make for our kids is our time.

There has been a lot of self-studying, and not-so-quiet reflection going on in our home, more specifically in my head. I've realized recently that I'm often referring to these sacrifices that we make for our children, but that I wasn't really putting my money where my mouth is. I wasn't willing to sacrifice the one thing that my child needed most, my time. Specifically, the 8-12 years I would be spending in medical school and residency while my precious child is growing up. The more I thought I about it, the more if felt like I WAS sacrificing, but instead of sacrificing MYSELF, I was sacrificing my FAMILY for the sake of my professional aspirations. It became clear to me that while I may get to be very successful at saving someone else's child, I could very easily fail at raising my own. It occurred to me that my first priority has to be my child, and that it's time I step up to the plate like a "real Mom."

And then, a very surprising thing happened. Once the seed of sacrifice was planted in my brain, even before I made any decisions, I began to notice real changes in my outlook, suddenly it didn't feel so much like I was sacrificing anything at all. All of a sudden, I was, and am, finding joy in everyday tasks; in wiping runny noses, and kissing boo boo's, and even watching 'Nemo find his Daddy' for the 13th time this week. I am finding the true, internal joy in this enigma that is Motherhood, and I find myself looking forward to tasks I once dreaded, even potty training, and learning to read!

So, once again, the path from here is unclear. Whether I will go back to nursing, or try my hand at paramedics, or simply put medical school on hold until my kid(s) are graduated, and I'm the oldest student in class, I'm not sure. What I am sure of is that right now, my home really DOES feel like the place I want most to be, and I find myself in the unusual position of NOT being at odds with myself. I find myself joyful, and most importantly, and perhaps most surprisingly, I find myself at peace.

Tagged by Tiffany!

2008-10-17T15:08:00.000-07:00

8's

8 Shows I love to watch:

-Grey's Anatomy

-ER

-Private Practice

-Criminal Minds

-Trauma: Life in the ER

-The Soup-Joel McHale ROCKS my world

-Code Blue

-Mystery ER

(notice a running theme, here?)

8 Favorite Restaurants:

-Tucano's

-Roman's Wings (Ohio)

-Bravo Cucina Italiana (Ohio)

-Outback Steakhouse

-Beto's...Rancherito's...whatever it's called

-Macaroni Grill

-Winger's

-Melting Pot--BEST dessert anywhere

8 Things that happened Yesterday:

-Drove to Gateway

-Bought a new MacBook

-Realized I'd have to RETURN said MacBook and exchange it for the 2.4

-Ate Tucano's for dinner...Mmmm!

-Had a Cookie Dough Hot Fudge Sundae for dessert at DQ

-Watched Ugly Betty

-I procrastinated physiology...AGAIN

-Stayed up all night with a little boy who's afraid of the dark all of a sudden.

8 Things I love about Fall:

-The colors against the mountains

-The fresh air

-The clothes (I LOVE sweaters)

-Pumpkin EVERYTHING (cookies, bread, cheesecake)

-Thanksgiving (hello, FOOD)

-Family...we seem to get together a lot more during the fall/winter

-The Weather

-New TV season

8 Things on my wish list:

-M.D. behind my name

-Jon and I's '69 Camaro dream car

-A happy, healthy Landon

-Losing weight...without the work (hey it is a wish list, right?)

-To be a better mother each day

-To know EVERYTHING I can about medicine

-To be a better wife each day

-More time to scrapbook!

8 Things I'm looking forward to:

-Finishing School

-The M.D.

-Practicing Medicine

-Growing really old and wrinkly with Jon

-Watching Landon grow up!

-A Disney WORLD vacation

-Holiday Baking

-Holiday Shopping!

8 People I Tag:

Anne, Sarah, Amanda, Camille, Annie, Aryn, Eden, Laurel!

The ABC's

2008-10-04T20:26:00.000-07:00

My smart little guy has learned his ABC's!!! (well, most letters from G-Z, but still). He has shown NO interest in it, and all of a sudden today started singing it! I caught it on video, but I don't know how to rotate it so you'll have to bear with me on the sideways thing...Still learning.

In other news, I dyed my hair a reddish color, and Landon and I had a really fun photoshoot the other day...The pictures turned out REALLY CUTE considering I was taking the pics AND wrangling a cute (not-so) little Landon man!

And one more shout out..

2008-09-28T08:49:00.000-07:00

To my totally awesome, absolutely amazing MOM!

My Mom had been saying for a couple of weeks that she was putting together a "Halloween Box" for Landon, and would put it in the mail soon. So, when it arrived on Friday, Landon was already SUPER excited about his "treat."

What my Mom DIDN'T say, was that she was sending a "treat" for ALL of us! The box was full of really great "home" stuff, just as I was starting to feel homesick again. She sent Jon 2 bags of Pepperoni rolls, which are our FAVORITE Ohio snack. They're made in a little Italian Bakery in Chardon, and you can't beat 'em! She sent me my favorite Chocolate Coconut Bars that you can't find ANYWHERE anymore, except this one little bakery, and she sent me a pair of new PJ's featuring my high school mascot!

