Goodbye Summer, Hello Fall!!

End of July brought us to the Mighty River Run. It was a blast! Both of my sisters and their families were able to be there this year, which made it even more fantastic! We hadn't had the entire family together up there for a few years. It was great to be able to all be there together. We also were able to have some good friends of ours join us with their 2 adorable boys. We just LOVE spending time with them. Such fun people! The rapids were phenomenal, the campfire warm, and all the food delicious. It was wonderful to see all the other extended family that were able to make it there this year as well. We had a fun family night with Grandma's delicious rhubarb pie to top it off. Yum! It was a fun, water and sun-filled week, but as usual, we were all happy to finally get home at the end of the week and have a long, hot shower and sleep in our own real beds. =)

***My Cute Little Rafters***

***Thor & Justin All Suited Up***

***My Cute Kids***

***Trevor & Logan On The Way To The Dock***

***Testing The Water***

***Such Beautiful Country***

***Ready To Go***

***Adults Headed Into The Mighty Rapids***

***The Floating Head In The Water Is My Husband -- He Was Awarded The "Round Bottom" Award***

***Our Little Fire - Tender***

***Supervisor Of The Fire - Tending***

***The Mighty Fire***

***Dirt = Boy's Best Friend***

***Apparently Girls Like Dirt Too***

***Cutie-Pie***

***Grandpa Setting Up Grandkids For Fishing***

***Grandpa Had His Hands Full***

***Justin Caught One***

Beginning of August Angela started ballet lessons. Her and I have both wanted to get her into dance for awhile now. We bought her some cute dance gear and she is doing AWESOME! Her first dance recital is coming up in December and they are already learning their dance number for that. She loves to twirl and leap and learn all the new steps. She's a perfect little ballerina.

***Warming Up***

August was also the beginning of school again for Angela and I. Little Angie Mae is officially a big FIRST-GRADER! I just can't believe it! Where on Earth has the time gone??? She was so excited to start eating lunch at school and to meet a bunch of new friends. I was partly sad, and partly excited, to see my "little" girl head off to school all day long. It didn't take me long to figure out what to do with all my "spare time".  ; )

***First Day Of First Grade***

She's doing excellent so far with spelling tests, math homework, and reading. She is such a good little reader! Her teacher will soon be adding on Vocabulary and I'm excited to see how she does with that. She just keeps getting smarter and prettier every day. She's loving her new teacher and new friends. Her teacher has this glass jar on her desk into which she puts "warm fuzzies" when the class is behaving well. These "warm fuzzies" are just the little soft pom-pom balls. Once the jar gets full they earn some type of a class party. They just recently filled the jar and had a Popcorn/Movie party. Needless to say, Angie was VERY excited!

Her school also just recently had their annual Fun Run. It was a lot of fun! Lots of music and mascots and hyped up kids. Angie is a super runner! I know it's not supposed to be a competitive race, but having done the running thing in my younger days I can't help but get all worked up about it. ; ) She came in around the top 100 of her ENTIRE school (which goes up to 6th grade). I was super proud of her and she was pretty pumped up over things as well. Once she gets a little older, if she's willing, I would LOVE to get her into some Cross Country and/or Track!

***Chillin' In Line***

***Stretching Before The Race***

***Me and The Bubbers***

***Me and My Princess***

***Tough Chica After The Race***

I also started back up in school. I'm currently taking my next Math class. It's going really well. I had worried a bit after taking the summer off that I wouldn't remember what I had learned in the last class. However, it hasn't proved to be any trouble at all. I just had my midterm and I did really well. All in all, I am expecting another "A" from this class as well. Yippee!

I'm trying to decide if, with the baby coming in the Spring, I want to take the Spring off, or maybe try to sign up for an easy online class. I'll need to decide soon since registration for Spring is coming up in a couple weeks. Anyone know anything about a Nutrition class? Would that be an easy class to take online? I'm thinking, compared to the other ones I need to take, Nutrition might be the easiest one to try and do with a new baby. However, my advisor suggests I take the next Math class to keep the Math rolling since we tend to forget Math really quickly. *sigh* I guess we will see!

