The Wallace Family

Praise to the Man

2011-08-28T19:15:00.002-05:00

This year the kids are learning the hymn "Praise to the Man" in primary. On Monday morning, I was listening as Chloe belted out her version. The chorus started out like this:

Hail to the prophet, ascended to heaven
Traitors and fire-ants now fight him in vain

Now if you have ever been bitten by a fire ant, you would understand that a fire ant is almost as bad as a tyrant. A whole mound of fire ants might be worse...

Goosebumps

2011-05-28T21:12:00.002-05:00

Warning: This post contains "potty talk." It would normally be banned from our dinner conversations.

This evening Chloe was brushing my hair. Being silly, she ran the hairbrush down my arm, which immediately gave me goosebumps. "Why do you have bumps on your arm?," she asked. I explained, "probably because you just brushed my arm." She then asked, "Are you sure you aren't going poopy?" I told her, "Chloe, I am NOT going poopy." She then questioned me further saying, "Because when I go poopy those bumps on my arms come out." I reassured her once again that I was definitely not going poopy. Skeptically she whispered, "Oh, okay, but maybe you're going poopy."

Rough Riders Game

2011-05-21T17:46:00.002-05:00

This year Kelsie auditioned (twice!) and was chosen to participate in the All City Choir. This little choir, made up of 4th and 5th graders from all over Frisco, was asked to sing the national anthem at the Rough Riders game last week. Excuse the lousy video work....when I saw them line up I had to run up the stairs and around the stadium to see their cute little faces. I couldn't hold the camera steady because I was trying to breathe. I also didn't recognize my daughter, even though she is in the front row directly in front of the microphone. I did, however, recognize her friend, so there are mostly shots of Taylor! Sorry Kels--I love ya'!

8 is GREAT!

2011-04-23T18:02:00.000-05:00

Our sweet little Jackson was baptized on April 23. We are so proud of his decision to become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. We feel so blessed to have him as our son--he truly is an example to us. He has an incredible capacity to love and give and has a sensitivity to the needs of others that is unparalleled in 8-year olds. He has a strong desire to follow the Savior and will be an incredible missionary in 11 years.

Grandma and Grandpa Wallace, the whole Kunz family, and Grandma and Grandpa Miyasaki all made the 1248 mile trek to be part of this important day. We had many friends and neighbors in attendance and it was humbling to witness an entire room full of people who love Jackson. It was an incredible day and the presence of the Spirit testified of the importance of this sacred ordinance.

To Be 3...

2011-03-10T21:00:00.003-06:00

I think that being three must be the best age in the world. When you're 3, you can wear a purple sparkly shirt with a hot pink and black zebra-print tutu, boots, and sunglasses and feel like a million bucks. When you're 3, you can close your eyes and take a nap when you catch a bad case of the grumpies while your mom browses the aisles in Costco. When you're 3, you can sing "Dynamite" at the top of your lungs in public places and never feel embarassed. When you're 3, a sippy cup filled with chocolate milk makes everything better. When you're 3, you can say things to your dad like "I think you need another nap." When you're 3, you're just thankful for everything. Tonight Chloe said our family prayer. Here's how it went:

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for this day.
Thank you for scriptures.
Thank you for our old t.v.
Thank you for us.
Thank you for t.v.
Thank you for Santa.
Thank you for notes.

Oh, how we love that girl! Earlier tonight, Wally fell asleep and Chloe was trying her best to wake him up. She was shaking some bells in his ear, but it didn't work. She tried giving him a hug and a kiss, but it didn't work. She tried tickling him, but it didn't work. She tried yelling "FIRE!", but it didn't work. For her last effort, she yelled, "Dad, the t.v. doesn't work!" at which point he woke up.

The House That Jack Lives In

2011-02-02T17:20:00.007-06:00

This is the house that Jack lives in. (And Kelsie and Chloe and Wally and Evonne.)

This is the precipitation that turned to snow and ice that fell on the house that Jack lives in (and Kelsie and Chloe and Wally and Evonne.)

These are the children bored out of their minds (hanging out in my messy closet) because school was canceled yesterday, today, and tomorrow due to the precipitation that turned to snow and ice that fell on the house that Jack lives in (and Kelsie and Chloe and Wally and Evonne).

This is the husband, mildly perturbed, because his office sent him home again because of the power outages that were caused by the precipitation that turned to snow and ice that fell on the house that Jack lives in. (And also because the furnace stopped working, the house was frigid, and we had to call a repairman to come fix it.)

Good As New

2010-08-26T21:49:00.003-05:00

If you had asked either Wally or I a couple of weeks ago which child we thought would be the first one to go to the ER we both would have responded "Chloe!!!" And this is why. Chloe likes to jump, climb, spin, hang, etc. One day she said "Mom, do you wanna see this?" She climbed on the ottoman crossed her arms over her chest and just fell from the ottomon to the couch about a foot and a half away. I told her "Chloe, I don't ever want to see you do that again." She promptly responded, "Mom, close your eyes." But back to the ER question, we would have guessed it would be Chloe, but we would have been wrong. It was Kelsie.

On the last Monday night before school started, we took our family to the pool for FHE. Our friends, the Ritchies, had the same idea and our kids were thrilled to have their friends to splash with in the pool. We were all just visiting when Kelsie and Brynley got our attention and told us to watch them. They were doing back flips in the pool off a little ledge. My mom instincts screamed "DANGER!" but I ignored them since the girls had been doing flips all night. As soon as Kelsie pushed off the ledge, I could tell that she didn't extend back far enough. She hit her head on the wall on her way up. When she came up out of the water I was trying to be calm. I looked at her and said "Kelsie?" She was holding her forehead and crying as she came over to me. As soon as she moved her hand, large amounts of blood began rushing from her head. I went into panic mode and screamed for her to get out of the pool. I ran (at the pool! Dangerous, I know!) and grabbed a towel and had her hold it on her head. At this point she was screaming, probably from a mixture of pain and the horrified expression on my face. When the screaming subsided into just crying, I had her move the towel so I could see the damage. It was not good. There was a deep cut in her forehead and still lots of blood. I started screaming to Wally something about getting the kids out of the pool and having to go to the ER. Thank goodness the Ritchies were there. They offered to take Jack and Chloe to their house while we took care of Kelsie. So we took off to the nearest Urgent Care. Now, if I had been calm under pressure and had really thought about it, I would have grabbed my towel and maybe dried off a little bit. But I wasn't calm and I didn't. And I regretted it the whole time I stood dripping wet in my swimsuit in the ER.

When we got to the ER, Kelsie started crying again. She was still in pain, but was now worried about the possibility of needing stitches. The nurse called us back and looked at her cut. He told her that she had a 50/50 chance of getting stitches. Kelsie was relieved at the thought that she might not need stitches and started to relax a bit. What he didn't tell her was that it was a 50% chance of stitches and a 50% chance of having staples! Good thing he left that out because she was pretty freaked out. The doctor came in a little while later and told her that fortunately for her, the cut was right in her hairline and he could just staple her back together. To me, staples sounded way worse than stitches, but I wasn't about to admit that to Kelsie. They cleaned her cut, numbed it, and then the doctor stapled her head back together. I have to admit that it was pretty gross, but for some reason I couldn't look away. The good thing was NO SHOTS! In the end, the cut was a little less than an inch long. It required three staples and a week to heal, but now she is good as new! She was extremely brave and we feel extremely lucky to have her.

Be Careful What You Ask For

2010-06-15T16:49:00.002-05:00

We're getting ready to head out on our annual trek westward. Last week as we sat around the table talking about our trip and what we need to do before we leave, I made one simple request. I asked my children that if they were going to get the flu, run a fever, catch a virus, or contract a childhood disease, now is the time to do it. (Last year when we went to Utah, Jackson came down with Fifths Disease. Then Chloe spent a week with the cha-cha-cha's. The year before Jackson ran a fever for five days. Oh yeah, and every year Jackson gets car sick in Spanish Fork canyon and...well, you know.) Now, I can't get my children to flush the toilet, but they were obedient to my request and promptly broke out in Hand, Foot, Mouth Disease. Chloe started it all last week and just as she was getting better, Jackson took a turn. Fun for all!

We feel like we've been quarantined to our house. We can't go play outside (too hot!) and so we watch a LOT of t.v., play the Wii, and drive each other crazy. But, if this means we can spend all of our vacation...well, vacationing, then bring it on! Fair warning--next week I need to do some shopping. If you see us in Target, run the other way!

You Might Be a Texan If...

2010-06-02T21:10:00.002-05:00

...you use a pistol to kill flies instead of a fly swatter. Oh, we love our little native Texan!

