Date Night - Demolition Derby

Brad and I hired one of my young women to babysit for us several times in the last few months so we could go on as many dates as we could before Baby #2 comes (Audrey is Connor's favorite).  We remember what it's like to have a new baby, and alone time will be rare.

One of the dates we went on together in May was to a Demolition Derby at the Harrisville Golden Spike Arena (Weber County Fairgrounds).  It is definitely a different crowd that attends those events - there were many piercings, tattoos, missing teeth, and appallingly inappropriate t-shirts with the sleeves cut off - but it was really fun!  I had never been to one before and Brad hadn't been to one since high school.  Thanks for the date Braddy!

Utah Jazz Game

With all of our comings and goings at the end of last year, it had been a while since Brad and I had been on a date. So I planned one to dinner and a Jazz game as a fun surprise for him. I bought the tickets 2 months in advance (and good thing cuz the game was sold out the night of) and planned not to tell him until we were driving there. Unfortunately, Brad found out about a month and a half too soon, so it wasn't the surprise I'd hoped it would be, but we still had a great time.

We watched the Utah Jazz play the Sacramento Kings on March 30. I chose that game so we could see Jimmer live in action too (who now plays for the Kings). We were sort of simultaneously cheering for the Jazz and Jimmer (just Jimmer, not the Kings). There were a few others cheering him on too, but the vast majority booed him incessantly. Not just because he was on the other team - no other player on the Kings was booed near like he was - but probably because there were many U of U fans there and it was personal for them. Jimmer beat them up so badly playing for BYU, they have no choice but to not like him now. :)

The Jazz lost 103 to 104, but it was such a good game to watch! Close thru every quarter until the very end.

WAY up in the nose-bleeds, but center-court so we could still see everything really well.

Jimmer!

One week later

One week after all the craziness things aren't quite settled yet, but almost.

I got home from California last Thursday at 11 p.m. Friday morning 8 a.m. was the home inspection for Green House. We will have some work to do once we move in (including LOTS of yard work since the house has been vacant for a year), but fortunately the inspector didn't find any deal breakers. Hooray! We went ahead with everything, transferred some funds this week, and we are signing closing papers TOMORROW (Friday, April 22) at 3:30!!!

I know some of you are dying to see pictures, but I'm going to be mean and save them until we actually have the keys in our hands and it's officially OUR HOUSE. That should happen next week sometime. But here's a sneak preview:

This is the family room and kitchen. Notice the multi-green walls? And yes, that is green marble tile around the fireplace and green granite in the kitchen. This lady REALLY loved green.



Friday night, Brad and I went on a much needed (after 2 weeks apart) date. A sitter came at 6:30 p.m., dinner at Goodwood BBQ, minigolfing (I beat Brad by 1 stroke :)), and then strawberry-banana shakes from Burger Bar. Fun night.

Dad is also doing lots better. His scheduled checkup with the surgeon on Tuesday went great and the surgeon removed the wound-vacuum (the black sponge thing in his leg in the pictures from last post). YAY!!! That was a huge boost for Dad. He said it's really nice not to be hooked up to things anymore. (The hose from the sponge was attached to a bucket he had to carry around with him everywhere.) He is also getting stronger everyday. We are all so glad things are looking up.

This Sunday, which just so happens to be Easter Sunday, will be Connor's first Sunday in Nursery! He will be 18 months on Saturday. We have been sitting in nursery with him for the last couple weeks because he's only 17 months and he just can't handle our Sunday School classes anymore, so I'm hoping he will do ok. Our little boy is growing up so fast.

Also, some other exciting news that just came out in our families - my sister Ady and her husband Jono, as well as Brad's brother Brandon and his wife Jenn are both expecting their first babies!! Ady is due in October and Jenn is due in November. I can't wait to meet my new nephews/nieces and for Connor to have more cousins!!

It's so nice to have some good news in our family. It makes up a little for the last couple weeks. :)

And here's a cute picture of Connor from this week. He walked around half the day like this because he kept tugging at his diaper. I just love those baby buns.

