Marshall Way

Hello Again

2012-01-21T09:40:00.011-07:00

I blame my inactive blog on my new phone since it's now so convenient to post anything on Facebook... anytime, any place. I've missed blogging and I've been wanting to get back into it, but I've been dreading trying to catch up on EVERYTHING that has happened since my mom's birthday, So, instead I will make a little picture timeline that for the most part can explain themselves.

Halloween

Thanksgiving

Christmas Eve in the snow with Mom

Christmas day with the Marshalls

Bangs

Mr. Cool, now in preschool

Our little athlete

Now 21 weeks pregnant with boy #3

Happy Birthday Mama

2011-10-18T22:06:00.002-07:00

You are beautiful, Mom. I love you.

Clementine turns 1

2011-10-02T20:08:00.001-07:00

Our Clementina, we love you so very much. During your first year of life, you’ve shown us how smart, loving, and beautiful you are. You are our precious niece and the boys’ best cousin. Thank you for bringing happiness and love into our family. Uncle Mike and Tia Bink love you more than you will ever know. We look forward to spending much more time with you and watching you grow into the beautiful young lady we know you will become.

Under the sea with Levi & Clementine

2011-10-02T20:03:00.001-07:00

Soin and I had a party for the babies to celebrate their first year. The theme was “Under the sea.” It was a blast. Thank you to our family and friends who joined us and made their day very special.

The Boys’ Family B-day Party

2011-09-09T23:29:00.001-07:00

The Food.

The cake.

Gaga & Buff.

Aunt Liz & Emminome.

Aunt Maxine & Alejandro.

The Grandmothers.

Aunt Liz, Aunt Maxine, & Birthday Boy #2.

The Daddy, Birthday Boy #1, & the New Grill.

Buff, Pops, & Clementina.

The Presents.

Elder Marshall. (The Uncle)

The Barely-Walking Birthday Boy #2

The Birthday Boys.

The Cousins.

The Happy Aunt Liz.

Aunt Liz & Pedrito.

The Mommy and Her Boy.

Pops, Elder Marshall, Jason, & The Daddy.

Birthday Boy #1.

Gaga and Clementina.

Tri-Tip

2011-09-09T22:34:00.002-07:00

I wanted to try out the new blogger app so I thought I'd share something yummy really quick. --- (update: I don’t like how it posts pictures. I had to get on my computer and fix it.)
Ralph's was having a great sale on tri-tip so I figured, "why not give it a shot?" I went to my favorite recipe website and found one that seemed yummy. Well it turned out so delicious! The meat was tender and juicy and so flavorful. Michael was in heaven. Soin was also here and she loved it too.
If you're like me and are afraid of cooking meat, give this one a shot. I cooked it on the grill for 3 mins on each side uncovered. It was a little red inside, but I went with my gut and took it off.
Here's the link to the recipe:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/easy-grilled-tri-tip/detail.aspx

Our New Home

2011-09-04T17:56:00.002-07:00

Back in the Spring of this year, we made an offer on a beautiful house in Escondido. We really wanted this house. It had a perfect layout and had the perfect backyard. It was also 30 years old and at the very top of our price range. It contained asbestos in the ceilings, needed to be tented, needed new carpet, paint, and some appliances. We were willing to sacrifice. We prayed and asked Heavenly Father to help us make the big decision. We didn’t feel very good about it at first, but still really loved the idea of owning our own home.

After getting the final inspections and working with a not-so-friendly bank, our offer was accepted and we very close to signing the final papers. Mike went to visit the house with our realtor on his lunch break and found an unhappy surprise. The foundation of the house was completely split in half. Papers were cancelled and we were back to square one.

We discovered that house hunting is a very emotional roller coaster ride. We took a month or two off. We resorted to Mike going with our realtor to preview the houses first and if he found something he thought we both would like, the boys and I would drive out to take a look.

One day Michael called me and said, “Babe, you have to come look at this house.” I loved it. It was much newer than the last, had new carpet, all appliances (in great condition), paint and no popcorn ceilings, and not to mention was $30,000 less. It seemed to good to be true. We made an offer and it was accepted.

Again, we prayed. We felt good. The process went smoothly and we’re here. Yes. We bought it and we’re here, enjoying our life together in our very own home.

Here are some pictures from before we moved in (sorry about the quality). It’s 1,140 square feet. 3 bedrooms. 2 bathrooms. 2 car garage. Perfect.

Here’s the cherry on top… it was appraised for $10,000 less than what we offered, which means we ended up saving $10,000 more.

Happy Birthday, My Sweet Maximilian!

2011-09-03T23:30:00.004-07:00

My baby, three whole years have flown by. Your little brother is walking now and I often remember these same sweet moments I had with you as I watch him. My emotions get the best of me when I think of how quickly you’ve grown and continue to grow. What an amazing big boy you are becoming. You are so incredibly sweet, loving, and happy. Daddy and I love your sweet little prayers, high energy, negotiation skills, and photographic memory! I love how you will out of the blue, give me besitos and huggies and say, “I love you.” We love how much you love your little brother. Thank you for being you and for another year of fun, laughter, and happiness.

Here are a few awesome things you said during your third year of life:

“I wanna go in a big, big, huge airplane, Mommy. And I wanna live in the sky!” 4/11

“Mommy, are we going to Taco Bell? Or are we going to Burrito Bell?” 6/11

Max: "Mommy, I want a scooter like the boy at the park."

