Jane Austen is my Hero

Halloween

2010-10-31T14:43:00.000-07:00

Halloween is so much fun every year! We went to so many carnivals, pumpkin walks, and trunk or treats. Fortunately, after all of that my kids had enough candy so we didn't have to go trolling the neighborhood in the rain for candy. (Although I love going door to door, just not in the rain).

Here is Hyrum in his much requested "Redcoat" costume. I was lucky enough to find a pirate pattern and just make some adjustments for the redcoat look.

Ella went as Belle, which is ironic since we mostly call her Belle. I had fun experimenting with fun hairdo's and we can't thank Santa enough for bringing the costume last year.

Logan is finally getting excited for Halloween and was an adorable pirate. If you asked him what he was, he would proudly reply "a Pirate King" (Can you tell they saw Pirates of Penzance?)

Here's one of all three looking as cheesy as ever.

And my finished 50's costume. I totally splurged and bought the shoes,but they were just too cute to pass on.

Under the Sea

2010-10-31T14:10:00.000-07:00

Ella wanted an Under the Sea Party this year for her birthday and we had so much fun planning decorations and activities to go along with the theme. First we hung blue, aqua and green streamers from the ceiling and added some sea animals. Then we filled the floor with blue "bubbles" balloons.

When the guests arrived we had everyone gather at the table to make wave bottles. We filled them with water, blue food coloring, oil, and assorted glitter and sea animals. The kids loved making these themselves.

After our craft we played some games. First, we did Fish, Fish, Shark (duck, duck, goose). Then we played dive under the sea. We had the blue blanket and had each child taking turns diving under to get different sea animals. Then we would toss the animal on the waves and give them a ride. This was everyone's favorite! After that we did a dig for sea shells in the sand. Finally, we had a fishing pond where the kids tossed there fishing pole over the sheet to get their goody bags.
Inside the bags was sea animal silly bands, sea animal grow pellets, swedish fish, bubbles, and a bag of goldfish snacks.

Ella requested a Whale cake, so Daddy did an awesome job making the cake for her and her friends.

The kids had a great time and fortunately her next birthday party won't be until she turns 8!

The most coveted after unicorn pillow pet from Grandma and Grandpa Braden.

And her new Hello Kitty bike that she got with her money from Great Grandma Rohrbach, Grandpa and Grandma Rohrbach and her allowance. She just learned how to ride without training wheels, so she has been on the bike non-stop.

My Latest Projects

2010-10-20T09:19:00.000-07:00

Ella's birthday is tomorrow and she is having an Under the Sea Party on Saturday. I love the internet because it has so many cute ideas for parties that I can just adapt to fit anything. Here is her invitations, and yes she actually did most of the work.

I have also been working on sewing Halloween costumes for Hyrum and I. I picked a super easy poodle skirt and ordered some really cute saddle shoes. I have a black belt and sweater to add to the outfit and a huge petticoat for underneath.

Hyrum's costume was a little more tricky since he wanted to be a British Redcoat (can you tell they have been studying the war or 1812 in school). I adapted a pirate coat pattern and I think it turned out cute. I still have to make the little white sash things that go across the coat, but you get the idea.
I'll make sure to take more pictures of Ella's party and the kids in the Halloween costumes.

Kool-Aid Stand

2010-10-20T09:16:00.001-07:00

The kids were so cute at their first kool-aid stand I just had to take a picture. The kids sold their lemonade at our yard sale a few weeks ago. It was freezing, so they really should of been selling hot chocolate. They still managed to make $4 and it kept them out of our hair.

Summertime

2010-10-20T07:51:00.001-07:00

Considering my last post was in March, I thought I should at least give an honorable mention to summertime. Summer went by super fast and was filled with water days and trips to the gardens. We also decided to go on some hikes with the kids, which is a major feat for me since I'm no hiker. These are some fun pictures of us a Bridal Veil Falls.

And some at the Thanksgiving Point Children's Gardens.

I also stayed super busy being in the production of Pirates of Penzance up at the castle theater. This was my second time in this production and it was even more fun than the first. Although I almost died walking in the fourth of July Parade.

In August we got to fly to Ohio and hang out with Ben's family for a week and a half. We haven't been able to go to Ohio in over 2 years, so it was fun to see everyone and let the cousins play together.
We were sad to see summer end, but we had a great time and are looking forward to all the Holidays coming up!

St. Patricks Day

2010-03-17T20:33:00.000-07:00

I love St. Patricks Day! My family is Irish and I was always proud that my first name means "Irish Girl" and my last name meant "Irish Person". I remember my mom dying our milk and pears green, and decorating our lunch bag with stickers, while most kids were content to just wear something green.

Each year the plot gets a little more elaborate at our house, and this year the leprechauns ransaked the place. We left some green snickerdoodles to lure them in and it must of worked.

There was toilet paper everywhere and the couch cushions were all messed up. We presumed they were riding their little horses on them.

Then they stuffed the kids clothes with pillows and filled their shoes with green legos.

We found of trail of gold throughout the house and realized they tricked us again. They didn't leave real gold, but candy instead.

They went through all the cupboards looking for mischief and even turned our milk green.

Instead of cereal they replaced it with green candy rings.

And instead of a flower centerpiece they filled it with green jolly rancher sticks. Those sneaky leprechauns even used our bathroom leaving the water green and didn't even flush. My they were quite tricky this year and we didn't catch a single one. However, Ella and Hyrum felt we shouldn't try to catch them as they are so much smaller than us and probably really nice people.

We had pot of gold soup for dinner (potato cheese soup in bread bowls) and rainbow drink (rainbow sherbet and 7 up) I think the kids only ate the drink and a few bites of bread, but I enjoyed it. It was a great day today.

2009

2010-03-08T07:10:00.000-08:00

I have been long absent from the blogging world. Life got really busy and I had to decide between living life or writing about it. However, I feel like things are a little more balanced now and grandparents are anxiously waiting updates.

October

Ella started her first ballet class

She felt so sick the day of the performance but didn't want to miss it.

Ella turned 4 and had her first birthday party.
We did Fancy Nancy!

The girls decorating purses

Having a Tea Party Fancy Nancy style

Going shopping for the gifts to put in purses.

Hyrum was dracula for Halloween

Logan our sweet bumble bee

Ella a princess (what else?)

Hyrum lost his first tooth. It was quite an ordeal.
We let him listen to an my ipod while I held him as daddy pulled it.
Alot of bribery was involved.

November

I got to perform at a fundraiser for my former theater to raise money.
I was a silly girl from Beauty and the Beast
and Ruth from Pirates of Penzance.
This is the mansion where we performed.

The ballroom where the performances were.

This is the front entrance. It was so fun to perform here.
Except for the ride home in which I got some food poisoning and
threw up on the side of the road. Good times.

Thanksgiving in Boise

Ella helping grandma make rolls.

Uncle Tyler getting some loves.

December

Opening presents Christmas eve. I only posted a
few pictures because there are a million.
Logan riding his bike from grandma and grandpa Rohrbach.

Decorating cookies for Santa

Robes and jammies I sewed for the kids.

Christmas morning

Hyrum's new camera

Ella's jewelry box

Here is a brave picture of me with no makeup!
Opening my Miche bag from Ben.

The favorite toy. The older kids would not even let him play with it.

New addition to our family.
Billy the Russian tortoise.

Hyrum and his beloved Legos

Well that catches up last year. We had a lot of fun, a lot of family, and a lot of memories. Hopefully I can stay caught up with 2010.

Summer

2009-09-29T12:53:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged anything since July and this is why:

Hawke Family Reunion up at McCall

Camping in the back yard with the kids.

Ward Campout ( I was in charge of planning)

Other things that happened this summer:

* Lots of BBQ's and Water Parties!

* I cut my hair short (8 inches)

* I got contacts

* I hit my 100 workout at Curves

* I got called as the Activity Committe Chair Person for our ward

* Hyurm started first grade

* Ella returned to computer class

* Hyurm started soccer

I'm sure I'm missing a ton of stuff and I didn't take my camera for alot of things (I'm not big on taking pictures) so you'll just have to take my word that it was a busy summer. I'm so glad that it's fall and things are back on a schedule. I might even blog more than once every 3 months.

Fourth of July BBQ

2009-07-20T13:42:00.000-07:00

It is a tradition in my family to have a neighborhood BBQ on the fourth of July. So, for the last 3 years we have continued that tradition in our own little neighborhood. We provide the burgers, hot dogs, drinks, and paper products and then everyone brings a side dish. We had about 30 people this year and we had tons of fun.

We set up the yard with kiddie pools, tents, balls, ect. and the kids pretty much entertained themselves while the adults were able to actually eat and visit.

After dinner we went to another neighbors house to set off fireworks we all bought and we gave the kids a bunch of glow sticks so we could keep tabs on them. Then we walked over to the ball field to watch the Stadium of Fire, which was pretty disappointing this year. We still had a great holiday together with our friends and look forward to doing it again next year.

A Green Thumb

2009-07-06T15:52:00.000-07:00

This is the first year we have attempted a garden. We've never bothered before because the deer eat everything in sight. However, this year Ben put a huge wire fence around the whole thing and the good news is the deer haven't eaten the garden yet. The bad news is bugs have. We still have been able to keep them growing, but boy are gardens a ton of work. This is why I stuck to planting a flower garden and Ben is in charge of the vegetables. He planted cucumber, zucchini, squash, green beans, cherry tomatoes, and roma tomatoes. So far we've had one cherry tomato ripe enough to eat. We had the ceremonial tasting of said tomato and I'm really excited for the rest to come in.

Hyrum's T-Ball

2009-07-06T15:32:00.000-07:00

Hyrum finished t-ball several weeks ago, but I never posted the pictures of him with his medal. He was so proud of that medal.

Several of their games got rained out and one game they just kept playing in the pouring rain.
Their last game was so hot that Ben had to keep pulling him into the shade so he wouldn't pass out from heat exhaustion. I say he definitely earned that medal.

A Mario Party

2009-06-02T19:44:00.000-07:00

Hyrum's sixth birthday has come and passed and I've procrastinated as long as I can for writing a blog about it. So many cute things happen and I think "that would be great to blog about" but I just don't have enough time in a day.

Anyways, Hyrum's birthday fell on a Wednesday, so for playgoup that week we went to the duck pond and brought cupcakes for all his little friends. Grandpa drove down for business so we had a yummy pizza dinner together (thanks grandpa) and then met Ruth and Jeff for Hyrum's T Ball game.

Having a big cheering section must have helped because Hyrum played better than he ever has. They even let him play "pitcher". Here's a video below. I really wish we had a video of him running. So funny!

Afterwards, Hyrum opened his generous mountain of presents and we made homemade strawberry ice cream.

On Saturday, Hyrum had is birthday party with friends. Now if you are reading this and thinking "Hey, I didn't get invited" please try not to be to offended. I told Hyrum he could only invite 6 friends. He would invite everyone including the mailman (which he has invited to come over for a BBQ) but after his 4 year old party with 32 people, I started setting limits.

He decided he wanted a Mario Party Theme (from the game on the wii and playstation) and so we made invitations with a little help from photo shop.

When the kids first arrived they each got a Mario or Luigi hat. This was to divide the kids into 2 teams (although I didn't tell them that).

And they got a bag to hold all their "gold coins" (werther's candy) that they earned from the mini games.

The first mini game was called "Speedy Graffiti". There were chalk shapes drawn on the sidewalk and each team had to paint their shapes all the way in with water. The winning team earned 3 "coins" and the losing team earned 2.

I'm sad we didn't get pictures of the rest of the games because we were too busy trying to actually play the games, but the next game was "Mario Madness". There was a blow up boat full of little colored balls and each team had to try and grab as many of whatever color I called.

The third game was called "Shoot the Boo". I printed of a bunch of King Boo's and taped them to trees. The team who shot all their Boo's first won.

The next game (which was the funniest to watch) was "Get the Goomba". We blew up a bunch of brown balloons and filled some with "coins". Two kids at a time would jump in the gated off area and sit on the goombas trying to find coins. It was so hilarious to watch.

The final game was "Smash the Chomp Chain". We painted a soccer pinata to look like a Chomp Chain and filled it with candy.

When we were done with all the games, Hyrum opened presents.

And then we had cake. We did a big star, like the one you win in the game.

Before the kids left they also got a Mario and Luigi sucker (thank you Andrea for helping me cut out all the million pieces).

I get such a kick out of planning parties and have such fond memories of the parties my mom would plan for us, but I think I'll only be doing birthday parties on milestone birthdays instead of every year. It is a lot of work.

My Baby is One!

2009-05-04T13:03:00.001-07:00

Time really does fly! Logan celebrated his first birthday on May 1st. We decided to go to Chuck E. Cheese (we do that for all their first birthdays, but I have no idea why), and it actually wasn't too bad. The place wasn't that crowded and Logan was enthralled with the little singing muppet things (personally they creep me out.)

The pizza wasn't too bad (just overpriced) and Logan ate several pieces on his own! I was just glad they had a salad bar.

The kids had fun playing games, but Logan was still a little unsure about it. He'd want to get off a ride about three seconds after I put him on. He was more content just to climb on the stationary rides.

After Chuck E. Cheese we came home and opened presents. The boat was a big hit. Now if I can just keep the older two out of it so Logan can actually have a turn.

Logan loved the cake, both making and eating eat. If you notice he's in two different outfits as a result from the "making" of the cake.

Here's some 1 year milestones:

* Weighs: 20 lbs. (13%)

* Height: 30 inches (59%)

* Had his first hair cut (he held suprisingly still)

* Has 7 (almost 8) teeth

* Can take 3 or 4 steps without any help

* Drinks whole milk now

* Can drink from a straw

* Cimbs up on anything and everything

We just can't imagine life without you Logan!

I HATE MUSTACHE MAY

2009-05-04T13:01:00.001-07:00

Need I say any more?

New Pizza Place?

2009-04-28T12:53:00.000-07:00

This is a little conversation in the car the other day:

Hyrum: Where are we going to get pizza Mom?

Mom: Papa Murphy's.

Hyrum: I don't remember Papa Smurfies. Do I like Papa Smurfies?

(my sister and I trying not to crack up)

Mom: Yes Hyrum, you love Papa Smurfies.

A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That

2009-04-28T12:40:00.001-07:00

I'm ready to rejoin the technological world again after turn off you t.v. week (which basically includes any kind of technology). It was actually really nice and I didn't really miss t.v since I'm not a big t.v person anyways, but I did miss reading everyone's blogs ect.

We've had a lot of time to spend together as a family since the week before that was Spring Break. We were able to go to the Dinosaur Museum, Jumpin' Jacks (totally crazy by the way), and play lots with friends. The weather was freezing so we had to get creative on inside activities.

Then my sister came at the beginning of t.v. turn off week, which was nice to have someone help entertain the kids so I could at least shower. We had so much fun together. We played cards, had tons of picnics, ate Macho Nachos at 3 in the morning, went to Farm Country, the park, and since the weather cooperated we were able to spend lots of time outside. We worked tons in our yard and with any luck it may actually look like a yard come summer.

Then the rain came and ruined our plans to attend the Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point Gardens on Friday for our date. It all worked out though because Ben and I just went to Trafalga (which is way fun since they remodeled it) and then the weather cleared up and we were able to go to the Tulip Festival last night with our friends the DeVries (aka Bishop). It was so beautiful and just makes me wonder what the Garden of Eden must have looked like. I can't wait for that celestial garden; then I can just give up on mine :)

Ella's Favorite Holiday

2009-04-13T20:24:00.000-07:00

We actually do all the Easter Bunny stuff on Saturday and then celebrate Easter "the resurrection" on Sunday. So, the kids were up nice and early around 7 in the morning on Saturday to see what the Easter Bunny brought them. Personally the whole concept of a giant bunny leaving candy eggs sounds a little bizarre to me, but the kids love it. They were especially excited to see the bite marks the Easter Bunny left in the carrots. P.S. Please disregard Hyrum's off the shoulder "Madonna" look with his jammies. That kids had stretched those things to peices.

Later that afternoon we had a ward party and decorated eggs and had relays (which I totally dominated in). We also had some sandwiches and a million desserts and the kids just had fun running around with the plastic spoons and eggs trying to repeat the relays.

That night Ruth, Ben's sister, babysat for us so we could go to the movies. We went and saw Paul Blart Mall Cop, which starred Kevin James and of course was hysterical. I wasn't sure in the beginning if I was going to like it, but I ended up really liking it. (I don't think there's a movie with Kevin James that I don't like, oh except for I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry. DO NOT rent that one.) This movie was really clean, and playing at the dollar theater (always a bonus).

Sunday morning we actually got to enjoy having Ben home in the morning because the bishopric didn't have meetings. So, I was able to get ready on time and try curlers in Ella's hair. She sat to still the whole time and didn't even complain.

Here's the finished product. The adorable dress is courtesy of my extremely talented sister in law, Liz. She made matching dresses for all the girls in the family. I think they turned out so cute, and I'm so sad we couldn't be there for a group picture.

We also let her have a little eye shadow and some lip gloss.

