Life as we know it.

I love Iowa for so many reasons. We have felt right at home. As I was stating in my last post, Poose has started to walk, but the silly girl will only take 5-7 steps then sit down. She will take a couple steps, stop, look around, take a few more, stop, look around, then another, then sit down. Yeah, I think she is just too lazy to walk. Just like she still is not talking. Crazy girl. She either squeals, yells, or simply shakes her head. She loves to be outside, and amazingly enough she loves to crawl up the slide, then slide back down, and yes, she goes up the stairs on the slide by herself. Seems to me like I have another daredevil on my hands. She is such a sweet girl though. She will crawl over, put her head down on my lap, shoulder, arm, or head. Snuggle in for about oh, 2 or 3 seconds, then go play. A couple minutes later, she returns for another short lived but sweet snuggle. Oh yes, one thing that she does say is "Hi Mama!" Yes, TWO words. She probably thinks they are one though.
Zach got her up from bed one morning, and when they came into the room, she squealed and said, "Hi mama!" I thought it was Carla because she said it as clear and day. I turned to look and it was my little pumpkin! I couldn't believe it! Zach couldn't either! She is growing up so stinking fast. Grrr! I don't like it. I am so guilty of not taking advantage of every moment, every second soaking up her giggles, smiles, laughs, cries, and times of sheer contentment. I try look look at her, examine her as much as I can every day so that I can commit her perfect little self to memory. A memory so ingrained in my mind that even when I'm 102 I'll be able to think back and see her as clearly as I see her today. I love my little baby more than words can express. Poose, you are so dear to my heart sweetheart. Know that you and your sister are my greatest treasure.

I will be better....

I can't believe it has been so difficult for me to blog/ write in my journal. I will be so much better. I have had so many blessings in my life in these last 3 months in Iowa that it would be very ungrateful for me to not document them for my posterity. I am grateful to my Heavenly Father for allowing me to have so many wonderful experiences with my family and loved ones. So much has happened here. Poose had her 1 year birthday palooza, a new niece was born (Stella), Carla loves nursery, we have made lifelong friends, Poose is starting to walk, etc... Details on these events are to come!

Our new home!

We made it to Iowa. Boy oh boy was it a lot of drama to get here too! So we had everything ready to come, the U-Haul was reserved and the tow dolly. Then Tamara called and asked if her brother could come with us. We were thrilled because that way we would not need the tow dolly because Jesse could drive one of the cars. Everything was going great. It is now been almost three months since I started this post, so to recap. Jesse couldn't come because his dad had a 2 day long heart attack. The day before we left we packed up the truck, then unpacked it because we had too much stuff and couldn't bring it all, then packed it again. We drove out here, it took us three days. I left my wallet at a gas station. About an hour later we got a call from Mountain America Credit Union. Some NICE man found my wallet on the ground, called the customer service number on the back of my debit card, and they called me to give me his number so we could meet. We met, and I was eternally grateful to have my wallet back, but sadly someone stole over $200 cash from it. Count your losses though, right? Now, here we are three months later and loving it!!

Am I crafty enough?

Thinking about doing an Etsy site. If you saw these, would you buy them? If so, which ones?

Not my children!

Picture this. Zach in the bathroom (don't picture this), hearing Carla saying, "Ouch, ouch, nose, ouch." Then she starts crying, "Stuck, owie, stuck nose, help, ayuda porfavor!" Zach finishes up (don't picture), goes into her room and she is in her crib saying that her nose hurts. Zach thinks, oh maybe she just has a booger stuck up her nose. So he has her blow her nose, and lo and behold, a bead comes out of each one of her nostrils! Gross!!!! One of them was even bloody. What in the world posses children to stick things up their nose?? I don't understand. But then again, some grown ups have a fascination with sticking their fingers up their nose. Sorry no picture of either scenario.

Book of Mormon Stories is...

Carla's new favorite song. We sing it all day long, especially before bedtime and naptime, and of course every Family Home Evening- along with Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam. It is so stinking cute! What a cutie pie.

