Alisa, Chad and Trevin

Family Photo Shoot

2009-04-25T12:51:00.003-06:00

Cooper, Mason holding Trevin, Tate

Chad, Trevin, Alisa

Back row: Coope, Mason, Tate
Front row: Trina, Eric, Kristen, Mike, Coralee, David, Kirk, Krystal, Alisa, Trevin, Chad

In mid-November we had family photos done. There is a 1939 Chevy Coupe and a 1946 Chevy dumptruck parked down at Chad's grandparent's house. Dave stored the vehicles over 30 years ago and they have been sitting in the field ever since. We used the vehicles as photo props. I admit I had my doubts, but I was wrong. The photos turned out great! The photographer, Carrie Mann, came up from Salina or Richfield. What a photogenic family!

Trick or Treat!

2009-04-25T12:02:00.010-06:00

Thanks to Delta Airlines, we barely made it home in time for Trevin's first Halloween. Trevin was a little monkey. Trevin didn't care about the candy, so I had to eat most of his candy for him. Darn!

Khloe, Julie, Weston, Trevin

Kadie, Lexi, Porter, Averi, Kylie, Garrett

Trevin with Cookie and Poppy

Trevin, Tate, Cooper, and Mason

Trevin with Great-Grandma Gravis

Trevin with Great-Grandpa Gravis

Trevin's First Haircut

2009-04-25T11:49:00.007-06:00

October 11, 2008 -- As you can see, Trevin has crazy hair and there is lots of it! Trevin has several cowlics and a double crown, which makes styling rather difficult. It was starting to get out of hand, so I reluctantly decided it was time to take action. I knew this day would come, I just wasn't ready. He looks so grown up with a haircut.

Last Days in California

2009-04-20T22:00:00.015-06:00

On Wednesday, everyone but Chad, Trevin, and me began the long car ride back to California. Instead of being stuck in a car for 14 hours, we decided to go back to Disneyland. It was a beautiful day and we had a lot of fun. We spent most of our time in Fantasyland because Trevin was allowed on most rides. I never realized how scary the Pinocchio ride was until I experienced it with Trevin. Holy cow! The part where Pinocchio and his friend go to Pleasure Island and turn into donkeys is terrifying. I kept thinking, "My parents let me watch this movie when I was little?" I felt like a horrible parent for taking Trevin on the ride. We just skipped Snow White's Scary Adventures.

My all-time favorite Disneyland ride is the Peter Pan ride. It was hard to tell if Trevin liked it because it was so dark inside, but he didn't cry or scream, so I like to think he wasn't terrified or emotionally scarred. I don't think I've ever been to Mickey's Toon Town until this trip. It was a lot of fun. Once Chad and I got there, we were pretty sad that we didn't take Tate to Mickey's Toon Town. Tate would have had so much fun and been able to go on all the rides. I don't think Tate enjoyed Disneyland because there weren't many rides for him. Oh well. I guess we know for next time.

Trevin was not too impressed with the Enchanted Tiki Room. I don't know if he was tired, hungry or both, but we ended up leaving half way through.

Our flight home was scheduled for Thursday around noon. As we were checking out of the condo at 10:00 a.m., Chad received a phone call from Delta that our flight was cancelled and they couldn't rebook us until the following morning. Actually, they told us we could fly stand-by that night at 6:00 p.m., but we wouldn't be seated near each other and they couldn't guarantee we could get on the flight. Not exactly the best circumstances with a 10 month old. Delta didn't offer us a meal or room vouchers. Their attitude was basically, "Sorry. It sucks to be you." Luckily, we were able to get a room at the condo for one more night. So, we opted to take a flight home the following day. Unfortunately, we had to pay an extra day on the rental car, pay an extra day of food, and pay an extra day for the condo--a couple hundred dollars we weren't expecting. I can't believe the airlines can just get a way with this stuff. There totally needs to be an airline passenger's Bill of Rights. Visit www.flyersrights.org to join the cause! Call your legislative representatives and tell them to pass a flyer's bill of rights. I will get off my soapbox now.

Since we were staying another day, the three of us went back to Disneyland to see the parade. We had a family photo taken with Mickey and Minnie. Trevin loved the lights and the characters. He is such a flirt. The three fairies from Sleeping Beauty were dancing in front of us and Trevin just smiled and waved at them. When the fairies would wave back, Trevin would get all shy and coy. It was so funny. The fairies loved Trevin!

It was a wonderful vacation. I think everyone had a great time. I think the anticipation was as much fun as the actual vacation. I hope we plan another vacation really soon.

Alisa, Chad, and Trevin at the castle.

Chad and Trevin

Alisa and Trevin on the Dumbo ride.

An attempted family photo on the Dumbo ride.

An attempted family photo on the Casey Junior train.

Alisa and Chad in Mickey's car.

Chad and Trevin on Mickey's hearth.

Alisa and Trevin in Mickey's house.

Trevin in his Mickey ears.

Chad and Trevin waiting for dinner before the parade.

Minnie, Alisa, Trevin, Mickey, and Chad.

The LA Shopping District and Seal Beach

2009-03-07T22:25:00.015-07:00

Tuesday we all traveled into LA to visit the shopping district. Kristen and I had a great time in the bead stores, Coralee liked the fabric, and David and Chad loved the bargains. You couldn't take the stroller into most stores, so Chad cruised for bargains with Trevin while I went into the shops. I found some great fabric to recover my patio cushions and Chad and I found a new comforter set for our bed. Now I just need to repaint the bedroom!

After the shopping district, we headed out to Seal Beach to play in the Pacific Ocean. Trina met us at Seal Beach after she got off work. Unfortunately, Kirk and Krystal had already left for Utah, so they didn't get to participate in all of the fun!

Trevin and I played in the ocean. Chad stayed on the beach because he didn't have sandals. Trevin loved the beach. Every time I would stick his feet on the sand and the waves would come and erode the sand from beneath his feet, Trevin would just laugh. Mason and Eric went out in the surf and Cooper and Tate stayed closer to shore. Everyone had a good time.

Funny story: Coralee was helping Kristen get the boys rinsed off at the public showers. Coralee hit the button for what she thought was the water spout over Cooper. Unfortunately for Coralee, the button she hit was connected to the water spout directly over her head. Needless to say, Coralee got a bit of rinse herself!

While we were waiting for Coralee, Kristen, and the boys to dry off, Chad let Trevin "drive" the rental car. Trevin is now obsessed with steering wheels.

After Seal Beach, we all drove to Newport Beach to eat at The Crab Cooker. Chad has fond memories of going to The Crab Cooker when he was very young. Apparently, the clam chowder is fantastic! There is a big shark hanging from the ceiling, of which I did not get a picture. Sorry. We were such a large group that we had to separate into two tables.

Chad, Alisa, Trevin, Mason and Cooper at Seal Beach

Mason and Eric jumping waves!

Surf's up, Cooper!

Cooper and Tate. Fun in the sun!

Alisa, Trevin, and Chad. Sunset at Seal Beach.

Trina and Eric. Seal Beach.

Mason, Cooper, Kristen, Tate. Seal Beach.

Trevin's first driving lesson.

Disneyland

2009-03-04T18:15:00.013-07:00

It's Halloween-time! Or, it was when the family visited Disneyland in October 2008. It was a beautiful day. Kind of hot, but not to bad. The Santa Ana winds were blowing and making it seem like July. It was shorts and t-shirt weather. Thanks to a good dose of self-tanner, I wasn't too pale. :)

The decorations at Disneyland were so cute. I will show better detail in a later post. Trina is the only family member that didn't make it to Disneyland. She had to work. We missed you Trina.

Trevin is such a good travel baby. He napped in the stroller and just seemed pleased to be along for the ride. Chad and I are so lucky! Mason, Cooper, and Tate were also great little travelers. They did such a good job. Other than Tate's episode at the zoo, (see previous post) there wasn't too much drama. It has been four months though, so the passage of time may have dulled my memory.

Anyway, we hit both California Adventure and Disneyland. Tate was kind of mad that there weren't many rides for him. Unfortunately, we didn't spend much time in Fantasyland or Mickey's Toon Town, which are geared more towards the preschool age kids. Mason and Cooper were troopers and went on every ride possible. There were a few rides with height restrictions that we couldn't sneak the boys into, but for the most part we rode all the good rides. Even Space Mountain and Splash Mountain! Notice that I, stupidly wearing a white t-shirt, was stuck in the front seat on the Splash Mountain ride. I got very wet and had to wear Trevin's blanket until I dried off. I think my favorite ride was the jungle cruise. I love the old school feel of the jungle cruise. Plus, we were all sitting together and could watch the kids' reactions.

