Christmas Day

Well, it has been awhile since I last posted. I have been so busy, we had 2 funerals in 1 week, and family in from out of town! Glad to say that we are finally getting back to normal around here. Christmas was so fun this year with Mason. Even though he doesn't understand what it's all about yet, he still got so excited for his presents. As you can see from the pictures, his favorite present was his big stuffed dog. Santa was definately good to us! I got a nice brand new camera that I don't know how to use to it's full potential yet but I can't wait to learn all the new tricks it does. Cameron kept trying to make me feel bad for not having any presents to open on Christmas morning, but I had to keep reminding him that he already had opened his 61" flat screen TV. Seriously. I also got a really nice late present. My cute Mom called me up on Saturday night and wanted me to meet her at the mall for a surprise! So, I went and she bought me some new Uggs. I have always wanted them, and she was so sweet to buy them for me, since our Santa ran out of money! I can't even tell you how surprised I was. I love her so much (not just because she does nice things for me), she is the best!! I have posted some pictures from Christmas. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

Sad Day

This morning at 9:30, my sweet Grandpa passed away. What an amazing person he was. I will miss him more than ever. This picture was taken in August at his house in Bear Lake. I got to spend some time with him this morning before they took him away, it was so special. The earth definately lost an angel today. I love you Grandpa!!

8 Years

Yesterday was our anniversary. I just want to tell Cam how much I love him and how much I appreciate him in my life. We have been spending a lot of time with my Granndpa lately and yesterday was no exception. He hasn't complained at all, even on our anniversary!! He is my best friend and I wouldn't want to go through this life with anyone else! I love you babe.

All of our wedding pics are in storage, sorry no pictures to post!

Bad News...Good News

Bad News: BYU beat the UTES
Good News.... I'm Pregnant

I am about 5 weeks along. We are so thrilled and excited. It was a little shocking since it took so long to get pregnant the first time, but I guess once your body does it, it knows what to do. I have taken about 5 tests just to make sure. My due date will be around July 28th. Or if history repeats itself, June 28th. I keep wondering if I am really up to it again. I guess I'll have to put my skinny plans on hold for awhile. :)

Madelyn

Today I am thankful for my sweet little niece Madelyn. I don't think there is a sweeter little girl around. Today is also her birthday so it's only fitting that I write a little about her. She is turning 4 today! She has the cutest little smile. Ever since she was born she has had a little mischievious spirit. It only makes her that much cuter. All I can say is that my brother better watch out! She is going to be a little heartbreaker. She looks just like my brother with huge brown eyes and little dimples. I just love her to bits! She is also so sweet to Mason, and he just loves her. We love you Miss Madelyn!

Knowledge

Today I am grateful for the knowledge that I have of forever families. I know I keep talking about my sick Grandpa, but with him getting worse everyday, I just can't help to be so grateful that I know even though he will be gone, I will see & be with him again. That knowledge is so precious to me, it's what gets me through the hard times. I can't imagine not knowing what happens after we die. What a wonderful thing the plan of salvation is. I am so grateful for that. Now that I have my own little family, it means even more to me than ever.

Grandparents

Today and yesterday I have thought a lot about my 2 sets of grandparents. I guess it's because my Grandpa Daw is very sick with cancer. I am just so thankful to all 4 of them for all that they have taught me. They are so different but I love them each for different reasons. I have a lot of memories with my Grandpa and Grandma Daw. Trips to the family cabin & going on walks with Grandpa. He would always make us carry a walking stick and he would sing "I've been working on the railroad" and "She'll be coming around the mountain when she comes". I loved that so much. He is always so happy to see us and likes to kiss us right on the lips. He has been very sucessful in every aspect of his life. He started and ran a successful business and served two missions. Once as mission president in South Carolina and once as president of the MTC in the Philipines. My Grandma is sick as well, she has Alzheimers disease. This is the most horrible disease. It has been really hard to watch her slip from realty. She doesn't remember who I am anymore and that is really hard. She was such a good woman. She took care of everything. She was an amazing cook and always had presents for us on our birthdays and christmas. I love both of them so much.
My Grandpa and Grandma Westover are equally special to me. I have a lot of good memories with them. Every Christmas morning as long as I can remember they would fix us breakfast. It's something I'll always remember. My Grandpa is also one of the funniest guys around. He's a little rough around the edges and swears like a sailor and every so often he would offer us a beer even though he knows we don't drink. That is what makes him so great. My Grandma is a real sweetheart. She has a very tender heart and cares a lot about other people. I will always remember sleeping over at her house and her always having my favorite kinds of cereal because she knew I loved it! All 4 have been such great examples to me and I will love them forever!!!

