The Blackhams

Firsts

2010-10-31T19:03:00.000-07:00

This is the first blogpost I am completing in several months, though it's not the first I've started. In my defense, we have been moving and all sorts of fun stuff. So without a lot of chitchat from me, here are some cute pictures of some of Carson's firsts. And yes, I am becoming one of "those" parents, but this is MY first, and I think he is the cutest kid ever.

July

2010-07-11T14:39:00.000-07:00

I don't take enough pictures, but here are a few more of what we have been up to this summer:

Mom and Carson hanging out - we get to hang out a lot!

Dad and Carson taking a little snooze

Spending time with family - This is the first time Koy and Carson met. We were all in Eagar last weekend for the 4th of July, and I'm still not sure what Koy thinks of Carson. He is so sweet with him though and likes to give Carson knuckles. Carson cooperates, even though he has no idea what is going on.

Aunt Hilary and Grandma South FINALLY got to meet Carson.

This is us watching the Eagar parade on the 3rd of July! There is nothing like being home for Independence Day. We enjoyed spending time with quite a bit of family - though Jason and Jen and boys were greatly missed. We watched the parade, played outside in the grass and on the swing, watched fireworks, ate yummy food, played games, and had a good time. I love spending the 4th of July in Eagar because I'm reminded of who I am and where I come from. I love being from a town decked out in red, white, and blue. I love seeing flags everywhere. I love when people stop me in the grocery store and ask who I belong to. I especially love seeing everyone stand not only for the flag, but to honor the veterans who have fought for our freedoms. My Dad says the 4th of July was always his favorite holiday because he got a new pair of boots. I didn't get a new pair of boots, but I got to do all of the things I love. There's no place like home!

Trippin'

2010-06-23T19:46:00.000-07:00

We've had a busy few weeks. Sam's sister graduated from high school the last weekend in May, and we flew up to Utah to be there. It was great to visit with family over the Memorial Day weekend and be there for her graduation.

Then about 10 days later we traveled to Utah again - apparently it really is the place. We were a little worried about Carson's road-tripping skills, but the little tyke did pretty well, despite some of our misadventures. We decided to split the trip into a couple of days. Well...we reserved a nice little hotel room in Kanab, and when we pulled our weary selves into town, we discovered they had given away our room. And there really wasn't much to be found anywhere. The lady at the front desk told us there was a room in "the valley". I know lots of "valleys", but I had no idea that she was talking about Orderville. Who knew? We headed up the road, and when we reached Orderville it was pitch black. No rooms...and no Best Western. So on we went. Upon arriving in Panguitch, we found a little dive to stay in. I cringed and expected the worst, but it was actually quite clean, just older than the hills. We had a great time when we finally got to Utah. My former roommate, Jennica, got married. Her wedding was beautiful, and we are so happy for her. We got to spend some time with Sam's family, and then we headed to Wyoming for my family reunion.

We spend four days in a cabin in the Uinta Mountains, and you will see that there is snow - yes, snow! - on the ground. We even found a little furry critter in our cabin trying to stay warm :) Carson was a champ, and he was loved on more than any little one I've ever seen. It was fun to show him off, and if I do say so myself, he was about the best-behaved child I have ever seen. I'm praying that doesn't change anytime soon - well, ever, really. We are back home in the Valley of the Sun and wishing we were still chilling with the fam. We miss you all!

2 Months

2010-05-16T18:18:00.000-07:00

Our growing boy is now 2 months old! I can hardly believe it! In other news, both Sam and I celebrated a birthday this month. I know that I definitely feel older this year. Sam surprised me by getting tickets to the Glee concert. We went last night, and it was a fabulous concert. It brought me back to my show choir days, and I thoroughly enjoyed the singing and dancing as well as the high school angst and drama portrayed in the show. Thank you Natalie and Jennica for watching our peanut so we could enjoy a date!

Love Him!

2010-05-12T21:36:00.000-07:00

To my delight, Sam caught this precious moment on video. You have to pause the music at the bottom to hear it, but this is the first time we heard Carson laugh. This might be the most beautiful thing I have ever heard.

One Month Picture

2010-04-29T20:54:00.000-07:00

I meant to post this picture awhile ago Carson is 1 month old here, and now he is almost 7 weeks! I can't believe how fast he is growing. He is starting to smile and make a few noises. He finally likes his bath. He still likes to sleep (just not for long stretches), and he likes his swing. We are pretty blessed to have a happy baby.

This was just a couple of days ago, sporting the cute outfit that Jason and Jen and the boys sent him. Thanks guys! The hair is a little unruly, but that's Carson's style :)

Baby Photo Shoot

2010-04-21T21:28:00.000-07:00

These are just some cute pictures a friend of mine took. Carson is ALMOST 2 weeks old in these pictures. I also posted below about his blessing day. It's hard to believe he is almost 6 weeks old now! He's growing like a weed, and sometimes I wish I could freeze time. And other times I can't wait for him to sleep through the night!

Baby Blessing

2010-04-21T17:58:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, April 4th Carson was given a name and a blessing by his dad. It was also Easter Sunday, and I can think of no better way to celebrate Easter than to bless a new baby. We were fortunate to have a small group of family in town, and we are so thankful to have had them here. Both sets of grandparents were here, as well as a few sisters, brothers-in-law, and some close friends. We missed those who are out of town (and that's quite a few of you!) Carson is named Carson Scott Blackham, after both of his grandpa's and his dad. They are all such good men, and I hope that Carson will develop the same qualities of kindness, strength, and priesthood power that these men have. We feel so blessed to have him in our home, and we love him more everyday.

