_The Miguel Family_

Fun times before bed

2012-02-01T18:06:00.000-08:00

Some of my favorite moments of the day are right before Liam takes a nap and right before bed. Even though I am tired and just want a break it is nice to sit down, let Liam play a little longer and then have story time. Tonight right after bath time Roland was getting ready for a Young Men's activity and he got his wigs out. Needless to say Roland and Liam had some fun and it was a great fun way to end the night. I love my family!

We're so glad when Grandma is here!

2012-02-01T17:51:00.000-08:00

We just finished a fun filled week with Grandma Rosie. It was so nice to have her here. Although a lot of her time was spent in the dental chair(Roland did some of her dental work), we were also able to have some fun at the park and around the house. And she was such a great help to us. She did dishes, laundry, cleaned dirty bums and snuggled with Liam when he would wake up at 3 am. That woman knows how to work! It was a much needed break for some tired parents. We were really sad to see Grandma leave yesterday. It is even more sad because Liam asks "Where is Grandma?" all the time now. Thank you so much for coming Rosie! We love you so so so much.

We didn't take many pictures because we are L.A.M.E. but we did have to get at least shot with each child to show that they love their Grandma!

The Texas Half Recap

2012-01-28T14:12:00.001-08:00

Today was the Texas Half! I thought I would blog about it while I had it fresh in my mind. Training for this race was not easy for me. I would feel great one week and then the next get a cold or slight injury. It was a struggle, until the last few long runs. I had some awesome running partner and the runs felt so good. The last run was 11.5 miles so I felt prepared for the race.

This morning was great weather, not too hot or cold, but a bit windy. I started out the run with Jenny who had been my running bud the last few long runs. We both had a goal of running under 2 hours and for the first 9.5 miles we were right on track. I felt pretty good except for the cramp in my calf and side. But after about 9 miles my energy evaporated. I blame it on my "special visitor" that decided to make an appearance this week. So I let Jenny run ahead and I kept going on my own. It was really all I could do to put on foot in front of the other. People were passing me left and right and more than once I really wanted to walk. It doesn't help that in the course you pass the end, but have to run a mile passed it and back before you finish and that you can see the finish line for the last long mile. Insecurities started creeping in the last few miles saying that I couldn't/didn't want to do this, but I knew I just had to keep on running. Once I started up the hill (not nice people) that is the finish line I gave it all the energy I had and finished. My official time was 2:06:46 a 9:36 pace. I little over my goal, but I am super happy with this time. I beat my time from 2 years ago and I only had one kid then!

At the end I was super tired, hungry and a little shaky, but I had done it. I had finished. I love that running is such a metaphor for life. This race and life are not easy, but you just have to keep on going! I am so glad I committed to this. I am grateful for my running buds that helped my with the long training runs and for Jenny for keeping me going for so long. I am grateful for my super special running buddies, Liam and Landon that were there for almost every run. And of course I am grateful for my husband who has supported my through it all. What a great experience! Next race: NH Marathon perhaps?

Timothy 4: 7

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith

Most of my running buds!

Jenna's kiddos: Avarie really want her picture taken. All the kids did so well waiting for their mommies!

And I am done!

Spending some time with one of my favorite running partners!

I had to post a good calf picture! Check me out!

This was about mile 10.5. This is exactly how I felt!

Before I left this morning!

I had a super fun spaghetti dinner with all my running friends on Friday night. It was so fun and brought my back to my cross country days!

Like parents like son

2012-01-27T13:13:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I made Liam some lunch and without any prompting from me he pulled a magazine over and started flipping through it while he ate. I know he has seen Roland and I do that many times before. It is amazing how much your children will imitate what you do. Kinda scary actually. He seemed so grown up! One thing that I thought was extra cute about it was that the magazine was the BYU magazine. Gotta get him to love BYU while he is young right? I love my kids!

Liam's Recent Adventures

2012-01-19T19:36:00.000-08:00

I love my two year old, but he keeps me on my toes. Here are some of his adventures of the past few weeks.

He got into my eye shadow and decided it would look good on his face. At first I thought it was permanent marker so I was relieved to find out that i was just make up.

He pulled all of the pictures off this shelf and said he was going to sleep here. Not sure how comfortable that is going to be bud!

I told him to put all his cars in this box, so he saw these cars graham crackers and decided all of them should go in there too.

Even though I get frustrated at some of Liam's antics, I am so happy that he is so active and creative. One miracle that happened in his life is that he stopped sucking his thumb! We are not really sure how it happened, but we are very happy that we don't have to bug him about it anymore. Liam also loves learning everyone's names and has starting saying he loves everything. Examples are " I love my friends, I love pickles, I love the park." Also he told us the other day that he wanted to eat his brother. Lets hope that doesn't happen, but I love the random stuff he is coming up with these days. I love you Liam!

8 months!

2012-01-19T19:11:00.000-08:00

Our little guy is 8 months old today! I am aware that everyone says this but where has the time gone? Landon had made some major accomplishments over the last month. He:

Crawls now! He learned over Christmas break and there was no turning back. It is really different taking care of him now that he can move, but I love his moves. He can move around so fast and he does these gymnast type moves.
Got his front teeth and is getting two more so total he has six teeth!
Is eating lots more solid foods
Loves wrestling with his brother
Starting to pull himself up on things ( I am not ready for another walker!)

We love love love our little guy!

Landon and Lucy: Best buds!

2012-01-13T17:47:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite parts of the break was watching Landon and Lucy play together. They are only four days apart and both super cute! For the most part they played well together. Sometimes Lucy liked to scratch and Landon would climb on Lucy, but they loved playing together and it was so much fun to watch them interact.

Long time no blog..The Mega Post!

2012-01-08T13:32:00.001-08:00

We had a wonderful visit to New Hampshire for Christmas. As you can see in the picture below it was a lot colder than we are used to in Dallas, but it was fun getting all dressed up with warm clothes. We started out our visit with a short Sunday hike with my mom.

Yes, Landon is on my back!

Jimmy becoming one with nature.

The cousins that are four days apart having fun in the bath!

Brothers! Landon loves his brother. Any time Liam interacts with him Landon is in heaven.

Landon also loved snuggling with his Aunt Kirstin

One day we went and visited my Haehnel relatives.

Christmas Eve. Liam was dancing!

The stockings were stuffed with care!

We waited until after church to open presents so Liam was still in his church clothes. I think he looks pretty cute. His favorite presents were cars and candy.

On Sunday night we skyped with my sister who is one her mission in California. It was really one of the highlights to Christmas.

Landon and Bailey bonded. Bailey was so chill with the kiddos. It was so nice.

The few days that there was actually snow on the ground we took advantage of and when sledding. Liam was a super sledder. He liked to go down all by himself. I am glad that we good some snow even though it didn't last long.

Roland and I celebrated our 5th anniversary by going on a mini hike up Pitcher Mountain. This is the same spot where he proposed so it was nice to go back on our anniversary. We didn't stay at the top long though because it was freezing!

We also went out to eat and went bowling for our date. This was the score of our second game. Roland did great and any time I get over 100 I feel pretty good about myself.

And no trip to NH is complete without going to see my Great Grandma and the boys Great great Grandma. She turned 100 this last year and it always so great to see her and my Uncle Wally. Liam was pretty happy about it.

I am in love with this picture!

Roland took a lot of great shots with his camera (and tripod that he got for Christmas). So there with probably be another post about Christmas, because even though that was a long post, I feel like I left a lot out. It was a wonderful visit. I love my family and cherish the time I get to spend with them.

What we have been up to!

2011-11-29T10:55:00.000-08:00

I feel like I haven't written a decent blog post in a while. Things have been pretty busy around here. Here is what we have been doing.

Well first of all Liam is obsessed with cars and we love it. His cars go with him everywhere. In the car, in his bed, everywhere! He loves the movie cars also and just got a Lightning McQueen car which he loves. Liam also moved to a toddler bed a couple of weeks ago and I think what really helped is that he got to pick out the sheets which no surprise were car sheets. Getting him in a toddler bed was a piece of cake. He wanted us in there for one night, but after that he has been falling asleep by himself for naps and bedtime. It has been a major blessing.

Landon is 6 months old! It is crazy how fast time has gone. We went to the doctor last week and he is still our little peanut. He weighed in at about 15 lbs (8%tile) and lost an inch? (.01%tile). I know that he didn't lose an inch but is probably about the same height. He is sitting up like a pro and I think he is going to start crawling soon. He is not sleeping through the night, so letting him cry it out has started. I forgot how hard it was, but it does pay off eventually..hopefully.

He loves eating solid foods and is always trying to eat what we have too.

