Riddle Me This

2012-01-02T05:31:00.000-08:00

So much to tell you all. Stories to share. But for now the baby is sleeping. I'm going to eat breakfast and go back to bed myself. So enjoy this picture instead.

A Little Announcement

2011-08-30T06:18:00.000-07:00

We have an announcement for everyone that we thought we would put into video form. Enjoy!

2011-03-22T15:48:00.001-07:00

Since I am now on Spring Break from both work and school, I seem to find myself with time to fool around and do things I normally have no time for. Ari showed me how to play around on Imovie, and... I went a little crazy. Anyways, I decided to make a short film about Brody and all the many moments we have had since his miraculous birth. It is amazing for me as his father to see his growth over the past couple of years . He recently began recognizing his ABC's because of a program Ari bought for him. At 2 1/2, he can recognize letters in the alphabet. (WHAT?!) As I have watched him and looked through all the pictures to create this movie, I asked myself, "Is this the same boy who we worried would even make into this world." For me it is such a blessing to see this miracle everyday. After making this video I tear up and personally want to thank my Heavenly Father for the blessing of having him in my life. He is truly a joy in our home. Enjoy watching what we see everyday!

Dear Winter,

2011-03-11T23:06:00.000-08:00

Dear Winter,

Thank you for your hours of enjoyment learning to make snowmen and snow angels, kicking snow, throwing snow, and just watching the snow fall. There is something majestic about waking up to a blanket of snow or watching snowflakes float to the ground while sipping cocoa. Something I've missed for the last three years. And while we are excited for Spring and walks to the park, playing outside, blooming flowers, and a little sunshine. We will be looking forward to your return. I love living in a place with four seasons!

2011-02-13T20:08:00.000-08:00

I love this boy!

Let me tell you one of the many reasons why. Friday morning I woke up at 4:30 with a terrible cold. Between the sneezing and runny nose I couldn't go back to sleep, so when Derek got up I hung out with him. Around 7 am I climbed back in bed. And like most mornings, Brody woke up between 7 and 7:30 and climbed into bed with me. He woke up again an hour later asking for pancakes (another morning routine). As he wiggled toward the edge of the bed he demanded I "come too." This is when I looked at Brody, said "mommy doesn't feel good, can we lay in bed for ten more minutes?" And without any hesitation Brody climbed back up and snuggled next to me for ten more minutes.

Best Ten Minutes of the Day! Hands Down.

Welcome Little Lyla!

2011-01-08T07:55:00.000-08:00

Marc and Ashlee welcomed their new, little girl into the world Friday morning at 8:30. It went pretty quick and mother and baby are doing well. We are so excited to have Lyla Jude Vipperman here. She is just adorable.

My New Nephew is Cuter Than Your Nephew

2010-12-05T16:08:00.001-08:00

David LeGrand Vipperman was born last night. We are so excited to have him here and can't wait to meet him. Congratulations Justin and Becky!

Isn't he precious?

Elder Hopkins and Brody

2010-11-02T09:49:00.000-07:00

Brody really enjoyed living with the missionaries at Bapa's house. It was like having two playmates living in the basement. The missionaries have been really good to entertain him as well. Elder Hopkins has been transferred so I just wanted to share some of Brody's favorite moments with him.

You will be missed Elder Hopkins. Good luck in your new area!

Labor Day Weekend

2010-09-28T09:24:00.000-07:00

We spent Labor Day weekend at an old family favorite spot with Aunt Mary, Uncle Gail and some of their kids and grandkids. We all had a blast.

Brody getting rested up for the parade.

Derek getting rested up for the parade.

Getting excited about what's to come.

Watching the wagons pass.

Waving goodbye.

Dancing to the music from the marching band.

Brody loved the bands!

Taking a Sunday nap with Bapa.

Brody roasting his first marshmallow.

Brody upset that his first marshmallow roasting experience was over.

Brody roasting his second marshmallow.

Brody and Dad keeping warm by the fire.

Brody loved running around outside all day.

Mama, Brody and Brayden by the fire.

Derek got to help make breakfast Monday morning before we packed up and left.

Look at that handsome man flip eggs!

Brody thought he should help clean up so he found a dirty fire pit that needed some attention.

Making a sandwich while waiting to dump.

Bapa's copilot

Brody is

2010-09-10T16:12:00.000-07:00

Yep, this cool dude just turned 2.

And he's just as shocked as we are too.

Posing with Pat for a picture.

Brody loved the card from his great grandma.

He kept turning the pages like a book.

Happy Birthday Brody!

Updates to come...

2010-09-09T22:42:00.000-07:00

I realize it has been a long time since I've posted anything. August was very busy with visits from the in-laws, Lyric and Gregory, soccer starting for Derek, a concert, and a funeral. But now it is September and with Labor Day weekend over, Derek's first 3 days of school and first two soccer games done, and Brody's second birthday passed, I might be able to find time to post some pictures.

Things to look forward to:

Brody and Gregory dancing
Brody playing the guitar
Camping over Labor Day Weekend
Brody's Birthday

*Just a side note- Derek's soccer team won their first two games. He has officially gone down in the record books as the first coach to lead the Bears to a victory over their rivals in soccer. And rumors of the best soccer coaches being on the east side of town have dramatically changed since Wednesday's win. Way to go Derek! I am so proud of you. GO BEARS!

Basketball Jones

2010-07-21T21:17:00.000-07:00

Brody loves basketball. I think it started with High School Musical (which he was obsessed with for a month or so). He plays for 30 minutes or so in the morning and the same each evening. He's getting pretty good. Above is the sweet faces he makes each time he makes a basket. You can tell he feels pretty proud of what he has accomplished.

Ah, the sweet taste of victory!

Since We Moved

2010-07-12T07:17:00.001-07:00

Brody has been having a great time since we've moved. For his first week in Idaho he got to spend time with his cousin Gregory. They had lots of fun.

