Movie night!

Time to relax and wind down...

cause it's the WEEKEND!

We are watching the new 'Karate Kid' tonight.

Amber joined us too.

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Elsie slept pretty good tonight.

But Brent and I got smart and got to bed early so we would get more sleep if she decided to wake up really early.

But she didn't...she woke up at 6:30, and I am fine with that.

She still has some hives, but they are definitely getting better.

Boy stuff.

Okay...so maybe there has been a lot of Porter on the blog lately...but he is who we spend most of the day with...

And the boy gets stuff done.

He is a good little helper to have around.

Porter helped Dad change the oil in the car today.

He was totally fascinated by it all.

He is all boy....tools, trucks, and dirt!

Like Daddy, like son.

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I kept Elsie home today cause her face was still pretty bad.

It doesn't seem to irritate her much, but she does itch every so often.

I may just take her in to the doc for fun if it is still around tomorrow.

Elsie is still having a hard time at night.

She was up at 3:30 this morning...I tried to let her cry it out...but I didn't want her to wake up Cassi.

So I took her downstairs and tried to rock her.

I tried that for about an hour with her crying the whole time...let her cry it out for 30 min. on the couch, then I cuddled her for another half hour and she finally went out.

It is all bringing back memories of Elsie's first 4 months of life.

That girl cried, ALL THE TIME.

I don;t blame her...we know know what the cause was.

We would swaddle her tight, and bounce or sway for hours...

Now, when she has a tough time, I can't really swaddle her, but she likes me to hold her tight against me and sway or bounce...

She would not go to sleep tonight either.

And she wouldn't let me sit while I rocked her...

I want to do all I can for her.

I wish I could do more.

Dad and Porter took our Christmas lights down today.

Porter was a pretty great helper for the first little while.

Then he decided he wanted to hang with mom.

Brent and I got to go to the gym together this morning...

That is fun.

I am excited about the work-out he has me doing...if only I could jump a few weeks ahead to see how it is all working out.

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Elsie woke up this morning with some hives on her face.

We gave her some benedryl and waited to see if it helped.

It seemed to stop it from spreading...but it didn't go away.

But it didn't seem to bug her, so we took her to school.

And she did great at school...and came home with it just a little more spread than before.

But as the day went on, she seemed to get itchier...so it spread more.

I kinda think her eye might be swollen in the morning.

We gave her some more Benedryl, hopefully it will help her sleep without having to itch all night.

It is all over her chin, both sides...and it all started with that big patch above her eye...you can see how it is swollen.

Hives are so WEIRD!!!!

Sometimes they have no rhyme or reason!

And I just wanted to share this picture cause I think she is so darn beautiful...look at those lashes...

Hope the hives go away soon!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles...meet Buzz and Woody.

A few days ago, Brent pulled out some of his toys that he had saved from his childhood.

The boy found himself a FAVORITE.

This Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle van was the perfect toy for Port.

He pushed this thing around all morning today.

I had fun following him around, with the camera OF COURSE!

Then guess what he thought of doing?????

He thought that maybe Buzz and Woody would like to go for a ride.

Buzz fits perfectly in the drivers seat...

But Woody was a different story....

Porter got a little frustrated...but it didn't bother him for long.

Woody lost the ride, and Port just went with Buzz.

I had a fun time today with this little guy.

He really is a fun little boy, with LOADS of personality!

He cracks me up daily, and I am thankful for the one-on-one time I get to spend with him.

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Today was a great day.

I am so glad to be back on my challenge, and determined to stay on track.

I got a lot done today.

I had a couple goals to get done...got that stuff done, and just kept going!

I love a good productive day.

Then we went to the Terry's house tonight...Jenni made a yummy Broccoli Cheese soup.

Good stuff!

Ice diving...

This is what Brent got to do today.

Ice diving...brrrrrr!!!!!

That is him in the red...then a little further out under the 7-8 inch ice...

And then even further out...popped up through the ice.

I am sure glad he loves what he does...cause I guess someone has to do it.

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Our day at the house went pretty smooth...kinda.

I forgot how hard it is to go from just Porter in the morning....to a full house of kids at 4:00.

I don't know why it becomes so chaotic!

I guess we just need to figure out a good routine that works for all of us.

I think I need to try and get dinner stuff ready as much as I can before the big kids get home from school.

That way I can give them more focus.

Tonight was fun though.

We invited our friends, the Terry's over for a pizza dinner.

Then we had a little Family Home Evening together...which was fun.

They were gone over the whole break...so we needed our Terry-time!!!!!!

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So today, the first day of the New Years Challenge went really well!

I am excited to get back on track...and get my family eating healthier...

And I am excited for my kids to have a happier Mom...cause when I am doing all the things on the list, I can't help but be happy!

Meet Baby Alison

This is Elsie's baby, Alison.

At least we think that is what her name is.

Sometimes Elsie will try to tell us something, and we give too many wrong guesses as to what it is...that she ends up just going with whatever we say.

