family pic

family pic

Monday, April 22, 2013

If you look hard enough there is always a way through it

I haven't blogged here for nearly a year, its been quiet some time. I understand why and what happened but find it hard to put into words. I suppose some of it is the death of the blog trend, even just now when I went through my blog reads I found that I wasn't the only one who had abandoned this hobby. I also just needed some privacy and initially I wasn't sure why, but I completely understand now, preemptive inspiration I suppose. I could let sleeping dogs lie, but then just in the last few days 3 separate people in 3 separate circumstances asked me why I dont blog anymore and expressed interest in my words. It made me think .... and yet I am not sure I have even made a decision as of yet. But for now ill start with a single post.

How do I begin to catch up a years worth of events, an eventful year at that, or do I even begin? keep it simple  ...



1. it dates back to a move from provo to lehi on the last day of school - may 2012 

2. a summer of working on the new house and trying to find home ... which I am not sure we have found yet 

3. Meeting this young man changed our family dynamic and all of our lives


4. going back to this holy place as a family - a spiritually epic journey


5. this kid turning 1 and learning to walk 


6. this kid remaining in our lives
7. these cuties all starting school at a new school with all new peeps. including one in jr high

8. getting in a pretty serious accident on the freeway and surviving all while at the exact same moment


9. Nate shot this 


10- this one is growing up too fast
11. this one finally agrees to be a sailor for halloween ... because what else should she be right?
12. This one is a football .. because that makes the most sense


13. we attempted family pics for the first time in a really long time - it was CHAOS - my sincere appreciation for Lindsey Shaun

14. Thanksgiving rolls around and this amazing kid is STILL in our lives somehow even though it doesnt make sense 
15. the gratitude tree prevails, traditions stay alive despite the struggle 

16. we go on a trip for christmas 

17. we hit the bowl game - you know because we bleed blue but also for that special kid in our lives!
18. After a bought with Nox at Scripps hospital SD we finally hit disney were I neglect to take any pictures epic fail as mom right? 
19. stock continues to wrestle, and to win of course. Ugly trohpies like this one
20. Nox goes to work with mom and gets it done too
21. duck dynasty becomes a family obsession

22. I begin to struggle with some serious medical issues and the journey of emotional and physical pain for many weeks to come begins
23. saylor and I visit the olympic park in PC where we film a winter olympic 2014 Procter and gamble commercial
24. I turn another year older on the day it rains acid and I loose my wedding band - only to find in 9 weeks later
25. enter this kid and again our family grows


26. another surgery for me .. because that is how we roll
27. Nate and I try to remember and attend the temple. Looking for light. Because if you look hard enough there is always a way through it. 
28. the harlem shake ... enough said. 
29. Studio Stems & UBB continue to flourish and I continue to work through all this hard time, somehow
30. Nox concludes a nearly 6 month long journey with constant ear infections with the insertion of tubes ... finally. this is just a small fraction of the general illness that befalls us in the early 2013 year, we run the ring multiple times with stomach flu and severe colds. 

31. My health takes a unique turn, all this junk leads to some discoveries about me that suddenly make sense out of a lot of ailments and hope begins to shine as I get treatment and work towards a healthier body, mind, spirit, soul and toe! 


32. nate would be number 32 ... all the while this amazing man stands by my side as we journey this all together. 

* I would like to thank my smart phone and instagram for making this all possible! along with jay moriarity for reminding me that if you look hard enough there is always a way through it. bitter sweet lessons learned this last year. amazing things and hard things befall. 


Tuesday, May 8, 2012

playing catch up ... as always

It is so hard to find the time to catch the blog up, yet it is so important. How many times have I said some variety of that same thing??? Ok so here is the run down from the last two months or so ... {beware its a beast!}

Nate & Audrey: Well we have been doing and experiencing all that I will detail out below with the kids. In addition to that I have spent a good deal of time cleaning, and cleaning again, and then cleaning some more, the front door recently became revolving and not even to people we know! Yep it went back up on the market. Thankfully now it is under contract so I am packing and packing again and packing some more. All while I run studio stems and utah bride blog. Nate, well he has been fixing this and touching up that to make the house appealing, and it worked cause it sold. All while coaching and traveling for wrestling and running first hand. We arent busy at all!

We recently went on a little spring break trip to Palm Springs to see my dad. My favorite part {besides seeing my dad} Sunnylands!




The landscaping and architecture of this unique and grand estate designed by quincy jones for the annebergs speaks to my design soul. there usually is no place like home and after a few days of vacay {especially with 4 kids in tow} I am usually ready to come home, not this time. I didnt want to leave. It just felt so good and Nox suddenly slept so well and it was so pretty and the temp was so perfect and and and it was HArd to come home!

