ho ho ho

thanksgiving @ farmers

the whole gang

before they went to church and we drove back to WA

darling picture of the X-man
he was a little bit of a handful in the non-babyproofed house

night games! these crazies played out in the dark and cold (Lauren even had an injury) and they loved it!

our boys before Thanksgiving dinner

Xander's first Thanksgiving

our 6 month old

To celebrate Xander's 1/2 birthday (really our Nation's Independence) we went camping for 3 nights. Xander slept better in the tent then he had been at home. Yeah, his sleep has been a huge change in the past couple months. He wakes up now once around 5am for some milk then back to sleep for a couple hours. But there have been many nights were he as waking a couple times for food and at least once where it was 4 times!!!! Not ok! Last week we started letting him cry it out if he woke before 4:30 or so, the first cry session lasted about 40 minutes :( He is doing better and doesn't cry long if he wakes up at all before the morning snack time.

I wrote the above weeks ago, now today is our last day with a 6 month old. Xander is well into 17lbs. he is growing and happy and so much fun. His sleep is still an issue (mostly for me it doesn't bother anyone else especially not the X-man himself, he gets fed at least once in the night). He is generally super smiley and way easy going. He eats real food and loves it, he started to get mad at us last week when the food ran out or we took something away from him. He sits up pretty well and can get around the living room by rolling and scooting backwards. We love our big boy!!!

remember father's day?

James is the best daddy for our sons! He loves them SO much and they, all 3, adore him. James is all boy so he is perfect dad for boys. While Xander and I were in Utah last month James and the big brothers put their allowance together and bought a couple new sets of legos and spent the weekend putting them together. He loves to rough house with them (all 3) and wrestle, they build sand castles and get dirty outside, and they all love cartoons and video games (even X-man loves his screen time). As boy as they all are James is also raising little gentlemen, he tells them I'm the princess and shows by word and example how to treat me. He is a great teacher and thanks to him our children will be every emotionally healthy. I feel so blessed to have James for the daddy of my kids. I chose well.

before Church we ate breakfast together, baked french toast and sausage

my parents and our friend Jared Heiner came over for dinner, French dip sandwiches and tapioca for dessert

look at the way the baby looks at his daddy!

blogging again

I wish I blogged more. I read other people's blog and think about posting on my own blog and then never do it. That's lame. I'm going to do better.

Something has been on my mind for over a month now. I was visiting a friend in Utah (see my Utah trip should definitely be on this blog) and he was holding Xander and said said to me, "Look at you living your dream!" Wow. That's right. I am living my dream. I always wanted to be a wife and a mother and now I am doing it. Wow. That's cool. After I left him I spent more time thinking about this dream of mine I'm living:

Is this how I saw myself as a wife? Am I the kind of wife I want to be?

What was I like as a mommy in my dream? Am I there?

What can I do better?

What should I change or improve?

Is there anything I need to eliminate?



I kind of think about this often, I feel so blessed to have a family and I want to make sure I am making the most of it. I'm aware how fast time goes and before I know it we'll be empty-nesters. The other day the house was extremely messy, having not really unpacked from a camping trip, being busy teaching summer school for 3 days and feeling lazy. I thought is this my dream? Is this how I saw my living room looking in my dream? Is this how imagined feeling? NO. I don't want a messy house, I don't want to feel annoyed about it all of the time. I got my bum in gear and slowly (feeding and kissing the boys in my life take a lot of time) things are getting back in order.

Today I'm feeling like the woman in my dreams. Laundry is going (although in my dreams I had a maid. All my dreams can't come true. Life isn't that perfect), the house smells like banana chocolate muffins, Xander is happy and well fed rolling all over the vacuumed-just-yesterday floor. I am happy. I feel so blessed.

Thoughts to ponder:

Are you living the life you wanted for yourself?

Is there anything you can change to more fully make your dreams come true?

a few pictures of us

The little man wore his swim trunks for the first time- he loves the hot tub

He can now role from back to stomach and get his arms out from under him

He always finds his "star lollipop" when he plays in his exersaucer

Aidan is now a BIG first grader!

