The Packer Family

Family Pictures 2010

2010-12-08T09:33:00.000-08:00

While my Mom and Dad were here over Thanksgiving we had my Mom take some family pictures of us with my camera. We are in dire need for a new family picture. I think we got a few good ones ... and the price was definitely right!

THANKSGIVING 2010

2010-12-08T09:01:00.000-08:00

We fill very blessed to be able to have my parents come to Charleston to spend Thanksgiving with us this year. We are definitely enjoying Charleston, but we miss our families terribly! Having my parents here, especially during the Holidays, was so much fun. The boys had been counting down the days until they got here, so when we got a phone call from my Mom telling us that their flight was canceled due to the blizzard back in Idaho, the boys were really upset. My parents ended up catching a flight out of Idaho Falls that same evening, but had to spend the night in the airport in Chicago. They got here the following afternoon. I know they were exhausted... but they refused to take a nap. Instead, they played with the boys and took them shopping. The boys know that they can count on Grandma and Grandpa to show them a good time.

The following day was Thanksgiving. It was a beautiful day, the temperature reached 80 degrees by that afternoon! My Mom and I woke up that morning and took a walk down to the Mount Pleasant pier. The view from there of the harbor is breathtaking. Then we got busy cooking. We had Turkey, Sweet Potato Souffle', mashed potatoes and gravy, homemade rolls, cranberry sauce, corn bread stuffing, pumpkin pie, chocolate cream pie and banana cream pie.

While we were busy cooking, the boys went in the backyard to fish. Grandpa took them to the store earlier in the day and got them new fishing gear. I was in the kitchen when I heard Brady yell, "Mommy ... I caught a turtle!" I ran outside and found all of the boys huddled around trying to get the hook and worm out of the poor things mouth. Once we got the hook out we put him on the grass. Macy, our little schnauzer, was bound and determined to get him. When the turtle ran to the edge of our yard and jumped back in the water, Macy went in after him. We had a pretty entertaining morning.

Friday we took a trip to historic downtown. We toured the sites and one of the old graveyards. We enjoyed lunch at one of our favorite places. I had to take my Dad to a place to get Shrimp and Grits while he was in Charleston. The food did not disappoint.

Saturday was their last full day with us. We decided to go to Boone Hall Plantation. It is an old plantation home, the slave quarters are still in tact. The plantation is beautiful, it is actually the place where the movie "North and South" was filmed. We had a great time. While we were there we took lots of pictures.

My Mom and Dad flew back to Idaho on Sunday. We were sad to see them leave, but we are excited to fly home to Idaho for Christmas in just a few short weeks.

Gator Hunting

2010-12-08T08:52:00.000-08:00

I have been on a quest since we moved to Charleston. Everyone tells us that there are a lot of alligators around, but we had still not seen one. Well, some friends of ours told us where they have seen a gator frequently near their house on Daniel Island. We drove over there and it was actually out on the bank sunning itself. The gator was probably about 7 feet from nose to tail. We were all pretty excited to see a gator. We took some pictures with my cell phone, but they aren't the best. I wish my cell phone camera had a zoom... because I was not about to get any closer to him for a picture. I guess now I can check that item off of my bucket list!

NOTE TO SELF: DON'T SWIM IN THE LAKES OR PONDS AROUND HERE...

Look A Like

2010-12-08T08:42:00.000-08:00

The boys brought home the proofs for their school pictures recently. I can't believe how much Broc looks like Jesse. The funniest part is when I pulled down Jesse's old 3rd grade school picture and placed it next to Broc's. I realized that they are even wearing similar shirts. I tell ya, Broc is like Jesse's clone. I honestly can't see any of me in that kid. He looks identical to Jesse.

BROC AND JESSE'S 3RD GRADE PHOTOS:

I can see a little bit of me in Brady, but he is a pretty good mix. I am glad that you can at least tell he belongs to me.

BRADY AND ASHLEY'S KINDERGARTEN PHOTOS:

Halloween 2010

2010-12-08T08:06:00.000-08:00

Where has the year gone? Can you believe that Halloween has already come and gone?

The boys love Halloween and this year was no exception. My Mom and Dad bought there Halloween costumes for them this year. The boys had a blast picking out their costumes. Broc decided to be a bobble head pumpkin and Brady was Yoshi from Super Mario Brothers. They were both pretty happy with their costumes. Brady has been looking for a Yoshi costume for over a year and Broc is getting older and wanted to be something scary.

The boys practically had the entire neighborhood to themselves. The majority of the residents in our neighborhood are retired... so there really are not a lot of children. I think every door we went to gave them each a handful of candy. They made out like bandits. Jesse and I had to laugh because of the difference between this Halloween in South Carolina and every other Halloween that we spent in Idaho. First of all, neither of the boys could keep their masks or hoods on. It was just to warm. Secondly, we had to put on bug spray because the mosquitos were out. That was definitely a first for us. Hope everyone else had a great Halloween too, we sure did!

Weekend with George

2010-12-08T07:50:00.000-08:00

Brady's Kindergarten class has a "Curious George" stuffed animal. All of the children get a change to bring him home. They ask that when he is returned to school that you also bring photos and a short story telling what you did with George. Fortunately for Brady, he got to bring George home over the weekend that fell on Halloween. We decided to take George to The Museum of Charleston on Saturday. They have some awesome stuff there. They have a replica of an old Civil War Submarine. They even have a real mummy. They also had an animal skeleton exhibit going that was very interesting. On Halloween Brady brought George trick-or-treating with us. Brady said that he ate too much candy and got a belly ache. Brady had so much fun with George, he keeps asking when he can bring him home again.

Race for the Cure 2010

2010-11-21T17:35:00.000-08:00

The first weekend in October I ran the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. The race was held on Daniel Island, Sc. The scenery was beautiful and the weather was perfect for a run. My goal was to finish the race in less than 30. I ended up finishing the 5K in just under 28 minutes. It was a very fun race with lots of great energy, raising awareness for a very important cause.

Scooner Pride

2010-11-21T17:16:00.000-08:00

In September we attended the 21st birthday party of our friend and co-worker Garin. The surprise party was thrown on board "The Scooner Pride". The scooner set sail at sunset and lasted about 3 hours. It was so much fun to watch the sun set on the harbor while listening to live music. The boys were even able to help raise a few sails and steer the vessel. They also have a small cannon onboard that they fired. That was the funnest part of the entire evening for the boys, obviously it doesn't really shoot a cannon, but it makes a really loud noise which makes it a lot of fun for 2 young boys. They boys thought that was pretty awesome. We had a great evening amongst some great friends.

Heavenly Harbor

2010-11-21T16:06:00.000-08:00

The Charleston Harbor is beautiful. I love the many different waterways, I love the cruise ships, sail boats, cargo ships and battle ships. I love all of the old Historical sites and homes that you can see from the water. I love the wildlife. Boating in the harbor is definitely one of our favorite things to do in beautiful South Carolina.

This particular day in the harbor we saw several dolphins about 10 feet from our boat. We also watched the pelicans diving down into the water and coming back up with fish. The boys had so much fun watching this as we cruised around in the boat. Later that afternoon the boys decided to tube. The three of us even got in the water and swam for a little while. Macy decided that she was going to go fishing and jumped into the water after some fish that were jumping nearby. What a great afternoon!

State Animals

2010-11-18T17:43:00.000-08:00

One thing we have learned about South Carolina since living here is that people make up "cute " names for really disgusting creatures to make them sound more appealing. Here are a few examples...

Palmetto Bug: A.K.A. The Cockroach

River Dog: A.K.A. Swimming Rat

The State Bird: A.K.A. The Mosquito

The Banana Spider: A.K.A. Big enough to eat you alive, luckily I just eat bugs, enormous, disgusting, 8 legged devil

Now I don't want to paint the wrong picture here, we really love the wildlife in Charleston. Here are some of my very favorite animals that we have seen so far...

The Horseshoe Crab
We have seen them in the ocean, we got to touch them at the aquarium and we have found a couple of dead ones on the beach.

The Loggerhead Turtle
We have only seen these in the aquarium, but they lay their eggs along the coast that is just 5 miles from our house.

The Dolphins
We see dolphins in the harbor all of the time. When we were boating we saw one about 10 feet from our boat.

