The main reason for our adventure to Utah this summer was to see two very good friends FINALLY tie the knot. Marcy and Johnny-- CONGRATULATIONS on being married in the temple. It was an absolutely beautiful day and we couldn't be happier for you. Marcy was a beautiful bride! They had LOTS of family and friends there to help celebrate!This is Jana and me waiting outside the temple for the bride and groom to come out! Marcy, Jana, and I were roommates in the Enclave 2+ years ago. We were all dating our future hubbies! We have tons of crazy/funny memories together! Next time we are all together we will play Bocce! ;)Isn't my husband HANDSOME!?!The first 2 days were in Utah were dedicated to the wedding but after the bride and groom left on their honeymoon Brandon and I were able to spend some time with my family. Saturday my parents took us to the Mayan Restaurant and Inception on the IMAX. The Mayan has a fun atmosphere and while you eat there is a diving show. And for anyone who hasn't seen Inception...you really need to. It is the best movie I've seen in a long time.
Sunday was the day we got all of the family together (except the Shamos who are still in CT) for a big dinner and fun. It was great to see everyone. Here is Brandon and Brigham throwing the football. (Brig and Jake just started their 1st season of contact football!)
Kail showed us how to play baseball. He is a good hitter and throws a wicked curve ball!Kalvin found this feather. He would chase (and scream) after it whenever the wind would blow it away!The kids flew kites. The wind was touch and go so it required a lot of FAST running!Watch out Isaac...
And of course a kite ended up in a neighbors tree. Here is Clint getting it down (Clint is SO tall!)
And most importantly I got to meet this guy! Nathan Grant Brown was born in July! He is a very special and beautiful baby! Congrats again Chris and Greg on the new addition!
I thought this was a really cute one of Nate and his mom!
And here I am with little Nathan! So tiny!Brandon and the kids. This picture is strangely familiar. (Check out this post) I don't know what it is but kids love to pile on top of this guy!Monday I went golfing for the first time in my life. I shot a 129! I can only describe my skills in one word: AWFUL!!! I'm glad we only counted the swings were I actually hit the ball. My score might have been over 200 if we included all my 'strikes!' For Family Night my parents took us to a Bees game. It was a close game but the Bees came out victorious!
Tuesday morning we got up extra early so Brandon and Clint could go golfing before Clint went to work. School started Monday and because I was there early in the morning I got to walk the Halverson kids to their brand new elementary school. The special treat of the day was that Brigham was in the school assembly. He is a member of student council and they did a skit to introduce the school rules. Brig's performance was OUT OF THIS WORLD!
That night Brandon and I went on a date. He took me to Costa Vida...our favorite Mexican place that is no where near Washington State. It is always a must on our list of things to do when we come to Utah. After dinner we went to the Drive-in. We watched Toy Story 3 and Despicable Me. It was a perfectly warm summer night and a fun night out!
Wednesday I had a lunch date with all my beautiful high school friends! I really wish I would have taken a picture. I loved sitting, snacking, and catching up on each others lives. I miss you girls! That night we went to dinner at the Market Street Grill.
Thursday we spent the morning visiting my sweet Grandma Cannon. We sure love her and still think about Grandpa Cannon every day! Then Brandon was off to Provo to go to lunch with some friends and then participate in a EY recruiting event at BYU. I went to Kaysville to go shopping for home decorations with mom and this lovely lady! Lisa has a great eye for cute stuff at a great deal so I was happy to have her as my personal consultant for the entire day!
That was it for our time in Utah. Friday morning we packed up and headed to Boise! We spent the weekend hanging out with the Meyer family. We got a private tour around Boise, saw Bronco stadium, played at a few beautiful parks, and had lunch at Fuddruckers! Thanks for letting us crash on your living room floor for a few nights. It was great seeing you guys!
So, as I mentioned before, things have been rough for Sir Nate. He is definitely not used to living outside of sheltered Utah. Of course, it's not like the kids at the schools in Utah were nice either.
I wish I understood what the problem was, but I don't. So, one day when Marshall and Nate were riding the bus home, a couple of boys started making fun of him because he doesn't watch PG-13 movies. They also kept saying stuff like, "What's wrong with your brother? He's a retard". Needless to say, these comments did NOT make Nate too happy. He was miserable and wanted to just stay home forever. Being the mean Mom that I am, I wouldn't let him. Instead, I asked him if he remembered reading a story in The Children's Friend (a children's magazine published by our church) about The Pumpkin Experiment. That evening, I challenged Nate to try this experiment with the bullies on his bus. He was totally against it at first, but I told him it was his choice. The next morning, Nate quietly asked me if I had some extra cookies he could give to these boys. Nate gave the mean boys some cookies after school on the bus. They were SHOCKED, and asked, "Are these for us?" Nate told them his Mom had made them, and he wanted to save some for these boys.
They are still not friends, but the boys don't pick on Nate or Marshall anymore. One of the boys even came up to Nate at recess and started talking to him. It sounds like these kids just need someone who can show them unconditional love. I'm really proud of Nate and his choice to be kind to the boys who were being so mean. Now he is helping another boy who is being picked on. This kid has a cochlear implant, so the kids really make fun of him. Nobody else will sit with this boy, but my kids did. Nate asked if he could scoot over and make room for him and his brother. The boy did make room, and now Nate is there to stick up to the kids when they are being mean. I have such great kids!
Here is the story that prompted us to try this experiment.
The Pumpkin Experiment
By Darlene Young
Darlene Young, The Pumpkin Experiment, Friend, Oct 2009, 46
(Based on a true story)
Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you (Matthew 5:44).
Abby hadnt paid much attention when Rachel and her family moved in across the street. Abby already had a best friend. Besides, Rachel wasnt Abbys type. Rachel and her older brothers wore the kind of clothes that Abby knew her parents would never let her wear. And the Miller kids stayed up really late at nightAbby knew because she heard them yelling at each other and playing loud music.
Abby saw Rachel every day at school but didnt bother to introduce herself. She figured Rachel would find her own friends who were more like her. Sure enough, Rachel started hanging around with Kami. Kami bullied some of the other kids, and she swore a lot. Abby thought Kami and Rachel were perfect for each other.
