...and then we were four

Family Photos 2010

2010-07-17T08:32:00.001-07:00

Family Photos 2010

I've come to realize...TAG

2010-02-18T23:22:00.001-08:00

(I am not tagging anyone in particular, just everyone who wants to participate.)

1. I've come to realize that my chest-size ...has grown in quantity and decreassed in quality.

2. I've come to realize that my job...is the absolute most rewarding & important thing I could ever be doing with my time. Love being a wife & mom

3. I've come to realize that when I'm driving...I am usually going one of 4 places. The gym, my church, the store or home

4. I've come to realize that I need....My husband. He is like water for me. Just talking to him on the phone makes me feel refreshed and keeps everything in perspective.

5. I've come to realize that I have lost...a lot of time worrying about things that now seem so silly & selfish.

6. I've come to realize that I hate it when...I loose my patience with my 2 year old. I have to constantly remind myself that he is a baby too. It's just so hard to deal with the tantrums sometimes.

7. I've come to realize that if I'm drunk… then i'm not trying to get pregnant, pregnant or nursing...so it's been a few years.

8. I've come to realize that money...Comes and goes. Steve getting laid off for those 8 months really gave us a reality check. One minute you have a home & security & a well paying job and at any minute it can all be gone! Family, health, love & faith are what truly give you security and they are enough to sustain you! But getting that job back DEF showed us how much easier things are when you are not under so much pressure and gave us a whole new appriciation for the abilty to have a job right now!

9. I've come to realize that certain people...hold grudges. I am not one of them and I have always had a hard time understanding people who do. Especially over really small, un important things!

10. I've come to realize that I'll always ... cherish photos of my kids. They change everyday and I love being able to re visit the baby fat and chubby cheeks and all the other changes that come down the road.

11. I've come to realize that my sibling(s)...is one of my very best friends. He gets me and I get him. We have been through a lot together. And when everything in our lives was rocky and confussing we were eachothers only constant.

12. I've come to realize that my mom...Is never gunna change but I love her anyways. I might not agree with her choices and may never understand her priorities, but they truly are a reflection of who she is. I have to get past how they differ from my own priorities and appriciate that she is who she is and always has been and will be.

13. I've come to realize that my cell phone...Is such a piece of crap! But there are a million things i'd rather have than a better phone so I just keep it.

14. I've come to realize that when I woke up this morning...I was exhausted. I was in the hospital all day yesterday from severe dehydration a heart rate of 141 and blood pressure of 82/54 AND falling down the stairs & hurting my neck & back. Not to mention I have a 2 year old and a 2 month old AND my husband is gone 50% of the month. He happens to be gone right now. I feel like I can't take the pain medicine bacause I have to be alert to be a mom. Of course my mom is very busy and i'm on my own. If only the baby would sleep thru the night tonite I would be so happy!!!!!!! Ok, ok enough feeling bad for myself.

15. I've come to realize that last night before I went to sleep...I prayed extra hard for my cousin and her new baby.

16. I've come to realize that right now I am thinking...That I REALLY need to go to bed!

17. I've come to realize that my dad...Is a very genuine person and that he did the best he could. He has a big heart and good intentions. I am greatful that he and I have gotten so close as I have become and adult. I see a deeper side of him than most other people do. Who is is and how he acts differ a lot of the time and he regrets a lot of choices he has made. I respect & appriciate that he is open about things he wishes he would have done differntly.

18. I've come to realize that when I get on Facebook...I am usualy nursing the baby and make tons of typos since I am just using one hand.

19. I've come to realize that today... I am really needing my husband's help. i'm in so much pain and the kids need so much.

20. I've come to realize that tonight...I am hurting so bad and probably wont sleep

21. I've come to realize that tomorrow...means that Steve comes home in 6 days

23. I've come to realize that the person who is most likely to re-post this is...No clue

24. I've come to realize that life...is just packed full of blessings. It is so important to stop and count them constantly!

25. I've come to realize that this weekend...I have to get my house work caught up from 3 dyas of being sick.

26. I've come to realize that marriage...is the best part of my life. Marriage to Steve is the most comforting, secure, safe, fun, happy, exciting & beautiful thing in my life. I am so blessed to be married to soemone who is so much more that a husband or a best friend to me. I can't even put words to what he means to me.

