The Clevenger Family

A boy and his apple

2012-01-09T01:33:00.000-08:00

Would someone please invent a freeze/hold button already. He is just too darn cute and I want it to last just a little longer.

Merry "Kiwi" Christmas!

2011-12-24T19:24:00.000-08:00

The Trimmings

2011-12-20T22:15:00.000-08:00

We've had to get a little creative with the holiday decor this year. Thank heavens for salt dough, paper chains and pipe cleaner candy canes! It's actually been really fun and I think it's my favorite tree ever. It's so perfectly and uniquely ours. The kids love seeing the ornaments they made and they are absolutely priceless to me.

And of course we needed three nativities so everyone could color and play with their own. I think we've been saving toilet paper rolls for months!

All in all it's been as festive as can be. Our elf is lost somewhere between America and here thanks to the wonderful people at Barnes and Noble. The children have been extremely disappointed as each day has passed and he is still not here. I've assured them that Santa understands and will still be keeping a close eye until he gets here--if he gets here. Note to self: Don't tell children until item is in hand! One month with expedited shipping is still not enough time for something to arrive from the US.

Te Urewera National Park

2011-12-19T17:58:00.000-08:00

Te Urewera is one of the more remote national parks in New Zealand. It's quite an interesting drive to get there, a twisty dirt road through a few mountain ranges and small isolated Maori towns. Funny thing about this trip is my eyes were closed with my head hung out the window most of the trip. I was so incredibly car sick and I have never been car sick before in my life. It was like being in the first trimester of pregnancy times 10! We decided it had to be the terrible suspension on our car coupled with the road conditions. Lately, I get sick on any twisty dirt road. It really is a pain!

Lake Waikaremoana

The kids loved sleeping in the loft part of our little cabin. We sort of forgot the pak n play on this trip which made for a super rough night of sleep for John and us!

We hiked to another lake and rented a little boat to go fish and hike around a little island in the middle of the lake. It was quite an uphill hike for Joe but after a few tantrums about his legs being "broken" he settled in and did great. When we got to the lake it turned out they gave us a key to a boat that didn't exist. LAME! So Todd had to "jimmy" a lock on another boat. Success! However, by that time, storm clouds had come and we didn't have enough time to get to the island, hike back and return the key. Total bummer! So, we attempted some fishing with no success and called it a day once it really started to rain. At least we all looked cute in our life jackets!

Tennis

2011-12-19T01:36:00.000-08:00

She loves it!

I love that she loves it!

Isn't she cute!

And this one thought he had died and gone to heaven with all the balls flying around!

Daddy's Birthday

2011-12-18T22:45:00.000-08:00

He requested a chocolate cake.

The kids decided it had to be a fish cake..because daddy loves to fish!

Mom decided cupcakes were the easiest.

Daddy loved it!

Happy 34th Birthday to my fish loving husband!

Glowworm & Rukari Caves

2011-12-18T01:07:00.000-08:00

One of the coolest and most bizarre things I've ever seen. Cannibalistic, stringy, slimy little things hanging from the rocks. That's a glow worm folks. Apparently, they glow because of their excrement. Like I said, bizarre and yet totally mesmerising. The boat ride in a pitch black cave looking up at them was pretty sweet.

Rukari cave was equally as cool in a totally different way. That second pic is of the giant circular ramp leading down to the cave. You can also repel in and tube the river through this cave. Todd and I would have been all over that had we not had the little people with us. Someday though.. we'll be back.

Thanksgiving

2011-12-15T01:38:00.000-08:00

I'm a lot behind on this whole blogging bit. I seriously don't know where the time is going.

Because we are in a country that doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving it was a very unique experience for us this year. First off, finding the so called "traditional Thanksgiving" foods was a bit of a trick. We've learned Kiwi's rarely eat turkey and many have never even cooked a turkey.

Lucky for us we found a frozen 5.5 kg turkey for a hefty $85.00. Yikes that was one expensive bird. Talk about upping the pressure on not burning that baby! I was not able to find pumpkin pie...you should have seen the look I got from the grocer when I asked for pumpkin in a can. It's spring here so I couldn't have even made one from scratch if I wanted to. No cranberry sauce either. So we made do with turkey, stuffing, potatoes and gravy, green beans, rolls and apple pie. Still a strong Thanksgiving feast if you ask me. However, a pretty hot menu considering it was 78 degrees the night we ate.

All in all it went well. The rolls weren't bricks, Todd claimed the turkey was just right and the rest was tasty. We had some friends over for their first "Thanksgiving" ever which was fun. (I learned that putting honey on my roll was very odd. Does anyone else do that?) It all seemed a bit surreal and out of place though. This whole southern hemisphere thing has really thrown me off. Not to mention cooking the entire thing myself. We've cooked a bird before but never all the fixins' to go with it. Talk about having to plan out your oven time. SHEESH!

I really wanted to do a gratitude list this year because there are some random things on it I would have never thought about if we hadn't moved out of the country. So, here it goes.

-My little people. Not that I haven't been grateful for them in the past, but it's been lifted to a whole new level. When they are all you have it really means everything. Those little babes are what have gotten me though some pretty rough days. They have brought smiles to my face more than I can count. Their love is perfect despite me being so imperfect.

-My husband. Being able to just talk when the kids are in bed. Knowing that with all the chaos the last few months he's there and our relationship is still full of love and strong.

-The gospel of Jesus Christ. It's my rock.

My family. They are awesome in oh so many ways.

-We are healthy.

-Todd has a job...a good job that isn't going anywhere.

I have an education that would provide me with a job should we ever need it.

-Music. It speaks to my soul. I can't wait to have piano again.

-Skype.

-Computers to use Skype and email.

-School.

-Photographs. I love preserving life. When I look through them it makes me so happy and reminds me how short this part of life is. I'm so glad I have something that allows me to keep a visual piece forever.

-America. Sure, it has plenty of problems, but wow it has a lot going for it. It's amazing how many people would love to live there.

-Friends. They are like air for a mother. Just to have someone who gets where you are at in life is such a gift.

***now onto the ridiculous little but big things.

-Holidays....like Thanksgiving and Halloween. They're fun to me and I look forward to doing them up right. And I was missing all the hype that goes with them this year.

-My car. Oh my car. I think I might just go sit in her on random occasions when we get back just because I can.

-Crafting supplies.

-American grocery stores. The variety might cause me to pass out when we return.

-Kraft mac n cheese.

-Cheap yummy restaurants like Cafe Rio, Zuppas, Noodles & Co and Pei Wei.

-Cheddar cheese and US milk.

-Frozen waffles and pancakes. (No I'm not that mother that can figure out how to make that from scratch on school mornings and get my kids to school on time.)

-That pharmacy items are sold in grocery stores in the US. Makes life so much easier.

-People who make me laugh!

-Stores are open for longer than 9-5 in the US. The grocery store closes here at 9pm. This wouldn't be such a big deal to a lot of people, but when you're a one car family and the hubs gets home at 7 then you eat and get kids to bed you are hard pressed to beat that 9 pm closing time at the grocery store.

-Snow. I miss it. It is just odd to not have it this time of year.

-The ocean. It's amazingly beautiful and refreshing.

-Owning a home that had a yard and more than two bedrooms. I was always grateful we had a house with a yard. I have been reminded of how much more of a challenge apartment living is with small children.

I think that will do for now....

The gratitude turkey! Some of the things the kids came up with were just priceless!

Pirongia Forest Park and the west coast

2011-12-14T00:47:00.000-08:00

Still playing catch up with all the little trips we've taken. I've got to get caught up before our three weeker to the south island.

Bridal Veil Falls, New Zealand

2011-11-27T00:59:00.000-08:00

Tarawera Falls

2011-11-20T00:19:00.000-08:00

This waterfall was amazing! It travels underground for a bit and then comes out of the mountainside. During the hike you can acutally see when the water goes underground and you hike on top of it.

Mount Ruapehu

2011-11-17T15:58:00.000-08:00

The first weekend in September we met up with some friends at Mount Ruapehu Whakapapa Ski Field. I have to admit it was a little freaky skiing on an active volcano that's most recent eruption was in 2007.

The skiing was definitely different (icy and slushy) than we were used to, but we had a lot of fun. It was a very family friendly mountain and the view from the top was amazing!

Katie was flying down the mountain and loving every minute. Joey became a pro at the magic carpet and even took a run down the face. And, John was just happy to be along for the ride!

Kerosene Creek, Huku Falls & Lake Taupo

2011-11-15T15:58:00.000-08:00

*I haven't exactly been prompt in my New Zealand adventure blogging. This weekender was during the middle of August. Better late than never I suppose.

Kerosene Creek

On a suggestion from Todd's boss we decided to stop at this thermal creek on our way to Lake Taupo. The kids were really excited to swim in a "real river." Me a little leery, I mean who wants giardia. As we approached the creek I became more and more hesitant and told Todd I really didn't feel good about getting in with John. My excuses were there wasn't really a great place to change, the air was freezing and I didn't want him to get sick. I told him I would just take the pictures. Fair enough I thought. He badgered me a bit, but let it go. I still didn't feel totally great about letting the kids get in and I told them both I didn't want their heads under the water. I'm kind of a germaphob. They got in and loved it! I have to admit it did look nice as I sat on the edge with the steam wafting in my face. John could have cared less about getting in since he could just throw rocks in the river. I realized expecting Katie to keep her head above water once Todd put his under was futile. I tried to let go of my germ fears and just enjoy it, but I really couldn't. I was absolutely relieved when we were done and back in the car. Sad I know. However, turns out my fears were more than justified.

When we got back in the car I flipped to the page about Lake Taupo and local activities. On the top of the page in a big alert box it read: NEVER PUT YOUR HEAD UNDER IN A THERMAL POOL. Interesting that there was nothing more said than that. Todd and I both found it a little odd yet unsettling. We decided we would look it up once we got to the hotel. My brain went into overdrive for the next hour as I thought about all of the reasons why this could be. I never came up with anything as serious as the reason we later found out.

Two words. Ameobic Meningitis.

Courtesy of Wikipedia.

Naegleria fowleri propagates in warm, stagnant bodies of freshwater (typically during the summer months), and enters the central nervous system after insufflation of infected water by attaching itself to the olfactory nerve.^[3] It then migrates through the cribiform plate and into the olfactory bulbs of the forebrain,^[4] where it multiplies itself greatly by feeding on nerve tissue. During this stage, occurring approximately 3–7 days post-infection, the typical symptoms are parosmia, rapidly progressing toanosmia (with resultant ageusia) as the nerve cells of the olfactory bulbs are consumed and replaced with necrotic lesions.

After the organisms have multiplied and largely consumed the olfactory bulbs, the infection rapidly spreads through the mitral cell axons to the rest of the cerebrum, resulting in onset of frank encephalitic symptoms, including cephalgia (headache), nausea, and rigidity of the neck muscles, progressing to vomiting, delirium, seizures, and eventually irreversible coma. Death usually occurs within 14 days of exposure as a result of respiratory failure when the infection spreads to the brain stem, destroying the autonomic nerve cells of the medulla oblongata.

97% morbidity. Yep, in one afternoon of fun I could potentially lose more than half of my family. (Keep in mind, in August my feelings for New Zealand weren't exactly positive. Now it was going to try and wipe out my whole family.) Todd and I were sick. He looked it up on his legit medical site to confirm the Wikipedia reports. Same. It seems my uneasy feelings were totally valid. I was just so grateful I hadn't put John in that water. And, fortunately, Joey hadn't put his face under either. But, Todd and Katie had gone under and swam around. Totally forcing that awful water up their noses. I was a mess. The worst part, we had to wait at least three days and up to fourteen before any sign of symptoms. Todd tried to be funny and joke about checking his life insurance policy, but he realized I didn't find it at all funny and we decided to not talk about it for the rest of the weekend.

Obviously, no one ended up getting sick. Thank heavens. But let me tell you, it was a long two weeks as I checked temperatures twice a day and asked Katie all sorts of questions about her belly, eyes and nose. She never knew why because we didn't want to scare her. I made very fragrant meals that week just to test both of their noses. Crazy thing is is that in that time period two children died from amoebic meningitis in the US. Until that, I swear I had never even heard of it. I must have missed that day in pathophysiology or was too busy staring at some cute boy and not heard the lecture. Anyway, we are all fine and now we know why you don't put your head under the water in a thermal pool or river or whatever.

