First Day of School

Today was a success!  The kids were up and ready on time, beds were made (except for Kate), we ate eggs and toast for breakfast because I wanted to be sure that the kids had protein in their bellies to hold them over to lunch, and we were out the door with pictures taken on time.  Kate had a bit of a hard time eating breakfast I'm sure with a nervous tummy.  Other wise everyone was happy and calm.  In fact I think this was the most calm first day we've ever had.  It almost felt weird and normal for them to be off.

The older kids start at 8am and Jane was to start at 9am.  She was pretty upset when we got home and she realized that she still had to wait for her school to start.  I was amazed and thrilled at her confidence and excitement going into her class.  Both Randall and I were there to drop her off because it was such a big day...for us.  Our "baby off to school.  She did need one extra hug and kiss and then she was off with no tears and hardly any hesitation.  I felt a bit emotional but really was just so grateful that she was happy and going forward that I was ok.

I think it helped that I had a busy morning ahead of me.  I had an OB appt down in Orem and was rushing to get there on time.  Baby boy is still measuring big at 40 weeks, and I'm only 36 and half weeks along.  I was "checked" today and to my amazement was dilated to 1.5 cm.  Now to most people that's nothing, but I have never, no never, been dilated on my own to even a 1!  Even at my due date or past I am a big huge ZERO.  The complicated part of that though, is the doc said that if I can progress to a 3 on my own by next week we may be ready to induce the baby due to his size.  I'm hesitant in that regard because first, I am always hesitant to have the baby even as I am huge and uncomfortable.  Babies are much easier to care for inside the belly, don't cry, and don't have to be fed at all hours of the day and night.  Admittedly I am sleeping the worst I have of any pregnancy and that's beginning to wear me down.  It's hard to be this big and have 4 others to care for when I really am huge and so tired with lack of sleep.

Another thing that makes this whole when to have a baby (as if I have any control in that regard) is that we already have 3 birthdays within 9 days and now possibly a 4th?!  Ethan's birthday is next Thursday the 29th and I really don't want his birthday to be overshadowed by possibly having another baby on his birthday or bringing him home on his birthday.  Ethan is a great kid and truthfully I'm really hard on him a lot of the time, expecting a lot out of him in many regards, so the least I can do is let him have one great day all his own of celebration.  So...if I could choose I wouldn't want to have the baby until at least a day or two after his birthday.

We shall see.  I just may end up being induced at 39 weeks as originally planned which would put me around the 6th or so of September.  I guess time will tell.  I'm just glad we had such a great first day!

Let the games begin!

It's funny because in some ways I look at our summer as pretty low key with no real vacations gone on and no planned activities, and yet on the other hand I felt PLENTY busy.  We signed on our new home Wednesday June 26th after much anticipation and moved in that night.

We love our house!  We pinch ourselves daily and are so grateful that we are here.  It's a beautiful home with all the things we picked ourselves, but when it comes down to it, it's the room to spread out from one another, a finished basement where the kids spend a lot of time playing, and all the storage that makes me happy.  Oh the storage!  When friends come to see the house they may think it strange that we walk around and ooh and aah over all the storage, pointing out our pantry and all the closets.  It's fantastic.  In fact many of my kitchen cabinets are empty and many many shelves in the closets as well.  The kids closets are basically bare and I love it.  Of course everyone always says that "we will fill it up", and of course I take that as a personal challenge to make sure that never happens.  If it does, then we will inevitably have too much stuff!  I already have a large load of clothes and a few things I just don't want anymore to go to D.I. so thankfully we aren't packing in a lot of extra stuff yet.

As I sit here and type this I am 36 weeks 1 day pregnant with a large baby...so they tell me...and so does everybody else as they see me walk around these days.  So just being so pregnant has put a slight damper on our Summer activities this year.  We have kept to a nice schedule and the neighbors probably think we never play with friends since we had our daily "quiet time" almost without fail.  How am I supposed to keep with these kids in the heat, in my huge state without a little break each day.  Thankfully Jane also still naps every day, bless her soul, so it has worked out for us.

