House of Chaos

Picky Palate: The Best Baking Blog, Ever

2011-11-11T23:19:00.000-08:00

This is by far on of the best sites I've come across. I could eat just about anything on here and, honestly, I think this gal may be a genius.

Picky Palate

I don't really like pumpkin, but the the Double Chocolate Pumpkin Cake with Pumpkin Spice Buttercream made my jaw hit the floor. I think I know what I'll be bringing to Thanksgiving Dinner!

And another

2011-08-17T15:01:00.001-07:00

Nap Time

2011-08-17T15:00:00.001-07:00

They're so sweet when they sleep.

This Actually Happened

2011-08-10T11:50:00.000-07:00

Me: What's Mom going to have for lunch, guys?
Jackson: You want a large Diet Coke? Hey Mom, you want a large Diet Coke?
Me: Yes, I do!
Jackson: Okay, it's still at McDonalds.

I love this kid.

Say Vandalay!

2011-08-04T22:44:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite Seinfeld episodes involves George trying to hang on to his unemployment benefits by making up names of employers he’s contacted. One in particular, as you probably know, is "Vandalay Industries" where he’s claiming to be applying for a position as a Latex Salesman.

I can’t help but think about this scene every time I log into my unemployment benefits page. Ever been on unemployment? You can get up to 30% of your salary for 6 months, but you have to be seeking full-time employment and you have to contact 4 employers a week. Not a big deal…and I actually feel fortunate that I’m getting what I’m getting considering my husband has a job (although I still have yet to receive my first payment). I can’t imagine the stress a family would feel if they lost their main/sole income.

In self-pity, I just need to say that July was one of the most emotional months I’ve experienced. I probably shed more tears in a period of a few weeks than I did in all of 2010. Most of it was stress and job related. But some of it was just life too—it’s interesting how much stress from one area of your life can impact every other part.

As with other trials in the past, I've felt myself asking “what am I supposed to do now?” Being let go from the place where I’ve spent the majority of my career, and where I’ve made many dear and long-term friends, is rough. I can’t believe how much of blessing it has been though--in fact, I'm glad it has happened.

I got to spend 3 days bumming around at Bear Lake with my kids in the middle of the work week. I’ve slept in past 8:00am most days and got a laugh when Brookie rolls out of bed at 10:00am. We’ve swam in the back yard, gone to the playground, had our first trip to Cowabunga Bay and spent countless hours watching our favorite shows and movies. Jackson turned three years old in the midst of all this too!

He's such a big boy now (more on that later).

We will see what the next few weeks/months bring in terms of staying home, new jobs or career changes. I've been contacted by a couple of people about different positions…but I’m not going to settle. I know it will all work out and Ty and I are confident/faithful that it will. So for now, I'm focusing my energy on the little, fun, random moments like these:

Jackson took these photos all by himself. He's quite the cameraman these days.

Here’s to a great summer (at least, what’s left of it).

Love,
Jill

Other Gems From the Photo Shoot

2011-07-10T12:19:00.000-07:00

They're silly kids.

Turning Stress into an Asset

2011-06-30T11:25:00.000-07:00

Turning Stress into an Asset - Amy Gallo - Best Practices - Harvard Business Review

This was published by the Harvard Business Review in the context of work-related stress. Check it out--it's a quick, easy read and I think it can be applied to everyday life.

Do:

Think of stress as an indicator that you care about something, rather than a cause for panic

Focus on the task, rather than the emotion

Build relationships so that you have people to turn to in times of stress

Don't:

Assume your stress is going to last forever

Worry about things that are out of your control

Spend time with people who are negative

Two things that have become 'therapy' for me in times of worry/stress are exercise and baking. I'm running a 5K on Monday (second of the season and second ever). And, I think it's time to pull out some of the favs from Joy the Baker or How Sweet It Is and try them out this weekend. Brownies, anyone?

Oh how I've missed you

2011-06-17T21:41:00.000-07:00

Dear Blog,

We had a fun few weeks going there...postings nearly every week (if not every day). Things got a bit chaotic with job changes and circulating the flu through every member of the family 2x. It's not that I've been having too much fun to update. Actually, things have been overwhelming to say the least.

When times get tough, I find the best therapy is zoning out and ignoring whats bothering me. Therapists may warn against this kind of treatment, but its what I prefer. As a matter of fact, right now I'm watching Jada Pinkett Smith on the Piers Morgan show. I think I would like to be her. Maybe when Tyler and I come back for our second chance at this life thing we can come back as Jada Pinkett and Will Smith. They're cool and according to Jada have a fantastic, um, love life.

