Happy Birthday Kleven!

I cannot believe my baby is THREE! Where does the time go! We (Kleven) have been anticipating this birthday for at least six months. I sure hope it's worth the wait and all he dreamed of because I'm exhausted! This is how our morning went... we waited and waited for him to wake up!

I finally gave in and let Ezra attack him and we sang him "Happy Birthday" in bed.Then we got to open presents! We made him wait outside of our room just long enough so I could get his reaction on camera.

He was so excited for his breakfast! Krispy Kreme's with chocolate frosting and sprinkles! He blew out the candle and opened his gifts. I didn't get a picture of his "Hungry Hippos" game but I got one of his new "extreme sports" helmet. Now he's allowed to ride his skateboard the 'real' way on the driveway!

Kleven, you are such a special boy! You made us parents for the first time in our lives! We cannot remember what life was like before you came along. You came into this world after a very long nine months. You made your mom work harder than ever before, but you were totally worth it. You are so smart! You have never ceased to amaze us with the things you are capable of doing and you have a great memory. Even when you were a tiny little thing! We can't hide anything from you or even lie to get out of an awkward situation. You're too smart! You correct us and quiz us constantly. You are a wonderful big brother. You are always trying really hard to share your things with Ezra, and you watch over him and protect him from harm. I love how you absorb everything around you with such intensity. You can recall with amazing detail, the events of months prior and even things we didn't think you were paying attention to. You love to learn. You also love to have fun. You are infatuated with animals. You can recognize and name just about anything in the animal encyclopedia and even know their noises and specific traits. You are so silly! You make us laugh all day, every day, whether it's just you being goofy for a laugh or because you are so clever! You take great pride in being my "helper guy". I can get you to do just about anything as long as I ask nicely and you take great pride in doing it. You have many friends. You tend to befriend just about anyone who comes along no matter what their age. I have been a little nervous for you to turn three. One reason is that you will start preschool in a few short months, and the other reason is that you think you are now old enough to go on a mission like Uncle Bryan! I'm not sure how I'm going to explain that one to you...

Kleven we love you SO much! Thank you for being our first-born! But please don't grow up too fast- be our 'little-big-guy' forever!

Happy Father's Day!

Thanks for letting us "help" you work.

And for showing us some fun.

And for our handsome-ness.

For teaching us important things like how to keep our hands flat when feeding a horse!

Once again, for our cute faces!




For being SO excited when we come into the world!

Thanks for being our protector.

For sharing your talents.

For shoulders to ride on.





And for being a great example to us!
Happy Father's Day to the men that touch our lives on a daily basis. Not only are they the reason we exist, but the reason we are where we are in life today!

Oh My Kidneys!