I only had two disappointments at Disneyland. One, the fact that they replaced the Country Bear Jamboree. I loved the Country Bear Jamboree! Two, the fact that the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse is now the Tarzan Treehouse. I am sorry, but the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse was SO MUCH COOLER than the Tarzan Treehouse. I mean, come on, there wasn't evey the water system that brought fresh water to the top of the treehouse like they had on Swiss Family Robinson. Ridiculous!

Overall, I really enjoyed Disneyland and I can't wait to go back when Trevin is a bit older!

Cute family portrait!

Trevin's First Ride on the AstroBlaster

What a great looking bunch!

Kristen, Mason, Cooper, and Tate

Aladdin, Mason, Cooper, Tate, and Trevin

Yay! Splash Mountain.

Trevin with Grandpa and Grandma Roskelley

Alisa, Chad, and Trevin at Tarzan's Treehouse.

Anaheim or Bust!

2009-02-28T23:05:00.005-07:00

October 27, 2008. We are headed to Anaheim, home of the Mouses (Mickey and Minnie). Don't bother emailing me that the correct plural of mouse is mice, because Mouse is the last name so Mouses is the correct plural possesive (I think)!

Sunday was a "free" day. Some folks went to Universal Studios; some took the day off. Chad, Trevin, and I headed to Newhall to visit my Uncle John and Aunt Jeanine. It was a beautiful day.

We arrived at Jeanine and John's house late afternoon. Chad, John, and I went for a nice moped ride and Trevin hung out with Jeanine. I was a bit timid on the moped at first, but after a quick jaunt, I loosened up immensley. I was quite comfortable as long as I didn't have to turn. Turning on the moped makes me nervous. I feel like I am going to tip over.

After the ride, we went to the Stonefire Grill for dinner. The weather was nice enough that we ate dinner on the restaurant patio. Mmmmmm! Tri-tip and nutty coleslaw!

Sea World Splash!

2009-02-28T22:45:00.014-07:00

Saturday, October 26th, we all went to Sea World. Personally, I had more fun at the zoo, but my feelings may be related to the fact that Trevin was an absolute walrus most of the time we were at Sea World. (Do you like the marine reference? Walrus instead of Bear? Hehe!) Anyway, I spent a lot of time pushing Trevin around in the stroller while everyone else enjoyed the Sea World exhibits.

We saw Shammu and the dolphins. We even visited the Shark Encounter, which allows you to walk through the 280,000-gallon shark habitat featuring sand tiger, bonnethead, blacktip and whitetip sharks via a nifty acrylic tube. My pictures from the Shark Encounter weren't that great, but check out Chad's dolphin show photo. Wow!

San Diego Zoo

2009-02-28T22:24:00.009-07:00

I am trying to get caught up on my blog, now that my computer is working (sort of). I still need to document the Roskelley Family Southern Californa trip, so here goes.

Our first full day in San Diego was spent at the San Diego Zoo. The zoo is amazing! There are so many animals and habitat exhibits. Our first excursion was a bus tour of the zoo, which was very informative and saved us a lot of walking. As the tour bus passed the tiger enclosure, Tate shouted, "Hi, Tiger! I am right here!" It was so cute!

Everyone had a good time (most of the time). The boys got a little hungry and Tate had a bit of a break down (probably due to hunger and exhaustion from the car ride to San Diego). Overall, it was a great first day. Not to hot, very interesting, and we all got along! Yay!

In the picture of the 3 boys with Mason in the stroller, be sure to notice the rice cake stored for later just to the right of Mason's head!

Pacific Ocean!

2008-10-24T22:33:00.000-06:00

Chad, Trevin, and I flew to California on Thursday, October 24th. We flew from Salt Lake City to the John Wayne Airport. After renting a car, we drove down to San Diego to meet the rest of the family. Chad's parents, siblings, and nephews drove to California. Chad and I didn't feel the need to punish ourselves and Trevin with a 14 hour car ride. I am kind of crazy, but not that crazy. On our way to San Diego, Chad saw a sign for the Pacific Coast Highway. Since we weren't in a big hurry, we decided to meander along the scenic route. Here are a few photos from our wanderings. We didn't get out and play in the ocean because Trevin was asleep and you should never wake a sleeping baby.

Cleft Palate Surgery

2008-09-24T20:52:00.019-06:00

Trevin had his cleft palate surgery on August 8, 2008, at Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City. On one hand, I was ready for the surgery to be over. On the other hand, I was so worried about my baby having surgery and being in pain.

Dr. Smith, Trevin's ENT surgeon, told us that Trevin could be in the hospital for up to 3 days. Primary Children's allows only one parent to stay overnight with Trevin. Chad and I decided to get a hotel so we didn't have to drive back and forth from Roy. Unfortunately, the weekend of Trevin's surgery was also the Summer Outdoor Retailer's tradeshow, which meant every hotel in the Salt Lake Valley was completely booked. Thankfully, Jeanine and John let us stay in their wonderful condo downtown. This was a godsend in more ways than one. Thanks Jeanine and John!

Dr. Smith told us the surgery would probably be scheduled for first thing in the morning because Trevin was so little. However, since Trevin had to be admitted, the surgery was moved to 1:30 p.m. We were supposed to be at the hospital an hour and a half prior to surgery to complete paperwork. Our plan was to stop by the condo and drop off our stuff, then head to the hospital. As we arrived at the condo, Primary Children's called to say that Dr. Smith was 2 hours behind and Trevin's surgery was rescheduled for 3:30 p.m. Luckily, we were able to stay at the condo or I don't know what Chad and I would have done! At the condo, I fed Trevin and we were able to entertain Trevin and let him scoot about. I wouldn't have felt comfortable letting Trevin crawl around at a hotel. So, thanks again Jeanine and John. You really did save us!

We got the hospital at the appointed time and things started to move really fast. We got Trevin into his little hospital gown and then took him into the children's waiting room to play with toys and read books. Chad and I were nervous wrecks. Trevin was fine, though! The head nurse came out to meet us, as did the anethesiologist and Dr. Smith. Then, the anethesiologist walked us to the big surgery doors (the doors you always see on t.v. where the doctor says, "Okay, you can't go any further. Time to say your good-byes." or something along those lines). Chad was carrying Trevin and I had the diaper bag. Trevin got to take his favorite blankie back with him. I gave Trevin a big hug and kiss and Chad handed Trevin over to the anethesiologist and we watched Trevin and the doctor go through the doors. Trevin just looked at us like "Why aren't you guys coming along and who is this guy?" Chad and I had to go back to the waiting room empty handed. Both Chad and I started to cry. It was worse than leaving Trevin at daycare the first time. It was heart-wrenching and overwhelming and humbling all at once. It was amazing to realize how much Trevin had changed my life in just seven short months. I can't imagine my life without him. It would be so incomplete.

Anyway, Dr. Smith told us that surgery would last anywhere from one and a half to three hours. We got something to eat and sat and waited. I couldn't concentrate on a book or a movie, so I just sat there thinking about my sweet little boy and how much he changed my life. Thankfully, Trevin's surgery lasted just under two hours, so we weren't separated from him for long.

After surgery, one parent is allowed to go back to recovery. Naturally, I played the Mommy card and went back to Trevin. Trevin was in this huge bed. He looked so small and helpless. He was moaning and crying. The nurse had just given him another dose of morphine, but it hadn't kicked in yet and the anethesia hadn't worn off. Trevin was hooked up to all sorts of monitors and tubes. The doctor had put a stitch in Trevin's tongue to help clear his airway if there were any problems. Basically, the doctor puts a stitch through the tip of Trevin's tongue and leaves the ends of the stitch long enough for the nurse to tape the ends to the side of Trevin's face. You can see the threads taped to Trevin's face in the picture of Trevin and Chad. It was very disconcerting to see the stitch coming out of Trevin's tongue, but the nurse had warned us about it, so I wasn't completely shocked.

We finally got Trevin admitted to the hospital and up to his room on the fourth floor in the Infant Medical Surgical Ward. Trevin had to share a room with this tiny little baby, but that was okay because the baby hardly made a peep while we were there. I wanted to hold my baby so bad. The nurse was so great. I kept accidentally unhooking Trevin's monitors when I held him. The nurses would patiently come in and reattach the monitors and probes. The staff at Primary Children's is amazing! My parents and Chad's parents came to Primary Childrens to check on Trevin and Chad and me. It was so nice of them to come and support us. I definitely needed to see my Mom and Dad. Being a parent has given me an even greater respect for them and how they raised me. They are amazing parents and I love them even more now that I am a parent.

Chad stayed until about midnight and I settled down on the most uncomfortable converted bed I have ever slept on, or more accurately, never slept on. I was worried about Trevin and I would jump up every time he moaned or whimpered to see if there was anything I could do. I kept trying to get Trevin to eat, but he just wasn't interested, which was incredibly painful for me. (Thank goodness for breast pumps!) Also, the nurse came in every two hours to check Trevin's vital signs or check on the little baby. I also called the nurse in a few times to give Trevin more pain medicine. Needless to say, I didn't get much rest that night! Finally, about 4 a.m., I just gave up and wrote in my journal and watched the Olympics.

