HaPpY :D

I took Brogan's new pickup down to get licensed and registered and it looked so good sittin there I couldn't help but take a picture. Ok...so the pickup is alot taller than it even looks. You don't really realize how tall it is until you stand next to it and then try to get in it! A few minutes before I took this picture a car was parked right next to me and the lady in it was laughing at me trying to hoise Saije's car seat up into the backseat. Ha Ha! It's like "1-2-3-GO!" and then heave with all my might. Granted it would help if I had some muscle, but no...lol!

Channing Ronald Gransbury. He's my favorite little boy in the whole world! Isn't he so handsome?

I love this little princess! She's Mommy's girl and the source of all my entertainment!

So I've been thinking of going back to platinum blonde all over, but I can't decide. Hmmm....guess I have a few weeks to decide before it's time to get my hair done again.

We tend to have alot of "Mommy and Me" days around here! But ya know what? I wouldn't have it any other way. Sometimes I feel like cabin fever is setting in really bad, but then I think to myself how blessed I am to be able to watch my baby grow up and develop and I don't have to miss a thing! I am getting a gym membership in the next little while so I can start having an excuse to get out of the house. I'll just have Brogan's Grandma watch Saije for an hour and then the gym either by myself or with my lady friends who want me to join them. Having a baby really affected my body...not weight wise at all, but energy wise. My stamina, or lack thereof, is really emberassing. Also, I have zero flexibility. I have been going to the chiropractor 1-3 times a week for the past 3 weeks because come to find out, my tail bone is bent funny from pregnancy and childbirth! It was sooo painful to sit longer than 10 minutes at a time so I finally went in after 8 months of pain. The first time I went in Dr. Olsen started doing a bunch of things to zero in on where the pain was really coming from. I was laying on the table on my back and he lifted up both my legs and told me to tell him when it started hurting. To make a long story short, he just looked at me and said "You are only 23 and you have terrible flexibility!" I just laughed with him and said "I used to be REALLY flexible...until I had a baby! Since she was born I haven't been active at all except for playing volleyball every Saturday night for like 45 minutes!" The gym will be really good for me I just know it! Here's to a healthier, AND MORE FLEXIBLE, me! :D

Catch up...again!

Well since it's been awhile without any updates on the kids and life in general, here goes! Thanks to picnik.com I can now just make collages instead of uploading each picture individually :-)

North Dakota was, well, boring! It actually turned out to be a good hitch to go with Brogan though because he only worked half the time. Thank goodness for guaranteed hours! We ate out ALOT and had alot of time to just relax in bed and watch football games or hang out with his buddies up there. North Dakota is normally in the negatives this time of year but the coldest it ever got while we were there was like the low twenties. Now that Brogan is back up there, it's been -40 with snow and ice! Brrrr! Poor thing. He has to work outside for like 12 hours at least a day in that crap. Part of the job though and it rakes in ALOT of dough so he never complains. The above pictures are ones I took of Saije while we were up there that I haven't already posted.

Saije is growing growing growing! She can now roll from back to belly and belly to back without alot of effort. She still smiles from ear to ear about 90% of the day and makes being a Mom even more amazing than it already is. We got her a Bumbo and she LOVES it! She will sit in it for quite awhile and watch cartoons or, her new favorite thing to watch, football! Her Daddy is so proud! :-) The game last week that the Green Bay Packers lost, I'm pretty sure she sat in her Bumbo for an entire quarter and just stared at the TV. Through commercials and timeouts and everything. That girl...ha ha! If she's not in her Bumbo, she likes to lay on a blanket on the floor. She'll prop herself up on her elbows or hands like you see in one of the pictures and look around and talk to herself. She is so easy. Seriously...she is the easiest baby to care for and entertain. She still sleeps super good. 12 hours a night at least...sometimes 13. When she hit 4 1/2 months we tried to transition her to rice cereal, but it upset her stomach really bad and she would just throw it up everywhere. We were only doing a Tablespoon mixed in with her regular bottle, but it was still too much for her little tummy to handle. I'm just going to hold off and try again in a month when she hits 6 months old. I'm not going to force it. She hasn't even seen a binkie in weeks, although she never really took one anyway, but it's now official. No binkies! That was easy! I hear horror stories of kids who can't function without a binkie and weening them off it is a nightmare. Not for me. Thank goodness!

