Meet Rocki and Nygel...and guest

This is our budgie (parakeet), Nygel. We've had him since last June or July I think. He's a sweet little bird and likes to sing along with me when I play piano, or guitar. He likes to fly around his cage and play with his various toys. He makes me feel happy when I see his beautiful colors and hear his little chirping.

This is Rockifeller. He's a silly and affectionate and snuggly little puggle. He loves to cuddle with me, and play with the kids and eat whatever he can get his mouth on, including pecans that are falling on the ground in the backyard.

This is a grasshopper that I found last summer munching on my mandevilla, I couldn't believe how BIG it was, and I think the picture really captures the amazing detail in its wings and legs and everything. Nature is so amazing!!!

OH YEAH!!!

This is SO easy!!! I'll definitely be posting more pictures and blogs, I just pick my pictures, and it's one quick click of a button and VIOLA!!

a photo session...

I like to take some pics of the kids every Valentine's Day for G-ma's and G-pa's. I'm still in the middle of editing them, but I thought I'd try posting at least one using my newly uploaded "picasa" program. If it turns out to be really easy, maybe I'll actually post pictures more frequently....

I'm so BAD!! ...catching up

Well, we all know the truth, I'm a terrible blogger... I'd like to be better, but I'm just not motivated, I know there are a few people out there who give it a glance now and then, and to YOU, I say HELLO!!! and SORRY!!!! I spend very little time online, and I know you all post such wonderful and cute and memorable things on your blogs, and I wish I was better at keeping tabs on everyone, but such is life. I just get caught up in the "now" and pretty much live in each moment.

I have been pretty busy with church stuff, I just called as 2nd counselor in the Relief Society Pres in our ward in October. So that is one of my biggest occupations lately. But I LOVE it!! I serve with some really awesome ladies, and I LOVE the sisters in our ward, there's no other calling I would rather have right now.

We got a dog a few weeks ago. Kade and I both pitched in our birthday money to pay the adoption fee, and got ourselves an adorable puggle from PAWS. We named him Rockifeller, (Rocki, for short). He's a sweet and loving little dog, and we have really enjoyed having the new addition to our family!

I had a minor surgery last week. For medical reasons, I can no longer have children, but it was still physically possible. So to avoid 20 years of taking hormones, or other forms of BC, I had my tubes tied. We felt good about it, it's a decision we've been talking about for at least a year, and prayed about and felt it was the right thing to do. Someday, if we're even in a position to do so, we'd like to adopt. But for now, we are completely happy with our two wonderful children. I don't think I could handle more anyway, I don't deal well with stress and chaos. I have faith that this is part of our "plan".

Here are a couple pics of the kids at Halloween, since I'm terrible out of date!!