Cannon's Bday Trip to CALI

Wow - it's been a month since Rod and I took our quick getaway trip to celebrate C's birthday. Time has and is flying by it seems. I didn't take enough pics but the weekend involved lots of shopping (mostly Rod, bc shopping while impregnated is NOT as fun), eating at scrumptious new places - and some old favorites. I just may have intentionally booked our hotel in Laguna Niguel that was at most 1..5 miles away from the closest Tommy's. How convenient right?! :~) Rod made it a point to find a CrossFit gym to do a sesh. Did I mention he and his friend AJ opened up their own CrossFit in N. Mesa?! I didn't?!...whoops!! Well you can check 'em out HERE!

On Cannon's big day, we wanted to make sure it was a fun day but had also reserved a spot at the Newport Beach Temple for an endowment session. Rod and I haven't been back here since before we were married, almost 5 years ago! What a neat experience for both of us...very spiritual and uplifting - exactly what we needed to refocus and revamp! Afterwards, we went out to eat at a nice restaurant close to the beach and just enjoyed being together and remembering our sweet son & the blessings he's brought and continues to send to our family.

This was a self-timed pic in which I had to literally run thru some shrubbery to my spot and try not to look winded! Whew!

Rod's photo skills! :~)

Shot from our hotel balcony - our last night in CA. We went to eat at this place called King's Fish House. Oh.My.Goodness.Gracious. I could not stop talking about how fabulous the food was! Highly recommended! See...even my belly thought it was good! :~)

Speaking of which - I'm 28 weeks now and have no complaints. I've joked that I could literally be the next Mrs. Duggar b/c being with child is thankfully something H.F. apparently blessed me to be good at. I think it's b/c he thought he'd take it easy on me in that department. I do not take it for granted either! So if you ever hear me complain (which I'm usually very good about making sure I don't)...slap me!

Happy Birthday to our Cannonball - we love and miss you dearly!

He Lives

I love April! General Conference, Easter, the Easter Pageant, Cannon's Birthday...lots of things to remind us what's really important in this life! I didn't get to see the pageant this year b/c en route to it, I received a phone call that my best friend was headed to the hospital to give birth to her twin girls! What a neat experience that was to be in the room during the delivery and afterwards! Seriously, such an amazing feeling that I'll never forget!

General Conference had a very significant talk by Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Seventy. I'm sure you know which one I'm referring to. I loved it and Rod & I felt like it was just for us:

“For reasons usually unknown, some people are born with physical limitations. Specific parts of the body may be abnormal. Regulatory systems may be out of balance. And all of our bodies are subject to disease and death. Nevertheless, the gift of a physical body is priceless. …

“A perfect body is not required to achieve a divine destiny. In fact, some of the sweetest spirits are housed in frail frames. …

“Eventually the time will come when each ‘spirit and … body shall be reunited again in … perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame’ (Alma 11:43). Then, thanks to the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can become perfected in Him.”

Easter 2011

Easter 2012

Here's the family visiting Cannon for Easter. My mom wanted to include our little man in the festivities so we did an easter egg hunt and blew some bubbles with Gibson and Lennox @ the cemetery. 

Rod had to show his bubble-blowing skills ofcourse! :~)

Grateful for my Savior. Grateful for the Gospel. Grateful for my eternal family. 

Just Grateful Period.

March Madness...ok not really.

Here's the video Danna took on my phone of us revealing the baby's gender to our families. Ronnie and Elaine were in town visiting too so we thought we'd do something fun to share the news while they were here. Ultrasound went great...they said her heart was "beautiful"...RELIEF! I wanted to see that ticker more than anything else!

Here we are at 20 weeks. First belly shot and I feel like I'm just in that weird, "I have a beer belly" phase. Not complaining...I would just much rather look "pregnant" already instead of "awkward!" Feeling great - the only real difference with this pregnancy is I can eat meat instead of being repulsed by it. That was the only thing that made me think this baby could be a girl!

Chief just turned 2 on March 19th! His latest and greatest trick/realization is jumping up onto Rod's shoulders to get his belly scratched. Seriously...what was I thinking getting a Great Dane? He's humongous. 