Huku Falls

Crazy amounts of water in this river. And, this is it's low time of the year. It's hard for a desert gal to wrap her head around that much water. And the aqua color...beautiful! Apparently, they open the damn certain days of the year and this thing just gets massive.

Lake Taupo

What a beautiful lake! It reminded my so much of Yellowstone Lake. In fact, this whole area was like being in Yellowstone. The New Zealand palm would always bring me back to reality though. We took a boat ride out into the lake to see the Maori carvings. We were so excited about this. We couldn't wait to hear the history behind how these carvings were made with only boat access. Apparently, the Maori rock carvings were commissioned by Queen Elizabeth in 1980. They were still very impressive, but we were really hoping they were 1000 years old or something. The story behind them is pretty impressive. The whole carving is basically a genealogical history of the Maoris arrival in New Zealand.

The kids loved the boat ride. They even got a chance to drive the boat with the skipper and do a little fishing off the back.

Thermal Valley

A nice walk through all the steaming holes. We thought it would be like Yellowstone with some bubbling and burbling. Nope, just holes in the ground with steam coming out and signs that said, "Unsettled terrain watch your step. Ground could give at anytime." Fortunately, the ground stood firm during our visit!

I think he's warm....and a little mad.

Tide and British accents

2011-11-02T17:53:00.000-07:00

Today I pulled out a shirt I haven't worn since before we moved. It smelled like Tide. More importantly is smelled like my mom's Tide. You can't buy Tide here. It made me terribly homesick and I wanted to cry.

Then we went to a playgroup where another mom, who had just returned from a trip to the states, was talking about how she wished she lived in America because people were so nice there and they had stores like Costco and Target and it was so cheap. I wanted to cry again.

Then another mom with the most perfect and strong British accent (everything seems to be so much more funny when told with a British accent....at least to me) started telling the most hilarious story and we were all laughing hysterically and it felt so good. There are good and friendly people all over the world with or without Tide and Costco and I am thankful for that.

*If you need a good laugh too go here.

Fall and other thoughts

2011-11-01T17:06:00.000-07:00

My inner clock is totally confused right now. Being on the underbelly of he earth means we are having spring while the rest of my "familiar" world is having fall. What is so bad about that? I mean we are having sunny 70 degree days playing at the beach why would I be having trouble? I'm really not until I talk to my family, read blogs or get on pinterest. Which by the way is the most fabulous invention of all time. It's like a treat to during nap times and after bed time. You can seriously find the coolest ideas on there. Anyway, back to fall. I love fall. I love the smells, crunchy leaves, the colors, pumpkin spice candles and pumpkin bread, the chill in the air and the holidays surrounding it. I could go on and on, it might by my favorite time of the year! I'm feeling so left out!

Halloween was such a let down for us this year. Especially since we came from such a cute little neighborhood with crunchy leaves that loved Halloween. First I told the kids they didn't have it here because that was the word on the street. Then while at the fabric store I see an aisle with very Halloweeny (I'm sure that isn't a word, but I'm making it one) looking things. So, I ask the check out lady who informs me that they do have it, but it is minimally celebrated because it's an American holiday. Meaning, look lady, you'll be lucky to find a neighborhood that trick or treats here. So, I decided we would make every attempt to do Halloween here. Because let's face it, what kid doesn't love to dress up. We decided on two pirates and Pocahontas. I really had to doing some swaying with Katie because she had all these outrageous ideas that definitely required a sewing machine which is presently residing across and ocean, so it was all going to be done by hand. And let me tell you, I have new respect for those days before the sewing machine. What a pain! And, I only sewed two pairs of pants, a vest and a pleat on an indian dress. Anyway, they don't dress up for school in fact Katie's teacher told her she hated Halloween. Ouch! So we told the kids we would try to trick or treat but there were no guarantees. We drove to a neighborhood recommended by one of Katie's friends and.....not a soul in sight. We finally spotted a sign on a mailbox that read "Halloween House." Hooray! We trick or treated and got our picture taken with some Japanese exchange students who thought we were the coolest thing next to sliced bread and we called it a night. Of course the kids were sad, so we took them to the store to pick out a treat...it sort of worked. All they have talked about since is how they can't wait to get back for Halloween next year. They just want to trick or treat and carve pumpkins. And you better believe it's going to be a huge Halloween bash at our house next year complete with pumpkin carving!

Pirates and an Indian

2011-10-30T18:11:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween from down under!!

Our celebration consisted of pictures on the beach. I think that's about as much as we'll get here. The Kiwis haven't caught on to the "importance" of this holiday yet.

I have to admit these are two of the cutest little pirates I've ever seen. Despite there best efforts to frighten me with their swords and arrrghs I remain in love with them both. And, of course the Indian princess, Pocahantas, is probably the most beautiful I've ever seen.

Eat some candy for us!!!

Tragic Oil Spill in New Zealand

2011-10-12T17:48:00.001-07:00

This is what our beautiful beaches are covered in right now. It's awful and it's getting worse each day. There are dead birds and fish littering the shores. It breaks my heart. People have actually dug big trenches in the sand that read "CLEAN ME and HELP ME."

Yesterday we were on a walk around the Mount and we discovered a baby seal who was stranded high on the rocks near the trail. The fur on his hind regions and back flippers had oil. He was crying. It was absolutely heartbreaking. We waved down the coast guard who was patrolling the beach for animals just like him. They were unable to come to shore due to the 16 foot waves and all the rocks. They yelled for us to stay with him and keep people back until help could arrive. We hung out for the next hour and waited for the help. He was the most adorable little thing. His eyes were like big balls of black glass that seemed to look at us just pleading for help. It really was so sad. The kids were nearly in tears every time he would cry.

During our wait time most people were respectful and kept their distance, but there are always a few who rank really high on the stupidity chart! One man nearly fell off a giant boulder onto the rocks below while trying to take a pic of the little guy. Despite several all of us yelling at him to get back, he refused and nearly caused the seal to fall as well which scared us all to death. I think he felt incredibly stupid once he realized how dumb he was. Serves him right.

Finally, the team of marine rescue people came. They said he wasn't too terrible as far as the oil goes and they would be back to get him later during low tide. All they did was put up a sign that told people to stay back. I was shocked. Apparently they have a marine triage system just like a people hospital does and there were seals in far worse condition that they needed to get to.

As we continued on the walk we saw three more adult seals who looked awful....like they probably wouldn't survive. They were all being tended to, but it was still heartbreaking.

It's supposed to get worse over the next week or so. They are desperately trying to pump oil off the ship before is breaks apart. The seas are crazy which is turning a terrible situation into and even worse one. I don't think I've ever seen waves that big in my life. Some appear to be almost 20-25 feet. I'm sure the surfers are going crazy.

Today we started to see some of the cargo that had fallen off the ship come on shore. The perfectly pristine beaches are no more for the time being. It's sad and even more sad that they aren't allowing the public to help more. Today they haven't allowed anyone who isn't part of the "official" clean up crew on the beach. It's odd to me that you wouldn't take advantage of that help. All you need is a pair of gloves, a spade and a plastic bag and you can help. I was ready to take the kids out to help today, but it was a no go. Darn.

Hopefully, the weather will cooperate and they can stop it from getting any worse!

So this picture didn't turn out at all. You could actually see the oil in the waves as they came crashing into the rocks.

And of course, the day I didn't bring my camera we see the baby seal. If you look really hard you can see a little brown blob in the middle of the rocks. (And yes I still have a crappy flip phone! But hey, it's a phone.) That's the baby seal. I'm still dying that I couldn't capture those beautiful glassy eyes and his sweet face. At least we know he's going to be all right!

The Beach

2011-10-04T18:10:00.000-07:00

The thought process of John.

Birds!

ooooooh......seashell.....

Big stick.....get the birds!

A funny side note...I took Joe to a co-op preschool. After two hours of stressing over the hundreds of choking objects littering the floor and the carpentry station with real saws, nails and hammers that children as young as John were playing with unsupervised, we called it a day. Yeesh! Mommy school it is!

Her First day of First Grade

2011-09-27T01:46:00.000-07:00

(Katie with the class pet "Ziggy" after her first day of school)

Well sort of. It was her first day of first grade...and it was two months ago.

I'm not going to lie, it was rough for both of us. I was terrified for her. New country, new school and no friends. Not exactly comforting thoughts for a mommy. If you know my daughter she is not shy, usually jumps right in and is super friendly. When she didn't it really got me worried. She shrunk down and nestled her tiny body right against mine as we made the walk to her classroom and met her teacher. At that moment I wanted to whisk her away from here back to 2059 Stratford Drive and Highland Park Elementary. Back to the life we had only two weeks before. I yearned for our family, friends, the familiarity and the comfort we felt there. I wanted to protect her and keep her small and all mine. But I didn't. I hugged and kissed her and told her I would be back to get her and to have a great day. I put on my big mommy face and I left her.

The whole walk home I had all sorts of crazy thoughts going through my head. Like, how will she ever understand her teacher. I still didn't know what her name was and I asked her to repeat it twice! Was it Miss Pollock, Pollart, Pollor or Pollot. After the second time of asking, mind you she had said her name once already so this was really number three, I could tell there was no way I could ask again. Sad thing was I could tell Katie was equally as confused as I was. I worried whether or not the other kids would be nice to her. Would they make fun of the way she looks or talks or think she was weird? Because lets be honest kids can be super mean. Finally, I wondered if she would be totally confused coming into the middle (school is year round and starts in January) of first grade. Had we prepared her enough? Could I have done anything different? Should we really have come here? And, why were there so many children not wearing shoes? It was a very long walk home in the rain that morning.

When I finally picked her up she seemed all right. She said she didn't understand most of what the teacher or the other kids were saying. But, they were nice to her and hadn't made fun of the way she talked. Phew! Apparently, they have "morning tea" otherwise known as snack time every day and I had blown it already by not including something in her lunch for that. Woops!

They all call her "Katherine." I have to admit that I secretly love it. The way they say it sounds so formal and it makes me love her name more than I ever have before. I have always hoped that someday she would transition into it from Katie. Don't get me wrong she's a perfect Katie, but we named her Katherine because we loved it but, it was hard to look at this little tiny baby and call her by such a big name. Good news is she loves being called Katherine and has asked me to call her that more lately. :)

She still has some rough days here and there. I have noticed this whole experience has cut her confidence down quite a bit. She is a little less outgoing than she was before and she seems a bit more affected by what kids say and do. The other day she commented on how she feels like everyone is always staring at her and she doesn't like it. Unfortunately, it's probably true, but she does stick out a bit. For some reason you can tell she/we look American and I'm not sure what exactly it is that makes us look that way. She has said she wishes she could just go back to her friends and school in Utah. And that breaks my heart. But thankfully, most days she's happy to go and comes home happy!

So fast forward to now and some thoughts on school here.

-The head of education here is called "The Ministry of Education." I sometimes slip up and call it "The Ministry of Magic." All I can think of is Harry Potter whenever I hear or see it.

-Holy moly they are ahead in math. We've had to do some serious catch up at home. But, they are slightly behind in reading. Go figure? We generally spend 1-2 hours every night working on math catch up and keeping her up to speed with the US reading level. Sometimes it's frustrating because I feel like I'm homeschooling her after she's just spent an entire day at school. But the poor girl needs the social and the structure.

-She is learning how to speak Maori.

-They have very little homework. A simple story to read each night that most days is already read in class and a homework sheet due once a week.

-They have all sorts of extra stuff to participate in like surfing and swimming during school which is pretty cool. They also go to the beach a lot for recess.

-There is no school lunch accept on MWF if you pay in advance. The average cost for a lunch is 6-10 dollars. A far cry from the $1.25 the US charges! She just takes her own at those prices!

-Kids don't wear shoes if they don't want to and it's totally fine with the school. I would say about 50% on an average day don't wear them and 75% on a warmer day. And, it isn't exactly tropical here right now. We'll see what summer brings.

