Spring Round-Up!

Every Spring at the kids School they have a fundraiser/carnival called the Spring Round-up. Normally I despise it but tolerate it for the good of the school and so I don't have to do smaller fundraisers throughout the year (really despise those!). Well, this year they stepped it up a bit with a mechanical bull ride for the bigger attendees. The kids LOVED it and did fairly well too. Here are some shots of them getting the momentum going!

He looks calm, but the next second his hand comes down to hold on!
The face and hair say it all!

This is what Tera got to do instead of the bull.

Whoa, I thought it was going to eat me!

But I ate it instead!

Happy Birthday Rachel!

Ok so this is a little late, but Rachel, child number three turned 9 this month (I know it is the last day, but still March, so there!) March is FULL of birthdays for this family. Grami is on the 11th, I am the 17th, Pops' the 19th and Rachel decided to have her own day on the 20th. There are about 40 other days filled with Aunts, Uncles, and cousins as well, but needless to say, there are only about 5 days in the month without someone to celebrate. However, Rachel has her OWN day and that makes her special - because she is just that, SPECIAL!

She was my sweet baby girl for so long that she always will hold a special spot as the baby even though her little sister technically has the honor now.

My pregnancy with her started out like the other two - in the toilet! However, it progressed to much worse for much longer. It became so bad that if I wasn't asleep I was throwing up! So, I would get up, dress the two munchkins, pour sippy cups with juice and milk, half open string cheese, bag dry cereal or crackers and rewind all VHS movies we owned and stack them by the TV and go back to bed, after making sure dead bolt locked on front door. They would watch movies and eat all day until the food or movies were gone then wake me up for refills. Might be why they still think they can do whatever they want!

After the puking stopped, we had an ultrasound. Even though this is going to sound horrible, the whole family was hoping for a little boy as Johnathen was only two so he needed a buddy close to his age. Ashten being 5 was going to be a mommy not a sister either way, so a boy we wanted! Or so we thought at the time, and for a few days later until I came to terms with another little girl. She made me pay for those few days of uncertainty by trying to come 6 weeks early! But of course she was just teasing and decided that she would continue baking until four days before she was due! Of course she didn't let me rest in between there - contractions constantly but not good enough for progress! Until we were at Pop's birthday party and I had a few really hard ones. The night was filled with them, but not enough to go to the hospital.

FINALLY the day really arrived ( the next morning) and we headed to the hospital around 6:30 a.m. We called Grami on the way and she met us there ready to be my coach with Daddy for the second time in person (she was there for Ashten, but we got her on the phone for Johnathen). We had a great doctor that showed up on time and liked to play with the lights in the ceiling with his remote! I know, weird thing to remember on such a momentous occasion! We also had two nursing students along for the ride. They were very quiet and stayed out of the way just like they were told, but now that I have been through school myself I should have made it harder on them! hehe JK. After about 7:30 I was very tired of feeling contractions so I got an epidural. I was going to try natural again, but didn't have it in me this time. I was able to rest for a bit. But then all of a sudden I had pain on one side that REALLY HURT! I was starting to cry and the nurse was like" you shouldn't be feeling anything right now, let me see what is going on" and then"holy Cow, that's a baby!" She called in the doc and turned up the epidural all at the same time and at 9:30 a.m. you were born! A beautiful, red baby with no cone head at all! Just popped out and crying so sweet! The day was cloudy, windy and cold, but we were toasty warm on the inside and out!

We wanted to name you Rebekah, but your mean Aunt Toi had a dumb dream (still not bitter can't you tell!) about here pregnancy and HER baby's name was Rebekah and I refused to have two babies in the same family born in the same year with the same name - dumb! So anyway, you were not named on the first day of your life. We went back and forth all that first day and then finally Rachel was decided. We let Ashten kindof choose your middle name. Her fave movie at the time was The Little Mermaid 2 with Melody. We didn't like Rachel Melody, so we changed a couple of letters and got Rachel Melany. It fit perfectly to our cute bundle of joy and never mind that we called you Rebekah on accident at least 50 times in the first few months of your life. Now you get called Tera or Ashten so what's the difference, right?! Just kidding, darling. You are Rachel through and through!

SOOO, for your birthday this year you got to choose what to do for the day. You choose to spend it with Dad and Mom and Tera. First we went to In N Out for "the best burger ever!" You love them! Then we went to Walmart and you got to pick out some new shirts for school and a new toy. Of course Tera got a little toy as well so she would leave yours alone. We then went to the theatre at the mall but the movie was full so we bought tickets for a later time and went into the mall. You decided you were ready for earrings so we went to Claire's and got your ears pierced. They look so cute! You are adorable with your little pink daisy earrings! You were a little scared at first but you didn't hardly cry - just some tear filled eyes for a second! Then it was all over - except my squeezed hand is still a little sore! You told me I needed to get my own done since I said it wouldn't hurt but it did and I needed to see what it REALLY felt like! You are so funny sometimes, Girly! We left Claire's and went to Sear's so Daddy could look at shoes and you decided playing on the escalator was more fun - until you caught your knee on one of the steps and started bleeding everywhere! Then we bandaged you up and went to see A Tale of Desperaux. We ate popcorn and mike & ikes. It was almost dark when we got out and you wanted ice cream so off to Golden Spoon for some frozen yogurt - you had cookies and cream with chunks of oreos. Then we went home and crashed! What a fun day! I loved every minute (well, except for the bleeding part of course!)