I think it's safe to say that Ella's new favorite holiday is Easter. Not only did the Easter Bunny bring her a basket full and candy and presents, but she also got to prance around and be vain amidst the showers of non stop compliments of how adorable she was. (I've seriously created a monster. . . .)

After church, Ruth and Jeff were able to come over for dinner. We had turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, yams, fresh fruit, rolls, and salad. Then after the kids went to bed we were able to play some card games. It was a terrific Easter and we were so happy that we were able to share it with family.

Spirit Week

2009-04-10T10:07:00.001-07:00

Hyrum celebrated spirit week at his school this week. I thought they really only did that kind of stuff in high school, but his school planned a whole week of fun and silly things. They had hat day, crazy sock day, crazy hair day, sport jersey day, and decades day. I wish I had taken pictures of every day, but the mornings are kind of a rush since school starts at 8:15 a.m. and I have to drive him clear to Springville. Not to mention if you get too many tardies you get kicked out (it's a charter school).

I did manage to get a picture of his decades day outfit. If you couldn't tell he's a greaser from the 50's. I had to convince him he was a motorcycle guy to get him to agree to wear it. This is him showing of his tough muscles. The other picture was a little blurry since his ride was already outside waiting, but you get the idea. Can you say "Fonzy"!

Logan-11 Months

2009-04-10T10:00:00.000-07:00

Logan is rapidly looking more and more like a little boy and less like a baby (not to mention looking more and more like his brother!) It's hard to believe he'll be 1 in 3 weeks. Here's a few 11 month milestones:

*Eats more table food and is resisting baby food (except for those baby desserts, yum!)

*Standing for longer periods

*Took his first step

*Resists getting dressed or having his diaper changed

*Starting to play with the older kids

*Rolls a ball back and forth to people

*Only taking one nap

*Says "yeah" all the time (better than saying "no")

*Laughs when he finds something funny (usually at himself)

A Really Nice Conference

2009-04-06T19:45:00.000-07:00

This year I was really looking forward to conference. I can't say I've always looked forward to conference. I've always watched it, but I haven't always enjoyed it. Most of the time it just felt long and I ended up battling with the urge to fall asleep (sleep usually won.) But this year I was really excited about conference and wanted my kids to be excited too.

Saturday morning I got up early and made bagels so that we could have breakfast while watching conference. Then Ben made cinnamon rolls Sunday morning. I think we are going to have to keep this tradition going.

I printed off a bunch of conference activities for the kids the night before. I tried this same tactic last year, but instead of giving them the whole book at once I spaced each page about 20 minutes apart so they wouldn't just scribble through the book in one talk. Then I just put the pages in a binder for each of them. We set up the kid table downstairs in front of the t.v. so the kids could work on their conference books and maybe give us a chance to actually listen to conference. Hyrum worked so hard on his book. He sat through both sessions on Saturday and the morning session on Sunday without hardly making a peep. Then, when the prophet spoke he just stopped what he was doing and looked up. I was so impressed, especially since I didn't prompt him to stop what he was doing and listen.

In the computer room we had a wooden bench full of snacks (we are talking bigger than the Super Bowl, which is kind of funny since we don't even watch the Super Bowl). So needless to say I'm sure I've gained several pounds.

On Sunday, Ben's sister Ruth and her husband Jeff came over to watch conference and we had fun playing games and pigging out together. We were able to spend the whole day with them and really had a fun time.

I felt so comforted after listening to all the many talks about being patient through afflictions and trials (it seemed like at least half were about this topic). I always feel like the talks were written just for me. Now I'm anxiously awaiting my conference addition of the Ensign so I can go back and read through their words.

My First Sewing Project

2009-03-23T12:05:00.000-07:00

Well my first sewing project since middle school. The picture is really fuzzy but the print is little pirate things, (obviously for Hyrum's room). I figured something rectangular would be pretty easy to start with. Ben and I stayed up late one Saturday night working on it together and it was a lot of fun. Anyone have any other easy to sew ideas?

Logan- 10 Months

2009-03-04T14:02:00.000-08:00

Yes our baby is quickly turning into a little boy. I'm not sure how much he weighs or how tall he is this month, since he doesn't have an appointment, but it's big enough we are going to have to switch car seats before the one year mark. I love all those kissable rolls (just not the ones covered in lasagna).

Ten Month Milestones:

*Pulls himself into standing position.

*Cruises around the furniture.

*Shows displeasure if pulled away from something he wants to do.

*Can eat some solid food (ie. the lasagna picture above. We should all enjoy our food as much as this.)

*Drinks from a sippy cup.

* Wears 12 month clothes.

*Jumps around in his crib (especially at nap time).

*Climbs up stairs (figured that one out at grandma's house last weekend).

*Gets into cabinets and drawers.

It won't be long until he's figured out the walking thing and then oh boy are we in trouble!

Quality Time and a Vacation with Jesus

2009-02-23T14:26:00.001-08:00

Where does the time go? I swear I just wrote a post the other day, but apparently it was almost a month ago. I'd promise to do better, but let's face it, I barely have time to shave my legs more than once a month let alone to actually write on my blog. (Too much information?) I figure if I post something every now and then so I can at least piece together what is going on then that's pretty good.

February was a good month. Generally speaking I hate February. I'm just not a big fan of Valentine's Day. I don't like the idea that someone decided on a day where how much you love someone is measure by how much you give them or what creative thing you think up. It means alot more to me when gestures of love are spontaneous rather than printed out on a calendar. However, this Valentine's Day really was a great day and Ben found wonderful ways to show me he appreciated me.

Friday, the day before Valentine's Day, we were invited to go to the UVU institute Valentine's Day Dance. The crazy thing was that you didn't even have to be enrolled in institute and it was totally free. This included a live band that played all the great "Big Band" music and dinner. They also had a room with ping pong, air hockey, foose ball (no idea how to spell) ect. We went with a couple in our ward and had a ton of fun. Ben even was a sport for going to the dance instruction before the dance started. He learned a little of the cha-cha, fox trot, and triple step. My feet were killing me, but it was fun to get all dressed up and do my hair all fancy. We haven't really gone to a dance together before and I love dancing, so it was alot of fun. It totally felt like high school all over again, without the awkward date feeling.

On Valentine's Day, Ben surprised me with this book:

We've borrowed it a couple times from people and read it, but I've always wanted my own copy. If you haven't read it yet, you really should. It's improved my marriage so much (even though we've always been happy together, this is just the icing on the cake). It helps you discover how to communicate love to your spouse and how they can communicate love to you. There are five basic ways people communicate love and it's fun to see how love means different things to different people. My love language is "Quality Time", so along with the book he got me this:

Probably doesn't make a lot of sense at first, but I was really excited about this. We like to play a fun game with the jelly bellies. You close your eyes and the other person puts a jelly belly in you mouth and you have to guess what flavor it is. It sounds so simple, but I really like playing this game at night before we go to bed. We end up talking alot during the game and laughing about silly things. It's good "Quality Time" for me.

Later on that day we went out to dinner to Ottavio's and were surprised to see Ben's sister Ruth there with her husband. We all were able to get a table together and had a great time. The restaurant was absolutely freezing, but we had fun laughing and watching me have some embarrassing moments.

So, the beginning of the month started off really good and then I got a phone call on Friday that my grandmother passed away. So, much for February being a good month. . . She had gone into the hospital a week or so ago and we were told she had about 6 months to live. Then her liver and kidneys failed and all the sudden it was a week left. A few days later she passed. Fortunately she slipped into a coma few days before she passed, so she wasn't in pain, but it was still very sudden.

I've never lost a grandparent before, so it's been interesting. I'm not sure what I should feel. I wasn't extremely close to my grandmother, but still I loved her. She was a good person, my dad's mother, and my grandpa's sweetheart. My grandpa, who is absolutely hilarious, isn't in the best of health either and I'm worried that he had just been "willing himself to live" until my grandmother would pass on. He's a vibrant man, but he's old and sick. The last time I saw him during Thanksgiving he seemed to be trying to say goodbye. I hope he hangs on for awhile, but I wouldn't blame him if he wanted to quickly reunite with his Lois.

Thursday we will be traveling to Boise for the funeral and even though it's under sad circumstances I'm excited to see my family again. My parents even said my other grandparents and my brother will be there which is exciting since I haven't seen either of them for 2-3 years.

I think the biggest blessing during all of this is my children. Once I got the phone call that she had passed, I knew I'd have to explain to them what had happened. We talked about where grandma's body would go and where her spirit was and it seemed so simple to them. They knew grandpa would be sad, but they also knew we should be happy because Grandma was with Jesus. They didn't have any doubts about seeing her again or where she was, because their testimonies are so pure and simple. We talked about how it's like Grandma is just on a long vacation with Jesus and they were glad because apparently "vacations with Jesus are fun." So now my kids are convinced that funerals are also fun. I'm so grateful for their optimism on life and the after life. It just reassures me that it's all true and I will see my grandma again and be able to join them on their vacation someday.

Logan- 9 Months Old

2009-02-02T14:03:00.000-08:00

Nine months old and halfway to nursery! He really is this happy most of the time. He even had a shot today and has an ear infection. Go figure?

Today, was his scheduled well baby checkup and the doctor said he's looking great (other than the ear infection). He gave me some antibiotics for the ear and praise heaven. . . he gave me something for his constant spitting up. It's like 5-10 pukes per meal. We all have our fingers crossed it works (especially since it costs so darn much.)

Here's some 9 month milestones:

*Weight: 19 pounds 5 ounces. 31 % (What fat babies are throwing off this curve? Every book I have claims they shouldn't hit 19 pounds until 11 months?)

*Length: 28.5 inches. 60% (Apparently they are all fat and short?)

*Can pull up onto taller things like couches and chairs.

*Says mama, dada, and Ella.

*Pulls himself into a sitting position.

*Claps his hands.

*Doesn't like being left alone in a room, and will follow after you.

*Enjoys playing with toys on the floor and just roaming.

*Hesitates when you use the word "no".
*Loves to stick out his lower lip.

*Spits food everywhere if he decides it's too bland.

We love this little guy. Especially when he gives Hyrum the "what in the world are you doing" look.

Thirty, Flirty, and Thriving. . . Well Just Thriving Actually

2009-01-29T15:06:00.000-08:00

In the months previous to my dreaded 30th birthday, I must have really convinced my husband just how much I was not looking forward to this birthday because he made it the best day ever!

He surprised me by showing up at lunch time on Friday (the day before my birthday) and had arranged for his sister Ruth and my friends the Prices, (who were driving up from Idaho), to come and watch the kids while he whisked me away to a secret location.

No we didn't get married again, (like I could ever fit into that dress ). We arrived at this charming bed and breakfast in Midway, Utah called Inn on the Creek. Everything was done in a European style and just felt like we had really up and gone to Europe (my deepest desire). Ben got the best room offered, the Romance Suite, and it was so nice to just get away from everything and spend time with Ben.

O.k. obviously this isn't us (I turned 30, not 60 and I would never wear a cardigan over my shoulders), but this is a good picture of the restaurant there. It was really fancy inside and the chef was amazing. We started off with some delicious bruschetta, and then I was brave and had the fettuchinni alfredo with shrimp (I'm usually not a seafood person, but you're only 30 once). And the best part was they gave us 40% off everything, which was great since it was a pretty pricey place to eat.

That night we had so much fun just watching movies and loading up on junk food. It was so nice not to have kids bouncing on you every second to try and get to the treats or ask what was going on.

The next morning Ben took me home and my friend Rachel gave me surprise #2. She took me to the mall to do some shopping (thanks to the husband and some spending cash he gave me for my birthday) and then she treated me to a fabulous pedicure (again not a real picture of my feet, but you get the idea). Not only did they give your feet the royal treatment, but we got to sit in these huge massage chairs. After the pedicure, and a HUGE wait, we had dinner at PF Changs. The food was so good, but seriously 1 1/2 hours to even get seated? I was seriously debating stealing a fortune cookie, I was so hungry. I am a big fan of the lettuce wraps and the Mongolian BBQ Beef though and thankfully no theft occurred.

Rachel was so funny at dinner because she acted like she was in a huge hurry. She wouldn't even let me stop to use the bathroom before heading home (I'm totally serious). Little did I know she was covering for surprise #3.

I drove home thinking this was the best day ever and when I walked through the door, there was a surprise party waiting. Ben had invited some friends over for cake and ice cream. The kids were so cute to decorate the house with streamers and balloons and had even made a little banner for me. I was so surprised and I didn't take a picture of a single thing (Rachel did though so I'll have to steal some pictures to post from her). Note: No creepy clowns of any type were actually involved in this party. Had they been involved, they most definetly would of been harmed (I hate clowns!)

It was such a great day and I really appreciated everyone who thought of me on this dreaded, but wonderful birthday. And a special thank you to my husband Ben who was totally creative and romantic, despite his claims that he doesn't know how to be.

Kitchen Re-model

2009-01-17T19:56:00.000-08:00

Out With The Old!

In With The New!

We repainted the ceiling and all the baseboards/sideboards a cleaner white. Painted the walls a moss green color (it looks similar to the old paint in the picture, but the olds walls were actually a country blue). Then we painted all the cabinets white and replaced all the ancient gold handles. And finally we ripped off all the horrendous pink countertops and replaced them with the marble looking ones. And all for under $250.

Logan-8 months (and a half)

2009-01-14T13:19:00.001-08:00

What can I say really? More chunk and even more cute! He's definitely more on the move too. Here's what Logan is up to at 8 months:

*Crawls using hands and knees (although he still likes to do the walrus flop)

*Pulls self onto stools and low objects

*Growls at anyone and anything

*Trys to drink from a sippy cup, but mostly just chews it

*Loves to eat baby toast, crackers, and anything not nailed down

*Is attached to his blanket

We're excited to see how much he weighs and how much he has grown next month at his appointment.

The Procrastinater Finally Reports Christmas

2009-01-13T14:24:00.000-08:00

So, things have been super busy around here and I haven't hardly even checked my email in a month, let alone written anything on my blog. I actually started to dread writing a post, because the longer I waited, the more stuff I had to report, so out of sheer guilt I'm going to post something about Christmas for posterity.

Christmas Eve we had dinner at my house (that's the down side to not going home for Christmas, you have to cook your own dinner) and we invited Ben's sister Ruth and her husband Jeff and the Owens (a couple in our ward). I think I did nothing but cook all day, and got so tired of shooing the kids out of the kitchen that I just let them open a present from Grandma and Grandpa (I just happened to know it contained Kung Fu Panda).

So we did the big dinner thing, and the open the pj's thing, and opening presents from some of the grandparents (my parents), and left out cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer, etc. (Can you tell I'm trying to give a brief summary here?)

Then we read the Christmas story and laid out our new stockings, and despite the unruly behavior my children displayed all year, Santa still managed to come and spoil them rotten.

Christmas morning, was fun to spend together at home, and the kids had a million things to open. I was really excited to get a sewing machine from my parents (unfortunately sewing skills didn't come in the box). We made our traditional egg mcmuffin breakfast and then spent the entire rest of the day in our jammies playing the wii. We've had the wii for months, but there was a game that had a bunch of unlocked sections that we were determined to open. Eight hours later we were able to reap our reward:)

Later that afternoon we got on the webcam with Ben's family and the kids opened their presents from them. We took like 200 pictures over the course of the day, so I'll spare you all and just post a couple.

And here's a couple videos of the kids enjoying their loot!

We had a great Christmas, and the best of all was Ben and I took all our Christmas money and decided to remodel the kitchen. Then entire week after Christmas we were elbow deep in paint and sawdust, but it ended up looking great. We just have few things to touch up and then I will post some pictures of the final project.

Whew, now I can finally be rid of bloggers guilt (despite that fact that I crammed an entire month's worth of stuff into one blog:)

Alliances at the Yankee Swap

2008-12-16T20:27:00.001-08:00

Ben's work has a tradition of having a semi-formal dinner and a game at their Christmas party. The game is yankee swap, but isn't like any version I have ever seen. In the middle of the room is a huge tarp/blanket covering a gigantic mass of assorted shapes. After dinner they remove the blanket to reveal the gifts. We are talking BBQ grills, bounce houses, big screen computer monitors, gps systems, ipods. . . you get the idea. It's exciting and stressful all at once.

Every couple gets a number. The first person chooses a gift from the pile. The second person can either steal a gift or choose from the pile. Each gift can only be stolen 3 times and can only be stolen once per round (a round ends when the stealing stops and someone finally picks something from the center).

Last year we won a complete Dell computer. This year I had my eye on a dual trainer elliptical/bike. We got the elliptical and of course it got stolen. Later got it again. . . stolen. Eventually it got stolen for the third time by the people sitting next to us. I was so bummed. Fortunately, we still had our eyes on the GPS system that was on it's second steal, and we currently had a fire pit set. We were discussing our strategy, when the people next to us overheard we were going for the GPS. They agreed that if we got the GPS they would trade. It was the next persons turn and Ben was peddling the fire pit set, while I was praying and they took the the set. So I came home with this:

Ah, a desperate and overweight woman's prayer answered.

The Real Santa Came To Our Ward Party!

