This is Halloween, this is Halloween!

This Halloween was the best one so far. Kamila is old enough to really appreciate what is going on and she definitely has her father's Halloween-loving genes in her. We introduced her to The Nightmare Before Christmas and it has since become one of her favorite things to watch. She loves to sing the "this is Halloween, this is Halloween" theme song and loves Jack and Sally. We went to our ward's Trunk-or-Treat, then to another one at my friend's ward where there was a couple dressed up as them and Kamila was in Heaven! On the actual day of Old Hallow's Eve we carved a pumpkin, took Kami trick-or-treating around our neighborhood, gave out candy, and went to the Provo Beach Resort for more fun. Can't wait for next year's fun with our 2 little girls!

Nana & Buelo

My parents came up in July for a weekend just to get their Kami fix. We always love having them and always are very sad to see them leave. Luckily, we got to go to Texas for Labor Day weekend in September to celebrate my dad's birthday. I love how big Luca is getting...I think next time that he and Kami are together they will be able to play more. I love my family.

visit to Bridal Veil falls in Utah..

Playing in Buelo's pool..

Two very happy grandparents :)

My baby turned 2

We love you so much Kamila...can't believe you are 2 already. I will never forget what I felt the first time I saw you, as you left a small, red hand print on the curtain that separated us. You bring so much joy and fulfillment to our lives.

I love the little girl you are becoming. Each day a little piece of your personality and developing spirit is unveiled. Some make me laugh, some take some getting used to, and most make me feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for have been given this beautiful gift of being your mother.

Some of the things that make you the cutest little bug are:
- how you say "Come on down!!" when you hear the TV turn on in the morning and The Price Is Right is on.
- how you pretend to throw up just because you have seen me do it {kinda gross but very cute}
- how you tell Daddy and me "Get up here, lazy people!" when you want some company on the trampoline.
- how you boogie to music
- your love for fashion...although I wish you didn't insist on wearing pink sparkly shoes everyday!
- the way you pray...full sentences and all.
- that you ask Heavenly Father to make Jesus feel better.
- that you call any tall, white building with a steeple a temple.

...and many, many more. We love you to pieces.

One more, that makes four.

We are very excited about the upcoming arrival of another member of our family. Kamila is delighted. She keeps talking about her "baby sister". Now, if only pregnancy could be more enjoyable! :)

I wish I could be from California

Our annual California trip was so much needed and enjoyed. This was Kamila's 3rd time at the beach {San Diego at 2 weeks old, Cancun Mexico at a year and a half, and now at Del Mar}. Our house was a block from the beach and is just perfect to get to the beach and back in a jiffy.
While in the San Diego area, we visited the Scripps aquarium, Lucha Libre {the best burrito I have ever had: shrimp, steak, avocado, chipotle sauce, and fries!}and spent as much time as our palid skin allowed us on the beach.
Kamila absolutely loves the beach. She loved to make holes and stick her entire head in them just as much as running into the water right before it was almost too deep to not be covered in it.
Thanks Mom and Dad for such a wonderful vacation!

Remember my other blog?

Well, I blog over there probably more often than I do so here 

{I am still trying to figure out if I can blog equally as much on both}...

until that gets squared out, 

you are welcome to read my most recent post here www.kristalprice.com 

and share your insights with me. 

I would love to read them!

Hope you are having a wonderful weekend!

