Heidi, Nate and Baby C

Kitchen

2012-01-25T11:24:00.000-08:00

This morning I woke up and realized there was something missing from my kitchen (I am gone Tuesday nights helping out with a church youth group).

Later though, I found that missing cupboard in the garage.

Apparently we are starting our kitchen renovations.

Family Photos

2012-01-24T09:02:00.000-08:00

We took some family pictures over the holidays... I think this was the best one.

Baby Caleb!

2012-01-18T11:07:00.001-08:00

Our sweet baby Caleb is growing up and we are so not ready...

Sedona

2012-01-12T10:40:00.001-08:00

We recently took a trip to Arizona for Nathan's little brothers wedding (more to come on that later), and while we were there the Stewart family (Scott's new in-laws) were kind enough to take us on a 3 day excursion in Sedona. We had such a great time hiking and exploring the area and they were the best of tour guides to our family. This is certainly a place I wouldn't mind getting another invite to.

*We didn't realize it was going to be snowy and icey so consequently we were ill prepared for the weather and we ended up piling on clothes that we found in Nathan's parents suitcases... needless to say Caleb ended up with one of Grandma's sweaters and I was lucky enough to get Grandpa's socks to wear with my sandals. Better luck next time.

Vanity

2012-01-10T19:35:00.000-08:00

Traditions!

2012-01-05T11:32:00.000-08:00

I have always been a big fan of Christmas traditions. This year we were able to start a few new ones and include Caleb in a few old ones. Some of the traditions we kept alive this year were:

Opening matching jammies Christmas eve,

decorating gingerbread houses with friends,

picking out a new ornament for the tree,

attending Christmas parties at work and church,

sitting on Santa's lap (several times I might add),

walking around "Candy Cane Lane" with milkshakes while looking at all the lights,

and lastly and most importantly opening presents Christmas morning!

There were a few other traditions we kept alive that we didn't get pictures of which were; picking angel tree names and helping deliver gifts, making delicious deserts for neighbors and friends, reading the Christmas story, reading a different Christmas book every night, and Caroling. I love Christmas and all the joy and happiness it brings!

Here Comes Santa Clause...

2011-12-18T13:53:00.000-08:00

We have made SEVERAL attempts to get a good picture of Caleb with Santa Clause but none of our pictures have turned out like the Hallmark Christmas card I am so desperately wanting. Oh well though... On Saturday we attended the Flint Hills Christmas party and Caleb was able to sit with Santa for what will be the last time this year. They are not great but at least we have a few pictures.

After Caleb sat on Santa's lap Santa gave Caleb a toy... let's just say the Flint Hills Santa Clause is much more generous then the Santa coming Christmas morning. Caleb has been having so much with this truck and squealing with excitement as it rolls around the room, lights up, and even talks.

2011-12-16T19:06:00.000-08:00

I hope you had a better night then Nathan's Gingerbread house, Merry Christmas!

2011-12-09T13:49:00.000-08:00

He is getting dangerously close... but I am not ready to have him so mobile and into everything.

Since he isn't quite there yet but REALLY wants to be, most afternoons end like this:

Charity

2011-12-06T09:16:00.000-08:00

I love this story and its sweet reminder of what I should be doing this Christmas season (and really all year).

Best Friends

2011-12-05T15:59:00.000-08:00

30 days of Thanks

2011-11-30T10:43:00.000-08:00

Day 29 & 30: Gratitude! The "30 days of Thanks" challenge is over today but I am grateful that I did it (or at least attempted, there were after all a few missed days). I am grateful to have so many things to be grateful for. It is so easy to get caught up in all the bad and harshness of this world but when you sit down and open your eyes it becomes so easy to see all the good and all the wonderful blessings we all have.
Those blessings come as tender mercies from our Heavenly Father and it is those tender mercies that make this life so wonderful.

5 Months older and Wiser

2011-11-29T12:09:00.000-08:00

During our Thanksgiving festivities Caleb turned 5 months. Not much has changed from 4 months other than he is pretty mobile with his scooting and rolling. We are having so much fun with him and he has become such a delight. He makes friends everywhere we go when he smiles and coos at anyone who will give him a little attention. If you saw the 5 billion pictures we have of him on our camera you would notice that we seriously can't get enough of him.

30 days of Thanks

2011-11-28T15:52:00.000-08:00

Day 28: Caleb's Blessing, It is customary in our Church for new babies to be given a Name and a Blessing. This is usually done by their Father and he can invite other male church members to join in (usually family or very close friends). These blessings typically take place within a month or two after the baby is born.

Sunday November 27, 2011 Nathan was able to bless Caleb at church. We waited a little longer because it was really important to us that our family was there. I feel so grateful that we were able to have so many wonderful family members and friends in attendance. I am also grateful that Nathan was able to give Caleb this sweet blessing.

My heart was truly grateful at this time for both Caleb and Nathan and the bond these two share. The blessing was beautiful and Caleb was on his absolute best behavior the whole time.

*I was kind of bummed because for the first time ever it was cold and windy and we didn't take very many pictures of this special day.

30 days of Thanks

2011-11-28T08:37:00.000-08:00

Day 27: Water, I am so Thankful for water. Obviously water is completely necessary for our survival but I also love living by such a large body of water. We spend so much time out at the beach walking, eating, swimming, playing and just hanging out with our little family or a big group of friends. Best of all it is all FREE entertainment! I never thought I would live by the beach but now we do and we love it.