The Chloe Time Zone

2010-05-30T18:21:00.002-05:00

We may live in the Central Time Zone, but all our watches are set to Chloe Standard Time. Last week (during Kelsie's wonderful FHE lesson), Chloe climbed onto my lap and whispered, "Mom, what does your watch say?" I glanced at the time and replied "10 minutes to 8:00." She grabbed my wrist, looked at my watch, and said "No. It says GET ME SOME CHOCOLATE MILK!"

The next day she ran up to Wally after he got home from work and asked him, "Daddy, what does your watch say?" He told her "It says it's time for Chloe to give me a big hug and a kiss." (Which she did.) She then added "Mom's watch always says it's time to go to bed."

Happy Birthday, Papa Miyasaki!

2010-04-12T21:21:00.002-05:00

The Best Kind of Popular

2010-04-11T21:08:00.003-05:00

Fourth grade has brought about some growing pains for Kelsie. While it has been fun and exciting, it has also had a few challenges. This year, Kelsie has had changes in friends and has had to decide what is really important in her young life. We've had many conversations about what it means to be popular versus what it means to be nice. Last week as we were driving home from volleyball practice, Kelsie was telling me about something that had happened at recess. An unkind statement was made to her and as I expressed my shock and sympathy she said, "It's okay, mom. I'm nice to everybody and when we have to get into groups in class, everybody wants to be my partner because I'm their friend. That's the best kind of popular." I'm so impressed with her maturity and the wisdom that far exceeds her age.

Jacksonisms

2010-03-26T22:50:00.005-05:00

In honor of Jackson's 7th birthday, here are some of our favorite Jacksonisms:

"If you see a white truck with a hooker (Jacksonism for "trailer hitch") say, 'white truck with a hooker'." He was really into trucks and wanted us to point them out to him! Gotta admit, that one's probably my favorite! (3 yrs. old)

"So, mom's Japanese and Chinese and dad's just regular." (5 yrs.)

"Braden can't play because he has refuse coming over." "What?" I asked. Jackson explained, "you know, grandmas and grandpas and cousins." "Oh, I think you mean relatives," I said. And then I added, "Jackson, do you know what refuse is? It's garbage." He laughed and laughed and laughed as he kept saying "Braden has garbage coming over!" (Last month)

"So, when do we take the shower?" (Following a baby shower that Wally's co-workers generously threw us before Chloe was born. Poor kid, nobody explained what a baby shower really was.) 4 yrs. old

"Mom, you just wrinkled my heart." (After a lecture I gave him about being a good friend and sharing. I try my best not to wrinkle his heart any more.) 5 yrs. old

"When are we going halloweenering?" (Jacksonism for "trick-or-treating") 3 yrs. old

When I was very pregnant with Chloe, I bent down to pick something up and Jackson whispered to me, "Mom, I can see your buffers." Now, in my non-pregnant or nursing state I am very flat-chested, so to be able to see any type of cleavage was a new and unusual thing. I must also explain that at 4 years old, Jackson was totally into Thomas the Train. On the front of each Thomas and Friends engine, there are two circles--yep, you guessed it, buffers--that prevent the trains from bumping into each other.

"Call me Jack-A-Roo-Pumpkin-Pie." 2 yrs. old. Grandma Miyasaki always called him "pumpkin" and Aunt Nellie called him "Jack-A-Roo." One day I was calling for him and he promptly explained that his name was not Jackson. From that day forth he wanted to be called "Jack-A-Roo-Pumpkin-Pie" or "Jack-A-Roo-Pumpkin-Pie, kissed the girls and made them cry" for short.

Oh, Jackson, we love you! You are so very sweet and your easy-going nature really balances out your sisters! At the first PT conference with Jackson's teacher she told me that Jackson is "an old soul" in a little body. And he is. Couldn't ask for a better son than Jackson. Happy birthday, superman!

Overheard

2010-03-24T17:59:00.001-05:00

Wally: Hey, Chloe, what are you doing?
Chloe: I don't know.
Wally: Yes, you DO know.
Chloe: I'm drinkin' your Coke, Dad. Is that just fine?
Wally: Yeah, Chloe, that's just fine.

What a softie that Daddy is becoming!

Double Digits!

2010-03-21T22:08:00.004-05:00

Our little 5 lb. 6 oz. baby girl has grown into a beautiful 10 year-old. Where has the time gone? Poor Kelsie spent her big double-digit birthday driving back home from Florida. We took her out for a special birthday dinner at Burger King in Shreveport, LA, where we let her pick anything from the menu! Don't feel too bad, she did get to go to Florida and celebrate her birthday (a little early) with Grandma and Papa Wallace and the Burtons. It was the first birthday spent with family in 3 years, so it was extra special. The next day was all about Kelsie. She opened presents, feasted on her favorite foods--steak, raspberries, salad, rice, and chocolate cheesecake. The following day she received lots of gifts in the mail and we celebrated again.

In honor of her 10th birthday, here are 10 things we love about Kelsie:

She is kind-hearted. She is always thinking of others and just spent some of her birthday money to buy Jackson a birthday present.

She's active. She played soccer for a couple of seasons and this year is giving volleyball a try. She wants to run a 5K with me this summer. Go Kelsie!

Kelsie is fun. She loves to play games, make up games (and the rules), tell jokes and make everybody laugh.

She is entertaining. Kelsie loves to write scripts, put on plays, and record them on video. Boy, will she love those DVDs in a few years!

Kelsie is creative. I'm not quite sure where she gets her creativity, because it's certainly not from me! She loves to draw, sketch fashion designs, sew clothes for her American Girl doll, and do anything crafty. She just took 2nd place in her school's "Tar Wars" campaign and will now be entering the state competition.

Kelsie is thoughtful. She often leaves little love notes around the house for me to find.

She is a good big sister! She is so nurturing and good with Jackson and Chloe. Wally and I feel like our investment is beginning to pay off and we look forward to the days when she can babysit!

Kelsie is a wonderful example. After having a particularly hard day at school, I found Kelsie in my office reading articles from "The Friend" magazine. She came home and prayed and opened the magazine to discover an article about the same issue she was facing.

Kelsie is beautiful, inside and out! When she was a baby, Wally's uncle made a comment about how beautiful her eyes were because they were filled with the light of Christ. That light still radiates from her.

She is a blessing to our family! We feel so lucky to have such a wonderful daughter. We are so proud of her!

C.O.W. (Congratulations on Winging!)

2010-02-28T20:00:00.007-06:00

Why the acronym you ask? Because in February we were in Milton, FL (near Pensacola) staying at NAS Whiting Field at the BOQ to watch Taylor (the Sailor) get his wings! Taylor, we are so proud of you! This is quite the accomplishment and we are so grateful we got to share it with you. Here's a recap of our adventure with as much military lingo as I could insert:

Pre-Flight Plan

Thursday, February 4 17:00 hours

We got the good news that Taylor had finished all of his requirements and would be graduating February 12. Wally and I decide that we only live 750 miles away and that we will go to Florida for the winging. Kids are excited to be MIA from school for a couple of days.

Thursday, February 11 04:45 hours

Weather reports show that winter weather is heading toward the DFW Metroplex. We "detach" from Frisco with clear skies, sleepy kids, a dozen sandwiches, lots of snacks, juice boxes, caffeinated beverages, and movies to placate the troops for the 11 hour drive.

Thursday, February 11 05:00

Light snow falling in Plano. Roads are wet but not too bad.

Thursday, February 11 05:15

Heavy snow falling. Roads are slick and Wally's knuckles are white as he tries to grip the steering wheel and keep us from sliding on (or rather off) the overpasses. He's already concerned about us "not making good time."

Thursday, February 11 06:30

Finally get out of the heavy snow. Somewhere between Texas and Louisiana I take control of the cockpit so Wally can close his eyes. We decide this is the craziest thing we have ever done but that we are way past the point of no return. After making it to Shreveport, we stop at a gas station to stretch our legs, fill up the car, and use a filthy restroom. I teach Kelsie the fine art of making a t.p. toilet seat cover.

Thursday, February 11 16:30

Arrive in Milton, FL at the BOQ (Bachelor's and Officer's Quarters). We have driven for nearly 12 hours in the snow and rain. We've seen the swamps of Louisiana, crossed the Mississippi River, saluted the Confederate Flag (ha ha! But we really did see one flying!), saw a billboard advertising the abolition of slavery, and introduced the kids to the likes of Garth Brooks and Alabama. The kids are doing great and are excited that we actually departed and arrived on the same day (as opposed to driving to Utah!)

Thursday, February 11 17:30

Wally attends the PG-13 rated Soft Patch Ceremony (it is the Navy and Marines after all!). Kelsie, Jack, Chloe and I freshen up, stretch our legs, and rejoice that we made it and are out of the car. After watching movies for 11 hours we turn on the tv. Pretty sad, huh.

