Celebrity Halloween 2010

Last night we took the kids to the ward trunk or treat at our church. I wasn't sure if I was going to take them out tonight because we didn't get home from church until 4pm, they were already tired, and Brian was going to be gone studying so he wouldn't be home to go with us. I decided to bite the bullet and went out with my neighbor Cheryl and her kids. We walked over to another one of our friends house, Marisa, and headed out to trick or treat. The first house we went to was Thomas Keller's house - the famous chef who owns French Laundry - look him up. I was pleasantly surprised by how much the kids got into the trick or treating. I still thought Evan would be a little young to appreciate it, but he was walking ahead of me and taking himself to each door, ringing the bell, and doing the deal. At one house, the lady said "what do you say?" - (i.e..trick or treat) and Evan responded with a stern, "fill it up" - it was awesome and embarrassing all at the same time. Last night the boys were both Spiderman and tonight Evan was Iron Man and Owen was probably the cutest blue monster I have ever seen. His costume had a little tail on the back and when he walked it would wag - there is nothing cuter than a baby in a costume. Owen was actually going from to each door and saying trick or treat AND thank you - progress!

These are the moments....

I am writing this blog post mostly for my husband - so if you need to be spared the sap, read on or skip over this post. Brian likes to read our blog while he is at school and look at the pictures of our sweet little boys. On Friday afternoon, Evan wanted me to take pictures of him sitting on the steps wearing his skeleton/pirate shirt. Coincidentally, as I was taking his pictures, his dad came home and I was able to capture the picture of him running down the stairs and jumping up on Brian and giving him a hug right as he came in the door. I like to think that Brian is different. While some dads are okay with leaving every day from 9am - 5pm, and sometimes even enjoy being gone for those hours, Brian is different. He genuinely loves spending time with the kids and hates leaving them. This week is going to be especially hard. Brian has his block exams which means four tests between Monday and Friday and endless hours of studying. I know that it is hard on Brian to be away from the kids for so many hours and basically be MIA for an entire week, but hopefully he will look at this blog post from day to day and remember that Friday is just around the corner and Evan will be waiting on the steps again. You can do it Brian - good luck on your tests, we love you.

Why I Love Having Little Boys

My heart aches to have a baby girl one day, but for now - I LOVE having little boys. It is hard to explain, but the relationship between a mom and her little boy is so sweet. Every week when I get ready for church Evan tells me that I am a princess, this never gets old. Yesterday, he told me that I was a princess and then told me to take a break from putting on my make up and hold his hand so he could spin me around....(heart melting). My little Owen is a bright eyed boy that is tough as nails but sweet as can be. While leaping through the air to land on the couch, he will usually sneak in a hug or lay on my lap for 3 seconds - and I love it. I say this because I was talking to my sister today about babies, and future babies, and she made me laugh. I am impulsive by nature, and TMI, if it wasn't for a temporarily permanent form of birth control, I would probably want to have another baby right now just because I love my two that I have so much. BUT I can't be impulsive, so I am going to wait until Owen is probably a little over three years old before going for number three. Right now, it is crazy and enjoyable. I love watching my boys run around the park together and actually play 20 percent of the time and only fight 80 percent:) They ride in their red wagon every day together to the park or around the block and we talk about pumpkins and skeletons while Evan points out where the shade is (he is still amazed when he isn't "hot" in Vegas). Life is busy, and sometimes lonely, but it is good.

