FIRST SNOW!!!

Last night Marshall pulled the blinds up and much to his surprise he shrieked, "Mommy, Daddy, it's snowing outside!" He was so excited! So today we got his winter stuff on and layered him up to play in the first snow of the season. We taught him how to do snow angels and roll down the little hill in back of our apartments. He stayed nice and dry, except for his cheeks which turned bright red and icy cold. Then, we came inside and warmed up with hot chocolate.

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Elf Yourself, Bradley Style

Check us out as our elf-selves singing and dancing a Christmas jig for you! It's hilarious!

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=9607336816

Some Things to be Thankful For

I spent Thanksgiving dinner alone really wishing I wasn't sick. But I was able to use the time and reflect on things I was Thankful for. I challenged myself to do 50 and here they are.
1. My husband, he is extremely supportive
2. The cutest boy in the universe-he is mine!
3. I have the best mom who ever lived, really.
4. John and I both have great families who live close.
5. The gospel, it keeps me grounded.
6. Health, although not at this particular moment seeing as how I can't sleep (it's 6 am) due to my influenza.
7. Music, especially when it makes me emotional (which is a lot).
8. BOOKS! What more can I say?
9. Great friends, past, present, and future.
10. A car (although I still mourn the loss of the one I totalled) and wish we had two.
11. A roof over my head, although some months I really worry, so I think I'm more thankful for family close by where we could stay if we got kicked out for bouncing yet another rent check (oops!).
12. Worry, it keeps me from doing stupid stuff.
13. The internet, it's something I use EVERY day!
14. Virtual shopping carts-you can DELETE everything before you click "buy now" on "accident."
15. Toilet paper, how often do we take it for granted?
16. Living in America, freedom.
17. Birth control, because some months you just don't want to be pregnant and others you do.
18. Blogs, they keep me in touch with family and friends.
19. The gym
20. Cell phones, how many times have I called my mom from the grocery store, "What isle is (insert food item here) on?"
21. Water, I love it.
22. And Dr. Pepper
23. Olive skin that doesn't burn easily.
24. That I'm a girl, I get to do the fun stuff like have babies!
25. To be a Mother!!! The greatest gift ever! This should probably be #1, actually.
26. For a temple marriage.
27. Amazon.com, how else would I support my biblioism (I think I invented that-it means book lovedness and obsession).
28. Chocolate! mmmm.....
29. Road Trips
30. Any trips
31. I am a Child of God
32. Summer.
33. Food.
34. I am a smart person. Not always the brightest bulb on the tree, but I get by.
35. SLEEP, hello! That should be like number 3!
36. An education, even though I'll be paying for it for the rest of my LIFE!
37. Wish lists from The Things I Want and Amazon, where I have like 20 with a million pages/list!
38. Really, books. OH, and bookshelves to display them.
39. A hot shower every day.
40. Soap.
41. Movies
42. Things that smell good-perfume, reed diffusers, candles, oils, sprays, etc. I love it when my life smells good!
43. Cameras and pictures, it's how I record my life.
44. Scrapbooking!!!
45. Fridges, what did they do before them?
46. My own washer and dryer, pee your pants all you want son, mommy can do a load (of laundry) later! And because it means good smelling clothes (see #42)
47. Cleaning products.
48. A wonderful head of hair.
49. Laughter and a sense of humor-gets me through the bad times.
50. I am finally exhausted!

Good night! Or should I say morning?

Under Quarantine

Hello, I am sick. Yes, today I went to the Dr. only to be told I have influenza, apparently the kind immune to the flu vaccine (not that we got it anyway) . So I am home resting and taking it easy and drinking my fluids. But this means no Thanksgiving dinner or gingerbread houses, and we have to cancel Marshall's birthday party! What a terrible week to be sick. Hmmph...

Tag...You're It!

5 Things I was doing 10 years ago:
1. I was 14, so junior high, dreaming about Dan Moffat
2. Reading teen magazines
3. Sick with mono-nucleosis
4. Forming new friendships
5. Started exercising

5 Things on my to do list today-well tomorrow:
1. Play with Marshall
2. Go grocery shopping
3. Wrap Marshall's B-Day presents
4. Laundry
5. Christmas Shopping on Amazon

5 Foods I enjoy:
1. Cafe Rio pork salad
2. Anything chocolate
3. Watermelon
4. Pizza
5. Milk

5 Bad Habits:
1. Picking at my face
2. Watching TV
3. Wanting things I can't have
4. Windows* shopping (on-line)
5. Procrastinating

5 favorite toys:
1. iPod
2. Treadmill (at the gym)
3. Laptop
4. My own washer and dryer
5. Books

5 People I Tag: Melissa Campbell, Alicia, Jacci, Christie, Robyn-sorry guys, I don't have very many friends to choose from.

Three Years Ago This Week

Exactly three years ago this week my family was in town, it was Thanksgiving, a little boy was expected to arrive. His name was picked out, his nursery was ready,
My dad painting the nursery in September
showers had been given,

Family shower given by Sarah and Grandma Mary in October

Shower given by friends
his clothes washed and folded neatly in his drawers, and everyone waiting in eager anticipation. Every night I would start contracting, five minutes apart for hours at a time. They never got worse or closer together, so I would go to sleep thinking if this was the night, I better rest up. But my due date came and went.

