Manikowski Family

Beau Michael Manikowski

2012-01-26T11:32:00.000-08:00

We had our sweet baby boy yesterday January 25th, 2012 at 8:43 pm. He was 7 pounds 10 ounces and 20 inches long. He is beautiful and healthy!

waiting

2012-01-19T04:22:00.000-08:00

I’m just over 39 weeks pregnant. I feel like the last couple weeks have been longer than the rest of the pregnancy! I’m so eager for our little boy to arrive!

Yesterday my OB (she is amazing) told us that I was 1+ CM dilated, 70% effaced and she stripped my membranes. Our baby boy is head and face down. He’s ready to go, hopefully labor will start soon.

I didn’t feel as much movement yesterday before my appointment so they did a non stress test. The amniotic fluid is a little low but in normal range and his heart beat looks/sounds picture perfect. What a relief.

Now we’re just waiting…..

Christmas 2011

2011-12-29T19:32:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas this year! We had a nice quiet Christmas Eve with my family and we had the Manikowski Family over for Christmas dinner. It was such a perfect holiday season!

36 weeks!

Timber and his cousins. Dakota-Brandon's parents 6 month old mini American Eskimo. Kong-Brandon's sisters 10 weeks old puppy!
Gingerbread house with Elijah, Gabby, and Preston.

Nursery

2011-12-21T20:22:00.001-08:00

We have been working hard and we are pretty much finished with the nursery! I really liked how it turned out, it's kind-of Americana-Cowboy. GIDDY-UP!

Brandon and I are so grateful for the generosity and support our friends and family have been to us! We are so blessed:) THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!

My friend Katie-Ann is not only a beautiful rider she is also a great artist! She painted this adorable mural on our wall of the barn, Cache (bay horse), Stanley (gray horse), Timber (dog), and Misty (cat...under tree).

We decided not to use a crib bumper so I went with decorative pillows instead that can easily be moved when it's bed time:) My Dad and Fawni hooked us up at Pottery Barn so we got all the bedding and curtain fixtures there.

Brandon's sister Kim saved all of her sons baby stuff for us. She gave us the crib, a bassinet, strollers, hiking backpack, and lots of clothes!

My cousin Lilian gave us this brand new car seat! We are so excited, it's perfect! We are ready to go incase he comes early.
I have the best friends in the world! I LOVE YOU ALL! Cortney, Sunnie, Jennie, and Holly came over to help me hang picture frames. I've been so indecisive and I appreciate the support/decorating advice from all of my friends that have come to visit.

McKenzie and her hubby helped us pull the room together! They helped hang the curtains, shelves, and blinds!
The frames on the wall are for the baby's name. We are going to wait until the baby is born to decided on a name but we have 3 we really like and they are each 6 letters long. I actually added a fourth name today that is now at the top of my list so if he looks like the 4 letter name I'll just add a star to the end frames or something. Thanks to my cousin Eddy for sending us the cute horse hooks!

My mom came over and helped me sort clothes sizes and wash all the clothes and blankets I've gotten so far. I'm loving being pregnant and we're so excited we will get to meet our son in about 5 weeks!

Again, we are so grateful to have such wonderful people in our lives, thank you!!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

2011-12-07T20:25:00.000-08:00

33 weeks!

December

2011-12-01T19:27:00.000-08:00

Like our Christmas tree? Brandon picked it out, actually we got 2 this year. I'll post pictures with them decorated soon. We are still trying to finish up decorating.
I tried putting the lights on the tree but apparently I wasn't doing a good job so Brandon took over.
Misty loves Timber. She always wants to sit by him or chase him up the stairs. Timber is a little intimidated by her but I think she's growing on him:) Brandon and I love when she sits like this.
I'm 32 weeks now. We just went to the doctors and everything is looking/sounding great for our little guy. I can't believe we'll get to meet him in 8 weeks!

LEAVES

2011-11-27T17:50:00.000-08:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Brandon and I spend 4 hours raking leaves this weekend. Total bags: 39!

29 weeks

2011-11-12T06:23:00.000-08:00

11 weeks to go!

27 weeks!

2011-10-30T20:26:00.001-07:00

I'm a little over 27 weeks pregnant! I can't believe we are going to meet our little guy about 3 months! I'm feeling great other than a lingering cold that just wont seem to go away. Our hard wood floors are finished! I don't have pictures yet but we will soon. We're still staying at my in-laws because Brandon wants to give the finish on the floors a few more days to dry before the dog and cat walk on it.

