Update

Hmmm....not too much is going on that would take up a whole blog, but since I use this as my family journal, I guess I will just write an update on my kiddos and anything else I think of.

Since we got back from Park City, Nick and I have completely given up on ALL fast food (including pizza and sub sandwiches) and Soda. I have also given up junk food, sugar, and processed foods. Nick has been able to drop 5 lbs and I have dropped nearly 10 lbs. It's been a great change for us on the wallet and on the belly since our tummies are shrinking! :-)

PRESTON

Preston is completely potty trained, however, he still doesn't like to poop on the toilet, so we have to fight him to get him to go, but once he's on the toilet, He goes just fine. He has the typical "I don't want to leave what I'm doing to go potty cause I may miss something" syndrome, so we are helping him with that. He is a FUN kid--always saying amazingly funny things and making us laugh constantly. He's VERY dramatic, but not necessarily emotional, and he will repeat anything and everything he hears! He likes to say words correctly, so doesn't mind when I correct him over and over again when he says something incorrectly. (Ash used to cry when I would correct her) He is overly friendly and will strike up a conversation with anyone he meets. I don't mind for now, but I fear that one day he may "make friends" with a bad person! I need to keep my eye on that kid. We got a free DVD in the mail that I requested about 2 months ago--it's Team Geo Tracks movie (train cartoon similar in a way to Thomas the Train) Preston just LOVES the movie and for the last 3 days has talked of nothing else but getting "team Geo tracks" for Christmas. Everyday he asks if tomorrow is Christmas. It's pretty annoying, but so so cute. 2 days ago he found the pamphlet that has all the different Geo Tracks trains you can buy and he looked at that OVER and OVER and OVER the WHOLE day and kept showing me which one's he wants (he wants them all). I went to Walmart.com and found THIS that we're going to get him. It comes with everything in the picture. I know 1 train won't be enough though, so we'll look for more for Christmas. At least that boy is easy to shop for. He is becoming a pretty good eater, but still prefers junk food over anything else. He is SO easy to put to bed at night! Both kids know that bedtime is at 730pm (because of school), so when 730pm comes around, he goes potty, gets his PJ's on and gets in his bed. He'll then holler at us to get him some juice in a sippy and to tuck him in and that's it! We'll get a complaint from him maybe once a week that he's not tired and doesn't want to go to bed, and we just ignore him, and by 830pm, he's in bed anyway! He is such a good little boy....however....since being potty trained, he has decided that it is funny to show anyone and everyone his butt and penis. (yes, he knows the right word for his body parts! I don't believe in teaching them made up names!) sigh. We're trying to break him of that, but it's slow going. He usually does this little dance while shaking his butt at you, or chases after you holding his penis out in front of him like a sword like "It's gonna get you". It's pretty funny...but totally inappropriate, so like I said, we're trying to break him of it. If ever you see him do that to you, my apologies in advance...and try not to laugh, which really does encourage him!

ASHLEIGH

Ashleigh is almost 7 years old...I can hardly believe it! Her birthday is next month. She is truly a little mommy--always willing to help me with Preston, or household chores, or dinner, or laundry, etc. She is and has always been SO good...happy, helpful, loving, empathetic, friendly, etc. She really has no faults, as far as I can tell...except that occasionally she antagonizes Preston, and she is a messy kid--her room gets really messy the very next day after she cleans it-which drives me crazy! (nick and I are not very tidy people though, so I can't blame her too much) she makes friends with anyone else her own age, but is incredibly shy when meeting someone new! Completely opposite Preston. However, she is influenced by those around her--rarely is she the leader...which worries me a little. She'll copy what her friends do or say and she'll let them take the lead. We'll have to keep an eye on that as she gets older. She is ALL girl--loves earrings, rings, necklaces, getting her nails painted, getting me to curl her hair, etc. However, she prefers wearing pants rather than skirts or dresses. She Loves to ride her bike (we have to get her a new one next year--she has outgrown her current one-we'll get Preston one too) and play outside. She is very much in to Hannah Montana right now...very much, but is still young enough that she loves Disney/kid characters too--Tinkerbell, Cinderella, Aurora, Dora, etc. Nick asked her yesterday what she wants for her birthday and she said she hasn't even thought about it yet! What kind of kid isn't even thinking about what she/he wants for their birthday!?! I thought that was pretty strange... She and I will have to stroll through the Wal-mart and Toys R Us websites and see if anything jumps out at her. My problem with her is, she has SO much stuff, but rarely plays with anything longer than a week or so. She loves drawing and art stuff, so I am really trying to encourage her in that. Ash is taking Piano on Tuesdays at her aunt Jana's house and is taking Ballet on Thursday at a studio in Lehi. She loves them both and I think it's been a nice change for her from doing Gymnastics. Our rule is, once she signs up for an outside school class, she is committed to it for a whole year. After that, she can decided to keep doing the same thing, or try something new. But every year she has to take at least 1 outside of school class. I want her to explore all her options and see if there is something that may become a life long activity! In school she is also learning Spanish, Art, and Music, so she is getting influence by a lot of outside things other than just school work. She is GREAT at getting her homework done as soon as she gets home from school. We do math first and then reading. She is a very smart little girl and I love seeing how much she is progressing each day. She is in the 1st grade now--her teacher, Mrs. Clark, told me at our parent-teacher conference that Ashleigh is a GREAT example to the other kids in the class! She said Ash will be sitting in her seat at 8am with her hands folded on her table and she just watches the clock--at exactly 8:05, she'll raise her hand and get her teacher's attention and let her teacher know that it's time for class to start and to do the Pledge of Allegiance. That right there, is the epitome of who Ashleigh is. I am so incredibly proud of that girl and love her SO much!!!

