Words to Live By

'Tis a lesson you should heed, If at first you don't succeed, Try, try again; Then your courage should appear, For if you will persevere, You will conquer, never fear Try, try again; Once or twice, though you should fail, If you would at last prevail, Try, try again; If we strive, 'tis no disgrace Though we do not win the race; What should you do in the case? Try, try again If you find your task is hard, Time will bring you your reward, Try, try again All that other folks can do, Why, with patience, should not you? Only keep this rule in view: Try, try again. -T.H. Palmer

Copy Cat

Cora is turning into a copy cat. I stick my tongue out at her, she sticks hers out at me. I make noises with my tongue...she does the same. It is the funniest thing ever. When I have my camera cord I will have to put up a video. Also she is rolling and getting better at sitting. We are in for some trouble because I have a feeling she will be crawling soon. She is just such a sweet little thing. Today, since I can't really get up, she cuddled with me, we watched an episode of Baby Einsteins three times in a row (yes, its the only episode we have) and then she fell asleep with me in the middle of All Dogs Go To Heaven. She is learning new tricks everyday. I guess I better be careful what I do around her because she may end up learning some bad habits since she is such a good copycat.

A Little Miracle

My foot is still numb! The medicine was supposed to wear off after six hours. It has now been over 12 hours and I am relatively pain free still. Such a blessing as I do not handle pain very well at all. I am such a lucky girl to have so many people to help take care of me. Some friends from church brought me some delicious dinner and ice

cream! :) Best of all--Ben brought me flowers, my favorite kind pink gerber daisies!

Surgery...

went well. I am a little drowsy and my foot is still uncomfortably numb, in fact it has been asleep for 6 hours now. Talk about tingly. It feels like an elephant has sat on my foot. Soon the the medicine will be wearing off and then I will probably wish I was back to this state of numbness. Oh well.

Anyone that wants to know about the surgery:

Surgery was at 7:30 this morning. When we got to the hospital we had to do the routine things like paperwork and whatnot. I got ready in a sweet hospital gown, hosptial socks, and my favorite--blue paper shorts. They were big enough to fit me and another whole person. They were AWESOME. My nurses were really nice. They even numbed my hand before they put in my IV, which usually is the worst part for me. I had a shared room but my roomate wasn't in until after I had already left for surgery. I have only had one other surgery...to remove my gallbladder. This was totally different. The plan was to keep me barely under, once I was asleep they would numb my foot, and when they were done they would send me to my room, skipping recovery to be with Ben. When they came to take me to the operating room, they gave me some sleeping medicine, before the hardcore anethesia, all I remember is being wheeled out the door of my room and I was out. The doctor had to shave off part of the bone joint which had an extra growth, cut my 1st metarsal bone in half and repositioned it with a pin, then lengthened some tendons and shortened others. When I woke up, I was in the recovery room and Ben was no where to be found! I was SO mad. Apparently I threw up all over before surgery so they had to put me completely under and put a tube down my throat helping me to breathe. Not exactly as planned but it wasn't too bad. I was in recovery for about an hour before I was able to go back to my room. I was ready to go home then but I had to wait about an hour. When they took me back to my room my abs were so sore. Apparently when I was trying to wake up, I kept freaking out trying to get off the bed and doing sit up like movements. I tell you that stuff makes me crazy!

Anyway, the surgery seems successful so far. I have a sweet boot that goes all the way up to my knee that I have to wear anytime I walk or stand. That will be in affect for six weeks, meaning I wont be able to drive myself for at least that long. In fact, if I am caught driving, they will give me a DUI! Ha. That would be a pretty funny way to get a DUI but I am not planning on testing this out. All I know is that my house is going to get pretty boring. And right now I have to be babysat since walking is nearly impossible and I can't get up to help Cora.

This Week...

Let's see...

Tomorrow: Shop, shop, shop! We need groceries. For 6 weeks.

Tuesday: Surgery, ugh. Won't be walking for at least a week or so and can't drive for six weeks. This is going to be fun.

Rest of the Week: VEG OUT.

Hopefully I won't be posting much this week. I will be on some pain medicine and I am kinda a freak with things like those.