I also love water for so many other reasons. In fact I was born under water (my mom did one of those water bath births with my sister and I when we lived in California, which I hope to some day try). I love that I can draw a hot bath and soak in it after a hard day. I love to drink it and would chose it over any other beverage (as long as it's cold of course). I am grateful that I can jump into a swimming pool and cool off when it is 110 degrees outside. I am really just ever so grateful for water and all of its uses.

30 days of Thanks

2011-11-26T19:41:00.000-08:00

Day 26: Contacts, A couple months ago I got some new contacts that you only have to take out once a month! It is pretty much AMAZING. There was a short and painful period in my life when I had to wear glasses. I am so grateful for modern technology and the creation of contacts. I don't know who invented them but whoever you are THANKS for helping me look not so awkward.

Don't these two boys look so cute hanging out together?

30 days of Thanks

2011-11-25T06:29:00.000-08:00

Day 24 and 25: Perspective, I am so grateful for perspective. I am grateful that we all see things so differently and we are all individuals. When we told Nathan's Grandma we were going to name our new little man Caleb her reply was, "That is an awful name, where did you find something so weird." At first I was slightly offended but then I turned very grateful, grateful that we all have different opinions and perspectives and that we don't all love the same babies name, clothing, decor or even foods. I think it is marvelous that we are all such different individuals and it really makes this world such a fun and creative place. So here is to being who you are and liking what you like regardless.

30 days of Thanks

2011-11-23T19:53:00.000-08:00

Day 23: Cars, As I drove around today and tried to run all my last minute "Thanksgiving" errands I realized how grateful I am for a working vehicle and AC. I don't know what I would do without my car.

30 days of Thanks

2011-11-22T17:50:00.001-08:00

Day 22: Food, Today I asked Nathan what he is Thankful for and his response was, "I am thankful Obama's ratings are going down, and hoping to be thankful he doesn't get elected again." After I told him I wasn't going to write about that (even though I am also hoping the same thing) he decided on food. If you know Nathan you know life for him revolved around food. I often take for granted how many foods are so accessible to us for every meal. If I skip a meal it is completely by choice and that right there is a huge blessing.

30 days of Thanks

2011-11-21T19:21:00.000-08:00

Day 21: Reese's Pieces, I have to give THANKS to my favorite candy. Oh these really do make my mouth so happy. It is unfortunate for my waist line that there are a whole ton of them in my mantle candy dish... I couldn't help it, they were the only autumn colored candy I could find. But really I don't care how bad they are for me because they are so delicious.

30 days of Thanks

2011-11-20T14:30:00.000-08:00

Day 20: Books, I love BOOKS! But more then anything I love children's books. I love the color, simplicity, and fantastic morals that so often abound from their pages. I believe it is important to have a variety of books for your children to read, and for you to read to your children. Every night before bed I read with Caleb and it is so often my favorite part of the day. He may not understand what it is we are reading but I know we are building a bond that is everlasting and a tradition that I hope will stick with him forever.

30 days of Thanks

2011-11-19T20:17:00.001-08:00

Day 19: Prayer, I really am so grateful for prayer. I think this quote below says it all.

30 days of Thanks

2011-11-18T10:25:00.000-08:00

Day 18: Fridays off, Nathan has every other Friday off and it is by far my favorite 2 days of the month. The rest of the week so easily becomes packed with things to do and places to be, but these Fridays most people are working so they are for the most part completely unscheduled.

I am thankful for them because Nathan usually gets up and plays with Caleb while I sleep in.

There is finally time for Nathan to work on "his list" and some of my projects even get completed. Like this set of night stands he built a few Fridays ago.

And mostly I just love them because we get to take family walks, and hang out together. See Caleb loves Fridays off too!

30 days of Thanks

2011-11-17T17:38:00.000-08:00

Day 17: Motherhood: I love being a Mom and am so grateful for the opportunity I have to spend my days with Caleb. Having him is an amazing blessing. I think Motherhood and all that comes with it is so often taken for granted. It may not always be easy but it is wonderful.

"Motherhood is not a hobby, it is a calling. You do not collect children because you find them cuter than stamps. It is not something to do if you can squeeze the time in. It is what God gave you time for." -Elder Anderson

30 days of Thanks

2011-11-16T12:54:00.000-08:00

Day 16: For the Beauty of this Earth, I have been pretty blessed to both visit and live in some amazing places and it is a constant reminder of how amazing this earth is. It is beyond beautiful. Everything in nature is so detailed and intricate. Each time I travel somewhere new the beauty of this earth is a reminder of how much our Heavenly Father loves us.

First snowfall in Rexburg, Idaho 2010

Mesa Falls, Idaho 2010

Washington 2009

Idaho 2007

Guatemala 2006

30 days of Thanks

2011-11-15T12:20:00.001-08:00

Day 15: Pinterest, I love this website because it brings together so many creative ideas. I love to see what people come up with and what others can do and this website brings that all into one convenient location. I also love it because it allows me to see and do what others have created. It is like sharing at it's greatest. Everyone shares there ideas and it lets me feel a little bit more crafty every time I complete something. It has also been the reason for some very delicious dinners we have had lately.

