Sunny California

I have really not been motivated to blog the last few months. But you already knew that :) We have been sick a lot since the fall and I've just not been motivated. This 4th year of medical school has really run me down. Lets just say that I couldn't be more thrilled that we have less than a week until Erik is with us FOR GOOD! 8 long months without him was way more than I ever want to be away from him again. My poor girls, especially Reagan, have had a really hard time with daddy being gone.

Well, we're now in California. We left Rexburg on December 29th. I cried like a baby leaving my family. It was the last time I'd see my brother until he gets back from his mission. He's leaving for Johannesburg South Africa on February 17th. Let me just tell you how much I am enjoying sunny California. It is fantastical! Oh how joyful it is to be able to play outside with my girls in January in 60 degree weather. Sorry to all of you who are surrounded by snow and below zero temps.

What's new with our family...

Reagan is 2 1/2 and talking like crazy. It's so fun to have a full conversation with her. Lately she's been saying how much she doesn't want a baby sister. I don't know if that means Sarah or a future baby. Good thing I'm not even close to being ready to have another one. Although, it's nuts how often I get baby hungry. I don't understand that one at all. She still doesn't care for her sister at all. There is constant drama. Any suggestions there? It makes me so sad (not to mention frustrated) that they're constantly at each other's throats. They're only 2 and 1 for crying out loud! But when she's sweet, she's the sweetest thing in the world. She loves to pretend play and I love her cute little imagination. She loves making me black pie. It's her original recipe. We also love to exchange recipes :) I'm hoping she'll share my love of cooking when she's older!

Sarah turned 1 last month and boy is her personality coming out like crazy! She loves to go bye-bye and constantly tells me she wants to go. She loves to play with her sister but is starting to fight back now when Reagan isn't so nice. She has the craziest temper! I think she's very frustrated because she can't communicate very much and wants to talk so very badly so she can feel a part of everything. She is so social at heart! Her facial expressions crack me up! Everyone says she looks so much like me with all of her expressions. Especially the furrowed brow. I'm always doing that...can't help it.

I've just been trying to keep up with the girls and I'm in a major exercise mode. I have been sore (really sore) for the last 2 weeks. I can't do exercise half way. It's all or nothing for me. I'm hoping to drop 20 pounds but it isn't coming off as easy as I'd like! Other than that just trying to adjust to being in a new place and can't wait for Erik to be here!

Erik is finishing up his last week in Detroit. He's very anxious and stressed about getting a good residency program although I'm not worried a bit. I wish he would realize how capable he is. I always get those "I told you so" moments so I like to rub that in! We're both anxious for him to get here on Monday next week. I'm so so proud of him for all that he's sacrificed the last 8 months. You're the best sweetie!

Sorry for the lack of pictures. I am so bad at taking them. Erik has most of them on his camera so I need to do a major update when he gets here.

Soooo Excited!! 27 hours and counting...

Erik is flying in tomorrow to visit 8 days for Thanksgiving! It's going to be the best spending time with him and the girls :)

In other news, for the last several weeks, Sarah has been acting like this:

Will the nightmare of teething ever end? Only one, repeat ONE of the 6 teeth she has been trying to cut has come through. Is this some kind of sick joke my kids like to play on me? Erik has been joking that he's going to bring a scalpel with him to help her out. Some kind of sick sense of humor eh? Hahaha. Here's to hoping that the others cut through very soon. Her teeth seem to be cutting her a little slack so I'm thrilled that now she's acting a little like this:

What's going on with our little Sarah bear...

Sarah is now 10 1/2 months and is changing oh so fast! She started walking about 2 weeks ago and gets better at it every day! She has such a personality. She's very social. She hates feeling left out and wants to be right in the middle of things...preferrably in mommy's arms. She's very attached to me right now and has a hard time going to anyone else if I'm within sight.

She has said a few words: baby, hieee (hi with emphasis at the end), bee (for binky), beeyah (for bottle), and mommma (emphasis on mm)

She's currently trying to cut 6 teeth at once for the last 6 weeks. Can you say nightmare?! Needless to say, I'm getting in and out of bed constantly all night long most nights. I think two finally cut through though so she's been doing a bit better.

She LOVES food! She's always crawling around on the floor in search of crumbs or morsels that Reagan may have dropped. She also hangs out near Reagan while she eats and steals her food. Reagan doesn't care because she's not much of an eater these days. I think Sarah's probably 22 lbs. and Reagan's probably 28...yeah :)

She also loves to dance when there's a little tune and she even has her own style of breakdancing which is quite entertaining.

Proudly stealing Reagan's lunch.

Taking a big bite!

Playing with Reagan and doing what they do best...making messes!

So tired!

Striking a pose in her sunday dress :)

Here's a video of her walking but it's already outdated. She's walking everywhere now!

Here's a video of Sarah stealing Reagan's lunch :)

Here's a video of Sarah break dancing:

Best Birthday Surprise Ever and Halloween!

My birthday was on October 22nd and all I wanted was to see Erik. He told me he was sending me a package for my birthday. I told him all I wanted for my birthday was to fly out to Detroit to visit him! Little did I know he had other plans. So, Erik's sister Elizabeth is going to school here at BYU-Idaho. She called me up on the 29th saying she had cut herself really bad making dinner and wondered if I could take her to the hospital. So I halted dinner preparations and threw a few things together before rushing out the door with the kids. While I'm rushing around, Erik called me to chat (so I thought). I talked to him while I drove to Elizabeth's but said goodbye when I got to her apartment. I called Elizabeth to tell her I was there and then all of a sudden I heard a knock on my car window. I turned over and there Erik was! I was totally shocked. I had just talked to him on the phone seconds earlier, totally thinking he was thousands of miles away in Detroit. My jaw literally dropped and I had all sorts of emotions going on at the same time: shock, disbelief, pure joy, excitement, confusion, and just plain emotional. Erik said the look on my face was priceless and wished he had gotten a picture of it. It was the best surprise ever and the best birthday gift ever. It has been really hard on us being apart so much and it just seems to get harder. We had a great weekend while he was here (even though I was really sick the whole time).
Sarah desperately trying to grab the candy out of the bowl. This kid loves any and all things that she can stick in her mouth, especially when it's edible and delicious. She sure enjoyed her sucker :)

Here's our little family right before we took the girls trick or treating.