The Winging

Turns out the storm we drove in for 12 hours the day before wasn't finished. Pensacola was anticipating it's first snow in over 17 years and we were there to witness it! (Lucky us!) Due to the weather the winging was scheduled for 08:00 instead of 13:00. Following the winging, the base was closed to non-essential personnel, which made us a bit nervous since we were staying on base and we were most definitely non-essential! Luckily we were allowed to stay there despite our civilian status. Attending the winging was one of the coolest experiences! It started out with a video depicting the training that the "wingers" went through. Jackson was enthralled as he watched the jets and helos and especially the missiles. He is such a boy! I have to admit that I was secretly thinking "don't you get any ideas, Jackson. Being an accountant is an honorable and not very dangerous profession." I am such a mom! One by one each "winger" was called up on stage with their family. One family member (usually a spouse or parent) put the wings of gold on the winger's uniform. I was so impressed with how the entire family was recognized because it truly is a family effort. My sis-in-law, Sherrie, is AMAZING. I'm pretty sure I couldn't do what she does! As if the constant moving weren't enough to drive me insane, I think the worrying would do me in. She just handles everything in stride. What a gal!

What a memorable adventure! We got to see new places, experience new things, and spend time with family. What can be better than that?

Survival of the Unfit

2010-01-30T15:48:00.004-06:00

It seemed like a great idea at the time. 12 weeks to train for a half marathon, beat the winter blues, and get "in shape". The only shape I'm in today is pathetic. I must admit that I seemed to have faired better than Wally who is currently a moaning lump in a chair bundled up in a blanket. (I can say these things because I know I can outrun...outlimp him today!)

It was all Wally's idea. I told my running buddies and somehow convinced them to join in the madness. At first it was actually fun, running together on Saturdays, adding mileage each week. The week we did 10 miles I felt GREAT! I felt so confident I even considered training for a full marathon. Reality hit me the week we did 12 miles. 12.3 to be exact. I fell apart and chalked it up to just a bad run. But today was d-day. Once again, I felt great at 10 miles and at 12 miles I fell apart. The last 1.1 miles was the toughest 1.1 miles I have ever run. It was cold and windy and uphill. That is correct--we live in Texas and it was cold (16 with the wind chill) and uphill. The last 0.1 mile was up a steep hill (how rude to put the finish line uphill!) and I really wanted to walk (actually what I really wanted was to stop!) but somehow I managed a slow trot to the end. Everyone says that adrenaline will carry you through to the end but they lie. What carries you through to the end is the desire to make the pain cease. We survived. It wasn't pretty, but we survived! 2 hours 12 minutes for me, 2 hours 13 minutes for Wally.

A Father's Love

2010-01-17T19:56:00.002-06:00

Since Wally said that Chloe can't have a little sister, I guess he'll have to do. Are you sure you don't want to reconsider, Honey?

Surprise and Disappointment

2009-12-23T19:03:00.000-06:00

If I were to compile a list of adjectives that describe me, the words "fun" and "spontaneous" would not be in the top 10....or 50. I occasionally feel sorry for my kids, since I'm just not really a fun mom. (Unlike my friend Danielle who took her kids ice blocking at the storm drain--where else can you find a hill in Texas?--with bicycle helmets on for safety!) Big sigh....I can't live up to that, but in an effort to be fun, we decided to take the kids on a surprise trip to the Fort Worth Zoo. On the day before Thanksgiving (half price Wednesday!), Wally and I told the kids that we needed to run some errands. Of course they wanted to know where we were going and so I started making things up...ummmm, "we need to go to Costco and Target," I told them. Upon hearing "Target" their little eyes lit up. We all LOVE Target except Wally who reminds me that I am shopping the competition and putting him out of a job. They ran to their piggy banks and pulled out some money. "Sweet!" I thought, now they can buy themselves a souvenir! We piled into the mini-van and started driving. After passing two Costos, Kelsie began to get suspicious. "Where are we going?" she demanded. "Hang on, we're almost there" we reassured her. And then the "Are we there yets?" started. At this point Wally and I were both starting to get a little edgy. The "we're almost theres" were replaced with "JUST WATCH THE MOVIE!" Good thing we were truly almost there. We started following the exit signs for the Fort Worth Zoo and Kelsie excitedly exclaimed "Jackson, we're going to the zoo!"

We had a wonderful time! The weather was perfect, the crowds were small, and the Fort Worth zoo is an amazing place. In the future, we'll plan on packing a lunch. Something about eating a burger at the zoo makes me feel uncomfortable... At the end of our trip we took the kids into a souvenir shop. They browsed for a minute but decided they would save their money for....Target. That's where the disppointment came in. As I explained that we're not really going to Target, I broke their sweet little hearts. Next time I feel like trying to be fun, we'll go to the dollar spot at Target.

Happy Birthday, Grandma!

2009-12-22T21:41:00.003-06:00

Happy Birthday, Grandma Wallace! We wish we could be there to celebrate with you. We love you!

Kelsie, Jackson, and Chloe

Anniversary

2009-11-15T21:35:00.002-06:00

Don't faint. I know this is the third posting this month. Soon life will be crazy and I will have to take a sabbatical again.

Last week marked the third anniversary of our arrival in Texas. It's amazing how fast the time has gone by and yet we still feel like newbies. Since we have been here, our family has grown by one (well two if you add the arrival of Wally's t.v.--we all spend plenty of quality time with Vizio). We have survived torrential rain, tornado warnings, summer heat, and ice storms. We have experienced loneliness, a few unexpected tragedies, and amazing growth. We have endured two road trips to Utah and have gained a greater sense of gratitude for the Pioneers. We have learned why we are told to "become as a little child" as we have watched our incredible kids grow and flourish. We have developed a deeper gratitude for our families. Oh yeah, and we have become Cowboys fans.

Since we have now been here for three years, here are three things we love about Texas:

Winter, Spring, and Fall
The people! We love our neighborhood, community, and ward.
The schools.

Three things that we could really do without:

All the creepy, crawly things (fireants, really big spiders, lizards)
Having to pay to drive on the roads
Year-round allergies

When we moved here, it was with the intent to stay for a couple of years and then go home. I never expected that this would become home, but as the years go by the roots go deeper. I still get homesick and miss my family, but I wouldn't trade this experience for anything.

Retraction

2009-11-14T21:34:00.002-06:00

Remember when I posted that Chloe hasn't hit the terrible two's and that she is just a happy, fun-loving, energetic girl that brings joy to our lives? I need to retract that.

This week Chloe developed a major attitude. It all started when Wally came home from work on Monday. Chloe took one look at him and said "Daddy, I don't like you." (Time out for Chloe). Two days ago we were all eating dinner-- except for Chloe. She was spinning. I told her several times to sit down and eat her dinner. With a pout on her face she climbed up in her chair and yelled "You're ruining my life!" Last night she exclaimed that she was NOT happy. "What's the matter princess?" I asked. She angrily muttered something about her magic wand and then added "BUT I CAN'T WORRY ABOUT THAT!" Maybe she skipped the terrible twos and landed in the terrible teens. Any suggestions?

Our Little Goblins

2009-11-08T22:38:00.002-06:00

Halloween is not Wally's favorite holiday. Why, you ask? First, he does not get the day off from work, therefore, Halloween is not an actual holiday. Second, he's not big on neighborhood kids coming to our house begging for candy. But seriously, how can you not LOVE Halloween when your kids are as cute as ours? (I admit that I am a little biased.)

This year Kelsie and her friends chose to be beauty queens, tiara and all (what can I say, we live in Texas!) Jackson was a clone trooper (it's a Star Wars thing) and Chloe discovered her true identity as a fairy princess. (If you ask Chloe what she was for Halloween she wil tell you "a pink dress." Then she will go into a long story of how we don't have a Tinkerbell movie because she has to go pee-pee and poo-poo on the potty first.) Before we hit the pavement to do our trick-or-treating, we went to our neighborhood's Fall Festival where the kids got to decorate pumpkins, play games, go on a carriage ride, and eat warm peach cobbler and hot chocolate in 85 degree weather! Aaahhhh...Halloween in Texas! At the end of the day, everybody was tired and happy, even Wally the Halloween Grinch.

Look Who's Two!

2009-05-19T15:20:00.004-05:00

It's hard to believe that our baby is now a full-fledged two-year-old. We moved from our home in Utah when I was only a few months pregnant. So, for those of you who do not have the privilege of seeing Chloe on a regular basis, here is a look into her cute little personality:

Chocolate milk fixes everything. Her first words in the morning are "Mommy, chocolate."

