Celebrate the Good Times!

Bret and I at Sea World October '05

It is hard for me to believe that it was two years ago already that Bret and I went to California with his family just before we got married. This trip was not something that his family wanted me to go on, because I wasn't a part of the family yet. I remember being so hurt by them not wanting me to go, and now 2 years later, I look back and think how lucky I was to be able (made them take me) to share that experience with them.
It is amazing what two years time does to people. Robyn and I are actually friends again, I enjoy spending time with her and I can always count on her to make me laugh. I am glad that she is able to stay home with Ethan so that on the days we cant handle being in our houses for any longer, we have each other to count on. And i am glad that Robyn had a baby so McKinley will have someone her age in the family to play with.
Bret's mom and I, as many of you know, have not always seen eye to eye. But in the same like, I don't always see eye to eye with my own mom. Two years after the fact I think she is finally coming to terms with the fact that despite her valiant efforts to keep me away from Bret and vis versa, I am a member of her family. (she's not quite ready yet to call me her daughter, but we are getting there) I know that she cares for us and she loves Bret more than anything in this world. She wants to make sure that he is taken care of. Only a mother can understand the love between a mother and her child. And although it isn't always done the way she likes or wants it to be, she sees that he is happy and so am I. Honestly, I can say that I love her.
In one month from today Bret and I will have been married for 2 years! Even though we will have no money to do anything to celebrate, I am more excited to be able to say that I am the happiest, luckiest girl in the world. I am excited to be able to say that I am cheerfully married and I still love my husband just as much, if not more than I did when we were married. And that to me is one heck of a celebration!

Weaping Wednesday

Its raining! I love the rain, but I don't like cold rain. I'd rather have snow.

As a morning ritual when Bret leaves for work or school, McKinley gets to come lay in bed with me. I love the time that we spend together just laying there. Sometimes we sleep, other times we play pee-a-boo and other times we sing. This morning she was very happy just to be in mom and dad's bed. She laid there and talked to the shelf that hangs above our bed and laughed, I dont know what she was laughing at, but it made me smile. Then because she hadnt had her usual morning kiss from mom, she made her way over to me... climbed up my face, took out her binkie and leaned in, slobber face and all, then kissed my check. (not a real kiss, but her version of what a kiss is) It made my day! It made me realize the bond that I have with her. The feeling of connection and the unconditional love I have for her.
In the beginning when I was trying to breastfeed, I wanted so badly the 'bond' that mothers say that they had with their children because they breastfed. After 6 weeks of trying and honestly trying, I quit. Some might say I didn't try because if I had really tried, I would have had my milk supply increase, others might just say I gave up, some might call it stress, but doesn't every new mom experience stress? Your whole world changes and every new mom goes through stress. And some might say that I will never be able to bond with McKinley the same way because I didn't breastfeed. To all of those people who think that way, they have no idea what it is like to have a starving baby. And until you go through that and know exactly what it feels like to not be able to supply your baby with the one thing that mothers are 'supposed' to already have, judgment is not yours to place.
No one can tell me that I have not bonded with Mckinley because I did not breastfeed her. I play with her, I stay home with her, I change her, I bathe her, I take care of her when she cries, I feed her and hold her when she eats. I give her everything in the world that she could ever possibly need. She is healthy, still little for her age, but that is normal because of the rough start she had. I love my child more than anything. And the bond that I have with her has nothing to do with breastfeeding. There are other things that make a good mom and that help mothers bond with their children other than breastfeeding alone. Being a positive influence, ALWAYS uplifting them, being a safe haven to all of the bad things that happen, opening your arms to your children on a daily basis and telling them that you love them, opening your home to them and their friends so that they feel welcome and loved, being there when they need a shoulder to cry on or to give them a kiss on the knee when fall, and picking them back up and telling them to try again, because there is nothing in this world that they are unable to accomplish. That is what creates a bond with your children, an everlasting bond.
I was lucky enough to have a mother who has all of these qualities. Was I breastfed, yes, but does that have anything to do with the love and connection I have with my mom, no.

Cowboys vs. Patriots

NFL's Favorite QB, my LEAST favorite!

Sundays in the fall in the Kettenring house pretty much are church, then football. Brets first word was 'ball' then 'football' (courtesy of Grandpa Freddy) So you could only guess that football is a very important part of our lives. Bret pretty much eats, drinks, sleeps football until the Super Bowl and even then you still have the Pro Bowl. I have always liked football, but because the NFL was never really watched in my home growing up everything that I know right now about it is because of Bret.
Since we have been dating I have been taught the ins and outs, the likes and dislikes, the good the bad and the ugly of football. And right now the Ugly, in my eyes, is Tom Brady and the Patriots. Not because he is a bad QB, because he is an excellent ball player. But in every sports announcers opinion, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots are the best thing to ever happen to the NFL thus far.
They have forgotten about other classic players like Bret Farve, Steve Young, Joe Montana, Dan Marino, and I could go on and on. These guys are people who actually played football WITHOUT cheating.
Anyway, today I was very excited to watch the game between the Cowboys vs. Patriots. (both undefeated) I think that Tony Romo is probably the one of the best match ups to Tom Brady right now (the other being Peyton Manning).
I was happy to see that the Cowboys held their own for almost the whole game. I just wish they could have done it all the way through so the Tom Brady and Belichick would loose and loose big. It didnt happen though. The part that made me so upset about it, is that the announcers went on and on about how poorly the Cowboys played. ERG!!!!
I now think that the only team that might actually have a chance of beating them is the Colts. So everyone mark your calendars for November 4th! Its going to be a defeat like NO OTHER!

