ONE AND ONE MAKES THREE

Photo Card

2011-12-04T14:50:00.001-08:00

Joy Love Family Christmas

Create from the Heart: photo Christmas cards from Shutterfly .

View the entire collection of cards.

CA, Sept 2011

2011-09-10T20:49:00.001-07:00

This past week, our little family went on a much needed and much deserved vacation. We were in CA for 4 glorious days and enjoyed Newport Beach, both Disney parks, and Laguna Beach. We had an absolute blast and cannot wait to do it agian. Braydon especially can't wait to go back to the beach and build sand castles, fly like Superman at California Vaction's ride California Soarin and to also "boom Zurg" on the "Buzz Ride" at Disneyland.

Enjoy the pics :)

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Braydon's 3rd Birthday Party 4.01.11

2011-05-02T07:23:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we celebrated Braydon's 3rd birthday with a Spiderman themed party (Braydon's wishes). Braydon was SUPPOSE to dress up like Spiderman, but decided not to as soon as he saw his Daddy.

Daddy dressed up as The Hulk, just as Braydon asked him to do. Even though, for the past 3 weeks, Daddy and Braydon discussed that Daddy was going to be The Hulk and would be GREEN like The Hulk, Braydon decided almost immediately upon seeing Daddy yesterday, that he DID NOT like Daddy green... a meltdown followed shortly thereafter, but he finally came around once Daddy washed the green off his face.

Yesterday was a great day, and I cannot believe our sweet baby is a three year old little boy (who loves all things Super Hero)!

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Happy Easter

2011-04-25T09:10:00.000-07:00

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Pics of us...

2011-04-03T11:01:00.001-07:00

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Exciting News!!!

2011-03-03T14:27:00.001-08:00

Braydon (34 months old today) has decided that he's ready to potty-train! Yesterday, after nap Braydon decided that he was done with diapers and potty chair bound! It's been a great (almost) 2 days, and I hope and pray this continues!

Go Braydon Go!!!

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33 months

2011-02-18T09:33:00.000-08:00

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Braydon - 32 Months

2011-01-30T13:34:00.000-08:00

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I'm at peace...

2011-01-04T06:51:00.001-08:00

Today is the four year anniversary of the day our first born son and daughter (Quinn and Addison) were born. It is also the four year anniversary of their death. And though I never thought I'd feel at peace about our tragic parting, I'm pleased to say that today I am.

I do have my moments of sadness, but those moments don't present themselves as often as they have in the past, nor do I fall to pieces when I'm caught off guard.

All in all, my heart and mind are at peace.

I pray that I live a life that honors them, and always will. I pray and hope they know how much I/we love and miss them. And I hope they know that I/we carry them with us every single day.

Even though I'm sad about what this day means for our family, and what it always will, I'm at peace about where I/we are in our life.

So, while I might cry a few tears today, I'll also honor their memory by being fully present in this day; by not taking a single second with my son, husband, and family for granted.

Until we meet again, sweet babies, we love and miss you endlessly!!!

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I just love this little boy!!!

2011-01-03T14:06:00.000-08:00

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So cute...

2010-11-29T10:16:00.001-08:00

Braydon absolutely LOVES his bed! So much so that he enjoys bringing toys to his bed, and will then play in there; sometimes for up to an hour, and will do this several times throughout the day.

Anyway, his room suddenly fell quiet, so when I went in to check on him, this is what I found...

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Braydon - 2 1/2 years old

2010-11-16T11:37:00.001-08:00

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Trick or treating 2010

2010-11-01T14:40:00.001-07:00

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Braydon as an art medium

2010-10-29T09:18:00.001-07:00

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My old H.S. will be on ESPN tonight!

2010-10-22T07:54:00.000-07:00

GEHS preps for national close-up on ESPN

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Hail - Oct 5th, 2010

2010-10-05T17:03:00.000-07:00

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As You Wish - 29 months

2010-10-03T12:43:00.000-07:00

I took Braydon to Desert Ridge this a.m. for the sole purpose of getting out of the house, to play, and be creative with hands and mind. After sharing a muffin, playing in the water, and walking all over Desert Ridge, Braydon and I finally went into the pottery store to paint.

It didn't open til 11, so Braydon decided to window shop before we actually got to paint. During his brief time of window shopping, he immediately spotted a car and decided that was the one for him. After choosing the car (from outside the store), he (quite adamantly) announced that the car would be painted green.

Once inside, he did paint the car(2 shades of) green... then black... and then mustard yellow. He was very decisive with his paint colors and was very focused on the task at hand. Once he finished the car, he chose to paint a cross for me. For that, he chose the colors lavender and blue! Very mommy appropriate, I think :)

I can't wait to show pictures of both, once they've gone through the kiln and are nice and glossy! Today was a fun day, indeed!

PS Braydon's finally on the potty training wagon! We have moments where he just wants his diaper, and others he wants big boy pants and the potty. I'm not going to force it, but at least we're making BIG progress!

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Pictures from Beth

2010-09-26T09:11:00.001-07:00

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Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-22T07:22:00.001-07:00

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Potty Training...

2010-08-30T07:48:00.001-07:00

I tried a handful of months back to potty train Braydon. His little body wasn't fully ready then, so I stopped, and resolved to try again in the near future.

Well, Braydon is now totally capable of doing it, but he absolutely refuses to try. I've tried bribing him to just sit on the potty with the reward of praises, hugs/kisses/snuggles, cookies, candy, cake, ice cream, etc., and none of those entice him enough to even sit, sans diaper, on the potty. He loves his diaper and tells me he's still a baby.

He's outgrowing his size 6 diaper and we now have wet pants quite often these days, simply because he's becoming too big for the biggest diaper. I've tried putting him in training pants, and he doesn't mind even a tiny bit that he's wet.

His new best friend is potty trained, so I hope he'll want to be a big kid like her, and want to go on the potty. I'm not sure what to do or how to get Braydon motivated to start training again.

Any suggestions?

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Albuquerque, NM July 2010

2010-08-04T10:37:00.001-07:00

Last week we went to ABQ to visit "Mimi" (Ty's mom) and we all thoroughly enjoyed the fabulous weather, wonderful company, and delicious food (made by Mimi). Braydon had a blast, and we enjoyed relaxing and visiting. Here are some pics from our trip. The first few are from a couple of months ago of Uncle Trask and Braydon (one of Ty's brothers) and the last few are of Braydon playing in the rain shortly after we returned home from ABQ!

The password is switz if one is necessary

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Go back to ASU or not go back... nope, not going back :(

2010-07-09T08:28:00.001-07:00

Last weekend I was given the wonderful surprise of finding out that ASU re-reviewed my FASFA and awarded me with two Grants (as well as two loans, that I didn't need or want). So, of course I accepted the grants, told a few people of my good news, and started the process of becoming an ASU student once again.

Fast forward to this morning, and my good news became sad:( ASU drastically cut the grant funding (less than half of what I was offered and accepted), then applied stipulations to one of the grants, that I cannot possibly commit to at this time in my life. I'm so bummed and disappointed. All I want is to return to school and complete my final semester. This is definitely a blow to my attitude for the day... maybe week or two.

I'm trying really hard to remind myself that if returning to school was meant to happen, then it would! My wonderful, younger cousin reminded me this morning that "Maybe God knows something you don't, and is steering you away from this one, as to be ready for the next."

So, as of now, I'm not college bound... yet.

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Bath time fun!

