Another month has come and gone in the our little house....and considering I can't leave the house most of the time because of the HUGE snow drift in front of the door--I figured it was time for an update.
I'm being sarcastic about a huge drift, however, it stills continues to snow CONSTANTLY here in Utah. Its a bit ridiculous. If I were smart enough to find it; I would look for the stats for the snow fall here in Lehi within the past 2 months...but I'm not that computer savy. If any of you feel so inclined, feel free to look it up and be amazed. The only other people I sympathize with are those of you in Durango who have had eleventy billion inches like us. Riley is capricious. That is the only word I can find suitable as a discription. She is completly unpredictable and in her own little world. I find that I am constantly baffled by her little outbursts or random comments. She is without a doubt, hysterical.
She is still continuing to enjoy Kindergarten. However--every morning she wakes up with a different ailment and excuses as to why she can't go to school that particular day. Once we get ready and go, she is excited.
Riley has discovered the thrill of computers and using them. Thanks to her cousin Jack, her new favorite thing to do is play on nickjr.com. However, she refers to it as her ".com" "Mom, can you please get my .com for me?" or "Hey, what happened to my .com?" She's completly hooked--maybe she can look up the snow fall in Lehi for me now that she's so computer savy.
All in all, Riley is still the creative little wonder she has always been. It amazes me how much imagination and spirit one itty bitty can have. She's a good one.

Berns is a busy busy boy at work. He's officially an old business man...I only say this because he came home carrying his briefcase and handing me his new business card his company just had made for him....Seriously...he's old. But the BIGGGGGEST news is that Berns just recieved his green card in the mail a couple days ago!!!! We filed for it back in June. It has been quite the tedious process and, truthfully, quite a pain in the bum. But after what seemed like millions of dollars (ok, well, that could be an over by just a bit) and months of uncertainy; its such a relief to see that small little plastic card come in the mail.
Berns was also assigned to be incharge of the 11 year old Boy Scouts. So, between his crazy work schedule and his teaching of the scouts, Berns and I have found time to get addicted to the show 24. We are on the 2nd Season and have found that we stay up and watch it too late knowing that we wont be getting enough sleep. It's quite instense. Berns walks around pretending to be Jack Bauer--it's getting a little out of hand...we might need an intervention.

I am still truckin along with the pregnancy. You won't find any new pictures of me posted due to the fact that I am now too large to fit within the camera lens. I have begun the count down til Zoie arrives. We are looking at 11 weeks left! Which, yes, is not very much...but I still find it quite a long time. The doctor assures me that I am gaining weight just great and that she is as healthy as can be. I finally had to throw in the towel and buy actual maternity clothes. Up until now I was getting away with wearing normal things (stretching them to their limits)--but my shirts looked as though they were about to burst at the seams, so I figured that method wouldn't work anymore. I haven't really had any particular cravings this pregnancy--HOWEVER, just this last week cold cereal has been all I want to consume. And I dont usually like cold cereal. I have had Lucky Charms every night for dinner for the past 3 nights. They are soooo good. I am currently craving Kix, and I think I might need to make a special trip to the store just for them.

Life is simple and happy for us. We miss everyone in Durango and even find ourselves reading the Durango Herald to check on the local news--but we are loving our new life here in Utah. We are attempting to process what life will be like with another itty bitty living here shortly. Riley is convinced that she will be able to do everything for the baby by herself (except change diapers, she is leaving that up to Berns). I'm trying to ignore the fact that I have to actually go through labor again (hoping that it isnt as aweful as last time) and Berns is still trying to grasp the concept that there is an actual little person inside my stomach.

Feel free to call, write, or just come over. We love hearing from any and all.....Until next month-ish. We love you!

Newest Addition

Here she is...nope, not Zoie yet, but a another girl to add to the household! Our new puppy Sophie! Poor Berns didnt even get a male dog to add to the ever increasing estrogen household. (Only because they didnt have any boy puppies left). She is a Redbone Coonhound and the sweetest thing ever! Now you all have another reason to come visit! She's a good one!!