24 weeks

27 weeks

Photo Book

2011-10-24T18:56:00.001-07:00

Click here to view this photo book larger

Create your own custom photo books at Shutterfly.com.

Home Improvement

2011-10-19T13:22:00.000-07:00

Brandon and I have been in our new house for a couple months now, it has been a lot of work getting settled! Just to list some things we've done to the house: gotten new stainless steel appliances for our kitchen, finished the kitchen in our rental apartment, added central air conditioning, gotten a new roof, painted the garage, and painted the baby's room. Oh ya, our current project, Brandon had the brilliant idea to sand and refinish the hardwood floors. They aren't finished yet, we just got done sanding-WHAT A MESS! I'll post pictures when the floors are finished. Here are some pictures of our other projects:) Enjoy.

Baby's room before
Baby's room after. A nice light blue:) I'm so excited to decorate!

Garage before. It was pretty scary, I really did not want to bring a baby home from the hospital to this nasty place.

My family rocks! My mom and Trevor came to help with the project.

Garage finished! Beautiful and clean, isn't it?

I can't even tell you how excited I am to park our cars in a garage! NO MORE SCRAPPING SNOW OF MY WINDSHIELD! Oh do you see our new Explorer? Brandon traded in the Volvo while I was in Germany. Surprise!

DECORATING:) Thanks to my awesome/talented friend Kenzie for helping!

Our new cat, Misty.

Lake Powell September 2011

2011-10-11T20:00:00.000-07:00

Brandon, Timber, and I went to Lake Powell with a bunch of our couple friends. We had such a great time. We all pitched in money for food and gas for the boat and had a great time in the warm sun/water! Timber got a lot of practice swimming. It was so hot, he didn't really have a choice, he needed to jump in the water to cool off. The only problem was he would always swim to one of us to hold him which is a little difficult while swimming.

It's a boy!

2011-09-13T18:36:00.000-07:00

We just found out that Baby Manikowski is a

BOY!

Brandon and I are so excited! I was shocked at first because I was convinced it was a girl but I am thrilled!! He looks beautiful and healthy!

Stanley is Loved

2011-09-11T20:25:00.000-07:00

Even though I am not able to ride my sweet horse Stanley I have some awesome friends that will be exercising him for me. He's so lucky. He's being ridden almost every day! Check out this good looking horse...in the pictures he's being ridden by my friend that was a trainer from Utah State.

San Francisco

2011-07-26T10:48:00.000-07:00

Before I came to Germany I went to San Francisco for my Grandma Mimi's funeral. It was a beautiful funeral and a great opportunity to see my family. Mimi was such a stunningly beautiful woman and I am so proud that she was my grandmother!

This is a picture of my Grandparents. They were so in love and I'm thrilled they are together again!

This is not just a picture of a wooden bunny-this is "the magic bunny." When we'd stay with her in the summer we'd wake up each morning and the bunny was filled with candy!

This is a picture of all 7 of my siblings! It was wonderful to get the opportunity to see everybody. I love them all so much!

My cowboy dad. He and my step-mom Fawni are the reason I love riding so much and I'm so grateful we have that bond together.

This is me about to take my last ride for the next 6-8 months:(

My sister Vicky and my nephew Andrew.

My dad and Andrew.

Germany

2011-07-26T10:07:00.000-07:00

I've been in Germany a week now visiting my sister Felicity and her family. Felicity and I were on the same flight(s) to Germany. It took me longer than I expected to adjust to the time change. It could have had something to do with the estimated 12 hour travel time turning into 24 hours because of weather. Oh well...
I've missed Brandon/Timber/Stanley so much but I have been having a great time here. Felicity's kids are adorable! It's really fun to get the opportunity to get to know them better. The weather here is fantastic-mostly cloudy! My kind of July weather. We have been to a couple castles so far and my favorite has been the Castle Frankenstein. I will try and keep updating on the fun things we're doing here.
Castle Frankenstien.
Andrew enjoying his cheese.
We had a picnic next to the castle Frankenstein.

We went to another castle and it was really neat-it reminded me of something that could have been built it southern Utah because it was built all around red rock.

Baby Manikowski

2011-07-10T15:24:00.000-07:00

Brandon and I are pleased to announce that we will be welcoming a new member to our family. Baby Manikowski is due January 25. I have been extremely sick these last 3 months and am finally feeling better!

I really feel the baby is going to be a girl but Brandon wants a boy. What do you think???