2010-07-08T18:38:00.001-07:00

Braydon - 26 months

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My Stella&Dot Pick Of The Week...

2010-06-28T11:40:00.000-07:00

... it's the perfect summery accessory!
Click here --> Beth Switzenberg - Stella & Dot Stylist

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Father's Day Gift Gone Wrong...

2010-06-16T12:24:00.001-07:00

Babe, if you don't want to ruin the surprise, don't read any further. But if you want a good laugh, I honestly don't mind if you ruin the surprise.

Today I had the brilliant idea to take Braydon to As You Wish to paint a bowl for Tyson for part of his Father's Day gift. Tyson has a bowl of cereal almost every night before bed, so I thought this would be a cute gift to give...
as of 11:15 today, I discovered my cute gift turned into an ugly $20 bowl that is worthy of mockery and teasing! I wish I had the idea to use his College colors BEFORE starting the bowl... sadly, I did not.

Instead, I let Braydon pick two colors and I chose the other two. What we came up w/is red, blue, green, and black... what is that about!?! Braydon was pitching fits almost the entire time we were there, helped for about 10 minutes, and began to scream "ALL DONE, ALL DONE, ALL DONE" time and time again. I tried to finish it myself... to make it look somewhat cute, and instead made it that much worse. Finally, I resigned from painting and decided to finish the bowl off with Braydon's hand-print.

Of course he wasn't willing to participate, so I had to bribe him with a cookie in order to achieve the hand-print. So, once I promised him a cookie, we did a quick/messy hand-print, and I paid $20 for an ugly @$$ bowl.

I'm exhausted, frustrated, and so bummed the experience wasn't a pleasant one for us both. I'm also pissed at the employees for not helping out even a little bit, but maybe some of my disappointment due to the outcome of the bowl is tainting my attitude towards them a little bit.

Anyway, the thought and love were there... the looks, however, are not... sorry Babe!

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Harkins Summer Movie Fun

2010-06-08T11:32:00.000-07:00

This morning Braydon and I went to our very first movie together. We're doing Harkins Summer Movie Fun, where babes/kids of all ages, pay next to nothing to watch reruns of somewhat older, family friendly movies. Today's was Shrek the Third, and though Braydon was very unsure of the dark, massive theater, he decided to give it a try when a bus load of 6 year olds walked in. During the entire movie, Braydon sat on the edge of his seat, and any noise he made blended in nicely with the noise the other little ones made. I loved it. We have 8 more weeks (every Tuesday at 9:45am) of this and I'm hoping by the end of the Summer Movie Fun, Braydon will be ready to join his daddy and me for the newer kiddie movies.

Such a great day!

PS Braydon even volunteered 3 kisses (to me) during the movie!!!

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Mommy and her snuggle bug!

2010-06-07T15:50:00.000-07:00

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Potty Training Diaries

2010-05-18T15:04:00.000-07:00

I'm already throwing in the towel -- for now. ML, you were an amazing support to me today, but these last few hours have absolutely stressed me to the max (as well as Bray - he's a bit freaked out and totally clingy) and I'm realizing that Braydon just isn't ready yet. I tried to push, and instead he held his pee pee as best he could while sitting on the potty, and would then unleash and release all over the place.

For a while, I thought we were making progress (because he DID successfully time and time again go on the potty, however time and time again, he'd pee, not realize he's peed, and was happy to sit urine drenched big boy pants. Not only did this win/lose happen ALL DAY LONG, he also begged to take off his big boy pants. He yanked at them, screamed, maybe go pee a little in his big boy chair, and as soon as he was out of the bathroom, he'd wet his pants and anything around him :(

I'm so disappointed, but my mommy gut is telling me to back off and try again in a couple of months. Physically, he's pretty much there. But he's just not mentally. I guess I need to let it go and try when I feel and believe it'll be a smoother transition.

I'm upset, frustrated, and pretty disappointed. Braydon's THRILLED to be back in his diaper (which why wouldn't he, it's all he's known for 2 years), and I need a drink or two to unwind from a stressful, mind-numbing day.

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Potty-Training Diary

2010-05-17T19:50:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow (Tuesday morning), Braydon and I will embark on the voyage of potty training. I've read, and re-read my potty training book, I have my game plan memorized, all necessary tools/drinks/treats/etc. out and ready to be used, and I'm in the "zone". I know it may very well be an arduous day tomorrow, but I'm confident Braydon is ready and can do this, and I'm in the right, patient mindset, and know we are on the path to being diaper free!

Wish us luck!

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Playing in the water on Mother's Day!

2010-05-14T20:11:00.000-07:00

I STILL cannot believe he's 2 years old!!!

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Stella & Dot

2010-05-05T14:57:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

I just wanted to share with you that I'm now a Stella & Dot stylist. I absolutely love this jewelry, and I cannot wait to begin sharing it with any and everyone!

If you're not familiar with Stella & Dot, I guarantee you've seen their pieces in magazines and TV shows. Stella & Dot uses quality sterling silver, precious metals, semi-precious gemstones, and quality crystal in ALL of their pieces, and again, I just LOVE this brand.

Please, let me know if you're interested in some of the pieces, hosting a trunk-show, or have questions about becoming a stylist as well. Also, feel free to check out the line at www.stelladot.com/bethswitz

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Happy 2nd Birthday, Braydon!!!

2010-05-03T07:57:00.001-07:00

Today, at 7:26am, our baby turned 2 years old! We truly cannot believe how fast time has passed us by!

We are just so proud of him and love him far beyond what any words can adequately express! Today (as well as this past Saturday) we celebrate all that is Braydon and the miracle he is!!!

We celebrate his wonderful manners, his great sense of humor, his love of dancing after dinner, his current obsession with all things cars, trucks, and trains. We celebrate his "boy-ness", his stubbornness, the way he loves to snuggle when watching one of his favorite "shows" or movie. We also celebrate the way he smiles; the way his entire face lights up, his 2 different laughs, his independent side, his needy side. We celebrate the fact that Braydon's picky phase is coming to a close (2 months of not eating any type of meat, or much else for that matter). We celebrate his love of his friends, cousins, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and us (of course). We celebrate his friendly disposition and the fact that Braydon feels absolutely compelled to say "hi" to every single person we pass by.

I could go on and on and on with EVERYTHING we adore, treasure, cherish, and celebrate about Braydon! We love him endlessly and are the two happiest parents, and are prouder than proud of our now 2 years old little boy!

Happy Birthday, Braydon!!!

We celebrated with family this past Saturday, and I've put together a little slide-show from that day. I've kept out all pictures of Braydon with his cousins (which most are that), since my blog is pretty much open for all to see.

Enjoy!
PS - ignore the accompanying music - it's what came with the slide-show.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Braydon enjoying an early b-day present :)

2010-05-01T14:32:00.001-07:00

Braydon's definitely in "choo-choo" heaven :)

Sorry for the blurry screen. Took this with my cellphone.

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Dearest Merry Lynn,

2010-04-24T15:15:00.000-07:00

Thank you so much for sending me/us the potty-training book AND the M&Ms. Time and time again, you've gone above and beyond for me and my little family, and even though there are a diaper-load of miles between us, I still cherish our friendship!

I'm SO GRATEFUL to have you as my "go-to" mommy, and savor all advice/tips you literally send my way!!!

