Nic, Zac, Mayzie, and Nixon

Potty Training Pits

2011-03-01T15:21:00.001-08:00

Boo! Can I just pay someone to potty train my kids? Okay, so this is only the first day, but we are 0-3 with an approximate total of 120 minutes spent on the toilet and absolutely no pee (or poo for that matter) going in. Five minutes off the potty, I hear "Wet Mommy, wet." Ahh! I read the promising "Potty Train in 3 Days" and right now, I'm having my doubts.

Anyway, these two kiddos are so much fun and a ton of work. Mayzie is 23 months and is super silly. She loves to sing and dance around, is obsessed with Elmo, and has a hair fetish. She has a favorite shirt, which consequently is the UGLIEST shirt in her wardrobe, but she asks to wear it every day. It is the lovely purple flower shirt below.
She loves to help me cook and especially loves treats. Whoops, she has a sweet tooth like her mom and which her father generously indulges. If he was in charge, she could eat cookies, fruit snacks, and Cheetos all day. We are trying to get used to the cold after being spoiled by Florida sun and heat for so long.
Nixon is my little boyfriend and I love that sweet little man. We had a rough beginning and he was very gassy and fussy, but he has mellowed out and is so smiley and sweet. He is six months old now and almost rolling over and sitting up.

Our New House

2011-03-01T15:13:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures of our new house; I just love it and after living in a poobox (a shoebox that smelled of old ladies' breath) for three years, I think we deserved an upgrade!

Zac finally got his dream tv, a frivolty promised to him upon graduation from school. He is doing Home Health PT and travels around a lot meeting with mainly geriatric patients. He is a great therapist and I'm so proud of him. I am working on my Idaho Teaching Certificate and hope to possibly get an online teaching job, which seems opportunistic if Mr. Luna's plan succeeds.

Dusting off the Cobwebs

2011-02-10T16:33:00.000-08:00

I had to dust the screen off when I opened this blog for the first time in (dare I say) almost a YEAR!!!! That is unforgivable, I know. My reasoning is just though:
#1 Moved across the country
#2 Shopped for houses FOREVER and finally bought our first beautiful house
#3 Had a baby while doing the previous #2
#4 Spent five months up all night with BOTH babies and trying to do everything else
and
#5 Figured, "Since it's been so long, I doubt anyone is even reading this sad, pathetic little blog anymore, so why not just give up?"

Well friends, I for one am not a quitter when there is any sliver of hope to a cause. So I ask you, is there any sliver of hope left to this blog cause??? If not, I will abandon it entirely, but if I even get a handful of comments, I will forge ahead with all the furvor of a leaden buldozer.

R-O-U-S

2010-05-19T13:19:00.000-07:00

You've heard of road kill, but what about YARD KILL? This morning, Zac glanced out the window at what appeared to be a cat dozing on the back lawn. After an hour, it still hadn't moved. Closer inspection revealed a definite R-O-U-S (Rodent of Unusual Size). "This is it!" we thought, "We're DONE with Florida!" The following video is of the disposal of the corpse. Pardon the plumber's crack :)

Cruisin'!

2010-05-02T10:43:00.000-07:00

April was the best month! Mayzie turned 1, Zac turned 30, his mom Penny came out to be with us, Zac GRADUATED (!!!!!), and we went on a cruise to Grand Cayman and Cozumel, Mexico. Here are some pics of our wonderful vacation.

In Grand Cayman, we took a tour to the city of Hell and met the most appropriate Asian devil there who runs a convenient store. The town is named Hell for an interesting volcanic rock formation and they really capitalize on tourists who want to say they've been to Hell and back:)a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SgxwKKlIJ_I/S927TYQSg-I/AAAAAAAAAgU/iUWF6Ip5mN8/s1600/CIMG1695.JPG">

In Mexico, we took an excursion to the Mayan ruins at Talum. This was my absolute favorite of the trip. The ruins are archaic, amazing and you can feel the history in that place. If that's not cool enough, we met an LDS tour guide named Mosiah who told us that Talum was part of the Book of Mormon city Bountiful. He told us many things about the place that happened in the Book of Mormon and showed us pictures of where King Benjamin and Samuel the Lamanite had stood. I felt the spirit so strong in that beautiful place and it was a huge testimony builder for me. I want to go back and see all of the Book of Mormon sites in Central America.

<

Video for the fam, plus tons of new pictures...

2010-02-28T07:04:00.000-08:00

2010-02-28T06:58:00.000-08:00

This girl has always had personality, but it is becoming more prominent. She is making the funnies faces lately. Usually if she is engaged in something, even if it's making a mess, Zac and I let her do it because she's entertained. The other day she was in the kitchen, we were in the living room. We hear boxes being pulled from the cupboard which is completely normal. But then we hear silence...for a while. Uh, oh! We go in the kitchen to find that she had emptied the cupboard and then climbed inside! She shut the door and didn't even mind being in the dark! Silly girl.

2010-02-28T06:47:00.000-08:00

She has a favorite cupboard that is full of cereal boxes that she loves to dump out. She dumps it out, I put it back, she dumps it out, I put it back. This could go on for hours. I should put a latch on it, but it entertains her:)

She has been making the funniest faces lately. This one's a classic.

There IS light at the end of the tunnel!

2010-02-28T06:24:00.000-08:00

These past two months have cruised by with our family keeping insanely busy. If I didn't have a list for everything, I might just cease to function. So the easiest way to do this is, of course, a list:
MAYZIE GIRL:
-Mayzie will be 11 months March 6
-is a sweet little demon, terrorizing the house, as you can see from several photos below.
-is FINALLY getting teeth (two on bottom, two coming in on top)
-loves to talk, sing, squeal, explore, crawl, cruise on furniture, pull and play with mom's hair (obsessively)
-doesn't like to nap, sit still, cuddle, wear socks, shoes, or anything on her head, or be told she can't eat nasty things like
the bottom of our shoes, the door mat, or the toilet brush.
ZAC THE LEGO MANIAC:
-Has had it up to HERE with school, but is almost done--graduation is April 16!!!
-Is doing Daddy Daycare right now while I'm teaching and is doing a great job. He has a new appreciation for what moms do (or more appropriately DON'T get done during the day)
-Is looking for jobs, preferably closer to home, although we are flying to Texas to interview at the end of March.
-Is making an exceptionally long and highly hypothetical "Wish List" of all the things he wants to get when he graduates and
gets a job.
NICKLEBERRY FINN
-Loves teaching, but hates that all her time is consumed. Can't wait to have more time with Mayzie. She'll finish the school
year in June and then...come what may!
-Loves to coupon to the point of minor obsession.
-Can't wait to go on A CRUISE in April when Zac graduates! It is literally the thing keeping her sane right now.
-Hasn't had time to read a book in ages. Tragic.
-Is becoming a slightly better cook thanks to Food Network and Top Chef.

