My Valentine

And even though we ain't got money, I'm so in love with ya honey

And verything will bring a chain of love

And in the morning when I rise, bring a tear of joy to my eyes

And tell me everything is gonna be alright

Happy Valentines Day to my husband. We are exact opposites in temperment and personality. He is the epitome of logical reason, while I am ruled by my emotions. I
marvel at how we've managed to make a life together. I'd like to say we understand
each other better as time has gone by. I don't know if that's true. I do know that
when I feel pain or sadness he comforts me and pulls me through. His reassuring
touch is the only thing, save God's love, that can dry my tears and calm my heart. .

My sister made me laugh the other day. She said she hated dating because of how
awkward it could be. It reminded me of the little awkward moments Cam and I had when
we first started dating. I would sit there and think, " Should I be talking? What
should I say?" It's no longer akward but we still sit in silence sometimes. I'll
think to myself that I should be talking to him, we don't get a whole lot of
opportunities to be alone together. But when nothing comes to mind, that's okay.
Sometimes it's nice just to listen to music in the car together, or enjoy a meal
without chatting a lot. We don't have to have meaningful conversations to enjoy each
others company. I guess that's how we are similar. Does that sound boring? I hope
not. It sounds like love to me.

And even though we ain't got money, I'm so in love with ya honey

And verything will bring a chain of love

And in the morning when I rise, bring a tear of joy to my eyes

And tell me everything is gonna be alright

2! And Other Happenings

The Fall has been busy for the Himes Family. Cam is going to school, working full time, and spent half of October away on National Guard Duty. When he is home, he is sleeping because he works the night shift and his days off are spent at the library studying. We do not have a lot of time together which makes the time we have all the more special. Conner is in the chatterbox stage. He still babbles in baby talk but it now includes a real English word here and there. He can say all the letters of the alphabet and recognize most of them in their capital form. He loves to point out bold letters at the begining of paragraphs in my books. He especially loves numbers. When we are at the store he shouts them out for me when he sees price signs. He can count to ten. I love when he says seven because he pronounces it "senen" and four is "fous". He will randomly say letters or numbers in order in little sequences of 3 or 4. The only letter that gives him trouble is W, but lets face it that's a mouthful to say at 2! It used to be bah, then banoon(balloon), now its bah u. I think that's pretty good. It is amazing how he progresses a little every week. He is so stubborn and independent but also so sweet. He will climb on me and give me big hugs and just lay there cuddling. I can ask for a hug or kiss and usually get one. He likes to grab my ears when we are cuddling and then grab my face and sqweeze it. I think I sqweeze him too much, he now thinks that's how you give loves. He is growing so big. Today at the park he wanted to get in the baby swing and his legs hung so low to the ground. When he wanted out I had to take one shoe off because it would get stuck in the leg hole. His feet may be big but he is still a little bean pole and I still celebrate every pound of weight gain. Oh and in September he turned 2!

Ariel and her little dragon before going trick-or-treating


Mama and Conner enjoying each other and the weather.


Goofing around on Daddy's shoulders...









Conner got cupcakes to share with playgroup, an Agent P cake from his Auntie Dani and this robot cake from Oma. He now thinks every baked good including bread is "cake' and it's a favorite word and dessert of his.

Blowing out the candles. Auntie Annie did most of the work...


Opening a present from Auntie Erica.

Phew... what a busy time! He must be exhausted...

Our Legacy in Pictures

So who do you think Conner resembles the most? I periodically get a craving to look through old pictures and try to compare the older generations with the new one. I'm pretty sure I've done a version of this before. But I just can't help myself. People leave many legacies, some physical, some not. Genetics dictates a lot. It's not everything but it's certainly important. Because it's where you came from. An old family photo can tell you quite a bit I think. And weren't we cute?