Thanks again!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We love you ML! These hearts are for you ;)

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Braydon channels Evil Knievel

2010-04-21T12:18:00.000-07:00

This morning as I began to pick up the living room, Braydon asked to watch more "shows". I immediately tell him he's watched enough TV and that he needs to go and play. He reluctantly accepts it, and toddles down the hallway and goes into his/guest bathroom - something he does 20+ times a day. Braydon truly enjoys playing in the bathtub with his bath toys, sans water. Also, that's where his potty chair is and he genuinely enjoys visiting it throughout the day.

Anyway, as I listen to him walk into the bathroom, I hear what I think are the familiar sounds of him climbing into the tub. About 10-20 seconds after I tell him to go and play, I hear a loud BOOM! CRASH! SMASH! SCRAPE! WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! I run to the bathroom to find Braydon pinned to the ground and surrounded by broken glass (and other common bathroom whatnots).

Apparently, Braydon pulled down the standing shelving/cabinet unit above/behind the toilet. Stupid us, for never thinking to mount it to the wall. Leave it to our little Evil Knievel to yank it down and unveil our unforeseen negligence.

Luckily, and THANK THE LORD ALL MIGHTY, Braydon was totally unharmed!!! As scary as the situation appeared to be, I pulled him away without a single scratch, cut, or bruise. I, however, managed to gather a few glass shards in my hands -- but better me than my precious little man!!!

The only visible damage to the house is a small portion of the wall has a few scrapes and two small gashes. But after a little patch-job and a coat of paint, no one will be none-the-wiser of today's ordeal.

There were four casualties from today's crash, though. The first being a potted plant that has been alive for at least 15 years. It was on top of the unit, and though the ceramic vase survived, the plant itself did not. The second was a can of air freshener, the third was the unit itself, and fourth and most importantly was a jar of M&Ms.

The M&Ms are Braydon's reward for when he tries/goes on the potty. Braydon was devastated once he learned he wasn't allowed eat the glass laden M&Ms. And I think the Great Crash of April 21, 2010 was a direct result of our Evil Knievel's attempt to retrieve said M&Ms.

Today, I went to Walmart to buy replacement M&Ms, but they are now stored in a PLASTIC container, in the kitchen, where Evil Knievel absolutely cannot even attempt to retrieve them.

The lesson learned today? To NEVER assume a little TODDLER boy is doing what you think he's doing AND to BOLT EVERYTHING to the wall.

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Braydon + Matchbox Cars = Happy Boy

2010-04-07T11:27:00.000-07:00

It AMAZES me how much of a "boy" Braydon has become! He used to play with just about anything, but as of lately, he's grown quite picky in regards to his toys.

No longer does he like the baby-ish cars, the ones he used to cherish. He now LOVES his Matchbox cars, his huge Hummer truck (that comes w/all sorts of annoying sounds), and his new dicast Charger Police Car.

Earlier today I took Braydon to Target to pick out some toys with the Easter money his Mimi sent him. I had no idea Braydon would be SO enamoured by the toy car aisle. He DID NOT want to venture down any other aisle. Apparently Braydon had his eye on the prize and that ended up being Cars -- lots and lots of cars.

Anyway, he wanted almost every single thing there. At first he tried to convince me he needed this large crotch-rocket motorcycle that has all the same annoying sounds as his Hummer, but I refuse to encourage any and all things motorcycle. Next he wanted a firetruck, then a PT Cruiser, then a dicast Mustang, then a dicast Porsche. Finally after a few meltdowns, he decided on a 5-pack of Matchbox Cars, and the dicast Charger police car. He left Target one satisfied little boy, held his Matchbox Cars the entire ride home, and once home and inside, he cradled them like a baby, kissed the package, and then handed it off to me so I could open it. He tried to carry his police car, but the box was nearly as big as he is, so he settled on the little cars.

Anyway, my 23 month old baby has turned into a boy, and I have no idea where the time has gone. He's just growing up too darn fast.

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Happy Anniverary!

2010-04-05T07:11:00.000-07:00

Today is Tyson and my 7th anniversary! We've been together for nine years, married for seven, and this past nearly decade has been the best years of my life! I'm so grateful to have him as my hubby and I so look forward to our future!

Happy Anniversary, my love!!! I love you so very very very very much!!!

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I'm computer-stupid!

2010-04-04T17:59:00.000-07:00

Not only did I manage to lose our video of Braydon's very first Easter egg hunt, I also lost video from the earthquake that we felt.

Braydon was able to find 6 Easter eggs, each filled with a Matchbox Car (which he's still obsessively playing with 3 hours later) and the video is GONE. In addition to that, about 20 seconds after we felt the earthquake, Tyson grabbed the camera to film our pool going crazy and water totally splashing over the rim. I lost our footage of that AND the footage of Tyson talking to our neighbors (behind us) about the tremors we'd just experienced.

I have NO IDEA what happened. I plugged the camera up to the PC using the USB port. The 4 videos showed up in the automated video thing that popped up and then suddenly I got a message error saying something about defective system hardware, and then the videos vanished. To make matters worse, the videos were also totally erased from the SD Card. I didn't push a single button. All just totally vanished :(

I'm so disappointed!!! I cannot believe I lost precious video of my son, proof of his first earthquake (in AZ), and I didn't take a single picture today. I have zero documentation of today!!!!

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I'm struggling with this 3rd anniversary...

2010-04-02T12:43:00.000-07:00

... I don't know exactly why, but I'm absolutely struggling with my grief of losing Quinn and Addison this year. This anniversary has hit me harder than it has the first two years.

It's not as if I don't always think of them, which I have and do since the day they left us. But now I'm actually wrestling with my grief over the questions with which I'll never receive answers.

I can't help but wander what they would look like. What their personalities would be. Would Quinn be a big boy like Braydon - would Addison be petite like her Mimi, or a chunk like I was as a baby/toddler? What color would their eyes be? What would their favorite foods, books, toys, shows, activities, friends, etc. be? What would they like or dislike? Or how would their laughs sound? How would they sound when they talked? Would they have "twin-language"? Would they be best friends or fight constantly?

These and so many other questions constantly roll around in my thoughts, and at times, it damn near paralyzes me. Of course I keep these thoughts/emotions at bay when Braydon's awake, but as soon as he goes down for his nap, they come flooding in and it just exhausts me. I don't know why I can't just let it go!!! I KNOW someday we will be reunited, but these questions, especially since the 3rd anniversary, overwhelm me.

I don't give an actual voice to these thoughts, because I honestly don't want to talk about it. Thankfully, once Tyson gets home from work, the thoughts/questions are put to rest til Braydon's next nap time. I welcome these breaks because when the questions are present, all of the emotions I don't like to feel almost always consume me for at least an hour.

I guess I'm just posting this in an attempt to vent, and to possibly put these thoughts to bed for good. I KNOW I'll never get my answers. Besides, if Quinn and Addison were here, Braydon wouldn't be and that thought alone is unbearable. He and Tyson are my world. Why I can't just focus on that, I just don't know. Perhaps I need to let myself feel the pain/grief again, release some super bottled up tears, and move forward til this grief sidelines me once again, which I know it will.

Sorry for this downer of a post. I just really needed to vent.

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Wordless Wednesday...

2010-03-31T07:14:00.000-07:00

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Potty Training Practice

2010-03-20T07:07:00.000-07:00

So, we've begun practicing our potty training. We're not pushing the subject yet, but if/when Braydon tells us he want to try to go "pee-pee" on the "pee-pee", we gladly oblige. Once, and only once, he was successful. All other times, we just sit there, and sit there, and sit there while reading books, until he tells us he's all done. Here are a few pictures from our latest potty practice.