-School hours are shorter and start later. And it's year round with an longer break in December and January. I am actually loving the year round thing right now.

-Most schools wear uniforms...hers doesn't. I'm told it's the whole beachy laid back attitude of parents here as to why her school doesn't. The junior high and high school girls wear culottes with a collared shirt, sweater and tights. And the boys, wear a dressier pair of long shorts, knee socks, a collared shirt and sweater. They look so nice. I'm all about expressing individuality, but honestly uniforms look so great and seem so easy.

-They run a km every day at the start of school. Maybe the US should start doing that!

-The school building itself is totally different from any in the states. It's more like a series of nice separate buildings that open into a common area full of all sorts of cool drawings on ground. Seems like it's straight out of a movie set to me. Not sure why.

-The classrooms are similar to those in the US, but totally decked out in colorful artwork. I love color and so it's like my dream learning environment. So visually inviting. I'm such a sucker for art time with paint and watercolor. It totally excites me! So, the fact that this is a regular thing in class thrills me. It seems so much of this has been lost in the states due to budget cuts and it makes me sad. Those were some of my favorite activities in school and I'm glad she gets to have that opportunity here!

Our sweet Katie.....or Katherine as she prefers these days

2011-09-16T01:52:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure how it happened, but she did it. She turned seven on me! How is it possible that I have a seven year old?!

My dear sweet girl,

You are seven today and I can hardly believe it. It seems like only yesterday we were bringing you home from the hospital. We new we were luckiest two people on the earth to be your parents. We were over the moon. You were the perfect little person to start our family.

Here are just a few things about you on your seventh birthday.

You are such a smart little girl and a voracious reader. You adore reading. Most mornings I find you sitting in front of the heater with your nose in a book. It makes my heart sing to know that you love books. You have an insatiable desire to learn and try new things.

You are stubborn. I suppose you didn't have a chance on that one with your mommy and daddy being who they are. We've locked horns a few times, but mom and dad always seem to win out!

You are my little gazelle. You've got these little legs of steal. You love to ski, run and ride your bike. Any you are awesome. You are so excited to start tennis lessons. I'm sure you'll be a natural.

You are fearless in so many ways, and yet I love those moments when you let me know that you still need me. That you want me to be close, to hold you hand and make you feel safe. I know these days are numbered so I'm savoring each one of them. Yesterday, you asked me if I would sit with you at the movie during the school field trip. It made my heart soar. When I asked you to please stop growing you told me couldn't, but that you wanted to stay with me forever and ever. I love that.

You've been a trooper these last few months. I know it has been difficult to keep up with all the changes. You've done so well going to a new school in a country, trying to understand what the teacher is saying and making new friends. You are a natural at making friends. It amazes me how you just jump in like you've known each other for ever. I'm sorry that we have put you through so much when you are so little. I feel like you have been thrown from pillar to post.

You adore your brothers and they you. I love that you are so motherly to baby John without even being taught. It makes me laugh when you talk to him in your own little version of "motherese." You are such a wonderful sister to them. You are already fiercely protective of them. Just the other day another little boy wouldn't let Joey down the slide and you were so sweet. You said, "Come on Joe, I'll make it so you can go down." Then you marched right over to that mean boy and said, "My brother wants to go down this slide and he can." And, that was that. You sent such a powerful message to him of loyalty and love. In that moment I saw him idolize you.

You love to go to church and read the scripture readers. I'm certain you know those stories better than I did when I was little. You are very concerned about doing the right thing and not disappointing your Heavenly Father. Primary songs are some of your favorite and you have the most beautiful singing voice.

I love that you are just starting to taste who you want to be as a person. I have seen you exert so much more independence in these last few months. I love that you are so confident with yourself, and yet, I'm terrified for you. I wish I could keep you safe from all the awful things of the world, but I know I can't. In order to see the beauty this world has to offer you must experience the bad. And, that is part of what will help mold you into the person your Father in Heaven wants you to be. I hope I have done enough to instill at your young age that you are a daughter of God and a very precious soul to Him and to your mom and dad. Please remember that my darling daughter.

My sweet baby girl, you are beauty. I love that God has allowed me to be your mother. I'm learning that you are teaching me far more than I can ever teach you. Thank you for being mine.

Love,

Mommy

I have dreams of my Honda Pilot....

2011-09-13T01:56:00.000-07:00

Well, here she is in all her glory. My ride.

She was hard to come by. I found her on a website called TradeMe. It's New Zealand's cross between Ebay and Craigslist. I'm pretty sure I overpaid for her by three times, but it was one of those things where I just had to win. I had already run the distance with the boys in a double stroller next to Katie on her bike for two days and my legs were raw. And when I say raw I mean bleeding from all the scratching due to the uncontrollable itching....that's right, I'm allergic to running. So, unless it was going to cost more than a brand new trailer or a car I was going to pay it. And, I think "usearch and doofa78" felt the same way. The lame thing about this site is it auto extends. Meaning, if anyone bids in the last 2 minutes they extend the auction. So here I am bidding thinking I should have won yadda amount of dollars ago and we're still going driving the price up for fifteen extra minutes. Sheesh! Finally, the aforementioned bidders realized this was far too much to pay for one measly trailer and they allowed me to win. Success!

You should see the looks we get with this bad boy. People will literally stop what they are doing, look and point as we drive by. I've had people even slow down to a crawl as they drive by and just gawk. Absolutely no subtleness about it. It's really quite funny. You would think we had three heads to something.

The trailer is tight for the boys, but they seem to do fine most of the time. There are the occasional battles that require a stop, but for the most part they've done really well. I think they think it's fun in there. Every morning we have to wait while they decide which item (saws, screwdrivers, sunglasses, books, sticks, balloons etc) will accompany them on the trip. Their biggest complaint is helmets, but even that has become so normal that it's not a battle anymore.

Fortunately, the road we take to Katie's school is super bike friendly. There is a bike path for most of the way that parallels street parking next to the beach. So most of the time we can even ride side by side. I'm sure that will all change in a month or two as the tourists poor in and take all the parking spots. All in all it really is a fun way to get her to and from school. She tells me all about her day on the ride home and I can give her mostly one on one listening with the boys in the trailer. Another plus is I don't have to deal with the traffic when picking her up. It's a pretty smooth way of doing things.....on the days that are nice. And when it's nice it is breathtaking.

Now let's talk about the weather.

We're mostly home bound, just because everything is so far away that I'm totally sweaty and stinky by the time we get there, it takes forever to get anywhere and I don't want the boys to become sick of riding so they fight all the way to and from school because that is something we have to do, and most of the other roads are little dangerous for riding with a trailer.

And, the weather. Oh, the weather. It can be pretty harsh sometimes. We've ridden in torrential downpours with the rain going every way but, down. That required a full change of clothing for Katie by the time she got to school because she was soaked. Oh, and did I mention that was picture day. Yep! Currently we are dealing with 30-40 mph winds that always end up in a headwind no matter what direction you're going. Seriously, it's the most baffling thing. I think the wind swirls here or something. On Tuesday, it was so bad it knocked me off my bike and almost tipped the entire trailer over. And poor Katie was riding at a 45 degree angle and then got pelted with a gust of sand. At one moment we were trying to cross a street and we literally couldn't move our bikes it was blowing so hard. And, yesterday someone mentioned this is normal weather for about three weeks. Hmmm, that's just the amount of time until the end of this term. Great timing.

Now that I've painted such an awful picture I really must admit that I enjoy riding to school and on nice days I would prefer to ride vs drive. I'm quite sure this is the only time in my life I will ever get to ride a bike next to the ocean everyday and it really is wonderful. But, if I could just have my Pilot on those bad days.

This is precisely why I have dreams of my Pilot.....

Our Humble Abode

2011-08-28T17:54:00.000-07:00

Several months before we arrived in New Zealand we discussed our best plan for finding a place to live here. We emailed a few people and got the same answer from everyone. "You should live at the beach. It's an extra 15 minute commute to the hospital, but it's the beach!" So, we decided we would probably live at the beach. We perused a few listings just to get an idea of what was available and price ranges. We also decided we would hold off on committing to a place until we actually had the chance to see it and check the commute times, school and grocery store distances, etc.

Now let's fast forward to the day after we arrived in town. We had four listings we thought looked great online. They require you to drive by and fill out an application before you can see any property here. So we did. However, we had no telephone number, no address, no previous rental experience, three children and no New Zealand references which made our application look less than desirable. I definitely got a few eyebrow raises when I turned those baby's in. At that point we were told to check back tomorrow after they had had a chance to check if the owner's would even allow us to see the properties.

The next day I called back on all four properties only to find out all had been rented.....the day before. Seriously!? What are the odds that those had been on the list for months and the day we show up they rent? So we were back to square one. This went on for 6 more days. I did manage to see three properties in that time period. And, the only one that was even remotely a possibility was rented by the lady who saw it 15 minutes before me. Bummer! At this point we were getting seriously down. The kids were a mess and just totally out of sorts. I can't say that I blame them...I was a bit out of sorts as well....I may have even looked at place tickets to come home one night. We were desperate for a routine. Finally, I was able to see a property that had become available on the morning of day six. It definitely had some quirks and wasn't the most convenient, but it was AVAILABLE to move in ASAP. So, we took it. Signed all the papers that afternoon and moved in the next day. Insert huge sigh here! :)

All in all it really is a great place. It's probably the most secure place we have ever lived. There's a code, electronic button, and key for everything. We can look out our living room window and see Mount Maunganui hillside and the pool. Out our bedroom window we can see the beach. It also has some heating which is a major bonus around here. Most places don't have any heat.

The living and kitchen area are nice and roomy especially with three little people roaming around. The decor is not tacky 80's with run down furniture like most of the other places I looked at. It's really quite tasteful and comfortable. We can walk out the front door and be on the beach in seconds. There are all kinds of cafes below, hot pools across the street, an awesome park down the street and trails all over the Mount. It really is a great spot The only downside it is school as your can possibly be.. It really is a great spot. The only downsides are mostly retirement people live here and it's as far as you can possibly be from Katie's school. But hey, at least we have a nice place.

The sleeping arrangements have taken some getting used to. Katie and Joey are sharing a room that's pretty tight, but they seem happy with it. We haven't really had any major problems with them together other than Joey doesn't sleep-in like he used to and sometimes that makes for trickier mornings. John is sharing with us which overall has not gone well. The first few nights he was waking up every few hours just screaming. We couldn't really ignore him because we were worried about neighbors and he can see us. So, he spent several nights in our bed which meant neither Todd nor I slept well either. As time has gone by he is doing better. He's only waking up once and I can just stick his pacifier back in and he's back to sleep. It's been really hard for me because I have had to break most of my sleep rules with him due to the circumstances. It's also painful because he used to be a good sleeper.

All things considered, we really did luck out. We go "swimming" in the hot tub and sometimes the pool, to the beach and on walks around the Mount on a regular basis. Now if it will just warm up a bit....

Sustinence

2011-08-24T19:06:00.001-07:00

Yes, lets talk about food. Anyone who knows me knows I love food...and treats especially chocolate and cookies of any kind. So, the food scenario has been a bit of an adjustment for me!

In my ignorant state, meaning before we moved here, I assumed a few things about the food here. Most of which have turned out to be false. I assumed with a maritime climate, lots of land, an island in the south pacific would be similar to California in it's produce production. Dead wrong about that one. I assumed fish would be cheap and we would try lots of different kinds. Also, wrong. Fish is more expensive here than in Utah by a lot. Go figure? And, I assumed grocery stores were similar to the US. Wrong again.

The grocery stores are much smaller with an even smaller selection. The produce section is small. Really small. If it doesn't grow in New Zealand right now it's probably not there. The cereal aisle is ten feet with three shelves. Napkins are really hard to find. They don't refrigerate the eggs.....eeek! The quick mix for baking items are rare and if they are available they are super expensive. I have yet to find high fructose corn syrup in anything so everything tastes really sweet. Almost too sweet sometimes. You have to pay for your plastic bags as well.

A funny side note, I sort of forgot that even grocery products would use the metric system. I think I spent more time trying to figure that out than I did actually putting the groceries in the cart. I got some seriously funny looks for how long I was standing there trying to figure out how many grams are equivalent to whatever.