Liam loves to take the couch cushions off and jump from the couch to the cushions. This happens almost every night after dinner.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Roland had the whole week off so we were able to relax and have some fun. On Thanksgiving day we got out and played with the boys for a little while before the meal and it was so fun.

For Thanksgiving we had some of our dear friends over and it was a lot of fun. It was a little weird since it is our first Thanksgiving not visiting family, but it is fun to make some of our own family traditions.

I had a lot of fun making these little turkeys as place settings. This is about all Liam ate for Thanksgiving.

A few days last week it was super foggy at White Rock Lake and it made for some really cool pictures.

So that is what has been happening. I am still training for the half marathon which has been going pretty well and Roland is finishing up his semester. We are counting down until Christmas break. About 2 weeks until NH and Christmas! So so so excited!

Family Pictures 2011

2011-11-20T18:08:00.001-08:00

We got our family pictures done this weekend. We love how they turned out. Thank you so much Jolyn! Check out her photography blog:http://jolynlaneyphotography.blogspot.com

Happy Halloween

2011-11-02T10:20:00.000-07:00

Introducing....

Max-King of all Wild Things

and our little wild thing

We had a great Halloween!

Enjoying the loot!

Let's play a game

2011-10-27T18:20:00.001-07:00

Which photos are Liam and which are Landon?

5 months!

2011-10-19T17:51:00.000-07:00

Our little Landon is 5 months today! I can't believe how fast time is flying! We love our our little guy! He hasn't been sleeping super well so we are tried some rice cereal today. The picture below pretty much sums up how he liked it. He really did not know what to do. He is starting to sit up on his own and he does flip from side to side although he doesn't do it often. He laughs and giggles and is a happy baby most of the time. And Liam is a great big brother. He loves to make Landon smile and play with him. I feel so blessed to have these wonderful boys as my sons.

Isn't he cute?

The brothers. Do you think they look alike?

Liam has a great memory

2011-10-17T11:15:00.000-07:00

We realized the other week that Liam really is listening when we read to him. When we stop in certain places he remembers the words. Here is an example with one of his favorite books Ferdinand.

Something that does not happen everyday

2011-10-12T11:50:00.001-07:00

When I got back from my walk today Liam, the 2 year old was conked out while Landon the infant was wide awake. I guess that is what happens when I go for a walk close to Liam's nap time. It was too cute not to document.

Ode to Pinterest

2011-10-11T19:05:00.001-07:00

So I just discovered the Pinterest and I am hooked. For those that don't know what it is, it is basically a site where you can "pin" all the crafts, food, home decor or anything you are interested in and organize it into different boards. You can also follow other people and what they are pinning. I have gotten some great ideas from it and I love that I am able organize all of my ideas. So here is my first finished project inspired from pinterest. Simple pillow covers. They were super super easy and I love them! It is like I have totally new pillows. I got the tutorial from this site. Go check it out. If Pinterest is something you may want to try I can invite you. Let me know with your comments.

Do you like the new design? They are just red pillows underneath.

Can you get any cuter?

2011-09-28T19:11:00.001-07:00

Our Little Peanut

2011-09-19T17:45:00.000-07:00

Landon is 4 months old today! We went to the doctor today and he is still a little peanut although he is getting chubby like every good baby should. He loves:

Reaching for his feet
Giggling/Laughing
Smiling
Taking Baths
Rolling over
Being swaddled (he still does.. I'm not really sure how to stop the swaddling)
Sitting up in the bumbo seat
His pacifer
Drooling

He doesn't like:

To be alone-whenever we leave the room he starts crying
Being stepped on by his big brother
Being in the car/car seat

Landon is a great baby and so fun to have around. We love you buddy! Here are his stats.

13.5 lbs (13.65 %)

23.5 inches (2.79%)

Red Sox (um I mean Rangers) Game

2011-09-06T18:56:00.000-07:00

During Poul's visit the Red Sox were also in town. So we had to go to a game. It was a great experience even though it was hot hot and it was the most boring game of the series, not to mention it was the only game the Red Sox lost while they were here in Texas. Oh well, it is always great to see the Red Sox play. It brings back so many wonderful memories of my Dad taking us when we were kids. Hopefully Liam and Landon will also develop those great memories of going to a ball game.

Liam and Landon enjoyed the game. I was a little nervous the whole time because we were up really high and Liam kept hanging onto the railing.

What a little model

My latest project

2011-09-06T18:49:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago I found a side table next to the dumpster. I being the scavenger that I am picked it up and decided I wanted to refinish it. So it sat in our house for a couple of weeks and on Labor Day I finally got around to starting the project. So I gave it a good cleaning, and primed it. Then I gave it two coats of yellow spray paint. The last step was the glaze and it was the most fun part. I mixed the glaze with some brown paint and gave it the antique look. I am pretty proud of how it turned out. It was a fun project and I think it is something I would definitely do again.

I forgot to get a before shot, but this is the end result.

Surprise visit from the Zentenos!

2011-09-06T18:48:00.001-07:00

A couple of Saturdays ago we had a surprise visit from Roland's relatives the Zentenos. They were making a trip across the country and were able to stop for lunch in Dallas. It was awesome! We always love visitors and it was great to see all of them. Thanks for thinking of us.

Me and my boys

2011-08-28T20:21:00.001-07:00

So what's it like being the mother of two boys? Landon is cool, calm and happy most of the time. Liam has a lot of energy and will try anything. Absolutely anything. Sometimes I get a little tired, but most of the time my life is pretty awesome. I love hanging out with my boys.

Family Pictures

2011-08-28T20:20:00.003-07:00

Poul was able to take some family shots of us when he was here. Some of them turned out pretty well despite the fact that we were melting the the heat.

Our Stay-cation

2011-08-28T20:20:00.001-07:00

After Roland finished with his 6 weeks in the clinic he had 4 weeks off. It was amazing. Besides the trips to New Hampshire and Utah and the end of the 4 weeks we mostly stated in Dallas. Our normal routine would be to get up, go running, go swimming and hang out with the boys. I got really spoiled because I got to run without the jogging stroller. One outing that was really fun was boating with the Andersons and Wilkinsons. It was so nice to get some relief from the heat. Roland and I wake boarded and Liam and I got to tube together. Liam really enjoyed the tubing. He didn't want it to stop. I was pretty proud that I got up on the wake board after the 3rd try. All in all it was so nice to have Roland home. It made it much easier for me and it is always nice to have quality family time.

We watched this boy get cuter and cuter

Went on many walks. Can you tell that TX is in a drought? Check out the grass.

1st time tuber

Mom, I'm not feeling so well. . .

Landon even joined in. Yes he is wearing a girls life jacket.

One of his many walks around the Village. Can you tell that anytime you go outside you melt? So glad it is getting cooler.

Poul Comes to Visit

2011-08-28T19:51:00.001-07:00

Poul came to visit last week. It was awesome! It was just what I needed since Roland had started school again and I was a little stressed. I definitely needed the help and it is always nice to have your brother around. We did lots of fun stuff. We went swimming, Top Golf, made yummy dinners, went out to some great BBQ and went to a Red Sox game (more about that in a later post). The only complaint about the visit is that it was too short. We miss you Poul. Come back soon!

I just love this picture of Liam!

Top Golf! As you can see it was more fun for the adults than for Liam and Landon!

Liam giving Landon a kiss. Cuteness.

Swimming!

Reading stories before bed.

I love that they are both smiling!

We love you Uncle Poul!

3 months! What the what?

2011-08-28T19:22:00.000-07:00

Landon is now 3 months. Actually this post is a little late so he is more like 3 1/2 months. How did this happen? The time is flying. Here are somethings he loves:

His fingers (They are always in his mouth)
His pacifier (Liam never took a pacifier and man that thing works wonders)
His Mom and Dad
His brother
Bath time- I love how he kicks his legs and moves all around. He is so cute!
His swaddle- He still loves to be swaddled before he goes to bed. It calms him down so fast.
Talking/Laughing

Our little Landon is such a great baby. He is growing up way too fast. Just this afternoon he flipped from his tummy to his back three times in a row! So he really isn't a teeny-tiny infant anymore. We love you Landon!

Totally working the double chin

Landon already knows how to fold his arms

Chilling in the swing

His blessing outfit.

Tummy time for both Liam and Landon!

Our Little Runner!

2011-08-23T12:26:00.000-07:00

Liam loves to run. Quite often he will be running around our apartment yelling, " I'm running, I'm running, I'm running." Whenever we take him for a "walk," he runs the whole way. And he is fast. Sometimes I have a hard time keeping up. The other day he was trying on my running shoes and I just had to take a picture of our little runner.

