Rasheta Family

Worth blogging about...

2012-01-04T21:37:00.001-08:00

Not that we haven't had blog-worthy things going on in our life. Buying and renovating a house should certainly qualify!! But I have been hindered in my blogging by the fact that my pictures are not on my computer. I have run out of memory so they are stored on an external hard drive and I just never find the time to pull it out, get pictures off my camera, save them to the external, and also blog about them before putting everything away.

Luckily....Noah scanned these photos for me after we went to the doctor this week. We found out we are having a

GIRL!

Making her internet debut is baby girl, due June 2, 2012. Enjoy!!

Enjoying the Brotherhood of Cousinhood

2011-04-11T07:50:00.000-07:00

I have mixed feelings about this picture. I mean, it's adorable, and I'm happy that we're understanding the concept of saying "cheese" and smiling for a picture. However, every little thing he does that shows me he's growing up just makes my heart ache. I love my BABY boy!

........................

There aren't enough good things to be said about having Jack and Chelsea living in the same house as us. It's been SO good for both Jack and Rajko to have a playmate to spend the days with. Jack really enjoys being the older, wiser cousin and Rajko is content to copycat everything that Jack does. Older cousins are great for many things...a few of which include:

-Getting Oreos for you anytime you want. Which is a lot.

-Teaching you to jump off the steps. For now I've contained him to just the bottom step.

-Convincing you that wearing hats is cool! Something your mother could not do.

-Making baths twice as fun as usual. And never wanting bath time to end.

Chelsea and Jack have actually rented an apartment in Oakley and are slowly moving things over there. Jack told his mom that he didn't want to live in Oakley because then he wouldn't live with Rajko. Rajko returned the favor when we went to church yesterday and he just kept asking me where Jack was, since it was their first day apart in a week.

What a fun brotherhood cousinhood can be...

And now for some pics of said Oreos and bath time.

My Stabilizer

2011-03-30T07:53:00.000-07:00

I finally bought a camera again. Woo hoo! Okay...now I have no more excuses. I promise to blog a little more frequently now.

Life is good these days. We are living at my parents, saving for a down payment on a house and waiting for the right house to pop up. There just aren't hundreds of homes to choose from in Kamas Valley like there are in other places. The right one for the right price is hard to come by. But we are making it work in the meantime, and we are doing great with our savings.

Ask me why we're doing so great... thanks to this guy.Noah has always been interested in having his own company. He is so sickly talented in so many things that it only makes sense. But self-employment isn't the most fun thing when it comes to stability and things like insurance, etc. He's found a happy medium, working for All West, doing something he loves, and doing his own thing on the side. He has a web development and online marketing company called Creative Downpour that is doing absolutely great. He does EVERYTHING web related from building the website to marketing the product or services, and even has contacts for product fulfillment. What a guy, right??

As if that's not enough, he now has a few products of his own, and is doing great with those businesses as well. He sells tripods, tripod attachments, and even steady-cams for the iPhone and lots of other smart phones. I use mine all the time - in the car and at the store, especially, for Rajko with his iPod touch and his movies. If you've got a smart phone with video or like to take pictures, you should seriously check it out! www.istabilizer.com

He has also got a line of Germanium and Titanium infused bracelets coming out soon. We are so excited!! Stay tuned...

Needless to say, I'm so proud of Noah. I've never cared if I was married to some millionaire and lived the life of luxury. I've always wanted stability for myself and my family. He is so committed to doing that, and his hard work and talent is just incredible. Of course, even more importantly, he is the most amazing spiritual leader of this family. It would take an entire additional post to discuss what a spiritual giant he is... I love him and appreciate him so much. It makes me happy to feel my love grow for him every single day.

So this past weekend while in St George for our dance competition, we got to pack Chelsea up and move her home. Wahoo!! Can you say ROOMIES? Haha, she's also at my mom and dad's while she figures out her plan. She got a great job at St. Marks so we finally got to drag her home. :)

Jack and Rajko are the best of buds now. They both have a monkey for a best friend, and they are both CRAZY. They will jump on an old bed upstairs and have a dance party with my ipod for hours at a time! They drop their monkeys off the bridge and go retrieve them. They torment their poor Uncle Rob with a game of "Hi Rob" and giggle endlessly over the silliest things. We're all so glad to have Chelsea and Jack here, but I think Rajko might be the very happiest. He's finally got a little buddy!Spoiled Rajko getting pushed in the Fred Flintstone car
A very long-lasting game of flying "monKEY!"

Silver State Rears its Ugly Head!

2011-01-20T08:44:00.000-08:00

House Update

Remember these days? I sure do. Noah was flying everyday and kicking butt! He was loved by all the instructors at Silver State and was without doubt one of the top student pilots. We were preparing for another year of flight school, followed by a couple years of teaching at the school, then we would be off on a big adventure! The Gulf, some remote Search and Rescue facility, maybe a tour site...we didn't know what life would bring, but we knew it would revolve around a career in flying.

Then one day Noah woke up and went to meet his instructor for a flight, and the doors of the school were locked, with a little sign stating that Silver State no longer existed. They filed for bankruptcy without notice and conveniently the day after depositing each and every student's full tuition loan amount. Hundreds of students across the country lost not only their dream, but A LARGE sum of money as well.

Well... we've moved on from this. It's a story in our past, but it doesn't shape who we are or what we plan to do in life. Or so we thought!

Unfortunately, the loan is tied up in a law suit that has no real hope of settling soon. They have decided that they will be pro-rating the amount somehow, but haven't settled on exactly how. So until that unknown and possibly never-arriving settlement date, this enormous private loan rests on our name.

So long USDA mortgages... So long house under contract in Wild Willow...

You might feel like I'm really sad or depressed reading this, but actually, it's for informational purposes only! I figured everyone would want an update on the house. Noah and I feel fine with everything. There's nothing we can do but move on and try to make something happen in the future, so that's what we're doing. There's still a SMALL possibility that we could end up with the house, but it's unlikely, so don't hold your breath.

Going to Mexico June 2011

In WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY exciting news, Noah and I decided to cancel our trip to China in June in favor of going to Guadalajara and Puerta Vallarta with the ENTIRE Rasheta family! Adventure trips are fun, but spending time with family is even better. This is the first time that everyone will have been there together since the Rasheta family is basically "complete" (minus a few future grandchildren).

For those of you who don't know, Tere grew up in Guadalajara, and that's enough to make it special for the family. But when Nik and Noah were about 13 or 14, they decided to move the entire family to Mexico! They lived there until after the boys' missions, when they moved to Utah to go to school. I know how much I love Kamas, and if I only got to visit every few years, it would be even more special than it is. I cannot wait to be there again. So much good food and so many traditions will make this an extremely special trip. Plus, I've never been to Puerta Vallarta! :)

Now...buying Rajko's first plane ticket ever is NOT my favorite part of the trip, haha. Well, I should say using 35,000 flight miles on a 20 lb kid is not my favorite part.

Yes, We're Alive!

2011-01-10T11:53:00.000-08:00

I'm pretty sure I've already had a post with that title. Must be a sign that I am a terrible blogger!! Oh well... one day I will have a real camera again and take nice pictures and then maybe I'll be better at blogging. Maybe.

I wanted to upload SOMETHING of Rajko, but I didn't have any special pictures or videos. I tried to upload a video of him playing, but it wouldn't work. I PROMISE to put some pics and videos of that amazing boy soon.

We have been trying to potty train for a couple weeks now. Rajko was doing GREAT after about 6 days and going consistently and holding it until we took him to the bathroom. THEN he decided that wasn't fun anymore, and he will not even sit down anymore, let alone go in the potty. I have decided not to give up, though. Everyday while I'm home, we still do underwear and go on the little potty (bribed to sit still with t.v.), but once we leave the house for the afternoon, it pretty much seems like a waste. I refuse to quit, though...it just might be a different experience for us than the typical week of potty training and then you're done. Oh well. :(

In other big news, we have a contract on a house!! We have been searching for a house in the ward with my Mom's, Billie Jo's, and Olivia's families, and the pickings have been slim!! We have put in a few offers on houses in the valley, but have either been beaten out by an earlier offer, or weren't able to come to an agreement with the seller on price. But finally, a house we had looked at previously had dropped low enough to be up for consideration, and we put in an offer. The bank countered, and we took the counter - not willing to even risk losing this house to someone else. It's a 4/3 rambler in Wild Willow that is going to be a perfect starter home for us. It's not huge, but it's nice and has room for us to grow, has a great layout, and is just begging for some re-styling and small-scale renovation. Here are a few pictures... the MLS pictures are no longer available since the house in under contract, so these are just a few I snapped on my phone. Enjoy!!

Front of the HouseThere is some landscaping already done - trees in the front and some nice big rocks surrounding the yard in the back. There is a small patio off the dining room that is also accessed from the Master bedroom.

Den/OfficeThis is the first room you see when you walk in the house. It basically is shared with the entry way. It could be a nice piano and formal living room, but for now we will have it as an office. :)

Rajko's Playroom!! (And mommy's sewing/craft/office room)
I believe this was designed as a guest bedroom. It is located on the garage side of the house, and there is a 3/4 bath through the laundry room that goes along with it. However, because of it's proximity to the kitchen and living room area, I want to make it the playroom so Rajko can be close to where I am during the day. I think some magnetic primer and chalkboard paint will make this the perfect playroom for our little tyke.

Laundry Room
Who doesn't love a laundry room with storage and counter space?? I love this laundry room! The door you see leads to the 3/4 bath that I mentioned earlier. You can also see the trap door that leads to the 5' crawl space storage. Maybe the counter space will actually motivate me to FOLD the laundry that I wash constantly. :)

Kitchen
Ah, the kitchen. The first place that will be seeing some makeover, and the place that will receive the MOST make-ing over. Cabinets are in good shape, and they're nice, but I cannot wait to change the countertops. I want new appliances, of course, but we'll see what happens with that. First thing that will happen, though, is to swap out those knobs!! Can't wait.

Sorry, no picture of the dining room or living room, but it is an open floor plan w/ the kitchen in the center section of the house. I will put up more pictures soon, and definitely as we get the decorating done. I'm sure you'll be tired of seeing this house soon.

Wish us luck! We should close no later than February 18th if all goes well.

Man of the House

2010-11-07T19:52:00.001-08:00

It's no secret that Rajko has both Noah and I wrapped around his finger. He gets what he wants...when he wants it, with few exceptions. Though his words have been limited, he has always been great at grunting or leading me to what he wants, and I somehow have become quite amazing at reading his mind.

However, I feel like life is about to get a little easier. It seems like everyday, Rajko masters new words. Just now, he came and grabbed my hand and said, "please!!!"

He led me to the fridge. I opened it and he said, "Mama? Egg."

I got out a hard-boiled egg, took the shell off, and gave it to him. He responded with his typical, "thanks."

He took his egg over to the coffee table and began eating it. I also washed some grapes and brought them over to them. He saw the grapes and said, "uva." (Spanish for grape.)

After eating a few, he grabbed one in each hand, walked over to the couch and said, "up."

Now he's snuggling with Noah while we watch the Amazing Race. He checks in by saying or "Mama" or "Nani" (my other name) mixed in every few words between his jibberish. This is typical...he does it all day everyday. I love hearing that little boy check in with me over and over...making sure he has my attention and love while he plays and learns and grows.

I am excited for Rajko to be able to express what he wants, but I am so so sad that he continues to grow up so fast. Of course, when I say grow I mean in the intelligence and skills way, not the actual size way. He's still right around 20 lbs and I JUST pulled out the 12-18 month clothes...although they are still drowning him. Oh well. With him being so little, it still allows me to feel like I have a little baby.

We love our boy. :)

St. George Visit and Ring Around the Rosie...

2010-10-17T20:49:00.000-07:00

Rajko just started going to nursery. The first time, he started crying but they told me to go ahead and leave him. Chelsea has told me before how annoying it is when parents stick around, so I quickly left and assumed all would be well eventually. I came back between classes (one hour later) and he was still bawling. :( Needless to say, I have stayed with Rajko in nursery the past couple of weeks.