30 days of Thanks

2011-11-14T17:57:00.000-08:00

Day 14: Holidays! Whether it be Christmas, a birthday, or Easter I love Holidays! I love that we get to decorate. I love that we get together with friends and family. I just love that we have a reason CELEBRATE! Holidays are fabulous and I am so glad we have them and that they are spread throughout the year... I even love the random made up ones like hot dog day and pie day.
Happy Holidays everyone!

30 days of Thanks

2011-11-13T18:29:00.000-08:00

Day 13: Flint Hills Resources; I am so grateful for Nathans job. It may not be the worlds greatest job but it most certainly has been a blessing in our lives. Flint Hills has not only given Nathan a job but they have provided a job good enough that with a little sacrifice I am able to stay home with Caleb and we still have sufficient for our need. I also can say how grateful I am for those who work at Flint Hills with Nathan and their kindness. Ever since we have moved here the people that Nathan work with have been nothing but kind to us. When Caleb was born we were showered with gifts, meals, visits, and extra days off for Nathan. It was such a blessing after Caleb's ruff delivery and not having any family around to help. So thank you to Flint Hills for employing Nathan and thank you to everyone who works there that have been so generous.

30 days of Thanks

2011-11-12T14:00:00.000-08:00

Day 12; BYU-Idaho! This place holds such a special place in my heart. Of course I love it because it is where Nathan and I met and dated, where I made so many good friends, and where I took some pretty fabulous classes. I think what I love most about it, is that is it where I was out on my own facing lives challenges and it gave me an opportunity to grow and mature and become who I wanted to be. It's scary to say but I sometimes even have the longing to go back and walk to an early morning class in the -20 degree weather, with wind blowing in your face and soaking wet pants from the snow. I truly love this school and can't wait until we have an excuse to go back for a visit.

30 days of Thanks

2011-11-11T11:13:00.000-08:00

Day 11; Our freedom to Vote; I think it is fair to say that the opportunity we have to vote is pretty amazing and the opportunity comes to us because so many have been willing to put their lives on the line. I am forever grateful for all those who have served, serve, and will continue to serve in the military in whatever capacity they may so that we will live in a country that is free. I may not always agree with who we elect as a nation but I am grateful that we have the freedom to vote. I hope that we all honor these great men and I think by taking the time to be informed and vote is a great way to do that.

30 days of Thanks

2011-11-10T11:20:00.000-08:00

Day 10: My Health; I am so grateful for a healthy body. With Caleb's pregnancy and delivery I experienced a small glimpse of what it would be like to suffer from a very unhealthy body and it was awful. After Caleb was born and my body started to heal I realized how blessed I have been to have a healthy body that works and functions properly. I hope that I always strive to take care of this precious gift God has given me.

2011-11-09T08:56:00.000-08:00

Day 9: Friends; I have been very blessed to always have good friends, wherever I have been. Life is so much easier when you have good friends to lean on and help you through, and that is why I am so grateful for all the wonderful friends I have, both here in Texas and all the other places I have lived.

30 days of Thanks

2011-11-08T08:58:00.000-08:00

Day 8: My little home; I am so grateful for this little home we have (isn't it cute!). But even more then this little house I am grateful that I have ALWAYS had a roof over my head, safe place to sleep at night and a place to call home.

2011-11-07T07:36:00.000-08:00

Day 7: Forgiveness; I am grateful for everyone who has been willing to forgive me when I make a mistake and I am grateful for the ability I have to forgive others. The power that forgiveness has and the difference it makes when used is pretty unbelievable. So today I am thankful for forgiveness and that it is something we all can take advantage of.

2011-11-06T15:52:00.000-08:00

Day 6: Religion, I am grateful for my religion and the guidance and direction it provides in my life along with the peace that I constantly receive when I do what the Lord asks.

Mathew 22: 36-40

36. Master, Which is the great commandment in the law?

37. Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all they soul, and with all thy mind.

38. This is the first and great commandment.

39. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as theyself.

40. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

2011-11-05T15:59:00.000-07:00

Day 5: Music! I am so grateful for good music. Music has the ability to inspire, motivate, comfort, or just keep me company while doing household chores.

2011-11-04T08:52:00.000-07:00

Day 4: Sacrifice; As I sit here cuddling and rocking my sick little man I realize how thankful I am for sacrifice, I am thankful for a husband who is willing to work hard and sacrifice some of the finer things in life so that I can stay home with my sweet boy. I am thankful for those who are willing to sacrifice something small or large for their friends, families, or even strangers. I am grateful for the sacrifice that Christ made for us all so many years ago. But right now as I sit with this sweet baby I am forever grateful for all those who have and will continue to sacrifice everything for the greater good of all people and this nation.

2011-11-03T07:03:00.000-07:00

Day 3: The Bob, after my run was cut short this morning due to a flat tire I realized how much I love this stroller. I take this thing everywhere, it came to Oklahoma with me, it was there when we took Caleb out for the first time and it accompanies on my morning runs everyday as I try to get back down to my "pre Caleb" weight. Literally this stroller has been nothing short of a trusty companion to safely carry around my most precious cargo. It was by far my most expensive baby purchase but after 4 1/2 months I know it was worth every penny.

2011-11-02T08:14:00.000-07:00

Day 2: Families; I am so grateful for family, Immediate family, extended family, the one I was born with, and the one I married into. It is so wonderful to have a family, and it is even better to know that families are eternal and they will be with us forever.

