Let It Snow!!

Well I am so happy that the snow finally came. Olivia has been out in it everyday and has the runny nose and horrible cough to prove it. It has helped me get into the holiday spirit a little bit more. I'm still not going to say this is my favorite holiday but the fluffy white stuff does make me a little more excited for Christmas.

A cute story:

So you would think after 2 1/2 years I would know that there are certain things you have to make sure are put up high out of someones small hands. But yesterday I was reminded again. We were in the living room watching home movies with family (me trying to fight back tears). Olivia was bored so I thought she was playing in her room. When a little voice from the kitchen screams, "Ouch my hair.....It's stuck!!! HELP!!" I run into the kitchen and she has my kitchen scissors stuck in her beautiful hair. I tried not to panic, or laugh but I did both. I carefully grabbed the scissors and got them out but not without a pretty big chunk of hair coming with. Olivia looked at the chunk of hair and immediately started sobbing. "I want my hair back!!! Not my hair!!!" Then I started laughing and that made it worse. So to calm her down I grabbed the pile of hair and put it back on her head. I pretended to glue it back on her head. She was satisfied with that. She gave me a big hug and kiss and said, "Thanks Mamma!" And off she went to play. Thank goodness you can't tell where the chunk came from but I will pay closer attention to where my scissors are from now on.

Some fun snow pictures.......

First sled ride. As you can tell she was scared. She laughed when we finally stopped. We asked her if she wanted to go down again and she said, "NO!!!"

Helping daddy shovel

To Be Thankful

So Thanksgiving has passed us by once again. I love Thanksgiving! It's one of those days that you can eat, and eat without feeling guilty. And this year it was especially good for me to remember all the things that I am thankful for. Too many times lately I find myself feeling sorry because we don't have enough money, I don't have enough time to myself, I never get anything done. Well all that isn't important when you realize that you have a wonderful family, friends, and enough money to keep a roof over your head. Thanksgiving morning I went into Olivia's room to get her out of bed. I said, "Olivia today is Thanksgiving! Do you know what we do on Thanksgiving?" I expected her to say, "What?" Instead she looked up at me with her innocently beautiful brown eyes and said, "We say Thank You!!" How can such a smart, direct response come from a 2 year old? It humbled me very much and I took it to heart. I found myself saying thank you all day long. We had a delicious lunch at my father-in-laws. The food was great and it was nice to let Olivia run wild with her cousins. After that we went down to my grandma's house where my family was. We were able to visit there for a few hours as well. It was nice because we usually don't have time to see both families but this year it worked out great.
Last week one of my best friends Lori was in town for a few days. I don't feel like I got to spend enough time with her but the time I did spend was fun. We all went to see Twilight and did some shopping the next day. It's so amazing that we only see each other once a year and still we are able to pick up right where we left off. There is nothing like being with my 2 best friends Kacy & Lori. I love them both.
We still haven't started putting Christmas decorations up at our house. I want so badly to buy a new tree. Our old tree is so pathetic. Needles falling off, 2 strands of lights out, and it sits lopsided. But we might have to deal with it for one more year. I think we should just put some lights on our ficus tree it's a lot prettier then the Christmas tree anyway. Maybe this weekend we'll get more into the holiday spirit.
For the past few months my brother has been racing in enduro cross on his bicycle. It's a tough race. Some of it is on flat ground other parts on dirt, and they also make you carry your bike up a hill over hurdles. So anyway he has been doing this for a few months and Saturday we finally woke up early enough to go check it out. Of course we were still late but I got to see him fly around the course a few times. I also got all proud and teary eyed when the announcer said, "And Nic Sells just finished. This is his first year and he rocks, watch out for him in the future." Anyway just a little bragging. My 52 year old dad raced right along with him. He didn't finish as fast but he kicks ass I'll tell you what. I don't think it's fair that I inherited all the short, fat, non-athletic genes. The race was out at Wheeler Farm so we also got to say hello to some of the animals which Olivia loved. I've posted a few pictures from the race and the farm. Man my posts are starting to get long.
Also I'd like to say congrats to my good friend Jenny and her husband Logan. They had their 3rd baby yesterday morning. She is beautiful of course! You can check out the PhippsBlog if you want to see pictures. Congrats you two!!!

