Tents

Nothing too exciting today, just a couple of errands and then hanging at home.  The kids got a new blanket in the mail from the Great Grandparents the other day and wanted me to make them a tent. So a tent I made them.  They were thrilled even though the tent was not that good, as there aren't really any good things to hang ones' tent on in our basement.

 The 3 of them in their tent. This was the best I could get, Aaron was napping apparently or playing puppy I am not sure which. (Oh and that's Grace funny face with her tongue out)

 Good smile here, she is just too cute and getting too big! I can't believe she is 4...I pick her up and she is so heavy and like a kid. (Especially since I am used to Sarah and Aaron is so light).

 A little peanut, playing with the big kids in the tent. Her top tooth finally decided to stick out and stay with us, and now the second top tooth is trying to make up it's mind.  But she loves playing with that top tooth and makes all sorts of silly faces and she is constantly raising her eyebrows at me, like "Eh, really?"

Did Yoga X today and then made a quick dinner of eggs and bacon for Grace (that girl can eat some bacon if I let her!) and then off to dance class she went! K had a long day and has to work Saturday most likely so hopefully his workweek will zoom by. 

Playtime and This and That

This has been the kids new favorite thing to play with.  The dollhouse isn't new but one of the big kids brought it out to the fireplace the other day and Sarah loves playing with it.  She loves opening the door and playing with the little toilet.  I love when all 3 of them play together, it just warms my heart.

Tonight we had small group and we are doing a new study on marriage called Love and Respect.  It was really good and I am looking forward to the following weeks.  It's basically about how men need respect and women need love and it's like a cycle, the more respect you show a man then the more love he will show you and so and so forth.  But then how the opposite is true as well....anyway we've only just started.
It's snowing again now, another big storm..yay. I'm over it. Ready for spring. 
Going to try to find a toddler bed for Aaron...he can't climb out of the crib yet, but I think it will help with his big boy independence.  And potty training.
Did my 3rd workout in P90X today and still loving it and the variety. Worked out shoulders and arms and then did abs. So good!

New Week

 

We had playgroup this morning and it was so nice to get together with our friends again. Grace showing off her new cap from her Great Grandpa.

 We went to the mall this weekend just to get out of the house and they have this little train that drives around the inside of the mall.  The kids have been wanting to ride it so we let them this time and they LOVED it!  Sarah was cracking me up because she was just wide eyed and taking it all in.  Sunday night she slept from 9pm-6:30am! It was so nice because I got some rest and felt refreshed to start P90X on Monday.  So yesterday I did Chest and Back and am feeling it in my arms and chest and even my abs today-which is great!!

 Look at those excited faces!

Oh it's so late and I need to get some rest.  Till tomorrow.

Briggs

Today was a hard day.  We put our Briggsy boy down, well K did anyway.  He wanted to do it a few weeks ago but I wasn't ready and then he got busy with work and was finally able to do it.  It had been a little while coming his Pannis (eye disease) was progressing and this last week he really couldn't see anything.  He was also getting more nervous and pacing more.

 Best of all Briggs was the most snuggly cuddle dog ever! He was my pal and followed me everywhere! (Here's were I admit that sometimes that was kind of annoying) but he was so great at the door and people were always intimidated by our big chicken dog.  We adopted Briggs from an LA German Shepherd rescue and we drove from LA to Salt Lake with Kayla hogging the whole entire back seat of out Kia and Briggs whining in my ear to save him from his dreaded big sister! Whom he grew to love barking at whenever we played fetch. He was a chicken dog though and hated loud noises.  When we used to cook on our old gas range he would go upstairs into our bathroom and get in the tub. Click Click Click! Bunker down!!!

 Love this expression...the infamous german shepherd head turn...Huh? Whadda ya say dad?

 Before we had kids we would take the dogs out to to no where's ville (in the above pic) and let them run behind the truck! He never had much stamina and would be the first one to be ready to ride in the back. Jog jog jiggety jog...wait for me! (Never fast and there was no one around so it really let them stretch their legs!)

Hey Handsome boy we will miss you!