The little Manager

mother's day

I love being a mom, I knew I would. I've been a mother all my life, I was called "mini-mom" when I was younger cause I loved the babies (I always holding other people's babies). I am blessed that I get to be a step-mom, I love that. It isn't much different than being a "real" mom, the boys just aren't here all of the time, so it's kind of like I'm a part-time-mom. I am so happy that I get to be Xander's mommy, what a treat. He is so amazing, I just love the little guy.

Smiley Xander, look how round his face is getting!

Thanks for making me a full-time-mom!

Mother's Day 2011 was perfect. I wasn't feeling well so we stayed home from Church. It was a lazy day with the first part spent in bed, sleeping, eating (James made me a delicious breakfast!), feeding the baby and kissing him and the daddy. I have such a great husband, he helps me be such a good mom! In the afternoon we called James' Mom on the way to see my own. We went a little early to my parents so my mom could play with Xander, they even took a short nap together. All of the husbands made dinner: ham, amazing potatoes, salad and brussel sprouts. Dad even made gluten-free cookies for dessert. All of the husbands also bought the moms a gift certificate at this Chinese foot massage place! What an exciting surprise. James and I took a walk with Xander and the girls. Everyone passed around the babies, it's so fun to hold Henry, he's just so tiny and sweet. I loved mother's day and can't wait for next year!

Leah helped James, these 2 are such good buddies

on our walk, mostly Xander was pushed in his stroller but at the end he got to ride with the big kids

can't sleep

I can't sleep. Don't really know why, it's pretty annoying though. James is asleep, Xander is asleep (and will want me to be awake with him in just a few hours). I should definitely be asleep. But since I can't sleep I decided to have some fun with my honey. James is a pretty solid sleeper, but from time to time he talks in his sleep and ask try to converse with him and ask questions to try to get him to tell mw more. Tonight is the first time I just started asking him random questions while he was asleep, I might have to try it more in the future. Good times. It makes being the only one awake in the house almost worth it.


A: What are you doing?
J: Just watching the sunset
A: Who you watching it with?
J: Myself

A: What are you doing now?
J: Waiting
A: Waiting for what?
J: (Shrugs shoulders) the trophy truck to come by
A: The trophy truck, huh? What does the trophy truck have?
J: Trophies. Duh!
A: (laughs) that was a dumb question I guess

A: What you chewing on?
J: A piece of plastic
A: A piece of plastic? Why are you chewing on a piece of plastic?
J: Cause it was in my mouth
A: Why don’t you chew on something else?
J: It’s not in my mouth

A: I love you sweetie. Do you love me?
J: Yes
A: What do you love about me?
J: Your wridheh fitd inthe wat r
A: What?
J: Your wrists fit in the water
A: Wow, I’m glad they do, that’s a good thing


Love you sweetheart!

4 months old

We love our very smiley 4 month old Xander. He is so much fun, we are so grateful he came to our family. He is growing and doing very well, the Dr. was extremely pleased. He weighs 13 lbs. 8.5 oz now (well, last week at his check up) and is 24 1/2 inches long. He is still a little on the smaller side, 25-50th percentile.

He is super easy going, he wakes up crying or at least fussing in the morning around 7am, after he eats he is in such a great mood. About an hour later he is ready for a long nap in the swing. He sleeps for close to 3 hours, wakes up fussy, eats and plays for a couple hours. This cycle continues for the rest of the day although his longest nap is the morning one. He only gets fussy when he's hungry, if we're feeding him and take his milk away to burp him he gets MAD at us, but it's kind of funny.

Still has poop explosions, but I don't feel there is much to do about that. We just always make sure to have a change of clothes for him. He also still spits up A LOT, I can't wait until that decreases. Even though he smiles all of the time he still barely laughs. Sometimes I can get some good giggles from him, but most of the time when we tickle him he acts like we're hurting him. He loves other kids, his brothers and cousins. He definitely knows that we are his mom and dad and that makes us so HAPPY! He is nursing better, although it seems like I don't always have enough milk for him, but no big deal I just make him a bottle and he gladly eats that.

The big news this month is that Xander's best little cousin was born on May 2nd. Welcome Henry Lewis Nyland! We are so excited he is finally here, it will be so fun to watch these 2 little ones grow up together. I love that we get to live so close to a lot of our family, we feel so blessed.

