2 weeks

Well, we've made it past the 2 week mark. Here is little Chloe at 2 weeks. Not much new is happening with her. She did sleep one night last week for 5 hours - it was heavenly! She is a good eater & still sleeps alot during the day. We put her in a swing the other day and she sleeps even better in there. I am still constantly chacing Kensington away from her and as you will see in the picture below she tries really hard to get to Chloe. Our Kensington sleeping through the night was short lived. She has woken up the past 3 nights crying. I'm really getting tired of it and wish that I had some sort of guide for that child. Her speech is picking up though and she can say quite a few words now. She's trying to say a lot more, it's just a matter of getting the words out of her head. Maeley is a little momma. I found her "breast feeding" her baby doll the other night, and then laying her down in the vibrator and tucking her in. (The pictures are a little dark). And lastly, Karsen lost his first tooth - actually his uncle Robb flicked it out for him. The tooth fairy came and he was so excited to get his money, but wanted to know how big the fairy was and how she got in our house and where she took his tooth to. Oh to be 5 years old again! (Don't mind the cheetos in his teeth)

T-shirt Quilts

This is my first t-shirt quilt. I found t-shirts with soccer stuff on them and soccer material. Back when I made this quilt, soccer material was not easy to come by - now it's everywhere! It was a lot of fun.

This is the second one I did for a dear instant friend in Kentucky. She had elephants all over her house, so as a thank you for a tender mercy, I found t-shirts with elephants on them and elephant material - again, very fun to make.

I just finished this one with turtles, it's not laid out flat so it's hard to see the pattern, but it was so fun to figure out and put together. I'm working on a tiger one, a lion one and a pig one - all at the same time! I do the t-shirt preparation first, then figure out the pattern for the quilt and start sewing! Right now I'm in the t-shirt preparation phase and hope to start sewing in a couple of weeks - maybe! I also need to work on girls camp! I also plan on doing one with all the girls camp t-shirts and Gilchrist t-shirts I have - but after I finish the ones I've already started!

Twilight

Okay! Confession time! I never went and saw Twilight at the theater! (It's not my husbands cup of tea and I don't generally go to movies without him.) So I went Saturday morning and got it and watched it as soon as I got home! I think they did a good job - and I liked it, but - and here's another confession - I've never read the books! So I can't say whether it was a true adaptation or not. I don't plan on reading the books either! Ever! Weird I know - I've never read the Work and the Glory either! But I liked the movies. I have read all of Harry Potter, so it's not like I don't like to read. I just don't have a desire to read Twilight- don't hate me, please! I'll just wait for the movies to come out!

Sorry - I had this big long soap box thing and the more I thought about it the more I had to just get rid of it. Sorry to those who might have read the thing! And to those who didn't - you didn't miss much!

Baby Bump!

Almost 5 months!

That was rude of me not to add anything to this! It's several days later when it dawned on me! Sorry! So, here's an update. She started out feeling pretty crappy - very nausiated and even throwing up a few times. And hating the fact that food just didn't sound good. But she's over that and feeling good and eating what she wants! They found out last week that they are having a - drum roll please - BOY! They are really excited! And I mean REALLY excited! I think his family is in shock (he's 1 of 2 boys with 6 sisters!) they all thought he'd have only girls! So they are extremely happy! She can't wait to have this little bundle here! She loves holding Chloe every chance she gets! It's so cute! She's so cute and I can't believe my little girl is having a baby!

Our life with 4 kids

I'm so sorry to all of you who have been waiting for pictures. Life with 4 kids is a bit hectic and I haven't had much time to sit at the computer. In fact it took me over an hour to go through my email inbox! Anyway, here are pictures of what has happened over the past week. Enjoy!

Sunday (8th) & Monday (9th)- I went into labor that night, I had actually been feeling the early stages of labor through out the day and kept wondering if this was it. Around 11pm I decided it was time to get to the hospital. When I got there I was already at 6cm and fully effaced. I was admitted around midnight, they started my IV & my epidural (thank goodness for the epidural!). Around 1:15 my water broke and the nurse was kind of nonchalant saying okay, well, we'll go ahead and start your catheter and then I'll check you, and then we'll call your doctor. I looked at her and said you need to call my doctor now. She was taken back by that and decided to check me first and sure enough it was getting a little too close for comfort. She called my doctor and he showed up 20 minutes later by that time I was fully dilated and the head was there. He got everything ready and I pushed through 2 contractions and our little peanut entered the world at 1:48 Monday morning. She was super cheesy and looked like Karsen & Maeley did when they were born. She weighed in at 7lbs 5oz - I was shocked. She weighed a full pound over what I thought she would. Here are some pictures after the birth.

We didn't get much sleep that night - too many nurses doing too many things, and my epidural did not wear off as quickly as I or the nurses would have liked. In fact I had to be taken to my recovery room in the bed I delivered in - how sad is that. The baby also had trouble with gagging on whatever was left in her lungs so I was too worried to sleep. Monday was spent catching little cat naps and dealing with nurses coming in to do their charts. Karsen & Maeley came in the afternoon after Karsen got home from school. Kensington was at moms house and she came later that night with them. The kids had lots of questions like where is her food, and why does she cry so much, and why does her belly look like that. Here are pictures from their visits.

We came home Tuesday around noon - I was tired of being in that room and not being able to get any sleep. Karsen stayed home from school that day with a fever so both kids got to come to the hospital to pick us up. In the rooms the door to the bathroom is like a white board so they had fun drawing on it.

Wednesday is a blur to me. Karsen stayed home one more day from school as he went to bed with the same fever. I slept off & on most of the day.

Thursday Karsen went back to school and Grandma Laurie & Aunt Andrea came and took the girls to Red Mtn. Park to feed the ducks. They had a blast. Kensi wasn't very interested in sharing her bread with the ducks though.

