17 kids and counting

When you make big plans, some things do not work out. We had plans for some super cute pictures. Our locale was perfect. Snowing blizzarding conditions were not. Make shift backdrop was made. then. yep. What do you get when you try to take pictures of 17 kids at once??? Mayhem for one. Tears for another. Bickering and headaches for another. What did we expect? Well... there was a bit of success... Braxton He was all cute.
So Zack.Samanatha Q. She is a dolly.Annabelle is a sweet babe.The babies played and stayed happy while we set up all the big kids.
Juliet LOVES this toy. My sweet baby girl. She is a dolly...right? So is my 16 year old. Sam and Jack are so darn sweet.

But take a look at the craziness.... No Annabelle. We are trying....But Sam and Jack look cute...Annabelle is eating a blue smartie...Alex...and no Myles....and a keeper... Nicole's face...the girl who says she hates babies...uh huh...Just look at Juliet staring Kiki down...awwww cute babies....My children are beautimus. And supper silly. Alex LOVES his girl. The girls...taking a break. More of the cute family. Sam and Myles. Cute babies. Myles is number one! and this FUNNY picture was on the camera.. Ha ha ha!

Grateful for sisters

Today I want to share my gratitude for sisters. I know some people are not as lucky as I to have sisters.... but sisters are the bestest thing a girl could ever have. When I was a kid we moved alot, because my dad was in the army. (Georgia, Texas, Louisiana) After he had his medical discharge we moved alot too. (First a townhome- because there were rats the size of cats outside. A rental where the heating was so expensive. A great place with a creeper in the neighborhood, and my fave house we left because my mom opened a business in Logan, so Ogden was not the place for us.) All this time my best friend was my sister Jessica. Everywhere I went- she was there. We had our first days of school at 6 elementary schools, new Primaries and 2 middle school and a Junior high. It was not until High school that we were not together. We did everything together and I fee like she was the best friend any girl could ever have. I never felt like I had to hang out with my little sister with her. My new friends became her friends.Chellee was whole different story. She WAS the annoying little sister. The one we HAD to watch and play with. She was also the punching bag and the kid we terrorized. (Yah. I suck. What can I say besides that. I suck.) But NOW she is my bestie. I love her- and we are super close. I can tell her anything and she loves me, laughs at me, and rescues me. Thank goodness she knew that the meaness was kid stuff and not lasting. I was probably jealous when my mom had her...she was awful cute. Lorelei is my baby sister. Always has been. We spoiled her like crazy...probably still do, but I love her. she is sweet to me like a baby sister should be, and I can still talk her into stuff! (Good thing I am not an ax murderer!!!) She is a lover of babies and that is so adorable to me. Lorelei is adorable. She is my bestie baby sister. that's how its always been.)

Today I found these picture of my beautiful sisters. They are all pictures that THEY chose of themselves. I love them...they show so much of their personalities. and you know what? I think they are the prettiest sisters in the whole world!

So I am happy. Very happy that my girls have sisters. I know that they will have their ups and downs. But I also know that they will always have eachother. I love watching them now. I love how Kira treats her baby sister. How she wants to dress her and bathe her. (Kira let me take a picture...as long as I promised she was all covered! of course! Like I would show her! lol)

I love how Nicole wants the little ones to learn new things. To like what she likes, and to play. Nicole loves to play. Now its dress up the girls, make them look cute, funny, or pretty. This silly kitty was done before school today!


These girls will be grateful for eachother someday. I hope they are all besties like I am with my beautiful sisters. I love all these girls. Love them.

Grateful for Juliet

Yesterday Kira went over to TaeLyne's to play. It was probably nice for her, she usually has Tae over here. They always have fun over here but, I never even asked. You could just assume that I a terrible mom and stop reading now.

That is NOT what happened at all.

As soon as we got into the car we saw that Dave had pulled Juliet out of her car seat and she had tears on her little face. I guess she was hungry. So We sat in the driveway for a while and I fed her. I think Dave did ask Kira if she had fun at this point, but I was busy and tuned out. I hope she did- because she was about to be traumatized.

Scarred for life.

Kira put Juliet in her chair and she was mad. Really mad. Juliet hates eating and then being thrown in the chair. She wants to be hugged or kissed. Not strapped in a chair. But I did not want to sit in front of TaeLyn's house in Grantsville for the rest of the evening. So she had to scream. again- I never asked Kira if she had a nice time at her friends. Half way home Kira thought she saw something in Juliet's mouth. Since she puts EVERYTHING in her mouth we have all become quite good at the hook and swoop. Kira Hooked. Kira Swooped. She found the object. (Rice Krispie) From that moment on, Juliet stopped breathing.
Kira said- "Mom, she is acting weird. Her eyes are bugging. She is not breathing!"

We are going 60 miles per hour.
My heart stopped.
Dave pulled over fast, I flew out of the car.
I don't even remember.
Someone has her unbuckled before I ripped open the door. I grab her.
She is blue- yep, her eyes are bugging.
I turn her over and thump her back. I guess a few times. She goes limp.
I die a little.

Another thump, and she breathes. I hug her and cry. My knees buckle. Dave takes her. He is out of the car too. I don't remember when he arrived by me. He hugs hugs her. She seemed fine. She is starting to pink up. I hug her again and I guess Kira and I stop screaming.

I don't remember screaming.

