The Caleb Show

December Activities

2012-01-22T17:44:00.000-08:00

Until now winter has been relatively mild in Utah, so thankful for that! I discovered the zoo has 1 free day a month during the winter and we've been twice. A portion is under construction but we were still able to see some wildlife and Caleb loved it! The elephants, giraffes, and tigers were definitely the highlights of our visits.

We have also been to visit Grandma Jeri and Grandpa Moon, we always love our visits. Caleb has learned a new way to eat jello from his cousins and thinks he's pretty cool.

Celebrating Life

2012-01-22T17:29:00.000-08:00

Chris's father passed away in December 18 years ago. Just after Chris and I were married the family started to remember this day by celebrating his life. It's a tradition we have missed the last 4 years we were in Arizona and were really happy to be able to participate this year. I never had the opportunity to meet Stan but he has an amazing wife and children! They all love and appreciate his example so much. I look forward to meeting him in the next life.

The Fam

The Girls

Brothers

Thanksgiving

2012-01-21T21:44:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving Festivities

In short we had a great day of food, family, and fun. This year we celebrated with Chris's family and stayed with his brother and family for the weekend. Caleb loved driving the jeep and we loved the relatively warm weather in Utah.

All ready for bed

Polar Express

2012-01-21T21:29:00.000-08:00

We got to experience our very own Polar Express train ride on the Heber Creeper. Caleb loves trains and was so excited to ride on one. We stopped at the "North Pole" where Santa got on the train and handed out reindeer bells to each child.

Costume Party

2011-11-27T16:40:00.000-08:00

Audrey Hepburn

Cyd Charisse, Marilyn Monroe, Queen Elizabeth, & Audrey Hepburn

Thurston Howell III (Gillligan's Island) & Cyd Charisse

John Wayne escorting the Queen

My younger sister Annie turned 18 and we celebrated in style. My mom and sister Audrey planned a suprise 50s celebrity costume party for Annie, great fun and sucess! We at at the queen's table (hamburgers and shakes "formal style"), watched I Love Lucy, and danced to 50s music. We Jardine's love a good party!

So much, so little time..

2011-11-27T16:24:00.000-08:00

The paper says "pass" for the instructor's exam

I'm still working on my degree, maybe one day I'll finish. I did Spring semester this year at a community college in Phoenix and then transferred to Weber State for Fall. I also took the cosmetology instructor's exam and took part time job with a beauty school in Layton. I have learned 2 things from this past year, it's a lot harder to attend college while being a mom but it's even harder being a mom, attending school, and working. Lucky for me Chris is very supportive. I am very thankful for the opportunity to learn and even more thankful for the coming winter break!

End of Summer Fun

2011-11-20T20:53:00.000-08:00

While Chris was gone we tried to stay as busy as possible and being back in Utah around family provided us with activities and people to see. We went to Bear Lake in July, one of my favorites, and Caleb loved the sand just as much as I thought he would! For my birthday in August my mom, brother, Caleb and I went to Thanksgiving Point to the kid farm and had a great time petting animals, going on wagon rides, and harvesting "crops". The clip of Caleb was my favorite b day present of all time!

Chris Comes Home!!

2011-11-19T21:40:00.000-08:00

I am very behind with my blogging, but I thought this would be a good place to catch up. As I'm sure you all know by now Chris came home from Alaska the end of September, he surprised me by coming a day early and even brought me flowers! It was a wonderful surprise and we are loving having him here with us!

Arlington National Cemetary

2011-09-08T21:04:00.001-07:00

Quick history lesson on Arlington, the mansion was built by George Washington Parke Custis who was the adopted grandson of George Washington (through Martha's son from her first marriage). He and his wife lived in the home which went to their only child after their death, Mary Anna Randolph Custis. She married Robert E Lee and lived in the home until some time after the Civil War had begun. Because of the war they were forced to give up their home.

Seeing all the graves of soldiers who have served our country was very a very humbling experience. We are so blessed to be Americans and live in this great land.

Arlington Mansion

rose gardens behind the home

The Tomb of the Unknowns

This is the resting place for several unknown soldiers. We were able to see the changing of the guard while there, what dedication and respect they shown their fallen brothers.

Mount Vernon

2011-08-14T16:20:00.000-07:00

The Washington Monument

One of my favorite sights was Mount Vernon, George Washington's home. The view, grounds, and buildings are amazingly gorgeous! It's defiantly an awesome experience to see all of these sights in person and imagine what it would have been like to be apart of that era.

This is the view from the house looking out over the Potomac River.

George Washington's home

The Jefferson Monument

On Sunday afternoon after church we visited the Washington DC visitors center and Temple grounds.

Capital Dome & the Smithsonians

2011-08-14T16:13:00.000-07:00

Up close

Inside, we were able to take a tour of the capitol, very cool.

The architecture is just amazing!

The American History

Museum:

a portion of the Berlin Wall

I had to take a picture of a helicopter for my pilot! This is one from the Vietnam era.

So much to see, so little time...

Church History

2011-08-14T16:06:00.000-07:00

Palymra Temple

With some creative planning of my mother's all those 12 and older were able to attend the Temple.

monument on the top of Hill Cumorah

We were also able to see the Hill Cumorah Pageant - so amazing, I highly recommend it!

The Sacred Grove

This path is directly behind the Smith family farm house. This beautiful land is lush with green trees, ferns, plants, ect. It would have been back breaking work to fall the huge trees and make room for farming, those Smith boys were tough!

E.B Grandin Building

This is where the first Book of Mormon was printed. In those days it took hours to set the type for one page, we are so spoiled! Above his shop we were able to see print presses and learn about the printing process in those days. We were also told that without the Erie Canal the press needed to print the Book of Mormon would not have been able to travel to Palmyra, NY.

Palmyra Temple

The Temple, Smith farm, Martin Harris home, ect are all out of the central part of town . It's all open farmland surrounding the church sites, so beautiful!

Buffalo, NY

2011-08-14T16:03:00.000-07:00

It was a very sad day saying goodbye to Chris and catching our flight leaving Juneau. Thankfully we didn't have much time to think about it, less than 48 hours later we were off on another adventure! We had 10 days on the east coast packed with touristy activities.

Horseshoe Falls, Niagara Falls USA the left side of the picture with the bridge and sky scrapers is Niagara Falls Canada.

View from the water on the Maid of the Mist, it's absolutely breathtaking!

