Evans

Confucius Says...

2010-02-19T11:41:00.000-08:00

While out to dinner at a Chinese restaurant Marshall got the following fortune in his fortune cookie:

"You are the center of every groups' attention"

My son could not have gotten a more fitting fortune. He most definitely makes himself the center of attention, and not always for good reasons. But there's never a dull moment when he's around.

Christmas Fun

2010-01-08T11:21:00.001-08:00

Highlights from our Christmas season:

POLAR EXPRESS

My parents, Savannah and Valerie joined us for our ride to the North Pole. Marshall was so excited when he got on the train. We sang songs, drank hot chocolate, ate cookies and got to see Santa who gave all the kids a Christmas bell. My only regret was not getting a picture of Marshall's face when he thought he lost his ticket and was going to have to ride on top of the train. Sheer panic!

ZOO LIGHTS

The three of us went to Zoo Lights at Hogle Zoo. We got Marshall cozy in the wagon with a big blanket wrapped around him because it was cold. He had a blast. While waiting in the line for the carousel with Daddy he decided he wanted to ride on the dolphin. I've never seen Jesse so determined to get something in his life. I loved the way he was hurrying so fast to get the dolphin before anyone else did. He's a good daddy.

CHRISTMAS EVE

Jesse read us the Christmas story out of his Bible and Marshall was able to open one gift; Spiderman jammies. He asked if he could wear them for the rest of the night. What a good idea, son. I never thought of that. Of course you can. (If I hadn't let him think it was his idea he would have never wanted to wear them.)

I wanted to do something to help Marshall understand what Christmas is about so we baked a birthday cake for Jesus. He helped me frost and decorate it with sprinkles. At my Grandparent's house that night, all the kids got to put one candle on the cake and we sang Happy Birthday to Jesus.

CHRISTMAS DAY

Christmas day Marshall woke up early because he wasn't feeling too well. Thankfully he went back to bed for a few more hours even after seeing that Santa had come. His stocking had been hanging on the fireplace but Santa had taken it down during the course of the night and set it by the presents. Marshall told me Santa was naughty for taking his stocking off the fireplace. Marshall got lots of fun stuff like movies, Darth Vader, Anikan Skywalker and Spiderman to name a few.

We had breakfast at my Grandparent's house and opened more gifts. When it was time to go, I gave my little niece a hug and then had to get out of the house fast before I started crying in front of everyone. I don't think I've mentioned this on here before but my brother joined the Army and will be leaving this month for basic training. Eventually, his family will join up with him in Monterey, California. I started wondering when I would be able to see my brother and his wife and hug my nieces again on Christmas. I cried hysterically the whole way to Jesse's parents' house. I'm blaming it on being pregnant and emotional.

Mike and Anita's house offered more presents and more food. We were able to spend time with all of Jesse's siblings and their kids.

We left and went back to my grandparent's house to play cards for a few hours. Marshall had a sleepover that night with Grandpa Dick and Grandma Lisa.

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!

Snakes & Snails, Sugar & Spice

2009-12-03T09:10:00.000-08:00

Double the diapers,

Double the toys,

Christa is having a girl and a boy!!

She's Good!

2009-11-23T15:44:00.000-08:00

We were discussing how kids will play off both of their parents when they are trying to get something out of them; if one parent says no they go ask the other parent. My grandma told me a story about my cousin's seven year old daughter, Sierra, that I thought was too funny not to share.

Sierra, like any other kid, was trying to pull this stunt with her grandparents. She asked Grandma Shelley for something for which she was told no. So she went to Grandpa Danny and asked for the same thing. Grandpa Danny said, "I just heard Grandma Shelley tell you no."

While rubbing Grandpa Danny's shoulders Sierra said, "Well, yeah, but...aren't you the man of the house?"

Oh Sierra, you're good. You're real good.

Seven Year Itch

2009-11-16T14:30:00.000-08:00

Today is our seventh wedding anniversary. Last night Marshall had a sleepover at my in-laws' and Jesse took me to dinner and a movie to celebrate. We used to go to movies all the time while we were dating and then when we got married Jesse decided to tell me that he didn't really like going to movies. What a dirty trick!

At dinner while I was eating some really messy barbeque ribs I realized that one of the nice things about being married for seven years is that I dare to order ribs on a date and I know he'll still love me when dinner is over. I would have never ordered something so messy while we were dating. Oh, the beauty of seven years of marriage.

Seven year itch here we come!

Obi Nobi Kwan

2009-11-13T15:17:00.000-08:00

Marshall was, what he refers to as, Obi Nobi Kwan for Halloween. You've commonly heard him referred to as Obi-Wan Kenobi. He has all the sounds correct, they just happen to be a little mixed up.

There was a University of Utah football game on Halloween so we spent the day with Jesse's family at the tailgate lot. They had a lovely birthday party for me on top of all the Halloween festivities. Marshall was able to get loads of candy walking through the tailgate lot.

Obi Nobi fell asleep on the way out to my parent's house with these silly glasses on because even Jedi's get tired.

In Erda, he was able to trick-or-treat at all two of my parent's neighbors' homes and they were happy to get at least one trick-or-treater that night.

Did You Say Two?

2009-10-16T12:02:00.000-07:00

That was the last thing I expected to hear but, sure enough, that's what she said. She told me there were two babies in there. In me!!

Holy crap!! I'm having twins.

They are due sometime in April and I'm very excited and very nervous. Right now I think I'm a little more nervous than excited but I'm praying that God will ease my nerves. I'm in my second trimester so hopefully I'll be done with the icky feelings soon.

I asked Jesse what he thought about having twins. His response was, "It sounds like a lot of fun." I'm so glad to have a partner in this who is excited and so supportive. He has been taking such good care of me.

Marshall doesn't really say much about it. Although he did tell me that he heard them talking one day. I hope all three of them are not already conspiring against Jesse and me because we're going to be outnumbered.

Goodbye, Border Collie

2009-09-08T08:39:00.000-07:00

We had a sad weekend. Luke, our Border Collie, was hit by a truck by my parents' house and we had to put him down. He was only three and a half years old and it seems like such a shame that his life was so short. We miss him a ton but we thank God for giving us the time to enjoy him that we had. I'll miss my walking buddy. Marshall will miss his "Border Tolly". Viggo will miss his obnoxious little brother. And Jesse will miss his friend. We love you, Luke! Thanks for the fun times.

My Husband, The Comedian

2009-08-21T11:00:00.000-07:00

If asked to describe my husband in one word, most people that know him would probably say easy-going, quiet, even-tempered or something else along those lines. I don't think humorous is the first word that comes to mind when someone thinks of Jesse. In all actuality, some of the funniest things I've ever heard have come from him. He says things that, even years later, still make me laugh out loud whenever I think if them. Maybe it's because he is so quiet that when something funny comes out of his mouth it hits me extra hard because he's not the one you would expect it to come from. I hope you enjoy his humor in the following stories as much as I do.

__________

My brother, Richard, is notorious for his expensive taste. One night, Jesse and I went out to dinner with Richard and his wife, Jill. Richard wanted to go to Fleming's Steakhouse at the Gateway. The restaurant was way too expensive but it turned out to be a really fun night, except for Jesse ending the night with a self-inflicted sickness which actually made me quite mad. How could he throw up a meal that was so expensive! He tried to make the situation better by saying, "At least I got to taste it twice." Ew, gross!!!

