the Colorado Thornburghs

With Love, to "My Heart with Clothes On"

2011-12-17T11:39:00.003-07:00

Ella:

A six-year-old going on 16. This girl is so ready to grow up, and I wish I could sit her down and tell her to "WAIT!" Sure, I could. But I don't think she would understand.

Being a kid is so much fun, and growing up I had so many great friends. Such great friends... Jaimi Bertelson, Marie Wichterman, Marci Waite, Heather Warren, April Mako, Melissa Schults, Trisha Haws, Nancy Newman. Some are childhood - some are from getting old: but with them I can still be a kid. With them I can still confide secrets. With them I can still act stupid and they understand. That is what being a kid is all about.

So if there is one thing I could tell my little Ella: enjoy being a kid. Lavish in it's freeness. I'll take care of all your worries. I'll swallow all of your anxieties.

A friend of mine put it best. These children are just our hearts with clothes on. (Thanks Loree.)

2011-12-17T11:12:00.003-07:00

Abbigail:

My heart is breaking a bit today.

We fought today - me and little, gentle hearted Abbigail. Of course it was about makeup. That's what girls fight about. But it stings so deeply when I hear her cry. Not the fake, tantrum, "I didn't get my way!" cry, but the cry where you know her feelings have truly been hurt. And by me, her mom.

I think as parents we all have those moments. When we want to say yes, but we have to say no. My other two girls handle it differently. But for some reason, Abbigail handles it internally and you can see her sadness.

So that is how I left today. Her sadness seeping from her eyes. Sad because "Mommy was mean" but sad also because she knows I'm sad she won't let me comfort her.

In the end, just before I walked out the door, she relented with the anxiety that I would leave her without that goodbye kiss. We hugged, she cried, I held her tighter, and hearts were comforted. But I'm still sitting here, thinking about my sweet Abby and hoping her day is filled with laughter and fun instead of tears. She wears her heart on her sleeve. Is easily hurt, but easily loves.

These pictures are a little old, some from summer - but they capture I think some of her finest qualities.

We have a great neighbor, Kay, who ADORES Abbigail. And Abby isn't too shy about taking advantage of that. This 3-year-olds daily routine includes walking next door (typically barefoot), ringing Kay's door, and spending sometimes hours just chatting, talking, playing, dancing - whatever with this wonderful neighbor. I can see why Kay loves Abbigail so much. She's just between that stage of being a toddler and a kid. Her voice is sweet, her laugh infectious, and she pronounces all "K" sounds with a "T".... adorable. When she comes home Kay has loaded up a bag full of animal crackers and marshmallows - and usually some extra bags for her sisters. We love Kay, and Kay loves Abbigail. It's easy to see why.

Rarely do I get a nap out of this crazy kid anymore. So. Much. To. Do!

But there are days she is so worn out from play dates, school, visiting neighbors that she'll ask to watch some TV (something rare) and within minutes she is asleep. On this day, Miley the cat took advantage of nap time and curled up with Abbigail. Nothing more peaceful than watching your kid nap. Of course, usually a mid-day nap means bedtime is going to go haywire.

I love this picture! "Why," you ask? "Your kids are fighting!" "Hair is being pulled!" "Teeth are used as weapons!"

I'll tell you why I love it. About 30 years ago this was me and one of my sisters. We fought. We pulled hair, kicked, bit, and pistol whipped with fake guns (thanks Erica, still have that scar.)

But my sisters are my best friends, and so what do I see when I look at these pictures? A future where they will have best friends that will never go away. No: I don't encourage the fighting. Yes: I try my best to intervene. But still, it's good to know they are headed in the right direction... I think.

2011-10-08T12:59:00.003-06:00

CLAIRE:

It's unfair how fast she is growing and changing, but I love catching new glimpses of her personality. She's cute, she knows it, and she uses it to the best of her advantage.

This tent has an extra opening. Claire likes it because she can get out even when it's zipped shut. But let me tell you the story behind the extra opening.

One day Ella and her friend were playing in the tent when it was set up in the front room. Well, they couldn't get the zipper down and were "paralyzed with fear" that they would be trapped there forever. So they came up with a solution. They rolled the tent into the kitchen, stretched the netting far enough they could reach their 6-year-old hands through, opened a drawer and used a very sharp knife to slice the hole in the tent. They were free!

Where were mom and dad, you ask? Well, mom was at work. As for dad, who knows?!?!?

Claire also got her first haircut. She sat in the chair, watched the sharp scissors move around her face and walked away with a beautiful new do. Too much growing!

Popsicles were a neighborhood favorite among the kids. We'd let them play for hours, sweat in the sun, run in the sprinklers, and annoy the neighbors. But if all the big kids in the neighborhood were sucking on Otter-pops, then you'd better make darn sure Claire had one in her hand or she'd rip one from somebody else. It's only fair, right?

And bicycles. No she's not that big. No she can't reach the pedals on a tricycle. No, she can't even walk a straight line. But put a helmet on the kid's head, and she is just as much a bike pro as the others.

A baby's face covered in ice cream is just too good to pass up.

This is one ride Claire could handle, sort-of. Of course some adult (usually me) would have to do the pushing, and her little feet would drag on the road, but we allowed it she would do it all day. Even just climbing in, and climbing back out is enough to make her happy.

Our Claire-Bear. This smile says it all. She is always happy. Always smiling. Always making us smile. There are just so many things about her I could tell the world: she just learned to kiss, really kiss with smacking her lips. She loves jello. She loves shoes. Her tantrums include hitting, screaming, throwing herself to the floor, but can easily be solved by a tickle. She bites. She adores her sisters. She blows kisses. She sings when I play the piano. She snuggles with a teddy bear when she sleeps at night. She's perfect. We love her.

Pictures Galore

2011-09-25T13:54:00.000-06:00

Okay, prepare yourself for a lot of pictures. I haven't done this in a while, and since we've been in SLC I've been a bit lazy about updating this blog. So I won't go into the details behind every tender moment that of course accompanies these photos, but maybe it will catch you up a bit on our life in Utah. We'll always be the Colorado Thornburghs. We've just moved to Utah, that's all.

Abbigail was feeling a bit mischievous on this day and wanted to take pictures with my phone. Every picture of her is adorable.

Not long after I started at KSL they turned to me and asked me if I wanted to go in the helicopter for a story on the other side of the state. Immediately I responded, "Yes!" Then in my mind I quickly remembered that I have three little girls. What if the chopper crashes. Eh, I'll take my chances. The pictures are posted so I made it back alive.

Jared and I live in a great neighborhood. We don't get to see a lot of each other because or opposite work schedule, but this night we were enjoying a beautiful Utah summer night with the neighbors. Not the most flattering picture... but I love this guy!

Since we've moved to Utah Claire has gotten teeth. A lot of teeth. I think we are working on number six right now. But despite the pain, this kid is always smiling. Just staring at this photo I can feel the strings of my heart wrapping around her.

Bedtime is sometimes a nightmare at our house, but there are a few nights it runs smoothly. Usually that requires copious amounts of reading. Hey, that is fine by me. I'd rather they go to sleep with their imaginations in full swing than images from some TV show.

Lately the big thing in the neighborhood is camping, sleeping outside or building forts outside. So I was not surprised when one night I came home to find most of the blankets and pillows in the house on the front lawn. Who can complain when they are having fun.

There are the rare occasions that we all get to be together as a family, sit-back, watch a movie, play some Wii. Jared tried to capture the image of one family night. You can see Claire is not willing to pose. She is ready to play.

I can hear my mother groaning now. Yes, Ella got a red streak of color in her hair. She loves it. She was so excited to go to school and show all her friends. Our neighbor is a hair stylist and did all the kids in the neighborhood. Don't worry mom, it will grow out.

Claire is so ready to be a big kid. When the older kids race down the street her little legs carry her as fast as they can to catch up. Or, in moments like this, she works desperately to figure out the scooter works. Usually it requires mom pushing her around. As long as she is smiling...

This is typical Abbigail. Hotwheels trike, tennis shoes, and a princess dress. She is full of personality. I hope it never fades.

Grandma and Grandpa were in town for Labor Day weekend and discovered that Claire loves ketchup. (Doesn't every kid at this age?) She would dip the french fry in and just suck off the ketchup. Every few dips she would actually take a bite. Yummy and messy treat.

Abbigail is officially a pre-schooler, and can't you tell how proud she is? All that morning before we left for school she was wearing her backpack, jumping up and down and screaming, "I'm so excited for school." When we got to school I explained I had to stay for the first half hour. She replied, "You will leave, won't you?" Miss independent.

And she is so lucky to be going to school with her best friend Ashley who happens to be the daughter of my best friend (and life-saver) Melissa. When you get these two together dangerous things can happen.

Ella turned 6 this summer, too. And since then she has lost two teeth and another is making it's way free. The first few days of 1st grade were a little tough, but she has adjusted beautifully!

Dirt. Claire loves it. We'll wake up, get her dressed and cute and the first thing she wants to do is go outside and dig in the dirt. It gets everywhere. All over her clothes, in her hair, in her diaper, under her nails, but the kid is having fun. Why stop it?

Ella wanted a picture this day because she said she was feeling, "Extra pretty." She is always pretty, but she does look great in this photo. And she loves this dress.

I always thought it would be Ella and Abbigail that would spend the most time together playing, but Abby has found quite the friend in Claire. I think it partially has to do with the fact she can boss Claire around. But the two spend hours together every day playing, getting dirty, fighting and giggling. I love sisters.

And if Abbigail isn't playing with Claire, visiting our neighbor Kay who has taken a special liking to my little girl, then she is running up and down the street with her friend Korina. I won't mention the part where they cut each others hair.

That's not all we've been up to. There is plenty more. Most of all we miss all our friends and family in Colorado and Texas. It has been hard starting over in a new city, with new friends, new house, new ward, new jobs... but it's amazing what can happen when we stick together as a family.

So Lucky...

2011-09-09T20:50:00.002-06:00

So, I know everyone says they have the best parents in the world, but before you make your argument listen to mine.

Frank & Kuu. Aren't they a cute couple? Too this day, nearly 45 years of marriage, they still behave like newly weds. "Yuck," you are probably saying. But for me it is inspiration. I still hear my dad whisper to my mom in a sweet voice, "I love you." "You look pretty." "Give me a kiss." Mom still makes dad those yucky bologna sandwiches that he loves. She goes for rides in his bumpy truck. Their love is spoken and unspoken. I aspire to it with my own marriage. Sure, I'm only eight years in, but I know we'll make it because I have the best of examples.

But that's not the only thing that makes them so great. I don't want to brag or anything, but look at their kids! College educations (and more), temple marriages, careers, and seven terrific grand-kids with one more on the way! Sure, I would like to take credit for all that I've accomplished, but really it is mostly in part because of who showed me the way.

To top it all off, because there is so much I could tell you about them, one thing I know for sure: I can always count on them. The unspoken but understood love I feel from my father. The quiet and supporting advice from my mom when I least expect it. Digging me out of a "cave" so deep I thought I would never feel happiness again. Sticking by my side when I'm stupid. Loving me without the slightest bit or notion of judgement. Never playing favorites. Ask David, Gunda or Erica... they all know. We got lucky. Not sure if they picked us or we picked them in the pre-existence but I know that the four of us kids came out on top.

I love you mom and dad and can't say thank-you enough for all you have given me and done for me.

Once Upon a Time...

2011-06-07T15:16:00.002-06:00

Once... I didn't mind putting on a swim suit.

Once... I didn't mind getting my clothes & hair wet.

Once... Lemonade in the sun tasted sooo yummy.

Once... I was a little girl, and I miss that little girl. I miss being carefree and uninhibited. I miss lounging around on a beach towel and not scrutinizing if I'm thin enough, tan enough, pretty enough.

These girls remind me of what it is like and I hope they hold on to it for a long, long time.

We had a hot morning here. No, not "Texas Hot" as all my Texas friends are probably bemoaning at this point, but hot enough for us to break out the sprinkler and spend a while jumping through the cool spray. And when I say "us" I mean the kids... cuz I am inhibited now as an "old mom" and cringe at the thought of getting soggy wet in my clothes. Claire is my excuse. So I live vicariously, and say to myself, "Someday I'll join in." Perhaps someday I will. I'm working on that.