Nov. 20, 2004 Kissing my due date goodbye!
My midwife was out of town, she'd stripped my membranes three times (!) before leaving. I called her back-up a couple times begging to be induced! I wanted this baby out of me and in my arms-NOW! But, being a midwife and only my back-up she said NO! So I googled ways to make yourself go into labor, I took 3 mile long walks then a bath, I drank an entire box of Raspberry Leaf herbal tea, drank some concoction my grandma Mary gave me, rubbed my ankles, I did everything the internet could possibly think up, but no baby! I even had a plan on Thanksgiving to eat so much food to "crowd him out!" Ha-all that did was make me uncomfortable and bloated. The contractions would start then stop. Riley made me signs to tape to my belly saying things like, "Get out now!"

Riley's pleas for a baby nephew to arrive.
This little boy was stubborn, a sign of his little personality, already fully developed! He has never been one do to anything he's not ready for. Family called daily asking, "Is he here yet?" Sarah and Riley went back to Colorado after the Holiday and still no baby. Finally, the Monday after Thanksgiving my midwife returned and scheduled my induction for the next morning at nine! I couldn't wait!

Arrival at Cottonwood Hospital-8:45 am Nov. 31
All day long I labored and when the pitocin wasn't working they lowered the dose then took it back up again. By midnight they had discovered Marshall wasn't descending because he was anterior with the cord around his neck and so I opted for a c-section just to get him out!But by the time the doctor arrived I had changed my mind and asked him to use forceps to turn and deliver him. Finally at 2:34 am on December first, after about 17 hours of labor and 11 days after my due date, I gave birth to Marshall Gabriel Bradley, a whopping 8 lbs 9 oz and 22 inches long! He was beautiful and worth every minute spent waiting-all 42 weeks worth!


A family of three at last! Dec. 1, 2004
We had so many people visit us in the hospital and at home, it was wonderful to know how much everyone cared. Sarah and Riley didn't meet him until Christmas, but it was the best Christmas ever, sharing my little bundle of joy with family.

Marshall's First Christmas, 2004...Cooper, Marshall, and Riley

Chutes and Ladders

So Marshall and I are home sick from church today-him with a sinus infection and me with laryngitis. Not so fun, but I have exactly 3 bouillon cubes left to get me through, a childhood favorite whenever I was sick. Marshall asked if we could play "Chutes and Ladders" which lasted approximately 32 out of 100 squares because he wanted to climb the big ladder, not the small ones! But, slowly he is starting to understand games, turn taking, etc. I love family game nights and look forward to collecting games for us to play as a family-I want them all! So here's some pictures of him playing his way.

Caught "READ" Handed, again

I love to find Marshall curled up with his books. As you may know by know, John and I share a passion for reading and collecting books. We are so happy that our little one is starting to appreciate books more, now I just wish he'd appreciate them enough to put them back when he's done. His little bookshelf is so full and we have so many books that don't even fit on it anymore. Anyone have a bookshelf they're not using and would like to donate?

Happy Halloween!

We were glad to have my sister Riley in town to go Trick-or-Treating with Marshall. He had a lot of fun running from house to house in his chaps and boots with her, as a bag lady. We did one whole street then walked down to Evergreen Swim & Tennis Club for homemade donuts and hot chocolate, yummy! He also had fun running to the door at Grandma Mary's to hand out goodies to other 'Treaters.

Marshall galloping to
his preschool Halloween
Party!


This is Maddie, the
adorable little "ghoul"
I watch two days a week.
We just love her!

A change of costume for Riley!

A Visit to Gardner Village

On Thursday my visiting teacher and I took our kids to Gardner Village to see the witches, pumpkins, and ponies, oh my! The kids wouldn't go near the witches, but they were amazing! Marshall enjoyed feeding the ducks and ginormous fish in their pond. A couple days later he was pretend playing to feed them! He wouldn't let me get too many good pictures, but here's what I did get.

Family Canyon Evening

John had a great idea on Monday night-to spend FHE up the canyon. By the time we got up there it was 7:30, dark, and Marshall had fallen asleep. So, we woke him up and with no flashlight, made our way to the picnic benches and fire pit. We had a fun time and Marshall enjoyed the fire. He also loved his "smush-mellows." Cute, huh?

GOT SOUP?

Marshall loves Campbell's Tomato Soup, as you can see from his soup beard. All I could think of was the milk ad with the milk mustache! So we created the GOT SOUP? ad with a soup beard!

Laundry Helper

Today Marshall decided he would help with the laundry! Who was I to say no to a willing two-year-old who wanted to help his mommy? As much as I love clean laundry from my super nice Bosch set, I have to admit it gets old and help is much appreciated. He really enjoyed running back and forth with one item to load each time since the basket was too heavy, and he got almost all of the darks! He watched proudly as his laundry began to spin. The best part was when he patted my cheeks and said, "Mommy, are you proud?" It was so sweet!!!

Cape Cod & Plymouth

We spent Sunday night and Monday morning on the Cape. We stayed in a really nice place called Inn on the Square in Falmouth. Monday morning we drove a little bit further to see some beaches and look for a lighthouse that we never did find, but stumbled upon this beach. The water was cold but we had fun taking pictures and exploring the New England coast.

We decided to go see Plymouth where the pilgrims landed in 1620. We were too late to get a tour of the Mayflower and the museums, but just seeing the ship was good enough for us. It was a lot smaller than I thought it would be, maybe it is one of those things that is bigger on the inside than it looks from the outside. We took pictures of the rock then had to go for our dinner appointment at the Cox's house where we stayed for the next 3 nights. On the way we got to see cranberries being harvested which was really cool to watch.