Rob & Julie Snow Family Blog

Outside in Colorado

2012-02-12T15:47:00.001-07:00

After we visited the Butterfly Pavilion in Denver we wandered the grounds for a little while.

At the time, Caroline was REALLY into eating rocks. Doesn’t she look super guilty? The snotty nose just works here.

Here are some sunset shots I took. No enhancements were done, the colors in the sky were really this beautiful.

I love the softness of the last one. Again, no enhancements were done.

Stuff I Love

2012-02-05T11:24:00.001-07:00

Here are a few things I’m into lately.

Music: Andrew Bell

I’m just in love with his music. It’s angst-ridden and romantic, which I tend to like. Here is his official webpage where you can hear his terrific tunes. I suggest “The Ladder” and many others, really. His new EP will be available for pre-order on iTunes on Valentine’s Day.

Travel: NYC

I was antsy for a trip and found $80 airfare to New York. We were already planning on going next year, but why wait with airfare like that?! I’ve been busy putting together our Plan of Attack on the city. I don’t have all the details yet, but it includes miles of walking, thousands of photographs, and fronting as upper-west-siders (think: You’ve Got Mail) or as Brooklyn Heights residents as we will probably rent an apartment rather than stay in a hotel. I’m stoked to work our way through the city, first through the eyes of immigrants, then weaving our way through the villages of the free-thinkers, and finally, up the ladder to peek through the eyes of socialites.

Netflix: Tv and Movies
Life in a Day

”A documentary shot by filmmakers all over the world that serves as a time capsule to show future generations what it was like to be alive on the 24th of July, 2010.”

WhiteCollar

”A white collar criminal agrees to help the FBI catch other white collar criminals using his expertise as an art and securities thief, counterfeiter and racketeer.”

Lie To Me

”Dr. Cal Lightman teaches a course in body language and makes an honest fortune exploiting it. He's employed by various public authorities in various investigations, doing more when the police fail to go the extra mile.”

Buying or Receiving: Flowers

Stuck in a Hotel Room

2012-02-03T10:38:00.001-07:00

What do you do when you are stuck in a hotel room with 3 kids (1 being sick)?

Take random pictures around the room.

Build a fort out of the hide-a-way bed.

Learn how to make newspaper hats.

I guess Madeleine got extra bored because I stumbled upon this massacre. LOL. Poor little ponies!

So, that’s what you do when you’re stuck in a hotel room. Now you know.

Snows on Ice

2012-02-02T11:42:00.001-07:00

Last month we went ice skating at the Olympic Ice Oval for a family birthday party . It was fun!

Rob’s inline skating talent from back in the day came in handy. He likes to show off.

Doesn’t Madeleine look adorable in her little “figure skating” outfit? Those are the little walker things to help the kids learn.

Oops. Tyler slipped. Xander is enjoying his ride.

We had so much fun that we decided to head back to the Oval in January for the Speed Skating Championships. Tickets were free, they handed out candy, the kids made “Go USA” signs, and we enjoyed watching the races. I love family outings!

Zoo for Halloween

2012-01-23T10:27:00.001-07:00

Hey, I’m pretty sure it is January and this is a post for October. Very lame. Anyway, I finally got around to processing these images and I ended up liking them more than I expected. There are a couple of real gems in here and I hope you enjoy them. We visited Hogle Zoo for their Halloween Day. It was packed with very long lines. Luckily we were able to avoid some of the long lines for candy and find a few short ones. First up, meet the three cousins, Nate (Optimus Prime), Madeleine (Rapunzel), and Joe (some kind of green dinosaur).

Nate is quickly developing a love for maps to rival Julie’s. If a map is involved he wants to be in charge of keeping the group on track.

Nate and Madeleine enjoying some of their well-earned Halloween candy.

Here is one of Madeleine and my mom checking out the giraffes. These two get along really well.

The three cousins again in a dinosaur egg.

And my two favorite images of the day.

There are a few more images in the online gallery if you’re interested.

The Snowiest Christmas

2012-01-16T23:15:00.001-07:00

Man, Christmas was FUN this year! I remember being quite depressed last December because I totally wasn’t feeling the spirit of Christmas whatsoever. I’m sure it had nothing to do with a) a colicky newborn, b) total lack of sleep, c) failing to sell our house and figuring out the whole renting-it-out process, and d) getting ready to move into my parents’ basement.

But THIS year was great. I tell ya, Christmas with little kids is the best. It’s so exciting and happy and sweet. I can’t wait to do it again in 11 months.

This year we hosted the annual Cool Avenues People Christmas Party at our home. We had our four good friends’ families that we met while we lived on 1st Ave all come for dinner and a white elephant. It was so much fun to get everyone together! We really had a great time. We’ve all come a long way in just the last 7 years since living there. None of us had kids and now we have between 1 and almost 4 each. Crazy! But great.

This is the first year our little family has spent Christmas Eve with just us. My mom decided that it was time her kids created their own traditions with their own kids and stop mooching off of grandma Just kidding…kind of. We spent an evening with the Raines side of the family a few days before Christmas.

On Christmas Eve we made a big dinner of ribs, homemade baked beans, corn, bread, soda (a rarity here) and apple crisp. It was a ton of effort that took most of the day, but it was delicious. I made sure to carry on the tradition of a spooky dinner (that’s what I called our candlelight dinner when I was little) but we called it our fancy dinner. We had a tablecloth and cloth napkins, fancy glasses (stemware) and, of course, candles. Caroline didn’t like eating in the dark, but the rest of us had a good time.

After dinner we talked about the nativity story using the figures my dad made us, read a couple of Christmas books, opened pjs, and went to bed. Rob and I had actually gotten everything done in the days before so we had time to relax and watch a movie together.

One of Rob’s presents to me was a shaven face. I’ve missed his cute smile! He didn’t want to do it all at once so here he is with half of it shaven. He did the rest the next morning and it lasted all of a week. He’s back to his beard now, but that’s ok. He’s awfully sexy when he’s all stubbly and manly.

Since Christmas was on a Sunday and we had church at 8:30am, we had just enough time to open stockings before leaving. I really enjoyed going to church first and listening to the beautiful Christmas program. Another plus, I’m actually dressed on and have my hair and makeup done for the present-opening pictures!! Woo! Christmas morning pictures are seriously scary most years.

About 2 years ago when I was pregnant with baby Caroline I found this amazing wooden rocking horse at Deseret Industries for three dollars. THREE dollars!! I bought it with the intent of giving to my baby on his or her 2nd Christmas. I had Rob re-stain and re-paint it to look like new and isn’t it gorgeous?! I wanted it to be gender-neutral and to blend in seamlessly with her woodsy bedroom and it is perfect. Besides, she loves it!

We also got her a cozy coupe. This thing has been probably the most played with toy. All the kids love it.

Madeleine got a stick unicorn and a real cowgirl hat. Cute!

Here’s Nate with one of his 4 Star Wars action figures. Another thing he got was a pocket microscope. He had been asking for one for months and I thought it was a great idea because I had one when I was a kid, too!

Rob upgraded some of his speakers for the surround sound. The big surprise, though, was his gift to me (helped with gift money from both sets of parents). Can you tell I’m in love with it? I don’t just have a crush. I’m not just infatuated. I’m truly, deeply, in love.

The rest of Christmas day was spent at the Snow family home for visiting, dinner, and gifts.

I can’t list every present we all received, but it doesn’t matter because that’s not what made Christmas special. Christmas was special because we are so blessed with family and friends. Thanks, so very much, for helping us make this Christmas a great one to remember. We love you!!

Here’s the link to more pictures and the above video if you were unable to play it.

Butterfly Pavilion

2012-01-10T20:23:00.001-07:00

While in Denver the second time, I decided to splurge a little and pay for me and the kids to go to the Butterfly Pavilion north of town. We had recently checked-out Fancy Nancy and the Butterfly Birthday from the library and I really thought Madeleine would LOVE being surrounded by beautiful, fluttering butterflies. Wrong. She didn’t like it one bit. All those creepy, flying bugs threatening to land on her was not her idea of fun. She kept begging to leave. I forced her to stay in there with the rest of us while we got our fill. I did, afterall, just drive for 45 minutes and pay $20 to go.

A pretty, white butterfly landed on the ground next to Caroline. While I was trying to get a picture, I realized this meant certain death to the poor little thing. Now I know why there is “No Touching!”.

Tropical flora definitely not indigenous to Colorado.

They also have a few aquariums with upside-down jellyfish and a huge starfish. This thing was about 2 feet across.

They also have an insect exhibit. We all refused to hold the tarantella, but Nate stroked the cockroach. Gross!

After the inside exhibits, we played outside in the nature-y area. Those pictures will be posted another day. As cool as it was, I’m not convinced it was worth the money. If Madeleine would have enjoyed herself like I thought she would have, than maybe. Oh, well.

Mistake

2012-01-08T10:58:00.001-07:00

I made a mistake! That never happens

Below it states FREE (web-sized) copies of your favorite images. We’re actually giving away FULL-RESOLUTION images so you can print your pictures anywhere.

A New Year Give-A-Way

2012-01-08T10:53:00.001-07:00

Just a reminder for you to enter our give-a-way by Monday night!

Obviously, photography is very important to me and Rob. We love capturing our family’s love and smiles. We enjoy doing this for other people as well.

We realize that getting family portraits taken can be a difficult matter of time and money. So for RJ Snow Photography’s New Year Give-A-Way, we’re offering the following:

FREE 1 hour photoshoot for a family, individual, a group of friends; anything goes.
FREE retouching of your favorite images.
FREE (web-sized) copies of your favorite images.

Stipulations:

We’d like to offer this to someone who really needs it so we’re limiting it to people who have not had professional portraits taken in the last 5 years.
The photoshoot will need to take place in February 2012.

Just send us an email at rjsnow@rjsnowphotography.com and let us know you’d like to be entered in our giveaway. You may also nominate someone you know. We will send the entries through a random-number generator to select the winner. The deadline to enter is January 9th at midnight.

Good luck!

ps. If you want to see the winners of our last give-a-way, their post is here.

Raines Thanksgiving 2011

2012-01-06T12:01:00.001-07:00

Waiting for dinner…

Meal time!

Doesn’t her Thanksgiving dinner look delicious?

Going on a turkey hunt!

Some after-dinner casual portraits. Rob and I don’t get many together.

Hmmm. I think we’re due for a nice portrait of Grandma Clark. Better set that up!

Family can see more pictures here.

A New Year Give-A-Way

2012-01-04T10:08:00.001-07:00

Obviously, photography is very important to me and Rob. We love capturing our family’s love and smiles. We enjoy doing this for other people as well.

We realize that getting family portraits taken can be a difficult matter of time and money. So for RJ Snow Photography’s New Year Give-A-Way, we’re offering the following:

FREE 1 hour photoshoot for a family, individual, a group of friends; anything goes.
FREE retouching of your favorite images.
FREE (web-sized) copies of your favorite images.

Stipulations:

We’d like to offer this to someone who really needs it so we’re limiting it to people who have not had professional portraits taken in the last 5 years.
The photoshoot will need to take place in February 2012.

Good luck!

ps. If you want to see the winners of our last give-a-way, their post is here. You can also check out our photography website and blog at www.rjsnowphotography.com.

Retirement

2012-01-02T19:28:00.001-07:00

This past September my dad retired from work. He had been working at The Church History Museum for over 25 years! I have some fond memories of visiting him at work with my mom and brother and sisters, of Bring-Your-Daughter-to-Work Day (does that still exist??), and going to exhibit open houses. I was sad when I quit working for the Church after only 6 years…I can’t imagine how it would feel after 26 years!

On the day of his retirement, he put on a presentation for some of the staff. The presentation included how he came to work for the Church (a miracle) and how his life and family have been blessed through his work.

At the end, he was presented with a special letter from the First Presidency of the Church thanking him for his many years of service. Wow. So neat.

