Annie and Caleb Pinegar

A Dare Devil

2012-01-05T16:29:00.000-06:00

Roman is a 27 month old (2 years and 3 months) dare devil. I mean this in the sweetest way but I guess I don't know how to raise him another way. I think I am raising him to be independent which has lead him to believe that he can do anything on his own at two! I love it and it scares me at the same time. I love that he is willing to eat well try to eat anything, most people that know Roman well would vouch for me when I say he is not a picky eater thanks to his dad mostly, he jumps off he sees anything an older kid jump off, he runs into the road but is getting better at this one, he loved going ice skating and wants to go every time we pass the rink, and will go down a huge sledding hill by himself in a saucer going backwards. Actually he laughed and screamed the whole way down. Did not phase him. Just got to the bottom and started eating snow nonchalantly. Without gloves on because he won't put them on.

I was sprinting down the hill trying to keep up with him so if something were to happen I would be right there. He held on tight and did it several times down the big hill without any help. The other thing I love about him is that he never complains. He really doesn't complain when he gets hurt or when he is cold or when he turfs it or when something doesn't go his way he does not complain. It makes doing things with him so easy because he can just go with the flow. I love this about his personality.

The Sleeping Baby

2011-12-06T21:00:00.000-06:00

I don't know about anyone else but there is something so special about a sleeping baby...maybe cause they are not telling you to go away, pulling at your leg, always wanting you to hold them, throwing a fit, etc. You see them just as they are meant to be seen...peaceful, sweet, kind, forgiving, meek, and so humble. I love it. So when ever I see Roman sleeping I have to take a picture. I have collected quite a few.

Sweet dreams.

Roman Turns 2

2011-10-06T16:15:00.002-05:00

Roman turned 2 on September 23rd. I really can't believe my baby boy is 2 years old. He brings me so much joy and happiness. He is full of energy and love. There are so many things that he does that melts my heart. I feel so privileged to be his mom and feel so blessed to have him as my son. I know he is going to do so many wonderful things in his life.

Today I want to pause time and soak it all in. Roman is so sweet. We talked about his birthday coming and all he could say was "me blow candles." He got to blow his candles out with a lot of new friends and family. We have been fortunate to come to Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio and find so many wonderful people.

The things he says or does that gets me every time:

Turned on the music in the car and he started dancing. Then he said "me like it."

When I am talking to him and he wants more grapes or gum I say you can have one. He replies, "me want five, six."

So I am not a perfect in the least bit but I have corrected this and he hasn't been saying this as of late but when ever I would get mad at him and say "Roman that makes mommy so sad. That was a really bad choice." He would say, "me good boy. me good boy." It broke my heart and I almost didn't put him in a timeout but I would reiterate you are a wonderful boy but you made a bad choice.

Roman watched a Dinosaur train episode and there is a T-Rex that yelled for her daughter (Annie) to come eat dinner. In the episode she uses like a super loud and dinosaur growl voice and Roman picked up on it. Like in the morning he will start saying mama? mama? Then will take on the growl voice and yell "MAMA!!!," growling at me.

He will also use this voice to ask for a drink. I say, "Roman can you use a nice voice please?" He tilts his head and talks in a super high and super soft voice and says "please have drink?" How can I ever resist?

Another thing that happens almost every single night. When I say okay Roman it is time for bed he proceeds to negotiate "mama snuggle, popcorn, me watch football, me watch blue head (Megamind), me hungry, ice cream?" I say "no it is time for bed." Roman, "me no bed. me snuggle mama. me downstairs." It has evolved even more into after I tell him no he says to me, "mama say no."

When I ask Roman "do you want to go outside and play soccer?" His answer is so sweet when he says "mmhm." Or sometimes he says, "sure."

He requests to be naked a lot too. Like "me run naked." And after his bath at night it is hard to get him dressed because he says, "me run naked. Me run way. Me be right back."

I am sure that I could go on and on about how cute he is and the cute things he says and does but the most important part is that I love him. I love him everyday despite him telling me to go away, I will always love him. Being a parent truly changed my outlook on life and I am so grateful to be a mom. I love being Roman's mom and being able to stay at home with him. Happy 2nd birthday my wonderful child.

Redfish Summer 2011

2011-10-06T14:41:00.001-05:00

Put 'em up for Redfish 2011!

As always Redfish Lake was a huge success. Mostly because Caleb and I were both able to go this year. This place holds a special place in my heart and I hope that I will pass that on to my kids. I know I have persuaded Caleb to love it but that sell wasn't very hard considering the beautiful scenery, the glass, the food, the hikes, and the family.

Enjoy some of my pictures that I took. I love seeing all the kids with the their cousins, their grandparents, with grandpa on the boat, and I love being there with Roman.

We hope to see YOU there next year.

South African Adventures Part I

2011-07-21T21:06:00.000-05:00

So I know this was a long time ago but our trip to South Africa was a-m-a-z-i-n-g. Honestly a trip that I will never forget. Caleb and I got to do so many cool things and we feel so blessed that we got to experience them together in this country. We felt like it was our honeymoon do-over (actually we celebrated it as our 5th anniversary kind of). Not that our honeymoon was a flop but when we were on our honeymoon in Aruba we were cheapies. Newly weds and on a budget made for an adventurous honeymoon. So South Africa. was. awesome. incredible. inspiring. humbling. beautiful. We want to take our children back someday.

On our drive to Kruger Park we saw a HUGE rose farm. Claimed to be the biggest in the world but who knows if that is true. They had this darling little play area for kids and it was just beautiful seeing thousands of roses and so many different types.

I found it so humbling that on Sunday morning like 4:30 am we saw women with skirts on and packs on their heads walking to church I am sure but who knows where. Walking for who knows how many miles or for how long but they were going somewhere. Humbling to see this culture and how different their lifestyles are from ours. To own a car in South Africa is a huge expense and not many people have them.

Again women walking and walking. For hours on end. We were also in Johannesburg for elections. That was interesting. Actually we were in Soweto the day before election day. Anyway those pictures to come.

Now introducing KRUGER PARK! I have so many pictures of Kruger and all the animals and I couldn't even begin to edit or choose my favorites but here are some raw pictures. I honestly LOVED photographing elephants. They are super cool and HUGE. They come right up next to your car and it is scary and daunting really. We tried not to get too close but some would walk right at us. Right as we entered the park I spotted an elephant. It was in a group of like 5 or 6 probably and then all of the sudden we hear trumpeting right by us and about 10 feet in front of us we see a mother elephant chasing/protecting her baby from something. It ran across the road and then back across the road in a hurry. We thought we had scared it but it was moving fast. Caleb totally got scared and like started reversing as fast as he could. I loved it. I told him to get closer get up there and see what is going on.

Somehow impalas are way cooler than deer. Even though I see them as equivalents on the food chain.

A water buffalo just lazing in the sun in a really large group. I love how birds just sit on them. Anyway I loved the colors and lines in his ears.

A baby baboon.

The famous symbol of Africa- a balboa tree.

A watering hole with zebra and a giraffe. I find it amazing that the giraffe can get that low to drink.

A little zebra.

Giraffe eating at sunset.

Yes yes it is what you think it is...a CHEETAH! We were staying in the park at Lower Sabie Rest Camp (which is totally amazing and would reccommend staying in the park for at least a night) and pretty much everyone has to be OUT of the park by 5:30 p.m. or you get a huge fine. If you are staying at a rest camp you are deeper in the park later which means your chances of seeing wildlife are higher. So we were heading toward Lower Sabie it was about 5 p.m. and all the sudden we see a cat walking on the tar road. I started freaking out saying it is a cheetah. Caleb was like no no it is a leopard. I was pretty darn sure a cheetah but Caleb was convinced that they are too rare in the park to see one. Sure enough as we got right up next to it, a cheetah. There are only 200 of them in the park. The second rarest in the park. Anyway that night we went on a night drive and our guide told us our chances of seeing cats on tar roads are a lot higher than dirt roads because they can travel faster and use less energy. So they actually prefer tar roads. Interesting.

Sunset at the Lower Sabie River. Gorgeous. There is something so magical about seeing these animals in their habitat. Not in a zoo but really trying to survive and protect their young. That is the other thing about Kruger is that there is plenty of young so you get to see that part of life as well. Anyway hopefully more to come of Kruger and the rest of the trip.

South Africa

2011-05-11T00:07:00.000-05:00

Caleb is in Polokwane, South Africa. I got sick 2 days before Caleb left then of course Roman got sick. When he is sick I do anything to keep him happy...more candy sure. More juice sure. I bet one day that will come back to haunt me. I leave for South Africa in 2 days. It is a bit challenging to plan a trip to place you have never gone before. Mostly I am worried about our accommodations. If I had hundreds of dollars to spend each night I think it would be a different story. It will be an adventure right? Anyway, if you have been to South Africa please feel free to tell us what to do or where to stay.

Itinerary:
Joburg- Friday and Saturday. Go to temple Saturday morning. Soweto drive through. Apartheid Museum. Find somewhere to stay. wanting to go to a rugby game but no big games are this saturday:(
Sunday- church. Head to Kruger National Park. Find somewhere to stay near Kruger.
Monday- Kruger staying inside the park at Lower Sabie rest camp. Bungalow baby!

