She's Here!!!

The pattern continues!! We had another little girl on Friday, August 14 at 3:15pm! She weighed 7 lbs. 15oz and was 20 1/2 inches long. Her name is Sophie Pearl Breinholt. We couldn't be more excited. So far, everyone is doing great and adjusting well to the new little life in our home. It is a special, peaceful time for our family. We are so thankful.

We took so many pictures, it was hard to figure out which ones to post. So, I thought it would be fun to post one of each of us holding her at the hospital.

But first, ... a close-up...

Chansey and Eathan came to the hospital with Aunt Allison about an hour after Sophie was born. We didn't tell them she was a girl until they got to the hospital. It was a fun surprise!

Todd took this picture of himself with Sophie. Pretty good! He looks like a happy daddy to me! He was pretty sure we were having a boy, so I think he was the most surprised that she is a girl. It took us both a few seconds to believe it. There was an added measure of suspense when Sophie came out with the cord between her legs!... it took a second to see whether she was a boy or a girl... we had to laugh at that.

Well, Sophie thinks it is time to eat, so I will post more pictures and details later.

My Last Post While Pregnant

The sun is just barely starting to come up... I have been awake for an hour and a half. I just tried to lay back down to get one more hour of sleep, but to no avail. My mind is racing, so I thought I would post my feelings and what is going on... I might want to reflect back on this someday.

This was to be my last night of uninterrupted sleep for who knows how long... and ironically enough, not much sleep came. Why you ask? I am scheduled to go into the hospital in three hours to be induced. I am flooded with emotions and worry and self-doubt and a fair amount of fear. Let me just say that I am normally fundamentally opposed to being induced and even though it is about to happen to me, I still am not sure if I like it. My doc has been asking me if I want to be induced for the last two weeks and my answer has continued to be "no." I am fairly comfortable (except when I eat too much or my Restless Legs Syndrome shows up) and I always thought... "why rush things, the baby will come when he or she is ready." But, he won't let me go any longer... I was due yesterday and I have been dilated and effaced for weeks. Also, I have been having contractions for about 36 hours and nothing is happening... so weird. Don't get me wrong... I am excited to have the baby here, but I just wanted to do it on my own like the other ones. Chansey was four days early, Bella was several days early, and Spencer was almost two weeks early. With all three, I knew I was in labor, went to the hospital when the pain was more than I could handle and with the last two, had a baby in less than two hours. Easy. I looked forward to that happening again... shouldn't it be earlier and easier every time?! I guess not.

This whole situation is similar to what happened when I had Eathan. I had to go in and have pitocin and Eathan eventually had to be vacuumed out... no fun. So, I just hope this doesn't go down like that. I hope it all goes fast and easy and no heavy machinery is need to coax the baby into the world.

I am also worried about my other 4 kids. It is really hard for me to think about leaving them for a couple of days. I will miss them and when I get home, my baby won't be my baby anymore. I will have to say "hold on" more and my focus will change... all scary. So, before I lay down for a few more minutes (before I really have to start functioning) I will pray for them (and me) one more time and I hope all will be well.

The moral of the story is two-fold... 1. Just when you think you know stuff... you really don't
2. Sometimes, the best things in life come to those who wait. I say that because I have never been this far along in a pregnancy. I have waited patiently for the baby to come... I guess now I better listen to my doctor and let him help me out. The waiting is almost over.

Eathan's Baptism

Eathan was baptized on Sat. Aug 1. It was such a special day for our family! I was really anxious before the big day because I was paranoid about going into labor and having to cancel the baptism. But, everything went off without a hitch... I was there... big belly and all! :) Here are a few pictures that Marilyn was able to capture (we lost our camera...again)

Eathan got this suit when he was a ring bearer at my nephew's wedding a few months ago. We cleaned it and put it away and saved it to wear for his baptism. He couldn't wait to wear it again! He sure is handsome!!

Eathan and Daddy... I can't wait to see a picture like this someday with Eathan and one of his children dressed in white.

We were overwhelmed by the spirit that was there. Of course, I cried (as evidenced by this picture.) I know Eathan felt the spirit too and he even cried a little bit. This was such an important milestone in his life. We are really proud of Eathan for learning and growing and making the choice to be baptized. I wish we could bottle up all of the wonderful feelings of this day and experience them over and over whenever we want. These tender moments really bring our family closer together in a special way. A new peace has come into our home in the last several days. For this we are grateful!

Congratulations Eathan! We love you!

Where I Stand

Here was the conversation at the breakfast table yesterday...
(I made French Toast so everyone was happy)

Chansey: "Mom, you are the best mom in the whole world!"
Bella: "No, you are the worst mom in the whole world"
Me: "Then who is the best mom?"
Bella: "Mmmmmmm.... Jennifer"
Eathan: "No, I probably think it's Allison... she's nice!"

Now, at least I know where I stand! :)

Happy Birthday Eathan!

I started this post on Eathan's birthday, but just finished it today. (lame I know) It's a long one... proceed with caution...