Today I looked down and saw my BABY playing Ring Around the Rosie. It was the cutest, sweetest thing I've ever seen, yet I was heartbroken as well. I can't believe my baby is that grown up. It makes me so sad... I wish I could just freeze time and keep Rajko the way he is now. Here are a few things you should know about 19 mo. old Rajko:

He says the words: Nani (Mommy), Dada, Hi, Bye, Pleeeease, Doggie, Mm-hmm (yes), No, Uh-uh (no), UH OH, Oh no!, Agua, Uva, Mas, Binky, Thank You, Please, Grandpa, Lita (Abuelita), Up, Balloon, Ball, Bubbles, Stuck, Poo-pooh, Shoes, Side (outside) and probably some others I can't think of right now.

He still has a binky. YIKES! I told myself he'd be done at a year. Then at a year and a half. Oh well... he loves it. Maybe at two years. ;)

He absolutely loves being outside. He wants to go outside all the time. This could become difficult as it gets to be winter.

He is obsessed with shoes. He will wear my shoes around the house (he can't usually walk in Noah's) including everything from flip flops to tennis shoes to stilettos. If we aren't wearing shoes, he will bring some to us to wear.

He is kind of a momma's boy. Every sentence starts with "Nani" then a string of jibberish. He is really talkative, and I can't wait to see what happens when he learns enough words to start putting together real sentences.

So yep...little boy is growing up! Here are a few shots from the past few days. We went to Chelsea's to visit for Fall Break and we had a blast. Rajko loved playing outside and with his cousins, and we had fun making lots of crafts!

Rajko took a bath at Billie Jo's tonight and got ready for bed while Noah and I were at Stake Choir practice. This little boy is so handsome that he can even rock pink pajamas with ruffles and bows!

Rajko at Staheli Family Farm. He loved it!

McNeil Cousins at Staheli Family Farm

After a successful mission through the corn maze...

We've been into sewing and crafting quite a bit lately. I made Rajko this "snuggie" so he won't freeze in the car, and he absolutely loves it!

I made these headbands for the girls for fall. I totally love them.

I also made this headband for Olivia. Between these headbands, a bunch of fabric flowers, and the two onsies that I made for my future niece or nephew, my fingers were about bleeding, but I loved it. I will have to post some pictures of the onesies soon.

That's it for now!!

Wisdom at 4 am :)

2010-09-16T03:34:00.000-07:00

No, this picture wasnt taken at 4 am. It is just one of my favorites on my phone, so I had easy access. Anyway...

It feels good to know that even mediocre mommies have super human powers.

How else could we comfort a child who is crying for no apparent reason, survive for years on tiny amounts of interrupted sleep, stand over our sick babies' cribs for hours in the middle of the night-just because they feel better with your hand on their back, be thrown up on, pooped on, drooled on, and cried on, and finally be turned on when they're old enough to realize that their dad is cooler than you, and still manage to be absolutely in love with and obsessed with our children?

Now where did I put my tights and cape?

Yes, we're alive!!

2010-09-11T20:03:00.000-07:00

Photo Shoot Sneak Peek!

2010-07-22T14:18:00.000-07:00

My mom wanted to take pictures while all the grandkids were together, and they turned out SO cute. I will put together a full post of all the best shots, but here is a sneak peek of some of Rajko. Enjoy!

Sad Cowboy :(

Home Sweet Home - For Good :)

2010-06-12T08:25:00.001-07:00

What a week!

Noah and I had planned to run a half marathon in Provo Canyon today. We planned to take a full week in Kamas to get adjusted to the altitude and visit my family. Due to our incredible planning skills, when we went to register for the 1/2, it was full and no longer accepting registrations. We decided to keep our vacation as planned and come home anyway.

A week or so prior to heading up, Noah and I had some discussions about the reasons we had moved to AZ, how things had worked out, and decided that it was best for our little family if we tried to make our way back to Utah eventually. We didn't have a plan or a time line, but knew we wanted to figure out a way to move back.

Noah started looking at job postings in Utah, and applied for a few jobs. He found one that he was most excited about and was talking to me about how crazy it would be if he were able to get that job. Before we left for Utah, they contacted him and wanted to set up an interview. He interviewed with them on Monday, and they offered him the job on Wednesday!! Noah is the new VP of Online Marketing for Crank Tech (a supplement company out of Provo).

We couldn't believe it! It was a one week process from the time we discussed moving home until it became a reality! The Lord's hand was definitely evident in this process - there is no way this could have worked itself out without extra help. We feel so good about moving home and know that it's the right thing to do. We know that our prayers have been answered, and we are so excited to start our new adventure.

Noah begins work on June 21st, and I will continue working at University of Phoenix until July 2nd. We will be moving up the 4th of July weekend, and are moving into a little apartment in Oakley while we figure out if the commute is okay for Noah and what "the plan" should be. I will, of course, be teaching dance with Billie Jo again. And now that the "dynamic duo" (her words) is back together, the sky is the limit!!

I'm already missing Noah's family and my friends in AZ. I never thought I would think twice about leaving that place, but it truly has been an amazing place to live. I have so many people there that are such a huge part of my life...it is such a sad thought to walk away from that daily interaction. Lary and Tere have been so amazing since Rajko has been born - Tere has watched Rajko everyday while Noah and I have worked. He is going to miss his Abuelitos so much. We are also leaving behind Nik and Anissa and their kids. :( Now we will be looking for weekend fares TO Phoenix so we can visit!

With everything decided, all that was left was for Noah and Rajko to fall in love with the Kamas Valley the same way I did long ago. This week definitely accomplished that. Rajko is obsessed with being outside - he stands at the glass door crying every time we bring him in from playing. Noah has discovered the beauty of the valley, is excited at the thought of a country lifestyle, and realized that he can keep himself very busy with the Rec Center in town. :) He told me the other day, "I think I just fell in love with this place."

Could anything make me happier? I think not.

Here is what we've been up to since we've been here. We LOOOOOOVE this place.

Rajko's first tractor ride with Grandpa
at the beautiful church farm in Upper Woodland

When Rajko decided the tractor ride wasn't too fun, Mommy and Daddy jumped on board, too.

A walk down to check out the Provo River...to see how high it was and what damage it was causing. These Three Amigos are going to be best buds!

Wading, kicking, and splashing in the Creek - that runoff water is COLD!

1-year Photos

2010-05-01T23:08:00.000-07:00

My fun, beautiful friend, Carlee Raymond, is a photographer, and I asked her to take some pictures of Rajko to capture him at 1 year. She did such a great job - I think the pictures are just amazing. I didn't want to TOTALLY overload the blog, so here are just a few of my favorites...

New Ride

2010-04-24T23:05:00.001-07:00

For those of you who don't know, I was in a minor car accident in February. My car was in the shop for a month with some frame damage, and they ended up totaling the vehicle. When looking for a replacement, I wanted a crossover with a third row. Unless I was ready to buy a new Acura or Volvo crossover, I was pretty limited. I had a Chrysler Pacifica in mind and had talked myself into liking them - it took me 2 months. Off to find a Pacifica we went. The one I had been eye-ing was at a dealership in North Phoenix, so we called to make sure the vehicle was still there, and off we went. Well, either they lied on the phone, or the Pacifica truly did drive off the lot about an hour before we got there.

The pushy salesman asked us to walk around the lot and just look to see what they had. They had a bunch of huge SUV's that I was not interested in, and this Lexus GX 470. We decided to test drive it and take a look at finance options "just for fun" and ended up taking it away for what we were paying on my Escape. Needless to say, it's a bit of an upgrade.

I love it! And Noah loves cleaning it, so it's totally a win-win (okay, more of two wins for me). Anyway, just thought I'd update everyone with my new toy!

You know who also loves mommy's new car and his forward-facing carseat in it? This boy...

13 months:
still not walking on his own
still not saying words (although he jabbers in Rajkese non-stop)
finally forced to sleep through the night (11-13 hours) without eating or coming to mommy & daddy's bed
still nursing 1x/day before bed
getting tubes on May 3rd - yay!

still the sweetest, funnest little thing ever, and very very spoiled and loved

Easter Weekend

2010-04-10T14:40:00.001-07:00

Last weekend Noah and I drove up to St George to spend Easter with Chelsea and Jack. My mom drove down as well, so it was a nice reunion after Rajko's birthday. Saturday morning, Chelsea and Jack had a photo shoot, and we tagged along. It was at the beautiful winter home of Brigham Young. Chelsea and Jack's pictures turned out so awesome! My mom snapped a few pictures of Rajko as well :)

Decorating eggs was a blast - for Chelsea and me. Maybe in another couple of years Rajko will be interested in doing more than just eating and smashing the eggs!

Chelsea, thanks for having us!! We had a blast.

Birthday Boy and his Visitors

2010-04-10T14:32:00.000-07:00

Well, only one month behind... oh well!

We had a really fun birthday party for Rajko a few days after his actual birthday. The highlight of the plans included the cake I had decided to make, and having his Grandma, Aunt Chelsea, and cousin Jack in town!Rajko got so many awesome presents, and he loves them. He will play for hours on end without much help or input. As long as I'm within his line of sight, he will play away...thanks to everyone for his gifts!

Chelsea, Jack, and my mom stayed for 1 week. It was awesome! These two boys began quite a fun friendship. Jack taught Rajko many of life's most important lessons. Some of them include:

The importance of a best friend. Both these boys have a Monkey that they are attached to.

How to play baseball.

How delicious chocolate milk is!

Watching T.V. is more fun if you cuddle.

Swinging is the most fun when someone pushes you.

And most importantly, safe driving skills.

It's a new dawn, it's a new day!

2010-03-31T14:00:00.000-07:00

I've had a lot on my mind in the last few days, so I thought I'd go ahead and pour out my thoughts and feelings into this blog post and update you all on what is going on... (Sorry it's a long post, but worth the read if you want to get the scoop!)

My story actually starts back in early 2007, I was doing a lot of work in advertising but felt I was not in the career path that best suited me so I began to do some soul searching and came up with a list of my top career choices. At the time, I was developing websites and working in advertising, producing campaigns for many clients. The company I was working with was one of the top advertising agencies in the country. I enjoyed what I was doing but I had a hard time doing all that work for a company that made so much money off of the work that I did and then paid me a basic salary. The best solution was to start working for myself and maybe create my own company but it was too expensive and time consuming to do, so instead I decided I needed to stick with a "job" but make sure it was a job I would enjoy.

One thing I had always wanted to do was to fly helicopters. After giving it a great deal of thought, I decided it was time to take action and embark on a whole new career in aviation. I searched for schools and chose a school that, at the time, was the largest helicopter flight training academy in the world. They were on the Forbes 500 list for their 3rd year in a row when I signed up. The way it worked was, you pay for the full cost of the program up front, and the funds are supplied by a private student loan in disbursements over the course of a year. The cost? A whopping $70k. This is a great deal for a dream job though, isn't it? :)

By May 2007 I had started classes at Silver State Helicopters and was quickly climbing to the top of my class. Because I worked from home as a freelance web developer and graphic designer, I was able to dedicate a lot of time to my flying and I moved forward at a pace that was twice as fast as my fellow classmates. I loved flying! My instructors were great and I can truly say I was having the time of my life! Unfortunately, 6 months into my training, I received a call one morning from a good friend of mine who said his dad had just heard that Silver State was closing down. I assured him that he was mistaken because I had a flight scheduled for later that day with my instructor. I started to get suspicious when my calls to my instructor were not returned and I headed down to the school to find out what was going on. Upon arrival, I noticed a police car parked in the front and sure enough, a letter on the door confirming that as of midnight, Silver State had filed for bankruptcy and was no more. Like a text-book case of someone coping with devastating news, I immediately entered stage 1: Denial. I knew this was a mistake. I still had my flight scheduled!

I don't remember how long it took to jump in to the next phase but I sure remember the feelings. The change in mood happened right around the time that I realized that my $70k loan was entirely in the hands of the school when they closed. I felt so angry that at one point, I considered breaking in to take their virtual flight simulator. Soon those feelings dissipated into phase 3: Bargaining. I didn't really want to "break in" and "steal" the flight simulator, I only wanted to "trade" it for the money they still had ;).

