Saturday, December 28, 2013
Monday, November 11, 2013
Catch up post - We moved!
So it's 5 months late, but it's been a busy 5 months. We had been wanting to move for a few years now. Our old house was on a busy street and not in the neighborhood. We could never let the kids especially toddlers play in the front yard and they never walked to friends houses and thus never really played with friends. All the neighbors that bordered our property didn't have kids, and one was very difficult and caused problems. It didn't feel very safe and an unfortunate incident early this year cemented that. We adored Mckayla's gifted program, but Kaitlyn was getting ready to enter school too and the regular program she and Talm would be in was only a 2/10. Yes Mckayla's was a 10/10 which is the best in the valleys that isn't a private school, but we felt like the time was right and made the sacrifice.
We had been quietly looking for months and I was starting to think we wouldn't find what we wanted in our budget. And I wasn't going to move unless we drastically improved our environment as we were in a great school for Mckayla and had good friends in our current ward. And then this home just popped up. It's smaller than what we were in but it's all functional space and a multilevel layout like we wanted. It was at the bottom of our budget, I didn't even think it was possible we'd find something at that price in an ok neighborhood. But this was no ok neighborhood. It is so wonderful! It is more than I thought we'd ever find. There are kids all over the street, we are right in the middle of the neighborhood on a quiet street, neighbors are out during the day and evening working in the yards or visiting, there are 2 parks within 6 houses of us, and the kids can walk or ride bikes to school. It's not way out there in Eagle Mountain like I worried we'd have to settle for, but a few minutes from the freeway. The backyard is big and we can have our chickens. It's not an upper class new neighborhood where I'd feel uncomfortable (because we are not upper class), but it's newer than where we were. All the yards are so neat and tidy too which I know isn't everything, but it meant something to me while we were looking. I just feel so very blessed to find this home!! It really was placed in our lives by the Lord and has been such a blessing. Our kids have good friends here and run to friends houses every day, they ride bikes and scooter to school everyday, the school is a nice middle ground between our old program and the regular school Talm was in. The ward is great, the chickens are happy :) Jer and I have made some really great friends. We're about a mile from a paved trail and have great freeway access. It is just so wonderful to be in a safe and happy place. I miss our old friends of course, but I really feel like this was a huge blessing from the Lord and that it was the right time. We don't exactly live in the heart of it, but Happy Valley really is happy. I know that's a generalization and there are places around us that aren't ideal, but we found a happy little pocket of a neighborhood and area enjoying it.
We had been quietly looking for months and I was starting to think we wouldn't find what we wanted in our budget. And I wasn't going to move unless we drastically improved our environment as we were in a great school for Mckayla and had good friends in our current ward. And then this home just popped up. It's smaller than what we were in but it's all functional space and a multilevel layout like we wanted. It was at the bottom of our budget, I didn't even think it was possible we'd find something at that price in an ok neighborhood. But this was no ok neighborhood. It is so wonderful! It is more than I thought we'd ever find. There are kids all over the street, we are right in the middle of the neighborhood on a quiet street, neighbors are out during the day and evening working in the yards or visiting, there are 2 parks within 6 houses of us, and the kids can walk or ride bikes to school. It's not way out there in Eagle Mountain like I worried we'd have to settle for, but a few minutes from the freeway. The backyard is big and we can have our chickens. It's not an upper class new neighborhood where I'd feel uncomfortable (because we are not upper class), but it's newer than where we were. All the yards are so neat and tidy too which I know isn't everything, but it meant something to me while we were looking. I just feel so very blessed to find this home!! It really was placed in our lives by the Lord and has been such a blessing. Our kids have good friends here and run to friends houses every day, they ride bikes and scooter to school everyday, the school is a nice middle ground between our old program and the regular school Talm was in. The ward is great, the chickens are happy :) Jer and I have made some really great friends. We're about a mile from a paved trail and have great freeway access. It is just so wonderful to be in a safe and happy place. I miss our old friends of course, but I really feel like this was a huge blessing from the Lord and that it was the right time. We don't exactly live in the heart of it, but Happy Valley really is happy. I know that's a generalization and there are places around us that aren't ideal, but we found a happy little pocket of a neighborhood and area enjoying it.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
The big 10! Happy Birthday Mckayla!