Fourth of July festivities

This was probably the busiest and therefore, the best Fourth of July weekend ever.
On Friday night we went to the Provo festival. Kami and Chip got on a ride and we all had snowcones. Kami loves them! Then again she loves anything with sugar. We then came home and our neighbors got together and provided the children with the best celebration to kick off the weekend. I loved the expressions on their faces when the "big" fireworks went off.
For Saturday, friends of ours offered us free tickets to the Stadium of Fire and of course we could not turn those down! They were perfect; we sat on the lawn and pretty much had front row seats. David Archuleta and Brad Paizley provided an awesome show. Kami was kind of bored during the show but once the fireworks got going, she was in complete awe. My favorite part was the fireworks going off in "tune" to Katy Perry's Firework song and having Kami sing the "ah, ah, ah" part of the chorus. She cracks us up.
On Sunday, we drove up to Aunt JoAnn and Uncle Jeff's house for what we thought was just cousins night for games and more fireworks. As we were playing charades, JD was up and had the family guess that Katie was expecting TWINS this November! We are so happy for you two. They will be absolutely beautiful. The entire family was over so there were about 20 kids and 40 adults. After the big announcement, we all went outside to enjoy more fireworks. So. Much. Fun!
On Monday, we went back up to Salt Lake for a cookout with Aaron and Naida. With our bellies full after a delicious steak dinner, we headed over to the SugarHouse fireworks. Naida had her first snowcone ever; we all had Tiger's Blood with Dirty Cream. The cream part was new to me but oh so delicious!
I love this country and am so grateful to have been blessed with the privilege of calling it home. There is no other place quite like it. God Bless the USA! :D

A case of the unknown and a visit to the ER

Last Monday night, Kamila let out an abrupt shrill cry that sent Chip flying out of bed and left me wondering if I was dreaming or not. Next thing I know I am holding a pink barf covered little girl while Chip jumps in the shower to get his own share of pink vomit off him. Then we both changed the sheets, changed Kami, and started a wash. Wash, Rinse, and Repeat for the next 5 hours.
Something was definitely wrong and we took 101 degree fevered Kami to the doctor.
Diagnosis: stomach flu/ some kind of virus.
For the next few days we were quarantined to our little house. On Thursday she woke up, asked for some milk {which was a good sign since she had lost all interest in any nourishment} and quietly watched Diego. I figured she was feeling better so I decided to take her to the Bean museum since the doctor said it would be ok to get her out of the house if she hadn't thrown up the day before. So we went...and learned it is always better to be safe than sorry.
Twenty minutes into our exploration of the museum, Kami asks to be picked up only to projectile vomit all over the carpet and on me. I was covered in pink cottage cheese looking vomit and feeling SO embarassed. I did the best I could to clean up and then started getting miffed at how all these people around me just stood there to watch. Really??
On the way home, she throws up again in the car. {of course}.
I take Kami back to the doctor.
He instructs us to go to the hospital.
Chip is in St. George on business.
Our AC unit breaks down.

NOT A GOOD DAY SO FAR.

I call Chip and tell him we have to go to the hospital and 4 hours later he is home to accompany us to the ER. What a champ of a husband I have. Those four hours were the most miserable i have had in a long time...I couldn't do anything to soothe Kami's pain as she grabbed her belly and screamed "Mami, my tummy really hurts!".

I thought it couldn't get any worse.

Then we haul ourselves to the hospital and just as we drive up, she vomits again. This time all over Chip in his office attire. Poor guy. He takes her in while I park the car and try to clean it up quickly.

We tell the nurse and doctor what is going on and, inevitably, Kami needs an IV.

I have never seen her so infuriated. She was literally red in the face as she protested being strapped down by 2 nurses and her father to have the IV put in. It also didn't help that the nurse couldn't find her vein so he wiggled it inside her arm for about 3 minutes and then decided he would try the other arm.

If there was to be anything comical about this situation it was this: As they are trying to wrap Kami up like a burrito to strap her unwanted arm next to her body, she holds up her index finger from her other arm and says to the nurses the worst thing she could think of: "No, no, Boboes!".  For those of you who don't watch Diego everyday, the Boboes are two monkeys that are always making trouble for Diego. 

I think we all at least smirked. 

Four hours later, her blood analysis came back stabilized and we were free to go home. Home to a 80 degree house with a broken air conditioner. 

Sigh. 

Thats another story. At least this little girl is finally recuperating and only 2 more days of seclusion left to endure.

I think our California trip needs to come sooner.

Not bad for the pictures to have been taken with an iPhone, huh?

