you + me = US

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

"In or Out?"

Justin said, "Roach, are you in or out?" I said, "In". A few other people said "in" too. He held up a spoon and said, "Okay, we are going to pass this to each other. When it's your turn to hold the spoon you have to put some food on it, then pass it to the next person. If any food falls off while you are holding the spoon, you're out and you have to eat EVERYTHING on it."

You can't tell from this picture but the spoon had a heap of lovely food on it: at least 1 tsp. salt, sugar, cottage cheese, onion, a beet, thousand island dressing, sweet relish, you get the picture. . .

Guess who dropped something?

Guess how disgusting it was?

Very.

I love his face in these pics.

Monday, January 27, 2014

Unexpected Goodbye

This is personal stuff, but I just have to send it out there. Maybe I'm pretending he'll read it.
But I just found out a spectacular human being, and dear friend, Justin Kinnaird, died today. I don't know how it happened. I don't know why it happened. I have so many mixed emotions right now. The one that rules them all is sadness. So many memories. This was a person who was kind to everyone. He was generous. He was hilarious. I cried so many times because he had me in stitches. We went on trips together, small spontaneous ones. Vegas, Lake Powell, Salmon. Our performing group at Ricks toured the northwestern U.S. and Canada. So many memories. We wrote a boring English paper together with Suzy on whether or not St. John's Wort was effective. Who cares? He, Suzy and I spent hours in his "men only" dorm room listening to music and goofing off. We spent more time joking around than giving it any real effort. We loved to sing together. He loved it when I sang, "I have dreamed." He was always ready to pay a compliment and make a person feel worthwhile. He was always ready to see humor in any situation.
Laughter, music, more laughter. Good Friendship.

I was bawling in the kitchen tonight, trashing myself because I've been such a bad friend.
Distance, it happens. And I didn't really do anything to stop it. Then again, neither did he.
But Alfonso said that life goes on. We head down our different paths. Just because those paths don't always coincide doesn't mean our memories weren't real or our friendship isn't true.

My path has led me here.
His path has led him home.
We can still be and always will be friends. Always.
I pray that God will love him, hug him tight, and help him know that I care.

And as for the distance, I do have regret.
Regret.
My choir teacher, Ms. Webb always told us to "Live without regrets"
I never thought to ask her,
What if we mess up and end up having regrets?
What if our friends die?
How do we resolve regrets then?

Now there's a good question that I can't answer tonight.

What I can do:
I can pray for him.
I can pray for his family.
I can hope for his happiness.
I can recall our many memories with fondness.

I can still see him in his mom's living room that afternoon, I turned to leave and he gave me my coat and said with New York accent and a smile, "Don't be a stranger."

You'll be missed.

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Happy Thursday

I've been having a rough little while and Alfonso knows it all to well. Tonight he walked in the door with these flowers & chocolate. I was speechless. Still am.

He told me that the cashier at the supermarket asked him,
"Birthday or Anniversary?"

Alfonso answered,

"Thursday."

Guys take notes. Pardon me while I gush, but this man knows what he's doing. He is the absolute most thoughtful person I've ever met. He knows how to make everyday count. And I'm thankful for every single one.

Happy Thursday.

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

January 2014. . .

So December was insane. January is okay in my book. If there's too many pictures of Mia, I'm sorry, she's just so cute and growing so fast. Faster than anyone else in the house. Gotta capture everything I can. Right? Here's a few things we've been up to:

Mia wanted to be a princess so she put on her crown cousin Austin made her
and the cape cousin Eric gave her.
Ta-daaaa!

Check out her adorable cape! Thanks Aunt Lindsay!

Ben played a duet with his friend at school, Logan.
Their band the Beatles' Apprentice. They played "Hey Jude" It was AWESOME!!!

Mia got a (long overdue) big girl bed.
She loves it and to be honest, so do I.

This is what happens when you mix Stk Conference with Stickers and two cuties.
Ben is such a good sport and an awesome brother.

More "Conference" Stickers.

Will and Mia in her rocking chair. My two babies :)

Burger King. Free crowns. Cinnabons. You can't go wrong.

I tried to think of a good caption, but I think this picture stands pretty well on it's own.

