Stoker Family

I LOVE them!!!

2012-01-29T19:02:00.000-08:00

Nap time...

2012-01-29T18:59:00.000-08:00

I didn't know it had to include our cat, Lily too.

Camo pants

2012-01-29T18:42:00.000-08:00

A couple Sundays ago while we were attending church, Vaughn decided the most convenient place to do his "business" was in Sunday school right in the middle of the lesson. Mind you, he has the best sound affects while going "number 2" Lets just say it got everywhere but the diaper, including Brian's white button down shirt. I'm just thankful I wasn't the one holding him during this moment in time. Thankfully as I was cleaning up this mess in the mother's room another mom walked in and saved the day by loaning me a pair of camo pants, since I had nothing to put on him. I have learned my lesson and will now be packing extra clothes every where we go.

I will always remember "that one Sunday when Vaughn was wearing nothing but camo pants in church"

the little things

2012-01-29T18:40:00.000-08:00

Flowers for no reason is the best reason :)

Baby blessing

2012-01-29T18:34:00.000-08:00

I just realized I haven't posted any pics of Vaughn's blessing that was done November 5th. Time just seems to slip through my fingers.
I am so thankful for the wonderful family we have. So many of you were able to come and enjoy this very special day with us.

matress slide and table fort adventures

2012-01-28T19:59:00.000-08:00

Baby's First Christmas!

2012-01-28T19:27:00.000-08:00

Vaughn's very first Christmas was spent with family in Burley. We went to Brian's grandma Hurst's house for Christmas Eve and Vaughn got to sit on Santa's lap. That night we lost his binky...let's just say we had a full blown crisis. He ended up having to use a pink one that was so generously given to us in a moment of panic. Thank you agian to all those who helped search for the lost binky. Christmas morning was spent with Brian's parents. We were able to watch Ethan, Kamden, and Owen open their presents. And then enjoyed some yummy Christmas rolls. After going to church we spent some time and my mom's house and then went to my grandma and grandpa Moralez's house and ate some wonderful tamales. After that we went and saw one of our best friends Cha, then we made a stop at my dad's house. It was a long but joyful day spent with many loved ones.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT WE COULD EVER ASK FOR!

Oh Christmas tree...oh Christmas tree

2011-12-22T20:22:00.000-08:00

This year was the first year Brian and I have ever had a real Christmas tree together! We took a trip up past Idaho City with my cousin Brandee and her family. It was a lot of fun even though we had to hike about 2 miles. Little Vaughn did great as he was snuggled up to us the whole time, keeping warm in his reindeer outfit. Let me just say he makes the cutest little reindeer I have ever seen :)

1st Thanksgiving

2011-12-22T20:18:00.001-08:00

1st Halloween

2011-12-22T20:14:00.000-08:00

Sleepy boy

2011-12-22T19:50:00.000-08:00

I could sit and stare at his sweet face all day long...

My...how he has changed!

2011-12-03T14:12:00.000-08:00

From minutes old to 3 months old!! He has grown sooo much!

3 months

2 months

1 month

1 week

couple days

1 day

Newborn

pHoTo ShOoT

2011-10-06T17:57:00.000-07:00

We were soooo excited to have pictures of our little guy taken and enjoyed watching every minute of it! We had a friend from church, Rebecca, who owns {be} photography of Idaho do the photo shoot. She did an AMAZING job! I love the way they turned out and it was so much fun getting our picture taken as a family :) He is truly a blessing from Heaven!

Baby Stoker finally makes his appearance!

2011-09-28T14:01:00.000-07:00

It started at 2am on Monday morning, the day after my due date. Contractions were coming about 5 mins apart. I had some false contractions before but nothing like the ones I was experiencing this time. They were so painful, bringing me to tears and after about two hours, Brian woke up and convinced me it was time to go to the hospital. I had a fear that they would just send me home and I didn't want to get my hopes up too high. I had an induction scheduled for the coming Saturday and thought he might not come before then. We arrived at the hospital around 4 am and I was only 1 1/2cm dilated so they had me up and walking around for an hour to see if that would help me progress. They checked me again and I was at a 2-3cm and that's when they admitted me and Brian made the phone calls to my Mom, Dad and Grandma. I had no idea I would be in labor for as long as I was. I spent some time walking around and with each contraction I would have to stop and hold on to the rails or Brian and breath through it and he would massage my back once in awhile. I was able to spend several hours in the Jacuzzi tub with Brian in the room, feeding me frozen popsilces. After 12 hours, I decided it was time to get the epidural. After getting the epidural I had to lay in bed the rest of the time. I could no longer feel the pain of a contraction, only the sensation of tightness. Several hours after getting the epidural and them breaking my water, I was progressing slowly, so they gave me Pitocin to help make the contractions stronger and more frequent. I was stuck at 4 1/2 cm for a long time. During this time, the baby's heart rate was high, as well as mine and I began to run a fever. I was laying in bed all through out the night, trying to stay calm but my left hip was in so much pain I couldn't get much rest. My midwife came in to check on me and was thinking about a c-section as an option if I didn't start to progress. I did not want that to happen, after crying and getting upset, I told myself I had to think good thoughts. So after several hours, I was checked again at was at 9 1/2 cm! I was not feeling any urge to push so they slowed down my epidural and after a little while I was ready to push and fully dilated. I was terrified and I could feel my contractions getting stronger but I knew the end was near and that is what kept me going. After an hour of pushing and the worst physical pain I have EVER felt in my life, our sweet little baby boy was in my arms. And after seeing him, the pain all vanished. Brian was amazing through out the whole process and I managed to not yell at him while giving birth. During labor I kept thinking, how can anyone ever do this more than one time? Well...after looking at my baby's sweet face, I understand why. And now when someone asks me, do you have any children? I can smile a HUGE smile and say, why yes I do, and he is AMAZING :)

After 30 hours of labor, Vaughn Luis Stoker is finally here!!!!
9/20 @ 7:45 am

Our little family :)

Maternity pictures

2011-09-08T20:00:00.000-07:00

I love the idea of capturing this special time of our lives, but didn't have money to spend on a photo shoot. So I had Brian take the pics of me and then I had my cousin Rosa take the ones of us together. I was very happy with the way they turned out!

