Stuck in the Wall

We had a wonderful Christmas this year. The girls were spoiled with Wii games, guitars and drawing stuff and Taylor got his "dinosaur Roooaaarr!" I love the holiday season but it's also nice when it's over and we can get back to normal. The house always feels much bigger after the tree and decorations are put away.
This year, I worked a half shift on Christmas Eve (it's hard to say no to time and a half) and when I got home at 12:30, Ryan was in Taylor's room because he had been crying. When I walked in, all Taylor would say is

"stuck in the wall, stuck in the wall".

Ryan and I had no idea what he was talking about so we calmed him down and put him back to bed. He did this all night long, waking up 2-3 more times. Each time, he would say the same thing

"stuck in the wall, stuck in the wall".

The next morning Ryan and I were talking about this and Kelsi overheard us. She started to giggle a bit and says "oops". Apparently, she went into Taylor's room the night before and had told him a story. At some point in the story, she told Taylor that Santa was stuck in the wall and he wouldn't get unstuck until he was asleep...

I have decided that Kelsi is no longer allowed to tell bedtime stories!

Snowy Days

I have to say that

I love the snow

Of course there are stipulations to this...
I love the snow when I don't have to drive in it and I can sit inside and watch it fall. The kids just love to play in it. It must be a sign of my age but I just don't get the thrill of being that cold anymore!
We had a huge storm here this week and of course the kids were happy little penguins playing in it. I however was not top thrilled when it took me an hour to drive a 5 mile round trip to pick the girls up from school. Thankfully, none of us have school for 2 weeks and we can just relax and enjoy the holidays. I have included some pics of the kids bundled up and playing in the snow-


The girls making snow angels


Apparently, they are making a snow horse LOL!


Taylor, like most kids, feels that snow is a great snack. Why is this an inborn trait?

Jessica's 7th Birthday

Today is Jessica's 7th birthday. It's amazing how quickly they grow up. She was very excited to have her very first friend birthday party. We went with the Tinkerbell theme. We made fairy crowns, did face painting and played games. Overall, I think it was a big success. I'll throw some pictures on the bottom of this post.

On to Jessica...
Born at 9:30 at night, on the same day that her Grandpa was in the same hospital passing a kidney stone
Jessica loves to read and color
She enjoys playing dress up and anything with Tinkerbell in it, her fairy name is Jessibell
Favorite color: Pink and Purple
Favorite singer: Hannah Montana
Favorite school subject: Reading
Favorite vacation: Disneyland
Favorite holiday: Christmas
Favorite movie: Tinkerbell or any Barbie movie
Favorite food: Spaghetti and meatballs
Favorite books:anything silly
Favorite activity: dress up and playing outside

Happy birthday cutie!


Opening presents


This is the class monkey Max. The girls thought it was very funny to put a fairy crown and glitter on him. They were very excited to take him back to school on Monday to see what the boys in the class thought about Max going to a girl's party (notice Taylor in the background is also wearing a crown and by the end of the party he was totally girlie- Ryan was so proud LOL)

Santa Claus

We took the kids to the mall over the weekend to see the Big Man. At first Taylor was very reluctant about sitting on Santa's lap. You would ask him if he was going to go see him and he would say, "no, no, no anta" Thanks to Kelsi, he changed his mind and decided that "anta" is pretty cool. Kelsi even convinced him to talk to Santa and tell him that he wanted a dinosaur- course he says dinosaur while growling like one LOL! The only downside for the kids was that they were not running the train- a plus for Ryan and I since it was $3 a kid to ride in a circle. So instead the kids rode the toy bus- with Taylor driving. Onto the pictures...


Taylor waiting in line saying "cheese"


The kids with Santa


Riding/driving the bus

Festival of Trees

I love this time of year. One of my all time favorite things to do is to go to the Festival of Trees. The trees always amaze me and the event in itself is a truly incredible one; every tree is donated, every tree is purchased at an astronomical price, and every penny, including admission, is donated to Primary Children's Hospital. I can't think of a more worthy cause, especially at this time of year. I had the opportunity to create one of these trees a few years ago and it takes a huge amount of time and effort but it was all worth it. So, onto the pictures...

The girls with a Disney tree- one of my favorites of course


The girls with a full size Mr. Grinch


The sign next to the Grinch, a quote from the movie- I just might have to make one of these (after school, of course)





The statues this year were amazing- I especially loved the one of Mr. and Mrs. Claus dancing- This is how I have always imagined them


This is a gingerbread house, It was absolutely amazing! I could not believe the detail and size of it. I had never seen anything like it before. Wouldn't be amazing to have that kind of a talent?



