The single most important thing we will ever do

I promised my sister in law, Sabrina, that I would write a post about our June Disneyland trip but, to be quite honest, I am still trying to process the whole experience of doing a giant Amusement Park with two little boys for an entire week. One day, I will buckle down and write it. Tonight is not the night though.

Luke and I have been married for five years September 5th. We have been together for 7 years come March. We have known each other for 15 years. He was my best friends twin brother, then my teenage crush, then my friend, then my pursuer, then my boyfriend, fiancé and husband. Now, my best friend and the father of my sons. The guy who knows me better than anyone on this Earth. And now, come September, he will be my eternal companion. I know some of my friends are not LDS/Mormon and don't exactly understand what I am talking about so I am going to attempt to explain in plain and basic terms.

My church believes that there are sacred acts and ordinances that we can perform in our most precious and sacred buildings we call temples. You've probably seen them since they are everywhere. Here are a few pictures of some of my favorite ones:

The Salt Lake City Temple. A powerful place!

My personal favorite, the Logan temple. I cannot tell you how many times I visited this place in college!

The Portland temple. The temple I attended from age 12 until 14, when the Medford temple was built.

The Medford temple. This is the temple my family and I will be visiting very soon!

 

Anyhow, here's a little back story. Luke was married in a temple once before when he was 18. The girl he married was unfaithful and they had a short marriage; they were divorced by 19, (I think he was almost 20.) When Luke and I got married, we were told that we would be married civilly, (by a man ordained to do and until "death do you part") and after a years time, we could be sealed in the Temple. I have always believed that God does not give us more than we can handle, but the next five years were very difficult for Luke and I. Now, Luke and I as a couple have been great. It's incredibly easy to be married to such an incredible person and we've had a very happy and successful marriage and life together. Each time we added to our family, we only grew more in love with each other and with our two most awesome kids. But, when it came to getting to the temple to be sealed, it was a huge challenge. It seems Satan was working on al the shortcomings and weaknesses of others and getting Luke's previous sealed cancelled so that he could be sealed to me was a trial. Through that, however, Luke's testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel and his own experiences, trials, sins and repentance, he became a pillar of light and love for the boys and I. You'd have a hard time finding a guy with a better knowledge of our church and it's history than Luke. Anyhow, May 5th, I received a letter from the First Presidency of our church, (for those who don't know, that is our Prophet and his disciples), saying that the cancellation was cleared and Luke and I could finally be sealed to each other and our boys. I collapsed in the porch chair and bawled. Finn even walked up to me and cupped my faces in his hands, asking if I was OK, (he's such a great kid.) Now that we have everything needed to perform this sacred ordinance, Luke and I are headed to Medford, OR to be sealed to each other and Finn and Dietrich.

Now, what does it mean to be sealed? I don't know all the details, seeing as how sacred the ordinance is, but I do know that it means Luke and I will be together not just until we die and leave this Earth. We believe it means we will ALWAYS be together. We will be Luke and Liz in the next life. It also means Finn, Dietrich and any other future children will be ours in the next life as well. I cannot express how much joy that brings to my heart. My three boys will always be mine, even after we leave this Earth. If Luke or I are separated by death, he and I can take comfort in knowing that we will be together again soon. It makes me feel so at peace and so happy to know that I will always be his companion and that our kids will always be our kids.

I hope that clarifies things for anyone who was wondering when I announced Luke and my sealing. I love all of my family and friends and have never felt anything but love and encouragement from all of you. I will be taking lots of pictures of the day and will be posting them here afterwards so stay tuned! And just for fun: pictures of my two adorable children. ;)

 

 

Parenthood

Tonight, my house has a peaceful, calm noise about it. Both boys are sleeping soundly, I am sitting in my recliner in my comfy robe and Luke is watching TV and making himself a snack in the kitchen. He took a LONG nap today, even though I told him he would have trouble sleeping tonight if he did. When will he learn that I am always right?! ;)

Tonight's post really has no set topic. I felt the need to write a bit and so that is what I am doing. I really need to take a shower and go to bed in order to be conscious and present for the boys tomorrow, but alas, I relish this quiet time where no one needs a refill in their sippy, has to go potty NOW or just wants to use my 6'3'' frame as a jungle gym, (I'm lookin' at you, Mr. Dietrich!) By the way, funny anecdote: today at church, Dietrich's' nursery class colored a book about Christ. The teacher wrote his name on it and spelled it "Deitrex." Huh? Ok, I know his name isn't common in the States, (his name is my great great grandfathers German name), but how would you get that spelling from saying "Dee-trick"? I wasn't mad, just thought it was interesting. I love his name and that's all that matters.

Anyhow, I have been pondering my job as a mother a lot lately. I obviously love my sons and would die for them. I sacrifice everything for them: time, money, sleep, sanity, my body, etc. and of course, I am happy to do it. They are the best thing to happen to me. Any good mother feels the same about their own children. I also want what I think is the best for them. I worry about them constantly and how the new challenges and experiences in their lives will affect them .I am thinking about Finn and him starting school, in particular. His speech is really starting to take off and he is an incredibly smart and curious kid. But, he is sensitive, he has a bad temper and he has no personal space. We are trying to teach him to manage his angry outbursts and give people space when approaching and talking to them. But, will it be enough? Will he lose it one day in preschool and hit someone? Will I be able to relinquish control and send him off to school to be taught by strangers? It keeps me up most nights, truly.

Dietrich, on the other hand, is what I like to call a "coaster." He just goes with the flow, doesn't really get angry and is rarely affected by things around him. He is also wild, impulsive, hilarious and has one really bad habit: throwing things. He is constantly chucking toys, Sippy's, pacifiers, and anything else he can get his hands on. And, he doesn't just throw them in the air. He throws them AT people, especially Finn. It's a habit we either need to break or enroll him in Baseball the first chance we get. Then, maybe that great throwing arm will get him drafted in with the San Francisco Giants and he can make mom and dad a lot of money. Hey, a mom can dream.

All in all, this parenthood thing is so freaking nerve wracking, that I wonder how I will survive the next 18 years, give or take a few. It's also truly so much fun and I laugh more than I ever did. I also cry, scream, and smile more. In conclusion, what a roller coaster parenthood truly has turned out to be!

DISNEYLAND!

So...my family has a tradition. By family, I mean what I like to call, "my first family." You know, my parents, siblings and animals, (in my family, we love our animals. A trait all my sisters kept, but I didn't, for some odd reason.) This tradition is AWESOME, if I do say so myself. You see, whenever a family member graduates from high school, we go to the happiest place on Earth. That's right. We go to Disneyland, (woot woot!) We went other times, when my eldest sisters were young and before my baby sister and I were born. Then, a few times with our extended family, the Putnams. But, when I was set to graduate high school, (my 10 year reunion is this summer), my parents said we were going to Disneyland for 4 days and I got to choose what we did on the 5th day. In the past, we did 4 days at the Disneyland Park and one day at Knottsberry Farm. However, being the Thespian that I was, (keyword there is "was"), I chose to go to Universal Studios Hollywood and Graumanns' Chinese Theater, (fun fact: my dad's hands are bigger than Arnold Schwarzenegger.)