Monday, January 13, 2014

I Can't Help Myself

Santa Claus was extra insightful this year and brought a ballet outfit for mia to wear to dance class. Tonight, she finally tried it on for size. All I can say is, seriously? SERIOUSLY???!!!

I. Can't. Handle. The. Cuteness.

i I think we'll keep it. . . and her.

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Day 4

This virus sucks. 5 out of the 6 of us have it or have recently had it. But it hits little people the hardest. Poor Mia. Has anyone else had this? Fever, headache, sore throat, cough, runny faucet of a nose, lethergy. All in one nasty ruthless bundle.

Avoid it people.

It be nasty.

Friday, January 3, 2014

Help Meg!!!

This is my cousin Tammy's sweet little girl, Meg. They need help. Please read her story and try to help them in any way you can. Sharing, funding, support or lodging while the procedure is done in New York. Let me know if you have any questions. THANK YOU!!!

Fundraising with GoGetFunding

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Happy New Years.

From our house to yours.

p.s. the last picture was taken last night at the Instacare. She was so excited to meet the doctor. While laying on the table she said a few times, "This is gon' be so ossum." She was right ;) fortunately the strep test was negative.

Monday, December 30, 2013

Evidence of Funness

My sister Delynn (a.k.a. by the kids, D.D.) brought her girls up for Ben's birthday weekend. We played games, danced, sang karaoke for HOURS, we wore p.j.s all the live-long day, ate more goodies than we should have. We had fun. I thought this pic. provides adequate evidence.

P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY BENNY!!!! We love you.

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Christmas Traditions

Every Christmas, it seems families have traditions. We've adopted quite a few of them from our different backgrounds and try to keep them going. Today Ben said that he loves Christmastime because we can do so many things together as a family and do so many things that focus on our Savior. I made a book in Relief Society that has scriptures, stories and songs about the Nativity. Today we sat down (ALL together!!!) and read all the way from the Annunciation to when Joseph, Mary, and baby Jesus left for Egypt. It was really cool. The kids had a good attitude about it for the most part. With the exception being Mia who spent 90% of the time laying on the floor doing scissors in the air with her legs, singing "We Wish You A Merry Christmas." By the way, did you know that the lyrics are "We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new 'ear'?" Well now you know. Thank Mia next time you see her. Well it was a really nice evening. I'm excited to do it again next year. Well, food seems to be a major part of Christmas celebrations. Our family loves to make fudge and gingerbread men each year. We always use my Mom's recipe for fudge. It has become a Christmas staple. Let me know if you want it and I MAY let you in on the top secret family recipe. ;)

Ahhh, gingerbread men. I don't know what I like most, eating the dough, decorating them or eating them once they're frosted. Regardless of the reason, I love them. I really do. I know mia especially enjoyed the sprinkles in particular. She heaped them onto her cookies and even succeeded in "drinking them" from the bottle, until she got caught. Here's a glimpse into our kitchen tonight: p.s. Alfonso and Ben weren't there because they were heroically taking care of snow removal at "the treasure house."

Will sneaking a taste.

A few of my creations. I probably get carried away,
but it's a good artistic outlet for me.

Decorating gets ugly. . . and dangerous.

Casualties left and right.

This is Mia with her very first decorated cookie.

Spencer has mad frosting skills.

At the house we clean, this is the snow on the front ledge.
The photo doesn't do it justice, I swear there were diamonds.

Now we just need to go make the fudge. I'll post pictures of Ben and Alfonso's cookies a.s.a.t.a.d. (As soon as they are decorated.)

Toodle-oo.
Merry Christmas.
And in case I don't see you before then,
Have a Happy New Year.

Kids Say The Darndest Things

9/8/14 After a massive pillow fight with Spence and Will, Mia fell to the floor and exclaimed, "I'm soaking tired!"

5/15/14 We were watching a Baby Einstein movie featuring a rhino puppet. Mia said, "Mom, that rhinoceros is a genius."

5/13/14 Mia just told me some disturbing news about her imaginary friend. "Squella, not like you, so her is hiding." I even offered Squella a popsicle to bribe her into liking me and she wouldn't budge.
5 minutes later:
No wait, Mia just informed me, "Her likes you now. Her gets a pop-is-cle."