2008-12-08T12:45:00.001-08:00

This is the statement Hyrum has been repeating over and over ever since our ward party. "Santa" was a friend of our relief society president and I have to say he looked pretty darn convincing, white beard and all.

The best though was Hyrum trying to kiss up in front us Santa, literally. Any time he thought Santa was watching he'd lean over and kiss or hug Ella. Yeah, like that's gonna make up for a year of naughty :)

Here's some of the pictures of the kids with "Santa". They didn't hesitate at all to climb on his knee, although Ella talked more to me than to Santa. Logan just had a funny expression on his face, but he wasn't really scared. He hasn't gone through the stranger anxiety thing like the others . . . yet.

Christmas Stuff

2008-12-05T14:23:00.000-08:00

Our first order of business, after returning home from Thanksgiving, was to get our tree up. It's not a huge tree, and we got it for like $20, but I've always liked it. I'm kind of a scrooge when it comes to the tree, because I don't let the kids decorate it. Yes, gasp and be astounded at what a horrible mother I am, but I'm really weird with things coordinating and looking even, etc. It drives me nuts if there's an ornament out of place, so the kids help set the tree up and then we decorate it when they are in bed. Then they are really excited to wake up the next morning and see how beautiful it is. I don't even let Ben help me decorate it usually, but I was exhausted this year and decided I valued my sleep more than a perfectly decorated tree. Ben is usually in charge of all the lights on the tree and tinsel. I don't have any patience for that. Someday I'd like to have a tree downstairs just for the kids to decorate with colored lights, popcorn strings and homemade ornaments. Maybe next year, but for now, it's my tree :)

I am excited about a new Christmas purchase I got this year, stockings. I actually bought them last year in Boise the day after Christmas at this fancy store for 75% off. Originally they were like $20 a piece, which is ridiculous (I don't even spend that much on what I put in the stockings). So I bought enough for our family and two extra (believe me I won't be needing more than that). This way they will all match, even after we have more children. My mom's friend even embroidered all our names on them and they look so beautiful. We don't have a fireplace or even a mantle, so I got creative and hung them from my hope chest. Pretty clever I think.

I'm really excited because our ward Christmas party is tonight . (We missed last years thanks to kids throwing up everywhere). It's catered, except for the desserts which they asked everyone to bring, so I was excited to try a fun Christmas cupcake I've had a picture of for years. Usually I just make Ben make the dessert (I'm more of a main dish kind of girl), or I just buy something, but I actually went to the trouble to make something for this years party. I'm sure all those primary kids are really going to appreciate all the time it took for me to cut out all those leaves from fruit roll ups (ha, ha) So keep your fingers crossed that no one wakes up from their naps sick.

Logan- 7 Months

2008-12-02T13:23:00.000-08:00

Time continues to go fast and Logan continues to learn new things. Here are some fun milestones he has reached at 7 months:

*army crawls

*says da da (waiting excitedly for ma ma)

*feeds himself crackers and cheerios

*holds onto toys and can switch hands

*likes to play peak a boo and other social games

*recognizes family members

*is interested at looking in the mirror

*holds own weight when standing

*losing interest in pacifiers (but really likes his thumb)

*doesn't like being left alone (always wants your attention)

*has 2 teeth

We just put up our tree last night and I'm a little nervous as to what he will try. I mostly kept him in high chairs, exersaucers, or close in my sight and he just seems bewildered by the tree. He looks at it, but I don't know if he really realizes the damage he could cause to the helpless thing. I'm sure it's just a matter of time.

Love the Turkey, Hate the Holiday

2008-11-28T09:11:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is a time where most people feel gratitude for all their blessings. I however, spent a greater part of it feeling guilt. I feel guilty because I realize that most of the year I haven't been feeling gratitude for all the many blessings I've had, and instead have been dwelling on all the hardships and trials and "I'll be happy when's. . ."

I suppose it's human nature to always be wanting the next thing in life, but it isn't the nature of God and therefore shouldn't be the nature of those that have faith in him. I can recognize that we have been blessed, but I have not let it bring me peace and contentment.

I've read all kinds of books and talked to all kinds of people on how to feel happy and grateful in the present amidst adversity and found some wonderful advice. It's the applying part that I can't seem to figure out. I know something is true, and can apply it just fine when life is easy, but when life gets complicated. . . principles just go out the window and start sounding like something off of a seminary video.

Normally I don't like to open up on blogs. They aren't journals, they are public domains, but it just felt fake for me to make a list of things I'm thankful for that I haven't really appreciated. It's not that I'm not thankful for them, but rather I keep losing focus of them when things are hard. Obviously I'm grateful for the gospel, and my family etc. but I know I could do better.

I've actually always dreaded Thanksgiving, because unlike most people who use it as time to thank the Lord for their many blessings, I use it as time to take inventory of my blessings and if I've really shown them the gratitude they deserve. Being the perfectionist that I am, I always find myself lacking and needing improvement.

I think that's also why I've always been more comfortable with Christmas. I'm so busy with the spirit of giving that I don't have time to feel sorry for myself. That's one of the reasons why we are commanded to serve others, but again it can only help for so long, then reality sinks back in, the tree goes back in the closet, trials return, and I get stuck in the same rut.

It's that vicious Book of Mormon cycle. It's pretty easy to be righteous when you are prospering and have no trials, but the downward cycle is a lot harder to fight against. I know it's not impossible though. The scriptures are full of prophets who had difficult lives and yet still remained faithful and had gratitude, even in their difficult times. I guess that's what I'm really thankful for. A lifetime to try and figure out how they did it and a Father in Heaven that knows I'm really trying.

Ready to Go!

2008-11-21T11:30:00.000-08:00

Well, it didn't take long for Logan to figure out how to do the army crawl. He's still rocking back and forth on his hands and knees and almost taken a full crawl, but either way he is on the move! Beware!

Check out this impressive push up. Sometimes he just hangs out on his toes, before he pops up on his knees. I know I certainly can't do that.

Logan also had his first tooth pop through the surface yesterday. Four month before any of my other kids had teeth! All I can say is boy am I grateful I'm not breastfeeding right now :)

A Farley Good Birthday!

2008-11-17T13:17:00.001-08:00

Ben turned 31 on Saturday (and sadly enough this is the only picture I could find of him. He avoids the camera about as much as I do). I didn't take the camera along for the day, but we still had a great day.

We started with a nice yummy pumpkin waffle and bacon breakfast (thank you Daddy for helping :) and were so full (not to mention ate so late) we didn't even bother eating lunch. Plus we were saving up for dinner later.

Ben enjoyed watching the BYU game while I ran errands, and he claimed BYU won just for him. I thought that was rather nice of them to win the game just because it was his birthday.

That night we went to his favorite place for Chinese food and we ordered TONS of food. I'm still full today! Afterwards we came home to open presents and to have pie and ice cream, but we bagged the pie and ice cream since we were so unbelievably full, and decided to just save if for Sunday.

After dinner and presents our wonderful neighbors came over to watch the kids so we could go to see Ben's favorite thing of all time The Farley Family Reunion at the Scera. Those of you who are unfamiliar with the Farley Reunion are really missing out. It's a one man comedy show, where he is making fun of mormon family reunions, while doing all the parts. Ben remembers watching a video of this guy way back in the 80's in Ohio, so imagine our surprise when we saw he was still doing shows and one right where we live.

Ben and Ruth (Ben's sister) were laughing so hard throughout the whole thing, that people kept turning around to look at us. I was cracking up as well, especially when he acts the part of the magician, classic! I can't even explain how absolutely hilarious it is.

Then there was a section of the show where they asked if any ones birthday was today and Ben actually got to go up stage and they ad libbed him in as part of the family. Of course he would have to tell them his name was Samsonite Farley (we had name tags to put on at the beginning, I was Persephone). The guy gave him a bunch of random coupons, plus a free ticket to his Christmas show. Ben was so excited like he'd met a real celebrity. He claimed it was the best day of his whole life, which I'm not so sure about since there was a wedding and three kids mixed in there. I guess you just can't compete with the Farley Family. We love you Ben!

Logan-6 Month Checkup

2008-11-11T19:42:00.000-08:00

Logan had his 6 month checkup today, and I can't believe he's halfway to turning one years old! Time goes so fast, and each kid just speeds up the time dial even more.

Logan has been a fun surprise for us. By your third child, you think you've seen it all, but Logan is completely different from Hyrum and Ella. He is already to the rocking back and forth phase, when my other kids weren't even rolling at this age. I'm wondering what I'm going to do with my Christmas tree this year???

He is also a really terrific eater and will eat anything you put in front of him. (Hence the fact that he weighs pounds more than my other two at the same age).

Logan is just a super active and happy baby and we love all the fun surprises he hands us. (I'm not sure I will be saying this next month when he's crawling all over the place and into everything.)

Here's some fun statistics and milestones for Logan at age 6 months:

Weight: 17 pounds 5 ounces

Length: 27 inches

*Babbles reciprocally

*Holds onto objects and puts in mouth

*Rocks back and forth on hands and knees

*Recognizes own name and will turn when called

*Stands when held and holds own weight

*Eats pureed fruits and vegetables 2 times a day, cereal twice a day, and meat.

*Eats fruit or veggie puffs

*Can hold bottle when placed on the floor

*Enjoys reading Jane Austen (no wait that's me :)

A "Beauty" of a Week!

2008-11-02T13:20:00.000-08:00

It seems like this week was so busy, that all I did was change from my pj's to my costume, back to my pj's. Fortunately, I'm unhealthily obsessed with Halloween, so I loved every minute of it. My fabulous friend Calista, was good enough to sew my Belle costume for me. I learned so much from watching her, although I don't know how much I'll remember. I really want to learn how to sew just so I can make mommy dress up clothes :) It was a lot of fun though, and she was great to put in all the time to make it, especially since she's dealing with all the yucky pregnancy stuff as well.

So, the week started on Monday with my sister Andrea flying in from Boise to stay for the whole week. She shares my passion for Halloween, so we had a great time together.

On Tuesday was the ward Halloween party. I somehow got roped into planning it even though I'm not on the activities committee. The last ward party we had was Christmas last year, and my kids were sick so we didn't get to go. Needless to say our ward was in desperate need of some social interaction. Especially since we have like a 60% turnover every semester. Everyone feels new. I'm in charge of all the relief society activities groups so I figured we'd just count it as that and throw a huge party since we were all starving for some fun in the ward.

My group leaders were so great and helped out so much. I was stressed out for months, but it all came together and turned out to be a great activity. Here's a few pictures, from the activity. We had about 120 people come! (I was running around too much to get more than this)

The tables were all decorated black or orange with a pumpkin and leaves on top. Then we put a sticker on the bottom of one chair at each table, and whoever had the sticker, got to take the pumpkin home.

For dinner we had all people with last names starting with A-L bring soup and last names starting with M-Z bring desserts. The ward provided rolls and drinks. There were so many yummy soups. I think I went back 4 times to try as many different soups as possible. We had TONS of food, so I was relieved!

After dinner we did a parade for the kids. This picture is of the babies lining up for their turn. It was so cute!

After dinner the kids could go to different rooms to play games. We had a ring toss, cake walk, bean bag toss, fishing pond, and eyeball relay. The kids got tons of candy and prizes. (note to self: get treat bags for next year). I was mostly running around trying to clean up dinner and make sure the games were all going o.k. that I didn't get to see much of the kids, but they sounded like they had a good time.

When the games were finished, we had everyone come back to the cultural hall and we handed out prizes for the costumes. Hyrum won the best overall costume for the junior primary age group. I couldn't believe how many adults dressed up and how amazing their costumes were. It really was a fun activity and hopefully everyone had a good time!

Thursday was Ben's work trick or treating. The kids got to dress up and go trick or treating to all the different cubicles. They got so much candy! All the employees dressed up and their were some hilarious costumes. Ben and a bunch of developers all dressed up like women. I can't believe I didn't get a picture of Ben in my maternity clothes, makeup and a wig. At least he didn't fit into my regular clothes :)

They also had a contest for the best decorated cubicle and Ben won a $50 gift card to best buy. He had this stuffed person with a pumpkin head slumped over a key board with a mother board sticking out the back of his head. Then he had spider webs, skeletons, and different banners hanging everywhere. We were totally jazzed he won, because we went out and got wii music for free!

Friday was the craziest day. I dropped Hyrum off at school, then drove back and changed as fast as I could so I could come back to help with his class Halloween party. I thought it was funny that I was dressed as Belle and I was in charge of reading Halloween stories.

After Hyrum's class party I once again quickly drove back, changed into pj's and ran to a doctor's appointment (that's a whole other post in and of itself).

Then I drove back home, had a fun Halloween lunch of pumpkin and bat sandwiches with the kids and then quickly finished decorating the house, and making dinner. We had potato cheese soup in these cute bread bowls that looked like pumpkins. Then we had a few trick or treaters and then headed up to Springville, to our old ward and went trick or treating. We only had to do one street before the kids bags were too big for them to carry. The weather was so good for most of it though. We didn't even have to wear jackets.

It was a great Halloween! The kids had tons of fun going to all the parties, I had so much fun hanging out with my sister, and we have enough candy to last until next year. I have to say though, I did breath a little sigh of relief when I was able to flip that calendar to a calmer November. I may pull out my Belle costume to vacuum the house or something though. After all Halloween is still 363 days away!

Fancy Nancy Turns 3!

2008-10-23T18:53:00.000-07:00

Ella turned three on October 21st, and I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate it than the Fancy Nancy way. For those of you who aren't familiar with Fancy Nancy, first of all you are missing out, but she's this little girl who likes everything fancy, frilly, and over the top. I love, loved this book, since I'm a Fancy Nancy at heart, and my little protege, Ella is even more so.

The morning started out with the house decorated in pink balloons and a Fancy Nancy Survival Kit for Ella. It had the new Fancy Nancy book, a princess crown, chapstick, lotion, glitter headbands, butterfly stickers, and rose petals that dissolve in the bath tub.

After we had breakfast, Ella, Ruth (Ben's sister), and I headed to get manicures and Ella also got her toenails painted. (I had a picture, but it just turned out blurry). She just seemed at ease and totally in her element. She just talked with the lady doing her nails and when she was done, the lady was sweet enough to read Ella some of her Fancy Nancy books while we finished.

When we got home from getting our nails done we had a tea party complete with flower peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, heart cucumbers and cheese, chips, and fancy milano cookies. And it wouldn't be a tea party without teacups and rose tea (fruit punch). The kids were so funny. They ate with their pinkies up the whole time and addressed each other as "darling".

Then Daddy showed up during lunch with a special surprise. Flowers for the birthday girl! Ella was so excited. Good thinking Daddy, every fancy girl needs flowers (hint hint :)

For dinner we told Ella she could go wherever she wanted and she kept voting for Taco Bell, so we tried to upgrade her to at least a Mexican restaurant. She actually didn't care as long as she got a soft shell taco. We all dressed up fancy, even daddy and Logan. (Hyrum is frowning in this picture, but I totally looked fat in the other one we took :)

Hmm. . . she's not eating with her pinky up?

The girls side of the table. Ella is totally striking a diva pose here.

After dinner Ella opened presents. She got plenty of girly, girl stuff and loved all of it.

Daddy made her cake, which was supposed to be a crown, but we got a little strapped for time. Hey, I can't complain, I didn't have to make it and it tasted great! I still cannot write on cakes without it looking the kids did the writing.

So, now my baby is officially three! Before you know it she'll be off to kindergarten. Don't grow up to fast my little Fancy Nancy!

Pumpkin Day

2008-10-15T21:17:00.001-07:00

It started out being a fairly normal day, and somehow turned theme: Pumpkin Day! First the kids decorated some pumpkin pictures that grandma sent them with the instructions to mail them back so she can decorate her house. (Don't worry Laurie we'll send them out tomorrow). The kids went crazy with the puff paints and glitter, and it was a mess to clean up, but they had so much fun being creative. It's painfully obvious which one Hyrum did, not that he's obsessed with pirates or anything.

For dinner we made pumpkin pancakes, which are so yummy! Thank you Karen. They also have this cinnamon cream sauce that goes over them, and I swear they are one of the best things I've ever tasted. My kids wolf them down, which is another plus.

After dinner we carved pumpkins. I'm not really good at that whole free hand pumpkin carving thing, so I found some cool templates online. My hand is killing me, but I think they turned out great. Mine/Ella's is Cinderella's castle (maybe it's Sleeping Beauty's, I'm not sure). Ben and Hyrum's is the dragon from Sleeping Beauty. Now, I'm just praying that no mean kids decide to smash them, because there is no way I'm carving another pumpkin. For the last couple of years we just let the kids paint them, because I don't like touching the goo, but I dug my hand in there and totally shocked Ben. It was kind of fun actually.

So, our unplanned pumpkin day was a success! I'm exhausted and orange, but I can't wait to cook those seeds. Yum!