Mommy: "Okay baby, maybe Santa will bring you one if you're a good boy."

Max: "For Christmas Mommy?"

Mommy: "Yes, for Christmas."

Max: "Candy canes are spicy, Mommy."

Mommy: "Yes, they are kinda spicy aren't they?"

Max: "Heavenly Father doesn't like them."

Mommy: "Heavenly Father doesn't like what?"

Max: "Candy canes."

Mommy: "Why not?"

Max: "Because they have too much sugar." 6/11

"You're the best girl in the whole wide world." 8/11

“Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for this day. Thank you for this food. Thank you for this fork. Thank you for daddy’s knee getting all better. Thank you for our new house. This I pray, Amen.” 8/11

Happy Birthday, Little Leviticus

2011-08-29T23:46:00.001-07:00

Levi, today you are 1 year old and I just want you to know that you have brought Mommy, Daddy, and Max so much joy and happiness. I have to admit that when I was pregnant, sometimes I would wonder how I could ever possibly love another child like I love your brother. After you were born, and when I first held you in my arms, I felt that love all over again. I feel like my heart has grown to make room for all of the love that I have for you. You are my little angel, Levi and I love you.

We all love everything about you, including your sweet smile, your button nose, your big appetite, your chunky thighs and double chin, your contagious laugh and your admiration for your big brother. Thank you for all the joy you bring to us each day. Happy first birthday, My Son.

Mike’s 10 Year High School Reunion

2011-07-01T17:30:00.001-07:00

It makes me feel like I’m getting old to think that we are at this stage in our lives already. It’s been ten years since Mike has graduated high school and he has accomplished so much. A few days ago I asked him if he was nervous. His response was, “No, I think I’ve had some pretty good accomplishments in the past ten years so I won’t feel like a loser.”

Let’s see, right after high school Michael served a two year mission in Argentina. He came back and got married and two years later, became a father. He then received his Bachelor’s of Science in Business Management as well as put his wife through school to receive her degree. Shortly after that, he became a father to a second son and then was able to land a job in back to California. Now, seven months later, he will be buying a beautiful home for his family.

All I can say is, wow. You are amazing, Michael. Thank you for all that you have done for our family. You really have accomplished so much the first ten years of your adult life. I’m proud to say that you are my husband. I love you.

The reunion was a ton of fun! It was a blast getting all dressing up like high school days. I was able to go shopping in my mom’s closet for my outfit. She actually picked it out for me. I fell in love with the shoes and that is why there are pictures of them posted below. I spent the past six months getting ready for this night… in other words, I’ve been working hard to lose ten pounds. Maybe it was just an excuse or a reason for me to get that last bit of baby weight off. So, I set a goal and made it! I attribute it to using the myfitnesspal app. If you’re wanting to drop a few, check it out. I definitely recommend it.

Anyway, Mike had to roll into the reunion sporting his cane which was pretty funny. Some people weren’t sure if he was really using it or if it was a part of his outfit. He looked hot! The reunion was held at the House of Blues in San Diego. Mike had a blast catching up with old friends and reminiscing. It was a great night. Three more years until my reunion!

Max the Musician & Levi the Inchworm

2011-06-06T20:01:00.001-07:00

My Maximilian loves to watch Naomi, Jimmy, and Maxine play the piano. As you can see, he has learned how to read music and even sing along.

Levi is officially mobile. Even though he looks like an “inchworm” as Michael says, he can always get where he wants to go.

Pobrecito

2011-06-05T02:22:00.001-07:00

Mike might have a torn ACL. My tough guy took an extremely painful (fluke) hit in the knee playing flag football and has been home for the past four days trying to recover. It seems to be getting better a teeny-tiny bit each day, but is still nowhere near back to normal.

As of right now Michael and I only have preventative care insurance so, needless to say, a fifteen thousand dollar surgery for a torn ACL would have to come out of pocket. We are praying that it’s not that serious. Perhaps a severe sprain? We would like to hold onto the down payment for our future home that we have been saving for the past 6 months.

However, I want more for my wonderful husband not to be in so much pain anymore and to have his leg back to normal. So, we will keep praying as well as figure out a way to get full medical coverage for us to prevent this from happening again.

One-on-One

2011-06-05T02:00:00.001-07:00

I think it’s really important that Mike and I have our time together alone. With him working full time, and me taking care of the boys, we hardly get to focus on each other. Sometimes I forget how we got where we are now. It all started with us…

Michael and Bianca. We fell in love with each other and with that love, brought our two beautiful boys into this world. We need time together to fall in love over and over again. So, we have date nights. It works and I love it.

Looking at baby pictures of Max hurts my heart. I can not believe how quickly he’s growing up and it makes me sad. Even though I am with him 97 percent of his daily life, I feel like I’m unable to give him the undivided attention that I would like him to have. Today, just he and I walked to the park and played and then he joined me on a 3 mile run. It was perfect.

Sometimes I worry that I don’t give Levi the attention that I gave Max when he was a baby. I know that I haven’t been taking as many pictures of Levi as I did Max and I feel like I don’t have much time to just sit on the floor and play, sing, or talk to him either. Last week I was able to do a little shopping with just Levi and it was wonderful. It’s crazy how much easier it is running around with just one baby rather than two. It was nice to be able to observe, adore, interact with, and focus on my sweet little baby.