Sleeping Beauty

Cora sleeps like an angel. Which is exactly the kind of baby that I need. I LOVE my sleep. Like I am super scared to ever have another baby because they won't be as good of a sleeper as this little girl. When we decided we wanted to have a baby, I wasn't really prepared for the whole not sleeping thing. I mean I never had baby siblings (well Kristen, but doesn't really count because we are less than a year and a half apart!) I didn't realize that babies liked to poop and pee, and cry and eat, and be held all the time. When I was pregnant, people definitely started warning me of what I had gotten myself into. But as far as I know, they were all crazy! This "demon" baby they described to me is nothing like Cora. She is easily entertained (most of the time she entertains herself), she hardly ever cries (and when she does she just wants to be held close), and she SLEEPS like and angel.

Cora conked out at 10 pm

Still thinking she needs her beauty sleep at 10 am!

Kayson's Blanket

So I got brave and made Baby Kayson's quilt. Luckily I think it turned out great. The picture doesn't even do it justice. Now I really want to make Cora one. She is such a spoiled girl! :)

Booty Pop!

So today I had a little time before my doctor appointment so I decided to quickly browse the clearance section at Shopko. While there were several good deals, one thing in particular caught my eye. That's right, for the first time ever I was introduced to a product called Booty Pop. What is Booty Pop you ask? Booty Pop is a type of underwear that has a built in booty! And for only $19.99 you can have your very own pair. How great is that? Luckily for me, I was blessed with my own booty pop and will not be spending $20 on this luxurious enhancement.

Orange Julius.

Let's face it, lately the weather has been scorching hot! I found a easy recipe for and Orange Julius online and we really needed a cool treat so I decided I would give it a try...and I am so glad I did. It was delicious, cheap, took about two minutes to make, and didn't create a big mess (my favorite part). So if you are interested--here's how its done:

*half a can of orange juice concentrate (6 ounces)

*1 cup milk

*1 cup water

*1 tsp. vanilla extract

*1 cup sugar

*about 12 ice cubes

Blend ingredients until smooth & enjoy!

I GAVE IN

I finally turned on the air conditioning for the first time this summer. I may be regretting it later but for now I am enjoying a cool breeze. I can't believe I lasted this long without it!

Miner's Jubilee

This weekend our family had the opportunity to take a trip to Baker for Miner's Jubilee. Its been a few years since I have gone to the Jubilee and I was glad I got to go back! We were able to take part in a lot of the activities and had a lot of fun as a family. On Friday, we walked around downtown, went to the sidewalk sale, and wandered around the park. Cora got to meet her great grandma and grandpa, and of course she was very spoiled! She also got her first pair of cowgirl boots today and they are sure cute! Plus they were mispriced in the store so we got a pretty good deal on them! I also got a used Kate Spade purse for $5! On Saturday we went to the parade, which was better than I remember! We took Cora to a petting zoo and we walked around the park again (Ben had to make sure he was still winning his auction items, which he was...who would pay for a box of rocks and some kind of metal rod?) Saturday night my mom watched Cora while Ben and I went to the Bull Riding. It was pretty fun, I have never gone to a real rodeo before, surprising since I grew up in Baker! Anyway we had a good weekend, Cora did great on her long car rides and we are glad to be home to a clean house!

Cora & Allie

This weekend Cora got to play with sweet baby Allie for the second time. They are both so cute (and only a week apart)! The first time they "met" they were both pretty young and weren't really interested in each other. This time, Cora was so excited to see her baby friend. She was squealing and smiling the whole time! Allie was not so sure about Cora though!

Guess What?

Ok, you will never guess.

MY HOUSE IS CLEAN! (Yes, this is an amazing accomplishment for me considering I spend most of my time chasing Cora!)

In other news, I just got Ben a nice, free pair of flip flops from Famous Footwear. Yeah, I am just that good.