5/02/14 Mia has been coming up with some unique names for her imaginary friends, Squilla, Quinley, Tortilla are just a few. Well today she was talking to her friend Celia and said,
"What's your Cat's name, Celia?
"Tiddley-Dee"
"Oh!!! GREAT name!!!"
Later, I asked her later about the cat and found out that there are TWO! One cat's name is "Tilly-Tina" and the other's name is "Tiddley-Dee."

4/21/14 Mia was shouting at me from the bathroom in a bossy way. I said, "Mia, don't talk to me like that." She said. "I YELLING at you." I needed to leave the room and she shouted again and said, "Mommy come here, right now. I gon count and you gon go in time-out!!!" Sweet swirling onion rings, I'm in for it.

4/4/14 While enjoying a chocolate chip cookie together, I asked, "Mia, why is chocolate soooooo good?" To which she naturally replied, "Cuz we gon' eat it."
Best reason ever.

1/07/14 At the store, at the top of her lungs, in attempt to tell me that she's going to "crack me up" Mia shouted, "Mom, I go a crap you up!"

12/11/13 Today at story time Miss Sally was teaching the kids about the color red. She was pointing out those with red hair. She said, "This little boy has red hair, and look, this mommy has red hair. And this mommy has red hair!" There was a pause and Mia shouted out, "I HAVE TWO MOMMIES!" All the parents looked around, Miss Sally bewildered, looked at me. Appalled I laughed and said loudly, "I have NO IDEA what she's talking about." Everyone started laughing. . . hard! For the life of me I couldn't figure out why she'd say that. So afterwards I asked Mia, and she pointed to the two mommies with red hair and said, "See? Two mommies!" Ohhhhhh, now I get it. Two mommies with red hair.

12/14/13 The dinner table was busy with multiple conversations occurring at once when Mia said, "Hey Will, this song my favorite: (in sing-song)
Hello Kitty, Hello Kitty,
I like Hello Kitty"

12/03/13 Ben was teasing Mia on the couch. When she angrily yelled, "Ben, DON'T BLOW ME! I NOT a bubble!!!"

11/13/13 Today I was crying and couldn't stop. Mia dropped what she was doing and ran up and said, "Hold me, you feel better!" I hugged her tight and put her down. A few seconds later she came up and said, "Here Mom, a have a Kleenex."

Lately, Whenever we are having a nice snuggle moment as a family, Mia will come up and say, "All To-ah-gedder."

10/13/13 I need to preface this by saying, Mia's word for "girl" is "grill." After church Mia got very upset and ran to her room. Alfonso went up to try to comfort her and said, "Don't cry, Mia." To which she responded, "But grills like to cry."

09/25/13 Mia and I were playing with pretend snakes. In their "conversation", they made a deal and so I told her, "Let's shake on it." she immediately began to violently shake the snake.

08/24/13 Once again, Pandora displayed the album cover (One World's Acoustic) of Justin Bieber on the screen. Mia looked at it again and said, "Mom, look! A doggie. Doggie wif guitar."

08/21/13 Pandora displayed an album cover of Justin Bieber on the t.v. Mia, startled a little by the music, looked up at the screen, studied for a minute and said, "Cute doggie!"

08/19/13 As we were all getting ready to go swimming, Mia was excitedly showing everyone her "swimming soup."

08/17/12 A day after I taught Will about the Star of David, Will was playing with a couple of triangle magnets. When he had overlapped them just right he held them up and said, "Look, it's Jared's star!"

08/16/12 After taking off Ben's newly acquired football gear, Will sat next to me, sighed, and said, "It's nice to have a football player in the house."

07/24/12 I was looking at my wedding ring while tucking Will in to bed. Will noticed and said, "That's a pretty fancy ring." I said, "It is. It's the most beautiful thing I've ever owned. But I love it mostly for what it stands for." Will surprised me when he responded, "You love it because it reminds you of the day you got married. Even if it was made of wood, it would be a still be a great treasure."

07/23/12 After a run to Dairy Keen, Will shared the following insight: "The most humblest flavor of ice cream in the whole entire world is vanilla." When I asked why, he said, "Because it's simple, it's plain, and it's always there. "

07/05/12 Fearing that Mia might ruin his pillow fort, Will asked, "Mom, can we put her to sleep?"