Months later when we were talking about the night we went to Fleming's and how expensive it was Richard said, "Why did we go there? Didn't we have a coupon or something?"

I said, "Richard, they don't really give out coupons for restaurants like that."

Then Jesse piped up and said, "Yeah Rich, we got it in our Valpak."

It still cracks me up.

__________

The next story occurred when Jesse was working as a brick mason for my dad. There was never a dull moment with the men on his crew because something crazy was always going on in at least one of their lives at any given moment.

One guy, I'll call him T for his sake, was always fighting with his girlfriend. These were knock-down, drag-out fights these two lovebirds would have. As a result of one of these fights and the use of a large Salt City Candle against his face, T was missing a few teeth. He was a cowboy and this really made him look like a hillbilly.

At lunch one day, the guys were teasing T about how he always tucked in his shirt when all they were doing was laying brick. T said, "Some people consider it neat and proper to tuck in their shirt."

Jesse said, "Some people consider a full set of teeth neat and proper."

T didn't talk to him the rest of the day.

Tangible Advice

2009-07-21T10:27:00.000-07:00

For the past few months, whenever I tuck Marshall in at night his last words to me as I walk out of his room have been, "Make sure the guys don't get me." If I don't acknowledge what he said he will yell it over and over until I stick my head in his room and say, "Okay, I'll make sure the guys don't get you." I think he overheard me retelling a time I had to wake Jesse up at night because he was having a bad dream that guys were chasing him and he couldn't get away. These guys don't seem to scare Marshall but it makes me feel bad that my little boy goes to sleep thinking someone is going to get him.

One night after saying bedtime prayers and getting him cozy for bed he gave me his standard make-sure-the-guys-don't-get-me response as I was leaving. I believe kids understand more than we give them credit for so I decided to give him some advice that I thought would help. I told him that there were no guys that were going to get him and whenever he gets scared he can always talk to Jesus and ask Him to help him not be afraid. Marshall listened very closely and then said, "And Viggo will rip the guy's arm off."

"Yes, Honey. Viggo will rip his arm off."

Sounds like Daddy beat me to it with advice that may be slightly more tangible for a two year old.

Living Up To His Name

2009-06-29T14:19:00.001-07:00

Star Valley

2009-06-23T07:40:00.000-07:00

The three of us recently took a short trip to Star Valley, Wyoming. I've often heard people refer to places they love and consider beautiful as God's Country. Star Valley is God's Country for us. Don't be surprised if we decide to move there one day.

We stayed in a cozy little cabin at the north end of Afton. It was kind of a last minute excursion and the best part was that we had no agenda. We did whatever we wanted which amounted to eating a lot, trying to fish (the Salt River was too high and was moving too fast and I kept having visions of Marshall getting swept down the river in a matter of seconds), reading (I read, Jesse played his guitar), hiking, a little shopping, and relaxing.

As we were driving along a road that led to Bridger National Forest we happened along an alpaca farm. There was a guy standing outside the little red barn who saw us looking and motioned for us to come over. We pulled over and saw a little baby alpaca with his mom. The guy told us that the baby was only 30 minutes old. Talk about being in the right place at the right time. It was so cute to see this wobbly little animal trying to stand on it's skinny little legs. (If you are eating while reading this or just have a weak stomach I suggest that you stop reading because this will get a little gross.) The baby was so new it was still wet and the mother had not even delivered the placenta yet. She delivered it while we were there and that was when Jesse decided it was time to go; the man can only handle so much. After we got in the car Marshall said "She has a balloon on her butt." Which is exactly what it looked like.

On our way home we stopped at a fun playground in Bear River. Marshall loved this horse swing. They sell these at CAL Ranch and I keep trying to convince my parents that they need one for their barn.

We had a blast and we plan on making Star Valley a regular getaway for us.

A Night Out with The Eagles and the Old Timers

2009-05-15T09:04:00.000-07:00

Okay, they weren't that old; in their fifties and sixties mostly.

This past weekend Jesse and I had a most interesting experience at the Eagles concert. We went with my mom and dad and a few of their friends, not to mention the other twenty friends my parent's happened to run into that night. I can't go anywhere with them without running into someone they know.

Before this concert, if you were to ask me what songs The Eagles sang I would only be able to tell you "Hotel California". After going to the concert I realize they sing a lot of songs that I know and like; I just didn't realize they were Eagles songs.

I was expecting it to be a really mellow night of relaxing and listening to some older music, then my dad started talking about how everyone would be standing through the whole concert. I told him I didn't think they would. He told me how he and my mom went to a KISS concert when they were younger and everyone stood through the whole thing. I said, "That was thirty years ago. Now everyone is old and arthritic." My dad wisely replied while holding up his beer, "Yes, but this is arthritis medicine." He was right. Those old timers stood through the whole concert! I was worn out by the end and they were all still raring to go.

It was crazy. They were standing on chairs, dancing in the aisles, breaking the ties holding the chairs together so they could have more room to sit, and, of course, there was that oh so identifiable smell of marijuana drifting through the stadium. And I thought I was going to spend a nice, wholesome evening with my parents. The concerts Jesse and I have been to have all been very mild in comparison.

One thing I found very interesting is how friendly they all were. By the end of the night everyone around us was talking like they were old friends and my dad had even been given a few nicknames. I told my mom that was a big difference between their generation and my generation. The girls my age just kind of stare each other down and the guys are too busy being cool. There's no attempt to be friendly with strangers. We tend to stay in our little bubbles. Maybe that's one area where I should start to imitate my parent's crazy generation. **Note to self: Be more friendly.**

It was a fun night and a big thanks to my dad for buying us the tickets.

Naughty Horn

2009-05-05T10:54:00.000-07:00

Our neighbor plays an uncommon musical instrument and on occasion can be heard practicing outside. It's the kind of instrument that just fills the air with music and we can't quite tell from which direction its coming.

Jesse and Marshall were hanging out on the deck listening to the music from this instrument the other day. The next day Marshall was telling me about the "naughty horn" he and daddy had heard on the deck the night before.

I couldn't quite understand what he was talking about so after a little probing I figured it out. I first realized he was not talking about a horn but a pipe. This naughty pipe could also be described as bad.

Can you figure out what musical instrument he was talking about?

It was the bagpipes! Or, according to Marshall, the bad pipes.

Let's Go Fly a Kite

2009-04-17T07:21:00.000-07:00

Marshall is afraid of the wind. He yells at it to stop when it's blowing and runs for the house if it gets too windy when he's outside. One day when it was windy at the playground, he curled up on my lap so scared while my niece was happy as a lark to have the wind blowing through her hair while she ate her grapes. I tried to explain to him that God is the One who controls the wind and that He cares more about him than even Mommy or Daddy. That helped a little but then Grandpa Dick and Uncle Richard found out about his fear and, in my family, you never want to show your weaknesses because they will be completely exploited; even if you're two.

In my effort to cure him of that fear I thought I would get him a kite to show him that the wind can be fun. I let him pick out the one he wanted and he chose Thomas the Train.

