Four More Days... and a New Perspective...

I can't believe that we're only a few days away from Christmas. This year has gone by so uncomfortably fast.
Ever since I've had kids, my feelings get so tender around this time of year. I think about Mary and all that she had to have gone through mentally during her trek to have Jesus. I think about our Heavenly Father and his love for his Son that he sent down to do what he did for all of us. I think sometimes, the latter hits my heart more. Mainly because I really don't think that I could have done it. I've had my Abraham and Isaac experience and I really struggled with what my choice was... anyway, it makes me even more grateful for our Heavenly Father and his love for all of us.

The boys wanted to go outside so badly today. We went through the timely process of getting them all dressed for the cold and they went on their merry way. As I watched them, I got all choked up. They see everything with so much excitement. The world is their giant play ground. While as they play, I'm constantly looking for what's around them that could or would hurt them. TOTALLY the Mama bear mentality.
I took my camera out and I got a few pictures that I love. I will forever look at those pictures and remember the joy they found running around in that watery snow. It wasn't great snow. We couldn't have built a snowman out of it, but they didn't care. They loved it all... I'm trying to find the good in the world every day. Most days I'm just wishing I could go back in time and my kids could grow up when I did... I hate that I think that way.... today gave me the opportunity to notice what I'm needing to change. To me, that's seeing the world through a child's eyes...even if through mine, there is a LOT more caution, I hope I can succeed at seeing the good around me and recognizing every day for what it is... a gift :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Current Happenings....

I have a few excuses as to why it's been such a gap in between posts. One, and the MOST stressful part of my last two months, was that our computer crashed. It was a joke. I had two weddings and eight family photo shoots on the hard drive. Luckily, I had backed them up. But still. It made me sick, still does, to even think about it.
Second, my photography business has kept me super busy... so doing anything but editing has been my life. I'm not complaining, just saying :)

So, since my last post, a Thanksgiving has passed....
The Applegate side of the family always has a "Gate Gang Turkey Bowl" the morning of Thanksgiving. It's ALWAYS a blast. It was quite a difference not having Cam there, but Dad's smack talking surly didn't ease up. I wasn't even a contender seeing as I let Dax and Wy bowl for me every other time. I think Kevin knew that I'd do that and took FULL advantage. He came in second, which is really first because Rich (my Mom's brother) doesn't count. He's a pro bowler and he wastes us all every time... anyway, Kevin was very pleased with himself.... we'll see how well he does when it's me against him... not him against a three and one year old.... :)
Here is the 2010 bowling picture....



Wyatt was SO excited about the whole thing...








My Mom and her Laurel class donated a Christmas tree to the Festival of Trees...so we went to go see it as well as all the others. I was pretty excited to show the boys all the trees...yeah, remind me to NEVER take them again. That was a JOKE. I will say there wasn't a tree that was dedicated to a newborn that died, that I didn't get choked up walking by. There were some really neat dedications. One tree went for 10 grand. THAT'S a lot for a Christmas tree, but at least it went to a good cause....




My Mom's tree decor and tree...



Dax admiring the Dino tree...

Probably the most exciting happening has been Wyatt's second birthday. Can you believe he is TWO?! I can't. It was SO FUN though. He could hardly believe all the presents were for him.

He had a Skate Board themed party. He loved the cake! He kept saying "MY skate board cake, huh Mommy."

The treat table....





Dax got a baseball helmet for his third birthday. Wyatt wore it a lot more than Dax ever did...but of course when he would wear it, Dax would decide he needed to wear it... Dubby got his very own helmet from Grandma and Grandpa Hair. He was thrilled!




Dax could HARDLY contain himself with joy at each of Wyatt's gifts. He even screamed out what we got him well before Dubby even got to it....

I think Wy consumed more sugar that night than in his two years combined...

My big two year old... where did the time go?!