So, I had yet another reason to be ecstatic to be graduating. I was done with high school, done with rules, done with homework, (until college), and ready to party!  I was chosen by my AP English Teacher, (she will always be one of my favorites), to be the person to give my Senior Project speech to the judges as their practice rounds one evening a couple weeks before everyone else was set to do theirs. I jumped at the chance for a few reasons: 1. I loved public speaking and was good at it. 2. I was flattered to be chosen. 3. If I did it, I didn't have to do it when everyone else did, meaning I didn't have to go to school the last two days before graduation weekend. FREEDOM! So, I gave up an hour one evening to go to my high school, did my speech, got top marks and a compliment from one judge that always stuck with me, (she knew my dad when he was young and said I looked, acted like and had the same mannerisms as him. Anyone telling me that I emulate my dad is the biggest compliment I could ever receive.)

The Saturday before, my parents through me a huge, fun BBQ at our home with a cake that my mom thought fit my attitude about high school. It said, "Congrats Liz. You're DONE!" That night, I went out and celebrated, (the non alcoholic way), with my group of friends. The next day, we all met in the gym in our blue caps and gowns, our various tassles draping by our excited faces as we ought of the future. We listened to our peers and teachers speak, we heard our names being called, we shook hands, took that precious diploma and freedom had arrived. We switched our tassles to the other side, threw our caps and cheered. We hugged, cried, laughed and went home to prepare for our all nighter party, hosted by our high school. We had a blast, confessing to our peers of crushes, dreams and embarrassing stories. We exchanged phone numbers, promises to never lose our friendships and hugs. It was a blast and still a great memory.

That morning, I was picked up by my parents, exhausted but still barely containing my excitement. My sisters were with them, as was my niece and my brother in law. There was neverending luggage in the trunk. We were headed straight for Disneyland! I slept half the way, read, played with my niece, (10 at the time), and tried to contain my childlike anticipation. As soon as we saw the bright lights coming for the rides in Anaheim, we all screamed and laughed. Had I just graduated from high school? Yes. Was I going to college in three months? Sure. Did I regress to a five year old as soon as I saw the Disneyland sign? You bet!

Little ol' high school me!

Two years later, it was my baby sisters turn. I could venture a very strong guess that her excitement to be free, grown up and ready for lifes' adventures matched mine. I can also say with confidence that she became a little girl as soon as we headed for SoCal.

My incredibly beautiful baby sister!

And now, 8 years later, someone is graduating high school. I was there when this special person was born. I held her while she slept, helped her tie her shoes, brushed her hair, played with her, cuddled her, babysat her, gave her advice, bought her cute clothes, talked to her about boys and stupid girls and driving cars. I love this person so much, and she is so much more than a niece. She is my little sister. Brooke is one of my favorite memories of my childhood. She is a best friend and such an incredible woman. She is driven, smart, confident, an overachiever, a great friend and gorgeous inside and out. And she is graduating. I am still wrapping my head around the fact that she has a car and a boyfriend and now she's graduating high school?! This post was originally about Disneyland but I got a little sidetracked thinking about my amazing Boogs. Back to the point before I start crying!

My goofy and gorgeous Boogs!

Anyhow, since Boogs is graduating, our family has been planning our traditional trip to Disneyland! Brooke chose an exciting dinner and show at Medieval Times so that's where we are headed first. This is who is going to this awesome week long vacation:

The Robinson Family (Lonnie, Lydia, Brooke and Grandma Janice)

The Stuevens Family (Paul aka Dad, Jacki aka Mom)

My sister, Rebecca Hawke

Brookes' Boyfriend, Kody Hess

The West Family (Danny and Kristina)

The Mitchell Family, CA branch (Luke, Liz, Finn and Dietrich)

The Phelps Family (Chad, Aja and Dax! Aja is Kristina's best friend and just happened to plan their Disneyland vacation the same week! We love the Phelps family and are so excited they are coming!)

The Robinson, Kody and West families are flying down. The Stuevens Family and Rebecca are driving down a couple days in the week and are only going for 3 days.  The Mitchell family is driving halfway the day before and the rest of the way the next day, (we are fortunate to live the closest to the Park. Thank heavens since we have a preschooler and a toddler in tow!)

The boys LOVE Mickey Mouse and Disney movies. I have been showing them YouTube videos of the rides and they, (especially Finn) seem SO excited, though I am not sure if they understand what is happening and when. I have been slowly prepping and planning for any problems that may come up with them, since this is the first vacation we will be taking with them that is not just camping or the beach. My family does Disneyland from the time they open until they are kicking everyone out so I am trying to prep and plan for every second of the boys' days to make sure they stay happy, relaxed, fed, hydrated and...HAPPY. I am so stinking excited that I often dream of the park and the boys' reactions to seeing Mickey and all their favorite characters full size and able to be hugged. I CANNOT WAIT!!!!

That concludes this seemingly erratic, off topic and random post. I hope you, (whoever YOU are), enjoyed this nonsensical post! Good night! :)

Finally, I am able to sit down and update.

(FYI: I am worn out and don't have the patience that I normally do to go back and fix punctuation, grammatical errors or run on sentences. I apologize ahead of time. ) This last month has been a doozy, let me tell you! I can honestly say that I have never felt as tired, worried, half crazed and at the same time grateful than I did for the last month. I will go back a bit so that those who don't know what was happening in this house for the last month will be up to speed.

Finn had his tonsils and adenoids removed on March 12th. Luke and I were both worried, mainly because he is so young and we were concerned about how he would do before, during and after. We also knew that it was the right decision because his tonsils and especially his adenoids were massive and were impeding on so many parts of his life. We arrived at the hospital at 5:30 am and were taken back to surgery prep by 6 am. They asked if he was an anxious child and would be really upset when the nurse had to take him out of our arms and carry back to the OR. Luke and I laughed sarcastically and firmly said that yes, he is going to flip. So, they decided to give him an oral medication that basically turned him into a happy drunk. He laughed lazily at everything, couldn't walk or stand on his own and sleepily grinned when pretty nurses came in. They let us carry him to large double doors and then a nurse took him and wrapped him in a warm blanket in her arms. He sleepily reached out, said "no" and was gone. I, of course, lost it. I have friends and family whose children have gone through major illnesses and countless major surgeries, so it may seem like an overreaction. But, that was my baby. I didn't care that it was a minor procedure and that he was in good hands. He wasn't in my hands and that felt wrong.

Anyhow, the surgery only took about 20 minutes and the surgeon came out to tell us he was done and that Finn did great. He said that he tried to push the gas mask away but gave up quickly and was asleep in minutes. He did have to be poked twice to get an IV because he was blessed with his mama's elusive veins, (poor guy.) He told me that the anesthesiologist was going to be out soon to get us and that we made the right decision because he had never seen tonsils and adenoids that large in a three year old. He also told us that he would be admitted and moved to his room once he was stable enough in the recovery room. The anesthesiologist came out soon after and told us she was going to remove his breathing tube as soon as she went back there. She didn't get the chance though because a nurse came rushing out to tell her that Finn was awake and was trying to rip his tube out. We were taken back and were surprised to find three nurses holding a very angry, very confused Finn. He was gurgling fluid and blood and trying to scream and rip his IV out. I went to the bed, laid next to him and lightly held him against me and talked to him so he knew his mom was there. That calmed him down for a few minutes at a time but the confusion from the anesthesia and the pain in his throat would get him riled up again. They had to suction out a lot of blood and fluid and his O2 levels kept dropping so they finally called the surgeon and he ordered more of the "drunk" medicine to relax him so he could breathe. We were in the recovery room for a long time before he was comfortable letting him go to his room, but Finn finally relaxed and loved being wheeled across the hospital in his bed with mom with him and dad walking alongside. He kept saying, "wow, mom" and "cool."

