The Stanley Scoop

California Trip

2010-03-03T18:53:00.000-08:00

The day before we flew out to California, BJ's dad had a layover in Cincinnati and was able to stay with us one night. It was so much fun to go out to dinner with him and talk with him for the evening. Before Drake went to bed we turned off all the lights and played "hide and go seek" with grandpa! It was so much fun! The three boys are relaxing in this picture while they are watching "Thomas the Train." The next morning (2/24/10) we all got up really early and drove to the airport. We had to fly out to CA at 8:00 and grandpa had to fly out at 9:30. It was fun to be able to spend time with grandpa! Drake was so excited b/c we bought him a "Diego" back pack to take on the airplane. He loved to pull it behind him...it was pretty cute!

It has been so fun being in California with my family. I wish we didn't live so far away! Drake, BJ, and I got here last Wed. BJ left today (Sunday) to go back to Cincinnati and Drake and I are staying until Wed. It is such a long flight that we usually don't come unless we can stay for at least one week. I am sad that BJ had to leave but it will be fun to stay a few more days. We had Cole come and play with Drake on Thurs, Fri and Sat. On Saturday Keri came with Kaleb to come hang out for the night. I always enjoy talking with Keri. Drake had a lot of fun playing with Cole. It is crazy watching two 2 yr olds! They both run opposite directions. They enjoyed chasing each other and stealing each other's toys. Cute boys!

It was so wonderful to see both mom and dad give lessons on Sunday. Keri and I went to dad's lesson in the morning while mom watched the boys...thanks mom! The lesson was on recognizing/feeling the spirit. It was wonderful. I always feel energized when I listen to my parents teach/speak b/c they are so inspiring. After dad's lesson we went home and rescued mom from the boys and then went to listen to mom give her gospel doctrine lesson. She is a great teacher and her lesson was awesome about Lot and Abraham. On Monday we went to Keri's house to visit for the day. It was fun to see all her new decorations and projects that she is involved in. She is so talented and has such a cute family! Drake acts like he is at Disneyland when he visits Keri's house. There are fun boys to be with and a huge playroom that he loves. He talks about Keri's house even when he leaves. He enjoys Hunter (their huge lab) and calls him "Clifford the big Red dog!" Drake had so much fun with his cousins!

The Girls! We had fun hanging out together. I sure wish we lived closer!

King's Island

2009-09-19T22:00:00.001-07:00

King's Island is an amusement park that is about 10-15 minutes away from our house. Today was a free day for all Procter and Gamble employees and families. It was really fun! Drake is still a little bit young for the rides and I think that he was blessed with my sensitive stomach. We first tried the carousel. Drake was really excited to ride the horse until the carousel turned on and the horse went up and down. He grabbed on to me and wrapped his legs around my waist. I ended up holding him for the whole ride. Drake liked riding the train and driving the yellow jeep. We put him on a little kiddie (for very small kids!) ride (pictured above). It just went around in circles and sped up when it went around one side. Drake was with a little boy that was younger than him who started crying as soon as the ride started. This made Drake start to cry and soon both boys were screaming and crying. Each time Drake past us he would scream "mommy, daddy!" It broke my heart and I was a little mad that they didn't stop the ride. As soon as the ride stopped Drake jumped up out of his seat belt and tried to get out of the car. BJ had to jump the fence to grab Drake before he fell out. Ummmm.....not trying that again! We felt so bad!

Drake liked the really slow rides where he could drive the jeep! Maybe next season we'll try him again on the kiddie rides. Drake has a really serious face in this picture. We call this face his "tricycle face" because he first made it when he was riding a tricycle at Grandma and Grandpa Stanley's house. We were pushing him on the tricycle and we knew he was having a lot of fun but he didn't even smile. He just had a very serious look on his face...like "don't bother me I am working hard at having fun!" When he is having a lot of fun he will make this face. Funny boy!

BJ's Airforce half marathon

2009-09-19T22:00:00.000-07:00

BJ competed in a half marathon at the Air force base in Dayton. It was a really neat race b/c it was right on the air force base. Drake loved to see all the planes! I was going to run in the 10k but it was too hard with Drake to have us both run in it. BJ ran the race with our friend Scott Lee. Scott and BJ left really early to get to the race on time. There were so many people running it that it took them 2 hours to finally get there and park. The gun had already gone off for the start of the race so they just ran straight from their car! Aimee (Scott's wife) and her three kids and I came up a little later to meet the guys. We got to ride in school buses to the entrance of the race. Drake loved riding in the bus.

BJ did a really good job! He did the race in about an hour and a half. Pretty good pace! Watching BJ come in made me want to race! It was fun being a spectator though!

Cincinnati Children's Museum

2009-09-09T22:00:00.000-07:00

The children's museum is awesome! Drake and I have a year pass and try to go a couple times a month. Drake has so much fun there. There are so many things to play with and do that help Drake learn and grow. We have been to dinosaur, egyptian, and train exhibits that they have had there. We even got to see small bats that were brought out to show the children. Drake really likes the underground cave exhibits.
Drake loved to splash and play in the water...I am glad they had special waterproof robes for the kids.

Drake is working hard to gather the rocks and put them in the back of the truck.

When we go to the museum I fix Drake a lunch to eat in the car on the way home (it is the only way to keep him awake). He loves to eat his sandwich while we are driving home.

