Merry Christmas!!

I don't think this year feels very Christmas-y, but I am trying to focus more on Christ. He is the reason for the season after all! So I wanted to tell my frineds and family that I love you all and I am so grateful for your love and friendship throughout my crazy life. I really appreciate the support that you give me when I need it most. I am grateful for the gospel in my life, I think I would be lost without the hope that it brings. I am so glad for the opportunity that I have to be with my precious baby Leavi again. I am thankful for Corey and Devin and the love that they give me. I think my life would be pointless without them. They give me the hope and joy that keeps me going everyday.

Please remember why we are here and why we celebrate this season. I love you all and I hope you have a merry Christmas!

Bonus!

Today started out kind of crappy. I woke up early and didn't feel that great. I went to work early because I had an early morning meeting. And of course because it's Friday, it has been a busy day. During a slow moment, my Manager came out of his office and said that two employees in my branch had been mystery shopped. They ahd both gotten 100%'s and the names wer... Jenna and me!!! So what that means for the two of us is we each get 8 hours of paid time off, and a $200 bonus! Just in time for Christmas! I am so shocked and excited and I thought that I would share the good news with all of you. So thanks for listening to my good news!

House!

So I don't want to get my hopes up until everything is done, but we are going to buy a house!!! It is in Rigby, Idaho. It is almost 2100 square feet and has an acre of land, a septic system, a well, 4 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths and a 2 car attached garage. I will post pictures when I have some. Our offer has been accepted and we are finishing up the loan paperwork this week. So if we have any luck we will be moving in around Thanksgiving. Yay!!

Where is Fall?!

So it was nice here for a couple of weeks, but one day it just started snowing! So my question is... What happened to fall?!!! Needless to say that we are all going to need some more winter clothes. But hey, who needs an excuse to go shopping right? But I must say that I had hoped htat it would stay nice just a little longer. Oh well, welcome to Idaho!!

Candace, I need your blog address again if I could please. I want to add it to my list of friends, but I have somehow lost your blog address. Sorry!

I hope that everyone is doing good!

Hello from Idaho!

Well, I'm really sorry that it has been so long since I have posted. Things have been so busy with moving twice in the last couple of months, and I haven't had internet access for a few weeks.

But for most of you who wouldn't know yet, Devin, Corey, the dogs and I have moved back to Idaho. We are in Idaho Falls and loving it. I am working for the same company that I worked at when we lived in Rexburg. It is called Beehive Federal Credit Union and I am a teller with hopes to move up. It has already started to get chilly here, so I am glad that I kept my warm clothes. Poor Casey freezes every morning when I take him out to go potty. He is adjusting quite well. Chuck on the other hand has had issues. He seems to think that he has to mark his territory... in the garage...yay! Filthy dog! It has been a few days since he has done anything like so hopefully he is over it.

And, Coryey is now two... bring on the drama! We converted Corey's crib into a toddler bed. He seems like he's doing better with it. There was a few nights that he jumped at every little sound, but that could be becasue it's a new place too. I put a fan in his room to help even out the noise. We also pu a child lock on his door knob so that when he wakes up he can't open his door and fall down the stairs. He panicks every time he wakes up because he can't get out...poor kid! It scares me to death to think that he could fall down the staris.

Well, this is the latest with us. I hope that you are all doing well.

Jac, don't miss me too much! I love you!

Update

Hello to all.
I have started my new job with BBVA Compass Bank and am really liking it. I was in Tempe for one week of training and I have been on my own teller drawer ever since I returned to the branch. I enjoy my co-workers so far. They are fun and easy to get along with. They are all older women, so there is minimal drama, which is perfect! I have a hard time dealing with everyone else's drama when I have so much of my own!
Devin has started his master's degree online through Grand Canyon University. He is only two weeks in so far. He seems to be doing good with. He should be done with the program in two and a half years. (that feels like forever!) But the good thing about it being an online program is that it is completely portable and can go wherever he does thanks to a laptop and wifi... The beauty of technology!
I still find myself having a hard time with Leavi's death. It is getting closer to my due date and it doesn't seem any easier. It has been three months tomorrow, but it sometimes still feels like yesterday. I wanted so bad to bring him home from the hospital, and we thought that we were going to be able to at first. The nurses thought that they could hear a faint heartbeat. It turned out it was just mine echoing. We are looking into adopting, but that is several years down the road. Sometimes I feel like my heart just aches for my baby. I am even more grateful for Corey than I could ever express. He is my light and I would be lost without him. I would never wish this hurt on anyone and to anyone who has gone through similar circumstances I express to you my deepest sympathy. I just keep going with the knowlege that the Lord knows what he is doing. Devin told me that in the bible the name Levi means promise. So I hold on to the promise that I will have my little Leavi again.
Thank you to all of you who have been there for me and my family. It means so much

I'm alive!