Then we went to the Oregon Coast for a family reunion. We all had so much fun.

Isn't Brody's dad handsome!!

Our last full day in Oregon we went to the aquarium.

The puffins put on a show for us. They were quite funny.

Brody insisted on holding grandma's hand as we wandered the park.

The shark tanks

No wonder he wanted to be with his grandma. She's so much fun. There were glass floors so you could watch the sharks swim under you. Brody wanted to get up close to get a better look.

Now that we are back Brody and Drage have been helping grandma in the garden.

And playing basketball. He's pretty good for a toddler.

Happy Birthday Becky!

2010-07-01T14:42:00.000-07:00

I have known Becky for almost 10 years now. We started out as coworkers at Papa Kelsey's. Then she dated and married my brother. Because I knew her before I have always felt like we were already friends and not just because we were forced to be through marriage. However, I'm glad my brother picked such a creative, smart, fun girl to be my sister-in-law. I couldn't have picked someone better for him myself (though I do take some of the credit since he may never have asked Becky out if it weren't for me).

Here are a few of my favorite memories/inside jokes just for you Becky!

Blee Blah Bleeding

Mini salads

"Dark meat"

visiting you at Barnes and Noble with Justin

you made yummy hot cakes just like my grandma did when I stayed at your house once

our formation of a new political party

and my new favorite... getting to know you better this last weekend :)

I'm so glad you're part of the family and I look forward to sharing many more memories with you. Happy Birthday Becky!

So Long to the City...

2010-06-11T07:30:00.000-07:00

Although I'm excited to get out of the heat and start a new adventure with my little family, this city holds many memories for me and there are several things I'm going to miss.

Shopping. Tons of stores. Outlets malls. H&M. And the list goes on and on.
Sunflower Market and Trader Joe's. Where will I get great prices on fresh produce? And more importantly, where will I get Joe Joe's? Better stock up before I leave.
Target. Ok I know there is a Target where we are going, but here I have two in a 7 mi radius.
Our pet lizard in the back yard.
Play dates with friends
Waffles Cafe along with several other local, yummy restaurants
Bittersweet memories of driving DI to get to Sunrise Hospital.
Las Vegas Nevada Temple.
And of course, Family and friends. I will miss getting together for birthdays, swimming at grandma's, shopping trips with Teresa just to get out of the house, lunch with Chad, Brody jumping on the bed with Papa, and much, much more.

Yes, this move would have been easier if we would have moved the first time or even the second time we planned to but I'm so grateful for the time we've spent here and the relationships I've built with my new family. We look forward to new adventures and new memories in our new home, but we will not forget our old home.

Road Trip

2010-06-07T21:49:00.001-07:00

For Memorial Day weekend we went to visit Derek's Oma (that's german for grandma) in Modesto. We had a great trip. Here are a few pictures I took to document our road trip.

Brody was fascinated by these, as I'm sure most kids are.

Brody got to see his first real train. "Choo Choo"

Nothing like a game of football after a long car ride.

Brody meeting Great-grandpa Riddle

A Four Generation Photo

Oma, Jim, Derek, Brody

Brody keeping busy on the car ride home. Thankfully Brody did really well in the car.

So while were driving we see some of these silos/water towers (whatever they are) in the fields and Brody starts pointing and trying to tell me something. I couldn't quite make it out so I just nod and say "yeah Brody." Then he says "meow" and I realize he was saying hat. He had just watched The Cat in the Hat with his dad earlier that week. I was quite amazed.

Getting a good look of the goats at the petting zoo.

Enjoying an aprium we bought at a fruit stand. Yum!

Leaving Las Vegas...and this time we mean it!

2010-06-01T19:04:00.001-07:00

Ari and I are about to close a chapter in our life and open a new one. Usually following these times in life, there comes a period of reflection... at least for me it does. As a reading teacher this past year, I have often asked my students to summarize what they have read at the end of a chapter and describe what they have learned. I thought about doing the same thing for this post. However, instead of describing what I have learned, I thought I would describe what I have been learning. To assume I have learned ( or mastered) these principles would be ridiculous. I thought a better way to describe the past year or so would be to explain what I am learning (or continuing to fully comprehend). Here are some of those things:

1. Forgiveness- For those who know us and the story of the past couple years, know that dealing with UNLV has been somewhat less than ideal. I'll be honest. There were times when I dreamed and even sincerely hoped UNLV would write me a letter apologizing for their misdeeds and send me a complimentary degree as compensation for their devastating mistakes. In all those moments of daydreaming about justice and revenge, there was never any room to consider mercy and forgiveness. I also had encounters with people where the same attitude of "an eye for an eye" frequently became my initial natural man reaction. If any of you have traveled this road, you may also be familiar with where it leads. You may have guessed it...straight to a little place called Gethsemane. In these moments I was thankful for the companionship of the Holy Ghost, "which teacheth a man to pray". I have come to see things and more importantly feel things the way the Savior does. In those quiet moments I have felt the power of the atonement. I can now testify more fully of the Savior's power to change hearts. Forgiveness is a gift from God granted only through the matchless power of His beloved Son.

2. Charity- A couple of years ago, Ari and were blessed with a beautiful baby boy. However, due to our situation, we were fortunate to move in with my parents until I finished school. We left a very strong ward and moved into a smaller ward. It was tough leaving a ward with members excited about living the gospel to a ward where it felt like pulling teeth to get my companion to home teach with me. Over time I began to see that the move was meant to teach me charity. I have learned to love in a way that I never knew was possible. I have visited homes where I felt the Savior himself was amongst us. I have seen the sick being raised from their beds by the power of he priesthood. Above all, I have witnessed the Holy Spirit of promise seal my family together for time and all eternity, a blessing I thought at one time would have been highly unlikely. I have truly in this ward seen a God of miracles. I have worked with at risk students over the past year and served with what I now call "at risk families" of the church. Such families who are "at risk" of not receiving the salvation or all that the gospel affords. Through all of it, I have come to appreciate and more fully understand the words to this hymn, "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one towards another." I now feel the greatest honor I could ever receive in this life is to be known as one of the Lord's disciples.