Then there was the kids’ favorite part, refreshments!

We are sure dad is going to be missed at Church Headquarters, but we’re glad to have him around more. It’s probably not as relaxing as he thought retirement would be, but we hope he enjoys it.

Dad can see more of his retirement party pictures here.

Grandma Snow

2012-01-01T23:04:00.000-07:00

My dear Grandma Jeanette Snow passed away just before Christmas. I have a lot of memories of my grandma and I'm not sure that I could think of one that was the least bit negative. I sometimes thought she was a little strange but I think that comes with grandma territory.

My grandma was a great people-person and was good at making friends wherever she went. She would often say "my best friend was once a stranger." She certainly made me feel loved and helped me learn how to be kind to others.

First I wanted to share a few photos of Grandma in her younger years. Some of these just crack me up. My grandma loved growing plants and flowers. Here is a picture of her with a very large and bulbous tomato from her garden. That one looks very good.

So I knew she was a good bowler and heard a lot of people discuss that at the funeral. As I was looking for some good pictures of her I came across this one of her and the bowling team and had a good laugh. What a great group of women.

Many memories have come to my mind as I sit composing this post. To follow that image above of the tomato I made a picture with my daughter Madeleine of Grandma's peach tree. Peaches were a summertime constant at her house. I remember them always being warm from the sun, sweet, and juicy.

Remember when I said that as a kid I sometimes thought she did strange things? Those usually became my favorite memories of her. From dancing in the street on the Fourth of July to spouting random (and personlized, mind you) songs at any occasion. Her joyful, playful, loving, and caring nature was treasure of the family. I will always remember you and will apply the lessons you taught me time and time again.

Here is the obituary.

Jeannette "Jan" Snow

1932 ~ 2011

Jeannette "Jan" Ann Woodmansee Snow, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and friend was a fighter that endured many illnesses including liver disease only to be taken by complications with pneumonia on Dec.21, 2011A life to celebrate and honor, a true lady. Born January 23, 1932 in SLC to Benjamin Lewis and Annie Bertha Woodmansee. Grew up in downtown SLC and graduated from South High. She worked at Wagner Bag, Wilson Meat Pies and at The Capitol Theater where she enjoyed meeting actors and actresses. As young ladies, Jan and 2 girlfriends traveled and explored Utah, Nevada and Arizona (quite adventurous for young women of that day).

After a blind date, Jan and Vern fell in love. Mom loved Dad's good looks, Dad loved her sense of humor and beautiful blue eyes. They were married April 30, 1955. To this marriage came Robert, Wendy, Julie and Stacy. During these years Jan worked at Litton Guidance Systems (25 years), where she made many lifelong friends. Jan was past president of ABWA and enjoyed Toast Masters. She loved to tell jokes and stories through rhyme. She was a true friend to many. Jan made her home warm and beautiful at holidays, hosting many family parties. She loved music, gardening, shopping, bowling, playing cards, babies and ice-cream. Later in life Jan also loved the Jazz (but not the refs) and Wendover. Most of all Jan loved her family. She was very proud that all of her grandchildren graduated from college.

Mom's favorite saying was, "My best friend was once a stranger." Her home was a place where everyone was welcome. Mother was like a rose, she brought beauty and brightness to the world.

Survived by husband, Vern Snow; son, Robert (Gail) Snow; daughters, Wendy (John) Kunzler, Julie (Kevin) Connors, Stacy Snow; nephew, Steven (Sandra) Villarreal; 12 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren plus one on the way; brothers, Albert (Gladys), Duane (Shauna) Woodmansee, Marlin Snow and sister, Shirley (Ted) Nielsen.. Preceded in death by parents; in-laws, Charles C. Snow and Janetta Rymer; brother, Jerry (Joyce) Woodmansee; sister, Joyce (Hal) Gallacher and her sister-in-law, Lena Villarreal.

Jan's children thank their Father for the unconditional loving care of their Mother which gave everyone more time to enjoy her. Thank you to all of the physicians and nurses that provided care for Jan over the years.

Mom "we love you more." In honor of our Mother, make a friend.

Services will be held Wednesday, December 28th, 11:00 a.m. at Redwood Memorial Mortuary, 6500 So. Redwood Rd. A viewing will be held Tuesday evening from 6 - 8 p.m. at the mortuary and one hour prior to services on Wednesday. On-line condolences may be left at www.memorialutah.com

Lisa

2011-12-29T11:35:00.001-07:00

My sister, Lisa, is a thoughtful and generous person. I have some very fond memories of her from when I was young. She is 10ish years older than me, so we didn’t really grow up together, but that meant she was a cool older sister with a sports car.

We’ve been meaning to get her portrait taken for quite some time now but it just never happened. So, while we were visiting on Thanksgiving at my parents house we just hopped outside to the backyard and snapped a few. I’m so glad we finally got these.

Love you, Lisa!

Merry, Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T14:44:00.001-07:00

My Girls

2011-12-21T18:00:00.001-07:00

These two girls mean so much to me.

Here is Madeleine with her painted hair for Crazy Hair Day at school. She felt a little left out since she isn’t in school yet so our kind neighbor sprayed her hair with the leftover paint from her own kids’ hair.

Do you remember the scene in Sleeping Beauty where the blue fairy is standing on a stool while the red fairy is trying to sew Rose’s new dress? Well, here is Madeleine’s version. She’s so cute!! …and very creative.

Here’s a video of Madeleine dancing with her dad in the hotel in Denver. She loves dancing and is a very talented twirler.

Caroline doesn’t like being fed. She can do it herself, by golly!

Here are some super sweet shots of my littlest girl. Look at those eyes! I could cuddle and snuggle and wubble her forever.

J.K.J.A.E

2011-12-11T17:24:00.001-07:00

Those are the initials of the Hymas family, if you were wondering. They’re so cute together!

Awww!

Another awwww!

We weren’t planning on taking Allen’s picture this time around, but he hopped right on the stool as we were taking test shots. Cute.

Proud, proud parents.

Chase Squirrels, Climb Stairs, and Hang on a Cannon

2011-12-04T13:36:00.001-07:00

We just got back from another trip to Denver, but here is our last post regarding our previous trip.

Our last evening we decided to give downtown another try. We stopped by the capitol building and the kids had a blast chasing the squirrels that have infested the grounds. The kids loved spotting them, screaming at them, and then chasing them up the trees. We could’ve spent a lot more time doing this, but there were some squirrel-loving homeless people hanging about who didn’t appreciate the cruelty the kids were imposing on trash-eating rodents.

Madeleine caught a big squirrelly one!

We headed up the stairs of the capitol building for the sole purpose of mom getting a family pic on the One Mile Above Sea Level step. Rob just had to put his foot in front of the engraving. Oh, well.

The sun was getting low and the light was nice and warm and beautiful.

Like daughter like mother.

The kids climbed all over the cannons on display. Luckily, there weren’t any cannon-loving homeless people hanging about.
We would’ve gotten in trouble for sure.

Nate said he did this so his butt would get shot to smithereens.

We then walked through Larimer Square with its streets lined with un-kid-friendly swanky restaurants. Rob and I really wished we could just sit ourselves down at any of the outdoor patios and order something delicious but we trudged on to find something suitable for less refined palates. We ended up at Ling & Louie’s. It was so, so good! We probably wouldn’t have normally taken the kids there, but I’d heard good things about it, it was practically empty so the kids couldn’t disturb many patrons, and I really wanted some asian food. The kids shared a bento box with chopsticks, which was really cool. So cool, that they ate more of it than they would have had it just come on plates with forks. Rob and I ate well, but the dessert we ordered was to die for. It was the Banana Caramel Spring Roll (a decadent spring roll filled with banana cheesecake and dusted with cinnamon and sugar. Served with fresh strawberries, caramel sauce and vanilla bean ice cream). Now, I don’t really like banana all that much, but this was amazing. We ooohed and awwwed our way through the decadence with pure pleasure. I hear they are opening a Ling & Louie’s in SLC in the future and we couldn’t be happier.

Thanks for coming along this trip to Denver with us! And much thanks to Rob for being willing to drag his crazy wife and kids along with him on his business trip. He could’ve easily gone alone and enjoyed some serious relaxation time but he loves us too much. Plus, he knows that would just tick me off

Baby Benjamin’s Blessing

2011-12-03T21:14:00.001-07:00

Here is our nifty nephew on his big blessing day way back in September.

Some of Ben’s family.

And I couldn’t help but put in a couple more of the man himself.

Family can see more pictures here.

Georgetown & Golden

2011-11-17T14:48:00.001-07:00

While in Colorado we took a day trip to Georgetown. It was super cold and windy, but the little mountain town was still cute. We got there just in time for the tail end of their Fall Festival. That’s okay. It was too cold to stay long anyway.

I looked in some antique shops while the kids drew with chalk and Rob took pics.

We then took the old road to Golden, Colorado. It’s such a beautiful drive next to a river through the mountains. It had warmed up by then so we were able to walk around the town a little more. The kids loved the riverside walking path.
Nate’s favorite souvenirs are rocks. Mine too! They’re cheap…or maybe that’s me…

The kids had MORE fun playing on this bike rack than just about anything else.
Is Nate a boy or what? These pics just make me cringe a little. Haha.

We have so much fun as a family just exploring. It’s one thing I’ll remember the most about this time in our life; too broke to spend much money on activities, but having the best time walking and playing and seeing together.

Sisters: Racheal & Kaylee

2011-11-15T08:23:00.001-07:00

These two sisters are my nieces. Aren’t they sweet?

Racheal is a go-getter, intelligent, curious, and passionate.

Kaylee is easy-going, calm, smiley, and content.

They complement each other perfectly.

Caroline’s Comparison

2011-11-08T10:20:00.001-07:00

I wanted a side-by-side comparison so for fun we tried to recreate (somewhat) Caroline’s newborn pictures for her 1st birthday. We used a different location since we didn’t want to drive all the way to Layton and this time she has clothes on.

Oh, what a difference a year makes!

Grand Junction and Vail

2011-11-06T15:48:00.002-07:00

There are two direct routes from SLC to Denver: I-80 to the north through Wyoming and I-70 to the south through Green River. We’ve driven I-80 before and we will never, ever do it again. The drive through Wyoming is just too, well, Wyoming. It’s barren and makes you feel sad.

However, the southern route is a beautiful drive through the Rocky Mountains with many possible fun stops along the way. I had a list of possible stopping points since we never knew when Cara would be sleeping or screaming. Unfortunately, our first stop at a beach on the Colorado River was closed due to E-Coli. Ewwww. So we drove on to Grand Junction. The kids were happy to be there because Curious George and the Man with the Yellow Hat stopped in Grand Junction in Curious George 2. So…yeah. They thought that was cool.

We basically strolled up and down main street, played in the fountain, looked in a toy shop, and ate pizza. Here, Nate’s waiting for the water to spurt up.

Our next stop along the way was Vail. Ooohh. Vail. Very pretty. We visited the free Betty Ford Botanical Gardens and it was one of our best layovers ever. GORGEOUS. The playground was so, so fun and in such a lovely setting that we didn’t want to leave. But after a picnic dinner, we were on to Denver.

This is Caroline’s first time in a swing.

This sideways video is Rob playing on the spinner thing. We all took turns getting very dizzy.

One thing I want to remember is that there are quite a few tunnels through the mountains on this route. Every time we hit one all of us would take a deep breath and yell the whole way through. Even little Caroline joined in. Just a fun little memory.