Wow, our baby girl is 10 years old today. It doesn't necessarily feel like it was just yesterday, but it is pretty crazy she's over halfway grown. She's still a sweet innocent girl, not a little girl, but not a tween yet thankfully. She is into make up and wears it well. She is very responsible with school and is a great help with her siblings whether it's helping Ella or reading to Talm or Kaitlyn. She's made lots of new friends and enjoys coming up with doll stories and movies and buisness ideas with them. She is definately has her daddy's entrepeneur spirit! She's currently working on a cupcake buisness, we'll keep you posted :) She is saving $300 to fly by herself to Michigan to spend a week with my sister. I'm proud of her, she's been working hard.
She was my smallest baby by more than a pound. 8lbs3oz that came a week late after a difficult labor that included 3 hours of pushing and forceps. Ugh. She was a needy baby from what i remember, but it could have also been that we were first time parents. She did great though and was a round little thing. She grew so smart, I still remember driving down the freeway when she was 3 or 4 and she said something off a billboard that she read. I was shocked! She went into Kindergarten reading books, and with accurate emotion too. She spent the next 3 years in an incredible gifted program and I hated to take her out of it but we got a great new neighborhood in exchange and she's doing great in a regular class. I think she enjoys not being as stressed. Hopefully we can figure out to keep her as challenged and growing. She does have a very sweet teacher this year who she loves a lot.
I am in Michigan with my sister's first baby, she's 2 weeks old today. Makes me remember Kayla so little and my sister there helping me. Hate to be away from my baby girl, but I got to watch her open some gifts on the webcam this morning and read a special note I wrote her. Loved her sweet smile she paused to give me after :)
She was my smallest baby by more than a pound. 8lbs3oz that came a week late after a difficult labor that included 3 hours of pushing and forceps. Ugh. She was a needy baby from what i remember, but it could have also been that we were first time parents. She did great though and was a round little thing. She grew so smart, I still remember driving down the freeway when she was 3 or 4 and she said something off a billboard that she read. I was shocked! She went into Kindergarten reading books, and with accurate emotion too. She spent the next 3 years in an incredible gifted program and I hated to take her out of it but we got a great new neighborhood in exchange and she's doing great in a regular class. I think she enjoys not being as stressed. Hopefully we can figure out to keep her as challenged and growing. She does have a very sweet teacher this year who she loves a lot.
I am in Michigan with my sister's first baby, she's 2 weeks old today. Makes me remember Kayla so little and my sister there helping me. Hate to be away from my baby girl, but I got to watch her open some gifts on the webcam this morning and read a special note I wrote her. Loved her sweet smile she paused to give me after :)
Love you sweet Mckayla Pie! Have a wonderful 10th Birthday today!
Monday, June 3, 2013
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Kaitlyn!
Our sweet beautiful Katie bug is 5 now! I'm a little behind on her post but we had a lovely Kaity month that included preschool graduation, a friend party, and a family party.
Kaity really is such a beauty with her blonde hair and blue eyes and smile. She's my buddy for this last time before Kindergarten which she is very ready for asking almost every day, how many more days. She is the queen of "scratch back" and cuddles. She takes great care of Ella and loves her best friend Parker. She is the boss at our house usually ready for the day first and keeping the kids in line. She is such a good girl and we love her a lot! Happy 5th Birthday Kaity-bug!
Kaity really is such a beauty with her blonde hair and blue eyes and smile. She's my buddy for this last time before Kindergarten which she is very ready for asking almost every day, how many more days. She is the queen of "scratch back" and cuddles. She takes great care of Ella and loves her best friend Parker. She is the boss at our house usually ready for the day first and keeping the kids in line. She is such a good girl and we love her a lot! Happy 5th Birthday Kaity-bug!
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Mother's Day
Nothing like laying in bed and listening to my family scamper around preparing Mother's Day morning for me while trying not to wake me :)
Jer and the kids brought me a great breakfast in bed with their sweet homemade gifts and cards including this yummy fruit bouquet Mckayla made that I just LOVED! Jer got me a new cleaver knife and bigger step garbage can. You wouldn't think I'd like these stereotypical mother presents but I do! Two things I totally needed and wanted!