And Oh Boy, the treats she sent Landon. There were new cars, and books, and coloring books, and pumpkin peeps, and a whole BUNCH of new clothes, including some REALLY cute Halloween PJ's. She even made him his own photo book with all of the family from home so that he could carry them with him all the time, which he does!

I'm lucky to have a Mom like that, and Landon's lucky to have a Gee Gee who's so thoughtful and sweet! What a great surprise, it definitely made my week!

Just for the record...

2008-09-26T14:13:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to take a minute to make sure that everyone knows that I have an AMAZING husband.

Jon has always been a kind, considerate man, but lately he has just gone above and beyond to let me know he's on my side, and is always thinking about me. He's brought home flowers several times since we've been back from Ohio, and helped with Landon, and cleaned the house, He bought me a new laptop, and camera, and surprised me with a fancy dinner out JUST BECAUSE I was having a bad day. Then, on Monday, he volunteered to take my car for an oil change and he surprised me by having it COMPLETELY DETAILED while he waited (for over an hour on a work day).

He just makes me feel so special and loved, and I can't believe how lucky I am to have him. Agreeing to marry him was THE single best decision I've ever made. I only pray I do just as well showing him how much he means to me.

Utah State Fair and other goings on...

2008-09-18T11:21:00.000-07:00

This Saturday, we had the opportunity to go to the Utah State Fair with Dayne&Sarah, and their kiddos, and Anne and Granger, and their growing bean! We had a really great time!

By far, Landon's favorite activity was the giant yellow slide, which he got to ride twice, once with Mommy, and once with Daddy. His smiles and laughs were worth every penny, even if it was a pretty penny for those two rides!

He also rode the train with Mommy, and loved waving to Aunt Sarah, Brookie, Jackson and Daddy:

We were also able to see (and smell!) plenty of animals. Landon's favorite was the pigs (a true Southern boy for sure).

As a family:

Since Dayne's gotten here, the boys have been obcessed (VERY obcessed) with golfing, much to their wives' dismay. So, to appease the women, they bought a practice net for the backyard, so that they didn't have to go to the driving range all of the time. It's been fun for everyone, except maybe the neighbors, since it sounds like a shotgun blast when the fast-moving ball hits the net. Landon has been having a ball sticking his head through the hole, and being the bullseye!

And in continuing the nostalgia theme from my last post, Jon, Dayne and Granger were delighted to find some old, VERY TINY, lawn chairs in the garage, from when they were kids in California. And Landon appropriated one for his very own (it's the little things in life, ya know)!

The Sweet Smell of Nostalgia

2008-09-05T12:28:00.000-07:00

What is it about the smell of buttermilk that can almost bring me to tears?

This past summer, while we were in Ohio, my Mammal taught me to make biscuits. This might sound like no big deal to you "yankees," but to us Southerners, and us Zirkles in particular, making biscuits is a sacred rite of passage. Up until now, the only person in my family who's been able to make biscuits has been my Mammal. She tried to teach my Mom, and pass it down, but in her own words, she can't make biscuits to save her life. I've (luckily, perhaps?) never been on the receiving end of these biscuits, but I've been told that they can function as bricks, if you ever need to ward off an attacker, or break a window! (Love you, Mom!). So, I was beyond excited to learn the secret, and I think my Mom was just as excited for me to learn.

The first thing that's important to note in the art of biscuit making (and the only tip I'm going to give away) is that in REALLY GOOD, true Southern biscuits, there is NO RECIPE. Okay, maybe this isn't much of a tip, because most of our home-cooked Zirkle family "recipes" read something like "a bunch of flour," or "a little bit of sugar," or "enough sugar to make it taste right," but biscuits are a whole new level of "guesstimate." They really are a "guess and check" (like the math reference? Algebra here I come!), kind of recipe that takes a long time to perfect.

Since Jon is going on an impromptu trip to Idaho this afternoon, and since he's been such a great support to me lately (well, always, to be honest), I thought I'd take another page out of the Zirkle Family Handbook and send him off with some homemade goodies. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to perfect my recipe, because even if they don't taste that great, he and Dayne will still scarf them down at warp speed! So, I set my oven (my OLD oven, hopefully next time I make these, it will be in the NEW one) to 500* and got to work! (Ooops, another tip).

There's just something magical that happens when the jug of buttermilk is opened. There's something about that smell, the sweet smell of buttermilk that takes me back. It transports me out of Orem, across several states (skipping ugly Nebraska, of course) back into my Mammal's kitchen. It wraps up years of memories and almost brings me to tears. And the smell of the biscuits, fresh out of the oven, seems to seamlessly integrate the child I was, in my Mammal's kitchen, with the mother I am now, in my own kitchen, sharing the biscuits, and the sacred rites that come along with them, with my own child. It's more than buttermilk and flour, it's magic!

The biscuits turned out GREAT! A little crispy on the bottom, but fluffy and light brown on top, and really yummy! But, before you ask, I have to say, that NOPE! I can't share the recipe! This is ONE recipe (probably the ONLY recipe) that I will keep close to my chest, sealed up tight, until I pass the Zirkle magic onto Landon. But, I'll be happy to share my attempts at perfecting the recipe with all of you anytime!

Really Great Experience.

