Foil Dinners

Last week we had our first dinner party in our new home. The McDowell's and Gigi came over for foil dinners and s'mores. We have really enjoyed living where there is enough room for two dogs, a cat, a turtle, and a camp fire!

While Ian was busy getting the fire ready, the girls stayed inside to prepare the meals...I think Olive inherited my love for garlic salt..

After the craziness of having two two year old girls running around a fire, we decided to cook the s'mores inside.

Olive LOVES her friend Halle. We are so lucky we live close enough to hang out now! Both girls are very independent and neither one is afraid to speak their mind. They can be very sweet and cute with eachother, but most the time we just hear a lot of "Mine!!!!" being yelled from one or both of them!

Of course we had to watch a show our favorite show! I just love little girls!

We're Home!

Olive and I are finally in our new home. We moved in last week and have been loving every minute of it! We have missed all the fun of living at the Hunter's but luckily we are only a bike ride away. Since we've moved in I've been keeping myself busy cleaning and decorating and Olive has been busy playing with all her toys and loving our new life!

Living room

Olive is the best hostess if you ever want to join her for tea.

Kitchen

It's nice living out in the country, you can cook naked and don't have to worry about the neighbors peeking in!

Olive's Room

She's been so cute about keeping it clean and arranging her animals and toys.

My Room

Olive's new favorite game..Thanks Joe and Candy!

Guest Room/"Office"/Aunt or Uncle Room

I'm really hoping I can convince either Uncle Sam or Aunt Shae to move in with me...

Seriously, the girl can throw a great tea party. Olive has had so much fun having friends over.

This is our yard..it's just dirt right now, but it's going to be super cute...We have a white picket fence and everything. Olive keeps referring to it as the "park" and loves playing outside.

The dogs have settled right in, they love being out in the country. We are right next to a big empty field that the dogs and cat love to roam around in.

We are so grateful to be in our own place and really appreciate all the work that the Scott's put into the house to make it so nice for us. We are also grateful for our families and for all the help they have been from housing us, to moving us, to countless hours of free therapy..I don't know what I would have done without both of my families!

Happy Halloween

I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Halloween and a Happy November! I love the start of each new month. I always have so much hope that the upcoming month will be better than the last. I had to file for divorce this month. It was absolutely the worst day of my life. There have been so many times this year that I have thought "this has to be the worst day of my life," but I don't think any of it it prepared me for this. It's hard not to let a piece of paper determine your self-worth. Every signature felt like an admission of defeat and of failure. Not to mention the gut-wrenching sight of your daughter's life, and how she will be spending it, written down like it's some trivial thing, knowing that she will be the one suffering the most from her parents decisions. I know I can't focus on the events and choices that led me to this position. I know that I gave it my all and I have to accept the things I cannot change. I know that I just have to move forward and focus on the life that is before me and Olive. I am excited for November, because I know this month I wont have to experience that again.

October was not a total loss, it was Halloween after all. Olive and I got to do a lot of Trunk-or-Treating. We got to go to Oroville's and Gridley's and Olive definitely walked away with a lot of candy. She got so much she actually quit half way through to sit in the car and hang out with Poo-Zip.

Olive and Auntie Claira

Olive did so well this year. She loved it and wasn't shy at all. She said "Trick-or-Treat!" as well as "Thank you, have a Happy Halloween!"

Olive and her Uncle Scotty who took her under his wing and broke her in to the whole Tick-or Treating scene.

Kycle hooked Olive up with a more than average amount of candy.

Olive took a break to share some candy with me, that's right, she actually shared!

Last Chance Harry

This is Harry. He is pure bred Shih tzu. He is about twelve weeks old and is absolutely precious. I placed an ad in the paper to sell him. I had no takers. At this point I am so attached I really just want to keep him. He and Maggie just love each other and spend their whole day playing and cuddling, I don't think they could be any happier. I can't have Maggie inside at the house I'm moving into, so I think it would be nice for her to have some company outside.

I do know that I'm a little bit animal crazy and I really don't need another pet. So, I thought I would put it out into the universe one more time that he is for sale. If you are interested or can think of a friend that might love him, please let me know. If not, I will be more than happy to welcome him into our family permanently.

He is really so handsome and sweet. I cannot pick him up without getting attacked with kisses.

The men of the house.

Maggie is still a little faster and tougher but he is starting to hold his own more and more each day.

Could there be anything cuter?

August-September

Sometimes I feel like Olive and I are just a couple of hobo's traveling around looking for food and shelter for the night. We were traveling almost weekly to Fremont, we spent a couple weeks in Utah, made a quick trip to San Diego, and are now back in Gridley. So here's what we have been doing...

I turned 25! That's right, I'm a quarter of a century old! I had such a great birthday. I got birthday breakfast with the Hunters, birthday lunch with my family, and a pizza party at Cal-Skate...It was awesome! Thanks again to everyone who came and made it a fun party!