Tuesday- Kruger most of the day. Drive to Graskop.
Wednesday- Do some hiking, swimming, jumping off cliffs in Grashop area. Drive back to Joburg and fly to Cape Town.
Thursday- we are going to just walk around V&A waterfront. Get some good food. Just explore a little bit of cape town on foot. Shop!
Friday-Robben Island.
Saturday- 95 miles on a road bike around cape of good hope, boulders beach, some cool little towns, etc. Thats all day. So excited for this.

Sunday-church and hike Table Mountain, maybe take the tram if we are too sore.

Monday-hit up some beaches and some cheetah farms.
Tuesday- relax and fly back to Des Moines for graduation.

There is a run down of our schedule in South Africa. I am looking forward to going to another new continent. It is on my top hundred to visit all 7 continents. Only at 3. Miss you all and see you at graduation or come to visit us in OHIO!

A Mother's Day to remember.

2011-05-09T00:17:00.001-05:00

(Caleb and his mom)

Although my husband is still in South Africa I had a great Mother's day. I missed my husband very much and I got to call him yes I have to call him, but I got to hear his voice. He also wrote me a super nice email and sent me a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Thoughtful especially from 8,000+ miles away from me. He is super thoughtful and makes me feel like a good mom. He notices me. I want to be such a great mom and I try but kids have a way of bringing you right back down to reality. For this I am grateful because I learn humility time and time again.

I am so blessed to have the opportunity to be a mother. I feel like it is truly a privilege and an honor to stay home and raise my child. There are times sure that I am a typical woman doubting myself and the importance of raising my child. Then I feel overcome with joy for the chance to stay home and that I have a wonderful, hard working, committed, and supporting husband that provides for our family. I couldn't have asked for a better guy for me. He is so supportive and is always encouraging me to follow my dreams. He is a wonderful father and we miss him so very much at home. We are looking forward to moving into our own house. It feels surreal. Like I have said before we have not lived in the same place for than a year since high school. To say the least we are excited. We have so many adventures planned for this summer and I can't wait to meet my husband in South Africa in 3 days (I guess 5 because I have to fly for 2 days). I have also had anxiety about leaving Roman. The longest I have left him is two nights. Here we go leaving for 16 days!!! I am going to be a wreck.

I am blessed to have a wonderful example of a mother in my own life. She has been the reason that I am what I am. Still to this day she is influencing me for good. She is so patient and kind to her grandkids and I see how caring she is toward all children. She is a great example of a mother and still continues to teach me how to be a mother. I love you mom. Thank you for being such a positive influence in my life and especially being an excellent mother. I love being a mom.

To Easter and beyond!

2011-04-26T00:29:00.001-05:00

Now you can't tell me that this wasn't creative! The South African flag sugar cookie. This proves a couple of things really...1-that I miss my husband who is in South Africa (hence the flag), 2-that I was thinking about him before and on Easter, and 3-that I pay attention to detail. Colors are perfectly in correspondence to the actual flag. Anyway, it was fun decorating the sugar cookies. My mom and sister created some really pretty cookies.

Roman had the time of his life on the Kemp's Annual Easter Egg Hunt. We had tons of eggs. Roman loved carrying his basket. Once he found an egg that was full of candy the hunt was over. He pretty much sat down and started eating.

These two boys are going to be best buds. They are sooo cute together and as you can see Jack (Roman's cousin) his eyeing his basket full of eggs. Not to worry because right after this picture Roman started walking away dragging his basket and all the eggs fell out. Jack and his older brother Preston just followed him around and reaped some major benefits. But as I said before some candy and we are good.

More fun together in the bath tub. Playing with the trains that Roman got in his Easter basket. They are both banging the trains on the tub and giggling. It was pretty funny.

This is the best shot we got of us in our church best for Easter. Roman barely made it through sacrament because he was soo tired. He did good but was all over the place.

This is a picture of him snuggling down for his Easter nap with his new bunny. He is such a cuddle bug and loves his nap. And I guess I should mention that this week he has learned to climb out of his pack-n-play?! Is that normal for a 19 month old? I guess he has a climber for a dad so here comes on a new phase of sleep training....staying in your bed. It is entirely cute when he walks into my bedroom in the morning all heavy eyed and drowsy still. I think to myself...how did you get out of there? I get to thinking that this is a sign that he is getting older and that someday he will get out of bed, make his own breakfast, get ready for school etc without needing me for any of that. Aw.

The end. Happy Easter.

The Many Faces

2011-04-26T00:05:00.000-05:00

Of Roman.

This is Roman a couple of days before we got his haircut. He was being so silly. I brushed his hair in all sorts of directions and it stayed. We were going for the Bieber fever look. He looked cute but time for a haircut.

Here he is scowling at me because he was tearing down all of the clothes. I thought it was endearing and so cute. "Mom I am having lots of fun, leave me alone."

Caleb is gone so we play dress up sometimes. He was bent about having this on. I told him that it was for girls but I guess it is okay because he is playing golf and all boy. Maybe he will serve a mission in Scotland?

This picture proves that he was having a good time sorting, tearing, and dismantling my closet. Like here I am. Hello!

Caleb Graduation Announcements

2011-04-01T00:08:00.000-05:00

Caleb is graduating on May 28th from Des Moines University. If you are reading this then you are invited. Medical school has been a long road but an adventurous and fun one. To think about where we where when we started...Caleb headed off to Des Moines, Iowa without a wife and without an apartment. We had been married a year and the first year was well the first year. We had lots of differences that we were trying to make work into one relationship. It was challenging but we were both committed. As we passed our first year anniversary Caleb left and I stayed at BYU to finish my senior year in volleyball. I lived with Caleb's sister in the basement. My classes were super easy while Caleb's classes were pushing, taxing, and demanding so much of his effort and time. This time apart was some of the most challenging times thus far in our marriage but somehow rewarding. I look back on my senior season of volleyball and thank God that I had such wonderful teammates, coaches, and people who supported me. It was a great season. We ended up going to the Division I NCAA elite 8. We upset Washington (ranked 4th or 6th) at their home to move onto the sweet 16. We beat Middle Tennessee to go to the elite 8. Matched against Penn State (ranked 1st or 2nd) we were overcome in 3 sets. Penn State continued to take the title that year and 3 years after. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity and my volleyball career made me life long friends. I love playing volleyball and there is no other time in my life where I could dedicate so much time, thought, effort into one thing. At the time people thought I was a little crazy and I thought the same thing sometimes as well. Now I look back and think that was pretty cool that I did that and could do that.

The second year of medical school we reunited in Des Moines. Things got better. We got a bigger apartment for a while then moved again to a smaller one. I worked as a volleyball coach at a local university (Grand View University). Coached club and substitute taught elementary school. Surprise surprise the next year we were off to Sandusky, Ohio. I was pregnant and within a month of moving there I had a baby. Life changed once again. A wonderful yet time consuming change. I became a mother full time. A year and a little bit passed and again we were on the move. Caleb's 4th year of medical school has taken us to Utah, Idaho, and soon South Africa. As soon as we get back from South Africa Caleb graduates.

What a wonderful thing it is. We came and we conquered. Caleb worked hard and got into the residency he has wanted since as long as I have known him. He will make a great, caring, intuitive, and likable surgeon.

The graduation is far away and wish you all could come but we guess comments will do.

remembering a friend.

2011-03-29T13:24:00.000-05:00

After reading the wonderful things said about many people's dear friend, I wanted to share some of my favorites.

1. I might have been the worst person about coming into the training room. Gaye knew this, even when my own husband worked there I still avoided the place. Almost daily though I would go into Gaye's office before practice-skip the heating-and grab a twix in the bottom drawer then dash into practice. Hoping Gaye wouldn't notice all the absent candy bars. She knew because she always kept twix stashed. I like to think they were for me.

2. my Freshman year I made a lot of dumb decisions. One of my best ones was trying to tell one of my genius lies to Gaye. The first dumb decision was running late for practice. Second dumb decision riding my longboard through gravel. Third my awesome lie. Here is how it all went down. I walked into the training room with a HUGE raspberry on my hip and a large gash in my toe. gaye asked, "what happened to you kemp?" My reply while bleeding, "well you see gaye, they are doing construction and i tripped on the sidewalk..." Gaye looked at the small rocks embedded in my skin "you were walking?" "yep" I said. I thought I had her convinced as she just nodded and looked at me like you really think I believe that story? Gaye from that point on never took what I said to be the whole truth. she knows me well.

3. Every road trip we went on she always knew what I needed. By this time Gaye knew me lots better and just stopped asking and told me what I needed. She said "kemp you look like crap." I told her I didn't sleep that night and she said well come see me before bed tonight. She had bought me some medicine to help me and from every road trip after that she always remembered and reminded me that i needed to take them. She had my back.

4. Caleb worked closely with Gaye for a couple years. And I love that my whole team, coached, and Gaye were there when he proposed to me in the Salt Lake city airport. I also loved that she came to the temple to see us get sealed. She meant a lot to both Caleb and I. And I wish Roman could have known this amazing woman.

Long overdue.

2011-03-19T22:43:00.005-05:00

A long time ago we lived in Sandusky, Ohio. Famous for...well not much other than Cedar Point and maybe the mention of it a couple of times in the movie Tommy Boy. We liked it there. I loved living by the lake and took many walks and runs down by the shore. We rented a house there and we loved having our own space. Now we are moving on. We are moving to Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.