Our Garden

2009-08-28T20:18:00.000-07:00

We worked really hard to plant our garden. We planted tomatoes, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, watermelon, cantaloupe, carrots and cabbage. This was our first garden so we knew we would learn a lot from this experience. We ended up with a lot of potatoes, tomatoes and carrots. I think next time we will start a little sooner (we started late b/c we moved in at the end of March). One of the best parts about the garden was the family time it created for us. Drake loved to help us in the garden in the evenings. The weather was nice in the evenings so when BJ got home from work we would be outside working in the garden/yard until it was time to put Drake down to bed. We got to know our neighbors better because they were out in their yards also.

Drake loved to eat the carrots straight from the garden. We would pick them and then wash them off with the garden hose.

Home in California

2009-08-17T20:04:00.000-07:00

Drake loves Grandpa and Grandma!

Grandpa and Grandma Parkinson at their home in Folsom. We were watching a movie together.

We went to Keri's house in Pittsburg while we were visiting in California. It is nice to have her close to mom and dad so we can see her family when we visit them. Drake loved playing at their house. Keri has 5 kids - 4 boys. Drake was in heaven with all the toys and kids to play with.

Grandpa with Cole and Drake. Cole is only 4 months older than Drake. They are good buddies.

Drake and Dallin

2009-08-17T19:57:00.000-07:00

Big Smile! Drake loved to play with Dallin while we were in California for Tanner's wedding reception. I hope that Drake can grow up just like Tanner and Dallin.

Drake and his cousins

2009-08-15T22:00:00.001-07:00

At Tanner and Kate's reception in CA there was a cute table and bench set up next to the family"line." Drake thought they were the neatest things ever. He loved that the bench because it was just his size. It was actually kind of nice because he would sit on it for awhile at a time and then I was able to talk to people.
Cute boy!

Drake and Kelsi. Poor Kelsi is the only girl cousin. Maybe someday we'll have some more! Look at all that blonde hair! Kelsi is so sweet and really is a great older sister to her many younger brothers. She will be an awesome mother one day.

Drake and Caleb. Those two were crazy together. Drake thought he was in "boy" heaven with Keri's 4 boys. I think it took a week for him to finally calm down after we got back to Cincinnati.

Look at those smiles....somewhat mischievious!

Tanner and Kate's reception in CA

2009-08-15T22:00:00.000-07:00

It was really fun to go back to California and see friends and family at the reception. Grandma and Grandpa Parkinson, Gayle and Spencer Parkinson, & Brad and Nancy Muncy & family were all there to celebrate! The reception and luncheon was at a new chapel in Folsom and it went really well. My mom did a beautiful job decorating...with the help of some friends and ward members. There was a live bird in a birdhouse, live harp music, and really yummy treats. Tanner and Kate are so happy. It was fun to celebrate this wonderful occasion together. Just a side note....BJ wasn't really there...he was "photoshopped" into the picture :)

Here are the 4 kids! Dallin, Joni, Keri, and Tanner. We had a wonderful time being together.

I love my sister. We have so much fun together. She is an amazing mother/person and I have so much to learn from her. My sister has such a great heart and it seems that anything she touches turns to "gold!" My mom and my sister give me such great advice, especially about parenting, I would be lost without them.

Site seeing and visiting Tesia in D.C.

2009-08-08T22:00:00.000-07:00

Tesia was living in Washington D.C. for an internship over the summer for law school. She worked for the S.E.C. We were really excited to be able to visit her while we were out there for Tanner's wedding. Drake was so excited because Tesia brought him some skittles. Whenever he eats skittles he talks about Tesia. Tesia was our tour guide around the city. It was really nice to spend time with her and see D.C.
Tesia was excited to take us to the science museum. Drake loved the airplanes!

There are so many things to see in Washington D.C. We needed to spend a few more days there to see everything we wanted to. I love seeing the different monuments and hold a special place in my heart for those who have made it possible and those who continue to make it possible for us to live in a free country.

More of Tanner and Kate's Wedding

2009-08-07T22:05:00.000-07:00

This picture is so sweet! Drake loves his grandma and grandpa!
Brady Stathem, Tanner & Dallin Parkinson. Handsome boys! Dallin is the only eligible bachelor now!

Tanner and Kate's Wedding

2009-08-07T22:00:00.001-07:00

BJ, Drake, and I traveled to Washington D.C. for Tanner and Kate's wedding. We were excited that we only had to fly for about an hour to see family. Since we have moved to Cincinnati it takes all day to travel to see family on the West Coast. We love Kate and her family and are so happy that she is now a part of ours. Tanner and Kate are perfect for each other. Her family lives in Virginia (close to D.C.) which fits Tanner perfectly because he is so patriotic and has such a profound love and respect for this country. They are like "two peas in a pod!" They are a beautiful couple and will conquer the world together.

I love this picture! They are so cute there! You can tell on Tanner's face that nothing in the world matters to him at that moment except that Kate is next to him....so cute!

