Hil's Blog

With Just a Few Easy Steps....

2009-04-26T13:37:00.000-07:00

Step 1. Anticipation

Step 2. Concentration

Step 3. Aggression
Step 4. SUCCESS!!
Step. 5 Gratification

(You'll get there Buddy....)

Beautiful Day = Hike

2009-04-18T12:57:00.001-07:00

The last of the 'Baby Stuff'...

2009-03-28T20:05:00.000-07:00

MUST GET RID OF! Any Takers? Asking $60 for each or $100 for both, but desperation and awaiting toddler beds may lend itself to a nice discount. =)

A Mother's Delight

2009-03-22T13:18:00.000-07:00

Boy. Girl.

2009-03-07T13:03:00.000-08:00

Just Chillaxin!

2009-02-22T12:42:00.001-08:00

Peace

2009-02-11T20:03:00.000-08:00

He is going to be missed terribly, but this little boy is going to be just fine:

He's lucky enough to have this man taking care of him now:

Jake Alan 'Baby Jake' Dennison 1.21.09-2.9.09

Jerry Alan Dennison 2.10.50-11.21.06

We Miss and Love you...

Elliot's Friends...

2009-02-07T19:59:00.000-08:00

Watching her bud Nicolas, my good friend Amy's son, playing his hand held:

And her new friend, cute little Caelen, my good friend Katie's daughter, giving each other love:

Bed Bugs

2009-01-30T18:44:00.001-08:00

Random Flashback

2009-01-26T20:22:00.000-08:00

Good Luck Baby Jake! We love you!

Do You See The Comparison?

2009-01-13T20:05:00.000-08:00

For A Mere Fifty Cents....

2008-12-23T20:54:00.001-08:00

You too can have two very happy toddlers riding the Dumbo at Babies R' Us...

Little Moment...

2008-12-13T12:28:00.000-08:00

I received a text picture from Aaron the other day with this picture attached and saying that he looked outside and found 'J' and 'L' laying down and laughing together. Oh precious moments...

The Band is BACK!

2008-12-06T10:39:00.001-08:00

A Little Girl Kiss...

2008-09-14T20:30:00.001-07:00

Just when you think Elliot is the naughtiest little girl around, she pulls this out of her hat:

(and then normalcy is quick to return:)

Maybe I Was Quick to Speak...

2008-08-27T20:19:00.000-07:00

A Cute (Rare) Moment

2008-08-17T16:43:00.003-07:00

Elliot giving Jadon some love, or preparing to smack him...not really sure which one.

I Love Happy Morning Babies!

2008-08-06T21:42:00.000-07:00

...And There's Nothing Wrong With It!

2008-07-05T18:42:00.000-07:00

Much to his father's dismay, I couldn't help but get out my old dance costumes (mostly for Elliot) and dress up Jadon. With the recent buzz and his new 'boy-ish' look, I had to bring "sexy back" since his curly tresses are a fleeting memory. I don't know...he looks pretty comfortable to me?!

Behold...the 'CURL-HAWK'

2008-06-29T11:50:00.000-07:00

A New Cart to Love...

2008-06-22T20:30:00.000-07:00

The pictures explain why, when you have two young-ins in tow:

I'm Back...

2008-06-19T21:04:00.000-07:00

Okay, so in a random moment of boredom and nothing better to do than to blog, I decided I wanted to change my web address but somehow lost my original blog for an address that just didn't sit right with me. Anyhoo -- I decided to get my old address back, and luckily didn't lose any of the posts. Phwew! HOWEVER -- I will be changing my address soon, but can't think of anything really cute to make it. Any suggestions? In the meantime...here's the reason I love Costco shopping carts:

My Two.

2008-05-28T09:28:00.000-07:00

I've been reminded these past several days on how incredibly important these two little creatures are to me. I've thought about their first days at school, their first time on a bike, potty training, dance classes, T-Ball games, etc and I just can't wait to be a part of all that. They are the most precious thing I have in my life and I want nothing but happiness for them. Oh, how I love them.

A Plea From One Mother to Another

2008-05-22T11:08:00.000-07:00

It's a simple request really ... but what do you do with 19 month olds during the day to fight boredom?? Obviously, money is key, and I'm by myself with the two-some so some activities aren't as easy but surely, there has to be something! Right now the munchkins still want to eat the crayon I give them (even in those cute little Crayola gripper toy things), would look at Play-Doh as a treat, and don't sit long enough for me to read them a book. Anyone have ANY ideas? Did your kids like to do something that held their attention? Mess or no mess, doesn't bother me, so I'm open to any ideas anyone is willing to throw out there!