Trevin woke up around 6:30 a.m. It is amazing how good natured Trevin is, even after surgery. He is a morning person like his Daddy! (How very unfortunate for a night-person like myself) Trevin still wouldn't eat, but he was cooing and making cute noises and seemed happy to see me. The resident came and removed the tongue stitch on the hope that Trevin would eat better once it was removed. No such luck!

Chad came back around 7:30 a.m. and tried to feed Trevin with a funky squeeze-type bottle so Trevin wouldn't have to suck. Dr. Smith said they wouldn't release Trevin until he was eating well. Chad and I just kept trying to get Trevin to eat. We tried the squeeze bottle and a sippy cup. I tried to breast-feed Trevin. Nothing was working. Trevin was as happy as can be laughing and scooting laps around his crib. In fact, Trevin kept pulling off his own monitor leads and probes because he was scooting around to much, but he wouldn't eat. Finally, the nurse gave Trevin fluids through his i.v. to keep him hydrated.

What a monkey! Here he is in the hospital less than 24 hours after a very invasive surgery just wanting to jump and climb and crawl. The nurse finally had to remove Trevin's i.v. because he kept getting it snagged on his crib and almost ripping it out of his foot. Luckily, I brought several of Trevin's favorite books and toys, so I was able to entertain him or let him entertain himself in the crib. Whenever we held Trevin, he just wanted to get out of our arms and get down on the floor to explore.

After the i.v. fluids, Trevin was apparently creating enough urine to satisfy the nurses and Dr. Smith, so Dr. Smith agreed to release Trevin around 7 p.m. Saturday night. We didn'tleave the hospital, however, until almost 10 p.m. due to a snafu with the pharmacy and getting Trevin's prescriptions to take home with us. It was 7 p.m. on a Saturday, so the outpatient pharmacy at Primary Children's was closed. By the time we got home, all of the pharmacys near us would be closed also. I told the nurse that I wasn't taking my baby home without his pain medicine because that was just cruel. Finally, the inpatient pharmacy was able to fill the prescription, but couldn't figure out how to bill our insurance, so we just had to pay for the prescription out of pocket. At least I didn't have to sleep another night in that chair/bed!

Seven Months Old!

2008-09-21T12:56:00.000-06:00

It is getting harder and harder to take Trevin's monthly photo. Trevin refuses to lay quietly on his blanket while I snap photos of him. As you can see, Trevin is into everything. He loves paper and anything that makes fun, crinkly sounds. What a character!

I can't believe it has already been seven months since Trevin was born. He is getting so big. Every day he does something new and amazing. I am completely amazed by the vast quantity of knowledge Trevin has acquired since his birth. He is already an expert at getting his Mommy and Daddy to bend to his will. Granted, Trevin's Mommy and Daddy are kind of push-overs when it comes to anything Trevin wants or needs. Still, Trevin has acquired some expert negotiation/manipulation skills!

Grandpa Gravis' 80th Birthday

2008-08-07T15:23:00.000-06:00

Grandpa Gravis turned 80 on June 2, 2008. We had a big celebration on May 31, 2008, at the Hooper Senior Center. My computer was on the fritz, so I haven't been able to access these pictures until now. The party was a great success! Everyone had a really nice time. The Tubbs family came down from Washington and Jon came back from Virginia. For more photos of the chaos and excitement, go to:
http://picasaweb.google.com/AlisaAnn/Gravis80th02

July 2008 - Various Photos

2008-08-05T20:49:00.024-06:00

Here are some various photos from July 2008. July was a big month. Trevin ate "real" food for the first time, learned how to scoot, learned how to pull himself up, and revealed that he has a fascination with any and all cords, whether phone, lamp, computer, etc. I can't believe the summer is almost over. Trevin has his cleft palate surgery on August 8th, so please keep us in your thoughts and prayers. I'll try to update this blog from the hospital so everyone knows what is going on.

Weston's Blessing

2008-08-04T20:43:00.000-06:00

On Sunday, Trevin and I went to Julie's house for Weston's blessing. Trevin did really well. All through the church service, Trevin just played with Nana and Papa. He didn't even squeal. After the blessing, we all went back to Julie's house for some lunch. I got some really cute pictures of Garrett, Lexi, Porter, and Weston. They are very photogenic children! Trevin and Great-Grandpa Buchanan hung out for a long time. I think Grandpa really enjoys Trevin because Trevin will just sit on Grandpa's lap and listen and babble.

We ate lunch outside under Julies big shade tree. Trevin was all over the place. It used to be I could keep him on a blanket because he didn't like the feel of the grass on his legs or hands. Not any more! Now that Trevin is crawling and climbing, I have to be extra vigilant about watching him. He climbed up on Julies little picnic table and just thought he was the hottest thing ever. You can just see the self-confidence!

Roy Days 2008

2008-08-03T20:34:00.001-06:00

Every year on the first Saturday in August, Chad and I celebrate Roy Days with a barbeque followed by fireworks in the park. This year was much more low key than years past. I was really tired and had to work over the weekend, so I wasn't in party mode. Chad's family came as did our friends Caroly, Josh and Adam. Chad barbequed some delicious ribs! Chad is a fantastic cook and grilling is his specialty. Normally, I am not a rib kind of girl. However, this year Chad slow-cooked the ribs for four hours so they were soooo tender. Very tasty!

When it came time for the fireworks, everyone was pretty busy playing the Wii, so Trevin and I headed over to the park to save a spot. Chad and his family ended up just sitting on our patio to watch the fireworks and Trevin and I saw the fireworks on our own. Trevin loved the fireworks! He just squealed and laughed and jumped up and down. I thought Trevin might be startled by the fireworks, but I guess all the fluid in his ears really muffles the noise so he isn't easily startled. What a cute boy!

Tate's 3rd Birthday

2008-07-25T20:16:00.000-06:00

Tate turned 3 years old on July 25th. We had a birthday party at Coralee and David's house. It was so hot, but the food and company was great. Tate is very much into motorcycles. All the gifts that weren't motorcycle related were basically ignored. Tate did like the pop gun and cowboy hat he received.

Cook Family Reunion

2008-07-20T19:51:00.001-06:00

On Saturday, July 19, 2008, the Cook family got together for a celebration. My grandmother turns 80 this year. It was a nice party. Almost all of the grandchildren were there. We missed you Shannon, Jeremy, Cami and Michelle!

Meet the Green Beans!

2008-07-20T19:23:00.000-06:00

Now that Trevin is six months old, it is time to introduce "real" food. Trevin is a breast-fed baby and he thoroughly enjoys his meals. In fact, you could call him a voracious eater. Since I have food allergies, we waited to introduce different foods so Trevin's little system wouldn't be too shocked. I heard that you always want to introduce vegetables first, so we started with green beans.

Trevin, meet the green beans.

As you can see, Trevin wasn't so fond of the green beans. In fact, he started gagging and green beans came out of his nose. Too bad we didn't get a picture of that!

Big Buchanan Family Reunion, Part 1

2008-07-14T20:24:00.001-06:00

The George Franklin and Louisa Jane Buchanan Family Reunion was held on July 12, 2008, at Camp Aerie near Kamas. My Grandpa is the oldest living child of George and Louisa Buchanan. His sister, Neva, and four brothers, Rollin, Hayle, Vernon, and Bernell, also attended the reunion. We had a very nice time. Tom and Sherry, the co-chairs of the reunion, did a fantastic job! There were games for the kids, an auction, and even a group photo session. Here are a few of my favorite photos.

Big Buchanan Family Reunion, Part 2

2008-07-14T20:00:00.012-06:00

After the family reunion was over, my parents and siblings went back to camp. After a little prodding, the kids got us in the swimming pool for a soak. The weather was perfect because the sun was just starting to go down. Trevin is so good in the water. He just floated in his life jacket. Trevin didn't panic or fuss, he just bobbed. I was so proud. He really seems to like the water.

Six Months Old!

2008-07-11T21:45:00.004-06:00

Time is flying by! Trevin is already six months old. Here are a few photos to show how much he has grown. At his last doctor's appointment on June 5, 2008, Trevin weighed 15 pounds, 2 ounces and was 26 inches long. At his doctor's appointment on July 10th, Trevin weighed 16 pounds and 6.5 ounces and was 27 inches long. He is in the 85th percentile for height and the 35th percentile for weight.

Trevin now scoots all over the place. If sufficiently motivated, Trevin can scoot across the family room a minute! The need to baby-proof is becoming more urgent.