Mexico

2011-07-06T21:14:00.000-07:00

Brandon and I spent our 2 year anniversary in Mexico. I can't believe how fast the time has flown by! I am so lucky to have such an amazing hubby!

SPOOKY

2011-05-25T21:05:00.000-07:00

I went to take a sip of my favorite drink (diet sprite and cranberry juice) and this is what I found on my glass. A little spooky if you ask me!

New Chairs

2011-05-14T10:42:00.000-07:00

My Dad gave me one of his extra dinning room tables when Brandon and I got married. Last fall Brandon and I sanded and refinished it. Since we will be moving into our house in 3 weeks we decided we needed some chairs to go with the table. My Mom found a set of 4 chairs at a garage sale for $15 each and got them for us. Brandon and I picked out some fabric and...voila! A beautiful new chair!

Before

After

Finally a House

2011-04-28T06:32:00.001-07:00

After many many many many months of looking for a house we went to revisit a house we saw back in September that just had a price reduction. I really didn't want to go see it but Trevor made an appointment so Brandon and I went to see it with him. Brandon and Trevor really liked it and I liked it A LOT more than I remembered (the price reduction probably had something to do with it). Anyway we put an offer in last night and they accepted!!! I'm still in shock that there wasn't stress and countering back and forth! I like it much better this way, this is how house shopping should be. Anyway, we close the end of the May and we'll move in the first weekend in June!

Stanley and I match

2011-02-26T15:29:00.000-08:00

Short Sales Suck!

2011-02-15T15:46:00.001-08:00

Hello Friends and Family!

Brandon and I started looking for a home of our own last summer. Last September we found this great house! We absolutely LOVE it! The house is amazing, right by our horse, it's perfect for us. The house is a short sale and we knew it would take awhile but it's February. It's been 5 months, and we are still waiting! Brandon and I have been hoping/praying for months now but I'm to the point where I just need to hear back from the bank-either YES or No. If you remember please keep us in your thoughts and prayers:)

My Family

2011-01-26T21:01:00.000-08:00

Somebody has recently made some negative and hurtful comments regarding my family. After reading the comments I was really upset and angry, however I soon realized being angry isn’t me. I am a happy person and I can’t let the comments of unhappy people affect me. I try and fill my life with love and happiness! I would just like to let my family know how much I truly love them all! They have made me who I am today and I appreciate the wonderful people I am lucky enough to be related to!

Dad and Fancy Fawni: Thank you for being so supportive in my life passions. I owe my college education, my career, and my love for horses to you! Thank you! I couldn’t ask for more talented and supportive parents!

Mom: I can tell you anything! You are so easy to talk to and no matter what mistakes I have made in my life you love me unconditionally as I know you love all of your children! I am always amazed at what an constant nurturer you are! I am proud of you for making a career and life for yourself! When I am upset you are the person I want to cry to, I love you!

Linds and Chris: You two are amazing examples for true beauty, success, and generosity! I admire you both! You have been so wonderful and kind to everybody in our family. I feel honored to know you and have you in my family!

Leighton: You are smart! I can’t believe you do math problems for fun! I always loved your unique sense of humor! Thank you for all of your help with math growing up! We don’t talk or see eye to eye on some passionate topics but you are my brother and I love you.

Trev: I love your passion and dreams in life! You were such a great example and influence of my love and passion for the outdoors! Our camping trips were epic! You have been the main reason I love camping and snowboarding! Your family is beautiful! I love you all! PS thanks for helping us buy a house!

Tam-ski: Thank you for putting up with me! I have so many fun memories with you! To list a few: crashing Dad’s car when you let me drive, taking me to Hawaii, and let’s not forget letting me live with you in Pasadena. I love watching your passion and dedication to your career; you make such a difference in the life of so many teenagers. You are so wise and I appreciate your example and advise you give me for my life.

Vicker: I love talking to you! I don’t know what I would do without my frequent phone calls with you! Like Tamar your advice is always wise, and even though I don’t want to admit it, you are often RIGHT. I love your passion in life and helping people. I am amazed at your strength and your love for those around you!

Fizzy: Your husband and children adore you and so do I! I miss you so much now that you live so far away! I had so much fun growing up with you and the things I experienced with you! You have such a special kind demeanor and I appreciate your example! I always looked up to you growing up, thanks for being such an influential person in raising me!

Char-ni-ni: You have it all girl! You are fun, beautiful, athletic, and kind-of brilliant! I love our adventures together! You have been a blast to go camping and travel with. I will never forget traveling New York, Philadelphia, hiking the Narrows, and sitting in Lake Powell with towels covering us to protect us from the sun. Thank you for making me wear sunscreen, even though I resist!