I decided to undertake this little wind intervention in Erda because all that wind has to be useful for something. After hiding around the side of my parent's house for a few minutes he finally let his guard down and joined the fun with Grandma Lisa. He was totally relaxed flying it and sat so content in my lap as we flew it together.

I think my intervention worked!

On a side note, my mom and I took him to a playground and there was a couple there with a little girl for Marshall to play with. As Marshall was walking up the stairs to play he was counting each stair he took, "One, two, three..." The lady there commented to Marshall about how smart he was and right on cue Marshall launched into his repertoire of knowledge with "A, B, C, D..." I couldn't have trained him to perform better even if I tried.

Who's Afraid of the Poop Monster?

2009-03-31T14:12:00.000-07:00

MY DAD!!

He came through in a pinch and watched Marshall for me yesterday all by himself. This is quite the feat for a man who could probably count on one hand the number of times he has changed a diaper. He had to add to that number yesterday.

While visiting my grandpa in the hospital, Marshall did the worst thing he could possibly do with my dad in charge. He pooped his pants. After asking several nurses if they would change him and getting the response "Are you serious?" my dad finally decided to cowboy up and change the diaper himself. I have proof.

Yes, that is my dad in the picture and, yes, he is wearing surgical gloves. But he did it and I'm so proud of him. And here is the after picture that shows he survived the horrendous experience and lived to tell about it.But the panic didn't end there.

Later that day, I received a phone call from him at work. Our conversation went as follows:

Dad: "Christa, I put Marshall down for a nap. Why won't he go to sleep?"

Me: "Well, what's he doing?"

Dad: "He's standing up in the crib crying."

Me: "How long ago did you lay him down?"

Dad: "About 30 seconds ago."

Me: "Calm down, Dad. Give him a few minutes and he'll fall asleep."

All things considered, my dad was a great babysitter. Although Marshall may have been hanging upside down from the handle in my dad's truck with his pants off when I arrived to pick him up, at least he had a clean diaper on.

Book Review of "The Shack"

2009-03-20T11:56:00.000-07:00

At one point The Shack by William P. Young was going around as the latest craze within the "Christian circles" so I was immediately intrigued. I wanted to read it, if anything, just to know what all the fuss was about. I know this review comes a little late in the game but I figured I might as well express my opinion on it. It's been a while since my last post and since I have nothing else on the horizon to blog about, a book review will have to suffice.

Just to give you a little bit of an idea of what this book is about, this is the description on the back cover:

"Mackenzie Allen Philips' youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later in the midst of his Great Sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend.

Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack's world forever.

In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant "The Shack" wrestles with the timeless question, "Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?" The answers Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him. You'll want everyone you know to read this book!"

Now on to my review.

I had a very hard time with this book. I didn't really care for the story line let alone the theology that was portrayed in it. I know it is fiction but it is fiction trying to pass itself off as Biblical theology and that is where I have a problem with it. When it is sold at the Christian bookstore I tend to have more of an expectation that it will be a little more theologically accurate. If someone who was not very familiar with the God of the Bible was to read this book they would get a skewed idea of who He is.

I'm no theologian but I have read my Bible and do know a little something about it. A few specifics that bothered me:

-A lack of respect and awe when face to face with the Creator of the universe to the point where Mack (the main character of the book) feels okay to even curse in front of God.

-Papa (the author's name for God in the book) telling Mack when they first meet that they will do things "on his (Mack's) time and on his (Mack's) terms." We do things God's way; not each person choosing what's right for him. "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death" is repeated twice in the Bible, once in Proverbs 14:12 and again in Proverbs 16:25.

-The idea that there is no submission to authority within the Trinity. The author even portrays it as sinful to think that there is any authority within the Trinity. A few verses that completely contradict that are 1 Cor 11:3, 1 Cor 15:28, John 6:38 and John 8:28. Those verses do not mince words that God the Son is subject to God the Father. The author portrays that there cannot be equality if there is authority involved.

-God the Father being portrayed in human form. In John 4:24 we read "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." Jesus was God in human form, not the Father.

There is more but I think I'll leave it at that. If you've read it, let me know your opinion. If you haven't read it, I still welcome your thoughts.

Photo Tag - Grandpa Louie

2009-03-05T13:30:00.000-08:00

I was tagged by my friend Stefanie to pick the sixth picture in my sixth folder in My Pictures and blog about it. Well, it may surprise some of you that my pictures do not have individual folders. They are in one folder in a huge, jumbled, unorganized mess. I feel like Monica from Friends when Chandler discovers the messy closet. As a result, I'm going to have to go with the sixth picture in my only folder.

This is my Grandpa Louie on Christmas day at his house in 2007. He is my dad's father. The most amazing thing about my grandpa is that he has been a wonderful father and grandfather in spite of the fact that he was under no obligation to fill that role. It was his choice. He is not my dad's biological father but he chose to adopt him when my father was about two years old. I praise God for placing this good ole' Magna boy in my family. He as been a wonderful influence in all our lives. This picture is really so great because it captures him doing something that I will forever remember about him - whistling. Grandpa Louie is constantly whistling whenever he does anything from puttering around the house to doing some kind of wood working project. I love you, Grandpa Louie, and your whistling too!

Sweet, Little Grandma Jennie

2009-02-26T08:32:00.000-08:00

Jesse's grandma went home to be with the Lord on Sunday. What a blessing she was to so many people. She was very influential in Jesse's life, especially when he was younger and was babysat by her. He has wonderful memories of her and his grandpa. My memories of Jennie were from before I even knew Jesse. She was the sweet, little lady I would see in church all the time. Who knew that one day I would be a part of her family? Its amazing how God works. I can only imagine what she is seeing and experiencing at this moment. We will miss you but we will see you again, Grandma Jennie! Give Jesus and Max a hug for us.

Juanita "Jennie" Sandoval

12/12/1924 ~ 2/22/2009

Grandma Jennie - "mother extraordinaire", beloved wife, mother, sister, grandmother, aunt, and friend went to join her Lord and Savior and her beloved husband Max on Sunday, February 22, 2009. Born to Jesus M. and Jose O. Sanchez in Castlegate, Utah. She was blessed with a loving step-father, Louis Canchola whom she cherished as DAD. She inherited a strong work ethic from her mother which served her well later on in life. She married Max Sandoval on October 21, 1942 and they started their life together in Price, Utah, later moving to Salt Lake City in 1951. God blessed them with 21 children and she never tired of having a child around the house, even if they weren't her own. She worked endlessly, making sure her family (and anyone else who was lucky enough to be there) was well fed and taken care of. Everyone loved her hand-made tortillas and wonderful Mexican food! She spent countless hours cooking, cleaning, sewing, babysitting for others and still made time for her family. Flats of eggs, garbage cans full of flour, rice and beans were the norm - all of this without Costco! She played a big part in the upbringing of many of her grandchildren by babysitting them, as well as raising her beloved grandson Jeremy, until she suffered a stroke in 1989. Throughout her remaining years, her grandchildren continued to be the light of her life. Her Christian faith was her life and she used that influence to raise her children. She and Max were founding members of the Salt Lake Christian and Missionary Alliance Church where she selflessly served in various positions and made many long lasting friendships. It was her faith that gave her the endurance, energy and amazing strength to accomplish such a remarkable life. She was truly loved and admired by many! Survived by children: Ernestine, Gilbert (Becky), Carl, Max (Brenda), Anita (Mike), Peter (Phyllis), Jennie-Lee, Elaine, Duane (Lauri), Samuel, Nathan, Patsy (Elgin), Jacob (Julie), Andrew (Cynthea), Daniel (Karen), Becky (Paul), Jennifer (Stewart), Rosellen, 46 grandchildren, 41 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. Preceded in death by her loving husband Max, twin infants, Mary and Joseph, son Jerry, mother Jesus Canchola, step-father Luis Canchola and brother Fidel Sanchez. A viewing will be held on Friday, Feb. 27th from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at Redwood Memorial, 6500 So. Redwood Rd. Services will be held on Saturday, Feb. 28th at 2:00 p.m. at the Discovery Christian Community Church at 5929 So. 900 E., Murray. Viewing one hour prior to services. We'd like to extend a special thank you to our sister, Ernestine for the loving care she gave our mother during her final years of life. We are forever grateful to her for that!