The next few days went relatively well. We were actually able to take him that same night and Dietrich, though happy to be with Nana Jacki all day, was happy to see mom, dad and brother. The next few days, Finn was grumpy but took his medicine without a fuss and drank plenty of fluids. He kept asking for pizza and French fries, so I obliged by mushing up tiny bits of pizza and fries and letting him eat his special treats. We watched movies, slept next to each other and cuddled a lot, with tons of help from dad and Nana. Nana Jacki played with Dietrich, let me nap a couple times and kept my house in order. She was a Godsend. Unfortunately, she had to go back to OR that Sunday and this mama was back in charge!

That following Monday, I noticed Finn was breathless and getting winded quickly. When I put him to bed, I checked on him every few minutes and noticed his breathing was quick, shallow and his lips were turning white. I decided an ER visit was in order, (it was 11 in the evening) and when I came back with Finns' jacket, noticed he was panting like he had run a marathon and was barely breathing. I scooped him up and we were at the hospital in two minutes. He O2 levels were so low that the triage nurse yelled for a bed and doctor immediately and we were whisked back. After three Albuterol treatments, a Prednisone shot and an O2 mask, his level finally rose. A chest x ray revealed pneumonia from aspiration, (suspected blood and fluid from his surgery.) The doctor was prepared to admit him but allowed us to go home when he found out we lived very close to the hospital and I had another son that needed to be taken care of while Luke was at work. Finn was put on antibiotics and I was told to use his nebulizer as needed.

He seemed tired, but relaxed for the next couple days until Wednesday. In the middle of a nap, he stood up and threw up the entire contents of his stomach and then some until he was crying and dry heaving. I took him, (along with his hyper little brother), to the Urgent Care Clinic. After dealing with a quack of a doctor, (anyone who knows me, knows I hate confrontation and am very passive. However, on two hours of sleep a night, I became aggressive, grumpy and told that doctor where he could stick his attitude), I was told to give him more medicine and if he kept throwing up, to take him back to the ER. He then shut the room door in my face, muttering the whole way. He said all this without looking at my kid and while Finn was vomiting in a puke bag the whole time. I called my mom, and she told me she would come back down if I needed her. She ended up doing just that, when Finn woke up that night, throwing up until he almost passed out. The ER treated him for dehydration, told me they didn't know what it was and sent me home to ride it out. Thank God my mom arrived shortly after and again took care of Dietrich while I nursed Finn. That Friday, we discovered that the throwing up was the Flu because, while watching Frozen, Dietrich threw up all over me and didn't stop throwing up until the next day. Then, Luke began throwing up. 24 hours later, and I began feeling queasy. It was a blast, (insert sarcasm here.)

After two and a half weeks of breathing treatments, medications galore, puke buckets and doctors visits, Finn was finally on the mend. And he has mostly stayed that way. We had a minor setback this last weekend when he had an allergy/asthma attack on his already weak lungs and so his nebulizer has been pulled back out of storage for the time being. He is quickly recovering from that, however and is about 90% back to being Finn. Despite that roller coaster, I am so glad we did the surgery.  Finn is eating more and trying new foods, now that he can actually swallow. He isn't snoring, shows no signs of sleep apnea and sleeps quietly and soundly. His mood is so much more relaxed and happy go lucky. His speech, (along with help from his amazing speech therapist), has improved 100%. He is talking more than ever and we can actually understand him. I also want to add that he weighs 40 lbs and is 44 inches tall. :)

 

 

Now, I must fill everyone in on my ginger. Dietrich does. Not. Stop. Ever. That kid is moving, moving, moving from the moment he wakes, until the moment he is put to bed. He is loud, hyper, animated, sarcastic and goofy. He is always happy. Unlike his introverted brother, he talks to anyone and everyone and loves to narrate the day with one or two word anecdotes. He had his 18 month check up last week and is doing great. He is 34 1/2 inches tall and weighs just under 30 lbs. He is so big and stocky and masculine, (if you can use that word to describe a toddler.) He is definitely a mama's boy and will wake up in the middle of the night, yell "mom" and I will find him standing in his crib, holding his blanket, saying "up please." Sometimes I tell him no and lay him back down to go back to sleep, and he does. Other times, I pick him up, lay down with him and savor the snuggles that won't always be there. He is such a great, clumsy, loving, crazy little boy and he really does complete our family. We have Luke, my ambitious and aggressive leader of the pack. Then, there is me. I am the laid back, idealistic member. Next is Finn. Our introverted, passionate and contemplative three year old. And Dietrich. Our impulsive, extroverted and wild baby. I wouldn't trade any of them or any of their craziness for anything. They are all mine. And I am all theirs.

Thoughts on children. Particularly mine.

I have two children. Two gorgeous, happy and incredibly wonderful boys. Boys who will one day grow up and become men. Next, they will become missionaries or college students; soldiers or blue collar men. I am with them 24/7, 365 days a year. They know when they see my stern face that they are in trouble. They know when they get hurt, that my magical kisses will be there to make it all go away. They know mom is always there, even at 3am when mom would much rather be snuggling up to dad. I will never, ever hurt them, leave them or not tell them I love them and kiss them every chance I get.

For some reason, I have been thinking about their futures a lot lately. It is partly because I am worried about the state of our country; it is also because my baby will be 2 already and my eldest will be 4. It is because Luke and I are hoping for one more and then we are done. No more stretched belly, pubic and hip bone displacement, heartburn or peeing every 20 minutes. No more feeling my sons kick and roll in my tummy or late night conversations so they can hear and know their mama's voice more than anyone else's. No more trips to the Maternity Ward and surgeons slicing my tummy to deliver the best present a mom can get. No more snuggles with a tiny little human that is pieces of the man you love and yourself. That stage of our lives will be over and replacing it will be extracurricular activities, potty training, learning to ride a bike and tie our shoes. Then, onto broken hearts, homework, learning to drive, learning to be comfortable in your own skin and parties and basketball/football games.

Luke and I have had a few conversations about this while lying in the dark, enjoying some quiet and alone time. What will the boys be like? Will the personalities they have now be the ones they keep? Or will Dietrich become the quiet studious one and Finn the wild charming one? Will Finn keep that tall slender frame and continue on with Jujitsu or play Basketball? Will he instead focus on more artistic things such as theater, (like his mama!), music or painting? Will Dietrich keep that broad, bulky frame and be the star linebacker, (with a kind heart of gold, of course)? Will he be the type who knows the importance of education and be the Valedictorian of his graduating class? Will they still come to their mom with their "boo boos" and will I be able to kiss it away? Or will I have to let them hurt and fall and pick themselves up again? Luke and I talk about all these possibilities a lot and we want so much for them to be the best person they can be.

Then, I think about the not so fun things. Will one of them rebel? Will Finn be teased for his chest or Dietrich for his hair color? Will they stay close to Luke and I or will they find us irritating or stupid? I couldn't imagine them any way than how they are now until I was looking through my old pictures on Facebook and saw their newborn pictures, (those who are my friends know that I made them my main pictures. I was feeling nostalgic and couldn't believe those tiny things were now my behemoth children. ;) To help illustrate just how different they already look just 18 months and 3 years later, I am posting their newborn pictures and pictures of them now together. Check this out:

Let's start with my eldest. To me, they honestly don't even look like the same kid. He is three days old in this picture and the bottom was taken last week, (he is always smiling with his front teeth sticking out. Okie style, oh yeah.) But, what do you think? Can you tell Finn is that precious little guy who had a rough start but is now that gorgeous big guy in the second picture?