Today is Eathan's 8th birthday! I am taken back as I reminisce about the last 8 years. Eathan is a load of fun, but has kept us on our toes more than any other child yet. I think I have learned the most from him... hands down... and that is a good thing. He is a very kind, thoughtful child with an abundance of common sense and critical thinking skills. He is also full of energy and never stops!! The action and laughs never stop when Eathan is around. We are so proud of him for the good choices he makes and love what he brings to our family. Eathan will be baptized on Saturday, so I will post more about that and his birthday party later.

I want to start a new tradition on each of my children's next birthdays. I want to record all of the details I can remember about their birth. This is something I have been wanting to do for a long time and I figure what a better time to do it than when I am reeling about how long it has been since they were born. Please bear with me if this gets long... I am trying to include as many details as possible... this is for posterity :)

I found out I was pregnant with Eathan in early December 2000. I originally thought I wouldn't be sick this time (like I was with Chansey) but just a few days after finding out I was pregnant, the nausea and throwing up began. I spent a couple of miserable weeks trying to manage my horrible sickness alone, but to no avail. I ended up in the Emergency Room on December 19 with severe dehydration and hyper-emesis. Thankfully, they didn't make me stay in the hospital, but sent me home with a permanent IV and I began home health care that night. I was hooked up to the IV with my backpack and pump for over two months. I tried to be without it once during that time, but got violently ill again, so the doc made me go back on it. At about 18-20 weeks I felt better and began to live a normal life again.

The rest of my pregnancy was normal and I had no other complications. We were so excited when we found out we were having a boy! (I had always thought that I would have a lot of boys) Towards the end of my pregnancy, I started to sense that I was HUGE and this baby was going to be HUGE too. But, nobody believed me, the doc said he thought Eathan would only weigh about 6 lbs. The largeness of me (and the baby) and the mid-summer blistering heat made me very anxious to deliver. I would walk around the mall every day trying to coax labor, but it never happened. I was dilated early and had constant contractions for weeks, but no baby. I went to the hospital on July 22nd in a lot of pain wondering if I was in labor. Well, I was dilated to a four and having regular contractions, but not progressing much. So, my doctor told them to keep me overnight and he would come in the morning and break my water. But, guess what... they sent me home instead!! I only found out that they didn't do what the doctor told them because at my appointment the next day he was surprised that I "chose" to come home. I was so mad at those nurses.

After a few more days of non-progressive labor, I was admitted into the hospital on July 26th. They had to give me some pitocin and break my water to help me along. The type of pain I was feeling was strange... unrecognizable to the previous labor pains with Chansey... much worse in fact. Well after pushing for about two and a half hours (and hemorrhaging) they finally had to use the vacuum to get Eathan out. And we quickly realized why I had so much trouble. He weighed 8 lbs. 11 oz and his head was a bone crushing 16 1/2 inches! (Normal is 13 ish) So, he was huge... and he wasn't coming because his head wouldn't descend because it was so big. YIKES!

Once the delivery was over, we were all relieved. Most of the nurses commented for the next few hours on how lucky I was that the doctor didn't make me have a c-section. The doctor commented that I was lucky to be so healthy. He had previously had patients with higher blood counts than mine who had to have blood transfusions... I felt so lucky and blessed!! We were all healthy and happy, but had to stay in the hospital for a full two days. That was not really fun except a lot of people came to visit since we were there for so long.

I could go on forever about all of the joy Eathan brought to our lives for the last 8 years, but that would take forever. However, I would like to note two more memorable things about Eathan as a baby... First of all, he was so good!! He would eat and sleep and that's it! For months! He was so happy and so calm... what happened?! :) Also, he spit up more than any child I have ever seen!! He had projectile spit-up every time he ate. The pediatrician never worried about it because he was so big and grew so fast, but it sure was annoying. He grew out of it around the time he turned one, but people that were around during that time still comment about it.

One more notable thing... Somehow, on our first date, baby names came up. Todd and I both agreed that the coolest boy name was Eathan (keep in mind that 'Mission Impossible' was new at the time and that is the main character's name) We also agreed that Eathan Todd Breinholt was a really cool name. Isn't that funny that we ended up naming our first son that?!

We love Eathan so much! Happy Birthday Dog! (That is his nickname... it started out as E-dog and then just evolved into 'Dog')

That's All Folks!!

The diving season for Chansey and Eathan has officially come to an end. It's a little sad because they had so much fun and looked forward to going to diving every day. (Except when we stayed up too late the night before :) It's a little exciting because now we don't have to wake up at 5:40 am to take them every day!

We are so proud of how well they both did this year. They were both at the young end of their age groups and still did awesome!

Chansey was ranked 15th out of the entire City of Mesa League at the division qualifying meet. This was impressive to us because the competition in her age group was very tough and she still did well. Chansey works hard and takes every competition very seriously. She tries not to let the pressure get to her.

Eathan ended up getting 8th in the League Finals. He is a natural competitor and as he grows up and matures he will continue to excel.

