Newest Addition

This month we added the newest member to our family.  Our little baby boy, C.  With this pregnancy I had lots of back and nerve pain, and generally couldn’t wait to have him in our arms.  I chose to be induced on his due date…mostly due to the fact I couldn’t stand being pregnant anymore and partly because school was going to be starting soon for the two oldest kids.  Here is a break down of the day:

*6:30 am: call in, L&D  too busy call back at 7:30 am

*7:20 am: L&D calls saying they are ready for us.

*8:00 am: Drop kids off at grandparents, B is clinging and sad that we are leaving, makes me cry.

*8:20 am: Checked in, getting all the paperwork and everything ready.

*8:45 am: Nurse tries 2 times unsuccessfully to start IV, has charge nurse come do it…meanwhile I have oxygen and still head towards passing out.

*9:00 am: Dr. gives the thumbs up to start Pitocin.

*12:30 pm: Little progress, but Dr. breaks water.

*2:00 pm: Much more progress, call in Dr.

Lets just skip to the end.  He was born about 1 1/2 hour later, with a beautiful full head of long dark hair and perfect.

He was over 8lbs., and 21 inches. As for me, I met my goal of no epidural and was soooo grateful to be done! I had different nurses over the time in the hospital, when someone asked if this was my first, I would reply, “No, this is number 4.”  But each time I was asked and gave my answer it was really setting in…I have 4 kids! Wow!! Love each of them and wouldn’t change a single thing.

The grandparents brought the other kids in to see their new brother.

B did great, she was excited to see him, K just wanted to sit and hold him the entire time she was there and every time she visited.

The kids spent some of the time with us at the hospital but mostly at their grandparents house…so thankful for all of their help! C is the perfect addition to our family and we are absolutely in love!!

Easter

Before Easter came around this year, I was looking at the $5 movie bin at Wal-mart.  I came across a few movies that I thought our family might enjoy.  First, Anastasia – the one that came out in the movie theatres about 1997. Second, The Land Before Time – the original one.  I usually come across The Land Before Time 45, one of the many sequels they have out on the market.  Third, Horton Hears a Who – again the one that came out a few years back. Last but not least – Robin Hood, Prince of Theives, you know the one, the Kevin Costner/Christian Slater one. Yeah, that one.  When I saw that and Land Before Time, I knew I had to act fast.  I wasn’t looking to buy any movies, but once I saw these, there was no turning back.  There I was with four movies that would be perfect for the kids (and the hubby) for Easter.  The kids have not seen Anastasia or The Land Before Time, and it was about time they be exposed to some other great movies. 

Before I go on about our Easter, I have to put in this funny little story about watching Robin Hood.  So, the hubby and I had the kids down in bed and decided to watch the movie.  I put it in the blu-ray player (mind you, it is a regular dvd).  We begin watching it, but about half way through the movie, it jumps back to the main menu.  We were both baffled, thinking something was wrong with the dvd.  Then I remembered that the dvd looked two sided, thought it was one of those widescreen/full screen, but didn’t pay much attention. We flipped the dvd over and poof * we were back were the movie left off.  I guess this dvd was either one they found sitting in a warehouse since 1992 or what we get for paying only $5.  Either way, it was a great find!

For Easter this year, we didn’t go on the Easter camp, we stayed close to home.  To start the kids week off from school, I had an ultrasound scheduled for baby number 4.  F, K, L came along, while B stayed with Grandma and Grandpa.  Baby looks very healthy and kept it’s left hand up by it’s face the entire time, moving around plenty.  We were excited (especially L) to find out that we are having a baby boy!  Feels like a perfect way to end our family. 2 girls, 2 boys. 

Friday, F took off work and we spent it as a family.  We drove up to the Kimball Arts Center and enjoyed the Lego exhibit they had. It was amazing to see all the works of art made entirely of Legos.  After that we went to the Tanger Outlets and did a little shopping, well I did and the kids played on the playground with F. 

Saturday, we went up to the zoo.  We love the zoo – so much we have an annual pass and have done so since K was little.  We never get bored of the animals and the zoo has made some amazing transformations since we first bought a pass and even more since I was little.  That night, we dyed Easter eggs.  K and L were pretty creative with theirs.  L made a dragon, K made a frog and a chick hatching.  B was able to get into it a bit more than previous years. 

Sunday, New Easter clothes.  I bought sweaters for the girls and a new shirt for L, and I made matching skirts for the girls. I love being able to get them to match for one day each year.  It will be ending before I know it though!  We went to church and later we visited F’s parents. We ate dinner at my parent’s house and had our annual Easter egg hunt. My mom hides the eggs all over the backyard.  The kids hunt for the eggs.  When they are all found, we divide them among the kids (each egg has a name on it).  The kids always have a blast. 

Among all the eggs and treats, we do teach our children about the importance of Easter which is not only the atonement by our Savior in the Garden of Gethsemane, but the Resurrection of Him.  I am grateful for Jesus Christ and his willingness to do all the Father asked of Him.  He leads the way back to our Father in Heaven, made it possible for us to be forgiven of our sins, and live together for eternity.  I am thankful for my membership in this Church and the covenants I have entered into and for F being a worthy priesthood holder and blessing our family because of it.

Christmas Break

Well, it is now 2013, and we have had a lot of fun.  F was able to take all of last week off and we have had about a week and a half with our family together.  The Sunday before Christmas, we went downtown to Temple Square, walked around to see the windows at Macy's and went through the Visitor Centers on Temple Square.  We met up with all of my family and walked around the grounds to see the lights, and another look at the candy window displays.  Followed up with a delicious dinner at my parents house.  I love going to Temple Square and usually we are there late and miss going into the visitor centers. It was nice to see the displays, talk to the children, and to show them the Christus statue. 