27. I've come to realize that my (close) friends... are people who's priorities and values are simmilar to mine.

28. I've come to realize that this year...has strengthend my relationship with Christ. It has been a year of tremendous emotional and spiritual growth for me.

29. I've come to realize that my ex... and I would have never worked out! He was a great friend but we are so different in a lot of really important ways!

30. I've come to realize that maybe I should...join M.O.P.S. I have been invited lots of times and just never commit. I'm sure I would like it and it would be good for me & for Griffin. I need to just do it.

31. I've come to realize that I love...T.V I am seriously addicted. I really really love it.

32. I've come to realize that I don't understand...People who are still supporting obama. I just don'y get it. AT ALL

33. I've come to realize my past...was mostly fun & happy. I can't really complain.

34. I've come to realize that parties...are more fun if you don't have to get dressed up! I love hanging out with our close friends in my sweats!

35. I've come to realize that I'm totally terrified... of mice. I absolutly can't stand them. They sick me out more than anything! I used to think that nothing was worse than grass hoppers but mice really are!

Merry Christmas

2009-12-27T10:23:00.000-08:00

Ho Ho Ho. We hope that everyone had a very Merry Christmas. We sure had a special one, since it was Holden's first Christmas. It was also the first Christmas where Griffin "got it". He knew who Santa was (although he called him Tanta). I took Griffin to to see Santa on Christmas Eve, thinking that if nothing else I could get a photo of him with Tanta. To my suprise and delight Griffin not only recognized and greeted him he did not cry and was so excited. He hopped right up on him lap and stared and smiled. When Santa asked him what he wanted for Christmas he patted his head and said "a hat". To Griffin a hat is a helmet. He loves to wear helmets and try to do all of the things that Steve does. He will go and get into the bindings on Steve snow board (so we got him his own) or the skate board or the paraglider. So i knew that Santa had not finnished Christmas shopping yet and he better make a stop and get Griffy a helmet. He must have done so, because on Christmas morning there was a "hat" waiting for Griffin with a bunch of other things he must have wanted!

This pic was from Christmas afternoon between jammie changes, but I love it and could not help snapping a shot of Holden's darling little face!

This year was Griffin's 3rd Christmas. On his first Christmas Eve Steve and I started our family tradition of Christmas Jammies. We all get new PJ's that we get to open on Christmas Eve. I tried like 10 times to get a picture of my babies in their Christmas Jammies and everytime I snapped, Griffin leaned in to kiss Holden. So I guess THAT is the way the picture is meant to be!

As most know, Steve got laid off in Feb of 2009. It was hard and it got harded when I got pregnant after 17 months of trying and then deciding to wait...(of course). Well, in October our prayers were answered and Steve got a call asking him to come back to the oil field to work for Shell drilling! While he was out of work he had gotten his EMT and that must have given him a leg up, since thousands of guys were laid off and 6 were called back! This blessing came at the right time, just a few weeks before the baby was born. He had to choose between being home for the birth of our son and being home for Christams & Thanksgiving. He chose to be here for Holden's birth. So needless to say, we celebrated the birth of our lord and savior, Jesus Christ, without Steve. I will admit that I cried on Christmas morning when we were not togther and few times throughout the day when Griffin got excited or either of the boys did something cute. Luckily I had stayed the night at my Mom's house on Christmas Eve, so at least I was surrounded by family Christmas morning, but it was not the same. So the solution is that when Steve gets home of New Years Eve, we are going to pretend it's Christmas Eve and do it all again. I gave each of the boys 2 of their gifts from us on Christmas so they will still have more presents to open and I am going to cook a prime rib dinner. That way we can still have some family memories and photo that include daddy!

I also want to take a minute and express my love for Christ and how greatful I am to God for sending a savior to ransom me. What an amazing blessing Faith is. I am astounded by how much love is in my life because of my relationship with Christ. I am so blessed to have my family, my beautiful-healthy children, a husband whom I love more every minute and can't seem to ever get enough of, and most of all to have a Heavenly Father who loves us all enough to send his son to be born on Christmas day to die for us.

Merry Christmas & a very Happy New Year!