The Squirrels
These are the craziest, most active squirrels I have ever seen! They are so much fun to watch. They literally swing from the tree branches like monkeys. Our Schnauzer Macy is obsessed with them. She watches them out the windows ALL DAY LONG. They eat the nuts out of the trees, then throw the shells at the house and windows.

The Blue Crab
We have caught several of these at the beach. They are always along the shore line and in the tide pools. The boys think is is so much fun to catch them.

The Cranes and Pelicans
I love to watch these beautiful birds fly over the water and catch fish.

The Alligators
Still haven't seen one in the wild, only in the aquarium. Apparently they are all over. Can't wait to see one, from a distance of course!

The Blue Birds
These pretty birds are always in our trees. Macy has killed two already. I wish she wouldn't do that... but what can I say? She is a hunting dog (well, she thinks she is anyway).

The Lizards
I am not sure what type of lizard these are, but you can catch them out in the bushes at any given time. They change in color to blend in with their surroundings. The boys like to catch them... and so does Macy. She has killed several of these too.

We are loving this beautiful state and all that it has to offer.

First Day of School 2011

2010-11-18T17:18:00.000-08:00

Holy Moly! I can't believe how quickly this summer flew by. It was definitely a very eventful summer with the move and all. Broc and Brady both started school in mid August. Broc is in the 3rd grade and Brady started Kindergarten. Kindergarten is full day, 5 days a week, so Brady and Broc both have the same schedule. Broc's teacher is Ms. Sheibel and Brady's teacher is Ms. Newton. We had the chance to meet them both the evening before the first day of school. We liked both teachers very much and are looking forward to a great school year.

Their school is brand new this year. It is absolutely beautiful! They boys are excited about the huge gym, music room, art room and multiple computer labs and library. We have been really impressed with the school system in South Carolina so far. Broc was really excited that he gets to ride the bus this year. He has never ridden the bus before, so to him this is soooo cool! Brady was pretty excited too. He was nervous, but Broc offered to walk him to class every morning until he got the hang of things.

The boys have been off to a great start with school and are both doing great. Their teachers are wonderful, the principle has been great and the school nurse is amazing. We are so grateful for the opportunity the boys have been given to go to such a fantastic school.

Both boys did great their first day. They were both a little but nervous, but mostly excited to meet new friends. They didn't shed a tear... I on the other hand wasn't so lucky! It was sad for Jesse and I to have both of our boys at school all day long. It is a little strange not having kids at home during the day anymore, but I am glad that they are enjoying school and learning so much.

The Big 2 - 8

2010-11-18T15:56:00.000-08:00

I recently celebrated my 28th Birthday. The boys told me the night before that I could not go in their room because they were making a "Surprise" for me. The next morning Brady came in my room, woke me up and told me that there was a lizard in the house. Since this really had happened the week before... I believed him. I jumped out of bed to find homemade signs all over the kitchen and living room. They boys had spent a long time making them the night before. What a sweet surprise.

That afternoon we headed to downtown Charleston to get some lunch. We ate at an awesome place called "The Buccaneer". They have great food and really fun things to look at. They have old pirate things on display dating back to the 1500's. We took a few pictures while we were eating, the first one is Jesse's favorite. Brady's face is hilarious!

I had a wonderful birthday and spent it with my three favorite people. Keeping my fingers crossed for another wonderful year.

Must be missin' Idaho...

2010-11-18T15:49:00.000-08:00

This past summer the boys came into the office dressed like this...

I am thinking that they were missing Idaho, missing Grandpa Jeff, Missing the ranch... and missing the horses! All I know is they are the cutest cowboys I have ever seen.

Visit from Grandma

2010-11-14T17:35:00.000-08:00

This past July my Mom came to visit. I wish I would have taken more pictures with my camera. Good thing I can always count on my Mom to take a TON of pictures. She always told me that one day I would thank her for torturing us with her little photo shoots... It's true. I love looking through her photos and it seems like I always forget my camera. Thankfully she sent us a whole bunch of photos from her trip, I just don't have many pictures on my computer, so this post only has one photo, which was taken with my cell phone and isn't the best quality. Sorry!

My Mom was supposed to come to the beach house with us, but she had Typhoid fever. What's that you ask... who in the word still gets Typhoid fever? My Mom does! In June, she and my Dad went on vacation to Peru. Apparently my Mother had a lapse in judgement because she decided to go cliff jumping into a lake full of parana. You know, because their tour director told her they were docile. Just in case you need a little refresher, this is what a pirana looks like.

I don't think docile and parana should go in the same sentence. Their are a couple of rules you follow when you go to Peru... 1) DO NOT DRINK THE WATER, and 2) DON'T SWIM WITH PARANA. She already got bit by a fish before, you would have thought she would have learned. At any rate, my Mom decided that it looked fun to swing off of a rope swing into the parana infested water, once she got swinging she started to have second thoughts, but there was not turning back. She screamed the entire way down. Needless to say her mouth was wide open as she plunged into the water. She broke both rules in a matter of seconds. She didn't get bit by a parana, but she did come out of the experience with Typhoid fever. I won't go into detail, I will just tell you that she was incredibly sick. She was hospitalized and never made it to the beach house.

We were able to change her plane tickets so she could still come visit us during the summer. We had an absolute ball while she was here. It was very hard to say goodbye when it was time for her to fly back to Idaho. Both of the boys cried, as did Jesse and I. I think having her here this summer was the boys favorite memory. They had so much fun swimming, going to the aquarium, walking to Target, touring downtown, going on carriage rides and just hanging out at home. Thanks for coming Mom. We love you so much!!

We can't wait for my Mom and Dad to come for Thanksgiving.

Afternoon on Sullivans Island

2010-11-14T17:22:00.000-08:00

Having the ocean so near to home has truly been one of our favorite things about living in South Carolina. It is wonderful to be able to throw a couple of sandwiches and a few drinks in the cooler and be to the beach in 5 minutes. Broc and Brady love the beach. They love digging in the sand and playing in the ocean. This particular trip to the beach, we found over 20 sand dollars. The sand dollars were still living, we found them in the sand just off of the shore line. The boys also brought home a couple of star fish. We had a ball just relaxing in the sun and enjoying our day together.

Pictures of our new house

2010-10-03T16:08:00.000-07:00

I finally took a few pictures of our new house. I have had people asking me for months, "when are you going to post pictures of your new place?" We are absolutely loving our new house and all that Charleston has to offer. I have to say, we are really enjoying the climate this time of year. It is finally starting to cool off a bit and we don't have to worry about snow falling any time soon! It has been absolutely gorgeous here this past week.

Here are a few pictures of our new house. I am not very good at photographing rooms, but you will get the general idea...

FRONT VIEW

BACK YARD

ENTRY

FORMAL DINING ROOM
(As you can see...we still have to buy a table)

LIVING ROOM

KITCHEN

SCREENED PORCH
(My favorite room in the house. We spend a lot of time out here together.)

LAUNDRY ROOM

MASTER SUITE
I am not adding any pictures of our bedroom because I still have not bought a comforter set for our new bed. But, here is a view of what we wake up to every morning. I absolutely love the view from our room. It is the best view in the whole house!

We have really enjoyed having a larger bathroom. We have never had a jetted tub before and having two separate sinks has been a huge plus! We also have a large walk-in closet in the bathroom. That is REALLY nice!

OFFICE
(This is where we spend 90% of our time)

BROC'S ROOM
(Broc and Brady's room adjoin with a "Jack-n-Jill" bathroom)

BRADY'S ROOM

GUEST BEDROOM
(This room also has it's own bathroom. Someone PLEASE come visit us and put this room to use!)

Well, there you have it. They aren't the best pictures, but I am sure you get the gist. Hope you have a fabulous week!

Whoot-Whew!!

2010-09-28T05:04:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I had to take a picture of Jesse so that his picture could be added to our work website. I know I have a bias opinion seeing as how I am married to the man, but.... IS IT JUST ME, OR IS HE SERIOUSLY GOOD LOOKING?????? Boy oh boy am I grateful for this man! Jesse is the best husband and Dad. I truly could not ask for anything more. I am so blessed to have him by my side forever.

