tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72502115321567978892023-11-16T05:55:54.989-08:00Hughes News..............Life, love and family.amy hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06832174265303019675noreply@blogger.comBlogger344125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7250211532156797889.post-14988449649342172062012-06-17T15:28:00.000-07:002012-06-17T15:30:05.793-07:00slug races and graduationA few pictures of my boys since I've been so long absent. <br />
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Slug races. Only the highest quality entertainment at our house.</div>
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Kaalam's new "pet". </div>
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Following in big brother's footsteps.</div>
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Things don't always work out like you thought. </div>
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A very proud preschool graduate.</div>amy hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06832174265303019675noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7250211532156797889.post-39553864967732256292012-04-17T14:12:00.000-07:002012-04-17T14:12:10.220-07:00the graver outlineSo I've been trying to focus on writing lately. I've got a great premise for a story that's starting to flesh into something that's getting to be really fun. For me anyway. We'll see if I can make it interesting to anybody else. I read a book around Christmas that suggested I put my storyline up on my wall in the form of sticky notes and it was like the last piece of what I needed fell into place and everything suddenly made sense in my brain all at once. It was awesome. There are still some holes. You'll notice the second picture with all the white space. That's my climax. Right now it has a sticky note right in the center of it that reads, "Daniel realises he has what he needs, he pushes forward". (I don't know what he needs yet, or what he does to push forward) That leads to, "Daniel and Emma go home". Gripping isn't it? I'm hoping I'll know what to fill all that in with by the time I get there. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH0OewLjlcenI-Vy0v14xnixUZrSzefN7aUhux2Hzn9h5X0z9GHS22ceWdGFKlvLHRr2K-vLgD7ZTInYrtyb2uRX5Htkmf36YSxlu2rJn2l6xNOObvnj_XxG2ycRCOMENSaL6t4dN2fhc/s1600/IMG_2285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH0OewLjlcenI-Vy0v14xnixUZrSzefN7aUhux2Hzn9h5X0z9GHS22ceWdGFKlvLHRr2K-vLgD7ZTInYrtyb2uRX5Htkmf36YSxlu2rJn2l6xNOObvnj_XxG2ycRCOMENSaL6t4dN2fhc/s400/IMG_2285.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHCpXePyi9cKzQBnw-vWwghzj5W7ZD6Wm-D2VkKs7RJNJOwW3q6O-3F2IxVkDt-87hyZtZuiGEJf0HbE5JvE1PbJQssBgbv8FkAG1WLhujwIfK_y-pO4KCJhuyc4o9jaEoBSKjn60zCgA/s1600/IMG_2286.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHCpXePyi9cKzQBnw-vWwghzj5W7ZD6Wm-D2VkKs7RJNJOwW3q6O-3F2IxVkDt-87hyZtZuiGEJf0HbE5JvE1PbJQssBgbv8FkAG1WLhujwIfK_y-pO4KCJhuyc4o9jaEoBSKjn60zCgA/s400/IMG_2286.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div align="left">Anyway, I started working on an actual outline yesterday. I've never done this before and I'm nervous, which is why I'm over here at my blog typing this out instead of working on my outline. I technically came up with an entire outline yesterday. It took me two and a half hours to come up with it because I couldn't figure out how to start. Wanna see it? </div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">Chapter 1 </div>The story starts somewhere.<br />
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Cool stuff will happen.<br />
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Then it will end.<br />
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Oh yeah. I'm gonna be Stephanie Meyer by Christmas.amy hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06832174265303019675noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7250211532156797889.post-40789832420055428512012-03-20T14:32:00.000-07:002012-03-20T14:32:40.909-07:00yummy hans solo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Kaalam's birthday is this weekend and it's a Star Wars party. I know a lot of mother's who role their eyes and suck up the theme because their husbands love it, or because their son's are just so excited. Star Wars wouldn't be their first choice, if they had a choice. But I'm not that kind of mom. I've dreampt of geeky parties for years. (All for the sake of my kids of course) When Kaalam was younger, we went all out for parties, but with Xander's adoption and then our move, our party excitement faded a bit with just so much going on. Now that Kaalam's old enough to be excited about his parties, I'm ready to get into full birthday party mode again. I just found a candy mold/ice cube tray of Hans Solo trapped in carbonite. I am so excited! If Kaalam didn't want Star Wars I would have tried to get him to do it anyway, just so I could buy this mold.</span> It just showed up and my first batch of chocolate Solo is cooling as we speak. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNYgvmz-UW13ED7E1kpUugjy79BB0c2GNrINU2HcJ3FilF7HDdih9YNykitYCODN5OIlQCtd6Bl-WpUYpUWy9ZrXvnY2NctffPyZqvx86Y-kzGRlFY7DWH-s9kv6Pze21Xd0LdC3ZEg0c/s1600/hans+solo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNYgvmz-UW13ED7E1kpUugjy79BB0c2GNrINU2HcJ3FilF7HDdih9YNykitYCODN5OIlQCtd6Bl-WpUYpUWy9ZrXvnY2NctffPyZqvx86Y-kzGRlFY7DWH-s9kv6Pze21Xd0LdC3ZEg0c/s400/hans+solo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Oh Hans, you are so yummy to me in so many ways. </div>amy hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06832174265303019675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7250211532156797889.post-5971933478183231412012-01-30T17:47:00.000-08:002012-01-30T17:48:38.007-08:00images for the graver<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After all this time, this post is pretty random, but I'm collecting pictures for a story I'm writing and for some reason I couldn't pin these from the site I was on. I pinned several, then my internet slowed down and started getting confused and I couldn't get all the ones I wanted. So, I'm probably commiting all sorts of copyright crime, but since nobody pays me for this blog, I'm not going to worry too much about it. :) Aren't these photos amazing?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie8di-e7X7xv72TMDtN2H6HQ9KacHznl5LSGg44JMbfkyGk7r0uFj5ExzFAh-NwuVpC7sx9_yWx50jLpWYmmjKK94Li7dC3BzyKP4dzSyM7Pm1pZEf_m-xsoiNPMYWWznU9tIpzJ5qGVo/s1600/finalposterhdrblog1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie8di-e7X7xv72TMDtN2H6HQ9KacHznl5LSGg44JMbfkyGk7r0uFj5ExzFAh-NwuVpC7sx9_yWx50jLpWYmmjKK94Li7dC3BzyKP4dzSyM7Pm1pZEf_m-xsoiNPMYWWznU9tIpzJ5qGVo/s400/finalposterhdrblog1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwaP5ldXJpcnvvu7HwAgjiuPoS6ed0ILNxSPdT9sJ_OD4mZyuT-sMsTkPk0O6FsEznMOFSf25_NQJzcjdggialB03oyC48dshMFnSBF5HJmk-XRxrwue-3kQTDoLa2BFlJzYyTZnnzgXU/s1600/river_loRes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwaP5ldXJpcnvvu7HwAgjiuPoS6ed0ILNxSPdT9sJ_OD4mZyuT-sMsTkPk0O6FsEznMOFSf25_NQJzcjdggialB03oyC48dshMFnSBF5HJmk-XRxrwue-3kQTDoLa2BFlJzYyTZnnzgXU/s400/river_loRes.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>amy hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06832174265303019675noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7250211532156797889.post-73340465467206528922011-07-25T08:30:00.000-07:002011-07-26T06:44:40.641-07:00rock star songs.So Kaalam is talking to dad just now and he starts singing a little song that he made up. It consisted mostly of "Jerkidy jerkidy, jerkidy." <br />
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Brandon - "We don't sing that song. It sounds too much like jerk."<br />
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Kaalam - "It's Ok dad. It's my favorite song."<br />
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Dad - "Really? I haven't heard that song before."<br />