I calculated that since I had only received 1 out of the 4 certifications that was promised to me, maybe the school would allow us to receive a pro-rated amount back from them for the funds? Well, this was not an option since the school had already run through everything it had and washed their hands clean of any liquidation assets or anything. During this "bargaining" phase, I had researched a new school in Arizona and I had already began making arrangements to continue down the path of my new career regardless of what had just happened.

In March 2008, I moved down to Arizona and began flying at a new school called Quantum Helicopters. I really liked the new school and I quickly picked up where I had left off. I already had my private pilot license and now I was working on my instrument rating and commercial license. 4 months later, I received my instrument rating and immediately started to prepare for my commercial license. Everything was going well, but finding the funds to fly so often was becoming very hard. It was the end of 2008 and the economy was looking pretty grim, especially for obtaining private, non-federal student loans. I took out 2 additional loans for about $20k each, and had hired an attorney to help me fight for recovering the initial $70k that I had already lost. I was getting close to being ready to take my commercial exam but the funds were running low in my bank account. I calculated that I barely had enough to get through the commercial phase of my training and then I would have to seek more funds to finish up my flight instructor rating (this would allow me to get a job flying).

As fate would have it, with gasoline prices soaring for most of the year, my cost per hour to fly had been much more than I had anticipated so I found myself completely out of money with only about 5 to 7 hours left of flying to get my commercial license. At $255/hr it was just out of my reach! This is about the time I entered the 4th stage: depression. I explored many other options to finish up my flying including the coast guard. One option that sounded promising was to get a job with the police and then with time, hope to be put in to the aviation unit where I could fly helicopters. I began working hard to make the police option a possibility and I applied in October 2008 with the city of Mesa. About 2 months into the hiring process the city went through a hiring freeze and once again, I found myself waiting and hoping. In the meantime I had found a normal full time job to help the everyday expenses and Giselle was working full time as well.

Almost a year after the hiring freeze, I received a call out of the blue from the Police informing me that they would be considering a few positions for hiring in Nov 2009 and I was one of the candidates still being considered. Everything was looking up again and I went through the rest of the hiring phase and finished taking all the exams and background investigations required to get the job. As November drew near, we were told that instead of starting in November, they were going to roll the class into the May 2010 class and that I was still being considered but now instead of 17 positions they would open it up for 25 positions due to some federal stimulus money being received. The new openings were announced and the city received almost 3000 applications for those 25 new positions. My competition had suddenly increased to tremendous odds but I was sure I would make it through and eventually find a way to continue my flight career while being a police officer.

About 1 month ago, I decided it was time to go back to what I've always been good at: technology, and more specifically: web development, new media, and graphic design. I thought that having my own business would go hand in hand with the upcoming police schedule I would have. I designed my company website and started with all the preparations for launching my "side" business. I planned to leave my current job on April 1st (tomorrow) and I would only be a few weeks away from starting the police academy. In the weeks leading to the launch of my company, I had the feeling that I should not put all my eggs in one basket and assume that the police thing was a slam dunk. Sure enough, earlier this week I received the news that I would not be getting the job with the police. My brother Nik, who is currently a police officer with the city of Mesa confirmed that he had received the news first hand that the city will most likely not hire any new recruits and if anything it would fire 25 officers and hire them right back using the federal money. The worst part was finding out that even if they did decide to go with 25 new officers, I had not made the list! I guess with the re-opening of the positions, there were many highly qualified individuals among those 3000 going for the position.

I guess this news helped put me into the final stage of coping with the original demise of Silver State Helicopters and my dream of flying: Acceptance! I had counted my eggs to soon and I gave my 15 days notice so that I could spend all of April working on getting fit for the academy. Tomorrow is my last day at work and from that point on I'm on my own. The truth is that I've been so excited to start my own business that I really feel I have "accepted" everything quite well. I feel like I've tried my hardest for several years at something that maybe just wasn't meant to be. I have no other option at this point but to accept what has taken place and know that everything happens for a reason. I don't know what I have in store for me after tomorrow but I know that in the big picture, it really doesn't matter. I have the most amazing wife I could hope for, who happens to be my best friend, and I also have the most beautiful son who means more to me that anything else. I already signed the lease on my new office for my new business and I plan on giving it my all to make it work.

Throughout my pursuit of flying I've realized that despite one's hardest efforts, some dreams just aren't meant to be, or at least aren't meant to be for now... In the mean time, I am determined to enjoy the present and work hard at launching my new business. I've already had quite a positive response with many potential clients lining up wanting me to develop their next website or new media tool. It's great to at least be doing something that I love and something that I'm good at. As for flying and being a cop, that will have to wait for another day or perhaps another life. Wish me luck in this new venture that starts tomorrow!

Happy Birthday Rajko!

2010-03-10T09:01:00.001-08:00

One year ago today I was at the hospital having Rajko. My water had broken the night before, but I was in denial. I had a plan - and that plan consisted of having my baby on Friday, March 13th. As spoiled inside the womb as he is now, my Rajko decided he was coming on his own watch, and he was born on his due date: March 10, 2009.

I can't believe what a life-changing experience it is to have a child. I never imagined the intense love you can a mom can have for her child, or how protective I could ever feel about another person. Being a mom has brought me to understand so much more about love and patience, and really what I can really do when there's no other option - like operating on no sleep or doing a static arm curl with a 18 lb weight for 1 solid hr just to avoid waking a sleeping baby.

I can't believe my baby is ONE! So many fun things have happened in the past year, and we know there are so many more adventures ahead. We couldn't have hand-picked a better, sweeter, more laid-back, beautiful baby than we have. We love him so much and are so lucky to be his parents.

Happy Birthday, big boy!

While the cat's away...

2010-03-01T18:41:00.001-08:00

Rajko, how old are you? (Almost) Hahaha. Don't be offended. :)
Wow - time continues to fly around here! It seems like every time I turn around, another month has passed. I haven't taken any pictures lately, which is one reason why I haven't blogged. However, I did find these awesome pictures on Tere's computer. Here is a little insight into the life of what Rajko does while Mommy is at work...

I admit it...my kid is a couch potato. But if you'll keep looking, you can see what other fun things he gets into!

Playing with toys...

Hanging out with Abuelito

Riding bikes...

Running (supervised) in the streets..

Going to the mall to enjoy the carousel and banana splits!

And so much more. What a spoiled boy!

My mom and Tara in the news

2010-02-04T12:28:00.001-08:00

This morning my Mom and Tara went to the Fox studio in Phoenix to be interviewed for the seminar that Tara is doing here in Phoenix this weekend. My mom will be doing the photography and head shots so they both made it into the news clip. Fun fun!! The video is 3 min long and they appear about half way through.

Posted via web from Noah Rasheta's Blog

So Humble...

2010-01-17T18:25:00.000-08:00

I can't pretend to be humble today. I have to brag because I am SO proud of myself. I ran my first half marathon! I participated in the PF Chang's Rock and Rock 1/2 Marathon in Phoenix. We ran from downtown Phoenix to ASU. I decided around mile 2 that I'm addicted to running (I didn't feel quite as chipper around mile 10, but I'm still stoked about running!) and that I want to continue to find and do races. That should also help with the last few pounds I'm trying to lose, and the general getting in shape-ness, haha. I like the distance of a 1/2 marathon, but I really think I'd like to try a marathon this year. If not this year, definitely next year at this same event...

Here are a few photos of the race. Mandy Wettstein let me tag along with her, which made things so much more fun. It wouldn't have been as easy without her. We ran at the pace for which she had been training, and it was perfect and comfortable the whole time. We waited until we saw our families cheering for us around mile 12.5, then I used all the gas I had left to sprint as fast as I could to the finish line. I finished in 2:08:10. Not bad for a first time 1/2 marathon.

Looking for our cheer squad...we knew they would be on that corner.

Spotted!

Feelin' good! (Except the dead knees and muscles, of course.)

My partner in crime. Thanks Mandy!

On the move

2010-01-10T17:49:00.000-08:00

Look who's on the move!

Rajko's toy truck

2010-01-09T16:14:00.001-08:00

Rajko thinks this is his toy truck.

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-28T16:44:00.000-08:00

A couple days before Christmas, I let Rajko play with this box of Kleenex. The desired effect was achieved. I now know what Rajko will be getting for his birthday - several boxes of Kleenex!

Rajko playing with the ball he received from one of his Beautiful Buti cousins...

I wish I had the next few pictures on video. It was a classic case of too many cool toys!
1. Ooh, I like this chair and pretty crayons.

2. Hmm....stay right there, crayons, while I check out this other cool thing. Don't go anywhere.

3. Hello noisy table!

4. Oh no...which to choose?? Maybe I can reach both at the same time.

5. CRASH! Not quite. (As he slides of the chair and splats on his bottom.)

IN OTHER NEWS:

Rajko finally decided to really start eating. He has been consuming large amounts of oatmeal, various soups, any of mommy and daddy's food, and even some chunky baby food.
Hopefully all this food will help Rajko go up on the weight chart. Although...I don't think he's starving. What do you think?
And last but not least...LOTS OF TEETH!7 to be specific. Top 4, 3 on the bottom so far. The top 4 came in one week, followed by #7 on the bottom the next week. Lots of sleepless nights!

Rajko in the 20's

2009-12-25T12:33:00.000-08:00

This video cracks us up everytime!

You better watch out...

2009-12-18T18:57:00.001-08:00

Look who's finally crawling!

Airfare from SLC

2009-12-17T07:23:00.001-08:00

Airfare from SLC to Phoenix on Delta is on sale right now for only $138 round trip.

Anyone wanna come visit us? Check out the deals going on from SLC by clicking the link below:

http://ow.ly/N2P1

The Christmas March

2009-12-15T17:56:00.000-08:00

2009-12-13T17:01:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Hello again, old friend.

2009-12-06T03:17:00.000-08:00

Wow, hello blogging world. Yes, I'm aware that it has been nearly 3 months since I blogged. That's 1/4 of a year. Luckily, Noah has kept you at least somewhat in the loop with his quick posts. Well, I apologize, but I certainly hope you'll welcome me back with open arms. This post will be a huge catch up post, so I understand if you want to just browse the pictures. But…

If you are taking the time to look at our blog, PLEASE comment! I want to know you're out there - especially if you have a blog yourself. I love keeping up on old acquaintances and finding new ones through blogs. Even a quick shout out will do. :)

A few of the major occurrences since my last post:
My Grandpa Bisel’s funeral

Promotion at work

Rajko Updates

Trip to Pinetop with Nate and Celeste

My sweet Grandpa Bisel passed away on November 6, 2009. He went peacefully in the hospital with his children all surrounding him. He has been waiting a long time to be reunited with my sweet Grandma, and I’m so happy that they are finally together again. My grandparents were the most idyllic “sweethearts.” They were always together, and always holding hands and sitting side by side. At their house, my grandma would always be at the kitchen sink and my grandpa used to come into the house and pinch her bum. I’m sure he was happy to finally able to pinch that bum again!

We flew up for the funeral, and it was beautiful. Here are a few pictures from it. My grandpa was taken in a horse-drawn carriage to the cemetery, followed by a horse with no rider. It was a sad but wonderful day, and we were so happy to be able to visit. All but one or two of my cousins were there, and it was great to see not only my immediate family, but my extended family as well.

My Dad and Evan (Allen and Patrice's little boy)

Ellie Jo, Rajko, and Noah (also referred to as Lion Noah or other similar names so as to not confuse him with "big" Noah)

The boys...I foresee mischief. Elijah, Rajko, Jack and Evan

Rajko driving to the cemetery...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

RAJKO

I

LOVE

THIS

BOY!