Baby Blackham is Born!

2010-03-20T17:23:00.000-07:00

I laughed when I got on our blog and the baby counter said "5 Days to Delivery!" Our little boy made his debut on Monday, March 15th, a few days ahead of schedule. I think he was trying to spite his mom, who is chronically behind schedule, or else wanting to be here for March Madness and some good Cougar basketball (which we are a little overdue for). We are so happy to have him here and healthy. After much debate and discussion, we have named him Carson Scott Blackham. I never imagined it could be so great to have a child. Don't get me wrong...it was definitely not all fun, but he is such a miracle. He is so perfect and so cute, and I don't think we could love him any more than we do.

For those inquiring minds who want to know the details, keep reading. For those who don't, just scroll down. I have certainly heard my fill of labor stories in the last several months, and I don't blame you if you skip mine. Last week I kept having thoughts of getting a few things ready JUST IN CASE our baby was born early. I didn't heed those too well, thinking I would have Spring Break to finish up those things I wanted to do. I had been having contractions on and off for several days, but I wasn't too concerned. Well, Sunday morning I woke up thinking that my water had broken - two days after I reassured my students that my water wouldn't break in class and that people's water doesn't really break that often until they are IN labor and at the hospital. Apparently I don't really know what I'm talking about, and that became quite apparent.

I pulled Sam out of a meeting to take me to the hospital. Five hours later, they couldn't confirm that I was in labor or that my water had broken. They sent us home. We came home and ate dinner, and contractions kept getting closer together. After two hours of 4 minute apart contractions we went back to the hospital. They sent us home again, and I'll admit that I wanted to pop off the nurse's head. She was nice, but not too sympathetic or reassuring. Apparently I was supposed to wait until contractions were 2-3 minutes apart - not what the doctor had told me, by the way. And she said I was ONLY in early labor. Lucky for her, I did not pop her head off, just cried a lot and came home.

They gave me Ambien to sleep the rest of the night before sending me home. I heard this little voice screaming in my head that maybe I shouldn't take the little pill, but I did. It was a horrible night, and maybe worse for my husband. I started hallucinating - apparently I thought I was Alice in Wonderland - and I got really sick. Then the REAL contractions started, and amidst all of this my dear husband tried to reason with me. He wasn't sure I could handle the hospital sending me home again, so he tried to make absolutely sure I was ready to go. I decided to tough it out for as long as I could. It was a long, sleepless night, and finally we went to the hospital at around 7 on Monday morning. Hallelujuah! The mean nurse was gone and the nice nurse was there. She didn't waste any time. I was dilated to a 7, and they got me an epidural right away.

I can honestly say I have never been more ready for a shot to the spine. I swiftly went to sleep, and after some much-needed rest, I was ready to have a baby. My mom and dad had driven down from Eagar and had arrived by this time, and my sister had come to the hospital. It seemed that we waited for quite awhile for the doctor to get finished with a c-section, but by the time the doc was ready, so was baby Carson! It didn't take too long at all to get him here. He came fast, and he was pretty healthy - despite a few potential complications.

I don't think I'll every forget the feelings I had when I saw our little baby boy for the first time. It's really unbelievable that we can bring little spirits into this world. They are so perfect and innocent. I am so thankful for the plan of salvation and for families. Sam has been a rock through it all too. I couldn't ask for a more supportive, loving, and helpful husband. He's already turning out to be a great dad, and it's pretty awesome to see him taking care of our little guy. It was also nice to have other family members there, and I am especially indebted to my mom for becoming our live-in nurse/maid/cook for a few days. I have a much greater appreciation for what she went through (without an epidural!) and I am so grateful for her help and support.

My Valentine

2010-02-14T12:34:00.000-08:00

I prefer to think of myself as spatially challenged rather than a bad driver. I think it's because of my poor eyesight, which I attribute completely to my father. So Dad, my occasional "spatial challenges" are all your fault. My most recent spatial challenge - at least the most recent with proof - actually occurred several months ago. I tore the driver's rearview window off of my car when backing out of the garage. I haven't been in a real hurry to fix it because frankly, it's much easier to back out of the garage without the extra appendage. I have been driving without a rearview mirror for awhile now, and I hardly notice it's gone. This morning I woke up and drove to church without looking in the mirror, as usual. As I slid into the bench next to my husband, he leaned over and whispered, "Did you get your Valentine's present?" I nodded and told him the flowers were nice. He looked at me funny and asked if I had already broken it off again. First I had no idea what he was talking about, and then he explained that he fixed my mirror. I felt like an idiot for not noticing, but I was also happily anticipating what my car would look like WHOLE. After church, to my surprise and joy, I got in the car, LOOKED IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR, backed out of the parking lot, and drove home. Oh happy day (for me and for the other drivers on the road)! What a sweet husband I have.