My first grocery bill for one week totaled 325.00. And seriously, when I got home and loaded our empty fridge and pantry it still looked empty. So needless to say the treats have been kept to a minimum which make of course makes me sad. I have now officially tried all of the grocery stores in town and have been able to shrink my bill to 200 a week. Hooray!!!

So, just for fun here's a few common grocery items and their New Zealand prices.

Bread $4.50 for the cheapo kind

Milk $5.95 for (3.8 liters to a gallon) We average 3-4 a weeks right now

Tomatoes $12.00 a kg

Cereal $7.00

Eggs $4.00 per dozen

Diapers $45.00 for 72 diapers (painful, seriously painful)

Yogurt $5.00 for a 6 pack and they are small

strawberries $6.00 for about 6...if you can even find them

Mascara $25.00 basically no makeup products under 20.00

Ramen $2.50 for a 5 pack

Mac n Cheese $3.89 per box and it's not even Kraft

Chicken $12.00 for two medium sized breasts...I can't remember how much per kg it is, but a lot!

Pringles $4.50 one can

Cake mix $6.00

Ok, that's enough of that. I'm seriously getting depressed going through Target and Costco withdrawals. I think I will kiss their floors when we get back!!!

On the flip side I did find a few bargains. This is all relative of course. I think these things are still cheaper in the states.

Avocados $.50 from the kid on the street on the way home from church

Toilet Paper $5.00 for 12 double ply rolls

Honey $4.50 for a big tub and it tastes amazing!!

Ice cream $3.99 for about a pint and it is tasty!

*So my new treats are honey and crackers, guacamole and ice cream! YUM!!

Our adventure Part 2

2011-08-08T18:51:00.000-07:00

Driving

Let's just saying loading into a car "backwards" is a surreal feeling. Fortunately, we rented a large car in order to accommodate all of our children and baggage. We decided we are big fans of the Toyota Prado....I don't know if you can even buy those in the US though. Anyway, even with all that extra space we still ended up piling 4 giant duffel bags on top. I think it was quite clear we were foreigners at that point.

So, once we were piled in and we had prayed for safety we were off. There were multiple freakouts within the first few miles. These were a few of the statements made in those first few minutes:

Todd "How am I over there?"

Me "You're running off the road."

Todd "They're seriously going to hit me if I move over anymore this way."

Me "You're going to hit that mailbox if you don't."

After some beautiful countryside, a stop at McDonalds and a couple hours in the car we arrived at the guest cottage safe and sound. And then, we slept for the next 15 hours.

A few other thoughts on driving after a few weeks of experience.

Turns are by far the worst. You're absolutely sure it's going to end up in a head on collision and then miraculously it doesn't and you're so grateful!

There are moments when I still catch myself thinking the car in front of me is being driven by a ghost because no one is in the "usual driver's seat." The first time this happened I yelled at Todd and about had a heart attack. I think for a minute he even agreed with me!

All in all the driving hasn't been near as bad as I thought. The speed limits are much slower here and as long as you have someone to follow you do alright. That being said we still ended up going the wrong way on a road in a town about an hour south of us. Todd was driving and there may or may not have been a swear word muttered when the onslaught of traffic was headed straight for us. Fortunately, we were just pulling out of a store parking lot and were able to back right back in and get in the correct lane. The funniest parts about the whole thing were it didn't register to me we were going the wrong way until the cars started coming at us and Todd looked behind him before he back down the road to the parking lot. Like there would be anyone behind us. We're going the WRONG WAY!!!!

Once out heart rates had slowed to a normal level we got quite a kick out of it on the drive home.

**PS. Gas is roughly $8.00 a gallon. Nice.

The Car

We had to turn in the Prado since it was only a rental. And we are now the owners of this bad boy. It's been a rough transition for all parties involved. We hope she's still running in 3 months.

The Weather

It's cold!!! There was frost on the grass one morning when we woke up. So any of you who were jealous that I might be lounging on that beautiful beach I posted earlier enjoying hours of blissful sun can rest assured...I'm not. Oh, the beach is beautiful, but it requires a winter coat at the moment. (We so did not pack for this.) When we read the winter temps of 50-60 we thought of dry Utah 50-60. It seems after five years we had forgotten about a "wet cold." The kind of cold that reaches inside all your layers and wraps itself around your bones and you just can't seem to shake it. That's what we've got here. And, we've been told this has been an unusually cold winter for them as well.

Plus, it rains.....a lot......and hard...like everyday for hours at a time. I really don't like being cold. It's fine if you can bundle up and then come inside to a warm cozy house. But, like I said we didn't pack quite as well as we should have. And, it seems the clothing stores have transitioned to mostly spring attire and the sweatshirts I did look at which were on sale were still $75.oo. Yikes! I'll just layer every shirt and jacket I have every day until it gets warm I guess. Fortunately, I packed a bit better for our children so it seems only Todd and I are cold. Lesson learned.

Also, they don't have heating in the homes here. In fact, most homes have no heat at all. We have some gas heater that hooks right up to the spout on the wall and I'm just sure we are all going to explode every time we turn it on. It does take a bit of the chill out of the air, but it can't heat our whole apartment. I've been assured they are very safe, however, I'm still not entirely convinced. Anything that is hooked directly to a propane tank or gas line in the middle of my house freaks me out! Oddly, our bathrooms have a heater in them, so I have spent a little extra time in bathroom since moving here as well.

Our adventure to the bottom of the earth Part 1

2011-08-04T01:37:00.000-07:00

The Flight

In an effort to wear our children out so they would sleep on the 13 hour flight we decided to take them to Disneyland the day of the flight. Turns out it worked out quite well. They were exhausted all right.....but so were we! What we didn't plan on was the three hour check-in line once we got to the airport. Fortunately, we had had a lot of practice waiting in lines that day so what was another line at this point?! Apparently, the computer systems were on the fritz. I couldn't help, but wonder if this was a bad omen for the rest of the trip to come. I just prayed this was the only glitch and we would smooth sail from there. As the minutes turned into hours in line and worn out hungry children became more and more difficult my patience began to wear thin. We couldn't walk anywhere because I had to stay with the giant cart full of 9 pieces of luggage, 7 carry ons, kid pack and car seats while Todd stood in the cattle herders. We traded children back and forth through the line and tried to maintain some sort of order. Finally, we were able to check in--at least part went smoothly.

Next, onto security. So apparently, the giant LAX airport only has one elevator to the second floor in our particular terminal and it was.....wait for it........OUT OF ORDER! Mind you we have 7 carry ons, three children, three car seats and a kid pack. So, we stand in some line at the bottom of the stairs to go through some security and then up the stairs to stand in another line to go through more security. By this time we have 10 minutes to boarding and at least a twenty minute wait to get through this line. And, now our children are even more tired and hungry. Joey is refusing to walk Katie is having a minor meltdown about how bad her legs hurt and John has had a blowout that is leaking onto my arm. AWESOME!

So, we finally get up to the security point and we start unloading everything as fast we can...jackets, shoes, belts, carry-ons, laptops, hard drives, cameras, 12 jars of baby food and bottles. I think at this point we had the sympathy of everyone in line behind us except the two French pilots breathing down my neck while they pointed and jabbered in their foreign tongue like they've never seen a family of our size going on a place before! We make it through and it's a race to the gate and pray they have some sort of food to grab along the way. Hooray, there was a Burger King, but wait you guessed it, the line was too long to get anything! So, at this point Todd grabbed a few overpriced chips and treats, I changed John's diaper (realizing I did not have an extra change of clothes for him) and we attempted to board the plane with John in his diaper duds.

This is where our luck really did change. The cutest, sweetest, and most kind stewardess' ever set us all up with kid bags and a bassinet that attaches to the wall (Anyone else ever seen these before? They are awesome!) for John to sleep in. Hands down the best airline experience for kid friendliness we've ever had. We each had our own TV screen stocked with more than 50 movies, TV shows and kid games all free of charge. Things were really starting to look up.

We finally take off and within 10 minutes we are served some ok plane food. John settles into his little crib thing, we all watch our own movie and then sleep for most of the next 6-8 hours. Then it's breakfast, a little more movie watching and we're landing. It was amazing. John cried for a grand total of three whole minutes during the entire flight and the other two were perfect.

If the check-in hadn't been such a nightmare it would have been perfect.

Once we landed, we had to change money, go through customs, get our luggage, go through biosecurity and get the rental car. All went smoothly except the luggage and biosecurity. In our flurry to get on the plane they had asked at the gate if there was anything else we wanted to check. We assumed gate check and Todd handed them a few items including his fishing rod made by his best friend. *Don't ever do this on an Air New Zealand flight. They have no idea what a gate check is. Apparently, they just throw everything in with the regular checked luggage. So, of course, when all the luggage appears his rod doesn't. We wait and wait, Todd check's in at lost luggage and is basically told forget ever seeing your rod again and by the way, we won't reimburse you because your rod was "sticking out" of the top of your backpack. But, you can't get mad because they are so friendly and so nice that you just can't do it. So you're left seething!

Then it's onto biosecurity with our giant stack of luggage. So, these people give you all kinds of grief about anything outdoor or food related that you are bringing into the country. So once again we unload...baby food, tent, fishing waders, boots etc. Thinking we've got it all out we head through the scanner. Oh no, they want the kids' rain boots, my Uggs, anything with a rubber sole, so I'm digging through giant duffles looking for any shoes with a rubber sole and this lady, who was not so nice, turns to her coworker and says(insert extreme sarcasm tone), "Can you believe this family?" Like we're some sort of anomaly and she is just so annoyed with us. I wanted to turn around and say something not so nice, but really I just wanted to cry. I was so done! And, fortunately after that we were done.....with that part of the adventure.

The BIG move!

2011-07-13T22:38:00.000-07:00

Yes, we are still alive...barely. It's been a rough couple of months, but I think there is a light at the end of the tunnel. At least that's what I keep telling myself.

In the last couple of months we have tried to sell our house which was unsuccessful. Not much of a surprise considering the present state of the real estate market! Fortunately, some awesome renters fell into our lap so at least we won't be paying two mortgages for the next year!!! John turned one! Katie finished kindergarten. Not really sure how we lost that whole year. I swear my life is in fast forward right now and I can't find the pause button. Next, I got sick the day Todd defended his research and gradated from his five year residency in orthopaedics. HOOORAAY...but sad I couldn't really enjoy the celebration to the level it deserved! I think we both had days where we thought that day would never come. Good thing it did! And, seriously lame that I have absolutely no pictures to document such a monumental occasion. Bad wife. The next day we moved out of our cute little house on the prefect tree lined street. Left our sweet neighbors and friends. Again, no pictures. I think I was lucky to be functioning on some level that day. Good thing we had help! Next, we moved into my parent's house and tried to resume some sort of normalcy for a few weeks. Joey hasn't tolerated the move well at all and John has turned into a little tyrant with all the extra attention, so I'm feeling stellar about my parenting skills right about now. We've applied for passports, visas, and looked for a job once we get back. It's been nuts! Oh, and now we're on the road to LA for some final family visits, a trip to Disney and a 13+ hour flight to flee the country. Sorry, for the giant run-on paragraph, but there's no better way to describe the last 3-4 months of our lives. It's really just been a "run-on" philosophy for life in general. I'm actually looking forward to a little slower pace for the next few months because the last few have about done me in!!

But, to be honest, one can't really complain when you're moving here for the next year!

Tauranga, New Zealand

By next week we should all be lounging on that beautiful beach! If we can survive the plane ride with three small children and find somewhere to live once we get there! Wish us luck!

ps. I'm having serious anxiety over driving on the other side of the road, putting my poor daughter in the middle of first grade in another country, Joey starting school, power adapters/converters, grocery shopping, understanding people and the metric system!!

For Sale

2011-02-19T12:47:00.000-08:00

Our house is on the market!
If you know anyone who might be interested please send them our way!
For more info go to www. stratforddrive.com

Six months....a little late

2010-12-14T22:19:00.001-08:00

John a.k.a. Johnny, Johnny James, porker, tiny hiny, Jono, squishers

Despite my best intentions. My six month post for little John is almost a month late.