In reality, of course I don't want want to be anyone but me and YOU don't want to be anyone but you. But...if you could where someone else's shoes--even just for a day--who would it be?

Jill

Ni Hao

2011-05-15T18:20:00.000-07:00

Our good friend, Ella from Denmark, travels to China several times a year for her work. She sent a fun little package in the mail last week. Despite my best effort to get both kids together in their Kimono outfits, it didn't work out.

We had fun, though. Jackson ran and hid behind the couch:

But Brooke was willing to pose:

And she was even willing to be silly. Of course, she does this on her own--she doesn't need any influencing from me:

And now for the two together:

I tried.

Inspired

2011-05-13T12:38:00.000-07:00

I love to be inspired.

One of my current inspirations is Ashley Ann from Under the Sycamore. Not only an Oklahoma girl like me*, she's a fabulous photographer, artist, designer, mom, entrepreneur.

Others?

Jessica from How Sweet It Is. She's my go-to blogger for overly rich and sugary sweet desserts. But she used to be fitness trainer and does her time on the treadmill/weight room. I love her workouts, too.
Dana from House Tweaking has a great eye for design. Her site is dedicated to "tweaking" her builder-spec-home boring house into something memorable and beautiful. Great ideas. She makes a good living as a pharmacist by day, but has decided it's not her passion. She wants to design full time. Now, they're in the process of "down-sizing" their home, bought a fixer-upper, and hope to pay it off in about 5 years so she can have her dream job.
Michelle from Three Men and a Lady. I stumbled across this blog while looking for my sister-in-law's blog Three Men and a Lady - Deckers. Michelle is a DIY queen, and will turn any old trash from the dumpster into something wonderful with a little paint and TLC. I often wondered if she was a Mormon girl (she live's in AZ so it's not a dead give-away). Well, her last name is Hinckley and her Father-in-Law is named Gordon Hinckley, Jr. Oh yeah, they're moving to Utah. I think we have our answer!

Here's to some good reading!

*I can still claim to be an Oklahoma girl even if I don't remember living there, right?

Double Chocolate Cake

2011-05-09T09:03:00.000-07:00

This was yesterday's Mother's Day dessert. It look's beautiful and it tastes amazing. I believe that if you're going to have dessert, it better be fantastic. Try this cake--it will make your day.

Double Chocolate Bundt Cake

Via Confessions of a Bake-a-holic

1 chocolate cake mix
1 small pkg instant chocolate pudding mix
4 eggs
3/4 cup water
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup oil
1 heaping cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 10-inch bundt pan with cooking spray and dust with flour (I like Pam spray for baking--it's grease/flour all in one). Beat cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water, sour cream and oil in large bowl. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into pan. Bake 55-60 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool 15 minutes in pan on wire rack. Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack. Set on serving plate and glaze.

Chocolate Glaze
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 T butter
2 T corn syrup
1-2 tsp hot water

Melt chocolate chips, butter, and corn syrup in saucepan over low heat. Cool about 10 minutes. Stir in hot water, 1 tsp at a time, until consistency of thick syrup. Pour over cooled double chocolate cake.

Need Some Help

2011-05-03T09:18:00.000-07:00

This past week has been particularly hard to stay focused on anything. Seriously, I need help.

I did a search online for brain exercises to help improve focus/concentration, and I came across this article from Inspired Abundance. I think I'll take them up on some of these.

The article lists some exercises to help build your brain, including:
1. Do some crossword puzzles
2. Changing your daily routine
3. Try Sudoku puzzles
4. Eat foods that help your brain like proteins, complex carbohydrates, essential oils, etc.
5. Start a new hobby (maybe I can finally *finish* Brooke's curtains--trying to learn to sew)

We'll see how this goes. In the mean time, I'm relying on caffeine.

JC

Some Days

2011-05-02T13:52:00.000-07:00

We’re always a little put out when one of the tykes wakes up sick. It means one of us has to miss work or attempt to work from home (which, if you’ve tried it, know it takes skill) while taking care of said sick one.

This morning, Jackson woke up with a swollen pink-ish eye and he cried that it hurt and wouldn’t open it. Probably Pink Eye, we thought. We didn’t want to contaminate Joy’s house (our daycare provider), so I stayed home with him and made an appointment with the doctor to see what it is/how to care for it.

I’ve gotten in about 20 minutes of work so far and it’s almost 2:30. But I have to say, it’s been a pretty fun day. Jack started to feel a little better about 8:00am and has been talking my ear off all morning. I’ve heard the most amazing stories. He drank almost my entire can of Diet Coke, told me all about the shows he was watching, poured all of Shadow’s water into her food bowl—just some of the things this little boy likes to do. He told me about volcanoes and requested that we watch some on the computer (“Dad’s computer”, he requested). So we did—pretty amazing.

