Ashley turns 12

So on March 12th Ashley turned 12, a day she'd been looking forward to for a long time.

For her she really felt that age 12 represents significant change. She got to graduate from primary and move on to Young Women's. She also got a bedtime extension. And also now she gets to wear a little bit of make-up.

So to celebrate this monumental birthday we decided to have a mom and daughter day.

We started off with face masks.

Then I took her to get a massage from my friend Belinda.

After that we headed to The Haircut Lady's house for a make-over.

She got a cut, and style. Then she did her make-up (for the first official time)

Next we headed to buy her a new outfit and then get pictures taken.

We got a little hungry so we stopped for our favorite, a jamba juice!

Then we did a little more shopping and then we headed home for dinner and family movie night/combined with having her friends over for a party. We had a great time.

She came home to some surprises. The house was decorated and dad had made a double layer chocolate raspberry cake! He also bought candles that had colored flames!

Then the next Saturday she had a surprise for me she'd been waiting 3 weeks to tell me! She had gotten a Bishop's interview and obtained a temle recommend for Baptisms!

So we went and spent Saturday afternoon doing that with Shaya (her adopted big sister) and Dad. Dad actually got to do the baptisms with her and confirm her. It was a really neat experience. She went again the next Wed morning at 5:30 AM! Then she went again the Saturday after that. And again 3 more times during Spring break! She says she feels so much better and happier when she goes.

Many big things this week!

Chase learned to crawl out of his crib, so we got out the big boy bed for him! He was very excited!

Then today Ashley graduated from Primary and also went to her first Fireside.

She told me it was about Patriarchal Blessings. She even took notes!

Then later tonight Dawson had his first bottle. Giving up nursing is always bittersweet.

And Justin wants me to mention that TV just saved our lives....

So we don't have cable or Satelite, but we do watch some select shows through Netflix online which is hooked up to our tv. For some reason the internt wasn't pulling up so Justin was checking the connection to find the the surge protector was FRIED! Burnt, black and all! Could have easily been a fire. We feel very grateful that it wasn't!

And last night we went to closing night of Pirates of Penzance while dressed as Pirates! It was a fun night and a hilarious show!

Sad week

So last week was one of the most sad weeks of my life. The week before last my 2 year old, Chase had been sick for a few days and only wanted to be in my arms. Occasionally though I would have to set him down to nurse the baby. So I assumed it would be inevitable that the baby would catch whatever he had. So even though Chase had a fever and was sleepy for about 3 days, it wasn't too bad so I figured the same would hold true it baby Dawson got it. I thought perhaps we had gotten away without passing on the bug since it had been 3 days and baby seemed fine. But sure enough Saturday he started acting fussy and the beginnings of a cough took hold. It progressed rather quickly into a fever and a tight cough and tiredness the next day. Every day after that he was just completly lethargic. It was so heartbreaking. He is normally such a cuddly baby, but he wanted only to be held long enough to eat. Then he preferred to be left alone, laying there like a rag doll not moving a muscle with constant meager whimper. He kept sleeping alot too, which is quite unlike Dawson, who usually prefers to be around people all day (and night).
His fever broke for just a bit Saturday morning so although I missed a great Relief Society event, I did figure it would be ok to go to a mother daughter event that night, which was also Ashley very last acheivment day activity.
But the next morning the fever was still there, and being 8 days now we figured we'd better take him in. Of course we choose the only day the Pediatrition isn't in so we head to Redicare. It was quite obvious that many of them did not have alot of experience with infants, though they were all very friendly and helpful.
They did everything imaginable to my poor little 5 month old baby. Starting with taking his temperature in the most inconvinient location. They stuck stuff up his nose, they pinned him down, they took his blood, they gave him shots, they strapped him in a contraption that looked like a medival torture device to take a chest x-ray. The result came back with Pneumonia. Oh and double ear infections They had used about 6 or 7 different machines to take his blood oxygen levels since it kept reading between 80-83 at which levels they said he should be hospitalized, and yet his coloring was very pink all over. So they sent us home and told us to check on him several time throughout the night and to bring him in if we saw any blueness. Poor little baby.
Or course we called both the Grandpa's over for a Priesthood blessing as soon as we got home.
He slept most of that day again.
Of course we also gave him some all natural remedies to help his own body do it's job. And we gave him probiotics to offset the harmful side effects of the antibiotics.
The next day he wasn't 100% but it was close. He was moving again and smiling again, even giggling sometimes!
He'd really only cry when he coughed or when his ears were hurting.
Now about all that's left is a very slightly runny nose, if you could really even call it that.
I'm so glad to have my baby back to normal. Though now he's back to not sleeping at night......
I must admit that was the silver lining to it all. When he was sleeping at night because he was so ill, I got some much needed rest and was a much better caretaker the next day.
But obviously I'd much rather have a healthy baby! He is just so sweet and so cute!

