Where Did the Summer Go?

So I'm finally getting around to writing about a few of our summer activities. I can't believe summer has already passed us by! For me it was all about endurance - just glad to make it through each week and anxiously counting down how many more weeks until I started feeling better. July was really hard and I honestly can't remember a lot about most of August.

Thanks to Chuck and wonderful family the kids still managed to have a few exciting excursions despite the fact that I was not really much fun.

Catching Up on Summer - Fish Lake

Every year since I was young my family has gone to Fish Lake as part of my dad's vacation. I have many fond memories of excursions here and now my kids are getting to make their own fun memories. I love having family traditions!

Unfortunately on the drive there I started to feel a little bit of a sore throat coming on. I was already feeling sick from being pregnant so this didn't help matters. Well by that first night I was MISERABLE! I came down with a horrible cold - fever, cough, stuffy nose and then the pregnancy nausea and throwing up on top of it. So this is how I spent the majority of our 6 day trip - on the couch feeling YUCKY! When we got home from our trip I still had the cough and it lasted another 4 weeks. This is why I had a slight break down the day after we got home wondering how I was going to survive that first trimester trying to take care of myself and 3 young ones. Thanks to wonderful family who when I called crying and very overwhelmed came to my rescue and helped me survive the month of July by helping with the kids!

The cold I had spread like crazy and everyone, but Chuck, ended up with some symptons. Isaac got really sick, but the other kids only had stuffy noses. Samuel told me I just needed to have Grandma buy me a popsicle because that's what made him get better so fast.

And what trip would be complete without Grandma bringing along Dollar Store presents for the kids so they would have something to play with in the cabin. Everytime Grandma calls Samuel asks her when she is coming to our house so she can take him to the Dollar Store.

It was Chuck's birthday while we were staying at the cabin and the poor guy ended up having to make his own cake because he was the only one by the end of the week who wasn't sick.

Samuel loves to "help" Grandpa drive his boat.

I actually did go on one quick boat ride however it didn't take very long for me to start feeling nauseated from the rocking motion.

Grandma with the babies. They were pretty good about wearing the lifejackets even though they looked so uncomfortable and Isaac could hardly walk around with his on.

One afternoon the weather was really crazy and it hailed. The kids were loving the "snow" and had a great time getting wet and throwing "snowballs".

Bella fishing with Grandpa. She enjoyed the boat much more this year.

Samuel with a super tiny fish Chuck caught fishing from the shore. I'm not even sure how it bit the hook!

Samuel loved fishing with Grandpa who always lets the kids reel in the fish.

The kids loved going out catching bugs and putting them in their little bug homes Grandma got them at the Dollar Store.

Other favorite activities included blowing bubbles and feeding the potguts that are all over by the cabins bread.

Catching Up on Summer - Temple Open House

The first morning tickets were available to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple open house I reserved them for our family. I still remember attending the Manti Temple open house when they rededicated the temple when I was a little girl and wanted the kids to have this opportunity to see inside one of the temples. The timing of the open house was perfect because then we could also attend Chuck's mom's 70th birthday party/family reunion.

But as with everything this summer it all fell apart! I was feeling to sick to drive that far because I get extremely car sick when I'm pregnant. Just to drive a couple of miles I have to make sure I have my barf bag, so driving all the way to Bountiful was out of the question. So Chuck took Samuel and Bella and Isaac and I stayed home. Even though I felt bad I missed out on all the fun it was nice to have a few peaceful days and Isaac loved having me all to himself.

One of Samuel's favorite parts was seeing one of the big chandeliers. He exclaimed to Chuck when he saw it, "This is incredible"!

After the open house and family reunion the younger cousins went minature golfing.

Catching Up on Summer - 24th of July

We took the kids to the 24th of July parade where they gathered lots of candy and had a great time. After the parade, Chuck took Samuel and Bella to Bountiful for another reunion and then he left the kids at his parents house for the week. Issac and I again missed out on all the fun! But the kids had a great time at Grandma and Grandpa's house and I got some much needed rest.

