Two More Weeks!

Well, I thought I would do a quick post to update everyone that I have not had the baby yet! I officially have two weeks left, so I'm hoping our little girl will make her arrival some time soon. Even though I know sleep deprivation and hormonal imbalance are inevitable after having a newborn, I can't wait to hold our little girl and welcome her to our family. Avery has been asking me every day when she is coming - and what her name is! Yes, we even keep the name a secret from our own kids!! I know some people (hint: she gave birth to me!) do not like the fact that we keep our baby names a secret, but it is actually kind of fun to surprise everybody and tell them when she is born. We already know it's another girl, so at least we have something to surprise people with.

So, until I can post some pics of our new little one, here is a summary of what our family has been up to:

- School: Avery still loves 1st grade and is doing great

- Soccer: Avery started playing soccer a few weeks ago and loves it! It is really fun to watch her play, and she was thrilled that her team's jerseys were pink

- Piano Lessons: I am teaching piano lessons at a piano studio close to our house. I have 9 students right now and I really enjoy it. We are so grateful to have a mom and mother-in-law close by to babysit while I'm teaching.

- ASU: Brandon has been very busy with his Masters Program @ ASU. He has already had several projects and never-ending readings and assignments, but he is enjoying it and doing a great job. It is really nice to have him home and be able to see him every night! Even when he is working in the office all day, at least I can see him and know he is close by.

- Preschool: I have been doing preschool with Hayden at home for the last month or so. I try and do it at least 3 days a week, but I will admit that it doesn't always happen. We do a letter of the alphabet each day and go on "adventures" to look for things around the house that start with that letter. Hayden seems to enjoy it and it's nice to have some one-on-one time with her.

- Getting ready for baby: I am definitely in the "nesting" stage right now! I have washed, folded and put away all of the baby's clothes, blankets and dresses. I have also washed the baby carrier and all of the different parts to the carseat. Today I am packing our hospital bag and charging the cameras. I'm sure once I get everything ready, I will be just sitting around waiting for a few weeks, but at least we'll be prepared! In addition to getting all the baby stuff ready, I have also been preparing for the actual delivery, which I will be doing all naturally again. I know - you probably think I'm crazy! But, I really feel like this time around will be a much better experience and I feel ready for it.

I hope that my next update will include pictures of our little girl and a hopefully positive birth story! I am getting really anxious and hope we don't have to wait too much longer!!

First Day of School

We were all so excited for school to start this year! Avery is in 1st grade and loves it!! Her teacher's name is Mrs. Kolb and Avery really likes her.

She got this name tag to wear when we met her teacher, and she was so excited to wear it on the first day of school.

The drop-off. I walked her to school that day and by the time I got home, I was pooped! It seems a lot further away when you're walking (actually "waddling") along in the heat!

Hayden also had her first day of school a few days after Avery started. She was very excited for preschool!

Kiley wanted to be included in the picture taking. Notice her crazy hair - I'm not sure what happened to it that day.

Hayden picked out this backpack at Target. She absolutely loved that it had a frog on it and it definitely fit her personality. She pretty much loves anything with animals on it!

Waiting outside for her teacher. Her classroom was in the very back of the school in a portable trailer, and this was at about 11:30 A.M. - well over 100 degrees already. It was sooooo hot! But, Hayden didn't seem to mind. It's really the adults that complain about the weather, isn't it? I remember playing outside in the summer and not thinking twice about how hot it was.

Well, although Hayden seemed to enjoy the first day of preschool, we actually decided to pull her out of it. It was kind of far away and not the most convenient time of the day. We calculated the amount of gas it would take to drop her off and pick her up four days a week, and it was about $100 just there and back! I decided just to do it with her at home and it seems to be going well. Thankfully, she was not too attached to her preschool class or teacher yet, so it was not a big deal for her. We get to do some fun things at home and we don't have to drive anywhere :) Overall, it has been really nice to get back into a schedule for school and life. Things definitely get busy between dropping off and picking up kids, doing preschool at home, teaching piano lessons three days a week at a piano studio, doctor's appointments and getting ready for baby number 4 to come soon! But, life is good and we feel very blessed to be where we are, and we are very excited to meet our little girl soon (6 more weeks)!

