Pachelbel Bedtime

I thought I would share this precious video that my friend found on YouTube-You'll love it-watch for the tears!! Being a parent is the best!

When does this get easier again?

So if you're sick of reading this blog because all I do is complain, you might want to skip this entry!!

YOU GUYS!!! WHEN DOES THIS GET EASIER????!!!!!!?????

James is on Inpatient Peds now. He goes in at 5:00 am and last night didn't get home until almost 8:00pm! He kissed the boys goodnight, watched an episode of Simpsons, and then crashed. The way things are going, this week he will work 105+ hours!!! I thought there were rules out there about this?!?!? ANyOne?? If I have this baby during this rotation we're in real trouble!

Dillon started Kindergarten on Monday and those of you who read my blog entry about the whole thing know that I am stressin' big time about it. HE's FINE, but I am a WRECK! Could this really just be all hormones? Joni compared it to giving birth, and I giggled, but I"M NOT GIGGLING ANYMORE! My heart has been ripped out of my chest and wrung out to dry! (drama anyone?)




Here's the link to my blog entry where I've posted tons of cute pics and a video Jenny's Blog

No, it wasn't all bad, and I've come to terms with some of the issues, but c'mon- the worksheets he's brought home this week are like preschool 2 years ago stuff. Remember that little joy school at Joni's? THAT stuff!

I was griping to James about it the day he was post call (poor guy) and then bawling about my new calling as RS teacher, my aching hips, my broken back and my new stretch marks when he nonchalantly commented,
"Well at least you don't have any REAL problems."
I wanted to smack him, but now I realize he's totally right. As far as the pregnancy goes, everything is coming along great! No HBP nothing concerning - just normal aches and pains. We're all doing fine and have so much to be thankful for. Why isn't I can't find the strength to shift my focus away from the negative?? There are quite a few of YOU GUYS who I could really learn from. I appreciate that.

Deep breath.

Hilarious Blog!

This is one of the most hilarious things I've ever read...seriously, if you've got a minute (or an hour-which is as long as I spent reading it) it is time well spent and will make you laugh your head off!! This is a mother of 6 who is getting tons of attention from her blog and even more attention from an ebay listing (which you can get to off of her blog). Honestly, I'm sure she'll be on Letterman or Leno or something-it's amazing how much attention she is getting-deservedly so! http://mom2my6pack.blogspot.com I'm sure we can all relate!!

Hallie is 2

Yesterday we celebrated Hallie's 2nd birthday. She requested a "pink cake" and could hardly wait to eat it. I think she enjoyed that more than opening presents. We just had our neighbors over for cake and ice cream and avoided the big party. Hallie probably would have just gone in the other room to look at books by herself if we had invited a lot of kids over. She's turning into a hermit.
We also went on our ward camp-out this past weekend. A cold front just happened to come through that night and Hallie was scared to be inside the tent, but now that it's all over I can say that we had fun. Zeke was so excited to go fishing but there was too many kids out on that little dock for it to be safe. We're going to go with a family in our ward to another lake for FHE next week so he can finally try out his Superman fishing pole.
It's been raining non-stop for the past few days. I think our high is 61 degrees. It's been nice to bust out the sweatshirts and snuggle under blankets, but hopefully this isn't the beginning of winter already. I hope everyone is doing well.

Ann

whoops

So somehow I accidentally posted on the guys site. not much to read but I don't feel like reduing it, so if interested, just ask your husbands. Sorry,
Karie

Heartache-but doing better!

In the mist of residency, Ally starting kindergarten, and everything else, we had a bit of good news, then not so good, then good again, and then bad. We found out we were pregnant and due the beginning of March. We were SO excited as it just worked right into our perfect 2 year apart spacing of our other kids. I had been sick and everything-which I was very grateful for this time (funny how that is). Then when I was about 8 weeks I just felt like things weren't quite right-then of course all the symptoms of miscarriage started and of course felt so bad. But when I went to the doctor and they did an ultrasound-I was in shock when on the screen I saw 2!!!! Then the blood work came back totally normal. And for all of you who had Dr. McKernan (the extreme optimist), he said it was all normal and the signs were just because I was carrying twins. We were so unbelievably excited to learn that we would have twins-but deep inside I knew something just wasn't right. Sure enough I had a miscarriage a few days later. So it has been a lot of ups and downs the past couple of weeks. I really feel alright about everything-just a bit emotionally stretched. Luckily Jon had a fairly easy rotation this month and we have the 3 best little comforts that make everything seem just as it should be. Kind of a crazy month-luckily we hadn't told anyone we were pregnant yet-not even our kids, I think that makes it easier. Anyway, I keep telling Jon that this won't stop me and now I know we have to have at least 2 more-I know they are there waiting! It's funny how our timeline isn't always the right one!