Caleb will soon start residency. Since I will be home pretty much all the time we figured we better invest in a house. We have been looking for actually a long time. Our Realtor has been sending us millions of emails with links to houses for sale. One late night I got an email and I came across this little gem. Thinking it was too good to be true, it was. The next morning I called my agent and said did you see this house. She said no. But she went back through her junk email and found it. I said I wanted it. She said okay let me look into it. I kept bugging her. She said wow this is what you want. I said yes, how do I get it? We went full force from there and by the time we got our offer in on Friday there was already several offers on the table. Disheartening. In this economy the housing market is flooded with homes and the sellers are pretty willing to sell. However this home was foreclosed and owned by the bank. Again kind of disheartening. We had friends go look and video tape it because keep in mind the home is in Cuyahoga Falls and we are in Pocatello. Risky. Risky. Risky. I know.

We wrote up an offer. A good one...at least for the bank it was. It was actually pretty crappy on our end. But I knew that I wanted it. I would do anything to get it. Risky. I know. Anyway, our offer was accepted, yay but not for long. Because the kind of loan that we got will not allow you to receive your funds until May 1st. The bank wanted to close April 15th. We were seriously upset that they couldn't give us 15 days. So the bank said that they couldn't wait that long and there were too many other offers. We offered them MORE than the asking price. To no avail. We applied for an exception to the rule for our loan. Failed. Finally the bank called up our realtor and said that we could say we will close on April 15th and ask for an extension when that date came. However, there could be a fee up to $150 a day for every day past that. Again disheartening. At this point I felt like I have tried too hard to get this house and things don't seem to be playing out like they should. Maybe it is not meant to be.

Somewhere deep deep in my gut I knew that this was worth fighting for and that I should trust my gut. I feel great about it even though I have never seen it. Nor do I know how all the financing is going to go or where the money is going to come from, but I know that Caleb has always taken care of our family and will continue to do so. I trust him and my gut. And the older I get the more I realize that my gut is usually something I don't regret. So we went forward despite all the setbacks. We were finally approved and locked it in with a signed contract. We are home owners.

Pinegar Grandkids

2011-03-19T22:16:00.004-05:00

The Pinegar grandkids were fun to shoot. I think we got some really good photos. Its hard to get 6 kids looking perfectly but they all have so much personality and it is fun to see in pictures.

Roman and his Grandma Joany. It has been nice to be around family and have free babysitting. I think Roman was the most active out of all the kids...meaning that a picture where he is looking in the right direction is a success.

Century Ride

2011-02-28T13:43:00.008-06:00

My mom signed them up for a bike ride fundraiser event in St. George for spinal-bifida. Once the word got out around the family we all decided to join him. Parker, Caleb and myself signed up. Caleb had just sold my bike so of course this was a wonderful excuse to shop for bikes. Parker sold tons of airplane stuff, got a bike and all the gear within a week or so. He really had never cycled before but jumped right in. My dad started training a couple months ago riding his trainer to get ready for the ride. Next thing we are off to St. George.

St. George a town that is usually mild in climate and stays pretty warm in the winter, 50-60s. The forecast for the weekend, however, had snow. 70% of the riders didn't even sign in or come. We were determined, a little crazy, and excited. The day before was a beautiful day. The sun was shining. No wind. We wake up to find rain. Lots of rain. Yet we were still determined. We went to start. The boys were planning on a century ride (100 miles) and my mom and I had signed up for the 25 mile ride.

I will get to the point. We started late at 9 am. The rain was falling and we finally got on the road.

My mom was the crazy one. She was wearing shorts, thin socks, a headband, and a thin jacket. I on the other hand was wearing shorts and pants, 3 long sleeve shirts plus a coat, a hat, and wool socks. As you can see from the below picture.
At first we were dry and excited to ride...sort of. It was 41 degrees outside. So the first couple miles were fine, a little cold, a little wet, a little slow. We pushed on. As we got to the split off for the century and 25 miles the boys pushed ahead thinking that we were only doing the 25 miles. My mom and I decided to try to 50 and see what we could do. We followed shortly behind the boys. We came around the first corner and we saw a climb. A big climb up into Zions. I don't know if you have even driven to Zions but if you have you probably took your car for granted as you pushed down the gas and zoomed up the hills with ease. On a bike you notice every change in elevation. My mom hadn't trained at all and neither had I. Once she saw the hill in front of us she told me, "maybe we should turn around. I don't know if I can do this." I said to her that the only thing she needed to do was to keep pedaling. "Just keep pedaling, just keep pedaling." Sung to the song from Nemo just keep swimming just keep swimming. I didn't need to say anything else and my mom just kept pedaling. She made it. Not only did she make it, she didn't even use her smaller sprocket (she doesn't know how). My mom never complained she just kept pedaling. I was so proud of her. It was a big motivation victory for her.

Once we reached the top we stopped at a food station. She said that she didn't even care if she finished the 50 miles because climbing that hill was a huge accomplishment. And it was. Her feet were frozen so I took my wool socks off and gave them to her. I rode without socks for the next 15 or so miles. I thought I had frost bite when we got to the turn around point near Zions National Park entrance. Needless to say the downhill was much faster. It took us about 3 1/2 hours to climb and only two hours to come down. We were being passed by semi trucks going 65 mph throwing rocks and water at us. I was frozen. My hands. My feet. Water was dripping off me. Every time I pedaled water would fly out of my shoes.
I finished 50 miles of a cold, wet, ride.
My mom finished 50 miles of an uphill that she never thought she could.
The boys begins another story. From left to right. My dad the cyclist that trained the hardest. Parker the athlete that bought a bike a week ago. Caleb the experienced who had rode several centuries before. All set out on a century ride + a weather factor that made this century ride one to be very proud of finishing. This picture was taken at mile 75. We came to find them and right as we pulled up Parker got a flat. Not one of the boys complained how wet or cold they were, but I was grateful that we were able to help. We warmed up my dad a little while Caleb helped Parker change the tire. My dads feet were white and totally frozen. While my mom rubbed and warmed up his feet. I worked on his hands. Dry gloves, dry socks and a new tube in they kept going.
Parker was tearing it up on a flat near Sand Hallow.
Dad with his skinny little legs somehow kept up with the two younglings.
Caleb in motion.
We warned them of a hill to come because we had driven the course. They thought they saw the hill and kinda laughed at me for making it sound harder than it was. But then the beheld the hill on about mile 95. Cruel.
My mom and I offered to pull them with the car up the hill but not one of them took the offer. They wanted to finish and wanted to do it right. As slow as they might have crept up that hill they did it for themselves.
After the hill they only had about 3.5 miles to go. Again my mom and I tried to tell them that they could just go straight and cut off a couple of miles. My dad kindly said, "no I think we will just stick to the route." They went around the loop. Together.
Finished every last mile plus a couple extra. Again what a personal victory for the boys. Doesn't matter how you get there as long as you get there. The trained, the natural, and the experienced.

Way to go everyone. It was a pleasure riding with you.

Cross-county skiing.

2011-01-24T17:12:00.003-06:00

Today was absolutely beautiful. One of our friends hooked us up with some stuff and we were able to go x-c skiing. It was sooo nice. I didn't wear a coat or gloves. Roman rode in the chariot/ski attachment and loved it. Let me say this, although I have been skiing since I was 3 years old I felt like the most inexperienced skier ever today. The skis handle so differently than alpine skis. Anyway Caleb and I took turns pulling Roman. I happened to have him on 2 big downhill sections with turns. First of all it was the first downhill we had done. Second I had an extra 30-40 lbs pushing me down the hill. Doing good for awhile but then a sharp turn was coming up and I was not turning so I decided to sit/crash before flying into some trees. I looked very uncoordinated. I am sure. Caleb then says, " Geez be careful do you know how much those cost?!" Referring to the chariot. I said "well thanks for worrying about how Roman and I almost died!" He retorted with "I knew you were okay because you were talking and laughing right away." Lame. lame excuse. We were okay and I thought it was hilarious.

After my tumble Caleb begins by saying to me, " Don't you remember watching the Olympics where the cross-country skiers kind of side step to turn..." I remembered that yes but didn't think about it as I was pulling Roman down a steep hill into a turn. My main thought was keeping Roman alive. I said yes. And then Caleb started coaching me on an upcoming turn and totally ate it as he was talking. Roman laughed first. Then I busted up laughing. It was super funny. He claims that he was trying to 'skate' but it was totally on a turn and he was trying to show me how to do it. Roman kept saying boom for when Caleb and I fell. He thought it was fun to watch us fall.

At the top of the next hill in which I barely made it up because Roman's carrier was so heavy it was pulling me back down the hill. I had to kneel down and dig my poles in and wait for a rescue/push from Caleb. We traded at the top of the hill. Caleb did better at the downhills than I did. We made it back safe and it was a beautiful day. I wish we brought our camera but we are going to try to go again soon and we will take pictures. Hopefully less falls and the same weather.

too much...too old

2011-01-18T23:05:00.004-06:00

Oh and Caleb turned 30! That is kinda big news. And for all fellow friends and family...Caleb received a brand spanking new SPEEDO! It happens to be blue this time instead of red. I tried to talk my sister and sister in laws out of this gift. But to begin a new tradition of "blazing blue" in all his glory.

too much to catch up on or even try. Caleb and I are moving around with no home really. We are grateful to family for letting us live with them. We are in Utah currently where Caleb is rotating with some great doctors and learning lots. Me well still staying home with Roman. He is really staring to get a personality and it is so fun for me. Some things he does that makes me laugh... tries to sing like na-no-naa but does so in a higher softer voice than usual, he takes my hand to do everything- go down & up stairs, walk across the living room, he LOVES music- whether its guitar hero guitars, dance dance revolution dancing, piano (yes we have been playing some Wii), he can do a side somersault, loves brushing his teeth with mom but when I really have to brush his teeth I have to pin him down, LOVES gum he could eat yes eat a whole pack if I let him, he can tell you how old he is well mostly he just shows you that he is one, still loves to climb everything, loves running outside and he loves to stomp on snow and eat dirty snow. Oh well. Anyway, we are doing good and enjoying time in Utah. It sure is beautiful country.

