If I was on the ball, merry christmas card

Why is it that every christmas season I have these big christmas card plans, you know the kind, where you have this amazing picture where everyone looks so happy and posed just perfectly and this witty letter covering the whole year. I have the cutest cards sitting under the bed looking just as cute as can be. And that is where they will stay for yet another year. This will be my christmas card this year. It's not perfect, but here it is...


From a new baby to a new town, a cute pair of glasses and one wild man finding he can climb, and a(huge gasp!!)minivan. 2008 will be a year to remember.

Our wish for you is happiness in the year to come, Happy 2009!!

Don't they do the darnest things...Part 2

So I was asking Parker different face parts... eyes, ears, nose and mouth. After we finished with that he went ahead and said pee pee and pointed to his diaper... Seriously!!! I laughed a little to hard.
Don't they do the darnest things!

My SEVENS...

7 things I can do:
1. Read a book in record time- of course I let everything go by the wayside, but I love me a great book!!
2. Run 7 miles- I am training for a half marathon in January and seven miles is the most that I have ran so far...
3. Be a good friend-I will do just about anything for those that I love.
4. Love my children-They are my world. I know that every mom feels this way, but I love the fact that I offer my children my perfectly imperfect love
5. Sew- It is mostly squares: ie... curtains, pillowcases, blankets, bags. But man can I sew a square
6. Digital scrapbook. When I first started I was crazy obsessed. I have since put it in perspective, but I love to make those cute pages.
7. Public Speak. I am not saying that I am good at it but, I love to speak in public.

7 Things I CAN'T do:
1. French Braid, nothing puts me in the worst mood then trying to french braid Gracie's hair. Once a year I think, Oh I can totally do this, it isn't hard at all. I try it a couple of times and then give up... oh well :(
2. Stop swearing, I don't say the BAD words, but I do like to throw a couple of H's and D's when the S hits the fan, hee hee
3. Diet, I have tried to stop eating sugar. I lasted for 5 days and then ate a ton of sugar... Oh my
4. apparently lose weight, I have no idea why (please refer to #3)
5. Stay on a schedule. I am just a fly by the seat of my pants kind of a girl
6. Get my little Gracie to bed on time.
7. Get rid of my Catholic Guilt!!! I feel guilty just for about everything I do that is somewhat breaking the rules. I still get sweaty hands when I take outside candy into a movie theater.

7 Things that Attracted me to my Husband
1. He is as cool as a cucumber. Brandon never gets rattled. He is always in control and is able to think through things and not overreact. One day I hope I can have that attribute.
2. His sense of Humor. No one can make me laugh as hard as my love. He says the funniest one liners, there have been times that I have had to run to the bathroom so I don't pee my pants. (Brandon if you are reading this, I am still funnier)
3. He is very smart. Brandon teaches me so much. I still did score higher by one point on the ACT, hee hee.
4. He honors his priesthood.
5. He is a softy. Both times that we have spoke in church he has cried. When he does that it melts my heart.
6. He is an amazing Father. I have never seen someone love their children so much. He waited 31 years to be a father... and it shows
7. He's so CUTE... that dimple and smirk, How could I not fall for him. The first time that I say him I thought, "Not what I expected, but I think I kind of like it!"

7 things I always say:
1. Perfect
2. Seriously
3. Just one minute
4. Fantastic
5. What the H!
6. Babe
7. Parker, get Down!!

7 Things I love to eat:
1. Pizza, pepperoni
2. Brownies
3. Peanut M&Ms
4. Chocolate Chip cookies
5. Cake Doughnuts
6. Peanut Butter Bars
7. Chimichunga & Diet Pepsi
I you couldn't tell, I have somewhat of a sweet tooth. And I really like to keep on my baby weight.

7 People I am tagging:
1. Korindi
2. Jen
3. Stephanie
4. Staci
5. Jess
6. Ariane
7. Lindsay

HAppY HaLLowEEN

Just a couple of pictures from our Happy Halloween...

Gracie Turns 5- Where have the years gone?

My sweet little Gracie has turned 5 and I am thinking...

where have the days gone?

I can't believe it!!! She has taught me so much in the five years that she has been on this earth. She has taught me unconditional love, patience and a renewed innocence. She constantly makes me smile with all of her character, spunk and sass. She loves to draw and I must say she is amazing at it (she tested at a 3rd grade level). She is the best older sister to her two little brothers. She also has the sweetest heart. I am so glad that she is mine. I do see her as my best friend. Happy 5th birthday, we love you.

The big 3-7!!!