We are all more in love than ever with this little boy. Katie tells me daily that she thinks he is the "cutest baby in the whole wide world, don't you think mama?" I whole heartedly agree with a reminder that she and Joey were equally as cute. She promptly tells me that they weren't and moves on with whatever she was working on before. Love that girl!

He loves toys. I mean, he really really really loves toys. He is so grabby and leans with his whole body toward whatever it is he has his eye on . He could chat and growl at the toys on his exersaucer for hours.

-I love how he shakes with excitement over things like toys, food and getting picked up.

-He's a mighty fine sitter.

-I am boycotting tummy time to delay crawling. So far it seems to be working.

-He loves to be a part of the action. If he is left for more than 3 seconds by himself he screams bloody murder. The kid loves the chaos.

-He is my only baby to down peas and green beans without gagging, sputtering and head whips.

-Although we continue to call him "porker" he has certainly lost this title by definition. He has kept true to the Clevenger gene pool. He is a mere 15 lbs 3 ounces. A whole pound less than his older brother. Yes, we were all shocked. He has always seemed more robust than Joe at this age. I guess time does play tricks on the mind.

-His smile and laugh are incredibly infectious. Sometimes he smiles so hard his chubby cheeks squish his eyes closed. It is absolutely adorable.

-He's super super particular. Makes me extremely nervous for toddler hood.

-He's a blanket baby. It must be completely covering his head to go to sleep.

-For the most part he doesn't love napping. He will cry once we start walking down the hall to his room.

-He poops more than any baby I've seen at his age.

-He has the temper of a red head.

-He loves being held. He is super snugly, but when he's done he's done.

-He loves to touch your face when you're talking to him. It's the sweetest thing.

-I love his squishy little bottom. And, he has the best backfat rolls ever.

-I love this baby boy.

Of course, it is all going at lightening speed this time. I can't imagine what it will be like with any children in the future. Somedays I feel like I'm just hanging on for dear life. Like I can't savor it near as much as I would like. The other night as I was laying in bed thinking, something I wish I didn't do so much when I'm trying to go to sleep, I realized this phase of my life is going to be over in a blink. Sooner than later I will be "babyless." Those squishy toes and cheeks will be something I will only get from someone else's baby and just small tastes if that. And, in that moment I was very sad. So sad, in fact, that I just laid there and cried. I love this part of my life. I love these sweet little people who are so fresh and so trusting. I see some of that innocence slipping away in Katie now that she has started school and it hurts my heart. Oh, how I wish I could just keep them little, longer. Until I figure out how to do that though, I'll just have to love every minute with the little ones I have and then have a few more!

I'm Thankful

2010-12-14T21:12:00.000-08:00

It's been a busy few weeks and I didn't want any more time to pass by before I wrote a few of the many things I am thankful for.

-A husband who works so hard, really, so hard. Sometimes I think if I had to do his job I might just curl up in corner and wait/pray for it to all be over. Seriously, he gets up at 4 am and sometimes doesn't get home until well after 8pm. On those nights when we're lucky enough to have him home before the kids go to bed he never utters a word about how tired he is and he is always happy to read stories, play ball or just be patient with all the chaos. I love him!

-Our three beautifully perfect (to me of course) children. They teach me so much about love and patience every day. I'm grateful they were entrusted to me.

-A warm cozy house even if it does have it's little quirks. I'm sure I will miss them someday--and then again, maybe not.

-A temple marriage to a wonderful man. I knows just how to love me.

-A job. Even though I don't work much at all these days. I'm grateful "my foot" is still in the door. And, for the chance I have to dabble in photography. It really is such an outlet for me and gives me such a sense of accomplishment.

-My mom. She has saved me so many times. She is my best friend.

-A washer and dryer. Despite my extreme distaste for laundry I really am grateful I don't have to drag it all to a laundromat with three kids in tow. It's hard enough to get done at home when I have all day.

-Smiles and hugs. I love them.

-Children who love each other. Don't get me wrong. They can fight like cats and dogs, but when they're sweet to each other it really makes me melt. It seems as they're getting older they are starting to have more "private" little conversations between them that are "not for mommy."
I hope they are always close.

-Food. I love it. Enough said.

-For a little boy who constantly tells me how much he loves me. "Mommy, I love you so much!" And then he wraps his tiny little arms around my neck and just squeezes. Gives me little goose bumps just thinking about it.

-Showers and primping products. You should be to if you know me or you could be easily frightened.

-A daughter who is wiser than her age. Who will be my best friend someday. She is kind and helpful. She is witty and smart. She is soo good to remind me of all things "church." "Mom, it's Monday we need to have Family Home Evening." We have a little chore chart for her and reading scriptures is part of her evening chores. One night we got home really late and I just wanted to put her to bed. She reminded me of how we needed to read scriptures. When I told her it was too late and we would do it tomorrow she just started to sob. "Jesus, will be so sad mom." I love her.

-Chore charts. They're brilliant!

-Repentance and forgiveness. Especially as a mother. It seems I resolve to do something better every day and then inevitably I don't. Awww, maybe one day.

-The beauty that surrounds me each day. I feel very blessed. I really am in awe at how beautiful this world is.

-A baby that lights up the room with his cheeky little grin. He is the most adorable thing to me in this world. I love that he loves me unconditionally. I'm all he has and he trusts me. It's a wonderful feeling.

- So much great family. My own little one, the one I came from, the one Todd came from... it all becomes even more important to me as I get older and as I watch my kids grow up knowing they are loved so unconditionally by so many.

- The Savior. My knowledge of his sacrifice, and his love for me and my family. It is most dear to my heart. As I look over my list, I realize none of it would be possible without Him.

-Music. I love it. I have always loved it. I love that my children love to fall asleep to it. I love the mood it can put me in.

- Just being happily content with my life. Sure, I would like some things different. But, at the end of every day as I'm laying in bed thinking I can't help but feel at peace.

Shutterfly Cards

2010-12-08T14:38:00.000-08:00

Ooooh, I am so excited about this deal!!

Shutterfly is having a fantastic promo for bloggers. Check it out here.

I acutally have never printed cards from Shutterfly! However, I am a HUGE fan of their calendars. They really are awesome. So I can imagine their cards are equally as great.

I can't wait to order mine. I've got my eye some pretty sweet designs!

Still

2010-12-01T22:02:00.000-08:00

Already yearning for this month to be more 'still."

And, in case you're feeling it already too, here's a little something that helps me to put it all into perspective. Oh, how I love music.

Family Vacation

2010-11-22T22:14:00.001-08:00

I thought a lot about my own family vacations as a child while we were on this trip. I always knew the were really nice, but now I know they were REALLY nice. And, generally, when we would go it was for 4-10 days. My parents were saints to put up with us during all those times in the car, hotel, hikes, picnics and restuarants. I'm sure they would tell you they were some of the best memories they have just as they are some of mine. But I'm also sure they would tell there was a lot of "you're on my side, she's touching me, look out your own window" junk too. They took us to a lot of really great places and we learned a lot in the process. I really hope we can do the same with our children. There's something about just being with your family and learning to get a long in such tight quarters for days at a time. You appreciate each other more and less of everything seems to matter. And for those days, those precious children are all I have to think, worry or care about it. I wish more days could be like that. Perhaps... a new goal for the new year.

Zion National Park

I love this park. It is abosultey breath taking! We haven't been there since they implemented the shuttle bus and it really was quite pleasant. You could see and enjoy a lot more. Plus, the random tidbits of information were kind of interesting.

We took a few different hikes. Nothing too outrageous since we had the kids. I have never struggled much with a fear of heights until recently. I started thinking about when this all changed and it just so happens it occured with the birth of our children. My stomach was churning during several stretches of the hiking. Joey even informed me that I was hurting his hand I was holding it so tight. Guilty!! But, if you've meet Joe or Katie and seen how they don't pay attention (especially when frolicking through nature) and they seem to dance to where ever they're going to, then you would completely understand. And, I must be so much more paranoid about it than Todd. Of course, there were times when his voice firm and his grip was tight, but he was rolling his eyes at me more than a few times.

Like this bridge. Totally paranoid Joey was going fall through. And now, as I'm looking at this picture I'm thinking I'm really nuts. But, I swear it looked so much more dangerous when we were on it and he was trying to poke his legs, head or whatever through.

A feeding frenzy! Seriously, they are like wild beasts who haven't been feed in weeks when they hear any sort of wrapper. I promise we do feed them frequently.

Joe really wanted a picture with the red road, but thought he the pose would be better suited on this rock. Sometimes I wonder about that kid. Oh, and not like the above picture is doing him any favors as he digs for gold. Yikes! Just noticed that. And, poor Katie is totally wiped out waiting for the bus. I couldn't believe how well and how far these two hiked on their own.

The sleeping arrangements for this trip proved interesting. The plan was to put John in the Pack n' Play and Katie and Joey would share the other bed. Very bad plan! Joe was so excited he jist didn't know what to do with himself. He was all over the place and a complete pest to poor Katie. So plans changed and Joe went to the pack n' play and John slept on a bed of hotel towels atop the luggage rack squished between the bed and a chair. He didn't seem to mind.

And, nothing beats trick or treating in the mall on Halloween. Especially a mall that handed out nothing but choking hazards. LAME! So I had to make a run to Walmart for child friendly candy post mall trick or treat. The upside, we didn't have any Halloween candy to create sugar highs for more than a day! Really though, if they had had more age appropriate candy the mall really is a good gig. Quick and safe!

Bryce Canyon National Park

2010-11-03T13:58:00.000-07:00

The last week in October we took a little family vacation to southern Utah. We had a ball. I hadn't been to many of these places in years. I was somewhat surreal to be back there married with my children. Who would've thought?! I suppose when you're a teen you aren't really thinking about your future family vacations!

My dad used to make us pose with all the signs of each national park we visited. We used to tease him and still do. But, now I'm realizing it just seems a little more official that way.

Katie is extremely displeased about this photo spot. I had just explained to them that they needed to mind and stay away from the edge so they didn't fall off. She felt like this was "too close" to the edge and was very angry with me!

This kid is hilarious!

On all our trips growing up we could "earn" treats for spotting animals. Generally, there was a smaller treat for the more frequently spotted things like a deer or elk. You could upgrade to a larger treat if you spotted something more rare like a coyote or moose. These "larger" treats were usually gummi worms. We loved gummi worms. They just tasted so much better than a gummi bear. I'm not sure why I felt this way, but I still do. So in attempting to carry on some of the family trip traditions I purchased some animal spotting treats for the trip. Now that I'm the one "calling the treat shots" in the front seat we skipped right to the gummi worms. No small treats for us. We were going all the way. So after some careful explanation to our children we implemented the spotting treat. As we left the parking lot of a hike in the park Joey shouts, "Mom, I spot a tree! Can I have a gummi worm?" Man, that kid is tricky. Apparently, we didn't clarify what was a legitmate "spot."

The weather wasn't too cold once we got off the ridges. The hikes were so pleasant. It was so nice to not be totally drenched in sweat when you finished a hike!

This place really is unbelievable. Todd and I kept wishing we could've seen the million year camera to see how all of it was formed.

These two just crack me up. I could just squish them with kisses.

At least this one still lets me!

Just building a few Hoodoos.

Cookies & a Halloween Party

2010-10-30T12:56:00.000-07:00

A little Halloween party at Grandma and Papa's house. The kids were so excited! They had been looking forward to it for weeks.

And, a little cookie decorating at home to do a little "spooking!" Kids, frosting and sprinkles. What a night. And, John, well he just tries to take it all in.

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-28T09:20:00.000-07:00

I love Halloween!

I love them!

I love that 2 of the 3 picked their own costumes this year!

I love that they're all mine!

Katie-Tinkerbell John- dalmation Joey- brown dinosaur

Drastic measures...

2010-10-26T16:18:00.000-07:00

I'm officially frustrated! This kid is a thumb sucker. Not all day, but definitely during nap and bedtime. After the last dentist visit and the ever rising future orthodontist bill for this guy's severe overbite I'm taking drastic measures.

We got an elbow brace. Works great at night, but he can Houdini out of it during the day!