ALL:
-We can't wait for it to warm up (yes, it has been in the 30's here for the past two months!) and enjoy the beach before we leave.
-Don't know exactly what's in store in about four months, but we're soooo excited for a change!

Oh the weather outside is frightful, but...

2010-01-10T10:33:00.000-08:00

True: Florida is the "Sunshine State"
False: It is warm all the time

As reported on the news last night, it is as cold in Florida as Antartica right now. The main news story featured someone holding a miniscule skiff of snow in their hand! Ha! The weather outside may be frightful (20 degrees), but it is a new year and Zac only has four months till graduation!!! Now that is oh-so-delightful! We had a wonderful holiday in Idaho with family. Now back to real life, which is busy, but really great.<

Zac and Mayzie on Christmas Day

Aunt Lynde made a really big, ridiculous bow for Mayzie. Just wait, the trend will catch on.

Did we get sick of the babies and put them behind bars. Never! Mayzie between her adorable twin cousins Chloe and Sophie at Grandma McKinlay's house on her stair railing.

Cute Little Stinker Bug

2009-12-13T18:07:00.000-08:00

I can't believe Christmas is almost here; it is my favorite time of year. Being so far away from family and being able to go home makes it especially wonderful. Five days and we'll be home. I can't wait for Mayzie to see snow! Many of my students have lived their whole lives and NEVER seen snow! In fact, Mayzie and I took a beautiful walk today in shorts and t-shirts and we were both sweating afterward!
Our little bug caught a bug and has been a little sick and especially snuggly. She is so funny. Last night, we put her to bed at her normal bedtime. Usually she talks or cries for about two minutes and then she's out, but last night, she was blabbing to herself for 45-minutes. I kept looking at the clock and thinking "Any time now..." She finally started fussing and Zac went to go peek on her. "You better come look at your daughter," he said. I walked in and started laughing. That little stinker chose then to learn how to go from her belly to sitting up. She had been sitting up in her bed for about an hour just talking to herself because she didn't know how to lay back down!

She is so close to crawling and I'm posting this for my fam to see, because they haven'e seen her in forever!

So when ya gonna crawl already???

2009-11-29T15:39:00.000-08:00

So it actually got cold enough that I had to extricate a sweatshirt from the deepest depths of my closet and "bundle" Mayzie up in a sweatshirt and hat. I'm doing that weird evil laugh right now as I write this (Muahahahah!) because I love Florida winters. Except it is too weird to see blow-up snow globes adorning the green lawns of Floridian residences. Is it seriously December? Is our Mayzie girl seriously 8 months already? Can we seriously make it another three weeks until Christmas break? In the words of a famous man, "Yes We CAN!" Mayzie is close to crawling, but is too content rolling around to wherever she wants to go. That belly of hers is staying grounded. I've decided to not buy her any more toys, because all she likes to do is play with weird things like cords and that springy door-stopper. She could be content for at least an hour pulling it. P.S. I'm dreaming of a white Christmas...

alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409678309571040562"

Our Little Family

2009-11-16T17:42:00.000-08:00

We're in the home-stretch and counting down till Christmas when we can go home to Idaho. Zac is at his last internship site in Jacksonville, I am crazy-busy with school. We are lucky to have to great girlfriends watch Mayzie during the day. She 7 months old and is such a sweet babe, not quite crawling, but almost there. If there is something across the room she wants (usually paper, a chord, or some other harmful device) she will roll all the way to it.
For the ward trunk-or-treat Mayzie was a bumblebee with mom and dad was the beekeeper. On Halloween she was Mini Mouse.

What we've been up to

2009-10-26T18:07:00.000-07:00

Oh geez, I have about two minutes to give an update on our insane lives as of {insert date I last updated}. Zac finished 1 out of 2 internships in Jacksonville and got a week off to be "Mr. Mom" which he totally excelled at--taking Mayzie for bike rides and getting lots of giggles from her. I've had a very busy year at school, giving up my planning period to run the newspaper. But my students are wonderful and I love being a teacher. Mayzie is 6 1/2 months old and is sitting up, rolling all over the place and showing us her exuberant attitude. She has such a happy disposition. We hosted a murder mystery dinner which was a blast; the theme was "Pasta, passion, and pistols." Zac was Father Alfredo and I was a gypsy named Clair Voyant. We are excited for Halloween this year--kids make stuff like that much more fun. So here's a menajerie of photos for your viewing pleasure, if anyone is still following this forlorn blog, since I tend to abandon it for tedious amounts of time;)

Thanks Harmony!

2009-09-29T18:24:00.001-07:00

These are a couple that cousin Harmony took while we were in Idaho. Thanks Harm!

I hate cereal!

2009-09-29T18:19:00.000-07:00

I've belabored for over a month trying to get this girl to "get used" to cereal. What mostly happens is that I attempt to pry her clamped lips open and force a spoonful in her mouth, which summarily gets spewed out all over me. I give up and am starting veggies! I love the one of her in the birthday hat--her first party! Those chub cheeks are just asking for a pinchin'.

Lil' Miss Thang

2009-09-13T16:20:00.000-07:00

Lil Miss Mayzie is 5 months old and developing such a funny little attitude! She loves to jabber and squak. At first it started as cute little "coos" but has now developed into crow-like yakking and man-on-toilet grunting. Not what a genteel young lady should act like! She is uber-alert and is rolling over like crazy. Who was once my snuggle bug, is now a squirmy little fire-cracker. Which makes me wonder, how much influence do you REALLY have over your kids' personalities? Right now our life is insanely crazy with me going back to work and Zac on internship in Jacksonville all day. But, we are making it work and we realize that it is temporary. 7 months baby!