The Things Parents Do To Get Their Children to Laugh...

2008-05-14T09:10:00.001-07:00

Free MySpace slideshows, photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

A Very Important Meeting

2008-05-09T16:34:00.001-07:00

In Daddy's Shoes...In Daddy's Arms

2008-05-06T11:42:00.000-07:00

A Great Moment...

2008-04-27T22:01:00.000-07:00

I happened to catch this picture while waiting at a red light with my cell phone. (Jadon's hand on the left and Elliot's on the right) This makes my heart melt.

I promise you...he's a really sweet boy:

2008-04-15T15:51:00.000-07:00

The start of my 29th year...

2008-04-11T22:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I celebrated the 28th anniversary of the day I was expelled from my mothers uterus. Kind of gross, but oh so true. Okay, so I'm 28, but technically, as of today, I'm starting the 29th year of my life. (Take a few seconds to think about that one!) At any rate...I had a great day. It started out with a helium filled balloon tied to my nightstand (in the tradition of my parents) and a gift, then that night, we dined al fresco at Tia Rosas (Yum!!) with the majority of my family there. Big thanks to Aaron for his effort on my behalf, and thanks to my family for joining (we missed you A&JJ and T.L.P.M&L) I'll show you what I got on my cake blog in a week or so.... Here's a few photo-ops of the night.

And Baby Makes....Birth Control!

2008-04-06T20:37:00.000-07:00

This weekend, we had the fortunate experience of watching my sister Kristy's baby girl, Makenzie (6 weeks). Kristy and William spent Saturday at Disneyland and came home Sunday morning. Makenzie was great and such a doll, but let me just say a few things: 1) Me+twins+dogs+newborn=Chaos! 2) I think this weekend solidified us not procreating again - but are still all for adoption someday. And 3) I have a deep and sincere admiration for parents with two or more children of different ages! You baffle, but amaze me on how you do it. For the record...twins are a cinch in comparison! Thanks Kris for the opportunity to feed my 'Baby Vibe' need! I'm full now! =)

Elliot sure loved having a 'Bye-Bie' in the house though and took every opportunity to rock and kiss Makenzie! Very cute!

A Glitch??

2008-04-03T16:32:00.000-07:00

Okay, I've seen this fun little test on other blogs and just had to try it out for myself, but seriously....my trial must have been a glitch. Either it's a glitch, or I'm just simply in the wrong profession!131 words

Speedtest

Weekend-'O-Rama!

2008-03-31T13:48:00.000-07:00

It was a very eventful few days this past weekend and ironically, it was good to get back to the grindstone today. But here's a re-cap of our fun in pictures...

Fri. Night - Made a cake for sis-n-law, Liz

Sat. Morning - Went to Tempe's Festival for the Arts

Sat. Night - Went on date with Aaron to Alice Cooperstown in downtown Phoenix.

Sun. Morning - I gave Jadon (another) haircut =( .....I miss the CURLS!

Sun. afternoon - the family, along with Kristy, William, and Makenzie, when to Pet-o-Palooza at the Peoria Sports Complex for Lucy!

Just the girls...and a little boy

2008-03-26T22:21:00.000-07:00

Leave it to Kristy and I to have a photo-shoot with our girls on Easter. Okay, so Jadon made it in a few pics, but these girls were the highlights! I hope Elliot and Makenzie make the best of friends!

Male model, anyone?

2008-03-23T12:17:00.000-07:00

SERENITY NOW...SERENITY NOW

2008-03-16T22:37:00.000-07:00

For Seinfeld lovers out there, no need for explanation on the title of this post. But I couldn't think of a better way of putting into words how I'm feeling. This past week and a half was a doozy and the horizon isn't looking much clearer. Between enrolling in another class this semester starting this week, begun working again part-time, and a inconvenient chest cold, how nice it would be to be able to just shout the words, and poof....SERENITY NOW!

Tis the Season...

2008-03-13T16:53:00.000-07:00

I just couldn't help myself, even though I had a headache and hadn't gone the bathroom since early this morning, to get out the new blow up pool and put the kids in when we got home today. Swimsuits, Schwimsuits - We do it diaper style! Okay, the water was freezing, but it was such a beautiful day out, you would've done the same!

Two Boys and a Wii

2008-03-09T16:34:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Jennie!

2008-03-04T06:49:00.000-08:00

To my lifelong best friend, who I love dearly...Happy Birthday Jennie!

