Good times!

The last couple of weeks have been busy, chaotic, and fun for us. Curtis is back into two normal shoes and can walk normally again. Watch out world, he's back on the loose! He had his muzzle-loader hunt last week and hunted sun-up to sun-down every day but one. He saw a lot of deer, got a shot, but sadly didn't get a deer. Hopefully he'll get one on the rifle hunt. We have been trying to spend more time as a family; so we took the kids to the Circus, a movie, and the zoo! All in one week...wow, I'm exhausted. Savanna had a lot of fun at all three.

On our way into the Delta Center for the Circus, there were some protesters; they all had signs about boycotting the circus and helping to end elephant cruelty. As we walked by, with Savanna in tow, one protester stopped and looked at me. I kept walking, thinking to myself...I'd love to help you out, but I've got a 4 year old who is determined to see the elephants; can't worry about it now. Once we got in and the show started, it was so fun to see the look on Savanna's face. She was totally engrossed with the acrobats, clowns, tigers, horses, elephants, and everything else. It was totally worth it! She was in awe when she was watching the elephants do their tricks. I was pretty amazed as well. I've never been to a circus before and it was quite a sight!

Then, we had the zoo. My mom, brother, and three of my sisters kids and her husband were all there. I thought it would be so fun to take Savanna (she hasn't been since she was two.) I thought she'd freak over all the animals....nope, all she wanted to see were the elephants. We spent the most amount of time there. She got right up to the front to look at them. She loved the baby elephant. It was so cute; much smaller than I had anticipated. She also loved the giraffe's, which Uncle Travis calls "The king of all beasts." It was a nice cool day, Gauge was very good, and we got to see many more animals than I have ever seen up there before. I've never been a fan of the zoo (empty cages, sleeping animals) it has always been kind of boring to me. But this trip was fabulous. Except for the noises made from one very obnoxious monkey, it was great fun!

Yesterday, we took Savanna to see "Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs". I wasn't really looking forward to this one...it didn't really look that great on the previews. But, we took her anyway and it was cuter than I had thought. Most importantly, Savanna loved it! I'm sure that'll be a purchase when it comes out!

7 Years!

Curtis and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary yesterday. Life is just crazy; 7 years of marriage, two kids, a house, etc...sometimes I wonder where the time went. It has been "blistering" as Curtis jokingly calls it. We've definitely had our battles, but the good has for sure outweighed the bad. I wouldn't trade him (most days) for anything in the world. Just kidding, honey!

I think back to when Curtis and I first met 9 1/2 years ago; we loved to have fun and do random things at random times. No obligations or plans. Now, it is a totally different ball game. We have to plan and think ahead for even the smallest things. This is something that drives Curtis nuts; he's such a fly by the seat of your pants kind of guy. But, we always have fun and love doing things as a family...even when it means packing up half of the house for a couple hours of fun.

We were able to spend the weekend up Strawberry last week. This our favorite place in the whole world. We have spent so much time up there together, and now we can share it with our kids. You feel a million miles away up there...it's awesome. Savanna got to ride her 4-wheeler non-stop for three days. She is a crazy person on that thing, but it is so much fun to watch her.

I'm very grateful for Curtis. He is a great provider, father, friend, and husband. He keeps me on my toes and I'm looking forward to a lot more years with him. Love ya, babe!

Curtis...a broken man

So, about four weeks ago Curtis tore the tendons in his left foot. We were at a friends BBQ and he's not sure what happened but it killed to walk and by morning he couldn't walk at all. When we went to Instacare, they said the tendons were torn. We were kind of hoping for a break since they are a little bit quicker to recover from...but no such luck. He missed a couple days of work, but pushed through the pain and went back to work probably before he should have. Just as he was healing (but not all the way healed) he had a trailer land on his right foot. It broke is second to last toe and he also got stitches. It is completely black & blue and swollen, much like his other foot.

His left foot, again, is not healed but supporting all the weight. You should see the poor guy at night. Both feet up with ice packs on both of them.

So, the funny thing is that this all started when Gauge was about 2 months old. He broke both feet roughly three weeks apart. When Savanna was about two months old he broke both feet about three weeks apart...so, is that an omen that we shouldn't have any more kids or what! JK, but I do think its strange. Everytime we have a baby, he breaks his feet....maybe its just to get out of helping....Hmmm.

Uh, yeah...

Holy cow, time slips away from me. I haven't posted in FOREVER...sorry. We are pretty busy around this joint. Savanna keeps me hopping all the time...she is full of energy, mischief, and fun. She completed her second semester of dance; she is quite the dancer and loves it! She was in the Orchard Days parade, then performed at the park during the festivities. She will be starting pre-school in September. She is so excited to FINALLY be going to school. She can't wait. We've had to buy school clothes (since everything she owns is stained...plays hard); she's pretty stoked about that. She also can't wait to get her new cowboy boots (don't call her a cowgirl, she gets mad.)
She is the best big sister and mommy's helper. It has been wonderful having her around to help with the baby and so fun to see that from a wee babe these cute, curious, kids grow.

