Busy Busy Busy

-Moved into new house
-Attended our new ward
-Learning to do things like install blinds (go Rob!)
-Working on our poor yard....quite dead at the moment....I have picked up trash, weeded, fertilized, seeded and am watering 2 times a day....that's the front yard.
-Back yard, still working on weeding - ouch!, trimmed trees, raked, got a picnic table (Rob stained it yesterday and it's very nice!) neighbors gave us a kiddie pool and little play thing with slide yesterday yeah!!
-Ethan picked up over 100 broken waterballoons they had left in the back yard....he didn't know that he was being VERY helpful! (he just noticed the bright colors)
-Breanna was given the job to pick dandelions....unfortunately she hasn't found any :) (they're all over the yard). She also helped Rob stain the picnic table and was very careful. Ethan also washed the fence.
-Many trips to Home Depot, thank goodness it's close.
-Trying to get our home all set up....all the necessaries are unpacked, now on to the random things that honestly I don't know why we have them...haven't used them in over 8 months or longer.....I see a yard sale/craigslist in our future.

Pics to come, once I unpack our camera :)

Steamboat Springs

I am still catching up with these pics. We went on a "springs" tour and walked to a few different sulphur springs while we were there!

They stunk really bad like rotten eggs, Breanna was not a fan, but they were very cool! There was a black one, blue one, lake with tiny bubbling ones, all different and unique. I was surprised that they all weren't hot. There were some that were 68 degrees, pretty cool if you ask me.

We all felt them to test their different temperatures (the signs told us, but the kids wanted to check).

We found out that Breanna is allergic to sulphur b/c she rubbed her face after touching the springs and ended up with a rash and her face started swelling. Luckily my Mom, Dad and I did not tell her, so she had no idea anything was wrong. We even took her swimming after (b/c that's what we had promised). I got her washed off really well to make sure there was no sulphur left, but it kept slowly getting a tiny bit worse, so my mom and I secretly cut the swimming short and she ran to the store for benedryl and some cream for her face while I showered the kids and got them fed. It stopped getting worse and we had a great rest of the evening! She has never been allergic to anything so far, so this was quite interesting.

The springs were fun!

I am not trying to drop him in here.....just trying to get his little arms to touch the water!

Hard to see, but super cute pic of Ethan and Grampy waving to the camera...

Breanna went skiing

Thanks for all the nice comments, it's nice to know the support that I have :) Now onto something more fun....
My dad took Breanna skiing for the first time.

She loved:
*Her rented skis and boots
*Riding the gondola
*Saying "weeeeeeee" when Grampy would ski with her in front of him (doing all the work)
*Showing us the mountain
*Riding the bus

She loathed:
*Wearing her gloves
*Wearing her goggles
*Listening to her Grampy
*Hands and face freezing b/c it was a snowstorm and she wouldn't wear her gloves
*Walking down the stairs with boots on (Scary for her)
*Any time Grampy would let go of her and try to have her actually ski

Long story short........Grampy did lots of carrying, pulling, pushing, working, sweating to take this little one skiing.

At the end she told him, "I'm never going skiing again."

A few hours later (when she was warm and rested) we asked her, jokingly, if she wanted to go skiing right now with Grampy again. "Yes!" she said....so it must not have been too bad!

7 1/2 weeks ago

7 1/2 weeks ago I had a miscarriage. I am finally wanting to write about it, even though I don't know everything I want to say.

I was between 11 and 12 weeks along and started cramping on Saturday night, after I put the kids down for bed I rested and laid down the rest of the evening. I work on Friday and Sunday mornings checking the stores on our tortilla route so that Rob has 2 days off per week. On Sunday morning I was still cramping, but went and did the route anyways.

By the time I was done with the first store (which takes about an hour) I was bleeding. I pretty much knew what was happening and was really upset, but figured I would get the route done and go home as quick as possible. I lasted 4 more stores until the 5th store I was cramping so horribly it felt like really bad contractions (so bad that I had to stop walking at each contraction and was being short of breath.) This scared me a lot so I got in the car and drove 1/2 an hour home. That 30 minutes was horrible, I was in excruciating pain and what made it worse was I knew that I was not in pain for a good reason, no, I was in pain and losing a baby.

When I got home I was pretty hysterical and my mom and Rob helped me get down to bed and got me to relax as much as possible. I had the miscarriage at home and pretty much was worthless the whole day. Luckily Rob taught my primary class and took the kids to church so I could stay and rest.

The next day I went to the OBGYN, mind you I had not gone for the first pregnancy check-up yet. But, I felt I should make sure everything was okay with me after what had happened the day before. The ultrasound tech didn't know I had miscarried and excitedly told me that she could fit me in b/c someone hadn't shown up for their appt. I started crying when I told her, well I'm sure we'll see nothing, b/c I had a miscarriage yesterday.

Well, everything hadn't come out on it's own, so the Dr. recommended a D&C so that I wouldn't get infected or have heavy blood loss or anything. I had the D&C the next day, Tuesday, and I was thrilled that they actually put me under for the process, I didn't want to feel, know or remember anything about it. The recovery was easy, I was out of it the rest of the day, but luckily had my awesome parents watching the kids and Rob got home early enough from work that he picked me up from the hospital to take me home. The next few days I was physically just getting back to normal.