Thankful Thursday - August 2010

This list is a little shorter than normal, but no less important!! I realize every day how blessed I am and it always helps me to make a list of the things I am grateful for. So, here is my current gratitude list.

I am thankful for:

1. Six more days until school starts
2. Avery still fitting into most of her school clothes from last year
3. Hayden starting preschool next week - 4 days a week for 3 hours :)
4. Arizona rain we received over the last few weeks
5. In the single digits for pregnancy week countdown - 9 more weeks to go!
6. Starting to teach piano lessons again next week
7. Air conditioning and ceiling fans!
8. A week of fun in San Diego last week (pictures coming soon)
9. Moments when all of my kids are getting along and playing - however brief a moment it may be :)
10. Last, but certainly not least, I am thankful for tonight being my last night without my hubby!! He is coming home tomorrow from Albuquerque and staying for good this time! It has been a difficult decision for us to make over the last few months, but Brandon has decided to go back to school and get his Master's Degree. He was recently accepted into the Master of Landscape Architecture program at ASU and will be starting school in just a few weeks. We have prayed and discussed constantly over what would be best for our family and for Brandon's career, and this is what we feel like we should do. We are taking a leap of faith leaving a job right now and going back into "student survival" mode, but it seems like things are falling into place and that we will be able to make it work somehow. I can't wait to be able to see my husband every day and to feel like a family again. We are truly grateful and look forward to the future, whatever challenges lie ahead. The program is two years, so we will be both be 30 by the time he graduates - pretty crazy!! We are excited though, and are looking forward to the next phase in our lives.

San Diego

A few weeks ago, we went to San Diego and spent a week at a beach house with the Jensen family. It was so nice to get out of the AZ heat for a while, enjoy the cool breeze, and just relax by the ocean. The girls absolutely loved the beach and played in the sand for hours at a time.

Kiley playing upside down in the sand. Needless to say, every inch of her body was covered in sand that day.
The clan (almost everyone): My mom and dad, sister Mallory and hubby Jason, sister Kelsey and her two girls Ellie and Scout, and Hayden and Kiley.

Hayden would not go near the water, which was pretty chilly, but she loved playing in the sand.

Kiley making something in the sand.

Notice Brandon in the background with a huge mound of sand...I'll get to that soon.

Avery was quite the little fish at the beach! She did not mind the water being cold at all, nor the fact that none of the other kids would go out in the water with her. She loved the water and jumping over the waves.

Avery and Hayden buried in the sand, with their cousin Ellie sitting in middle.

Avery's sand castle.

Avery and Brandon have a special father/daughter bond. They love to do things together.

So, the first day at the beach, Brandon decided he wanted to build a sand castle. He had never really tried to build one before, but thought he would give it a try.

As with everything else he "tries", he does an amazing job and this is the final outcome of his castle.

Not too shabby if you ask me! There were even a few people who stopped to take a picture of it.

On the second day, of course the other castle was no longer there, so Brandon made an even bigger one. He was going to add more to it, but as you can imagine, it took quite a while to build, so he got to this point and was done.

As for me, I am happy to not be in any of the photos. Being 7 months pregnant at the beach is not best photo op :) I did enjoy sitting in a chair and watching my kids (and hubby) play in the sand and of course I enjoyed the weather. I would take chilly ocean breeze over 110 degrees any day!! There are many more pictures, including ones from Disneyland and the Coronado ferry, but they are too large to upload. Hopefully I will get them on here soon :) In the meantime, the ones from the beach will do for now! I wish we were there again right now!!

Thankful Thursday - July 2010

I have not shamefully looked back to see how long it has been since I have done a Thankful Thursday post. I know it's been forever, and there are a list of excuses why, but here I am and I am determined to keep it going this time. I have decided to go back to doing an actual list, so here it is:

I am thankful for...