34 weeks

35 weeks

36 weeks

38 weeks

Happy Birthday Emily!

2011-09-08T19:26:00.000-07:00

We celebrated my cousin Emily's 7th birthday with family /friends, lots of yummy mexican food, cake, presents and a bounce house :)

Baby bump

2011-09-08T19:18:00.000-07:00

32 weeks

34 weeks

37 weeks

Baby shower at work

2011-09-08T18:54:00.000-07:00

Last month my coworkers threw me a baby shower. I received some much needed packages of diapers, many cute clothes and a beautiful handmade quilt. We had a lot of fun clebrating and had some yummy breakfast food :)

for a laugh...

2011-07-28T15:38:00.000-07:00

After working all day, the last thing I want to do is cook dinner, clean house, and do laundry and dishes. I say we hire a maid.

When I say I'm hungry, I literally cannot wait another 5 minutes to scarf something down.

Yes, I do waddle when I walk, so please slow down if you want me to keep up.

I sneeze, I pee. I cough, I pee. I stand, I pee.

Yes, I do have cankles, swollen feet and legs, no need to point that out.

No, I don't feel like doing that, and yes, it's because I'm tired.

I am no longer in control of my bodily functions and can't help that gas escapes me at any given moment.

Yes, I really do have to get up in the middle of the night THAT MUCH, just to pee.

Yes, I am crying AGAIN, and no, I don't have an excuse.

My belly is getting bigger everyday and my center of gravity is off. Please watch our for my clumsiness.

I can no longer reach certain areas of my body, so if I miss a few spots shaving, please forgive me.

Yes, I do need help getting off the couch and pay no mind to the grunting noises I must make.

Please don't snore. I find it offensive that you are comfortable and asleep, while I toss and turn a million times through out the night.

I apologize if you feel as though my body pillow has gotten more love than you.

I can no longer pick things up off the floor. I just assume someone else will do it.

Yes, my feet and back hurt ALL THE TIME. Just assume I need a massage, no questions asked.

Yes, I am subject to being emotional and moody, blame the hormones.

Baby Shower

2011-07-26T19:10:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all those who came to the baby shower! I was so happy to see family and friends! And thank you to all those who helped with planning and preparing for the celebration! It was greatly appreciated!!

Waiting

2011-07-12T15:14:00.000-07:00

Anxiously awaitng for the day you will be here

Wanting to hold you in my arms and kiss your sweet face

Wanting to look into your sweet eyes

So blessed to spend this time with your life growing inside of me

Watching my tummy grow a little bigger each week

It's a miracle when I feel your movements inside of me

Could hardly wait to see your little body on the ultrasound screen

It was amamzing getting to see the outline of your little nose and hear your heart beat

A blessing from Heavenly father so sweet

Wanting to caress your baby soft skin and hold your tiny feet in the palm of my hand

Wondering if you'll look more like mommy or daddy

Wondering what color of eyes and hair you might have and if you will have freckles and tan or light skin

Wanting to feel your tiny hand wrap around my finger

Waiting for the day we get to meet our sweet baby boy, a day I know will be filled with lots of love and joy!

Belly update...

2011-07-12T14:55:00.000-07:00

Our baby has been very active these last few weeks. He likes to move around a lot in the morning hours and around dinner time. I love to feel him move, it is a wonderful feeling! His kicks and punches are getting stronger and we can actually see my belly move with a lot of his movements! Only 2 more months to go!

28 weeks

30 weeks

Stoker Family Reunion

2011-07-12T14:30:00.000-07:00

4th of July weekend was a weekend spent with family. It was great getting to hear stories and memories of Grandpa Hurst and his life as well as Grandma and Grandpa Stoker. There were lots of fun activites going on and we got to eat lots of yummy food! I love getting to spend time with my sister in laws and getting to see all the kids run around! It was a lot of fun!

Happy Birthday Brandee!

2011-07-12T14:09:00.000-07:00

Since we were going to be out town for the 4th of July weekend, we had an early celebration for my cousin Brandee's birthday!

Best Friends

2011-07-12T13:34:00.000-07:00

Our friends, Joy and Cha came to Boise to visit us the last weekend in June and it was such a blast! We have not seen each other in half a year so getting together was way past due! We were able to do lots of fun things while they were here. Us girls went to the salon and they got their nails done while I got a pedicure. Then we went shopping at the mall, ate dinner at PF Changs and dessert at Cold Stone. Took a trip up to Tablerock. Painted Brian's nails while he was sleeping :) Then the next day we got to go miniture golfing. It was wonderful getting to spend time with them, it definately needs to happen more often!!!!

Circus

2011-07-12T13:19:00.000-07:00

The circus was in town at the end of June and Brian and I went with my cousin and her family. The kids really enjoyed the show as well as getting to ride the elephant. It was a great first experience for them!

Vegas!

2011-07-12T12:33:00.000-07:00

The first week of June, Brian and I decided we needed to take one last vacation before the baby arrives. Going to Vegas was kinda spur of the moment since we didn't decided that was where we were going until a few days before. It was a long drive there and back but we had a blast! We stayed at South Point Hotel and Spa which is about 15-20 mins from the strip. It was a great place to stay! It had an amazing swimming pool and great reasturants to eat at, which were the two main things that mattered to me. It also had a movie theater that we got to enjoy. We got to spend some time on the strip...I still can't believe I walked the whole strip being pregnant, it was definately good exercise. We also got to see the outside of the Las Vegas Temple...which is beautiful! The weather was great! It was sunny and the breeze was blowing so it didn't feel too hot. I am glad we were able to get away for a few days and enjoy each others company :)

Baby clothes

2011-05-28T16:47:00.000-07:00

Everytime I go into a store...I seem to gravitate to the baby section. Honestly...I can't help it, everything is just so darn cute!!!!