Every Sunday since then has made me sad. It reminds me of losing the baby. This last Sunday made me sad b/c I realized I would have been 18 weeks along and that is so close to finding out the gender of the baby. I also was frustrated b/c I was almost 12 weeks along and almost out of the nauseous phase. I was feeling better and had made it out of the hard part of my pregnancy.

A few things:
1. I am really greatful for my family and Rob. I am so glad they were there for me through this.

2. We have an awesome ward with caring people. I received a dinner, flowers, cards, dove chocolates (my favorite), a inspirational book, more candy, a few phone calls, body wash and fuzzy(warm) socks.

3. Losing this baby makes me want to have another baby even more.

4. I at least understand ladies who have had miscarriages now. I empathize with you and know what you feel like. I can't imagine having another miscarriage, or another or another like many women have. I cannot fathom losing a baby at birth, soon after, or delivering early and end up losing the baby. My heart hurts losing this one and I only feel an ounce of what these women have felt. My heart hurts for those women who cannot get pregnant and wish so much to be a mother.

5. I feel so greatful to have my 2 children. I'm so greatful to be a mom and have been given the blessing that I have been able to have 2 healthy amazing children.

Just an FYI:

Right now if you're pregnant, don't be offended if I:
A. Stare at your belly
B. Try hard not to give you dirty looks
C. Avoid you
D. Am jealous of you
E. Don't want to hear how hard it is to be pregnant (even though i totally understand and feel that way too when i'm sick, achy, tired, etc. when pregnant)
F. Don't want to hear all your exciting news about pregnancy
G. Flinch when I think of why I am not pregnant right now and you are

Well, that pretty much sums it up for not. I am feeling SO much better then in the beginning, but still have tender feelings.

Fun Store

While driving the 3 1/2 hours to Steamboat there were yellow signs along the road reminding you every 30 miles or so that there was a store, F.M. Light or something, that you should visit.

We did that on our last day there and it had the cutest cowboy/girl clothes, toys, hats, etc.

They had a cool horse and pig to sit on and get pics...the kids really liked that.

The saleslady gave them sheriff pins and the kids liked that, Breanna especially b/c I told her that sheriff's are in charge, so she got a kick out of that.

Unfortunately the hats were $40 and the cowboy boots were $45/pair, so we just took pics :)

Christmas in April

I rented the "Glee Christmas CD" 2 weeks ago and so we've been listening to that tons lately. Breanna has memorized TONS of the words.

Here she is singing "We need a Little Christmas, right this very minute....."

She would put her hands out and it was super cute! :)

Steamboat Springs

My parents got a condo for a week in Steamboat Springs and invited any of us to come up if we wanted, so Breanna, Ethan and I took them up on the offer. It was a 3 1/2 hour drive, which I was quite nervous about, but the kids did fantastic!

We are going to be here for 2 1/2 days and have had a great first day. Today we rode the bus to the ski mountain and watched Grampy go down a hill and ride the chairlift....also saw kids riding down the baby hill, which Breanna is going to do her first skiing ever tomorrow with Grampy! He rented her skis and boots tonight and she is really excited and proud of herself to be going with him tomorrow. She stomped around the condo in her boots and skis tonight "practicing".

We went swimming and hot tubbing with the kiddos while Grampy finished skiing. Then we went on a hike to a waterfall which was beautiful and terrifying for me :) Since it's April and Steamboat has gotten over 400 inches of snow this season you are hiking on top of the snow. If you stay right on the trail it's slick, but doable even with kids, cuz it's only a 1/4 mile to the falls. Grampy carried Ethan and Grammy and I traded off holding Breanna's hand. It has quite a drop off in certain areas which made me nervous b/c of the kids. At the end is a bridge which all I could imagine was my kids slipping off of it, even with an adult holding onto them the entire time. I know I sound paranoid, but just the other day (when it was over 75 degrees) we went to the creek and Ethan just fell in b/c he wasn't paying attention to the ground, but looking at everything else in the world that is exciting and interesting. Now, this was a tiny fall and he got soaked and cold, but it was 75 degrees and no big deal. This would have been a different story in the mountains with freezing cold water. That is why I was scared. I know it has happened and the kid runs into things, falls off things, walks over things, that are RIGHT THERE IN FRONT of HIS FACE EVERYDAY, and he doesn't notice!!!!

Anywho, it was a great hike, I'd like to do it again, when there's no snow and you can actually can hike on the trail!

The House

Everything is going well with the house....we're still scheduled for an April 20th close date. We have had a couple stressful days this week negotiating terms after the home inspection was completed. At one point we were ready to walk away, but were able to get everything resolved! Now all we're doing is sending lots of paperwork for the loan and also hoping the appraisal goes well! Lots of praying too! This is how well behaved the kids were during the inspection: (less then perfect, lots of flailing around and fussing - after playing for an hour of it).

My soon to be backyard!!!!!! Fully fenced so the munchkins can run wild!

Two pics of the front of the house! We want to put shutters around the windows and eventually a new color paint job to spruce it up outside.....lots of projects on the inside we'll be doing, but first we just need to close!