What I Live For

What the Wednesday!

2012-02-29T14:42:00.000-07:00

I'm going to pretend it hasn't been 3 weeksSince my last WTW postOkay? Our little family went to see Monster Jamlast Friday nightOkay, okayIt was actually really funGrave Digger was kind of cool to see in personCannon watches monster truck vidoes on my phoneAnd he was totally thrilled the whole time I'm going up to the Capitol again todayTo hopefully add my testimonial to HB211There's

What the Wednesday!

2012-02-08T08:29:00.000-07:00

I had strep throat last week(hence, no WTW post)It was horrible!But I feel so much better nowI have a new appreciation for my healthBeing sick all week sucks! Every time I type "in"My phone changes it to "I'n"Which isn't even a word! It makes me look like a geniusSo embarrassing Friday is Kindergarten registration for CannonI'm such a first-timer InstagramabecarAdd me, please?

What the Wednesday!

2012-01-25T15:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Hazel climbed onto my lab and fell asleepThis doesn't happen much anymoreIt was Heaven Okay, so, last week I took my kids to Victoria's SecretI really needed a new bra and it was the semi-annual saleIt wasn't until I saw the store and the semi-clothed womenThat I second-thought my decision to take Cannon insideOoopsWhen Jarom got home, Cannon told him:"Mom bought a swimsuit at

What the Wednesday!

2012-01-18T08:30:00.000-07:00

You know that bookThe 5 Love LanguagesWell, Hazel's love language isreading her a storyJust one story is all it takes to become her best friend for the rest of her life Kindergarten registration is just a few weeks awayI hope I don't cryCannon keeps telling me that he's not my baby anymoreIt kind of hurts my feelings Jarom's Grandma June passed away last weekShe'll be missed We went to

Christmas Recap

2012-01-13T08:47:00.000-07:00

We traveled to California to celebrate Christmas with the Becar family. I got strep throat while I was there and was rendered virtually incapacitated for the first 4 days of our trip. But other than that, it was great to have the entire family together, especially when two members of the family are preparing for missions. Becar tradition is to go feed the reindeer on Christmas Eve at Glen

What the Wednesday! - (I'm back!)

2012-01-11T08:04:00.000-07:00

We had a great Christmas vacation to CaliforniaIt was nice to be with the Becar familyI got strep throat while we were thereWhich was not so niceBut what do you do? This morning, Cannon was talking to meAbout how Mommies and Daddies don't have toys in their roomBut they have a bathroomAnd a little room full of clothesHe said "Mom, I'm so sad for you that you don't get toys"Probably one of his

Hazel-friendly Oatmeal Pancakes

2011-12-13T17:02:00.001-07:00

I was browsing pinterest one day and came across some oatmeal pancakes. I like oatmeal. I like pancakes. So, they should be good, right. Wrong. They are A May Zing. They had tons of dairy in them (cottage cheese, milk AND eggs). So, I actually combined a few different recipes and then vegan-ized them for Hazel. So scrumptious! Hazel inhaled six of these babies in 4 minutes flat. Cannon

What the Wednesday!

2011-12-07T08:11:00.001-07:00

We woke up to a newly festive Christmas treeAlphie got into Cannons underpants drawerAnd put underpants all over our tree!That naughty little elf! I really really reallyWant to learn JapaneseI can sing a song and say please and hi I'm almost there Hazel told me this morning"Perry is a platypus"But it was the cutest thing I've ever heardpwat-a-pwus I've been making her say it every 30

What the, umm, Thursday!

2011-12-01T08:46:00.000-07:00

Meet AlphieHe's our Elf on the ShelfI found him at Thanksgiving Point's EmporiumThe kids love him so farThey whisper little secrets in his earAnd they know he's reporting what he sees Every morning we have to find his new hiding placeOh, man, it's fun! Hazel loves her some "guacaroni"Which is actually just regular guacamoleShe eats it with a spoon and begs for more when it's gone

What the Wednesday!