Silly girl.

She doesn't usually get mad...she just goes along with us to humor us I guess.

So we are pretty sure that Alison is what the baby was originally named...she agrees to it now, whether or not it was the name she came up with.

Elsie adores this baby.

She has her with her everywhere she goes, well, in the house anyway.

Elsie likes to pretend she actually gives birth to the baby...

She shoves the baby in her shirt and comes to me and asks "Where's the hospital, my baby is coming out!"

I tell her the hospital is at the couch or somewhere, and she will come back withe the baby and say "Look my baby came out.  Isn't she beautiful?"

She also leaves us to babysit the baby.

She will knock on our imaginary door, usually the couch arm.

We say "come in" and she comes in saying "Heeeey!" very happy and Elsie-like!

Then she asks if we can watch her baby cause she has to go to work.

She gives us her bottles, blanket and diaper bag, and heads to 'work'.

She has a great imagination.

She is a sweetie and makes the perfect little mommy!

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She did have a rough day today though.

I have got to figure something out with her waking up so early!

She has been waking up at 4 or 5 a.m. and she is wide awake and ready to play...until about 8 or 9 when she goes back to sleep for an hour or two.

Well, that isn't gonna work when school is back in session!

I don't know what to do!

So things were rough today.

I am also wondering if she isn't feeling very well.

I wish I could help her.

Other than being very tired, the day went good.

Getting ready for church and going to church all went well...except Elsie wouldn't go to class....but she was so tired!

Cassi bore her testimony today again.

I love her testimonies.

She really puts thought into what she says and she delivers it very beautifully.

She is a great example to her family!

Now we go back to school tomorrow.

I hope all goes well in the morning...since I am sure I will have to wake them all up because they are so used to sleeping in.

But I do hope Elsie sleeps in!

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I start my new Wellness Challenge tomorrow!

It is not too late to join if you would like to.

Go to the blog and read through everything...print off the chart and get started tomorrow!

You can send me an e-mail with the info sometime this week.

It really is such a great program...and I know you all have New Years Resolutions...and this will help you meet any resolution you have!

I dare ya to give it a try!

The Star Spangled Banner

I thought I should be better at recording Cassi with her guitar...so we can see how well she is improving.

She has been working on The Star Spangled banner for a little while.

It's a hard one...and she is doing so good with it.

I love to watch her fingers move.

She looks so natural...I think so anyway...

And I love the look on her face...

She was getting tired by this point, and has a couple mess-ups...but I think she still rocks it!

So let her know what you think....

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Today was a good day.

We slept in...cause we were up way too late.

Madi and Cassi both wanted to stay up for the New Year...

I have fond memories of my parents letting us stay up, and I thought it would be fun.

They were pretty tired today, but it wasn't too bad.

Later on we took all our Christmas stuff down.

It is good to have that done, but it is kinda sad...it feels empty around here.

Then we got to go to the Baptism for one of our very best friends...Aubree.

She was beautiful, and we are so proud of her for her decision to be baptized!

Cassi's will be late this year...I can't believe it..they are all getting so old.

Then we got to go and hang out with the Young's at their house and had yummy bread bowls and soup.

So good!

It was a great afternoon hanging with our favorite people...again!

New Years Eve!!!

What a fun night!

We got to go hang out with our adoptive Idaho family...The Young's.

We had some yummy dinner...fun games...LOTS of kids...and a lot of noise!

This was a house full of girls!!!

Let me see if I have it right...13 kids...

3 boys...

10 girls!

How fun is that!?!

We really are so lucky to have been taken in by the Young family.

They really are our family!

Swimmin' at the Y

Dad had a fun day planned out for us today.

First thing was going to the Y for some swimming.

The kids were all going very STIR crazy the last couple days.

We needed some recreational activity!

And swimming was the perfect thing!



Elsie was very excited to go...but once we got there...she was pretty nervous with all the noise and the people and the splashing.
But she ended up having a really good time.
Porter was a nut...as usual.
It is gonna be fun teaching hi to swim this next summer.
He has no fear...that is how Cassi was, and she is a great little swimmer!



The girls had a lot of fun going down the slide and jumping off the diving board.

Madi is a fish!!!

We just need to work on the nose plugging thing.

Cassi, a.k.a. THE NO FEAR CHILD....jumped off the high dive.

She loved it and now wants to join the dive team!

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Then he took us to Texas Roadhouse for dinner tonight.

Who would have thought you would have a 40 min wait at 5:00 on a Thursday night...crazy

But so yummy!

Thanks Dad for the fun day!

Cass.

It has been so much fun to watch Cassi learn and grow in her guitar playing.

It really amazes me how well she is doing.

I mean, I knew she was very musically inclined and had good hand eye coordination...

But she is really WOW-ing us!

She is a natural.

Now if she would just STOP writing on her hands...

Love ya, Cass.