Another beautiful son

2009-12-21T21:09:00.000-08:00

HOLDEN SCOTT SKARDA
December 9th, 2009

Weight: 7 lbs 6.2 oz
Length: 20 inches
He is wonderful and so sweet. He looks more like Steve than Griffin did...I am amazed that that is even possible, but it is. He is a snugglie and content baby. I am just in love with him and trying to soak up every minute of this newborn phase.

Griffin is just soooo cute with him. He helps me change his diaper and get the binkie and push the swing and always has a kiss for his baby brother, whenever he cries. The other day Holden was crying and Griffin kissed his forehead and said (in the most gentile voice) "you're alright...you have mom". I am so in love with my boys and am delighting in every moment with them.

On the icky side, his birth was VERY rough. I did not think that it could get worse than 52 hours of labor 2.5 hours of pushing, followed by a c-section and loosing 1/3 of my blood...but IT WAS. I was not at all scared when I was told that I would have a sheduled c-section. In fact, I took great comfort in thinking it would be a piece of cake. I could not have been more wrong. I was given a spinal block to numb me during the surgery. I was also given a topical anesthetic on my skin. Well, the spinal did not take and my Dr. nor I found out until after the first cut. I felt the entire surgery. The Dr.s and anesthesiologist had no choice but to proceed to deliver the baby through the pain and my SCREAMING. They had already cut me, so it was too late to flip me over and try the spinal again, and they could not put me under all the way because of the risk to the baby. They worked very fast but that 4 minutes was the worst pain I have ever felt! My poor husband was in room. He was begging them to help me and trying to comfort me but he was as scared as I was. For the next 3 days, I could not walk or feel ANYTHING down my right leg. They had 2 specialists and a physical therapist come and no one knew what was going to happen or IF it would ever be normal again. As it turned out...what had happened was that the spinal some how traveled down a nerve and caused the numbness. It is fine now... but how scary!!!
All in all this recovery has been hard, made harder by the fact that my husband had to go back to the Oil Rig 3 days after for 2 weeks, (which really a huge blessing since only 6 people, out of thousand whom were laid off, where called back to work) but I am getting through it and all thou getting him here was so hard, I have never been happier and have the most delicious feeling of completeness.

We are having another BOY!

2009-07-07T21:56:00.000-07:00

We had our ultrasound today and we saw that we are having another baby boy. He was sucking his thumb and flipping all around! We are so excited to meet baby HOLDEN on December 7th.

Baby Girl Names

2009-05-19T16:23:00.000-07:00

Since I have been so sick this time around, I am thinking that the baby is a girl. We have never even really talked about girls names since we both felt like we would have all boys. We have boy names but only a few girl names. None of which we can completely agree on. I like Claire & Annie best and Steve is STUCK on Lucy...which I am not crazy about. He won't budge. All I think of is the bratty friend from Charlie Brown. We'll see IF the baby is a girl and IF I can convince my husband that my names are better. Any comments....suggestions???

Easter 2009

2009-04-26T13:48:00.000-07:00

This year we spent Easter with Grandma & Grandpa Drisko. We got up and went to Church and then to the Serrano Easter Egg Hunt. It was so cute to see all of the kids in their darling Easter Clothes.

I made a fruit tart for breakfast and it turned out pretty so I took a picture of it. I am such a nerd.

Serrano has a rule, that there are no easter baskets allowed and that each child only gets 12 eggs. So the cute Cammo basket the Easter bunny brought had to stay at home. Instead everyone had to use an empy Egg Carton.

It was a little bit chilly but over all it was a beautiful day. Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Jill and the 3 of us all went together. It was Griffin's first Easter egg hunt and at first he just loved looking at the eggs and at the other kids. But with some encouragment from mommy & daddy, he decided to dive in and once he did he had a blast.

That night I made dinner. We had Duck A'L Orange, wild rice, fresh rolls, Asparagus and spinach, pear and candied waknut salad. It was yummy and something different thanhaving the traditional ham...which we had the week before. ooops! It was my favorite Easter so far.

We're PREGNANT!