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Kaalam - "It's by rock stars. They live far away in houses. You wouldn't have heard it."amy hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06832174265303019675noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7250211532156797889.post-12945485532354591352011-07-15T13:13:00.000-07:002011-07-15T13:13:56.779-07:00I got featured!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I got featured today on <a href="http://diapersanddivinity.com/2011/07/15/find-a-friend-friday-meet-amy/">Diapers and Divinity</a>! Hooray!! I love Stephanie. She is amazing. Her blog is all about motherhood and faith and the gospel and it seems like every time I have a rotten day, she's posted something new that is exactly what I needed to hear. And she is really funny. She makes me laugh. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidXGz56HXWvTH8drbvowALfbTiCQu4SJ1fIfLxzvBTjNnFQs8nSB0iSrQpVYsN6FybHu3-eq42wC4bSDh3fWd3dK618tbUTF6f-2qMkASfsMXiGL48xW-LCrzcuIaxqxPeoQpbjK4d9Q4/s1600/friday-friend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidXGz56HXWvTH8drbvowALfbTiCQu4SJ1fIfLxzvBTjNnFQs8nSB0iSrQpVYsN6FybHu3-eq42wC4bSDh3fWd3dK618tbUTF6f-2qMkASfsMXiGL48xW-LCrzcuIaxqxPeoQpbjK4d9Q4/s320/friday-friend.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Go check it out! Today it's all about me. :)</div>amy hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06832174265303019675noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7250211532156797889.post-26320658585163856702011-07-12T14:52:00.000-07:002011-07-12T14:52:27.756-07:00Happy birthday Xander!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Xander turns two today! How weird is that? Kaalam was always in a big hurry to grow up and it felt like it took forever. Xander has always been content to ride things out slow, and his babyhood seems to have slipped right past. How is that fair? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I am so excited to watch him turn into a little person. In the last few months his personality is finally starting to blossom. He's quite a little charmer. And he's funny and he's sweet. I swear I could raise 12 kids if they were all like Xander. He has his stubborn spells, but they don't last long and even when he gets angry about something he somehow still makes it adorable. I am so in love with my little boy!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">He's getting to really enjoy posing for the camera. :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX6pq9hdSUKyyoVoobv_WQO0QNTaXU0f_zuGvtS83W5Vad4WoXNKWBvNiJ4ORwIK9f1tJL6f4TzyV0d6mNUxbkZw-NNfWRpGGHpfudiCtDG2NV2GtG4Y0OXsVGDVIUKQlASgnW9XDaPSM/s1600/IMG_7815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX6pq9hdSUKyyoVoobv_WQO0QNTaXU0f_zuGvtS83W5Vad4WoXNKWBvNiJ4ORwIK9f1tJL6f4TzyV0d6mNUxbkZw-NNfWRpGGHpfudiCtDG2NV2GtG4Y0OXsVGDVIUKQlASgnW9XDaPSM/s400/IMG_7815.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">For a while there Xander was 100% momma's boy but in the last year he's really warmed up to his daddy and I'm glad. Xander is wild about Brandon now. It took him long enough!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTFq-rtTz3PEr7Ek_M8STlpglBD0Jh_dXMdIqGR3yeCxRsA-VXkhuGOW8zt2YxA5do5zGGHG6vkWnWLFTBmLai1HaZNjN_FPo3abXSfRrpLQCmVMXXuBE4pHOaHdQmwWO1J0jEMMVnTGc/s1600/IMG_7838.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTFq-rtTz3PEr7Ek_M8STlpglBD0Jh_dXMdIqGR3yeCxRsA-VXkhuGOW8zt2YxA5do5zGGHG6vkWnWLFTBmLai1HaZNjN_FPo3abXSfRrpLQCmVMXXuBE4pHOaHdQmwWO1J0jEMMVnTGc/s400/IMG_7838.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">He is such a pretty kid! And he doesn't get it from my side of the family!. :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfgL3CiHRezVvLSWkDGmFL7yAwtFBgsdB0Am9XWBMbERoIjAY0QIbQfRnnK4zWXUpxqk12-3GekUX6CJyEv1Da_yG5Bzi_kvF39ogBb6TLSOxxoH4AfXNzmQwraRSTno9fBLd4vNQZkzI/s1600/IMG_7898.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfgL3CiHRezVvLSWkDGmFL7yAwtFBgsdB0Am9XWBMbERoIjAY0QIbQfRnnK4zWXUpxqk12-3GekUX6CJyEv1Da_yG5Bzi_kvF39ogBb6TLSOxxoH4AfXNzmQwraRSTno9fBLd4vNQZkzI/s400/IMG_7898.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Dude! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKULgUjeqZ22N2Gt1FXVqeM1fMKEFbEV5cCmX5UOXd_OVjn0tHNxhkMmlfBjYVintAAsmXU2lgW0fDXvfOKINVjTrFPofnbjstF_bpOLwOWyT_BcKvLjGjTj1N3unNb2K-_RsFCJgKmt0/s1600/IMG_7975.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKULgUjeqZ22N2Gt1FXVqeM1fMKEFbEV5cCmX5UOXd_OVjn0tHNxhkMmlfBjYVintAAsmXU2lgW0fDXvfOKINVjTrFPofnbjstF_bpOLwOWyT_BcKvLjGjTj1N3unNb2K-_RsFCJgKmt0/s400/IMG_7975.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>amy hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06832174265303019675noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7250211532156797889.post-6843229411019988912011-06-04T10:06:00.000-07:002011-06-04T15:00:43.224-07:00time to breatheI think I may have discovered the three most beautiful words in the English language. Father/Son Campout. Growing up in a big family with all the kids the same age, solitude was a rare occurrence and I used to go to great lengths to find it. To the point where the garage roof became one of my favorite hangouts through junior high and when I could, I would hike for hours through the coulees, always trying to find one more place to explore so that I could be alone for just a half an hour more. In college I would drop Brandon off at school and drive up to Eldorado Springs to be out in the middle of nowhere, just listening to the silence. <br />
<br />
Kaalam was born 4 years ago and it's been four years since I've really been alone for longer than naptime, and with no time limit. The boys have all been gone since yesterday afternoon and I am in heaven! Last night I started, worked on and then completed an entire project without a single interruption. I ate when I was hungry instead of when the kids needed to be fed, and I took a bath at the very moment that I decided to. I slept in, I ate chocolate without sharing, I drank water from a cup that hadn't been drooled in and I haven't heard a single person scream or cry or demand anything in hours. I worked all morning in my garden without ever once getting sprayed with the hose, or having to tell anybody to stop picking on their brother or we'll all go inside. <br />
<br />
I really needed this. Since last August Brandon's been gone almost 5 full months and I really, <em>really</em> needed a day off. I love my family, but sometimes you just need a little bit of time to breathe. Brandon has offered to take the kids to Colorado early for the 4th of July and then have me fly out a couple days later to give me a bit more time to myself. I am really, seriously considering it. This has been a much needed break. <br />
<br />
They'll be back late this afternoon and I think I'm going to lay down and take a nap in the middle of the morning. How awesome is that?amy hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06832174265303019675noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7250211532156797889.post-59768219986137062442011-05-24T13:54:00.000-07:002011-05-24T13:54:57.418-07:00ready to adopt againI've been terribly absent from my blog lately. Actually, I've been terribly absent from being on-line at all, which has been sort of nice because it means I've been able to get a lot of things done. It also means that half my friends must think I'm avoiding them. (Sorry!) We've just had one major project after another lately and it seems like every time I think things are about to slow down, something else pops up that needs doing. I guess that describes just about everybody's life though doesn't it? <br />
<br />
But all in all we're feeling settled. And because we're feeling settled, we're also feeling the push to start working towards another adoption. I think it's time. It's been time for the last couple of months I think, but I've been pushing it off a little. I wanted the chance to enjoy the way things are right now before we dive back into the chaos of bringing a baby through the first year. But as much as I've tried to push it off, it just keeps circling back around. I'm dreaming about it, thinking about it, running into it at every turn.<br />
