Stairs, Painting and Yucky Cereal

I fell down the stairs today...while holding Rory in my arms.  I have no idea what happened.  Last I remember I was talking to Morgan and Piper who were right behind me on the staircase and then BAM, Rory and I were a heap at the bottom.  It was a miracle I managed to keep Rory in my arms...I swear she was air born for a second and I caught her...or maybe I just imagined that.  But in any case, we're fine...except for bruised up hip and a tweaked ankle.  My kids probably thought I was crazy because once I knew Rory was okay, and I was okay, I busted out laughing.  Right there sitting on the floor at the bottom of the stairs...laughing up a storm!  Not sure why...I guess I just imagined what I looked like as I went tumbling down while trying to keep Rory safe...I'm sure it was sight!

This marks the second time I've fallen while holding a kid in my arms.  The first was several years ago. I was holding Morgan in one arm and holding Haley's hand in the other while I crossed a street in the parking lot.  In fact, a car was waiting for me to cross.  And then somehow I either got tangled in Haley's feet or the bag that I was carrying too, but down I went.  Yep, right in front of the car.  Since I was trying to protect Morgan's head, I took the brunt of the impact on my elbows...owee!  But I saved her...that's right...go me.  But boy, talk about embarrassing!  At least today's fall was in the privacy of my own home.

In other news I'm slowly plugging away at painting the rooms of the house.  I finished the family room last week.  I really love it!  Today I started painting the foyer.  But you know...I don't think I like it.  I think it clashes with the yellow in the family room.  I'm pretty bummed.  I'm not sure if I should just keep going, and I may end up liking it at the end...or pick a new color and start over.  Very frustrating!

Oh, and this week is Yucky Cereal Week!!  Haley and Morgan both picked Trix (what's new...they get that every year).  But this time they picked it because it came with a changing color spoon in the box.  Piper got Cocoa Puffs (it came with a cool straw).  I may have to get in on some those Cocoa Puffs...although my favorite growing up was always Captain Crunch.

So there you have it!  Two more days until Ryan is home!  Gonna make it...Gonna make it....Gonna make it.

Memorial Day...Yay!!

We had a very relaxing Memorial Day.  Sometimes just hanging at home with our own little family is perfect.  Actually, our "little" family really isn't little anymore, we have a party already even if it is just us!  BBQ'ed some chicken, corn on the cob, grapes, big salad, and some ice cream on the porch.  Perfect indeed.  Except for that part when Piper ran out into the street trying to chase down some dogs...yeah, that wasn't so cool.  Ryan and I nearly had a heart attack!  Luckily, no cars were around...but still...my heart still races when I think about it!

Speaking of Piper...she has taken to saying "Yay" quite often.  Here is a typical conversation during dinner.

Me:  So, Ryan...what's on tap for tomorrow?
Ryan:  Well, I think I'll go SL and hit up some shops.
Piper:  YAY!!!!
Me:  Oh, we have to return that movie tomorrow!
Piper:  YAY!!!
Ryan:  I should be home around 5:30.
Piper:  YAY!!!!
Haley:  Mommy, what's for dessert?
Me:  Ice cream.
Piper:  YAAAYYYYY!!!!!!

You get the idea...that girl is excited about everything!

Oh, and if you're wondering about potty training...well, I decided to put it off for another week.  Let me explain...Ryan left for Quebec today for the week, and well, I just didn't want to deal with it.  So there.

Piper says, "Yay!!!" to that.

Weekend Review

We kicked off Summer hosting a BBQ with our friends and neighbors, Jen and Steve and their daughter Campbelle.  Campbelle and Morgan are BF's and it's so fun that they live right around the corner.  The irrigation ditch that runs beside our house also goes right along Jen and Steve's backyard.  So Haley and Morgan will run along the ditch to their backyard fence and call for Campbelle to play or to say "hello" to their dog, Beau.

Saturday morning Jen and I (as we have become quite the BF's as well) hiked up to the "Y".  It was wonderful to sneak away without kids for a couple of hours!  Plus, I got a good workout in!