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Found these pics in an old email...

2010-03-12T12:28:00.000-08:00

I don't remember ever seeing these pictures, but am so thankful to have found them in my old email account. I can't believe it's been nearly 2 years...

This one I've seen, but still had to add it in :)

Ty, Braydon, and Ty's gorgeous/fabulous sister Kearstin

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A serious case of bedhead - 22 months

2010-03-11T07:12:00.001-08:00

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Braydon went pee-pee on the potty!!!

2010-03-09T17:18:00.000-08:00

Now I realize we've got a long road ahead of us, potty training wise, but today Braydon went pee-pee on his potty for the very first time!!! I was super happy, praised him endlessly, which made him super happy, and I then gave him a reward of 3 m&m's for going pee-pee on the potty, which made him really really happy. Braydon's never had candy before so I'm hoping the m&m reward system thing is a real incentive for him.

Woohoo!!! I just love achieving these big firsts.

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Braydon and his Grandpa Switz

2010-02-25T10:53:00.001-08:00

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Braydon Pics...

2010-02-19T10:49:00.000-08:00

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Wordless Wednesday

2010-02-03T07:13:00.001-08:00

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The things strangers say...

2010-01-27T18:53:00.000-08:00

It rained again today, so I had to be a bit creative in what Braydon and I would do to stay busy and keep entertained all day. Since Braydon DID NOT want to play with ANY of his toys, we decided to go to PV mall this morning so he could run about and play til lunch time. PV mall is super kid friendly and Braydon completely wore himself out. After a quick lunch we headed home and he napped.

Well, after a 2 hour nap Braydon woke up in a monster of a bad mood and went on a tantrum tirade. Finally at 3:15 I decided to take him to the book store so he could play with the train table and perhaps read some books, too. While there, Braydon calmed down and played with the trains for almost an hour. After that, he was busy exploring the kiddie section, playing on the stage (for story hour) and just being a typical toddler boy. That's when some man stopped and asked me if Braydon had ADHD. The man said Braydon behaved just as a toddler with ADHD would. He then asked me if Braydon's pediatrician is concerned or if we are and if we've considered ADHD being a possibility. Finally he said that I should try giving my 20 month old some caffeine!!! I just kept my cool and asked, "Ummmm What!?!?" And then said caffeine acts like a depressent for kids with ADD/ADHD and that I should either give him some watered-down soda or coffee with a lot of milk. He said if it calms him down, then that's proof positive my son has ADHD.

WTF?!?!?!?!?!?!

Shortly after my encounter with this stranger, Braydon threw a monster $hitfit, and we left the bookstore. The fit was the result of me not allowing Braydon to hit a little girl at the train table or for not allowing him to steal one of the store's little train engines. Worthy of a fit...? I guess it was :)

Anyway, that was my Wednesday. Oh, the crazy things people feel at complete ease to say...

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In a 5-minute time span...

2010-01-21T15:02:00.000-08:00

Braydon pukes from drinking too much water, too fast. Once he pukes, he purposefully steps in it and begins to track it through the house (luckily, just on the tile). As I'm cleaning up the puke and clorexing where it landed, my dog decides to poop in the kitchen. Floppy (the dog) decided her paws are too delicate to touch water- drenched grounds, thus deciding the best place to poop is by the kitchen door. As I begin to pick up the poop, Braydon beats me to one turd and begins to squeeze it between his fingers and both hands. Immediately we wash hands, search for any remaining turds, and return to life as we know it... That is, until I find my son playing in puddle -- literally laying in it on his belly. The DAMN DOG peed on the tile AND the carpet in the office. Forget washing hands -- time for a bath -- a hose down.

DAMN DOG!!!

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More Braydon Pix

2010-01-21T11:54:00.000-08:00

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Pix of Braydon (now 20 months)

2010-01-13T14:16:00.000-08:00

Mommy and her little man :)

Getting acquianted with his new potty chair!

Watching TV and flipping the bird... quite the multitasker:)

He's actually saying, "CHEESE!!!" in this picture

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Quinn Tyson & Addison Elizabeth

2010-01-04T07:48:00.000-08:00

Today, we would have been celebrating your third birthday, but instead you've been three years gone. I don't have the words to express the pain we've felt, but because of your sacrifice, we're now full of joy. If not for you, we wouldn't have your baby brother, Braydon. If not for you, I doubt we'd know such a pure and raw sense of what is real and true in this life.

Because of you two, Daddy and I never take a single moment with Braydon for granted. Because of you, we have a deeper sense of what a parents' love is, how it feels, what it looks like, and how totally consuming it is. Because of you, we try to love as if there is no tomorrow.

Because of you and Braydon, we walk the path of broken, yet peace, love and joy-filled hearts.

Quinn and Addison, we love and miss you endlessly. Til we meet again, know that you are forever in our hearts, thoughts, and prayers.

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Christmas Eve and Chrimas Day Pictures:)

2009-12-28T18:52:00.000-08:00

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Disneyland for my 30th!!!

2009-12-11T11:39:00.000-08:00

I have to brag on my my sweeter than sweet hubby right now, because he took us (Braydon included) to Disneyland this week to celebrate my 30th birthday. We had a blast and thoroughly enjoyed watching Braydon's reactions during his very first Disney experience.

We are very aware that Braydon won't retain any memories from this trip, but we have/will, and they'll last us a lifetime.

For instance, we'll forever giggle to ourselves when looking back on the moments when Braydon was less than receptive when meeting the various Disney characters. He refused to make eye-contact, acknowledge them, or would tell them "no, no" and/or would say and baby-sign "all done" or would just simply say "bye-bye." We tried so diligently to take those perfect pictures of us/him posing with the characters, but little man wanted nothing to do with it.

We'll also smile when remembering his reactions to his first 2 rides: The Pirate's Of The Caribbean and The Haunted Mansion (stylized in The Nightmare Before Christmas). Even though he DID NOT like either ride, he did not cry out even once. He did, however, cling to his Daddy for dear life during both, and once again would sign and say "all done" the entire time for both rides. Hey, at least he's using "all done" in proper context.

Braydon loved all of the rides in the Fantasy Land portion of the park -- especially It's A Small World and Alice In Wonderland. He'd ooh and ahh, say wow, wee, yeah, and clap his hands... so stinking cute. He also enjoyed the new Nemo ride and Toy Story ride, especially when he was able to control the direction our car was facing as Tyson and I tried to aim our lazer gun-things towards various targets.

It was a bit tricky trying to capture pictures of him smiling because he was too busy soaking in all Disney has to offer: the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, etc.

All in all, it was a wonderful trip and it was certainly nice to escape reality for a little while. Thanks babe for a wonderful mid-week getaway in celebration of my 30th! I love you very much!!!

Here are some pix from our time spent at the Magical Kingdom...

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Braydon and his Christmas PJs

2009-12-06T19:07:00.000-08:00

I tried soooo hard to get that "perfect" shot of Braydon in his adorable Christmas PJs, but instead (in true 19 month old fashion) he ripped his hat off his head and refused to let me get that perfect shot of him in front of our Christmas tree. Oh well... he's still looking so darn cute regardless.