New Year, New Life

Life slowed down long enough for me to update everyone on the where-abouts of the Costas....and this is probably due to the fact that it's Sunday so really I'm not supposed to be doing anything else than documenting the magnificent life style of our family. Well, I could be napping too...

Christmas came and went rather quickly...I'm a little confused by it, but I then realize that it was just mixed up in the wirlwind of moving, starting new jobs, and visting with lots and lots of family. Nonetheless, Christmas was grand. Riley is still in ammusment with all of her new found toys (including the hairdye set that her WONDERFUL aunt Britt and uncle Nate gave her). She spends her time "shake-a-shimmying" with her Hairspray movie grandma Nisey so graciously bought her. Other times is spent "Wacking a mole" with plastic mallets and moles with construction helmets that light up. She is quite thrilled to play with her new digital art studio and enjoys drawing and printing pictures on the computer. And of course, most of the barbies in the new HUGE barbie doll house have ended up butt naked. (granted...these days Mattel has made the "outline" of underwear, but it's still the same color as the skin...)

Riley is also thrilled to spend every waking moment she possibly can with her cousins that live 2 blocks away. Poor Britt has had the pleasure of taking her every day after school so that I can go train for my new job. Riley doesn't understand when we tell her she isnt going over there on one day or that they cant play....Berns and I become quite the enemy when we rip her hands from the grasp of Britts stair railings....you laugh...but it's almost that dramatic. Other than that Riley seems to be adjusting to life just great. She has a few fall outs that we would expect from any 5 year old, but she is still the bright bundle of craziness that she has always been.

Berns has started his job in the big corporate world. His day is spent in a high rise with eleventy billion windows and a maze of cubicles. He has the window cubicle and his view is amazing, so it makes this good. His official title is Senior Solutions Consultant. I dont have a single clue what that means, but it makes my husband sound ultra-cool. He has been enjoying the "real-man" world, but he still has his dorky goofiness about him, so dont worry. He hasnt had much time to do anything but work, but when things calm down with our schedules (which currently overlap) he will probably try to find some indoor soccer league he can enjoy. Until then he challenges my brother-in-law Nate to foosball tournaments when ever they get a moment. He's happy and cute, and thats why we like him :)

The most exciting thing I can tell you about me is that I got a new camera for christmas!!!! It's a digital SLR, and I have NO IDEA how to use it, but it sure does take pretty pictures. Justin spent a few days trying to teach me about aperture, shutter speed, etc etc, and I just looked at him with a blank face and raised eyebrow. Im still learning the cool things it can do, but until then, I'll just point and shoot! But all of these pictures are with my super neat new camera. Berns also spoiled me rotten for Christmas and bought me a guitar. Ive been wanting to learn, so he gave me a good excuse to get going! He's a good one!

After all the crazy days of moving, unpacking, and adjusting to my new house, I spend my time being lazy and training for my new job. I have taken a well deserved break from the medical world and have started working for JetBlue. I get to work from home after my training is done, so I am very excited about that! Other than that I spend my time trying to organize all the schma in my house. I went to see my new doctor the day after Christmas and he told me I was allowed to start working out again!! WOOOO-HOOOOO!! I march right on down to the rec center and signed up for a pass. I have been going every day after I drop Riley off at school, but I find that after 2 months of not being able to do anything, its quite hard to get back into the groove of things. Not to mention that my balance is thrown off from the big lump attached to the front of me.

I also got another ultrasound and the doctor assured us that the baby is another girl (and it doesnt look like there was a discrepancy as she was ready and willing to let us know!) Poor Berns is going to live in a house with a Shea, a Riley, and another one that will probably be a mix of craziness just like her mother and older sister. He remains a humble, humble man.

Other than that (like that isnt enough) life for the Costas is the same. We all still love laughing, playing games, eating treats, and lounging in our pjs and slippers. If you love doing that too, come join us in our new casa. We'd love to have you....even you Britt and Nate...even if you do only live 2 blocks away.

Much Love,

Be, Shea, Ri, and Zoie (yes, thats her name)

A load o' stuff

Somehow I lost track of life and ignored the request of everyone wanting to know what was going on in our life. So I'm finally buckling down and writing something.

