Sunday Outfits

I dressed the kids today for church with clothes that Craig's parents got them from a cruise they took to Central and South America last fall. I've been waiting for it to be warm enough to put these outfits on them because they are very light with thin material but beautifully decorated and very cute. I got asked by several people at church about their outfits receiving many compliments. Briana especially looked really good in her dress with her tanned skin.

I never got a good picture of the both of them and you'll see that I eventually had to give up trying because of Brandon.

6 month update

I'm a week into being 6 months pregnant and everything is going well. I feel great for the most part, just starting to get tired at the end of the day but really, I have no complaints. I feel the baby kick all the time which is such a strange feeling that I'll never get used to but a great feeling at the same time to know that she alive and well. I had my doctor's appointment last week and was a little surprised at my weight gain. Basically, I've gained the same amount of weight in the last month that I did in the first 5 months of my pregnancy. Oh well...what can I do about it, right?? I really got big this last month so that is probably why. Also, with Mother's Day, our CA trip, and my birthday, there hasn't be a lack of cookies, cakes, and candy in our house so I'm sure that has to do with it too. I posted two pictures: one yesterday and one today.

Birthday and Wedding Celebrations

We just got back from a family-packed long weekend in California. The main reason for our visit was to attend my brother's wedding but the timing was perfect for me to celebrate my birthday while we were down there too. Friday was my birthday and what better way to spend it than at Disneyland!! I got in for free since the park is doing their birthday celebrations for the year 2009 and Craig got in for free using our Disney points from our visa card. My mom and step-dad watched the kids for us the whole day so we could spend the day by ourselves. We felt a little guilty knowing the kids would have a blast but not enough since we didn't take them with us. The day was perfect hitting all the rides first thing in the morning before the crowds came. After a late lunch in the park, we walked around visiting all the shops and did a couple last rides before meeting all of my family in Downtown Disney to have dinner to celebrate my birthday. We ate at Tortilla Jo's and the kids got an unexpected surprise when an employee at the restaurant came around and made them balloon characters. I had the best day and couldn't have asked for a better way to spend it than with family at the happiest place on earth!!

Saturday was the wedding at the Newport Beach Temple. My dad stayed outside with the kids while Craig and I attended the ceremony. Then came the waiting around outside for all the picture taking to be over to then drive to the reception. Sadly, I was so busy with the kids and trying to keep their clothes relatively clean that I didn't get any pictures of my brother and his wife. Once we got to the reception, I was ready to eat and get off my feet which were killing me!! At the restaurant where the reception was held was so small and had no air conditioning so it was hot and difficult to keep the kids from wandering off. Everything was beautiful though and went smoothly but it had been a long day. I was exhausted and ready to head back to my grandpa's house where we were staying.

Sunday was pretty much a day of just hanging out with family with me taking off for a couple hours to have lunch with some childhood friends. We had a great time catching up and they each were so thoughtful and brought me a baby gift and my friend DiAnna even made cute pink and brown cupcakes that matched the baby outfit she bought me. Unfortantely, all 4 of us forgot our cameras and we all assumed that someone else would have one!! Later that afternoon and evening, the kids had a blast doing bubbles in the backyard while the rest of us got to relax and enjoy the great CA weather.

Presents from Grandma

Dinner with family at Tortilla Jo's in Downtown Disney


Family picture before my brother's wedding


Brother Jimmy, Mom, Step-dad Jim, and my nephews
Dallin and Austin at the Newport Beach Temple

Brandon in time-out

I brought Mickey suckers from Disneyland for the

kids to enjoy while we waited around on the Temple grounds

Great-Grandpa Jack

IT'S A GIRL!!

We had the ultrasound yesterday and found out we are having a girl. To celebrate the occasion I went to Target and had a cake decorated for me. Just something every simple so we could share the news with the kids (even though I don't think they really understand yet what is happening). A couple of my girlfriends were anxious to find out if it was going to be a boy or girl so we decided to have lunch together that afternoon. My neighbor was watching the kids for me so after my appointment, I got the cake and picked up lunch for us. We had a nice lunch just hanging out while the all our kids played together.

We are very excited to share our good news and I'm ready to start planning for her arrival!!

I tried to scan in the ultrasound pictures but I know they are small

but at least it is something to look at.

20 Weeks!!

I'm now at the halfway point in my pregnancy and feeling really good. I am really just trying to enjoy it as much as I can everyday with this (and most likely only) pregnancy. I'm now wearing maternity pants most of the time but can still wear a lot of my t-shirts. My church clothing selection is few but luckily it is only once a week and I don't care if I wear the same things over and over. My only complaints which are expected anyway: trouble getting comfortable while sleeping and having to go to the bathroom all the time. I also know that both complaints are just going to get worse. The things that I love about being pregnant: I've never had so many good hair days and my skin is free of any breakouts and looks great.

We find out the sex on Thursday so check back on Friday for the news!!

Easter Activities

Our Easter weekend started with going out to breakfast and then heading to our local city park to participate in an Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday. Of course it was a mad house but the kids had fun picking up easter eggs off the grass field and seeing their baskets fill up with stuff.