 

 

Now, to my ginger. He was born in very different circumstances. This time, it was me who was going to be having a bit of a rough time and not my newborn. Since he was born via C Section, he came out round and fat, (although Finn never had a cone head, which I was very happy about.) In these pictures, Dietrich was only about 5 hours old and then a couple weeks ago. I honestly can see him in the newborn picture but I am still amazed at how different he looks in such a short time. Thoughts?

Quite honestly, it freaks me out. Where are my tiny babies?! What do you think of all these thoughts and worries I am having about my sons? Do you have them about your own children?

Well, the brownies I am baking are calling to me so I must go. Hug your littles tightly and remember they will only be that age right now and tomorrow they will be a day older. I think the masterful JM Barrie said that. Or something to that effect. Either way, it's pretty deep no? :)

The super exciting life of the CA Mitchells

Well, it has been quite awhile since I have updated this little ol' blog. However, after some polite prompting from my dear sister in law and some not so polite prompting from my own head telling me I am a slacker, I waited to put my lil' wild ones to bed and am now updating this thing. So, let's get started! :)

Luke, my dear one. (He's on the far left, for anyone who doesn't know him. I highly doubt that any of my readers don't know him, however, since I think maybe 5 people read this and they are all related to him in some capacity. But, I digress.) He is still always at work, (is anyone really surprised by my handsome workaholic?) He provides so much for the boys and I and for that, I will always appreciate him. As for personal goals, he is very excited to be saving for an AR 15, (I think we own enough weaponry, but I have a feeling he thinks we will never have enough. Oy.) He has been wanting one for heavens knows how long and I am finally "allowing" him to have one. I know, I know. I am such a giving master wife. Other than that, he is looking forward to the summer and getting some time off for a couple very exciting vacations, (see below in my little spill at the end.)

Onto my wild baby, Dietrich. And what a wild boy he is. It's always amazing to me how much personality and quirks you see in children so young, and my boys are no exception. Dietrich is a huge extrovert. He was so calm, quiet and peaceful from birth to about 9 months. Slept, ate, smiled, rolled, crawled and walked like a champ. No problems, no complaining: just did what he was "supposed to" on time and even early. Then, all of a sudden, this happy, loud, wild and super loving boy just came bursting forth. He talks more than most adults: his favorite thing is to call all children, (even ones his age or older) "baby" and all adult men "dad", (which is hugely embarrassing.) He picked up that people talk to little things and animals in a baby voice and now he talks to all those things in his high pitched baby voice. It's hilarious. He does love to hit and wrestle and kick and try to eat dirt and sticks and all those other boys things. He also has a bit of a redheaded temper and will stomp his feet when he gets mad, (Mom is working hard to nip that habit in the bud.) All in all, he has 12 teeth with his canines popping through, he is just under 28lbs and I can't remember how tall, (I will have to look it up later but I am guessing 36 inches.)

Finn is my quiet little introvert with a heart of gold. Seriously, this kid loves to hug everyone, even when they really don't want that hug. He is tall, gangly and gorgeous. I still will never be able to get over how handsome he is, especially when he smiles. He seriously loves Dietrich, except when he tries to take Finn's toys and then it is on! We are working on him sharing and learning to take turns and I saw finally saw him practicing those things today, which made my heart sing! He has a problem with losing his temper and then just losing his mind and becoming inconsolable and I think a huge part of that is because he has a really hard time communicating what he wants or needs with his speech delay. He is getting better every single day, picking up new words and expressing himself more and more but we still have those days where he just gets frustrated, I get frustrated and we both just need to go away, cool down and come back to each other to figure things out. He is also having a hard time sleeping with his enlarged tonsils and adenoids and will be getting those removed asap to help with that. His Doctor and Speech Therapist tells us that removing them will improve his mood, quality of life and his speech so we are scared but confident with our decision. He is crazy smart though and for that, I am proud. He is analytical, (the opposite of his fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants brother), and is always trying to figure out how things work. He can count to 20, tell you the whole Alphabet and the sounds they make, how old he is, what certain shapes are and what his favorite animals are. Speaking of, he is obsessed with Dinosaurs, Ducks, his giant stuffed Caterpillar and Puppy and real dogs that give kisses. He also love trucks, trains, cars and flashlights. He is extremely tall and looks more and more like a Stuevens every day, (with a hint of a Mitchell smile.) He is finally potty trained and we are working on night training him as well. I recently became a member of Polands' Sydrome Awareness after finding out that Finn has Scoliosis as a side effect of missing those right pectoral muscles. I have found many amazing people with PS or who have children with PS and am glad to have that support for such a rare genetic disorder. Finn really is such a special and amazing little three and a half year old, and I can't imagine not having my bug.

It's me! This is the most recent picture I have and it is surprisingly accurate in how I look right now. ;) There really isn't much to say about me, other than I am still chubby and still trying to lose it. I have hit a snag and it is really discouraging. I get especially down when I see my wedding pictures or pictures of me in High School and College. I looked amazing. I was never a stick, but I used to have these amazing curves and a tiny, flat waist. I get so depressed looking at what my midsection has turned into, (it seriously looks like Pillsbury dough that a cat then attacked and slashed to pieces.) This is cliché, but my New Years Resolution is to lose all this weight and my motivation is one of the things in the next paragraph AND the prospect of adding a third and final member to the CA Mitchells, (I am emotionally and mentally ready but I am so NOT physically ready.) Oh, and I dyed my hair black. Whatcha think? :)

So, as for the news regarding all four of us, there is lots. In March, Luke and I will be taking the boys and together, we will be sealed for time and all eternity as a family in the LDS temple. Luke and I have been working towards this since we got engaged 6 years ago and we are finally almost there. The feeling I get just thinking about it is indescribable. I always knew it would happen in my heart, but there were times when we thought it wouldn't happen until after we passed away, (an exaggeration but you get the point!) I am nervous, excited, elated, ecstatic and all those other words to describe the feeling you get when you are finally getting the ultimate gift from our Heavenly Father.

In other news, my baby niece, Brooke, will be graduating from High School this June and I am so proud/excited for her! It's crazy. I was there when she was freaking born and now she drives, has a boyfriend and will be going to College in the Fall. CRAZY! Anyhow, per tradition in the Stuevens family, the entire extended family will be attending her graduation and then leaving the next morning for...Disneyland!!!! WOOT WOOT! (For those who didn't catch that, this is my other motivator to lose weight!) It's our family's favorite place to be and it's where we take each teen that graduates, (we did it with all my sisters and myself.) I cannot wait to take the boys and see their faces light up! Also, per tradition, and along with 5 days at Disneyland, the graduate gets to choose one day for whatever they want. I chose Graumanns' Chinese Theater and Universal Studios, and my sisters chose Knottsberry Farm. Brooke has chosen this year to go to Medieval Knights (or Nights?) and it will be our first time so we are thrilled. Luke is even getting more excited as the months pass, (I think he is just excited for a long break from work.) Coming June 2014: The Mitchell, Robinson, Hess, Hawke, Stuevens, and West family's will be invading Anaheim! YAY!