He's had to sleep with his Tractor bike that Grandpa and Grandma horsey got him every night since his Birthday. He's also had to sleep in his "Racing Jammie's" (lightning McQueen pj's from Gram and Gramps alligator) The biggest fights come from who gets to ride the bike that Nina and Papa gave him and who gets to play with the remote control monster truck that we gave him..... After Dubby finished opening all his presents, Dax took Wyatt's face and said "I sure hope you will share with me Dubby"....and actually, he has been a very good sharer.... though, he's a lot more patient than I'd thought he'd be about it too.
That same night, during tub time, I asked Wyatt if he had a good birthday and he said "More Birthday" I think he enjoyed every second of his special day. Thanks to all who helped us celebrate!
We've been busy and happy all at the same time. I'm sure next week will only bring more memories to share. Until then......... ;)

During my 1-4 o'clock hours, I've been at a loss. I miss my Dr. Laura program. It's not on KNRS anymore and sometimes, listening to too much political jargon (Sean Hannity filled her slot) makes me ornery.

It won't come as a shock that I am a subscriber to the Dr. Laura blog. I read this article this morning, and I really wanted to share it. I don't have a Sister. I always wished my brothers to be sisters, but it wasn't in the cards. My parents always said God loved them enough to only send them one daughter, never really got it till I was older... but I forgive them. I wasn't the easiest teenager. Anyway... I have, however, been blessed with a Mom who is my best friend and a certain friend that I believe is my "soul sister" and I mean that in the real way, not like " hey sista, go sista, flow sista" I mean she is my eternal friend. Someday we hope that we will live in the same retirement home. :) The following article made me thankful, yet again, for such great friends. Which you all are :)

Ya Gotta Have Friends

November 4, 2010 on 12:00 am

I’ve been giving something a lot of thought lately, and have decided to share it with you - to influence you (if you’re not already) to open up to friendships.

Deborah Tannen, the linguist, recently wrote a piece published in The New York Times which discussed some research which indicated that people with sisters are happier than those without them. Her point of view was it isn’t women who talk better than men, it’s that they talk more often - even if it’s not about problems. The very act of just communing is beneficial to both.

She pointed out that men - even men with problems - might talk to each other and end up feeling better, even when they didn’t spend ten seconds talking about “the problem.” Why? I believe it’s because talking is a connection, an act of interest and caring, and a remedy for isolation, loneliness, and despair.

My mother was from a small town in northern Italy and grew up during the Fascist/Mussolini era. Her parents owned a restaurant and worked all the time. She did have a sister, my aunt Lucia, who was gunned down by a Nazi firing squad at the age of 20 the very first day she joined the underground movement but, other than that, she learned (sadly) to be contained in herself. That never changed. As I grew up, I never ever saw her have even one friend and she instilled in me a real sense of self-protection. She always told me I trusted too quickly, got disillusioned/betrayed/hurt and then suffered immensely. She was right. But so what? Being “hurt” is not the worst thing in the world. Being disconnected is.

I don’t readily tend to talk about my personal/emotional conditions. That’s now what I do when I get together with friends. I just share life with them. I have a few lovely lady friends right now - a deep quality of friendship - which is so deeply satisfying. I remember my surprise when one of them hadn’t seen me for almost a week and said, “You know, I miss you.” I just about fell down. Why was I so touched? Because for the most part, folks are into their own lives and don’t necessarily pay much attention to subtle niceties like that with friends. At that moment, she was cemented into my heart. What a generous, sweet thing to say. I have another friend who texts me now and then just to tell me to have a great day, and another one who gives me professional massages twice a month simply because she wants me to relax.

My mother missed out on a lot. I’m glad I didn’t listen to her warnings about trust and people. Yes, some have been untrustworthy and unkind, and others have outright betrayed me. But if your heart stays closed to avoid that hurt, then you won’t hear from a friend those words: “Miss you…love ya.” I’d rather suffer some frustrations in return for not missing out on hearing that. I hope you are also so willing.