Then the storm hit.  First day of Summer break and it rained...boooo!  I decided to bail on going to the bike race with Ryan.  Hanging out for several hours in the whipping wind and rain with four children did not appeal to me!  So I baked cookies with them at home instead.

Church on Sunday.  And oh, Haley lost her other front tooth Sunday.  The other front tooth fell out a while ago in her sleep...we have yet to find it.  I think she may have swallowed it.  Isn't her new smile cute!

Summer, here we come!

Whew!  What a week!  Went through a little bit of everything this week.

Frustration.  I've been feeling a little overwhelmed in the mom department.  Specifically with Rory.  She's my little ball and chain...I'm pretty sure any mother that nurses exclusively goes through this.  6 months is about the age that I want to throw in the towel with breastfeeding.  It gets hard at this point.  I'm aching for freedom, but I'm the only one that can comfort her.  She keeps a close eye on me at all times and fusses when I'm out of sight.  Don't get me wrong, I'm so glad I have the ability to feed her and I WON'T throw in the towel.  But she isn't that little newborn that lays so peacefully in my arms as she eats anymore.  She wiggles, yanks, bites, smacks me in the face, pulls at my shirt.  You know at the fair when you see the baby pigs all gathered around their big mama pig eating.  And they're grunting and pulling and you think, "Ouch, that poor mama pig."  Yeah, that's what it's like nursing a 6 month old.  The only time she's peaceful is when I nurse her before bed.  But I'll keep on keeping on. Hey, at least I have big boobs...that's a positive!

Overwhelmed.  The schedule was a bit crazy this week with the school ending.  Ryan and I went to Haley and Morgan's Dance Festival...we loved it!  All grades participated in dances focusing of different regions of the world.  They did such a good job!  For part of Haley's dance she had to do a type of "patty cake" with her partner and at one point I thought maybe it was going to turn into a smack down as the two of them seemed to be getting pretty forceful with each other.  Just think Chevy Chase in European Vacation during the October Fest scene.  Yeah, it was about like that!  It was hilarious to watch!

Of course the last two days of school ended up being chilly (it's like every year it seems) and they weren't able to have the water play during their field day.  Needless to say Haley was pretty bummed.  The cold does not phase her in the slightest!

Excited.  Summer has begun.
Late nights, ice cream, water play, lazy days, bbq's...here we come!

Solar Eclipse and Weekend Review

I think we had a pretty good weekend if I do say so myself.  First off...I finally started painting on Saturday!!  I started with a buttery yellow in the family room and I love it!  Now, I'm on a mission...my goal is to have the entire inside of the house painted by the end of the Summer.  What do you think?  Think I can do it?!  Well, I'm gonna try!  Did I mention there are a ton of walls in this house!

Lots of lawn work, playing in sprinklers, homemade pizza and movie with the kids.  The movie they picked out at the library this time...The Hunchback of Notre Dame.  Haley loved it, Morgan hated it.  Kinda freaked her out.  I must say, it was much more serious then any other Disney movie I've seen.  But just because Morgan hated it, this still does not stop Haley from watching it every single day until we have to return it on Saturday.  And she has also taken to dressing up like a gypsy (like in the movie) and dancing on the sidewalk with a sign that says, "Money" next to an upside down hat.  Yeah, that's Haley for ya!

Sunday was another spectacular day.  I went for a bike ride in the morning, just me, and it was wonderful!  We churched it up in the afternoon and then picked up some fried chicken and other sides for a picnic at my brother's house to watch the solar eclipse.  He has an amazing view of the entire valley...it was perfect!  

I geeked it up with some homemade pinhole cameras that Morgan and I made.  Although, unfortunately there was a bit of cloud cover and we resorted to using X-Ray sheets that a neighbor had, which worked out wonderfully!  It was a pretty cool thing to see!  The girls would race over to see, and then say, "Oh, yeah...that's neat." and then off they'd run off to play some more or check out the turkey carcass/pelt from next door.  You know, May is the turkey hunting month and the neighbors got themselves a doozy!  

