Fall Pictures

We finally got some pictures of the girls and my amazingly talented neighbor captured them so perfectly, thanks Ev. Check out her blog! Click on the pic for more!

November Already?

I can't believe it is November and soon December then January! (BABY COMES!) I am now in the middle of the third trimester and...don't know exactly how I feel...tired, excited, tired, anxious, tired, big... did I mention tired? I love feeling this little kick and squirm during the day, but it needs to stop during the night, sleep is all to important these next few months! I can' t believe I have let this much time go by since our awesome family reunion in September. The whole Gardner clan went on a cruise! It was meant to be, the cruise line doesn't let women who are pregnant 24 weeks or more on the ship, I stepped off the boat one day shy of 24 weeks...phew! Cutting it close is an understatement, the trip was planned well before this little guy was in the picture! It was 7 days of bliss with lots of fun memories....

THANKS MOM AND DAD!!!

The fall has always been our favorite season, the crisp air, football, and all the yummy food that you can only make this time of year...SOUP! Annika has a new obsession with soup, I just love hearing her say it....sssssoooop! We need some new recipeLivy is talking up a storm, her favorite command among many, "I'ont some"! It doesn't matter what it is, she wants it! These girls are so determined, I just hope we can channel this energy to good things!! Happy Fall to ALL!!
Until next time!!

Exercise anyone?

Haven't had the urge or desire to exercise lately, but laughing at this may just check it off your list for the day! Says to work the waistline...mine is increasing daily, so maybe we'll give it a try!

Proud to announce, "it's a BOY!"

It's amazing how different 1st and 2nd trimesters are...I couldn't even talk about being pregnant without getting sick! But now things are great and we are having a lot of fun as a family! It was 4 days before girls camp that the spewing and all day napping stopped, answer to prayers? I think so!! Camp was a lot of work, but I wasn't going to miss it for the world! We had so much fun up at Heber Valley Camp, very spoiled with cabins and showers and gourmet kitchens! A big thank you for all of you that helped with my kids during that week, I left with complete faith that all would be well, Rasty was the only one that walked around with his cell phone in hand all week hoping for calls from his long lost pregnant wife! I called once...isn't that enough?:) Some pics for a peek of girls camp...it's been a long time for a lot of you! Not much has changed, lots of laughing, braided hair, and snipe hunting...good times!Just prior to our skit...hence the 80's updo and makeup, love these girls!Some of the girls at the lake on site.

Now we jump to our fabulous trip to Lake Tahoe over Labor Day weekend with some dear friends! It was so amazing, we visited in the winter and got a glimpse of the beauties of the lake, but Tahoe in the summer is awesome! It was good 9 hour drive, but thank goodness for our recent upgrade earlier this summer...Rast finally got his Chevy! Ever since I met this boy he has had a feddish with Chevy trucks and he would make a this sad puppy dog face when he saw one on the road, particularly Silverados. I was smart when we were family planning earlier this year and I was not ready for another baby, we made a deal that if we were to have another child, we would get a bigger car. Miraculously...really! all things worked out... we got a baby and car! Anyway...our trip to Tahoe was comfortable! We played at the lake and boated all day. I was sad to not get out on the wakeboard, but I took a nice easy ride on the tube, the baby kicked the whole time...loving it I am sure! Annika had a cute little friend to play with and they loved the sandy beach. It was pretty much amazing! They let Rasty and I have a date night and we went out for great food with out pulling bibs and toys out at the restaurant!

Thanks Krisha and Brian for great times!

The water is crystal clear! Rasty was securing the anchor 20ft down!

Aren't fruit snacks the "go-to" on vacations?

A little down time, until someone tipped us! Rasty took a liking to Annika's sun hat!BYU was about to play their infamous game against Oklahoma, cougar apparel isn't an everyday thing!Rasty made a strange dead "crawdad" memorial...yeah weird!

And Rasty finally learned to wakeboard...finally!!!

A few days later we find out we are having a boy!! We are so excited! In light of the awesome win BYU pulled off days before in Texas, Rasty had the best week of his life! He is finally getting his football team going:) Right now we can't decide on any names so this little guy is being called "Cougar", any suggestions are welcome...please!!

Annika has started pre-school and I am loving the few hours alone with Olivia. Shopping is heaven when I don't have to argue about every thing going in and out of the cart, and stopping at everything we may pass that pictures a Disney princess! Livy is a little busy body climbing on everything and still eating dirt. Her mullet is down to her shoulders, still bald on the top! Seeing Annika's beautiful curly hair gives me hope, I am envious of that girls hair! Livy started saying more words, but not "mommy"! Her first words go...
1. No!
2. Mine!
3. Daddy
4. Da Da Dora
5. Elmo
She is a daddy's girl and that is OK, she insists on him putting her down for bed and diaper changes... I am not offended!
Well, this new baby should be here about Jan. 13! That's it for now, hope all is well for you out there!

Catch up!

I dragged Rasty to Youth Conference, in our skit I was the balding boy asking him, the girl, on a date:)

Chubby Bunny!

My amazing counselors, love them!

Annika at Gooseberry Reunion, didn't bring a comb:)

Fishing in a St. George pond with G'pa Gardner...catching 2 in. guppies!

