I'm baaaack!

I have been without internet until TODAY so I'm glad to be back in the blogging world! You never realize how much you rely on the internet until uh, let's see...you don't have it! So here is us as of late:


We didn't get a good night's sleep before this picture was taken so...please excuse the way I look!




We made the 11 hour drive to Terrell, TX (just outside of Dallas) the first day and we were exhausted. The next morning we headed for Montgomery, Alabama which was only 2 hours from our final destination but we had just done about a 12 hour drive with a child that had a fever and was breaking 3 new molars (which equaled stop and go, stop and go over and over and over!) so we parked it at a hotel and made the 2 hour drive to Georgia the next day. We were so glad to be "home"! Our apartment is old as heck (unbeknownst to us) but there is something homey about it. The door doesn't shut right, the oven looks like it belongs in my great-grandma's old house and the kitchen is beautifully decorated with peach and pear wallpaper. But we love it! It's kind of like on Miss Congeniality when she has to shove a wooden spoon into the door of her microwave for it to work. Ha. We've decorated it so that it is nice and cozy, though! Here are some pictures:

This is a picture of the birthday present my hubby got me! It's kind of a present for the whole family, too : )

A view of our kitchen from the living room.

The dining area.

Living room area.

More living room area.

I haven't taken pictures of the bedrooms yet for some reason. But our apartment is 800 more square feet than our other apartment, so we aren't always sure how to fill in the spaces! (Which is good because less junk is better, especially when you know you'll be moving often over the next few years.)


This place is most definitely NOT El Paso. There are only a handful of Mexican restaurants, which really taste a little Tex-Mexy but they're not too bad. There are a TON of Chinese restaurants and a PLETHORA of fried food buffets. Did you get that? BUFFETS. We have received coupon after coupon in the mail for "Buy one get one buffet free" and in the fine print it says "Includes fried fish, fried chicken, baked chicken, french fries, salad and a drink". Holy fried. And yet there are a thousand more obese people in El Paso than here. And hey- everyone here speaks English! It's...strange. : ) However, there are a lot of African Americans and Honkey Tonks here and with their accents, they are equally difficult to understand. Overall though, we are enjoying it here! No complaints from the Hargrove end! (Is that new or what?!)

Some pictures for fun:

This is Derek bobbing his head out of the water, but behind him is our apartment complex.

A sign I saw while filling up with gas in Mississippi.

Titan and Dad at the local motorcycle store which happens to basically be our neighbor! Derek was thrilled : )



Titan watching his favorite Sesame Street DVD grandma gave him. I wonder if he could get any closer to the TV.

He discovered the old Mario Brothers game at a place here called Trade n Play (like GameStop) and wanted to dink around with the controller the entire time.

One of the first places Derek wanted to go to was PetLand (haha) so we took out a baby Boxer and let him nearly eat us up. That was the stinkin most hyper dog I've ever seen!!!

Before Leaving El Paso:

Derek lighting my birthday cake with trick candles!

Saying goodbye to family for the next little while.

Grandpa reading to Titan.

Freestylin it at grandma and grandpa's pool.

The girls and the grandbabies.

Grandma taking Titan on his first train ride. He loved it and he had a cart all to himself. He just sat there and looked around!

We are looking forward to having visitors so if any of you are looking for something to do, come visit me! And to my dear family, I miss you and am so excited to see you! I'm getting fat over here because I keep eating at the local restaurants so that I'll know where to take you when you come! Ha!

The End.

The Time Has Come, The Walrus Said...

And I'm not talking about the end of the world, which actually should be happening in about 12 and a half hours.