<br />
Kaalam's been stopping places and saying things to me like, "That's a nice baby. Can we buy that baby Mom?". Which has prompted quite a few discussions about the difference between adoption and human trafficking, which have all been way over his head, but the other day at the dinner table Kaalam told me, "Mom, I really want to have another baby." I asked him why and his response was, "Because I want to go to the temple again. Like with Xander." And I suddenly realized that I really wanted to go to the temple again too. It was time to start announcing our intentions and following the process through to see where it may lead. <br />
<br />
People keep asking if we're going to try to find a girl. I think I'm pretty well suited to be the mother of boys to be honest. I don't mind mud and I'm OK digging up worms and I can generally handle most of the boys stuff pretty well. But I am yearning for a daughter. We aren't going to limit our search. Three boys would really be a lot of fun, and I think both boys would love another brother. Kaalam has actually said as much. He says that boys are just more fun. But I am praying for a little girl. I guess we'll see. Either way, whoever comes into our family next, we're finally ready for them.amy hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06832174265303019675noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7250211532156797889.post-43470794365715987782011-04-05T22:49:00.000-07:002011-04-05T22:50:29.850-07:00the long way around<span style="font-size: small;">Adoption has been very on my mind lately, we've been debating when we're going to start the adoption process for a third time. I'm thinking we'll be starting sooner rather than later. Either way, I came across this poem in the Ensign and it made me think of Kaalam and Xander. </span><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Just the Same</span></strong><br />
<br />
By Diana Lynn Lacey<br />
<br />
Sometimes--<br />
God sends rain<br />
Straight from the sky<br />
To nourish the young flower<br />
and it grows.<br />
<br />
Sometimes--<br />
God sends rain from the sky <br />
To the mountaintops,<br />
Then over hills and through valleys <br />
Until it reaches the flower<br />
and it grows, just the same.<br />
<br />
Sometimes--<br />
God sends a child <br />
Straight from His realm<br />
Into a mother's arms<br />
and love grows.<br />
<br />
Sometimes--<br />
God sends a child<br />
From heaven to another's arms,<br />
Then over hills and through valleys<br />
Until he reaches the arms of his mother<br />
and love grows, just the same. <br />
<br />
Years before Kaalam was born, Brandon was called to be first counselor in the bishopric of our ward. As he was being set apart, we were promised that as a result of his faithful service in that calling, we would finally be blessed with children. We'd been struggling with infertility for about two years. I thought our wait was finally over. Instead, Brandon was unsuccessful at attempting to juggle school, and work, and his calling and his marriage and his social life, and all the other things he had going on in his life at the time and he was kicked out of school for bad grades. Two years later, he was finally able to get back into school, our lives were back on track, and we still had no children in our arms. <br />
<br />
At the time, I really didn't get it. <br />
<br />
Eventually, we were contacted by Veronica and she chose us to be Kaalam's parents and the promise was at last kept in time for Brandon to finish one last semester of school, graduating near the top of his class. It took me some time to realize that if Brandon had graduated on time, we would not have been in Colorado and we may never have been connected with Veronica and Kaalam (and eventually Xander) would not have come to our home. <br />
<br />
I cannot imagine loving two children more than I love my two boys. They took the long route. We took the long route. Looking back, there were a lot of things that lined up to bring them into our home. The Lord knows every stone along to path, every hill and every valley. He knows every child and every family and I am so grateful that my boys were led to me. <br />
<br />
We're getting sealed to Xander on Saturday at the Salt Lake Temple and I can't talk to either of the boys about what's going to happen without crying. I broke down at the store today showing Kaalam the little white clothes his brother is going to wear. Kaalam can't hardly talk about anything else. Xander keeps pointing out the picture of the Salt Lake Temple on our wall and I don't think he has any idea what's going on, but I think he knows that it's important, and that we're excited and every time he points to the picture I get to tell him again how much I love him and try to help him understand. <br />
<br />
I am so grateful that we have this chance to take our children to the temple. It's not the normal, path, but with all of it's bumps and the all the bruises we've taken along the way, there are some really incredible blessings in being able to adopt. I get to hold my son's hands at the alter on Saturday. I get to see him dressed in white and I get to tell him that I love him in the most sacred place on this earth. <br />
<br />
And I get to teach my sons that no matter what, the Lord always keeps his promises. Even if sometimes it's by the long way around.amy hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06832174265303019675noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7250211532156797889.post-17442204845090346882011-04-03T20:09:00.001-07:002011-04-03T20:09:54.825-07:00obama bumper sticker removal kitI just couldn't resist. . . :)<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/201pgTaEseQ" title="YouTube video player" width="640"></iframe>amy hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06832174265303019675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7250211532156797889.post-42539650323872870652011-03-30T20:53:00.000-07:002011-03-30T21:14:52.676-07:00something I never thought I'd sayI just got off the phone with Brandon a few minutes ago. He's back in California for the week for meetings with work and he had just finished the 45 minute drive from work to our old house. He doesn't miss that drive. Neither do I.<br />
<br />
I was always pretty sure that Utah was not going to be for me. I'd spent a few years before my mission living with roommates who'd never been further away from Farmington than Salt Lake and they were a bit weird. VERY sheltered. It really bothered me, because the world is so big and there's so much to see, why on earth would you even want to spend your life in one place? Anyway, I left and decided that Utah just wasn't going to be a good fit for me. <br />
<br />
But then I had kids. <br />
<br />
In the last few months that we've been here, I haven't once had to shield my kids from a dirty look or a nasty comment from an overdressed yuppie with a dog. We got snapped at once because Kaalam LOOKED at a man's dog from up on top of Brandon's shoulder's. What possible damage could he have done from 6 feet in the air? In California every time we went to the park I got asked why Kaalam wasn't in preschool yet and why I hadn't gone back to work. It was getting hard to take him to the park, because he was getting older than any of the other kids that were there. He was three. He should not have been the oldest kid at the park. If I mentioned that I wanted a third child I got chilly looks and 99% of the time if I brought up the fact that my kids were adopted the conversation would die right there on the spot. I'd get an "OH." and then the other mothers would drift away. That sort of thing happened so often I was starting to think it was normal.<br />
<br />