On the way to the doctor, we stopped off to get a drink at McDonalds, saw several garbage trucks, school buses and “honk honk’s” (semi-trucks). He pointed out every one of them with enthusiasm only an almost-three-year-old can provide. He was cute-as-can be at the doctor: took out two pieces of gum from my purse when I wasn’t looking, read me a Curious George book with Fire Trucks, and so forth. Of course, when Dr. Buchanan came into the room he had nothing to say/face emotionless.

We got our prescription for eye drops and headed over the car wash. I assumed it would take about 15 minutes for a wash/interior clean. Then we could get his eye drops, head home, get him to sleep and me to work in my office downstairs. The car wash was the busiest place in the valley, but I didn’t realize how busy until my car was half-way through the cycle. About 20 minutes, a package of Swedish Fish and 3 bouncy balls into it, we went to see where we were line. No joke, there were about 6 cars ahead of us waiting for detailing. So what did we do?

We walked over the McDonalds. Jackson ate fries, drank another Sprite and played with his new Batman toy. I learned all sorts of new interesting things about Batman and bouncy-balls. He named one of them “Mom”, another “Jackson” and the third “Dadio”. (I guess “Brooke” would be the name of the fourth ball he requested later).

We’re home, he’s sleeping, I’m on my work laptop…but I just had to write it all down. It’s not very often I get to spend one on one time with Jackson or Brooke. Even though illness and germs are usually involved on these days, sometimes they’re pretty fun too.

Here’s to a great week!

P.S. Don’t worry—we washed his hands really, really well after McDonalds. These next few days will be a hand sanitizer festival at our house!

My Silly Hat

2011-04-29T09:02:00.000-07:00

Barney sings a song about "my silly hat". The kids love to talk about their "silly hats" when they put books, toys, pillow cases, etc. on their heads. It's the only thing I could think about when I watched the guests at the Royal Wedding this morning (yes, I'm a total nerd I know).

This couple is RIGHT out of 1986:

Wait, I actually like these:

This one is gorgeous (this woman is gorgeous). It's said that this couple's wedding (Prince Albert and some swimmer) is supposed to be grander than Prince William/Kate's wedding (how do I know this crap?):

My favorite hat was Ms. Beckham's (of course):

Now back to reality!

Have a great weekend,

Blast from the past

2011-04-28T10:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, maybe not that drastic, but I've been looking through some old pictures the last couple of days. You know when you come across some that are so funny, or cute, or classic that you decide to post to your blog? That's what this post is all about:

Snapshot of a typical day at home--kids in diapers, cluttered house, toys scattered. Oh yeah, and Brooke in her sunglasses and Dora backpack.

Jackson made the cutest little faces:

Here too:

And little, tiny Brooke. I can't believe how much she's changed:

I'm starting to work on their Jackson's 3-year-old book and plan to give one to Michelle & Cody for his birthday (it will be here before we know it!). Then, I'll work on Brookie's for her b-day in November.

Time sure flies when you're having fun.

Jackie Jackerman

2011-04-26T08:15:00.000-07:00

This little guy is sure loved. He's so lucky to have his family, extended family and his birth family. I caught a snippet of his birth parents talking about him in Facebook:

We love Michelle & Cody so much. We can't imagine our lives without them, and we certainly can't imagine them without our little Jackie Jackerman.

JC

Two Things:

2011-04-25T09:46:00.000-07:00

1. Sunday afternoon the kids were playing each by themselves. Jackson was occupied with the new ‘Gone Fishing’ game from the Easter Bunny and Brooke was doing her own crazy thing. I actually found myself thinking, “hmm, I have about an 1.5 hours before we need to leave for G&G’s house. Could I actually work on one of my many unfinished projects?” I didn’t, but just the fact that I had the time and availability startled me.

2. Later at G&G Curtis’ house all the grandkids (except little Crew-Crew) played outside while the adults sat inside—including my kids. Then, they all went downstairs while the adults sat upstairs—again, including my kids. Tyler and I have never experienced this in the last 2.75 years. No matter what, at least one of our kids (usually both) wants their mom & dad right by their side all the time.

Are our little one’s growing up? It’s kind of strange. (Surely this is short-lived…they were excited about all their Easter stuff). But maybe we're starting to make progress.

Now if we can just conquer toilet training...

Happy Monday!

Today's Obsessions

2011-04-22T10:21:00.000-07:00

I should be focusing on work, but at the moment I'm a little little obsessed with some other things.