Let it slide.

2010-10-25T08:22:00.006-05:00

Because Caleb has been gone a lot over the last couple months, I have learned that life is so much better and easier when I just let things slide. I may not have a perfectly clean home ever, a clean child, or even a dressed child but he is happy and I am happier when I let it slide.

Some day I will get back to those things but not while Roman is one. :)

A photoshoot.

2010-10-15T13:59:00.002-05:00

To see more of this sweet baby Hadley, visit photography link on the right side of my blog. She is super precious. As always newborns are so fun to shoot.

Roman Turns 1

2010-09-26T20:07:00.002-05:00

My son turned one on September 23rd. I can't believe a year has passed since his birth and I can say that it went too fast. I remember the day he was born like it was yesterday. Now he is walking, climbing, communicating in his own ways, and has an opinion. Roman has such a cute personality. He brings so much joy to my life. He is so forgiving and loving. I can now understand why the Lord wants us to be like little children because they are full of mercy, love, and kindness. There are times when I don't have a clue what I am doing or what to do then there are the tender moments between Roman and I and it makes all the other things melt away. Pretty much I love the little man a whole lot and he brings me much happiness at any time. Happy first year little guy. I love you.

Some fun things:

-Roman can say ka-ka (for garbage, diapers, toilet), dada, mama, car, stop, more, ball, go (most of the endings are missing but Mom can understand)

-loves his new HUGE teddy bear from Grandma and Grandpa

-anything that makes noise or is loud he loves

-loves helping me unload dishwasher or washer

-walks around kicking the ball

-loves being outside and we are going to miss summer

-goes down slides head first sometimes other times he turns around

Some Cuties.

2010-09-02T19:35:00.002-05:00

I enlisted my friends Megan and Cambri to help me get some shots of Roman for his first birthday. It turned out that Cambri was the cute one willing to smile while Roman...

pretty much just sat there and stared at us like we were SOO boring and SOO not funny. This is the look we got in 9 out of 10 photos. Oh well.

This one was taken a couple days earlier and he was much more cooperative. Thanks megan for trying to help me. I am so glad you are here in Sandusky, I think I would go crazy without you here. And anyone else reading this...come to Sandusky...although it is not the coolest place to live, it is really cool to VISIT here :) Need an excuse...Roman is turning one!

The downs and ups of walking

2010-08-23T11:39:00.004-05:00

Roman is starting to walk. I can't believe it. He has been taking one or two steps for almost a month now. But as of Saturday the 21st of August he has been walking from thing to thing, person to person. He has taken off. The downs of him walking are that he is getting into everything, pulling things off the shelf, out of the cabinet, and reaching things I never thought possible for him to reach. He is a total climber. Today at the mall play area some guy was telling his wife that he had to see him climb this huge jeep all by himself and go down the slide. They thought it was amazing he could climb up the slide then hang off the side of the jeep and jump down. I couldn't believe it either.

The ups of Roman walking is that he can get to something he wants usually something I don't want him to get. But he loves feeling like a big guy. Other than that I am just glad he is happy, my life as I knew it is about to change again.

I can't believe my baby is walking. Does that mean he has to wear shoes now? Man.

Anyway, Caleb thinks it is hilarious that Roman uses his arms to balance given they tend to be up in the air, but still give the little man cub some credit. Here a few photos that I snapped today of him falling, well actually a face plant and some of him walking.

Summer Exploring

2010-08-23T11:19:00.002-05:00

Okay we absolutely ~LoVE~ going on bike rides with Roman. He points to everything and is happy as a little clam in his bike seat behind me. This is how we run little errands. We take the bike. THe weather here is PeRfECt! So we are enjoying it as much as we can before the cold hits in November.

Roman just wanted to look at daddy instead of the camera. That's okay I like to look at him too!

There and here.

2010-08-22T13:53:00.011-05:00

We have been everywhere and I have not kept up at all. So like usual here it is in a nutshell. I wasn't as good as I wanted to be with taking pictures this summer but here are some.

Family day at Kalahari Waterpark (huge indoor waterpark in Sandusky, OH). Caleb totally rocked the boogie boarding wave simulator thingy. I mean like he got on it and was doing flips and stuff instantly. It was impressive because person after person would fly off the back and I asked the worker and he said these boys had been trying for a couple days to get the flips down. And then there goes Caleb and flips and turns first try. Again he surprised me.

Here we are in Idaho roasting marshmallows at my parents house. We love being there and spending time with family.

We spent a week and a half down in Utah with Caleb's family. We went to Thanksgiving Point, UT to the petting zoo. Roman tried to pull the goats ears and touch their eyes. Overall he loved it.

Just a few photos showing how messy he gets every time he eats anything. Then he smacks his head and smears the food in his hair. He loves to eat! I mean really the kid eats like a sumo wrestler. But somehow he is only in the 17% for weight?! what?!

One of my favorite things was watching Roman and Caleb playing together this summer. Roman loved when he got to ride the ponies. He held on and talked the whole time. I love seeing Caleb as a dad. He is such a wonderful and fun father. Roman is lucky and I am lucky to have him in my life. We miss him every time he is away from us. And wish every second we were together.

Other highlights: Redfish lake reunion. Roman is taking lots of steps (soon to be walking!).

my baby refuses

2010-07-01T11:55:00.004-05:00

Roman refuses to take a bottle. End of story.

He also got had his second hair cut, we shaved it off. His hair was almost 4 inches long.

can't wait for ohio.

2010-05-21T21:30:00.005-05:00

so it turns out that this family needs to be together sooner than later.

Because i miss seeing the joy on Roman's face when his dad is around. And also the love in Caleb's eyes when he sees Roman.

I am one lucky wife and mom to these two boys.

a quote.

2010-05-03T15:27:00.002-05:00

"to let go isn't to forget,

not to think about, or ignore.

it doesn't leave feelings of anger,

jealousy, or regret.

letting go isn't about winning or losing.

it's not about pride

and it's not about how you appear,

and it's not about obsessing or dwelling on the past.

letting go isn't blocking memories

or sinking sad thoughts,

and doesn't leave emptiness, hurt, or sadness.

it's not about giving in or giving up.

letting go isn't about loss and it's not about defeat.

to let go is to cherish the memories,

but to overcome and move on.

it is having an open mind

and confidence in the future.

letting go is learning and experiencing and growing.

to let go is to be thankful for the experiences that

made you laugh, made you cry, made you grow.

it's about all that you have, all that you had,

and all that you will soon gain.

letting go is having the courage to accept change,

and the strength to keep moving.

letting go is growing up.

it is realizing that the heart can sometimes

be the most potent remedy.

to let go is to open a door,
and to clear a path and set yourself free. "

unknown

from amy's blog. Just a great quote that could offer some encouragement. love.

Roman's First tooth!

2010-04-13T15:30:00.003-05:00

Dear Caleb-

We miss you like crazy! I can't wait to see you and I am sure little guy will be happy as can be to see you as well. I tried to take some pictures of his tooth. It appeared barely on April 5, 2010. Anyway, he is growing up. Everyone else...don't you think he looks like the e-trade baby?!

Niagara Falls, Canada

2010-03-28T21:06:00.002-05:00

Niagara Falls was refreshing. The Falls are powerful, transforming, and magical. I couldn't help but reflect upon the beauty of such a powerful source. I felt very lucky to have been able to see the shear grandness of Niagara Falls. The noise of the falls is calming. We could hear them from our hotel and the mist can be seen for miles away.

We explored the city of Niagara Falls, Canada. I loved taking a morning walk down by the falls without tourists all around. Bliss. We did the iMax 4D in which we got soaked. Roman was shocked when the rain hit him directly in the face, regards to Caleb. We went to Journey of the Falls where you descend and walk through tunnels under the falls. We went to the Butterfly Conservatory (which was actually kind of frighting). There are hundreds of butterflies swarming your head. Coming at you like they want to eat you but then blissfully fly away. We also saw the whirlpools too. Anyway, it was all fascinating and sooo fun to get out of Sandusky for a weekend trip.

Thank you for a willing husband to go explore with me. I love exploring the world with you. What fun times lie ahead for us.

4 good things

2010-03-04T19:32:00.004-06:00

Chicago for a girls weekend. It was lots of fun to stay downtown, hang out, and window shop. Someday girls we will shop until we drop.

Thanks Sarah for the Bumbo he is getting better and better at it. Sometimes he tips over cause he wants to eat his feet. Cute right? Almost time for rice cereal.

THen the Cav's game. It was fun but they lost. Late night for little guy but Caleb got him to fall asleep for a power nap.

