The Adventures of the Gillice Family

We're Still Here...

2011-03-05T23:02:00.003-07:00

...and boy are we behind on blogging. Sadly, the winter months are keeping us indoors for the most part and nothing too incredibly exciting has happened. This winter hasn't been too terrible (as far as winters go) but I can't say we won't be glad to see it end...and the sooner the better. In the meantime we'll try to keep the blog a little more up to date. It should be a fun year for the Gillice's. Join us, will you?

And to make this post a little more interesting, here's a great shot of Owen with the cat in a headlock. Isn't he sweet? The cat sure thinks so..

The Best Music of 2010

2010-12-25T14:50:00.007-07:00

James here. Happy New Year!!!

I haven't done this for the past couple of years, but in 2007 I made an end of the year best albums list. 2010 was a good year for music so I decided to do the list thing again.

Maybe you care, maybe you don't, but this is what I've been listening to this year. Counting down the top 10...here we go...

10. I Heart California by Admiral Radley

Members of Grandaddy (a favorite band of mine) and Earlimart (who I know by name only) combine forces on this album with wildly mixed results. Not many albums can mix together so many songs that I love with a few that I really don’t care for at all. Despite this inconsistency, the best of these really are great songs. This is certainly not an album I can listen to in it’s entirety but half of it is very, very good.

Standout Tracks:
#2 - "Ghosts of Syllables"
#4 - "Lonesome Co."

#5 - "The Thread

#9 - "GNDN"
#11 - "I Left U Cuz I Luft U"

9. Transference by Spoon

A below standard album from an above standard band. Still, there are enough highlights here to give this one a mention.

Standout Tracks:
#3 - "The Mystery Zone"
#5 - "Written in Reverse"
#8 - "Goodnight Laura"

#10 - "Got Nuffin"

8. Halcyon Digest by Deerhunter

Not as consistent as 2008’s Microcastle, but where this album is good, it is REALLY good. More poppy and accessible than they’ve been in the past. Easily the worst album cover of the year though.

Standout Tracks:

#3 - "Revival"
#5 - "Memory Boy"
#6 - "Desire Lines"

#8 - "Helicopter"

7. Age of Adz by Sufjan Stevens

Wow. What can you even say about this album? It is hard to even form words to describe this. It is something that needs to be experienced. With this album Sufjan is more a composer than a songwriter. There is so much going on at any given moment in these songs. So complex and busy and yet incredibly infectious and often quite moving. If there is any flaw to be found it is that this exercise in overload sometimes can almost be a bit too much. All in all an amazing listening experience from an obvious genius.

Standout Tracks:

#1 - "Futile Devices"
#4 - "I Walked"
#5 - "Now That I’m Older"
#8 - "Vesuvius"

6. The Devil to Pay by Brett Shady

The debut album from Brett Shady may not break any new sonic ground, but it doesn’t have to nor was it meant to. Half of it’s charm is the feeling that you’ve heard these songs before somehow...perhaps as a child on the radio during a late night road trip...perhaps in a distant dream of some alternate version of the 1950’s...who knows exactly, but you know you’ve heard them before. The rest of this albums charms can be found in equal parts of simple yet smart and affecting ‘everyman’ lyrics, beautiful sparse country-tinged arrangements, and incredible sing-along pop moments. Not a poor track to be found here, but there are certainly highlights that hopefully are a sign of things to come.

Standout Tracks:
#1 - "Somebody Else"
#2 - "Jerome, AZ"
#6 - "Red House Plea"
#10 - "Angels, Ghosts And Demons"

5. The Suburbs by Arcade Fire

I’ll say this right off the bat...The Suburbs is the weakest album Arcade Fire has released to date. With that said, that still leaves plenty of room for this to be an excellent album, which it is. Of course it’s still early to really be able to say...ask me again in 10 years for a more definitive answer. To be fair, this has only grown on me since I first heard it and I imagine it will continue to do so in years to come. The Suburbs definitely has its highlights and moments of brilliance and yet sometimes it seems like it just barely misses the target or plods along in a boisterous yet unaffecting way. At 16 tracks, it feels at least 2 tracks too long. Don’t get me wrong, this is excellent music...they just set the bar so high with previous releases that it’s hard to see things for what they are until the dust has more time to settle.

Standout Tracks:

#1 - “The Suburbs”
#2 - “Ready To Start”
#9 - “Suburban War”
#15 - "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)"

4. Mines by Menomena
I don’t hear this band talked about much and I haven’t seen them mentioned on many end of year lists. I can only scratch my head and wonder if I’m hearing something different than everyone else. To my ears this is one of the most refreshing and brilliant bands to come out in a long while. They are yet to put out a full masterpiece, but they are at the top of the list of bands that I expect great things from. Mines showcases Menomena with their most mature and solid set of songs to date. The songwriting here reaches emotional highs that they had yet to reach previously. They are not all perfect but there is so much here to love. Each track has so much going on while at the same time feeling sparse. The production is brilliant with the drums up front and the piano and sax not far behind and which both, along with jagged guitar stabs, weave in and out of the music in the most creative and often surprising ways. This band sounds like nothing I’ve heard before.

Standout Tracks:
#2 - “TAOS”
#3 - “Killemall”
#8 - “Oh Pretty Boy, You’re Such A Big Boy”
#9 - “Five Little Rooms”
#11 - “Intil”

3. Broken Bells by Broken Bells
Although this album is completely interesting and engaging throughout with not a weak track to be found, I can’t help but be slightly disappointed every time I listen to it. You see, half of this album is a complete masterpiece...the other half is merely great. When I listen I find myself wondering what could have been. Perhaps this super duo of Danger Mouse and James Mercer will eventually create this perfect gem of an album that is hinted at here. Until that time we must be content with mere greatness (with a heavy dose of brilliance).

Standout Tracks:
#1 - “The High Road”
#2 - “Vaporize”
#3 - “Your Head Is On Fire”
#4 - “The Ghost Inside”
#7 - “Citizen”

2. High Violet by The National

In 2007 The National released Boxer...a fine enough album with barely a weak song and several songs that I really enjoyed. And yet there was enough there that I wasn’t completely sold on that I have not returned to that album much over the past 3 years. By comparison, High Violet never left any such doubts in my mind. From the first listen there was no question it was brilliant, it was just a matter of figuring out exactly HOW brilliant. Listening to this now at the end of the year I am realizing that it only keeps getting better the more time passes.

Standout Tracks:
#2 - “Sorrow”
#3 - “Anyone’s Ghost”
#5 - “Afraid of Everyone”
#10 - “England”

1. Teen Dream by Beach House
The title of this album gives it away, the key word being “dream”. “Teen” or otherwise, this album feels like a complete dream. There is not a single song that is not completely gorgeous...and yet if it has any fault, it’s that they are all so good that on initial listens, nothing really stands out. You keep waiting for it to falter and it never does. There are many songs that came out this year that I would consider better than anything on here, but there is no album that is as solid as this.

My first listen to Teen Dream was on a solitary road trip through the northwest corner of Nevada and into Oregon. It was a route I had never been on and it was amazingly desolate. At one point I think I drove over a hundred miles and only passed a handful of cars going the other direction. The cloud formations that day were otherworldly and that combined with the thrill that comes from seeing a new place for the first time provided the perfect atmosphere for this album. It truly felt like I had wandered into a dream. A Teen Dream apparently.

Standout Tracks:

#1 - “Zebra”
#4 - “Walk In the Park”
#5 - “Used to Be”
#7 - “Better Times”
#8 - “Ten Mile Stereo”

And there you have it. My 10 best of the year.

So what did you listen to this year?

James Finished His 3rd Album! (Finally)

2010-12-10T11:14:00.006-07:00

Hey everyone, James here.
If you didn't know already, I have a little side hobby of writing and recording music. My 3rd album, Here Nor There, is finally finished and available as a "pay what you want" download or as a CD pre-order with a minimum cost of 4.99 (or higher if you choose to be generous).

Please go HERE and listen to and download the fruits of my labors.

MENOMENA!!

2010-10-29T08:41:00.000-06:00

On the 15th James and I headed up to Salt Lake City to see Menomena. It was phenomenal. Loved every second. It was the best $15 we had spent in a long time and was even worth the 4 hours of sleep we got (we didn't get home until 2:30 in the AM). A VERY special thank you to our friends Matt and Brittany for hanging out with the kiddos for the night. It was a much-needed night out.

These videos don't do any justice to the actual performance, but here they are anyway.

We're So Glad When Daddy Comes Home

2010-10-27T08:37:00.000-06:00

We love it when Daddy's here to play with us. He does all the stuff that Mommy won't - throwing us in the air, hanging us upside down, and rolling around on the floor. He's also a really great tickler!