Christmas Eve: My parents good friends had rented out a movie theater and invited their family and friends to join them. We were lucky enough to be invited and had a great time seeing Rise of the Guardians, and catch up with friends we hadn't seen for a long time.  Just as we walked into the theater, K was up talking to my mom and another girl I didn't know.  It ends up this girl is in K's school class.  Her grandma is sister's with Jill, who invited us.  Small world and great to meet her and her family (it is their first year at our school).  After the movie, we went over to F's parents house and played games, ate dinner, watched Scrooge, and had a great night. It had snowed most of the day, so driving was a little nervewracking, but we were save and sound. When we got home, the children were able to open new pajamas.

Christmas: The kids were instructed not to get up before seven.  F was in the shower at seven and I heard K and B playing in their room, followed by L coming to their door and saying, "It's not morning yet," and going back to his room.  Once F and I were ready, we let B come down first, followed by L, and lastly K.  When B saw her easel, she said, "School." The kids had a great time opening presents, and giving presents. I always love seeing the excitement on the kids faces when they see their presents for the first time.  L had asked for a bed side table (at one point in time), so we bought a small side table and glued on some lego baseplates. The table doubles as a place to display and play with his legos, and also a bed side table.
 When asked about Christmas, L said, "I didn't get anything on my list."  Which was partly true.  His list had changed daily for the whole month. He had asked for most of them over the several list changes. It also didn't help that K replied, "Well, I got everything on my list."  Overall they were both happy with what they got.  K has been taking endless pictures and videos with her camera.  After breakfast, we got dressed and made our first stop - my parents.  We opened gifts and ate some pancakes.  My parents got all the grandkids cowboy boots.  B and K have been wearing theirs any chance they can. We went over to F's parents afterwards and again more presents.  F's  parents gave us some food storage and emergency preparedness items, which are very helpful.  After playing a game and eating more food, we went to our last stop, my grandpa's house.  We again had food (I was actually to full to eat anything, but enjoyed the tradition slush). It was great to see some cousins and family we haven't seen in a few months, and some even a few years! What a day!!

Since Christmas, we have gone sledding twice, visited the zoo, slept in, stayed up, played hours of video games, ate too much, put two puzzles together (well, I did), read new books, drank hot chocolate, watched new movies, relaxed and had lots of fun.  For New Year's, it was a little more low key.  B went to bed at her normal hour, K and L stayed up until ten watching Goonies on tv.  F wasn't feeling well, so he was in bed before 11, and I stayed up rang in the New Year watching fireworks out in the neighborhood from our front window.  I can't believe how fast it has gone by and that today is the last day before we get back into reality.  But for now, I am going to go have some fun!

Wedding Day

What a wonderful day!  K got out of going to school to be a part of this special day.  We got ready and headed down to the temple.  My cousin was gracious enough to come down to watch the children while F and I were in the ceremony.  The kids enjoyed walking around the beautiful grounds.  The ceremony was fabulous, I always love being in the temple.  Following the ceremony there were numerous pictures taken!  The bride and groom decided to have all the family pictures taken at the temple and not at the reception.  The weather couldn’t have been better for late September.  It was in the high 70’s.  After pictures we went close by for the luncheon and small program.  Our new sis-in-law’s mother, sister (and family), father, as well as a few other family members, travelled here from out of town to attend the wedding.  Her sister and husband have 3 girls close in age to our own children.  Our little brood and theirs became friends here and continued their friendship on our trip up north. 

That night we gathered at my in-laws ward building for the reception (which I helped to decorate the day before).  The family was assigned the task of food.  It kept us busy all. night. long.  Running around making sure things were out on the tables, cooking in the oven, and that the kids weren’t getting into trouble – their task was to receive the guests, take their gifts, and give them a thank you gift as guest left. We had a wonderful time dancing, seeing friends and family, while joining with a new family.  We are grateful for the wonderful woman chosen/accepted to be the newest member of our family! Needless to say, we were quite exhausted when we got home – around 11 pm!  But it was worth it! Did I mention I was grateful to finally come around because I had spent the last 2 months working on making 3 of the 4 bridesmaids dresses? 

For FREEEE?!

Last night, soccer was cancelled for K due to the large amount of rain that had fallen from the sky that day, but the Family Night that was put on by the city parks & rec and the fire dept. was still on. The had it at the park K plays soccer and has a skate park. We loaded up and snuggled up for the cooler weather. We knew that at this particular event there would be bike helmets for purchase ($5!), and they would also be raffling off a number of helmets. The first thing we did was got 3 tickets for the kids and entered the raffle. We were going to walk to the pavilion to purchase some helmets, when we noticed the raffle was about to begin. They read off a number of numbers. Low and behold, we had not one, but two of our tickets called. After the raffle, we headed over to the pavilion, sized the older two and myself for bike helmets. In L's words, he has a "cool red helmet." Up until this point, he had not had a helmet of his own. I also got a "cool red helmet" and K got a purple helmet - all for only $5. We spent some time learning about fire trucks from the firemen and L was excited to see all of the tools they have, he even (with help) held the fireman's axe. To our advantage, the rain had discouraged a number of people from attending, but there was still a good crowd. After the second raffle, and our third number not called, we headed home. We are now ready for summer riding!