She LOVES puppies and babies. Too bad she will never have a real one of either.

In addition to carrying around her puppy and her baby, she MUST HAVE her two pink blankies (clean b's as she calls them). Why 2 you ask? Because upon noticing her attachment to her pink blankie, we thought we were so smart to buy her a second, backup one. It has now become part of her regular entourage.

She is a girly-girl. She likes getting her toenails painted, dressing up, wearing my shoes, putting on make-up, etc.

She loves Blue's Clues, Dora, and Diego and unfortunately watches way more tv than the one hour limit recommended by the American Association of Pediatrics.

Her favorite place is the mall. Last week as I was trying to get her dressed for church she said "No church! I go to mall!"

She started showing interest in potty-training right around her second birthday but now....not so much. She may beat Jackson's record (of 3 and 1/2) for the oldest child to be potty-trained.

She is obviously the baby of the family. A few weeks ago I observed her playing at the park. It was a busy night and there were a lot of kids there. After waiting her turn to go down the slide, Chloe exclaimed "Yeah! My turn!" to which, I beamed with pride. I patted myself on the back and thought that I had done a great job of teaching her that we have to take turns. She took her turn and ran straight back up to the top where she yelled "Hey kids, get out, it's my turn!"

She doesn't walk she prances, hops, runs, and jumps.

She is very adventurous. We recently had dinner with some friends. After dinner the kids were playing and Chloe was following their puppy around the house. Soon she came downstairs and reported that their puppy had "stinky poos." We went up to investigate and Chloe showed us right where the "stinky poos" were and then non-chalantly admitted "I eat it." Naturally, I freaked out. "You ATE it? Like you put it in your mouth?" I asked. "No," she responded, "I spit it out." GROSS! I didn't know what to do, but I felt the need to take her into the bathroom and wash something.

She likes to play with bugs (buggies). In Utah, we went swimming at Nellie and Danno's pool and Chloe's favorite activity was fishing the dead bugs out of the pool and wiping them on the grass.

She really likes birthdays (especially hers!) For weeks before her birthday, she would tell people "My birthday's comin' " Actually, she still tells everybody that her birthday is coming. They usually ask "When?" and she replies "In April." Chloe and I went to the pharmacy and picked up some medicine. The pharmacist handed me the little white bag and I threw it in the cart. Chloe picked it up and exuberantly asked "Is it my birthday?" How disappointing it must have been that is was not her birthday and that the bag only contained allergy medicine!

She is full of spunk, life, energy, and joy! She brings our family so much fun, excitement, and happiness!

At her two-year-old well-child checkup, her pediatrician asked me if she had hit the terrible two's yet. I thought about it for a minute and then realized that she hasn't. She is a happy little two-year-old that makes our lives rewarding.

Going WAY Back

2009-04-19T22:36:00.008-05:00

I promised Janelle that I would post some Halloween pictures, and I am just now getting to it. So, if you are waiting for me to do something that I told you I would do, be patient....I am finally checking off the stuff from October! We had such a fun Halloween this year. Kelsie dressed up as a rock star, Jackson was a Jedi, and Chloe was a ladybug. The kids went trick-or-treating and got way too much candy. Then we got together with some dear friends and let our sugar-loaded kids run around, eat junk food, and play. Wally and I learned a FUN new card game called Golf and before we knew it, it was midnight. At the stroke of twelve, the rock star turned back into Kelsie, the knight became Jackson, the ladybug morphed back into a very tired Chloe and the parents tucked them all into bed.

This Thanksgiving, we had much to be grateful for. Wally finished his very last CPA exam (which, by the way, he PASSED!) As a way of thanking the kids and I for our support and endurance, he flew us home to Utah. It started out a little rocky with flight delays, a lost iPod, a screaming baby, and missing Natalie's baptism, but it only got better from there. The kids were in heaven playing with all of their cousins, having sleep-overs at Grandma's, and being spoiled 24/7. Wally and I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with our families, and also being spoiled 24/7. As always, the time flew by too quickly and before we knew it we were back on the plane with a screaming baby. We're counting down the days until we can go back!

Chrismas 2008 marked the very first Christmas that I was not at home. I missed being with our families, but I must admit that spending a quiet, simple Christmas here was pretty nice. On Christmas Eve we got together with a couple of families and our kids put on the cutest Nativity ever! Christmas morning the kids opened their presents and they got to play with them (we're usually rushing to the airport to catch a flight). While this Christmas was very different from what we're used to, I realized that I am stronger than I give myself credit for.

Catching Up

2009-04-17T22:42:00.008-05:00

I've neglected to blog a few things over the past few months, and while the pictures are not current, they are just too cute not to share. Here are some shots from Kelsie's birthday (in February). We had an awesome girls day out-- shopping at Justice, pedicures, Cheesecake Factory, and a late night with Olivia. What more could a 9-year-old girl ask for? We feel so blessed to have Kelsie in our family. She brings fun, love, compassion, and energy to our home. We love you Kels!

One month later, we were partying again, this time for Jackson. Jackson felt super special this year because Grandma Miyasaki came to town. We celebrated Jackson's birthday and Grandma's visit with a trip to the Dallas World Aquarium. All I can say is AWESOME! We saw sharks, crocodiles, exotic birds, a manatee, otters, tarantulas, vampire bats, a jaguar, and fish from all corners of the world. I think I might choose to go there for my birthday, too. I didn't think that our day could get any better, but I was wrong. We had lunch at Chili's and then for the pinnacle event (drumroll, please) .....shopping at Target. Jackson asked for money for his birthday this year so he could buy a huge, very expensive Star Wars Lego set. A Lego set is truly the gift that keeps on giving because for the next few hours, Jack and Wally got to put the huge, very expensive Lego set together. When it was all finished, Jackson was one happy six-year-old. Jackson, we love your sense of humor, your sweet disposition, and your caring nature!

Happy Birthday, Papa!

2009-04-12T20:14:00.003-05:00

The hardest part about living in Texas is missing out on all of the family gatherings. Dad, we wish we could be there to sing to you in person, but for now, this will have to do! We love you, we miss you, and we wish you a very Happy Birthday!

Daddy Daughter Dance

2009-02-07T21:38:00.002-06:00

Today I got to kiss my husband good-bye and tell him "Have fun on your date!" Good thing he was just headed to the Daddy Daughter Dance with Kelsie. Every year our city puts on a Daddy Daughter Dance. Kelsie has never really had any interest in going, which was just fine with Wally. But this year, the dance fell on Kelsie's good friend's birthday. For her friend's birthday party, the girls were getting their hair and nails done, decorating little purses, and making boutonnieres for the dads, so Kelsie decided she would give the dance a try. Wally was not nearly as excited as Kelsie was, but he is a good sport and only grumbled about having to wear a suit and tie. When they came home they were all smiles. They had a GREAT time and Wally is already looking forward to when he can take Chloe.

Little Miss Trouble

2009-02-07T21:21:00.003-06:00

I usually hate those child-proof lids that come on nearly everything. But this week, I was wishing that everything was child-proof.

On Friday morning I was just finishing up my "Biggest Loser" workout video (which, by the way, I LOVE!) when a sweet little voice behind me said "Uh-oh Mommy." When I turned around this is what I found:

At first I thought it was a lot of soap that we could just rinse out in the tub. It turned out to be half a (brand new) jar of pomade. She also did her puppy's hair (that POOR puppy!) and finger-painted the couch. Oh, little Chloe, you are cute, but you are TROUBLE!

Raisinets Ruined

2009-02-04T21:48:00.002-06:00

My mom is the most amazing woman I know. She has the patience of Job, she has incredible faith, she is an excellent cook, she is a dedicated mom and teacher, she is kind and generous... the list could go on and on! She also has these weird food fixations. One time she went on a salad kick and ate salad for BREAKFAST, lunch, and dinner for two months. Wouldn't you know that of all of the qualities I could have inherited from my awesome mother, it's the weird food thing? Lately my obsession has been Dark Chocolate Raisinets. I *LOVED* them. I ate them by the handful. I rationalized that they were actually good for me, because after all, they were just raisins. And then, everything changed for me.

I was cleaning my bathroom when Jackson ran in to find me. "Mom, Chloe's got stinkies!" he said. Wanting to get Chloe changed before she polluted the entire house, I moved quickly. I had Jackson get me a grocery bag and the wipes while I chased Chloe who was saying "No stinkies! No stinkies!" I caught her, pinned her down, and prepared for the worst. As I removed her diaper I was shocked to find a big handful of Raisnets in there. Jackson doubled over with laughter (he gets his mischievious side from Grandpa Miyasaki) and in one moment, I was cured of my Raisinet obsession.