I made this hooded towel. It was really easy, but still, I can be proud of myself. He might just be getting a couple more for Christmas :)

Rajko is such a happy little guy. He is always smiling and laughing. Even when he's sick, he hardly fusses. We are so lucky to have such an easy going baby. Now...if he would just sleep :)

These are kind of old (about 6 1/2 months) but I just love them. This is/was such a fun stage. So social, so happy and fun, but not yet mobile. Rajko doesn't crawl yet, and I think he might skip it altogether, but I know his mobility is just around the corner. Goodbye sweet baby that stays where I put you. Hello crazy baby!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PROMOTIONRemember this? My first paycheck at University of Phoenix. Well, one year and many paychecks later, I have been promoted to be an Academic Counseling Manager. I got hired to manage a brand new expansion team, so all my employees are brand new. I was technically promoted on 12/1, but I will be creating the groups of students for my counselors, and they will be out of training and ready to work on 12/18. Wish me luck!

In the current economy, it's great to have a job. But to have one with a company that is growing and hiring, who has amazing benefits, and who continuously promotes from within is such a blessing. The pay raise is nice, too.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PINETOP

In October, we were invited again to Pinetop, AZ by our friends, Nate an Celeste. Last year we did nothing. We happily hung out in our pajamas and watched movies and played games. This year, although we both have new babies,we chose to have a little more adventure. We all have bikes and we got bike trailers for the little ones (had to put the whole carseat in, but it worked). We had so much fun. Thank you Nate and Celeste!

Daddy dressed me

2009-11-29T13:53:00.001-08:00

Yes my daddy dressed me, how did you know?

Untitled

2009-11-09T16:36:00.001-08:00

Download now or watch on posterous

upload.mp4 (2511 KB)

via twitterrific

Posted via web from Noah Rasheta's Blog

Our handsome little Rajko

2009-11-02T19:42:00.001-08:00

We stopped on our way back from Pinetop to Phoenix and snapped these great pictures:

Our halloween picture

2009-10-31T20:46:00.003-07:00

The last post didn't work so here we go again. Happy halloween!!

Posted via email from Noah Rasheta's Blog

Rajko in Pinetop

2009-10-27T20:06:00.000-07:00

These are some of my favorite pictures we took of Rajko on my phone.
More pictures to come soon.

Pinetop panoramics

2009-10-24T11:11:00.001-07:00

This is a picture of where we are this weekend. Now you know why they call this place Pinetop.

Posted via web from Noah Rasheta's Blog

Untitled

2009-10-24T07:49:00.001-07:00

Download now or watch on posterous

upload.mp4 (1521 KB)

via twitterrific

Posted via web from Noah Rasheta's Blog

Noah and Giselle Cha Cha

2009-10-10T22:15:00.001-07:00

via youtube.com

Giselle and I danced the Cha Cha tonight at our ward talent show, it was sooo fun to dance again, especially with my wife!! Check out the video. Make sure you watch the HD version.

Posted via web from Noah Rasheta's Blog

Rajko's newest pictures

2009-10-09T20:53:00.001-07:00

Our little guy will be 7 months old tomorrow! I can't believe how hast time is going by. We sure love our little Rajko!!

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from Noah Rasheta's Blog

6 Months Old!!

2009-09-19T21:42:00.000-07:00

I'm dying inside that my baby has grown so much... he is in the most fun stage right now and I'm loving every minute, but it is sad how fast the time goes. Here are a few (okay, a lot) of pictures and videos from the last month. Enjoy!

Rajko likes being a country boy! Story below...

Rajko loves his Jumparoo. He can get some serious air...

We've been practicing sitting up a lot this week, and we have it pretty close to mastered. Here's a video from a few days ago.

FINALLY Rajko is rolling the other way! I'm sure in no time at all he'll figure out that he can get around by rolling and rolling, and we'll be in trouble!

Rajko and I flew up to Utah for Labor Day weekend to visit my family and we had a blast! The weather was perfect and it was awesome to see everyone.

My Aunt Andrea gave him these overalls and boots, and I was so happy they ended up fitting him at the perfect time. The garden at my parent's house was the perfect backdrop for these John Deere pictures, and I'm so glad that my mom thought to take these pictures.

Baby John Deere

Aunt Patrice, Evan, Rajko and Me at the Francis Frontier Days Celebration

The first weekend of August we went to Bear Lake with my family. I'm sure most of you have already seem these pics, but I wanted to include them for my non-family friends...

My parents with (almost) all the grandkids at the Paris, ID Tabernacle

The "big" kids on the beach at Bear Lake

The Rasheta Clan enjoying the weather...

Rajko got some good quality time with his Grandma and Grandpa. I was so excited!! I think our time spent in Utah will become more and more important as Rajko gets older so he can be close with his Grandparents as well as his cousins.

Grandpa letting Rajko chew on a rib. Good idea? Hmmmm...you decide.

Playing in the pool...

The 3 Muskateers - these boys (and Jack) are going to have a lot of fun together!

Our chick magnet

2009-09-04T10:59:00.001-07:00

His shirt says it all...

Rajkos little laugh

2009-08-26T08:04:00.000-07:00

Our newest addition

2009-08-24T18:03:00.001-07:00

We've been wanting a truck for a while now so after searching through
many listings we found this truck down in Tucson. After a test drive
and inspection we've decided to go ahead and get it. We are very
excited about this truck because we're hoping to be able to maybe get
a boat next year but we needed something to pull it. I'll post more
pics once I detail it.

Our new truck

2009-08-24T17:49:00.001-07:00

Posted via web from Noah Rasheta's Blog

Rajko's party philosophy

2009-08-20T07:34:00.001-07:00

"Live for Today...Plan for Tomorrow...Party Tonight!"

Posted via email from Noah Rasheta's Blog

First Haircut!

2009-08-06T18:59:00.000-07:00

Remember my bald baby? Well, he's long gone and was quickly replaced with a cutie with a LONG fauxhawk. I absolutely loved his fauxhawk, but it really was getting too long. We decided it was time for Rajko's first haircut.

Before

and

After..................

What do you think? Good choice?

I love it. I think he looks even more grown up than before, but equally sweet and handsome!

Rajko's new trick

2009-08-02T21:18:00.000-07:00

Look what Rajko can do now. He's been doing this all day today!

Rajko laughing

2009-08-02T13:33:00.000-07:00

Exhausting Conversation

2009-07-26T16:48:00.000-07:00

So while I was researching how to best cook the butternut squash I bought to make baby food for Rajko, I had him in the swing sitting next to me. We were "chatting" for about 10 minutes with a series of grunts and "ah, ah, ah"s, and he was chewing on a toy cow. Mid-sentence, he stopped talking and I heard a tiny THUD. I looked over, and this is what I found....

Our conversation must have worn him out, because he fell asleep while talking to me and the little THUD I heard was him dropping the cow in his lap as he dozed off. What a cutie...

Growing boy...

2009-07-21T17:28:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a fun time in the life of a parent. Rajko is such an easy going and fun little guy. He is constantly smiling or laughing at us, flirting with everyone who will take time to look at him, and keeping us constantly laughing. He is super strong...he refuses to sit down all day. He just wants to be standing up. Even if I'm trying to carry him, he will push against my arm or stomach to straighten his legs and "stand" on my arm while I walk around with him.

He is so close to rolling over! He can go from back to side and side to stomach and vice versa, but he just won't do the whole thing together. He is also wanting to push around more when he's on his tummy. He tries to dig his toes in, but he's not really able to move around much.

And the mouth - everything goes in the mouth! I think it may be one of his main goals in life to fit his entire fist inside his mouth. He also likes rattles, stuffed animals, burp rags, bibs, and anything else he can get his hands on. If it touches his hand, it goes in the mouth...

Besides figuring out that the hands go in the mouth, he also loves his feet... Anytime I sit or lay him down, he focuses in and makes his "blue steel" face (more like a fish face with his tongue poking out), and starts playing and tugging on his feet.

Here are just a few pics from the last little while - I've actually been slacking in the photo department as well as the blog department. I think my new resolve will be to just post a picture or two or a video and a little blurb and call it good. Sometimes I feel like I try to make these posts so FULL and its really not necessary...right?

Anyway, enjoy!

The all-important Tummy Time on Mom and Dad's bed...

Playing in the Exersaucer while Mom cooks or cleans the kitchen

Shielding his eyes and face from the hot AZ sun...

Daddy isn't the only one who can fly!
(I love that at this point in his existence, he thinks I'm quite funny. I will hang onto this as long as possible.)

Grilling with Daddy in the backyard. Could I have two more handsome boys in my life???

Being crazy in the Exersaucer. We have a jumperoo which I'm sure he's going to love as soon as he's big enough for it!

Finally, we went to the Doc today. Everything looks good! Rajko weighed in at 14 lbs 14 oz. I thought he was bigger! Everyone keeps telling me that he's big for a 4 month old, but obviously not. He was in the 40th percentile for weight and height (the height measurements are always off). Just an update!

Teaser

2009-07-20T05:03:00.000-07:00

So I am fully aware that I have become the worst blogger ever. Life is insane, and I promise it is my intention to do a real post here sometime in the next day or so. But until then, here is a little teaser for you. This is an update from the last post.

We cannot believe how much our little guy has grown. He is not a little baby anymore!! See for yourself...

First Cereal

2009-06-29T11:05:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend we went to visit Chelsea and Max and my parents met us there! Rajko was so excited to see his mommy's family. We had him try rice cereal for the first time and well............see for yourself!

Don't blink...you'll miss something!!

2009-06-15T22:09:00.000-07:00

It seems like this boy has changed from a newborn to a big boy overnight. He is SO big and in so much more control of his little body. He is so fun and so full of happiness and energy. More than ever, he is Daddy's pal and Mommy's little helper. Enjoy!!!

Noah has been waiting for months for this day. Super Dad and Super Baby finally made their debut on Sunday! The onsie was still a little bit big for Rajko, but I knew I couldn't ask Noah to wait any longer...

Rajko will sit on his daddy's lap at the computer and just stare up at him, waiting for him to talk to him.

Rajko and Daddy dressed in twin outfits...so stylin!

Mommy's little helper....chewing on a spatula and making dinner :)

Laughing at his daddy. (Notice the chub legs???)

Slobber BUCKET. He has been sucking on his hands and drooling like crazy for days. You can hear the sucking and sloshing from the other room...you can't quite see quite how slobbery he is in this picture, but it's a start.

~~VIDEO OVERLOAD COMING SOON!!!~~

Catching Up!

2009-06-03T18:13:00.000-07:00

Rajko likes to bathe...but sometimes he forgets that fact! Usually, but for sure if he's very overtired, he will cry through his bath and getting lotioned up and getting his PJ's on. By the time we get through the whole ordeal, he's tuckered out. I can barely sing him one song before he passes out in my arms and is down for the night. Luckily, he decided on this particular night that getting a massage wasn't the end of the world, and decided to be super cute for the camera!

Tummy time! I wish he would spend more time on his tummy, but he doesn't really enjoy it that much - at least not just flat on the ground. Any suggestions??

And for our trip to Kamas...

Memorial Day weekend was the best time I've had in a while. It was amazing to see my whole family and to be able to hang out and see how much all the kids are growing! My Grandma Bisel's headstone was finally put at her grave, and we were able to visit not only her grave, but all the graves of my family on both sides for generations...

Our reason for going to Utah for Memorial Day weekend was to bless Rajko. I'm planning on getting pictures of him in his blessing outfit this weekend (I better hurry - who knows if it'll fit!) but here are a few pictures of that day. My mom and sister Billie Jo of course put on a yummy party with tons of great food to celebrate, and we all feasted like crazy. The day before had been Evan's birthday party, as well, since his birthday was the day Rajko was blessed.

Jack giving Rajko kisses while he fell asleep in Grandpa's arms.

Grandpa with all the boys born in the last year and a half! It's crazy to think that the other three will all be in the same grade and that Rajko will be just one grade behind.

Possibly the cutest picture of the weekend. I fed Rajko and laid him in the bed while I went down to my mom's house, and when I came back, this is what I found. I think I've mentioned before that Rajko likes to sleep like Noah, but here is the proof!

Apparently Rajko REALLY enjoyed being in Utah!

Rajko with an unbelievably old-looking Ellie Jo!

With Tess...I was so glad she finally got to hold him without him crying! He was still tummy-fussy when they came to visit us.

With Aunt Olivia and Eli - I'm sure Eli will be showing Rajko the ropes on lots of stuff...