Hats Off To You Dr. Seuss

2008-10-11T16:53:00.000-07:00

Today for our "date night" (we went at 2 in the afternoon) we went to see Seussical the musical at the Scera and I really enjoyed it. It's so different from the usual Rodgers and Hammerstein stuff I'm drawn to and I loved that. It was really colorful and just full of energy. Not to mention hilarious. It's also something I think kids would really enjoy (I was sitting next to tons). So, if you are looking for a fun and different kind of musical I would totally recommend this. I couldn't believe how much singing and dancing this one had. There really weren't any "lines" at all. Thankfully the actors were extremely talented, so it was fun to listen to and watch. Thank you to Dr. Seuss for creating such a wonderful world, where anything can rhyme and anything can happen.

Logan aka King Boo-5 Months

2008-10-09T14:56:00.000-07:00

I know he actually turned 5 months on the first and it is now the ninth, but I figured a late post was better than nothing. Isn't he just so cute! Logan doesn't have a doctors appointment this month, so we just weighed him on our scale and he came in at about 17 pounds. Yep, that's my little chunk! I'm not sure how long he is, but he's actually pretty proportionate. He doesn't seem as chunky because he's also so tall. He does still have those kissable rolls though. Here are some of Logan's 5 month milestones:

*Sitting in a bath chair, instead of the baby bath tub

*Can hold onto objects.

*Scoots himself backwards when he's on his tummy (he can get across the room now).

*Eats rice cereal, oatmeal, fruit, and we are starting vegetables today. (I was going to wait to start any of the "jarred" baby food until he turned 6 months like my other kids, but he just seemed really hungry still. Seriously, I would feed him the oatmeal and he'd just scream like "Are you kidding me? That's all I get?")

*Is finally taking a good 2-3 hour afternoon nap. (Morning nap is still sporadic, but that's mainly because we are in and out of the car a million times in the morning. Poor kid.)

*Can sit with support.

*Loves to interact with the kids (especially Hyrum; he thinks everything he does is funny.)

*Is starting to enjoy playing with toys.

We sure love this little/big guy. I've decided on a new nickname for him, King Boo. It's on the wii, Mario Party 8. Watch it and you will totally see the similarity, minus the fangs and menacing scowl. He's just round, and is always smiling and sticking his tongue out. Not to mention Logan is almost completely bald. He's even starting to make sounds like King Boo. It's so funny! If I had any talent in sewing I would seriously make him a King Boo costume for Halloween, which would come in very handy since I think he's too big for the one Hyrum wore at the same age. I don't think anyone would really get who he was supposed to be but me though, because King Boo is a ghost that has like this red cape thing and a crown. I think people would just be confused, but I would still think it was hysterical.

Pixie Perfect

2008-09-29T19:31:00.000-07:00

Saturday, Ella and I decided to have a girl day and go get our hair cut. I was kind of nervous about taking her, considering she has only had her hair cut once, but she sounded excited about joining me, so I took her along.

She was so brave! We sat next to each other while we both got haircuts at the same time and she just talked with the lady cutting her hair and seemed like she was having a grand old time. Hyrum would of been bawling on the floor at the first snip. He still cries every single time we cut his hair, but apparently Ella loves getting hair cuts. I just told her she was going to get her hair cut like Snow White and that sealed the deal (despite Daddy's attempts to convince her to keep it long like Ariel). So now she will have cute hair to go with her Snow White costume.

The title of this blog is dedicated to Ella and her little tinkerbell camera that she carries around that says "pixie perfect" every time you snap the button. I have to say her hair cut is definitely pixie perfect and suits my little fairy daughter.

Yesterday and today people complimented her on her hair and Ella just replies "it's so gorgeous." Ah, more of Mommy's brainwashing at work.

I also got my hair cut since it hasn't been cut since the last time I blogged about it in February, but I didn't take any pictures because it really wasn't all that exciting. The just took an inch and a half to two inches off, so it's just a little shorter and less nastier looking. However, this was Logan's expression after seeing my new hair do . . .

Clearly he is in awe of all my motherly beauty! What can I say? I'm one hot momma!

A Second Chance

2008-09-16T19:39:00.001-07:00

The last few weeks I've been mourning the loss of a memory; my son's first day of school. I knew I couldn't turn back time, so I was just having to accept that I missed out. I just wished God could somehow give me a do-over, a second chance. I knew it was an impossible wish, and yet He made it happen. . . .

For years I've been researching a charter school in our area and just praying that Hyrum would be able to go to this school. New students are chosen based on a lottery and my heart just broke when I received a letter telling me he was 45 on a waiting list. Two weeks before school started I called again just to double check and he was number 25.

I had prayed fervently about where to send Hyrum to school, and I felt very strongly that he was supposed to attend this particular one. However, the odds were against me and I realized that I would just have to live with that uneasy feeling I kept getting when I prayed about sending him somewhere else.

On Friday, I received a very unexpected message on my phone, informing me that a spot had opened up and Hyrum could enroll if he so chose. I was in complete shock. I have wanted him to go to this school for so long, and there was the opportunity right within my reach. However, the choice was much more complicated now.

For starters, school started 2 weeks ago and Hyrum has already become familiar with his teacher and his routine. Not to mention the school is only a few blocks down the road and I carpool with our neighbor.

When I had originally filled out the paper work for the lottery for Reagan Academy, I had two neighbors who were already guaranteed spots. So even though the school is clear in Springville, I would have someone to carpool with. Now, however, both of these families have moved which would mean I would have to drive back and forth twice a day myself.

I still felt really good about the school, but since some of the circumstances had changed I really had to think about it. Unfortunately I only had until Monday to make this decision. Monday morning, Ben and the kids and I, toured the school and met with some of the administrators. I felt good throughout the whole process, and so we enrolled him to start immediately.

So, long story short, I got a second chance at my son's first day of school. I was up way too late last night buying his uniforms and then I couldn't sleep a wink because I was so excited. I got up super early and decorated the house with red balloons and confetti (one of the school colors) and promised Hyrum a special breakfast of whatever he wanted. We really wanted to make the transition more of a celebration of him "getting picked" to go to the special school. When we first told him, he wasn't really keen on the idea of leaving his friends and classroom, but he warmed up the minute he walked through that door.

I really feel good about this decision, even though it isn't as convenient for me, and I'm sure it wasn't easy for Hyrum either, but I think in the long run he will be so much happier at Reagan Academy. I just love that they have so many resources and specialty classes that other schools don't offer. I also really like that kids learn on their own level, and can progress whenever they are ready to move on. I hope this will be a good experience for Hyrum and I'm just so thankful for a Heavenly Father who knew how important this was to me, to allow me a second chance.

"Solid Food"

2008-09-16T19:23:00.001-07:00

Last week we gave Logan his first taste of rice cereal and I guess it went as good as can be expected. Let's face it, rice cereal is mushy, gooey and tastes really awful. I think it's quite a feat if any baby is willing to take more than one spoonful. I'm not sure how it even got in the solid food category. It's super runny and in no way could be categorized as food. A weak glue substitute, maybe, but not food. He made a lot of faces and spit most of it out, but every day gets a little better. I'm always more excited when I can start feeding them fruits and baby "desserts" from a jar. Some of them aren't half bad and I don't have to feel so guilty forcing them to eat it.

Cute Pictures Karen Took While She Was Here

2008-09-10T19:49:00.001-07:00

Logan-4 Month Checkup

2008-09-10T19:27:00.001-07:00

Logan had his 4 month check up a few days ago and I was a little nervous because he didn't eat really good for several days, thanks switching from the breast to formula. Thankfully he still survived the trauma with most of his rolls intact. He did drop a little percentage wise, but nothing serious. He weighed a little over 15 pounds (50%), and was 25 inches long (48%). So, he's still pretty evenly proportioned.

The doctor visit went really well until Ella somehow flipped the stool next to the examining table over and bit clear through her lip. I guess it was a good thing we were at the doctor's office. Fortunately, she doesn't need stitches or anything, and she's healing nicely. She definitely inherited her mom's clumsy gene.

Anyways, here are some fun milestones Logan is doing at four months:

*Rolls tummy to back and back to tummy

*Smiles and laughs (he is very ticklish)

*Trys to repeat vocal sounds

*Bats at objects and can pick up small toys

*Scoots around the crib (often getting a limb stuck in the process)

*Able to hold head up pretty steadily (loves sitting in the bumbo)

*Sleeps through the night (he's actually been doing that for quite a while)

Now we are just trying to figure out how the heck to get him on a routine. The kid will not take naps. We are talking a 10-20 min. nap in the morning and maybe 30 min-1 hour in the afternoon. It's driving me nuts. Hyrum refused to nap too, but I eventually forced him on a schedule. I'm having a really hard time getting Logan on a perfect schedule, since I have 2 other kids. The afternoon isn't too bad because my other kids take naps or quiet time, but the morning is just nuts. Anyone have any great ideas? He'll fall asleep if I hold him, but then he wakes up the minute I lay him down, or 10 minutes later. I tried letting him "cry it out" but it lasted forever. He's a super, super light sleeper. I'm just not sure what to do. Thank heavens he's so darn cute!

My Made for T.V. Movie

2008-09-08T12:27:00.000-07:00

I've sat down at the computer several times to write, but I haven't been sure what to say. I've gone through some really difficult times these last few weeks, and just haven't felt like talking about them. I still don't feel like elaborating on everything, but it just feels weird to not write anything and just continue on as though nothing happened. So, I've decided to compromise and just give a brief explanation of what has been going on. . .

After having Logan, I experienced some postpartum ick (yes that is the technical term :) My doctor prescribed me some anti-depressants, and long story short, I had some severe side effects. Severe enough that I ended up in the hospital. Most of this experience is just a blur of my worst nightmares that I hope will fade over time. I stayed in the hospital for a week, and it was one of the most horrible things I've had to endure. Most of the doctors and staff just treated me like some emotional lunatic. They basically take all your agency away and care nothing for you. It's what I imagine Hell to be like, only with visitation rights. Ben and I would try to laugh about my stay in the "Pitts of Hell". It was either that or the endless crying. At some point I think my eyes just gave up and humor seemed like a better coping device.

Blood tests were ran, and as much as I HATE having blood drawn, it was the one positive thing I can take from this experience. The results came back. Hypothyroid. A normal persons TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) is between 0 and 4. My first test was 44, my second was 72. My thyroid had almost completely stopped working. Apparently, it's one of the highest numbers they had ever seen and claimed that anyone that has come in with a number that high was in a coma. They predicted I had about 2 more weeks until I hit the "vegetable" phase. Clearly someone was looking out for me, and it wasn't the doctors.

Here's some of the fun symptoms of Hypothyroidism:
Fatigue,
Weakness
Weight gain or increased difficulty losing weight
Coarse, dry hair
Dry, rough pale skin
Hair loss
Cold intolerance (can't tolerate the cold like those around you)
Muscle cramps and frequent muscle aches
Constipation
Depression
Irritability
Memory loss
Abnormal menstrual cycles
Decreased libido

Wow, and I wonder why I've been feeling like crap? Sign me up for the next beauty pageant. I was actually relieved that I can now blame my inablility to lose weight regardless of how hard I work out on my thyroid.

My MRI also came back normal, so I was able to sigh a little relief. I'm not totally crazy after all. Those last few weeks were the combination of post-partum, bad medication, and a severe problem with my thyroid.

The hardest part was being away from my husband and children. The day they admitted me to the hospital was the day before Hyrum started kindergarten. I've never cried so hard, as I did that moment when they told me I was going to miss his first day of school. I've looked over all my friends blogs full of pictures and cute memories, and realize that I won't have any of that and I can never get that day back. Ben was good enough to take Hyrum for me and take pictures, but it's not the same. People keep telling me that "it's just kindergarten", "you'll always have next year", "you still have kindergarten for Ella and Logan". As kindly meant at the advice was, it just doesn't take away the pain. I've been anticipating this day since his birth. As a former teacher and the daughter of a teacher, school has been a huge part of my life. Some of my fondest memories were sitting on my living room floor back home, while my mom handed out the school supplies to load into our backpacks. I know it's not really that big of a deal, but for me, a mother who promised her worried son that she would be there that first day no matter what, it just broke my heart.

Then there was heartbreak number two. . .I can't breastfeed Logan anymore. I've been given some anxiety medication that isn't safe to take while breastfeeding. It was a tough decision to make. Stay in the hospital, so people could monitor me on different medication and continue pumping milk to send home with Ben, or take something a little safer for me (although not for the baby) and quit breastfeeding. After sobbing my eyes out and a lot of praying, I felt like being home and taking care of my kids with the bottle was a better option than staying in the hospital while other people fed my child my breast milk. Again, I understand it's not the end of the world, it was just really hard when I wasn't emotionally ready to quit breastfeeding. I know there are some positives and freedoms that come with the bottle, but it's just hard when I feel like it wasn't really my choice.

So, that is my brief summary of what's been going on. The scary part is this really is the Readers Digest version. The real version is a 6 hour length made for t.v. movie starring Jessica Alba playing the woe-be-gone mother. (Yes, I know she doesn't look a thing like me, but it's my movie and I can cast whomever I want).

Now it's just the waiting game. My thyroid medicine won't really be taking effect for another 6-8 weeks. In the meantime I get to be unbelievably tired, depressed, and irritated with everyone around me. Hmmm. . .sounds like another made for t.v. movie only this time it would have to be Sharon Osbourn or someone equally as creepy playing the part. Oh I should of never gone into the movie business.

However, when I get that grammy, golden globe, or whatever the heck the award is called, I do want to thank some special people in my life. Ben, for being the best husband in the whole world and staying with me during all the crazy. The Dome family, for all the advice, childcare, and non-judgemental friendship. Karen, who flew all the way from Hawaii to take care of me and my kids. And to all my family and friends who have visited, called, and prayed for me. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

The Last Two Weeks

2008-08-01T20:18:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been a busy two weeks! So here's a mass blog entry of all the fun, and yes I actually took the camera along for some of it.

July 15th: My best friend Karen visited with her husband Matt from Hawaii. They were here for Matt's brother's wedding so I was excited to steal Karen for a day. We mostly just talked and I got to show off my new chunky baby (not to mention my new chunky body :) Then when Ben got home we went shopping for a little bit and afterwards we all met up to have some yummy Chinese food. Even though we talk on the phone pretty much every day, it was so fun to get to spend some time together. Now I'm just trying to talk her into coming to Boise for Thanksgiving.

July 17-21: Ben's sister Ruth came to meet a "gentleman friend" aka Jeff, she met on an LDS website. She humored all our questions and let us grill her every night after their dates. Ben felt like a protective father waiting up for her at night, it was so funny. It definitely made him nervous for Ella to start dating. We all really liked Jeff and anyone who can survive time with Hyrum is a keeper. It was fun having Ruth around and the kids are already asking when Ruth is going to be back. Well, Jeff's in Ohio to meet the rest of the family this weekend, so my guess is she'll be back pretty soon :)

During Ruth's stay I also decided to make some strawberry jam. My Dad was able to get us an awesome deal of $4 a flat, so we snatched up two flats. Ben and I are a great team and were able to get the job done in no time.

July 21: My friend Rachel and her kids came to Utah to visit. I met Rachel years ago in a married student ward when we each had only one kid, so we've been friends for quite a while. We were so sad when they moved, but fortunately they moved just a few miles from my parents. The kids were so excited to see their "cousins" again (that's what Hyrum kept calling them). We let the kids play for a while and then had a BBQ. After dinner we went swimming up at Saragtoga Springs where they used to live. The kids were really brave and Ella tried out a life jacket for the first time. I really need to get them in swim lessons next summer when things aren't quite so crazy.

July 25-27: We drove up to Boise on the 23rd and then drove up to Cascade with the rest of my family to stay in my aunt and uncle's cabin.

My Dad, Ben, and Hyrum, went up earlier that morning to take Hyrum on his first fishing trip. Grandpa got Hyrum a Rocket Fishing Rod for Christmas with a promise to take him, so Hyrum has been counting down since Christmas. Ben got him his own little tackle box and he was so excited to go! This is Hyrum's "excited dance" the morning they left. Pretty impressive considering it was like 6:30 in the morning.
Alas, they didn't catch any fish with Hyrum, and I was so sad for him. I really wanted him or at least Ben or my Dad to catch something on his first fishing trip, but they said he still did really good being on a boat that long. I think he just thought you sit down and then immediately catch a fish. The experience must have been positive though, because he's already asking when Grandpa is going to take him again.

On Saturday, my parents watched Logan so Andrea, Kellie, Craig (Kellie's boyfriend), Ben, the kids, and I could go to McCall and go swimming.

The water was absolutely freezing, but that didn't keep them from swimming in it. The only one who woosed out was me (it was straight run off from the mountain snow for heaven's sake!) Afterwards we got some ice cream from this cute place called Ice Cream Ally.

We had a good time and everyone was pooped on the way back.

July 27-30: We came back from McCall and then Ben had to drive back to Utah :( I stayed a few more days since my Mom and Dad would be heading this direction for a business meeting.

On Monday, my Dad took Hyrum and Ella to McDonalds for lunch so my Mom, sisters and I (and Logan) could go out to lunch. We went to this place called White Water Pizza & Pasta and it was so good. That night we played in the hot tub (cooled down for the kids) and stayed up way too late.