Owen has a really hard head. It comes from months and months of hitting it against walls, windows, and other people. It's a good thing it is so hard, or else he wouldn't think this was so much fun:

Pumpkin Patch Redux

2010-10-25T08:33:00.001-06:00

The air has a bit of a chill in it, the leaves are starting to turn - it's definitely that time of the year again - time for field trips to the Pumpkin Patch! We went a couple weeks ago with our neighborhood preschool group and had a blast. Here are a few of the best shots:

This year we have 8 kids in our preschool. When you combine them with 5 younger siblings, we are quite the force to be reckoned with:

The best of many attempts at a group shot

For fun, check out this shot of Owen last year (click last year).

Love. These. Two

Staring at the Sun (not the only ones)

2010-10-11T16:59:00.003-06:00

Though summer took it's sweet time arriving in Utah, it was also in no hurry to leave. As late as last week we were in shorts, t-shirts and, brace yourselves, swimming suits, to squeeze in a little more time with our good friend the sun. We were also joined with our good friends the Larsens, the Nelsons, and the Eldridges (no relation (that we know of)).

Resistance is Futile!

2010-10-07T09:55:00.001-06:00

Yet again, we have a 2-year-old. Owen is a handful. He LOVES LOVES LOVES all things Thomas the tank engine so for his birthday we went all Thomas - cake, tablecloth, plates, a take along play set, several trains, pajamas, and a book and talking Thomas toy from friends. And when I say he "loves" Thomas, I really mean he is completely obsessed - he knows all the different trains' names, he loves the shows and asks to watch them all day. Now that he has the trains, he carries them everywhere he goes. From the moment he started taking an interest in Thomas I swore I wouldn't buy in to all the paraphernalia, but I just couldn't resist. I have never seen him so attached to anything. Here are the pictures from the party, with more details at the end for those who care to know.

Owen is awesome. He is still small - 1st percentile for weight! - but sturdy. He goes and goes and goes all day (except for his daily 3-hour nap) and is usually in a great mood. He loves Zoe and the kitty and playing outside. He talks all the time and is a great communicator. We love having him around.

He definitely has me wrapped around his finger and probably gets away with more than he should. But he's my baby. He loves giving hugs, kisses, high-fives, and fist bumps. He's a great eater and would drink his weight in juice every day if I let him. He loves nursery and playing with his friends. He is turning into such a big kid. We love you Owen!

Random Acts of Cuteness

2010-10-06T08:06:00.001-06:00

We bought a small vacuum to clean up Owen's after-dinner mess but since it's pink, Zoe claimed it. She loves using it.

Is there anything more precious in the world than this?

Zoe and her friends. We were watching a movie together and when we turned around she had them set up like this. Don't ask.

"Owen, are you excited?" Response:

This girl. There aren't enough words.

Skywalk

2010-10-05T08:50:00.000-06:00

Every year we drive up the canyon with our ward members for the annual "Skywalk." It's a 3-mile jaunt with stops for dinner and snacks along the way. Despite the warm weather, the colors have been changing around here and it was gorgeous. Most of the pictures didn't turn out well (I really really really really really really want a new camera) so I'm only posting a couple post-walk shots. Aren't these two the most precious children you've ever seen?

Back to the Grindstone

2010-10-04T08:45:00.000-06:00

About a month ago, Zoe had her first days back at preschool. Again this year we are doing a neighborhood joy school two days a week and preschool through the district two days a week. Here are a few shots from before she left for school:

A Three-Park Day

2010-10-01T08:59:00.000-06:00

As I said before, Ben and Travis graced us with their presence over Labor Day Weekend and we enjoyed having them with us. That weekend was also Payson's Golden Onion Days so we went to the park for some community fun.

The kids weren't loving Onion Days so we made our way over to Spanish Fork and the new park there. It was freaking awesome! There are tons of swings, a giant play structure, a climbing wall, and a huge fountain for the kids to play in. As per usual, I left the house unprepared for water play, but we improvised.

Next we grabbed lunch at Taco Bell and headed to another park in Spanish Fork (by the library). We found a quiet spot by a huge rose garden to eat and let the kids run around even more.

On Monday we headed back to the Way Awesome and Super Amazing Park (I think that's it's official name) and this time we were prepared for the water. So of course it was a little bit cold. The kids still had a blast but soon decided that they had had enough "playing" in the water (aka running around shivering) and we headed over to the non-water area of the park for some fun with our friends the Namannys. Do three-day weekends get any better than that?

Golden Opportunities

2010-09-30T11:28:00.001-06:00

It's that time of the year again - Golden Shoulders made their way across the country and stopped in our little corner of the world. We had a great time hanging out with old friends and listening to awesome music. As an added bonus, the concert served as a great start to our Labor Day Weekend which we spent with Travis Biggs and Ben Counihan. The amount of fun we had was inversely proportionate to the amount of pictures we took.

Here's a little clip of the band playing "I Will Light You On Fire." Seriously amazing song.

Where does the time go?

2010-09-29T03:00:00.002-06:00

More to come after I'm finished catching up on the rest of the posts. But for now, Happy Birthday Owen!

Tuesdays Are Terrific!

2010-09-28T08:35:00.000-06:00

Every August, Thanksgiving Point has $2 Tuesdays, where admission to the Dinosaur Museum, the gardens, or Farm Country is only - you guessed it - two bucks. Last year we went to the gardens for a friend's birthday. This year we headed to the Dinosaur Museum. With admission at $9 a person this is a steal. We enjoyed every second!

The Newest Addition

2010-09-27T08:24:00.001-06:00

We were recently adopted by a stray kitten. It had been hanging around the house for a while and Zoe latched onto it like she never has before. She started referring to it as "my kitty" so when we couldn't find anyone to claim her, we took the plunge and became cat owners. Eek.

We're actually loving it. The kitty - Flash, or "Flashaveema" (as Zoe has chosen to call her) - is so sweet. She lets Zoe carry her around all day and tolerates all of Owen's poking, pinching, grabbing, and yelling with no hissing or scratching. We all really love having the kitty in our family. At nearly every prayer, no matter who is saying it, Owen always adds "kitty, and kitty's food, and kitty's milk" to the things we are thankful for.

It's also been really good for Zoe - learning how to care for and feed her, and talking about what the kitty likes and needs. It really feels like this cat was meant to be in our lives at this time.

Return to the Lake

2010-08-27T13:57:00.006-06:00

I don't think it's any secret that we love to go up the canyon to Payson Lakes. It is so beautiful up there. We especially love showing it off to our family. For the first time in several years, James' dad and stepmom visited us during a warm-weather month so we packed up the car and spent the day hiking to the grotto and playing in and around the lake. It was a great day.

Fun for Zoe's 4th

2010-08-25T13:27:00.004-06:00

Zoe is Four. Or, if you ask her, she's "twenty nine four." It's a little-known number between four and five. I'm surprised you've never heard of it.

Moving on. My parents were here for the big day and we had a nice time together. Zoe got a new scooter, lots of nail polish and lip gloss, and some fun things to go along with her Ariel-themed birthday. I found a cake online (for the life of me I can't find the link anymore, but if I do, I'll post it) and did my best to duplicate it. It was a bit of a mess, but I think it turned out pretty cute.

Now to bore you with the details of Zoe's life. Zoe is a fun little girl. She has an excellent memory and is finally going through the phase of asking me "why?" a bazillion times a day. Most of the time she already has an idea of the answer she wants to hear (whether or not it is a logical answer to the question) and just likes to hear me tell her what she already knows/thinks. It's cute most of the time and the bane of my existence the rest of the time.

Zoe is potty trained (mostly). If she decides she is a "big girl" then she does fairly well. She also wears certain clothes, is better about eating, and speaks very clearly. When she is a "little kid" she only wears certain things, has many more accidents, doesn't speak, and makes me cut all her food into tiny pieces "so I don't choke." So I never know which Zoe I will get throughout the day. Mostly I'm getting better at rolling with the punches and being very careful which battles I choose to fight.

Zoe's favorite color is pink. Then purple. She will tell you an exact order, naming every color she can think of until she gets to "sparkle." It's her favorite color after orange. She loves Tinkerbell and I must say I myself am excited for the new movie to come out in a month.

She has some really great friends in the neighborhood who love her despite her indifference towards them and the near-constant whining. Preschool is starting back up in a couple weeks and I am excited for that. We'll have 8 kids in our co-op preschool so that should be an adventure.

So that is Zoe's life right now. We have some more exciting news but I'll wait to post that until I catch up with the rest of our summer fun.

Oooo! Intrigue!

Smallest World Ever

2010-08-24T10:34:00.002-06:00

Right after the 4th, my parents arrived for a Turley family gathering and Zoe's birthday. On the 5th we went up to Salt Lake City to represent our little branch of the Turley family (my mom's mom is a Turley). Oddly enough, we ran into Dr. Bennet - the man who delivered me. So that was pretty neat-o.

[Disclaimer: I am aware that my hair looks like crap and I have squinty eyes and neither child is looking at the camera and the picture itself is slightly out of focus. I'm posting it anyway.]

Watch Out Miley...

