the kennedys

a little self pity

2012-01-28T12:43:00.000-08:00

Blogging (pretty much everything) has taken the backseat lately. I've been spending a lot of time hibernating at home and feeling semi-sorry for myself because the nausea has taken over for the past 7 weeks. This experience is new for me. I now really appreciate the fact that I was not sick at all when pregnant with Caden. Although, it is hard to see the light (or relief) at the end of the tunnel, I keep reminding myself how blessed I am to have this little babe and that this sickness is SO worth it. So, complaining/self pity aside, I am one grateful mother.

Meanwhile, Caden is flourishing and continues to keep my spirits up. Whether it be a new funny face, a word, or dance move, he keeps me laughing. I feel so bad that he has been cooped up in the house and at times I barely have the energy to play with him. I've had a few good days when I was able to take him to play group etc. and he was beyond excited. It broke my heart. I hope for both our sake that this sickness subsides soon.

I'll be 14 weeks in a couple days and we are finding out the sex of the baby next week! I'm really looking forward to it! We are having a family "baby gender reveal," like we did when I was pregnant with Caden. Take a look back here.

A few pics from Christmas time....enjoy.

Caden with (cousin) Auntie Domi

Temple Square - Salt Lake City
It was freeeeeezzzzzing!

A fantastic Christmas dinner. Of course, we're all still in our jams.

My beautiful nieces - Domi, Jo, and Shaunie

Salt Lake Temple

Caden loved playing with his cousin Dylan.

+1

2012-01-13T08:56:00.000-08:00

On Christmas day, Caden surprised everyone.

We are thrilled and blessed to be having another baby.

Now, we are even more excited for summer to be here.

good times & an update

2012-01-03T15:57:00.000-08:00

We are back from our whirlwind trip. (thank goodness)

As always, Utah was a pleasure. Although, we did not get to experience a white Christmas this year.
I was terrible at taking pictures but, I'll try to scrounge some up or steal them from my nieces. We spent all our time with family this trip and it reminded me just how much I miss Jared's family. We don't get to see them often, maybe twice a year if we're lucky. So, any extended amount of time is a treat. I'm spoiled to have most of my family so close.

The day we arrived home, we left from the airport to make a few stops to visit some of my family. The best part was getting to hold my newborn nephew, who is such a little bundle. I can't wait him and his parents to move back to California this summer! The next day, Jared and Caden ( I didn't have it in me) took off to Arcadia to visit the Daines clan. We can't wait for them to move back to California this summer as well.

Did I mention that I still have yet to unpack from Utah. I'm exhausted. I will get to it this week.

A quick update....
I started working for Sherwood Development again, part-time and mostly from home. It's the perfect set up for us right now. I started my own design business and plan to get it going in the upcoming months.

Jared is done coaching football, which has given him much more free time and allows him to come home early from work :) He training to race in an olympic triathlon this spring.

Caden is non-stop. He has more energy than we know what to do with. He is learning and growing so fast. Why does the first year go by so quickly? He is so much fun and we love him to pieces.

I am so ready for a new and exciting year. Keep up with us, we're most definitely moving AGAIN this summer. Stay tuned.

2011-12-18T18:36:00.000-08:00

We are going to Utah for 9 days to spend Christmas with our family.
Not to mention, we're desperately in need of some relaxation time.

We are so {very} lucky to be spoiled when we visit.

Pretty sure blogging is on the back burner for the next couple weeks.

Merry Christmas to all our family and friends!

Wishing you a happy and prosperous New Year!

Love, The Kennedys

12 months

2011-12-18T18:22:00.000-08:00

Caden has his 1 year check up last week.

Weight - 21.5 pounds (our little guy)

Height - 29-1/4 inches

Here's a little update:

he is running (literally) and likes to walk backwards
he can successfully get up onto the couch and get down on his own
he crawls all the way upstairs and can successfully come down backwards on his belly (we call it "sit and flip")
he loves fruit and is starting to like real food
when he hears music, dancing is a must
he has 6 teeth
he makes the funniest fake sad face, it cracks us up
he says; ba ba, da da, daddy, this, daw(dog), ball, uh oh, and occasionally mom will slip out
he can identify his toys and objects
he absolutely loves sticks, every time we go outside he searches for one
he loves to play with balloons, blocks, sports balls, and instruments
he can mimic people, it is so funny
his favorite thing is to be chased

We feel so blessed to have a healthy and happy little boy.

I know it might sound cheesy or cliche but, he really is pure joy in our lives.

We are so grateful for the opportunity to be his parents.

Love you forever Caden.

Caden's 1st Birthday!

2011-12-12T07:49:00.000-08:00

My baby is turning into a toddler much too fast. Before I know it, we'll be sending this boy on a mission. (ok, that is still a long way off it but, it sure does feel like we'll be there before we know it.)

We had a pirate party for our little guy. He really enjoys playing with the "big" kids. So much so that we had to rush to do his cake because he was fading fast. He ended up passing out before the party was even over. It was a great day!

buckle up...

2011-12-02T16:18:00.000-08:00

...it's going to be a long post. Enjoy.

Football season has come to an end. To say that Caden loved the games would be an understatement. He pretty much had free rein to run all over the sidelines.

We celebrated the upcoming arrival of my new "nephew" - my cousin Brian's son. His wife, Anne is such a trooper, you really have no idea. Let's just say she is 41 weeks and being induced today!

Mom and Tom had birthdays.

We played at lots of parks, the splash pad a couple times (thanks Janene and Jessi for that hidden gem) and ate out with friends.

We came across this adorable little mummy. The costume fell to pieces before we even got out of the house. I'm not embarrassed to admit that I made it and kinda failed. There's always next year.

2011-11-29T08:15:00.000-08:00

It's been nearly 3 months since I've posted. As always, this time of the year is crazy busy and I just can't seem to get ahead. I'm coming to grips with the fact that this is reality and its ok if "everything" on my to-do list doesn't get accomplished according to my timeline. Oh well right? It will get done eventually.

I am working on a post to sum up our last 3 months.

Stay tuned.

and he's off...

2011-09-09T17:10:00.000-07:00

please ignore my voice in the background.

you don't realize how "annoying" you sound until you hear it in a video clip.

nevertheless, he is adorable.

enjoy.

9 months.

2011-09-06T17:46:00.000-07:00

Our little lean machine.

18 pounds, 2 ounces

28-1/2 inches

18" head (he got Valent genes on this one)

He took his first official steps at 9 months and 1 day old.

He is up to 12 steps now.

However, he still prefers crawling as his primary method of transportation.

He has 4 teeth - 2 top and 2 bottom (that has been pure joy for both of us)

june and july

2011-09-06T09:25:00.000-07:00

I couldn't let June and July go by without mentioning a few firsts, events and happenings.

By far, summer is our favorite time of year.

My little sis Rhiannon graduated from SDSU. She had little party at her house. Congrats Sissy!

sisters + caden

Caden was over taking pictures. So funny.

Rhizi, Miles, Matty, Steve and Linda

We had our first camping experience. We camped at the Carlsbad campgrounds with our best friends, The Thrapps. We had a lot of fun and Caden was a champ!

The dads managed to bribe the kids into scalp treatments

On our way home from camping, we met our niece Shauntel at Pacific Whey in Newport Coast. She was visiting California for her senior trip. We adore Shaunie.

We celebrated my birthday (twice). I'm one lucky girl.

Caden went swimming for the first time. He LOVED the water. Now, he gets really excited when he sees a pool or the bathtub for that matter.

We celebrated Auntie Maren's birthday as well.

I think that wraps up June and July, aside from our 2 week road trip {coming soon in its own post}
There's nothing like a fun filled summer!

we did it!

2011-08-29T09:50:00.001-07:00

We completed a 1/2 marathon in June (a bit late with this post)! I could not have done it without Jared. He was the best trainer and kept me on track (motivated) while preparing for this run. He is a seasoned runner, having run a few marathons. So, you can imagine that I was a bit intimidated but, it turned out to be much better than I anticipated. I actually had a lot of fun! It is the best feeling to cross that finish line!

I would even consider doing it again!

At mile 8 we stopped to give Caden a super quick kiss

Our support team! Thanks for getting up at the crack of dawn!

my little lover.