Gone Fishin'

2010-09-21T03:41:00.000-07:00

Can I tell you how much fun it is to have a dock right in your own backyard? We have obviously loved having the beautiful water right outside, just a few steps from the back door. I love to watch the reflection of lights on the water at night. I love to watch the ducks swimming, we have had a blast with our little paddle boat... But, THE BOYS LOVE FISHING IN THE BACKYARD! They have yet to catch anything, but have had a few bites. When I watch them grab a pole and head out back together my heart just melts. I am so happy that they love doing these things together. I can't look at these pictures of them without smiling, try it... IT IS IMPOSSIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am raising fish...

2010-09-20T18:29:00.000-07:00

Well, many of you have been asking, "What have you guys been up to this summer?" I can sum up our summer in one word.... SWIMMING!!!!!! The boys have absolutely loved having such easy access to the water. We are fortunate enough to have a neighborhood pool in our subdivision. It is conveniently located just 5 houses down from us. We also have a small lake just behind our house and the beach is about 5 miles east of us.

When we first arrived in South Carolina, Broc was swimming some and Brady could not swim on his own without floaties at all. All they need is a little water and a lot of repetition and just like magic, they are swimming like pros. Jesse and I call them our little fish. All they want to do is swim, and they are both GREAT swimmers. Broc thinks that he might want to join a swim team next year, he is pretty excited about it, so naturally ... Brady wants to now as well. It was absolutely amazing to us how fast they caught on and how great they were swimming in just 2 short weeks.

We have a family ritual. As soon as we are done with work, we go down to the pool and swim for a while before bath time. On the weekend we often spend all afternoon at the pool. It goes without saying that our boys have gotten a great sun tan this summer!! I don't know what the boys are going to do when the pool closes for the winter. Good thing we live in a warm climate and that isn't going to happen for sometime still. Enjoy the pictures or our little fish!

ISLE OF PALMS VACATION 2010

2010-09-18T18:51:00.000-07:00

This year we vacationed 5 miles from home. Before we had decided to move to Charleston, we had begun making arrangements to travel to Charleston for vacation. Marga and Dhanesh had rented a beach house and had invited us, among other people, to spend the week with them. Let me tell you... "It was AMAZING"!!! The house was gorgeous. It had everything from an elevator to a private pool. We spent 7 days in heaven. We relaxed by the pool, took morning and evening strolls down the beach searching for seashells and catching crabs in the tide pools, we ate great food and were in great company. Trying to describe the house would not do it justice. Prepare for picture overload...

The boys could not get enough of the pool while we were there. They probably swam about 8 hours a day. In fact, they swam so much that Brady learned to swim without floaties. When we arrived to the beach house on Saturday, Brady was wearing floaties in the pool ... by Sunday he was swimming like a fish. They had a great time playing in the water.

We had a blast going for walks on the beach in the morning. In the morning there are a lot of crabs in the tide pools. We caught one in our sand bucket. It is one of the funniest memories I have with my boys and Jesse. The crab was pretty big. Broc was walking through the tide pool looking for shells when he screamed, "There was a HUGE crab by my foot." Jesse responded, "alright... you don't need to scream like that Broc." No sooner did those words leave his lips when the crab went racing past Jesse's foot. What do you think Jesse did? He screamed... just like Broc. We all had the same brilliant thought, lets see if we can catch him. The only thing we had in our possession was a 2 quart pail that we were putting our shells in. We emptied the pail and began our "crab hunt". For the next 30 minutes we chased this crab, along with about 5 others through the tide pool. The crab could sense that we were trying to catch him because he went into his defense mode. I had no idea that crabs did this, but he would raise his pinchers over his body and clap them together, then run through the water to the opposite side of the tide pool. At one point, Jesse had lost track of him. He yells over to me, "Ash can you see him, I don't know where he.... AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" I looked down and the crab is standing between Jesse's feet, with his pinchers above his body, claws open, trying to pinch. Of course jesse screamed. It was quite possibly one of the funniest things I have ever seen. We laughed until we had tears streaming down our faces. We finally caught him. We took a few pictures of the boys with the "prize crab" then released him back into the ocean. It was so much fun!

The boys and I also caught a huge sand crab. We were walking down to the beach when Broc noticed something buried in the sand. He touched it a few times and it didn't move. He called me over to look at what he had found. I told him that it looked like a dead crab, but I could only see the top of its shell. The rest of it's body was buried under the sand. I thought maybe it got stuck clear up here when the tide was high, but when the tide pool dried the crab was stranded and died. Broc wanted me to see if I could dig the little crab body up so that he could take the dried up crab shell back to the house to show Jesse. Broc ran and grabbed a stick so I could pry it's body out of the sand. I put the stick down in the sand, under the crab and pushed down forcing the crab out of the sand, when all of the sudden... the crab popped out of the sand and ran across the top of my foot. It was alive, and of course... I screamed in sheer terror! Once again we grabbed our trusty bucked and trapped the crab. This thing was disgusting. He had a crab body and trianchula legs. Eeek!

We got so much sun. One morning I woke up and my lip felt numb. I got up and looked in the mirror, I took one look and gasped. I woke up Jesse, I am sure he thought there was some emergency. It was an emergency to me! My bottom lip was about twice the size it is supposed to be. I looked like I had some bad collagen treatments or something. Apparently my lip was really sunburned and that is what caused the swelling. The funniest part is the exact same thing happened to Garin. We looked hilarious.

We had such a wonderful time. We can't wait to go back next year and sit on the back porch and look at this....

A HUGE Thank you to Dhanesh and Marga. We had so much fun. We have wonderful memories and fun times to look forward to again next year. Who said you can't have a vacation in paradise 5 minutes from home? We can!!!!

From Rigby to Charleston

2010-09-12T19:05:00.000-07:00

Leaving Idaho was one of the hardest things our little family has ever done. The goodbyes were heart-wrenching. Packing up our memories was filled with a lot of emotion. I shed a lot of tears as I packed up the only house our boys have ever really known as "home". There were moments when we questioned if we were doing the right thing. I still cannot think about all of the goodbyes that were said without crying. Saying goodbye to our families and our closest friends was one of the most emotional things that we have experienced. However, somehow... even through the heartache, we knew we were doing the right thing for us. So, with that in the back of our minds, we made preparations to leave Idaho, the place we will always refer to as home. We were officially Charleston bound.

On Tuesday, June 8th 2010 we loaded the moving truck and hit the road. We drove our truck, pulling our boat behind us. Things started out smoothly... until we hit the hellish place people refer to as Wyoming. We were driving along, minding our own business when one of the tires on our boat trailer blew. Thank goodness for a spare... right? Jesse and I stood out on the crowded interstate as semi trucks flew by us going about 75 MPH... did I mention that we were standing about 10 ft. from them as they passed us. I was absolutely terrified as I stood there holding the flashlight shaking. Jesse got the tire changed in about 25 minutes, then we were back on the road. We got settled back in. The boys were tucked away in their pajamas fast asleep, Jesse had his energy drink and sunflower seeds within his reach and was prepared to drive through the night. I decided I would try and get some sleep so that I could take my turn driving when Jesse got tired. Just as I started to drift off.... POP!!!!!!! Are you kidding me? The other trailer tire blew. Now my question is, who in the world has 2 spare tires. We sure didn't. We were forced to leave our boat on the side of the interstate and grab a room for the night in the nearest town. We pulled into Rawlings, WY. at about 1:00 AM. It is a little town in the middle of nowhere. They have a handful of hotels, but they were all full. Who in the world needs a hotel in Rawlings, WY? I cannot think of a single reason why anyone would want to go there, I mean the ONLY reason we were there is because we were stranded until the tire store opened the next morning. We drove to every hotel in the town, every single one of them was full. We finally found a place with 1 room left. It was a room with a king bed. Who cares? We will take it. Better than sleeping in the car right? WRONG! Jesse, me, Broc, Brady and the dog all slept in a kind size bed. It was the most disgusting place I have ever been. It was the type of place where you wear flip flops in the shower. I felt dirty just from walking inside. I guess it will be something that we can look back and laugh at, but at the time... NONE of us were even smiling. Finally, the tire store opens, we get two new tires, go get the boat and we hit the road. The rest of the trip went really smoothly for the most part. We ran over a dead dear, nearly hit a few live ones crossing the road and learned that lightening bugs guts glow even after they are splattered on your windshield. We spent a fortune on gas, ate enough fast food to last us a lifetime and spent way to much time in public rest rooms. I must say, our boys were ANGELS. Thank goodness for DVD players in cars. They didn't fight once, we didn't have to make any "emergency stops" on the side of the road to use the bathroom and they didn't even spill in the car. We really could not have asked for better travelers.