Tanner and Kate were sealed together for eternity in the L.D.S. Washington D.C. temple. It is a beautiful temple. It is funny b/c Keri and Chris were sealed there when they were married. Chris's family is from Virginia Beach. It was a "walk down memory lane" for them watching Tanner and Kate get sealed in the very same temple they were sealed in. This temple is one of my favorites. When our family lived in Virginia Beach for 4 years this was the temple my parents would go to. I was too young to go inside back then so it was nice to be able to see the inside this time. It is beautiful and of course so peaceful. Kate's younger sister watched Drake during Tanner and Kate's sealing. It was really nice to sit next to BJ and be in the temple with our family and friends.

Unfortunately in this picture Drake isn't too excited about standing still. He wanted to get down and run around....I don't blame him...it was a long day! The colors Kate picked out for her wedding were beautiful. It all came together really nice. Her reception was held at a beautiful white mansion. There was a separate area for dancing and eating. The food was so yummy and beautifully displayed.

I really miss living close to the "boys." I used to see them at least 3-4 times a month when we were all living in Utah. It was really hard to leave them. They are such great examples to Drake. Maybe someday we can all live close to each other!

Fun with family in the Hotel

2009-08-06T22:00:00.000-07:00

These boys (Drake and Cole) were best buddies. They were quite a pair. What Drake couldn't do...Cole could...this was a definite recipe for disaster. It was funny to watch them together. Drake and Cole were always trying to get into the elevators to go for a ride. Drake couldn't reach the buttons to open the doors so Cole would push them and the two of them would run into the elevator as fast as they could. Fortunately we caught them before anyone got away!

We were able to enjoy a little relaxation before Tanner and Kate's reception. We all had so much fun together. This was a great reunion. We don't get to all be together very often. I love being with my family...they are my best friends!

Look at these good looking boys! It was hot outside so it felt really good to get in the water.

Happy Birthday BJ!

2009-07-24T19:43:00.000-07:00

Happy 32nd birthday BJ! BJ was out of town on his birthday and I had to work that evening. We celebrated BJ's birthday a few days later with a yummy cake and some steaks on our new grill. Our 6 year anniversary (7/10/09) and BJ's birthday were during really stressful times for us. I started my hospital orientation for Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center on July 6th and have had to work 30-40 hours a week. We were blessed to have wonderful girls in the ward who babysat Drake and helped us out a lot. It ripped my heart out to leave my family that much but my managers were wonderful and were really flexible with my schedule and let me work the bare minimum to orient. I knew it would only last a short time (a few months) and then I would be able to only work 8 hours a week (one 3-11pm shift). I received a few priesthood blessings during that time and new that things would be ok and that it would be a blessing for our family for me to continue to work a little bit and keep my license. I work on the med/surg floor with ages birth -12 years old. It is a very fast-paced floor and I learn a lot every time I work. After orientation finished I have been able to work just one 8 hour shift (3-11pm) a week and I even get to pick the days I work. I have to work at least 36 hours in 6 weeks. It is a perfect job for a mommy! Also, BJ really enjoys the "boys night out" when mommy is a nurse. BJ tells Drake that I am a nurse and am helping the sick little babies. BJ takes such good care of Drake and they have a lot of fun together.
It was finally time to throw out the dried roses from the bouquet that BJ gave me when we got engaged. I have kept them this long...thanks to my roommate Kate Barlow who dried them out for me. I couldn't bare to have BJ throw them out but he insisted it was time. I told him he could as long as we took a picture of them first! So...here they are. BJ is a wonderful husband. I couldn't have asked for anything better. BJ works so hard for us to have a good life and I really appreciate all that he does for us. I love you BJ!

Red, Rhythm & Boom - 4th of July Celebration

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

The city of Mason had a really neat festival for the 4th of July. There were all sorts of military trucks, fire engines, and police cars there for the kids to climb in and look at. There was a man that jumped out of an airplane with a parachute, music, yummy food and great fireworks. We met the Manwarings there and the kids ran around and played together.

Drake loved to drive the big "army trucks." I couldn't help but think of Tanner & Dallin when they were little. They would have loved to see all of these trucks. I loved to see all the military service men and women there. My heart goes out to all those serving for our country. I have such deep gratitude for those that have made...and continue to make it possible for us to live in a free country

After the Red, Rhythm & Boom celebration we took Drake home and watched the fireworks in our neighborhood. We were amazed at how many professional fireworks we could see just sitting on our driveway. We counted 7 fireworks shows going on at one time in the sky. I am not sure what kinds of fireworks are illegal here....we sure saw a lot of really cool ones!

Happy 30th Bday Joni!

2009-06-26T19:17:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I am already 30! Wow time flies. For my birthday we went out to dinner with our really good friends -Matt and Trisha Manwaring. Matt's birthday is in June so we celebrated both our birthdays. We have met such wonderful people here. Matt and Trisha go to our church and are in our same ward. When we moved in Matt was Elder's Quorum Pres. and called BJ to be the 2nd counselor. (Months later BJ was called to be Elder's Quorum Pres. and Matt was called into a stake calling). We have really enjoyed spending time with them and Drake loves their two children - Claire and Noah. Trisha and I enjoy taking the kids to different parks and community events together.

