My Words

Text.O.S.

2010-09-16T16:09:00.000-07:00

Two days ago, I sent a desperate plea to Jordan via text message. It went as follows:

"I'm throwing up. Please come home. James is throwing rocks in the street."

Growing Up

2010-07-12T21:33:00.000-07:00

I now have a 2 year old. It's done. It's final. Complete. The day has passed. He's two. Not one. Two. Fin. The end. Story's over. Boom. James is now two. Yep, two.

Okay, okay! I just can't believe my little baby James is two. Forgive me if it takes awhile to settle in. Just two years and 1 month ago, that little bump on my tummy was James:

And this was him just one month after that:

And here's the chubby honey just one year after that:

And here's James one week ago enjoying his birthday treat:

So, in the words of my father, I'd just like to say (in a part growl, part baby, part New York accent....those of you in my extended family will know exactly what voice I'm talking about) "What?! Ya two?! I told you ya not allowed ta gwow up!"

I love you JJ. Happy birthday big boy. And just so you know, you'll always be "Sweet Baby James" to me.

The Simple Things

2010-06-29T12:31:00.000-07:00

During stressful times like these, I really cling to the simple things in life to cheer me up. With just 4 days to go 'til concert #1 (pre-concert Stake Patriotic Night was last night with a preview of 3 songs!) and James & Dawson to make it interesting, I really rely on these little joys to keep me going.

"Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens" really don't do it for me. In fact, I don't even like kittens, so why would I like their whiskers? Not to mention the shedding and the smell and their arrogant demeanor, and the fact that I'm totally allergic to them!.....But ANYWAY...

No, no. What really makes everything "all better" is.... (in no particular order)

1. Häagen-Dazs ice cream.

After a long day, there is nothing better to me than sitting on the couch with Jordan and eating ice cream. It makes my whole day worth it. My favorite flavor right now is Butter Pecan, although I have gone through several phases, including, but not limited to: Dulce de Leche, Vanilla, Chocolate Peanut Butter, and Mint. And yes, I eat ice cream almost every night. Sometimes a whole pint, depending on how hungry I am. And, no, I don't feel bad about it. And, yes, I feel great the next day. And, no, I don't gain any weight. More on my Intuitive Eating, later to come.

2. Lemi-Shine.

Nothing makes me giddier than opening my dishwasher and seeing spot-free dishes. I know, I'm so lame! But I was so frustrated with the water spots and residue left on my dishes, and I tried EVERYTHING. Little did I know this life-changing (ha ha!) product was just sitting on a grocery store shelf waiting for me to buy it. Thanks to Jordan's mom, I now use it in every load. Now, each time I open up the dishwasher, it's like Christmas Day. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Mom Peel! To everyone else, I say: Buy it. Use it. Love it. (Another great product: Dishwasher Magic, which I use to clean my actual dishwasher, thanks to my smart and savvy sister-in-law, Sally. Now try and say that 10 times fast).

3. When my little munchkin says the sweetest things. James sure knows how to melt his mommy's heart when he says "I lu yoo Mommy" or when he turns my head towards him and says, "Unt kiss you Mommy." There's truly nothing better. Or, no matter where I tell him we're going, he automatically says, "Mommy come." It's nice to know I'm loved and wanted.

4. Music. Whether it's hearing Rihanna's Rockstar on the radio, or sitting down at the piano and singing my heart out to a Colbie Caillat song, or playing Chopin's Waltz in C# Minor, Op. 64, No. 2 - nothing pumps me up, moves me or uplifts me more than music.

5. Dawson's smile.

Need I say more?

6. My favorite comedians.  I love to laugh, especially with Jordan because we have the same sense of humor. The other night we watched Brian Regan's stand-up routine called The Epitome of Hyperbole.  If you have never seen him perform, YOU HAVE TO! He is truly hilarious, and not only that but totally CLEAN - which is extremely hard to come by these days with comedians. Other comedians that leave me crying because I'm laughing so hard are Kevin James, Jack Black, Conan O'Brien, Jerry Seinfeld, and Jim Gaffigan...to name a few.

7. Sunny weather.  This is sure not hard to come by here in Boulder City, NV. In fact, right now it is a gorgeous, sunny day at a cool 103 degrees. Really, even one day of cloudy weather makes me blue. I lived in UT for 5 years while attending BYU - and for 5 long years I was clinically depressed. Thank goodnes for you, Boulder City, NV. Your miserably hot summers make this girl a happy camper!

8. Jordan.  Jordan always knows how to cheer me up. Even though he is always totally stressed out with work, he somehow manages to maintain a cheerful personality and a strong desire to make me happy. His motto is, "My baby gets what my baby wants." Wow - I am a lucky girl. He is happy when he knows he is making me happy. If I ask him to help me with something his responses include, "Absolutely, honey!" or "Honey, I would love to do that for you!" No, I am not kidding. He really says these things with actual sincerity. Not only this, but he is constantly telling me how beautiful I am - like on a daily - NO - hourly basis. He somehow thinks I am the most beautiful girl on the planet. And although I will never believe him, it's comforting to know there is someone who adores me despite all my physical (and otherwise) flaws. Jordan's always there with open arms (literally, he is a very cuddly guy) and encouraging words when I'm having a bad day.

