Happy Birthday to You!!! 29, Right

I wanted to wish Tonya a happy birthday...
There are so many reasons as to why I love her, here are a few...

1. She has the best style in the world
2. She is so smart
3. We always have a good time when we talk or hang out
4. When I grow up I want to run as far as she does (8 miles, three times a week!)
5. She always gives sound advice
6. She is the best shopping partner in the world...(or not, everything looks so cute on her, because she is a life size barbie!!!, I guess you'll be the cute one and I'll be the funny one)
7. She is a real friend- the kind you don't find that often

I am so glad that we are friends, I couldn't imagine my life without you

all the fun you bring to it.

Happy Birthday, hope you have a great one!!! love you tons
M

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

We have celebrated a few father's day, but for some reason

this one has made more of an impression on me. I have always know how great my husband is, but since we have had Thatcher, he has been such a strength and a help with the kids. I have never met anyone who loves his kids more then Brandon. He sees the very best, he hopes to give them all that he can so that they can succeed in life. It is amazing to see how he has grown into this amazing Father and Person. It always brings a smile to my face when the whole "house" lights up when he gets home. Even Thatcher, as young as he is, will crawl at neck breaking speeds to get into his arms.

Thanks you, Lovey,

We love you so much

50 Miler, what the crap!

My wonderful husband has completed a 50 (yes, 5-0) mile hike... I know that no one would get as big of a laugh as I have,

the reason being,

when I first met Brandon he would say that his worst nightmare would be hiking to a location, reading a book, having a picinic and then cuddling with me in 90 degree weather...

It is as if I have exchanged spouses!!!

This would be the third hike that he has gone on in the past 2 months....

there was Camp Helaman where he hiked to an unhealthy elevations in like 3 miles

then him and Shane went on a twenty mile hike, you can check it out on his face book page

and finally his Goliath... the 50 miler.

He said that it was difficult and there was one day that he didn't think he could make it, but he did... He had an awesome time with the leaders and the boys that he went with.

And here is the lesson that I have learned from my husband... I have always make the argument that people don't change. Change is difficult and most people can't rise above the ease of their habits, but Brandon has taught me that we can become better, not in just small ways but in life changing ways. Just because you find yourself in rut or lifestyle that isn't offering you the full happiness that Heavenly Father would want you to have, you don't have to stay in it... You can become the person that you want to be, you can take your life in your hands and transform yourself. Thank you, Babe, you have taught me a lesson that has changed my paradigm for the better.

WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU

PS. Brandon has read numerous books, will cuddle with me in 10 out of the 12 months!! and seriously, who likes to eat sitting on a blanket with a bunch of bugs swirling around :)

hee hee.

Man Bag....

So Brandon had mentioned that he wanted a bag to take to church and work to keep his planner, scriptures... etc. I was shopping on Saturday and I came across a good deal. I purchased the bag and brought it home. When we were unloading the shopping goods from the van I asked Gracie to take the bag to Brandon and give him his surprise... to which she said....

This isn't for daddy, this is a Purse!!!!

Got to love her observation, she said it, not me....

I still love my wanna be metro sexual

Here's a little flashback, to all of those who loved FRIENDS...

Congrats, Sis

I am a little bit behind, but better late then never...

My sister Beckee graduated from BYU with here Masters in social Work...
I am so proud of her and what she has been able to accomplish.
Here are a couple of pictures.

Congrats Beckee we are so proud of you!!!

Parker's big boy Birthday

My sweet little guy,

isn't so sweet &
isn't so little.
I can NOT believe that my Parkee is two. It was like yesterday that I found out I was pregnant. We wanted him for so long before we were finally blessed with him. He represented a second chance in our life, and for that I will always have a special place saved for him in my heart.

My Parkee is all boy. His face lights up when he sees a backhoe or a loader. He loves playing in the dirt and hanging with his favorite buddies, his dad and his grandpa. He has started to speak in sentences, baby sentence, but still!!! Where's dada, I want that, treat, treat, treat. So cute.

>

He is my hardest child by far. I was telling brandon today that Park knows that I can't do much when I am holding Thatcher. It is like negotiating with a terrorist!! "No Park, come over here, please, don't walk in the road, please, don't do that, do you want a treat...." He totally knows how to work the system. But...

I have grown to appreciate his difficulty. He can drive me straight mad and then come over and give me kisses and I totally forget my anger. he has such a sweet, clever little personality. I fall more and more in love with my middle child each day.

I can't imagine my life without him and all he brings into our lives.

Happy birthday, my sweet Parkee

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.