This week marks the homestretch for school, four more days left and I'll be spending everyday, ALL day with ALL four of my children!  Oh, goody!  I better get busy with Summer ideas to keep these little girls busy!

So, with these last four days, we have Morgan's Un-Birthday Party tomorrow, their Dance Festival Wednesday, Field Day on Thursday and 11:30 early on Friday.  It's going to be a busy week!

Potty Training...Give Me Strength!

On my calendar for May 28 it says, "Potty Training Begins".  Yeah, I wrote it down...thought maybe I'd stick to it if it was actually staring at me in the face everyday.  Well, when I wrote it, that day seemed like ages away...now, not so much.

The thing is, in January Piper wanted to start using the potty!  It was me that wasn't ready.  With a newborn in the house, I just didn't want to deal with it.

Our Summer is kinda crazy, but June seems to be the month that we're not going anywhere...a perfect time to lock myself at home for a week and get it done!  I really don't like having two kids in diapers!

I potty trained Haley right after she turned two...it was hell.  That's all I'll say about that!  With Morgan I waited until she was closer to three (I was pretty traumatized after Haley)...she was easier.  But with Piper, I think she'll do okay at this age...I think...I hope.

So yeah...potty training...May 28.

Say a little prayer for me.

Blue Eyed Girl

 Rory, already 5 1/2 months.

Look at that face...my blue eyed girl!

Goodness, it pains me to think she may be my last.  I mean, we always said four seemed like a good number.  But, some times...usually when I'm alone nursing Rory before bed...just me and her rocking together...I ache for another.

Weekend Review

 Saturday morning us girls (my mom, my kids and me) hiked the Y.  This being a very large Y painted on the side of the mountain representing BYU.  The hike is steep with many switch backs, but Spring and Fall are the best times to hike it...it just gets too dang hot in the Summer.  The last time I did it was 8 years ago!  I was 6 months pregnant with Haley, if you can believe that!  It was just me and my beloved Coonhound, Cassidy.  So, I thought of her often as we hiked.

The view from the top...our beautiful town.

 Rory was a champ and pretty much slept the entire way.

The bonnet she's wearing was mine from when I was a baby.

Morgan was wearing slippy shoes and kept falling on the way down...poor thing.  Time to go on another shoe hunt.

  At one point Haley ran way up ahead of us and I didn't see her for the longest time.  I thought maybe she decided to some trail blazing and perhaps wandered off.  Luckily, I found her near the top.  She wants to be so independent...but I'm just not ready!

Pipes needed a little help on the way up and was pretty much all smiles...

 ...until the way down.  She decided to have a complete meltdown as soon as we turned around.

Kicking and screaming.

Mom and I switched kids...and it didn't take long for Piper to fall asleep on my back.

So with Piper's meltdown, Morgan's slippy shoes, Haley's escape and lots of whining...we did make it to the top!  And it was beautiful!  I think this hike should become an annual Spring tradition!  Yes, that sounds good.

Mother's Day I was greeted with lots of homemade cards from the kids...I loved it!

Haley made this in school and I just needed to share it because it is so Haley.  The idea is to describe characteristics or qualities of MOTHER using each letter of the word.  For example: M could be used for Maternal or Mom.  O could be used for Old...okay that's not such a good one.  But you get the idea.  Haley, never going with the crowd put an animal for each letter.  Please excuse the spelling...she takes after her mama.

Translation:


Monkey
Octopus
Turtle
Horse
Eagle
Rabbit


My mom's the greatest because she's nice, nice, nice, nice, nice.

I will treasure it always.

Happy Mother's Day!

This morning I took my mom to the airport...she's back in the LBC.  Yep, I'm pretty bummed to have to say goodbye.  But, the good news is that my folks will be back sometime in June!  I can make it to then...right?

As my mom and I were saying our goodbyes at the airport, she said she was sorry I had to drive all the way back home by myself (it's about a 50 minute drive...and I wasn't really by myself completely...Rory was with me sleeping soundly in the backseat).  But you know what?  I enjoyed that drive home.  Sad?  Of course I was!  I always hate saying goodbye to my parents.  But that drive was bliss...50 minutes of just me and my thoughts.  A little Mother's Day treat for me.

