Dakota in December

I gotta say this fast. It's really, really good news and I want it to stay that way. Okay...here goes... We found a new home to build not far from where we originally were going to build in Farmington. We're getting a great home plan and it fits our needs pretty darn well. We signed papers on the 29th and we have an address already; Dakota Drive. It's so, so awesome and woohoohooo! We are gonna get ourselves a home! Phew. Okay, breathe. Now, ssshhh...don't say a word. There shall be no jubileeing until all papers are signed, we have the keys in our hands and Rick has carried me over the threshold (a tiny yet, romantic detail we forgot to do when we were first married ;)

I must say, I did have a moment of terror, though, when we were considering buying this home. I was reading contract information and came across a term called 'secondary water'. Not growing up in Utah, it was completely foreign, weird, scary and grody to the max to think that they wanted me to use this type of water to water my lawn and garden; I have kids for criminately sakes!! Are they insane? Practically a deal breaker for me. Well, upon further investigation, Davis County has been using secondary water for years and years, but I don't have to hook up to it for our irrigation water use if I don't want to. It may cost us more to use culinary water, but sorry folks, that water is disgusting. My kids, unfortunately, will be exposed to it on their school lawns and such and so I guess we just won't get away from it totally. It is supposedly deemed safe for irrigation only (not for drinking), but I figured I'd rather be in an area that has loads of experience using it rather than a city that is just integrating it into the neighborhoods. All I can say?.....EEeeewwww.... >:(*

It's just that I'm a little more aware of health hazards now after owning that #$%@ condo in Taylorsville where my children are concerned. It's was very scary to have mold and a lead poisoning scare with Cali. We were stupid and ignorant about buying and remodeling that place. I know, we made that decision before Cali arrived, but I (we) are responsible for her 100% and I (we) take that very seriously-as parents do. Not to mention the fact that Rick and I worked our tales off to have her (and Carice, in a way) in the first place. Even though we live in Utah, somehow we weren't able to cross our eyes and give each other a 'come hither' stare and poof! we conceived; as it seems so easy for others here with families with plenty of members. I'm happy with two and two is a complete family for me. I'm not bitter, I'm just sayin'... We did check Cali's lead levels again. It went from .6 to a 1. Now, to me, that seems like it went up, but according to our Ped, tests like that fluctuate from test to test and that it doesn't mean she has 'more' lead in her blood than before. Still, I wish she had zero. Hard to say if it all came from living in the condo, maybe just livin' life, too. Lead is put in so many things. And the toy companys certainly don't have our back. (Yeah, let's just put the nation's children at risk so we can bow down to the almighty dollar.) Idoits. All of them. Bitter? Yeah, I'm bitter about that one. And Christmas is tricky with lead in artificial trees and Christmas lights. Good greif, even some ornaments were recalled this year.

We have opted for a more natural decorated tree in the last few years. This year our tree was exquisite :) We had our homemade cinnamon/spice ornaments we made last year, cinnamon sticks, real live candy canes and a red and white striped ribbon that spiraled around the tree. Oh, and we used our battery operated candle lights (still waiting for someone like Steve Jobs to come out with lead-free Christmas lights...he's the only one with any brains to design an electric cord without lead) We had a red/white/candy cane theme throughout the house after all was said and done.

It was kind of a 'happy accident' with all the candy canes hanging about our home. Some say the candy cane is a symbol of the shephards staff or if you hang it upside down, it forms the letter J, "J" for Jesus. So, I have decided to have a 'theme' each year for our tree and our decorations that symbolize or point to the the Savior. I think it will be a wonderful way to teach our children what Christmas is really all about and it will be a more meaningful way to celebrate. I'm excited about that. I should say that the candy cane shaped cookies we made were kind of a bust, however. They looked good, but tasted awful. I, uh... didn't have any eggs and so I improvised...notta good idea. Blech. But Santa choked them down with his organic milk! Boy, I bet the sleigh was a liiittle heavier after leaving our house. Yikes! And one last thought on the canes, I guess I thought that since we couldn't eat candy canes (Red #40) we could decorate with them. But, I should have thought that one through a little more as I caught Cali licking a candy cane that was hanging on the tree (to much temptation, Mommy!) Yeesh. I went to Wild Oats fully expecting to find some naturally colored peppermint candy canes but did I find some? NO! The holiday candy selection was a disappointing, sorry collection of practically nothing. I'll be better prepared by ordering them off the internet next year. We did let Cali eat some dyes this holiday season because we didn't want to be to rigid. But I have to say, and I know it sounds crazy, the dye free life makes a much more content Cali.

Cali had a terrific check-up with Dr. Price. He is thinking he may be seeing an astigmatism. However, she is doing really, really well. The Intermittant Exotropia is healing. Rick and I hardly have to let her know that her eye is 'off' and to get it back in place. It is focusing straight I'd say more often than not, now, and I am so, so happy that I am even writing this! It has been a long, hard 3 year road. Uhhhgg. (Like I said, my sweet, wonderful first born has been through so much in her short little life.) But through a Priesthood Blessing and many, many hours of hard, hard work on her and our part, the Intermittant Exotropia is going away. I also decided to put her on an Omega 3/6/9 supplement. Perhaps this has helped, too. We are scheduling another round of vision therapy coming up this year before we move, just for further evaluation and to keep that eye strong. Cali, we are so proud of you! You are such a hard worker! And we are so happy for you.


Carice is 16 months old this month! And attending nursery class at church in a couple months is creeping up on us. Not sure if she will run into the room without so much as looking back of where mommy and daddy are as her sister did, but we shall see. She is a little less independent in that way. She was trying to learn to 'hop' this month (so cute!) and from what I can tell, drew a picture on the magnetic drawing pad and followed it up with a ASL sign of 'grapes'! She's picking up on this second language! So exciting! Keeping Carice from picking off the Christmas tree ornaments was tricky this year. On Christmas Day, she seemed to actually fall INTO the bottom of the tree itself! Pine needles inside the diaper does not a happy Carice make! Oops! And Carice woke up on New Year's Eve while Daddy and I were enjoying a movie together ("Singles 2nd Ward". She came out and 'watched' with us. I am glad she is more of a 'lap dweller' when cases like this happen ;) We don't have to worry about her running around. And she made it without getting sick this month! Yea!



We were so lucky this month to have Daddy home for 12 whole days! - before Christmas and just after New Year's. And I'm happy to say he just blended right in with the routines of the day and helped out so much with the girls and dare I admit, laundry. He truly is the laundry king! It was so nice having him home. And I think it helped Carice have a little bonding time with him. She was more of a Mommy's girl, that's for sure.

Lastly, we just want to express our love and appreciation to all our friends and family who gave so much and shared so much with us at this special time of year. And thanks, Utah family, for having a non-traditional pasta Christmas dinner with us! We hope that everyone's 2008 starts out well and happy and continues all year long.

And if you find yourself a little blue now that the joyous season is over, we would like to share one more gift with you-the gift of laughter. Here is comedian, Jim Gaffigan, with some hilarious high-jinx to cheer your January.







Holy Utah Winter, Batman!!