Pink or blue?

I am so blessed to be pregnant. I keep repeating that in my mind so I can endure this pregnancy. I'm trying to ignore the incessant need to vomit and focus on the positive. I can do this. Right now I am focusing on our next visit to the doctor. March 13th, 2:00 PM. We'll be finding out if this little bundle of joy is a boy or a girl. Get in on the action and cast your vote using the poll to your right. Even if you don't care what we're having- do it to distract me!!! I am blessed to be pregnant. I am blessed to be pregnant...

Coughy House

We're all sick. Sonny and I were up all night last night with two little girlies who each had temperatures of 104. Sonny had meetings early this morning and then came home and crashed. One by one, the girls tiptoed upstairs to join him. I'm next.

Love Loot

Ryen was so excited to get back to school so she could see her teacher and friends. When Sonny dropped her off in the morning, all of her friends came running out of the building to hug her like she was Elvis. Having a special box of valentines to come back to was certainly a fun treat as well! Looking at all of those little notes sure brought back memories!

There And Back Again

We arrived home late last night after our visit to California and Arizona. Whew. We took the girls to Sea World where it was much colder than we expected... and wetter! Still, we got to see most of the park before the hypothermia set in. :) The girls just loved Shamu and getting to feed the seals. Norma, Sonny's mom, flew to CA to meet us and made the trip so much easier and more fun! What a blessing it was to have her there!

After Sea World, we hit the road for AZ, but didn't make it far before we were stuck in a massive traffic jam. The freeway was shut down due to a huge snow storm and we ended up spending the night at a hotel. It was so wild! Everything was still blocked off the next morning, but thanks to answered prayers, we were able to get around it and back on our way. (Ry and Maddie were ELATED when they got to get out of the car and throw some SNOWballs!) Besides a few stops to accommodate my current health "situation", the rest of the drive was pretty smooth.

In Arizona, we took the girls to the Phoenix zoo. We met up with Lindsey and her family there. It's always fun to spend time with them! Ryen was especially loving her birth-cousin and new pen pal Payton. They were like two peas in a pod... or two monkeys in a zoo!

We visited Sonny's Grandma Church, which was really special. I love her so much! It was really sweet to watch the girls caress her soft hands and interact with her so lovingly. They sang "I Am A Child of God" to her and showered her with smooches.

The family spent Monday in the desert, riding horses and 4-wheelers. It seems like they had a really wonderful time. I spent Monday throwing up and trying not to die.

Before we left, we took the girls to a children's salon to get their hair cut for the first time. I've always cut their hair in the past, but it gets scarier every time and I just can't handle the pressure anymore. :) We took them to a place called Lollilocks and they were IN HEAVEN. They totally felt like princesses with glitter in their hair and everything. Very fun.

It was a really difficult trip for me because of my extreme nausea, but I did my best to tough it out. (I believe the low point was probably throwing up in the bushes at the Phoenix zoo, but passing out at home while everyone was partying out in the desert was a pretty bleak affair as well.) We just tried to make the best of four plane tickets to California. It was wild, but I am grateful we were able to see some of our family!

*If you don't have the patience for our slideshow (I don't) then you can just click here to go straight to our photo album.

The Thought That Counts

I just want to take a minute to share some love with my little brother, Steve. As we are about to leave for California to see a wedding that is now taking place in Utah, my thoughts are with you and your soon-to-be wife. Even though we couldn't change our tickets, our hearts will be on that early morning flight from San Diego to Salt Lake. Life is funny. I am so proud of you and I will be thinking of you constantly. You are in my heart. On your wedding day, if you would do me one small favor, give Lauren a hug from me and whisper in her ear, "Welcome to the family." I love you so much.

And to Drew and Amber, whose special day we will also be missing- I could not be more proud of two people in all this world. I love you both with all of my heart.

Cupid

I was recently wading through our enormous family photo archives, when I came across these pictures of Ryen and Madelyn. They are of their first Valentines Day. (I swear I just took these pictures yesterday!) It both breaks my heart and gives me more joy than anything in this world to see them grow. Ry was 9 months old in her photos and Madelyn was almost 7 months. Between these two little cuties and my amazing husband, Cupid has been very good to me.

Looooove Day

Ryen and I finished up her valentines this weekend. I really like the way they turned out. She had so much fun helping me and was beyond proud of herself for her efforts! Since Ry won't be at school on Valentines Day (Looooove Day, according to her) I sent them with her today. I hope the kids enjoy their treats, but more than anything it is so awesome to see how happy Ryen is to GIVE.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

We love you, Lindsey.

Puppet Show & Tell

I never know what Ryen is going to insist on bringing to school for show and tell. She's brought it all- from a broken recorder she doesn't know how to play to her favorite pajamas. I try to let her decide for herself, but there have been a few times I've felt obligated to redirect her. Princess Aurora underwear and an empty yogurt cup are a couple examples that come to mind. This week Madelyn and I went with her on a school field trip to the children's museum where we saw a puppet show. It inspired Ryen to bring in a couple of our own puppets- "The Monster Brothers." She practiced her show all morning. Maddie and I may have to sneak to school early today so we can watch our girl in action.

The Moments I Love

The weather was so nice today! High 70's, breezy, and delightful. The girls and I played outside for hours today. The three of us were laying together on our hammock when Ryen sighed and said, "Mom, these are the moments I love." I couldn't agree more. And also, it's a real comfort to know that if we were ever strapped for cash, Ryen could get a job at Hallmark.

Princess Pirate Pants

My kids LOVE playing "pirates" and this adorable toy is perfect for those cold or rainy days when we need to set sail indoors. $28 right now at Babystyle. I'm going to hide it away until Ryen's birthday. (Looove Babystyle!) Their "softest" line really is THE softest and their outlet is always full of goodies. ...Just FYI.

Ready for Hollywood

It has been a while since I posted a video, so we cooked this up after Family Home Evening tonight. Our girls are serious actresses who know exactly how to use their craft!

The Legend of Grammy Grabber

Ryen and Madelyn have a LOT of toys. I love having a playroom for them with lots of bins and a place for everything. But still, they have been forgetting our family clean-up rules quite a bit lately. Before my mom left, she instigated a nightly toy raid- where all toys left on the floor mysteriously vanished. And so, The Grammy Grabber was born. It took the kids a while to catch on, but eventually they couldn't help but notice their toy reserve was quickly being depleted. Even so, they were STILL not cleaning up the few toys they had left. That's when the Mommy Grabber had to step in. I gave the girls almost a full hour to clean whatever they wanted to keep and they didn't clean up a single toy. So, right in front of them, I started picking up their toys and putting them in the "off-limits box." To say they had a meltdown would be a severe understatement. They were bereaved! I felt like the meanest person who ever lived, BUT... it worked. Now the girls know we mean business when we tell them it is time to clean up after themselves. And each night that The Grabber finds nothing to grab, the girls get to set free two imprisoned toys the next morning. It has been like Christmas around here... and our house has never looked better. Long live the Gram Reaper!