For Your Viewing Pleasure

2009-02-20T08:34:00.000-08:00

I have two movie recommendations for you all. They are both very family friendly and you can watch them with the kids in the room. When Jesse and I watch movies with the little guy around the biggest thing we have to worry about is language because he’s a Say It/Play It. You don’t have to worry about that with these two movies.

The first one is Fireproof. This is a movie about a fireman, played by Kirk Cameron, who is struggling with his marriage and on the verge of divorce. Jesse and I watched it together and I thought it was a wonderful movie. It’s a different kind of love story than what you usually get. Most love stories end with the couple getting married and living happily ever after. This movie is different in that it is about a couple who is already past that point and still trying to love one another. In real life, marriage is hardly the end of the story. It’s only the beginning. If you have a spouse or soon-to-be-spouse I recommend watching it together.

My second recommendation is Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. This is a documentary by Ben Stein, the teacher in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off¸ about the treatment of people promoting Intelligent Design. This movie is not about trying to convince you to believe one way or the other but simply shows the way those that dare question the mainstream are dealt with. It’s very interesting and concerning and shows a side of the story that you don’t get to hear very often.

Let me know what you think of my movie picks.

Matter of Time

2009-02-06T07:42:00.001-08:00

When I arrived home from work last night I found Jesse sitting on the couch in a blood stained shirt holding a wet cloth over a whimpering child's lip. I learned that Marshall had fallen off the stool in the kitchen and hit his face on the side of the bar resulting in a pretty deep cut. We debated over whether or not he needed stitches and decided that we should at least take him in to get checked out. Jesse was worried about it scarring. I told him not to worry, scars are cool for boys.

It turns out we weren't overreacting and he did need stitches. The nurse told us if they weren't able to hold him still for the stitches we would have to take him to Primary Children's so he could be sedated. The idea of sedating my little boy didn't sound good to me at all. We decided it would be a good idea to pray to the Only One who could actually keep our son calm.

They started by putting some numbing ointment on his lip which he surprisingly never tried to remove. It made his lip turn white which was a good thing because it meant that it had worked and his lip was numb. The nurse had to wash it out with water and that was the part Marshall hated. Go figure! It wasn't the needle he hated, it was the water. When the doctor came in to do the stitches Marshall tattled on the nurse and told the doctor, "She put water on it!" while glaring at the sweet nurse.

They laid him down and he hardly put up any fuss. The numbing solution (and the prayer) had worked. I was singing songs to him to keep him calm when suddenly on the fourth and final stitch I started to feel sick and a little light headed. I asked Jesse to take over for me while I sat down. I thought, "Oh no! I'm like one of those men that passes out when their wife is in labor!" I think watching a needle get shoved through my baby boy's lip one too many times had finally gotten to me.

Four stitches and a popsicle later everyone was fine. I knew it was just a matter of time before we had to take him in for something like this and praise Jesus that it turned out as well as it did. His shirt on the other hand, I think is a goner.

Kids Say the Darndest Things

2009-01-09T07:57:00.000-08:00

Savannah spent some time with us last week. This is one of the conversations we had.

Savannah (singing): One manaza. One manaza. Do you know that song?
Aunt Dee Dee (that's me for those of you who don't know): What song? The one your singing?
S: Yeah. One manaza. Two manaza. Three manaza.
DD (after much contemplation): Oh! You mean the one by Britney Spears?
S: Yeah!
DD: What are the words you're singing?
S: One manaza.
DD (now laughing): What's a "manaza"?
S: I don't know.

I'm just glad she didn't know the real words to a song called Womanizer.

______________

I was changing Marshall's diaper the other day and he said to me, "I drop a steamer."

He gets that from his dad.

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We were out to breakfast with Savannah and she was playing with the coffee creamers by stacking them on top of each other. Then she said to Jesse and me, "Look! It's the Artful Tower."

It was too funny so we didn't bother correcting her.
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While camping we were sitting around the campfire with my niece, Bailey. I was talking about how I recently found some old papers I wrote back in Junior High. One paper talked about what I imagined my spouse to be like and the different characteristics he would have. Bailey so perceptively asked, "Did you write down a guy that drinks a lot of beer?"

I guess I left that one out.
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Send me your comments and share some of the funny things the kids in your life have said.

Celebrating Christmas

2008-12-26T11:37:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve began with the three of us completing the advent calendar my sister-in-law made for me. Thank you so much, Jill! Marshall and I have loved doing this calendar together. Afterwards Jesse read the Christmas story from his Bible. Then I tried to read a children's book about the birth of our Savior and it was at this point that Marshall stopped cooperating. I'm sorry to say it, but he ended up going to his naughty spot during our Christmas celebration. When it came time for him to get off the naughty spot I told him to come into the living room so we could finish our story. I didn't get any response. So I walked in the kitchen to see him lying on his naughty spot. I said, "Marshall, you can get off your naughty spot now." His little smart response was, "I'm relaxin'." Oh really little boy, because mom's blood pressure is through the roof right now! Anyway, we finally finished our story and he was able to open one present. Christmas jammies! Which he actually seemed pretty happy about and he was really good the rest of the night.

Our night continued at my Grandpa and Grandma Gomez's house. We had a great time with our family and both my cousins and their families were there to celebrate with us. We were able to take a moment out of the busy night to focus on what the party was all about and had Communion as a family. It was a great way to remember why Jesus came and what His ultimate act of love was.

Marshall was an absolute joy on Christmas morning. We started the day off by singing Happy Birthday to Jesus. I think Marshall liked that because when he woke up this morning he asked me to sing Happy Birthday. He opened his presents so well and was really excited about all his stuff - Elmo chair, Batman backpack, Thomas the Train set, a puzzle, toy cars and motorcycle, but I think his favorite was his little bear. We even had time to sit and play with some of his toys before we headed out to my Grandparent's house.

Grandpa Louie and Grandma Mare made breakfast for all of us which included my grandpa's yummy quiche he makes every year for Christmas. After opening presents we played a few rounds of Catch Phrase, one of Jesse's gifts to me, and it was reconfirmed that my dad is the sorest loser ever. Then we headed out to battle the storm on our way to Jesse's parent's home.