We finally got Cannon's headstone placed! It took us a long time to decide what we wanted it to say b/c we could not agree on anything! I felt like there was a lot of pressure to get it just right b/c it's literally...IN STONE! Rod had read a talk by Russell M. Nelson and as soon as he showed me this quote...I knew that was it! In case you can't read the saying, it says "Life does not begin with birth, nor does it end with death." I just liked the thought of ppl seeing it and hopefully realizing that death is not the end and we will be with our loved ones again. And how sweet is that little angel boy in the moon? :~)

 I had told my cousin Meghan and my Aunt Becky that I wanted to get Cannon a BIG pinwheel but hadn't bc Rod thought it was kind of obnoxious to put in the cemetery. So...they were sweet enough to get it for me as a gift so Rod couldn't say no! It's perfect and I love watching it start to spin like crazy when we get there! Makes me feel like it's Cannon saying, "Hi there Mom and Dad!"

That's it for now - hopefully I update more frequently since we got a sweet new DSLR! I'm counting it as one of my "push presents"! :~) 

Despite the heat it'll be alright...

A fitting lyric to describe the way I'll be feeling come this August... for more than one reason.


The 1 yr anniversary of Cannon's departure back to heaven on the 29th. How has it almost been 6 months!?!

I will turn 27 - I had to double check b/c that just sounded much too high to be correct. Unfortunately...the math don't lie.

I plan to be quite ROUND in the mid-section area...b/c yup...we're having another baby! I'm 15 weeks and due August 11th. We are shocked, excited, nervous, anxious, but most of all - THANKFUL! We have been blessed - and I can just imagine lil' C with his arm around his little brother or sister telling them all about us! I hope he tells them not to be scared and that it's ok to stay here awhile!!! :~)

Alot has happened in the past few months so I've got some catching up to do! We are grateful for the prayers  and are thrilled to be welcoming another precious spirit into our home. We have our anatomy ultrasound in 3 weeks so stay tuned!

Celine's Talent Show - Make You Feel My Love

A Christmas Poem

I see the countless Christmas trees, around the world below.
With tiny lights, like heaven's stars, reflecting on the snow.

The sight is so spectacular, please wipe away that tear.
For I'm spending Christmas,with Jesus Christ this year.

I hear the many Christmas songs, that people hold so dear.
But the sounds of music can't compare,with the Christmas choir up here.

For I have no words to tell you, the joy their voices bring.
For it is beyond description, to hear the angels sing.

I can't tell you of the splendor, or the peace here in this place.
Can you just imagine Christmas, with our Savior, face to face?

I know how much you miss me, I see the pain inside your heart,

But I'm not so far away, we really aren't apart.

So be happy for me dear ones, you know I hold you dear,

And be glad I am spending Christmas, with Jesus Christ this year.

Please love and keep each other, as the Father said to do, 

For I cannot count the blessings, or the love He has for you.

So have a Merry Christmas and wipe away that tear,

Remember I am spending Christmas, with Jesus Christ this year.

Pura Vida

Everyone once in awhile, an opportunity comes along that you just can't turn down. That was the case with our recent Costa Rica trip. To say this past year has been "rough" would be an understatement...so we justifiably rewarded ourselves. 

 

On our way with "Sunshine" in tow. (Anais & Chad sent Cannon a care package while he was in the hospital and this lil' turtle was included...it wrapped around his ventilator and we now use it as a special reminder.

On 1 of our 2 attempts to find and feed some monkeys! Failed both times...but atleast the scenery was nice!

El Avion - literally a giant plane converted into a restaurant/pub on the side of the mountain in Quepos...Gibson is always willing to take a pic with us!

Palm tree on our beach that happened to be crawling with ants...still made Rod climb it to snap a pic! :~)

Vista Los Suenos Canopy Tour - AWESOME!!! Yes, I had to wear a man's harness :~(

So happy to be zip-lining!

 

What a view!

Quepos National Park- complete with sloths, anteaters, monkeys and iguanas.