Making Brookie's room pretty again. She just got a big bed, new wall mural. But I still need to spruce up the area around her dresser. Thinking about these:

And these:

Dying to try some chalkboard paint somewhere in my house. I need to figure out the perfect wall, like these (by the way, how cute is that pink table?):

I really want to spruce up my bedroom. Considering accents of yellow (that wouldn't be too weird with chocolate brown/green, would it?)

And this weekend is calling (no shouting) for these babies that I found yesterday. Easter bunny can do cookies, right?

Happy Good Friday!
JC

Chicken Pot Pie with Cream Cheese and Chive Biscuits

2011-04-21T09:54:00.000-07:00

Chicken Pot Pie with Cream Cheese and Chive Biscuits

Um, yum...putting this on the menu for next week.

JC

Don't You Just Love This Face?

2011-04-21T08:13:00.000-07:00

We have a "Brooke" meltdown about every 30 seconds from approximately 7:30 am until 9:00 pm (or so). The reasons vary:

She wants to watch Gabba
She wants to watch Mickey Mouse
She wants to watch Dora
She wants to "do a game" (on one of our phones)
She wants to watch Wubzy
She wants to ride her bike
She wants to go outside
She can't get her shoes off
She wants Shadow out of her room
(repeat and add from your own imagination)

The "meltdowns" usually involve very loud wailing, crocodile tears, flopping on floor, rolling around on the floor, screaming, throwing things (toys, shoes, Mom's camera, Mom's phone--you get the drift). We try to remain calm, tell her if she's going to throw a fit she needs to do it in her room. Many times she'll comply and go to her bed to continue the wailing, flopping, screaming, throwing. It usually doesn't stop on it's own. We usually have to go in and calmly talk her out of it by offering her something...

These get old and are exhausting. Last night was a particularly tiring night of screaming & fighting from both kids. After we put them to bed, I laid with Brooke for a few minutes so she would stop talking (and keeping her brother awake in the neighboring room). She stopped talking, but began to sing (the girl LOVES to sing). I tried to remain stern and enforce that it's "quiet time" and "time to go to sleep" ("damnit" -- I thought).

After a few minutes of listening to "We will Rock You" (almost word for word), "Snowman", "Elmo's World" theme song...I couldn't help but smile. I may have even sung along for a few minutes.

I guess no matter how chaotic things can be, they are sure some cute, sweet, precious times too. If only we could focus on those moments all the time...

The Royals

2011-04-20T08:40:00.000-07:00

I'm not one to pay much attention to the Royal Family. I will probably be watching the Royal Wedding though because that brother of Prince William, Prince Harry, is such a cutie! He's the catch--not William.

Ladies?

Jill

Putting things into perspective…

2011-04-19T09:17:00.000-07:00

I don’t want to depress anyone (all 1 or 2 of you reading this blog), but there have been so many events take place of the past months that made me shed tears and contemplate life.

1. Logan Rylee Bostrom (babyloganbostrom.blogspot.com) – This blog (by a friend of my sister-in-law, Lacey) shares the journey of a beautiful baby girl born with a heart condition that allowed her to live with her mommy and daddy for one week.

2. Ethan Thomas Gauchey (Geoffreyandsharee.blogspot.com) – This story really hits home. Sharee is Tyler’s darling cousin, and her amazing little guy, Ethan, recently passed away after a strong fight. We had the privilege of attending his beautiful graveside service last Saturday and I’m so grateful we could be there. What an emotional, long and heart-breaking journey they’ve been on. And what an amazing little baby. I’m truly grateful for eternal families.

3. One of my nephew’s best friends ended his own life about a month ago after a long battle with drug abuse. Tragic as it is, he ended his life in front of his twin brother and parents. What a sad, heart-breaking way to go.

4. The news is full of sad stories—missing children, abused children, mothers senselessly killed and discarded, natural disasters taking the lives of thousands of loved ones in addition to all the possessions families have worked so hard to have.

5. All the events taking place in Lybia, Afghanistan, Iraq, etc. where innocent citizens are dying from the senseless acts of extremists. And, soldiers are sacrificing their lives and time away from their families/friends to fight and protect them/us.

6. Last summer a friend from high school lost his wife in a tragic bike/auto accident. They had two little girls—age 3 and 3-months. I think about them a lot, even months later. I can’t imagine having to heal from something like that.

7. My neighbor recently told me she and her husband split up after only 9 months of marriage. They’ve moved out and now her two little boys have to adjust to life without their step-dad in and new house/neighborhood/school. Breaks my heart.

The list goes on…

I decided a while back that I can’t read or watch the news anymore because it’s just too sad. But it isn’t just the news that’s sad—real life is sad. There are so many around us suffering and struggling.