I lay Trevin in the hallway while I get ready for work in the morning. Since Trevin tried to stick his finger in the outlet (see June 2008 post) and is also a really fast scooter, I put up the baby gate at the end of the hall and block the hallway outlet with Trevin's rocking chair.

The other day I looked down and Trevin and noticed he was under his rocking chair. Upon closer inspection, I found Trevin under the rocking chair attempting to gain access to the electrical outlet blocked by the rocking chair! Trevin is very clever. He definitely keep us on our toes.

Independence Day

2008-07-05T21:25:00.002-06:00

We celebrated Independence Day with a barbeque at Coralee and David's house. Dave deep-fried a turkey, Chad grilled shrimp, Mike cooked ribs in the dutch oven, and the rest of us ate way too much! Here are a few photos of the festivities.

Krystal, Kristen, & Trevin

Kirk & Trevin

Mason

Chad & Grandma

Tate

Chad

Chad, Grandma & Grandpa

Great-Grandma & Trevin

Great-Grandpa & Trevin

June 2008

2008-07-01T20:44:00.002-06:00

Here are various photos from June 2008. We bought Trevin a bouncer at Kid-to-Kid a few weeks ago. He loves it! It is a Baby Einstein bouncer with lots of colors, sounds, and gadgets. Trevin will entertain himself for almost an hour at a time in the bouncer, giving me a much needed opportunity to update this blog. Isn't he a cutey!

Trevin is rolling all over the place now. I lay Trevin in the hallway outside the bathroom while I get ready in the morning. The other day, I was blow drying my hair and I looked up just in time to see Trevin reach up toward the outlet in the hallway and stick his finger in the socket. Luckily, it didn't shock him, but it definitely scared me. I guess it really is time to baby-proof!

Ogden Arts Festival

2008-06-28T21:11:00.004-06:00

Chad loves live music, especially in an open or intimate setting. Ogden City puts on an arts festival every year and feature live bands/performers throughout the day. Chad and I have been to the arts festival a few times, but not for the last few years. We decided it was time to introduce Trevin to live music and the festival atmosphere. The arts festival is held on Historic 25th Street in downtown Ogden.

I love 25th Street! It is very eclectic with everything from bars and pawn shops to apartments, novelty stores, and restaurants. In fact, my favorite restaurant, Tona, is located on 25th Street. When we went to the festival, I was kind of hoping we could stop at Tona for some sushi, but money is tight, so I had to settle with just one spicy tuna roll. It was so good! Unfortunately, it just made my cravings worse instead of calming them.

We went to the festival around 4:00 p.m., but it was so hot that we didn't stay very long. Poor Trevin was very warm. I think he has my aversion to extreme temperatures--extreme being anything outside of the 65 to 80 degree range! Trevin really liked watching all the people and Chad loved the music. There were performers on two stages. If it had been cooler, I think we would have stayed a few more hours, but it was just too hot!

Father's Day

2008-06-16T20:48:00.010-06:00

This year was Chad's first Father's Day. This year, we not only celebrated our own fathers, but also celebrated Chad. It was great! Chad is such a good Daddy to Trevin and Trevin sure loves his Daddy. Trevin just smiles and coos when Chad gets home from work.

Dave and Trevin

Lyle and Trevin

Kirk, Tate & Trevin

Richard and Margarite Buchanan Family Reunion

2008-06-15T22:15:00.001-06:00

The sixth annual Richard William and Margarite Christensen Buchanan Family Reunion was held June 14, 2008, at the Union Park in Midvale. By the time I arrived, most of my cousins had left. Kevin and I were the only children from my family to show up. Julie wasn't able to come down because she had just had Weston and Michael and Richard and their families were in Lake Powell. It was a nice day for some visiting! Grandpa Buchanan wasn't feeling so hot. He hurt his knee and hip working in the garden. Trevin was such a good boy. He didn't mind being passed around to my aunts and cousins. Trevin especially loved hanging out with Nana and Papa.

Chad's Birthday

2008-06-13T22:00:00.000-06:00

June 12th was Chad's 33rd Birthday. We went to Good Wood Barbeque in Ogden with the Roskelley's to celebrate this momentous occasion. The food was quite good and the service was excellent! Trevin was a bit of a handful because he wanted to grab our plates. Whenever you eat in front of him, Trevin will lick his lips, drool, and try to grab your food.

Lake Powell

2008-06-11T17:12:00.000-06:00

Chad, Trevin and I went to Lake Powell with the Buchanan's the first weekend in June. It was wonderful. Chad did a lot of fishing and Trevin and I just hung out! It was a very nice getaway. Trevin started to roll over while we were down at Lake Powell. He is getting so big.

We met my parents, my grandparents, my brothers, and three of their friends at Bullfrog Marina. Chad, Trevin, and I were at Lake Powell for five days. The weather was perfect. Not too hot with a bit of a breeze most of the time. Apparently, we left right in time, because the afternoon we left, a huge storm hit and caused quite a ruckus.

Right before we left for Lake Powell, on the advice of Amy, Trevin's daycare provider, I took Trevin to the doctor. Trevin's allergies cause a lot of drainage and we were worried about an ear infection. Amy was right. Trevin had an ear infection, so we had to give him antibiotics for 10 days. From the beginning, Trevin had a strong distaste for anything but breast milk. He detests his Benadryl--liquid and quick-dissolve strips. He doesn't like his Prevacid. He absolutely abhors water. Needless to say, Trevin did not like the taste of the antibiotic, which according to my sister Julie, most kids just love. I really hope Trevin isn't going to be picky, or as my very picky friend refers to him himself, discerning.

Five Months Old

2008-06-11T17:05:00.000-06:00

Trevin turned five months old while we were at Lake Powell on the houseboat. For someone so small, Trevin has been a lot of places already. He has been camping, to Yellowstone, and to Lake Powell.

Various Pictures from May 2008

2008-05-28T16:58:00.002-06:00

Here are just a few photos from May 2008 that I wanted to share.

We took Trevin to Primary Children's Hospital to see his doctor about the cleft palate surgery on May 19, 2008. Trevin's surgery is scheduled for August 8th. He will probably be the in the hospital for 2 to 3 days. Trevin weighed 15 pounds 8 ounces and was 26 inches long at his appointment.

My First Mother's Day

2008-05-15T16:41:00.001-06:00

This was my first official Mother's Day. It was wonderful. Chad made impressions of Trevin's hand and foot, so I have a little keepsake of how tiny my little boy used to be. We celebrated Mother's Day with my family on Saturday up at the condo at the Cliff Lodge at Snowbird. It was very nice. Grandma and Grandpa Cook were there. Julie's family didn't make it to the celebration because Julie is about to pop. Her baby is due May 27th!

On Sunday, we went to Chad's parents house for a barbeque. It was a nice relaxing day.

Being Trevin's Mommy is wonderful. I am having so much fun!

Yellowstone 2008

2008-05-12T15:07:00.003-06:00

Chad, Trevin and I went to Yellowstone at the first of May. We stayed in our condo in West Yellowstone, mere minutes from the West Yellowstone entrance gate. It was still quite cold and there was a lot of snow, but it was wonderful trip.

This was my first trip to Yellowstone. I thoroughly enjoyed it! By the time the trip was over, Trevin was very sick of his car seat. (Eight hours driving to and from Yellowstone, not to mention the hours we spent driving inside Yellowstone.) We saw a lot of wildlife. Countless elk and bison, 2 bison calves, 2 grizzly bears, a wolf, a bald eagle, and a fox. The first day was rather overcast, but the second day was absolutely beautiful. Blue skies and warm enough that you really didn't need a jacket. It was a lovely visit and I can't wait to go back.

Chad and Trevin

Waiting for Old Faithful!

Old Faithful Erupting

An Historical Marker...Yay!

Alisa and Chad

Waiting for Bison

Chad and Trevin at Cleopatra's Spring

Mammouth Hot Springs

Tough Guy!

Cute Family!

Alisa and Trevin

Chad and Trevin Making Lunch!

Trevin not happy about seeing the Lower Falls!

Alisa at the Lower Falls in the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

A Bald Eagle

Trevin getting benadryl for his allergies. He does not like it at all!

Alisa and Trevin about to go swimming!

Trevin' first swim!

Chad and Trevin just chillin'

Four Months Old!

2008-05-08T20:56:00.003-06:00

I take a picture of Trevin on the 5th of every month so I can document his growth. He is growing so much. As you can tell from the photos, Trevin is also developing quite a personality. He is at a really fun stage right now. He just laughs and coos and smiles constantly. Trevin is also developing quite a bit of a temper/attitude. If I don't respond in the manner he desires, Trevin makes his displeasure known...loudly!At his 4-month check-up on May 6, 2008, Trevin weighed 14 pounds 13 ounces and was 25 1/2 inches long. He is in the 50% for his weight and 80% for his height. Looking as his legs, you wouldn't guess he is only in the 50th percentile for weight. He has dimples on his knees for heaven's sake!