I was able to get together with Rachel and her kids again on Tuesday. We went swimming with my mom and my sister Andrea, at the pool where Kellie lives. They had a cute kid pool that the kids had fun playing in and I realized once again, just how out of shape I am :) Then we had a little picnic in my parents backyard and let the kids burn off some energy. Later that night we went to my favorite place to eat Mongolian BBQ. They have some in Utah, but they aren't nearly as good. They use cheap noodles and have weird sauces. Mongolian BBQ is one of the few place my kids will actually eat.

On Wednesday my parents drove me home to an empty house. Yep, Ben wasn't here because he found out the day after he got back that his work was going to send him to the office in Beverly Hills for a few days to work on some project. My parents stayed Wednesday night, but then had to leave on Thursday. So while Ben was staying in a four star hotel and driving down Rodeo Drive, I was trying not to lose my mind being alone with 3 kids.

Can you believe the hotel he's staying in? Fortunately, it hasn't been too bad for me. One of my friend's had a BBQ Thursday night so I didn't have to cook and I let the kids run wild. I was really nervous to stay home over night though, considering I've never been home alone and have the most over active imagination. Do any of you remember that scene in Anne of Green Gables and Anne's stuck in the woods after twisting her ankle and she just passes out from fright. Yep, that's me amped up ten times. I was proud of how well I did. I had several friends, including Ben and my Mom, on alert with their phones in case I freaked, but fortunately the kids wore me out so much that I slept clear through the night (so did Logan!)

Now, I'm just waiting for Ben's plane to land! I'm so excited to see him again. We've never been apart this long. In fact we've only been away from each other one other time since we've been married so we're kind of glued at the hip. I really hate to be away from Ben, but I guess it gives me the chance to miss and appreciate him.

Weigh In Day!

2008-07-14T19:51:00.000-07:00

Obviously this isn't me, but a picture of myself just wouldn't be as impressive. Today was my first monthly weigh in at Curves and I was a little nervous. Nobody wants to work their butt off and then not lose a single thing. However, I was really happy about my results. There's no way I'm going to post my weight on here, but I can report that I lost 6 pounds, 5 inches (overall), and I lost a record number of 8.5% body fat.

It was funny when the girl was checking my body % fat, because she kept saying that can't be right and kept making me do it over. Then when she remembered I just had had a baby 2 1/2 months ago, she realized that it could be possible. That's the bonus of just having had a baby. You start dropping these big numbers because you are still carrying baby weight. I'm gonna celebrate non-the-less. I think Curves is really working and I love that I can get out 3 times a week and beat my frustrations out on the machines.

They actually just got a new system that tracks your progress on each machine and then after your workout you can go to the computer and see how many calories you burned, what percent was burned in each muscle group, how hard you worked on each muscle group etc. Then if you pass your target, it makes it harder on each machine. It's so great to see your progress after working hard. Plus I love that I can burn 520 calories in 30 minutes of work. I think I've definitely become converted to the Curves workout. Alas, I still have much work to do, but for now I'm going to celebrate with some junk food!

Logan-2 Month Checkup

2008-07-07T12:54:00.000-07:00

Today was Logan's two month checkup, and I was so excited to see his growth curve. He weighed almost 13 pounds (2 ounces shy) which put him in the 72% for weight, and he was 23.5 inches tall, putting him in the 65% for height. His head was 15.2 inches, so he was only in the 16% for head circumference. So he's fat, tall, and has a small head.

I was so excited because both Hyrum and Ella didn't pass the 2% in weight until they were 2 years old. All my babies have had pretty small heads though (a plus in delivery!) I've always wanted a chunky baby (I just didn't want to give birth to one).

So, the doctor said he looks healthy and I think he's doing pretty darn good considering he was three weeks early. Logan's definitely got some chipmunk cheeks which just makes him all the more kissable.

Fourth of July

2008-07-05T13:24:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid, I remember my parents always having a neighborhood Fourth of July BBQ, so we decided that even though we don't live in Boise, we would keep the tradition alive. We invited a couple of families from our ward over, and had so much fun! So much fun that we didn't take a single picture :( Oh well.

We just bought a bunch of stuff for hamburgers and hotdogs and some drinks and then everyone else brought side dishes. The kids had fun playing in our little kid pools, throwing water balloons, and squirting water guns. Later on we made homemade ice cream and the kids had ice cream cones. We had to eat the ice cream inside though, because the wind really started to pick up. Fortunately, it died down enough that we could go outside again and light off fire works in our neighbors backyard, and watch the Stadium of Fire fire works across the street at the park.

Overall it was the perfect day for a BBQ. It was nice and overcast, which we really appreciated when we were sitting outside watching the parade that morning. The kids all played really nice together and Ben and I always enjoy any reason to throw a party. It looks like this will be a fun tradition to continue.

Popsicle Swords

2008-06-27T15:07:00.001-07:00

In hopes of preserving my knowledge for future posterity, I showed my children the art of making popsicle swords the other day. Part of me wondered if this was a good idea since visions of someone being stabbed with a popsicle sword kept popping into my head, but the other part of me felt like making popsicle swords is something every kid ought to know. Does anyone else remember making those as kids? I'd hurry and finish my twin popsicle and run to the sidewalk to rub the wooden stick against it until it was nice and sharp. I have no idea what we actually used these popsicle swords for (most likely they just ended up on the lawn, much to my dad's dismay), I just remember them being very fun to make. Of course I got a kick out of making "rock people" as well, so I think I was easily entertained.

Fun, Short, Tag

2008-06-27T14:58:00.000-07:00

I got tagged from my friend Lynita, and since it is really short and different from the usual tags I get, I decided to respond.

The rules:
1. Pick up the nearest book (at least 123 pages).
2. Turn to page 123.
3. Find the 5th sentence.
4. Post the 5th sentence on your blog.
5. Tag 5 people.

"I am of a cautious temper, and unwilling to risk my happiness in a hurry."

This is from a book called Becoming Jane, which actually doesn't have anything to do with the movie. It's just information about Jane Austen's life and then has great quotes from all her books that pertain to that part of her life or time period. This actual quote is Henry Crawford in Mansfield Park, which incidentally is my least favorite novel of Jane Austen's.

As for people to tag, I'll just leave that up to whomever reads this and thinks this is interesting as well.

The Flying Bear

2008-06-23T19:56:00.000-07:00

Our kids absolutely love the game charades. Every time after our family home evening lesson we ask the kids what game they want to play, and they always say charades. The funny thing is they never ask to play the game any other time, except for family home evening. I don't know if they just think it's a family home evening game or what, but it's so funny to watch them play. They used to think it could only be animals, but tonight we tried to get them to branch out a little.

Hyrum, of course, always wants to go first. He always comes up with the most creative things, and does a really good job acting it out. Then, there's Ella. . . tonight she was so funny we could not stop laughing. She starts off by putting her arms out and flying around like a plane, then when she would get close to anyone she would put her hands up like claws and growl. Jokingly, I guessed a flying bear, and she was like "yep, I was a flying bear". Hmmm, o.k. It definitely paints a funny picture.

Everyone took a turn, and then it was Ella's turn again. Can you guess what she chose to be? A flying bear. Every time it landed on Ella she decided to be a flying bear. I'm pretty sure it was because we all would start cracking up every time it was her turn, because we knew what she was going to choose, and also because of the extremely bizarre choice. It just made me appreciate the simplicity of childhood and the wonder of imagination. Thanks for a fun night flying bear!

Smile!

2008-06-21T13:45:00.000-07:00

Logan flashed me the cutest, toothless smiles today! Not the "I have gas" smiles either, but the "hey I know you, you're mommy and I love you" smiles. I would look right into his eyes and smile big and then he would smile right back. Then I'd look away and try it again, and he would get this goofy grin each time. Nothing can compete with the first time your baby recognizes you and smiles!

The funniest part though, was Ben trying to get Logan to smile. Ben was smiling and making silly faces and talking baby talk, and Logan just kept giving him the deer in the headlights look. Sorry honey, you just can't compete with the milk supplier.

Bye Bye Relief Society Arms

2008-06-15T22:21:00.001-07:00

I finally did it! After years of saying I was going to join a gym, I finally did it! On Saturday, I signed up for Curves and I'm so excited. I'm really not into gyms and find them really intimidating, but I just struggle trying to lose the weight myself.

My biggest concern is that I have a herniated disc in my back, which makes excercising really difficult. Usually after a day or two of trying to exercise, I end up limping around the house. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can even handle the "gym thing". Especially since I have a year committement.

So, hopefully a year from now I will be writing a blog celebrating all the weight I lost. No more due date questions!

My Due Date?

2008-06-12T22:10:00.001-07:00

I think I understand why women suffer from postpartum depression. It's from total strangers walking up to you and asking when you are due! Yes that happened to me tonight at the grocery store. I could of just crumpled into a ball on the floor and cried, but I tried to take the high road and help the extremely embarrassed young lady not feel bad since I did just have a baby a few weeks ago. Non-the-less I came home feeling several pounds heavier.

So, now the battle begins with losing the pregnancy weight, my least favorite part. I'm just so self conscious that people might think I'm still pregnant (gee I wonder why) or worse just really fat.

My husband is so understanding and is encouraging me to go ahead and sign up for Curves Gym since I've wanted to for a long time. I've never had any desire to join a gym, but I think this is more out of necessity rather than desire.

I probably shouldn't be too hard on myself since it's only been 6 weeks and I've already dropped 17 pounds, but it's just discouraging when I realize how much is still left to go and the weight loss has slowed to a snail's pace. I mean it's summer time and I just can't bring myself to go swimming in a maternity swim suit when I'm not even pregnant. I guess I should just be relieved that the lady didn't ask if I was having twins :)

Logan-1 Month

2008-06-02T20:17:00.000-07:00

Here's some pictures of Logan at 1 month. He went in for a check-up a few days ago and is measuring almost 10 pounds! That's a record for one of our babies. I think the other kids were around 7 and 8 pounds at 1 month.

*Keep in mind I'm lousy at taking pictures, so there was only a handful I liked after taking 50 or so pictures.

Five Years of Fun

2008-06-02T19:21:00.000-07:00

I think I'm suffering from blogger's guilt. There's so many things I want to write down so I'll be able to go look at them again someday, but life has just been so crazy! I don't think anything could of prepared me for how hard life is with 3 kids. I knew it was going to be hard, but I'm still on survival mode every day. Everyone keeps telling me it will get easier, but I'm just wondering if that will happen before I lose my mind.

Anyways, on to everything that I've forgotten to write about. The biggest news is Hyrum turned 5 on the 27th of May. (I might have taken pictures, but I'm not sure.) It's weird because Logan looks alot like Hyrum, and when I hold him I feel just like I did 5 years ago and then I look up and see this huge kid ready for kindergarten.

Both my sisters were in town for his birthday, which I will be eternally grateful for because they helped chase Hyrum, Ella, and a couple of Hyrum's friends when we went to the dinosaur museum. I was so bummed because I'd planned this cute farm theme and we were supposed to go to farm country and then it was freezing cold on his birthday. So, we ended up at the dinosaur museum instead, which the kids didn't mind at all. I still can't get over how big Hyrum looks to me and how much he's changed. Here's some of his favorite things at age 5.

Favorite Food: peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and a handful of green chips (the sour cream and onion Pringles.) Oh and he drinks like a couple gallons of milk a week easily.

Favorite Color: yellow (since he was 2)

Favorite Past Times: watching "arcoons" (cartoons) especially the really old cartoons, riding his bike, and playing the wii.

Favorite Toy: his elephant blanket that is almost disintegrated, and any kind of toy weapon or tool.

Favorite Quit Time Activity: art! (which is pretty amazing for a kid that drew nothing but rocks for the first 4 years of his life).

Career Choice: a scientist. He can tell you anything from nocturnal animals to the solar system. He was worried about becoming a scientist at first because they travel to explore things and he thought that meant you couldn't have a family, but I told him scientists can still have families so I think that sealed the deal.

Favorite Family Activity: picnics, playing mario party on the wii, going to Thanksgiving Point, and going to restaurants.

Something Funny About Hyrum: he is seriously as gassy as an old man. I don't think he even notices anymore when he clears a room.

Personality Traits: social, social, social! I feel like an event planner trying to keep this kid's schedule full of fun and friends. He's definitely got a temper or as we call it the Jeykl/Hyde syndrome. Hyrum is also very creative and imaginative.

I really can't believe it's been 5 years already. It's such a challenge to balance wanting your kids to grow up and get out of some of their annoying habits, and still stay your little baby as well. We sure love our Hyrum and can't imagine life without him!

Cute Kids

2008-05-20T12:57:00.000-07:00

Don't want my other kids to feel left out in our picture taking frenzy of the new baby.

Punch Out

2008-05-13T13:02:00.001-07:00

Something about having a new baby brings to mind funny things from my childhood. I become very nostalgic and all the sudden want to go through old journals and the piles of memorabilia that I have stashed in my hope chest.

Ever since Ben brought home the wii, I've been remembering when nintendo first came out and the first time we got a nintendo. I was never very good at video games actually. I usually would just sit for hours watching my brother and marvel that he could beat any game he was given. I'm the type of person that will sit and read the entire manual that comes with the game and still barely get past level one.

However, there was one game that I absolutely loved to play. I guess I spent enough hours watching my brother play, that I actually was able to get past the first round. It's called Mike Tyson's Punch Out and I've been searching for a copy for a long time. I've told Ben all about it and we've looked in old game stores but have always come up empty handed.

On Sunday though, we were perusing the million titles available on line and there it was, Punch Out (apparently there were 2 different versions, one you fight Mr. Dream at the end and one you fight Mike Tyson). Of course we downloaded it right away and Ben could not believe how much I could remember from when I was a child. It's a whole lot easier now though because if you don't know how to beat someone there's this wonderful thing called the internet and somewhere out there, there is a geek who has posted all the tricks to beating the game. I tell you nothing helps a frazzled, sleep deprived mom more, than beating the daylights out of a computer generated enemy.

911

2008-05-11T12:03:00.001-07:00

Whenever I hear an ambulance I wonder two things. First, where are they going and second what are the feelings of those waiting for the ambulance to arrive. Now I know the answers to both of those questions. . . they are coming to my house and the feeling is absolute panic.

Only fifteen minutes after my mother had left, did the crisis erupt. I was checking something on the computer downstairs and heard a faint cry. Babies do that, so I wasn't too worried, but I thought I would run upstairs and check since Logan was still under the "lights" and sometimes he pulled the blanket thing over his head or rolled too close to the side.

When I got upstairs I saw that he had spit up, rolled to his back, and was somehow choking. His arms and legs were stiff out in front of him and he was tomato red. I wasn't too worried though, I mean babies spit up alot too. Hyrum was the king of spitting up and choking.

So, I calmly lifted him out of the box and did the usual patting on the back ect. He coughed a little, but still seemed to be struggling. My panic level raised a little, but I was still in control. I ran into Ella's room and grabbed the bulb syringe and tried to suction out the problem.

I was able to get a little out but he still seemed to be going through stages of breathing and no breathing. Now I was panicking. It had been several minutes and he still wasn't doing great. His eyes started to roll to the back of his head and he was foaming at the mouth. His color was turning a grey/purple now and I had tried everything I knew.

I quickly called Ben to see if in my panic I had forgot something. Through all my sobbing I was able to recall him saying "call 911" over and over again. I hung up and called 911 still trying to help my struggling son.

The fire station is only 2 blocks away so I heard them the minute they left the station. Logan was doing a faint breathing by the time they arrived, but he was no longer choking and had regained some of his color.

The paramedics were so nice and understanding and re-assured me that Logan was going to be fine. They checked his lungs and breathing to make sure no fluid was in his lungs. Ben arrived just seconds after they had left. Then I fell apart.

I think I single handily ended the draught in Utah with all the crying I did that night. Every time I thought about Logan's distressed little face, the water works started. I called my mom and she was just outside of Salt Lake, so she turned the car around and ended up staying until Saturday.

The first couple nights were hard for me. I kept running out to the living room (he was still in the box) to make sure he was breathing. My mom slept on the couch and checked him anytime he made a noise. It was a restless few days.

Fortunately, the drama is over now and hopefully we can start to get things back to normal. Logan is out of the billi lights and sleeping in his bassinet, so I can somewhat sleep at night. The choking incident appears to be one of those freak things that sometimes happen, but thankfully someone was watching over us and this 911 call has a happy ending.

My Story

2008-05-07T11:42:00.000-07:00

I finally have a spare minute and thought I'd post some new pictures and write down everything that I'm sure to forget a week from now. The biggest surprise was that this labor was so different from my other two (and that's a good thing!)

I started having somewhat regular contractions on April 30th around 7 o'clock at night (even with all my vacuuming and cleaning, I still didn't start contractions until night time). I held off until around 9 to go to the hospital because I was just sure the minute I decided to go, my contractions would stop. Of course a few minutes after they hooked me up to all the machines they did stop, but I had changed from a 4 to a 5 so they decided to keep me!

