1st 4 Days in Utah

Bladen and I just got home from Utah and we had such a great time! We did so many fun things and were pooped out by the end of the trip!!

July 1 - Bladen and I wake up at 4 am to catch a 6 o'clock flight out of Champaign. Everything is going fine until our couple hour layover in Dallas; however, we got into Vegas just in time to meet my sister flying in from Philly! My parents were there to pick us 3 up and we were off to Cedar City!

Pretty rainbow pulling into Cedar... much better scenery than the cornfields of Illinois

July 2/3 - We head up to Cedar Mountain for a Bulloch BBQ on Thursday and then spent the night. It's been so long since we've gotten all the Bulloch's together so me and my mom decided to send out invitiations for a BBQ for all of those who could come. All but 5 of the family members made it and that includes Nate and Ty who stayed in Champaign/Philly to work. Everyone brought up Hobo Dinners and stuff for S'mores. It was so fun to get all the little cousins together and they all got along pretty good, except for Bladen's tantrum, considering they never really see each other. Bladen's tantrum was over his 4-wheeler... you can DEFINATELY tell the poor kid is an only child! This is the first time he's been able to jump in his wheeler and ride it like a big boy (steer, gas, reverse and pay attention to where he's going all at the same time) and he was pretty proud of himself. So when the cousins got there and Jordan went to get in and have Bladen take her for a ride, B freaked and was being selfish and threw a fit for 40 minutes in front of the whole family! I wanted to kick his butt! After dinner he finally decided his cousins weren't going to steal his wheeler and he took Jordan for a ride and when she got in she said, "Don't cry when I get in; I am your friend" and Bladen's response was "I only love Papa". Let me tell you this was Bladen's favorite phrase of the our trip. He told EVERYONE that he only loved Papa, even both of Nate's parents, which made me so embarassed, but like Nate said, 2 year olds give their opinion whether you want them to or not and you can't change it either.

Auntie and Bladen with our sign on the side of the highway

Nana and Bladen gathering wood to make enough coals for 50 hobo dinners and lots of S'mores

Sitting around the fire waiting for coals to make S'mores (Nick's trailer in the back ground and my parents "bus" below were my home for most of our trip).

Lindsey, Marley, Bladen, Rylee, Zoe and Me getting ready for a 4-wheeler ride!

The 2 babies
Papa and Bladen "relaxing" for about 30 seconds. Bladen has ants in his pants constiently so trying to get him to rest is a chore!


Cedar Mountain

July 4 - We decided to spend the holiday in Cedar so we could take Bladen to the parade, the park and the fireworks and have a Dutch Oven Dinner with my mom's family.

Brandi, Bladen and I at the parade

Bladen has been asking me for weeks to go to Pri's house and ride horses, so Ben, KC and Kapri took B to their farm before the Larsen BBQ to see all the animals. B is a COWBOY!

Notice B's legs wrapped around Ben... he didn't want dirt in his shoes... pretty boy!

Riding Papa's rocking horse from when he was a baby - 52 yrs old!

Me, LeAnne (Nick's girlfriend) and Brandi after Dutch Over dinner. I LOVE LeAnne and was so glad to see her; she is like a sister! Her and Nick just recently moved to Cedar from Vegas so they were able to come with us on all our adventures!

Bladen throwing poppers and playing with Sparklers for the first time!

I will post about our last 4 days tomorrow!

Here Comes Summer

It's been awhile since I've posted and so much has happened so sorry this blog will be LONG. We've been spending so much of our time outside now that the weather is nice. It's been around 75-85 most of the days this month and HALLELUJAH it hasn't gotten too muggy and humid here yet! We started off summer by taking swim lessons with Danielle and Lauren at the Urbana Aquatic Center and it was SO much fun.I've had Bladen in swim lessons since he was 6 mths old so he is quite the little swimmer for only being 2.

He is so FEARLESS! He has to "jump in and go under mommy" and not just a under a little bit; he has to go under all the way!

Then the week after April 15th our life turned to HELL! I started out Friday night... I went to my work's April 15th party and after dropping off all the drunks around 10:30 I get a phone call from Nate saying Bladen had a surprise for me when I get home. I get home, get out of the car and Bladen walks me to the flower bed and shows me that he chopped most of the tulips that had just bloomed that day down with his shovel while his dad was putting up his new basketball hoop (supposed for 3 seconds). This was the morning after I'd already cleaned them up and realized it wasn't a big deal that they would die in a week anyway!

After my ranting and raving to both Nate and Bladen about the tulips, I go yell at Neko to get out of my car that I had left open during my fit. I continue my complaining and by the time I'm done Neko is NO WHERE to be found. I didn't freak out because at our new house he goes and roams the neighborhood until around 3 morning and then I hear him barking at the front door. The next morning though... still no Neko. Nate's been telling me for the past 2 years that he'd wish Neko would run away (ok since he's the one who bought him for me 10 years ago but whatever). We continue the weekend with the biggest monster child ever! He ends giving me another surprise on Sunday - while Nate, Jenna, Jillian and I were out doing yard work Bladen was supposed to be having a nap. Well Nate goes in to get a drink and comes out and says Bladen wants to see you. I walk in and the first thing I see is a dozen eggs cracked all over the kitchen floor in front of the fridge. I lost it!! I don't have many patience and this weekend had put me over the edge.