1. Living in this great country of America
2. All of those who fought and are still fighting for our freedoms
3. The USA flag - it makes me so proud whenever I see one waving
4. My ancestors who sacrificed so much to settle here
5. The freedom to worship as we please
6. Our founding fathers who were inspired to build this nation on trust in God
7. A modern day prophet
8. My ancestors who joined the Church
9. My parents' decision to move to AZ when I was 8 years old - I would have never met Brandon if we stayed in California and growing up would have been much different
10. My mom making me stick with piano lessons
11. Growing up with sisters - I am glad I have experience with girls
12. Brandon growing up with sisters - even more glad he has experience with girls :)
13. Colorful flowers - they always make me smile
14. Healthy children
15. Having grandmas nearby who love our kids and help so much with babysitting
16. Brandon only having a month left of travelling (hopefully :)
17. The house we are living in now - it has been such a blessing to be here
18. One more month until school starts (hooray!)
19. Three more months until our baby is born - Avery kisses my belly every day and talks to the baby - she can't wait to meet her!
20. Free fun things for kids to do at the library - we are going to a picnic and a movie there today
21. Our new ward - although we are definitely one of the youngest families, we have met so many great people here and have felt so welcomed
22. No scorpion stings yet - we have killed over 40 scorpions since moving here (I just killed 4 last night) and thankfully no one has gotten stung
23. Flip-flops in the summer - that is all we wear these days, and I love that all the kids can put their shoes on themselves
24. Running water - I can't imagine how life would be if we couldn't turn on the shower or faucet whenever we needed water; it is such a blessing that I take for granted every day
25. A Heavenly Father who knows what is best for us and guides us to where He knows we need to go

Tea Party

A few weeks ago, I walked out into the living room and saw this:Avery set up their princess table and chairs and got a dress-up outfit for her and both of her sisters. They had a tea party all by themselves, and it was to entertaining to watch them.

Some of their drink "concoctions" were pretty hilarious. I think Avery was pouring "chocolate juice" in this picture.

Pretty soon, all four sides of this table will be filled with girls. We'll have to get another chair when that happens. It's still hard to believe that we will have four girls in our family! Avery can't wait to meet her and be my big helper with her baby sister. It has been so nice to have a 6-year-old around the house lately! There have been a few mornings when I have woken up and come into the kitchen to find all three girls eating cereal and watching cartoons. Avery is getting so independent now, and is growing up so much. She has already lost 6 teeth and is working on her 7th. We love her so much and she is really a sweet kid.

Hayden is growing up a lot too, although she is still our little Hayden. She is full of surprises, and we never know what is going to come out of her mouth. She is definitely our animal lover, and each day it seems like she picks a new animal to imitate. It is usually the animal that is being rescued on Diego that day. A few days ago, her animal of choice was a lama. All of her stuffed animals became her lamas and she went around making this very unique sound that she had heard on Diego. Hayden definitely has her moments of screaming and frustration, but tells me several times throughout the day that she loves me and that I am her best friend. How can you be mad at that?

Kiley is definitely a 2-year-old now. She has some looks she gives that could absolutely kill anyone. She does not like to be told "No," although she enjoys saying it back to me several times a day. She is also growing up so much too. (It's amazing that kids do that, isn't it?!) She is talking so much now and she actually thinks she is bilingual now from watching Dora and Diego. The other day Kiley was climbing on the bleachers at the girls' swimming lessons and she needed help getting down from the top. All of a sudden, I heard her say, "Ayudame! Ayudame!" In case you didn't know, that means "Help me!" in Spanish and that phrase is used quite frequently on Nick Jr. That probably tells how much my children watch TV, but I really am working on limiting it :) It is hard in the summer!

Well, I am getting bigger and am now 24 weeks along. We are really excited to meet our newest little girl in October, although I am glad we still have a few months before she comes. Not so glad to be pregnant throughout the summer, but I can handle it for a few more months :) Having a pool definitely helps! Happy 1st day of Summer today!