A few weeks later, Abby stepped out onto her porch to go to school. The night before, Abby and her family had placed pumpkins on their front porch. Abby gasped as she saw the remains of the pumpkins smashed to smithereens and smeared all over the porch steps. Abby stared at the sticky, orange mess and wanted to cry. When she looked up, she saw Rachels older brother watching her from across the street. Abby knew that Rachel and her brothers had smashed the pumpkins on purpose.
She went inside and told her mom what had happened. I know it was Rachel and her brothers, she said.
You cant know that for sure, Mom said.
I just know, Abby said. And I hate them.
Abbys mom tried to tell her that hate was wrong, but Abby didnt listen.
At school, Abby watched Rachel. Would Rachel brag to Kami about smashing the pumpkins? Was she secretly laughing at Abby?
That night after dinner, Mom asked Abby if she would try an experiment.
I guess so, Abby said. What is it?
For the rest of the week, I want you to do everything you can to replace your anger with feelings of love for Rachel, Mom said. Pray for her. Think about her. Smile at her at school. Do whatever you can think of to show love. Then well talk about it.
Five days! Abby thought. She didnt think she could have feelings of love for Rachel, but she wanted to do what her mom asked.
OK, Abby agreed. Ill do it for the rest of the week. But I dont know if it will work.
Abby began by praying for Rachel. She didnt really know what to say in her prayer, so she just said, Please bless Rachel. That day she watched Rachel more closely during school. She noticed that Rachel was having a hard time in math. Thats something I can pray about, Abby thought.
On day two, Abby prayed, Please help Rachel do better in math. During math class, Rachel must have felt Abby watching her because she looked right back at Abby. Abby didnt know what to do, so she smiled. On the way home from school, Rachel caught up to Abby.
Why were you staring at me in math? Rachel asked.
Abbys heart raced. Would Rachel hit her?
Um, I was wondering if you needed some help. Im kind of good at math, Abby said.
I dont need help! Rachel said, and she ran ahead of Abby.
On day three, Abby prayed that she would be able to help Rachel. At recess, Rachel didnt play with Kami. She came over to Abby instead. Are you really good at math? she asked.
Abby nodded.
Could you help me after school?
Abby thought about Rachels house. She didnt want to go there. Sure, she said. Can you come over to my house?
OK, Rachel said, smiling. How about tomorrow?
On day four, which was Saturday, the doorbell rang at 7 a.m. Abby wasnt even out of bed yet, but her father was awake and he let Rachel in. Abby, Rachels here, he called.
When Abby came into the kitchen in her pajamas, Rachel looked embarrassed. I guess I came over too early, she said. I just didnt want to be at my house right now.
Abby was glad Rachel was in their house. She didnt want Rachel to be feeling sad at her own house this morning. Abbys dad was making pancakes. Abby smiled at Rachel and got her a plate and a fork.
On day five, Abby took Rachel with her to Primary. After church, she told her mom she had been right about the experiment. It did feel better to love her enemies. Only, Rachels not my enemy anymore, she said. Shes my friend.
Natalie needed to scout out a camping spot for Girls Camp this year and so we set off for Hobble Creek Canyon just east of Springville. A few pictures of our adventure...
My family thinks that it is simply a crime that I have not updated our family blog. I guess it is much like the old story of the shoemaker, he being so busy with others that his own children went barefoot.
To repent, I thought I would share a few photos of Ashlee's debut as Juliet in "Romeo & Juliet". After performing at the local school, they were invited to perform this summer in Cedar City during the Shakespearean Festival.
Our little Ashlee is growing up.
"Death lies upon her like an untimely frost upon the sweetest flower of all the field."
Things are tough here. Marshall is not getting easier, and we're losing patience fast. We are trying to stay positive though. Watch this video of a little girl who gave herself a pep talk. It's cute.
School started today and I just had to share pictures of my big first grader (and her adorable brothers and sister who so lovingly walk her to and from school each day).
Come with me as we journey across the United States to Missouri. I hope you enjoy this video tour of my house. It's the best I can do with what time I've got. You've really got to come visit! We live so close to Church History sites and besides, you can get a free serenade from the cicadas every night. They were LOUD at the park tonight. It was hurting my ears!
It's official. Both boys are now in Elementary School. This is Nate's last year in Elementary, but Marshall's first. Where did the time go? When did Marshall suddenly get old enough to be in Kindergarten?
Nate was really excited to go. He was up and happy to get going. He did his best to help Marshall be happy, but nothing was working. Marshall was not happy about school. Not one bit. Nate LOVES school, Marshall does not. School is just another interruption in Marshall's world where he wants everything to be the same! We had a morning full of meltdowns and angry faces. I just tried to be very patient and hold him on my lap and tell him he was OK. We read The Kissing Hand, by Audrey Penn this morning in my feeble attempt to get him to understand that he would be OK. Since last Thursday, we've been re
Grandpa and Grandma stopped in to visit their new granddaughter and have some fun with their grandson too. We had lots of adventures while they were in town from going on walks every day with Timber to splashing in the pool, here are some highlights from their stay:
Brody and Grandpa practicing for the airshow next month, should be exciting to watch!
Grandpa supplying the jet noise as brody finishes up his cuban 8.
Grandpa and the girls hanging out at the pool.
Evie and Grandma enjoying some snuggle time.
Grandma and Brody at the pool, Brody loves going swimming especially with Grandma.
Grandpa and Brody enjoying a new book together.
Brody loves building with his new blocks, but he loves knocking down towers even more. Thanks for all the fun and help while you were here. Brody and Evie miss you. Brody reminds me every morning by asking for you and for a walk!
This post is a bit late, but the pictures were taken when Evie was one month old. She is growing so fast, and the time is flying by. I can't believe she'll actually be six weeks old this weekend. I can't hardly remember life without her, but I feel like we were just at the hospital bringing her into this world. She is such a good baby. Although she does have her fussy time in the evenings. She loves to be held all the time. If she falls asleep in my arms, she'll wake up shortly after I put her down. If I put her down before she falls asleep, she cries because she wants to be held. Even when she fusses I can usually get her calmed down as long as I am holding her. I'm not getting much done these days other than taking care of kids, but that's my purpose in life now.
Brody loves Evie! He always wants to hold her and love on her. She doesn't get much tummy time because every time I put her down on the floor, Brody immediately tries to pick her up and hold her. He is so cute with her, and he is such a good big brother. It will be so fun to watch them grow up together.