Old Fort Niagara, originally built by the French in the 1700s, was used in the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War as well as training during WW I and WWII. The body of water in the photo is Lake Ontario and you can even see Toronto Canada across the lake.

Mendenhall Glacier

2011-08-08T17:00:00.000-07:00

We were able to actually ride on one of Chris's tours, he is a great tour guide by the way! We had such a great time being entertained by interesting facts while enjoying a beautiful bird's eye view. The glacier is REALLY cold, I have 3 sweaters/jackets on and I was still freezing! C did really well minus dropping his gloves in the freezing glacier water for mom to fish out. Doesn't the snow and ice look like marshmallow puff with roasted edges?

C is bundled in an undershirt, sweater, hoodie, coat and the life jacket required by the FAA to fly up on the glacier.

These beautiful blue fissures are all over the glacier. There was a river of glacier water that we also had the privilage of drinking from- my hands took about 30 to get the feeling back again.

Glacier Gardens

2011-08-08T16:45:00.000-07:00

Now that I'm back in reality I think I might finish our Juneau adventures. On our anniversary (number 9 this year) we took a tour of Glacier Gardens and saw a beautiful blend of botanical gardens and the rain forest. Above is a picture of the famous upside down tree.

Whale Watching

2011-06-26T20:32:00.000-07:00

First comes the blow,

then the body

and if you're really lucky the tail, or flute, as the whale dives deep.

We also saw sea lions and listened to them bark.

We saw a mother and calf humpback whales swimming side by side, and many others during our cruise. As we headed back to the ferry port we also saw orcas, or killer whales. This was probably my favorite Alaska adventure so far, I highly recommend it!

Mount Roberts Tramway

2011-06-19T11:32:00.000-07:00

At the top of Mount Roberts we saw an injured bald eagle at the Juneau Raptor Center, and a few squirrels. We had a beautiful view of the channel, downtown, and the Tongass National Forest. The tram only runs about 3,000 feet but climbs 1,800 feet in that distance.

Douglass Island is on the upper portion of the picture and downtown Juneau to the bottom and right

On the tram ride we saw many bald eagles, they are incredible to watch

The Gastineau Channel

Dog Sledding

2011-06-18T20:02:00.000-07:00

Today we were able to go dog sledding on the Mendenhall Glacier, one of the tours Chris's company offers. It was a cloudy day with very light rain, overall a nice day in Alaska with plenty of snow/slush to sled in. We flew in separate helicopters to the dog sled camp and rode the sled around the valley up there. It was amazing to hear where these dogs have run and what they can do. At the end we got to hold and cuddle the cute little puppies. Caleb had a great time on his first helicopter ride. He also had fun playing in the snow. A great day for a new adventure!

Caleb watching the helicopters take off

The Beginning of Our Alaska Adventure

2011-06-17T12:37:00.001-07:00

We were so excited to join Chris in Alaska, and were anxiously counting down the weeks and days. After a full day of travel we made it safely to "The Last Frontier". Chris had a few days off when we first came and we soaked up every minute. It is beautiful here, so many green trees, bushes, vines, ferns, and did I mention it is REALLY green? Quite the change from the Sonoran Desert. We love seeing a new and beautiful part of our world and spending time with Chris. More pictures and updates to come.

Nugget Falls below the Mendenhall Glacier

Caleb rock climbing

The Mendenhall Glacier

Downtown Juneau

JD Falls (Can you find the porcupine?)

Chris hiking the ridge line to the glacier

Another view of the glacier

Caleb Turns Two!

2011-05-27T18:41:00.000-07:00

Our baby isn't a baby anymore!

It's amazing how fast kids learn and grow. I know people say that all the time, but I guess it's different when you experience it yourself. Caleb is starting to talk in sentences now and is very observant and quick to learn new things. He also climbs on anything and everything, taking after his daddy. We were hoping to celebrate with Chris in Alaska, but unfortunately that didn't work out. After a couple of crazy weeks we made it to Utah and were able to celebrate with family. We had a great time on his special day and we sure love our little man!

Lions, Tigers, Zebras, and Monkeys - Oh my!

Caleb "helping" with his birthday pancakes

We had a picnic at the park with family and enjoyed the cute cupcakes my sisters helped make. Caleb had a great time playing with cousins and aunts and uncles. He was so excited to open his presents but said "ow" every time he ripped a bit of the paper - funny boy.

We missed you daddy, hope you enjoy the videos!

Fun In The Water

2011-05-21T22:51:00.000-07:00

We have had quite a few warm days this spring in Phoenix but not quite warm enough for swimming. Instead we had a few fun days playing in the fountains. Caleb learned to sit on the fountains and kept trying to take a drink like drinking from a fountain.

Caleb's new hiding spot

2011-04-15T18:00:00.000-07:00

Boyce Thompson Arboretum

2011-04-03T10:43:00.000-07:00

Stop number two: Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park. I was hoping to go camping, but we ran out of time and this was a good compromise. I also wanted to see more of Arizona before leaving; I love this desert land with it's unique beauty. We hiked around the park looking at the birds, squirrels, butterflies, plants, trees, and cacti. We saw ruins of an old rock house built into the mountain side, herb gardens, Queen Creek (really just a little creek in the portion of canyon we hiked through) and old machinery. We ended our afternoon picnicking and chasing Caleb through the trees and fallen leaves, great family time!

Phoenix Zoo

2011-04-03T10:31:00.000-07:00

We took a little time out last week to do some fun family activities, first stop: Phoenix Zoo. Caleb wasn't too happy about being strapped into his stroller but we had no choice because he just wanted to play in the dirt, he's all boy! Caleb's favorite part was the farm animals petting zoo because he could see and touch. I had never seen farm animals at the zoo but it was a great idea.

ALASKA?!

2011-03-13T17:02:00.000-07:00

What is in Alaska you might ask? A new job for Chris - we are so excited!! I'll give you the watered down version of what led up to this new job. Chris has always wanted to move past instruction and into the commercial sector, we just thought it would happen a lot sooner. Well, after 4 years he finally has enough hours to move on. He applied for a job with Temsco Helicopters and was offered the job a week ago. He will train in a turbine powered helicopter and fly tours in the Juneau or Skagway area (follow the link if you'd like to see more http://www.temscoair.com). For those of you not up on your aviation lingo a turbine engine means more power (insert your manly grunt here)! We are excited, nervous, antsy, and a little scared about our new adventure but ready to take the leap. Our time in Arizona has been wonderful and leaving is bitter sweet. We are so grateful for the experiences we've had (most of all for Caleb joining our family) and the friends we've made! We will sure miss all of you and thank you for your love and friendship.