The sprinklers were Abbigail's idea on this day. It beats staying inside when mom is busy packing.

Ella loves the water... however she gets it. She would swim for hours if we let her, but the sprinklers never disappoint, either.

The girls have a friend across the street, Sarah, who they spend their mornings and afternoons running around the neighborhood with.

A Little More of Us

2011-06-06T22:15:00.003-06:00

The summer has started for the Thornburghs, and it is starting out big.

First off... Ella graduated from kindergarten, and in just a few days she will be 6. Not sure how that happened or when... but she is growing up.

Things she looooves right now: making videos, dancing, singing, Angry Birds, and anything Disney.

For the humor in our family we turn to Abbigail. The kid mooned me the other day shopping. She mooned me! She doesn't even know what that word means, but she knows how to do it. We had the chance to spend some time at my aunt's home... and immediately Abbigail went for the dress-up clothes and then to the drums. Love her!

We spent about two weeks in Utah and loved being able to spend time with Ladd, Erica & Cooper. The girls love their cousin and fought every minute.

We spent many-a-nights snuggled up in the comfy beds of Marriott along the way. (Thanks Meme!) Somehow I always get kicked to the couch and the girls get all cuddly in the bed. Still... you can't help but be crazy about them. (Notice how Abby is pushing her tiny behind right into Claire's face!)

And now that school is wrapped up and a summer trip is out of the way it is time to get down to business. Business includes: finding a new home in SLC, moving from Texas to Utah, celebrating a 6th birthday, starting a new job at KSL, celebrating a 1st birthday, and celebrating a 29th birthday for the sixth time.

Wish this summer luck!

What We've Been Up To... Sort Of

2011-05-20T06:30:00.002-06:00

I'm not one of those moms who carries around a camera wherever we go. In fact... I am horrible at taking pictures. I bit ironic for a journalist. I'm no good with any type of camera. But since it has been so long since I have put anything up here I will add what few photos I have on my iPhone.

On a beautiful Saturday morning the girls toured the grounds of the Denver Temple while mommy had the chance to spend some time inside. It was a wonderful respite. Afterwards the ward met for a picnic at a nearby park. So, when talking with their dad he asked what they came away with from their temple trip (besides a sunburn). Abbigial promptly replied, "Daddy they have a waterfall. But you can't put money in it." Well, I tried.

Yet more proof that I am raising my grandmother's great-granddaughters: they love shoes! They could get that from my Grandma Gunda, but more likely they get it from me. Today's choice of shoes (with pajamas, of course): tap shoes and white church shoes. Can Abby tap? No. Does she try? As loudly as possible.

Now this picture has nothing to do with what we have been up to, but I wanted to add it because I think I actually did a good job taking it... check out the lighting! Of course it was a happy accident. Also... isn't this a great cat. A happy, fat, great cat. He weighs more than Claire!

What else have we been up to? The zoo, It'z, Chuck E Cheese, the park, playdates, birthday parties (Abby turned 3!) and so much more that we do have photos of that I will post someday. Until then... these will have to do. Besides... they still show just how darn cute these kids are.

And how much fun we have together as a family...

And at times, no matter how crazy or upside down life can be... we are a family close together or far apart. And these sweet faces, with all of their tantrums, quarrels, and hijinks.... these faces make it all worth while.

The Oldest Sister

2011-05-20T00:47:00.003-06:00

I'm not old enough. She can't be old enough! My baby has finished kindergarten. Today was Ella's last day of kindergarten. She had a wonderful teacher... Mrs. Huebner. The class called her Mrs. H. Ella loves her, and I am amazed at how much Ella has learned from her. She is doing math, counting money, and writing stories. Every day she leaves me a little to read. Such a sweet heart...

She loves to learn... when she isn't at school she is finding new ways to keep learning. The best way she has found is making up songs and then writing down the lyrics. And if they aren't her original songs she is writing down the words to songs she hears on the radio. So smart...

And we are so proud... she is such a well behaved little girl at school. Her grades are strong, teachers love her and are always using her as the best example.

The entire kindergarten class put together a program called, "Going On a Picnic." The girls dressed as ladybugs, and the boys dressed as army ants. Ella knew every word of every song, and her choreography was right on cue. This kid is going to grow up to be a performer. She was the only girl who made her own costume for the program!

Probably what we love most about Ella is how protective she is of her little sisters. Of course she and Abbigail fight. Sisters do, but she is always the first to defend, protect and comfort Abbigail when something goes wrong. Just look at how the two cuddle up together like a couple of kittens in bed!

And her love for her baby sister, Claire, is adorable. She is always wanting to hug and kiss her youngest sister. Ella even has nightmares about Claire falling out of bed or down the stairs.

There isn't enough to say about this sweet girl. She is smart, beautiful, funny, kind, sweet, forgiving, compassionate and a true friend. My best friend. She loves to sing, dance, pretend. She is shy but loving. Sneaky but sincere. And always persistent. She is always so beautiful... we can't wait to see how much more beauty she brings to our lives.

The Art of Abbigail

2011-05-20T00:07:00.003-06:00

What else is there to say about Abbigail... this kid has more personality in her pinkie then most people have in their entire body. Her smile says it all. A bit mischievous, a bit of sweetness, and more than a bit of knock you down, roll on the floor sense of humor.

This kid is definitely the comedian in the family. Sometimes I think I am raising a boy... the fart humor, her super-human strength (she can take Ella down without trying), and of course... her beautiful artwork. This face surrounding her belly-button was done with a permanent marker. Explain that to the doctor.

And unlike Ella, she is very independent. She wants to do everything on her own. I tried to help her at Chuck E Cheese... but she just wouldn't have it. She gets dressed on her own. She pours her own drinks. She washes her own hair. She even likes to do the dishes. Of course... that independence comes with quite few mishaps, but the kid is learning - and FAST!

But as much as she may be tough as nails, a little "gross" at times... she is definitely a girl. The singing, the dancing... and of course the princess costumes, the high-heels, and the makeup she must put on every day proves just how much of a girl she is.

When she first started putting on makeup it was a bit sloppy. I went through several tubes of mascara. But Grandma Kuu was a big help.

Eventually my beautiful princess learned the art of blue eye-shadow and now knows how to expertly apply just the right amount. :)

Of course... there are still days she finds the mascara and goes a little crazy and it takes more than soap and water to clean up those messes.

Every day is an adventure with this crazy kid, and I will gladly clean up whatever "mess" she brings our way.

Growing Up Too Fast

2011-05-19T23:17:00.003-06:00

This is happening way too fast... she started out so little. So sweet. So perfect.

No, that hasn't changed... she is still perfect and sweet, but not so little anymore.

I remember putting this bow on her head and thinking, "Boy, that looks ridiculous. It is the size of her head."

It has only been a few months since we left Borger. Okay, it has been 5 1/2 months, but Claire has changed so much. Her hair is lighter... she sits up on her own (without the Bumbo), and she has two bottom teeth and another coming in on the top. She loves fruit, hates vegetables, and constantly wants to be with her sisters or her mom. She is growing to be just like Ella and Abbigail.

One of her favorite things... being outside. We'll go for walks, spend some time at the park, take a ride in the stroller or wagon... or sometimes we'll just put her in excersaucer outside and let her get some Vitamin D. She loves the breeze, loves the sun, and loves watching the squirrels, cats, and dog run wild through the yard. Oh... and the other animals: Ella and Abbigail.

Probably the best part about Claire... her beautiful, goofy grin. When she smiles it is as if she is trying to smile harder than she possibly can. Her nose wrinkles up, and these perfect little giggles escape her lips. You can't help but be happy when you are with her... that's probably why God put her in my life. I need that daily, hourly, minute by minute dose of happiness.

Every day is a new discovery for Claire at this age. Whether she is finding her balance and standing on her own. Maybe she discovers how to suck through a straw. Or perhaps she finds the simple pleasure of a box. Forget the toys. A box to sit in, and pretend it is her own little car is what every baby needs.

And then she discovers the stairs. The crawling came so easily for her... but she avoided the stairs. Until one day... this day in the picture... she heard her sisters giggling and playing upstairs at Meme & Papa's house and had to join them. So she climbed all 18 stairs (with mom right behind her, of course.) Now we can't keep her away from the stairs. She can't climb down them, but for some reason all she wants to do is play on or near those darned stairs.

And no, the gash on her chin and bruise on her cheek are not from the stairs. One evening at church Abbigail was carrying Claire when they both fell and crashed into a folding chair. Claire's chin split open, blood gushing everywhere... and surprisingly mom didn't panic. Some dermabond glue at the emergicare solved the problem, and hopefully in a few weeks she will be as good as new. If only we can get Abby to stop picking up her baby sister!

If there is one thing about this beautiful baby girl that shouldn't surprise anyone is how much she loves her chocolate. After all, it runs in the family. But when this kid gets her hands on something chocolate... it goes everywhere.

EVERYWHERE!

What else can we say, but that we are crazy about this little angel. She is the perfect addition to our family, and we love watching her grow. We just wish she would take it a little slower...

A Little In-Between

2011-01-14T12:55:00.003-07:00

So... no pictures for this post. Just a quick update of where we are and what we are doing. Jared is officially living in Utah working at his new job with Weir Pumps. He loves it and loves riding the train to work every day. I am living with my folks (temporarily) and working part-time at KKTV again. I love the opportunity to be near my parents and Jared's parents. The girls love their grandparents and Meme and Papa. Ella is enrolled in kindergarten here and has gotten in to the grove of things. It has taken a while, but she has settled in. Abbigail still needs to find some friends her age. In the meantime... she loves playing with her toys and Meme is good to spoil and love her with tea-parties and make-overs. Claire is growing every day, and you can see in her eyes just how badly she wants to crawl.

As for our life in Texas, it went by too fast. I miss my friends there so much. It was hard to say goodbye. Of course, we still have a house there so if you know anyone looking for a good home in Borger... send them my way! And please pray our house will sell soon so we can all be together as a family soon. Living away from Jared is hard for me, but especially for the girls. But we can't do the "two mortgage" thing... so in the meantime we are in Colorado.

I'll post some pictures soon... the girls are growing fast. Life is changing fast. And I'm losing my mind fast as all these changes happen so fast!

Great House for Sale!

2010-12-15T11:57:00.007-07:00

Beautiful house for sale at 9 Westridge Street in Borger, TX. Approximately 3600 square feet on about 3/4 acres. Built in 2001. Quiet cul-de-sac safe for children, especially with the long driveway for kiddos to ride bikes. The main driveway also has a cemented-in basketball hoop.

Large front yard with two beautiful trees, and wrap around driveway, and covered front porch. The garage is 4-car (two car tandem) with plenty of shelving and a rolling work bench.

From the backyard you can see the back garages with a driveway leading to a gate with access to a back alley. Great for boaters or RV'ers. The back yard faces west, and backs up to private ranch land making for beautiful, unobstructed sunsets.

The backyard also features a large deck great for entertaining with plenty of bench seating. The deck right outside the back door is covered, perfect for rainy afternoons, and also features roll down shades to block the sun and heat during the summer. An added bonus, a mister that lines the trellis... great for those hot Summer days. The yard is large, great for family pets, and plenty of room to add a big garden.

This is the view directly inside the front door. There is a formal entry way just off the dining and living rooms with space for a bench or console table.

The formal living room in just to the left of the entryway. Large room with canister lighting, and large picture window. Nice carpet in great condition. The crown molding seen in this photo is on the entire main floor.

The formal dining room is to the right of the front entry. The parquet flooring is in great shape, and is highlighted by a beautiful chandelier and another large picture window. Both the dining and living rooms have custom, pull-cord drapery and blinds.

This is the view into the dining room from the kitchen. Notice the two double pantries, great for food storage.

Very large kitchen with center island. More cupboards and drawers than I could fill. Enough space to store large kitchen appliances, ie: kitchenaid, cuisanart, toaster, breadmaker and countertop grill. Corner cabinets feature lazy-susan storage. Electric stove with above stove microwave. The kitchen features lots of cannier lighting, and lots of lighting down the hallway leading to the laundry room and garage.