My Dad

Today I am so thankful for my Dad. He is the greatest Dad in the whole world. I have always been a daddy's girl and also my Dad's favorite! :) We have always had a special relationship. He is crazy and fun and a great example to me. My Grandpa (his Dad)is really sick with cancer and I just know that it is hurting my Dad so much. I hate to see my Dad like that. I just want him to know that I think he is the greatest and I couldn't love him more. He is an amazing person, husband, son, friend and Dad. I love you!!!

ZZZZZZZZZZZ

Today I am grateful for a good night's sleep. I absolutely love waking up in the morning to realize that I didn't have to wake up for Mason in the middle of the night and that he has had a good night's sleep too! I need my sleep and so when I get it it's makes me really happy!

Good Health

After a few days of feeling crappy, I am finally starting to feel better this morning, so today I am thankful for my health. For those of you that know me really really well, you know that I am a bit of a hypochondriac. I really feel like having good health is one of the best blessings you can have. I guess you don't really appreciate it until you don't have it!

Cam

Today I am thankful for my husband Cameron. I am sure there is not a better husband or father out there. He is the most amazing man in the whole world. There is no one better suited for me. We are a perfect fit together. I have not been feeling very well the last couple of days and so when he gets home from work he takes Mason for the rest of the night and doesn't complain. Mason has been waking up in the middle of the night because he is teething and last night Cameron got up at 3:00 in the morning and held Mason until he fell back to sleep because he knew I didn't feel good. Little things like that are the reason I fell in love with him. I never thought I could love him more than I did the day we got married but everyday it seems to grow. He works so hard to provide for our family and he just got promoted at his job to Vice President of Operations! I am so proud of him and all his hard work. There are the little things like his obsession with cars and golf that make me a little crazy sometimes, but he is the best and I love him more than ever!
PS: This picture is of Cameron driving a Ferrari, it seriously made his whole month! (Thanks Dad!) Even though it wasn't a Porsche Carrera GT, it was a close second.

Mason

Today I am thankful for my little boy Mason. I don't even know where to start. I can't believe that I get to be his Mom. He is the sweetest, cutest little boy in the whole world. I get so much joy out of being his Mom. It took us almost 4 years to get him here and let me tell you it has been worth the wait. He is so much fun. He is just starting to walk around everywhere and it's crazy at times but mostly it's so fun to watch him discover things from a new perspective. My favorite time of the day with him is when he wakes up in the morning and he is so happy to see me. His smile melts my heart and I can't wait to spend the day with him. Mason, thanks for making my life so full! I love you!!!

Savannah & Ethan

Cameron and I are watching my niece and nephew for the weekend and so I am thankful for them today. They have been so good and so fun. Savannah(10)is the biggest sweetheart to Mason. She is like a little Mom. Ethan(6)is always trying to make Mason smile and asks the cutest questions. We went to the Living Planet Aquarium today and to the pet store. Here is a conversation we had about puppies.
Ethan: Why can't puppies be on sale sometimes?
Me: Maybe they are, but I guess not today.
Ethan: I think they should always be $1 so everyone can afford them.
Savannah: Ethan, that's stupid because then all the bad people could afford them and they would not treat them right.
Ethan: Oh, okay well then they should be $9 so only a few people could afford them.
I just love them so much!

An empty basket

I am thankful for an empty laundry basket today. I have been doing laundry for 2 days straight because I fell a little behind. I finally emptied both of our laundry baskets and got everything folded and put away. Whew! I am sure at least one will be full again by Monday!