Right after the piercing! Trying to be brave with a smile!

SO CUTE!

Happy Birthday, Baby Girl! Thanks for letting us share in your special day. I love you tons and tons!!

We Love Swimming!

Yay for Summer! Time to go swimsuit shopping and oh how cute they are this year! I have to say though that the age difference in these two is daunting sometimes. I don't believe having to wear matching outfits will ever be an issue! But aren't they cute? Can't wait for the water to get warm enough - right now it causes hypothermia - or so Ashten claims after barely making it out again!

Mmmm Chocolate!

"Mommy, I have chocat miewk?"

"Ok, give me just a minute."

Many minutes later....

This is the "uh oh, I got caught" look!

The "Oh, look! She has the CAMERA!" look

Since I am not in trouble, I think I'll have some MORE!

Mmmm, YUM!

(ok, not really, have you tasted just the powder without the MILK? EWE!)

Just a Mom?

My sister sent me this email and I thought it to be clever and funny. Hope you enjoy.

JUST A MOM

A woman, renewing her driver's license at the CountyClerk's office, was asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself. 'What I mean is, explained the recorder, 'do you have a job or are you just a ...?' 'Of course I have a job,' snapped the woman. 'I'm a Mom.' 'We don't list 'Mom' as an occupation, 'housewife' covers it,' Said the recorder emphatically. I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our own Town Hall. The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, efficient, and possessed of a high sounding title like, 'Official Interrogator' or 'Town Registrar.' 'What is your occupation?' she probed. What made me say it? I do not know. The words simply popped out. 'I'm a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations.' The clerk paused, ball -point pen frozen in m midair and looked up as though she had not heard right. I repeated the title slowly emphasizing the most significant words. Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written, in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire. 'Might I ask,' said the clerk with new interest, 'just what you do in your field?' Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself reply, 'I have a continuing program of research, (what mother doesn't) In the laboratory and in the field, (normally I would have said indoors and out.) I'm working for my Masters, (first the Lord and then the whole family) and already have four credits (all daughters). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities, (any mother care to disagree?) and I often work 14 hours a day, (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money.' There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she completed the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to the door. As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants -- ages 13, 7, and 3. Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model, (a 6 month old baby) in the child development program, testing out a new vocal pattern. I felt I had scored a beat on bureaucracy! And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than 'just another Mom.' Motherhood! What a glorious career! Especially when there's a title on the door.

Does this make grandmothers 'Senior Research associates in the field of Child Development and Human Relations'? And great grandmothers 'Executive Senior Research Associates?' I think so!!! I also think it makes Aunts 'Associate Research Assistants.'

Home Sick

For the past few days this house has had a bug going around. Coughing, fever, boogers - lots of them! Well, due to the fact that no one wants to do anything, many movies have been watched. One in particular "Open Season 2" has been played over and over. Funny movie, the downside you may ask? My sweet 2 year old going around calling "Mr. Weeeenie" drawn out and repeated a hundred times like in the movie. Funny, but getting quite old. Especially when all I want to do is sleep but keep having visions of a wiener dog running around and a huge bottomed lady yelling "Mr. Weeeeenie" in a very high pitched, nasally voice!

Bobbi

This is Bobbi - so named by his/her owner, Tera. (I say his/her because when asked if it is a boy or girl she says girl, but always says "he, him, or his" when talking about it.) Bobbi was a gift from Grandma when Tera was born and was instantly loved. He became the must have when going to sleep at night, being left with a babysitter, and put in the stroller for a ride. At about 13 months Tera was talking words and on the drive home from a trip to Mexico she kept crying and saying something that resembled baby or puppy, but sounded like Bobbi - all while pointing to this toy. So the name stuck and is rightly appropriate I think! You can tell by his worn hat that he has been much loved! Well, last week for a whole 24 hours Bobbi was LOST. He has been put in some fun places I tell you - toy airplanes, in cabinets, behind couches, in drawers you would think too small for him! But I tell you we looked in ALL those places, TWICE and he was no where to be found. We had a rough night without him that night. SO the next day we redoubled our efforts and tried again. I had said a real quick "please help me find him" prayer as I was looking, but to no avail. Well, as a side note, that week had been spent preparing for my Nana's funeral and Tera was there at my side through all that, so out of her mouth popped "Bobbi's dead!" My heart tore. I started to cry as the emotions had been pent up and I was not prepared to hear my two year old say that about her beloved friend. I got down on my knees and said a heartfelt prayer that I would find him for her as I was not ready to give him up yet. And I got up, started walking around the room and wouldn't you know, right then I looked toward the window and I moved the curtain and there was Bobbi sitting on the window sill looking out at the world. (I'm sure that Tera thought he would like the view or he was telling HER what he saw out there as she was too short to see!) Oh, the tender Mercies of our Lord. Some will say it was coincidence, but I say it was a miracle and an answer to MY prayer. I know my Father loves me and hears me when I need him most and that day I needed HIM more than I knew. And now our beloved friend is once again touted around the house and loved more than any other by a sweet little two year old with an active imagination. Oh the love of a friend - how dear!