September was a relatively slower month. Basically all of us just trying to settle into the new School and Work routine. I did receive a new calling in our Ward. I am a committee member for the additional meetings in Relief Society. Yeah... when they extended the calling to me I asked if they had just made that up. =D But, apparently it IS an actual calling, and so far I am loving it! It used to be for the Enrichment Meetings, but there were some changes regarding the meetings that the Relief Society holds, one of those changes being a name change from "Enrichment" to "Additional". Anyways... I, along with a handful of other ladies, help plan and put together dinners/meeting/etc. We've had one already and I actually really enjoyed being there and helping pull it off. It was a success, and I really like all the women that I'm working with on the committee. That's always a plus! I think it will be a rather enjoyable calling for me. =)

For Labor Day we spent the weekend camping with my parents up in Idaho at a beautiful little place called Warm River. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and the fishing was superb! It was great fun for everyone, despite the couple of bad windstorms and occasional skunk sightings around the campfire at night. I figure they just wanted some s'mores too!

***Fishing With Grandpa***

***Dipping Toes In The Water***

***Enormous Marshmallows***

***The Remains Of The Enormous Marshmallows***

***Ahhh, Fire***

While stopping in "town", we ate at the local Frost Top. That place was where my parents met for the very first time and eventually fell in love. It was neat to stop there with my own kids and watch the reactions on Angela's face as she heard the fun story of their first meeting. We're all glad that Grandpa thought the "girl behind the counter" was "cute". ; )

***Kids Riding The Piggy At The Frost-Top***

***My Cute Parents In Front Of The Place They First Met***

About mid-September was when we said "Sayonara" to Justin's beloved binky. We figured he was getting old enough that he should be able to cope without one. Also, with the baby coming in March, we wanted to be sure to have enough time lapse between *bye-bye binky* and *hello new baby*. I worried waiting any longer would cause issues or relapses when baby does arrive. And he has done fantastic with it! The first couple nights were pretty sad. But I would daresay now he's pretty much over it. There is an occasional, random request for the binky, which I just try to ignore and direct his attention elsewhere. That usually does the trick. Also, he got a fun, new toy as well as a new snuggly animal for bed time out of the deal so I think that kind of helped soften the blow. I'm so proud of him and the big strides he has made this year with potty-training and now ditching the bink. At the same time it's a little sad to see him grow up so quick. Why do kids have to do that????  =(

I truly can't believe October has come and gone already! This year has really FLOWN by! I hear it only continues to zoom by faster and faster the older you get too! Yikes! Speaking of getting *older*, Kaleb had his birthday on October 3rd. I swear that man is the HARDEST person to try and surprise! It gets pretty frustrating sometimes! He's either too smart for his own good, or one of the kids blabs about something, etc...  ugh! Oh well... I was, however, able to *partially* surprise him with a printed page showing confirmation of an online purchase from The Apple Store. He's officially addicted to everything Apple. He'd been talking about the new Apple TV for some time and I kept putting it off saying we didn't have the money, etc. And since I was unable to surprise him with the little getaway we took over the weekend for a few reasons, at the last minute I pounced on the Apple TV idea. So this was totally after the fact, and I was finally able to surprise him with something! Hooray!

The kids also had picked out some gifts all by themselves to give to Daddy. And since he's not much of a cake person we got him a King Size Reese's Peanut Butter Cup and stuck a candle in the middle. The kids loved singing to him, and Justin kept preemptively blowing out Kaleb's candle mid-song and giggling his head off over it. Little stinker!!

***Happy Birthday To Daddy***

***Love You Baby!***

The weekend getaway we had was super nice though, even if it WASN'T a surprise! =) We stayed downtown at The Little America Hotel. We are truly in love with that little place. It certainly isn't the *biggest* or *fanciest* hotel down there, but we've really grown quite fond of it. The service is impeccable, as well as the food. And their top-notch suites are beautiful WITHOUT costing an arm and a leg! Can't beat that!

***On The Bed When We Arrived***

***We Love Their Suites!***

We splurged for dinner and ate at The Roof. Those of you who have never been there should really try it! It's a fancy-schmancy buffet by candelight situated high above Temple Square facing west. You can watch the sunset and be serenaded by their very own pianist (who also takes requests). And when the Temple lights come on the view is simply breath-taking! We had the perfect window seats. Although, really, I don't think there IS a bad seat in the house... It's a really neat experience.

***The Roof Restaurant***

***Our Table - I Made Him Pose =)***

***Us By The Windows***

After dinner we headed back to the Hotel and did some swimming and hot-tubbing, and then headed back up to our room and promptly hung the *Do Not Disturb* sign on the door. ; )

We had ordered the Bed & Breakfast package, so we woke the next morning to a private breakfast fit for Kings. A whole plate of fresh fruit, a whole plate of pastries, fresh fruit & nut parfaits in wine glasses, Hot chocolate, and then our two personal plates with ham, eggs, english muffins, and scalloped/hashbrown-type potatoes that were absolutely to DIE for!