Luca...and more Texas

Kami and I were in El Paso to finally get to meet Luca. He was born on April 27th and is such a beautiful and healthy baby. We spent most of our days just being around him and helping out the new parents into the new transition of being able to sleep as much as you want to practically no sleep. I forget how much work it is to have a newborn! But I was happy holding my nephew as much as was needed {much to Kamila's dismay}. Kami at one point looked up at me, stomped her foot, and with a firm and straight index finger commanded  me to "Give it back!".  I didn't understand what she meant and she said it again then covered her eyes with both hands and started to weep. Then it downed on me that she wanted me to give the baby back to Fabi so she could have her mom back all to herself! She cracks me up. I  love being her mother.

Kami loved spending time with Nana and Abuelo, having watemelon galore everyday out on the patio before bathtime, playing with the dogs and getting in the pool with all her clothes on. {then skinny dipping}

Thank you Chip for being so willing to share your time with us with my family.

Fabi, you are a wonderful mother and Oscar, you are a great dad. We are so happy for the much anticipated arrival of that cute little munch.

Happy birthday to me

I think that as time continues to pass, the less interested I become in celebrating my birthday. But, when you have a husband like mine and a best friend like the one I have, it is impossible to just let that day slip away unnoticed and uncelebrated.
I was able to sleep in and was awakened by Chip and Kami bringing me breakfast in bed. Then Chip pampered me by sending me off to get a mani/pedi, facial, massage, and hair treatment. Then I came home to find a huge box filled with goodies from Buckle from Mom and Dad {you two know me too well :) } .Afterward, we went to dinner with Cory and some friends at one of my favorite restaurants and then had some scrumptious chocolate cake from The Chocolate  that my best friend Laura brought.
I am not fond at all of getting older, but what I do love about having a birthday is how special everyone makes you feel. I loved getting each and every phone call, text, FB message, etc from those who remembered. If that was you, thank you! It made my day.

Look who is finally a UVU Cum Laude graduate!

Yes, that would be me :)

After many {too many} years of staying up past 12 a.m. finishing papers, getting up at 4:30 a.m. on cold, snowy mornings to catch a bus to Salt Lake, swapping Kami between Chip and I between work and school, and stressful days... I finally got that trophy diploma in December and got to walk as an official graduate this past week. 

There were many times were I doubted my ability to finish school and balance that with being a wife and mother,
but someone upstairs blessed me with the most wonderful companion who gave me the strength to "carry on and keep calm".

I could not have done it without you Chip. 

You are an amazing husband, father, and friend. 

You have been and will always continue to be pivotal in all of my accomplishments. 

Cheers to having 2 Wolverines in our family!!

Honestly...

I am amazed and somewhat disappointed {yet I know I shouldn't be} at realizing how deceiving and dishonest some peeps out there are. Being honest is not an easy thing, but I also don't think it is a difficult thing. At times, the consequences of being honest are the difficult things to endure, not the act of honesty in itself. Last Sunday in Relief Society we discussed what it was to be an honest person: an honest woman, an honest Christian. Most of us think we are and consequently have access to very special privileges. The more and more I think about what honesty really means, the more I realize I {and everyone else, for that matter} shouldn't be so hasty to answer yes when asked if we are honest in our dealings with those around us.


To be honest is to:
~ speak the truth in its pure form. No adages, not including a personal twist on what we know to be true.
~ be responsible for the things one has said and not blame others for our faults.
~ uphold any promises that have been made, whether we regret making those promises later.
~ refrain from defaming others, from gossiping. This goes hand-in-hand with judging. Who are we to think we can claim to know others' intentions and the whole truth behind any given situation?
~ speaking up when we need to. Sometimes what we don't say is more powerful than what we do say. When we refrain from speaking the truth and sharing the whole truth, we mislead; we lie. By lying, we hinder the recipient's access to the truth, therefore we take the truth from them. We become thieves.