We are in St. Joseph, and trying to get everything unpacked. The kids both start school Monday, and we have a lot to do before then. I have so much to blog about, but for now I just wanted to get this video up of Nate and Marshall's bedroom. I'll blog more soon. I promise.
Also, if you haven't already seen our new family pictures, you don't know what you're missing! I'm interested to know which ones are your favorites. I can't make any purchases yet though. Moving is too expensive!! My extremely talented sister-in-law took these pictures for us. If you want REALLY awesome pictures, you really should call her. Actually, if you need pictures done at all, call her. She is seriously the best, and not very expensive either. Check our her blog here and see why she is totally worth the price. Then come look at my family pictures here. Have you ever seen such vibrant colors??
I miss my family who is far away, but I am SO HAPPY here in St. Joe. I KNOW I was meant to be here. I'll tell you more about that later.
She had a great birthday. She opened presents after breakfast and then we jumped in the car and headed for the coast.
It was COLD the whole time we were there (apparently that is normal for the Oregon coast) but it was BEAUTIFUL. We stopped to see the beach then went on to the beach house we rented (for a screaming deal btw).
Meg wanted a giant cookie for her cake, YUM!
The next day we explored The Port of Newport.
We spent the morning looking at shops and visiting the sea lions then we headed for the beach.
The beach by our place was very private and absolutely gorgeous! Trevor and I agreed, we couldn't think of another place we have been that was more beautiful... the pictures don't do it justice.
It was cold and windy but that didn't stop the kids. They were in heaven. Especially the boys... miles of sand to dig in.
We found this little lobster in the sand. Lucky for him we don't care for seafood. ;)
The next day we went to the Hatfield science center where Trevor, Hallie, and I touched an octopus! No pictures since I was too busy trying to build up the courage to stick my hand in the giant aquarium and touch the big guy. How cool is that! They also had a petting pond for the whole family with all kinds of cool and slimy things.
We ran into a few crazy pirates...
before heading to the local lighthouse.
And finally, on the way home we stopped to see some amazing falls.
It's fun to live so close (okay 5 1/2 hours anyway) to such a beautiful part of the world.
July 3rd (11th anniversary of the day Trev and I met) we took our bikes down to the river and had a fun morning riding alongside the river trying to avoid the geese and their... umm... droppings.
On the fourth we went to a friends house in West Richland for homemade ice cream and fireworks. There were a million fireworks... it was so fun.
My folks came to visit last weekend. They wanted to check up on us and see our new home. Brandon and I picked them up from the airport Friday night and then came home and gave them the grand tour. Sorry I still haven't taken any pictures of the house since we moved in. We haven't really decorated or hung any pictures so it doesn't look like our home yet. I promise I'll post some soon.
The next morning we woke up and Brandon and my dad worked around the house while my mom and I talked and cooked lunch. That evening we went downtown. After all, what would a trip to Seattle be without going to Pike's Market? We ate dinner at this delicious crepe place and then headed to Safeco Field to watch the Mariners and Red Sox game. Miraculously the Mariners won! It was a great game and perfect weather.
Sunday we went to church, went on a walk around the neighborhood, had a BBQ, and played some games. Early Monday morning I took my parents back to the airport. It was great to have them here even if it was just for a couple days. I'm so happy they would take the time to make the trip. Thanks Mom and Dad and we'll see you in August!**Here is my dad buying post cards. He does this everywhere he travels and sends them to all the family. My dad has been traveling a lot lately so we have quiet a collection.**
She does not enjoy bath time, mostly because I think she does not like to be naked. She does, however, seem to enjoy pooping in the bath tub. Nevertheless, baths are a must in this house because we like clean kids.=)
Wednesday was Grandparent swap day. Peter left around 2pm to pick up his parents from the air port in San Antonio, and my mom left around 2:45pm to drive across the state to spend some time with her parents. Suddenly I found myself alone with two kids for the first time. All was quiet and peaceful on the home front until Brody woke up crying from his nap at about 3:30pm. From that point until about 9pm, at least one of my kids was crying, and often times they were both crying. Which ever one I wasn't currently paying attention to was not happy, and they let me know it. If I was playing with Brody, Evie was not happy. If I was changing Evie's diaper, Brody was not happy. If I was feeding Brody, Evie decided she was hungry too, and had to eat right then, so I managed to nurse Evie while feeding Brody dinner (there may have been a moment or two of no tears during the time they were both eating). If I was bathing Brody and getting him ready for bed, Evie was not happy. If I was trying to calm Evie down from letting her cry while I had Brody in the tub, Brody was not happy. I put Brody to bed at about 6:30pm, but he didn't fall asleep until 9pm. At one point I went in to check on him, and give him some medicine because he was teething, and Evie let me know she was not happy about that. I quickly tried to put Brody back to bed because Evie was screaming, and as soon as I laid him back in his crib, he let me know he was not happy about that. At one point I thought, "Why did God not give mother's more than two hands? How am I supposed to take care of two children when I only have two hands? Two hands is just not enough!" Then, the thought occurred to me, I should just be grateful I have two working hands. Is this what motherhood of two is all about? I feel so inadequate!
The funny thing is that I remember feeling overwhelmed with just one child at first, and now that I have two, I think one would be EASY. I'm sure I will feel the same way if I am blessed to have more children. When number three comes along, two will sound easy, right?! But for now, I think two is tough, and I've only been on my own with them for half of one day. Somehow we'll survive, right?!
Evie was named after these two lovely ladies. Evelyn comes from her Gran Gran's (Great-Grandmother) first name, and Jane comes from her Granny's middle name. I was also named after my Gran Gran and Granny. Lindsey is my Gran Gran's maiden name, and Joy is my Granny's middle name. These are two of the greatest women I know, and I love that I have a little girl named after them.
Evie had her 2 week check-up this week. She has gained her birth weight and some. She weighed in at 7 lbs 8 oz. That's three more ounces than when she was born. I was a little worried about her weight because she doesn't eat for very long, and spits up a lot, but I guess she is eating enough since she is gaining weight. She also grew an inch, and now measures 20 inches long. Her head circumference was 14 inches. She is already growing way too fast. She is a really good baby. I can't believe we are lucky enough to have two good babies. She has her fussy times in the evenings, but other than that she really doesn't cry much unless she's hungry or has a burp. Evie is such a blessing in our lives, and we are so glad she is a part of our family.