Oh and I went to the podiatrist today. At first he thought that I may not need surgery after all, that was until he saw the x-rays. There is some pretty crazy things going on with my bones. So for the time being, we are trying an arch support, hoping it will take the pain away. If the pain is still bothering me in a week, we will plan the surgery. I am not that fond of surgery but I am thinking that is the way it will have to be. Afterwards I will no longer be able to wear HIGH HEELS! Is it really worth it? The things we do for fashion. It will be a lot easier to find nice fitting shoes though. I have really narrow feet but since I have giant bunions on my foot, it is nearly impossible to find a decent fitting shoe. Anyway if I get surgery, it will probably be on both feet (mostly so that my shoes will fit and the pain in my right foot will subside). This means that I probably wont be able to walk for at least two weeks. And I will get to wear some really awesome boots! Ugh. How on earth am I gonna take care of Cora. Guess we will both have to have some crawling lessons. Wish me luck.

Company &

Underwear on the living room floor. Yes!

Long story short- we are getting ready for our trip to baker and had some unexpected company. Opps. One of those times you just don't answer the door.

Mt. Timp Hike

The other day Ben and some work friends when hiking Mt. Timp. They left at the crack of dawn and were back in time to play Saturday afternoon. He got some pretty gorgeous pictures along the way that I thought we would share:

Today-

Cora laughed for the first time. I don't mean a little smile followed by a coo, this was a full on giggle. Probably the cutest thing you will ever hear. I do not know how she gets cuter everyday. I didn't think it was possible.

Ben and I needed to get some housework done before we leave for Baker in the morning so we needed to occupy Cora. After some quick genius on my part, I gave her some chocolate pudding to play with. As you can see, it was a great babysitter--besides the fact that Ben and I were pretty distracted watching her play and have so much fun!

Butt Hurt

Quite literally. About a week ago I was having a really bad migrane so I went to the doctor and all they could offer me was three shots in the butt. Normally I would have passed. Cause I hate shots. But quite frankly I was in so much pain I didn't really care. But never again. I don't care how much pain I am in. I have never had a shot hurt so bad in my life. Not to mention that it still hurts a week later. This is my warning to you, stay away from butt-shots. Sorry, no pictures to accompany this post...for your benefit.

See People, It Really Did Happen

For The Better

I'm limited. Just look at me, I'm limited.

And just look at, you. You could do all I couldn't do.

I've heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason,

Bringing something we must learn, and we are led to those who help us most to grow if we let them...

And we help them in return.

Well I don't know if I believe that's true,

But I know I'm who I am to today, because I met you.

It well may be that we may never meet again, in this lifetime but let me say before we part:

So much of me is made from what I learned from you-

You'll be with me, like a handprint on my heart.

And now whatever way our stories end, I know you have rewritten mine by being my friend.

Who can say I have been changed for the better?

I do believe I have been changed for the better, because I knew you.

Some people truly amaze me. I am so lucky to have met such wonderful people in my life. The strength of some really puts me at awe. Simple little things set me back. I complain a lot. Today I have learned from a good friend that life can change in an instant. Be grateful for what you have and each day you are allowed with the people you love. Someday I hope to be so strong to be loving, grateful, humble in the most difficult trials. I hope that some day I can follow the example and be so appreciative for all that I have been given. I am SO lucky. Lucky to have my family, my wonderful husband, and healthy baby girl. Lucky for friends who teach me that life isn't all about me. Lucky to know that I will be able to be with my family forever, and that life does not end when it ends here on earth. Lucky to know that I will be reunited with those who have passed before me. It is such comfort to know this. I just want to say thanks to all my friends and family. Because I know you, I have been changed for the better.

Listen Closely

and you will know exactly who Cora resembles...

Time Sure Flies When Your Having Fun!

Today Cora is 4 months old! Seriously, 4 months! Everyone told me that they would grow up fast and boy, they weren't lying. Cora has doubled her birth weight (not hard to do when you are 6 pounds!) She is now about 13 pounds, and still fits great in her 0-3 month clothes. Apparently she is still "underweight" but to me she is BIG! I look at her newborn pictures, she was so tiny. She had the scrawniest legs and arms (though her arms are still pretty small). Her legs are starting to get little rolls, it is so cute. She has had her first crack at solid foods and she LOVES to eat pretty much anything. Her favorites are sweet potatoes, baby yogurt, pears, and applesauce. She is not so fond of peaches or mangos....yet. Cora laughs and squeals at everything now. Lately I have been waking up to a laughing baby, not a crying, hungry one. It is so precious. Baby has also started to discover some of her toys! She is not great at grabbing them yet, but I am sure that is not too far off.

