Big News!

A Tribute to John and Rissa

2010-07-11T17:06:00.000-07:00

Because they are the coolest Brother and Sister-in-law team we've got, and because they are some of Macy's favorite people in the whole world, and because after a full day of work they put in another 8 hours painting my basement--- John and Rissa are the Best!!!

When Macy picks up a phone, or pretends her toothbrush is one, Rissa is usually on the other line. She introduced me to my knitting group and book club. She is basically the coolest girlfriend I have! Man my brother has good taste!

John can fix anything, and he enjoys it!~unless he's lying... hmmm. He came back after working until 3am in my basement so that he could help finish the job... and custom fit all the doors in my house. Macy thinks he is the coolest and there is no one Dally would rather drool on.

And they are ridiculously good looking.

For these and many more reasons. John and Rissa are the coolest people we know.

2010-05-15T11:48:00.000-07:00

Fun at the park with the family. Mary's sister Rachel and her family are in town. Here are the pictures!

MACY

Nathan and Eli

Eli and DALLIN

MACY and Jonas

Issaac

DALLIN

MACY

Sam

Grace

Sam

2010-05-15T11:41:00.000-07:00

Mommy's little cuties

2010-05-10T18:46:00.000-07:00

For Mother's Day I took some pictures of the kids to send to the Grandmas. They turned out okay... the ones of the two of them together were a disaster, but the individuals were pretty good.

At some point it must get easier to take pictures of two kids together... right???? In the meantime, the results are pretty funny and a fairly accurate depiction of our day to day life. I love these kiddos!

...The World Smiles With Him!

2010-03-15T18:21:00.000-07:00

Tonight while I was making dinner I looked over at Dallin in his bouncer and he was just smiling away. Happy as a clam, all by himself. Since I never put anything away, the camera was handy and I snapped some priceless shots. Hope they make you smile too!

Loved to death...

2010-03-11T09:42:00.000-08:00

It is kind of scary being the protector of such a sweet, helpless little guy.

Especially when this one is running around.

Doesn't she kinda remind you of...

Poor kid,
He doesn't have a chance.

New Pictures for Grandma!

2010-02-27T18:23:00.001-08:00

My Mom asked for new pictures of Dallin and Macy today, I have been remiss in posting them! Here are a few from the first 2 1/2 weeks of Dallin's life.

This one was taken the evening of Dallin's 2 week appointment. He weighed 7 pounds 5 ounces, a full 6 ounces more than at birth! He is a growing boy! He was in the 20th percentile for weight and height, and 25th for head circumference. Dallin was very good while they pricked his heel for the 2 week pku testing and his Dr was very pleased with his physical exam. Well Done Dally!

We were so lucky to get to have Grandma Cindy here for a few days. She was so helpful and so fun! We miss her so much! Thanks for coming Grandma Cindy!

Our life is starting to settle into a routine, and although it is still new and a little overwhelming, having these 2 kids is fun! They keep things interesting, for sure!

Dallin makes crazy faces...

and Macy loves walking to the park to go down the slide...

and I just love these kids!

He's Here!

2010-02-14T11:20:00.000-08:00

Dallin Keith Gibb arrived Monday, February 8, 2010 at 3:25pm. He was 6 pounds, 14 ounces, and 19 1/2 inches long. Baby and Mother had no major complications and were happily home on Wednesday afternoon.

Macy loves her little brother! She loves to give him hugs and kisses, and she loves to help take care of him. She is a very good big sister.

More to come... there's been so much news these past few months that blogging has seemed like too much to tackle. I'll try to take it in little pieces and get up to date. For now though, this little man is the center of our world and we are loving getting to know him!

Happy Halloween! Go Cougars!!!

2009-11-02T06:17:00.000-08:00

Macy really got into Halloween this year, she was the cutest little cougar cheerleader you ever saw and Mom and Dad were her tag-along cheering section!

Mid-Cheer-- She's really concentrating!

Remembering the sad Homecoming loss to TCU last week.

We went to the Tri-ward Trunk-or-Treat and Macy got some pointers from Daddy to get started...then a little nudge from a good friend...

and she figured out really fast that anyone she walked up to would give her candy to put into her "pancake". (she still struggles to say "Pumpkin" and pancakes happen to be her favorite so... it's her pancake!)

A definite success! Until she figured out she could chew through the wrappers...
and it was all downhill from there!

Hope everyone else had as much fun this Halloween as we did!

Finally.. Some Big News!

2009-09-10T20:24:00.000-07:00

It is sad that when I actually have big news I don't blog about it. This has been a very fun and eventful month!

So someone has a great sense of humor; I was just called to be the Young Women's President in our ward. I love the program, and the girls in our ward are wonderful by all accounts. I can't wait to get to know them better. My counselors and secretary are fabulous women, and I am jazzed that I get to work with them. But it still kind of feels like a joke--or one of those dreams where you make a complete fool of yourself and wake up hyperventilating and then grateful that it was just a dream. I'm sure that it will all work out. "Whom the Lord calls He qualifies," but I am still just getting feet under me.

I had my first big screw up this week--a camp fireside was held on Wednesday, with a slideshow and all the lost and found. An hour before one of the girls called me and asked if we needed to dress up. I had only ever heard the word "Fireside," so I sided with her mom and said, "If it is going to be in the chapel, we should wear dresses." So I was totally wrong; it was in the gym, and everyone (except me, my counselors, and this girl) was in jeans. I totally owe this girl at least a candy bar. I was mortified. I am sure that she will forgive me, but being the only one in a dress when I was 13 would have been a very big deal to me. Note to self: don't screw up again by making assumptions.

Jumping back to the original timeline, we hosted the First Annual Keith Gibb Family Reunion the third week in August. Before you start thinking this was some huge gathering, I should mention that the Keith Gibb family consists of Gerald, his parents, and his sister, Lacy. We had a great time! We celebrated birthdays, played Wii, and loved everyone getting to know Macy. It was a grand success, and we are looking forward to the next one.

The week after his family left, Gerald was at a meeting in downtown Portland and he tore his ALC-- extreme hula hooping. So after the initial visit to urgent care, he had to sit around ("ice and elevate!") for a week. He went stir crazy, and Macy got spoiled rotten. We finally saw a nurse practitioner who could tell us there was definitely laxity after 5 days and an MRI that showed the tear a day later--so 5 days out of work, and now that we know there is a tear, what do you think the treatment plan is? Hobble around for at least 3 weeks of physical therapy before they will refer to an orthopedic surgeon! Seriously? This is nuts. Poor Gerald is walking on a bum leg for at least a month before they want him to see someone who can fix it. Worker's comp is pretty lame so far, but they have covered everything so I really can't say that. Just cross your fingers for us that it works out. The last thing Gerald needs to worry about is his knee!

So that is all our Big News for now, except the obvious-- Macy is getting more beautiful and more mischievous every day!

Macy Gibb, 13 months!

gG Photography

2009-08-10T21:07:00.000-07:00

Gerald has become a pretty amazing photographer, so I designed him a logo and now he looks professional. You might recognize the model, we've posted her previous work.

Macy's Birthday Movie

2009-08-02T11:57:00.001-07:00

Macy Gibb is ONE!

2009-07-29T22:00:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday to the Little Princess!

Macy Gibb has survived an entire year with amateur parents who learn as they go. She had quite an eventful day-- I'll spare you the gruesome details; let's just say this wasn't the only time we saw the birthday crepes. But we love everything about this little girl and we have loved being her parents for a whole year!

We celebrated this blessed day in advance with our Gibb cousins on Sunday at Wendy's home. Macy took her first shot at a birthday cake, at first she was timid, just picking off the stars in the icing but in no time at all she was shoving it in Papa's face and chowing down.

The clean beginning.

She is so good at sharing!

The dirty end.

Those wonderful cousins also spoiled Macy with wonderful gifts.

