Getting ready

Its been a busy day today...soccer games, fixing Gabe's motorcycle, family reunion, mowing the lawn, washing clothes, packing bags, go on a date, and watch a late movie with the kids. It has been So FUN!!!!

Everyone is excited for the new arrival tomorrow its all the kids could talk about.

Toothless Grin

It's not very often that you will find both teeth missing in the front. I think Ely was the first in the family. She lost one by running into the back of Bryn and the other from eating a Popsicle and it all happened within a week of each other.

Conversation

between Ely and Isaac

Ely " I know a boy named Cole and he likes the color pink and purple."

Isaac "Seriuosly...he does!"

Ely "Yeah and he loves me and I always run away from him."

Check

This week has a big to-do and I hope that I can get thru it all.

Go to Costco: get CD-R, wipes (must have...don't forget) & some food...check
Tires rotated...check
Mow the Lawn...check
Hearth and Home...closed when I got there, goes on tomorrows list...did this

What else do I need to put on the list:
paint downstairs to get ready for carpet....ummmm, may have to wait.
weed the front yard...wait til september
get some diapers...did this
UPS office...did this
call insurance agent
find out babysitting
take the kids swimming on last time for the summer
clean the house and hope it can stay clean...not sure about that one
get nails filled...must
edit one more session...did this
call clients that want to schedule for august...did this
make a post again about not scheduling for august and september
make sure I have all the props I need for the baby's pictures



I pretty much want to get it all done we'll see what does get CHECKED off.

Baby's room is done

I would like to say we are ready to have him come but not quite. I don't have a car seat yet for him but the room is done. I just need to get a few more things like diapers wipes and some clothes and we should be good. Yeah! Can't wait to meet this little guy named Beckam...that's what everyone likes. I just haven't totally committed to yet because we haven't seen him yet. Oh, and there still is a debate on the spelling Beckm or Beckam and if you know Greg the first is s joke and when he tells people he gets a good reaction.

Hair gone

A week ago I (yes, I did it) chopped all of Isaac's hair off. It might have been about 3 inches. He looks so handsome. He really likes it to because its like Gabe.

Caught

Gabe just got caught toilet papering and the best part is I thought he had been here the whole night. He wouldn't sneek out...but I did hear some kids outside and thought I wonder if that is Gabe and friends but this pregnant butt didn't get up to check I just kept editing. So, we woke him up and asked "did you do it?" he said "yes" and off he went to get it cleaned up.

****update: Gabe got it all cleaned up but ended up doing it all himself and was a little bummed and believes that his friends added to the toilet paper mess. He was really upset that the blame was put on him and in his eyes it was all of them that came up with it. So what is he going to learn from it? I'm not sure yet, we will see.
Sorry Andrea Gabe was in tears after it happened.

So today he feels better. He is getting into this...he wants to pull pranks but I don't think its in his sweet heart to do it.

Fish

My kids are little fish. We can go swimming for hours, a typical time at the pool would be from 1-6. This little one did not like to go under the water he didn't want to get water in his ears. Since I put him into swimming lessons his confidence level went a thousand times. I can't get this guy out of the water.

Happy Birthday Elyse

Last night was the last night she would be 6 she is officially 7 now not 6 and 3/4. Her Birthday started Friday when she had Madelynn sleep over. She then invited a few friends (Taya, Kylee and Madelynn) to come to the pool with us today as we ventured off to the Lindon pool...it was a blast!







She didn't want cake and so we got cookies but they were a little hard to put the candles in them so I stuck them in the ice cream. FUN!

And the 7 things we love about Elyse:

1- Happy all the time.
2- She shares everything of hers.
3- She loves to read to us.
4- Love to hear her laugh.
5- Has funny comments.
6- Smart
7- Kind, Full of Grace, Big Heart, & wants to do what is right all the time.

Work

Bryn has been learning the value of work and get paid. She likes to clean up her own messes and get paid for them and I say nope you gotta do a job that is extra not one that you created. So, today she was taught by Gabe to mow the lawn. She did a really good job to.
This summer has been all about making money and going to Wal-mart to spend it. They will ride their bikes their and I think what they love is the freedom to roam the store and find something to buy and today Elyse went with them.
They have all spent a lot of time together due to the neighbors being out of town or busy. Its been fun to see all the creative things they have done and how well they get along with each other. Don't get me wrong they have some differences but for the most part they are all great friends.
Today Bryn made a shirt...her very own design. Gabe helped cut everything out for her while Isaac Ely and I ran some errands.

Me pregnant

Because it’s me in front of the camera. It was a little…well, I just didn’t like it very much. I have a complex about seeing myself on film but I do it so that my children can remember me at anytime not just in high school or when I got married…all the after I’ve had children and even the pregnant times. I do have to say it was hard and I really feel for my clients.

I love the photos THANK YOU so much Stephanie for taking them for me. Just gotta swallow my pride and get past the issues and know that my kids will love seeing me…at least I think they will.

FYI: I am due August 7th and I plan, though the doctor doesn’t know this yet, on being induced a week early. I will not be taking any more sessions until October maybe longer I just don’t know how this having 5 children will be for me (just know I will be taking care of those that are scheduled don’t worry about that). So, if your wanting the fall family sessions contact me to get scheduled or if I fill up I will give you some referrals.

Peace Out!!!!

Money Pit - post from my business blog

Gotta write it down while the frustration is FRESH in my mind. But also know that I am really writing this with a smile…cuz it is kinda funny!