Compared to what we were dealing with 6 months ago, Channing has outgrown the "Terrible Twos" by age two! YAY! He turns two next month on February 27th and he is way more well behaved now than he used to be. He's not quite old enough to be tested, but when he is, we will take him in to be tested for ADHD. His Mom is and Brogan is pretty sure he was as a kid also so chances are pretty high that he is. He can't focus on anything to save his life and he just stares into space sometimes for long periods of time and nothing will snap him out of it. Those are two of the biggest signs of ADHD. Hopefully he grows out of it, but if not we will just treat him with medication and lots of patience. We still love him regardless! Last week when Brogan was home we bought Channing a toddler bed and Lightning McQueen bedding! If you remember from one of my previous posts, he was climbing out of his play pen (and crib at home with his Mom) so it was time for the transition. Let's just say the first night was rough. It took him getting out of bed approximately 25-30 times before he finally wore himself out and just crashed. Ugggghhhh! The second night was a little better, about 10-15 times, but it still sucked. Naptime during the day is even worse because it's not completely dark in his bedroom. We'll figure it out! He'll catch on and learn, but until then we just need to be patient. Potty training is obnoxious because he's being taught by so many different people: Brogan, me, his Mom, and his Mom's parents because she lives with them. We've all talked and we're trying to get on the same page so he doesnt get confused about what he's supposed to do and say when he needs to go potty. He's not quite two yet though so I'm not super worried yet. We'll see what the next few months holds though! Wish us luck!

As far as Brogan and I go, we are excellent also! Brogan is working hard like always and i'm just staying at home keeping things together and taking care of business. I love being a Mom and step-Mom. There really is no greater calling in life! This year is going to be a great one. With our tax return money and savings, we will be paying off all our debt, besides our vehicles, and getting a clean slate on finances. I have perfect credit and have never had a late payment in my life, but paying different hospitals and doctors and labs, etc on a monthly basis is just dumb. I want it all gone! We're going to pay it all off completely and keep it that way! We are so blessed that Brogan has the job he does because that is the only way paying off all our debt between the two of us this year is possible. I havent worked in 6 months so Brogan has picked up all my bills: car payment, student loans, insurance, phone, and medical bills associated with Saije because her "sperm donor" is a piece of crap and hasn't helped at all! That's alright though...my child support case is open and we're about ready to take him to court. If you can make a child, you better be willing to pay up! That's the thing though, cowards don't think that way. Anyway...life is excellent and 2012 is going to be bomb! 

Our Newest Purchase!

I know, I know...Brogan is a typical man who HAS TO HAVE a big lifted truck. He had a SUPER NICE Jeep Cherokee Overland Edition with rims and tires, suade and leather interior, navigation, heated power seats, sunroof, black on black exterior, etc., but apparently that didn't live up to his ego. Lol! To make it worse, Brogan barely bought that Jeep in April! 9 months ago! Whatever...it is what it is. He traded in the Jeep so the newest member of our family is this 2005 GMC 2500HD pickup. It has a huge lift, meaty tires with rims, touch screen stereo system, and a DVD player that flips down for the back passengers. Get this though....it's 7 years old and just hit 49,000 original miles this week. As much as I act like I didn't want the pickup, I actually really love it. It gets horrible gas mileage so when Brogan drives to/from Vernal, UT for work he will be taking my Mazda6 which gets around 28-30 mpg. What does that mean? I get to drive the pickup the entire two weeks Brogan is gone! OH YES! Next big purchase? All new tires on my Mazda. Those were due a L-O-N-G time ago! Thanks to my trusty neighbor Dennis who owns "Claunch Tires" he's hooking me up with a great deal! Thanks in advance Dennis! See you next week!

5 months!!!

My beautiful baby girl is 5 months old today! She has been playing with her brother all day long and it's been a riot watching them. Brogan is in North Dakota, but Channing's Mom asked me if I could take Channing for the weekend so she didn't have to take him with her out of town. I happily said yes! This is the very first time I've had Channing without Brogan home so I was really nervous, but from the minute she dropped him off he's been so good! In fact, I think Channing is better behaved when Brogan isn't home. I don't know why, maybe because he has serious attachment issues to Brogan and all he wants is him when he's around.  With Brogan not being home, he doesn't have anything or anyone to get super attached to so he just acts normal...if that even makes sense. Hard to explain. He loves Saije. In the pictures above, Channing and Saije were wrestling together and it was hysterical. He would body slam her, but do it in a soft way because he knows she's too little to play like he does with Daddy. He would grab her and pull her body on top of his body and then make her roll off. Just a typical big brother picking on the little sister. I sat there and watched the whole thing so it was definitely safe "rough housing". In fact, Saije was laughing the entire time. She's going to be a roughneck just like her Dad and brother!