2010-08-23T08:36:00.002-06:00

Zoe made up a catchy little tune the evening of the fourth. She sang it the rest of the night.

(Sorry this took so long to post. Blogger was giving me grief about uploading the video and then James pointed out that he had already uploaded the video to his Facebook account and Youtube, so here we are. I'll put up Zoe's birthday pictures later this week.)

Fun on the 4th

2010-08-16T10:59:00.005-06:00

For the Fourth we watched the Stadium of Fire from our usual super-secret spot (which has become not-so-secret over the years). We staked out a spot then went to In-N-Out with our neighbors, did a little birthday shopping for Zoe then went back to our spot to hang with the Nelsons and the Namannys. As usual we brought tons of toys and activities for the kids (bubbles, nail polish, hula hoops, etc.) and enjoyed the time waiting for fireworks almost as much as the fireworks themselves.

Once More to Oregon

2010-08-15T10:59:00.001-06:00

The weekend after Girl's Camp was the memorial service for James' Grandpa Tom. Some gracious and wonderful neighbors watched the kids for a day so James could leave for Oregon and I didn't have to miss too much fun at camp.

I wish the kids and I could have joined the Archibald family but we just couldn't make it work. James had a great time anyway.

GIRLS CAMP!!!

2010-08-14T11:37:00.001-06:00

Three days after our trip to New Mexico, it was time to pack my bags again - this time to go camping. The best part about being in the Young Women's organization is being able to go to Girls Camp. I haven't been since I was 17 so I was pretty stoked to go. This year our stake was able to go to Heber Valley Camp and it was simply amazing. Since we have a small group we got to stay in one cabin. It was a great week - hikes, canoeing, zip line, crafts, awesomely funny cheers, the best skit in the history of camp skits, junk food, and hanging out with the coolest girls and leaders in the world. It was also the first time I've ever been away from my kids for more than a few hours.

Ninja!

The Lovely Ladies of the Greenridge Ward

The Eyes Have It

2010-08-13T09:31:00.004-06:00

It's my birthday today. It's been a pretty good day so far. I've received all my favorite things- breakfast in bed (my favorite place to be in the morning), the new Arcade Fire album (one of my absolute favorite bands), a cookbook from The Range Cafe where I worked in high school (one of my favorite restaurants and jobs and I love to cook). Also, James is staying home from work to give me my absolute favorite thing - TIME! I get to do things (like blog and work out the menu and pay bills) without interruption from the kiddos. Loving it.

One of my new favorite things which I am enjoying today - waking up and being able to see. My parents' big present to me this year was springing for Lasik surgery. I had my eyes lasered two months ago and I love it! The procedure itself it pretty much the creepiest thing that has ever happened to me, but I'm free of contacts and glasses so it was worth it. Plus I got Valium and that was fun. I've had glasses since I was in 3rd grade and contacts since 8th grade - that's 13 years (or nearly half my life) that I've worn contacts. So I am really enjoying my new-found freedom. Even if it does mean I'm another year older. They say 27 is the new 24, right?

Celebrating 50 Years

2010-08-12T10:38:00.001-06:00

Ok, forever ago I mentioned some projects I was working on for my mom. This is what I've been up to: I created and mailed out the invitations to the 50th Anniversary party (including custom return address labels), handled the RSVPs, scanned images and processed video to create a slideshow, designed a DVD and DVD case (James was a big help in this area), arranged the photographer for our family portrait, and helped coordinate the meals for our family dinner.

I made enough copies for all of my siblings and their kids to have one, plus I included all the scanned images and video footage as files on a DVD-ROM. It was a pretty big undertaking and I enjoyed every second of it. Here is the final product:

Doug and Nancy Eldridge: Celebrating 50 Years from Desta Gillice on Vimeo.

Has it Been 50 Years Already?

2010-08-11T10:22:00.001-06:00

My parents were married June 4, 1960. That's 50 years ago. Even though I've only been around for about half of that time, it was time to celebrate. All of my siblings and their kids (except the one on a mission in Brazil) gathered at my parents house for a weekend of family, food, and fun.

Zoe finds hours of entertainment in a pair of goggles

Quality time with the cousins

On Friday we had a nice family dinner after getting a family portrait taken (the first professional one since I was about 5). We talked and played and just enjoyed being around each other. This is the first time I've been with all of my siblings since my Granny's funeral about 11 years ago. We surprised my parents with a new television and then we watched a slideshow of pictures and video of my parents throughout the years (I'll post that tomorrow separately). Then we planned another little reunion for 2012. It was really a great night.

Redneck Tee-ball

The next night we had a catered party at a hotel with live music. It was nice to see some of my parent's friends that I normally don't get a chance to visit with, and again have more time around my siblings. We ate and danced (I have to send out a HUGE "Thank You!" to my nieces and nephews who watched the kids all night - helping them eat dinner and then chasing them around the room so I could talk and dance and generally not worry about them), watched the slideshow again, and stayed until nearly midnight. I made a bed out of a few chairs and Zoe fell asleep. Before the night was over my nephew Bryson sacked out next to her.

COOKIE!!

Me and the Old Softie

Sunday I got to go to stake conference with my mom and a friend from high school. There is a stake center across from my old high school! And hundreds of new homes. And a new Aquatic center. And a library. I barely recognized the area.

Monday we celebrated my nephew Elijah's 7th birthday with a trip to Chuck-e-Cheese's. Now that is a good time. My dad played ski ball!

Tuesday we headed to the Albuquerque Zoo. I love that place so much (it's so much nicer than Utah's Hogle Zoo). It was hot but we stuck it out and saw everything. Owen was asleep about two minutes after we strapped him into the car. Zoe was out after 5 minutes.

Zoe and Owen had a great time getting to know their Eldridge and Darnell cousins and I loved being able to let them run around mostly unsupervised. It was a much-needed family gathering and I can't wait until we do it again!

Summer O' Fun

2010-08-09T11:49:00.005-06:00

Ok, I was only gone for two months this time. Not so bad, right? Here's a glimpse of what will be coming up in this next round of posts:
My parent's 50th Wedding Anniversary Celebration
Girl's Camp
Grandpa Tom's Memorial
4th of July
Zoe's 4th Birthday
Yet another visit to Payson Lakes

Summer has been good to us. We were gone most of June and then had family visiting for the first half of July. Now we're just enjoying playing with our friends around here and going to the pool. Only a few more weeks until school starts so we are really trying to enjoy the time we have left.

Zoe is potty trained! Huzzah! A couple weeks ago she decided that she wanted to wear underwear and with a lot of positive reinforcement she is now wearing it full-time (even at night). She wasn't having any accidents for a while, but now she's a little over-confident and has had a few problems over the weekend, but at least she's in underwear. We had our pediatrician refer us to a specialist so hopefully we'll be able to get a diagnosis soon and find the best resources for her (and us).

Owen is a parrot. He says everything. His favorite phrases include, "What are you doing?" "Have it" and "Bonk a head" (regardless of what has been bonked). His favorite color is yellow and he loves cars and trains (anything with wheels) and animals. He's at a really fun age and we enjoy him so much.

Here are a couple random pictures of our summer exploits.

Boys will be Boys

2010-05-20T00:04:00.005-06:00

Last weekend (yes, I'm up to date around here!) was our ward's Fathers and Sons Campout. It was cold but James and Owen had a great time. Well, Owen had a great time wandering off in every direction while James did his best to corral him. James put the seats down in the car when it was time for bed and everything went smoothly.

So happy to be free!

Getting Colder

The morning after

Has anyone seen Owen?

Back at the homestead, Zoe and I had a girls' night in - painting nails, eating popcorn, and watching The Little Mermaid, her most recent favorite movie. It was nice (and oh so relaxing) to have some one-on-one time with her, but she really wanted to be out camping with her daddy and frequently declared, "I want to be a boy" bringing back many of my own memories of feeling overlooked during Fathers and Sons Campouts of my youth. It's tough to be a girl.

Grandpa Tom

2010-05-17T11:21:00.003-06:00

As I alluded in my Christmas post, James' grandpa passed away. He was diagnosed with cancer toward the end of the year so we all gathered together for Christmas. On March 7, less than a week after he found out chemo had not worked, he passed away in his home. We love him and will miss him so much.

Ms. D'Lynn

2010-05-15T14:58:00.001-06:00

Zoe

Zozer

The Dozer

Nuggle Bear

The Nuggle

Ah Zoe. Where do I start? We had a rough winter. Things started getting better a month ago when she got really sick and sent us back to square one. Now, with some occasional warm weather, she is back to her bubbly self. She loves to help me with everything and be a mommy (to Owen, Tigger, and Warner -her toy bird). She is steadily getting better at interacting with people and understanding feelings - her own and those of others. She is really excited for it to be summertime and asks every day if it's warm enough to go to the pool. I have to say, I am excited as well.