3. Additional Thoughts- I am so fortunate to live in the presence of a celestial being everyday of my life. My mission president often said his life has been richly blessed because he "married right". I too feel I "married right". I could not have asked for a more loving and wise companion. She is the pinnacle of what it means to be a companion. She has done everything to make sure our marriage and family stays on the road leading back to our eternal home. Through her example of self denial and sacrifice, I have learned so much about what it means to hold the sacred title of parent. I feel like the hypocrite that Elder Bednar described in conference because I wish I could make this public statement more often in the quiet walls of our home. I hope to do so more in the future. I read a quote recently which made me think of Ari. It went like this, "God could not be everywhere at once therefore he created mothers."

Now after some hard work and a whole lot of patience Ari and I will depart Las Vegas on June 11th and head to our new home in Twin Falls. I will be working at Robert Stuart for the upcoming school year. I will be working hard in their Title 1 program to make it stronger and ultimately help a certain group of students for whom I have a strong compassion towards. I also will be coaching soccer at either Robert Stuart or at Canyon Ridge. It is still in the works, but I know for sure it will be one or the other.

We will keep you posted on how the next chapter plays out in the story of our life. I do not feel we have reached the climax of our life, however we are sure living everyday like it is.

GO BEARS!!!

Mmmm... Produce

2010-05-24T20:51:00.000-07:00

Nothing says summer like fresh produce. Derek's aunt told me about this program called Bountiful Baskets. You pay $15 and get about $50 worth of fruits and vegetables. The catch: you have to get online at certain times based on your area to order each week and you have to pick it up at a specific time at your selected location. If you are late they donate it to the local fire station. This picture just shows a little of everything I got. There were peaches, apples, strawberries, blackberries, tomatoes, avocados, carrots, yellow squash, cucumbers, a head of romaine, a head of cabbage, bananas, and a coconut. Yes a whole coconut. Everything has been delicious so far. I can't wait to get more!

P.S. Bountiful Baskets are available in Nevada, Utah, Idaho and Arizona

Derek Graduated!

2010-05-13T08:03:00.000-07:00

Since my last post

2010-05-13T06:50:00.000-07:00

Brody has been...

watching TV with dad

Playing soccer

exploring

walking his dog

Marching for babies

Being silly

The best $2.99 I've ever spent

2010-04-14T20:01:00.001-07:00

Last week I bought Sesame Streets 25th Birthday: A Musical Celebration at a children's resale shop. One hour of music. Dinner made. Dishes done.

Money well spent!

Happy Monday!

2010-04-12T07:39:00.000-07:00

New Discovery!

2010-04-08T12:05:00.000-07:00

Derek just found out you can record videos in the photo booth. He was so amazed he spent almost two hours after work making silly videos. This was Chad's favorite.

More Prayer

2010-04-04T19:56:00.000-07:00

Over the last week or so Brody has started to be more aware when we are praying. He folds his arms for at least a portion of the prayer and will fold his arms when asked. Today while watching General Conference he would fold his arms whenever a song ended and even a few times during talks. After celebrating Easter at Grandma's we came home and popped in Brody's new Curious George movie. After watching for some time he turned, looked and me, smiled and folded his arms. I said a little prayer with him and when I was done he looked and me, then giggled and said more.

We're there...

2010-03-31T10:20:00.000-07:00

The place where you're 18-month-old doesn't have the words to tell you what he wants so he throws himself on the floor in protest. This time he was in front of a mirror which made things twice as interesting.

30 Reasons I Love Justin

2010-03-07T08:19:00.000-08:00

Derek and I weren't able to make it to Justin's big 30th birthday bash so I thought I'd post a little something in honor of my brother. I also created a playlist of songs that remind me of all the good times we all had growing up together. So turn up the sound and enjoy!

1. Justin literally saved my life. I jumped into a pool when I was too young to swim and he jumped in to pull me out.

2. Growing up, I thought he was the coolest thing that walked the planet.

3. He is cunning and sly. He convinced me raking the grass was cool to get me to do his chores.

4. He introduced me to reggae music.

5. He has a great sense of fashion.

6. Going shopping with him and Lyric always meant you'd get an honest opinion.

7. His creativity.

8. When he drove to San Fran to see Becky he called me every hour to tell me where he was and how many miles he had to go.

9. He's always good for a laugh.

10. Teaching Lyric and I how to really toilet paper a house.

11. Playing catch.

12. I sent him a snowboarding magazine on his mission and he tore out pages and sent them back with spiritual thoughts.

13. Derek's favorite- When Justin says "Good Night!"

14. Late night talks

15. I had my own room when I came to stay with him and Becky.

16. Introducing me to good books

17. Ho-hos and Sparkling cider after work

18. Teaching me to play football

19. His positive attitude

20. Trips to Walmart at midnight

21. Inviting me to stay with him while he lived in Boise.

22. Taking me to the donut shop at 2 am to get fresh donuts.

23. Teaching me to snowboard.

24. Getting me my first snowboard.

25. Java hot chocolate and kitchen-sink cookies

26. Night boarding

27. Going to the Kenny Chesney concert with me and my friends.

28. Buying me my first Fossil watch for high school graduation with a letter about how now it was "my time"

29. Taking Derek and I to our first hockey game.

30. I still think he's the coolest thing to have ever walked the planet!

Happy Birthday Justin!!

Latest Project

2010-03-03T10:50:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago I saw this necklace at AE and thought it was cute. Being the frugalista that I am, I didn't want to pay their price for it so I decided I would just make one. It turned out to be a little more complicated than I thought. But once I got it figured out it was just a matter of stringing beads and ribbon. Theirs only comes in navy blue and I didn't have anything that would match that so I went with red. Here's the finished product.

Where'd It Go?