Surprise!

2011-08-22T06:30:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of August I made a surprise visit to New Hampshire to see my family. It was pretty much amazing. No one knew I was coming except for my twin brother Poul and it was so fun to see everyone. I have to say my mom and Gretchen had the best reactions. My mom was up at Girls Camp and Poul, Kirstin, Jimmy and I went up to surprise her. Jimmy's mom was at Girls Camp as well which was great because she was able to arrange everything. So we met Karen ( Jimmy's mom) at the entrance and walked to the fire pit where my mom was. Before my mom saw us Karen took Landon and handed him to my mom. My mom thought it was Lucy until she saw me and Jimmy holding Lucy. Then she exclaimed " Oh, this is Landon!" And because it was loud Landon started screaming and we were all crying. It was a great moment.

We surprised Gretchen at the airport a few days later. Poul and I made the trip to the airport and when Gretchen landed he kept saying "we are coming" instead of " I am coming." Gretchen wonder who we was and Poul said it was Peder. So when we got to the airport Poul went to the gate to meet her (and told her that Peder was in the bathroom). I waited near baggage claim. When they came down the steps it was awesome because Gretchen was distracted by her phone so I ran up and surprised her. She could not believe that I was there. She took my face in her hands and was said," How are you here?" Another wonderful moment.

This will definitely be a trip I will remember for a long time. And although it was short I was able to see my wonderful family and friends and just enjoy being in New Hampshire.

Mom with grandson (first time she met him)

Peder and Christy.

Some of the Great Grandparents

Cousins-Lucy and Landon are four days apart.

Harry Birthday to Me!

2011-08-17T07:45:00.001-07:00

My birthday this year had a Harry Potter Theme. The cake (made by my wonderful husband) was Harry Potter and the night of my birthday we went to the last Harry Potter movie, which was great! We went to Inwood theather which has really comfy couches and bean bag chairs instead of the typical movie seats. And really you can't get much better than snuggling with your husband watching Harry Potter. So I had a great birthday even though I am now in my late 20's (26).

Liam kinda thought it was his birthday, but that's okay. I am used to sharing my birthday with my twin brother!

Pretending

2011-07-31T13:49:00.000-07:00

Liam has started pretending, In the first video he is "snoring". (Don't know where he learned that). And the second one he is eating the characters out of his books. Love this kid.

2 Months: Happy Baby

2011-07-19T20:37:00.001-07:00

Landon is 2 months old today! Crazy. He is such a wonderful baby. He was a little cranky today because of the immunizations. It was sad. When he doesn't have to get shots he is very agreeable. He has even started smiling which is awesome. We love this little boy! Here are his stats:

10.88 lbs (22.59 %tile)

21.5 inches (4.15 %tile)

An Update

2011-07-08T18:27:00.000-07:00

Sorry I have been a blog slacker. Life has been a little crazy. Our 4th of July was great. We swam and ate some food with friends.It was such a nice relaxing day. Landon is starting to smile and interact which we love. We have had a few mishaps over the last few weeks. Multiple broken vacuums and a lost blanket to name a few. Liam has also learned how to climb out of his crib. So after much thought about what to do, we got a crib tent. It has been working well. Landon is sleeping like a pro. Once he is asleep for the night (which is usually about 7/8) he sleeps until 2 and then wakes up at about 5. I can totally deal with that schedule. Roland has one more week in the clinic and then he gets about a month of vacation before school starts up again. I am pretty excited for him to be home. As for me, I am adjusting pretty well to having two kids. To be honest, I thought it was going to be harder than it has been. Don't get me wrong there are some days where I say to myself, "I don't think I can do this today, " but once I get started with the day things get better. Having great friends has really help me. Just the other day one of my friends came over with her two kids and she folded my laundry. It was just a small thing, but it really made a huge difference in my day. Well that is our life right now. And you really can't have a blog post without pictures so enjoy.

Liam with floaties.

Our cutie pie

1 Month

2011-06-19T17:43:00.000-07:00

So Landon is a month old today! Where did the time go? It has really been a whirlwind and we are all adjusting to having four people in the family. We have fallen into the group of parents that don't take a lot of pictures with their second child. Here are some of the photos that we did take last month.

Attempts at a family photo

Adrian and Rosie came to visit. It was wonderful!

Liam holding Landon. When Liam wants to hold Landon he says, " I hold it."

Landon loves to be swaddled.

It has been super hot, so we have been spending lots of time at the pool

Baby in a laundry basket!

Wait...I thought Landon was the baby

Bath time! (Check out Liam in the background)

Happy Father's Day! Roland has been such a great help and he is a wonderful father. Love you hun. I would also like to thank my father for the wonderful support he has always been to me. Love you Dad!

We are in love...

2011-06-08T17:43:00.000-07:00

With our little Landon! He is so great.Like a normal newborn his basic needs are sleeping, eating and pooping. And he is quite the pooper. I forgot how often you need to change newborns diapers. He is a pretty good sleeper. At night he wakes up about every 3 hours and eats and then goes right back to sleep. He really is a great baby and usually is only cranky when he is hungry when he has gas. Can't believe that he is almost 3 weeks old. We love him so much.

LANDON

2011-05-20T10:43:00.000-07:00

Born May 19, 2011 4:51pm

7 lbs 5.4 oz 19.5 inches

Things I love about Liam

2011-05-18T18:45:00.000-07:00

So it is Liam's 2nd birthday today. How do I have a 2 year old? I am not really sure how that happened. Since I am being induced tomorrow, I was looking forward to spending time with Liam today. It was just a bonus that it is his birthday. I took him to McDonald's for a happy meal, he hung out with his friends in the afternoon and we had a family celebration with cake and presents. It was a wonderful day. So here are some things that I love about Liam:

1. He is fearless. Liam will try anything and is not scared.

2. He his friendly. He is always saying hi to waving to people in the store.

3. His smile. This boy always melts me with his smile. I will never get sick of it.

4. His curiosity. Liam is so inquisitive and smart. He loves to do anything that we are doing.

5. His hugs. I love that Liam is a hugger. There is nothing better than getting a hug from Liam.

Although I am super excited about Landon's birth I will miss my mommy-Liam time. I have loved every minute of these last two years. I am so glad to be a mom to my wonderful son. I love you so much Liam! Happy Birthday!

My wonderful almost 2 year old

2011-05-08T19:35:00.000-07:00

I feel like I haven't posted about Liam in a while. He is a wonderful, energetic almost 2 year old. I love him so much. Here is is running and feeding the ducks.

An Update

2011-05-08T18:28:00.000-07:00

So I am one week away from my due date! Crazy. I am having some denial issues. I really can't believe that we are going to have another baby so soon, but at the same time I can't wait to meet the little guy. At recent doctor's visits I have been told that I am about 1.5 cm dilated and about 50% effaced so that is good news. At my last doctor's appointment they told me they would strip my membranes on Thursday (5/12) to help me go into labor naturally and then if nothing happens I will be induced on the 19th. So we are really hoping and praying that Landon decides to come on his own since I am planning on VBAC and really don't want to be induced. I would include a picture of what I look like in this post, but I always forget to have Roland take a picture before I have changed into more comfortable clothes and then I am too lazy to change back into normal clothes. That is the update. Hopefully there will be some more exciting news coming soon!

What a great weekend

2011-05-01T17:22:00.000-07:00

So this weekend was great for many reasons. The first being that my sister Gretchen came to town. She is driving across the country with her friend Tyrel and they made a stop in Dallas. They arrived late on Friday, stayed all day Saturday and left early this morning. Even though they only got to spend a day it was wonderful. I love having family come and visit.

The second reason this weekend was great was that some of my friends gave me a baby shower for Landon. It was a wonderful party with great food and wonderful friends. Thanks so much for everyone that came and for all your help with the new addition to our family.

The last reason it was a great weekend was testimony meeting today. I felt the Spirit and since I did not get up to bear my testimony I thought I would share it on my blog. First of all I know that Heavenly Father loves me. I have been a little anxious about Landon coming, but I know that I will not be alone and that Heavenly Father will help our family. I am grateful for my Savior and for the knowledge that I will live again with my family. I know the scriptures are true and I am grateful for how accessible they are to me. I am grateful for my family and for Roland taking care of Liam during sacrament meeting so that I can listen and feel the Spirit. So that is my simple testimony for today. Wonderful weekend!

The sisters! We knew the temple was closed due for cleaning, but Gretchen and Tyrel wanted to see it. Oh and if you are wondering this is how I look when I am 38 weeks pregnant. Please do not zoom on the picture, my face is getting just a bit swollen.