Valentine's Weekend

2011-02-22T17:06:00.000-08:00

I have class two nights a week this semester and Chris has been working long hours so on Monday and Thursday we say a quick "hi" and "bye" while I inhale my dinner and run out the door. Since V day fell on Monday this year we decided to celebrate the Saturday before, which Chris just happened to have off. We went to a local railroad park: complete with carousel, playground, stagecoach, miniatures, ect. Then we ate a delicious lunch at Olive Garden and finished off the day with some homework and study time. Sunday we had a great day at Church and Caleb came home from nursery with a cute Valentine cupcake and art project. Monday Caleb and I made cookies in the shape of a heart and opened Caleb's gifts when Chris got home. After my class was over we ended our weekend celebration by watching "Despicable Me", very funny and cute. That was our Valentine's celebration, hope yours was great too!

Grandma Comes to Visit!

2011-02-12T20:48:00.000-08:00

Chris's mom came for a visit in mid-January and we had a ball. We had to coax her down from the freezing, gloomy winter to our sunny and unusually warm weather to see her grandson. I think she was okay with it. The weather couldn't have been better! We went shopping, out to eat, to the Temple, visit with cousins, and Grandma and Caleb got some one on one time while we went to dinner and a movie. Thanks for the visit Grandma!

blowing bubbles on the patio
Caleb needs the squirt bottle to entertain himself while I cut his hair

on the putting green at the cousin's house

carrying his lunch

Caleb's favorite place to be, he usually pushes me out so he can sit by himself

Mini Me

2011-02-04T21:22:00.000-08:00

Caleb is quite the little mimic. He tries to copy almost everything we do, especially anything Dad does. A few weeks ago we were heading out the door to church and Chris was looking in his pocket for something, Caleb stops and examines his pants for pockets too. He learns so fast, saying new words every day. He continues to be a climber and dare devil, this he gets from Chris. We have now had to baby proof the top drawers in the kitchen because he has learned to push a chair or his scooter into the kitchen to reach the counter and drawers, very curious! Here are a few pictures we've been able to get of him being like Daddy...

two of a kind

flying Dad's chopper

feelin the love

reading Dad's book

Dad's golf cart at work

sweet shades

Winter for the Cold-Climate Challenged

2011-01-30T13:08:00.000-08:00

While in Utah we were able to see a few good snow storms, and Caleb had his first real experience with the cold, white stuff. For the trip I had to dig our winter clothing out of storage. While I was packing it was in the 70s here in AZ and a little difficult to imagine being in the freezing cold in a day or two. Anyway, after wrestling with 2 closets full of boxes to find the winter clothes and coats, I finally won the exhausting fight and had to have Chris help me re-stack when he got home. The winter gear we own for Caleb amounts to a hat and gloves (no coat, snow pants/suit, or boots) so we made do the best we could. As I'm packing I see the weather is supposed to be quite mild, as UT temps go, so I'm thinking this might not be so bad. Well, we got dumped on our second night in Utah, we were in Logan at this point, and took and extra 30 minutes Saturday morning to drive to the little outlying town where the funeral was held because the roads had not been plowed, imagine that!

Pink was their grandma's favorite color so we dressed accordingly, don't they look snazzy! Later the weather clears up and we race down to Sandy to see Lucy, my ballerina sister, preform in the Nutcracker as part of the snow corps and loved it!

Sunday we had the Lott Family Christmas party at Mike and Catherine's house with lots of yummy food and fun.

opening our goodies

Alex and Caleb

the girls

We had previously decided to split up our drive home, so Caleb would be a little happier, and stay with Chris's cousin in St. George, however we ran into one of the WORST snow storms we've ever been in, over 150 miles of blizzard conditions, crawling along on I-15. Just 15 miles north of Beaver the southbound lanes were at a dead stand-still for an hour and a half. Visualize cars backed up for miles and people walking around and talking trying to pass the time and figure why we were all stopped. About half way into our little stop a semi comes sliding past us in the emergency lane just to the left of the car. Apparently his windshield wipers were broken and he couldn't see the stopped cars until it was too late so he had to veer into the left lane and coast to a stop to avoid hitting anyone. We decided we to have Chris's mom book us a hotel room in Beaver because Chris is exhausted by this point from driving on terrible roads, and I don't drive in bad storms period. Meanwhile, some nice guys are trying to clear a path on the right side by rearranging the parked cars and Chris hops out to help. The goal is to completely clear the right lane so a snow plow or wrecker can fit to get up to the wreck in front of us, which happens to be not 1 but 2 semis jack-knifed. Just as the lane is finally cleared to allow the snow plow through some very arrogant people decide they don't need to wait any longer and want to bypass all of us who are ahead of them by driving right on through; I can tell you there were a lot of choice words shouted at them as they drove by. Finally we make it to Beaver and wait out the storm in the hotel. Thankfully the rest of the trip home the next day was uneventful, except Caleb crying because he had to be strapped in the car seat for 2 days instead of 1.

Moral of the story?

1-Don't trust the weather man, he only called for rain.

2- Driving to Utah in December is never a good thing for us, we drove 2 years ago when I was pregnant with Caleb and got stuck on Hoover Dam for a very long hour and a half (my bladder not being a normal size and all).

Christmas!

2011-01-30T12:57:00.000-08:00

After our winter wonderland experience we were glad to be back home again, it took me a few days to thaw out from all that cold weather! My family came down for a few days between Christmas and New Years. Before and after their visit we had unusually high temps, but they must have brought the cold with them because we had the coldest weather of the past two months while they were here. Luckily they didn't mind because it was still a lot nicer here in AZ and in UT. We were sure spoiled by our families this year! As you can see above Chris is very surprised to see we got new pots and pans (at his request of course) from my parents.

Caleb having fun with his cousins Ty and Cole

Playing with a new fishing puzzle my mom gave him, he calls her Nona (which is Italian for grandmother) and asks to call her at least 5 times a day.

Merry Christmas to us!! Spoils from Black Friday, bought online and picked up in the afternoon-no early morning lines for us. We have been saving 4 years for a new TV and were so excited to get a great price.

Caleb playing with his new favorite toy, an Elmo airplane from my aunt, uncle, and cousins.