We arrived there safely for more family, food and presents. All of Jesse's family was there and I'm happy to report that all my nieces and nephews stayed off the naughty list. However, Hudson kept insisting that what he got for Christmas was "a secret" and I still don't know what that means. He never told me what he got. After presents we were able to get in some much needed nap time. Later that evening we sat and visited with Mike and Anita which was very nice in the glow of the Christmas lights.

We ended the night back at my grandparent's house playing Rummy. Marshall had potato chips for dinner. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Fisher Fondue / Evening with the Evans

2008-12-23T14:17:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we were busy with two fun Christmas parties. The first was our annual Fisher Fondue at my parents' house. There was a ton of great food and, the best part, chocolate fondue for dessert. After dinner we opened presents and we all got a lot of really great stuff. At the end of the night we played Apples to Apples - Bible Edition while all the grandkids watched The Chronicles of Narnia with Grandpa Dick. Savannah and I stayed up until two in the morning playing her new High School Musical board game. I know what you're thinking, Party Animals!

The next morning we hooked up the sled to my dad's Rhino and drove around in the field. That's my kind of sledding. No hills to walk up. Just sit down, hold on and try not to fall off the sled into a pile of horse manure. It was way fun and Marshall and Valerie even enjoyed a few laps around the field. The piles of horse manure only added to the fun and bumpy ride.

The next evening we went to a party for Jesse's side of the family. It was fun to see everyone we don't get to see much throughout the year. I wasn't talented enough to keep track of my two year old and take pictures at the same time. Sorry. The adults played pool and had a gift exchange. You know the one - you draw numbers and people get to steal gifts from others. Jesse ended up with some pub glasses, couldn't have found a better owner, and I got a gadget used for pedicures, also couldn't have found a better owner. Santa dropped off a bag of presents for the kids. Marshall got a book about the true meaning of Christmas.

Which leads me to the end of this post. Even more magical than Santa coming down the chimney to deliver gifts to good little boys and girls is this. That God Himself came down from His glory to deliver naughty little boys and girls from their sins. Christmas is about the fact that we have a Savior that would leave the comfort of Heaven to come into this world, not as a powerful ruler, but a helpless baby in a manger who would ultimately die for all of us. Thank you Jesus for loving me that much. Have a Merry Christmas everyone!

Ball of a Birthday Party

2008-12-02T14:11:00.000-08:00

I did a sports ball theme for Marshall's birthday party: footballs, baseballs, soccer balls, basketballs, you get the picture. We had our family over for soup, salad, cake and ice cream to celebrate. Jesse and I made his cake.(Jenn, please don't critique my cake decorating skills too harshly.)We told him to smile after blowing out the candles and this is what we got. Although he did not enjoy opening his presents (that would require him to sit still for far too long) he has enjoyed wearing / playing with them. He got tons of great gifts: clothes, pajamas, cowboy boots, a tool box with a drill, Iron Man car, sports balls, and a Doodle Pro to name a few. Jesse and I gave him a new bike to ride.Our happy family relaxing after all the chaos.The following day we took him to Jumpin' Jacks. He had no fear and didn't even think twice about going down the huge slides.
Savannah came with us and she was a big help. Thanks for chasing him around for us Savannah!He had a blast and it was so nice to be able to just let him run around and be as crazy as he wanted to be.Good times!

Six Years of Bliss

2008-11-20T11:48:00.000-08:00

Jesse and I celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary over the weekend. We had a lovely evening out to dinner with just the two of us. A big thank you goes to my parents for letting us ruin their dinner plans at the last minute to come over and babysit for a few hours.

Later that evening, in my effort to be a little romantic (don't worry, this won't get X-rated), I asked him in honor of six years together what are six things that he has enjoyed about our life together. I was hoping to hear things like "waking up to your beautiful face every morning" or "eating your wonderful homemade dinners every evening." I had to laugh when one of the things he chose to put on that list was, get this, Viggo. Yes, he put the dog on the list. The list that was supposed to be about our marital bliss. If you know my husband this should not be a surprise. To him, life just isn't enjoyable without a dog close by. On the plus side, at least I come in second to something that I'll probably outlive.

I love you, Jess!

Two Today

2008-11-14T09:20:00.000-08:00

At 2:13 this morning my little stinker turned two years old. He has been such a joy and blessing in our lives. Seeing him learn and grow these past two years has been wonderful. He is more boy than I could have ever imagined but I'm so excited to see how God will use that in Marshall's life for His glory. The Psalmist was right when he wrote "children are a gift of the LORD".

Happy 2nd Birthday Marshall!!

My Little Dragon

2008-11-06T10:27:00.000-08:00

Marshall was a dragon for Halloween. Since I had to work my mom watched him that day. He was able to come with me in the afternoon and finish up the work day with me. Well, we almost made it to the end of the day; we left ten minutes early because he spilled water all over my pants. It was still really fun to have him hang out with me at work.

I was able to see almost all of my nieces and nephews in their costumes.

We have Bailey as a Utah Fan / Clown.

Savannah was a makeup artist. She's the only one I didn't get to see so I better include a picture of her so she doesn't feel left out. This is one of her many self portraits that she has taken with my camera. I'm sure she made a wonderful makeup artist. But look at her, she's beautiful. She doesn't need makeup.

Cannon was Indiana Jones.Hudson was a football player for, what other team, the University of Utah. Sophia was one of the cutest little bumble bees I've ever seen.Valerie was Goldilocks.

Last but not least, Grady was a Saint Bernard.

You don't have to say it. I know I have the cutest nieces and nephews around.

Here's a final group portrait with the kids on Jesse's side of the family.I hope everyone had a Happy Halloween!

Look what God gave me for my birthday.

2008-10-31T07:37:00.000-07:00

Isn't that the most beautiful sunrise you've ever seen? And He made it for me. I was able to drive to work looking at His beautiful painting the whole way.I was listening to the most fitting song too.

How Great is Our God

The splendor of a King
Clothed in majesty
Let all the earth rejoice
Let all the earth rejoice

He wraps Himself in light
And darkness tries to hide
And trembles at His voice
And trembles at His voice

How great is our God
Sing with me, How great is our God
And all will see, how great, how great is our God

Age to age He stands
And time is in His hands
Beginning and the end
Beginning and the end

The Godhead, three in one
Father, Spirit, Son
The Lion and the Lamb
The Lion and the Lamb

You're the Name Above All Names
You are worthy of all praise
And my heart will sing
How great is our God

What a wonderful way to start out my birthday!

Go "Ootes"!

2008-10-17T07:28:00.000-07:00

Translation: Go Utes!

Marshall was brainwashed fairly easily into becoming a University of Utah football fan. Whenever he sees any kind of Ute paraphernalia he says "Go Ootes!" or "Ootah!" and he loves to watch football games on television. We went tailgating a few weeks ago and he had a blast. Marshall and I left before the game though. He isn't old enough to sit through an entire game yet but you can bet as soon as he is he'll be there with his dad.

I have a few cute pictures from the tailgate lot. Here is our niece Bailey. We couldn't quite figure out what kind of hat that was on her head but whatever it was she was certainly showing her Utah Pride. And then we have the boys; two of my nephews, Cannon and Hudson, and of course, Marshall. They were being silly and this is the best picture I could get. See what I mean. I'm seeing three future troublemakers here. But they're still cute and Marshall loves to play with them.After having so much fun watching the band, playing football, and eating cookies Marshall was all tuckered out.