Another “On My Mind” Segment

2011-11-03T11:31:00.001-06:00

Fatigue. Kids are tiring. Keeping the house clean…or at least presentable…is extra tiring. Making dinner every night is tiring. Entertaining is tiring. All the events and activities are tiring. Going to bed at regularly at 12:30am just to get stuff done is tiring.
When I got downstairs this morning at 7:30 Nate was watching tv which is not at all unusual. But this morning he was watching a NOVA special on the expansion of the universe. Yep, he’s our son.
I got half the carpet in the house pro cleaned today. Now that we’re done with constant spit-up and potty training, we were definitely due. But I have to say, I can’t wait for hardwood.
Speaking of décor, I wish I had an unlimited amount of money to decorate my house. Actually, just a couple thousand would do right now. We have nothing on the walls STILL and our family room couch is busting apart.
Three phrases I’m getting really sick of hearing are: “I can’t!” and “I’m hungry” and “What should I do?”
I’m ready for another vacation. I’d love to go back to Bucerias or anywhere with a warm beach and some local flavor. It’d be even better (like multiplied by 100) if said vacation didn’t include tots.
There are just so many pictures to catch up on. I love doing it, but it’s starting to stress me out more than anything. It just takes too long. We need a better way to sort and edit.
Did I mention I’m tired? So far today I’ve walked Nate to school, kept the girls busy while the carpets were cleaned, made pumpkin cream cheese for bagels, and gotten ready for the day. I would lay down now for a minute but Madeleine keeps asking me to play with her. So that’s what I’ll do. Then we’re off to pick up Nate, go to the bank and the library, wash the car and gas up. Then home to hopefully relax for a few minutes before cleaning again and making dinner. Then Rob’s off to the temple (we’ve pretty much given up on ever being able to go together so we’ve started taking turns). I’ll put the kids to bed and then balance the checkbook and pay bills until our account reads $0.00. Clean up some more, read scriptures, and then finally a restless night’s sleep before starting all over tomorrow. And the next day. And the next day. And the next day.
You can’t tell from the above but I’m trying to stay positive and grateful. We have a few friends and family members who are really struggling right now with major health issues. They have been in our thoughts and prayers a lot. I am thankful for all the Lord has blessed me with, even though I don’t deserve most of it.

Halloween Day

2011-11-01T16:15:00.001-06:00

We had a great Halloween this year in our new neighborhood. It was very kid-friendly and our kids are finally at the age where they totally get the idea of trick-or-treating. We had so much fun!

Nate decided to be Optimus Prime. He had fun at his first Halloween parade and party at school.

Madeleine wanted to be Rapunzel. The wigs in the store were pricey and just weren’t long enough for her liking. I decided to make one out of 2 bolts of yarn and a little ribbon. I had a heck of a time cutting and braiding. It took a couple of hours and a lot of patience unknotting the big ball of strands after Madeleine got a hold of it. Was it worth it? Well, maybe not to me. But to her? For sure.

Caroline was Alice in Wonderland…minus the black headband she refused to leave on. She’s adorable!

They each got a big stash of candy that Rob and I are not-so-slowly devouring. Yikes! We’re worse than the kids!

We hope you all had as good of a Halloween as we did.

Boulder, Baby!

2011-10-27T22:00:00.001-06:00

While in Colorado we drove north and visited Boulder for a day. It’s a pretty cool town. We were there for their fall festival and it was fun to be celebrating with the other tourists ;)

We walked all the way up and down Pearl Street watching street performers, ducking into cute shops, tasting local flavor, enjoying a parade, listening to music, and learning how to skateboard. Nate especially liked watching the magician who got himself stuck in a toilet lid. Pretty funny stuff for a 5 yr old boy!

On a boulder in Boulder.

The Russells

2011-10-24T21:29:00.001-06:00

We did some family portraits of Breanna’s family way back in July. Here they are finally being blogged!

Cute family.

Cute couple.

Cute big brother.

Cute little brother. I took extra pictures of him ‘cause he’s new!

Family, here is a link to the gallery. We love you guys!

Lab Results

2011-10-19T22:43:00.001-06:00

Sigh. Once again one of my kids had to have blood work done. This time it was little Caroline. She had her 12 month checkup last week and is far below what she should be in weight. The doc wanted her to get some testing done so we obliged even though I wasn’t worried whatsoever. Anyone who meets her knows she is a happy, healthy little girl who just has her mom’s petite-ness.

Her first poke was horrible. After fiddling with the needle in her arm for at least a few minutes until she bled out, the second arm was tried and the needed blood was obtained. Poor thing.

I heard back from the dr and the results weren’t as reassuring as I thought they would be. The results were:

Protein: borderline low
Vitamin D: too low
Liver enzymes: slightly high
Alkaline phosphatase: normal level = 50-130. 200 is high. Caroline’s is at 403.

Explanation: Caroline is so undernourished that her bones are breaking down.

Caroline loves her formula, warm, in a bottle. She hasn’t been keen on the idea of switching to whole milk. I’ve even tried it with Carnation Instant Breakfast. She’s not interested. She does eat a variety of food, but mostly about 6 bites and then she is done. No more. Unless it’s cookies.

My plan of attack is simple. Hide as many nutrients in cookies as humanly possible. Sure, not an intelligent solution that has staying power through the years, but for now I’m just trying to get her little body to grow. I’ll worry about the other stuff later.

The doc also prescribed her a vitamin with iron and vitamin d at 1 1/2 times the normal dose. She’ll get checked again in three months.

All this seemed to fly out of the doctor’s mouth. Seriously. I was barely following along. At the end of the conversation she asked me if I had any questions. I had barely been able to process anything at that point. So since hanging up, internet-ing, and thinking about this all night I pretty much just have one question.

Is she SURE it’s malnutrition? I can handle that. But I don’t want to be treating her for it and three months later find out that we’ve been treating the wrong diagnosis. There are quite a few diseases that can cause the number in her alkaline phosphatase to be so high. Diseases that are much worse. Diseases that aren’t cured with cookies.

But for tonight, I’m done worrying. We’ll pick back up tomorrow with a reassuring call to the doctor and a run to the grocery store.

No More Baby

2011-10-15T23:09:00.001-06:00

My baby had her 1st birthday.

The night before, she just happened to wake up at night and needed some rocking. There I was, in the dark, rocking my baby. Then came the slight breakdown. Mine, not hers. I love her cheeks and her nose. I love her toothy smile and her chuckle. I love her all over from the top of her messy hair (since she pulls out any barrette I try to place in it) to the bottom of her arched feet (the only one of my kids with them).

She loves playing with her brother and sister. She thinks she should be able to do everything they can.

She loves her blankie. It’s the one we wrapped her in at the hospital. She sleeps on top of it and and carries it around wherever she goes, if I let her. She hates when it drags on the floor. She wants it all up in her arms.

Caroline is normal in height but drops off the chart in weight. She doesn’t like whole milk. For now we are mixing half formula and half milk and making sure it’s warm so she’ll drink it.

She had a birthday party where she had many loving family members attend. She loved all her gifts

including the wagon her dad and I bought her.

Here is her red velvet cake.

Happy birthday, Caroline. Your family sure loves you!

Copper!!

2011-10-14T11:05:00.001-06:00

Rob’s cousin Nicole and her husband Mike stayed with us for some days in August. We had fun spending time with them and getting to know them a little better. Nate and Madeleine especially ate up the extra attention.

I’d been meaning to take us to visit Bingham Canyon Copper Mine for a couple of years now and finally took the opportunity while they were with us.

I love how Madeleine is “reading” the sign.

One of the things I enjoyed about visiting the mine is that I learned a little more about the project Rob is working on for Kennecott. He is helping in the design of ……..something with the tailings facility and preventing slope failure in the event of an earthquake………

Ok, maybe I didn’t learn that much. Some time he needs to blog about exactly what he’s doing because I can never quite grasp it.
But anyway, here he is playing in the gift shop!

Thanks, Mike and Nicole, for coming to visit us!!

Two Stories About Nate

2011-10-12T21:33:00.001-06:00

I have two wonderful stories about Nate that had to be recorded here on the blog at all costs.

First, Nate is a big hugger and it is common to receive a hug from him a couple of times per day. So the other day when he walked up to me for a hug I didn’t suspect a thing. He didn’t have a silly or excited look on his face either. I had no idea what was coming. Just before settling in for a hug, he spins around, sticks out his bum, and plants a giant fart right on me! I couldn’t not believe my son! We all completely broke down laughing. Completely hysterical!

The next story happened tonight and it wasn’t the first time either. After the kids finished reading books for the night he walked 50’ out to the loft and made this request, “Dad, will you please come turn of my light? I’m too tired to lift up my arm.” Awesome!

Some Fun in Denver

2011-10-12T17:03:00.001-06:00

While in Denver for two weeks we actually got out to see and do quite a few things. Well, free or inexpensive things that are suitable to do with 3 kids. After all, why would I ever want to go to a nice restaurant and actually eat at a leisurely pace? Or do some gnarly hiking? Or antique shopping? Or be out after 8:30pm? Or, or, or? Traveling with kids is sure different than travelling as a couple, but we still had fun.

These are some pics taken on the fly with the ipod. It’s just too darn hard to haul around three kids AND a heavy camera that needs toying with while the babes are on the loose.

We toured the Hammond Candy Company.

I thought Rob would get a kick out of this.

We went to the talked up Mile High Marketplace but it was just junk and more junk.

Rob went to the Tattered Cover bookstore.

We went to the Museum of Science and Nature three times. Our Discovery Gateway passes got us in for free and it was totally fun.

They had a T.Rex Encounter which I thought was pretty fun. The Animatronic dinosaurs were huge and followed you with their eyes and heads. Their roars were quite loud and scared Madeleine and Caroline just didn’t know what to think. This was taken in front of a green screen.

Here Nate is looking at the sun and its solar flares.

The kids loved Space Odyssey’s AstroTot area. Madeleine especially loved to dress up and pretend they were crashing into an alien planet.

We also went to the huge play area in the mall. This gave them a chance to play with kids and me a chance to sit back and be stared at because I actually have three children. The whole time in Colorado I never once saw a family with more than two kids. So I got some stares and a “Way to go!”.

The kids got to sit in the new Tesla and got free posters of the car. I wouldn’t have minded taking it out for a test drive. Too bad it doesn’t fit 3 carseats.

While in Denver we were also able to go out to dinner with two of Rob’s cousins and their families. We haven’t seen them for years and our kids have never met. It’s nice letting our kids meet more cousins. They love cousins!

We also met up with an old friend, Brian Gardner, and his family. He and Rob were in the band FOUND nine years ago. It was fun to catch up with all the craziness that has happened since then. We ate at the (in)famous Casa Bonita and watched the silly dive show, which the kids loved. We were so happy we got to meet up.

We had a few day trips while in Colorado including downtown, Georgetown, Golden, and Boulder. We’ll blog those when we get a chance.

Can We All Just Ease Up A Little?

2011-10-06T20:54:00.001-06:00

I’ve been thinking lately about how much effort we women put into looking good. I mean, think about it. First, there is the time we spend. Like, HOURS and HOURS of every week. Second, the money we spend. It’s a multi-kazillion dollar industry. Lastly, the mental effort we spend. We think, critique, agonize, patronize, stress, judge, compare, and get depressed.

Here’s a quick run-down of SOME of the things we torture ourselves with (and yes, I’m guilty of more than a few of these).

Shave, wax, laser hair removal
Tanning, both real and fake
Makeup including eyelash torture devices and spiderleg falsies
Hair cut and color
Spanx
Padded bra
Teeth straitening and whitening
Botox and more drastic plastic surgery
Fake nails
Deprivation diets or eating disorders
Up-to-the-minute fashion trends, even when they’re unflattering and expensive
Flat-Iron or curling iron
Masks, scrubs, Micro-dermabrasion, chemical peels, etc
Goo, goo, and more goo from the “beauty” aisles. Not one aisle, but many

That’s insane. Seriously INSANE. Why do we do this to ourselves?? On tv, all you here is “If I look good on the outside, then I feel good on the inside.” Well THAT’S NOT TRUE and we all know it.

My goal here isn’t to knock basic hygiene, making ourselves presentable and even beautiful, or indulging in some simple pleasures. My problem is that I think we all try a little too hard.