E Christmas Cards

2010-12-23T21:12:00.000-08:00

I am doing Christmas cards via email yet again. I keep thinking next year I'll do the real thing but it has yet to happen. I'm a little behind because we just got back from an unexpected trip to Utah for the funeral of Chris's grandma; we will sure miss her but she is in a better place now. Even though it wasn't under the best of circumstances we were happy to have a short visit with family. Leave your email if you'd like a copy, you just might get lucky and get anyway.

Books

2010-12-09T15:42:00.001-08:00

Caleb loves to read, mind you it can't be a long book because he's too busy to sit in one place for very long, but if it's got pictures or something to feel or open he loves it! He knows the sign for book and will say "boo". After breakfast one morning it was awfully quiet and this is how I found him...

Thankful for Fall

2010-11-07T15:16:00.000-08:00

This is one HUGE posting our our fun fall festivities. I love fall, probably the season and colors I miss most as Phoenix is mostly brown all year:). Still, we have a great time and enjoy our wonderful weather! This year Chris attended a helicopter seminar in Las Vegas which enabled us to meet my family in St. George for a day and a half to celebrate Halloween together. Thanks for making the drive and all the fun activities Jardines!

Our first order of business was carving, or as I prefer, decorating pumpkins. Chris did the skull painting and I did the funny face and Caleb's mini spider web pumpkin.

Numero dos: cookie making and decorating. My family's tradition was making sugar cookies for Halloween and that's something Chris and I have carried on, I look forward to it every year.

cutting pumpkin shapes with Dad

We use M&Ms, red hots, and candy corns to make jack-o-lantern faces on the pumpkins and this is Caleb's first year "helping".

Not quite...

still didn't get it...

Caleb's thoughts, "I don't want them on cookies, I want to eat them!"

My mom got this cute set to decorate a pumpkin kid style and Caleb loved it!

We spent Halloween eve at Tuacahn amphitheater playing some fun games and launching pumpkins.

Tiger in the desert

jumping with Uncle Andrew

giving Dad some lovin

bowling (we also did a bean bag toss and ring toss)

Jumbo slide

Pumpkin Launcher!
This was really fun to watch, the pumpkins were loaded and and shot off like a cannon.

Trick-or-treating

Caleb as a chicken

Yes, we were the bat family (mostly) my brother was a knight and my mom the dragon.

Halloween day after church and waiting for Dad at the hotel in Vegas. This is Caleb's smile when he in entertaining, he loves to make people laugh.

On our last day we did the famous breakfast buffet in Vegas and made a stop at a casino called Sam's Town for Caleb to get out some energy before the long drive. In the center there is an open atrium with a large waterfall and life-like animals that make noises and turn their heads. Caleb loves animals and imitating their sounds so this was a fun stop for him.

Thanks for sticking through to the end, hope you all had a happy Halloween!

The Rest of the Utah trip...

2010-09-29T10:18:00.000-07:00

It was great for us to be able to escape to Utah for a while to get out of the 110+ temperatures that plague AZ in the summer. Although Chris wasn't able to be with us the whole time we kept busy and enjoyed our time with family and friends. To give a quick recap Caleb was able to meet some his great-grandparents for the first time, help with wedding details, visit friends, go swimming with Grandpa, and went 4-wheeling. We took many pictures during our 6 week jaunt to Utah this summer, so I'll just share a few of my favs...

Caleb learned to climb on EVERYTHING while we were staying with my parents, the bed, the table, chairs, ect. Apparently he was thirsty and decided he needed my drink.

Caleb and I in our Sunday best before church.

Swimming with Uncle Matt at the Aquatic Center in Logan, one of Caleb's favorite activities.

4-wheeling at Uncle Mike and Aunt Catherine's house-

Caleb was squealing with excitement!

Caleb with his Aunts, Annie and Lucy.
Our family is Italian and enjoys a traditional cookie called a Pizzelle. My sister decided she wanted them served at her wedding reception so we spent a day making them and Caleb enjoyed the taste testing.

C Bugs' First Camping Trip

2010-09-03T13:55:00.000-07:00

After a busy spring/summer we finally made our outdoor adventure! I had been debating when would be the best time to take Caleb, before he started to walk or after, those of you who have experience with this will have to let me know what your thoughts are. In the end I decided walking would be better, however Caleb is now in the climbing phase so we spent our time keeping him from falling off of the picnic table. He only had 3 falls in 2 days with minor scrapes and bruises, no broken bones or stitches which I was very relieved for!! I had a skunk encounter, it scurried right by me, but thankfully we didn't have the spray!We all enjoyed being outside enjoying nature and a good campfire.

wanting so badly to swim in the lake

Lynx Lake

Caleb and his personality

enjoying breakfast by the fire

hiking with mom

Surprise!

2010-08-22T16:47:00.000-07:00

I decided to squeeze in a surprise party for Chris while we were in UT with family, after all 30 is a big deal so why not celebrate twice?! It took some creative planning to get Chris to Logan on the right day without asking any questions but with the help of some party schemers we made it happen. Thanks to all of you who made this day special!

The Surprise!

Chris a few years ago...

Ryan, Jaime, & Mike

Grandma and her boys (Ryan & Alex)

Caleb getting daddy time

Jardine clan

friends Chris grew up with and their families

Bryan, Matt, Melissa, Chris, Cydnee, & Jacob

Ethan, Mike, & Catherine

Audrey Takes the Plunge

2010-08-17T13:21:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a summer! After going, going, going I am feeling the slow-down now that we are back home and into our routine, we're a little boring all by ourselves! At the beginning of the summer the three of us took a road trip to St. George to visit my family, who we hadn't seen for a year. While there we also visited Chris's aunt and uncle. After coming home for 2 weeks we were trying to find a place to live because our contract was ending, I just love apartment hunting :( . My younger sister was married in July so Caleb and I took the opportunity to go to Utah for a month with Chris visiting in the middle for the wedding. Chris moved us while Caleb and I were still in Utah, but we made it home in time to unpack and organize lucky me! Editors note: the "lucky me" comment should be taken in context as Jessie was not in Phoenix to participate in the sweat fest known as moving.

Aunt Audrey and Caleb

Bridesmaids

Jardine girls

the sibs plus 2

The BIG 30!!

2010-06-22T21:24:00.000-07:00

That's right, Chris entered a new decade this year when he turned 30. We had quite the celebration in honor of the event. First we went to Oregano's (one of our favorite restaurants) a few days before his birthday and he was serenaded by the servers and hosts with the "Birthday Song". Next we had a birthday for him, and Caleb, with our friends here in AZ. Last of all we had a little family time on Sunday, his actual birthday. We sure love him and had a great time joining in his celebration. Love you Chris/Daddy!

