~IT'S BEEN A WHILE~

Ok, so I was gonna do so well on blogging this year...and I didn't. But a little update for those that don't know...we are expecting baby #5 in March. We are very excited and the kids are over the moon!!! I have a feeling it is a boy because I am already having blood pressure problems, and I don't have that with my girls. But we will have to wait and see. I am 13 weeks now so we will find out in November what it is. Life is good and the kids are good. Not to much else new I guess. I will post some updated pics later.

~My Birthday Weekend~

So we had Macazlyn's baptism on Saturday the 27th and then it was my birthday on the 28th. After the baptism we went ice skating with the kids. I was the only one brave enough to put the skates on and skate with the kids and I had a blast. I have always loved ice skating and did it quite a bit growing up in South Dakota on the pond they made in the park. So my mom, Tom, Vanessa, and Ben stayed on the side and watched...waiting for me to fall. But I didn't LOL I even did some spins and triple sow cow's. Hahaha Ok well maybe just the spins but it was fun and I am SO glad we went. Then on my birthday we went to church and then came home and hung out as a family. It was very nice and relaxing!! Tom left church a little early and came home and decorated the house for my birthday and then before I walked in the house he came out and gave me a crown and a wand. Yes I was the Queen for the day!! It was pretty cute and he did a good job of making my day special!!

~Macazlyn's Baptism~

I can't believe that the day has come to baptise my baby girl. She turned 8 and we had her baptism Feb. 27, 10. It was a very special day and I am so thankful for my amazing family. My parents weren't gonna be able to come but at the last minute my mom was able to get a ticket and be here. I didn't tell the kids she was coming and it was a fun surprise for them. I am so thankful to have the gospel in my life and that Tom is a preisthood holder and that he could baptise our daughter. It was an amazing day!!

~Valentines Day 2010~

I had a really fun Valentines this year!! We celebrated a day early since Valentines Day was Sunday this year. It was my friend Jeanette's birthday also so we went and got pedicures and then got our makeup done. It was so relaxing and just some fun girl time. Then we met up with our hubby's for dinner. It was a GREAT day all the way around and it was wonderful to celebrate with my amazing husband!!!

~BETTER BLOGGER~

Ok...so it's been a really long time since I have blogged and yes, I have let it slide. I really enjoy blogging and I want to get back but after so much time passed I couldn't decide if I should try to go back and do what I missed. But the thought of going back was to overwhelming so I am just starting from now. So here we are February of 2010. Not to much has changed. The kids are all older, sweeter, cuter, and taller LOL Tom and I are the same ol' (no taller thanks goodness). We are working on some goals for ourselves and just living life. So here's to being a BETTER BLOGGER!!

~GIRLIE GIRLS~

I am SOOO happy that I have girlie girls and that they still like to wear fluffy girlie stuff!! I found these skirts and loved them and so do the girls :o) So here are some pics I snapped. The last pic has one of Macazlyns friends that spent the weekend with us. And yes she is in 2nd grade with Macazlyn and her same age. And yes she is shorter than Brinlyn :o)

~LITTLE MAN~

I have been so bad at blogging it's not even funny. I am gonna try to start back up and it has been hard trying to decide if I should go back and try to do all the old stuff or just start with now. As you can see I decided to start with now. Drake wanted to go get chicken eggs one day and he looked SO cute walking out there I just had to grab the camera. When he got back he said "here Mommy, I got eggs for you". It was so sweet :o) Drake just loves to play with Daddy's Itouch and when we were in the car the other day I thought it looked so funny to see such a little guys all hooked up with the technology. He is such a little character and makes us all laugh all the time!! All the kids were up stairs cleaning their rooms the other day and had all put on the sports shorts...but Drake doesn't have any. So he found some of Hunter's old ones and put them on.

~HAPPY BIRTHDAY VANESSA~

Happy birthday to my baby sis!!! I know you had a great day and got some good presents. I am glad you got to spend your day with your hubby and I am glad I got to see you!! I wanted to say what an amazing person I think you are. You are so kind and loving and have such a big heart. And you are so B-E-A-utiful!! I am glad that we have built a friendship since we have grown up. We grew up so far apart in age I didn't know if it would ever happen and I am SO glad it did. I cherish "Us" and love watching it grow. You are a very special person in my life and I am so glad that you are still here. At least we have each other since everyone else is gone!! I am proud to call you my sister and that you are part of our family!!! Happy Birthday Vanessa!! I love you :)

~HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM~

Today is my mom's birthday and I haven't blogged in a long time, so my first of many in a short period of time will be for my mom. So here it goes...

I hope you had a great day mom and I so glad you got to be with Angela and Sheena even though the other half of us couldn't be there!! I miss having you here much but I have SO many good memories!! Shopping together, decorating together, baking together, and just spending time at your house or mine. You really are an amazing woman and you have taught me SO much. I love your love for the gospel and appreciate that you have taught it to me so that I can teach my family. You have so many talents of being a homemaker and housekeeper!! Your such a great cook and housekeeper ( I don't know why I didn't get more of that) LOL You have always made a comfortable and inviting home for all of us and I appreciate that to this day!!! I always seem to have so much to say in my head and when it comes to putting it on here it never seems to come as well :) So Happy Birthday and I love you with all my heart and am so glad that you are my mom!!!

~HAIR BOWS (FLOWERS)~

Here are the pictures of the bows Aubrey. Tiffinie and I made them (mostly her on these ones). I haven't finished them yet but they won't look any different when I am done.