Here it's different. I take my boys to the store and they get smiles from old people, and comments on what good looking kids they are. I'd almost forgotten that people do that! An old man stopped me this week and said, "What? You only have two?" and then went on to brag about how proud he is of his five boys. I almost danced it felt so good. People here think it's normal for me to want to be a mother! When I bring up adoption, half the people in the room have some connection to adoption. For the first time since Kaalam was born I'm getting to talk to other adoptive parents. I've never had that before. My check out girl at Walmart was a birthmother and when I told her how much we love Veronica, she got teary. Nobody here thinks my boys are out of place and nobody blinks an eye if Kaalam is singing in the shopping cart. I spent 20 minutes playing with the boys at the grocery store yesterday and we got amused smiles, not raised eyebrows. In California my guard was up all the time. Here I feel relaxed for the first time in a long time. It feels good to be in a place where people value children.<br />
<br />
I miss my friends <strong>A LOT</strong>. I miss being in California this month (March is the prettiest month of the year). I miss being able to expect warm weather just about any time I want it. But I don't miss the attitudes of the childless yuppies. I never got any of that weirdness from members. But there aren't that many members there really and when I went to the grocery store or took the kids to the park I always felt like I had to watch what I said, what I did. <br />
<br />
I never thought I'd say this, but I'm feeling quite at home here. <br />
<br />
I'm glad were here.amy hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06832174265303019675noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7250211532156797889.post-91583093367581552042011-03-15T13:37:00.000-07:002011-03-15T13:39:56.525-07:00kaalam's birthday party<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Birthdays in our family are a really big deal. Last year we turned the backyard into a city, the year before that, we did pirates, and before that we made a castle cake out of Rice Krispies and Starburst that people still occasionally bring up. Kaalam is finally old enough to have an opinion about his birthday so we asked what he wanted to do this year. He was very definite. He wanted a birthday with cake, candy, funny hats, blowers, balloons and lots and lots of kids. So for the first time ever, we went traditional. I guess it was bound to happen eventually. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We hadn't met anyone in the ward yet, so we sent Kaalam to primary with invitations for every kid in his sunbeams class and he was so excited he tried to give them to EVERYONE. Little old ladies were being invited. He kept asking me if Greggy could come, of if Nana could come, but sadly, they live a bit too far now. So we sent the invites out and hoped. Kaalam picked out his very own funny hat that he could wear so all the kids would think it was really funny. He explained this too me all week coming up on the day. He was so excited!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbfbV1IqWHtYDBXTE1D9q6TixwMB7A1fZFJPUUwSc5AgzjIihYbFp_tfmT-a3ZlJ7i70bVF6I03GLWKU-fm0Haz0CoHlpqr9fmOMsU6Bd9NaQxjcWf5Tgje5FCwpvIusxU5g_zFCohNbc/s1600/IMG_6745.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbfbV1IqWHtYDBXTE1D9q6TixwMB7A1fZFJPUUwSc5AgzjIihYbFp_tfmT-a3ZlJ7i70bVF6I03GLWKU-fm0Haz0CoHlpqr9fmOMsU6Bd9NaQxjcWf5Tgje5FCwpvIusxU5g_zFCohNbc/s400/IMG_6745.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Kaalam had visions in his head of what it was going to be like in that moment when everybody stood around and sang Happy Birthday to him and from the look on his face, I'd say it was everything he'd dreamed of. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhghXtxLXg__5lBtiv5hk-S42jx1DMIYQqa9vc5S0NeIDQUQN-NhQtGhhirHNCLwsEkR9k-A0RacsXE8TKb-9fadzrgqmpRNZOtE7_iW7DXDmm3U3SLuyYq0dOcvZ0ZEM2HVv3xmClR2pw/s1600/IMG_6759.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="325" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhghXtxLXg__5lBtiv5hk-S42jx1DMIYQqa9vc5S0NeIDQUQN-NhQtGhhirHNCLwsEkR9k-A0RacsXE8TKb-9fadzrgqmpRNZOtE7_iW7DXDmm3U3SLuyYq0dOcvZ0ZEM2HVv3xmClR2pw/s400/IMG_6759.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The obligatory candle blowing picture. You can't see it very well, but I made the sweater he's wearing. I finished it at about 10pm the night before and he was very excited to wear a "birthday sweater" from mom. Someday he won't that's quite so cool. :(</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfS5zqmzVYXO6v1yRTFxyqvEUvoJEviLPY6nxfV2F0_uPKYgbWwHkjWeDvwqi0kbi7Pcp3xFg7fVch9y68Mg6Oa44fAO3htOaAa4_nrl_nCTSdhHCeT9qd4tmvapzdkX8l9pQDvqD_yRY/s1600/IMG_6763.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfS5zqmzVYXO6v1yRTFxyqvEUvoJEviLPY6nxfV2F0_uPKYgbWwHkjWeDvwqi0kbi7Pcp3xFg7fVch9y68Mg6Oa44fAO3htOaAa4_nrl_nCTSdhHCeT9qd4tmvapzdkX8l9pQDvqD_yRY/s400/IMG_6763.JPG" width="310" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our spread. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I like setting out party food, but I really can't remember the last time we were able to set up for a party in less that an hour. It sort of weirded me out. Last year Brandon was up until 6am building roads.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoMKg_EHSKfWwW5ydtV4bz_aSzNc8_3W86Nel80Z8M-Q2fOHjugMB4FwYqytkDz3UxSwZjVKNjK239CC-u2udW72dMbZEPt1jJO5KUU7CoFfw1nF80mEmUH4v0t6v_BbJXtvD44787NFo/s1600/IMG_6755.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoMKg_EHSKfWwW5ydtV4bz_aSzNc8_3W86Nel80Z8M-Q2fOHjugMB4FwYqytkDz3UxSwZjVKNjK239CC-u2udW72dMbZEPt1jJO5KUU7CoFfw1nF80mEmUH4v0t6v_BbJXtvD44787NFo/s400/IMG_6755.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Every time I asked Kaalam what he wanted for his birthday, he just said, "kids". He's a very socially built kid and he gets awfully lonely. We lucked out, and a lot of fantastic kids came to his party. We all made new friends. I figured it was the perfect time to meet people and Kaalam is thrilled to know that so many friends live so close now.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha8isW5XEph0RGl6QOxQxZPVXlUeG-zhoEWYnMqr4xcMptBneDdUMdnaB7Lilg5R5UnDlHD4U1X9jr0cHoV49h6_ByYhlWgDCkF7NXXCk5TUb1ldoYKa5ERyuZQ5U_MoDQXnYKTL3BvOc/s1600/IMG_6776.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha8isW5XEph0RGl6QOxQxZPVXlUeG-zhoEWYnMqr4xcMptBneDdUMdnaB7Lilg5R5UnDlHD4U1X9jr0cHoV49h6_ByYhlWgDCkF7NXXCk5TUb1ldoYKa5ERyuZQ5U_MoDQXnYKTL3BvOc/s400/IMG_6776.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">When we took Kaalam to the party store, he picked a dragon for a pinata and all week he told me, "Mom, we're not going to be very nice to that dragon are we?" They really weren't.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ktttCWG0xm11lezJnr5Ne_2N61d3hUxQW_4-7ld1hMiQDM4RcnCkBZUj2bW_uTzopyQP409gkAjk2flKEuyuPwNRAf7ekgvMYuhS7eDF6-dz33fOMmIGnjUVeDb_kAbCGWGfkcwN5k8/s1600/IMG_6786.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ktttCWG0xm11lezJnr5Ne_2N61d3hUxQW_4-7ld1hMiQDM4RcnCkBZUj2bW_uTzopyQP409gkAjk2flKEuyuPwNRAf7ekgvMYuhS7eDF6-dz33fOMmIGnjUVeDb_kAbCGWGfkcwN5k8/s400/IMG_6786.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Gathering the spoils of war. I was surprised actually. Everybody picked out two or three pieces that they liked and left the rest. I guess they haven't quite figured it out yet.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiaDbUtcPAyWLKFHpgvI8uhOcYKb2xBROB3gIs_Re_fEXUntet7FOKdZcS2js_C8hqaJ4CtXGr7TBnOyuoxuCI63yCdtBEG6W4lhJEFGDuAuGrumkRvAYrQlKxmcAgzhpYJBnZwVvX_oo/s1600/IMG_6790.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiaDbUtcPAyWLKFHpgvI8uhOcYKb2xBROB3gIs_Re_fEXUntet7FOKdZcS2js_C8hqaJ4CtXGr7TBnOyuoxuCI63yCdtBEG6W4lhJEFGDuAuGrumkRvAYrQlKxmcAgzhpYJBnZwVvX_oo/s400/IMG_6790.