2009-04-17T17:21:00.001-07:00

After 16 months of trying we are pregnant with number 2. We are so excited and feel very blessed. I am 8 weeks and due 11-27-09

Back in CA

2009-04-09T12:41:00.000-07:00

So, we are back in CA...for a few months. In the time that we are here, Steve is getting his EMT and we plan to go back home at the end of June. The oil rigs are supposed to start re-hiring in July and with an EMT he will be a bigger asset to the dangerous oil rig (for you Idol watchers, you now know what a rough neck is and that it's the 5th most dangerous job on earth). If the rigs do not start hiring again, he will enroll in the Fire Academy for the Fall semester. I am pleased with either of these options, but kind of hope that he decides to go the Firefighter rout. Either way, at least we have a plan. In the mean time, we are just enjoying our son and the warm weather. We really like the church here and have loved spending time with the Skarda/Drisko sides of the family. I joined a bunco team and that has been lots of fun. Here are some recent pics.

2009

2009-02-02T13:32:00.000-08:00

So far 2009 has been a lot of fun. Below are some photos from this past month. A lot of them are from the Children's Discovery Museum in Salt Lake. We got a 1 year membership for Griffin and have been going there at least twice a week! He loves it!

Church

2009-01-09T13:37:00.000-08:00

As most of you already know, we began attending church regularly a few month ago. Griffin loves going to the nursery and playing with the other kids and barely even notices when Steve & I leave the room, since he is so busy entertaining the other children... He is already just like his dad.

Steve & I have really enjoyed going together and it has been such a wonderful expirience for us as a family. Steve & I are both going to baptized on the 19th of February and we wanted to shar this news with our friends and family. Griffin was blessed/baptized last year on Christmas eve, so he is one step ahead of us!

The best part for me is watching our faith grow individualy and as a couple and as family. I can already feel the impact that taking an active role in our relationship with God is having on us all and I could not be more happy about it!

15 months and counting

2009-01-07T17:21:00.000-08:00

So this month was the 15 month mark of Steve & I trying for #2. Once again I am NOT pregnant. We are trying again this month and I am praying that it happens. We would really appriciate prayers from our friends and family to help this happen for us, or to guide us to whomever can help us or to just help us to cope with the negative tests. They get harger to take every time!

Thanks everyone!!

Alter Egos

2008-11-13T14:04:00.000-08:00

1. My rock star name: *Food Versa*
{First pet and current car}

2. My gangsta name: *Reeses Milano*
{Favorite candy bar and favorite cookie}

3. My detective name: *Pink Puppy*
{Favorite color and favorite animal}

4. My Star Wars name: *Skaki of none*
{First three letters of last name and first two letters of first name then the word "of" then a medication you are on}

5. My superhero name: *The Gold Acai*
{2nd favorite color and favorite drink with "The" in front}

6. My Nascar name: *Barbara Irene*
{First names of your grandmothers}

7. My "lover" name: *The One Truffles*
{Name of your favorite perfume/cologne and your favorite candy}

8. Witness-protection name: *Gigi J*
{Mother's and father's middle names}

This is fun...everyone should do it!

2008-11-13T11:53:00.000-08:00

Past & Present

2008-11-13T08:29:00.000-08:00

Last week we went out Sunday Brunch with Brendan, Jack, Scott, Joanne & Rachael & the three of us. It was fun for about 10 minues. We were all talking and visiting. Steve and I actually got a picture with just the two of us for the first time in a long time. So I had to post it. When I printed this picture to scrapbook it, i came across a picture from when we were young and had to put it up to. It was so cool to be able to compare pics from the span of a decade. From young teens with a crush to happily married parents. I thought it was neat.

Anyways, Griffin decided to bring his attitude with him to brunch...as you can see from the picture. He threw the biggest fit. It was so embarassing, so I got my food to go and took him home...he fell asleep on the way home and I put him down for a nap and actually finished my book before everyone came back to our place!!! So all is well that ends well.

Halloween

2008-11-13T07:59:00.001-08:00

Happy Haloween!

This was Griffin's secong halloween and it was a blast! We went to Cornbellies and did the haunted hay ride & corn maze and eat really yummy fried food. Griff was a lion for halloween and we almost has him saying roar...and by almost I mean not really. Every time I would ask to to "ROOOAAAARRR" he would say "quack"...I should not have laughed so hard the first time he did it becuse he did everytime after that and laughed and got that mischievious look on his face. It was cute!
Here is my happy lion cub, in his favorite place...his car seat. He finally got some teeth!! I was wondering hen they would make their apperence. He did not get his first tooth until he was 11 mos old and the other 5 took their time. More comming I am guessing, from the super fun tantrums we have had over the last week!