With Easter just around the corner, I think it’s a perfect time to reflect on the power of the Atonement. Because it happened, we know those sweet parents will be with their babies again. And we know that they can heal and move on. We also know all those that are suffering from loss or life’s heartaches can heal.

Moreover, events like these certainly help me realize how truly blessed I am and how grateful I am for my two miracles. They are truly miracles—one through an amazing adoption journey and one through a miracle pregnancy! As overwhelmed as I feel at times, I can’t imagine my life without them.

I hope you all enjoy this Easter week. Let’s all try to keep those we love in our thoughts and prayers and try a little harder to ease the suffering/burdens of others.

Love,

Jill

It's already been a day and it's 10:30am

2011-04-12T09:43:00.000-07:00

This is me trying to get out the door this morning:

Tyler left a little early to drive a neighbor to his new job--the poor guy doesn't have any source of transportation, and Ty has coordinated rides to and from work for him with various people in the neighborhood that work close to him.

Anyway... trying to get myself ready for the day with a head cold, getting my kids dressed/faces washed/hair brushed, and trying to take a conference call with our team in Amsterdam at 8:00am just made things a bit hectic. Jackson "trapped" me in a "cage" in my bathroom using all the living room throw pillows, then laid on his sister causing a fit of screaming and crying that would carry on from about 8:00 to 8:45. I finally pulled out the bucket of candy to get Brooke calmed down enough so I could get her dressed before heading out the door. There's not much a piece of chocolate can't cure.

We made it to Joy's house by 9:00 and I rolled into the office about 9:30. Deep breaths, decongestants from work medicine cabinet, Diet Coke (and I even splurged on a Dunford Donut) and I think I can make it through the rest of the day. I pray my little one's will do the same.

Here's to a great day?

Jill

Jack the Mechanic

2011-04-11T09:56:00.000-07:00

Meet Jack. He wears his goggles when he goes to "work", which is "fixing firetrucks and ambulances".

Sounds like a pretty sweet gig. (Maybe we ought to loosen up the straps...what do you think?)

What? You updated your blog?

2011-04-06T13:21:00.000-07:00

The answer is "yes".

I've decided it's time to start blogging. We live our lives at such a fast pace that we forget to write down the fun stuff. I need to do more of that. And after giving it a lot of thought over recent months, I'm committing to updating this blog on a somewhat regular basis...and that's better than nothing, right? (By the way...this is Jill, if you were wondering).

Looking forward to figuring out how all these blogger gadgets and stuff work. I'm sort of a blog idiot.

More to come!
JC

Peanut Butter Pretzel Brownies

2011-04-06T09:59:00.000-07:00

I made these over the weekend. They certainly had a lot of promise--not sure about the outcome. They're good, but I think I may try to mix in the peanut butter mixture little bit more and not bake quite as long (just 40 minutes rather than 45).

My review hasn't stopped me from eating nearly 1/2 of the pan by myself, however.

The recipe

(Joy the Baker, adapted from Martha Stewart):

For the Brownie:

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon instant coffee (optional)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

coarse sea salt for topping

For the Peanut Butter Filling:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup powdered sugar

3/4 cup smooth peanut butter, I prefer natural peanut butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

large handful of pretzel sticks

Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Grease an 8×8-inch baking pan. Line with parchment paper so that it overhangs on two sides and grease the parchment paper as well.

Boil two inches of water in a medium saucepan. Combine butter, unsweetened chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate and coffee powder in a heat proof bowl and place over the simmering water. Stir until chocolate and butter are melted. Use a pot holder to remove the bowl from the double boiler and let mixture cool slightly. Stir in the vanilla extract.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

Whisk granulated sugar into the chocolate and butter mixture. Make sure the chocolate mixture isn’t too hot and whisk the eggs in the mixture one at a time.

Fold in the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture and spoon into prepared pan.

To make the Peanut Butter Filling, whisk together peanut butter, melted butter, powdered sugar, salt and vanilla extract until smooth.

Pour the peanut butter mixture on top of the brownie batter and use a butter knife to swirl the two together. Arrange pretzel sticks on top of the brownie batter in whatever pattern makes you happy. Top with a few sprinkles of coarse sea salt. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes our mostly clean… maybe with just a few crumbs.

Let cool for about 30 minutes before slicing and enjoying.

Catching up, with pics

2009-04-18T21:52:00.000-07:00

OK, we're terrible at updating our blog, so we're not going to try and relive the last few months. Instead, here's a slideshow and a link to all the pics.

They say a picture is worth 1,000 words...well, there are 114 pics in the slideshow/link, so that is equal to 114,000 words. That's one long blog post!

