Sea Wolf finally came on stage at like 11:30. They were amazing! It was totally worth the 1:30am bedtime. I love concerts and can't wait for the next one (whatever that may be). Unfortunately, we left our phone in the car, so there are no pictures to document. Luckily, YouTube exists!
10.31.2012
Sea Wolf
The other night we ventured Downtown to see Sea Wolf. They are like under the underground. There weren't many people there, and maybe because it was a Monday night, and it didn't even start until like 10pm, but that was just the opening band. Who I actually was kind of into. Their band name is Hey Marseilles, they have 7 people in the band and they are Mumford and Sons-esque. Plus, they have an accordion!
Sea Wolf finally came on stage at like 11:30. They were amazing! It was totally worth the 1:30am bedtime. I love concerts and can't wait for the next one (whatever that may be). Unfortunately, we left our phone in the car, so there are no pictures to document. Luckily, YouTube exists!
Sea Wolf finally came on stage at like 11:30. They were amazing! It was totally worth the 1:30am bedtime. I love concerts and can't wait for the next one (whatever that may be). Unfortunately, we left our phone in the car, so there are no pictures to document. Luckily, YouTube exists!
10.29.2012
WitchCraft
It has been another successful weekend at the Hancock house! By the time Payton came over, Lucas was napping, so we couldn't really start the festivities until pretty much after dinner. So, we watched My Neighbor Totoro and painted Payton's nails. This week we did jack o' lanterns on her thumbs and big toes, and then the rest we did spider webs. It's a little tricky to do designs on such little nails, but we manage to make it work. I am thinking about investing in polish pens, it would make my life a little easier.
After dinner we ended up going to the WitchFest at Gardener Village. I have never seen so many witches in my life! Cackling, shopping, dancing and dining. They were all over the place! Payton wanted to do face painting, and then we wandered around and did some dancing and shopping ourselves.
Yesterday we decided it was time to carve pumpkins. I mean, there are only a few days left until Halloween, right? We pulled out the guts and drew a couple of typical patterns to follow, but Payton felt the need to do something complex. She did have the largest pumpkin, so why not? It's a kitty and turned out totally awesome!
After much contemplation I decided to cut off Lucas' mullet...It made me a little teary, but it was getting to the point where it was a little ridiculous. Shawn wanted me to do like a modern rat tail thing, which I'm not totally against, but I just did a shape up. He was moving way too much to do anything more than that. I might do it in stages?
After dinner we ended up going to the WitchFest at Gardener Village. I have never seen so many witches in my life! Cackling, shopping, dancing and dining. They were all over the place! Payton wanted to do face painting, and then we wandered around and did some dancing and shopping ourselves.
Yesterday we decided it was time to carve pumpkins. I mean, there are only a few days left until Halloween, right? We pulled out the guts and drew a couple of typical patterns to follow, but Payton felt the need to do something complex. She did have the largest pumpkin, so why not? It's a kitty and turned out totally awesome!
After much contemplation I decided to cut off Lucas' mullet...It made me a little teary, but it was getting to the point where it was a little ridiculous. Shawn wanted me to do like a modern rat tail thing, which I'm not totally against, but I just did a shape up. He was moving way too much to do anything more than that. I might do it in stages?
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| Beware...the Witches... |
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| Pretty Butterfly |
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| I couldn't help but capture this moment. |
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| Dancing in the Moonlight |
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| my hot sexy shawn |
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| Princess Lea style, but not really... |
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| Lucas' Pumpkin is winking! And isn't Payton's (cat pumpkin) so freaking cute!? |
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| Lucas, his puffy coat, and his mullet. |
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| First Haircut...yes, I am a professional :) |
10.25.2012
Pink Grapefruit and Gum Drops
This last week we were lucky enough to have Payton for a couple extra days (thank you Vegas). She came over Saturday and brought her Zombie Cheerleader costume. We got all grotesquely dolled up, and then headed to the Halloween Hoot at Tracey Aviary. It was a rather warm day and they sent us on a scavenger hunt. There were trick o' treating stations, lots of cool and creepy looking birds. I felt like I was in the nightmare of a daydream. We watched a bird show, Payton got to feed an emu, and the owls were probably my favorites! Later that night we made mummy face pizzas and spider cookies.