This is the view from the family room to the kitchen. There is bar seating great for a quick breakfast, snack or lunch, and room enough for four chairs. There is room between the kitchen and the family room for an eat-in-kitchen, but we preferred using the dining room.

The family room is large and cozy with a log fireplace and mantle. The fireplace has a forced air addition operated by the flip of a light switch. Great for saving on the winter utility bill. There is cable access on the back wall or the wall opposite the fireplace, and the room is equipped with surround sound wiring. Custom, pull-string drapes at small window and back door are included. The room also features canister lighting, as well as a lighted ceiling fan.

The master bedroom is on the main floor, and is quite large. Room enough for a king size bed, tall dresser, two nightstands, long dresser and crib. Large picture window, and two other windows add great natural light to the room. Not seen is a lighted ceiling fan that has three different light settings: four bulbs, two bulbs, or an ambient light... very romantic. Pull string, custom drapery and blinds are included.

Second view of master bedroom showing master bath and closet doors.

Master bathroom has double sinks, plenty of storage for "him" and "her" with a separate door to the toilet and jetted soaking tub. Also in the bathroom, another cupboard above the toilet great for storing linens.

Large master closet (sorry for the mess!) Lots of shelving, and great space for changing to accommodate those early morning work hours when the other person wants to sleep in.

This is the upstairs over sized closet at the top of the landing. Currently it is used for a craft room, with enough space for large dining table and filing cabinets. Would also make a great office space, equipped with both cable hook-up and double phone jack connections.

This is the landing at the top of the stairs. Large picture window to add natural light, and custom drapery stays with the home.

Bedroom number 2 upstairs. Large room, enough for two beds, and plenty of space left over dressers and toys galore. Room features private bathroom and walk-in closet.

Bedroom number 3 upstairs. Both rooms upstairs are identical in size and feature walk-in closets and large bathrooms. Ceiling fans in both rooms.

Large walk-in closet showing one-half, with a rod on the other side.

Large bathroom with plenty of storage.

Lots of cupboard space room enough for linens, and also a laundry cupboard.

This is the unfinished area upstairs, aprox 1000 sq ft. Perfect for a play room or a media room. Electrical is already run.

Not shown:

Bedroom #4 downstairs off the hallway leading from the kitchen to the garage. Large room with walk-in closet and large picture window. Custom pull-string drapes and blinds included.

Bathroom #4 directly across the hallway from bedroom #4. Large shower with bench seating. Plenty of cupboard space, and multiple drawers, as well as built in shelving.

Large laundry room at the end of the hallway off the kitchen just before the garage entrance. Laundry room features sink with cupboard space below, and cupboards above the washer and dryer. There is also plenty of shelving and clothes rod, making it a great mud room just off the garage.

Over sized, 4-car garage. Features plenty of shelving and rolling work bench. Good lighting.

Two separate air conditioner units with separate thermostats for upstairs and downstairs. Two hot water heaters, one in the basement and one in garage.

Also not shown in pictures, large unfinished basement great for storage and great for tornado season.

Added bonus, every room is equipped with cable and phone hook-ups.

Here We Go Again...

2010-12-13T14:48:00.010-07:00

So, the other night I sat down to write the annual Christmas letter. Who would have known that just a few days later it would completely change? That one more huge, significant moment of 2010 would need to be added? So you'll get a Christmas card from us this year... but no letter. There is so much that I would need to include as we prepare to leave Borger it wouldn't all fit, and pictures tell the story better.

Yes, you heard me right. We are leaving Borger. We've only lived here 14 months and we are already preparing ourselves for yet another move. Jared has accepted a job in Salt Lake City, UT, and starts just after the new year. So as we celebrate Christmas, and as we unwrap presents... we'll be wrapping up our lives here in Borger.

Here is the thing... though it has only been 14 months, I don't want it to be just a blip on the radar of our lives. So much has happened, so much has changed, and so many wonderful people have entered our lives.

Within a month of moving here I successfully knocked myself out falling off a chair, broke my foot during aerobics and then figured out why I was always losing my balance: a baby growing inside me and now a blessing that is getting bigger every day: Claire. She was born in Borger so this humble town will always be her "home."

Those people I write about: the Mosleys who opened their home and hearts to us as we learned we were more than just friends but actual family. They made coming to this new place easier knowing we already had someone to count on. The Gunns, and the delicious muffins Heather brought over one of the first days in our new home when we had no fridge and no food. And again Heather, who took care of my two kids when a stomach bug made me useless. The Dixons, especially Lynn who raced to our home when I knocked myself out falling off that chair... and raced to my home again when I couldn't crawl out of bed to feed my kids when that stomach bug first showed up. Misty Hankinson who showed up at my door after hearing about my broken foot. She barely knew me at the time, but has grown to be one of my dearest friends. She has pure Christ-like love that I've found in so few people, and has been there to just chat, make me exercise, given my kids life-long friends, and helped pull me out of the darkness of post-partum depression. The Hankinsons are one of those families that no matter where we all end up... they will always be close in our hearts. Tanya Clements who reignited my hobby of scrap booking, and a wonderful mother I could relate to when sometimes being an involved mom is harder than it looks. and Darla Keller... the world's best kindergarten teacher that Ella comes home every day loving more and more.

We have a few more days left in Borger, but if you see me try not to make me cry. I want this change because I'm excited to live closer to family. But the sadness of leaving all of these people that have become my family will make moving day a heartache.

Now, prepare yourself for lots of photos as I try to sum up just a bit of all the wonderful things we are leaving behind.

When we moved to Texas we expected sun and warm weather... who knew they would have one of the worst winters in Borger they've had in years? I loved it, and cuddling up with my girls, watching TV, and drinking cocoa.

These 14 months were significant for Ella and Abbigail. Abby grew in to a little girl and the two became friends that played (and fought) together.

Miley (a boy cat named after Miley Cyrus) that we rescued from a carton of kittens at Walmart.

Abbigail and her adorable friend Ellie... they could be twins with those pigtails!

Abbigail surprising us all and potty training in just two days.

Ella's hours and hours of dance practice and the recital she braved in front of hundreds of people including all of her grandparents who drove in for the big event.

Abbigail always surprising us with her artistic abilities....

Ella spending every Tuesday and Thursday at Wee School, afraid those first few days... but saying to me as she walked up the stairs to her class with tears rolling down her face, "I'm a big kid and this is what big kids do." She loved every minute of it and found a terrific friend in the process, Melanie Irwin, she also had the same dance class with.

Ella turning 5 in June and getting spoiled by Grandma and Grandpa with a Wii. You should see this kid bowl! And when we put in "Just Dance", Abby has some amazing moves.

Celebrating the 4th of July with our dear friends the Hankinsons and laughing until we cried when Mike set off a firecracker and it took off, took a bad turn... and hit Mike smack in the butt.

July 9th, when our lives were blessed when Claire was delivered by the best doctor I've ever known. Thank-you Dr. (Bishop, Brother) Weber for being patient with my girls and listening to me when I thought "sad" was all I would ever know.

Watching every day as these girls grow more and more to be friends. When we first got here all they had was each other. It was amazing to see how they relied on each other and how they loved each other.

These two faces say it all. Ella's best friend Bethany... and every day Ella asks me, "Can I play with Bethany today?" This was their first day of kindergarten. I'm so glad they are in the same class because without each other I think those first few days would have been long and tear-filled.

The confidence we saw grow in Ella as she made new friends at school and showed us just how smart she really is: reading, writing and doing math.

Watching Abbigail's unique personality develop as she learned to be an individual while Ella was off at school. Our days are filled with her quirky sense of humor and games of wild imagination.

Grateful to be a stay-at-home mom this time around and seeing every change. Yes... some days I complain. Yes... I lose my patience. No... I wouldn't change it because she changes every day and I get to be a part of it.

Again, watching Abbigail develop her artistic skills. (Just a small dose of her sense of humor.)

Spending the hot Texas days at the splash park.

Riding our bikes around our HUGE driveway. Not likely to have one like that in Utah.

Again.... more of Claire, in this picture working as hard as she can to get her knees underneath her to reach a toy across the room.

Begging Ella to be something from Toy Story for Halloween or even a princess or fairy. Nope. She wanted to be a vampire.

Easily convincing Abbigail that she would make the cutest Jessie ever!

Relieved that Claire is now big enough to fit in her excer-saucer and entertain herself (at least for a few minutes) so mommy can get some cleaning done.

Abbigail helping herself to some ice cream when I'm pretty sure mom and dad said no.

And wrapping up our year with a family picture, not knowing while taking this photo that in just a couple of months we'll be making more memories in the new year... just in a different place. Wherever that place is, it will be home, because this is my family. Lots of things will change over the years... but that never will.

5 Months Old!

2010-12-09T08:26:00.003-07:00

Claire is 5-months-old today! In some ways it feels like she should be older... but then I feel like I just got her. She is so sweet, and cuddly... just look at those cheeks!

Some things she is doing... rolling all over the house, and trying to get her knees under her to start crawling. She is constantly grabbing my food from my hand... telling me she is sick of the rice cereal, baby food, and formula that make up her diet. And you should hear that sweet giggle. Fairies really do get their wings.

I love this picture because it shows just how big her cheeks are.

The other night she fell asleep in her bouncy chair after we finished feeding her holding tightly to a stuffed bear. Full tummy makes for a happy baby.

I love this picture because it describes a typical day for Claire: constantly spoiled and loved by Ella. Our five-year-old loves helping with Claire, and knows exactly where to tickle to get the best response.

This picture is harder to describe. I think Abbigail was singing to Claire to get her to stop crying. Sometimes that singing sounds a little like yelling... so we didn't get the hopeful response from Claire. Hey... they try. I LOVE THIS BABY!

Missing Items

2010-11-16T12:12:00.002-07:00

There are elves or thieves that have invaded my home and stolen things that are precious... and not so precious but needed.

First... Ella's shoes. I don't like buying the kid cheap shoes because they give her blisters and fall apart. So we spend the money to make sure our kid is well dressed. But for some reason... one half of each pair is disappearing. We've searched high and low, but the search continues. Who would want these? A Hogwarts house elf? Who knows. All I know is I have to go out this afternoon and drop more $$$ on shoes for this beautiful girl of mine, who unfortunately like me, loves shoes.

Next... my baby sling. I spent good money on this, used it once... and it magically disappeared. I have a good guess where it might have gone, but I don't like to accuse unless I have enough proof. The point is... I could really use it right now. Claire is at the point where she doesn't want to be put down and not much is getting accomplished around the house.

My Coach perfume, my favorite fragrance. Not cheap. It too has "magically" disappeared. Where do these things go? I keep it out of arms reach of my children, and hidden... so they couldn't have done it... but did they? Have I looked hard enough?

Worst of all... and I'm sorry I don't have the pictures of these next two things that mean the most to me.

Ella's kindergarten pictures have disappeared. They turned out so well, and she is so beautiful in them... I want her to be able to look back years from now and look at those pictures and remember just how much fun kindergarten was. Yes, I know can reorder. But where did they go? How do things just walk away? I don't want to blame it on my children because growing up I got a lot of that... "the kids did it." When in actuality it wasn't us (or me.)

Probably the most painful for me to think of is my wedding china. Exactly one year after we moved in to this house I went to look for it, and couldn't find it anywhere. The crystal was there.. but the china is nowhere to be found. Jared and I have searched everywhere. My parents have searched their home. I think of the thousands of dollars these dishes are worth, but my heart aches most when I think of their sentimental value. Wedding gifts, my china... that I wanted to have for decades to come... to someday give them to my daughters. Just writing about it I tear up. Jared says, "They'll turn up." But how? And where? We've looked everywhere!

Does this happen to everyone? Do things just go missing and never show up again? It seems to be happening to me all at once. Or am I just losing my mind? (Don't answer that!)

Anyhow... I send out this message to the cosmos of missing items... "Please, please, please return the things that are most precious to me."

Fall Update

2010-11-05T09:12:00.004-06:00

I've been catching some flack for not posting frequently enough on my blog... which is probably right. But hey, I'm a buy mom with a busy church calling. That's my excuse anyways.