I'm not even sure where to begin...I have been quite the slacker at bearing our good news in all shapes and forms. We are in the process of so many new and different things I tend to get lost in the mix up of life.

So I'll start with Berns' new job! As most of you know by now Berns got a job with a company called RemedyMD. I dont know for sure what he will be doing, but I do know that its a good job! He recieved his offer letter and it was full of pleasant surprises! We feel very blessed. The company makes software for doctors offices and hospitals...it basically helps them go paperless, but there is a ton of other stuff it does that Im sure Berns is willing to tell you about. All I know is it also helps doctors give a more accurate diagnosis! Nonetheless, Berns is very excited to start life into the "adult" world. Coincidently his office is literally across the street from the new soccer stadium for the Salt Lake Real...I know...what a coincidence huh? I guess if I can't find him in his office I can find him at the game.

With Berns' new job coming we are packing our lives away this week preparing to move to Utah. His office is in Sandy and we will be living in Lehi...coincidently 2 blocks from my sister (he gets the soccer stadium, I get my sister...fair enough). Berns makes the trek to Utah with a HUGE Uhaul on the 15th with me following close behind on the 21st. I have decided that we are crazy to move right before Christmas...this has definetly been the most expensive Christmas ever!!! Little Riley is pretty much oblivious to the whole moving process. She plays with empty boxes that havent been used to pack all our junk. She talks about how great it will be when her and I have to live at grandma Niseys house for a week when Berns leaves, and how excited she is to live next to her cousins. She is pretty sweet and innocent and has most of her thoughts on Christmas. Riley is a little scared at the thought of starting a new school and meeting new friends. She says she is shy so she wont be able to say hi for a while. I just laugh at her. We had to place her in a private school in Utah for the remainder of the year because of dumb Utah laws, but we are hoping it all turns out good.

I am just stoked that my last day of work at the hospital is less than 2 weeks away!!!! I shake with excitment when I think about it! I found another job working for an airline company from home...It sounds like the perfect job...I work part time from the comfort of my own home and PJ's, and also fly for free or cheap! Berns is just excited for me cause Im finally able to calm down my crazy busy work life that I have led these last few years.

I also spend most of my time getting fatter. As most of you already know, Berns and I are expecting again. I'm almost 18 weeks along and filling out my clothes to the extremes. I agree that you show alot faster with the 2nd child...that is the only way I make myself feel better about getting so fat. I had some complications beginning of November that caused me to be put on bedrest for a week. I no longer have to lie in bed and do nothing....but I'm not aloud to do anything but walk. I had to stop all exercising and lifing things and so on and so forth....Its quite annoying, but it looks like the baby is doing ok.

The saddest news of all is that my camera broke right before Thanksgiving so I have no pictures. SO SAD. The ones that are on here are from the pumpkin patch at Halloween time. I am trying to convince Berns that I really need a new camera for christmas, but I think that I am loosing that fight...maybe you should all convince him too.

I guess I have rambled on enough. Until...well...maybe next month, or maybe not.

Much love, come visit us in our new house...its cute

October Goodness

It's already the end of October, and I sat here trying to figure out what to write about. Not that there was a lack of fun and exciting things going on here in our little corner of Colorado...just not much has changed.



Riley is still content being the little 5 year old princess that she is. I have had to sit back and look at her and wonder when the heck did she grow up? Wasn't it like, 2 days ago that I was up in the wee hours of the night feeding a screeming infant, or changing the disgusting diaper of a difiant 2 year old that didn't want to be potty trained. ( I swear, if I would have let her, she would have pooped her pants for the rest of her life.) She's no longer a baby, but an actual little girl...and that baffles me!

Other than getting too big, Riley spends her day twirling and spinning in her own LaLa land. She has grown to love Kindergarten--probably because they go to places like the pumpkin patch, have cowboy dress up days (only in Durango right?), and makes things with fingerpaints and tissue paper--Who wouldnt love Kindergarten?! It's completly surreal for me, again, cause I didn't think it had actually been that long ago that I was going to Riffenburgh in Fort Collins...life needs to slow down!