Someone must have loose lips, because everyone knows Macy's favorite toys are books and all her cousins gave her fabulous books.

Thank you to our spectacular Gibb family and thank you so much Sarah for sharing your birthday with Macy.

In preparation for the big day, Macy and I headed to the beach with some good friends on Tuesday. Sherwood was 104 degrees! So we hit the road and loved the beach.

Macy and her best friend loving the sand (notice it all around Macy's mouth...yuck-- we saw that again later as well.)

These kiddos loved the ocean! I couldn't even stand in the water long enough to take a good picture, but they played in the surf and dug through the sand for ever.

My little beach bum.

Macy would still be there if I would have let her stay.

So this is just a quick recap.

This was my baby one year ago today.

This is my big girl on her first birthday. Time flies! Love you Macy, Happy Birthday!

Homemade Marshmallows!

2009-06-24T21:48:00.000-07:00

I am often impressed by the blogs of people who make magical and delicious things and then tell about them. Gerald is out of town this week, so my evenings are pretty dull and I decided to make something cool. I opted for homemade marshmallows because I love the ones they sell at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Company and I wanted to try it for myself. I used Alton Brown's recipe. I love that guy.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/homemade-marshmallows-recipe/index.html

Here are the pix:

In the mixer-- it was pretty cool. It starts out looking like syrup and then puffs into marshmallow fluff.

First cuts
Gourmet dipped marshmallows to send to Hermana Harper in the MTC.

The beautiful final result!

So, that is my "excitement" for this week... maybe I will post more culinary delights... if I ever make anything fun again!

Macy has a Piggy-tail!

2009-06-22T22:38:00.000-07:00

Hooray! It may only be an inch long, and it may stand straight up... but it is a piggy-tail!

It took almost 11 months, and isn't she cute?

Catch up!

2009-06-20T20:03:00.000-07:00

So, I have been remiss. I have let my blogging go and for that I am truly sorry. I am sure that no one out there cares as much as I do, but it is fun to think that somewhere there is someone waiting with bated breath for an update on the hijinks of the little Gibb family. On the off chance that such a person exists outside of my sweet, childish dreams, here is an update-- complete with pictures!

We recently took our first road trip from Portland to Idaho **11 Hours** and Utah **3 More Hours**. We stopped at Bridgeport before we hit the road, to eat at Zao's and load up on essential goodies at the Sweet Factory. Macy liked the big lollipops, but her mean Mommy thought it might be too big of a mess in the car.

We arrived in Blackfoot at 3:00am (no kidding) but the drive went better than I had anticipated. Once Macy realized she was in the car seat for the long haul she resigned herself and made due with string cheese and apple juice for the trip.

Once we had rested up a little, we hit the Clawson Family Reunion and introduced Macy to some important people on my Step-dad's side of the family. Macy also started what I can only imagine will be a lifetime love affair-- with fried chicken.

After the lunch with the Clawsons, we headed up to Idaho Falls, or rather Iona to decorate the graves of the Conrad side of my Mother's family. We met up with Grandma Harding, Aunt Reggie and Uncle Ralph, KC, Aunt Cozy and Uncle Fred, Emily, Maddy, and Ally. My Mom's cousin Reed and his daughter and grandson helped us decorate and the site looked really nice! Macy also made a great new friend in Ralph and Reggie's dog, Chloe-- it was an odd friendship, but she is definitely Macy's first puppy friend!

After Iona, we met up with Martie in Blackfoot and got to work scrubbing my Dad's stone. It has been a ritual since I was a kid, but after Gerald and I got married we started doing it right. We're talking acid, and pumice. There is no stone in the cemetery that looks as good as his! It is a weird thing, it's not like he sees it, but it makes me feel good to think that we can do something to help us (and maybe others) remember him.

Here's me, my baby (but no longer little) brother Joey, and Martha. I am on my tippy toes to not look super short. :)

Bright and early Monday, Memorial Day, Morning there is no where to be but the cemetery in Malad, Idaho. And if you are interested in a good lunch and some good company, hit the Park by the church with the airplane. Every one who is anyone is there (and in true Harding form Uncle Don brought a couple complete strangers! Grandpa would have been so proud!) I should have taken more pictures, but here is Joey and Macy at the cemetery.

After we had completed the "Annual Tour of Cemeteries", we headed further South to Salt Lake and Auntie Charlene's. We had a great time with our Johnson cousins. Macy loved their dogs and even said "Kay-Kay" for Katie their Lab-mix. Molly was slow to warm up to a baby, but once she saw where her mama's loyalty was she did stop growling at Macy. To be honest I am pretty sure that the real problem was jealousy. Molly was the first dog I made friends with and has always held a special place in my heart-- I think she felt displaced by the funny-smelling-hairless-puppy-baby and was trying to let us know how she felt. I'm sorry Molly, but no one will ever take your place!

Char was the best hostess a baby (or her mama and papa) could ever hope for. She stocked the fridge with apple juice and string cheese and made a whole pile of things specifically for Macy to pull down from the shelf and mess up. She also lent us her artistic talents for a day and directed a photo shoot for Miss Macy. You can see the pix on the slide show of the last post but here are some that missed that list.

Macy loved having the doggies and fishes, and Sarah, Carly, and Matt to play with. I should have taken more pictures! Agh! Here's Uncle Glenn and Macy playing with the fishies

Macy made several fun visits while we were in Utah. We got to see Auntie Lacy and Angi, CJ, Sachi, and Cici. It was great to see our Utah Gibb Family! We have missed them so much!!!

Then back to Idaho! For big events! My baby brother graduated from High School and my baby sister gave her "farewell" talk in church. With so much going on, what else would we do all day on Saturday, but go SKIING!??!!
Macy's first boat ride was a major success! We've got a lifer I think. Can't wait until the snoopy skis will fit her!

She didn't even mind the life jacket! She really had a ball.

Gerald and I had a great time on tubes, and I even got up once on a wakeboard! I don't do tricks, so here are some cool pix of my sibs doing fun things.
Martie caught the biggest air of the day! (Don't ask if she landed it :) ).

Joey making cool tails.
John's best air-- and he landed it!

Macy watched with Grandma and Auntie Rissa (and ate peaches). What a life!

Here is Gerald trying to throw me off the tube, I'd like to think we only came off because I let go... and history is written by those who write it. So thus it was.
We had a great trip. I didn't take as many pictures as I should have, but I think you get the idea. We got home around midnight on Sunday, a whirlwind trip, but we didn't kill each other, we had fun, and we love that we got to spend this time with our family!

Macy is 10 months old!!!

2009-06-01T19:28:00.000-07:00

A Portland Original-- Voodoo Donuts

2009-05-09T20:06:00.001-07:00

We have lived in Portland over a year and I have seen relatively little of the city. Gerald works downtown everyday, and knows the whole city pretty well. But Macy and I are strictly suburb girls--So, we have started a new tradition. Once a month (or every once in a while) we are going to take a "stay-cation" where we will do something touristy in our own town! This way I will get to know Portland and we will get to know the cool places to take family and friends when you visit us.

Stop 1: Voodoo Donuts
Reportedly the best donuts in Portland, or maybe the world. Definitely a Portland original. The building is pink-- very quirky, a little crude, but OH THE DONUTS! They were wild! Covered in breakfast cereal, dusted with pixey-stick type powders, topped with marshmallows, chocolate chips and anything else you can think of that might taste good on a donut.

We should have taken a picture before we dove in to our "Voodoo dozen" (13 assorted donuts) but the camera was in the car and we just couldn't wait!

The basic glazed was great, the cake donuts were even better, the crullers-- the best! We will definitely be making a return trip (we might try the 3rd street location next time).

Macy was a big fan as well.

We can't divert our attention for even a minute with this little girl! Gerald tried to tell me how to use the camera, and Macy took her chance to grab a donut for herself!

How often do you have a bright pink painted brick wall to take pictures with? We didn't get any great ones because Macy was a little freaked, but still kinda fun, eh?