Perhaps I overanalyzing, but I really enjoy and appreciate my one-on-one time with each of my boys!

Stop Growing!

2011-05-21T00:16:00.002-07:00

My boys are growing so fast! It’s amazing to me when I look at pictures of them 6 months ago and then look at these from today. I can’t describe how much I love these boys. They are my angels.

A couple weeks ago, Max said to me,

“I wanna go in a big, big, huge airplane Mommy. And I want to live in the sky!”

and

“Levi’s Brown, Mommy. And I’m white.”

and

“I’m being a good boy listener Mommy. Now I can have a treat!”

I love the precious and innocent things that he says. I love to think about the creative and exciting things that go on in his little mind.

Levi is such a happy boy. He absolutely adores his brother and could sit and watch him all day. I love his little laugh and I love how he bounces when he gets excited.

I’m so happy and blessed to be able to be home with my boys. We love to go to story time at the library, and music time at the park. We love to go grocery shopping together and to read books before nap time. We really like to have picnics and to play at the park. Max loves to practice writing and learning about the letters of the alphabet (especially when there’s M&Ms involved).

We have been living with the Marshall family for 6 months now. I’m just going to take a few lines and brag about them a bit. I think I have the best in-laws in the world. I’m serious. Jim and Brenda are the most caring and giving people I know. I love them so much. I mean come on, what kind of people are willing to let their son and his wife and two kids live with them until they find a house? Very loving, patient, and kind people. That’s what! Then there’s Emminome (Naomi) who Max adores and follows around everywhere. She plays with him and babysits him sometimes while I go on a run or take a shower. Maxine is an amazing Aunt too. She sings and plays the piano with Max and has dance parties with him in her room. Max learns a lot when Uncle Jimmy gives him little quizzes like, “what color do blue and green make?” Uncle Jimmy also lets Max hang out with him when his friends are over. When Aunt Lizzy comes over, a lot of times she brings the boys presents, “plays toys” with Max, and changes Levi’s diaper. It’s so nice to get a break from changing a diaper ever once in a while! I just love this family and I’m so blessed to have them. They are all such wonderful examples to me in many ways.

Along with the house hunting roller coaster ride, we’ve just been trying to stay positive and keep our options open. It’s a little tough sharing one room with the boys, but we are very grateful.

We are just really excited/anxious to find a good home to call our own. We know it will happen at the right time.

Once upon a time…

2011-05-20T23:04:00.001-07:00

… there was a mother and her two daughters who lived in a little town called Mentone. This wonderful mother was in search of the perfect church for her family. She spent quite a while contemplating, visiting, and researching different churches until one day, three young men dressed in white shirts and ties knocked on their door.

“Who has the best looking tie?” Asked Elder Curtis as the mother opened the door.

“You” she said, pointing to Elder Curtis.

These young men taught many wonderful things to this family like how they can return to live with God, and how they can be with their families forever and all eternity, and that there is a prophet today who receives direct revelation from God to help guide them through life.

On August 14th, 1999, this woman and her two daughters were baptized and became members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

12 Years later, Elder Curtis, the wonderful mother, and one of her daughters reunite…

Thanks for knocking on our door, Ben. I am forever grateful.

Anderson Family,

2011-05-07T01:42:00.001-07:00

Thank you for letting us come up to be a part of the wonderful experience of blessing Ozzie. You guys are really amazing and are such a perfect match. Ozzie is so blessed to have you as parents as you are blessed to have that little angel as your son.

We can’t wait to see you guys again.

Our Day in San Francisco

2011-05-07T01:34:00.001-07:00

We spent the day downtown and walked a total of 6 miles. It was all worth is though! This is the first real family vacation we’ve had and it was so much fun.

We walked around Fisherman’s Wharf,

rode a cable car to Chinatown,

walked through the amazing San Francisco neighborhoods,

and drove across the Golden Gate Bridge.

Wow. What an amazing time we had. I am the luckiest woman alive. I love my husband and my babies so much. It’s so wonderful to have such great experiences with them.

Pleasanton

2011-05-07T00:47:00.001-07:00

After Hearst Castle and the beach, we headed up to our hotel room near JJ and Stacie. Brenda, Maxine, Jimmy, Naomi, and Alejandro (family friend) met us up there.

JJ and Stacie actually live in a town called Pleasanton which is about an hour away from San Francisco. It is such a beautiful area. They took us on a little hike which was really nice.

Max made me carry him in the sling all the way back down the hill! My back was killing me!

After the hike, we went to visit the Oakland temple. Very beautiful.

View of the Golden Gate Bridge from the Oakland temple

Next, we headed to a nearby park to let Max get all his wiggles out. We didn’t get any pictures of Max playing, but we got a couple of some flowers growing between the stone steps and a view from the top of the park.

After the park, we reunited (well Mike and the rest of the Marshalls anyway) with Aunt Barb and cousin, Justin who they haven’t seen for many years.

Aunt Barb made us AMAZING lasagna! Best lasagna we all agreed we’ve ever had.

Aunt Barb spoiled Max with an ice cream cone before he finished his dinner.

Justin and Levi playing before saying goodbye.