Berns is still busy with all of his shenannigans. He has started the gradual decent into the last 2 months of school. Which, again, makes him excited. I think he is more excited about that fact that currently he can find a football game, a soccer game, a baseball game, and/or a basketball game on the TV at any given moment. He is quite thrilled they all have

seemed to overlap each other....I on the other hand have seen so many sporting games that they all just seem to blur together....Needless to say, when we are at home together, he makes it a point to yoink the remote control first...darn. I can't complain too much considering there isn't anything to really watch on TV.


On another note BERNS IS DONE WITH SOCCER!!! WHOOOOO!! His JV team did well this year, but didn't get to go to the state playoffs. However, the Varsity team has been able to advance, so Berns is helping with them as assistant coach.---but I see him more! He's not leaving every weekend anymore. This weekend the Durango High School treked it up to Fort Collins to play against Poudre High School. This baffled me for a minute that they were in the same division. It also baffled me cause it always baffles me when my two little worlds (Durango and Fort Collins) collide...it's really not all that wierd, for some reason it gets me thinking!





I have been doing dandy. I must say, with all the complaining I do about how cold it's getting, I must say fall in Colorado is gorgeous. The colors of the trees are fantastic, and we have gotten a nice cold weather break. It has been sunny and breezy this last week. If only it would stay like that! Riley has reminded me the joy of jumping in piles of leaves once again!





I am currently counting down the days til I'm done with my job!!! December 21st is my official last day, and I am soooooo excited. I must say that the past two years at the hospital haven't been AWFUL, but my wittle tired body will be forever greatful to me when I'm not waking it up at 3 in the morning! WHOOOOOO!





I also had the grand chance of organizing (with the help of mom of course) a benefit concert for the cancer kids in our county. We were able to make a big chunk of change for them and were SOLD OUT (well, a little more than sold out cause Berns got a little confused with ticket sales--thank goodness the fire department didn't show up!)





Other than that I'm very content. As I said before, watching Riley grow this month has made me reflect on my past years. It is probably because she is a little replica of me (sorry!!). It makes me think of those lovely elementary years spent with Lissa and Chesley. Or goes back to good old Lesher Junior High (I swear I'm one of the only people that enjoyed Jr. High) with first boyfriends, good friends, and finding teachers to hate just for the sake of hating them. Brings me to high school and ditching class for the first...second...and third time, finding first loves, moving across the state thinking it was the end of the world--loosing first loves, finding new loves, meeting a best friend not realizing that 6 years later I'd be marrying him.





Life moves too fast I've decided. I've pulled out pictures from the past and have just smiled. I've tried to reconnect with friends I have neglected. Life is just grand. It's nice to have a wonderful husband (though, sometimes he's a bit odd...haha), a creative little inspiring girl, and good family and friends. Thank goodness for good pasts that make the future a brighter place!



Love you all!

Shea, Berns, and Ri

September Sun?

Time flies when your having fun...isn't that how the saying goes? Cause I think it's right. This last month has FLOWN by...on a large jet...with caviar served in coach...who would imagine that! But really, I was quite surprised when I realized it was already September 20. Where did Summer go. I didn't get to break out that itsy bitsy teeny weiny bikini that I bought on the beaches of Rio (you all can stop laughing now at the thought of me in a bikini.)

Durango is cooling off, I actually have to wear a sweatshirt when I leave for work in the morning and turn on my heater. There was a dust layer of snow in the high mountains and I decided I'm not ready for cold weather. I hate cold weather. Cold weather and I have an extreme dislike for each other.

Now that I've ranted and raved about my extreme dislike for the cold weather....other news. Riley started Kindergarten this year! She was WAAAAY excited; so was Berns and I. She is loving the fact that she gets to learn how to read, and has already decided that having cold lunch is the better way to go (smart kid.) Although, Ive seen the menu for hot lunch, they serve things like chicken sour cream enchiladas and schrimp...what happened to the nasty cardboard pizza I got when I was in elementary school?

