Long weekend!

Where to start... Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. I can remember when I was younger it was guaranteed that my grandpa and grandma Reading would fly in to Utah and spend Thanksgiving weekend with my family. I loved my grandpa and grandma coming into town and always enjoyed the time spent with them. Since both of them are gone now, Thanksgiving always has a bitter sweetness. I still feel the same excitement yet, its not quite the same anymore.

This year was my families year to eat with and because everyone on that side of the family is planning on coming into town for Spencer's homecoming, they all did something else this year. Which just left my mom, dad and Anna at home. My mom told me that Bret and I should just eat with Brets family and they would go to Golden Corral. Of course when my mother-in-law heard this, she invited them to eat dinner with the Duehlmeier side of the family. My parents accepted and I was lucky enough to get to eat with both sets of parents. Coming from a small family who is spread out from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean, I always am a little overwhelmed when Brets (Duehlmeier side) of the family gets together. I think the last time I counted there are 63 Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Cousins Spouses and their children on the 'D' side. Even though not all of them were there for dinner this year, it sure made for a good dinner with lots of family. I always said I wanted to marry into a big family and I did get a BIG family. When we get together it is a little too much like 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding'.

McKinley and I after finding our Christmas Tree

On Friday, I usually spend that day (or morning) shopping with my mom. We always have started out at Smiths Marketplace for their half off socks sale. This year though, I passed on getting up early. Well kinda... This year we all (Brets family) had the day after off so we could go cut down our Christmas tree. I don't want to go into much detail but its a tradition that Brets mom has now done for 30 Years! We go up to Heber and get our tree permits at the beginning of November and then we plan a day as a family to go cut them down. This year was quite an adventure. My father-in-law took a different route and we followed him up this hill (thank goodness there was no snow) All the way up I was wondering if he was planning on all of us taking home a quaker, because there were NO pine trees. As we got to the top there were very few trees to choose from and the wind was SO bitter cold. But we all got dressed and went out. I think this was the year that we all got our best trees yet.

Our Tree and us (see hardly and other trees in the background)


Our tree decorated

Saturday as most of you know was The "Holy War" UofU vs BYU. And as I am sure many of you know, our blood in this family is Blue. We watched the game on the inlaws big screen (I only wish it was in HD) It wasn't the most exciting game until the last two minutes. When I saw Max Hall let go of the ball of 4th and 18, I think that my heart stopped beating. When the ball was caught we all were jumping up and down and screaming! The final score 17-10 BYU! GO COUGARS!!!

9 month check up!

Jayson and McKinley at the temple on Saturday


Happy 9 months old today McKinley!!!!

Height: 27" - 28%
Weight: 15lbs 15oz - 2%
Head: 45cm - 75%

Random Things

I thought that if I put my journal on the computer it would be easier to write.... then life happens.
There are a few random things that I wanted to write about here and I even took pictures. I will post the pics as soon as I get a chance to download them to to computer.

Bret, McKinley and me at High School Musical

First random thing...

Bret and I were at home being lazy Monday night when some people from the ward stopped by and asked us if we would like 'High School Musical' tickets. Bret who is not really a fan of HSM wasn't too thrilled other than the fact it was at East High. (his old school, didn't graduate from there, but he did go there) So with only an hour to get there and seated, we packed up and left. Surprisingly McKinley did really well through the whole thing until the very end, she was SO tired that she just kept moving all over and wouldn't sit still. As for the musical, it was pretty good. I didn't really like the guy that played Troy. He didn't sing the right note once through the whole musical, but because the band/orchestra was so loud, he couldn't hear himself singing. I am giving him the benefit of the doubt. I don't really think that the drama and music teachers would have picked someone who didn't sing well to play the main character, for this once in a lifetime opportunity. Anyway it was good and we had fun.

McKinley sitting in the chair at East Highs Auditorium

McKinley crawling officially!

2nd random thing...
McKinley is now officially crawling. Its funny to watch her because she does half 'fish' (pull herself with her hands and kicks with her feet with her stomach still on the ground) and half on her hands and knees. Since she has found her knees she has found a new sense of courage and is pulling herself up on everything. She even tried to pull herself out of the tub. Not good. The other day I left to answer the phone and to write down a few numbers and she had found her way over to her box of baby wipes, opened it and started pulling wipes out one at a time... I took a picture of the mess I came back to. I will post it later.

The glorious mess McKinley left with baby wipes


McKinley and Bret Ice skating

3rd random thing...