9. Mater on Cars.

This is actually a really clever and funny movie. When James threw-up on our way to Arizona, we not only bought him a new car seat at the nearest Walmart, but we bought him the movie Cars.  It was Jordan's idea, and I was totally against it thinking that James would not be into it and that it looked like a really dumb movie. Boy was I wrong! James is obsessed with it. And since I hear, see, eat, drink and breathe it on a daily basis, I've gotten to know the characters and dialogue very well. My favorite character being Mater...."as in 'ta-mater,' without the 'ta.'" His not-so-intelligent, country-bumpkin, (some might call this "white-trash".....do you see how I'm trying to be tactful about it?) personality is extremely endearing. His quotes are the best, my favorite being "Ta not to." If you've never entered the world of Cars, I encourage you to take this brave step into "Hickville" contrary to your better judgement and reason. But beware -- you just might love it.

10. A tall glass of the good stuff.

The pop of the can, the rich, brown color, the perfect taste on my tongue, the fizz going down my throat, and of course the red logo (my favorite color) - it's ALL good. My dad introduced it to me when I was just a young girl (gotta love my dad!), and I was hooked ever since, although I didn't actually start buying it until recently - being when I was pregnant with James. I craved it so badly when I was pregnant, but wouldn't drink it until I was about 6 months along (caffeine is linked to miscarriage - and a myriad of other health issues when not taken in moderation). After that I allowed myself a Coke a day, because my craving was so strong. Then, after James was born, my love for Coke did not die. I still have one every once in awhile, especially when I'm having a sluggish day, or when I go out to dinner. It is one of my favorite tastes on the planet, and I figure my Grandma Jo had a Coke everyday of her adult life and she is now 100 years old. It can't be all that bad!

So thanks to the simple things in life that get me through the day....or week.....or month....

What would I do without you?

Mr. Go Getter

2010-06-21T15:22:00.000-07:00

The other day, James was trying to wake me up (as usual) at 7:30 A.M.. This is how our conversation went:

James: "Mommy, get up! Get up! Get up, Mommy!"

Mommy: "James, go watch Caillou. Why do you need Mommy to get up?"

James: (with lots of enthusiastic fluctuations) "CUZ!...... Ummm....... Outside.... Playground.... Anna..... Sylvie.... Woovi (Levi).... Seffy (Seth)...

And he then proceeded to list every cousin he could think of.

This is his expectation of how every day should turn out. And every day he is sorely disappointed.

Granted, this was just after we had had "Cousin Day" at our house. "Cousin Day," for those who aren't aware of this glorious day, is when all the Woodbury/Randall/Leavitt/Peel cousins go to one person's house - and this occurs once a week for the entire summer. Therefore, because we rotate between 5 of us (Leslie, Wendy, Becky, Danielle, Ashley) we each get 4 Thursdays where we don't have any kids. I benefit the least from this because I only have the one child. But still, James gets to bond with his cousins, get out of the house, and have one day every week filled with tons of fun activities.

For example: On my Cousin Day, we did the slip-n-slide in my front yard, ate popsicles outside, watched the movie Cars for two hours (which James is obsessed with....I mean - OBSESSED), ate corn dogs for lunch, played Twister, had storytime, painted frames and took pictures for Father's Day, walked to the park in 110 degree weather, played Red Rover & Hide 'n Seek at the park, walked back home in 111 degree weather, drank gallons of water, ate more popsicles, and then went home totally tired and dehydrated!

James was in total awe the whole day that all of this was actually going on. That Mommy was actually playing all these fun games for a full day, instead of in 5 minute spurts. And, he was in COUSIN HEAVEN.

So naturally, when he woke up the next morning, he wanted Cousin Day all over again. Don't worry James, this Thursday, all of your dreams will come true :) Good luck, Becky!