Family Update

Wow, it's been over a month since I have posted! Where has the time gone?! Surprisingly, this summer is flying by so far. We have been pretty busy around here, and I have been meaning to post for a while. Hopefully I'll have some pictures to post soon, but in the meantime, here's a shortened version of what we've been up to:

SCHOOL - Avery finished kindergarten at the end of May and is already excited about 1st grade next year. The elementary school she will be going to is excellent from what I've heard and read about it. Hayden will be starting preschool in the fall as well. She is actually going to be evaluated in a few weeks for speech therapy preschool. She still has a hard time with certain words and sounds, and if she gets approved, she will have FREE preschool at an elementary school. I have actually been working Avery & Hayden a little every day in our own "school" time in the mornings. Avery is doing well with reading and Hayden is working on writing her name. I am not perfect at it, but I felt like the TV was always on at our house, so we needed something to stimulate their brains for a little while. We went to the library last week too and signed up for the Summer Reading program, which has really motivated Avery to read more lately, which is great. They have some really fun (FREE) activities for kids at the library too. We love FREE, don't we?

CHURCH - We are finally feeling "settled" in our new house and ward. We are definitely the "young family" in this area. Most of the ward members are older and have grandkids. There are a few younger families, but we are definitely outnumbered. We have a lot to learn from their knowledge and experience though. Brandon and I spoke in church this past Sunday and our topic was "Parenting." We felt a little like we were preaching to the choir, as the majority of the audience has been parents much longer than we have, but overall I think it went well. I am actually teaching the Relief Society lesson in a few weeks for someone who will be out of town. I have not been to R.S. in years, let alone taught the lesson, so I'm a little nervous. But, we'll see how it goes. Brandon and I do not have callings yet, so we are a little anxious to see what we will be doing in the ward. It really is a great ward though, and we have had so much help moving in and meals brought and feeling so welcomed. We really feel like this is where we need to be right now.

SWIMMING - We love, love, love having a pool in our backyard. We spend most days out there it seems, which I think has made the summer go by quickly so far. The kids love swimming and both Avery & Hayden have really improved their skills a lot. They are taking swim lessons at Stapley Jr. High, which is right down the street from us. I honestly think they learn more from the practice at home, but it's good to learn the basics from an instructor. Hayden was absolutely terrified of the water just a few weeks ago and would not leave the steps without a floatie or hanging on to me. But, we put some goggles on her and kept pushing her (sometimes literally) and it finally clicked. She is a little fish now and loves it.

WORK - Brandon is still in New Mexico right now. We thought it would be a pretty steady schedule of Monday through Friday, but we are learning that it is not that cut and dry. They have worked through several weekends and he puts in 12-14 hour days consistently. He was home this past weekend from Friday night to Monday night, but he will have to work through this coming weekend all the way until next Thursday night. In case you lost count, that is 10 straight days of work - and being away from home. And this Sunday is Father's Day, which means he will be working instead of spending the day with his family. It really stinks! We are really hoping that he is able to do something different in a few months. The NM projects are scheduled to finish in August some time, so hopefully it won't be too much longer.

LIFE - Well, other than Brandon being gone, things are going pretty well here. It is soooo nice to be close to family who have been so helpful with the kids. It is so nice to drop off the kids when I have a doctor's appt. or need to run errands. Grocery shopping by myself is so wonderful!! I really am getting spoiled.

Everything is going well with my pregnancy so far. I can feel the baby moving like crazy now and I'm definitely getting bigger. I still have almost 4 months left though, so there is a lot of growing that still needs to happen. For now, I can at least bend over still and put shoes on little feet and sleep fairly comfortably. That will all change in a few months though, but I'll enjoy it while I have it. There are days when I am definitely tired and less than patient. Yesterday was one of those days! There was an increased amount of crying, screaming, and whining at our house and there were times that I was about to snap. We (barely) made it through dinner and I allowed the girls to have a bowl of popcorn before bed because they were finally somewhat getting along with each other and they all ate their dinner. When Avery was saying her prayers in her bed that night, this is what she said:

"Dear Heavenly Father, We thank thee that me and Hayden and Kiley were crying and screaming and whining a lot today, and we still got to have some popcorn. And we will be better tomorrow."

I couldn't help but laugh as I kissed Avery good night. I think Heavenly Father knew that I needed to end the day with a smile. I hope you are all doing well and enjoying your summer. Have a fabulous week!!