We got to Skype with my parents, sister and husband in Michigan and my brother on a mission in Alabama, that was great! Very grateful for both my mom and Jer's, we learned so much of what we know from them. I took the kids to visit my mom while Jer set a lovely table and dinner for us beg then took the older kids to see his mom while I enjoyed a little quiet time. What a nice Mother's Day, the best yet! I love love this job of mine, making breakfast, dropping kids off at school, going to the library and other events with them, cuddling them when they're tired or sick, learning from them - best job ever
Jer and the kids brought me a great breakfast in bed with their sweet homemade gifts and cards including this yummy fruit bouquet Mckayla made that I just LOVED! Jer got me a new cleaver knife and bigger step garbage can. You wouldn't think I'd like these stereotypical mother presents but I do! Two things I totally needed and wanted!
We got to Skype with my parents, sister and husband in Michigan and my brother on a mission in Alabama, that was great! Very grateful for both my mom and Jer's, we learned so much of what we know from them. I took the kids to visit my mom while Jer set a lovely table and dinner for us beg then took the older kids to see his mom while I enjoyed a little quiet time. What a nice Mother's Day, the best yet! I love love this job of mine, making breakfast, dropping kids off at school, going to the library and other events with them, cuddling them when they're tired or sick, learning from them - best job ever
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Our 'man's best friend' - RIP Pin
We can't have dogs or cats because of allergies so our 'girls', our 3 chickens Pin, Tracy, and Red are our pets. We've had them for 2 years. They let us pet them, pick them up, feed them from our hands, they follow us around when we're digging in the garden, take adorable dust baths, scratch and dig, and come sit on the top step of the back porch where Ella watches them. We came home from a great spring beak trip to find that our sweet Pinny, Talmage's big white chicken, our most friendly, had died.
She was acting a little slow before we left but I hoped she'd be fine as she had been like this a year ago and pulled through fine. They had food and water and had been cared for during the week. I walked in the backyard to check on them as soon as we got home and only saw the two and immediately feared the worst but prayed that I was wrong. I wasn't. Sweet Pin was laying peacefully on the ground in the run under the shade of the coop. She really did look peaceful and for that I am grateful. It would have been worse to have her had been attacked and see feathers all over. Sweet clean white feathery Pin, she looked perfect and I didn't expect to grieve as hard as I have but I have. I've cried every day since we found her.
We told the kids right after I found her, I didn't want them to find her unknowing. At first they looked sad but were quiet then Mckayla followed me outside and just cried over sweet Pin, stroking her feathers saying 'maybe we should have never gone', or 'I just wish it wasn't true, I wish she was still here'
We stayed out for a while before Talmage came out. Jer said he had been in his room crying. He was so upset. He knelt down by her and petted her also and said how she was his from the beginning, he chose her and named her. He said how much he would miss the good times with her, watching her and feeding her from his hand. Several times he cried saying that she was his from the beginning to the end. He was very curious why she died, and which of the chickens were next. I assured him Tracy and Red were acting fine and weren't sick.