At the Cabin

2009-08-30T09:01:00.000-07:00

We spent a few days at Grandma and Grandpa Leishman's cabin near Heber City, UT. It was beautiful and made me realize how much I love being near the mountains. Mayzie got to meet all her new cousins for the first time and the boys had the 6th annual McKinlay Open golf tournament.

Home Sweet Home

2009-08-16T21:09:00.000-07:00

Mayzie and I have been in Idaho for a week and a half and it has been AWESOME to be with family and friends. Things I love about Idaho:
1) The incredible panoramic views of the Tetons surrounded by billowing clouds
2) The new Cafe Rio in Idaho Falls!!!!
3) Maverick frozen yogurt
4) Being able to drive to your destination without twenty stop lights and thousands of cars.
5) Drinking cold, refreshing, clean water right from the tap
6) Seeing people who still remember my Junior Miss performance
7) Going outside without sweating through my clothes

Things I won't miss so much:
1) The COLD! It was 40 degrees this morning; we had to turn on the heater...boo!
2) Country grammer (ain't, "I seen you," bugger, stinkin', etc)
3) Having to drive 15 minutes to the nearest gas station and 45 minutes to the nearest Target.
4) Not having internet access at my house in Parker
5) When my family wants to watch TV, my dad has to go outside and set up an aluminum ladder in the back of the truck in order to get a signal (you think I'm joking, but this is no lie!)

But it is seriously wonderful to be back and I realize how important it is to be close to family. My camera is out of batteries, but I will post pictures soon. Zac comes on Tuesday and we have missed him so much!

I leave you with a good old Idaho adage that I heard for the first time from the mouth of my dear, sweet, grandma:
"A man with grand ideas but no action is like a fart in the skillit!"

Family Fun

2009-07-30T12:53:00.000-07:00

My family came to St. Augustine to visit and to meet Mayzie for the first time. It has been so wonderful having them here and I love to see other people loving Mayzie. However, Karma has definitely got something against me for something I must have done (making fun of Walmart workers? road rage?? peeing in the pool way back when???) because on my way to the airport, I locked my keys in the car in Jacksonville. Thank heaven my dear sweet friend Heather was there to keep me company and to keep my spirits up:) First a friendly guy tried for an hour to break in with a hanger, but all he ended up doing was jacking up the window, then I called a locksmith and after waiting another hour, learned that he had blown a tire on the way to me! My family had to wait at the airport for 3 hours, and I ended up spending 4 hours in Khols, waiting for sweet Zac to come and bail me out when he had a MAJOR practical test the next day that he desperately needed to study for. It then proceded to unleash a storm from the abyss of Hell and we had to travel 30mph on the freeway. We finally got my family safely here, but because of me, Zac has to retake his practical. Then today, while idling in the Blockbuster parking lot, a lady rammed into the side of the car! It wasn't my fault, but needless to say, I feel like total bum scum. Worse than bum scum; like the bacteria that fester on bum scum. Anyway, while I am wallowing in my own filth, I'll at least post some fun pics that we've taken so far.

2009-07-30T12:51:00.000-07:00

K-Lot's of new posts and pictures

2009-07-07T18:44:00.000-07:00

This funny little girl has found her thumb and is sucking profusely on it! It is so stinking cute, but at the same time, I'm sure it's a bad habit that I have been indulging. What do I do? She'd rather suck her thumb than take a pacifier. She sucks her thumb even after she's eaten, and when I swaddle her tight to go to bed, sure enough, five minutes later, I hear "suck, suck, suck!"

4th of July

2009-07-07T18:38:00.001-07:00

The 4th of July in St. Augustine was definitely a HOT one. All of our PT friends got together for a yummy BBQ. Here are Mayzie's new boyfriends, pining for her attention. Landon (left) and Emmett (right). Emmett was definitely trying to get fresh and hold her hand!

Red, white, and blue. Kinda nerdy, I know, but couldn't help myself. My roots go back to the 4ths of July when my mom would dress us all in patriotic gear and take us to the parade.

Daddy's little firecracker.

3 Months Old

2009-07-07T18:32:00.000-07:00

My sweet little newborn is growing too fast! But she has been so much fun, smiling, giggling, and cooing. We have been loving the summer break together, going swimming, and my new obsession--couponing! OMG I am out of control!!!! I always looked at the "crazy coupon ladies" and said, "That will never be me..." But alas, I have succumbed to the allure of bargain shopping. Woe is me (but it's so much fun!).

My little butterfly

2009-06-19T18:02:00.000-07:00

Zac's sister Kara took these while she was here. Thanks Kara!

What do you do?

2009-06-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

Our neighbor across the street is a nice retired Brittish man who, from time to time, likes to chat with us from across the street. He never actually comes over, rather we have a friendly shouting conversation as cars traverse between us. The other day I was heading out to run some errands and he was out on his grill. I waved to him which initiated the following conversation. (Imagine a thick Brittish accent and loud, elevated voices as other neighbors are out doing yardwork and cars pass by.)
Bruce: "Hello! You had a baby, eh? What was it, boy or girl?"
Me: "It was a girl. She is 10 weeks old now."
Bruce: "Oh, a little girl! What is her name?"
Me: "Mayzie."
Bruce: "Come again?" Puts hand up to ear to signal repetition.
Me: (louder) "MAYZIE!"
Bruce: "Oh, Macie. How pretty!" Whatever. Not worth yelling again.
And then the kicker...
Bruce: "Are you bottle or breast feeding?"
Um, what is the best way to go about this???
Me: Glancing around to check for eavesdroppers. "Breast." Not too loud now.
Bruce: "Come again?" Puts hand to ear.
Me: red in the face, "BREAST!" A little louder than I anticipated.
The rest of the conversation is a muddled cloud in my head, something about it "being the best for the baby, blah, blah, blah..."
Now the whole block knows I am breastfeeding, and that little toddler next door has to go ask his mother what a breast is.