So I'll kick off this fall update with Halloween. Jared's parents and his sister Leanne came out this year to help us celebrate all the candy eating. Of course the girl's cousin Jacob was there... but there were some extra guests too! Leanne brought her boyfriend Gus and his two cute kids Gus and Noellia. The kids all got along great and had a blast.

For some reason we don't have any pictures of that... Jared is the camera-carrying guy in the family so I blame him. But all of us had a great time swimming Friday night, and then Saturday we went to the church's fall festival that I was responsible for planning. There were games, prizes, more candy, a cake-walk, and a chili cook-off that Jared was to help judge. I made chili for the first time in my life. I don't like chili. I don't eat chili. But my chili won an award. Now some may argue that was because Jared was helping to do the judging. But I think after having to eat more than 13 flavors of chili he could care less who won. He just wanted it over with. He and the Bishop were literally sweating in the kitchen taking bite-after-bite.

Family had to leave Sunday morning so it was just us for trick-or-treating. Ella did have a friend Nicole join them as they made their way around the neighborhood and picked up their goodies.

So... maybe a little weird, but this year Ella didn't want to be a princess or a ballerina. She wanted to be a vampire. Truth is, she saw the costume at the store and liked the dress. This is her best impression of being a scary, blood-sucking creature. That smile isn't fooling anyone.

Abbigail was the adorable Jessie from Toy Story. Now every time she watches the movie or sees the commercial for Toy Story 3 she screams, "That's me, that's me!" She was very cute, though the only boots we had for her to wear were rubber, pink, polka-dot rain boots. Yes, we live in Texas. No, we don't own boots.

This is the group that the girls went out with, including some dads. Abbigail, Ella, Nicole and Ashlyn. Four very cute girls.

And of course, there isn't an event that doesn't involve some sort of tears from Ella. Dad accidentally bumped her with his flashlight. As you can see... Abbigail is already enjoying a sugar rush from her stash that is now well out of arms reach on the top of the refrigerator.

Tarantulas

2010-11-05T09:02:00.003-06:00

This part of Texas is known for some of it's creepy crawlers: scorpions, rattle-snakes... and lots and lots of spiders. We are constantly getting the house sprayed for spiders because they just don't seem to go away.

Well guess what, Borger is in the middle of the Tarantula migration path. I don't care what anyone says... these so-called "harmless" "cute" "fuzzy" spiders have no business coming near my home. But this guy showed up one Saturday and stuck around for most of the day. My mom even told me that this is one of the smaller ones. My skin crawls just thinking about it.

Fortunately this was the only one we saw around our house. I'm sure there were more, but out of sight out of mind, right? Abby and I did see some on our walks and she kept trying to encourage the spiders to follow us home, but mom was too fast. Let us hope these over-grown arachnids made it to where they were headed and we don't have to deal with them for at least another year.

Finally Safe

2010-11-05T08:51:00.002-06:00

When we first moved in to our home (more than a year ago) there were no spindles between the wall and the banister. Tell me, what kind of code does that pass? A three foot gap anyone could fall through? So it has been one of our many to-dos around the house. (In addition to painting, new light fixtures, new kitchen counter-tops, new carpet, re-stain the hardwood.... all when $$$ allows.)

So my ever-so-handy husband spent a weekend with my very helpful dad (THANKS DAD!) cutting the spindles, sanding the spindles, and painting the spindles. We could have bought the spindles ready made, but at $5 each for 18 stairs the project was getting expensive. I was all for the expensive project, but Jared assured me he could do it himself.

I have to admit... I am quite impressed. He did a good job, and all for under $200. Now I don't have to worry every time the girls walk up and down the stairs. (Unless of course they decide to wear my high-heels around the house.)

Artsy Fartsy Jared

2010-11-05T08:34:00.002-06:00

We have been trying to create some art for a feature wall in our home. We've decided to do black and white images of the girls (Claire is missing) so Jared got creative with some old wooden picture frames.

Abbigail had no clue what her dad wanted to do. She thought he wanted to play some sort of hula-hoop game with the frame and kept trying to drag it down to her waist.
But Jared was able to capture a few great images of our crazy 2-year-old.

Taking a picture of Ella is always easy. She is always ready to strike a pose. She flashes that adorable smile and gives you her most "steamy model" look. Who knows where she learns this stuff?

In some photos we caught her a little off guard and she demanded we delete them. For instance this one was allegedly deleted. She says she doesn't look "hot" in the frame. For Pete's sake... she is 5! Who is teaching her what hot is or isn't?

For some reason this photo of Abbigail reminds me of a criminal line-up. Perhaps it has something to do with the shadows and that far-off stare. Hopefully not a precursor to our years ahead.

Despite all Jared's efforts... we still haven't created that feature wall. Besides... it would be no feature without Claire up there.

End of Fall Soccer

2010-11-05T08:22:00.002-06:00

Okay... so maybe (and I say maybe because I don't want to ruin future chances) but I'm not so sure Ella is cut out to be a soccer star. She loves being out there on the field with her friends... and the kid has some wheels, but on the sidelines she is dancing, singing... and having as much fun as possible. Exactly what she should be doing.

The Blueberries had a great fall season and we can't wait to pick it up again during the spring. Believe it or not, it is getting too cold in Texas to have an early morning game. So, we'll spend the winter working on Ella's dribbling skills, run her through some suicide drills, possibly some 8 mile runs... whatever it takes to make her the champion soccer player her father has always wanted!

Until then, GO BLUEBERRIES!!!!!

Soccer Star

2010-09-15T14:49:00.003-06:00

Move over Jared... there is a new soccer star in the family.
Ella had her first soccer game this past Saturday.
(She is #5 in the pink shorts.)

She plays on the team with her good friend Melanie... and of course Jared is their coach. Their team name is the "Blueberries."

I was quite impressed... Ella can run really fast. And she did score one goal. Unfortunately it was in the other teams net. But who's counting anyways. She is having a great time, getting some good exercise... and making new friends.

Abbigail is a little jealous that she isn't old enough to play yet... but she makes sure she is out there on the field with Ella and her dad.

Who knows... maybe years from now they will be like the Williams' sisters, but soccer instead of tennis.

First Day of Kindergarten

2010-08-31T09:28:00.003-06:00

I have a kindergartner! When and how did this happen? Ella's first day of school was August 23rd. She looked so cute... and was so excited to get out the door and start this new adventure. (She loves to strike a pose.)

She got a new backpack and lunchbox for the new year... very cute kitty-cat bags she has to show off.

I got to take her to school for her first day. They waited in line with the rest of their class before they walked to their new classroom. You can see in this picture she is a little nervous and scared... and yes there were tears. (We both cried.) But she warmed up....

...as soon as her best friend Bethany showed up. They lucked out and are in the same class together with Mrs. Keller. Ella loves her teacher and I can tell she is fantastic.

It was hard for me to watch her march off to this new time in her life... I cried all the way home. But I am so proud of her. She is doing so well, having so much fun, and making so many friends. We love you Ella and are prouder than you can imagine.

Fun with Markers

2010-08-31T09:22:00.003-06:00

So, what do we do all day when Ella is at school?
We go to the park, we make cookies, we give our Barbies baths... and Abbigail likes to color.

Well, I left her alone for a little too long one day, and she colored. She colored her face, her arms, her legs, her toes... and fortunately not my carpet or furniture.

You can tell she had fun. And I know she had fun, because it has happened more than once.

Baby Blessed

2010-08-31T09:07:00.003-06:00

We are blessed by having this beautiful baby in our family so on August 15th Jared gave baby Claire a priesthood blessing at church. It was a beautiful day.

Lots of family was in town for the blessing... my parents, Jared's parents, his sister Janiel and her two children, and my sister and her son. We also had some good friends, the Hankinsons, come to the blessing as well.

We took a big family picture... but for some reason it didn't show up on Jared's camera... but don't the girls look gorgeous in their dresses? This was after a long day at church and playing so they looked a lot cuter... but I still think they are the cutest girls in town.

I love having three little girls. They are so much fun, and I know some day they'll grow to love eachother as much as I love my sisters.

Bug Juice and Popsicles

2010-08-31T08:50:00.002-06:00

It was so nice to have my sister and nephew in town for a week. They helped out so much.... more than they know. (Thank-you Erica, I love you.)
Best of all the kids had a blast together.
What is better than Bug Juice and popsicles on the front porch?

My nephew Cooper loooooves Bug Juice. Erica and I went to four different stores before we found it in Borger. Not at Walmart, not at United, not at Allsups... but they had it at the gas station across the street from Allsups (don't know the name.)

With the 106 degree weather the popsicles were a hit... as well as the splash park at Huber Park. The kids could have stayed there all day.

Abbigail usually doesn't get too brave, but does manage to get a little wet.

Cooper, as you can see... dove right in.

And Ella loves the splash park!

A great summer treat before school started.

We love and miss you Erica and Cooper! (Next time bring Ladd.)

Sisterly Love

2010-08-31T08:40:00.003-06:00

Ella and Abbigail love their new little sister Claire. Ella is always asking to hold her and feed her... and sometimes she gets caught picking her up without our help.

Abby loves Claire, too... and holds her all the time, but ususally only for about five seconds so we can never get a picture of it. But... we caught this on camera. Abby likes to play with Claires toys and stuff, and pretend she is a baby. So one day she crawled into Claires bassinette, grabbed grandmas ugly doll... and took a three hour nap with her legs hanging over the end. I love this blonde-haired beauty. (Abby, not the doll.)

The Reason Why

2010-08-31T06:54:00.003-06:00

I am a TV commercial.

Three months ago. That was my last post. Three months ago I could tell you that I was happy, I was having fun with my girls, and I was planning for another beautiful baby girl. It was just a couple weeks after my last post when the anxiety hit.

Abbigail's c-section delivery was hard for me. There was a problem with the spinal and I had a panic attack on the operating table. Awesome thing to do when you are totally naked, and numb from the chest down. So I lived in fear as the day drew nearer for Claire to come. Would it be the same as last? Anxiety and fear overwhelmed me, but there is good news. The spinal went great. The surgery was the best out of three... and beautiful Claire was healthy and strong. And for about two weeks so was I.

For those who know don't know I suffered Post Partum Depression with Ella. Much of that had to do with the fact that I went back to a job I hated when she was only six weeks old. I'll never forget the day I walked out on my job, and drove home as fast as I could to be with her. Another panic attack.

With Abbigail, I had three months of maternity leave. It was hard to go back to work, but I truly loved my job and the second time around I was prepared with medication.

I was prepared this time, too. I read books. Prayed. Fasted. Hoped... that my sanity would stick. It didn't. It was as if it happened overnight. Two weeks after Claire's birth my world changed.

No... I'm not Andrea Yates. I would never hurt my children, and I love this new little life as my adorable niece would say, "as big as a redwood tree and more." But for those who have experienced Post-partum Depression, or any depression... it is immobilizing.

One night Jared and I were watching TV when a commercial came on...

-A woman staring out the window, "I just don't find joy in things anymore."

-A man rubbing his eyes, "My sleep just doesn't seem right."

-A mother staring at her beautiful daughter, "I can't deal with the guilt."

..... and more and more and more.

I turned to Jared and said, "I'm a TV commercial." I wasn't sleeping. Poor little Ella took the brunt of my mood swings. I didn't want to get out of bed, get dressed, cook dinner for my family, exercise, or eat. (Me, not eating? Something is definitely wrong.) Worst of all: I didn't want to hold my new baby. The girls would ask why I was crying all day long. It could be easily hidden from the outside world because I was never outside... but my beautiful daughters knew something was wrong. Things came to a head one night, and fortunately our wonderful doctor makes house-calls. He just happens to be our bishop and a truly Godly man.

My biggest question: Why would my Heavenly Father send us this unexpected gift if he knew I was going to suffer this way? My bishop/doctor was able to counsel me, and he and Jared gave me a blessing of healing... and I got a new cocktail of medication. That night Jared called his mom, explained the situation, and the next day she was in Borger to drive me home to Colorado where I stayed for 10 days. A week after that my mom and sister come to Borger with my nephew who is just five days younger than Abbigail. (They make quite the team, sort of like me and Erica.)

