The Past Few Weeks

So life has been busy, full of sickness, some travel, lots of work for both Fogg and I and general life as we know it.  I've got nothing in particular to share, so I'll just share some pictures of the past few weeks.

Reed took a nap on the couch one day, London snuggled up.

The next day, London took a nap on the couch, Reed snuggled up.

These two.  They really do love each other.  It's simply adorable to watch them be with each other.  Reed loves to make Nora laugh and Nora loves to laugh. 

And they have their own personalities.

One night, I was playing with the kids and we decided to play cafe/tea party.  One of us would be the server (I started to give them an example of what to do) and the other two would be served. Next Reed was the server.  He's making soup.

Nora was my little tea party date.  We had cookies before our soup.

The very next day, things took a turn for the worse.  Nora was the first to go down, she was wheezing, rattling, coughing and had a fever.  Off to the doctor and she had RSV.  Almost a week later we took her back when things weren't improving and she had a nasty double ear infection and bronchitis. Some antibiotics and breathing treatments and a few days later she was feeling much better.

A day after the above picture, I went to take Reed to school and I would stay home with Nora.  But as soon as we walked in Reed threw up right on the floor of the lobby!  Back home and he struggled a little with the pukes and some coughing too.  I put him on breathing treatments too, but he didn't improve much.  At the follow up appointment, he had a nasty sinus infection.  A few days on antibiotics for him and he was doing much better too.  In this picture, that's as much of a smile as he could muster.  I was tired too but luckily, I never caught it.  Fogg did though with an ear infection and sinus infection.

Reed's adorable drawing of "Dad and Me wearing Slippers"

Reed packed some bags.  I asked what for and he told me that they were for heaven.  What a heart melter!  Of course, I don't want him to get to heaven until I've been there for 50 years, but that he is contently ready for it without fear.  He missed the concept that you can't bring stuff with you.  He packed some coloring stuff, cars, and stuffed animals.  Clothes were not of importance.  I explained that he wouldn't be going there for quite some time but it didn't matter, he wanted to keep them packed and ready.

Went skiing with his friend Liam one day.  Reed wasn't a great friend though, didn't really wait for him, just took off.  Oh well, one day!

My sweet girl one morning.

The outfits were just kinda cute this day.  Pink and blue shirts and khaki pants.  

Nora got her first braids the other day!  I love it!

So everyone seems to be healthy again, and luckily I never caught it!  Hopefully things can settle down a little bit, both Fogg and I have been very busy at work which makes sick kids even harder to manage!  But we hung in there. I'm looking forward to continuing to work on my new year's goals, spending some more time with friends and catching up on some tasks that have gone by the wayside.  Oh, and ski, I want to do more of that too.

Cheers~

It is Well With My Soul

This song has been one of my favorites since becoming a Christian, but lately it is ringing true in my life and I've listened to it endlessly the past few weeks.  The words are strong, true, convicting and emotional.  It reminds me that it doesn't matter what happens in this life, what's important is that my soul is well in the truth.  To me, it's a reversal in thought.  In the past, I have felt that I had to right myself in life to feel my worth in faith.  Instead, I need to right myself in faith to feel my worth in my life.  By switching this thinking, I have found more satisfaction, appreciation and motivation to live my life the way I've wanted - happy and content. 

This song was written by Horatio Spafford in the late 1800's.  He lost financial wealth in the 1871 Great Chicago Fire (another famous song written about that would be "Miss O'Leary's Cow kicked over the latern....").  Then he sent his family ahead of him to Europe for a trip and all four of his daughters died when the ship sunk.  His wife was the only to survive.  While he traveled by boat to meet his wife, he wrote this song over the spot that the ship sank.  Later, they had three more kids, a son and two daughters.  The son died in 1880 from scarlet fever.  I can't imagine the pain this man felt and still he wrote these words:

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

It is well, (it is well),
With my soul, (with my soul)
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
<sup>Even so, it is well with my soul.

AMEN!</sup>

2013 Year In Review

Happy New Year 2014 everyone!

Boy did it sneak up this year or what?  As usual, I thought a little about what I was going to put into my new years post this year but all the sudden it's the 2nd? Well, anyway, here we are, going into another year. In my line of work we are always working about 8 months ahead so to me it's almost like "finally, it's 2014".  But then I look at Nora and think, wow, she was born in 2011, that will be 3 years ago in October - 3!

I remembered a lot of my resolutions from 2013 but I went back to see anyway - 2013 Post.  I wanted to get healthy, spend money better and spend quality time with my kids.  For really the first time, I thought about these things all year long.  I started a work out plan in January with a high intensity interval training class and loved it.  Over the summer, I really fixed my eating habits and boy did the scale move!  I lost 15 pounds, my top goal!  I also started running and did 4 races over the summer, 2 5K's and 2 10K's.  I really enjoyed that and will do it again this year.  Unfortunately, the last two months I haven't worked out much, so I'm looking forward to getting back at it.  In regards to spending money, well, I did really good at that for some time as well, but the holiday's really had me falling off the wagon.  Quality time with my kids is something I'm always working on, but I think I've done alright.  When I spend time with them, I try to be aware of my actual presence and making it worthwhile, like teaching them words or colors or skills.  Reed is getting to be quite the artist and writing lots of letters. Nora is speaking a lot of words, though still working on her pronunciation. I did also want to get rid of stuff around my house and I sold some things and gave away some things, this will probably always be a work in progress.