2011-08-09T07:18:00.000-07:00

I'm still overwhelmed by our vacation pictures.

So, here is an update on my little lover.

He is now 8 months {tear}.

crawling at record speed, no more worm :(

cruising the furniture

pulling himself up on anything he can grab (i.e. our legs, clothing, chairs, cupboards, sliding door)

words: dada, mama, mom

waves hi and bye
2 teeth

eats like a champ, loves food!

getting the hang of his sippy cup

almost sleeping through the night, still waking up at between 2-4, why?

loves swimming and baths

We could not be more in love with this guy. He is our world.

get ready for this...

2011-07-27T18:49:00.000-07:00

we have been on a major road trip.
people might call us crazy for traveling over 2,100 miles in a car, with a baby.
let me tell you, our little guy is a fantastic traveler.
how did we get so lucky?

here is a run down of our itinerary:

las vegas - visit the hall's
utah - surprise jared's family, see our nieces off to college, a 40th surprise birthday party
oroville - visit my aunt and cousin
folsom - visit the wilson's
(detour) fort bragg - explore sea glass beach
dublin - visit jared's dad
san luis obispo - relax
woodland hills - visit the johnson's and steenhoek's
los angeles - attend genie and fred's wedding

we had little stops here and there along the way, it was quite the adventure.

in the mean time while i sort through pictures, you can enjoy this (taken in the car -somewhere between vegas and utah, i think).

surf lessons & kickball tourney

2011-06-09T10:37:00.000-07:00

We went to Arcadia to spend time with the Daines. Lucky for us they were in CA one last time before they move to NY. We had an amazing lunch (thank you Ginger) and some good "quality" conversations. It's always a good time with the Daines. We wish you all the best in NY.

Nadia wanted Jared to teach her how to surf. He did a great job. He is very animated (if you didn't know) and he is a great teacher. I think she enjoyed it.

Caden absolutely loved Nadia. She is a fantastic big sister to Marcus (remember Caden's best friend?)

On Memorial Day, we played in a kickball tournament with our besties, The Thrapps. This was a serious tournament people, 24 families, uniforms, bracket chart and all. We had a really good time. Who cares if us adults were sore the next day? That just means we played our hearts out!

p.s. our team, The Grass Kickers, won it all (despite some minor controversies)!

game faces

Jared wanted to share his beloved Sioux City Sasparilla

I just noticed all these pics are of Caden, who by the way is wearing my sleeve on his head. I didn't really take an pics of the actual kickball games. We were too involved to be photographers :)

busy bees.

2011-06-09T10:02:00.000-07:00

I'd much rather be busy than bored.

So, here's a look at some adventures in May...

We hurried home from Utah in time to catch a dinner date with our dear friends, The Mortensens.

They live in El Paso but, were going to be in Carlsbad for one night. We haven't seen them since they moved (over a year ago). So, we definitely wanted to make sure we saw them before they left. We became friends with Jay and Marisa in our ward in Culver City. We wish we would have hung out more before they moved. They are good people. Although, that last sentence is so simply stated, to me it really describes them. After spending an evening of chatting with these guys, you leave feeling so good. We had a lot of fun catching up, so much so that we shut down Claim Jumper. We hope to see them again soon and who knows maybe we'll live near each other in the future....Houston or Utah???

Next up, Genie's bridal shower.

Everyone did an amazing job putting this party together (especially my cousin Trish).

The bride-to-be was glowing and I think she had a pretty good time.

We are looking forward to her wedding in July.

Did I mention that we also love her hubby-to-be? Fred is awesome! We are so happy for them.

We went to Nicole and Ronney's co-ed baby shower.

Baby Aiden is due on my birthday! I'm looking forward to meeting the little guy.

We had a great time. These people sure know how to throw a party.

Ronney and Nicole

Pirate themed party - we couldn't resist

Diner and Trish - dressing the baby with only one hand

Fred - future father of 5

who can drink beer (apple cider in Jared's bottle) out of a bottle the fastest
Fred won.

Jared gave it his best shot, he came in second.

I just love this kid. He was on his best behavior at the party and let everyone hold him.

A few days later...Caden, Jocey and I headed back to LA. We went to my cousin Dylan's graduation. He graduated from Cal State Long Beach! We are so proud of you D!

Can you spot Dylan?

Go Beach!

Auntie Trish putting C to sleep. He didn't fare so well with all the air horns and cheering.

Little sissy and I

Auntie Cathy and her boy

Sibling love

Dylan's very supportive cousins

Then, the celebration...

my hub.

2011-06-07T08:28:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to my awesome husband!!!

I appreciate your hard work and ambition. Thank you for being so encouraging and positive. I'm glad you chose me out of that sea of girls....haha. You are the best hub I've ever had.

Caden is so lucky to have such an amazing dad.

We love you SO much!

private eyes.

2011-05-18T21:12:00.000-07:00

I know I'm not a popular blogger.
I blog to keep a record of our happenings and so family and friends can see what we're up to.
Since having our little C, I am feeling much more cautious about having our personal info exposed.
So, I have decided to make our blog private.

If you want continue reading our blog, please leave your email address in the comment section.

p.s. If you are a blog stalker or ghost reader and never leave comments, its ok. I too, read blogs and don't comment on them. Don't be shy if you want to be added, especially if I know you.

p.p.s. I didn't mean for that to sound like I think I have some huge following. I'm pretty sure just a few friends and my family read this blog :)

4-5 months

2011-05-16T14:47:00.000-07:00

4 months....
How is it that the time continues to fly by so quickly? It just doesn't seem fair. I try very hard to make sure that I am mindful that I will never get these days of Caden being a babe back. I have to remind myself to slow down and enjoy some quiet moments with him. (I may or may not have just got tears in my eyes while writing that...)

I am starting to see his little personality and I love it.

He laughed for the first time - I laughed and cried too! I did not have a video camera near by but, I was able to record it with the voice app on my phone. Of course, he wouldn't do it again when I tried to show everyone. Is it bad that I feel special being the only one who saw it? Well, I do.

He figured out how to roll from tummy to back and back to tummy. He now moves all over the floor.

His 4 month check up stats:

13 pounds, 9 ounces - 20% (a little on the lean side)

25 inches

5 months....

He changes daily! As soon as the 5 month mark hit, I feel like he changed so much. Forget leaving him alone for even 1 minute, he can escape in record time.

Caden definitely recognizes Jared and I. He gives us the biggest smile when we walk in the room. It melts us every time. I'm certain that feeling will never get old.

He had his first go at rice cereal. It was probably more fun for Jared and I. However, he seems to enjoy it or at least he likes the aspect of grabbing and shoving the spoon in his mouth.

He is quite the drooler. I think we will be seeing teeth VERY soon. There is something Caden does that cracks us up, we have yet to get it on camera. Out of nowhere he will "attack" our faces with his mouth open and will start sucking on our cheeks/chin/collar bone etc. We think it is SO funny but, we think everything he does is funny or cute. Don't all parents feel that way about their own kids?

C loves bath time. Yes, we still bath him in our bathroom sink.

This boy loves his daddy.

We seriously can't get enough of him!

Road Trip.

2011-05-16T10:17:00.000-07:00

We took Caden on his first road trip a few weeks ago. We headed to Utah with a very booked schedule of visiting family and friends. Jared and I were looking forward to this trip and hoped that Caden would be a little trooper. He was awesome, what a relief!

A few stops were necessary for diaper changes and stretching...

First up...we absolutely wanted to make sure we made time to see our good friends Steven and Kristin. Steven is one of Jared's best friends. They will be moving to New York this summer. So, we had to make sure Caden met his best friend Marcus. Marcus is 3 months younger than Caden. We have already planned for their dorm arrangements at Helaman Halls.

Next up...we were looking forward to meeting up with The Colemans. Mike has been a long time friend of Jared's. He and his beautiful family just moved back to Utah after living in New York. They too, just had a baby, little Esti. She is so sweet. We joked about Marcus and Caden fighting over her in the future. We had a great time at their home and hope to see them again soon.

We stayed with Jared's sister, Kim. She is a fantastic host. We spent Easter with her family (we missed Jo, she's at BYU Hawaii) and Jared's mom. After church, we relaxed and ate an awesome dinner that Kimmy prepared. The kids did their annual egg hunt which reminded me of my childhood.

