Temple Square

Some of our colder outings in the last several months:

Temple Square at Christmas time
Christmas Lights on Christmas Eve
The Planetarium with Uncle Adam
The Provo City Center Temple Open House

Mother's Log April 2016

April 2
Lily has had so many firsts this week!!
Jumped in the jumper
Visited a farm
Went down a slide
Eggs
Pb&j sandwich
Traveled at night
And just today:
Met GG
Tried yogurt
Finally rolled onto her belly from her back!!

April 9
What a long week it's been.  We started the week on Idaho.  We spent Conference Weekend with GG then GP'S funeral was on Monday.  It was a nice funeral.  It had been raining all day but cleared up in time for the graveside services.  It was really nice to see all the family again.  We got home late Monday night and took off running on Tuesday.  Emily had a field trip to the zoo that I joined her on.  Jeremy celebrated his birthday.  Ally started up soccer again and won her first game.  I got pulled over and realized that my registration had expired way back in December  (oops) and has to take care of that.  And I started on next year's musical for the school.  All this in addition to the usual craziness that comes with getting back in routine after Spring Break. 

April 17
Lily turned 7 months last week and she is hitting milestones like crazy!  As soon as I decided not to stress her unwillingness to roll over she began rolling everywhere.  She's mastered sitting on her own for over ten minutes before plopping.  She's becoming a chatterbox like her sisters.  She likes to coo and sing and says "Mama" and "Baba."  Lily eats small finger foods with ease now though we still don't have teeth.  She also feeds herself a bottle which has been a lifesaver for this mom who's always on the run. My favorite new thing:  Lily taught herself how to clap!!  I woke up on Saturday morning to her lying there laughing and smiling at the ceiling.

April 19
Sami had her very first track meet today!  We've known since the summer running groups we did in California that she inherited her father's good endurance and joy of running, so I wasn't surprised when she decided to go out for track.  She was so nervous yesterday, though.   She did the 800 meter dash back to back with another 800 in the Medley.  (A 200, 200, 400, 800 relay).  She ran the first dash perfectly.  She moved straight to the middle and paced herself at the back of the front pack for the first 600 meters.  Then she popped out and sprinted the last stretch, passing four runners and almost catching a fifth, finishing right in the middle of the front pack.  The relay had a little more of hiccup.  Being the final runner, she had to make up for lost time.  The girl running the 400 had already run the mile and 800 and was out of energy.  She went from being second to the front to second to last.  Then when passing the baton to Sami she just stopped instead of running with Sami to hand off so Sami had to turn and go back to get the baton.  By the time she finally got going and found her pace, the last runner was right on her tail.  She pushed hard though and stayed in front of last place.  At almost 600 meters she was so tired.  Her team started running next to her on the field, cheering her on.  As she reached the last stretch, the girl behind her started sprinting first and tried to overtake her.  We all started screaming "Go Sami!  Run!!!"  Sami pushed so hard and managed to not finish last.  I was so proud of her. 

April 20
Ally had her 3rd grade program today!  She did such a great job!  I really enjoyed it and Ally knew every word.  Ally wants to start taking voice lessons and develope her singing.  I taught her a few things from my lesson days to help her with things like breathing and projection.   I could tell she was using what I taught her during her program.  I love her so much!

April 25
A couple weeks ago, Jeremy and Sami went on a ski trip to Montana.  I love that they have skiing as a way to bond. I hope they enjoy that time together long into Sami's adulthood.  But the wind on the slopes was crazy, I guess, and Jeremy forgot to cover up enough and wear chapstick.  When he hot home on Saturday, his lips were already starting to blister.  Then the sides of his face swelled up and he ended up with these hard lumps in front of his ears.  We had never seem anything like this so on Thursday I made him go to the doctor.  The doctor had to look it up!  It turns out that he got seriously dehydrated and his saliva glands swelled.  She told him to go home and drink lots of liquids and then if the swelling hadn't improved or had gotten worse by Sunday, he was to go to the emergency room for a CT scan because it might be cancer.  WHAT?  yeah, we were told, either it's nothing or it's CANCER.  Luckily by yesterday he was significantly improved.  Sheesh doc.

