Conference Weekend

Conference weekend was awesome! I love conference! I feel renewed and able to continue with the tasks that I have been given. It helps that I got to spend two days with my family and get in some photo time!

Here are some of the highlights!

Playing in the leaves!

 Peter liked doing somersaults into them!

 This is him posing in the leaves for me! We have a lot of trees in our backyard but because of the way that the wind blows, all our neighbors get our leaves. My boys loved being able to actual jump in a pile. Well...that is all but Matthew!

 I think that this is my favorite! It says it all!  "What does my mom think that she is doing?"


Next was getting to ride on the four wheeler with Grandma or whoever else might be willingly to drive them around!

 Matthew had to get into the action as well! Can you see him sandwitched into between Andrew and my mom?

What would be more appropriate then a leaf fight? Of course Uncle Glen started it! He's always getting everyone in trouble! (J/K Glen! I had to say that! See, Glen was falsely accused of teaching the boys how to throw lite matches! It's the family joke now!)

 Matthew even got into the action!  He loves to throw things and has recently started throwing his food when he doesn't agree with what is being placed in front of him! I blame it on the parade that we went to a month ago. Matthew loved the concept of flying candy!

 Peter thought it would be funny to throw leaves at this mom! He soon learned not to do that!

Our last favorite activity was getting to help make homemade spudnuts! (Doughnuts made out of potato flakes! Only in Idaho right?)

 Here's the boys getting to cut out the doughnuts!

 We (and when I say we... I mean my dad! I tend to stay away from anything that involves grease!) fried them up!

The final product! They were so good and we had dozens of them! We got to bring them home and snack on them and since they had a vegetable in them I didn't feel too bad about eating them constantly!

Overall, it was a great weekend to enjoy family togetherness and to be refueled with words from the prophets!

Go, Glen, Go!!!

My brother, Glen, is doing cross country this year and when we found out that he was running basically next door we decided to take the family and go watch him! 

They ran at a golf course that is near our house. For being the first part of October is was hot and a horrible day to run! This is at the start of the race! This is Glen's senior year and the first time that he has done running.

 While Uncle Glen was running the three mile course, we found ways to entertain ourselves. Matthew made this face over and over! Not quite sure what he means by it!

Anthony even came over to support Glen after he got off work! This is after the boys spotted him!

Julia just hung out in her carseat! She has been an angel of a baby! She is usually so smiley and happy all the time! She has started to giggle and roll over both ways! My baby is growing up way too fast!

 This is near the end of the race. Glen had been hanging back with a couple of his friends but the last 100 yards he put on the gas and took off!  At this point, we started yelling his name and the boys were screaming, "Go, Glen, Go!!" It was a lot of fun and I was glad that my boys were able to go and  support one of their favorite  uncles!

This has to be my favorite picture! He looks like he is running in the air! I think I decided that I like cross country a lot better then football. The night before Anth and I attended a football  game and almost froze! It wasn't that cold but it was cold enough! Cross country lasted about a half hour, while football games can drag on forever! Go cross country!

A Day in the Park

This is our cousin Kaylie. We love to play with her. The other day she came over with our grandma and we got to go for a walk to the park! It was so much fun! We got to play on the toys and later see the ducks! What a great day!

Whew!! One of Matthew's first times going down the slide by himself!! He is such a dare devil! No fear...he is constantly climbing and getting into things that my other boys never even thought of trying!

 Races down the slide! For some reason, Matthew always won!! Peter usually came in last! But he was a good sport about helping his brothers.

Updated Pics!!

Peter is starting Kindergarten tomorrow! I can hardly believe that he is old enough to go! I am having a harder time then I thought! Dang post partum hormones! (okay I can't blame them! I'm just emotional!) 

Andrew will be four in a week! He will miss Peter so much and so we decided to try and put him in a preschool that is ran by one of my friends.  He is excited to go to school like Peter. This is the first time that they have ever really been separated.

Matthew is 14 months and is way busy! He is constantly on the move! He follows after his brothers and they are usually pretty good at letting him play with them. He loves his sister so much, too much sometimes! He loves to laugh!! He talks all the time, we just can't understand him! 