Mother's Day

2010-05-23T16:27:00.000-07:00

This special day celebrating womanhood always brings appreciation for the great mothers and women in my life; my mother, grandmother(s), mother-in-law,sisters, sisters-in-law, aunts, and great women of the church.

I had a wonderful Mother's Day with my boys! I was able to go SHOPPING all by myself on Saturday, one of my all time favorite activities. Sunday Chris let me sleep in while he got up with Caleb, made a wonderful breakfast and dinner, and gave me these beautiful flowers with a very sweet card. Thank you to my boys who made the day so special for me!

Happy First Birthday Caleb!!

2010-05-16T16:47:00.000-07:00

Wow, where did the last year go?! Caleb is one and I can hardly believe it! I have loved being home with him this past year while he has grown, learned, explored and discovered the world around him. Our day wasn't bursting with activities but we had a good time on his special day.

Birthday festivities for a one-year-old...

Playing at the park

Presents

Swimming

Cake

I have a firm "no sugar" policy for my baby, at least until he's two. Needless to say he did NOT like his cake and icing which Dad made him try.

He is such a joy and we feel so blessed to have him in our family! Happy Birthday Baby Boy!!

-Love Mom & Dad

Laughter is the Best Medicine

2010-04-26T17:43:00.000-07:00

There are some days when Caleb is in a really good mood and just starts to giggle. If you giggle back it becomes a little game. Jessie got him going one day and they entertained each other. Perfect for those times when it gets a little dull during the day.

Whistling

2010-04-25T17:06:00.000-07:00

I've never been able to whistle, and I have tried a variety of techniques and teachers, but I just can't seem to get the hang of it. My baby boy is already leaps and bounds ahead of his mother because he has figured out how to whistle all by himself!

I apologize for the movement on the video, I am trying so hard not to laugh!

Walking?!

2010-04-17T14:18:00.000-07:00

Caleb has had a big month; a visit from Grandma Jeri, Aunt Melissa, and cousins, turned 11 months, eating new solid foods, and walking! He's been cruising furniture for awhile now but the past few days he's been letting go and walking by himself. It's so exciting to watch him learn and grow, but I confess it's a little sad for me because my baby is growing up!

I love to See the Temple

2010-04-02T21:32:00.000-07:00

We had a little family outing a week ago and went to the Mesa Temple. It was so glorious to be able to be there and feel the calm and peace of the Spirit of the Lord. The Temple and grounds were lovely, especially beautiful in the spring, and smell of the citrus trees made for a wonderful day!

He would rather push his stroller than ride in it!

9 months

2010-04-02T21:06:00.000-07:00

So I'm a bit late in posting this, but I did take some pictures of Caleb to celebrate his turning 9 months. He has two bottom teeth, jabbers Caleb language, loves to be outside (preferably with a little wind in his face), crawls fast and cruises the furniture. He keeps us busy!

Funny Baby

2010-02-22T14:57:00.000-08:00

Calebisms: Caleb is in the phase of making funny faces and noises now, it's difficult to get on tape but we try and this is what we got...

Busy Little Boy

2010-02-05T13:21:00.000-08:00

Caleb just loves exploring and must be constantly doing or seeing something. Over the last month he has discovered how to open cupboard doors/drawers, push open the bedroom doors, crawl up and over things (including his parents, baby seat, stroller, ect). One of his favorite new toys is the dishwasher, he just loves to push the bottom rack in and out. What a good little helper!

He disappeared for 1 minute and this is where I found him...

Yes he got in there all by himself!

He hit paydirt with this drawer!

Visitors

2010-02-03T13:09:00.000-08:00

January was a great month filled with fun from family visitors. First we had my aunt, uncle, and twin cousins, Chris's mom, followed by Chris's brother Mike. It's been awhile since we have had the opportunity to see everyone so this was a great treat! Caleb loved playing with the twins and all the extra attention from Sue and Brian. He also got his grandma all to himself (mostly) for a whole week, so much fun!

Christmas at the Lott's

2010-02-02T14:46:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2009

We were anticipating Caleb's first Christmas with much excitement, but unfortunately there was a great lack thereof. The three of us were sick for the two weeks of holiday celebration and festivities. Instead of being merry and bright we were tired and ornery. However, we had the opportunity to chat via web cam with the families and enjoy our traditional Christmas feast with our friends Nate and Janae.

Christmas Pizzelles

tasting Dad's toy helicopter

Work

2010-01-01T08:49:00.000-08:00

Over the last few months Chris has had the opportunity to work with some international students attending his school from Rwanda. He has had a great time getting to know these guys and helping them with their American certifications. They are all trained pilots and Chris has enjoyed the chance to work with dedicated students who listen to his instructions!

Joseph Ndayishimiye, Chris, Caleb, & Godfrey Gasana

Jean De Dieu Ngabonziza

Family Pictures

2010-01-01T08:41:00.000-08:00

We had some new family pictures taken both for Christmas and Caleb turning 6 months. I thought they turned out well, my eyes were open for all of them, what mother doesn't think her baby is the cutest?!

Click here and enter your Customer Name (jessie lott):
https://www.smilesbywire.com/home.asp?AC=LTPP0222111366JCP

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas"

2009-12-22T11:32:00.000-08:00

This year we put up our new pre-lit tree, purchased at the after Christmas sale last year, and a Caleb-sized tree of 3 feet. He loves all of the gifts we've been getting from family because they all come in BOXES and what could be a better toy than a box? It's been so fun watching him take in all the decorations and lights. Some days he's brave and ventures to the big tree to pull on the branches but most days he stays away from the poky needles. His reaction to the tree had us laughing.

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-12-22T11:20:00.000-08:00

We hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving celebrations this year. We joined Chris's extended family in Mesa, about 45 minutes away, to join in celebration, good company, and over eating. As his family is so large we meet at a church house and had approximately 60 people join this year's festivities. We had a wonderful time visiting and watching Caleb entertain everyone. We didn't even have to cook the delicious meal!

loving all the attention

playing with cousin Addie

"It's the most wonderful time of the year..."