Greek Easter

2008-05-08T09:55:00.000-06:00

Greek Easter was Sunday, April 26, 2008. Chad's Grandpa Gravis is half-Greek, so the family almost always celebrates Greek Easter with delicious Greek food and family togetherness. This year, the celebration took place at Coralee and David's house. Everything went really well. The weather was beautiful--not too hot and not too cool, the food was great, and the family was crazy, which is pretty normal. We got some great family photos! Greek Easter was Trevin's first real extended family outing. He seemed to have a good time meeting all of his fun great-aunts (Marie, Meryl, Leah, and Sheila) and seeing his 1st and 2nd cousins. Chad's cousin Brooke had triplets in November. The triplets were 16 weeks early. They were supposed to be born 8 weeks after Trevin, but arrived almost six weeks before Trevin. The triplets had some struggles, but are doing well now. Jaxon and Jacee were at Greek Easter, but Gavin was still in the hospital. (Go to www.tripletsarewe.blogspot.com for updates) Chad's grandparents now have 15 great-grandchildren. Trevin is the youngest right now.

Trevin's Pneumocardiogram

2008-04-27T15:04:00.000-06:00

The baby monitor Chad and I bought for Trevin has a movement sensor. Supposedly, the sensor is sensitive enough to tell if Trevin stops moving or breathing for 20 seconds or more. When we moved Trevin to his crib from the bassinet, the sensor alarm started going off. The alarm would go off during naps and at night, but there was no clear pattern. The alarm seemed to go off randomly three to four times at night. It was really frightening. I mentioned the alarm to Trevin's pediatrician. The pediatrician decided that Trevin needed a pneumocardiogram just to be sure he didn't have a breathing or heart problem.

Chad and I had many problems with our insurance company trying to get Trevin added to our policy. I submitted the paperwork to the insurance company well within the 30 day period, but the insurance company lost our paperwork. Luckily, I emailed my paperwork and received a confirmation from customer service that my paperwork was received. We finally got Trevin added to the policy at the end of March. We had to wait until Trevin was on the insurance policy to schedule the pneumocardiogram. After many discussions with the insurance company, I finally received confirmation that the procedure was covered, so we scheduled the pneumocardiogram for a Saturday evening.

With the pneumocardiogram, Trevin has to be hooked up to a machine that monitors his breathing, heart rate, and oxygen saturation for 12 hours. Trevin had to stay overnight at the hospital with one or both of his parents. Since I am the food source, it was obvious that I had to stay overnight with Trevin. We arrived at the hospital at 6:00 p.m. he respiratory therapist hooked Trevin up to the monitor and left us in a room on the pediactric ward. Chad stayed until about 10:30 p.m., then he left to take care of the other "kids". Trevin did really well, but I hardly slept at all. Even though Trevin wasn't an official patient, the nurses kept coming in to take his vitals. They didn't wake him, but the kept waking me up. Also, the bed was pretty uncomfortable! Needless to say, I wasn't my best on Sunday or much of the following week.

Luckily, the results of the pneumocardiogram didn't show any heart or lung problems. However, the sensor alarm still goes off on occasion, so Chad and I leave the monitor hooked up for our peace of mind.

If you look closely, you can see the copious drool! Don't worry! The machine and monitors were water-proof.

The Tulip Festival

2008-04-19T15:40:00.001-06:00

Heidi, Christine and I go to the Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point every year. This year was a bit disappointing because there were very few tulips in bloom. I guess the long, hard winter delayed the blooms. Oh well! We still had a really nice time.

Alisa and Trevin

Heidi checking on Trevin

Christine on a bridge overlooking the "World's Largest Man-Made Waterfall"

Alisa and Trevin

Mc-in-Donalds!

2008-04-05T22:43:00.001-06:00

My mom, Trevin and I went up to Wellsville to visit my sister, Julie, and her kids, Garrett, Lexi, and Porter. We took the kids to McDonalds, or Mc-in-Donalds as Garrett calls it. It was a fun time. The kids frollicked in the playland and Julie, Mom, and I chatted.

How do they keep those playlands clean? There were so many kids and probably so many germs. Julie says you have to forget about it, because it is a way for the kids to work off energy during the cold months. I am just glad that Trevin isn't old enough to play in the playland yet.

Julie, Lexi, and Porter enjoying ice cream.

Trevin and his cousins -- Garrett, Lexi, and Porter

Motherhood...

2008-04-03T21:45:00.000-06:00

Motherhood.

Motherhood is so many things.

Joy. Pain. Discomfort. Worry. Happiness. Amazment. Love. Sacrifice. Lack of Sleep.

So far, motherhood is the most rewarding experience of my life. I know it is cliche, but being Trevin's mommy has changed my life and not just because I am walking around like a zombie with spit-up all over my clothes. I wasn't able to comprehend how much I could love someone until Trevin was born.

Motherhood is indescribable. It is wonderful and often so overwhelming.

Motherhood is also a time when no one takes pictures of you. I like being in pictures and I want Trevin to have pictures of him and his mommy. So, I resorted to photographing the two of us myself. Desperate? Maybe. Pathetic? A bit. Oh, well! At least the pictures turned out well. It almost looks like Trevin and I are having a conversation. I guess Motherhood is also a time for creativity and improvisation!

Trevin and the "Kids"

2008-04-01T20:33:00.001-06:00

Chad and I both worried about how the animals -- Gidget, Jack, and Jill -- would react to Trevin. Gidget and Jill are both very curious and take every opportunity to sniff Trevin. Jack, on the other hand, won't come near Trevin. Jack used to be my baby. He would lay in my lap everytime I sat down. Now, if I am holding Trevin, Jack won't come near me. Hopefully, Jack learns to co-exist soon. Jack really struggled when we brought Jill home, but now he and Jill get along. I wonder how long it will take before Jack tolerates Trevin. If the animals thought their lives changed when Trevin came home, they are going to be flabbergasted when Trevin starts crawling.

Trevin and Jilli-cat!

Trevin and Grandma and Grandpa Roskelley

Look how much bigger Trevin is getting!

Trevin and Chad conversing in bed!

Time is flying....

2008-03-25T22:21:00.000-06:00

Well, March is over and so is my maternity leave. I return to work on Wednesday, April 2nd. It makes me so sad to think I have to leave my sweet little boy. He has grown up so much in the past three months. I feel like I am going to miss so much. But, I guess being a parent is all about sacrifice. You have to do what you have to do. Maybe someday I will be able to stay home or work part-time. It just isn't an option right now.

Here are a few photos from March for your viewing pleasure. If you have a few moments, please leave up a comment. It is nice to hear what others think about my ruminations.

Trevin with Great-Grandpa Buchanan

Trevin with Aunt Julie

Trevin with Great-Grandpa Gravis

Trevin with Chad and Gravis Great-Grandparents. The funny thing about this picture is that both Grandma and Grandpa think they are smiling!

Camping Trip!

2008-03-19T18:13:00.000-06:00

Chad and I took Trevin camping a few weekends ago. We loaded up the trailer on a Friday and drove to a camp ground in Plymouth, near the Utah/Idaho border. It was so cold. We stayed inside the trailer most of the time. The camp ground is surrounded by several hot springs, so Chad and I bundled Trevin up in his carseat and just sat him near the edge of the mineral pool while we had a nice soak. Trevin really likes camping! We created a little bed for him on the fold-down couch. He did so well! Since he did so well, we decided to move him into his crib once we returned home. I miss having him so close at night, but it is good preparation for when I go back to work.

Cleft Palate News

2008-03-15T12:12:00.000-06:00

For those of you that don't know, Trevin was born with a small cleft in his soft palate. Normally, cleft palates are discovered at the hospital shortly after birth. Clefts are also often diagnosed in utero. Trevin's cleft palate wasn't discovered until a few weeks after he was born. I actually discovered Trevin's cleft palate. Trevin was screaming and I looked down and saw a small hole in the back of his mouth. The cleft was too small to see on an ultrasound and it probably wasn't found at the hospital because Trevin didn't really scream much until we brought him home.

Anyway, after a couple of referrals, we found the Craniofacial/Cleft Palate team at Primary Children's Medical Center. The team includes a plastic surgeon, an ENT, a pediactric dentist, a speech pathologist, an audiologist, and a social worker. We met with the team on Thursday, March 13th.

It looks like Trevin's cleft is pretty minor, which is welcome news. He will need surgery between 6 and 9 months of age to correct the cleft, but there doesn't appear to be any structure or bone malformations. Trevin will also have tubes put in his ears, since children with cleft palates are more prone to ear infections and hearing loss because the muscles that open and close the tube that drains from the ear into the throat is often attached wrong.