I think that is all for now, but I do have another entry I have been wanting to write for awhile now in my head. And there it shall stay, until tomorrow. So, don't forget to check back for that thrilling entry. Good night and I love you all! :)

Mission Inspire Sabrina

So, I was asked by my dear sister in law to write in my blog so as to motivate and inspire her to update get lovely blog as well. Therefore, I log on, go to my last blog update and realize that mine needed some updating as well. Apparently having her ask motivated and inspired me so thanks for that, Sabrina! I should also add that I am writing this update on my kindle and doing so quickly, so auto correct may do some unwanted "correcting." I apologize ahead of time for that! 

Because I'm on my kindle and still not completely apt to all its abilities, I will not be putting pictures up tonight. Maybe when I can get on my desktop and edit this post, I will. However, for now, we will be talking about my dear family without pictures.

First up tonight is my dear sweet and sexy spouse, Luke. He is doing great. Working as hard as always, and being a pretty amazing dad as well. He is trying hard to get some big home improvement projects done, but is having a heck of a time trying to find the time to do it all. I told him we plan on being in this house for a long time, so we shouldn't stress to much if it isn't perfect right away. Anyhow, we are best friends and have a great time being together in this crazy fun life we have.

Next, we will chat about me! I am doing ok. Enjoying my boys more every day, but boy am I exhausted! Between the boys getting sick, (REALLY sick one time), running this house, paying bills, worrying about the state of the union, (yes, I work about these things; being politically minded is part of who we Stuevens' gals are), and then finally being forced to actually worry about myself, I have developed a new fantasy: one 24 hour period in a quiet, dark hotel room with some popcorn, a Mt. Dew and total utter silence and sleep. It won't happen, and who am I kidding? I can't go on a two hour date without aching to be home with my sons. After all, who can take better care of their kids than their own mother? But, I digress. Onto my favorite topic: my boys!

Finn. I swear, he turned three and the terrible twos disappeared. He was a little hellion at times this last year and loved to challenge me. But, besides some grumpy moments from both of us, he has been amazing. Listening, helping, and boy is he affectionate! I get at least a hundred hugs, kisses and "I love yous"every day. His speech had taken off and I seriously couldn't ask for a better big brother for my younger kids.

Now to my big red. Dietrich. My wild, hyper, big personality. In the last, hmmm, six months, his personality has exploded. He is hilarious, loud, goofy, and so full of expressions and emotions. He is also an over achiever. He talks a ton already and loves to listen to conversations and try to participate. He calls me mom, Luke dad, Finn is "Feen" and he lives to say no, nigh nigh, lub you, and baby.He says other things, but those are the most common.He is so much fun and certainly keeps me on my toes!

Well,I think that is all for now. I am in desperate need of sleep and my boys have been not seeing so great they last week so I should take advantage of that. Goodnight all!

30 things I want my boys, (and future boys/girls), to know about me!

So, I was browsing through Pinterest after the boys went to sleep and I found this great, not so little questionnaire of essential things you want your children to know about you. I figured, since the boys are asleep, Luke is otherwise occupied and I actually have a few minutes, that I would answer them here and leave it for my progeny. Little did I know, but it actually took four nights for me to finish. I might ask Luke to answer them as well and put his responses here since it is just as important for them to know their father as it is to know their mother. I also tried to write this as though the boys were reading so I say "you" when referring to them. I hope that isn't too confusing! There may be punctuation or grammatical errors and I apologize in advance. I tried to be as honest as possible, so some answers are mildly personal. Nothing that no one can't handle, though. ;)

NOTE: I am a little behind on posts, (Dietrichs' 1st birthday, our family vacations, etc.) but they are coming on another night when I have more motivation. Stay tuned! :)

       30 things I want Finn, Dietrich and my future babies to know about their Mother              

1. List 20 random facts about yourself.
 a. I have always been scared of the dark.
b. I love to eat and have always had a love/hate relationship with food.
c. I bite my tongue more times than I would like to admit and sometimes wish I could just say what was on my mind.
d. I would have 100 kids if I didn't need sleep to function.
e. I love you more than I love anyone and anything, including myself.
f. I love your father more than I can describe. I am one of those saps that believe in soul mates and I know without a doubt that your father is mine.
g. I have wanted to be a mother more than any career since I turned 20. Don't ask why that age; I just turned 20 and wanted to be someone's mother all of a sudden.
h. I used to want to be an actress. I even got accepted into a modeling agency at 16, but my mom decided not to let me. I am so glad she made that decision.
i. I am truly happy.
j. I used to hate being 6'3''. Now, I can't imagine being smaller.
k. I really want to go back to school, but am scared I will fail miserably.
l. My favorite thing to do used to be going out with friends and staying out late. My new favorite thing is being asleep by 10.
m. Your dad has a bad mouth. I don't and I am proud of that. ;)
n. I waited until I was married to be intimate with your father. I can only hope you respect the women you love enough to do the same.
o. I have only felt true fear a couple times in my life, (so far.)
p. I cry a lot, and not just when I am sad.
q. I believe that hugs and kisses can cure just about anything.
r. I have never tasted alcohol.
s. I lack self confidence, but will always try to make sure you don't. :)

 2. Describe 3 legitimate fears you have and explain how they became fears 
a. The Dark. I am terrified of pure darkness and can only say that I believe my vivid, sometimes weird imagination is the reason.
b. Tight Spaces. I am a classic claustrophobic. My theory is because I am tall and full figured so getting stuck in a space is pretty easy for me. That, and I HATE not being in control.
c. Losing my sons or my husband. In the last five years, I have seen friends lose children and family lose spouses. Needless to say, my life would cease without you and your dad. I worry about it every day.

 3. Describe your relationship with your spouse.
I have already said above and in many previous posts, that I love your dad more than life. We have been married just over 4 years and he is amazing. He works far too much and is gone a lot of the time, but that is because he wants you to have anything and everything you could want or need. Your dad and I get along 99.9% of the time and when we do get irritated with each other, you don't see it. And, you don't need to. You need to know that your mother and father love each other very much and want you to have the same kind of fun, happy and healthy relationship that we have.

 4. List 8 things you would tell your 16 year-old self, if you could.
a. The "popular" people in high school are NOT people you should aspire to be.
b. Being kind and loving to your fellow man will get you far in life...plus, it feels good.
c. Open your mind and do as many things as you can, but remember to have fun too!
d. Push yourself.
e. The right thing is usually the hardest thing.
f. Love your body just the way God made it.
g. Don't be ashamed of your own personal style.
h. Be outspoken and don't be afraid to voice your opinion to anyone, including teachers. Just do so respectfully. 

 5. What are the 5 things that make you most happy right now?
a. My husband, Luke.
b. My sons, Finn and Dietrich.
c. My bed.
d. My house.
e. The Gospel.

6. If you could have three wishes, what would you wish for?
a. My ideal weight and body shape.
b. My family sealed for time and all eternity, (almost there though!)
c. My house paid for. ;)

7. What is your dream job, and why?
Besides being a mother, I have always wanted to teach. My dream job would be a high school English teacher, all while going to school to get my Ph.D and eventually be a professor for a local college, (the school is not as important as the subject I would be teaching.) I would also love to be an Author and write about things that are always bouncing around in my head.

8. What are 5 passions you have?
a. I am passionate about my children and my job as a mother.
b. I am passionate about Luke and our relationship.
c. I am passionate about love and romance.
d. I am passionate about God, Christ and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints.
e. I am passionate about music, books, and the English language.