She has had a busy summer; she is constantly on her bike. She rides two wheels and did it on the first try. No wrecks or anything. I will get a picture of her riding...she's crazy. 90 miles an hour at all times...

Gauge is getting so big. He just had his check-up...23 " long, 12 Lb 14 Oz. He is soooo smiley and happy. He just learned to laugh a few weeks ago. He tries so hard to walk, run, crawl, do anything he can to be mobile. He gets aggravated that he is currently immobile.

He is a busy boy; he has to be doing something at all times...otherwise, he gets bored. Even in his sleep he is moving all around and constantly changing positions. He is so much like his sister, it's unnerving. His reflux is getting better; we are going to attempt going back on regular formula...everyone cross your fingers.

Curtis is healing nicely; wearing regular shoes and walking without crutches. If that kid had anymore accidents, we wouldn't be able to get insurance...they'd kick him right off! He is busy with work and restoring his '72. He just painted a truck for a friend and has two more projects lined up. Yeah!

As for me, I'm hanging in there. Trying my best to keep up with my busy family. I am very blessed to have the one I've got. My kids are beautiful and my husband is wonderful; they can all be stinkers at times, but I love them with all my heart anyway...not everyone is perfect like me. JK

P.S. Need batteries for my camera...pictures to come soon!

The Simons Four

Well, here we are approaching three weeks as a family of four. It is crazy how fast time goes. It seems like my pregnancy was forever long, and now my baby boy is almost three weeks old! We are all adjusting nicely.

Savanna is a wonderful big sister and helper. She likes to hold her brother, feed him, get diapers and wipes, etc. We have really tried to make her a part of this and also to give her individual attention...we didn't want her to feel replaced. Curtis has really been good with her; taking her fishing, reading her books, letting her help with his projects. Vanny will be starting dance again this week, which she is sooo excited for. She loves it and it gives her something to call her own. She's a good little dancer and we're very proud of our Vanna-Ranna-Ding-Dong. I couldn't ask for a better daughter.

Gauge is so fun and doing well. He went to the doctor a week ago for some potty problems; it traumatized mom but he came through like a trooper. Today was his two week check up; he is 8 lbs 14 oz and 21 1/2 inches long (kind of odd that he hasn't reached birthweight yet). He's happy, healthy, and the cutest boy ever! For those of you who haven't seen him at all or haven't seen him in a while, he is one of the busiest newborns ever. He is very alert...loves to see what is going on around him. He loves the car, and his car seat. He doesn't sleep hardly at all during the day, but is a champ at night (thank goodness!). He only gets up once, sometimes twice.

Curtis has been a huge help, getting up with him on weekends (thanks babe) so I can catch a little extra shut-eye. He has been great with Savanna...spending lots of extra time with her. They've fished, gone to a movie, read books, and he lets her work on his truck with him. He is very busy at work and home but somehow squeezes us all in. He loves both his kids and is so cute with both of them. Best dad ever!!!

Our lives are much busier, chaotic, and crazy...but, luckily, we like it that way!

Let's Dance!

As many of you know, Savanna has been taking dance. She LOVES it! She had her first recital on May 21st. I was worried she'd get up there and see all the people and freak...but she didn't. She did really well. She cheesed it the whole time and is quite the performer. She was so cute! She remembered most of her steps and danced almost the whole time (except when she spotted her dad and cousin Janey). She loves to dance; she would practice at home, in the car, people's houses, or anywhere else.

The semester ended, but she is starting again in mid-June. She will perform in the Orchard Days parade and at the park afterward. She is so excited. It has been a good out for her.

New Arrival!

Well, our baby boy is here. He was born at 1:51 AM Thursday morning, May 28th. He weighed in at 9 lbs 2 oz and 21 inches long. He is soooo adorable!!! He is very alert and is awake a lot of the time. He loves to listen to everyone talking and loves to look around. He is very wiggly, which does pose somewhat of a problem...you're never sure if you've got a good enough hold on him. He is just like his sister in that way...she never held still from the day she was born.

We named him Gauge Martell; I know I was really leaning toward Morgan, but it just didn't fit. He has a lot of dark brown hair. His look changes everyday, but he does look a lot like Savanna when she was born.

Savanna loves being a sister. She is always concerned that he is happy and okay. She doesn't like him to cry. As soon as he makes a peep she's checking to see what he needs. She didn't know what to think the first day, but is now head over heels in LOVE! As we all are. He is the perfect addition to our family.