Being a Mom

Today I am thankful that I just get to stay at home and be a Mom. At first I wasn't quite sure if I really could stay home everyday all day, but now that I am doing it, it's the best job ever! Don't get me wrong, there are days when I think that I will go crazy, but mostly I am loving it. I realized that you don't always need to be doing something to feel like you are worth something. Every once in a while there are those pay off moments when Mason learns something that I have been trying to teach him like knowing where his "button" is that make it worth it.

Today I am thankful for....

Motrin. Mason is teething all his teeth at once. I am really grateful for that miracle juice called Motrin. I only wish you could give it to him every 3 hours instead of 8.

4 Sisters & Mom

I am copying an idea from a friend.. thanks Trish! I am going to be posting something that I am thankful for every day in the month of November. I figure that I have so much to be thankful for why not share it? So here goes the first one..

Today I am thankful for my 4 beautiful, amazing sisters (Amanda, Abbey, Amelia & Brittany, my sister-in-law) and my equally amazing beautiful Mom. I have the greatest mom & sisters. They are all amazing in their own ways.

Amanda: She is the oldest and the one who is always looking out for others. She is one of the most giving people I know. She can make friends like nobody's business. People are drawn to her because she just makes you feel comfortable and like you are her best friend. She is also very beautiful & an amazing cook!

Abbey: She is the most motivated & goal oriented person I have ever met. There is nothing that this girl can't do. Marathons, 200 mile bike races, triathalons, you name it. And when she sets her mind to something she will do it, no doubt. She is also very beautiful and loyal to the people around her.

Amelia: She is one of the funniest people I know. She can make anyone laugh. She has a million friends and is also very loyal to the people around her. She is very beautiful and she sees the best in everyone.

Brittany: Even though she is not a biological sister - I consider her one. She is going straight to heaven no doubt. She has a light around her all the time. She is an amazing Mom and wife. I can only hope that I will be like her someday.

Mama: She gave me life and has been there for me through everything! She is absolutely the most beautiful Mom in the world and would do anything for anyone! She is my best friend and I know that she will love me no matter what. She has an amazing ability to make others feel special no matter who they are.

I just want each of them to know how much I love them and that I look up to them a lot. I don't know what I would do without them in my life.

My little cub

We had a great Halloween! Mason loved trick or treating with his cousin Jack, and we also went over to see Julie and Colby (aka the little hot dog). Colby is such a little cutie, I wanted to eat him up! Don't look closely at the face painting job on Mason, I couldn't get him to sit still!

Check out my Slide Show!

Totally worth it.

We had some family pictures taken on Saturday by my sister in law Jodi. She did a fabulous job and even though I only like a few of the pictures with me in them, she took some of just Mason that are the sweetest pictures I have ever seen. Sometimes I get discouraged that I still haven't lost all my weight from being pregnant, but when I see my sweet little boy I think that it is totally worth it. Needless to say, after seeing the pictures of me, I am on the fast track to skinnyville.

Happy Birthday...to me!

Yesterday was my birthday. I try not to think how old I am it's a little depressing that I only have 1 more year in my twenties. I never thought that I would say that I am 29! It just seems so old to me. Time goes by so fast, it seriously seems like yesterday that I was turning 16 and here I am almost 30! I had a good day, as good as it can get on a Sunday. Cameron treated me extra special, let me sleep in and wrote me a really nice love letter. My parents took me to dinner on Saturday to a really fancy restaurant - duck liver anyone? I got some much needed new clothes and shoes. My Mom cooked me a delicious dinner last night with my whole family and it was a fun night! So until next year.... Cameron promised we could celebrate in New York for the big 30!

New Jeans and Cute Pic

Is there anything better than getting a new pair of jeans that fit just right? I had that experience today as I got to spend some birthday money early. I went over to a new store in Draper called Urban Blues. They have a ton of designer jeans to choose from at 40%-60% off! If you haven't been, you should go! They have tons of cute handbags and dresses and tops for really reasonable prices. The picture has nothing to do with anything, but I thought it was cute. I took it at the car wash yesterday.

A shower visitor..