So. Here’s a goal. Let’s all just freaking ease up on ourselves. Let’s do the things we really care about and love. Some people LOVE to get a mani-pedi. That’s great! Some people naturally tan easily. Super! But let’s stop trying so hard to go against the beautiful, natural bodies Heavenly Father created for us. If we go too far against our natural selves it’s frustrating, depressing, time-consuming, and

JUST NOT WORTH IT.

Provo River Falls

2011-10-03T15:26:00.001-06:00

Man! These falls are so fun!! We spent a couple of hours here on our way to Mirror Lake. Next time we might just spend more time at the falls and forget the lake. Totally wicked fun.

Nate’s blurry in this picture, but I love his facial expression.

Check out the abs on my boy!! We’re gonna be in trouble with him someday.

Can you tell he had a blast??

Madeleine liked the falls, but she also liked the puddles

And the branches.

Next we moved on to Mirror Lake. While the girls finished their nap in the car I snuck out and took this.
I believe it’s a horse feeder thingy. Feel free to correct me or give me the real word for it.

The kids played in the field and picked me wildflowers. So sweet.

We had fun here a couple of years ago but this time it was just crowded, dirty, and buggy.

Caroline eating a graham cracker.

“Fishing” with trash she found.

More “fishing” with trash.

Good times, family. Good times.

Nate, Me, and the Rockies

2011-09-25T22:20:00.001-06:00

I’ve wanted to attend a major league baseball game for a very long time. I’m not really into watching sports on TV but I really enjoy attending games. I was so blessed to be able to go to a game with my son Nate while visiting Denver. We saw the Rockies play the Padres and really enjoyed the game. The Padres got ahead early but there were a few good opportunities to catch up late in the game that made it really exciting. Nate and I cheered for the Rockies like locals and had a great time!

We had some super dogs for dinner (not so good). Nate’s dropped his after a few bites and eventually dropped part of mine that I gave up after seeing his sad face. Ha. Good thing we had a bag of skittles……

We sat at the far end of the stadium in center field. This area of the stadium is called the Rock Pile. The tickets for this area are only 4 dollars each! What a steal for a great time!

I’m never going to forget that night. Never.

Under a Parasol

2011-09-19T22:18:00.004-06:00

Here are some fun pictures of our niece, Emma.

Geez, I wish it was socially acceptable for a 30 year old woman to relax just like this (maybe minus the pacifier...). She looks soooo relaxed and I could use some of that... ;)

And here is Jordin, cute as ever.

My Kindergartner

2011-09-18T20:40:00.005-06:00

Nate and I both have been looking forward to Kindergarten and we are so excited it has finally begun.

I didn't get too sad when we dropped him off the first day. Maybe just a tiny bit. But I was mostly sad thinking about how that was the first day of school for the next 16-20 years of his life. Rob and I just finished school a couple of years ago so, really, I feel for him and the much hard work he has ahead of him.

He goes to Traverse Mountain Elementary School just up the hill from home. We walk there and back every day with our neighbors and one of his best friends, Sydney. They are not in the same class, but they play with each other every recess. Their favorite game is The Zombie Game.

His teacher is Mrs. Story and she is great. I can tell that Nate is quite the helper/know-it-all in the class so I'm anxious to hear what she says at parent/teacher conference.

He already knew many things before entering school, but he is now learning how to hold his pencil correctly, write the letters and numbers the correct way, and the letters and corresponding words in sign language.

I'm so proud of Nate and his enthusiasm for learning. He's a thinker and a doer. And that makes me so happy.

Colorado Blvd

2011-09-16T21:40:00.004-06:00

Denver is different than I was expecting. Quite different, actually. I was thinking it'd be similar to SLC but it certainly is not. Here's what I've noticed so far.

It's bigger than I thought it would be.

It's very dirty.

The drivers are very pleasant.

The whole metro area is on a grid, but downtown is on a grid diagonal from everywhere else. We got totally lost our first night when we didn't realize this.

King Sooper's is a weird name for a grocery store chain.

Lots and lots of Ross stores.

Lots and lots of liquor stores.

The traffic lights are loooong.

LOTS of churches. I've seen tons of different churches in Missouri and Pennsylvania, but I wasn't expecting it in Denver. On one church's sign it read "Progressive Christians in a Traditional Setting."

I've driven up and down Colorado Blvd a few times and think it's interesting. I bet it was a silky, shiny new boulevard back in the day. Today it's run down. On my drive today I thought I'd snap some pictures with the ipod while stopped at traffic lights.

I edited them on the ipod's Camera+ app using a retro feel, since most of the buildings were built a few decades ago.

My Kitchen Want List

2011-09-08T21:03:00.001-06:00

Here is a shot of my kitchen.

These are the linen drapes I made for our sliding glass door. The colors are my inspiration for the rest of my décor.

I already have a mirror that I just need to paint.

We have a giant wooden spoon and fork to hang on the wall I would paint high gloss white…if I decide to use them.

I have a similar fruit basket I’m going to paint green.

I have a similar wall scroll I’m probably going to paint green, also.

Below are things that I don’t have, but would love to add.

White subway tile backsplash.

traditional kitchen design by san francisco architect Wm. F. Holland/Architect

Stainless steel or white vintage style scale.

Large glass jars for my baking ingredients.

Vintage style spice tins.

A bold, colorful rug like one of these.

Maybe I would go with a farmhouse table.

And two benches and two chairs.

Upholstered with this fabric.

And a centerpiece along the lines of these for our cupcakes, cookies, etc.

I don’t know or even care if this light clashes with my above items. I’m IN LOVE with edison bulbs in round glass fixtures. Ooh la la.
I’d pay big money for this…but at the sound of 1000 big ones I’m just guessing it’s not going to happen.
Maybe in a few years the style will debut at Ikea?

If the above light just doesn’t work with the rest of the kitchen, maybe…just maybe…I’d be able to settle for something like this.

I may be way off with my styling. What do I know about decorating and design?

I can at least incorporate a few things immediately and then work towards incorporating a few other items
…except the light…
gonna have to find a less beautiful, less inspirational, and less costly version.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed a peek into my dream kitchen.

Jujitsu Padawan

2011-09-04T08:57:00.001-06:00

That is quite an intimidating opponent! In early August Nate and I observed a Japanese Jujitsu class. He saw all the kids doing rolls, punches, blocks, and kicks. Nate didn’t want to participate that day because he didn’t have the proper clothing. So he borrowed karate clothes from his Uncle Kelly (from when Kelly was a kid). I think he looks quite sharp in his gi, don’t you?

After getting the gi, Nate literally jumped in. They do a lot of jumping and rolls in his form of martial arts. Nate really had a fun time being in the class.

You may have noticed Nate’s end of summer hair style. I think it works with the gi.

Nate’s classes have since come to an end with the new school year. We want him to try a few other sports next year. We’ll see what sport/martial art he chooses in the long run. We are very proud of him.

The last two photos were edited per Nate’s instructions. I hope you enjoy all the pictures. They can be downloaded from this gallery.

Fancy Dancy Ball

2011-09-01T22:10:00.001-06:00

A few weeks ago our ward at church put on a Fancy Dancy Ball for the young girls and their dads.
It was such a HIT!

The girls looked absolutely lovely in their fancy ball gowns.

The girls danced and twirled the night away.

The dads made their daughters feel so special.

I was in charge of the photobooth with props.

Thanks to everyone who came and enjoyed this wonderful night with us!

More pictures are HERE. Download freely.

July

2011-08-28T16:45:00.001-06:00

Summer is so busy but boatloads of fun. I’m playing catch up for July with some random pictures.

I cleaned my window shortly after this…the first time since we moved in. Seeing that the house hadn’t been lived in for a year before we got there, this window hadn’t been cleaned in a very, very long time. Yeah, I was right on top of that one…

Don’t you just love my oh-so-stylish little kids? They don’t look homeless in the least!

We went to the Jordan Conservancy District with Rob’s family and took some portraits of his sister’s family. Here are some of the other fun pics we took while there.

Madeleine @ 3 1/4

2011-08-22T11:52:00.001-06:00

At almost 3 1/2 years old, Madeleine is a funny, headstrong (though sometimes quite lazy), playful, and beautiful little girl.

She is finally potty trained (except for an accident here and there). What seemed to make the big difference, besides sticking it out this time, was rewarding her for trying, not just for succeeding. Here she is with lip gloss that she earned.

Madeleine adores milk and bread. She would eat and drink nothing else and be perfectly happy if I let her.

Madeleine plays with her brother and sister very well. All day long they play, just as happy as can be. They rarely fight.

Madeleine got to attend a music class for a couple of weeks with her cousin, Joseph. She had such a good time and would practice on our piano at home on the days she didn’t have class. Her favorite part was playing with all the different instruments, especially the maracas.

Last week our primary held a daddy daughter date. I was in charge of the photobooth and props. Doesn’t she and her dad look smashing? They had so much fun crafting, playing games, and especially dancing. All the dads were twirling their daughters around in the air for a long time. The girls loved it and felt so special!

Our family loves Madeleine.

Caroline and Her Dad

2011-08-18T10:33:00.001-06:00

I was going through our pictures for a Father’s Day project back in June and realized we were seriously lacking for photos of Caroline and her dad together. I remedied that.

Caroline loves it when her dad comes home and always wants to be held by him as soon as he walks in the door.

She is SUCH busy body! She’ll fling herself towards something she wants without regard and will hold on to what she wants for dear life.

She’s still spitting up like crazy.

Caroline is hard to take outside because all she wants to do is eat dirt and rocks.

Cara loves touch-and-feel books.

Cara loves to wrestle with the kids.

She has two top teeth coming in.

She loves cuddling and sleeping with her blankie.

Caroline doesn’t like being fed. She wants to do it herself.

And the biggest news, she’s WALKING!! How is it possible already? She has no desire to crawl. She’ll just keep standing up and walking, then fall, then stand up and walk again over and over again. So pretentious!

I love this little girl SO MUCH!

A Backyard Before-&-After

2011-08-16T20:29:00.001-06:00

Everyone loves a good before-and-after. Here’s our backyard version.

This was taken in April.

This was during.

This is after (via cameraphone). The grass has since grown in beautifully.

Some fruits of our much labor.

Memorial

2011-08-16T09:28:00.001-06:00

I took a picture of Brian’s headstone on his birthday. Yes, families are forever. I’m so blessed to have a testimony of that.

We love you, Brian.

Turning 30

2011-08-14T14:17:00.001-06:00

Thanks to all my family, friends, and acquaintances for making turning 30 not so bad. You are so thoughtful and kind.

I love you all!!

Reunion 2011

2011-08-12T11:01:00.001-06:00

Bob, Gail, Jess, Kelly, Nate, Caroline, Julie, Madeleine, Rob, Breanna, Benjamin, Joseph, Gene.

The original Snows. Julie Connors, Jeanette Snow, LaVern Snow, Wendy Kunzler, Stacy Snow, Bob Snow

Nate really wanted to call the Bingo numbers this year. Everyone was a good sport an gave him a chance. Boy, did he prove himself! He knew every double digit number thrown at him. Smarty pants. The video is kind of long, but you only have to see the first little bit to get an idea.

Pinata time, the best time. Nate figured out the best way to get the most candy. Stinker.

Madeleine’s stash. She’s so happy.

More Snow family pictures and videos here.

I’m Just Here For the Food

2011-08-09T12:41:00.001-06:00

I read Alton Brown’s “I’m Just Here For the Food.” SO MUCH INFORMATION.

Look at all the pages I dog-eared!! Turns out I’ve been doing most everything wrong…

My Dear True Love

2011-08-07T19:51:00.000-06:00

My sweet Julianna had a birthday this week. As many of you know I like to express emotion through song. I heard this song earlier this year and I almost cry when I sing it and think of the love of my life. My dear true love. Julie, I love you and hope you have a great birthday!

