Missing Logan, UT- and we aren't even gone!

I was going through some picture folders on our computer and found so many fun pictures of all of our friends here in Logan. We have had so many great friends- Gedges, Dansies, Binghams, Morrises, Croslands, Woods, Andreasons, and Humberts- just to name a few. It has been fun because we were all newlyweds together, have been together during pregnancies, first kids, and with the Binghams, even the second kid. We have grown into older married couples together (old as in 3 whole years!) We have been on vacations together, picnics, camp outs, movies, study sessions, dinners, concerts, USU basketball and football games, sleepovers, the temple, golfing, institute classes, fixing cars, walks, church activities, apartments moves, USU dances, lifting weights, playing tennis and racquetball, babysitting, prenatal classes, True Aggie Night, firesides, jobs, playing games, USU Dental Club, softball teams, volleyball teams, soccer teams, basketball teams, flag football teams, cold sores (Joe and Jamie), drives to look at huge homes, playing Playstation, church callings, and dental school interviews.

Joe and I sometimes wonder if we will ever make more friends when we move to Las Vegas. See, when we became friends with all of them we were younger, cooler, hipper. We just don't know if we have the energy to start all over again, again with putting ourselves out there in the social scene. We feel comfortable with our group of friends, we feel comfortable in their homes, we comfortable calling for help or to borrow ingredients (Jamie), we feel comfortable in Logan, UT. So, as I sit and reflect on all the memories of USU, Logan, and our amazing friends, I want to give them a huge thanks! A thanks for being great friends! We aren't even gone, we still have two months before some of them move, but I am missing Logan, UT already!

LOST is losing us

Anyone else watch LOST every week? Seriously, Joe and I are getting pretty annoyed. We would honestly like to stop watching the show because it isn't progressing or answering any questions but we can't because what if something were to happen on the episode we decide to skip? We watch it together every Wednesday night but it seems like we end the show more frustrated then when we began. The first two seasons were great- building up the confusion, suspense, and suspicion of the strangeness of the island and the people. Producing questions that in hopes would someday be answered. But now, we as viewers, are a little fed up with the confusion and suspicion. We want problems resolved, connections revealed, and questions answered. Anyone else feel like LOST is losing you too?

A Big Change

As I sit here eating Cafe Rio leftovers, I wanted to share a recent change in my life. I am officially a sweet pork girl. See, I used to only order chicken salads or chicken tacos at Cafe Rio and Costa Vida. However, a couple months ago my brother Ryan made the switch from chicken to sweet pork and tried to convert me also. I was scared, nervous, afraid of wasting six dollars only to be disappointed. He, just like myself, used to eat only chicken too so I felt like he knew what I was feeling. I felt like I could trust him. So I did. I tried the sweet pork salad and honestly.... I am never going back! The flavor, the juices, the way it melts in your mouth! I have been to Cafe Rio twice since then and have not hesitated to order the sweet pork salad and leave the dry chicken in the dust. I am officially a sweet pork girl.

Bath Time = No Helmet

McKinley has always loved her baths. However, now since it is the only break she gets from her sweaty helmet, she really really loves them! She loves to kick, splash, talk, and chew on her bath toys. I usually let her play in the tub for about 30-45 minutes. Lucky for me she hasn't tried rolling over to her tummy yet because she hates getting water in her face. I just do my hair and makeup while she plays. It is fun to see her so happy and to give her poor little a head a good break from the helmet.

Our Favorite American Idol!

Star Struck doesn't even begin to explain this girl!

http://myidol.americanidol.com/blogs/KTStop22/ashley_ferl/54332

Helmet Buddies

Now they are helmet buddies! McKinley used to be scared of Joe whenever he had his helmet on. She is still suspicious until he says her name and the "boop diddy be" noises he usually makes, then she recongizes and smiles. Now his helmet is just a fun thing to hit her hands on!

Kitchen Klutz!

Let's just say I am accident prone when comes to the kitchen. Sure, I consider myself an OK cook but I burn things, I leave the oven on, and most of all, I spill everything!! A month or so ago I was reaching for some vinegar in the cupboard and accidentally knocked an entire bottle of maple flavoring off the shelf. The bottle broke and maple flavoring went everywhere- the counter, the sink, the rice cooker, my clothes and face, and the floor. Our kitchen smelled like a breakfast joint for a week!

Maple Flavoring Spill

Well today was a double repeat of the maple flavoring. I was getting the ketchup bottle out of the fridge and accidentally dropped it. The bottle broke and ketchup went everywhere. Joe cleaned it up knowing that I get so frustrated with my stupid mistakes. I put the ketchup in a Tupperware and left the bottle upside down on the counter to get the remaining out. So this evening I was getting the Tupperware I put the ketchup in to add the remaining ketchup to. As I pulled the Tupperware lid off, the container slipped off the counter and went everywhere- the floor, McKinley's swing and toys, the wall, etc. Seriously!?!? The same thing twice in one day! I am a kitchen klutz!

Ketchup Spill

The Juggernaut

I was just thinking of the uncanny resemblance between these two helmets!!!

Coincidence?

Top 10 Reasons:

Top Ten Reasons the Helmet is Awesome:

1. McKinley can ride on Joe's motorcycle.
2. We can leave her unsupervised on high places (couch, highchair, changing table, bed) if she falls, she will be fine.
3. Car seat hassles, a thing of the past.
4. We don't need to purchase a gate for our stairs.
5. She can be on the next mission to the moon.
6. What other girl will ever have the nickname Juggernaut?
7. No need for baby haircare products, the sweat will do and maybe all her hair will be rubbed off anyway.
8. She can help the catcher in our ward softball games.
9. She will still get plenty of attention from complete strangers.
10. We don't have to spend money on cute girl clothes, I am sure people will be confused by her gender anyway!

