Halloween was so much fun this year. My little GARNDEN GNOME just topped it off!. He had more fun sitting on the step at the door watching all of the kids come. The girls loved every min but my favorite part is sorting all of their candy into groups....must be the ocd organizational craziness in me!

The girls costumes turned out so fun. When I look at my little "Sailor Sweetie" it makes me think that maybe she was born in the wrong era. She totally fits her costume hair and all! Our little pirate scared all the bad things away and our police officer kept everything under control!
Thanks girls for a fun season.....love you!
Actually one of our favorite parts was the RAINBOW the lighting and feel was so magical!I am loving halloween more and more each year!

We are back...

Wow I have totally forgotten what a blog is and how to use it..long time and lots has happened. Instead of a catch up I am just going to do random events, experiences, and memories that I don't want lost or forgotten.
First things first...I am totally in love with a boy. Yes and it is not Brad...although he is still my main man, but this little man in my life right now is my total JOY!He is following in his sister Audrey's footsteps or I should say bumscoots. He is all over the place now and it is hilarious to watch. He is still so content and happy. He loves his sisters and gives the best hugs and warm sweet looks. Mr. S spoils us and is such a huge blessing in our lives. He loves dirt, dogs and is really good at making a dog sound. Not so much interested in standing, crawling, pulling up, talking etc....but he is moving and unloading the kitchen drawers "baby steps...or scoots".
Miss J is certainly on the other end of the spectrum...wow she is a kid who loves life to its very fullest. My stories of her go on and on but I don't always remember them when I want to so those memories will be random. She is loving school...except for all the rules. Still cant say her "R" but I love it...it makes her stories so much better.
Play play and play is pretty much her desire and she is so independent. She made her own punishment up the other day because she left us at the soccer game the other day....she wants her own shock collar....so I did, I got one...ok not one that shocks but I did get the child retraint leash out....and I will use it!Braces are off and retainer is in...no more snaggle tooth. Red is Mr. S's twin..they are so much alike. She is such a good kid...content and happy and so mini! Loves her musical talent...she is amazing I think.Mini Mom...that is her title. She is very ready to start babysitting and that really comes in handy. I remember always wishing for this moment and I am happy that it is here but really everything has gone so fast. She is really an amazing person and she teaches me things...one day I told her that I want to be just like her someday. She is loving the braces and the headgear...seriously can you believe they still have those things. She is way to responsible and grown up for her age. Lots of memories to come with her....soccer is over and that is sad....but what an awesome year! Thanks coach Jon for all the good times!

Life really is good right now...things are too busy...but at the same time just right and I wouldn't have it any other way. I get tired and frustrated with the fighting and the teasing, the crazy schedules, the home made lunches, the homework, the piano practicing drill sargent, the reading nazi, the hair monitor, taxi, dental hygienist, 2 church callings, chef, Dr., .....you know all the things but really I only get to do this for such a short time that I really am not tired of it I just wish I could always do better and take more pics, and record it all down better....because it is all going to fast.

I love the small things in life and I am going to focus on those.....so be ready for the small things...they make up my life and I LOVE it!

POOR happy kid

Nothing fazes this kid...he has a cough but just keeps on smiling. He is not getting on top of this cough so off to Dr. E. He rec. the good old Nebulizer, thanks to Sydney we actually own one. So 4-6 breathing treatments each day, an he of course is so good about it. I really don't know why I have been blessed with such easy going kids...the Lord must know that it is all I can handle. Steed you truly are a stud man...thanks buddy for being such a good sport!

Middle of the the night conversations...

Sleep....who needs it, I think it is overrated(I am totally saying that just to make me feel better). So we put Livvy up in our room on our couch in the beloved sleeping bad because she has a bladder infection and an ear infection, so it is easier to just have her with us than to go up and down fifty times a night. We also have Steeds camera monitor in there because his vaporizer is going and we have to keep his door closed, but still hear him. So last night around 3:00 I hear Liv say:
LIV: mom I really wouldn't want to be stuck in the desert
MOM: yeah
LIV: It's hot there and there aren't very many toys and I think I would be thirsty
MOM: yup
LIV: I would much rather be stuck on the beach.....there is water there and sand and you could make casltles and sand men and play with toys and swim and run and jump and....(the list went on and on)
MOM: yeah that would be better
No sound for about 5 min...............
LIV: OH NO.....There are SHARKS there...I don't know how to ride a shark! And Alligators and maybe Crocidiles...Mom how do you know the difference between an alligator and a croc...are they the same.
MOM: Wow really.....

and it went on and on and on! OH how awsome are the middle of the night conversations. This is why we finished the basement...each child has their own room....now they just need to stay there!