Garage Sale via Blog

2008-02-28T12:19:00.000-08:00

I just posted on Craigslist, but I figured why not also post on good ol' Blog. I always like to either offer or sell things to family/friends first that need the item before some random stranger takes it, so here's what I am selling: My two Evenflo Majestic High Chairs. ( See Here ) I purchased these chairs before we had a kitchen table. With the kitchen table and two full size high chairs, it's getting fairly cramped in our kitchen, especially when the sliding door to the backyard is right behind the table. They are good high chairs, but I have to downsize to those booster chair seats. I'm hoping to sell them at $30 a piece or $50 for both. If interested or you know anyone that is interested, just leave a comment with an email or phone. Thanks!

...In sickness and in, well, more sickness

2008-02-25T14:18:00.000-08:00

There's nothing worse than seeing your child sick, or children in this case. This little boy has had a rough 24 hours with 6 rounds of throwing up, major messy diaper, and only pedialyte in his belly. Of course, like twins should, he shared the 'love' with sissy and 'L' also threw up last night in bed making it the fourth time we had to change bed sheets last night. Today is 'Indoor-Nap-day'.

The Old Folks...

2008-02-24T11:05:00.000-08:00

These people:need to know how much I love them. I just can't condense how awesome and special they are to me in a little blog, so for now, I'll just leave it at: I love you Grandma and Grandpa!

What I Found Interesting...

2008-02-23T10:41:00.001-08:00

Last night me, Aaron, the kiddos, and my mom went to 'The Vida' (as we like to put it) for some yummy dinner! Just as we were about to finish, three guys and a girl came right to our table, point to my mom and their faces light up with glee. Immediately, I knew that these four people were former students of my mom's and just couldn't help themselves by saying Hi. (*Side Note: Having both parents as teachers has made 'run-ins' with students a constant in our lives. I can remember as far back as being a kid being stopped in grocery stores, restuarants, the mall...you name it, former students are EVERYWHERE!*) Getting back to my story...one of the guys eventually asked how my dad was doing and if he was still teaching, etc. Of which my mom just briefly said, 'He passed away 15 months ago.' Simple, to the point. The guy had her repeat how long he had passed and then I quote, "Oh wow, well that's why we're here. My grandfather just passed and we got together as a family..." Hmmmmm???? What I found interesting was that the subject of my father passing, was brushed off as a non-point. A side thought, if you will. My mom, nor would my dad actually, would've cared to go into any more detail and actually we don't need a spotlight on the matter, but I just found it interesting that such a poignant moment in someone else's life can make another person either uncomfortable or dumbfounded. Here's my suggestion to anyone that runs into this situation: Express your condolences - simply and to the point. Don't just dismiss it due to it's subject matter. Realize that if the issue makes you uncomfortable, most likely it too is uncomfortable for the other person. Sheesh! Okay, thanks for stopping by my soap box - I'm getting down now.

***In other news -- MY NIECE HAS ARRIVED!!!! Yeah for Makenzie Leigh! -- Oh and Liz...it's your turn again! =) ***

A Bloggin' Thank You...

2008-02-16T10:58:00.001-08:00

Thank you to this lady: and these kids: for watching these kids: My sis-n-law Liz is great and so gracious to watch my kids this past week, while I had some school stuff to do. She never lets me pay her, so I thought I would blog about her instead. =) Thanks Again Liz - Payton - Maddie - and Lexi!

My Valentine

2008-02-14T21:04:00.000-08:00

After much deliberation all day over who was going to be my Valentine, I finally decided on this girl. Some fun facts: I wake up EVERY morning with either her face or butt right up against me; she has some weird eye lash thingy making a dark streak down her face; she sucessfully managed to lose a lot of weight over the last year or so (she's was a BIG girl before); she has some indestructible 'Jowl Juice' and it is so gross and extremely slimy/slippery; she LOVES getting dry and will literally do circles on her back trying to accomplish this task; my dad loved her very much! I've loved this girl the moment I saw her and she's always good for some laughs and love! Yep, my Lucy Loo is my Valentine this year and I'm very pleased with my decision.

Sprinkles = Love

2008-02-14T10:37:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Daddio!

2008-02-10T14:33:00.000-08:00

It's dad's birthday today and he would've been 58. In jest, I would've told him how old he is getting, but now that he's gone, 58 just doesn't seem very old, does it?

(A typical summer day after dialysis for my dad)

There's things now in existence that didn't used to have as much meaning as they do now, and this past week, several of those little 'things' surfaced for me. I sat in my mom's room the other day on the floor in front of her nightstand and just cried by just holding one of these 'things'. That thing being my dad's wallet. Okay, so the wallet might have meant something when I was a teenager hoping to get some cash out of that 'thing', but now it holds a different meaning. It means my dad. That thing was, literally, closer to my dad then anything else in his life by just being in his pocket. It still held his drivers license, the note he wrote himself just hours before his passing of his Doctor's appointment that same day, and even the $12, of which I'm sure would've been gone by the end of the day to support McDonalds. It's just a wallet, I know, but it was my dad's, and I'll cherish each and every thing that was his just as I do now with that wallet.