I am so lucky to be able to stay at home and watch Cora learn and grow. Sometimes I get tired, frustrated, even bored staying at home all day. It is difficult to go out and to things with a little person that believes she needs to eat every two hours. Finding a babysitter is sometimes even harder. Trying to accomplish the things I want and need to do is nearly impossible. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Swagbucks, How I love thee.

Anyone heard of Swagbucks? If not you are missing out. Swagbucks is a reward based search engine that provides online currency (swagbucks) when you use it to search online. You do not get rewarded for every search, but getting swagbucks really isn't that hard, especially if you use the internet regularly. There are a few other ways to earn swagbucks but the most common is just to search. Once you gather enough "bucks" you can use it to by rewards. My favorite is the $5 Amazon.com gift card. I have only been doing if for a month or so now I have already earned $40 in gift cards! I am saving up for something cool...maybe a tv would be nice? Anyways if you want to help me out, and help yourself out...get started. Follow my referral link and invite your friends to join under you. (You earn points for your referrals)!

http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/AliciaSpalding

Daily Affirmation

We all could use a little daily affirmation. These last couple days have been crazy for me but watching this video makes me smile. I really do have a lot of great things in my life right now. Its great to know that no matter how bad things get, everything will be ok. I am so thankful for my healthy baby girl and my amazing husband who seem to make everything better.

BYU, Sometimes I Really Really Hate You!

Ok so now that I have put in over 60+ hours at my internship this week alone, BYU decides to delete my class. What does this mean...all of those hours plus more don't count. At all. Period.

WHAT the heck. I am so mad. Apparently they deleted my class for not paying tuition on time. In the past two weeks I have called the tuition office five times trying to see when my financial aid would go through and double checking that I was in fact eligible for financial aid. Every time I was assured that I would definitely be getting my money and that I just needed to be patient. Well I guess THEY didn't get my financial aid processed in time so my classes are gone. Deleted. Awesome.

BYU, today I HATE YOU.

What a Night!

So as most of you know, last night was the Stadium of Fire! Ben and I had to be at the Stadium by 5:30 so that we could help take tickets for the Celebrity Pre-Show. When we got to there, the attendants would not let in anyone until six so there were some pretty angry people! After we finally got in, Ben and I got to go into the Cougar Room to get ready to take tickets and as we opened the door, the whole angry crowd tried to follow us in. Anyways at the pre-show we had a light dinner buffet and all of the talent ( Lou Diamond Phillips, Jenny Oaks Baker, The Osmonds Second Generation, The 5 Browns, and Carrie Underwood) came in and spoke. Also, about sixty of us were actually able to go into a special room and meet Carrie! We also got a picture with her, but you will have to wait for that because they did not allow for personal cameras.

The show itself was AWESOME, but I guess I didn't expect any less. I thought the show was timed perfectly with everyone getting just the right time to perform. My favorite part was most definitely Carrie, but I also love the flyover, the fireworks, dancers, and Osmond Second Generation! We took Cora with us and she loved the music and all of the colored lights. I was a little worried about the fireworks being to loud for her, but she wasn't scared at all! She loved all the pretty colors in the sky. During the second set of fireworks, she actually slept through the noise.

After the show we went to the post show reception. It was mostly just a lot of people and food. The talent, with the exception of Carrie, came in and entertained for a little while. We stayed long enough to get the food, which ended up being quite a while, but it was worth it! By the time we got to the car there was no traffic at all! It was a perfect night!

Ben and his "All-American" girl!

Cora passed out at 11 this morning. She had a long night!

To All The Mothers Out There

This is exactly what I needed to hear today.

...

This has been one LONG week! I am exhausted, in fact I should be sleeping right now! But I can't. There are a million things running through my head. Tomorrow I will be the only one in the office at my internship and I am nervous. Let's just say the last few days have been crazy there. Every single person in the office on the phone at the same time, maybe even two phones. But it is totally worth it. Free Stadium of Fire tickets, and I get to meet Carrie Underwood. Like actually MEET her. I am super excited. Totally makes this 400 hour unpaid internship worth it! I can't wait.