We made the 2400 mile cross country trek in just over 48 hours. We arrived in Charleston of Friday the 11th at about 10:00 PM. We were all absolutely exhausted! Jesse drove the majority of the way. He was such a trooper! We were all relieved to be in SC. None of us were to anxious to spend much time in the car for a while.

We had never seen our new home in person until we got here. It was so exciting to step foot in our new home! We were all thrilled with the house. It is beautiful and we have our own dock in the backyard on the water and a neighborhood pool just a few houses up the street. The boys couldn't wait to go swimming. Pictures of our new home coming soon!

The boys slept in the bean bag the last night in our old house. All of their bedding was packed.

Our wonderful home in Rigby... we will miss our house and the wonderful people in the neighborhood.

Our new home in Charleston. We are so excited to make new memories here!

BRADY'S PRE-SCHOOL GRADUATION

2010-09-12T18:52:00.000-07:00

Brady graduated from pre-school in May 2010. He loved pre-school and I cannot speak highly enough of his teacher. I was lucky enough to have both of my boys attend Leading Edge Preschool. Mrs. Thompson is FABULOUS!!! Brady learned so much in preschool. He now knows his alphabet, he knows what sounds each letter makes, he can write his letters, he can write his name, he knows all of his color site words, he knows all of his shapes and he made some great friends along the way. We sure love this little boy and are so proud of him for doing so well in school this year. He is officially ready for Kindergarten.

HUGE NEWS.... WE'RE MOVING TO CHARLESTON, SC.

2010-05-02T18:57:00.001-07:00

We have a pretty big announcement to make! We are moving to Charleston, SC. We put our home on the market back in January in hopes of purchasing a new home in either Rigby or Rexburg... well, plan's have changed a little since then. Jesse was offered a job with the same surgeon that I work for back in January, but we thought about it and decided that we wanted to stay close to family. Well, this same offer has kept representing itself, so we thought that maybe this is something that we should really consider. We have been weighing our options now for quite some time and really are trying to make the best decision for our family. We have prayed about it and talked about it, then talked about it some more and we have finally decided that we are going to do it. It is kind of a leap of faith, but it is a wonderful opportunity for us. These types of offers don't come along often, especially in this economy. We both feel really good about our decision and are anxious for this adventure.

There is one HUGE downside to this move. Both sides of our family are here in Idaho. We are going to miss them terribly. We have also developed some lifelong friendships here. This is such an emotional thing and that makes this move really hard. We will be back to visit twice a year, which knowing that makes it a little easier to move. We are so grateful for our family and friends here and for all of the support they have given us for this decision.

Within a week after making this decision, things started falling into place. Our house sold, we sold our 4-wheelers and we found a new home to lease in Charleston. Things are working out for us. We should close on our home here the end of May and be leaving for Charleston the first week in June. We are so excited!!!!!

I have included a few pictures of our beautiful new home in Charleston. We are really excited to live on the water and I can't get over how beautiful the landscaping is. We have palm trees for crying out loud! The house also comes with that adorable little paddle boat that is tied to our personal little dock. The water comes from a big fresh water lake. You can travel the canal to the mouth of the 52 acre lake. I smell many paddle boat trips in our future. Someone pinch me!

Broc's Baptism

2010-05-02T18:41:00.000-07:00

Broc was baptized a member of "The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints" on Saturday, May 1, 2010. The baptism was held at our church. All of the members of both sides of our family were able to make it along with a few of our closest friends. It was such a special day! I was asked to give a talk on the gift of the Holy Ghost during the opening exercises for the Stake Baptism's. After the opening exercises were over they divided the children by wards for the actual baptism. Broc was the only child in our ward, and we were also the last ward to go, so we were able to stay in the same room for the baptism and conformation. This made it a little bit more personal and intimate. We feel so blessed to have been surrounded by all of the people in our lives that we love so much.

We are so proud of Broc for the decision that he made to be baptized. He is such an amazing kid! He is such a great example for all of the kids around him, especially his little brother. We are so lucky to be his parents. Did I mention how handsome he looked in his new suite and tie???

HE COULDN'T WAIT TILL HE WAS EIGHT

2010-05-02T18:30:00.000-07:00

Seriously... where does the time go????? Broc is already 8 years old! I can't believe that my babies are growing up so quickly.

We gave Broc a few options as to what he would like to do to celebrate his birthday this year. He decided to just do something with the 4 of us instead of having a big party. He had school that day, so we sent him to school with cookies to share with his entire class so that they could share his special day with him. When he got home he opened his presents. He really wanted a razor scooter and an Ipod Touch. He was pretty happy that he got both among a few other things. He chose to eat dinner at The Olive Garden and then go to the movie to see "How To Train Your Dragon" in 3D. It was a very fun afternoon. Happy Birthday Buddy. We are so grateful to have you! You make our world a happier place!

Spring Break trip to Charleston 2010

2010-04-10T13:34:00.001-07:00

We decided to take a little vacay this year during spring break. This is the first year we have ever done this. We usually just stay here in the cold Idaho weather and pretend that it is springtime. Not this year. This year we packed up and boarded a plane to Sunny Charleston, SC. Can I just say that this is my favorite place. I just love it there, and now Jesse does too! I have been several times for work, but this was Jesse and the boys first time. They all loved it and can't wait to go back. We left on Thursday April 1st and came back Tuesday, April 6th. I had to work on Friday, so Jesse took the boys to the beach, out to lunch and bought them some new shades, flip flops and beach towels. On Saturday we went to the Aquarium of Charleston. It was really fun. On Sunday, the Easter Bunny found the boys in Charleston and left them some goodies. We packed up for the day and headed to the beach. It was so relaxing. It was 85 degrees and the sun was shining. I could have basked in the sun all day long! On Monday we did a little shopping downtown and grabbed some lunch at a seafood joint right on the water. Tuesday afternoon we headed for home. Let's just say that none of us were to pleased to come home to SNOW! We had a wonderful time in my favorite city in the U.S. We are headed back this summer for some more Charleston fun! I can't wait.

My baby is 5!!!!

2010-04-10T12:21:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe that my baby boy is 5 years old. That means he will be in Kindergarten next year. Where on earth does the time go? This sweet boy has blessed our lives in ways that words cannot even describe. We are so thankful to be his parents! Brady is a very good boy. He is so sweet and still likes to snuggle, which I really love. He loves to play with his brother. He looks up to Broc so much and is constantly trying to mirror his big brother. Here is a little bit about our sweet 5 year old boy...

Favorite food: Mac n' cheese, chicken noodle soup and Life cereal
Favorite movies: Home Alone, Elf, Ben 10 and Mario Brothers
Favorite things to do: Play Wii, jump on the tramp, build with Legos, play cars
Favorite activity: Go to pre-school (he looks forward to this everyday!)
Favorite color: Blue and white
Favorite clothes: Sweat Shirts... the kid wears them with everything!

Brady had a great birthday. We had a little family party here at our house. He was so excited to pick out his cake. He decided on an Incredible Hulk cake from Dairy Queen. The kids played with all of his new toys and they all had a blast.

Christmas 2009

2010-04-10T11:49:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love the Holiday Season. I love to decorate, watch the falling snow and spend quality time with loved ones. This year we stayed home for Christmas. We had Jesse's Mom and Dad, His Brother, Sister n' law and Nephew and my Grandma and Terry over for a BIG Christmas dinner.

The boys came into our room at about 7:00 AM to wake us up so we could go downstairs and see what Santa brought.
Santa brought Broc a big Lego set and he brought Brady the Transfomers that he has been wanted. They were so excited. Then we opened presents. Everyone got way too much, but we all enjoyed being spoiled this year :0) After we finished opening presents, Jesse and I cleaned up then I began cooking. We had Turkey, Southern Potatoes, Sweet Potato Suffle', Home baked rolls, fresh veggies and spinach salad with poppyseed dressing. For desert we had bread pudding and egg nog cake. Dinner was delicious and the company was great. It was another great Christmas to remember!