Brandon: My sweet husband. You are a very special person! I can’t believe how lucky I am to have you in my life. You are such a hard worker and talented in so many things, especially tennis and watching the jazz:) Your presence is so calming and everybody that meets you loves you! Thank you for being a wonderful and kind husband.

It doesn’t matter to me how others view my family! I LOVE YOU ALL! I am so thankful that I grew up with such phenomenal row models! I know we are not a “perfect family” but for me, I couldn’t ask for a better family! I know if I needed anything my siblings and parents would be there for me. THANK YOU! I LOVE YOU!

The Barn in January

2011-01-08T17:48:00.000-08:00

This is my friend Sandy, she keeps her sweet horse Essa at the barn where I board Stanley. Sandy and I got to the barn and Essa was resting and let Sandy get up close and cuddle with her! ADORABLE!
Stanley getting some wiggles out before our ride.

This was my first ride since I was kicked. It was a wonderful ride! We took it nice and easy.

New Years Eve

2011-01-01T13:24:00.001-08:00

This New Years Eve Brandon and I hung out with my college roomie Jenny and her husband Jake. We had a great time! We went out to dinner and then went bowling. (I WON!!)

Christmas

2010-12-30T18:03:00.001-08:00

We had a great Christmas! It was wonderful to see family and friends! Exciting news, my sister Vicky got married to Fred Payne! We are so excited to have him as part of the family!

Niece and Nephew on Brandon's side, aren't they adorable?
Brandon and I got his parents a new T.V. as a 'thank you' for letting us crash at their house. Paula was so excited.
Brandon opening presents.
This is Brandon's sister's step son's baby!
Timber was so excited to open presents.

Getting Kicked by a Horse

2010-12-19T19:01:00.000-08:00

Day 5, I hope this it will just get better from here!
Day 5!Day 3
Day 2: Lots of bruising on the side of my leg.
Day 2, the hoof print bruise is coming in nicely.

I went riding this morning with my friend Sandy. Sandy was riding Cache and I was riding Stanley. The horses were being super weird/spooky but we didn't want to let them get away with being naughty so we kept riding. We got to a steep hill that we usually gallop up. We just started galloping, Cache was in front and Stanley went to pass him, just then Cache did a huge buck and got me right in the thigh! Luckily missing my knee by a couple inches. It was the worst pain I have ever felt (I would like to point out that Cache has metal shoes on), I almost threw up. Sandy stayed on Cache's buck which I thought was pretty impressive. After the incident we just did a nice walk for awhile. There was no way I was able to put weight on my leg, I was sure my bone was shattered. After a mile or so Stanley started getting really spooky so I had to get off and walk a mile plus back to the barn. It was pretty much torture. I spend the rest of the day icing. I can't believe the kick broke my skin, I was wearing a leather jacket that covered my leg and lots of layers. My sister Charity checked it out, she doesn't think it's broken but we're pretty sure my leg will turn into an impressive bruise so I will keep it documented.

Fall Pictures

2010-11-29T15:39:00.001-08:00

Fun Fall pictures at the barn! My brother Trevor's kids were there! They are so adorable!

2010-11-08T19:24:00.000-08:00

This weekend Brandon and I decided to refinish our dining room table and desk. Here are the before and after pictures!

Table Before

Desk Before

Table sanded

Brandon sanding desk

Table and Desk Finished (Desk still needs handles)

Summer 2010

2010-09-10T13:59:00.000-07:00

I feel like I didn't even have a summer this year! It flew by! I spent everyday we were in town at the barn. Brandon and I celebrated our one year anniversary in CA in a cute little beach town called Jenner. We went hiking a couple times to some fun natural hot springs. I got a new job working for Salt Lake City School District (so far I have LOVED IT). And we recently went camping with some new friends over Labor Day. Good times!

Mountain biking was...miserable! LOL. Stanley wouldn't get into the trailer so my horse camping trip turned into a mountain biking trip. I wore my riding helmet so I could pretend I was still on a horse. The trail we went on was pretty advanced but it was BEAUTIFUL! The weather was perfect too!

Hot stuff!

Timber was awesome! His poor little nose got sunburned!

We were packing the car and Timber was super excited to leave. He waited patiently in the front seat!
Brandon and I went hiking to some natural hot springs.
The hot springs were super beautiful and fun but man...they stink!
Timber and I camping!
Timber and his new friend Goose.
Our nieces Meghan and Makena finally started riding this summer! They loved it and they are natural riders! Meghan looks so perfect on Stanley.
Makena on Cache! She is such a small rider for such a big horse but she did great on him!
Timber and I spent everyday at the barn this summer. I gave riding lessons and cleaned stales! Good times!