Tyrel and Gretchen. So funny story Since it was closed it was gated, but guess who squeezed through? Yep that would be Liam. So Liam was running around inside the gated temple grounds. Luckily Roland tempted him back with his phone or we would have had to jump the fence. We couldn't stop laughing. Crazy kid.

After Liam's nap we went to White Rock Lake and tossed the frisbee around.

What a great weekend! If anyone has any desire to come to Dallas we love visitors!

Our Easter Weekend

2011-04-25T19:02:00.000-07:00

We had one busy weekend. 3 easter egg hunts, a ward activity and dinner on Sunday. It all started on Friday afternoon when our apartment complex had an Easter celebration complete with bounce houses the Easter bunny and a huge Easter egg hunt. It was a really fun time. Then Saturday morning we had an Easter breakfast with our ward. Liam then got to do another Easter egg hunt. Then Sunday we had a wonderful time at church and then a potluck dinner with some great friends. After dinner we had an Easter egg hunt with for the kids. Needless to say Liam definitely knows the word egg now. He did pretty well searching for the eggs, but really all he wanted was what was inside. He would pick up an egg, shake it and and then open it for the candy. He could care less if there were more eggs, he just wanted what was inside of the one he had. It really was a great weekend. It is always nice to think a little bit more about our Savior. We spend last week studying the scriptures that had to do with the Resurrection and it was nice to contemplate what a miracle it was that Christ was dead and now lives again. I am grateful for that knowledge and for the knowledge that we all can live again with our families.

First egg hunt

My little bunny

He climbed all the way up to the top by himself. He loved this slide.

2nd egg hunt

Crown for the potluck. I was so proud of how it turned out. Yum!

Getting at the candy

The cheesiest smile

Liam and his some of his best buds

Tennis ball in the berry sauce. Love the kids faces in this picture

What Liam was doing while the adults were talking. He climbs on everything now.

Cute boys!

Dental Olympics: Our Trip to Houston

2011-04-13T17:24:00.001-07:00

Playing Basketball with Daddy

Liam loved this chair

Beautiful sunset that we witness on our way to Houston

Every year the three dental school in Texas (Baylor, San Antonio and Houston) compete against each other in the Dental Olympics. No they do not compete in things such as root canals or fillings They play sports like the real Olympics! This year it the Olympics was in Houston and it gave us a great excuse to visit and stay with Jon and Crystal. Crystal was my roommate all through our years at BYU so it was great to catch up and reminisce on our college days. The Olympics were fun. Roland played some softball and pick up basketball. All and all a great weekend trip!

Oh the Adventures of Potty Training...

2011-04-11T18:50:00.000-07:00

So over General Conference weekend (April 1-3) we decided to do 3-day potty training with Liam. Like I have posted earlier he had peed in the potty a few times before he went to bed, but we decided it was time to get him fully potty trained. So here is how it went:

DAY 1:

I was pretty nervous because Roland was in school that day and it was the first day of potty training. The method we used was put Liam in underwear and give him a lot of liquids. I was to catch him every time that he peed and run him to the potty and then remind him to tell me every time he had to go pee. The morning was HARD! He had a lot of accidents and did not want to sit on his potty. When I realized that he wanted to sit on the toilet everything changed. He would actually pee on the toilet and not freak out. It really was the turning point of the day. Roland also came home around 11:20 for lunch. I really needed his support so it was so nice for him to come home. Liam took a nap around noon and he went to the bathroom before, slept for 3 hours and did not wet the bed. I was really happy about that. The afternoon went much better than the morning and Liam got really excited when he went in the toilet. When Roland got home at 5:30 I was super excited. It is always nice to have some extra help. We then put Liam to bed at about 7:30.

DAY 2:

Saturday was pretty similar to Friday. He had the most accidents in the morning, and then in the afternoon was much better. I was able to get out for a walk because Roland was home, so he got a taste for how hard it was. He took a nap without an accident again. I really think the key is making sure that he goes to the bathroom before his nap. In the afternoon Liam told us most of the time when he had to go and only had 1 accident!

DAY 3:

Sunday went really well. We didn't give him as much liquid so he was able to control himself more and did not have many accidents. It was nice today because we were able to go for a walk and get outside.

I have been waiting to post this until a week after because I wanted to see how the week after went and it was okay. Of course he still had some accidents, but we were able to get out and do all of our normal things. I just made sure there was a bathroom close by and made sure that he knew he needed to tell me if he had to go potty. He really likes public bathrooms for some reason, which is kind of gross, but I am glad that he is not afraid to use other bathrooms besides the one at home. I am pretty optimistic. We haven't put a diaper on him since we started potty training except for pull ups at night and when we went to Houston over the weekend. One weird thing is that starting today he likes using the potty not the toilet again. So maybe be will switch back and forth. He has not gone #2 on the toilet yet(although he has had accidents in his underwear which is not fun to clean up), but I have heard that takes longer, so I am just going to be patient.

So we are just going to keep doing the same and hope it sticks. I wouldn't say he is fully potty trained but we are getting there. I really am so so proud of my big boy.

Sunday Afternoon Walks

2011-03-29T12:40:00.000-07:00

Liam has entered the wander and loves-to-explore age, and Sunday afternoons are a great time to let him do just that. I love love love the walking trail around our apartment complex (and I am not just saying that so they will not up our rent, although I hope they do not) because there are lots of birds, squirrels, plants and lots of room for Liam to run. Sunday afternoons are great because Roland and I can both take him out sans stroller and not get really tired making sure he doesn't get to close the the road or water. Plus there is nothing like a peaceful Sunday walk.

Showdown with a squirrel

Leaves (Doesn't it look like fall with all these leaves? I am pretty sure it is spring)

Can you get any cuter than this boy? I don't think so.

Peek-a-boo Liam!

Pregnant lady chasing after 22-month old.

I hope this is not a fluke....

2011-03-26T18:08:00.000-07:00

Potty training has begun in the Miguel household! And I really hope it is not a fluke, but Liam has peed in his potty three nights in a row! It is always around bath time. The first night it was before his bath and the last two nights it was after his bath, which means he held it in, even in the warm water. So basically I am a very proud mommy right now. We are planning to do full on training over General Conference weekend, but this is definitely a start.

I am a still a little nervous about the whole thing because Liam is pretty young (22 months) but he was the one asking for it. It must have been about a week ago when he started saying poo-poo and pointing to his bum before he had to go. I think it all started when he saw his friend Aiden who is 3 used the potty. Since he was asking, we brought a potty this week, which took him a few days to get used to and then like I said on Thursday he actually peed in it. I am a little worried about him regressing once the baby comes, but it will be nice for him to have a foundation set up.

So anyway this is not something I was expecting to do (I was planning on waiting until he was at least 2), but it is time. Wish us luck! I am very very proud of Liam. He is becoming such an independent, big boy!

Spring Break...Well sort of

2011-03-21T12:39:00.001-07:00

Well last week was spring break for Roland so because I am his wife it means spring break for me too! It was wonderful to have him home as always. Here are some things we did. (Sorry a lot of my posts are written in lists. It must be the way I like to organize things in my mind)

1. Liam ate a lot of food. He is obsessed with food lately. We not really lately, he has always been this way. But he is starting to vocalize what he wants. So of his favorite food words are -nack (snack), Cheese, Milk Foo (food) orangie (orange) ,and bapple (apple).

One of his new faces

2.The weather has been amazing lately (getting a little warm too fast if you ask my ankles), so we have been outside a lot. This was one outing to White Rock Lake where we tried out Liam's scooter. He stayed on for a little bit, but then he just wanted to push it.

3. Monday night was bowling night. It was really fun to get out with some friend and go bowling. We had not been in a long time. Roland played about 3 games and laser tag, whereas I could only bowl two games and I was wiped out. I was really sore the next day too. Oh the joys of having a bowling ball on the front of your body ( I mean being pregnant, if you did not get my lame attempt at a joke). Liam got to try our bowling too. He like to push and kick the ball down the lane.

4. Roland went to a conference in San Diego. This is why it was spring break, but not. Roland had to give a presentation and was a little stressed about it. He also had to waste one of his spring break days traveling due to delays. We were so so so happy when he got back!

This is basically how Roland felt about the whole trip

View from his hotel room. Lucky!

5. Trip to a park. On Saturday we looked up a park about 45 minutes from Dallas and took a mini road trip. The park had some trails so it was nice to hike around a little bit. We ended our outing with a picnic and headed home.

So that was spring break and now we are back into the same old routine. I am so grateful to have a wonderful husband and son to hang out with all the time!