Valentine's Day

Brad and I had a wonderful Valentine's Day. Our friend Tanya insisted we go on a date together, sans baby, and she told us she was coming over to watch Connor. We weren't allowed to decline - what a great friend! We'd been out twice before with other couples and without Connor while each of our moms watched him, but this was our first date alone, just the two of us. THANKS TANYA! WE OWE YOU BIG TIME! It was such a great night. Nothing special or out of the ordinary, but it was nice to date my husband again! We ate dinner at PF Changs and had planned on seeing a movie (Valentine's Day) but dinner took too long and we were having more fun just talking without having to worry about the baby in the next room. We sat and talked for a couple hours at dinner and then in the car as we hunted down our favorite Valentine's Day ice cream - Love Potion #31 from Baskin Robins - so good! We had to drive to Torrance (20 minutes away) to get it because everywhere close to us was out.

Not only is Valentine's Day a good day to rekindle the romance in one's marriage, but it holds special significance with Brad and me as that was the day, one year ago, that we found out we were going to have a baby! We love Connor and are grateful he has come to join our family.

Valentine's Day 2009:


Valentine's Day 2010:


Thanks for the great night out Tanya!

So much has happened!!

It's been a long while since I've posted anything and there's much to blog about.

December was a great month. On December 6th, Connor was blessed. And we are grateful that so many of our friends and family were able come share the day with us! My grandparents from Idaho, Brad's parents from Utah, my entire family from O.C. and some of our friends from work and the O.C. We blessed Connor in Sacrament meeting at 9:30 a.m. and then everyone went back to our apartment for lunch. It was a wonderful day!

(You can click on the collages to make them bigger.)

Then there was Christmas. We did an early Christmas on Sunday, December 20th with my family (Carvers) before heading to Utah on the 23rd for Christmas and New Year's with Brad's family (Jeppsons). I just love the Christmas season and it was so fun to spend it with both families. And, of course, it was Connor's first Christmas so that made it even more fun (probably more for me than for him).

Connor slept through most of the gift opening, but he got a lot of great stuff for his first Christmas! Dr. Suess and other books, clothes, toys, socks, burp cloths, and money to start his college/mission fund. What more could a baby want?! Grandma and Grandpa Carver definitely spoiled him!


We left for Utah at 5:30 a.m. on Dec. 23rd. This picture was taken while waiting in the security line at LAX. Poor guy was exhausted from the early morning start.

He did great on his first plane ride, with a little help from Dad!


Christmas Day was spent with Brad's immediate family and the Gotberg and Jeppson extended families. We opened presents on Christmas morning at Brad's parents' house before going to the Gotberg party to eat lunch and do a white elephant gift exchange. Then later we headed to the Jeppson party for Christmas dinner, music, and games.


Brad and I had our first date without baby! Brad's parents gave us, and Brad's brother and sister-in-law (Brandon and Jen) tickets to a play and babysat Connor for us for a night. We had a great time at the show (Nutcrackers in Tights) and enjoyed Dairy Queen cookie dough blizzards in the car on the way home - while it was snowing outside.



All of Brad's family really enjoyed visiting with Connor, many of them meeting Connor for the first time. There was certainly no shortage of attention! Brad says Connor got passed around more times than a crack pipe at a hippie party:


Brad's youngest brother Jordan just recently became engaged and we met his fiance Jenika for the first time over the Christmas holiday. She is so fun and we're excited for her to join the Jeppson family in May!


While in Utah, we took the opportunity to do some sight seeing. We really miss Utah's beautiful mountains, so we drove up to Wallsburg (up Provo Canyon) early one morning to see deer. On the way, we also saw some wild turkeys! On our way back to Salt Lake, we stopped by the BYU book store and Connor experienced snow for the first time.


Later in the week we visited Temple Square with Brad's family to see the spectacular lights. To add to the beauty, it snowed! (Thanks Auntie Claire for the warm Pooh Bear bunting outfit that kept Connor toasty warm!)


With all of Brad's grandparents living so close to his parents' house, we were able to take the infamous 4 generation pictures.

4 generations of Jeppson:

4 generations of Gotberg:


New Year's was fairly uneventful. We watched a few movies with the Jeppsons on New Year's Eve before watching the ball drop and ringing in the new year. HAPPY 2010!!! Shortly after, we all went to bed. New Year's Day was similarly relaxing.

On January 2nd, Brad and I were able to meet up with some of my roommates from BYU and their families. It was a great party! Christine and I (from Cali), and Heidi and Mallory (from West Jordan) met at Heidi's house in West Jordan for lunch and games. How I've missed these lovely ladies!


We flew home early Monday morning, Jan. 4th. Connor couldn't have been better during the flight - he slept through everything, including takeoff and landing! That allowed us to get a little sleep also. Brad had to go back to work that day.



We had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. Here's to another great year ahead of us!