A rousing success for our first Portland "Stay-cay"!

Procrastination....

2009-04-28T22:01:00.001-07:00

So, I am avoiding doing real work, and I gave up on making my own background (for now). Posting pictures seems like the best thing to do!
This one is kind of old, but it was Macy's first time riding in the cart at Albertson's. She had a ball. Her only problem is that she is constantly contorting to see where we are going. She's not a natural rear-facer.

Macy finally has enough hair for a clippy bow... sort of. :)

This is Macy in her swimming pool. She was happy and having fun for about 3 minutes, then she was just done. She wanted to get out, then she wanted to get back in when she saw what fun her friends were having... and then she wanted out, again. Maybe a when we get some more sun we'll try again.

Enough for now. I should really be working.

Happy Easter!

2009-04-17T12:17:00.000-07:00

There is just too much to write about our past few weeks! I'll try to update a little at a time, but here is our little Macy in her Easter dress. She is standing in her crib, she loves to pull herself up on things now. Next step... taking real steps!

New Background--- Any Opinions?

2009-04-17T12:16:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone who reads this, I am learning to make my own Blog backgrounds! I am not great, and would like some feedback. Things will be changing, so check back often!

New Macy Slideshow!

2009-03-26T15:19:00.000-07:00

The sun was shining, so we pulled out the cutest sundress Auntie Char gave Macy and took some cute pictures! Check them out on the right or the album is on Picasa

The best bad news ever!

2009-03-14T22:30:00.000-07:00

I am so torn. I am crushed, I am ecstatic! Gerald was just invited to a conference in Boston and Macy and I are going with him! That means a whole week with my sister Rachel and her beautiful family! However, this turn of last minute luck comes with a heavy price tag. One of my best friends in the whole world is going to be 3 hours from my home at that very time. I have been looking forward to a fun couple of days with Rachel (my friend, not my sister-- see the irony) since she called last week.
I lead a very boring life, either one of these events could have been sufficient to make my season-- when it rains it pours. But you can only swim in one direction.

Macy on the Big Screen!

2009-03-12T14:24:00.000-07:00

We are living in a rice cereal world and Macy is a rice cereal girl!

2009-03-10T19:05:00.000-07:00

I learned my lesson, never put the bowl of cereal on the tray of the high chair. The good news is, Macy likes to self feed!

"The President, while riding a bicycle on his vacation in Jackson Hole, came to a sudden arboreal stop"

2009-03-10T12:21:00.000-07:00

"You think that the United States is under attack by 1000 cubans in rowboats?"
"I'm not saying I don't like our chances..."

If you get this, I hope it makes you happy. It always makes me happy.

We LOVE Rice Rusks!

2009-02-18T20:00:00.000-08:00

So really we just call them cookies, but they are awesome! They melt in her mouth so we don't have to worry about her choking on them. She loves them! I love that she can feed them to herself. We finally have found something she can put in her mouth that I don't have to take back out.

She is becoming such a little ham. Maybe that is because her mama is always holding a camera saying, "Smile!".

We even smile at the camera while we eat our cookies.

So along with the melting in your mouth, comes the sticking to your face when it comes out of your mouth. But I guess we can handle that.

Another funny Macy story, she loves her saucer for playing in and yesterday she crawled from the floor underneath the saucer. It was really cute, until she realized that she couldn't get herself out.

Uh oh, how am I gonna get out of here?

Just another day in the life of my little Macy!

It takes a village

2009-02-16T10:41:00.001-08:00

I might be the only one who does it, but I suspect not. When I am doing something poorly, I tend to think of the myriad people in my life who could complete the task better than I. This usually doesn't bother me, or last very long. Usually the web of thoughts that follow keep me entertained until I finish my task to the best of my ability. I am writing this because it happened so many times this weekend I couldn't ignore it.

Friday night pruning trees, hedges, roses, etc., I thought of my cousin Liz who is amazing with plants, landscaping, and all things green. Then I thought of Mail Services, the job she got me, where we worked together for a semester and I worked for the rest of my college career. I also thought of a beautiful, ill-fated Tahitian bridal veil hanging plant Liz gave me and said I could not kill-- Ha! Proved you wrong! So thank you Liz, even though it has been too long since we talked and you live thousands of miles away, you helped me out pruning (read: butchering) my trees.

Saturday evening my new visiting teaching companion called, we were setting up appointments to meet our new sisters. I felt so awkward. The call was so awkward that even Gerald mentioned how painful it was to overhear. I thought of my Angel Grandmother, Saint Willa. I am sure that if Grandma were having that conversation it would have run smoothly, her partner would know that she cared about her and was grateful for her willingness to serve together, they both would have ended the conversation feeling happy, and knowing what they were going to do next. Willa makes everyone she meets feel comfortable and appreciated. So on Sunday when we made the actual visits I tried to channel my Grandma and be graceful, eloquent, and kind. I think I was okay at being kind... I might have aimed too high. I love you Grandma.

Sunday Morning I faced (again) the dilemma that I only like one dress I own. I have lots of nice clothes, I just don't like them on my body-- or, really, I just don't know how to put them together so they will look nice. I thought of my Aunt Charlene. Charlene is one of the best-dressed people of all time. She is stylish, and still has entirely her own style. I love the way she puts things on, puts them together, and accessorizes. She is wild, she is classy, she is beautiful. Someday I will work very hard to look as good as she does everyday. In the meantime, I decided to find an outfit that would match some really beautiful shoes she gave me once when I told her how much I liked them. I still wished I had more of a style to the outfit-- but every time I put on those shoes I feel pretty hot and a little more "Charlene-y". I love you Auntie Char.

I thought of a thousand other people as I went through my things to do. The "village" that raised me is never far from my mind. I wish I was better at thanking people for all they teach me, my sister Ruth is really good at that...

I've been tagged!

2009-02-15T21:47:00.000-08:00

Here are the rules:

1. Go to your documents/pictures.

2. Go to your 6th file.

3. Go to your 6th picture.

4. Blog about it.

5. Tag 6 people to do the same.

6. So here we go...

This was taken on my birthday this year. Macy is shirtless because the carrots that you can still see on her face had soaked through her shirt and we only had 20 minutes or so before bath time. The bow is from a gift Gerald gave me. I am now a dork who saves all ribbons I come in contact with so I can use them to make hairbows for Macy. Gerald joked that I wouldn't have to do anything to this one, Macy could wear it "as-is". So this is that "as-is" picture. I seriously contemplated having Macy wear it to church, just because I wondered what people would say.

Thanks for the tag, Sarita!

I tag Rachel, Ruth, Cristall, Rissa, Martha, and Holly Gibb

Macy is on the Move!

2009-02-13T10:48:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure if we can really call it an army crawl.

Maybe a Circus Crawl!

A Princess needs a Throne!

2009-02-05T22:40:00.000-08:00

Gerald and I have had a hard time eating lately. It is very difficult to eat dinner when your child (although fed, clean, and surrounded by her favorite things) is screaming, yelling, and otherwise demanding undivided attention from the floor. So we have been eating cold food through gritted teeth. We found the solution and...

Macy got a high chair today!

She seems so small in it, like we need to put a book under her and prop her up. We might have to try this.

So we tried it out tonight, without the tray at the table with us.

The chair was great, we took turns feeding her (and feeding ourselves) and dinner went very well!

So here's to many more happy, fulfilling family meals!

I'm a dork...but...

2009-02-04T10:28:00.000-08:00

I love this picture Erika Hart took of my brothers and sisters and I this Christmas, and I love the ABC show Brothers and Sisters. I think that our picture kinda looks like a poster for a show like brothers and sisters-- so I made it into one. Granted I could have worked harder to make it cool... but you get the picture.

It's not easy being 6 months old!