Swimming

2009-06-24T22:00:00.000-07:00

Drake loves the water! He is a natural...it makes his mommy proud! He loves to splash and jump in the water, blow bubbles and even put his head all the way under.
Drake and I took a mom and tot swimming class. I really enjoyed swimming with him. He was the youngest in the class and the instructors were amazed at what he would do. The water was really cold so I was surprised at how well he did. Some days I wasn't sure if I wanted to get in! It took about 20 minutes to get home from swimming and I didn't want Drake to fall asleep in the car and not take a nap when we got home. I fixed him a lunch to eat on the way home and he loved it! He loved to get in the warm shower after the cold pool and change into his clothes and eat his special lunch in the car. It worked....he didn't fall asleep until after we got home!

I love this picture of Drake. His cute smiling face after swimming lessons. He is waiting to get into the warm shower and eat his lunch in the car. What a sweet boy.

Yep....he's still got it!

2009-06-10T20:00:00.000-07:00

Yep....he's still got it! He can fit a whole golf ball in his mouth! He tried this first when he was really little. It shocked me at first to see the whole ball in his mouth and I ran over to him to see if he was ok. It didn't do any damage except that he needed my help prying it out of his mouth. I didn't stop him b/c he couldn't swallow it and he loved to carry it in his mouth when he crawled around. When Drake was crawling, his mouth was a third hand. He would carry everything in his mouth so that he could crawl with both his hands faster and more efficiently. When Drake grew teeth it became a little more difficult for him to put the whole ball in his mouth...but he still figured it out!

A Visit from Grandpa Stanley

2009-06-09T22:00:00.000-07:00

Grandpa Stanley gave Drake an Elmo outfit that Grandma bought him. He was really excited to wear it! Drake loved having Grandpa visit us.

We took grandpa to the park that we take walks at to show him the big catfish and the little ducklings. Drake likes to put cheerios in the water to make the big catfish come to the top so we can see them.

Of course....grandpa had to try out the new lawn mower also. Thanks for visiting us grandpa! We love you!

Golf Tournament in Columbus

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

The cool golfers! We were so excited to see Tiger Woods play in this tournament. BJ's dad was supposed to go with BJ but things didn't work out so Drake and I went. Word to the wise....don't take small children to famous golf tournaments. Drake didn't quite understand the "rules of golf." We ended up trading off with Drake to keep him as far away from the golfers as possible. It didn't help that it was really hot outside. It was a great experience though and really fun to see the golfers in person. We got to say hi to Tiger - he didn't want to talk to us though...he had his game face on! ...or maybe he was just upset for all the dumb things he was doing to ruin his family?!

Tiger putting the ball.

Fun day! We are all a little tired though. Note: Drake is wearing his cute golf outfit...I love it!

The "SQUEAKS"

2009-06-04T20:00:00.000-07:00

Drake... a.k.a. "the squeaks!" What a character he is! BJ has called him "the squeaks" ever since he was just a few weeks old. We knew when he was awake b/c instead of crying he used to squeak...eh, eh, eh! I told Drake to smile big for the camera...and this is what he came up with.

Haircut

2009-06-04T12:43:00.000-07:00

Drake was so patient. BJ was excited to give him a "buzz" for the summer.

He wasn't quite sure about wearing the big cape...but he kept it on pretty well for us.

The Cincinnati Zoo

2009-05-30T17:00:00.001-07:00

Cute Boy!

BJ made sure they washed their hands very thoroughly after the petting zoo!

Drake was pretty tired...long day!

The Cincinnati Zoo! After BJ 's 10K race he cleaned up a little bit...and we were off to the zoo. Since the zoo was only a few minutes away from the race we decided to check it out. Drake loved all the animals! The zoo was huge and it took us the rest of the day to see it all. We rode the train around the park and got to see zebras, flamingos, and even lions. Drake liked watching the monkeys swing around their trees and he also loved the alligators. It was fun to watch Drake pet the goats and other farm animals in the "children's petting zoo."

10K Race with P&G team - May 2009

2009-05-30T17:00:00.000-07:00

BJ had a 10K race that he did with his P&G coworkers that finished in the Cincinnat Reds Stadium. It was fun to meet his coworkers and see a little bit more of downtown Cincinnati. BJ did awesome...Drake and I had fun watching for him to come in. BJ runs so fast that we had to run as quick as we could, fighting the crowds of people, from the start line to the finish line to make sure we made it there before he did! Yes...it is hard being a spectator too! The "post race" party was interesting. I have never been to a race where there were endless lines of "finishers" waiting for free beer, hotdogs and pizza....Cincinnati!? Possibly not the healthiest state in the nation.

Playing in the Yard

2009-05-01T11:26:00.000-07:00

We are so excited to have a yard! We have waited a long time. Drake loves to ride around on the lawn mower. I am not sure who is more excited to mow the lawn...BJ or Drake! We are excited to have a garden also. This is our first garden and I am sure that we will learn a lot from it. After BJ gets home from work we spend the rest of the evening playing in the yard. Drake loves to play baseball and hit off his little tee. It has been nice getting to know our neighbors better. When the weather is nice it seems that everyone is outside. We have about 14 kids on our street under the age of 5. It is great!

Birthday Celebration in April 2009

2009-04-29T22:30:00.000-07:00

There were a few birthdays in April in the West Chester Relief Society so we decided to celebrate "big!" This was really fun for me because it gave me a chance to get to know some of the other ladies in the ward. There are wonderful people in our ward. I have enjoyed getting to know them! It was Rachel Chalk's idea to pull everything together. We rented a limo that took us to dinner and then drove us around downtown Cincinnati so we could talk and have snacks and drink...apple cider! We went to Trish Manwaring's house afterward for cake and ice cream. We had a blast!