The least initial deviation from the truth is multiplied later a thousandfold.  ~Aristotle

El Paso

Kamila and I were able to fly down to El Paso to be there for Fabi's baby shower. I love going home, especially when it entails leaving behind cold, snowy weather that lingers in Utah. The one thing that I do not enjoy is having to leave Chip behind.
Hopefully the next time that we make our way down  to Texas, it will be the 3 of us.

Fabi's shower was complete with a scrumptious cake, beautiful decorations, ingenious entertainment (thanks to my wonderful and very talented cousin Jessica), and loved guests. Even the windy day ceased to matter once it all got going!


I was also able to take some maternity shots of Fabs, which you can see here.

I was sad to leave but very excited to see Chip. I was even more excited when I came home to what looked like a brand new floor in the kitchen (we have old linoleum "white" floor  that looks so yucky that I have been tempted to just get on my knees and scrub away with a sponge and bleach- won't have to do that anymore!), a house that was spic and span, chocolate covered strawberries and an elephant made out of towels on our bed. He recreated it to look just like our hotel room in Playa del Carmen, Mexico from when we were there last Thanksgiving.
Don't you wish your husband was as sweet as mine? ;)

Meet the Pro

Yesterday started out kind of rough for several small, insignificant reasons. I had the hardest time sleeping and probably only got about 3 hours of sleep for the entire night. When Kamila woke up, Chip had to get out the door asap and I had to tend to a very demanding and ornery almost-2-year-old.
 We did our usual routine: breakfast, clean-up, play-time/annoying Dora playing on the background. At this point I figured it was safe to finish some projects on my computer.

Safe was an understatement.

I was happily creating new photography actions and reading my sweet friend Jessica's blog post when all of a sudden Kami runs over to me with my mighty hairbrush and bangs it on my computer's spacebar.

The end. {Of that computer anyway}

My laptop froze, wouldn't turn off, I made it turn off, took the battery out, then it wouldn't turn on. At all. Then the tears came {Jess, I blame you mostly for this}, I called my IT savvy hubby and we figured the best thing to do was to take it in to the Apple store in Salt Lake.

Sigh.

A 40 minute drive two ways with an ornery baby did not sound like fun. Anyway, Kami was a doll the entire time {which is especially unusual at the Apple store-too many things to look at and not being able to touch} and I got the best customer service ever. I told the gentleman that was helping me about the issues I have had with my Macbook in the past and he mentioned how unusual these issues were for a Mac. He took the laptop with him and disappeared to the backroom for about 20 minutes.
He walks back out and gives me the bad news: my beloved laptop was dead. Like, "nothing-we-can-do-here-but-MAYBE-they-can-fix-it-in-California" dead. He must have seen my huge disappointment and preoccupation because he said:

Awesome Apple Guy: "You know what, I can't understand why it is not working. I took it apart and it looks immaculate. SO... we normally don't do this but I  think I would like to offer you a new computer...it would be the silver one though."
Me: Really? I don't care what color it is as long as I have a computer! (I am leaving town in a few days and absolutely need a computer for the shoots I will be doing on vacation)

Awesome Apple Guy disappears for another 3 minutes and lo and behold, comes back in the room with the store manager AND -
a brand-new Macbook PRO still in the box {YES, an upgrade from my Macbook that was 2 years old and bought for only $400} for free. I couldn't believe it. I still can't.

So, moral of the story is {no, I promise my intention is not to brag...well, maybe just a little}:
1. It ALWAYS pays off to be courteous to everyone you deal with
  -----  and most importantly -----
2. Many times in life we lose things only to have them be replaced with better things, be it a laptop, job, friends, etc.

Everything happens for a reason and everything always works out in the end.

Thank you Kami for ruining my laptop :)

Photography

I finally have accomplished a major goal. I have been working on my photography blog for the longest time and now it is up and running and I feel like a pretty smart cookie.
{Did I mention that I designed it myself? Yeah, I did. Not to brag or anything.}

Embarking on this new adventure has been quite the bumpy road. There have been emotional ups and downs. At times I have felt like I don't have enough time to do everything I wish I could do, inadequate, dealt with the effects of abrasive criticism and spite, just to name a few.