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This is me being raw and honest... not my typical up-beat post

2009-12-01T18:58:00.000-08:00

This time of year, since 2007, has once again caught me off guard. I see "it" approaching in the weeks and months prior; I can see "it, this time" veering straight for me, and yet I'm still caught off guard.

I hate that almost every single time I see boy/girl twins at their various ages and stages, I feel an instant pain pierce through my heart. A pain that nearly stops me in my tracks, a pain that can sometimes cause tears to well, tears I have to force back. I hate that each time I see other family's perfect, miraculous twins, the memories of what happened to us flash through my mind, burning the heart wrenching images into my thoughts, the images I try so hard to forget. I hate the extra reminders of what will never be for us. I hate that the hole in my heart (as well as Tyson's) is still there. I hate that Braydon has a brother and sister he'll never know -- a brother and sister we only had fleeting, yet cherished moments with.

This past week, it seems as if every single time I try to fall asleep I re-live the birth of Quinn and Addison. I can see their perfect micro-preemie faces, hands, fingers, feet, toes, lips, ears, hair... ALL of their perfect little features. I can still feel the sensation of touching them, still remember how it felt to hold them, both wrapped within the same blanket. I can still vividly see Quinn reaching his arms out to me as his sister was being born. I still remember the the expression on Addison's face, a look of such peace, as if knowing her time with me/us was meant to brief.

This coming December 6th marks the 3 year anniversary of the day we found out we were having a son and a daughter, Quinn and Addison. Three years ago this coming January 3rd we found out we were losing them, and three years ago this coming January 4th we said our sad good-byes.

Every year since our sad, sudden, unfair, tragic, and can't-make-sense-of-this parting, early December to early January always wears on me. My tears are always just beneath the surface, and I wish I were stronger than I am right now, and have been in the past.

I can and will say that even though the holes in our hearts are still present, the space around our wounds has expanded exponentially. Braydon brought us back to life, brought us a love so profound, it cannot be explained. He is our world, and our life, and it's because of him we walk through our moments of darkness with our hearts full of love, fueled by our love and devotion for him and our little family.

This time will pass, as it has since since 2007, and we will continue to walk through this having grown even stronger than the year before. It's in these moments I take the time to truly reflect on how great our life is now. To thank God for the blessings he's rained down upon us, to thank God for getting us through a time I thought would have certainly killed us. On one hand I never knew such a pain existed, and on the other, we're now (and have been) living the fulfilled and joy-filled life we feared would never come to be.

I'm so thrilled and grateful that Tyson and I are able to experience a love so pure, so overwhelming, that it renders us speechless and warms our hearts with joy, sheer happiness, and pride. Braydon is more than anything we could have ever dreamed of, and yet is our answered prayer. He's our perfection -- he's the one who mended our broken hearts.

So, I'll end with this:
I'm sad right now, and I'm not going to pretend that I'm not, or pretend that these anniversaries don't affect me, because they do. I just needed an outlet to vent right now without it turning into a discussion.
Braydon and Tyson are my world, my heart, and my life. I'd be lost without them -- they are the center of me, they are what motivates me.
Lastly, I do have friends who have boy/girl twins (The Warrens), and what they have, it does not affect me even a little. I love them and only want the best for them -- I love that their world and hearts are so full of love. I love babies Caprice and Carson, and I hope they will someday be Braydon's buddies.

Goodnight

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I'm with computer and we're pretty much settled in...

2009-11-29T19:28:00.000-08:00

Thank the Lord Almighty...

Because not only have we moved and are nearly completely settled in AND loving our new house, but we also have the internet once again. Quickly, I'd like to ask for you to add my friend ML to your prayers. She recently underwent a pretty major surgery and nearly 10 plus days later, she's still in the hosptial.

I hope all of you had a great Thanksgiving, and I'll leave you with a handful of pix of us and our Moose.

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We are computerless, but have moved!!!

2009-11-24T08:05:00.001-08:00

Hi All-

We are currently computerless, which is driving me crazy because I can't keep up with all my bloggy friends (especially ML), but will hopefully have a computer soon enough.

Enough about that, we've also finally moved. The house is a disaster, but we love it and hope to be settled in within the next couple of weeks.

Will post more once I have more time and a computer!

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Yep - He's ALL boy

2009-11-03T12:07:00.000-08:00

This morning, on Braydon's 18 month birthday, he was able to enjoy nearly an hour and a half of playing in the dirt and relocating gravel, time and time again. Anyway, here are some pics of my sweet little guy - Enjoy!

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Some pics from Halloween

2009-11-02T13:52:00.000-08:00

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Update...

2009-10-31T13:31:00.000-07:00

I'll admit it...

I've been a very lazy blogger. I check my favorite blogs daily, but have just lacked the zest to add to mine.

Anyway, here's the latest and greatest on us:

We're officially moving in 2 weeks. We've found a great place in McCormick Ranch, and I could not be more excited about this move. Since we are moving soon, I've been spending the past 2-3 week packing during Braydon's nap time. Some days I get an hour and others I get three to be productive.

I've known for quite some time that we were moving to a smaller place, so I did spend a couple of weeks (pre-packing) to ransack our house to gather what I could to sell in a garage sale. It was a pretty decent turn out, made a bit of money, and the things that were too big to sell at the garage sale, we (Tyson) sold on Craigslist (which I have a new found respect for).

Our house still hasn't sold, but hopefully that will wrap up here soon enough. Other than that, there's not a whole lot to report.

Braydon's growing by leaps and bounds, and my almost 18 month old is easily filling out 2T and 3T clothing. His vocabulary is growing by the day, as is his free will, stubbornness, and little boy-ness. He definitely keeps us on our toes and has already put us through our first injury scare (fell and hit his head SUPER DUPER HARD). Obviously he's fine, but he had one hellofa goose egg on the back of his head that the doctor ordered us to wake him 2 times a night for 2 nights (to make him walk/talk) to ensure his head injury was nothing more than a big knot on the back of his head.

Other than that, Braydon's perfect, Tyson's perfect, and we are just a happy little family.

Here are a few new pix of Braydon in a practice run in his Halloween Costume and a few others I think are cute!

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A Few Pix Of Moose-Man

2009-09-28T19:34:00.000-07:00

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Feeding the giraffes:)

2009-09-10T12:44:00.000-07:00

Because Bray and I are zoo members, we went back again today (w/my dad in tow) and this time we got to feed the giraffes. At first Braydon was completely excited about feeding the giraffes, but when the giraffe's 18 inch tongue darted out her mouth and twisted around the lettuce in his hand, he wanted nothing more to do with the feeding. We were both shocked by the tongue thing (as you can see in my facial expression), but it was still a memorable experience. I've never been so close to a giraffe and was totally enamoured by their big gorgeous brown eyes and thick eyelashes. Anyway, here are a few pictures from our giraffe experience:)

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Congrats, Cameron and Jessica!

2009-09-04T11:42:00.000-07:00

And welcome to parenthood!!! Our friends delivered their twins (via c-section) this morning and both babies (and mommy) are doing beautifully. Carson, the little boy came in at 7lbs and some change, and his sister Caprice (sp?) came in just under 5 lbs.

Cameron and Jess, I can't wait to meet your babies, give both of you the biggest hug, and love on those babies!

Jessica - wishing you a quick, pain-free, and smooth recovery!

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Happy 16 months, Braydon!!!