Sandusky Maritime Museum. Fun to explore the things around Sandusky.

Roman' Blessing Day!

2010-02-17T11:05:00.007-06:00

We had such a wonderful time spending some time with family over the break. Short but very sweet. We were able to bless our little boy Roman. All the men said that he was kicking throughout the whole thing although he didn't make one peep. Then my parents hosted an awesome brunch. And for a beautiful background! THanks! And thanks to lizzy and parker for snapping some family shots. We LOVE the photos. And we love our son.

Super Bowl Detox

2010-02-08T19:01:00.002-06:00

So we had lots of great food in good company with a great game to watch. BUT our family needs a little detox not just from Superbowl Sunday but just from processed food, carbs, etc. So this week is dedicated to healthy recipes and virtually no processed food. So join us in our "attempt" to have a really good week.

Monday: Baked Salmon with Oregano, almond pilaf, and asparagus.

Tuesday: Raspberry Spinach Salad

Wednesday: Grilled chicken, broccoli, baked potato

Thursday: Fiery Cuban Black beans and Rice

Friday: Chicken Scallopini with whole wheat Linguine and spinach

Saturday: Italian Pork Chops

Sunday: ???? Don't know yet.

We might cut out some of the chicken but that is the plan for the week. Most of the recipes are found on prevention.com

So join me in the week detox (kind of...I guess the recipes still look tasty but at the same time healthful).

Withdrawal

2010-02-04T11:04:00.005-06:00

Mom please come back to the U.S. I am having mother withdrawals. Sometimes I talk to my mom twice or more a day. Sometimes I don't talk to her for a couple days...rare. Then there are the times I can't talk to her for weeks at a time. Hence the withdrawals. Dad I miss you too. You are always so fun to talk to on the phone.

Thank goodness I have a sister.

Thank goodness my mom is only gone temporarily. I can't imagine not having her here. I feel blessed to have both my parents in my life. And I hope they know that I love them very much and appreciate all they do for me.

I hope they are around for a long while. Miss you guys.

Thoughts today.

2010-01-31T21:13:00.005-06:00

AP picture-NYtimes

The thing I have to say is that I feel so helpless sitting here in Ohio watching the devastating news of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Tears roll down my face when I watch news broadcasts or the episode of the Drs. where they are in Haiti treating patients. In Haiti I see God's children laying on the streets with stiff limbs because of tetanus, mothers that can't feed their babies because of lack of food and supplies, babies having to get legs and arms amputated, children without parents. Or like this 14-month-old who needs more medical attention then he can receive in Haiti. My heart breaks. Today my thoughts are turned to these sweet innocent children who I wish I could just take in my arms and hold them. I can't give much but I know I can send my love and prayers. God Bless Haiti and all the children.

That is what I prayed for today. What did you pray for today?

Roman's Room

2010-01-28T09:46:00.004-06:00

Just want to publicly thank all those who donated to Roman's Room. It is still a work in progress but moving along nicely. The theme is World Travels. Some of pictures in his room were donated by friends and taken by them. Others were taken from Caleb and I's travels around the world. We love traveling and the idea for his room came about because I went to 4 countries (France, U.K., Mexico, U.S.) while being pregnant and my thought was he was born to travel. And there you have it...his theme for his room. It has been fun collecting and getting to know a little about each photo and the meanings behind each one. THat is why I love photos. Every picture has a story. So thank you to those that were willing to share their stories with Roman and I.

It has also been fun because I have created some collages and some other crafts...it keeps me busy. THanks again.

Keeping updates updated.

2010-01-25T20:35:00.004-06:00

For those in distant lands and those that are close, times in Ohio are wonderful. We are having a good winter- I don't know who said that Ohio's winters are horrible but come on...so far piece-o-cake. It has been warmer here than Idaho or Utah. So until I see and experience otherwise, come on Ohioans.

My son is sick. He has a horrible cough, stuffy nose, sneezing and wheezing. He threw up all over me today...I mean all over me. Like my whole shirt was covered in luckily nursing spit up which continued down my leg even on to my slipper and the floor. Most of it got caught in my shirt for that I am grateful because that meant less clean up for me. I just took it off and threw it in the laundry. Poor little guy. I guess I should be grateful for a husband who won't let me give him medicine but really can someone make an OTC that we CAN give to babies that will actually work. You would be billionaire. So yes just enduring his sickness with a measly humidifier and babies vapor rub. Neither of which work in my opinion. Oh well Roman still seems to be a pretty happy boy despite his ailments.

4 months old: he rolled over from his tummy to back. That was good. Starting to sit up for longer periods of time. Laughs (but then usually barfs because I threw him too much) anything to get a giggle right? Loves his hands. Chews on his thumb-doesn't suck it. Thinks that when he has his paci in that he can have his thumb too. Loves his soft blocks that Grandma Kemp gave him. Still has blue eyes. Slobbers like a mania. Still a happy kid...I love that. He is so easy going.

This is a video at Christmas...he has got a lot better since then.

A bit of ENVY

2010-01-23T20:01:00.003-06:00

Thailand- a place I have always wanted to go for several reasons. The beaches, the food (to see if I really like it as much as I like it in the states), the diving and snorkeling to the awesomely bright and lively coral, and just to plain "out-do" past girlfriends. No really I am over that but still jealous that my husband and now my parents are enjoying such a fascinating place. Yes this is my sexy husband climbing in Thailand and now my parents are in Bangkok, where they will then head to Cambodia to see Angkor Wat, and then head to Phuket for another week. Pretty darn jealous but glad they get to go.

(pictures taken by caleb except for the one where he is climbing)
And a cute one of our 4 month old who rolled from his tummy to his back today! Way to go bud!

a quick glance at the Holidays

2010-01-04T10:13:00.005-06:00

Over the Holidays Caleb and I were able to see lots of family and friends. It was a quick trip as usual and so we did the best we could to pack as much fun in as possible. Things we did:

Sleigh ride all bundled up.

J.P. and Brecken, Caleb and Roman
Caleb's family
One of the many crafts with all the cousins. They got to make frames, bags, reindeer food, and the girls got to make super cute watches.

Christmas morning with most all the grandkids.
Paje and Roman...Paje you are such a great cousin.

Caleb blessed Roman. He did a great job.
Mary, Jesus, and Joseph at our ward get together.

That pretty much sums it up. Happy HOlidays and a great New Year!

Adult Conversation

2009-12-04T13:37:00.003-06:00

A cute little video of Roman and I right after his bath. This is the extent of my adult conversations. Oh well.

Time

2009-12-04T09:18:00.002-06:00

I can't believe how quickly the time has passed. I am grateful to experiment with this whole mothering thing and I have a lot to learn but I know that I am so blessed to share wonderful moments with my sweet boy. I cherish every day and so glad he is here at home with me to keep me company.

2 months old!

Roman and I. He is 1 month old in this picture.
Caleb and Roman- he is 2 months old. Caleb is 28. :)

pictures for the grandma

2009-10-14T22:00:00.002-05:00

Preview of Roman's Photo Shoot

2009-10-03T20:47:00.003-05:00

Here is a little preview of Roman's first "real" photo shoot. He did awesome. Only pee'd on Caleb once!

Better Pictures...of Roman

2009-09-28T20:09:00.003-05:00

We couldn't have dreamed of a better baby than our sweet little Roman. He is eating so well-just seems those 2-3 hours fly by. Growing so fast. Already almost back up to his birth weight. Jaundice going down. Sleeping pretty well.

His cute little yawn.
I absolutely adore this picture! He looks a lot older than 3 days old...sigh.
Precious little feet. I love small and beautiful things.

Roman J. Pinegar

2009-09-24T14:52:00.005-05:00

Hello World!

Thanks to everyone for all you support. Our apologies for keeping you all waiting on pictures. For some reason our blog was translating everything we wrote into Hindi! Needless to say Hindi wasn't going to do the trick. Luckily we figured it out so here's the English version of the news.

Born at 12:33 a.m. on September 23rd, 2009

Weight: 7 pounds 11 ounces

Length: 20 inches

Eyes, Eyebrows, Ears: Annie's

Mouth: Caleb's

Awesomeness, Charm, Nose: A mixture of the two of us, mostly Annie.

Thanks again to everyone. We appreciate all of you so much and hope you enjoy a few pictures of little Roman.

Love to all,

Annie, Caleb, and Roman

Roman

2009-09-23T22:13:00.002-05:00

Come and gone.

2009-09-16T21:07:00.003-05:00

Beware 9 month belly pictures are below. And yes due date has come with no baby. So much for the count down ticker or a due date.

Don't get your hopes up. There are no signs of labor.

Who Could Ask for Anything More?

2009-09-08T12:50:00.003-05:00

Who could have ever imagined a husband that can use power tools and pedicure tools?

He is amazing. These pictures don't do this special day any justice. For Mother's Day Caleb gave me a spa package to a really nice spa. I was so excited to go but the timing never worked out (being that the spa was in Utah and I wasn't that pregnant yet). So I thought I had to forego my prenatal spa package. Huge bummer.

I woke up this Saturday to breakfast in bed with fresh blueberry pancakes and homemade syrup. Not too unusual so I didn't think too much about it. I always love breakfast in bed. Then Caleb pulls me out of bed to walk me down the stairs and I see a sign in French (so cute) about a house for me. There is a warm bath running with tons of

bubbles. There are candles lit, a spread of cheeses, fruit and crackers on the table...it was sooo romantic.