This Guy

2010-05-13T14:45:00.001-06:00

Owen

Buddy

Mr. Budders

Buster

No matter what we call him, this guy is trouble. Fortunately, we love trouble. He is always smiling and always on the go. He is one tough kid, but also a snuggler. He loves to hug and give kisses. He's also really polite and started telling us "thank you" without being prompted. He insists on walking down the stairs and feeding himself. He loves fruit and juice. He loves telling us "no." He is definitely a force to be reckoned with.

Preschool Wrap-up

2010-05-11T14:18:00.000-06:00

Preschool has been such a blessing for both myself and Zoe. We have done some fun stuff and made great friends. I will be sad when it's over in a few short weeks. Here are a few of the things we've been doing in the name of education:

Pajama Party

Trip to the Fire Station

A trip to the dentist

Jumping Jacks
The Bean Museum

Hi Everybody!

2010-05-09T15:49:00.006-06:00

Ok, I'm back. And with pictures. Without further ado, here we go:

Christmas: was great. We ended up canceling our trip to California at the last minute and headed to Oregon instead. Grandpa Tom was diagnosed with cancer so the whole family made the trek out to spend one last Christmas together. One of Cathy's friends was generous enough to let us and Fern's family stay in her house while she was away. It was great to have a little space to call our own and for Zoe and Owen to hang out with their cousins. We missed our wonderful family and friends in California, but we were so glad we got to see Grandpa one more time.

We spent Christmas day at home. I love being at home for Christmas - we opened presents and stayed in pajamas for two days straight. The big hits of the day were dress-up clothes for Zoe and Cars for Owen - both the movie and tons of hotwheels. We also got them a little tent and a tunnel that are endlessly entertaining.

After Christmas we packed up and headed to Oregon. We hung out with James' sisters, aunts, and cousins. All the girls went out to see The Princess and the Frog one day and had a blast. Most importantly, James got to spend some quality time with his grandpa.

Don't worry, I'll keep updating. For mother's day James let me lock myself in the office to edit and post pictures. It's been a lovely day.

WORD

2010-02-23T14:14:00.007-07:00

The word on pictures: Spring. That's when the new Photoshop comes out. Until then, I'm up a creek without photo editing software. That's also the reason I'm reverting back to the old blog background. No software = no new blog backgrounds.

The word on the new computer: Awesome. We love it and are having way too much fun playing with it. I can't wait to get the new version of Photoshop and really start tinkering around. It will be just in time to start in on a big project for my parent's upcoming 50th wedding anniversary.

The word on James: Busy. He's got some business trips coming up and as the semester draws to a close, his work load will increase astronomically - no students in the classrooms means many more chances to get in to the rooms and maintenance the media systems.

The word on Desta: Tired. Most days I feel like I accomplish very little, if anything at all. I've been staying up far too late watching the Olympics and, before that, reading. I finished all 7 Harry Potter books in about 6 weeks. Now I don't quite know what to do with myself. But chasing the kids around and cooking and cleaning are usually on my list. And if it's Thursday then I'm in full Survivor mode! Loving this season. If I get any more excited I might just have a stroke. James said I can get "Colby" tattooed on my person, so I'm just trying to pick a place to immortalize my love for him...

The word on Zoe: Princess. She loves dressing up and doing her hair. But winters are so tough for her. She goes stir crazy and really needs the interaction that the warmer weather (and playing outside) brings. Thank goodness for preschool. She's been talking more to us and asking us questions. It's a good start and I've been making extra efforts to be REALLY EXTREMELY patient with her.

The word on Owen: Words. That kid is talking like crazy. His speech isn't as impeccable as Zoe's was (who at 18 months would often declare "It's snowing outside!") but he is a great communicator. His words include:
Baby
Ball
Bubble
Go! (which he shouts anytime anyone opens the door)
Fie (said while giving fives)
Snuggle (Guh-guh)
Care Bear (Ba-Ber)
Turtle
Pa (for pacifier)
Gui-Gui (for blankets, he made this word up all by himself)
No
Hi and Bye
Hello (when talking on the phone)
Milk (Mee)
Yogurt (Go-goo)
Toast (Toe)
Water (Wa-Wa)
Noodles (doo-doo)
Peanut Butter (Pa-ba)
Cheese (tss)
Vroom (for cars)
Mooing or Barking noises (for any animal he sees)

He is the complete opposite of Zoe in every way. He loves to eat, he gets into everything all the time, he doesn't miss a chance to tell us "no," he HATES diaper changes, having his nose or face wiped, and teeth brushed, he still takes two naps a day, and he is the most social kid in the world. If you are sitting anywhere near us in church you will end up with him bringing you toys, insisting on sitting on your lap, and he will probably try to give you (open-mouth) kisses. He loves to laugh and makes silly faces, and he is a great imitator when it comes to sounds and gestures. One more month and my baby will be in nursery.

So that is the word. Oh, and I've added the word verification to the comments, not that that affects many people, but we were getting quite a few spam comments that were annoying.

Farewell!

2010-01-19T14:50:00.006-07:00

Well, we're coming to the end of an era in the Gillice home. I will no longer be blogging. . . . . from this computer. Our new computer came TODAY and since we spent the long weekend setting up the new desk and bookshelves, we're ready to transfer some files and enjoy a fresh start. James got our current computer back in 2003 (before there was an "us") and it has been running on fumes for at least the last year. Finally the planets and stars (and tax refunds) were all aligned so here we go.

But first, here are some things I'll miss* about our current (soon to be former) computer:

I will miss the buzzing sound our computer makes when we turn it on. If we give it a good kick it "quiets" to a steady whirring noise. I'll miss all the reading time I have while I wait for the computer to boot up (or a program to load). I'll miss the zillions of wires that run behind the desk. Speaking of desks, I'll miss the cheap desk that has gotten us by for the last year - for taking up so much room it certainly has very little usable space. Owen will miss the rather large power button placed right where little fingers like to play. And what will we do with the speakers that have not worked for years, but we insist on setting them up time after time? Somehow we'll live.

So, farewell inefficient router, adios "Low Virtual Memory" warnings, arrivaderci Photoshop CS2. It's not you, it's us. Goodbye forever PC.
Hello Mac!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T14:54:00.003-07:00

I tried for 12 days but didn't quite succeed. Somehow I'm ok with that. We've had a wonderful day so far - the big hits were cars (both toys and the movie), a tent, and a giant trunk of dress-up clothing. We're still in pajamas and the kids are hopped up on sugar so it should be a fun afternoon. Merry Christmas!

On the Tenth Day of Christmas

2009-12-23T23:42:00.005-07:00

I Posted on My Blog

To Market, To Market

Early in November we had another preschool field trip, this time to Payson Market, a local grocery store. The store lets schools take tours and the kids got to go "behind the scenes" in the bakery, service deli, and meat department. Along the way they picked up some souvenirs - cookies, apples, and stickers.

On the Ninth Day of Christmas

2009-12-22T20:29:00.006-07:00

I Posted on My Blog

Halloween! (finally)

We don't really get into Halloween around here, but we had an enjoyable year, nonetheless. Zoe had a Snow White costume that my cousin sent us and Owen was just barely big enough to pull off Zoe's old skunk costume. We had a ward potluck/ trunk-r-treat in the back yard then I took Zoe out for trick-or-treating. She loved it despite the cold. She has been obsessed with Snow White ever since. I let her wear some lip gloss and body glitter and now she insists on wearing some every day. She is turning into quite the little princess.

She was so patient during the curling process

The finished product. Painting her nails was her idea.

Me and The Little Stinker

The Scarecrow is actually a real person. Creepy.

On the Eighth Day of Christmas

2009-12-21T20:06:00.001-07:00

I Posted on My Blog

Speaking of Thanksgiving...

We had a nice quiet one at home. I kept the menu the same as the last two years and a friend from back home came up for the weekend. We flipped through our old yearbooks, had a 2-day Freaks and Geeks marathon, stayed up all night to hit Wal-mart's door busters, spent an entire day at Ikea - seriously, we ate breakfast and lunch there- and topped it all off by going out to see A Christmas Carol. Seriously lots of fun.

On the Seventh Day of Christmas

2009-12-20T22:24:00.003-07:00

I Posted on My Blog

One on One Time with The Pioneer Woman

At the beginning of November (yes, I will get around to Halloween eventually), the Pioneer Woman made a stop in Salt Lake on her book tour. I made a last-minute decision to head out to it. I ended up taking the kids and was a little sorry I did - there were so many people there and we had to wait FOREVER. I really got lucky and snagged one of the bookstore's last copies and an angel in disguise of a random woman gave me her ticket for the signing line. Everyone waiting was so nice and the kids did pretty well, considering we were there for about 5 hours. I finally made it to the table, met Ree, had my picture snapped with her, praised her Thanksgiving recipes (I use them every year) and we were on our way. Whew!

If you love The Pioneer Woman Cooks, definitely pick up a copy of her cookbook. We've tried quite a few recipes out of the book and love them. Especially the pizza crust. I've made 2 double batches in the last 6 weeks - it is simply amazing! Thanks Ree!