That is "kitty" doing Book of Mormon Stories with her. Kitty is Carla's best friend. He does everything with her. She got Kitty from Grandma Roberts for her 1 year birthday and she is still in love with him.

The move...

So about 4 months ago, on a nice Friday afternoon, Zach comes home from work. It was great to see him. Then we all went as a family to Wendy's for a bite to eat. He looked a bit pensive, so I asked him what he was thinking. He then asked me a question, "Could you see me as a chiropractor?" My response, "Why are you asking?" His states, "I think I want to be a chiropractor." In shock I say, "WHAT?!? You have wanted to be an orthodontist since you were 3! Are you sure this is what you want to do?" He very seriously says, "Yes, it is." So I call my brother who is at Palmer Chiropractic College in Davenport, Iowa. I tell him what we are thinking. I sent him Zach's transcript via e-mail, he takes it in that day to the admissions guy. Monday we get an e-mail that everything is a go for him to start in November. Wait what!!! NOVEMBER!! Yup, that was what he said. So we sent official transcript, filled out other paperwork and got started on finding a place to live, etc...

A couple days later, Tamara, my friend and sister in law, called that she found us a place to live. Lo and behold everything went through and now we are moving into a town home that is 1700 sq. feet and we are only going to pay $620 a month! Amazing, absolutely amazing! After some drama here and there, we decided to still move for July 1st but not start the program until March. Zach has to take a couple classes at the community college there before he can start school and so instead of him starting the classes July 11, he isn't going to start until Fall semester. It will be nice so that we have some time as a family before the craziness of grad school starts, especially since he has been going year round for the past 3 years. So to make things short, we leave for Iowa on Wednesday and hope to be there on Thursday.

This is what my house is looking like now.

Yes, Carla is watching Blue's Clues. I regret ever putting it on for her. That is all she wants to watch, and because I'm packing like a mad person, she watches TV. Yes I know I'm not sticking to my TV rule (TV watching only on Sat and Sun). Oh well. Desperate times call for desperate measures. I 'm so excited to move though!! We'll get to be 5 min away from Jorge and Tamara and the kids. It will be so great to have Carla so close to cousins. Tamara, who was my friend before she was my brother's wife is super crafty, like me! YAY!!! A crafting partner, finally! So Zach baby, thanks for turning my world upside down!

Sister Bath in the

Kitchen Sink??? Yup, they are in the kitchen sink taking baths. I first put the baby in, not uncommon, because she needed a bath and Carla was eating lunch, and I didn't want to leave either of them alone. So I put the baby in the sink. Then, Carla was adamant that she wanted to join in the fun, so she finished eating her lunch and went in the other sink. They make me laugh.

Sincere Prayers...

So, lately Carla has started to say "real" prayers. She has been asking for what she really wants and needs, and being grateful for real things. She just makes my heart melt. Some the the things that she has included in her prayers are as follows:

Please mommy so Carla Winnie Pooh poop

Translation: Please let mommy let me watch Winnie the Pooh

Bless Daddy homework

Translation: Bless Daddy at school and at work whichever one he is at

Thank you toes

Translation: Thank you for my toes

Please Singa mimis, mommy mimis, daddy mimis, Carla mimis

Translation: Please bless each one of us that we can go to sleep (mimis)

Please Bita and Wito come here

Translation: Please let Grandma and Grandpa Barrientos come see me

These are some of her please and thank yous. Goodness she is smart! It also got me to thinking. She really prays for what she wants, even though she is so young, she understands that Heavenly Father is listening to her and cares about the simple things. Do I have that kind of faith? Do I pray for the small things that concern me, or just for those life altering decisions that need to be made? Carla tells Heavenly Father EVERYTHING she does during the day, that we went outside to play, that she had eggs for breakfast, that she played with her toys, why don't I? She has such a sweet, innocent, and sincere relationship with her Father in Heaven. I am grateful that I have the opportunity to see why the Lord said to become like a little child. Their relationship with Father is sincere and simple. Something I need to work on. Thank you for your wonderful example mi hija!