While I am writing this blog, I am sitting on the couch next to Brian who is studying and occasionally checking my heart beat. He is studying the heart tonight. I am not always a fan of being his patient/guinea pig, but I'll take whatever attention I can get these days:) Brian got a 100 percent on a biochemistry test last week and a 90 percent on an Anatomy exam so I guess if the long hours of studying is paying off, I'll take the lack of attention for a bit/a long bit:)

This past weekend we went down to the strip after eating In N Out burger - which is becoming our Friday night routine. We took the boys to the Shark Reef Aquarium which was really fun. I felt like we reached a milestone in their ages that night. Although we brought the stroller, both of the boys got down and walked through the aquarium and actually stayed with us the whole time/didn't try to run off - it was a beautiful moment. This might sound lame, but anyone who has kids knows how frustrating it is to have one child enjoy something and the other one running no where in the opposite direction and having to chase them the whole time. Having both kids enjoy the same activity was awesome. There was one part where it looks like you are in a ship that has wrecked and the floor is cut out/covered by glass so that you can see the fish below you. Owen was convinced it was an open hole and when I tried to pull him on to it to stand with me he threw his legs up in the air so he wouldn't go over board - it was really funny. Evan enjoyed seeing the Starfish and said "Look Mom, it's star chicken" - his favorite menu item at Carls Jr. See the pictures below.






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White Coat Ceremony

I am a little embarrassed about how long it has been since I have last blogged. Maybe it has been because there is nothing to blog about or possibly I am just too busy to blog? Whatever the reason - it has been less than a month so I am not throwing in the towel on blogging just yet!

Today marks an important day. Not only is it now LESS than one month until I get to go home for a visit BUT Brian had his white coat ceremony today. The white coat ceremony is kind of interesting. It is a little bit like graduating backwards. Although he has years left before he is officially a doctor, he gets a white coat. Maybe it is motivation for the med students to stick it out because they have a jacket with their name already embroidered on it - if that is not motivation, I don't know what is:)

Brian's white coat ceremony was held at the Bally's Hotel and Casino on the strip. Brian had to go down early so this was the first time that I had to go down to the strip by myself with two kids. I don't think going down to the strip by myself would seem like such a big deal, but with two kids, it is a whole different ball game. Luckily, I found a steal of a deal on a sit and stand stroller this weekend and that purchase came more than handy to cart the kids around and get into the casino/the ceremony. I didn't think the kids would make it, but they did surprisingly well. Although we do have many more years to go, it was fun to see Brian sitting on the stage in his white coat...it means we are one step closer to the real thing.

Here are some photos from today....

Updates

We returned home last night from a trip to Fresno, California. Brian's mother has cancer so we went to visit and I stayed while he came back to Nevada so that I could help drive his brother around to work and errands since his mother can't drive right now due to nerve damage. While it was hard to see Brian's mom sick, and hard to be away from Brian, it was really enjoyable to spend some quality time with his family. Usually when we see them it is a holiday which means a lot of people and really hectic. It was so nice to have some one on one time and let the kids get to know their grandparents a little better. Brian's mom (Maxine) is really an inspiring woman to be around. She has been suffering on and off with Cancer since Brian was in the 2nd grade and I think that she is the definition of a true fighter. While cancer may be rid throughout her body, she isn't and hasn't given up. She keeps on moving. When her right hand stopped working correctly, she was determined to learn to write with her left hand. She has such a positive outlook on life and is just a truly genuine woman. It made me think more about my life and how to maximize my potential as a wife and a mother.

In general, I always enjoy Fresno. If it wasn't so far from my family, I could live there. It was so nice to wake up in the morning and be able to go for a long run when it was only 55 to 60 degrees and then by afternoon it would be in the 90s and you could go swimming. The main road out of Brian's neighborhood is gorgeous. The homes are huge and they have awesome landscaping and mature trees. I told Brian's sister Becky it looks like the Secret Garden on steroids, so beautiful.

Evan William turned three years old today. I can't believe that it has already been three years. Time truly flies when you are having fun, are busy out of your mind, and sleep deprived 90 percent of the time. Honestly, I can't complain. Evan is such a joy. He has quite the personality and is quite funny. Now that he is three years old, Brian and I enjoy watching him learn and discover the world around him, as well as the dynamics of road rage and occasionally a few curse words.

