Why Katie is so cool

I have a friend here in Medford who is pretty cool.  Her name is Katie.  Our first week at church she called that night to drop off cookies (my kind of friend) and brought her three girls and little boy.  She is now pregnant with her second boy so our families get along great since we have the same family dynamics.  Yesterday we went to their house for a party.  I love her house.  It feels so nostalgic.  Like the America we all wish we lived in where people have gardens, kids can run and play and explore, they can their own food and even fly the flag.  Look at how pretty her yard looks with the grape arbor that is FULL of grapes, covers  the picnic tables her husband MADE and where the kids gathered to make blackberry jam.

One of the things I hate about birthday parties is that you have to get lame party favors that you end up throwing in the garbage shortly afterward.  I feel like it is a waste of money.  But at Katie's party the kids made jam to take home!  SO MUCH BETTER!!  See why she is so cool.

As a part of the activity they decorated a tag to label their jar and helped mash the blackberries.  

Here was Dodge just hanging out during it.  I like his little baseball outfit.  

And the finished product.  My girls love the jam.  Kaylee came home and started eating it with a spoon.  They feel pretty special having their own jar of jam.

The other fun part about Katie's house is that they have chicken to chase and have recently acquired a litter of baby bunnies.  The kids spent almost the entire party holding the baby bunnies.  It's always fun going to Katie's.  Much cooler than our house.

Heidi really wants to keep one of the baby bunnies however we just found out yesterday that Butterscotch, who escaped from the cage, was found shot with a BB gun at the school.  She still has Hershey left but I don't feel like getting another bunny that I am going to have to chase around the school grounds and feel like a fool when the office calls to say they found our bunny.  Anyway, I always enjoy going to Katie's.  She does an excellent job as a mom that luckily even my kids benefit from.

On our own

Everybody is gone and we now get to handle five kids by ourselves.  It is not too bad but I have a secret weapon to it all-HEIDI.  Everyone should a baby when their oldest is nine and training to be a mom herself.  She is so helpful.  It doesn't matter what she is doing she is always willing to stop and either grab me a diaper or hold Dodge.  It's awesome.

Dodge is almost three weeks.  Tomorrow he goes in for a check up and for his circumcision.  It will be a sad day for him.  He is getting more alert each day and even made a cooing noise to me the other day.  Only one, and it hasn't happened since but I loved it.

On Sunday Dodge was dressed in a cute orange and grey outfit so naturally I dressed in orange and grey and Ben was nice enough to put on an orange and grey tie.  I love matching with my kids.

It hasn't been too bad yet with all five kids.  I try not to go anywhere during the day and that helps.  Plus Ben is great.  Whenever I have a baby he actually gets mad at me because I try to do stuff and all he wants me to do is sit on the couch.  Can't complain about that.  However I also can't do that.  I don't know why but I can't just sit on the couch all day long.  I feel like I have to be doing something to contribute.  And today I plan to get the laundry done.

4th of July and Dodge's Blessing

Here is Dodge at a week old.  He has been getting more  and more handsome with each day.  And he already follows a schedule with his eating and sleeping that has made it easy to know what he needs, thus there is not much crying. 

Since his blessing was going to be on the 7th everyone was able to come for the 4th as well.  So late Wednesday night Than and Erica and Becca and Kyle all showed up bearing gifts for our little Dodge.

This was his 4th outfit brought by Becca who happens to be birthday twins with Dodge.  (We have two kids born in June and both of them share a birthday with an Aunt or Uncle and a member of the Robertson family.  Weird)

Lucky for us we had a pool to beat the heat (in the 100s all that week) and give the kids somewhere to play instead of in the crowded house.  Here's my dad doing his signature potato dive.  Followed by Blake who doesn't even check to see if there is someone there but just jumps.  Blake loves the pool and Than worked with him so that he can now swim across the width of the pool. 

We had a delicious BBQ with all the regular 4th of July foods.  Except for potato salad.  Don't know how we forgot about that one but it was for the best since half of us are on diets. (Now that the baby is born I'm back to counting calories-lame)

The funniest part of the holiday was Than's spin on Simon Says.  Whoever did not do what Simon said got shot with a nerf gun.  It was really funny to watch and Blake loved it.  Every time he got the gun he would shout out a few commands and then, without fail, shoot Than with the gun.  I think Blake had fun with Than during the weekend.

Then we did fireworks outside our house.  It was fun having the cousins around to celebrate.  So far all the cousins get along wonderfully.  There are never fights between and they just enjoy being around each other.  I love watching them play together.  

The rest of the weekend was spent with the kids yard selling, watching Despicable Me 2, swimming, and for me, a lot of cooking.  I also held Dodge a lot.  I even hogged him a bit.  I just want to enjoy every moment of this baby because it will be a long time before I get to snuggle a newborn again.  Plus it won't be the same anyway since it won't be mine.  As much I love holding someone else's baby it is not the same as your own baby.

Sunday was the blessing.  And then the whole house emptied.  I had to get a picture of Blake and Than.  I always tell Blake he looks like Than and I'm wondering if his personality is going to match Than's as well.  

Here are some quick pictures we took after the blessing.  I always get a little emotional when my kids are participating in church related ceremonies.  Mainly it is watching the Priesthood in action that gets me.  I love watching Ben use his Priesthood to bless our children.  And then you see all the other men who stand in that also makes me cry.  These men who do their best to live life according to God's law instead of man's.  They keep themselves clean so they can be righteous priesthood holders.  I love it.  And I especially love Ben.

Now everyone is gone but Becca who will be here for a week-yes!  My house is quiet, still not clean, and it has taken me all day to get this post done.  I guess that is just going to be my life for a bit with five kids.  I'm loving it!