Caden was OBSESSED with this balloon.

Grandma Robin

Auntie (cousin) Shaunie
Thank you for babysitting so we could go to the movies :)

Me - not into being photographed at the moment.

Cade is going to hate that we propped him up next to a pink bunny.

Passed out after a hot bath due to his first major blow out.
Is that too much info? Sorry.

We met up with my cousins Brian (his wife Anne) and Rob for dinner. Of course I didn't take any pictures. So, I stole this one off their blog. Aren't they cute? As always we had a great time! Brian and Rob are like the brothers I wish I had. I miss them.

Btw- this cute girl is preggo and we are totally thrilled for Caden to have a playmate!

This is Rob.
Attention Ladies: He is single.

I had lunch with my dear friend Lauren and her sweet kiddos. (side note: we saw NieNie while at lunch. I was too chicken to say hello and tell her how much I admire her. I regret it.) Lauren is the type of "super mom" I hope to be. She is not only an excellent mother but, is also mega talented. Check her out here. Are these pictures below of Caden and Lauren's son the cutest ever? I think so.

Last but not least, we had lunch with Jared's cousins and his aunt. Again, I have no pictures to show. However, Jared's sister took pictures. I will post them when I get them. It is always a great time with Jared's family, they are so much fun to be around. We typically see them at Christmas. So, any extra visits are really special.

All in all this trip went off without a hitch. We are SO fortunate to have great friends and family.
Until next time Utah....we are happy to go back to our warm weather!

like father like son.

2011-04-06T08:47:00.000-07:00

LA weekend.

2011-03-29T14:55:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we made a trip to LA.

Friday: We went to Trisha's birthday dinner at Road to Seoul in Korea Town. It is an authentic Korean bbq restaurant. However, not the best environment for an infant. I sadly did not take any pictures at dinner because Caden was not in the best mood when we arrived.

I did snag one of him and the birthday girl later in the weekend. Happy Birthday Trishie!

We stayed at Auntie Maren's place all weekend. Thanks for giving us shelter!

Saturday: We went to Brentwood to have lunch with our good friends Fred, Kristi and baby Fredrick. We had a delicious lunch at Cheesecake Factory (oh how I miss my favorite salad there). It was so nice to catch up and spend time together. We look forward to taking trips together with our little guys.

Later that evening, Auntie Maren and Auntie Trisha met us at Cafe Rio for dinner. I miss being able to walk there from our old apartment. Of course, no pictures of our meal together. I was much too into my food to even think about it. The night ended in a game of pop culture trivial pursuit. Jared and I kicked butt!

For some reason I couldn't retouch Caden's eye in this pic.

{We call it a "bot eye" in our family}

Sunday: We went to Sherman Oaks to attend a baby blessing. Our good friends Dave and Heidi blessed their little girl Mara. The morning started off a little crazy. It was POURING rain and hurricane type winds were whipping through the beach cities. We were certain we were going to be late because of 405 traffic but, Jared managed to get us there just in time. It was a beautiful blessing. We went to their home afterward for lunch. It was a great afternoon and we were happy to be invited.

p.s. Caden is going to marry Mara. We parents have arranged everything.

The giant group of men that participated in blessing Mara

Dave (the dad)

Eating with the Johnsons

I was sad to leave LA. I would be lying if I said otherwise.

I miss the beach (we were so spoiled and I don't think I really realized it until we didn't have it anymore).

I miss being surrounded by multiple cities and having the ability to be somewhere completely different in a matter of 15 minutes.

I especially miss our great friends and family.

Until next time LA...

first cut.

2011-03-29T12:51:00.000-07:00

Jared had been begging me to shave Caden's head. So, I finally gave in.

Before

After

(He was right, it does look better.)

here we go again.

2011-03-21T19:18:00.000-07:00

Just before I found out I was pregnant with Caden, I was training to run a marathon. Once the doctor confirmed a baby was indeed on the way, my goal of completing a marathon was put on the back burner. I was WAY more excited to be having a baby!

So, here we go again...this time my goal is a 1/2 marathon. Jared and I are going to run the Rock n' Roll 1/2 marathon in June. I am really looking forward to it!

Let the training begin...

Rock n' Roll Marathon 2006

(Jared ran, I watched.)

good times.

2011-03-15T22:44:00.000-07:00

One definite plus about moving back to Temecula is that I am close to most of my long time friends from high school. It has been almost 10 years (I can't believe it) since we graduated. I'm glad that we have stayed in touch or re-connected over the years. We have had such good times together.

I look forward to more get-togethers in the future. Now that we have a handful of kids among us, it just adds to the fun!

(thanks for the pic Janene!)

Another Lucky 3.

2011-03-09T13:49:00.000-08:00

Caden is 3 months {and a couple weeks} old.

He is holding his head up so well. He is very alert and his smile will melt you to pieces.

He coos and makes loud sounds, especially when he plays with Auntie Jocey (his twin). He loves her.

Best of all, he started sleeping through the night!

Thank you so much Jessi for letting us borrow a sleep sack!

Weight: 12 pounds, 9 ounces

Height: 24"

Why do they grow so fast?

Celebrating Auntie Jocey and Auntie Rhiannon's Birthday!

Visit from Uncle Ty

Hanging with Auntie Tara, Uncle Paul and cousin Ella

Allergic reaction to a new lotion. Cade has very sensitive skin.

Lucky 3.

2011-03-08T14:18:00.000-08:00

So grateful to have this guy in my life forever...

he's an amazing husband and father...

and keeps me constantly laughing.

Happy 3rd Anniversary to us!

Blessing.

2011-03-08T14:13:00.000-08:00

Caden was blessed in church on Sunday, March 6th. Jared delivered a beautiful blessing despite Caden's constant crying throughout the entire time. As soon as the blessing was over, Jared put Caden in what we call the "front load position," he immediately stopped crying. The congregation laughed. It was pretty funny.

We are so grateful to our family and friends who traveled great distances to share this day with us. It was what we consider a perfect day. Caden was a champ for the rest of the day. He didn't mind being passed around and attacked by the "Auntie Paparazzi."

We are so thankful to our Heavenly Father who entrusted us to be parents of this sweet boy. We are most grateful for our belief in eternal families. This belief has been a constant comfort to me throughout my life.

We have such high hopes and big dreams for our little boy. Caden has brought SO much joy and love into our lives. We are so blessed to have you buddy.

The League

Eric, Chris, Dave, Jared, Ben, Tom, Mick and Rob
(the men who participated in the blessing)

Aunties

Grandma Robin, Mick and Auntie Dolly

Grandma Leona

Our BF's
Jessica and Gary

Aunties and Fred

2 months.

2011-02-08T11:27:00.000-08:00

Our little man is 2 months old.

Time is flying and I kinda hate it. Can time please stop? He has changed so much. I am trying to soak up every minute...I can't seem to get enough kisses in.

Caden is a good baby (I'm sure everyone says this about their own children). He eats like a champ and is starting to develop a sleeping schedule. Although, do you call sleeping for 3 hours at night a schedule? I think my body has finally adapted to the unfamiliar sleep pattern :)

His 2 month appointment is tomorrow (a bit late). So, we will have a stats update soon!

Post-edit: Caden's stats for his 2 month check up...
Weight: 11 pounds - 20%
Length: 23 inches - 35%

slacker.

2011-01-14T12:01:00.000-08:00

I feel like such a slacker lately. I am working on getting Cade's birth announcements out and it is taking forever. I could not make up my mind. I start and then stop, a couple days go by and here I am with nothing finished. A few people thought I didn't send them one, when in reality I haven't even sent any out yet.

I plan to get them out before he graduates high school...

In the meantime enjoy a couple pics taken with my cell phone.

back to reality.

2011-01-11T11:51:00.000-08:00

Jared went back to work today...so sad. We have been hanging out the past 3 weeks with our little guy. I'm so grateful Jared was off for so long and able to help with Caden. Now, it's back to reality. I am looking forward to this new year ahead of us as a family of 3.

Caden is 6 weeks old. Although, it has only been 6 weeks, it has flown by. He has changed so much. We didn't realize the immense impact this little guy would have on us. We melt and swoon over him, typical first time parent behavior. We have SO much love to give him and for now he has us wrapped around his little finger.