We drive home in silence. My hands over my mouth. Dave clutching the wheel. Kira whimpering for us to hurry, she is sick. When we get home sweet little Kira runs to the bathroom and throws up. She thinks when she hook and swooped she did not hook enough and sent it back in to her throat.
I don't know. Or care. I think Kira did a great job. We all have to do it from time to time, and she was being a great big sister. But a scared one. "Mom, if Juliet died, I would die too."

Me three.
It was scary.
That is an understatement.

I love Juliet. I am grateful for her. She is our little light. My Father in Heaven knows how we love her. He sent us her little sweetness. We are thankful.

After all of this- I was changing her and putting her in her jammies. I said- Is it time for bed baby?

She waved bye bye. first time. It was adorable.

Three

So very Grateful for my dear Husband. I never see him. But how I love him. How I am am grateful for the few moments we have each week. He really is the light in my life.

Funny story.

Everyone once in a while he says something that floors me. After all the years we have been together- I know him pretty darn well. Then a big doozy- Like when after 8 years of marriage he tells me he has allergies to grass. Apparently he would be sick-ish after he mowed every time...and I never knew...and when I asked him about it- he said- "I am not a whiner."

He is not!

So anyway- funny story.

Last week I learned another of those doozies...something I never knew. When he has to write papers, it takes him a long time. It seems like an eternity for me- who can whip things out in a super hurry, but Dave? A long while. I never really thought about why that is- but it is. I always edit his papers- (Oh WyN...I am a LOT better at editing his papers than this blog...don't cry.) I add things to bump up the volume and this has been how it always has been. He brought me a paper, one he had spent about an hour writing...and as I read it I had this sneaky suspicion that someone else had written it. It was amazing. It was so well written, thoughtful, rhetorical, and interesting. When I asked him- he busted up. nope. "What are you saying? That I can't write??" Well no- usually he is so tired, and well nevermind- I was just baffled. It was wonderful...and again...I learned something about David.

Nice to have constant surprises after being together for 19 years. Sure love him.

and 2

Ok...right now I am so irritated that I need to say:
I am NOT grateful for Halloween candy wrappers.
Everywhere.
All over the house.
In every nook and cranny.
Not one bit grateful.

I am grateful for my beautiful children who eat this said candy.
They are wonderful.
They could not be more sweet, thoughtful, and beautiful.
They could also be not be more of a patience trial.
More of a learning experience.
More of a pay off in the end.
I have four sweet blessings.
I love them more than breath.
More than cheesecake.
Nicole.
Jordan.
Kira.
Juliet.
I am very grateful.

Being Thankful #1

I am thankful for many things. I love the season and I LOVE thanksgiving.
But today I have a migraine.
a bad one.
so today, I am thankful for painkillers. If only I had one that was for migraines today.
too bad for me.

Dressing up

Its been busy.
We have had a really fun week.

Hollee came down on the train just to come to the party! So Michelle and Timm had to come on Saturday to get her. (DARN!) So we got dressed up again and went to our ward party...but not without a trip to the photo booth!

Yesterday was Halloween. I made my yearly Halloween donuts, and shared with whomever wanted to come in while trick or treating. It was fun! Our Juliet's first Spook night she stayed home handing out candy, but she was an adorable strawberry. She was just the cutest little fruit in the world!

Kira and Jordan came home with far too much candy! It kind of makes me wanna puke to think about. I am staying far far away from that!


We decided to throw Nicole her sweet 16 birthday party 2 weeks early so that she could have a costume party. I dropped 80 dollars just on food.
(Which I really could not afford to do, but you know- its her sweet 16- I was not renting a hall and a limo and all the other crazy crazy things you see on TV. I even told her that Ray said he owed me a favor and I could get her a DJ- but...she turned me down!)
We set up the photo booth, (because she LOVES it)
and she invited a bunch of friends. (oh - I will have to talk about the Halloween dance in a few!)
I think they had a great time.

Her friend Emily was super creative and made a CUTE mermaid costume, and her and Nicole -the little black bear- had the most fun in the photo booth- hey- why not!Kira and MadisonKira looks cute peeking in.
Nicole and Em Hamming it up!
Hayley decided to have fun...for a minute anyway...
and Hollee
And Nick
Kira and Dave with theri traditional sleeping pose
Girls!

Sleepers


Emily and Nicole are the cutest- and hogged the booth!

Timm, Eli, Andrew, and Kira

Jack the Lumberjack was adorable.
Scary Andrew!
Lots of Kids
Boo!



Cute girls!

The next morning!
Character Day- The wicket witch of the West


Baby Strawberry!
Trying to grab the camera
6 teeth!

yay!
in Sepia tones

Before the haul
and Ater

When I was a teenager- we went to Stomps at our high school all the time. sometimes they were tons of fun, other times it was just ok.
(Usually the best were the KJQ dances..I am just saying...)
But there were some epic not to be missed nights. Like the Toga stomp. It was so fun...and mostly the Halloween Howl. I would not have missed dressing up for Halloween for anything- and I mean it! Of course then as we were older Dave and I went to the Howl at Utah State. I have such fond memories of the Howl. That all said- I was talking to Nicole and her friends and they were telling me how incredibly lame the stomps are at Stansbury High. they would NEVER go. It kind of makes me sad that she won't experience the same Howl That i did- that she actually planned her party the same night...I can't even imagine. Sad- eh?