This was Bladen the day of the egg incident. He LOVES his "sister"

Monday morning I call the pound to see if Neko had gotten picked up by the pound and the lady informed me that Neko was killed Friday night. He was ran over and they had to euthanize him because he had a broken back and pelvis. I cried ALL day at work and was devistated the whole week! It still makes me sad and scared to be here alone at nights. Bladen and I miss Neko lots! So enough of the complaining about my monster child... he really is a good boy! He is the best helper in the world!Bladen helping me put chairs away after our BBQ (aren't all kids obsessed with wearing their moms' shoes)

Brandi and Tyler moved to Philly for the summer so that Ty could sell alarm systems, so they came through Champaign and stayed with us for a night! It was so good getting to see them since we haven't seen any of our family since Christmas! We took Ty to see the town and he was in awe of the University and how big and old it is! We took them to Papa Del's (Chicago style pizza) for dinner and then the boys played basketball in the rain until 11:30 while me and Brandi sat in the back of the truck in the garage and watched. They then headed on their way to their new home at 5 the next morning. Fast visit but worth it!

Bladen LOVES Auntie and acted like he sees her everyday!

Austin/Annie and Tyler/Brandi in Philly. I'm so glad Brandi has friends back there to keep her company!

Nate and I were supposed to go to Cancun the first week of May... of course that didn't happen because of the Swine Flu outbreak, but the good thing is I then got to spend all that time with my mom instead. She flew out for a week to watch Bladen while we were gone. This was the first time Mom's been to our new house and we had so much fun!

We planted all my flowers, did lots of yard work, went shopping almost everyday, went on walks to the park, ate lots of good food and of course we did pedicures!

My mom was also here over Mother's Day and left the day of my birthday... for the second year in a row :) What we did on Mother's Day:

The 2 beauties ate Chinese leftovers to hold them over for an early dinner at Texas Roadhouse

Bladen and Nate gave me roses

Went for a walk

to the park!

I was WAY sad to see my mom go. You'd think it would get easier after being away for 4 years but I still cry like a baby when she leaves. Bladen also understood for the first time that Nana was leaving and cried his eyes out at the airport when Nana left. It's so hard!

Bladen and I also went up to Chicago with Wendy/Taylor and Danielle/Lauren to see Seasame Street Live. Lauren, Taylor and Bladen (3 carseats and 3 adults in a TrailBlazer all the way to Chicago... see me in back haha)

Bladen was SO anxious for the show to start Praire's Pageant

Nate and I have been working our butts off on our yard! It was such a mess when we moved in so we've had to do a lot of work. We've bought and laid 1,500 lbs of top soil and 1,200 lbs of mulch and that only covered the front yard! We've enjoyed spending time together working on the yard! Front yard
Back yard

Bladen sitting next to my 2 cent flowers... Nate was at Walmart last weekend and they were selling these flowers for 2 cents haha... but hey they are cute!

Then we are to this weekend. Nate has to work all weekend so me and Bladen have had some quality one on one time together. I told Bladen Saturday was his day to do whatever he wanted so we work up on Saturday and had Captain Crunch before we headed off to Old Navy for the $1 flip flops (mommy's only to do list for the day), then we were off to Pets Mart to see all the animals. Bladen now knows his way around the store and what we have to see next (the kitties, then the dogs getting groomed, the birds and the hamsters and then off to the Nemos to finish it off). We then headed to the car wash to wash - yes Bladen's favorite place to go and then home for a quick nap before we were off to the Farm with Danielle and Lauren. I swear Bladen should be a COWBOY he LOVES animals!

B and Lauren in the petting area. Bladen was hilarious... one minute he was chasing all the goats around being wilder than crap and then 2 seconds later he saw a baby cow laying down and got so calm and went right over and sat down by him and started petting him so nicely... his mood changes so fast! Then we we headed home to set up his NEW swim pool!
He was in it for about 10 minutes and then was freezing... maybe tomorrow when it's warmer he'll like it better!

So this has been our life in a nutshell the last 2 months! We are now looking forward to July 1 when Bladen and I fly home to Utah to see our family for a week!