2010-02-27T20:20:00.000-08:00

Brody has said his first 3-word sentence. He said it for the first time a week or so ago while playing "cat and mouse" with dad. He said it again several times last night while looking at snow globes with Nana. His first sentence:

Where'd it go?

He likes to MOVE IT!

2010-02-19T21:47:00.000-08:00

This little boy...

2010-02-15T20:46:00.000-08:00

...is nothing like his father.

Nope.

Not at all.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-14T10:24:00.000-08:00

Little Photographer

2010-02-07T16:24:00.001-08:00

After taking several pictures of Brody all day, I left the camera on the coffee table. Brody found it, turned it on, and started taking pictures himself. They didn't turn out too bad after he learned he had to move his hand out from in front of the lens.

A Little Behind (Ok alot behind)

2010-01-18T15:49:00.000-08:00

It's the middle of January and I'm finally getting our Christmas vacation pictures up. Oh well! Better late than never, right?

We spent Christmas at Disneyland with Derek's family this year. We actually went a few weeks before to avoid the crowds though. We had a great time, the weather was nice, and the cloudy cover kept the crowds away. Brody loved the lights and bright colors.

Derek and Brody in Tarzan's Treehouse

Waiting for "It's a Small World"

The rocking motion of the boat ride put Brody to sleep.

Mater, Papa, Brody, and McQueen

Brody checking out Mickey's House

All snuggled up and ready for Santa to come.

Christmas Eve

Christmas morning.

The day after Christmas we headed to Idaho to suprise my parents. We had a great time and Brody really enjoyed spending time with his other grandparents and cousins.

Taking a ride on Gregory's new bike

Playing in the backyard with Bapa V

Drage, Grandpa, and Brody

The night of Brody's first sled ride. He didn't enjoy it much, but he loved helping Grandpa pull the sled.

Before I Forget...

2009-12-10T11:11:00.000-08:00

Pictures from Thanksgiving

Sealed

2009-12-07T08:38:00.000-08:00

A little over seven years ago Derek was baptised a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Almost five years later his parents began listening to the missionaries and decided to be baptized as well. At the time Derek and I were dating. Having been a member of the church all my life I felt very blessed to have the opportunity to sit with Derek and his parents as they listened to the discussions, asked questions, and began to develop their own testimonies of the truthfulness of the doctrines and principles being taught. A few short months after Derek and I were married, we had the amazing opportunity to again listen to the missionaries with his brother, Chad, and attend his baptism.
On Saturday, I was again blessed to witness the sealing of Jim and Teresa as eternal companions and to also see Derek sealed to his parents. I do not say say I because I was the only one touched and blessed by this experience. I know all who were in attendance were uplifted and edified. But I feel especially blessed and grateful to have been able to be a part of this wonderful experience and journey. As I sat in the temple and pondered the significance of what was taking place I was overcome with gratitude. Not everyone gets the chance to see their in-laws sealed together and their spouse sealed to his parents. Several members of the church are "born in the covenant," meaning we are already sealed to our parents because they made those covenants before we were born. However, I was blessed enough to have met and fell in love with a wonderful man who joined the church as a teenager. I was blessed enough to come into his life at a time when his family opened their hearts to the Gospel. And I was blessed enough to have been welcomed into their family. As I stood in the temple with Derek, Jim, Teresa, her brother, and his wife, I was filled with love. Love for my family. Love for God. Love for the Gospel. Because of this experience my understand of eternity has been deepened. My understanding and testimony of gospel ordinances and covenants (especially sealings) has increased. My relationship with my husband has been enriched. And my relationship with my mother and father-in-law has also been enriched. I will forever cherish the opportunity I had to witness this glorious event. I am so grateful for my in-laws. They have welcomed me into their family and loved me like their own daughter. I am so grateful for this time I've had to live so close to them and build such wonderful relationships with them. I am also grateful to my Heavenly Father for placing me in their lives and allowing me to have these opportunities to learn and grow. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn to love another family as much as I love my own. I am grateful for the Gospel. For repentance and baptism. For sealing ordinances. And most especially for my Savior, Jesus Christ, who has made it all possible. I look forward to the day when we can all enter the temple again as a family and have Chad sealed to us as well.

Rachel, Chad, Jim, Brody, Teresa, Derek, Ariane

The story of the century

2009-11-07T15:38:00.000-08:00

I recently did a project for my English methods class. We were required to write a personal narrative and then create a photostory using that narrative. I decided to recapture the story of Brody's birth. I hope you enjoy watching it as much as I enjoyed making it. -Derek

Just Your Average Comic Book Heroes

2009-11-02T21:33:00.001-08:00

For Halloween we thought it would be fun to dress Brody up as Calvin and have Derek dress as Hobbes from the infamous comic book. Brody looked great, and while Derek did too, he looked more like Tigger than Hobbes. Regardless, we all had a good time.

Getting ready to go!

Brody wanted to carry his own bag until it got too heavy

Tired after a long night

Uh oh! What are Calvin and Hobbes up to now?

One Step, Two Steps, Three or Four More!

2009-10-26T10:47:00.000-07:00

Brody is walking! He's been taking a few independent steps from one object to another for about a week now. But last night he decided he could do this walking thing.

What this means for mom: Keeping all doors shut at all times, more locks and supervision, and start running so I can catch up.

Fall Flashbacks

2009-10-02T11:46:00.000-07:00

It's finally Fall in Las Vegas, and this cooler weather and autumn feel has brought floods of memories to mind. I found myself craving a turkey pastrami sandwich with chocolate milk today. I know it sounds odd, but at about this time last year I was getting up every morning, getting ready, packing a lunch, and running out the door. I would then drive across town to Sunrise Children's Hospital, take the elevator to the second floor, go check on my baby, and then go pump and eat my lunch (which sometimes consisted of a turkey pastrami sandwich and a chocolate milk). I can hardly believe it was just a year ago. I look at my son now and think of how much he has grown. He is getting so big (to us). He is crawling and walking with help. He signs please. He definately knows what he wants and how to get his way. And he still makes me laugh and makes my heart melt.
While cleaning out some files on my computer I came across this post I was working on last year. I thought I would share it.