***Our Yummy Giant Breakfast***

We stuffed ourselves full and then, went back to bed simply because we COULD! =D After check-out we browsed the shops a little before heading back to our little monkeys who had spent the night at Grandma & Grandpa Knobel's. It was such a wonderful weekend! Wish we could *getaway* more often. But I guess since we don't, it always makes it that much more special when we do. =)

I seriously am just head-over-heels, madly in love with my husband. I can't even begin to put into words the love that we share together. It's truly a case of "I married my best friend". I am so happy, so content, so comfortable sharing and creating a life with him. I really can't imagine myself anywhere else with anyone else. Even our rough patches...  In a heartbeat, I would take our "bad days" together over a "good day" without him or with someone else. Him and I have talked occasionally about what we would do if something happened to the other. Not in a weird, morbid way. But just honestly what we would do. And I truly find myself feeling that if something were to happen to Kaleb, I would not re-marry. I wouldn't. I have tons of family support here for one thing. And, more importantly, I wouldn't want to. He is my everything. He fits me and complements me so completely, so perfectly, in a way I never thought possible. I thank my lucky stars and cherish each and every day with him. Eternity truly won't be long enough! What I have found and cultivated together with Kaleb is not something that comes along twice. I love him with every beat of my heart, with every breath I take, with every inch of my very soul. He is my "42"....

Yes, It's true!

We are expecting baby number 3!! =D

Only about 6 and a half weeks along, but already so thrilled I could just burst! =) We haven't been to the Doc yet, but by my calculations I should be due around March 20th, 2011. Yay! We are so excited to be adding another precious soul to our forever family. !!

***Pic taken of belly at 6 weeks***

  *<3**<3**<3**<3**<3**<3**<3**<3**<3**<3**<3*

A little bit of May, June, and even part of July!

Yikes! I really am trying to update this each month, but I always seem to be running somewhere and doing something! Then, by the end of the night, I am absolutely exhausted! *whew* Here I am now, though. I suppose every 2 months is better than not all, right? Right. =) Well then, on to the current events of the Knobel household . . .

The family that I nanny for took a vacation down to Phoenix to visit family around the end of May, so that gave me about a week and a half off work. It was really nice to relax and be home with my 2 kiddos. I decided to take advantage of the long off-work stretch and started potty-training my little Justin. I was apprehensive at the thought of it all, but I just couldn't ignore the gut-feeling that the timing was right for it. I felt like it had been forever since I went through the whole potty-training thing with Angela. I mean, that WAS almost 4 years ago! So, to help my lingering feeling of apprehension, I did some research and asking around to some of my friends who were also potty-training their little ones. In doing so, I came across a particular method that sounded awesome, and had received raving reviews from potty-training parents everywhere. It's officially titled the "3 Day Method". It claimed you could have your child diaper and accident free in 3 days!! I was VERY intrigued, but also skeptical. Come on, 3 days?? Really??? Hmmm....  I figured, I had nothing to lose other than the cost of diapers and a little extra time doing laundry. So, I read through the e-book that a friend was gracious enough to share with me, bought the necessary supplies, took a DEEP breath and dove right in.

The first day was a little crazy, but amazingly, that very night he stayed dry ALL NIGHT LONG!! And the following day went fantastic! By only day four he was still staying dry all night and was completely accident free all day long. I seriously couldn't believe it! The method had done exactly what it said it would! Now, I'm still unsure if this was all due to the method, or if Justin has been an *easy-to-train* kid. Perhaps both?? Either way, I'm ECSTATIC!

After a little more than a week of PERFECT potty-ing, he went through a bit of a rebellious stage where he acted like he was bored with the whole toilet business. We had as many accidents that day as we did successful trips to the potty. =/  FORTUNATELY, this only lasted the one day and he was back to his awesome potty-ing self the very next day. I also have my strong suspicions that having to go BACK to work after a week and a half at home threw a bit of a wrench in his groove. This is because the day he struggled with it was our first day back at work. And he has been perfect ever since! I will admit he has had a few lingering, minor accidents here and there, but they have been VERY rare and have included instances where we couldn't get to a restroom quick enough, or like the other day, the poor guy had the runs from something. I know, I know...  TMI, right?? Well anyways, he's absolutely fabulous! He just LOVES his "big-boy underwears" and looks sooo cute in them! =) I couldn't be more proud of my little man. He seems to be growing up much too fast. =)