Tabitha and Meghan riding!
Brandon and I celebrated our one year anniversary! This is our wedding cake at a year old. It surprisingly tasted pretty good!

My dad is such an awesome rider! Check him out on his horse Shadow!
My dad and Fawni gave Brandon a riding lesson on their new horse Tequila. Bran learned how to loop/canter. He got pretty good. We practiced a lot in Utah too! We started going on some pretty wild trail rides!

This was a windy day at the beach!
Jenner has otters all over! I don't think we got any in this picture but there were tons!

We went to Marine World in the Bay Area. It was so fun! The dolphin and whale show were our favorites.

New Job

2010-06-21T22:01:00.000-07:00

Brandon started his new job today at Oracle. Brandon is such a hard worker and I am so proud of him! Good luck Brandon!

Camping in Southern Utah

2010-06-13T21:44:00.000-07:00

Charity came in town from New York so we could go camping in Southern Utah. We started in Moab with Trevor and the boys. We did lots of fun hikes in arches! We also found some natural water slides that were AMAZING. After Moab Charity and I went to Canyon Lands National Park. We didn't stay there long because I got bit by a red ant, it was seriously painful! I was in a really bad mood so I wanted revenge on the ant hill, we boiled water and dumped it on the ant hill. Then I got a wooden spoon and made a big mess...I sure showed those stupid ants. After Canyon Lands we headed to Natural Bridges Monument then Lake Powell...super fun and HOT! Last but not least on the drive home we stopped at Goblin Valley.

Family Pictures

2010-06-13T21:39:00.000-07:00

Stanley going to great lengths to get some fresh green grass.

We were cleaning around the barn and lifted some boards...Guess what we found?!? SICK!
Thanks Mom, Charity, and Bran for helping at the barn!

This would have been a cute picture if Timber didn't sneeze and look all funky.

Change of Plans

2010-06-01T20:16:00.000-07:00

Sooo...After a week with our bird Zeus we decided that he wasn't the best fit for our family. Why? Well, Zeus was Brandon's bird but Zeus didn't really like Brandon. Zeus likes girls, me! So we thought he would do better with a family that had more females around. He is a great bird, we were sad to see him go!

Meet Zeus

2010-05-26T20:01:00.000-07:00

We got a new bird yesterday! Why? Good question. Brandon has always wanted a bird and we found Zeus at a pet store by our house. We have had our eye on him for about a month and we (Brandon) finally decided to get him. He is a really sweet and funny bird so I'm excited to have him as an addition to our family. So far we've seen that he knows how to imitate a ghost, a dog, and a rooster. He can say "kisses, I love you, and hello" and he loves to sing.

Zeus met Brandon's mom Paula and totally fell in love with her...It was so cute, they were like
instantly best friends.

Wedding Albums

2010-03-06T18:47:00.000-08:00

http://brantabblogspotcom.shutterfly.com/

Valentines Day!

2010-02-21T18:53:00.001-08:00

I woke up on Valentines morning and Brandon had decorated our house for our first Valentines Day! He is so adorable! Timber was so cute and tried to take a piece of chocolate...naughty naughty. We had a super yummy cheese fondue dinner! It was so special! I love Brandon so much! I am so lucky to have such an amazing husband!

Snowboarding with Kenzie

2010-02-21T18:44:00.000-08:00

I went up to Logan to go to a temple art class. I went up a little early to hang out with my awesome friend Kenzie. We used to go snowboarding/skiing all the time in college, it was so fun to go with her again!

Not the best picture...it was really bright. I was stuck in the snow, see how flat it is? Flat doesn't mix with snowboarding. WHY DON'T SNOWBOARDING GET POLES? Lucky skiers!

Jazz Game

2010-02-21T18:42:00.000-08:00

I got Brandon Jazz tickets for Christmas! They have been such fun date nights! They've won every game we've been too! Bran thinks we are good luck.

Dinosaur Train is brought to you by...

2010-01-28T20:03:00.000-08:00

So this story is short it is about the same "Mr. Magic Man" student,
we'll call him X.
X is extremely smart and loves routine. Recently X has been shouting
20+ times a day "Mrs. Tabitha, Mrs. Tabitha, what is it brought to you
by?"