Link to the pics

Enjoy!

New Hair Bow

2008-11-24T11:34:00.000-08:00

Brooke tried on one of her first hair bows today. This is one her Aunt Ashley gave her. We thought it would be too big for her tiny face, but it's actually pretty darn cute!!!

Kid Pics

2008-11-23T18:55:00.000-08:00

Time for some more pics of the kids. Everyone is doing great. Brooke is eating well and gaining weight and Jackson is eating VERY WELL and certainly gaining weight. All is going well, so let's hope it continues as Tyler goes back to work.

It's hard to get good pics of our cutie, she's still so tiny!

I think she saw her Dad getting out of the shower, common reaction.

Brooke's first bath, which she seemed to enjoy for a second!

I think Jackson looks like an elf in this shot. Either way, he and his Mom make a pretty pair!

Jackson is a little heartbreaker, even with all the self-inflicted scratches!

Only 3 months difference!

Jill thinks Brooke looks like the little Berenstein Bear. I agree, cute as can be, always wears pink, and spiky hair with a bow!

Utah vs BYU 2008

2008-11-23T18:33:00.001-08:00

...or Max Hall for 2008 Holy War MVP!!!

Saturday marked another great day for The Curtis Clan - the Utah Utes
finished the regular season undefeated at 12-0. Best of all, it came at the
hands of Max Hall, Austin Collie, Bronco Mendenhall and every self-righteous
BYU fan on planet earth. Sorry if I sound a little bitter, but after
growing up a Ute fan during the lean years and enduring the short end of the
rivalry stick, it sure is nice when we're on top. Like 2004, not only are
we on top, we've got something BYU doesn't - a berth to BCS bowl (again).

Anyway, rivalry aside, the game was fun. It was a treat being able to sit
with the family this season. I even got to storm the field (something I've
regretted not doing in 2004. Led by Bradley, Ashley, Jeff and I ran out and
met the team and thousands of other fans at midfield. OK, Jeff kept going,
he wasn't storming the field, just cutting across the stadium to get to the
car, but it still counts. We met Jordan out there too.

Ashley posing seconds before the game ends

Storming the field

Running Back Matt Asiata

DB Robert Johnson

QB Brian Johnson

2nd year in a row the house got "decorated by some BYU fans in the ward

Blue painters tape and crepe paper

I was hiding behind the fence watching to see exactly which kids where involved

My response - sugar cookies and a nice note. All the RED cookies tasted great. The BLUE ones may have had tons of garlic and onion powder dumped into the dough!

Welcome Home Brooke and other fun weekend tidbits!

2008-11-17T10:28:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was jam-packed. Of course, Brooke has been in the NICU since being born which means a minimum of twice daily trips to the hospital to spend time with the new one. Needless to say, we were tired before the weekend began.

Then, Saturday was the annual Curtis Holiday party. We started with a breakfast that included specialty pancakes - you could choose between M&M's, blueberries, raspberries and more. After breakfast we had a fun donut eating contest followed by pinata smashing and then the annual nativity recreation. Thanks Mom and Dad for throwing a great party.

After the party, Jackson was hanging out with his cousins at Grandma's when Jill called with the great news - Brooke was being released on Sunday! We were finally going to get our baby home!

So, a second-to-last trip to the hospital to celebrate and then back home - the day wasn't over yet, we still had Grandma and Grandpa Woolums 50th Anniversary dinner! After rushing to finish our scrapbook page, we hustled downtown to Biaggi's where everyone was waiting to celebrate.

We had a nice dinner and were able to present the scrapbook to G&G Woolums. Especially fun was watching their reaction to the Photoshop'ed picture of Jared in the tub with his father-in-law! Thanks Jody, Jennifer and everyone who helped put the dinner together.

Well, the weekend was only partially over. Sunday was the big day! We dropped Jackson off at his second home (Granmama and Cranpa's) with Aunt Ashley and the happy parents got to bring little Brooke home. We spent time a quiet afternoon and evening together and even though their was some fussiness going to bed (no names, but he's a new big brother), it was about the best day ever - our long-awaited family finally is all together!

Thanks to everyone that has called, been a babysitter, brought food, given clothes and prayed for our little family. We love you all.

Enjoy the pics -

Welcome home beautiful!

Check out big brother and little sister.

Look how teeny she is compared to Mom's hand.

My two lovely ladies

The feeding tube didn't last long - I'm a Curtis!

Daddy-Daughter time in the NICU

Curtis party fun with a donut contest

The Bro's & Sis' had a friendly faceoff

Gage congratulated Jeff and me on a donut contest well-fought

Recreating the Nativity - an annual Curtis tradition

Ever heard of father/son-in-law bathtime? Me either. But Richard and Jared sure look happy!

