Colmburg Castle

Justin had a Medieval themed DENTAC ball at Colmburg Castle on January 29th.
Okay, kind of a lame picture. I am practicing taking pictures without the flash.

I was so happy to have my wonderful friend Angela there. Do you like our bibs?

We had a 5 course meal. Our only utensil was a knife. Our first course was a shot of liqour. There are some benefits to sitting next to a Mormon on a prepaid meal (We have to make friends somehow).

This guy could play about 5 insturments. He alternated between them throughout the night

Justin and I outside the castle. This was my favorite part of the night. He and I running through the snow inside the castle walls. I am such a pathetic hopless romantic

I am very grateful to Leah for letting me borrow her beautiful dress. It's not really medieval, but I sure felt pretty.

Our serious medieval faces

Ayla came downstairs the other day with about 5 elastic bands around each ankle. I asked her to take them off, but she wanted to keep them on because they were "fwitty." Our compromise...ribbon tied around each ankle. Better circulation, but still "fwitty."

Toes

Who is this little girl? I hardly recogonize her with her new haircut!!

Dirty House

I think I need to child proof a little better. Lyndi get's into EVERYTHING!

Going Private AGAIN

Thank you everyone for your comments. However, I got some strange ones on my last blog and I decided AGAIN, to go private. Please email me your address emmabetti@hotmail.com

I think I still have many of your emails on the acccount. I am sad to have to do this AGAIN
Thanks
Em

A little suprise

This morning when Ayla woke up I remember looking at her hair and thinking how beautiful it was. With no effort she wakes up each morning with long beautiful, perfect waves. Well today that all changed. After church the girls went upstairs into their bedroom. 15 minutes later I walked upstairs to find Ayla staring in the mirror saying

"I yove it!"

"What do you love Ayla?"

"My haircut"

For months Ayla has wanted shorter hair, like her sister. I have continued to decline. Today she asked the right person and Keanna happily cut it. I'm sad to see her beautiful hair go. Keanna knew she was in the wrong and showed a great amount of remorse, even offering to pay me for it. For now, my girls are NOT allowed to use scissors.

I think Keanna may have been going for one of the dramatic trends, long on one side, short on the other.

Tommorrow I will take her to get a REAL haircut

A Decade in Review

I saw this on a friends blog and I thought it would be fun. Here I go...

2000- I moved up to Rexburg Idaho, to start my second semester of College at Ricks College. I met Justin and we began dating exclusively that Spring. That summer Justin moved to Montana and worked on Guest Ranch and I moved to San Diego to live with my Dad and work. We decided to date other people, but we still talked daily. I enjoyed dating that summer, but realized just how much I really liked Justin. That fall we both moved back to Idaho and continued dating. In December Justin proposed. The following day I visited my mother and brother in Alaska for Christmas.

2001- I took 15 credits, worked and planned a wedding that spring. It was a stressful time. We were married May 1st, graduated Ricks College and moved to Idaho Falls for the summer. Justin worked building grain bins and I as an assistant. In June I broke my nose. Later that summer I had surgery to correct it so I could breath correctly. In August we moved to Logan, Utah where Justin had an academic full ride scholarship. We lived in a trailer house outside of town. Justin worked to pay off our rent and I worked at a resturaunt preparing food in the morning, school in the afternoon and at World Savings Bank in the evenings.

2002- I quite the resturaunt job. We worked hard, went to school and ate Top Raumen for dinner most nights. We were so grateful for the many people who blessed our lives. Justin was shocked when they asked him to be the YM President, he was only a couple years older then the Priests. That summer I continued to work and go to school. Justin took a break from school and did some research for a Microbiology professor studying ladybugs and still working to pay for the trailor house rental. Justin was suppose to study for the DAT (dental admissions test), but didn't. Later that summer Justin took the DAT and didn't do as well as he liked. He decided to apply to dental school anyway and started studying for the DAT. As fall started Justin began school again and he studied for the DAT, retook the test and did MUCH MUCH better! He went to an interview in Virginia, Pittsburgh and Oregon. The day before winter break began Justin found out he was accepted to OHSU, we were ecsatic! We celebrated with a candy bar!

2003- We both continued working and going to school. I began my practicum working with a school counselor at a High School. That spring we found out I was pregnant with Keanna. We moved to North Powder Oregon for the summer Justin worked for his Dad on the Ranch and I worked at Subway. I finished up my last class online and graduated with my BS from Utah State. That fall we moved to Portland, Oregon so Justin could start dental school. Keanna was born that October! We enjoyed the holidays with family.