2011-11-23T08:34:00.001-07:00

Jarom's youngest brother moved in with usHe's a great kid and my kids love having a live-in jungle gymNow I have a slight idea of what it's like to have a teenage sonAnd how much they eat!Every time I look in the fridge, we're out of somethingBut he cleaned out my workout roomAnd takes out the trashAnd did my dishesSo I guess he can stay Thanksgiving is tomorrowPie cookin' day is today!Oh, how

What the Wednesday!

2011-11-09T08:20:00.000-07:00

Tuesdays are officially dubbed my most dreaded day of the weekWhy?It's shopping dayHazel refuses to keep her boots on I lose Cannon at least once an hourThey whine, they cry, they bother each other Yesterday it was Good Earth, Costco and WalmartBy the end of it my face was red, I was flustered, disheveled, orneryI just can't winIt's time to look at my week and see when I can possibly go shopping

A Few Favorites

2011-11-04T07:54:00.000-06:00

My sweet friend, Mandi, did a great job this year. We threw together this photo shoot in about 24 hours and I'm so glad we did. I was kind of planning on just not having our photos done this year because we were running out of time and I couldn't imagine putting outfits together. It's a very daunting task. I put these outfits together the morning of our shoot and I borrowed about 75% of my

This is Halloween

2011-11-01T21:16:00.000-06:00

Cannon all ready for his preschool party He's the "fastest motorcycle rider in the earth" just in case you're wondering.And we didn't have to purchase anything for his costume. It was all in his closet for riding his little quad. Score! And my pretty little Belle Together all ready to trick-or-treating Yes, she's wearing mascara. I felt kind of weird about putting it on her - like a

What the Wednesday!

2011-10-26T13:35:00.000-06:00

Bowling with the familyMore fun than it sounded at the timeThe kids were delighted I try my hardest to be fashionableBut my quest to be comfortable usually wins outIf only hoodies and jeans were more vogue, ya know? I'll check faint at the templeoff my bucket list this weekAlong with cry from embarrassmentAnd make everyone think I'm pregnant(I'm not) Apparently I have lots of friends

What the Wednesday!

2011-10-19T08:24:00.000-06:00

She's feeling so much betterThank you for dusting off your prayers for herNow to keep her healthy through cold and flu season... Fall Break is this weekIt will be the first year we don't go to Californiain over 5 yearsJarom is feeling really homesick Haven't been running consistentlyI hate that! Sorry, KendraBut I have to tell this story because it makes me die with laughter every

What the Wednesday!

2011-10-05T08:46:00.000-06:00

I should call it What the TuesdayBecause of our crazy day yesterdayWe're fine now but Hazel went to bed with a fever on Monday nightWoke up struggling to breathe on Tuesday morningShe calmed down and I snuggled her until she fell asleep againBut while she was sleeping I heard the wheezing and labored breathing startShe had a raspy voice and barking coughI called the nurse at her

What the Wednesday!

2011-09-28T13:16:00.000-06:00

Sunday we went to my parents for dinner. The kids went downstairs and nobody heard from them in a while. I went downstairs hoping they hadn't made a huge mess and found them like this on my sisters bed. They are the cutest. My grandma made the yummiest apple crisp. It was heaven Last Thursday I had to take Hazel to the Dr. because she's had some major digestive issues lately Ugh,

What The Wednesday!

2011-09-21T08:34:00.000-06:00

I totally made pickles and salsa straight from my garden this week. Gardening is officially an obsession Saweet! Finally went for a run on Saturday. It was so nice to get out. It was just after a rainstorm and nice and cool. I just put my headphones in and blasted my music and ran until I wanted to stop. It ended up being 3.4 miles. I realized I hadn't listened to my songs I put

Welcome to my Pantry

2011-09-20T16:54:00.002-06:00

I spent today organizing and cleaning my pantry. I threw out the last of the Neocate and got a little emotional placing it in the trash (it was expired or I would have found a family to give it to). I had Hazel do it and I said "look, Hazie, that was your food!" She said something like "yup, I remember drinking that nasty stuff 3-6 times a day and loving every ounce. Thanks for taking such

What the Wednesday!