Lessons from the NICU
What having a son in the NICU has taught me about parenthood…

- As Derek puts it, “Our son is not Superman.” He’s not going to get bigger, stronger, and healthier overnight. And sometimes he might regress. As he continues to grow and get older, this will not change. He will stumble and fall. My job, as the mother, is to encourage him to get back up and try again, to love him and comfort him, and to stand by him no matter how long it takes.

- SACRIFICE. Pumping in the middle of the night for a baby across town. Need I say more?

- Brody will do it on his own time in his own way. He is stubborn. The nurses but him on his back and he rolls over to his stomach. The nurses put in a tube to feed him through the nose, he pulls it out. He eats only as much as he wants. No amount of coaxing by his pleading parents gets him to finish a bottle if he is satisfied. Brody is STUBBORN, but he is a fighter! He will eat. He will grow. He will eventually come home. But it will be on his own time. When he decides to.

Primarily for Grownups, Not just for Grownups anymore!

2009-09-30T10:56:00.000-07:00

2009-09-25T11:18:00.000-07:00

Brody loves to be outside, so I take him for walks before his naps. (He loves it, and it helps wear him out!) Today he discovered the fire hydrant. He walked up to it, stared at it, then walked away. He only went a few feet before he turned around and walked back. Then he finally got up the nerve to touch it. He continued to turn, walk a few feet away, and go back and touch it for about ten minutes. I tried to get him to walk around with me and check out the neighborhood, but if we got too far away he would just try to sit down and crawl away from me. I gave in. We spent our walk time hanging out by the fire hydrant.

Par-tay!

2009-09-15T15:00:00.000-07:00

Brody's first birthday party was a blast. We ate, played, enjoyed talking to friends and family, and had a great time. Here are some pictures from the big day.

Brody meets Elmo.

Brody keeping his eye on Elmo.

Limbo!

The Bounce house

Brody and his fire engine

Then and Now, Part 2

2009-09-09T15:33:00.000-07:00

Can you believe this little boy...

...is 1 year old today?

Then and Now

2009-09-06T19:48:00.000-07:00

Last Labor Day weekend I went shopping with a good friend, got sick, and ended up in the ER late at night with stomach cramps (which I found out later were actually contractions). I was put on bedrest and a week later Brody was born. So far this Labor Day weekend has been more relaxing.

Hope you are enjoying the long weekend as much as we are!!

Sunday Dinner

2009-08-23T20:18:00.000-07:00

Grandpa Riddle made his special family recipe spagetti for dinner.

Brody loved it.

Even with sauce on his face he can pull off a GQ look.

Vacation

2009-08-19T09:38:00.000-07:00

It was so nice to get out of the city, slow down, and cool off. Idaho was great. The weather was beautiful. And we really enjoyed spending time with family. Brody loved having a yard to play in. He wanted to be outside all the time. He also enjoyed his cousins this time too. He didn't cry when Gregory touched him!! Yay! In fact, he actually would smile and interact with him. Here are the few pictures I took of our trip.

Busy Boy

2009-08-02T14:35:00.000-07:00

It's been a month since our last post. So what did Brody do during the month of July? He...

went to his first parade,

played with his mom and dad,

practiced good hygiene,

pouted,

snoozed,

had surgery,

and reorganized dad's drawer.

2009-06-30T19:31:00.000-07:00

BRODY THE WORLD CLASS KEEPER

Chad and I were training Brody to not only get excited for the upcoming world cup next summer, but to also begin his preperations to follow in his Dad's footsteps by becoming a soccer player. Come to find out Brody is a natural GOALKEEPER. Who would have thought. Here is our training session with Brody. Maybe Tim Howard (the U.S. keeper) could learn a thing or two from our amazing little keeper

Cause and Effect

2009-06-30T13:16:00.000-07:00

Cause: Derek's car window needs a regulator and motor.
Effect: I've been without a car for a few days.

Cause: No car for a few days.
Effect: No where to go. More time to blog.

Cause: Three digit temperatures
Effect: Trips to the pool and more playtime inside

Cause: A sneeze
Effect: A new bump on the back of Brody's head (sneezes can really throw off your equillibrium)

Cause: Brody's growing independence. (He prefers feeding himself if mom will let him.)
Effect: Messy hands, face, clothes, table, floor, etc.

Cause:Brody is crawling!! Effect: I'll be doing more babyproofing this week.

Breakfast

2009-06-12T12:00:00.000-07:00

Brody and I shared some yogurt for breakfast. Here are some pictures of Brody enjoying the spoon afterwards.

Prepare for TakeOff

2009-06-10T17:13:00.000-07:00

Brody loves making people laugh and it gets him going too. It is so fun! I love the personality he has developed.

Cousins

2009-05-28T11:29:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures we got a couple weeks ago when Lyric, Scott, and Gregory stopped by for a short visit.

Date Night and The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever!

2009-05-24T21:58:00.000-07:00

On Friday night Derek took me to the temple for a date. We left the house at about 5:00 pm and were hungry when we got to the temple so we ate first. I love the food at the temple. Mmmm! And best of all, I love the chocolate chip cookies. For $.65 you get a huge cookie. I love to eat half and slip the other half in my bag to eat on the way home. I consider it my "sweet" reward for serving.

Caught in the Act

2009-05-16T16:35:00.000-07:00

The other day I set Brody on a blanket to play while I did some prep for dinner. After chopping for a little bit I thought I should check on Brody. This is what I saw...

wipes...

and more wipes!

We did it!

2009-04-25T14:36:00.000-07:00

Derek, Brody, and I finished the March for Babies today! But of course I forgot my camera this morning since we left at 6:30 am. So the only picture we have to prove it is this one of me and Brody sporting our "I did it!" stickers. We had a good time and plan to start our own team next year. TEAM BRODY!