The first pleasant surprise was they got my I.V in on the second poke. That has NEVER happened. It took them 2 1/2 hours with Ella and they finally had to call a specialist in to do it (darn those tricky veins!) I was so relieved. Of course the biggest hurdle was still to come. . . the epidural.

Any of you that have heard my epidural horror stories will understand why I was a little apprehensive. With Hyrum, my epidural came out and by the time they figured it out and gave me a second epidural, it was useless. With Ella they punctured my spine and had the epidural in the wrong spot. It did absolutely nothing and I had to go to the hospital a few days later and get a blood patch (worse than labor).

So, naturally when they started to put in my epidural I went completely white and started to pass out. I didn't completely crash, although I was really embarrassed. Then I felt the weirdest thing, NOTHING! They had pumped me up with pitocin and I was having contractions on top of one another, and I felt nothing!

Two hours later they came and checked me and I had only changed to a 6, so I figured this would be a nice long labor like the other two (although I didn't mind too much since I was pain free). Ben decided to take a little potty break since I had tons of time left and in the half hour he was gone I jumped to a 9+. Fortunately, he got back in time, which was good since ten minutes later I was at a 10.

They grabbed the doctor and I probably pushed (again pain free) for 20 minutes and then I had my baby! I just couldn't believe it! I was telling jokes in between pushing and just taking it easy. Now I understand why people rave about epidurals. I mean it still wasn't a spa treatment or anything, but it was the best labor ever! I didn't tear or anything, so although I'm a little sore and really tired, the recovery hasn't been that bad.

I came home on Friday night and my mom got here Saturday, so I've had lots of help. She leaves today, so we'll see how I do later on in the week.

Logan has had to be under the billi lights the last couple of days, but hopefully he will be able to get out of the stupid "suitcase" here soon.

As for the kids, they have been pretty good about things. Ben got me a wii for our anniversary so they have had a blast playing Mario Kart and bowling.

Anyways, here's a few of the million pictures we've been taking this week:

She looks so big now!

The proud big brother.

Not my best family photo.

Isn't he precious?

Going home

I swear we have the exact same shot with Ben holding Hyrum

New Baby

2008-05-01T13:32:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone. This is actually Ben writing this. Arin's still in the hospital but she wanted pictures of Logan up so everyone could see him. He was born this morning at 3:25 am, 19 inches long, and 6 lb 9 oz. Enjoy the pictures. I'm sure there are plenty more to come.

Progress

2008-04-30T14:21:00.000-07:00

Today was my 37 week visit and my worst fear was the doctor was going to say "no change". However, he said I'm dialated to a 4 and should have the baby in the next couple of days. This is just an estimate of course, and I still could go for weeks and weeks, but I'm going to take the optimistic road and hope I have a baby here soon.

Things are finally starting to get a little less crazy around here, so I guess it's a good time to have a baby. Ella finally got over her "leprosy" and is looking so much better. Ben caught the same virus on Sunday (although he didn't break out in a rash) and is finally feeling a little better today too. I'm so relieved because I really didn't want to drive myself to the hospital and do it all alone. How did women in the 50's survive?

The only down side is our anniversary is on Sunday, so it looks like I will either be in the hospital, home really sore, or worst case scenario STILL PREGNANT. We were kind of hoping he'd come before now so we didn't have to juggle 2 birthdays, an anniversary and mother's day all in one month, but I think at this point all I can think about is having this baby and not being pregnant anymore.

The Chicken Pox Imposter

2008-04-25T15:18:00.000-07:00

I had a real scare today when I was helping Ella out of her pj's and saw that she was covered head to toe in red bumps. My first thought was it was a really bad rash, but then I remembered that she had had a fever just a few days ago and began to worry it was chicken pox. She seriously looked like a red and white giraffe.

II immediately called Ben and the doctor and paced around the house for an hour until I heard the verdict. I started to wonder if this was what Job felt like. I'm about to have a baby any day and if Ella had the chicken pox I wouldn't have anyone to watch the kids and I wouldn't be able to bring the baby home. I was trying not to let the panic settle in, but pregnancy tends to bring out the crazy in women.

Ben finally did call and to my relief it wasn't chicken pox. Ella had a virus, and her body was just reacting weird to that type of virus. Fortunately, that meant that Hyrum was still able to go to pre-school and after a few days Ella would probably be just fine.

It's been a long couple of days with contractions coming and going and no baby and I was starting to feel really frustrated, not to mention I was in so much pain since my muscles haven't done anything for 3 weeks. (I seriously felt like I ran a marathon!) However, the doctor said something that made me feel very grateful that this baby hasn't followed the usual pattern. He mentioned that if I had the baby right now we'd have to be a little careful for a day or two, but no real harm. If I already had a newborn at home, then he could of been in danger of contracting the virus when it was strongest. So I guess like Job, our trials can sometimes be our blessings.

36 Weeks!

2008-04-23T13:34:00.000-07:00

Free! I'm free to get up off the couch and do whatever I want. I made it to 36 weeks, which means I don't have to have a million restrictions. After three weeks of bed rest you can imagine what my house looks like. Ben's actually done a really great job, but let's face it, he's at work all day, then comes home to take care of two kids and a whiney pregnant wife. He usually doesn't go to bed until midnight or later. He's been working really hard, but still he's just one person and parts of the house were in some real need of help.

So what have I done with all this freedom? Clean! I've been fighting the nesting instinct to get things ready for three weeks now, all I want to do is fold laundry, do dishes, and dust. I tell you pregnancy is a sick, sick thing.

I also had my 36 week visit today and I figured I would be at least at a 4 since I've been having contractions constantly for about a week now. Nope. I'm still between a 2 and 3 and 75-80% effaced. AUGH! I actually wouldn't mind not having the baby for another week or two, if I didn't have these contractions. Every night around 5 o'clock I'm in absolute agony until about midnight. We are talking 5 minutes apart contractions so bad that I can't stand up.

Now it's the waiting game. I wish my body would just make up it's mind. I think if I am having contractions, then I should be entitled to a baby. Right? I just keep telling myself that Logan must not be ready to come yet and God must have some supreme reason for keeping him in. Now if He could just keep the contractions too.

The Inevitable

2008-04-02T14:54:00.000-07:00

Today was my 33 week visit to the doctor and unfortunately it didn't go quite as I had hoped. Apparently I'm still 70% effaced, but I've dialated to a 2 and the baby has moved to a +1 station. The doctor informed me if I had any plans this month, I don't anymore because I'm on total bed rest.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised since I was on bed rest at 28 weeks with Ella, but since I was doing so much better I was hopeful that I might be able to avoid it with this one. So, now I have to figure out what to do with my other two darling children, while I spend my time laying on a couch staring at the wall. I've contacted the relief society president in our ward, so hopefully they'll be able to help. It's times like these that I really wish I had some family nearby.

So, please keep me in your prayers. If the baby comes before 36 weeks it means time in the NICU. My safe day (36 weeks) is April 22nd, so let the countdown begin. 20 more days!

Projects and Family Fun

2008-03-30T15:28:00.000-07:00

I've been so busy this last week that I haven't had a chance to update anything. So, now that some of the craziness has died down I thought I'd finally catch up on everything.

Last week my kids were so excited about Easter. Hyrum wanted to make sure we left some carrots for the Easter Bunny. We actually did the whole Easter basket thing on Saturday, that way we could kind of separate the secular Easter from the real reason we celebrate Easter.

The kids didn't waste any time cramming as much candy as possible into their mouths before Mom and Dad would notice. Ella was excited to get her first Barbie, Sleeping Beauty. I didn't get any pictures of the kids all dressed up cute. I cut back on a lot of things this year actually, because I just didn't feel up to it. Like instead of doing a huge Easter dinner with ham or turkey and all that, we had steaks grilled on the BBQ. (They were so good!) We did actually color eggs, I just didn't get any pictures of them.

After our "Easter" morning on Saturday we began the huge project of repainting our living room. We have lived in our house for 1 1/2 years and haven't done any work on our house except painting Ella's room (which turned out really cute). Our house was built in 1942 and it was in some need up updating (although the previous owners did a ton of work) so I've been dying to start. Unfortunately, remodeling of any sort is really expensive and time consuming, so we just haven't been able to do a whole lot yet. I was really excited to finally start on something on our house.

Here's the pictures of our living room before we painted. The living room is actually in good shape, it's just kind of a blah color. It's a light blue color, but you can barely even tell because it's just so light and it didn't look really great with my light green couches.

I went against everyone's advice to stick with neutrals and decided to do something I really liked and thought would look good with the white crown molding and the light green couches. . . red. We downloaded our pictures online and tried out some colors and then when we went to the store we decided on cinnamon cherry. I was a little nervous because it looked really dark, but Ben was really brave and convinced me to take a chance.

I forgot how much work was involved in painting. Mind you I didn't really get to paint much since I'm on physical restrictions so poor Ben had many nights when he was up until 2 or 4 a.m. trying to finish all the painting. The red actually wasn't what took the longest, it was all the trim, crown molding, bookcase, and doors. None of the wood work was the same color of white so we got some powdered snow colored paint to re-do it all. What a project! But I love the finished product!

It's quite a drastic change, but I love how it gives the room some personality. We also got some blinds for the windows and some shelves for the walls. Now we just need a clock and something to actually put on the shelves.

On Thursday, Ben took the day off to finish the painting because my sister Kellie and her boyfriend Craig, and my sister Andrea were coming that night for a visit. Then on Friday my Mom and Dad joined the bunch. I didn't think we could possibly fit that many people in my house, but we did and it was so much fun!

We went to Ottavio's for dinner on Friday and it was so good. Then on Saturday we were planning on going to Thanksgiving Point to see the gardens, but it was terrible weather, so we went to Trafalga to go miniature golfing instead. I thought I was doing really bad, but I actually tied for second place with Ben. My Dad beat us by one stroke. That night we played games until like 2 in the morning. Games with my family really brings out the crazy! My sides hurt so bad from laughing, which probably isn't good considering I'm trying to keep this kid in for a few more weeks.

It was really sad to see everyone leave today. The house just feels so empty. Fortunately, I have the comfort of knowing that they'll all be back in a month for when the baby is born. :) We'll see if I can get any other projects done before they all come back, but I'm pretty sure we are going to wait on any more painting projects until after the baby is born.

31 Weeks

2008-03-20T13:38:00.001-07:00

I'm getting closer and closer to the date, and still have avoided bed rest! Hooray! I had an ultrasound at my visit to check the placenta placement to see if I needed a C-section, and my placenta was right on the border. Fortunately, that means I don't have to have a c-section, which is extremely lucky, because if it was even 1 cm. over I would be getting one.

They also ran another fetal fibronectin test to see if it was likely if I would deliver in the next 2 weeks and it came back negative. More good news! My cervix still looked mostly closed so they didn't do any more poking around (much to my relief), so I'm not sure how effaced ect. I am right now.

So, although I've been having contractions alot lately and have had to take my terbutelin pills, it seems like my body is trying to hold together. I feel very blessed to have made it this far without having to be on complete bed rest or in the hospital like I was with Ella.

The countdown continues, with only a minimum of 5 weeks to go. I've been a little panicked trying to get everything ready for the baby in case I do end up on bed rest. The last 2 Saturdays have been spent trying to find stuff we still need.

I have to say I just LOVE Craig's List. We found a practically new double jogging stroller for only $100. The exact same model sells for over $200 in the store. I've been checking the site for some time now, and just haven't seen one I liked in a decent price range and then one just popped up days before we were just going to cave in and go buy a new one at the store.
The other big thing I've been looking for is a changing table. We only had the changing pad with Hyrum since we lived in a one bedroom apartment. With Ella, we were completely white trash and salvaged one we saw sitting next to a dumpster. So, for this baby I decided I deserved a new changing table. I found one I just loved at Kmart and despite the fact that most people think Kmart stuff is trashy, I really loved this changing table. Plus it wasn't over $400 like other changing tables we looked at.

So, Ben got a kick out of putting the thing together (he loves any excuse to get out his power tools) and I had fun filling up all the drawers with little baby things. I just can't get over how tiny those little diapers are. It still hasn't totally hit me that I'm going to be having a baby here pretty soon, but it does feel a little more real when you start setting baby stuff up. Of course getting ready for the baby is the easy part, taking care of the baby is the real work.

Return to Avonlea

2008-03-06T13:36:00.000-08:00

I don't think there is a girl in the world who doesn't have fond memories of watching Anne of Green Gables and just wishing that Anne and Gilbert would hook up. I think I was in middle school the first time I saw it, and I just loved it.

Another favorite of mine was a spin off t.v series called Road to Avonlea which originated in Canada, (although I think they might of just called it Avonlea in the U.S.) I was babysitting for a family in the ward and they had taped a few episodes. So after the kids went to bed I found a tape titled "Avonlea" and was really curious. Needless to say I totally fell in love with it. My favorite episode was "How Kissing Was Discovered" (the picture above).

I wanted so see more of the shows, but you had to have the Disney channel to get it, and we didn't have cable at the time. Some time later we finally got cable and there was nothing on Earth that could move me from the t.v. on the night that Avonlea would come on.

They were already several seasons into the series, but I never missed a show from then on. A season or two later they ended the show and I was so bummed, because it was by far my favorite show. Maybe I was a nerd watching Avonlea when other kids my age were watching Friends, but I just loved the idea of simplier times. I always felt sad that I had missed all the earlier episodes and that once it went off the air, I wouldn't be able to see it anymore.

That was until my best friend Karen, who was sympathetic about my hormonal and out of control/possible bed rest pregnancy, decided to get me a membership with netflixs. They have a million movies and t.v series. I was curious if they would have the Avonlea series and to my delight they had all 7 seasons. So for the next month or so you can find me in Avonlea.

28 Weeks

2008-02-28T14:53:00.000-08:00

Today was my 28 week visit to the doctor and I was a little nervous. With Ella, I was dialated to a 2 and 90% effaced at 28 weeks and was promptly put on bed rest. I've been dreading going on bed rest with this one, so I've just been praying that everything would be o.k.

The doctor said I was 70% effaced, which isn't good, but I'm still not really dialated (maybe 1/2 cm is all). I was so relieved! I have a million restrictions about taking it easy, but fortunately none of them included bed rest yet. YIPEE! I'm so excited to be making it farther than I did with Ella. I still have a long ways to go, but every week of freedom is going to be enjoyed.

My next visit will include an ultra sound to check on the placenta previa issue. Hopefully my placenta has moved up and out of the way, because I want a c-section about as much as I want to go on bed rest.

Fool's Movie, I mean Gold

2008-02-25T14:49:00.000-08:00

On Friday night, Ben and I were finally able to go out for our "Valentine's Day" date. Our ward has no babysitting age youth in it so we had to plan our date for another day since our only option was to ask an adult in the ward to babysit or swap with us. We have the most wonderful neighbors, who volunteered to watch our kids for us. They are a young couple, who have only been married for a year or two and our kids just adore them. It's always the best feeling when you go out on a date and know you don't have to worry for a minute about who is watching your kids.

We decided to go to the movie Fool's Gold since we love the chemistry between Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey. The first few minutes, which included girls flashing their breasts, should of clued us in that this wouldn't be a "got to buy" kind of movie. The story was o.k., but really a disappointment if you've ever seen the two in "How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days" or the well written "National Treasure".

The villain in Fool's Gold is a rapper named Bigg Bunny for heaven's sakes. The plot was weak and McConaughey could not look more ragged. Most of the time I had no idea what was going on since they unfolded the major points of the story in one 2 minute conversation on a boat.

My advice: Go see 27 Dresses. It was really cute and no nudity was involved. (although there might of been some language. . . I can't remember)

I will say though, that the date was a total success in that Ben and I got to spend some time together without the kids. We could of watched a blank screen for 2 hours (which might of been a better alternative) and still have come home happy. So thank you to the Jackson's for watching our kids and thank you to the screen writer's for not writing a sequel. . .yet. . .

Pre-school Postponed

2008-02-11T14:13:00.000-08:00

Hyrum's pre-school took a break for half of December and all of January, which was fine, but then I got an email about a month ago telling me that they wouldn't be starting until MARCH! I think I'm starting to go crazy.

Next week I start my third trimester, which is the scariest and hardest time for me. It usually involves 100 trips to the hospital and bed rest. I was kind of counting on Hyrum being gone for a few hours in the mornings, but now I'm having to entertain him and Ella and wishing so badly that pre-school would just start again.

Fortunately, I haven't dialated any more than last time and they did another fetal fibronectin test which came out negative (the test basically means I probably won't deliver the baby in the next 2 weeks). I'm very grateful that I'm holding together so far, but things don't usually start getting really bad until 28 weeks, which is 2 weeks away. I'm still trying to hold on to the miracle baby theory in which I don't have to go on bed rest and I make it until at least 37 weeks. It hasn't happened yet, but maybe 3 is the lucky number!

The Power of Grandparents

2008-02-05T13:21:00.001-08:00

Hyrum has insisted, like a lot of kids I know, that I cut all the crust off of his sandwich. Not only is this a major pain, but wastes a lot of sandwich. However, I have humored him and cut the crust off of all his sandwiches for the past couple years since he refuses to take a bite otherwise and it's just one battle that I got tired of fighting.