On the Sixth Day of Christmas

2009-12-19T23:59:00.002-07:00

I Posted On My Blog

NOTHING

I asked someone to fill in for me but someone didn't. Oh well.

On the Fifth Day of Christmas

2009-12-18T09:07:00.003-07:00

I Posted on My Blog

The Cure for a 5-Hour Car Ride
AKA Prelude to a Concert

Shortly after arriving home from New Mexico, we packed up yet again and set off for a U2 concert in Vegas. The pictures and video from that will have to wait until tomorrow as I'm just about to head out the door for the entire day, so instead I leave you with two pictures and a thought:

There is no toy in the world that can surpass the free stickers from In-N-Out.

On the Fourth Day of Christmas

2009-12-17T11:46:00.004-07:00

I Posted on My Blog

Preschool at the Pumpkin Patch

Yesterday I mentioned the co-op preschool Zoe is in. We have 7 kids, all 3 years old, and each mom takes a week to teach. Back in October we took a field trip out to the Big Red Barn in Santaquin and the kids got to go to the Pumpkin Patch. It was Zoe's second visit and she had a blast.

On the Third Day of Christmas

2009-12-16T12:06:00.004-07:00

I Posted on My Blog

My 3-Year-Old in Preschool

This is slightly related to yesterday's post, but in a fun way and with pictures. Zoe had her first day of preschool back at the beginning of September. Since I wasn't sure if she would be staying in preschool and wasn't ready to share the whole story I waited on posting the pictures.

And then I waited and waited and waited some more.

Today is the day I finally get to share her first day in preschool! Zoe loves going. She goes 4 days a week - 2 to the district and 2 to our neighborhood co-op preschool with some other kids and moms from the neighborhood. So far we've had a really good experience with the teachers and the other kids are way cute too.

P.S. Thanks for all the support and love you guys have been sending us!

On the Second Day of Christmas

2009-12-15T08:06:00.001-07:00

I Posted on my Blog

Our Family's "Deep Dark Secret"
aka The Longest Jumble of Thoughts and Feelings I'll Ever Subject the World to Reading

A while ago I mentioned there were some things going on around here that I wasn't prepared to share on the blog. Today I am. Or at least I'm tired of not sharing. So here it goes:

It's not a secret that Zoe is an odd kid. We love her and have so much fun with her, but she is definitely odd. Last winter the oddness seemed to be turning in to something else. She was having a tough time interacting with people and she just didn't seem to be progressing past her 2-year-old skills. In the spring, we started spending more time outside and around other kids her age, which only made some of her oddities seem all the more peculiar.

James and I would talk about it a lot. We didn't know how much of her behavior was her personality, how much she would grow out of with age, or if there was something wrong. We kept tiptoeing around the idea of autism, but always threw it out because Zoe talks and, as we thought back then, kids with autism don't talk, right?

Then sometime in April or May I came across a story on Good Morning America, or The Today Show, or one of those programs - following the life of a boy diagnosed with Autism. And he seemed totally normal! My perceptions of Autism were completely shattered and I started cataloging all of Zoe's suspicious behavior. I did a little more on-line research, talked with James and then made the hardest decision I have ever made - I called an early intervention program. It's called Kids Who Count and it's located in the little town of Salem (just a few minutes from here). I described Zoe's behavior and set up a time for some people to come over and evaluate her.

I say it was a hard decision because half of me was hoping that they would say "Oh, she's fine, don't worry" and we could go on with our lives. The other half of me wished they would say "Yep, definitely something wrong. Here's what we're going to do..." Neither half won. What I got was testing, testing, and more testing, without any definitive answers.

After a few weeks of different people coming in and out of the house and meeting Zoe, she was accepted into the program and we started going to a special playgroup twice a week. In a very short time it made a huge difference. We were able to stay with KWC through the summer (they only facilitate kids until they are 3) and then we were handed over to the district. The people at KWC were wonderful, but not very hopeful that Zoe would be able to attend the school district's preschool because she is so high-functioning.

Commence more testing! The people who tested her for preschool didn't quite know what to do with her, so at the end of August she was enrolled in school for a "30-day trial." That 30 days stretched into 3 months. Finally, two weeks ago, Zoe was fully accepted into preschool. She was scoring too high on the cognitive tests to qualify, but anyone who spent more than 5 minutes with her realized that there was something off about her mannerisms, so they didn't want to dismiss her based on the initial test results. After the second month, the teachers called in the district's autism team and based on their observations, she qualifies for preschool.

It's not an official diagnosis (that's the next step) but it's the most concrete answer we've had in the last 7 months. Now the teachers can more adequately meet her needs and I feel less like I'm treading water. Zoe has made so much progress since this whole process has started, though we still have our hard days and weeks. With our winter-induced seclusion I feel her slipping back into her old behavior patterns. She doesn't like to be around people and she gets overwhelmed easily.

So that's the situation. My initial feelings were of utter disappointment. I felt like I was in mourning - for the childhood I had imagined for Zoe, for the relationship with her I had always craved, for the impact this would have on our lives. At the same time I felt relief - that I could finally label what was going on in my sweet girl's life, that it wasn't some terrible thing I'd done, that there were resources to help us.

Now we walk a fine line - the line between pushing Zoe to grow and sheltering her from getting hurt. She's a mostly normal kid, but sometimes she needs help. But then too much help just exacerbates some of her behaviors. Though I understand there is a line, it's a hard balance to find. And then I have to send my precious child into the world (she'll be in primary next year!) and hope that other people will be sensitive to her needs.

Our main concerns for her are all social - she has difficulty responding to questions, whether open-ended or yes/no, she doesn't pick up on social cues (waving hello/goodbye without prompting), she has NEVER asked me a question, she does not sympathize with others, and she doesn't initiate interaction with anyone.

The one thing I would ask of all of our friends and family is to be patient with her and us. Please don't be offended that Zoe doesn't want to interact with you (or screams if you try and interact with her). She does the same thing to us and we are with her every day. She's a wonderful and sweet little girl who just needs a little understanding and, above all, her own space. So as she learns to adjust and adapt, we all get to learn to accept her for who she is.

Now that that's out of the way, I can get on with the more fun (and picture-laden) updates!

On the First Day of Christmas

2009-12-14T08:06:00.001-07:00

I Posted on my Blog

"Hi Everybody!"

Yes, I realize it's been nearly 2 months since my last post. Some of you will remember that 2 years ago I posted everyday for 12 days before Christmas. It was fun/chaotic/stressful/awesome. This year I'm challenging myself to do it again. It won't be nearly as witty, will not have a clever rhyme scheme, and I'm not even attempting to match the number of the day to anything in my life. (See here, and here and here and here and here and, well you get the point). Just good old daily posting until Christmas. Mostly I'll just be catching up around here and getting some of our latest pictures up. As always, I reserve the right to flake on this idea at any time. Though I'll really try not to.

For today I'll just give you the briefest of updates: we're doing well. We've had a bunch of snow lately and I hate being stuck in the house as much as we have been. Zoe is excited for Christmas and Owen is starting to talk a lot though he is still an unsteady walker (after nearly 3 months you'd think he'd get the hang of it). Thank goodness that kid has a hard head.

Anyway, in the coming days look out for updates galore and more information than you'd ever like to have (and some that I'm reluctant to share, but will anyway!).

Return to the Motherland Part 3: The Balloon Fiesta

2009-10-28T08:25:00.001-06:00

Besides visiting family, the main reason for our trip was to see the Balloon Fiesta. The last time I saw any balloons was my senior year in high school, and the last time I went to the park was 11 years ago, before the current park was even built. For anyone unfamiliar with the Balloon Fiesta, it is the largest gathering of hot-air balloons in the world. There are literally thousands of balloons. It claims to be the most photographed event in the world and though that is probably impossible to prove, it is easy to believe. It is the most picturesque event I've ever seen.

It's also the only event that allows the crowd right on the field with the balloons. There is this awesome feeling of community as you walk through the crowds next to these giant wonders. It really is indescribable.

Thursday morning we went to my great uncle's house to watch the Special Shapes Rodeo (it's a special mass ascension for the unconventional shapes, though there are still quite a few traditional balloons as well). Sammy lives just a couple miles from the Balloon Fiesta Park so we packed up some hot chocolate, breakfast burritos, and hung out on his back balcony. The hill behind his house made it tough to see the balloons as they took off, but as they came toward the river and back around near the park, they passed right in front of - and in a few cases, over - us.

Making sure Tigger can see

Why are you laughing at me?

Thursday night we went to the park for the Special Shapes Glowdeo. This one's tough to explain if you're not familiar with the Balloon Fiesta. In the evening, the balloons inflate, but stay tethered. Once the sun goes down, they fire the burners all at once and the balloons light up.

It was a great night and was perfect for the kids - the weather was nice, we got to walk around and see all the awesome balloons, and there were fireworks afterwards. And we ran into my friends Christie and Gillian.