It might sound pathetic, but before moving to Las Vegas, one of the things that made me cry the most was thinking about Evan's birthday and how he probably wouldn't have enough friends yet to constitute having a birthday party. He has such a close relationship with his cousins that it was hard to think about moving somewhere where he wouldn't have the same type of relationships. However, I was determined to make it a good birthday for him. We woke up this morning and opened his gifts from his Grandma and Grandpa Jones, Namom and Grand dad, and the Miska family. Shortly after, we went and got the mail and he got a Spider-man b-day card from his cousin Mae and an awesome Spider-man shirt from his Aunt Lauren and Uncle McKay. Then we went and got bagels at Einstein Bagels - his favorite spot and were off to Target to get him the Batman Cave with the gift card that Namom sent in his package. After a lazy afternoon of cartoons and chocolate milk, we had dinner at Chili's and red velvet cake - which he calls Spider-man cake because it is read. I think the highlight of the evening was when we were outside in a parking lot this evening and it smelled of sewage. Evan looked at Brian and said "Daddy, it smells like a giant fart out here - smells like stinky poop" . He then proceeded to ask a stranger if they smelled the fart outside....so funny. To top it off, on the way home, Brian's dad called to wish Evan a happy birthday and once I closed the cell phone I sat it in the cup holder. When we got home, I realized that Brian had put Evan's chocolate shake in the cup holder and there sank the cell phone....and by "the" cell phone I mean Brian's cell phone - whoops:) It made for a good laugh, mostly on my end. Brian said he has heard of a lot of things happening to cell phones but that was the first cell phone drowning in a chocolate milk shake that he had seen.

With it being Evan's birthday, I was happy but it is always funny when your kids have a birthday, especially as a female. While I love watching him get older and enjoy opening presents, it is kind of a reflective day. Mostly reflective of labor pains and actually having a baby. I guess these weird emotions made me feel impulsive annnnnnnd I dyed my hair today just because I could. Brian came home from school and my hair is a medium-dark brown again. My mom doesn't usually like when I dye it, and I don't think I mentioned to her yet that I dyed it soooo here is your notice mom, I dyed my hair:)

It is almost October, which means it is almost November, which means I get to go home for a visit...but who is keeping track of the days anyways? Can't wait to see the family again!

Just Another Day in Nevada....

I have missed a few days of blogging - mostly because it was probably just another day and I don't want to post painfully boring posts about what I ate for breakfast, what I cleaned, what I didn't clean, and what time my kids didn't go to bed.

However, over the past several days/week, there has been enough compilation of updates to equal one post (I think).

We have officially finished the first month of medical school. I say "we" because although Brian is the one going to class every day, we are all very much involved in "going to medical school".

Brian works really hard all week but because he gets out at 3pm on Fridays, he has set Friday afternoon/evening aside for the family - which I LOVE. This past Friday, I scheduled a late afternoon haircut at a place called HotBox Salon in Las Vegas. Brian had bought me a voucher to the salon through a Living Social deal (which I am totally addicted to by the way). For $30.00 dollars I was able to get a haircut and a therapeutic hair treatment (an $80 value - awesome deal, right?). Anyways, I made the appointment and asked for anyone available because I knew I only had Friday afternoon to get my haircut so I was going to take what I can get - which happened to be the owner of the salon - SCORE. As I was driving to the appointment, I was thinking about the name of the salon and though it was an interesting name for a hair salon because of its similarity to a marijuana smoking term (yes, I am NOT naive). The similarity was right on point. I walked into the salon which smelled of incense and was decorated with camo print and Bob Marley posters - this was perfect for my first true Las Vegas hair cut. After talking to the person cutting my hair, I found out that he didn't only own the salon, he was also a trained professional who taught hair cutting seminars and techniques all over the country and worked with Paul Mitchell for 8 years teaching the teachers who teach the students - major SCORE. Anyways - long story short, I love my haircut and felt like it was the haircut that I have been trying to achieve for the past year that no one could seem to get right - does that mean that west coast hair stylists are better? It is possible.