Awesome job guys! We are so proud of you!!

Eat Mor Chikin

Since I am a total cheap-skate and we are always looking for something fun to do, we couldn't pass up this adventure last week. On Friday, Chick-fil-a had "Cow Appreciation Day" where if you dressed up like a cow, you could come in and get a free meal. So, we ventured out wearing black and white with our spots and tails and had a delicious lunch... for free!

The kids had fun taping thier spots on and finding clothes to wear that fit the color profile. I dressed up too, even though I didn't post a picture of myself because of sheer embarassment. I must say however, our costumes were pretty weak compared to some of the other people we saw. There were people with masks, full-body suits, and even udders sewn onto their clothes. We even saw three people under a sheet with black spots and a cow head sewn on!! It was so funny!

Surprisingly, the crowd wasn't bad. There were a few people in line in front of us, but it didn't take long to get our food and we all enjoyed ourselves. A couple of funny things my kids said...

Chansey- "Mom, you look like a cow!" (Not a good thing to say to a lady who is almost 9 months pregnant)

Eathan - " It's too bad it's not called Pig-fil-a because then Bella could wear pink!" (The kid is always thinkin' :)

Brimhall Dive Team

Last summer, Chansey and Eathan took diving lessons and they both loved it. Ever since then, they have been asking me if they could take more advanced diving lessons so they could learn more. Well, this summer they decided to do something even better... they joined the dive team at Brimhall Jr. High. We knew it would be fun and they would be good at it since none of our kids seem to display any limits or fears. Here are a couple of pictures of them at one of their recent dive meets.

Chansey on her way out of a front dive tuck

Eathan on his way into a front dive tuck.

The only lame part about dive team is that practice is at 6:00 every morning (except Friday). But, my kids have been troopers! They never complain and they usually come home happy and ready to start the day (even though I want to go back to bed)
Even though it is early, it is actually not too hot yet at 6 am, so that is really nice. In fact, in the beginning of the season when we were still having an unseasonably cool summer, they were freezing every morning at practice. They had to take two towels just to stay warm and all of the kids would stand behind the diving boards wrapped up in a towel, shivering waiting for their turn to get back into the water.
In addition to practice, they have a dive meet every week on Wednesday evening. We have discovered the only way to keep cool during the meets is for the whole family to go swimming! But, we all get out of the pool and watch carefully when it is their turn to dive. We have been so proud of how well they have done!! Chansey and Eathan both get consistently good scores and they have placed in every meet. We are crossing our fingers that they qualify for the divisional meet this week. Their coaches do a great job of encouraging them not to worry about whether or not they win or loose, but just to have fun. It is a great lesson to learn at such a young age. We know they will do awesome no matter what!!

Independence Day!

We had a wonderful 4th of July weekend! We were so lucky to be able to spend it with our friends at their family ranch in Christopher Creek. The home was amazing, the surroundings were beautiful, the weather was dreamy, and best of all, the company was unbeatable! We couldn't have asked for a better vacation. It was definitely "independent" of any worries or cares of normal life at home. The kids played non-stop and we ate ourselves sick! :) We even had a chance to have a spiritual meeting on Sunday morning that we all enjoyed.

Here we are all together in front of the gorgeous cabin.


The kids all sang a song together during our "Sunday School" meeting. It was so sweet!

A snapshot of one of the many baseball games that took place on the front lawn.

I couldn't leave this picture out... Todd is throwing Spencer up in the air and he is loving it!

Why do I wonder how my kids get so daring and crazy?!

This holiday is such a good reminder of all we have to be thankful for. No matter the condition of our economy or the conduct of our government officials, I still believe in what this country was founded on and I am proud to be a citizen of the United States. This country was built on solid principles by men who were led by God to establish a free country where Christ's Church could once again be brought forth. I am thankful to be a part of this nation as well as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

One last picture of the beautiful scenery that surrounded us. Our kids spent quite a while fishing in the pond in the background.

Go, go, go Joseph!

On Saturday night, Chansey and I went to see "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat". It was a production at the Queen Creek Performing Arts Center. It is a funny musical based on the story of Joseph in the Bible. We absolutely loved it!! My brother-in-law played Simeon (one of Joseph's brothers) and he did an excellent job! We knew several other people performing in the musical so it made it even more enjoyable.

Several years ago, I was the roadshow director in my ward and we created a roadshow that was a spin-off of this musical. But, believe it or not, I had never actually seen it live until now. I didn't know what I was missing! It is so entertaining! I was glad to see how excited and fired up Chansey got about the whole thing... she is definitely a product of her mother! We were both hyped at the end... all of the excitement took me back to my musical theater days and how much fun it was being on stage.

Chansey is sure that she wants to be in a musical now! I can't wait to see her fulfill that dream. I told her it is a lot of hard work and you don't always get cast when you try out, but I think she understands and she is up for the challenge. So, she wants to try out for the next musical "Willy Wonka". Tryouts are next month. So, we will try it and see how it goes... I will keep you posted!