2011-11-01T13:30:00.000-07:00

A few friends are doing "30 days of thanks" on their blogs, I have decided to join them and spend the next 30 days posting the things I am ever so Thankful for.

Day 1: My Boys! I don't know where my life would be without these two but I can't imagine it would be a better place then it is right now.

2011-10-31T11:05:00.000-07:00

We had such a wonderful weekend. If your an Anderson your bound to love BYU football... and if you don't you just might be disowned. Living in Texas though you just don't get to many chances to go to a BYU game. Last weekend they played TCU in Dallas. Friday morning we headed to Dallas for the game but knowing it would be a lengthy drive for Caleb we made a little stop at the San Antonio temple, mostly we just walked around the grounds and used it as a good opportunity to stretch our legs and eat some lunch.

When we made it to Dallas, we almost immediately headed to the Cowboys new stadium for the game. I will have to say that it is quite the stadium. We weren't sure how Caleb would do but we figured being a Texas baby he had to get used to football sometime, right? For Caleb the game started out like this:

Then it moved to this (which is how he was most of the time, what a relief):

and ended like this:

It took Caleb a little bit of time to get used to the noise but after that he was pretty great. Of course BYU lost but then again when your a BYU fan you kind of get used to it. We spent the next day exploring Dallas, hanging out at the hotel and of course eating.

Overall it was a fabulous weekend, we had a great time and it was really nice to get away for the weekend. Thanks Dad for making it possible!

2011-10-26T10:59:00.000-07:00

Several people have asked us why we love living in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Maybe it's because we love taking family jogs along the bay front,
Or maybe it is because we love having picnics out by the ocean with great views of the Lexington and the water,
It might be that we have fallen in love with the splash park at the local aquarium,

or it even may be because Caleb will calmly watch the fish for hours if we would let him,

Nathan would say it's because we love living by the Ocean and spending family nights out having picnics, swimming, or just watching the birds,

It could be we love it here because we have made so many wonderful friends, because this is where Nathan's first "real" job is, or even because it is where we bought our first house, and where we brought our sweet baby Caleb into this world. But I think we love it here because we have made this is our home... and I hope we are here for a long time.

2011-10-23T12:24:00.000-07:00

Caleb is 4 months old. It seems like every month goes by quicker then the one before. We have desperately tried to get him to stop growing but it just isn't working. Life has been so great with this little guy and we can't imagine our lives any other way. Not much has changed since last month other then he now can roll over, so between scooting and rolling he often ends up far from where I previously laid him down. He also has started eating rice cereal with a little bit of fruit one meal a day. It wasn't something I really wanted to start but after trying to get him to take a bottle ALL day with no success, I finally caved and decided to try rice cereal. He LOVED it! His face completely lit up with glee after that first bite.

- 15lbs (50 percentile)
-26 inches (91st percentile)

2011-10-21T08:33:00.000-07:00

They understand each others language...

2011-10-12T20:29:00.000-07:00

Caleb got to meet his cousin Kylie this week! Can you even tell she is almost 4 months older then him? It's been a lot of fun watching them together and their reactions to each other.

2011-10-09T20:03:00.000-07:00

He's learning to blow bubbles.... isn't he cute?

Baby Caleb + Bumbo = Perfect Match

2011-09-29T19:48:00.000-07:00

Needless to say, he loves the chair!

2011-09-27T10:21:00.000-07:00

"Go forward in life with a twinkle in your eye and a smile on your face, but with great purpose in heart." ~ Gordon B. Hinckley

Carrie Underwood with Vince Gill How Great thou Art - 720P HD - Standing...

2011-09-25T12:50:00.000-07:00

Sweet Baby Caleb!

2011-09-21T12:27:00.000-07:00

I can't believe this sweet baby is already 3 months old! This past month has been an absolute blast!!! For those of you who didn't know weeks 3 to about 9 Caleb cried for 4-6 hours a day, nonstop. There was nothing we or anyone could do to soothe this child. Most of his crying was caused by some severe constipation issues that caused him tremendous pain and not to be able to sleep. It was absolutely emotionally and physically draining. But this last month he has started sleeping and eating on a schedule and taking naps that last more then 10 minutes. It has been absolutely FABULOUS and we are having so much fun with this little guy.
-Weights 13.5 pounds (according to the bathroom scale)
-Sleeps 7-8 hours at night
-taking 1-2 hour naps
-coos all the time
-smiles when you whistle at him
-loves the bathtub still
-rolled over once, but it scared him half to death so I don't think it will be happening again anytime soon
-tries to stand up when you hold him
-always wants to be facing out where he can see everything
-eating 4-6ounces of formula with a tablespoon of rice cereal every 3-4 hours

Before and After

2011-09-19T06:57:00.000-07:00

Nathan finished his first home renovation project on Saturday. The builder, for whatever reason had cut out a "plant ledge" above the fireplace that we didn't really like. Nathan decided to fill it in and rewire everything to mount the TV. We also had to repaint because of our little fire incident so we just decided to go ahead and redo the whole family room. There are still some finishing touches like, crown molding and decorating that need to be done but overall we are very happy with the changes.

2011-09-18T20:09:00.000-07:00

This cute little man is ready for church.

2011-09-15T18:34:00.000-07:00

He is totally enthralled by the computer... it seriously has his complete attention when we turn it on.