Q is for Queen

This is James posting - Alicia suggested I be a "guest blogger" some time ago and while I've been putting it off, this past week put me over the top.

When Alicia and I were just dating, I knew she was a princess and tried to treat her like she deserved.

Let's not get carried away though—there’s no "yes, your highness!" and "Right away, your majesty!" There's no royal turn-down service and to be honest, sometimes it's all I can do to remember to open her door for her. But let's be honest--she's something amazing and deep down, I know it.

So what happens when the princess grows up? That's right--she becomes a Queen.

This past week we have had the boys for Spring Break. I’m working full time and going to school full time also. So guess who gets to take over? The Princess. Let me tell you—it’s no small task. But Alicia understands how important this time is to me and after all, it’s Alicia: Overachiever Extraordinaire.

The Challenge:

• 2 competitive boys


• adjusting to dad’s house


• love stick swords and poking eyes out.


• Special talents: collecting bugs, spreading glorious mud, acquiring wild pets, and getting the upper hand.


• No video-games


• No TV


• No corporal punishment


• Oh yeah—and each comes with a hidden stash of candy

But wait—there’s more— how about a 3-month-old-baby, still nursing, with thrush, and she has to work one of the mornings and leave her charmingly inept prince in charge of the troops & castle while he works from home.

Princess work?

The Results:

• Each night one of us got to pick out our favorite dinner and she bought, prepared, and served it to us.


• She also fed the missionaries.


• She decided Grey could throw a party for his friends at our house on Friday and “was so cool!”


• The house stayed pretty much orderly throughout.


• The boys both had 1-on-1 time with each of us.


• Baby’s still happy and growing.


• She spent time teaching Aidan how to read


• We had a PHENOMENAL date night.


• She managed to let me sleep in till 10:00am on Saturday.


• Sunday, while I was at meetings, she got all 3 boys to church early and delivered a home-made hot sausage egg McMuffin…with cheese. Melting, dripping, cheddar cheese


• Both boys wrote in their journals and posted on this blog (their own words).


• We dyed Easter Eggs


• Family trip to Arena Sports for free!


• Cousin sleepover where the kids stayed up late partying in a tent built in our living room


• Not a single complaint about the 4 taquito-fed minnow guests which lived rent-free in her Tupperware

The background in this picture is not lost on me.

We joked after the boys left about how surprisingly well everything had gone. It wasn’t till then that I realized that all of this had been done with an amazing amount of grace.

In many of the fairy tales I love, there is a theme of the prince growing up to face his kingdom duties. Usually the luxury-laden royal child resists the royal responsibility and seeks adventure or escape, but in the very best of these tales, the prince or princess rises up and takes on the duties of the kingdom –often with grace and elegance.

When we got engaged, I hoped I had chosen a Quality princess. Alicia got this big “Q” for our wedding party and it hangs in our entry-way. I love that her last name is Quigley now and that she helps govern our little Quigley kingdom. I’m a bit proud of our Quigley name and love that she bought (and painted) the “Q”. But the more I know her, see her work, and the way she carries herself, I the more I realize that in our house, Q is for Queen.

Thanks for an awesome spring break, Darling.

from Aidan

The first time I saw Xander was in the hospital. When he came out he was so cute. I loved him. He had a cute face. I loved holding him. He was 0 months old and now he is 3 months old. Now, he smiles really cute. I like to play with him. I like changing his diaper and picking out his clothes. Sometimes he crys and it makes me sad, I try to help him not cry; I put his binky in his mouth. He has very long naps. I like when he wakes up so he can play with me. I like when he gets on my bed with me. I am so excited to see him when I come to Dad and Alicia's house. He is so happy when I am here.

I was so happy to see my new baby brother

I was really happy when I picked out his clothes

from Greyson

The last couple of months have been super exciting and fun! We had a new person from heaven come and be a family member to us. His name is Xander G. Quigley. He's so cute and I am so happy to help him and be his older brother!

Although he does spit up alot--sometimes all over his face.

Also all the holidays have been awesome! Spring break has been exciting! We had to choose our favorite meal that we would make on different days of the week. (Mine is Shrimp alfredo!)

On Friday we had a big party with my friends and made pizzas',we played games and one of them was hide and go seek in the dark!