Sisters

Sarah and Grace just adore each other, well actually Aaron adores Grace too.  I love how all my kids love to play together.  Grace was showing Sarah her 'letters' on the computer and Sarah was paying close attention.

 Hi Mom, why do you keep making that bright light?

 I found some new pj's at Childrens Place for Aaron that were a 3T that were only 2.99 because they were an old print, so I scoured the same rack hoping to find another pair for Sarah that was also 2.99.  These were not, (9.99) but they were super cute Easter print and they are size 12-18 months! She is getting so big! She is almost walking! A few times now she has stood straight up and balanced for a minute.  I think she will be taking her first steps soon! (Although I thought she was going to be walking before 9 months but guess she wasn't quite ready.)

 Grace has this bear that had this hanker chief on it and she was playing with it so I tied it on my head like this and of course she wanted the same thing.  She looks like a little motorcycle rider here.

 Hi sweet boy! The kids got sick again on Saturday night.  They have congestion and yucky coughs and fever's.  I ended up taking Sarah to the ER on Sunday night as her fever was just under 104.  Her nose was so congested they had to suck it out with a catheter and they said it was the thickest mucus they had seen this season. Poor baby.  We were there until 3am and then she would only sleep with me. Monday night I raised her crib and stuck a big pillow in Aaron's so they would be able to breath better and I think it helped.  Once Aaron actually got to sleep he slept good and didn't wake.  Sarah also slept good, until 3am. And then until 7am (which I think Aaron woke her with his crying. He coughed this morning and it hurt him and he started crying)  I slept ok, got up with the dogs at 2am and then my face was so congested it felt like someone had punched me in the cheek it was just throbbing.  But the kids seem to be feeling better today, although I am all congested and have itchy eyes. K feels so so and I thought that this morning, that Grace was getting it too, but so far she hasn't.  Which is good, I need one healthy kid. 

 Took this picture with K's phone the other week. Kind of hard to see my skinny legs now but there they are.  Although I did get a new phone so maybe I can take a better picture.  I took my before pictures on Sunday for P90X but then of course was in the ER with the baby and didn't get any sleep and then am sick myself so I haven't started on Monday like I wanted.  I may just post pone it until next week and do some Insanity workouts in the meantime if I feel better. Time to hit the rack, though.  The hubs worked another crazy day 6am-8pm.

What we have been doing....

 

Now that I have gotten my camera charged I can download the pictures of the kiddos. Most of these pictures are from early in January.  This is one right after the kids got up from their naps(thus the reason Aaron still has his paci in his mouth).  I just love that he is snuggling his 'Papadaddy Bear'.

 These pictures were taken at the Living Planet Aquarium, we went for a birthday party (we hadn't ever been before) and the kids got to play with these computers in the party room, before walking around the Aquarium.

 I just love this picture of Sarah, her hair was sticking up and so funny! Such bright eyes!

 Our sweet Grace on her birthday.  Gosh it's so hard to think that she is 4 already.  We went to Fridays for dinner and they sang Happy Birthday to her, which I don't think has ever happend at a resturant.  Her eyes got huge and she just loved it!  Lately her favorite thing to do is sing. And she learns the words so fast! She loves Little Big Town and we jam out all the time to Pontoon and Tornado (those are her favorites) but she knows a lot of the words to most of the CD.  She surprised me the other day by singing the words to a baby toy of Sarah's. Such a clever girl she is.

Today we had to go pick up our first order of grass fed beef.  K and I have talked about buying a cow or half cow or something like that for a few years now and the timing was just never right.  Well my sister in law's neighbor was putting together a group buy so that multiple people could get a smaller portion of meat.  So we jumped in and purchased.  The only bummer thing was that the pick up time was during nap time today.  And K had to work again today. I was just going to keep the kids up and then put them all down to bed early.  However the pick up time got pushed back to 4pm so they ended up having short naps.  We went and picked up our meat and it was way cooler because they separated it all up for us.  I thought that it was going to take awhile but each person's buy was packaged in it's own travel cooler box thingy. SO nice!