***Big Boy Underwears***

***This is what happens when I take him shopping***

He definitely isn't the ONLY one who's growing up too fast...  June 2nd was little miss Angie Mae's LAST day of Kindergarten! I know, right??!! Seriously... where has the time gone??? They had a little*graduation* program that I was able to attend and I got some super-cute footage on tape to show off to Kaleb later since he wasn't able to get off work. They sat up front and sang songs and recited different little poems and such. Then each kid got a certificate of completion from the teacher. As the teacher handed out each individual child's certificate, she also handed out an award listing something that child could be recognized for. Angela's award was for "Helping the Teacher REMEMBER".  LOL  I know she does an excellent job at never letting me forget ANYTHING! *hee hee*  I just had to giggle quietly to myself when I heard that.

Angie also recently lost her first 2 teeth! She was SO excited to have finally lost a tooth! She could hardly get to sleep she was so anxious for the tooth fairy to come! And she looked absolutely darling with that little window in her front, bottom teeth. The window has almost been completely filled in now by her "grown-up teeth".

Then, she decided she needed "grown-up ears" to match her "grown-up teeth". So she got her ears pierced during a shopping trip to the mall. She picked out rainbow flower earrings and enjoys showing them off to everyone she sees. =) She's getting to be such a little "grown-up" these days.

Angela gets more and more beautiful each and every day. She is bright and sunny, intelligent and loving, sweet and determined, tender and peaceful. Her laughter is absolutely contagious and she has yet to lose interest in snuggling. I am SO proud of her and each and every one of her many accomplishments she has had this year. She is a MASTER at spelling and reading. She has caught on SO quickly at math and she for sure has an artistic streak a mile wide. I am thrilled at being able to watch her spread her wings and learn to fly. She is the epitome of "blossoming" in every aspect of her life. On top of being proud, I am truly blessed to have the precious opportunity to be her mother. I look forward to watching her grow into the gorgeous, talented woman I KNOW she will be. =)

We had made Memorial Holiday camping plans for the weekend only to later realize the weather was forecasted to be icky. Maybe we're wusses, but I just had NO desire to go sleep in a tent with rain, snow, and freezing temperatures. So, we rearranged plans and were able to enjoy the holiday just hanging around town with family. And it ended up being a good thing too, since I came down with Strep Throat and then Tonsillitis! Yuck! My throat was sooo sore! And then one morning I checked my throat out in the mirror to find a disgusting whitish growth going on at the back. So I spent an hour or so at InstaCare and got me some killer antibiotics and felt significantly better in time for the Monday holiday. I was glad to not miss out on the festivities!

That Memorial Day Monday, we headed up north to Ogden. Kaleb's family has somewhat of a yearly tradition to spend memorial day picnicking and fishing. There's a really cute trout farm up there. The kids love seeing the fish-- there's literally MILLIONS! And we each always catch about 2. Then, if you're real gutsy (excuse the pun), you can stand and watch them clean, slice, and gut your fish right there! I usually opt-out for that experience but I DID catch my fair share and even touched a fish this year! =) Angela was my brave little girl and carried both of her fish from her pole to the collection bucket all by herself! It took some encouragement and she wasn't too excited about grabbing a slimy fish at first, but afterwards she thought it was pretty cool!

***She caught the biggest fish of the day***

Justin even caught his 2 fish, and he did it pretty close to all by himself. He got SO mad anytime anyone tried to help him hold his pole or attract the fish. He sure is an independent little soul and doesn't need NO help from NO body!! =D He quickly tired of standing there with a pole and had more fun running from pond to pond scouting out fish for other people to catch. He also really enjoyed throwing the food pellets into the water with Papa Ken and watching the turbulence that caused on the surface of the water.

***He was so excited that he caught one "all by himself"***

***Trying to catch fish the HARD way***

We finished off the day with a game of bowling at the local Fat Cats, and then a trip to the fabulous Farr's Ice Cream shop there in town. They have DELICIOUS ice cream and it's always packed every time we go. If you're ever in Ogden, look it up!