Friday morning Steve & Laurie (Steve's mom) took Kensington to get tubes put in her ears. She has had soooooo many ear infections and hasn't consistently slept through the night EVER. They left our house around 7am called me shortly after 8am saying she was done and they'd be home soon. Here is a picture of her holding the baby soon after she got home. She seems to be doing okay with the tubes. She complained about her ears most of the day. But ever since Friday she's slept through the night! It's heavenly!!!!!!! Her speech is picking up as well - she's trying to say words instead of just moaning/grunting them. She loves the baby too much and I'm constantly trying to keep her away from her. She also has been a little mischievous as well. I've caught her several times up on the sink covered in soap. And we've had to clean up poop several times off of different surfaces. And she finally has cut the last 3 of her eye teeth.

An hour after Kensington got home from her tubes we took Chloe to her first doctors appointment. She got a clean bill of health and has started to gain back the weight she lost in the hospital.

Here is a picture of Karsen & his loose tooth. He's been wiggling it for a few days now and it's getting close to coming out. The first few days were really hard for him because it was so tender and hurt alot - I'm hoping by the end of this week it will come out. (click on the picture to make it bigger to get a better look)

And last but not least - here is a picture of Chloe after her bath today. I have to admit that I am a terrible mom and it has taken me a week to give her a bath. I just kept putting it off. So today I finally just did it. I can't believe she's already a week old. She is a good baby and does better each night. She's doing well with eating and puts up with her sisters poking and kissing on her.

So there you have it - our first week as a family of 6!!!!

A special thanks goes to our moms for watching the kids while we were in the hospital and taking them off of our hands through out the week!

My March Baby

I started looking for pictures of Ellee - my March baby and found so many it was hard to choose - they brought back so many memories of raising this girl! I couldn't find some that I wanted - my pictures are not organized right now - a work in progress. But I love the ones I found and when you look at them you'll see some of her personality!

This is Ellee about 1 month old. We're in our Easter dresses I made.

Out front on the side walk, she looks a little like Kensi here - don't you think?

I think this is when she's about year old - but she almost looks older. I tried to get a professional picture when they were a year. Look at that sweet face!

This is a four generation shot we had done - I liked the laughing smile on this one!

This is when we brought Clinton home - "I want to hold him now!"

Do you remember Willy Days? We took the family one time and had a lot of fun looking at all the planes.

Teaching her baby brother how to make faces

This is one of Ellee's favorite expressions! Don't you just love it!

Ellee loved Great Grandma Go-Go's antique tub! I think someday she'll have one!

I hope this doesn't embarrass her, but you'll see what's left of her baby blanket in her hands, tickling her nose. She had to have it when she was falling asleep.

We had a mother/daughter Relief Society social and we made hats and boa's and dressed up.

Emmee and Ellee loved to make snowmen when ever we could make it to the snow - depended on if there was any! As you can see, this was a good year!

Ellee was priviledged enough to go on a mountain trek when we were at Philmont. This is the day they come back into camp after being gone for 6 days up in the wilderness! It was a happy reunion and she learned she could do hard things and the Lord does answer prayers!

Ellee grew up to be a beautiful woman, inside and out! She was a challenge to raise, but fun too! She came with a spunky personality and has a contagious laugh.

Happy Birthday March baby! We miss you! And love you lots!

Making of moving that tree

Well, we moved that tree yesterday. I spent a couple hours yesterday and today trying to get that post downloaded - it took forever. And you'll see why when you look through the slide show - there are a little over 50 pictures and 3 video's. But it's worth a look and quite interesting - if I do say so myself! It was a fun, interesting day yesterday! The couple that came to move the tree where so fun to talk to and they did such a good job working that big truck through small spaces! Have fun watching the slide show and video!

Moving a tree is hard work!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Louisiana babies

Ellee sent me this picture on my phone. I LOVE IT!!!!! It's now my new wallpaper on my phone. When I open it to make a call or answer a call, etc. these sweet, funny, precious faces greet me! Miss you guys! XOXOXOX

Grandchild #8 is here!

This is our new granddaughter. Kadee had her last night about 1:40 in the morning. She weighs 7 lbs 5.1 oz and is 20.5 inches long. She looks alittle like Karsen to me. She has short med. brown hair and a beautiful smile! I was holding her and she was starting to go to sleep and got this great big grin on her face - it was precious! We're all glad she's here! Especially Kadee! She really had two more weeks until her due date - but I think she came on time! Can you imagine what she would have weighed in another two weeks! More pictures later!
They named her Chloe! I think it fits!

Clinton is engaged!

Number 6 has popped the question!!!!! Clinton and Elizabeth are engaged! And can you tell how he asked her from the picture? It wasn't exactly like this, but it did involve her balcony - how convenient is that, to have a balcony outside your bedroom! For the story and a picture of the ring go to the side bar and click on Elizebeth in my blogs and links section. We're excited! Clinton and Elizabeth are excited! They haven't picked a date yet, but it'll be in June! Three months are going to go by really fast!

Finally! The Truck is Alive!

Make a Smilebox invite

A piece of the temple in our front yard!

Stanley has been working at the temple, putting in lights and such. They are remodeling the grounds and put in new benches and Stanley was able to get several of the old benches and bring them home. We put them in our front yard. They look very nice there and it's nice to have some more history in our front yard! The brick in our pillars, we were told, came from the old Mesa Theater that use to be where Spencer's Appliances now is! How cool is that! Benches from the Temple and brick from the old theater we use to go to as kids! And who knows, one of them might be the bench Stanley proposed to me on!

Unloading the bench off the trailer

Dallon and Greg helping to position it

All done! Looks great!