The young men and young women in are ward went ice skating for their activity this week. This was Bret's turn to plan, so I needing a change of scenery, went along. Bret took McKinley around and it was fun to see her reaction to the ice. After Bret took her on the ice, I had to keep removing her from it. I was very afraid someone would come around the corner and not see her and sever a finger or something. Anyway, there are some boys that are not members who's parents allow them to come as long as there isn't anything extremely churchy. One of the boys is a 'know it all' and thinks he is an expert at everything including ice skating. After seeing him skate around just once I knew that he was going to hurt himself. And sure enough, he did. He face planted it! When he turned around to smile I could see that he was missing a tooth and bleeding from his chin. So, one chipped tooth and a chin that needed stitches later, we left. Bret was just SICK! On the way home he made the comment 'it couldn't happen to a member, and then people wonder why nonmembers dont come to church' A fun activity ended sour. :(
Jordan with his half missing tooth and cut chin (click on it to see it really well)

4th Random thing...
This weekend is our anniversary. I will write about that after the weekend of craziness is over. And what better way to spend it then by going to a wedding? Mike (cousin from the Kettenring side) and ReBecca are getting married tomorrow in the Bountiful Temple. They are going through today to get their endowments taken out and for the first time since I was pregnant with McKinley I am going to the Temple. I hate that I haven't gone in so long and I am really looking forward to going today. So I am already preparing myself for the load of other random things that will happen to me while trying to get ready. Its funny how you have something planned like this and how everything that could go wrong does. Hopefully this morning will run smoothly.

When I get a minute or two today, I will post the pictures that I wanted to. But that might be later rather than sooner.

Tag you're it!

I was Tagged by Christy, she said that this is fun so I am giving it a shot.

The rules of the game should be posted at the beginning of the post. Each player lists 6 facts/habits about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

1. I love being a mom. No one can ever prepare you for what is to come when you have a child. Your whole life changes. Although it was the hardest thing I have ever done, it is for sure the most rewarding. There are times that McKinley smiles just at the right moment, I think that she knows if she doesn't drop a big one, then her mom would sell her on the black market. (just kidding, but all mom's understand that feeling) Not only do I love being a mom, I loved being pregnant. There is just something about being able to feel another being inside of you. Its such a miraculous feeling that is indescribable, yet so beautiful.

McKinley and Mom a few months ago

2. I am obsessed with EFY. Since I was 12 I had always been a participant down and BYU in the week long camp. I love the music, I love the people there, and most of all I loved all of my counselors. I always knew that I wanted to be one. 2 years after high school I applied to be a counselor, I was the only one of my friends that applied that got the job. I have to say that was by far my favorite summer. I spent 7 weeks playing around like I was a teenager again, and basking in the spirit too. I miss it and still wish that I could do it every year. I love everything about it, the kids, the music, the dances, the games, the classes, the spirit, the fun... should I keep going?!?!? Even though I can't do it anymore, I still go out and buy that years CD and listen to it all the time in my car. It brings back all of those years memories and such a great feeling!

3. I LOVE football. My mother-in-law often asks me how I came to be such a big football fan since growing up in my parents house we weren't allowed to watch sports on Sundays. I think it might have had something to do with the fact I wasn't allowed to, so when I moved out, I watched it because I could. In high school I always enjoyed attending the weekly games and the social aspect of football. When Bret and I went on our first date, there was an arena football game going on and I asked if he minded if we watched the game. He knew from there on out that I was going to be the girl with his heart. Football is always on in our home. Monday night, Thursday night, Friday night, all day Saturday and Sunday when we get home from church. When this fall came around I woke up one morning and said to Bret "can you smell it?... its football season!" oh and I am a HUGE Y fan!! GO COUGARS!!!

Bret and me at a Y game last year for our anniversary

4. I love watching the Disney Channel. Growing up my parents were very strict with what we watched on TV. They had a HUGE list of things that we weren't allowed to watch. So since I was young I always had a pretty good discernment for what was good on TV. I am the same with movies too. I love all the silly, cheesy, predictable movies and have no sex, violence, swearing etc. So if you were to visit my house and turn the TV on, you would most likely find that it was on the Disney Channel. Hannah Montana, Thats so Raven, and Phil of the Future are among my favorites.

5. I like Christy, love to sing. I am quite proud of my choir nerd reputation I had in high school too. I love singing and always have. In high school I was aways busy with choir things. My solo my senior year even went to State. After high school, I haven't been in a choir other than ward choir. But I have had the opportunity of singing many solo's for funeral's, church, firesides and other events. My biggest audience so far has been 1600! I am even trying out for Kurt Bestors 'best singer search' Its this week so keep your fingers crossed for me!