Speaking of the neighborhood, we also are loving that.  We living on the corner end of a cul-de-sac and  it's great.  We have great neighbors.  Most people are similar to us in age with some obviously younger and one couple right next door that are early empty nesters, but we still really enjoy them.  The area is quiet and safe enough I can send the kids to play down the street and I'm not worried about them.

We also so far have a great ward and I'm so thankful for that.  I am now serving as personal progress leader in the YW.  I'm excited about it, but admit that it's WAY more than I originally thought it would be.  Rand was just called to be the ward mission leader and apparently there are a lot of non members, part-member families or less actives around so there is work to do.  He's excited about it and I think he'll do a good job.

Tomorrow is the big day... school starts!  I can hardly believe it.  Usually I may feel a bit sad and tomorrow may be a bit emotional for me as the kids start yet another new school.  This new start of school with technically be the 4th for Ethan in the last 3 years.  Yikes!  Good thing they are good at transition and learning to go with the flow.  Jane also starts school tomorrow which I didn't realize until her open house this morning.  I thought she started Thursday, and for some reason the fact that she starts tomorrow has made me a bit more sad to see my "baby" be a big girl.  She has been wanting to go to school, wearing her backpack for a year though so I think she will love it, and truthfully I think I will love it too, at least once I get used to the idea of her being gone two mornings a week.

Our Fall is going to be incredibly busy with activities galore.  Ethan is doing another season of flag football, hopefully without injury this time around, and also piano lessons.  Anna will have 3 hours of ballet a week and piano, Kate is starting with just one hour of ballet, but add in scouts and activity days and we will be plenty busy, especially when the baby arrives.

I have missed having a history of the things we are doing and hope to be better about "journaling" our goings ons but once baby comes I'm sure my times will be even more limited.  For now we are happy, healthy and feel very blessed with all the good going on in our lives.

Christmas Day

I know the picture is dark but I was trying to capture it in true fashion with the cozy lighting and Perry Como playing in the background.

 We had a good Christmas this year, as we always do.  We adopted the mantra this year of Something you want, need, read, and wear.  We also then did a Santa gift(in addition to the 1 want) because  didn't want all the fun stuff coming from Santa :)

The Must do pose at the top of the stairs before seeing the goods.

 I slept like a baby as I always do on Christmas Eve.  In fact this year I think I almost felt bad about it, because I know so many who are restless all night because they are so excited!  I guess I'm just tired.

I think Ethan was surprised at his Bow and Arrow!

Jane kept asking for a "pony" for Christmas, and Santa delivered.

A pretty cute cowgirl

Some big excitement over a candy cane

 Kate was really funny this year and she only kept asking for "cowboy boots for my doll".  She has a fake American girl doll and boots where all she wanted.  How could Santa just bring some teeny tiny boots? So instead he also brought Kate a horse for her doll and her own cowgirl boots.  When we were in Jersey Kate had some red cowgirl boots that she wore all. the. time. She loved those boots and we were sad when we had to retire them, so I was thrilled that Santa found her some new RED cowgirl boots.

Showing the new boots

 Anna is at a tricky age and wanted a laby which is like a kids ipad, but we have decided to try to put of the technology for as long as possible.  They are kids and I want them to still have to be creative and not be plugged in until we absolutely have too.  So instead of a Laby, Santa brought Anna Ruthie, another American girl doll.  I was hesitant to buy buy these dolls but Anna loves her Julie doll that she got in New York for her 6th birthday.  We figured Julie would love a friend.

 I'm far to cheap to buy the "real" American girl stuff since the accessories all just get lost or broken anyway, so thankfully target had this darling kitchen that the dolls could play in.  Anna spent all morning "organizing" her kitchen.  Like mother like daughter.

 For the read I choose 3 books each for the kids.  Picking the books is one of my favorite things to do.  I research for days or even a week or so looking for the perfect books for each child.  Since I'm not a big fan of "stuff", books save the day because they are something we all enjoy for many years and I never want to throw them away.  It was really fun because as soon as Jane opened one book she climbed in my lap and wanted me to read it to her.  Then another and another.  I figure I want to give the kids things of value and I think trying to have them love books and reading is one of the best things we can do.

 In addition to Ethan's bow and arrow, he also got a wii game.