And finally, Twilight trees for all of the fans out there. The one was cool because it was a Cullen Christmas and had presents under the tree for each of the Cullens.

Hope you enjoyed the pics- have a Happy Season!

Tub time for Taylor

I have always been fond of bath time photos of my kids. There is something to be said for a happy kid that is momentarily clean, playing in the water. Taylor has decided that this is his most favorite thing to do. Every chance he gets, he asks for a bath and will even ask right after he gets out. I guess it's good that he likes to be clean. Enjoy the pics... I'm sure I will use them later in his life as bribery! (The butt shot is my favorite)

I am so very Thankful...

I love this time of year. It has cooled off and the leaves are beautiful, it's football season and the holidays force us to take time out of our busy schedules to spend more time with those that we love. (just don't forget the football :O) So, true to the holiday, today I want to share those "little" things in my life that I am thankful for- keep in mind that although they may be small, my world would be unbearable without...
the "Love you"s I get from Taylor
the fact that I cannot remember the last time I had to do laundry
the girls clean room, well at least they're trying harder
the joy on my kids face when I give them a treat
the "mom, wait, I need a hug before you leave"
the thank yous, welcomes, and pleases that my kids say without thinking
the way my kids love to play with each other
the "boo" I get when ever I go to get Taylor from his nap
the text message from Ryan that simply says, "I love you"
the smiles on my girls faces when they bring home good grades
the help that Kelsi gives me with Taylor when I am tired
the words "I'm proud of you" every time I see my Dad
the way that Jessica plays hide and seek with Taylor
the way that dinner suddenly appears on a plate next to me when I am busy studying
the fact that my kids are always clean and well taken care of- even though I'm not sure how they got that way
the Sunday dinner that my Mom lovingly prepares each week for all of us
the fact that my brother is willing to leave weird messages on my face book wall
the home that we live in... it may be small and messy but there is love between the walls
the "mom, can we talk" the I hear from Kelsi
the squeals of delight from Taylor when I pick him up from the babysitters
the "mom guess what I did today" that Jessica always says
the smack on the head from the remote on Sunday morning because Taylor got past Ryan's defenses and snuck into my room to find me
all of the "I love you"s that I get to hear because I am lucky enough to be their Mommy

Only Four More Years...

When I heard this story, I couldn't stop laughing... it's amazing the insightful things our children can come up with.
The girls have been participating in the elections through school and Ryan and I had been talking to them about the political process and why we were voting in certain ways. Fast forward to the day after the election... Jessica was at my mom's house that morning waiting for the bus. She was in mom's den, feeding the fish, when she turned and said, "Grandma, I'm sad" My mom immediately asked her why and this was her response- "I just don't know if I can last through the next four years!" A little confused my mom questioned her further and discovered that she was (in her words), "very concerned about the next four years with Barrack Obama as the president" She left the room stating, as she shook her head, "I guess it's only four more years" My mom said that she couldn't help but laugh and my brother, who was in the room at the time, has decided this will be his new slogan in life, "It's only four more years..."

My Snowy Adventure...

So, this is my newest story to add to the list. It goes something like this...
I signed up a couple of weeks ago to take my LPN boards (did I mention this costs $300?). Yesterday morning I set my alarm for 6:20 am and groaned when it went off. After dragging myself out of bed, I dressed in my comfy clothes and headed to the door. It was at this moment that I realized that it was snowing. Of all days for the first snowfall, why this one?!? I trudged outside, thankful that I had given myself extra time. As I got onto the freeway, it was obvious that nothing had been plowed and that traffic was going to be a nightmare. My appointment was set for 8 am... after an hour on the road and Ryan calling with periodic traffic updates, I finally give in and called the n-clex boards hotline. I only had a 1-800 number that sent be to some operator back East... I explain that I'm stuck in traffic, in a blizzard. He proceeds to tell me that it's too late to reschedule my exam- "no, no, no" I say, "I don't want to reschedule, just let you know I'm going to be late." He states "oh, well I can't help you with that, you'll have to call the local testing center." With my teeth clenched and hands tightly griping the steering wheel I ask for the number since I'm driving in a snowstorm, on the freeway. Give or take five minutes he says to me, "do you have a pen and paper so you can write down this number?" Once again, teeth clenched and hands turning white from gripping the steering wheel, I say, "why no, I don't have a pen and paper due to the fact that I'm driving on the freeway in a snowstorm!" He pauses, "oh just give me the number already!!!" Long story short, I call the local office and they tell me to drive safely, they'll work me in when I get there. After an hour and twenty minutes of driving, I finally arrive and go into to register to take my boards. I'm actually relieved to have arrived in one piece and feel no anxiety towards the actual test. I walk in and an hour walk back out after answering 85 questions. Those of you that have taken boards will understand that this means one of two things: 1. I passed the boards with no problems or 2. I failed the boards in a horrible way and should possibly reconsider my career path. Thankfully, the department of professional licensure likes to give test takers ample time to consider this- 24 hours later, the results are in... according to DOPL I am an active Licensed Practical Nurse able to practice in the State of Utah! Whew! I did it! One step down... I am now officially a Nurse!