MY KIDS...

I often wonder how different my life would be if Christian had lived...he would have turned 8 this year. I am pretty positive that we would not have had our 2nd child for at least 2-3 years if he had lived, and who knows if we would have had a 3rd child. I can't speculate too much...all I can say is, as hard as it was to lose my first born, I love ALL my kids and am so grateful for how things have worked out.

NICK

Nick is currently working at Wells Fargo in the call center--in-bound customer service for online accounts. He really loved his job at first, but it soon became so repetitive and really hard on his voice. He is talking on the phone for 10 hours a day with very short breaks in between calls--usually less than a minute break. That's got to be hard! He is still looking for another job. He has a very promising job interview tomorrow (please pray for him!!!). It will be more money than he is currently making, and the job is literally 5 min from our house! Right now he travels up to an hour each way to work. ick! But he works 4 10hr shifts so we get him home 3 days a week--which I love! I REALLY hope he gets this new job!!! It will be nice to have him so close to home.

MEGAN

I am still working nights at Wal-mart in Riverton. I have had a lot of challenges lately trying to get my current schedule to continue to be Ok with my "new" boss...things are still up in the air, but I am working really hard at transferring to the Saratoga Springs store which will be only 5 min from my house. Currently, I drive about 20 min to get to work...not too bad, but it would be great if I could work closer to home. I, for the most part, enjoy my job... but am really ready for a change. I have been working there for almost 2 years! There is just WAY too much drama there and I am tired of being in the middle of it. I too have been applying to all sorts of other jobs. Anything from working at the hospitals, to the airport, to call centers, to other grocery stores, etc... Just whatever tickles my fancy. We'll see if anything pans out. I love every second I get to spend at home with my kids and husband.

US

Nick and I had a rocky patch there for a while and it actually looked like our marriage was ending, but we pulled through and now we are stronger than ever and happier than ever! We are coming up on our 9th wedding anniversary in November. I am SO glad we get to celebrate it together rather than beginning our count of how long we have been divorced for. We are both taking time for each other more and showing our appreciation for the other person more, and I am definitely showing him that I am still his "girlfriend" rather than an old lazy wife. Nick has been incredibly loving and giving and complimentary to me which I love! We steal moments to reach out and hold each other's hands, and we are kissing way more and just being more affectionate in general. I LOVE our relationship now. As much as I hate that we had to go through the rocky patch, I am grateful for it cause it's reminded us how much we really do want to be married and how much we love and appreciate each other.

OTHER STUFF

My in-laws are moving near us, 1.9 miles away to be exact. I am SO excited to have them close by! Unlike a lot of wives, I LOVE my in-laws and can't wait to have them closer. They just signed the final papers to their new house today and I think they get the keys tomorrow! Nick is going to help them move this weekend. My mom-in-law Juli has always done a great job decorating her house, so I can't wait to see how she decorates this house. The end result is going to be great, I'm sure!

My sister, Emily is due to have her 3rd baby (girl) this month...in a couple weeks, actually. I am REALLY missing Vancouver right now and wish more than anything that I had a bunch of money laying around so I could go visit her and see the new baby. (And my friend Vanessa's baby who was born in July) It's been a year and a half since I was in Vancouver last, and I just REALLY miss it!

(Anyone want to donate to the "help Megan and kids go to Vancouver" fund?) :-)

I think that's about it for now...this has become a lot longer than I expected. Sorry if it bore you...like I said, this is mainly for my journal/memories. ;-)

Cheers!