It Should Be a Rule

2010-06-16T11:06:00.000-07:00

...that Moms DO NOT GET SICK. This is one of the things I thought about before I decided to get pregnant, among others: How will I take care of a child if I get sick? Well, now I know the answer. You just "man up" and pretend you're not sick, and take care of business as usual. Which is what I've done for the past 2 weeks! I have been sick now for 2 weeks with a pesky sinus infection that simply will not go away. And I am so stubborn that I will not go into the doctor for antibiotics. I am determined to kill this thing off on my own, so I can build up my immune system against this sickness that I seem to keep coming down with. It is sllllooooowwwwllllly going away, thanks to guzzling down lots of vitamin C, multi-vitamins, acidophilus, green drinks, orange juice, lots of water, and the best part - cleaning out my sinuses with a Neti Pot (I am shocked at how many demonstrations there are of this on YouTube.....view at your own risk :)

And no offense, Peels, but I always get this after I visit you! This goes to show just how much I love my husband's family. I continue to drive hours and hours to visit them, even though James and I both get sick after EVERY visit. And, it's never a mild sickness. It's always a two-week, or more, long ordeal. In fact, I love them so much, that I visit them more than Jordan does! Yes, they are some of my favorite people in the world. And, I don't blame them. I blame my obviously weak immune system, and mine & James' sensitivity to traveling. James throws up at least twice on every road trip, and I end up with nausea/headache which lasts a couple days due to motion sickness. We inherited it from my Dad. It's super fun. In fact, on our last visit to Arizona to visit Jordan's brother Matt & his family, James threw up all over his car seat just one hour into our road trip, and we had to stop at a Walmart to buy him a new car seat - that's how covered the car seat was. It was in every crevice of every buckle, every crack, every corner. Completely un-cleanable. The last time I tried cleaning his car seat when this happened. It took me about a week of soaking, scrubbing, washing, etc. to simply get the smell out of it. Not willing to do that again! Now, the rule is that James will have a towel draped over him and tucked in tightly on every future road trip. No ifs, ands or buts about it.

If I didn't have so many darn responsibilities, I might not be so upset about being sick. In fact, my high-stress levels probably made me sick in the first place. I obviously have James to take care of, and I am also watching my friend's baby for her while she is in the process of adopting him. I've been watching Dawson for the past 3 1/2 months, Monday-Thursday, 8-5. Long story, short, I am watching him until Amber can find a more permanent solution for him (like a stay-at-home nanny, which has been extremely difficult to find in Boulder City), and he is a chubby, adorable, happy 8 month old baby who has been such a blessing to watch, despite how chaotic it can get around here.

Not only that, but I am still teaching piano two or more hours a day (I now have 15 students), and playing the piano for a community choir, which has proven to be quite a big job. I have never had to practice so much in my entire life. The songs are way over my head - ability-wise - and with only 2 1/2 weeks to go before the second concert, I am having to find babysitters (thank you Mom and sisters!) and the TIME to practice 2-3 hours a day. In addition, I have a pretty challenging church calling - primary chorister (a fair amount of prep time, and coming up with lots of new ideas and activities for those kiddies, plus getting them ready for Mother's Day, Father's Day, and the Primary Program in October).

I thought just being a mom and wife was enough, but throw in all of these other things and top it all off with a never-ending sickness, and you can call me "One frustrated, tired, stressed-out girl!"

....yet, somehow happy all at the same time.

Now why was it that I haven't blogged for a year again?....

2010-05-12T10:19:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah, I forgot.....I DON'T HAVE TIME!!!!

More on the madness that is my life, coming soon..... Ashley's version of "soon," that is.

"Soon" as in whenever the poopy diapers, piano lessons, whining, crying, yanking on my leg, choir rehearsals, tutoring, piano pedal fixing, pest-control calling, garage door fixing, organizing, cleaning (ladies, do I even need to describe all the complexities that cleaning entails?), wiping, stroller pushing, family-feeding, dish cleaning, grocery-shopping, errand running, primary preparing, endless laundering, "to do" list writing, etc., etc.... not to mention, all the good stuff too ..... ceases for a second or two.

It's Been Awhile

2010-04-29T16:03:00.000-07:00

Well, judging from the pictures on my last post, it's been quite awhile since I have "blogged." My baby is not so much a "baby" anymore, as he is a walking, talking toddler slash, dare I say it....little boy! And, a much skinnier one, at that (His recent bout with strep throat and the flu didn't help that situation).

As James grows up before my very eyes, my delinquency in keeping a journal especially stings. Every day James manages to do or say something cuter, funnier, naughtier (which, at his age, translates to cute & hilarious...usually), and more clever than the day before. You would think that the only emotion I would be feeling during those cute, funny, precious moments is pure and unadulterated JOY, but right alongside that joy is an "ache." That is the only word I can think of to describe it. At first, I couldn't figure out what or why that pestering feeling was always showing up at every happy moment (and as a mom, you know that those moments occur countless times a day) since James was born. After a while, I realized what the ache was. I was feeling a sadness knowing that James wouldn't always play with his belly button to put himself to sleep, and that he wouldn't always ask, "Wuh doonin' Mommy?" in his sweet, high pitched little voice, and that he wouldn't always pronounce the word "bumblebee," "bumby-bee." Nor, I might add, would he always color the window in bright orange highlighter, open every last one of my tampons and dump them all over the bathroom floor along with the entire box of q-tips, or somehow find a way to escape onto the golf-course during piano lessons when I think he's watching Caillou (Darn that Elias! I told him how many times to shut the gate when he leaves!). Not only will he not always do these things, but will I be able to remember them all?