2009-09-03T15:11:00.000-07:00

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Day at the zoo

2009-09-03T13:15:00.001-07:00

This morning Braydon and I headed off for Phx Zoo, and immediately, we were immensely impressed with the zoo that has disappointed in the past. Anyway, we saw all the animals out and about and playing. Braydon was so excited to be there and he's at such a fun age where he's aware of EVERYTHING! Braydon's favorite part of the day was the super awesome splash pad and feeding the ducks his Cheerios. Anyway, here are the pictures from today:)

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

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Day of fun!!!

2009-08-27T14:42:00.000-07:00

Today, my dad and I took Braydon to Bounce U (indoor inflatable playground). Immediately Braydon was in awe of all the fun surrounding him, and though he was unsure of what all this stuff was, he knew it was going to be a blast:) He love, love, loved the slide, and played harder than I've ever seen before. I cannot wait to go back, and do so with Ty in tow.

Warning: most of the pictures are blurry, but it's hard to take a steady shot when both of us were in constant motion:)

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

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Man, we have A LOT of crap....

2009-08-17T15:10:00.000-07:00

Sooner or later we'll be moving, and the thought of packing ALL of our stuff has suddenly lit a fire under my butt to get in gear and start going through all of our crap. Honestly, we have stuff that has moved with us 3 times and never been used/opened/looked at... you get the picture.

I'm amazed by how much useless stuff we've accumulated and hung onto over the past handful of years - stuff we keep in case there comes a moment where we might want or need it. But at this point if it hasn't been used in, oh I don't know 8 years, I doubt there will ever be a time we'll need all this useless crap.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for hanging onto keepsakes and whatnot, but I'm all about purging the crap we truly do not use or need. I've already made a dropoff at Goodwill today, have been gathering things to sell in a garage sale, and trying to imagine what we can/will sell on craigslist. As much as I don't like the idea of packing, moving, and unpacking again, at least I know I'm making the process a bit easier for my hubby, because let's face it, he's the one who'll be doing most of the heaving lifting and moving:)

It's a good thing I/we have plenty of time to go through this house and decide what stays and what goes:)

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The Great Caped Crusader

2009-08-11T19:45:00.001-07:00

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15 months and screaming tantrums???

2009-08-05T12:56:00.000-07:00

Since this past weekend, Braydon has decided to vent his frustrations in the most hard-to-tolerate way. Since this *past weekend*, the MOMENT something doesn't go his way, he screams at the top of his lungs. In between his screams, he'll take a break and growl/cry. Our efforts of heading-off or subsiding these tantrums (redirecting, distracting, ignoring, comforting, etc.) are failing miserably.

Our baby book/s say this is "just a phase" and this difficult phase should last 5-6 months tops. I just can't believe how quickly this "phase" has devoured our sweet natured baby boy, and I hope it doesn't continue for the suggested time-span.

I/we understand Braydon doesn't have an emotional filter yet, and this is just a new way for a learning, growing, and discovering baby to express his emotions, but with that said, it ain't easy. He now fights bath and bedtime -- things he (until this past weekend) thoroughly enjoyed. So, for all you mommas out there, any advice for my darling hubby and me in regards to this newest phase?

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2009-07-20T16:07:00.000-07:00

This new slideshow is a collection of pictures from when my BF was in town (with her family), our trip to Albuquerque this past weekend to visit my fabulous mother-in-law, the Albuquerque Zoo, and lastly our day spent Santa Fe.

Our trip this past weekend was wonderful and busy and we soooo miss the nicer weather in ABQ, and Sherry/Mimi (mother-in-law) of course!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

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Wordless Wednesday

2009-07-15T14:07:00.001-07:00

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Yet another bee hive...

2009-07-10T19:14:00.000-07:00

At this time last year we had a massive bee hive in the cinderblock wall in our backyard. Well, last year we thought we had rid ourselves of the bees, but it seems they've simply just relocated about 30 feet down the wall, tucked behind some shrubbery.

Not sure what we'll do about the bees for now -- especially since paying someone to get rid of them the last time failed to work. And now that I know the hive is where it is, my skin feels as if I have creepy crawlies all over -- YUCK!

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Yay for Bray!!! He's Walking!!!!

2009-07-06T20:25:00.000-07:00

We've really been trying to get Braydon to walk now for the past few weeks. He had the steps, but would only walk as long as he was holding on to both of my or daddy's hands... he just lacked the confidence.

Anyway, shortly after Tyson came home from work today, he took Braydon upstairs so they could get ready for shower time. Sure enough, as I was downstairs cleaning for a showing tomorrow, Braydon took his first steps and walked to his daddy.

When this happened, I heard Tyson cheering (loudly) for Braydon, but I just figured they were playing and being silly so I thought nothing of it and continued with my cleaning.

Suddenly I heard Tyson shouting, "he walked! Braydon walked!" Naturally I drop everything, race upstairs, and sure enough my baby boy was walking. I immediately begin jumping up and down and cheering for Braydon as well. Braydon then begins to cheer for himself and the next steps he took he said, "go, go, go" to himself. It was such a thrill and Tyson and I are completely beaming with pride!!!!

Since those first steps, he continued to walk for the rest of the night, right up until bedtime.

So, at 14 months and 4 days old, my son officially became a walker. Yay for Bray!!!

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Wordless Wednesday

2009-07-01T20:05:00.000-07:00

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Happy Birthday, Tyson!!!!

2009-06-26T13:10:00.000-07:00

I just want to wish my fabulous, wonderful, caring, gorgeous, and awesome hubby a very Happy Birthday! Enjoy your day, babe -- it's all about YOU today!

Braydon and I love you so very very very much!

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Our house is...

2009-06-19T10:44:00.000-07:00

... officially back on the market and we're hoping that the second time's the charm:) We've priced the house to sell, so hopefully with fingers crossed and prayers said, it will sell... and soon:)

We don't really have any definitive plans once we sell/move, but we do know that we'll rent for a while, and not sure where yet, but will follow wherever this process leads us:)

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Wordless-ish Wednesday

2009-06-17T22:01:00.000-07:00

Braydon playing with a scarf Ty's grandmother made for me - he's now 13 months... forgot to post his 13 month birthday.

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This Post Is A Bit Tardy...

2009-06-12T19:33:00.001-07:00

... but it's better to be late than post nothing at all, right?

I have to brag on my hubby for a minute and provide a recent example of just how fabulous Tyson truly really is.

This past weekend, June 5th-7th, Tyson and his friend Torrey went to Palm Springs to play in a golf tournament. Well, to make a long story short, Tyson and Torrey won the tournament. Not only did they win, but each won a ca$h prize, and my sweet and thoughtful hubby gave me nearly half of the prize money so I could shop and spend a little money on myself! How sweet is that!?!

Yep, my hubby is the total package: loyal, sweet, loving, thoughtful, considerate, genuine, gorgeous, the list goes go on and on, and is a wonderful golfer to boot! I'm quite the lucky girl:)

Thanks again, babe! I'm happy that you were able to get away, unwind, and enjoy some time with the boys!

I love you very much!

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Thank you, ML!!!

2009-05-31T19:53:00.000-07:00

This morning as Ty was leaving the house to take Moose for a walk, we found a little package at our back door -- a present sent from our dearest ML!

Thank you so much for Braydon's bib. We've been trying to get him to wear one for a while now, but he puts up such a fight when we do... that is until today. This fabulous camouflage bib is so comfy on our sweet boy that he hasn't put up a fight either time we put it on him today:)

We love it!!! Here are a couple of pix of Bray wearing his latest gift from ML:)

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Finger Painting With Pudding...