All the while Steed has a coughing attack and pretty much I am up for the rest of the day...that is why I say that sleep really is overrated. Good thing I get to stay IN today :)

Is IT bad tO say...

Is it bad to say that I am enjoying having sick children....I know a mother shouldn't feel this way and my heart really does go out to them. The cough sounds horrible and we have gone through 4 boxes of tissue, the crying when we go potty (ok that one really is sad), the cry when she lays on her ear (that to is sad....but the good old antibiotic has kicked in now). So yes my heart goes out to them but really this has all meant TWO full days at home...not going anywhere (ok community council meeting and that was it) TWO full days to do laundry, dinner, bathrooms and sit down if I want to, read a book or two to the kids, chill and laugh, do puzzles, watch TV and even read Brads Mens Health Mag.(love it..not just the pics either, there is some great info in there) and oh so much more....ooohhh and the naps....drugs....they are a wonderful thing. So to my two little ones, I am sad you have coughs, but thank you for the excuse to just stay IN!

Our "Baptism Angel"

What an angel!

Audrey had the most amazing day. She enjoyed it so much. Audrey was like a little sponge just soaking every little thing in. Thank you to all of you who shared this special day with us. Here are some of the days highlights. Just getting her ready and sharing her excitement was one of my favorites. She just kept clapping her hands and scrunching up her shoulders and kept saying "Mom I can't believe this is finally happening"

Her program was really neat. Her Uncle James spoke on Baptism and he did great! He came down and invited all the primary kids up and spoke right to them. Audrey loved it so much. He even told a little bit of her dress story (that story is to come)

Then her and her cousins sang "When I am Baptised" my very favorite song (we missed you Bissendens). Her Aunt Kristen (Kiki) spoke on the Holy Ghost, and she had Audrey come up and help her with her talk. She did such a great job. She started out with a story about red heads and how special they are and it totally describe Audrey! Later that night when I was tucking her into bed and we were talking about the day she said "Mom remember when Kiki had me come up when she was talking, when she handed me my pink blanket and told me that that is like the Holy Ghost comforting me, my eyes got really watery and one drop came out." I loved it, she has such a tender heart.

She was nervous to get baptised....only that her dress and hair might not stay down, but it all went well and Brad did an amazing job. He is such a good daddy and took such good care of her!

When we went out to the car to go home to have lunch with the family it started to snow and Audrey and I were holding hands running carefully to the car and she looked up at me and said "Mom even though it is cold out here...I am SO warm inside."

Thats our sweet Audg...warm and special inside and out!

These pics were really fun to take...Thank you Nicole for your expertise with my camera and editing. I loved taking these pics of Audrey, the two of us had fun doing them....until the last shot and then I carried her to the car and slipped and fell and dropped her into a mud puddle. Yes I was trying to carry her to keep her clean, so instead of her just walking I thought I would help out and carry her and then fall and drop her and then pretty much land on top of her and then smack her head with the camera! Gotta love it....but uncle James said that Baptism is just like when you get mud on your dress and then it to can become clean again....just like Audrey.

Happy Birthday Audrey

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUDREY...#8 IS FINALLY HERE!
It was such a fun weekend, and this is all that it took:

One girls day out shopping with mom

Morning shopping with Grandma Elsie for "HER OWN SCRIPTURES"

Shopping, dinner, and a movie with Grandma Carole

Breakfast in bed

Dinner at Chilis with the fam, G&G mcd, G howells & megs

4 yards of fabric

3 days of sewing (for me)
13 cake mixes, 39 eggs, 16 cups water, 5 cups oil=13 giant size cupcake cakes

Tons of sprinkles....and a major vaccuum job

9 little friends for a "Baking Birthday Party"

WOW....what a birthday Audg...and you are worth every bit!

We love you so much...thanks for making our lives better!

