We've Been Tagged
One of my old friends, Kelly Errington, tagged us. From what we understand, the premise behind "tagging" is that we need to share 10 or so interesting, but mundane, facts about ourselves. Here goes...
1. Jason hates the penny and thinks that it should be disinvented.
2. Mariah has extremely high arches in her feet.
3. Jet's favorite activity is anything that his dad is doing with him, even if it's just putting on his shoes.
4. Kimber's favorite activity is snuggling. Mama's girl...
5. Mariah's first home was a La Quinta.
6. Jason loves to eat in bed.
7. We don't get television reception of any kind. We have TV's, but we use them to watch movies together as a family. It's one of the best decisions we have made, but our guests don't like it very much.
8. Jet loves to do puzzles, go to the Museum of Natural Science, go to the zoo, and ride his bike. We use the money we would be paying for cable TV for memberships to the zoo and museum.
9. Kimber is on an atkins diet. She will eat meat of any kind, she prefers steak, along with veggies - salad, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, peas...but she won't touch mashed potatoes or macaroni and cheese.
10. Mariah hates pizza. Jason, Jet, and Kimber all love pizza.
1. Jason hates the penny and thinks that it should be disinvented.
2. Mariah has extremely high arches in her feet.
3. Jet's favorite activity is anything that his dad is doing with him, even if it's just putting on his shoes.
4. Kimber's favorite activity is snuggling. Mama's girl...
5. Mariah's first home was a La Quinta.
6. Jason loves to eat in bed.
7. We don't get television reception of any kind. We have TV's, but we use them to watch movies together as a family. It's one of the best decisions we have made, but our guests don't like it very much.
8. Jet loves to do puzzles, go to the Museum of Natural Science, go to the zoo, and ride his bike. We use the money we would be paying for cable TV for memberships to the zoo and museum.
9. Kimber is on an atkins diet. She will eat meat of any kind, she prefers steak, along with veggies - salad, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, peas...but she won't touch mashed potatoes or macaroni and cheese.
10. Mariah hates pizza. Jason, Jet, and Kimber all love pizza.
Hurricane Ike, Jet's Birthday, Halloween, and More
After arriving in July, Hurricane Ike hit with a vengence, which made us relocate to Ft Worth for a week - good times! Here's a picture of Mariah & Kimber Elle wondering how that tree didn't hit the car. Thank goodness for Jason's brother Joe and his wife, Mona. They took us in for the week. While we were there, we celebrated our wedding anniversary ~ not what we had intended, but we all know sometimes God has other plans. During that time, we caught up with friends and family, and Jet & Kimber got to spend time with their cousins.
Jet's birthday was a hit...total suburb-style with a bounce house and party favors. Knowing that it would be the first birthday he'd probably remember, we made it count. June and Breezy came in town, and Granddaddy & Grandma Pyle were there, so it was the first birthday that Jet had 4 grandparents attend! Also, Mariah's two close friends, and former UH swim teammates were there with their children. Kids, sugar, enchiladas and margaritas for parents, hotdogs and Capri-sun for the kids...We thought we knew Halloween, but we had no idea. Kingwood makes it a night to remember ~ Jet had invites to the "fall festivals" that the churches put on in the area from his neighborhood friends, but we didn't even have time for that! Kimber was a bumble-bee and Jet was a pilot, both were their costumes from last year with modifications.
Complete with a pillow-case, we set out to trick-or-treat like we did when we were kids...white-trash style. Jet preferred the pillowcase to the Halloween pumpkin bags that other kids were carrying because he could put so much candy in it. Cops were out on bicycles, the neighborhood watch in golf carts, people sat on their front porches with a glass of wine and appetizers handing out candy, a band played....fun! We all got home happy and wired.
Check out the website wasatchmonk.com. Jet and Kimber are both featured on it, and our good friend, Jerry Reed, is the photographer. His portraits are amazing and artistic! I've never seen anyone photograph children as good as he does. For the past two years, Jet and Kimber's birthday in Utah were Jerry, his wife Abbie, and their beautiful, smart, and sensitive 6 children. You'd think we're kidding, but Breezy and June know better.
Rockin' The Suburbs
We've been enjoying suburban life. It's been 4 or 5 weeks since we moved into our new home in Kingwood. We've been keeping a low profile and plan to do much more of it, after all of the excitement we had during the first half of the year. Our weekends have been filled with to-do's, including shopping for things we've needed for the house, painting rooms, and slowly unpacking boxes...amazingly & wonderfully uneventful.Jet and Kimber have enjoyed the change in pace as well. Their weekends used to be filled with globe-trotting. Now, it seems as if they're finally enjoying just being kids.
Jet's taught himself how to ride a 2-wheel bike (we have no idea how, we just removed the training wheels and off he went) at the age of 3. He cries when it's time to go inside at night, and comes in hot and sweaty.Kimber is enjoying being able to be a little girl, as the street is full of little girls who want to play with her all of the time. They now have their own rooms, so Kimber doesn't have to share Jet's space anymore. Here's a picture of Jet doing his thing, and another of Kimber Elle and the neighborhood girls in a Barbie Car.