Remembering and an Update All at the Same Time

So yesterday Camren flew out to Peru. Which is way further than his mission in Ecuador. He wasn't supposed to leave Provo until December 13. When we entered the MTC, he found out that plans had changed and he'd be leaving to the Peru MTC to serve until the 13th. Then he'll fly to Ecuador.
I wanted to be at the airport to see him off so badly, but waking the boys up at five in the a.m. wasn't something I thought I should do. My parents, Kael, and Cam's cute girlfriend Kelsea all went to see him off.
All morning I was anticipating some kind of news on how it went. I would get all teary when I would think back to when I met Kevin at the airport. I literally ran up to him and jumped on him. It's such a high. And such a great reminder of who, what, and why you're waiting. It was SUCH a hard two years for me. It all turned out the way it was supposed to but I can't help but feel for Kelsea and how she is feeling. After getting so excited to see them off, and then letting them go...it's quite the low.
Even after we were married, when the month of November came... I would feel sick. (That's when Kevin left) The smells, the colors, Thanksgiving, it was all a memory and for me, not one of my fondest.
Then I think back to when Kev and I landed in Mexico for our honeymoon and feeling sick to my stomach when the only sign I could read was the pepsi sign... and that was only because the way it looked. Not because I could actually read it. I remember thinking "we are so not in America anymore." We almost died in our cab ride to our hotel because the cabi was driving way too fast for my comfort. We had NO clue where we were going so he could have taken us anywhere and left us for dead. (Yes, that went through my head) Three days in, I was on a flippen DONKEY ride to the bank. Anyone who knows me KNOWS exactly how well I did with that. It wasn't something I look back on with fondness.
I'm a proud American and that trip largely shaped my appreciation for what we have... anyway, my point is... I can totally imagine the shock it was to be in a foreign country.
My Mom tracked the plane and he got there close to midnight their time. Kev and I looked up the MTC there. It's pretty, but for sure different from what we see in our country.
My heart has been full for my brother who left all that was normal to preach the gospel, for my parents, because, lets be honest, I'm so not looking forward to the day my boys leave and the heart ache of letting them be SO far away, and my heart is full for Miss Kelsea. Life is hard for the girlfriend.
I got to talk to Cam for a sec on the phone. He sounds amazing. ALL the pictures at the Airport were of him smiling. He looks SO incredibly happy.
I'm so excited for Kelsea too. The payoff is so much better than all that you go through while they're gone. When they get back... it really is what everyone said... It really does fly by. :) Love you Kels... hold tight :)

My Halloweenies... 2010

I was SO mad that it rained like it did on Halloween... The boys did get their fill at the ward Halloween Trunk-or-Treat. They could not believe they could get candy by just saying trick or treat. Dubby's little voice saying it was so funny! It was a great memory. Dax won an award for his costume. It was priceless to see him walk up and get his prize. So funny. He's getting so big. I really can't say that I love that, but I do love the stages. Thanks to Nina for making the fire truck and dalmatian :)

Makin' More and More Memories...And Many More on the Way....

Would you believe me if I told you that the night Cam entered the MTC, my Mom had a sleepover with Dax, picked up Wyatt early the next day, and along with "Papa Bear"(My dad) took them on a faux dear hunt? Well believe it. She's that awesome. Unfortunately, they didn't come home with a deer, but they did come home with stories to share. My boys just love their Nina and Papa bear. They do so many fun things with them. I'm so glad for the memories that they'll always have with them. I just love these pictures, so I thought I'd share....





















The plan was to go deer hunting and then roast hot dogs and marshmallows by the fire up in the mountain, but they didn't allow fires up there, so they went back to their house and cooked em' in their fire pit :)

Well, Elder Applegate is in the MTC. What an awesome experience it was.