Brady's Christmas Program 2009

2010-04-10T11:42:00.000-07:00

Brady had his Christmas program for his Pre-school. He did so good! I wish I was smart enough to download the video of his part, but until I figure it out... the photos will have to do.

I just adore his pre-school teacher. She is AMAZING! He has loved pre-school this year. He is anxious to go every single morning. I can't believe how much he has learned. That kid is like a sponge!

New Orleans/ Work Christmas Party 2010

2010-04-10T11:17:00.000-07:00

This past December Jesse and I had the chance to get out of town by ourselves for a few days. My fabulous boss flew us out to New Orleans and put us up in a nice hotel for a few days so we could attend the Christmas Party that the hospital she operates at was hosting. It was so much fun. We were able to see the sights, eat some fabulous food and get dressed up and party.

Jesse learned that he really likes seafood gumbo. I must admit... it is pretty awesome stuff. We ate way to much while we were there, but hey... when in Rome! We got all dressed up for the Christmas party. It was held at the infamous "House of Blues." Better Than Ezra performed. They were amazing. We danced till like 2:00 AM, then went back to the suite and ordered room service. I don't think we got to bed until about 5:00 AM. I haven't stayed up that late for 10 years. It was so much fun. We are so grateful for the opportunity to get away. It is always nice to have some one on one time without the kiddos!

Halloween 2010

2010-04-10T11:08:00.000-07:00

This Halloween Broc wanted to be a skeleton and Brady wanted to be an elephant. Broc of course wanted the skeleton costume that had fake blood running down the face... um, no way! Why do boys insist on being so gross? Brady found an elephant costume that was 2 sizes to small, but I was thrilled that he still wanted to be something cute instead of following in the gross footsteps of his older brother, so of course... I bought the "high water" elephant costume. He couldn't have looked any cuter. Luckily Broc found a skeleton costume that he liked... and it wasn't even bloody. Score one for me! I was a happy Momma with two adorable little halloween monsters.

The weather actually cooperated with us this year. The boys didn't even have to cover up their Halloween costumes with a huge winter coat. They both had a blast trick or treating. When they had enough, we came home, turned off all of the lights and went downstairs to watch a "spooky" movie. It was such a fun night!

Flag Football 2009

2010-04-10T10:51:00.001-07:00

Broc participated in his 3rd year of flag football this past fall. He loves it. Football is by far his favorite sport. He is very anxious for when he actually weighs enough to play tackle. Hopefully in a couple of years he will be able to. Jesse coached him again this year. It has been so much fun for the two of them to enjoy this together. Brady is very excited that he will be old enough to play next year. My boys are getting so big... where does the time go?

Huntin' with Grandpa 2010

2010-04-10T10:34:00.000-07:00

This past fall Broc went on his annual hunting trip with Grandpa Jeff. Once again he had a blast. They actually shot a deer and his favorite part was helping them gut it. Boys will be boys I guess. I am so glad that he is able to do these things with his Grandpa. I am grateful that my boys will always have such wonderful memories!

FISHIN' WITH GRANDPA

2010-04-10T10:26:00.001-07:00

This past fall my Dad tried to have some one on one time with each of the boys. He took Brady fishing up to Henry's Lake. Brady had a wonderful time. He was so excited to go all by himself. My Dad said that he did great and had a blast.

A few weeks after Brady got home we were at the grocery store. We walked past the case with the fresh seafood and there was a huge salmon in the case. Brady told me that the fish that he caught was almost that big. Then he proceeded to tell me that Grandpa didn't catch fish that big, all Grandpa caught was grass! We laughed and laughed about this. Of course I had to call and give my Dad a hard time. My Dad loves to fish. He goes all the time and is really a good fisherman, but apparently... according to Brady, all he caught last time was some moss from the bottom of the lake.

PARK CITY 2009

2010-04-10T10:06:00.000-07:00

In Septmeber we were invited to attend the annual gala for "The Image Reborn Foundation." This is a foundation that offers free retreats to women who are fighting breast cancer. It is such an amazing foundation that benefits a cause that is near and dear to my heart. All of the girls, including Me, Dr. Massey, Jenny and Kay spent a few days relaxing at The Stein Eriksen Lodge in Park City prior to the event. We had an amazing 3 bedroom, 4 bathroom suite with a full kitchen, 2 decks, a hot tub and 2 fireplaces. talk about being pampered. Jesse and my Mom came down the night before the gala and stayed with us in the suite. We all enjoyed full body massages and pedicures the next day. It was so fun to relax and spend some time with everyone. The gala held on Saturday was so much fun. There was great food (we even tried frog legs... not sure I am a big fan) and dancing and live music. We all had a blast and I don't think any of us were ready to pack up and leave the next day.

FIRST DAY'S OF SCHOOL 2009

2009-12-14T13:01:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how fast my little boys are growing right before my very eyes.

Broc just started 2nd grade. He is 7 and will be turning 8 before I know it. Broc's 2nd grade teacher is Mrs. Baker. He seems to really like her and has met many new friends in his class. He is reading really well, does very good at Math and has excelled at Spelling. I am so proud of him and all of his academic achievements!

Brady just started his 2nd year of preschool. He is 4 and will be turning 5 in December. He loves his teacher Mrs. Thompson. His preschool is less than a quarter mile from our house. His teacher is also in our ward and we have known her many years. She is wonderful. Brady is learning so much already this year. He has come home singing many new songs that he learned in pre school and he can even recite The Pledge of Allegiance. He is one smart cookie and is very excited to start Kindergarten next year so he can be at the same school as his big brother.

Day at the Lake

2009-12-14T12:52:00.000-08:00

This is how we spend many of our Idaho summer days. We have had our boat now for 5 summers. We have so many great memories at the lake and it is a great way to spend time as a family.

RUSH Triathlon 2009

2009-12-14T12:38:00.000-08:00

This past August I competed in the Rush Triathlon in Rexburg, ID. It was my first triathlon and I participated in the sprint distance. It consisted of a .5 mile swim, 14.2 mile bike ride and a 3.1 mile run. My official finishing time was 2:19:25. The swimming was by far the hardest part for me, but the bike wasn't bad at all. Normally the running would be my strongest leg... but after riding a bike on rolling hills for 14.2 miles your legs are numb. It was hard but I would definitely consider doing it again next year.

CALIFORNIA VACATION 2009

2009-12-14T11:00:00.000-08:00

This past August we took a trip to California. We had a wonderful time and cannot wait to go back. My Mom also came with us and it was fun to have her. We flew from Salt Lake to Long Beach. The boys thought the airplane was pretty awesome. The looked adorable pulling their luggage through the airport.

We bought 3 day park hopper tickets for Disneyland and California Adventures. The boys had so much fun and they LOVED the roller coasters. Their favorite rides at Disneyland were Space Mountain, Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain, Indiana Jones (Brady wasn't tall enough) and the Matterhorn. Their favorite rides at California Adventures were Big Bear Rapids, Soain' California and Bugs Life. Broc really like Tower of Terror, but Brady hated it! Broc was disappointed when he was 1" to short to ride California Screamin. Next time he will be tall enough. We had a blast and can't wait to go back.

After we had had enough of "the happiest place on earth", we headed for long beach. We went to the queen Mary and the Aquarium of the Pacific. The Queen Mary was much to be desired. I think it was a waste of money and it was much cooler when I was a kid, but Brady really enjoyed it. The aquarium however was amazing and worth every penny. We spent hours in there and the boys loved every second of it!

We spent several days enjoying the sun and surf at both Hunnington and Laguna Beach. The weather was perfect and the boys loved playing in the sand, searching for shells and playing in the ocean. It was absolutely beautiful and so relaxing. I am definitely ready to go back!

We had a wonderful time in California. We kept very busy and we definitely wore our kids out.

Way to go Brady!

2009-07-03T07:45:00.000-07:00

Brady kicking the ball down the field right before he scored a goal.