2008-08-30T08:24:00.000-07:00

So, yesterday I was having a little bit of a rough day. Jon and I are in the midst of a logistical debate about when to have another baby, and between his job, my education, and our insurance refusing to cover maternity, it's sort of a nightmare. It's been on my mind a LOT lately, and I wasn't really sure if it was because I WANTED another baby, or felt like we were SUPPOSED to have another baby, or just felt PRESSURED by the outside world (read: well meaning family and friends) to have another baby. I was starting to wonder if my decision to pursue medicine really was selfish and not compatible with good parenting like so many other well meaning people I know seem to believe. By the end of the night I was really a little bit down about it.

Well, I went to sleep, and had an AMAZING dream. In this dream, it was PERFECTLY CRYSTAL CLEAR that I was making the right choices in my life, and that not only was it okay for me to pursue medical school, but it truly is something I was MEANT to do. I woke up this morning feeling totally refreshed, and totally supported, not by Jon or anyone else (I already felt supported by Jon), but with confidence that Heavenly Father not only supported my decision, but that He made this plan for me. He put this love into me, this thing inside me that awakens when I'm in the OR, or talking with physicians. It's not a struggle, or a temptation, or something that I have to overcome in order to be a good parent, it's what makes me who I am, and it's something that He wants me to pursue.

I feel like a HUGE weight has been lifted off of my chest this morning. I know it will still be a long road, and that I will have to work extra hard to ensure that my child(ren) are still the most important things in my life, and that my husband knows how much I love him, and appreciate him, but today, the task doesn't seem so insurmountable, and my lingering "doubts," have all but vanished. What a phenomenal experience. I have to admit, I've never really had one of those Earth Shattering, the Lord is talking to you right NOW moments, but looking back over the past week, I can honestly see His work in my life. And, it's a pretty great feeling. For example, the other day, when I was having the same doubts, I decided to flip to a random page in my "daily devotional" book from the D&C. (Or I should say, Doctrine and Covenants, since Jon HATES that abbreviation). The devotional for the day (April 23) said this:

"For all have not every gift given unto them. For there are many gifts and to every man given a gift by the spirit of God. To some is given one, and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby."

Then, Tuesday, when I was struggling with the fact that I struggle so often with the church, and it seems to come more difficulty to me than those around me, I flipped to the devotional for Tuesday, and it read:

"I John saw that he received not of the fulness at first, but received grace for grace; and he received not of the fulness at first, but continued from grace to grace until he received a fulness."

Anyway, I'm usually not one to talk about my faith, be it struggles with it, or victories pertaining to it, publicly, I'm pretty private in that sense. But, I felt so loved and uplifted by these experiences, that I felt like I HAD to share them.

PS-In case any of you are still wondering, we still haven't come to a decision regarding another baby, so no need to ask! :P

Class is in session!

2008-08-27T11:31:00.000-07:00

Literally. Today is the first day of fall classes at UVU. I don't have classes until tomorrow evening, but I went up there this morning to fill out some paperwork and officially change majors and it was a MADHOUSE up there!

There's something about the atmosphere on the first day of fall classes that is unbeatable. The sun's shining, people are EVERYWHERE, asking you to get involved in EVERYTHING. It's so youthful, exuberant, and ALIVE! I really think I could be a permanent student, I enjoy the atmosphere so much! Which, I suppose, is a good thing considering how long I'll be in school at this point.

I met with a new advisor to figure out which pre-med major suits me best, since "pre-med" itself isn't a major. She recommended the Biotechnology major because it includes all of the classes required for med school admissions, as well as a research component, which is something I've been wondering how I will accomplish so it seems as though it will be a perfect fit for me! She tried to talk me into switching some classes this semester, but I had to remind her (and myself) that I'm taking it a little slower than most students, so that I can still be a great Mom to Landon. Not to mention that I'd already purchased (and opened) the $206.00 book for my physiology class!

We also had our first meeting for Anatomy Teaching Assistants, and I was able to secure the hours I wanted, so that I'm able to be a TA, but also keep my time on campus to 2 evenings per week. So I TAKE classes on Tuesdays from 5-9:30 pm, and Thursdays from 5-6:15 pm, and I help TEACH classes on Thursdays from 7p-Midnight! This way, Landon's asleep most of the time I'm gone and doesn't miss me!

Jon is taking an intro to business class, as well as a meteorology class that sounds really interesting. Maybe in a couple of weeks he'll be predicting the weather for us! I think he'd be a GREAT weatherman, but it's just an elective credit to fill his science requirement. His classes are all online so he only has to go on campus to take tests at his liesure (because he has SOOOOO much liesure time, ya know).

And Landon must have had an absolute BALL at Josh's football game last week, because all week he's been saying "Go Cray at Football Game" which translates to "Go PLAY at the football game!" So, we'll definitely be at the next game as well. Even if it was $12.00 for admission which is ASTRONOMICAL in my book! Oh well, Go Tigers!

Alright, it seems to be time to put the baby (who's not so much a baby anymore) down for his nap, so I'd better cut this short, get him to sleep, and begin organizing my school stuff. Hope everyone else is having a great week as well!

Friday Night Lights!

2008-08-25T10:22:00.000-07:00

On Friday night, we had the opportunity to go see our nephew, Josh, play football at Orem High. It was a LOT of fun, with all the cousins there, though Landon did have a few mishaps on the bleachers.