A Little Moral Support

O.K. I need a little help today. Porter has been sick (throwing up) nearly all week so I've been stranded at home and accomplishing nothing. But this morning, or afternoon now, I'm hitting my breaking point. The boys woke up early this morning because of the garbage truck and the first thing I hear from Porter (he beat Campbell who then said "what's for breakfast?") is "Mason took off his poopy diaper." I trek up the stairs, with Campbell whining for breakfast behind me, to find that it's not just poop everywhere in Mason's crib, but throw up too. He must have thrown up sometime in the early morning because it was starting to crust. So, trying to control my gaging reflexes I strip down Mason because there is crusted puke around his collar and race him downstairs to the bathtub and ask Porter to make sure he stays in the tub. I finally manage to pick off all the huge chunks of regurgitated taco salad (last night's dinner) from off the bedding and his clothes and start heading downstairs to the washer when I slip and fall the rest of the way down the stairs entangling myself in the pukey-poopy bedding and knocking the wind out of myself. I'm going to have some bruises tomorrow. Thoroughly disgusted and out of breath I gather everything back up and carefully but urgently tread down the basement stairs to put everything in the washer because Mason is screaming and trying to get out of the bathtub while Porter is pushing him back in and Campbell is sitting on the toilet yelling for me to wipe him. After wiping Campbell I wrestle Mason back into the water and scrub him from head to toe. Mason hated every second of it, screaming all the way. Of course there were no towels in the bathroom so as I leave to find one, Mason screams louder and slips while trying to get out of the bathtub. I finally get him out and am carrying him out to the living room when Campbell slaps me with a piece of toast wanting me to butter it.

Soon after all that I get a phone call from the lab with results from my blood test a few weeks ago. Nothing is wrong just that my blood came back as O+, but my records show my blood as being O- (which it is), that's what it has been my last three pregnancies. Anyway I have to go back in sometime and have MORE blood drawn so that they can confirm what my blood type is. Idiots. Things have calmed down a little, but Campbell just woke up Mason from his nap and Porter is telling me that he feels sick again so I'd better go.

Just Saying Hey

Hey everyone, this is the first time I have had a chance to blog since we moved in. I was so excited to read up on everyone. Karie, Joni and Jenny your pictures are so cute. Ann, Caden does make the cutoff for school we just decided to hold him and Ella back so they would not always be the youngest. Though I have heard it doesn't really matter as much for girls, that it can sometimes frustrate them a little. I can see that a little with Ella because she was a little bored with kindergarten and was never really challenged as much as she could have been. Plus girls just mature a little faster than boys, so they do fine being younger. but all well too late for us. Ella will just have to deal with it, and hopefully she will like being the oldest. So far Ella is less than impressed with first grade, as am I. Her school had a lot of last minute first graders sign up so they have to hire another teacher. IN the meantime they were suppose to have the same sub. teacher all week. The first day she liked it, then Tues. was a new sub that she says is a mean teacher and treats them like they are in third grade and puts kids names on the board that are talking and they don't get recess( isn't that horrible on their 2nd day of school already losing out on recess), and she says school is too long. so my little miss Ella is already playing hookie on her 4th day of 1st grade. I really hope they get a good teacher very soon, 1st grade is suppose to be fun. I don't want to have to transfer her, but I would if she hated it. I guess I am going off on a long old tangent here, but Ella has always loved school, so I am not used to her wanting to stay home, she had a stomach ache this morning because she just did not want to go. i know it was real but it was just because she was worried I was going to make her go, because the stomach ache is long gone now.
On to happier things, Joni how does Eden like kdg. and how are you adjusting? Is it full day or half day? It helped me that Ella's was only half day. Also we got to see Rachel and Adam over the weekend. I am glad they have family here and that we had moved into our house. It was really good to see you guys. It makes me want to have a girls night and do a big shopping spree with you at Desert Ridge.
I just remembered, yesterday at Caden's preschool I found out that a couple of the kids are in bellair ward, Logan Peck, Hunter's little girl and the Taylor's little girl Noelle is in Caden's class. Caden seems way bigger than all the kids I have seen in his class. He'll just have the advantage in sports when the time comes. Although I was looking into t-ball and he had to be 5 by April even though it doesn't start until Sept. Ann do you remember who you went through when Zeke was in t-ball, or did you guys end up putting him in it? I don't' remember.
Oh Maggie, what the heck, why didn't you warn us to stay away from the Bishop if we didn't want a calling on our first Sunday. I still don't know his name other than bishop, and yet he gives me this big calling. I don't know what the heck I am doing, Jeremy is working over 80 hours a week, my house is in boxes, and here he calls me to 1st counselor in YW's. We'll see how it goes. I might have to get babysitters for mutual nights. I would just ask one of the other leaders husbands, but so far none of the other leaders that I have met have kids. Crazy stuff.
Its been crazy here trying to get everything set up, we have had about 5 or 6 cox guys come to our house, I think today we finally have everything good to go. I think I am just rambling on because I needed to talk so before this gets out of control long I will sign off.
Also as soon as I find the cord that goes to my camera I will send pics.
I'll talk to you guys soon.
Love ,
Jill