Growing bigger everyday!

2011-05-28T16:11:00.000-07:00

I have to say it has been really enjoyable watching my belly grow and it hasn't been too uncomfortable yet! The only complaint I have had so far is not sleeping very well since I used to be a belly sleeper and that is no longer an option. These last couple weeks, the baby has been moving a lot. Sometimes I describe it has feeling like I have a fish swimming in my belly...wierd..I know, but it is an amazing thing. The other night, Brian and I were laying in bed and I had my hand on my belly hoping I would be able to feel the baby move from the outside and sure enough...with a strong kick...or punch....my hand moved! I was soo surprised, I had Brian put his hand on my belly thinking if what I felt was real then he would feel it too and sure enough he did! It is an amazing experience to get to feel our baby move together!! Only 3 more months to go. It seems as though September is so far away yet I know the time will fly by. I can hardly wait for our precious baby boy to get here so I can hold him, kiss him, cuddle him, and show him how much daddy and I love him :)

20 weeks

24 weeks

Painting the nursery!!!

2011-05-28T15:39:00.000-07:00

I convinced Brian that color is better than a plain white room. He would leave every wall in the house white if he could...since he dislikes painting and all the work that comes with it. So I am very thankful he was willing and excited to do the nursery! We had a good time and I love the way it turned out! There are still a few finishing touches to make and decorations to put it, but I thought I would give you all a preview! We are SOOOO excited!

Happy Birthday Brian and Brad!

2011-05-28T15:35:00.000-07:00

Celebrating 24 years! We had some yummy mexican food and tres leches cake! Thank you to all who came!

I love him....

2011-05-28T15:17:00.000-07:00

his words "I would look good with a beard!"
my words "please shave the 'stach!"

Easter!

2011-05-28T14:56:00.000-07:00

A weekend full of family, food, and egg hunts.

Mid pregnancy ultrasound!!

2011-04-29T20:20:00.000-07:00

Brian and I were sooooo anxious waiting for this day to come! It was AMAZING getting to see our little baby! He has grown so much since that very first ultrasound when he looked like a little peanut! Now he looks like a real baby :) We were so excited to get to find out what the gender was...and when they said "It's a BOY!" Brian was smiling ear to ear! I have to admit, a little tiny part of me was hoping for a girl, so I could dress her up in cute girly stuff, but I am very proud to say we are having a little boy! He is going to be just has handsome as his daddy! And it makes me smile to think about all the things they will get to do together and all the things Brian will be able to teach him! And I am excited to get to have a mother/son bond!

During the ultrasound, baby Stoker was being a little stubborn and he had fliped over to were he was facing my back and the ultrasound tech had to poke and prod and jiggle my tummy to try and get him to roll back over.
At one point, he had both of his legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles and he had his hands behind his head, then he yawned and we got to see it all! It was sooooo cute!!
I am so thankful that everything on the ultrasound was okay and he is measuring well. I cannot express how thankful I am that Brian and I are blessed with this little baby boy :)

Baby Stoker's 1st outfit!

2011-04-29T20:15:00.000-07:00

We were out with my mom shopping for some maternity clothes since I was having to keep my regular pants secured together using a rubber band, when we came across the cutest outfit! My mom just had to buy it since it was so fitting for a Stoker baby.

Thanks Mom!

Keeping track of the baby bump

2011-04-19T13:55:00.000-07:00

7 weeks

11 weeks

16 weeks

18 weeks

My belly is growing more each day and I am getting super excited!! I have been feeling little flutters, like popcorn popping. I can't wait to start feeling stronger movements!

General Conference

2011-04-19T13:41:00.000-07:00

My first time going to General Conference was amazing. I loved the talks and the experience was wonderful. Temple square was beautiful and it was the first time I had been there with Brian!

I Love You More

2011-04-19T13:34:00.000-07:00

I love you more now than ever before
I love you more than all the houses in the world

When you look me in the eyes
I can't help but get butterflies

I love the way your lips feel against mine
I love the fact you'll always be my valentine

I love you more than I love french fries
I love you more than anything I could ever buy

Nothing is better than seeing you smile
It sees to take my breath away for awhile

I love the way you run your fingers through my hair
I love the fact that you and I are a pair

I love you more than a warm summer day
I love you more than sitting on the beach, listening to the waves

You always seem to turn my frown upside down
I can't help but smile when we laugh and joke around

I love the way you hold my hand
I want you to know that I'm your number #1 fan

I love you more than the month of June
I love you more than any song on itunes

At the end of a long day when you hold me tight
you have a way of reassuring me everything will be alright

I love to look back at all the silly things we do
I love it when you look at me like I'm the only person in the room

I love you more and more each day
I love you more today than I did yesterday

Dedicated to my wonderful husband
Feb. 2011

Valentine's Day

2011-04-19T13:12:00.000-07:00

Who needs flowers and chocolate when you have...the man you love, Burger King, and rollerskating to a Justin Biber love song :)

23rd Birthday!

2011-04-19T13:07:00.000-07:00

One year older and wiser too...

A Blessing from Above

2011-02-11T11:31:00.000-08:00

How we found out...It was a Sunday morning and I decided to take a pregnacy test because Brian and I had been trying to get pregnant and I knew it should be positive if we did our job right :) So when I looked over at the test stick sitting on the bathroom counter and saw that it had two lines, instead of the usual one line I had been disappointed by time and time again, I became ecstatic! I honestly couldn't beleive what I was seeing, so I had brian go into the bathroom and asked him if it really said what I think it said. We both smiled from ear to ear and then the tears of happiness came! We were standing there hugging and crying, when all of a sudden Brian got sick and had to throw up. He had been sick all that night before. Romantic...not exactly but definately a moment in time I will always remember!