It was so nice to get back out to a high school football game, it's such a fun atmosphere, but I was a little disappointed with they way the programs are run here in Utah . The biggest shock and disappointment was that the marching band and drill team don't do a half time show. I mean, seriously, what is a football game with no half-time show? I know I'm a huge nerd for it, but I really enjoy the half-time shows. Maybe because I was on the drill team, and went to band camp (yes, I know the jokes are coming) and I know how much work is involved. Just another one of those things that are so different here in Utah, compared to how I grew up. Friday night football in Chardon is like a religion. The ENTIRE town turns out, businesses close early, the 2 cops on duty are directing traffic, raffle tickets are sold, it's just the most AMAZING atmosphere ever. Maybe it's a small town thing, but it's absolutely magical.

Watching the cheerleaders made me feel really old. It doesn't seem like that long ago that I was standing there in front of the stands, but my inability to do any of the jumps anymore reminds me that it's been a LOT longer than it feels!

Here are a couple of the pictures from our afternoon:
Brookie having spirit:

Landon with Mommy and Daddy:

The Blue Water!

2008-08-19T08:37:00.000-07:00

Whenever Landon wants to go to the pool he screams "Need Jacket On, Get the Blue Water!" It's really cute, but usually, it ends in my saying "No, sorry, not today." But, much to his surprise, we actually went to "the blue water" on Friday, with our friend Camille, and her darling little girl, Brylie. We went to the new Payson Pool, which is probably the BEST pool for toddlers that I've ever been to. It was great! Plus it was only $5 to get in, for Landon and I both!

I forgot my camera, but Camille was kind enough to send me the pictures she took. We had so much fun, we have got to do it again. Landon and Brylie were so cute together, everytime Landon went down the water slide, he said "Where the baby go?" and we had to go see Brylie before he could go again. Then when we were playing at the house, he was just so sweet with her, showing her how to use his toys, and looking up at her. It was pretty danged cute! But it's hard not to be enamored with Brylie. She is about the cutest baby girl, ever. She has the BIGGEST smile, and it lights up her entire face. It's so perfect!

We can't wait to have another playdate with them! And maybe with the Dad's too, if we can wait till hunting season is over!

Well, it's official!

2008-08-15T11:18:00.000-07:00

I just did my first load of laundry since June 19th. Yes, you read that right, until this morning, I hadn't done laundry in almost TWO MONTHS! My Mom never lets me do laundry when she's staying with us, or when I'm staying with her. I can't believe it's been so long!

Back to Reality!

2008-08-14T10:15:00.001-07:00

Well, it's finally happened. After nearly 2 months of vacation (counting the 2.5 weeks my Mom was in Utah), Landon and I are back home in Utah, back to reality, and the daily grind. And to be honest, as much fun as we had, it actually feels good to get back into the swing of things!

Landon has seamlessly transitioned back into Utah time (knock on wood), from the moment we got off the plane, actually. And surprisingly, it hasn't taken much re-training on the sleep front, either. It seems like just being back at home with just Mom and Dad shocked him back into his regular routine again, which is a welcome change from the 3 times a night he was waking up in Ohio. I'll cross my fingers and hope it lasts!

I've been trying to get the house organized before school starts. Since we've all but decided to keep our house, I need to get it organized so we can go pick up all of our storage stuff (read: junk) from Jen's house. Our car also needs a good deep cleaning, and some organization. Yesterday, I spent the morning going through all of our clothes and sorting them into stuff we'll keep, stuff to take the the DI, and stuff to throw out. It was a big job, but I'm glad it's done!

School starts August 27th, for both Jon and I, and we're really looking forward to it. He's taking two classes, a business class, and something else that I can't remember, and I'm taking an EMT course, and Algebra. I took Calculus the first time I went to college, but it's been so many years, that I know this Algebra class is going to be harder than I expect. I'm taking 13 hours, making this the first time that I'll be in a full time schedule since Landon was born. But, my Algebra class is online, so I only have to be in class on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 6pm-10pm, which isn't really too bad.

I have a ton more pictures to upload from Ohio, I just don't have the time for it, today. We did so many really fun things, it's hard to update on them all. I guess I'll just give the highlights of our trip:

-Spending so much time with my brother and Shannon, and watching how much he enjoys spending time with Landon.

-Ditto for my Mom and Joe

-Cedar Point

-Melt...Best food EVER! Next time you're in NE Ohio, ask me for directions, you'll thank me eternally, but your waistline won't.

-Feeding the Fish

-Landon's first bike ride

-The Islands (Put-In-Bay)

-Seeing old Friends, and having Jon meet my friends

-Spending time with Mammal and Pappal, and watching them enjoy their only great-grandchild

-The Science Museum

-All of the property Landon had to run free on

-The ride-on lawn mower

-Shopping!

-The Fair Food! Mmmmm.

-Chocolate Chip Cookies that actually RISE!

-Tacky Shirt Day (Save the Ta Ta's!)

-Tiramisu Birthday Cake! (What's better than that?)

-Hula Hooping on the Wii Fit with Chucky

-Buddy, my brother's Sugar Glider, coolest pet, EVER!

-Bravo's Cheesecake with caramelized sugar on top!