Leave of Absence

2009-01-29T22:09:00.002-06:00

By now, you both (meaning the two people who read my blog!) must be thinking "Wow, Evonne must have been really busy for the past few months!" Truth be told, I have been without an Internet connection, but now I am back in business!

Our modem suddenly died one Thursday afternoon. Wally, seeing an opportunity to upgrade, signed us up for AT&T Uverse. It turns out that Uverse is quite in demand right now and the soonest installation date was a good month and a half out. For a few weeks, I had to borrow my neighbor's wireless signal while sitting in my car in the driveway so I could check my e-mail. We asked everybody for an extra modem and finally found one which was great right up until the point where Windows Vista rejected the modem and refused to connect to the Internet.

But now, it's good to be back to blogging (and e-mailing and googling...)

Rock Star

2008-11-13T21:07:00.004-06:00

There are certainly days when parenting is tough. And then there are those little moments that make it all worth it. Tonight I came home and found this little picture on Wally's desk, compliments of Jackson, and it made me smile! Our dad may not be a rock star, but he certainly rocks (and so does Jack!)

Lost In Translation

2008-11-07T14:56:00.003-06:00

Chloe is a girl with a lot to say. The only problem is I understand less than 1 percent of what she tells me. Today was no different. As I stood in the kitchen doing dishes, she came trotting in holding Jackson's Build-A-Bear puppy. She started rattling off something about the puppy. I smiled and nodded and said things like "oh, really?" and "okay." Pleased with the outcome of our conversation, Chloe went off on her merry way. A few minutes later, I realized EXACTLY what she had been telling me as she handed me a sopping wet puppy. It seems that Jackson's puppy needed to go potty. As I cleaned up the puddle of toilet water from the bathroom floor and the trail that spanned the carpet of two rooms, I couldn't be mad. After all, I was the one who agreed and gave her permission!

Kelsie's New World

2008-10-27T22:37:00.003-05:00

About a month before school started, Kelsie and I were having some mom and daughter time. We were looking for an address and I asked Kelsie to tell me when she found it. I parked right in front of the house we were looking for and asked her if we were there yet. She replied "I don't know, I can't see the numbers." I made a mental note to get her an eye appointment. But, like most of the mental notes I make, I forgot.

Two months later, Kelsie's eyes were tested at school. The nurse called me and said that Kelsie was having trouble seeing and that her vision was about 20/35. I finally made an eye appointment and was surprised to find out that Kelsie truly couldn't see. 20/100 in one eye and 20/70 in the other. We ordered some darling little glasses on the spot. They came in on Thursday, and Kelsie can finally see! Here's our conversation:

Kelsie: "I can see! I can see! Everything is so clear! I think I see better than anybody else."

Me: "Actually, you see just as well as everybody else."

Kelsie: "You mean everyone can see like this?"

Me: "Yep."

Kelsie: "Everyone can see the leaves on the trees?"

Me: "Uh-huh."

Wally: "Now you don't have any more excuses for your dirty room."

A Sunday Stroll

2008-10-19T22:23:00.000-05:00

We have this little pond in our neighborhood. We've driven by on multiple occassions, but have never really stopped there. We heard that there were lots of monarch butterflies in that area, so we took advantage of a Sunday afternoon and headed out on a long walk. What a great day! I love spending time with Wally and the kids and this was definitely quality family time. We chased butterflies, tossed pebbles into the pond, rode scooters, and enjoyed being together. Then back home for cinnamon rolls. Absolutely perfect.

The Dallas Zoo

2008-10-17T21:59:00.000-05:00

We love spending time with the Hong's and were so happy to have them at our house! The day after that depressing BYU game, Carrie and I ventured out to the Dallas Zoo with Danny and Chloe. There could not have been a more perfect day for the zoo. The weather was great AND there were no crowds. Our favorite exhibit had to be the gorillas. One came right up to the glass, which freaked Chloe out a little bit. Danny knew all of the names of the animals as well as the sounds they make. Chloe was fascinated by all those "puppies". But both of the kids loved the children's zoo! There is a small stream in the play area and it was interesting to observe the difference between girls and boys. Danny trudged into the water full steam ahead and was soon soaked from head to toe. Chloe removed her sandals and waded in the shallow end, dabbing her toes in the water.

By the end of the afternoon, both kids were worn out and took long naps. What a perfect day!

Go Cougars?

2008-10-16T21:38:00.003-05:00

Wally and I used to have fond memories of BYU football games. Both of our dads were season ticket holders and BYU football was just what we did on crisp Autumn Saturdays. I always looked forward to going to a game with my dad. We would drive down to Provo, listen to the pre-game show on the radio, and park what seemed like 10 miles away from the stadium. Carrying our stadium chairs and the snacks that my mom packed, we would make our way to our seats and settle in for the game. By the end of the first half, I was usually bored, so I would steal the binoculars from my dad and watch the cheerleaders. Like I said, fond memories. Until now.

The (undefeated) BYU Cougars came to town to face TCU. Wally and Matt and Carrie Hong decided to go. Since the kids and I were not going to the game (it was a school night), we decided to all drive down to Fort Worth for the BYU Tailgate party. Then I would take Matt and Carrie's little guy, Danny, back to our house so they could enjoy the game. That was the plan. It was a good plan, but it didn't quite work out that way.

Having never been to Fort Worth, we googled it and found that it would take about an hour to get there from our house. Unfortunately, Google never considers traffic. At 1 hour 15 minutes we were fashionably late. At 1 hour 30 minutes we were sweating. At 1 hour 45 minutes we were DONE. We finally arrived and just as we were getting ready to pull into the parking lot, they closed it. Matt and Carrie had been waiting for us for almost 2 hours. Wally was so mad he didn't even want to go anymore and now there was nowhere for us to even park. I called Matt and told him to bring Danny to the side of the road and we would load him in the minivan and go home! Just as we did a U-turn to go home, the parking attendant re-opened the parking lot and we got in. What a relief! Once we were there we were immediately caught up in the pre-game excitement. We ate dinner and played around and then packed up the kids to head home. We thought once we arrived and had eaten, that things could only get better from there. And then, the game started. Now, we were late, but the Cougars didn't even show up. The slaughter that the Cougars endured was painful to watch. Despite the rough start and the Cougars' brutal finish, we can now say that we had a GREAT time.

The 999 Piece Puzzle

2008-10-07T21:19:00.000-05:00

I'm always looking for quiet activities that our family can work on while we watch conference. This year, while strolling through Wal-Mart, I found some puzzles. I bought an achievable 100-piece puzzle for the kids and a more challenging 1000 piece puzzle for our whole family. After whipping through the 100-piece puzzle, we felt confident that we were ready for the BIGGIE. Not only did it keep us awake for Saturday conference, we were alert for Sunday conference, Monday's FHE, and Tuesday as well. For people with OCD tendencies (or CDO as Wally calls it-- alphabetical order, the way it should be) a jigsaw puzzle is more than a hobby. It becomes all-consuming. We stayed up late, the house didn't get cleaned, we couldn't eat at the kitchen table, all because of that puzzle. Finally, we went to place the LAST PIECE and it was nowhere to be found! Maddening, but funny.

World Class Student

2008-10-04T21:23:00.004-05:00

Yesterday Jackson was chosen as the "World Class Student of the Week" for his kindergarten class. As you can tell by the picture (far left on the bottom row) he's thrilled. (hee hee) He actually was very excited when he saw me walk into the assembly because he knew it meant that he was the chosen one! Being the student of the week comes with many perks, one of which is line leader, which apparently is pretty important in kindergarten. Way to go Jackson!

Hurricane Ike Refugees

2008-10-04T20:50:00.003-05:00

The silver lining to Hurricane Ike is that my cousin Matt and his family came to Dallas! We were pretty concerned about their family when we saw the news footage of the aftermath of Ike. Fortunately their home was fine. Fortunately Matt was already scheduled to be in Dallas for work, so Carrie and Danny came with him. Fortunately, for us, they stopped by for dinner one night and we got a chance to meet little Danny and catch up. And fortunately for Matt, Wally recorded the BYU game so he didn't have to miss out on that! After a couple of days, Matt and Carrie still didn't have power in their neighborhood, so Carrie and her sister (and all of the kids) headed out on a road trip. Matt stayed with us one night and Jackson couldn't have been more excited! "When will Uncle Matt get here?" he kept asking me. And then the power came back on in Houston. Jackson was a little bummed, but we were happy for the Hong's! Maybe we can meet up under more favorable circumstances!

Leapin' Lizards!