I see my nose on a face that really resembles Cam. Conner even has that little gap in between his front teeth. I just love his brown eyes with his blond hair. I hope it never darkens. I can't imagine a more lovely face but I'd love to see how our combined genetics looks on a little girl.
I am just bowled over all the time at my good fortune, not just because I revel in his beautiful little face but because of the unique little person he is inside. Execpt for his temper, which I'm sorry to say I think he got from me. I love how similar and dissimilar he is from those that came before and so grateful that he was born into the covenant and has the good fortune to grow up in the gospel. Again, just like his very blessed mommy and daddy.

You Make My Dreams Come True

Thanks to me I'm sure you will get this song stuck in your head. Hall & Oates really got it right with this one. I love it. I heard it on a television show the other night and can't stop singing it. I think it's put me in the right mood to celebrate my upcoming anniversary this weekend. Three years ago Monday Cam and I were married for time and all eternity. We will celebrate by going to the Cheescake Factory, sounds so ordinary but it's so good! Probably an appropriate parallel to our marriage. Though we've made mistakes and as far as I know the Factory can do no wrong. I usually just stick to the Chicken Bellagio though.

"What I want, you've got
And it might be hard to handle
But like the flame that burns the candle
The candle feeds the flame

What I've got's full stock of thoughts
and dreams that scatter
You pull them all together
And how, I can't explain
But You make my dreams come true

When I think back to before Cam and I met it is astounding to see where life has led me since knowing him.In my wildest imagination I couldn't have dramed up all we've been through. I credit our love as a catalyst into real life. Sometimes it feels too real. We both have seen the best and worst of each other and it's been hard. We are very different people. We have not had it easy, stability and security were hard to come by. Raising a child during this time has been challenging.

On a night when bad dreams become a screamer
When they're messin' with the dreamer
I can laugh it in the face
Twist and shout my way out
And wrap yourself around me
'Cause I ain't the way that you found me
I'll never be the same
'Cause You make my dreams come true

But then I think of a picture of Christ hanging in our room given to us by dear friends. It says "I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it." And it really truly is worth it.

I'm down on the daydream
That sleepwalk should be over by now
I know that You make my dreams come true"

This life and love for all it's faults, is a dream come true. I love my husband and can't see a life without him in it. I'm so very grateful for these past three years.

Happy Anniversary Handsome!

I know that You make my dreams come true! And don't let me forget it!

My Baby Brother and My Baby Boy

Conner and I were very lucky to be able to go on a trip to Utah with my parents earlier this month. We went to pick up my brother for a short visit. He is currently in a program for teenage boys who have addictions and behavioral problems. Last year about this time was very difficult for my family. We were afraid my little brother would end up in jail or worse. He was headed down that path at full speed. My parents took him to a boys ranch in July and when that program didn't fit he was transferred to another in Utah.
There is a lump in my throat and tears threatening in my eyes writing this because of how hard this was for me and my family. He was so lost and so changed by the substances he took into his body. It was very frightening. But as time went on he began trying to fight what he had become and he started to win himself back. He started to come back to us emotionally and spiritually. By this trip he was doing very well. He has almost completed high school and the recovery program. He is wise beyond his years and yet he is the brother I knew before the drugs. I have seen the Atonement at work in his life, seen his testimony develop and now he has a relationship with his Father in Heaven like he never did before. I pray for him constantly because his life will be a battle from now on. But he is happy and strong and brave and I love him dearly.

Conner was 10 1/2 months old when my brother went away. He has grown so much since then. He is 20 months today. He says doggie (like da-dee), go, no, uh oh, hey you (like ay you), two, shoe, and three. He is such a busy little bee. Unfortunately we are both sick with colds right now but that doesnt seem to deter him from his hijinks. Oh and just today Cam taught him where his toes and fingers were so we added that to the list of body parts he knows. He also gives kisses now as before he had no interest in it whatsoever. That's just the way he is, an idea has to be his or he'll have none of it. He is tough and messy and smart and I love him dearly as well.

Here are pictures from our trip...


Conner and I on the bleachers at my cousins softball game. It was chilly for us desert dwellers!