On Friday night we headed out to the strip. My kids love to sit in their stroller and take a ride down the strip, and Brian and I enjoy people watching so its a win win for us on a Friday night. I love that in Las Vegas you see everything, but you never see the same thing twice - unless it comes in the shape of a girl in a thong walking down the strip at 9pm at night - you see A LOT of those. When we arrived and entered the Bellagio, a girl came walking out literally wearing a thong bikini with a see through cover up just covering her bottom half - that's about the time that we put the sun shade up over the stroller. Brian let me loose in Urban Outfitters (big mistake) where we were greeted by lady #2 feeling the vibe of a 9pm thong and see throug cover up - I wish I hadn't missed that memo - that would have made a great outfit as I pushed my Graco Duo Glide down the strip.

We headed out on a usual path towards the Coca Cola factory and the M&M factory to look for Spiderman who wasn't there so we had to convince Evan that he was out saving people and then needed to go home and see his momma. On our way there, we passed a guy in his young 20s laying on the sidewalk completely drunk. Once the ambulance came and he was put on a stretcher, I don't think he even knew he was on a stretcher he was so drunk - which was actually kind of funny. As they wheeled him away he was saying hi to everyone and asking them how their night was going - quite social for being almost half dead, which was kind of impressive.

Saturday morning I woke up early and hit a 5 mile run, took a shower, and then went shopping (BY MYSELF) for two hours to spend my birthday money. This may seem like a lame update - but this was seriously one of the most liberating moments I have had since I moved here. I realized that when I went to get my haircut the day before, I hadn't driven in a car by myself since we moved here which had been almost 7 weeks. I love being with my family, but there is something magical about a good work out, a shower without two little boys taking a shower with you and dumping your shampoo out, and a little retail therapy.

I am heading to Fresno, California on Wednesday for an indefinite amount of time to see Brian's family - look out for CA updates.

I can't believe I have been here a month: I can't believe I have ONLY been here a month

It has officially been one month since we moved to Henderson, Nevada. Time has gone by fast, but at the same time I feel like I have been here for six months - which means time is going slow, right? This week, to say the least, was challenging. My brother left so I was flying solo all week with my two little men. It was also a really hot week - I don't think it was ever under 100 degrees, even at 7am. On Thursday, my car wouldn't start because apparently my battery went out. This wouldn't be so bad except for the fact that two hours prior to the car not starting, we were actually out in the car and Owen threw up everywhere - inside the car. Anyone with kids knows that there is nothing worse than a car seat full of throw up. Friday - the car wouldn't start again and after 10 phone calls with Hyundai, a tow truck company, and my mom for venting, we have a new battery in our car and its running like a gem:) Brian's sister Katharina came in town last night for a visit, which was really fun. Katharina's little boy Ben is Evan's age and it was fun to see the boys play together.

Well enough about my week - on to better. I know that I love to look at other's people blogs and gaze at their pictures. So in honor of my one month mark in Vegas - this is my picture post with little updates from our life story....in the desert - enjoy!

xoxo

Candace

It's" McQueening" Outside

I guess while we lived in Virginia Evan was never awake to see a full thunderstorm (the good storms always seem to be in the middle of the night back east), or at least wasn't old enough to mentally process a thunderstorm.

Today, we went to our first play date at a really cool park called Mission Hills. After about two hours of fun, surprisingly, it started to rain really hard and thunder. I told Evan that he needed to get off of the playground and get ready to go because there was thunder and lightening. He then proceeded to run around and tell the other kids, "Hurry! It's McQueening outside!" At first I didn't understand what he was saying but then soon realized that he was taking the world lightening and making it McQueening in honor of his favorite Cars character:)

Coyotes

I'm talking real coyotes. Just the other day, Brian was mentioning that he hasn't really seen any wildlife since moving to Nevada - there is usually a bird here and there, but nothing special. I woke at 2:30am last night/this morning because I was startled by a sound. I couldn't pinpoint what it was so of course I woke up Brian and made him walk around the house/look outside to make sure that there weren't any intruders. When he looked out our front window, he almost had to look twice because there were between 8 and 10 coyotes outside of our house running through the playground. I started freaking out and worrying but Brian has assured me that the coyotes are scared of humans and they come out mostly at night. I asked him how he knows they just come out at night and he told me that it is way too hot here and if they are smart coyotes they'll stay in their den all day. I guess I'll have to worry a little bit more when it cools off here!