Well, we are alive! I am not taking any classes this semester, so it is somewhat of a relief to have time and not have to worry about homework deadlines. I have a couple of kids that I am babysitting, so that helps to pass the time and pay the bills. I also have some exciting news...
I got a job at Compass Bank! I will be a teller. I have about 5 years pf experience in banking, (2 years of it were spent at Compass bank in Mesa), so I should be able to transition into it comfortably. I am really excited! I will start next week sometime. We are jsut waiting on my background check and drug test to go through before I can start. Because I have nearly 2 years of teller experience at Compass, we are hoping that I will not have to attend the normal 2 week training sessions in Tempe. Hopefully it will only be one week. Compass will cover my hotel, and reimburse me for gas mileage, and up to $40 a day in food costs. The only downside is that I will be gone from my family for up to 2 weeks. But I have a job!!!

I also wanted to post a video of Corey from about a month ago. We went to Phoenix to visit with Devin's brother and his fiance, Lindsay. Anyway, this is Corey's first time wearing his water shoes and he LOVES them! Sharon, my mother in law taught Corey how to do a summersault in this video too. And then he threw a fit. Funny kid!




Here is Casey trying to get into a can of Dr. Pepper. I posted it mostly os that you could see how big he is. At his last vet visit he weighed 1.7 pounds. I love having him around!

Well, I just wanted to let everyone know that we are alive and well. I will post more pictures after I put them on the computer.

Blueberry Muffins

So I found this recipe for blueberry muffins and I have to say that they are the best blueberry muffins I have ever had!! So I thought that I would share it with whoever wanted it. Enjoy!!

1 1/2 cubes butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 ounces sour cream (If you're like me, you have a big container of sour cream. I used a big eating spoon and took out 3 big scoops, maybe a little more.)
1/4 cup milk
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
fresh or frozen blueberries

Pre-heat the oven to 350. Mix wet ingredients, then lightly mix in dry ingredients. Fold in the blueberries. Bake until done. (I like to do different sizes of muffins, so the bake time varies by the muffin size.) This dough can sit in the refrigerator overnight, so it makes for a quick fix breakfast in the morning. Also, a good way to judge how much dough to put into the pan is to use an ice cream scooper. For regular sized muffins it is one scoop. I use a cookie scoop to make the tiny muffins. Yeilds 16 regular sized muffins.

Random Pictures

Here is my cute little Casey.



Here is Casey again. I love his beard and his Donald Trump eyebrows.



Here is Corey with his PawPaw. Rick is wearing Corey's new sunglasses.



Here is Devin with Corey and Fischer (I babysit him on occasion and I love him to death!).



Corey LOVES bath time!



Here is Fischer, Kate and Corey playing on the kid couch.



Corey got a play phone in his Easter basket... fun fun!



Corey's Easter basket. He got books, cookies, a stick horse, and of course, the basket.



Devin, Rick and Stephen went four wheeling and got stuck in a mud puddle. Rick actually went over the handlebars and was covered with mud from head to toe, but I didn't get any good pictures.



Chuck went four wheeling too and was drenched in mud!



Chuck in the bath tub...this is the third tub full of water. Filthy!!



Devin and Corey at the zoo. They are so cute!


I moved some pictures from the camera to the computer. It's about time! Anyway, there are some fun ones here.

Some thoughts

I was thinking today... The older I get the more I realize that family is where it's at. People come and go (there are the few that are more like family) but family members are there forever. Family is the focal point in life, and in death. My family does not define me, yet they help to shape me into who I am. With them I feel stronger and better equipped to conquer the world, and without them I am just me. I met Devin at Subway for lunch today. Apparently it was the high school's lunch time too, because there was several students there. I noticed how involved they seemed to be in their young lives and I wanted to walk up to them and tell them not to worry about that stuff, that it was just a small part of life and that their lives would blossom and grow as their families did. Of course they wouldn't have listened to me because I know I didn't listen when people tried to tell me the same thing. It just makes me appreciate my family even more now. I can't imagine my life without Devin and Corey. They are my world and they keep me going. I feel like I can't fully express my gratitude for such a wonderful husband and son and hopefully it will keep getting better.

Puppy Toss

Well, Corey is still jealous of Casey. The other day Corey walked over to Casey and said "mice" (that's what he says when he wants to pet Casey because I'm always telling him to be nice). Instead of petting Casey, Corey picked the poor dog up over his head and dropped him on the floor. Devin gave Corey a swat on his fanny and then explained to him that it is not nice to hurt Casey. So Corey walks over to Casey again and says "mice" and then he tried to step on him!! Thankfully Devin caught him before he succeeded in crushing Casey. That has been the most severe incidence so far, but I still keep a close eye on them when Casey is around. Chuck seems to be adjusting to Casey just fine too. Casey has been kicked like a football by Chuck on accident but nothing severe. Chuck is really cute when he plays with Casey. They play tug of war and Chuck will let Casey win, but he tugs every now and then so Casey feels like he is giving Chuck a run for his money. I am so thankful to have all four of the gentlemen in my life around. I have Devin, Corey, Chuck, and Casey all to keep me company and make me laugh.