Siblings, can't you tell? He is so tall it is getting akward to hug him but that didn't stop me from doing it anyway.


My cousin and Conner. He takes to her immediately, no matter how much time has past since he last saw her. She just has that kind of warm and caring personality babies are drawn to. I admire and adore her.


On a hike...my first in a long time...phew!


Grandpa put Conner on his shoulders but also helped him walk a little too.


He conquered that rock edifice behind him and so did my mom. They got all the way to the top!


Conner reading in the car. He loved his new books Grandma got him for the trip.


Doesn't this one melt your heart a little?


And now that your heart is soft...this one ought to finish the job and make it mush!


Here is Conner on his Auntie's birthday, helping her blow out the candles! Originally this post was going to be just about him (because 99.9% of them are) but then I guess I got inspired to share a little about my baby brother.

Bookworms

I'm sure that I've mentioned before how much I enjoy reading. I am an avid bookworm, always have been, always will be. To keep myself from re-reading the Harry Potter series over and over and over again I joined a book club. Well, lets be honest, I'll still read Harry a gazillion times but at least with book club I'm reading a variety of different authors and styles. I'm sure my battered HP books are grateful for the respite, however breif it is. I absolutely LOVE my book club. We gather once a month, taking turns hosting and picking the book. It's a small group and more are welcome but be warned, we don't just talk about the books. We talk about EVERYTHING! It is one night a month that I really look forward to.

I'm going to do my own version of Goodreads here (If you love books like me you should be on this site) and tell you a little about the books we've read so far. Hopefully I can inspire more book clubs to spring up wherever you are. Or just go check these titles out for yourself. We mainly try to pick easy to find books that can be checked out at our local libraries. Between all of us ladies we frequent about 5 of them. The best part? It's free!

In September we formed our book club and started with this book...



It's a historical fiction novel about a woman who settles in the Tuscon,AZ area with her family way back when the town I live in now was just a tiny settelment with a different name. I don't like the whole star-rating thing it seems a little too abstract to me so I'll grade this one instead. I'm thinking an A-. The writing style takes a little getting used to because it is written as an uneducated woman's diary.



Octobers was a book about a lady detective in Africa. I petered out of the series around book 9 (there are 11) but I'll come back to it because it was a lot of fun to read! This one deserves an A.



I chose this one. My mother-in-law recomended it to me. It was in the form of letters, which I loved. The book takes place after WWII in London and the Channel Islands. It's about the occupation of Guernsey. This one gets an A too. Oh and it's full name is The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society but don't let that stop you for reading it.



Oh boy this one sounded so interesting but I could not even get through it. I don't recomend it even though the same person who wrote it wrote WICKED. Which is now a hit broadway show. I don't dare read the book version after this Stepsister book that had a great concept, but crazy dull execution. I'd say an F for this one.



This was our first non-fiction. It's about where our food comes from in America and the dilemma that is trying to find something to eat. I picked over some chapters choosing what interested me the most, but I'll tell ya, I'll never look the same way at corn or a chicken nugget. Non- fictions aren't my favorite so I'll give this one a B+.



The Witch of Blackbird Pond was great. I got really into it. I'd say an A+ for this one. It's a jouvenile fiction about a girl who goes to live with relatives in Puritan New England.Short and sweet and kinda powerful.



I chose March's book. It's Christian fiction novel about an Episcopalian rector and his parish. Another A+ for this one. It was an uplifting read.



Our second non-fiction. I completely clicked with all she said in the section on toddler eating. This book helped me so I give it an A-. It's no novel after all...



This is our May book. I haven't made any conclusions on it since I'm only thirty pages into it. I'll let you know!

So we've read two non-fictions, four historical fictions, a jouvenile fiction, a christian fiction, and a fantasy that read more like a historical fiction. Three male authors so far. If you have any suggestions I'd be happy to hear them, I'm supposed to host again in July!

Soaked II

I just had to post the rest of the photos from Conner playing in the hose. It was too cute and funny. I think some of these are pretty good.