In other news, we are happily anticipating the arrival of our little boy. We might have him named. We at least have it narrowed down (and Titan and Stone are out of the running...unless he's born on April Fool's Day, in which case I might have to let Sam name him). We had a wonderful baby shower yesterday. We so appreciate everyone's work and kindness. I think we are ready to have this baby now! I am super excited to get his room all set up and put together. And I am more excited for him to get here. I think we're close enough that we can start counting down the days!

I'm Late...I'm Late

2010-01-30T16:30:00.000-08:00

These days I am starting to feel like the rabbit in Alice and Wonderland. I am not sure where January has gone, or December for that matter! We had a fabulous holiday season. We spent Thanksgiving in Orem with the Blackhams, and we spent Christmas in Wyoming with my side of the family. I only have a few pictures, and the rest are on Sam's phone. My iphone skills are lacking, and I don't even know where to begin trying to transfer pictures, so please forgive the sparseness. It was wonderful to be able to spend so much time with family. It was especially nice to be at my grandparents in Wyoming for Christmas. It has been a long time since my family has all been together (ALMOST all the cousins were there, and everybody else made it!). It was also great fun to have little ones around on Christmas morning. We had lots of yummy food and lots of presents and lots of laughing and being together. I am so thankful for family and the time we get to spend with them, even though it's sometimes few and far between.

We are also anxiously awaiting the new addition to our little family. I can say anxious now because our car seat/stroller came this week. We can bring him home now! His nursery is a work in progress, but we are getting closer. I am hoping for that spurt of energy that I hear comes at the end. We start childbirth classes this week - crazy. I didn't think the end would ever come, and now I'm nervous and anxious and TOTALLY IMPATIENT. We still have 7 or 8 weeks to go (or more if he's running late...and with his genes he probably will be). But it's nice to be on the downhill slide. And that's what's happening in our neck of the woods.

Our Babymoon

2009-11-08T17:20:00.000-08:00

When we first found out we were expecting, we started perusing all sorts of literature about what to expect, what to buy, and on and on. One suggested new parents-to-be take a babymoon. At first I thought that was a bit hoity-toity, but as my fall break from school got closer and closer I began to see the wisdom in such an idea. Sam and I packed our bags and hopped on a plane to New York City. We didn't really want to stay in the city though, so we rented a car and drove up to Boston. We really enjoyed the beautiful fall weather and changing leaves. We also visited several historic sites, went to the temple in Boston, saw a show on Broadway, and even visited two Sleepy Hollow Cemeteries. One is in Concord, MA (my favorite of all the places we went). Concord was the home of Louisa May Alcott (another one of my favorites), Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Nathaniel Hawthorne. It was also very close to the first battlefield of the American Revolution. I think I might want to live in Concord one day. We really did have a great time, and I was reminded of how much I love to travel with my husband. It was a great trip...and now we can get down to business and start choosing a crib and nursery colors and all sorts of fun stuff. Sam can't wait!

It's official...

2009-10-29T21:06:00.000-07:00

...We are having a boy! The doctor was able to get some great shots of the little guy's arms and legs and face and so on. He appears to be quite healthy and is big for how far along we are- 11 ounces (which doesn't really seem big to me; but hey, I am an accountant, not a doctor.)

Anyway, now we really are in a pickle. Heather and I just can't seem to make any headway on names, unless we want to give the boy a complex to go alone with a girl's name. So, be sure to pipe in with the best (and worst) names you can think of. (My thought at this precise moment is Eagle.)

During an earlier visit to the doctor I was able to video little Eagle's heartbeat (ok, just kidding. No one is calling him Eagle.) Check this video out. It's amazing!

Earlier this month we took a trip to New York, Boston, Concord, Salem and elsewhere. We will post some pictures of our trip soon (my favorite are the pictures of the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. A perfect visit for the Halloween Season!)

With all going on, we are doing well. Heather has been very sick during this pregnancy and we continue to hope and pray she will feel better. She is a trooper for keeping up with her students at school and keeping me out of trouble, all while being pregnant! We are excited for the changes that are coming and are look forward to this exciting time in our life.

Oh, and for those of you who were wondering, the following name have been officially vetoed: Stone, Platinum, and Grave-digger. Maybe next time.

:)

Happenings at our House...

2009-09-12T19:32:00.000-07:00

We are expecting! But we're pretty sure it's not a "bun". We are thrilled! We still haven't resolved our previous name issues. We don't know yet if we should be choosing little girl names or little boy names, but we think it might take us the next 28 weeks (which is when this little bundle is scheduled to make his/her arrival) to agree. Suggestions are appreciated, and sometimes welcomed, depending on how cute I think they are.

Trip to Utah

2009-08-08T11:17:00.000-07:00

We spent about 10 days in Utah during July. Sam's brother, Sterling, left on his mission. He will be serving in Guadalajara, Mexico. He will be a great missionary and we're so excited for him! We also got to attend one cousin's reception and one cousin's wedding. We went four-wheeling and wave-running at Bear Lake. It was a great trip, and we loved seeing so much of our family. Miss them already! P.S. I can't figure out how to flip these pictures...so deal with it.

Sometimes I Thank God...