2009-05-28T15:09:00.000-07:00

Thank you Christy (my sis-n-law) for giving me this fun idea as a way to enjoy the indoors when the Moose is sick of playing inside:)

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Wordy Wednesday -- & More Braydon Pictures:)

2009-05-19T20:59:00.000-07:00

So, Braydon *likes* the pool when he's "swimming" with his Daddy. But when he's with me, it's a horribly traumatic and scary watering hole! So, in attempt beat this AZ heat AND enjoy some fun in the sun with my baby, I got him this water splash mat/baby pool thing. It arrived via FedEx today and within minutes of receiving/opening it, we were outside splishing and splashing;) Braydon enjoyed trying to catch the water as it shot up from various places from the mat:) Too bad I couldn't catch a smile on his face. He'd concentrate so intensely when trying to grasp the shooting water, hence his tongue constantly sticking out.

The first picture has nothing to do with Braydon's new outside water toy, but it was too cute to exclude it:) I LOVE my boys!!!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

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Wordless Wednesday -- Fun In The Sun!

2009-05-12T19:47:00.000-07:00

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

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My Mother's Day...

2009-05-11T19:09:00.000-07:00

Since Braydon was just days old for my first Mother's Day, I barely remember that first special day. I was still super duper sore from the c-section, suffering from crazy water retention, and well, just busy being a brand-new first time mommy:) What I do remember is that my dear, sweet husband did give me a gift card for a day at Nordstrom's spa, which I used the day Braydon turned 6 weeks old:)

With that said, this year my boys spoiled me:) Tyson took Braydon in the morning so I could sleep in, he ran to get us breakfast (which mine was blueberry pancakes -- my favorite), and then just gave me time to do whatever I wanted to do that morning until early afternoon. Braydon and Ty gave me the sweetest cards, and my favorite gift was/is the cutest little flower picture frame with my Moose's picture in it. The frame is now sitting in my kitchen sink window and I look at it EVERY SINGLE time I'm at the sink, which is A LOT:)

I realize many had special days like this, but it was extra special to me, because *well* it was from my loving hubby and sweet baby boy!

I love being a mommy -- it's the greatest blessing!!!

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Happy 1st Birthday Bray!!!

2009-05-03T20:25:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday, Sweet Boy!!!

Other than the fabulous food, cake & ice cream, presents, and visiting, we also celebrated today with LOTS of outside fun! The "kids," young and old, had water balloon fights, flew down the slip 'n slide, swam, played base-ball, and threw the football around all afternoon.

It meant the world to us to have so many come over and help us celebrate the miraculous birth and birthday of Braydon Quinn. This HUGE first in Braydon's life was EXTRA special for Ty and I because Braydon (and us) was surrounded by those who love him and we love, as well.

For those who couldn't make it (Mimi, Uncle Todd, Auntie Kearstin, and Cousins A. Biggest Sister, A. Bigger sister, A. Baby Sister), we know you were with us in spirit and hope you know you were very missed!

We love all of you and here's a slide show of some of the pix taken today!

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

PS We want to say thank you to Grandpa and Grandma W., Uncle Darry and Aunt Christy, Counsin H., N., B., R., Grandpa Don, Uncle Trask, Uncle Tanner, Uncle Thad, Aunt Kessa, Mimi, Uncle Todd, Auntie Kearstin, and Cousins A., A., & A. :)!!!

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Our Friendly Arcadia Ducks!!!

2009-04-28T19:15:00.000-07:00

Today as our yard was being flooded/irrigated, these two ducks waddled their way into our "pond" of a front yard. I fed them bread and Bray watch in amazement at this very friendly duo.

You should know these two ducks have been buddies for as long as I can remember and we've seen them pallin' around ALL over our part of town. In fact, they used to swim in our front yard at our last house. When lawns aren't being irrigated, you can find them swimming in the canals through Arcadia!!!

Cute, huh!?!

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Sad news train...

2009-04-24T22:23:00.000-07:00

This morning I learned that an old friend of mine lost her 3 month old baby to SIDS 2 months ago. Immediately I cried and after seeing pictures of the little one on her blog - I cried even more and then I bawled.

Perhaps I cried as hard as I did because it's been quite some time since I've dedicate much thought to my twins and the way we lost. But mostly I think I cried because I've caught an unfortunate glimpse of the pain parents go through when losing a child they've brought into the world, into their family, into their hearts, and into their future dreams and plans.

Our time with Addy and Quinn was so brief, and I truly cannot fathom my friend's pain! However, she sounds so strong, brave, faith forward and faith driven. I wish I had been that strong and that I hadn't called my faith and relationship with God into question the days, weeks, and months following our sudden and tragic parting.
Am I now on good terms with God? Absolutely!

I just do not understand the fairness or justice of losing such an innocent and precious life. I know there are so many things I'll never understand, in this lifetime, but my questions are still there, and my heart is heavier today than yesterday, and I pray that my friend, her husband, children, and their entire support system are able to move forward and that ALL of us remain hopeful -- that we never lose hope regardless of what life throws our way.

I also pray that fear doesn't prevent any of us from achieving what we deserve and long for in this life, and that fear doesn't paralyze our ability to walk through grief and truly process the various emotions that such a loss elicits.

With that said, I promise my next post will not be so emotionally draining.

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I'm blessed...

2009-04-23T19:49:00.001-07:00

Right now I'm counting my blessings! I'm married to a wonderful man, we have the most amazing little boy, we have our health, we have one another, we have loving and supportive family/friends, but as I already said, most importantly we have our health.

I'm sad for Stellan and his mother and their family (husband and 3 older children) who have been without them for 5 weeks now. I'm sad Stellan's surgery wasn't a success. I'm sad Stellan and his mother have to go through this 1800 miles away from their home and family. I'm sad Stellan is still at battle with his health/heart. I'm sad that any baby/child has to suffer!

I know God has not promised us a life free of pain or struggles, but I can't help and wish that babies/children were totally 'off limits.' It breaks my heart to think of our loss, to think of other's loss, of other's battles, etc.

When I was taking Braydon to his monthly GI appointments at Phoenix Childrens Hospital, I often saw babies and children who were very sick, and the look of fear and exhaustion on their parents faces would weigh heavy on my heart and mind for quite a while.

I believe Stellan's mother is a strong, brave woman and I pray that healing is quickly brought to her son so they both can return home and reunite with their family and forever put this behind them.

Again, I'm sad for Stellan and his mother.

And I'm so very very VERY grateful for our health!

Please continue to pray for Stellan as his group of doctors decide where to go from here.

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Stellan

2009-04-20T13:21:00.000-07:00

Once again,I'm asking all of you to please unite in prayer for a special baby boy. Baby Jude, thank the Lord, is finally home with his parents in his home state of LA.

Because the power of prayer worked so well for Baby Jude, I ask that we once again join in prayer for the beautiful baby boy Stellan. He is to undergo a very risky heart surgery tomorrow, so please let's shake Heaven with our prayers and beg for God to work his miracles by using the hands, minds, bodies, and spirits of the doctors who will be performing this risky surgery for this amazing little guy!!!

Stellan and his family have been through so much and they all deserve a miracle!!!

If you haven't already, click on the picture of Stellan and read all about his life and recent journeys!

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Another Braydon Slideshow!!!

