We went to Idaho for my brother's farewell talk. He is leaving for the Chile Antofagasta Mission on March 11th. It's so soon. Zoey and I were able to drive to my parents house and spend a week with my family. It was really nice to finally make it there since our Christmas trip didn't turn out. Bryce stayed home because he couldn't get work off and plus it was too much for both of us to take a week off from work. I planned on leaving the Saturday but didn't leave until Sunday because I got the 24 hour stomach flu bug or something because I threw up Friday night and didn't feel like driving when I was sick. So I drove all day Sunday (it took about 12 hours). Zoey did really good the whole trip. She had fun looking at th
e clean and dirty snow outside when we went through the passes. Luckily it was very dry and a very nice drive expect for some windy spots and heavy fog just before the mountains. She was very good for me until we were about a hour outside of Twin Falls when she started to scream at me "I need out of the car" and "I need to cuddle". I think she was very tired and very done with the trip. We stopped for some gas in Twin Falls, and to let her run around before heading the rest of the way. She fell asleep for an hour before we got to my parents house. She was very excited to be at Grandpa's house. She was talking about it for weeks before we left to go to grandpa's house. Monday morning after finally making it there, I heard her tossing around andI leaned over to her. Our conversation went like thisMom: Hi sweetie
Zoey: We at Grandpa's house
Mom: I know. Are you excited?
Zoey: Yeah. (as she climbs out of bed) I got of the bed
Mom: I saw
Zoey: We just need to get out of the room
Mom: OK, lets go.
Yeah, she was really excited. She had lots of fun visiting with Grandpa. Every one got a kick of how much she talked and that iswas really loud (echoing didn't help) and she was non stop and wasn't afraid to tell you what excatly was on her mind. For example: Zoey got a cat that walks and meows from grandma and grandpa's late Christmas present. I was getting her car seat out of my car to put in my mom's, getting ready to make a trip into Idaho falls for some things. As I was busy outside doing that, Grandpa was in his office on a phone call with a customer(my dad works
from the home) and Zoey decided she need to visit him with her kitty. So she opens the dorr to grandpa's office, puts the kitty down and as it walks and meows toward grandpa, she looks and at him and smiles. Grandpa, still tlaking to someone on his ear piece phone, turns the kitty around, slides it across the floor out the door and closes the door. I come inside and she comes running to me saying, with a few tears in her eyes,Zoey: Grandpa pushed my kitty
My response, knowing grandpa was on the phone told her "Well honey he is on the phone right now and we need to leave him alone."
Zoey, still mad,"But he dust pushed my kitty and he dust needs to be nice to my kitty"
Me: I'm sorry honey
A few minutes later, grandpa comes out and tells us what happens. We laugh for a little bit while grandpa goes and talks to Zoey about it.
G-Pa: Was grandpa not very nice to the kitty? I'm sorry.
Zoey: Yeah, you dust pushed my kitty and not be very nice
G-Pa: I'm sorry.
Zoey: Yeah (studder for a while) you dust need to be nice to my kitty
She told grandpa =). Silly girl. There were several other moments where she told somebody what was on her mind. She also was very open about her going to the bathroom. On seperate occasions, Grandma and grandpa both found her and asked how she was doing in the bathroom and both of those times her response was "I'm fine. I'm dust going poop." and "It's a big one". I wonder where she learned that phrase from, Daddy?
She very mush enjoyed playing with her cousins Emma and Jared. I heard her several times calling for Jared, trying to find out where he was. It was very cute. Luke's talk was wonderful and I am very happy that he made the choice for himself to serve a mission. I am very proud of him and will miss him and write to him as often as I can. Zoey and I had a lot of fun in Idaho. Zoey got a chance to throw snow at grandpa like she had been telling me for a while that that was what she was going to do. The morning we left to go back home, grandma and grandpa were telling her that they are going to come up a little bit when baby Ben comes and that they are going to go to the beach again like they did in May last year and run away from the cold water and play in the sand. When we stopped to get gas in
Ontario, Grandma Harmon called to see where we were at and said to tell Zoey she is excited to see her. So I told her and she was confussed at which grandma it was becasue she stared talking about going to the beach and running away from the water. I immediatly called my parents and had to tell them that they HAVE to go now and that she is already excited to go.So since we have been back from Idaho, Zoey has been talking about playing with Emma again and going to the beach with grandma and Grandpa when the baby comes out of mommy's tummy. I think she is gradually getting the idea that the baby is an object rather then just a word and a play toy. But we will see what actually happens. I was very surprise that she asked to hold 2 of her baby cousins, which one was almost 2 weeks
old. She enjoyed it and I felt better about her and the coming of baby Ben. And speaking of the baby, we are both doing great. I had my 6 month check up and found that I had gained 8 pounds the last month. I think alot of it was from my parents house. I ate a ton. He is growing good, likes to stay really low and kicks all the time. Zoey likes to feel my belly, and has sometimes felt him kick, which she fines to be interesting.The week after we came back I went back to working full time. They asked me to be in the 1 year old classroom and I found that after that week, I can't do it physically. I change diapers for 7 kids, every 2 hours or as needed, so I was lifting kids 28+ times a day and my stomach was constantly tight and I was exhausted by the end of the week. I talked to my doctor and she
advised to go to either preschool room or baby room. After talking to my boss, I am now the new Preshool 2 teacher. The teacher of that class before is no longer there and I didn't know that until last Monday. I was told I was going to be in there but I thought as an assistant, but no, I am the lead teacher. I am a little nervous because I have always been an assistant and now I am planning all the cirriculm and things for that class. After this first hectic week, I am loving it. I love all my kids, even with them all being naughty because of the quick change and lack of consistency for out about 2 weeks, this week gradually got better. The kids have know me but I haven't really been with them for the whole week like this so needless to say, they are getting use to my style of discipline. The teacher previous kind of let them do whatever, but they all loved her. I have a few boys, one in particular, that don't like to listen so I am working on plan to help him and I get along together better. Along with this week in a new classroom, I haven't been feeling to well. I started getting a head cold and then it turned it a cough which lead to losing my voice and finally a trip to the doctor. I lost my voice about Tuesday and last night my throat was killing me. We have had strep aroung the building at work and I was afraid that I might have caught that, so I 
finally called in sick and made it to the doctor, only to find out that it is Bronchitits with a mix of asthma. I have had asthma in the past and becasue of the wheezing, shortness of breathe and congestion, not including the losing of my lung space due to the baby getting bigger, I was given an inhaler to help, along with the antibiotic for the bronchitis. So today has been a day of rest and I am feeling kind of the same, but I am not yelling at kids all day, except for my own naughty child, and I am actually resting and not moving around constantly. Hopefully I will be lots better by Monday and not have to miss work. It's amazing how I have taken charge and am somewhat organized with my classroom and trying desperatly to catch up on the cirriculm which is changing next week. I am really enjoying my job excpet for the fact I wish I was getting a little better pay, but I really like it.Zoey has been good for Grandma, who watches her in the morning and she is with Dad in the afternoons. She knows what happens is the mornings now and I am glad to see her during lunch if she isn't down for a nap yet and when I come home. I do miss her but am doing this for her. I only have 3 more months tell the baby comes and am already done being pregnant and not looking forward for the 3 months other than to get here faster. I am very grateful for my family and for all that they do for me. I am very grateful for my husband and being a wonderful father to Zoey and I know he will be for Ben. I love to all!!! Enjoy some of the pictures I have of our trip to Idaho. There will probably be lots more but I will have to do it later.