So over the next few days I took test after test to make sure they were all positive. I got enjoyment everytime I saw the positive line show up :)

The next step was making a doctor's appointment. It seemed like forever for that day to come. When the day finally came, Brian and I were soooooo excited we could hardly contain ourselves. They did an ultrasound to see how far along I am and we got to see our little blurry gray peanut and hear the baby's heartbeat. That is a sound I will ever forget and it was the best day in our lives this far!

Baby Stoker 7 weeks and 4 days on Feb 3rd

Due date is September 18th 2011!
WE ARE SOOOOO EXCITED!!!!!

weekend visit

2011-02-11T11:26:00.000-08:00

My Mom, Gerald, Becky and Doug came up for the weekend. We went to Rockies Diner and had some good food! We also went to the Antique Mall which had so many cool things to look at.

Tea Party

2011-02-11T11:11:00.000-08:00

Emily was playing with Thomas's star wars legos and decided they would love to join her lego house and asked them if they wanted some tea.

Too good not to share!

2011-02-11T11:09:00.000-08:00

This is what Brian would look like with a mulet...business in the front and party in the back!

Another painting project...

2011-02-11T11:06:00.000-08:00

I decided to paint our laundry room bright green. Brian on the other hand is tired of all this painting!

Christmas time...a wonderful time!

2011-02-11T10:41:00.000-08:00

Snow falling, lights on a christmas tree, a time for family and celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving!

2011-02-11T10:24:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving of 2010 was the year I made my very first turkey! I have to say it turned out pretty good! We had some of my family over and we had a good time! There are so many things for us to be thankful for. We have a healthy family and a wonderful home...what else could we ask for!

Painting projects

2010-12-14T15:35:00.000-08:00

Getting up on the plant shelf is a whole lot scarier than it looks. My cousins decided to put tons of blankets and pillows on the ground and tried convincing me to jump...but I just couldn't risk it :)

Halloween activities...

2010-12-14T15:11:00.000-08:00

It was a time of scary movies and pumpkin carving!

Happy Birthday Rosa!!!

2010-11-16T19:46:00.000-08:00

We celebrated my cousin Rosa's 10th birthday in October with a trip to the swimming pool and a sleepover. Let's just say Justin Bieber played over and over again in my head after them blaring it on the stereo.

Fishing at Lake Lowell

2010-11-16T19:41:00.000-08:00

We took Rosa, Thomas and Emily fishing this last summer. Unfortunately, none of us had any luck catching fish. I have yet to catch my first fish!

Happy Birthday Emily!!!!

2010-11-16T19:27:00.000-08:00

We celebrated my cousin Emily's 6th birthday in August. We had pizza and cupcakes and she got to open lots of presents that included Barbie toys and lots of girlie things!

Cleo's Nature Trail

2010-11-16T17:29:00.000-08:00

This was a very neat trail in Melba that has so many interesting things to look at. My aunt Laura and I wanted to explore different places around here and we came across this place. There was soo much stuff to see that we had to go back the next day!

Our first attempt at a garden

2010-11-16T17:05:00.000-08:00

We planted two tomato plants. One died and the other one grew sooo big that they covered our strawberry plant. Needless to say, our strawberry plant never grew due to lack of sun.

Yummy!

being funny

2010-11-16T16:33:00.000-08:00

Toys from a happy meal make for great entertainment...

Sage Hen Reservoir

2010-07-27T19:17:00.000-07:00

Last weeekend Brian and I took my cousin and her three kids camping. It was the kids first time ever going camping. It was absolutely BEAUTIFUL! Friday night we had dutch oven dinner and made smores on the campfire. The spot we camped in was right next to a creek and it was sooo relaxing to hear the water flowing during the night. On saturday we hiked to a waterfall then afterwards we went swimming in the reservoir. The water was so nice and it was sooo pretty being surrrounded by trees. We will definately have to go there again!!!

StOkEr FaM rEuNiOn

2010-07-27T18:21:00.000-07:00

The weekend of July 2nd-4th was the Mark Stoker family reunion. It was great being able to get together and enjoy each others company!

On friday we met at the church and had a yummy dinner. Then we played minute to win it games. It made for some great laughs! Afterwards the boys played basketball and Cassey was patient enough to teach me a little bit of piano playing skills.

On saturday morning the boys had a father and son golf tournament. Then we met up for a picnic in the park. Then went to Black Canyon damn and went boating, swimmig, and had a bbq. That night we enjoyed sparklers and camped out in Jeff and Holly's backyard.

On sunday we all went to church together and afterwards enjoyed a nice meal. Then spent the evening at the park and nature museum. Then later that night we watched the fireworks!

Thanks Jeff and Holly for making it all happen! It was a blast!

Vacation

2010-07-05T14:17:00.000-07:00

To Celebrate our 2nd year anniversary Brian and I went on a trip to San Diego with our best friends Scott and JoyAnne. We spent time in Knotts Berry Farm, Laguna and Mission Beach, Soak City water park, San Diego Zoo and Sea World. We were also able to go to the San Diego Temple, which was a great experience. It was such a fun vacation!! I feel so blessed to have been able to go and have a great time :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRIAN!!!!!!

2010-05-06T17:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Brian's 23rd birthday and Cinco de Mayo. Two reasons to celebrate with a FIESTA!!! We had family and friends over for some yummy mexican food which my grandma and I made. We also celebrated with a pinata and cake and ice cream. And not to mention a dance off in which we got to show off our skills...

Brian's awesome pinata hitting skills

Can't touch this...MC Hammer

Wanna be...Spice Girls

Cotton eye joe...Rednex

Jerk it out...Caesars

Yard work...