I eventually found a box big enough for our big girl, lined it with white tissue paper and gently set her in. It bothered Mckayla a little to see me pick her up, limp, without any fight or squawk, reinforced her being dead. We kept petting her, my she was so soft, I guess that's a good thing about birds postmortem. We talked about where to bury her and agreed on the garden where they like to scratch but then the kids worried about us moving and asked if we could take her with us. Bless their hearts. We decided to bury her at my parents house on a large lot nearby, where many of my pets from growing up are buried, a pet cemetery of sorts. I want to have her here to mourn and 'visit' but that would make moving even harder, having to leave their pet here. They did ask we visit her once a week and Talmage asked for their house when my parents die :)
They wanted her to be in the box in the coop with the other girls one last night and it was hard explaining sepsis and why she couldn't. We kept her out in the garage in her box overnight before we could bury her due to a storm. That was almost healing, like a viewing. Sweet Talmage kept all of her but her head covered with a blanket and asked me to heat the garage. Sweet boy. He went out into the garage first thing in the morning without saying anything just to check on her. He did the same after school. He and Mckayla's grief was great that first night, they just cried and cried in the backyard for a couple hours and another hour in the living room till it was bed time. It was heartbreaking. The next day they still had emotion in their voices but didn't cry as much, just talked more about it. Talmage asked to carry her to the van when it was time to go to my parent's. It was good to lay her to rest but I can't say it was easy. It's morbid maybe but it was nice seeing her, petting her. She looked so peaceful. Not a mark on her. The idea of covering our dead with dirt is hard for me sometimes but I know it's natural. We certainly weren't going to just dispose of her. So we chose a nice spot under a lilac bush in my parents backyard. My dad and Jer helped dig the whole big enough for Pin's box. I couldn't bear just setting her in a hole and covering her with dirt and thought it would be hard for the kids too. It was hard filling it in but had to be done. Talmage was ok, not too emotional. Mckayla was sad. Katie has been a quiet observer through all this. I have taken it all harder than I thought. Talmage wanted a new chick until we buried Pin, and now he's not sure he wants to go through the pain again. Poor guy. We placed some flowers and a picture of Talm and I and Pinny and will make a neat stone we'll make as a headstone soon. This is a cycle of life, she was an animal not a person. It's a good time to teach. We've spoken a lot about the Atonement at their inquiries. All correct statements but its been rough. Life lessons are tough and I miss my sweet white Pinny chicken greeting me every morning at the back door.
She was acting a little slow before we left but I hoped she'd be fine as she had been like this a year ago and pulled through fine. They had food and water and had been cared for during the week. I walked in the backyard to check on them as soon as we got home and only saw the two and immediately feared the worst but prayed that I was wrong. I wasn't. Sweet Pin was laying peacefully on the ground in the run under the shade of the coop. She really did look peaceful and for that I am grateful. It would have been worse to have her had been attacked and see feathers all over. Sweet clean white feathery Pin, she looked perfect and I didn't expect to grieve as hard as I have but I have. I've cried every day since we found her.
We told the kids right after I found her, I didn't want them to find her unknowing. At first they looked sad but were quiet then Mckayla followed me outside and just cried over sweet Pin, stroking her feathers saying 'maybe we should have never gone', or 'I just wish it wasn't true, I wish she was still here'
We stayed out for a while before Talmage came out. Jer said he had been in his room crying. He was so upset. He knelt down by her and petted her also and said how she was his from the beginning, he chose her and named her. He said how much he would miss the good times with her, watching her and feeding her from his hand. Several times he cried saying that she was his from the beginning to the end. He was very curious why she died, and which of the chickens were next. I assured him Tracy and Red were acting fine and weren't sick.
I eventually found a box big enough for our big girl, lined it with white tissue paper and gently set her in. It bothered Mckayla a little to see me pick her up, limp, without any fight or squawk, reinforced her being dead. We kept petting her, my she was so soft, I guess that's a good thing about birds postmortem. We talked about where to bury her and agreed on the garden where they like to scratch but then the kids worried about us moving and asked if we could take her with us. Bless their hearts. We decided to bury her at my parents house on a large lot nearby, where many of my pets from growing up are buried, a pet cemetery of sorts. I want to have her here to mourn and 'visit' but that would make moving even harder, having to leave their pet here. They did ask we visit her once a week and Talmage asked for their house when my parents die :)
They wanted her to be in the box in the coop with the other girls one last night and it was hard explaining sepsis and why she couldn't. We kept her out in the garage in her box overnight before we could bury her due to a storm. That was almost healing, like a viewing. Sweet Talmage kept all of her but her head covered with a blanket and asked me to heat the garage. Sweet boy. He went out into the garage first thing in the morning without saying anything just to check on her. He did the same after school. He and Mckayla's grief was great that first night, they just cried and cried in the backyard for a couple hours and another hour in the living room till it was bed time. It was heartbreaking. The next day they still had emotion in their voices but didn't cry as much, just talked more about it. Talmage asked to carry her to the van when it was time to go to my parent's. It was good to lay her to rest but I can't say it was easy. It's morbid maybe but it was nice seeing her, petting her. She looked so peaceful. Not a mark on her. The idea of covering our dead with dirt is hard for me sometimes but I know it's natural. We certainly weren't going to just dispose of her. So we chose a nice spot under a lilac bush in my parents backyard. My dad and Jer helped dig the whole big enough for Pin's box. I couldn't bear just setting her in a hole and covering her with dirt and thought it would be hard for the kids too. It was hard filling it in but had to be done. Talmage was ok, not too emotional. Mckayla was sad. Katie has been a quiet observer through all this. I have taken it all harder than I thought. Talmage wanted a new chick until we buried Pin, and now he's not sure he wants to go through the pain again. Poor guy. We placed some flowers and a picture of Talm and I and Pinny and will make a neat stone we'll make as a headstone soon. This is a cycle of life, she was an animal not a person. It's a good time to teach. We've spoken a lot about the Atonement at their inquiries. All correct statements but its been rough. Life lessons are tough and I miss my sweet white Pinny chicken greeting me every morning at the back door.