My 'Not-So-Baby' Baby Girl

2008-02-02T16:22:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure if it was the outfit or just a random spark of realization, but I looked at Elliot today and thought to myself that I no longer have a baby. I have a little girl. Complete with little girl hairstyles and clothes. Often by my family I am told how Elliot never smiles or is always so serious, but here's the thing with this little girl, she has a personality matched by none. She is inquisitive and feisty, tender but a rascal. I try to picture her in dance class in a couple years or asking for me to put sparkles on her, but those thoughts just don't form as quickly as the image of her wanting to get muddy outside and ride the quad with dad. She's a unique little creature, and I'm lucky to have her.

Got Gas?

2008-01-30T20:35:00.000-08:00

Well, we didn't. Coming back from dinner tonight on the freeway, our car just starts puttin' and the next thing we know we are on the side of the road. Yeah, I forgot to put gas in, even though I saw the light come on earlier in the day. This is DEFINITELY a first and last of these fun little shenanigans. It only takes once...

I Hope This Isn't Just a 'One-Time-Deal'

2008-01-29T12:36:00.001-08:00

Let's hope these two can manage to help each other out the rest of their lives.

Being a Parent ... On a Friday Night

2008-01-25T21:55:00.000-08:00

I (vaguely) remember the not so distant past of leisurely deciding on which flick we wanted to catch, or which new restaurant we were going to try. Maybe even going to a party (ok, that goes back to high school...) But as these next series of pictures will show, it's pretty clear that Aaron and I are parents. Monday mornings around the proverbial 'water cooler' from us are no longer about the gossip of who's dating who, and what did that person wear; how was the latest movie or 'Man, it was good to see those friends...', etc. Now it's 'How do I get that stain off Jadon', and 'Our bathroom smells like a cheap Italian eatery.' But, as any parent I'm sure can attest...sometimes there's nothing better than a Friday night like this: Please don't forget to notice the 'Ring' and debris:Just in case you were wondering: Yes, I drained the tub and refilled...That's clean water there in the background.

Yes: That's still an orangy stained nose you see and No: I can't figure out how to get it off.

Options, Options, Options...

2008-01-22T12:42:00.000-08:00

So I'm obviously trying new things with backgrounds, etc. But anyone have any suggestions on how to make the Blog Title/Header cute with different fonts, and colors? Thanks!

2008-01-20T11:09:00.000-08:00

Hmmmm....The smell of 2-stroke exhaust and dirt in the morning...Is there anything better? Not according to Aaron. Aaron was able to get out on the track today and stretch the Banshee's legs. Okay, so being the girl that I am, I had to get a few pictures. But you won't see any of Aaron actually on the track though. Why, you ask? Because I didn't have time to get up on the car fast enough to actually get a picture before the bike broke. Yep...the sprocket somehow came loose which made the chain come right off and he lost a link in the chain. (You can take that last part both literally and figuratively.) =) He was able to get a few laps in though and will be back out in the next couple of weekends. Hopefully by then, I will have a bike of my own to get out and ride with him.

Yay! For These Things...

2008-01-16T19:48:00.000-08:00

**Aaron has both Phoenix and Gilbert Fire tryouts in mid-February...keep your fingers crossed!**We finally had some professional pictures taken of us. Which is actually a first....ever! My cousin, Elisha ( http://elishasnow.typepad.com/photography/ ) was down from Utah and spared her time and professional talent to take a few shots. (This pic isn't one of them...I'll post them when I receive them)
**School started for me this past Monday. I'm going full-time at nights and through the Internet. I love school and learning and am VERY excited to get back in it! I'm studying to get into the Diagnostic Medical Imaging program at Gateway.

**This Girl is finally ready to get back out on the track and whip around a few laps. Aaron took her in for a tune-up and electrical work, and tonight we were able to take her for a spin around the neighborhood. I'm sure the whole community now knows of Aaron's bike....she screamed like, well....A BANSHEE! =)

** Lastly -- This boy is finally walking. Well, as you can see, he's mostly walking. He still takes several falls throughout the day, but his sister doing laps around him is quite the motivation and he can get up and go. Now instead of just 'Where's Elliot?', it's 'Where'd those kids go?'

Oldie, But Oh Such a Goodie!

2008-01-11T15:43:00.001-08:00

Make Sure your Volume is turned on!