Thank you Aunt Barb and Justin for the great time and delicious dinner!

Hearst Castle

2011-05-07T00:20:00.001-07:00

We have good friends JJ and Stacie who live up near San Francisco. Their baby, Ozzie was blessed last weekend and we drove up to be there.

Mike made us an itinerary and thought it would be best to break up the drive. On the way up, we stopped in Santa Barbara and stayed in a nice hotel.

The next day we drive up to Hearst Castle. I have been before with my mom and my sister, but it was just as amazing seeing it again.

I wanted to jump in that pool so bad! It is so amazing. Our tour guide told us that a couple times each summer, the employees get to swim in it. If I lived closer to Hearst Castle, I would work there just to get a chance to swim in that pool!

Egyptian piece that was 20 years old during the time of Moses!

My favorite statue

The indoor pool was sooo cool!

If you ever get a chance to go to Hearst Castle, do it! It was way worth it.

After Hearst Castle, we headed down to the beach.

We found some cool caves.

Easter at Gaga’s

2011-05-06T23:45:00.001-07:00

We had some more Easter fun at Gaga’s house!

Aunt Bree and Levi

Another one of my sister’s awesome cakes (the nose was a little melted by the time I got this)

Max was so happy to be able to spend time with all of his cousins (minus Aidan)! Kanoa, Stevie, and Max have a blast together. They are so adorable!

My beautiful niece, Clementine. Words can’t describe how much I love this girl.

My beautiful mama with Olivia

The boys checking out the ducks

After a long day of play and sweets, the boys were dirty and ready for a bath before they said goodbye.

Uncle Kekoa with Levi and Olivia

Thank you for getting us all together Mom! It was SO much fun!

Easter at the Snedekers

2011-05-06T23:28:00.001-07:00

Before a fun Easter weekend, Max decorated eggs for the Easter bunny to hide.

On Saturday, the we had a fun time with family and friends. Max finally reunited with his best buddy, Stevie.

Levi and Olivia had fun entertaining each other too.

Precious Baby Olivia

I was so happy to spend time with Sheilia again. I missed her so much!

The boys found a ton of eggs!

Love them!

Pinata!!

Aunt Tina and Olivia

Uncle Johnny and Levi

Uncle Johnny and Levi a few minutes later

Thank you for a fun day Aunt Carlene, Uncle Al, Juanelle, and Tommy! We had a blast!

Little Artist

2011-04-02T10:45:00.001-07:00

Max just drew his self portrait this morning, complete with eyes, a mouth, hair, and ears. Not too shabby for a 2 year old!

Day at the beach!

2011-04-02T10:38:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was a warm beautiful day, so we took advantage of it and went to the beach. It was perfect! Levi enjoyed snacking on some sand and Max had a blast building sand castles and finding sand crabs. Eminome read her book and helped Max dig a pool.

Today was a great reminder of one of the reasons we moved back to San Diego. We may be buying significantly smaller house than we would have in AZ, but we are also 20 minutes away from this…. (more on the house to come)

Racing

2011-03-23T14:46:00.001-07:00

To keep myself motivated, I’ve been running 5ks. Mike’s high school reunion is coming up in June so I have to be ready!

My goal is to run 3 miles as fast as I did in high school. My last timed race was 26.36 so I have to get about 5 minutes faster. Maybe by the end of the year? I’m running the Race for Autism in Balboa on Saturday. Can’t wait!

Oh, do you like my running skirt? My wonderful hubby bought it for me along with another pink one. Okay, another story:

The Thursday before my birthday, Michael told me that he found out about a trail in Encinitas that he thought I might like to run while he took the boys to play at the beach. Kinda skeptical, I agreed to give it a try.

So, he ends up taking me to the Runningskirts.com store in Encintas. They were having a Valentine’s party and had us run 2 miles with a partner with our arms tied together. Well, my partner and I got second place and won a free skirt! So awesome. Then they all sang happy birthday to me! Wow what a spontaneous and amazing evening. Such a fun birthday gift. Thank you Michael. I love you.

Boyz II Men

2011-03-23T14:21:00.001-07:00

As if the shoes and the apron weren’t enough, my mom also took my sis and I to see Boyz II Men as part of our birthday present.

Let me just start by saying that I’ve always wanted to see them in concert. I absolutely love their music and I always have since junior high, but really got into them in high school. I mean, who doesn’t like their music? Their songs are classic.

Needless to say, the concert was amazing. They are great performers and I would go see them again in a heartbeat. Here are a few pictures from that night. Thank you again, Mom, for making one of my dreams come true!

More recent pictures

2011-03-23T13:28:00.001-07:00

Kelli Thorson was in town, so we went to the zoo. It’s crazy how we both started out here in San Marcos as Newlyweds and now, 5 years later we both have 2 angels. I’m so glad we are still friends after all this time. Love you Kelli!

Soin and I are the same age for 8 days! We celebrated together in Rancho Mirage this year.

Soin’s Banana cake with chocolate peanut butter frosting.

My delicious chocolate cake with peanut butter filling! So yummy! Thank you Soin!

A new apron and new shoes!!! Thank you Mommy!

Max and Ga-Ga searching for bugs.

Look what they caught! (With a little help from Daddy)

Maxine and I have really close birthdays. She was able to come from Idaho to celebrate with the family. Tons of fun!