No More Braces or Head Gear!

2009-04-20T20:02:00.000-07:00

Ok, so this isn't the prettiest picture I have ever taken....

but I post it in celebration that I don't have to wear head gear or braces anymore. Drake and I went back to Utah in April and Dr. McMillan removed my braces and said I was done with the hideous head gear. Yeah...I feel like a new woman. My TMJ therapy is still moving right along...at a snail's pace. It is really hard to get to appointments now that we are in Cincinnati. I will hopefully be able to be finished soon.

Utah Visit in April 2009

2009-04-18T20:54:00.000-07:00

Drake and I had a lot of fun visiting my grandparents in Logan before Tanner's graduation. We don't get to see my grandparents very often. Drake had a lot of fun playing in their playroom downstairs. After Tanner's graduation Drake and I got to stay with Grandpa and Grandma Stanley again before we flew home. It sure was fun to visit with them. Tesia and Taylor came to visit us also. It was nice to see so much family on this visit. It was hard to say goodbye! Hopefully some day we can live closer to them.

Tanner's Graduation

2009-04-18T20:43:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Tanner and Kate! Drake and I were able to fly back to Utah for Tanner's graduation from BYU. Tanner and Kate were dating (they are now married!) so it was fun to meet Kate's family also. Keri flew in from CA "solo" (which doesn't happen very often) and Dallin is out in Utah going to school still so we got to have a mini family reunion. Drake and I had a lot of fun hanging out with my parents, Keri, Dallin, Tanner and Kate.

Upstairs

2009-04-13T06:14:00.000-07:00

Upstairs hallway, Drake's room, Guest bedroom, Playroom, Laundry room, Drake's bathroom, Master bedroom, Master bathroom

Our basement!

2009-04-13T06:05:00.000-07:00

Dining room, Living room and Stairs

2009-04-12T19:33:00.000-07:00

Kitchen and Family Room

2009-04-12T19:16:00.000-07:00

Moving into our new house!

2009-04-12T19:02:00.000-07:00

Moving into our new house!

2009-04-12T18:58:00.000-07:00

Sad Goodbyes

2009-04-12T18:47:00.000-07:00

2009-04-12T18:40:00.000-07:00

"Whirlwind move to Cincinnati!"

2009-04-12T17:22:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Cincinnati! Wow...we just barely got our internet hooked up on Thursday. I finally feel like I am reconnected with the world. It has been a while since I posted a blog...but I really do have a good excuse. At the end of February BJ was offerred a great job opportunity with his same company (Procter and Gamble) in Cincinnati (P&G's "hub"). Everything happened so fast. BJ only had a phone interview and was offerred the position...they wanted him to start work in 3 wks (end of March). He switched from pharmaceuticals to being on the febreeze team in the general offices downtown. He has a lot to learn but is really enjoying his job so far. He is excited for the challenge and was ready for a change. Speaking of change.....we are out of the basement in Utah! We loved being in Utah but knew that change was coming. We outgrew the little basement we were living in and are now in a beautiful new home that we are really excited about.

About a week and a half after we found out we were moving we flew out to Cincinnati to look for places to live. We were open to renting or buying. We just had a prayer in our hearts and looked for the place that we felt we were supposed to move. We only had 4 days to find a place to live. Poor Drake ate, slept, and played in the car 4 days straight. After we spent all day (12-13 hours) looking at areas and homes BJ and I would stay up most of the night in the hotel and search the internet for housing options. We literally overturned every rock...nothing was left unseen. The night before we had to fly back to Utah we still had no place to live. Our real estate agent was wonderful and helped us in every way possible. He took us all over the Cincinnati area looking for the perfect place. At 8pm the night before we were supposed to fly home we found a newly built subdivision in a great location. The lady that worked for the "Drees" homes gave us a key to look over 4 "immediate move-in" homes. We narrowed it down to 2 houses that we liked. We went back and forth for a couple hours trying to pick the floor plan that we liked. The next day as we were walking on to the plane we put in an offer. They counter offered too high and we didn't feel good about it. We told them that we couldn't afford it and got on the plane. I knew that something would work out for us...whether we would buy the home or find a rental online. When we got off the plane the realtor called us and said the builder was willing to work with us. After some deal-making we finalized the offer. We were soooo excited! I knew this was the home we were supposed to buy even though I had only been in it twice! The neighborhood was beautiful and the floor plan is awesome!

When we got back to Utah we only had about 2 weeks until we had to be in Cincinnati. Procter and Gamble was awesome with the move. They did everything for us and even gave us our own personal "relocation" lady to help us. The movers - Ryan and Josh were the best! I trusted them with our stuff. Of course we bribed them with good food. When they showed up to move us they were extremely surprised at how much stuff we were able to fit in the little basement. It took 4 times the amount of time they thought it would take to move us. I felt bad...but then BJ reminded me that they will get paid more than they thought...so I didn't feel so bad anymore.

