Donnelly

I'm not sure why the pictures are coming through like this... and I can't change the landscape of the one so that Travis and Jocilyn are right side up... but here's an idea anyway of our recent trip to Donnelly (sp) ID. We made a quick Saturday to Sunday jaunt up north so that Matthew and Travis could work on replacing a rail on a fence they put in last year. The fence surrounds this pretty little cabin that the kids rather enjoyed exploring around. I was so looking forward to just getting out of town for a minute, but it wasn't the kind of place where I felt particularly relaxed, which was disappointing. However, the kids had a good time and it was nice to get away from all of the normal noise and craziness and just spend time with the family.

Just for laughs...

Jocilyn got a new "toy" at school, it's "fart-goo" and I thought it was SO dumb... so then I tried it and laughed so hard I cried... it is a dumb toy- but I must've been in a mood and was having fun with my girls... Just a funny clip...

Labor day!

Okay, so I worked Labor day... people still need dialysis on 3 day weekends- it's kinda a bummer. But here's a funny little story...

Sunday we were driving to church and the girls brought up school, I said, "you don't have school tomorrow..." Jocilyn said, "oh, yeah! It's Labor Day!!!" So I asked them, "what does labor day mean?" Jocilyn stays in her current thought and says, "it means no school!" McKenna, however, says, "it means no more white shoes..."

I thought you'd get a kick out of that mom! It was funny when my in-laws lived with us, they would be helping dress the girls or something and when it came to shoes Jocilyn and Kenna would both say, "No white shoes after Labor day..." It took a while to convince Jocilyn that white tennis shoes were still okay... Finally my mother in-law asked one day, " When can you wear white shoes?" Nobody had ever mentioned the Easter part of "the rule" and so it was really ambiguous...

I know that people don't necessarily follow that rule anymore, and even the fashion magazines have said it's old school... But I'm thankful to my mom, and her mom, and her mother before her- for caring enough to pass on those little etiquette points that I still think are important... and kinda fun (and really funny when a 5 year old says it)!

Thanks mom... Happy Labor day- hope you all had a good one whether you worked it or not... and if your going to wear white shoes, I won't judge you- wear em' proud... just know that my kids might call you on it!

2nd day of school and we're off!...

To the doctors office! So, last night the girls fell asleep in my bed (which they sometimes do when Matthew is late). I came up and they were already out- I lay down and Kenna was on my side and I got comfy with one arm kinda over her- I could feel her heart beating under my hand. I like to do that sometimes- I think it's the nurse in me, just checking things out. I do it to Matthew too... I feel his heart beat or pulse and say a little prayer to literally "bless his heart" as I appreciate the regularity and strength of it's rhythm. So, last night I'm doing the same when I realize, "wait a minute, this is not a regular rhythm..." so off I go to grab a stethoscope. I come back up and listen- nope, not regular. I wonder, am I hearing things? So I listen to Jocilyn's (mind you they are both still sleeping soundly, oblivious to their mothers concerns)- Joc's is regular as a clock... so back to Kenna's... still irregular... I start to cry...

Of course my mind takes me all of the worst possible places, and I resolve to have her seen the next day. Problem is we don't' have an established pediatrician here- so I called Marie's this morning and explained that I needed to make a well child visit (which I did need to) and I also told them of my new concern. Gladly they were also concerned and got her in today before her afternoon school started.

You know how your car makes that funny noise until you take it in? Well, it would seem that's what Kenna did. The doctor didn't hear anything concerning- which I'm thankful for- He would have ordered an EKG, and still will if I change my mind, but we agreed that since there is no family history, and she is not symptomatic- we will just "watch and see." I'd had Matthew listen before we went in and he heard it too... so I know I'm not crazy- but she is SO healthy- it didn't really make sense... The doc thinks that it is likely just related to her respirations because he did hear a little of that on his exam...