The Road Home
The road home was long.
Jason's surgery took place on June 17th. Two days before, June arrived in Salt Lake City and we had Kimber's belated birthday party at the gym, complete with swimming, waterslides, cake, and pizza. It was a blast.
Jason was in the hospital for five days, having the surgery on a Tuesday and being released the following Saturday. Thursday, June 19th (two days after Jason's surgery), Mariah had to fly to Houston for business. Mariah's mother, Laura, flew in on Saturday, June 21st to take over for the next week & June left on Sunday, June 22nd. The entire next week while Laura was here, Mariah packed up the house in SLC. We closed on our home, cleaned, had friend after friend assist us, and then Mariah's dad flew into SLC to help Mariah and the kids drive to Houston while Jason flew home (his doctor wouldn't release him to drive).
Two thousand miles, two kids, a cranky Uhaul (no power steering, cruise control, or a CD player), and a break-in in Albuquerque later, we arrived in Houston. Mariah's dad drove the Uhaul, and Jet opt'ed to go in the "big truck" the majority of the trip. We stopped in El Paso for a long-awaited and badly-needed break half-way through the trip and let the kids swim for a few days.
We're now living in a home at the end of a cul-de-sac street in Kingwood TX - a heavily wooded, beautiful suburb about 30 miles north of downtown Houston. Mariah's working for American Express in downtown and rides the bus in to town each day for the commute.
The list of people to thank for all of their help goes around the block, it's so long. We were blessed with so many friends and family members that helped us out during this huge transition in our lives. Here are some pictures from our El Paso stint on our road home.
Jason's surgery took place on June 17th. Two days before, June arrived in Salt Lake City and we had Kimber's belated birthday party at the gym, complete with swimming, waterslides, cake, and pizza. It was a blast.
Jason was in the hospital for five days, having the surgery on a Tuesday and being released the following Saturday. Thursday, June 19th (two days after Jason's surgery), Mariah had to fly to Houston for business. Mariah's mother, Laura, flew in on Saturday, June 21st to take over for the next week & June left on Sunday, June 22nd. The entire next week while Laura was here, Mariah packed up the house in SLC. We closed on our home, cleaned, had friend after friend assist us, and then Mariah's dad flew into SLC to help Mariah and the kids drive to Houston while Jason flew home (his doctor wouldn't release him to drive).
Two thousand miles, two kids, a cranky Uhaul (no power steering, cruise control, or a CD player), and a break-in in Albuquerque later, we arrived in Houston. Mariah's dad drove the Uhaul, and Jet opt'ed to go in the "big truck" the majority of the trip. We stopped in El Paso for a long-awaited and badly-needed break half-way through the trip and let the kids swim for a few days.
We're now living in a home at the end of a cul-de-sac street in Kingwood TX - a heavily wooded, beautiful suburb about 30 miles north of downtown Houston. Mariah's working for American Express in downtown and rides the bus in to town each day for the commute.
The list of people to thank for all of their help goes around the block, it's so long. We were blessed with so many friends and family members that helped us out during this huge transition in our lives. Here are some pictures from our El Paso stint on our road home.
Summer Time
Tuesday, June 17, Jason had his back fusion surgery. He's healing very well, but still in the hospital as of Friday (which was expected). He's got to be able to climb up a flight of stairs before they will allow him to come home. A neurosurgeon and a general surgeon both performed the surgery. They cut a 4 inch or so incision in his abdomen, pulled aside his abdominal muscles and organs, and performed the surgery from the anterior side as there is a higher success rate & the muscles connected to the back of the spine are left undisturbed. They were able to place two cages around the spine in the affected area and place in some sort of material that contains a bone-growth stimulating compound so that the bones will fuse together. His expected recovery time will be 4-6 months before he's completely recovered. What a trooper! I've attached some pictures below so that you can get a better idea.
June Pyle, Jason's mother, came into town and assisted us with Jet and Kimber. She had these beautiful pictures taken at Target to mark Kimber's one year birthday, and to also get a shot or two of them together. Laura, Mariah's mother, will be arriving is Salt Lake to assist us the week after June leaves back to DFW, and then Breezy, Mariah's father, will be coming to assist us during the first week of July.
Father's Day Weekend
Jet teaching Kimber how to ride a tricycle
Jet smiling for the camera
Kimber teaching Jet a lesson
Father's Day weekend 2008...do we have a lot going on, or what?? We managed to get away on Saturday to the park where Jet showed everyone how much he likes to teach Kimber how to ride her tricycle. Sunday, tomorrow, we're having a birthday party for Kimber. Next week, Jason will be having his back surgery on Tuesday, and we've got both June and Laura coming into town during the following weeks to help us with everything. As usual, our beautiful children are enjoying each other's company and having a great time. Luckily, we found a nice Glock for Jason for Father's Day from the three of us and had it shipped to Utah, and it arrived on Saturday the 14th. It will give him something to look forward to once he's healed.