In 10 days (granted we are still on the Earth...haha), we will be driving away to Georgia. I found out that my local grocery store will be the Piggly Wiggly (if I don't go to the commissary), and that 96 degrees with 40% humidity is what the weather is like this week (so I can only imagine what it'll be like in July!). I found that my church building is 14 minutes from my complex and that my ward meets at 11 am (9 am El Paso time). I found out that in Georgia, 62% of people are Anglo, 28% are African American, 1% is American Indian, 4% are Asian, and roughly 5% is classified as "other". I found out the tornado activity in the city I'm going to is 74% higher than the average city in the U.S. (awesome.) 52% of people in my new city are Baptist, and that the most popular first name is "James", and the most popular last name is "Smith". It was #98 on the list of "Top 100 least-safe cities" (haha- I will be using my dead-bolt!). Jo-ja, here we come!

The end of the beginning.

These...are my grandparents.





Derek, Titan and I made a bittersweet trip to Albuquerque last weekend. We went with the feeling that we may not ever see my grandparents ever again. We have just committed our family to the United States Army until 2017. When our commitment is up, my grandparents will all be in their 90's.

I'm sure my paternal grandmother never thought she would see the day when she would be a GREAT GRANDMOTHER. She had my dad when she was almost 40. At the time, she didn't even think she would live to see him graduate high school. 50 years later, she not only has a son who graduated high school with her being there, but she has a granddaughter and a great-grandson.

I am going to miss these four people. They have had so much positive influence in my life. Derek has lost all of his grandparents except for 1. She lives in Pennsylvania and has only seen her 7 times in his entire 27 years of living.

My favorite part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is how family-oriented it is. And although 2 of my grandparents are not of the same religion as I am, I know I will see them again because FAMILIES ARE FOREVER.

Intelligence For Your Life

I was thinking the other day about how many things there are about me that are strange. Would you like to know? Ok I'll tell you anyways.

1. I've never had my nails done. I always thought I'd feel really stupid with them, because...I just would?
2. When I have a hangnail, I run it across the seem on the inside of my t-shirt sleeve until it gets caught and rips it down until my finger bleeds. (Masochistic!) That one just screams "weirdo".
3. I had my braces taken off 2 weeks early because I was going on a senior vacation and just couldn't stand having them on for one more big event! So now I get meat and all kinds of goodies stuck in between certain teeth. I haaaaate meat in my teeth!
4. I can't handle having dry hands and feet. If my feet are so dry that I can't even put them on the carpet, I'll pause whatever I'm doing just to go rub lotion on my feet and then I can carry on. I(Same with bare feet on cement...I CAN'T STAND IT! I put socks on.)
5. I can't touch velvety things or microfiber-like things. Makes me choke.
6. I like popping things. Like zits. Gross to you, fun for me.
7. When I cut my hair, I go about 3 years until I cut it again. Even a trim. I'm not crunchy or anything (well, sometimes I am), but I just get lazy or decide to grow my hair out and then before I know it, it's down to my booty.
8. My favorite types of movies are action movies. Although, I do enjoy romantic comedies from time to time. I think Derek definitely got a sweet deal with that one. He never has to drag me to a movie he wants to see.
9. I am the most easily carsick person you'll meet.
10. I have an infatuation with men's ties.
11. I have always loved math and numbers, so growing up and having a digital clock, I would always do math equations. For example, if my clock said 8:42- I would say 8+4+2=14. 8x4 %2= 16. 8-4+2=6. Etc.
12. I've always liked even numbers and never cared for odd ones.
13. Oceans make me nervous.
14. I had a hallucination period when I was about 15 where every time I turned around I heard, "Lauren", "Lauren", "Lauren" in my ear and I would see things that weren't actually there. It was then that I decided never to watch another scary movie. I think I've only seen one since.
15. I don't like diamonds. At least, not on my wedding ring. Maybe someday I'll change my mind.


I'm sure there are a hundred more. What's weird about you!?

8 weeks and counting...

Eight weeks until what, you ask?

Moving time!

I'd like to say that I'll be "Moving Back to America".

Packing our things in plastic totes: Check. But not done.

Looking for an apartment in Georgia: Check. Also not done.