Something To Smile About

So I do realize my last post wasn't very uplifting, but it helped me feel better to vent a bit so thanks to all of you who listened or should I say read.
Life has been busy the past few weeks running here and there and trying not to pull my hair out. Chasing a 2 year old is more work then I could ever imagine. But I wouldn't change it for the world. When I think of all the funny and cute things she does every day it brings a smile to my face and helps me to realize that life is much bigger then my silly little problems.
We were able to go to Kangaroo Zoo with my BFF Kacy Jo and her beautiful daughter Hadley last Tuesday. The girls are becoming such good friends. Olivia can't stop talking about how she played with Haddie. She even grabs my phone a few hundred times a day and carries on this conversation: "Hi Haddie! Yeah I love you too! Okay let's play....Bye!" I can't believe how fast my baby is growing up. Everyday she looks older and wiser and comes up with the smartest things to say. I'm just trying to soak every minute in and when times get tough I try to remind myself that time will pass much to fast.
I am now 24 weeks pregnant! And this baby boy is going to come out walking I swear. I thought Olivia was active but this guy hasn't stopped moving since last week. He's very strong and more then a few times I've thought for sure he has ruptured a major organ. I am enjoying this pregnancy so much. I remember when I was pregnant with Olivia I hated every moment. This time around I of course have my bad days but I'm trying so hard to enjoy this feeling of him moving around in there and my very fast expanding belly. I may not feel this way in a month or so but for now I'm trying to enjoy it. How lucky am I too be able to experience this?? There is nothing that compares to it.
What else is new?? Friday my sweet father-in-law treated me and some of the grand kids to Madagascar II. He even bought me my own large popcorn because if you know me at all you know I don't share popcorn and yes I can eat a large one by myself :-) Olivia loved the movie but I think she loved chasing cousin Macey around even more. Saturday we took her to Discovery Gateway. I of course forgot my camera so no cute pictures to post but it was fun.
Oh I am going to post a picture Kacy took for me on Tuesday. Yes I know you probably have seen it on Kacy's blog but I think it's beautiful and thank you Kacy for being responsible and photographing my daughter for me.

Since Olivia is constently saying new things I'm going to type a few down so I can remember.

*LET ME HELP YOU! (this means let me do it myself or I'm going to throw a fit!)

*OH NO! WHAT'M I GONNA DO?

*I LOOK SO PRETTY DON'T I?

*DAMNIT! (I have no idea where she would learn something like that)

*CUZ example: "Olivia why don't you want to go to the store?"......... "Cuz I don't want to go to the store"

*I SO LOVE YOU (melts my heart everytime)

If You Have Missed Me

So I have kind of been avoiding blogging lately. Not that I haven't had much to talk about but because I didn't want to bring everyone down with me. I don't know what my problem is. Just mad at the world. Why?? Really couldn't tell you it's just something that happens to me usually around this time of year. Even though I love this time of year I guess I know that Christmas is coming and winter is coming and I just don't enjoy either. So I will try to keep this happy and upbeat but I'm not going to promise much.

We have been doing a lot of fun family things this month. My mom and I took Olivia to The Scarecrow Festival at Thanksgiving Point, Olivia got to visit the Pumpkin Patch a few times, We went to Gardner Village and checked out all the witches, and we also took Olivia to the pumpkin walk in Syracuse (really fun). She had a great Halloween. My mom & I took her on Front Runner for the first time. We rode down to my moms work and did some trick-or-treating there. She thought the train was fun but it made me feel very sick. Then she went to daddy's work and got to see her two buddies Mike and John. Later that evening we went trick-or-treating up and down my moms street. I don't like my neighborhood much so we stuck to my moms neighborhood. She loved it! She would walk right up to the front doors and say "trick or treat!!" She got a lot of candy but I'm really lucky she doesn't really have a sweet tooth so I think she's had one of the candy's so far. We were gone all day on Halloween and we've been so busy running here and there that I didn't even get a picture of her in her costume. She went as Abby Caddaby (of course). She spotted the costume at the store and freaked out. She still asks to wear it and I promise one of these days I'll get off my butt and get a picture to post because she does look cute. Except everyone kept asking, "um so what is she???" Well people need to start watching Sesame Street I guess...sad.

Okay so what else has been going on?? Well I turned 28 and Cody turned 28 as well. We had quiet birthdays this year but they were nice anyway. Cody took me to see Thriller for my birthday and it was awesome as usual! If anyone has the chance to see it I highly suggest it next year. I have been running from one doctor appointment to the next and that keeps me busy. Also Olivia started gymnastics every Tuesday morning and she is loving it. I'm so impressed at how well she is doing. She loves to hang on the bars and jump on the tramp it's so fun to watch. Our sweet dog Bazil is in the hospital today getting a tumor removed from her side. She is expected to make a full recovery but it's hard for me to think of her getting cut up and being all alone. We are suppose to find out if the cancer has spread in the next couple of days but I have high hopes I am not ready to lose her yet and I'm sure she isn't ready to leave us yet.