The Chergoskys came over to decorate cookies for Valentine’s Day. We are so happy to be able to spend time with them again. I can’t believe how close our kids are in age. I used to babysit Benn and Abby only 5 years ago!

We had fun at Shanika’s (a good from of Mike’s) baby boy’s first birthday party. Max was in awe that Mickey mouse was there!

Max and Uncle Jimmy at the Safari Park.

ANother Day at the Safari Park with Aya and Clementine

Clementina and Mr. Levi chillin’ in their car seats.

The cousins!

Safari Park

2011-03-20T16:57:00.002-07:00

We’ve been going to the Safari Park and the Zoo a lot lately (taking advantage of those passes we got for Christmas). The first time was with Aya and Clementine. We love spending time with them so much.

Long and Lean

2011-03-20T16:44:00.001-07:00

Mr. Levi is in the 5th percentile for his weight (yes, I said 5th) and 75 percentile for height. Wow. If anyone remembers my big chunk called Max when he was a baby, you know that Levi is tiny in comparison. Other than that, he is totally normal and doing well. He absolutely adores his brother and is so easy to make smile. He’s eating solids and sitting up on his own.

What a sweetie. I love him so.

Best Buddies

2011-03-20T16:36:00.001-07:00

I can already tell these boys are going to be close. They love each other so much. I’m so blessed to be their Mommy.

Modus Ponens

2011-03-20T16:32:00.001-07:00

This boy cracks me up all the time. One day, he came to me and was like, “My face is all dirty, Mommy. I need a bath!” Valid argument, but unsound given that his face isn’t really dirty. Maybe a future lawyer? Silly boy.

Ga-Ga & Aya’s visit

2011-03-20T15:57:00.001-07:00

We had a nice visit when Ga-Ga and Aya came out for a couple of days back in January. We went to the beach and later got some ice cream.

Little crafts I’ve been working on lately

2011-02-06T23:20:00.001-07:00

Our Emmy-Nome!

2011-02-06T23:10:00.001-07:00

Naomi turned 12! I can’t believe it! Seems like it was not too long ago when I met her as a 6 year old. Now she’s a young woman with her ears pierced and her own cell phone! She’s such wonderful aunt to my baby boys. Max adores her.

We love you Emmy-Nome!

Beautiful Cake by Claire (Jimmy’s gf)

Naomi with her friend

Max and his Emmy-Nome

A day out with my babies

2011-01-20T22:17:00.001-07:00

For Christmas GG and Pops gave us a Zoo/Safari Park pass. A couple of days ago I packed a lunch and Max, Levi, and I took off to see the animals.

By the way, I can take a guest for free each time we go! So, anyone interested in a play date?

Southern CA 5k

2011-01-13T22:19:00.002-07:00

It’s been hard trying to get to my goal weight and shape, so I’ve been signing up for races to keep me motivated. I ran my second 5k since I had Levi this past weekend while my dad ran the half marathon. It was awesome! I ran it about 3 minutes faster than my last race so I was very happy. I love my support team!! Next race will be February with my sis. Can’t wait!

New Years Eve

2011-01-13T22:01:00.001-07:00

For New Years Eve, the four of us went to watch fireworks and then we got crazy at Chuck E Cheese. It was perfect.

Catching up…

2011-01-13T10:31:00.001-07:00

It’s been hard for me to get back into a routine since we’ve been back. I don’t know what it is, but that’s my excuse for letting a month go by without blogging.

I did a horrible job of taking pictures during Christmas time… So, I’m just going to say that Christmas was great this year. It was really nice spending time with our families. Here are the few pictures I have:

Christmas Eve

Christmas Day

Thank you, Phoenix

2010-12-10T01:11:00.005-07:00

Geez, I don't really no where to start. For the past 3 days, we have been packing like crazy and right now, I'm so exhausted and definitely need some rest, however, I have a lot on my mind and can't go to bed until I let it out.

We are extremely excited because Michael finally got a job after being on the hunt for almost a year. We were both getting antsy and a little frustrated because we finished what we came out here for...school... and didn't realize how difficult it would be to get back home.

I'm so blessed with a wonderful husband who wants to work hard for his family. Michael is now a financial analyst for an expanding medical group in Escondido, California. This company is very fortunate to be gaining such an intelligent, righteous, loyal, and hard working employee.

Although most of our family is in California, I have to say that Phoenix will always have a piece of my heart. This is where we started on our own. We came here just Michael and I with our very little bit of belongings, ready to start our lives together. We knew what our goals were and were determined to achieved them.

While we were here in Phoenix, I reconnected with my best friend, my sis. It is where I built a special bond with my cousin, Sheilia. It is where I met another amazing girl, Camilla, who is now my best friend next to Soin and Sheilia. Our ward was amazing... our doctors were amazing... all our friends were amazing. What's most amazing is that we brought two angels into this world while we were here in Phoenix.

We came here to earn our degrees and then get back home. Needless to say, we succeeded and also did a great deal more. I love Phoenix because of all the beautiful things that happened here.

So now our journey continues...

Leviticus Marshall

2010-11-30T10:20:00.001-07:00

Levi was blessed by Daddy on Sunday, November 28th in the Marshall home. It was a beautiful blessing. We decided to change his name from just “Levi” to Leviticus.