Dear True Love
Dear true love
I'm a writer without any words
I'm a story that nobody heard
When I'm without you

I am a voice
I am a voice without any sound
I'm a treasure map that nobody found
When I'm without you

Dear true love
I'm a lantern without any light
I'm a boxer much too afraid to fight
When I'm without you

So with this ring
May you always know one thing
What little that I have to give
I will give it all to you
You're my one true love

I am a memory
I'm a memory bent out of shape
A childhood already bruised with age
When I'm without you

Dear true love
I'm an artist without any paint
I'm the deal that everyone breaks
When I'm without you

I am a whisper
I'm a secret that nobody keeps
I'm a dreamer of someone else's dreams
When I'm without you

Dear true love
I'm a farewell that came all too soon
I'm a hand-me-down that dreams of being new
When I'm without you

Our Formal Family Portrait

2011-08-02T14:59:00.001-06:00

Ask any photographer and they’ll say getting formal family portraits taken are so important and special. Ask any photographer how often they get their own formal family portrait taken and they will almost always say rarely.

We’re always taking everyone else’s portraits and take SO MANY informal pictures of our own family that a formal portrait just doesn’t take precedence.

However, we have made a goal to do this once a year. This year I was imagining barefoot in a grassy meadow with a mountainous background and blue sky. I scouted a couple of locations and ended up very happy with the area up against the mountains in the back corner of Alpine next to the rodeo grounds. I found the parasol a couple of days before and decided it was just what we needed.

Our friend and fellow photographer, Shannon, generously took our photos. It’s just too hard to use a tripod when you have three kids to wrangle into position and get them all looking in the right direction.

It was a feat to get Madeleine to even look at the camera. When she did, 90% of the time she was frowning. But Shannon got one!

It was easy to get Nate to look at the camera, but hard to keep him from making silly faces. Shannon got one of those, too!

Caroline was very grumpy. Maybe it was because her shirt fell out of the bag on the way out of the house and went unnoticed until I tried to get her dressed on location…Good thing she is young enough to pull off that look.

Obviously, Rob and I were a little easier to work with, but behind those smiles are tense parents with crying kids right out of the frame. Luckily, we’ve had lots of practice ignoring them

That’s it for our 2011 family portrait shoot. I’ve already been staging 2012’s shoot and I’m excited to actualize it. I’m hopeful that everyone will be fully dressed next time around. I love my family!

Here are a few more pictures from the shoot.

A Boy and His Box

2011-07-31T16:48:00.001-06:00

We bought a firepit. Said firepit came in a box. Boy confiscated box. Many adventures ensued.

Snack lounge.

(Phone picture, hence the blurriness.)

Then he used it as a roller coaster down the stairs!
(I got video of this on my phone, but I can’t figure out how to insert it here.)

After that, he punched holes in the box with my keys so he can see “stars” when he’s underneath camping.

Finally, it was a rock collector.

(Phone picture, hence the blueness.)

I’m a huge proponent of letting kids alone so they can develop their own imagination. It’s SO important for them to be able to go into their own adventures and explore and create. My kids are getting really good at it. They play pirates, airplane, hospital, Rapunzel, fishing, and many other things. They investigate and experiment. Sure, I could be right next to them guiding them the whole way…OR…I could let them be kids and not have them rely on me to entertain them. The second option is much more pleasing to me and the dividends are fierce for both me and the kids.

Two of my favorite children’s books are “Not a Box” and “Not a Stick” by Antionette Portis. “Through a series of paired questions and answers, the rabbit is queried about why he is sitting in, standing on, spraying, or wearing a box. Each time, he insists, "It's not a box!" and the opposite page reveals the many things a small child's pretending can make of one: a race car, a mountain, a burning building, a robot.” The same concept goes for the other book about a stick.

Nate wasn’t playing with a box. He was playing with all sorts of other things and having a fantastic time. In fact, that one box entertained him for most of the day. How wonderful is that? It didn’t even cost me a thing (except for what came in it).

Imaginations are powerful. Letting kids be kids is powerful. Some of my favorite memories ever come from my parents standing back and letting my brothers and sisters and I play. Just play. Good, old-fashioned, un-structured play. They didn’t intervene every two minutes. They even, dare I say, let us get hurt. Gasp! But you know, the occasional scrapes and bumps were overwhelmingly worth the fun we had and the memories we made.

So I say, let there be play!

Date and a Photowalk

2011-07-27T22:29:00.001-06:00

A few weeks ago Julie and I were able to go on a date. Dates happen much to infrequently around here so we were just completely thrilled to be out together. During part of our date we did a mini photowalk while walking around downtown. We made a few images during our date that are a lot of fun. The one of me yelling at the blue and purple guy is my new avatar on social media sites.

Emma Elizabeth: A Newborn

2011-07-26T11:09:00.001-06:00

My sister Karen had her 3rd baby last Friday.

Emma is perfect.

Emma is beautiful.

Emma has monkey toes

Congrats, Karen and family! Good luck with all the newborn fun!

Family can see a few more here.

The Princess Festival

2011-07-18T11:12:00.001-06:00

A few weeks ago, Madeleine’s Grandma and Grandpa Snow bought her a ticket to the Princess Festival held at Thanksgiving Point.
They even bought her a new princess dress for the occasion.

Madeleine was able to meet all the princesses (Rapunzel is her favorite, hence her braids),

watch a few plays (here she’s watching Snow White),

do some service activities (drawing pictures for soldiers and sewing a blanket for children in the hospital),

and explore (being Tinkerbell and wandering in Alice in Wonderland’s maze).

We had a very nice mother/daughter day out with all the princesses. A BIG thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Snow for giving us a special time out together and for helping Madeleine feel like the princess that she is. We love you!

A few more pictures for the grandparents are here.

Beginning Décor: Formal Living Room

2011-07-08T18:40:00.001-06:00

There is always so much to do with a house, both inside and out. We are slowly, yet surely, making our new house our home.There are still so many other things that I want to do. The list grows longer and longer by the day and I’m convinced that it’ll never be complete. But that’s okay. I’m just grateful for a nice and safe place to lay my head.

This post is about our formal living room beginning to come together. There are a few more things we need in order to complete it, but it’s on its way. This is my color scheme. I found this Ralph Lauren Home fabric for $2 a yard. I’m planning on making drapes out of it. Total cost for custom drapes = $8. The pattern is actually quite small so I’m hoping it doesn’t clash with the sofa. If it does, I’ll use it to cover a chair seat or for pillows.

First up, our new sofa. I wasn’t looking for a print, but this was such a good deal I couldn’t resist. We got this at Linda’s Furniture on Highland Drive. They sell new and used furniture and we went there looking for a used sofa but found this instead. It was new but a floor model so it had been marked down significantly…and I mean significantly. I looked up the price online and it was a whopping $2000. Guess how much I paid. Nope, too high. $350.00. Yep. Three hundred and fifty dollars for a brand new Ethan Allen sofa. Whoo!!

I’ve been lusting after nail head details as of late and this just happened to fill that desire of mine. I haven’t even mentioned how comfortable it is to sit on. Cushy. Firm. Sturdy. Perfect. So, with all the perks, I was willing to go with a pattern.

Next up is this chair. Solid hardwood construction. I found this brand spanking new Holsgag Canada chair at DI for $15. I couldn’t find the exact one online but similar chairs were priced at over $100. It’s a petite-sized chair which is perfect for me, but I’m undecided whether or not it is too small for the space I have for it in the room. It may end up going somewhere else. Eventually I will recover the seat, not because it needs it, but just because it could use a little kick. I also have a dark green upholstered arm chair on the other side of the room.

I bought this fabric for about $6. I will use it for to either cover the chair or for pillows.

My lamp. I like the texture of the lampshade but the color blends in too much with the rest of the room, so I’d like to change that some time. But I just love the shape of its base. It’s resting on my piano.

This next piece of furniture deserves a post all its own. My mom’s dad built this for her mom in the ‘70’s. From what I understand, he wasn’t a vocally loving man and he wasn’t particularly kind, even. But he did love his family and showed it by always providing well for them and made sure they had nice things. He loved to woodwork and built this huge and lovely china hutch for his wife. Look at the detail!

I feel so, so privileged to have this piece passed on to me and I’m lucky I have space for it! Did I mention it’s about 7 feet tall? This is still a work in progress. I need to get some new glass for the doors. I’m not sure if all these things work in here, but they are mostly things we already have that are meaningful to us and just happen to be in the color range of the room. Great!

Here is some info about the accent pieces. I rarely buy things just because…I like to have some sort of connection to them. But two of the pieces in the hutch were bought on a whim. I’ve always wanted an hourglass and the one on the top left was actually bought for the kitchen (the accent color in there is granny apple green) but then I realized that the only place to put it is within easy reach of the kids. So for now, it’s here.

The # sign on the bottom is also a chance purchase from the clearance aisle at Hobby Lobby. Rob works with numbers all the time, so I figured it kind of worked for us. Plus, its carved out of a solid piece of wood which I thought was cool.

Rob brought the conch shell on top of the books home from his mission in the South Pacific. The books underneath it are from different countries we have visited. I still need to put something in the planter, but I don’t know what yet.The two photographs are from Rob and I. The next set of books were Christmas gifts for each of the years I worked for the Church. Next to them are Big Ben and the Eiffel Tower from my trip. The glass jar with nuts, etc. in it has no meaning. I just happened to have it. The brass bowl on the bottom is from Rob’s Grandma and Grandpa Williams from when they lived in Pakistan, I believe.

This oil painting was my first (and only) work of art. When I was visiting my Grandma Clark in Tehachapi, CA one summer when I was 10 years old she gave me a lesson. She is an artist and has done many paintings. This is a picture of the Tehachapi Mountains in which she lived at the time. I have many good memories of traveling to her red house in the mountains but her giving me a paint lesson using all her best oils is one of my favorite. Maybe I’ll take up the hobby some day…

The last thing to do is decide which art work we want on the wall above the sofa and above the chair. Since the furnishings ended up being very traditional in style we want to juxtapose them with something more contemporary and with something that stands out from all the green and beige tones. We have a large library of photos to choose from and if we don’t want any of those we can always go out and shoot what we want. But what do we want?? That’s the question that has left our walls bare.

If we ever finish the room, I’ll be sure to post the final project.

An Interview with the Kiddos

2011-07-07T11:40:00.001-06:00

What is you favorite food?

NATE: Mac n cheese, pizza, dino nuggets, beans n wieners
MADELEINE: Sandwiches

What is your favorite game to play with each other?

NATE: cars
MADELEINE: wrestling, Batmunk

What chore do you dislike the most?

NATE: Cleaning up toys ‘cause there are lots of toys.
MADELEINE: Clothes

What is your favorite song?

NATE: Battleforce 5 and Anberlin, Animal Kingdom, and Gomez
MADELEINE: A Child of God

Where is your favorite place to go with mom?

NATE: Carnival and Boondocks and McDonald’s
MADELEINE: Jungle Jim’s

What is your favorite thing about our new house?

NATE: I like making new friends.
MADELEINE: Sydney

What makes you so mad?

NATE: When we get stuck in traffic jams.
MADELEINE: Taking puppets (stuffed animals) away from me.

What do you like most about Caroline?

NATE: Kissing her.
MADELEINE: Playing with her.

What has been your favorite vacation that we’ve been on?

NATE: When we visited Grandma Maria.
MADELEINE: Going to Jordin’s house (in Murray).

What pet do you want?

NATE: I don’t know yet. (He’s been studying the animal encyclopedia trying to decide.)
MADELEINE: A cow, just like my puppet.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

NATE: Rock Star
MADELEINE: A cash register store.

What super power do you want?

NATE: For I can get cool punches.
MADELEINE: The power of wind.

Family Adventure

2011-07-01T16:24:00.001-06:00

I love taking my family on adventures. Sometimes they’re big(gish) adventures but most of the time they’re small…
as in visiting the field at the end of the block.