School has been out for the kids now for a little over a month. We've been able to have a pretty good time so far. I was a little anxious about my job since summer break meant having all 6 kids home all day long. But so far we have been able to keep busy and play and have fun. We make a couple trips to the community pool and a couple trips to the various parks around the neighborhood each week and the kids always have a blast. We're all having lots of fun and getting lots of sun. Even my own pasty-white self is acquiring a more toasty color! ; )

***My cute kids and the Saylor kids***

I have discovered that Justin is quite the little fish and LOVES to go to the pool. He runs and jumps and splashes away! Angela has always been much more timid when it comes to water, but this year even she has gained more confidence with it and floats and splashes all over the pool without any help from me. She still doesn't want much to do with the deep end and has yet to decide if she will jump in the Snake River next week at our annual family river-rafting trip. I guess we'll see. She is my little tender-heart. =)

Speaking of the river trip, we're all getting mighty excited to hit those white rapids! 4 days from now we will be setting up camp as quickly as possible so as to get in that blessed first run of the year. Can't wait! This year will be the first in a couple of years that both my sisters and their families will be there TOGETHER. The past couple years they've traded off due to work schedules or whatnot. It will be really good to have us all there together rafting, camping, and having a grand old time.

***Justin and Angie trying the new boat out for size***

This year we've even invited some good friends of ours to come. They are an awesome couple with two darling boys close to the ages of Angie and Justin. We've come to absolutely love them and try to get together on a weekly basis at the very least. We have even decided on a mutual marriage arrangement between their oldest, Logan, and Angela. They are just so cute when they play together. It will be really fun to share the river experience with them this year!

***Logan, Misty, Trevor, Thoren***

Mid-June brought a new addition to our family. Against my better judgement, we went and looked at an adorable kitten and fell in love instantly! We all took turns snuggling him and checking him out, and he began purring from the first moment we held him. He has been a fun addition. He has such a cute personality and loves to cuddle and play. We decided to name him Bagheera, after the black panther in The Jungle Book. He is all black with subtle stripes/markings along his body. He started out with bright baby blue eyes, but they are gradually changing to a striking shade of green. He is such a character! He is really good with the kids and seems to just fit in perfectly.

Bagheera has not only wiggled his way into each of our hearts, but even has made his way onto the bed with Kaleb and I at nights. It's rather entertaining for the first five minutes or so that we turn out the lights, as he will bounce around and pounce at the blanket if we move even an inch. It only lasts a few minutes and then he will find a comfy spot and curl up to sleep. On occasion he even tunnels under the blanket by our legs and curls up to sleep there. Such a funny feline!

Another cute thing he does is suck his *fingers* when he sleeps! No joke! He is currently curled up in my lap as I am typing this, eyes closed, out like a light, sucking away on his paw! LOL! He always comes bounding down the hall to greet us when any of us come home, and even acts excited that we are back. He was housebroken from day one and he has also done really well so far with the other *critters* we've got here (2 birds and 1 guinea pig). He is very interested and will sit and watch them, and walk on the cages, but it never really goes much past that. I even caught one of the birds nipping on his paws the other day as he sat on top of the cage. Too funny! The birds don't act too concerned and neither does the guinea pig.

Angela loves to carry him around and baby him, and Justin enjoys playing with him and the various cat toys we've acquired. Occasionally Justin will lean over and kiss him, it's so cute! Sometimes he will forget we are fragile humans and scratch a little too hard, but he seems to respond fairly well to reprimands over it. In the next couple of months we will be getting him neutered and de-clawed and that should help the situation as well. All in all, a good pick for our little family. =)

All the *dads* seemed to have a wonderful Father's Day. We were slothful sinners and skipped church that day. The kids and I let Kaleb sleep in while we made him breakfast in bed. Angela and Justin played the role of waiter and waitress, complete with aprons and a menu to choose from and I played the role of chef. It was fun to surprise him and pamper him for once.

He works so hard and is such a good man and awesome father and husband. The kids had each made him some crafts and homemade cards and I gave him a much-wanted shopping trip to buy some cool things he's been wanting for the River. He now has a nice wetsuit and some pretty nifty water shoes. He feels all geared up for the approaching trip now.

My dad also got a cool new accessory for the River. He had been eyeing a new, fancy "Captain's" lifejacket to help tell him apart from the rest of the crew. Us and my sisters and their families went in on it together and he was able to get it shipped out by Father's Day in order for him to show it off in pictures. On the back he promptly wrote, "Capt'n Bob". =)

For Kaleb's dad us kids all pitched in to buy him a gas-powered generator. He was surprised and excited and has already begun brainstorming plans for it.