Short Saturday

Well, I dont have much time to write, but I do want to at least write something. This weekend I cannot believe has just flown by! Yesterday McKinley went to show and tell for Anna. My mom offered to take her for the rest of the day so the Bret and I could go out. So I took her up on the offer and came home in the afternoon and finally cleaned, not picked up, my house for the first time since I have had McKinley. It really did take me almost all afternoon and I was just finishing getting ready when Bret got home from work.
Bret and I went to Chili's for dinner and then went to see 'The Game Plan'. It was nice to be able to spend some one on one time with Bret. Since he has started school the time that we have together is so limited and I was very grateful to be able to spend some time with him.
If you have not yet seen 'The Game Plan' I would recommend it. I think that in about 5 or 6 years I will have a better understanding for the movie. But for the time being, it kept my attention.
Today all Bret has studied he has a big anatomy test on Monday (he has to know ALL the bones and muscles for ONE test) and I have prepared my lesson that I am teaching in RS tomorrow. The lesson I am teaching is on Strengthening Families. It is a good lesson for me to be teaching right now because I am just starting my family. And I hope that I will be able to do everything that I need to so that I will have a family that is strong in the gospel. I know that because of the gospel, we as families can be together forever. I also know that this does not come easily and that the Lord requires us to work in order to get such a great blessing. Although as my mother in law says 'some days it is a blessing and other days it is a curse'. SO TRUE! But really what a wonderful blessing!

T G(oodness) I F

Ok to start... What is going on? Another recall for something with lead!?!?! Seriously, the US needs to stop buying from China (wont ever happen I know, but just a thought) but SERIOUSLY!!!
Yesterday was such a great day. It was really nice to get out of the house and just do whatever I wanted. Robyn and I went to the mall she needed shoes and I just needed to get out. We then went to Jayson football game. And for those of you who already know how much I love going to his games, you will get to hear about it again. They played West Jordan, and at first I was a little worried... they didnt seem to have it all together. But after they ran it back for a TD in the 2nd quarter, the energy just traveled through for the rest of the game and they won 22-16!! I honestly don't know what I am going to do when his season is over.
Larry and DeAnn (Bret's Uncle and Aunt from AZ) came to watch Jayson play with their kids. For having only met their girls, Maria and Anastasia, once last year right after them adopting them, they really have picked up on the language and are very friendly. Last year about this time, they did not know one word of English and now, they talk and talk and talk. Maria, 11, was telling me stories about her friends in school and about the twins she likes to play with. When she talks, she sounds like a true valley girl. She says 'like' and 'totally' and she moves her hips and hands. It is the CUTEST thing. Anastasia, 8, was telling me when her birthday was. "March 24" she said and I then told her mine was the 21st of March. I thought that she would think that was pretty neat, but her reaction was not what I thought. DeAnn told me she has not quite figured out emotions and that she thinks that is the reaction I wanted. I still thought it was cute and kinda funny. They also loved to play with McKinley and McKinley loved them back. They really are very cute girls. And I was very glad that they came to hang out with us. I told the girls that they could come and stay at our house anytime they wanted. I hope that Larry and DeAnn take me up on that offer.

XBOX for Young Mens

Bret and McKinley watching the boys play xbox

Last night Bret got a phone call from one of his counselors in Young Mens (Bret is Young Mens President) asking him what they had planned on doing for YM's that night since the church building was being used for a wedding reception. Matt, the counselor, suggested just to cancel young mens and just do the planned activity for the following week. Bret of course did not like that idea, and called his other counselor to see if he had any suggestions. You guessed it, he suggested x-box. So, before I knew it we had 8 boys, 3 counselors, doughnuts, soda pop and lots of candy in our house that once was peace. Because we only have one main room, I really didnt have any where to take McKinley, so we stayed and watch the boys play Halo.

some of the boys playing

Before you knew it McKinley was in on all the action that was going on. She army crawled her way to an open controller and thought that she was SO big because she was 'playing' too. It was very cute and I thought that I would share a few pictures.

McKinley playing xbox with the 'big kids'

McKinley again, with the xbox controller

Two hours later, the boys all went home and our house was back to its normal peace and quiet. Although, as soon as they saw it was time to leave the all grabbed handfuls of candy, stuffed a doughnut in their faces and snatched a soda to go, leaving a trail of wrappers and crumbs from the kitchen to the front door. I am not sure if any of the boys got spiritual upliftment (is that a word?) but I do know that they had fun.
It was nice to have some extra excitement at our house. McKinley loved having some other faces to look at other than mine and I was very happy to have her content just being on the floor.

Is it Friday YET?

I am sitting here in the office, trying to get McKinley to actually go to sleep so I can have time to get the house picked up. But for those of you with kids you know that somedays getting your kids to actually take nap is more work then having them awake. So I am sitting here trying to focus my attention to what I am going to write rather than McKinley crying in the background.

Yesterday I was grateful for my job and today I hate it. I love being able to work from home, but sometimes I really do not like being 'on-call' all day long. I don't like not being able to talk to my bosses at my need; being able to walk into their office, shut the door and be able to talk to them with their undivided attention. Now I call and then they call me, they don't see the expression on my face and I don't see the expression on theirs. If I dont understand something or I have questions I have to get everything and the kitchen sink all packed up to go in. But I am very glad that I am able to be home and be able to even take McKinley with me if I need to.

We still haven't heard from Spence, he must just really be busy this week. He is Zone Leader so who knows where he is and if he got called out to fix a companion problem, or if is is just so busy that he didn't even have time to think about home. Which is always better then thinking too much about home. He only has 3 months left, so I guess its better that he is working and not sitting on his bags!