My sister-in-law Danielle once wrote about the moments in life that are fleeting - and that although they are the happiest moments you can experience, even perfect like a blooming flower, they are sad simply because they won't last. What truth there is to that. I feel it every day - almost every moment - with my Baby James.

I'm sure I'll still be calling him that when he's 40. Poor kid.

And so, in an attempt to at least subdue the "ache" in every "happy," I find that all I have are "My Words." They are the only way I have of etching life's greatest, worst, and even mediocre moments in stone (...the etching being my typing fingers.....and the stone being the internet....not as cool, but still).

Ineloquent or uninteresting as my words may be, it seems it's time to get them written down, if not just for me to remember. And maybe for someone, somewhere to catch a glimpse of who I was.

The Peels: A Photobiography

2009-07-05T19:39:00.001-07:00

James loves loves loves to read books.

Here is our living room (a work in progress) where James loves to climb up on the cushionless couch which I am in the process of reupholstering. Now if only he would learn to climb down...

Here's a closeup of Jamesy's cute chubby thighs. He looks like he's wearing a speedo, but they're just very small pajama shorts. Love it.

Before shot of James getting a hair cut with the classic blank stare look that he shares with his daddy.

Same look after :)

James loves to babble away on my cell phone - and he has really called people on several occasions.

James' bathroom

James' room

More of James' room

and more...

James playing with his cousins Sylvie, Rory, and Seth at G-ma & G-pa Woodbury's house.

He is our little walker, and more recently, runner. He is everywhere!

Here is James doing one of his tricks (paddling his lips with his hand while making the "bbbbbbbbbbbb" sound). It's very cute. But it looks like his cousin Allie just thinks it's wierd.

Another trick of James - clapping - although, he hardly ever does it anymore. He's moved on to more mature things like saying "uh oh," "nana" (banana), "mama," and "no." LOVE that he's already learned the last one... Other tricks I miss him doing are waving bye bye and giving me "five." Those were SO last month.

Allie & James sharing the remote. These two are quite the pair - born just 4 days apart last year. They've spent lots of time together and James loves when she comes to visit. This was taken during Jordan's law school graduation weekend in April.

Grama Peel (we like to spell it that way :) with Allie & James.

James was upset that we made him wear this hot outfit in the summer. We're so mean! But he sure looks cute.

Future linebacker for the BYU Cougars...

Graduation weekend fun included bathtime with cousins Lainey & Allie. One day I will probably need these pictures to blackmail James with...

James & Mommy at the Hoover Dam taking advantage of the pretty Lake Mead background for a picture. Poor James was squinting in the sun.

View of the amazing new bridge being built over the Colorado River in front of the Dam. Not so sure I want to drive over that thing.

The boys: Jordan's dad Norman, Jord, my Dad, and James after the graduation ceremony. 3 long, hard years of law school have finally come to an end. And now....the BAR!

James was not having a great time -- he was REALLY ready for naptime at this point.

Jordan after recieving his diploma.

Mommy & James riding the Merry-Go-Round at the County Fair in Moapa back in April. He didn't crack a smile the entire time.

Once again, the two little tots, Allie & James hangin' out together when Julianne stayed with us (when we were still living at my parent's house) while her husband Rick was reporting at a basketball tournament in Las Vegas. He works for Fox 13 News in Utah. I'm related to a celebrity!

Jordan's 29th birthday - March 10, 2009. Next year's a big one!

And finally, photos of our house! These were taken before we moved in. Disclaimer: all rooms are a work in progress as far as updating and decorating go! Here is one of my favorite features of the house -- the window seat in the living room.

Side of the house.

Garage

Guest room (sorry it's sideways)

Master bedroom closet

Master bedroom

Master bedroom (side leading out to backyard)

Gate out to the golf course

Cyprus tree alleyway on the side of the house (view from backyard)

The backyard

Enclosed patio that leads into the master bedroom.

Backyard

View of the golf course - the best part of the house, by far!

Kitchen

Kitchen, leading into dining room.

Family room next to kitchen.

Dining room next to kitchen.

Living room (don't worry, the ugly chair and curtains are gone now).

Front view

Last, but not least, some cute pics of James. He loves making noise with this thing.

I love that toothy chubby grin! He has the cutest gap in between his two front teeth. I couldn't ask for a cuter baby - and now, officially, a toddler. They grow up way too fast...

A Randall is Born!

2009-05-26T11:21:00.000-07:00

My sister Wendy had her baby Sunday morning at 2:26 a.m.! And judging from the size of her belly we all knew he was going to be a big boy, but we were all shocked to find out that he was a whopping 9 lbs. 12 oz.! (A whole pound heavier than James, and James was a week late!) He was 21 inches long. They named him Levi David Randall - and he is CUTE!