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">All in all, he had a very good birthday. I was so nervous that no one would come. We hadn't gotten the chance to speak to a single parent and had no real idea if any of the invitations got through, or how many people would come even if they did get the invite. He would have been crushed if no one had come. He came away from his birthday this year feeling loved. And isn't that really what a birthday should be for?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMZgKbHaenojEm0SYmkqTrnelEtO0fjIe7Sz1JRoxdAQnj7Gd9qlofZW5H-Itdn9w3lqAi4yB8jQ3tRzzYqLkdoEhrIe8SvhQBDiwZKR1vlg7OGld2wx5ainvOXGUpz6iByl0ZCO60mb4/s1600/IMG_6791.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMZgKbHaenojEm0SYmkqTrnelEtO0fjIe7Sz1JRoxdAQnj7Gd9qlofZW5H-Itdn9w3lqAi4yB8jQ3tRzzYqLkdoEhrIe8SvhQBDiwZKR1vlg7OGld2wx5ainvOXGUpz6iByl0ZCO60mb4/s400/IMG_6791.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>amy hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06832174265303019675noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7250211532156797889.post-23621237772897832862011-03-09T10:24:00.000-08:002011-03-09T10:24:37.717-08:00Kaalam is 4!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Kaalam turned 4 yesterday. It's sort of freaking me out. How did he get so big so fast? I always used to hear parents say that, but I don't think I really got it until now. He's learning to read, he's speaking in fluent sentences, he's making definitive statements about himself and who he sees himself to be. During the few months of the move, he had a pretty hard time. He doesn't deal well with change and I was starting to wonder if I was ever going to like him again. When he acts out, it's ALL THE WAY. Since we've gotten back from Canada though, he's finally, finally settled down and gotten back to the calm (but busy) sweet , polite little boy that I used to know. What a relief!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">For his birthday, we drove down to Provo. There's an old movie theater there they've converted into a pirate restaurant and it was very, very worth the drive. He was in heaven. Even Xander left the restaurant yelling, "Yo Ho! Yo ho!". There's cannon's that fire and an arcade full of games and some pretty unbelievable decorations. Very fun!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-uwfxhv-NTsn5ZA7o-eI2B9XT9wDETAWjfe_2-yN7z9mZaxUskgb4dU5kkfDGUPSMJ6A8a3Q1xwGoV5hm1fw7-zfTStq4URefuUBgIc11mL6dHbQF_gEmEUTn-hD6WB5IBziU5kjJrOA/s1600/IMG_6722.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-uwfxhv-NTsn5ZA7o-eI2B9XT9wDETAWjfe_2-yN7z9mZaxUskgb4dU5kkfDGUPSMJ6A8a3Q1xwGoV5hm1fw7-zfTStq4URefuUBgIc11mL6dHbQF_gEmEUTn-hD6WB5IBziU5kjJrOA/s400/IMG_6722.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Kaalam, enjoying his birthday dessert. Which he was surprisingly willing to share with his baby brother. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJjf_HLNJisoKEaRaPIU8Adgnxm0mkVEgCJHrGHFYZMOd4aGC-oXaTvlUCTentDPTi8XTGJQ5ROyb0DY3NmgMkWhyphenhyphenhJ1PbW-dCFSyHApggX0wSirh39sgnjUtGWQQdJK9p0H1p-vysa8g/s1600/IMG_6715.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJjf_HLNJisoKEaRaPIU8Adgnxm0mkVEgCJHrGHFYZMOd4aGC-oXaTvlUCTentDPTi8XTGJQ5ROyb0DY3NmgMkWhyphenhyphenhJ1PbW-dCFSyHApggX0wSirh39sgnjUtGWQQdJK9p0H1p-vysa8g/s400/IMG_6715.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Kaalam's dessert was brought to our table by singing pirates. They sang a birthday song about walking the plank. Kaalam just about glowed, he was so excited. Our waiter (the one on the right) gave Kaalam some "magic" tokens for the arcade. If Kaalam yelled "arrg!" they bounced off the back of his hand onto the table. Kaalam would have had him do it all night if we'd let him.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Q483ksAmrsNkU1QODyQO-bwvF9bVAS8Pmah5Gb_wKdSnLt__AFZ6RZ1_SattVBuB45SUgT51MkuHVFS15ezLb6pWRqrr064ymX7wGYeknSdQmNCrPwz3DCFzB_xI4XD0OInVQ5s4R5Q/s1600/IMG_6713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Q483ksAmrsNkU1QODyQO-bwvF9bVAS8Pmah5Gb_wKdSnLt__AFZ6RZ1_SattVBuB45SUgT51MkuHVFS15ezLb6pWRqrr064ymX7wGYeknSdQmNCrPwz3DCFzB_xI4XD0OInVQ5s4R5Q/s400/IMG_6713.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Even Xander had a fantastic time. He discovered Whack-A-Mole and he added Yo Ho to his vocabulary. And he appreciated the ice cream. :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlcn6OU5iBzoyeSN5ej6eK4XKbA81d1d_2FkgTJn1bvJpGPT2dvN9rvuEWGK8PHPI_U2zZwXH_J6Yk0XGtfBL9_MMbC8zi77Sf2oJhfAOmeTYnHeXbAh6LO1tisZXB0JNLO8t3SwXyYgU/s1600/IMG_6736.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlcn6OU5iBzoyeSN5ej6eK4XKbA81d1d_2FkgTJn1bvJpGPT2dvN9rvuEWGK8PHPI_U2zZwXH_J6Yk0XGtfBL9_MMbC8zi77Sf2oJhfAOmeTYnHeXbAh6LO1tisZXB0JNLO8t3SwXyYgU/s400/IMG_6736.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>amy hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06832174265303019675noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7250211532156797889.post-70975943038499646782011-03-03T13:07:00.000-08:002011-03-03T13:07:30.870-08:00ugh. . .Do dance workout videos make anybody else feel entirely uncoordinated and silly? I just tried one on Netflix and would it kill them really to assume that you don't already have dance training and can barely tell your right from your left? It was a beginner's video.amy hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06832174265303019675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7250211532156797889.post-83241868764654196742011-02-27T13:08:00.000-08:002011-02-27T13:08:31.592-08:00I feel like a jerk<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggQba_uZQNIvNj7AIx8VZzgf6_FjBKg7T71tUG1QhriYncMXkIiYY7fZGlmR9DQHlYEo8oDeRIjaEyTCMGZoIaubWZ_xsGjkRoMQUb3OimA-TqbbhxEfJgNUiO_2QWIclqmuUo0pCOZbw/s1600/toothache.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggQba_uZQNIvNj7AIx8VZzgf6_FjBKg7T71tUG1QhriYncMXkIiYY7fZGlmR9DQHlYEo8oDeRIjaEyTCMGZoIaubWZ_xsGjkRoMQUb3OimA-TqbbhxEfJgNUiO_2QWIclqmuUo0pCOZbw/s320/toothache.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>On my mission, I can't tell you the number of times we got a call from the bishop telling us the speakers had bailed and could we please cover sacrament meeting today. I swore I'd never be that guy. If you're going to say no, just say no. Don't wait until Sunday morning.<br />
<br />
But no matter my resolution, I am now, officially one of those people.<br />
<br />
It's not entirely my fault and my wonderful husband who was also asked to speak today worked all morning to flesh out his talk to cover my time, but I still feel like a putz. Middle of the night last night Xander woke up with a fever. A really, pretty bad fever. This morning he was still sick and no matter how much Tylenol we've given him, it still hasn't entirely gone away. So the poor little boy has spent the morning cuddled on my chest. Obviously, one of us was going to have to stay home today. But even before we knew he was sick, I was already going to have to bail on my talk.<br />
<br />
Years ago, before my mission, I went to the dentist. I tried very hard to explain to him that I was going to be out of the country without any dental coverage and so everything that needed to be done, had to be done. I had a very small cavity on one of my molars that he absolutely refused to fix. He kept insisting that it was tiny and wouldn't cause me any problems and we could fix it when I got home. So I left on my mission. Nine months later, half my tooth fell off. That tiny little cavity that he was so sure wasn't going to cause me any problems had spread straight up into the center of my tooth, instead of spreading at the surface, so I didn't even realize that anything had gone wrong until I was missing my tooth. We found a member dentist that was willing to fix it for me and he put on a cap and sent me on my way.<br />
<br />
A week before Xander was born the cap fell off and once again, I only had half a molar.<br />
<br />
