A few known words

Here are a few of Michael's words. He can be such a chatter box, mostly talking nonsense. Lately his most said word is BOO although it's not in the video. He's always trying to start a game of peek-a-boo. At the beginning I was trying to get Michael to beat-box. Joe recently taught this to him after watching an episode of Everybody hates Chris which was about the Fat Boys I've only gotten him on camera once and it's not worth loading. I'll try to get one worth blogging, we think it's pretty funny.

Lost is back on!!

I think Michael will have to go to bed early tonight.

My favorite show is back on!
I can't wait until 7pm! What is your favorite show to indulge in?

Happy Anniversary House

Today is our one year anniversary for owning our home. We've made some improvements but it feels like we still have a ways to go. Her are a few things we've done to improve the house over the past year.

Grass was a huge improvement to our bare backyard. Too bad we didn't get sod when it looked like this. We waited to try and grow grass and let the weeds take over. Sod makes a huge difference!

We were able to do a little landscaping in the front yard: I switched out a light fixture in our 1/2 bath. I had to fill in the gap where there was no sheet rock behind the previous fixture. Thanks Laura for your advice in getting it done. I think it turned out well. Now I just need to repaint the bathroom . I don't like the color I chose. I went too blue. Of course our deck was a nice addition to our backyard before our grass. We also added a few shelves for storage here and there. We've only managed to paint our Kitchen, Living room, Master Bathroom, Michael's room and our half bath. We still have the upstairs hall & stairs, the Master Bedroom, the guest/sewing room, and Michael's bathroom. I hope we'll be able to finish painting over the next couple months. Hopefully we'll make better paint choices and we won't have to repaint anything again. We've definitely enjoyed our home and yard, even if it's a lot of work. What a difference it makes to drive up and unload your groceries from your driveway. We love our house! Here's to another great year!

Sweetheart Tag

I've been tagged by Danielle to do the Sweet♥ Tag. I've been needing to share our story. I'm warning you this is a long post! Here it goes...

1. Where did you first meet your sweetheart?

Joe likes to say that we first met at the airport. It is partially true- we first laid eyes on each other there. We really met online in a chat room. LDSchat to be exact. I was talking to a few guys at a time individually and decided I liked aboveaveragejoe the best. We continued to talk online on instant messenger for about a week. Then we started talking on the phone and this continued every night for a couple months until I convinced him to come visit me. We had seen pictures of each other that we'd sent either online or through the mail. Here are a few that I received in the mail.

2. What do you remember about him/her the most?

At the airport I was so nervous but so excited. I waited for him to walk through the security gates and when I saw him I smiled so big. He was smiling as well but he was trying to hide it (he later told me this). I remember thinking it was him, it was really him. The voice matched who I'd been talking to over that past 3 months. I though he was hot! We went to rent a couple movies before we drove home to meet the family. I remember him standing behind me and wrapping his arms around me. It felt so good and I didn't want it to end. He smelled really good and apparently I did too because he stuck his nose near my neck and smelled me. I'm pretty sure I squirmed and laughed.

3. Who asked who out first? I can't say that either one of us did. We had things planned out ahead of time that we'd do while he was there. I guess I asked him because I had to convince him to come visit me in the first place. One funny tidbit I remember is while we were having this conversation about him possibly coming to visit I had the radio on and Christina Aguilara's "Come on over" song was playing. I told him it was a sign and he had to come visit me.

4. What did you do on your first date?

I have to say that on our first date we went to a Jericho Road concert although that was with family. We did go to the Jericho Road fireside the next night by ourselves so I guess that technically qualifies our first date. Pretty romantic huh? I still remember it being fun though. I even remember what I wore. I wore a short denim skirt I liked, that my mom hated and a white lacy top.

These pictures are not from our first date but a date in the park taking pictures.
We had fun, can you tell?

5. What was your favorite thing to do together when you were dating?

We both enjoyed eating out at restaurants and shopping. We also liked going to movies or staying in to watching movies.

6. When was your first kiss with your sweetheart?

The night we met. We were standing in my parents kitchen after everyone else had either gone to bed or they were somewhere else in the house. We were talking and standing really close to one another, maybe even hugging. (We had to get all our closeness in before we parted ways!) It seemed apparent that we'd end up kissing but I couldn't wait for him to do it. So I did. I don't regret it either.

7. When did you first realize you loved him or her?

At the end of his stay I took him to the airport to drop him off. We said our goodbyes and I turned to head out of the airport. As soon as the doors opened to go outside I balled. I couldn't stop crying. I was sad to see him go and I didn't want him to leave me. I couldn't be without him. When I got home I went downstairs where he'd been sleeping and smelled his pillow. His smelled lingered there and I cried again.

8. Who said it (I love you) first?

Joe did. We were at my parents house alone in a room. I was quite surprised and didn't really respond. I kind of brushed it off, not knowing what to say. After he'd gone home we did tell each other we did on the phone everyday. We still tell each other everyday.

9. How did he/she propose?

The first time or the second time? I always respond this way when people ask me this question. So I'll tell you both times. The first time he proposed we were at the beach in Georgia, this was the second time we'd seen each other. It was 6 months after we first met online and only 14 days of actually being together. We were taking pictures on the sandy beach and I told him that we should write our names or something in the sand. I proceeded to write "Kelsey ♥'s Joe," I then turned around and saw what he had written:

It reads: "Will you marry me?"