24th of July fireworks - Samuel HATES loud noises and Chuck took the funniest video of Samuel and Bella running at full speed into the open garage to escape an especially loud firework.

The younger cousins with Grandma Luann at the reunion. Poor Bella looks like a little homeless child. Her hair always look like this at home because she pulls it out, but when we go out in public I try to make it look presentable. I couldn't believe Chuck let her go to the family reunion without her hair combed!

After the reunion the younger cousins went to the Hill Air Force Base Museum. Of course Samuel loved this because he is fascinated with planes. He came home from this trip telling me he was no longer going to be an astronaut, but instead was going to fly a fighter plane when he gets big. The protective mother in me came out as I told him sometimes fighter pilots get shot down, but he quickly assured me that the Joint Strike Fighter was tough and fast. Luckly he's only 4 and has many years before I need to be worried about the profession he chooses!

I May Survive!

So the past few days I've finally began to feel somewhat better - yeah and it's about time! I'm still only able to sleep a few hours each night, but as long as I'm not sick I think I can handle the insomnia. I was even feeling well enough today that I did something that I haven't done in months - I actually edited a few pictures that I took of Isaac months ago. I took them just when I found out I was pregnant and soon after that my world came crashing down and I haven't touched my camera for months! Yeah for not being sick!!!!




I just love this little guy! With his squinty smile and not much hair he has always reminded me of a little old man. Isaac is the reason we finally decided to have another baby - he is so much fun we just couldn't image not having another little one running around the house. He does keep me on my toes constantly digging in the pantry, toliet and garbage can. I can't tell you the number of things I have found the kid trying to throw away and who knows what treasures he has secretly disposed of without me knowing. He reminds me a lot of Samuel in that he loves to read and learn. He just turned 16 months, but the past 2 or 3 weeks he has really began talking. He's not real clear, but he says at least one new thing everyday. The kids, especially Samuel, love to try and get him to say things and we all delight when he says a new word and then repeats it over and over again.

This is what keeps me going through those dark first 4 months of pregnancy - these little ones are worth every price I have to pay to get them here!

A Few Pregnancy Stories

Yesterday I was having a really rough day and just feeling miserable. I was sitting on the couch watching the kids play and blurted out, "I feel like I'm dying"! So this probably is not the best thing to say around your kids because sweet little Bella looked up at me with such concern and said, "Oh mommy, you not feel well. You dying". Then Samuel looked at me and said in a very huffy puffy way, "Well, you don't look like you're dying". No sympathy from him for sure!

Then tonight I was sitting down and Bella comes over to me with her shirt pulled up and said, "My belly getting big" (some days she tells me she has a baby in her belly). I told her her belly wasn't getting big, but asked the kids, "Why is mommy's belly getting bigger"? Samuel looked at me and said, "Because you eat too many treats". Well, I do eat all day long - do fries and pizza count as treats?

Another great Samuel pregnancy story that I must write down so I don't forget. It was just a week or so after I found out I was pregnant and I was already feeling so tired and sick. I was just sitting on the couch not doing anything when Samuel looked down from the stairs and said, "Mom, why are you being so lazy?". I said Samuel do you know what lazy means and he said, "It means you're not doing anything". Well he was right I wasn't doing anything. It was at this point I decided I needed to tell him why I wasn't doing anything and why I wouldn't be doing anything for weeks!

I had him come downstairs and I told him the reason I wasn't feeling well was because I had a baby in my belly. He was so cute because he got all excited and said, "Heavenly Father is sending us another baby! Oh, I hope it's a girl!".

3 + 1 more = 4!

Yes - We're expecting baby #4 due in February!

For each of my pregnancies I've put together a cute little picture using the blocks the kids are holding to make an announcement for my scrapbook. But this was not the picture I had in my mind - Isaac screaming refusing to sit down and madly throwing his block, Samuel and Bella twisting their blocks so you couldn't read the letters and refusing to look at the camera - but this is our crazy life! And were excited that it's just going to get a little crazier!