Things aren't perfect, but they are better. I hold my baby... all the time. She is perfect, even if she keeps us up all night long. And I have wonderful friends here in Borger who do so much to help me... and a husband who is understanding and patient who I love with ALL my heart. He is up with me at night when that baby isn't sleeping... he takes his turns.

So bare with me as I continue to fight for hopefully only a few more months when my body and hormones go back where they belong. Some days I start feeling sorry for myself, and then I remember those who do have it much worse. And I remember Claire. God gave her to me. Me! I'm not perfect, and he still trusts me with her. Keep us all in your prayers.

The Officially Late Announcement - Claire Thornburgh

2010-07-31T12:57:00.009-06:00

It has now been twenty-two day s so its time to make this official via the internet. Claire was born Friday July 9th at 8:53am, weighing on at 6lbs 12 oz and 19 inches tall. Katherine and Claire are both doing well.

Ella is a big help. She loves to hold her new sister and help here mom and dad feed Claire.

Abby has warmed up to not being the baby any more. It only took a day or two. Now Abby won't stop sharing her toys with her new little sister.

Filling the Days

2010-05-27T14:34:00.003-06:00

With school and dance over our days are long, and hard to fill. We definitely find stuff to do... playing outside, running in the sprinklers, searching for bugs, Candyland, Chutes & Ladders... but when the girls get bored (and when mom is too hot and lazy to spend any more time outside) we turn to art.

The girls love to color and paint... and make any kind of mess. Ella especially loves cutting and gluing. She colored this pretty picture today for her friend Bethany.

Abbigail wanted to show off her picture, too...

As you can see that picture has no color on it, but Abby sure does.

I really don't mind all that much, as long as they are having fun, and she isn't coloring my furniture, carpet or walls. The kids are washable.

Ella's First Dance Recital

2010-05-27T14:06:00.003-06:00

Ella had her first dance recital with the Lone Star Dance Academy on May 23rd at the Globe News Center for the Performing Arts in Amarillo. No photography was allowed during the recital... but we have plenty of photos from after. We ordered a DVD of the performance and will post some video later.

After the recital Ella was awarded a huge basket of goodies from Mom & Dad, Grandma & Grandpa, and Meme & Papa. She has worked so hard these past eight months and we are so proud!

Her first dance was a ballet to The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies. She loves this pink ballet costume, and was so excited to find out she got to bring it home!

Ella has come a long way since her first dance lesson. Even the academy instructors have noticed how hard she works. They tell us they see a great potential in her, and a natural ability. (She doesn't get that from her mom.)

Of course, I may be a bit biased, but I think Ella was the best on stage in her age group. She has great rhythm and never fell off beat.

For her second performance the class did a tap dance to A Tisket, A Tasket. Ella loves her tap shoes... and my hard wood floors at home are proof of just how much.

The dress code for the academy is very strict. All dancers had to wear their hair in a bun, with no loose strands or bangs. Ella has short hair and bangs, so it took a lot of hair pins and hairspray to keep it all in place.

But she didn't complain once during all the pulling and teasing to get her hair in place. She even sat still long enough to add some mascara, eye-liner and lipstick.

We are so proud of Ella, and look forward to many more recitals.

Potty Trained!

2010-05-27T13:54:00.003-06:00

She did it! Abbigail is using the potty! We've sort-of been working on it off and on. Finally on Saturday, May 22nd I said "Enough is enough! This kid is done with diapers." It was a long frustrating day for me and Abby... but on Sunday, it finally clicked.

We were in Amarillo most of the day, and she didn't have a single accident. She even used the potty while we were out to eat. The best part is how proud of herself she is... every single time she uses the potty she wants everybody to see the fruits of her efforts. Yeah, gross... but it is better than changing a diaper.

I am so proud of this little girl. She already is a beautiful, wonderful kid... and she is going to make a great big sister!

Singing in the Rain

2010-05-27T13:41:00.003-06:00

We've had some rainy weather this past week... and the girls love jumping on the trampoline when it is raining. (Thanks Jim & Mary Kae!)

Of course, most everything Abby does these days is half dressed, but you can't blame her... we've had some hot days.

One night the weather was really severe, and Borger was under a tornado warning. Ella made sure all of us knew the "tomato" plan, assigning our roles. She gets Miley (the kitten), I grab Pokey (the big, fat yellow cat), Abbigail makes sure Fudge is safe (the dog.) And dad's responsibility is to grab food and cushions and get us all safely in the basement.

On this particular night the thunder was rolling, and lightning flashing. Abbigail could sense my fear and anxiety and had some herself. She wouldn't sleep, and would hide under her blankies. She eventually fell asleep, but it was a restless night. Nightmares had her thrashing around, and crying in her sleep. The next day she told me she was scared, and then spent the entire day putting the thunder in time out. Hopefully that is enough to calm her fears.

Make Room for Baby

2010-05-27T13:17:00.003-06:00

We've been doing some stuff around the house to get ready for the baby. Painting, moving furniture, and pulling out some baby goods from storage. Well, we pulled out the bassinet, and the first thing Abbigail did was climb right in, claiming it was her bed.

Meme (Jared's mom) also made a bunch of new blankets for the baby. Abby is a blankie baby, and is rarely seen without at least one of the three in her collection. But when she saw the new blankies, she quickly tried to make them her own. I think we may have a small jealousy problem when this baby shows up.

Schools Out for Summer!

2010-05-27T12:54:00.005-06:00

Ella wrapped up her year of Wee School on May 20th. It was such a good year... and she loved her class and teacher so much.
For the last day they did a bug hunt outside the school. Yes, even Ella picked up a few bugs.

The class looked under stones and dug in the dirt to find rollie pollies, worms, and a few beetles.

Abbigail was there, too. (That is my big belly getting in the way of the photo.) She had no problem picking up a few bugs, too. And she fell in love with Ella's teacher, Miss Jodi. She kept saying, "Teacher, teacher! Look at me!"

Before the bug hunt the class had a picnic lunch on the school lawn.

It has been a great year, and Ella has learned so much. I know she'll miss the class, but she is so excited to start kindergarten in the fall. We've already taken a tour of her new school!

What the Cat Dragged In

2010-05-16T21:16:00.003-06:00

We live in Texas. It gets hot. There are lots of bugs. We have to worry about snakes and tornadoes... but I wasn't expecting this.
I was cleaning up the house when I noticed Pokey (our fat, yellow cat) playing with what I thought was a toy. My nephew was here a couple of weeks ago and loves dinosaurs, but when I went to pick up the toy... it moved.
It was a horny toad.
I screamed. Jared came running to my rescue, and the toad found a new home outside.
My only fear is... what will the cat drag home next?

The Best Mom Ever

2010-05-03T13:23:00.003-06:00

I have the best mom ever.

She is funny, pretty, smart, clever... and loving.

Just how loving? She rescued my family this past week. Our home had turned into an incubator for the stomach bug and sinus infections. After more than two weeks of dealing with it, needless to say we were all down for the count. So, mom drove six hours to nurse us all back to health. She cooked, she cleaned... and most importantly, she gave me great company.

This is all after she and my dad took our entire family on a cruise down the Mexican Riviera... and they wouldn't let us spend a dime!

She spoils us, loves us, and protects us. I only hope I can be half the woman she is and measure up to the great example of what a mom should be.

I love you, Mom.

(This is a picture from the cruise. At one of our stops we did some Salsa & Salsa. We learned to make salsa and how to salsa dance. Of course, mom is dancing with my great dad. Also in the picture... just to the right of mom is my very cool Australian brother-in-law Adam.)

Lucky Number 7

2010-04-14T16:12:00.002-06:00

It was bound to happen... another baby girl, born on another day with the number 7.

Here is how it works. All the girls in my family were born a day with a 7. Gunda on January 7, Erica on May 17, and me on July 27.

Ella was born on June 17, and Abbigail was born on March 17.

Baby #3, yet to be named will be delivered via c-section on July 7... that is of course unless she makes an earlier arrival.

No matter what day she shows up, we'll be lucky to have her.

Jarvis Cruise '10

2010-04-14T15:50:00.004-06:00

This is going to be a very, very brief intro to the Jarvis Cruise of 2010. There is so much to share... and I'll get to adding all the details later (after youth group, dinner, a clean house, and baths.) But here are a few of the great highlights.

Highlights:
-Abby's first plane ride
-Sunny, amazing weather in LA, Cabo, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta
-Ella thinks she can swim
-Ella swimming in the ocean for the first time
-Abby avoiding the water, and enjoying the sand
-Ziplining (Jared will have those highlights, pregos aren't allowed)
-Abby has a crush on her cousin Reid. It's kismet, they share a birthday
-Pizza and ice cream whenever you wanted it
-Midnight movies on the lido deck (w/o the kids)
-Great shows every night

-Learning to make salsa and learning to Salsa Dance
-Trenching through the sand to find the perfect spot on the beach
-Haggling with the umbrella guy over prices
-the best part, an entire week with my family: Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle David, Aunt Elizabeth, Cousin Reid, Cousin India, Uncle Adam & Aunt Gunda (all the way from Australia), Uncle Ladd, Aunt Erica & Cousin Cooper

Thanks mom and dad. A vacation with you is what I needed. Reminds me of how much I have to be grateful for. A wonderful family.

Sisters!

2010-02-21T13:58:00.002-07:00

When mommy and daddy aren't looking Ella and Abbigail can actually be pretty good friends. Typically they find a way to get themselves in to trouble. Ie: playing with moms make-up, painting their nails on my quilt, pulling every toy off the shelf. But there are those rare moments when peaceful play between these two can prove to be successful.

For instance... they rigged up their own travel system. Abby happily jumped in the laundry basked while Ella attached the dog's leash to take her on a journey through the home.

Their travels were much easier on the hard-wood floors, and they loudly demanded help once they hit carpet.

At points Abby proved daring and braved the ride standing up. Lets just hope they don't decide to take their travels down the stairs.

Another GIRL!!!!

2010-02-21T13:45:00.003-07:00

We found out this week we are having our third girl. We make beautiful girls so I am excited about this... and I have had so much fun with Ella and Abbigail that I can't wait to see how different this little spirit will be, and what she will bring to our home.

Will she be determined and feisty like Ella? Forgiving and adventurous like Abby? Who's to say? All I know is... she will be loved.
In this sonogram image you can see her sucking her left thumb. We've never had a thumb-sucker. (Hope she grows out of it!)

In this picture you get a good view of her profile.

We feel so blessed to be bringing one of the Lord's children in to our world and humbled He would trust us. So bring on the pink, the make-up, the baby dolls, the dress-up clothes and even the girly drama. I have two sisters (and one amazing brother) and I'm grateful this baby girl will get to experience the fun and good times found in the friendship only sisters can share. (And the bitter fights!)

So Proud...

2010-02-21T13:35:00.004-07:00

Abbigail is growing up sooooo fast! It is hard to believe she will be two next month. Today she saw dad's camera and asked me to take pictures of her. A little narcissistic? Maybe, but she is adorable.

This is Abby telling me what sound a cow makes.

She gets very excited to point out that she has not one, but two eyes.

She also likes to tell people her age. She loudly proclaims, "I'm two!" and then tries to show us just "how many" on her fingers. We're still working on that.

You'll be happy to know Abbigail has a belly button and knows right where to find it, and if she gets the chance she will help you find yours.

In this picture I asked her to look adorable. That is not too difficult for any blond-hair, blue-eyed angel... but I think she looks particularly cute in this photo.

We are so blessed with this little girl in our home, and can't wait to see what she brings us in the future.

Poor Jared

2010-02-01T13:24:00.005-07:00

Before...

After...

Okay, poor Jared. The before picture is basically what he has been seeing a lot of these days. I looked in the mirror this morning... really looked, and was a bit embarassed, even with nobody around.

When I worked full time I had reason to door my hair, get some makeup on... and put on some nice clothes. And I always thought as a stay-at-home mom I would have all the time in the world to get those things done. Wow, was I ever mistaken.