On the other hand, I have learned so much about myself and what I am capable of becoming and doing. I have finally learned that I need to do what is best for my family and myself and seek the things that will make us happy and everything else doesn't matter. Including critics. After all, it is true that I am my worst critic; but furthermore, I have decided that I will not allow myself to listen to any critics, including myself.

I digress. Anyway, who would have thought that I had some graphic designer capabilities in me? I wouldn't have!
Lesson to be learned: you can do anything you set your heart to. Including designing small (but very time consuming), little projects like this one: www.kristalprice.com

Inspired

I have had a couple of thoughts play over and over again in my mind since yesterday.
I went to my hair appointment feeling glee simply due to 2 reasons:
1.) I love getting my hair done by Annesa. She is the most amazing hairdresser. Seriously. I am a pretty picky girl when it comes to my hair and this gal just "gets" me. She does exactly what I ask for AND she does an exceptional job. Getting my hair done is so revitalizing.
2.) Not only is she an amazing artist, but she is a wonderful friend. Every single time I see her, I leave feeling inspired by her.

So, this is where the point of this post comes in. Annesa told me that we all have to have role models for the things that we aspire to achieve and/or for the qualities we aspire to possess. I know what kind of person I want to become and what qualities and talents I want to possess. So it has me thinking: Who are my role models? 

Just to name a couple:

My mother. She has the willingness and dedication to serve others like few people I have ever seen. She is such a nurturing, loving person.
My husband. He teaches me so much about being unselfish.

People like you inspire me to reach for my goals, to reach beyond where I think my limits are.

Who are your role models? What do they inspire you to be?

Someone had a birthday...

Once again, I have failed at taking pictures of an important event. Oh well...he will have many more birthdays so that I can redeem myself. Chip's birthday was on a Sunday, but we started the festivities on Friday. Angelle, Mark, JD, Katie, Kamila, Chip and I started off the evening with dinner at Malawis. So good! We really liked that it is a sit-down dining place yet you can chat away to your hearts desire without the subtle, yet annoying, hints given by a server to hurry up and make way for the next tip-paying patron.
Afterwards we headed over to the Provo Beach Resort for some bowling, and OH MAN, it was hilarious! JD, you crack us up. I have never seen anyone fling a bowling ball so beautifully as you do.

On Saturday, my best friend Laura (this girl deserves her own post- we have been friends since we were 9 or 10 and have never had any sort of disagreement. Yes, its true. That is how amazing she is and what an extraordinary friend she is.) watched Kami while Chip and I went up to Salt Lake for some shopping and dinner. Our friends and us decided to eat at Texas Roadhouse. We called ahead and were told to come in in 30 minutes. Well, we got there exactly when they told us to and yet had to wait another 30-45 minutes to be seated. The manager was made aware of our situation and offered to comp 2 appetizers for the wait. We eventually got a table and received the best service ever. Our server was awesome! After Chip was obliged to ride the saddle as we sang to him and once we had finished our dinner, our server informed us that the manager wanted to comp our party's ENTIRE meal for the hassle we went through. Sweet, huh?! We then watched a movie and headed home.

On Sunday, the 3 of us went to church and were there the entire time. I think that alone was one of the best things about this birthday. We then had dinner with our closest friends and Laura made the best "chocoflan" ever! I can't believe I have been missing out on this scrumptious dessert.

I will post the few pictures that we have of this weekend once we figure out why Chip's iPhone isn't letting us do so (any suggestions?).

Chip, you are an amazing friend, husband, father. You are so loved. ¡Feliz Cumpleaños Amor!

Do It Anyway

I hate that I am a people-pleaser. I really do. I wonder when I will reach my breaking point; or perhaps I already have. If feeling like I should please everyone around me and like it is my responsibility to be the appeaser weren't quite draining enough, on top of it I feel guilty for feeling like I should be ok with these self-fabricated and imposed responsibilities.