The Simons family now consists of Curtis, Evelyn, Savanna, Gauge, and Couper (our cute dog that just got bumped from spoiled baby of the house.)

I am doing really well! My labor was a nightmare, but delivery went well and I am recovering far better than I or anyone else thought. I feel great and am so glad to have a brand new baby.

Curtis is THRILLED! He adores Gauge; but, he has also been so good to spend extra time with Savanna. He has been the best guy through all of this. I had a really hard two months at the end of the pregnancy and he never got mad at me or ignored the way I was feeling. He has been so supportive and helpful. While the baby and I were in the hospital, he cleaned the ENTIRE house...laundry, mopping, making beds, dishes, etc. It was nice to come home to a spotless house. He is a very good husband and I know I'm very lucky.

I will post pics soon of the baby...as well as Savanna's dance recital. I am a WAY behind in the blogging, but hopefully I'll be able to keep up a little better.

Truths about Me

All of these questionnaire's keep coming around about firsts, likes, dislikes, etc. I've done a lot of them, but I'll just write a blip about who I am and what I'm like:

I am a very honest person, sometimes to my detriment. I like people to be honest with me. I don't like liars, thieves, or back biting. I stand up for what I believe in. I am not easily swayed by what other people think. I don't like confrontation, but will meet it head on if necessary. Some days I have more fight in me than others. Most days I just try to make people see that if we see differently, its okay. Arguing won't change my mind.

I like to have fun, but am very cautious...don't like to be in trouble. I love being married and being a mom, but find it difficult some days to meet all the demands both jobs require. I love to be with family and friends, but family always comes first to me.

I am a very logical person and analyze everything. Sometimes its good, but it mostly drives me and those around me crazy. I love to help people. I will do as much as I can for anyone who asks and sometimes for those who don't. I am kind of pushy sometimes, but don't intentionally mean to be.

A lot of people have told me that I'm mellow and laid-back...I'm glad some people view me that way; I feel like I am as high-strung as they come. I stress about everything! I always have to have a plan...it is difficult being married to someone who never has a plan. I guess that is why we work well (most of the time) together. I keep Curtis on point and he helps me relax a little.

I do not handle high-stress situations well. I am usually the one who crumbles. I constantly strive to be a better person, but fall short (in my eyes) more often than not. I don't really care what people think of me. It has taken me years to get to that place. I do, however, have major self-esteem issues, but am always working to overcome those.

I love to be optimistic. I think there is a bright side to everything and always try to find it before things get too out of hand. I also think that no matter how bad a situation, there is always something good that will come of it. Some sort of lesson that will enrich us. It is hard to see it sometimes, but I think there is always one there.

I love to laugh and have fun and love to make other people laugh...I'm not always so serious.

So, that is pretty much me in a nut shell. I'm not sure what kind of picture that paints, but there you go.

Party pics

Savanna turned 4!

So, my baby girl turned 4 on Tuesday (17th). I can't believe she's that old...it has gone so fast. She never admitted to being three, she always said she was older. Now, she's having a hard time admitting she's four; she wants to be 5. Aaagh! We had a party for her on Tuesday night; she got all sorts of fun stuff. We gave her Wall-E, a new dress, and fixed her 4-wheeler. She got 101 Dalmations from Kasey, Kaden, and Brookelynn. Travis and Paola gave her a "Grave Digger" monster truck, and Mandi gave her the cutest wall hanging that spells out her name, a Dora blanket, and Dora Memory game. My mom gave her a tea set, a magnetic doll dress-up set, and an easel complete with chalk, markers, and an eraser. She had a great night!

We still have one party to go; the Simons family party is coming. I get too stressed having too many people in my itty bitty house, so we have to do them separately. Savanna is already planning her cake for that party and is looking forward to it.

I didn't get a picture of her opening each and ever present...she took it upon herself to open them as people came through the door! She's not one to follow protocol. After she had opened all of her presents, we put the candles on her cake and sang "Happy Birthday". My brother was impressed because when she blew out the candles, it was all air...no spit whatsoever!

She wanted a "princess cake", so I did my best. She picked the colors for the dress of the princess. She also picked out the "decor" and the ice cream. She is definitely a girl who knows what she wants.

Just as a side note, she had us all drinking "tea"; since there are only four cups in her tea set, we were all drinking out of the same ones....community tea cups, yummy! Everyone was a good sport; Mandi picked the fuzz out of hers and choked it down, I drank mine as quickly as possible, Travis took it like a shot and tried not to think about it, Paola was the smartest and poured hers into the plant when Savanna wasn't looking.

All in all, it was a great birthday and Savanna got everything she wanted and loved everything she got. Happy birthday Vanny!