Brady had his very first soccer game yesterday. He did great! He even got a goal! Way to go Brady. Brady is on a team with his friend Parker. They had so much fun together. This is such a fun age to watch. The kids are so funny. Considering that Brady's coach called us late Sunday night to tell us about his first practice on Monday, which only lasted 10 minutes, and then had his first game the next day... they did great. Thank goodness Broc has been playing soccer with Brady in the back yard. That is the only reason that Brady even has a clue what to do. Needless to say, I was not to impressed with his coach... but could not be prouder of my little boy. He did such a good job and he looked like he had a lot of fun. He is growing up way to fast.

Jesse practicing with Brady before the game.

Brady standing in front of our house before the game.

Brady and Parker

Brady is #3! Way to go buddy. We are so proud of you.

Broc's first soccer game of the season

2009-07-01T16:24:00.000-07:00

We have officially started the soccer season. Broc had his first game last night and he did awesome! He loved being goalie. He did a great job. He wasn't prepared for the very first ball that came his way and it went right past him. After that he payed very close attention and dove right in to grab them. Not a single ball went past him the rest of time he was goalie. He is so fun to watch. He loves sports, which makes his Daddy very happy. Here are a few pictures from his game last night.

WERE GOING TO DISNEYLAND!

2009-06-15T10:09:00.001-07:00

I am terrible about keeping up on our blog. I am trying to get better... but it is hard to find the time. I am getting caught up today, this is my 5th post, so keep scrolling down to get the complete Packer Family update.

We are going to Disneyland! We are so excited. We have finally planned a trip to Southern California. We have been wanting to do this for the past few years and just have not been able to do it. We finally made travel arrangements and set the dates in stone. Broc and Brady had no idea that we were planning this, so we wanted to make it fun when we told them. Mickey Mouse sent packet's to our house for each boy. Inside were their tickets for the airplane, Disneyland, both hotels, the Queen Mary and the Ocean of the Pacific Aquarium. They were so excited. There was also a letter from Mickey himself telling the boys that they needed to be good and to continue saving their money so that they could buy some fun things while they were in California. Broc and Brady both have a piggy bank and are trying to do some things around the house to earn money. We cant wait to go. August just can't come fast enough. We are on our way to the "happiest place on earth."

Brady's pre-school graduation

2009-06-15T09:58:00.000-07:00

Brady graduated from his first year of pre-school the end of May. He really loved is teacher, Onda Kay, and learned a lot. The interaction with other children his age was really good for him. He still has one more year of pre-school before he starts Kindergarden. That is good, because that means one more year that I have my baby boy home with me. He is excited to spend the summer home with me and Broc... but he is constantly asking when he gets to go back to pre-school. Next year he will attend pre-school 3 days a week. He is very excited because his friend Parker will be in his class. They will have so much fun together. Brady is such a good boy and is learning so much. We sure do love him!

I DID IT!!!!

2009-06-15T09:38:00.001-07:00

I finished! On Saturday, June 13th I ran the Dam Half Marathon with one of my best friends, Kendra. I am so proud of myself for finishing. It was a really hard race. What I didn't realize when I signed up is how much of the race was actually uphill. The first 10 miles were uphill, then there was about 2 miles total of flats and about a mile downhill. We finished in 2:29:18. I was hoping to finish in under 2.5 hours and we did... even with all of the uphill. I was happy with that.

I was so sore that night and the next day that I could hardly walk. I have never been so sore in my entire life. I know it was from all of the uphill. My body was just not used to that. We ran 13.5 miles when we were training for the race and I was a little stiff, but nothing like how I felt after the actual race. OUCH. I finally took the advice of a friend and took an ice bath. At first I was not sure what hurt worse, my aching muscles or submerging my entire lower body into ice water. After the first 5 minutes I was completely numb... so the last 10 -15 minutes were not as bad. I think it helped because I am feeling a little better today. I am stiff but not hurting as much.

Jesse met us at the finish line and took some pictures. It was so nice to have him there waiting for me. He is always so supportive and I am so thankful to him for that. I really lucked out in the husband department!! I lucked out in the friend department as well. Thanks for running with me Kendra. You did awesome. We are a good team if I must say so myself. I look forward to many more races together. I have now completed one 5K, one 10K and a half marathon. I guess my next step is to complete a marathon. I better get training now!

Is summer ever going to come?

2009-06-15T09:13:00.000-07:00

I think everyone in Idaho is asking themselves the same question. Is summer ever going to come? It has rained here everyday in the month of June. This weeks forecast has rain for the whole next week. I am grateful for the moisture... but it is killing my flowers and it nearly flooded our house yesterday. We had a horrible rain storm yesterday ... and because the storm drain is in front of our house, all of the water runs down the street and toward our house. It rained so hard that the storm drain could not keep up with the amount of water trying to go down. We had water half way up our driveway and in our grass. The sidewalk was completely submersed. We literally had a lake in front of our house. We got some rain in our basement because the window well was full of water and it seeped through the window. I don't know about everyone else... but I am ready for some sunny days.

I finally took some pictures of our yard. Everything is very green needless to say. My flowers are not looking so great... but my ferns on the other hand have never looked better. They love this cool, wet weather. Jesse and I have been working hard trying to get the yard whipped into shape. It is always quite a task to get everything looking good after a long winter. Our backyard is finally ready for summer... now we just need some summer weather to get ready for B-B-Q season.

I can't believe that he is 7!

2009-06-15T08:24:00.001-07:00

I am so bad at the whole blog thing... I should have posted this about 2 months ago! Better late than never right? Well on April 15, 2009 Broc turned 7 years old. Where has the time gone? I just can't believe it. I am so glad that Broc was sent to our family. He is such a good boy and he is a wonderful big brother. Here are just a few of Broc's favorite things right now.

COLOR: Black
FOOD: Cheese burgers & mac n' cheese
TOY: Iron Man
MOVIE: Harry Potter
CARTOON: Sponge Bob Square Pants
BEST FRIEND: Brady (what a good big brother!)
FAVORITE ACTIVITY: Playing the Wii.
SPORT: Football
SUBJECT IN SCHOOL: Math
DISLIKES: He hates getting the stomach flu. (crazy kid!)

Broc also love's to draw, jump on the trampoline, ride his bike, go to the lake, 4-wheeling, fishing, camping and play with his little brother.

For Broc's birthday this year he wanted to go see Monsters vs. Aliens 3D and go to Chuck-A-Rama. We had a great day with him. He got a Wii for his birthday along with a couple of games. He was very excited and is already better at it than Jesse and I! Happy Brithday Broc! We love you so much and are so blessed to have you.

I LOVE CHOCOLATE!

2009-04-08T13:56:00.000-07:00

Does anyone else ever get really excited when the UPS man pulls up in your driveway? I don't care much for the mail lady, because all that we really ever get in the mail is bills. The UPS man on the other hand is different. When he pulls up it is usually some special delivery, surprise from some beloved friend or family member or even something that you ordered from the internet and have been anticipating its arrival. Well today the UPS man pulled up. I wasn't expecting anything... so, I could not imagine what it could be. To my surprise the package was from the Hershey company. I love chocolate so I knew this was really going to be something special. To my surprise it was a gift from one of the patients that I have worked with that currently has breast cancer. She sent me two huge boxes of deliciousness! One was a 10X10 piece of solid milk chocolate that she had personalized to say, "Thanks for all that you do" and the other was a tower of Hershey tins filled with pure heaven.

It was so nice to feel so appreciated by this woman. This woman is one of the sweetest people I have ever met. She is currently fighting breast cancer and preparing for her double mastectomy and reconstruction. She has so much on her mind and so much she is preparing for. I can't imagine fighting breast cancer and still taking the time to tell some "little office girl" Thanks! This was definitely not expected, but very appreciated. What a nice (and tasty) gesture This gesture makes me appreciate the small things in life and makes me want to take the time to tell the people in my life thank you. I am so thankful for my wonderful family and for their health.

MY FIRST 10K

2009-03-21T13:47:00.000-07:00

I was so excited that today I completed my first 10K. I wont tell you what place we finished in... or how long it took, but the important thing is that I finished without walking a single time. It felt like a pretty big accomplishment. It really just makes me want to train harder and go further. So my next big goal is to run a half marathon this summer and possibly a full marathon by this fall... but we will have to see. We might save the full marathon for next year.