2008-09-30T20:58:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I was vacumming my house (my favorite chore!) when I saw something scurrying across the floor out of the corner of my eye. My initial thought was "YIKES! GREAT BIG SPIDER" but upon closer examination I discovered that it was a lizard. In my house. And so I did what any other rational person would do-- I started screaming and dancing about. Kelsie, Jackson, and Chloe ran to my rescue but they all froze when I pointed out the unwelcome visitor. Wally wasn't home (not that he would be much help if he were home-- let's face it, when it comes to critters, Wally is a bit of a pansy) so I told Jackson that since he is my firstborn son that removing the lizard was his responsibility. He takes after his dad and refused. Good thing Kelsie was there! She grabbed a cup and trapped the lizard, then took it outside and let it go on the trail behind our house. She definitely earned her keep this week!

3 Down 1 To Go

2008-09-22T21:28:00.000-05:00

You know how you just have a gut feeling after you take a test? Well, Wally's gut feeling after this last test was that there was no way, save divine intervention, that he could have passed that test. He moped around for two days before he finally came to grips with the reality that he just might have to retake it. For three weeks we dared not mention the words "CPA" or "test" fearing a relapse of the moping. Everytime someone would ask how his test went, I would cringe. I knew the results would be posted soon and I prepared for the worst.

And then, this morning, I got an ecstatic phone call from Wally. He passed! 75 is a passing score. Wally scored an 88. Yep. All that moping for nothing. Oh well, we'll take it!

Little Lady

2008-08-30T22:20:00.006-05:00

She's 16 months, but she might as well be going on 16 years. My little Chloe is growing up and I'm not sure I'm okay with that. Last week I told her it was time to go bye-bye. She darted up the stairs and descended with a pink purse over one arm and a pink bracelet on the other. She is definitely a princess.

First Day of School

2008-08-26T21:40:00.000-05:00

You know that commercial that shows the dad shopping for school supplies with the music "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" playing in the background? Well, that's how I felt by the time school started this year. I have really been struggling with the fact that my little Jackson is starting kindergarten (especially here in Texas where kindergarten is a full day). But I have to admit that our last week of summer changed all of that for me. We had lots of rain so we couldn't go to the pool and it seemed that the dreary weather brought out the worst in all of us. The kids fought constantly and I wasn't exactly cheery myself.

And then Monday came and Kelsie ventured off to the new and wonderful world of 3rd grade. Jackson and I went to kindergarten orientation and spent one last afternoon hanging out together. And everything seemed to go back to normal. We just needed a little structure in our lives.

Jackson's first full day of school was Tuesday. It was a crazy morning, trying to get 2 kids dressed, fed, and ready, but somehow we got them both there on time. As much as I hate to admit it, I think I will have to start waking up earlier. (Yuck!) I had these grandiose dreams of getting so much done while the kids were in school and I wasn't nearly as productive as I hoped for, but I did get a chance to clean the house and have a couple of hours to myself while Chloe slept. I didn't turn the tv or the radio on all day, I just enjoyed the peace. By the time 3:00 rolled around I was so anxious to hear every detail of Jackson's day. I wanted to know who he sat by, what he did, who he played with at recess, what his favorite part of the day was, and on and on. And when I picked him up and asked him how his first day was, all he said was "Fun! Can I go play now?" I think I missed him more than he missed me.

Violated

2008-08-16T15:34:00.002-05:00

Sadly, my computer has contracted a virus. I feel so frustrated and, well, violated! The particular virus that my computer has is worse when I am online, so even checking my e-mail has become an ordeal, thus no posts on the blog.

We decided after weighing all of our options, that it just might be time to buy a new computer. I was a little hesitant because it's a big purchase that I wasn't exactly planning on, but it arrived today and I have to say it is totally worth every penny!

Look for updates and pics from our trip soon.

He Passed!

2008-06-24T22:54:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was a good day. After 4 weeks and 4 days of waiting, Wally finally got his CPA results and..... he passed! All those long hours spent studying, large amounts of caffeine consumed, and slightly stressed-out (I hesitate to say grumpy) moments were worth it. Okay, the last two apply to me. We celebrated by taking the kids to Ritzy's for dinner. It's a fun little restaurant with great salads, sandwiches, and ice cream and best of all, the kids eat FREE! We spent some much needed family time together, totally relaxed, just laughing and enjoying being together. And then back home to study for the next test. I know I'm supposed to have joy in the journey, but when this whole CPA journey is over, I will rejoice!

Aloha!

2008-06-08T23:40:00.000-05:00

There are lots of benefits to living in an HOA. The grounds are always well-kept, we have community facilities such as swimming pools, and every few months we have neighborhood events. On June 7, our HOA hosted the first annual Tahitian Luau. We stopped by and had an awesome time! They brought in giant inflatable water slides, a big sand pile, Polynesian dancers, and dinner! Jackson thought he was in heaven playing on the mountain of sand and probably would have stayed there forever, had we not dragged him home. Chloe also loved the sand. She found a shovel and parked herself at the bottom of the pile. She graciously picked out all of the garbage and handed it to me after tasting it first, of course. Kelsie is getting to that too-cool-to-hang-out-with-mom-and-dad stage of her life and spent the evening with her friends. Since when did the teenage years begin at 8? The night ended with a performance by a group of Polynesian dancers. I enjoyed it right up until they started to look for volunteers to join them. All of Kelsie's friends went up and did the Hula and I was encouraging her to join them. "Come on, it will be fun!" I told her. And then when they wanted adult volunteers, I was out of there. I averted my eyes, shrunk down, and did my best to be invisible. "Aren't you going up there?" she asked me. And then I was faced with a dilemma. Do I set my pride aside and show my daughter that it's okay to go outside of your comfort zone, or do I flee? Yep, I fled. No sense in making a fool of myself in front of all my neighbors! All in all, we had a great time and will definitely go back next year.

No More Papers, No More Books....

2008-06-05T22:46:00.000-05:00

Summertime. It's the time of year that kids live for and parents endure. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE having Kelsie and Jackson at home, it's just that too much togetherness lends itself to disagreements. So while Kelsie and Jackson were celebrating, I was gearing up. I must admit that Kels and Jack had a great kick-off to summer with lots of fun end-of-year activities. Pre-school ended the last week of May with the main event being a graduation ceremony. The wind was a force to be reckoned with that evening and the kids had to hold their graduation caps to keep them from blowing away. The kids sang some songs, we snapped some photos, had some cake and celebrated the end of a very fun year.

Kelsie's last week of school seemed to drag on forever. Last year, the kids were out before Memorial Day. This year we finished on June 5. Unfortunately for Kelsie, I was finished before she was, which became apparent one morning as she packed up her backpack and saw the unfinished homework from the day before. Oops! We just forgot that she still had to actually work in school. Her end of year party was outside and HOT, but the kids had lots of fun.

Memorial Day Weekend

2008-05-26T22:57:00.001-05:00

We began celebrating Memorial Day weekend on Thursday, May 22 at about 4:30 p.m. That's when Wally finished the second of four parts of the CPA exam. He studied non-stop for 13 weeks leading up to that test and we were all happy to finally have a relaxed Dad. I am happy to say that I made it through this last test with only one or two utter and complete breakdowns. I've decided that the emotional breakdowns are a good sign. It means we still need him around!

We spent the entire weekend just playing. On Friday morning, we got up and went out to IHOP for breakfast. After that we did some shopping and then went to the pool. The kids had so much fun! Kelsie is really coming along and can swim with no floaties. She has overcome her fear of jumping off the side and even comes up with tricky moves. Jackson LOVES the water. He can swim, but I prefer him to wear the little arm floaties when we're in the big pool. I wasn't sure how Chloe would react to the pool, since our pool water isn't heated. (In the heat of the summer, the water temperature is really warm, but at the beginning of the season, it takes your breath away when you jump in!) Chloe loved the water! In fact, she loved the water so much she was making me nervous. We couldn't find our little baby innertube, so Wally and I just took turns holding her. She was kicking her legs and trying to push us away. She really just wanted to swim by herself! After a couple of hours, we had to pull the kids out of the pool, because Wally and I were starting to burn (my skin hasn't seen the sun in years!) We grabbed some dinner and a couple of movies from RedBox (our new favorite!) and had the best day!

On Saturday, I started off the day by doing my long run. Long for me is probably just a warm up for most folks, but I'm slowly working my way up to a 10K. I am now up to about 5 miles on Saturdays and 3-3.5 mile runs during the week. I have found that I really enjoy running and actually look forward to it! We'll see how much running I do when the morning lows are in the 90's, but for now, it's my escape! We spent Saturday catching up on housework, yardwork, grocery shopping, etc. We bought some new pool toys for the kids and a floatie for Chloe and then headed to the pool to try it all out. Another awesome day!