What this part of my contract????

So, I have been thinking lately of all the things you do as a wife and mom. Here is a short list of things that you need to have done on a daily basis: Laundry, dishes, sweeping, mopping, cleaning, making beds, making breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Cleaning up, again, after you've made all three meals. Getting the husband out the door to work, getting kids ready for the day, getting yourself ready (squeeze that in somewhere) , running errands, paying bills, keeping husband, kids, and yourself all in one piece (difficult if you're married to Curtis.), getting kids to bed. So, when you get married, you are aware of all of these....what no one tells you, or if they do you think they exaggerate, is that you have to keep kids from coloring on walls, putting play dough in or on anything they can find, tying the dog up. They get into any and all things messy, sticky, and impossible to clean. Daily, I find myself following Savanna around telling her "no, don't touch that", "that doesn't go in there", "if you get that wet, it won't work any more", etc.

So, my question is....did I miss the fine print that states all of these things? Not only do I need to do the daily chores that we all love so dearly, but you have to be trained in HAZMAT. Savanna makes all sorts of messy concoctions, jumps off things, stuffs anything tiny into anything not much bigger (then it remains there, cuz how do you get it out?) She constantly ties things together and ties herself, or the dog, or her dad up. Curtis is constantly getting grease on anything he touches, tracking in mud, rhino lining, and anything else he has been working in. Between the two, it is a zoo. I love them both, and am not really complaining, just wondering why you never find out about all these crazy things until you are smack in the middle of them. It is kind of funny (later on) when you think about it; what we must look like while going through our day. We should all start keeping hidden cameras around the house so that the next bride or mother to be can review our tapes and make sure it is something they want to dive into....head first. Just a thought.

It makes you think...

I just read my sister-in-law Jessica's blog; she is a "stay home" mom with 7 kids and Brian (Curtis' brother) is deployed in Afghanistan. This is a truly amazing family! Brian will be away from his entire family for a year, and Jessica is holding down the fort as a "single" mom. She chauffeurs all 7 kids, makes dinner, cleans up after them, keeps them in one piece, and somehow squeezes in book-writing and school. Wow, I have difficulty keeping up with one child. Brian is taking care of patients in a clinic in Afghanistan and flying MEDEVAC. Their blog is so interesting and it makes you realize how much we have to be grateful for. Some of his stories are tear-jerking (by the way Jess, you should put some kind of warning or disclaimer....jeez) but they are all wonderful. Jessica's stories crack me up, even though they may not be that comical to her.

I am grateful to be able to live in the U.S. and have our freedom and rights; so many people don't. I am also grateful to have a husband who is, well, home for one...but that supports me in everything I do, provides for me and Savanna, and who enjoys the same privileges I do. We are all equal and I am grateful for that. When you hear about life in other countries, it really puts life into perspective.

If you have a chance, read some of their blogs. Brian and Jessica are truly amazing people and they have an amazing family. I'm grateful and proud to have a brother-in-law serving in the military and Afghanistan. We will all be glad when he returns home, though.

A little boy on the way...

We went to the doctor today and we are having a boy. Everything on the ultrasound looked good; he is happy, healthy, and growing. I am due on June 7th; so, just in time for a fun summer. Now, we just need to start getting things ready. I have a lot to do but am very excited about it all. We don't have any names yet...but we will work on it. Curtis is very excited; Savanna changed her mind and wants a sister. I guess she has a few months to get used to the idea....it is weird, she's wanted a boy all along until today. I am just glad that the baby is healthy and nothing was abnormal. Now, if I could just get feeling better...oh well, it will all be worth it in the end. :)

Hockey, anyone?

This past weekend, my nephew Denver played in a hockey tournament in SLC. We don't get to see him or his family very often, since they live in Wyoming. Denver is awesome...he is almost 14, 5' 11" tall and 156 lbs. of pain. His younger brother Brenden also plays, but was not in this tournament. He is a great player, also. They both play for Team Wyoming, which is a huge accomplishment, as well as their league teams.

Denver is a killer; he is so fast and strong. I have watched a lot of hockey in my day but there is nothing like watching these kids play. It is so amazing what they can do and how brutal they are are at such a young age. One of the kids from a Utah team ended up getting a compound fracture. That was weird. Denver's team wasn't able to play in the championship, but we did get to see some great games anyway. Here are some pics...

Dance Fever!!!

Savanna has started dance class; she is in love!! She cannot wait for Wednesday each week; they teach her ballet, jazz, tumbling, and most importantly...they teach her to follow directions!!! She is so cute and does such a good job. She is in the 4-5 year old class, even though she's not quite 4. She does so well with the older kids and keeps up pretty well. Here are a few pics of the cutest little dancer this side of the Mississippi!!