Comparison

ALOT of my friends have asked to see a picture of Joe because I always say she's a spitting image of her sperm donor. Well, here it is. Call me crazy, but Saije is a female version of Joe to a "T". I have hundreds more pictures, but a couple will do. I really should just burn them all so I don't have to see his God aweful self ever again. Just looking at pictures of him makes me sick because of what a coward, liar, and deceitful piece of crap he is. He helped create my daughter and that's about as far as it goes. The end.

Wedding in the Bahamas!!!

That's right! Brogan and I have officially decided: We are going on a cruise and getting married in the Bahamas in September! We found an amazing deal and so far three other couples to come with us! We will be booking our tickets next month after we get our taxes figured out and then it's REALLY official! We have the money now, but Brogan made ALOT of money this last year, more than he's ever made in his life, so he wants to make sure he doesn't end up having to PAY taxes before we drop $2000 on a cruise...The invitation is still open. Anyone wanting to join us let me know before I book so we can make sure there are enough rooms available to accomodate everyone. The price for the actual cruise is $593.60/couple which includes all taxes and fees and food, and then you'll need to book flights to/from Miami (about $500/person). The dates of the cruise are September 3-7. Leaving the 3rd at 5 PM and getting back to Miami the 7th at 8 AM. It is four nights and three days, all of which those days are in the Bahamas. The only time we'll be on the actual cruise ship is from 5 PM to 8 AM everyday. Every other time you will be on land, visiting three different islands all in the Bahamas: Grand Bahama Island, Great Stirrup Cay, and Nassau.

I went on my Honeymoon with Alex on a Caribbean cruise so I've been on one before. Brogan, however, has barely traveled! He did go on his Honeymoon to Hawaii, but other than that, he's stayed in the Western United States his whole life. He is soooo excited about this he can hardly stand it!

And not only are we going on a cruise and visiting the Bahamas, but we are GETTING MARRIED THERE! Right on the beach to be exact! It doesn't get much better than that!

8 more months folks and I will be a married woman laying next to my husband on the beach in the Bahamas sippin' on a Pina Colada and have a big smile on my face! Who's coming??? :-)

I'm going to wear a beach-style wedding dress and hold a fresh flower bouquet I'll purchase the day of from someone in the flea market...it sounds like a dream, but it won't be for long!

Confirmation of a GREAT decision!

All my doubts, all my questioning, all my headache, and all my grief in regards to my relationship with Joe has been confirmed! A "source" of mine sent me a picture and an announcement that Saije has a half brother! Ha Ha! Yes you read that right! The entire last three months that Joe was trying his damndest to get me back and lure me back in, his WIFE (yes...wife!) was pregnant with his baby meaning her and I both were pregnant at the same time with the same man's baby and our babies are 4 months a part! He was born a few days before Christmas and a day after Saije hit the 4 month mark. Wow, right? Remember how he SWORE he was divorced and he didn't want anything to do with her and he was convinced I was the woman he wanted to be with and have a family with? Geezo! It's amazing that con-artists really do exist! I am by NO MEANS a homewrecker and had I known he was like that, I would have stepped away LONG before it ever became serious, but I got my beautiful daughter out of the deal though so no complaints as far as that goes! The last night I ever saw Joe in June was the same week I met Brogan for the first time. It was the night Joe came to my apartment in the middle of the night and cried and cried and cried for me to give him another chance because he wanted to be a part of our daughter's life and raise her with me. He literally got down on his knees and held my belly and sobbed. He said that if he had a ring he would put it on my finger right then! FAKER! I had the most disgusting feeling in my gut and a burning in my heart that told me to kick him out and I did just that. I slammed the door in his face actually and I never saw him again after that. I told him that he is Saije's father so if he wants to be a part of her life then I wasn't going to stop that, but as far as him and I having a romantic relationship goes there was no way because he lies about everything and to everyone and I deserved better! I even told him about Brogan and that REALLY pissed him off! All the while, knowing he has yet another child on the way! What did he expect to do had I taken him back and then found out about his other child? GEEZO! Stupid I tell you! I am sooooooooooo grateful he is the stupid one now looking like a fool and not me by any stretch of the imagination! That makes 6 children by 3 different women all by age 25. Winner right? I may have been stupid enough to fall for all his lies and deceit for 18 months, but I was NOT going to be stupid enough to continue. That, it turns out, was the best decision I ever made in my whole entire life! I have met the man of my dreams and true "Daddy" to my daughter, inherited an incredible soon-to-be step son, am engaged to my best friend, am planning my dream wedding, and am the happiest I've ever been my whole life! Thank goodness! 