Pics of my princess

2008-11-07T08:13:00.001-08:00

My little princess with her binky and pink bow

Jill had to wait days to eat - chocolate cake couldn't taste better!

Brooke doesn't love the flash on Dad's camera

Pretty sure she was saying "GO UTES!" (before beating TCU!)

All bundled up and pursing her lips, just like big brother Jackson used to so long ago when he was a few days old! (3 months ago)

Introducing...Brooke Leigh Curtis!!!

2008-11-06T14:29:00.000-08:00

Well, we thought she might come early, but Jill's body decided Brooke should make an early appearance on earth! Jackson is now a big brother.

On Tuesday, Jill went to one of her many doctor appointments, but her blood pressure was high and they found that she was developing toxemia. She was admitted to the hospital while her husband frantically tried to get stuff so Jackson could stay at Grandma's, Shadow could stay with Charlie/Baxter/Maxie and Jill could have some clothes and a toothbrush!

After lots of drugs trying to induce Jill into labor and LOTS and LOTS of waiting, we finally got to have a C-Section. Brooke was born on Wednesday, November 5, 2008 at 4:28pm. She was 4lbs. 11 oz. and 17.5 inches long. She was just about 4 weeks early.

Jill is doing great and recovering quickly. Brooke is in the NICU, but was taken off oxygen, is eating bottles (although she gets most of her food from the IV and is working on holding her own body temperature. We love her lots and can't wait to bring her home!

Jill is ready to be done, but the little bun doesn't want out of the oven!

Little Brooke's first checkup

One proud Papa!

All bundled up

Funny Utah song

2008-10-23T21:07:00.000-07:00

Looking for your Jackson-pics-fix? We'll get to it (he is a darling little stinker!) All the new pics are on Jill's computer.

In the meantime, here is a song I heard on the radio. It was created and sent in by a listener and while it's a little cheesy, it's terribly funny!

Have a listen and GO UTES!

Our Fate-Not Yours

2008-09-25T11:55:00.000-07:00

Can you believe this little guy is almost 2 months old? It’s amazing how fast time flies… and how fast these babies grow.

Jackson has his 2 month check up the other day. Here’s the latest and greatest stats:

Weight: 10 lbs 14 oz.
Head: 40 cm
Length: 22 inches

He moved up from the 15th percentile in weight class to the 53rd! He’s an eating machine too, taking in about 3-4 oz. every 3 hours. He loves his bottles!

The nights are getting a little better. He’ll usually have one longer stretch of sleep of 4-5 hours every night, followed by 3 hour intervals. Not bad at all! For some reason, he has decided that he doesn’t want to nap in his crib during the daylight. He’d rather be held or in his bouncy seat. He just wants to be where all the “action” is, we guess.

He’s doing great… healthy as can be and happy!

the dog days of summer...

2008-09-15T12:28:00.000-07:00

Now that I'm home during the day, Shadow the dog has the liberty of going outside as much as she wants to. Most recently, she's been spending the entire day outside. And, most of the time, this is what I see when she's not sleeping in her dog house.

Last weekend we took at trip up to Talitha's cabin (Tyler's boss) in the Uintas. Although the cabin isn't nearly as nice as the Bear Lake cabin, it was still a good time. Other than grunting all night long... Jackson did really well too. Here's a few pics.

First Smiles...

2008-09-13T17:08:00.000-07:00

We got our first "real" smiles from Jackson this week! And we even got a few pictures!!!

Life seems so crazy these days and we don’t know where the last weeks have gone! This little guy just turned 6 weeks old. He’s growing up so fast. It’s amazing to look at his newborn pictures and see how much his looks have changed in the past weeks. His little cheeks are filling out and he has the sweetest eyes in the whole world. We absolutely love them. Don’t you think he’s the cutest little thing on the planet? He’s such a handsome little boy!!! Jackson is still doing well. He’s still eating great (as you can probably see from his pictures). He’s eating about 3 oz. every 2-3 hours. He’s also sleeping pretty well. He’s on a 3 hour schedule at night. This past week, he’s gone to bed around 9:00pm and then got up to eat around 1am, 4am and 7am. He goes right back to sleep afterwards, so it’s really not too bad.

This past week we had our first Family Home Evening. Okay, okay… it’s really not like us to be all over that -- we're terrible with FHE. But, we were invited by Ty’s sister (Emily) to go up to the canyon and roast marshmallows for s’mores. So we bundled up the little guy and headed up there. Ty’s parents, two of his sisters and their families were there. It was a good time. Jackson loves being outdoors, so he was happy the whole time. It's always a good time we get to spend an evening with all the cousins too!