Rajko thinking Aunt Billie Jo is pretty funny, too!

Well, there are some pics of our Utah trip for you...Rajko is going to be 3 months next week, so I promise to have a great update!

Finally, if you haven't seen Noah's video of flying below, you should definitely take a look. He took Nik on a flight for their birthdays and it was great! Nik filmed a lot of it and Noah put together a great video of the footage. He's been wanting to film his flying for a while now, so their flight was the perfect way.

The Helicopter Ride

2009-05-30T15:08:00.000-07:00

I told Nik that for his birthday present I would take him up for a ride in the helicopter. This morning he got his present and I took him on a 45 min helicopter ride. He was able to film several clips of the ride so I put together a little video showing what it was like. I'm so glad I finally have video footage of me flying a helicopter and I'm even more glad that I finally got to take my brother up for a ride!

Like Father like Son!

2009-05-29T07:12:00.001-07:00

I promise I'm going to update with my Kamas visit soon, but here's a sneak peek!

Ya'll ready for this...? (duh nuh nuh)

2009-05-15T21:12:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to prepare you Utahns for the cuteness that's about to arrive on your doorstep. Finally, PROOF that the child can smile (even if he only does so occasionally) and a video of him chatting it up like crazy.

We can't wait to see everyone!!!

Head Control = A little more freedom! My baby is growing up too fast!

2009-05-08T21:18:00.000-07:00

Well, we are fast approaching the 2 month old mark - (Sunday)!!! While things are relatively the same around here, we have made a few changes to the routine since Rajko is getting so big and strong! The other day I went to work and left what I thought was a tiny baby at the babysitter. When I got home, I swear he had grown into a toddler. I just wish time could stand still and he could stay my tiny baby forever...but alas, I will just try to enjoy the journey.

For bath time, we took the sling out to let him be submerged. He seems to like this a lot more and is usually very sad when I get him out of the tub! He has had a strong neck since the day we brought him home from the hospital, and he controls it pretty well now, so this works great!

Also, I decided to get the Bumbo out just to give it a try. I figured he was WAY too little for it, but it says that they can use it as soon as they can support their neck. He was being a little fussy (had a tummy ache all day) so I thought I'd just quickly see if it would work or not. He looked so cute in it I decided to take some pictures...and he sat there and calmed right down. He LOVED it and sat there for quite some time while I drew some pictures for him. I think this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship!

I know I'm biased, but this has got to be one of the most handsome babies in the world. Seriously!

Mother Knows Best!

2009-04-27T23:28:00.001-07:00

What was I thinking?? My mom told me about a website weeks ago that I should visit. It had natural remedies for colic. Why didn't I rush to the website? Because...I think I felt that colic was an overused term and my baby was suffering from reflux, and I didn't want to pin it on "colic." So, needless to say, I had not visited the website. I really did have the intention of checking it out, but just hadn't gotten around to it.

Rajko really does just suffer with his tummy all the time. I hadn't been able to pin it down to one thing, but he seems to always be in pain with his stomach. Now that the reflux pain seems to be under control (thank you Prevacid), I've been able to see that his problem of waking up during his naps in pain is not because of the reflux, but because of something else. He starts out with a few grunts, then starts screaming! Nothing can soothe him...Noah has his way of holding him, and I have my way. He cries and cries in obvious pain with the saddest frowning faces and then suddenly goes limp and falls back to sleep. This can repeat over and over every 15 minutes throughout his nap. It is truly heartbreaking.

So, today I called the pediatrician - just for some advice. What else can I do to help this little guy's gassy problems? I don't eat dairy, I avoid gassy veggies, beans, soda, etc. I give him Mylicon with every feeding. He's on a prescription for his reflux. I give him daily tummy massages (which make him toot like crazy!). We even bought an Acid Reflux sleeping wedge that he gets strapped into every time he sleeps! The nurse suggested I give gripe water a try, as it was about the only thing I'm currently not doing.

So I get online to research gripe water, and where do I end up? On the website my mom told me about weeks ago. ColicCalm.com

This is the FIRST thing I have found that seems to address the exact symptoms I see in Rajko, and it sounds like it's going to be the answer to my prayers (literally). A weight was lifted from my shoulders as I sat and read the testimonials...hearing my own baby's story reflected in the stories of others. I am SO SO SO SO SO excited! I ordered a bottle and cannot wait to give it to him. My heart breaks every time that sweet baby wakes from a peaceful slumber crying in pain. NO MORE!!! Colic Calm to the rescue!

The moral of the story - do what your mother tells you to do WHEN she tells you to do it!

The Weekend Adventures

2009-04-26T22:44:00.000-07:00

Well, Lary and Tere are finally here! For those of you that don't know...Noah's parents just moved here and we are so excited! They live just about 10 minutes from Noah and I, and it's so fun to have them close again. They are watching Rajko full time from now until school gets out, when we'll let them go back to being the Grandparents and not the nanny, and they won't have to have him everyday :)

They live in an area called Val Vista Lakes that has a beautiful clubhouse. There is a year-round heated lap pool, and also this beach pool. It has a zero depth layout, and sand around all the edges with beach chairs and umbrellas, so you are truly at the beach! We went there Saturday and Rajko LOVED it! We all did...enjoy!

Our little family at the beach...

Rajko with his Aunt Anissa. I had to post this picture because A - Anissa looks SO good, B - this is the best picture of Rajko in his hat and sunglasses (the cute girls who bought him this outfit have been patiently waiting to see a picture of him wearing it), and C - you can see the pool behind Anissa. There is a waterfall area behind her as well that you can't see in this photo. BEAUTIFUL place.

Rajko and Mommy

Although this was totally a fluke, I thought this picture was SO cute how he was looking over the rims of his glasses!

RELAXING! I knew Rajko was too little for a baby float where he's in the water, plus he's too little to wear sunscreen, so I bought this little baby pool you normally fill up with water, and let him float around in it. It had a big sun shade which kept his nice and covered the whole time. It was PERFECT!

On Friday we went to visit our friend Jared Murillo. He's in a band called V Factory, and they were performing before the Britney Spears concert in Glendale. We absolutely adore the Murillos (if you know any of them you'll understand), and especially Josh and Jared. We were so happy to be able to go see him for a second.

Buying cute clothes for your nephews pays off...I bought these shorts for Landon when he was a baby, and now Rajko is enjoying them. Is he SO cute?

And last but not least...I wanted to post a picture where you could see that Rajko's hair is coming in! It gets a little thicker everyday, and we think it will definitely be dark. His eyes are also getting darker everyday, so we think we'll have a brown-eyed, brown-haired handsome boy :)

Cutest Boy in the Cutest Outfit!

2009-04-19T22:38:00.000-07:00

Check out this handsome boy! I'm not sure why we didn't get a full length picture of him where he WASN'T crying, but I thought it was so cute that he was so mad that I put that hat on him. As you can see, he did get used to it, and he blew everyone away with how cute he looked.

Haha, a cute hat AND a double chin :)

Rajko is One Month Old! Easter, visitors, and new toys...

2009-04-13T15:24:00.000-07:00

I can't believe my baby is a month old!!! Time is seriously flying by, and it is making me so sad! He no longer fits in his newborn clothes, and I decided not to buy anymore newborn diapers, either. I'm just going to let this (the last) package run out and put him in size 1's. Can you believe it???

This is Rajko on Easter Sunday in his church clothes. We were happy that they didn't look TOO big, and we even got some super cute dressy shoes. Isn't he so handsome?? Noah thinks he looks a little dead with this antiqued coloring, so I include a bright happy one for you all :)

As usual, he wanted to sleep when I wanted him to be awake for a picture. But he was PERFECT through church. Was awake but happy for half, and slept through the second half.

For another example of him sleeping when he should be awake, view the video below! If he doesn't want to be awake for waketime, there is NOTHING I can do to convince him otherwise...

Enjoying some waketime in his new swing!

Also, our favorite girls came to visit us, and we were SO happy!!!! I think they enjoyed the sun and the weather, and we hopefully found enough to entertain them - although I think they would have been content to play in Sharee's pool all day everyday. Thanks Buti's for coming. I LOVED LOVED LOVED seeing you!

And finally, another new toy...when we went to Babies R Us to get the swing, I also bought this sling. Rajko seems to like it, but I've yet to actually use it anywhere yet. I'll have to give you an update of how our first trip to a store goes!

Sleepytime and a special treat :)

2009-04-03T16:05:00.000-07:00

Noah LOVES LOVES LOVES being a daddy...he's so proud of his little guy and just holds and cuddles him as soon as he gets home from flying everyday. Rajko didn't want to look at me for this picture, though...

I could watch this boy fall asleep all day. As soon as he goes into active sleep, his eyes start shifting like crazy and he pulls the cutest faces. I think the reason I LOVE to watch him fall asleep so much is because that's when he smiles...only by reflex of course. It makes my day, and I cannot wait until he gives me a real smile :)

There's nothing to say about this video...just enjoy!

Video Test...

2009-03-31T16:14:00.000-07:00

Today Rajko is 3 Weeks!

So we got a new little digital video camera to make it easy to share clips of Rajko...I know this isn't a very exciting video, but I just wanted to test out the process and share a little bit of our day.

As I mentioned in my previous post, Rajko likes to be on his tummy...probably because he is such a gassy baby and likes the pressure on his tummy. I even let him take a nap on his tummy once a day where I can watch him and make sure he can breathe okay.

The saddest thing, though, is that Rajko is going bald. All the hair (just on the top of his head) is falling out and I'm SO SO SO sad!!! No more fauxhawks...just male-pattern balding on my three-week old.

Tummy Time and other tidbits...

2009-03-27T12:29:00.001-07:00

Rajko likes to be on his tummy, especially if it's on the Boppy pillow and not the floor. I took some pictures of him during his tummy time, and I had to include a lot so you could see how strong he thinks he is! He feel the needs to crawl completely out of the pillow!

Lifting his head...notice that his body is mostly inside the boppy.

Starting to push with his legs...stomach is edging over the pillow.

Pushing with BOTH legs...

....but he got stuck here, so I finally saved him.

Also, we tried our first bottle feeding. He seemed to take the bottle okay, but it was at the height of his reflux sensitivity, so the feeding didn't really go well. We'll be trying again today with some different milk and see how it goes!

By the way...remember how I mentioned being paranoid that something I was eating was making him sick? Well, actually it was! Rajko has a mild case of reflux, and it acts up when I eat dairy. So, I get to cut out all the dairy in my diet :( No milk, cheese, butter, chocolate, etc. If you can't feel my pain, you should eat my mom's food for a few days. Then you'd understand why these are my favorite things to eat.

It's been 2 days since I cut the dairy, and I've already seen a VAST improvement in Rajko. He doesn't scream and cry while or after he's eating, and his sleeping is going back to normal, too. He's been a pretty restless sleeper as the inflamation in his tummy has built up over the past couple of weeks, so we're hoping he'll go back to peaceful slumber as I continue to sacrifice my favorite things to eat!

It's pretty crazy how quickly you realize you would do ANYTHING or sacrifice ANYTHING just to save your child pain, and not think twice about it. Parenthood is so crazy....and great!

Finally, baby Rajko got a visit from Aunt Bonnie and Tanille! Tanille's little girl, Mackenzie, was SO cute. She is so smart and asks all sorts of questions and was loving the baby. Isn't she a cutie?

The Adventures of Rajko - Week 2

2009-03-23T21:26:00.000-07:00

So, these are just some random photos taken since last time we posted that I thought I would share, as I have had several requests for more pictures!!!

Things are going well in the Rasheta house. Noah is back in flight training (WOO HOO!!!) and back at work, leaving Rajko and mommy home to hang out all day.

I have, as hard as I try not to, become somewhat paranoid. I know that once my emotions/hormones are back in check, I'll be able to reason a little better with myself, but for now, there's no hope... Rajko is only fussy when he has trapped gas (at either end), and everytime he cries and cringes in pain, I cry, too...I just keep wondering what I can eat to help him feel better!! Other than that, we are doing great! He's a good little eater, he is a GREAT sleeper, and he's happy and alert in between.

Enjoy the pictures!When Rajko finds fingers to suck on, he's very happy...