2011-09-14T13:05:00.000-06:00

Just a warningYou'll probably have to hear more about my raceSo if you wish to stop hearing about itDon't read aheadYou've been warned I was fine until yesterdayBut then I just started crying and couldn't stop (today is much better) It's so weirdMandi says it's like having a babyAnd I never really believed herUntil nowI worked so hard all SummerAnd now it's just overAnd I can't explain why I

Nebo Half

2011-09-12T07:38:00.000-06:00

For the past few years, I've had a goal to complete a half marathon. Ever since I got home from the Wasatch Back, I knew I could do it. I looked and looked and got a suggestion from my friend, Mandi, to do the Nebo Half. It was the inaugural year and was a perfect 12 weeks away for plenty of training time. Plus, the canyon is beautiful and the weather would be cool and lovely. I started my

Soccer Sharks

2011-09-06T09:56:00.001-06:00

I mentioned before that we are coaching Cannon's soccer team. Actually, Jarom and one of the other dads are coaching. I'm more of a facilitator. I took their team pictures a couple weeks ago and they turned out pretty cute. Here's Cannon and his team. Pretty cute, right? Go Sharks!

So Proud

2011-09-02T13:00:00.002-06:00

Today was his last first day of Preschool. He woke up early and couldn't wait to get there with his friends. He got his backpack ready all by himself and walked all the way downstairs for his first day. He was such a big boy helping the younger kids find their seats. A lot has changed since last year and his almost daily time outs. He told me that he is excited to be the big boy this year. Oh,

What the Wednesday!

2011-08-31T07:45:00.000-06:00

Preschool starts this week!Bring it on you 3-and-4-year oldsI'm prepared for the best school year everEver. 10 days until my half marathonI get butterflies every time I think about itBut I've put in all the hard workI've been running all SummerThere's nothing else to doBut why am I freaking out?? I've learned that my mom was rightI can't please everyoneDang! LaundryUgh!Does anyone really

What the Wednesday!

2011-08-17T13:47:00.000-06:00

I ran 10 miles on SaturdayI know what the term "runner's high" meansI was totally floating all dayAnd couldn't stop smiling And couldn't stop talking about itOkay. I still can'tSoooooo amazing what a body can do But I'm kind of mad because since JulyI've run 152 milesAnd gained 6 lbs.What the...??So annoyingIn less a few weeks, I'll be running 13.1 miles down the beautiful Nebo Loop So

What the Wednesday!

2011-08-03T07:38:00.002-06:00

I do not feel amazing todayI haven't been sick since DecemberPlease cross your fingers it's quickThe world does not need to deal with me being sickPoor Jarom My 10 year high school reunionwas actually pretty funOn the way there I kind of had this feeling of dread pass over meBut I talked to some great peoplewhile Jarom sat and commiserated with some of my friendsA good night was had by all

What the Wednesday!

2011-07-27T16:04:00.000-06:00

Better late than never, right? I have the coolest neighborhoodI really think it's rareBut I love it hereIt makes me want to just deal with my tiny kitchen And live here the rest of my lifePeople are just so friendly And helpful Hazel watched CinderellaFor the first time this weekIt's all over, folksThe girl is decidedly a princessActually, she's a pencessHow can I not indulge her every

San Diego Famiy Trip

2011-07-23T17:15:00.001-06:00

Back in June, we packed up the car and bikes for a 5-day stay in San Diego, CA. We did so much in those 5 days and still could have stayed longer. We're anxious to go back someday and do it again. Here's how we spent our time in lots of pictures and a few words. DAY 1 We checked into our Hotel on a Sunday night. We got the kids suite that included a set of bunk beds. Total success at a good

What the Wednesday!

2011-07-13T09:15:00.000-06:00

Jarom and I had a lengthy discussionAbout the performance of jelly shoesThey must be a podiatrists' worst nightmareJust go with me here Lack of ventialation and sweat are a breeding ground for athletes foot(not to mention other gross things) Poor arch supportNo cushioningIt's a good thing adults look really silly in them Happy Birthday, Kelly! My waffle iron brokeIt's a sad day at the Becar

What the Wednesday!