2010-05-06T16:02:00.000-07:00

Three weeks ago Brian and I decided it was finally time to get to work on our yard. We had been putting it off for awhile. Most of our lawn was just dead grass and not to mention half rock. So we had to completely tear it up and haul the rock. We had help from family and friends which made it happen a lot faster and I am so thankful for thier willingness to help. I don't think I've ever worked physically hard like that in my life, but in the end it was worth it. We put wood trim around the flower beds and put some of the rock next to the drive way. We planted grass seed and some flowers. Two things I have never done before. We also planted a tree. So now we just get to sit back and watch the grass grow. I didn't think I would ever be this excited about grass...but I have to say being a homeowner gets me excited about a lot of things!

in Oct. 09 when we first bought our home

the guys working hard

before planting the seed

back yard

side yard

3 weeks after planting seed

weekend project

2010-03-18T15:28:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I decided I wanted to do some painting. Brian wasn't too thrilled about the idea but he went along with it...
so we painted the main bathroom and living room. Our friends Danae and Tyler came over friday night and helped us. I love the way it turned out!!

Valentine's weekend...

2010-02-15T20:06:00.000-08:00

On Friday we had our employee appreciation breakfast at work. They do it once a year. Our bosses make and serve us a yummy breakfast and do recognition awards. I feel very blessed to have the job I do.
Saturday night Brian and I had a double date night with our friends Danae and Tyler. We went over to thier house and made homemade pizza and chocolate covered strawberries for dessert. Danae was so nice and made me a brownie cake for my birthday with a candle I could make a wish on :) We spent the night watching a movie, playing Just Dance and the board game called Things. It was soo much fun!
On Sunday, Valentine's Day, Brian and I went to church. It was my first day with the sunbeams. There are thirteen of them but not all of them are always there. I am team teaching with another sister who is experienced so it makes me not as nervous. Sunbeams are so full of energy and it definately helps with two of us. There is nothing more humbling than hearing a child say a prayer. After church Brian made me dinner, chicken alfredo with garlic bread. One of my favorites. We spent the night talking, laughing, and listening to music. I am so blessed to have Brian as my husband ♥

My 22nd Birthday!

2010-02-15T17:27:00.001-08:00

Wow...honestly I can't believe how fast time goes! My grandma Moralez was so sweet and sang me Happy Birthday over the phone. After work, Brian took me out to dinner at P.F. Chang's (Chinese food) and it was amazingly delicious. I have been wanting to go there for over a year because of all the good things I've heard. Then afterwards we came home and he gave me my birthday gift...a game for the wii called Just Dance that I haven't been able to find anywhere. Let's just say we rocked it and MC Hammer's got nothing on us :)

Thank you for all the Birthday wishes!
And thanks babe...for all you do! You are amazing!

Happy Birthday Sweetie!!!

2010-02-12T13:28:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to write Sierra a Happy 22nd birthday to her! Sierra means the world to me and I am so very grateful that I get to grow old with her, and after this life spend an eternity with her! What a wonderful blessing it is to have a wife who loves to make you dinner, make you smile, or give you a nice foot rub! :) Sierra has put up with a lot from me, but she is always there to love me just the same or maybe even a little more when we conquer disagreements or whatever it is!

I love you Sierra Lynn Moralez Stoker!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!

Our Love Story ♥

2010-02-08T11:11:00.000-08:00

Since Valentine's Day is right around the corner...I just wanted to share our love story.

In November of 2006 was the first time Brian and I had ever met. He grew up in Declo while I grew up in Burley, never going to the same school together. That was the fall after I graduated and Brian had just came back from Chicago. I was involved with (other boy) and Brian had just gotten his heart broken by (other girl). So needless to say...the first time I had met Brian it was with (other boy) at my side. Love ast first sight no...but I do remember thinking that we could definately be friends. The following year around February both Brian and I were single for a few weeks and during that time we started talking a little. We both hadn't talked to each other since we had first met. After that I ended up getting back together with (other boy) and he got back together with (other girl) so we stopped talking to each other. That same year in June we were both once again single at the exact same time...fate...I like to think so. My best friend JoyAnne was dating Brian's best friend Scott through out all this time and they kept telling us to go on a date that June. One night I was at my mom's in Burley and Brian was in Emmett at his brother's and we happened to be on the computer at the same time and he instant messaged me. We got to talking and then he asked me out on a date to go see the movie Pirate's of the Carribean. And I remember him talking about his nephews rubber duckie and I thought that was the funniest thing. So the next week we went on our first date and afterwards we sat in his car just talking and laughing. No first date kiss...that didn't happen til later. But I just rememeber feeling so comfortable with him...and the weeks went on and we went on more dates. And the four of us friends all hung out. Then around the end of July...(other boy) decided to come back into my life, promising to change and wanting to be with me again. So I decided to break it off with Brian because I still had feelings for (other boy) that needed to be worked through. Brian was very understanding, the most understanding guy I had ever met before. So there I was, my heart torn in pieces and my mind going in two directions. I admit that was one of the most unstable times in my life. My heart had been broken a thousand times by (other boy) and Brian knew exactly what I was going through because (other girl) had broken his heart lots of times too. A few weeks passed by and I knew I had to make a decision. The time came where I knew I had to break it off with (other boy) once and for all. In my heart and in my mind I knew Brian was who I was ment to be with. So I said good bye to (other boy) for the last time. I knew Brian was the one I couldn't live without. He was my prince charming. The sweetest guy I knew. So here we are three years later after we first met. Married for one and a half of them :)
Complicated love story...yes. But I can honestly look back and say there are no what ifs. Ask me if I still feel Brian is the man I'm ment to be with and I'll say...definately...with no doubt in my mind. My love for him grows stronger and deeper each day.

Missing you...