2009-01-29T18:06:00.001-08:00

But Macy makes it look so good! Macy has had a horrible week-- She turned 6 months old in the midst of the worst cold of her short life. We went to the Children's Clinic for her check up and we are happy to report that she is in the 50%tile for height, weight, and the 95%tile for head circumference. (we're raising a Da Vinci)

She still loves to play with the paper and show off her new skills for the doctor. Unfortunately, this time we had the unique experience of being diagnosed with 2 very nasty ear infections. Macy got out of having shots, and we have to go back in 2 weeks. So no shots, but a nasty ear infection... 6 in one hand, half a dozen in the other.

We are also pleased to announce that Macyn Cherie Gibb is a bone fide sitter.

That is right folks, she can sit with the best of them. Macy can sit so well that she is not sure how to get back onto her belly to scoot around.

So she kinda cries because she knows she is going to have to fall to get there. But she does and we are confident that in time she will find a lower impact means of getting mobile.

That is all for now, but we know that there will be more to fascinate you in the near future-- so stay tuned!

Beany Baby!

2009-01-24T21:02:00.000-08:00

Macy started solid foods today! She turns 6 months next Thursday, so we were going to wait until then, but Gerald will be out of town and we wanted him to be a part of this blessed event (and the aftermath we have heard so much about). Our little Macy lets us know what she thinks of the green beans we tried tonight in the video. How do you think she liked it?

Sorry Macy, it's good for you.

So, uhm... how do I catch up?

2009-01-20T13:20:00.000-08:00

Well, some things have happened since I blogged last. A few things... no, lots of things. Some big things, some miraculous things, some hard things, but mostly good things. To catch you up here are some pictures and quips about the last month.

We loved our Arizona Christmas! So much fun! Macy loved all the attention from Grandpa and Grandma and Auntie Lacy! She played with her 2nd (?) cousin Griffin (although this is about as close as they got, Grif was not sure about her) and we all had a wonderful, relaxing break. We also had our first Gibb family photoshoot since Gerald and I got married, Lacy got home from her mission, and Macy was born. Gerald's cousin Jamie took them, if you are in the Phoenix/Mesa/Gilbert Areas check her out weedfotos.blogspot.com

So after a week of 60 degree weather with the Gibb family, we headed back East for the Harper family Christmas. As if there wasn't enough excitement-- Macy got her first tooth on Christmas Day! Although this is a very difficult event to take a picture of, we did get one good one on Gerald's phone and I am trying to get it off-- when I do I will post it. She now has 2 beautiful teeth. Here they are

It was a real treat! All five of my brothers and sisters, all their spouses, and all their children in one house (Thank you Rachel!) for a whole week! It was crazy, but it was so much like the Christmases I remember growing up. There was a ton of snow, so much great food, and not a single dull moment! Everyone loved playing the Wii, especially Gerald. I was not very good at it :(. Most of the fun though was just getting to hang out together.

We enjoyed taking another set of family pictures, they were taken a week apart but look like completely different seasons.

We also took a quick jont to New York City where Gerald and I saw Wicked with Mom and Kirk, and The Little Mermaid. We took Macy on the subway, saw the Skaters at Rockefeller Center, Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, and felt very urban. I would love to live there, Gerald would be happy to never see anything but Broadway.

So that was our wonderful, eventful Christmas. We had a wonderful time. We loved seeing our family, traveling, and taking a break from real life. But next year... we are going to Hawaii... alone. All things in moderation :).

After Christmas we packed up and moved! We have a new house! We live in Sherwood, OR on Vintner Lane. WE LOVE IT HERE! Once we get all settled I will take pix and post them.

So, nothing that big-- traveling the country, moving, craziness. So now we are settling, and we will keep you informed!

Macy's Arizona Christmas has begun!

2008-12-18T13:10:00.000-08:00

Arizona is Wild!

After a long day of traveling and worrying about the crazy weather, we made it to Phoenix to begin our Arizona Christmas. Grandpa and Grandma had toys for Macy to play with, a great bed to sleep in, and a stroller that they had collected from the cousins-- Macy is right at home!

Macy bonded instantly with Grandpa Keith and Grandma Cindy, a match made in heaven!

Macy and Grandpa play and play, they are fast friends.

Macy wanted to stay up all night playing with Grandma and Grandpa, then in the morning she was all tuckered out and took a nice nap. We are so happy to be here safe. Now that little Macy has met her Grandparents, Christmas can begin!

Macy is 4 months old!

2008-12-02T23:59:00.000-08:00

We went to two doctors appointments yesterday, YIKES! But happily there is little to report.

Macyn's hips are staying in their sockets, but the sockets aren't forming as tight as her orthopedist would like. If they stay in place, the sockets should form just fine. We go back in four more months to get another X-ray to see how they are doing.

On a lighter note, Macy's wonderful pediatrician says she is strong and healthy. She weighed in at 14 lb. 5 oz. (65 %tile) and 24 1/4 inches long (55 %tile).

These appointments are pretty traumatic, because they end with shots. So Papa came with us and we tried to make it a positive experience. Macy especially loved playing with the paper on the exam table.

This picture was, of course, taken before the dreaded shots. They were still hard, but Papa at least didn't cry with her (I still teared up). Gerald was awesome, he helped us both calm down!

We loved having Aunt Lacy here!

2008-12-02T23:33:00.000-08:00

It was so awesome to have Gerald's sister, Lacy, come spend a few days with us for Thanksgiving! We loved spending time with her!

She and Macy were very fast friends, they have a lot in common!

Lacy was here for Macy's First Thanksgiving, we all had a great time with Aunt Sheron, Uncle Jesse and their family. The food was wonderful, the company was great, and we all played Rook late into the night! (Lacy and I beat Gerald and Uncle Jesse soundly :))

We stopped by the Portland Temple on our way to the Airport as Lacy was leaving. When they were kids Gerald and Lacy were sealed to their parents there. So this picture is pretty special-- we are an eternal family!

So thank you for coming Lacy, and we cannot wait to see you in just 2 weeks!

Frog Legs Anyone?

2008-11-23T20:56:00.000-08:00

I've heard that they are a delicacy in France, and Macy sure loves them-- Frog legs anyone?

Truly, that is Macy's best playmate "Smoochy". He got the job because of his wonderfully grasp-able long legs and bright colors. At first Macy was indifferent, but now she finds him quite handy, especially when there isn't a binky nearby. Macy is grasping objects, and Mama's hair, all the time now. Another milestone bites the dust. They really do grow up too fast!

Prior to smooching her Smoochy, Macy had a wonderful photoshoot-- here are her best shots.

Congratulations Macy, you are still in the running to become America's Next Top Model!

Codependency

2008-11-19T12:43:00.001-08:00

I am not an independent person. I like to think I am but I am not.

Gerald is out of town this week, he left yesterday early in the morning and will get back after dinner on Friday. I miss him like crazy. I can't sleep. I forget to eat. The silliest things make me crazy. Macy misses him too and she is very needy and whiny about it-- she must get that from me.

The worst of it is that we got the best news yesterday and I have no one to celebrate with me. We put a low-ball offer in on a townhouse in Tualatin and we got it! We are officially going to own a home here in Oregon. Technically we are already homeowners because we still own and rent out the condo in Orem, but we have been renting for almost a year now and I am so excited to get into a place that is our own. One thing I am really looking forward to is fixing it up a little. It needs new carpet and paint before we can move in and I am really jazzed because it will be like moving into a brand new home! But even with this news I can't really get super excited because Ger isn't here to share it with me.

I know that a 24 year old woman should be able to take care of herself and one baby for 4 days on her own just fine. But, it is harder than it looks. Loneliness slows time.

Hurry home Ger! We need to celebrate!