What else?? Man I could go on and on I've been lonely. I finished the last of the twilight books last night. So this is for all you fans out there: I don't know if it is my mood or what but I found myself thoroughly annoyed by Bella and Edward almost the whole time. I mean Bella can't stop talking about how happy she is and I can't help thinking, Okay well I'd be happy too if I was a billionaire, beautiful, and all I had to worry about was how to keep my hands off my husband for a few minutes. Don't get me wrong I loved the book and I'm happy that things worked out mostly for Jacob :-) But really nobody can live up to those expectations that's not how life is and maybe I love the books because secretly (not so secretly) I dream that my life could be that damn easy, romantic, and exciting. But anyway I love Jake I think he's hilarious and a beautiful guy. That's all I have to say about that book.


Also yesterday was my good friend Lori's birthday. She lives in Colorado and I miss her a lot. I can't wait until she comes to visit for awhile I need some laughs and she always makes me smile. So happy late birthday Lori I love you much!!!

Here are a bunch of pictures to get you caught up. I probably should've made a slide show but oh well.




Olivia and Cody carved a pumpkin together. Olivia had fun scooping out all the seeds she had to say "GROSS!" with every scoop. She was proud of the finished product. So was Cody.

My favorite pumpkin at the pumpkin walk. Of course!!!

We took Olivia in the petting zoo at Gardner Village. She was terrified. This is the only picture of her not clinging on to me for dear life. I was sad because I thought she'd love being up close with the animals. She did love these baby pigs though and so did I.

Once again Olivia was clinging on to me. "Scarry Witch!!!"

Here is my mom trying to get Olivia to pet the horse at Thanksgiving Pointe. She would get close and then start screaming.

These were the only scarecrows at the festival. I'm not really sure why they call it the Scarecrow Festival anymore.

Collin and Olivia at the Pumpkin Patch. She still asks me if we can call Sophie and Collin and go to the Pumpkin Patch.

Finally Fall

Well finally fall has arrived! This time of year brings me so much happiness. I love the beautiful fall colors, the crisp air, pumpkins, candy, and getting out all my comfy sweaters. I always wonder why I love fall so much because soon after comes winter which immediately makes me depressed. But for now I am enjoying every minute of this month. And finally we have the cooler weather to enjoy. Sunday we drove up to Snowbasin and took a hike in the beautiful leaves and sloshy mud. It was so much fun and was a much needed outing. If anybody ever wants to know what I would like for my birthday the answer is, "a beautiful fall hike with my family."


Let me also say that getting out of the house makes me realize how blessed I am. My poor husband gets the brunt of all my anger and I thank him for putting up with me as well as he does. He is truly my best friend and I had such a blast hiking with him and singing Dixie Chicks with him on the way home.


Here are some of our favorite pictures. Cody is getting really good at the photography too so I guess it's time for me to take some classes or something.

Cody, My Dad, And Brother have been doing a lot of back packing this year. I'm glad that they all enjoy doing this together. They took a trip up to Cliff Lake a few weeks ago and Cody took some good pictures of that as well. Maybe one day I'll get up the courage to hike with them but for now I have the pictures to enjoy.

This is Cody's "Self Portrait" He said he took it in case he didn't make it back. Anyway I think he looks cute. Or should I say handsome?

Apparently the fish don't get very big because of the high altitude. Or at least that was the excuse I was given.

Just Me and My Mom

For my moms birthday this year, I thought it would be fun to buy her tickets to Tuachan in St. George. So this weekend her and I made the trip down there. It was such a fun little getaway. It was the first time I have left Olivia over night but I knew she was in good hands with Cody. I really needed a little time away from her actually. I do love her so much but being pregnant and trying to keep up with a 2 year old is making me a beast. So we left Saturday (early) morning and got to St. George around 1. It has been such a long time since I have been to St. George I can't believe how much it has changed. We shopped, and shopped, and shopped some more. Then Saturday night we went to Tuachan to see Les Miserables. Holy Crap! It was amazing. I suggest anyone who can see it do so. Seeing a play outside against the beautiful red rock canyon is something I will never forget. But unfortunately for everyone else I forgot my camera so just close your eyes and imagine it I guess. The play even exceeded my expectations and brought me to tears more then once (not that it's hard to do right now). Then on Sunday we did even more shopping and headed home. We both ate like we had never ate before and I don't regret a single calorie I put in my mouth or the pounds that I gained. It has been such a long time since my mom and I have been able to get away just the two of us and it was perfect. I am so grateful to have a mom that doubles as my best friend. She's amazing in so many ways and I thank her for a great weekend!!

IT'S A................

Well we went to the Dr. yesterday and found out that we are having a baby boy! Even though I have known since the beginning that it's a boy it was still so great to see the little guy movin' around in there. We are totally excited and now we have 5 months to fight about what to name him. So if anybody has any suggestions we are open to them. The middle name has already been decided, Manuel. Yes I know it's a little different but it's the name that is on Cody's birth certificate and he would really like to use it and even though I don't love the name I know it has a very deep meaning for Cody so we're going to make it work!