Reagan's super cheesy "pretty smile" mingled with a yawn I think :) Don't mind my bug eyed look. I was feeling really crappy that night.

Sarah was our little chunky monkey. The pictures just don't do justice how cute she was!

Reagan was a little princess and loved that mommy put real makeup on her.

Reagan relaxing with her daddy while watching Care Bears or one of her regular favorites. She absolutely adores him and has had a hard time being away from him. We had a great time together and are counting down the days until he visits for Thanksgiving!

Huntington Beach! (From July)

Oh how I LOVE the beach! I'm trying to convince Erik that we need to live in California so we can be near the beach. Not going over very well :) The week of Dave and Laura's wedding we went to Huntington beach twice. The first time was great for me because I didn't have my kids with me so I was free to get smashed amongst the waves trying to body surf with my brothers, Laura, and her brother Chris. SO much fun! A few days later we went back so that I could take Reagan to the beach for the first time. She had a blast. Here are some pictures and a video.

I spent a lot of the time with Sarah in the Ergo carrier. She had gotten sand in her eyes and wore herself out crying while I desperately tried to wash it out. A 7 month old at the beach isn't the greatest idea :)

For some reason the pictures uploaded backwards but my mom and my brothers George and Garrett buried her legs in the sand. She loved it, especially all of the attention.

Here they all are working on the burial. I'm amazed she actually stood still long enough for them to do this. Anyone that knows Reagan very well would be amazed too! Hahaha.

Reagan's signature "pretty smile."

Having fun with Grandma Garner.

Dragging water from the ocean to our sandcastle.

Sarah chilling on the towels before the sand invaded her eyes. I just love that chubby body of hers!

Having fun in the sand.

Here's a video of Reagan and I "jumping" the waves.

Catching up July 2008: Dave and Laura's wedding & Cannon Family Reunion

My older brother Dave and his bride Laura were married in the Newport Beach temple on July 25th. It was such a beautiful sealing and I started crying even before they entered the sealing room together. The spirit was very strong and I was very emotional. I love my family very much and my brothers hold a special place in my heart. They make such a beautiful couple. Laura comes from a wonderful family. I was seriously so sad that it would likely be the only time I'd be around them. They're so much fun and such great people.
The whole group minus Reagan and Sarah. They were staying with Grandma Rosenlof and would join the wedding festivities for the reception the next day.
I love this shot of Reagan. Their photographer did an amazing job. I actually know him from when he was roomates with my brothers during college. I'm hoping to get him to take a family picture of us when we move out to California in February. I love this one of Sarah too :)
Gotta love action wedding photos!

Coming out of the temple following the sealing.
Don't they look excited and happy!
Laura's bridesmaids. The other two are her older sisters Alicia and Kerri.
The Groom's family and bride.
It was a fantastic day, besides the fact that I got really burned. Congrats Dave and Laura!

After the wedding we left California and headed to Utah to one of my absolute favorite places. This was pretty much the only vacation destination we had as kids but I didn't care. It was the best. Isn't it beautiful? My mom's family owns a bunch of acres on the top of Cove Mountain in Utah. I was so excited to take the girls there for the Cannon family reunion because I love it up there so much.
Here's Reagan visibly thrilled while wading through a mountain stream. She had so much fun splashing around and getting wet. There are tons of fish in this stream and as a kid we'd make our own fishing poles with a wood stick and some fishing line with a hook. We'd then catch our own bait-there's tons of grasshoppers everywhere up there. You were pretty much guaranteed to catch about 7 fish in 30 minutes. We'd always release them though.
This is my Grandma Cannon's cabin. Lots of fun memories there.
Just gorgeous. I love to go hiking up here. The view is breathtaking.
The favorite activity for the kids on the mountain is to go riding on the 4 wheeler. I took Reagan out twice. She wounldn't take a nap in the cabin and she actually fell asleep on the ride! I couldn't believe it! With all of the bumps and jumps on the trail she still fell asleep. We only stayed one day as opposed to 3 or 4 because there were too many people in the cabin and it would have been extremely rough going to get them to sleep very well. We had such a good time and can't wait to go back again!

July Catch Up Week One: Yellowstone Bear World

This is way back on the 3rd of July. I know I have taken forever to catch up. This month was filled with a lot of traveling and lots of fun. Erik was visiting us this week and we decided to head to Yellowstone Bear World with the kids. It turned out a lot better than I expected which is always nice :) Here's Reagan feeding a very friendly and hungry goat at the petting zoo. It was funny to watch her chase all of the animals around. At first she just chased them and then chucked the food at them. We finally got her to feel comfortable feeding them from her hand.
The baby deer were very shy but after some persistence on Reagan's part, she was finally able to pet it for half a second.
They had a 5 or 6 little kiddie rides that we went on before we left. They were absolutely perfect for a two year old. Reagan had so much fun!
Except this ride gave her some serious butterflies in her tummy. I'm sorry, but I love this expression even though she's a little scared. So glad I caught it on camera.
The mini roller coaster was her favorite I think. It turned out to be a really fun trip for our family, especially with Erik there!