Payton lost her first tooth! She has teeny tiny teeth, and it came out while she was eating potatoes. Which may or may not be a weird combo, but she was so excited. I heard about it for 3 days. So of course, the tooth fairy came, and I told her that we could go to the Disney Store to spend her money. We went, and surprisingly she couldn't find anything that she wanted. I was like, but what about all these princesses? Na...she wanted a new Lalaloopsy. We ventured to Target and found Sugar Fruit Drops. She's super cute and made entirely of gum drops. Plus, she loves pink grapefruit....two of my loves!
And of course, we had the perfect opportunity to visit Mrs. Yancey at Challenger School. Oh how I miss that place. Mrs. Yancey has moved to first grade, so if Payton would have gone there, she would have had her 3 years in a row! Mr. Jordan...he told us how much he missed our little family, mostly Shawn ;).
Yesterday morning I took Payton to school, and last night Shawn had school, so it was super quiet at our house...well, Lucas kept screaming, so it wasn't that quiet. He missed sissy. He loves her, she loves him. He mostly follows her around like a little puppy dog and she makes him laugh. They are really cute together!
Payton lost her first tooth! She has teeny tiny teeth, and it came out while she was eating potatoes. Which may or may not be a weird combo, but she was so excited. I heard about it for 3 days. So of course, the tooth fairy came, and I told her that we could go to the Disney Store to spend her money. We went, and surprisingly she couldn't find anything that she wanted. I was like, but what about all these princesses? Na...she wanted a new Lalaloopsy. We ventured to Target and found Sugar Fruit Drops. She's super cute and made entirely of gum drops. Plus, she loves pink grapefruit....two of my loves!
And of course, we had the perfect opportunity to visit Mrs. Yancey at Challenger School. Oh how I miss that place. Mrs. Yancey has moved to first grade, so if Payton would have gone there, she would have had her 3 years in a row! Mr. Jordan...he told us how much he missed our little family, mostly Shawn ;).
Yesterday morning I took Payton to school, and last night Shawn had school, so it was super quiet at our house...well, Lucas kept screaming, so it wasn't that quiet. He missed sissy. He loves her, she loves him. He mostly follows her around like a little puppy dog and she makes him laugh. They are really cute together!
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| She has her Zombie look down! |
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| My cute little Dalmatian. |
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| Is it just me, or do those creepy bird looking things in the background look like the creepy creatures in "The Village"? |
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| Spider Cookies! |
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| In my last post I mentioned I would take more pics of Payton's hair and I have been failing...but at least I captured this messy zig-zag frenchie! |
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| Bed Time! |
10.16.2012
Jubilant-sy
Welcome to fall (3 weeks ago). I can't get enough of the most glorious time of the year! Well, for me at least. I know most people love December because of Christmas, but my love ranges from mid-September to whenever it starts to snow. Snow and I have a love-hate relationship.
We have been planning fun weekend adventures for when Payton comes over. Example, we went to the Hay Maze/Hay Ride/Pumpkin Patch extravaganza at Wheeler Farm a couple of weeks ago. It was rather invigorating! We found our way through the maze, all thanks to miss smarty pants, and then we worked our way to the pumpkin patch. Payton picked the largest pumpkin, Lucas kept trying to eat his, and I just wanted a cute symmetrical pumpkin. We will be carving them next weekend! Exciting!
Last week my sister was in town from California. We did a few fun things, City Creek (since she had never been there), a picnic in Big Cottonwood Canyon, Millcreek Library, and of course, The Hogle Zoo. Which was the best! We haven't been there since Lucas' birthday and they have new things. Rocky Shores, a baby giraffe (so cute) and they are building a new African Savanna for the train, which doesn't open until 2014, so you can tell, it's going to be a good one!