For once, I would much enjoy to not have to turn the other cheek; to not have to apologize for something I didn't do, to someone who is upset because they feel entitled to an apology and like it is their prerogative to be easily offended by things that have nothing to do with them. This "loving your enemy" thing is hard...to put it lightly.

I wonder if it is selfish and foolish of me to long for a sincere apology when I have been wronged, for empathy when I make a mistake, or for a simple thank you when I have gone out of my way to show someone how much I care. I am having a hard time finding the energy I need to do all I can to be who I have always been and not care about how others deceivingly portray me to be.

Maybe I just have to Do It Anyway.

Do It Anyway ~ Mother Teresa

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind,
people may accuse you of selfish ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful,
you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank,
people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building,
someone could destroy overnight.
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness,
they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today,
people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have,
and it may never be enough;
Give the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis
it is between you and God;
it was never between you and them anyway.

A Song, A Piece of Paper, and An Answered Prayer

For the past couple of years of offering supplications that don't stray in their context, we have wondered when things were going to change around here. When we found out Kamila was on her way, we were overwhelmed with thoughts such as "How am I going to finish school and care for a baby?" and "Who is going to watch Kami while I am at school and Chip is at work?" and "CAN WE DO THIS?".
At the time, Chip was working part-time and so was I and things just worked. Then a baby was on its way and Chip was offered a full-time position that would provide for our family with what we needed and more than anything, stability. He took the job but nevertheless, it came with sacrifices such as Chip having to work every Sunday, which we obviously were not content about. Kamila came and changed our world, in every good way.

Kamila, you will never know the magnitude of the love we have for you and the impact that you have had on our lives.
We have experienced miracles since your arrival. That is not to say there have not been obstacles and trials, but we have always been given the strength and enlightenment to overcome them.

Today, what seemed like an eternally unanswered prayer was answered. Chip was offered a job with better pay and a schedule that will allow him to be home evenings and weekends. I am thrilled that I will no longer be alone with Kami during sacrament meeting :)


Upon hearing the good news, I took a minute to reflect on how blessed we are and how much I feel the Savior's love for me, for my family. I am not the only one, I am sure, who has had very dark and challenging times in my life. However, I feel like I have been given an innate gift of trusting the Lord to always take care of me and not panic, just trust in Him. I have often wondered why we aren't where we projected to be by now 4 years ago. I still don't know the answer. All I know is that He knows where we want to go, and He will help us get there, in His own time, IF we let him take the wheel.
So, here I am, enveloped in gratitude for witnessing His tender mercies, looking at a white piece of paper with shiny green letters and feeling like the luckiest gal in the world. Anything is possible if you just believe.

P.S.- Ever heard a song and felt like your name should be in the title followed by "Life Story At The Moment"? I have. It may not necessarily resemble my life to a tee, but the gist is right on. I love it! It is my new happy song, ironically.

Mushaboom by Feist

Helping the kids out of their coats
But wait the babies haven't been born oh
Unpacking the bags and setting up
And planting lilacs and buttercups oh

But in the meantime we've got it hard
Second floor living without a yard
It may be years until the day
My dreams will match up with my pay

Old dirt road,
(mushaboom, mushaboom)
knee deep snow
(mushaboom, mushaboom)
Watching the fire as we grow
(mushaboom, mushaboom)
o-o-o-o-old

I got a man to stick it out
And make a home from a rented house oh
And we'll collect the moments one by one
I guess that's how the future's done oh

How many acres, how much light
Tucked in the woods and out of sight
Talk to the neighbours and tip my cap
On a little road barely on the map

Even when the sky looks gray..

and it is awfully cold and gloomy out, moments can be made out of ordinary instances. I am so grateful for this little person...

 

and for my best friend, who make everything worthwhile when I see moments like this

There are reasons to be grateful all around. Sometimes we just have to want to see them.

He is back!

As I was scrolling through my past entries, I realized that I omitted pictures and details of Ariel's homecoming. We are so happy to have him back. Luckily for me, it is true what they say- pictures are worth more than a thousand words. Here you have them.