Levi, we will try our very best to be the Mommy and Daddy who will teach, guide, and exemplify how to be happy, strong, and righteous. You are one of our two biggest blessings. We love you so much. Your big brother loves you very much too. He always wants to give you hugs and kisses and he likes to sing you songs and share his toys when you cry.

Thank you for bringing us joy and happiness.

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-28T16:50:00.001-07:00

We had a great Thanksgiving break. This year was our year to spend it with the Marshalls, but we stopped by my mom’s to visit her, Soin, and Clementine. Mom made us a delicious dinner on Saturday night and we went to the park for a little barbeque on Sunday after church.

On Monday, we headed to San Marcos for some beach camping. It was really cold, but very beautiful. On Thanksgiving day, the guys played some football and later, we had a delicious Thanksgiving feast together.

After Thanksgiving, we did some shopping and just hung out together. On Saturday, we celebrated GG’s 50th birthday. Max got a little tummy virus and unfortunately got sick at home and at Costco. Poor baby!

We had a great week and a great break. We are very thankful for our wonderful family.

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Miss my girls

2010-11-04T08:08:00.001-07:00

My best friend (aka sister) recently moved back to Cali and I miss her and Clementine so much! I can’t wait to see and spend time with them both again. Clementine is 6 weeks now! Time sure does fly. I love you my girlies!

Open House

2010-11-03T23:07:00.002-07:00

My mom held an open house for Levi and Clementine and we were able to see a lot of family that we haven’t seen in a long time. It was really nice! Thank you Mom.

Afterwards we headed to San Marcos to hang out with the Marshalls for a couple days. Max had a blast as always.

Aunt Lizzy bought Max lots of stickers and he found a creative way to use them!

Fun Ties

2010-11-03T21:55:00.004-07:00

Levi's blessing is coming up and I wanted to make him a little tie. So I Googled it and found this: http://seilifestyle.blogspot.com/2009/05/baby-tie-tutorial.html

How much easier can making a baby tie get?! Awesome! So I made a trip to the thrift store and bought some ties for .99 each and whipped some out. I ended up giving these to a friend who just had a baby boy, but I'm gonna find a good one to make for Levi's blessing.

All my mommas with boys, give it a shot! It's so easy and look how cute they are!

Love my Angels

2010-11-03T21:27:00.007-07:00

Words can't express how much I love my two boys. It's not the easiest job being a mom, but these two precious little faces that I get to adore every day when I wake up make every frustrating moment worth it. I love you my little Angels!

Halloween!

2010-11-03T21:04:00.005-07:00

We had a good time this year. For work, Mike's team dressed up as the Jersey Shore crew so he had to dress up as Pauly D. He went to get a spray tan and gave his hair a little blow out. Not too shabby eh? :P

We went to trunk or treat at the church with Sheilia, Justin, and Stevie. Levi was the football this year and looked like a little cutie!

Sheilia was a hippie with her cute round belly. The little trouble makers were army soldiers. Adorable!

I was a witch and Mike was a ghost. He's carrying cake pops that we made to share. They were yummy!

On Halloween night, we took the boys trick or treating in Sheilia and J's neighborhood.

Ready to get some sweets!

Levi enjoyed the long walk outside. Cute little monkey!

The boys got a ton of candy and Max ate more than he probably should have. Sheilia and I feasted on it too. I gave the rest to Mike to take to work so that I wouldn't eat anymore. Ugh, I hate how addictive sugar is. I know I'm a mean mom for taking my son's Halloween candy and giving it away. Ah well.

Pops & GG Visit

2010-10-17T22:37:00.003-07:00

Pops and GG came to visit us for 3 days and we had a blast.

Pops showed Max how to paint a tree and a bird.

GG built a tent with Max that he didn't want to leave!

Levi blew up all over Pops so he gave him a bath.

We went to the AZ state fair and had lots of fun.

Max got to ride a real horsey!

Max played with giant blocks.

Levi slept.

We saw some animals.

Max played with some sand.

We took a cheesy picture.

GG got some of Levi’s bubbles out.

Daddy and max were silly.

Daddy and Max fed the goats.

GG and I rode the Zipper. So fun!

Pops took Levi out to get some fresh air by the pool.

I made ribs for the first time and we all loved them!

We went to the pumpkin patch.

What a fun few Days! Thanks for coming out GG and Pops! We love you and can't wait to see you again!

Already 7 weeks!

2010-10-15T23:20:00.006-07:00

My little Levi already seems to be growing quickly. He's such a sweet little boy and soo kissable! We just love him so much!

Apple Raspberry Pie

2010-10-15T22:57:00.003-07:00

Cami and I were in a baking mood so we made Apple Raspberry Pies from scratch! They tasted even better than they looked (and they look pretty dang good don't they?). In fact, someone even said it's the best apple pie he's ever had! WOW! :)

I love making pies... almost as much as I love eating them! ;)

Price Matching

2010-10-13T00:32:00.002-07:00

Getting good deals really can turn a bad day into a great one for me. I guess it's sort of one of my hobbies. I really enjoy it... is that weird? The best way to describe it would probably be that getting free stuff and good deals is like a treasure hunt. When I find a treasure, it just makes me happy! Ha! Okay, yeah maybe I am weird :P I also love telling my friends and family about good deals so they can get them too.