So, seeing the list, it's easy to see why the worst part of the trip was the 6.4 pounds I gained (according to the trusty Wii Fit). Yeah, I'll need to spend plenty of time with the Wii Fit to remedy that situation. Maybe Utah's sucky fair food isn't so bad, after all!

Then and Now

2008-08-10T17:28:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to have a "mini-reunion" with some of the biggest players in my life during high school. It was just a really great time to catch up with everyone, and see how we've changed, and in what ways we haven't.

Making it even better was the fact that Jon was able to join in and meet some of my friends he hadn't met before, including my very best friend from 6th grade-College, also named "John," and they got along FABULOUSLY. It was neat to see them interact together and get along so well. It gave me so much satisfaction that John, who played such a huge role in my life so long ago was impressed with my husband, Jon, who (obviously) plays the biggest part in my life right now.

Here's John, Michelle, Brandon, and I in Toronto during Sophomore Year of high school:

And Rhea, Michelle, John, and I (and some other friends who couldn't make it) on a dinner cruise Freshman Year of high school:

Here we are (the high schoolers) 2 weeks ago:

With our spouses:

Fishin' in the dark!

2008-08-09T05:32:00.000-07:00

Since Jon and I's absolute FAVORITE rock-out-in-the-car-with-all-the-windows-down, and-the-radio-up-loud, song, is "Fishin' In the Dark" by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, I thought it was only fitting to include these pictures, of Jon and Landon doing just that!

It was Landon's first time fishing, and he got the biggest kick out of seeing the fish come out of the water, and touching it, saying "Stinky" the whole time he did. It was pretty hilarious!

The Word is OUT!

2008-08-07T11:18:00.000-07:00

Okay, since the word is out, I can finally give the shout out I've been dying to give....

CONGRATULATIONS ANNE AND GRANGER! CAN'T WAIT TO MEET THE BABY!

Best News Ever!

2008-08-07T04:37:00.000-07:00

We got some REALLY great news yesterday! We can't elaborate right now, but we're so excited!

(And no, we're not pregnant)

This is what little boys are made of!

2008-08-05T13:05:00.000-07:00

I know I've been slacking on the pictures, I just haven't had time to check and see if my digital will upload to my Mom's Mac without installing the software (which I didn't bring). But, even though this picture is two weeks old, it's one of my FAVORITES, and I just had to share it! This is total Landon, 100% boy, 100% of the time!

Decisions, Decisions...

2008-07-30T17:23:00.000-07:00

I have a TON of new pictures to post, but photobucket (my photo hosting site) is being INCREDIBLY slooooooow tonight, so that will have to wait for another day.

I thought I'd post an update on the decision that has plagued me for as long as I can remember and I finally feel I have an answer to. You know the one: Medical School, do or don't.

After MUCH soul searching, prayer, and consideration (and I don't think "much" is a big enough word, I didn't know you could put so much energy and time into one thought as I have this one), I have decided to pursue my dreams. Nursing is just not for me, and to do a bachelor's degree in nursing would be a waste, considering I would need an additional 2 years of classes to apply to medical school. I am so very respectful of our wonderful, patient nurses, and think they play a vital role as a part of the healthcare team, but it's not a role I would be happy in. PA school was my next option, but the truth is, while it's "almost, just as good" as being a physician, and according to many physician's and knowledgable people alike (including Nick), it's just not "enough" for me. The truth is that this MD thing is a dream I cannot give up.

I do think that we're each put here with a specific purpose, something we're born to do, and I feel like I was born to practice medicine. Even with shrinking reimbursement, call time, rectal exams, rising malpractice costs, and all of the other negatives that folks LOVE to point out. I believe that I can be a great mother AND a great physician, and that I can make positive contributions in the lives of my patients. I may not be the mother of 6 children, but I believe that one day (although a long time from now) some other mother of 6 children will be eternally grateful for my choice, when some long hours in the OR (or ER) result in my helping to save a life.

I will be pursuing my dream, but I will be doing so non-traditionally (read: SLOWLY) in order to be a good doctor AND a good mother. Landon is still my number one priority, and I plan on being a GREAT mother throughout my educational journey. I plan on taking a couple of classes each semester until I'm comfortable placing Landon in pre-school (probably next fall), when I will go full time until I finish my bachelor's degree, and subsequently apply to medical school. This fall I'm taking a 9 credit EMT course which will allow me to gain some much needed clinical experience prior to application, and allow me to "get my hands dirty," so-to-speak, as I'm just plain DYING to get in there and DO SOMETHING, besides observing. I will continue to observe cases in the OR with Jon and Nick, and the fantastic Ortho docs as long as I'm able, and will pursue other opportunities to shadow physicians as time progresses. I've signed up to be involved in the Pre-Med club at UVU, and as I progress, I hope to be in a leadership position there.

I am so excited to have finally made a concrete, solid decision on this issue. I feel like I've spent so much time "running from medicine," when in reality, it's all I've ever wanted. I'm aware that it will be a long, hard road (even after school and residency end), but I'm up for the challenge, and excited for the chance. I am so grateful for my supportive husband, who understands my dream, and stands by me in this endeavor, and for all of your support as well, especially Andrea (for watching Landon while I take classes), Nick (for helping me get into the OR, to see the 'cool stuff,' and for all of the free advice), and my Mom (for helping me realize that I don't have to take the same path to realize the same goal).