Storie .... OH MY SWEET STORIE. Life is growing her and showing her new things. She has been a busy bee but unfortunately her 'rents havent documented her quiet as carefully. Slap on the hand! She recently finished up short course season with the UVRAYS and is taking a swim team break as we anticipated a move. But will start back up here soon with a new team in the summer. She also played spring soccer. Unfortunately due to injuries and being out of town she was unable to make it to about half the games but every game she got to she scored a goal at, and sometimes more! Violin is still progressing forward and so is that new teenage frustration that comes with partially clipped wings and strong desires to soar. Oh the joys we are about to embrace. She is a huge help to me with the babe and around the house and boy is she loving her "new" room in the basement since her brother lost the privilege and had to move upstairs! She better enjoy it while it lasts and before we move into an even more cramped space!


Stock ...




Wrestling, more wrestling, wrestling again, and then some nox, and then some wrestling. Luckily the season recently came to a close. FINALLY!!!!! He has been everywhere near and far it seems. Gone EVERY wknd! Last wknd in April he took State in his weight class and division for both Greco and Freestyle. On occasion he is here and spends time with Nox that is if he has the patience. He has the desire but it usually doesnt last long. Our newest endeavor ... a contract. To do his best on and off the mat. It has been a good tool. But things go as they do with boys ... Now he is prepping for western regionals in June. And I am glad the end of tournament season brings both him and his father home.


Saylor..... much of our lives have actually been about her as of late and I am happy to say not for traumatic reasons. She has had great thing after great thing occur in her life. The highlights ...

Steve young ski classic! 

This happens to be my favorite image from the classic. It is of Saylor and anna talking. I adore anna, I just have this strong admiration for her and her constant smile and up beat attitude. I love that they are on the same level and that a certain spirit exists between them. 



 This is Lincoln Dewitt - an olympic American skeleton racer, he loves saylor. Heck he loves all the WAS kids! He calls saylor bob. and saylor calls him abraham.


Speaking of skiing, for those of you that dont know, through the season a few cameras followed us around on the slopes and at home. The show turning point produced an episode on WAS and peter, this included some amazing footage with our little skiing nugget in it. She is just the next ski film star if you ask me. Did not get a chance to see it???? watch now!!!





What a tear jerker right? Yes i know i said some profound things. And i guess what? I really really meant them. I hope you felt them. And to all those that contributed to the fundraiser to help this program back in march ... THANK YOU! I hope this film gave you warm fuzzies that made your donation more than worth it! Not to mention that pretty much all of you won something!

We are hoping to raise some funds over the summer to buy saylor her very own set of outriggers .. its the last piece of equipment she doesnt own for herself that will allow her to ski whenever and where ever she wants ... so want to contribute? message me!

Saylor also danced int he TDC spring concert with a few of her "special" friends. Including gracie!


This was incredibly touching for us as a family. The special needs class performed to the song "firework" by katie perry. The lyrics really speak to what it might be a better perspective to self reflection as a special individual. The best part was the sudden movement of an entire audience to clap in beat and cheer these kids on and then a standing ovation. When both nate and I are crying you know its special!

Saylor also turned 9 recently! she wanted a play date with mom. So we started out her bday weekend with not going to school {sluffers} and sleeping in! Then off to the movie {chimpanzee} which included some popcorn, a giant cookie, and some root beer. Followed by a nail apt and some shopping! Then to see our friend kicker at me in mind for boxes and shoes, home for a much needed nap and chinese food for dinner.


The next morning {april 28th} was her birthday and the boys were up in davis county at the state wrestling tournament so we headed to the zoo with angel hands and met up with Ireland!


Perfect zoo weather, not too hot, not too cold and a bit of sun! Animals were vibrant and friends abounding. Then off to watch stock wrestle in his final match to take first and finally to her favorite place to dine, cheesecake factory! {saylor should hang with her aunt heather more often!} not to mention a little more shopping before hand. This girl started the day with only 1 pair of shoes that fit her braces and finished it with 6! Sometimes we go an entire year without finding shoes that will fit her braces that we can afford. Small miracles, all 6 of them!

And then there is baby NOX




whom turned 6 months and then 7 months and now almost 8 months!!!!!! I cant keep up with the kid. He refuses to stop aging. He is hitting some milestones but missing the mark on some. Sitting up extremely well and nearly ready to stand too but not crawling. He just wont. And as for sleeping. We are not much better off than the last time i touched on this topic. My hardest kid thus far in regards to sleeping! by a wide margin. He is the biggest turd of all time in the night. He can outcry any power a mommy might have. Even several hours worth! He is starting to make sounds and not just noises, unfortunately for me its "dada" not "mama". who is doing all the work here anyway?




But he is pretty darn cute. And those lashes? I know I know! I never get sick of people and not only people but strangers telling me that he might be the cutest baby they have ever seen! What a flirt this little man is! My latest obsession with him ... how he monkey curls his arms and legs around me when I first pick him up from a nap.

well that is the gist ... not the full .... but just the gist. Next time I post we likely wont be living in Provo. Interested in where we are going and what we are doing? Stay tuned!

Have boxes? call me or text me. want a kitchen table and chairs, call me or text me. Want a great bookshelf? call or text me. want a window AC? call or text me. Want a computer cabinet? call or text me. Want anything else I might have except my kids? You never know .. i might be willing to part, I am a de-junker. Call or text me.