2009-12-22T11:00:00.000-08:00

...for many reasons but the most of which concern me now are weather and shopping!! I love the fall/winter/spring weather in Phoenix! I have never been much of a snow lover and living in such a warm climate has affirmed my dislike for snowy/cold weather. My most exciting venture lately has been shopping. Being the poor college students that we are there isn't a budget for clothes shopping. Thankfully we've had so many gifts and cousin's clothes we haven't had the need to shop, but as his mother I thought it was high time I purchased some clothes for him and couldn't help but throw in some winter sweaters for Caleb's first Christmas. As my family can attest to I love shopping and I love a great deal even more. In fact Chris has commented on several occasions I should shop for others as a profession. Below is a picture of Caleb's Christmas clothes 2 sweaters, one outfit, and 3 long sleeve tees all purchased for $16!

Not a bad haul! I thought I was done but then I found...

Another helicopter outfit! I just couldn't resist as his dad is a helicopter pilot I think my son needs at least one helicopter bit of clothing for each size he's in!

Chris doesn't show the level of excitement I would like so I thought I would share with you.

Happy Shopping to all!

So much to say...

2009-11-29T20:05:00.000-08:00

This is a few months old, but it's so cute and the grandparents just love the videos of him so I thought I'd add it. This is not long after he discovered his voice and was learning to make new sounds. It's hard to get him to "talk" when we're recording, but daddy finally got it!

lil jumper

2009-11-29T19:54:00.000-08:00

Caleb just loves to jump anytime, anywhere he can. This is a clip of his first time in the jumping seat trying to figure out this new movement. Believe it or not it's at the highest point, his little legs are just so long!

Look Who's Crawling!

2009-11-22T15:37:00.001-08:00

The last few days have marked a milestone for Baby Lott. It began with Caleb learning to pull himself into a standing position followed closely by learning to crawl. He has been working on crawling for a few weeks, scooting backwards first before learning the forward movement. Look out for the baby on the move!

6 month Birthay

2009-11-22T15:26:00.000-08:00

Caleb just had his 6 month birthday and has a lot to show for his six months. He is crawling, pulling himself into a standing position, reaching for mom and dad, jabbering, squealing, giggling, ect. He enjoys a variety of baby food, but does not like rice cereal. He has got his parents at his beck and call.

first time playing with grass and leaves.

Baby's First Halloween

2009-11-15T16:36:00.001-08:00

Caleb's first Halloween was pretty tame as far as spooks go. About a week before our ward did a trunk or treat for which we dressed up for, I'm the cowgirl with my baby cow. We were babysitting for our Bishop on Halloween so we were hangin' at their house and giving out treats. Chris had fun taking pictures of Caleb with drum sticks and in his Jack-o-lantern shirt.

Buff Bouncing

2009-11-15T16:09:00.000-08:00

Caleb was a VERY happy boy after his dad changed his diaper I just had to get it on video. He is so funny, he can go from cranky and whiny to a happy bouncing baby boy! Editors Note: Caleb was in the buff for this video, but due to careful parental monitoring you will only see a happy baby.

Junk Mail Uses

2009-10-18T17:52:00.000-07:00

I have long been an opponent of junk mail. How many people are going to use coupons at Carl's Jr. (now that I've said that there will be someone who responds that they do)? Do I really need a new garage door? I don't even have a driveway. Do I need to tan in Arizona? Just looking outside during the summer months gives me a tan.

There is now an excellent use for junk mail, aside from storing it for future use as toilet paper. Caleb loves to rip and tear it to shreds! Now I don't have to use my shredder. Who knew babies could earn their keep?

Giggles

2009-10-18T16:57:00.000-07:00

Caleb has started to giggle when he's being entertained. It takes a bit of coaxing to come out, but when it does he make it good. There is a fair amount of squealing too. If there is one thing he gets from Jessie it's squealing!

PJ's

2009-10-04T14:27:00.000-07:00

Caleb is now 4 1/2 months old and I had to pack away his infant clothes (sad moment for mom) and make room for the next size. I pulled out these pj's and we had a fun photo op with his stocking cap. His shirt reads "Sometimes I pee when I laugh".

Baby Hat Hair

Jabber Monkey

2009-10-01T08:46:00.000-07:00

I thought I would put something on here to whet Grandma's appetite. This video is kind of long, but Caleb just jabbers the entire time. He knows when the camera is on him and he clams up, not today! He is fascinated with the helicopter on my work shirt as well as his own feet. If I have taught my son something valuable it is how to insert his foot into his mouth. More to come as we sneak up on him with the camera!

bumbo

2009-09-04T09:47:00.000-07:00

Chris pulled out Caleb's bumbo chair the other morning to try something new and he enjoyed himself, for a few minutes anyway. He is still a little small to be in the chair for very long, but he enjoys having a different view of his world.

Caleb has mastered the roll and not only rolls himself, but takes the blanket with him!

Beginning the roll...
the big finish!

POOP (and lots of it!)

2009-09-04T09:46:00.000-07:00

Just the other day I was leaving the house and picked Caleb up to buckle him in his car seat and found a surprise present - poop! I had heard him let out a little poop or toot, sometimes it's hard to tell, but I was completely unaware he had pooped so much! He had been wearing a white outfit which had to be thrown away because his entire back was covered with poop. I'm not sure if you can tell in the picture but it reaches all the way up to my hands! I was laughing so hard I knew we had to document this special accomplishment!

Bike Riding

2009-09-02T19:17:00.000-07:00

Caleb has a signature pose which Chris has dubbed "riding his bike". It just takes a little imagination to picture some handlebars and it fits!

Zzzzzs

2009-08-30T14:14:00.000-07:00

I love my baby awake, but he's so cute when he sleeps too!

I love this crazy pose.

So cuddly

stretched out on mom & dad's bed

Growing Boy

2009-08-30T13:37:00.001-07:00

This summer has gone by so quickly and Caleb has grown so much! It's so fun watching his little personality develop. He jabbers more and more and is even starting to giggle a little bit. Below are some fun pictures of him over the last month.

Celebrating 26 years with my boys

I found my thumb!

kickin it in the bathrobe

cuddling with daddy after nap time

Rollin' Rollin' Rollin' Keep the Baby Rollin'

2009-08-30T13:19:00.000-07:00

Caleb has been able to roll from his tummy to his back for a few weeks and yesterday he figured out how to roll from his back to his tummy! He was a bit frustrated after his struggle but his parents were thrilled, and a little scared! Today we managed to get it on tape and coax a few smiles as well. I can't believe how fast my little baby is growing! Caleb is also turning himself and starting to scoot. Chris made the comment that by Christmas he likely will be into everything!

Look who's talking

2009-07-20T13:10:00.000-07:00

Caleb has his Mother wrapped around his little fingers. That's mostly because he talks to her and tells her just what she wants to hear. Listen for yourself.