As previously mentioned, he's not a big fan of getting his clothes or diapers changes, so Grandma was training him to be okay with it by leaving his onsie stuck on his head. Ellie may remember this trick :)

This is exactly how Noah sleeps... yes, the swaddling lasted about 3 days.

This is what I found when I left Daddy in charge of Tummy time....tsk tsk. But oh so cute!

Rajko in his very chic ducky bath robe. He doesn't hate getting his sponge bath so much anymore. He usually doesn't fuss until we're getting down to the end. I'm just not as fast as Grandma!!

My tiny baby boy...

One of the last days with Grandma...this boy LOVES to be in this position. He is happiest when he is being burped.

My mom and I attempted some pictures before she left. Some were a great success, others not so much (Rajko jumping off of the sofa will be another story for another day)...

My cutie boy...just wanted to include lots of pictures so you can get to know the many faces of our crazy, cute little guy.

My chubby, happy, sleepy update...

2009-03-16T21:27:00.000-07:00

We had our well baby doctor's visit today, and our little guy is just perfect! He not only reached his birth weight, but had added an extra 4 ounces. He is now 8 lbs 3 oz. So the doctor said I can let him sleep longer at night between feedings if he doesn't wake up to eat (yay) since he's OBVIOUSLY gaining weight just fine. He doesn't even have to go back for a 2 week check up. Here is a photo overload to update you all. Thanks for all your help and phone calls. We love and appreciate you!

Here is our Rajko boy after his first bath at home. I think he is the most handsome perfect boy ever...of course!

Rajko likes to sleep, A LOT! I have to wake him up to eat so he doesn't starve because he likes to sleep so much. I hope this pattern continues as he gets older and can sleep even longer without eating at night :)

Noah thought it was so hilarious to have Rajko look like a Sith Lord. I also found it quite humorous :)

Rajko's first bath at home with Grandma...washing his hair is the only part he does like. He despises getting his diaper changed, getting his clothes changes, or anything similar. So obviously, the bath is not his favorite. Hopefully when it's a real bath in water he'll like it more!

This baby has no bum. If you know Noah and I, I'm sure you can understand why I believe this will change!!!

Rajko's arrival home...I think he looks so tiny in his carseat, but I don't want him to grow and get big. He's too cute the way he is now, and I just want time to stand still!

Our saving grace! My mom is here and will be until the 21st. She is keeping everyone WELL fed, happy, and calm. She's seriously the best and I think I'm going to have a total meltdown when she leaves. Rajko also already loves her, and she can always get his calmed down and get out the burps and gas bubbles that I can't seem to get rid of! Mommy, I LOVE YOU!

Rajko with Grandpa

Aunt Chelsea and Uncle Max also came to visit, which was so awesome. She was here to help us get home from the hospital before my mom got here, and seriously helped me keep my head during those first couple of crazy days...

Uncle Rob holding Rajko. He would tell him things that we told him to, like how cute he was or that he had pretty eyes, but it about broke my heart when he went to hand him back to me and told him, "I love you." I love Rob so much and I'm so glad he's here to swim (in the freezing pool) and meet the baby. I hope he's having fun here...

Rajko really likes being burped. He will hang out in this position all day!

I just thought his picture was so funny...this is the hearing test Rajko took before leaving the hospital. He was really enjoying whatever they were playing for him!

More pics of Rajko

2009-03-11T15:04:00.001-07:00

More pics of Rajko...

This is immediately after the c-section. I brought him out to show everyone.

Once the hospital realized how cute he was the had to call in SWAT.
Nik was at a SWAT training when he got the call that Giselle was having the baby so he came in a hurry, still packing heat! Made Rajko feel very safe and protected by uncle Nik!

Rajko and Abuelita

See and download the full gallery on posterous

His little legs are so cute!

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Daddy kissing Rajko's soft little head. One of my new favorite things to do!!

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Introducing Rajko Nikolas Rasheta

2009-03-10T14:03:00.001-07:00

Born March 10th at 10:52 AM

7 lbs. 15 oz. - 20.25 inches long

We are very happy and thankful for this little guy! Look forward to more pictures and videos in the near future.

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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Stay tuned...

2009-03-10T04:55:00.000-07:00

Giselle woke up around 1:30 this morning to inform me that her water broke, as you can imagine, I jumped up and got dressed and ready to go to the hospital, meanwhile, she had gone to the living room and was posting the news on the blog. When she saw me all dressed and with my shoes on she laughed and said "why are you dressed?" "We're not going to the hospital, I still have to finish making the freezer meals and get the guest room ready!" That's Giselle for you! I reminded her that I had seen enough movies to know that when your water breaks you go to the hospital. I hurried and made the guest bed and we packed our things and within 30-45 minutes we were on our way. Once we got here, they confirmed that she was having contractions and her water had broken so now it's just a waiting game... Once our doctor touches base with us and is made aware of the situation we will see what the exact plan of action is but we're hoping that sometime today he'll be born!!

Once the baby knew there was a planned day and time for him, he thought he'd make his own plans, goes to show he'll be like his daddy who also likes to live life without having it all planned out! Haha

Stay tuned for updates or feel free to text me if you want: 8017356485. I'll be keeping my facebook updated as well so if you want to follow my there you can add me as a facebook friend, my email on facebook is: ndrasheta@hotmail.com

Stay tuned for more info... We love you all!!

I think my water broke...now somebody fix it!

2009-03-10T01:57:00.000-07:00

It's 1:58 am and I woke up about a half an hour ago. I think my water broke, and I'm having very very minor contractions....it's policy to go to the hospital if your water breaks, so I think we're headed there now.

I'm so upset! I had Friday all planned and was good to go. Noah thinks I'm crazy, because I want to stay home to finishing getting my house and freezer meals ready before we leave. If I go in and my water really has broken, we're having a baby today and I'm just not sure if I'm ready!

How does anyone go into labor alone and be prepared for it?

Can someone please fix my broken water so I can go back to sleep and wait until Friday???

We have a plan...now place your bets!

2009-03-09T14:14:00.001-07:00

Well, after an eventful day at the doctor...

Rajko Rasheta will be born via a c-section on Friday, March 13th at 12:30 pm!

I went to the doctor today and still nothing...in fact, he showed me that I can feel the baby's entire head still floating around high in my abdomen. He's been head down for over a month, but just won't drop into the pelvis or go anywhere near it. No dilation. No effacement. No progress.

Since we were very nervously awaiting this appointment, it was no surprise to me that my blood pressure was sky high!!! But, wanting to make sure it wasn't a bigger issue such as preeclampsia, the doctor sent us over to triage to be evaluated and have some blood work done for a platelet count and something that has to do with the liver. By the time I got there, I was plugging away at a perfect 120/80 and the baby was fine. It was a quick hour or so until they had the blood work back, and they let us go...scheduling us for the c-section before we left.

So...your guesses on time will be pretty easy, since you know I'm having surgery at 12:30 and it only takes a few minutes, but place your bet on time and weight, if you please!!!

Love you all, Noah and Giselle

An Interesting Update...

2009-03-03T20:37:00.001-08:00

This picture is actually from last week, but it will have to do! (38 Weeks)

So I have been frustrated each week as I go to the doctor, because my belly has yet to drop, and each check up, my doctor has just told me that absolutely nothing is happening, good luck with making something happen, and he'll see me the next week.

Before I talk about today's appointment, let me go back to the very beginning. My original due date was February 27th. Upon going to the doctor, he moved my due date back almost two weeks to March 10th... if hadn't adjusted my due date, I would already be one week overdue.

So...Today, after another exam, he dropped a pretty big bomb on us. He said that the baby is still as high as he could possibly be and he has no reason to think this is going to change. He has been head down for over a month, but has yet to descend into the pelvis at all. The baby isn't huge, so there's no reason why he wouldn't have descended unless the pelvis is too narrow or shaped incorrectly to allow the baby to descend. Without the baby descending, there's no way for me to progress toward labor. Basically, I won't be going into labor by myself.

This, really, was no surprise to me. I have been planning to be induced a few days after my due date, because I have just felt like I would not go into labor by myself.

BUT, because he thinks the issue is my pelvis, he is worried that even inducing labor and pushing will be to no avail, as the baby won't be able to fit through the birth canal. Intense pushing to try to force him down into the pelvis could cause distress and lead to an emergency C-section after hours of labor and lots of pushing. Instead, if nothing has progressed or changed by Monday, he'd like to schedule a C-section for sometime in the week, rather than an induction.

I'm not sure how I'm feeling about everything - I'm kind of just waiting to see what happens on Monday. But I just wanted to update everyone on the crazy news we received today!!!

Just some info on C-sections:

Nearly 30% of all deliveries are done via C-section

C-sections are commonly used for women with an abnormally-shaped pelvis, or when the fetus' head is believed to be too large to fit through the pelvis (cephalopelvic disproportion)

Recovery from a C-section is similar to recovery from any abdominal surgery

Many C-section deliverees find themselves more mobile - faster than vaginal deliverees, and have an edge when it comes to sitting

C-section deliverees can lift, cuddle, and breastfeed their babies just like everyone else

:)

The most important thing to keep in mind is this: the BEST birth is the one that's safest, and sometimes, that's a C-section. Any delivery that brings a healthy baby to the world is a perfect delivery :)

Bottle Advice Time!!!

2009-02-22T08:16:00.000-08:00

Hey there all you mommies! As most of you know, I will be going back to work at about 5 1/2 weeks after our little guy is born. I'm looking for advice on the best type of bottles I can use while I'm away, as I am planning to breastfeed.

So far in the research I've done, the top ones are the Avent Newborn and the Playtex Nurser. I also found a new type that's supposed to be great at Babies 'R Us that I'll probably try out. I was planning on just buying one of each to see which works best before buying more, but I'd love some advice if you have any for me!

What bottles worked for your breastfeeding babies and which did NOT?

4 Weeks to Go, and a Good Samaritan??

2009-02-10T20:22:00.000-08:00

Alright, here's a belly update. This picture was taken this evening, and I am exactly 36 weeks. Noah says I look the same as the picture we posted a month ago, but I'm definitely FEELING bigger. Putting on socks, tying my shoes, painting my toenails - all not so easy anymore.

I really wanted to wait to take a picture until I got ready and looked cute, but anyone who knows me knows that I really don't get ready, ever! So what you see is what you get. Enjoy!!!

Also, an extra base for our car seat arrived at our house today. We didn't order it, and it didn't come with any sort of registry information - just showed up at the door. If you or anyone else you know is responsible for this extra car seat base (which we were registered for at Target - BTW), please let us know so we can thank you properly!!!

I had to post this

2009-02-07T23:04:00.001-08:00

I love finding random things on the internet...

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The Fun has Arrived!!!!

2009-01-26T21:08:00.000-08:00

Since my amazing baby shower in Utah, I have been totally inspired to get moving on getting together our important baby items. Using the gift cards we received, we went on a shopping spree! Well, not really...but we did go get the crib, the crib mattress, the carseat, the stroller, the diaper bag, and a boppy pillow! My sisters and my mom had purchased all our nursery items and had them shipped to Gilbert, so I was very antsy just waiting for them to arrive. They finally came!!! Here you go...

Here is the crib with the bedding set...it's SO cute and we are so in love. Also, you can kind of see the rug - which turned out to be even SO much cuter than I could have imagined. It's so fluffy and awesome. Thank you to my wonderful sisters and mom! (PS that shelf full of stuff will be moving from the room, don't worry!)

And here is the carseat and stroller that we got (also note the diaper bag that matches everything). We drove all over the Phoenix valley to find the last one available. I've been wanting it since I saw it, and I refused to give up! Of course my easy going husband just drove from one end of the valley to the other and called every Target in existence to find the one remaining carseat I wanted.

I'll keep updating as we continue to get the room set up. I also got a cute diaper stacker, which you can kind of see in the background, but I'll highlight it when we get the changing table all done (right now it's missing the actually changing pad and cover).

Thanks again to everyone who came to the shower and brought yourselves and such awesome gifts. I was able to get almost everything home on the plane, and you should be watching for updates of where and when your gifts are being used!