But, I really hate dentists and the tooth didn't hurt and I kept thinking that I could go experience pain getting it fixed now, or I could experience pain later. I chose later, and later has finally caught up with me. I had no idea my mouth could hurt like it does. Fortunately, it comes in waves, so it's not constant, and we've discovered that while straight clove oil burn like heck on your tongue, it really does an amazing job of numbing a toothache. So the burning sucks, but it's worth it. It's working<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> WAY </span></b>better than the Oragel.<br />
<br />
So Kaalam is very serious about helping people when they're hurt. The other day I tried swishing some salt water hoping it would help. Bad idea. My vision went black and I hit the ground. Brandon carried me to the couch, and Xander was screaming because apparently I scared the poor little baby half to death and Kaalam stood over me with his little hands on his hips and his chest stuck out trying his very best to seem like he was in complete control of the situation and everything was going to be OK now that he was here to help. Brandon came back into the room with our little dental mirror so he could take a look and Kaalam stuck his little hand out and in his very best "doctor voice" said,<br />
<br />
"I need the Window please, Dad." And then Dad helped him use the dental mirror to get a look at my tooth and Kaalam hummed and haughed and generally tried very hard to be reassuring. He has a pretty good bedside manor. Now he just needs to learn the right names for his tools.<br />
<br />
Even I had to laugh.<br />
<br />
So now, on my second day in my new ward, (I've been travelling for that long!) I have become the dork who bails on a sacrament talk, and I need to get up enough courage to head off to the dentist. I really hate the dentist. And the only thing I know about Root Canals (which is probably what I need) is that they suck. But at least I have Xander to keep me company. He's awfully cuddly when he doesn't feel good.amy hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06832174265303019675noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7250211532156797889.post-845623966437883212011-02-05T07:57:00.000-08:002011-02-05T07:59:21.654-08:00i got stuck outside my hotel room nakedWell, we are finally settled in Utah. Sort of. We have a house in Bountiful, we have about half of our things unpacked, we finally have internet, and I have been shipped off to Canada without my husband. AGAIN. I had a dream last night that I was a widow. Brandon is working 12 hour nights for the next three weeks and once again, I am without a husband. Guess how thrilled I am about this? <br />
<br />
But the kids are thrilled about being at Nana and Papa's house and now that we're closer, it's easier.<br />
<br />
But, I'm sure you're wondering about the title. You know that story about Eddie Vedder and how he got stuck outside his hotel room with just a helmet to cover himself and when he went to the front desk he couldn't remember what name he'd checked in under so he couldn’t get a key? Well, the night the movers came to our house we had some friends come to hang out one last time and I was told that story. There was a lot of laughing and eye rolling and "only a rock star" sort of comments. We wondered what sane person could possibly let that happen to them. <br />
<br />
Apparently that person is me, and my children are to blame.<br />
<br />
The next morning Brandon went to supervise the movers packing the truck and I stayed at the hotel with the boys. They wanted to go swimming and I needed to shave so I hopped in the tub. It was one of those hotel bathrooms with the obnoxious automatic fans so I really couldn't hear much of what was going on in the next room. But the TV was on and they had plenty of toys so I figured I could trust them for a minute. And at home, my kids are really good about understanding that they don’t go outside without mom or dad. Apparently hotels don’t register quite the same. About halfway through shaving I suddenly realized it was a whole lot quieter in the next room than it should be. <br />
<br />
I threw on the RIDICULOUSLY small towel the hotel had provided, went out to the room and found Kaalam rattling on the door from the outside trying to get back into the room. Just as I was about to open the door I remembered the story from the night before and was just smart enough the switch my towel that didn’t quite cover for Kaalam’s baby blanket that did. When I opened the door, Kaalam ran right in telling me that everything was OK (he loves telling us that) and that they had only been running up and down the hallway. So now I had Kaalam, but Xander was out of reach and not at all interested in coming in. Kaalam dashed back out to try to drag his brother in by the arm, which of course only made Xander fall dramatically to the floor screaming and now they were both out of reach and nobody was in the room where they should be and in the chaos of trying to grab the two of them, I heard the door behind me click. <br />
<br />
I was soaking wet, dripping with soap, wrapped in a baby blanket in the hallway of a hotel without a key and my children had suddenly decided become quiet and cooperative THREE SECONDS TOO LATE. A belated instinct for self-preservation I think. And of course, we were in the room at the furthest point in the hotel from the front desk.<br />
<br />
All I could do was try to muster up as much dignity as I could manage and haul my two suddenly angelic children down to the front desk to get a key. The girl behind the desk could hardly keep from laughing and I can’t say I blame her. <br />
<br />
Last time we moved we spent seven days driving a two day trip. It was awful and every possible thing that could go wrong did. Getting locked outside my hotel room on our first day of this move, did not bode well. Fortunately it turned out to be the only real catastrophe and we are mostly settled. I’m looking forward to getting back to Utah and getting settled. <br />
<br />
Two more weeks in Canada. Lucky for me, Nana lives close enough to Utah to avoid any hotel stays so we’ll be able to avoid any repeats for at least a while.amy hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06832174265303019675noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7250211532156797889.post-13564520296551561982011-01-17T13:44:00.000-08:002011-01-17T13:44:23.679-08:00do not fearSo, we've been moving for what seems like forever, and we still aren't settled yet. We've been in Bountiful for just over a week now at a friends house and we're going to be settling into our new home on Wednesday. <strong>Finally!!</strong> It's a 2100sq foot house with four bedrooms, two bath's and a backyard with a garden and a peach tree. We're paying less than we did in California for our 1000sq foot two bedroom apartment. Hee hee! And it seems like it's in a great ward. We were able to go yesterday and met a ton of people who all apparently live within three houses of me or less and I'm a little weirded out. I don't think I've ever lived in a neighborhood like this before - one that actually feels and acts like a neighborhood. Virginia Hills was close, but there were all sorts of people there that we still didn't know. It's going to feel weird to have my entire ward live within a five block radius. I'm looking forward to it. <br />
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People at Brandon's work kept asking us if we were nervous about moving. After all, we didn't really know anyone here and we don't have any family in the area and moving to a new area can be hard. And I have to admit that as right as this has all felt since last year when the idea of coming out here starting banging around in both of our heads, I have been nervous. I don't generally deal well with change. It stresses me out pretty bad. But for the last month I've had this song stuck in my head and it's made me feel much better. Mostly it's the happy tune and phrase "Darlin' do not fear what you don't really know" that's been stuck in my head. The rest of the lyrics are pretty cool, but every time things have started getting worrisome, I hear the phrase "Darlin's do not fear" start to come though my brain and I've felt much better. I finally looked it up last night and hearing it made me feel happy all over again. I thought I'd share. :)<br />