So, I ordered the nail polish. Super nasty stuff. It smells super strong and tastes terrible. The first day I put it on I could hear him gagging and choking on it in his room. He screamed and hollered about how horrible it was and that he just wanted to suck and go to sleep. Next thing I know the kid has thrown up from the stuff. By this point I'm thinking we have hit the jackpot.

Boy, did I celebrate too soon.

Yesterday, he asked for the nail polish and said he liked it. Apparently, he is stubborn enough to just man it up for five minutes until all the stuff is off his thumb.

So today, he screamed and threw a fit about me putting the nail polish on. And just to be sure today, I added the elbow brace thinking I was going to win this battle. When I went to remove him from his crib he had managed to remove the arm brace and suck all the polish off leaving a very pruned thumb! ARGHHHHH!

I'm going to keep at it another week or two and then I'm going to the "shark tooth" dentist. Supposedly, he can put some sort of retainer on the roof of his mouth so when he tried to suck it will poke his thumb. We shall see. In the meantime I'm certainly open to suggestions!

I have to admit I feel like the meanest mother in the world when I look at this picture. My child is restrained in two different ways. You can just see the edge of his baby jail otherwise known as his "housebed" and then there he is with his awesome elbow brace! Nice.

And, his attempt to put that stupid thumb in his mouth!

Marla Ruby Design Giveaway

2010-10-15T21:26:00.000-07:00

Love this blog. Love these pillows. Enter here for a chance to win!

Warning: Picture overload!

2010-10-12T22:09:00.001-07:00

Bet you can't tell who was a total pill during the shoot?!

Cereal...

2010-10-06T21:38:00.000-07:00

So, we tried it about a month ago and he was into it for a day.

We tried again and he is now attacking the spoon.

(Oh, and he's my first baby to not gag and dry heave over peas! )

And, can you see why I want to eat him everyday for all meals?!

Woodland Fairy Party

2010-10-04T21:16:00.000-07:00

After last years party I said I probably wouldn't do one this year. We grew up on the every other year party plan and I really wanted to implement it in our family as well. They're a lot of work. But, I realized we'll have just moved to New Zealand next year and we really won't know very many people so it made sense to do the party this year and then start the every other. So, we did.

I had so much FUN with this party. Katie and I scoured the Internet for a theme. She decided on a fairies and I was thrilled. What an easy party to find all kinds of fun ideas. And, I was able to decorate and make most everything from stuff I already had!

We have the most ideal backyard for this party. As the girls came they each picked a set of wings and a tutu to wear. Then they put on their fairy makeup and made their own jar of "pixie dust."

Tutus: Fabric from Joanns $1 per tutu
Wings: Halo Heaven $1.70

Pixie Dust Grotto

I had these containers left over from another activity and I just added a paper butterfly to the top to dress it up. Th pixie dust is just glitter I already had as well. The girsl absolutely loved this part. They were sprinkling each other with fiary dust the whole time. It was so fun to see all the imaginative play going on!

Fairy House Hunt

We went on a fairy house hunt to find all the things they would need to decorate a fairy house. This was so much fun. I told a story before each stop and then they had to "hunt" around the yard to find the specific thing they were looking for. I had all of these things in my craft box and it was so nice to get rid of them!

Flower Garden--flowers and leaves
Butterfly Garden-- paper butterflies
Toadstool Garden--moss and acorns (from our yard)
Water Garden--dew drops (flat glass marbles) and rocks
Fairy Garden--a fairy (wooden head with flowers for a body and thread for hair)
Fairy House--wooden birdhouse Joanns $1

Fairy Feast

Toadstool Cupcakes--cupcakes with toadstool cupcake pops. Tutorial on Bakerella
Ladybugs- sliced apples with chocolate frosting
Fairy Feathers--cotton Candy
Fairy Berries--raspberries and straberries
Butterfly and Snail Sanwiches--PB&J butterfly cutout and rolled jelly sandwiches
Fairy Trail mix-trail mix
Dandelion Milk--Lemonade

All in all it was a fun party. And, I think she like it.......

She's SIX!!

2010-10-04T20:24:00.001-07:00

I'm still not quite sure how it happened, but it did. She turned six. She has seriously been counting down since about January. This girls loves her birthday and of course an excuse for a party and friends.

The day started out with a super quick breakfast because John had an appointment. Once we were there we waited TWO hours to see the doctor. That has never happened to us before. They are always so good to be on time and fast. Let me tell you, three kids in a cramped exam room for an extended period of time equals crazy mama! We barely survived. Joey was crying over John getting his shots which was super sweet. And then, he didn't blink an eye when they gave him his flu shot. When they were done he looked at me and said, "That kinda hurt mom," with the most straight face ever. I really had to try not to laugh. And then, there was Katie. Katie who was pretty much bawling from the second the nurse came in with the consent form for me to sign. When it was her turn she went balistic. We're talking she was climbing up the wall screaming. I was so embarassed! The funny thing was she continued with that sherade even after the shot was given and she was totally unaware that it was all over. She assumed the lady had given up and left. She looked at me and asked why the nurse didn't end up giving her the shot. REALLY?!!! I really had to try and keep it together knowing it was her birthday and all, but I really wanted to hang her by her toenails!

So, that was our morning. Then it was off to Kindergarten with her "store bought treat." I really hate that you can't make anything homemad anymore. It just seems so much less birthday to walk into Harmons and purchase a tub of bakery cookies and call it a birthday treat. Of course, she knows nothing different, but I do. I have such great memories of helping my mom make cupcakes to take to school and being so proud of them and that my mom was there to help me pass them out. Oh well, she was completely thrilled with chocolate chip cookies from Harmons.

That evening we had a little family party with my parents and sister. She picked pasta for dinner. So, I made her some plain spaghetti noodles with parmesan cheese and then lasagna for the rest of us. I can't believe she picked plain pasta for her birthday dinner, but she really does love it.

Dinner couldn't go by fast enough for her. She had been dying to open her presents since that morning when she got up. That girl can sure unwrap in a hurry. I think we done in a matter of minutes with the whole present thing. I was barely able to snap pictures!

And yes, there was a theme to her presents this year as well. It was all things fairy!

A fairy doll from Grossmutter
A tinkerbell watch and stickers from Aunt Jackie and Uncle Casey
Winter clothes and a camera from mom and dad
A razor scooter and Tinkerbell jewelry kit from Grandma and Papa.
And a few weeks before--a special party with Grandma Barb and Grandpa as will as some tickle monster gloves and the book to go with!

She was one lucky and happy little girl. And now, I have a dramatic, loving and absolutely adorable little/big SIX year old!

The State Fair

2010-09-30T20:54:00.000-07:00

I love the State Fair! I remember going there with my family when I was little and just being in awe of everything there is to see at a fair. In fact, in the summer when we would be on family vacations we would hit every fair and rodeo we could. It really was so much fun. We used to harrass my dad that he planned our summer vacations soley around fairs.

This was acutally the first time we have been to the State Fair in the four years we have lived here. The kids were so excited. We checked out all the animal barns and then some. Katie wanted to pet everything while Joey observed safely from the stroller. The bunnies were absolutely adorable and Katie and I were dying to get this one. He was so cute with his little floppy ears. I kept having to remind myself that we are moving in 9 months and then what we would we do with it.

I couldn't believe how expensive everything was. I thought fairs were supposed to be cheap. You expect to pay a little more, but seriously 8 dollars for a funnel cake, 4 for a lemonade and 3 per ride. Yikes! We stuck with a small slushy for a 1.50 which was still a total rip off, but you can't go to the fair and not have something! If you can't tell, Joey had a blue slushy that took a very aggressive washcloth and soap to remove!

What is it about fairs that draw out such unique people. I was having a hay day people watching. Oh, and the booths. There were some crazy booths with some very crazy looking people. Like this one for wholistic medicine one. They were selling some "fabulously natural product" to make you more healthy and prolong your life blank amount of years. The woman pedaling this looked like she was about 500 years old, but I know she was only about 50. She reminded me of the poison apple lady on Snow White. She was totally leaning out of her booth waving her product at me! How in the world do you think your going to convince me to buy that! She really was quite scary looking. And then, there was this guy for the funeral home dressed in his fancy suit with his coffin next to him. Dude, I'm at the fair! Why on earth would I want to be talking about my future coffin! And I can't forget the magical cleaning products for carpet, tile etc. I could go on and on.

Really, there's nothing like the fair!

Family Pics

2010-09-29T20:50:00.001-07:00

So, we had family pics. Need I say more......

Ok, so my really super awesome friend Lynndi Wilson and I did a family photo trade. We would take each others pictures and then do our own editing--the not so fun part. Pretty sweet deal!!! I think she did awesome considering the three ring circus we were.

So here you go. I seriously need help picking which one. Despite being a photographer I am embarassed to say I hardly ever hang pictures because I can never decide which one I like and then it's months past and things have changed . . . you get the point. So, seriously, I NEED HELP picking.

#1

So this next one is the before and then there are a couple head swaps below for John. We'll call the top on A and the bottom B.

#2 A or B

And same thing with the next two. John was screaming so visualize the above and then the head swaps.#3 A or B

#4 A or B

John-- 4 months

2010-09-27T22:30:00.000-07:00

It's funny how on the day I got married I couldn't imagine loving anyone more. And, then it was after Katie was born I was sure my heart would burst. And now, even with baby number three we are there. My heart continues to burst. He is just scrumptous! If he were a food I would eat him all day long. As each phase comes and goes I find myself just eating up every moment. He is so fun right now. Just a few thoughts...

He's figuring out how his little voice works. And his laugh is just precious.

He is now aware of his little arms and that he can make them do things if he concentrates hard enough. He's like a little robot. He'll stare at whatever it is he wants (toy, pacifier, blanket) and then he'll growl and grunt and coo at it. It's almost as if he's carrying on his own conversation with it. And when he realizes it is not going to get up and walk right into his mouth he musters up all his concentration and brings those little robot arms around to grab it take it immediately to his mouth. It really is adorable to watch.

He despises tummy time no matter what. He will kick, scream, snort and push his face into the ground. It really is the most painful 10 minutes of the whole morning.

The whole rice cereal or oatmeal thing was a definite NO. The first time was not too bad and since then it has been terrible. He sputters, dry heaves, turns his head from side to side and purses his lips as tightly as possibly. He definitely prefers the snack shack!

He sleeps through the night most of the time. That is if you count from 9-5am the night and I do!

Nap schedule...what nap scedule?

He loves love loves his brother and sister. They can get him to smile and laugh any time.

The outdoors remain top on his list.

He's a snuggler. Every morning when he wakes up I feed him and then he just curls into my side and we sleep for a few more hours. It really is heaven to have a cuddly baby.

He smells absolutely wonderful. And yet, his gas can knock your socks off.

His little cheeks are just firm little balls of fat that beg me to nibble on them everyday.

His toes are perfect little playdoh balls stuck to his feet.

He really is perfect in everyway possible. And, I love that I get to spend everyday loving all of him.

4 months--- 13 pounds 14 ounces & 25 inches

John's Blessing

2010-09-07T22:03:00.000-07:00

We blessed this adorable little boy over labor day weekend. He didn't make a peep. And, for those of you who know John that is amazing!!! It was a beautiful day with wonderful promises, family and of course tasty food.

This little guy is our chunkiest (by our standards) baby to date! I put his blessing outfit on three times the week before to stretch it out so it wouldn't cut off the circulation to his legs. I fell in love with his outfit and bought it before he was born. I took a chance on the 0-3 month size because it was the only one left and I just couldn't pass it up! Fortunately, it was a little stretchy!

Oh, how we all adore this little baby boy!

She's growing up on me!

2010-09-02T21:00:00.000-07:00

Really, she's growing up so fast and it's a whole ball of emotions for me. Excited, happy, sad, terrified, fun, frustrating... you get the idea.

The first day came and went. I'm not sure that it went the way I thought it would or that it didn't. She has afternoon kindergarten so we didn't really have to rush to be out the door and it's not all day so there was no lunch making. It really was just like any other morning except she went to KINDERGARTEN!