Tag... You're it!

It has been a long time since I have been tagged, but my old friend Becki tagged me, so I thought I would oblige. Plus, I am always up for a little bit of fun, so here goes...


8 things I did yesterday...

1. Woke up late (8:22 am... sweet!)
2. Went to Stake Conference (today was the first day Spencer was supposed to go to nursery, but since we had Stake Conference, he didn't get to and we had to wrestle with him for 2 hours... we were robbed! :)
3. Made homemade garlic butter rolls (YUM!)
4. Played with my kids
5. Watched a movie with my kids
6. Had FHE/dinner with my family
7. Finished planning Kristie's baby shower
8. Ate two pieces of pie right before dinner (oops!)



8 things I look forward to...

1. Kristie's baby shower (I love Kristie and I love having parties!)
2. Finishing unpacking (I will be done today... I promise!)
3. The rest of the summer (It's been a little lame since we have been moving... time for the relaxing fun to begin!)
4. Quiet evenings when Todd is home and the kids are calm
5. Going to see my brother-in-law in "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat"
6. Smiles on my kids' faces
7. Eathan's baptism
8. Having this baby!!!! (only a couple of months left!)



8 things I wish I could do...

1. Sew
2. Play the Piano (I know... "practice makes perfect")
3. Run a marathon (someday I will)
4. Be a good mom all of the time
5. Blog more (since I don't scrapbook, it's my best journaling alternative)
6. Study the scriptures EVERY night without getting tired
7. Go on vacation... just me and Todd... to Hawaii... for a week!
8. Go to the Temple every week (I used to and hopefully I will be able to again soon)

8 shows I watch on tv...

Since we don't even have eight channels on our tv, this one is a little tricky. I don't really have a list. Our family was really into 1."Biggest Loser" last season, so we sat down and watched it every Tuesday night. But that is about it... I don't watch anything else regularly. I do like watching the auditions for 2."So You Think You Can Dance" and 3."American Idol". But by the time the real competition starts, I am bored. Plus, maybe I am non-committal and I can't make myself sit down and watch anything at the same time every week. My other tv interests include 4. cooking shows and 5. game shows, but I don't really find time to watch those much either. Lastly, if we had cable, you could catch me watching 6. Sports Center on ESPN with Todd. I really do enjoy that.

While I am on this subject, I do have one other funny confession to make... when I was first married, I used to watch "Young and the Restless" and "Bold and the Beautiful". Seriously, I never missed an episode. I planned my day to make sure I was home when it was on or I taped it... how crazy is that?! I haven't watched either show for the last 8 years though. I had to repent and give it up. All in all, though a mindless activity is really nice sometimes, isn't t.v. just a big waste of time?!

8 people I tag...

1. Amy 2. Melissa 3. Lindsey 4. Deanne 5. Jessica 6. Cedar 7. Chelsea 8. Lana

Can't wait to read all of your secrets! :)

Memorial Day Weekend

Here I am again... no pictures and a week late with this post... but I thought I better jot this down so I can remember this 'vacation' for years to come.

Like normal, we went camping this year over Memorial Day weekend. We left town the day school got out (Thursday) looking forward to what was supposed to be a relaxing, beautiful weekend. As we arrived to our spot, we were greeted by my family that was already there and also rain and cold weather. It rained for the rest of the day, most of the night and most of Friday too. So, the kids were a little stir crazy and muddy. The big kids managed ok, but it was pretty hard keeping the little ones dry and with something to do. Did I mention it was really cold?! Friday night it cleared up and stayed clear most of Saturday. Until dinner... here's where it gets fun... my awesome husband planned a big meal of dutch oven pizza, breadsticks, salad, and wings. My sister helped us get it all together and we were just starting to have fun... cooking and eating (all 50 of us) Until the clouds rolled in... you guessed it... it started pouring rain... AGAIN!! Right in the middle of our awesome dinner! AGH! Well, the good news is that Todd (being the genius that he is) brought our Easy-Up awning just incase this turn of events were to occur. So, at the first sight of clouds, they set it up over their cooking area and got everything covered just before the down-pour. So, we were able to finish dinner, just a little wet. Followed by a couple hours of cleaning up and doing dishes (the rain stopped by then). FUN TIMES!! (Can anyone sense the sarcasm?!)

Well, Sunday was a new day! Sunny and beatiful. The clouds cleared out and the kids had a day full of playing, wandering, and fort building. We also tie-dyed and the boys went shooting. They were having a ton of fun. And frankly, as a parent, this is what makes my life fun as well. The bad news was, we ended up having to leave on Sunday night. We always stay until Monday, but this year was different and here's why...