Tagged by Brittany

2008-10-03T09:23:00.000-07:00

Seven random and/or weird facts about myself.

1. If I put salt and pepper on my food, I have to put the pepper on first. If the pepper is unavailable I will wait, however long it takes. The reason for this is because you can see the pepper on your food which gives a better idea of how to apply the salt that you can't see. I know they come out of their shakers at different rates but, in my mind, it makes sense.

2. I can remember all the words to my elementary school song, but for the life of me, cannot remember anything about my high school song. And I was a cheerleader for three years! I'm sure if my memory was refreshed it would all come back, but as of now, I'm drawing a blank.

3. Growing up I always wanted my name to be Nicole. I used to imagine that was my name and how wonderful it would be.

4. I will not wear shoes that show my toes unless my toenails are painted. And my toenails can never be painted green. It looks like fungus. My friends used to threaten me that if I fell asleep before them I'd wake up with green toenails.

5. When I registered for my wedding, I didn't bring Jesse with me. I brought my mom. But Jesse was more than happy to sit that one out.

6. In elementary, I used to cry and get sick to my stomach every year on the first day of school. My mom would have to push me out the door while the little girl that lived down the street, who was younger than me, patted me on the back and said, "It'll be okay, Christa". I still get sick to my stomach when I have to walk into an unfamiliar room. The thought of everyone looking at me when I walk in is just too horrible.

7. Rainy weather is my favorite. I love when it is gray and gloomy outside. Rainy and windy, that's another story. The wind scares the crap out of me.

I'm not tagging anyone. If you think it would be fun to share a little about yourself, do it and you can say I tagged you.

The Office

2008-09-25T15:04:00.001-07:00

It starts tonight and I can't tell you how excited Jesse and I are. There is just no end to the uncomfortable situations Michael puts us all in. I love it.

Time for a Haircut

2008-09-22T07:18:00.001-07:00

Marshall's hair was getting too shaggy so this weekend we suffered through another haircut. I have to say he did better this time than the other times I've cut his hair but it is still quit a process. Here he is before:And a few tears later, here he is after (not very happy):So we gave him a sucker and all was well in the world again.And then, I finally convinced Jesse to let me cut his hair. I told him I only know how to cut it one way so he would have to have the same haircut as Marshall. He was fine with that but was also prepared to shave his head if need be.

Before:

After:And we didn't even have to resort to shaving any heads. The key will be if Jesse lets me do it a second time. I must say that I feel pretty accomplished right now. For some weird reason, I've always wanted to be able to cut my husband's hair. It's one of those things that I felt should be one of my wifely duties. Don't ask me to explain. Anyway, thanks Jess, for helping me feel like a good wife!

Team Jacob

2008-09-19T07:40:00.000-07:00

My mother-in-law convinced me that I had to read the Twilight series. I wasn't quit sure about it. Vampires? Not really my thing but I finally gave in. I have just finished the third book in the series, Eclipse, and started reading the fourth and final book, Breaking Dawn. I will say it has been enjoyable to read, not the best books I've ever read, but enjoyable none the less. They are definitely geared for teenage girls so as I read them I try to pretend that I'm not going to be 27 next month. It's fun to have some easy reading every now and then.

**For any of you who don't want me to give away things about the book, stop reading now. I don't want to spoil it for you.**

I just have to say that I am on Team Jacob. He sounds so much more appealing to me than Edward. For one thing, who wants a boyfriend that is cold all the time? Isn't that one of the benefits to having a guy; they can wrap their arms around you and keep you warm? Jacob is muscular and tan and Edward is thin and pale. And Jacob is really big and sounds so good looking to me. Although she constantly talks about how handsome Edward is, I just can't help but picture him as a pale, skinny, pretty boy. Jacob is so much more manly. And Jacob makes her laugh. With Edward everything is always so serious. Lighten up! And he is way too controlling. I couldn't stand the way he wouldn't allow her to see Jacob. I'm glad he finally gave up on that. And Jacob fought so hard for her. I would want a man that would fight for me, not someone who could walk away from me. Edward does have his good qualities and he is growing on me more and more everyday. He is a gentleman, totally loves Bella, will take good care of her and all that wonderful stuff but I can't help but lean toward Jacob.

But now, Edward and Bella have made their commitment through marriage and I have to get behind it because what therefore God hath joined together, let not man (nor werewolf) put asunder. All along I knew she would end up with Edward, but there was still a little hope that she might possibly choose Jacob. I have been assured by those I've discussed this with that everyone turns out happy in the end though.

So give me your thoughts on this. I've discussed this with a few friends and so far I'm the lone member of Team Jacob. Is anyone else out there on Team Jacob?

Post Theist

2008-09-05T08:12:00.000-07:00

I had a brief conversation the other day with a coworker, and in turn, this post will not be brief. Bear with me. The gist of our conversation was that he asked me what church I went to. I told him, and asked if he was anything and he replied that he was Post Theist. I was curious so, at the risk of looking really stupid, I asked what that meant. I could tell he was afraid he was going to offend me with his response. He replied, "I look forward to the day that religion no longer exists." We didn't discuss it more than that and, no, I wasn't offended.

I have to say I agree with my coworker more than he knows. I hate religion. I do not adhere to a particular religion. I go to church every week and if that is your definition of religious then so be it. Jesus Himself did not promote religion. The scribes and Pharisees were the religious people of Jesus' day and take a look at what Jesus had to say to them in Matthew 23. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness...You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness...You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?" Wow! Harsh words. And that is just a small portion of what He had to say about them.

What I have is not religion. What I have is a relationship. I have a personal relationship with Jesus my Saviour. And that relationship is available to anyone regardless of what "religion" they may or may not claim. Religion is not something that is from God. Religion is man's way of trying to reach out to God whether it be through regularly attending church, tithing, doing good deeds, baptism or any number of things. Now, I'm not saying that any of those things are bad. They are all commanded by God, but not as a prerequisite for salvation. The truth of the matter is that Jesus has already done everything that needs to be done in order for us to have a relationship with Him. Through dying on the cross, He became the perfect sacrifice that was needed in order for us to be reconciled to God once again.

Salvation is really so simple but man's religion has clouded and confused it so much that mankind is constantly striving to attain this perfection that is impossible outside of Christ. If you will, it is as simple as ABC:

Admit that you are a sinner; that you have done things in your life that have separated you from the perfection of God. Romans 3:23 says "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
Believe that Jesus came to be the perfect sacrifice for those sins and that, through His death on the cross and resurrection, He is the only way to salvation. Romans 5:8 says "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Jesus said in John 14:6, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me."
Confess and repent of your sins to God and accept his free gift of salvation, and as a result, God has promised that you will be saved. Romans 10:9 says "if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." And in one of my favorite verses, Ephesians 2:8-9, you see how generous God really is "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast."

That's it. That is God's way for us to have a relationship with Him. Religion is man's way and will never be enough. No matter how hard you try and to what extent your good deeds outweigh your bad deeds, you can never do enough. Religion says "Do this and do that", God says "It is already done." His Son was His gift to you; He doesn't expect you to work for it or else it wouldn't be considered a gift. God asks you to come to Him as you are. He doesn't say, "Get your life straight and then come to Me." God is the One who will make the necessary changes in your life, all He wants is you; all of you, flaws included. It is in those flaws that He is able to make His power known.