With fall, comes birthdays, at least in our family. Mine is the end of September, Shawn's was last week. We like to go out. Last week we went to a movie called, "Seven Psychopaths". Christopher Walken, Colin Farrell, need I say more?
Lucas = crazy. He went from crawling to running. But you see, he's not your typical runner. He puts one arm up over his head and one off to the side. It's rather hysterical. He loves to dance. He sings. He says, "clock." Everything on the wall is a clock. Most animals are dogs. Birds are ducks, and cats...are titties...hahaha...I love it! He listens and knows a lot of things I say. He knows that a brush is used to brush his hair. He knows where to go when I tell him to brush his teeth. He knows to get his shoes. He knows to put his toys away when I tell him to. He likes to mimic me cleaning. He will grab the dish towel off the oven and wipe off the cabinets when I am wiping the table. He plays the piano, and hates having to leave when we are at his grandma's (she is the one with the piano). He loves broccoli and salmon. In a 24 hour period, he sleeps 15 hours. He loves to make us laugh. He's so fun, and thinks he is so funny. He takes after his daddy :)
I love doing girly mother/daughter things with Payton. She and I made Shawn the most delectable pumpkin cupcakes. She loves to help me make goodies. The week before it was making Halloween cutout cookies, black cats and pumpkins. She loves watching the kitchen-aid mix the ingredients. She loves putting her cold hands in the flour (she claims the flour warms them up). She always wants me to paint her nails in crazy ways. This whole month it has been Halloween colors. Polka dots, stripes, squiggles. She let's me try new cute do's on her hair. I have been doing a waterfall braid on her lately, which doesn't last long because it's a loose braid and she loves to run around, but it's cute for church! I did the bow and the seashell braid last week (i should start taking pictures). Her long hair makes me happy. Every time I give her a trim I say, how much to you want off? She says, how about to my shoulders? I clip it up to show her what it would be like and she says, um...how about just a teensy tiny bit :) She gets embarrassed when we talk about her friend Gavin (she has a crush). She has her first loose tooth and can't wait for the tooth fairy to come!
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| Pumpkin Patch |
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| I love these faces! Haha...(the giraffe is licking the wall) |
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| Cool wooden hieroglyphic elephant at the zoo. |
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| Lucas with his blanket over the head...he could not stop laughing. |
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| I slaved over a hot stove making this delicious apple squash soup with pomegranate. Seriously, it took at least an hour, maybe more. |
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| Yummy pumpkin cupcakes with my favorite mellowcreme pumpkin candies on top! |
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| There is nothing better than nestling yourself in a blanket on a cold fall night. |
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| I had to add my sweet little Ginger. I miss her so much! Luckily, I get to cuddle her from time to time. |
10.15.2012
17.11; National Adoption Day
I have a story to share. One that I don't talk much about...
I was 19. I had just graduated from Paul Mitchell. I was awaiting to hear from the state so I could take my boards to get my cosmetology license. Just then, some other news came to me...I found out I was pregnant. I was devastated. I cried for 9 months. I felt like I had my whole life ahead of me and now I was failing (once again). What was I going to do? Abortion was not an option. I had only heard about adoption, and keeping the baby? Would that be right? I had so many mixed emotions.
The scariest moment for me was when I told my parents. I wasn't living with them at the time and I had gone to their house for a visit, when right before they got home, the morning sickness crept in. I was lurking with my head in the toilet for an hour. I couldn't believe it. Nothing was even inside of me! I heard my mom walk in the door, so I tried to get it together. Just then, I collapsed on the floor, she knew exactly what was wrong. She was the one who told me. I told her I wanted to wait for my dad. I felt a little better (physically), and told both my parents I didn't want them to say anything until I left. I told them. Shaking the entire time. I told them not to worry. I told them everything would be fine. I left. I was in the bathroom, meeting that same toilet bowl on a daily basis for 12 weeks straight. I had moved back in with my parents, whom I'm pretty sure were mad at me, but rather supportive. I was hospitalized for dehydration, nothing was kept down. I was pale, weak, devastated.