Blogging has been put on the back burner since Cade was born. Being a mom has rocked my world. Now, that I am able to function on hardly any sleep, I am learning how to get things done throughout the day. So, one of my goals is to be better at blogging, starting today.

Here are pictures from the day he was born, better late than never.
(There were other family members present, Mom, Tom, Rhizi & Matty, Jocey and Auntie Cathy. I still need to collect pictures from a few people...not to mention any names A & T.)

my favorite picture, the first time he looked at me directly....melts me

11.27.10

2010-12-19T22:17:00.000-08:00

Be prepared this is a LONG post...seriously.

On Monday, November 22nd, I had a doctor's appointment. It was the first time she "checked" me to see how the baby was progressing. Jared and I about fell over when she told me that I was 2 cm, 90% effaced. Being first timers, we had no clue what that actually meant. The doctor said she thought I would have him early but, that I could also stay at 2 cm for a week or two. So, to be honest, I didn't think anything of it. I wasn't feeling any different. Jared was supposed to go to his annual "guys only" Raider game in Oakland on the upcoming weekend. The doctor suggested he stay home. I thought it would be fine for him to go. In the end, he decided to stay. Good thing he did, he would have for sure missed Caden's birth.

So, here is the edited (not so sure it would be appropriate to divulge certain details) version of the morning Caden was born.

Saturday, November 27, 2010
8:05 a.m. - I wake up to go the bathroom AGAIN! (the 4th or 5th time since I went to sleep the night before)

8:12 a.m. - go back to bed, attempt to get back into my only comfortable position.

8:15 a.m. - feel like I peed my pants (impossible since I just went) and realize that my water just broke. Immediately wake up Jared.

8:25 a.m. - call the doctor.
She asks if I am having contractions. My answer is NO. She tells us to take our time but, to definitely make our way to the hospital.

8:30 a.m. - real excitement sets in!

The hospital I chose to deliver at is 30 minutes away from our house. So, we took showers and packed our bags (which were not finished because I had thought I would have a couple of weeks to get everything together, talk about not being prepared). I also had just purchased my much desired Rebel camera on Black Friday. I planned to spend the next couple weeks learning how to use it. Instead, we took it still packaged in the box to the hospital.

8:45 a.m. - short contractions start, no pain yet.

9:00 - 9:45 a.m. - finish getting everything together. Contractions are getting stronger and closer together.

9:45 - 10:10 a.m. - quickly drive to the hospital. Contractions are hitting me full force. I can't talk. Jared is awesome during this time. He is calm, which helps me to focus.

10:10 a.m. - park the car, let a strong contraction pass. We very briskly walk into the hospital, directly to the elevator and hit the 4th floor button. I drop to the floor, in a squatting position and breath through the strongest contraction yet. Of course, the elevator stopped on every floor and each person took their time either getting on or off. My mean side felt like saying, "Do you not see a pregnant lady in pain on the floor here? Let's pick up the pace people" But, I refrained.

We get to the front desk on the labor and delivery unit and I again drop to the floor. Bless the lady at the front desk who is asking me questions about my address etc. I can barely say my name is. Jared takes over and does the talking. Then, a huge contraction hits and Jared kindly tells the lady that we called almost 2 hours ago when my water broke. She gets a panicked look and asks me if I want a wheelchair. Again, my mean side wants to say, "Are you kidding? Does it look like I can walk?" But, I refrained. I didn't want to be that pregnant lady that goes crazy on everyone.

10:15 a.m. - Next thing I know I am quickly being wheeled into a delivery room. A HUGE contraction hits while I'm in the wheelchair. As soon as it passed I got on the bed and asked if I could have an epidural. They check me and say, "Sorry honey, there is no time for it. The baby is right here." I start to panic, they give me oxygen. The contractions are non-stop at this point. The nurses are calling for the doctor.

10:25 a.m. - Mom and Jocey arrive. They are in shock that I am delivering since they just saw me 45 minutes ago at home and I was doing ok. Jared and Mom help me compose myself and focus.

4-5 pushes......

10:35 a.m. - Caden Thomas Kennedy is born.

he has arrived!

2010-12-08T17:47:00.000-08:00

Caden Thomas Kennedy

Saturday, November 27, 2010 (2 weeks early)

at 10:35 a.m.

6 lbs, 9 oz, 19 in

We are absolutely in love with him.

Stay tuned for the birth story, it's a wild one!

37 weeks.

2010-11-18T18:18:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow, I will be 37 weeks and trust me, I can feel it. I thankfully still feel great and I'm able to run around as usual. However, my belly is growing at a rapid speed and I am finding it hard to complete tasks that were once effortless.

The nervousness started to set in this week as I started to pack the hospital bag. I think the reality has finally set in completely that in plus or minus 3 weeks our little guy will be here. Wow.

I will post pictures after the baby shower on Saturday....some of them may look familiar as we plan to re-purpose our decor from the last baby shower. Why let it go to waste?

Looking forward to seeing more family and friends.

baby kennedy due date pool

2010-11-10T18:24:00.000-08:00

Maren (my sister) came up with the idea of having a baby due date pool. The idea is to guess which day you think the baby is going to arrive. Everyone put money in for the day they wanted. I (fairly) drew names out of a bowl to determine the order in which each person would select the date of their choice. It was a lot of fun. We had people on speakerphone and people playing that were not even present but, had given their picks to "trusted" family members.

Jared and I are not allowed to participate because my competitive family thinks we could cheat by having info from the doctor, choosing a date (if a c-section happens), or "someone" even mentioned that I could hold out (which is impossible, if the baby is coming, I don't think there is much I can do to stop him). However, if the baby is born on a date that was not selected then we get the pot. So, here's to having the baby early!

LA baby shower.

2010-11-10T18:16:00.000-08:00

I was spoiled to have another baby shower in LA this past weekend. My mom, Auntie Dolly, Trisha (my cousin) and Maren (my sister) hosted the shower. Trisha and I made the decorations and the rest of the family facilitated all the set up, food, drinks, cake, games etc. It was a total success and everything went so well. The weather even cooperated, as it was supposed to rain.

I enjoyed seeing my good friends who I do not get to visit with often, especially since moving to Temecula. I miss everyone. A couple hours just wasn't enough. Nevertheless, I had a great time catching up and having some laughs. Good times.

A HUGE thank you to all my family who helped make this day wonderful! xo

Amy, Laura, Me & Heidi

Sarah, Me & Ashley - my Waterleaf girls

funny wrap job by Rhizi (yes, that is santa paper)

car seat from Maren

Me, Maren, Rhizi, Jocey & Mom

Andrea & I

Sophie (my boss at Sherwood), Me & Carol (co-worker from Sherwood)

Sisters

Auntie Cathy (my dad's sister) & I

Trisha (creative genius and cousin) & I

Me & Dinita

Me & Genie

Me, Kristi & Fredrick

Me & Nicole

utah baby shower.

2010-11-10T17:10:00.000-08:00

Jared's mom and sister had a baby shower for me in Utah. It was great to see Jared's side of the family. We usually get to see them once a year at Christmas time. So, any extra visits are a treat. I was also able to see some old friends, a few of which I have not seen in years. It was great to quickly catch up.

Thank you to everyone (especially Robin & Kimmy) who helped kick off the upcoming arrival of our little guy!

Here are a few pics....there are more to come but, I have not collected them from everyone yet. Sorry.

Dori (Jared's cousin), Me, Kimmy (my sis in-law) & Shaunie (my niece)

Auntie Dolly, Auntie Carol, Mom, Me & Trisha

Me & Lu

Domi (my niece), Me & Shaunie

2010-11-04T08:05:00.000-07:00

i know i promised utah baby shower pics.....they are coming but, probably not until next week.

i have been busy getting ready for the baby shower this weekend in LA and my niece's 1st b-day party. i still have SO much to do in the next 2 days. so, there is no time for a meaningful post this week.

hope everyone had a great halloween. we didn't even dress up this year (so not like us) and to be honest weren't very festive. we were both disappointed in ourselves since halloween is one of our favorite holidays.

side note: we got engaged on halloween 3 years ago.

childbirth class.