So, she got 3 immunizations and a pair of cool sunglasses and then off to school. I got a little lesson in appreciating your kids/loved ones because we don't know what tomorrow brings. Last night I was sure that my whole world as I knew it was about to change- I was sure that my baby was going to have visits to the cardiologist, endless testing, possible medications, maybe activity restrictions, hospitalizations, etc..... thankfully, it seems that is not the case... but today I appreciated my family a bit more than usual with a perspective check... man, I'm SO not in charge here, am I... faith, faith, faith.......

Here are the girls after school having their snack and chillin' out for a minute. School is still cool!... Don't miss the other 2 new posts about their first day(s)-

McKenna starts Kndergarten!!!

McKenna was funny about school. She's been so excited to start- for the most part. She's had her nervous moments where she claims to be shy and worries about there being "too many kids." The morning of her first day she came down for breakfast and announced that she was "petrified." I was interested to know if she knew what she said, and so I asked her, "Kenna, what does that mean?" .... "mom, it means I'm scared to death!!!"

So she proceeded to get ready for school- kindergarten here is only 1/2 day- and hers is the second half- so she had a long wait after she was ready at the same time Jocilyn was in the morning. Here she is at least 1/2 hour before the bus arrived- outside waiting to board it to head to school- at this point she announced that she was only excited now, not petrified anymore...

Finally... on the bus!! She is one of the first pick ups- so she has about a 40 minute ride before she gets to school...
Once at school, (I went to meet the bus... again) I think she had the "petrified" face back on... she kept looking to make sure she could find Matthew or I...
In line with her class... you can see Matthew and Sabrina behind the line (look through the arm of the video camera lady)...

Here she is just out in front of the school... pretty cute kid- I'm sure the kindergarten teacher will have better luck teaching her how to write her name than I've had... I don't think I could be a teacher!! We worked with her this summer on letters, numbers and her name and it was one of the more frustrating things I've ever done... Bless the teachers!!! ... Bless my little students! I may be the mom who follows the bus- but I don't cry- it is nice to have a little day to myself (although in November I will no longer have that, will I?!?)... my girls are just growing up... it's hard to let them spread their wings... this mama wants to keep them in the nest... but it's time to fly little Kenna-bird! Have a great year!

Jocilyn's First Day of 2nd grade!

Jocilyn has been excited to start 2nd grade. She's at a new school this year, which is exciting. Here she is waiting to catch the bus...
This year was a new experience, I meant to take a picture of all of the school supplies we bought. Up until now there has been a nice little fee, and I was off the hook to go shopping for supplies. This year was our first with "the list." Why doesn't "the list" come with a disclaimer stating that it will be utterly impossible to find all of the items at one location? I felt bonded to the other moms at walmart by the time we were done- because we just kept running into each other isle after isle, over and over again- it was like we thought one more pass and suddenly the mysterious "prang watercolors," or "ticonderoga" pencils would appear... nope- they never did. They didn't appear at Target either- but Staples- that was the promised land of school supplies- they even had the staedtler mars eraser... which I was beginning to think was a mythological item altogether! So, alas there was full success in gathering supplies... Here is a picture of the child getting on her bus...


We are "those" parents... Matthew and I, and McKenna (because she has PM Kindergarten) drove to the school to meet the bus and take pictures.... Here she is having just arrived...

I was worried because after school there is a point where she has to change buses because she is on a "shuttle." So, naturally, I have visions of she and McKenna after school getting on the wrong bus headed the wrong direction entirely... but the staff are a bunch of thinkers I tell ya! As soon as the kids exited the bus their backpacks were tagged with color coordinated zip ties that would help get them back to there point of origin after school... amazing- and it worked too!!! For 2 days in a row she has now come safely home to me, right to the bus stop with her sister in tow... She's loving it so far... but it's only day 2- give it a week and getting up in the morning will be brutal!

It's been a while...