2009-08-04T19:42:00.001-07:00

You know that country song "Unanswered Prayers"? Well, today I am really thankful for answered prayers. I have had a situation at school that I have been dealing with for some time. It would be inappropriate to go into much detail, but suffice it to say that I attended a big meeting today. Not everything was resolved exactly as I had hoped, but I was able to be calm and communicate well. The people that matter came away with a good impression of me, the way I did my job, and my honesty. I am so grateful that I can pray for help and receive it when I need it. Please excuse my ramblings, but I can't help but feel relieved as I get ready to start the next school year - tomorrow. Yikes. In other news, it has been an eventful couple of weeks. Stay tuned for posts and pictures.

Rocky Mountain High

2009-07-19T18:13:00.001-07:00

My two sisters and I went to Denver for a few days this week. We had a great trip. We went hiking, shopping, eating, and river-rafting. We all agree that the highlight was the river-rafting. We rafted on the Clear Creek River and because of a mix-up we ended up on the advanced trip. Please note that I am most definitely a beginner when it comes to river-rafting. We were on a raft with two other women and our trusty guide. He called us the Dream Team, but I'm pretty sure I detected some sarcasm in his voice. We encountered a couple of small falls on our trip, and much to my horror we did not beat the odds at 50/50 Falls. Two out of six stayed in the raft, and I was not one of them. I even have the bruises to prove it. The rest of the river voyage was less wet and much more fun for me. It was fun to spend some time with just my sisters. I am so thankful for them (and the rest of my family), but let's face it - there's just something different about a sister.

In other news, it's our first anniversary today. Our first year has flown by, and we are still glad to be married :) I came home from Denver to a spotless house and a husband who had planned quite a gourmet meal for today. I love him and am looking forward to many more years together.

Home Sweet Home

2009-07-07T14:37:00.000-07:00

Sam and I went up to Eagar for the 4th of July weekend, and it was great to be home. There's nothing like the 4th of July in a small town. We were able to spend some time with my parents and with my brother and sister-in-law and their kids. It was fun to be together. The little boys kept us laughing, and Mom kept us well fed. I didn't always love growing up in a hick town, but I love what that town represents to me now. I'm proud to be from a place where everybody's family comes home for the 4th of July. I'm proud to be from a place where everybody waves at you when you drive down the road, where people ask you who you belong to because you look like your dad, where everybody stands and claps when the veterans in the parade go by. I'm proud to be from a place where most everybody goes to church on Sunday and you know who's going to bear their testimony before they ever get up. I was so blessed to grow up the way I did, with good friends and good neighbors all around. I'm so thankful for the heritage that I have and where I come from.

Summer Lovin'

2009-06-24T21:44:00.000-07:00

Do you know the top three reasons people are teachers? June, July, and August. Ok, not for August around here, but I LOVE SUMMER. I have been a slacker, and it has been glorious. My accompishments look something like this:
-slept in (several days in a row)
-went to the pool (several times)
-improved my tan
-read several books
-stayed away from my classroom
-stayed away from teenagers and their parents
-met my mom and sister in Flagstaff for some shopping
-shopped a little more (only a little, honey!)
-went to Vegas for the weekend (without losing any money!)
-cleaned the laundry room
-met my husband for lunch (it felt like we were on a secret date)
-hung out with my sister-in-law and the cutest nephews a girl could have
-taught a few piano lessons
-cooked a few scrumptious dinners (well, that's what she said)

I still haven't finished going through my closet or cleaned out kitchen cupboards or inventoried our food storage or hung the pictures in our bedroom or cleaned out my filing cabinet (ICK!) or gone to the dentist...but I feel like a new woman. Bring on July.

Adios Reality

2009-06-13T20:45:00.000-07:00

I have been on summer vacation, and I've taken a vacation from being around teenagers, doing laundry, getting up early, grading papers, and blogging! The week before school let out, Sam and I went to Maui with his company, Infusionsoft. Every year his company takes a reward trip, and we were able to go for the second time. It was wonderful, and I'm thankful for all of Sam's hard work that enabled me to enjoy almost 5 days in Maui. We spent our time on the beach (me = reading and laying out, Sam = surfing). We went snorkelling and saw some gnarly sea turtles. We went on a sunset dinner cruise and consumed more than our share of pina colladas, minus the alcohol of course. We went on a zipline. And on our last day, the first day of the season, we went parasailing. The parasailing was my favorite thing. It was fun being lifted off the boat and into the air and surprisingly relaxing floating along looking at some of the beauty of the island. I have included some videos below of our trip. We forgot our camera charger, so most of this trip is documented via video.

Adios Mexico

2009-05-02T18:08:00.000-07:00

The company Sam works for, Infusionsoft, has beening planning a trip to Puerto Vallarta for about a year. I've been practicing my Espanol for several months now, and thanks to the swine flu outbreak, our Mexican vacation has been cancelled. No bueno. The good news is we will be able to drown our sorrows in a pina collada Maui style. Aloha! We are getting quite excited for the trip and are so grateful that Sam has such a great job.

We've had a busy month, and apparently I've been so busy that I haven't posted for quite some time. Sam's mom and sister Stephanie were in town for their spring break a couple of weeks ago, and then Shawna and her daughter Bailey came and stayed with us for almost a week. It was fun to see them and have them here. Bailey is especially darling and has grown bunches since we saw her at Christmas. Unfortunately I am a slacker with the camera and don't have any fun pictures to post.