Free MySpace slideshows, photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Creations...

2008-01-08T19:41:00.000-08:00

Aaron and I are no Crafty Cathy's, but I am still amazed and have random 'Wow' moments knowing that we created these two...

A Hidden Treasure

2008-01-06T09:43:00.001-08:00

A couple days ago I was cleaning out a closet full of my sisters stuff (that I was storing for her) and came across some dolls. No, I'm not a doll collector, but these dolls are priceless to me. They are the glass dolls my mom had made for me and my two sisters many years ago. My mom had created every last detail of these beautiful pieces, from their clothing to the makeup on their face and now that I am older, I can more recognize the talent and time that this took my mom. I'll treasure these forever and one day pass them on to Elliot. (My dolls are the Can-Can dancer in pink, and the African Princess. My sister Kendyl's are the small baptism girl in white, the kid in white sweats and the braids, and the 1920's era little black girl in raggy clothing - Not pictured is the two that belong to my older sis Kristy)

A First...

2007-12-31T08:28:00.000-08:00

Recently, Jadon had a first...Haircut! Obviously he took it a lot better than me, but nevertheless, my baby is now a little boy. I really wanted to grow it out for a while but the longer it got, the more matted and afro-y it got. Thus the shears came out and this is what I was left with... Still one cute little man!

Good Riddens Christmas!

2007-12-27T15:40:00.000-08:00

It's funny, I was so excited for Christmas this year with the baking and decorations, presents and get togethers...but thank goodness it's over! I've never been so excited to see something come and go. By early afternoon on Dec 26th, all decorations were down, boxed, and put back in the attic. I was so motivated, that even though Aaron was at work, I fought through my fear and climbed the ladder and into the attic by myself. It seemed as though my house was cleaner, more simpler...just like we like it. So see ya later Xmas, and Hello 2008!

*On a different note...for those of you wondering (no one I'm sure) Mr. Dancing Santa actually survived this year with the twins. (http://twobytwoarnolds.blogspot.com/2007/11/dancing-santa.html) I think even the kids were getting kind of sick his singing and dancing and eventually left him alone. Okay, so he's missing his glasses, his hair is a little more 'ratted' and he's suffering a bit of hip dysplasia, but he'll be back next year for another beating!

This makes me laugh...

2007-12-21T10:03:00.001-08:00

Free MySpace slideshows, photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

For a Million Reasons,and then some...

2007-12-17T15:13:00.000-08:00

...I love these three people.

Classic.

2007-12-13T12:31:00.000-08:00

As if I expected both Elliot and Jadon to just sit on Santa's lap and actually smile for a picture. It wasn't happening. However, how classic is it to have a picture of your kid crying on Santa's lap?

I have to admit though, it's when you least expect it do you get the best pictures of your kids. These two are ones I will cherish forever!

Finally!!

2007-12-09T12:57:00.000-08:00

Honestly, it's been easily 2-3 months since Aaron and I last went on a date. Just Aaron and I. But alas, last night we broke the evil date-less cycle and spent some wonderful quality time together. Thank you to both my sisters, Kendyl and Kristy, along with Kristy's hub William ( http://www.williamfifelaw.com/home ) and my mom, we were able to enjoy about 9 hours to ourselves. Ah, peace. I am actually taking this blogging moment not to express my love of Aaron and our time, but to express my true love of Christmas movies. I love, love them! Last night added another notch on my Christmas movie love list when we went and saw Fred Claus. First off, I think Vince Vaughn is very funny with a quit wit and a-down-to-earth-ness that I like, but it was also a touching story. As we were walking out of the theater, I said to Aaron, 'I am my father's daughter' because I cried twice in it. My dad would have also cried and would have had to stay in the movie theater until he could dry his eye. At any rate...I loved the movie. Go see it!

The Girl in the Box...

2007-12-06T10:55:00.000-08:00

Same box, same blankie; different day, outfit, and hair-do. There's something so tender about seeing Elliot crawl into the old diaper box and find peace with her blankie.

We've been 'Elfed'

2007-12-03T22:12:00.000-08:00

Click on the following link to see just how crazy over Christmas I am... So Funny!

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1157775832

Carlene....