I made it

Hey everyone, Karie here. I finally figured out how to post. Nice to be reading about everyone's adventures. I love Denver. Pictures above are from our camping trip in the mountains. So beautiful. One of Lane's many owies and our house of course which I like, but there is a lot of wasted space. I could totally do without the huge vaulted ceilings and put in two more bedrooms upstairs. Finally got some good pics of the kids. Hey. Great family town and you'd be surprised how many large non-mormon families are here. Anyway...Wish we would be here longer. I am already in suspense to find out where we will go next year...at least if it will be overseas or not. Anyway, the pregnancy has been interesting. Anyone else feel like number three rips you apart? Oh well, count my blessings. So, the shopping has begun for this spoiled little girl already. A boy would be so much cheaper. Still exciting. The transition to full time mom has also been. . . interesting. Ofcourse the boys had a rough time but I think it was mostly my fault for not sticking to some type of schedule. Anyway, about the time I was ready to break, I put my foot down and now with the routine things seem to go much smoother and we are all happy. . . for the most part. I'm totally missing having friends. No one here I really feel any desire to "bond to." There are only a couple my age in the ward but no one that can relate. They are all settled and secure if you know what I mean. Well, Rachel J, if you're out there we need to get together. You should only be an hour or so away. That would pump me up a bit.

Toodles, Karie

Giving birth was not nearly as hard!

Okay, I can say that giving birth, for me, was not nearly as hard as walking away from Eden's kindergarten classroom without her yesterday! I had a hole in my heart the entire day and couldn't wait until 3:00. (What am I going to be like when she gets married!) Today was a little better but still not easy. Everyone told me how much freedom I would have when the kids went to school but no one told me how hard it was to send them there!


Besides that it is good to read about you all and to hear how you are settling into your new life. We are all doing well and enjoying Nebraska. Omaha is like the nations best kept secret. There are tons of wonderful family oriented things to do and everything is a ton less expensive so you can afford to do them. Who would have thought that here in the middle of nowhere there would be so much to do! So we are really enjoying ourselves. Austins first rotation has been Inpatient at the hospital and has been quite an overwhelming learning curve for him but he is starting to get the hang of it and enjoying himself. Luckily we have been able to see him every evening except for when he has been on call, although he just got called to the elders quorum presidency and so we might see him a little less now. Anyhow, Hope just turned one last week and her #1 goal in life is to either stand on top of the table or go fishing in the potty ( and with three older sisters leaving the toilet open, she succeeds quite often!) Anyway, if I can figure this blog thing out I will post some picts, if not oh well! Talk to you all later!

Joni

Update

I am happy to report that Sunday went really well. We were so blessed b/c James actually got to sleep during his call shift, then finish his talk in the knick of time. I was so nervous up until right before I spoke, then had that old familiar calm come over me, and (sigh) didn't even cry at all until right before I was done. Also, there was a musical number but James still had JUST enough time for his talk. So it went GREAT... well, that is if you don't count Charlie yelling out the "S" word during the sacrament.

Honestly, and I tried to explain this to James, I think it's hereditary. We don't swear at home. I only every so often swear in my pillow, so I don't know where he learned it. BUT, that's kinda my point.. he didn't! It's totally hereditary. We come from a long line of truckers and farmers and I think it's just built in to his vocabulary! He hasn't said the other bad word he used to say in a long time and that one was way worse, so that's good ;)

Dillon started a British Soccer camp yesterday... SO CUTE! These real British soccer players come and do the cutest camp for them and Dillon is WAY into it! He's on team Scotland and he's learning, not only the rules and game of soccer, but all about "toad in the hole" and "Bangers and mash" and all that funny British stuff. Tomorrow they are supposed to come with crazy hair or a crazy hat for "Wacky Wednesday." Then Friday is the World Cup and closing ceremony. I love having a little boy in sports. Its as fun as I always imagined it would be! And isn't he CUTE??!!



(That's the Hospital where James works in the background. James watches from his office on the third floor when he gets break time)



K - only one more thing. Can those of you who have personal blogs (or family blogs) send me the links in an email - or you can post them here - so I can add the links onto this blog? That would be super. Kami, Rachel J, and AnnMarie I have yours. THANKS GUYS!