At Corn bellies they have little wagons shaped like ears of corn. He thought it was really fun to his daddy to pull him around, but it made Steve nervouose to pull it behind him where he could not see his "little buddy". He is so funny. That is why is decided to push the wagon and watch Griff the entire time.

They had tire swings that were all shaped like different things. We decided to ride on the motorcycle one. Lunch Box was not as excited as I thought he would be but I think he liked it for a second. He is much happier if he is running around...but mommy liked it!

Later that night we had our Army friend & all of their kids over. (we are the only couple in our group of friends that is not in the army.) We played games and passed out candy. Scott & Joanne came by for a while to, followed by Brendan & Jack. So we had a full house. Mom could not be there because she was off to Colorado volenteering for McCain & Palin. All in all it was a fun halloween! Holidays are so much more fun when you have kids! Now I am getting excited for Thanksgiving in Shelley!

Skarda Family reunion

2008-11-12T21:23:00.000-08:00

"When you look at your life, the greatest happinesses are family happinesses. "

~Joyce Brothers

Justin, Jessica, Jill, Danael, baby Colton, Austin, Steve, baby Griffin, Lauren, Dad, Skyler, Tara, Jason & Baby Ashlyn

In September the Skarda/Rickards/Mellow family had a reunion. Although, we had so much together at Asilomar on the CA coast, the reunion was bitter sweet for us all. Not only was Sam away on his mission, but this was the first time we have all been together without Ronna. As cleche as it sounds, I could feel her with us all weekend. I saw the family threw her eyes and imagined how happy she must be to see her children, grand children, sister, nieces, husband and little boy all together and happily enjoying eachother for 2 wonderful days. I missed her hugs, her smile and seeing her in her pearls, not to mention watching her as a mother. I don't think I have ever seen anyone more gentle, patient, graceful & loving then she was with Skyler. Watching him play, I found myself remembering when she was pregnant with him and when he was born. Life is so confussing sometimes, but full of lessons. Thru the memory of Ronna I found myself slowing down and enjoying every little detail of life. Motherhood is so beautiful and such a gift, I don't want to take one minute of it for granted.

Dad & Ronna had visited Asilomar before and she had commented on how much she loved to go there. It was wonderful to be at a place that she loved with all of the people that she loved.

On this side of the family, I am blessed to have 4 beautiful sister in laws, 4 wonderful brother in laws, 2 darling nephews & 3 gorgous nieces.

The older kids had so much fun playing in the waves, even thou it was freezing cold! They played together on the beach for a few hours! It is so neat how babies, kids & adults all love the sea & can enjoying it together and no one gets board!

While the older kids played chicken on the beach with the waves, the babies were having just as much fun playing together. Tara, Danale & I were all pregant at the same time and the babies are all within a few months of eachother. It is going to be so much fun to watch them grow together. Griffin & Ashlyn (who's nick name is Bunny just like me, so cute!)

Cousins Griffin & Colton

While we were at the beach, a seal came on to the shore. He was so cute and patient. He stayed the entire time and let us take pictures of him and tollorated all of the kids curiosity and excitment.

Here is Steve, Lunch Box & I near the seal. we did not want to get to close and scare it away.

Here are my boys watching the waves together. Steve LOVES the ocean and has talked about taking Griffin to see it since the day Griffin was born.

Me & my darling son taking a walk on the beach.

It was a wonderful vacation and I am so glad that we were all able to be there together & with Ronna in spirit. We all decided that we are going to do this 1-2 times a year, so the three of us are super excited about getting together again ASAP!!!

2008-11-12T19:39:00.000-08:00

Get your own Family Sticker Maker & MySpace Layouts.

Family Pictures March 2008

2008-09-17T17:19:00.001-07:00

Below are a few of our family photos from March 2008. We had so much fun...until our toes were numb since it was freezing cold!!!!

Lets start at the very begining...

2008-09-17T17:19:00.000-07:00

It all started on May 2nd 1997 at 7th grade back to school night. Steve and I met at the ripe old age of 14. We have not left each other alone since. We dated other people but kept falling for each other over and over again. We are best friends, solemates and I love him more everyday that I live.