Here is the honey smoochy smoocherkins:

Happy St. Patty's Day!

2009-03-17T13:33:00.000-07:00

Once again, my blog has been put on the back burner. What's new?

So, in honor of the Saint we call Patrick, here's a lit'l update for ya, me laddies & lassies -- limerick style:

There once was a laddie named James,

Who thought teething was really quite lame,

His teeth grind away,

To his parents dismay,

But he's chubby and cute just the same!

His daredevil stunts are a fright,

Climbing stairs and tumbling by night,

He loves to be chased,

While he laughs and makes haste,

Then he squeals while Mom squeezes him tight!

His mother, who some know as "Ash,"

Sleeps, oh, not a wink, the poor lass!

She feels like a cow,

For James' milks her, and HOW!

You'd think this would earn her some cash.

But instead she teaches music for pay,

11 students who visit by day,

Very busy stays she,

While James cries by her knee,

Oh, I wish there were some other way!

And the house with a view still awaits,

While we daydream of using our plates,

But the paint must be dry,

Before moving, "Oh my!"

Tomorrow will be the big day!

Meanwhile Jordan is pining for Fall,

When no school work he'll see, none at all!

But then he'll start work,

And his boss -- what a jerk!

No he's not -- he's my brother -- ha ha!

After finals, no break for Big J,

For the Bar just will not stay away,

So study he must,

Until he'll nearly bust,

Then he'll wonder "Did I do okay?"

Although 2009 will be tough,

And the stress might make me cry "Enough!"

I have a baby who's sweet,

A new home to rest my feet,

Not to mention a husband that's buff!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Aaaaaggghhhh!

2009-02-04T18:48:00.000-08:00

Oh my goodness.....Today we bought a house! Wow. This was really unexpected. Our original plan was to wait until the summer to buy, but my sister-in-law Leslie saw a house on the golf course for sale & thought we should take a look at it. So, we agreed to scope it out. It was wierd, because the moment we walked in, Jordan & I both agreed it just felt like home. A week later, here we are with a $315,000 mortgage & a beautiful home with a golf course for our backyard. Although some of the inside decor is not what I would pick out, the landscaping is beautiful and in great condition. The best part is that it was listed for 380 (and a year ago it was 529....but since the economy has gone down the tubes....) We bravely offered 300! Yeah, you heard right. We were obnoxious enough to offer 80 less than the asking price. So, they countered with 340.....then we countered with 305! Ha! Then they countered with 315....and finally we countered with 312.....and we got it! We are lucky that the economy is so horrible and that these people really wanted to sell this house. It was owned by an old couple who recently passed away. Their three children were heirs to the house and wanted it sold quickly. So, there you have it. The deal will close by Feb. 18th and we'll start moving in. Crazy. Life is so unpredictable.

I'll post pics soon :)

P.S. If anyone knows of some furniture that needs a good home, let us know :) We have NONE!

Rebel Fans Caught

2009-02-04T08:53:00.000-08:00

At last night's Rebel game, James & I were caught by a photographer from the LV Sun watching the game on the bigscreen, whilst the rest of my family was watching it live from the stands below (James was getting a little upset with all the noise).

To view the snapshot:

http://www.lasvegassun.com/photos/galleries/2009/feb/03/unlv-fan-photos-5/

More on our exciting trip to Carson City coming soon!

Someone Call CPS!

2009-01-14T18:55:00.001-08:00

Last night I hit a real low point as a mother. I am ashamed to say, I hit poor little Jamesy in the middle of the night. I know, you're all shocked. But I swear, I did it against my will! I was having a nightmare about these ghosts that were coming at me in all directions. I finally got up the courage to fight back & I whacked one of them as hard as I could..... that is, I whacked James. (Note to self: whacking at ghosts is not effective--they're see-through). Luckily, because I was dreaming, it was a very mild "whack" -- not as hard as it would have been, had I been awake. And, it wasn't on the head, it was more on the side of his body. Still, it scared him half to death. He was bawling. I'm a horrible mother. Someone please call Child Protective Services.

I did this once to Jordan, but I actually used my full strength on him. I punched him HARD in the stomach. I was dreaming about some guy attacking me, and I woke up thinking that the man lying next to me was the attacker... I'll let you picture the rest. Jordan, being the manly man that he is, didn't bawl like James. He groggily said "Ow!"

There seems to be a pattern here, and I'm scared for the safety of my family. Maybe I need to take all this pent-up aggression out on a punching bag before I hit the sack. I know what some of you may be thinking -- "Put the child in his crib for heavens sake!" To you I say, "Don't judge me. I want more than 2 hours of sleep a night." Call me selfish, or call my baby a "mama's boy." Either way, we'll be co-sleeping until he no longer needs night feedings. Hopefully for him, these crazed dreams will cease!

Update! Update! Read All About It!