The month of June also blessed our family with a job promotion for Kaleb. Hooray! We were so thrilled to hear the news. He has been wanting to get promoted to this particular department for awhile now and feels extremely grateful to have finally gotten over there. I am super proud of him! The day we found out, the kids and I came home and surprised him with balloons, his favorite candy, and great big hugs and kisses from each of us. This raise will enable us to loosen our pinch-hold on the pennies in our pocket a little bit. It feels good to be able to have some breathing room!

To celebrate the Fourth of July, we spent Saturday the 3rd relaxing and being with family. We went swimming and then had a barbecue. Being in the Mormon capitol of the world, the official city fireworks shows were scheduled for that Saturday as well. We decided to try something a little different and travelled up the mountain to Draper and settled into the new amphitheater they built up there. We were able to see fireworks for every city in the Salt Lake Valley from up there. It was beautiful and we even brought along our own *patriotic* playlist to listen to in the background. It was also really nice since there were only 2 other families there. It can be a nuisance to deal with large crowds sometimes. Although, I was informed by Angela that it's "more fun to see fireworks up close."  =P  So, I suppose next year we will trudge through the crowds to see them "up close". =) Regardless, the kids enjoyed the "pretty lights" and so did Kaleb and I.

Then, on the ACTUAL 4th of July, we had a family dinner up at Kaleb's grandparents, followed by some of our own personal lighting of fireworks....

Then, the next day, Kaleb and I were both lucky enough to have the day off from work. We slept in and enjoyed being lazy, and then met up with his parents for a late lunch at Applebee's. I LOVE Applebee's!! Good food, and they always seem to have good deals going on. After eating we headed out and did some Geo-Caching. For those of you who are unsure what this is, it's basically treasure hunting with GPS units. You acquire a set of coordinates along with a hint about the *treasure's* whereabouts from an online website community, and then you hunt for it! They come in all shapes and sizes and it's a really fun and cheap family activity! Some are even big enough to hold toys for the kids. The kids are always excited to search for, find, and then actually take home something from the *treasure box*. It's also fun to see who's been there before you, since there is always a logbook to sign. It's a worldwide phenomenon. Look into it! =)

Well I think that finally about sums it up! Maybe this next time I will try to do one month at a time instead of two! There's always so much going on that two months worth of reporting makes for a pretty lengthy blog post! Sheesh!

Hope everyone is doing well and we look forward to seeing some of you in A FEW DAYS!! =D 

Not to worry... We're all still alive!

The last couple months have been like a whirlwind! A lot has happened. Let's see if we can't get y'all up to date! =)

My dad had his surgery for his prostate cancer. Everything went well with the procedure. The Anesthetics made him REALLY sick, and I managed to show up at his hospital bedside while he was at his worst. That was rough. =(  However, he bounced back quickly after some rest. He only spent a couple of days in the hospital, then went home and began recovering well. A few days later, late at night, I get a call from my mom informing me that my dad had been driven to the floor by pain and cramping, had turned sickly white and could barely breathe, and had been taken by ambulance to the ER. I rushed over to the hospital, and was overwhelmed by the feeling of deja-vu as I hurried through the halls to his room--I had just been there a couple weeks back with Justin, twice. Now it was my dad's turn apparently. NOT COOL. The staff there probably knows me by name now! Sheesh!

My mom had tried to tell me I didn't need to come out, that she'd keep me updated and informed, but I wasn't about to buy into any of that nonsense. Plus, since when have I ever listened to my parents??? ; ) I knew the moment I laid eyes on my mother's face that it was a good thing I showed up. I sat by my parents sides, held my mom's hand, and helped to calm the environment the best I could.

After a few grueling hours there, it was determined that a UTI, accompanied by a blood clot which formed post-surgery, had caused all the problems. He was given meds and sent home. Thankfully, my dad has since finished his recovering, problem-free, and has even returned back to work! The other day he did some follow-up blood tests to check on things and he is now CANCER-FREE!!

**Insert HUGE sigh of relief**

That's three times now that I've seen my dad lying poor, helpless, and in pain in a hospital bed. Let me tell you... it sucks big time! He better just knock it off and be as healthy as a horse from now on!

The ugly monster that is Cancer struck again on the other side of the family tree. We found out that Kaleb's mom had some skin cancer on her face. I felt trampled on when I heard this news. I just didn't want to hear any more bad news tied to Cancer. It's just too scary, too real. Luckily, she went in for her surgery and had it removed and, so far, she hasn't had any other problems with it. She also will be having some post-op testing done to be sure it's all gone and I am eager to hear a GOOD report from that.