2009-04-18T13:20:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week my camera found itself broken:( So, my fabulous hubby decided to replace it with an even better camera -- thus, I took tons of pictures the first day I had it which has resulted in yet another slideshow of the Moose:) There are only 21 pictures on this slide show... I think I took a hundred pictures of Braydon within my first 2 hours of playing with my new camera!!!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

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Braydon's Tear Ducts Are No Longer Blocked!!!

2009-04-16T10:34:00.001-07:00

Well, Braydon is now "officially" cured of all his various "special needs," health wise. He's no longer taking ANY meds!!! And has been on a dairy based formula for almost 2 WHOLE WEEKS!!! So, once he turns 1, we can switch him to whole milk and lift ALL food restrictions (other than nuts and honey). Lastly, our sweet Braydon had his tear ducts unblocked this morning!

Even though the doctor was 40 MINUTES LATE (we were fuming), Braydon will have goopy-free eyes within the next couple of weeks and his constant watery eyes will be a thing of the past.

Braydon wasn't allowed to eat anything after midnight, so trying to stay one step ahead of what "might" happen, Tyson and I decided to feed Braydon one last bottle just before midnight -- wanted to account for the "if-factor." Things did run late today *ahem* but Braydon handled it like a champ and didn't cry once.

He was so much of a champ that when they (the nurses/drs) woke Braydon up after his procedure, he greeted them with smiles and chit-chat, which normally babies just scream! The nurse was so impressed with him, she snuggled with him in the recovery area (before we were allowed back) and fed him a little bottle of Pedialyte and basked in the wonderful-ness that is our Moose!

Here are a few pictures taken before the procedure -- forgot to take some afterward. Forgive the poor picture quality - I took these with my cell phone...

Checking his pulse, blood pressure, and oxygen sats.

Daddy and Bray

Mommy and Bray - I wish I would've put on a little bit of make-up:)

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Blogger Friends Unite -- In The Real World!!!

2009-04-14T14:29:00.000-07:00

Today Bray and I met up with ML and her two kiddos, Stacie and her gorgeous little redhead, and Yvette and her two munchkins for a day of fun, ASU group photo shoot, and lunch at PF Chang's. It was a lovely day and we had so much fun seeing ML once again and meeting our new friends! Thanks ladies and babies for such a wonderful play date!!!

Here's Bray watching the other babies and kiddos play on their blankets as we mommies try to set up for our future Sun Devils "group picture." Moose is wearing one of the ASU onesies his Mimi got for him... thank you, Mimi!

Mommies trying to place the kiddos for their "photo shoot"

... Not as easy as one would think -- especially with the various ages and baby stages:)

... too cute, even if we couldn't get all the kiddos to look the same direction:) The professional photographer said he could photoshop these and get us 1-3 great pix!!! Thanks ML for supplying the photographer!

Me and the gorgeous little redhead, Abby!

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A few pix from Easter

2009-04-13T21:47:00.001-07:00

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Happy 6th Anniversary!!!

2009-04-05T18:53:00.000-07:00

Today is Ty and my anniversary and I must say that these past six years (plus an extra two years of dating) have been the best years of my life thus far! Ty, you are my best friend and I love you and our baby boy more than anything in this world!

To celebrate #6, last night we shipped Moose off to my parents for the night, and enjoyed a lovely 3 course meal at Tommy Bahama's. The meal was fabulous, but the desserts were simply devine. Ty had a butterscotch thing and I had the pina colada cake -- wow, were those some super duper yummy treats. After dinner we walked around a bit, grabbed a coffee, and then headed home to watch Pineapple Express, which is hilarious:)

It was so wonderful being able to sleep in today, so thank you parents for keeping our baby for the night so we could get some much needed sleep!!! Even though it was nice catching up on sleep, we were extremely eager to get our Bray back and celebrate the rest of our anniversary as a family:) What a lovely weekend!

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Happy 11 Months, Bray!

2009-04-03T08:39:00.000-07:00

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Finally on the mend!!!

2009-04-02T18:25:00.000-07:00

Braydon is FINALLY feeling better. My goodness what a challenging week this has been. I don't remember another time feeling so sleep deprived, helpless, and frustrated all at once! I'll spare the gross details, but those of you who've helped your baby through the stomach flu, know all the details I'm skipping out on. Luckily Braydon was a great napper today, so I've been able to de-germ, disinfect, and scrub down my house. For the times he was awake, I just strapped him on my back and went to work once more. For about 15 minutes, Bray was totally entertained by watching the laundry go round and round in circles in the washer and dryer while I cleaned our downstairs bathroom -- for whatever reason, watching the laundry cracks him up:) I just want to say, THANK GOD my baby's feeling better. I was miserable not being able to "fix" my baby, and I cannot imagine how other mommies cope when their little ones have truly heart breaking afflictions that mommy cannot kiss and make better. My hats off to them!!!

All in all -- we're a healthy household and family once more!!!

PS There really needs to be a stomach flu shot -- that bug is the WORST!!!

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My Poor, Sick Baby:(

2009-03-29T12:24:00.000-07:00

Well, Braydon is now sick with the same flu that wiped out Ty and me. He began vomiting last night at 11pm and it finally stopped at 6am, but 2 hours after the throwing up ceased, the diarrhea began. My poor guy has already had to have 4 showers today because it's been so bad and we've already changed out his bedding 3 times, including 2 outfit changes for me as well -- took a little shrapnel on a couple of the diaper blow-outs. I talked with the on-call nurse last night and she's advised us to only give Moose Pedialyte throughout the night/day, and only give him 1-2oz at a time. I'm praying that he gets through this so much faster than Ty and I did... Ty's still not back to 100%. I'd just like to say again that I HATE HATE HATE the stomach flu!!!

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Portrait Innovation Pictures:)

2009-03-27T20:14:00.001-07:00

This past weekend, pre-stomach flu, my fabulous mother-in-law was in town and while she was in AZ we (me, Ty, and Bray), my mother-in-law, and sister-in-law and her hubby and their 3 daughters went to P.I. and had our pix taken. I'm only going to share our pix because I don't want to assume it's okay with my in-laws that I post pictures of them and their kiddos on the 'net.

I must say, my little guy is so stinking cute!!!

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I CURSE the stomach flu!!!!

2009-03-26T18:57:00.000-07:00

Well, the Switzs are sick and I was the first to come down with the stomach flu. It started at 4am Monday morning and it lasted til YESTERDAY and now Tyson has it. It's beyond miserable and I'm terrified that Bray will get it as well. On my first day of the flu I lost 4 lbs and was completely dehydrated... which worries me to pieces as to how this could affect my 10 month old. Please keep your fingers crossed that Braydon skips this flu and that Ty is able to get through it faster than I did. I double HATE this cr@p!!!!

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We almost have a walking kiddo!!!

2009-03-15T13:20:00.001-07:00

Yesterday after we returned home from our day of family fun, Braydon and I went to the play room so Moose could burn off some very pent-up energy. Anyway, he crawled right up to his *walking-pushing-thing* from his Mimi, pulled to a standing position, held tight and off he went!!! He was walking -- with assistance, and very unsteady, but he did it and did so without mommy or daddy's help.

As for today...
he's all about his walking-pushing-thing. He's already much improved and eventually took a break from it once he completely wore himself out and needed a nap to re-energize (which he's doing right now)!

We realize that it could still take a while before Bray's walking totally unassisted, but it's still exciting, and we cannot believe how quickly all these various *firsts* come and go!

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