06/28/12 As we were setting the table for breakfast, Will (7)said, "I'm a simple man." I couldn't help but smile. "I'm a simple man with complex thoughts." Did I mention, he's 7???

06/25/12 While I was looking for a rubber band, Spencer handed a large one to me and proudly said, "I wear 5 rubber bands on my wrist at all times."

06/22/12 For the second time, Spencer said, "I don't believe in sarcasm." I argued that sarcasm does exsist and gave him an example. His response, "I call that oppositism."

06/03/12 While we were driving, Spencer spotted a slowly oncoming tractor and car and said, " 'Wow, tractors drive slow!' thought the lady in the green car."

06/03/12 We had watched a bunch of old footage of Beatles performing some of their hits, when Will yelled out, "Can we PLEASE stop listening to classical music?"

05/12/12 Trying to explain to our sick kids why we couldn't have friends come play, I said, "We need to get this virus out of our house." Will said, "Lets give it to someone else!"

03/03/12 Will just said, "I have a faculty butt."

03/01/12 Will told Ben that from now on he wants to be called Bethica, queen of the sea.

03/01/12 Will came inside from shoveling snow with cold hands. After explaining to me that the problem was his gloves, he asked,"Can I have an upgrade?"

11/29/11 Me: "Will, what do you want the person you marry to be like?" Will: "Hot and sexy." Room fills with shock & stifled laughter. Me: "Will. . . what does it mean to be hot?" Will: "That you just came out of the desert."

11/28/11 When it's time for oracion/prayer, Mia oftentimes will fold her arms and talk quietly while the prayer is said. At the end we say "amen." She loudly says, "BOB!"

11/26/11 Alfonso swatted at the pesky fly once again. "It's taunting me." He said. Will exclaims, "It's taunting you??" Mutters to self, "I hate taunting flies."

11/10/11 Will walked in the door and when he saw his friend Annie sitting on the couch said, "I knew this day had something special in it." "What?" Annie asked. "You! I knew you were coming over. You make today special."

11/10/11 In the car, Annie (a girl I'm tending) said, "Jesus is so lucky! He gets to be born on Christmas, huh!"

09-09-11 Alfonso and I went on a date for our anniversary and left the kids with family. After we picked up the kids, Will politely asked, "Were there a lot of people at the anniversary?"

09-08-11 At the breakfast table, I was telling the kids that tomorrow would be Alfonso and my anniversary. Will lowered his head and said, "I'm glad I don't have to see that."

09-07-11 At a restaurant, we were all joking back and forth and Will said, "You gotta be pushing my leg!"

08-20-11 At our moving sale, my 3-year-old neice, Nicole held up a shiny quarter and said, "Look, I have a quenny."

08-20-11 5 minutes later, Nicole was whining. Her Mom, D.D. said, "I'm not going to talk to you until you use a big girl voice." Nicole gave her a mean look and said, "But you just talked to me."

08-19-11 Will, sitting at the table kept singing, "Can't you see, I love my pancreas, look at me, I love my pancreas." Over and over. Thank you, Wierd Al.

08-19-11 Quite proud of himself and giggling a little, Spencer announced, "Faster than a speeding two-year-old, able to leap a towering pile of laundry, it's SUPERMOM!!!"

04-29-11 We had just finished a large meal at Chick's Cafe when Spencer leaned back in his chair and energetcally patted his stomach saying, "Now I know what Santa feels like."

04-28-11 Will was helping me pull our huge new stroller out of its box. His job was to pull the box down as I held the stroller up off the ground. It wouldn't budge. He paused and said, "Wait, should I go drink some milk, to make my muscles stronger?"

About Us

Our blended family is many years and obstacles in the making. We two were raised in separate countries, different cultures and upbringings. For each of us, God's blessed broken road weaved through marraige, the birth of a child (or two) and a painful divorce, in the end, leaving a himless her and a herless him. We met on a blind date in 2008 and haven't been able to stay away from each other since. Married for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake Temple, we and our four children are determined to BE a forever family. This blog is an account of our daily lives, our ups and downs, and our journey to become "one."