We don't have much else to report except that I get to play the organ in Stake Conference tomorrow. I'm a bit nervous and have seriously considered calling a special fast. Luckily the songs are all fast enough that if I make a mistake no one will have to hear it for long. It may even be quick enough that no one will notice -- yeah right. My nerves are getting a little freaky. So think of me when you're sitting in Sacrament meeting tomorrow listening to your ward organist. And say a little prayer for me. Muchos Gracias.

Guernsey

2009-03-31T21:12:00.000-07:00

I love to read. Normally I'm a trashy mystery/suspense/espionage girl, but being the English teacher that I am, I love a girl who knows how to write (and not like those porcelain vampire-loving gals). I started The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society tonight, and I am in love at first chapter. It's a collection of letters set post WWII. It's fabulous. It's nice to read something other than what we're reading in school - Heart of Darkness and Anthem. Don't misunderstand me. I like both, particularly Anthem. But sometimes finding all the similes and explaining the theme takes some of the fun out of a good book. And sometimes students like them anyway. One of my most uh, challenging, students finished Anthem three days ahead of schedule. He hasn't done much of anything without serious coercion all year. It makes it mostly worthwhile when a loud-mouth 16-year-old likes a book and learns something. And now I'm going back to my book...

Spring Break

2009-03-22T19:37:00.000-07:00

I'm sad to say that Spring Break is all but over, but it was a good one. Sam took some much-needed time off of work, and we went to California. We spent a few days in Disneyland and few more days hanging out. I don't think I'll ever be too old for Disneyland. And this time we saw Mary Poppins! She's my favorite. I'm ready to pack my bags and go back, especially if it means no school.

Damn the Reply All

2009-02-27T16:05:00.001-08:00

I have sat down to post a few times, but I can't quite seem to get 'er done. We've had an eventful week or two, kind of. Sam and I were able to take a little road-trip to Sedona a few weeks ago. It was beautiful in a rainbows and crystals sort of way. It was relaxing to get out of town for a day or two. I tried to talk Sam into having our palms read and taking the vortex tour, but he would have none of that nonsense. Then my parents were here for a little bit on their way to a conference in Florida. We attempted to teach Dad how to play Guitar Hero, which was entertaining. The rest of our weeks have mostly been filled with work...AIMS testing, parent emails, and belligerent teenagers for me. This week I shamed myself by accidentally responding to the staff cafeteria survey and copying the whole school. If only I had known that not everyone would appreciate my sentiments (or maybe lack of) about Polish dogs (commonly known as sausage) and chilli dogs. Really, whose idea was it to feed middle-aged adults chilli dogs? And yes, I know that Korea is the only place they really eat dogs. Luckily I responded kindly about the cafeteria WORKERS, who are sometimes less than friendly and agreeable. A few days have passed, and I think I can safely roam the halls of Mesquite without fear of hazing.

Super Superbowl

2009-02-02T17:50:00.000-08:00

Yesterday's game proved to be exciting, enjoyable, and fruitful in more ways than one. We had a great time with Jake and Heidi watching the game and cheering for the Cardinals. They played a respectable game - the Steelers just played better. Heidi and I made some rockin' chocolate fondue. And when I got to school this morning I discovered that I had won the office Superbowl pool. Now I don't normally participate, but I thought it sounded fun, so I threw in my five bucks and signed my name. I couldn't remember my numbers and I had no idea what the prize was, but I had a suspicion that I had won the 3rd quarter prize. However, I was wrong! I won the 4th quarter! I am the person that people hate - the person who barely even knows what's going down and wins anyway. Now the big problem is what to do with the money. I can't decide if it's gambling or not. Sam suggested I put the prize money in an account for college for our children or join a gym for a year. My quick retort was that I could buy HIS gym membership with it. I'm either donating to some fantastic cause or doing something insanely fun. Feel free to weigh in on my decision, unless your advice is practical. In that case, please hold your tongue.

Things I Learned at Jury Duty

2009-01-20T18:56:00.000-08:00

About a month ago, what to my wondering eyes did appear? Not Santa, but a summons to jury duty. I actually was relieved that the official looking envelope from the court was not another photo radar ticket. I geared up some sub plans (I left all of my classes reading Shakespeare...hehehe), and I headed to DOWNTOWN Phoenix to the Superior Court. After parking 3 miles away and riding the shuttle to the courthouse, I was relieved I had made it there 5 minutes before my reporting time. Good thing I was there so early too, because I sat and waited for 4 hours before I was called to a jury. Then I was called, and we went up to the top floor of the courthouse...and waited for another hour and a half. I sat on the cold floor reading my book wondering why they couldn't leave us in the comfy chairs in the jury assembly room if they weren't really ready for us. I had an interesting day, and in my hours of waiting, I observed some strange happenings. These are the things I learned:

1. If you tick someone off (i.e. the lady at the jury sign-in desk), she's probably not going to help you by giving you the excuse certificate for your employer. I've also heard it stated this way: You can catch more flies with honey than nastiness.

2. When you get a jury summons or other official-looking document in the mail, you should do as it says. One lady burst in demanding to see the judge because she didn't follow instructions and now has a warrant out for her arrest. I don't think she saw a judge today, but maybe soon.

3. Some things never change. Everytime a jury panel was called, there were at least two yahoos who didn't hear their names the first three times they were called. It reminds of some of my students (Jay, Allison, and Tony) who never hear what page we're on and don't notice me writing it on the board in big red numbers. It takes at least three repetitions to get anything done in my 6th hour.