Before we left to go camping, we knew we had to find a house to move into. We needed to move to a bigger house before the baby was born and we found someone to take over our lease. So, we had to be out by June 1. (One week after returning home from camping) Finding a new house was torture, but we finally got one nailed down just a couple days before we left, so we felt relieved and ready for a va-cay before a crazy moving week. Well, much to our dismay, that house fell through and we couldn't move there afterall! We found out while were in the mountains, 120 miles away from home and with approximately 9 days left before we had to be out of our house!! That made our weekend a little more stressful and we ended up coming home Sunday night so we could spend Monday looking for a house.

The good news is... we found a house when we got home and moved without a hitch! (more to come on that later)
The really good news is, even though this camping trip was far less relaxing and wonderful than most, our kids still had a blast. And that is all that matters. I am so glad they are not burdened by the worries that we are... they can just be carefree and play and enjoy their cousins and friends. No matter how muddy they are :). By the way, our clothes were so dirty that I had to wash most of them twice... oh the joys of being a mother! We will hope for a dryer camping trip next time!

A Dream Come True

Mother's Day this year really made me reflect...

Anyone who knew me when I was little will remember that I wanted to be a mom from a very young age. It was always a dream of mine. If I was ever asked... "What do you want to be when you grow up?"... I would say "a mom" or "a kindergarten teacher" (the closest job to being a mom) However, being a mom is something you can't always plan or control. You have to follow certain steps... meet the right guy, get married, etc. So, since I couldn't plan those things, I spent my early adult life doing other good things. I got a job just a few days after I turned 16 and was never without a job until a few days before I had Chansey. I got good grades in school with the hopes of getting into college and being 'smart' and 'professional'. I went to college right out of high school and almost finished my degree. The only thing that stopped me was... you guessed it... becoming a mom! So, here's how the dream has come true...

Instead of helping random strangers solve their financial woes all day, I help my precious children solve their woes. Some of which include... dirty diapers, dirty clothes, scratches, bruises, broken toys, homework, new piano songs, fevers, coughs, sad days... the list goes on and on. Though frustrating at times, all of these situations give me practice at being a mom. When the woes are solved, even though temporarily at times, the fulfillment I get from my four happy faces by far surpasses that of all the random strangers!

As far as being 'smart' ... now this is where it gets tricky. When I had Chansey (my first) I thought I knew everything! Being a mom was so easy and having one baby was so busy. But, I sure thought I was 'smart'. Needless to say, over the last nine years I have realized that being 'smart' as a mother means you eventually realize that you don't really know anything at all! My four kids have taught me more than the thousands of hours of homework I have done over the years. And other inspiring people in my life including my own mother and lots of great sisters and friends have filled in some of the blanks. The gospel has also had a vital role in my learning to be a good mom. All in all, I am truly lying to my kids when I tell them "moms know everything". Maybe we are just 'smart' because we know where to look for the answers.

Being 'professional' has also taken on new meaning since I have been a mom. Some of my new definitions include... having my insurance card & shot records every time I go to the doctor, taking extra snacks, diapers, and a change of clothes when we run errands, having a clean kitchen, having a clean car, getting the kids to school on time, not getting angry at my kids in the grocery store, visiting teaching with well-behaved children, dressing and grooming my children well, teaching my kids how to be reverent in church... again... I could go on forever.

I guess the point of all of this reflection is simple... even though being a mother has really changed me in a lot of ways I couldn't be more grateful. I constantly pray for the strength and knowledge to be a good mom and I often fall short. By the end of the day I feel like I have run a marathon only to wake up to the starting line of a new one. But, I love every minute of it!! I am so thankful for my children and for the trust the Lord has put in me to watch them for him for a little while. I just hope they will love and respect me when they grow up as much as I love and respect my own mother. I hope they will look past my faults and shortcomings and see how much I truly love them and how amazing they are in their own individual ways.

Mother's Day this year was relaxing and wonderful. But, it wasn't full of fancy gifts or nights on the town. The best thing I got for Mother's Day was the realization that the last nine and half years has truly been a dream come true!!

Showlow Trip

During General Conference weekend, we were so lucky to be able to go to Showlow with Todd's cousin and his family. Jaime and Tyson spoiled us rotten and showed us a great time!! We were so grateful for the opportunity to spend time with them and have a nice, relaxing weekend. Besides during conference, we didn't see much of our husbands. They were too busy playing outside with the kids, riding the ranger, shooting hoops, playing volleyball, and going to the Priesthood Session. So much fun, so little time!!

So, needless to say, Jaime and I spent a lot of time together and it really was a treat! I want to be like her when I grow up someday... she is incredible!

As for General Conference... this is where my mad eaves-dropping skills came in handy. With eight kids to manage, it was hard to sit down and listen to every talk, but I was thankful to be able to tune into most of it even through the madness. My kids sat down and watched a lot too, which I am grateful for. They are starting to understand the talks and recognize some of the Apostles. So cool!!

And once again, I was sure that the General Authorities were talking directly to me. I heard a lot of important things that I know I needed right at that time. I love how that happens!!

Besides listening to conference, here are some of the other things we crammed into the weekend...

Tyson and Todd and all of the kids (sans babies) in the jacuzzi.

This picture makes it look warm and sunny, but it was actually pretty cold.