Even though there was nothing “grand” about this adventure, it was adventure none the less. The kids blew huge dandelions into the wind, observed and caught a myriad of ladybugs, and walked in flowers that reached higher than their heads.

These are some of my favorite times: my family, in nature, discovering.

May you take your own children on adventures and enjoy the moments.

Danielle the Graduate

2011-06-30T12:06:00.001-06:00

Rob’s cousin, Danielle, recently graduated from West High School and in the fall she’s headed off to SUU. How exciting!! This time of life is such a fun one. Lots of experiences, both learning and fun (often at the same time).

We’re so proud of you, Danielle!

…and your amazing mom.

On the Old Noodle

2011-06-24T11:47:00.001-06:00

Here’s what’s been swimming around in my head as of late.

Potty Training:

Can I just say, “Shoot me.”?

Madeleine turned 3 in March and we have tried potty training her about four times in the last year. She doesn’t have any motivation to do it. Bribery, praise, consistency, punishment, it doesn’t matter. Nothing works. This time we’re committed. I’m sure it just makes things worse that we’ve quit before, but I kept thinking that maybe she just isn’t ready. Well, she’s ready and so am I. It’s embarrassing. It’s gross. It’s expensive. We’re done.

We started Monday night and she has had exactly THREE successes. Three. This girl can hold her bladder…for HOURS. I have to have her in my line of sight at all times or she’ll pee. This makes my day extremely boring and extremely frustrating. We can’t go anywhere. I can’t let her play on her own. I can’t do anything. How long can this possibly last???

Grass:

Getting our grass in is also very slow-going. Rob’s been working overtime at work and our evenings and weekends are always packed with other commitments. Of course, working by himself with nothing but a shovel and a wheelbarrow doesn’t exactly speed things along. This weekend he’s hoping to have all of the old layer of soil with the weeds/dead grass in it hauled to the dump. Then he needs to spread topsoil and fertilizer, till, and level. Who knows when all that will actually get done.

Then we are still undecided whether to do Hydroseed or sod. Both have advantages and disadvantages. But first we need to decide what type of grass we want and then get complete estimates.

We haven’t even started thinking about the front yard’s grass…

Family Vacation:

This is always a dilemma for me, mostly because I want to go everywhere and do everything. It’s a little harder with three very young kids, though. Actually, make that a lot harder.

We’re planning on going to Southern California next year, so this year do we want to go to southern Utah again (where it’s amazingly beautiful and peaceful), or Great Basin National Park and Lehman Caves (where the nearest decent hotel is 1 1/2 hours away. We’d have to drive back and forth each day), Jackson Hole (hotel is pricey), or just stay local and do fun stuff (Lagoon, Bear Lake, Real Soccer, Drive-In Movie). I wish we could camp because that would cut the cost down immensely, but I’m not brave enough to do that with Caroline yet. All the above options sound fun, but which one will be the MOST fun??

Brazilian Ju Jitsu:

Nate’s been asking for months to do karate. After doing some research I think Ju Jitsu would be the best choice for him. I don’t mind the monthly fee…if it were one or two installments. The problem comes if he really, really enjoys it and doesn’t want it to be a trial run. Then we have the monthly fee for years and years to come. I’m not sure our budget is ready for that kind of commitment. You know?

Well, thanks for letting me get all that stuff off my chest.

Father’s Day Talks

2011-06-20T12:12:00.001-06:00

Nate, Rob, and I were asked to speak in Sacrament Meeting at church yesterday. The theme, of course, was father’s. Nate talked about why he loves his dad. I talked about how to nurture the relationship between fathers and sons/daughters. Rob talked about how to become closer to our Heavenly Father through prayer.

Nate did such a STELLAR job. He wasn’t one bit afraid to get up in front of the congregation and deliver his talk. In preparation, he drew pictures to help him remember what to say and didn’t need any help from me. Here is his talk. It’s fantastic.

My dad is the best dad in the whole world. I love it when my dad makes paper airplanes for me. I love it when my dad plays hotwheels with me.

I love it when my dad wrestles with me.

I love it when my dad takes me to Cabella’s.

I love it when my dad goes on a bike ride with me.

I love it when my dad lets me play on his ipod. I love it when we make pizza together.

My dad teaches me about the Priesthood and reads the scriptures to me every night.

I love my dad very much. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Here’s my talk.

Here’s Rob’s talk.

New Nephew Ben

2011-06-13T10:41:00.001-06:00

Last week Benjamin was born. Our family is so excited for this addition to our family. The kids are stoked for another cousin.

Visiting at the hospital.

Ben with his Great Grandma Williams. Nathan loves babies.

It’s hard to believe Caroline was that little a mere 8 months ago.

We wish their family lots of happiness and even more SLEEP (which aids with the happiness).

Family can see more pics here.

I Just Can’t Help Myself

2011-06-09T13:32:00.001-06:00

Our Chemical Romance

2011-06-06T09:58:00.001-06:00

DISCLAIMER: I’m not making sweeping claims. I’m not pointing fingers. I’m not patronizing.

Everyone in Utah heard about the sweet family in Layton who had two little daughters killed from pesticides that were improperly applied to their yard. So, so tragic. That family lived just a few blocks from me.

Almost everyone in the world has had a loved one die from cancer and wondered what caused it.

My son has a rare endocrine disease. Why?

Learning/behavioral disorders, type 1 diabetes, migraines, the list goes on and on.

I have been trying to live and raise my family in a more healthful way for a few years now. We've all heard about "going green" when it comes to food and energy, but I haven't heard very much reported on how toxic the world around us has become.

I picked up this book and decided it would be a good read in order to open my mind and be less ignorant of what is going on.

I'm not into scare tactics, which some of this book does use. But if you have a clear head and read it for general knowledge about what's going on, it's very informative.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: What’s Gotten into Us? is a deep, remarkable, and empowering investigation into the threats—biological and environmental—that chemicals now present in our daily lives.
Do you know what chemicals are in your shampoo? How about your cosmetics? Do you know what’s in the plastic water bottles you drink from, or the weed killer in your garage, or your children’s pajamas? If you’re like most of us, the answer is probably no. But you also probably figured that most of these products were safe, and that someone—the manufacturers, the government—was looking out for you.
The truth might surprise you.
After experiencing a health scare of his own, journalist McKay Jenkins set out to discover the truth about toxic chemicals, our alarming levels of exposure, and our government’s utter failure to regulate them effectively. What’s Gotten into Us? reveals how dangerous, and how common, toxins are in the most ordinary things, and in the most familiar of places:
• Our water: Thanks to suburban sprawl and agricultural runoff, 97 percent of our nation’s rivers and streams are now contaminated with everything from herbicides to pharmaceutical drugs.
• Our bodies: High levels of hormone-disrupting chemicals from cosmetics, flame-retardants from clothing and furniture, even long-banned substances like DDT and lead, are consistently showing up in human blood samples.
• Our homes: Many toxins lurk beneath our sinks and in our basements, of course, but did you know that they’re also found in wall-to-wall carpeting, plywood, and fabric softeners?
• Our yards: Pesticides, fungicides, even common fertilizers—there are enormous, unseen costs to our national obsession with green, weed-free lawns.
What’s Gotten Into Us? is much more than a wake-up call. It offers numerous practical ways for us to regain some control over our lives, to make our own personal worlds a little less toxic. Inside, you’ll find ideas to help you make informed decisions about the products you buy, and to disentangle yourself from unhealthy products you don’t need—so that you and your family can start living healthier lives now, and in the years to come. Because, as this book shows, what you don’t know can hurt you.

We all know these chemicals can be dangerous, but I don’t think we take it very seriously. We always hear “Yes, it can be dangerous, but with the small quantity we are exposed to, it’s not.” Seriously, how many times have we heard that? The problem is…what about the cumulative effects of ALL the hundreds of “small quantities” we’re exposed to every day, let alone over our entire life???

Obviously, I’m not going to commit all of my energy and savings to implement everything non-toxic, but there have been some small changes we’ve made over the last couple of years to be more “green”. They include:

No microwaveable lunch entrees or popcorn
Some organic food where money permits.
Very limited high fructose corn syrup.
I buy very few snacks (I make them instead) and when we eat out, it is VERY rarely fast food.
We try not to use store-bought plastic water bottles too much. We each have an aluminum one.
Hypoallergenic toiletries for kids. Their skin is SO sensitive to anything that isn’t 100% natural/hypoallergenic that they break out with eczema patches if they take 1 bath in “fun” bath bubbles.
We’ve significantly reduced the amount of cleaning chemicals we use (unless absolutely necessary). We use green products, vinegar, and a steam mop, which I LOVE.

In all honesty, these changes haven’t cost us any extra money. In fact, they SAVE money. Our grocery bill has actually gone down considerably.

The book has a hundred things we can do to limit our exposure to toxins but the top things we hope to implement over the next couple of years are:

Organic milk and meat
Vegetable garden
More native plants and flowers that promote natural habitats for local fauna and require less water.
Organic herbicides/pesticides. I hate going to the park and smelling the poison that was sprayed on the grass still lingering from even a couple of weeks earlier. My baby is playing on it!

I’m really not trying to be a preacher or to put myself out there as an ultra-conservationist freak. I’m not blaming all cancer and other health issues on these toxins. I just want to be informed, not ignorant. I believe that continually implementing small changes can make a difference to my family’s health and wellness of life.

Here are a couple of links I’ve found to be helpful.

Safe Mama http://safemama.com/cheatsheets/
The original One-Stop Child Safety, Product Recall, Health, Well-Being, Non-Toxic, Eco-Conscious Resource, For Parents.

My Recipes http://www.myrecipes.com/

Oompa Toys http://www.oompa.com/
We offer our constantly expanding collection of European wooden toys, baby toys, educational toys, lunch bags and modern children's furniture to urbane and discerning adults who want to expose the young children in their lives to non-character branded, quality toys that are designed to withstand generations of use. We believe baby toys should be natural, safe, eco-friendly, non-violent and from manufacturers who provide safe and nurturing environments for their employees.

Shop Smart http://www.shopsmartmag.org/

Sweet Caroline

2011-05-25T10:43:00.001-06:00

{This post has a lot of pictures of Cara that I took. You just can't ask a mom to choose her favorites!}

Our little stinker of a colicky baby has all of a sudden turned into a pleasure beyond description. She has finally started sleeping through the night and has two long naps a day. Heaven!

She is in the 61% for height but still underweight. We’re working to fatten her up. (This one was taken on the ipod.)

This last week she has been busy sprouting two bottom teeth,

Learning how to sit,

and has decided to skip scooting and go straight to crawling (at least, she’s working on it). She gets up on her hands and knees and then propels herself forward, landing on her chin. She gets frustrated, but she’ll get it soon. I, on the other hand, wish she wouldn’t try so hard!!

My baby is rapidly getting older and will soon be a baby no longer. It’s extra sad because I don’t feel like I got to enjoy her “babyhood” much with all of the crying and wailing and gnashing of teeth. Now she’s moving on to bigger and better things without letting me bask in the glory of my tiny child.

I love my littlest baby girl. Her smile lights up her face and mine. I can’t wait to see more of her vibrant personality blossom. It’s very vibrant indeed.

For those of you who can’t see the above video, here is the link.

A Fun (and FREE) St. George Weekend

2011-05-23T15:55:00.001-06:00

Rob had to go to St. George for a 1 day drilling assignment. Did I want to tag along? He didn’t have to ask twice. Actually, he didn’t even need to ask once. He already knew what the answer would be.

Sunday we drove down stopping at Fremont Indian State Park on the way. I was actually expecting more from it, but it was still a good spot to let the kids run around and explore the petroglyphs and fake dwellings. Maybe it would’ve been a lot better if they were old enough to go on some of the harder hikes.