4. People really don't listen. After witnessing the process of jury panels being called to courtrooms and hearing the directions repeated several times an hour, you would think people have it figured out. They call your name. You say "Here". They give you a number. You walk up (remembering the number on your way to the desk), and take the big card that has your juror number on it. Then you turn off your cell phone and follow the nice bailiff into the courtroom. That's it. Do you have any idea how many people forgot their numbers?

5. And last but not least, your actions really do affect others. I would like to take my students on a field trip to the courthouse where they can see the families of the "alleged" criminals outside the courtrooms. I saw lots of crying people today in connection with the case from which I was released. I think it was pretty serious (most crimes are, I suppose).

In all seriousness, I enjoyed the experience of being summoned for jury duty. It was a break from the normal routine, and so many of life's truths were reaffirmed.

Looking Back...

2009-01-06T10:52:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine posted this on her blog, and I thought I would do the same. It's been an eventful year!

What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
I got married! Sam and I were also able to visit Hawaii in February and Alaska in July.

Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
No, I did not keep all of them, and I will make more.

Did anyone close to you give birth?
My sister-in-law, Sherrie and my cousin, Brooke.

Did anyone close to you die? No

What countries did you visit? Canada (on the way back from our cruise to Alaska)

What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? friends in my ward (which I had for much of 2008), and more passion for my job

What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
July 19th, the day Sam and I were married. It was so wonderful to be surrounded by so many family and friends in the temple. The feeling was incredible, and I'm so glad that we made the decision to be sealed, even though it took us awhile.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Being sealed in the temple

What was your biggest failure?
quitting Dr. Pepper

Did you suffer illness or injury?!
Nothing major

What was the best thing you bought?
my Kitchenaid

Where did most of your money go?
mortgage payments, Target, and wedding paraphanelia

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
getting married

What song will always remind you of 2008?
Honey Baby

Compared to this time last year, are you: much happier, richer, nicer?
I think all three. I have really been blessed. (I'm pretty sure I'm happier and richer, but not too sure about nicer.)

What do you wish you'd done more of?
spending time with family

What do you wish you'd done less of?
grading papers

How did you spend Christmas?
We went to Utah and spent it with Sam's family, and then we drove back to Mesa to be here for my little sister's wedding.

Did you fall in love in 2008?
Well, I guess I stayed in love :)

What was your favorite TV program?
Sam and I are both Heroes junkies.

Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No

What was the best book you read this year?
These is my Words

What did you want and get?
a diamond ring

What were your favorite films of this year?
I can't really think of any

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 30, and I stayed home because I was sick.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
a longer summer vacation

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
I have no idea. I like classy-looking clothes. My biggest fashion issue is that I hog the closet.

What kept you sane?
my sister

What political issue stirred you the most?
Marriage Ammendments

Who did you miss?
Hilary...she went back to Utah way too fast after Heidi's wedding

Who was the best new person (people) you met?
My new nephew, Koy

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008?
Don't sweat the small stuff (I am still working on this...)

What are you most excited for in 2009?
the possibility of starting a family

What are you least excited for in 2009?
nothing really...except I need some dental work. I guess that will not be fun.

25 Days to go

2008-11-30T12:51:00.000-08:00

It's been a crazy week. Sam was in Utah for work until Tuesday night. He missed his flight but caught a later one. Then we sped (or tried) out of town for Thanksgiving. We hit horrendous traffic and drove to El Paso to spend the holiday with my brother's family and my mom and dad. We got back late Friday night and have been getting our house ready for Christmas. I really loved seeing my nephews and spending some time relaxing with family. I didn't take pictures - I forgot. Sounds terrible (but Tallin said I am his favorite aunt anyway). I think his exact words were "Heidi who?" I still have some work to do with little Colt, who called me Aunt Hilary behind my back. I have been called worse though. They are handsome little buggers, and I can't wait to see them again soon. I'm having a hard time gearing up for this week, but I am pleased at the thought that we have 15 days of school, 19 actual days, until Winter Break! I am more excited than my students. And in the meantime we can start Christmas shopping, baking (I got a new Kitchenaid!) and singing Christmas carols. I love this time of year.

Count Your Many Blessings...

2008-11-23T10:18:00.000-08:00

We just had a lesson about adversity in Relief Society today, and I can't help but feel that I have been remiss in giving thanks for the blessings I enjoy. I'm always shocked and amazed to discover the trials that others experience. I felt like an ungrateful wretch today, and I realized that too often I am quick to gripe and complain about stupid, inconsequential things. So today, I am grateful to have:

1. a husband whom I really love and who treats me wonderfully
2. a wonderful family
3. a job that I enjoy most of the time
4. a coteacher to help me with 6th hour
5. a husband with a good job at a great company
6. a healthy body
7. the knowledge that I am a daughter of God
8. knowledge of the plan of salvation
9. long naps on Sunday afternoons (because we have EARLY church.)
10. warm, sunny days - in November
11. great friends and neighbors
12. opportunities to develop talents
13. nephews to visit on Thanksgiving!
14. more nephews and a niece to see at Christmas
15. parents who taught me how to work, cook, and clean
16. plenty of food to eat
17. a nice home (or two...)
18. renters
19. health insurance
20. an education

That just scratches the surface, but at this time in my life I have SO MUCH to be grateful for. I am going to try really hard this week not to complain about getting up early to go to work, making dinner, or even about my 6th hour class.