Brody is now 16 months old. He is growing more and more into a big little boy. Now that we have Evie, he seems to be an even bigger boy than before. It is hard to believe that in just 16 months they can grow from what Evie is to what Brody is. The time just flies by way too quickly. I don't even remember Brody being as little as Evie is now. Brody is such a great big brother. He loves his little sister, Evie. He loves to hold her, hug her and give her kisses. I hope they will grow up to be great playmates. Brody is learning how to be gentle. Playing with Evie is a lot different than playing with Timber. I think he's heard me say, "be gentle" so many times that he is even starting to say, "gentle."
Brody loves to play. He can often be found just playing in his crib when he's supposed to be taking a nap. He loves to play with his stuffed animals. His favorites are his white teddy bear and his black puppy. He is pretty good at entertaining himself. We recently got him some building blocks, so he is learning how to build towers. He especially enjoys knocking the towers over.
He's been practicing his soccer skills, and has become quite good at dribbling the ball. He enjoyed watching some of the World Cup with his daddy. Some day they hope to go to a World Cup game together.
Brody is such a sweet little boy! He says "Hi!" in the cutest way to people. He especially loves to say "Hi!" to other little kids. He gives hugs and kisses all day long. I can never get enough. He's a busy little boy, and can't stand to sit still for long. He keeps me running all day long.
We've been looking for a place to live when we move to Missouri. A WONDERFUL friend took Marshall ALL DAY for the last few days, and I spent almost the entire time scouring the Classifieds and Craigslist, calling, emailing, and just desperately trying to find SOMETHING for Brian to even look at while he's in St. Joseph. I am one who likes to have a plan. Every time we found a place, it was either already rented, or not in the school boundaries that we wanted. I keep second guessing myself. Did I really NEED the kids to go to those schools? Could I be OK with a different school? Does it matter which ward (a church congregation) we are in when we get there? St. Joseph has 2 LDS Wards. What about the look of the place? Does it really matter? Should I quit being so picky? The stress of trying to find a home is overwhelming to me. It doesn't help that I still get up every morning at 2am to do the paper route, and that I'm completely exhausted all the time. How can I just trust God? Oh, it is so hard. Finally, I swallowed my pride and turned to the scriptures. I went to the Topical Guide and looked up Trust in God. I started in the Old Testament. This one was pretty comforting. Psalms 37:3 says, "Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed."
Also, Psalms 62:8- "Trust in him at all times; ye people pour our your heart before him..."
There is also that really awesome one in Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."
I think that pretty much sums up what I need to do. I swallowed my pride (and need for control), and prayed really hard. I prayed that I could let go and know that everything would be OK. I'm still trying hard to trust, but I'm not quite as scared.
Here is a short video about someone else who learned to trust in the Lord.
I have 3 weeks left on the paper route. That will be 2 weeks by myself, train someone else for a week, and then do my last Sunday. I can't wait!! I'm so tired. Here is a song I wrote to say goodbye to my customers. I deliver up by the BYU stadium in Provo, so I decided to use the BYU fight song. You can listen to the music while you read the words below...
BYU FIGHT SONG, or the Aprilyn Fighting to Stay Awake Song<o:p>
Rise up, Aprilyn. The alarm went off; its 2am. <o:p>
On this route, the papers go out in rain or snow.<o:p>
The Herald, Trib, and News, the national papers too.<o:p>
While I run, I sing and hum. Just hang in there, youre almost through.<o:p>
<o:p>
Oh! <o:p>
Jump and Cheer, the end is quite near.<o:p>
Ive tried real hard to not be late.<o:p>
Please dont sob, Im quitting this job.<o:p>
The first of August is the date.<o:p>
Off Ill go to St. Joseph, MO with husband, sons (I have no daughters).<o:p>
My husbands done with school. Got a PhD; I think thats cool.<o:p>
WARNING: This is more of a journaling post for our memories sake, so feel free to skip this one.
Brody was born in San Antonio, and we had such a great experience with his delivery that we really wanted to try to deliver our second baby there (which we now know is Evie). I didn't want to travel up there for all of my OB appointments just to have my weight and blood pressure checked, so I went to an OB in town for all of my routine OB care. The pregnancy was normal with no complications until the end, when I tested positive with Group B Strep. We knew that I needed to be on antibiotics as soon as I went into labor, so that complicated things as far as getting to San Antonio.
A few months ago, my mom asked me when I wanted her to be here. I thought since Brody came a week early, it would be nice if she could come a week before I was due. If the baby didn't come early, she could help me get some stuff done around the house, and if the new baby decided to come early like her brother, she would be here to help out with Brody. She bought a ticket for July 2nd, exactly a week before my due date. We planned to drive up to San Antonio on the 2nd (Friday), and spend the weekend up there, hoping maybe I would go into labor, and we could deliver up there.
On Wednesday, June 30th, I had a routine OB appointment, and my doctor checked to see if I was dilating. I was dilated to 1cm. This could mean something or nothing. I was dilated to 1cm for at least a week with Brody.
Thursday night, July 1st, I started having some pretty strong and consistent contractions in the middle of the night. They were about 5 minutes apart. I debated whether or not we should jump in the car and drive to San Antonio, or whether I needed to go to the hospital here in town. I prayed that I could have just one more day, so that my mom could make it into town. The contractions eventually went away.
We got up the next morning, and got everything packed up and ready to go. We drove up to San Antonio, ran a few errands, grabbed some dinner, got checked into our hotel room, and put Brody to bed. Around 8pm, I was having contractions again, and they were about 5 minutes apart. I prayed that I could hold on a few more hours until my mom got there. Her flight was due in at 11pm. I went and laid down around 9pm to try to get some rest. At 10:30pm, Peter left to go pick my mom up at the airport. He asked me how I was feeling, and I told him I was fine, and that the contractions must have stopped because I was able to fall asleep.