It was really easy to leave the basement...but really hard to leave family and friends. We loved our ward, friends, being close to BJ's family and my brothers at BYU. What a wonderful chapter in my life that has been closed. Julie & Rod Rivers gave us a "goodbye open house." We will always love our wonderful friends in Lindon! I hated to say goodbye to my brothers and Kate (Tanner's girlfriend). I always enjoyed having them over for dinner and being a part of their lives while they were at BYU. I felt privileged to be their 2nd "mommy." I was able to be there for Tanner's whole BYU experience! He graduates this month. I helped send both Tanner and Dallin off on their missions and Dallin and I became surgery buddies the year before he left on his mission. When Tanner got home off of his mission we became TMJ buddies! I know that I was supposed to be their for my brothers...especially while my parents were mission presidents in New Jersey. I felt like I was able to take care of them like mom and dad wanted.

The movers took both of our cars on the truck...Drake loved the truck! We stayed with BJ's parents for a couple days before we flew to Cincinnati. I loved being close to his parents. I feel like Drake got to know Grandpa and Grandma Stanley really well. It made me so sad to leave them! We have loved spending time with BJ's family and being around them. We want to come back to the West as soon as the opportunity arises.

Our flight was really early in the morning on March 24th. Within an hour of getting off the plane we signed the papers for the house and they gave us a key. Ryan and Josh were nice and pulled up to our house to let us get our cars off the truck. They weren't unloading the rest of the stuff until the next morning. We put blankets, Drake's playard, towels, and toilet paper in the back of my car so we could just stay at our house that night and not a hotel. We were so excited to be in the house. It was prettier than I had even remembered it. I couldn't even sleep the first night. I had so much on my mind...and the floor was hard. BJ went into work that morning. We thought he wasn't going to start work until April 1st, but he had so much to learn he ended up starting Wed morning. I felt somewhat overwhelmed. BJ helped with what he could...but for the most part I was alone with Drake trying to unpack all of our stuff with the movers. It was quite a whirlwind for the first week or so. For the first 2-3 days I had 4-6 guys in my house at all times. People were fixing things, moving things...etc. Drees is a great company...the builders are on top of things! I tried to put Drake in his playard but he was way too excited to sit still. He was a maniac for about a week. I knew that he was trying to adjust. He was a little off his schedule and was in a totally different environment. He seemed confused when he walked into his room in the basement and the movers were taking down his bed. He was really excited when we started unpacking things in the new house that he recognized...especially the vacuum! Our new house has a lot of windows that Drake can see out of and so he runs back and forth telling me when there is a lawn mower, dog, bus, or truck. He loves the space and it took him about a week before he stopped running back and forth and rolling around on the ground. Drake loves the stairs. It took us a few days to get him somewhat "stair safe." He likes to hold onto the side railing and walk down like a big person. Drake has his own bathroom upstairs and has a mirror cabinet that holds his toothpaste and his "Elmo" toothbrush. He loves to brush his teeth with "Melmo." There are 16 kids under the age of 8 on our street....no we aren't in Utah! I have only had a chance to meet a few of our neighbors and they seem really nice. I am excited to get to know more of them. The Drees community that we live in is beautiful and we love to walk around it at night. Once the weather is a little warmer I am sure we will get to know more of our neighbors. BJ and I are enjoying our workout room/corner in the basement. It is so fun to have so much space. I have had a lot of fun organizing things and getting things for the house. We have waited a long time to have a home and really appreciate the chance to make it a safe haven for our small family. We feel extremely blessed.

So far we love our ward! We are barely in the ward boundaries. The ward is actually about twice the size of our Lindon ward. People have been wonderful in helping us feel welcome. The ward is a good mix of age etc. A lot of members work for Procter and Gamble and work downtown where BJ is. We are excited to get to know more of our ward family. They are going to be our family out here.

We live exactly 5 minutes away from a new 52,000 sq ft L.A. Fitness that is opening on Wed. In the same parking lot is a brand new Medical Center that just opened this week. We joined LA Fitness and I even auditioned to be a Pilates teacher. The lady said she really wants to hire me so we'll see how that goes. If I teach two classes a week I get a free membership...that would be nice. I would also love to get a nursing job at the new medical center. I am currently working with a couple nurse recruiters from different hospitals. I was offered a job in Cincinnati Children's NICU. I was quite flattered b/c their NICU is rated 2nd or 3rd in the country. Babies fly there from all over...even California. I had to turn it down for now b/c I couldn't work as much as they wanted me to. I am hoping to find a 3-11pm shift once a week so Drake will only be babysat for a couple hours a week. There is a lady in the ward (her kids are about my age) who is looking for daycare opportunities. I am going to check that out. I know that I will figure something out that I will feel good about.

Just the last few days I have finally felt a little more settled in our home. We finally get blinds tomorrow morning...yeah! We are really enjoying the blessings a home brings.

Dallin's Birthday Dinner

2009-02-16T12:51:00.000-08:00

Last night we had Tanner, Kate, and Dallin over for Dallins "belated" birthday dinner. We were supposed to have it last week but Dallin got really sick and then BJ was really sick. Dallin asked me to cook chicken a la king, orange jello (with vanilla pudding and mandarin oranges), and Texas sheet cake. I have to say that everything turned out really yummy...thanks to mom for the recipes. I sure love having the boys and Kate over. It is fun to get to know Kate better. I love being close to the boys. I will be really sad when we all have to move away. After dinner we usually migrate over to the couches and chat before they have to return home. Inevitably one of the boys falls asleep. This time Dallin was the culprit. Poor boys have such a busy schedule...work, study, play, work, study, play....etc... Actually they are both very busy and have a lot to do. It makes me tired thinking of being back in school and trying to work etc.