Now, this doesn't make much sense but X loves the TV show Dinosaur
Train. When X asks me "What is it brought to you by?" the answer X wants me to say
is:"This program is brought to you by PBS kids, and contributions from
viewers like you, and by Juicy Juice, 100% juice for 100% kids." Sometimes I will also add: "Chuck E. Cheese, where a kid can be a kid." I haven't watched PBS since I was a kid so the contributors may be different now, oh well.

Man, that is such a mouth full! X loves it when I say that, I'm not
sure why...but X LOVES IT! LOL! If I leave anything out X will add it
on when I'm finished. I use it as a reinforcer so I will only say it
if X is sitting nicely and following directions.

If any of you saw me teach you would laugh. I work up a such a sweat,
I'm singing, I'm dancing! I try so hard to entertain my students so
much that they'll actually sit and pay attention to me. If I'm not
entertaining enough I'll have students running out of their chairs,
pulling stuff off the walls, hiding under the table, hitting/kicking
the kid next to them, or climbing under/over my desk. All in a days
work! LOL.. good times. Oh, and if I mess up on anything in my
calendar routine X will make sure to correct me!

Dinner with the family!

2010-01-24T19:35:00.000-08:00

We hosted our first dinner tonight. It was so fun! Our apartment is actually great for company because the dining room is a pretty big. It's right next to the living room too so Trev and Bran were watching the game while everybody else decorated Valentine cookies. Good times!

Timber is being so cute right now! He is sitting on Brandon's lap soaking up all the attention he can get. He is such a sweet dog, we LOVE him!

FUNNY SCHOOL STORIES: So as most of you know I am currently teaching special education kindergarten. My students are constantly saying and doing the funniest things and I always forget about them because I don't write them down. So I'm going to try and start documenting some of the really funny things.

So Friday we were doing an art project as a class. I was sitting with students on both sides of me and while I was helping the student on my right the student on my left kept putting crayons down my cleavage! LOL! I kept telling her to stop and pulling the crayons out but she continued to put them in my shirt while smiling! Also the student on my right was playing with my wedding ring on my finger which he often does and said "where did you get that?" Me "My husband gave it to me." Student "Brandon? Is he here? Mr. Magic man?" HE SAID THAT AFTER MEETING BRANDON 1 time! This student has the most amazing memory, it's amazing! Brandon came to class to do a magic show for my students during Mm week, apparently he made a good impression.

Christmas and New Years in California

2010-01-20T20:07:00.000-08:00

My friend Mike Jolley made this for me for my birthday present! How fun!

Preston, isn't he cute?
Tamar and Preston.
Madison came to Pasadena to hang out with us when we were there. She is so much fun to be with!

Bran opening his kite.
Christmas morning. Santa came and it was all decorated when I woke up! It was so special!

Almost finished unpacking!

2010-01-20T19:57:00.000-08:00

We got a king size bed! We still need to get some more pillows/bedding for it but I LOVE having a king! I used to only want a queen size bed cause I wanted to cuddle with Bran-NO WAY, not now, KING all the way!

We are almost finished unpacking. We have had a long long weekend. I NEVER want to move again! LOL!

The Challenge of Moving

2010-01-15T20:34:00.000-08:00

Our soon to be bedroom. Don't you love the light fixture?
Storage room, we are hoping to make into a second bedroom. Want to come stay here?

Living room.
Outside view. It has it's own 2 car driveway and entrance:)

Our lease is almost up on our current apartment, it has been a charming little place and I have enjoyed living here as a newlywed the past 8 months. On the other hand I have found that living in a little apartment with a dog is pretty challenging. It is such a pain to take him out on ice cold mornings and wait forever for him to find the perfect spot (or spots in Timbers case because he poops at least 2 times AM & PM). I miss the days when I could just open the back door and Timber could go do his business while I go about my day. Taking him on walks are no fun cause there are apartment buildings everywhere, I really miss the neighborhood feel..ya know? Plus there are no dog parks around here and we love going to dog parks.

Brandon's Grandmother lives in Cottonwood Heights Utah, she has a mother-in-law apartment in her basement. It is not ideal but after a lot of discussion we decided to move there for multiple reasons: 1. Timber can have a nice big yard to play in with Grandma's dog Foxzee 2. We will be able to save a little money 3. It is close to our horse Stanley 4. The house is in a nice neighborhood close to parks and the mountains

Now here is the challenge, the apartment to say the least needs a little updating. I am attaching pictures of the apartment as it currently is now. I will attach some more pictures after I have worked a little "TABITHA MAGIC." Wish me luck, I really really need it!