I am excited about my new running addiction! I have been running faithfully about 5 days a week since August of last year ( I did slack off for a few weeks during the holidays. You all know how that time of year is). I am finally to the point where I really enjoy it. I find that the days that I don't get up at 6:30 for a run I am a little more grumpy, usually get a headache and am way more tired. It is the perfect start to my day, and sometimes end to my night. I am finally starting to shed the pounds and hope that I will reach my goal weight this year.

I have also developed some really great friendships! Kendra and I started this together last August and have worked really hard to get where we are. Thanks Kendra! She is the best friend and running buddy. I am so greatful for her. Nicole has joined our little running group recently and we are loving having her. She is also a great friend and always has me laughing. She actually ran the 10K with me today (we missed you Kendra!). It has been so fun to really get to know these great girls and reach these goals together.

Enough about me. I was just really excited about completing one of my goals. That is always a good feeling. Next goal... The Dam half marathon. Come on girls... are you in?

TAG: First Born

2009-02-19T16:13:00.000-08:00

A couple of my friends have done this cute little tag about their first born. This is for my first born Broc...

1.Where were you when you first found out you were pregnant? The bathroom in our apartment.
2.Who was with you? No one.
3.How did you find out that you were pregnant? The wonderful invention of the "Clear Blue Easy"
4.What was your first reaction to finding out you were pregnant? I was ecstatic! I was probably doing the happy squeal.
5.Who was the first person you told?Jesse
6.Did you plan to get pregnant? Yes!! We had been trying for about 6 months.
7.Did you tell everyone else right away? We told everyone right away. I was 10 weeks when I found out I was pregnant.
8.Was everybody happy for you? I think so.
9.Did you go out and celebrate? We went to both of our parents houses to break the news.
10.Did you want to find out the sex?Yes! Especially with our first. I thought it was a girl, Jesse thought it was a boy... and you can see who was right.
12.Did anyone throw you a baby shower? yes. I had a huge shower. It took 3 trips to get all of the stuff back to my house.
13.Did you get any outfits at the baby shower that you just knew that you wouldn't put on your baby? Yes I did. Sad... but true.
14.How much weight did you gain? 65 LBS. Disgusting I know.
15.Did you lose all of the weight that you gained? Yes. All of it plus some... then I got prego with #2. That is a whole different story.
16.Did you get any stretch marks? Yes... lots.
17.What did you crave the most? Taco Bell, Reeses Ice Cream Bars and Caffine Free Pepsi. Hence the 65 pounds. ;0)
18.Did you crave anything crazy?Not really.
19.Who or what got on your nerves? I have to be honest there was one person... Jesse and I know who I am talking about.
20.Did you have any complications during your pregnancy? I developed Toxemia in the last trimester.
21.Where and when did you go into labor? They induced labor at Madison Memorial Hospital.
22.Did your water break? Not on its own. They broke it at the hospital.
23.Who drove you to the hospital? Jesse
24.Who was in the room when you gave birth? Besides the usual hospital staff, just Jesse and my Mom.
25.Did you go early or late? They induced me exactly a week early.
26.How long were in labor for? I started having contractions at about 9:00 AM and he was born at 2:34 PM. Not to bad for a first timer.
27.Did you have any drugs for the pain? I had an epidrual... but it didn't really work. It just took the edge off a little. I still felt everything. Ouch!
28.Did you go natural or have a C-section? Natural
29.What was your first reaction after giving birth? I couldn't believe that we were parents and that we had made this perfect, sweet little baby boy. That is a moment I will never forget. Life is wonderful.
30.How big was the baby? 7 lbs 2 oz, 19 inches long.
31.Did your husband cry? - He got teary eyed. You just cant help that
32.What did you name the baby? Broc McNamara Packer
33.Does her name have any significant meaning? Jesse and I both really liked the name Broc... but McNamara is Jesse's Mom's maiden name. She does not have any brothers, so they have carried the name on by using it as a middle name for their own children... and now Grandchildren.
34.Did you have any visitors? of course. Friends and family.
35.Did the baby have any complications? Not really. His blood sugar got kind of low so they gave him a bottle of formula in the nursery and after that he refused to breast feed. Little stinker, doesn't he know how expensive formula is???
36.How old is your baby today? He will be 7 in April.
37.When is the next one coming? He has a little brother named Brady who is 4. I don't think there will be anymore sweet little spirits coming to this house. The doctor told me it wasn't a good idea. I guess only time will tell.
38.If you could, would you do it all over again? ABSOLUTLEY! WITHOUT A DOUBT! MY BOYS ARE THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME!

TAG: All mommies! Lets see your answers.

Fun in the snow!

2009-01-25T11:25:00.000-08:00

It has finally started snowing here again. We haven't had any new snow since Christmas time. It had melted a lot... in fact the roads were completely dry! I have to admit that I am already ready for spring. I even went for an early morning run outside last week. It was pretty warm ( 18 degrees ) and the roads were dry, except for a few ice patches here and there. It felt really good to run a few miles outside, I decided I would go on Friday too... but when I woke up it was snowing and it hasn't stopped since. Just when I thought we were going to have an early spring ( wishful thinking I know), it starts snowing again. Oh well. The boys loved it and built 3 snowmen on Saturday. They had a ball. I loved watching them outside in all of their snow gear. They have been dying to just get outside and run. That is the bad thing about winter in Idaho. The kids are cooped up inside for months. Snow or sunshine, the kids just love to be outside. I guess I should let them out of the house more often in the winter, but I am one of those Mom's that is constantly worried about them being out in the cold and getting sick. I know there are places like Leo's and Blast Off, but I have to admit, I am a total germ-a-phobe and I hate those places. They just gross me out! I just know that if I take them there they are going to come home with stomach flu, pink eye or some other terrible illness. I need to be creative and think of other ways to let them get their energy out in the winter. Any secrets I should know about? I would love some suggestions.

2009-01-15T14:17:00.000-08:00

I just got home from Las Vegas... so I thought that I better post some photos. I went for a "girls weekend" with some of the girls I work with and my Mom came along because she is such good friends with Dr. Massey. We stayed at the Luxor. We just relaxed and did whatever we wanted to do. We went shopping, gambled a little ( I won $90.00 ) and we ate alot. That is the best part about vacation... the food. We had a great weekend. Jesse was nice enough to stay home and take care of the boys. He is the best husband ever!!! It was fun to be away, but it is always so nice to come back home to your family. I always get really homesick for my hubby and my boys.

Snowmobiling through Yellowstone

2009-01-05T08:17:00.000-08:00

My entire family went snowmobiling through Yellowstone this past Saturday, except for my Mom who was home sick with the stomach flu ;0(. My brother Jeremy and his wife Niki were here visiting from Oklahoma. We had babysitters for all of the kids. It was so much fun to have everyone together, it doesn't happen very often. We had the best time, the only thing that would have made it better is if my Mom could have been there. It was REALLY cold! Like below 0 cold. The park was so beautiful. It was a winter wonderland. Here are some pictures of our trip.

HAPPY 4TH BIRTHDAY BRADY!

2008-12-28T20:11:00.001-08:00

I don't know how this happened? How in the world has 4 years gone by since I had my last baby? Life seems to pass by so quickly. We celebrated Brady's 4th birthday today. I have to admit it was a little bittersweet. It makes me so sad to think that those days are gone forever. He isn't a baby anymore. He isn't even a toddler. He is a little boy. Although it makes me sad that my baby is growing up... I am so grateful that he is a happy and healthy 4 year old. I miss those days that are gone forever, but I will always cherish those memories and I look forward to the memories that are to come in the future. Like I tell Brady, " he will always be my baby!" Even when he is 60 years old, he will still be my baby. I am so grateful that Heavenly Father sent me such a sweet little spirit. I am so blessed to be his mom. I love that little boy so much. So Brady.... Happy Birthday. We love you!

2008-12-27T09:41:00.001-08:00

Another Christmas has come and gone! It is crazy how fast time flies by. There is so much time and preparation that goes into the holiday... and then, just like that it is over. We had a wonderful Christmas. It was so much fun to watch to boys open presents and see what Santa brought them. The gifts were fun... but we did try to focus on the true meaning of Christmas and teach the boys about the gift our Heavenly Father sent us when he sent a Savior to the world. I love to spend Christmas with the one we love and reflect on our many blessings. I hope that all of you had a very merry Christmas and that you have a wonderful 2009!