2011-09-08T20:35:00.000-07:00

Do you know what Caleb's least favorite part of the day is? Tummy Time... but at least we are making some improvement and the last few days he has gone at least 5 or 6 minutes without crying.

2011-09-06T07:30:00.000-07:00

An unlikely event occurred on Sunday. I was in the kitchen starting to clean up after a wonderful lunch when Nathan let me know he was going to burn some cardboard in the fire place. Of course we have never used this fire place before and who knows if it even works, but Nathan proceeded. A few minutes after Nathan started burning the cardboard I noticed there was smoke in the living room so I went in and saw that the fire was not staying in the fire place. The fire had started coming out and was starting to burn the bricks. I yelled for Nathan to come and fix "his problem." I ran to the kitchen, grabbed the fire extinguisher and tried to put it out. Much to our luck the fire extinguisher didn't work. By this time the whole living room was filled with thick black smoke and the flames were soaring up above the mantle. I yelled at Nathan to call the fire department and I grabbed my sweet baby and ran out of the house. I left the door open hoping Nathan was soon to follow but he didn't come out. Instead he was trying to put the fire out himself. He ran outside grabbed the hose and ran back in to start spraying the fire. The hose kept kinking and the smoke was so thick Nathan wasn't able to get a breath so he would run outside, unkink the hose, grab a breath of fresh air and continue to spray the fire. By this time I was a little nervous, Ok actually I was really nervous and all that was going through my mind was this is what it feels like to lose everything you have, and your husband. I wanted so badly to help Nathan but I had nowhere to put my sweet baby boy and there was no way I was taking him back into that house. Finally though, after what felt like an eternity, Nathan was able to put the fire out. He ran outside gasping for some clean air. As Nathan and I sat outside for a few minutes all we could see was smoke literally pouring out our front door. After some of the smoke was out and you could see in the front door Nathan ran back in and opened up all the doors and windows. For what felt like was forever we sat outside as we waited and watched as smoke continued to leave the house. It was literally amazing how much smoke there was, every room in the house and the garage had been filled with thick black smoke. I then had Nathan run in and grab my phone, diaper bag, and Caleb's car seat. I called a friend and asked if we could head over because there was no way I was going to leave my baby in that house. Nathan refused to leave the house, letting me know he needed to start cleaning up his mess. We ended up spending the rest of Sunday with our friends (Nathan joined me a little later) and didn't return until that evening. When we returned surprisingly although our house stunk really, really bad only the bricks and the mantle showed signs of being burned. We feel so blessed that nothing else caught on fire considering what could have happened. The flames were rising above the mantle for at least 5 minutes and the wall didn't catch on fire, which is nothing short of a miracle. Since then we have scrubbed and cleaned and scrubbed and cleaned and done everything we can possibly think of and googled to get rid of the smoke smell. The smell is slowly going away (cleaning the carpets really helped, Thanks Misty!) and hopefully after we repaint this week we can mask the smell almost completely. The whole experience was surprisingly much more frightening then I would have imagined and I hope we don't experience it again. We are so grateful everyone is safe and our house was not severely damaged. But in the mean time we are going to buy a working fire extinguisher, prepare a 72 hour kit, and start some projects that just got speed-ed up on the home renovation list.

2011-08-30T09:21:00.000-07:00

Happy anniversary to a wonderful husband, father and of course the love of my life! I hope the next million years are as exciting, blissful, and great as the last three have been. I will always love you Natey Roy!

2011-08-27T16:03:00.000-07:00

And so it begins... Those of you who know Nathan know he loves projects. Ever since we got married he has been promising me that he was going to build a bed frame, I of course didn't completely believe him but less then three weeks after moving into our new house... here it is! Now isn't he handy? Some matching night stands are next on the agenda, then a console table for the living room, a shelf for Caleb's room and the list goes on and on... but for now I will just enjoy my new bed.

2011-08-22T18:46:00.000-07:00

Minute 2 Win it
Our good friends Jason and Whitney had a "Minute 2 Win It" party this past weekend to celebrate Jason's birthday. If you haven't seen the show you have to check it out so you to can recreate it for a party. We seriously had so much and laughed so hard. Everyone came dressed up and the creativity of the costumes was an amazing bonus to the night. I hope we do this again in the future. Thanks again Jason and Whitney!

p.s. I stole this picture from Whitney's blog.

2011-08-22T18:43:00.000-07:00

Life doesn't get any better then cuddling with a sleeping baby... and this one sure is a cuddler.

2011-08-21T16:44:00.000-07:00

2 MONTHS!
Our sweet baby boy is already two months old. I really don't know where the time went. We are having so much fun with him and loving parenthood more and more every day.

-weighs 11lbs 140z (60th percentile)
-22.75 inches (39 percentile)
-pulls his own hair and then cries because it hurts, then pulls harder because it hurts, then cries harder... it's a viscous cycle
-Sleeps 4 to 6 hours at night
-loves the bathtub and cries when we take him out
-loves the swing
-is eating 4 ounces of milk with 1Tablespoon of cereal mixed in
-is cooing and laughing when you talk to him
-hates tummy time
-loves to be in the jogging stroller
-takes better naps on his tummy then on his back (don't tell the Dr.)
-is still sleeping with his hands up by his head
-is still spitting up massive amounts at each feeding
-is finally over his digestive problems and is able to poop (YEAH!)
-is finally on a schedule and sticks to it pretty well except when Dad is home
-still looks just like his Daddy and is absolutely ADORABLE!