Little Brooke is getting pretty excited to join the crew. As I'm writing this post, she's doing somersaults (or flips). Or maybe it's the hiccups. All I can say is that she's extremely active, and she's growing -- which mean's I'm growing. I'm starting to feel the long three months ahead of me and I can just visualize myself getting huge.... but we're excited for her to get here. We're starting to work on her room and we hope to have it all ready by the time she arrives (unlike little Jackson's room which is still in the works).

Well, we're going to get the blogging thing down! So, this is our post (for now). Please enjoy the latest pics!

With love,

Ty, Jill & Jackson (Shadow too)

Some pics for now

2008-09-04T21:16:00.000-07:00

Labor Day party with Grandma & Grandpa Curtis and 5 cousins

Bath time!

The look says it all - I love baths! (He really does, though)

Cute & Clean

Shadow likes to watch over her buddy and give some "kisses"

Bright-eyed and beautiful

Very surprised look!

Where have the last 3 weeks gone!?

2008-08-20T11:24:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Jackson's 3-week birthday. We didn't really celebrate (unless root beer floats for his parents count), but I figured it was past time for another blog update. I'm doing this from work, so I'll have to add pics later.

Some updates on our little fella (written by Jill):
darling little boy! It seems like he’s changing and growing every day. We’ve noticed that he’s starting to look more intently at us recently. And, he even looked at and focused on Shadow. He hasn’t done that until this week. Up to this point, whenever she would come around and sniff him, he was pretty oblivious to it. He seems to notice her now.

We’re absolutely loving all the little faces he’s making. After he eats, he gets really relaxed and he loves to purse his lips into a little circle. It’s the cutest thing ever. We just laugh whenever he does it. We’re including a picture of one of those little faces in his bouncy seat, when he’s making that face.

He’s also smiling quite a bit in his sleep. The photographer did get some last week and we think they’ll be perfect. We can’t wait until he can smile on his terms. We hope to start seeing that in another couple of weeks.

Also, he laughed the other day in his sleep. It was so cute!

Jackson went to visit the pediatrician last week for his 2 week check up. He weighed 7 lbs 7 oz. Can you believe it? He’s growing!!! The doctor was thrilled because most babies are just back to their birth weight at 2 weeks. You can definitely tell he’s growing. His little face is filling out and he’s getting chubby cheeks. He’s so cute.

He’s doing so well. He’s healthy, eating well and sleeping well. He eats between 2 oz and 3 oz with each feeding. At night, he’s only been getting up a couple of times—usually once in the early morning (like 2-3am) then about 3-4 hours later (between 5-7 am). His mnerism is calm. He’s so mellow and easy going. He’s just a great little baby.

Pics to come soon & special thanks to his Grandma's for babysitting!

Uncle Gary came to visit

Hangin' in my crib with my dog and bear

Gettin' my pajamas on

How you doin?!

Naptime

Our New Addition

2008-08-05T14:26:00.000-07:00

OK, it's official. The TyJill Curtis' now have a blog! Now that there is such a cute reason for frequent updates, we want to keep Grandma Robyn busy by adding another stop to her daily blog-tour. So, here's that reason:

After years of trying to start our family ourselves and then medically, we started the adoption process. Before we knew it, we had adopted a little baby boy! He was born on July 29th, we met him the next day, and we picked him up for good yesterday, July 31st. It’s been a crazy few weeks getting ready and very intense waiting for everything to happen, but it’s all done!

His name is Jackson Tyler Curtis, he was 6 lbs 14oz and 19.5 inches (not really sure what all this means, but everyone asks). As you can see, he has wonderful dark hair and a dark complexion. He is terribly calm and patient. He rarely cries, he just fusses a bit (although Uncle Lynn taught him and he's getting practice). A definite keeper.

Oh yeah, in case you haven’t heard, Jill is expecting a little girl this December (and yes, she’s mine!)!!! Talk about miracles, huh?!

Thanks to everyone for all your gifts, calls, visits, emails, texts and other signs of your love for us and our new little buddy, we love you all. Your love for us and Jackson is overwhelming.

Love to all,

Ty, Jill, Jackson, Shadow & (Brooke)

Meeting Jackson for the first time (we got an hour with him at the hospital)!

Small, dark and handsome

Bringing home baby - now what do we do?

Grandpa Curtis wastes no time turning on the charm with his grandsons

Grandma Woolums gets in some quality time with grandkid #18
(but like OU, in your heart you know he's #1)

Shadow and Jackson, new buddies