Bye-Bye Bows, Hello Helmet!

Today was a momentous day at the Winward home. A day we have been... not dreading, but anxious for for a while. A day we had to say goodbye to McKinley's famous bows and hello to her new helmet. For those of you that don't know, when McKinley was little she was diagnosed with Tortacollis- when one side of an infant's neck muscles are shorter than the other side. Because of this, she always slept on the right side of her head. At her two month appt. the pediatrician gave us a donut pillow for her to sleep on to take some pressure off that side of her head. However, at her four month appt. it still had not helped. So in January we began physical therapy to strengthen the right neck muscles and put pressure on the left side of her head to move the bones the other way. But still, that was not enough and she needed a helmet. The helmet doesn't use too much pressure to move the left side, it is more of a constriction. As her head grows, the helmet doesn't allow her head to grow out to the left but instead has to grow to the right where there is more room. By the end of this week, McKinley will be wearing the helmet 23 hours a day.
This has been a trying experience, mostly for me. I just was confused because we kept praying that everything would be fine. I never thought "fine" would still be having to get a helmet. However, our physical therapist just happened upon a little boy and his dad at a USU basketball game that had a clear helmet. She asked him about it, where he got it, and if insurance covered it. We really were blessed that she ran into this little boy and found out that the doctor is here in Logan, takes insurance, and does this new kind of clear helmet. Now we don't have to drive to SLC every week, pay for it ourselves, and the clear part is neat because it allows the doctor to actually see her head and how it is responding.
The only thing I noticed that may be uncomfortable for her is that from the doctors to home, about a 5 minute drive, she fell asleep. When I got her out of the car her head was already dripping with sweat. The doctor said it takes a few weeks for the body and sweat glands to get used to it. I am sure McKinley will be fine, Joe is so supportive, and me... well I will just have to get used it! We hope she does fine and keeps her sweet, little personality! We love our helmet head!

First steps down the road to victory

The team 'B Triple J' had their first intramural volleyball game last night. Joe, James, Joseph, and Ben won two out of three of the games last night- a great start to this intramural volleyball season. The best play of the night was when Joe went to spike the ball, completely missed the ball with his hand, and actually hit it over the net with his head! What a lucky accident! The guy on the other team was so embarrassed that he missed blocking a headbutt. Well, the team played hard and we hope they keep walking down victory road!

Park Weather

After a long winter, it is finally time for park weather! Last weekend we spent Sunday afternoon with my family at the Northridge Park in Orem. It was fun watching McKinley swing and slide for the first time. We also had some laughs watching my mom participate in handstand contests and Brent and Ryan trying to do a double person cartwheel! Thanks for the entertainment! As Joe previously mentioned, we have also been enjoying the sun and taking in park time here in Logan. Yesterday we met our ward friends at Adams Park for a potluck lunch and time in the sun. McKinley had a great time playing with her friends Davis, Andrew, and Spencer. They loved sitting on the blanket and slobbering all over each other's toys. We are enjoying the great weather and will definitely miss spring and summer time in Logan.

Parks, Planes, and Pest Control

Karrissa, McKinley, and I had a wonderful Sunday yesterday. We had Stake Conference this weekend and so we were able to go to a meeting Saturday night and also on Sunday morning. We learned a lot and are very grateful to have been able to attend those meetings. After the Sunday meeting we met our friends, the Gedges, Morris's, Binghams, Dansies and the Summers at the park and had a little lunch in the sun. We all brought a little something to share. It turned out to be a lot of fun just sitting together enjoying the beautiful weather. After lunch we went home and we all enjoyed a nice nap.
Then at 6:00 we went up to Grandpa and Grandma Winwards to visit them. Grandpa and I talked about RC airplanes while Grandma and Karrissa talked about scrapbooking. Grandma has made a beautiful scrapbook about her parents. Karrissa really enjoyed learning about their lives. McKinley was as cute as ever and Grandpa and Grandma loved being with her. Grandpa gave me an engine and gas tank for my RC airplane that I'm building.
He also gave me some tools and a carrying case for them. That was nice of him. Grandpa also showed us his various tactics to scare the deer out of his yard. And, you guessed it, they were pretty awesome!! One of them turns on a generator for about 5 seconds that makes sparks and noise. It was definitely my favorite. It was nice to go and visit Grandpa and Grandma. They are wonderful people.

All in a days work

Well, I had an awesome experience at work today. A patient called and asked if he could come in because he had been having some pain around his lower left back molar. We told him to come in when he could. When the patient came in it was obvious where the pain was. His lower left cheek was extremely swollen. It looked as if he were carrying a golf ball in his cheek. I brought him back into the operatory to take an X-ray but I was unsuccessful because he could not open his mouth wide enough for me to put the sensor into his mouth. Dr. Hammond decided to lance the abscess to relieve some of the pressure and swelling. I left the room and told Skye, a coworker, to come watch. I had the vacuum in his mouth when the abscess was lanced. You would not have believed the amount of puss that came squirting out. It was disgusting yet strangely intriguing. We estimated that about two, yes two, tablespoons of puss came out. It was great fun!! Yet another reason that dentistry intrigues me. Here is a picture of what an abscess looks like. The abscess today was at least twice this size!!!!!

New stuff

This is the first offical post on our blog. I hope that we can share this with our family and friends as a way of sharing our experiences together. We've never done this before so it will be a learning process for all of us.