Once I felt better and had gone to see the doctor, I thought, this is my baby. I am growing this child inside of me. I can feel it kick and turn and weird things are happening. I am going to keep this baby. It seemed like a dream. Searching for the perfect nursery, seeing the cutest baby clothes, loving something so much, it was just the best feeling in the world. Finding out you're having a boy...
Reality hits. It's not all about onsies and nursery paint. It's not about toys and books and baby names. It's not about you and how you want to show off your cute new baby to your friends, it's about the baby. How is this really going to affect my life? More importantly, how is this going to affect his life. How would it be for you if you only had a mom? If your dad wanted nothing to do with you? What's going to happen?
The question I really asked myself is, "what now?" And I'm not sure if I said it aloud, or in a prayer in my heart, but I'm pretty sure someone heard me. I was at work, and a fellow employee came up 5 minutes later and asked me how I was doing. I was very large and going to pop at any moment. I told him how I was feeling, how I had been considering adoption for no more than 3 hours. He paused for a moment and said, I have a sister, she has a husband. They have been married for 7 years and been trying for 5 years to have kids. They put their names on the LDS Family Services adoption list a couple of weeks ago. Another pause. I said, "have them call me." A few hours later I was eating breakfast and got a phone call. I heard this sweet voice of a woman named Emily Snow. She sounded super nervous, but wanted to arrange a meeting. We met that night with her husband Dan. I was nervous at first, but the longer I had stayed there, the more at home I felt. They were the sweetest couple. Funny, cute, upstanding, genuine. I was head over heels within 2 hours. When I left that night, I hugged them, told them Thank You, and that I would call them tomorrow.
I didn't tell my parents, or anyone else, that I had arranged this meeting. Instead, I waited. I waited for a prayer to be answered. I waited for that feeling. I got it. I cried, I smiled, and then I had the most comforting feeling. I went and told my parents. They cried, they smiled, and they hugged me. About an hour later I called the Snow's. I told them they were the perfect family. I wanted them to have my son. They cried and couldn't thank me enough. Within the next couple of weeks, we met with lawyers, made arrangements to meet every year on his birthday. They asked if I wanted money, which I thought was weird, but I guess it happens. I politely declined and told them I would be in contact. I asked them if I had given them enough time to prepare, because let's be honest, 3 weeks? They said they had been waiting years!
Well, baby decided to come a week early. Each morning my mom had told me to call her if I were to go into labor. That morning, I had woken up, eaten breakfast and 10 minutes later felt a contraction. I hated it. I called my mom and said, Maybe you might have to come home? She said, well, call me if they get any worse. So, I decided to take a nap because I was in a lot of pain. Not sure how, but I fell asleep and woke up to my phone ringing. It was my mother. Just when I answered, another contraction came on. She said, I'm coming home!
My mother came home. She didn't know what to do. She hadn't had a baby in 20 years! So she decides to start reading, What to Expect When You're Expecting while I just sat there quietly, waiting, wondering when we needed to go to the hospital. In that time, I got hungry. She told me I wasn't supposed to eat, but I felt it would be okay. She continued on reading, when I went to pack my bag. I then said, okay, it's time to go. She was like, oh! Hold on! I wait for another 5 minutes, and as we walk out the door, my dad arrives. Hold on, he says. I'm like, um....? He then decided to give me a blessing, mostly that I wouldn't have the baby in the car. Because for some reason, I chose a hospital that was 20 minutes away from my house!
We get to the hospital, my contractions are now 5 minutes apart. Perfect timing! Here come the drugs! But even with the drugs, you have a little bit of feeling. If you didn't, how would you know when to push? Once the actual labor really started, it was an easy 3, maybe 4 pushes, and he was out. 7lbs, 13 oz, 19 inches long. When they plopped him on me, I didn't know what to do. My family came and held him, a few friends came to see him, he was the sweetest, most quietest baby. Just had a peaceful persona about him. I didn't want to hold him, I didn't want to be attached. The first night I had him kept in the nursery. Sounds cold, right? The next day all I wanted to do was love this child I just had. And so I did. I kept that baby close to me all day and all night long. He slept in my arms. I cried. I loved him so much.