A cleft in the palate does affect a baby's ability to speak and eat. The hole in the palate affects the pressure in the mouth and sinuses. Right now, Trevin is a very good eater. He weighed 13 lbs. on Thursday! Whenever he eats, milk does drain out of his nose. He also doesn't spit up. Rather, everything comes out of his nose -- what we now refer to as "snot-ups." Repairing the cleft should eliminate both of these issues.

Our next concern is Trevin's speech. A hole in the palate makes it very hard to form most sounds in the English language, so speech with an unrepaired cleft palate sounds very nasally and can be very hard to understand. Trevin's cleft will be repaired soon so that he can learn to make the correct sounds and we can retrain his palate to work correctly. We will meet with the ENT in May to determine when Trevin will go in for the surgery.

We will keep you updated as to how things are going. Below is a link to the March of Dimes information site on cleft palates.

http://search.marchofdimes.com/cgi-bin/MsmGo.exe?grab_id=3&page_id=14942208&query=cleft+palate&hiword=CLEFTS+PALAT+PALATES+cleft+palate+

Two Months Old?

2008-03-14T22:03:00.002-06:00

Trevin turned two months old on March 5th. I can't believe it has already been two months since our lives changed forever. It is hard to remember life without Trevin. That could be due to the fact that I am drastically sleep deprived! I am glad that Chad and I had so many adventures before Trevin came. We did some really fun things and were able to travel a lot. Life with Trevin will be the best adventure yet.

A Visit to Salt Lake

2008-03-13T21:45:00.004-06:00

I took Trevin down to Salt Lake to visit my family. It was a beautiful day so my Mom and I decided to take a walk to my brother Michael's house to visit Trevin's Aunt Angie and his cousins Kylie, Kadie, and Khloe. It was the maiden voyage for Trevin's awesome stroller. As you can see, he was quite bundled up. Trevin is four months younger than cousin Khloe, but Trevin weighs about the same. He is my little chunky monkey.

If you chance to meet a frown . . .

2008-03-13T19:00:00.000-06:00

Trevin makes this very sad face. Chad and I have been trying to capture the sad face since Trevin was born, without success. Finally, Chad was able to document the beginnings of the world's biggest frown.

Trevin has made the sad face since before he was born. I can prove it because I have an ultrasound picture that shows Trevin pouting. I know it is hard to see at first, but the top of the picture is Trevin's forehead. Trevin's arm is across his face, as if he is hiding. Just below the arm you can see a big frown.

Oh, yeah! I'm cool.

2008-03-13T18:50:00.001-06:00

I love baby-sized levis. They are so freaking cute. Trevin looks so cute in these jeans. Don't you love the boots?

Chillin' in my chair

2008-03-13T18:45:00.002-06:00

Trevin seems to be a morning person like his Daddy. He is always so cheerful and smiley in the mornings. Here are a few pictures of Trevin just smiling and cooing in his favorite bouncer chair. I am going to miss my morning smile time with Trevin when I return to work and the real world.

A Trip to Idaho

2008-02-23T19:27:00.001-07:00

Chad wanted to buy a lottery ticket, so Trevin, Chad, and I took a drive to Malad, Idaho. It was Trevin's first trip out of state. Granted, it was only to Malad. But it was still a milestone of sorts. Trevin is a good little traveler. He pretty much falls asleep any time he is in a moving vehicle. So far we haven't won the lottery, but keep your fingers crossed!

Look! I can sit up.

2008-02-18T16:53:00.001-07:00

Trevin is getting so big. He is six weeks old now! Here are a few pictures of Trevin being a big boy and sitting up in the Seahawks rocking chair.

This one is my favorite picture.

Trevin's Great-Grandparents

2008-02-16T11:26:00.005-07:00

Trevin is a lucky little boy. He has six great-grandparents still living. I never knew any of my great-grandparents. Neither did Chad. Here are some photos of Trevin with his great-grandparents.

Great-Grandpa Buchanan

Great-Grandpa Gravis

Great-Grandma Gravis

Great-Grandma Cook

Great-Grandpa Cook

Great-Grandma Roskelley

Trevin is one month old!

2008-02-06T10:09:00.000-07:00

Wow! Trevin is already one month old. Time is just flying by. Things are so crazy around here. Trevin has thrown both Chad and I for a loop. It is amazing how much our lives changed in the last month. I thought we were busy before with work and such. I was wrong. By the time I get Trevin up and fed and get myself taken care of, half the day is already gone. Chad gets home from work and we get Trevin bathed and ready for bed and it is already 8 or 9 o'clock. I can't imagine how I am going to manage when I go back to work. Hopefully by then Trevin will be on some sort of schedule.

Trevin is having quite a bit of difficulty getting to sleep at night. He is like his Mommy -- afraid something fun might happen while he's asleep. He gets so tired, but he just fights sleep. Trevin is also more of a night owl. After his 2 a.m. feeding he wants to play and talk, not go back to sleep. If any of you moms out there have a helpful hint or two, I would be very interested!

Bath time!

2008-02-05T20:11:00.000-07:00

In the beginning, Trevin was not such a fan of baths. He was only getting sponge baths, but they were definitely not his favorite thing. Even in the hospital, he wasn't impressed with sponge baths and the hospital sponge bath was conducted by a "professional," not two amateurs like Mommy and Daddy!

Trevin loves getting his hair washed. Especially, when his Daddy washes his hair. Now that Trevin's umbilical cord has fallen off, we upgraded to full-blown, lots of warm water baths. Things go much smoother now. Trevin loves to just lay in the water and soak. He doesn't even mind getting his faced washed. Here are a few pictures of Trevin during his various baths. Isn't he a cutie?

Baby Boy Roskelley has Arrived!

2008-01-07T19:43:00.000-07:00

Trevin James Roskelley was born on January 5, 2008, at 5:40 a.m. He weighed 7 pounds 9 ounces and was 20" long. Mommy, Daddy and Trevin are all doing just fine. I am kind of busy mastering this whole motherhood thing, so I will just post a bunch of photos for now. Love you all!

Two Weeks to Go!

2007-12-27T21:00:00.000-07:00

Another week, another doctor's appointment. Last week, Homer weighed-in at 6 lbs. 13 ozs. This week, he gained half a pound. He now weighs 7 lbs. 5 ozs.

There are only 14 days until Homer's due date. The days are really flying by and I am really starting to get uncomfortable. I am eager to finally see my little boy. On the other hand, he is really manageable where he is. I don't have to worry about feedings, diaper changes, or getting a sitter.

Chad and I have never really seen Homer's sweet little face. Everytime I go in for an ultrasound, Homer hides or keeps turning away. This time Homer was asleep, so we were able to capture his visage. Isn't he just angelic looking? His little hands are tucked under his chin and he is just resting peacefully.

Here is another picture from an ultrasound several weeks ago. It is a picture of Homer's little hand holding onto the umbilical cord. If you look closely, you can see four little circles on one side of the cord and a little thumb opposite the fingers.

Roskelley Baby Shower!

2007-12-10T22:30:00.000-07:00

Coralee and Kristen threw me a baby shower. Grandma Gravis made a wonderful salad and I made gluten-free apple crisp for desert. It was so nice of everyone to take time during the holidays to come to the shower. Thank you everyone for you support and generosity!

A Baby Shower!

2007-12-01T21:21:00.000-07:00

Angie, Julie, Alex and my Mom threw me a baby shower today. Despite the first big snow storm of the season, most of my Buchanan and local Cook relatives attended. We played a few games, opened a bunch of presents for Homer, and had a superb lunch of chili, cheesy-potato soup and breadsticks. Julie and Alex even made me a gluten-free cake shower/birthday cake. Since December 1st is also Lexi's birthday, we took some time during the shower to sing "Happy Birthday" to Lexi and Homer, Lexi, and I shared the cake. I didn't get a full picture of the cake, but here is a photo of the biggest blue and yellow block. Julie and Alex did a great job on the cake. Angie is fantastic at planning and throwing parties. She put together the funnest baby shower gift I've ever seen. It is a doll whose body is made completely of baby clothes. Angie even gave the doll reddish-brown hair. Thank you Angie, Julie, Alex and Mom. And thanks to everyone for their generosity and love!

Grandpa Buchanan's 90th Birthday

2007-11-30T21:20:00.000-07:00

November 30, 2007, was my Grandpa Richard Buchanan's 90th Birthday. Ninety years is an amazing accomplishment, so the family got together for a celebration. Grandpa looks fantastic for 90 years old! I hope he is around to celebrate 100 years.

My mom put together a little program and my sister Julie interviewed almost every child, grandchild, and great-grandchild for a video presentation. Everyone had such wonderful things to say about Grandpa. Grandpa played his harmonica for everyone. My dad and uncles Dan, Rex, and Warren all sang Grandpa's favorite song, Come Come Ye Saints. Then, everyone got the opportunity to share a memory or two. It was a very nice evening.