Poor Jessica McDowell...

She is about nine months pregnant here giving a hair cut to the worst client EVER. Seriously...Olive screamed non-stop through the whole thing. And if the screaming weren't enough, she was also physically fighting me to the point that I had to have her in my lap and in a head-lock. I thought for sure Jessica was going to go into labor!

Olive was a Future Missette Butte County contestant!

Her Auntie Claira signed her up for this and they could not have been cuter on stage together. It was very fun and she looked sooo cute, but it's also very stressful. There is so much that goes into these pageants...hopefully Aunt Claira will always be around to help.

Being beautiful can be exhausting.

Kyle was such a trooper and took Olive on lots of rides at the fair.

We got to spend a couple weeks in Utah watching Pacen, Cramberry, and Claira while Than and Erica spent time with Erica's family. I really had so much fun. The kids were amazing, and I love getting to spoil my nieces and nephew.

Olive loved Pacen's house because he owns about a thousand light sabers.. and really, is there anything better than a light saber?

We are finally back and a little more settled. We have moved most of our things to the Hunter's and have set up a very cozy home in their loft. We will be staying here until we move into our new house which should be ready in a couple more weeks. We are slowly moving forward with life and are so thankful for the support our friends and family continue to give.

These Boots Were Made For Walkin'

This weekend Olive and I got to look at a possible home. I'm not sure if we are going to live there, but it was a nice to start the "moving on" that people keep telling me to do. Really sad, but nice. Afterwards we needed some pick-me-up activities. So we went to lunch with some friends and did some shopping.

We decided that Olive needed a good pair of boots....

for the next time she's at the ranch, line dancing, or driving cattle.

After shopping we made a stop at Mimi and Papas's for a swim,

and a soak in the hot tub.

And as always, Olive and I had a magical stay at Gigi and Pop Pop's house.

We had a great weekend and have really enjoyed all of our trips home this month. Thanks again to all our family and friends for everything!

Summer Lovin'

I am not the most social person, but given the circumstances Olive and I have been surrounding ourselves with family and friends the past couple of weeks. It has been wonderful. This weekend I got to go to a movie with the Hunters and McDowells, Olive spent a night with Mimi and Papa, I got to take care of our turtle a little, we went to the Oroville 1st ward pool party, I got to see Tracie before she moves, we went to church with the fam, had a movie night with Uncle Sutton, and finally made it to Tara's house to play.

I am really just so grateful for all the kind words, thoughts, prayers, emails, phone calls, and hugs. Being around so much love, makes it easier for me to be loving. I know that is what is best for my family right now.

I had such a fun weekend and I didn't take any pictures! I did get some fun pictures from our visit with Ana the other day. She came over to see the puppies and take Olive and me out to dinner. We just love Ana!

Did I mention that we love our puppies too?

Dancing Our Cares Away

This whole year has just been awful. I have had hope that things would get better and have been able to stay pretty positive and function normally. This week I have finally come to accept that things in my life are not going to get better, and I have to start over. While I have had a much appreciated outpouring of love and support from friends and family, it has still been a horrible week.

I have completely given up on getting dressed, putting make up on, combing my hair, etc. My diet has consisted of barbecue pop chips, chocolate peanut butter no-bake cookies, salami, and cheese. The thought of exercising is a thing of the past. Too scary looking to leave the house, Olive and I have been reading books, watching shows and taking long baths.

She has been the best support through all of this. This week her fit-throwing has been at an all time low, she goes to bed when asked, she's actually been eating, and she's been doing great on potty training.

She is always concerned when I'm crying and makes sure to hold me and wipe my tears. When she holds me it always cheek to cheek. She tells me at least a couple times a day that I am "pitty" or "bootiful."

Most importantly the girl makes me dance with her all the time. It doesn't matter what song is playing, or what I'm in the middle of doing, she grabs my arm before I have time to argue, escorts me into the living room, and we dance like there's no tomorrow. Who can be sad when you are dancing with this little girl?

I just don't know what I would do without her.

Just for the record, my goal for tomorrow is to polish off the rest of the cookies, put make up on, do my hair, and take Olive to the park.

Thanks for all the love and support, it's definitely nice to know Olive and I are not alone.

A Brave New World

Olive and I are starting a new life together. This is scary and obviously not something that I ever wanted for the two of us. Not that I wasn't told this all the time growing up, but I have finally learned that no matter how hard we want something and how hard we work for it,

"we don't always get what we want."

I feel like I could not be more blessed to have been given such a precious daughter. I know that Heavenly Father was looking out for me when He gave her to me. I know there is an eternal plan and purpose to everything and I know that we are going to be okay.

I am currently looking for a home and job a little closer to my family and the Hunters. If you hear of anything please let me know.