Bring It ON

It's a LOVE-HATE relationship....BRING IT ON

the BLESSING

Preparations are underway. It is Steeds big day on Sunday. For a bit I was overwhelmed with the "To Do" list, but I just realized that this will be the last baby blessing that we will have in our little family so I am going to enjoy every min. of it. They say it is a blessing for him, but I have decided that the blessing is all MINE! oh I love this boy!

Love this pic..thanks nicole (go to nicolecomptonphotography.com--she is awesome)

HaPPy bOy

What a happpy content little boy. Steed has been so much fun. He loves his sisters as you can see this is what happened when Sydney was talking to him. I am smiling just as big because he slept for 9 staight hours last night.....YEAH Steedy boy....Keep it up!

Is iT wRonG....

So the past few days I have been listening (rather spying) on Olivia while she is playing with her friends...mind you 99% of her friends are boys (thank heavens for Elli Harris...the 1%)
Well I over hear her saying to one of her "boyfriends"....so do you like me? and he says "yeah, I like you, your my friend"...then I hear Livvy say "I mean do you LLIIKKEE me" Then he just looks at her with a puzzled expresion. So I jump into the conversation and help this poor kid out. Then today I look out and she is hugging our other neighborhood boy with her head on his shoulder while he is playing his DS...

So my question is..is it wrong for your 4 year old to want boyfriends (worst than that she is totally two timing).
Answer: YES...no more disney channel for her!
(and no we are not teaching her how to pole dance...(hence the pic)

Ketchup...oh Catchup...It's journal time!

So lots has happened but has not yet been documented...yes for some it may be a long post...but for me it is capturing the memory!
The past few months lots has happened ~some with pics to see others just stories with just mental pics.

AUGUST:

Last week at the cabin~The Curtis girls and the McDougal girls all went up for one last fun time at the cabin before school started. Couple of things that we learned:

1:Oliva LOVES to ride horses but even LOVES it more when she is on the back of Grandpa on THEIR horse. They took 3 different rides that were pretty long and of course I ask dad (grandpa) how it was and he smiles (you could tell that he was in total heaven) and after his smile he laughs and says...she doesn't stop talkin...so yes Grandpa has Liv on the back just talking up a storm the whole time (who needs to see any wild life...with Livvy's noise...not a chance)

2: Chipmunks can find their way into the cabin: Yes it is true the girls saw one running around the screen porch. Thank heavens for grandma...she chased it away. (but a day later Sydney heard a mouse sound in the loft and I say no Sydney it is nothing...needless to say Kristen and I had the girls sleep downstairs in the bedroom the rest of the time.)

3: I have the best family: It was around 9:30pm and I fell asleep on the couch while Kristen had Steed and then the next thing I know she is waking me up at 6:00 am asking me if I want to feed the little fella (as livvy would say)...So can you believe it~she took the night shift and it was a really bad one too, Steed had a bad belly and was pretty much up all night. Of course she didn't do it alone...Mom came to the rescue too, but they ended up getting the giggles in the middle of the night (those are the best times...the exhausted laughter that makes you cry)

4: Heaven really is on earth: The CABIN

5: Who knew that 5 little girls could play with dominoes for 7 straight hours

6: Imagination: What little girls have when the tv is turned off

7: It is in the blood: Steed loves this place too!

HaPpY BiRtHdAy SYDNEY:Can you believe that 10 years has gone by and my baby is no longer a baby, she is becoming an awesome YW.

Sydney I need to tell you how pround I am of you...you are the best sister, you are always helping out all of us. I know that sometimes we put alot of pressure on you, but as always you amaze us with what you do and the person you are becoming. You are a perfectionist and stress a little too much, but I must say that this last year you have chilled out a little more and are enjoying life. You are so smart...and always have been, you excell in school and you are loving every min of it. It makes me happy to see you happy and I love you so much!

20 girls+hot dogs+water balloons+s'mores+a movie under the stars=A really fun birthday party for Sydney!

SOCCER: Tis the season...GO SWS

You go girlThe season is going good...we have the best coach and the girls are becoming one tight little family. We are all having a lot of fun! Sydney is enjoying KEEPER...yes it is stressful but she loves it; GO MCD!!!

LIVVY'S LUVIN STEEDY BOY

gotta run...this is to be continued......