Mayzie's Blessing

2009-06-09T17:30:00.000-07:00

Mayzie is 9 weeks old--how time flies! We blessed her on Sunday and Zac did a wonderful job, even though he got the "yips" half-way through. He is an amazing daddy and loves Mayzie and I so much. She had her two month appointment yesterday and weighed 11 lbs 4 oz and was 21.5 inches long. She was smiling and cooing on the doctor's table and I was holding her arms so the nurse could give her shots. Two seconds after the needle went in, the smile changed to a look of betrayal that said, "Why are you doing this to me???" It absolutely BROKE my heart! The upside is that she slept almost 9 hours last night:)

Back to Work :(

2009-06-09T17:23:00.000-07:00

The past 8 weeks with my baby girl have been so sweet; it was EXTREMELY hard to go back to school these past two weeks. But it was ten times easier because Zac's sister Kara and her sweet family came down from Tennessee to watch Mayzie while I was at work and Zac at school. It was nice knowing Mayzie was in good hands and we had a lot of fun with them while they were here.

Zac and his little buddy Elle. She is a jokester just like him and we had a blast laughing at the funny things she did.

We all went to the beach. It was Elle's first time and she was a little skittish at first. She would slowly venture to the water's edge, but when the waves would come in, she would run screaming like they were chasing her.

7 1/2 Week Cutie

2009-05-27T13:17:00.000-07:00

Here is a quick post of some updated pictures. To all you full-time mothers out there---HOLY COW! Few people realize how incredibly busy you are! I thought when women would tell me, "I barely have time for a shower" that they were exaggerating. Not true!!! I thought I'd have all the time in the world to blog...obviously not. But Mayzie is doing great and so are we. She is starting to smile which is fun and causing her parents to do all kinds of stupid things just to get a peek at that cute grin :) More later... (hopefully!)

Steve Erwin Would've Been Proud!

2009-05-17T17:40:00.000-07:00

I was in the kitchen pouring myself a big bowl of cereal when from the living room, I hear, "CRIKEY MATE! There's a lizard in our house!"
I leapt to attention and immediately spotted the culprit in the hallway. Zac, clad in only his garments, yelled,"Get me a jar!" And with a blur that made me question if I'd even seen it or not, the lizard zipped into Mayzie's room and under her crib (luckily she was napping in our bed). Now I know a lot about the outdoors and consider myself one with my animal friends; I mean I went to girls camp 5 years running and received my animal handler's permit. Trying to do it the friendly way, I set out a dish of strawberry syrup to lure the little bugger out. No luck. This guy was playing it tough. I decided I was most helpful yelling out instructions to Zac who did the dirty work. After several lunges with a plastic canister, Zac finally trapped the varmint, but how to get him outside without the whole world seeing Zac and the goodies???
"Okay, I'll open the door and you just throw the whole bucket outside, " I offered. And on the count of three, I flung the door open and Zac hucked the whole bucket onto our front lawn, for the viewing pleasure of many a passerby. I felt extremely fulfilled that we'd disposed of the lizard in a humane way. I think the late (rest his soul) Steve Erwin would be very proud.

Four Weeks

2009-05-08T13:58:00.000-07:00

Zac's parents were here this past week and spoiled us all royally. We had a blast mini-golfing at World Golf Hall of Fame, going out to eat, and hitting up the beach. Mayzie had her first photo shoot with Grandma Mckinlay and was a pretty good little model when she wasn't peeing all over!

Nightly Routine

2009-04-21T06:18:00.000-07:00

Mayzie is a pretty chill baby; she doesn't cry much unless she is hungry or gassy. We've started a nice little nightly routine with her that includes some light reading material and a bath.

Two Weeks Old

2009-04-21T06:12:00.000-07:00

Mayzie Jade had her two week appointment yesterday and the doctor said she's looking great. She now weighs 6 lb 12 oz and grew over two inches. She's been a good eater:) My mom flew in to be with us this week and it has been wonderful; she's been cooking meals and cleaning. I mentioned to Zac how nice it was to have someone cook and clean for you... as a side note, I added, "Is this how you feel everyday?"

SURPRISE!

2009-04-08T14:01:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the world MAYZIE JADE MCKINLAY!!! She proved to be just like her mom--impatient to be somewhere. She is the absolute sweetest thing and Zac and I are completely in love. Why didn't we do this sooner? She was born at 1:34pm Monday, April 6. She weighed 6lb 6oz and was 17 1/2 inches long. Just a little cutie patootie!

My New Friend Armando

2009-03-29T15:27:00.000-07:00

Florida critters are, to say the least...weird. I woke up this morning after a thuderous storm the night before and looked out the window to see....AN ARMADILLO IN OUR BACK YARD!!! There is an unchartered rainforest next door to us (okay, maybe a small exaggeration) and he must've wandered from there. Armando (It's an alias I'll refer to him as) was fairly large and kind of cute as he waddled back and forth grubbing his nose in the grass for who knows what sustanence. I didn't want too get to close, but he didn't seem to mind. Zac started making "Cooing" noises that I informed him "probably wouldn't scare Armando away, but might rather serve as a mating call."
Armando is gone now, but I'm hoping he will return soon. Anyone for a backyard barbeque?

**Addendum: Since seeing Armando, I've done a little research into armadillos and they are actually disgusting! They carry the bacteria for Leprosy, rabies, and other diseases! Nasty! Needless to say, I won't be getting too close and will have my dart gun ready.

35 Weeks

2009-03-22T14:34:00.000-07:00

Getting ready!

2009-03-22T14:30:00.000-07:00

My girlfriends in St. Augustine threw me a baby shower. They are all so sweet and spoiled me. We also set up our crib and here's what the nursury looks like so far.

Everyone Watch Wife-Swap Tonight!

2009-03-13T06:54:00.000-07:00

Make sure to watch Wife Swap tonight at 8:00pm (eastern time so check for others)on ABC. You should be able to see me at the end; if not, it will still be a very enjoyable episode and you can see one of my students Andrew:)

Spring Training

2009-03-08T16:28:00.000-07:00

This weekend we went to Orlando with our friends Heather and Aaron to go to a Braves spring training game (GO BRAVES!). We chilled on the lawn and had a great view of the game. We stayed over night and went mini-golfing and to IKEA the next day. Whao, that store is huge and very random! I felt too overwhelmed to even buy anything. Zac was weirded out because he didn't recognize any "name brands" and everything was Swedish. On the way back home, we forgot it was bike week in Daytona and the freeway was bumper to bumper, stop-go, for most of the trip.
However, we were lucky enough to see:
1) a sweet mini-van adorned with a life-sized, big-breasted woman along one side (Shelley, who said min-vans can't be cool!)
2) a bright orange Harley bedazzled with stick-on jewels and a orange-mohaked driver, and
3) many bullet bikes embellished with big-bootied women with cracks big enough to make a plumber jealous. I know you're disappointed, but no pictures--this is a FAMILY blogspot!