2007-12-03T10:18:00.000-08:00

Here is a picture of the strongest woman I know. Now, I don't believe she can lift an elephant or anything, but in terms of emotional, mental, supportive, and educated aspects, she takes the cake. She is my mom, or as I lovingly refer to her as 'Car'. My mom has been through a lot this last year, namely losing her husband (my dad) after 36 wonderful years of marriage. Now as a mother myself, I can't quite figure out how she accomplished so much so far in her life, such as: raising 5 children, obtaining 2 Master Degrees, providing for her 10(soon to be 11)grandchildren, maintaining a beautiful home, always opening up her home for family functions and get togethers...to name a few. It is clear when you meet her where her priorities lie and where she finds joy and peace. I am lucky enough to be a part of that and truly consider my mom a friend. I have the great pleasure of living about 8 houses down the street from her and get the opportunity on a regular basis to share my time with her through exercise or shopping, etc. I love her more than I know how to express and could only wish that for my children, I am half the mother to them as my mother is to me.

Dancing Santa...

2007-11-27T10:56:00.000-08:00

There's nothing better than a dancing Santa in the morning. This Santa may not make it through this season with all the abuse he has to take from Jadon and Elliot, but heck...if he distracts my kids long enough for me to get their breakfast ready, then he will have served a very productive and helpful life! By the way....I love Christmas and will love it even more being able to experience it with the twins.

One Year...

2007-11-21T10:22:00.000-08:00

Today marks the first anniversary of the passing of my dad. It still does not make sense to me as to why I haven't seen him in such a long time. I have started to replace more sad days about his passing with happy days remembering his life, and for that I am glad. I will always feel fortunate that I got an opportunity to spend 26 great years with one of the earths finest. Thanks Dad...

Vacation!

2007-11-18T16:08:00.000-08:00

We made it back from Auburn, WA and we loved being able to visit with family and meet all of the cousins(8 babies ranging from 4mos to 2.5 years). It sure is a different experience when you have two one year olds in tow, and I'm sure Aaron and I will now be more adept at vacationing now that this trip is under our belts. We actually loved the cold, rainy weather as a nice change of pace and are so thankful to Aaron's dad and step-mom, Don and Marsha, for opening our home to us for the week. We had a good time and have a few pictures to show for it. Two of our favorite people: Jonathan and Heather

( http://www.jonathankingham.com/ )

Aaron and Elliot sleeping peacefully (a rare occasion on the vacation)

Elliot and 4mo. old Cousin Jakob, Brad and Holly's(Aaron's step-sis) new bundle! He's a Doll!

The kids with their Great G'ma, Violetta - Aaron's 89 year old G'ma

A nice day taking a walk at Alki Beach waterfront in West Seattle

Paying a visit to Aaron's Gpa - one of the most special persons in Aaron's life

The front yard of my dad-n-law's property, which is a total of 5 acres....BEAUTIFUL!

Elliot and G'pa Arnold, Aaron's Dad

Bundled Munchkins!
A parents' dream: A sleeping baby on an airplane!

We're Here...The Arnold Clan

2007-11-11T11:08:00.000-08:00

So we made it to Washington...barely. It was just our luck, after having not taken a vacation in close to two years, that all four of us get the stomach flu on the day before leaving. Aaron and I were in the depths of hell (aka our bathroom) contemplating whether or not we were even up to making the trek up here, but alas, we are here and are enjoying the very cold weather! This picture is of Don(Aaron's dad) and Marsha's(Aaron's step-mom) kids, the eight grandkids, and

G'ma 'Letta(Violetta, Aaron's G'ma). We have a week left here, so more posts to come!

A Boy and His Dog...

2007-11-05T10:26:00.000-08:00

Referring to the previous post, as you can see the grass we recently put in is coming in handy when it comes to play with time for Aaron and Lucy. For anyone who knows Aaron, you know that he as a great love of dogs, especially Lucy and all the ones before Lucy in his lifetime. There have been MANY a time when Aaron starts going into a story of Deac, Rip, Sasha, Cassie, and many others. What is it with boys and their pooches?

Sheer Delight!

2007-11-02T13:20:00.000-07:00

I never thought I would get so excited over grass...but behold...our backyard! We've been in our home now for 3 years and we've never had grass. Now that the kids are big enough to go outside and play, we thought we were due for a 'real' backyard. We absolutely LOVE it and can't wait until February when we will be having a sandbox, boulders, plants, and flowers put in. It's almost like an extra room to our house now. I guess since I lived in Washington State for a short time, I never realized how happy green can make me. We are definitely 'Going Green'!

Pumpkin Patch...

2007-10-27T09:17:00.000-07:00

Friday night we went to a local pumpkin patch, Mother Nature's Farm, with the four of us and my good friend Amy and her son Nicolas. We had a good time and picked out a couple of pumpkins for our punkins(J&L).

You're So Close Aaron...