9. List 6 people who have influenced you and describe how.
a. My parents. They showed me neverending love, encouragement and gave me the strength to be me. They taught me to lead a Christ centered life and have always been there for me.
b. My sisters. They have been my longest running support group, my best friends, and my biggest challenges. I love them more every day.
c. A couple roommates from college. Some have been my friends and support staff. Others were my trials and broke me down until I had to build myself back up into an almost entirely new person. A better person, I think. So, I thank them too!
d. Luke. He "got" me when I was still gaining my confidence back and he has never stopped continuing to build it back up. He also taught me things no one but a "tough" man like him could.
e. Finn. You made me a mother. Not just that, but a mother to a boy who is strong, tough, resilient, analytical and fierce. You are starting to look more and more like a Stuevens every day and I hope you maintain the proud, strong and kind persona you have now.
f. Dietrich. You made me tough. You're so young now, but you already have more personality than some adults show.  You are passionate, loud, animated and happy 99.9% of the time. You are truly your fathers' son.

10. Describe your most embarrassing moment.
Honestly, I think I blocked out my most embarrassing moments because I am having a hard time recalling one. I think my most embarrassing moment would be about 8 months ago. I was sitting in church, waiting for Relief Society to start and a woman, who had no ill intentions, sat next to me and asked if I had always been fat. I didn't know whether to cry, scream or stand up and walk away. Instead, I just told her that I used to be quite thin and then my two monster children obliterated my body and I was working on getting it back. :)

11. Describe 10 pet peeves you have.
a. Chewing with your mouth open.
b. Adult feet touching me, (this includes your dad.)
c. Floaties in my drink.
d. People who judge someone before they know them.
e. People who express their opinions and things they think they know in a rude or holier-than-thou manner.
f. Tactless people.
g. People who don't help the less fortunate.
h. Complainers, (and I mean constant complaining, not just here or there.)
I. Dropping things over and over again and not being able to get a grip on it, (I swear, this happens to me every day.)
j. Bugs crawling on me. :)

12. Describe a typical day in your current life.
In my current life, I am 27, Luke and I have been married 4 years and I have two sons: Finn who is three and Dietrich, who is one. This is my typical schedule for my current life as a SAHM.

7:00am- Boys wake me up and we change diapers/pull ups and get dressed, (dad is already at work.)
7:30am-I make breakfast for the boys and myself.
8:00am to 11:30am- Play time for the boys while I do chores, run errands with the boys, write bills, answer emails/phone calls and break up fights.
11:30am- I start making lunch.
Noon- Lunch for the boys and myself
12:30pm to 2:00pm- Dietrich goes down for a nap and Finn and I play/watch a movie.
2:00pm to 5:00pm- Play time, inside, while I continue to clean or outside, while I watch.
5:00pm to 5:45 or 6:00pm- I make dinner while the boys play and run around.
6:00pm to 6:45pm- Bath time/PJs, then a little quiet play time.
6:45-7:00pm-Sippys to drink, then brush teeth, get our favorite toys and blankets and head to bed.
7:00pm- Bedtime for boys!
7:00pm to10:00pm- My time to shower, write on my blog, read news, spend time with Luke, watch my programs, and generally relax and have some downtime.
10:00pm to7:00am- Sleep as much as possible, while waking and checking on you two at least 10 times. :)

 13. What’s the hardest part of growing up?
Bills. No, seriously. I hate money. I am in charge of our finances since Luke hates it even more than I do and gets more visibly stressed about it. Though Luke works A LOT and has a position where he makes enough to sustain us, pay our bills and even leave some left in the bank, money still always makes me anxious. I now understand what my parents had to go through, making sure we four girls had everything we needed, paid bills, paid for school activities and even bought us cars, (granted, they were old and not BMWs, but we still had cars!) Though I do love being a SAHM, I am sometimes wondering if there is something I can do to add more money to our bank accounts. I miss the time when I was young and there were no real responsibilities besides staying clean, making friends and doing my homework. I can only hope I teach you guys about fiscal responsibility.

14. Describe 5 and weaknesses and 5 strengths you have.
WEAKNESSES
1. I am a doormat sometimes, (far too passive!)
2. I don't like conflict so I avoid at all costs, sometimes even going into my own little "dream world."
3. I don't have the proper amount of motivation to take care of myself. By the end of the day, I am exhausted and now my body and mind are starting to suffer.
4. I can be a little overly defensive of myself, Luke and my children. I can complain about them, (including myself), but get pretty darn irritated when someone else points out those same flaws.
5.  I am overly emotional and a tad dramatic at times.
STRENGTHS
1. I am not a complainer, (I try so hard not to be!), and will do whatever it takes to stay tough.
2. I am 100% devoted to Luke and my children.
3. I am intelligent and educate myself about different subjects that interest me.
4. I am loving, caring and always look for the best in people.
5. I will never hurt, cheat or be dishonest to anyone, especially my friends and family.

15. Describe when you knew your spouse was the one or how I fell in love.
I met your dad when we were 12. I had met your Aunt Rachel, (Luke's twin), at Girls Camp the summer of 1997? and we were best friends an hour later. I saw Luke when I went with my mom to meet up with Rachels' mom and pick Rach up for a visit, (she lived in Lakeview, OR and I lived in Klamath Falls, OR.) Even though I was already 5'11'' at the time and Luke was about 5', he was/is charismatic, had/has a killer smile and super adorable freckles. I became friends with him over the years and always harbored a pretty intense crush. He had the same girlfriend from age 15-19, and even she could sense that I was a threat, (little did she know!) We lost contact but saw each other again when he was newly single, and I was home for the summer from USU. We were 19. I thought he was still taken so I was friendly, but not flirtatious. Luke was also 5'11'' now and I was 6'3''.The tables had turned this time, and suddenly Luke found himself surprisingly, (to me and him), attracted and very interested. In fact, he told a fellow employee that he had found his wife. Through an odd occurrence when we were 21, (his older brother, Paul, was visiting an old mission companion in UT, who happened to be my roommate's brother and my good friend. We hung out while he was there and when Paul told Luke he saw me, Luke was able to acquire my number and the "courting" began.) Luke pursued me heavily for a long time until I finally agreed to date him. We were 23. I knew he was the one before we even started dating; honestly, I had known it all along. I always had a "feeling" around him that I didn't have with any other crush and I think I said "no" to him so many times because I knew when I said "yes" that I was saying it to my future husband. Of course, I didn't tell him that, for fear he would run the other way. Of course, he later told me the "I found my wife!" story and we laughed that we both had known we were meant to be before we were even together. When he proposed, I prayed about it and got a pretty loud, resounding "yes!" so I knew I was making the right decision. I have yet to regret that decision. :)

 16. What are your 5 greatest accomplishments?
1. As of right now, my two sons.
2. Buying a house by the time I was 25.
3. Getting sealed to my family in the temple, (happening this year!)
4. Staying clean, chaste and pure my entire life.
5. Being independent from my family, (if you know my family and how close we are, that is quite an accomplishment. Not to say that I am still not close to them because I am!)

17. What is the thing you most wish you were great at?
Working out and having the motivation and willpower to eat cleaner.