So our summer has been busy with various activities, it all started with Youth Conference, well planning it, attending, then picking up the pieces of my life that were neglected during all of it! It was a lot of fun though! I talked Rasty into coming for a bit and I loved sharing those moments with him. He never gets to see what takes me away all the time. We then hopped in the car the next weekend to attend a family reunion in Richfield, we were in charge of activities for the bunch and came very unprepared...no idea there was going to be 130+ in attendace, my bag of M&Ms didn't last long we will say that much:) Caught the flu the next week, everyone except Olivia, it was a nasty little bug. Apparently all those in our company that week caught it...SORRY! We left for a St. George reunion that same week, still recovering and it spread like wild fire, again! We did get one good day at the pool and Texas Roadhouse with my mom and dad, then dooms day hit 24 hrs later with them...sorry! Anyway, we have seen a lot of family this summer and it has been great. Spent the 4th with family and finally bought fireworks for the first time! I think Rasty finally felt like the family man as he brought home the good for the 4th, it was great to celebrate with my girls, Annika got so excited about the fireworks that she knocked a neighbor girl down with a 'big hug' as she calls it... pretty funny! July continued on with many days playing in the pool in the yard and slip n slide. Olivia is the first to go down the slide and plunge in the water, she loves it! She will play for hours in the water and I love just watching her fat little body splash around. The girls interaction is getting really fun to watch, I can't believe how fast time is going by. Rasty went backpacking with his Dad and brother one weekend this month and the next weekend I joined them with the girls on a camping trip to the Uintas. We camped at Pole Creek, it was beautiful...lot of mosquitoes though! I hate the darn things. Olivia came home looking like she got acne, screen tent is a must next trip. And yes I did out fish Rasty, I think that was a highlight:) We sent Rasty's little brother off to Columbia for his mission this past week, he is the last of the Snow boys to go and we are going to miss him! I am busy getting ready for girls camp in 2 weeks, but so excited to go! I definitely need this time away from my kids to reflect on how I can improve as a mother, spouse, in my calling. The spirit I feel at these camps is irreplaceable and to witness change in these YW is awesome, it love it! Our camera has been out of commission for the last few months, I am so sad about that. Our Livy is getting the shaft on pictures, we have so many of Annika, but I guess that is what happens kid after kid! Until next time...

The Return of the Snow's!

Spring 09

So blogging isn't top priority, I get so far behind that you don't even want to face it so we will make this quick I hope. Life has been crazy at the Snow home. We worked tirelessly on the basement this spring and finally got the carpet installed...note- all the pics in the post are before and after in a weeks time, so monday to a friday, craziness! and I attempted to reupholster the sectional, that is still in progress! It was all done just in time to celebrate Annika's 3rd birthday, she is growing up so fast! We took a short trip to St. George at the end of March to break in my parents new "second" home. All the kids except Derrick were able to make it. It was a lot fun to see all the kiddies play. We jumped right back in the car, well I did with the girls, and went to Southern California to visit Mark and Bekah. It was so much fun! Rasty flew down later in the week to celebrate his birthday at Disneyland. I surprised with a special lunch to Club 33, an exclusive restaurant that only members can get in, thanks to Mark's work! Annika was in heaven! She took it all in and didn't stop for a minute! It was kind so wierd to be taking my own kids to Disneyland, when did I grow up? Livi just chilled in the stroller, drifted in and out of sleep so effortlessly, it was a perfect! We went to the beach, went on a double date away from the kids and had lots of laughs with Mark and his family, thanks for such great hospitality you two! We got home just in time to celebrate another birthday, Olivia 1st! Man these girls keep me so busy I don't know where the time goes. She decided to walk this very day, she was just waiting for the big day! The one thing I love about all these birthday's in a row is the cake making! I love it!
Rasty's work is going great, the high school it almost done and we love that he is still so close to home, home at 3:30 everyday, well most days! The school will wrap up in the next month and we are waiting to hear where he will go next. I am staying busy with Young Womens, maybe thats an understatement...we have youth conference in two weeks and I am so excited! I love my calling! And girls camp at the end of summer, one full week of bliss! Rasty reminds me that he can sympathize with the bishop's wife in a small way, lending his spouse to the ward many nights of the week...love you hon! This past month has also given a small taste of how raising a teenager would be. Rasty's parents were able to go on a month long geneology trip to spain with BYU so it was left in our hands to get Sam, the youngest of the Snow's, gratudated. It has been a close call, but I think we are in the clear! We have ecxused countless tardies and absences, but we've all been there, senioritis!
A big event in my family this week... Scott got married, the last of the little guys, all kids have tied the knot...in the temple! I am so excited for our new addition, Marissa Latimer, she is perfect for Scotty and we love her! What a blessing to have such great parents who have taught us the importance of the temple. It was so neat to be all together in the sealing room. The day was packed and the girls are still trying to recouperate from it all. They both had snot nose that day so sorry to those that got smeared with the stuff on your clothing! It comes out in the wash:)
So we will try to do better in staying caught up, hopefully these pics will fill in the holes of the past 4 months!

Let's hear it for the GIRLS!

I have posted about my wonderful husband and such, but to be honest, the majority of the time I am thinking about 'my girls' and that includes Livy, Annika, and many others ages 12-17! I love them all and they make me so happy. This week was our New Beginnings program for Young Womens and it was a lot fun! I now have so much love and appreciation for my YW leaders, this job is not just on sunday and wednesdays, it's 24/7! I am constantly thinking about the needs for a 2 year old, 9 month old and a handful of amazing teenagers. Our NB was Mission:POSSIBLE and we were a top secret agents welcoming new agents (the new beehives) to the academy! So any readers out there that have YW responsibilities, lets exchange ideas, I come up short a lot!
So Annika and Livy are my absolute favorite, they continue to amaze me with their personalities. Liv's just wanders the house with a sweet little grin, and loves Annika's dancing and wiggles. These girls suck the energy right out of me but I sure love them and all the cuddles I get everyday. We took advantage of the sunshine this week and tried out their new wagon; can't wait for spring!!