Trip to the Fire Station

2011-03-10T17:45:00.000-08:00

We had such a fun play group on Wednesday! We went to the Dallas Fire Station. One of the members of our church is a firefighter and was willing to give all of us a tour. It was so nice to do something different and new.Liam loved looking at the the dials and gadgets on the truck and I had never been in a fire station before so it was fun and informative for me as well.

I know I say this a lot, but I love love love my little boy!

30 weeks! 10 weeks to go...

2011-03-06T18:15:00.001-08:00

So here I am at 30 weeks. I can't believe the 10 week countdown has started. I can't believe it is March. I can''t believe how fast this pregnancy has gone. I guess there are a lot of things that are unbelievable in my life right now. I was thinking the other day about how I feel like have I done next to nothing to prepare for Landon. But then I thought we have most of the stuff we need minus a double stroller, which I am hoping to find on craigslist.

I am feeling pretty good, but third trimester definitely has brought back the fatigue and I am having a harder time getting comfortable. Maybe I just forgot what it was like but Landon loves to kick. Sometimes it feels like he is kicking me in two places at once and he is strong!

Right now though I am just soaking in our daily routine and all the time I get with Liam before the new baby comes and everything gets shaken up. I am excited but I little sad because things will never be the same. I am sure they will change for the better, but I will have to divide my time between my two little guys. So I am trying to cherish all the one on one time I get with Liam right now. Well that is my life right now. Sorry for the lack of blogging but it is really just the same ole stuff and routine. Spring break is coming up soon and I am looking forward to that. Well that is all for tonight. I hope everyone has a relaxing and wonderful Sunday night.

My Craftiness

2011-02-23T16:57:00.000-08:00

The form that my nesting is currently taking is crafting. During the really cold weather I looked at this blog and was inspired to take on two projects. For the first I had to make a lot of fabric roses and the second I had to make a lot of felt roses. It was really tedious but I love the finished products.

For this one I made fabric roses and it looks really nice on our front door. It would be there now, but we got a new door and are waiting for it to be painted. The fabric roses are kind of a pain to make, but then you just glue them to the wreath which is easy.

Close up on the fabric roses

For the felt rose wreath it took a lot of cutting, rolling, hot gluing and time. It was a good project to do when you are watching TV. Making this is how I filled a lot of my nights up. It currently hangs next to the mirror in our living room. I love how this one turned out.

Things to be grateful for

2011-02-22T10:57:00.001-08:00

The last few weeks I have been in a complaining rut. For some reason I have been complaining about everything. The weather, how busy Roland is, how crazy Liam is, how tired I am and I could go on and on. But I won't. Last night before I went to bed I was contemplating how to get out of this complaining phase because I really don't like it. I started thinking about all the things I am grateful for, and I thought I would share them with you. (They are in no particular order)

1. Baby #2- Landon/ My pregnancy.

I am so grateful to be pregnant! I am one of those people who if they decide to they want another baby are basically pregnant the month after. I am so grateful for this. I am grateful that this pregnancy has been so easy. I am already in my third trimester for goodness sake! I am grateful for the all the kicks that Landon gives me and I cannot wait to meet him. What a blessing it is to be pregnant.

2. My wonderful husband Roland.

I do not thank this man enough for all that he does for me. He is amazing. Did you know that he gets Liam up every morning and feeds him breakfast so his wife can sleep an extra half an hour? Well I do and I am so grateful for that. I am grateful for all the hard work that Roland does on his family's behalf. I am grateful for what a wonderful father he is and how Liam always lights up when he sees him. Melts my heart every time. I love how supportive Roland is in all of my hobbies and interests. What more can I say. I love my wonderful husband Roland.

3. My marriage.

I am so grateful to be married for eternity to my best friend Roland. I love the relationship that we have. You may not believe this but we never fight. Yes we have our disagreements, but we always work through them and there is never a night where I think I am so mad at my husband. I love how supportive and in sync we are with each others needs and how well we communicate with each other. I am grateful we decided to be married in the temple and all the blessings that come with that.
4. My NH family.

I love my parents and siblings. They are wonderful people who I think about and miss everyday. They are so supportive of Roland, Liam and I. I grew up in such a loving home and will be forever grateful to my parents for raising me in the gospel and setting such a great example. I love going back to NH to visit and spend time with some of my favorite people in the world.
5. My In-laws.

I love Roland's family. I feel so grateful to my Rosie for all the love that she sends our way. I love and am so grateful to all of Roland's siblings and their spouses for all of their love and support. I really think I have some of the best in-laws ever. St. George will always be one of our favorite places to visit because of all the wonderful people we see while we are there.
6. My son Liam.

I love this kid. A mother's love is something hard to define and explain, but I really don't think I could live without seeing Liam's smiling face everyday. I am so grateful for his hugs, smiles and laughter. He has such a independent personality and I am so grateful to be his mom. I am grateful for all that I am learning by being a mom, especially patience. I am grateful for his wonder and curiosity of the world and all it has to offer. I am grateful for his kind and friendly spirit. What a wonderful person I get to be with everyday.

7. The Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ

I am so grateful to live in a time when the gospel has been restored in its fullness to the Earth. I am grateful for my testimony that Jesus Christ lives and loves us. I am grateful for the scriptures that are so readily available to us to read and learn from. I am grateful for a Latter-day prophet that leads and guides us in the ways we should go. I am grateful for temples and feel extremely grateful to live in Dallas where the temple is only 10 minutes from our apartment. I love the covenants that we make in the temple and I am so grateful for my eternal family. I am grateful to know that Heavenly Father loves me and cares for me personally.

Those are some things I am most grateful for in my life. The list could go on, but just writing this post has helped me to get out of my complaining mood and got me a little teary eyed. (Doesn't take much when you are pregnant but anyway) My life really is wonderful and I should be more happy and cheerful. This really helped. Thanks for letting me share with you.

White Coat Ceremony

2011-02-15T11:20:00.001-08:00

On Friday Roland got his official white coat. For dental students it marks that they are now going to be working in the clinic. It was a nice ceremony, and of course nice to get out. We probably would have enjoyed it much more if he did not have his huge 8 hour board test the next day, but it was still good. I am very proud of my husband and how hard he works for our family.

It has been a weird week

2011-02-06T13:34:00.000-08:00

For those of you that do not follow the weather around the country, Dallas got hit with a wintry blast last week. It all started on Monday night/Tuesday morning when Roland and I were startled awake by the sound of sleet. In my half awake-half asleep mind I thought that school may have been cancelled for Roland, but I was not getting my hopes up. When Roland usually gets up for school he checked his phone and huzzah! school was indeed cancelled.

Being a New England girl I was pretty skeptical. So Roland Liam and I went outside to see what all the fuss was about. After about 2 minutes of freezing cold wind and almost slipping on the ice about 50 times, I was sure the people in charge had made the right call. Everything was ice! Even in New England they would cancel events for ice. So we stayed inside the rest of the day and did the normal snow day stuff.

Since the temperature did not get above freezing we were all wondering about Wednesday. Nothing really had changed. And sure enough Tuesday night we found out that Roland did not have school on Wednesday.

Wednesday was good, but I was starting to go a little stir crazy. And I was planning to go grocery shopping on Tuesday, which did not happen and we were down to the food that you can eat, but don't really want to eat.

So I actually was happy when Roland had school on Thursday. I went grocery shopping, had a valentines day card making party with the girls and got back into a normal routine.

But then Thursday night...Baylor cancelled school for Friday. They had to tell everyone in the email that it was not a joke. And it was again legit. When we woke up on Friday morning there was 6 inches of snow on the ground, on top of the ice. So we spent another day at home.

Saturday actually got above freezing and the sun came out and we got out of the house. We went for a walk and I took at trip to the craft store. Basically it was glorious! So that is the story of the week. Wonderful to have Roland home, stir crazy, ice laden week.

One of the snow days we build a fort. It kept Liam occupied for about 10 minutes.

And it is destroyed!

One Friday we ventured out into the snow. Liam had a blast!

Yum!

Oh I had to include this picture. We watched James on Saturday night and all the boys climbed into this chair. I thought it was so cute. I really think Roland is ready for another snuggly baby.
One of the crafts I started. I made this fabric roses from scraps of old projects. They are eventually going to go on a wreath. Fun, but time consuming.

Pregnancy Update

2011-02-01T08:11:00.000-08:00

So some people have been asking for a pregnancy picture so here you are! This is me at 25 weeks and 2 days! Only about 15 weeks to go.

