Just a Second

My goal today was to update my blog. A couple of hours ago, I fed my newborn, quickly cleaned my kitchen and living room, put on a show for my girls (yeah...mother of the year, right?) and ran into the office to sit at the computer. Then I heard "wahhh" it was my baby crying, then Grace yelled "mom, I peed in the pantry" (did I mention I am potty training today?...it is NOT going well!). Within ten minutes my boys had gotten home from school and started getting snacks, so there goes the kitchen. I walked through my bedroom and water was dripping from the the fire alarm on my ceiling, and I can't find the source. Carolina just informed me she is hungry, oh Grace just peed again, and I feel it coming on, it's time to nurse again. So I guess you are all updated. This is my life. Are we having fun yet?


I don't like to post without a picture, so here is one of my new addition, Fiona Calista...along with her cousin Henry Ephraim (notice the adorable BYU onesies we made for the big game on Saturday...which was awesome by the way!)

Just Laying Around

Last week I went to the doctor. My blood pressure was elevated. I have had toxemia with every pregnancy so far, so this was no surprise, just a pain. The doctor sent me to the hospital to be monitored and tested further. I was sent home later, but relegated to bed rest. I felt relieved because I didn't want to have the baby that week, as all my in-laws were coming into town for Joe's 60th birthday celebration. (We had a blast by the way, I will post the pictures to prove it later!)

So Yesterday when I went to my weekly appointment, I was hoping the doctor would want to induce me next Monday. He would have too, except he is going out of town next week. What a pain!!! So I am scheduled to be induced on the 12th...and have to be on bed rest until then.

I have always pictured bed rest to be a rather relaxing idea...instead it is driving me crazy. I feel like a lazy person who doesn't accomplish anything. Thankfully, my parents live with me right now, and can help out. I am trying to be patient and hang in.

The one fun thing...Ashley is going to be induced on the 13th, so we will be in the hospital together. This has been a hilarious experience being pregnant at the same time. We have had all of our appointments together and now will finish up together. I am sad to miss her birth though...I will probably be hooked up to magnesium sulfate down the hall somewhere (a really gross drug I always have to have for the toxemia.)

Oh What Did We Do in the Summertime?

How do I describe a whole summer? This is the problem with blogging. You take what you consider to be a small break, and then all of the sudden...the summer is over and you are so behind you don't know where to begin.

I have decided to tackle this by posting tons of pictures, with brief explanations....not a great journal, but better than nothing, right?

In July, the Christensens came to visit. These are some of our favorite people! Here is Joey, with his cousin Cannon and the boys. (from left, Bryson, Dane, Ty, Jack, Ryland, Cooper)

I included this one, because it is the only one with evidence that Tiff and I were there! Colter, the baby isn't in any of the pictures, I think he was sleeping that night.

Tyson and best buddy, Cooper aka: Floyd. (Cannon and Tiff have nicknames for all their five boys, which makes it quite confusing...that lots of names!)

Carolina and Gracie with COWBOY!

Jack, MONKEY and COWBOY.

At the end of July, my parents got home from their mission. It was quite the whirlwind after that. We had so many visitors, and lots of get togethers. It was really fun and exhausting. My parents need to learn to slow down a little bit. Here are some pictures of a day when we took all the kids to the park.

Grandma Connie swinging....she got going pretty high...funny.

The whole group walking...wow, there are alot of us:

In August, Ash and I packed up the kids and headed to Moses Lake. We were sad because we realized that with both of us pregnant, this is the last road trip we could make in my van. (Two adults plus the six kids!) I guess we need an RV now.

The kids loved Moses Lake, and staying at my parents house.

We decided to give our kids an edge by practicing for the races to be held at the Earl Family Reunion!

I love this picture of these kids getting ready to race. Carolina and Rob were holding hands...so cute.

I am going to blog more in depth about the Earl Family Reunion...hosted by the Tami Earl branch of the family, but I wanted to throw a couple of pics up. I have tons I want to record though. We had such a blast.

While in Moses Lake, my son Tyson turned NINE!!! For his birthday, we went to a Seattle Mariners game. He was thrilled to recieve an ICHIRO jersey to wear to the game.

We left the girls with the fam back in Moses Lake. It was really fun to go to Safeco field.

I took all the pictures, so it doesn't look like I was there.

Tyson chose chili nachos for his birthday dinner! (a man after his father's heart)

This game of course went into the 14th inning...with a score of 0-0. Finally the Mariners brought in Griffey and he scored. At least the ending was dramatic. Here are my boys cheering.

We stayed in a nice Sheraton in downtown Seattle.

The next morning we walked to pike place market to see the sights.

Hot chocolat from Starbucks...and stopping to take a picture in front of a pig vehicle that sold....well, all sorts of good bar-b-que.

We watched the men throwing fish for awhile in the market and then strolled around.

Jack, in the hotel.

Before heading back to ML, Tyson fulfilled his dream of eating at IHOP. We were only gone from Moses Lake for 24 hours, but it sure was packed with fun!

While in Moses Lake, I made sure to take my kids to Franks...my favorite place to buy candy when I was a kid.

Our trip was fun and crazy...there were alot of kids staying at my parents house...8, under the age of 9 to be exact. We didn't sleep alot, and played hard...so the whole thing was quite overwhelming for a 8 month pregnant lady such as myself. It was alot of fun though, and totally worth it.

We had to head back to Utah though, because it was time for SCHOOL TO START!!

But first...a random picture of my random girls....they love to put on outfits and play. This is them tap dancing for me. Notice the underwear on GG's head and the onsie snapped over her skirt.

When we got back from WA, we went to "back the school night," and found out Tyson had been put in the class he wanted. He was supposed to be in a different class, and I had tried to get him changed, only to be told it wasn't possible by the principal...but I guess he pulled some strings. Tyson was so excited to go. This is the boys RUNNING to school the first day. By the time I got my camera to my eye, they were already at the end of the cul-de-sac...I almost missed the picture.

Tyson, 3rd grade with Mrs. Lepore. Jack, 1st grade (all day school....YES!) with Mrs. Cottrell.

"Bye boys, have fun!!" No tears here...just a big sigh of relief!

This is Carolina on her first day of preschool. I didn't start her right away, because I wasn't sure which school to put her in. I was so excited when they called me from the preschool at Lindon Elementary and told me a spot had opened up. She loves it, and it is so close to my house....and it is Tues-Friday from 9-12. PERFECT!<>
She was so excited, she ran right in and started talking her teacher's ear off (Miss Cindy). When I was leaving I heard her say to the girl next to her "Do you want to be my friend?"...it made me laugh. Carolina is NOT SHY!

Ty wanted me to take a picture of him on CC's first day. Funny.

So you are up to date. I am getting huge...I will post a picture soon. I am one month away from having this baby and we don't have a name picked out...suggestions anyone?

Home at Last!!

My parents came home from Peru last Saturday. What an awesome day it was. I wanted to post a bunch of pictures to remember the occasion.

We dressed our kids in red, white and blue to welcome them home. Ashley did an intricate hairdo on Grace, and when I pulled her out of the van, she had pulled them all out! Here is my aunt Vickie holding her:

Thier were two rubber bands left, so I scraped this look together:

Here is the gang...it was pretty hard to stay assembled for the 10-15 minute wait.

Carolina Jones holding a sign:

My parents got to meet baby Dougie for the first time:

We were missing Sam and Kyle, Ike and Linh, and Michael.

Jack, cheering up a grumpy Gracie:

Here they come!!!

I know my mom will hate these crying pictures...but I love them!

We are happy and relieved to have them home. So far they have made alot of trips to costco, and had fun with all of us.