So, I might be 35 by the time I get out of medical school, but one day, you can all call me Dr. Godbold (okay, I guess YOU GUYS can call me Kelley, but don't forget the M.D.). :P

A new first for JONNY!

2008-07-26T06:19:00.000-07:00

Since my last blog was filled with a laundry list of firsts for Landon here in Ohio, I absolutely couldn't resist adding this exciting first for Jonathon!

Last night, he was a little restless (he's not used to so much time to relax, the workaholic that he is), so he decided to go take a walk around the pond at dusk. Since I'm easily able to relax, I opted to stay inside. He was outside no more than 30 seconds before he comes running back in, more excited than a kid at Christmas. I asked him what was making him so excited, and he eagerly explained that he had never seen lightning bugs before! FIREFLIES, of all things! It tickled my heart to see him so excited over something that was so small (to me anyway, I grew up catching them, and sadly smearing them on trees with my brother so they'd glow).

So as not to waste the moment, I ran inside, got us all the supplies we'd need for a nighttime lightning bug safari: Mason Jar with tin foil lid (with plenty of air holes, of course), flashlight, and a big knife for protection (those deer, raccoons and skunks can be dangerous, ya know). We set out, and were successful! We caught 3, with only one accidental casualty in my hands. We, of course, let the other 2 captives go free after Jon was satisfied with watching them light up for awhile!

Here's my firefly catcher extraordinaire:

After that adventure, we decided to start a fire, and roast some s'mores. We had a ball, and it was definitely a fire that could have NEVER been made in Utah, because we had no fire pit and made it directly on the grass. A blessing of humidity and rain, because there's no worry of it spreading. Jon lived up to his Eagle Scout roots, and made a great fire!

We're still kickin'!

2008-07-15T17:39:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a long time since I've shared another blog, so this one will be LOOONG to make up for all the time I've made you all wait. We made it to Ohio with relatively little trouble. We did have to stop in Chicago, but we didn't have to get off the plane, which was MUCH nicer than spending 2 hours in an airport before catching the second flight. Landon did REALLY REALLY great. He played and talked and watched his DVD, and was just a joy for the flight attendants! Here we are on the plane:

Before we left, Mom, Landon and I took QUITE an adventure up the mountain. We were coming back from Park City, after a day of outlet shopping (adventure enough), and decided to go up the canyon by Midway since we've never been there before. We saw THE most beautiful golf course I've ever seen. I mean it was pretty enough to make me want to start golfing!! On our way back to town we passed a sign that said "Cascade Springs: 7 miles," and since I'd never been there, and it was "only 7 miles," we decided to ride up the (paved) road and find out what it was. Well, if it was 7 miles, it was the LONGEST 7 miles of my entire life. And STRAIGHT UP the mountain on an UNPAVED road that in some parts could barely be called a road at all. It was actually quite terrifying driving up, and even more terrifying thinking about having to drive back down. We did eventually make it up the mountain (after stopping the fire crew and making sure we were on the right track), and hiked a little around the springs. They really were gorgeous, and worth the treacherous trip. We took a couple of shots, but I'd love to go back and explore some more sometime.

On our way back to Provo (on the SAME adventure, believe it or not), we passed Bridal Veil Falls and Mom commented that she had always thought it was so gorgeous, if only she could get closer. So, I stopped at the park, and we hiked up there (which isn't really a hike at all, a nice paved path, if only all hikes were that easy), and let Landon play in the pool at the base of the falls. It really was gorgeous.

Being in Ohio the past couple of weeks has been so great. Landon has experienced so many firsts, so many things that I remember doing as a kid. It's been so much fun, but also a little sad, because I want so badly to be able to move back here and give him the kind of childhood I had, with lots of property to run around on, and the culture I grew up loving. It is a small consolation that we get to come back here relatively often, and seeing the joy my Mom gets from sharing these firsts with him is absolutely amazing.

His first new experience was riding a power wheel at my Mammal and Pappal's house. Some of you may know that my Pappal is a garage sale connoisseur, and spends each Thursday-Sunday scouring each home/yard/garage for diamonds in the rough that he takes home, shines up and sells again for profit. It's his retirement dream, and it's amazing the things he finds. He also feels a special kinship with Landon because he's his only great-grandchild, and Landon is his namesake (Pappal's first name, Thomas, is Landon's middle name). A few days before we got into town, Pappal found a powerwheels jeep (albeit a hot pink barbie one) at a garage sale for $40. He spent all week shining the thing up and said he wasn't selling it until after Landon went back home so that he could enjoy tooling around in it. I was super excited since we had been planning on purchasing one for him when we got back to town. Good think we got the sneak preview though, it saved us $300, since Landon wanted absolutely NO PART of driving the thing. He liked to sit in it, and LOVED to wash it, but when he pushed the pedal to make it move, it scared the heck out of him! Unless it was the hot pink Barbie intimidating him (lol). Here he is shining his wheels:

To Uncle Chucky's delight, he's also had his first taste of riding a bike. You may not know that my brother is a PHENOMENAL BMX bike rider. He was even sponsored for it a couple of years ago, he's so great. It's been his passion since we were kids, and my Mom let him build a 20 foot ramp in our yard. You should see the tricks he can do on it. Anyway, he's been wanting to get Landon a tricycle, but Pappal had 2 kids bikes he was shining up for sale at his house, and Landon couldn't wait to hop on, and be like Uncle Chucky. Then, yesterday evening, the neighbors (who have two grandchildren close to Landon's age) brought over a tricycle for him to borrow, but he wanted NOTHING to do with it, he wanted the "Big Bike," that they brought over, even though it was HOT PINK, and he couldn't reach the pedals. He wanted so badly to be like Uncle Chucky. So we let him go with it for the night, and after he fell asleep, I headed up to Wal Mart to get him a "real bike" a little more his size. He rode it today and had a BALL on it. He hasn't yet mastered the art of pushing the pedals, but his balance absolutely amazed me! I didn't hold him up on it at all, I just pushed the handlebars and he didn't fall down once (a feat he can't claim while walking on his own two feet)! It's definitely been one of the highlights of the trip so far, to see him on the bike, and to see how proud my brother is of him for it. The bond that the two of them have forged is really endearing.

He also had his first taste of REAL fair food (not the stuff that Utahns CLAIM is fair food), and although we got rained out before we could sample all of the delicacies, he did get his first elephant ear and he loved it! We also hit the hot tub today, and he can actually stand up in it now. How did my little guy get so big??

He's also learned how to feed the fish in my Mom's pond for the first time, and he LOVES it. Every night, before bed, he and my Mom take a long walk around the pond, and feed the fish, watch the frogs jump, and find the tadpoles. It's really sweet to watch them, and he gets so excited to see the fish jump, though the fish get a lot more food when he's not out there, since it's one bite of stale bread for the fish, one bite of stale bread for Landon. Mom even taught him how to handfeed the baby bluegill (of which there are HUNDREDS in there).

By far, MY favorite of his firsts has been teaching him how to roll down the hill. Such a simple pleasure, but we simply don't have the property for it at home. It's pretty hilarious to watch him roll down the hill, because he hasn't quite figured out how to keep his body straight, so he sits up after each roll and starts over. It's so funny, in fact I had to share the video with you. Don't mind my crazy hair, and Mommy voice though. I had just gotten out of the hot tub (where he and Lexi drowned me like a rat), and the Mom voice, well no excuses for that, it is what is. You also should know that my Mom didn't warn me she was videotaping, so I was having all kinds of side coversations with her.

Here's the link to the video:

http://s140.photobucket.com/albums/r9/kelleykj/?action=view¤t=July15083.flv

Well, I'm sure there's much more, but I'm all out of steam for tonight. I'll share some more when I get a chance, though. We're most excited that Jon comes into town on next Tuesday for a MUCH needed break. We can't wait to see him, and we have so many fun things planned while he's here (maybe not much of a break after all). Tomorrow is my brother's birthday, and he invited me to his birthday dinner with his girlfriend, which I thought was really great. It really touched my crazy, newly-sentimental Mom heart anyway, and we're going to his favorite restaurant, The Melt, so I'll be sure to give a review after that. Also, on Thursday night, I have the opportunity to follow my friend Michelle, who is an ER nurse at work. I'm really excited for the opportunity to evaluate the division of labor between the doctors, nurses and PA's, and hope to gain more insight on the never ending debate between nursing and medical school. Hope all is well with you all, can't wait for some more updates!

Making the Most of It!

2008-07-03T15:20:00.000-07:00

Well, we've only got one more day (today) here in Utah, before Mom, Landon and I head to Ohio, and we've really been making the most of our time!

On Saturday evening we went to The Living Planet Aquarium in Draper. It's pretty small right now, but they're planning to expand and become a really great aquarium in the future. It was the perfect size for an evening activity for Landon, and he LOVED it! Mom and Jon got to touch stingrays and starfish, and all kinds of stuff, and Landon's favorites were the sharks! When they swam by he'd say "Where the shark go?" It was so cute. It also provided some great photo ops:

After the aquarium, we went to dinner at this really AWESOME restaurant called "The Mayan" at Jordan Commons. The food was pretty dismal, but the restaurant was unbeatable. There was this HUGE mountain in the middle, with a little lake around it, and people in native dress dove off the cliffs, probably 20 feet, into the water below. It was a really neat show, and well worth the yucky food.

Here we all are at dinner:

On Monday, Nick was nice enough to take us all boating, and what a time it was! It was Landon's first time on a boat, and I was a little nervous about how he'd do, but he really LOVED it (until Nick took him in the lake, a little farther from the boat than he wanted to go). He smiled and laughed, and looked adorable! He even fell asleep in Mom's arms a couple times, which he hasn't done since he was about 6 months old! I even learned to wakeboard, which was an absolute BALL, until Tuesday when every muscle in my body ached! Here's a couple of shots from our 6 HOURS on the lake. It should also be said that Josh did a fabulous job driving the boat when Nick and Jon went to surgery, and shuttled us around the lake like a pro!