I worked last Friday at Orem hospital -mother/baby. I really love my job. The 12 hour shifts are hard but I know that Drake is having fun with his grandma and dad. I haven't worked in mother/baby for almost a year and a half! I was actually proud of myself for remembering things so well. It took a few hours for my brain to warm up...but I actually felt pretty confident throughout the day. I really enjoy working in women's and childrens...there is so much to learn. Now that I am a mother I can apply so much of it to my life. It is wonderful to be able to learn and keep up with medicine. When we move I would really love to keep doing what I am doing but maybe find a 3pm-11pm shift once a week...that would be perfect!

Chips and Shoes

2009-02-16T12:40:00.000-08:00

Drake is obsessed with "his chips." With his milk allergy he can only have plain chips and he loves baked ruffles. When I open the pantry door he shrieks with excitement when he sees his bag of chips. If the pantry door is open without us noticing he'll take the chips out and carry them around and eat them.

I love Drakes Puma outfit. It is so cute on him. Thanks to Tesia...he even has Puma shoes to match. Drake was excited to find one of daddy's shoes!

Funny Faces

2009-02-16T12:32:00.000-08:00

Drake makes the funniest faces! He really is a character. He makes us laugh all the time....and he loves it! He has a different face for every mood that he is in. Sometimes he puts his nose against mine and makes a silly face and then laughs when I do. Drake is now 14 months...I can't believe how fast he is growing! Drake loves shoes, spoons, and pens. He always wants to have my pen when I am doing my scripture study in the mornings. He gets excited when we put his shoes on and says "go!" Drake can also say "snow." He loves to grab the snow and feel how cold it is and then eat it. If Drake gets hurt (not really bad) he has a little fake cry that he does and scrunches up his nose. If you remind him that he bumped his head like an hour later...he'll scrunch up his nose again and do his fake little cry...waiting for some sympathy. Funny kid!

Life is great!

2009-02-08T20:06:00.000-08:00

The past few weeks have been pretty busy. BJ and I are both involved in a few callings in our ward. Yes...we do live in a "utah" ward...but it is small. We are both in charge of the young single adults in our ward, teach a sunday school class and I am also the visiting teacher coordinator. It keeps us quite busy. I really enjoy teaching our sunday school class though. We have a good class (16 & 17 year olds). I love teaching about the D&C b/c I can study church history. I taught today about Joseph Smith getting the plates and having angel Moroni visit him. I also talked about the 116 pages that were lost and the 3 and 8 witnesses. I had 2 weeks to prepare b/c we had stake conference last week. I really enjoyed reading and studying about these topics. I had so much to say to the class that it took me hours to cut it all down into one lesson. I feel like the class went well today. It seemed like they were all a little tired from their "Saturday night festivities" though.

Friday was Dallin's birthday! We were going to have a birthday dinner for him on Thurs. night but Dallin was really sick! He fainted in the bathroom that morning and woke up on the floor. He had the flu pretty bad. We rescheduled the birthday dinner for today (Sunday) but then BJ woke up really sick with a cold yesterday...so we postponed it until next Sunday. I think it will be a birthday dinner/ Valentine's Day dinner. On Dallin's birthday Drake and I went to Provo to drop off a little birthday surprise. We visited with Dallin for a while and saw Tanner for a little bit too. I sure enjoy living close to them. I don't know what I will do when we have to move. I want to cry every time I think about it!

Last weekend Dallin and his friend Jessica babysat Drake while BJ and I went to the Provo Temple. Well....actually...Dallin played basketball and his friend Jessica watched Drake. That seems like the typical way that Dallin would babysit....play basketball and have a cute girl watch Drake! It was really funny b/c I found out that Jessica is my really good friend's little sister. Jason Maughn and I were really good friends freshmen year and also after our missions we hung out a lot. It was fun to hear about Jason and how he is doing. Jessica even drove Jason's car...it brought back fond memories of my college life. After the temple, BJ and I took Dallin and Jessica to Mimi's Cafe for dinner. I love that place! I really enjoyed getting to know Jessica better and spending some time with Dallin. It is fun to meet Tanner and Dallin's friends. I enjoy being a part of their life still.

Drake is so funny! He seems to get funnier everyday. He is growing into a "little man." BJ made chocolate cupcakes tonight (dairy free) and Drake loved them! I am sure that you can tell by the pictures that he needed a bath afterwards. Drake wants to talk a lot. When he plays he just walks around and babbles all the time. I wonder what he is saying/thinking? He loves to try to eat with a spoon. I enjoy every minute with him. Lately I have been focusing my prayers on making sure that I don't "sweat the little stuff." It seems to really be working. I have a better perspective during the day and am able to step back and learn to have patience instead of getting mad. When I can "keep my cool" I enjoy my life a lot more. Life is great!

Time to ski!