Dawson's first foods: Jamba Juice!

So Dawson was looking mighty interested in my Jamba Thursday morning so I let him play with the cup for a bit. But that just wasn't good enough for him. He kind of smacked his lips and gave me a look that said "I'm ready to try solid foods mom!" And what I had handy was Jamba Juice!

Yes he really liked it!

Then he tried to eat the wash cloth after we were done!

Valentines Day

So Valentines Day started with my tratitional pink heart shaped pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream, pink eggs, pink oj, and bacon. Mmmm. Despite the fact that I was up all night with the baby, I just couldn't disappoint the kids. They really love traditions.

Then of course we have the traditional heart hair do's for the girls:

Dawson't first Valentine:

So that night we had planned a big fancy dinner, but I didn't end up getting home until quite late. I had a great opportunity to go film a commercial and it went until bedtime so the kids had left overs waiting for me to get home with the promise of our fancy Valentine meal tomorrow and gifts when I arrived that night.

I get tired of buying cards that just get thrown away, or just giving them more candy or chocolate which they already eat too much of, so I bought them all some books or games. Not just any, ones that are spiritually uplifting. This says love to me.

So the next night we had lobter tails and steak! Then for dessert Justin made chocolate mousse with Ghiradeli chocolate!

A toast!

As we were waiting for the chocolate mouse to be made, Ashley ended up getting into trouble. She didn't want to help clean up with the rest of the family. So we sent her to her room telling her she would have to miss the dessert then. She was pretty upset.

After dinner was all cleaned up Emily went downstairs to check on her and came upstairs crying. We thought maybe something mean had been said to her, but no. She was crying because Ashley was crying!

We had a talk with Ashley telling her why we all need to help, and the importance of doing that with a good attitude. We asked her to think of a way to make it up to the family.

Later, Emily came upstairs with a handful of conversation hearts and said they were from Ashley to "make it up to the family"

We both agreed that she couldn't "buy" her way out of it so when we tried to tell her that she said "those aren't even from me. They are from Emily"

Sweet little girl was trying so hard to help her sister!

It all worked out and Ashley got the mousse :)

The past few weeks.....

I figure it will be easier to just jump in where we are than to try and play catch up. Though I may still through some stuff from the past year and a half in here and there.



So Dawson is just so darn cute I just can't help but take alot of random pictures!


Boppy time fun!

Getting sleepy......

Ashley's friend made him this hat!

Shock and surprise!

It's a great thing for us that Austin was our first born. He has always been the best big brother ever! He really loves helping out and playing with all his younger sibs!

I just think it's hilarious when kids fall asleep on the middle of the floor. Chase here just might be the best behaved 2 year old on the planet earth. If he thinks he may have done something wrong, even if he hasn't, he will promptly put himself in time out. Then he'll later ask if he can come out and come and apologize!

He also asks us if he can go to bed at night! He always lays down in his crib and just says "I love you" or "good night" and sometimes he even tells us "thank you!" for putting him to bed!

He says please and thank you for almost everything. And when he doesn't want something he always says "no thank you!" even if it's about a plateful of something he didn't want for dinner.

It would be nice if all the older kids always had such manners! :)

Oh and I just really love baby feet!

Long time no see.

So I've become a slacker when it comes to blogging. Truth is I find facebook quicker and easier to catch up with everyone. But it has it's up and downs. So here I am.

Recently I joined a Reader's Theater. We go around to elementary schools and read the kids short stories and promote the fun of reading. This was taken at our very first "performance" at Sunrise elementary in Shelley. It went even better than we expected! We've done a few more since and have more shows booked!