Exciting News!

I'm gonna be a Mommy again!!! Ok Ok...I'm totally NOT!!! I am, however, going to be an Aunt again! My brother Parker and his wife Heather are expecting baby #3 in July! This will make grandbaby #6 for my parents and Saije will no longer be the youngest! I am sooo excited! Babies are the best gift a family could possibly receive! I can already tell 2012 is going to be a good year!

This past week...

Such a happy girl! Those eyes...man...amazing!

Mommy and Saije being silly and taking pictures to send to Daddy at work!

Mommy's little lady bug!

Saije's hair is soooo wild! I've realized that putting it into a little ponytail is the way to go now because I have rubbed off all her hair in the front from all the headbands! Ahhhh!!! Not saying I'm going to stop with the headbands altogether, just not put them on her every day. Her hair needs to grow back! Isn't she the cutest little thing?!

Mommy's swetheart! Always giggling and smiling!

Happy New Year!!!

We found a sitter and hit up "Army's West" here in Dickinson, North Dakota to celebrate New Years! This place was the place to be for New Years I swear! It is a huge bar with a pool table area and dance floor. We mainly stayed in the pool table area and shot pool the whole night except when Brogan and I went out to the dance floor and danced until we kissed in the New Year right there smack dab in the middle of it! Lol! It was a good time for sure!

Of course we didn't go alone! A few of the guys on his crew came with us! Pictured from left to right is Darren, Brogan, me, and Roberto. Thanks James for taking a terrible picture! lol

James swapped out Roberto and we took another pic. This was a gooooood night! Although I was the only female in the group, it was still fun because all these guys treat me good and include me with everything they do. We all eat out constantly together, go bowling, watch movies in someone's room, etc. They really love Saije too so it works out great! This hitch has been really weird because the guys normally work 18-20 hour shifts every day the entire 14 days they are up here but for some reason none of the wells they were supposed to frac were ready so they washed all their trucks and semis, did maintenance, and then called it a week until work came up, which happens to be today, 4 days before they all leave! It sucks because when they don't work they only get paid for 12 hours instead of 18 so with the past week being like this...crappy paycheck coming right up! Oh well...at least Saije and I have gotten to spend alot of time with Brogan instead of chillin' in the hotel room all day being lazy and doing absolutely nothing.

Hope everyone had a safe and fun New Years!

Christmas 2012

For Christmas Eve we took all of Channing's Christmas presents over to Aunt Laura and Uncle Rick's house so Channing could open his presents with his cousin's Korbyn and Khendyn. They celebrated their Christmas' on Christmas Even because all three boys had to go back to their opposite parents house early Christmas morning. We figured it would be easier to do their Christmas' this way so it wouldn't be so hectic on Christmas morning getting them to and from different places. We saved all of Saije's presents for Christmas morning, but she did open a gift from Rick and Laura and a gift from Korbyn and Khendyn. They both got her toys that hang from her carrier and when she pulls on them they start making music. JUST what she needed because she is so grabby lately. Thanks Aunt Laura, Uncle Rick, Korbyn, and Khendyn!

Channing got a gang of stuff! Brogan and I spoiled that kid rotton! lol. Of course we got him a few outfits, some BSU jammies, toys...and then the grand finale was a mini power wheels fourwheeler! I will have to try and find a picture of it on Brogan's phone because I didn't get one on mine. Channing LOVES it! It only goes like 1.5 mph but fits him perfectly. In fact, first thing Christmas morning when he woke up he climbed out of his play pen and started driving it around his room! Ha Ha!

Christmas morning! Saije's VERY first Christmas ever! Sportin' her Christmas jammies too!

My first gift from Brogan was a Willow Tree figurine that I wanted to add to my collection!

Brogan's first gift from me was a Fossil watch! He is a watch guy...he's almost ALWAYS dresses up and a watch is like the icing on the cake before he goes out. He has a really nice silver Fossil watch so I got him a black gunmetal Fossil watch with a little diamond in it. Very nice!

Saije's first gift from Mommy and Daddy were some teething toys. She has been teething for over a month already and she needed some toys to help the process along.

I love my fiance'! The biggest thing I REALLY wanted for Christmas was permanent eyelash extensions from the salon and he got me a certificate to go get them done! They are like $150 to start plus $30 every 3 weeks to get them filled! Best Christmas present ever! I have always HATED my eyelashed because they are really really short and they don't curl. Now they will be black black and long long and curly curly! Thanks honey!