Dad and Brody's Playtime

2009-04-13T18:52:00.000-07:00

I always cherish coming home from work or school and getting the opprotunity to play with my son. We thought we would include you in on how much fun we have. Enjoy!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T20:37:00.001-07:00

Warning: This post contains too many pictures.

Good thing they don't put a size limit on posts. I would have exceeded it. What can I say, I'm a mother with an adorable little boy! The first handful of pictures are from Friday. The rest are from Easter Sunday.

Brody notices the camera.

"Gimme, Gimme, Gimme!"

Easter Photo Shoot

Take 1

Easter Photo Shoot

Take 2

Brody has a little bedhead.

Happy Easter!!

Our Weekend

2009-03-29T15:12:00.000-07:00

Making baby shower gifts

Cupcakes almost too cute to eat
(these pictures are for you Becky)

Sunday snoozing

A New (to us) Rainforest Jumperoo

And more rest on the day of rest

Saving Some for Later

2009-03-27T13:14:00.000-07:00

Brody is eating solids. On his list of foods he's tried so far is rice cereal, carrots, and peas which you see all over his face in these pictures.

Good Morning Sunshine

2009-03-12T12:34:00.000-07:00

Yawn

Stretch

Check to see if my tongue is still there.

Notice that I am hungry and start to fuss.

After breakfast... show mom that I can still roll my tongue

6 Months!

2009-03-10T20:29:00.000-07:00

Look What I can do at 6 months!

Roll over (from tummy to back)
Grab my toys
Grab dad's glasses when he's not paying attention
Eat rice cereal
Stick my tongue out
Roll my tongue like a taco (Mom taught me that)
Grunt
Squeal
Yell
Laugh
Smile
Touch my toes
Kick and splash in the bath
Sit up with support
Wake up at 3 to watch Ellen (No matter what time my mom puts me down or how tired I am)

Say What?

2009-03-07T11:17:00.000-08:00

Brody has become fascinated with watching us talk. He observes the way our mouths move to make words. Now instead of cooing he yells. And his tongue wiggles and bends into several shapes and positions to form these new "words". He even looks right at his toys when we are not around and talks to them just like we talk to him. It is so adorable.

Sorry the video is so dark. The lighting in our room is not very good.

Anxiously Awaiting

2009-02-27T10:58:00.000-08:00

I got a text at 6 am from Marc that said they are having a baby today. We are so excited to welcome our newest nephew/cousin to the Vipperman family! We are praying all goes well today for Marc, Ashlee, and little Dradge.

Rebel or Coug?

2009-02-22T16:32:00.000-08:00

COUG!!

So Friday morning I decided to see if Brody's UNLV t-shirt finally fit. Yes, I strategically planned to try it on him Friday so that if it did fit it would be dirty on Saturday, the day of the big game. (I know, I'm evil. Mwahahaa!... or just loyal to my good ol' cougars) When I tried to put the shirt on him he grunted and screamed. He was not happy to have to wear his rebel gear. But Saturday morning, when we dressed him in his BYU onesie he was all smiles. So what does this prove you ask? Can someone so little already have a favorite team? Yes! And Brody's blood runs true blue, through and through.

2009-02-06T11:33:00.000-08:00

This is what happens when you're a milk cow and you have a baby in NICU.

I finally cleaned out the freezer today. My finger tips are ice cold, and I'm still not done defrosting all the bags so I can pour them down the sink. My in-laws will be thrilled though!

Brody's Blessing Day and No Strings Attached!

2009-02-04T11:46:00.000-08:00

We finally blessed Broderick Kenneth Riddle on February 1st, 2009. We were nervous that he might be awake when we blessed him and he would cry or arch his back, which would make it hard for Derek to hold him. But our wonderful little boy came through for us again. He fell asleep just before sacrament meeting started and slept through the whole thing. We couldn't ask for a better son.
My family came down for the blessing as well. It was so fun to see them all again. Brody and Gregory are good friends already. It will be so much fun to watch them grow up together. We really missed Justin, Becky, and Audrey though.

On another good note, Brody and I made another trip to the Lung Specialist this morning. The doctor said he would send a prescription to discharge the apnea monitor. At 11:45 am a van arrived and took that little box away. WOO HOO!! Now the song on the top of the playlist is a tribute to Brody. He's getting so big and doing so well and now HE'S GOT NO STRINGS to prove it.

How many fingers can you fit in your mouth?

2009-01-19T10:59:00.000-08:00

Two?

Five?

Ten?

Pay It Forward

2009-01-16T21:07:00.000-08:00

I was the second comment on my friend, Rebecca's, blog. So now it's my turn to pay it forward.Read closely...this is how it works...

{The Rules}

1. Be one of the first THREE bloggers to leave a comment on this post, which then entitles you to a handmade item from me - something crafty or yummy, who knows?!

2. Winners must post this challenge on your blog, meaning that you will Pay It Forward, creating a handmade gift -anything!- for the first THREE bloggers who leave a comment on YOUR post about this giveaway!

3. The gift that you send to your Three Friends can be from any price range and you have 365 days to make/ship your item. This means you should be willing to maintain your blog at least until you receive your gift and have shipped your gifts. And, remember: It’s the Spirit and the Thought That Count!

4. When you receive your gift, please feel free to blog about it, sharing appropriate Linky Love!

If you are not one of the Top Three Commenters on this post, you can still play along. Go ahead and start your own Pay It Forward chain, and encourage your blogging friends to do the same!SO, REMEMBER... it is good... :) Pay it forward.

2009-01-16T15:26:00.000-08:00

Brody is talking. He coos and babbles at whoever will talk to him. It is so cute. But he almost always talks with his hands in his mouth like he is doing in this video.

