Holiday Baby

I love this time of year with the house all decorated and the kids all excited. I especially love that I can use Santa as leverage - "Santa is watching if you are naughty or nice".

Sweet little angel

I love the seasons

I love that after a hot summer season, we have the relief and beauty of cool fall days.

Happy Halloween

Pax took the boys Trick or Treating again this year, and they came home with all these giant candy bars - our neighbors are very generous. I had to find a good place to hide everything of course. What I really need to do is hide it from me - I've got 25 pounds to lose from baby. Landon and I just stayed home and handed out candy. Actually, he just slept his way though Halloween

Landon's First Bath

The boys were so excited that landon finally got to take his first bath. Vance was there ready to wash him. He really loved the warm water. Maybe he will be a swimmer because the water seems to calm him down. He is doing really well, except wants to be held all the time - no putting him in his bassinet, that's one sure way to wake him up. We are loving having him in our family

First photos of Baby Landon

Landon was just the sweetest little baby in the hospital. The we got him home, and I got no sleep the first night. He has a great set of lungs and screamed at me when he was hungry. Vance decided that "this is not working for me", he hates it when he cries. He is so cute though, I can't resist kissing those chubby cheeks all day long.

Welcome Baby

I cannot believe that our new baby is finally here. I am up and about and much more efficient without being so pregnant. He was born Sept 30th at 6pm. My dr was going out of town so moved up the delivery date, which was good considering that it turned out I was actually in labor. Didn't even know it. I was exceptionally nervous for some reason - suddenly felt that I wasn't ready for all this and was worried that baby would be ok. Everything went well though and he weighed in at 8lbs 2oz - much smaller than I was anticipating. He was so cute though. Lots of hair unlike his siblings when they were born. We got to keep him for a few hours before they took him into the nursery. I just loved him right away. We think that he looks like Tootie, but we will have to wait and see. I couldn't get out of the hospital fast enough though and am so glad to be home. Of course, now the work begins, he is a horrible sleeper and just wants to eat 24/7 - just like a boy. Luckily he is so cute, that I am not too stressed out.

School has started for all the boys, and they seem to be settling into their new schedules. I can't believe that Cole is in Middle School and really seems to be taking on responsibilities by himself. He is such a great kid and a great help to me. Mac is now in 5th grade and it seems to be pretty difficult compared to 4th - he seems to be doing okay and is still Mr Socialable. Tootie has fit right into kindergarden, making friends and learning boundaries. It is the cutest sight to see him standing in line waiting to go into school with a backpack that is almost as big as him. He is still a clown though. And finally, each week brings us closer to having this baby. I am 37 weeks along, but measuring 41 - like the others he will be a big boy. I am having contractions and hoping to go into labor which is very unlikely to happen because I never have by myself. So it looks like Oct 1st will be his birthday. The older boys are nonchalant, but Vance wantes the baby to be on "his team".

HI MOM. HOPE YOU ARE DOING WELL - PUT ON SOME NEW PHOTOS. LOVE TO EVERYONE

This never ending pregnancy.

I went to the doctor for my 2 week, and if gaining 5 pounds isn't enough, I am now measuring full term with 6 weeks to go. With a new doctor who will only deliver at 39 weeks unless there is a problem, they may as well roll me into the OR. I am soooooo uncomfortable, not getting any sleep and the boys are starting school this week. WIll there be any end in sight? I am going in for another ultrasound, and they will check what is up with this linebacker. Cross your fingers that they just decide to take him early, after an amnio of course to make sure his lungs are good. It's the countdown.......

Summer Lovin'

I can't believe that we are on the last few days of summer break. We have not done anything too exciting this summer except spend alot of time in St George with our good friends. The kids have loved the pool at the condo. Cole finally turned 12 and was beyond thrilled to leave Primary in his dust. Tootie turned 5 which I am still having a hard time with, and is beyond a cheeky devil. I finally started my PTA responsibilities which is taking up a lot of time and effort - how will our new baby fit into this crazy life? He will do great!

Our soccer star

Colton's summer soccer team did so well in their tournaments this year - the won the whole Hooper and Eden tournaments. It was so fun to watch them come together as a team and have so much fun.