WhaT A wEEkeND

It is just so much fun to go as a family away somewhere...we all needed some time away from home. There is just something about sitting around pretty much all day and not feeling guilty about doing it. Laundry, closets, bathrooms etc just aren't calling you to clean them.

So off we went with the Tahoe completly filled to the top to enjoy a weekend with the McDougals at Swiss Days. There are so many people there and it really is nuts, but it is TrADitiON! There was lots of fun stuff and yummy pie to top it off (yes Missy we ate some for you..we missed you:) but the best of all was just hanging out with the fam and not even feeling guilty about it. Thanks for the good time McDougals.

Now we are home laundry is done, closets are cleaned out (with four bags of girl clothes to give away...so if you are need just let me know), house is cleaned and the to do list just goes on. Life really doesn't get better!

now REALLY...who makes the RULES

So I am driving in the car with the girls and I turn up the stereo...yes Hanna Montana and I am just singing and having so much fun (truly enjoying myself) and Liv yells to me:
Livvy: Hey mom I have an idea
Me: Okay what is your idea
Livvy: How about I sing and you drive

Really....hmmm....who is she?

So the other day she is in the car with her other mother...Aunt Kiki....and she too gets told this wonderful idea (at least it is not just my singing)

I guess I still have the shower huh!

The 1st Day...mixed emotions

The first day of school is already here and it truly makes me think how fast time really goes. I was remembering Sydneys first day of kindergarten and we had just moved in our first house here is South Weber, Audrey was 2 and I thought that I was going to die while she was at school. I of course put her on the bus and then followed it to school. Well five years later...I am putting them on the bus and then following it for some cute pics in their class rooms (some things just have to stay the same...I must say lugging a car seat and a 4 yr old around was not so much fun...but it was worth it)

Audrey is so excited for her new building and they both are SO excited for their teachers. Olivia on the other hand misses her sisters. Me I miss them too, but I love when they run in and tell me all about their day as we sit at the counter eating ritz crackers, cottage cheese and salad supreme (this is what my mom always had waiting for me after school...Tradition...gotta love it)

EXcUseS...

Well it is time for bed and it is amazing all the things that all of a sudden come up...for example
"I am so hungry", "My toe hurts" (hence it didn't hurt 2 min while running around outside), "You said we could stay up late" (and this is at 11:00 pm), "My stomach hurts", "I'm scared", I need to go potty(again for the third time), oh the list can go on and on. Yes I believed I had heard them all...until tonight! All the girls are in bed and I thought I should just go and check on Liv one more time..sure enough the light is on.
MOM: What are you doing Liv?
LIV: Reading
MOM: Really...it's time to go to sleep
LIV: I am studing my scriptures mom...that is what we should do

So I take a closer look...sure enough she has her scriptures out...she is reading them upside down...but really does that matter when your 4.

So the lights went off and the crying began....Yes I am raising a spiritual giant....ok really I am raising a quick, smart thinking little punk. GOTTTA LOVE HER!

He is HERE...& we are in HEAVEN

Welcome Steed Bradley McDougal...

He is finally here and we are having the best time ever. Who knew the fourth time around could still hold as much excitement, love, and total happiness! I thought that going back into the baby world would be hard for me...but I am loving every min. of it (even in the middle of the night, when I have had no sleep and am changing his pjs for the 3rd time) Steed is such a content baby...he sleeps through everything (even his circumcision) Everything went really good with the delivery. Steed was born Tuesday July 21st (one week early..yeah for me) and he weighed 8.06 lbs and was 20 inches long. He was one of our smallest...but it is fun to have a small baby for a while (since he is our last I think I will want him to stay small for some time)

The girls are loving him...they really are amazing help and it is so much fun to watch them experience a little brother. The other day when Brad was changing Steed's diaper, Audrey asked if that big swollen thing would fall off just like his belly button...hence to say-he may need that big swollen thing in the future. We are learning how to be fast with the diaper and we also found out that vasoline and pee don't mix (thanks Nicole for the heads up)

Well to sum it up we are in HEAVEN and he is AMAZING! Thank you to everyone who has helped us with such a wonderful time in our lives...the dinners have been so good and have helped out so much and all the fun "boy" gifts are so cute! The support from all of our family and friends has been SO amazing.