Jenny's Blog

Moved In

Yesterday I drove from Mesa to 43rd and Happy Valley for Caden to go to Preschool, hoping during that hour and a half we could go into our house. We had to kill a little time after pre-school but finally at noon we got the all clear that it was ours and we could enter. Ella and Caden were pretty excited. Ella wasn't with us when we first looked at it so she thought it was really cool. We got moved in really quickly. We rented a 24 foot truck this time and loaded all our stuff into it, my van, and my dad's truck and it only took one trip. The kids love having a pool, they were already constantly begging to go swimming while I was trying to unpack today, and Jeremy went in this morning and will get back tomorrow. Depending on how busy he was, if he gets any sleep we'll be going it alone to church. We have gone to a different ward every sunday for the last two months. It's going to be a little different not being able to choose where we go, but good to finally settle down.
I'll have to post more later I am running out of steam.
talk to you soon.
Jill

Speaking in church tomorrow AHH!

I know there is never a good time for these things, but they didn't even ask us until Wednesday! Plus, I've just not been feeling myself these days - you guys know how it is! I have no desire to stand up in public all puffy and huge, probably will be sweating and my brain just does not work. I've gone over my talk a few times now, and it never comes out the same. I'm pretty sure it makes no sense either. Just gotta trust that God won't let me lead people astray or accidently say something really stupid and offensive!!

James is on call tonight so he'll be speaking after working all night, poor guy. Have you all had to speak already? Have you all recieved callings? So far no callings, but James has substituted on the piano for one auxiliary or another every week he's actually been able to make it to church and been assigned to do a special musical number next month. I taught RS a few weeks ago, but no official calling.

Since my last post we've done 4 weeks of swimming lessons and had my brother and sister here for a visit. Dillon does soccer camp next week, then kindergarten evaluations, and the school starts! It's coming so fast! We went school uniform shopping last weekend. When he tried on his uniforms and put on the cute little backpack I nearly lost it. Can this really be happening already? I thought it was ironic too that this is the first year that neither James nor I have been in school at all, but Dillon starts kindergarten!

Hope you're all doing well.. I could really really use a girl's night. I've met some really nice girls in the ward and stuff, but haven't found that girlfriend "connection" you know? I know it's only been a couple of months, but with the baby coming and everything, it would be nice to have that one (or 12) really close friend that you know you could call for anything! Kami - if only you were like 20 minutes closer!! ;)

I have a doctors appointment next week. Maybe I'll post again then! Toodles.

Here's the link to my personal blog (for pictures and more rambling ;)
Jenny's Blog

Move in Day Tomorrow

Hey everyone,
Guess what, we are actually going to move into our own house and quit mooching off of our family. Tomorrow we move out of our in-laws with all the stuff we brought here (which is a ton). Then on Friday we are moving in the rest of our house from the mini storage. Jeremy and I are very excited. Ella is scared, she has already moved once and gotten settled into her cousins house and likes having her here to play with all the time. Plus she is going to miss their ice machine, she says. So for her it is like we are moving twice, and she worries about everything. So we will see how smooth of a transition this will be for her. Caden is easygoing about everything but sometimes Ella's fear rubs off onto him. And Taylor, has been great but has started getting into everything. I am a little worried he is going to climb onto this built in desk in the loft of our new house, then look over the side wall and come crashing down to the first floor. It makes me cringe when I think about it. I am going to have to rig a baby gate to keep him out of there just for that purpose. Hopefully we all do ok.
Anyway it seems like the dog days of summer flew by this year, we were always busy. Hope everyone is doing well, and that the whole year isn't full of mad long hours at the hospital for our husbands. There has got to be a few easy rotations somewhere right, or maybe we can just get lucky and have an unofficial vacation while the doctor they are precepting for is on vacation. I'm jealous of you if that has happened.
Well life is good just a little out of control every once in a while.
Talk to you girls soon.

Jill

Thank goodness for different rotations

Hello girls! I just wanted to say hi to everyone. Things have been so good hear. I can't believe how much calmer and better my life seems when Brett is around. We just had my three brothers, there girlfriends ( one being Amy's sister), my sister and two of there friends. It was a fun time, but kind of hectic. Amy, I love your sister. It was so fun getting to know her, and Shane and her look cute together. Also one of my good friend Ashley Landreth came down and one of my other friends, Shaunee Williams came and did a triathlon, so I got to see her. Anyways, it is always so fun see old friends. If any of you want to come to SUNNY San Diego, please feel free to come here. I also thought I would let all of you know I updated my blog spot. I think I got you all emailed about it, but just in case you didn't here it is www.brettbanksfamily.blogspot.com Also if any of you have blog spot let me know your address and let me know if it is okay to add you to my blogging friends list.
Well, I hope everyone is feeling a little more settled in. It been two months yesterday that all of our husband graduated. Crazy, huh. Love ya all, Kami