This morning as I was enjoying a nice hot shower while Mason was sleeping (or so I thought), I was washing my hair with my eyes closed enjoying the moment. All of the sudden I opened my eyes to my little boy looking up at me, clapping his hands sopping wet in his pajamas in the shower with me. A couple of thoughts ran through my head:
Me: How did you get in here?
Me: Who saw me naked?
Mason: Silence (with a smile)
I was so curious that I lifted him out of the shower to see just how he got in. To my surprise, he literally launches himself over the edge of the tub and into the shower! I swear that kid never ceases to amaze me. I really, really wish I had a picture of it, but unfortunately I don't normally bring a camera into the bathroom with me!

Facts

I have been tagged by A Yummy Life. The rules:

A. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning.
B. Each player lists 6 facts/habits about themselves.
C. At the end of the post, the player then tags 6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

1. I have lived in Scotland
2. I absolutely love mexican food
3. I have traveled to Africa and slept in a mosquito net and showered in the jungle
4. I am deathly afraid of heights
5. I love anything celebrity and my dream someday is to go the the Academy Awards
6. I can't believe I lived so long without my little boy Mason

I tag Brittany, Laurie, Julie, Colleen, Kelie & Tanya and anyone else who wants to do this!

Best Show on TV

If you know me you know that I like me some good tv. That said, I feel like I can honestly say that the best show on TV is Friday Night Lights (fridays 8:00 on NBC). If you have never seen this show, you are missing out. I feel a little bad betraying Grey's, but I can't help it. The second season started last night, and it was so good. The characters and writing in the show are so great! Please, if you haven't watched it, start! I don't want it to go off the air. If any of you want other recommendations here are some of the the other shows I love:

Grey's Anatomy

Private Practice

Pushing Daisies ( so fun)

The Office

The Bachelor (I swore I wouldn't get sucked in, but here I am 2 weeks into it, what do you do?)

The Singing Bee ( I would win if I ever got the chance to be on it!)

So there you have it. I am really not a counch potato, but there is nothing better than curling up and watching your favorite shows on TV.

Caught in the Act!

Mason has a new obsession with the toilet. He would play in it all day if I let him. What is it about the toilet that is so fascinating? He likes to unravel the toilet paper and put it in the water and then take it out of the water and put it on the floor. Wet toilet paper is not a fun thing to clean up. Needless to say, I have gotten pretty good about using the clorox wipes to wipe it down every morning knowing that he will make his way in at some point!

It's just the bug man!

So this morning around 8:00 I was lying in bed fast asleep with Mason. When all of the sudden I woke up and looked toward the bedroom door and to my suprise there was a man standing there. I couldn't really focus too well seeing that it is pretty dark in the basement. At first I thought it was Cameron, but then I noticed that this man was older so then I had the thought that maybe it was the man with Alzheimers that lives down that street ( he tends to wander). I started to panic a little, it's not every day that you wake up with a strange man in your room. So, I sat up and the man says "Don't worry, it's just the bug man"! I thought, "are you freaking kidding me"?? The exterminator just decides to come downstairs and start spraying in my room, doesn't care that there are people sleeping, or that it is just a little bit awkward to say the least. He proceeds to spray around my bed and dresser and then just walks out. Meanwhile, I am just laying there stiff wondering if I am dreaming, not wanting to move. So, anyway next time you wake up in the morning with a strange man in your room, "Don't worry, it's just the bug man!"

Birthday Fun

On Saturday we had an early 1st birthday party for Mason since my mother in law was leaving out of town. His actual birthday is on the 20th. Anyway, he had a lot of fun with all the cousins and he got some really fun gifts. I made my first attempt at a creative birthday cake for him, and I thought it turned out pretty good. Mason got this little red car that we can push him around in and he absolutely loves it! He can't get enought of it!

Mason and his Tiger

Mason has a love affair with his stuffed Tiger. He is constantly toting it around and dragging it with him where ever he goes. Whenever he is tired and ready for his nap he always snuggles up to it and it is the cutest thing in the world.