All in all I think/know that these have been some pretty exciting months!

a name and a blessing

The last week of March Xander was blessed in our ward by James. He was given the name Alexander Gordon Quigley. I was reading back in my journal the other day and in September I had written that we liked that name. I can't remember at all how we came up with Xander, maybe I heard it somewhere (I use to text James' names whenever I heard them at gymnastics or swim lessons of the kids I nannied, in books, or at the grocery store). We thought Xander was cool and James likes that the name is long enough that when Xander's old enough if he wants to go by Alex or even Alexander he can (I hope that he'll always be called Xander!). When we found our we were pregnant I told James if our baby was a boy I wanted his middle name to be Gordon. All of the boys in our family have family names that are also prophet names and the name Gordon fit: after of course President Gordon B. Hinkley and it's also my dad's middle name.

Bruce Gordon and Alexander Gordon (one day old)

our beloved Prophet (he feels like a grandfather to us)

one of the all time best pictures of little Xander

outfit: Dressed in White booties: made by Janean Carter

we have a 3 month old

3 months old

smiling at Grandma Karen

big brother Aidan picked out his outfit

I knew it would go by fast, but this is ridiculous. Time has sped up and I'm not sure if I like it. But, I do love having a 3 month old. I love when Xander was brand new, he was so little and precious and fell asleep on me every time I held him...but, it was a lot of work. These days life are still hard at times, but I think we are getting the hang of things. I felt that by 12 weeks we finally getting a hang of it (I didn't expect it to take that long). I feel so blessed for every day and I try to cherish these times because he is growing up so fast.

Here is what our 3 month old is up to:

• 
  
  Xander sleeps at least 8 hours at night and numerous 1-3 hour naps through the day


• 
  
  He is pretty good at nursing, it has been a LONG, hard road, but he is a trooper and each day we (both) get better at it


• 
  
  He loves to suck on his fingers, fists, arms, anything he can find


• 
  
  He takes naps in the swing (but our blessed swing broke and this week his nap time have struggled a bit)


• 
  
  He falls to sleep for the night on his own, I think it's smart how he knows it's night and time for a longer sleep (he might be a genius!)


• 
  
  He has thrush, and has for months, we can't get rid of it


• 
  
  He has a darling dimple on his left cheek, his smile is too die for, sometimes when he smiles he even does this cute shy look where he puts his head down


• 
  
  He knows his brothers and loves the attention he gets from them, they adore him


• 
  
  Xander-mander has to wear a swaddle in his car seat or he'll cry the whole time, very occasionally he can go a short distance without freaking out, he also wears the swaddle to sleep


• 
  
  He has a pretty consistent eat, play, sleep daily routine


• 
  
  He takes a bottle and always has, but that allows us to have a babysitter every week and that is AMAZING (we love our date night)


• 
  
  Now the gross stuff, he spits up a lot and it's nasty and he only poops every couple days and it is usually a big deal and requires all that he is wearing to soak in the sink


• 
  
  Xander spends his day getting loved, kissed, and adored...we all love this special little guy

smiles

After weeks of Xander just staring at us we finally got some smiles:

smiling at Dad

Wow! And his smiles make it all worth it. Xander's smiles are DARLING, they brighten our home. We are so happy to have the little man in our family.

2 years

2 years ago today we were married. It feels longer, not in a bad way, but it feels like we've always been together sort of way. Lindsay asked me if it's been what I thought it would be like and my answer is that it has been better. Cheese. There was the initial getting used to living with someone and learning how to be a partner, but those really weren't even hard lessons to learn. Being married is different than being single, obviously. I love this not-so-new life of mine. I picked a fabulous person to be married to. James is perfect for me! He is very patient and gentle with me and my weaknesses. He is humble with his own. He teaches me daily about serving, loving and becoming a better person. He is the best cheerleader a girl can have. Having a happy, successful marriage is extremely important to him and he is willing to do what it takes, even the hard stuff. Before I was married I worried some about being a good wife, I knew a little about being a mom, but as for a wife that was super new to me. I am proud to say that I am a great wife, it suits me. Being married to James is one thing I know for sure I was meant to do in this life. It is my passion. I love to make him happy and love to be on the receiving end of his love. Life is wonderful. I am so blessed.