The ER and Being a Single Dad

2008-11-09T11:26:00.000-08:00

The past week has been crazy! It all started last week on Monday, November 3. Mary went to the doctor for a bladder infection. We got an ultrasound and everything looked fine, so the doctor gave her a prescription to clear it up. All seemed well until Friday morning at 3am when Mary started vomiting. At about 8am, the pain in her side was so bad that she was on the floor crying. We called the doctor's office, but of course, our doctor was out of the office that day. Then as a last resort, we called the Rachel, Mary's wise older sister. She told us that it was a kidney stone and that we needed to get to the hospital right away. Thanks Rachel! So we were off, but not until I had 20 minutes of running around the house packing stuff for the baby, Mary, and me. Mary was useless because she was carrying around a barf bucket hardly able to walk, so I had to get the baby changed, packed with milk from the freezer, and buckled into the car. Seems easy, but when you have a miserable wife who is now in the car honking the horn, things get a little confusing, especially at 8am.

We pulled into the emergency room and got the drugs for the pain, and Mary went to sleep. She said that the pain was worse than childbirth! Long story short, we had surgery at 6pm that same day with Dr. McCoy, one of the urologists that I work with. He basically stuck a laser in her and blasted the kidney stone apart. Fun, aye? She's in a lot of pain still, but the worst is over. I never want to be in an ER waiting room again! Those are scary places!

I have been a fulltime dad for almost three days now, and it's tough work. Mary is lucky though to get to spend so much time with my Macy. She is the most wonderful little girl in the world. I am just grateful that this fulltime job is just temporary. I couldn't live without my Mary.

As a full time dad, I have taken a few pictures to record our time together. Here they are:

It must run in the family!

2008-11-05T22:17:00.000-08:00

Swimming in Fun! and Hand-me downs!

2008-11-04T14:41:00.000-08:00

Macy has got to be one of the most lucky girls in the world! She just turned 3 months and she just moved into her second full wardrobe! We just opened up the 3 full garbage sacks of 3-6 months size hand-me downs from Gracie and Emma-- here is a picture of Macy literally swimming in her new clothes!

We took the swimming pictures because we were so excited that there were 2 different swimming suits in her new size. It is good that she has such fun new clothes-- Auntie Ruthie was absolutely right that having new clothes makes it easier to deal with the fact that Macy is growing up.

So what amazing combinations will we put together with this treasure trove of couture? Well, Gerald could hardly wait to get to work-- he came up with this:

Really, dad? This is the best you could do? Actually Daddy hit the nail right on the head. After all we lead a pretty low-key life and fashion for Macy (and her daddy) is really all about comfort!

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-28T11:10:00.001-07:00

Thank you so much Camille Gifford for lending us this adorable outfit! We love our "lil' Punkin"!

We put Macy into her costume the evening she got it and had to take pictures (because I am obsessive like that!). She made so many funny, "scary" faces I wanted to put them all together. Gerald chose the cute ones, and Macy's first Halloween card was born. We are excited to go to the ward Trunk-or-Treat and show off.

Favorites!

2008-10-24T11:03:00.000-07:00

So, I am so grateful that Gerald posted with a few pictures of our wonderful trip-- but I had put all of my favorite pictures into a folder he couldn't find.

I cannot say enough about this wonderful trip! Gerald, Macy and I flew to Boise on October 11thand Grandma Cherie and Grandpa Kirk picked us up at the airport, introduced us to chocolate caramel apples at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Company, and brought us safely to Blackfoot in a crazy snow storm! Macy traveled so well~she was wonderful on the plane and in the car-- she just lost her patience about 10 minutes outside of Pocatello. She had had enough of eating from bottles and sitting in her chair. After a nice break she did great the rest of the way to Blackfoot.

We loved going to church in Mom and Kirk's ward and seeing all of our friends. Then Grandma Willa came to meet Macy-- they were fast friends! Macy loves Grandma Willa and we got to spend lots of time with her on this trip. Macy also got to meet Grandma and Grandpa Harper and Grandma and Grandpa Clawson. I was not as good as I should have been at taking pictures-- but Macy loved meeting all of her Great Grandparents! She is so lucky to have 6 Great Grandparents! We still need to get to Illinois to meet Grandma Rich.

This trip was so much fun! Thank you Grandma Cherie and Grandpa Kirk for making it happen! We love you so much!

Macy's Photoshoot at Grandma's

2008-10-18T22:26:00.000-07:00

Hey bloggers, this is Gerald:

Momma has been busy lately with her travels back from Idaho, so I didn't want to keep our Macy watchers from her newest poses! Here she is in her photo shoot at Grandma's. I took all the pictures, and I am pretty proud of the results. When you have such a beautiful little model, though, you don't need that much skill to get a good shot.

Does this remind you of anything Lacy? Mom always forced us to practice piano, but you were the one who really got upset about it like this! Like Lacy, like Macy. Auntie Martha will show you how to play, Macy!!

This picture was taken after a blow-out in the bathtub. Macy liked being crammed in the sink!

Here are the Aunties, Uncles, and Cousins! We had a nice time showing Macy off to the family!

This is with Macyn Cherie and Grandma Cherie:

Reading List

2008-10-06T23:44:00.000-07:00

I LOVE to read! Since Macy was born I have enjoyed stealing moments to myself to read good books-- and I have read some really great ones lately!

My mom bought me The Wednesday Letters by Jason F. Wright (The Christmas Jars) when Macy was born. I loved it. It made me want to be better than I am, and it made me cry. Also it made me want to write a novel. This book reminded me of growing up in a small town where everyone knows everyone and news travels fast. It reminded me that there are some people who are just good and generous. It reminded me of losing a parent, and getting to know them better after they are gone. It was not just sad, it was sweet, romantic, funny, and tragic. This is a great book.

I picked up The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets by Eva Rice on the "staff picks" table at our library. It took me back in time to 1950s England. It reminded me of one of my best friends. It made me want to go back to England and it made me want to talk to my Grandma about Johnny Ray. This book took me back to the time when I had to figure out the difference between loving rock stars, loving unattainable older men, and being in love for real. Mostly though, it made me want to dress up and go to fancy parties!

Gerald read The Dream Manager by Matthew Kelly for work. As soon as he finished it he said I had to read it. This book was not what I thought it would be. It is a story about teaching people how to dream again-- because reality has usually squashed that out of us by adulthood. It teaches that in order to get what you need from people you must help them to fulfill their dreams. And in order to get what you want from your own life you have to identify your dreams. Because of this book I am dreaming again-- in real, concrete, make-a-plan kinds of ways. If you manage people, or teach them, or interact with people at all, you must read this book. It will change your perspective on motivation!

My Book Club is reading Eat Cake by Jeanne Ray for their October meeting. I won't make it to the party, but I loved the book. It is not what I expected, it was not fluffy. It was a great read, and it made me want to bake, and eat.

Best Quote:

"Cakes have gotten a bad rap. People equate virtue with turning down dessert. There is always one person at the table who holds up her hand when I serve the cake. No, really, I couldn't, she says, and then gives her flat stomach a conspiratorial pat. Everyone who is pressing a fork into that first tender layer looks at the person who declined the plate, and they all think, 'That person is better than I am. That person has discipline.' But that isn't a person with discipline, that is a person who has completely lost touch with joy. A slice of cake never made anybody fat. You don't eat the whole cake. You don't eat a cake every day of your life. You take the cake when it is offered because the cake is delicious. You have a slice of cake and what it reminds you of is someplace that's safe, uncomplicated, without stress. A cake is a party, a birthday, a wedding. A cake is what is served on the happiest day of your life.

"This is a story of how my life was saved by cake, so, of course, if sides are to be taken, I will always take the side of cake."

I am going to post about the books I read now because every time I read a good book I want to tell people about it. Good books are best when shared with friends; when they are picked apart and related to. I hope you get a chance to read these ones, they are worth every word. And let me know what you are reading, I am looking for recommendations!

Call the 90s! Macy is ready to audition with Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch!

2008-10-05T12:07:00.001-07:00

So, Papa dressed Macy, sort of... Isn't she a cute little thug?

Lots and Lots of Questions!

