Ashleigh got a hair cut!

When Ashleigh was 3 she got a hold of some scissors and cut off a whole bunch of her hair. We couldn't hide the damage, so we had to get all her hair cut really short. I HATED it, but both Nick and Quinn (who was living with us at the time) loved it. I couldn't wait for it to grow out....
No, this is not the new haircut--see the date on the picture??? It's from 2006...
In 2 years it grew from her shoulders to her waist. I LOVE her long hair, but it really was looking scraggly and dead at the bottom...


So I started putting the idea in her head to get it trimmed....she really did not want it done (she always beams when someone compliments her on how LONG her hair is), but soon she changed her mind and after few phone calls to family members to do it (and a cancellation) we decided to just follow the "recommendation" from Laurie's blog and we went to Cookie Cutters Haircuts in Draper. If you didn't read Laurie's blog about Conner's haircut you should--this place is AMAZING!!! It's small, but is so child appropriate! There was a play place to keep Preston occupied while Ash was getting her hair cut. Ashleigh chose to watch Cinderella and decided to sit in the pretty pink car all while getting her hair cut.
The lady looked to me to see how I wanted Ashleigh's hair, but I told her that it is ALL Ashleigh's choice....I gave Ashleigh completely free reign on how short or long she wants her hair. My only criteria was that they do NOT give her bangs.

I was very happy with the length that she chose...


Had to get a picture of Preston---CHEESE!!!
At the end they gave both her AND Preston a balloon and a sucker. What fun!!!

And here's the final result! What do you think??? It's unanimous--we all LOVE it!!!

Is it Sunday? Yup...never fails...

Since Ashleigh was 2 she's has some breathing problems. Every year from about October to May she is "sick" pretty much weekly with a bad cough. Her various doctors have told us numerous times that she is not sick-she is not contagious-she just has a cough. Something in her lungs reacts badly when the weather starts getting cold.

It seems inevitable that her cough ALWAYS gets worse on Saturday afternoon/evening. Last night was no exception-although her cough has started about 3 weeks earlier this year than in years past. The problem is, her cough doesn't seem to bother her much, but it ALWAYS keeps Nick up at night (I can sleep through anything) and it usually wakes up Preston. So this morning when I got home from work at 4am Nick was in Ashleigh's room giving her her breathing treatments. She was happy and wide awake and not phased at all by her constant cough. Nick looked tired and not quite annoyed, but frustrated just the same that her cough is back for another year. Preston-amazingly was still asleep. So, after being up all night we ended up not making it to church...we always try...but the lack of sleep usually overcomes us and we can't do anything except for close our eyes and let sleep take over. Today, I slept until 3pm and then Nick went to sleep at 4 and here it is 7 and he's still asleep....I'll let him sleep as long as possible.

Each year-we've been told-could be the last year that she has these problems. That she may grow out of it by next year...but each year it comes back and we have sleepless nights 4-5x/week for the next 6+ months. My wonderful husband takes the worst of it--he's usually the one who wakes up every hour or two during the night to do her breathing while I sleep soundly and deeply in the next room barely aware that anything is going on around me...Poor Nick!

My task tonight when I go to work is to buy a few warm air humidifiers and a few boxes of Kleenex. I have to get her checked out by her doctor AGAIN--just to make sure AGAIN that it's not contagious. Then I have to call her school, tell them what's going on and get their opinion about her missing school or not...Then we have to get back on our schedule of 3x/day sitting in the bathroom while the hot shower is going--breathing in the hot air, then doing her breathing treatments every 2-4 hours (during the night too), and during the day trying to keep her calm--much less playing-so that her lungs don't spasm out of control which makes her coughing worse. *SIGH* It's really times like these when I am very grateful that Nick and I are DONE having anymore kids!!!

Amelia's baby blessing and family gathering

On Preston's actual birthday we went to church at my brother Kevin's ward to see his newest baby girl-Amelia-get blessed. This weekend was so full of spiritual events...we just loved it!

Nick and Ryan

Lots of people to celebrate the blessing, Kevin's birthday, and Preston's birthday

My wonderful sister Tamsen with the star of the show--Amelia Suzanne.

Nick, Kevin, and Jana's brother Ryan

Does Nick look bored? Well, he's not...he's very intently looking at how his fantasy football team is doing (not good). Isn't he cute?!?

My mom Suzanne, Amelia, and Ashleigh

Ashleigh holding Amelia...

My brother Ryan and his cute wife Sara. They came down from Syracuse (and hour north) for the weekend...it was so nice to have them here.

My dad was holding Amelia and she just started going to town on his finger. Babies are so funny!


how many people can gather around a lap top and still see? 9 people, apparantly. ;-) They were watching something funny on YouTube.

Fun Pix

Preston

Ashleigh

Play time with daddy....

Sheridan's baptism

On Saturday we had the opportunity to go see my nephew Sheridan get baptized! Sheridan is my brother, Kevin and his wife, Jana's oldest child. It was a really spiritual baptism. I feel very blessed to have been able to go.

Some of my family members...waiting for Sheridan and Kevin--after the baptism.

My cousin Christina, my mom, and my nephew Nathan is in front.

My beautiful sister Jana....You could totally see how proud she is of Sheridan!


That's Sheridan--in the middle.... and getting confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. :)
Of course, I had to get the hugging daddy pictures after the blessing

Lots of people came to see Sheridan get baptized... what a special occasion!

And last but not least...the father/son picture.

Happy 2nd Birthday Preston!!!

On Sunday the 14th it was Prestons birthday. My side of the family had other festivities planned for Saturday and Sunday so we decided to have Nick's family over for a very small casual birthday party for Preston on Friday the 12th. It was so nice and so relaxing. Preston had just woken from his nap when the family had arrived so he was a bit of a grump, but soon warmed up when he was able to open his gifts.

(Please excuse the excess of pictures!)

I bought a "birthday boy" pin and put it on his back cause he wouldn't let me put it in the front...


so excited...we got him a little tykes basketball hoop and a couple of balls. (Including a Spongebob ball....)

Nick family got Preston a Radio flyer trike. It's SO cute! I've been lusting after it since about March when I first noticed them at Wal-mart. I'm so glad Preston has a "bike" now.


His favorite part is the trunk...he spend almost 30 min the other day just putting stuff in, then sitting on the bike, then getting off, taking it out, and then repeating the process over and over. It was frankly hilarious! At this point, he can't really ride it. he can reach the pedals just fine (pfew), but he pushes with both feet at the same time and hasn't quite figured out yet how to do one foot at a time. It's cute to watch him try though...and Ash just LOVES to push him in it.


Juli was SO sweet to offer to make Preston's birthday cake. She is MUCH MUCH better at it than I am and so I was very happy to have her offer! It turned out so good...it's a basketball cake! I think I may "make" her do it every year! ;-)
We had the typical cake and ice cream, but I think I went a little overboard with the toppings...


And Preston is just like his grandma Call...he LOVES Meraschino cherries! (EW!) He ate about 1/2 the jar! Woah!

And his birthday party would not be complete with out playing in the box that his toy came in....

What a funny kid! :)