Sunday was business as usual, and by the time Monday rolled around we had a mountain of laundry, sunburned shoulders, and a lot to catch up on. The kids spent the day playing with friends, while I caught up on Relief Society stuff and planned our last week of preschool. (YEAH!) Wally and I were both missing our families and all of those traditions that are part of our lives, but we wouldn't trade this chapter in our lives for anything!

One is Fun!

2008-04-19T22:02:00.004-05:00

It's hard to believe, but our little Chloe turned one on April 19. According to our plans, she is our last, so it is hard to watch her grow from an infant to a toddler! I still can't bring myself to put away her newborn clothes, so they remain hanging in our closet. And while I do miss those newborn days, I must admit that I don't mind sleeping through the night.

We took Chloe to Build A Bear for her first birthday. She only says a few words, and one of them is "puppy," so she was absolutely delighted to go to Build A Bear! She fell in love with every animal we showed her and we had a hard time letting her choose just one. Kelsie and Jackson got to help Chloe stuff and "bathe" her puppy and even chose out a cute little wig for Chloe's bald head! We had such a great time! After Build A Bear we had to go to Jackson's soccer game, where Chloe was ready to go out on the field and play. We ended our fun day going to Chili's for dinner, where the birthday girl took a nap on the bench. When we got home, we sang "Happy Birthday" and had cake and ice cream with our neighbors. Chloe's first birthday was almost perfect. Right up until the time that she came down with the stomach flu!

We are so happy that Chloe is part of our family! She is so much fun and keeps our lives exciting! Wally and I have voted Chloe "The Most Likely Wallace Child to End Up in the ER." She is very adventurous and independent and really keeps me on my toes. My friend Michelle describes her as "a woman on a mission." Once she decides where she is going and what she wants, she is virtually unstoppable. It is not uncommon to hear me say things such as "How on earth did you get up there?" or "Don't eat the garbage!" or "Spit that out!" or "Has anybody seen Chloe?" She is also sweet and loving and lots of fun!

Home Is Where Your Mom Is

2008-04-15T21:27:00.000-05:00

Chloe and I flew to SLC for a much anticipated trip home. The plane ride with an independent 1 year old was quite an adventure in itself. Wally made sure I brought some cash in case I needed to buy my neighbor a drink! Fortunately, on both plane rides the people we were sitting by were very kind and understanding. We spent four wonderful days bonding with baby Owen, laughing with my sisters (and Mom!), eating lots of yummy food, and enjoying family. Highlights of the trip include:

snuggling with baby Owen
celebrating Dad's 62nd birthday (according to Mom, he's only 48!)
watching Chloe's first steps
spending time with family
being entertained by Cam
Cafe Rio, Costa Vida, and sushi from Suehiro YUM!
celebrating Chloe's 1st birthday
dinner with Brent, Vickie, Brad, Jenn, Cade, and Ellie
visiting Upon the Shelf (so many fabulous things, so little luggage space!)
watching "Dan in Real Life" with Nellie
shopping at the Gateway

It was so good to be home again and I was grateful for the time that Chloe got to spend with family. As our "firstborn in the wilderness" she doesn't have the same relationship with her grandmas and papas as Kelsie and Jack do. She really warmed up to everybody (especially the puppy!) and will hopefully remember everyone for when we go back in July. The time went by way too quickly, but for the first time, I didn't cry when it was time to go. It could be that Texas is growing on me. But I think I just really missed Wally, Kelsie, and Jack.

Happy Easter!

2008-03-29T22:32:00.002-05:00

Easter seemed to come way too quickly this year. As always, we were a little sad that we were not hunting for eggs with the Miyasaki's or playing with the Wallace's in St. George. Wally missed the golfing, the kids missed their cousins, and because we didn't go out of town I had to speak in Sacrament meeting. But once that was done, we had a great Easter!

Kelsie and Jackson woke up early and started looking for their Easter baskets. Last year, the Easter Bunny did a really good job of hiding them. This year's Easter Bunny was a little more lax! Kelsie and Jack both got new umbrellas, which they really needed because of all the rain we've been getting. Chloe got some new sippy cups, but was way more interested in the Easter grass at the bottom of her basket.

Jackson Turns 5

2008-03-20T21:26:00.001-05:00

Jackson turned 5 this month and got to have his first official birthday party. The guest list included several energetic boys so I decided to look into having his party at one of those places with the giant inflatables. Wally, ever the accountant, wasn't so sure about the cost until I told him our list of children to invite was 14 long. And suddenly, not having a birthday party in our home was worth it!

The party was fantastic! All of the kids had a great time bouncing and playing. Wally and I even joined in the fun and took turns "taking Chloe" down the giant slide. It was a blast! After playing for an hour, we sang "Happy Birthday" to Jackson, served his Lightning McQueen birthday cake, and opened presents. He got lots of fun Cars toys and Lego sets (which I was really excited about-- I love Legos!) On the way home I told him that his birthday was almost as good as Christmas to which he replied "It's way better than Christmas. On Christmas we never get to eat cake."

A Greeting From Chloe

2008-03-16T23:45:00.000-05:00

Chloe's first word was not "dada" or "mama", instead, she says "Hi!" That tells you a little bit about Chloe. She says "Hi!" to everyone everywhere we go. She refuses to take a nap if she can hear anybody having fun because she doesn't want to miss out. Kind of reminds me of her older sister.

A New Nephew

2008-03-12T22:56:00.000-05:00

As Cindy's due date of April 1 got closer, I started getting sad that I wouldn't be there. So Wally booked me a plane ticket to fly home to Utah on April 10. I called Cindy and told her that I was going to fly out there to see her baby, and it would really be nice if she could have him by then. She had him the next morning. What a good sister! Baby Owen was 3 weeks early and gave us a little scare with a heart arrhythmia, but is now doing great! Congratulations Cindy, Greg, and Cam! Chloe and I can't wait to see you!

Semi-Annual Update

2008-03-11T22:13:00.006-05:00

It's that time of year again. We set our clocks forward and I am finally going to update our blog! With my new church responsibilities, I have found very little spare time. Unfortunately, the blog has been neglected. So, here is what we have been up to!

One Rough Winter

This winter has been a rough one for our family. It seems like we have been sick since October. Wait, we have been sick since October. Kelsie, Jackson, and Chloe have each spent more than their fair share of time (and money!) at the doctor's office. Between the 3 of them, they have had 9 ear infections and 9 rounds of antibiotics. Poor Jackson even suffered a ruptured ear drum and spent a week saying "What?" and "Huh?" a little more frequently than he usually does. We have now instituted strict hand-washing policies in our home, "lysol"ed every surface, and feel optimistic for a healthy spring. (If only we didn't have all those allergies!) Actually, we can't complain too much--we have had minor colds and for the most part are healthy!

Christmas Eve in Texas

This year we decided it is much easier for Santa to deliver our gifts to our home in Texas, so we spent our very first Christmas Eve away from our families. We had a small Christmas Eve dinner and our own little talent show and nativity. Even though I was a little sad that we were away from family, I enjoyed our first Christmas Eve here, especially when our kids were asleep by 9:00! (I guess we're just not as fun and exciting as the Burton's, Miyasaki's, or Wallace's!)

Christmas at Home

We had a picture-perfect Christmas! The kids got exactly what they wanted (not too hard when you want everything!) and then we got on an airplane and flew home to Utah. We were hoping for a white Christmas and we got it (as well as a white New Year's and every day in between!) By the time we left I was tired of being cold and wet and having to wear shoes, socks, and a coat and looked forward to the warm weather of Texas. We had such a great time eating at our favorite places (Cafe Rio, Mom's house, Suehiro, Training Table, etc.) and spending time with family. I love going home and feeling like we never left! All of the cousins just pick right back up where they left off and I will always cherish sitting around the kitchen table and laughing with my sisters. We spent a wonderful day with all of the Wallace's at the Discovery Museum and dinner at the Spaghetti Factory.

Back "Home"

Our vacation passed too quickly and we had to return "home" to Texas. It never gets easier to say goodbye, but we were so grateful that we could spend the holidays with family and friends that we miss so much! We arrived home in Texas a little sad, but after sleeping in our own beds, putting our winter coats in the closet, and slipping our sandals back on, we decided that life isn't too bad here.

Kelsie Turns 8

It's hard to believe, but our little Kelsie turned 8 this year and was baptized. Before Kels was born, I was warned about sleepless nights and incessant crying (both baby and me!), but nobody told me how hard it would be to watch her grow up. The day she was baptized was bitter sweet for me. I was overjoyed for her and the decision she was making to follow our Savior. I also realized that eight years have gone by too quickly and that I will have to let her grow up. That's a hard thing to do!