2009-01-11T19:06:00.000-08:00

Oh, man. I have been so awful about my blog lately! It seems that I haven't had a moment to spare. And, the moments that I actually do have to spare, I end up doing fun things like laundry, scrubbing poo out of clothes, or heaven forbid - - eating or sleeping. Actually, no, there's not much sleeping. So, as not to bore you with the lengthy details, I will attempt to quickly summarize the past few months.

Thanksgiving:

Place: Manhattan Beach, CA @ fabulous, accommodating & fun in-laws (Jordan's brother, wife and kids) Jason & Sally. Love them! They just moved into a gorgeous home (temporary while Jason is working in L.A.) just a couple of miles from the beach. Talk about my dream home! It is cozy, spacious, and beautiful & is located in a nice, calm neighborhood next to other cute, beachy houses. The weather was perfect -- not too warm, not too cold.
People: Along with Jason, Sally and their adorable kids Nate (6), Ben (3?), and Lainey (1), we co-habitated with Jordan's parents, the Marquardts (Jordan's sister Julianne & husband Rick, along with new baby Allie), and the AZ Peels (Jordan's brother Matt, wife Kim & cute kids Taylor & Jackson). SO fun.

James, Grandma Peel & baby Allie

Activities: The boys & kids had a pre-Thanksgiving football game in the backyard (junior high field just behind their wall) while the women (except me...) cooked the big feast & played with the babies. Then, of course, we chowed down on some awesome Thanksgiving food--of which I can only take credit for the pomegranate jelly which I made with my sister Becky. We went around the table (as Peel tradition goes) and told what we were most thankful for. Thanksgiving night we made some awesome gingerbread houses & the amount of candy we had was out-of-control. It was such a good time--I recommend it to anyone who has never tried it before. This was the first time I have ever made gingerbread houses, and now I want to do it every year.

Jordash's gingerbread masterpiece...

The rest of the week was spent eating, seeing the new James Bond movie (James loved it), and taking family pictures by the beach. Unfortunately, Jordan had to study for most of the week up in Nate's little room because he had finals the week after Thanksgiving. Thank you, UNLV! I can't tell you how grateful I am that finals are over and that Jordan only has one more semester left....and then the bar.... Something else that was a bummer was that my little nephew Jackson (about a month older than James) started getting what ended up being a long & painful infection on the right side of his body. He was up all night crying & his parents had no idea what was wrong with him. After going back home to AZ, they noticed he wasn't putting weight on his right arm or leg, and took him to the hospital for examination. After many doctors visits and a long stay in the hospital, along with some good antibiotics, Jackson is finally getting better. We love you little Jackson!

Pre-Christmas Snow Storm:

About a week before Christmas, Boulder City/Las Vegas was hit with a huge snowstorm, unlike anything seen since 1949. It just kept snowing and snowing, and....it actually stuck. Any native of this area will tell you that this was a huge deal. It NEVER snows around here. We were homebound for a few days, waiting for the snow and ice to melt off of our steep driveway. They even canceled school the next day (something that I've never been so fortunate to take part in...spoiled kids!). Jordan & James played in the snow for a little while....and I just took pictures. I am such a wimp when it comes to the cold. I am perfectly content to bundle up by a fire with a good book and some hot chocolate. I have NO desire to play in the snow. Those days are very much over. I am definitley becoming my father.

Law-Firm Retreat in Panguitch, UT:

Place: "El Splendido Ranch" owned by some good friends of my brother Rodney & his family. It is a beautiful ranch that spans over many acres of land, and has multiple bunkhouses (more like luxury hotels), four-wheelers, a huge rec-room, a lake (frozen over at the time, but awesome for canoing in the summer), live-in hired help (they cook all the meals, clean, etc.) ....and the list goes on. This place is awesome.

People: The partners, associates, and other employees (and their families) of my brother Rodney's law firm, along with the owners Teresa & Michael Giroux. All are top-notch people and it was truly so much fun to get to know all of them better.

Activities: Eating & playing ping-pong/basketball/air-hockey in the rec-room, going on a hay-ride, relaxing and playing with James in the owners' personal cabin (where we stayed) where he enjoyed scooting around on his belly and slobbering on all the toys while I attempted to sew some Christmas stockings, ......four-wheeling, and going on a "cougar hunt" (just a little hike up the mountain in our snow-gear). It was a blast! And, James was absolutely adorable in his puffy little snowsuit.

My niece Naomi, nephew Sam, James & me on a hayride

James asleep on a cot in the rec-room

Christmas Eve:

Place: Parent's house -- which just happens to be our temporary shelter as well :)
People: All the Woodbury's, Randall's & Leavitt's, excluding Danielle and Cindy, who were in Israel visiting her parents.

Dinner: An array of warm soups along with some sparkling cider and apple cake for dessert -- so yummy.