Spending quality time with the fam: No check. Jobs ruin everything, don't they???

This is a bitter-sweet time for me, I think. Although I'm constantly finding and pointing out the rather humorous things in El Paso, it's the only place Derek and I have lived as a married couple. I (sort-of) know my way around. I am (a little) acquainted with people at church, I (for the most part) enjoy my job. Eh? Notice the bittersweet here? Maybe El Paso is where the bittersweetness stems from...not the fact that I'll be a Southern Girl for a half a year or more.



I've never been known for my navigational skills, in fact when Derek and I visit Albuquerque (my home for 15 years of my life), I can't even tell where I am half the time. So, with trees as my personal block-it-all, I'm not sure how I'll even find the nearest grocery store. Thus the reason my loving husband has already told me in advance (bless his heart for not being able to keep secrets) that I'll be receiving one of these for my birthday next month.



And that's it! Happy Easters! (Yes, the "s" is intentional. *See Nacho Libre)

Bringin sexy back.

Obviously these pictures aren't of us, but they illustrate our lives as of late. And how sweet a dad Derek is.

If you didn't know, for the last 8 months, I have been a working mom.

And for the last 8 months, Derek has been a stay-at-home dad.

Quite the flip-flop at first! By the time we leave here and move to Georgia, Derek will have been a longer stay-at-home-parent than I was. Therefore, he has the final say on anything in the house. Our home is his office! He does the dishes every day. He grocery shops every Tuesday. Laundry every Wednesday and random chores in between. He created his own schedule- so by now I just know what to expect! This is how I view Derek...



Hey, hey, hey...take it easy.


I feel like he is a better mom than I have ever been. Titan naps like a champ, plays outside in the sand, goes on walks with Derek, sometimes meets me at work to take me to lunch, he always looks spiffy, does his push-ups every morning, sticks to his diet...etc, etc. WOW. What mom can say they do all of that and have a huge smile on their face at the end of the day? I think I am being held to a high standard here. There were days I wouldn't even get out of my P.J.'s! Now I'm wearing pencil skirts and button up dress shirts while looking over resumes to find a new hire. Like I said, quite the flip flop!

In these last 8 months I've learned that:

*No matter how many children you have, or what you have going in your life, you are still you. You can be on a city league soccer team, ride motorcycles, go sky diving, write a book, learn a new instrument, take classes online, or do whatever it is you like. Being a mom adds a badge to your sash, it doesn't strip all the others away.

*Kids will grow up no matter how much you worry. And they grow up fast, so never wish a stage away. Live it up and laugh about it. You will miss the messy one year old when you have a screaming teenager.

*Don't let your children run YOU. I used to be so afraid of Titan. "What if he wakes up? What if he cries? What if, what if, what if???" and I'd stress over those stupid what-if's. You're the boss. Remember that.

*8 hours at the office is no easier than 8 hours at home. Give a little to get a little.

*Keep the fire alive. Titan woke up and I looked over to see Derek with his mouth hanging wide open and he was fast asleep. So I got up quietly to let him keep sleeping. When he stumbled out of bed and into the kitchen, one of the legs of his shorts was all hiked up and one sleeve was all scrunched up- he looked like he stepped out of a tornado. I saw him, smiled and motioned him over to give him a big good-morning squeeze. No matter what my Mr. Mom looks like, he will always be sexy. In fact, he may be even sexier now that his domestic side has been exposed!

*My family is everything to me! If the whole world passed away and it was just us 3, I wouldn't complain for a second.

Vroom vroomin

Now just HOLD ON, PEEPS. Before you go on JUDGING (Mom!), please stop and think for a minute. Isn't this awesome? A few years ago Derek tried teaching me to ride this guy and it was just too heavy. Now that I've got a little post-preggo weight on me, I asked him to teach me again. I took it out on the road and loved it! And I handled all 365 pounds of it by myself! Please tell me you think that's cool...even if you judge a little.