It is up to you; it is your own personal choice. No one can make this decision for you; not your church, your parents, your pastor, your bishop, etc. It is between God and you. God is reaching out to you through His Son, not through religion. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me." What is your choice? Are you going to open the door?

For those of you who have stuck with me to the end of this post, thank you. I know it was long. If you ever have any questions about what I have written please talk to me, send a comment, email, phone call, whatever. I have no problem discussing any of this with you, even if it's been years since we've seen one another. And to my coworker who brought on this post, I too "look forward to the day that religion no longer exists" and all that exists is Jesus.

Tagged!

2008-08-28T10:38:00.000-07:00

I'm finally getting around to honoring Natalie's tag.

5 Things on my list to do today:
1. Cook dinner (I’m trying to create a new recipe tonight).
2. Clean up dinner.
3. Go for a walk.
4. Finish this blog post.
5. Finish reading New Moon.

5 Snacks I enjoy:
1. Home grown tomatoes with salt, pepper and cottage cheese.
2. Iced tea / hot tea, depending on the weather.
3. Chocolate with peanut butter.
4. Laughing Cow Cheese with crackers.
5. Hot chocolate when Jesse makes it for me in his special way with an extra serving of love.

5 Things I would do if I was a sudden Billionaire:
1. Give a portion to the Lord whether it is through supporting my home church, missions or some other God-honoring organization.
2. Quit my job and stay home with Marshall.
3. Save some money for Marshall to go to school.
4. Buy a cabin in the mountains and a vacation home on the beach.
5. Buy Jesse an older model Dodge Charger.

5 Bad Habits:
1. Biting my fingernails.
2. Spending too much time reading blogs when I have work to do.
3. Doing my makeup in the car.
4. Sleeping with my contacts in.
5. Not keeping in touch with my friends.

5 Places I have lived:
1. Magna, UT
2. West Valley City, UT
3. Taylorsville, UT (with my brother)
4. Taylorsville, UT (my house now)
5. That’s it!

5 jobs I have had:
1. Executive Secretary, Utah League of Cities and Towns.
2. Accountant, Infobytes.
3. Audit Support, Taylorsville City.
4. Administrative Assistant, Midvale City.
5. Mom to Marshall.

5 things most people don't know about me:
1. I have had a total of 18 stitches on my face.
2. I had to have an emergency C-section because Marshall’s heart rate kept dropping when I was in labor.
3. I’m very particular about the way I do things; it’s on the edge of being obsessive / compulsive.
4. I have hazel eyes; everyone assumes that Marshall gets his blue eyes from his blonde mother but he doesn't. I don't know where they came from.
5. I never had any wisdom teeth.

I tag Stacey & Erin (Welcome both of you to the blogging world). Have fun. :)

Guitar Lessons

2008-08-22T15:12:00.001-07:00

For any of you that might be interested, my husband is teaching guitar lessons. For the past few months he has been giving lessons to our niece and has enjoyed it so he wants to do it more. He's been playing for 17 years and can teach all kinds of stuff; how to play your favorite songs, chords, how to play along with a band using lead sheets, different types of strumming/fingerpicking, etc. They would be private lessons with one on one training.

So, if you or your children would like to learn the guitar, Jesse is your man. If your interested, call me (if you have my number) or send me a comment and I'll get in touch. I'm not putting my number on here for obvious reasons. Rock on, Dudes!

Cuddling with the Football

2008-08-12T14:52:00.000-07:00

Marshall has always loved to play with any kind of ball: football, basketball, soccer ball, baseball, etc. And he knows the difference between all of them. I just knew that one day he would want to sleep with his football. Well, do I know my son or what? This is how he went to sleep the other night. He liked the flash of the camera so he kept saying "again" and wanted more pictures taken. What a silly, little stinker!

On a little side not, Jesse told me a funny story about Marshall the other day. He was changing his diaper and must have been holding on to his leg a little too tight because Marshall said, "Daddy, leg broken it!"

Sandoval Family Reunion

2008-08-11T08:38:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month we went to the Sandoval family reunion. It still feels a little strange to me that I'm a part of this family. I have known many members of the Sandoval family from the time I was just a little girl. They are a huge family and we have gone to the same church for years. Oddly enough, I have early memories of Jesse's family members but none of Jesse when he was younger. My grandparents and parents all knew his grandparents and parents long before Jesse and I were ever together. My dad played softball with Jesse's dad and many of his uncles back in the days when our church had a softball league. Who would have ever thought that one day I would be related to all these people. It's just interesting to me the way God works.

The largest branch of this family tree comes from Jesse's grandma, Juanita (Jenny) Sandoval. Take a quick glance at this picture of her. She's on the left.

I know what it looks like and, no she's not doing that. I still thought the picture was funny though. Even if she was flipping off the camera I'd have to say she has every right to. This woman had 21 children. No, I didn't transpose that number. Twenty-one children! Could you imagine? I'm going crazy with just one rambunctious little boy. Amazingly enough, she outlived Jesse's grandpa, Max, who went home to be with the Lord a few years back. Jenny now lives in Seattle with her oldest daughter, Ernestine, who is in the picture with her. I come from a very small family so this huge family is kind of foreign to me. I have two cousins. Who knows how many Jesse has. It seems like anywhere we go he says, "I think that guy/girl is my cousin."

Jesse's mom, Anita, organized a bunch of fun games for the kids to play at the reunion. Marshall was kind of little for a few of them but here are some of the kids getting ready to do a treasure hunt. There were pennies hidden in the saw dust for the kids to find. Once they found one they brought it to Anita to receive a prize. Marshall got a whistle and some bubbles, which he managed to break the next day. Bye, bye bubbles!

Jesse played catch with his older brother, Jon, who's standing in the picture with him and Marshall. I think it's funny when Jesse brings his football with him to stuff like this. Sometimes I think I married a teenager.

Marshall hadn't gotten his nap that day so I pushed him in the stroller until he fell asleep. He plays very hard all day long and needs his naps. We all pay if he doesn't get his rest. I got him to sleep for about an hour which seemed to be good enough to make him happy again. This is him just waking up from his nap. He was still a little out of it at the time.

Jesse is so excited because his Uncle Andy let him take his electronic piano home from the reunion. They used it for some music during a service up there and Andy told him to take it because he doesn't ever play it. Jesse taught himself how to play the piano on a little keyboard we have. This piano sounds much better. I'd have to say we definately came out ahead after this family reunion.

Set the World on Fire

2008-07-31T08:45:00.001-07:00

Jesse, Marshall and I had the wonderful opportunity this past weekend to assist with summer camp for the youth group at our church. The theme was "Set the World on Fire" and these were our team bracelets. We camped for three days and two nights at Huntington State Park. There were 20 teenagers ranging from 13 to 18 years old.

In spite of Debi's tire blowing out on the way down and the church van overheating on the way home, it was great. They were such neat kids and I'm so glad I got to know them better. Jesse brought his acoustic guitar and we led the worship music for the weekend. I have to say, it is really cool to sing praises to our Creator in the midst of His creation.

