Conner is ours!!!

Conner Rex Larsen is officially our son!! Papers were signed today and the adoption is official. I'll get some pictures up soon but here's some stats...

Born Thursday August 6, 2009 8:45 pm
8 pounds 9 ounces
19 1/2 inches long

He was actually early. (I know, think how big he would've been if he'd been full term!) And it looks like he's going to be in the hospital for at least another week, University of Utah. So, please keep him in your prayers so that he can come home soon.

Sidewalk Chalk!

Rock Climbing at REI

Donna took her family, Malia, and me to REI and we climbed the big rock! Both Tim and I made it to the top and rang the bell. Both Jordan and Malia got about halfway and were so brave. Colin took one look at the big rock and decided he wasn't going to climb. He told us "maybe next time"! It was hard with long fingernails, I think I'll trim them before I try climbing next time! But, Malia and I had so much fun! Thanks Donna!!

Blog Slacking!!

So, I thought I would have all kinds of time to blog, once school was out. What was I thinking??? It's the same thing every year, I look forward to the end of the school year, because I'm going to have all kinds of time. Every year I suddenly find the summer going way too fast and being way too busy. So, I have about an hour until we leave for swimming lessons, so here's a few updates.

Our biggest update would be the yard renovation we're doing. 

Here's a before picture...

Here's a week ago....

We've done more, the deck is now gone and there's been some cement poured and the fence is going in next week! Needless to say, we literally tore everything out and we're starting from scratch again. But, this time we have a plan!!

So, of course school got out and Malia graduated from Kindergarten! Big step, she is now a reader and a writer and a full time first grader! Instead of a part time kindergartener!

Miniature golfing! Travis is trying to pass on his skills to Malia and so far it seems to be working. She is quite the little miniature golfer, she was really getting the hang of getting the ball where she wanted it to go. We had to work on keeping the club down on the ground though, it kept coming up and almost hitting people in the face! Nate and his two kids came with us and we all had a really good time. Except about halfway through Sarah decided that she longer liked this game and flung her club, that kind of got her in trouble! So, she hid in the bushes and cried, it was too cute!

Malia is learning to like the water, which is a big relief to me because she has never liked it before. I kept putting off  swimming lessons thinking she'd outgrow it but it looks like swimming lessons was the key to conquering the fear. She's got these two wonderful excited teachers who get these kids to do amazing things through games and fun tricks. It's amazing and

 wonderful! This picture is from her first day they are playing a game called "animal in the basket" they sing this little rhyme and then they have to go under water to get out of the basket. The kids are eager to play and don't even realize they are practicing going underwater! Malia is almost facing the camera in the back of the circle, can you see her?

With Travis having grown up around horses, I thought it was high time Malia learned how to ride. So, I called up the equestrian center that is literally right behind our neighborhood and set up some lessons! Malia loves it, although she can't quite pick which one she likes more, swimming or horseback riding! Plus, she seems to be a bit of a natural, everyone at the stables thought she had ridden before and were surprised to find out she'd only had two lessons!

Malia is riding "Man" and yup the horse is a "he"!

This is Malia

 riding bareback!

Anybody that's ever heard of "it" will appreciate this one. We went to Ogden last Sunday to see my Aunt Marla. Who for those of you that don't know spent the last 10 or so years of her life taking care of her ailing parents. So, she's by herself now and sorely needs company. So we spent about half the day talking and goofing around. It was a lot of fun. We got the camera out and kept trying to take pictures, but she does not like having her picture taken. So this is the best picture we got!

Last but not least, I was excited to go through my wedding album pictures and have digital copies made. We are celebrating 10 years in November, so I figured it was time to do something about them. They came out a little blurry but I'm still excited to have digital images.

15 Days

Need I say more?

Hehehe... okay one more thing...

We finished "state testing" today. I shouted "Wahoo!" Right along with the kids!

I have succumbed...

okay, okay I admit it, I'm counting down

16 more mornings I have to get out of bed on time

16 more drives to work

16 more days of asking "can" you go the bathroom? I hope so!

16 more school lunches

16 more afternoons of counting down the minutes

16 more sets of "goodbyes"

16 more drives home...

Then I'm done for 2 1/2 months before I go back to the beginning again!

Thoughts by Malia

I thought this looked like fun...

 Answers to the questions are are word for word Malia's response.

1. What is something mom always says to you? I love you.

2. What makes mom happy? Me being good.

3. What makes mom sad? When I accidentally hurt her.

4. How does your mom make you laugh? By doing silly things, like making silly faces.

5. What did your mom like as a child? Having a mom

6. How old is your mom? I don't know, thirty two (wow, only 3 years off)

7. How tall is your mom? thirty two inches

8. What is her favorite thing to do? play with me or read a book.

9. What does your mom do when you're not around? Read a book or be at school.

10. If your mom becomes famous what will it be for? What does that mean?

11. What is your mom really good at? Writing and coloring

12. What is your mom not very good at? Sometimes you have to ask daddy, does this look good on me?

13. What does your mom do for a job? I know. She goes to school and teaches the kids.

14. What is your mom's favorite food? Her cereal

15. What makes you proud of your mom? When she learns how to do something, like running faster than me.

16. If your mom where a cartoon character, who would she be? Minnie Mouse

17. What do you and your mom do together? Play games.

18. How are you and your mom the same? Well, we both kind of talk the same.

19. How are you and your mom different? Our hair.

20. How do you know your mom loves you? Because she takes me.

21. What does your mom like about your dad? He gives her flowers.

22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go? The bathroom.