There were even snow flurries Friday night right after we got there, so the jacuzzi probably felt really good!!

The kids watched movies in the theatre room and they thought that was so awesome.
But, Bella and Regan crashed and I thought that was so awesome :)
(Sleeping kids really are adorable.)


The kids had fun making Easter cupcakes.

Chansey, Eathan, and Bella rode the zip-line at Roy's cabin, but somehow we only got a picture of Chansey. Cool action shot! Thanks Jaime!

What a perfect weekend... cool weather, lots of family time, more fun than you can imagine, and listening to the General Authorities inspiring words... all wrapped up into two days.

A little piece of Heaven on Earth!

A Trip to the "Salon"

My sister Rosanne is totally amazing!! Somehow between her eight kids, two grand-kids, many busy church callings and being a great sister, she has found time to be a beautician for the last 30 years. She has many regulars that come every time they need their hair done and then there are those who only show up once in a while. We fit somewhere in the middle. But this week, we paid Rosanne a visit for some serious hair-dos. Chansey wanted a perm (again) and Bella and Spencer were in desperate need of a trim. Well, needless to say, once again, Rosanne came through for us...

All rolled up... just waiting for everything to set.

I thought this was a funny shot. I am not sure if Chansey is covering her face because the solution stings her head, or because it stinks... ?!

Spencer was ok as long as he had a lollipop in his mouth.

He has had several haircuts before, but this was the first one by a professional.

Bella had her first haircut ever!!

AFTER

BEFORE

Bella's hair was really long, but it was so wispy and scraggly at the ends, you can barely see it!

Well, three hours and a few tears later, we all made it! We were exhausted, but the kids all looked spiffy! Thanks Rosie!

Spring Break ~ Mexico

During Spring Break we were able to go to Rocky Point with my brother and his family. We love hanging out with them! They keep us entertained and they are so good to our little ones. Our trip was so fun and relaxing this time and the weather was beautiful! I wish we could have more vacations like this. Here are some of our favorite things to do in Mexico...

Playing in the sand... my personal fav... I don't love the ocean.

(Don't ask me why this picture is sideways)

Spencer just LOVES to be outside... can you tell?

This picture was taken on the porch of our cabin. The tide isn't very high in this picture. Sometimes the water comes up over all the rocks and splashes onto the steps of the cabin. The kids always love to play in the water... even when it is not high tide.

Love the braids!! How do those mexican hair-do ladies move their hands so fast anyway?

Eathan is searching for crabs in the small pools of water between the rocks. They put "big" ones in the buckets and watch them attack each other.

We also love to feed the seagulls. It's amazing how fast they come when you start throwing pieces of bread in the air.

The great thing about going to Mexico is that we don't really do a whole lot, but our kids love it so much and they always have endless amounts of fun. We hang out with the family and have a great time together. We usually take pictures every time we go and they always look kinda the same. I guess when they get big, my kids will never forget the awesome family memories we made in Rocky Point!!

Darrell's Wedding

My nephew Darrell got married a few weeks ago. I can't believe it!! It seems like just yesterday that I was babysitting him at my parents' house and commenting on how cute he was! In all reality, that was about 20 years ago... (am I old?)

Seriously though, Todd and I have always been really close to Darrell and really proud of him for every good decision he has made. We know he is happy with his new bride and that makes us happy. Todd, Chansey, and Eathan were all part of the ceremony...

Todd was one of the groomsmen.

(The sun is shining right in everyone's faces, so they are all squinting. Too bad I couldn't get a better picture from where I was sitting. And too bad it is really impolite to wear sunglasses during a wedding ceremony.)

Hallie (my great-niece) and Chansey were flower girls.

These two studs (Eathan and my great-nephew Dillin) were ring bearers.

Darrell and Brandi are listening to the inspiring words of the bishop during the ceremony. He spoke to them about always respecting each other and communicating with kind words. I was glad to be able to hear these great reminders.

One year older and 'wiser' too!!

Bella turned 3 years old last month and she had a really fun birthday party. We went to Amazing Jakes with a few little friends and cousins and had an 'Amazing' time! (sorry I loaded the pictures wrong and they aren't centered)

The Frog Hopper... the favorite ride of the day.











Driving the car game with her aunt and her sweet shades!



To the left is the whole gang... all smiles, ready for some cake.

Below is Bella on her actual birthday opening presents from Grandma Marilyn. She makes it a point to come over and bring the little kids something for every birthday. They love it!! Bella had fun checking out the loot!

Now that Bella is three, she thinks she is more in charge than she did before! She is growing up and getting smarter faster than I can keep track of. She is definitely my most head-strong child yet and she usually finds a way to do whatever she wants, whenever she wants ... we just try to make sure it fits in with what we want her to do... most of the time! :) She has brought new meaning to the phrase "pick your battles". Bella is a load of fun too!! She keeps us laughing all the time and is constantly inventing new ways to get attention. She also gets comments everywhere we go on how blond her hair is... especially now that it is long. So anytime someone mentions her hair, she says... "I know,... it's white". We love Bella and are so glad that she came to our family when she did! We waited for a long time and it was definitely worth the wait!! Love ya Blondie!!