Purse dog

Well, last week we watched my mother-in-law's Yorkie. I decided that I liked him, so Devin said that we could look for one of our own. Well, I looked and found one!
We drove to Apache Junction last night and got back with little Casey at about 11:30 p.m. On the drive home I kind of started laughing and Devin asked what I was laughing at. I said that some people buy lap dogs, but I bought a purse dog. Devin asked what I was talking about, so I explained further. I now have a dog that is portable enough to go just about everywhere. He fits not just in my lap, but in just about any purse. Once I have him potty trained I can take him anywhere I go... He's a purse dog!
Casey is just tiny and fun and cuddly and cute as ever! He likes to play and he cuddles a lot. I'm guessing that he is about two pounds and he shouldn't get much bigger. He is a tea-cup Yorkie. I will post pictures when I take some. I think Casey is just what I need right now.
Corey is still adjusting to the idea of having something else take away mom and dad's attention, but he knows he has to be nice and sweet to Casey because he is a baby. Corey brought a book to me to read to him this morning and he sat in my lap. After I started reading the book, Casey decided he wanted to cuddle and read a book too. He climbed into Corey's lap and Corey pushed him back to the floor. But later Corey was trying to pet Casey and be "mice" (nice). I think they will get along well...eventually.

Thank you

Thank you to all of you. We are doing okay. We just take it one day at a time, one minute at a time really. I mostly try not to think about it and that seems to help. I know that it will get easier over time. I won't ever forget Leavi, but I will have to be content knowing that I will get to hold him again someday. I wanted to bring him home and share my life with him, but I guess that Heavenly Father has another plan.
Devin has gone back to work this week. I don't think he was very excited about it, but he went anyway. He is such a great help to me. He just lets me cry when I need to cry and he'll let me talk when I need to talk.
Corey still says "baby" when he see babies or pictures of babies. I think he knows that something is going on, but he doesn't know what. He is getting back into his normal routine, so I'm glad for that.

Sad news

Well, for anyone that hasn't heard yet, I had Leavi last Sunday. The umbilical cord got twisted and it cut off the blood flow and nourishment. We had a small graveside service for him today.
Thank you to all of you who have showed your love and support.
Leavi Michael Pinckard, born Sunday April 5, 2009

More Pictures

He loves to get a drink and then spit it out all over the floor. Let's just say that lately he only gets water!

Jacqueline and Kaden riding the elephant at the festival.

Corey and Daddy at the festival.

These are the best pictures ever... spaghetti!!!

A boy and his dog.

He has since broken the handlebar off of this buggy. This is the same buggy that Corey went over the sunken living room floor on. Then things that boys do!

Catching up

Hello everyone! Sorry it has been a while since I have posted. We are doing good. I mostly wanted to post some pictures. We went with Jacqueline, Brent, and the kids to the Renaissance Festival on the 15th. We had a lot of fun! So I have pictures of that and some of Christmas... better late than never right?!

And the verdict is...

Well, the ultrasound pictures clearly show the baby is a BOY!!! It looks like I am going to be outnumbered, but I am just fine with it. My fluid levels are where they should be and everything looks good. He is developing and growing like he should be. The ultrasound technician even gave me some 4-d pictures, which I will post when I figure out how to work the scanner. It was really cool to see him like that. He had his legs crossed at first, so I was worried that we wouldn't be able to tell the gender, but he moved after a few minutes. Devin was really hoping for a boy, so he is really glad. I didn't really care one way or the other, so of course I am happy! I think that it will be good for Corey to have a friend. I have been pointing out babies to him when we see one, and he seems like he is interested and almost in awe or like he realizes that they are little and delicate, so he has to be gentle. I show him the ultrasound pictures and he points and says "beebee". I think he's starting to understand a little bit. But weather we are ready or not this baby will be here soon! I am very excited and a little nervous. I know that I am going to have another c-section, but other than that I don't know what to expect. Time will tell I guess.
Well, that's all for now. I mostly wanted to share our good news with everyone.