Blessing Day

2009-07-15T20:47:00.001-07:00

Caleb was blessed on July 5th and it was such a wonderful experience for us! We had looked forward to this day for so long and it finally came. Chris and Caleb both looked so handsome in their suits! Our families both traveled here to Arizona for the blessing during one of the hottest times of the year, so sorry everyone. We are so grateful to all of our families and friends who came and supported us on our special day!

Our little family

The Grandmas and Caleb

The Jardine clan

The Lotts

Uncle Andrew

My handsome boys

Smiles

2009-07-15T20:09:00.000-07:00

Caleb had his first real smile a few weeks ago and has continued to smile more and more, and not just when he has gas! They are all so cute I just can't help myself! We try to coax them out whenever we can. He sure is a handsome boy!

Trying on his blessing outfit

Coming Home

2009-06-07T11:40:00.000-07:00

I'm posting this a little backwards in the timeline, but oh well. Caleb and I came home from the hospital 2 days after he was born. We were shooting for only one night in the hospital but a few hours after he was born I almost passed out, not a fun experience. My doctor suggested we stay one more night and I am so glad we did. We had only slept 2 hours the night before he was born and I wasn't able to eat during the day so my body was a bit overloaded. A little too much excitement for me! One more night of at least 4 hours of uninterrupted sleep helped immensely, especially because I didn't get much those first few nights home. Our first family pictures are posted below as well as the beautiful flowers Chris had waiting for me when we arrived home. We are so thankful Caleb arrived here safely!

Aren't these flowers beautiful?!

His first helicopter outfit!

Happy Brithday Chris!!

2009-05-30T13:26:00.000-07:00

Chris celebrated his last birthday in his twenties on May 23rd. Thank goodness my parents were here so he was able to still have a birthday celebration as I was too tired to do much of anything! Father and son are exactly 10 days apart, kind of fun they have their birthdays close together. Thanks to my mom Chris enjoyed a delicious birthday dinner and she made us both our birthday cakes because she won't be here for my birthday. The cake was awesome, as usual. It was a mud cake cooked in the crock pot and served with mint chocolate chip ice cream in the center, one of Chris's favorites. It was a beach themed cake served with gummy worms, rock candy, Swedish fish in a sand pail and we even ate the cake with the little sand shovels. My dad also took Chris out for a movie and to give him a break of being cooped up in the house with me! They had a great time. Below you can see Chris enjoying playing with dry ice, admitting he is still a kid at heart (my parents had brought in their cooler for the long drive from Utah). He told them that was the greatest present! Thanks Mom and Dad, we had a great time!

Cell Phone Pics

2009-05-25T16:39:00.000-07:00

We have been urged to take as many pictures as we can while Caleb is small. Our camera is small and very much capable of being within arms reach at all times. However, I don't think that far ahead and my Mom has asked to have these pictures sent to her cell phone as well. So here is our little man in all his controlling glory! Seriously though, we have been having such a good time with him even though his main hobbies are eating, pooping, and sleeping. He provides us with a joy we haven't known before. He loves to be held when he isn't doing those other hobbies and we are more than happy to oblige.

Taking a nap in the big boy bed

He's got the look

He had nowhere to go for this shot, he is all bundled up

Finally!!

2009-05-13T21:12:00.000-07:00

The wait is over! We finally welcomed Caleb James Lott into our family this afternoon at 4:30. Initially we were worried that he wouldn't come until next Monday because our doctor said the hospital wouldn't schedule a medical induction until one week past the due date. However, we could put ourselves on a list of elective inductions that might or might not get called to come in. Our doctor's office put us on the list and said we were third in line. We were informed that if a room was available the hospital would contact us sometime after midnight. We got the call at 12:10. Around 1 a.m. we rolled into the hospital and by 2:30 Jessie was on a pitocin drip. Our night began in a triage room and at 5:30 we were moved into a delivery room. Jessie made the call for the epidural at 9. Around 3:30 p.m. she was fully dialated and effaced. She started pushing at 4 and by 4:30 he was here. His APGAR score was very good he got 9/10 for both his initial and five minutes after birth. He got his first bath after switching to a different room and as soon as he was dry he zonked!

Waiting sweetheart....just waiting

Caleb James Lott

7 pounds 11 ounces

21.5 inches

His first bath

Post-bath slumber

Ready...Set...Sort

2009-04-19T13:42:00.000-07:00

After many months of accumulating stuff we come to the final showdown, what do we actually have? Apparently a lot. One of Jessie's good friends from our last ward has been kind enough to give us some clothing that her tank/son has grown out of. We just purchased a stroller and car seat. About the only thing missing now is a baby.

Our doctor ordered another ultrasound last week just to make sure the baby is growing well (due to the cord insertion). According to their measurements he is one healthy boy, just over 6 pounds! We were also fortuante enough to get a very brief look at him through 3D. According to some of Jessie's siblings, he looks just like me. I don't know who he looks like, I'm just happy to see his face.

Picture Time

2009-04-05T16:51:00.000-07:00

After many requests from Jeri for new pictures of my growing belly, we obliged. We are happy to report Little Chris is growing just fine in spite of the marginal cord insertion. The doctor reported we are both doing very well and have had a healthy "textbook" pregnancy. Chris and I are almost done with our birthing classes, which have been entertaining and insightful. These classes have been great for me because I am the type of person who likes to know exactly what is going to happen and why. I feel that I can cope better knowing what to expect beforehand. With only five weeks before the due date we are getting everything in order. We meet our pediatrician next week, finish our classes, and take a tour of the birthing center. We are getting very excited for our new arrival!

Movin' Baby

2009-03-15T20:13:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd share a little bit of my experience with our little boy, since Chris has already shared his experiences. It's such a wonderful thing to feel the little life inside of me! There have been times in the last 4 years I wondered if I would ever get to have this experience, but thankfully we were blessed with this wonderful little boy. I tease Chris that he is already like his dad because he seems bent on not doing what he's told. He is such a little mover, which I am grateful for. He spins and tumbles inside, I feel like his personal playground. It seems that he already likes to snuggle because he'll get high up into my ribs and stay there. He also likes to play. When we tap on my stomach, or even when I just have my hands resting on my tummy, he'll kick or push out a little body part and we go back and forth for a little while. He is very smart! I love our little guy alreay. It my sound strange, but I feel our Little Chris's spirit and personality. Only 8 weeks left. I can't wait to meet him!