2009-01-25T10:22:00.000-08:00

I am so excited because BJ bought skis, boots, and poles for a really good price this week. He said he walked into the store looking for a basketball and came out with "sweet" ski stuff. On Tuesday when I was getting in his car in the morning ( at 5 AM - that will be explained in an up and coming blog post) I had to do a double take and make sure that I was getting in the right car! In the car window I could see skis and couldn't figure out where they had come from. When I got in the car I looked at the size of the boots and was sure they were BJ's b/c they definitely looked size 13! Was this really true...did BJ finally buy skis?! I have been telling him that I want to go skiing this season. I haven't been skiing in probably 3-4 years! I have either had TMJ struggles, nursing school, or a pregnant belly during the past few ski seasons. I can't wait to "hit the slopes" with my hubby!

2009-01-25T10:17:00.000-08:00

Snow Time!

2009-01-25T10:11:00.000-08:00

2009-01-25T09:49:00.000-08:00

Drake loves the snow...well he just loves to be outside! BJ bought Drake an innertube to sled in the snow with. We bundle him all up and push him down small hills while he holds onto the handles of the innertube. He barely cracks a smile b/c he is having so much fun that he doesn't have time to smile. We call this face his "tricycle face" b/c whenever he goes to Grandma and Grandpa's house and gets pushed on their tricycle he gets a straight face and won't even smile but we know that he really is having the time of his life. We found the perfect "sledding hill" right in front of our house. The sidewalks had snow that was frozen over which made for a perfect slide. The snow was high enough on each side of the sidewalk that it created a perfect little path for Drake to slide down.
Drake is talking a little bit more now. He can say mom, dad, car, go, ball, and can almost say snack, bath, and spoon. After he says a word we get excited and say "good job Drake" and he celebrates by clapping his hands. I know I am biased...but he is so smart! He understands what I am saying. When we say it is time to put his pajamas on he goes in his room and gets his pajamas from his shelf. It is so cute to watch him learn and grow. He learns more and more each day. He is like a little sponge and likes to copy whatever BJ and I do.

2009-01-13T21:28:00.000-08:00

Drake is a little stinker! He loves to get everything out of my drawers. He loves to throw the contents from the drawers on the ground and wait for a loud noise. He is so fast at emptying drawers and shelves that it is hard to keep up with him. It seems to take me twice as long to clean these days!

BJ, Joni & Drake

2009-01-11T10:31:00.000-08:00

BJ and I have been married for 5 1/2 wonderful years! We love spending time together. We enjoy being active and have competed in many races together. One of our favorite races is the Wasatch Back Relay. BJ is a pharmaceutical rep. for Procter and Gamble and finished the executive MBA program at BYU in 2007. I am a registered nurse and work in NICU, Pediatrics, and Mother/Baby. We welcomed Drake into our family last December. He just turned ONE on Dec. 13th. He fills the house with a special spirit and keeps our lives in perspective. He is a little ball of energy and keeps us laughing all the time.

2008-12-30T13:32:00.000-08:00

Drake loved his fire engine! Grandma Stanley gave him a "Santa" outfit before we left for Sacramento. He looked so cute in it on Christmas Day! Grandma and Grandpa Parkinson's dog (Lucy) took quite an interest to Drake. I have to say... they actually became quite good little buddies by the end of the trip. Drake was always looking around for Lucy. He loved to pet her and even give her hugs.

Christmas 2008

2008-12-30T13:18:00.000-08:00

BJ, Drake, and I drove to Sacramento to spend Christmas with my family. We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas at the Niepraschk's new home in the Bay Area. It was wonderful to have all of us together again. Keri and Chris's house is beautiful and it fit all of us perfectly. Christmas Eve was a blast. Keri played the piano and we all played instruments and sang Christmas songs. We laughed and even shed a few tears when we felt the spirit as we sang songs about Christ. We also acted out the "manger scene" and dressed up in costumes. We had a wonderful turkey dinner in Keri's dinning room and ate and ate and ate (the best part of Christmas). It was quite a chore getting all the kids to bed. Everyone was excited for Santa Claus to come. Christmas Day we all woke up to a family room full of toys, candy, and other fun stuff. Drake got a fire engine from Santa that he could ride on. It was so fun to watch him push it while Cole rode on it. They were good little buddies. After all of the morning excitement we lounged around and enjoyed one another's company. The "boys" played Settlers of Zarahemla for the 100th time....I think BJ won 99 of those times! Keri and I read our Twilight books...I think she finished hers that day! I can't express in words how wonderful it is to be with family. I loved how we have such a strong bond. One of my favorite parts of the time we spent at Keri's house was the spiritual conversation we had on Christmas Eve with a few of us. I feel closer because of the experiences that were shared. I love you all!

Drake's Corner

2008-12-13T10:46:00.000-08:00

Drake had his first birthday on Dec. 13th. One of his birthday presents was his "front-facing" carseat. He was so excited to be facing the front so that he could see out the window. He smiled and laughed the whole hour drive to Grandma and Grandpa's house. We celebrated his birthday with Grandma and Grandpa Stanley. He enjoyed opening all of his presents and eating his "truck" cake that grandma made. Drake loves to spend time at grandma and grandpa's house. He plays there while mom works a few days a month.

Drake can say mom, dad, and car...and sometimes bath. He is just learning to walk and seems determined to walk further and further each day. He is growing so fast! Drake likes to pull anything and everything out of cupboards and shelves that he can reach. He likes to be close to me or BJ most the time. He holds onto our legs and walks around with us. We can't imagine what life would be like without him!