Main Event: The kids all dressed up and put on a reenactment of the nativity, along with the help of Missy & Wendy who organized it by adding in some musical numbers by some of the kids and adults. A little chaotic, but cute & fun. James wasn't loving it, however. In fact, he slept through most of it, and by the time he woke up, he was grumpy and upset by all the noise. Oh, well. Maybe next year he'll enjoy the holidays!

Post-Party Activities: We finished up wrapping gifts & getting the stocking stuffers ready. I took it upon myself to bring back Christmas to the Woodbury family by buying everyone stocking stuffers and demanding that Jordan & I buy lots of good gifts for eachother (something we've never really done before).

Christmas Day:

Time: my nephew Jacob (who stayed with us during Christmas break while his mama was away) woke us all up at 8 A.M. (pretty good for Jacob--he's usually up by 6:00!) and we all went downstairs to check out what Santa brought us. Jacob by-passed the bike and dinosaur collection, going straight for the candy! So funny.

Breakfast: buttermilk pancakes with delicious homemade coconut syrup, fruit, eggs and bacon. Best part of the day!

Activities: Unwrapping presents, of course! Jordan & I took awhile....it was really fun to finally give each other presents, seeing as how we've been very frugal for the past 6 Christmases.

Gifts: My favorite gift from Jordan was a really cute & stylish shirt that Jordan picked out for me -- he did really good! I think Jordan's favorite gift from me was the Bourne Trilogy DVD's. We got James some good gifts too, although I don't think he cared one bit: lots of little nerf type balls and baby food in his stocking, a CD of his favorite lullabys, "Pat the Bunny" book....plus a bouncer and "exer-saucer" which he was able to use before Christmas. Grandma Rose got him the full collection of Baby Einstein DVD's (which he LOVES and I LOVE because it entertains him while I'm taking a shower and getting ready), and Grandma Peel got him a baby basketball hoop and basketballs. Missy got us 2 hand-held vacuums/carpet-cleaners (can you tell with my Sham Wow and vacuums that I am a clean freak?) that I wanted as well as all 9 seasons of the King of Queens, my favorite show! She was super-generous to us....well, me, because basically both of those gifts were things I love.

Post-Christmas Fun: The whole family (Woodbury's, Randall's, Leavitt's) came over later that evening and we watched The Christmas Carol together. After most everyone went home, we decided to live on the "wild" side and take a trip to Jack-in-the-Box at 11:00 at night with Joseph, Sam, Anna & Missy (James came along too :). Oooooh, we really live on the edge, huh? We then took our loot back to the house and watched the Bourne Ultimatum. Some seriously good times :)

After-Christmas Vacation:

When: The day after Christmas, Jordan, James & I packed up the car & headed back to Manhattan Beach to spend more time with Jason & Sally, Jordan's parents, Deb & Tyler (Jordan's sister & husband) and Julianne & baby Allie. It was so much fun. To sum up, we did lots of eating, shopping, playing Wii, reading, relaxing, cooing over the babies, having a great day at Disneyland, and making New Years predictions on New Years Eve. Fun, fun, fun! We always have a good time with the Peels :)

Nate & Ben strolling James around in a play stroller just before James did a bellyflop dive onto the wood floor...

Now we are back to reality but enjoying every minute of it while Jordan is not in school. The down-side is that Jordan caught the sinus infection that his Mom had, and he can't seem to get rid of it. We gave talks in church today, and he soldiered through it, but by the end of sacrament meeting, his head was pounding and he was ready to go home and get in bed. James is getting cuter by the minute--smiling, laughing, scooting and rocking around on the floor (he even does some awesome baby push-ups, sometimes one-armed push ups!), gurgling, and screaming. I just love this chubby little munchkin! As for me, I'm trying to get organized, teach piano to 9 little cuties, and love being a mommy :) 2008 has been very good to us. Very, very good :)

Gotta Love Kids

2008-11-20T13:47:00.000-08:00

I'm loving all the new & cute things James is doing -- but until he can talk, I have my nieces and nephews to constantly entertain me with their hilarious remarks. I don't know what I would do without them to brighten even the worst of days. I hope they bring some cheer to your day too :) You'll find that Rorykins gets the prize for most frequent funny commenter...

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Rosie: "Can I pet your baby?"

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(Conversation during a family home evening lesson)

Grandma Rose: "What about your dress makes it modest?"

Rory: "You know, 'cause it's not all boobs and stuff."

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(During a tutoring session with my nephew as he was reciting the Preamble)

Jess: "...provide for the common defense, promote the general conference..." (instead of 'promote the general welfare')

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(After dropping something in sacrament meeting)

Rory: "Oh s*@t!" (oops....)

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(Conversation between my niece and nephew in the car)

Seth: "Rory, why aren't you copying me?"

Rory: "Because I didn't want to exturb you."

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(While taking a shower with his mom and staring up at her in awe with adoring eyes)

Elias: "Mom, your bosoms are SO big."