Postponed Until Further Notice...

2008-11-16T20:12:00.001-08:00

We don't have much to report, except that we have postponed having children until we can agree on some names. You would think that after dating for uh...some time that we would have this all figured out. Sam would like to name our first boys Hose A and Hose B. I vetoed that. His other suggestions include Buzz, Golden, Titan, and Quartz Aaauuugghhh. He also likes October and November (the names - not the months). He also suggested Gordon. Yuck. Sunday or Monday? Avalon? Weird. I like Porter and Mason. He doesn't want our children's names to be professions. I also like Cole, Tate, Parker, and Carter. He is now suggesting Phillip. Phil? HUH? Who is this man I married? Hero? or would it be Hiro? I hate weird spellings! Bruce? Wayne? Both? NO WAY. There is a huge gulf between the names Sam likes and the names I like. We might actually be able to agree on girls' names. But here's the second problem. We both really like the name Bella, but I HATE Twilight. I cannot imagine myself naming a child after a vampire wanna-be. It's back to the drawing board, folks. We'll keep you updated. We have a huge gulf to cross.

A First for Everything

2008-11-02T15:18:00.000-08:00

Slowly, but surely, Heather is helping me get immersed in social media. For years now she has tried to convince me to join Facebook and, more recently, to blog. For a few of those years I resisted the suggestion to join Facebook based on the misconception that Facebook was for meeting people to date. As Heather and I were dating, I could not understand why she thought it would be a good idea for me to sign up. As for blogging, I believe it was Heather's brother Justin that declared blogging is for girls.

After a few more nudges from Heather and Shawna and a brazillion requests from other long-lost friends (which I found out later were actually from Shawna), I gave in and recently joined Facebook. (Heather is concerned I am now a Facebook junkie. Not so. I am just making up for the amount of time she has had to find everyone she has ever known to become friends with. Now the race is on. First person to 250 friends wins. In fact, I had a heck of a time getting her to agree to be my Facebook wife. I think she still liked the idea of being able to still have a foot in the Facebook dating pool!)

That being said, it is with much fanfare that I present this, my first post ever to a blog. I am sure it will not meet the standards which the great bloggers of the past have set, and I am sure I will offend one or all of the people I have ever met as I venture into this strange new world of spilling my guts to family, friends, and total strangers. Yee haw.

So for those of you looking for thought provoking, deep, intellectual discussions about life, please read Heather's posts. If you are in the mood to change it up a bit, trying clicking the 'Next Blog' button above. Otherwise, feel free to pull up a monitor and read a few ramblings. Who knows. You might even want to expand your own footprint in the world of social media.

And Dear, you better keep at it; I have four friend requests waiting for my acceptance!

San Francisco

2008-10-26T18:14:00.000-07:00

This post is late, but I have been waiting for my husband to post about it, and he hasn't yet. It feels like our courtship :) Two weeks ago was my Fall Break from school. Those of you who are jealous, just know that you would need many breaks also if you had to deal with 120+ of some people's children everyday. Anyway, Sam and I and our friends Tyler and Natalie road-tripped to sunny San Francisco. We had a great time, despite the long drive. We spent some time on the wharf eating clam chowder and yummy sourdough bread. We saw some great old ships. We toured Alcatraz (the highlight for me), ate yummy Asain food, went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and chilled on the beach. It was a nice, relaxing trip. Oh, we even got some shopping in on the way home (the highlight for Sam). Here are some belated pics of our trip. In other news, we have had family here for a week. My sister graduated from nursing school, so we have had family staying with us to be here for her ceremony. We will post more pics soon. It has been a busy couple of weeks, but it has been great!

Sweet Caroline!

2008-10-16T22:47:00.000-07:00

Last week our friends Brian and Becky Smith invited us to a Neil Diamond concert as a wedding gift. While I would not consider myself a Diamond die-hard, I have grown up listening to music from the 70's, thanks to the influence of my parents. I found I was quite familiar with his music, and we all enjoyed hobnobbing with the blue-hairs immensely. The man can sing a tune, even at the ripe old age of 100. My personal favorite was "Sweet Caroline" which he sang three, yes THREE, times. Who can forget "Forever in Blue Jeans", and of course "Coming to America"? I was amazed at the emotion and passion he has. I think were he not a singer, Neil would have been a preacher man. He's nothing short of evangelical, and we had a blast listening, singing, and dancing along. After listening to him sing, I have come to the conclusion that one of the many things wrong with kids these days is that they listen to CRAP. You gotta love a man who sings about blue jeans, America, and God. We had a blast! Thank you, Brian and Becky!