The night before we had so much fun picking out her outfit. I really tried hard to stay out of it wanting her to wear what she really wanted, since it was her first day, but not wanting something terribly ugly/odd to be documented for years to come. So, we came up with three choices which she modeled for daddy and then she chose. I think she did great. I'm sure years from now she will wonder why she has a huge flower on her head just like I wonder how anyone ever thought feather bangs and sides were cute, but really, she looked adorable to me. We painted her fingers and toes and I gave her a special bracelet to wear in case she was missing mommy. Kind of like the whole "Kissing Hand" thing. She was so happy to have something from mommy to take with her.

We also had a special "daddy-prayer" which I think she was more excited about than school. At that moment I was so proud. Of her, of her daddy, of all of us for making it to this point. And, then I was sad. Sad that it is all just racing by and just wanting to soak it all in. It seems like it is the beginning of the end. School means nice kids and not so nice kids. More good choices and bad choices with bigger consequences. So here we go..... Hopefully, I've taught her what she needs at this point.

All of the kids in our neighborhood are in her class, so we decided to walk together. I think it made the transition and the goodbyes a little easier for them as well as us. There really is strength in numbers! And, as I watched her skip down the sidewalk to school I couldn't help but smile. She is ready. She has been ready for a year now. She LOVES kids and learning new things. She loves to be a leader and to do what the teacher says. She loves to do the right thing. It doesn't occur to her to be apprehensive, or anything BUT excited about it.

So, as I kissed her goodbye on the playground and she ran to line up by the door without a moment's hesitation I realized I was happy. Even though the teeniest part of me wanted her to miss me and be sad for a moment. I really was happy she didn't. She is growing up and right where she needs to be. And me, I miss her like crazy already!

She was dying for this backpack. But, it was backordered so we weren't sure if it would make it in time for school--it didn't. So she wore a different one she already had for the first day and when she got home from school there was the package on the front door step. Only 3 hours late! Darn it!She was more than excited. I sooo remember how much fun it was to get a new backpack for school. And it appears as though she feels the same!

First day of.....

2010-09-01T23:15:00.000-07:00

KINDERGARTEN!!

I couldn't be more proud to be her mother today and always!

*First day details tomorrow.

Camping

2010-08-31T21:37:00.000-07:00

Katie has been dying to go camping since the first of summer. We kept putting it off because John was too little. Then we were putting it off because he cries so much. It seemed there was always something. Finally, we picked a weekend and decided to give it a go. We decided to stay close in case of a disaster and we also had a "trial run" one night for family home evening. We headed up Millcreek Canyon to roast some marshmallows. Joey was really nervous about the fire and stuck pretty close to me the whole evening, but he was a serious smore fan. On the way home he kept talking about how much he loved the "outdoor fire dinnerhouse." We were so confused. Finally, we figured out he was referring to the campfire! That kid is such a crack up.

The "outdoor fire dinnerhouse"

So, the next weekend we headed off for our first camping adventure as a family of five. Todd and I were both a little apprehensive. We worried that no one would sleep including all those in the campground. Todd thought we should go to this campground up Little Cottonwood Canyon. He has checked to see if we needed reservations and it looked like you could reserve, but that there were some sites set aside for first come too. So, we figured at 11am on a Friday we'd miss the rush. Boy, were we wrong. Apparently, you have to reserve your spot in FEBRUARY!!! That's right, February. Lame! So, of course, Katie is bawling because we might not be able to camp now and John is crying like he normally does and Joey is chattering away about who knows what. We were a sight!

We decided since we were there we would at least go on a nice hike and then look for other options for camping. We hiked up to Catherine's Lake and did some fishing. Katie absolutely loves fishing. Joey remains terrified despite our best efforts. I did actually get him to hold a rod with a fish on for a few minutes. But, as soon as it got close to shore and started flopping around he was racing off screaming.

So, while Katie and dad were fishing I tried to calm John who was crying again and entertain Joe. Joe kept picking up sticks and swinging them around. And, being the peds nurse I am I kept taking them away from him to avoid eye injury's. Well, I wasn't quite fast enough with one. Katie caught a fish and it started flopping toward Joey and he panicked and took off running up the embankment, tripped on a critter hole and fell right onto the stick in his hand. Yep! He scratched his cornea. So, now we have Joe AND John screaming and we are a 2.5 mile hike back to the car and a 30 minute drive to the ER. This "camping" trip is turning out to be AWESOME!!! Once we were able to calm him down and really look at his eye we decided to just play it by ear. He didn't seem too bothered by it.

After we got back to the car we told Katie we would attempt to find a camping spot on Big Cottonwood, but it really didn't look good. So, now she is crying again. Todd and I are starting to feel like terrible parents at this point since we had gotten everyone so excited about camping and it wasn't going to work out now. Of course, there were no camping spots left there either. So we drove over Guardsman Pass and hoped for some random campground as we headed toward Heber. And, SCORE, a campground with one spot left. I've never seen a more happy little girl. She was absolutely elated. It seemed we had turned a corner. The rest of the trip went smoothly and everyone, but me, slept quite well. Camping trip was a success! Both Todd and I decided all in all it turned out much better than expected!

Joe's face says it all in these pictures. The kid really loves fish! (extreme sarcasm here)

Behind the 8 ball

2010-08-25T22:13:00.000-07:00

Wow!

I am so behind the 8 ball with my house cleaning, laundry~by far, the worst household job on the planet, school clothes shopping, grocery shopping, picture editing, birthday party planning, and of course...blogging.

WHERE HAS THE SUMMER GONE?!

I can't believe John is already 3 months plus! He continues to melt our hearts and get chubbier by the second. I'm actually dreading the four month appointment in a few weeks when I will be expected to report that my child is on a schedule. He's NOT! He's just John eating every hour in the evening, sleeping whenever and nothing I can do will change his personal preferences! Trust me, I've tried. So, I'm not looking forward to the lecture from the pediatrician about how important it is to get him on a schedule. I know it's important so I'll keep trying, but in the meantime I'm holding my flight pattern to survival. Seriously, the kids eats every hour in the evening. BUT, HE SLEEPS THROUGH THE NIGHT!!!!!!

My baby girl, who is not such a baby anymore, will start Kindergarten a week from today. What?! How do I have a Kindergartner? Of course, she is so excited she can hardly stand it. It about killed her today when all her little neighbor friends went to their first day of first grade today and she wasn't going. She's going to be one of the oldest in kindergarten and I know it's a good thing, but my heart ached for her today when we were there for her testing and all of them (church and neighborhood buddies) walked by on their way to recess. Her face was so so sad. I'm sure she'll be fine because she's so social, but at the same time it's hard to not be with your friends. She can't wait to start her new ballet and tap class in a couple weeks. I'm totally thrilled that it is across the street. No driving with three kids! And, she's going to be six in a couple weeks and I really can't believe it. She is counting down the days until her birthday. I'm wishing I could slow down the time. I can do babies and toddlers, but I'm so nervous about the school age. Yikes! Hopefully, I don't screw the poor girl up too bad!

Joe is growing like a stinkin' cute little week. Full of jokes, smiles and a full mop of hair! He has a new best friend, Adam. Every morning he checks on John and then looks out the window for Adam. They really are hilarious little buddies. For the first half hour of every play date they mostly look at each other and act shy. Then it's all giggles, bikes, bubbles and toddler whatever. I really dread the day we move to New Zealand and have to say goodbye to him. He is still horribly frightened of any living creature. In fact, yesterday evening I took the kids up to some historic white barn in Park City for some pictures and he was absolutely terrified there would be ducks, horses, pigs etc. there. When we got there and he discovered none of these frightening creatures were anywhere to be found it became his new favorite place. This morning he even asked if we could go to the, "fun white barn with no animals" today. What a hoot!

Anyway, I've been really busy with photography jobs lately~ check them out! I really do love taking pictures, I just wish I had the time and money to really get good at it. I love the creative outlet and challenge it gives me, but at the same time I have to sacrifice the "me" time in order to get to a session and then edit. I'm going to be doing limited family sessions (email me if interested) this fall so I don't get sooo busy I can't enjoy the holidays because this really is one of my favorite times of the year. And, I have some of the sweetest and most adorable little people to spend it with!

Trout Farm

2010-08-15T21:28:00.000-07:00

She still loves as much as she did the first time she went 5 years ago!

Him....not so much!

He's laughing!

2010-08-02T21:21:00.000-07:00

Look who's laughing!!!

It happened a week ago today. It was music to our ears. The kids were playing downstairs and I was trying to make John's "tummy time" a little more tolerable with a game of peekaboo. So there we were in the middle of a peeka.... and there is was that adorable little hiccup, sucking in air, but still making noise laugh. It was precious. Even Todd heard it sitting at the table. Of course, it was accompanied by this cute little smiling face. It's amazing how it never gets old with each baby. I love it just as much with each one and perhaps a little more because it is all just racing by!

Donut Falls

2010-08-01T21:12:00.000-07:00

We decided to take a family hike up to Donut Falls in Big Cottonwood Canyon. It's a short hike so figured everyone would be able to walk. It was a nice hike, but definitely a lot of people. Unfotunately, the flooding this spring took out the "donut" part of the falls. Katie was so disappointed. It sure was nice to get out and enjoy the mountains with everyone!

Two months already?!!

2010-07-28T21:16:00.000-07:00

How has it really been two months already?!!!

I am painfully aware of how quickly this little guy is growing. I finally had to pack up the newborn clothes a few weeks ago even though he has been out of them for quite some time. It's just so hard to realize that little stage has already come and gone. I really wish I could stretch that whole newborn-ness (probably not a word-but you get the idea) phase a little longer. Don't get me wrong, I adore all the phases in their own little ways, but that newborn phase they are just so helpless and fresh from heaven. I could just sit and stare at them while wondering about who they were just with and what they were thinking about me being their mother. I know, heavy thoughts for looking at such a sweet tiny face.

Anyway, John is absolutely adorable! We all love him so much. He has won us all over again and again with his sweet little smiles that sometimes make him look a little more screwy than cute. He is especially chatty in the morning. Sometimes we all stay in my bed and just smile and talk to him while he coos back. I'm sure we all look like the biggest goofs, but he seems to love it!

We finally got him some medicine for his reflux and things seem to be going a little smoother now. There are still many nights when I am walking up and down the street after the kids are in bed trying to get him to calm. There is some sort of magic in the outdoors for him~he's his father's son. He almost instantly calms when I walk outside with him. If I come back from a walk before he is asleep he screams the second we walk in the door! I'm so so grateful it is summer so I can go outside. I don't know what we would do if it were winter!!!

He is very aware of who his siblings are and whether or not they are in the room with him. He definitely wants to be a part of the circus all the time. If we leave the room without him he instantly starts his little cat calls for us to come get him. If we are gone too long it turns into full blown screams until we return and then he's all smiles again. He loves when Katie sings to him. He just looks right at her and she sings in her sweet little voice. It really does make your heart melt. And, Joey is so concerned if anyone tries to touch him or look at him. "He my baby bruder. No touch my baby bruder. I love him." Oh, I am lucky girl to have these little people!

So, he is still holding strong as the chunkiest baby in the fam.

11 pounds 6.5 ounces
22.75 inches
A full head of hair

**These were taken around 6 weeks.

The Pool

2010-07-28T20:44:00.000-07:00

It has been super super hot the last few weeks so we have been playing alot in the water. I have braved the pool a few times with all three kids by myself! WOW! What a production. Thankfully, Katie is big enough that as long as she stays in sight with a life jacket I don't have to worry. Joey is getting less timid about the water, but he still hangs close in the splash pad area. theses two definitely love the water! So much so, that I have no pictures of Katie in the water. Bad mom!!!

John has dipped his toes a time or two, but mostly he hangs out in his swim suit in his car seat! He looks pretty stylin' though! Good thing he is such a chub--he fits in Joey's 6 month swim suit!

This is the Place

2010-07-28T20:20:00.000-07:00

This the Place Heritage Park

We finally made it to "This is the Place Heritage Park" and it was a lot more fun than I ever remember! I think they must have done some significant improvements since my elementary school day field trips. The kids loved it! Not to mention the day we went it was FREE. There were tons of people due to the free factor, but it was seriously 100 degrees and so we didn't stay more than a couple hours and the kids seemed fine with that! We rode a few trains, played some games, ate popsicles, rode some horses, played in the mini farm town. Like I said it really was fun for them. I actually want to go back this fall when it cools down to spend a little more time. Katie really wanted to check out all the houses.