I read it and I said something to the effect of "Are you kidding? Is this for real?" He proceeded to get down on one knee and tell me that he loved me and he wanted me to be his wife. He said that he knew he didn't have a ring but we would get one for me. I agreed. He then called my dad to ask him for my hand in marriage. My dad's first reply was something like this, " Isn't it a little fast?". I'm not sure what all was said but he agreed to Joe and I getting married. We then drove straight to a jewelry store in the mall to find the perfect ring. On the way Joe laughed because he'd been thinking about my answer and how I'd said "yeah" and not "yes". So I instantly smiled and said "yes". In deciding between two of the rings Joe asked me if I wanted quality or quantity? I said quality, and so we had a ring. We did have to wait for the ring to be re sized and later went back to pick it up. Joe took the ring from the sales woman and put it on my finger, only it was too big. They either wrote down the wrong size or they hadn't had it re sized at all! We were a little frustrated but the sales woman assured us she would get it fixed asap. So we waited a little while longer and soon we had the ring to go along with the engagement. We went to his parents house and told them. They were all very excited and happy for us. After I left GA I soon arrived at the airport where my parents were there to pick me up. As we were getting my luggage my mom joked about me getting engaged and reached for my hand jokingly. ( she didn't know anything about our engagement). To her surprise there WAS a ring there! My dad and I just looked at each other and laughed. We had gotten her good by keeping the secret. Thinking back I don't recall having a plan as to how I was going to tell her.

The second & last time we got engaged it was Christmas day at my parents house. We were all opening presents and Joe had one specifically for me to open towards the end. When the time came I opened up to a nice pair of black leather gloves. The ring finger on the left hand had a little something extra on it. A diamond engagement ring, not just any diamond ring but MY diamond ring. I said oh thank you- like it was just a gift. It was something that had been mine once before and I felt like I was just getting it back. This makes me laugh thinking about the way I thought about the ring. Joe then said, "You're supposed to say 'yes". Who asked me a question, I thought. But I said yes and proceeded to put the ring on my finger. I think I acted this way because we'd been talking about it somewhat so I was just waiting for it to happen. I think I could have had a little bit better of an attitude. Oh well.

10. What are two things you remember most about your wedding day?


I remember being extremely nervous especially on the drive over to the temple, yet very excited to finally be married. I remember walking into an office at the temple to sign the wedding certificate before the wedding. Joe was already siting there waiting for me. He looked at me and said I looked beautiful. I thought that was so sweet of him and I knew what we were doing was right. During our marriage sealing I couldn't look Joe in the eyes for a long period of time, I was too nervous. I knew I'd just start to cry if I did so I'd look at him, then at everyone else and then back at him. Our Temple Sealer also kept saying Joe's last name wrong. It was kind of funny but annoying at the same time.Thanks for the tag Danielle! I now tag Laura, Melinda & Ashleigh.

Update way past due

Joe will not be deployed in February.
We both didn't think he'd be able to go due to heath issues trying to be resolved. Although I never felt that there was an official "no". I guess I expected to see a letter all typed up or something and I never saw that, so I waited to tell anyone. I was pretty sure he wouldn't go but I wanted to be sure before I told you all. Looks like it was another close call.

no more bird's nest

This little boy

Had to get rid of this

Having a little fun with a few hair do's before the cut.

I started the cut and Joe finished it.
Aunt Shelby entertained while I took pictures.
Much better

I ordered these tonight & I can't wait for them to arrive. I've been searching for the perfect black dress shoe for some time. I have a hard time finding a 5 1/2 dress shoe. I found these online while I was at home but waited to order them. Now they're on clearance! I sure hope they fit!

pj's, coughs and dead fish = a strange combo

Michael opening his Christmas pj's on Christmas Eve

Michael's wearing his new pj's Too bad Michael looked like this a majority of the time spent at home, with a terrible cold and cough.

But he was still able to pull out a smile and be happy Michael was sad to see Waldo go
He loved to point to him and say "fish"
Waldo was McKenzie and his girlfriend's fish.
He picked it up from his gf's house and brought it home before Christmas.
The next day it died.
They were warned by the store not to name it or it would die sooner.
Poor thing.

Beautiful Winter Wonderland

The snow was beautiful at home and there was plenty of it. I was able to take a few pretty pictures of all that it covered.

(This isn't really covered in snow but I thought it just said Christmas). The back of my parents house. An apple tree with some fruit still on it, covered in snow. I thought this was so neat.
The roses were not covered with snow but were a beautiful surprise from Joe one day.

Getting to know you

Michael had to relearn who my family was even though it was only a few months ago that they visited. It took him pretty quickly to adjust to grandma and Shelby but took a little longer for Grandpa, Tyler and McKenzie.

Here you can see how Michael wants to trust Uncle McKenzie by playing with him and handing him the camera lenses cover. But he doesn't go too far. He gets scared and comes right back to me. Uncle McKenzie thinks this is hilarious. We did too.

*I apologize if anyone was offended by the 70's shorts McKenzie was wearing. I dislike those shorts but I can't seem to convince him of getting rid of them.

Soon he warmed up to everyone and even let grandma babysit him. It was the first time Michael has had a baby sitter (finally).

Aunt Shelby pushing Michael around on grandma's tricycle. Uncle Tyler playing with Michael. Grandpa sharing his cereal with Michael. He thought this was pretty fun.

Sunday before Christmas pictures...

I'll be catching up over the next several posts. I was unable to upload pics on to my family's computer so I had to wait until I was home. A few cute pictures of Michael the Sunday before Christmas...

Michael enjoying all of grandma's Christmas decorations.

He loved the deers. He even learned how to say "deer". We'd point to the deer and say it and he would just copy us. He would try and say just about every word we tried to teach him.

Michael's first candy cane. He didn't want to give it up. He got it by accident. There was a large basket of foods and treats at his reach. He grabbed the candy cane and accidentally broke off the top and proceeded to put it in his mouth.

He sure liked the taste of it and didn't like it when I took it away.

We were trying to get a cute Christmas picture of Michael by the tree but we were unsuccessful. He was not going to be posed in front of the tree.