Medical Update - Ronald or Rhonda?

Brian started his human dissection in anatomy two weeks ago. As part of respect for their patient, each group is to name their body. Brian's group was given a man around 250 lbs. in his 70's who apparently died of Alzheimer's - whom they named Ronald. The past two weeks, the group has been working on dissecting the back of the body. Just yesterday, they turned the body over to begin the dissection of the pectoral muscles. When they turned the body over, they were surprised to find not a man - but a woman who they now refer to as Rhonda. The teacher was confused and said that the body must of been a bi-gender because the label was clearly a man. After further investigation (calling Texas where the body was shipped from), it was clarified that their body is in fact a woman who died of lung failure. As the group started to dissect, it was also discovered that the woman died of breast cancer and cancer in her lymph nodes. Brian and I watch a lot of mystery diagnosis on Discovery Health these days so while this was a confusing issue, he felt like he had his very own mystery diagnosis case just three weeks into medical school :)

There is a Blog Title for That

Things happen throughout the day with my kids and I think to myself, "now THAT would make a great blog title." By the time I have time to myself to sit down and actually blog, that title has escaped me. However, Evan did two things in the past 48 hours that were worth blogging.

Park It

My kids use to sleep in until 9am and apparently they are protesting Pacific Time because they are still waking up at 9am EST, which is a convenient 6am in Nevada. In order to maintain sanity for all involved, I took my kids out to the park this morning around 7am. Although Nevada can get really hot, when it is nice/pretty out, it is REALLY nice. Evan has gotten so accustomed to going to the park the past few weeks and having to feel the slide before going down to make sure he doesn't secure 3rd degree burns on his way down. This morning, as he prepared for the plunge, he felt the slide and was so excited that the slide was actually COLD. We were all excited about the delightful weather/early morning park trip!

Ocean Water

Evan has a true addiction to chocolate milk and asks for it several times throughout the day. To avoid too many issues with digestion, I offer him other things such as juice and water. Since moving to Nevada, Evan has discovered Sonic and its Ocean Water drink. The other day when I told him he couldn't have milk and he could chose either milk or water he said, "Okay Mom, I'll have Ocean Water" - he must think we have the goods on tap!

Things Are Rocky

You are probably reading this and assuming that I am having a hard time. When I say things are rocky, I literally mean rocky. Not my life, but more my backyard. I wouldn't say rocks are the most beautiful thing ever for landscaping, but they make life very low maintenance which is kind of nice. Both of my boys enjoy playing in the rocks too, and while it is "dusty" its not as muddy/dirty as playing in the dirt, so that is a plus as well. I know this seems like a random thought, but it wasn't until yesterday that I realized, "wow, I am surrounded by a ton of rocks". Maybe I should play one of those games where you have to guess how many rocks are in my backyard, similar to the jellybeans in a jar and the winner get a prize. I think the winning answer will be somewhere around 10 million, so take your best guess:)

Time

Time
My brother is in town visiting right now and one of the ongoing conversations we have been having over the past 24 hours is the concept of time. We were discussing how time seems to go so slow moving forward but looking back it is amazing how fast time really goes - almost scary sometimes. We then compared that idea to dreams - you can be asleep and feel like you were dreaming a detailed scenario for hours when really it was only a matter of seconds or minutes. When I logged onto facebook tonight, in the upper right hand corner it pulled an old photo that I had loaded of my niece Holly and I couldn't believe how little she was in the picture! I started looking through old pictures and found a few of Mae and Evan when Courtney and Mike came to visit us in Utah a few years ago and my heart melted - they were so tiny and cute! (see the pictures above). I can't believe how much they have grown and that Evan will be three years old next month - it is crazy!