Going Private

If you like to read my blog, please email me or leave a comment here. I am going to make my blog private soon and I would like to invite anyone to view my blog that would like to. Thanks!!

"The TRUTH of God Will Go Forth"

As many of you probably did, I received a disturbing email today. It outlined pictures and material defaming the sacred temple ordinances of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, that are soon to be expounded on and aired on HBO. I hold these truths dear that are about to be mocked on the show "Big-Love". (which I had never heard of until today) The email called for action... with a link to HBO, the email asked for anyone and everyone to voice their opinion and distaste for this show and its content. My initial reaction was to write the station and voice my angry feelings in hopes that somehow they would decide not to air this blasphemous show. But, I didn't feel entirely comfortable writing the angry thoughts I was feeling, so I tried to let it go and went about my day. I received a similar email again, later in the day that stirred up the negative feelings and worry once more.

This story has a happy ending... This evening, I found this link on a friend's blog

http://www.newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/commentary/the-publicity-dilemma

The church has published their view on this situation and this article brought me much comfort. I understand now why I didn't feel comfortable writing that angry email to HBO. I hope anyone who has experienced similar feelings to mine today will read this and understand what it is that the church has asked us to do.

Also, I would like to quote the words of our beloved Joseph Smith...

“The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done” (History of the Church, 4:540)

Lastly, I would like to quote my friend's bishop...

"Surely this is a time in which calumny defames. However, we remain confident in the divinity of this work. The teachings of the Savior inspire us to respond to attacks with forgiveness. Our best defense against controversy is silence."

Maybe Later

I just sat down at the computer a few minutes ago. All of the kids are asleep except Bella (thanks to a late afternoon snooze) and the house is quiet. So, I was going to write a post about Bella's birthday festivities over the last few days. I checked a couple things first and before I could start my "journaling", Bella came over to me and said... "Mom, you need to get off the computer so you could watch Peter Pan with me". Fair enough...... :)

Small Moments...

Sometimes, life stinks... Literally. (no shower for five days, throw-up, non-brushed teeth, dirty toilets, dirty dishes, etc) You get what I mean.
On a deeper note though... sometimes, life does not go our way and it is really hard. Hard for us in our own way. While our trials seem monumental to us, we know of others' trials and pray that we can keep ours. This is the Lord's plan, to strengthen us and keep us humble at the same time. Well, in an effort to be humble and learn from the most recent trials in my life, I have compiled a list. It started as an accidental, mental list that grew and grew until I made a concious effort to add to it and give it a name. So here's the list... in no particular or chronological order.

Moments that Make it All Worth It...

*As I head to the bathroom once again to "pray to the porcelain throne" Todd hurries downstairs to make me some gatorade. He knows I like it strong :) And he dishes me up a plate of the Chinese Food he went and got for dinner because I wasn't strong enough to cook. P.S- This food and drink was the first to stay down for over 48 hours. *

* Mom takes my garage door opener out of my car while I am at her house. Then as I go to pick up my kids from school, she heads to my house to clean it. She is there when we get home... doing the dishes and Leanne is picking up the mountain of toys. *

* One of my BFF's husband shows up at the door with a homeade lasagna. They live 25 minutes away.*

* Same BFF shows up, on a different day, with both of her kids at a babysitter's house so she can clean my bathrooms. I wonder if she will still be my friend after seeing how dirty they were?*

* On her way out the door for school, Chansey passes by the sink and with a motion towards the 50 dirty dishes says "Don't worry about these dishes mom, I'll do them when I get home". *

* Bella has a high fever and is obviously not feeling well laying on her beanbag. Eathan runs upstairs (without being asked) and gets her favorite blanket and cuddles up with her. He rubs her face and asks, "Bella is there anything else I can get for you?"*

* Spencer comes to the couch where I am laying and lays his head beside me. (As if to say, Mom, I know you are feeling yucky, I am here for you) I can hear a piece of apple crunching in his tiny teeth. (Chansey gave him a snack... unsolicited)*

* Another BFF comes over on a Saturday, with all of her kids to clean my house. They all helped, even the three year old. And, my video closet hasn't been that organized for months. (Thanks buddy :) *

* I think a turkey sandwich sounds good. We have no turkey. Todd has the flu. So, I hurry to Walmart (at 10:00 pm) to get some turkey before the urge passes and I won't be able to choke a sandwich down. When I get home, Todd cleaned the kitchen... flu and all. He is sweating because he couldn't get me to go to Super-Walmart (which is farther away) So, he knew he had to hurry in order to finish before I got home. *

* I saw a commercial for Arby's while at my mom's house. I mention that curly fries look good. She tells my Dad and he drives to Arby's to get me some. *

I may add to this list later, but you get the picture. I have so much to be thankful for. For family and friends that see my needs and fill them without me asking. For a loving Heavenly Father who sticks by me and blesses me through rough times. Trials... what trials?!