The day just got better and better. If you know Caleb you know that he is always well-prepared and pays attention to detail. My spa day was no different. He had called my friends to see how to do things and he had printed off the exact steps of each thing: a massage, a pedicure, a manicure, and a facial. He did them so well I felt like I was at a real spa. Better than a spa because it was in the comfort of my own home and with my own husband. I love you Caleb. Thank you so much for making me feel relaxed, loved, and pampered.

Pop

2009-08-31T12:44:00.003-05:00

Me at 37.5 weeks. And I officially got the comment "oh you look like you are ready to pop." I don't know who invented this line or thought it would be okay to say to a pregnant woman, but just for the record it doesn't make you feel better. It actually makes you feel worse. Oh and this comment actually happened at the temple... Anyway, I feel really great and don't feel like I am going to pop although my belly button is becoming quite sore. I didn't have any extra skin around my belly button in the first place so everyone thought I would have the classic pregnant pop out belly button but it has actually just stretched flat as can be. I hope it will be semi-normal again someday.

This one makes me look huge. I don't feel that big until I see pictures of my ever growing tummy.

OH yes, oh yes, it's growing

2009-08-16T20:25:00.002-05:00

35 weeks and getting bigger by the day.

London and Paris

2009-08-12T17:07:00.005-05:00

Since Michael Jackson died and we HAD to go to London and Paris anyway, we did all we could in those 10 days. As we like to say we spanked Paris and slapped London. The pictures are intermixed so look close and you will see the Eiffel Tower in the background hence Paris. The trip was so much fun.

The Louvre on our 3rd year anniversary. What a perfect anniversary, right? I would say that an anniversary spent in one of the most romantic cities at night with the Louvre and the Eiffel tower lit up and sparkling is a pretty fantastic anniversary. Love you Caleb.

Portabello Road in London.

The Seine River in Paris.

Some tasty pastry.

The tube and my sexy husband.

The center of London on a bike tour.

Caleb fighting with the lion in the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Us outside of the Albert memorial.

Paris at sunset. What a perfect way to end our quick Paris trip. See you again.

Lake Powell Adult Fun

2009-08-10T18:37:00.004-05:00

Lake Powell was an absolute ball. It was so much fun to hang out with all my best friends (with no kids). It was pretty rare since they all have at least 3 kids now. Time spent alone with the adults is rare. Here are a couple pictures from our adventure.

All the "men" cliff jumping.
The unique rocks of Lake Powell.
The three professional divers...posing.

Caleb and I.
My mom and I.
Christmas Card 2009?

Tough Gang.
My hottie.
My buff dad and my darling mom.

Thanks for putting it all together mom and dad. You guys are the best and we really appreciate your sacrifices and planning to allow our family to do such cool things. You rock.

Cancun Fun

2009-06-08T14:43:00.005-05:00

Cancun, Mexico was a blast! It was a total last minute decision to go but I couldn't resist when I found round trip tickets from Des Moines to Cancun for such a good deal. My mom and my nephew Jackson spent the first 4 days partying. Then we had some more fun when my dad got there. We went and swam with dolphins, snorkeled, ferry rides, zip lines, and sailing. It was a great trip with great company.

My Lovely Lady Lumps

2009-05-07T20:19:00.004-05:00

I don't know if these "lady lumps" are the prettiest ones but the baby bumps comes whether I like it or not. I am coming to the realization that pregnancy weight gain is indeed inevitable. It is going to happen no matter how many triathlons I do, how much I eat, how many insults I get from people, etc it is still going to come. It still amazes me how much a simple lb on the scale can do to a woman's happiness. I know at least for me if I see a pound lighter on the scale it is a glorious day, however, if I see a pound more on the scale it ruins my day. Amazing. It is one pound. So as long as I feel good and I am exercising then I can't complain. I still don't like gaining weight though...period. Pregnant or not. So for those who want to see my growing tummy and for those that don't...

Me at 21 weeks.

Me at 21 weeks....just after I finished the tri. 3rd place baby!

Me and the Boys

2009-04-30T19:24:00.003-05:00

Yes it is true. The boys and I are doing a sprint tri on May 2nd. Caleb and I are having a little boy. Most of you probably don't know that I am even pregnant or have heard rumors of me being pregnant but those rumors are true. The secret is out.

We are excited. The fact is that I am a planner. I mean I love surprises and all but when it comes to knowing what my future holds...I like to plan. So we are going to start the ball rolling now that we know it is a boy. Crazy times. Good times.

Satan's Spawns

2009-04-08T16:30:00.004-05:00

If you don't know I am a substitute teacher here in Des Moines, Iowa. Mostly because Caleb and I never stay in a place long enough for me to get a year long teaching job, plus we like to play too much. Subbing has been a really good experience for the most part because I can say no when I have a lot to do or don't feel like working.

Last week I got called to sub in a second grade class. First of all I prefer older grades like 4th and up. So I was a little bit skeptical but sure why not? I walked into the classroom and a teacher said "oh are you the sub today?" I said, "yes, I am. Is this class a good class or bad class?" The teacher hesitated and stated, "actually this class is REALLY difficult. The number to main office is 283" I said it would be no problem and I could handle it...I thought to myself- I have dealt with difficult classes before and I am pretty strict. The bell rang and hell began.

Within the first 5 minutes of class I had a student threatening to kill another student. They were face to face making sneer remarks about their "mamas" and threatening to kill one another. Lovely. As I started separating them the assistant principle walked in and stepped in. She is the kid's supervisor. The kid continued to yell at her "well you're fat. And you can't tell me what to do. Get away from me. Don't touch me fat, lazy pig." Her reaction was "your words can't hurt me." My day had just begun.

During the middle of class these two kids would literally start yelling at each other. And if one of them said something the other always had to make the same weird noise or yell something back. Toward the end of the day, this same kid started chucking a stress reliever ball against the couch causing it to bounce back and he would try to catch it. I figured hey he is not hurting anyone and despite the noise and distraction he is quite. So I tried some teacher tricks like proximity. It worked. He went to another part of the room and started getting into one of the teacher's desk drawers.

Finally I got him back to his seat and found an assignment he was interested in. Then while he was behaving I had a girl pick a fight with another boy in the class. She started saying "you fat, don't talk to me fatty. At least my mama ain't fat." Of course this got several other students involved and it turned into another small battle. The girl sat down crying. I resumed trying to teach.

All the while it was April's Fools day so they were trying to play pranks on each other so I thought I would use their excitement for a management plan. I told them how the French celebrate April Fools and for every mark they get they got to make a fish. If they were yelling or off task they lost a fish. Several times when I erased marks they would yell at me that's so stupid, I hate this....and so on. Each time they yelled at me I would simply erase another fish. It worked pretty well. I thought the drama break outs were finished but as they were lined up to leave the girl and boy started to threaten each other. This time it was a little more vivid. She said she would pull out her knife and stab him in the heart and face...that is when I stopped it. Really? How in the world do these children know such things? Deep down I felt really bad for these kids because they are only in 2nd grade and already knew how to cut people down and scare them.

Oh and I forgot to mention that the "worst girl in the class was suspended the previous day for punching another kid." She drew blood. The other kid in the class was suppose to be in "in-school suspension" whatever that means. Seemed like he got away with everything he wanted. When I teach full time I can change a similar kid's life.

Reasoning Love

2009-03-31T13:07:00.004-05:00

Happy Spring!

Caleb is almost done with his second year of medical school. It is pretty crazy to think that his, well our school years here in Des Moines are almost over. We moved into an apartment that is literally right across the street from DMU. The apartment is so small that it is like a maze to get from one place to another. Honestly. However, the move has been a money saving, time saving, and fun move. I get to see Caleb almost every day for lunch. I love seeing him for that hour of the day.

A few minor things I can't stand about living in big apartment complexes:

1. Laundry- I am back to doing laundry like a freshman at BYU in the basement at odd hours of the day.

2. Maintenance- They knock on my door when I am still sleeping and then continue to barge in when I am just rolling out of bed.

3. Loud neighbors upstairs- Some girl was drunk and talking to another drunk on the phone when it was 1 am. How am I suppose to sleep with paper thin walls and ceilings?

4. Crazy people- Yes literally I think we have an American Idol want-to-be outside our window that missed the age limit by 20 years. She sings at the break of day so she can wake everyone up or really late at night. It is absolutely dreadful singing. 411-I don't think liquor helps.

Coming back to my point of...despite all the crazy people in the world and the small apartment it is worth every lost minute of sleep to be able to see Caleb over lunch. Weird what love does.

Michael Jackson

2009-03-11T22:28:00.004-05:00

It is time to update. I know I realize that I have not updated for the longest time, and to be honest I can't say that I am the busiest person. Because I am totally not. Most blogs are about making your life seem wonderful and great- well it seems from the outside anyway- so most the time I just don't write. I love my life and wouldn't change it for the world but not too many life changing events happen like they seem to do in everyone else's lives.

HOWEVER, I might have the greatest husband known to woman. So last night he stayed up all night to buy Michael Jackson concert tickets. Yes Michael Jackson is in concert for 10 shows only in London at the 2012 Olympic stadium. And we have TICKETS! I am so excited I can't even contain myself. We are going over our 3rd year anniversary- just the creme on the top!

