Before & After

Before Anti-Depressants

After Anti-Depressants

Where Has the Time Gone?

Emma is now two months old, so I took her two-month anniversary pictures last night out in our yard. She was very cooperative, all things considered. The basket is one that my Mom gave to me that belonged to Gram. I believe it was one of her knitting baskets. Correct me if I'm wrong. I couldn't decide which picture was the cutest, so you'll have to put up with half a dozen.






You know me, I can't resist the goofy pics!

Wyoming Moon

Happy B-Day Bro! Happy Birthday out to Don, who turned 40 today. Great party last night! I really did enjoy it, although I fell asleep for a few minutes on the couch because I only had three hours of sleep the night before. Sue, thanks for the mildly embarrassing photos of that, and for the giggles I heard from the Peanut Gallery (you know who you are). But I was too tired to care. Anyway, I'm really glad I quit grousing about the price of gas (my meds are really mellowing me out, don't you think?), packed up my kids, and drove to Salt Lake for the shindig. Kudos to Lora, who planned the whole thing. To me, this surprise party, because of all the people you rounded up and all the hard work that went into it (huge organizing, keeping the secret from Don, and the incredible "life story" video you put together), just goes to show how lucky Don is. I've been meaning to say that for a long time, and I'm too shy to say it in person. You are the best thing for him. Every time I think about all you do for him, and the sacrifices it takes to juggle his life and his kids, I'm just relieved he has you. Thank you so much for all you contribute to his happiness.


So anyway, driving home tonight, I just couldn't help admiring the full moon, and I thought, "I've got to take some pictures when I get home." So I did! Here's the shot from my back deck. For all you amateur camera buffs, I shot this with my telephoto lens, as close up as I could get, 200 setting on the lens, at a speed of 4000 with the camera set on a tripod. I still had to crop the picture, but it looks great, if I do say so myself. Just goes to show what you can do with a decent camera, and a clear Wyoming sky. Sue, you probably already know this from your many previous visits to Wyoming, but the summer nights are beautiful here, because the air is so clear. You can see a gazillion stars in the clear night sky. Get your camera and tripod ready this fall after you get settled in at your new home!

Brothers Are Jerks!

2 posts today. Connor thought it was funny to spit water on Gil, until Gil got him back by dunking his head under the tap in the bathtub.


"But I didn't deserve this! I'm just a poor, innocent, little kid!"
"Don't pull the tiger's tail, buddy. Gotcha!"

Happy 3rd!! ...so when can we start potty training?!

Thanks for the loot, Grammie!!!

Connor is now officially three years old! He loves cars, and loves, loves, loves water! He'll stand at the kitchen sink, and just play for nearly an hour, pouring water back and forth between containers, spraying things with the little sink water sprayer, and having a grand time. And he actually manages to keep most of the water in the sink! Of course, let's not talk about water conservation. We get black marks for that, but it's non-tv entertainment, so I approve. His Fisher Price Geo Trax train tracks set is one of his favorites, too. And don't forget that he's a monkey acrobat and fearlessly climbs and jumps from great heights. Speaking of fearlessness, if I lose track of him, he'll escape outside, and just go next door to the neighbor's house, walking in like he lives there. I've tried to explain the concept of knocking, but it's going to take a while to catch on. Dani was like that when she was little, too. Remember my post a while ago, when I was talking about how Connor would go potty at church, quite willingly, but he wouldn't go potty in his own house? He said he wanted to go outside to Connor's house to go potty. Where is this mystical place outside called "Connor's House"? Well, turns out that this neighbor's house next door is "Connor's house." Little rascal! He just won't go potty here. I keep thinking I've got to work out some kind of bribing system to get him to go potty in his own house, but I'm not sure. He's just so stubborn!

He is also so much more articulate these days, and is really developing a sense of humor. For example, a month or two ago, he found a way to describe his constipation, "The poopies are hiding in my butt!" I just about died laughing. Today, when he finished his Perler bead project (just a square filled with black beads), he said "I'm a genius!" Apparently, he heard that phrase on the kid tv show, Avatar. Nice use of phrases, Connor.

This is Connor's funny little "Gritting Grin." Maybe you have to see it in person to be amused by it, but he clenches his fists, grits his teeth and smiles while his head tremors. Such a quirky little boy. But we love you!!

Olympic Spirit

Just got done watching the Men's 4x100m Freestyle Relay in swimming for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Fantastic! Just when it appeared that the U.S. was going to come in second, Jason Lezak came from behind in the last lap to upset the French in their bid for the gold. It's what I love most about the Olympics, what everyone loves about sports, I think, is the possibility of a loss, or even an almost certainty of loss, but still a team or an individual rises above the odds to come out on top and win!

Doesn't matter what event I'm watching (well, maybe not curling, for crying out loud), but I am so inspired by the Olympics every time I watch it. It makes me want to go out and achieve my personal best in something athletic. I think, "I'm 36 now, and 40's not that far away. What goal can I have, where at the end, I get to feel like those athletes do, who are screaming and jumping up and down, in a perfect moment of victory?" When I started exercising regularly over a year ago, I would listen to energizing music, and feel something close to that, pushing myself to get it done, imagining myself kicking butt (I'm not a violent person, really, ha ha), or some other feat of accomplishment. But I wouldn't mind some actual, real goal rather than a temporary buzz inside my own head. Hmmm...

Emma Jean's Blessing

So much blogging, so little time. Not to mention, I feel like the little piggie who's trying to get a little time in at the trough. There are too many computer HOGS in this family! Perhaps a laptop in my stocking this Christmas... yeah, right.

But I digress. Emma had a wonderful blessing this last Sunday. Thanks to everyone who could come. And for those of you who couldn't, here are the pics. I would love to post her blessing here, but I fear that the internet is not a good place for something of a sacred nature. Mom and I recorded it, though, so it will be written down, I'm sure. Sue was a fantastic photographer, I must say. All the pics were taken by her, whether it was my camera or hers. A sampling:

Gee, what a good lookin' crew!

The Cox side of the family.

The Allred side of the family. Zen's parents, Ron and Rose, and Zen's sister Mickie, her husband Steve, and their children.

Three generations of Cox women.









P.S. Happy Birthday to Sue, on such an unusual date: 8-8-08! Also, if you haven't read Breaking Dawn yet in the Twilight series, get with it! I'm itching to discuss the book!!!! Teaser thought: I didn't see that one coming, but on the other hand, you put all our speculations together, and you can kind of see we were headed in the right direction.