THE ARNERS

Mummy Baby

2009-01-23T22:59:00.001-08:00

Joseph thought it would be funny to grab a roll of paper towels out of the pantry and proceed to wrap his sister up like a "mummy"! Eric walked into this...

Snow Day

2009-01-23T22:49:00.000-08:00

Eric and I decided that it would be fun to take Jo up to the Snow for his first "Snow Day" ever! We packed a lunch, dropped Scarlet off at Grandma's and headed North.

Most people wouldn't believe that there is snow in Arizona, but oh yes...about an hour and half out of town and there you are!

It had just snowed the night before, so it was beautiful fresh snow! So fresh in fact, that you couldn't drive off the main highway onto any side roads because they hadn't been plowed! So not so good for the sledding, but we made do!

Starting out...lovin the snow!

Snow Fight with Daddy...Still lovin it!

Hated it!!!

The gloves came off and that was the end of that! Then started the Screaming demand..."Put me in the car, take all my clothes off, and turn on the heater!"

Maybe, better luck next time :)

HAPPY 2009!!!

2009-01-23T22:33:00.000-08:00

Can you believe it's 2009??? I sure Can't! This is how the Arner's ring in the New Year...

At 10pm you decide that it sure would be fun to have a Wii to play with

10:15 you bundle up the kids and head to our most hated store Walmart (because they are the only ones crazy enough to make their employees work on New Years Eve)

10:30-11:30 you wander around aimlessly through Walmart stuffing your cart with things that you don't need, because they are all sold-out of Wii's!

11:30 you get home, unload the car, and get ready to ring in the new year

11:45-12am you watch Carson Daly and thousands of other people freezing their booties off in time square....

Midnight!!!

JoJo was lovin the horns and whistles!!!!

Don't be jealous! I know that we lead a Very exciting life :)

Christmas Eve

2009-01-23T22:21:00.001-08:00

Yes...these are late! But you know what they say...Better Late than Never :) Here are some Pics from Christmas Eve with the Fife Family.

We went over to Jim and Amy's for Dinner and Games. The dinner was delicious as always! Every year we play the dice game, where my Dad usually always clears the gifts out! Him and that dang good luck :)

Here is Eric and Scarlet relaxing...how precious is this pic???

My Beautiful Nieces...Abby(left) and Cosette(right)

Gracie all dressed up in her new Princess outfit!

Eric and I :)

Obviously...I didn't take very many pictures! But here are the few I captured.

2009 Pics!

2009-01-16T23:51:00.000-08:00

So...Scarlet is 5 and 1/2 months, and Joseph has not had pictures taken since his first birthday. So needless to say, these pictures are a little over due...but defenitly worth the wait :)

America's Next Top Model

2008-12-08T23:32:00.001-08:00

JoJo participated in his first Fashion Show over the weekend, and he love love loved it! I wasn't sure if he would walk the run way or just bail out at the end...but of course He stole the Show! (coming from a proud mother).

He was hillarious...he was a Big Boy and he was doing it on his own as he told me right before he walked. They said his name and he came running down the runway did a hop and a skip at the end and landed with a double thumbs up to the crowd! He stood there for a moment opening his jacket so everyone could see his shirt underneath and then ran back and jumped off the stage...Hillarious!

This is Jo, Scarlet, and Jo's friend Bella anxiously waiting for the show to begin

It's hard work being a Super Model, and you must stick to a strict diet :)

I'm proud of my little show stealer!

Hollywood here we come :)

This is Jo tonight, re-living the moment. He just can't seem to get it out of his system...

What a Blessing!

2008-12-08T23:19:00.000-08:00

Scarlet was blessed this past Sunday (Dec. 7th). Thank you to my little brother Rusty for giving her such a beautiful blessing. I am so grateful to all of my family and friends that were able to share the day with us! We had her blessing in our ward and then my Mom put on the most amazing lunch for all of the family.

During part of the blessing, Rusty told Scarlet how much her Mom and Dad loved her and one of our friends that was in the circle told me that he peaked at that moment and Scarlet had the Biggest smile on her face!

We do love you baby girl...More than you will ever know! You are such a blessing to our lives. You amaze me as you continue to grow and learn new things every day. You are such a Happy Baby and put a smile on our faces everytime we look at you :)

Trick or Treat!

2008-11-30T21:19:00.001-08:00

I just uploaded pics from Trick or Treating so I had to update the blog. Im a little confused with the Holidays, posting Thanksgiving before Halloween but whatev!

The Superheroes

William (Batman), Daylen (Ironman) and Jojo (Optimus Prime the Transformer)

Jo passing out Candy...he liked that better than Trick or Treating, he could socialize with all the Kids.