Potty Training Update - Working Backwards

Evan has been waking up dry for the past several mornings and goes potty on the toilet as soon as he wakes up and then wants nothing to do with the process the rest of the day, which means I can't force him and which definitely means there is no way he is going to tell me when he needs to go potty. I am trying to potty train him, not potty train myself so it seems worthless to just keep sitting him on the toilet if he doesn't want to go. BUT I can't complain - I have heard the night training is usually the hard part and the last step so I am getting it out of the way in the beginning and the day time routine will hopefully come next:)

Medical Updates
Brian is doing great - loving school. He is amazed at how much he is already retaining and/or things that he has remembered from previous classes during his undergrad and graduate degree. It will definitely be challenging at times but I think his dedication and excitement/appreciation for just having the opportunity to attend medical school will and is already paying off. We are almost at the end of our second week as a med school family - 2 weeks down - 2 years to go (until rotations, and then residency...etc....etc.).

Fake Tickets
My mom has been laughing at me lately because I get travel updates from Travelocity on airfare prices so i go in and make up fake trips for her to come see me and then call her and tell her what date she will be leaving and returning on a flight that isn't even happening - this may seem strange but is possibly paying off because she told me tonight that she may try to come visit at the end of September! My make pretend travel agent job is working out (hint, hint - book the ticket MOM).

Big Boy Bed - or No Big Boy Bed? That is the question.
As I sit here and write this blog post, I can hear Evan kicking the side of his crib. This wouldn't bother me too much except for the fact that Owen sleeps about two feet away from him and has had to fall asleep lately to the sound of someone hammering. I feel like it might be time to get Evan a big boy bed, but I am not sure if it is going to make bedtime harder or easier. If you read this blog and have any insight on the right time, how to make it a smooth transition, or tips and tricks - leave a comment. I could use the feedback!

A Monumental Day

On the HOMEFRONT
I woke up this morning and have never been so excited by urine in my life. Evan actually sat on the potty and went pee this morning! This is a big day for us because there has been so many changes lately that I haven't wanted to push the issue of potty training with him until he was ready. It was so cute watching how excited he was to know that he could actually do it. Soon after he finished, he told me he was ready to go buy his rocket ship. Evan has a really good memory. A few days ago I was trying to get him to try to go on the potty so I told him that if he went, I would buy him the rocket ship at target that he asks for every time we go there. The rest is history. We went to Target after breakfast and Evan is now the proud owner of the Imaginext Rocket Ship - but has yet to pee on the potty again. I plan to stick to stickers from now on for rewards!

In the MEDICAL WORLD
What is going on in the walls of our home is completely different than what is going on in Brian's world right now. Brian came home today from school smelling of formaldehyde. This smell took me back to my piggy days where during a Biology class in college I had to dissect a fetal pig - so gross! It is amazing to see how excited Brian is about dissecting a human and separating their fat from their skin. I guess you know you are meant to be in the medical field when squirting fat excites you. Brian was having so much fun cutting and exploring his patient that he said he could have stayed in the lab all night learning and working.

Moral of the story - I think Brian is going to make an excellent doctor. I know its going to be a long road and a lot of hard work for all parties involved, but he loves this field and is passionate about it. He wants to learn and he wants to help people - two things that I think make for a great physician. As Brian's wife, I am really excited for him. He has worked really hard to get to where he is and he is absolutely radiant right now - its really fun to see/experience with him.

The Only Thing Constant in Life is Change

This phrase has been ringing through my head over the past few weeks as I have had many conversations with myself about how to focus in and be strong enough to embrace the many changes that we are going through right now.

However, there are a few things/places that can always make me feel at home when I feel like I am in the middle of nowhere essentially starting life over.

1. Costco

2. Wal-Mart

3. Target

4. Church

These four places always feel the same, and I am grateful for that. It is amazing to me that I can go anywhere in the country, and essentially anywhere in the world, and the Mormon church is the same. The people change, the building may look a little different, but it is still the same. I know that I can walk into any church building and while it may take me a few weeks to remember where the bathroom is, or how to find my way around the building, there will always be nursery for my kids, Relief Society for me, and Sacrament meeting for our family.

