Alaska or Bust!

Did you all know we are going to Alaska this summer? Jared and I made a few "Family New Year's Resolution" this year and one of them was to take a vacation and enjoy ourselves a little. So we are going to visit Steve and Cammie (Jared's brother and sister-in-law) who live up there with their baby, Logan, who is just a few weeks younger then Carson. I am really excited, I really love to travel. I always get a little jealous when I have to drop someone off at the airport because I want to go somewhere too! We are taking the kids and so I am a little nervous about that, but I am sure they will be okay and have a great time too (of course Carson laughs when he plays with paper, so I guess we don't need to fly him to Alaska to give him a good time).

Yesterday I found this great website ( www.alaskasview.com ) of a booking agent in Alaska that rents out condos and cottages for a few days at a time. It was a great find! So Cammie and Steve looked into it and now instead of staying in a motel for $250/night for one room - we are staying in a 3 bedroom apartment with a view of the water for $215/night. We will also have a kitchen and living room, so we can put the kids down for the night and have a place to hang out. Great find right!?

We are planning fishing, glacier tours, and a visit to the Iditarod Dog Sled Training Center and the Seward Sea Life Center (which I have been told I "CAN NOT MISS"). In the beginning stages of planning this trip we hit a rough patch and I was a little worried, but I glad to say we worked through it and I am really starting to get excited. So look forward to lots of fun pictures!

Carson's New Hobby

Carson's favorite thing to do now-a-days is to pee through his diaper. He is especially good at making sure his diaper is only minimally wet and only getting his clothes - his favorite time to do this is about a half an hour after I have just dressed him in a new outfit or in the middle of the night. I really don't know how he does it, but I am not lying his diaper is usually not even very wet. I promise I tape up both sides and make sure it is covering... he is a magician! Jared has his theories ... we won't go into those. I wish he'd take up his old hobby of pulling Emma's hair, that at least is easy to fix.

What I am Reading Now...

If anyone has talked to me in the last year they would not believe this next sentence... I am not a reader. Up until last August, I never looked forward to reading anything. If someone was to ask, what was the last book you read, I would have to list all of my dental hygiene textbooks. I always seem to have something else to do. Well when I read Twilight last August of course had to read the whole series. Then I loves those so much I think I read them 6 times just over and over again. After seeking professional help for my Twilight obsession (not really, even though some may think I need it) I told myself I had to read something else before I read them again. I started with The Complete Works of Jane Austen, which I of course loved almost every minute (I wasn't in love with the ending of Mansfield Park - I needed more). From there I have read a few others, including The Host By Stephenie Meyer (Twilight author). Now I am reading North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. It has a little Pride and Prejudice feel to it, with more politics. I am really enjoying it so far, I am about half way through and can't wait to finish because Sherrie has been suggesting this to me to read this forever and I can't wait to discuss!

So there you go... I AM A READER! I just had to find the types of books I really liked. But now I find that I prefer reading to TV (I know that is a funny statement, but now reading is my relaxing time, instead of TV). Jared tells me I am a little compulsive, because when I start to get into a book there are always at least one night where I stay up WAY too late for "just one more chapter." So if you are looking for a good book to read, try North and South. If that doesn't seem like your style call me and I have a ton to suggest!

PS: As I was writing this I realized that this is one of my talents! You know when you hear about talents like singing or dancing... this is one of mine. I don't have a lot that really work in a talent show (and neither would this), but I am not burying it and that means something!

Happy Father's Day!

Yeah - Today is Father's Day! Emma, Carson and I got Jared a tee time and gift certificate to Thanksgiving Point golf course and also arranged for Jared's Dad, Steve and Eric (his brothers) to get the same thing for their Father's Day gifts. So now on July 1st (when Steve is here from Alaska) Jared and his brothers and Dad will be golfing! I am glad it all worked out, I really love when Jared gets to spend time with his brothers and father. They are all so great. It's kinda funny, when the brothers are all together, they remind me of little boys playing and wrestling (they really do wrestle like kids) and joking with each other. It makes me happy to have such good friends as family. We also made a cute banner that says "We Love You Daddy, Happy Father's Day" and put in out on our garage... it is huge and I think made Jared a little embarrassed, but that made it even more fun!