2008-10-02T21:37:00.000-07:00

1. Do you like blue cheese? No, moldy cheese should always be thrown away.
2. Have you ever smoked a cigarette? No, and second hand smoke makes me sick—seriously sick.
4. What flavor do you add to your drink at Sonic? Oceanwater—Coconut (but not really coconut)
5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointment? Always
6. What do you think of hot dogs? There was nothing wrong with a good hot dog, when I was 6 months pregnant.
7. Favorite Christmas Song? I love them all, but “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas” jumped into my head.
8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Carnation Instant Breakfast, Chocolate
9. Can you do push-ups? I could at one time…probably...
10. What is your favorite movie? Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast—most classic Disney.
11. What’s your favorite piece of jewelry? My wedding ring, and the entire Brighton Collection.
12. Favorite hobby? Taking pictures of my baby.
13. Do you work with people who idolize you? Maybe, but she can’t talk yet to tell me.
14. Do you have ADD? Probably, doesn’t everyone?
15. What’s one trait that you hate about yourself? I like ice cream too much.
16. What’s your middle name? Harper, it was my maiden name.
17. Name three thoughts at this moment: 1. Is the baby asleep? 2. Cheap ice cream is worse than no ice cream. 3. I should never have gotten bangs.
18. Name 3 things you bought yesterday: Only 1, cheap ice cream—big mistake.
19. Current worry right now? Who should I vote for?
21. Current hate right now? My body.
22. Favorite place to be? Home—more specifically my bathtub.
23. How did you bring in the New Year? At my Aunt Becky’s with my family—Super fun!
24. Where would you like to go? Vienna waits for me!
25. Name three people who will complete this? Uhm, I don’t know—I am doing it because Rachel did.
26. Whose answer do you want to read the most? Anyone’s
27. What color shirt are you wearing? Red
28. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? Yep, but my favorite are crisp cotton.
29. Can you whistle? Kinda, not on tune, and not very loud.
30. Favorite color? Red.
31. Would you be a pirate? Maybe, it looks sorta fun, plus I just read “Voyage of the Dawntreader” so now is a good time to ask.
32. What songs do you sing in the shower? I don’t, but I sing pretty much anything everywhere else.
33. Favorite girl’s name? Grace
34. Favorite boy’s name? Dallin
35. What’s in your pocket right now? My phone, a dollar.
36. Last thing (Person) that made you laugh? My baby girl, she makes the funniest faces.
37. Best bed sheets as a child? I don’t remember any of mine, but I remember a purple silky pillowcase of my Dad’s.
38. Worst injury you’ve ever had? Torn ACL.
39. What is your favorite snack? Puffy Cheetoes and Dr. Pepper
40. Favorite thing to do on Sundays? Nap
41. Who is your loudest friend? Gerald, no contest!
42. How many dogs do you have? None, I will never have any dogs—But I love visiting them at Charlene’s.
43. Does someone have a crush on you? Gerald does… but I am crushing on him too so it is fair.
45. What is your favorite book? I always like best what I’ve read most recently. I just read “The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets”, and “Eat Cake” and they are both awesome!
46. What is your favorite candy? Chocolate and Caramel in pretty much any combination.
47. What is your favorite sports team? Team USA, I’ve only really watched the Olympics lately.
48. What song do you want played at your funeral? “I Hope There’ll Be Pine Trees in Heaven.”
49. What were you doing 12 AM last night? Feeding Macyn
50. What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up this morning? I wish I had blackout curtains.

What Separates Us From The Animals

2008-09-29T15:42:00.000-07:00

In the words of Miss Clairee "The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize ." For Macy's 2 month birthday we went all out!

Our thanks to Aunt Michelle for the killer polo and mini-skirt, Aunties Rachel and Ruth for the hot headband and Ballerina socks, and Bonita for the beautiful bracelets! Is she fierce or what?

But Steel Magnolias is not the fountain of all fashion wisdom-- Orphan Annie had it right when she said, "You're never fully dressed without a smile!"

Macy is 2 Months Old!

2008-09-29T13:38:00.000-07:00

Today is Macy's 2 months old-- lets start with a couple comparisons.

Macy at 7 pounds 8 ounces, 19 1/2 inches long, 10 minutes old.

Macy at 10 pounds 15 ounces, 24 inches long, 2 months old.

Macy at 1 month.

Macy at 2 months.

Pretty impressive growth, eh? We went to the doctor's office today and Macy is in the 95 %tile for height, 50 %tile for weight, and her head circumference is in the 75 %tile.

She also had her first shots. She has never cried so hard-- so hard that it made me cry. The nurse gave her the shot while I held her and she looked at me as if to ask "Why are you letting this happen?" I had let someone hurt her-- and then I let it happen again! She cried, but it didn't seem like it was because of the pain. It felt like she was crying because I had betrayed her. This might have been my hardest day as a mom so far. It took a little time, but she did stop crying and I think we will be able to work through the residual trust issues. I guess only time will tell. But I think we already agree that being 2 months old is not easy.

Saturday Morning Cartoons

2008-09-27T11:13:00.000-07:00

It is finally the weekend! Gerald took the 4am feeding and then when Macy woke up for good at 7am he took her out to play. So, in what has become a real treat, I slept for a 6 hour stretch, and then got to lie in until 9! To put the icing on the cake, they were having such a great time I got to take a long shower, blow dry and do my hair (for the first time in 2 weeks at least), and put on make up!

So what were they doing all this time? Saturday morning cartoons, of course! Well... sort of.

I guess when you are only 2 months old CNN looks like cartoons, lots of excited people, bright colors, music. At any rate, Macy loved it and I had a wonderful Saturday morning-- Thanks Papa!

Rainbow Bright

2008-09-22T22:12:00.000-07:00

We took some fun pix of Macy tonight to send to her Grandmas. Being the proud mama that I am, I have to share them!

I made her headband, I am learning to make hairbows. Making it up as I go really. If you know anyone who likes little girl's hairbows send them my way. This one that she is wearing is cool because the bow attaches with a button, there are 4 other bows I can put on the same headband! This is too fun!

Check out the full Photoshoot!

A Wonderful Evening with Peggy and Merlin

2008-09-18T22:02:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful evening with some dear friends on Wednesday. Peggy and Merlin Johnson are my Uncle Glenn's parents and I have know and loved them since I was a very little girl. They were in Portland for a surgery on Merlin's eye. We saw him 2 days post-op and he looked great and said he could see very well.

I had a great time showing off Macy, and they indulged me-- saying she was so cute, and so good. They took us out for a wonderful dinner and we talked about everything from recipes to robotics. It was so fun to reconnect and enjoy them again, and Macy loved the extra attention!

Macy Smiles!

2008-09-15T22:42:00.000-07:00

Macy has actually been socially smiling for quite some time, but now she smiles so often that it is easier to get good pictures of her beautiful grin. Here are a few of our favorites.

Now I bet you are smiling too!

A BBQ and Smallville

2008-09-14T16:15:00.000-07:00

The Gibb family has had a wonderful weekend. Friday night was spent with some great friends-- we played Phase 10 for 4 hours! And we had fun the whole time! Thanks Jesse, Brandon, Allison and Matt!

Saturday we planned to go to the Northwest Chocolate festival in Portland, but instead we decided to sleep in. Gerald stopped by an estate sale on his way to the library and found a great barbeque. It is brand new, super-cute, and electric and we got it for a song! We were so excited we went out and got some steaks to break it in. I've never used an electric grill before, but it is great! You don't need to get propane, and it tastes as good or better than any grill I have ever used!

Also, for those who are not aquainted with Gerald's Smallville fettish I will fill you in. Smallville is a tv series that follows Superman's life before he is the mild-mannered reporter at the Daily Planet. The eighth season starts next week (Thursday on the CW) so we have been catching me up, from the beginning. We have watched the first 5 seasons, and we watched 6 hours of the 6th Saturday. Sounds nuts maybe, but this is pretty close to the best weekend ever!