HaLlOwEeN- spooooky

I love the fall and the cooler temperatures. This fall has been wonderful for that and last night was no exception. The weather was perfect for trick or treating and the kids had a lot of fun. I was very surprised that both of my girls chose to be scary this year instead of beautiful princesses. Kelsi was a ghoulish ghost, Jessica was the corpse bride and Taylor was a dragon (with growling noises, just ask him and he'll tell you). It was a fun night. Now we just have the weeks ahead of regulating candy intake!

Grandma's Obituary

Dawna Randall Adamson

Dawna Randall Adamson died Tuesday October 21, 2008 at her daughter's home in Orem, Utah, and has returned home to her Heavenly Father.

She was born October 22, 1924 in Burlington, Big Horn, Wyoming to Wilford Trane and Mary Carling Neves.

Dawna married Floyd E Randall June 28, 1941 in Pleasant Grove. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. They were blessed with six children. After the passing of her husband Floyd, she married Jesse LeGrand Adamson from Highland, widower, and father of five children, on September 8, 1979 in Provo. Together they served three LDS missions in Ireland, England, and Scotland. Dawna was well know for her love of music, kindness, and her service as a Temple Worker in the London, Provo, and Mt. Timpanogos temples.

She is remembered and loved by eleven children: Larry N Randall (Beth); Dennis F Randall (Linda); Anita Carter (Ned); Stephen W Randall (Linda); Michael J Randall; and Dawna Johnson (Boyd); Stephen L Adamson (Jane); Eric B Adamson (Yvonne); Mac J Adamson; Loraine A. Fackrell (Brent); and Joel D Adamson (Kay). She has 54 grandchildren, 92 3/4 great-grandchildren, and 11 great-great-grandchildren.

A viewing is scheduled on Friday, October 24, 2008 from 6-8pm, at the Highland 7th Ward Chapel, 5212 W. Country Club Dr., Highland, UT. At the same chapel, there will also be a viewing from 9:30-10:30 am Saturday October 25th followed by funeral services which will begin at 11 am. Burial will be at the Pleasant Grove Cemetery. Flowers will be received at the 7th Ward Chapel starting at 5 pm Friday and 8 am on Saturday.

Grandma Adamson

Last night, as I was starting my shift at work, I received the phone call that my Grandma had died. We were expecting this, but I have to say that it still makes my heart ache to know that she is gone. I am very thankful that her suffering was short and that she is now back with those that she has not seen for a very long time.
Last night was very special for me. Grandma died at my parents house and because of that we were able to spend a lot of time with her before she was taken to the funeral home. I never thought that it would be comforting to me to help clean and dress her body but it was. To me, it felt like the ultimate and final act of service that I could do for her. The hospice nurse was wonderful as she helped me and my aunt clean and dress Grandma in her favorite pajamas. She was now in peace and we were able to gather around her and say our goodbyes.
I have many, many fond memories of my grandma, as do my children. She has always been a vital part of my life. From staying at her home over the summer to living with her during school, Grandma was always there to help out. Even these last two weeks have been full of memories and I was very thankful that my children were able to spend time with her before she passed.
Ironically, today is her 84th birthday. Grandpa had told her that she would live to be 84- this always made her sooo mad at him- but he was right. She lived all of her days to her 84th year. I know that they are having a huge party for her today in heaven. There is no doubt in my mind that she was greatly anticipated there and that there is a wonderful reunion occurring.
Burying Grandma this weekend will be difficult- it's always hard to say good-bye- but it gives me great comfort to know that she is on the other side waiting for us and that she will always be there to act as my angel, just like she did when she was alive.