Being home all day is a blessing. The girls love it... and most days I do as well. But I ain't gonna lie... there are days when I wish I had something do to outside of the house. Today, as I looked in the mirror, was one of those days. That before picture is hideous. And granted, the after isn't model quality but it is definitely a step up.

So Jared, I don't promise to wear tight jeans and fitted blouses. (Remember, I am pregnant.) And I can't promise I'll be cooking dinner in heels. I'll likely have on some yoga pants and a comfy sweater. But in an effort to save this marriage, and before you get an actual glimpse of the "before" Kat... I vow to use a flat iron more often, and at least reach for some lip gloss.

WHEN KIDS ARE TOO QUIET

2010-01-31T11:51:00.007-07:00

This only seems to happen when I am watching the kids... that's what katherine would have you believe anyways.

Day Out With Daddy

2010-01-31T09:57:00.002-07:00

In case you needed more proof the girls were cute... we captured it on camera for you. A day at the marina with daddy.

The girls fed popcorn to the carp and ducks.

P.S. I take no responsibility for their clothes or hair... this was all daddy's doing. But they're still cute.

The Incident at the Stairs

2010-01-31T09:48:00.002-07:00

Ella fell down the stairs a few nights ago. Her pajama pants were too long and she tripped, and tumbled head over heels. Fortunately there were only a few bumps and bruises.
A couple of mornings later I woke to find a naked 4-year-old sleeping with me. Apparently she woke in the middle of the night, wanted her mommy... and instead of tripping on her pajamas as she was coming down the stairs she stripped at the top. Logic.

Britney and Garfunkel

2010-01-22T14:57:00.002-07:00

Music is important in our home. (Despite what Jared's voice sounds like.) I love to sing, play the piano.... and I'm always listening for a good new sound. Ella is the same way, and just like her mom she likes a wide variety of music.

She knows every word to the Primary songs. We often hear the songs of Selena Gomez, Britney Spears or Demi Lovato sung at the top of her lungs, and not a day goes by that we aren't treated to an "Ella Original." The lyrics never make sense... but I'm sure they do to her.

Lately she has found some new music she can really get into. Simon and Garfunkel. Yup... good ol' folk music. Her favorite song of late is "Homeward Bound." She can sing almost every word, but really belts the chorus.

Our musical 4-year-old may not have reached her full vocal potential yet. Yes, she often shouts the lyrics. Yes, she usually takes a good song and makes it bad by making us listen to it over, and over and over again. No, she doesn't hit every note on pitch.... but it is all music to my ears.

Miley... the Stand-in Baby

2010-01-11T17:27:00.003-07:00

The cat puts up with it...

A Taste of Spring

2010-01-11T17:12:00.005-07:00

It finally warmed up outside today enough to play in the backyard.

The girls love to jump on the trampoline... though Abby really more just bounces around.

Even Fudge likes to get in on the action...

And every raised platform: a bench, a stool, a box of wet-wipes... is a stage, and the girls are always ready to perform.

Oh... and please forgive my photography skills. My cousins and brother-in-law are much better at this sort of thing. I just don't want to forget these faces when I'm old and grey.

Here We Go Again

2010-01-08T16:51:00.004-07:00

So... if Ella hasn't already told you... WE'RE HAVING ANOTHER BABY!!!!!

Since moving to Borger we have had lots of "unexpected" happenings. I fell off a chair, knocked myself out, and broke my tailbone. Two weeks later I sprained my ankle. A week after that... "YOU'RE HAVING A BABY!!!!!"

I think the previous two accidents were the Lord telling me to slow down... so I have taken Him up on His good advice.

We are 12 weeks along with a due date in late July (happy birthday to me!) I am still considered "high risk" which only means I have to be at the doctor's office every other week... and it also means lots of pictures of our coming arrival!

I'm always taken off-guard when we have our first sonogram. It's surprising how easy I forget what a true miracle this is... and how grateful I am for the blessing the Lord has entrusted Jared and me with.

Oh... and for Jared's sake... could you pray for a boy!

Random Cell Phone Pictures For Your Enjoyment

2009-12-01T10:11:00.011-07:00

Here is a picture of Abby that I have been using as my phones background. I can't put my finger on what I like most about it.

Here is a good one of Ella. This is the day we moved into the new house. Appearently we couldn't unpack fast enough so she just found a nice soft spot to fall asleep.

It's twice as fun when you say it like Jerry Seinfeld, SALSA! Everyone else was eating it so Abby couldn't be stopped.

Rare photographic proof that I do exist.

Katherine and the girls headed to Colorado Springs on Sunday to get a head start on Thanksgiving. Fudge and I drove up on Wednesday. Now if I could just get him to buckle up.

Whenever we visit Grandma's house we always make time to feed the ducks and geese. I don't know who was braver, the girls or the birds.

This is a lousy picture but Gunda had to see this... Fudge was snoozing on the couch and Cleo wouldn't stop bothering him.

A TEENSY bit of Nostalgia

2009-10-14T07:11:00.006-06:00

As I was driving home last night the clouds hung low around the mountains, illuminated by city lights. It was mystical. And maybe it's because I'm saying goodbye to home (or probably I am a bit lonely) but two decades of memories began rushing back to me. Twenty-two years is a long time to call someplace home.

Those "mystical" winter clouds pulled me back to 16, and my first real boyfriend. No matter how cold, we would spend hours walking outside... talking about who knows what. I can still recall the coolness of the air on my breath. That's Colorado. A couple years later, with a close friend at my side, we sealed memories of that boyfriend in a bottle and tossed it in a lake. Give me a break. I was teenage girl.

The last few days have been filled with performances by Ella in my parent's backyard, but those aren't the first theatrical debuts on Westcliff Circle. Her mother could be anyone back there, and was.

Colorado gave me a lot of firsts. My first kiss, first car, first broken bone, first apartment, first job, first true love, first marriage (j/k Jared), first home, first (and second) daughter, and first move.

I've stolen moments in the past few days to say my own quiet goodbyes to those places of "first." Quiet, minus the 4-year-old in the back seat of my Jeep singing Hannah Montana, and the toddler trying to sing along. We've fed the ducks at the lake where that bottle lies hidden at the bottom. I have performed with Ella in the back yard. She always gets to be the princess. They aren't old enough to remember, but I showed my girls where mommy and daddy danced together when they got married. And last night we drove by our little home. Ella cried as she said goodbye. Mommy pretended not to.

So, as I say goodbye to Colorado, I am sad, but blessed to take all of those memories with me. And blessed to know I will make more in Texas. Anywhere my family is will be home.

Here's to the next 20 years. May they take their time, leave no wrinkles, sag no skin, and be blessed with the fortune of the years past.

Farewell KKTV

2009-09-16T21:24:00.007-06:00

Writing. I love to do it, so you may hear from me more often on this blog now that my days at KKTV are over (for now.) Writing for work every day made it difficult to log on to my blog and write more.

I wasn't with KKTV long, just a little more than three years, but while there I made some of the greatest friends; lifelong friends. When asked what I'll miss most I can't think of one thing or one person. A long list runs through my mind: the adrenaline rush from breaking news, beating the competition, Lauri, Double Deckaroni (sp?) Fridays, sharing stories that have a real impact, writing news we may not want to hear but understand it's importance, McKenzie, Don Ward's wit, drooling over the cute Newspath reporter, content, showcasing, talent, Liz, knowing every day is a fresh start, always being informed, Leslie, the challenge of a deadline, a space-heater in the middle of August, Shannon, slicing and dicing a reporter's script, reading numbers to hopeful Powerball ticket buyers, an exclusive story... etc. I could keep going, but I won't bore you.

My TV career isn't over. I'm just on hiatus. My expertise is needed elsewhere. Okay, so maybe I'm no expert. In fact, I would rate my first week as a stay-at-home mom a 4 on a scale of 1-10. I'll spare you the details... but let you know: I'll get better. My girls are counting on me. They need me more than the TV News world does. It feels good to be needed, loved, adored... they deserve the same.

So bare with me, send your prayers, well wishes, and good thoughts as I venture into this new era of my life. (And ask my girls to do the same!)

Goodbye KKTV. I'm missing you already.

They threw a going-away party for me... even my folks and kids were invited! (Jared, too... but he was in TX.)

Me and the Skunk

2009-08-28T13:12:00.003-06:00

The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo brought a unique guest to our 9:00 a.m. show today... a skunk. Tigerlilly was very friendly... not at all afraid of people, and fortunately "de-stinked."

(That's me with morning reporter Eric Lupher.)

Remind me to tell you the story some day about 3 skunks, my parent's back-yard, a frightened cat... and a mighty showdown.

Borger Bound

2009-08-17T18:20:00.005-06:00

It's official... we are moving to Texas. "Where in Texas," you ask. Borger, TX.

I can hear the foreheads wrinkling as I type. "Where is Borger?" Click on the link below.

http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Borger&state=TX

Jared has accepted a job there. In fact... he has already moved there! Today was his first day. The girls and I will join him next month.

We are so excited to go for so many reasons. Number 1 being I get to be a stay-at-home mom. (We'll see how I adjust!)

We spent almost a week there during his interview process and fell in love with the community. Population 15,000 will be a big change from Colorado Springs, but the people in Borger are wonderful!

So wish us luck on this next adventure. It will be challenging, stressful, and daunting. But anywhere my family is I call home.

I attached a couple of photos we took on our road trip to Borger. (It is only 5 hours from Colorado Springs!) Jared had given Abbigail some chocolate. By the time Ella snitched it was too late! Abby was a mess. I love my girls!

Girls Love Shoes

2009-08-08T16:40:00.004-06:00

I'm just like my Grandma Gunda. I love shoes. I can never have enough. My daughters are the same.

Ella first fell in love with shoes when she was about 18 months old. I bought her a pair of Crocs. They were a couple sizes too small, but she wore them anyway. And then when her toes started poking out the little holes... she didn't care. She wore them anyway.

Abbigail doesn't care what shoes she is wearing... as long as she is wearing shoes. I believe partly that has to do with the fact that shoes are worn outside, and she loves being outside. But I also believe she inherited this trait. Now... at only 18 months old... she can walk in heels.

Yes... these are plasitc dress-up shoes. Yes... they scratch up my wood floors. Yes... it reallllly smarts when she steps on your toes. Yes... she falls down a lot. Yes... they are way too big.

All that said... doesn't she look great in heels? And the best part... Ella actually shares her shoes and has a great time parading around with her baby sister, showing her how to pose and swing her hips. Ella learned those things from her dad. Her love of shoes... she got from me and Grandma Gunda.

My Heart Told Me

2009-07-07T19:24:00.003-06:00

A few days ago as we were leaving for church Ella said to me, "Mommy, you look really pretty." How sweet, I thought, and then I asked her if her daddy told her to say that... to which she replied, "No. My heart told me to say it."

I love this little girl!

Miss Independent

2009-07-06T21:54:00.007-06:00

Abbigail has a new thing... feeding herself. She has no problem shoveling the food in with her hands, but now she is trying to master utensils. This morning Ella left her yogurt within arms reach for Abby. The little monster didn't miss the opportunity and started spooning it in... well, as much as she could. She made quite a mess.

P.S. She also thinks she is such a big girl that she has to wear her sister's pajamas.

When good DESKS go bad

2009-06-29T18:54:00.006-06:00

Abby was playing with some stuff this afternoon and all was going well until all of the sudden I heard Abby screaming from the office. I ran to see what the problem was and Abby had an unswollen ear that wasn't dripping blood anywhere. As I was taking care of her , I was asking Abby what happened. She was crying and holding her ear. I'm not sure what caused the incident, but it didn't end well for poor Abby.

As you can see, Abby's ear is quite unswollen. I guess Jared's going to have to show her how to chop the desk up into kindling wood because that desk sure can pack a punch! LOL. My poor wife isn't going to understand what happened to our new desk. No worries though, it just means that Abby gets a free shot at Jacob for no good reason! hahahahaha LOL!!!! Just kidding!

"You Ruined My Life!"

2009-06-29T18:22:00.004-06:00

So... Ella is only 4. Barely 4, and today I ruined her life.