Winter last year at our house. I was 7 months preggers

6. I love the snow and hate the heat! Everyone gets very excited about the summer. I, on the other hand, dread it. I am not the happiest person when I am hot, so as you can only imagine, summer is not my favorite. I do love the winter though. I love being cold and snuggling up to Bret to get warm. I love to watch the snow fall outside my big front window. I love the lights and the music, the laughter and the hot coco. I love the sound of the water splashing underneath the cars that drive by. I love to see my breath when I walk outside. I love shoveling snow and how cold my toes get after doing it. I love hiking the mountain to cut down our Christmas tree. I love getting out my blanket, sitting on the couch and reading a good book, with nothing but the sound of my cat playing with the ornaments on the tree, the lights from the tree reflect off the window. And I love the warmth of the winter season, it always makes me smile!

The 'cold' blues

Man, I really don not like the cold season! It has been quite a while since I have had a case of the really bad cold. But this week, I got it. Not only did I get, I passed the slimy germ onto McKinley. She is such a trooper... even though she wakes up every hour in the night. I could tell that she wasn't really feeling very well when she didn't like to lay flat on her back because she couldnt breathe. But I had no idea that it would ever get this bad. The last two nights, she has slept in our bedroom, and she has had diarrhea for the last 14 hours. Last night in a panic I called my mom (moms have the answers for everything right?) she said that it might be because she is getting teeth. So I stuck my finger in her mouth and felt around, I couldn't feel anything so I called my neighbor to see if she could feel something (she has 3 kids) So she came over and felt around in McKinley's mouth... nothing. So she then called her friend who is a pharmacist to see if there was anything we could give her. The recent recall of Children's cold medicine has really put a damper in helping McKinley at least be comfortable. Luckily Jill (my neighbor) had over the counter children's sudafed, and Melanie told her the right amount that McKinley can have. Along with that I ran to the store to pick up some pedialite to help with McKinley's diarrhea. After all of this McKinley finally calmed down enough to go to sleep. Ehw! Its amazing how I totally forget that I am just as sick as she is until she is sleeping. I am Exhausted. I then give myself some cold medicine and quickly fall asleep. Two hours later McKinley wakes up and is screaming... and that is about the way it went until around 6 when Bret couldn't handle it any longer and got up changed her diaper (which was messy) and tried to hold her so she would go back to sleep. I then get up because his valiant efforts aren't working so well and decide to call the on-call doc. He tells me that I need to only give her pedialite and if she seems hungry to give her banana's or rice cereal. No Formula. After about an two hours of trying to get McKinley to drink more , she is refusing. Luckily the Dr's office was open so I called her doc and she told me the complete opposite of what the on-call doc told me. I felt horrible! Banana's, Vanilla yougart, Applesauce, Rice, toast and Formula for the next 48 hours. No baby wipes, warm wash clothes, bag balm not diaper rash cream and if her dirty diapers dont start to decrease in to see the dr. tomorrow. I begged Bret to stay home with me today. Not so much for McKinley but for me. I am still sick too... I want to sleep, I want to curl up in a ball and not do anything all day, I want someone to take care of me. Reality has set in, I am a mom now, there is no time for me to be sick. I fed McKinley some fresh banana's and gave her some formula, she finally has smiled for the first time since yesterday afternoon. Maybe she will nap, so I can too.

Does McKinley really look like mom, NO!

So everyone that I know always talks about how much McKinley looks like her dad. Rarely do I get anyone to ever tell me she looks like me. Although I really don't care if she looks like her dad, I mean I married him I must think he is attractive, I do wish sometimes people would say she looks like me and actually mean it.
I was playing around on the internet this morning and I found this... and it says that McKinley looks more like me. YEPEE!!!
anyway I am up for hearing what you guys all think. And yes I do know that she looks WAY more like her dad!

Halloween Boo!

The whole family visiting G-pa Ket, after trunk-or-treating

I know that just about everyone blogging is going to be putting up pictures of their kids that they think are the cutest. But this year I think McKinley won the cutest baby in a Halloween costume award! Not only did she love the outfit but all of the attention that it brought with it! Here are just a few pictures.

McDuck (as my dad calls her)

McKinley and mom just before leaving to go trunk-or-treating

The night before Bret and I wanted to carve pumpkins, his aunt and uncle grow a very big garden every year, along with extremely big pumpkins. This year we decided to get one of their pumpkins and carve it. Here is the end result... I will post the picture with McKinley inside the pumpkin so you can have a better understanding of how big this pumpkin really was!

Our amazing masterpiece of a pumpkin (it broke on the way out the door ;( )



McKinley inside the pumpkin just before carving it