Little Mermaid reenactment.

Typical Costa Rican cuisine in Jaco.

My main squeeze with fresh squeezed pineapple juice.

Little crabs and snails ALL over our beach!

Gibson and Lennox demonstrating our morning ritual

Griffith Park flashback...except that was over 20 years ago and involved enclosed rings and much smaller horses. I guess there was a language barrier when we told them how long ago we had ridden...bc that got us a pretty advanced jungle/beach tour. But we survived!

Cinderella and Luna (daughter & mother duo)

Rode to Tres Amigos

See that white house in the background...see the beach...yeah that's how close we were.

Fresh coconut water everyday! Delish and so good for you!

Wish I could just walk out in my skivvies and it be this cute, but it wouldn't be - so I didn't. 

Thank you Kara and Q for inviting us! We had a BLAST!!

Sporadic thoughts

I am surrounded by men and women who never cease to AMAZE me. My heart aches for those who endure trials that I don't know if I could face myself. Which further proves that God only gives us what we can handle.

I cry when I think of all the wonderful things ppl have done/said to us these last few months. I am stubborn and way too independent and it has forced me to be humbled in ways I didn't think I could be. Rod is amazing. And that's an understatement. I am genuinely happy for women in my life who are pregnant and I understand why it's hard for them to tell me b/c I would think the same thing! Being a mother is the greatest feeling in the world. What kind of person/friend would I be if I were to be upset by someone being able to feel that?!

I was at Hobby Lobby the other day and a mother and her 3 kids were in the next aisle over and the mother was being VERY hard on one in particular that was crying. I instantly had a rush of emotion come over me when I hear her say with hate in her voice, "Ugh, I'm so sick of this!!!" Don't get me wrong, everyone is entitled to feeling that way, and I understand words come out that we don't mean - but it def. gets me thinking about the words I say when someone else could be listening. How would she have felt if she only knew a mother one aisle away had just buried her 4 month old son? I'm such a weirdo that I was very close to offering to hold her young child so she could finish her shopping. HA! 

Side note: Russ & Erin and their 3 kids are moving to AZ this weekend. I am SOOOO excited!! Hurry up and get here Crumptons! :~)

Called to Serve

Elder Blake Aaron Julander  
Washington D.C. North Mission - Spanish Speaking
He'll be reporting this Wednesday to the Provo MTC. What a stud right?! So excited to have another missionary to write...(It's been awhile)! I sure do enjoy sending and receiving a hand-written letter every once in a blue moon. At his talk yesterday, he shared this scripture:

Doctrine & Covenants 35:13

Wherefore, I call upon the weak things of the world, those who are unlearned and despised, to thresh the nations by the power of my Spirit.

Love that...

Here are some fun pics we took a few weeks ago

Good luck Blake!!! You'll do great! Thanks for being a great example to your friends and family! Love ya!


And a scripture for my own lil' missionary :~)

Doctrine & Covenants 138:57

I beheld that the faithful elders of this dispensation, when they depart from mortal life, continue their labors in the preaching of the gospel of repentance and redemption, through the sacrifice of the Only Begotten Son of God, among those who are in darkness and under the bondage of sin in the great world of the spirits of the dead.

The designers side...

I just finished reading a book entitled, "Angel Children" by Mary V. Hill.  I have a feeling I'll be sharing parts from this book over the next few months. Here's the one I needed today.

Marvin J. Ballard shared this story:

"I remember going to a carpet factory where they were making beautiful rugs. I approached from the seamy side. The shuttle was flying back and forth and the warp and woof were being made but there was not any design there. It was all ravelings and ends. It was just like life. When I stepped around on the other side it was another picture. It was the same operation - the same things exactly, only this was the design side. The color was blending; the figure was developing. There was not any failure there. We look at sorrows and we think they are tragedies, but we are only looking at things from the seamy side. There is another side to the picture, the designers side - God's side. And there are no blunders there.

Some day we will see it. Some day we will be able to say, "The Lord liveth! The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord!"

Look at this boy...is it any wonder why Heaven wanted him back!? :~) Love you Cannon.