Scarlet...My Halloween Baby or Halloween Aunt Jemima

Meggen (the Cat), Me (the Clown), Jacquie (Sarah Palin)

MAC Fantasticals Day 2

2008-11-30T21:07:00.000-08:00

So this post took me a little longer to get out! Day 1 is just a few posts down the page.

This was an open theme day...just BE creative! And with everyone wanting to be sexy this and sexy that. I decided to go a little crazy and cutesy.

It was a crazy day, but the crazier the better! I am so lucky to work with some of the most amazing artists and to be Inspired EVERY day that I work!

Lari and Shayla (The beautiful Butterfly, all the girls want to look like Shayla)

Lindsey (the Troll Doll) and I ....look at her hair...Bananas!!!

Jourdan (Death becomes her) and I...Crazy Contouring!

Ashleigh (the Mermaid/Creature of the Sea) and I...Seriously, look at her blending skills...Amazing!

I <3>

ZOO Lights

2008-11-28T23:50:00.000-08:00

This year for Thanksgiving Night we met Greg, Meggen, and kids, and Rusty and Jacquie at the Phoenix Zoo for Zoo Lights. You gotta walk off that Turkey one way or another.

It was had rained a bit before, so the place had cleared out. It was like having a Zoo all to ourselves :)

Not alot of real animals, but plenty of "lit up" animals...even a talking a Giraffe that JoJo got a big kick out of!

It was a bit cold, so we filled up on Hot Chocolate and wrapped up in blankets.

Here are some more photos to capture the evening....

Jo and his best bud and cousin William with the light saber!

Jo SOOO excited over the Kettle Corn...and the baby Burrito, it was Freezing!

SANTA!

jO, Scarlet, and William with Santa

Rusty and Jacquie

To All the Working Moms.....

2008-11-26T17:27:00.000-08:00

It Sucks.

I don't care what they say you CANNOT have it all....

unless that includes a Maid, Nanny, and Chef!

A working Mom's Day (atleast mine)

6am: Wake-up, shower eat breakfast

630-730am: Hair and Makeup ( I do work in Cosmetics)

730-815: Feed the kids, brush their teeth and dress kids

820: Pile them in the car and head to the babysitter (aka Grandma)

9-1: work and babysit all of your "other kids"...employees I mean!

1pm: LUNCH - Hallelujah there is ME time!

2-6pm: work some more

630pm: Pick up kids!

7-8pm: Fix and eat dinner

8-9pm: Wrestle the kids...brush teeth, get PJ's, Say Prayers, read books, Nighty Nite!!! (I do Cherish this time with my kiddos :) )

9-10pm: Do dinner dishes, clean kitchen, get my PJ's on, Wash Face!, Brush teeth!

10pm-Midnight: Catch up on the Tivo :)...it is the small things in life after all :)

Repeat X5 days per week!

Day Off:

CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN!

Grocery Shop

Pay Bills

Spend Quality time with my Kids...playin and Laughin :)

MAC Fantasticals Day 1 !!!

2008-10-30T22:13:00.000-07:00

At MAC (my J-O-B) we LOVE Halloween!!! So we drag the holiday out for usually a whole week, but this year we got 3 wonderful days of Masks...Masks....and more Masks!!!

(I was off for the actual day 1)...so this is my day 1

Super Hero vs. Villan Theme Day

Poison Ivy (Ashley), Spider Man (Me), Pink Powder Puff Girl (Ashleigh)

Lindsay, Lari, Ashleigh, and Kira (the joker)

Monette (Cat Woman) and Lari

SERIOUSLY...I HAVE THE BEST JOB EVER!!!

Pumpkin Carving

2008-10-30T22:00:00.000-07:00

With the Crazy week that we've had...we almost forgot about Carving Pumpkins. So we made the trek to Albertson's to pick out our Pumpkin. We fell in love with this tall and skinny one! So we brought him home and carved away!!!

The trick was to teach Jo Jo how to carve, but he was a little disturbed by the smell! The treat was the roasted Pumpkin seeds that Eric made from the pumpkin (his fav.)

I will say...he did turn out lookin a little like Pac Man Pumpkin!!! But hey, he's got personality like us!

*Note the LARGE Candle from my Kitchen :)...Ghetto Fab!

Bust A Rhyme!

2008-10-30T21:43:00.000-07:00

Some of you may know my 3 year old as JoJo or maybe even Joseph. But he is also known by his stage name.....'DJ Yo Yo'.

He loves to make up little raps or recite the lyrics to other rap songs that he hears on the radio...usually at the most appropriate times!

Last week we were going to visit Eric's Mom right after she came home from the hospital and she was very ill. He informed me in the car that he was going to sing her the "Apple Song".