A Bigger Bump

2009-01-15T19:37:00.000-08:00

Alright folks, here's a bump update for you! I'm currently 32 1/2 weeks, so I have fewer than 8 weeks to go! And aren't my jeans cute? (Thanks Anissa!)

I'm going to Utah this weekend for a baby shower, and I'm so excited! If there's anyone that should have been invited and wasn't, please accept my biggest apologies and come join us! It's at Billie Jo's house at 1:00 pm and I'm dying to see everyone again...

Farewell Appendix!

2009-01-08T13:28:00.001-08:00

Yesterday morning I woke up feeling a little sick to my stomach. I thought I might be coming down with a stomach flu or something but as the day went on I started to feel worse and the pain localized to the lower right portion of my abdomen and the pain got so intense that I knew something was wrong. At around 11:30 am I told Giselle that I was feeling so bad that I probably needed to consider going to the hospital. My symptoms included: Hot flashes and severe chills, goose bumps all over my body, intense abdominal pain and pressure, wanting to get in the fetal position and never move again, and other similar things. So, Giselle drove me to the Urgent Care and they directed us immediately to the ER (by now it was 1:30pm) where I was admitted and diagnosed with appendicitis. The did a CT scan on my stomach and confirmed the infected and swollen appendix. I was then given a morphine injection which I must say was one of the most interesting feelings I've ever had (warm fuzzies x100) this immediately eased the pain and I was able to feel more rested. I was taken up to the operating room around 6:30 pm and was prepped for immediate surgery. I remember the feeling of starting to go out as the room got fuzzy and before I knew it I was waking up, an ounce lighter, and without the pain and pressure. By 9:00 pm I was moved to my room and enjoying a few good laughs with the nurses, docs, Giselle and Nate and Celeste (they all claim I was somewhat more "happy" and "talkative" than normal, but I think I was just being myself). Nik made it in around 10 pm to come see me and then we called it a night. This morning Giselle and I woke up around 5 am and she was able to get ready and go to work and around 8 or 9 am Nik came by to hang out with me. I was feeling sore but with quite a bit of energy, I was able to get up and use the restroom and walk around a bit and by 1:00 pm I was ready to come home! Now I'm just relaxing at home but I was able to walk outside to check the mail and even walked to the gas station with Nik and Giselle to get some milk so I can have some cereal (my real medicine). All in all, it's been quite an amazing experience. I'm very grateful for the doctors and the hospital and the wonderful technology that makes appendectomies much less invasive than before. Instead of one big cut, I was given a laparoscopic appendectomy (see definition below) I'm out of commission as far as exercising for at least a couple of weeks but other that that I feel ready to resume most of my daily activities! Thanks again to everyone for their love, prayers and support. Thank you Nik for your help and visits. Thanks Giselle for being such a trooper and staying over night with me!

What is a laparoscopic appendectomy?

The laparoscopic (minimally invasive) surgical technique involves making several tiny cuts in the abdomen and inserting a miniature camera and surgical instruments. As many as three or four incisions are made. The surgeon then removes the appendix with the instruments, so there is usually no need to make a large incision in the abdomen. The camera projects a magnified image of the area onto a television monitor which helps guide the surgeons as they remove the appendix.

What is the benefit of laparoscopic appendectomy?

Most cases of acute appendicitis can be treated laparoscopically. The main advantages are:

* Less post-operative pain
* Faster recovery and return to normal activity
* Shorter hospital stay
* Less post-operative complications
* Minimally sized incisions/scars

In most cases, patients can be discharged within 24 to 36 hours. By contrast, the hospital stay is typically two to five days for an open procedure.

This is a picture of me right before going into the operating room:

This is a picture of the blood that spilled while they were putting my IV in. This was my first experience with and IV and the nurse struggled putting this in. My arm was soaked in blood and the sheets as well. This picture was taken after they cleaned it all up, so you can imagine how much was there before!

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Preparing for Baby!!!

2009-01-05T11:52:00.000-08:00

I JUST DID TWO POSTS, SO MAKE SURE YOU CHECK OUT THE ONE BELOW :)

So with everyone around being so generous with letting us use their baby stuff, an entire room in our house had been taken over! I needed to organize, consolidate, etc... I didn't take a before picture, but I did want to show you what we did this weekend.

This is ALL the storage stuff, packaged up nice and neat for the garage. It doesn't look great right now, but we're planning on getting a big shelving unit for the small stuff so it's not just piled. I am TERRIFIED of the thought of Scorpions getting into our stuff, and I hate the cockroaches and crickets that are around anyway, so everything that was not in a tupperware container got put in a big garbage bag and vacuum sealed :) Now I just need my shelves to finish organizing!

My friend Celeste and I were talking about nursery stuff and she told me that her sister had embellished regular plastic storage baskets with ribbon to match her baby's room. I decided to take a stab at it, and they turned out so cute. Thanks, Celeste!
Below is the finished product with the baskets on the changing table. Joni and Shane gave us this changing table (thank you guys) and we just went in and tightened it up, touched it up, and it's looking pretty good, I think... In my dream world, I'll end up getting both the crib and matching changing table that I am dreaming about for my baby's room, and these baskets will still look great, because the changing table is brown. But, if not, I still think this looks great, and will look even better with my brown changing pad cover that I want from Babies R Us :)

This is the changing pad cover I plan to get. Don't you think it will look so cute?

Christmas in Utah

2009-01-05T11:14:00.000-08:00

So before leaving, we did decorate our house...I thought I'd include a few pictures, because I do LOVE our tree. This isn't the greatest picture of it, but I thought I'd include it just the same. Every year when my brown and gold tree goes up and I start wrapping all the matching presents to put below it, I just love it!

Our tree, gifts, nativity, and stockings...
The beautiful nativity my mom gave us last year had nowhere to go except right under the tree..

Then we headed north to the snow. And WOW, we got snow. It was one of the strangest storms I've ever seen in Kamas. It seemed like the snow was coming in from the side or up from the ground! These are just a few pictures Noah snapped of the snow. He'll probably want to add some other photos that he took while he was there.

The snow in Tim and Billie Jo's backyard...

On the Saturday after Christmas, we had the Bisel family Christmas party. We had a horse drawn sleigh ride, sledding, and of course a HUGE buffet. Here are some pics of the awesome party!
Sleigh Ride!

Mia playing in the snow at the church.
Rick and Baby Noah
Billie Jo and Tess
Billie Jo and Tess
Luke and Noah

Noah LOVING life in the snow...
Noah flying down the hill...
Amber and Ellie after just one of their many crashes...
Rick
Noah and Tess
Rob enjoyed the snow, too!

Thank you to everyone for hosting us for Christmas. It was wonderful to be in the snow, and around my family! It was so much fun! Thank you for Tim and Billie Jo for letting us stay in your home. We loved seeing everyone and I want to do it more and more often!

Geneology

2009-01-03T21:25:00.000-08:00

I decided to do some genealogy and I discovered a 2 interesting things:

1) I look a lot like my great, great, grandfather who was pictured here just before getting on the Titanic:

2) I realized that I have royal blood:

Christmas lights with music

2008-12-23T18:35:00.000-08:00

This is what I want to do with Christmas lights on my house one of these years.

Santa Claus came to town!

2008-12-13T11:57:00.001-08:00

Yesterday was our ward Christmas party and guess who came to visit? That's right, Mr. Claus! It was so much fun to see all the kids in the ward get so excited to see Santa. Here are a few pictures.

Santa waiting for the "signal" to come out and visit:

Santa telling the kids the story about Christ's birth and how He is the "greatest gift of all":

Santa visited with each and every child to give them a gift and a candy cane:

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Tagged II

2008-12-04T21:47:00.000-08:00

Giselle's responses to the tag...

8 t.v. shows I enjoy watching:
1. The Office
2. The Amazing Race
3. Gossip Girl (my guilty pleasure)
4. The Biggest Loser
5. Survivor
6. Heroes
7. Project Runway (actually this goes higher up)
8. Reruns of the OC or Gilmore Girls

8 things that happened yesterday:
1. Enjoyed oatmeal for the first time - can't remember when I ate it last, but I didn't like it
2. Went to work
3. Went to Young Women's (I'm the personal progress leader)
4. Started an APA workshop to brush up on the new formatting for school
5. Drove to and from work with Noah and Celeste, meeting up with Nate for lunch, of course...
6. Colored a disney picture - it was so fun!
7. Surprised 2 people I've known for months by informing them I'm pregnant (duh)
8. Complained about back pain - like I do everyday :)

8 things I am looking forward to:
1. Being a Mommy and having my baby boy to stare at!
2. Starting school (next tuesday!)
3. Starting to work out again
4. Finishing school
5. Getting in shape after baby
6. Noah finishing flying
7. Going home for Christmas
8. Christmas Eve dinner and family time!

8 things I LOVE about fall:
1. Noah is wrong - Fall in phoenix is amazing because it's actually cool enough to be outside...but still warm of course. I haven't even pulled out a jacket yet! BUT, in other places, I like the leaves turning and taking a fall drive to see it.

8 things on my wish list:
1. A new gym pass
2. An exercise ball to sit on at work, or a back massager for my office chair (picture the chairs from tonight's Office episode)...
3. Gas to stay cheap
4. To find the perfect nanny/babysitter when I have to go back to work at 6 weeks :(
5. My hair to be long and pretty again and not damaged :(
6. To travel around the world
7. To end up back in Kamas teaching school and dance
8. To be a great Mom!!!!

Wow, the wish list wasn't hard! I could have continued past 8...guess I want a lot of things!

Tagged

2008-12-02T21:20:00.001-08:00

Tag

Our friend Reagan Powell tagged Giselle and I:
(These are Noah's responses)

8 t.v. shows I enjoy watching:
1. The Office
2. The Simpsons
3. The Amazing Race
4. Heroes
5. Survivor
6. Whale Wars
7. Locked Up Abroad
8. Anything on the History, Discovery or National Geographic Channel

8 things that happened yesterday:
1. Started a new job
2. Ate a sandwich
3. Sold a website
4. Talked on the phone
5. Ate krispy kreme! Boo ya!
6. Watched Heroes
7. Foresaw the future
8. Stopped time twice!

8 things I am looking forward to:
1. Being a daddy!
2. Being a daddy!
3. Being a daddy!
4. Flying a helicopter again!
5. Flying a helicopter again!
6. Christmas in Utah
7. Getting a new car (if mine dies)
8. Oh... did I mention becoming a dad!!

8 things I LOVE about fall:
1. There is no fall in AZ!

8 things on my wish list:
1. World Peace! Haha
2. To visit all 7 continents. Only 3 to go!
3. To fly a helicopter regularly.
4. To be the best dad I can be
5. Have superpowers
6. To travel around the world
7. I wish you a merry Christmas
8. I wish upon a star

8 people I tag:
1. Nik and Anissa
2. Anyone else who wants to be tagged

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A Bunch of Turkeys

2008-11-29T12:00:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving this year was really fun! We had dinner at Nik and Anissa's house with their family and with Nate and Celeste. But dinner was jut a small part of our day...

We started off the morning with the Mesa Turkey Trot! Noah and Nik ran the 10k, Anissa and Robyn ran the 2 mile, and I ran the 1 mile...I definitely would have run the 2 mile, but I haven't been running at all since moving here...it was a good choice, as it was fun and not too hard.

Me finishing my fun run...

Robyn and Anissa en route...
Anissa crossing the finish line...

Robyn at the finish line...

The boys almost at the end of their 6 miles...

Nik and Noah crossing the finish line...
All the turkey trotters!
Thanks to Nik and Anissa and Nate and Celeste for being our family this year for Thanksgiving! We had amazing food and lots of fun together. Happy Thanksgiving everyone...

Time to test your hearing.

2008-11-20T22:45:00.000-08:00

This is really interesting! I expect everyone to post a comment! These tones will make you realize how your hearing gets worse as you get older. Test your hearing and see which tones you can still hear, then bring your kids into the room and ask them. I bet they'll hear the ones that adults can't! Which ones can you hear?