2007-10-25T09:29:00.000-07:00

Okay, let me quickly explain the happenings in our garage currently. Aaron's beloved ATV, his 2001 Yamaha Banshee, has been sitting in pieces for weeks...no, months. A few months back he got a wild hair up his toosh to take it apart so that he could buy new parts for it with the money that we don't have to put it back together, of which he doesn't know how to do, so that it could sit for another couple years with nobody touching her. (yes, it's a 'she'). To make a long story short, I gave Aaron a 'Deal'...when he gets his bike back together, using minimal amount of money, and in PERFECT running condition, then I will inherit the bike and we will get him a new one, which will be his new beloved Suzuki LT-R450. Well, I thought I would have some time, figuring that it would take him a while, but I'm now eating my words, because he's done it. It's back together and this weekend he'll take her out for a spin. SHOOT!...Anyone have about $6-8K laying around for me to buy my husband a new bike. Good Job Aaron...I'm proud of you!

Yum!

2007-10-22T12:24:00.000-07:00

The first thought that came to my head the moment I took a bite of this salad was 'Christmas'. If Christmas had a taste, to me, this is it: The Pecan-Crusted Chicken Salad at Applebee's. I don't even know what else to say about it...just try it.

Just Because...

2007-10-16T13:45:00.000-07:00

This morning I received just about the sweetest text ever from Aaron. Just another reminder of how much I love that man. He's more than I could have ever imagined was good for me. I'm one lucky gal...Thanks Aaron...143!

Oh my Gosh! We Have 1 Year Olds!

2007-10-06T21:21:00.000-07:00

Today was a very happy day for Aaron and I...our babies turned one! They started out much earlier than they should have at 31 weeks and were 3lb little preemies. But somehow, someway, they've made it!

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox

Whose Home is This?

2007-10-04T13:07:00.000-07:00

Ever get that feeling that you are being over-taken by the junk in your house? Well, it's the living room in our house that Aaron and I no longer call our own. It belongs to Jadon and Elliot.
I guess it's better to give them one room for their 'junk' other than every corner of every other room. It's going to worse, isn't it?

Can't Wait!

2007-10-01T11:00:00.001-07:00

We recently received an email from my sis-n-law (Aaron's sister) Heather and so I thought I'd post a blog about her. =) We can not wait to see her. In November, we are heading up to visit Aaron's family in Washington for 10 days. Heather and Aaron are not only bro/sis, but are such good buds and really have a sincere concern and love for each other. Aaron regularly talks about Heather and how cool she is and how much he misses talking to her. Well, we will definitely get our chance to shoot the (very cold WA) breeze in just a few short weeks. The picture is of Heather and her boyfriend, Jonathan, who is also one of the greatest, and funniest, people we know. He is a singer/songwriter and has amazing talent. You can witness his 'Awesome-ness' here: http://www.jonathankingham.com/ We love you Heather and Jonathan and are counting the minutes!

Mmmmm....Pudding!

2007-09-30T17:44:00.000-07:00

Thank goodness that neither Jadon or Elliot have any reactions to regular milk. Excpet for one, and that is that they LOVE pudding, loaded with regular milk. For those of you who know the movie 'Corina, Corina' (one of my favorites), this little song comes to mind: 'You say you don't have time to cook, well come over here and take a look; it's smooth, it's cool it breaks the rules...J-E-L-L-O!' or '...Who says you shouldn't have instant Puddin'....J-E-L-L-O! =) Go watch the movie.

Update...'Old Friends, New Again'

2007-09-28T21:11:00.001-07:00

Okay, I got three things to say about the previous post:

Did anyone else notice that I am wearing the same shirt in all the photos? Uh...Really, I had more shirts back then, but apparently that one was my favorite. Yuk.
Jennifer and I are TOTALLY rockin' some AWESOME PERMS! Nuff Said.
I challenge, encourage, support, etc for any one else out there to post some 'timeless' photos like these of themselves. C'mon, be brave and adventuresome. Since I haven't seen so many people in so many years, it would be a nice reminiscence of the days of yore!

Old Friends, New Again...

2007-09-27T11:54:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I was fortunate enough to have Jennie (Tingey) Jefferies over yesterday with her two boys to spend some time with us and I had a great time. For those of you who don't know, Jennie and I have been best friends since we were in diapers. We are adults now with kids in tow, but I still like to share some time with her and thank her dearly for still being a friend. I'm kicking myself because I didn't take any pictures yesterday, but I found some old photos and will be posting a slide show soon of the past. In the meantime, I wanted to share a little treat for anyone who reads this by showing some photos of me, Jennie, and my other friend Jennifer (Ward) Badgett when we were younger (and much hotter might I say...) Back in the Fall of '00 (I believe) I had the greatest opportunity to play accompaniment for Jennifer on a CD she made for her family. I found that old CD and love listening to it. So Jennie and Jennifer...Here's a little flash back. Oh, and by the way...YOU ARE WELCOME! =)

Good Luck Mr.Man!