Also, we were waiting to hear about a job Brandon interviewed for in Denver as a medical device sales rep. We just found out tonight that Brandon did not get the position. We are super sad about it and were excited about possibly moving to Denver. Brandon has worked so hard to get his MBA and working to gain more experience...I am so proud of him. This economy is getting really depressing. I'm sure Brandon would be able to get a fantastic job if he wasn't competing against professionals with 10+ years experience. I know that he will get a different job eventually we are just so grateful we both have jobs now!

LOVE YOU ALL!

Decorations

2009-12-15T11:57:00.000-08:00

Timber sleeping under the Christmas tree. Isn't he cute? Who knew dogs liked to sleep under the Christmas tree, I thought only cats liked to do that. My old cat Maggie would ALWAYS sleep under the Christmas tree-I miss her:(
Here he is again. Full view of tree.
Timber yawning.
Timber brought his bone under the tree. It is a good spot for him to guard his bone from Foxzee.
He really wanted to open the present his paw is one.
Foxzee is Brans Grandmas dog. We're watching her while she is on vacation in Florida. Foxzee and Timber are so cute together!
Festive candles.

It is so hard to decorate a bathroom, I had to get creative.

The Grinch. Trevor bought this for me before I was born. It's been a family favorite since.

Fiz made Bran his stocking-doesn't it look great! We love it! Now we have matching ones!!!!

I decorated our cute little apartment a couple weeks ago for Christmas. I love it, it makes our home feel so festive.

Christmas Pictures!

2009-12-10T19:04:00.000-08:00

Zoe and Zac-Niece and Nephew Brandon's side:)
Brandon's brother Justin and family-Dani, Zoe, and Zac.

I love this picture but I hate that Bran put his hand on my tummy! It makes it look like a prego photo! No, I am not having a baby.

Hello everybody! It is about time I update our blog. We have been having so much fun getting ready for Christmas. We decorating our apartment, it looks beautiful (pictures to follow). We bought a real tree! This is the first real Christmas tree Brandon has EVER had!

We had a lot of fun taking our Christmas pictures-actually it was REALLY cold! It has been so snowy and freezing lately that I haven't been able to ride poor Stanley for over a week:( Just in case anybody is interested-it is very difficult to get a dog and a horse to look at a camera and stand still. Timber kept running around or eating horse poop (he loves to eat horse poop-nasty much?) and Stanley kept trying to eat the pine tree in the photos. I have never heard of a horse liking pine trees but Stanley LOVES to eat that tree! But even with all that I think the pictures turned out pretty cute!

Stanley has a big cut on his leg-silly horse kicked the fence post and broke it in half! So the vet is coming tomorrow to check his leg out, give him winter shots, and trim his hoofs. We try and get up to the barn at least everyday because the cold weather is freezing the horses water. It is such a pain to fill that water cause the hose and pipes get FROZEN...fun stuff. I feel so bad that the horses have to be out in 0 degrees-at least I bought them blankets, I hope that helps keep them warm.

Anyway, that's it for now. I will try and take pictures of our apartment and put up pictures soon.

Halloween

2009-11-12T20:19:00.000-08:00

Jennie and Jordan. Check out the smoke coming out of Jordan's mouth...spooky!
Jenny.
Robin and Creston (new neighbors).
Our Family.

Timber in costume.
We had Sophia and Preston over for a "Spooky" dinner.
I gave them sour candy...
Preston didn't like it much.

Bella 11th Birthday

2009-11-12T20:15:00.000-08:00

This is when Bella opened her iPod touch-LUCKY GIRL!
Bella and friend eating cake.
Chan the Man!

We went to Bella's 11th Birthday Party. Brandon and I had a blast. We went skating, in the bouncy house, and laser tag.

Fun at the Barn

2009-11-12T20:06:00.000-08:00

Jenny came to ride with me when I had a day off! She is a natural!
Bella riding Stanley.
Sophia riding Stanley.
Chandler checking out Cache.
Preston and Chandler.
Preston riding.
Best horse friends ever! Stanley and Cache.

We are having so much fun with our new horse Stanley. We had our nieces and nephews over for some fun rides. THEY LOVED IT! Preston kept saying "I'm a real cowboy Tabby, your horse likes me, I like riding your horse." Adorable! Bella is a fantastic rider, I hope she is able to get a lot of practice now:)

Wedding Pictures! June 27th 2009

2009-10-29T20:33:00.001-07:00

BEAUTIFUL Flower Girls during ring ceremony. Sophia and Carter:)
Zoe and Jack
Dad, Charity, and Trevor sang a song for us during the ring ceremony. It was amazing!
Junior Bridesmaids during ring ceremony. Meghan, Bella, and Gabby
Preston and Jack
Crazy Junior Groomsmen and "Ring Boys" as Carter calls them.
Beautiful Fawni and Trevor during ring ceremony.