I feel like I have not posted a lot about this pregnancy, so here is the update/answers to frequently asked questions:

We are having a boy and we really like the name Landon. We have not decided on a middle name yet.
This pregnancy feels pretty much the same as the last one except I felt more sick throughout the whole day in the first trimester. With Liam it was really only in the morning.
I have definitely felt more tired with this pregnancy and I think it is probably because I am chasing around a 20 month old all day.
I saw my belly move yesterday. Well really it was Landon moving, but I saw it from the outside. It was pretty cool.
2nd trimester rocks! It was wonderful for Liam and it is great with this pregnancy also.

I think that is pretty much it for now. I feel great and we can't wait to meet our new little guy.

Week 3: Christmas Break

2011-01-23T10:55:00.001-08:00

So now that January is almost over, I will finish posting about our break. The third week was a little more relaxed and we had a lot of time to ourselves since most people were back at work. So we:

1. Took a trip up to Provo to visit my brother, Peder and sister, Gretchen and my roomie Allie. It was super fun. It made me miss BYU.

Walking around campus

Love them! I am so glad we got to go because both of them are thinking of going on missions in the spring and I don't know when I will get to see them again. So yeah it was really really good to see these two.

Liam, Me, Allie and Lucy. I could not believe how alike Lucy and Liam's personalities are. Both are very out going and really like to give hugs. I wish we lived closer so we could hang out more.

2. Went on some walk/hikes as a family

Snow Canyon! Why can't Dallas be this beautiful? No offense Dallas, but you don't really compare to this.

3. Made the trip back to Dallas. Blah. That is all I have to say about the drive. It was hard to say bye to everyone, but it was nice to get back to Dallas and our own routine. And that is just what we are doing. Roland is back in school, studying hard and Liam and I are home staying busy. Just FYI: 3 doctor's appointments the week after you get back from vacation is not something I would do again. Anyway, wonderful trip. Can't wait to go back.

Liam Update: 20 Months- Word Explosion

2011-01-19T09:21:00.001-08:00

So I feel like I have not updated on my wonderful son Liam in a while. He is now 20 months! Seriously where does the time go? Liam is becoming quite the independent boy and likes to do most things on his own. He still sucks his thumb(as you can see above) and is very attached to his blankie. Over Christmas break he had a word explosion. I feel like he now learns 2-3 words a day. Here are some of the words he knows and uses:

Hello, Hi, Bye-bye, Mommy, Daddy, Cookie, Cracker, Cheese, Please (He also signs this one and it is super cute), Ball, Nose, Mouth, Eyes, Teeth (This one I give most of the credit to Roland. He is always thinking about teeth), Dog, Doggie, AJ (one of his best friends), Light, Go (He says this frequently in the car when he thinks we are not going fast enough), Car, Bird, Buddy, Baby, Mine, Me, You, Turtle, More (He mostly just signs this one), Green, Blankie and we are working on Thank You.

It is amazing! I love Liam and I think he is going to be a great big brother. Now that I am showing he is starting to understand that there is a baby inside me. He will stay baby and stroke my belly. The other day Roland found him pointing at his own stomach and saying baby. Although that will never happen for Liam it is pretty darn cute.

Christmas Vacation: Week 2

2011-01-13T17:09:00.001-08:00

Week 2 of vacation was pretty great too. Some of the things we did were:

1. Throw this lovely lady a baby shower. Sorry Sandy I just had to post this picture.
2. Played with all our new toys and Woody. Liam loves Woody!
3. Said goodbye to Adrian and gave cousin Parks lots of hugs.

4. Went to the Mall with Annie, Erik and Parks and played on the fire engine and ice cream truck.

5. Welcomed in 2011. Liam stayed up all the way to midnight. On the way home he was asleep in a matter of seconds.

6. Played in more parks with Erik, Annie, Parks. Yes, that is snow and we were in St. George. It was really cold when we were in St. George.

7. Saw our great friends Nate, Michelle and their kids Addison and Bryn. Sorry we have no pictures of this visit, but it was great. So that was Week 2. Missing everyone already.

Week 1: Christmas Break

2011-01-09T10:59:00.000-08:00

Well I am finally getting around to blogging about our trip. So it wouldn't be total photo overload I decided to break it up into the 3 weeks that we were there. So here is what we did.

1. We drove to St. George from Dallas. Not going to lie it was kind of a beast. Liam was such a trooper though. We left at around his bedtime (6:30 pm) and drove through the night and got there at about 3 in the afternoon. We were all happy to be out of the car! Roland and I have talked about it and we think that we are never going to attempt that drive again.

2. After recuperating from the drive we hung out with the family. One day we went to the park with Erik, Annie and Parks. Liam loved playing with his cousin. The park we went to this week was kinda crazy, but cool.

Cheesy smile

Cool swingy things for adults!

Family Picture. Notice the slight belly that I am starting to have.

3. Making ginger bread houses. I think we did this on the 23rd. It was fun and messy and we all ate way too much candy.

4. Christmas Eve. For dinner we had yummy lasagna and then the boys opened one of their presents.

Liam really liked this container/hat.

Matching jammies. The cousins were not in a very photogenic mood but they are actually both looking at the camera in this one.

Not so much in this photo.

All of us on Christmas Eve in front of the tree.

5. Christmas morning. Liam woke up first and we all opened up our presents. We then had waffles for breakfast and relaxed the rest of the day.

Love this picture. I think it is because of how tired Roland looks.

Yeah! It is Christmas. Really Liam was just excited about the marshmallows that Daddy gave him for breakfast.

Liam and his new trike.

And that is all for week 1. Week 2 to follow.....

We're back!

2011-01-07T14:09:00.000-08:00

After a 20 hour drive we are back in Dallas. I am to tired to do the long post about our vacation, but I promise that will be coming soon. Right now we are grateful for great weather, our car that ran fantastically and sleep. I may go to sleep right now while Liam watches Kung Fu Panda.

4 years

2010-12-29T08:41:00.001-08:00

4 years ago I married my best friend. Now with one son and one on the way we are looking forward to many many more wonderful year together!

So I may have been withholding some information

2010-12-15T13:00:00.001-08:00

So yes many of you may have guess it but we are having another baby! And we found out today that we are having another BOY. We are so excited! I am due May 15th which is almost exactly the same time that Liam was, so we are going to have sons with close birthdays! So here are some of the little ones photos. We can't wait to have another baby in our house.

Liam and Santa

2010-12-08T11:17:00.001-08:00

Yesterday we went to go meet Santa. I am not sure if Liam really knows who Santa is yet, but it was fun to go anyway. I was a little worried that there would be tears of fear, but he was not scared at all. He ran right up to him and sat down on his lap. And although he couldn't tell Santa what he wanted just yet, I'm sure he will be able to next year. Merry Christmas!

Happy!

Okay Mom, I am ready to get off!

Saturday Stroll around Fair Park

2010-12-06T10:13:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday while Liam and I were taking naps Roland saw that the Children's Aquarium at Fair park was free for the day. So when we both woke up we decided to do a spur of the moment trip over to Fair Park. Turns out the Aquarium was not the only place with free admission that day. Almost everything was free! So we went to the Planetarium (which was kinda lame), and the Butterfly house(which was cool). We also just spent some time strolling around Fair Park. We didn't make it to the Aquarium because the lines to get in were way too long, but we had fun anyway. After Fair Park we went to get dinner and they messed up our order, so instead of getting 1 pizza, we got 2! Score. It was a very enjoyable Saturday afternoon.

Hi Mommy!

My boys

Cool butterfly in Butterfly House

Can I have the camera now?

Dental School Gala

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

Roland and I went on a hot date last Friday to the annual Dental School Gala. It was fun to get all dressed up and have a nice dinner. I also got to meet more of Roland's friends and their spouses. Good food, great conversations, wonderful night with my husband.

Me and my lovey.

Oh Christmas Tree Oh Christmas Tree!

2010-12-02T07:30:00.000-08:00

I love the Christmas season and I love decorating our apartment for Christmas. On Monday night we set up our Christmas tree. It was really fun this year because Liam was able to "help." We had fun listening to Christmas music and getting all festive as a family. And although I often have to say, "Don't pull the ornaments, just touch them," it is totally worth it to have the spirit of Christmas in our home. FYI plastic ornaments are amazing!

My two favorite boys and the decorated tree.

Liam helping!

My little helper

2010-12-02T07:05:00.001-08:00

So Liam has decided that he wants to do everything that Mom and Dad do. That includes drinking out or normal cups, brushing hair/teeth, wiping his own nose and face when he gets dirty and vacuuming. Case in point, after we set up our Christmas tree on Monday for Family Home Evening the floor need a good vacuuming. So we get the vacuum out and I start doing it. Shortly into my chore Liam decided he wanted a turn, so we let him. He loved it. You would never believe that a couple of months ago he was scared to death of the vacuum. He loved helping so much in fact that he was mad when we took it away. So cute and now I have a little vacuumer in training!