April 28
Sami had another meet today!  She decided to run the 800 and the mile.  It was such a cold and windy day though.  She ended up getting a worse time in the 800 and 7:49 in the mile.  She looked so cold out there.  Poor girl.  But she pushed herself and did her best. I am so proud of her. 

Mother's Log March 2016

March 13
This morning Emmy came in and announced that she, Ally, and Kassi had killed a spider in the playroom and now it's guts were everywhere!  She wanted us to clean it up but we assured her she could do it.  I offered her a baby wipe and said, "you don't have to touch it, just pick it up with the wipe and throw it away."  She ran off.  Next thing we knew she was running by with a laundry basket on her head and fly swatter in her hand, letting out a war cry.  😄  that kid is such a hoot!

Jeremy had to leave for a short business trip this evening.  As he was walking out the door, Kassi started begging him to take her with him.  She saw one of the suitecases we had taken to Cancun in his hands and thought he was going back without her!  (She has asked to go back to Cancun every day since the day after we got home a week ago... I think she had fun.)  😊

March 20
I'm so tired.  Daniel and Geane got married last Friday.  The few days leading up to it were like a marathon.  I sewed, arranged, styled, altered, tied, curled, pinned and decorated endlessly.  Then the wedding day itself was so long and the next day was spent in the car for seven hours and then heading straight to another reception.  And I've been doing it all with five hours or less sleep every night. Today Sami, Lily and I woke up at 6am and headed yo the airport to catch a flight home.  I'm glad Sami was with me to keep me awake. 
When we got home, Jeremy took Sami and Ally to a temple dedication.  I stayed home and took care of Kassi and Lily who had fevers.  Emmy was my helper.  Emily is an incredible helper when she wants to be.  She's so willing to do whatever is needed with endless energy.  All she asks for in return is a good cuddle.  Love that girl.  :) 

This was Ally's first temple dedication. I think she liked it... she said it was too long but OK.  I wish I could have been there with her but I'm feeling so drained and I got to go to the open house when Jeremy didn't (out of town on work).  Plus, I think it's important for the girls to make meaningful memories with their Dad.  I make memories with them all the time.

March 21
Lily has been having a hard time sleeping, she's been so sick.   Last night I was up every hour or two.  Did I mention I am so so tired?  I'm worried she might have another ear infection. She's had two infections in the last six weeks!

Lily sat up for over a minute today!  She's finally figuring out how to balance on that tiny bum of hers. 
She also tried to feed her binki to Dad today.  She's growing up so fast!

March 24
Lily stood up without human support toady!  She was standing next to the bunk bed. 

March 25
First day of Spring Break!  We headed to the park for some swinging.  Lily had her first chance in a real swing and on a teeter-totter.  She loves the park!  All the girls were just happy to be out playing in the sunshine.  Sami ran around the playground (warming up for track) while Emmy, Ally, and Kassi played on swings and slides.  

March 26
Headed to Las Vegas to meet up with Kaydee.   Kassi is cracking me up!  She started with "Are we there, Daddy?" about an hour out of Vegas.
We drove past a factory/plant and she said she wanted to play on the train out front instead because it was closer.  Then she started to just talk endlessly. 
She said she made the factories.  Then she made the houses. She told us a long story about how she painted the houses brown and pink and purple.
I asked where the pause button is on her and she said matter-of-factly, "I don't have one."

March 28
Jeremy's Grandpa passed away early this morning.  It makes me so sad that Lily never had a chance to meet him in this world.  Between illnesses, weather, and Jeremy's busy work schedule  (he's been crazy busy since December!), we never made it up there.   He is such an amazing man to us and he's been a big part of our lives.  He will be dearly missed.

March 31
Lily finally had her 6 month appointment.  She's doing great!   She's still in the 70th percentile for height and about the tenth percentile for weight (which is higher than most if my girls were at this point).  We discussed how she doesn't seem to feel the need to roll over from her back to her tummy.  She scoots on her back instead.  But she's hitting all kinds of other milestones in feeding herself, sitting up, pushing off the floor, and standing that the doc isn't concerned.  She said that some babies just skip things.    