2010-01-24T20:40:00.000-08:00

I was sitting here thinking about how much I miss Brian because he is in Burley working so I wrote this poem and I don't care if anyone thinks it's cheesy.

I miss you when your gone
I feel so alone
I miss your body next to mine
I miss looking into your eyes
I want to feel your arms around me
I need to hear your voice
I miss your lips pressed against mine
I miss your hands running through my hair
I want to feel you breathing
I need you to be here
I miss your gentle smile
I miss your hand holding mine
I want to hear your laughter
I need to see you so badly
I can't stand it when we're apart
I want you to be home already
before it slowly breaks my heart.

Sunbeams

2010-01-24T19:36:00.001-08:00

Today I recieved my very first church calling....teaching the sunbeams! I am so excited but at the same time I can't help but feeling a little nervous. I just hope I can do well. If anyone has any advice for me I would be happy to listen!

Grandparents

2010-01-24T19:18:00.000-08:00

January 20th was my grandpa Moralez's 72nd birthday! My grandma Moralez's 74th birthday will on February 22nd. I just wanted to write about how thankful I am that they are a huge part of my life. They had a great influence in my up bringing and have always been there to support me in everthing I have wanted to do. They have helped make me the person I am today. I don't know where I would be without thier guidance and unconditional love. I just want them to know how thankful I am for both of them. They mean so much to me! I love you both so very much!!!

Ice Skating in Sun Valley

2010-01-21T16:57:00.000-08:00

January 6th was my mom and aunt Becky's birthday. That weekend Brian and I and my mom and Gerald went to Sun Valley to celebrate. I had never been to Sun Valley before and Brian had never been ice skating so we were very excited to go! I always love spending time with my mom...she is the best :) Ice skating was lots of fun even though I spent most of the time falling on my bum attempting to do tricks. Brian was very good at it considering it was his first time. My mom never fell once...something that takes talent and Gerald could do turns with no problem at all. While we were there we saw two ladies who had been doing it all thier lives...it was amazing to watch. Sun Valley was a pretty place with all the snow and mountains around.

New Year!

2010-01-21T16:20:00.000-08:00

Here we are 21 days into the new year of 2010 and I am barely getting this posted. PROCRASTINATION...maybe.
New Years eve was spent at Jeff and Holly's house in Emmett, where we ate snacks, played catch phrase and watched the ball drop on tv in Times Square. I can't believe how quickly time goes. 2009 was a year of many life changes. In April my grandpa Green (my mom's dad) passed away. He was such a wonderful man and is very missed. The Stoker family has had two little additions...Colton and Owen. Both are very adorable little boys. In October Brian and I were sealed in the Logan, UT Temple which brought about so many personal changes. That same month we were blessed to buy our very first home. We are so excited to start our own little family soon. 2009 was full of many memories. Here is to 2010 and enjoying all the moments it is going to bring.

Christmas!

2009-12-31T11:04:00.000-08:00

Brian and I went to Burley to celebrate Christmas. We stayed at my mom's house. The night we got into town we got to see our friends Scott, Joyanne and Cha and did our gift exchange. On Christmas eve we went to the Hurst's grandparents house for the yearly Christmas eve party. We ate some yummy food then there was a talent show. Unfortunatly I didn't have any talent to present but there were some good ones, including Cody who played the hermonica. Then Santa Clause came to visit and we all got the opportunity to sit on his lap. It was nice to be a part of such a wonderful family tradition. That night Brian and I hung out with his cousins Cody and Brandon. On Christmas morning I got Brian out of bed to open gifts. He totally surprised me by buying me a Wii...the only thing I asked Santa for! And I surprised him by buying him a hunting gun that he spotted way back in September and thought he would never see again. We spent the day making visits to Brian's parents, the Stoker grandparents and the Moralez grandparents and my dad. Then back over to my mom's where we spent the night playing the Wii with my mom, Gerald, Becky, Doug and Bree-zee. The rest of the weekend was great getting to relax and see family and friends :) We went bowling on Saturday night with Tyler, Joylnne, Braxton, Addison, Brad and his girlfriend Casey. Then we went over to Tyler and Joylnne's house and stayed until 3 in the morning playing cards. We didn't get much sleep on our vacation staying up late every night but we definately enjoyed it!

Sledding!

2009-12-13T18:13:00.000-08:00

We took my cousins Rosa, Thomas and Emily sledding at Lake View park. It was thier first time and they had a lot of fun!

Christmas time!

2009-12-13T17:44:00.001-08:00

Christmas time is such a joyful holiday! Brian and I enjoy the beautiful white snow falling and the sparkle of Christmas lights all around. It is a time to spend with loved ones and be reminded of what we are thankful for. It is a time to celebrate Jesus Christ and the love that is shown to us. It is a time when we get to think of others before ourselves. This is our first Christmas in our new home :)

Imagination...

2009-12-13T17:35:00.000-08:00

Rosa stayed the night at our house last weekend. Brian and I were thinking about how when we were kids we would build forts so we thought it would be fun to build one with Rosa. We took our kitchen chairs and put a blanket over the top and piled pillows and blankets inside of it. We crawled in and Rosa...being a kid and all...had an imagination that ran wild. We pretended we were under attack by giant kitties, throwing gernades and shooting guns. Before that, Brian and Rosa were playing war and Brian was shooting a "Bazooca." Later on Rosa was running around the house shooting a "Kabooza." Haha...she got the word a little mixed up, but it made for a good laugh!

HaPpY bIrThDaY tHoMaS!

2009-12-13T16:56:00.000-08:00

My cousin Thomas turned 7 years old on Dec. 5th. We celebrated with food, a cake made out of cupcakes and ice cream.

Thanksgiving!