Me: "Is that a Song that you learned at pre-school?"

YoYo: "No Mom...you know what I'm talkin about... (in his exact words) Apple Bottom Jeans Jeans, Boots with the Fur...Everyone lookin at her...Shorty on the floor says NO NO NO NO!"

Luckily he just sang her "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star".

Yesterday when I picked DJ Yo Yo up from school my Mom and I decided to surprise him with an ice cream from McDonalds.

He took his first bite, then made up a little rap...

(Snoopy Doggy Dog Style) "There's a Party in my Tummy....SO Yummy, SO Yummy!"

A little White Trash!

2008-10-14T21:44:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't have a little WT in them??? I'm not ashamed to admit it! I seriously don't know what it is about these 2 boys...they just LOVE to hang out in their undies. The second JoJo hits the door, no matter who's house he's at the clothes start flyin! But together...it's hillarious! They call it their 'Nacho Libre' Outfit. I snapped these pics of them playin in the back yard today...this is JoJo and his cousin William.

Park Day!

2008-10-14T21:25:00.000-07:00

How do you know when fall has arrived in Arizona??? You can actually go to the park in the middle of the day :) This week is fall break, and today I had the day off so my Sister n Law Meggen and I decided to take the kids to the park for a picnic and some swingin!

JoJo absolutely adores his cousins, especially William who is about 18 months older. They are the best of friends and would spend every day together if they could.

It was so Beautiful today...about in the 80's to low 90's which is pretty much Amazing in AZ! We even brought Scarlet along for a little Sun :)

I am so lucky to have my Family near, especially for my Kids. I love that they can see their cousins almost every day.

And that we can have such beautiful weather to enjoy!

Bath Time!

2008-10-13T11:03:00.000-07:00

As with most Moms...I love Bath time! I love the smell of a freshly bathed baby or Toddler. Especially those boys! I don't know what it is...they just get that boy funk from early on! I love throwing them in a sweetly scented bubble bath to wash away that day of play! Here are some pictures that I snapped of Joseph and Scarlet during this sweet time! *Maybe a little ammunition for when they are teenagers :)

2008-10-01T10:35:00.001-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY OLIVIA!!!

2008-10-01T09:55:00.003-07:00

I am just remembering my sweet Angel, who would be 6 years old today!!!!

Happy Birthday Sweet Olivia!!! I miss you sooooooo much!

2008-09-30T16:25:00.001-07:00

Angel Without Wings

2008-09-30T15:54:00.000-07:00

Lying in my arms as I look down upon your face

You have an aura all your own.

Peacefully your spirit begins to join with mine

and I know that we will never be alone

You are such a precious gift of love

More than I feel that I could ever deserve.

But in gratitude for your sacred birth

it is my Savior who I will try to serve.

Although trying times may come and go,

know that no matter how bad life seems.

I will always remember you,

My blessed baby Angel born without her wings.

Olivia

2008-09-28T01:05:00.000-07:00

My Hero, My Inspiration, My Guardian Angel who watches on me from above...

October 1st, 2002... after 3 months on bedrest, 28 hours of labor, and 1 C-Section later our Miracle arrived! Miss Olivia Suzanne Arner - 6lbs. 3oz. and 21 inches long.

In a single second the greatest and scariest moment of our life Occurred. I remember the Dr's saying she's out, but never hearing a cry! The operating room went crazy with Doctors and Nurses running all about trying to get her to take her first breath. Immediately she was intibated (they placed a tube down her throat to help her breathe), and rushed away! 3 hours later the Doctors came to my recovery room to tell me that they were taking her away in a helicopter to another Hospital to do more tests. I remember begging them to let me see my baby for the first time before she left, and I was able to spend a minute with her. Eric went to be with her and would travel many times a day between hospitals to bring me updates, videos, and pictures. 4 days later...I finally went to see her. When we arrived they were again getting ready to take her by helicopter to another Hospital. I remember holding her, waiting, and the Doctors telling us that our tiny little baby was in heart failure...we were so scared!

We arrived at Phoenix Childrens Hospital where she spent 2 days in NICU before she was taken into Open Heart Surgery. I remember the day so clearly...saying goodbye before surgery, waiting in the family room for almost 8 hours. When we were finally able to see her, I couldn't believe how many tubes, wire and machines she was hooked up to. It was very touch and go for a few days, but she pulled through! We spent 4 weeks in the ICU where she underwent 2 more surgeries. A Tracheostomy, and a Feeding tube placement. She was then transfered to Banner Desert Hospital where she spent 5 more weeks, underwent more stomach and ear surgeries, and many more tests.