I was really nervous about going. One of the biggest issues I was worried about was Marshall. I was concerned about him getting too tired and throwing horrible fits. I prayed about it so much before we left and God totally answered my prayers. Marshall was really good. There were a few times he got tired and fussy but for the most part he did really well. He took great naps, stuck around camp and, as you can see, had a way with the ladies. Here he is with Rachel, Ashlie and Shawnee. He loved all the kids and they loved him. They were such a big help. In the mornings when we were getting ready in the tent he would say "See the kids, see the kids" because he wanted to get out and play with the kids.

In this picture with Nate you can also see the monkey on his back. We bought that before we left because the monkey has a "tail" that can be used as a leash. Marshall loved the monkey and even kept asking us to put the "tail" on the monkey. Ha, Ha! Looks like we successfully tricked the 20 month old. This is Braiden and he was so cute with Marshall. He kept trying so hard to get Marshall to like him and I'm really glad that Marshall warmed up to him toward the last half of camp. He taught Marshall how to pound it (meaning his fist, not a beer, it is church camp) and shake hands. It was really cute. Here we have Julianna, Alyssa and Broudy. Alyssa and Julianna are sisters and I taught both of them in my Children's Church class. I am so happy to see the beautiful girls, both inside and out, they are becoming and the ways in which they have chosen to follow Jesus. I must put in a picture of Tommy, our fearless youth pastor. This is Stephanie, Josh, Tommy, and Dadiri. Tommy did a wonderful job leading these kids and I have a new found respect for what he does with the youth on a weekly basis. Ladies, he is single if your interested! I have to highlight my beautiful friend, Stephanie, a little more. I was worried about the midnight curfew Tommy had made. I thought "I can't make it until midnight! I'm going to be passed out by ten." Well, Steph and I stayed up until 12:45 am discussing all kinds of stuff. She was asking a ton of deep questions about God and the Bible and it was such an honor to be the one to help her with the answers. I didn't have all the answers, no one does, but that's what makes Him God. If we could completely understand Him, He would no longer be God. Steph is leaving for college in August and I wish her the best with everything. This is Stephanie's younger sister, Tiffany. Tiffany was so much fun and was so great at making everyone feel welcome. And yes, she is a little crazy but we love her anyway! On a side note, the lake was down and the mosquitoes were horrible. Here's proof from Jesse's legs.He had over 200 mosquito bites by the time we got home. Like I mentioned before, the van overheated and here are the smiling faces of Rick, Tommy, Dadiri, and Jess who were taking care of the problem. We ended up having to leave it on the side of the road with all the luggage piled in it and call for a tow truck.

All in all, it was a wonderful weekend and I'm so glad we were blessed with the opportunity to participate as a family. I was so glad to meet such a wonderful group of kids. Thank you, God, for answering my prayers, in more way than one.

Four things

2008-07-29T10:27:00.000-07:00

1) Four places that I go to over and over: Work (Midvale City Hall), Church (Discovery Christian Community), My Parents' House, My In-laws' House
2) Four of my favorite places to eat: La Puente, Famous Dave's, Red Robin, Rubio's Baja Grill
3) Four places I would rather be right now: Home with Jesse and Marshall, a cabin next to a lake, at the playground with Marshall, hanging out with my mom
4) Four TV shows I watch: (In the summer) Last Comic Standing, Wipeout (Marshall loves this one), Primetime Crime, reruns of Friends
5) Four people to tag: Jill, Stef, and two other people reading this blog that would like to do it!

Copy & paste then put this in your blogs!!!

Jonny Lang Concert

2008-07-21T08:19:00.001-07:00

Jesse and I were able to go to the Jonny Lang concert at Red Butte Garden last week. Best concert ever. He is my favorite musician and it was wonderful. The weather was perfect and it was such a great evening. It was fun to go on a date with my husband again. We don't do much without the kid. Marshall had a sleepover at my parent's house that night and I'm happy to say he was a very good boy for them. We ran into a friend of ours at the concert and were able to sit with him. This is the second time we have seen him in concert and he was even better this time. His whole band was incredible. My favorite part of the concert was when he came back for his encore he picked up his acoustic guitar and played an instrumental version of the song "I Love You Lord". I love that song and I think the words are beautiful.

I love You, Lord,
and I lift my voice
To worship You,
O my soul, rejoice.
Take joy, my King,
in what you hear:
May it be a sweet,
sweet sound
in Your ear.

Amen, Jonny!

It's a Start

2008-07-15T07:35:00.000-07:00

I've decided it's time to start a blog. I've been stalking my friends blogs for some time now and started to feel a little weird that I knew so much about their lives but they knew nothing about mine. So here is my attempt to share my life with anyone that is interested.

We'll start with Jesse. We met at our church, Discovery Christian Community, but really got to know one another through a Bible study my brother, Richard, was teaching at the time. Jesse started out as my brother's friend but Richard soon played matchmaker and I have to say he did a good job. Jesse works for Fisher Masonry as a brick mason. He loves music and taught himself how to play all kinds of instruments. His favorite is guitar and he's really good. I remember when I first found out he could play guitar I asked if he was any good. He said he was okay. He was being humble. Very humble. He uses is musical gifts to serve the Lord through playing in the band at our church. He is a huge fan of University of Utah football. If there is a home game you'll find him tailgating bright and early. He's even been known to sleep in the tailgate lot the night before the big game. A little extreme, I know. Our first date was actually tailgating with his family at one of the Utah games. He is an incredible father which has made me love him so much more. Even more importantly, he has committed his life to following Jesus and I am so thankful that I have a God-fearing and God-loving man in my life and my son's life.

I (Christa) work for Midvale City as the Administrative Assistant for Community and Economic Development. Long enough title. I graduated from Westminster College in 2003 with a degree in Accounting, which has nothing to do with my current job but that's okay. I'm happy where I'm at and my schedule works good for my family. I am a mom and, therefore, no longer have any hobbies. Just kidding, kind of. Every once in a while I get the chance to cross stitch or read. I haven't made a homemade card in years but I still consider it one of my hobbies. I enjoy working in the yard with Jesse and Marshall. I'm usually the one behind the camera so this was the only picture I could find of me. Good enough. I am having so much fun being a mom and I'm so thankful God blessed me with such a wonderful husband and son.

Now on to Marshall. He is 20 months old and is a total boy. He loves to play with any kind of ball and unfortunately has chosen to take a liking to basketball. I don't like basketball so I've been trying to push any other sport possible. He has recently shown some interest in baseball but eventually I may have to give in to basketball. He loves to play catch with is dad and can throw and catch really well. He likes to play with our two dogs and insists that they are both named Luke. I guess I should mention something about our two dogs. Luke is our insane Border Collie and Viggo is our German Shepherd. They are very good with Marshall even when he is not so good with them. We're working on that. Marshall is very active and does not like to sit still for more than a few seconds. He is starting to talk really well and repeats everything. He is happy and healthy and has brought so much joy and fun to our home.

That's it in a nutshell. This blog will be a place to put down memories for my family since I don't scrapbook (I don't even have Marshall's baby book up to date) and also to give my thoughts and opinions on things. I'll do my best to try and keep it current and interesting but I make no promises. Until next time.