2010-10-26T07:11:00.000-07:00

We luckily were able to make it to a childbirth class before this baby arrives. The classes typically run over a 5-6 week period. There was no chance we would have ever been able to make it to weekday classes. So, I was able to find a series that packed it all into one weekend. The days were long but, we learned a lot. I'm glad we went. I feel a little bit better about what to expect.

(me = 33 weeks)

utah baby shower pics coming next...

2010-10-11T11:19:00.000-07:00

Bitter

leaving my awesome co-workers, who have become great friends
leaving Manhattan Beach for good (no more daily ocean views)
being away from my sister, cousin and aunt
not working, i don't know what its like to not work (fear of the unknown)

Sweet

Thursday is my last day at work
I get to see Jared everyday now, instead of in 3 day increments
I can begin preparing for our little guy
I can organize, cook and enjoy the upcoming holidays

So, here's to my next adventure.....MOTHERHOOD.

Off to Utah on Friday for my 1st Baby Shower....so excited to see family and friends.

mom.

2010-10-11T11:02:00.000-07:00

October 8th is my Mom's birthday. We celebrated this past weekend...

family + friends + mexican food + marble bundt cake = perfect birthday celebration

Happy Birthday Mom!!

the name game.

2010-10-07T12:59:00.000-07:00

maybe this baby won't have a name after all....

choosing a name is the hardest thing to do, so far.
lots of names have been thrown on the table and then almost immediately are thrown to the trash.

the middle name is set in stone.

it will be thomas, after my father.

there is a 90% chance that this baby will have a second middle name as well.

everyone in my family has a hawaiian middle name and i don't want to break that tradition.

i have gone back and forth about this because i fear that it will be complicated for him in the future.

what does he use for his middle initial? both? pick one?

we'll see.

we both have our favorites for the first name.

i think we are secretly hoping the other person will cave in at the end.

keep hoping honey :)

so, i think our current plan is to wait until we meet him and then hope that the perfect name comes to us.

wish us luck.
i can pretty much guarantee that they will be begging us to write something on the birth certificate at the very last minute.

we had our favorite girls names ready to go.........maybe next time.

30 weeks.

2010-10-04T16:46:00.000-07:00

When I got the call from the doctor's office confirming my 30 week appointment, I thought "What 30 weeks? Aren't I only pregnant for 40 weeks total? Wait, that means only 10 weeks to go!!!" I then felt an extreme urgency to get all the little projects started that I wanted to have finished by now.....yea right! No one ever really explained to me how fast this whole pregnancy thing flies by.

I'm in a bit of a panic mode trying to wrap up work in LA, getting prepared for this baby, still finishing my registry (should have been done weeks ago) and the list goes on. Side note: I am not complaining, I love being busy. But, you know the feeling of so much to do in so little time? Plus, its not like I have control over when this baby is actually going to make his debut.

Today's appointment went well. The doc said we are in perfect shape, glucose is clear (no gestational diabetes), iron levels are high and blood pressure is right on. Baby's heartbeat is strong. She also told me that he will not be a big baby. Possibly a good thing for labor purposes? As long as he is strong and healthy, I'll be thrilled. He continues to kick/punch with force throughout the day. Every night, without fail, if I lay on my side he goes nuts in there. It's so amazing to feel and physically see the movements.

I do know one thing, I am really EXCITED to meet him and ask him why he insisted on spending most days curled up on my right side under my rib cage.

farewell.

2010-10-04T15:36:00.000-07:00

We had to finally say goodbye to our (Jared's) beloved Jeep Wrangler last weekend.
He had the Jeep for 13 years. It had been with him all over country; Florida, Texas & Utah...just to name a few.

We knew this day was coming soon, as we were having problems with it earlier this year. We made an agreement that once the next "big" problem arose, we would say our goodbyes. That day came last week. It was sooner than we planned.

We (as in both of us) shed a tear. I never thought I would have an emotional tie to a car, especially one that I have only been around for 4 years. But, all of our road trips, summer/beach excursions, dating life etc. came to mind as we pulled away from that car that provided us with LOTS of good times. Sad.

Farewell Friend.

Now that our little guy will be joining us in less than 10 weeks (yikes!) we needed to get a "family" type car. So, here it is. Welcome Rav4.

27 weeks.

2010-09-12T17:56:00.000-07:00

I have loved being pregnant. So far, so good.
Maybe I would feel differently if I experienced morning sickness? Who knows? I'm very thankful I did not.
I love seeing my belly grow and grasping the reality that there is an actual human in there.
My favorite part by far is feeling the constant movement. It is a miracle.
I am so in love with this little guy.
I'm getting anxious....and we still have at least 12 weeks to go.

Belly pic coming next week...
In the mean time enjoy this oldie.

Can you believe these two crazies are going to be parents?
I can't.
(this photo was taken during our courtship, it is one of our favorites - July 2006)

chris & mack

2010-09-12T17:36:00.000-07:00

We attended another wedding the day after A & R's.

Jared's childhood friend Chris married Mackenzie in a beautiful outdoor ceremony in South Corona.

The bride looked stunning and the groom handsome as always.

We also had a blast with our bf's The Thrapps.

(I completely forgot that I had my camera until the end of the evening. So, I didn't even get a pic of the bride and groom together. I will have to steal one from facebook.)

Congrats to The Smiths!

A + R

2010-09-12T16:46:00.000-07:00

My bf (Andrea) and her man (Robin) tied the knot on Labor Day weekend.

I was fortunate enough to be apart of the festivities.

They were married in Santa Ana and had their reception at the Knott's Berry Farm Resort in Buena Park.

I have known Andrea for what feels like forever but, in reality is 7 years or so. We have always been "phone friends." We have not lived in the same city or near each other for practically our whole friendship. Until now, we live about two miles apart.

She is one of the funniest and kind hearted people I know. She is so family oriented and is always there when you need her most. I have depended on her for so many things and without fail she has been there. I love you A and I am so happy for you. You deserve all the happiness in the world.

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Dano!!!

oh baby!

Trish, Maren & Genie (Fred (not pictured) was there too)

The O'Donnells.

2010-09-12T11:40:00.000-07:00

My mom and Tom got married on August 7th in Manhatttan Beach.
The wedding was so sweet, combined with the perfect setting and weather.
I didn't get many pictures because I was in the wedding.
Our whole family knows how to enjoy themselves at a party. So, needless to say, we had a great time!

I am so happy for my mom. She has waited a long time to find love again and she more than deserves to have someone take care of her. It helps that we like Tom so much...he is a great man and will be a perfect addition to our crazy, predominately female family.

Congrats O'Donnells!!!

Speech

E O Mai

We danced to Island of Love....I am not going to display pictures of the actual dance to spare certain people the embarrassment (including myself).

Rhizi & Matty

Mom's work crew

YOU DID IT!!! - Jared Kennedy

24 weeks.

2010-08-27T09:21:00.000-07:00

6 months already....time is flying.
This little guy is growing daily and moving like a kung-fu fighter.
I love feeling him move all around.
(please excuse me in my wet bathing suit)

babymoon in maui.

2010-08-27T09:04:00.000-07:00

We had saved up knowing we wanted to go somewhere before the bambino was born. So, we took our "last hoorah" trip to Maui. After moving and J starting a new job, it was the perfect time for us to get away. It was the best vacation we have been on since our honeymoon. Of course, we were having so much fun that I hardly took any pictures and most of the time forgot my camera. My baby bump transformed while we were there...I guess people refer to it as "my belly popped out." I'm sure it had something to do with the great food and multiple servings of shave ice.

This is the city that I am going to be mayor of someday. My grandma was born here.

Jared had to try out this surfing simulator place. Pregnant or not, there is no way I would have been able to get up on that thing.

Dinner at Kimo's in Lahaina...so good!

Haleakala

shave ice x20

baby gender reveal

2010-08-22T16:56:00.000-07:00

I wanted to do something fun to tell my family the gender of the baby. Everyone is excited because this is the first grandchild in my family. J and I were also VERY excited to find out.

So....last year at my friend Marisa's baby shower, another friend of ours made some delicious cupcakes. She said that it was a tradition to hide a little toy inside one of the cupcakes. She hid a small plastic baby in one of them. Later that night after the party was over, we joked about whoever found the baby would have the next baby. No one found the baby that night. A bunch of girls (including myself) took extra cupcakes home. A week later, I went to eat the last cupcake (for breakfast) and found the little baby inside. I laughed to myself and decided to keep it for good luck. I put it on display in our kitchen and may have even told Jared he had to rub it for good luck every once in awhile.