I can't believe we got this kid to ride a horse. I would have bet a lot of money he would have chickened out, but he really enjoyed it! He does look a little skeptical in this picture though.

The 4th of July

2010-07-27T20:06:00.000-07:00

Todd and I were in charge of our neighborhood 4th of July breakfast this year. I must admit I was seriously bummed we weren't going to be able to attend our traditional Huntsville breakfast and parade. I just love it there. I've loved it since I was a kid. It's just so small town and homey! It feels very 4th of July. Thankfully, my parents were able to take the kids Friday night so Todd and I wouldn't have to worry about them at the breakfast Saturday morning. At least they got to enjoy the small homey 4th of July! My parents seriously are great for taking them even though we ended up with two African Dwarf frogs and some random fish from the carnival festivities. ****Seriously, I don't need one more thing to take care of right now and we are now the proud owners of these ridiculous frogs that are so FRAGILE and have such specific needs. More to come on the frogs because they deserve their own post with all the drama they have caused!

My mom seriously knows how to throw a party. Look at that cute cake she made with the kids. They just loved putting all the fruit on it! She always makes each holiday so special and important. It's probably why I love every holiday! I love her!!!!!

Now let's talk about the fireworks! Sugarhouse did not disappoint this year. And, despite all the warnings and that I'm a pediatric nurse, we did break out the sparklers in a controlled environment for the kids! Katie was a huge fan especially when she figured out she could write her name really fast. Joey was absolutely terrified of all things fireworks. We even tried the snakes to which he continued to scream. I really wish our camcorder could upload to this blog because his reaction is priceless and perfect blackmail someday!

2010-07-12T21:06:00.000-07:00

A wonderfully hot Sunday summer afternoon. John is exactly 8 weeks old!

Notes from Katie

2010-07-08T22:28:00.000-07:00

A recent note posted on Katie's door in response to a nap....

Fortunately, she had a lesson about peacemakers soon after. And, after Todd and I had stopped laughing, a little talking to from her parents about kindness and feelings.

***P. S. I heart this picture!

Oh, for the love of potty training

2010-07-08T22:20:00.000-07:00

So we have been working on this.....

Need I say more?

Grandma's House

2010-07-08T21:51:00.000-07:00

About a month ago Todd headed out for his annual Oregon trip. We decided to stay behind since John was so little. So, I spent the week at my parents for some extra help and to help watch my nephew. We had so much fun. They loved the bike path in the park, her big tub and cool shower, all the stairs, having pancakes every morning and just playing with grandma. They were so bummed my dad was out of town on business. They really do love to go to Grandma's. It's like a mini vacation for them and for me. I don't know what it is about home, but I instantly revert back to my younger years. I feel like I have chores to do, but at the same time it's nice to have my mom "take care" of me. I loved watching the cooking channel in the evenings with her and just chatting. She really is my best friend. I'm not sure how I will survive next year when we are in New Zealand. Good thing Skype exists!

Just one example of why she is so great. She would come in around 4:30 (she's a total early bird) when she heard John crying and take him so I could get a few hours of sleep. He had such terrible gas that he was only sleeping for an hour and a half at a time and then he would fuss for an hour or so and then sleep again. It really was exhausting. I'm so glad those days are behind us. I really was incoherent for those first few weeks. What did mother's do before Disney movies, especially when it was poor weather? I'm convinced that was the only way I made it. We would all snuggle up on the couch and the kids would watch while I drifted off for some "sort of" sleep. I swear you always sleep with one eye open during the day, but somehow it stills feels like a little rest. Anyway, we had a great time and the kids were super bummed when we had to return to "real life!"

**The little Strawberry Shortcake cradle was mine when I was little. It's so crazy to think that John was the same size as one of those dolls!

Father's Day

2010-07-08T21:38:00.000-07:00

Father's Day was a bit of a bummer for this poor dad. Todd was on call all day which means he left around 4 am or maybe even earlier I don't remember I just know it was super early and then he got home around 11pm that night. So, our poor children were only able to wish their awesome daddy Happy Father's Day on the phone! At least he got to come home to this fun diplay of homemade cards, banner and presents! We love him so much. He was one great daddy!

Hooray! It's Summer!

2010-06-24T13:18:00.000-07:00

It seems like we have been waiting forever for summer this year! Well, it's the end of June and it has finally arrived. So, we celebrated at the Gateway Fountains. They loved it. And, John and I hung out in the shade while they ran in and out of the water. Joey didn't love getting sprayed in the face so he would walk through the fountians with his hands over his eyes. Fortunately, there wer no major collisions. I'm sure we will be frequenting the "water mountains" as Joey calls them a lot this summer!

Oh, and I wish Old Navy would make big people swimsuits like Katies. I really want one!

A Bug's Ball

2010-06-24T12:42:00.000-07:00

Katie had her first dance recital a few weeks ago. She was so excited and wasn't a bit scared. She said to me after, "I loved dancing on the big stage with the pretty ballerinas, but the lights were really bright and I couldn't see you mom." Oh, I love her. She still needs me!

She did awesome!!! She was an ant. Yes, a black ant! A very cute ant though. I must admit I expected a little more of a costume than they gave her. She was wearing a black leotard, tights and a purple headband with pipe cleaner antennas. I expected at least a little black tutu for the $50 RENTAL fee--yes RENTAL fee. Isn't that the major fun part about dance, getting to wear an over the top tulle costume and then playing dress up at home?!

Unfortunately, her dance studio and the Marriott Center for Dance prohibit picture taking during the preformance. They are worried it will distract and frighten the performers. PLEASE! We all know they just want to make more money. You couldn't even video tape the thing. Oh, and the photography company who took the pictures charges an arm and a leg for the pictures and then you aren't even allowed to post them to your blog. Big Bummer!!

***If you can't tell, I'm a little perturbed about the whole thing. Needless to say, I don't think we'll be dancing with them next year.

Baby John's Photo Shoot

2010-06-16T21:43:00.000-07:00

My sweet baby boy is one month old today!

I am absolutely devestated that he is growing so quickly! I swear the newborn stage never lasts long enough. As my babies have left each stage I always seem to mourn a bit because it is something you can never get back and I just hope I have soaked up as much as possible of it. And yet, despite my longing to hold on a little longer, I fall in love equally with each stage they pass through.

We have all fallen in love with this little guy. The children adore him. He really is changing so quickly. He already has amazing control of his head and he is definitely more aware of his surroundings. When I hold him and he looks up at me with his little blueberry eyes and my heart melts as he studies my face so intently. I wonder what he is thinking and if he knows I am his mother. I like to think that he does. He has started to smile and has the most adorable dipples. I could just eat him up.

Mom and Dad

2010-06-14T10:11:00.000-07:00

Round 1 of baby John photos. More to come of him tomorrow.

**The photos of me and baby John were taken by my awesome friend Lynndi Wilson and edited by myself.

Dear postpartum body,

2010-06-13T13:13:00.000-07:00

Dear postpartum body,

Just a friendly "hello".... and a few suggestions.

I dig the curvy backside, fuller cheeks and the new and improved "girls!" It's like I've had a free visit to the plastic surgeon for implants and botox.

However.....

I could do without the muffin top, general flabbiness and hair loss.

Please take care of this ASAP!!!

Love,

Me

Eight Years

2010-06-09T20:56:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was our eight year anniversary! And despite how cliche' it sounds, it doesn't seem like that long. The years seem to be in fast forward lately!

We celebrated on Friday with a nice dinner at The Copper Onion in downtown Salt Lake. It was the first time we left little John and he did great! Dinner was amazing! We highly recommend the place. We kept joking through dinner about who was the chef, sous chef and the saucier. We felt like we were so well-educated with high end restaurant lingo thanks to Ratatouille. If that doesn't say parent of a small child I don't know what does! I actually braved a dish with oxtail in it. When I first read the description of the dish I thought "oxtail ragout" was some sort of fancy cheese. I know, total airhead. I'm blaming it on extreme sleep deprivation! Then I made the mistake of asking our waitress. When she confirmed it was actually an oxtail in the dish all I could picture was this cow in a field swatting his tail back and forth at the flies. Then a pasta dish with an oxtail laid across it came next. There was no way I was ordering that. Somehow I got talked into it and it was pretty good. Tasted like pulled pork, but with beef.

As we talked and laughed through dinner I kept thinking of how grateful I was that he was mine. That after eight years we can still have a non-child related conversation. He makes my heart pitter patter. I adore the way he throws his head back when he laughs. I love the way he plays with our children. I could go on and on. But, mostly, I love the way he loves me.

Oh, how I love him/them!

Our little Porker!

2010-06-08T12:49:00.000-07:00

We took baby John in for his two week checkup and boy were we surprised! He's quite the little porker! He gained just under two pounds in the two weeks since his birth! Maybe we CAN have a chunky baby after all!

8 lbs 14 ounces
20.75 inches

Still just as adorable and squishable as ever! Todd and I keep waiting for some sort of acting out from the other two. They just love him to pieces. If anything, we have to breakup battles over who gets to do what for him or who gets to help mommy with him. The other day in the car I heard Joey say, "I love my bruder I touch his head soft." It just made my heart melt!

I love that they love him. And, I love being their mother.

Just a few newborn tidbits that I love about him.

His smell; it's intoxicating.

The way he arches his little back and tucks his legs up when you lift him up.

How he tries to eat any part of me when he's hungry.

The way his head bobs on my shoulder as he tries to turn it when he's getting burped.

His adorable cross-eyed turtle expressions.

The way he slowly and mechanically moves his arms.

The way he makes a sweet little "O" with his mouth.

His obsession with lights.
The way he looks at his brother and sister when they're in his face!

Oh, you wonder if it's possible to love something more because your heart is just bursting with love, pride and utter joy. I could have a half a dozen more......

Who's John

2010-06-05T20:19:00.000-07:00

Scenario #1
The other night Todd and I were lounging on the couch. He was working on something kayak, ski or work related and I was enjoying some uninterrupted time with baby John. At one point, John was doing something cute and the conversation went something like this....

Me: "Look at John."

Todd: no response

Me: "Todd, look at John"

Todd with a puzzled look: "Who's John."

Me: "You know, your son."

Todd: "Oh, that's right, I forgot we named him John."

Me laughing hysterically: "Hmm, weren't you the one that came up with the name John?!"

Scenario #2
One rainy afternoon I was playing with the children in the basement when Todd got home from work. He greeted Joey and Katie with a kiss. (I was sitting on the couch holding baby John.) As he turned around to greet me he seemed very surprised. Then he said, "Oh, I forgot we had three kids. Hi baby."

Apparently, he's having a little trouble adjusting to three kids!

Memorial Day

2010-06-05T20:01:00.001-07:00

We decided to take a little "vacation" for Memorial Day! We headed up to my parents house for the weekend. The kids were totally bummed because they were out of town--they didn't really think it was much of a vacation. Oh well, we didn't sleep in our beds so it felt like one to us! While we were there we took baby John to visit Grossmutter. She loved him!

On Monday, we headed to the Ogden River Parkway for a bike ride. Todd and Katie cruised the whole thing together on there bikes. Joey and I were on a bit more low key trek. I had John in the double stroller assuming Joey's legs would eventually tire out and he would want a ride too. However, it wasn't his legs that tired out as much as it was his fear of every dog that would walk by. And, there were a lot of dogs as you can imagine so it was more a game of musical stroller and bike with him. As long as there were no dogs Joey loved it. He was fascinated by the river. He was a little worried about the dinosaurs despite my reassurance they were not real!

**Apparently, those dinosaurs were a little more frightening to him than I realized. The next morning when I went to retrieve him from his "housebed" he was frantically crying and begging me to get him out. When I finally got him out and he calmed down he told me there were dinosaurs in his bed trying to get him! Poor little guy.

Papa meets baby John

2010-06-05T19:33:00.000-07:00

My dad was on a business trip when baby John arrived. He finally made it to see him!

On another note, Joey is obsessed with this fire hat. It has to go everywhere with him. And from time to time it accompanied by some not so fireman accessories! Won't this be a great blackmail pic someday?!