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We should be getting into our new house on Wednesday and hopefully be the weekend I can be back to posting our adventures a little more often.amy hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06832174265303019675noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7250211532156797889.post-13522240321465902892010-12-28T10:28:00.000-08:002010-12-28T10:28:36.859-08:00stuff you never want to find in your sock the hard wayI just caught Xander stuffing blackberries into my favorite pair of fuzzy socks. The older he gets, the more outnumbered I'm starting to feel. And to think, yesterday I was feeling prepared for a third.amy hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06832174265303019675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7250211532156797889.post-64816816182584891402010-12-25T18:35:00.000-08:002010-12-25T18:35:33.112-08:00merry christmas everybody!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This year we had a pretty great Christmas. The boys had a blast and poor Kaalam hasn't slept well in weeks, crying every time he came down the stairs after a nap because Santa hadn't come yet. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0YhWqo9FZbLD7QLREy3rh6xhUOcfnMhygB14sM646k5RLPjCe97HYoL6stuGi6QUnb8dfvZ3fAP9Wo_hLJdRodFojSH5aBriq3lAghbUzgoUCGxK4i-Zcu6sJ897kx23gVkGP2dB4gs4/s1600/IMG_5037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0YhWqo9FZbLD7QLREy3rh6xhUOcfnMhygB14sM646k5RLPjCe97HYoL6stuGi6QUnb8dfvZ3fAP9Wo_hLJdRodFojSH5aBriq3lAghbUzgoUCGxK4i-Zcu6sJ897kx23gVkGP2dB4gs4/s400/IMG_5037.JPG" width="267" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> These are my new pearl earings. Brandon's mom bought me a pearl necklace in China years ago and I've been asking Brandon for new pearl earings to match ever since. He can't surprise me when it comes to gifts. He hasn't been able to in years, but this time he actually pulled it off. Brandon took Kaalam out to buy me a present and then "accidentally" let me see the gift they got me. It was a lego board game. I was kind of bothered. We live in a house full of boys and Brandon had the chance to teach his son about women and marriage and gift giving and he got me a board game. I even talked to him about it. I tried to explain to him that Kaalam needs to understand that there is a difference between a wife and a buddy and the gifts Kaalam see's Dad buy is one of the things that mark that difference. Then Christmas rolls around and it turned out I'd fallen for the decoy. My pearl earings had already been sitting in my new jewelry box when I gave him the lecture. Right where Kaalam helped put them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I felt like an idiot. But don't they look nice? :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgHyB_9c97X1MhhgwWIwGL4HiE-wQfWTA64feGq0N7p0fS_8idKOBiYQRgk9BwAF3eHSXSNwfeasUFxttbMCYEeh2U0Vl_bKwLQjaA95-B1tdxgP0thC-91uhOCIc7nIMHac4eQYoU1ps/s1600/IMG_5542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgHyB_9c97X1MhhgwWIwGL4HiE-wQfWTA64feGq0N7p0fS_8idKOBiYQRgk9BwAF3eHSXSNwfeasUFxttbMCYEeh2U0Vl_bKwLQjaA95-B1tdxgP0thC-91uhOCIc7nIMHac4eQYoU1ps/s400/IMG_5542.JPG" width="267" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This was absolutely the prize gift of the day, for both boys. Santa set out the train track so it was the first thing the boys saw this morning and Kaalam started screaming and jumping around and they both got so excited about it that we could barely get them interested in opening anything else. Which was kind of OK because it gave us a chance to make breakfast and eat before we started unwraping. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge3Yitp_eIzG88IboydhJGn8EnnREEMWyDlONaxXiXEPG3CIQsMhdrZIm7LaycwDRoCFyyK_Fc5YwW7-lSa-x0sXIH6HVFOGqJTEJS0IUw_zQn15V7CQzXjVakgAi6tzrfzUSkdzhlJnI/s1600/IMG_5612.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge3Yitp_eIzG88IboydhJGn8EnnREEMWyDlONaxXiXEPG3CIQsMhdrZIm7LaycwDRoCFyyK_Fc5YwW7-lSa-x0sXIH6HVFOGqJTEJS0IUw_zQn15V7CQzXjVakgAi6tzrfzUSkdzhlJnI/s400/IMG_5612.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This the other great cause for excitement. The only thing Kaalam's been asking for all month has been a tractor and it turns out that sometimes wishes do come true. Kaalam got the one he's holding and Xander got a bulldozer. I am soooo glad I thought to get one for each of them!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDrXv5gPtCjYgo7LzEz9y4YTBgN80f37huJtoJRTlWwFQY1foHxfohJx24fiPcbh6-n4KfnxnSNvmnaopudDELlcuYcFh3lbu1rgqWTWK65vAyGilTfQa8NOC_BZe527tWMLrZNJD5mlc/s1600/IMG_5640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDrXv5gPtCjYgo7LzEz9y4YTBgN80f37huJtoJRTlWwFQY1foHxfohJx24fiPcbh6-n4KfnxnSNvmnaopudDELlcuYcFh3lbu1rgqWTWK65vAyGilTfQa8NOC_BZe527tWMLrZNJD5mlc/s400/IMG_5640.JPG" width="267" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> This is the boys playing while Brandon and I wondered when we were going to get to see what we got. :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6q5tOfjIxrVOp4sMs8gpS6zyltHoxSwqSy_G4UhrdYO0ZC2nL9mSgMQvEQlN_FwmT5ny2lJe6Lk5wbgOl1zLj46NYsJgvvLrR_PbPmQhQ6VbMVNwLjyjbIVHbWJyoCMpErIPE0S7Dsd4/s1600/IMG_5665.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6q5tOfjIxrVOp4sMs8gpS6zyltHoxSwqSy_G4UhrdYO0ZC2nL9mSgMQvEQlN_FwmT5ny2lJe6Lk5wbgOl1zLj46NYsJgvvLrR_PbPmQhQ6VbMVNwLjyjbIVHbWJyoCMpErIPE0S7Dsd4/s400/IMG_5665.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is one happy little boy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="266" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpjyQ2EoctQEjlYodXHvzbrk4WGS5_ajmPwu89RwpHIEEpPGQM4D_b-3fWgvIG3Hm6zEaUZ4-bJuvDHEDMPQ18xvhfCgkkmYmuHFiNJssrgj2Vc3vP0K_dsmfgB7_h21TD7P0JQvJ657w/s400/IMG_5729.JPG" width="400" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Xander got lots of food. Really we could have stopped there with him and he would have been thrilled.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipMUkygyGWsWlV3TTM-nKaw22D6AQfAMqIP1aVSrK1It1lrsJ39RizxQoRTQ-YvRurueMG9Jko3ROHLVrQYo_9mEsW-OY70mZGbpvIr_CVkwCtICJBfbgR4geeGLkUOFCO7Md3xWTu2io/s1600/IMG_5587.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipMUkygyGWsWlV3TTM-nKaw22D6AQfAMqIP1aVSrK1It1lrsJ39RizxQoRTQ-YvRurueMG9Jko3ROHLVrQYo_9mEsW-OY70mZGbpvIr_CVkwCtICJBfbgR4geeGLkUOFCO7Md3xWTu2io/s400/IMG_5587.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My other new gift was a telephoto lens and a monopod for my camera. Now I can take all sorts of close up pictures of very tiny things. How cool is that? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk-49KMPDLr9uLu6yqrzutdJDFkFJCMA_JQjfm5qR0o3WipT38QUTZMkYrG0UDS2LuMDWN_TZLRHsx24S3FfIWS4q_1kZsrT8zvgYCVQgkgGRmAgsWyuiThTEoz2tE95MuNyn-qecozjI/s1600/IMG_5756.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk-49KMPDLr9uLu6yqrzutdJDFkFJCMA_JQjfm5qR0o3WipT38QUTZMkYrG0UDS2LuMDWN_TZLRHsx24S3FfIWS4q_1kZsrT8zvgYCVQgkgGRmAgsWyuiThTEoz2tE95MuNyn-qecozjI/s400/IMG_5756.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Andthis, is the moment I wait for all year long. Christmas crepes for breakfast. They're french crepes stuffed with strawberries, banana's and Dulce de Leche ice cream topped with everything wonderful. I love Christmas morning.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6zJz1Ts37Ve8MNQy2LRTRxaPkNOGP3KhklGrswHXFGut_ptVtz580VdbZNpWSW7Y7WLZf66K4ReXbe8L7wvfoQbbzvlDkNAu7cNERES60jE7Srzte8k11ZQK5tJRaxplABVgCgOHf2Fo/s1600/IMG_5723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6zJz1Ts37Ve8MNQy2LRTRxaPkNOGP3KhklGrswHXFGut_ptVtz580VdbZNpWSW7Y7WLZf66K4ReXbe8L7wvfoQbbzvlDkNAu7cNERES60jE7Srzte8k11ZQK5tJRaxplABVgCgOHf2Fo/s400/IMG_5723.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>amy hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06832174265303019675noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7250211532156797889.post-73866227454562159752010-12-06T15:21:00.000-08:002010-12-06T15:21:09.865-08:00We're moving!We just got word we're moving to Utah! Brandon's start date is the 17th of January, just over a month away. I never thought I'd actually want to move to Utah, but I'm really excited! Utah's been feeling right for quite a while. And fortunately the move happens after Christmas. I'm going to miss our friends though. :( Kaalam keeps telling us he wants to bring Carl and Norm with us when we go. They're both Brandon's age.amy hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06832174265303019675noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7250211532156797889.post-88993258651187919332010-12-02T14:04:00.000-08:002010-12-02T14:04:55.614-08:00hallelujah chorusI love the idea of these choirs or acting groups that come out and spontaneously put on a show. I'd love to see it happen someday. Merry Christmas everybody!<br />
