Western Adventures

After a couple sick days and a good dose of anti-biotics, we had the best trip out to Utah last week! Lincoln had a paper chain countdown going from 30 days out, so he was pretty excited to get on a plane. We were greeted by some of his favorite people...




Thank goodness for Skype, because it had been six months since we saw Grandma and Papa last. They drove their fairly new RV down, and that is where we lived for the week. This RV is huge! We did lots of activities in the RV like...

making brownies

working on the computer

eating Grandma's famous raspberry jelly and much more.

Besides seeing Grandma and Papa, we finally got to meet our niece Mya.





She is such a cute, happy baby with the best cheeks for kissing! Lincoln right away warmed up to her and shared some of his cars. She gladly accepted a red car, and immediately put it in her mouth. We also spent lots of time with Mya's parents.

Barry and Dave got caught up on playing video games, while Amy and I got a little shopping done.




Lincoln got to see three other uncles. Brent and Andy flew in from Arizona the same night we got in and had breakfast with us the next morning, before flying back to Oregon. Reed and his girlfriend Chelsea came down to Provo for a fun time at Chuckie Cheese, and we got to eat dinner with them in Salt Lake. If only I were better at remembering my camera, I could prove that we got to see these uncles.

We also got to see some of Dave's "brothers from other mothers" (sorry I couldn't help it, Reed uses that expression all the time). Lucky for us, Jeff's family just moved to Utah, so we got to hang out with them a few times. Will amazes me with how well he speaks! My favorite thing he said was, "Sue, these crackers are delectable."

Lincoln and Will played together really well.

Jen is pregnant, four weeks ahead of me, so I imagine the next babies will also be good buddies.

Again, lucky for us Corey transferred law schools last year, so we were able to see him too. Lincoln got really comfortable with Corey. Our last night, Lincoln had fun tickling his legs, ground and pounding his tummy, and massaging his back.

Corey invited the guys over to his parents for a fun afternoon that included this 4 wheeler. It was so muddy that Dave flipped it over while his dad was on the back. Thank goodness they weren't hurt and that I wasn't there to see it!

We caught up with the Balls at Cafe Rio and Mi Ranchito. I guess both of our families really like Mexican food.

Once again, if only I remembered my camera, I would have pictures or me and my good friend Deanne. She braved Chuckie Cheese with us down in Provo and I got some without-Lincoln time with her one night.

Lincoln was not a happy camper to be going back home. As soon as we got in the car for our drive back to the house, he kept asking to go to the airport. We didn't get adjusted to our house before we left again. I had an ultrasound the next day, so we were able to spend time with my parents. I am happy to report that the baby is healthy and the measurements are all where they should be. Dr. L sealed the gender in an envelope for Dave, but I want to keep it a surprise. If Dave spills, then I get a present, but if he keeps it a secret, then he gets a present. We are still negotiating what the presents will be. I can enjoy this surprise a lot more now that Dave knows and won't be bugging me with trying to find out the gender. So far, he has done a good job with the secret. We even discussed both boy and girl names tonight.

My Sick Valentine

How pitiful is this face?

Lincoln has been sick over the past few days. We finally made it to the Dr's today, and besides a nasty virus, he also has an ear infection. I am confident that his medicine is already working: he is already perking up. I am also confident he past his virus on to me and Dave. Happy Valentine's Day!! Even though we weren't feeling well, I had to something special for breakfast. I had fresh strawberries from my produce co-op, so I whipped up some yummy strawberry heart-shaped muffins.



I have been taking care of a sick boy, so I haven't had the chance to blog about a couple things. Did you notice Lincoln's hair in the first picture? It is super short, because I tried cutting it myself. It has been about a week, so the imperfections aren't as noticeable! I love what my MIL told me: this is the best time to practice cutting hair, when the kids are young, because they don't care what it looks like.

Last Sunday when I picked up Lincoln from nursery, he was crying and rubbing his eye. The nursery leader told me that he got some bubbles in his eye from the new bubble gun they used. I thought he would calm down after he took a nap, but things got worse as the day went on. He barely napped and didn't want any lights on in the house. Dave and I tried everything we knew to make it better, but he still wasn't opening that left eye. We were trying to decide if we needed to take him to the ER, when Lincoln said, "Mama fix it, make it better." I felt so helpless, so we packed up and drove to the ER. He was crying and still had his eye closed until...we saw some fish in the waiting room. All of the sudden, that eye popped open, and Lincoln was laughing at the fish! I found out there were 5 other people in front of us at the ER. A nurse said it was probably just a scratch, and the only thing a doctor would do is prescribe some eye drops. Dave and I decided we could wait until the next day to see his doctor and spend some of the money we saved from the ER visit on something else...

these fish!