This year was not particularly special in any way but I do see it as the seeds to what is coming in the next few years.  There seems to be a lot of little things that will grow into life long things, we will have to see how the next few years come about.  My kids continue to grow, Reed turned 4 in May and Nora turned 2 in October.  Fogg and I had our 9th anniversary.  Lots of friends had babies in 2013 and lots more to come in 2014.  We went on a few little vacations, nothing big, just drove around our area, some camping.  Both kids broke their collar bones, almost exactly 6 months apart from each other, Nora first from a fall off a bench, and Reed second with a fall onto a tile floor.  Though it seemed like a big deal at the time, just a blip in the road for each of them.  It's amazing how resilient kids are.

Around the world we had a bit more excitement, and not really in the positive way.  The Boston marathon bombings in April followed by a massive man hunt.  In Bangladesh, a factory collapsed and killed over 1100 people. There was a plane crash in San Fransisco, there was a train crash in Spain, and a massive typhoon in the Philippines. There was a shooting at the Navy Yard in Washington DC, the exact time that Fogg was there for work.  There was a mall shooting in Kenya, the same time a friend of ours is serving only miles away as a teacher. Nelson Mandela died this December.  Our government shut down for a time, affecting many people we know. More positively, there was a royal baby born and a new Pope was elected.

But you know what, I'm really excited about 2014, I think it's going to be awesome!  Those little seeds that I mentioned earlier will manifest themselves into some awesome things.  I am very very excited to celebrate our 10th anniversary in New Orleans this year.  We are leaving the kids at home and gonna live it up in the Big Easy.  One of my best friends just got engaged on New Years so hopefully we will be heading to a wedding this year.  And my other best friend is looking close to the same... we'll see if that'll be 2 weddings - so excited!  We are going to try to head out to Maine to visit Fogg's grandma and extended family as well. Fogg is planning on doing a big dirt bike race again this year and I'd like to continue doing some running races.  We have planned a yurt trip with some friends in March and we will try to take our camper out for several camp trips. I'm looking forward to traveling a bit this year! 

And yes, I'm into resolutions cause it gives you a new start.  Even if we've failed before, it gives us a chance to start again.  I'm not above setting new ones at any other time, but there is something about a fresh new year that gives you a chance to look back (as I do every single year) and make some new goals or refresh your excitement about old ones that didn't really pan out. So here they are, my new/renewed resolutions for 2014:

• Continue to be healthy - get back into a workout routine and work on eating habits.
• Work on spending - don't spend a bunch of money on little things, really think about it.  Also sell some stuff that we don't use anymore.
• Spend intentional time with my kids - put down the phone, turn off the TV, get on the floor and learn with them.

Fogg and I took a little time to talk yesterday morning about things we would like to work on as a family and here is what we came up with:

• Work on our marriage - spend time together, work together, communicate better.
• Make meal plans - we want to put together a bunch of meals and have a plan further ahead of time than in the past.
• Get the kids to bed earlier - both for their benefit and for ours.

I think that's a pretty good chunk of stuff but it's a spring board for what we really want in the end which is a healthy happy life.  If we accomplish half of this, it's better than what we started with. 

So onto a new year, where we get to move forward, move on, move up and enjoy life.  My hope is that every single person who reads this has the best year yet, as that's what I'm hoping for myself and our family.

Cheers~
Meg

Christmas Time 2013

Christmas!  We love Christmas!  The kids really enjoyed the holiday and it went off without a hitch.  Here are just a few pictures of the past week or so.  I took none of them opening gifts, which is just fine cause we thoroughly could just enjoy it.

A Christmas Costume Party - I was the leg lamp from A Christmas Story and Fogg was the Gingerbread Man.

 The kids were just cute sitting on the floor in front of the fire watching a show before bed.

 Sunday before Christmas we went grocery shopping and Fogg got the kids some balloons but Nora refused to nap.  Not much longer, she fell asleep in front of the TV holding her balloon, London snuggled up.

 She rolled over, London left, but the little balloon is still there!

 Christmas Day skiing!  Good job Nora!

 A run with the hubby.

 Our Annual Group Picture.  See others here and here

L - Heilig Family (Jared, Sarah, Ava, Ethan and new baby in March)

M - Our little family (my kids insisted on standing on their own by stuff Santa)

R - Gompert Family (Pete, Amy, Jane and Ben)

 The annual gingerbread house made by James and Reed.  See another here

 Nora and Reed got the complete Gabba set and Nora got a Gabba t-shirt.  Here she is with her friends and t-shirt watching.

 Lala got them new slippers, they love them.  Cute kids!

Thanks for all the gifts from everyone, it was a well sized this year!  We love everything.