James and Zoe in front of Airabelle, the Creamland Cow

Inside the Energizer Bunny

It's really hard to get a picture of the actual glowing with a point and shoot, so we just got a short video to try and give you an idea of what it's like:

Waiting for the Fireworks

Saturday morning was the main event. We went to the park for the last mass ascension. The thing about the Balloon Fiesta is that it's early. And I mean EARLY. The first wave of balloons goes up at 7 am. So we had to get to the park and ride at 6, which meant that we left the house at 5:30 am. Yikes. Plus, it's really really really ridiculously cold.

The kids enjoyed the morning's events for about 15 minutes, then they lost it. Between the cold, and being tired and hungry, they were miserable. We toughed it out through the first wave, then headed out. But it was still gorgeous.

Airabelle Takes Flight

Return to the Motherland Part 2: Out and About

2009-10-26T10:38:00.005-06:00

One day we headed down to Old Town. We had an appointment with a photographer to have family portraits taken. It was pouring rain when we left the house, so of course by the time we made it to Albuquerque, the weather (and the light) were perfect- that's New Mexico for you. If you go here you can see a preview of some of our shots. {Family, if you want access to all the shots, and the option to order any, let me know and I'll send you log in information as soon as I have it}

After the photo shoot, we just wandered around, found a great little place to eat, and then headed to the Rattlesnake Museum. We heard about it watching The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and it did not disappoint. Zoe loved every second.

That evening we headed over to my parent's neighbor's house. The Gliddens have lived next door to us FOREVER and they are the nicest people in the world. Plus they have horses and dogs so the kids had a blast.

Later in the week, I took Zoe to the playground at Algodones Elementary and enjoyed seeing her run around my old stomping grounds (though none of the super-cool play structures were there when I was a kid).

That leaves only one more thing - The Balloon Fiesta! (coming soon)

Return to the Motherland Part 1: The Homestead

2009-10-24T08:04:00.000-06:00

We left for NM on Sunday, Oct 4. We decided to take James' Civic because of gas. The ride was great - we only stopped twice and we were all relatively comfortable. My parents were both sick, which soon translated to us getting sick, but we tried to enjoy ourselves as best as we could. As a side note, the last time we were in New Mexico, Zoe was 11 months old.

We had a small birthday celebration for Owen and the kids got some great gifts. Zoe got 4 pairs of princess shoes. I don't know how she stays upright in them, but she wears them every day.

Here is a close-up shot:

When we started feeling better, my Gramma came over for dinner. She looked better than she has in years and we had a nice evening. She loved the kids and neither one of them ran shrieking away from her, though Owen seemed to be considering it.

After a bath and getting ready for bed, even Owen warmed up to her and got some snuggles in.

My parents' place is overflowing with delicious apples so we picked a few before we had to leave.

Lastly (for this post), here are some great panoramic shots of the front and back of the house:

Monkeying Around

2009-10-22T08:25:00.001-06:00

For Owen's actual birthday we had a few neighbors/ friends over for cake. It was a quick "party" as our guests had meetings to get to and one-year-olds don't care all that much. I wanted to have it outside and had a vision of our backyard decked out in streamers and balloons, then reality hit - I couldn't get the decorations in the colors I wanted and it was so windy we couldn't go outside anyway. Oh well. Such is life.

We had a great time eating a super cute monkey cake, which I served with banana split ice cream.

For those of you interested, here is what Owen is like:

He is super tiny - the 1st percentile for weight and only the 25th for height. What he lacks in stature, however, he makes up for in tenacity. We most often compare him to a bulldozer or a wrecking ball. He just plows through everything and picks himself up as soon as he is down. The week after his birthday he started making a conscious effort to walk - instead of just a few steps here and there. I use the term "walk" loosely as it is more of a stagger. It's pretty funny/ unnerving to watch as it seems like he could fall at any moment.

He is super snuggly, but his definition of a snuggle is head butting. That kid has a majorly hard head. He is always into something and we can't leave him alone for a second. He eats EVERYTHING, even things he's not supposed to. He loves grapes and bananas and loudly exclaims "NANA" whenever he sees a banana. He can sign "more" and possibly "done" but we'll never know since, when given the choice, he always wants more. We usually just get tired of feeding him after a while.

Owen loves to clap his hands, shake his head, and laugh. He HATES being on his back and so diaper changes are still an adventure/ nightmare. He takes a pacifier for naps and bedtime and he loves to cuddle up with a blanket. We have one that we usually use, but he's not too picky.

Owen is still always happy (unless he's hungry). Now that he's one, though, he's decided to take life a bit more seriously:

We have never seen THIS face before (or since)

Chop Chop

2009-10-20T10:54:00.005-06:00

A week ago we got back from our week-long vacation. We had a great time, but we also got very sick. I'm finally feeling recovered enough (and caught up around the house) to return to blogging. Here we go....

The weekend before Owen's birthday I gave the kids haircuts. Owen's delicious baby curls were getting a tad out of hand and he looked like a hobo. I trimmed a couple inches off the top buzzed the back and sides with clippers. Here are his before and after shots:

Since it had been nearly a year since Zoe's last haircut and she was "blessed" with my hair - which grows too fast and too thick - I chopped hers off as well:

Labor Day Weekend

2009-10-01T16:48:00.000-06:00

Payson is a great place to be for Labor Day - it's also Golden Onion Days! Saturday we went to the Children's Fair in the morning, then came back in the evening to ride a few rides.

Monday we went to the parade (which is actually pretty impressive). Then we got sandwiches and headed up to the lake for dinner. Sadly, it was the first and only time we went up the canyon as a family this summer.

You're #1!

2009-09-29T10:32:00.005-06:00

It's Owen's birthday! Can you believe it? We sure can't. His entrance into this world was dramatic (and fairly traumatic) and he has kept us on our toes ever since.

He loves to smile, laugh and eat. He is the biggest wiggle worm and is constantly on the go. He has been walking a lot the past few days, which makes him very proud of himself. He loves to snuggle (head butt) and give kisses (open-mouthed head butts). He eats EVERYTHING, even the things he's not supposed to. He is a button pusher - literally and otherwise. He is a screamer - for fun and otherwise (like when food is not in his mouth). We just absolutely, all-around adore our Buddy! Happy Birthday!

Now That's What I Call a Garden!

2009-09-26T08:39:00.001-06:00

At the end of August we headed up to the gardens at Thanksgiving Point. It was $2 Tuesday and Zoe's friend Greta's birthday. It was gorgeous. The children's garden has a great fountain for the kids to play in. I was unprepared so Zoe got wet, then didn't like being in her clothes, so ran around the entire place half naked. Live and learn.

Slip-Sliding Away

2009-09-25T14:56:00.003-06:00

Cool summer nights are the perfect time to play on the slide. Owen figured out how to climb up by himself in a matter of minutes. He was so proud. I was less enthusiastic.

Enjoy these next few posts as they will be the last..... of the kids with long hair!

Farewell, Summer. We'll Miss You!

2009-09-22T08:26:00.000-06:00

I can't believe it's Fall. I already miss Summer. It went by too quickly. We are summertime folk around here. Some of the things we've enjoyed this summer include:

Countless trips to the pool

Walks and bike rides around the neighborhood

Visiting the aquarium with friends

Veggies! We even eat them sometimes.

Bold new hair styles

Turning {cough} 26

Goodnight "kisses" (also known as open-mouthed head butts)

But that's not all - Come back to see more Summer fun in the next few days!

uhm.....?

2009-09-21T07:56:00.000-06:00

I have two theories:

They used to come in a larger package and the picture was shrunk to accommodate the smaller can.
I got the can laced with HGH and Owen's going to be a super hero!

Last Stop: BEND

2009-09-17T14:25:00.000-06:00

We had a great, relaxing time in Bend. We took a short trip to the river, did some shopping (no sales tax in Oregon), and celebrated Kellen's 20th birthday. Mostly we just hung around the house, and at night the fire pit, talking and catching up.

The trip home from Bend was not so pleasant. Both kids were overly tired but wouldn't sleep, making everyone miserable. At one point I yelled at Zoe, took Tigger away from her, and pretended to throw him out the window. I'm not proud of myself. A trip that should have taken us 10-12 hours took 14.5, getting us home in the middle of the night. Yikes, I am not excited to do that again any time soon. Sorry family.

But it was really great to see everyone. We miss you all so much. Sorry it took so long to getting these pictures up.

Excuse Me

2009-09-12T17:21:00.002-06:00

Not that anyone has noticed, but I've been absent from the blogging world lately. Hopefully that will change soon. James is out of town at Doug's wedding, but next weekend I'm going to barricade myself in the office and get down to blog business. I want to get all caught up before Owen turns the big 0-1 (which is coming up way too soon!).

So, where have I been? Right here.

Are we ok? Medically we are fit as fiddles.

Then what's the deal? Well, to be honest (without actually being honest) I've been preoccupied with some stuff but I'm just not ready to share it in blog-land yet. And I might not ever. But since I didn't want to talk about it here I just didn't feel like talking about anything else.