So 3 years ago we buy a house to remodel thinking this will be FUN!!!! And it is - when you see the progress. But in those 3 years you don’t plan on the economy taking a dive and then property value goes down and the best part is the husband has been out of work for a year (as in steady income)…as of 2 days ago he now has a steady income that I can be happy with.
At this point we have come along way on the remodel mostly focusing on the inside and I am loving how it has turned out. But while we are REPLACING we also FIXING and by now it’s getting OLD and I’m a little tired.
Today I am walking into my kitchen and I see that the floor is wet in the basement and so I decide to take a better look at it and come to find out it’s flooding…I want to SCREAM and then CRY I can’t keep up…then the smile appears on my face, thinking back to a few days ago when I told my kids that our house could burn down and I would be fine with it (they were appalled that I would say such a thing) but just as long as my family and my photos could get out safely.
So, I sit here typing while I have 3 rooms in my basement completely wet and I really don’t care. I think it would be awesome if the flood technician says that the carpet is no good and you should replace it…wouldn’t that be COOL!
At this point I pretty much think this house is not worth the fight. It’s dying as fast as we are fixing it.
But HEY give me a few days and I will be right back into what else can I do to make it better.

Here is a look at the house. The curb appeal is gone but it has potential - right! That’s what we thought buying it few years ago.
It could use a new exterior, & windows, I wanted to add some posts to the exterior. Then the landscape now that’s another friggin’ story…is there anyone who wants to do trade?!? If I could get rid of those darn weeds…they haunt me everyday. Here is some advice to any out there buying a home - flower beds are not cool they are too much work so don’t have them - it will save time weeding.

My Little Enstien

This is his wonderful bed head hair that we are graced with in the morning and I thought of Enstien this time.

Just an update

Last weekend Isaac learned how to ride a 2 wheeler at Tye's house. It was a surprise because I could barely get him to ride his new spider man bike he got for his birthday and now he is on a 2 wheeler. On the ride home all he could talk about was how he needed to get his training wheels off and that he was too big for them. Pictures to come soon.




Father's and son's was a blast. Gabe brought his own tent and so Isaac wanted one to...one of Greg's old ones it had some missing pieces to get it setup right but he was able to jimmy rig it to work and it took Isaac all of 2 secs to decide he didn't want to sleep alone. It sounds like there was a lot of playing, rope swinging, zip line, canoeing, a large campfire (that I here Gabe started making and it didn't stop there he had to come home and make one to), obstacle course, rope bridge and singing by the fire...something like cumbya.
*no pics to show of this event. last time I sent the camera and it never left the spot I put it in so I didn't send one this time.
The girls had some time together we went swimming, then food Cafe Rio and Taco Amigo, visited Grannie Annie...got nails painted. We stopped to get a movie and ended up with 3 then did our own campfire at home and ended the night watching tooth fairy in my bed and then Dear John it wasn't until 2 a.m. before we got some shut eye...sleep in time was about 10. Elyse's quote was "this is the best day ever."

Father's Day

I don't know how great of a day it was for Dad (you have to remember this is written from my perspective). After church we came home and had a wonderful nap together. During this nap the kids made cards for Dad, Grandpa, and Grandpa Darrell and Gabe cleaned up all the mess and went beyond that and did the dishes too. It was so wonderful to me. He knew that Dad had all the jobs today so he did them for him. I know Dad loved it he was still a little sleepy to respond. So we had dinner went to visit my Grandpa Lewis and ran into Darrell as we were leaving and then visited Loren.

We are so grateful for you. You are the best for all of us. We love how you keep us laughing at your animated stories and even at you. I know the kids love their special dates they get to have with you and they will never forget them.
YOU ARE THE BEST DAD EVER!!!!!!

A Birthday Bash for Gabe

11 things we love about Gabe

1- He is so willing to help.
2- Wants to do what is RIGHT.
3- An inventor, very creative one.
4- He loves to be better: at soccer, being a brother a son or a friend, at trying new things out like racquetball.
5- Responsible
6- He loves LAUGH
7- He works hard to earn money. For his Birthday he got $160 and counting because of his earnings.
8- Big Heart
9- Handsome
10- Beautiful smile
11- He plans to serve a mission

We love having this BOY in our family he like the rest of them make it complete.









So another year has past and Gabe is now 1 year older and wiser and a little mischievous. I can't tell yet. He was showing off a little too much.
He had such a blast it started out with playing some racquetball with Dad and going out to eat at In & Out, going to the pool, jumping off of the roof onto the tramp, and checking out the new movie Karate Kid. He also stayed up late I think it was like 1 or 2 that he finally got some shut eye. And then it started back up the next day around 9 Calvin was knocking at the door.
Gabe & Calvin have been inseparable since summer started mostly spending their days at Calvin's though, it might be because they get away with more over there...I don't know, Calvin is a little homebody.
Boys don't want their photo taken so I had to get creative and asked them to pretend to fight and as Gabe put up his fist his elbow hit him right in the face. But they thought it was COOL!
He doesn't want me to take any photos to he was trying to hide behind his hand but I got a little something.

Free Kittens

It was tough but the kids let go of the kittens this weekend. I am excited they will have a good home to go to instead of the shelter. I have to admit I was a little sad to have them gone too. It was fun to hear them playing around in the mud room and finding them in the hamper sleeping together. It was a joy to have them to love. We did get some tears last night because Bryn and fallen in love with one particular one named puff ball...yes, they named all of them and could tell them apart. She was the cuddliest and the one that they all loved most.

Jaz, cute eyes, puff ball, vanilla puff I think were the names...I'm gonna have to ask the kids.