2007-09-25T12:03:00.000-07:00

So this coming Friday, Sept 28th, Aaron is trying out for the Mesa Fire Department. Becoming a firefighter is not the most simplest of careers to get into but nothing will stop Aaron's determination. This will be the 4th time trying with Mesa. This Friday will be the written test which gets them to the physical test and oral boards. Aaron has been studying pretty diligently over the last month or two and I've never seen in him a stronger desire to do anything else. I'm his biggest cheerleader and no one deserves it more! Good Luck Aaron!

(The pic of the fire engine was taken from my house...they were right in front of our house for the fire hydrant updates. And I added the pic of Lucy because she was a firefighter last year for Halloween...thought it was cute.)

Hair!

2007-09-21T10:54:00.001-07:00

Okay...just since Wednesday when I posted about Elliot, I've already been told by family that it seems like I am biased towards her. So, to avoid being 'one-sided' in my 'two-child' family, here's a post about Jadon. Sheesh! ... Jadon has HAIR! Not only does he have a bountiful supply of hair, but it is Curly! What were the odds that I would have a boy with curly tresses o'plenty and a girl with the most straight as they come 'do. Poor boy is going to hate it and may just have

to live with a buzz cut most his life. Of course, we couldn't let good curls go to waste so soon, so the buzz will have to wait. Aaron and I are anxious to see what kind of potential this coif of his can produce. We won't cut his hair until we reach maximum curl. We lovingly call him 'Jamal' to pay homage to his African roots (somewhere) because no true white boy gets curls this defined. Of course with a simple rubber band he becomes a Samurai! What a stud!

10 months ago today...

2007-09-21T10:39:00.000-07:00

Dad...it's been ten months since you've been away from us, but it would be a safe bet to guess what you would have been doing today. First, you would have gone to the much dreaded dialysis to be poked and proded by the nurses that you never seemed to like. Once that was over, you would have stopped by one of either three places for lunch: FudgeWorks for your pastrami sandwich, Whataburger, or most likely, McDonalds for your $1 hamburger and $1 apple turnovers. Once you were home, you would have checked to see if mom left you any 'chores' and quickly would have done them to get them out of the way. By then, I would have called you to see if you wanted to go with me and the twins to Target and the park. Yep Dad...I knew you all too well. I miss you.

Am I A Bad Mother??

2007-09-19T17:42:00.000-07:00

My daughter Elliot had a first today...TIME OUT! Okay, I'm starting to contemplate my actions from earlier today and feeling worse and worse about it. She's a couple weeks from being one and I'm already disciplining?? The rundown: We have a large dog. We have an adequately sized dog door. We also have a very inquisitive and curious daughter. You do the math. I hate using the word 'No' already so instead I pulled her out, and put her in the play pen with no toys. I realize that a one year old most likely doesn't realize the fret this puts on her mother and I also realize that I could just close the dog door. Thus the basis of my regret. Maybe if I had a beautiful back yard of lush green grass and we didn't live in the desert alongside scorpions, I'd be better off with her playfully going outside. Thankfully, Jadon hasn't realized how to do this fun little trick of Elliot's. This dog door is going to be the bane of my existence for the next couple years but dang...she's just too cute.

The Beginnings...

2007-09-16T22:14:00.000-07:00

I picked the address of this blog as two by two. Aaron and I became 'two' back in 2001 when we decided it would be a good idea to share the rest of our lives with each other. We still feel that way, and eventually we got to a point in which we thought that we'd like to share our lives with another (little) person. However, in our case, it wasn't as easy as we had hoped. In fact, we went to great lengths in emotional turmoil, financial distress, and physical torment to fulfill a dream of have a little life to share. Well, 2006 brought us not just one, but 'two' little lives to share. So here we are...we come two by two. And if you are wondering, two more might not be so much fun to share again, but it may just end with 'two by two' instead of 'two by two by two' (or THREE!) Our family: Aaron, Hilary, Jadon Rock, Elliot Jae, and our pup Lucy LooBelle.

Yes, We Are Now 'Bloggers'

2007-09-16T21:54:00.001-07:00

Alright already, I'm giving in by just starting a blog. I read many blogs each day and have become 'one-of-you' now. However, here is my small print: I don't have a exciting life, we are basic and simple. We love each other and our kids, but if you don't, we will be okay with it. I hope to utilize having a blog in order to keep in touch with family. Enjoy.