Then, the last two weeks of August I found myself consumed with helping to plan our ward's Youth Conference. It was going to be amazing - literally. We had 15 different activities at different locations scattered around Payson and Provo that the kids were going to have to complete in teams, a la The Amazing Race. Then we would have a Guitar Hero Tournament. The next day would be a fireside, awards ceremony and slide show. We all worked so hard. I spent hours writing clues, designing a logo, then printing it out and gluing it to 140 envelopes (for the clues), picking music for a slide show, etc. It was going to be perfect.

The big day came - August 29. Almost all of our youth were there. I hadn't been able to sleep for 2 days I was so excited. Our first challenge was a ropes course at the state hospital in Provo. The weather was perfect, we were all having a blast. And then it happened.

A woman who works at the ropes course made a mistake. A boy fell 30 feet. We all watched him drop.

The bishopric advised us to try and press on, at least until we got more information. The kids were troopers, and we went on to bowling, the Bean Museum, and Frisbee Golf before stopping for lunch. As far as anyone knew, the boy was doing ok. Not great, of course, but not as bad as it could have been. He was being taken to Primary Children's Hospital for more tests.

Within a couple hours everything changed. The leaders were calling parents, asking them to come to the church. We rerouted our activites and brought all the youth there as well. The young man had more wrong with him than we initially knew about. He was in critical condition. We couldn't ask the kids to press on anymore so we cancelled the rest of the weekend's events.

Since then, we've just been trying to cope. The boy is doing better and will most likely heal, though it will be an arduous process. The kids who were there are amazing. They have come closer together to support each other and the boy's family, while extending forgiveness to the woman who made the mistake. Life is going on. There is an article about it here, but they got a few facst wrong; most importantly that the woman was distracted by the kids. Our kids were very well behaved and we had a relatively small group (about 30 people). This was a freak accident and no blame should be placed on the kids. It should not have happened, but it did and now we're handling it as best as we can.

Anyway, I just wanted to fill people in (if there's anyone left who reads this) on what's been going on. One more week and I should have things up and running around here.

5 Years...Already?

2009-08-18T21:52:00.011-06:00

James here...

This week Desta and I celebrate our first half decade of marriage...a.k.a. the best five years of my life.

I love you so much Desta. Thank you for making life so wonderful. I promise I'll return the favor someday.

Our Oregon Trail

2009-07-30T16:07:00.005-06:00

This is the penultimate vacation post - Hooray!

Yes, this post is all about our trip from California to Oregon. It deserves it's own post because:

The drive took just as long as expected
The kids were the best on this leg of the trip - no puking and only minimal screaming
Beautiful scenery
In-N-Out (yes, we plan our vacations around these)

So here we go -

First we had to say goodbye to Papa and Grammy K. And of course Lucky.

We stopped in Redding for lunch. It was our third time visiting this In-N-Out and we only had to make one u-turn without having to stop and ask for directions (note: The Redding In-N-Out is hidden really well and we usually have to drive back and forth for quite a while before we eventually give up and ask someone). Yes, we took pictures eating our lunch. Many, many pictures. We are those kind of people.

In Oregon, we stopped at a logging museum. It was the perfect spot to stretch. For the first time I felt like we were on vacation and not just on a trip to see the family.

"Hi Tractor!"

Please Keep Off Equipment

A Rare Family Photo

Next stop - Bend!

JoAnne & Co.

2009-07-29T13:23:00.005-06:00

We didn't get to see James' sister, Joanne, or her son Tre until a couple days before we had to leave because they had been in Tennessee. We tried to make the most of the time we got with them.

The only 2 grandsons on the Gillice side

Tre gives Owen a trumpet lesson

3 children + 1 bucket of choke-ables = endless fun

Who needs cousins when there is a cat around?

JoAnne teaches Zoe some sweet dance moves

Take Me To the River

2009-07-27T20:25:00.009-06:00

I have a confession to make: in nearly five years of marriage to a Nevada City Boy, I've never been to the river. Well, maybe once, but it was spring time and much too cold to swim. So, technically I was a Yuba River virgin. Not anymore! On Tuesday, the 7th, we met up with some friends at Bridgeport. The weather was perfect and I was amazed at how wonderful and clear the water is. Owen fell asleep after a while and stayed asleep nearly the whole time, and with Grammy K there to watch the little ones, James and I had fun in the deeper water.

Before heading home, we checked out the covered bridge - for those of you who might not know, it's the longest single span wood arch bridge, and was built in 1862. Pretty neat.

Tuesday night we got together with the Greens, the Counihans, and the Biggs - the girls went out for dessert while the guys stayed home and watched the kids. You'd think since it had been over two years since we had seen some of these people someone would have thought to snap a picture. You would be wrong. Oh well, next time.

Wednesday night we met up with the Greens for an evening swim at the 49 Bridge. It was a bit cooler and the kids were getting tired, but it was nice to hang out in the water one more time (Plus we had Port Of Subs for dinner!). Of course, instead of taking pictures with old friends, the only picture we got was the old bridge.

"I'm Thwee!"

2009-07-25T14:18:00.004-06:00

When it came time for Zoe's birthday, we had a nice family dinner. During the day we all saw Up, then we made awesome kabobs with this fabulous marinade (if you haven't tried it, you should). Then we had cake, ice cream, and presents. As far as Zoe's birthday celebrations go, I would definitely put it in the Top 3.

California AND Bust!

2009-07-20T20:36:00.004-06:00

A quick note on the car ride to California - it was not that great (I would say it was awful, but the trip home will get that title). Zoe was an angel and kept herself entertained, but Owen was not a happy camper. It took us 12 hours to get out there and we didn't leave until 3 in the afternoon. Both kids threw up - Owen gagging himself on a fry and Zoe got carsick when we turned on the portable DVD player we had brought. Luckily, we were just passing a rest stop and were able to go in the exit. Unfortunately it was a nasty one, didn't have any paper towels, and the sink was the kind you have to push a button with one hand the entire time you want water to come out of the faucet. So for the majority of the trip we were pretty stinky. And we got to spend our first day on vacation hosing down Zoe's carseat and doing laundry.

On to more pleasant subjects - WE LOVE GRASS VALLEY! Friday night (the 3rd) we went to a great BBQ with so many of our friends. Thank you to the Greens for planning it and thank you to the DeMartinis for hosting. Of course we didn't take one single picture.

On the 4th (Bill's birthday) we got up and went to the parade. It was hot, we stood around for hours, and then we didn't even get any candy (because none was thrown). Sheesh! James and I aren't parade people to begin with, so I think we've sworn them off for a while now. Oh well. Zoe enjoyed it and Owen didn't complain too much. Then we went home, rested up, and hit the fairgrounds for Bill's birthday celebration and fireworks. We hit up treat street for dinner and got a great spot to watch the fireworks. I couldn't believe how well the kids did on such little rest. It must have been all that cake and fried food - works every time.

Sunday we went to the good ole Nevada City ward. I can't overstate how wonderful all the people are there. I always feel like I'm coming home, and I've only attended the ward a few times.

Still to come - Zoe's birthday, trips to the river, more missed picture opportunities, and getting down with Aunt JoAnne. And the trip to Oregon.

Long Story Short

2009-07-16T14:58:00.004-06:00

We're home! We arrived back in Payson at 1:30 am on Wednesday. What a trip. I'm going to start editing and posting pictures soon, but for now here's a brief recap of the trip:

5 states
34.5 hours of driving
2 incidents involving puke
3 grandparents
2 great-grandparents
2 aunts
2 great aunts
4 cousins
9 dogs
3 birthdays
3 trips to two rivers
1 huge box of vintage Transformers
In-n-out, Sums Mongolian BBQ, and Port of Subs
288 pictures
2 worn out children
2 VERY worn out parents
13 days worth of memories!

Pictures will be up as soon as I can get to them. There are some gems!

36 Months (and counting)

2009-07-06T09:08:00.000-06:00

Zoe is 3 today! Can you believe it? We certainly can't. We love this wonderful little girl more and more each day. She is getting to be such a big kid. We are so blessed to have her in our home. Here are just a "few" pictures of her over the years.

Random Acts

2009-07-02T09:41:00.002-06:00

Things have been great around here. The weather cooperated just long enough to finish swim lessons and squeeze in one awesome trip to the pool. It was at capacity so we had to wait for people to leave before we got in, but when we did we had a great time. Zoe cried when it was time to leave. Owen was crying too, but that had more to do with being hungry and not getting a nap.

James was out of town for work last week. The kids were really great for me and we all stayed alive and happy. Emphasis on alive.

In other news, Owen mastered crawling on his knees and on Sunday he climbed up the stairs by himself. Unfortunately, what goes up must come down. He only fell down one step before I caught him, but he got a pretty good bump on his cute little head (to add to his ever-growing collection of contusions).

Well, that is it for us. Nothing big, but we are enjoying life and looking forward to seeing our family and friends in California. It's been far too long since we've been out there.