32 Weeks and Feeling the Bulge!

2009-02-22T16:12:00.000-08:00

Where have the past four weeks gone? I'm hoping the next eight fly by. I have a few very blunt students who say, "Dang, Ms. McKay! You get bigger every day!" Thanks guys:) I miss being close to such good photographers (Kara and Harmony!) but we'll try to get some cute belly pics out here before she comes.

Girls are so Fun to Shop For!

2009-02-22T16:00:00.000-08:00

I have had a BLAST shopping for this baby girl. There are so many cute clothes and I literally come into her room every day to just look through them and picture what she is going to look like. We can't wait to meet her. Her poor little room is not even close to ready yet. We ordered a crib online, but when we put it together, there were broken and uneven pieces:( So still on the crib search. But I better bust my butt, cause 8 weeks isn't too far away! Thanks everyone for your good nursery ideas. I hope I don't botch it up too bad:)

Help! Craft-Challenged!

2009-02-08T18:14:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I need some cute ideas for a girl's nursury. I like simple, but classic/modern decor. I'm kind-of craft-challenged, so nothing too complex. But if anyone has any great ideas or websites, please share!

That Fat Gal of Mine

2009-02-08T18:02:00.000-08:00

As a tribute to my sweet Grandpa Forbush who passed away this past week, I have to share a wonderful memory of him. My grandpa was quite a colorful tease with bright twinkling blue eyes that lit up whenever he knew he had sucessfully pushed your buttons. In the Navy he learned a few "questionable" songs. I loved the times when he would sing them to us. My favorite is called "That Fat Gal of Mine." It goes:
"Warm in the winter,
Shady in the summertime,
That's what I love about that fat gal of mine!"
He like to sing this to my grandma who is a slim little vixen;)

Wife Swap :)

2009-01-25T16:23:00.000-08:00

I have a student whose family was chosen to be on the tv show Wife Swap. If anyone has seen it, it is pretty hilarious the "interesting" families they choose. Anyway, he invited me to the follow-up filming of his concert at a local comedy club. Zac and I just could not resist the chance for a laugh and, who doesn't secretly want to be on reality tv? I'm pretty sure they got some sweet footage of us--check it out on March 6!

28 Weeks

2009-01-25T16:17:00.001-08:00

From 24 weeks to 28, it's like my belly just POPPED! I don't even know when it happened; I swear I just woke up one morning with it. The pros are that when I'm in public, people are sure that I'm pregnant and not just fat, the cons are that things are getting really squished in there!

Chistmas 2008

2009-01-11T17:12:00.000-08:00

It was so good to be home for Christmas. It was picture perfect with tons of snow, family, and good food. We enjoyed just family parties, football, movies and just chilling out with family and friends.

Zac's Nasty 'Stache

2009-01-11T17:06:00.000-08:00

After having to shave every day for school, Zac took advantage of three weeks of facial hair freedom, and it came in handy in -13 degree weather too! Here are the diffent stages he went through:

Christmas Break

2008-12-15T17:43:00.000-08:00

I most likely will not be updating the blog too much over the next three weeks, so sorry all you devoted fans (ha!). Zac and I can't WAIT to go home (but not to the freezing cold) and see everyone. We fly home this Thursday. I'll have a lot more pictures to post then too. There's been a lot of requests for belly pics, but honestly, I've been waiting for it to bust out! There hasn't been a whole lot of change over the last few weeks, but give it a few cheeseballs and pounds of fudge and the belly should be ripe for the picking! Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!

DARDANI is a.....GIRL!!!!!!

2008-12-03T17:29:00.000-08:00

We just found out today that we are having a girl! We are soooo excited! My 20-week appointment went well and everything with the baby looks good. We can now stop referring to "it" as Dardani, although, the name has kind of grown on us ;) Time to start shopping!

Thanksgiving in Fort Lauderdale

2008-11-29T13:53:00.000-08:00

We spent a very warm Thanksgiving in Fort Lauderdale with Lance and Kylee Clark. They spoiled us and we had a blast hanging out and eating yummy food!

Zac and I on La Solas beach at sunset...very romantic.

Lance, Boston, and Zac
Cutie Patootie Brynlee in Zac's shoes. She was Zac's little buddy:)

Giving Thanks

2008-11-23T14:11:00.000-08:00

I just love this time of year; the anticipation of the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays leaves me jittery and excited to be with family and friends. On Wednesday, Zac and I are headed down to Fort Lauderdale to be with Lance and Kylee and their sweet little family for Thanksgiving. We're excited for the much needed break and change of scenery and will take lots of fun pics! Also, bring on the Black Friday shopping!!!! I've got my elbows sharpened if the need arises:)

Things I'm Thankful for:

-The sweetest, funniest husband ever and that he gave me a second shot;)
-Little baby Dardani growing inside my belly (we finally find out next week and can cease calling "it" Dardani!)
-Two wonderful, supportive families
-My amazing job and the great kids that I teach
-Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ who give me all these wonderful things
-books and writing that provide just the escape I need
-music and self-expression
-cars and planes
-Zac getting into PT school; working so hard and doing so well
-the pleasant Florida weather

Things Zac is Thankful for: (as told by him)

-My baby in your stomach
-Your increasing breast size (I'm just writing what he said!)
-my wife who provides for me
-my family
-My 1990 BMW whose windows are stuck rolled down and whose tires screech at the smallest turn, alerting all my classmates whenever I get to school
-That my BMW has not been stolen
-ESPN
-fantasy sports which enable me to live vicariously through my computer screen
-GOLF, GOLF, GOLF, GOLF

Okay, so I may have made up the last three, but they're pretty legit! Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and we love you!

Happy Sushi Birthday!