2011-08-17T12:13:00.000-07:00

This has been a very exciting year for us, Graduation, Baby and now a house! It took forever for us to finally get in but at last we are here and we LOVE it. Here is a quick little tour of our new home. Keep in mind we have only been here a week and still have a long way to go as far as home improvement projects, but of course if you know my husband you know that those future home improvement projects are exactly why we bought the house. Hopefully there will many future blog posts with all of our updates.

Here is the front of our new house.

This is the, throw all the extras/unclaimed/office/future craft room.

This is Caleb's cute room that he doesn't actually sleep in.

No post would be complete without a picture of this cute baby.

The guest bathroom that is in dire need of some serious attention.

The living room... this room needs so much help I don't even know what to say.

Master Bedroom

Master Bathroom

Dinning Room, eeek that yellow is pretty bad, especially in pictures. Don't worry it should be gone in the next few weeks.

Kitchen, great layout just needs lots of updates.

And there it is, a tour of our cute new home. This home needs some updates but it is a great layout, and is in an amazing location and was a fabulous price so we really couldn't resist!

2011-08-15T18:24:00.000-07:00

This little man and I were having a great conversation about politics this morning, but....

I must have said something he didn't like.

2011-08-01T07:22:00.000-07:00

What a great weekend. My Mom and her husband Robert came down for the weekend to meet baby Caleb and we took them all around to show them the best of Corpus Christi. We went to the beach to try and beat tropical storm Don that turned out to be nothing but a little bit of wind.

This was Caleb's first experience at the beach and he wasn't sure what to think of it. Nathan put his feet in the water and a huge wave came by and engulfed his whole body. After that he was not a fan of the beach or the water.

Next stop was the Texas State Aquarium. It was really busy and so hot but we still had a great time. We watched both a Bird show and a Dolphin show.

To finish out the weekend we headed down to the pool and spent some time swimming. Caleb loves the pool and we had to take advantage before we move next week and have to leave the one thing we love about our apartment complex.

Overall it was a great weekend, and we love having visitors. We move into our house this weekend so we will have plenty of room for visitors, hint hint.

2011-07-31T19:34:00.000-07:00

Our Sweet Baby

2011-07-21T15:49:00.000-07:00

Here is what we have been up to the last month....

We love him and seriously just can't get enough!

2011-07-21T15:05:00.000-07:00

1 Month

-Weighs 9 pounds 3 oz
-loves his pacifier
-sleeps with his arms above his head
-gets up every 2 1/2 to 3 hours in the night
- loves sleeping in his bouncer
-will only go to sleep if Mom or Dad rocks him before hand
-loves to cry
-often sleeps with one eye open, or both slightly open
-loves the sound of the vacuum
-loves to go on walks with Mom and Dad in his stroller
-is very alert during the day time and will go 5 or 6 hours without a nap
-spits up constantly

2011-07-11T17:47:00.000-07:00

This is what happens to your child when your married to an Engineer.... Poor Caleb, he has no idea what he is in for with a father like Nathan.

2011-07-07T18:05:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we had some visitors. My dad, 2 brothers, and sister all drove down to visit. It was a lot of fun to have family come visit. I wasn't able to do much while they were here so Nathan had to show them around town and take them to the beach and the other tourist locations in Corpus Christi. My dad on the other hand didn't leave the apartment much and couldn't put Caleb down. They got along great! We can't wait for more visitors at the end of the month and the beginning of next month.

2011-06-27T19:11:00.000-07:00

I may be a little biased but really, he is BEAUTIFUL! Baby Boy had a photo shoot today and hopefully there will be some more of these cute pictures to come very shortly.

2011-06-24T18:34:00.000-07:00

I have never been so in Love! What a sweet little miracle we have been blessed with. I hope he grows up to realize and appreciate how blessed he is to have two parents who love and cherish him and a Father in Heaven constantly watching over him.

2011-06-22T10:11:00.000-07:00

Caleb Roy Wilcoxson arrived June 21st at 6:19 am. He was 7 pounds 5 oz and 21 inches long!