My wonderful husband/ sugar daddy turned 37. I can't believe how old he is, hee hee. He decided that he wanted to go hunting and because my situation (feeding the baby) isn't conducive to that, he spent the day with his best buddy Parker. They rode around looking for deer, singing songs and just hanging out. When he got home Gracie and I surprised him with the house decorated and some presents. It was so awesome watching him as he realized we got him the watch he always wanted.

Brandon was always great, don't get me wrong, he snagged me after all, BUT... with each year he just keeps getting better. I truly do love him more now then the day I married him, which I believe shows you that you made the right choice in a spouse. He is my best friend and my perfectly imperfect match. He is the best father to his kids, I don't think there is a dad that loves his kids more (I might be a little subjective!!!) We love him so much and we are so glad that he is all ours...

Thatcher's Blessing Day

Our sweet Thatcher got blessed on October 12. Brandon, as always did an amazing job. The only problem was that when Brandon got up to take him, I took the blanket and his binkie. Brandon got half way through the prayer and the Thatch started to cry. Brandon hurried and wrapped it up.

I was so proud of both of my men. Brandon said the best advice to our little guy....

That he would see himself how Heavenly Father sees him.

Thatcher is 2 months old.

Yes, my little yellow man is two months old. We visited the doctor last Monday and the poor guy got 4 shots and one round of rotovirus vaccination (he loved it... it is a liquid that they drink, it is fruit flavor, he couldn't get it down fast enough. So cute)...

I can't believe how big he is.




11.3 pounds
23 1/4 inches

Enjoying today

Why is it that time just keeps flying by soooo fast. It is a little scary. All too often I don't find joy in the little things. I have said, I just can't wait until Thatch gets older, or when Gracie goes to kindergarden or when Parker leaves for a mission.... stuff like that. Today in conference, President Monson said something that struck a cord...

"If you're still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered throughout the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will, to your surpise,

miss them profoundly."

It is so true!! as hard as it is right now, I will never have these days back. I am really going to try to enjoy the mess of childhood and find the joy in being that carefree and happy. Childhood only happens once, unless you are lucky enough to have children. It is a second chance to enjoy it, knowing what you know now.

Isn't life just amazing!!

Don't they do the darnest things...

So two funny stories that I have to share...

the first happened last week. Parker had woken up a little early, but he wasn't crying so I had decided to let him stir and let me sleep in a little longer. I heard Gracie go into the room and then she came running into our room. Saying something about Parker and I needed to go into the room, etc. So I got up and rounded the corner only to find my monster P's hands covered in POOP!!! yes, you heard me right. He apparently had done his business, taken off his diaper and had went ahead and gone to town. It was all over his hands and sheets. I am not sure if he ate it or not, but I feel fine about not knowing. Lesson to learn: with kids, if it is just a little to quiet you're going to end up cleaning up some kind of crap!

So, the second funny story that I have to share, On Saturday we were in a hurry to go to a wedding reception, We couldn't find Gracie's glasses anywhere. After looking for about twenty minutes, I decided she would have to wink for the night. So when we got back, I said a quick prayer to find the glasses, a couple minutes later I found them (by the way, in the weirdest place. I tell you, IT ALWAYS WORKS!!)So, I figured what a great lesson to teach Gracie. So I called her over and started telling about praying and how we use it for different things and when she lost her glasses I said a prayer and... she started to interrupt me, and Brandon was like, Gracie listen to your mother, so I started telling her again about how praying works and she interrupted again, to which she said...

Mom, does Heavenly Father say, No Problemo!!

Teaching lesson was over, I have never laughed so hard.

Don't they do the darnest things....

Quick Note

We are currently in the process of moving. I will update the blog as soon as we get settled. I want to say a big thank you to everyone who has help us. I'll be bloggin soon

Thatcher is one month old...

A Baby will make Love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for....

9 pounds

21.5 inches

Likes: Mommy's milk, sleeping in the bed, Parker taking naps & being held

Dislikes: Shots, Jaundice, The doctor, Parker being awake, loud noises, & poopy diapers

And then there were 3... but my number 2 is killing me

I have always heard that the number 3 does you in. I knew it would be hard, but this week has been A WEEK. I have been in the process of packing, entertaining the kids and trying not to lose my mind... oh my.

The biggest challenge is not the number of kids;

it is my number 2 kid,

Parker!!!