2011-07-06T07:27:00.002-06:00

I talk about Thanksgiving Pointa lot. I did it. I cut Jarom's hair I watched a youtube video first And I just went for it It looks good! Whew! Yesterday I went out to the garden to check on things You know, Like a good gardener should And I found a pea pod that was bursting with peas I ate them They were sweet and delicious I now consider it a successful year in the garden Go veggies!

NOTW

2011-07-02T15:33:00.001-06:00

My patriotic manicure!It didn't quite turn out like I wanted, but it's still pretty fun! I know the picture quality is terrible. Oops!Red - OPI - Color So Hot it BernsWhite - China Glaze - crackle glaze in lightning boltBlue - OPI - Absolutely AliceHave a fantastic 4th of July weekend!! Food, Friends, Family, Fireworks and Fingernails!!

What the Wednesday!

2011-06-29T07:58:00.001-06:00

YesterdayDuring my run,An antelope ran across the path I was runningIt wasn't 10 feet away from meAnd it was running FASTHoly adrenaline rushI just imagined myself Impailed by the antlers*shiver* Jarom really wants me to learn How to cut his hairI'm not so sure it's a good ideaAnyone cut hair?Any tips? The almond milk I made yesterdayWas deliciousI just added a dash of salt, vanilla and

Hazel's Allergy Journey - Part 3

2011-06-28T08:17:00.002-06:00

This is the good stuff. I'm going to give you my very favorite websites, recipes and advice now. Support If you haven't noticed, I'm a huge advocate of reaching out for help. I promise you that I would still be a sobbing heap in the corner had I never contacted UFAN and gotten in touch with the events and group meetings. If you are in Utah, visit the UFAN website as quickly as you can. If

Hazel's Allergy Journey - Part 2

2011-06-27T11:16:00.001-06:00

I briefly mentioned in my first post about going to the Utah Food Allergy Conference on Saturday. Jarom and I had a previous obligation and didn't make it to the classes and breakout sessions but we made it to the final speaker and the Q&A panel. It was fabulous and I wish I had been able to attend the whole thing. I am so happy that we made it to see Gina Clowes' presentation. It was genious

Hazel's Allergy Journey - Part 1

2011-06-26T07:20:00.001-06:00

*******I’m going to preface this by saying this is going to be a LENGTHY post and for most of you readers, it will be boring. I promise I’m not offended if you skip over it. Especially since I’ve already written most of this here and there on this blog. For others of you coming here for the first time, you'll see yourself or your child in these words. Hazel's story is the story of many many

Remember When...

2011-06-24T08:47:00.000-06:00

Dear Jarom, 7 years ago today, we became a family. I love you more today than I ever imagined I could then. Remember when... I was 20 minutes late to the temple and when I walked in, your eyes were wide when you saw me. You were so nervous and thought I changed my mind. I laugh every time I think about it and remember the combination of nerves and relief on your face. Sorry about that. We

What the Wednesday!

2011-06-22T06:06:00.002-06:00

Both of my kids still napevery dayat the same time It's both amazing and annoyingI feel like I have to be home by noon everydayand we can't leave again until after 3But, it sure doesn't give me much of an excusenot to get things done While we were in Park City last weekWe went to Whole Foods every dayat least twiceIt's my happy placeThey have these vegan chocolate chip cookiesIn the bakery

Ragnar Wasatch Back Relay

2011-06-21T14:40:00.000-06:00

The Team 11 girls. One guy. Two vans. 30 hours 21 minutes. No sleep. Lots of running. Lots of laughing. A little puking. Put it all together. And you've got Canned Heat, baby! The Course 192 miles from Logan to Park City, UT. I had about 16 miles to run split into three stretches. My first leg was 3.4 miles. Leg number 2 was 7 miles. Leg number 3 was 6 miles. I knew I had

Four

2011-06-16T15:07:00.001-06:00

"This arm is four, this arm is four and both of my legs are four, too! All of me is four!!" -Cannon Cannon is four today. This boy who makes me crazy half the time. I also don't know what I would do without him. Sometimes I think he's too much like me. He gets frustrated easily and gets hurt doing things he shouldn't. When I see him acting this way, it makes me feel so guilty for

What the Wednesday!