Quick Thrills

2009-03-09T17:07:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to go rappelling with the young men in our ward last Friday and Saturday. This is the first time I have been on a scouting camp out since I was in scouts. Since Jessie had to work on Saturday it made for a great excuse to get out and enjoy the weather before it becomes unbearable. As an advisor for the Teachers Quorum I get to go out and play like they do, but I still get the benefits of being an adult (without any responsibility). This particular area is almost directly east of Scottsdale and since I fly around these parts quite often it was good to see the area from the ground. The wall that was next to our camp is a popular place because it has a very easy climb and a path that leads up the backside. It takes about five minutes to get up and 15 seconds to get down. The hardest part is walking to the edge knowing there is 80 feet of nothing below. After sitting into the harness its all about friction and holding the rope. I have to say I really enjoyed myself. I recommend this kind of thing to anybody who wants a big thrill, even if you are afraid of heights (like I am).

This is the wall as it looks from our campsite
One of our young men getting ready to take the plunge
About halfway down the face

29 Weeks And Counting

2009-02-24T19:27:00.000-08:00

As of today Jessie is a mere 11 weeks from making me a Daddy. Of course this is under the assumption that she goes full term. When we were home for Christmas she was just barely showing, but now we can definitely see there is an L.C. in the oven (she calls him Little Chris much to my chagrin). He is a pretty active baby. Jessie will start laughing when I'm not even in the room and she lets me know he is going nuts in there. Sometimes she laughs because he starts tickling her with the movement. Today we were sitting down to dinner and we watched her belly and we could see him kicking and doing his thing. I think its safe to say we are having a lot of fun and he isn't even done baking. Since my Mom has made several requests for pictures of her grandson I guess it is time to submit. This is for you Mom!

Check out that Valentines Day present!

Merry New Year!

2009-01-12T16:23:00.000-08:00

I guess now is a good time to put up a few pictures from Christmas and our little vacation. We enjoyed coming home for the holidays, but I think next time we will have to fly because driving kind of sucks. We got stuck on Hoover Dam for over an hour and that was just at the dam. I won't bore you with the details, but to those of you who want to spend Christmas laying in the sun you should come here next time.

Jessie and I don't usually do much in the way of gift giving around this time of year because we usually do something else like going on vacation. Our tree was only three feet tall, but it did the trick since we didn't have many presents to put under there. Next time she gets me a book I think it needs to be a little bigger though (I don't like getting out my glasses).

We would also like to take this chance to thank those of you who helped make Jessie's baby shower a wonderful experience, whether you were with us or not. I'm pretty sure we won't have to do wash when he is born because we got enough clothes to cover the first two or three months. Just a quick sidenote, we spoke with our doctor the other day about the results of the last scan and she said cord insertion isn't going to be an issue it just means the umbilical cord didn't insert in the middle of the placenta as it usually does. We will be going in for one more scan in about a month. Thanks again to everyone who made our trip home a memorable one (there are pictures aplenty to document it just ask my Mom).

(p.s. aggression towards the duck is nothing to worry about, I have medication for that)

Like Father, Like Son

2008-12-12T20:27:00.000-08:00

Melissa mentioned the other day that Hell must have frozen over since we are now up to speed with the blogging world. I must say it has been a little nippy down here for a few days and it looks like rain. We are happy to announce that we will be welcoming a baby boy in May!! We have a few names, but we are still looking for the one that just jumps off the page. I have been reluctant to give out the names because when other people would mention names for their kids I would automatically assign those names with people I didn't like or tell them that I knew dogs that shared the same name. It makes me feel bad and now I'm the one shielding myself from possible dog names. The doctor who read the scan said everything was looking very good, but the umbilical cord insertion into the placenta was not as good as they were hoping for. He said it wasn't anything major to worry about and our O.B. would talk to us about it in the next visit. Otherwise, everything is going pretty well. Concerning the title, during the ultrasound the kid was turning and shielding himself in the groinal area so we couldn't see what the sex was. Just like a Lott baby to do the opposite of what you ask him. Like Father, Like Son.

The Good Times

2008-12-10T21:58:00.000-08:00

After viewing both Mike and Melissa's posts I thought I might throw my hat in the ring. Being the youngest I have fewer memories of Dad, but the ones I have are a constant reminder to me of the great person he was. When I think about the good times I find myself coming back to Sunday dinner. He would go lay down on the floor in the living room and Melissa and I would climb all over him, even after a big meal. I don't recall him ever reading anything but his scriptures, its still a wonderful example to me. His was a life without much glamor or fanfare as I recall, but he was kind and polite to those he didn't know. His example lives on in my memory and I thank him for that. Love you Papa.

Graham Cracker Houses

2008-12-07T20:58:00.000-08:00

Tis' the season to make fake houses of refined sugar and welcome the onset of diabetes! Since we don't have any gingerbread we decided it would be just as easy to break out a box of crackers instead. As you can see, the architecture is a little sloppy with the one on the left of the picture. We hope to make this a new tradition in our house, the only thing is to exercise a bit of caution when it comes to eating the building materials.

Joining the Revolution!

2008-12-07T18:26:00.000-08:00

Greetings!

This is a bit new for us. We fought against making a blog for the last year and now we realize there is no escaping the inevitable. Besides, if Grandpa Moon has a blog we have no reason to keep delaying. The weather here in Phoenix has been fantastic for the last month. On Thanksgiving there was rain that actually touched the ground, hard to believe isn't it? If it wasn't for the blast furnace that is summer, this would be the perfect place to live.

Jessie is currently working for Wells Fargo and she enjoys it some of the time. She is a lead teller and was just recently asked to take a Service Manager position. She thought about it for a few days and came to the conclusion that taking care of her pregnant self would be a better idea. I was crushed.

I am still teaching for Universal Helicopters in Scottsdale. Things have been kind of slow lately, but I'm quite sure that has applied to most businesses. I teach mostly instrument students (learning to fly by reference to instruments only) and I feel like it has been a good fit for me. It is a very demanding and unforgiving type of flight that takes precision and skill. It is also very rewarding to see students begin to make progress and finally pass a practical test.

On to more weightier matters. Jessie and I are expecting a bundle of joy in early May and we are very excited to welcome a new face into our family. We are going to find out exactly whats inside, my money is on a girl. Both of our mothers think it will be a boy, stay tuned to see who wins the bet. By the time people actually look at this we will already know the sex of the baby and there will be a new post and information about the ultrasound. So in light of that, we will make sure to consistently update this little spot of ours on the web. Vive la revolucion!