2009-12-02T18:27:00.000-08:00

For Thanksgiving this year we went down to Burley and spent time with family and friends. On Thanksgiving day we ate at my moms house then we ate again at Brian's parents. That night we visited my grandparents and dad and then we went over to Brian's aunt and uncle's house. So you can imagine how full our bellies were. Friday night a few of us stayed up playing cards until 3:30 in the morning. Saturday was spent catching up on sleep and sunday we headed back home.
It was a long four day weekend and we enjoyed every minute of it! We are so thankful for such a wonderful family and we are very blessed.

Trip to Washington

2009-11-23T22:13:00.000-08:00

This last weekend Brian and I took a spontaneous road trip to Yakama, Washington to pick up Brian's mom. Brian's Dad had to head to California to get a load and Brian's Mom wanted to get back to Burley in time to get ready for thanksgiving. So we hit the road Saturday and got up there in the evening. We all went out to eat at the Olive Garden and stayed the night in a hotel. We went to church Sunday morning then headed back to Idaho after getting some breakfast. It was a nice, little getaway and the drive was very pretty with snow in some areas.

Fun with friends!

2009-11-23T21:46:00.000-08:00

The weekend of Nov. 13th our friends Joy and Scott came up to Nampa and stayed at our house. Scott's brother plays for the Declo football team. Saturday we watched the football game and luckily Declo won. Joy and I froze our bums off during the game.

That night we ate some good food at Texas Roadhouse, then came back to our house and attempted to make carmel popcorn which didn't turn out very well...both times we tried. But we did make some pretty delicious no bake cookies...so there is still hope for us.

Brian and Scott thought it would be funny if us two girls got up on the ledge of our plant shelf. It didn't look very high just looking up at it...but once we got up there it was a whole other story and actually a little scary. Haha...just ask Joy, she totally freaked out when she was trying to get down.

Halloween

2009-11-23T21:15:00.000-08:00

Friday night Brian and I dressed up for a costume party that our friends Danae and Tyler were throwing! I dressed up as a regal princess and Brian was a knight. It made for a good time...and hey...who says we are too old to be dressing up :)

Saturday night we had lots of trick or treaters. I enjoyed seeing all the creative costumes being worn throughout the night.

My cousins Rosa, Thomas and Emily

Concert!

2009-11-23T21:04:00.000-08:00

The last week of October, Brian had called into the radio station WOW 104.3 and won concert tickets to see Darius Rucker. Brian was sooo excited he had won and I was excited to spend the evening with him listening to some good music!

waiting for the concert to start
The Lost Trailers

Darius Rucker

My favorite scripture...

2009-11-23T20:15:00.000-08:00

And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock uopn which ye are build, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

Helaman 5:12

oUr HoMe SwEeT hOmE!

2009-11-23T19:54:00.000-08:00

Brian and I are so blessed to have purchased this home in Nampa. From the moment I saw this house I absolutely loved it! It is 3 bedroom and 2 bath. It is also in a great nieghborhood with friendly people and an amazing church. We moved into our home October 16th with the help of brians mom, brother Jeff, nephew Ethan, and my aunt Becky and uncle Doug. We moved everything in 6 loaded vehicles. We were all moved in and unpacked within 24 hours thanks to the help of family. I never realized how much "stuff" we had until I started packing it into boxes. Moving is definately something I would only do a select few times in my life...its stressful. But definately very worth it! We had been living in a 1 bedroom apartment together the last year and a half and it was about time to get our very own place we could call home.

Kitchen

Dinning area

Living room

Main bath

Master bedroom

Master bath

Guest/office room

A wonderful day...

2009-11-23T19:46:00.000-08:00

Sunrise on a beautiful morning

On our way to Logan

Eternal love

Best friends

Sealed for all eternity...

2009-10-15T19:23:00.000-07:00

Brian and I got sealed in the Logan, UT Temple on October 10th, 2009. We are so blessed to be sealed for all eternity :) And although my family couldn't be there, I was lucky enough to have the love and support that I needed from Brian's family!

Our sister in law, Holly took these amazing photos! Thanks Holly!

Spokane, Washington

2009-10-11T20:18:00.000-07:00

Last week a coworker and I were sent to Spokane for a work conference. Brooke and I had such a good time and the drive up there had great scenery. On the drive up we took the way going through all the small towns and up through McCall and on the drive back we went through Oregan. Spokane was such a neat city with lots of old buildings that looked like castles and very old bridges. Our hotel was right on the river by a huge park with a clock tower and a carrosel and ice skating rink. We are very fortunate to have gone and learn lots of things about nursing, vascular conditions, diabetes, wound care and foot care.

Rosa's Birthday

2009-10-03T20:04:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was my little cousins Rosa's 9th Birthday. We had a little celebration here at our apartment with pizza, cake and ice cream and Rosa had a sleepover with a friend. We had lots of balloons and Tonks was terrified of them. She hid under the bed the whole time.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROSA!!!

Cat in the box...

2009-10-03T19:55:00.000-07:00

Since we have been in the process of packing we have boxes every where and the cats climb in and out of them. It makes for cheap entertainment...

Poems

2009-10-03T12:13:00.001-07:00

I have always enjoyed writting poems. I hope to get good enough at it that I can publish some of them in a book. I thought I would share some of the poems I have written for Brian.

YOUR LOVE

Your love brings a huge smile to my face.
I get butterflies in my stomach when I'm in your loving embrace.

Your love is as wonderful as the sun shinning from above.
It's as clear as the blue sky, giving me hope, clarity and light.

Your love is like a cleansing rain.
It washes away the past.
It refreshes my soul.
I know this feeling will always last.

Your love is like the autumn leaves, continuing to change.
It grows stronger day by day.

Your love is what I feel deep down inside my core.
It makes me feel adored.
It makes me feel safe and secure.