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My nephew Jacob was put in a time out and was screaming and crying in the time-out room. All of a sudden he screamed out, "Help! Help!" Danielle, (his mom) upon hearing this urgent plea and thinking something was horribly wrong, went into the room to check on Jacob. As she opened the door & peered in he whined, "I want cupcakes! I want cupcakes!" (His time-out had nothing to do with cupcakes). Danielle rolled her eyes and shut the door.

(Hope I got that right, Danielle :)

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(After getting in trouble for scratching her aunt's car with a rock)

Becky: "Rory, what did you do to Leanna's car?"

Rory: (looking up from her coloring book and pausing) "Scratch."

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Wendy: "Rosie, where are your panties?"

Rosie: (matter-of-factly) "They're peep-ded." (meaning, they're peed in).

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Danielle: (pointing to a picture of Jesus) "Who's this Jacob?"

Jacob: "Jesus. Jesus Woodbury."

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Sylvie: "Mom, why are mom's bums so humongous?"

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Rory: "Mom, your bum is bigger than ANYTHING."

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and the mother of all funny comments......

My 5 year old (at the time) nephew Elias was talking to me & Jordan while at a family dinner party. He was rambling on about Spiderman, and Jordan & I both noticed that he all of a sudden started adjusting himself in the bum area. In mid-sentence, he interrupts himself and says...

"You know, sometimes my bum sticks together, and I have to split it."

Classic.

Sleep & Other Miscellaneous

2008-11-18T20:41:00.000-08:00

Two Sundays ago, James hit the 4-month mark. It goes without saying (even though I'm going to say it anyway...) that the past 4 months have been so joyful and amazing. But, they have also been the most exhausting 4 months of my life. I was hoping by 4-months James would be sleeping completely through the night. Thanks to a variety of things, including teething, hunger, and wanting constant mommy contact, the sleeping through the night thing just isn't happening. I would say, on average, he wakes up 3-5 times a night. Nursing always calms him down and puts him right back to sleep--but being woken up that many times a night consistently for the past 4 months is starting to take a toll on me. The teething thing is such a drag too, by the way! As if we didn't have it hard enough... Anyway, he gets at least 3 good naps during the day, which are pretty on schedule, but it's the nighttime that we're struggling with still. It's a good thing he's completely & utterly adorable...

On a lighter note, James is getting so funny & full of personality. I love all the cute new things he is doing. Just to name a few:
-rolling over like crazy, especially when I'm trying to change his diaper
-lifting his head up really high when on his tummy (this is especially cute when I find him this way after a nap as he's whimpering and looking around the room)
-lifting his head up and smiling at me when I'm lying next to him, then burrowing his head in the bed when he realizes I'm smiling back at him. He repeats this again and again---so endearing
-grabbing his feet, which causes him to tip over onto his side
-gurgling his saliva and foaming at the mouth (sounds totally gross, but somehow cute when coming from a baby)
-baby talking (sounds something like "guuu errrrr uuuu ggggg rrrrrrr") with his serious face
-smiling and kicking excitedly everytime I look at him
-laughing his head off, especially when I stand him up and dance him around--his laugh is too adorable for words--I love it!
-whining and burrowing his head in my chest when he's tired (again, sounds horrible).
-putting everything he can get his hands on in his mouth (this can be a little frustrating!)
-propping his leg up on my arm when he's nursing--it's like he's bracing himself!
-making lots of loud sighing sounds when he's eating
-concentrating really hard on objects he's trying to grab by furrowing his brow & forming an "o" with his mouth while his hands and head are intensely shaking
-burping like a full grown man after each feeding (once again--only cute coming from a baby)
-grabbing my face & opening his mouth in a wide grin when I go in for a kiss while making a cute "aaaahhhh" sound.

I love my little guy :)

Something a little scary, yet supposedly normal, has been happening to me since I started nursing. My hair is falling out in clumps! I am starting to get two bald spots near the front of my head. Everyone I have talked to says this happened to them as well. Some say it's due to hormones, while others say it's because I had an epidural (the latter doesn't make any sense to me, but what do I know?). All of my sisters & many of my friends have had the same hair loss issues while nursing. To me, it seems like it would be linked to nutrition, but that doesn't make sense either because I'm taking prenatal vitamins still and trying to eat as healthy as I can (I'm definitely not perfect, but I try). Whatever the reason, it is becoming really annoying. When I brush my hair every morning I feel like a cancer patient, waiting for the globs of hair to stop coming. It is truly disgusting, especially when I'm constantly finding hair everywhere--all over James, me, the floor....yuck! I can't stand it. Any words of wisdom, comfort, or just plain sympathy? I'll take anything.

New Address, Same Ashley

2008-11-16T21:52:00.000-08:00

More interesting, exciting, scary, funny, juicy, touching, serious, silly and awesome posts coming your way....I know you can't wait :)