I'm a slacker!!! I don't know what else to say, and how mean of me to slack when my parents are millions (slight exaggeration) of miles away serving the Lord and needing updates that I'm not giving... mean, selfish, blog-sloth that I am... so here is a little bit of a "what's been happening" over the last couple of weeks... My kids got a hold of the camera... here I am in all of my pregnant glory... getting there. Heading into the last trimester and things are going swell... literally! By the end of the days I work I feel it all the way down my legs, and my various shoes leave neat-o impressions on my feet- I've had braxton hicks practically from the day before I found out I was pregnant and they've only gotten worse. Again, the days I work are worse, my co-workers are convinced that they'll be delivering this child at work... and I have one patient who has volunteered to be the camera man... thoughtful...

Matthew and Travis have been heavy into the workout scene getting ready for elk season... Besides the gym proper, there is a lot of bike riding through the more hill-ridden areas around us, and then Matthew adds in "P90-x"... here are the girls going for the gold with him in our very own living room....

Speaking of "going for the gold..." I'm loving the Olympics... summer games are my favorite and I'm really enjoying it and thankful for DVR late in the night...
I'm not sure the cause.... hmmmmm... but I gained a ton of weight last month at my OB visit- I hadn't really gained anything, so the doctor wasn't concerned because he figures I'm playing "catch-up"... still hovering around a 13 lb total weight gain at this point... shortly after that visit I was sneaking a bite of something..... and thought, "well, this isn't helping my cause!" So I've been weighing several times a week at work and watching my meals a lot closer... I have an appt Tuesday... we'll see if there's any improvement (or at least slow down in the "piling on the pounds in the name of pregnancy" department... I'll let you know, I'm not too proud!)

Marie and Lynn threw me a beautiful baby shower! We had it at my moms house and I must say it came together so fantastically- I can't thank them enough...
Here in this picture is my sister-in-law grabbing a yummy chocolate covered strawberry.... here's a funny little tid-bit. This is Adrienna, who is deaf. I tell you this because one of the games we played was where if someone says "baby" they lose their necklace to whomever catches them and the woman with the most necklaces at the end of the shower wins... well, Adrienna won it! Remember, she's deaf- I don't recall how she caught it but someone signed it for her and she caught them on it- I just thought that was funny...
Here is Lynn the night before the shower showing off a stellar cupcake... they turned out perfect... and the cupcake tower is totally the way to go- she taught me that- looks great and it's a lot less hard than making a difficult cake or decorating said difficult cake...


Here is Marie Rich the night before the shower putting cup cake liners in along the assembly line... she was so fun to have there and so much help... thanks Marie!!

Here is my sister Marie... she was so tired and ready to have Dallin.... I was glad she got to be at moms with us... but I think she missed out on some of the conversation!
The neighbors had the unpleasant experience of waking up to a messy mess... their son was cleaning it up and then my girls were nice enough to offer him some help- I was proud of them for that... what a mess...

Here is little miss Annabelle... it was so fun to see her. Marie and I visited Lynn in March (I think) and saw Annabelle for the first time- this is our second visit with this little princess and it was fun! She is one of the sweetest babies I've ever been around- all smiles, so happy, and the cousins absolutely fell in love with her. They were constantly trying to find new ways to make her laugh....
Here's Lynn with my girls the morning that she left- it was a Sunday, so my kids were all ready for church- they were really quite upset to see aunt Lynn and Annabelle leave- so was I, it would be nice if visits were easier, or could be more frequent- there just aren't any other relationships like the ones with your sisters- I really treasure them- and I love watching my girls relationship grow, they really do love each other. Sure, it would be nice to have a boy- but I'm stoked about adding yet another girl because I know the relationship I have with my sisters and I've watched my mom with her sisters- there's just nothing like that in the world-

Here is one last shot of that sweet Annabelle before she left town Sunday morning- thanks for the visit!!! Such good memories were made- more to come!

I don't have any pics of the newest addition, little Mr. Dallin... I'll have to get some of the girls holding him, they do think he is a pretty cool addition- congratulations Marie and Travis, what a blessing you've brought us!