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-30T09:39:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving was AWESOME! We went to New Hampshire to visit my family and had so much fun. The only downside is that we were only there for a week and it went so so fast. I had not had Thanksgiving with my family since high school so it was a treat to be able to spend the holiday in my hometown. I was also able to visit wonderful friends that I had not seen in a while so it was great. Let me just warn you I was horrible at taking pictures. I would have like to take pictures of the Thanksgiving feast and everyone that was there, but I think I was just enjoying it too much and forgot to get some pictures. But the meal was great. Everyone pitched in and made it a very enjoyable and yummy day. What can I say I always love visiting family and friends and right when I leave I want to go back again. It was a great break from my normal life, and I am so thankful we were able to make the trip.

We cut Liam's hair for the first time in NH! It was getting really long. But I do miss his curls. This is before the hair cut. And,

This is after. I think he looks a little less like a baby now and more like a big boy.

On Tuesday we made a trip down to Boston to pick up Roland's brother Adrian at MIT. He then had Thanksgiving with us too which was a bonus! We took a lot of pictures while we were exploring MIT.

It was really cold in New Hampshire. I think I am growing soft here in Dallas. Liam didn't like the cold much either.

Grandma and Grandson

My family's new dog Bailey. I was a little nervous at first, but Liam and Bailey became best friends. Liam loved to pet him and Bailey liked to try and steal Liam's food.

Plane ride back to Dallas. Liam was able to get his own seat which was amazing because he was comfortable and slept. So did his parents:)

Roland Won a Photo Contest

2010-11-17T18:39:00.001-08:00

We found out last week that Roland won 1st prize in the River/Ponds category of the Trinity River Photo Contest. Today I got to pick up his certificate at the Dallas City Council Meeting(Roland had a test). It was all very formal. I had to go through a metal detector and they searched my bag. I was so glad that had someone watch Liam (thanks Lauren) because it was a very kid free zone. Everyone at the meeting looked really important and you could definitely tell who was there for the photo contest. When they called the Amateur division (There were three divisions:Professional, Amateur and Youth) up I got to shake hands with the Mayor of Dallas and he was the one who read all the names. It was fun and out of the ordinary to be able to go the meeting and I am so happy for Roland for winning.(There were about 850 photos entered). He is so talented at many things. Here is the winning photo. It was taken at sunrise and features three herons.

Reverting back to the baby ways

2010-11-14T17:15:00.001-08:00

The other day we were watching our friend's 2 month old baby. We got the swing out so that we could get the baby to sleep. We left it out and the next day Liam wanted nothing more than to climb in his old swing. He loved to swing with his blanket and lounge. Another baby thing that he has been weirdly picking up is pacifiers. He has never used a pacifier, but we have them in a drawer because we thought he might use them. He found the stash one day and had been using them as toys. I think he has seen other kids with and thinks they are cool or something. He will stick it in his mouth, and walk around with it. It is a little funny that he is still shows interest in the baby stuff even though he is becoming such a big boy.

Lots has changed in a year and an half

What a difference a year makes

2010-11-04T08:56:00.000-07:00

It has recently been cold enough to start bundling Liam up and it got me thinking about how much Liam has really grown. I remember doing the same thing last year when we would go outside and thinking oh I am sure he will stay like this forever. But he didn't. He has grown up so fast and although he is super cute and fun now sometimes I find myself missing the little baby in the car seat. So for picture explanation, I was walking earlier this week and he was all bundled up and he actually feel asleep. This hasn't happened in a long time. A year ago it used to happen all the time. So that is really what got me thinking about how big he is now. What a difference a year makes.

Liam a year ago

Liam a few days ago

Trick or Treat!

2010-11-01T09:31:00.000-07:00

On Saturday night our ward held a trunk or treat Halloween activity for the kids. It was so much fun. I enjoyed taking Liam around to all the cars saying, "Trick or Treat," for him, and then watching him drop his candy into his bag. He was the cutest turtle ever! And although he did not stay in the costume all night it was a big hit.

This is a look we get quite often now

I did not get too creative with my costume

Action Shot

Love this picture. No one was quite sure what Roland was(including me). He got back from a scout activity and just ran around grabbing random things from the house before we had to go. He was exhausted from the scout activity but still had some fun.

Getting some grub

Messy face

Dropping the candy in

The last part of the activity was a march with all the kids in their costumes. As you can see we had a naked turtle (no shell) at this point.

So it was a fun night. Liam got a fair amount of candy (which his parents have eaten quite a lot of) and had fun running around with all the other kids. Happy Halloween!

No good, very bad week...

2010-11-01T09:10:00.001-07:00

That was last week. It was filled with checking account thieves (from online somewhere), sickness, cell phone bill issues, insurance issues and more. On Friday when we got a nail stuck in our tire we were not even surprised. It was just part of this no good very bad week. Of course there were some positives. There always are right? Liam looked amazingly cute in his costume for trunk or treat, we got to hang out with friends (who took care of me when I was stressing) and the best was when the bad week was over. Now it is a new week and even a new month so onwards and upwards. Everyone has to have weeks like that right? Well maybe not but it makes me feel better.

Pumpkin Carving Family Home Evening

2010-10-27T17:35:00.001-07:00

For Family Home Evening this week we had some of our friends over to carve pumpkins. We were going to do it just as a family but it is always more fun in a group don't you think? It was kind of spur of the moment, but I am so glad everyone was able to come carve pumpkins and eat yummy treats. All the pumpkins turned out really well too!

Group Shot minus Valerie who was taking the picture. She did not want her overdue pregnant belly to be documented.

The kids had a lot of fun playing together.

Some of Liam's best buds

Scooping out the guts. What a fun night!

My Little Batman

2010-10-23T18:32:00.001-07:00

This week we went to the Arboretum again for Toddler Tuesday where they had FACE PAINTING. I was a little reluctant to stand in line with Liam because I was not sure if he would sit still for them to paint his face. To my surprise, he was a champ. He not only let them paint his face, but then didn't touch it or smear it for the rest of the day. It was fun having a little batman following me around.

Sleepy batman

State Fair of Texas

2010-10-21T10:48:00.001-07:00

Roland and I went to the State Fair of Texas last weekend. It was something we were told we should go to at least once while we lived in Dallas. It was super crowded, but fun. I really couldn't believe how many people were there. It was also huge! There were tons of booths, rides and exhibits to look at. Our favorite things were the ferris wheel and the petting zoo. So although I am not usually a fan of crowds, and it was one of our more expensive dates, it was fun and I am glad we went at least once. And as always it is nice to get out just Roland and I. I am really digging this babysitting swap.

Semi-decent picture of us. I think I look a little scary.

From on top of the ferris wheel.

Crazy horns

Crazy hair

Liam bed head

2010-10-17T17:14:00.001-07:00

Liam woke up from his nap with some major bed head. So I took some pictures. He has also really been getting into lounging on the couch. So he got his cookie, his blanket and went to the couch to relax. What a fun little boy!

Fall is here!

2010-10-13T12:35:00.001-07:00

Fall is here in Dallas and I am loving it. Fall is definitely my favorite season. Cool weather, beautiful colors, pumpkins, hay rides, petting zoos, the list could go on and on. And although the beautiful colors part doesn't really apply to Dallas, Liam and I were able to get a little taste of fall at the Arboretum. He really enjoyed the pumpkin patch and the petting zoo.

Liam's Halloween Costume

2010-10-06T16:50:00.001-07:00

For the past few weeks I have been working on Liam's Halloween costume. It has been quite the task because I am not experienced at sewing and have never made anything from a pattern. But with much help from Valerie and Melissa I learned a lot and I finished the super cute turtle costume. I feel accomplished. I also feel ahead because Halloween isn't until the end of the month. Go Me! So here is the finished product. I am so glad it turned out so well and it is something I will probably do again.

The Shell

Front View

My cute little turtle.

So I am a blog slacker....

2010-09-30T08:40:00.000-07:00

So I feel like I have been neglecting my blog. Sorry Mom! In my defense we have been really busy. With what you ask? Playgroups, school, swimming, running, grocery shopping, the same old stuff. All of you are probably saying we do all that and can still update our blog. True, I guess I really have no excuses. Well here are some photos as proof of our busy lives.

Liam has decided he wants to climb on everything! Chairs, the couch, the coffee table (which has been removed), and now his new favorite his high chair. Last week I was doing the dishes and I looked around and all of a sudden his was in his high chair. I thought I may have forgotten putting him in but no, a few days later we caught him in the act. There is a video of it at the end of the blog.( Will have to wait for another post, it is not working currently) Although he climbs and I can't take our eyes off him, we love our sweet 16 month old. He gives us hugs and kisses and makes my life so joyful.