Little did I know that the battle wasn't over and victory was well withthin my reach. I just needed someone else to fight the battle. Enter GRANDPA!

My parents were visiting last weekend and my Dad was kind enough to make some toast for Hyrum during our frazzled Sunday morning routine. He of course didn't know Hyrum's "no crust" rule so he left the crust on. Hyrum just ate the middle of the toast being very careful not to accidently injest any crust. He then asked for another peice and informed my Dad that he had to cut the crust off. My Dad willingly cut off the crust but while he was doing it, he told Hyrum that the crust was the part that gave you all the muscles. Then my parents left later that day and I didn't think anything about the crust conversation.

Lunchtime roles around on Monday, and just when I'm about to cut off the crust on Hyrum's sandwich, he begs me to leave the crust on because he wants muscles like grandpa. Behold the power of Grandparents! I haven't had to cut a single bit of crust off since for either of my kids. Now I just have to fight the temptation to send my parents a huge list of other things my kids need to work on.

I've Dyed!

2008-01-21T16:03:00.000-08:00

I finally got around to cutting my hair, so I decided I might as well finish the job and dye it too. The last time I dyed it was also around July so I had at least 2 inches of grown out roots showing. The color I had before wasn't that different from my original hair color so it didn't look super bad, but you could definitely tell I needed to re-dye it.

I decided to go with a medium copper brown color. I love having my hair red, but I've had to stick with pretty simple colors while I was doing a show. I figure now is a good time to dye it a little different since I'm taking a break from shows right now. It's not too different and most people probably won't even be able to tell, but it's nice to have my hair color all match again.

We have a #2

2008-01-19T15:36:00.000-08:00

I guess I should of waited to post my blog because about 30 minutes after I posted it, Ella woke up from her nap and went poo-poo in the potty. Today must just be my lucky day!

Three Cheers for Ella!

2008-01-19T15:10:00.000-08:00

After a week of holding, holding, holding, Ella has finally gone in the potty! Hooray! The sad part was I wasn't even home to celebrate when it happened. I was getting a much needed haircut (I hadn't had one since July).

So Ben was watching the kids when Ella claimed she needed to go potty. As usual she raced to the potty sat down for 5 seconds and popped up again. Ben knew she had several things to drink today so he had her sit down again. A few seconds later she just exploded. Ben said she kind of had this unsure look on her face, like she wasn't sure if that was the right thing to do. Ben of course cheered like crazy and had Ella talk to me on the phone. Then she got a much deserved ice cream party.

The best part was about 10 minutes later she said she had to go again. Ben was a little skeptical, but after all she had drank a million gallons of liquid so he took her again. She sat down with a concentrated face and went right away. Ben was so excited he let her have ice cream again.

So, we are by no means finished with the whole potty training process (she still has to produce a #2), but it's definitely a drop in the bucket (or toilet I guess. )

I am Unique!

2008-01-18T15:18:00.001-08:00

I found this on my friend Lynita's page and was curious. Apparently my first name isn't common after all. I was surprised that there were almost 3000 with my last name though.

HowManyOfMe.com

There are
0
people with my name
in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

The Girl in a Whirl

2008-01-17T14:06:00.000-08:00

I recieved this poem yesterday attached to our Relief Society email.

The Girl in a Whirl by 'Dr. Sue' (a.k. a. Vickie Gunther)
Look at me, look at me, look at me now!
You could do what I do if you only knew how.
I study the scriptures one hour each day;
I bake, I upholster, I scrub, and I pray.
I always keep all the commandments completely;
I speak to my little ones gently and sweetly.
I help in their classrooms! I sew all they wear!
I drive them to practice! I cut all their hair!
I memorize names of the General Authorities;
I focus on things to be done by priorities.
I play the piano! I bless with my talents! My toilets all sparkle! My checkbooks all balance!
Each week every child gets a one-on-one date;
I attend all my meetings (on time! never late!)
I'm taking a class on the teachings of Paul,
But that is not all! Oh, no. That is not all,
I track my bad habits 'til each is abolished;
Our t-shirts are ironed! My toenails are polished!
Our family home evenings are always delightful;
The lessons I give are both fun and insightful.
I do genealogy faithfully, too.
It's easy to do all the things that I do!

I rise each day early, refreshed and awake;
I know all the names of each youth in my stake!
I read to my children! I help all my neighbors!
I bless the community, too, with my labors.
I exercise and I cook menus gourmet;
My visiting teaching is done the first day!
(I also go do it for someone who missed hers.
It's the least I can do for my cherished ward sisters.)
I chart resolutions and check off each goal;
I seek each 'lost lamb' on my Primary roll.
I can home-grown produce each summer and fall.
But that is not all! Oh, no. That is not all,

I write in my journal! I sing in the choir!
Each day, I write 'thank you's' to those I admire.
My sons were all Eagles when they were fourteen!
My kids get straight A's! And their bedrooms are clean!
I have a home business to help make some money;
I always look beautifully groomed for my honey.
I go to the temple at least once a week;
I change the car's tires! I fix the sink's leak!
I grind my own wheat and I bake all our bread;
I have all our meals planned out six months ahead.
I make sure I rotate our two-years' supply;
My shopping for Christmas is done by July!
These things are not hard; 'tis good if you do them;
You can if you try! Just set goals and pursue them!
It's easy to do all the things that I do!
If you plan and work smart, you can do them all, too!
It's easy!' she said and then she dropped dead.

I've felt just so over loaded lately trying to take it easy so that I don't go into labor again and still somehow raise a family. Hyrum has been extra difficult lately, and it's hard on him because I can't dedicate 100% of my time to him. I'm barely able to even give him 10%. I'm feeling like such a failure because it's now day 6 and Ella still has not gone in the potty. And my house is always a total mess because I'm either sitting in the bathroom with Ella or sitting on the couch with contractions. So, I definetely felt less than Super Mom this week. Reading through this poem, part of me laughed at all of those ridiculous things that don't really matter at all, but the other part of me read through it and wished I was able to do all of those things. It's just hard for a perfectionist like me to go every day and not get anything accomplished. I'm trying so hard to find that balance between the "girl in a whirl" and "girl who is a lump on the couch".

Potty Training Take 2

2008-01-14T13:00:00.000-08:00

Several months ago we gave potty training a go with Ella. Although she was only 19 months old, she had all the signs of readiness. The only problem was she wouldn't go. She'd sit on the potty for ages, she understood the difference between wet and dry, she would follow all our instructions, but she just wouldn't actually go in the potty. She'd just wait hours and hours until eventually she would just explode. After 2 days of this I bagged the potty training and decided she just wasn't ready, despite what the books said.

Yesterday, Ella decided she really wanted to sit on the potty again. She refused to wear a diaper and went and got her big girl underwear and put them on. I had no idea what to do. I really don't feel up to potty training right now, but unless I want to take out a loan to pay for two kids in diapers, this really is the best time. I don't want to squash her willingness, but what do you do when your kid says they are ready, but you just hate the hastle?

All day she stayed dry and sat on the potty several times, but alas nothing in the potty. I knew she was going to burst any minute so I started taking her more frequently. Then about 15 minutes ago she exploded all over my cloth glider! She was just on the the potty like 2 minutes before that. I can not figure out what to do! She's doesn't act scared to go on the potty or anything, she actually seems excited to try, she just won't actually go. HELP! HELP! HELP!

I'm not crazy, just in labor!

2008-01-11T12:47:00.000-08:00

Yesterday proved to be a very long and yucky day. It started out normal until around 11:00 during Hyrum's computer class and I started having major pains around my stomach. I just assumed it was an IBS attack so a friend helped me to her house until Ben could come home for lunch to help me.

The pains started moving down from my intestinal area to my uterus, so I got a little concerned, but figured I'd just take a hot bath and everything would be o.k. I always go into labor early with my kids, but not at 21 1/2 weeks along.

Finally, around 7:00 at night I just couldn't take the pain anymore. I felt like I was having full contractions and was timing them about 8 minutes apart. So we once again had to impose on our friends to watch our kids while Ben took me to the hospital.

As usual, the nurses and doctors gave me the "oh you're not in labor, you're just crazy look", but they admitted me anyways. My uterus is so small at this point that the detector was only catching a couple of the contractions, but the nurse could tell my stomach was definitely tightening. She figured they'd probably just send me home, but after talking to the doctor, they decided to check if I was dilated.

Low and behold, I was dilated to a 1 already. Being dilated at a 1 after you've have 2 kids could mean you just started out your pregnancy already at a 1, but it also could mean I'm actively dilating. After all, I was a 2 at only 28 weeks with Ella. Fortunately, I'm not fully effaced (I can't remember the percent she gave me).

So, I got the lovely tributaline shot to try and stop the contractions and a prescription for some oral doses to try and keep this under control. I don't have to go on bed rest just yet, but I do have to cut back on what I'm doing. (As if that was very much to begin with)

I was so relieved that even though "women don't normally have problems at 21 weeks" and I sounded totally nuts, the nurses and doctor were willing to at least check things out, instead of just sending me home.

I've had trouble with every pregnancy trying to convince doctors that I was in labor, because I'm not a textbook pregnancy. When I went in with Hyrum at 35 weeks, I had to beg them to check me. They agreed, but kept saying it was probably nothing. I'll never forget the look on the doctor's face when he checked me and had to tell me I was fully effaced and dilated to a 4.

Ella was the same problem, only even earlier. We finally had to switch doctors because he refused to check and see if anything was wrong. Our new doctor checked me at my first visit and I was already dilated to a 2 and 80% effaced. That landed me bed rest for 7 weeks and 1 week of hospital stay before she was born.

Now we are on our fourth doctor, mainly because we keep moving or switching jobs, and I think things are going to be o.k. I still had to explain to the doctor that I knew it was unusual to go into labor at 21 weeks, but not necessarily for me. After I filled him in on my previous pregnancy problems, I finally convinced him to listen to me. Hopefully, people will take me seriously now. On to the next problem; trying to keep this kid in for at least another 3 months. I'm praying to avoid a three month bed rest!

New Beds

2008-01-07T13:11:00.000-08:00

Our expanding family has finally forced us to to move Hyrum out of his toddler bed. He's four and a half and was practically spilling out of the toddler bed, but we put it off for as long as possible. We spent most of Saturday looking for and constructing bunk beds for his room. It actually looks really cute and Hyrum loves sleeping on the top.

Ella then inherited Hyrum's old toddler bed. We figure she can sleep in it until the baby comes, and then depending on how and when the baby sleeps through the night, she can alternate between her toddler bed and the bottom bunk bed in Hyrum's room. Eventually Hyrum and Logan will share rooms, but that's a long ways away.

Ella did great sleeping the toddler bed. We figured she'd do alright, but we weren't sure. It's so funny because my kids will climb into the toddler bed, but don't realize they can get out by themselves. I heard Ella talking Sunday morning, but she just stayed in her bed until I came and "lifted" her out. It took Hyrum months before he figured it out, and he still didn't get up until around eight. I figure I might as well take advantage of it.

It's A Boy!

2008-01-04T14:32:00.000-08:00

It's a pretty sure thing that we are having a boy! When we heard Ben gave a huge sigh of relief and was so jazzed that he didn't have to buy a whole new wardrobe. Hyrum's birthday and this baby's due date are just a week or two apart. The baby will probably come early, but the clothes will still be in the right season.

I was excited because for once we had a boy name ready. We only had a girl name with Hyrum and a boy name with Ella. This little one is going to be Logan Cyrus Rohrbach. I've always liked the name Logan and I had the funniest little boy named Logan in my class my first year teaching. The middle name, Cyrus, is a family name that is passed down in Ben's family. It's actually Ben's middle name, which is ironic because he is also the third child/second boy.

Yesterday, I decided to go through the huge tub of clothes we saved from Hyrum, and then it hit me, we are having a boy! Augh! All the memories of how hard Hyrum was as a baby came flooding back, and I called Ben in a total panic. Hyrum was such a difficult baby, and continues to be much more work than Ella. I love him to pieces, but he sometimes just leaves me exhausted. I wasn't so sure I could do a "Hyrum" all over again.

Sensible Ben tried to calm me down and did the best thing a husband can do for a frazzled wife; he took me to dinner and then the mall. He reminded me that just because it's a boy doesn't mean he will have Hyrum's colic, reflux, puking after every single feeding until he turned 18 months old, or personality. I realized that it's true that each kid comes programmed a little differently, so here's hoping to a nice "Ella" version of Logan.

Ultrasound!

2008-01-02T13:16:00.000-08:00

I was lucky enough to have a friend of mine do my ultrasound today which meant tons of pictures for me! I picked out my favorite ones to post. I drank a ton of orange juice before I went so the baby was all over the place. It was such a relief to hear the baby was totally healthy and right on track. My placenta was a little low, but they aren't too worried yet.

A nice little profile. Ah, they look so innocent in the womb! This was before the baby decided to start doing somersaults.

This is one of the baby looking directly at you. Pretty creepy actually. It looks like something out of the crypt.

Here's a good look at the baby's spine. All bones accounted for.

Check out those biceps. At one point the baby gave us a thumbs up, it was so funny!

This is when the acrobatics started. The baby is stretching his/her legs out as far as possible. Then he/she decided to switch to the other side of my stomach.

Can you guess what we are having?

The Week of Christmas

2007-12-29T18:54:00.000-08:00

We left for Boise on Friday, the 21st, but unfortunately forgot our camera. Thank goodness my Mom took some pictures, so as soon as she emails them to me, I will post some pictures of the kids.

We had such a great time in Boise! On Saturday I went out to lunch with Karen who was visiting from Hawaii and my friend Rachel who moved from Saratoga Springs to Meridian. We went to my favorite place ever, Miss Tami's (formerly known as Cottage Expressions). It's this cute little tea room that has the best Monte Cristo sandwich and Cheddar Cauliflower Soup you will ever taste. It's in Meridian and I highly recommend it!

After the tea room, I picked up Ben and the kids and we went to Rachel's house to celebrate her daughter Brooklyn's birthday. Hyrum and Ella miss their friends so much and were so happy to see them again.

Right after the birthday party, my dad drove Ben and I up to this lodge place by Bogus Basin for our Christmas present. My parents got us this sleigh ride and dinner thing up in this cute little cabin in the woods. I've never been on a sleigh ride before. It was cold, but so beautiful. At the cabin they served everyone this amazing dinner. We had soup in bread bowls, steak, shrimp, potatoes, carrots, and cobbler. Then this hilarious guy did jokes and poetry. It was so fun.

Sunday we did a huge turkey dinner with the family. It was so good!

On Monday, we went out to lunch at the Cheesecake Factory. The only other time I had been there was in Hawaii, so I was excited to go. Then we did our traditional Christmas Eve stuff, make cookies for Santa, look at lights, and open some PJ's.

Tuesday was so fun, but tiring. The kids got soooooooooooo much stuff. We had to take the backseat out of our van just to fit it all there and back. After we opened presents we had our traditional egg mcmuffin breakfast and got ready to go to dinner with the whole extended Braden Family at the church. I can't believe how much we've all grown. There were a million kids and our kids had fun meeting all their 2nd cousins.

We were supposed to leave on Wednesday, but it was snowing in Boise and Utah and we were all so tired, so we stayed another day. We still ended up staying up late playing games and eating pizza, but it was so fun. I was excited because I found this cute Christmas store that was selling everything for 75% off so I bought a million fancy stockings that will hopefully last for our current and future family.

We finally left on Thursday, thanks to the good weather. We were so sad to go, but happy to be home. The house just seems so empty now without everyone. Fortunately, all the kids million toys fill up some of the gaps :)

The Christmas Spirit

2007-12-17T13:46:00.000-08:00

I've lost almost all feeling in my left shoulder due to the unprecedented amount of shopping I did on Saturday. Payday was on Friday so I went on Saturday to finish all the last minute shopping I had. I had the kids stuff pretty much done already, but no one else. So I headed to the mall since I would be able to hit a lot of stores in one place. What a nightmare! It was shoulder to shoulder shopping. I had to wait 30 minutes in line at the Disney store! It took me 5 hours to get everything I needed, but I'm done!

The interesting thing was everyone was still really nice. Christmas time brings out the charitable kind side in people, but it also has the tendency to bring out the ravenous rude shopping side as well. Everyone was all "please" and "excuse me" and people were very kind to pick stuff up for me whenever I dropped something, since I'm the size of a whale. So even though I was totally exhausted and sick of shopping (which is a first for me), I still came home with a renewed hope for the human race.

18 Weeks and Expanding

2007-12-09T14:36:00.000-08:00

I've been fighting for some time now to remain in my regular sized clothes, but alas I finally lost the battle. I decided to wash and iron all my maternity clothes this week, thinking I could make it another week or two, but I only made it another day or two.

It's not that I don't like my maternity clothes, most of them are pretty cute. It's the acceptance that I am expanding. Now for alot of women that I know that's no big deal because they are out jogging 2 days after the baby is born and back to their size 2's after 2 weeks (this is no exaggeration). That's not my story. Every inch and pound I gain, although caused by the baby, does not leave with the baby.