CSI: Mommies

2009-06-20T08:16:00.001-06:00

Friday afternoon, as Zoe and I sat on the front steps painting each others' toenails, a white mustang parked in front of our house and out popped a man with a gun. And a badge.

As he hurried across our lawn, he told us, "I shouldn't be here too long. I'm just going to try and arrest your neighbors."

My reply:

"Please do."

The Backstory:

About a month ago James and I noticed our neighbors attracting unwelcome attention. There were cars and "suspicious" looking people coming in and out of the house all day long.

Now, for nearly three and a half years we lived a mere stone's throw away from a cul-de-sac affectionately nicknamed "Felon Circle" so James and I can spot shady behavior with the best of them. We knew something fishy was going on.

I started sharing my theories with some neighbors across the street (since they could get a better look at the goings on) and though I think at first I was regarded as paranoid, soon my views were shared.

A few of us put in calls to dispatch, recorded license plate numbers, and generally kept our eyes open.

The result was the scene on our lawn as previously described. The two men staying at the house next door (whether they are actually renting is yet unknown) are fugitives with a warrant out for their arrest. The police missed them this time, but I'm hoping they catch them soon. The detective gave us his cell phone number so we can call if either of these gentlemen show their faces again.

Our case isn't quite closed, but at least it's in the hands of professionals (along with some semi-automatic weapons). I hope no one takes for granted the safety of the area you live in. If you're not watching closely, it can be gone before you know it was even threatened. Even in "Zion."

Now when I sit outside, chatting up my neighbor, watching the kids run up and down the sidewalk I can smile as I think, "Not only am I having a great time - I'm fighting crime as well!"

Clip Show

2009-06-12T16:36:00.003-06:00

Girls Camp was this week and though I only got to go for one afternoon/evening, I had a blast and came home smelling like a camp fire. I'm feeling lazy today so here are some things I've been meaning to share:

1. Tomorrow (Saturday the 13th) is the LAST episode of Pushing Daisies that will ever air on TV. So sad. Here's a clip from a previous show:

2. I saw the preview for Where the Wild Things Are a while back, but was recently reminded that I wanted to share it with all of you when the song came on my iPod a few days ago. Growing up, I was never a huge fan of the book, but this clip sold me on the movie. I hope the rest of the film lives up to my high expectations. (Sorry I can't embed the video, just click on the link to see the video)

3. I have to admit that I watched the MTV movie awards to see this next preview. Then I got on Youtube the next day and watched it no less than 5 more times. As cheesy as the first movie was, this one looks like it could be good. I don't want to get my hopes up, but things look promising.

That Time of the Year...

2009-06-10T20:32:00.005-06:00

Swimsuit season is upon us. Last year I was in a maternity suit, and my suit from two years ago was not looking so flattering, so I decided to treat myself to a new suit this year. I had heard a lot of good things about Modbe, Shade, and Layers and in previous years had liked their selection. This year, I wasn't too ecstatic. Not that they are grotesque or anything, but for the prices they charge, I wanted to absolutely LOVE my suit. Then I stumbled upon Lime Ricki and this little gem:

I love it love it love it! The top is super long and seems to be triple-lined. It is cute beyond belief and I love wearing it. As an added bonus, it was much cheaper than the other sites I had been checking. I am so happy with it, I just had to give the company a plug. They're in the process of restocking a lot of their styles so check them out!

Srawberry Fields Forever

2009-06-08T12:43:00.000-06:00

We've already picked about 100 times more than we got last year and we are loving it!

Owen + Patio + Shovel =

2009-06-05T19:55:00.005-06:00

As stated earlier, we spend a lot of time outside. Owen even loves to be outside and makes a break for it any time a door is open. Seriously. He will sit in the grass and chew on shovels to his endless delight.

The last two weeks hasn't been just fun and games for this guy, though. He's had two bottom front teeth break through, he started babbling - dadada, nanana, yayaya, and the occasional mamama - he can push himself into a sitting position and he is starting to pull himself to stand. Then we'll really be in for it!

Giving Boredom the Finger!

2009-06-03T12:09:00.000-06:00

OK, I'm nearly caught up, but I just can't do the daily posts anymore. Between playgroup on Tuesdays and Thursdays, craft/story time on Wednesdays at the library, trying to find time to go to the POOL, swimming lessons (starting in 2 weeks), and the regular household duties, I just can't devote enough time to editing photos for a daily post. So I'm going to attempt every other day. June is quickly filling up with things to do and places to go and July will probably be even busier, so I can't afford to get any further behind.

Today I'd just like to leave you all with a short lesson: be careful when attempting to photograph the end result of crafting.

For more practical (and hilarious) lessons in crafting, visit my friend Kiora's blog. It's funny because it's true.

We {HEART}.... Rain

2009-06-01T15:00:00.003-06:00

The weather has been amazing lately so Zoe has taken to living in her swimming suit. We play outside every day and there is usually water involved - sprinklers, buckets, wading pools, etc. One afternoon we had a blast in a nice warm rain storm. Is there anything more perfectly entertaining than a puddle?

We {HEART}.... Tennis Balls

2009-05-30T19:35:00.002-06:00

Enough said.

We {HEART}.... New Albums

2009-05-29T12:57:00.005-06:00

If you've been around here long enough, you know that we love love love the band Wilco (Exhibit A, Exhibit B). Their new album releases later this summer but it was leaked online a few weeks ago. It knocked our socks off. Even Zoe sings along to a couple songs already. But don't worry, Jeff; we'll buy the real deal in August. Because we love you! And if you're reading this (and why wouldn't you be?) please add a tour stop in Utah. Please! We love you!

I should also use this post to plug Wilco's new movie - Ashes of American Flags. We saw it last weekend and enjoyed it thoroughly. It's not as amazing as I Am Trying To Break Your Heart, but really, what is?

We also love Golden Shoulders. They have a new album out and played a show in Provo to promote it. It was great fun to hang out with some friends and listen to awesome music. At this point I should mention that we also {HEART} neighbors who are willing to swap babysitting!

If you were as bummed as we were when Grandad dy called it quits after their last album, then Jason Lytle's first solo album Yours Truly, The Commuter is just what you've been looking for. It has some very catchy songs and the same quirky Grandaddy sound we all love.

A little while back The Decemberists had a new release as well. The Hazards of Love. It is an experience. Each song leads to the next and together, the individual tracks create a lyrical story. This is definitely one that you do not want to put on shuffle. Some of their work is hit or miss for us, but this new album is pretty enjoyable all around. There's only one exception, but that's just because I'm pretty strongly opposed to the subject matter (there's a song about a widower who plans and then carries out the gruesome murders of his children. Sorry James, I draw the line there). But we're not ones to be deterred by one questionable song, especially when the rest of the album is pretty fantastic. 'Tis better to have listened and skipped a song, than never to have hit play at all.

Lastly, but in no way least of all, James has been toiling ever so diligently on his newest album, Here Nor There. With school finished and the frenzy of organizing a new ward subsiding, James has found the time, energy, and - most important of all - motivation to get back into the recording studio (our office). He's been making a lot of progress and occasionally chronicles it here. Check it out and show him the love!

We {HEART}.... Boxes

2009-05-28T13:54:00.001-06:00

Well, boxes that have been transformed into boats, that is. Not a day goes by that Zoe doesn't play or eat in the boat. She even lets Owen come aboard. Who needs toys when you have boxes and paint?

We {HEART}.... Art

2009-05-27T12:52:00.001-06:00

We took a trip to BYU's Museum of Art and had a great time. Zoe loved pushing the stroller around and endured the exhibits with minimal whining and zero property damage!

We {HEART}.... Haircuts

2009-05-26T13:33:00.004-06:00

Especially because I finally found a stylist who is

Amazing!
Affordable ($12, 15 if I want it styled)
Around the corner - Payson only has so many salons to choose from.

I'll definitely be going back again and again!

And watch out - I'm planning on posting once a day until I get caught up/run out of pictures. Hopefully that will make up for my extreme slacking lately!

I rarely let them out of my sight....

2009-05-17T20:56:00.001-06:00

On Tuesday I ran upstairs to get ready for mutual, leaving the kiddos to their own vices. Owen wasn't crying so I figured Zoe was being nice or ignoring him.

I thought that it would be a good time to check my e-mail one more time before leaving for the evening.

But my mommy senses were tingling.

Eventually I came back downstairs and saw Owen had some white gunk on his arm.

Spit up, of course. It had to be. Now the task was figuring out where the initial spit-up site was so I could clean it up.

Then I got closer. It was lotion. Lotion? What the...?

I glanced over at Zoe and she was standing in front of the couch smearing lotion all over the cushions, up to her elbows in it.

She told me she was "feeding Tigger his rooster medicine."

I've never been more grateful for slip covers.

Now, hold all my calls, I'm going to go watch the Survivor Finale. Three hours of reality TV heaven, here I come!