Riley also just turned 5. She got to have her first big birthday party complete with eleventy billion friends and presents...this girl is so spoiled. I used my wannabe crafty skills to try and invent a "Little Miney Pony" cake (My little Pony). It tasted scrumptious, but started to melt...not sure what it is I did to make it so cake could melt. Riley told everyone how huge she had grown since she was now 5. She is already in the makings for planning her 6th birthday party...

We also have been keeping her busy with every afterschool activity we can possibly find. Her time is consumed with soccer, dance, swim lessons, and gymnastics. It makes for lots of driving and running around after school--but in the evening when we get home all she wants to do is eat, cuddle a bit (which is the BEST!) and go to bed!!! Before she wasn't ready to sleep until close to 9. Come 7pm she is begging and pleading for us to read her a story and put her to bed...well, ok, not begging, but she definetly does it willingly. She has been quite the little character. I have decided that this is my favorite age...but then again, I say that with every age. I told her she needs to stop growing, she got very serious and told me "Mommy, sometimes people can't stop growing and you need to let them grow, cause it they can't grow they can't reach the shelf that all of the treats are on." Ahh, what a truthful child...little does she know I still can't reach the shelf the treats are on...

Berns is still Mr. Happy Brazilian Man. He's happy, but that doesnt mean he likes his school classes, which he seems to get more and more irritated with each week. Today he gets the joy of camping for 3 days with his fellow classmates in his "Water in the West" class. As much fun as camping is, he is definetly not thrilled. His thought on his last three classes is that the college took subjects that you could discuss over dinner and made them into semester long tedious classes...then made every major take them. Did I mention he didnt like his classes?

Work is going well. He is busy learning the ins and outs of managing, while coaching the JV soccer team. I think I see him a maximum of .234542 hours a week. And in that time we have just enough time to eat and ask eachother how our days went....cant wait til graduation!

Riley and Berns are still partners in crime and got the chance to spend a week together without me. I went to a conference in Denver while Berns and Riley took on the world together from home. Everytime I called they were laughing, tickling, or doing something fun without me....I think there week was more fun not having me there than when I am there. Maybe I should go on trips more often! California, Seattle, New York, Tailand....here I come! Berns had to leave before I got back, so Riley had the chance to drive up with a friend to Denver and live out the week with me in Denver. She loved going to watch a show at the Denver Performing Arts Complex and eating "shiny food" (I assume that means at a nice restaurant, but you never know with this girl).

Berns was in Grand Junction and Durango enjoying the life of a soccer boy coaching the high school and watching the Fort Lewis Team as an alum. (hes' wearing MY pink robe cause it was "Too Tough To Wear Pink" day at the game in support of cancer...

And lastly...news about me--which you sort of got at the beginning.--I think it's getting cold way to fast. I also have spent the majority of the month traveling around having fun. Riley and I took a trip to see the family in Utah over labor day for a few days. Mom came with us, Berns was sad to stay home and work....darn responsibilities (which I'm sure that I have...but I tend to ignore some of them...darn it.) Ask mom about the Kangaroo Zoo story...you'll get a kick out of it.

I then got to head up to Denver for a week and play. Really, it was for a conference that was about arts integration--but it was also eating REALLLY GOOD FOOD (just to give you an example I ate blueberry cheesecake waffles with graham cracker maple syrup for dinner....ammmmmaaaaazzzing.)..I ate WAAAAAAY too much. We also spent time shopping and spending all of that money Berns was making by staying home :).....Not really.

Other than that, I've been working (when i can fit it into my vacation schedule :) ),

teaching children how to sing and dance and do the jig. I'm also working on a show in October to benefit the kids with Cancer in Durango...which is suprisingly a lot of them. It will be a fun Disney show!! Come see it! Oh, and if you havent noticed by now....I chopped all my hair off. I'm officially a soccer mom...now all I need is a mini van :(

Other than that life has been simple and pleasureable for us. We are all looking forward to big changes (hopefully) that will come within the end of the year...graduating, moving, NOT HAVING TO WORK AT 4am EVERYDAY!!!!. We love life, we love soccer, we love singing and dancing, we love cookies....We love you!

~Shea, Berns, and Ri.