Ten Years

Last month, Todd and I celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary! Even though it is a terrible cliche, "Time flies when you're having fun!" And wow... we have a had a lot of fun. In true blogging style, I thought I would make a list to describe the last ten years. So here are some of the things that the last ten years have brought us...
4 INCREDIBLE kids (and one on the way)
8 addresses
3 trucks
2 SUVs
1 red convertible
3 pizza restaurants
2 college degrees
217 college credits (and many more to come :)
10 ER visits
30+ trips to Mexico
8 visits to other US states
4 trips to Disneyland
The list could go on and on...
But the bottom line is, this has been the best 10 years of my life! Even through the trying times, the blessings and happiness have never stopped. And through it all, we have gained a deeper love for each other and for our Savior. We know all good things that have and will come are through him.
One other side note... Todd and I never went on a honeymoon. The truth is, he was sick the day we got married and neither of us felt great for the next few days. So our honeymoon plans were delayed. For the last several months we thought we would be able to go on a really cool 10 year anniversary vacation and make it the honeymoon that we have always dreamed of. But, once again, those plans were thwarted by my being in the early (yucky!) stages pregnancy. So, maybe one day we'll go on that trip that we have been hoping for... Or maybe we'll have to wait until our 50th wedding anniversary and by then our kids can surprise us with one!! (Love you mom and dad :) We'll keep you posted!! ;)

Shameless Plug

It's official... I am an institute teacher at Mesa Community College! ~For those who may not know, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has Institutes of Religion at most colleges throughout the United States. It is a place where young single adults can register for classes at no charge to learn more about the doctrine of the church.~ Anyway, I am excited to be given the opportunity to be a teacher at the school where I attended college! I love to teach and even more, I love to learn the doctrine! I am teaching the second part of the New Testament, after Christ's ministry on the Earth. My first class was last night and it was awesome. These young people are so amazing, they know a lot more than I knew when I was their age.
So, here's the shameless plug part... If you have any friends or relatives that are between the ages of 18 and 30, tell them to come to my class! It really is a lot of fun and we learn a lot! Even if they don't take my class, tell them to take any class... all of the teachers are just awesome! I wish I would've taken more institute classes when I was younger. It really is a special opportunity that we have as members of the church. It is a great refuge from the troubles of the world available to all young people. Spread the word!!

Brothers don't shake hands... Brothers gotta hug!!

The other day at church, something really cute happened...

Since we have entered the "no-sitting-still" stage of toddler-hood, I was out in the hall with Spencer during Relief Society. He was crawling around on the floor with another little boy who is the same age. They were laughing and playing around, but never wandered more than a few

feet from me and the other mom. Until... Eathan walked by. He was headed to the bathroom

down the hall and didn't see us at first. But Spencer saw him and immediately crawled as fast as he could in his direction. Well, it wasn't very many seconds before Eathan dissapeared into the bathroom. Spencer stopped dead in his tracks and starting whining/crying. I headed over to comfort him, but he didn't want me. In just a minute or two Eathan exited the bathroom and again came into Spencer's view. This time, Eathan saw him and headed our way. Spencer again crawled as fast as he could to Eathan until they met. Eathan picked him up and hugged him and Spencer laid on his shoulder for a few seconds (he is very cuddly). He laughed and was so excited to see his big bro. I had to break the news to Eathan gently that he couldn't take Spencer to class with him so he put him down and I distracted Spencer so Eathan could return to class. Several times over the next 20 minutes, Spencer crawled all the way down the hall trying to find Eathan. It was so hilarious!! He LOVES his big brother!!

A BIG change!!

It has been a while and I have been wanting to post some more updates about our holiday season this year, but I haven't gotten to it yet. So, this afternoon, I sat down at the computer, but decided to read some of my friends blogs first. As I was 'blog surfing' , Chansey came over and started looking at the computer with me. (She really likes seeing some of her friends and their families on the computer) As I continued she watched and then asked me a funny question. She said "Mom, what is our website's name?" I told her "the amazing six". She then proceeded to say "Pretty soon we are going to have to change it to the amazing SEVEN!" This comment prompted me to spread the news. And yes... you heard right... I am expecting!! In or around August we will welcome a new baby (the 7th member of our family). Are you shocked? Yea, tell me about it!! :)

We are really excited and overwhelmed all at the same time. We know Heavenly Father has a plan for our family and we are anxious to do our best as we follow his plan. With this technically being my 6th pregnancy, my body has been put through the ringer and I hope to get through this one with less drama than the others. (cross your fingers ;)

Needless to say, though, I haven't been blogging much because just getting through life's normal duties has been a challenge for the last few weeks. I am trying to be strong and keep up, but I will be glad when I am big and fat and farther along. Then I will feel better. :)

BTW- If you know anyone who needs advice on how to get through severe cases of morning sickness/hyperemesis... send them my way.