A Tribute to Love

Well, apparently today is our fourth wedding anniversary. Devin called from work a little while ago and asked if I knew what today was. My answer was "...no... what is it?" I don't know how this got away from me! I am usually the one that is reminding Devin. So being as today is our anniversary, I thought that a little time line of our marriage and engagement would be a good tribute.
November 2004: Devin returned from his mission to California
December 25, 2004: Devin proposed
March 3, 2005: Devin and I were married in the Mesa, AZ Temple
March 4, 2005 12:30 a.m.: Devin was rushed to the emergency room for pneumonia
2 weeks later: Devin was again rushed to the emergency room for pneumonia
December 2005: Devin and I moved to Rexburg, Idaho for school
March3, 2005: First Wedding Anniversary
July 2006: I was diagnosed with Hashimoto Disease (thyroid disease)
August 2006: We drove to Eagar for a visit
Super Bowl Sunday 2007: Found out that I was pregnant with Corey
August 2007: Devin diagnosed with Stargardt's Disease
September 2, 2007: Corey was born six weeks early
September 26, 2007: Corey was released from the hospital then we drove home to Rexburg
January 30, 2008: We moved back to Eagar
October 2008: We moved to Payson, AZ
November 2008: Found out that I am pregnant with baby #2

Well this is our life to date in a nutshell. I am surprised that it was condensed into such a short page!
I am so glad to be married to my best friend and the love of my life. Devin is my greatest strength. So this is my tribute to him.

Daredevil!

Well, we are sure that Corey is Devin's son (not that we had any doubts, he looks just like Devin). Last Saturday Corey was playing on a buggy. In our living room there is step down, basically a sunken floor. Anyway, Corey decided to play the part of daredevil. He rode the buggy over the edge of the step just a little bit, enough that he couldn't go back and gravity took over. The look on his face started out scared, but when he realized that he wasn't going to break his neck he started to get into it. He went right over the edge before anyone could stop him. He just started laughing and tried to do it again. I just looked at Devin and said "He's definitely your son!" Devin used to be quite a daredevil himself with his quad when we were in high school.
Then this morning I took Corey with me to Basha's to get a few groceries. I had him sitting in the seat of the cart. I looked down at a shelf to read a tag and had only looked away for about 5 seconds. When I looked back at Corey, he had grabbed a granola bar from a display and opened it and started to eat it. He is quite a tricky little guy, and fast! So in addition to my other purchases, I added a granola bar.
I was looking through my picture the other day an d found some of a car show here in Payson last summer, so I thought I'd throw a few of that in and some other random pictures too.

Just Talking

I am 25 today. Wow, a quarter of a century! I'm only teasing! I really don't have a problem with getting older... I say that now, we'll see what happens when I spot my first gray hair or wrinkle! I don't know... my thinking is that it is just part of life and everyone gets older, some people just have the money to hide it with plastic surgery. I think the only things I would consider would liposuction and then see if they could just put all of that fat up a little higher, if ya know what I mean. Then again, maybe I will just age gracefully and see how that goes!
The other day Devin was holding Corey and they were just cuddling. Corey looked up at Devin and gave him a kiss on the lips. Devin was almost elated! It was the typical toddler open mouthed kiss, but Devin was so happy anyway. And this morning as Devin was leaving for work Corey saw him about to walk out the door and he called out "Dada!". Corey ran over to give Devin a goodbye hug. I think that is the first time that Corey has said the whole dada, usually it is just "da". What a cute kid!
I'm not for sure, but I think I may be feeling the baby moving in the last few days. I think it could be too early, but I really think I can feel something. If I touch my belly at just the right time I can feel the baby repositioning itself and I think I can feel it inside too. Anyway, things seem to be going well so far. Aside from having low fluid still. I have been told that i should drink Gatorade because it hydrates better than water, so I have been. I try nearly anything to make sure that the baby is healthy. I also went to a specialist in Phoenix and she told me that the latest research on toxemia says that taking a baby asprin and 200 mg of calcium a day can help to lessen the risk of it happening again, so I'm off to buy baby asprin and calcium tablets. I guess time will tell!
I guess that's about it for now. I will post more pictures when I take some more. I trying to convince Devin that we need to get a family picture taken... we'll see who wins that one!

Bubbles of Fun!

Yesterday, Corey got his second haircut ever. Of course after a haircut, he got a bath. Every time I turned away Corey would grab the bar of soap and when I'd look, he would hide it. I did catch him chewing on it a couple of times. After I took it away, he would somehow find it again. I didn't realize that he bit a piece off of the bar until he started heaving and a big chunk of soap and his afternoon nap milk came up. Needless to say he wasn't interested in playing with the soap again. I think that he realized that he should maybe start listening to mom when she says "no". Poor kid!

Corey's first molar!!

I was playing with Corey a couple of nights ago. He was in my lap and I was tipping him backwards and then lifting him back up. He was just laughing and having so much fun. I tipped him again and in the light I saw a little glint of white in the back of his mouth, so I investigated some more. I felt his gums and discovered that the has sprouted his first molar! I checked the other side too, but there is nothing yet. But I could tell that the other one should be coming in soon. That explains his crankiness of late! I was pretty excited to find his first Molar.