2011-06-15T08:23:00.002-06:00

I apologize for the lack of What the Wednesday posting last week. I'm sure your life was depending on it and for that, I am truly sorry. My family was on a little San Diego adventure that I'm excited to share with you. But for now, I'll entertain you with my thoroughly random thoughts. The Green Smoothie Girl posted about meon her blogI'm pretty much famous nowBut, seriously, I love herIf

NOTW

2011-06-04T13:27:00.001-06:00

This is OPI Mermaid Tears from the Pirates collection. It's a dusty bluish green. It reminds me of the ocean. I like it but I think I like Stranger Tides better. I think it would be a cool combo to wear Stranger Tides on fingers with Mermaid Tears on toes. But that's just me. What do you think?

Two

2011-06-02T09:02:00.000-06:00

She's two. Today. We celebrated with her first night in her big girl bed. We decorated her room while she was sleeping. I think she was disoriented when she woke up. But she danced around her room and pulled the balloons down and got upset with the tape still stuck to her bedpost. Why are my kids such clean freaks? And then I made her some pancakes. We plan to party all day. Every

What the Wednesday!

2011-06-01T08:55:00.000-06:00

My Summer vacation started this week*sigh* The birthday balloon?I went to Roxberry this week To get my favorite green smoothie at their nifty drive thru window The balloon was still in the carThe girl in the window recognized meWe both laughed that it is still floating My 10 year high school reunion is this yearWhere did 10 years go?It's weird because most days I still feel 18I just have

What the Wednesday!

2011-05-25T06:24:00.040-06:00

I have a problemI am addictedTo nail polishMostly OPI Jarom has become an enablerHe got me a gift card for Mother's DayI used it to buy the newPirates of the Carribbean collectionI LOVE(I want to see the movie, too! I heard it's really good. I hope so, number 3 was like watching someone's really screwy dream.) Preschool graduation is todayI always cryI'm just so proud of the kiddos for

NOTW

2011-05-24T17:13:00.000-06:00

Some people remember events by what clothes they were wearing, how they did their hair, or what food they ate. I remember things based on what nail color I was wearing. I know. I'm obsessed. I know I've mentioned my love for nail color before. I started collecting a few years ago. I prefer OPI polish for wear. It just lasts longer. Plus I love the color selection and they team up with

What the Wednesday! - First Edition

2011-05-18T13:01:00.001-06:00

Deep breath... I'm on a blogging roll this week. I've been wanting to do a weekly post. My blog is mostly about my kids. Okay, it's mostly about Hazel. In an effort to let you into my crazy head, I present What the Wednesday. This idea is hardly original. I stole it from a few different blogs but I love it. It's basically a list of the miscellaneous thoughts in my head. If you want to

Twentyeight

2011-05-17T16:06:00.001-06:00

Saturday, May 14th, I turned twenty eight. Jarom took the initiative to plan the day and he did not disappoint. I married a professional sweetheart. He turned my Bday into a national holiday and made me feel pretty special. Here's the thing. I have been eating REALLY well the last 3 weeks. Like hardly any meat, dairy and processed foods, tons of fruits and veggies, etc. This next

My Mom{s}

2011-05-16T14:18:00.001-06:00

I'm over a week late, but I wanted to pay a tribute to the wonderful mothers in my life. I'll start with my own. She loved me first. She taught me to teach. She is the one I call with news, happy, sad, moderately interesting. She's selfless and supportive. She really is the sweetest woman. I'm lucky and blissfully happy that she's my mom. My little Hazel is her spitting image. They love

Two Lips

2011-05-04T06:39:00.001-06:00

So, Utah finally decided that it's Spring. In order to celebrate, we attended the annual Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point on Monday of this week. Hub gave me a family pass to the point for Valentine's Day and we've put it to good use. I take the kids to the dinosaur museum on occasion and we always stop at the deli for free ice cream for the kids (sorbet for Hazie). There are so many