As soon as he left, I started having contractions again. This time they were even stronger than they had been before. I laid in bed and timed them for about a half hour until I decided I should get up, take a shower, and be ready to go to the hospital when they got back. My mom's flight was a little delayed. On their way back to our hotel, my mom texted me from Peter's phone, and jokingly asked if I was ready to go to the hospital. I replied, "Yes." Peter got the text, and asked my mom what she had asked me. She told him that she had asked if I was ready to go to the hospital. He immediately called to check on me. I told him my contractions were coming closer together, and getting stronger, and that I thought we should go to the hospital as soon as they got back. They literally walked in the door, I spewed some instructions to my mom about what to feed Brody, and stuff like that, and then we left for the hospital.
When I got to the hospital I was dilated to 4cm. They admitted me, but it took a while to get things rolling. Since I had not had my routine OB care there, they did not have any of my blood work or anything, so they had to run labs before I could get my epidural. It also took a while to get my antibiotics started, which I was a little frustrated about. The doctor had to order the the antibiotics before the nurse could administer them, and there didn't seem to be much urgency. Finally they got me on the antibiotics at about 2:20am, and the epidural came sometime after that (not soon enough).
They wanted me on the antibiotics for four hours, so they didn't want me to deliver until after 6am. They also didn't want to check to see how I was progressing because they didn't want to break my water prematurely. They finally did check me at one point (I can't remember what time it was), and I was still only dilated to 4cm, but they said my water was bulging, and could break any minute. I was a little frustrated that I hadn't made any progress because I felt like I was having such hard contractions. At 5:30am the doctor came in to check on me. She checked me, and I was dilated to 8cm. She decided to break my water, and she told me that it might take me two more hours to dilate to 10cm because on average it takes 30 minutes to dilate 1/2cm. I didn't know if I could stand two more hours of this labor. The epidural took some of the edge off, but I had spots that the epidural didn't take at all. The doctor also told me that the baby was face up, so it might be harder to push her out unless she turned on her own. Great! That's just what I wanted to hear.
Soon after they broke my water, I started feeling A LOT of pressure. Peter asked me if I felt like I needed to push because they had told me to let them know if I needed to push. I told him I wanted to push, but I didn't "have" to push. The pressure kept building, but I thought I needed to wait two more hours because I hadn't dilated enough yet to start pushing. Finally, I couldn't stand the pressure any more, so Peter went to tell them I needed to push.
Suddenly, there was an army of doctors and nurses in my room. It's a teaching hospital, so there were students there as well. The doctor checked me, and sure enough I was dilated to 10cm, and ready to start pushing. I pushed 4 times, and Evie made her debut. It was so much easier pushing her out than Brody. I never did feel that pressure and urge to push with Brody.
Our little Evelyn Jane (Evie) was born at 6:28am on July 3rd. She weighed 7 lbs. 5 oz, and measured 19 inches long.
We were kind of hoping for a July 4th baby, but I'm glad she decided to come on the 3rd. She was one of four deliveries at that hospital that night, and on the 4th of July, they had so many deliveries that they didn't have enough rooms for everyone, and the babies were all coming at the same time, and they didn't have enough doctors there, so a nurse had to deliver two of the babies. Then, they were running out of supplies because they had so many more births than they ever expected.
What can I say? My babies just have good timing.
I think people thought we were crazy when we told them we were going to go to San Antonio for the weekend and see if we could have this baby, but it just always seems to work out for us. With Brody, we went to San Antonio for my 39 week check-up, and had planned to stay up there until the baby was born. The doctor checked me that day, and said I was still only dilated to 1cm, and that I wouldn't do anything for at least another week, and that I should just go back home for another week. Well, I went into labor at about 5:00pm that evening, and Brody was born 32 hours later.
I guess our babies just wanted to be born in San Antonio because they sure were cooperative with our schedules.
We're so happy to have Evie as a part of our family now. She is such a good baby, she just needs to get her nights and days figured out. All in good time!
A few friends asked for pictures of the new house so here they are...
Kaye took this picture of our family a few days after we got here.
Hallie and Megan get their own room now. Megan is really missing Hallie and begs every night to sleep with her.
Hallie, on the other hand, is really enjoying the space. ;)
Kitchen nook
Kitchen
Family room downstairs
We bought 5 bookshelves when we got here and I thought we would have tons of empty space in them. Do YOU see any extra space?! Seriously, how do we have so much stuff?!
Master bedroom
My mom made these beautiful drapes when she came to visit. Thanks Mom!
Master bathroom
Found the perfect spot for our family silhouettes.
Living room
And just in case you think my house is actually this clean... well, here's what you didn't see:
This is how the kitchen usually looks.
Bigger kitchen = bigger mess. The other side of the master bedroom.
Piles of laundry spread all over the house.
What is supposed to be a kitchenette is being used as a dumping ground.
I'll post the other rooms when I've gotten a handle on them... if that ever happens.
We are loving our new house we just wish these guys were our neighbors. I could use a walk right now Kristine... :(
Evelyn Jane Raber "Evie" joined the family this morning at 0630. She weighed in at 7 lbs 5 oz, and was 19 inches long. She has lots of dark brown hair just like her Momma. Both her and Mom are healthy and happy. Here are some pictures of our new addition.
Wow, June 2010 will not soon be forgotten by our little family. I have absolutely no pictures of the first half of the month because I didn't even take my camera to Utah. I flew with all 4 kids by myself... I feel panicky just remembering it. Not fun. But we made it safe and sound and enjoyed a great week with family and friends. Trevor's parents were good enough to drive up to Washington with us and help us get the truck unloaded. I don't know what we would have done without help... it was so overwhelming.
Since we weren't planning on buying the house the last time we walked through it (we decided when we got home) I didn't look at it as closely as I would have and I couldn't remember a lot of things about it so when we pulled up after a looong day of driving and walked through the house I felt like I was floating on air. It was soooo much nicer and bigger and... well it was such a pleasant surprise and the kids were thrilled too (mostly to get out of the car I think).
My favorite thing about the house is this set of windows that you see immediately when you walk in the door. They measure about 5ft high and 14ft wide and we have a beautiful view of Kennewick, the Columbia river, and some of the bridges. I LOVE it!
I had to take this picture because it was one of the rare moments when Campbell was not clinging to me for dear life and was actually smiling. Turns out Campbell doesn't "do change". He has had a really rough time with everything and mostly whined and cried and clung to me all of June. He ended up in our bed or at least on the floor by our bed every night saying he is scared or his "tummy hurts". Poor kid.