Not only is Michael Jackson a legendary music artist but I have been a fan since I was in 2nd grade. It is true. For Father's Day my 2nd grade teacher gave us a questionnaire about our own Father. It goes on to say I love my dad because... My dad is the greatest because.... My dad is handsome like.... (and my answer was) Michael Jackson. No joke. I loved his music since I was little even though he might be a lot scary now he used to be a handsome man back in like 1984.

Sorry Dad. Never meant it like that.

Top 10-Holiday Break 2008

2009-01-08T13:32:00.003-06:00

TOP 10 of Holiday Break:

1. Spending time with family.

2. Seeing all our nephews and nieces.

3. Celebrating Caleb's 28th birthday.

4. Rock band 2. Need I say more more Pin ball wizard?

5. Skiing in the beautiful fluffy Utah snow.

6. Talking with old friends.

7. Blowing out our budget for Christmas.

8. Getting stuck in Laramie, Wyoming (this is where I got addicted to Rock band at Wal-mart)

9. Watching the Pinegar talent show and all the "single ladies." Oh then Jenna hacking and huffing after.

10. The phone call I received from my mom about the photo frames.

The Pinegar family December 2008.

Life is Fragile

2008-12-13T18:52:00.008-06:00

It is Christmas time and even though I have very much enjoyed setting up our miniature Christmas tree with Caleb, I realize that this is the only life we get. My nephew who is only 4 years old was just recently diagnosed with type I diabetes. His blood sugar was so high that they couldn't even get a test to show how high. Finally the test came back successful only to find out that his blood sugar was above 1,000. If you're like me I had no idea what this meant, the normal persons blood sugar is under 200. He is so young and so precious. My parents just flew to Arizona to see him in the hospital and he dreads eating because he knows that he has to get a prick after he eats. It is not the mere fact of the shot but the overwhelming life changing disease that will be with him his whole life.

Another event that has taken place scares me. Caleb's step mother recently got diagnosed with ovarian cancer. It seems to be already in an advanced stage. It just seems like things happen and there is not much one can do about it. It becomes a part of their life. It becomes them.

Medicine can do much for them. I am so grateful for good doctors and scientists who try to find healing powers. I also grateful that my husband is choosing to be in the profession that has the influence and power to change lives of people who are sick. I think to myself how lucky am I do be healthy at 24 with a healthy husband? Even in my small bubble so many people have life changing sicknesses? Makes me think of the worldwide perspective of all those people who are sick and don't have the medical access we have...brings tears to my eyes.

So this Christmas please remember all that we do have. We have so much to be grateful for and life is really fragile.

As the days slip by I realize that I am so incredibly lucky to be healthy and where I am in life.

Christmas Time

2008-11-30T21:01:00.004-06:00

Caleb and I are so excited for this Holiday season. We love decorating for Christmas, burning Christmas scents, listening to Christmas music, and of course buying presents. I love the way the present look so pretty under our tree. We have been making plans for the holidays and we can't wait to get back to the wonderful snow and people awaiting in Idaho and Utah. I am so grateful for wonderful friends here in Des Moines whom have made the Thanksgiving Holiday much better.

We can't wait to see our families and spend time (and ski) with them because we miss them. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

My brother, Ryan, and my sister, Jenny.
My totally awesome brother doing a 360 iron cross at Pebble.

A family that skis together, stays together. Grand Targee.

This and That

2008-11-06T12:59:00.005-06:00

Election Day is over and wow I am glad. Hearing the candidates constantly bash on each other got a little bit old. So I am not going to dwell on the past because it would mean just bringing it up again. Nonetheless Caleb and I did our part here in Iowa, a swing state, and voted. I always feel so privileged to be an American and have the right to vote. So all those who do complain who did complain and didn't vote...be quiet. If you don't vote and don't care--don't complain. We had fun.

This part is the most enjoyable part...walking on a beautiful path with great company.
And yes even the turtles have loved the warm weather here is Des mOines!

Halloween Party

2008-11-05T10:20:00.005-06:00

The Halloween party was a huge success...thanks to my wonderful mom who is so talented when it comes to decorating, entertaining, cooking, planning, and all the other mom stuff too. We had a great weekend including my birthday. It was super fun to hang out with my mom. We had a good time. Then to top of the whole weekend we had a rocking party and the weather was unbeatable. We went to a beautiful park and again my parents kicked Caleb and I on the tennis court. Maybe someday when they are in wheel chairs we will be able to beat them in tennis. So anyway the whole last week was absolutely awesome. I couldn't ask for better family or friends. Thanks to all those who remembered and called me on my birthday.

Here are some wild pictures of the Halloween party. We had some great costumes despite poverty.

This is Nathalie who was Flava-flavs girlfriend fully loaded with junk in the trunk. Winner of Funniest Costume. (You are so black I almost can't see you!)
Gavin and Amanda (we are so glad you made it).
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt.
This is Nikki the bumblebee. Winner of Cutest Costume.
Nate, Cambri, and Megan the cute carebears. Winner of Best Group Costume.
Erin and Matt....classic snowboarder and Michael Phelps. Loved it!
oompah loompah...need I say more? Plus they sang the song for us.
This is Billy aka FLAVA-FLAVE!
Who is this? Well this is my dad. Yes he loves Halloween. Winner of Scariest Costume.

World Food Festival

2008-10-20T13:26:00.004-05:00

Des Moines is proving to be a little bit more cultural than I had expected. Caleb and I have done some really fun things as summer has changed to autumn. I love this time of year and the weather has been awesome here. The food festival was fun because we enjoyed it with good friends. Below are some of the pictures from the night.

This is Caleb and Nate learning how to play "real" Indian drums...not Hollywood Indian.

Caleb tasting some random food we bought for a buck.

The happy little Rencher family and the state capital in the background.
Megan and Nate trying some more food for a buck.
And I have to say that I am so grateful for good friends made here because without them I think I would literally go crazy. The boys study together a lot so I am glad that I have made life-long friends and it is nice to make couple friends that both Caleb and I like. So our shout out- thanks guys!

It is very Official

2008-10-13T14:59:00.002-05:00

Here is the deal. Annie Photography is officially official. Spread the word. Mostly in the Des Moines, Iowa area but please pass it along. Prices and a few sample pictures are on my photography blog. Yay!

annie-photography.blogspot.com

P-U-D-D-L-E

2008-10-03T11:21:00.006-05:00

This story might get you laughing if you are a kid at heart. Really it's kind of crappy because the one category Caleb and I actually stayed in budget in September was car expenses. Nope! So my friend Amanda and I, and the smarter Megan were going to enhance our, well my "creative" side. In front of the fabric store was a HUGE puddle. So thinking that my little Outback Subaru could handle it....I charged that puddle. About midway through the puddle we kind of slowed way down because it was so deep. Anyway as we exit this puddle my car is like a tea pot screaming and steaming. I was like oh my goodness what is happening!

Amanda said that water had probably just got up into the engine and it would cool off. So we went into the store with poor Starry (that is the name of my car) still steaming. We came back outside and as soon as we started to reverse the car was making this deafening screech like metal against metal. It was like that horrible chalk board scratch but 10 times worse. Not only was I extremely embarrassed by the noise but I felt like such an idiot for having to go through the puddle while my smarter friend Megan choose not to go through in her car. Although I am sure her car would have been fine because my car probably cleared out half the puddle water.

I am calling car stores asking them what could have happened while driving through a puddle. The dialogue went something like this:

"Hi. I know this is going to sound really ridiculous but I drove through a puddle and my car is now making this horrible screeching, scratching noise. What could it be?"

"So mam you hit a pot-hole?"

"No a puddle of water."

"Oh a pothole of water."

"No a puddle like a gathering of water in the road?"

"A puddle. You hit a puddle, and your car is making a noise?"

"Yes! A puddle of water. What is it?"

"Well it would probably be wet belts and it will probably dry but you are going to have to bring it in and get it looked at."

"But the sound should go away as it dries?"

"Yeah."

It would cost one million dollars just to have someone look at it and that sound was NOT going to go away on its own. Anyhow, some nice guy at a small tire shop looked at it and said that it was our e-brake. We called the Subaru dealership and luckily it was close. However, the drive was the most humiliating drive ever. We got to the dealer and a shop guy got in the car with us to hear the noise. We started to reverse and it was dead silent. Of course, I thought. Then about a second later it began. The guy was like oh my heck (well not the Utah version) but took it right in. It echoed throughout the whole garage and everyone looked. One of the best moments had to be the old old man cleaning off the sidewalks of the dealership and his face. He looked at my car like it was possessed by the devil. He stared at it the entire time as we drove it into the garage like he was so confused.

The mechanic asked how this happened and the conversation from above happened all again. Except I totally started busting up laughing when I said "I went through a puddle." "Oh so you hit a pothole." Do Iowans not know what a puddle is or do I have a speech impediment?

It was kind of a fluke thing but the piece of metal that protects stuff from going up into the engine and car had bent toward the rear axle thing and was scraping against it. He thought he fixed it and just as he was exiting the garage it screeched again. He hit the brakes and reversed it back into the garage.

Our girls creative day was interrupted by my stupid yearning to go through a puddle. And our one category we were on budget for was now over too. What a funny and bad thing I did.