LPN Graduation

It is actually official now... I have graduated with my Licensed Practical Nurse. Now, back to school on Monday to finish the Registered Nurse. It was a nice stepping stone and gave me a real sense of achievement to walk across that stage... there really is an end in sight! On to the pictures-


Taylor waiting patiently to see mommy


The entire graduating class- this includes all of AmeriTech's programs; RN, LPN, Dental Tech, Massage Therapist, Medical Assistants, etc.


My incredibly proud Dad- he missed a fishing trip for this- Thanks Dad!


Our LPN speaker, Merrie Parrish


Receiving our diplomas, or rather a nice quote in a diploma cover... guess we have to pick up the real thing at school, go figure.


Our wonderful professors, although they can get very boring and/or crazy at times!


Me and Taylor


Me and my cohort in trouble, Shanda

Fun Tag

Here's a tag passed to me by my friend Christy. And I pass it on to all of you, it's a fun one.

Someday: I will be an RN

I usually: spend time with my family on Sundays

I wonder: if I will ever travel to Europe

I regret: not going back to school sooner

I love: Ryan, Kelsi, Jessica, and Taylor

I care: about people... that's why I'm becoming a Nurse

I always: want to be a good person

I am not: a good housekeeper (thank goodness for Ryan)

I remember: the moment my kids were born and how special it was each time

I believe: that I am living my own Happily Ever After... even when everything doesn't go perfectly

I dance: with my husband in the kitchen, late at night after the kids are asleep

I sing: in the car constantly

I don’t always: control my temper like I should with my kids

I argue: with my teachers over test answers all the time... sometimes it pays off, sometimes it doesn't- it all depends on how good my reasoning is.

I write: on my blog, in my books, and on handouts all day loooong

I lose: my mind by the time each semester ends

I wish: I could go to Disneyland this weekend

I listen: to my husband... he usually makes me feel better about things after we talk

I don't understand: why I have to figure out IV drip rates when the sigma pump will do it for me.... stupid N-clex world

I can be found: at school three days a week, at work three days a week and at home the rest of the time

I am scared: about how much we will be paying back in school loans

I need: a private investor to pay off those school loans LOL!

I forget: what it is like to have free time

I am happy: when I get to sit on the couch with my family and just veg

Taylor's 2nd Birthday

Hooray for birthdays! Today is our baby's birthday. It's hard to believe that he has reached the magical, difficult age of two. Seems like the time has really flown. I have to say that I never really believed people when they told me how different boys and girls were- Taylor has made me a believer! He is so different than the girls. In one instance he can go from being a total stinker to being a little flirt. He constantly keeps me on my toes! I love that he is always so willing to cuddle and hug- and then run off and wreck havoc somewhere else in the house! The one thing that I have to say about Taylor is he has an amazing ability to love. I have never known a 2 year old that was so quick to say sorry, thank you or ask "OK?" if he senses that something is wrong. I am thankful everyday that we made the decision to have him. Taylor adds a very special aspect to our family and he is definitely worth his weight in gold! (Even with all 12 kidney stones that I passed as a result of his pregnancy!)
-In the picture with him raising his hands, he's saying "touchdown!"

The Writing IN the Wall

Ryan has finally had enough time this weekend (due to the BYU football bye-week) to take out the really weird indoor sliding glass door and replace it with a wall. I decided that we should make it fun for the girls since it is the wall going into their bedroom- hence the writing IN the wall. The neighbor kids helped too. It was funny to hear them say things like "In a million years when someone takes down this wall, they're going to find our names!"
The little neighbor boy drew us a skeleton too (it's almost Halloween) So now instead of skeletons in the closet, they're in the wall! I guess that's a better way to keep them from coming out at awkward times!
When it's completely finished (mudded and painted) I will post a before and after so that you can truly appreciate the significance of an indoor sliding glass door. Very odd if you ask me! (thankfully the landlord agrees)

Hubby Tag

hubby tag

Once again...a fun tag for all of you to enjoy.

1- Where did you meet? This is still a constant debate for us- however, I'm writing this so you get my version... we met when one of my best friends in high school took him to a dance. The sad thing is, that I helped the friend "flip" his room to ask him- the room was a complete mess when we were done! Anyone that knows Ryan knows that he is a total clean freak and I'm sure that he literally flipped when he saw his room that day. (he claims we had met at church before this, I don't remember that)

2- How long did you date before you were married? dating is such a relative term- Ryan claims we never dated, just decided to get married. He was home from his mission for 8 months when we were married and we have known each other since I was 15.