When we found out we were pregnant, I attributed part of the miracle to that plastic baby. I decided to use the baby and bake it into cupcakes for my family. We all got together for a family bbq to celebrate my sister Maren's 30th birthday and to reveal the baby's gender. Happy Belated Birthday Auntie Maren!!!

Mom ended up having the baby in her cupcake. We ALL decided she will NOT have the next baby! hahahaha....
She is thrilled to be having a GRANDSON!!!

catch-up

2010-08-10T11:26:00.000-07:00

i need to do some major catch-up....
posts coming soon:
1. baby gender reveal
2. babymoon in maui
3. mom & tom's wedding
4. baby update

drum roll please.....

2010-07-19T15:43:00.000-07:00

(is this inappropriate? oh well.....sorry son)

semi-settled

2010-07-14T10:28:00.000-07:00

we moved...it was exhausting.
my amazing husband did most of the work.
we are semi-settled.
i use this term because i am going to be living part time in temecula and part time in manhattan beach for the next couple months.
i dislike this schedule because i am away from jared 3-4 days a week.
although, it is not our ideal arrangement, i have to finish up my work in manhattan beach before the baby arrives.
so, we tough it out and do the best we can.

jared started coaching this week.
i know this is where he is meant to be.
he loves it.
looking forward to the high school football season.

actually, i'm more looking forward to our "babymoon" in maui in 13 days.

speaking of baby, he/she is moving more frequently.

2010-07-05T18:17:00.000-07:00

We just got home from a long weekend at Big Bear Lake.
Now the "intense" packing begins...we move Saturday...ugh!

A blog post on our trip will have to wait a week or so....

16 wks. 4 days

2010-06-30T07:47:00.000-07:00

This is the first picture we have to document my pregnancy.

I have been very fortunate (not bragging) with my pregnancy so far. I thankfully didn't experience any form of morning sickness. I had some minor aches and pains in the 1st trimester but, nothing that prevented me from carrying on with my normal activities. I did experience a few weeks of major fatigue. I would nap frequently. Unfortunately, that time has passed and the naps are over.

I feel awkward when people ask me how it feels to be pregnant. I don't know how to respond. I don't feel "different" yet. I think it is still hard for me to believe that I am actually pregnant. Don't get me wrong, I am beyond thrilled. I'm sure I'll be singing a different tune in a few weeks when my belly pops!

We hope to find out what the gender is at our next appointment (July 16th).
The suspense is killing us.

father's day.

2010-06-21T08:59:00.000-07:00

I miss my father. He was a great dad to my sisters and I. It must have been tough to have 4 crazy daughters. I think about him often and especially during times in my life when new events are happening (i.e. becoming a parent). I am grateful for his example of what a good parent should be. I love him so much.

I had to keep this picture under wraps for awhile because Jared posed like this before we told anyone I was pregnant.
It was funny.

I had always hoped I would end up with a husband who possessed the same qualities as my dad. I wanted someone that I knew would be a good father, just like my own. I have to say that I was extremely lucky to find Jared. He is going to be a fantastic father. On this Father's Day, I remember my dad and celebrate my husband, the "dad-to-be." I am so blessed to have had an incredible father and an amazing husband.

Happy Father's Day!!

here we go again.

2010-06-16T07:24:00.000-07:00

We are moving AGAIN! Hopefully, this time it will be long term. Jared got a teaching job in Perris (not Paris). So, we are moving to Temecula in 3 weeks. There is so much to do in so little time. The packing begins tonight.

I will continue working in Manhattan Beach until the fall. The plan is to stay with family 3 days a week and then go to Temecula for the weekends. We have done this before. It wasn't very fun but, I have to finish up work here.

This should be interesting...

my jared.

2010-06-14T10:29:00.000-07:00

We had a great time on our quick weekend getaway for Jared's b-day. We headed up the coast to San Luis Obispo (one of our very favorite spots). Our first stop is always Firestone Grill.

This is why...they make the BEST tri-tip sandwich ever.
We love it so much, we ate here 3 times during our 2 day stay. However, it is impossible to eat this sandwich 3 times in 2 days. So, we also ate salads and chicken burgers. So delicious.

We stayed at the Apple Farm hotel. It was our first time there. As our usual spot, Madonna Inn, was completely booked. We liked it, it is a small country cottage boutique hotel.

Random picture of Jared at the "gum alley" in SLO. The alley is completely filled with gum lined walls. It's actually pretty gross.

We spent each day at the beach but, I was too busy relaxing to take any pictures of us. The weather was the best I have been in this summer, probably about 90 degrees.

On day 2 we went to Morro Bay. Jared wanted to kayak across the bay and then walk across the small island to the ocean. So, we did. I did not enjoy the walking across the island part, I probably even complained :)

When we returned home, we went out to dinner with our family. Jared loves Thai food. So, we went to Thai Thani in Redondo Beach. It was really good.

The b-day boy with 2 chocolate cream pies. He blew out all the candles at once.

To: My Jared, I know you will hate this picture of yourself but, it is the only one I had of you solo. I hope you had a great birthday and enjoyed (despite my complaints) our weekend away. I love you and look forward to many more birthdays with you. You are my best husband. xo

weekend getaway

2010-06-03T08:44:00.000-07:00

we're getting out of town for the weekend to celebrate jared's birthday.

looking forward to the beach, firestone grill (our all time fav) and relaxation.

i'm counting down the hours!

2010-06-01T17:53:00.000-07:00

CHRISTMAS is coming early for our family this year.....

DECEMBER 11th {tentatively}

We are beyond thrilled!!!

annual tree burning.

2010-04-26T15:24:00.000-07:00

My mom's fiance, Tom, organizes a Christmas tree burning bonfire every year. He collects a bunch (70 this year, I think?) of trees from friends, family and curb sides. He stores them in his backyard and lets them dry out until April.

Then, he rents a big truck, loads them up and heads to the beach.

We look forward to this event every year. It's a night filled with bbq, smores, fun and good company.

Thanks Tom, Mom & Ryan (Tom's son - who I know helped out a lot too!)

Pre-Burn

Jared enjoyed piling trees on the pit.

Sisters

It was getting TOO HOT!

my husband, the man.

2010-04-16T09:16:00.000-07:00

As you may have read in a past post, we were training for a marathon. In February, I injured my knee. Which lasted about 2 weeks = no running. It was painful (not complaining) to walk up the stairs. By the time I was able to go for it again, I was already behind in our training schedule. So, I gracefully bowed out and vowed to train for one again in the future. Thanks to my faithful teacher (Jared) I was able to work up to 13 miles. So, to me that is an accomplishment in itself.

Jared continued on with the training, he never quits anything. He was diligent and prepared to run. So, that he did. Last weekend he ran a marathon in Long Beach. His mom flew down here to watch, my sister Maren and cousin Trish joined us as well.

Typically, big marathons (LA) have 40,000 runners and it is chaotic for us spectators. So, I was insistent on planning out our route the night before. As Jared and I researched, we realized that this marathon was going to be much smaller than any we had been to before. He didn't realize when he signed up that there would only be about 30 people running.

It turned out to be great! We were able to follow him around practically the entire race. It was helpful for him because he could toss his water bottle to us in the car and we would fill it up and return it. We were also able to provide him hi snacks so he didn't have to run with the extra weight. It was also nice for us (in the car) because it was freezing and overcast. To say the least, it was a cool experience. Jared enjoyed running in an intimate setting.

He got 2nd place!! I am so proud of him. He is the man, my man.

Next race: Rock n' Roll Marathon - San Diego in June. So excited!

catch up.

2010-04-16T08:33:00.001-07:00

This past month has been quite a whirlwind for us.

Here are just a couple pics because I have been not so good at taking pictures.

FYI - I lost my camera charger last year in Singapore. So, the only time I can charge my battery is if I go to my mom's since she has the same charger. Pathetic I know. I should have bought one on ebay by now. Oh wait, I did, but when it arrived my battery did not fit. Good thing my co-worker just gave me her old one.