Celebrating 8 Wonderful years!

2008-12-13T13:59:00.000-08:00

Jesse and I will be celebrating our 8th anniversary tomorrow. I stole this tag idea from Holly Davis. (Thanks Holly!) It is hard to believe we have been together for 8 years. Time goes by so quickly, but on the other hand it is hard to remember life without my wonderful husband and sweet baby boys. It seems like life has always been this way. I am so grateful to be married to my best friend. We are so happy and I could not have imagined being in a happier relationship. We are fortunate to share the same interests, goals and view on how we want to raise our children. We were made for each other. I don't know if I believe in soul mates, I don't believe that there is only one person out there for everyone. I believe that there are a lot of people out there who can make one happy, but I do believe there is one person out there who can make you the happiest. I truly believe that I found the one who makes me the happiest. I love you Jesse!!!!!!! Thanks for loving me and bringing me so much joy over the past 8 years. I can't wait to share the rest of our lives together. Happy Anniversary.

1. What is his name? Jesse
2. Who eats more? Jesse probably does, only because I am trying to lose weight.
3. Who said I love you first? He did, but only because I was to stubborn to say it first.
4. Who is taller? Jesse is. He is 6'1" and I am 5'7"
5. Who is smarter? Jesse for sure!!
6. Who is more sensitive? definitely me! what can I say I am a girl.
7.Who does the laundry? Jesse and I both do it. He is the best at helping out around the house.
8. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? I do. It is closest to the bathroom. :)
9. Who pays the bills? Jesse makes the money to pay them. I just write out a check and stick a stamp on it.
10. Who cooks more? I would have to say me.
11. What meals do you cook together? Jesse is pretty great on the grill. If we are having a B-B-Q we do it together.
12. Who is more stubborn? I hate to admit it.... but I would have to say me.
13. Who is the first to admit they're wrong? I don't remember.
14. Who has more siblings? Jesse. He has 5 and I have 3.
15. Who wears the pants in the relationship? Jesse would tell you that I do... but I think we make the decisions together for the most part.
16. What do you like to do together? Go to the lake in the boat or up in the mountains on the 4 wheelers. It doesn't matter what we do, we usually just like to spend all of our free time together.
17. Who eats more sweets? Jesse does. I would eat a lot more but I am not supposed to eat much sugar.
18. Guilty pleasures? We love to make nachos and eat them in bed while we watch our favorite TV shows.
19. How did you meet? The first day of our first aid class at Ricks College.
20. Who asked who out first? He asked me out first. We never spent a day apart after that until after we were married.
21. Who kissed who first? Jesse kissed me first. It happened at my parents house while we were sitting on the couch watching a movie.
22. Who proposed? Jesse did. He made me dinner at his house and hid my ring in the "dessert".
23. His best features? He has beautiful brown eyes. I love his strong arms. I also love the fact that he is taller than me. Everyone tells him that he has a nice chin. When my family members that had never seen him until we mailed out our engagement pics. saw him for the first time, they all commented on what a nice chin he has. It cracks me up!
24. What is his greatest quality? I can't name just one so here are my favorite two. He is the best Dad and husband. I love that his family takes priority over everything else.
25. Tagged? Anyone who wants to do a little man tag!

My trip to Charleston

2008-11-18T12:42:00.000-08:00

I just got home from my trip to Charleston SC. It was so beautiful. I went for work and was really able to learn a lot. I spent almost a week there doing some training for my new job. For those of you who don't know, I work from home for a plastic surgeon who specializes in micro surgical breast reconstruction of breast cancer patients. I was able to follow Dr. Massey around while she did consults, hospital rounds and I was even allowed to go in the O.R. We had a surgeon there from Paris who worked with Dr. Massey to do some lymph node transfers. It was pretty cool to watch this ground breaking surgery being performed. It made national news. It was a really great experience. I learned SO MUCH. We worked very hard while we were there, but we did carve out some time to see the sights. Dr. Massey's home is located right on the water with a really beautiful view. We saw dolphins while we were standing right off of her terrace. We also went to market street and did some shopping at the market. We ate at some of the very best restaurants. It was a lot of fun, but it definitely feels good to be home. I got really homesick. I miss my boys and my husband so bad when I am away.

Broc's hunting trip with Grandpa Jeff and Great Grandpa Dick.

2008-11-04T11:02:00.000-08:00

2008-11-04T10:43:00.000-08:00

Broc had the opportunity to go hunting with my Dad and my Grandpa. He was so excited and it made him feel so grown up. He kept telling Brady, " You aren't old enough. You can go when you are 6 like me." He was the most excited about riding on horses into hunting camp. Broc loves to ride Foxy. She is the best horse. They left on a Friday afternoon, so Broc got to leave school early. He helped me pack his things and then we were off to Grandpa's house. They rode about 3 miles into hunting camp. Broc was so excited to sleep in the tent and eat "hunting food". They got up early and went to look for wildlife with the new binoculars that Grandpa gave him. He had so much fun. When he got home he looked like he had been living in the mountains for a month. Lets just say we had to give the tub a very good cleaning after he was done with his bath. I am so greatful that my boys will have such good memories with the people that matter most to us.

Handsome boy!

2008-11-01T17:20:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that my baby is almost 4. It has really bothered me lately. Time goes by way to fast. I took this picture of Brady yesterday and while I was editing it on my computer I just sat and stared at him. He is not a baby anymore. He isn't even a toddler. He is a little boy. It makes me sad when I realize that those days are gone forever, but it makes me so happy to see that my boys are happy and healthy. We have been so blessed to have been sent these perfect little spirits. I love my boys so much. I cherish every day that I have with them. I love that I get to be their mom. What a wonderful opportunity our Heavenly Father has given me. I need to always remember those moments that we cherish while our children are babies, but also look forward to the future moments that are equally as sweet.

Halloween Monsters

2008-11-01T16:55:00.000-07:00

Well, Halloween has come and gone. That only means one thing... the Holidays are coming. I can't believe how fast this past year has gone by. It seems like we were just decorating for Christmas and here we are just a month away from doing it all over again. I for one AM NOT READY! I don't even want to think about it.

I took some pictures of the boys on Halloween. We let them both pick out what they wanted to be this year. I thought for sure, being super hero fanatics, that they would want to be nothing but a super hero. Boy was I wrong! Broc found a "swamp monster costume". Brady is always trying to be like his brother, so he said that "he wants to be a scary thing too!" Brady decided on the ware wolf costume. They looked halarious.

We took the boys trick-or-treating last night. Broc could have kept going all night. Brady on the other hand got tired of it pretty fast. He was more concerned with ringing the "ding dong" than the candy. We took him two different times. He kept wanting to come home and snack on Candy and then go back out and do it again. He told me the last time we went out that he was ready for bed, but we could do it again tomorrow night. I don't think he understands that it only happens once a year. Better luck next year.

Carving our pumpkins.

2008-10-30T12:24:00.000-07:00

We carved pumpkins on Tuesday... or should I say I carved pumpkins on Tuesday. The boys got to pick out the face that they wanted and then they helped me scoop all of the "guts" out. They got bored pretty fast and Broc told me that I was pretty good at it, so I should do the rest while he watches "Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin." They looked pretty good. Notice I said "looked" pretty good. They are already starting to look scary. Not the good kind of scary either. The faces are sagging and they kinda smell weird. Happy Halloween everyone!

Lake Powell 2008

2008-10-28T14:21:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun at Lake Powell. We took our boys and my brother Brian and his wife Jodene took Jeff and Taylor and My Mom and Dad came as well. Dr. Massey was so nice to invite us all along. We went with the Payne Family too. It was a full boat. It was a blast. We can't wait until next year!

2008-10-28T13:49:00.000-07:00

Shaving with Daddy

2008-10-28T13:36:00.000-07:00

The boys thought that this was so much fun. They love to shave with dad. Broc is excited because he says that he is only 6 and is already growing a mustache.

Broc's first day of 1st grade

2008-10-28T13:29:00.000-07:00

Time goes by WAY TO FAST!!!! Broc just started 1st grade this fall. I don't like him being gone all day. I will admit though... it has been nice having the one on one time with Brady.