I also wanted to brag on my wonderfully amazing husband for a second. On Tuesday afternoon Mom and I went to the mall, and Jon met us up there for dinner at Wingers. After dinner they kicked me out and stayed at the mall by themselves. When they returned home an hour later, Jon presented me with the Coach bag I'd been DREAMING OF and DROOLING OVER for a couple of months now. Just because! Turns out he asked my Mom as soon as she got here to scout out which one I'd like and let him know so he could surprise me. It was a truly great surprise, and I absolutely LOVE it, I could have never brought myself to spend that kind of money on myself, and I thought it was so sweet that Jon did that for me, just because. This is my new purse:

We hope you all have a great, safe 4th of July weekend. Enjoy yourselves and all of those "legal" fireworks! I'll be gone 19 days before Jon meets me in Ohio on the 22nd, so if you get a chance, give him a call and make sure he's surviving. He'll likely be found napping and playing the Wii, grateful not to have me nagging him about either. But I think he'll secretly be a little lonely, and would love to hear from you all!

Really Quick Update

2008-06-18T12:38:00.000-07:00

Sorry guys, I haven't been very diligent keeping this blog up recently. I have a final this afternoon (one that I SHOULD be studying for right now...STILL a procrastinator), so I'll make this a really quick update.

We picked my Mom up from the airport on Sunday, and Landon is just having a BALL with her. He's spoiled already and it's only been a few days! She gets a kick out of the littlest things with him, and it makes me feel good to see how much joy he brings to her life.

Jon has been very busy at work, and sick, to boot. He FINALLY seems to be over that hurdle, but was stuck in surgery until 4:30 this morning, and we all know that lack of sleep doesn't do much to aid in healing the body.

After my final this afternoon, I will be officially DONE with school until the Fall. I can't WAIT. I really do love school, but I'm in need of a serious break, and Ohio will be just what we need. Landon and I will fly back with my Mom on July 4th (we leave at 6 am, so we'll be there in plenty of time for fireworks), and Jon will join us on the 22nd. Then, we'll all stay until August 3rd. We have lots of fun things planned, with my brother, and the rest of my family, and I'll be sure to updat with lots of pics while I'm there.

I don't have any pictures to add today, they're on my Mom's camera and I don't have the cord on me at the moment, but I promise to add some soon!

My 20 wishes!

2008-06-08T21:55:00.000-07:00

Camille just made a great post, asking us to post our 20 "wishes," and while mine won't be nearly as pretty as hers (I told you I haven't figured out those technologically savvy details yet) I thought it was a great idea!

1. For Landon to always know that his parents are there for him no matter what, no matter where.
2. To grow really, really, really, old with Jon. Like wrinkly in our rocking chairs old, and to still really, really, really love each other, like drive to Dairy Queen in a blizzard love.
3. To take Landon to Disney World in Florida.
4. To be more patient and kind.
5. To make phenomenal cakes, like Duff Goldman on Ace of Cakes.
6. To strike a balance between my professional dreams and my family dreams, finally putting to rest the medical school vs. PA school debate.
7. To keep a 4.0 the rest of my time in school (including Grad school).
8. To make it to Ohio at least 2 times every year.
9. To make sure my friends know how much they mean to me, no matter how far apart we are.
10.To make my husband feel like he's the best thing that ever happened to me, because he is.
11.To catch up, and keep up, on my scrapbooking. Anna-Bannana is helping me with this.
12. To go horseback riding for an entire day (assuming someone else is cleaning up the mess).
13. To one day own a home with as much land as we had as kids, so Landon can build forts, and hide in the woods, and have trampolines, and pools, and everything else that comes along with small-town childhood.
14. To make sure Landon and his Uncle Chucky are always close.
15. To go camping as a family, FINALLY. (we've been SAYING we're going to do this for 3.5 years now)
16. To sell our house...soon. And to find one we really love in the location we want.
17. To have more faith.
18. To take Landon to as many awe-inspiring places as we can think of, just to see that look on his face.
19. To be a surgeon (yep, still on the list)
20. To be a really great Mom, the kind of Mom that I had, and still have.

Okay, now it's YOUR turn, I want to hear all of YOUR guys' 20 wishes!

Happy Summer!

2008-06-07T16:40:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I finally have a few minutes to get this thing rolling again! Amanda put the bee in my bonnet, since I so enjoy reading her updates and seeing all of their new adventures. Though I will admit, I haven't gotten all the technological stuff figured out yet.

Well, this week it finally feels like summer! Today started off cold and dreary, but wound up being a gorgeous afternoon! After shopping all week for a new mattress for Jon and I (which we so desperately need), we ended up purchasing....a BOUNCE HOUSE! Seems that each time we're searching for something for us, we end up purchasing something even better for Landon. I suppose that's what parenthood is all about, though.

Landon had a BALL! And so did Jon. He had originally been a little hesitant to spend $200 on a toy, but by the end of the afternoon, he was thanking me for the great idea. We played on it for 2 hours this afternoon, and it was just the pick-me-up Landon needed! He's been sick the past two days, and he's all but lost his voice today! It was so cute (and a little sad) to see him laughing, but only hear him squeak!

Well, Jon has just finished our burgers (BBQing DEFINITELY makes it feel summery, even though we do it all year long), and I'd better get them while they're hot. I'll leave you a few (okay a TON) of great pictures from our day!