Funny Story:  Naturally Ethan wanted to try his Bow out.  Rand took Ethan out in our "backyard", to give it a try. Apparently one of his arrows went right above the target and ...Thru THE FENCE.  It got stuck at the feathers, but we now have a nice "peep hole" in the fence.  I guess it was good for us to learn early on how powerful the bow actually is.  Now they practice in a  much more open area away from people, and fences!

 For our "need" this year we all got 72 hour kits.  instead of giving the kids their kits I just wrapped up each of their headlamps. For the "wear", I bought the girls a cute sweater/sweatshirt, and much needed new jeans/pants, and Ethan requested some all weather moccasin shoes.

After opening presents and having a little something to eat, we went over to my parents for our traditional Christmas brunch with all my siblings and their families.  This is one of my favorite things about Christmas because it's the same tradition that we had growing up and it says Christmas to me.

One of the really fun surprises at my parents house was that my Mom surprised all the men by buying them tickets to a major league baseball game in April in San Francisco.  Mark, lives in San Francisco so it will be fun for all the boys, meaning Dad, my brothers, Rand and the only 2 grandsons Ethan and and a cousin Calvin just a year older than him.  Mom gave the boys their tickets with a baseball hat and a box of cracker jacks.  Last year, my got tickets for all the boys to go to a BYU football game at the new stadium in Dallas.  Ethan was SO excited to be lumped in with the "men" last year, staying in a hotel, and eating at good restaurants.  I think this kind of gift that makes such a special memory are the very best kind and I'm so excited for them.

This is Ethan sporting his new hat.  We told him he could wear it but not like Bieber or a gangsta...

After my parents we went over to the Wilson's house and ate some good soup and exchanged gifts.  We were the only ones over there at the time so it was nice to just sit and talk with Rand's parents and enjoy the afternoon.  The kids were getting worn out and wanted to get home to play with their presents we we got home about 5 or so.

In previous years I have felt like Christmas night is a bit of a downer because we are home by dinner everybody's tired but the day is all over basically after all the work and stress and preparation for months.  This year I had one gift left to unwrap and it was the movie "Brave".  It was perfect because we sat together as a family and watched it and the kids were able to play if they wanted too.  the kids were in bed at almost their normal bedtime and Rand not far after.  Admittedly I stayed up late just not quite ready to admit that Christmas this year was all done for.  I think for the Mom's who do most (all) the work it's a little hard to just say, "well, I guess that was it!"

Humorsly though, by the next morning I was ready for Christmas to be over so down went the tree and all the decorations.  I LOVE how bare the house looks when it's all gone.  The Christmas decor is beautiful and fun but in time the extra clutter makes me crazy.  The bare house feels like a new start for a New Year, just the way I like it.

New Years Day, Hip, hip hooray!

 When we were at Aspen Grove this summer, some "neighbors" of ours had made home-made hot air balloons and launched them one night.  It was amazing.  I told Rand that i really wanted to try it on our own sometime.  Well, we bought the supplies to do it for my birthday a month later, but it just didn't happen since life just gets in the way.

 Finally after Christmas and all the craziness was over we decided New Year's would be the perfect time for our first launch.  We worked on the balloons on New Year's Eve and then launched them New Years day in the park behind my in-laws house.

 They worked even better than we expected, rising a 100 feet of more into the air.  The only problem was the wind was blowing just ever so slightly and they became caught in the trees a few times and ultimately one landed on someone's roof where it will stay for a while I assume.

 The kids thought it was so cool as you can see the awe in Jane's face here.  Between the 2 balloons we probably launched at least 15-20 times.

 The kids (and Rand) also thought it was fun to chase them down as they descended.  That, and we didn't want them to get ripped or wet so we could fly them again.

 This is my favorite red and yellow one stuck on a neighbors roof-bummer

 After the kids did a little sledding we came inside because it was just too cold to be out for long.  Thankfully Grandma served us up some hot cocoa with real live whip cream on top.  Can't beat it.

It was a really fun activity to do with the kids and honestly kind of a symbolic start to our year.  In my mind it was us watching our bright hopes and future for the New Year rising up into the beautiful clean blue sky.  Not a bad way to start 2013 off, not bad at all.