Steve proposed to me on Christmas Morning 2002 with all of his family there. It was (at that time) the happiest day of my life. We were married at the Granite Bay Golf Club on August 15, 2004.

We lived in San Ramon for the first 2 years of our marriage and in El Dorado Hills briefly, before moving to Draper, UT 3 years ago. We love it here and plan to stay forever!

I worked as a event coordinator & PA (as Republican politics are a passion of mine) for Weatherby Foundation International, for the last 3 years. Because of the types of events that I coordinated I had the chance to meet a lot of influential people including Generals, Past Presidents (from near and far), Vice-Presidents, Kings and diplomats from almost every continent and a huge variety of CEOs and owners of this countries finest companiesand non-profit organizations.

Once we decided to start our family, I left my job and became the Domestic Goddess I was always meant to be. I plan to volenteer for WFI each year at the Foundation's major fund raiser every January, and stay active in raising money for a variety of conservative platforms. I just don't want to HAVE to do it. But now that I stay home I should have enough time to donate some of it.

We FINALLY got pregnant in November 2006 after trying for 10 months. It does not seem like very long but when you want to be pregnant it seems like an eternity.

Day before I went into labor.

Griffin Thomas Skarda was born on August 30th, 2007. 15 days after our 4 year Anniversary.

He was 8 lbs and 21 inches long! How I ever carried a baby that size, is still a wonder to me. He is named Griffin, as that is my Maiden Name and Thomas is a middle name that he shares with his father and Paternal Grandfather.

I was in active labor with him for 52 hours most of which I did without an epidural (hoping for a natural delivery. But after a full day of contractions, I gave in. THANK HEAVENS) and ended up needing a c-section to top it off.
He had a hard time for the first few days, but came through with flyingcolors after being given a 40% chance of living. Because I was in labor for so long after my water broke, there was no barrier between the baby and the outside word. I had so many differnt people checking me & that coupled with the length of time we were open & exposed to whatever happend by we both got an infection. I spiked a 104 feever all of a sudden and eventually the baby got it too. When he was first born he had PERFECT apgar scores. He was very healthy and very big. It was not until he was admitted to the egular nursury thatone nurse noticed him start to breath funny and took his temp. They immidiatly moved him to the NiCU and came in and told us that he was VERy ill. It was so scarey and so emotional. Because I got the infection too & lost 1/3 of my blood, I was out of for the first few day and Steve had to deal with me & Griffin skating on this ice. I have never seen him so upset in the 11 years that I have known him. Ever since then he has held me a little bit tighter and never taken one minute with his son for granted. Bringing Griffin home was the best feeling in the world. I was discharged before him. We had to go home and leave our newborn son in NICU and not know if he would ever get to come home. But he did. For the first week we had to have a home nurse and Griffin had an IV in his head and it was so sad. But once he got his strength back he has not had a problem since and his as healthy and happy as he should have always been. Needless to say, I will be using a different Dr. next time. Who does not let their patients labor for 52 hours. Had I just had the c-section to begin with nin of that would have happend.

My husband Steve has an amazing job drilling for Oil, for the Company Shell Oil, that enables me to be a full time wife and mother and I could not imagine doing it any other way. I am so grateful that I get to spend all of my time with my son. I love staying home and have no plans to return work....EVER!!!!! Instead, I aspire to be a PTA/football/baseball/ going, husband spoiling wife & mom for the rest of my life. Which is exactly what I have always wanted.

Griffin just celebrated his 1st Birthday. We had a magician come and do a magic show in our backyard. They also did face-painting and lots of games. It was so much fun. Griffin and all of his friends had a blast!

Griffin looking very stylish in his Ed Hardy!!!

We are hoping to become pregnant VERY soon. Going on 11 months of trying...once again. In the mean time just enjoying our happily ever after. and counting the many many blessings.

Below are some photos from the last year... I will try to keep up on this blog and not have a year worth of photos to upload!

12 months old!

First trip to the zoo!
First Christmas in his adorable/lame outfit
At Farm Country in Lehi

Griff with his Great-Grandpa Griffin

1st Fourth of July Neiborhood BbQ
1st Haircut!
4th of July BBQ again

Bath Time!

4 weeks old!

2 weeks old!

3 weeks old!
2.5 months old
Chili Pepper! First Haloween
4 weeks old