Cabin Pics

The Palmer Safari

Last night we had a wild night at the cabin. We took my sister and her family up to ride four wheelers and enjoy the cool weather. We got there and were eating our dinner, when all of the sudden Adam (my brother in law) heard some low grunting noises coming from the back of the cabin. We all ran out to see what it was, and there walking up through the trees was a large Moose!! It proceeded to walk right up to the cabin and onto the front porch. We had to run and shut the front door so it wouldn't come in! In all of my years going up to the cabin I have never seen a Moose so close. It stayed and munched on the trees around the cabin and then walked up the road. Then not 10 minutes later, a baby moose did the exact same thing, although she didn't get quite as close to the front porch as the Mom. We were so excited. The kids were wide eyed and Mason was trying to escape and go pet it! We decided to go on a ride, we were driving along and saw a lot of deer and some elk, and then my niece Savannah spotted 2 bull Moose with large antlers!! We couldn't believe it! We drove by slowly and watched them from a distance. We also saw 2 Porcupines. It was quite the night. It was a lot of fun! It was so beautiful up there the leaves were starting to change and there was definately a chill in the air. We decided that you don't need to go clear to Yellowstone to see wildlife, it's right in our own backyard!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEETHEART!

Today is Cameron's 29th birthday. I just want him to know how much I love and appreciate him. He is the most amazing husband and father. I have known Cameron for 16 birthdays, and I love him more now than I ever have. Here are some of the things that I admire about him the most:

He is the hardest worker I know, always doing extra.

He is the most caring and sensitive person I know

He would do anything for anyone at a moments notice

He is an amazing Dad to Mason

He is an amazing husband to me

He makes me laugh non stop

Those are just a few, and I want him to know how much I love him and I am so proud to be his wife.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABE!!!!!

Blog Meltdown

I am having a meltdown. I can't seem to find a design that I can stick with. It's driving me nuts. I have changed my blog "look" about a dozen times in the last 3 days. It looks like crap right now, but I have something in mind so stay tuned....

Football Here At Last!!

Just wanted to give a little shout out to the Utah Utes! This is an exciting time at our house, as we are huge Utah fans. Let's hope that we can have a great year and most of all beat those cougars!!!!

It could never happen to me, right?

So I have been the victim of fraud. I logged onto my chekcing account yesterday to see that someone had gone to Winger's without me and spent $30 on dinner. I was a little suspicious, so I asked Cameron if he had gone there for lunch or something. He told me no, but he had gone to Cobblestone Pizza and spent about that much. So in my head I thought maybe Wingers owns Cobblestone Pizza and it just comes through under Wingers. Never in a million years thinking, someone really had gone to Wingers without me and used my money!!! So, I kind of let it go. Well that was a mistake. Last night I logged on again and that same person had gone to Smith's and bought their entire food storage and then some, $600.00 worth to be exact! I started panicking & hyperventilating immediately. To make a long story short, I called the bank and put a freeze on my account and tomorrow morning I have to go in to the bank and get it all taken care of. I have no idea where they got my information, Cameron and I both have our debit cards and I am not missing any checks. So, I just thought I would pass along that there are some very smart & dishonest people out there and to be very careful.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Happy Birthday Abbey! It was my little sister's birthday yesterday. We went to Park City to celebrate last night. It was a lot of fun. She has accomplished so much in her life, and I am very proud that she is my sister. I love you Abbey!

To be a child again.

One of Mason's favorite things is to ride in the cart at the store. He gets so excited and smiles and laughs at everything. I wish I got that excited about doing every day things.

Questions & Answers

I guess this is what tagging means? If you want to fill this out, just copy into a new post and fill it out! I guess it's better then forcing someone to fill stuff out. So here goes.