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| Mckayla's tribute to Pinny |
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| Mckayla's furrowed brow makes me sad here |
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| and Talmage huddled over Pin crying. I'm sorry to make ya'll cry |
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| Our procession to find her a resting spot |
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| Who'd think a chicken could make you so emotional? I know it's weird and dramatic but I hated closing the box |
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Daddy daughter dance
Mckayla was so excited for her evening with dad she had the schedule of how to get ready planned out several days before. Preparations started as soon as she got home from school. Dad brought her home a new necklace and bracelet set. Such a big pretty girl with her well done makeup (she only needed my help for her eyes) and ponytail of pretty curls. Jer looked very nice too with his surfer wanna be hair :) Crazy to think next year Katie will join them too!
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Friday, February 15, 2013
Happy 1st Birthday Baby Bell!
Our sweet Ella turned 1 today. I can't believe it! I just realized today I should have left the birthday decorations up from Talm's birthday last month but it never even dawned on me that she would have a birthday too. Yet here we are and I'm coping..... sort of :)
It is hard for sure to let her grow up (as if I have a choice). I remember wanting to rush to the next milestone with the older kids, especially Mckayla. It's such a different feeling to think of these stages as my last, to not be carefree watching them grow knowing it wasn't your last child because I don't know that right now. I would love more. I never imagined a bigger family than what I came from (4 kids) but I would love one or two more children. But the complications from post delivery understandably scare my better half. So I just try to enjoy every single second of miss Ella bell.
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| I can't recall more than a hadful of days if any in those first months of her life I was grumpy about getting up to feed her. Yes she's a great sleeper but I remember it being much harder. I just adored suggling into the couch with her all swaddled tight in her soft blankie and watching sunshine come in to the window. |
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| And now she's a big, curious, funny girl! |
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| The kids were all so excited to choose and give her their present. |
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| It took her a minute to catch on.....but not long. Love that Jer caught this face of hers! |
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| I just love her |
A must watch video above
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| Watching me bring her cake over |
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| I love this picture even though it's hard to see clearly, she's chewing on her thumb smiling because we're singing to her |
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| It started with dipping her fingers in and licking them and progressed to solid fist fulls :) |
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Happy Birthday Talmage boy!
Oh how we love this boy! He is such a sweet brother and son. So loving and sweet. He is doing so great in 1st grade, his teacher loves him and wants to test him for the advanced program Mckayla is in.
He had a birthday party he and Kayla worked hard to prepare for and had one friend show up, Titus. Yes, one. Luckily he seemed ok, only a bit disappointed but we tried to keep him busy and Dad played with the boys and mckayla and Kaity.
They played Lego's, pin the beard on Sensai Wu, musical chairs and had cupcakes and watched a ninjago movie.
Today on his birthday ( which he milked for all it was worth trying to get out of any possible chore) Mckayla and I worked hard on his cake and we had a nice family party. Thanks to everyone for coming! And of course we always miss our out of staters!
Happy Birthday my precious Talmage. You joined us on Friday the 13th, all 10 lovable pounds of you. A long and easy memorable labor with Aunt Stephy there. My first of 3 natural births. You've always loved your mommy and I sure love you!! Here's to lucky #7
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| Anita MADE this for Talmage! Love it!! |
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| Mckayla was a great help with the cake. She made all these legos from rice crispy treats and fondant. |
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