The Girls in the City

2011-05-03T13:19:00.001-06:00

L->R Haley, Whitney, Megan, Tori, Non, GG, Ashley (yes, I'm the oldest and shortest - laugh it up.) Saturday night, my sisters and I (plus non and GG) hit up Salt Lake for a good old fashioned Girl's Night Out. We ate at Thaifoon at the Gateway. I had a delicious vegan pad Thai. It was slightly spicy and oh, so yummy. We talked and giggled as we often do. Then we hit up Urban Outfitters (

Hippity Hoppity

2011-04-25T14:59:00.003-06:00

This year I agonized over Easter a little bit. It's a tough holiday for food allergies. Here's an incomplete list of Easter confections Hazel can't partake of: Eggs, chocolate (unless it's dark), marshmallows (peeps anyone?), jelly beans, ham, cheesy potatoes and gelatin (jello). I scoured the internet for ideas and found a few good ones. Cannon got underwear, a disc shooter, and a Thomas

What we Eat

2011-04-23T07:17:00.001-06:00

I've had a lot of people ask what my family eats lately. I've mentioned that our family has reaped several unintentional benefits from Hazel's allergies. I've lost about 20 lbs. and become much more active. Jarom has also lost weight and I feel so much better about the food I serve my family. I invested in a blendtec blender about a year ago. At the time I didn't know I would use it so much.

Hazel Gayle Update

2011-04-17T18:47:00.001-06:00

I can't describe to you the feelings I feel when I think about my life a year ago. One year ago I had a scrawny, miserable, rash-laden little 9-month-old Hazel. I have exactly one picture of her around that time. I didn't take many pictures of her because I just didn't want to remember her like that. It's not the way any mother wants to see her daughter. I kept her head and hands covered at

Spring Break Report

2011-04-16T08:15:00.000-06:00

It was Spring Break at our house this week on account of a) I didn't teach preschool and b) Daddy was home with us ALL WEEK. That's a super great treat for various reasons which I can't list here, but let's just say the laundry room spiders never stood a chance. Ew. We decided to keep our break low-key and very chill. Now that it's almost over, all the days are blending together, but we did

Ammon & Colette 4.1.11

2011-04-07T11:13:00.000-06:00

We traveled to California for the second Becar wedding in 3 months. Ammon and Colette were married in the Redlands, California Temple on Friday, April 1st. Our kids were total troopers for the quick trip there and back and we watched Tangled 1,119,237 times on the DVD player and loved it just the same. We arrived late Wednesday night to hang out for a day before the big day. The boys went

A Quick Post

2011-03-14T14:02:00.000-06:00

Ready for church a few weeks ago. Cannon refused to look at me. Stinker! I *should* be editing photos (sorry Jess) but I'm going to give a quick update on some things instead. First of all. Thank you again to those who wrote emails on Hazel's behalf for HB233. The bill was tabled in the Senate. That basically means it didn't completely pass, but it will hopefully be prioritized when they

Thank You and One More Favor ASAP!

2011-02-22T17:25:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends and Family, Thank you to my amazing family and friends who have been performing a civic duty by writing legislators on Hazel's behalf. I'm so lucky to know you great people! HB 233 was favorably recommended by the Health and Human Services Committee and is en route to the House Floor where it will be debated and voted on sometime this week. Yay! We need to write every single

A Favor

2011-02-17T17:30:00.001-07:00

Dear Blog Readers, I have been involved with a Bill going through the Utah legislature right now. It's close to my heart and shouldn't be a polarizing issue. It's called HB 233. It basically deals with Amino Acid based formulas (ie Neocate which has nursed Hazel back to health since about a year ago when we found out about her severe food allergies and EE). It will mandate that insurance

Chrissy Gets Married!

2011-02-10T09:06:00.000-07:00

My sis-in-law (Jarom's little sister) got married on January 8th in the Redlands, CA temple. It was a beautiful day for the sweet couple. The night before, we hit up BJ's for the bachelorette party with pizza and the most amazing avocado egg rolls I've ever tasted. Mmmm! We laughed and talked. It was my very first bachelorette party, actually. So fun with some great girls! The temple

2010 High/Low

2010-12-31T16:50:00.006-07:00