Getting too big

I have never had a fall baby before, and I can truly say that it is one tough pregnancy to go through. Maybe it's just my age too. I am really tired especially after a long summer day listening to my other boys fight with each other. I think that it is time for school because everyone is getting on each others nerves. I finally register Cole for Middle School tomorrow and am interested to see how he will do. He is turning into a great kid, such a help to me always. Mac will be heading to 5th grade which I think will be a challenge for him, but hopefully all will work out well. Tootie off to kindergarden and who knows how many visits to the principals office. And of course a new baby and endless days of PTA business. Bring it on ...........

I am so ready to start school

Although this summer has gone by pretty quickly, I am still so ready for the boys to go back. Mainly so that I won't have to listen to them constantly fighting with each other. I think they are actually tired of each other. I am not quite sure that I am ready to let Tootie head off to kindergarden though. Once they start, they are in there forever. He has an amazing teacher though so hopefully things will go well and I won't be called into the principals office too much. Mac starts 5th grade and Cole, middle school. Time goes by so quickly.

Blogging neglect

Has everyone else become addicted to Facebook and forgot about blogging - I know I have. I am now 7 months pregnant, and can't remember the last time I even looked at my blog. It is a good way to keep a journal of sorts though. With summer holidays almost over, and my oldest going into Middle School, I am officially freaking out about what the new school year will bring. Newborn, PTA co-pres and my youngest (for now) going into kindergarden. I don't think that I am quite ready for these kids to grow up.

Kids say the darndest things

My 4 year old proceeded to tell me the other day that I was becoming a witch. When I said howcome, he told me it was because I was getting so many zits. Do you think he meant warts. This made my day of course, especially since it was Mothers Day of all things. He is right though, my skin has gone crazy with this pregnancy and there is nothing that works. 21 more weeks to bear it then hopefully it will in prove. Nothing like your child telling you you have lots of zits and are not entirely fat, just a "little bit fat." Lucky he is so dran cute.

Never ending sickness

Well, a lot has happened since my last blog in December. I know, Facebook has monopolized my time. I am now almost 14 weeks pregnant and although not as sick as I was, still sick at night. Thank heavens for Zofran. I finally went and tried Zumba this week and it was really fun to get back into it. I thought that I would have died trying it again after a 2 month break, but it was not so bad. Of course, the jumping around was not an option, but I could still shake a thing or two.

Has everyone deserted blogging

It just so happens that my family in Italy has FaceBook pages, so to place anything on there, I had to join up. I do not know what I am doing or who some of the people are on there. Is it just me? My girlfriends are going Facebook so of course, I have to be in on the new thing - it probably is not a new thing at all, just to me. What is a "tag" and how do you do it. Listen, I don't even know how to text. I just know as soon as I get this all figured out, something new is going to come along and I will have to learn all over again. Could we all just stick with blogs please!!!!!

I love Zumba

Zumba is such a fun, awesome workout. This weekend Maren, Amy and myself went to the Treehouse in Draper to take a Zumba lesson from a master Zumba instructor. This guy was HOT!!!!!! There were people from all over Utah, congregated in the big gym, shaking everything they had. It was such a blast. Of course it didn't hurt that the instructor was Latin AMerican and could move like no bodies business - we were really sweating and I don't think it was just from the intense workout. I love Zumba Baby

Winter Wonderland

Don't we live in a great state? When my sister and her family were here recently visiting from Milan, Italy, we took time out to do some really fun things around Utah. I think that I saw a bit of the State through her eyes and realized how lucky we are to live somewhere where there are outdoor things to do all year long... Skiing, snowshoeing, playing in the snow, and in summer: boating, hiking, biking etc. It was so fun to have my niece watch the boys while the grown ups got to enjoy some outdoor activity. The highlight of their trip, had to be when Pax took us to Port O Call for New Years Eve - Gavin was in his element listening to a live band and just enjoying some nighlife. The owners treated us so well - maybe because Pax is their attorney, but they did go above and beyond. We felt like real VIPs. Vance and his cousin, Carl were inseperable every day - of course Sam and I were refereeing a lot because they are both strong willed boys. I had such a good time enjoying our area, and finally being able to spend time with my family over here. Too bad that the trip went by so quickly - next we are heading to Milan Italy to their neck of the woods.....

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to all my friends and family. Thanks for helping me through the tough times last year and always being there when I need a lift. I am most grateful for the wonderful people that bless my life each day.

Family is everything

It has been so amazing to have my sister and her family stay with us for the last few days. We have had so much fun reconnecting and enjoying my niece and nephew. We are excited to plan our trip to visit them next year in Italy.