A Changing Week

This has been an interesting and changing week to say the least. For those of you who may not know, we are expecting baby #4 in June. We were recently thrilled to learn that it's a sweet little boy. The not so exciting news is that as of last Wednesday I was put on bedrest...at least until I hit my 24week mark on March 5th. Even then, it could still be longer. It's just at that time they can actually give me medication to stop my contractions and run fetal fibernectin tests which will indicate if labor will truly begin. We are all trying to stay positive around here, but this is definitely a "family trial." We've never had any issues like this before. We're grateful for the prayers that are being offered on our behalf and are also so very thankful to live in such a great community and ward who has offered to help with whatever we may need. What a wonderful blessing this is.

I wanted to leave you on a happy smiling note so I've included a picture of Ellie I took a couple weeks ago. To say she loves her dolls is an understatement...everyday she selects some to "spend the day" with her. On this particular day, she could be swayed into no less than 3 dolls and they all loved their ride to preschool. I'm pretty sure this will be one of my most favorite pictures of her ever! It is totally her. What did we ever do before camera phones?!

Video From the Bigger Hill

Sledding

A promise is a promise...

So after a LONG time of trying to get video to post on here, I give up. However, in keeping my promise we had a good last week. The kids had a 3 day weekend due to MLK day. On Saturday we went sledding as a family for the first time this winter. We had a great time. I got a little slow after trekking my pregnant self up the hill a few times but still had a lot of fun. We have another 3 day weekend this week and are anticipating an ice skating adventure at our downtown outdoor rink. Hope you all had a good week too.

Keeping my Promise and Sweet surprises...

I'm trying really hard to keep my resolutions so here goes...

I don't have any new pictures to post. The kids and I flew home from Arizona last Tuesday the 4th (mine and Matt's 10th anniversary). We hit the ground running and haven't stopped. They are all settled back in school and we stay busy keeping up with life. Matt made it home safely yesterday and we're happy to all be back together. I'm still attempting to take our Christmas tree down. Maybe it will happen tomorrow....maybe not. :) Anyway, our BIG news of the week is that we found out we are having a BOY! The doctor had convinved me we were having a girl so this was quite a surprise! We couldn't be happier and feel so very blessed.

Brilliant!

This is exactly why I cannot root for Ohio State. Gordon Gee, Ohio State University's President made a comment a couple of months ago that smaller schools such as TCU and Boise State should never be able to play in a BCS bowl because they are too busy playing "the little sisters of the poor" week in and week out, unlike Ohio State (which is hilarious because Ohio State only has 2 or 3 strong opponents all year). Anyway, TCU put up 5 or 6 billboards like this up all around the Columbus, Ohio area. Ironically enough, TCU beat Wisconsin who beat Ohio State this year. This whole incident, along with the 5 players breaking NCAA rules and not being sufficiently punished by the NCAA and Ohio State are two reasons that I choose not to root for Ohio State.

Kids Pics by CJ at the Mesa Arts Center

It's a New Year!

Welcome 2011! One of my New Year's Resolutions is to journal about my family once a week. Sometimes it might only be one picture or a quick sentence letting our extended family and friends know we're okay, but still something new will be posted once per week. My first post consists of the conclusion of 2010. Here goes...


This has become a traditional picture in Grandpa and Grandma Eagar's front yard...under the olive tree...after church on Christmas Sunday (or in this case the 26th) in our Christmas/Winter church outfits.
Ellie and I had the fun opportunity to travel the Thatcher, Arizona this past week to visit our good friends the Richardsons. We of course had to take a couple pictures of the new Gila Valley Temple. It was beautiful. It was also rare that we were under a blizzard watch while visiting. It doesn't normally snow in that part of the state. As you can see it didn't last long.

Moving onto New Year's Eve, Matt and Brady had 15th row Phoenix Suns tickets and enjoyed watching the Suns pound the Pistons. This left the girls and I to our own celebration. We decided to check out the Temple lights at the Mesa Temple, pick up pizza from Papa Murphy's (we really need one of those in Ohio), and rent a redbox...the winner being the new Barbie movie. I may have ditched the 2nd viewing of the movie in favor of "The Next Food Network Star" marathon on the big screen tv. We all had fun and stayed up way too late.

Yes, you saw right. Our Iowa born and Ohio raised little Ellie is crying because she's cold. I kept reminding her she's from the cold weather and this didn't qualify as that cold, but she wouldn't hear of it. In her defense, the gloves and hats were a necessity that night and I even wore some.

Matt, Brady and I had the neat chance to attend the Tostitos Fiesta bowl on New Year's Day. Below is Matt and Brady with a statue of Pat Tillman (a personal hero of Matt's).

Brady brought along his school assignment Flat Stanley. We've been taking lots of pictures of all the exciting things he's been able to experience with Brady. When Brady gets home, he has to journal about all the pictures. This is a picture of us eating (sweet tickets including a parking pass, meal and entertainment vouchers etc...) at the Biggest pre bowl game party ever! It was all free and sooo much fun. The favorite part of the whole experience for me was watching Brady experience it all. Having said that, I have to admit that witnessing the University of Oklahoma tailgaters was quite the experience. You've never seen anything to the likes of it.

Brady giving it his best shot at the pre game party.

Wow...check out the field Flat Stanley.

I was very happy that after 3 straight years of losing the Fiesta bowl OU finally came out on top. Both teams had some awesome plays and it was fun to watch.

We also enjoyed the marching bands...probably as much as the game itself. They were quite impressive.

400 people unrolling the American flag during the national anthem followed up by a bald eagle soaring over the top was also VERY impressive.

Needless to say we started off the New Year with a big bang!