Finally, in the last few days he has really started to act like himself again... hallelujah
We were so happy to see some familiar Kentucky faces in Washington. Christina and Dave are dear friends of ours. They moved to Kentucky when we did and found out this past spring that they were also moving to Washington this summer. It is one of the "tender mercies" we have experienced with all this change our family is experiencing.
They came to help us move in the day after we arrived. They are such good friends and I'm so grateful they're not far (only 2 1/2 hrs) away.
Who needs the TV when you've got dump trucks and backhoes in your backyard?!
We got right to work on the backyard so the kids will have a place to play this summer. It has been a BIG job.
And a BIG mess. How can a 3 year old boy resist all that dirt? He can't! So, he has a lot of baths and I do a lot of laundry. ;0
I caught him taking a bath with his hat on. Silly boy.
My parents, Dustin and his family, and Melissa and little Avery came up to help us get settled. It was so fun to have everyone here. At one point we had 21 people here... it was a full house!
Taking another bath.
My parents have a new puppy "missy". The grand kids are infatuated with her.
Dave came back a few day later to help us with our sprinkler system... bless you Dave.
Trev and Dave had there own little audience from the deck.
Plenty of big boxes to play in.
Trevor made a maze out of some of them for the kids..good times.
More work on the yard. Thanks for your help dad and Dustin (not in picture).
We thought we were ready for sod but the guy doing our fence disagreed so we still have a back yard of dirt. He is supposed to put sod in today... it doesn't look like it is going to happen... again... grrrrr
On a pleasant note, Campbell is officially a "big boy". After attempting potty training 3 times unsuccessfully in Kentucky my mom bought him some "spiderman underpants" and the next day he had them on and kept them dry for most the day. We are on day 7 now and he is doing great!! YAY!!! Hallie and Megan haven't met a whole lot of friends yet but they sure have enjoyed each other. I love to watch them play together and take care of each other.
We did it! We finished the Rock n' Roll Seattle Marathon! It was so much fun and such a beautiful course.
The night before the big race we went down to Qwest field to pick up our bib numbers and goodies bag. We then shopped at the huge Expo where we bought shirts, fleeces, and running socks...and of course ate all the free samples of power bars, granola, etc. Jim and Debby were over this way because of some work meetings and decided to stay the weekend to help cheer us on at the race. After the Expo, we all went to The Old Spaghetti Factory to carb load!! Then it was off to bed. Brandon and I had decided we wanted to get a hotel downtown the night before because we didn't want to wake up extra early to fight traffic and parking. We stayed at the Westin Hotel in downtown Seattle and had the most awesome view overlooking the city and Sound. The next morning we woke up at 4:30am to catch the 5am shuttle to the start line in Tukwila. The shuttle pick up was right outside our hotel lobby (soooo great). Once we got to the start line we sat and waited with the other 27,000 runners for the race to start. Finally we were all off and running around 7:30am.
The course was beautiful and the weather was perfect. We made our way along Lake Washington and Seward Park. We even got to run on the I-90 floating bridge. We then went up by Lake Union and the Space Needle. All along the way were local rock bands and cheer teams to pump us up and keep us going. I loved the energy of this run. It felt so much bigger than St. George and the time seemed to pass by much faster.
We finally made it back to Qwest Field in 4 hours 30 minutes and enjoyed all the free food and rock concert by Tonic! It was so much fun to run this race with Brandon! He was a rock star! The longest run he had done before the marathon was 14 or 15 miles. That's a big jump to go from that to 26.2 miles. He did get sick to his stomach afterward but by the next day he was fine. And then within a couple days he wasn't even sore anymore! He left for Alaska again Monday morning and the other night when we were talking on the phone he said he wanted to do another marathon! ;) Now we are getting ready to move on Saturday! I have been slowly packing up the apartment over the last couple weeks. I can't wait to be done with transition and just be in our new home. We are so excited for this change but so sad to leave our good friends in Redmond!
I know, I can hardly believe it myself. Kimball turned one a little over a week ago. This year has gone by so incredibly fast, 4 kids has definitely kept me busy!
Kimball had a great day full of presents, swimming and cake! He is such a happy little camper. My friends always ask if he is always this good and yes, he usually is! (Well now that I learned how to fit naps into his schedule and he is over all his ear infections :)
He is definitely a busy body, I don't know what I was thinking putting him next to all those presents and expecting him to look at the camera. Obviously he was not interested in posing, lol.
He has been such a bundle of joy, we really enjoy having him in our family. He and I got to take a trip to Salt Lake for the weekend before his birthday, and even though he was with my sister, Emily, most of the time (and I was with my old college roommates), I really enjoyed just having him and seeing his personality. He seriously lit up the minute we waved goodbye to the rest of the family at LAX and then started screaming the minute they picked us up again. Sorry Kimball, but all good vacations must come to an end :)
Camron got creative with Kimball's birthday hats, and of course Benson had to follow suit. It was too funny to not get a picture, and of course share with all my friends (lol, I'm sure Camron will be thrilled with this post :)
So after being in Spokane for two weeks and taking notes while watching this stud: (my little brother Dallan) play tennis, Benson decided to take up the sport himself.
Check out that racket and tennis ball. This kid will turn anything into a sport :)
Obviously this is not the best time to be trying to sell a house when I am 37 weeks pregnant, have a one year old running loose around the house all the time, and a dog that sheds like crazy, but nonetheless, we are trying to sell our house.
This morning I had plans to take Brody to the pool, and meet up with some friends. At 10:05am, my phone rang, and Peter informed me that someone wanted to come look at the house this morning, but he wasn't sure what time, maybe 10:30 or 11:00. Yikes! Panic!!!
I had just gotten out of the shower, and was dressed in my swimsuit (not really appropriate attire for trying to show and sell a home). I quickly changed, and started running around the house like a crazy pregnant woman, picking up things, and hiding things, and wiping counter tops, and vacuuming as fast as I could (I'm sure I was a sight to see).
The dishes in the dishwasher were clean, and there were dirty breakfast dishes in the sink. I unloaded the dishwasher, and just shoved dishes in the dishwasher with no rhyme or reason.
It's laundry day, so I had piles of laundry all over the laundry room. I shoved some in the washer, and threw the rest on top of the washer.
As I was vacuuming like crazy, I was hoping that I wouldn't throw myself into labor.