Happy Mother's Day Mom!

I'll miss you til June!

Haley's 5K

Haley's school had their annual 5K this morning.  This time Ryan ran with her.  And this time I was not on bed rest, so my mom and I were able to walk to the school and cheer her on.  

Can you tell she's excited to run with her dad?

She would not let go of his hand!

  The Kindergartners ran around the school.

Morgan was very excited to participate this year!

Happenings

My oh my, this is a busy time of year!  School is quickly coming to an end and it seems there is something going on everyday!  The days are going fast and I'm desperately trying to keep up!  I'm not sure if I'm looking forward to Summer and the lazy days that go with it...or dreading the fact that all the kids will be home at the same time EVERYDAY!  Yikes!  

Some things that have been going on:

Lots and lots of outdoor play...Hallelujah! 

The girls having a tea party with a good friend and neighbor.  This was Haley's idea and set up everything...the plates with a snack and the little drinks for everyone.

Please excuse Piper...that is a big wad of taffy in her mouth...lovely, Pipes.

Ryan doing some manly yard work while Piper looks on.

This morning Morgan, Piper, Rory (although she was just our background noise of screaming...I know, so relaxing) and I planted in the garden...finally!  We have pumpkins, watermelon, carrots, tomatoes, and peppers.  We'll plant some corn soon.  I sure hope something grows!

Tomorrow is Haley's 5K run at school.  She's super excited.  And luckily, I found a pair of running shoes for her after much searching.  Poor thing would have had to run in her old beat up flats.  Yeah, I saved the day on that one!  What's with kids and shoes?!  They go through them like hotcakes!!

My mom is heading back to LB on Sunday (my dad and Jeffy already went back last week), so we are squeezing in as much as we can together.

Alrighty, now I'm off to enjoy the silence of two babies sleeping.

Cuddle Bug

Oh my little Rory.  How she loves to cuddle.  Especially at midnight, then about 2:30 AM, and then again at 4:00 AM, and again at about 6:00 AM...you get the idea.  Basically, this girl doesn't care much for sleep.  And she's extremely stubborn and will scream for EVER, until I finally cave and go nurse her back to sleep.  The fifteen minute "cry it out" doesn't work so much for her.  And naps...what naps?  Unless she's in the stroller, she doesn't sleep much in the day either.

But, I'll break her of her bad habits...eventually.  I'm stubborn girl myself.

I must say though, I do love how when I hold her she practically curls herself up in a little ball against me. Such a little cuddle bug.

Chicken Pox??

Stay away...we have the pox...maybe.

Piper found this...no we don't actually have them wear masks when they're sick.

As you know, Piper had a fever last week.  It was pretty bad actually.  At one point she had a temp of 103.7!!  Anyway, it only lasted a day or so and then she was going full speed again.  After her, it was Rory's turn.  Luckily, her fever was very mild and only lasted overnight.  Then Morgan had a fever on Tuesday and Wednesday...but, this morning as I was helping her get dressed I noticed some red spots on her torso and upper thighs.  Uh-oh.  Chicken Pox?  She's been vaccinated, but the nurse informed me that she still could get a mild case of it.  Hmm.  Piper and Rory may have had it too, but because they are so young the rash may have never developed.  The nurse suggested I do NOT bring her in to get looked at because of how contagious it is.  Too bad...I would like an actual diagnoses just to be sure.  I'm just supposed to keep an eye on them to see if they blister and scab over.  She stayed home today from school and she's missing the big end of the year fair at school tonight...so sad.  So these better be chicken pox!!  I don't want her to miss out for nothing!

Haley is now the wild card.  We'll see what happens.

Never a dull moment my friends!

Happy May Day!

We had a lot fun yesterday (with the help of my mom) creating and delivering May Day bouquets to our neighbors.  

I hope you all had a wonderful May Day!