Your love is what I have been searching for.
Your love is what I need.
Your love is what I can't live without.
Your love is what makes my heart skip a beat.

written for Brian Sept. 2009

A NEW BEGINNING

hopeless and broken hearted
miserable and in pain
longing for something to fill the emptiness
longing for someone to take away the pain
my heart left in pieces
my eyes had no more tears
the thought of starting over was more than I could bare
wanting someone to love me
wanting someone to care
and when you walked into my life I knew you would always be there
you were broken hearted too
you knew everything I was going through
you picked me up and took my hand
and when I had forgotten what it was like to be happy
you smiled and made me laugh
you took away the pain
you were patient and you were kind
I didn't realize what was standing right in front of me
you stood beside me when I was blind until something opened my eyes
you opened up and told me you loved me
you showed me you really cared
you proved you wanted to be there
I didn't think I would ever love again
but that changed after being with you
you gave me hope when I had none
you gave me strenght when I thought I couldn't go on
you gave me the courage to help me move on
but most of all you gave me love
and that was the greatest gift of all
you loved me for me
and I want you to know I'm very thankful
you rescued me from all the pain.

written for Brian Oct. 2007

Haunted world

2009-10-03T11:50:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Brian came up to see me and my Mom and Gerald came with him to suprise me. That night we went to the Haunted world. It has three sections to it and over 40 acres big. Let me tell you...I screamed like a little girl and hardly had a voice the next day.

Fun times at the park

2009-10-01T19:58:00.000-07:00

One of the things I love to do in the nice summer weather is have picnics in the park...

Life is wonderful!

2009-09-17T21:20:00.000-07:00

Life has been so crazy busy lately. With work, life in general, buying our very first home, and planning to get sealed in the Logan temple all in the same time frame. It's a little hard to balance things out and sometimes gets overwhelming. But when I stop and take a breather...I realize how much I love life! I realize we are trully blesssed in every way and I am so very grateful!

Bountiful Temple

2009-09-14T17:43:00.000-07:00

Our friends Scott and JoyAnne Briggs got sealed in the LDS temple on Saturday September 5th, 2009! We are so happy for them! Congrats you two!

Brian, Cha and I enoyed our drive down to Utah that day. We got to see how beautiful the temple is. Then afterwards we ate at Texas Roadhouse.

Camping at Twin Lakes.

2009-09-14T17:21:00.000-07:00

We got to go camping with the Briggs at Twin Lakes down by Burley for a weekend at the end of August. We had a ton of fun playing games and four wheeling and sitting around the campfire sharing stories! I love spending time outdoors in the fresh air! Thanks you two, for such a wonderful time!

Summer time!

2009-09-14T17:11:00.000-07:00

sunshine on your face...
ice cold lemonade...
bare feet in the cool grass
the sound of country music in the air...that's why I love summer time!

Brian and I went to a Jake Owen concert at the Caldwell fair back in July.

We also got to see Rodney Atkins in concert at the Boise fair in August. We went with a couple friends and had a blast!

Happy Birthday Emily!

2009-09-14T16:59:00.000-07:00

My cousin's daughter Emily recently had a 3rd birthday party! Wow...what it would be like to be a youngster again...
We celebrated with some good food and cake. And afterwards we got to see her learn to ride a bike without training wheels...very cute!

Stoker family reunion!

2009-09-12T16:45:00.000-07:00

August 14, 15 and 16th:

Friday we went to lake cleavland and gathered around the camp fire eating food and grandpa Stoker sang songs from the good ol' days.

Saturday we had a yummy breakfast at Jay and Susan's house. We sat around playing guitar hero for awhile then decided we would go swimming in the Stoker's indoor pool.
That night we went to the fair and Brian was brave enough to get hypnotized. It was sooo funny! Then we had dinner and went to the rodeo.

Sunday we went to church and grandma and grandpa Stoker's ward and afterwards had dinner at their house.

We had such a wonderful weekend spending time with family..it's always nice to have a place called home :)

Brian named her Tonks...

2009-09-12T16:12:00.000-07:00

I had been wanting to get another kitten so Lilly could have a playmate. I saw this kitten at the humane society and thought she was absolutely adorable. She was underweight and had to be put in a foster home to gain strength before she was adopted. I was suprised when they called me about a week later and said I could adopt her. I just think she is so cute! I have never heard a kitten purr as much as she does. When we brought her home, all we heard that night was hissing. It took a day or two for them to get along. Now they like to play and we even catch the two of them cuddling once in awhile.

4th Of JuLy

2009-07-07T15:51:00.001-07:00

For the 4th...Brian and I spent the weekend in Burley. Friday I spent time with my grandparents. Then that night we celebrated Braxton's Baptism and had dinner at Tyler and Jolynne's. We are very proud of him! Saturday we went to the Hurst family reunion and had a bbq. Then later we went to the river with my mom and Gerald and took the boat out. That night we went up to Twin Falls with my family and celebrated the 4th at my aunt Becky's house. The fireworks were awesome!

1 wHoLe YeAr...

2009-07-07T15:23:00.000-07:00

Brian and I recently celebrated our one year anniversary! You never realize how fast time goes by until you are sitting there looking back on the past. We have made it through a year of marriage and I am looking forward to the many many more years to come! One thing for sure is marriage is definatley not easy...there are many ups and downs and twists and turns. Often compaired to a rollercoaster ride...and yes...its most definatley worth the ride.

We celebrated by going to Utah. We spent two days in Lagoon. We had an awsome time riding the rides and going to the water park! Then drove to Logan and stayed in the Anniversary Inn. Our room was amamzing! And while we were there we got to see the Logan Temple (where we plan on getting sealed).

mEmOrIaL wEeKeNd...

2009-05-28T18:40:00.001-07:00

Its a family tradition for my moms side of the family to go camping on Memorial weekend. This year not everyone was able to go but Brian and I went as well as my mom, Gerald, Spencer, Katie, my girl Cha, and a few cousins and thier friends. We got up to Sublet friday night. Spent all day saturday riding four wheelers, taking walks and hikes, and exploring the outdoors. The weather was beautiful. We had a good time!