My Angel

2008-09-11T11:18:00.000-07:00

I wish I could share my joy with the whole world! Right now I am sitting with my baby asleep on my chest. She is cooing, she is sighing, she is completely at ease. Sometimes she smiles in her sleep and I wonder what she is dreaming about. Sometimes she startles and all I have to do is say "it's okay, mama's right here," and she calms right down.

I don't think there is anything in the world that has brought me as much joy as this little girl. It is hard to get out of bed in the middle of the night, but once I am out I can't resent her for it. I can't be put out, I feel blessed to be able to meet her needs, to take care of this little piece of heaven. Everyone told me that my life would change, but no one can really describe it. There just aren't words to say what I feel. In our nursery there is a plaque that says "A baby fills a place in your heart that you never knew was empty." That is the best description that I have found. (And it is a very big place!)

A Beautiful Blessing!

2008-09-08T18:19:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Gerald gave Macy her name and a blessing in our ward here in Lake Oswego. We bought her a beautiful dress and she looked (and behaved) like an angel. Gerald gave a beautiful blessing, Macy was wide awake and happy clear through, and it was a wonderful day!

Saturday, on our way home from shopping for Macy's dress, I started feeling really sad that our family would not be able to be there for this big day in our lives. We are 10 hours from our closest immediate family and it was just unrealistic to think anyone would be able to come. I cried a little bit, and Gerald said that if it was important to me we could wait and bless Macy at Christmas. But the truth is that this was an important day for us, and our family would have loved to be here to support us, but we could do it on our own. This is an ordinance in our church, and a little bit of a ritual/rite of passage in my own family, but it is not a saving ordinance and it doesn't require a lot of pomp and a big party. We decided to go ahead as planned and I am glad that we did.

Our friends in our ward and our close-by extended family supported us, but this was an important day just for our little family and we were all there!

We miss you Auntie Martha!

2008-09-02T21:05:00.000-07:00

. My baby sister Martie came and played for a week with Macy! We had a great time, just playing and taking it easy.

. On Wednesday, after Martie left, Macy was acting unusually-- she fussed whenever I put her down, even when she was asleep! It took me a while, but I figured it out-- Macy missed Martie! She was too used to being held all the time, she didn't want to be alone even to sleep. Martha said we should not let her hold Macy so much next time she visits, but my solution is better-- She just can't ever leave! We love you Martha!

Macy is 1 Month Old!

2008-08-31T19:48:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of the pictures we took to document this momentous day!

Macy Update!

2008-08-23T20:57:00.001-07:00

Life with Macy is amazing as usual! We are enjoying every minute (even beginning to enjoy the ones in the middle of the night)! Just so no one forgets how cute she is, check out this web album!

Macy Rolls Over!

2008-08-17T22:55:00.000-07:00

Our little prodigy hard at work!

Momma's little Cutie!

2008-08-10T21:52:00.000-07:00

We love this little outfit from Auntie Lacy ! It says "Mommy's Little Cutie"-- and Macy sure fits the label!Big smiles!

A little silly.
"Oh Dah-ling, how bourgeois"
Uh-oh
A ray of sunshine! She brightens our lives!

Tummy Time!

2008-08-10T16:39:00.000-07:00

Macy loves Tummy Time! And we are counting our blessings! Papa is the coach, and Macy works very hard, grunting and occasionally yelping as she pushes her head up, her legs into the ground, and she has already pushed herself over almost onto her back!

(He's not asleep, he likes to get down on her level to help her keep her focus :) )

Macy is 1 week old!

2008-08-10T16:19:00.001-07:00

We took these pictures of Macy on her one week birthday! I think they are a few great examples of how Macy has learned to cope with life.

Usually she is very happy! She smiles, and laughs, and plays with Mama and Papa!

However, she gets tuckered out pretty easily, and likes to sleep, alot!

But usually, Macy is just perplexed by this crazy world.

Hold on baby, if you think the first week was crazy there's
lots more where that came from!

A Bonnet

2008-08-10T16:11:00.001-07:00

Grandma Cherie gave Macy a bonnet, so of course we had to try it on while she was here... and take lots of pictures!

This was Macy's first Sunday and since we weren't ready to go to church, we sang "Pioneer Children Sang as they Walked" while she was wearing her bonnet.

Macy's first Bath

2008-08-05T15:21:00.000-07:00

Papa gave Macy her first sponge bath the night we got home from the hospital. It was very fun to watch! We have been blessed with a very modest little girl-- she hates being undressed even a little for even a moment! So giving her a bath was a challenge-- however, she is very fond of scalp massage, so at least she enjoyed parts of it. In the end both papa and baby were very happy that Macy was clean!

Who do you think she looks like?

2008-08-05T11:33:00.000-07:00

Momma as a baby

Macy
Papa as a baby

Granted, we aren't quite comparing apples to apples-- Gerald is a few months old in this picture-- but still it is pretty much a no brainer... right?

Our first days with Macy

2008-08-05T10:54:00.000-07:00

Now that Macy is officially 1 week old, it is about time to share her with the world! I hope that looking through these pictures of our first days with Macy helps to brighten your day, because she has brought so much sunshine into our world. She is so beautiful, so fun, so well behaved, and such a good sleeper and eater! At our one week check up with Dr Craft yesterday Macy weighed in at 7 lbs 7.8 oz, basically back to her birth weight! She is way ahead of the curve and a perfectly healthy baby, with just a small click in her hip that we are watching and looking into. As you will see, she is our pride and joy.

These are among the first pictures taken of Macy, fresh from the oven-- so to speak. :)
Macy's first visitor, and namesake, Grandma Cherie Clawson. Grandma came to stay for the weekend before Macy was born and has been with us for her first week-- I'm not sure what I will do without my mom! She has been so much help and so much fun! Thank you for taking care of us! New mommies especially need their mommy!
First family portrait-- isn't she photogenic?

Looking over papa's shoulder-- she is still so new the nurse hadn't given her a bath (or a shirt).
Gerald's Aunt Sheron and Uncle Jess came to see us in the hospital.
Macy and Dr. Girolami, our doctor through our pregnancy and delivery!
Headed for home, after we got the seat figured out. We went into the hospital on Tuesday at 7am and came home Thursday and 12pm. We were so happy to be going home!

So you can see our first few days with Macy in the Hospital were wonderful, and things have only gotten better since!

Macy's first breaths!! Watch for more to come!

2008-07-31T22:27:00.000-07:00

Sittin', Waitin', Wishin'

2008-07-02T10:13:00.000-07:00

I feel like the Jack Johnson song "Sittin', Waitin', Wishin'" right now. Not quite literally (for those who know all the lyrics :)) but all I really have to do now is sit and wait and wish for this little baby inside me to decide to come out to play.

Lots of fun things have happened since I last posted.

For one, I went home to Blackfoot for Memorial Day and had an absolute blast with all my brothers and sisters! We kept up the traditional annual tour of cemeteries (in the rain again this year) and enjoyed the typical picnic, but had some fun additions to the festivities as well.

My sisters threw me a beautiful baby shower! They are so sweet! They invited so many of my favorite ladies and friends from home and had wonderful food and games. I really loved it! They really know how to throw a party. I know there were pictures taken, I will get some from them to post.

Another fun addition to the traditional Memorial day plan was that many of my Dad's brothers and sisters were in town as well, so we had a great family dinner with 8 of the 10 major families represented! It was great to see so many of my cousins, and meet some new ones. Many of them helped me tie a quilt for Macy's crib that my sisters had helped me put together. It was so fun to sit around the quilt and visit! Thank you so much for all your help. It never would have gotten done if I had to do it alone!

I never cease to be amazed at the influence my Grandparents have on the world through their posterity. Since they chose to teach their children to walk in Truth and Light there are almost a hundred of their descendants who are following and making the world a better place (except they are all republicans).