Countdown to Homer-Time, Part 2

2007-11-24T15:27:00.000-07:00

Little Homer is getting big. At my last appointment, the doctor estimated that Homer is already 5 lbs., 7 oz. Two weeks ago, Homer's estimate weight was 4 lbs., 3 oz. Two weeks prior to that, Homer weighed 2 lbs., 11 oz. If he keeps gaining a pound and a quarter every two weeks, he will weigh over 9 lbs. by his due date on January 10, 2008. I weighed 5 lbs., 11 oz. when I was born. Chad was almost 10 lbs. I was really hoping that Homer would take after his mother and come in around 6 lbs. Apparently, this is not going to happen. My biggest fear is that he will start to gain weight at an even faster rate. If this occurs, I may have to bribe the doctor to take him early.

Homer's nursery is decorated in Seattle Seahawks colors--a very nice blue and and a not so nice flourescent green. I am not to happy about the green stripe on the wall, but Chad insists it will help build Homer's team spirit. All I can think about is the green stripe burning my eyes out during the 3 a.m. feeding. Chad found a very nice crib for Homer. I really wanted something in a darker color, but the natural wood looks nice in the nursery. It also matches the dresser we bought. The bear in the crib is named Milton. We bought Milton on our recent Seattle trip. He is Homer's first toy.

Chad and I are still in disagreement over whether the Seahawks shrine should come down. I say Homer needs his own space and having all those knick-knacks on the wall isn't safe. Besides, the shrine is just collecting dust. I also worry about Homer pulling the neon Seahawks sign down on himself. Chad wants to leave the shrine up indefinitely and insists that we can't touch the shrine until after the season ends because it would be bad luck. I just want to make a place for Homer. I want to decorate his nursery in a jungle/safari theme, not a football theme. Again, back to that 3 a.m. feeding thing...I refuse to feed Homer by the light of the neon Seahawks sign. But, you know how stubborn Chad is. He has to be difficult and contrary, even if he doesn't have strong feelings about something. I think he would be wiser to take the shrine down before I rip it off the wall in a rage brought on by sleep deprivation and the green stripe buring my eyes out!

The "Last Hurrah" Before Homer

2007-11-24T14:47:00.000-07:00

In October, Chad and I took a trip to Seattle. It was a kind of "last hurrah" before Homer is born. Several months ago, Chad bought tickets to the Seattle Seahawks/New Orleans Saints football game. Originally, I wasn't going to go to Seattle because I was feeling so awful. Early pregnancy is not fun what with the nausea, exhaustion, and irritability! By mid-September, however, I was feeling much better so I accompanied Chad. We stayed with Chad's cousin, Nate, and just hung-out. No schedules or plans other than the Seahawks game Sunday night. The weather was so nice while we were in Seattle. It had been raining for several days prior to our arrival and it started raining again the day we departed, but the few days we were in Seattle were beautiful--blue skies, temperate weather, lovely!

On Friday night, Chad and I were looking on the internet for gluten-free restaurant options. Lo and behold, there was a gluten-free bakery just a few blocks from Nate's house. I spent almost an hour browsing the gluten-free menu and salivating over such delicacies as gluten-free cream puffs, scones, donuts, and pasta. Saturday morning, while Chad and I were still sleeping, Nate went out and bought me a bunch of gluten-free goodies from the bakery. He even bought me a half-gallon of milk! I could have kissed him. I ate a scone, a donut, and a cream-puff for breakfast. I really hadn't gained much weight during my pregnancy. Needless to say, my weekend in Seattle near the gluten-free bakery did pack on a few pounds.

Chad, Nate, and I spent some time at the Circuit City waiting for some Seahawks player to show up and sign stuff. Chad and Nate were quite excited, but I had trouble mustering much enthusiasm. In the end, the player (I think his name is Deion Branch) didn't even show up. It wasn't all a loss. I got a great picture of Nate and Chad! I consider this photo particularly impressive, because these two normally make gestures any time a photo is taken. Luckily, they were both holding a Seahawks jersey, which masked any gesture they might have attempted.

Chad went to the Seattle game with Nate, his cousin Nick, and his uncle Russ. Chad wasn't able to get a seat near his family, but he apparently had a good time tail-gating with Nate and Nick. Unfortunately, the Seahawks lost to New Orleans.

Sunday night, Chad and I stayed at a downtown Seattle hotel to facilitate our trip to the airport Monday morning. Our hotel was near the Space Needle. The night time view of the Space Needle was amazing, but sadly, none of our photos turned out well. Here is a photo of the Space Needle Monday morning. As I said earlier, it started raining Monday morning, so the view wasn't as spectacular. Oh well! Still a fun sight.

Birthday Cupcakes

2007-10-29T19:41:00.000-06:00

Averi and Richard came to visit me on my birthday. Averi and I made cupcakes and cookies. We had a really good time. Averi is a very good helper. Especially when it came time to taste test the cupcakes and cookies. Since it was a gluten-free cupcake mix, both Averi and I got a beater after we finished mixing the batter. The cookies weren't gluten-free, so I didn't participate in the taste testing there.

Countdown to Homer-time!

2007-10-29T19:18:00.000-06:00

Here is a photo of Homer from an ultrasound on September 10th. This is pretty much the only photo we have of Homer's face. Everytime I go to the doctor, we get a great posterior shot or confirmation that he still has little dangly boy parts. But we hardly ever get to see his face. Homer is much like his Daddy in that he doesn't like having his picture taken. Chad detests being in photos. Grandma Gravis tells Chad that he must think he is much better looking than he really is. I hope Homer's bad attitude towards photo-taking changes when he is born and he doesn't exhibit his father's poor attitude. It will just make his life that much harder. I come from a family that is so enamored by photo-taking that we each might as well have a camera as an extra appendage. Little Homer is already well-photographed. It will only get worse once he is born.

Homer has Chad's nose and my cheek bones. Coralee found a photo of Chad when he was a month old or so. Chad has tons of bright red hair and the cutest little button nose, just like the little nose you see in Homer's pre-baby picture.

At our last appointment, Chad asked the doctor if it was true that Homer would have more hair if I had really bad heartburn. The doctor assured us that the link between heartburn and hair was an old wives tale. But, during the ultrasound, she looked for hair on Homer's head. Lo and behold, Homer has quite a bit of hair already. I wonder if it will be red like Chad's.

Why we call him Homer...

2007-10-29T19:02:00.000-06:00

Baby Boy Roskelley doesn't have a name yet. Chad and I can't agree on a name. More correctly, I come up with lots of potential names and Chad vetoes almost every name I suggest. One thing we can agree on is our baby's nickname -- Homer. As you can see from the attached photo, one of the very first ultrasound pictures of our baby looks just like Homer Simpson right down to the oval shaped head and the big belly. This photo was taken on June 19th. We still didn't know if our baby was a boy or girl, but we started referring to him as Homer. It drives my mom crazy! I think she is worried that the nickname will stick and our child will be forever branded as Homer. In my family, that is kind of mean given that we can't carry on a conversation without some reference to the Simpsons. I argue that Homer (the ancient Greek guy) was an incredible writer and maybe that will inspire Baby Homer to greatness. I don't think anyone is buying my argument, though.

Long time, no write...

2007-09-15T11:32:00.000-06:00

Wow! It is already September and I haven't written any thing about finishing the house or my various summer activities. A lot has happened since March 4th.

We finally finished the majority of the work on the house remodel necessitated by January's flood. There are still a few small details left like replacing outlet covers and touching up the paint. For the most part, though, everything is looking fantastic! I will take some pictures so I can show the transformation our home has undergone. Now the house is almost everything I want in house -- it just needs a bathroom on the main level and a bigger kitchen.

In May, Chad and I found out we were going to have a baby. Very exciting news! Also, a little crazy. I think we had both resigned ourselves to being the favorite uncle and aunt. It was quite a surprise to find out we were expecting. Little boy Roskelley is due in January! I just had a 3D ultrasound on Monday. This baby is very much like his father. He apparently hates getting his picture taken and is incredibly stubborn. It took quite a bit of coaxing and poking, but we finally got the baby to turn his head so we could see is face. It was only a fleeting glance, but he is cute little bugger! I may be biased, but I am the mommy so I am allowed to be biased. He is quite the mover though. He wakes me up in the middle of the night and early in the morning with his somersaults and gymnastics. It is very distracting when I am trying to work and someone is kicking me from the inside. We can't decide on a name so far. I like many names, but, so far, Chad has vetoed almost every name I like. I really like Jackson, but since I named the cat Jackson Harold Roskelley, I can't very well give my little boy that name. Harold is Chad's middle name, which I am not too fond of, so I am kind of okay about naming the cat after Chad.