We went to Universal Studios with our good friends. This is Jared with G on his shoulders and the guy from the Water World show.

Side note: Jared and I used to watch this silly/funny show called Scare Tactics. The actor above was on the show. So, I insisted that Jared get a pic with him. Plus he was out favorite.

J and Dora the Explorer. So cute. I love this girl.

We went to Krisean & Patrick's wedding.

So sweet and fun.

Sisters

(why do I look like a giant?)

Auntie Cathy & Mom

Maren & Trisha

jam packed.

2010-03-19T08:37:00.001-07:00

SOOOOO looking forward to a fun filled (jam packed) weekend!

Here's a little run down...

Dinner (cafe rio of course, I have a problem) tonight with the Mortensen's + meeting their new baby Jane - been dying to see this little one & her parents :)
Saturday breakfast with Hillary, Matt & Danielle - they are coming down from Utah for a California visit.
Pat & Krisean's wedding in Vista = out of control fun.
Sunday with our BF's, The Thrapps.

Many pictures to come...have a great weekend!

Hiatus.

2010-03-09T07:28:00.000-08:00

I have taken a small hiatus on my marathon training.

A couple weeks ago, I injured my knees (mainly my right knee). I have never had an injury from sports or exercise.

To say the least, it is very frustrating!

I want to run so bad - I never thought I would ever say that.

I love exercising and being active.

Now I feel lazy.

Back to yoga and the elliptical.

Jared is still running like a maniac and he will be running the Long Beach Marathon. (I'm jealous.)

2 years.

2010-03-08T09:15:00.000-08:00

Time goes by so fast.

I can't believe it has been 2 years.

I am so thankful to be married to Jared for eternity.

Looking forward to many more adventures with him...

p.s. A special shout out to our good friends, Jay & Marisa. They got married on the exact same day as us. We miss you guys. Happy Anniversary!

utah bound.

2010-02-17T17:40:00.000-08:00

Headed to the great state of Utah on Thursday.

I'll be traveling solo.

The plan is to visit family and get some training done for Nu Skin.

Excited to get a mini-vacation in.

Bye.

never was a fan of...

2010-02-05T11:26:00.000-08:00

....Pink. Until, I saw her grammy performance.

Quite a revealing outfit {not my taste} but, nonetheless a very entertaining performance.

I was impressed.

(I will admit, I downloaded Glitter in the Air)

2010-02-01T10:13:00.000-08:00

(this is not a picture of me)

This weekend, my endurance was tested, as we set out to run the distance of a half marathon.

The night before, I voiced my concerns to Jared.

He said that I had nothing to worry about and I was thinking, "Yeah right!"

Turns out he was right.

I made it...13.1 miles without walking and with the help of my motivating husband.

Thanks J.

Training.

2010-01-09T16:56:00.000-08:00

I am still unsure about my decision to train for the LA Marathon this year because I am a few weeks behind schedule. If I don't feel prepared then I will go for the Long Beach Marathon. Which will allow for an extra month of training.

I am sticking with my trainer's (Jared) plan and schedule.

So far, so good.

We accomplished 9 miles today which is HUGE for me.

I am tired.

Feeling hopeful that I can continue to build my endurance.

Wish me luck!

Wedding-Goers.

2010-01-07T13:22:00.000-08:00

Everyone teases us about how many weddings we attend each year...

I love weddings.
I love to be a guest at them too.
I love the emotions (cheesy, I know).
I love the decor and details.

So, I don't mind going to weddings often.

In fact, we have 4 lined up this year.

Congrats to....

Krisean and Pat
Andrea and Robin
Genie and Fred
Mom and Tom

We are looking forward to the upcoming events!

Merry Christmas.

2009-12-28T15:23:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to You and Yours.

Love, The Kennedys

P.S. Thank you to all our friends and family who kindly sent us Christmas cards. I love getting everyones cards & notes. Don't feel bad if you sent us one and didn't get one in return.....we did not send out them out this year, mainly because I left it to the last minute. I promise you will receive one next year.

Payback.

2009-12-18T21:59:00.000-08:00

Story to follow soon.

Bake off.

2009-12-15T07:43:00.000-08:00

Our friend Nicole (pictured on the right), hosted a bake off party this weekend.

I have never attended such an event.

Here is what it entailed:

A house full of women (22 to be exact)

Yummy food to snack on (props to Trish's spinach dip)

Everyone brought their own ingredients and recipes

3 ovens being used to bake all afternoon

The funnest white elephant gift exchange I have ever been a part of

Me taking home pounds of baked goods, literally.

Tell me that doesn't sound amazing. Such good times....thanks Nicole! I hope you invite me next year.

Marisa.

2009-12-14T10:48:00.000-08:00

In November, I made some decorations for my friend Marisa's baby shower. She is having a little girl. I met Marisa when I was in the singles ward in Santa Monica. She was so sweet and befriended me (I knew not one person) on my first visit to the ward. I never forgot that day.

At that point in my life, I was not as strong in the gospel. I looked at this girl who was a convert and was so nice to a perfect stranger. It reminded me of the Savior's love for each and every person. I continued to attend that ward and have not looked back since.

Later, Marisa and Jay were married on the same day, in the same temple, and just an hour apart from Jared and I. We ended up in the same family ward. Jared and Jay served in the young men's program together and became friends. We were bummed when we had to move away. It was hard for both Jared and I. However, it turned out that we ended up in Manhattan Beach, not far from Culver City and now we are still close enough to hang out with our old friends.

Marisa, if you read this, I want you to know what an example you are to me. You radiate kindness and it is always uplifting being around you. Thank you for being a friend to me. You'll never know how much I needed it. I am so excited for you to embark on this new experience in your life and know with certainty that you and Jay are going to be excellent parents. This little girl is so lucky to have you guys. We can't wait to meet her.

October Review...prepare yourself, its a long one.

2009-12-06T14:51:00.001-08:00

I am so behind on my blogging...

I could say that I have some good excuses but, I know that there are people out there who are far more busy than I and still manage to update their blog.

So, with that being said, I will just say that I have been busy, tired, and lazy.

Let me take you back to October...

First, we celebrated Tom's (my mom's bf) birthday. Which was technically in September. Mom and Tom started the day off by going to Disneyland (so jealous). Later that evening, we gathered up most of the family and headed to Buca di Beppo for an Italian feast, literally. We all ate until we could eat no more. It was delicious. Tom opened gifts and we ate some yummy cake. As always we had fun...Happy Belated Birthday Tom!!!

Second, we celebrated Mom's birthday which is just over a week past Tom's. We decided to go to one of our families favorite Mexican restaurants in Playa Del Rey called Hacienda. We have been there many times. It's especially fun when it is someones birthday because they embarrass you by making you wear a sombrero and singing so the whole restaurant can hear. Although, we had a good time and the food did not disappoint, we waited SO LONG to be seated even though we had a reservation. A simple annoyance but, we didn't let it ruin our night.

We then went to Maren's place to have cake and ice cream. We bought a cake because I waited to the last minute and did not have time to make one. Oh well....

All and all we had a great time. Happy Super Belated Birthday Mama!

No caption needed.

We welcomed my niece Ella Michelle into the world on October 11th. She weighed 8lbs. 12oz. I went to Oroville with my Auntie Cathy and cousin Trisha to visit Ella. We all are SO excited to have a baby in family. It's the first little one on my side. I will admit, it definitely made me yearn for a little one of my own.

Jared and I went to the BYU game against SDSU. My dearest Allie got us great tickets. We also had a bunch of friends that were at the game and there happen to be plenty of open seats by us. So, we all got to sit together. It was lots of fun.

The night before Halloween, we went with a group of friends to Medieval Times. I think the last time I went there I was 10 or so. We had such a good time. Jared was a hit....he liked BOOing the other knights. You had to be there.

(sorry Fred this is the only one I had)

thankful

2009-11-25T08:16:00.000-08:00

....to be leaving town today.

We are headed to the bay area for Thanksgiving.

Soooooo looking forward to having a mini vacation.

p.s. I am working on an "October Review" since I am so behind on blogging.

Have a GREAT Thanksgiving!!!

2009-10-28T07:50:00.001-07:00

My heart has been so heavy this week....as my friend Garrett unexpectedly lost his father. Rick Campbell was such a kind, loving and generous man. I feel so blessed to have known him and to have spent time with him.