<object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SXh7JR9oKVE?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SXh7JR9oKVE?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>amy hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06832174265303019675noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7250211532156797889.post-34907515410495381362010-11-20T22:18:00.000-08:002010-11-20T22:18:30.269-08:00Happy Thanks GivingThis year for Thanksgiving I am finding I have a lot to be thankful for. I have two beautiful children and husband who loves me with all of his heart. I have my boy's amazing birthmother who has been able to come and visit wih us this week. I have friends to share the holidays with and an extended family to miss. My life is good. I am thankful to my Heavenly Father for trully blessed life. <br />
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Happy Thanksgiving everyone.<br />
<object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fYi9Vr8bHJY?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fYi9Vr8bHJY?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>amy hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06832174265303019675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7250211532156797889.post-90590344064082587732010-11-09T08:29:00.000-08:002010-11-09T08:44:24.128-08:00Brandon's finally on his way.And now the boy's fan buzzes even when it's turned off, the boys are sick, I gave myself a third degree burn on my arm yesterday baking bread and our pilot light has gone out. Lucky for me it's only 2 more days for Brandon to come home!! He'll be here on Thursday. WOO HOO!!!!! I am sooooooo ready for a break. <br />
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It's about time! :)amy hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06832174265303019675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7250211532156797889.post-28787912440565735322010-11-05T10:53:00.000-07:002010-11-05T10:53:25.297-07:00I have the best husband in the entire world<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">In the last three and a half months I've only seen Brandon for just over four weeks. First they had a maintenance shut down at his Chevron plant here (which is why I took the boys to Canada), and now he's been called out to over see the opening of a new oil platform in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico.This really sucks. Not only have I been more or less single parenting the kids, but I've got nobody to talk with at the end of the day. I miss him!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">He left for the oil platform about two weeks ago. To give you some perspective on the size, the floor of this platform is 10 stories up. It's bigger than it looks.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil7wv5H0TX5zrFhRpAKXWCxwUiNDrolTHDXymSBSaXD1N3D11GG926KhtOXDiNtCX2ZoW6FHIqnxVyyp9qVc-ElwDu2jHPh4S7xxRNNtxtlBnwMd3TD1P2GeMHSDg53r8ZF9Ic5mjTFVc/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil7wv5H0TX5zrFhRpAKXWCxwUiNDrolTHDXymSBSaXD1N3D11GG926KhtOXDiNtCX2ZoW6FHIqnxVyyp9qVc-ElwDu2jHPh4S7xxRNNtxtlBnwMd3TD1P2GeMHSDg53r8ZF9Ic5mjTFVc/s400/photo.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
And here's my lovely husband heading out to work in the morning. He lives on a smaller platform and gets boated out to the larger platform every day.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlaEJzxXbjvseKC0BehiVU1qLVV0mjahxe4oK06xEOqs_929gXaNV1Q9n8LymnWq7QZTCnGPrZzypGjrrwmRmeMCUU2CoO57XuDveNRVQmPEmOAW9995pw_v-77Ui_3oSvMevkLrDaUvY/s1600/photo-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlaEJzxXbjvseKC0BehiVU1qLVV0mjahxe4oK06xEOqs_929gXaNV1Q9n8LymnWq7QZTCnGPrZzypGjrrwmRmeMCUU2CoO57XuDveNRVQmPEmOAW9995pw_v-77Ui_3oSvMevkLrDaUvY/s400/photo-2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">So he was supposed to be coming home today. These things tend to be pretty fluid so he left knowing the return date might change. Last Sunday morning he called to let me know he wouldn't be home until this coming Monday at least. Two days ago he called to let me know the date had moved even further back to next Wednesday. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I sort of broke down a bit. I miss him, and I'm tired and I really want him to come home. And since he's been gone the outlet in the bathroom has stopped working, the garberator has blownup, the blinds have all broken off, our internet was shut down for non-payment even though we're on automatic bill pay and I found a roach in my apartment. All of which is stuff that normally falls to him to deal with. I told him he'd better be coming home with flowers. He asked what the flowers were for and I told him they were to say, "Thanks Amy, for taking care of the family while I'm gone. I missed you. I'm sorry this has been so hard lately." He said he would see what he could do. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Yesterday I was tired and frustrated and I think breaking down on the phone to Brandon the night before opened some sort of emotional flood gate and I'd had a pretty rotten day all around. It was five o'clock and the boys had been banished upstairs to their room. I called Brandon and vented some more, then said goodbye because he was off the go eat at some 100 year old restaurant and then tour Temple Square with a group of friends from work. (He was in Utah for a conference this week then he's headed back out to the oil platform today). Knowing he was in for a lovely night out did not really help my mood in any kind of way. About 5 minutes after I got off the phone with Brandon, I was trying to figure out how I was going to peel myself off the couch and figure out what to make for dinner when I heard a knock on my door. I answered the door and it was a pizza delivery guy. He asked if I was Amy. I told him I hadn't ordered any pizza and he showed me the box. The box had a hand written note on it that said, "Amy, I love you. Enjoy dinner. Love Brandon". Brandon had ordered me dinner and had the manager write me the note. It was our favorite pizza from Dominoes. Dominoes doesn't deliver to our area. I don't know what Brandon said but he managed to convince them to make an exception for me.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I almost started crying in my doorway. From halfway across the country Brandon had brought me dinner on a day that I really needed someone else to take care of dinner. I called to tell him thank you and he asked if pizza was just as good as flowers. I think pizza was better. Flowers would have been a token. Pizza filled a need. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I love my husband. I can't wait to have him home again. Hopefully he'll be home within the week and we can start being a family again. I miss him so much. </div>amy hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06832174265303019675noreply@blogger.com6