In other medical news, Kaleb and his doctors believe they have found the cure to his ailments and things have been going smoothly there now for a couple of weeks!

**Insert another sigh of relief**

Hallelujah! Now I need to just bug my mother a little more to follow up on some medical things and all will be well. =)

Since my last post, we added two Guinea Pigs to our house. They were both cute and fluffy and surprisingly calm and gentle with the kids--and vice versa! Sadly, we hadn't had them barely 2 weeks when Justin's small "pig-pig" keeled over and died. I was highly un-enthused. I think it was more tragic for me than anyone else! We took the lifeless tragedy back to PETCO and got a new one to replace him. Things seemed to be going fine until I noticed them itching like crazy. Then Angela's "pig-pig" had a wound-like spot over-take the side of his face. I gathered up both "pig-pigs" (if you haven't figured it out yet, this is what Justin calls them and the name has stuck around here) and headed into the Vet's office. I was not amused. I had just been through the *medical* ringer with my HUMAN family. Now I was doing it with non-human members of the family. UGH. Turned out they had both mites and ringworm! They got started on meds (BIG pain in the butt!) and I started wishing we had just gone with goldfish. Angela and Justin ended up catching the ringworm from the "pig-pigs", so they did 2 weeks on a fungal cream that just didn't seem to be working. We've now switched to a different cream that seems to already be helping only a couple days in. We got the skin infections cleared up on the "pig-pigs" and I'm hoping we've also finally found the answer for my kids' infections.

Here's the FANTASTIC part... After all this hullabaloo with Vet visits and having to give 2 "pig-pigs" oral medicine everyday, they start beating up on each other! We were told this would be a possibility since they're male and have to act all macho. I threw my hands into the air and said, "That's it!!" I promptly took the newer of the 2 "pig-pigs" back to PETCO and got my money back. The manager tried to give me trouble over it, but after one look of "don't even try it" and a couple of choice words from me and he couldn't get his cash drawer open fast enough. I am SO over this whole *critter* thing. I'm about ready to set this other one loose in the field behind our house because he's acting all mopey and weird. They are such strange little creatures. Fight with each other when together, and then mope when they're separated. A goldfish is sounding really nice right about now...

Mid-March, I ditched Kaleb and the kids and took a trip north to Boise to spend some much-needed quality time with my big sister. I spent the weekend there and we had a lot of fun! Saturday, just my sister and I hit the town and got pedicures, went to lunch, and did some shopping. We stayed up late almost every night and chatted and laughed together. I missed Kaleb and my babies, but it was really nice to be able to focus 100% on me and my sister's time together. Kaleb was such a good sport about me stealing away for the weekend too. He is such a good hubby!

The next weekend, Kaleb and I celebrated our anniversary by running away to a castle in the hills! There's a really neat place here called Castle Creek Inn. Interesting story behind it too. It started out as a house that a husband built for the love of his life so that she could be his "queen" with her very own "castle". =) It was later renovated into a bed and breakfast. Each room is enormous and built with a castle theme. We stayed in a room called The Garden Room. It was green and beautiful with a 3 sided fireplace and it's very own private garden terrace. Off of the main lobby, there is a grand dining hall where they actually SERVE you a 3 course meal as your "complimentary breakfast". There were also complimentary snacks, drinks, boardgames and movies. I joked with Kaleb that I wanted to experience it ALL! So then he made it his duty to see to it that I did! We sipped hot cocoa as we strolled the private gardens, had snacks and drinks while watching a movie by the fire, soaked in the jacuzzi with candles and color-changing light effects, and I got officially hooked on the board game of Mancala. Going to have to buy that one! It was so nice to get away with the love of MY life and celebrate 3 magical years together. I simply can't wait to spend the rest of eternity with him. He is such a good man, father, companion. I would definitely say that I'm lucky to have him, even though he constantly says he's the lucky one. =)

Also during the month of March, Justin decided he was done with the whole crib business. He began climbing OUT of his crib when it was supposed to be bedtime/naptime! Reluctantly we did some rearranging and got him into a big boy bed of his own! He looked so tiny in that big bed! I just couldn't believe he had grown up so quickly! Justin was thrilled and would climb into it and pretend to sleep. But I was worried about the battle that I was sure would ensue when it was actually bedtime. Amazingly, he has done awesome transitioning! We've had a couple of nights where there was a slight struggle of wills, but it's never lasted more than a few minutes! I am so stoked at how well he's done! He really is such a big boy now! He even calls it his "big boy bed" and asks for it when he gets tired. So cute!