Good Ole' TImes

2008-09-25T11:26:00.005-05:00

These are the good ole' times. The glasses are timeless and just look at my dad's face. Priceless to be in public with them. Anyway, in memory of my father who loves Toby Keith here are some of the wild pictures from a concert.

Even after 30 some years of marriage, still macking in public. Isn't it lovely?!

Labor Day

2008-09-02T21:11:00.007-05:00

Well the pictures are kind of jumbled. My mind and eyes are mostly on the Republican National Convention as they were with the Democratic Convention. Obligated as an Iowan I have to keep up on the political battles. Anyhow, our lives seem to continually be...busy. Despite our lack of funds we go cool places and somehow find our way back to Utah for family. Adam (Caleb's brother) and Emily just got married this weekend and we are so happy for them. Yay!

Despite the weather warnings and clues from other people, Caleb was set on going backpacking in the Unitas. And so the story goes... We got to a clearing and very soon after heavy hail was falling so hard that it was stinging Caleb's ears. The beginning only. We jumped into the tent to gain some sort of relief except the ground was wet and everything we had was soaked. Again it only gets better. Since the weather was horrible we couldn't have a fire and even if the weather was better we didn't bring any stuff for a fire so we did the only logical thing, sleep. It is about 8 p.m. and I am so sick I can't breathe out of my nose, my head is pounding, and I am wet. Luckily I have the sweetest husband who gives me the best of what he has. He gave me the therma-rest and his super awesome -15 degree sleeping bag. He had no pad and the wet ground and a not-so-nice sleeping bag. Keep in mind that he is ALWAYS sweating to death.

12:11 a.m. I have not slept a wink and I am sure that it is about 5 a.m. So I finally get up the courage to see if Caleb is awake and ask him what time it was. He told me it is 12:11. We both busted up laughing. Somehow we found humor in being stuck in the Unitas while it hails and snows. We kept hearing noises and became quite scared. We thought about leaving a few times but unpreparedness kept us. 1. We only had sweatshirts that were wet from setting up the tent. 2. The only source of light we had was a dying head lamp and a cell phone. It was pitch black outside with a lake only 30 ft away. 3. There was already half and inch on the ground of hail and snow. 4. We were lazy.

The list could go on so at some point in the night Caleb fell asleep while I tossed and turned under the incessantly annoying hail. A loud crash at some absurd time woke Caleb up with a start and I stared up with wide eyes. The sound was like a large bookcase cracking and all the books falling to a hardwood floor. He was like what was that? I said I think a tree just crashed down. "Where at?" I think it was right by our heads. So we sat there and just became more scared of our conditions. The night was creeping by. Caleb was freezing. I was blowing my nose every 5 minutes. Awesome. So at 6 a.m. when the light began to appear we got the pizzle out of there. We woke up to find that the "bookshelf" crash was indeed a HUGE tree that fell a foot away from our tent and the tip of the tree completely broke off right by our heads. Must have been all those prayers I was saying to keep us safe from the elements, the animals, and whatever else was out there that night.

On a happier note I went back to my sisters and slept for 6 hours while all of our camping gear dripped dry. And Adam and Emily's wedding was beautiful. Enjoy.

The handsome groom and my hot husband who looks so handsome.
The happy and brand new couple!
Niki's beautiful wedding cake.
The morning after the night from Satan's brewery. And please notice Caleb's sexy outfit, keep in mind there is snow on the ground :)
The reception. I love hydrangeas. Good pick Emily.

The cute Pinegar family.
Niki and Caleb outside the Manti temple.
Oh so cute couple.
Caleb posing at the Alf Engen Museum in Park City, Utah.

Me pointing at Caleb's famous bed head "poof."
As you can see the wet grey shirt of Caleb, this was after setting up the tent and jumping in.
The car was decorated. Good job boys!

The Almost Famous Iowa State Fair

2008-08-28T14:28:00.008-05:00

In a book that my mother owns about a 1000 things you need to do before you die there is one thing under the state of Iowa...the Iowa State Fair. The theme was "U Gotta Love it" and man did we love it. It had a wide variety of rides, food and attractions. They had beautiful flowers, butter statues, fried food, and farm equipment. Here in Iowa they deep fat fry twinkies, oreos, and snickers. Now let us talk calories. Do we really need to deep fat fry these foods to enjoy them? These Iowans.

Shawn Johnson carved in butter... I thought they normally used wax? Nope not in Iowa.

This tractor/back hoe is for you dad. The inside was crazy.

The mullet contest...classic.

Fried twinky...Caleb had to try one.

The largest bull in the world weighing something like 3,057 lbs.

Flower growing contest. They were absurdly symmetrical.

Ragbrai Iowa

2008-08-24T13:50:00.007-05:00

Ragbrai is a bike ride across Iowa. Caleb and I thought it was a arace and sometimes it felt like that when we were going across the country side at 22 mph, but for the majority it was a ride. Making a ton of memories along the way, Caleb and I will remember riding toilets, holding pigs, eating "Mr. Pork Chops," the Italians, showering in hoses, riding in the rain, sleeping in tents every night, eating fresh Cajun shrimp, late night walks around the town in search of food, finishing with our bikes in the Mississippi.

Summer...where it takes us.

2008-07-12T22:56:00.004-05:00

Well my student teaching is almost over...yay! I have to admit that 5th grade has been an absolute joy. Brynn and Jamie good luck in first grade. I could not do it. I nearly died in first grade. So to all those first and second grade teachers thanks. Because I am student teaching Caleb and I had to separate again. Why? Only one person knows and it is harder than ever. We look forward to being together FOREVER, but have enjoyed the journey thus far.
Summer has been full of flying back and forth and back and forth. Thank you to the government for all the wonderfully expensive loans. The summer sort of began with a tennis camp in Monterey, CA (aka Pebble Beach). It not only good tennis but wonderful people and beautiful. And yes that is me acing a tennis pro. -2 second of my 15 minutes.

Sadly Caleb didn't get to come but he will soon. Then I got to spend a week with him before I had to move in with my sister Jenny to start my student teaching. So I was in school all day and I only got a few precious moments with Caleb and I cherish every single one. Caleb gave me a Mother's Day gift...no I am NOT pregnant (he just loves me) but I am getting SCUBA certified for our trip this winter. So I have been doing that while Caleb does research in Iowa. Poor Caleb. He has been able to come to Utah a lot though which has been nice.

We took a family vacation to Bear Lake with the Pinegar Family (I guess it would be more of an Ogden family reunion but it was really fun to spend time with Caleb's family. I am blessed to have great in-laws. They are so accepting and fun. I would put up pictures but we only have pictures of Jenna on the tube and I don't know if she would like that. So that was a fun 4th of July. I was sad that we didn't get to see any fireworks because I adore them.

Then we got the pleasure of going to Jack Ryan Rasmussen's baby blessing. Jared did a great job. Then down to St. George, Utah. Holy hot. It was loads of fun while Caleb was there. We played tennis with the oldies (who beat us in doubles). Caleb and I did happen to take a set away from them! YAY! Played in the pool. We had lots of fun. Then Caleb had to go back to Des Moines to do more research. He is such a hard worker. He is going to make a great doctor. Now he is still there and I am in Idaho to finish off my two week break. The whole school district has 2 weeks off. This will be and has been my only break. It has been nice. Would be nicer with all Caleb.

Coming up....Ragbrai. Death week as I like to call it. A week long bike ride across Iowa (70-90 miles a day)...on our 2nd year anniversary. I love you Caleb.

New Obsessions

2008-04-25T13:36:00.005-05:00

So my mom, Caleb, and I went to "the premier decorator in America" Nell Hills. The shop is old English and I loved it. So we bought some things and after Caleb built, well refurbished a garbage bookshelf, I attempted to decorate it. Here is a picture of it. How did I do? Mom?

Funny thing is that Caleb has recently picked up a couple funny habits. he officially become obsessed with selling off all of our stuff on eBay. He is constantly asking me and looking for things to sell. It has actually been a wonderful thing. He has sold a lot of extra stuff. It's been pretty sweet. And the other thing that cracks me up is Caleb searches the garbage like a trash hunter. He does daily and weekly drive bys...past the garbage bins. Chairs, bookshelf's, drawers, tarps, etc. you name it and he can find it. I just laugh. I think the two obsessions go hand in hand. Find stuff and sell it. I guess its his way to bring in an income since we are super poor but loving life.

I think he needs me here in Iowa because I came back for a week to figure things out and I come back to a mountain man with a beard and shaggy hair. Again he makes me laugh.

Things in Iowa.

2008-04-25T12:36:00.003-05:00

The last 4 months have been absolutely amazing. Caleb and I are back together and happy. Wow what a difference it makes in a marriage to be together. Caleb has been doing so well in school. He just received a scholarship for research this summer, he got the job for being a surgery TA next year...both are a pretty big deal. So he is doing really well.

My job however, was not favorable. I hate, yes hate, waking up early. Never liked getting up early to go lift and I still don't like the wee early morning hours. So I randomly emailed some old BYU professors to see if I could still do my student teaching. Lo and behold things just started rolling and I am going back to school for the spring/summer terms. I will hopefully be able see Caleb a lot but dreading the time apart again.

If you haven't seen Caleb lately well he is looking goooooood. Fit and hot as ever ;)

A new name.

2008-04-23T14:25:00.001-05:00

As you probably already know Caleb and I have changed our blogging address. So here is our new blog. Hope you will join us.