We will keep you updated on Mr. Steeds first experiences....WOW CAN LIFE REALLY BE THIS GOOD!

PS...aren't the photos amazing...Thanks to my two good friends Nicole and JeNeal...Steeds first photos are unbelievable....thank you girls-your the best!

Packed FULL of Fun!

There are just those days that you truly have so much going on...and they are all fun things...crazy busy, but way good memories!

The day started around 10:00 am and ended around 9:00 pm....and was so fun in between!

Off to the dinosour park with Olivias school. A lot of her friends, dinos, sand, slides, crafts...what more could you ask for. It was fun to see how excited she would get with all of the sounds and all the "BIG ONES" (that is what she called them)

Then off to lunch with the girls (three of us) and the kids (five of them)...to the get some pizza! Hurry to costco for gas, food, and fun. Unload the car as fast as you can...oh yeah clean up breakfast, get opera clothes for Syd, softball clothes for Audrey, grab snacks and change the girls for tumbling..then off to do tumbling carpool!

The girls are loving tumbling and they are doing so good. Audrey was so excited because she can do her back handspring alone and she doesn't even hit her head...she was way excited. Then off to softball...girls changing in the car while eating their snacks.

Softball rocks...says Audg...her team is way good and they win because her team has 2 girls on it and she feels bad for the teams that only have boys. Audg is doing so good and she loves it and that makes it even better. Then off to the OPERA for Sydney...oh yeah we need to stop of at home first because Olivia pretty much sliced the end of her big toe off...so after some minor surgery, screaming, hydrogen peroxide and fifty bandaids...we were then off to the opera. Sydneys class wrote an opera...they made up the story, all of the songs, painted their own backdrops, got their own costumes and performed it for all of the school during the day and for the parents at night. I was totally blown away...it was awesome. They have been working on it all year and had so much fun doing it. Good job Mrs. W class.....YOU WERE AMAZING!

Thanks Syd...it was so much fun. Thanks Grandma Carole for coming!
What a fun day....If I could I would just FREEZE FRAME life right now...it is just that good-ok maybe not right now (being 7 mo prego might not be the best) but life is good.

Catch UP!

Lots to blog about...more journaling really. I have some pics finally and there are more on the way. And also a little shout out to my family...thanks for such a good mothers day :)

Happy Birthday Liv....a few months ago! We really had a good time...but she LOVED every min of it. We had an "OLIVIA" party (you know olivia the pig). Everything was decorated in red, white, and black (kind of felt like my good old high school days...go WARRIORS)

So happy 4th Liv-you are such a highlight in our lives. The things you come up really keep us laughing. I truly have never seen a kid like you....thanks Jane for making my insides excited (as you would say)

The pig family....we played "OINK piggy OINK" a real birthday classic. We had some good laughs-including Grandpa

So happy birthday Livvy J....

There is more to say...until next post

SPRING

How fun is this weather! I love SPRING

Each morning when I send the girls off to the bus...my little friend sings

to me...and he is saying...Have an AWESOME day---even though

you feel you are going to pop and you have laundry piled high

and you need to think of another dinner to make...and your weeds

are growing double time and you really need to dust and do bathrooms

Its ok, because it is sunny outside and it has sparked my insides and has woken me up

and life is good!!! I LOVE SPRING.....

IKEA

I asked the girls what they wanted to do while we were on spring break and their only response (yelling and smiling) was IKEA! So off we went yesterday with Grandma, Curtis, & Healys for our all day IKEA moment!

First we had to stop off for lunch at noodles & company the girls loved it but couldn't wait to get onto the shopping!

We had a good time going around and looking at everything.....for 5 hours! Yes 5 hours later we walked out of the door with purchases in hand (don't be fooled-their yummy chocolate cake got us through the first half and then the cinnamon rolls took us the rest of the way home until we finally reached the check out)

We picked up some good stuff for Steed's room

And a few other things...like a giant turtle to sit in the corner of his room....this boy stuff is prettey fun!

I also picked up his rug from PB kids...love that place

Lots of fun stuff to choose from...just hope it all works together.

YEAH for spring break...thanks girls for the fun time! Now we are off to play with the McDougal cousins all day today. OH I can't wait until SUMMER....NO SCHOOL!