Since I got home, Ger and I have been on a great trip through the Columbia River Gorge to Skamania Lodge for his District Meetings, and a wonderful friend in my ward surprised me with a baby shower here! She made the most amazing "cake" out of diapers and we had a wonderful time!

She invited my friends from the ward and lots of ladies came that I hadn't even met yet! I feel so blessed to be a member of a church where we are all friends, even before we know each other, and people are so sweet, loving, and supportive to me. The people in the church as a whole and the Lake Oswego Ward in particular amaze me!

I have been sewing a little, and made some burp clothes to match the quilt. Ruth makes these adorable burps and I tried my best. Not quite perfect but I like them!

And now I just sit around, lounge by the pool, tidy the house, and pray for Macy to come! Wow, my life sounds hard! :)

Another Neighbor

2008-05-11T21:15:00.000-07:00

This morning as we walked out to our car for church, Gerald noticed another friend in our yard. A raccoon he immediately named Melvin. This neighborhood just gets wilder!

Belly Laughs :)

2008-04-21T18:00:00.001-07:00

Too Much Fun... And Sun!

2008-04-14T20:28:00.000-07:00

This Saturday, kind of on a whim, Ger and I took a short road trip to the beach. It took about 1 1/2 hours to get to Lincoln City, OR and we enjoyed a nice walk on the beach, a long walk back to the car, a windy picnic, and an awesome candy store (get the saltwater taffy at Candyland). We even got a little sunburn. Oregon is great!

This is a self-portrait from my phone, not flattering at all, but see the beach back there?

Cirque du Soleil was Awesome!

2008-04-14T20:16:00.000-07:00

Thursday Ger and I went to Cirque du Soleil's traveling show "Corteo" in Portland. It was so entertaining! We were kinda lost with the story, but all the acts were spectacular. We saw the littlest people ever, and one of the biggest. This was one of the coolest live performances I have ever seen.

Ger in front of the tents, I took the picture so I have to admit that it isn't good of either Ger or the tents, but you can kinda see it...

See what I mean? That woman is like 3 feet tall, and the man might be 8 feet tall. This act was hilarious! She was being held up by 4 huge balloons, and he would push her all over the tent. It was pretty cool-- like the beach balls in the crowd at a football game.

Haunted Pizzaria?

2008-04-07T21:26:00.000-07:00

For our date this Friday I took Gerald to Old Town Pizza in downtown Portland. I had read online about their history-- It is supposed to be haunted. We were not so impressed. The pizza itself was very good, the italian soda was really yucky, and I am pretty sure we sat on the couch where someone died. The atmosphere was kinda fun though, and it got us back downtown which I loved! Ger gets to go there every day, but it is still new and different for me.

This is the table where we sat...the couch is not so comfy as it might look.

Burgerville likes my blog!

2008-04-03T15:37:00.000-07:00

Hey Ya'll!
Burgerville apparently keeps a very tight handle on its critics and they liked what I had to say, so...
They gave anyone who reads my blog a free Fresh Strawberry milkshake or smoothie.

http://www.burgerville.com/wifi/coupon/

Enjoy!

We are Having a Girl!

2008-03-13T20:27:00.000-07:00

Her Profile

Her face (kind of)

At our 20 week ultrasound today we learned that our new addition will be a girl! We are so excited! She is healthy, and seems to be growing just like she should (but she is a little stubborn and perhaps camera shy). The sonographer said she has a cute little face, and I am sure she does but the picture doesn't do it justice. We are so excited to welcome her, I can hardly wait!

Burgerville is truly the Northwest's best!

2008-03-05T17:08:00.000-08:00

To those who have not lived or spent time in the Northern Oregon/Southwest Washington areas, I have a huge announcement. The best fast food you have ever dreamed of is made fresh daily from fresh local ingredients at Burgerville. The milkshakes are the perfect consistency, the perfect flavors, and just big enough but not too big. And they are made from Oregon dairy milk.

The burgers are amazing as well, all fresh northwest beef, Tillamook cheeses, fresh baked buns.
I will end my raving, but if any of you are fortunate enough to come visit me I will take you Burgerville so that you too can blog about it.

I got a Job!

2008-02-26T19:23:00.000-08:00

I have been subbing at an elementary school for the past week, and they offered me a long term position today! This is exactly what I need, a job every day until school gets out, and then no commitments afterwards. So I can work until summer and then just worry about my baby.
Life is pretty good.

I got a haircut!

2008-02-23T19:02:00.000-08:00

My husband left me (for 1 more week not forever), so I have a free pass to do whatever I want-- so I chopped my hair off.

What do you think?

Funny Signs

2008-02-21T16:11:00.000-08:00

As you may, or may not, know-- I like funny signs. Over the past years I have collected a few fine examples. Here they are.

This one was spray painted all over the walls in Bratislava, Slovakia

This one is still hanging at the entrance to the Shelley, Idaho cemetary-- Only in Idaho would you see "No Hunting Allowed" at the entrance to a cemetary.

This one is at a service station on Highway 89 between Provo and Manti, Utah.

This one hangs on the door of a small hardware store on State Street in Orem, UT

This is a bumper sticker I saw when we got to Portland, bumper stickers don't usually count but this one was just too good.

Hope you enjoy my fetish as much as I do, in the event that you don't think they are funny don't feel obligated to tell me. :)

Lunar Eclipse!

2008-02-20T19:43:00.000-08:00

Tonight was the last lunar eclipse until 2010. And although Gerald is away in Indianapolis, Indiana for the next 2 weeks at a training conference, we got to see it together. At 7:20 in Portland and 10:20 in Indi we saw the exact same moon.

A little cheesy perhaps, but this reminds me of a song my mommy taught me...

I see the moon
And the moon sees me
The moon sees somebody I wanna see.
So God bless the moon
And God bless me
And God bless somebody I wanna see.

Hope you all saw it with your sweethearts too!

This might be the cutest thing ever!

2008-02-19T21:22:00.001-08:00

If you have a few minutes watch this, you might love it. If only "America's got talent" was around when I was 6... ahhh.

The Gibbs have arrived!

2008-02-19T16:01:00.000-08:00

Not only did Gerald graduate (Magna Cum Laude!!!) from BYU this December, but he also got a great Job! He is working for Eli Lilly and Co. as a pharmaceutical sales rep in the Diabetes care division and we relocated to Portland, Oregon! Although Ger is working in the downtown Portland area, we rented an apartment in Lake Oswego, a suburb about 10 miles south of Portland but on most major freeways and close to the LDS Temple.

Moving was a breeze, I don't know why everyone complains about it so much. (Just Kidding!) We had it pretty easy because Gerald's company packed, moved, and unpacked all of our stuff and put us up until we found a place to live. After scouring the entire west side we settled on Lake Oswego because of the location and the great deal we found on a great apartment. The only thing we didn't count on were the new neighbors. We have Nutria living in our backyard. Don't feel bad if you don't know what the are, neither did we. They are large, beaver/rats that live in wetlands. Apparently they have really taken to the little swamp just beyond our patio.

Gerald named this one Herbert. There have been varied opinions about what to do about our little friends, Uncle Matt said he would send us a gun to take care of it, Ruth was ready to call animal control for us, John thought we were making it up, and Joey thinks that they are pretty sweet and we should keep them around. The Division of Natural Wildlife came by and asked a few questions, but they seem to be waiting for one of us to be attacked before they will do anything. So far, so good-- they are still afraid of us.

We are 17 weeks into the joyous journey of pregnancy and I am beginning to feel better. It is tough to get used to being pregnant. It was easy for me to get used to the idea of having a baby, babies are fun--but being pregnant is less fun and more strange. It is kinda like something taking over your body, you are no longer in control of what is happening inside of you. Everyone says it is worth it in the end, so now I am moving on faith :). We go in for our big ultrasound the second week of March to see if we are having a boy or a girl, I can't wait to find out! Gerald is already sure it is a boy. We'll see.

Not much else for now, more later...