I try to eat somewhat good and only gain about 25 pounds, yet those pounds just haunt me after the baby is born. I have to stay in maternity clothes for 2 months after the baby is born and I'm not back to my regular size (and when I say regular I'm not talking size 2 kind of regular) until 18 months after the baby is born! So how is it then that I have friends that gain 45-60 pounds during their pregnancy and are able to pop down to 100 pounds only weeks after having a baby?

I didn't mind so much with Hyrum, and I was doing o.k. with Ella, but this time around I am just dreading trying to get all those pounds off. I seriously broke down crying at the mall the other day, passing all those clothing stores full of clothes that I can't fit into now, and won't be able to fit into for another 2 years. It's not like I can diet or anything right now and you can't diet when you are breastfeeding either. And unfortunately, due to my herniated disc and my high risk factor, I can't do anything more strenuous than yoga.

So, that's my dilemma right now. I realize I am only getting bigger because I am pregnant, and I realize that I don't even gain that much weight; I'm just struggling with the afterwards. Maybe I just need to get fatter friends?

Thanksgiving and Other Stuff

2007-12-04T13:54:00.001-08:00

I realize I haven't written in a long time, but I have 2 very good reasons. The first is we were in Ohio from November 17-27th. The other reason is we were transferring all our info. onto our new computer. That's right, the first new computer we have ever owned and the best part was it was free. Ben won it at a game they played at his work Christmas party. So we got a $600 Dell Computer absolutely free. The crazy thing was that all the gifts there were way nice. They had flat screen t.v's, video camera's, ipods, you name it. It was awesome. Anyways, here's the readers digest version of the last couple of weeks, that is if I can even remember anything.

Saturday 17th: Fly non-stop to Ohio. Less than 3 hours. I love non-stop flights and have officially been ruined forever. We even managed to arrive with all our luggage. I also discovered that it is nice to fly in the afternoon instead of the crack of dawn.

Sunday 18th: Church and ice cream at grandma's house. A very nice Rohrbach tradition.

Monday 19th: Go clean out grandma's food storage and garage (there was stuff in there from the beginning of time) and have a pizza party. Later go back to Ben's parents and watch I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, which turned out to be pretty gross and disappointing (sorry for picking it out guys)

Tuesday 20th: Ben's Big Surprise! Ben had arranged to wisk me away for a night of shopping and dinner and that night stay in a bed and breakfast. It was the first night we had ever been away from the kid's so it was a much appreciated surprise. Plus I've never been to a bed and breakfast. This one was so cute!

Wednesday 21st: Kind of a blur, but I remember watching Hairspray and hanging out with family.

Thursday 22rd: Thanksgiving Day! Tons of food, tons of people, tons of fun!

Friday 23rd: Have dinner with Ben's friends. Laugh at Hyrum asking one of the little girls to dance with him.

Saturday 24th: Go to the Air Force Museum. Get stopped on the way by an accident. Everyone hops out (except me who stays in the car with the kids). to help a guy on the side of the road who is clearly going into shock and apparently still has 2 kids in the car. Fortunately, Ben's mom is an EMT and is able to help the guy and the woman who was driving the other car. After an hour later, and a million fire trucks (Ben's brother was driving one) and police cars we finally get to the museum. After the museum we went to a friends house and got to watch the BYU-Utah game which was awesome. Then we head back to Ben's parents house and sang karaoke on the top of our lungs until the wee hours of morning.

Sunday 25th: No voice from singing like crazy. Ice cream night at grandma's

Monday 26th: Do some holiday shopping. Have a girl's night out and see Enchanted. Very Cute!

Tuesday 27th: Come home!

The rest of the week was a blur of cleaning and unpacking, because my parents came for a visit on Saturday. Oh and Ben's work Christmas party. We were even able to get our tree up before my parents pulled in.

So that's what we've been up to the last couple of weeks. Busy, busy, busy! But so fun when it's with friends and family.

Happy 30th Birthday Ben!

2007-11-16T11:26:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, we celebrated Ben's 30th Birthday. Birthdays, aren't a very big deal to Ben, but my Mom always made birthdays special for us, so they are a big deal to me. Naturally I love it when birthdays roll around. I love being sneaky and planning little surprises.

Hyrum insisted that we get balloons, party hats, and streamers. I started to decorate the house the night before and realized I couldn't reach the ceiling without a chair, which I knew Ben would be mad if he saw me climbing on chairs when I was pregnant, and I always have trouble blowing up balloons, especially when I'm pregnant. So, I had a bit of a dilemma since I knew Hyrum would be expecting to see the decorations he picked out. Ben therefore insisted that he put most the decorations up, despite my protesting. So, Ben decorated the house for his own birthday.

I tried to redeem myself a little bit though, by getting up early and popping some cinnamon rolls in the oven for breakfast.

I love surprises, but surprising Ben is really hard to do. He's just too darn observant. However, I totally got him this year. The day before his birthday I had made 3 loaves of pumpkin bread to bring to his work. When he got home, he asked what all the bread was for and I just lied and said it was for the people I visit taught (convenient since I visit teach 3 women.) He was so surprised when we showed up at his work yesterday morning with the bread. Needless to say, everyone liked the bread. Ben admitted to eating half a loaf by himself.

After work, we had another surprise, Ella was running a temperature, so we had to run her to the instacare and sure enough she had an ear infection (we had taken Hyrum just the day before for an ear infection and pink eye). Fortunately, we were still able to go to dinner and gorge ourselves with chinese food. Afterwards, we came home and opened presents.

Again, it's really hard to surprise Ben. He'd been asking for the Transformers Movie since he first saw it in the theater, but I didn't just want to wrap up the DVD or he totally would know what it was. So I was sneaky and put it in a shoe box. He had no idea what it was.

I also was able to get him his favorite game, Risk, but it was actually a Transformers addition, so he totally loved it. Now I just have to avoid him asking me to play.

The last present was a little unusual. A bunch of guys at work have nerf guns and they are always sneaking around and shooting people. So I got him the biggest one I could find. He looked like a little boy on Christmas. He was going around the house like a maniac shooting everything. I may have to take the toy away and hide it.

After presents we had one of Ben's favorite desserts, homemade apple pie. All I can say is he better love me, because pie's take forever to make.

Hopefully, it was a special day for Ben. We just can't show him enough how much we love and appreciate him. Happy Birthday Ben!

Another Side of Hyrum

2007-11-15T12:52:00.000-08:00

Best Friend Babies

2007-11-10T13:56:00.000-08:00

We are so excited because Ben's best friend in Ohio called yesterday to tell us that they were expecting their second child. The funny part was Ben hadn't told him that we were pregnant, because we were going to surprise them next week when we go to visit. So Ben decided he should probably just say something and was like "oh yeah, Arin is 13 weeks pregnant." Of course his friend thought he was totally joking and was so surprised when Ben finally convinced him he was being serious.

The coolest part is that this same thing happened when we were pregnant with Ella. Ben's friend called to tell us they were pregnant and then like 2 weeks later we found out we were pregnant. Since I have my babies so early, Ella was actually born first and their daughter Mallory was born 4 days later.

I just think it's so cool that you and your best friend would have kids almost exactly the same ages. Hyrum, unfortunately, is the lone ranger. We are hoping for a boy so that he isn't too out numbered. Ben's best friend has one daughter and his other best friend has 2, so Hyrum is definitely out numbered when we go visit. He doesn't seem to mind too much though. I'm sure he'll appreciate those kind of odds about 12 years from now.

More Baby Pictures

2007-11-02T13:42:00.000-07:00

I had my second doctor visit today and it was a little nerve racking at first because they couldn't find the baby's heartbeat. Now granted, that was typical of both my other children at this phase, but it still worries me every time. My kids just kind of burrow down and hide until they get to big to play that game. Anyways, the doctor sent me over to get an ultrasound just to make sure and the baby was doing fine.

It is so weird to see how much the baby has changed in just over a month. The last picture was just a blob with some arm and leg buds, but now I could see fingers and toes and a nose and mouth, and the baby was just kicking and stretching away. It was so amazing!

I just think it's crazy that by 12 weeks, all the baby's major structures are formed! The skeletal system now has centers of bone formation. Fingers and toes have separated and nails are growing. Bits of hair are appearing on the body. External genitalia are beginning to show. (although I didn't see anything) The digestive system produces contractions and can absorb glucose. The brain is beginning to make hormones. It's just so cool! I'm looking forward to when I can actually feel the baby, although I'm not too excited to jump into maternity clothes again.

Halloween

2007-11-01T13:21:00.000-07:00

I love Halloween! It's been my favorite holiday for as long as I can remember. I love any reason to dress up and pretend to be someone else. Maybe that's why I love theater so much? Although, it isn't always comfortable when you have a million layers of petticoats, lace, and a corset, and then are expected to sing a dance. But just dressing up to stand around and look pretty is fun.

My kids have been looking forward to Halloween for a long time. Probably because I decorate the house the first day of October and then talk about it nonstop. This year my kids' costumes actually got worn more than a few hours. Someone actually asked me if I made them. Ha, ha, ha. I would have to be one amazing seamstress to get it to look that good, not to mention I would actually have to know how to sew. So my kid's can thank Grandma and the Disney Store for their costumes.

Last Saturday, Hyrum had his sunbeam party. It was so cute! They had all the fun games I remember playing like bobbing for apples, a fishing pond, and decorating Halloween cookies.

Then on Monday, Ben's work did a trick or treat thing at his office and the kids got tons of candy. It was kind of nice to just go around to cubicles inside a warm office and get candy.

Wednesday was a busy day! Hyrum had his pre-school party where he got more candy! Then our ward had trick or treating and games at the church from 5-7. So we hurried over there and let the kids get even more candy and play some games. Then we headed home for some homemade chili, and re-dressed the kids for the 3rd time in their Halloween costumes to go trick or treating.

We decided to go up to our old ward in Springville, since there wasn't a soul outside in our neighborhood. WOW! It was like a full out carnival. Every single house had over the top decorations like, actual graves dug out, moving monsters, flame torches, gigantic screens showing movies, you name it. I think the kids enjoyed looking at the houses as much as they did collecting candy. The really nice thing is our old ward had really small boundaries, 3 streets actually, so it only took us an hour to walk around and say hi to everyone.

Then we came home and let the kids pig out while we watched Hocus Pocus. We watch that movie every year on Halloween. I totally passed out on the coach, but Hyrum stayed up and watched the whole thing. Now is the sad part when I have to take stuff down. It's sad, because I don't really have any Thanksgiving stuff to decorate with , which means I have to wait until Christmas to decorate the house. I tell you, I just love dressing things up.

( I actually convinced the kids to dump all their candy into the treasure box. Now I can just put it up high somewhere and use it as bribery!)

Leaves!

2007-10-23T14:15:00.000-07:00

Ella's Birthday

2007-10-22T13:11:00.000-07:00

My little baby officially turned 2 yesterday! Since her birthday fell on a Sunday, we decided to celebrate it on Saturday. Grandma and Grandpa Braden even came down for the occasion, so the kids were excited.

Our original plan was to go to Barnyard Boo at Thanksgiving Point, but if you caught the BYU football game you'll understand why we changed our minds. SNOW! Instead we spent the afternoon at hyperactive central, Chucky Cheese! The pizza was surprisingly not that bad, and the kids had a ton of fun riding the rides and playing games. Even Ben and my Dad got in the fun and ended up winning 200 tickets at just one game. (I don't think they expected 30-50 year old guys to be playing).

Here's Ella on some kind of space thing. She actually wasn't too thrilled about this one.

After Chucky Cheese, we went home so Ella could get a nap and watched the BYU game together, while eating enormous amounts of chips, salsa, and guacamole from Los Hermanos.

When we were done with dinner we had Ella open presents, and boy did it feel like Christmas. I attached a few pictures here, but you can check my facebook site for the complete album.

Ella is all girl, so we got her a hatbox full of jewelry and dress up clothes.

Here she has on the wings that go to her Tinkerbell costume that Grandma and Grandpa Braden got her for Halloween. I couldn't get her to try on the whole thing.

Another part of the dress up was 6 pairs of the cheezy plastic high heel shoes. She already can run around the house in them, despite the fact that they are too big and extremely awkward.

Ella had no warm clothes for winter, so Grandma and Grandpa Rohrbach sent some money to get some adorable clothes.

Here she is with the dolly Grandma and Grandpa Braden got her and the stroller mommy and daddy got for her.

Isn't this pack and play so cute. She tucks the baby in every night and gives kisses.

Later we did the whole cake and candles thing. Ben did an awesome job decorating the cake! I'm so glad he's good at making desserts, because just watching him frost it, made me tired.

Overall it was a great day and even though Ella won't remember any of it, I know I will! I'm still laughing at the image of her walking around with enough jewelry to impress Mr. T, in her hot pink glitter high heels, trying to push the stroller. Classic!

Marriage

2007-10-18T14:10:00.000-07:00

The other day when we were making cupcakes, Hyrum was just rambling on about marriage. He was just being so funny, so I decided to join his conversation and this is what he said:

Mommy: Why did I get married?
Hyrum: Because you needed a daddy!

Mommy: What did Daddy say when he asked Mommy to marry him?
Hyrum: Please!

Mommy: What did Mommy say?
Hyrum: (in an exasperated tone) o.k.

Mommy: Why do we have kids?
Hyrum: So we have someone to play with.

Oh, well that clears everything up doesn't it. I love kids!

Treats and Preschool

2007-10-17T14:29:00.000-07:00

Our ward has been so good to us this last month, in taking our kids every morning, and bringing in meals. Yesterday, we decided to bake a little fall thank you treat. The kids did more tasting than actual helping, but they had alot of fun delivering the plates to all their friends.

Today, we are still trying to catch up on everything and return to our regular schedule. I wanted to get a picture of Hyrum on his first day of pre-school, but unfortunately that was the day I was getting checked for kidney stones. He's been going for about 2 weeks, but I still wanted to get some pictures.

We were so lucky to get into the Baby Bulldog Pre-School that Provo High School runs. They have an amazing facility and there are tons of student helpers to give the kids attention. Hyrum goes Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 12:50-3:00 p.m. and the best part of all is it's only $70 a semester (which is October to mid December and February to mid April). He has had so much fun going to pre-school, and mom has really enjoyed being able to spend some time alone with Ella and just some time for herself.

This is one half of the facilty. The dress up center, the art center, the science center, and the exploring station.

Here's the other half. The reading center, the writing center,the creative station, and the bathrooms. They also have a playground outside, but it was freezing, so I didn't get a picture.

Hyrum, about 2 seconds after we got there.

I couldn't get him to even look up and smile.

Dinosaur Museum

2007-10-16T13:27:00.001-07:00

I was feeling well enough that we were able to go to Thanksgiving Point for family home evening last night. We have had a pass for several months now, but I've never remembered to bring a camera. It was pumpkin night at the Dinosaur Museum so the kids had fun hunting around for hidden pumpins.

For those of you who haven't been up to the Dinosaur Museum, it's very different from traditional museums. It's a very interactive, hands on, kind of place. This is a picture of Hyrum hiding in one of the caves. If you look really close you can see one of the pumpkins next to the dino bones. Ella would not go near the cave.

This is where the kids learn about erosion. Can you tell who doesn't like to touch wet sand?

Can you guess who does?

This is the kids using paint brushes to uncover dinosaur bones.

Apparently dry sand is completely fine.

It was so fun to be able to be up and about and actually get out of the house for family home evening. The kids loved hunting for pumpkins and digging in the sand. Afterwards we stopped for some ice cream. Hopefully we'll be coming back to Thanksgiving Point for the Barnyard Boo at Farm Country this weekend for Ella's birthday.

10 Weeks

2007-10-15T13:28:00.000-07:00

As of Sunday, I finally hit 10 weeks! This week my baby is about 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 inches and weighs .18 oz. Small! And baby is about the size of a small plum. Ten weeks is nice because most of the major organs have formed at this point and the baby no longer looks like a tadpole (which Hyrum was really relieved to know).

Ten weeks is also nice, because I'm finally starting to feel a little better. I still have the nausea and all the yucky pregnancy stuff, but I'm at least out of bed. Saturday, I did a little test run to see if I could drive by myself and go shopping by myself. Oh the healing powers of the mall! It was alot of fun to get out. I was even able to go to church on Sunday, although I was totally out of it because I woke up at 2:30 in the morning and could not get back to sleep. After lunch on Sunday we went for a drive on the Alpine Loop and it was so pretty! I was bummed that we didn't bring our camera. I got a little car sick, but it was worth it.

Today was the first day in over 3 weeks that I was able to watch the kids by myself. Ben still came home at lunch to help, but I did pretty good. I even cleaned out our fridge that has been accumulating moldy food for the last month. Hopefully I'll feel good enough to take the kids to Thanksgiving Point for family home evening tonight. I'll try to remember to bring the camera.

I'm adding some cute pictures we took of the kids before church on Sunday. It was the first time in over a month that they actually had on matching clothes, teeth brushed and hair done for church. God bless daddy, but he just can't do pigtails like mommy.

Ella looking cute!

And a little devious!

The ta-da pose!

Big Smooch!