18. What do you think your spouse loves most about you?
I can tell you what he'd say, because he has said it before. He said he loves how kind and loving I am to everyone I meet. He said I balance his passionate, intense personality with my calm demeanor and I relax him. He also said I always see the positive side of things and it makes him feel happier and more optimistic being around me. :)

19. How did you feel the moment you became a parent?
Any parent can tell you, that there really are no words to describe that feeling. I feel like I became a mother the second I saw that positive pregnancy test. When I first heard Finns' heartbeat, my own heart soared. And when Finn was first placed on my chest and I saw his face, I felt that known feeling of love, expanded a billion times. I felt like I had accomplished something no other woman had; of course, zillions of women before and after me had done the same thing. But none of them had given birth to my 8lb 14oz Finnegan Leo Mitchell. He was pieces of the love of my life and me, and there is nothing more complete than that. I was even worried when I was pregnant with Dietrich; how could I love another baby as much as I love Finn? Of course, I didn't know that my heart could grow even more and when Dietrich was handed to Luke and I saw his face, (C Section), I thought I would burst. That is the best way I can describe it!

20. Describe 3 significant memories from your childhood.
1. I remember cleaning my room while KK was cleaning hers. Suddenly, she started singing our National Anthem and I joined in. I then marched out, grabbed our American flag and began parading around the living room singing as loud as I could, KK behind me following suit. After we were done, we saluted the flag, I returned it to it's spot and we went back to cleaning our rooms. Never said a word to each other. That memory is a huge indication of my little sister and my relationship. Random, hilarious, fun and we never have to say a word to know what the other is thinking.

2. I remember fighting one of our many fights with my older sister, Rebecca. I was so furious that I went to my bedroom and threw the first thing I could find. It happened to be my scriptures. It fell open and I saw a marked verse that essentially said, "If you need comfort, pray." I went to my bathroom and prayed and sobbed for a good 20 minutes. I swear to this day, that I felt someone hugging me and I knew it was my Savior. Even now, it makes me cry knowing that He knew I needed Him and He was there.

3.One of my favorite memories is when my whole family, mom and dad included, would have water fights inside the house with cups, bowls and the spray nozzle from the kitchen sink. I loved being so free and messy with my family and knowing that it was okay to make a mess and let loose, (so long as we helped clean up afterwards.) Honestly, I have a hard time coming up with a bad memory. I was fortunate to grow up in a loving and comforting home.

21. Describe your relationship with your parents.
My parents are two of my heroes and my best friends. My dad is an older, male version of me. He has my humor, my ticks and my personality, flaws and all. He is quiet, loving and super smart and witty, (those are qualities he has that I don't, lol.) My mom is hard headed, strong, willful and super intelligent. She is an extremely hard worker, a major realist and an incredible grandma and mother.

22. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? 15 years?
In 5 years, I will be almost 33. I see myself finishing school and hopefully teaching. I will hopefully have one more child. Finn, you will be almost 8. Getting ready to be baptized! Dietrich, you will be 6 and probably as wild are you are now! Luke will hopefully be a dept manager at work and will hopefully be happy!
In 10 years, I will hopefully be teaching and we hopefully will have a second house, (a goal of ours.) Finn, you will be almost 13 and a teenager. That terrifies me just thinking about it. Dietrich, you will be 11 and getting ready to be the top class in your elementary school. My third child will be school age by then as well, (if all goes the way we planned), and I will be returning to work. Luke will probably still be at his company and hopefully climbing his way up the ladder, (since that is his goal!)
In 15 years, I will still be teaching and hopefully will have acquired my Ph.D by then. Just call me Dr. Mitchell! Finn, you will be almost 18 and getting ready to graduate. Then, a mission or the military for you! ;) Dietrich, you will be 15 and still my favorite redhead! My youngest will maybe be 12, and Luke will be working his tail off, as he always does.

23. What’s your favorite holiday and why?
Christmas!!! There are a few reasons: 1. I love the decorations and general feelings of love and peace throughout the world. 2. It's when we celebrate the Savior's birth and it's hard not to feel the Spirit during the holiday. 3. I love all the family traditions. 4. It's three days before my birthday! :)

24. What’s your favorite and least favorite thing about parenthood?
My favorite things are watching you guys grow, develop, learn and explore the world around you. I love hearing "I love you, mom" and seeing your smiles. I love your individual personalities and since you're the reason I feel complete, I love you for that too!
My least favorite things are constantly doubting that I am doing things right. I am in almost a constant state of panic, worrying about your health, your developments and your happiness. I get frustrated when you won't listen and heed my words. And, as of right now in this stage of your lives, I don't really like feeling tired 24/7. :)

25. If you could have dinner with anyone in history, who would it be and what would you eat?
I would have dinner with William Shakespeare and we would have big juicy steaks, baked potato and cooked asparagus, (because I bet he will have never tasted those things! They will blow his mind!)

26. What popular notion do you think the world has most wrong?
I think the notion that having multiple sexual partners and not treating intimacy like the special thing that is, is what the world has most wrong. So many children don't have a stable home, don't have both parents or are even murdered in the womb because of this notion that sex can be an act with no consequences. Plus, and this may be immature, but whenever I have seen a few minutes of Sex and the City, (which glorifies sex with no consequences to no end!), I look at those men and women and think, "Herpe-syphi-gono-AIDS!"

27. What is your favorite part of your body and why?
I love my lips. They are full, bright red and super soft. I think they accent my face very well! :)

28. What’s your favorite quality in your spouse?
His determination, strong will and fierce loyalty.

29. What are your hopes and dreams for your prosperity?
I want them to be happy, successful and good. I want them to find spouses they can love passionately and take them to the temple. I want them to have big, happy families and learn from their failures and celebrate their triumphs! :)

30. List 10 things you would hope to be remembered for.
1. I was a good mother who gave 100% of herself to her family.
2. I was kind and loving and never complained.
3. I was smart and valued education.
4. I was a good Samaritan who helped my fellow man.
5. I was patient.
6. I was a successful woman who always tried to do her best.
7. I was a faithful member of the Church.
8. I was proud of my relationship with my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
9. I was someone you could always count on.
10. I never let anyone I loved go one day without them knowing just how much I did love them.

Videos!

Hello all! I am posting a bunch of videos I have taken over the last week or so here, so that there is a clear, concise place to enjoy them! So...enjoy! :)

Quick Updates, Part Deux

That last post was NOT supposed to publish, but I apparently clicked "Publish" rather than just "Save." Anyhow, let me finish my last post, (apparently I am not computer savvy enough to know how to just edit my last post with the rest of the updates.)

LUKE: The above picture is of Luke and Finn when Luke was a new dad and Finn was a new baby! Luke is still working hard and taking care of the financial part of the Mitchell household, (CA Branch.) He is still an amazing man, an incredible father and a great lookin' husband! He is a little stressed with some unsavory politics at work and the state of the Union as a whole, (he is heavily involved with what is happening in DC and it sometimes incurs wrath on his part.) There is not much else to say about what is going on with him.