So before I discuss Jared I want to say I have a wonderful Dad and Dad-in-law. I am really lucky to have two wonderful Dads in my life, who both love me and my children. They are both very different in their own ways, but each of them are such a wonderful support and source of help and example to me. I am truely happy to celebrate them this Father's Day!

Now, I am not a fan of reading or hearing other people gush over their husbands. I kinda think it is great you love your husband, but like love it should be between you and him! (just my opinion - nobody get offended by that, just know I skip over the gushy stuff on your blogs). So I am going to make this brief, but I am not downplaying Father's Day, I just think I will "gush" over him in private with our kids, not for all of you to read - like you care - be honest!

So here we go... Jared is a amazing Dad! I am not saying he's is perfect, he doesn't wake up at night, he is often M.I.A when a poopy diaper stinks up the house (when he reads this, he will say "I go to work - that isn't my fault" BUT STILL!) and thinks they need to "self entertain" more then I agree with - but overall he really rocks! Emma and Carson adore him (as do I)... I can spend all day with them singing songs, reading stories, taking walks, but when he walks in, their faces light up brighter then for anything I do. He is a very patient Dad and husband, he rarely gets mad and is totally a fun person to be around. He isn't the type of husband to "lay down the law" and understands and agrees that when we discuss things - we are just getting the others opinion and sometime deciding together, not asking permission. I love who he is and the kind of father he is. He may not be prefect but he is the PERFECT mix of super cool, super funny and a little dorky and he is the perfect husband for me (ask my parents, they are sure nobody would put up with me like he does) and the perfect Dad to Emma and Carson! I really couldn't be more in love!

Happy Father's Day Jared, Dad and Mike!

Dry Day!!!

Today is the first time in her WHOLE life that Emma woke up with a dry diaper, it happened in the morning and after her nap. She had absolutely NO accidents and even told me she had to go twice. Can you believe it, is this really working? I would love it if she really ended up potty trained! I will say today was only pee pee, no poo poo, so when that becomes an issue (probably tomorrow, for those of you who are interested), we may have more to deal with. Keep your fingers crossed, but so far we are making progress!

Getting So BIG!!!

Carson is growing up too quickly. He has been sitting up for about a month, but this last week he has really started to get comfortable with reaching out for things and playing around. He is so funny, EVERYTHING he can get his hands on goes directly into his mouth, I don't even try to stop him anymore, I just expect it.

Along with eating his toys, he is also eating more solids foods now. He nearly attacks the spoon as soon as it gets in about a 6 inch radius of his mouth.

He is talking a ton as well. He loves to have little conversations with us, if we say something he smiles and makes a little noise and then says "Baa" as his response. Along with talking more, he is also getting louder. I think this is in competition with Emma... we might have a problem on our hands.

I love to watch he and Emma together. They really love each other. I am really lucky, so far, Emma has shown no real signs of jealousy. Every morning when she wakes up she asks "is baby wake?" and if not she says "oohh" with a frown, but if he is, she says "I go see Baby" and nearly jumps into my arms to get out of her crib and runs to find him.

I love it. You just can't beat these kind of times!

Here We Go!!!

Potty training is on - we officially started Friday morning. She has gone on the potty a few times so far, but she has also had her share of accidents. But we are going to give it a go. We have been setting the timer and every 45 minutes or so we put her on. Sometimes she doesn't quite make it, but that's okay, she'll get it. I figure, it's Emma, she doesn't do anything easy... not sleep training, not getting rid of the binky, why would she not give me a run with potty training. I expect nothing less! But I am not giving up, I am going to give it my best try for the next week and a half (while I am off work) and see what comes of it. If we are still having a hard time by then, maybe I will give her a break and try again after Alaska. Wish me luck!

Potty Training

I have next week off work, so that means from Thursday of this week to Tuesday of 2 weeks from now I have off (11 days). I think that will be a great time to start potty training. I want to be able to be home as much as possible with her to start off. I NEED HELP! I don't really know how or what to do. If anyone has any suggestions or tips of how they potty trained their children, I would love to hear. Thanks!