I wish I could say that is me in the gray shirt and black sleeves but unfortunately I'm the fat one in jeans tugging at Brandon's sweatshirt

Then for Easter Sunday, we gave the kids their baskets and then headed to church. Since we have early church, we didn't get too many photos of the kids in their Easter clothes. Luckily, we got a really good one of the kids together so that is all that matters to me anyway.

Sundance with Grandpa

My dad was in town this week so we got out and did some fun activities with the kids. One day we drove down to the Sundance Ski Resort just to walk around and enjoy the canyon drive. Before getting to Sundance, we stopped to see my Aunt Dana and cousins and had a great visit with them. I feel like finally Brandon is at a point that we can go to someone's house and he can play with the other kids and I can actually have some good conversations without too many interruptions. Once at Sundance, we just walked around and let the kids play in the snow while my dad and I enjoyed the great weather that day. Surprising the resort is already closed for the ski season but as you can see from the last picture of Brandon, there is still plenty of snow!!

Sleeping Beauty and other pics

Brandon is still adjusting to not getting naps and sometimes falls asleep in the afternoon. Usually I'll let him sleep unless it is really late (anything after 4pm is late to me) so I'll let him get 10 minutes in and then wake him up so it doesn't mess up his nighttime sleep which is way more important to me. Sunday afternoon we put a movie on for the kids and half way through Craig checked the couch where Brandon was sitting and we saw this.

So cute!!

Here are some other random pictures I took of the kids last week. Brandon does have his moments when he actually wants to pose for the camera so I have to take advance of it. I'm still working with Briana to not have the "deer in the headlights" look when posing for a picture.

Quick Family Photo

We just got in the door from church and the kids started heading upstairs to get changed out of their church clothes when I decided I wanted to get a family picture of us. With Craig's parents in town, this was a good opportunity to get one done. Of course Brandon was difficult as ever but as least 3 of us were looking at the camera. I also got a cute one of the kids at the top of the stairs right before bed one night.

Grandma and Grandpa are coming!!

Craig's parents got a mission call to serve in the Tokyo Japan Temple so they came up a few days earlier to spend with us before entering the MTC in Provo. Briana couldn't wait to see Grandma and Grandpa and asked me everyday when they were coming. We had a great visit with them and got to see some of Craig's extended family as well while they were here.

Here we are with Craig's Aunt Ruth after going out to lunch

The kids with Grandma and Grandpa

I'M PREGNANT!!!

No, this is not a joke so you can pick your jaws up off the floor now.

I’ll be 15 weeks on Saturday and figure it is time to get the word out.
Craig and I are still trying to process that this is reality and not some wishful dream because as you all know, this has been something we’ve been wanting for many years.

11 YEARS TO BE EXACT!!

We decided 11 years ago to try and start our family and haven’t done anything since to stop a pregnancy from happening. Truly this is the Lord’s work with so many years past, 3 years of un-successful fertility treatments, and two adoptions later to have this happen now.

So to tell you the story about how we found out I was pregnant, I bought a pregnancy test on January 2nd after being a week late and I knew something was different but continued to deny it not wanting to get my hopes up. I grabbed the cheapest test there was at Wal-mart ($2.78) and Craig’s comment was, “Your wasting our money” in his smartass tone of voice. So this was on a Saturday and I didn’t take the test until the next morning. After seeing the positive sign on the test, I went to find Craig and here is how our conversation went:

Me: “The test was positive.”
Craig: “Huh….”
Me: “Yeah”

That was all we said about it the rest of the day. I think both are minds were reeling with what that test could mean, was it really going to happen, it is a false positive….seriously though, I think we both were freaking out as well. I made a doctor’s appointment for that Thursday and basically wasn’t going to leave until I had an ultrasound done because I wanted to know what was going on. So I had my ultrasound at 6 weeks and saw and even heard (yes, I heard the heartbeat) what I needed to make it real for me. For the most part, I’ve been feeling really good. I actually feel the best in the mornings and by the afternoon, I’d get indigestion and the worst upset stomach that would last until bedtime but this only lasted for about 3 to 4 weeks. I feel great now and basically eat the same as I always have with no food cravings or anything like that yet.

Craig and I plan to find out the sex next month so we’ll keep everyone updated on the pregnancy and we ask for everyone to keep us in your thoughts and prayers that this will be a successful and healthy pregnancy for us.

My due date is September 5th.

Naps No More

It is a sad day for me because the kids will no longer be taking naps in the afternoon. I really have been putting this off for the last couple weeks but this morning after Brandon came into our room at 6:40am this morning, I decided then that naps are over. He has been waking up really early for awhile now and his naps are only like 1 1/2 hours but I guess that is enough to cause him to not need much sleep at night. Briana really doesn't even nap anymore but she'll go to her room and play in her bed with her stuffed animals or read books. Not having to break up the day for naps does have its advantages but I know this will be an adjustment for me. I'm just going to have to come up with some creative ideas to keep them busy so they don't drive me crazy all day.

Brandon's Favorite Things

Brandon is still all about Star Wars!!

He wears his 'Dark Side' Star Wars shirt as often as possible.

Whenever we bring out the lightsabers (they stay on top of the fridge), he goes to get his Darth Vader gloves and he only wants the blue lightsaber and gives Craig the red one everytime.

Here he is last night with Craig's t-shirt on to get the full Darth Vader look without actually having the costume.