LIZ: The above picture is my sister, KK and I during Thanksgiving 2010. Finn was just under a month old so I am new mommy in this picture! Anyhow, I am having fun being home with my two wild boys and taking care of the house. We had a rather scary experience with them last week, (see future post for the full story), but we came out on top and all is well again, Thank the Lord. I have hit an annoying plateau with this weight loss thing. I am still only 16 lbs down and have been for almost a month now. I need to get back in the gym and cut out my precious Mt. Dew as well. It managed to sneak its' way back in, unfortunately. Other than that, I am attempting to catch up on precious sleep, (which I know doesn't help with my weight loss goals), and be a patient mother to a preschooler and a toddler. We are saving and preparing to go to Disneyland next summer, continuing my family's tradition of attending Disneyland when a family member graduates from High School, (in this case, it will be my niece, Brooke. I am still in denial that she is a Senior with a license and a boyfriend.) One of my goals is to be only 20lbs from my goal weight when we go, (so I have an excuse to buy a new wardrobe.) My next goal is to be at my ideal weight before we discuss having another baby. I would be excited to get pregnant when Dietrich is 15 months old, (that's how old Finn was when I got pregnant with D2) and have our third and probably final be the same age gap. However, my body is not healthy at this weight and I don't want to have increased risks of Gestational Diabetes or anything that could hurt the baby. Therefore, we will have to wait until I am at my peak health. Plus, Luke is still going back and forth as to whether he even wants a third and I need him to be 100% sure before we go for three.

I think that is all for now. Keep checking back for more updates that I want to log in here. However, the boys have been asleep for three hours so, by my calculations, I have 2 more hours until Dietrich wakes his one of two times and between 6-8 hours until the boys are up and wreaking havoc! Good night, all! :)

Quick Updates

I will be blogging again tonight after the boys are asleep, I have had a chance to finally shower and my house is shut down for the night. But, since the boys are distracted by Madagascar and my house is clean, I thought I would do my quick updates on the boys, Luke and myself. So, here we go!

Mr. Dietrich, aka Red Rick, aka The Boulder. He is a fearless, wild child with no qualms about wrestling his big brother to the ground and cackling while doing it. He is such the opposite of Finn: he is crazy, happy, loud, animated and curious about everything. He is a fast runner with endless amounts of energy and he just doesn't quit until he crashes, (usually on the floor or in my arms.) He is snuggly and loves kisses and hugs. He loves it when daddy holds him upside down or throws him into the air. He will eat anything and everything, (which is a huge blessing!) He is down to one nap, (something we implemented today, since he has been wanting to stay up later and later with two naps), and loves playing with anything that his big brother is playing with. He also loves to throw everything and actually has quite a good arm for a one year old! At his one year well check, he was 24lbs and 32inches!

My three year old, Captain Finnegan. Well, almost three. He is finally talking to Luke and I! We have been praying, fasting and working with Finn to get him to open up and it is finally happening. Granted, he is still the "silent" type, but every day, he will tell me more and more and express himself. I was worried, but now I see that this is who Finn is becoming. He is cautious, analytical and reminds me of a Mathematician or Engineer. In fact, my dad calls him "The Engineer." He is an incredible builder, loves counting, saying the Alphabet and coloring. He loves his trucks and dinosaurs and quite often falls asleep holding one of his many Semis or T-Rexs', (I quietly remove them after he is asleep, so he doesn't get an uncomfortable surprise when he rolls in his sleep.) He has a temper and definitely has his fathers' passion and drive. He is tall, super thin and would be content to eat French fries and drink milk. Slowly, however, he is opening up to new tastes and has discovered a love of salads of all kinds. He is 37lbs and estimated at 41inches!

I have no new pictures of Luke or myself, so for our updates, we just have a little bold letters for easy reading.

LUKE: My handsome husband of four years, (September 5th!).

Updates!

While the boys are playing, (somewhat roughly so I will be taking frequent blogging pauses to break up the wrestling matches), I thought I would do updates on the dudes and myself! So, here we go! (Oh, break up match #1!)

First, our youngest Mitchell boy, Mr. Dietrich. He is amazing. Our prediction was right when we said he would walk at 10 months; he was walking unassisted and all over the place almost the day he became a 10 month old. He now runs, which is exciting because he is growing, but terrifying now that I have two that can run away from me in two different directions. He loves to spit, clap, laugh, nod, shake his head "no", says "yes", "no", "mama", "dad", "good job" and "nigh nigh." His hair is this incredible deep red color and it just gets richer by the day. He is finally on a set naptime and bedtime schedule, (it took forever with his big brother around, trying to keep him up constantly!) and is a huge eater. He will literally devour everything he sees. He is off formula and just drinks milk now, (we started at 10 1/2 months, just mixing a little with his formula to make sure his tummy could handle straight Vitamin D milk, which it can! Woot!) He hasn't been weighed or measured since his 9 month check up, (and still hasn't been sick, except a small cold!), but we know he went through another growth spurt very recently. I had to get the clothes for the next size up and he was waking to eat every two hours for a few days. Glad that spurt is done! He has eight teeth and is such a laidback, tough little boy, (he has to be tough with Finn as his wild big brother!)

Next is my big, almost three year old, Finnegan Leo. Don't you love this picture? I myself find it hilarious! Anyhow, my firstborn is wild, passionate, curious, determined, fun, beautiful, sweet, and so many other things. He is such a rock star. He loves music, trucks, cars, LeapFrog, playing with Dietrich, wrestling Dietrich, attacking Dietrich, etc. He is a huge help when we going shopping, (99%of the time, anyhow), and loves to give hugs and kisses. Luke is still his Superhero, (I swear, Luke can do NO wrong in that boys' eyes!) and gets so excited when Luke comes home. They are best buddies and Luke and I both hope it stays that way. He talks a lot, but with one stipulation: it's on HIS time and when HE wants to. If you ask him to say something, he won't until you aren't paying attention anymore. After he and I say our bedtime prayers, I will ask him to say "Amen" and he will just smile. Of course, as I am leaving the room, I can hear him whisper, "Amen, mom." It's hilarious, and I know he will get to the point where he will be talking our ear off and we will have to tell him to knock it off! ;)

This is honestly the most recent and the best picture I have of my dear husband, since he is always at work and we rarely see him in the summer. This is the 4th of July, when we took the boys to Whiskeytown Lake. We all had a blast and were so excited to get to spend a fun day with daddy. Luke, aka Dad, aka Babe, is doing great. He is kicking butt at work and has made himself a major asset to his company. He works extremely hard and long hours and his customers love him. He loves being the boys' dad and is so excited for the new camper trailer we were able to save for. We have taken it camping once with my parents and we didn't want to leave. It was so much fun and so much more comfortable than camping with two little boys in a tent. Plus, we had a crazy and long thunderstorm one of the days we were there so we were glad for a warm, dry place to play while we waited it out. Luke really is an incredible person; I am often in awe of his drive and intelligence. He not only is a devilishly handsome man, but he has a huge heart and loves his family, as well as his Heavenly Father and for that, I am so grateful!




I don't take recent pictures of myself, so you are going to have to deal with this little gem. Kristina and I went to Medford to shop for Bachelorette Party accessories and this is my face after seeing some of what they had, (this was for my Bachelorette Party, so this is an oldie!) Anyhow, I am 15lbs down and anxious to be completely rid of this disgusting chub-a-lub. I have a long way to go, but I know I will get there if I keep my determination going. The boys, Luke and the house keep me fairly busy, and I have been trying to accomplish my many projects during my free time, (read: when the boys go to bed.) I am exhausted most days, but 99% of the time, I don't really notice or mind. I am so excited to have found an amazing teenage gal to watch the boys the few times I need a sitter. She has been a lifesaver and has taken a lot of stress of my mind. She loves the boys and the boys absolutely adore her.

Anyhow, I think that is all for now. More to come, since Dietrichs' 1st birthday is in a month and Finns' 3rd is just the month after that! Can't wait! :)