Fish Lake!

2007-08-20T17:06:00.000-06:00

Every August, the extended Buchanan family (aunts, uncles, cousins) makes a pilgrimage to Fish Lake National Forest in central Utah. My Grandpa Buchanan grew up in Wayne County and spent a lot of time in and around Fish Lake when he was younger.

When I was younger, the families always went to Fish Lake over the bow hunt so my dad and his brothers could hunt all day while the women and children stayed in camp. We did this until I was nine or ten. The tradition was rekindled a few years back. Now all of my cousins and their children along with all of the aunts and uncles go to Fish Lake each year. We have a lot of fun! Since everyone's lives are so busy, Fish Lake is really the only time we see everyone each year.

Michael and Angie weren't able to go to Fish Lake this year because little Khloe was due the end of August.

Fish Lake holds so many memories for me. I love visiting the old lodge, taking boat rides on the lake, and going for hikes in the forest. The shoreline trail runs along the lake from the camp ground we always stay in past the old lodge. When I was little, I remember riding my bike or walking along that trail so many times. I took Gidget for a nice walk along the trail each year. Next year, I'll have my little boy to take along. I hope he loves Fish Lake and camping as much as I do!

Aunt Debbie, Jeanette, and I took a lovely hike up to Pelican Canyon. We only made it about half way. It was a great hike and I had a lovely time visiting with both of them. I also really enjoy sitting around the fire at night just visiting and reminiscing about the past. I am lucky to maintain a relationship with my cousins.

Grandpa Buchanan hasn't come to Fish Lake the past few years because it is too hard for him to breathe thanks to the 9,000 ft elevation. We really miss him.

At the Ball Game with Mason and Cooper

2007-08-15T23:41:00.000-06:00

Chad and I took Cooper and Mason to a Salt Lake Bees baseball game.
The boys had a great time eating "shicken wings" (as Mason calls them), hot dogs, hamburgers, popcorn, and soda. There wasn't a whole lot of interest in the baseball game itself, but the boys really enjoyed visiting with people around us. At the end of the evening, both Cooper and Mason got to shake the team mascot's hand.

The End is Here!!

2007-05-04T20:25:00.000-06:00

Sorry it took so long to update my blog. It has been so busy around here. I have very good news, though...the end is here! Yes, that's right. After almost 5 months of mess, muck, disorganization and absolute chaos the remodel is mostly complete. We just had the carpet installed Tuesday and it looks wonderful. There are still a few minor projects that need to be completed, like paint touch up and installing a few light fixtures, but for the most part we can put the house back together. I am so excited.

During this whole process, I have felt pretty useless (See "I am not a laborer, yet still I labor" for details), but now I can do what I am good at--organizing and cleaning! After all of the clutter, I am of the opinion that less is definitely more. It is probably time for a huge yardsale to help declutter our home. Whatever doesn't sale, goes to the D.I. or Big Brothers, Big Sisters!

Girls' Trip to Moab...Woo Hoo!

2007-04-23T11:58:00.000-06:00

In April, I went to Moab with my friend Christine. We had a great girls' trip! We hiked in Arches and just hung out. I am not the most active person, so I think Christine was nervous that I was going to bum out on a lot of hiking. I, however, did amazingly well. We even hiked to Delicate Arch. It wasn't as grueling as I expected. Of course, all of the small children making the same trek squelched my desire to whine about the exertion. If a five year old can do it, I figured I could do it too! Christine and I also took an awesome Unimog tour through the red rock back country around Slick Rock Trail. It was so cool! We were clear up on top of the cliffs staring down at the Green River (I think it was the Green River. It could have been the Colorado River?)

It was amazing. I really want to go back in October when the weather cools down. Here are a few pictures of our trip.

I am not a laborer, but still I labor!

2007-03-04T15:34:00.000-07:00

Take a close look at this picture. It is photographic proof that Alisa can actually participate in manual labor activities. I am not what you would call a laborer. I avoid manual labor at almost any cost. When I was younger, I used to pay my siblings and parents to do my share of pulling weeds, picking raspberries, or other various jobs. If you asked my parents or siblings, they would probably claim that the photograph is doctored or a hoax, much like a photo of a UFO or Bigfoot. I assure you, however, that the photo is not a hoax, but documentation of my intensive labors to prepare the kitchen for the tile floor. I even have a scar on my hand from the blister I received while screwing down cement backer board.

When this whole home disaster thing occured, I really wanted to hire someone to do the work. I had two reasons for this: 1) if some is hired to do the work, Chad and I won't be required to help, and 2) if I am not required to help, I don't have to feel guilty that I am not a laborer. Here's the problem. Chad is very handy, as are his parents and brothers. Chad was very much against hiring someone to do the work, because it would cost a lot and he knew he and his dad could figure almost anything out. As you can see from the pictures below, I lost in my quest to hire someone. Chad, David and Coralee have been working constantly to get this remodel done. Every day, I come home from work and something else is done--the cabinets, the railing, the sheetrock in the family room, another room painted. The work is going very well and Chad, David, and Coralee do wonderful work. While I am not a laborer and probably never will be, I am great at documenting our recovery from The Great Flood of 2007 in the Sassy Sassy Blog.

One Room Down...

2007-02-18T15:58:00.000-07:00

Well, the kitchen will be the first room finished. The walls are painted, the cabinets are re-stained, and Chad put the tile in today. I couldn't find a good "before" picture, but I did find a picture from Thanksgiving 2006 that shows the cabinets and wall color before the renovations. Check out the before and after on the walls, cabinets, and lights. It's like a brand new kitchen!

The Immediate Aftermath

2007-02-18T14:12:00.000-07:00

There was so much water from The Great Flood of 2007 that our furnace shorted out. The insurance company said they would reimburse Chad and I if we went to stay at a hotel, but we didn't feel right leaving the kids (aka Gidget, Jack, and Jill--our dog and two cats) So, we put a few extra blankets on the bed and let the kids sleep in our room that night. Sleep Over!! In theory the kids were supposed to help keep us warm. However, I think they did a better job of keeping us awake than keeping us warm.

Documented Chaos

2007-02-18T14:01:00.000-07:00

So, I went a little overboard documenting the flood for the insurance company. I took over 300 pictures in 2 days. My photography frenzy wasn't all bad. It took an adjustor 11 days to come to the house and inspect the damage. Now, over a month later, we are still waiting for the insurance company to approve our claim. Renovations will come to a screeching halt if we don't get an answer soon! I can't wait until the renovation is complete. It will be like having a new house.

No carpet, no walls, no ceiling.

2007-02-18T10:36:00.000-07:00

I like things organized. Each thing has a place and should be in its place. Needless to say, I am a little disturbed by the current situation. I am surrounded by chaos. Missing walls, missing ceilings, missing floors--Nothing in its place. Aaaaarghhh! Instead of just replacing the carpet and repainting the house, Chad and I decided to put tile in the kitchen and paint the walls new colors. We moved in almost five years ago, so now is a good time to update. Anyone who knows Chad recognizes that he is kind of stubborn. (Anyone who knows Chad just said, "KINDA?") Anyway, Chad has very strong opinions on what looks good and what he wants. I also tend to have strong opinions; however, I am a little better at compromising than Chad. What I am trying to get across is that this whole remodelling experience has been a real treat. Chad and I couldn't agree on paint colors, tile, carpet, lighting, which rooms to start on, etc., which led to several arguments. When I did get Chad to finally agree to a paint color, I went and got the paint the next day so we couldn't change our minds. Good times!

The Great Flood of 2007

2007-02-18T10:19:00.000-07:00

Chad and I decided that this incident shall
be known in our family lore as The Great Flood of 2007. Here are a few photos of the initial flood damage. The bubbles on the walls are where water flowed underneath the paint. We have paint bubbles everywhere. The disaster clean-up company tore out all of the carpet pad, wet insulation, several walls, and quite a bit of the ceiling. It is even more drafty in my house than before! Chad and I, with a lot of help from Coralee and David, are doing the renovations by ourselves. Fun Times!

Water water everywhere

2007-02-18T09:41:00.000-07:00

When I walked inside, water was running down the stairs and falling from the ceiling. I admit I was a bit frantic, but can you blame me? I thought the ceiling was going to cave in and crush me! I got the water shut off and called the insurance company. Then, I called in clean-up support (aka family members) for assistance! Thanks David, Coralee, Kirk and Eric!!

The beginning...sort of!

2007-02-18T09:31:00.000-07:00

It all started when I found the toilet in the bathtub!
Actually, it really began when I came home from work to discover water raining down from my garage ceiling, but I really wanted to use that first sentence. It's kind of intriguing. Water raining down from the garage ceiling was bad, but nothing compared to what I found when I walked inside!