What did I do? There was only one fruit-roll-up left, so I tore it in half so she could share with her sister.

Wow, you wouldn't believe the drama that unfolded. She actually laid down on the kitchen floor and through sobs managed to tell me, "You ruined my life!"

Where does she get this from?

Can't imagine what she'll do when she is 16 and I won't let her have the car for the night.

Girls Will Be Girls

2009-06-28T11:06:00.003-06:00

Sisters fight. I fought with my sisters. It is inevitable... my girls will fight. I just didn't think it would come this soon. Last night as we were getting ready for bed Ella and Abbigail started pushing and shoving. Ella asked, "I didn't teach Abby to hit. I taught her to bite. Why is she hitting me?"

Ella better watch out. She is on the petite side. Abby is not.

It's so funny to watch the two of them together. I'm not sure how... but Ella understands everything Abby is trying to say. Somehow they communicate. When they play together I love to sit outside their bedroom door and listen to them giggle. They'll laugh over just about anything. When they fight, watch out! Ella can run fast, but Abby has a firm grip. If she gets a hold of something she wants, it's hers.

Some funny things they've been doing, saying, up to lately...

Ella: A few days ago she was playing in the back yard with a bunch of her friends. She came inside sobbing... literally sobbing. I thought she had gotten hurt. When I asked her what was wrong she said, "Kayden won't marry me!" Kayden is a little boy in our ward she plays with frequently. After a short talk with his mom, Kayden changed his mind and told Ella he would marry her after his mission. Life is right in the world for Ella again.

Abbigail: If you tell her not to do it... she'll do it. Her biggest thing right now is throwing things away. Keys, pens, phones. The good thing is, she'll only do it if someone is looking because she gets a reaction. At least... that is what she wants us to believe.

Ella: High School Musical. My 4-year-old loves, as she calls it, Highsical Musical. Jared called me one night while I was at work. Ella was upset because he couldn't guess the song she was singing (at the top of her lungs on the back deck.) She got on the phone crying and said, "Mom listen... WE ALL SPIT TOO-NETTER." Please Jared... don't you know your Highsical Musical? That's "We're all in this together."

Abbigail: She loves to watch her big sister ride her bike, but you can see her little mind just spinning... deciding how she is going to do just the same. So, she has taken up riding Ella's scooter. She is not quite tall enough, not quite sure enough in the legs to push, and not quite steady enough to balance. But she is quite sure her mommy or daddy will push her around. So... she grabs the scooter, looks at you with these adoring blue eyes, and whines until you do what she is telling you to do. That means holding her on the scooter, bending over to the height of a small child, and pushing her around the block. No wonder it gets harder to move the older you get.

Ella: This crazy kid LOOOOOVVVES to ride her bike. We've been trying to get her to do it for a year now, but she refused to even try. Then one day a few weeks ago she asked her dad to take her on a bike ride. She jumped on and off she went. You can hear her chanting as she pedals down the sidewalk, "Up, down, up, down." I love watching this kid grow up!

Abbigail: This girly girl has discovered makeup and hair brushes. She loves to help mom get ready for work every day, especially when it comes to putting on makeup. She'll sit with me and continually beg for more makeup so she can make some sort of mess with it. I love having girls!

Fathers Day: A Dedication

2009-06-18T20:39:00.004-06:00

Be the first to say that you saw the earliest performance of future pop princess Ella right here at "the Colorado Thornburghs".

Thats right, if you pay close enough attention to the lyrics you can hear mention of Fathers Day. For bookings and special appearances contact her father right here who will be taking care of all her future finances.

Congratulations KKTV!

2009-05-26T22:27:00.002-06:00

A big shout out to my comrades at KKTV! At this year's Associated Press awards we reeled in some big honors. Our 10pm newscast and our 6am newscast were named best newscasts in the Colorado Springs market. Betty Sexton won 1st place for best Investigative Reporting. And Jesse Kurtz won 1st and 2nd place for best feature. I'm so proud to work with a team of professionals who give their all every hour of every day!

In the picture from Left to Right:

Liz Haltiwanger (News Director), Kat Thornburgh (Executive Producer), Jesse Kurtz (Sports Reporter), Shannon Brinias (Main Anchor), Don Ward (Main Anchor), Stacia Naquin (Morning Anchor), John Harding (Morning Anchor).

Memorial Day Fun.... and Food, too much Food

2009-05-26T22:12:00.003-06:00

So this past Memorial Day weekend was great. All of Jared's family was in town and we had fun eating, shopping, eating, playing board-games, eating, catching-up, eating... and just plain gettin' fat. I have to admit, my pants are little tight today, a bit snug around the waist. It doesn't help when I come to work and there are stacks and stacks of cookies, cupcakes, donuts... you name it threatening me with their tempting yet delicious calories.

For those who know me, and know me well... all my life I have battled what most women fight against: self esteem. I don't want to be fat. I don't want to feel fat. And I fear getting fat. I've had my chubby moments (high school and college were not good to me.) But post-college were some good skinny years. Then came the kids. Then came the extra pounds. (Just check out the double-chin in the photo!.) Unfortunately for me, dieting doesn't work. I have no self control when it comes to food. OK, so that is not totally true. I can stop at a certain point... but the only thing I have going for me is exercise. Something I don't go a day without doing... but it doesn't seem to make the slightest bit of difference.

For instance, today I ran four miles pushing my girls through the rainy weather in the running stroller. It isn't easy... but I do it. So tell me, how come I'm still a chubby bunny.

During my sorority days those girls would drink the calories in, make late-night Taco Bell runs... and thought exercising was walking around the campus fieldhouse. Meanwhile... I didn't touch the "devil juice" (as a good friend of mine calls it), I've never indulged in Taco Bell (yuck), and I went to the gym every day: running, kickboxing, step aerobics, pilates, yoga. So tell me, how come I'm still a chubby bunny.

I'll take any tips out there. Any pointers that will get me down to that coveted size 4. I've done it before... but can't figure out how to do it again.

Hurry, summer is here, and Ella wants to go swimming. But I promise you... swimmers don't want to see me in a bathing suit!

Abbigail Growing Up

2009-05-13T22:33:00.003-06:00

I just want to take a few moments to weep, shed some tears... and complain about how quickly my baby is growing up. It feels like it took FOREVER before Ella turned 1. But Abby has already passed that, and is getting bigger every day! Unfair!

Anyways, shes finally walking without the use of her little push-toy. She loves to dance. She loves to laugh, and we can really get her going if Ella is laughing. The two of them together are so magical. It is true what they say in Peter Pan: when a baby laughs for the first time a fairy gets her wings... or something like that. Abby's laughter is so infectious.

I love being a mom. No better job in the world. The hours are lousy, the pay is even worse... but I've never found greater joyl

25 Things About Me: Kat

2009-04-30T22:25:00.003-06:00

Since Jared did it...

1.) I have trichotiliomania (i pull my hair out).
2.) My biggest fear is hitting a pedestrian while driving.
3.) I love to-do lists.
4.) I love clothes, shoes, purses...
5.) My left foot is bigger than my right foot.
6.) I love to ski/snowboard but I hate being cold so I don't do it.
7.) I had cat-scratch fever as a kid... no joke.
8.) My favorite sport to watch is college basketball.
9.) My favorite sport to play (by default) is soccer.
10.) My biggest pet-peeve is tardiness.
11.) I hate texting. Just call me.
12.) My greatest accomplishment is my family.
13.) My greatest regret is a missed opportunity for a great relationship with Jared's youngest sister.
14.) I'm a Democrat.
15.) I'm highly patriotic.
16.) I'm a very picky eater.
17.) I have horrible hand-writing.
18.) I love 80's music... Depeche Mode, A-Ha, New Order, Erasure.
19.) My dream job would be on broadway... or the voice of a Disney character.
20.) I've been bitten by a bird, goose, cat, dog, and mouse.
21.) C-sections are the best way to give birth!
22.) I can touch my nose with my tongue.
23.) I'm saving up for lasik eye surgery.
24.) I just read my list... I'm boring.
25.) Some day I want to get a degree in Criminal Psychology.

Hello Sir

2009-04-29T08:38:00.003-06:00

Siblings often have nicknames for one another. Growing up I called Janiel "Shadow" and Mandy was "Lunchmeat". Leanne has asked that her nickname no longer be mentioned so to honor that request I won't post it here but it is alive and well and every time she calls me on my cell phone I am reminded of its greatness.

Ella is no different. On any given day she might call Abby "Abby-Cadabby" or "Abracadabra" (which is very different from Avada Kedavra). But most recently Ella's nickname of choice for Abby is simply "Sir".

Working Mom: Swine Flu

2009-04-28T21:14:00.003-06:00

Swine Flu. So apparently it's threatening to be a pandemic. Dozens of cases already in the states, nothing yet in Colorado. But when I talked to the El Paso County Health Department tonight that's exactly what Susan Wheelan said, "Not yet. Not if, but when."

Great.

So my husband, Jared, called in a panic tonight because our 14 month old has a 104 degree fever. And what do I do? I think about Swine Flu.

As I have transitioned in this career from being a young working professional to a working mom, the way I look at news and how it affects me has changed as well. With a three year old and small baby at home stories impact me differently, and this one is no different. Before, news had a "distant" impact on me. I recognized, and sympathized with victims, but never empathized. Now, I can put myself in the shoes of parents who have lost a child... scared to death it will some day happen to me. Now, when an illness poses a risk to our community I pray, "Please, not us!" Now, when a crime happens near my home, when natural disaster strikes, when a car accident takes a life I wonder with fear, "What if that happens to me?"

On the reverse side, the education and information I receive in this job gives me the proper perspective. The swine flu may threaten to reach pandemic levels, but I know how to protect my family. I know most crimes aren't random. I know how to safely install a car-seat.

I suppose that is just one reason I love what I do. Being well informed, though it comes with it's downfalls, definitely comes with it's benefits.

Friends and family are always saying that I'm full of useless information. I would argue I'm well informed.

A Random List of Things About Me.

2009-04-20T09:40:00.002-06:00

There was a Facebook deal going around a while back, 25 Things about me, that I never got to do since its blocked here at work. But I made a list anyways and i'm going to publish it here. Enjoy...

- I don't like candy.
- When playing soccer my shirt is always tucked in the first half and untucked in the second.
- I'm creeped out by feet with more or less than five toes.
- Rice first, then beans, always.
- As a kid my motivation for playing soccer was cheesecake.
- Standing in lines makes me hate the people around me.
- I try to make phone calls as short as possible.
- I was soda sober for over four months (I recently fell off the wagon).
- I only chew a half stick of gum at a time and I always save the wrapper.
- I carry a little notebook to record my random thoughts.
- The past tense of the word Squeeze should be squoze.
- No one should ever blow there nose in public.
- If I watch the Colorado Avalanche play they lose. So I don't watch anymore.
- I can't hold a pen or pencil without twirling it.
- I do not own any white socks.
- If I'm walking up or down stairs I'm counting them.
- I have a bigger problem with public doorhandles than I do with public toilets.
- If I were excentrically rich I would never wear the same pair of socks twice.
- Animals should never have human names.
- While driving I constantly calculate velocities and estimated arrival times in my head.
- I don't like my laugh.
- When I was fourteen, while on vacation in Bavaria, obsessively playing the arcade game Ten Yard Fight I started doing this odd finger stretching/pointing thing that I still do today.
- I've always wanted to have glasses and braces.
- I hate watching commercials.
- When traveling alone, I fantasize about being in a plane crash. But only on landing, I'm not crazy!

There it is twenty five things.

Whitney Hendrickson

2009-03-19T22:41:00.003-06:00

I never met her. I don't know who she is, but there are times when my work-life seeps in to my real-life and I have a hard time reconciling the two.

Whitney Hendrickson was pumping gas Tuesday afternoon when the unthinkable happened. A freak accident. An SUV raced through the 7-Eleven parking lot, slammed into a pick-up truck and that pick-up pinned Whitney between the gas pump and her mini-van. The pump exploded, and Whitney burned to death. She was only 18, home from college for spring break.