I am feeling fortunate to be able to sit here at the computer tonight. I thought I'd share what I have been through in the last few days... something I would never wish on anyone! I am curious to know how many of you have ever felt the pain of a kidney infection. Anyone? If not, I'll tell you how it is. If so, let me know if I'm accurate with my description.
I woke up on Thursday morning after a night of tossing and turning, nightmares, feeling as though my hips were swollen to at least three times as wide as normal, a sore throat and my head throbbing to the point where I thought I was going to vomit anytime I bent over. Basically I got no sleep. Chris told me I probably had the flu. I don't know anyone who has had the flu lately and for sure my kids would get it first, right? I wasn't sold on the idea. Luckily, my brothers came over to spend the day helping Chris in the office and were able to keep an eye on the boys. I took a painkiller and an anti-inflammatory but never got comfortable enough to get any sleep. I would literally move every three seconds to a new position on the bed. I know you can get body aches with the flu, but nothing at all like what I was feeling. If you've ever experienced serious back labor without drugs, multiply that until you don't think you're going to survive and that's what I felt like. Chris eventually left for school and my brothers left for home. I was all alone with the boys and still feeling like crap. I did what any mom would do, I made dinner, got us all dressed, and headed down to the church for Enrichment (part of the women's program) There would be child care provided and the topic for the night was on Emotional, Physical and Spiritual Health. I decided I would be fine as long as I didn't breath on anyone. Well, we made it to the church... it's half a mile from the house... and what do you know, there were two little boys there who made it QUITE obvious they did not want to be there, so I strapped them back into the car and took them to my dear friends and next-door neighbors house. Kleven fell asleep as the front tires hit the driveway. Ezra seemed happy to get to go play with Brad and Jess. I was happy to be able to turn around and still make it on time for the classes.
By the time i got home, and the boys into their pajamas, my neck was quite stiff and the pain in my hips, which had numbed some earlier, was back in full force. When Chris got home from school later that night I told him I was going to see the Dr. in the morning if I still didn't feel well. Sure enough, another night of no sleep, only made worse by the fact that I clearly had a fever and was in too much pain to even think about trying to get out of bed to find some relief.
Friday morning, into the Dr's office I go, walking like an 80 year old woman fresh out of hip surgery. I get called back and the nurse doing my vitals is looking at me curiously while monitoring the blood pressure gauge. I got into the room and the nurse there tells me to undress from the waist up. I was a little confused because I had only written on the sign-in that I had severe hip pain and a sore throat. Undressing from the waist up wasn't the right area. When she asked if I had a fun weekend planned, I told her I had a wedding to go to that night. So they performed an EKG and a urine test and a throat culture, checking my blood pressure between each test, the doctor comes in and tells me I gave them all a big scare and that I am VERY sick. I'm pretty sure the tears started about then. He asked me to describe my symptoms leading up to Thursday: "none, I just woke up like this! I feel like crap! I have never felt so sick in my entire LIFE!" (not even when I was SO sick-pregnant with Kleven~seriously) He asked me a bunch of questions and then told me I have a SEVERE kidney infection and Strep throat. Basically, had I waited any longer I would be typing this from a hospital bed. More tears... and then he tells me I need a shot. (Bigger tears!) I was able to text Chris the good news and then the poor little nurse walks in and says I need to stand up and pull my pants down just a little. Oh yeah! I got the "peanut butter shot" in my right butt-cheek. Only she really could have been nicer and aimed for softer tissue, even just an inch lower would have been great. That shot hurt so bad that I screamed and started kicking my leg and pounding my fists on the exam table. The worst thing is that it takes FOREVER to inject! She just kept telling me how sorry she was and that I should be able to make it to the weddding and I kept yelling at her. Then it was over and I crawled back up onto the table and cried because my whole leg hurt now. I had to wait 15 minutes before they would let me go, but not before they checked my blood pressure one last time.
Well, I made it home, filling my prescriptions on the way, and within an hour or so I could sense the pain was subsiding. I even managed to go out back and try to help my brother lay sod. I mostly sprayed everything down with the hose and sat on the scorching hot sidewalk- the heat felt really good on my right cheek. I even managed to make it to the wedding, and then out to eat with my parents and all the boys. I couldn't turn my head or sit comfortably and I only ate four bites of my dinner. Anytime I bent over, even slightly, my head would start throbbing. My mom and I dropped Chris off at the theater for his "man-date" and then I followed her around while she shopped on the way home. I was really dreading having to go home by myself with the kiddos. I felt helpless. Chris came home late that night and he and our friend Chad gave me a Priesthood blessing. I was finally able to take some "good" stuff and crash for the night.
I have been feeling increasingly better ever since. Only now I can feel the kind of "symptoms" I should have felt in the beginning that would have prevented the whole ordeal.
So tell me, was that a pretty good story or what? Don't you wish you lived such an exciting life?

Sorry to keep you waiting!

I know you've been cursing me every time you check in and don't see anything new. Get comfy, it's gonna be a long ride.

We'll start back in May...

Ahh yes, Mother's Day! I love being a mom! I got breakfast in bed and a new cell phone. Chris picked me out a really cute red Blackberry Pearl. I have been trying really hard to learn all the fun features and what-not, but most days it just makes me feel really dumb.

My baby brother, Carson, had his 8th grade promotion. I think mom and dad are thrilled to be done with middle school stuff. Right after I snapped this photo, they whisked him away to the Dr's office to deal with another broken foot. (he broke the first one on his birthday in March while door-bell-ditching with friends) It was the exact same break as before, just the other foot, and this time he was playing basketball. We've decided he needs to start taking calcium and be brave when it comes to choosing foods other than mashed potatoes. :) Lucky for us they let him do the "boot" instead of the cast this time around. It's a LOT less stinky!

We also made the trek to the zoo in May. It was an overcast and drizzly Saturday and we figured the zoo would be pretty empty. Boy were we wrong! It was super crowded, but it turned out to be a gorgeous day and we had fun after all! I love having a membership because there's no pressure to see everything all in one day. We have our favorites and it's nice to be able to stroll along leisurely. They've made improvements on the elephant enclosure so you can get much closer than before...you know, in the back where they are always hanging out when you're looking all over for them. And, Yes, Kleven is wearing a sweatshirt in the middle of May.





Chris' birthday is/was on June 7th. He is now officially a whopping 30 years old! He thinks it's the end of the world. I try to comfort him and tell him that I'm proud to be married to an "older" man! (Seriously, since when is thirty old?) We have been planning his 3oth birthday bash for about six years... I'm not kidding. When we were dating, he was actively participating in a rock band and he had an obvious favorite artist by the name of Chris Trapper. Mr. Trapper is/was the lead singer of a band called The Push Stars. He told me then that he wanted The Push Stars to perform at his birthday party- think My Super Sweet 16! I kind of laughed it off, but to be totally honest, after each year went by, I was getting more and more nervous as to how serious he really was and what I needed to do to prepare for the major letdown. Well, The Push Stars are no longer together, nor is my husband's band, but Chris Trapper has been performing on his own and been busy recording album after album. We've been fortunate enough to attend his shows over the years and get to know him on a more personal level. If he's performing close enough to drive, or do a one day, there and back, were there. So imagine my surprise one night in February, we (Chris, me and Joey Schneider) are in San Diego, standing around after one of his performances just chatting and I lean over to him and ask him straight up if he'd make all Chris' wildest dreams come true and play at his party... Actually, I think I totally interrupted someone's conversation with him and just said, "Could you perform for my husband's birthday in June?" To which he replied, "That sounds cool, shoot an email to my manager and we'll work something out." Well, as it turned out, he did a private house party for us in May, because it worked out better that way for his travel dates. His one request was that Chris and Joey open for him. AND- they had an opener too! Her name is Brittany Elizabeth and she's from Chandler, AZ. Thanks to Joey and his wife Raynee, we hosted the whole shindig up in Cave Creek at Joey's uncle's amazing home in the hills. It was the best location any of us could have dreamed up! I'm thinking the rest of the details would take up an entire post, so stay tuned for the dramatic ending... let's just say we might be traveling a bit this fall.