2008-11-13T17:05:00.000-08:00

For my 26th B-day, instead of a cake, I told Zac I really wanted sushi (not a pregnancy craving I swear!). So he stuck a candle in it and sang me a sweet happy birthday. We went to a MURS concert at Cafe 11 and got to sleep in the next day for Vetran's Day:)

16 Week Belly

2008-11-04T17:05:00.000-08:00

Keep Me Stompin'

2008-10-26T13:59:00.000-07:00

Zac found the sweetest Air Force 1's this weekend and I must say I am a bit jelous. He's always had somewhat of a shoe fetish and got me into the prestige of the Air Force 1. The kids at school absolutely love that I wear them. We love living by such good outlet malls and spent a little too much money this weekend. But we're such tight-wads all other times, we justified it.

Arachniphobia!

2008-10-19T15:55:00.000-07:00

Did you ever watch that old horror movie where these mutant tarantula-like spiders infest the world? I can't believe my parents let me watch that movie as a kid; I had nightmares for weeks. Well, deja-vu! I walked into our bathroom the other night and this little guy was just chilling on the wall. I yelled at Zac, "You better come see this!"

No exaggeration, this spider was as big as the entire palm of Zac's hand. I could hardly sleep, flashbacks of Arachniphobia alive in my mind all night. I kept feeling spider legs scurrying across my face! I flashed this picture before Zac flung a shoe at "Charlotte" and we sent her to porceline bowl heaven.

That "supposed" Pregnancy Glow

2008-10-12T13:31:00.000-07:00

That "pregnancy glow" thing is the biggest farce I've ever heard! Maybe it's just me, but I've broken out with more acne than a hormonal middle-schooler! Today at church, one of my sweet little sunbeams (kids say the darndest things) pointed at my patch of newly-sprouted pimples and asked, "What's that? What's that?" and wouldn't be satisfied until he got an answer. We were practicing the primary program so to quickly pacify him, I said, "They're just mosquito bites." How do you explain acne to a three-year-old? "Oh," he exclaimed, "they're BIG!" Bless his pure little heart!

Besides that, my pregnancy so far has been fantastic and so I consider myself very lucky!

Zac,Me,&...BABY!

2008-10-05T07:56:00.000-07:00

I know, I know...It's about TIME! I would've thought it impossible, with Zac and I being apart from each other for almost two months in the summer, but in a narrow window of time (and I mean extremely narrow!) a miracle happened! I found out two days after Zac left for Idaho and I was all alone in Floriday. I wanted to wait to tell him in person, so I waited THREE WEEKS to tell him!

When I picked him up at the airport, I had hung the "Baby on Board" sign in the back window. When he put is luggage in the trunck, he looked at me like I had suddenly sprouted two heads! He was soooo shocked and incredulous! I don't think he even remembered the ride home from Jacksonville, and he was driving! Needless to say, we are both SO happy and excited to have a sweet little baby to add to our family. On the way home from the airport, we saw a dumb license plate that said "Dardani". We took it as a sign and have been calling our he/she/it baby "Dardani", as a little inside joke. No worries--that won't be it's real name...unless it starts to grow on us!

Right now I'm 12 weeks and Dardani is due April 20th (4/20 and also Hitler's Birthday). No explanation needed, but we WILL NOT have it on our due date!

St. Augustine Lighthouse

2008-09-28T12:27:00.000-07:00

It was a lot of steps, but the view was worth it!

Marijuana Bust!

2008-09-21T16:34:00.000-07:00

Last Friday I had my first official drug bust...in my own classroom! This kid comes to class acting weird. He can't sit still, he keeps saying, "Ms....(big pause)...Ms......(big pause)" and can't finish his train of thought. Soon he puts bright yellow highlighter on his lips like lipstick. He can't sit still and keeps getting up to walk to the garbage can. I mean, this kid is a little weird anyway, but the little alert is going off in my head saying, "this kid is high as a kite." Debating what to do, since I can't say for certain that he's been puffin' the magic dragon, he gets up to go to the garbage can again. This time he's fiddling around in his pocket. I sneak up behind him just as he's pulling out the clear plastic baggie of top-grade mari-jane. BUSTED! I grab him by the arm and say, "Let's go!"

He's a big kid and could've bolted on me, but was way too high to think straight. He knew he was caught and started pulling the weed out of the bag and stuffing it IN his pocket...Idiot! Ironically, there were two girls in the office trying to describe this kid to the principal because he tried to sell pot to them earlier. Then here I come, toting this kid by the arm and they just look at the principal and point at the kid like, "that's him!"

Needless to say, I felt like I won one small battle for the War on Drugs and walked back to my classroom with a little pep in my step. Regardless, I hope I never have to do that again!

School Daze!

2008-09-06T19:10:00.000-07:00

School's back in session and I've been in such a daze trying to memorize 130 student names and get back into the swing of things. Zac started his 3rd semester and life just keeps going on. It's a good thing. I'm grateful for the opportunity to be in Florida; Zac and I have met some great people and have had some invaluable experiences. But I will also be immensely glad to be closer to family and back in the West. I love the mountains and the beautiful natural wonders that are unique to the west.

Anyway, my posts will probably be irregular, but I hope you'll still check in once and awhile. Love you all!

Hurricanes, Husbandless, and other Happenings

2008-09-06T18:57:00.000-07:00

Well, Zac left for Idaho, leaving me alone for three weeks and guess what had to happen: Tropical Storm Fay blew in with all her fury and left me without power for 48 hours! We were lucky to experience no flooding, but it rained and blew for about five days straight. The first day of school was cancelled, but it's not like good ol' Idaho snowdays that miraculously are freebies--No! We have to make up every single day we miss for a hurricane! So we're praying for no more!