The baptism was absolutely perfect! Kelsie was able to be baptized on the same day as two of her best friends in our ward, which made it even more special. Grandma and Grandpa Wallace, Grandma and Grandpa Miyasaki, Aunt Angie, Natalie, and Aunt Janelle all flew in for the baptism. We had one BIG sleepover at our house and truly enjoyed having everyone stay with us. Kelsie is now officially a member of the Church and has even shared her testimony in sacrament meeting and fasted one meal.

We Love Visitors

2007-11-06T23:09:00.000-06:00

We love visitors! We were lucky enough to have two sets of visitors during the month of October. First, Grandma and Papa Wallace came for a few days. Two weeks later, we got to spend some time with Sherrie, Taylor, Mackay, and baby Easton!

Grandma and Grandpa Wallace arrived and we greeted them with a house full of sick people. So instead of playing and shopping, Grandma spent her first full day here at the house while I ran kids to doctors appointments and picked up prescriptions. We did make up for it the next two days as we dragged the kids to the mall, Crate and Barrel, and The Container Store. (Shopping and eating-- that's all there is to do here!) Kelsie asked Grandma if she brought any of her delicious homemade bread with her. Being the awesome grandma that she is, she spent the evening making bread with Kelsie. I was excited to watch and learn too, and have even made a batch that was almost as good as Grandma's! Jackson was excited to have Grandma and Papa come to his soccer game. We warned them in advance that soccer to Jackson is merely a social event, but he proved us wrong and ended up having the game of his life! He even scored a goal! Chloe amazed us all by scooting across the floor. Now that she's mobile, she's trouble! As always, it was hard to say goodbye to Grandma and Papa, but we are looking forward to Christmas when we will visit them!

The Burton's came and stayed with us for a couple of days en route to Pensacola. Jackson and Mackay had a great time playing together and I was thrilled to finally see sweet little Easton. Unfortunately, we didn't have much time to play around, since they had a 10-hour trip ahead of them. (with a 3-year old and a new baby--YIKES!) We did, however take them to the mall, where we conned Taylor into watching the little boys at the play area while Sherrie and I shopped! (It's an amazing mall, you could spend a whole day there!) We had a great time with the Burtons and were so glad they stopped in! Good luck in Florida!

Happy Halloween!

2007-10-31T21:53:00.000-05:00

We had a wonderful Halloween here in Frisco. It is a little different trick-or-treating when it's warm outside. Growing up, we always had to wear our coats under our costumes and then we went home for hot apple cider. This year my kids were sweating in their long-sleeved costumes and were asking me why I didn't pack a water bottle! (I did, however, buy apple cider but we didn't drink it!)

This year was a first for us--no child was dressed as a Disney character. It made me kind of sad, but they still looked cute. Kelsie decided to go as a "Charm School Witch" but everybody called her Hermione. Jackson wanted to be the "evil spiderman." Chloe would have been a pumpkin, but slept through the whole trick-or-treating event. Trick-or-treating (or Halloweenering as Jackson calls it) was bountiful for us. We went halfway down our street and around a small loop and had to return because the kids couldn't carry their heavy buckets anymore. I have thoroughly "checked" their candy and now that I have eaten most of the chocolate, I have determined that the rest is just junk. I don't have the resolve to trash it just yet, so I've been giving it to the neighbor kids by the handfuls! (and then sending them home!)

Spiders, Glue Sticks, and Mr. T

2007-10-05T16:53:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe that it's already October. I sure miss the Fall in Utah. Leaves changing colors, temperatures cooling off, long sleeved shirts, hot chocolate, and the smell of the furnace kicking on for the first time. Instead, we have cooled off from 95 to 92. We are still running the air conditioner 24/7 and worst of all, there's no such thing as a break from yardwork around here! (No wonder so many people have landscapers!) One good thing about October in Texas is that there is no need for Halloween decorations. The freakishly large spiders here spin huge webs that go from tree to tree, making everything outside look naturally spooky. One such spider made its way into our house this past week and I discovered that when it comes to spiders, Wally is a sissy. If you ask him about the account, he will refer to himself as the "dragon slayer." But I don't think maiming a spider with a fly swatter and sucking it up with the vacuum cleaner really qualifies as slaying.

We've had a couple of busy weeks here. It was my turn to teach preschool this past week, and while we had a lot of fun, boy was I tired after they all went home! It didn't help that Jackson ended up getting sick on Monday (he's not a very easy sick person!) But Chloe was the biggest challenge to teaching. She wanted to be held and bounced and entertained every minute. At one point I decided to put her down in her crib and continue on with the lesson like nothing was wrong. Nothing gets past those preschoolers, though, and they all took turns pointing out to me "Your baby is screaming!"

Kelsie had to take two trips to the school nurse this past week. Once for a nose bleed and another time for a glue-stick injury. (Yes, that's right, a glue stick injury!) Apparently she snapped the lid onto the glue stick a little too close to her skin and actually cut herself! Poor thing-- it looked like it hurt, but when she told me how it happened, all I could do was laugh! I may have to become a lobbyist for tougher regulations in the glue stick industry!

Jackson's soccer games continue to be entertaining. At the last game I overheard one mom telling her son "You don't have to say 'Excuse me' when you want to get past the other kids." Jackson is out on the field purely for social reasons. He likes to hang out with his buddies and run around. Every once in a while the ball hits him, but other than that, he doesn't make much contact with the ball. But the good thing is he's having fun!

Chloe has started sleeping better now that we have finished re-painting her nursery and she doesn't have to room with us. She rolls all over the place and is trying to scoot now. She is definitely an independent little thing and growls at us when she doesn't get her way or wants more attention. She is starting to grow one little patch of hair on the top of her head and another patch of hair at the base of her head. Wally calls it the "Mr. T" look. Unfortunately, she no longer allows me to put a bow on her (she just eats it!).

Wally has started studying for the CPA exam and I am just trying to keep up with everything. Good thing the kids keep life so exciting and fun!

Fall Firsts

2007-09-14T14:09:00.001-05:00

Since I have failed miserably at writing letters and responding to e-mails, I have decided to start a blog! Not only is this posting the very first one, it highlights some of our fall firsts.

First Day of School

Kelsie and Jackson were both very excited to start school this year! Kelsie started 2nd grade and is lucky enough to be in the same class as her "BFF" Olivia. Kelsie was chosen to be the first student of the week from her class and was honored at the Friday assembly. As an added bonus, the FC Dallas soccer team was at the assembly
Jackson started joy school this fall and is loving it (and so am I!) He goes three days a week and we rotate from house to house. He even gets to eat lunch at school, which makes him feel very grown-up!
First Soccer Game
This year Jackson was finally old enough to play soccer. We enrolled him in a soccer clinic this past summer and now he gets to play on a real team! His team is the Lions and he gets to play with his two best friends, Max and Jake. Their very first game was such a riot! On the first play of the game, the other team kicked the ball and drove it all the way down the field for a goal, while all the Lions stood there and watched. Before the game, their coach told them to stand on the white line. I guess they needed further instructions! Jackson scored a goal (or "gold" as he calls it) and had a great time! Jackson got a lot of playing time since half of the team was crying on the sidelines.
Being a "soccer mom" is a new experience for me! Between soccer practice, games, and Kelsie's dance and piano lessons, the kids keep me busy. But we love it and are really feeling like we are settled here in Texas.
Baby Firsts

Chloe is growing and changing so fast! She learned how to roll over this past weekend. Kelsie and Jackson applauded for her, which scared her and made her cry. She fooled us all into thinking that she is a perfect baby by sleeping through the night at the early age of 6 weeks. We think it was just a show she put on while we visited Utah, since she hasn't slept since we returned from our vacation! She has a lot of personality and loves to be at the center of attention. We all love and adore her! Jackson loves her a little too much and has already tried to share his goldfish crackers with her. I find myself holding her all day, not only because she is a mama's girl, but also for her own protection!
First (and Second) Home Improvements
We are finally putting paint on the walls in our house. I chose a "happy" shade of green for Chloe's nursery, which turned out to be a little too happy. Wally insists that it is just fine, but I am afraid that the intensity of the green will necessitate the wearing of sunglasses in her room. I told Wally that it would be impossible to sleep in that room and he replied that she doesn't sleep anyway. Good point. Needless to say, he will be repainting it next weekend. We also turned our guest room into an office (sorry guests!) and painted the office a creamy beige color called "Castle Stone." As it turns out, "castle stone" is another term for yellow. Wally had no problems repainting that one! With all of our ongoing painting projects our house currently looks like it has been hit by a tornado (Don't worry Mom-- it hasn't really been hit by a tornado!)