We saw each other! Yay!

Curtis is doing well and I thought I would share the exciting news about how we can now chat with each other online. The first time we chatted was Sunday morning and then again Monday. It was so exciting the first time that I started to tear up a little bit. And now even better yet, this morning we were able to see each other with the web cameras. He found a computer that already had a camera on it. I was able to get my brother's (Colby's) old web cam to use. Then someone from church came over last night and brought me some speakers (since mine were starting to bite the dust) and a microphone and set all of them up for me. After he left I decided to test them out with Colby and Krista since I knew they had a web cam too. And we did get it to work!
So this morning it seemed like I waited forever for Curtis to get online so we could try the web cam. I didn't know he was actually going to have a web cam available so I thought it would just be him being able to see us. So it was fun that we got to see each other but for some reason we couldn't get the sound to work. I don't know if it's the program we're using (MSN messenger) or just the distance that's the problem. I even tried it again with Krista after I was done with Curtis and the sound worked for us then. We will try it again tomorrow though. The cutest part was when we first got on the camera and Garrett saw his daddy. He kept saying "Daddy" and waving.

Nikki is also loving this web cam. She was talking to her cousin Sarah down in Utah for about 2 hours today. They both had a lot of fun doing that.

These are the times when I really love technology!!

Pumpkins & Bunk beds

I had a request to get pictures of the pumpkin I carved the same night Tamara did hers. We went to a girl's night out on Friday and carved them while there and also watched "The Watcher in the Woods". It was fun! The only sad thing is, we just did it on Friday night and now my pumpkin is already shriveling up. We are all sad about it :( Oh well, at least we got pictures before it got any worse. (By the way, thank you to my mother in law for donating the pumpkin)

Also, on Saturday my brother in law Nathan brought over our new bunk bed (well, new to us) and put it together. Now Nikki is officially moved into her own bedroom and Garrett is alone for the first time. As you can see, they both enjoy going on the top bunk and playing up there. We like to play catch with Nikki's ball too. Eventually, we will split the bunk bed up and put the top half in Garrett's room after the new baby kicks him out of the crib. At least that's the plan as of now.

Twilight quiz

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You are thoughtful and care very deeply for your family. A loving home is of great
importance to you and you always try to make people feel welcome. Although you have a great capacity to love, you also have a great capacity to hurt, so at times you can be
sensitive. You're firm when you need to be, but people trust your judgment and
appreciate the kind way you always handle things.

Bumps, blood, but no ER...must be a boy

Here's what Garrett got today. This is after I took him home, cleaned him up, and changed his clothes. Yesterday he got a big bump and bruise on his forehead. It's kind of hard to see in the picture. You can tell better in person. I should've taken a picture of it yesterday but I didn't. This picture was also taken today after I cleaned him up and changed him. As you can see with the big smile on his face that he is doing just fine now.

So my day started off pretty ordinary. We ate breakfast and got dressed and headed to the Rec Center so I could walk the track. On the way into the Rec Center Garrett decided he wanted to go walk around on the bricks that were surrounding a park bench. I tried telling Garrett to come and go inside but he was having too much fun walking on the bricks. So I sent Nikki over to help him down. I had meant for her to grab his hand and help him step down but she ended up grabbing him around the waste and lifting him down. As she tried to set him down he fell backward and hit the bricks with the back of his head.

I quickly went over to go help him and then realized he was bleeding and it started coming fast. So I scooped him up as fast as I could and ran him inside and to the bathroom. Some of the ladies who work there had noticed and came to help. I had layed Garrett down over the sink and was trying to wash the blood away. Then someone brought in paper towels and I was able to put some on the wound and it soon stopped bleeding. Meanwhile, Nikki was behind me freaking out about her little brother and worried to death. One of the gals who works there came and took Nikki to the playcenter so I could take care of Garrett. I had almost started to lose control myself because I was getting scared that the bleeding wouldn't stop. But it did after a little bit and I was fine after that. In fact, so was he. He had cried at first when I was washing him off but when I sat him up and was trying to clean up the blood all around his neck he was just calm.

They also had a life guard come look at him to make sure he was alright. In the end it looked more like a bump than a cut. They also gave me an ice pack to put on it. So after getting him as clean as I could I went to the playcenter and Nikki had calmed down by then and was coloring. I showed her that he was fine and then she didn't want to leave. I sat on the couch in there with Garrett for a minute trying to put the ice pack on him. Of course he kept moving to get away from it. Then he wanted down to go play with toys. But I decided I'd better take him home and get his clothes changed. Nikki was okay to leave after I told her that he needed his clothes changed because there was blood on them.