Zac had a blast in Idaho, golfing almost every single day. The 5th Annual McKinlay Open was held and Zac ended up with a dignified 2nd. I'd like to think he missed me, but the evidence proves likewise ;) But I sure missed him. There is NO WAY I could ever do that again. It was the hardest thing I've had to do...
The negatives:
-Scary at night
-Your voice gets rusty from being unused
-Sometimes you talk to yourself
-I spent a lot of $$$$ shopping to pass the time :)
-It's lonely in the bed all alone ;(
-You have to pump your own gas and put fluids in your car
The slight positives:
-I got to use every single pillow on the bed for myself
-I could keep the house at the temp I LIKED!
-I spent a lot of $$$$ shopping!
-I could let unlimited farts and not have to pretend like "I never do that"

Friendly Competition

2008-09-06T18:42:00.000-07:00

I got back from Idaho and got to spend two weeks with Zac before he left for Idaho. We went to Sea World and to the #1 ranked mini-golf course in all of Florida (yes it was researched!)... Pirate's Cove. The first nine holes was great and we were enjoying each other's company. Slowly it started to get competetive as I kicked of holes 10 and 11 with two hole-in-ones. I could tell Zac was trying to play it cool and be happy for me, but inside he was burning up. Our competetive natures started to kick in and when he got two hole-in-ones, the game was ON! This was not just a friendly mini-golf game anymore, and the snide comments and jeering started. By hole 15, we were both in a horrible mood, but relentless in our fight for the low score. After I called Zac on a couple of sketchy "gimmies" he was finished. On the last hole, he launched the ball and it ricocheted like a pinball machine. "There, you won, are you happy?" At this point, we both realized how ridiculous and juvenile we'd both been and we busted up laughing. Still, I think we'll avoid mini-golfing for date night for awhile ;)

24th of July!

2008-08-01T12:16:00.000-07:00

Me holding one of my twin cousins. I totally want twins--two cuties for the price of one!

Mom and Branson leg-wrestling. People wonder what we do in Idaho for fun...who needs HD-TV and xbox?

West Yellowstone!

2008-08-01T12:12:00.000-07:00

It is amazing that Old Faithful keeps erupting regularly after all these years. The buffalo were pretty cool too, until one wandered out into the road and then you were stuck behind a huge line of cars that rivals any urban traffic jam!

West Yellowstone!

2008-08-01T12:05:00.000-07:00

I hadn't been to West Yellowstone since I was five, even though it was so close to us. It is absolutely beautiful and unexpected. The natural wonders of the Morning Glory pools and the geysers was a testimony to me of Heavenly Father's creation.

Boating and Fishing

2008-08-01T11:58:00.000-07:00

I love the summer and all the opportunities to be outside. Josh took us wakeboarding in his boat and Ryan and Branson took be fishing on the river. I caught this monster (took me about an hour to reel him in) and tried to let him go but his was already on his last breath. So we stuck him on a stick, rode our bikes back home and cooked him on the grill. It was a good appetizer:)

Visiting Idaho

2008-08-01T11:51:00.001-07:00

We had a McKinlay girl's weekend: went to Rupe's, The Grove, and to The Wizard of Oz at the Mystique Theatre in Pocatello. I had a blast, but I really missed Zac.

Me and My Boo

2008-07-13T16:12:00.000-07:00

Fun with Brad and Shelley

2008-07-13T09:35:00.001-07:00

Brad and Zac having a GAY old time splashing each other with water and giggling in the hot sun.

Eating a cold, crisp watermellon on the Fourth of July, can it get any better?

Put-put golf at Fiesta Falls: the "2nd best mini-golf establishment in Jacksonville area" as researched extensively by Zac. Shelley and Zac both scored two hole-in-ones while Brad sneaked one in as well. Zac came out victorious with me in close second, Brad in third, and Shelley a very impressive fourth.

Taking Noah to the beach!

Happy 4th of July!

2008-07-13T09:24:00.001-07:00

We spent the 4th with the Coates family in Amelia Isand, FL. They rented a beach condo and we had a blast playing with our little nephew Noah, who just turned a year old. We laid out and swam at the beach and ate tons of yummy food. A very funny story that some of you will appreciate who know my picky eating habits. We waited an hour at this restaurant that I REALLY wante to go to (Sliders) but it was raining and the babies needed to eat NOW... so we packed up the cars and waited for Don to announce where we'd eat. We rolled down our window for his instructions and he yells, "Meet us at BEEF-O-BRADY'S!!!"

Amelia Island

2008-07-06T17:04:00.000-07:00

Zac and I picked up Brad and Shelley (Zac's sister) from the airport and we spent the 4th of July on Amelia Isand. It was a blast and I'll have some pictures to post in a little bit. My camera ran out of batteries but Shelley took lots of good pictures. ****** Heide: it's so crazy that you posted a comment, I actually had a bizarre dream about you last night! How weird! In it, we went to our ward here in St. Augustine and you and your family were there. I gave you a huge hug, but you said, "Hang on, I gotta give a talk now." Weird and slightly disconcerting! Anyway, I tried to get on your blog but couldn't. Is the link right? Post again so I can see your blog!!!!!

Big Fat Ant!

2008-06-30T17:44:00.000-07:00

Zac and I were at the beach Saturday soaking up some rays when all of the sudden I felt a horrible PINCH on my bum! I screamed and exposed my hiny for all to see and a nasty little winged-ant fell out. I smashed his anty brains in, but the damage was already done. There will be no photo, for obvious reasons, but I now have a quarter-sized, bright red bump on my gluteus maximus and it itches like the dickens!

2008-06-22T12:40:00.000-07:00

Okay, those masks were starting to scare me, first click of the blog and BAM! There's Zac staring at you with bug eyes, looking like an asylum patient. Speaking of asylums, I have been reading two books about the mentally disturbed and have felt the stirrings of my inner psyche trying to pry out. First I read The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, a brilliant American poet and writer who attempted suicide many times (stuck her head in an oven) and finally accomplished it when she was thirty. Next I read One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey (also a movie for you non-readers) about a beligerant backwoodsman who gets committed to an insane asylum to get out of the prison work farm. This one had me laughing out loud at parts and wincing at others. I swear I'm perfectly normal (but then don't all loonies think so?), I just like to delve in the psychotic once and awhile. Lobotomy anyone?

We Love Summer!!!

2008-06-15T11:23:00.000-07:00

Even though it is perpetual summer here, I'm glad that school's out and I can have a break. The only problem is, what do I do with all this extra time? I am such a busy-body who hates to sit still. Maybe I'll write a novel; maybe I'll become a better blogger; or maybe I'll just lay out at the beach EVERY DAY! To be continued...

In the meantime, Zac is trying to get school out of the way so he can focus his complete attention on the Wasatch. I'm telling you boys, you have some serios competition. Zac's steppin it up a notch this year and you'll all be very surprised at what he has in store. But I will post a few pics just to let you know he means business!

Update

2008-05-12T18:01:00.001-07:00

Zac is now in his 3rd out of 7 semesters of school--next semester we'll be more than half over. He is doing a stellar job and still manages to be pretty much the sweetest husband ever.