It is times like these that I am reminded though of how grateful I am for my family and our relationships with each other. I am so lucky to have parents, sisters, and a brother that I can honestly call my best friends. In this day and age, these type of relationships are rare. Although I am far away from my comfort zone (family), I am just glad to know that these people exist in my life and are only a phone call away.

Tomorrow is Brian's official first day, which I am sure will start with a throwing up session and a lot of nervous pacing around the house. Hopefully I'll have lots of fun updates as Brian suits up in his scrubs and heads out for the medical world!

Getting Oriented

Brian left this morning early for pre-orientation. I guess you know that you are setting out on quite the educational endeavor when you have to get "pre-oriented" for orientation.

This was my first day "alone" - at least alone with the kids. We have all become quite accustomed to having Brian with us most of the day since his classes were mostly in the evening for graduate school, so it will be an adjustment for all involved.

On the bright side, we are ALL getting oriented.

I can officially drive myself around and get myself where I need to be without using the navigation system, which means landmarks are becoming more familiar to me because I do not do the whole north, south, east, west thing. The kids are getting more oriented as well. They are enjoying their new house, new pool, and playground. Although I am sure they would enjoy it more if they had their cousins near by to enjoy it with them - but that is what vacation is for, right?? (hint, hint, come visit).

Our biggest accomplishment since moving to Nevada is that I have put the kids in the SAME bedroom and it has been going great. Both of my kids are really light sleepers and seemed to always wake up at the same time from naps and in the morning so I figured it wouldn't hurt to have them in the same room and at least save on space so that I can have a guest room (I have been told you get a lot of visitors when you live near the Las Vegas strip). Surprisingly, the kids have gotten better and aren't such light sleepers anymore, or at least they know how to tune each other out. I am also enjoying knowing they are in the room together and not all by themselves in a dark bedroom at night.

I am not a blogger

This is my first blog post as a non-blogger. To be honest, I have always hated blogs. I feel like they are sugar coated journals that make everyone's life look perfect and amazing. Others read blogs in amazement, wishing to be as talented and perfect as "that" family. While I won't air all of my dirty laundry on this blog, my goal is to capture the real essence of life.

The title

The title of the blog "Meltdown" has many meanings which are easy to figure out. In this 9 days that I have lived here, the children have had multiple meltdowns, I have had my own meltdowns brought about by leaving family and moving out to the middle of the desert, and most importantly, its just REALLY hot this time of year, so we may be experiencing a physical meltdown as well.

The flight

I was fortunate enough to have my mom fly out with me to Nevada with the two kids. We left D.C. at 7am and got to Nevada around 9:30am Vegas time - this was one of the longest days to date. It took us a few days to get acclimated, but we figured it out. It was so nice having my mom around - she is amazing at doing laundry and makes the need for a laundry basket irrelevant. She can successfully put all of the dirty laundry and clean laundry in her hand because she cleans it so fast. Oh how I missed the days where my work out clothes from the morning were already folded and clean on my bed by noon that same day. I am going to miss her amazing ability to quietly keep a house in perfect condition.

The Heat

I have always been told that Nevada heat is different, because it is dry. Well it is different, its hot, really hot. My mom and I found ourselves laughing as we walked around convinced that we were standing in an oven on broil. However, I will say that either I am adjusting or the dry heat is different because at 8pm tonight it was 105 degrees and I was relieved to know it had cooled off and let the kids play outside for a bit.

Spiderman

For those of you who know Evan, Evan is sponsored/obsessed with Spiderman. He is so obsessed with Spiderman that during his dinner prayer the other night, he gave thanks for the food, daddy, and Spiderman. He has been to the Las Vegas strip twice now and has seen Spiderman in the flesh on both occasions. From our house, you can see the strip out of our back windows (amazing view). Evan likes to stand on my kitchen table or "Namom's" bed (our guest room) and look out the back window at Spiderman's house. I think he is settling in quite well.