In other news it has cooled off a bit here in Dallas. Woohoo! We are love the fall-ish weather and have been able to get outside and go on more walks. Liam loves to chase the squirrels and feed the ducks and fish when we walk around our apartment complex. It is so nice to be able to enjoy the outside without coming back drenched in sweat.

The last thing I will post about is date nights. Roland and I have been blessed to be able to swap babysitting with another couple in our ward, so we get to go on a date every other weekend. It is wonderful. Our last date we went to the Arboretum(which I have apparently been saying wrong since I got to Dallas), for a concert in the park. It was such a nice night and a very relaxing and fun date. The band was Beatlegrass, so they played Beatles music with a bluegrass twist.The music was great and it was very fun.

The Climber

Wonderful Date at the Arboretum

Stare down with a squirrel

More date night pics.

So this is not the climbing video, but it is Liam having fun with Daddy. I will for sure post the climbing video soon.

Messy Liam

2010-09-17T08:28:00.001-07:00

Whether it be breakfast, lunch or dinner Liam likes to get messy. He is in the phase where he likes to feed himself and that most likely will lead to big messes on the floor and on his face. A bib is now mandatory for every meal. Although it can be a little more work for us, we love watching him grow and learn. And sometimes we get to take some great messy baby pictures.

Spagetti

Cake

Peach

Yogurt

Happy Birthday Roland

2010-09-15T17:03:00.000-07:00

It was Roland's birthday last week, and although he had a test the next day we had to have a little celebration at home. We had ribs for dinner which were oh so yummy (Liam even liked them) and of course cake for desert. And although Liam had a little break down towards the end of the celebration in was nice to be able to spend time together. Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband and best friend!

The Ribs! Yumminess!

Liam digging in

The birthday boy

Poor babe

Finally....

2010-09-08T09:18:00.000-07:00

Roland, Liam and I often go on walks around our apartment complex. There is a nice trail were you can see fish, turtles and DUCKS. All the animals are fun to see, but one duck is our favorite. We have lovingly named him the duck with the fro . Fro duck has been pretty camera shy for a long time. It was so frustrating. We would bring our camera on the walk, and we wouldn't see him, but when we forgot the camera he would magically appear. So on Sunday we went went for our walk (with the camera) and we were more than excited that we saw our friend. And here he is in all his afro glory.

Trinity River Photo Shoot

2010-08-29T12:17:00.000-07:00

Roland is entering a photo contest in Dallas featuring the Trinity River. So last Sunday we decided to go to a park which has a good view of the river and the city. It was hot, but we got some really good pictures for the photo contest and of course of Liam.

Kirstin and Jimmy come to Visit

2010-08-29T12:05:00.000-07:00

Last week on their way to Virginia Kirstin and Jimmy stopped in for a visit. And what can I say, it was awesome! Being in Dallas and having no family close by, we love, love, love when people come and visit us! It just so happened that when the day they came it was also their 1st wedding anniversary. Congrats to Kirstin and Jimmy! So we had a celebration with ribs, eggplant and cake. It was yummy (Thanks to Sydne for the awesome ribs recipe). After that we took a drive to the Dallas Temple and we walked around. They did have to continue their trip the next morning but it was great to see them and we wish them luck in Virginia. We miss you guys already!

Cutting the Anniversary Cake!

Blurry Pic in front of the Dallas temple!

Liam's New Trick

2010-08-20T13:18:00.001-07:00

Liam has recently taken to climbing on everything, including the coffee table. I do not approve. We probably won't have the table out for much longer(He fell off right after I took this picture). He doesn't really have great depth perception yet, and if makes me a little bit of a crazy mommy.

Adventures at the Audubon Center

2010-08-11T17:34:00.000-07:00

Roland has been home this week. It has been amazing. He starts school on Friday, so I am soaking up all the time he gets to be home before his life starts to get very busy. We have been able to go on some adventures as a family. One was going to the Trinity River Audubon Center. It was a fun place to and although it was hot we went on some short hikes and then took a break in the air conditioning in the building. Fun stuff. So nice to have Roland at home.

Baby in a Box

2010-08-07T08:12:00.000-07:00

If you were Liam what would you do with an empty diaper box? Climb in it of course! Liam had a blast with this box and he seriously played in it for 45 minutes. It was a little bit of a tight squeeze, but he loved climbing in and out and throwing his toys out of the box and then reaching to get them back in. I love that the simplest things entertain my little boy.

Goof Ball

2010-08-04T17:11:00.000-07:00

Our Liam is become such a goof ball, and we love it. He makes us laugh everyday with his dramatic face and sweet dance moves. He is really showing that he understands us now, which is so fun. Here are some pictures of his escapades.

He loves this bandanna!

I have Mommy and Daddy's phones and I love it!

After he got both of them he retreated to his favorite spot behind the table. Then he sat down and started playing!

A picture that I should included in a previous post because it was of us swimming. I thought I would include this here because I think it shows how Liam is become such a big boy. Doesn't he look old in this picture? Definetly not a baby anymore.

Only in Texas

2010-08-04T17:06:00.001-07:00

Okay maybe this happens other place other than Texas, but this is our apartment security guy. There are normal ones that patrol in cars, but ever so often you see the one on a horse. We have been wanting to get a picture since we first saw one, and since we finally got it! Oh the fun things we see here in Texas.

New Dance Moves

2010-07-25T17:39:00.000-07:00

Recently Liam has been working on his dance moves. It is hard to catch it on camera, because once he sees the camera he stops what he is doing and gives a big cheesy smile. This video I was able to get some dancing and some cheesiness. It is so nice because Liam really seems to understand what we are saying now and follows some instructions. I feel like he just soaks everything around him. He is becoming such a big boy now. Well enough writing. Enjoy the video.

My Apple Pie

2010-07-25T17:32:00.000-07:00

Roland and I have been watching the show Pushing Daises, and have been craving pie. So I made quiche the other day and had some extra pie crust so we decided to make an apple pie. It turned out so well. I haven't made a pie in a long time and it was fun to make something other than cookies for dessert. So here is my pretty apple pie.

Keeping Cool

2010-07-25T17:17:00.000-07:00

Because Dallas is so hot we have been looking for various ways to keep cool. We have gone to various lakes, the pool, and a spray park not far from our house. The weather is pretty hot, but it is nice to know we have places to go to cool down a bit. Liam loves the water and so he enjoys all the trips to the pool and lakes.

_______________The Miguel Family_______________

Fun times before bed

We're so glad when Grandma is here!

The Texas Half Recap

Like parents like son

Liam's Recent Adventures

8 months!

Landon and Lucy: Best buds!

Long time no blog..The Mega Post!

What we have been up to!

Family Pictures 2011

Happy Halloween

Let's play a game

5 months!

Liam has a great memory

Something that does not happen everyday

Ode to Pinterest

Can you get any cuter?

Our Little Peanut

Red Sox (um I mean Rangers) Game

My latest project

Surprise visit from the Zentenos!

Me and my boys

Family Pictures

Our Stay-cation

Poul Comes to Visit

3 months! What the what?

Our Little Runner!

Surprise!

Harry Birthday to Me!

Pretending

2 Months: Happy Baby

An Update

1 Month

We are in love...

LANDON

Things I love about Liam

My wonderful almost 2 year old

An Update

What a great weekend

Our Easter Weekend

Dental Olympics: Our Trip to Houston

Oh the Adventures of Potty Training...

Sunday Afternoon Walks

I hope this is not a fluke....

Spring Break...Well sort of

Trip to the Fire Station

30 weeks! 10 weeks to go...

My Craftiness

Things to be grateful for

White Coat Ceremony

It has been a weird week

Pregnancy Update

Week 3: Christmas Break

Liam Update: 20 Months- Word Explosion

Christmas Vacation: Week 2

Week 1: Christmas Break

We're back!

4 years

So I may have been withholding some information

Liam and Santa

Saturday Stroll around Fair Park

Dental School Gala

Oh Christmas Tree Oh Christmas Tree!

My little helper

Thanksgiving 2010

Roland Won a Photo Contest

Reverting back to the baby ways

What a difference a year makes

Trick or Treat!

No good, very bad week...

Pumpkin Carving Family Home Evening

My Little Batman

State Fair of Texas

Liam bed head

Fall is here!

Liam's Halloween Costume

So I am a blog slacker....

Messy Liam

Happy Birthday Roland

_The Miguel Family_