Kimber Elle Turns One
Today was all about Kimber Elle.
She woke up with a fever yesterday morning, but didn't have anything particularly wrong, so we chalked it up to teething. It carried through the night into the early morning, and she was pretty tired all day and wanted to be held. So, we held her. Heck, it's not every day that you get a first birthday, and especially one where you're not feeling too hot.
In the morning, Jason wanted to take his little girl shopping, so he carted the kids over to Target and picked out all sorts of girlie stuff. Can you see it?? Jason's holding Kimber because she doesn't feel good, Jet's climbing over everything trying to get to the toy aisle, and Jason's tattoo'd self is picking out pink and purple summer clothes for his baby girl. It's no wonder why women see him and swoon.
At lunch, we went to McDonalds and let her eat a couple of french fries and an ice cream cone. After dinner, we pulled out some adorable cupcakes and let her dive into one. Jason taught Jet how to sing Happy Birthday, so his version to Kimber was, "Burrday to you....burrday to you...burrday Kimmer...burrday to you!!"
It's amazing how she's such a nurturer. She got a beautiful, sweet little spirit that is gentle and loving in nature. When you hold Kimber Elle, she just strokes your arm or shoulder back and forth to let you know that she loves you too, even if she can't say it just yet. She almost purrs.
When the day was over, Kimber just wanted a bath and to be held. So, we held her.
Bigger Every Day
Jet and Kimber just keep getting bigger every day. The weather here in Utah has finally began to get nice on a pretty consistent basis. Because we're in a state that spends a large majority of the time in the outdoors, the parks are unbelievable and full of children. We've been able to have Jet spend a lot of time on his scooter, while we push Kimber around on a stroller.
The Hill Country In The Spring
As everyone in Texas knows, the most amazing time in the hill country is the spring. The humid yet chilled winter turns to spring and the wildflowers burst into bright colors for a couple of weeks until the heat begins to get to them. The area known commonly as the Hill Country (New Braunfels, Fredericksburg, San Marcos, Boerne) bursts with blooms while the amazingly steady limestone and live oak trees keep a sense of consistency. It was so nice for us to leave our freezing temperatures for warmer climate, and get a snapshot of our favorite time of year back home.
We visited the area this past weekend. We took Jet and Kimber to all our favorite places - The Gristmill, Gruene Hall, and of course took a lot of pictures with the bluebonnets. Obviously, Jet and Kimber didn't enjoy it half as much as we did. You can't tell that they're related, huh...?
We visited the area this past weekend. We took Jet and Kimber to all our favorite places - The Gristmill, Gruene Hall, and of course took a lot of pictures with the bluebonnets. Obviously, Jet and Kimber didn't enjoy it half as much as we did. You can't tell that they're related, huh...?
Easter Sunday
Sunday was quiet. During the afternoon, we went to a nearby park for outdoor Easter pictures. As you can see, it was quite cold, and the mountains still have a considerable amount of snow.
The night before Easter, Saturday, we spent at a friend's house. Jet, Bryce, and Braxton (his two friends in the picture) got to go on a great Easter egg hunt. We finished it off with an incredible dinner of seafood gumbo - the roux took 5 hours to make, so you know it was the real thing - and lots of great company.
The night before Easter, Saturday, we spent at a friend's house. Jet, Bryce, and Braxton (his two friends in the picture) got to go on a great Easter egg hunt. We finished it off with an incredible dinner of seafood gumbo - the roux took 5 hours to make, so you know it was the real thing - and lots of great company.
There's Just Something About Home
What is it about being home? There's a familiarity to the way everything feels, sounds, looks, tastes, smells...We went to El Paso the weekend of March 1st, and Jet and Kimber got to color Easter eggs. We had an awesome cookout on the patio, took a hot tub with a view of the city, and spent some quality time together.
My Funny Valentine
What an amazing Valentine's Day!! Jason rented a helium tank and filled over 300 balloons in our home - red, white, and pink. All three of us loved it - we enjoyed them when they were on the ceiling, and again the following morning when they had all fallen to the floor.
Kimber trying to decide which balloon looks the tastiest
Little Flapper Kimber-Girl The week before Valentine's Day, we all traveled to El Paso for the weekend. We arrived late Friday night, and Tora & Mike had gone to buy all sorts of toys for Jet and Kimber....electric race cars, bowling sets, crawling toys - it was a child's paradise. Jet and Mike stayed up very late on Friday night playing with the electric race track. Breezy was also spending the night at Tora & Mike's so that he could spend as much time with the kids as possible. Of course, while Mike & Jet played electric race-cars, Malori, Mariah, and Breezy all split a bottle of an incredible Cabernet.
The next day, Saturday, everyone baby-sat Jet and Kimber while Jason and Mariah had date-night for an early Valentine's date. We started off the night at the Camino Real, went to the Great American Land & Cattle for an incredible steak & lobster dinner, and then finished listening to a local band while drinking after-dinner coffee at the Mesa Street Grill. It was amazing!
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