Utah

We went to Utah for a week to spend some time with Nonna and Poppa and Heidi's family.  First I just have to say, I never ever thought about putting a leash on a child and always thought it was just the cruelest thing to see a child with one on, then we were at the airport.  Roux loves to fly, well I'm not so sure about loves but he isn't one of those screaming children you hear on the plane and you just want to knock them out.  He does, however, have a problem with confined spaces and not having room to move about.  Fortunately we had and empty seat next to us, since he is a lap child sometimes this can be a problem, especially for the other passenger.  On the way up to Salt Lake he was great but the returning flight was interesting.  

We got checked in super fast so had some time to kill, which was fine since there was a play area for him to relieve some energy.  After he was tired of the play area that is where the leash would have come in handy.  I chased that boy up and down the halls and rode the escalator about 207 times.  All this must have worked though because as soon as we were in the air he crashed out.  

The Justices came over Sunday for dinner and Josh, Deegan, Roux and Poppa played with the alligator and ball for a while.  Heidi cracks me up because she looks like she is super skinny with a watermelon under her shirt.  She'll probably get mad for me putting the picture up, oh well.  You're one sexy momma!

Roux loves whipped cream off the beaters.  
Thanks for the great week!  He sure does miss you all!  Talks about you all the time!

Nonna

A few weeks ago Nonna came down for a visit for a few days.  We went to a lot of family events and saw some cousins who I haven't seen in a while so that was cool.  

This is at the reprarian Roux likes to go to and see the turtles and chase the ducks.  One duck was really funny and would come right up and took a cheerio right out of my fingers.  

Allergies

It's sunny, springy and allergenic in the air.  As beautiful as this purple flowered tree is so are the stuffy noses and the puffs plus kleenex with lotion.  Life has been fun and busy with no work and the stress that goes along with it.  

This is Roux's little bench bed.  It is the perfect toddler size bed with  walls so he won't fall off and the best part is...drum roll please...he's not sleeping with me!  I now have a bed all to my self and I never thought I'd be so grateful to have my own bed!  We are both getting adequate sleep now bringing smiley faces and less tantrums.  
Our cute little "casita".  We are extremely blessed to have such good friends and family to help us out in our journey and adventures.  I can't wait until I can start reciprocating what we have with others who may be in need at times.  
This is a little late but Roux was helping make Valentine cookies.  What ever it is he's doing he's sure to make a mess of it.  He ate some of the cookie dough and lets just say he's not a fan of sugar cookies raw.  I'm not sure why they are called sugar cookies, they're more like flour cookies.

Arizona

It has been an interesting and fun filled month.  I have forgotten all about blogging and remembered today so decided to share our journey.  I had been searching for salon in Salt Lake for weeks and finally had found one which also had a day care in the basement so I wouldn't have to take Roux to a sitter.  It was a bit more expensive to rent a booth there but thought it well worth it.  I proceeded to look for a place to live and was searching online and going out to the city a couple times a week to check out some options I found.  None of them were conducive to our needs and budget.  After days and weeks of frustration I finally decided to move back to Arizona and stay with my "second family", the Paredes.  We are staying in their casita and Roux finally has his own "bed"!  Its a little bench that is the perfect size for him to sleep, without me, alone!  It has been nice having a bed to myself but I still don't sleep.  Roux will get up a couple of times a night and come to the bed so I'll have to take him back to his bed and explain that is where he sleeps and mommy sleeps in hers.  It's been working out pretty well so far, just waiting for the night for him to sleep with out waking up. 

Before we moved we spent a lot of time with Heidi and Deegan and had so much fun.  Deegan showed Roux how to play the drums and his rock star face.  Heidi better get him in some music lessons with how much he likes to play instruments.

Heidi has scrapbook classes one night a month so I went over to watch Deegan while she was gone.  Earlier that day we had gone to the rec center where there is an indoor pool and water park.  I had never been there before and every time I would mention going to Heidi she would say she didn't want to go.  Now I understand why.  They were so rude and the water was so cold, but that could have been because it only came up to my knees.  Roux's lips would turn purple and be shivering and still wouldn't want to get out.  

Later that night when Heidi was at her meeting I took the kids to the traveling circus.  It was a circus with acts not a carnival with the worlds tallest man or the ugliest mammal alive.  The first act was with the lions and tigers and the whole time Roux would roar.  Deegan was more fascinated with the light swords than anything.  So I sent him with some money to get one from the man walking around selling.  It was so funny, he got lost and the guy picked him up and carried him back to me.  I couldn't leave the seat to go get him because all of our stuff was right there and I couldn't leave Roux by himself.  I just stood up and waved and they came over, the whole 20 feet to where I was.  