March

We have had a busy March! Nate has just finished up his last project until he defends next year (defending means we are DONE)! I have really enjoyed Illinois and will be really sad to leave here; I can honestly say it feels like home here. He has decided to move on and do a Post Doc after we leave here so we will be moving to ANOTHER place for 2 more years of schooling! I cannot wait until he is FINALLY done with school; you do realize he will be 30 this year and he's still going to school! As for me I have been working 6 days a week since January and it's getting pretty old! Thank heavens April 15 is here is a 13 days! Bladen is as busy and independent as ever. He is definately not a baby anymore. He's so smart and definately too smart for his own good. We have to watch every word we say around him! We start swim lessons 2 times a week next Monday so that will be good to get us out of the house, plus he's a water dog and has been in swim lessons since he was 6 months old. I think this time will be much funner for him and he'll actually be able to most of the stuff on his own (hallelujah because I'm sick of having to get in a swim suit to take him to lessons). As for my other kids... Jenna FINALLY broke down and we got Kendal's ears pierced last weekend on her 9 week birthday! She did so good! She got scared and jumped and cried on the first one and made just a little whinse on the second. We had about 50 people around us watching and of course Jenna and Bladen couldn't watch so they went down the mall.

Before earrings

Getting her ears pierced!

2 minutes after

So cute!!

My 2 babies - poor Bladen looks like he gets beat. He came home with all sorts of bumps and bruises from daycare last week from playing rough out on the playground with his buddies! I used to think there wasn't much difference between boys and girls when they are younger, but I was TOTALLY wrong. Bladen is such a rough little turd! His favorite thing is to wrestle with his dad and "fight" with anyone who is sitting on the floor! You have to be paying attention at all times when he's in his mood because if not you'll get hurt!


It's feeling more and more like Spring in Champaign; we are all getting Spring Fever. We've been trying to go on walks every night after work with Bladen riding in the "loller". Nate and I found out a couple of weeks ago that my parents are sending us to Cancun in May for my birthday for a much needed vacation so we are definately looking forward to that! My mom will be flying out here to watch Bladen while we are gone and is staying for 4 days after we get home so I can spend time with her!! Bladen and I also got our plane tickets to come home to Utah July 1-9. We always enjoy our time home during the summer because there is always so much to do. We will be taking Bladen to either Lagoon/Hogle Zoo or Sea World while we are there!

Who knew...

Who knew I was a mother to a 2 and 23 year old! My best friend started working with me at McGladrey in September and we instantly became inseparable. Come to find out she was expecting in February and she had NO one to support her and she did not know one person in Champaign. I started by having her over every night for dinner, I took her under my wing and my nickname is now "Momma Mia". I guess I'm so motherly with her because she only had me to turn to for advice and I'd gone through pregnancy before. I went with her to birthing class, sonogram appts, gave her a baby shower and was her birthing coach (really her chauffeur).Jenna and her sister at the shower

On the Saturday of her 36th week, we went shopping for 5 hours and in our last store she started complaining about how tired she was and how much her back hurt. When we got back to my house, Nate and I were feeling her belly and it was harder than heck, but neither of us thought anything about it since she still had 4 weeks left. She left my house around 11 that night. Next thing I know it's 7:30 on Sunday morning and Neko is barking his head off. I take my ear plugs out (due to Nate snoring so freaking loud), roll over to Nate and ask if someone is at the door and he's like yeah it's the UPS guy... I'm thinking OK it's Sunday morning yeah right! The second I stand up to see what's going on, I hear someone walk in the front door and I hear Jenna yell at the bottom of my stairs, "Laci, I think we have a problem!". I throw on my robe, run downstairs and she's like I think I'm having contractions. I ask her if she's ate anything and she hadn't so I sent her to the kitchen to have some cereal while I brush my teeth and get ready. Nate then asks me why I am getting ready if Jenna is in labor. I run back downstairs after putting some clothes on and is about ready to die on my couch. I tell her we better go, so I grab my purse and we hop in her car. It was snowing and the roads were packed with ice. I decided to call the hospital to let them know that we are coming. While I'm on the phone I'm trying to time her contractions... they instantly were 2 minutes apart for a whole minute... where did those come from out of the blue?? We run 5 red lights, pull in the exit driveway at the hospital and run in to register. Once we got to the room (trying to find labor/delivery was fun with construction and a screaming pregnant lady in labor), we were told to get her robe on and they would be in to check on her.... 10 minutes pass and she is having contractions every 30 secs. I finally go tell the nurses she is ready to push. They are like yeah, yeah she is a first time mom. 15 more minutes pass and the nurse FINALLY came in. When she walked in and saw Jenna's face she definitely knew we meant business. She checked her and got the weirdest look on her face and then declared that the baby was already on it's way! Let's just say, the nurse had to deliver the baby with only 2 pushes! Good thing I looked at the clock when she was born or we would not have known when she was born because it was CHAOS! Kendal Lea was born on January 25, 2009 at 9:03 am. She weighed 6 lbs. 11 oz. and was 19 1/2 inches long. I love her like she's mine and we are so glad she is here!

Don't I look cute with no makeup and my hair not done!!

Bladen and Nate meeting "Baby K" for the 1st time

All bundled up!

We love to put her in bows!

Bladen and I got to give her a bath and get her ready on Valentines Day! She is too cute!

B thinks he's a girl :)

Jenna and I also got to go to the Jessica Simpson/Rascal Flats concert a couple days after Kendal was born! We had so much fun and of course my camera died right when we got to Assembly Hall so we got no pictures of the concert!

We didn't know our outfits looked so much like twiners until we saw this picture!