Is It September???

I am such a sad blogger these days...I'm sure you've all given up on me. We were crazy busy this summer traveling to see family in Cali and Idaho. We had the Daniels swing by to see us here in Colorado for a day. It wasn't hard to keep kids and myself busy with baseball, craft shows, jewelery making and other activities.

I haven't even mentioned teaching preschool! I got some wild hair to teach preschool this Fall so Carter could be in my class. It has been such fun but also so much work! The children are a delight and I am so glad I can use my teaching skills and be home with my two younger ones. I will be posting some of their cool little projects soon.

In the midst of it all our little Eva girl has been growing up so fast. I don't know what is is about the last baby, but I would just like her to slow down a bit so I can enjoy all of her ages and stages!! She babbles about everything! Ben says that she sounds like she's saying Yabba Dabba Doo all the time. She for sure can say momma and dada...the most important words of course! She is a climbing machine just like Carter. She can go up stairs in 1 minute flat and is trying desperately to run before she learns to walk! Here are just a few pics of the last few weeks!

4th of July 2010

We had a great time last night (July 3rd) at the Stadium of Fire in Provo at Lavell Edwards Stadium. Carrie Underwood was the featured performer and put on a good show, including a great job singing the national anthem. In my non-expert opinion, doing a quality rendition of the national anthem is one mark of a good artist in our country. Here are two videos. You can't see Carrie Underwood due to the lack of zoom on my droid, but the sound is pretty good. The Air Force F-16 flyover was awesome, combined with the fireworks and roar of the crowd! The lead pilot then came on the big screen TVs via a cockpit cam and said he and the pilots had all been scouts, with 3 of them being being eagle scouts. You can see some of the 260 scouts who received their eagle awards in what was billed as the largest eagle court of honor in history. The concert was great and we had a fun time with our two oldest boys, but another highlight was unexpectedly running into good friends Greg and Jennifer and their children.

April Antics

So many events, so little time to blog about them. April was a busy month for us as we filled it with field trips, soccer games, a craft fair and a yard sale.

My friend Jennifer and I decided to sell jewelry, decorated clipboards and hair flowers at our very first craft fair held at a local Charter school here in town. I wish I had taken pictures of our little booth. It was lots of work, but also lots of fun as we traded our stuff for cool things the other vendors were selling towards the end of the day. We decided to name our little boutique after Evita...our favorite "Fancy Girl."Our goal is to sell some of our creations on etsy. We just need to make enough stuff to actually sell on our on- line "Fancy Girl Boutique." Below is a mother's charm with kid's birthstones dangling from the bottom.

Ethan has been doing so well in first grade this year. He has really developed as a writer. He is always looking for opportunities to write little notes for the family. Tonight we found this note on the toilet in his bathroom. Ben an I had to seriously LAUGH OUT LOUD! As a teacher, I want to accentuate the positive...note the use of punctuation, capital letters, vowels, stretching himself to write challenging words etc. As a mother, I thought..."Oh crap...he's clogged the toilet again." I love my boys...they always keep it interesting.

Update on March Madness

So, I planned to send this update last week, but you know how it goes. We had an eventful couple of weeks. Ethan played his last two basketball games and did a great job. While we were watching BYU lose to Kansas State last night he said he wanted to play for BYU one day. (not because they lost the game of course, but maybe he figured he could do better) In his game on the 13th, he bonked heads with another kid and had to put an ice pack on his forehead for a while, but then he went back in in the 2nd half. Then, a couple of hours after we got home I was working in the basement when Alec ran downstairs to say that I needed to come outside quick because Ethan had wrecked on his bike and was bleeding. It was actually Alec's old bike that he was trying out. Anyway, I went outside to find Ethan Spread out on the grass crying by the sidewalk. I asked him what happened and where it hurt (although looking at him it was obvious) and he said he skidded his face on the cement. So, it wasn't a good day for his face.



Also that week, while on the topic of holes in one's head, Eva got her ears pierced. She looks very cute!


This past Saturday, the 20th, was another busy day. Due to the snowstorm, Alec's 1st soccer game was canceled, but we still had Ethan's final basketball game and Alec's pinewood derby. Alec and I had a good time working on his car this year, and hoped that he would finish near the top. But, he finished 9th out of 16 I think, so that's not bad, and he wasn't bummed. Alec had a lot of fun the night before making the sour cream shamrock-shaped cookies we took for refreshments. Here's a picture of his car. It's the yellow one that kind of looks like the Arrow of Light. Notice the observer hiding in the background. Sister Bartholomew, the stake primary president, did a great job keeping things running.

Wanna Save a Buck?

I don't know about anyone else out there, but I sure get tired of looking at the same old things in my house. The last couple of weeks it's been my curtains. I was sick of the gold color and thought of how i'd really like to change them. That was until I started pricing curtains that are 120" long. UGHH! So I came up with this fabulous idea to dye my gold velvet curtains brown. I was too chicken to dye them in my washing machine at the risk of ruining my machine, So I took them to the laundromat, paid $4.00 and dyed them in those machines. The results...incredible. They turned out this really nice milky chocolate brown and I love them!! So, I have a new look in my family room and saved a buck or shall I say $100 bucks.