I let the kids sword fight until they started hitting other kids with them.  Then it was time to take them away.
I found out Roux likes to cheer at ball games.  We went with Nonna and Poppa to the high school basketball game and Roux would stand up on the bench and yell and clap and get really into the game.  At half time he went out with the "big boys" to shoot hoops until the team came out on the court.  He was so funny and wasn't afraid.  Looks like he's gonna be a jock, dang.  Maybe I can get him into Hockey.  Speaking of Hockey, I had a dream about it last night.  Roux was skating around then I ran over someone's leg and it broke off and bleeding everywhere, gross.  Oh, and Inspector Gadget was in it (don't know where that came from.)
So we're in Gilbert now and Roux loves to be outside.  After we eat breakfast in the morning I'll get him dressed and he'll just play for while I get ready.  He hasn't gone swimming yet but keeps eying the pool and says "bath".  Also, he is almost done with his pacifier.  He has had this same one for over a year now.  He lost all the others so I decided when this one got lost or broke then he was done.  Well, it is now so worn out that he doesn't like it in his mouth for very long because of the texture.  Finally!  (by the way, it's pink)  He still isn't completely talking but occasionally with spit out a random sentence or answer a question.  I think he really knows how to talk he just doesn't want to because then he knows he'll get in trouble more.  

Again

Let me fill in on what has not happened in the last three weeks.  I moved to AZ then turned around and moved back since the trailer was not unpacked yet.  There were some complications, we'll just leave it at that.  So for the last three weeks I've been sleeping on the floor with Roux in the bedroom at mom and dad's with the room stuffed full of all my belongings.  (well, not all of them, the chairs are in storage.)  I thought I had a job at a salon in Midvale only to not have any emails or phone messages returned.  I went to Vegas to tryout for an educator position which is part time and I just travel so can live anywhere, and they haven't gotten back either.  I'm just hanging out till I can figure out what to do with the next chapter of my book.  The Roosevelt one is most definitely closing.  

Saturday Roux and I were bored so went to Park City.  (maybe it was just me who was bored.)  The Film Festival was going on this weekend and I have never been downtown Park City so thought it would be fun to people watch.  Roux actually loved it.  There were so may people and he was getting to much attention he was loving every minute of it.  It was kind of fun to be with someone who gets attention.  We saw a couple of stars who I couldn't tell you their names but recognized them.  Would be fun to go into the shops there too.  

That's all that has been happening.  I'm determined to have the next step figured out by the end of this week.  

Playing

Lars was having fun playing with some foam blocks Roux got from Nonna and Poppa.  Mikie was reading while Lars and Roux played.  Christmas brings out the kid in us.

Lars gave the scarf to mom and I thought she looks really pretty here.  Love you mom!!
Sunday before Christmas Grandma Wakefield passed.  She had been fighting a long battle of MG so it is good to know she is in a better place and not suffering any longer.  Friday was her funeral in Logan so we all drove out Thursday avoiding getting up early in the morning.  By doing that we were right in the middle of a HUGE storm.  Fortunately I was able to ride with Josh and Heidi and he is a very good driver in the snow.  It still ended up taking about 6 1/2 hrs but at least we got there safe.  The best part was mom and dad made it all the way to Wellsville without getting stuck or going off the road (cause dad's a great snow driver, I just can't watch) but as soon as they pulled into James' driveway they got high centered on the snow drifts.  Ha ha.  Heidi and I couldn't stop laughing.  

It was a really good service.  I'm don't do funerals but this wasn't as bad as I anticipated because everyone was so positive and it is good to know Grandma is with other loved ones and happy.  I just need to remember life is short and to enjoy and take in every moment!  Love you all!

Christmas

The pictures got posted backwards but here are some from Christmas day.  This is Roux's new favorite movie.  We've watched it about 20 times already.  I liked it at first but now it's not one of my first picks.

I only got Roux 3 gifts.  This was one of them, a little bag chair.  He loves to play on it and sit on it. 
This was opening the bag chair.
This was just funny.  

Christmas Eve we always open pajamas to wear the next morning.  (I thought we were the only ones who did this but after talking to a few people I found out there are a lot of families who do this.  Bummer)  His are flannel button down with fire trucks.  They are so cute and soft.  He thought they were pretty cool too.