Monday Rob drilled in the desert while the kids and I enjoyed our 2-room suite (sign up for the hotel rewards program and just ask!! We get upgraded for free more than half the time). We took a couple of walks and ate candy on the grass. After Rob got back we went to dinner and then to Kayenta Art Village. We had so much fun there last time that we decided to go again. It was much easier to walk around now that I’m not 7 months pregnant and HUGE and SORE. Rob also took us on a super adventurous ride in the bed of the truck. We sped up to 10 miles per hour and even went backwards! The kids loved it. We played in the dirt and ran in circles. Oh, the simple joys!

On Tuesday we left for home but we stopped at Zion National Park for their free day. Good thing it was free because we didn’t get too far up any trails. The kids just wanted to dig and dig and dig. We weren’t complaining, though. The weather was pleasant and we were in a beautiful part of the world.

Nate loves maps, just like me!

Thanks, Rob, for letting us tag along!! We had a blast.

ZCMI Friends

2011-05-17T20:33:00.001-06:00

Adrienne White Ericksen, Julie Raines Snow, Dustie Thorne McDonald, Whitney Mason Barney

I worked in the ZCMI shoe department (first at the Foothill store and then at Cottonwood) from age 16-18. Some of my favorite memories of all time come from that era. I made many friends while there but the above three gals are my favorites. We’ve been good friends ever since (13 years!). We’ve been through boyfriends, jobs, cars, and marriage together. Granted, we haven’t always stayed in touch as well as we’d like; life just seems to get in the way. But I KNOW that if I ever needed ANYTHING, Adrienne, Dustie, and Whitney would be here in a heartbeat.

I love you, girls!

Nostalgia-rific

2011-05-10T12:25:00.001-06:00

Our family stopped in the town of Beaver on our way home from Southern Utah. We didn’t feel like eating fast food so we opted for a fifty-year-old cafe instead. Talk about character! I (Julie) walked around the immediate vicinity snapping a few photos of the scene. Pretty nifty.

A Year in the Making

2011-05-01T15:36:00.001-06:00

A year ago Rob and I were sitting on our bed and decided it was time to move. It was time to sell our beloved townhome in Layton and move into a single-family home in the Salt Lake valley closer to Rob’s job in Murray. We prayed about it and it was right.

We decided to spruce up our home to get it sell-worthy, especially since there was a lot of competition in the area. We tiled the front entry, bathroom, hallway, kitchen, and dining room, replaced all the carpet, and refreshed the paint. We decided to try and sell it ourselves first before we got an agent. We listed our home, and low-and-behold, within the same two-week period 3 other townhomes went up for sale.

Nobody’s townhome sold. We got an agent eventually, but to this day, only 1 of the 5 townhomes for sale has sold. The market is too bad at the moment, I guess. So after 6 months of not selling (and frustration), we decided to rent out our home instead. We got a bite after only two days. The catch was, we’d have to be out in two weeks. So we packed everything up and moved to my parent’s house while we conducted our new home search. Two days after we moved word came that our renter had to back out. We rushed to get a new renter and two stressful weeks later we got one.

Next came our new home search. We looked in Sandy. We looked in Draper. We looked in South Jordan, Riverton, and Herriman. Most places didn’t fit what we were looking for and nothing felt right. We looked in Bountiful. Nope. We finally looked in Lehi and when we walked into this house…we knew this was it. It felt good.

Now, just because it felt right, doesn’t mean it was easy…for me, at least. There were a couple of occasions when Rob and I were going through and signing paperwork when I froze and couldn’t initial on the dotted line. Talk about commitment! I have always wanted to move every few years and live outside the state and even country, but it doesn’t look like that is in the cards for us. At least, not for a very long time. Here’s to 30+ years in Utah County…REALLY??!!

Sometimes I got indigestion thinking about it. I also felt like signing the house loan meant I was solidifying my life as a conformist suburban housewife. But then I remember all the weird feelings I had looking in all the wrong places and how good I felt when we decided to move here. I think about my children and what is the best life I can give them. The life I want for them entails living in a fun and friendly neighborhood, being close to family, having great schools, and there being plenty of other people around them with similar values. So, alas, here we are. I will subdue my exploring urges and buckle down here for a while…and be happy about it. We are extremely blessed to be able to live in this area and regardless of some of my deep down feelings, I do love it here.

Now for the pictures. We’ll call these “Before”. Who knows how long it will take to get “After” pictures. Probably years. But that’s ok.

This home was bank-owned but in terribly good condition, considering. The whole thing has new carpet and paint.

The backyard is (was) amazing. I guess the guy who lived here spent 20 grand on it. It’ll be so nice when all the trees get bigger. We’ve been working hard pulling weeds, pruning, checking sprinklers, figuring out the lighting, and will soon be planting grass. The big rock pile is actually a water fountain and it works! We just need to make it look pretty again.

I don’t have too many pictures of the views yet, but we have a lovely view of Mount Timponogos (when it’s not cloudy), Utah Lake (a little corner of it), the mountains behind us (and gravel pits), and the freeway (so I can tell when Rob will be home a few minutes late).

This also shows the small neighborhood park just behind us and a few houses down.

Here is the entryway.

This is the loft looking towards the front door.

This is another view of the loft. It’s our favorite room in the house.

One day I’ll have this bookshelf looking awesome. Have I ever mentioned that all growing up I DREAMT of having a library with a ladder? Well! Here it is!!

Master bath. It has a separate toilet room and a walk-in closet. Our room stays so much tidier now.

Unfinished basement (for now). Rob is SO HAPPY to have somewhere to play his drums again.

Our living room, family room, bedrooms, and the other two baths are standard so I didn’t include the pictures. They’re entirely undecorated and only half furnished anyway. We’re trying to get things set up so we’ll be ready for parties and dinners. In the meantime, come and pay us a visit!

Kayenta Revisited

2011-04-26T08:42:00.001-06:00

I love this picture. I want it as a big metal print.

Both times we’ve been to Kayenta Art Village outside of St. George, Utah it’s been after hours. It actually works out perfectly. The light is beautiful this time of day, there are no people to get bugged by or bug, and everything is quiet and to ourselves. Lovely.

These are some pictures I (Julie) took. We forgot the SLR at the hotel so these are just taken with our small Casio point-and-shoot…too bad.

I decided to have some ultra fun with these and max out the detail and color. I pushed them, yes I did. But doesn’t it give them an uber-cool vibe? Just like the village.

These are some very cool wind sculptures.

A close-up shot.

The shadow of one.

Tent or ship?

Chalk art.

These flowers look so happy.

Some less friendly cacti.

Pictures from our last trip to Kayenta are here.

Happy Easter Snapshot

2011-04-25T22:40:00.001-06:00

No one is looking at the camera. Caroline was worried. After this, she busted up screaming. So…here is our lovely Easter photo :) Sometimes, you just have to take what you can get.

Happy Easter! May we all keep its true meaning in our hearts on this special day and every day.

Allen @ 1

2011-04-25T13:58:00.001-06:00

Here is our nephew at 1 year old. Total stud.

With his sister.

My Submitted Comment

2011-04-12T23:04:00.001-06:00

Yes, I really sent this comment to management at Studio5.com. Some of you might agree…I hope.

I enjoy many parts of Studio 5. The topics of conversation are interesting and the guests are informative. What I sincerely dislike about the show is the crafting segment. I regard myself as an average Utah woman and I have a hard time swallowing the craft projects you present on the show. Honestly, the word I would use is "horrid". I personally don't know anyone who would ever want to create that junk. They are just way over-the-top gaudy and tacky. I don't mind a craft project, but it must have taste and those really don't.

The other thing that really bothers me about the segment (along with the cooking segment) is how dumbed down they are. Are we really to believe that the incredibly talented and successful show hosts can't operate a glue gun? I don't know if they are just trying to relate to the "average" person out there, but if they are it's just insulting. We know how to use scissors. We know how to combine ingredients.

I don't mean to offend, but I just really thought someone should hear what I and my counterparts really think.

Keep up the good work on the rest of the show! Thanks.

Sorry. I just had to do it. Maybe they’ll send me a mug :)

From my Phone

2011-04-12T22:34:00.001-06:00

I used to think having a camera on a phone was dumb. Why would I ever need one at a moment’s notice? Well, having children = needing a camera spontaneously. Here are some of the photos and videos I have collected over the past few months.

This was actually taken by a friend after she made them pirates. These are Nate’s friends at Legacy Village Townhomes. They are (top left) Tyler, Bryson, Brooks (bottom left) Dylan, Andon, Nate.

At the zoo on a preschool field trip. Isaac, Abby, Nate, Madeleine, AJ, Owen.

At the firestation.

A denim rag quilt I made when I thought I was having a boy.

I also have many videos from my phone. I’ll put those in another post sometime.

February and March

2011-04-05T14:15:00.001-06:00

Caroline’s first solid food feeding.

The Raines Family March birthday party. We played all kinds of fun games and then ate éclairs. Thanks, mom, for planning such a fun time!

Cousin Racheal trying out Madeleine’s new bike.

This is currently one of my favorite pictures.

Family can see more pictures from February and March here.

Miss Madeleine Turned 3

2011-04-04T23:34:00.001-06:00

Madeleine Gail turned 3 years old a couple of weeks ago. On the spur of the moment I decided to take some quick portraits of my daughter on her birthday. I love her SO MUCH!

I asked her which picture was her favorite and it was this. I don’t blame her.

I love her eyes.

This is what she did when I told her to look at me and smile, just one more time. Nice.

Her gift from Grandma and Grandpa Raines was a cupcake baking kit. I bought an apron and chef’s hat and decorated them. She looks ADORABLE!

Don’t her cupcakes look delish?

She received $20 in the mail from her Great Grandma Maria and this is the stash she bought with it. I’d say she’s a pretty good shopper.

We didn’t get pictures, but from her Grandma and Grandpa Snow she got a toy cash register, which she loves scanning merchandise with, and an electric drum pad so she can learn to play like her dad.

This is her gift from us. A new bike! She was giggling like crazy riding this thing. I’m excited for nicer weather so she can ride up and down the street with her brother.

Happy birthday, Miss Madeleine! We sure love you and all of your 3-year-old personality!

My Kung Fu Kid

2011-03-14T22:36:00.001-06:00

We watched the new Karate Kid movie together as a family over the Christmas holiday and in it the boy tried to teach himself kung fu by watching an instructor on tv. A couple of weeks after seeing this Nate asked me to get him a karate video from the library so he can learn from it. Luckily, I found Kung Fu for Kids. I will treasure these videos forever.

Electric Guitars Forever

2011-03-13T22:06:00.001-06:00

That’s the name Nate gave his band. For Christmas he received an electric guitar and Madeleine got a microphone. One Sunday evening Rob set up his drums and they all rocked out. Caroline was the dancer. I LOVE this video!! Click here if you can’t see this video.

My Baby is a’Rollin!

2011-03-07T10:44:00.001-07:00

A month ago the orthopedist told us that surgery would very likely be in Caroline’s future. Her hip wasn’t growing into its socket well and she told us that we’d have one more month to see if it starts to corrects itself, but there wasn’t much of a chance that would happen. Well, after lots of prayers, a fast, and a priesthood blessing, we returned to the doctor last Friday to hear the news. And I quote, “I don’t know what you did differently this month, but whatever it was, it worked.” Caroline’s hip is almost perfect!! She doesn’t need surgery. She doesn’t even need to continue wearing her harness except for at night. She has been healed.

The doctor may not know how this happened, but we sure do. Our prayers were answered. Heavenly Father heard us and healed our little girl. Sure, things wouldn’t have been the end of the world if she needed an operation and a cast for a few months, but this way is better, no doubt. I’m so thankful my Heavenly Father saw fit to bless our little girl. She is so much happier and kicks her legs like crazy and loves to eat her little toes.

Harness, schmarness!! This baby can roll!

Various Notes to Have Documented

2011-02-23T23:48:00.001-07:00

Creative title, no?

This post is dedicated to emails that I want saved in our family blog.