The next day was discharge day. The judge came in. He told me I had until 5pm. I cried for 4 hours. I so wanted to go back on my word and just keep this precious child, but I couldn't do that. I couldn't do that to this poor baby. This sweet couple. So I signed the adoption papers, tears streaming down my face. The nurse came a couple minutes later. She told me it was time. I asked her if I could give my baby away. She said yes. I went out in the hallway, saw Dan and Emily. Put this precious child into Emily's arms, told them all I loved them so much and would see them soon. They thanked me and handed me a gift basket of goodies. Emily pieced me a blanket, that i still have today.
They named him Gregory Nathaniel Snow. He goes by Greg. He will be 7 in November. He is in 1st grade and has 2 younger sisters, Abby and Andie. He looks like a Snow, and I couldn't be more happy about how things with him have turned out. I am so grateful that Josh (Emily's brother) heard/felt my prayer. There are times when I think what life would be like if I would have kept him.
Even though a lot of things just happen to happen, I think some things happen for a reason. I think some things are a blessing in disguise. It was the hardest, most rewarding thing I have ever done.
-The End.
I was 19. I had just graduated from Paul Mitchell. I was awaiting to hear from the state so I could take my boards to get my cosmetology license. Just then, some other news came to me...I found out I was pregnant. I was devastated. I cried for 9 months. I felt like I had my whole life ahead of me and now I was failing (once again). What was I going to do? Abortion was not an option. I had only heard about adoption, and keeping the baby? Would that be right? I had so many mixed emotions.
The scariest moment for me was when I told my parents. I wasn't living with them at the time and I had gone to their house for a visit, when right before they got home, the morning sickness crept in. I was lurking with my head in the toilet for an hour. I couldn't believe it. Nothing was even inside of me! I heard my mom walk in the door, so I tried to get it together. Just then, I collapsed on the floor, she knew exactly what was wrong. She was the one who told me. I told her I wanted to wait for my dad. I felt a little better (physically), and told both my parents I didn't want them to say anything until I left. I told them. Shaking the entire time. I told them not to worry. I told them everything would be fine. I left. I was in the bathroom, meeting that same toilet bowl on a daily basis for 12 weeks straight. I had moved back in with my parents, whom I'm pretty sure were mad at me, but rather supportive. I was hospitalized for dehydration, nothing was kept down. I was pale, weak, devastated.
Once I felt better and had gone to see the doctor, I thought, this is my baby. I am growing this child inside of me. I can feel it kick and turn and weird things are happening. I am going to keep this baby. It seemed like a dream. Searching for the perfect nursery, seeing the cutest baby clothes, loving something so much, it was just the best feeling in the world. Finding out you're having a boy...
Reality hits. It's not all about onsies and nursery paint. It's not about toys and books and baby names. It's not about you and how you want to show off your cute new baby to your friends, it's about the baby. How is this really going to affect my life? More importantly, how is this going to affect his life. How would it be for you if you only had a mom? If your dad wanted nothing to do with you? What's going to happen?
The question I really asked myself is, "what now?" And I'm not sure if I said it aloud, or in a prayer in my heart, but I'm pretty sure someone heard me. I was at work, and a fellow employee came up 5 minutes later and asked me how I was doing. I was very large and going to pop at any moment. I told him how I was feeling, how I had been considering adoption for no more than 3 hours. He paused for a moment and said, I have a sister, she has a husband. They have been married for 7 years and been trying for 5 years to have kids. They put their names on the LDS Family Services adoption list a couple of weeks ago. Another pause. I said, "have them call me." A few hours later I was eating breakfast and got a phone call. I heard this sweet voice of a woman named Emily Snow. She sounded super nervous, but wanted to arrange a meeting. We met that night with her husband Dan. I was nervous at first, but the longer I had stayed there, the more at home I felt. They were the sweetest couple. Funny, cute, upstanding, genuine. I was head over heels within 2 hours. When I left that night, I hugged them, told them Thank You, and that I would call them tomorrow.