I finished Insanity today! I followed through and did the 60 day program.  I think I have lost almost 12 lbs from Insanity and lots of inches.  Mainly my clothes fit way better, and I will soon need to be buying another pair of smaller jeans. (Which is fine by me.)  Next week I am going to start P90X another extreme workout program from Beachbody.  It's a 90 day program that has more strength training focus. I am really looking forward to the strength training aspect of it.  Next week will just be my 'recovery week' from Insanity and learning the new forms and getting acquaited with the program. And then I will officially start the following Monday, that way I can have good form with the moves and spend my time more wisely.  Since I do my workouts during afternoon naps typically it's important for me to get downstairs and get busy (especially if I want a shower afterwards!)

Sarah has been doing good, she is still working hard to get those top teeth pushed through but they are being stubborn-like her! She is the funniest little baby in how observant she is.  She will just watch you, and you can tell how she is thinking.  But she loves to play as well.  You can pick her up and she will just throw her head back with not a care in the world if your going to catch her or not.  She started learning the stairs at Grandma's a week or 2 ago and is pretty fearless about going up any stairs now.  I am NOT ready for her to learn stairs, but I guess if she is going to walk soon, then stairs need to be learned as well.  Her sleeping was going good there for a few days, sleeping straight through from 8p-3am and then until 7:30am.  But then a few restless nights messed that up again.  Except last night she slept the best ever from 8pm-4:30am! I just wish I didn't have to get up and let the dogs out at 2am! Pssht! Dogs! It is nice not having to buy baby food, she is a pretty good eater and LOVES bananas.  The pediatrician said we could introduce whole milk in order to help wean her from nursing.  Although she isn't a big fan of it and has never tolerated formula.  I still nurse her before afternoon naps and at bedtime and first thing in the morning and then depending on the night, sometimes in the middle of the night.  Her naps are pretty good, 1hr morning nap and 2 hour afternoon nap.  She isn't walking yet, which I totally thought she would be the way she watches her siblings, but she once she gets the balance thing, she will be taking off.  She still thinks Grace is a hoot and will crack a hug smile any time.  I love that Grace loves her sister so much. 

Aaron is getting to be such a big boy.  He is always telling me, "NO, I do it!!!" And wants to do everything himself.  We even started potty training a little bit.  Every time I change him now I ask him if he wants to go potty and he usually tells me no.  But the other day I asked and he wanted to (I think Grace encouraged that somewhat) and so we ended up getting his Buzz LightYear underwear on (his new favorite by the way) and after having one accident he was running around with just his shirt on.  The he actually made it to the toilet the 2nd time! All on his own, it was great.  Of course that hasn't happened again, but I probably ought to get those Buzz Lightyear underwear washed so he can be interested again.

K has been working CRAZY hours lately, so we have been just trying to get through this time.  About 2 weeks ago he worked like 86 hours and then last week we all got sick, starting with Sarah.  Then K, Grace and me just a little.  Then Aaron finally got it on Wednesday.  But only Sarah and Daddy got the vomiting part. He had to work again today and unfortunately it is looking like he will be working again tomorrow afternoon if his parts come like expected. 

Speaking of FedEx...got a package delivered the other day from them and was so annoyed.  Since 2 Christmas's ago I have started putting a sign on the door not to ring the bell during nap time.  Because Kayla barks and then it wakes the babies.  So earlier this week I was sitting in my room and the doorbell rang and of course Kayla was inside (because it's been so cold) and she barks her head off.  So I make my way to the door (while I hear Sarah wake and start crying) and there is the FedEx guy (don't send things FedEx BTW..always go UPS if you can they are so much better for a host of reasons I can explain in another post...but that's just me) heading back out to his truck.  I open the door and yell, "Hey! Didn't you see the sign???!!!" He says something I can't understand, "I have babies napping!" And then he goes on to yell that the sign was backwards (it had flipped around on its scotch tape when K had left that morning).  So then I say, "Sorry." and shut the door.  Even more annoyed for apologizing to HIM when obviously he saw that there was a sign and didn't take the time to read it or even think that, "Hey maybe I just don't ring the bell this time, just in case."

Ok well time to get off the computer, the hubs has finally finished his paperwork! Hope your having a good weekend!