Here is the story of his long awaited arrival (sorry it's so long). For the last few weeks I had been struggling with high blood pressure. Or actually what we thought was the last few weeks but actually was probably something that was present all of my pregnancy but overlooked. The high blood pressure was causing lots of other possible problems but many of them were unknown as to how serious they were or if they would complicate the delivery. Three weeks ago the Doctor put me on bed rest in hopes to control some of the blood pressure issues. The goal was to keep Caleb in and the blood pressure down until June 24th and then we would deliver at almost 38 1/2 weeks.
Monday afternoon I started having blurry vision, numbness in the face and hand, and slurred speech. I contacted my Doctor and she told me to come in right away. She put us in the hospital and watched and monitored the baby and I for several hours hoping to figure out what exactly was the problem. They couldn't pinpoint what the issue was but the Doctor and I could both tell that I was getting really sick and things were not getting better. The baby needed to come out because that is the only remedy for high blood pressure during pregnancy. After a few more minutes the Doctor decided to check my cervix and discovered I was already 5 centimeters dilated. She decided it would be best if she declared me in labor and broke my water. A few minutes later my water was broken and I was in full blown labor.
After dilating a few more centimeters I asked for an epidural. The Dr. came in to give me one and after about 20 minutes we discovered it wasn't working. I called him back in and he tried it a 2nd time. Still no success. A few minutes later he put in a 3rd epidural and this one temporarily and mostly worked. By this point though I was ready to go and the baby was ready to come! I couldn't believe how fast it was all going.
As I was getting ready to push this baby out the nurse came in and told me my blood pressure had dropped way to low and we would need to wait for it to get back up into a safe range. I was given a few medications and within the next hour things were back to normal and we could get this baby out. By this time the epidural was no longer working but I didn't care because I could see the finish line. I started to push and over an hour later the baby had still not moved. He was stuck and wouldn't budge. I was exhausted so the team of nurses went to get the Doctor. The Doctor went to get the forceps to try and see if she could pull the baby out with them while I pushed. They all seemed assured this would do the trick. Well not only did the baby not move at all it was the most painful experience I have EVER been through. If you don't know what forceps are they are huge metal things they push up into the birth canal to try and grab and drag the baby out. They are AWFUL. After that didn't work the Doctor told me that the baby was stuck and there was no way to get him out. She seemed a little worried but I didn't have any idea how worried she really was until all was said and done. She rushed me to an OR to do a C-section. I got into the room and they realized the epidural wasn't working at all and there was a pain that they think was being caused by the separating of my placenta which is no good. They had to get the baby out fast so they quickly put me completely under, put the breathing tube down my throat and cut me open. When the Doctor was doing this she could see a few things. One was that there was no way Caleb would have ever made it out. Because of the high blood pressure and how sick I was continuously getting everything was swelling on the inside and the outlet he needed to go through was way to swollen for him to ever fit. The other major problem was that the cord was stuck in the birth canal wrapped over Caleb's head. The cord was being pinched which was causing him to lose oxygen and other valuable nutrients. Each time I would push the cord would get more pinched and it eventually started to fall around his neck. By me pushing him trying to get him out I was only making things worse. They had to do the C section so quickly because Caleb's heart rate was dropping dramatically. Luckily though they cut me open and pulled him out and we are both just fine. After talking to the Doctor today it was very obvious that this baby needed to come out Monday and my body couldn't afford to wait until Friday as quickly as it was falling apart on the inside.
I have most certainly learned a lot from this experience. One of the biggest things is that I was a lot sicker from the high blood pressure than we originally thought and although the problem was not manifesting itself largely, with the exception of swelling, on the outside of my body the insides and this sweet baby were most certainly suffering. There will most certainly have to be a few changes and few things that will need to be done, and specialist to see before the next pregnancy but we are so grateful things turned out so well considering all the things that could have gone wrong. We had such an amazing Doctor who REALLY took good care of us and watched over us very intently to make sure we were okay. We also are so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who watched over us and protected us through not only these last few days but these last 9 months. There were so many blessings that we received along this process that really showed that our Heavenly Father is really watching out for us.

We couldn't be happier to have this sweet little boy in our home. He is truly a blessing from our Heavenly Father.

2011-06-17T21:00:00.000-07:00

There is no new news here. Just two people hanging around the house anxiously awaiting the arrival of one little boy. Life really does slow down when you can't leave the house or actually even the bed for that matter. Bed rest, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, but if it brings this little guy here safely in the next few weeks it will be more than worth it. Since I am all out of good TV shows and books any recommendations are greatly appreciated.

Wal-Mart Grandpa's going to look younger funny 2011 commercial

2011-06-08T17:17:00.000-07:00

2011-06-04T20:40:00.000-07:00

We are officially under contract! If all goes well we will be moving into this cute little house July 15th.

2011-05-29T17:52:00.000-07:00

I should have posted this at least a month ago but oh well. These pictures are completely out of order but back during the first week of April Nathan's family came to visit and celebrate our long awaited graduation. It was a bitter/sweet and busy week for us. We were so excited to move on with our lives and finally complete college but so sad to leave some really great friends, the cutest little girl EVER, and our lives in Rexburg. We love Texas and are happy to be here but Rexburg will always hold a special place in our hearts.

2011-05-29T17:36:00.000-07:00

Why is this happening in my kitchen when we live in an apartment and are therefore are paying to have a maintenance man? Oh the JOYS of being married to a Wilcoxson.

By the way the dishwasher does work... it just wasn't up to par.

2011-05-18T19:34:00.000-07:00

Just thought you might enjoy the latest Wilcoxson family photo! I can't wait to take a new one in December with two new family members!

2011-05-11T08:40:00.000-07:00

We had a little photo shoot with some good friends of ours and here are some of the pictures. Whitney did a great job, especially when you consider what she had to work with.

2011-05-10T10:17:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we had a WONDERFUL visit from my sister Rachel and our niece Kylie. It was so much fun to have them come visit for the day and we LOVED LOVED LOVED having a baby in the house. We spent the day doing lots of shopping and exploring, the best part being that we got to test out all of our baby stuff.

Kylie went for a ride in the new stroller.... which I must say lived up to all my expectations.

She played with Caleb's only toy,

and lastly she tested out the safety and comfort of his new car seat, and by the way she slept I would say she was a fan.

We loved having visitors here in Texas and would be more than happy to welcome anyone else who wants to stop by!

2011-05-04T18:15:00.000-07:00

Look how cute these are! My good friend gave me a bag full of gifts to open one every week until the baby comes. Last week I got to open these and I can't wait to put Baby Wilcoxson in them! He has been so spoiled by friends and family.