3- How long have you been married? 10 glorious years

4- What does he do that surprises you? hmmm... not much- I know him pretty well.

5- What's your favorite feature about him? his sense of humor

6 - What's your favorite quality about him? I love that he is such a good dad and an incredibly understanding husband (think nursing school)

7- Does he have a nickname for you? What is it? not really- he calls me sweetie a lot

8- What's his favorite color? not red LOL I would guess blue

9- What's his favorite food? he's a meat and potatoes kind of guy.

10-What is his favorite sport? Mainly football, but anything that can be viewed on ESPN 1, 2, 3, or 4 is fair game.

11- Who said I love you first? hmmm... debatable again. I told him that he was loved and he said "well, you are too" and I replied "really?" and he said "yea, I think so" LOL- you decide

12- When and where was your first kiss? In the first house that he had built after his mission. It had a nice romantic glow from the prison.

13-Do you have kids? How many? we have 3 kids- 2 girls and a boy

14- What's a hidden talent that he has? he's an amazing seat dancer- he refuses to dance in public but he sure is good at it as he drives down the road

15- How old is he? 32 (almost 33)

16- What's his favorite type of music? Metallica- when Kelsi was a baby she used to calm down to Metallica, sad I know

17- What do you admire most about him? the ability to laugh at things and be a great dad

18-What's his favorite past time? ESPN 1, 2, 3, and 4

19- Do you think he is going to read this? I bet he will- especially when I tell him it's here

So as far as tagging- do this if you want. It would be fun to learn more about the other halfs

An End In Sight

I have to say that I am really starting to see the "light at the end of the tunnel!" Today was the last day of my LPN clinicals and I have finals on Mon and Tues. This will mark the end of my LPN semesters and I will get to graduate on October 17. Hooray!! Granted there is still a lot of work left to do- two semesters worth- but I am really starting to feel like this goal is obtainable and eventually not everything in life will revolve around school and homework. Graduation will be an exciting day just because I think it will make things seem more real. 'Course so will that little license when I pass the LPN boards. (the pay-raise helps too!) So, no stress over the next week- I just have to pass my finals and then I will be able to feel a great sense of accomplishment!

Picture Tag!

Tagged by Krista (thanks!)
Read after the last picture to see if you've been tagged....The rules are you have to take 10 pictures of the following things and you have to do it right away. No straightening, cleaning or wiping your child's nose (I mean it!). Then you tag six others.
So... Ryan's comment was- What are you doing?!? And then he just laughed and told me to tag Marshall LOL!

1- Kids... The girls are playing on the computer (Jessica is waiting for her turn), Taylor has learned to say cheese LOL and then Jessica had to pose again because she realized that I was taking pictures and she wanted more of a spotlight then what she already had!




2- Bathroom... well it didn't specify which bathroom so I chose the cleaner of the two! (Thanks to Kelsi)


3- Closet... Thankfully I unpacked all of the boxes in front of the closet yesterday so that it could even be opened... what you're not seeing is that the one side goes waaay back and is full of crap!


4- Shoes... I LOVE my tennies! I have had them for about 4 years now and they probably need to be replaced- but why replace what works great?


5- Self portrait... I tried to take it myself and failed miserably! Ryan just laughed and took it for me... yes, I did work last night and yes, I do wear glasses when I'm too lazy to put in the contacts


6- Laundry Room... It's small but it gets the job done


7- Kitchen Sink... This made me wonder what the bucket was for- hmmm... the sad thing is that everyone I asked had no idea what it was for or why it was there- Mr. Ididn'tdoit strikes again!


8- Fridge... Wow! There's actually some food in there! Maybe I should cook something this week and give the drive through people a break! (gotta love Nursing School)


9- Favorite Room... Well, I can't say that I have a favorite room but I have a favorite person and he is in this room so let's call it my favorite room for now! Ryan even looked away from the big screen long enough to smile!


10- Dream Vacation... if you know me at all, you will be able to guess this one! Anything Disney! This last Christmas we went with my brother and his kids and my mom and dad. This was great funa nd it was great to spend Christmas together in a magical place.


Holy Crap! That took forever to blog! Now comes the fun part, I get to tag 6 people to do the same... hmmmm.... I choose:
Kim Johnson, Christy Boden, Marshall and Nany (thank Ryan), JoLynn Greenwood, Hollie Greenwood, and Kimberlyn Roundy
Have a great time- it was a lot of fun to do!