I have been having an amazing first year teaching and they've even asked me to be in charge of Journalism next year. This is a huge task that I'm ready to tackle. Nease's newspaper and journalism staff has been winning awards for years, so I have big shoes to fill. We miss everyone and love you guys!

TPC Sawgrass!!!

2008-05-12T17:54:00.000-07:00

Zac and I went to the championship round of TPC Sawgrass and it was awesome!!! We got to see all the big golfers close up (and yes, Adam Scott is a hottie :) We followed Phil Mickelson around for the first nine holes and if you were watching on t.v., you would've seen us on the 6th hole. When he teed off, we were directly in front of him, I could've reached out and touched him. But for all it's worth, he is a really nice, down-to-earth guy. He was even eating a Fig Newton right before he teed off! I could tell Zac was just itchin to talk to him, but all he could muster out was a "Nice hit Phil" when I know he wanted to substitute "Phil" with "man." We couldn't take pictures, but we did see ourselves on t.v. which was awesome!

2008-04-26T18:18:00.000-07:00

Spring Break...FINALLY!!!

We have been like two caged up monkeys for the last month. Zac finally got finished with his second semester on April 16th and luckily that coincided with my Spring Break at school. We kicked it off with a rousing game of mini-golf (Which we totally tied!).

Zac's 28th birthday came right in the middle of final's week. For his birthday, the school gave him three tests and two practicals. HAPPY B-DAY EH! But his wife treated him real good and got him tickets to see The Players Championship at Sawgrass. We can't wait to follow Phil around!

2008-04-26T18:02:00.000-07:00

Old Town St. Augustine:

We rode the trolly all over town and learned a lot about the oldest town in the United States. We experienced the good, the bad and the ugly trolly drivers, but our favorite was T.C. who had a great southern drawl and said "tour" like "tur". It took us a while to realize he wasn't saying "turd"!

Downtown St. Augustine:

The Oldest Jail

At the Lightner Museum

Inlaws: I hate their guts!!! Someone actually spent several hours by firelight weaving this rug. Talk about family issues! Good thing I have the BEST inlaws in the world!

Kelly gets caught looking at a semi-nude painting. You're looking at the raw reaction--candid camera style!

2008-04-26T17:50:00.000-07:00

We went to Amelia Island on Fernandina Beach, FL for two days with Zac's mom and dad. What a beautiful and relaxing island! We decided to stay at The Floriday House, the oldest bed and breakfast in the town.

The definite highlight of Amelia Island was renting scooters and exploring the island.

The harbor at sunset was too romantic for words, but Zac had to ruin it by farting in this picture:)

Sea World

2008-04-26T17:36:00.000-07:00

We had a blast at Sea World Orlando! Nicolette made everyone sit in the splash zone at the dolphin show right in back of a grade school field trip group. We all felt like little kids, squealing when the dolphins soaked us with water!

The weather was absolutely beautiful the whole week, staying between 75 and 80 degrees. Teachers get in free to Sea World so Nicolette got hooked up. Everyone's favorite ride there was Atlantis (Sea World's more intense version of Splash Mountain). Nicolette screamed like a little girl, Zac peed his pants, Penny kept her hands up the whole time, and Kelly managed to answer his phone on the ride:)

Lamo!!!

2008-04-06T12:34:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know I've been totally lame with this blog. I'm sorry ;) Right now we are just trying to stay afloat amid a sea of obligations! Zac is crazy busy with his second semester at PT school and boy do they demand a lot of him! But he is getting so good and learning so much! I'm staying uber busy trying to teach my passion to kids who say, "Reading sucks!" I can't even imagine! These poor children have no clue about the realms of Narnia or Hogworts! What a shame! Zac and I can't wait until spring break in two weeks because Penny and Kelly are coming out to visit!

Winter in St. Augustine

2008-02-09T18:01:00.000-08:00

While it is below zero in Idaho, we are thoroughly enjoying the mild Florida winter.

2008-02-09T17:51:00.000-08:00

2008-01-17T16:42:00.000-08:00

For Ryan Van Winkle: basically like this, except no wood paneling.

Vacation treated us well!

2008-01-08T16:39:00.001-08:00

2008-01-08T16:37:00.000-08:00

2008-01-08T16:36:00.000-08:00

2008-01-08T16:35:00.000-08:00

Zac let's it go to his head

New Beamer

2008-01-08T16:33:00.000-08:00

Moved to Florida, had to do it!

2007-11-24T14:05:00.001-08:00

Ponce de Leon, that ruthless Spanish conquistador (who stood 4'11") was on a quest for the fountain of youth and can you believe he actuall found it? Yeah, us either. But we went anyway to the Fountain of Youth where old Poncie supposedly found the nectar of everlasting life. We drank from the promised well and immediately felt... sick from the sulphuric stench of the water. Oh well, I guess we'll see if it really worked if we live to see 100 (the life expectancy during Ponce's time was 23 years old and so when he lived to see 60, he was convinced he'd found the real fountain of youth!). Oh, p.s., Columbus did not even land in America, he landed in the Caribbean Islands. I don't know why we all have the notion that he landed in Plymoth Rock.

2007-11-24T14:02:00.000-08:00

For my 25th b-day, we went to Universal Studios Orlando and got to see Sponge Bob, Zac's fifth cousin from whom he inherited that irresistable grin.

2007-11-24T13:54:00.000-08:00

We had Lance, Kylee, and Brinlee Clark over for Thanksgiving dinner. This was my first attemt at turkey and it was truly a shout of thanksgiving that I did not poison anyone!
Zac made "gourmet" mashed potatoes and carved that turkey like he was Michelangelo (think Sistine Chapel, not Ninja turtle!).

2007-11-24T13:49:00.000-08:00

Hey Y'all! Greetings from Florida!

2007-11-24T13:29:00.000-08:00

It was a tumultuous day when Zac and I loaded the ol' Accord to the gut-busting brim with all of our earthly possessions and began our perigrination (that means long journey!) to Florida. Zac was to begin his quest for knowlege: anatomy, physiology, palpations, and my favorite--massage! And I was to delve into that mysterious world of teenage hooligans! Together we have had lots of laughs, love, and adventures!