Evita, la Chica Bonita

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Oatmeal Festival 2010

My family and I showed up last Saturday morning to walk the Quaker Oats festival 5K race in Lafayette, but then everyone else ran and we didn't want to be the only walkers so we ran too. What a great way to kick off our new year's resolution to get in shape!

The weather was great and the snow made everything beautiful. There were about 1000 runners and a health fair that we checked out at the end. We were all kind of sore on Sunday, but it was worth it.

Eva's Blessing Day

We're a little late posting this, but three weeks ago we named and blessed Eva in Church. We had both Ben's and Claudia's parents in attendance, along with Claudia's sister Veronica and brother Hernan. Eva looked beautiful in her white dress. We had a wonderful time visiting with our families over the weekend and were sorry to see Ben's parents head back to Idaho on Monday. It was great to have them here and look forward to seeing them again soon. Claudia's parents are with us through the holidays, so we are not through enjoying our time with them. Lots of attention for our special girl Eva!

"Firsts" with Eva

Our new and precious little Eva has sprung into our world bringing us immense joy and love beyond measure. She was born 2 weeks ago today on October 25th at 1:11 in the morning weighing in at 7 lbs. 10 oz (our smallest baby to date.)

She has been such a surprise to us, beginning when we learned we were pregnant. Ben and I have listed all of the "firsts" we're experiencing with our new little love. We thought we'd share some with you.

First child to...
1. be a girl.
2. be born in Colorado
3. give me migraine headaches during pregnancy.
4. weigh less than 9 lbs.
5. weigh less than 8 lbs. (yes, she's dinky)
6. wear pink clothes, and hair bows.
7. not be allowed siblings visits in the hospital(due to the swine flu policy)
8. not need a circumcision
9. stop breathing at birth
10. spend time in the NICU
11. wear newborn diapers
12. wear newborn clothes
13. need a bilirubin light for 5 days straight at home. Ugh!


That being said, we are loving our new baby girl to pieces and can hardly believe she is part of our family.

The Family that Vomits Together...Stays Together

No kidding...One after another the stomach bug got us all in one week. Beginning with Carter...then onto me 2 days later...then Ethan and Alec a day after that...and finally Ben on the last day.




Unfortunately for me, I was the one who landed in the hospital with dehydration and horrible contractions. All that effort at 3 in the morning and an IV (which I detest) to pump me with fluids. Surely, I will leave here with a baby and it will all be worth it. WRONG. As soon as they re-hydrated me and the baby's racing heart rate slowed down...they sent me home...to wallow in my misery. I hope to have better news in my next post!

The Mouse Strikes Again

This time, he swiped his brothers NEW PACK of Trident Gum and swallowed 17 pieces at 10pm on Saturday night! Then, he conveniently left all of the wrappers on his book shelf for us to count when we checked to see if he had gone to bed. Two days later, he threw up. Was it the gum... or a stomach bug? We'll never know.

When the Cat's Away...

the mouse (with a huge mouth) will eat the 1lb block of cheese. That same little mouse will be smart enough to put it back in the tupperware, walk into the office and say to me "I was HUNGRY for some cheese."

Made Out Like a Bandit

Last Thursday I truly felt "the love" of many local friends here in Firestone. Just when I thought I didn't "need" anything... I was literally "showered" with the most darling GIRL clothes and other homemade with love "goodies" for our new little baby girl. All thanks to a dear friend (and several helpers) who put their own busy lives aside and insisted that they host a party for our new little nameless pumpkin. Along with the delicious food and a copy of Where the Wild Things Are, dedicated with little notes for the baby...my guests wrote down some suggested names for our little one. The following are those suggestions...some more INTERESTING than others.
Feel free to vote for your favorite.

Eve, Tasha, Jane, Olivia, Mary Jane, Samantha, Madonna, Tessa, Claire, Lauren, Chloe, Brooke, Andrea, Lexie, Angalee, Ava, Eva, Elise, Nadine, Loralie, Aubrey, Audra Ann, Savanah, Clarice, Camille, Teya, Mable, Reese, Thelma, Kim Su Chang.

I will admit...I needed some love that week. This fourth pregnancy has by far been the most physically challenging for me. I don't know if it's my age, the fact that I am chasing a three year old Tazmanain devil for most of the day...or the bulging and exceedingly painful varicose vein in my groin. It's been a long 9 months so far. Well, I'm almost there...I know I'm on the downhill slope now and EAGERLY looking forward to meeting out little "Miracle."

Thanks to all who were able to make it to the party and several who let me know that they couldn't be there...I still felt your kindness and support. I was so elated with all of the beautiful "girly" gifts, that I set them up on my couch for my family to look at the whole weekend. (My husband thinks I'm a dork) Eventually, we needed a place to sit...so my sis helped me hang my "stash" on our new little PINK hangers. SO EXCITING!!!