My heart aches for the Campbell family.

Thankfully, we believe that families are forever.

They will see him again someday.

Until then, may the Lord bless them with comfort and peace.

2009-10-10T21:48:00.000-07:00

On our way to Costco today, Jared spotted something and yelled two words......

That's right people....a Cafe Rio is opening up, just down the street from our house! I know this is not exciting to all my friends who live in Utah and Vegas but, I crave that chicken salad and the cilantro dressing pretty often.

I am ECSTATIC!!!!

2009-10-05T19:33:00.000-07:00

Attention: all NIE NIE readers

NIE NIE is going to be on Oprah on Wednesday, October 7th.

For those of you who have no idea who Nie Nie is click here.

Nie Nie Dialogues is a blog that I have been following for a while. Nie Nie has inspired me in so many ways. I highly suggest you tune in on Wednesday to hear her story of survival and courage.

I can't wait.

Thanks for the heads-up Lily!

The Forest Lab

2009-09-23T19:30:00.000-07:00

My very good friend (of 15 years or so) Garrett, just launched his clothing line website.

Check it out and help support their creative business.

www.theforestlab.com

Skyy.

2009-09-22T20:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, was our nephew Skyy's 6th Birthday. He lives in Florida. We were bummed when we realized that because of the time difference he would be asleep when we called. So, we didn't get a chance to wish him a happy birthday.

I have never met Skyy but, Jared had told me a lot about him and I have seen tons of pictures. They had an especially fun time in Florida before Jared and I met. Jared talks about that vacation a lot.

We love him and keep his pictures up in our home. As you can see from the pic below he is a cutie-pie. We miss him and I hope to meet him soon.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SKYY!!!

weddings, weddings, weddings...

2009-09-22T19:28:00.000-07:00

We are the official wedding goers. Jared and I have been to SO MANY weddings in the past year.

I suppose we should take it as a compliment. People must love us a lot to invite us to share in their special day!

All of these weddings have been AWESOME and unique in their own way. I of course LOVE all the decor. I have come away with so many great ideas - all of which I will implement someday.

I would love to start a little celebration (weddings, birthdays, parties, baby showers etc.) design business on the side.

In fact, I may get that started sooner than later.

2 weeks ago we went to a wedding in Livermore, CA. Our friends Josh (Jared's friend of over 23 years - side note: can I just say how jealous I am that my husband has so many friends that he has known for over 20 years) and Jen got married. The wedding decor was so creative. This wedding will be in Martha Stewart Weddings, for real. The MS crew was there photographing the whole thing. Josh and Jen are two happy-go-lucky people. They are so refreshing to be around. As always we had an amazing time socializing, dancing, eating (good food) etc. Congrats!!!

Loved the pinatas filled with TONS of confetti and scratchers

Jared giving it a swing!

Loved the guest book/sign in table. It was an old desk, with stamps and pens to create your own page...love it.

The tables had individual menus printed on an envelope. Inside the envelope was your silverware and a salt/spices bag (white little bag in the pic above)

This past weekend was my co-worker, turned good friend, Ashley's wedding. Ashley has worked with me at WL for over a year and a half. She is my go-to girl for so many things. Ashley is contagious, seriously. She is so fun to be around, is down to earth and is a great Interior Designer. Can you tell that I love her? We always bounce design ideas off each other and of course we talk about lives and men (both our guys are Geminis).

Ashley and Andrew got married in Torrance, CA. They had a wonderful ceremony, I got misty eyed when she walked in. She looked amazing! After the ceremony, the festivities began at The Cheesecake Factory (she has worked there for 10 years and still does) in Redondo Beach. They had the whole top floor over looking the marina. It was gorgeous and reminded me of my marina reception. They had a photo booth for guests to take advantage of - see our pics below. Ashley and Andrew are such a cute couple and I'm so glad she wanted us there to share in their special day. CONGRATS MRS. AUSLAND!!!!

The HAPPY couple....welcome...Mr. and Mrs. Ausland!!!

I LOVED the simplicity and elegance of her flowers - all white, looked soooo good

Cutting the cake, look at Andy's face. Love it.

Photo Booth

and we're off...

2009-09-11T14:49:00.000-07:00

to the bay area to see Josh and Jen get married!

Looking forward to good times with good friends!!

Some pictures to follow...

2009-09-09T07:40:00.000-07:00

I will be starting a new project in a week or so.

Location: Trump Tower, New York.

Concert in the Park.

2009-08-26T09:00:00.001-07:00

We live right next to a big park, Pollywog Park. Every weekend during the summer, they hold a concert. Two weekends ago we went for the 1st time to see a Beatles cover band. I had heard that the weekend before there were over 5,000 people to see the Neil Diamond cover singer. So, we thought it would be a good idea to go an 1-1/2 hour, just to be safe.

That was not early enough. It was PACKED! Supposedly, people come at noon and hang out all day. I heard there were over 7,500 people there.

We did find a perfect little spot under a tree where we could still see the band. It was fun to relax with the fam.

The Beatles (in neon)

Trisha and Auntie Cathy

The large crowd, this pic doesn't even do it justice

O-town Hombres.

2009-08-16T19:32:00.000-07:00

You may be thinking to yourself....who the heck are the O-town Hombres?

Meet the O-town Hombres.

Asa, Tara (my first cousin - on my dad's side), Baby Ella (inside Tara's belly), Paul

and Auntie Karen (not pictured)

We [Auntie Cathy, Trisha, Jared, Jocey and I] went to visit them a couple weekends ago in Oroville. We had some good family fun.

Swimming in pool without Cody (the dog). Thank you Tara.
Potluck BBQ
Rock n' Bowl aka Cosmic Bowling
Good food at a Mexican restaurant and a Hamburger Joint
Took a pontoon boat on Oroville Lake. **Favorite activity**
Family Rock Band - family members only
Visit to the Hatchery
Visit to a cemetery in the mountains - a little creepy.....I did not take pics!

Imaginary friend.

2009-08-13T23:32:00.000-07:00

Jared thought that I had an imaginary friend named Andrea.

He had never met her or even seen a picture of her.

I know he heard me talking on the phone to her but, was I talking to a "real" person?

He only knew some facts that I told him:

Andrea and I met in Temecula 7 years ago.
We talk on the phone at least 2-3 times a week and maybe see each other only once a year.
She is Mexican and czech.
She is not very tall.
Stories about what was going on in her life - don't worry A, I kept the personal girl talk personal.

Finally, he met her in person at our wedding rehearsal dinner. Side note: Andrea's boyfriend, Robin, had never met me either. So, he would always joke that I wasn't "real" too.

Well surprise guys, we are REAL friends!

Last weekend we met up with Robin and Andrea to celebrate his birthday. We went to Chomps, a yummy tepan and sushi restaurant in Fullerton. We had a fun time hanging out together. Robin is such a great guy and so fun to be around. Most of all, he treats my bf well. I love him for that.

Happy Birthday Robin!

April and Andrea

Apparently, Jared did not like this picture.

Beach Day.

2009-08-13T23:21:00.001-07:00

I REALLY enjoy having planned, fun filled weekends. My husband can attest to that, both the "planned" and fun parts.

2 weekends ago....

We got prepared for a BEACH DAY. Preparing for a beach day does not take much time or effort.

1. Backpack chairs: each packed with a towel, sunscreen and our favorite books/mags.

2. Cooler: containing drinks and snacks.

3. Umbrella: which is always put back in its proper case from the beach trip prior. So, it's always ready to go.

Beach days seem to be happening on the regular lately, sorry to brag. Our good friends D & H came down from Culver City to join us. D & H go to the same church as us and use to be our neighbors. We had not seen them since we moved back to the west side.

We decided to go to Manhattan Beach. I advised against it because of the 6 man volleyball tourney. This event brings out thousands of people, yes I said thousands. It is HUGE. I knew that parking would be horrendous but, thank goodness my boss lives a few blocks up from the beach. She was not home and said we could park at her house. Thanks Jill.

We ended up finding a spot to relax on the opposite side of the tournament and didn't even dare venture over there to see what was going on. My pic below isn't the greatest but, you can kind of see what I'm talking about - all the little specks are people.