my new sticker

2008-10-05T19:58:00.001-07:00

Create your own family sticker graphic at pYzam.com

Thank You Notes

2008-09-28T17:09:00.000-07:00

Let me tell you a little about my first year teaching. It was the year 2001; I was 23 years old and a bit naive. I started teaching 9th and 10th grade English at the second largest high school in Arizona. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, and 3 weeks after school started, the tragedies of September 11th happened. I will never forget my 2nd hour class that year. I had 4 girls and 22 boys in that class. The boys were a handful, and that is putting it mildly. I had some rough and tough football players (a couple of them royal jerks), a couple of junior ROTC boys, a couple of computer geeks, and a few other interesting students. I thought they were going to go to blows on Sept. 11th, and they almost did. I also had Jeff in my class. I'm pretty sure that Jeff's sole purpose in life that year was to give me a hard time. He spent lots of time in lunch detention with me, and I spent lots of time emailing or phoning his dad. I remember one particular week, Jeff's dad called me to ask if he should let him go on a trip that weekend. I finally felt like I had the power. We spent lots of time getting Jeff to pass (barely) English. I got an email on Friday from Jeff. I almost fell out of my chair. It was short and to the point. Something like, "I'm sorry. You were always one of my favorite teachers, and I know I gave you a hard time." I've spent a lot of time regretting that I wasn't married earlier, but I realize that the alternative has been a great blessing in my life. I am so grateful for the years that I have been able to teach. I have learned some really valuable lessons, and I've been able to know some great students. I will never forget my first year of teaching, and most especially I will never forget those kids. I've run into a few of them. Some of them have been handed some tough blows, but it's nice to see how they handle life. It's nice to see them grow up into successful adults.

I Don't Accept...

2008-09-24T19:30:00.000-07:00

So today was a half-day (for the students) at school. I teach piano lessons after school, and as I showed up to teach, I could tell the kids were not happy to see me. I started with the youngest, an 8-year old boy. He SUFFERED through a half-hour lesson, sulking and whining the entire time. I was brutal, as only teaching 16 year-olds for 7 years can make a person. I made him play one song about 15 times, until he could play it correctly. At the end I checked his theory. He had to correct several mistakes, and by this time he was boiling mad at me. He scribbled his answers, and I told him I didn't accept handwriting I couldn't read. He fired back, "I don't accept you ruining my day!" If it wouldn't have made me just a bit upset to be talked to like that by an 8-year-old, I would have burst out laughing. Apparently if he didn't have piano lessons, he could have gone ice-skating this afternoon. So today another kid had another ruined day because of a piano lesson. And maybe someday he will be grateful.

Irrigating and Canning

2008-09-23T19:39:00.000-07:00

Irrigating and canning are two activities in which my parents are avid participators. I thought I would not do much of either one. Turns out I got two ear infections last week, and my ears have to be irrigated with vinegar and water twice a day. The good news is the irrigating coupled with antibiotics is actually working! The bad news is I smell like vinegar. As far as the canning...my friend Natalie talked me into buying Utah peaches from "The Fruit Sisters" (can it get any fruitier than that name?) and canning them. We set out Saturday morning to find jars, which you would think would not be that difficult in this mecca of LDS people. After a couple of hours and several grocery stores/Walmarts later, we found our jars. Yahoo! We set to work canning, and after several hours (and a nice lunch break thanks to Sam and Tyler), we had some beautiful jars of peaches to show for it. They are still on my counter because I think they look nice, and I want to be reminded of our accomplishment. I didn't remember much from canning sessions with Mom, but I am glad I could call her for advice. We only had one casualty - a jar I broke because I didn't follow instructions exactly.

P.S. This is really Heather posting even though it says Sam.

Here we go again.

2008-09-14T21:24:00.000-07:00

This is the third blog I have started. My old one used my maiden name, and then Sam and I attempted to start one on another site. I am technologically illiterate, and I can't figure out how to make it work the way I would like. So...we are back to blogspot. Now I am ready to keep this up and running. We will have been married two months at the end of this week. That seems such a short time and yet such a long time all at once. Weird, I know. The last few months have been a whirlwind for us. We went to family reunions, got married, went on an awesome cruise to Alaska, moved me in with Sam, started school, and moved wards. During that time I had some training to attend for school, and some training of other teachers to implement. Sam has been insanely busy at work, and we have been working on getting settled into our house (which mostly consists of me hanging pictures and rearranging things a million times.) Despite the busy-ness, the last two months have been some of the happiest of my life. We have both really enjoyed being married, more even than we thought we would. We are hoping that starting this blog will help us stay in better contact with our family and friends, and also serve as a journal of sorts. Don't hold your breath for any "Dear Diary" soul-baring posts, but we hope it will help us to remember this time in our lives. This week has been busy, as usual. Sam worked a TON, and I spent some serious time with the red pen grading papers. We are halfway through the 1st quarter (time flies when you're having fun!) and we had grades due. We also had the chance to go to the temple for the first time since we were married. When we walked in they asked us to do sealings, and it was the best experience I have ever had doing sealings (besides my own, of course!). It was a sweet reminder of the promises we have made to each other and to the Lord, and hopefully is something we will be able to return and do often. We have spent some serious time playing games this weekend, during which time I have been soundly beaten and my humility restored. (It has been missing of late...mostly since I almost ALWAYS win.) And now we are ready to start out another crazy week. As I think about the last couple of months, I can't help but be immensely grateful for all I have been blessed with. I have a husband who loves me and treats me like a million bucks; I have a wonderful supportive family- on both sides; I have a job I mostly really enjoy; I have a beautiful home; and I have the knowledge of the gospel. What more could a girl want?

Welcome Friends!

2008-09-14T17:03:00.001-07:00