2011-05-04T18:12:00.000-07:00

31 weeks and counting...

2011-04-30T15:53:00.000-07:00

Have you ever used this awesome tool?

It is seriously such a fun way to connect with friends and family when you are so far away. I know I am way behind the times but today was my first experience with it and I would have to say I am completely smitten.

His Hands Easter Movie

2011-04-24T15:31:00.000-07:00

2011-04-23T09:51:00.000-07:00

Last week, on our way to Texas we made a quick stop in Oklahoma to visit my family. While we were there Melanie and my Mom threw me a baby shower. Although I was a little nervous about how things were going to go considering the area was filled with thunderstorms and tornadoes that night, the shower was great. There were so many wonderful people there and Nathan and I were so lucky to get so many great gifts for the Baby! I can definitely say Baby Wilcoxson was very spoiled that night! Thank you so much to everyone who came and THANK YOU to Melanie and my Mom for all the work they put into this.

2011-04-20T15:19:00.000-07:00

Here is a quick tour of our new apartment. Most of our stuff, including almost all of our decorations, is in storage because we are hoping to be here 6 months or less.

We were really surprised and lucky that both our bed and a crib would fit so easily in our bedroom. I guess we won't need that pack n play as soon as we thought.

2011-04-20T15:02:00.000-07:00

Although the baby doesn't have his own room (and probably won't for 3-6 months when we buy a house) he does finally have a place to sleep when he arrives in 2 months.

*I am pretty sure we are going to change out that white sheet for a red one.

2011-04-19T08:15:00.000-07:00

We have arrived in Texas and we are getting settled in... did I mention it feels so wonderful to be in warm weather. More pictures of our new apartment to come soon.

2011-04-05T17:51:00.000-07:00

It has been a bitter/sweet few days. I am so excited to be done with school and graduated, but at the same time I miss my cute class. Just look at them! I spent this last semester teaching a reading class and special ed class. This is a picture of my reading class. They were so much fun and I am so bored now that I am done! I can't believe I am done with college. This last semester was a much better experience than I would have ever imagined and I have this fun group of kids and a few great teachers at Henry's Fork Elementary to thank for that.

2011-03-20T18:51:00.000-07:00

PLEASE excuse the pasty gross whiteness and no makeup... but here it is 25 weeks and boy do I feel HUGE!

2011-03-02T16:19:00.000-08:00

You know it is TRUE LOVE when you are willing to sell this:

So you can buy this:

2011-02-27T08:43:00.000-08:00

Congrats to my sister Rachel and her husband Cory. On Friday night they welcomed this sweet little girl into the world. She was 6 pounds and 10 oz. She has yet to receive a name though. Hopefully in a few weekends we will get a chance to head down to Utah and meet her!

2011-02-24T15:19:00.000-08:00

The highlight of my day had to be being out a recess duty and running into a group of 2nd grade girls playing, "pregnant teachers."

2011-02-22T15:26:00.000-08:00

I might have an addiction. We bought two bottles of this glorious stuff on Thursday and they are both already gone. Nathan swears he didn't drink any of it either.

2011-02-17T17:45:00.000-08:00

IT'S A BOY!!!

My sister sent us these shoes weeks ago in hopes that we would have a boy. I think they are so cute!

2011-02-12T09:25:00.000-08:00

Have I ever told you my husband is an artistic genius? Well he is... in fact sometimes it's embarrassing how much better he is at crafts and art projects than I am. Recently he has gotten into metal sculpture making and these two pictures are of his latest creation. It's amazing to me what he can do with a sheet of metal. Luckily his Mother has a great big garden that can house these ginormous projects.

2011-02-12T08:42:00.000-08:00

I Love this wall!

2011-02-09T16:24:00.000-08:00

Since the living room has looked like this for the past month I feel it is safe to say... I NEED a craft room.

2011-02-03T14:15:00.000-08:00

The baby is growing! Please excuse this picture because it was taken at the end of a LONG day. In two weeks we get to find out if this little one is a boy or a girl! Any guesses?

2011-01-26T16:54:00.000-08:00

Christmas Vacation. I know it's a little late but things have been VERY busy around here as I have jumped into student teaching and Nathan finishes his last semester at school.

This year we headed to Vegas for the first part of our break in hopes for some warm and sunny weather. Unfortunately it was in the 40's and rained the whole time we were there. We did however get to stop by and visit the Hoover Dam. I have been a few times but this was a first for Nathan and he was actually pretty impressed.

A few days later we were able to attend the wedding of my little brother Lewis and his new wife Crystal. This happened to be the real reason we were in Vegas. All of my immediate family, except James, who is on a mission in Mexico were able to attend the wedding and it was a lot of fun to get to hang out with everyone for a few days. It does however get pretty chaotic and loud when everyone is around.

After the wedding we headed down to Oklahoma to spend Christmas with my family. Two days later we headed to Missouri and stayed a few days with Nathans grandparents. We had so much fun with them and were sad when we had to leave.

After that it was back to Oklahoma for a few days and then back to Rexburg. It was a fun holiday but one we won't repeat for a loooooong time... or ever. Being in the car for 60 hours in 2 weeks can be a bit tiring.

2011-01-08T09:21:00.000-08:00

One of these is headed our way.... Baby Wilcoxson should be arriving around June 30th... but if he/she wants to come a few weeks early that is just fine.