Petsmart was closed, so thank goodness Walmart sells fish. Meet Ernie (orange tetra), Shay Shay (yellow guppy), and Chinook (male guppy with large tail...if fish have tails). Lincoln decided on the names, Dave and I only threw out suggestions and he kept what he liked. Shay is his good friend who has blond hair. When she came over the other day, she was so excited to meet the fish who shares her name. Chinook is named after a helicopter, no explanation needed there! Ernie from Sesame Street is orange, so naturally the orange fish is Ernie.

It was my turn to have the kids over this week, and we have been trying to do a lunch with the moms every other month. I hosted the lunch this month, so all the moms just stayed and ate when they came to pick up the kiddos. Dave was so nice to take Lincoln to Chuckie Cheese the night before, so I could get most of the lunch prepped. It was fantastic to sit and eat lunch with 3 other women! I feel so lucky that our kids get along well, so we could talk and laugh while they played.

Presents

Dave and I celebrated our 5th anniversary this week, and he gave me such a great surprise present. Being 20 weeks pregnant, my back has been bothering me. I got a text message from Dave with an address, right when he walked in the door from work. I asked him what it meant, and he said, "That's where you are getting your massage." Honestly, I started to cry! It was so thoughtful, and the thought of a massage made my back so happy. On my way home from the fantastic massage, I thought about some of the other presents Dave has given me. Most have been amazing, but some still make me giggle when I think about them.

First Christmas: Dave worked at a dive shop and got a good discount on the inventory. They had a new line of dive watches for women. He knew I needed a new watch (again so thoughtful), but asked my mom for her opinion about which watch. My mom and I have never had similar tastes, but Dave didn't know that yet. She told him the pink watch band with the pink face would be a good choice. I really am sounding like a brat right now, but it just wasn't my style, and Dave could tell as soon as I opened it. I felt horrible that I couldn't put a better face on and tell him I loved it. I hurt his feelings so badly that I thought I would never get another present from him again.

With the determination to redeem himself, Dave gave me the best, best present ever. He upgraded our honeymoon suite from a garden view to an ocean view! We had the best time in Jamaica, and I loved looking at the beautiful water from our room. Besides that, he gave me a different, fantastic watch the night before we got married. What a sweetie!

The view from our room

The first flowers Dave ever gave me. They were supposed to look like a fruity drink to get me pumped for Jamaica. We stayed at an all-inclusive resort, so we had many fruity drinks!

First anniversary: I was so excited about our first anniversary. Before I went to work, I laid out some of his favorite treats with a card, so he could wake up to a surprise. I got home from work early that day, and I came home to Dave playing X box. He thought I would be home later and hadn't gone out to get me anything yet. The next day, he came home with a plastic bag from the BYU creamery (small grocery store). He pulled out some cheetos, car freshener, ice cream, and a pair of socks that said, "I am not a cheerleader." What?! It is funny to me now, but again he could see I was a little disappointed.

Valentine's Day was just a couple weeks later, and once again he redeemed himself. I love cheesecake, but especially Cheesecake factory cheesecake! Dave ordered a whole cheesecake from the Las Vegas restaurant (closest to Utah), and it arrived in a container with dry ice. Once again, so thoughtful!! The best part, is that he wasn't sure if the first order went through, so he ordered another one. I was in heaven with 2 cheesecakes!

There have been other doozies, like a box of pop tarts (I think he went shopping with Corey for those.), and there have also been some other great ones, like a beautiful arrangement of roses. I just feel incredibly lucky to be Mrs. David Shinsel!

Reading through this I feel like a brat. I just need to add:
1. We have never had a ton to spend on presents.
2. I don't expect a present every holiday/birthday, especially when we don't have any extra money to spend.
3. It is hard to come up with a good surprise.
4. I have it very easy, because Dave doesn't like surprises and he tells me exactly what he wants.

Phew, I feel much better now, please don't think I'm a spoiled punk!