Brody's First Sunday at Church

2009-01-13T15:42:00.000-08:00

On Sunday we took Brody to church for the first time. We decided that he is finally ready. He is getting so big and strong. And now that we only have to have the monitor on when he is not being watched, we figured we could leave it at home. He was such a good boy at church. He slept through sacrament meeting and half of sunday school. Then he wanted to kick and play through Relief Society. I was a little uncomfortable. I've never had a baby at church before and mine was the only one in R.S. so I cringed at every coo. He probably wasn't loud at all; I was just nervous. It is definately going to take some getting used to for me. But I loved being at church. I loved sitting with my husband and my little boy.

What Team? WILDCATS!!

2009-01-08T14:57:00.000-08:00

And Opening for High School Musical Tour on Ice...

K.O. Knudson Middle School

Derek's big break took place last night at the New Orleans Ice Arena. But it wasn't quite what they had planned. Derek and Megan put together a big production of singing and dancing with 35 students. When we arrived at the arena, they found out that they were only supposed to be singing so the stage they had to work with was only about 5' by 5'. After surveying the area and a run through during sound checks, they decided that half of the cast could still dance along the perimeter of the arena while the other half sang on the stage. This meant that they could only do some of the basic steps they had learned. Derek, Megan, and the students were disappointed that they couldn't perform the numbers they had worked so hard on, but they went out and did a great job anyway.

The best part of the whole night... while they were performing at sound checks Chucky Klapow, the choreographer of all three High School Musical movies, was watching. He was so impressed he asked to meet the school's choreographer. He told Derek that he got chills watching the students dance. After sound checks Chucky even came and talked to the students to boost their morale. It really helped get them pumped up after the disappointing news. But best of all, it made my husband's night! So maybe he didn't get the big break he was hoping for. (He hoped he'd get noticed and be offered a part as one of the Volturi in the upcoming Twilight movie.) But he did get a compliment from one of his idols.

Monitor Anyone?

2009-01-06T15:42:00.000-08:00

Free. Used Apnea Monitor. Slight damage from aerodynamics testing. Must get rid of it before mother goes out of her mind.

Wanted: Window to replace the one in bedroom broken due to projectile object.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T12:35:00.000-08:00

Dad's New Year Resolution: Spend more time with Brody...

Christmas Vacation

2008-12-30T20:16:00.000-08:00

We are back in Las Vegas after a week of fun in Idaho and Utah. We all had a great time. Brody slept through the night the whole time so you'd think his mom would be well rested, but since she was with her brothers and sisters she was up late. Maybe that's why she forgot to take lots of pictures. Whatever the reason, here are a couple of the pictures I did take. Enjoy!Brody with Grandma Vip on Christmas Morning

Brody and G-Dub

Let It Snow!

2008-12-17T19:04:00.000-08:00

Well at least until Thursday afternoon. Then the sun can come out and clear our path to Idaho.

Yes that is snow in Las Vegas. Santa brought me an early Christmas present. A little piece of home.

Brody's bundled up and ready to brave the cold! Idaho, Here we come!!

2008-12-12T19:43:00.000-08:00

My mom mentioned awhile ago that we do a good job of hiding Brody's wires in the pictures we take. We have never intentionally hidden the wires in the pictures though, and they are there in several if you look closely. So here are a few pictures we have used in previous posts.

2008-12-11T17:00:00.000-08:00

The Results Are In

2008-12-11T16:43:00.000-08:00

We went to the pulmonologist yesterday to find out the results of Brody's sleep test. Turns out all those electrodes found he's perfectly normal. Well, at least his breathing, heart rate, and brain activity. So why, you ask, does his monitor continue to alarm? Why is it that his parents still see his chest rising and falling? Well the doctor had no explanation. So my son is tied to a little box for yet another month.

We go out walking...

2008-12-05T21:22:00.000-08:00

What I would have posted Nov. 19, 2008...

2008-12-01T20:08:00.000-08:00

Life is busy with a little one in the house. I have found that I just don't get everything done that I had in mind between the feeding times. So Lyric gave me this idea so I could still post the blog I had in mind for this day even though it's a little out of date. So here goes.

10 weeks and 5 lbs. Later

Brody is 10 weeks old now, and today at his pediatrician appointment he weighed in at 8 lbs. 7 oz. Exactly 5 pounds bigger than his birth weight! We are so pleased with how well he is growing. Somedays I wake up and I swear it looks like he just plumped up overnight. He has started to track objects with his eyes and even smile now too. Though I've yet to catch him in the act. I think he knows what I'm trying to do when I pull the camera out because he immediately stops smiling. Oh well, I'll just keep tryng.

In the mean time, here are some pictures of our little Broderick.

Good Advice Taken

2008-11-19T19:24:00.000-08:00

I've received several words of wisdom and little pieces of advice since my little guy was born. But the best piece of advice I have received came from Christine. In a conversation a couple of weeks ago she told me to cherish every moment. Then she told me about an experience she had recently and how it might have been the last time any of her children will wake her up in the middle of the night for a bad dream and how much she will miss those days. So I've been thinking lately about how I can really cherish every moment with Brody now. Well the other morning Brody was starting to get fussy as a result of his reflux. He really has a hard time getting comfortable sleeping on his back these days. He had been sleeping off and on for about an hour and now he was starting to whimper and cry. I picked him up to cuddle him and help him get comfortable again. As he fell asleep in my arms I had the option to lay him back in his crib so I could do somethings around the house or just hold him for awhile so he could really rest. With Christine's advice ringing in my ears, I sat down on the bed and snuggled with my little boy. It didn't take long for him to fall into a deep, peaceful sleep wrapped in his mother's love, and he slept for about two hours. While I sat there staring at my little boy I couldn't help but think of what a blessing it is to stay home with him. How lucky I am to be able to take of my son every minute of the day. I thought of the many times my mom took care of me over the years. (Thanks Mom!) How I loved having Vicks rubbed on my chest when I had a cold or sore throat, and I wondered if Brody would like the smell of Vicks. I dreamt about all the times I would get to tend to my sick little boy over the next several years. And I couldn't help but think of how someday my son would be miles and miles away serving a mission, or away at college, or even married with his own children and how I wouldn't be able to take care of him then. And I was so glad that at that moment I had nothing more pressing than sitting on the bed with my little baby and letting him know that his mother cared. And I cherished every minute of it!