Olivia was diagnosed with CHARGE Syndrome. It is a rare syndome that affects less than 1 in 15000 babies. It can affect many different parts of the body. The anomalies that Olivia had were Conginetal Heart Defects (6 in all), Hearing imparement, Vision imparement (she was legally blind, but could see), and breathing abnormalities.

Olivia came home for the first time at almost 3 months of age. We went through alot of training to know how to care for her! She came home on 2 different monitors, a ventilator, feeding pump, and oxygen. Our house became a Hospital. We had some nursing, but mostly cared for her ourselves...with LOTS of help from Family!

Olivia was in and out of the hospital almost weekly...the Doctors would joke that she could come in with a diaper rash and they would admit her! The nurses always loved having Olivia there and they would fight to care for her. We would bring all of her prettiest dresses and play dress up! We would have slumber parties in her room! When nurses would come on for their shifts they would all stop in to see Little Miss Olivia!

Just before her first birthday Olivia went in for her second Open heart surgery. It was extremely scary and very touch and go for weeks! The Doctors were amazed by her strength and her will to live. They would tell us daily what a miracle she was! On her birthday, we decorated her hospital room with balloons and butterflies...we dressed her in a big pink tutu and crown...and brought in a cake with a princess on it to share with all of the Doctors and Nurses. When we left the plan was another surgery around her 2nd or 3rd birthday and then we could hopefully take her off Oxygen and remove her trach! I was amazed how much she changed after this surgery. She began growing and growing almost tripling her size! She started sitting up, watching cartoons, eating baby food (only the Orange food...weird huh?), and Sign Language. She would sign More, eat, and I Love You.

January 2007 only 3 months after her last heart surgery, Olivia began having complications at home. We took her to the emergency room where for the 1st time Ever she was sent home. We just knew there was something wrong and called her heart Dr. She was directly admitted to the ICU. They ran tests and saw that she needed another surgery right away! The Dr.'s were concerned that it was so early, but there was no other choice! The night before her surgery we stayed up with her and I rocked her until 4 in the morning. In the morning all of the visitors started coming and she would say goodbye to each one by signing I Love you! I remember walking her into surgery, kissing her, and signing I Love you! 6 hours later...the Doctors told us she was barely hanging on and they had to put her on ECMO (life support). They told us all of the scary side affects and things that could happen. But we had been through this twice before...I knew how Strong Olivia was and what she had already overcome...I knew she was my Miracle! She spent 3 days on ECMO, and underwent 2 more emergency Surgeries in her hospital room. Her poor little body was so tired.

On January 25, 2004 Olivia was able to give up her fight and return home to her Father in Heaven. I held her and rocked her for a few hours after she passed while all of our family was there in her hospital room with us. It was the first time that I had held her without her being hooked to monitors and machines. I remember sitting there thinking how am I ever going to leave here knowing that I will not hold her again...

A whirlwind that I don't clearly remember followed...we held a beautiful service for her. I remember Eric and I walking into the church with our family looking around at all of the people, there must have been atleast 500 and thinking of all of the people that Olivia had touched. The church was filled with family, friends, Doctors, Nurses, and people who never even met her but were so touched by her! I knew that her mission on earth was complete and that she did more in her short 15 months than most people accomplish in a lifetime.

Olivia...

I miss you every day! You are my strength! I know you are in Heaven smiling down upon us. I picture you running through fields chasing butterflies...I think of you everytime I see one! I am so honored to be your Mother. I'm amazed at everything that you went through in your lifetime and never shed a tear. For someone who could not speak and could not hear...you communicated and touched more lives with your sweet spirit than anyone I know!

I love you my Sweet Angel, may you rest until we are together again!

Love,

Mommy

Where to Begin?

2008-09-28T00:18:00.000-07:00

I suppose I have been hiding under a Rock! I always hear my blog this...your blog this... and never pay alot of attention. I always thought I was computer savvy, but low and behold there is this whole blog world that I have some how managed to avoid until now!

Please be patient while I figure this blog thing out :)

Where do you begin when you have 2 parents, 3 kids, and what feels like a life time together! I guess from the beginning...

Eric and I were married Novemer 3rd, 2001 in Mesa, Arizona. We met almost exactly a year before that when I moved to Arizona for what was supposed to be a 3 month stay to open a new store with Nordstrom. He must have swept me off my feet, because 8 HOT Summers later...I am still here! (Don't get me wrong I do love Arizona, but it is REALLY HOT!)

We now live in Mesa and have 3 Beautiful Children. Our Sweet Angel Olivia Suzanne was born October 1, 2002, Our Adorable son Joseph Tyler was born June 22, 2005, and our Beautiful Baby girl Scarlet Gwen was born July 30, 2008.

We love to spend time together with our Kids... Swimming, taking JoJo for Bike Rides, and Vacationing when we get the chance!