**New Big Boy Bed***

***Angela's New Bed***

For Easter, we colored eggs, eggs, and more eggs! We ended up with quite a load! We visited family, ate lots of good food, and did a couple of different easter egg hunts with the kids. Justin was fun with the egg hunt this year. He was pretty good at finding those eggs! Both kids acquired lots of candy and goodies from all around. The easter bunny sure was busy this year! They both also got cute, new Easter outfits. Since conference fell on Easter Sunday, they wore them not only for that day, but also to church the NEXT week. Angela loves to strut around in new duds! She's such a girl! =)

Last month I finished up my college math class. I soared through the whole coarse with brilliant, flying colors! Woo-hoo!! I got a 100% on my final exam and scored an A+ for the class. I am SO excited and relieved! I was really concerned when I took that stinking placement test and didn't recognize hardly anything on there! But it all came back really easily and it was a good class. So that's 2 pre-requisites down, and still like 10 to go! *sigh* I guess baby steps are better than NO steps, right?? I've decided to be a slacker and take the summer off due to the fact that Angie and the kids I nanny are all in a traditional school schedule, giving them almost 3 months off this summer. So, during the summer my job will be A LOT more interesting!! I'm hoping it all runs smoothly. I'm sure it will. They're good kids. But, as for now, the plan is to take the next required math class in the Fall. I am REALLY hoping taking the summer off doesn't turn out to be a huge mistake. I find myself wondering if I will forget the basic concepts I just learned through this last class, which then could hinder my ability to succeed at the next one. =/  Hopefully I won't! 

The month of April also brought about wedding festivities! Kaleb's younger brother was preparing to take a sweet girl to the Temple to be sealed for time and all eternity. I was so excited for them! They are too cute together! On the 10th we were lucky enough to be a part of both of them receiving their endowments. They had picked the Salt Lake Temple to be married in, as well as for their endowments. That Temple is so gorgeous. I am in awe of it's beauty every time I go there. Kaleb was honored to act as his little brother's escort that day. Both of the newlyweds-to-be were so nervous and jittery and excited. It was cute. It brought back memories of the day I received my own endowments and the emotions that ran so strong that day, as well as the day of our sealing. I'm still a spiritual *baby* so to speak when it comes to the Temple. I still have plenty to learn and comprehend yet. But it was special to be there for the two of them and see them experience the spirituality of everything for the very first time. Afterwards we headed down to the Temple Cafeteria and we all had dinner together. It was really nice.

Then, just a short week later, we were also privileged enough to be present for their sealing. This is the first time that I have ever been to the temple to witness someone else partaking of the blessings and ordinances of the Temple. It was really special to see the two of them come together at the altar and become a forever family. It was a beautiful ceremony and I bawled like a baby. =) A funny note, at the end of the ceremony the sealer told Kaleb's brother to "kiss the bride". He was so nervous, he reached across and gave her the quickest *peck* on the lips any of us have ever seen. The sealer paused for a moment, looked at him and said, "Well, okay. If that's the best you've got you can return to your seats."  LOL!! It was sooo funny! Everyone chuckled, including the sealer. =) Later, when asked what the deal was, Kaleb's brother replied, "It's the temple! I didn't wanna totally MAKE-OUT with her across the altar!!"  =D It was a good, good day. They both looked stunning and there were big smiles all around. The luncheon was scrumptious; Fuddruckers, since burgers are his favorite food group. =) The reception was lovely and romantic, and my cute kids ran amuck and charmed everyone. Justin even caught the garder! We SUFFICIENTLY decorated their car-- heard it took 45 minutes and $12 to get it clean!! They spent their honeymoon at Disneyland and we hear they had tons of fun! We saw some cute pictures. I am so happy for them, and I am excited to see them create their very own eternal fairytale.

I am so thankful for the Temples and the blessings that come from taking part in the ordinances and the total peace you can feel when you're within those hallowed halls. I LOVE the Gospel and my Savior and Heavenly Father. I am so very grateful for the opportunity to have an Eternal family. I am so proud of those two newlyweds living righteously and striving for and attaining a temple marriage. It's so very important!! I hope and pray that I can live my life in such a way that my own children will also have that strong desire for the Temple to bless their lives as it has surely blessed mine. There is NOTHING more important than an ETERNAL FAMILY. Everything I do in life is aimed at being worthy of this sweet blessing. There truly is nothing sweeter...