Meanwhile, I was texting my friends to let them know I was going to be a little late for our pool outing, and trying to get a hold of Peter to see if he was able to pin down a more definite show time. When I finally did get a hold of Peter, he said the realtor was supposed to call me. Before I got off the phone with him, my other line was ringing, and sure enough, it was the realtor. She was just down the street, and wanted to know if now was a god time to stop by. Sure!
I quickly put the vacuum away, even though I had only vacuumed about half of the house, and stashed my duster somewhere, I can't remember where at the moment (I'll have to hunt it down later). I ran around turning on all the lights, opening up all the bedroom doors, and opening all the blinds.
Brody slept through the whole ordeal, thank goodness.
I was actually quite impressed with what I was able to accomplish in such a short time, but of course it was not in show condition by my standards. Oh well!
My goal when we first put the house on the market was to never go to bed without the house being in show condition because I just knew I would eventually have a day like this. Well, being pregnant kind of put a damper on those plans. Anyway, we survived another showing! Can't wait for the next one!=) Oh the adventures!!!
I added a baby poll to the sidebar, so you can vote for whether you think our baby is a boy or girl. Time will tell!
I had a sonogram done yesterday at my 37 week check-up, but my doctor made sure not to show us anything too revealing, and I don't have a sonogram picture to post because the only one they gave me doesn't even look like anything. They took a bunch of measurements, and the baby is 37 weeks developed (right on track). The doctor said the baby looks to weigh just under 7 lbs, so I'll probably be delivering a baby just over 7 lbs. Thank goodness my babies don't take after me because I was a 9 lb baby. The only bad news we received yesterday was that I tested positive for Group B Strep. That just means that as soon as I go into labor I have to get to the hospital, so they can get me on antibiotics in time before the delivery.
Brody loves the water! He was so cute just relaxing in this little tube. I think he would have spent all day swimming in the lake if we would let him. Can you tell he's been in the water quite a while by his wrinkly little feet? I just love those chunky feet!
Thanks Rogers for taking us out on your boat. We are missing our boat, but it's always nice to have friends with a boat.=)
Peter has been working hard to get our yard to look a little more appealing to potential buyers. He often comes home after working all day, and heads out to work in the yard in the 95 degree Texas heat. I've offered to help pull weeds, but he won't let me in my pregnant condition. Sometimes we go out and just sit on the driveway, and keep him company while he works. The other day it was just too blazing hot out there for me, so we sat inside the dining room in the air condition, and watched him pull weeds in the heat. Brody and Timber were actually entertained for quite a while. Brody loves to play with the rocks in our rock beds, but he hasn't figured out how to pull the weeds yet. Someday!=)
We took some friends to do a T-6 simulator this week, so we took advantage of the opportunity to get some photos with the T-6. I think Peter will miss flying this plane, but he is looking forward to a change. Good thing he's in the Air Force, so he gets to change jobs every so often. Here is a family photo with the T-6. We hope to be able to get a picture with the T-6 that has Peter's name on it before we leave here. Here is a picture of Brody in the simulator. He liked wearing the headset. I'm sure he's giving some kind of signal they use when they're flying formation, but I'll have to ask Peter what that signal means. Now if only he could reach the pedals . . .
Brody got his first haircut with clippers today. He was quite a trooper! He didn't cry or anything. I thought the sound of the clippers might upset him, but he was totally fine with it. He even sat fairly still for a 15 month old. We thought about waiting until my mom came to visit in a few weeks, but his hair was getting pretty shaggy. We thought about attempting to cut it ourselves, but I can only imagine what a crazy haircut our poor baby would have to live with if I were on the cutting end of those clippers. Thanks to our friend, Joni, Brody received a great haircut. I'm so impressed with your skills girl!
I can't believe I am already 36 weeks pregnant! Where has the time gone?! My little pregnancy ticker on the sidebar scares me every time I get on our blog because the days just keep clicking by, and before I realize it we're going to have another baby. I can't believe it! We're less than a month away from my due date, and I'm not ready.
I'm definitely not ready for labor, but it's just around the corner, and I can't do anything to stop it. I think I'm more scared about labor this time than I was last time because now I actually know what to expect.
I'm not ready to have a toddler and a newborn, but that's going to be my reality in just a few short weeks. I feel like I've just managed to get life under control with one kid, and now we're going to add another. What would life be without a little adventure, right?!
I'm not ready for the lack of sleep that comes along with a newborn, but I'm trying to take all the naps I can now (wishing it were possible to store up on sleep - wishful thinking).
I AM ready to not be pregnant anymore, and be able to function a little more normally. I can't wait to be able to roll over in bed in the middle of the night without it taking huge amounts of effort, and to no longer have heartburn when I lie down, and to be able to see my toes again, and to not be exhausted just from standing still with all the extra weight I'm carrying around, and to not have so much pressure on my bladder all the time, and to be able to make fewer trips to the bathroom. Oh the joys of pregnancy. Peter keeps asking me how many more times I want to do this, but of course I would do it again in a heartbeat.
I am ready to meet this new little one. I wonder what it looks like; boy or girl, hair or bald, hair color (if any), etc. I can't wait to hold my baby in my arms, and smell that sweet baby smell. I can't wait for family to come visit, and meet the newest member of our family.
I am so excited and so nervous for what lies ahead, but I am so thankful to be on this journey with such a wonderful husband. He is so good to me! I especially love that he is such a good daddy. We have some crazy adventures ahead of us these next few months with welcoming a new bundle of joy into our family, and moving to Hawaii a few months later, and although I know things are going to be crazy for a while, I am excited to be on this adventure together. I love my family, and I'm so glad they are mine FOREVER!!!