The scale goes like this:
50-59 year olds can hear 11Khz
40-50 can hear 11 & 12 KHz
30-39 you can hear from 11, 12, 13, and 14 KHz
18-24 can hear up to 16 KHz
18 and under can hear up to 18 KHz

11 KHz
12 KHz
13 KHz
14 KHz
15 KHz
16 KHz
17 KHz
18 KHz

Sometimes graffiti is not that bad!

2008-11-20T12:06:00.001-08:00

Pfizer: Graffiti
by sylvestre2712

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Bump Update

2008-11-18T18:44:00.001-08:00

24 Weeks - 16 to go!

Ugh, I can't believe I'm posting this. I will be so excited to post pictures when I have a big, nice, round bump! I feel like my bump is so poochy right now and awkward. It seems way way high, too, I think, for what I was expecting. But, I appreciated other's bump updates, and I know they're fun to see...enjoy!

A tribute to John Williams

2008-11-16T21:54:00.001-08:00

This is a cool video we found on youtube that is a tribute to John WIlliams by a guy singing a cappella to his themes. It's great!

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Our weekend in Pinetop, AZ

2008-11-10T12:09:00.001-08:00

A couple of weeks ago we had the opportunity to go to Pinetop with our good friends Nate and Celeste for the weekend. We had a great time up there and here are a few of the pictures we were able to take in between the "exploring", "hiking" and just "relaxing".

Here is a view of the cabins where we stayed. We went hiking on one of the trails just behind the cabins.

Giselle was jumping around and playing on this bridge.

Nate and Celeste and Giselle and I

On our way back down the canyon we stopped to take a picture of the scenery.

I almost fell. Don't worry, it was only a couple thousand feet or so!

Someone help me please!

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What to expect in the next 3 weeks

2008-11-10T11:38:00.001-08:00

What happens when you have someone who just finished working on a time-consuming project and is not scheduled to begin working again till Dec 1st + Likes to play on the computer and use programs like Photoshop? Answer = Posts like this!

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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Sad Lobster Night

2008-10-30T19:12:00.000-07:00

*Please read the previous post as well as this one...it was so funny it made me cry!*

So, it's not a secret that I don't cook all that often. I like to think that when I do cook, it generally tastes pretty good, although I'm really not too gourmet or anything...

Well, my mom gave us these amazing cookbooks that have "Top Secret" recipes of yummy restaurant food. I know she made PF Chang's Mongolian Beef and Orange Peel Chicken the other night, and the Penne Rustica from Macaroni Grille is EXACT. So, I was VERY excited to try out some of these recipes. I love Red Lobster, and their biscuits are so good. I decided I was going to make the Red Lobster Clam Chowder and Cheddar Bay Biscuits.

Noah and I shopped together for groceries last night, and we picked everything out for the soup together. Tonight I made the clam chowder, and was so proud to show off my masterpiece.

Noah took one bite and said, "hmmm, ...(pause)... it tastes kind of clam-my." Needless to say, he decided not to partake any further. He's never not eaten anything I have ever made! He had never had Clam Chowder before, and thought that we were picking out crab last night (not sure what kind of clam soup I was making with crab?). Anyway, he's so cute...he feels so bad, but there is NO way he would make himself eat the clam chowder. He now knows for future reference that he doesn't like Clam Chowder, and to warn people ahead of time.

Looks pretty good doesn't it? I thought so. I added corn because I love corn in my chowder. Anyway, this is why it's Sad Lobster night instead of Red Lobster night. If anyone's hungry, come on over...I have a pot of Clam Chowder, and I'll be eating it all alone :(

Annoying Things To Do On An Elevator

2008-10-30T10:22:00.000-07:00

I just had to post this! They made me laugh out loud. - Noah

Annoying Things To Do On An Elevator

1) CRACK open your briefcase or handbag, peer Inside and ask "Got enough air in there?"
2) STAND silent and motionless in the corner facing the wall without getting off.
3) WHEN arriving at your floor, grunt and strain to yank the doors open, then act as if you're embarrassed when they open themselves.
4) GREET everyone with a warm handshake and ask him or her to call you Admiral.
5) MEOW occasionally.
6) STARE At another passenger for a while. Then announce in horror: "You're one of THEM" - and back away slowly
7) SAY -DING at each floor.
8) SAY "I wonder what all these do?" And push all the red buttons.
9) MAKE explosion noises when anyone presses a button.
10) STARE, grinning at another passenger for a while, then announce: "I have new socks on."
11) WHEN the elevator is silent, look around and ask: "Is that your beeper?"
12) TRY to make personal calls on the emergency phone.
13) DRAW a little square on the floor with chalk and announce to the other passengers: "This is my personal space."
14) WHEN there's only one other person in the elevator, tap them on the shoulder, then pretend it wasn't you.
15) PUSH the buttons and pretend they give you a shock. Smile, and go back for more.
16) ASK if you can push the button for other people but push the wrong ones.
17) HOLD the doors open and say you're waiting for your friend. After a while, let the doors close and say "Hi Greg, How's your day been?"
18) DROP a pen and wail until someone reaches to help pick it up, then scream: "That's mine!"
19) BRING a camera and take pictures of everyone in the lift.
20) PRETEND you're a flight attendant and review emergency procedures and exits with the Passengers.
21) SWAT at flies that don't exist.
22) CALL out "Group hug" then enforce it.

Finding Out...

2008-10-23T21:19:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Well, it was apparent to us as people guessed what we were having that no one really had a good idea. I didn't feel like I knew, and every person we asked was unsure. You could even see from the poll we put on the blog that it was about even on guesses... Well, now you know. Our new blue blog is in celebration of our baby

BOY

due March 10th.

It was very clear in the ultrasound that we were having a cute little boy (although Noah and I decided it was unnecessary to post THAT picture) , and we were pleased to find out that everything looks good. No signs of Down Syndrome, Cleft Palate, Hernias in the abdomen, heart problems, or anything else. It's definitely going to take me some time to prepare myself to be a boy mom...I've only ever imagined myself raising girls. However, I take comfort knowing how much easier it will be to find a girl partner for my boy than finding a boy to dance with my little girl...just one of many perks :)

I was hoping that they would move my due date up, since he pushed me back 2 weeks at my original appointment, but according to measurements, my due date is not budging even one day! This baby is right on track, and he looks pretty darn cute already... don't you think?

Visitors from Utah and a Bump Update

2008-10-20T21:13:00.000-07:00

Well, we got a much appreciated visit from my parents and Rob last week... We were so happy to have them here and to be able to accommodate them in our house. I was hoping it would be the perfect temperature (around 80-85 degrees), but the heat snuck in on us, and we spend Saturday sweating it out in the 100 degree weather! Thank you thank you for coming to visit...it was amazing to have you here and we hope you had a good time!

Downtown Mesa at the Wild West Festival

Noah has wanted to be an American Indian ever since he was a kid. Dances with Wolves is still one of his favorite movies!

Very cool hats were just a few of the old western clothing items you could buy at the festival. The lady did tell me she would make me a special pregnancy corset that has support for your belly!

For those of you who wanted a belly update picture...here you go! Noah always thinks it looks like I'm just arching my back and pushing my stomach out when we take these pictures, but I promise I just have a sway back. I am neither pushing out nor holding in this belly! By the way, tomorrow I am 20 weeks, and on Thursday we have our mid-pregnancy ultrasound. We'll let you guys know what we're having, so be watching for an update on Thursday night!!!

The low down...

2008-10-11T13:01:00.000-07:00

So I thought it would be nice to update everyone on my status with the flight school and my plans for flying helicopters. As some of you may or may not know here are a few things that have happened since I started flying helicopters in June of last year:

About 7 months into my training at Silver State Helicopters up in Utah, the school went under overnight and closed its doors nationwide to almost 2000 students and instructors. This drastically affected my training since I had a large school loan already paid to the school. I suddenly found myself stuck with no access to my flight funds but with plenty of flying left to finish up.

I researched other good schools throughout the country and decided to come down to AZ and continue my flight training here in Chandler. This was a good decision because Quantum Helicopters is a great school and I was able to move on and get my instrument rating added to my pilot license. Unfortunately, with my school loan still locked in the legal battle that is still ongoing with Silver State (former school) I have not been able to secure another loan to help me finish my training. I had enough reserve funds to fly for another 5 months down here but that was not enough time to get my commercial license (which allows me to fly professionally and get a job) nor get my flight instructor rating (which would allow me to teach). Faced with this situation I have been forced to temporarily suspend my flying.

To make matters worse, the economy has taken a turn for the worse regarding lending and loans. Giselle and I decided that to be able to finish my training we will have to proceed without the use of any more loans. With us both working full time jobs and saving everything possible along the way, we hope that I will be able to begin flying within the year. Any additional freelance work would also add to that savings, helping to speed the process. I have decided to try to get a job with one of the local police departments because this would give me some great law enforcement experience that would come in handy in the future since so many helicopter jobs interface with law enforcement. Plus Mesa has a police helicopter and their pilots are only hired from within so at least as a police officer I could one day be a candidate to fly the police helicopter. I have also submitted my resume for the University of Phoenix in the meantime since I don't know how long the process could take to get into a police department, and it would be a great full-time alternative if the police route does not work out.

With all that said: I will be testing next week and the week after that for a few of the police departments down here to see if I can start working and saving up for my return to the skies. I will keep the blog updated with what happens but at least now you will all know what's going on and why I am going through the process of trying to become a police officer. All these choices are part of the main plan of flying helicopters as my career. Wish us luck!

a MOTHER of a sale!

2008-09-30T18:24:00.001-07:00

For all of you who wanted to see my belly, here you go! Just kidding... I had to sport this towel so I could try on all my new maternity clothes! Robbin told Billie Jo who told me about an amazing clearance sale + extra savings at oldnavy.com, and I got a little carried away. I really wouldn't have spent that much, but Noah encouraged my bad behavior! I got so many clothes, it is crazy... I DEFINITELY did my part adding to the McNeil girls' maternity pile. Just thought I'd give you a preview :)

The spoils!

Here's what my belly actually does look like (or did a couple weeks ago - I feel like it's grown a lot recently). I haven't actually gained any weight in the last month (which means I'm actually balanced out to an ideal weight gain so far since I was chub-wub in trimester 1 :)

I have the mid-pregnancy ultrasound in 3 weeks, so Noah will come with me. We are definitely excited to find out what we are having, and we'll let you all know as soon as we can!

New Presidential Candidate... It's someone you know!

2008-09-25T15:30:00.000-07:00

Hi,

I don't know if you guys have heard this recently, it's been all over the news. There's an effort to elect an unknown random person as President... and it's someone we know! Watch this online video about the surprising new nominee (you won't believe it):

http://www.tsgnet.com/pres.php?id=357563&altf=Opbi&altl=Sbtifub

Jot back a note to let me know what you think!

Workin' 9 to 5...

2008-09-15T23:06:00.000-07:00

So...the most exciting new thing happening in my life is starting work! I was officially hired at the University of Phoenix as an Academic Counselor, and I can happily say that I am loving my training. I really like the corporate world...it's kind of fun to pull into a big parking garage, join the herd of people dressed up all nice carrying their lunches, and use my little security card to badge into the new, nice building where I work. Besides that, I am a chronic nerd, so sitting in a classroom for 8 hours a day learning about boring computer systems and University policy is actually quite enjoyable for me! On top of it all, I cultivated a love for the smell of coffee when I worked at the Gateway, and pregnancy has multiplied that...I get to waft in the fumes of the coffee that surrounds me every morning and periodically throughout the day (especially on friday afternoons when people are trying to stay focused). It is heaven...

To top it all off, I got to buy some new clothes, and I got my first paycheck today!Oh how I love being busy and working hard...
Tomorrow I start doing observations of Academic Counselors currently on the floor (those who are working as AC's) for 4 hours a day then 4 hours of classroom, and Friday I take my final training exam. I do one more week of observations and classroom and then hit the training floor Counseling and contacting my real life students! After 3 weeks of on-the-job training, that's it! I'm a full blown Academic Counselor responsible for helping people graduate with their degrees from college!!!! Isn't that crazy? Definitely a grown up job...wish me luck!