Welcome to the Family, Brody!

2008-11-19T19:05:00.000-08:00

Brody's official welcome to the family came on Monday. Last week the pulmonologist mentioned that reflux might be the cause of Brody's apnea. So Derek and I researched the signs of reflux in infants. It turns out that we could check yes on most of the symptoms. So we called the doctor back on Monday, told him what we had observed, and he wrote out a prescription. My baby is now taking a generic form of Zantac 4 times a day. I really like what Susan, one of our favorite nurses from the NICU said when we told her. "They outgrow that in time, grow up and develop it as an adult over worries." Sound familiar to anyone? Luckily Brody will grow out of his reflux by two years old. As for the rest of us... we'll be poppin' pills for the rest of our lives.

Super Brody

2008-11-14T22:23:00.000-08:00

We have been continually amazed at how strong Brody's neck is. He lifts his neck up when he is laying on his stomach and when we hold him vertically he looks like a little turtle who is poking his head out of his shell and looks over our shoulder at this new world he is excited to discover. We tried to capture this little miracle as best as we could! Enjoy! Stay tuned for when he will be able to hold his own head up. (If he keeps this up we see it happening pretty soon.)

We need to get Mom and Brody back to church

2008-11-14T22:19:00.000-08:00

Brody looks like he is switching religions in this picture (what are Mom and Brody actually doing while I'm at work) :) Actually the real story is that he pooped all over his back and dad needed to change him an give him a bath. Ari came and wrapped him up and we laughed afterwards at this sight!

Veteran's Day Weekend

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

Well, I was happy for this past weekend. School was cancelled on Tuesday for Veteran's Day and the school district decided to give us monday as well for a holiday, so needless to say...I HAD A GREAT FOUR DAY WEEKEND. I was able to spend a whole four days at home with my wife and son. Now your probably wondering what did we do with all the time together? Well I will let Brody show you exactly how we spent our long weekend...

Why it is so hard to be a Dad

2008-11-05T21:13:00.001-08:00

This is Dad's first post to our family blog and it is dedicated to all those working fathers who can relate to this story. I was getting ready for work this morning and Ari was snuggled up sleeping in bed. Brody began to get a bit fussy so I went in and picked him up while I was waiting for my clothes to get out of the dryer. After a while, I noticed that I needed to put the petal to the metal if I wanted to make it to work on time so I told Ari to come and take him so I could finish getting ready. She simply said, "Put him in bed with me." I finished getting ready and was going to kiss my wife and son good-bye and head off for work when I beheld the scene that you all see in the picture. So there it is... Mom and Son all snuggled up, peacefully sleeping, and enjoying thier morning together while Dad has to drag himself off to a drudgery day at work. It is tough being the Dad sometimes but scenes like this makes work have a much better purpose.

If Walls Could Talk

2008-11-03T15:51:00.000-08:00

After his bath and some milk, I put my boy in his crib for a nap. Then I go out to wash his bottles and eat some breakfast. Over the monitor I often hear soft babbles. When I go to check on Broderick, he is wide awake and talking to the wall.

TWINS!

2008-10-30T19:24:00.000-07:00

No one noticed until Grandpa Riddle picked Broderick up to cuddle on the couch that the two were matching. Red shirts. Black shorts.

Adventures in Motherhood... Part 1

2008-10-30T18:36:00.000-07:00

Tuesday was a long day with a trip to the doctor to follow-up on the Apnea Monitor. I got home at 6 pm just as Teresa was headed to her Young Womens activity. Derek was still in class, and Jim and Chad were at baseball practice. I got Brody settled in his cradle and started on dinner since I knew Derek would be home in about an hour and we both would be starving. As soon as I got started I heard a whimper from the craddle. That whimper soon turned to a cry and then to constant screaming. I picked the poor little guy up and tried to calm him. He settled down in my arms but I knew I had to finish dinner. I tried setting him in the swing but it was obvious after a few seconds that it was not going to work. I was starting to get hungry, the water on the stove was starting to boil, I was exhausted and dissappointed from the trip to the doctor, and now my baby was crying. I knew he would only be happy in someone's arms and since I was home alone that someone would have to be me. Just before resigning myself to the couch with my baby boy in my arms until Derek came home, I remembered the cute sling I received as a gift. I have been waiting for Brody to be 7 lbs. so I could use the sling. He weighed in at 6'11" earlier that day and I was desperate so I figured that was close enough. I threw the sling on, plopped my baby inside, and continued to make dinner with one hand. Luckily, I can set the monitor on the island and the cord will reach all around the kitchen. By the time Derek got home, Brody was asleep and dinner was only a few minutes away from being done. Whew! I'm sure many a mother has a story that relates to mine. I'm not alone in these adventures, but I thought it would be fun to share a few of my own experiences as a new mommy. All in a day's work!

Mystery

2008-10-28T10:26:00.000-07:00

The Case of the Missing Sock...

Stay tuned for....

The Case of the Missing Foot!

Pajama Day

2008-10-25T14:06:00.000-07:00

Brody's Second Saturday at home...

Dad arrives home at 2:00 pm to find his wife and son still in their pajamas listening to the BYU game. GO COUGS!

For Derek

2008-10-25T13:11:00.000-07:00

It's official...

HSM3: Senior Year

Now Playing...

I meant to post this yesterday, but, well, I'm a new at this mommy stuff.

Little Man, Big Day

2008-10-19T20:07:00.000-07:00

Brody's first Saturday at home.

Sleep

Watch football with Grandpa

Sleep

Sack out with Dad on the couch

Sleep

Cuddle with mom

Bedtime!