2004- I began cleaning my friend's house for a little extra cash. Justin continued going to school. We realized we were accumulating more debt then we were comfortable with and decided to join the Army and let them pay for Dental School. Justin had that summer off, so we spent a lot of time in Eastern Oregon so Justin could work for his Dad and earn a little money. We took a wonderful vacation to Lake Powell and we were grateful for the kindness that others offered so we could do this. Tha fall we moved back to Oregon I began Nannying a family of 3, Justin started school, and was asked to be the YM President again. Justin worked very, very hard staying up late working at the lab. We were happy when he was able to get 5 hours of sleep. I was asked to be the Enrichment Counselor and I was scared to death.

2005- I continued to nanny bringing Keanna with me. Justin continued with school . It was a crazy time for our family. Justin worked long nights on his lab work, looking for perfection. That summer Justin had his white coat ceremony and began working on REAL people! We had a small break that summer and we took a vacation to San Diego. We found out we were pregnant with our 2nd daughter, Ayla! I quit my nannying job and began managing our apartment complex. That fall Justin worked on real patients.

2006- I continued to be a Mom and work and Justin continued to go to school. In April our little Ayla was born. As we continued with our lives we realized our problems were not that big as we found out our niece was in need of a heart transplant. That summer was spent in heartfelt prayers for our 7 year old niece. Through a miracle she received a heart transplant in August and a month or so later I went and visited in Palo Alto California. That fall Justin continued to go to school and I managed apartments and was a mother. That summer we went to San Diego for Christmas.

2007- More of the same work and school. That spring I started getting the wheels turning to transition into the Army. Justin graduated Dental School in June, the day after that went to Texas for Officer Basic Training. He came home a week later to complete boards, then left immediately to finish training. While he was gone for 6 weeks I packed up our house to be sent to Germany, visited family in Seattle, North Powder and San Diego. After 6 weeks we were together again and then flew to Germany. We lived in a motel room for 50 days and then FINALLY moved into a house. Justin was officially a dentist and began seeing real patients! Keanna began preschool at a German Kindergarten.We traveled to Garmisch, Dresden, Rothenburg and Strousburg France.

2008- We began a New Year with fireworks and enjoyed life without the stressors of school. We traveled to Berlin, Rhine Valley, Prague, Salzburg, and the Italian Dolomites. We started to become friends with our German neighbors and we were really enjoying our family. Ayla had her adenoids removed in May. That summer we found out I was pregnant with our 3rd girl!! That fall Keanna started Kindergarten at the American School! Justin's parents and Sister visited us that fall and we traveled to many of the sites around our home. We traveled to Rome just before Christmas.

2009- In Feb I gave birth to our lovely daughter Lyndi. Keanna and Ayla continued to grow and mature. My Dad, Tami and Grandma Meier visited us in April and we blessed Lyndi. We visited some of the sites around our house. In June we took a cruise with our family and visited Italy, Greece, Turkey and Croatia. Later to Switzerland. Lyndi and I took a trip back to the states for a Family Reunion. Keanna started first grade. Jason and Stacy visited us that fall we traveled Northern Italy. We decided upon a Dental Practice and put $ down on it to save it for us for 2010.

That took a long time... no spell or grammer check. Sorry it's time for bed.

Progress

We began swaddling Lyndi as a newborn. We quickly found, if she had a good swaddle then she would sleep through the night. We enjoyed those benefits up until about 8 months. At that point she became a little Houdini and would escape the swaddle in the middle of the night. This has become an increasingly difficult problem over the past couple months. Lyndi would wake up, I would come in to swaddle her, this would really awake her and she wouldn't want to go back to sleep. Let's just say we are getting payback for those nights we slept in the the beginning. Below is a picture of Lyndi in her swaddle, before bed.

After counseling with the pediatrician, we decided to let her "cry it out" aka torture for Mom and Dad. Lyndi awoke in the middle of the night, we gave her some water and left. Eventually, she cried herself to sleep and when I came in the morning I saw her snuggled up without her blanket. I was so proud!! Sleeping like a normal baby!!!

Scary Movie

Keanna and Ayla were watching a movie and there was a "scary" part. I loved seeing them snuggle together to comfort one another during this scary moment. I can only hope that they continue to strengthen and support each other as they face many other "scary things" throughout their lives.

adjusting color

AFTER

BEFORE

As I have been watching video's on You Tube showing me how to make adjustments in PS2, I wish I would have learned all of this 10 year ago! Justin has done a fantastic job helping out. I'm lucky to have a wonderful and helpful husband!