8-22-10

Today during sacrament meeting Nate asked me if he could bear his testimony. I said that to bear his testimony he needed to say what he knew was true about Jesus Christ and the Church. He told me that he knew that Jesus was real. This was a great moment for me. I told him that we would practice during family home evening and that he could bear his testimony soon in primary or maybe even sacrament meeting. He would prefer to do it in sacrament meeting. Unfortunately, I didn't help him recognize the spirit because it didn't occur to me at the time. I'll be sure to do it during FHE. Rob

4-2-10

Robby,

I sure love you. I REALLY appreciate all the time you spend with the kids. It gives me "refresh" time and they just love you soooooooo much!!! You're a wonderful, involved dad and there's no better out there. You're also a caring, sweet husband who lets your tired wife sleep as much as possible. Sorry I've been somewhat neglecting you lately. It's not on purpose. How about we have a beautiful and quiet night together on Sunday. Sounds nice, huh? Let's do it. Let's spend some good husband/wife time together without distractions. I promise to be less selfish and more giving to you and the kids. Love you with all of me!!! Julianna

Thanks for the nice note Julie. I understand how tired you are. You are growing a baby after all! Sunday sounds great! Love, Rob

3-17-10

Julie: Thank you for all the work and love that you put into our family! I love you for all the big and little things you do, for you care, for your sacrifices, for your love. You are an amazing woman, AMAZING! Love, Rob

2-9-10

Rob, We really had a lot of fun with Nathan. We understand the sacrifice and the trust you placed in us. He is a wonderful traveler, so mature. He found many ways to entertain himself while on the long drive. It was great to see Joseph and Nate play together. Joseph never would stop smiling. Nathan has so much patience and loved to show Joseph just how things worked. He literally would lead Joseph by the hand. We were so impressed how special, smart and kind he is. We were so overwhelmed. We wanted to share our experience with your young Son with you on Sunday. But things were a little rushed. Sometimes words fail to express feelings. We spent the whole trip smiling and laughing. What a Joy he is. What a wonderful child to start your family. We know he will be a great example to Madeleine and the rest of your family. Just the way you have always been to ours. Love Bob

12-18-08
A short list of times when I have found myself incredibly in love with my you, my husband:
Our first drive down to St. George.
Hearing you converse in French in France.
Listening to you serenade me "Angel" for my birthday.
Reading books to Nate and making faces with Madeleine.
Anytime you're in a suit.

3-16-10

Julie, I cannot express to you the kind and tender feelings that I hold in my heart for they are beyond compare. I hope your hand feels better really soon! As I have begun my wonderful life with you, I feel my love and devotion for you increase and develop without bounds. Your smile, companionship, and endless love make my heart melt like fondue and my heart to swell with joy. I love you and our love will never fail. Never. I cannot begin to convey the deep bond that I feel with you. My Lifeforce is bound up in you. I love you. Rob

Home is Where the ….

2011-02-20T17:16:00.001-07:00

Mounted bear and cougar is.

Miles of floral wallpaper is.

Pet urine is.

Mirrored wall is.

Banister made from a tree is. (It wasn’t in a cabin.)

Paintings of your dogs is are.

Never-ending bright green carpet is.

Door that won’t open all the way because it hits the toilet is.

Mold is.

Concrete countertop with water stains is.

Beaded curtain is.

Bathroom without a division in the bedroom is.

Ten electrical outlets placed randomly around the upper part of the walls is are.

Peach carpet in the kitchen is.

Gopher is.

Melted siding is.

Deer poop is.

70’s wetbar is.

Washer and dryer in the bedroom closet is.

These are all things we’ve found in our house hunt. Keep in mind, these aren’t cheap houses in the worst parts of town. Even though the show hosts at HGTV want you to think that it only takes 12 minutes and as little as a dime to makeover a junker into a swanky residence, I know it actually takes months or years and tens of thousands of dollars. So, on with the search for our new home. Here’s to move-in ready!

Caroline’s Bad Day

2011-02-05T22:48:00.001-07:00

We were all sick last week but a few days ago, Caroline took a turn for the worse. After seeing her miserable for a day or two I knew she didn’t just have a simple cold, she needed to see a doctor. We drove up to Layton to her pediatrician (we haven’t changed yet) and she was tested and diagnosed with RSV. The doctor pretty much said to watch her and have her oxygen saturation level tested in 24 hours. Since she had an appointment at Primary Children’s Medical Center the next day for her hip dysplasia, I could just have her checked there.

Caroline’s oxygen saturation was too low. The doctor said I could check her in there or at the IMC in Murray. Since we live a lot closer to Murray, I decided to drive her down there. The hospital required me to check her in through the ER where they made her screaming mad by hooking her up to to all kinds of monitors and getting and ekg and xray taken. Poor, poor little thing!!

After a few hours of monitoring and Cara’s level dipping down too easily when she wasn’t on the oxygen, the doctor decided to have us transferred to the Riverton hospital because they have a better pediatric unit. So, by ambulance we went (just so she could have access to oxygen if she needed it).

We stayed the night just to be sure she was over the hump and then we were able to come home today. She’s still sick, but she’s able to breathe. She should be fine in a couple more days. It was scary for a few minutes, but I new my tough little girl could handle it. She’s so brave!

Caroline’s other bad news has to do with her hip dysplasia. Her right hip still hasn’t grown all the way into its little socket. There seems to be too much fatty, fibrous tissue preventing it from doing so. Her doctor said there’s a good chance she’ll have to have surgery in a month or two and then have a cast put on. She already hates her harness. Whenever we take it off she kicks and smiles and talks and plays with her feet. Then she cries when it’s time to put it back on. I hate to think about her going through surgery and a cast.

I want to express gratitude to my Heavenly Father for all the doctors and other specialists my family has visited over the years. Thank goodness for people who care about their work, and more importantly, their patients. Without them, our family would have many, many more difficulties because diagnoses never would have been made and prognoses would have been poor. Instead, things have been caught and are being treated, thus giving us a happy, healthy future.

My Trip to the Mall Today

2011-02-02T16:47:00.001-07:00

The baby screamed in the car the whole way. I was pulled over for speeding because there's nothing better for a cop to do than pull over a mom of 3 going 6 miles over the speed limit while driving up a hill. Baby still crying. Fed baby in parking lot. Nate coughed up a lung in play area. Walked to the food court to get a drink. The kids see a carousel. $1.50 cash only. I only have 75 cents. Kids fight over which dumb little car ride to spend my 75 cents on. Dumb little car ride eats my quarters. Baby crying. Get kids lemonade. Nate drops lemonade. Drive home with baby still crying.

We had SUCH a great time!

A Bit of Stress

2011-01-30T21:36:00.001-07:00

Since last Saturday…

We moved our family from our home into my parent’s basement.
We’ve all taken turns getting sick.
We were photographers at a wedding with two receptions.
Our renter fell through the day he was supposed to move in.

I guess you could say this week has had a bit of stress.

Christmas Morning

2011-01-21T18:09:00.001-07:00

Yes, I Did Stick a Nerf Dart to Her Nose

2011-01-20T15:34:00.001-07:00

And we sure laughed!

So Long. Farewell.

2011-01-20T11:11:00.001-07:00

There are many reasons we are excited to move. These reasons include being closer to our family, closer to work, and buying a new home with a backyard. We’ve known this day was coming since the day we moved in. We knew it would be a five-year venture here. But those 5 years have brought so many friends and happy memories which makes it hard to leave our home here. Some of the milestones we’ve passed while in Layton are:

A son growing up from 6 months old to 5 years old and having 2 beautiful daughters born into our family.
Our oldest 2 children learned to walk and talk and all three have become *perfect* little individuals.
Rob got a job with URS, a great company he will probably be at forever.
Rob and I graduated with our Bachelor’s Degree and Rob earned his Master’s Degree and Professional Engineer Certification.
We’ve had various ward callings such as Primary Music Leader, Cub Master, and Organ Accompanist for me and Elder’s Quorum Teacher, Elder’s Quorum Secretary and Young Men’s President for Rob. Rob has especially enjoyed his calling with the young men. He was nervous going into it but it changed rapidly into joy. He loved getting to know these boys and they will be who he’s going to miss most.

We love our ward friends and we love our other Layton friends. Please continue to check our blog and please keep in touch. We’ll miss you.

Love, The Snow Family

Talking Points – Julie Edition

2011-01-14T15:48:00.001-07:00

Name three countries you’d like to visit:

France (again)
China
St. Martin or similar

Which celebrity annoys you most?

Angelina Jolie

How would you spend 10 million dollars?

Buy a couple of houses
Donate to the Perpetual Education Fund and some other charity
Travel the world
Put the rest away for a rainy day

If you could try any occupation for a year, what would it be?

Travel reporter

On a scale of 1 to 10, how cool are you?

5

If you could rewind to any point in your past, what would you want to relive?

If I could change the way things went, I would want to relive my trip to England and France when I was 19. I would’ve planned it out better and stayed for the whole 3 months I was supposed to be there.

If I could relive any point just the way it was, I’d relive my third year of marriage (after newlywed stage but before kids).

If you could take lessons to become an expert at anything, what would it be?

What’s this “if you could” junk? I can take lessons in whatever I want. But some skills I’d like to improve on are photography, yoga, and French.

How would you spend a perfect day alone?

Sleeping in, room service, shopping, walking around a city I’ve never been to, eating on an outdoor patio at a new restaurant, dessert in bed while watching a funny movie.

How would you like people to describe you at your funeral?

Gorgeous. Hilarious. Very intelligent. Extremely charitable to everyone she knew. Isn’t that how everyone wants to be described?

Name one thing you miss about your dating days.

Dates paid with money that didn’t come out of my own bank account.

For Rent

2011-01-09T22:03:00.001-07:00

Layton, UT Townhome

3 bed/3 bath

1400 sq. ft.

$975.00 per month (includes HOA)

Quiet, tree-lined street in a small community. Flowerbed. 1-car garage with room for shelving.

Entryway/Porch. The door to the left is where the trash can is stored (no unsightly trash cans next to the houses.)

Living/Family Room. New paint and carpet throughout the house. Ceiling fan. All new light fixtures and 2-inch white faux-wood blinds throughout the house. Sliding glass door leads to a small patio and a beautiful back yard. No neighbors behind us.

Kitchen/Dining Room. Brand new tile leads from the front door down the hall into the kitchen and dining room. Fridge with water and ice in the door, stove, and dishwasher included. Chandelier over table and pendant light over sink. Kitchen island is also a bar with room for four stools. New garbage disposal. Pantry. The window by the table looks out to grass and trees.

Guest Bathroom on main level. New tile. Washer and dryer closet behind double doors. Washer and dryer is negotiable.

Upstairs is a landing with enough room for a small office workspace. Also has a large storage closet.

Master Bedroom. This is a queen-sized bed and there’s room for a large dresser. Window looks out onto grass and trees in the backyard.

Master Bathroom. 18-inch tile floor and shower surround. Porcelain bath, updated shower head and fixtures. Curved shower rod for more elbow room in the shower.

Second Bedroom.

Third bedroom. Window looks out to a front maple tree.

Third Bathroom.

Back yard. Mature trees and shrubs. Beautiful lawn. Lamp posts.

Other key features of our community include:

-Swimming pool!!
-Clubhouse (can be reserved for gatherings and parties)
-2 playgrounds
-Lawn care/Snow removal
-Garbage and Water

Area schools:

Ellison Park Elementary (Brand new)
North Davis Preparatory Academy (Elementary charter school)
Central Davis Junior High
North Davis Preparatory Academy (Junior high charter school)
Layton High School

Favorite LOCALLY-OWNED restaurants:

-University Broiler and Grill (Greek)
-C&B Maddox Favorite Chicken
-Pace’s Drive-In
-Nelson’s Frozen Custard
-Day Farms (Produce)
-Cutsie Cakes

Map of area:

If you’re interested in a showing of the house, please leave a message at

801-896-4408

and we will return your call promptly.