So, since you all are my friends/family, I just wanted to share something that I think is awesome and might be valuable to you if you are looking to save money on groceries. Wal Mart price matches! Just bring in the ad and show the price to the cashier and he or she will adjust their price to the price in the ad. Amazing! :) Anyway, I always make 2 trips when I grocery shop. One trip to Fry's (my grocery store) since they double coupons and one trip to Wal Mart for produce. Here's what I got earlier this week for $4.27:

bananas: .49/lb

grapes: .50/lb

avocados: .25 each

cauliflower: .50/lb

cucumber: .16 each

So if you haven't tried price matching at Wal Mart yet, you should! (I sound like an advertisement for Wal Mart :P) Just wait for your grocery store ads in the mail and give it a shot. Produce can get expensive, so to me it's worth the extra trip, especially because my stores are pretty close to one another.

Here are some tips that I recommend:

#1 Go through your ads and circle what you want to price match ahead of time.

#2 After you do your shopping and you get to the register, separate your price matches from everything else. I always have them ring up the items I'm price matching first so I don't forget to show the ads.

Well let me know if any of you try it :)

Sweet Cousins

2010-10-01T04:45:00.002-07:00

Levi (33 days) & Clementine (9 days)

Two little angels

Yummy Dinners

2010-09-26T22:19:00.005-07:00

Cami, one of my best friends ever, arranged for 6 lovely women to bring us dinner after Levi was born. All of them were absolutely delicious! I had to share pictures...

Roast beef sandwiches with au jus sauce, cheesy potatoes, salad, grapes, & watermelon. For dessert, smore cookie bars (not pictured but sooo yummy!). Thank you Kirstin!

Cheese ravioli, green beans, crescent rolls, apple juice, & chicken nuggets for Max. For dessert, ice cream sandwiches (not pictured, but just perfect!). Thank you Lindsey!

Braided bread stuffed with beef, sauce, and cheese along with ceaser salad. For dessert, caramel popcorn balls (not pictured, but so cute and yummy!). Thank you Vanessa!

Spinach cob salad, watermelon, & pumpkin bisque. For dessert, banana muffins and chocolate chip cookies. Thank you Emily!

Okay this isn't my picture (We ate outside and I didn't take my camera), but this is what dinner looked like. It was delicious pizza and pasta salad from Pita Jungle. Thank you Julie Y.!

Chicken, rice, crescent rolls, & salad. For dessert, brownies & ice cream (not pictured, but sooo good!). Thank you Julie J.!

I am so so grateful for these dinners that were so lovingly brought to us. It made life that much easier for us for that week while I was recovering. I know that all seven of you have busy lives of your own and I feel very blessed to know that you care about our little family enough to take time and energy to do this for us. Thank you all times 1,000,000!

I'm an AUNT!

2010-09-26T20:58:00.005-07:00

My niece, Clementine is finally here happy and healthy! Isn't she gorgeous?! She put Mommy through the ringer, but I'm sure Mommy would agree that she was well worth it.

Proud Aunt :)

Max has been such a good sport these past few weeks. With Mommy gone a lot at the hospital along with a new baby brother, he has been building a strong relationship with Daddy with all the time they are spending together. Daddy has been a great sport too! Thank you My love and My Baby for making this easier for me.

Levi has been going to and from the hospital with Mommy and for the most part being cooperative. Here he is at the hospital while visiting his Tia Soin and new cousin.

Congratulations on the arrival of your new angel, Soin. We all love you both very much.

Brothers!

2010-09-15T22:53:00.004-07:00

Max gets buzzed!

2010-09-15T22:42:00.008-07:00

Before

During

After

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

2010-09-15T22:33:00.003-07:00

My mom bought me these muffin pans for giant muffins because she knew that I really wanted them. So, I made my favorite muffin recipe and they came out soooo delicious! Oh man, I'm kicking myself for making them now because I've been trying to eat healthier. This did not help at all, but I was going through baking withdrawal and had to do something about it!

Levi- 10 days old

2010-09-11T01:25:00.003-07:00

Little Levi is soo sweet! Just look at those eyes! :)

We think he has a calmer temperament than Max. He doesn't cry very much at all. I think this will make he and Max good friends! They will compliment each other's personalities. Maybe I'm reading too far into it being that Levi is only 10 days old...ha! I'm just so excited for them to be good buddies! Max is such a good big brother and already loves Levi so much.

As you can see, it looks like he might have more of mommy's skin tone. Max and Levi might be like Mommy and Soin! A whitey and a brownie! How fun! :)

Happy 2nd Birthday Maximilian!

2010-09-06T12:32:00.005-07:00

Max had his actual birthday on the 3rd and we just went swimming and had a little cake (made by "Aya").

We love you, Maximilian. It's amazing how fast two years went by. You are our pride and joy. Everyday you impress us with how much you already know and how sweet you are. From the first time you smiled at us, to when you learned how to give us besitos, to your sweet words, "I wuv you Mommy" and "I wuv you Daddy," words can't explain how much love fills our hearts knowing that you're our son.

These two years with you have brought Mommy and Daddy's so much happiness. We love you more than you'll ever know. Always know and remember that. We look forward to all the years to come, as we watch you grow.