Then on the way out Nikki starts telling me "it's so sad, Daddy and Garrett....first Daddy is gone and now Garrett is hurt". I had to tell her everything was alright and that Garrett would be fine. So after getting him home and changed I decided to take a picture of his battle wound. And then I had to make sure that Nikki knew that it was an accident and that she was just trying to help me with Garrett. It was nobody's fault. And they both started playing again like nothing had happened.

So the other bruise that is on Garrett's forehead he had gotten yesterday from falling and bumping his head into the bathroom doorway. Everyone kept asking if that bump was from what happened today but I was like "nope, that's from yesterday". He's definitely a boy and a 2 yr old.

Landed safely

So I finally got an email from Curtis this morning and he has safely made it to Baghdad. He says the base he's on is huge and has to take a shuttle everywhere because it's so big. They still have a few classes to take and then they will be off and rolling for good.

Curtis was officially released from his church calling yesterday as ward clerk. At first I was waiting to hear his name but then the bishop sat down and I didn't see anyone from the stake. Of course it didn't help that the primary program was yesterday so the kids were filling all the seats. I figured they would probably do it next Sunday then. So it took me off guard when someone from the stake did get up and release him and called someone else to his position. I almost started crying right then but I didn't. Just another part of reality setting in.

Anyway, he's in Baghdad and now he can get settled and get to work. And me, I have this little baby inside me to think about to keep my mind off my worries. And this little guy continually reminds me that he's here, always moving around and poking at me. Even Nikki has gotten to feel him move around a few times. It makes us both really happy when she gets to feel him move. Curtis thinks he has a name picked out for him already but I'm not totally sure. I think I'll have to take a vote when I get a few other choices in mind.

NICU Grad Party

Thursday night I took the kids to a NICU Grad Party at St. Al's and they were able to dress up in costumes. There were all kinds of games, goodies, face painting, and cookie decorating. They both had so much fun and I'm glad I took them. I would've put all these pictures in a slide show but the website for the slide show was taking forever to load so I decided just to put them on one at a time. Here are pics of my little kitty and lion.

This is a pic that was taken by photographers at the party. I couldn't believe how well Garrett was smiling for the pictures.

Nikki decorating her cookie.

It tastes so yummy!

He had frosting all over his hands and face after tasting his cookie. That's why he's kind of holding his hands apart like that.

Garrett decorating his cookie. Mommy helped of course.

Nikki had to get her kitty costume completed by having them paint whiskers and a nose.

He's playing a bean bag throwing game.

He got one!

Making paper jack-o-lanterns

Nikki making her scary popcorn hand.

New pictures

If you haven't already noticed, I changed a few things on our blog, mainly the photos. On the day we did family photos it was getting dark outside and we didn't have time to get a picture of Garrett by himself. So he still has an old picture up for now. Maybe one of these days when it warms up a little more then we can do his. And for a 2 yr old it is hard to get him to take very many pictures at one time anyway. Or maybe I can put one of his birthday pictures in for now.

Thank you for taking our pictures Michelle!!

No tears today

Early this morning we sent the boys flying down to Houston. To my utter surprise I was able to stay strong and fight the tears all day long. They did try to come a few times, especially on the trip home from the airport. That's one nice thing about having kids, they distracted my thoughts. I just tried hard not to think about Curtis leaving and where he was going and how long he would be gone. But he did make it safe and sound. Unfortunately, Curtis and Nic were not able to get a room together. They have different room mates. So when Curtis was by himself this evening he decided to read the scriptures. Reality was starting to hit him and he was missing us a lot and probably getting a little homesick. Thank goodness for the gospel and church in our lives.

It was nice to have plenty of family there at the airport to see them off. Those that showed up were: his parents & grandma Port, his sister Shauna & family, my sis in law Krista & her boy Nephi, my sister Tamara & her family. Thank you all for coming!

Nicole kind of has the sense down that Curtis is gone but I don't think she realizes how long. It was funny that as Curtis was walking to check in to security we were all watching and Nikki said she's going to miss daddy. I told her we would get to talk to him a lot on the phone and maybe see him on the computer. Then she quickly remembered that she wanted to ride the escalator again. She was only crying on the way out to the van because she wanted to ride the escalator again. Kids. I don't blame her, I loved riding them when I was a kid too.

Anyway, I then went to my in laws where they had invited Celeste and me to breakfast and we watched the first session of conference. Then I headed over to see my dad since he wasn't able to make it to the airport due to his extremely sore back. When I discovered he wasn't there and found out he was getting his back adjusted again I decided to go visit Gma & Gpa Norton, where I ended up staying all day. Dad stopped in on the way home and then later Chris & Tamara came over and Melissa & Nathan. I decided if I wanted to stay strong the remainder of the day I'd better stay with family as long as I could. We watched conference, talked, went on a walk, & played a game of Uno. And well, now I'm tuckered out and need some sleep. Check out my slideshow below of pics from the airport.

Curtis & Nic send off