1. When was the last time you ran? A couple of days ago - 3 miles
2. Do your jeans have rips, tears and holes in them? One of my favorite pair just got a rip in the crotch area. I WILL try to repair them.
3. Do you get the full 8 hours of sleep a night? I have too. I love my sleep.
4. If you had someone "stop by" without you knowing what would your house look like? THere would be toys strewn about and probably a few bottles lying around.
5. Do you eat raw cookie dough? I usually have to force myself to turn the oven on, it's probably one of my favorite things.
6. Have you ever kicked a vending machine? I don't think so
7.How do you eat an Oreo? I twist the oreo and then eat the middle and then the cookie itself.
8. Have you ever stayed online for a very long time waiting for someone? No
9. Could you live without a computer? I did for a couple of months and it was literally hell. What did I do with my spare time when there were no computers? Oh right, excersise.
10. Do you wear shoes in the house? Never, I hate wearing shoes, I can't relax.
11. At what age did you find out Santa wasn't real? I think I was 11, it was the worst reality of my life.
12. How many phones, (house and cell phones) are in your house? Just counting our space in the basement, there is 1 wall phone and 2 cell phones.
13. Who would you call first if you won the lottery? I would probably faint so I wouldn't be able to call anyone.
14. Last time you saw your best friend? It's been too long!
15. What jewelry are you wearing right now? None, I am still wearing my pajamas
16. What is the first thing you do when you get on-line? This is embarrasing.. Here are the websites I go to in order of importance: People.com, Gmail.com, blogger.com, zionsbank.com, as you can see celebrity gossip is the most important to me. I just try to prolong the depression of looking at my bank account.
17. Do you watch 'Grey's Anatomy'? Yes, I am counting down the days until the new fall season
18. How do most people spell your name? Usually I get Alison or Alyson never the correct way of Allison
19. When was the last time you left your house? Last night, we went to Target to return a car seat.
20. Do you return your shopping cart? Yes, I always feel guilty if I don't. I was a bagger once and I had to collect all the carts in the parking lot. It was the worst!
21. What noise do you hear right now? Mason whining, he wants me to pay attention to him, and he smells like poop.
22. Who is the youngest in your family? Mason - 10 months
23. Who does the dishes at your house? Cindy and I trade off
24. If all of your friends were going on a road trip, who would be most likely to over pack? I would sadly, I always overpack. And, who would most likely be driving? I guess I would let Laurie drive
25.Do your siblings ever pay for stuff for you? Yes, I have the greatest siblings
26. Do you know anyone with the same name as you? A couple
27. When was the last time you cleaned your toilets? Last week.
28. Do you watch movies with your parents? yes
29. Do you get your hair cut every month? no, maybe every 3 months if i'm lucky
30. What was the last thing you purchased? A meal from chik-fil-a, it was delicious

I have a crush

I officially have a crush on Jason Bourne aka Matt Damon. If you haven't gone too see The Bourne Ultimatum you are missing out. It was so good, it's non stop action the whole time. So make that your next movie choice, you won't regret it. By the way, I think that Cameron has a little man crush on Jason Bourne as well, so I don't feel too bad about saying it.

That's just fantastic

Living in a basement you get your fair share of unwanted visitor's, namely spiders. Last night as I was folding laundry, I noticed Mason trying to put something in his mouth, I went over to investigate and there he was trying to put a dead spider in his mouth. Yes, that's right, he was about to swallow a dead spider. Thankfully, I got it out of his hand before the inevitable happened. Why is it that babies can see something that is barely visible to the naked eye and head straight for it to give it a little taste? I guess some things you just can't control.

Busy Summer

I have decided to start a family blog. Hopefully it will be fun to read, and it's a fun way to keep in touch with family and friends. We have had a fairly busy summer. We have gone on two vacations and moved all in 3 months! We have decided to move in with Cameron's parents to save money for a house. We will be here for probably the next year or so.

In July we went to Laguna Beach with Cameron's family. We had a great time and Mason had a blast playing on the beach. Although, he spent most of the days shoveling sand into his mouth! We boogie boarded and relaxed on the beach for 4 days. It was Mason's first plane ride and he did great! Oh, and Cameron got stung by a Jelly Fish. For that reason, I opted to stay out of the ocean most of the time. I am not a fan of Ocean creatures. I did catch a few good waves though!



The first of August we went to Bear Lake with my family. We stayed at Grandma and Grandpa Daw's house on the beach. It was Raspberry Days so it was very crowded, but we still had a lot of fun! Again, Mason had sand for his snacks and lunch and had a blast splashing in the water. I absolutely love Bear Lake and boating so I was right in my element.



Now, we are back in the routine of work and everyday life. I am looking forward to cooler weather and fall. It's my favorite time of year.