If you note the name under his picture to the right, it is MONSTER P. I have no idea where I came up with my love bug's nickname (I would argue it was inspiration from Heaven) but it is soooooo fitting. It doesn't matter what I do, how many doors I lock, how many times I push in the chair, or how many times I close the dishwasher he has his mind set and the determination to finish the job. Like, for instance... Yesterday, me and the kids were to meet Brandon at his mom's house, so I was trying to get the kids ready, and keep the house clean...you know how that is. Don't worry that I found Parker scratching his head with a steak knife that he had gotten out to the dishwasher, or him repeatedly trying to take gracie a dirty plate, fork and spoon, again, from the dishwasher... or when I found him on top of Thatcher's changing table (like 5 times) pulling out the wipes, or when I found him on top of our desk trying to listen to my ipod... Or the couple of times that he took Gracie's glasses and ran away from me. (all of this was in a time span of 2 hours)

SERIOUSLY!!!

I got so mad at him one time that I called him a butt hole, to which Gracie sent me to time out (I was half tempted to take her up on her punishment) and told me we don't say that word.

If he keeps this up he is going to be driving me to AA. I always tell him that it is a darn good thing that he is so cute, because if he wasn't I would have traded him in along time ago.

To which he looks at me with his blue eyes and flashes his dimples and all is forgotten, well, almost!!

I guess all I can say is that there is nothing as sweet as a little boy

and nothing as exhausting!!!

Oh... All of the changes

Well... Hello, where have you been?
I am assuming that most of anyone who use to check my page has given up all hope. Well, I am back, with a full update and new pictures of our sweet little boy...
William Thatcher Leavitt

I don't know even where to begin, so I will go over some of the changes starting with the most recent!!!
Our sweet little one..
I was induced on July 28th. I went in at 6AM, they started me on pitocin around 7:30and by 1:11 pm he had made his way into the world. He was terribly blue when he came out...I didn't know that I could birth a smurf; but, after a couple of cries he got his color and he has been tugging at my heart strings ever since. I was extremely happy to have my mom and launa there to witness it all. It always is a neat experience to have a little one come into this world. Recovery was amazing and we went home the next night. All was well until....
5 days later I thought he looked a little yellow, especially in his eyes, so I took him to the doctor, just to make sure he was okay... well, a couple hours later and we were back at the hospital.

Our poor baby had jaundice...
he got to lay under the lights for two days... one of the most expensive tanning beds I have ever paid for. They sent us home, but every morning I would wake up and start to cry (love those hormones) because he always looked yellow. A couple of days later and two visits to the doc... and I was feeling that he was going to be okay. It has been a little crazy since then, I am getting use to being a mom to three. The days seem to end before they begin. It really is crazy....
I feel so thankful for babies. I can't believe how fast they grow.


My little Gracie got glasses.

Around mid May, Gracie came in from outside and while we were eating dinner, she kept squinting one of her eyes. I told her to knock it off, to which she told me she was Mike Wazowski.
I figured it was something that she was just doing to be funny. Well, when she continued to do it and it kept getting worse, I decided that I should take her to see the eye doctor. I had to promise that there were no shots at the doctors. Even when we got there, she told the doctor that there would be no shots. He checked her eyes and she is abnormally (for a child) farsighted... She got the glasses 2 weeks later and has been wearing them ever since. She definitely has come out of her shell even more and doesn't seem to quite talking. It is as if she has become a different person ever since she has begun to see. GO FIGURE!

My next announcement, one that I give with much regret. I am now the proud owner of a....

MINI VAN,

what the H!!!!

I totally know, I swore up and down that I would never get a mini van... All I can say is Never say never. Unless referring to marrying a very rich man or being a size 2.

The next big event was that Gracie got a pet. Now, I had nothing to do with this one. Brandon graciously gave our sweet little one a guinea pig (?) When he first brought it home it came with some paperwork, to which it said something along the lines of... pregnant women should not be exposed to these animals. SERIOUSLY. I was pissed.

Why did my husband hate me and bring this death rodent into my house to harm my unborn child. I could have kicked him. Of course, Gracie had fallen head over heels with Wilber (a fitting name for a pig, not so much for a guinea pig). So Brandon cleaned the cage and everytime I had to hold the thing I would wear those yellow gloves. Well, like all things in Gracie's world, wilber became old news within a month or so. And back to the store Wilber went. Life is a little better and my back room doesn't stink.

And finally, after fighting the feeling for awhile... we have decided to move back to Brandon's home town. We have weighed the good and the bad with living in a small town and the good really did outweigh the bad by quite a bit. So... Our home is in escrow and we will be moving out in about a month. This is very bitter sweet for us. I know that it is where we belong but it is really hard to leave our vegas life behind. Gracie was against it until she found out that she got to take her toys with her, she still thinks that the pool is coming with us... Bless her heart.