MY DAD:)
Flower girls giving me love!

Junior Bridesmaids
Flower Girls
Madison...My Maid of Honor
Our Beautiful wedding cake. Brandon picked it out.
Ah Da! Timber is so BEAUTIFUL!

My FANTASTIC SISTERS!

We finally got our wedding pictures! WE LOVE THEM!

Haunted House Fun!

2009-10-27T17:22:00.000-07:00

Bran and I are kind-of Halloween FREAKS! We just love it! We have been to 3 different haunted houses and a haunted corn maze. Our house is all decorated too! So...when I was baby sitting Elijah and Gabby we decided to have a haunted house contest! My neighbor Robin was the judge...I WON!

TIMBER IS A THERAPY DOG

2009-10-27T16:46:00.000-07:00

Hello Everybody! Brandon and I are so proud of Timber! He is officially a therapy animal! Brandon and I were in training all day Saturday to be Therapy Animal volunteers and on Sunday we each had to take a test with Timber. There were 22 different situations he had to pass such as; basic obedience, walking on a loose leash, ignoring a yummy treat in front of him, meeting another dog, meeting people using wheelchairs/walkers, etc... HE PASSED WITH BOTH OF US!

He is registered with Intermountain Therapy Animals. (http://www.therapyanimals.org/).

Brandon and I are so excited to have the opportunity to opportunity to volunteer in hospitals, schools, nursing homes, etc! WHAT AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY!

TIMBER IS AMAZING! He is going to be able to touch the lives of so many people now.

Timber got a BIG brother!

2009-09-23T20:09:00.000-07:00

Brandon is a natural! He is such a cute cowboy!

Doesn't he have sweet eyes? He's not the horse I would have picked based on looks, but he has the best personality and he is so talented!

I don't know how to turn this picture! Just turn your head-lol!

Our new family member:( Timber is going to LOVE him!

This is our new horse! Isn't he cute?!? We haven't decided on a name yet but we are thinking Charlie...what are your thoughts? I like animal names for animals and Brandon likes human names-so we can never agree.

Our horse (currently named Josh, before that it was Pepper) is a flee-bitten gray Arabian-Paint mix. He is the sweetest boy! He does english and western riding and is a great jumper! We picked him because he is so well trained and I can give beginner-advanced riding lessons on him.

If you are interested in lessons, let me know:)

HONEYMOON

2009-07-16T11:22:00.000-07:00

Brandon and I went to Cancun for our Honeymoon! We left the morning after our wedding and stayed for a week! It was AMAZING! We stayed at an all inclusive resort called Adventura Spa Palace. It was beautiful....and the best part is that it was only at 25% occupancy so it was pretty much empty.

http://www.palaceresorts.com/RESORTS/AventuraSpaPalace/Index.asp.

We were so spoiled! We got the "Honeymoon" package. The package included all of our food and drinks (we had a lot of frozen lemonade and virgin strawberry daiquiris). The package also included excursions: zip-line, Mayan Ruins, a massage, and snorkeling.

Little White Dog (Timber)

2009-04-19T22:30:00.000-07:00

My sister and I made this movie for a film festivle at church. I've gotten a lot of feedback about my clevage...It was totally the camelbacks fault! We had a lot of fun making this movie! Timber is such a wonderful dog!!!!

Engagement Pictures

2009-04-06T15:31:00.000-07:00

Wedding Registry

2009-02-16T17:21:00.000-08:00

For those of you who are interested we are registered at Target and Bed Bath & Beyond.

Additional stores we like to shop at are; Crate & Barrel, Costco, Home Depot.

I also have a Victoria Secret wish list.
To view go to Victoria Secret website and click on wishlist.
User Name: tabithahill
Password: finally

We're Engaged!

2008-12-26T17:28:00.000-08:00

Brandon and I got engaged on November 12, 2008 (our four year anniversary!). Just this week we finally set the date and decided on the location...

June 27, 2009

Logan, Utah

Be there.

After we got engaged we got invited to a 007 party. We were assigned 007 characters, I was Honey Rider (a sea shell diver)...and I can't remember who Brandon was....