Julia is such a doll and is so good! She hardly cries except when its dinner time, she always manages to cry even if she has been fed and changed! She completes our family! She is so special to us!

The Craziness that is Life!!

Have you felt like life is on fast mode and that you don't even have time to grab a breath? Or the energy or the strength? About a month ago, we were all recovering from a terrible chest cold. I was sleeping on the couch because I found it easier to sit up and sleep. Julia woke up and we fed her and then it hit! My chest tightened up and I felt like I couldn't breathe!!! I had Anth give me a blessing and afterwards I felt that I needed to go to the ER. We had a friend run over and stay with the kids while we went to the ER. The pain was so intense and I was trying my best to stay calm so that I could get as much air in my lungs as possible. I was finding it a little hard though!! Anthony actually ran red lights and stop signs! We were that scared!!! (We haven't ever done that.... even when I was in labor!) Good thing it was 1:00 am! We got to the ER and I knew I was going to be sick! Anth opened the door and  I proceed to spill my guts, literally!!! The amazing thing was afterwards  the pain was gone! I walked into the ER and felt great. I wasn't sure what to do. Anth had called from the car so they knew we were coming. I was a little embarrassed! But as I sat there waiting my turn, the pain started to come back! By the time I got on the bed in the room, I couldn't breath! (I was aware enough though to noticed that I had lost twenty pounds since having Julia when I stood on the scale! I wanted to do a little jig...that is until the pain almost knocked me over!) After taking blood and doing a chest exam, it was concluded that I had had acid reflux attack brought on by my indulging (okay, overindulging) in mint chocolate ice cream cake leftover from Anth's birthday! How humiliating!!! I had to go to the ER because I ate too much ice cream!!! Come to find out that mint and chocolate are among the two worst things to eat when you have acid reflux! The question that was unanswered was why did I have it?

Well, the next morning through an ultrasound it was discovered that my gallbladder was full of gallstones!!!  I was recommend to go see a surgeon and it was concluded that I would lose my gallbladder. I had surgery about two weeks ago and I do feel alot better! I had over a hundred stones! Gross, right? Can you  believe that they kept them for me to take home?  I can eat what I want now! (I was on a low fat diet for two weeks until my surgery! So hard when you have two family reunions with tons of fat enriched foods!) It's been two weeks and I basically back to normal! I was laid up for about a week. I am so thankful for my mom and my sweet sister-in-laws that all pitched in and helped me out.

I have learned that I am not invincible and that I need help. I have learned to accept help when it given and to be wiling to allow others to help me. I have learned that there is no shame in being afraid of surgery and that all things will work out if I have faith.

One Eventful Sunday

On Sunday, we blessed Julia! My mom got her this dress and I thought it was perfect! It was such a special blessing! My family attended as well as part of Anth's family. Our dads, my brothers, James and Shaun, and Anth's brothers, Charles and Lynn, were there to help with the blessing.  

She was so peaceful and didn't even make a whimper! Her brothers on the other hand were a little on the loud sound! Good thing a friend wrote the blessing down so I could know what was said! Thanks again, Mary!

The other awesome event was that Peter lost his first tooth! Right there in sacrament meeting!! Thankfully, it was after the blessing and Anth could help take care of it. Peter was so excited! There's something about losing teeth that make its seem like they are all grown up! He lost his second one this morning and can't wait for the tooth fairy to make another appearance! 

Anthony's 30!!

Anthony's 30th birthday was on the a couple of weeks ago!  I wanted to do something really special but with Julia being barely two weeks old, it didn't happen.  We decided to have his family come over (no small feat, if you know Anth's family. By Christmas they will be 60 people! 40 of which are grandchildren!) I made a mint chocolate ice cream cake and we had a great time! 

Thinking about his wish!  I am so thankful for this wonderful man! He has been the best thing to happen to me! I am so thankful that Heavenly Father brought him to my apartment for sweet swap 8 years ago! He's the best dad and the most wonderful husband!  Love you Sweetheart!

Close up of the cake! I was so proud of myself! Most of the time my attempts look less then appetizing! I think I will stick with ice cream cakes from now on!