So there it is, the last six months in a nut shell. It seems like yesterday that I found out we were expecting and now here it is 6 months later and so much has changed. I am so excited for the future and everything that it will bring...
I promise the next post won't take me six months to write.

More Pictures of Thatcher... I can't help myself

One Fun Week

As a stay at home mommy, I think it is always wonderful when you have a little change in your life. Brandon went to Oklahoma City for work; so, I made plans to go see one of my favorite people, JEN. I was a little scared for the flight, seeing how it was with the two kids and just me... totally out numbered. But, all the worry was in vain. Gracie was really cute, upon taking off she starting to do the pat... pat... pat (for all the little einstiens' fans) but quickly grabbed the seat when we started ascending. Very funny. The flight was quick and we were on the ground before we could finished our sprites. So I packed the kids in the double stroller on our way to retrieve our baggage, and can I tell you... all of the looks... like, oh, look how sad, I'm so glad I'm not her look... two kids, and is she... oh my goodness is she pregnant!!!!

Whatever!!!

I loved the double stroller, and yes, I am totally showing!!!

Jen came and got us and back to her house. We had so much fun. Gracie loved going to Peter Piper Pizza and the Bounce house. Loved playing with Wade and his friends,





fighting over toys with Seth (love/hate relationship) and just hanging out. I don't think she knew Jens name, she would always ask, "Where's the Mommy?", or What's the Mommy doing. It was so much fun. I can't believe how fast the week went. It was wonderful seeing Jen & Matt. Anytime I hang out with them I end up laughing a little to hard thinking about the good ol days. They really are such great friends that I do cherish.

The only sad thing was that we were away from our Valentine on Valentine's Day... but never fear, Brandon spoiled us with flowers, strawberries, chocolate, and cookies. We love him and missed him so much. Only one more trip and then he is done traveling for a while.

The flight back was fine, Parker gave up the fight and fell asleep. It was great seeing Brandon, Southwest did lose our carseats, no worries we got them back along with a nice credit.

All in All, the week was wonderful. Now it is back to real life, but I can't complain, real life is pretty good. Chat with you all soon.

I'm Back

I am so sorry for the upexpected delay. The first of December we were suprised (that's my nice way of putting it) that:

we are having a baby!!!!!

What? How could this happen. Trust me I have asked myself that question many times. I am finally getting use to the fact that Parker will have a little friend. I haven't been feeling that well, but I am starting to regain my energy and don't throw up as much. I am 14 weeks along and find that on the third baby you show a lot earlier. Brandon is very excited and Gracie keeps asking why I am sick, then she will answer herself, "cause you have a baby in your belly?" She likes to look at the baby and sometimes hits my stomach. We find out what we are having in a month and I can't wait. We have a name picked out for either. I know that this is a blessing in disguse. I just always thought it was me who got to decide when we were going to have a baby, but I guess I have been correctly.



To give you a quick recap of what has happened since we've been gone:

Christmas was a lot of fun this year. We suprised our family with the big news. Everyone was shocked!!! We spent it with Brandon's family and then the day after, my mom and sister drove down and visited us. They (by they, I mean my mom) were so helpful. Beckee did say that she was taking sympathy naps for me. I was sad to have them go.

My birthday was on the 12th of January. Brandon got me this delicious cake and I got cards from the kids. We went to the Melting Pot, my favorite restaurant. It was great. I can't believe that I am 28, so close to 30!!! That's when people start to take you serious, RIGHT!!!

Then... Our anniversary was on the 18th of January. We always try to go to the Bellagio. That is were we spent our Honeymoon, so it is nice to go back to such luxury. We make it a point not to do anything except hang out with each other. I love our anniversay because I get to spend time with Brandon and fall more in love with him. He really is my best friend and I feel especially glad that we are married forever. It was hard to leave the kids, but they made it through the night and still were breathing in the morning.

And finally... Another trip to Disneyland. I have to say, it is amazing to see the joy that comes to Gracie's face when she sees the Disneyland Castle. It didn't matter if it was the first day or the third... everytime we passes it she would scream... wook, wook, it's Disneywand. So cute!!! Brandon decided that he wanted to stay in one of the Disneyland Hotels, so we tried out Paradise Pier. It was really nice and convinent to have it so close. The trip was fun, despite being so tired. We did end up in our room everynight around 5:00... but Gracie usually had a new toy and was fine with the arrangements. It was great.

And that is what has been happening on our end. I promise that I will be better at keeping the blog updated. I hope everyone has a great day.... we'll talk to you later....

P.s. My spell check is not working... so when you see those misspelled words... lets just say... "oh bless her heart!"