We don't usually allow Brody to play in Timber's crate, although he tries every chance he gets. The other day I took Timber out to go to the bathroom, and when we came back inside, this is what we found:
Lindsey likes sugar, milk, and fruit with her oatmeal in the morning. She usually cuts up the fruit while Brody snacks on a few cheerios to quiet him down a little. We know he likes strawberries, so when we sat down to eat and he pointed at my bowl and rubbed his tummy and said peeeeaaase, I knew he wanted some strawberries. Well he ate almost all the strawberries off the top of my oatmeal, but there were a few left. I tried to feed him the last couple strawberries, but he shook his head no and said ball, I tried again knowing there was no ball in sight and since he calls everyone in a flight suit "DaDa," I figured he was just confused. Well Brody just got louder and more enthusiastic, he said bal, balll, BALLL, BALLLLL! Finally, I figured out he wanted the blueberries that were stuck on top of the oatmeal (what a smart little fella - apparently anything round is a ball). He of course downed all the blueberries in my bowl giggling quietly as he ate, then he stuffed all the blueberries on top of Lindsey's oatmeal into his mouth then we washed the rest of the blueberries in the fridge and he finished those off too. I think we have a little fruit-aholic on our hands. He regularly eats one and sometimes two bananas in the morning and the other day he downed a ton of watermelon. He just loves to stuff his cheeks with food what a little monkey.
This week, I'm thankful for the mountains. I've been hiking twice this week, and I just love the view! Thursday I took the Webelos Scouts (Remember that part about saying NO? Apparently I forgot.) We did a 3-mile hike, with me carrying Marshall most of the way. The hike was beautiful, and we enjoyed cooling off at Bridal Veil Falls.
Here is Nate showing us the starting point for our hike. We walked 3.5 miles.
The highlight of this hike was the BEAUTIFUL Bridal Veil Falls. It was so beautiful!
Then, on Saturday we decided to be brave, and hike up to Squaw Peak.
It was difficult at times, especially for 5 year old Marshall, but he was a trooper. Brian carried him for part of the way, but he walked most of it.
The total distance was about 7 miles. The summit was BEAUTIFUL, and totally worth the hike. Here we are at the top.
Every time we got near the Provo River, Marshall wanted to touch the water. He loves water!!
So we got some new updated pictures of Brinley and I. We picked out our favorite ones and we thought we would share them with you. Hope you enjoy them. We are loving Spokane and enjoying the time we are having with granny and papa. I hope you all are doing well and we will talk to you soon. Love Hadley
Wow it's been a while since we've posted on here. Well, where to begin? The last few weeks/ months have been quite stressful, and joyful, as I've found most things in life are. Those two things in my life seem to co-exist quite a bit. After 5 years of living in our small starter home the time had come to move so a place that would offer a little more space for our ever growing family. That move happened last week. If someone would have asked me how long it takes to completely re-model a 1000 sq foot home while living in it (including having two children and three dogs) I would have told you that I had no idea. Today I can tell you it takes exactly 5 years. To the day. When we signed the dotted line to sell our house I had just finished putting the finishing touches on the paint less than an hour before. It was a bitter sweet feeling, leaving the place that we brought our two children home to. The place where we first became dog owners (as a married couple) and then dog owners again..... and again...3 dogs is enough. It was the place where our son James took his first steps (and consequently his first falls). It had been the location of many family diners, family prayers, and family home evenings. Its walls have also heard their share of swear words from fingers hit with hammers, and home projects gone wrong. It was more than just a house. It was our home. We are settling in to our new place. The difference from moving from a 2 bedroom to a 4 is a little overwhelming, 1100 sq ft to 2400 is a change. But were making the adjustment. James is enjoying his new room and running throughout the house as the dog chases him. Tiff and I are enjoying not having to remodel anything, because it's already done. (I trust it's only a matter of time before I find something to occupy my time =) ) We are all looking forward to making many new memories and making our new house our new home. WE are indeed grateful for all we have been blessed with.
We will bless our little girl Hadley on the 31st of this month. So this sunday. It will be done in Spokane at Jim and Debbys ward. We would love to see any one who feels inclined to attend.
Marcy was a beautiful bride! They had LOTS of family and friends there to help celebrate!
This is Jana and me waiting outside the temple for the bride and groom to come out! Marcy, Jana, and I were roommates in the Enclave 2+ years ago. We were all dating our future hubbies! We have tons of crazy/funny memories together! Next time we are all together we will play Bocce! ;)
Isn't my husband HANDSOME!?!
The first 2 days were in Utah were dedicated to the wedding but after the bride and groom left on their honeymoon Brandon and I were able to spend some time with my family. Saturday my parents took us to the Mayan Restaurant and Inception on the IMAX. The Mayan has a fun atmosphere and while you eat there is a diving show. And for anyone who hasn't seen Inception...you really need to. It is the best movie I've seen in a long time. 
Sunday was the day we got all of the family together (except the Shamos who are still in CT) for a big dinner and fun. It was great to see everyone. Here is Brandon and Brigham throwing the football. (Brig and Jake just started their 1st season of contact football!)
Kail showed us how to play baseball. He is a good hitter and throws a wicked curve ball!
Kalvin found this feather. He would chase (and scream) after it whenever the wind would blow it away!
The kids flew kites. The wind was touch and go so it required a lot of FAST running!
Watch out Isaac...
And most importantly I got to meet this guy! Nathan Grant Brown was born in July! He is a very special and beautiful baby! Congrats again Chris and Greg on the new addition!
I thought this was a really cute one of Nate and his mom!
And most importantly I got to meet this guy! Nathan Grant Brown was born in July! He is a very special and beautiful baby! Congrats again Chris and Greg on the new addition!
Brandon and the kids. This picture is strangely familiar. (Check out this post) I don't know what it is but kids love to pile on top of this guy!
Monday I went golfing for the first time in my life. I shot a 129! I can only describe my skills in one word: AWFUL!!! I'm glad we only counted the swings were I actually hit the ball. My score might have been over 200 if we included all my 'strikes!' For Family Night my parents took us to a Bees game. It was a close game but the Bees came out victorious! 
Brandon and the kids. This picture is strangely familiar. (Check out this post) I don't know what it is but kids love to pile on top of this guy!
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Brody is now 16 months old. He is growing more and more into a big little boy. Now that we have Evie, he seems to be an even bigger boy than before. It is hard to believe that in just 16 months they can grow from what Evie is to what Brody is. The time just flies by way too quickly. I don't even remember Brody being as little as Evie is now.
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The next morning we woke up at 4:30am to catch the 5am shuttle to the start line in Tukwila. The shuttle pick up was right outside our hotel lobby (soooo great). Once we got to the start line we sat and waited with the other 27,000 runners for the race to start. Finally we were all off and running around 7:30am.
The highlight of this hike was the BEAUTIFUL Bridal Veil Falls. It was so beautiful! 