We are a gaming family. Card games and board games that is...When Brogan and Staci got divorced she took all the games for some reason. I had a bunch from when I was married to Alex so I decided to re-buy the ones that I didn't have that Brogan USED to have and then a few more. I got Catch-Phrase and Logos. Logos is a brand new game that just came out. We have yet to play it, but I'm sure we will soon.

When Brogan and I were shopping at the mall a few weeks before Christmas we decided that if we ever wanted to go to the club or something I didn't really have anything to wear that was "clubbish"! lol. Needless to say, I picked out an outfit and acted like it was a surprise on Christmas morning! Ha Ha!

Brogan picked out two different Tapout t-shirts and he also acted really surprised about them on Christmas morning! lol

Brogan also got me a Tapout t-shirt and a Hustler t-shirt!

Saije got quite a few outfits since, let's be honest, all a 4 month old really needs is clothes at this point in her life! Oh wait...I guess we did get her a play mat with a mobile that hangs over the top so she can lay on her back and play with the little dangly things. Her favorite one which is of course a little mirror. She's gonna be such a Diva!

Hooker boots! Brogan thought these were sexy but I can't say he's too thrilled about me being 2 inches taller than him when I swear them!

Jammies!

Brogan got me four amazing kitchen must-haves! He got me this awesome electric skillet which I love and needed, a really nice large crockpot since the only crockpot I have is a tiny one, a roaster to cook a ham or a turkey, and a SICK toaster! I've never been too excited over a toaster before but this thing is awesome! It's digital and it fits bagels instead of just toast. Digital toasters? hmmm....robots are right around the corner!

Since Brogan's birthday in October he's been telling me that the only thing he wanted for his birthday or Christmas was a Duramax. We're talking a REAL Chevy Duramax costing $63,000 for all the features he wants on it. Ya...right...Although he really does want one and I'm afraid that will be his next big purchase, he was joking. I thought I would play along with the joke though so I got him a toy pickup! When he unwrapped it, he laughed his butt off! It was pretty funny if I must say so myself....ha ha SUCKA!

Some more outfits and jammies! By the way, Grandma and Grandpa Gransbury came over on Christmas morning after we took Channing back to his Mom to watch us upen presents and also the open their presents from us!

Saije got the cutest little outfit from Great Grandma and Grandpa! Thanks!

The Grand Finale gift of the day from me to Brogan!

Brogan's Father passed away 2 1/2 years ago from MS. It has never been easy on Brogan from the day he was diagnosed when Brogan was about 14 to his death in April 2009. He struggles on a daily basis because he misses that man so much. Although I never met Ronnie, the love and admiration Brogan has for his Father says it all and I didn't have to personally know him to know he was a great man. What I did was find one of the best pictures of Ronnie smiling and blew it up as big as I could without distorting the picture. Ronnie was sick and in the nursing home when this picture was taken, but what an amazing look in his eyes.  

I ordered some custom vinyl that says "Always in our Hearts" so put above it so we can display this in our front room. When Brogan opened it, he got teary eyed, I got teary eyed, and both his grandparents got teary eyed. It was a very special couple minutes especially when Grandpa said "Just last night I was laying in bed thinking about how proud your Dad would be of you Brogan. You have two beautiful children, a wonderful woman, a good job, and your head on straight" and then he started crying. Man...No dry eyes in the house after that!

I love you Brogan!

Saije sportin' her First Christmas outfit!

Daddy and Saije on Christmas Day!

After opening all our gifts to one another we headed back out to Rick and Laura's for Rick's home cooked prime rib dinner! Absolutely incredible! Rick missed his calling in life and became a farmer instead of a chef! lol. He takes his cooking very seriously, but does a dang good job! After snacking and eating we all sat around and talked and then played Catch Phrase, boys vs girls. Girls dominated of course! Brogan and I had to get on the road headed to ND by 9 PM so we said our goodbyes and hit the road!

All in all, it was a very wonderful Christmas indeed! It wasn't about the gifts...it was about being with each other and spending our first Christmas together as a family. We are so blessed to have come across each other this past year and experience a whole new level of happiness. To all those reading, we hope you all had a very Merry Christmas yourselves. We are thankful for each and every one of you and thankful to call you friends, family, and aquaintences. May the spirit of Christmas burn inside of us all year round, be kind to one another, and never let go of the ones we love. God bless!