Thank you for being our son, Maximilian. Happy Birthday.

Levi Marshall - 8lbs 2oz, 19in

2010-09-04T12:34:00.007-07:00

Levi gave us a nice little surprise as he came 3 days early (well actually 10 days early from his due date). I was scheduled for a c-section on August 31st and he decided that he would make mommy go into labor anyway… knowing full well that Bishop (Dr. Bruce) was out of town. Okay, maybe he didn’t fully understand that part ;)

So here I go on Saturday, the 28th at about 5pm getting mild contractions. I had joked about going into labor before the c –section but I never actually thought it would happen. 10pm rolls around and they are pretty painful and I was sure I was in labor. So Mike and I put Max to bed and packed our things and left Max and Aya (Soin) home while we headed to the hospital.

By the time they finally checked me, I was dilated to 4cm. They immediately called Dr. Lythgo and Dr. Lythgo told them to have me ready in 30 mins! Ah! Woah, it was all happening really fast!

This time I was awake during the surgery. What a weird experience! I felt all the pulling and tugging and pushing, but no pain. It was really scary. The benefit was that I was able to hear little Levi’s first little cry and I actually conscious enough to hold him and nurse him and admire him right after he was born. I also had my wonderful husband there telling me how great I was doing the whole time and how beautiful I was.

We came home on Wednesday and so far recovery is going well. Nursing is a bit of a challenge, but not nearly as bad as it was the first time around. Mom has been in town helping with Max while we adjust to having a newborn again. Max absolutely loves his baby brother. He calls him "Baby Tummy," Not Levi. Sometimes he'll compromise and call him "Baby Tummy Levi." I guess he understands that this is the baby that was the one that was in Mommy's tummy. Oh well, I think it's cute :) He's adjusting pretty well. It's easy to see that he craves extra attention. I try to give it to him as much as possible. Ever since we got home, Max has been telling us he loves us all the time. He says, "I wuv you, Mommy" or I wuv you, Daddy" and "I wuv you Baby Tummy." He's such a sweet boy. Geesh, I'm so blessed! I have not 1, not 2, but 3 of the sweetest boys in the world for the rest of my life!!

What a miraculous thing it is... giving birth. It's amazing what the female body is capable of.

We are so blessed to have another perfect little boy. We love you Levi and Maximilian.

Here he is:

Levi Marshall. 8lbs 2oz, 19 inches

Sooo tired here!

Our Family Babymoon

2010-08-25T14:08:00.001-07:00

This weekend we were able to drive out to San Diego to have one more vacation together as a family of three. It was a blast. Max loved the beach and the ocean. Now we can get ready for little Levi.

Max’s Birthday Party!

2010-08-25T13:49:00.004-07:00

Max had a great time with all his friends at his birthday party! Thanks for coming everyone and thank you for spoiling Max with all those awesome gifts!!! We love you guys!

Soin does it again! Isn't this cake adorable?! Max loved it so much that he felt the need to give it besitos!

Daddy made Max his first panata!

Surprise!

2010-08-05T04:27:00.001-07:00

My sister threw me a totally unexpected surprise shower! Being as I’m having another boy, she knew that I didn’t want another big baby shower, but still found a way to do something special. She had my 4 closest AZ gals come over and enjoy a yummy dinner, scrumptious cake, and a fun game of bananagrams! It was perfect. I just wish I would have gotten a picture of us together.

Isn’t this the cutest cake you’ve ever seen? My talented sis made it :)

So cute!!! Thank you Cami!

Some workout gear! Prepregnancy body, here I come! Thanks Sheilia!

So sweet. Can’t wait.

Love you, Soin. Thank you so much.

Mike’s Yosemite Trip

2010-07-27T19:46:00.001-07:00

Here are some good pictures of Mike’s Yosemite trip with his Dad and brother. He had a blast. He told me that he’s never had so much fun on a backpacking trip before. Even though he was gone for over a week, I’m glad he was able to go.

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Double Trouble

2010-07-27T15:08:00.001-07:00

Our cousins, Justin, Sheilia, and their little boy Stephen moved out to Phoenix and we are really happy because we get to hang out much more now. Max and Stevie love playing (and getting into trouble) together! So far since they’ve been here, we’ve gone to the children’s museum, splash pad, another splash pad, and Chuck E Cheese. It’s been a ton of fun, not just for the boys, but Mommy’s and Daddy’s love it too.

Splash Pad

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Chuck E Cheese

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Phoenix Children’s Museum

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The buns are almost ready!

2010-07-25T23:15:00.004-07:00

Ever since we were little girls, Soin and I have talked about being pregnant together. Well, you can't get much closer than this! Our babies are due 2 weeks apart. She's having a girl and I'm having a boy. We are so excited to hold our little angels in our arms. Love you, Soin. You are a beautiful Mommy.

Photography by Mike Marshall :)

Come home already!

2010-07-16T23:44:00.002-07:00

Michael has been gone for 6 days now and I'm about to go crazy! I miss him so much and so does Max.

He's been backpacking in Yosemite with Pops and Jimmy (Dad and bro). He was really looking forward to this trip so I'm sure he's having a great time. He doesn't have any reception though, and I haven't talked to him this whole time. Two more days and he will be home. Can't wait.

Levi wants out!

2010-07-16T23:39:00.002-07:00