School, Anniversary & Birthday Time

Time sure passes quickly when your racing around trying to do everything and be everywhere...and lug around a 30 lb. belly at the same time. So here is a brief recap on August and Sept.
First day of school is always a treat for the boys.(and me)


Happy Anniversary Benji!..August 29th, 1997... 12 years and counting. I remember the hot and windy day as my family and I drove to the San Diego Temple in a black stretch limo eagerly waiting to marry Ben. He remembers our limo doing an illegal U turn the middle of the 5 freeway during lunchtime traffic as we couldn't find the restaurant for our luncheon. It goes quickly when you are married to your best friend. Who would have guessed that I could be so lucky to marry a kind and loving patient man who accepts me for all of my shortcomings, honors his priesthood and is a terrific example to me and our children.

Our first born baby is growin'up!! God knew we'd miss out somewhere...so he gave us Carter (mini Alec) to do it all over again!! ( hard to believe but this picture is of Alec on his 1st birthday)Happy 10th Birthday Alec! Pizza, bowling with friends and ice cream at the park. What more could a kid ask for??? We love you so much!!

You Know Belly's Big When...

1. You walk up the stairs and can barely catch your breath at the top of 12 stairs.
2. You get more "mystery stains" on your shirt than food in your mouth.

3. Your husband says,"Your belly looks more like a watermelon than a basketball now"
4. A lady at the Butterfly Pavillion elbows you in the gut as she's trying to put on her backpack.
5. You begin the infamous and unattractive "preggo waddle."
6. People at Costco look at your stomach first, then gradually move up to your face to address you.
7. Your belly serves as a convenient "shelf" for your water bottle or M&M's.

8.Your profile now looks like Snoopy's.
9. Your 3 year old walks by and says"Move Out of the way...JUMBO!" When asked, "Who is Jumbo?" He responds...an elephant.
10. Your belly jiggles like Santa's when you laugh.


(Never thought I'd post my jiggling belly...but it's my 4th and last baby... I gotta document this madness before I forget)I just can't imagine getting bigger...but I know I will...10 weeks and counting. UGHHH!

The 4th in Idaho Falls

My wonderful sister's-in-law hosted a double baby shower for Annalise and I. We knew ours was a girl and just learned that hers is a girl too!! GIRL POWER! The "stash" on the floor is hers and mine is on the other side of the room!

Ben and I visited the Rexburg Temple...BEAUTIFUL... and did some overdue Templework for my grandfather and sealed him to my grandmother who passed away about 8 years ago.

We went to the zoo with our cute little "Chick" friends from Pocatello. Thanks for meeting us Rachel!!

We celebrated Ethan's "REAL" 6th birthday with the family at Grandma Ahlstrom's house with our Arizona cousins.

Summer Update-Christmas in June

I feel like school just got out last week and we finally have a week to STAY HOME!!

June was a whirlwind for us as we decided to make memories with our boys instead of buying them stuff and things as we usually do at Christmas. Sometime in February I got this wild hair to go on a cruise as a family. Well we finally went to Jamaica and Grand Cayman for a week and I recommend it to anyone who is considering a cruise.

As a result of our experience, I've compiled a short list of do's and don'ts for any future cruisers.

DO
1. get on the boat as early as possible before departure, or you will feel like you are on Ellis Island, trying to pass all of your physicals to get into AMERICA!

2. take appropriate clothes for the cruise...my poor mother must have thought she was going to Alaska (again) and brought all kinds of long sleeves and pants!!

3. send your kids to the KIDS CLUB every chance you get. They think they are going to this fabulous party every day to learn the Electric Slide and all sorts of other cool things. When in fact, you're the ones having the fabulous party WITHOUT THEM.

4.Indulge in all of the YUMMY FOOD and forget about the scale for a week. NO ONE is going to serve you lobster and fancy soups and desserts when you get home.

5. Go on the earliest excursion possible or you will be sitting there BAKING in the hot sun waiting for your 10:30 tour to begin while everyone else has left to go swim with the dolphins.


DON'T

6. Feel bad about dumpin' the kids at the kid's club, you'll get over it after a few minutes.

7. Lose your 9 year old kid on the ship the first few minutes you get on board. It's hard enough to find your way around without being in PANIC MODE!!!

8. Take AMERICAN EXPRESS. Jamaican beaches don't take it. Take your VISA, it's everywhere you want to be!

9. Be afraid of kissing a stingray, kinda feels like kissing a GIANT slimy mushroom. Now, I will have 7 years of good luck...according to my tour guide.



10. Don't leave the gift shop on Grand Cayman island without your 9 year old...as the ship is preparing to depart!! You will be traumatized for several hours after that.

Do photograph the DARLING towel animals on your bed every evening.


Do take water shoes for the Jamaican beaches. Our feet were getting cut up with rocks as we posed for this picture as our water shoes sat on the ship.


Do invite your parents to join you..if you like them. Mine are pretty cool.


Send the kids to the space alien parties, they will have a blast!!


This Christmas, instead of presents, the kids will get a power point slide show of our Cruise. We'll see how that goes over!