Amidst the chaos I was able to finish a few projects. I have a good friend who lives nearby and does vinyl lettering. We've worked out some pretty sweet trades- jewelry for vinyl- and I have been so excited to get these put together! Thanks Jill! The first one I applied directly to the wall in the laundry room. It pretty much explains itself...

This one was a bit more labor intensive. I made her hubby cut the board and bevel the edges. I painted it black, (of course) sealed it with polyurethane and then paced the floor while it dried. I had a heck of a time getting the words onto the board, but I am so pleased with the end result. It measures 24x24" and it is currently on the plant shelf in the family room. My original plan was to hang it surrounded by b & w photos of our ancestors on a long, empty wall in the living room. I have found myself lacking in the photo department. (hint, hint: MOM, DAD, DON, BARBARA, LARRY, THELMA)

I knew this was going to be a long post, but seriously, if you're still reading this you must really love us. I'll speed it up:

• If you can guess how tall the tumble weeds are in the backyard I'll give you a prize!
• Ezra chipped a tooth this past week. That's what he gets when he throws a fit as I'm trying my hardest to get him undressed and into the tub as fast as HE thinks is neccessary.
• We had a barbeque here at our house on Chris' actual birthday. I am still trying to get my floors back to a relatively clean state.
• Chris is still limping around after attempting to clear the backyard of weeds on Saturday.
• We got him a mandolin for his birthday- I know, kind of an odd request, but it's totally awesome.
• We saw Kung Foo Panda on Friday. It was really funny, even for us adults, and Kleven won't stop talking about his favorite parts even though it scared him a little. "Ska-Doosh!"
• We're getting ready for Kleven's third birthday party. He requested a "Farm Party" so we ran with it. We're having a petting zoo and I can't wait!
• Does anyone know a reliable cleaning lady?
• How about a live-in nanny? J/K

Man, I am so tired!

Craft Group, Jewelry, Dinner and a Graduation

Here's another boring re-cap of the past week of our lives:



Wednesday night I was honored to take part in a fabulous craft group. Late night get-together, lots of yummy food, fun friends, great projects, Gorgeous Home... The whole experience made me realize two things: How important it is to have time for myself, away from my children, so I can recharge and enjoy quality time with my friends; and that I am SO GONNA REDECORATE my house. I walked into this friend's sister's home and my jaw dropped! I felt like I was walking through what I have always imagined my own home to look like! Thanks Ali!

Thursday night I taught a jewelry class here at my house. I had about 20 people from church come over and make bracelets and earrings. It was crazy busy! I know someone was taking pictures- I'll post them when I track them down. I had been stressed out for a couple weeks prior to this class because I had to submit an order for the supplies that was well over $500 and only half of the participants paid beforehand. I was seriously sweating, hoping everyone would show up! It was awesome though and I think everyone had a really good time.

Friday night, Chris' parents had invited us out to dinner in celebration of his graduation. We were told to meet them at their house at 7. Much to our surprise, they had set out a candlelit dinner for two out by the pool and served us our five course meal dressed as servers. It was such a memorable night! Thanks Don and Barbara!

Saturday morning, bright and early, I loaded the boys in the car and off we went on our merry way to Chris' graduation ceremony. Once I arrived and started to unload the car, I realized I had forgotten Ezra's clothes (he was in breakfast covered jammies), my mascara, and the snacks to keep the boys quiet. It was a nice, relaxed ceremony... for most... I spent maybe twenty minutes in my seat. The rest of the time was spent in the bathroom changing diapers, taking Kleven potty, pacing the halls, getting drinks of water... you get the idea. After bribing the boys with a $3 pack of Starbursts, we sat down just in time for Chris' name to be read, only to have Kleven yell at me really loud that he had "poops coming out!!!" I told him he had to hold it, I was not missing the photo opp! Chris crossed the stage, we darted out to the bathroom once again and then headed outside to meet him for photos. Which I'm sure turned out fabulously with my sweaty, no make-up, half asleep look, smeared in Starburst drool. Then it was out to lunch, and Chris took off for Prescott to rehearse the coming weekend's performance.