The day before he left, my parents, my boys, Kael, Camren, and I all went up through big cottonwood canyon to just kind of hang out. Which we did. Cam was so quiet and deep in thought. Before we left we got some pictures which are below. You'll find the second one utterly heartbreaking.
That same night at 7 he got set apart. It was the coolest blessing I've ever heard. This kid is going to do amazing things while he's gone. The coolest thing of all is how his demeanor changed after the blessing. It wasn't a spirit of sadness anymore... he was excited... had more of a "let's do this" attitude. It was awesome.
The MTC no longer makes you go into the emotional filled room where everyone builds off of everyone else emotions. We got to walk him up. We got to see him meet his "host" and we said our goodbyes (or see ya laters as I prefer to call them) before he crossed the street. He was so happy. It's a memory I'll forever hold with happiness.





another heart breaker....


I wondered what he was thinking....


We plan to spoil him greatly while he is still in the country :) I'm lucky to have such great brother's. They do the best they can at all they do and I'm so thankful my boys have Cam and Kael and Trace to look up to.
This Kenny Rogers song was always one that made me think of Cammy. I mean from when he was super little wearing Trace's baseball clothes. He always kept trying and never gave up and he always saw the good out of everything. Pus, he has a sense of humor about it all too. Cam is the greatest... and he'll carry that on into his Mission. He's a fighter and always has been. I can't wait to hear all that he gets to see and experience out there. I miss him already but I know that he's having a blast wherever he is.

Farewelling, Grills and the Flu.... in the same month...

I've been a bit behind on the whole Blogging thing...not too bad, but here's an update...

Cam's Mission Farewell was on the 19th and he's going to be leaving NEXT WEDNESDAY!!! Not sure how I feel about that. I'm so excited for him and I know he'll do an amazing job...on the downside, when he returns......I'll be 29!!! What the..?
I had to go print some things off at my parents house and I saw Cam's suit case in the computer room...half packed... made me a little sick... can't lie, I mean we still have a week, does he already need to be packing?! ;)
Here's a few pix from the farewell...






On the 28th Kev turned 28... can't hardly believe that one... But it was a good day. He got to take the day off AND eat dinner at Texas Roadhouse (our current fave) The boys could have tried harder to make his special day a peaceful one, but they failed MISERABLY. Kev couldn't drop them off fast enough for us to go to dinner and be alone.

His cake was a grill :)





Lucky, lucky, LUCKY me.... got the flu.... AGAIN! here's the thing that kills me. I got the swine flu a year ago within a week of this time! WHAT THE HECK! This better NOT be a trend... and I better not get it for Christmas again. I swear I clean my house. I don't know how that dreadful sickness can't resist at passing our house.

Having the flu TOTALLY ruined our trip to Idaho to see our great friends. Which meant it canceled Dax's long awaited trip to the pumpkin patch with his best friend's Ty and Noah, to the Idaho pumpkin patch. When I told D we wouldn't get to go up, he said "Just drink more Sprite Mommy, then your tummy will feel better and we can go see Ty and Noah".... how I wish that would have done the trick... anyway, luckily Dax's school was going to the pumpkin patch the following Monday and he still got to go to A pumpkin patch.












K, so you have to climb a hay stack to get to the top of this awesome slide. Honestly, the stack shouldn't be as hard as it was for me, but in my defense, I was carrying Wyatt so I had to pull myself up with one arm... Like Kev could resist the urge to take a picture of me climbing.... nice.......


Look at Wy's face

The next time down he wanted to do it on his own... I was laughing so hard....

Once D went once it was non stop.....







Kev is such a good Dad... I love that he can still be a little kid with these boys...

It's a good thing we got rained on (Scratch that)poured on while there because there wasn't any way we would have gotten them home, otherwise.
This next pictures is really for Dev and for the rest of you to see her great work. I mean, really my door has been a headache and a fun change all at the same time... My sweet friend made me this cute wreath to hang on my door. I love it. I promise this will be the LAST picture of my bright, sunshiny door that it probably seems I'm obsessed about ;)