This one's for Donna...

So, a BIG thank you to Donna. She helped me find a scrapbooking website so I could make some very cool profile pages to be shown to birthmoms. 

Then exciting news, we're actually be shown to a birthmom on Friday!! Then we'll be shown to another birthmom on Monday!! It's actually through two separate agencies. So, I'm praying and crossing my fingers. But, I think I've started to come to terms with the highs and lows of this whole process. I really think I'll be okay if we're not picked. It just really excites me that we're being shown, and I'm okay with that. The Lord is in charge and when it's our baby, we'll know.

Anyway, it's the four scrapbook pages I put together. They're small here, but if you click on them you can make them larger.

Adoption

I have updated the "We want to adopt" link that is on the right, so everyone needs to click on it or just use the URL below and check out the new LDSFS website and our new profile posting. I think it's much better than the one before. It doesn't have quite as much information, but lots more pictures. Plus, the whole look of the website is better. It's still in beta testing so it's not the one you get when you go to itsaboutlove.org but it's the website they are sending birthmoms to when they come into the offices. Exciting Stuff!

https://beta.itsaboutlove.org/ial/profiles/10519127/ourMessage.jsf

Zebra Costume

Malia is taking a modern dance class. And I got roped into making the costumes for their recital. They are dancing to "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." The teacher is being the lion and all the little girls are being zebras. So, they are not supposed to look exactly like zebras but modern dance zebras! This is the first complete costume. It took me forever to figure out the sleeves but, I think it turned out adorable. They will wear black leotards and black footless tights underneath. I wish you could see the belt a little better, it's fringed! So, I have 8 more to go, wish me luck!

My Adorable Hat!!!

I have to show off my absolutely adorable hat. My friend Lindy made it for me! This is a self-portrait with the camera, hehehe... I'm totally talented aren't I! Anyway, back to the hat, here's the cool part, you can get one of your own. Lindy and her husband have recently discovered the only way they are going to have another child is if they do IVF, and I'll point out to anyone not familiar with it, it is EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE. But, there's good news they just might qualify for the Miracle Fund through the University of Utah, but it costs $400 just for a consult. So Lindy has set up a blog selling these absolutely fabulous hats, in order to raise the money for the initial consult. She made one for me and one for my adorable new niece McKinley... it's a little big on her. But, talk about cute!!

Anyway, here is the website, you have check it out...

wilkersonivffund.blogspot.com

Please support someone who is already a fabulous mom and so deserves the chance to be a mom of many! Buy an adorable hat!

Love Natalie

Birthday Time!

March is a month full of birthdays for our families. My mom was born on March 13th and yes it was a Friday. So we consider all Friday the 13ths to be lucky, there is no paraskavedekatriaphobia (the fear of friday the 13th) in this family! Then Travis' grandma Martha was born on the 16th. Then of course our personal angel Malia was born on St. Patrick's day the 17th. 

What I'm having a hard time with is the fact that not only is she turning 6 but she's reading and being independent and getting more gorgeous way too fast!

So, she's an only child so there's no reason not to do a birthday party every year. This year, she got to pick 5 friends and we're taking them to "Jump On It" a place in Lindon that has "10,000 sq feet of trampolines!" we've never been there, but it's only $4 for a kid ages 3 to 8. So, we figured why not! Malia is so excited, it's adorable. She really put a lot of thought into who she'd invite and then agonized over which of the girls from school to hand that last invitation to. I think she put it off too long and now none of them will be able to come, but the privileged four she had picked out in the beginning have all given their RSVP. So, one way or the other she will be surrounded by friends and family and will soak in all the adoration she so fully deserves!

Then of course we'll do a nice dinner and a few more presents on the actual day!

Short Update

So, I realized that I haven't added anything since November, so I figured a short update was in order. 

We spent a really great Christmas in WA with my family this year. Managed to fly in and out right in between snow storms. We also had a lively adventure trying to catch a flight out of Boise, then had to cancel it and catch a flight from SLC when we got halfway to Boise and the roads were closed. 

The beginning of the year started out fine, but as the economy continued to go downhill Travis' stress levels have skyrocketed, plus he started a new semester of school which hasn't helped. 

On a sad note, Natalie's grandmother in Ogden just passed away, after living for more than 10 years after a debilitating stroke. Most of Natalie's family has come to Utah for this weekend's funeral. This is a hard one because of the lack of good memories from the last 10 years. 

Natalie's class is going well at school and Malia "loves" and I do mean "loves" school. Even when she's sick, she insists on going and is constantly asking if it's time to go catch the bus. She has also lost her sixth tooth and the Christmas song about wanting your two front teeth is very fitting.

Hope that brings you mostly up to date, I need to find some Christmas pics to upload. Hopefully I'll get back to blogging faster this time, November to February is a bit of a break!