I didn't tell my parents, or anyone else, that I had arranged this meeting. Instead, I waited. I waited for a prayer to be answered. I waited for that feeling. I got it. I cried, I smiled, and then I had the most comforting feeling. I went and told my parents. They cried, they smiled, and they hugged me. About an hour later I called the Snow's. I told them they were the perfect family. I wanted them to have my son. They cried and couldn't thank me enough. Within the next couple of weeks, we met with lawyers, made arrangements to meet every year on his birthday. They asked if I wanted money, which I thought was weird, but I guess it happens. I politely declined and told them I would be in contact. I asked them if I had given them enough time to prepare, because let's be honest, 3 weeks? They said they had been waiting years!
Well, baby decided to come a week early. Each morning my mom had told me to call her if I were to go into labor. That morning, I had woken up, eaten breakfast and 10 minutes later felt a contraction. I hated it. I called my mom and said, Maybe you might have to come home? She said, well, call me if they get any worse. So, I decided to take a nap because I was in a lot of pain. Not sure how, but I fell asleep and woke up to my phone ringing. It was my mother. Just when I answered, another contraction came on. She said, I'm coming home!
My mother came home. She didn't know what to do. She hadn't had a baby in 20 years! So she decides to start reading, What to Expect When You're Expecting while I just sat there quietly, waiting, wondering when we needed to go to the hospital. In that time, I got hungry. She told me I wasn't supposed to eat, but I felt it would be okay. She continued on reading, when I went to pack my bag. I then said, okay, it's time to go. She was like, oh! Hold on! I wait for another 5 minutes, and as we walk out the door, my dad arrives. Hold on, he says. I'm like, um....? He then decided to give me a blessing, mostly that I wouldn't have the baby in the car. Because for some reason, I chose a hospital that was 20 minutes away from my house!
We get to the hospital, my contractions are now 5 minutes apart. Perfect timing! Here come the drugs! But even with the drugs, you have a little bit of feeling. If you didn't, how would you know when to push? Once the actual labor really started, it was an easy 3, maybe 4 pushes, and he was out. 7lbs, 13 oz, 19 inches long. When they plopped him on me, I didn't know what to do. My family came and held him, a few friends came to see him, he was the sweetest, most quietest baby. Just had a peaceful persona about him. I didn't want to hold him, I didn't want to be attached. The first night I had him kept in the nursery. Sounds cold, right? The next day all I wanted to do was love this child I just had. And so I did. I kept that baby close to me all day and all night long. He slept in my arms. I cried. I loved him so much.
The next day was discharge day. The judge came in. He told me I had until 5pm. I cried for 4 hours. I so wanted to go back on my word and just keep this precious child, but I couldn't do that. I couldn't do that to this poor baby. This sweet couple. So I signed the adoption papers, tears streaming down my face. The nurse came a couple minutes later. She told me it was time. I asked her if I could give my baby away. She said yes. I went out in the hallway, saw Dan and Emily. Put this precious child into Emily's arms, told them all I loved them so much and would see them soon. They thanked me and handed me a gift basket of goodies. Emily pieced me a blanket, that i still have today.
They named him Gregory Nathaniel Snow. He goes by Greg. He will be 7 in November. He is in 1st grade and has 2 younger sisters, Abby and Andie. He looks like a Snow, and I couldn't be more happy about how things with him have turned out. I am so grateful that Josh (Emily's brother) heard/felt my prayer. There are times when I think what life would be like if I would have kept him.
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Greg 2010. |
Even though a lot of things just happen to happen, I think some things happen for a reason. I think some things are a blessing in disguise. It was the hardest, most rewarding thing I have ever done.
-The End.
10.03.2012
10.01.2012
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