This is where my two lifes collide. As a journalist it is my responsibility to learn as much as possible about Whitney. Can I track down her family, friends? Can I get them to talk on camera. Some of you are probably thinking, "How insensitive!" But as viewers and as a viewer myself I know what story wants to be heard.

Who was Whitney? What was she like? Whose lives did she impact? What will she be remembered for the most? And her friends and family shared so many stories: Whitney has a twin brother, she was known for her sense of humor, infectious lust for life... and her dad said she was ready to take on the world.

So this week at work has been hard as I try to understand why this happened to Whitney. Truth is, every week brings some story I'm forced to find somewhere in my mind and heart to place. Why would a parent hit their toddler so hard in the head it kills her? Why would a mother allow her boyfriend to sexually abuse her daughter? Why would a teenager gun down his friends on the way home from school? Why would a gunman open fire in a church filled with thousands killing two sisters? Why would an infant be born with cancer and never live to see her first birthday?

These are stories I tell every day. Stories like Whitney's that make this job hard. But because of these stories, my faith is strengthened every day. I find strength in the gospel, and the knowledge of our Savior's plan. A plan that gives me hope, and gives me the ability to share stories like Whitney's.

Think of her family this week, pray for them. They'll need the added blessings.

Santa Delivers!!!

2009-01-20T12:23:00.002-07:00

Hey Uncle Jared, will you watch the kids tonight?

2009-01-20T12:12:00.002-07:00

I will never say no to babysitting. But be warned, I have a camera, a sense of humor, and nothing but girls toys to entertain the kids with...

Christmas with the Thornburghs

2009-01-20T11:56:00.010-07:00

I have been delinquent in posting for a long time so I thought I would start with some pictures and if you're good I might even give you a video later. Enjoy!!!

For years I have intended to hang Christmas lights. This year I made it happen.

"I didn't ask Santa for clothes!!!"

Abby had a great time as well. Ella named this horse "Mayonaisse"

Kat has a bowl of cereal every night when she gets home from work.

Kids are so easily pleased. Arial has since found new permanent residence at the bottom of the toy box.

Pokey watched from a safe distance.

Bad Haircut

2009-01-13T22:17:00.003-07:00

Jared was going to post this... but I'm going to beat him to the punch.

He's been begging me for months to cut his hair. And I've been telling him for months that I'm not a hair stylist. I'm a writer. So Monday he went out and bought a hair buzzer thing... (see, I'm a writer.) When I got home Monday night he was cutting his own hair. "Great, " I thought, "I'm off the hook." But then he asked for help. He pointed whre he wanted me to start... so I put the razor to his head, pulled down... and this is the finished project. He is still dead-set on teaching me to do this, but why would he ask me to do this a second time? Really Jared, I love you, but spend $15 and go to SportsClips.

Joy School Halloween Party

2008-11-05T03:18:00.003-07:00

Joy School had a small Halloween party for the 5 kids we teach. As you can see by the pictures, Ella was a little grumpy that day and refused to participate in the fun. From left to right... Kyrie was a princess, Dottie was a witch, Amelia as a cheerleader, Brielle was supposed to be a unicorn... but was also dressed as a cowgirl. And there you see grumpy Ella in her Princess Belle costume. The girls frosted sugar cookies, sang a few songs for us... and then did a couple of crafts. Ella loves Joy School... but for some reason this day she woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

Trick or Treat?

2008-11-05T03:12:00.003-07:00

Candy, candy and more candy. I can't wait until it is all gone... in fact, I think it will "magically" disappear. But there was tons of fun had collecting it. Ella was Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Abby tried to squeeze into a pumpkin costume, but it was a little tight and wouldn't zip up the back. The plan was to go trick-or-treating around the neighborhood, but some "goblins" came to the door and spooked Ella a little bit... so the most we could get out of her was Trunk-or-Treat at the ward party. Good thing... we don't need the extra candy.

Pumpkin Pickin'

2008-11-05T03:02:00.003-07:00

A long-time tradition in Colorado Springs is picking pumpkins at the Venetucci Pumpkin Farm. I did it as a kid, and this year I got to take Ella with her joy school group. She refused to get out of the stroller, but I convinced her that they wouldn't let her take the pumpkin home unless she carried it herself. So... she picked out a little pumpkin, and an even smaller one for Abbigail. I love my girls...

Catching Up

2008-10-09T20:40:00.005-06:00

So it has been a while since I've posted anything to our blog. I admit I'm a slacker.

Much has happened in the past few weeks. To name a few, Abby fell out of a shopping cart, she got her first tooth, Ella started pre-school, and we've been to Utah twice.

I earn my living by writing so I'm not too keen on getting on here and composing some great entry for all my readers to lavishly eat up. I write all day... why write more?

But I wanted to share these pictures with you to show just how adorable our little family is. I love being a mom.

Growing Up

2008-08-17T18:36:00.001-06:00

They're growing up! Ella woke up this morning, and her voice had changed. No, I'm not talking about 14 year old boy, squeaking and screeching changed, but her cute baby voice has disappeared. I can't explain it, but it has more of a tenor in it now.

Abbigail's voice isn't changing, but she is trying to crawl. She is doing her best to push her little legs underneath her and push up on her arms. And I think Jared and I unraveled a mystery. Lately we've been finding little scratches on Abby. Nothing extreme, no blood... but we couldn't figure out where they came from. Mystery solved. I was checking up on her today while she was supposed to be napping. I peeked in the room, and there snuggled up with her is Pokey the cat. Abbigail was having the time of her life pulling his fur and kicking him around. Jared took a picture so I'll make sure we post it later.

"Daddy, I'm Hot..."

2008-07-25T10:00:00.004-06:00

On a warm, if not hot summers evening, as I was getting myself and the girls ready for bed, Ella insisted on dressing herself. Because she's a big girl now. All the windows were open, fans on, everyone else was trying to stay cool. She looked like a little hobo dressed in eight layers of pajamas and baking like a toasted cheeser.

No, I did not eat that...

2008-07-09T07:53:00.003-06:00

I have just submitted this video to America's Funniest Home Videos. Chances are the content is a bit to risky for a family show on Sunday evening. But hey, if you don't play you'll never win. Enjoy the video.

Mommy-time Vs. Daddy-time

2008-07-03T19:21:00.005-06:00

Jared and I are blessed to have work schedules that allow us not to rely on daycare. Jared works from 7am - 1:30pm, and I work from 1:45pm - until the news ends. I love spending the day with my girls, and they are lucky to have so much time with their dad... not alot of kids have that.

So... when the girls are with me, their clothes are clean, their hair is done and Ella is given healthy food. The downside... I give time-outs, and make Ella keep her clothes on and her hair done. When Jared and I make the swap... all that is out the window. Who knows what they eat, and judging by the pictures you can see any form of cleanliness is out the window. The up-side... daddy is the "fun parent," and the girls get to relax a bit (mommy's up-tight.)

The Magic Number

2008-06-26T12:03:00.004-06:00

So Kat and I have a bet going... the first to reach their goal weight wins $400! I've got more to lose than she does. I'm not a complete idiot, I'm not going to disclose my wife's goals to the entire blogosphere. But I will say that at the beginning of the bet I tipped the scales at 200lbs with a goal of 165lbs. My primary means of dropping the pounds is to start playing soccer again and taking the girls for long walks in the afternoons. I played my first game of indoor soccer in a long time on Tuesday. To be perfectly honest not much has changed. It's just now in super slow motion. My goal going into the game was simple, don't puke. Kat has a funny story along those same lines, you should ask her sometime. I played better than I thought I would and hope to continue improving. I'm currently at 192lbs 116% of my goal weight, down five percent from the beginning. Wish me luck. I'll keep you posted.

Litter Box Fiasco

2008-06-24T22:26:00.003-06:00

So... a few days ago Ella was gleefully playing in my closet with my shoes. She loves to walk around in high-heels... she calls them wedding shoes. Anyway, I was folding laundry in the other room enjoying listening to her squeals as Abby quietly slept in her swing. When I finished with the laundry I went looking for my little Ella. I was calling her name, but she wouldn't answer. Finally... after a few moments... she said with a sheepish voice, "I'm in here." I tried to open the bathroom door, but she was standing in front of it shouting no, trying to stop me from coming in. Well, you see the mess. Apparently she thought the litter-box would be a fun place to play. Poop and kitty-litter were everywhere! I wanted to be angry, but the mess was so shocking I didn't know how to respond. Without a word Ella marched herself to her room and stayed there for the next 15 minutes. Jared was good enough to clean up the mess...

Our New Kitty

2008-06-24T21:14:00.003-06:00

Our beautiful Abbigail was born on March 17th, our lucky Saint Patrick's Day gift. Unfortunately that same day we had to say goodbye to my kitty "Beans." She suddenly got sick, and there was nothing we could do.

A couple weeks after Abby was born, Jared's sister Mandy asked if we could help raise an abandoned 2-week-old kitten she had found. The next day 1 kitten turned into 3... and I was taking care of a new baby and three new kittens: Rooster, Spike and Drucilla. Unfortunately Drucilla didn't make it, but Rooster and Spike fought the good fight and are alive and well. Spike is now living with Jared's parents, and Rooster is Ella's kitty... named after the "Annie" character.

Ella loves Rooster, but at times she can be a bit rough with her, and in return the claws come out. Her hands are always covered with scratches. But still, she loves that kitty!

Ella's 3rd Birthday

2008-06-24T20:39:00.004-06:00

Ella turned 3 on June 17th... and to celebrate we had all her friends and family over for a big blowout. Cake, soda, water-balloons... it was a fun time. During the present opening it started to rain so we had to move the party inside. As you can tell, Ella love's My Little Pony. Abby slept through the entire thing. After the bash, Ella and her cousin Jacob got in to a little water-gun fight with Grandma, Grandpa, Meme and Papa. Enjoy the pictures!

Fabulous French Toast

2008-06-23T20:48:00.003-06:00

I made this for a family brunch and got rave reviews. But I can't take all the credit. My sister Gunda gave me the recipe... she got it from a friend. It's very, very yummy!

Fabulous French Toast

Batter:

2 eggs
1/2 cup french vanilla coffee creamer
1 tsp. cinnamon
4-6 slices of bread

Syrup:

Bring to boil:
1 cube butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk

Remove from heat and add:
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla

Why?

2008-06-20T20:38:00.002-06:00

Today we used our new running stroller for the first time. Ella loves going on my runs with me, but this was Abby's first time. Ella is such a good big sister. Abby was a little fussy... so Ella sang to her the whole time. Of course she made mommy sing with her and we sang songs from "Hairspray" the entire time. You would think that as much as I have to watch that movie (at least once a day) I would have the songs memorized... but Ella does a better job at it than I do. Her favorite song is "I Can Hear the Bells." You should see the looks we get from neighbors as we pass by. I love being a mom.

Hopefully, as much as I hate exercising, my girls will see and learn how important it is. Ella is already a couch potato. She loves movies... especially musicals. But that means she loves to dance... we dance ALOT! Ella also likes to be outside. She is still trying to figure out how to pedal the wheels on her bike, but definitely knows how to turn the treadmill on. And as small as she is still... I can already tell my little "Babbigail" is born for athletic greatness.

I've decided to live vicariously through my girls: Ella will take the stage, and Abby will take the court/field/track. I never quite mastered any of those (especially the dancing) so hopefully they didn't get "that" gene.

The News never rests...

2008-06-18T22:19:00.003-06:00

... which means I can't either. I walked in the door to work today to news breaking, grass fires out east. Breaking news definitely makes the day go by faster, but it also means I don't get any time to breathe during the day... or think about my husband... or think about my girls... or think about me! So now that it's 10:22 p.m. and the last newscast of the day is wrapping up I have a moment to myself. This is my lunch break. I suppose my non-stop job is a good thing for me... since I'd rather be home with Abby & Ella.

It's about time...

2008-06-17T18:53:00.000-06:00

After much poo-poohing Jared and I have created a blog. I love reading other peoples blogs, catching up without long phone-calls, and seeing all the pictures... so why not us? I spend all day on computers so that's another reason why I've put off doing this, but I'm kind of excited to join what seems like the rest of the world. Be patient as I learn to navigate the "blogging world".