~GRAND JUNCTION COUSINS~

We went to Grand Junction Colorado last week and had a great time visiting friends and family!! There are our "Grand Junction cousins". The top picture is Macazlyn 7, Kayla 10, Brinlyn 5, Brett 8, Hunter 10, and Drake 3 in the front. We got to have them live close to us a couple of years ago and so the kids are really close and have a lot of fun together!! We miss and love you guys and hope to see ya soon!!

~HAPPY 10TH BIRTHDAY HUNTER~

My Hunter man... You were born July 2, 1999. Our only child born last century. LOL You were born in Grand Junction Colorado and it was HOT, 104 degrees hot to be exact. I wasn't feeling good the night before I had you and it was a good thing that I had a doctors appointment the day you were born. I am kinda stubborn and I don't go to the doctor very often...even if I should. So I went to my appointment and they told me my blood pressure was VERY high and they told me to go home and pack a bag and head to the hospital. I was soooo swollen and puffy it was beyond not funny and I can't say that I was to disappointed at the thought of everything being over. But I was scared too!!!! I was induced with you and you were born at 11:56 pm. You were 6 lb 2 oz and 19 3/4 in long. You were so tiny!!!! Daddy's wedding ring fit around all your little toes....(although his ring is huge) it was still really cute!!! We spent 4 days in the hospital and you were in the ICU but everything turned out ok and when we went home all of Mommy's family was there. It was nice to have the help since you were my first baby!!! You have always been a pretty easy kid. You went through some tantrums when you were around 2 but that wasn't to bad. You are soooo great with your brother and sisters!!! The way you help me and help around the house without complaining is so wonderful! You are a kind hearted and caring boy! I love that you like to be involved in activities and sports. You are a great joy in our family and I can't imagine our home without you!! I love you buddy!! Happy 10th Birthday!!!

~OUR 12TH ANNIVERSARY~

Tom and I met in December 23, 1996. We were both home for the holiday's. Home was Castle Rock CO for me and Elizabeth for him. My brother needed a ride home from work one night so Tom gave him one and that is how we met. I had just gotten out of a long distance relationship and did not want much to do with him really. I had had enough of men for a while!! But I knew there was something different about him from the start. I tried to tell myself I didn't want anything to do with him but as we can see that didn't work. LOL These first 2 pictures were engagement pictures.

We got engaged March 6, 1997 and then we were married on June 21st 1997. Here are a few pictures. One of them has our friends Brandon and Carrie, they were married 2 weeks before us. They are our "short" friends. LOL One of the pictures is when Tom threw my garter. Chad and Justin decided to go for it. Look at the air they got!!! Justin is the one that caught it. Neither one of these amazing men are with us anymore. We love and miss you both!!!! The picture with the little boy is my nephew, Stephen. I have always loved this picture!!! He is soooo cute!!!

And here we are on our 12th Anniversary. A little less hair (Tom) different colored hair (me), and some extra pounds but just as happy as ever. I just remembered that my first blog I ever did was our anniversary picture last year. How funny!! Our love has truly grown over the year and we are truly blesses with an amazing family and life!!!

~HAPPY 3RD BIRTHDAY DRAKE~

Happy Birthday to my little Drake. You were born in the early morning hours of June 16th 2006. You were born at 6:36 am and weighted 6 lb 8 oz on 6-16-06. LOL It's easy for me to remember your info. You were not due until July 13th but I was not feeling good so Poppy came down and took my blood pressure for me and it was VERY high. So I threw somethings in a bag and drove myself to Castle Rock to get daddy and we drove up to the doctors office in Thornton, CO. Since you weren't due for another month I wasn't sure what they were going to do, but I can say that I felt horrible!!! My blood pressure didn't go down so they checked me into the hospital because they couldn't let me go home. They watched me through the night and kept doing tests and in the early morning hours they induced me because I had pre-eclampsia/toxemia. I had my beautiful baby boy with in an hour of being induced. You we so cute and had the most hair of any of the other kids!! And amazingly long fingers (which you still have)!! You had some problems and ended up in the ICU and they wouldn't let me out of bed (cause of the pre-eclampsia) so I didn't get to see you for a while and that was hard!! But daddy was there for you!! He went to Build-a-Bear and made a special bear for you that they put in your bed with you in the ICU to keep you company. Everything turned out ok and we took you home where you had a brother and sisters who were anxiously awaiting your arrival!! You are such a sweet little boy! I love waking up to see your smiling face everyday. And I love the way you come and cuddle with me every morning!! You have such a sweet heart and you are always there if someone is sad to give them a hug!! You love to play with your monster trucks, CARS movie cars, and your Thomas the Trains. You take them with you everywhere we go in your little Thomas the Train backpack. Your favorite right now is "Lucky Tween" (Lightning McQueen). LOL Your laugh is so cute and it makes everyone else laugh and smile. You are becoming quite the follower and want to be where everyone else is and you are pretty attached to your mommy too!!! But I love it and you make me soooo happy and proud to be your mommy. I love you little man!! Happy 3rd birthday. I don't have a 3 year old picture yet, the one below is his 2 year picture.

~BROKEN TOE~

Yep there it is. Toms broken toe. Gross I know but I had to show ya. He broke it in 2 places when he was riding the Harley. Put his foot down to keep from laying the Harley down when his breaks locked up. He is fine now!!!