Cheers~
Meg

Skiing with Santa

We went up for our annual skiing with Santa Tim last weekend.  Now, to give some background before pictures. Since Reed's first Christmas, we've gone up to Snowbasin to see our friend, Tim, who dresses as a fantastic Santa and skis.  Reed has been treasuring this tradition as have I.  Now, this year, Reed is obsessed with Christmas and Santa and all things related.  He even named his Pez Santa "Santa Tim".  He couldn't wait to see him this year.  Luckily, because Tim is a friend and generally awesome dude, he took a whole run and chairlift ride with Reed.  Reed was in little boy Santa heaven!  Nora on the other hand is great with Santa afar, but pretty not excited about being within 10 feet.  She likes the idea, not so much the actual Santa - just like most 2 year old's as I've discovered.  She wasn't a fan last year either really.  He'll win her over soon though! 

So Santa Tim has candy cane striped skis (Reed commented on how he liked that) bells and gives a nice hearty Ho Ho Ho.  We love that this Santa is a skier too!  We saw him at the top of Little Cat run and Nora was a tad upset that he skied by at first and wanted to catch up.  When we did, she screamed and cried that he was too close.

 Reed was so excited!

Then Santa Tim skied with Reed down the race course.  Reed is working on his "french fry turns" which he is doing a great job at!

And for reference, here are the pictures from the past years.

2009 - Reed was 7 months old

2010 - Reed was a year and a half old - not so sure of Santa

2011 - Reed was 2 1/2, liking Santa much more, but shy when he saw him.

 2011 - both kids

 2011 - Nora was 2 months old

2012 - Reed was 3 1/2 - totally excited!

 2012 - both kids

 2012 - Nora was 1, not thrilled at all

Thanks Santa Tim!

Reed's Christmas Program

Last night, Reed did his annual Christmas program for his class.  We had Lala and Nana and Papa there to watch.  Reed's class was clearly the most "non-enthusiastic" about the singing, but I saw him actually mouthing (maybe even actually singing) to the songs.  Still adorable!

Despite Nora's look, she was really excited to watch Reed and she called for him and waved at him each time he sang.

 They sang a hippo song and some other song I haven't heard before.

That's the best I got.  I was very proud of myself that I wasn't like some lady I saw, guessing a grandma.  She used the "hang loose" sign with the kid instead of waving which was interesting.  But the whole time she kept making a gesture for the kid to smile and she was enthusiastically mouthing the words to every song.  Anyway, I just smiled and waved and took a few pictures.  My cute boy.

Thanksgiving 2013 - and some other stuff

We had the pleasure of having Fogg's brother, Dale, his wife Georgette and their daughter (our niece) Gabby come for Thanksgiving this year.  They bought tickets like 10 months ago, they were so cheap!  We had a great time hanging out, taking them around town and skiing.  The kids had such a blast playing with each other, all of them were in a depression after they left.  Here are a few pictures of their time here.

 Reed and Gabby showing off their Sock Monkey's that Great Gram Fogg made for them

 A trip to Smith and Edwards.  We were there for H.O.U.R.S.  and it was fun!

 Uncle Dale and Reed found some funny hats.

 So did Nora.

 One morning, Nora snuggling up with Uncle Dale, so precious.

 Our Thanksgiving "feast"

 On Thanksgiving morning, we went skiing for the first time this year.  Lala got Reed up for his frist run on his new skis!

 Nora skiing for real for the first time.  She did great for a 2 year old!  She shuffled forward then looked up and screamed "I ski!"  Adorable.

 Nora's first lift ride with mom and dad!

 A true proud moment for Fogg and I - all four of us skiing at the same time.

 The whole fam damily.

 The kids dressed up for Thanksgiving, not sure about Reed's hand gesture.

That's about it for Thanksgiving.  We had a great time just hanging out at home, running some errands, doing some activities.  

Before Thanksgiving, Mom and I went to a Michael Buble concert.  It was simply amazing.

 We were soooo close to him.  I even touched his hand.  Dreamy.

At the end they dropped heart shaped confetti to "All You Need is Love".  Awesome.

Even before that, we had a nice weekend getaway with our friends James and Michelle.  Just one night up in PC and some nice dinners out.  It was a great getaway.

 At Grappa.

 James was peaking through this display of ribs.

And then I have some random other shots for you:

 Nora put on every single piece of jewelry at the same time.  Cuteness.

 We love good friends that love our kids.  This is Katelyn, she is a babysitter and great friend to our kids.

 We went to the Christmas Light parade in Ogden last Saturday.  Nora was enamored with the parade and lights, this is what her face looked like the entire time.

 We also got to watch some fireworks.

Reed the sweety.  He grabbed Lucy's hand while we were walking back to the car, so sensitive.  She loved holding his hand.

And last but not least, my adorable girl throwing a fit - as usual.  She pretty much cries about everything nowadays but it's still cute.  

Well, that's what I've got for today, sorry for the super late update on pretty much the past two weeks, it's been crazy!  Bring on Christmas, the whole house is excited for it - especially Reed. He turns on the tree lights every day and asks every single morning if it's Christmas yet.  

Ho Ho Ho!