Mother's Log February 2016

Feb 12
Jeremy's been out of town a ton lately so tonight, I was determined to have a family dinner at home.  I'm so glad we did.  The girls were so cute and Jeremy was so involved.  It was nice to just sit and enjoy each other's company.  Then Sami started demonstrating the "Whip-n-nae-nae."  That did it. After dinner, the girls turned on music and everyone started dancing. Jeremy made sure to dance with each daughter. Even Sami danced and was her goofy self which is a side of her we don't see very often anymore.  I didn't want the night to end. 

Feb 13
Spent the day at Snowbasin today.  The inversion has been so bad here that we all felt the need to escape up into the crisp, cleaner air.  Jeremy spent the whole time on the bunny hill with Ally while the rest of the girls and I just hung at the lodge.  Sami brought along a friend who wasn't a bit of a damp rag about things but for the most part, the day was so beautiful!   After that, we came home and Jeremy took Lily and me out for dinner for Valentines Day.  It was a very good day.

Feb 27
Today we had our final performances of the Elementary School Musical.  I spent a year and cowrote this one as well as composed two of the songs and worked a lot with many of the other songs.  Then I took on role of Technical Director and Ensemble Music Director, creating the entire soundtrack and lighting, running the sound board, and working with the kids on those big musical numbers.  The whole thing turned out so well!!  I couldn't be more pleased with those awesome kids and touched to have been a part of it all.  I love our Elementary School!

However, it has all been terribly time-consuming. Thus the lack of blogging lately.  Lily is almost six months already.  :(

A Very Very Merry Christmas

Christmas Eve

 The Nativity

 

Sami gave us the best Christmas Present EVER!  She spent hours making these.  I just cried when I saw them.  I've been meaning to make matching stockings for years and just never got around to it. 

I love them so much!

 She even made one for the dog!  So proud of her!

 My Very Own Christmas Tree  :)

 

Christmas Morning

 Just Relaxing

 Grandma's Cupcakes

 

 Baby's First Christmas! 

Such an Angel

 

Mother's Log January 2016

Jan 5
We sent Adam home today. So sad. We had so much fun while he was here.  We certainly kept him busy.  Sledding, piggy backs, reading hank the cow dog,  singing karaoke at the top of our lings, learning to play the guitar, running around the planetarium...  memories made!  Miss him already!

Jan 6
1/6/16...
We are having new fireplaces installed today.  They had to do some drilling.   Kassi went to the stairs and yelled "Hey you boys!  Not so loud!!"

Jan 16
Shaun and Penny and Taylor went home today. They had planned to come for a wedding that had to be postponed so instead they came and played with me for three days. It was so nice having them. I wish they lived closer.  Taylor is such a cutie!   She loved Lily and played well with Kassi... when Kassi would play well with her.  She wasn't a huge fan of Bell but most kids aren't at first given that Bell is such a huge puppy.  :)  Seriously, they need to live closer.

I threw away almost 40 shoes tonight that had either been chewed up or were the mates to shoes that been chewed up by my overgrown puppy.  That dog makes me cranky sometimes.

Jan 17
Sami gave her first talk in Sacrament Meeting today.  I'm so proud of that girl. She was so, so nervous but she got up and delivered a very profound and thought out talk. She spoke clearly and even looked up from her paper often.  She brought the Spirit. Jeremy and I were in tears. It was a milestone for her and us.  Our baby is growing up.

Jan 24
I started a new way of doing laundry this month.  Before I would spend endless hours folding laundry.  I would place the folded laundry in individual baskets for the girls and then they were in charge of putting the clothes away.  Almost always, before the clothes got put away they would get dug through, thrown about, and unfolded.  So this month I had a break-through.  I have no idea why I hadn't thought of this before!  I no longer fold the girls laundry!!  I sort it directly from the dryer into their baskets and the girls fold it when they put it away!!  I have so much more time to take care of my own clothes and the baby clothes now.  Hurray!!

Jan 28
Kassi got to celebrate her half birthday at preschool today.  She was so proud to show off her pictures and favorite book and baby sister!  I was thrilled to see how many little friends she has made at school.  She's getting so big so fast...