3 Months Old

Joshua is now 3 months old. I thought I had already posted his 3 month picture and then realized I hadn't done it yet. He loves to grab anything within his reach...toys, ears, hair, necks, etc. He really has a good grip too! He also laughs a lot now and he wants to be wherever the other kids are at!

Outdoor Cooking

Thomas has been wanting to cook on the BBQ with Joel for about a week now so he can pass off one of his cub scout requirements. Yesterday he planned the menu and looked through the fridge, freezer, and cupboards so he could make a shopping list for the things we didn't have that he needed for his meal. So today he and I went shopping to get the couple things we needed. Then Joel helped him BBQ on the grill. Thomas was in heaven. They made hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill. Thomas was so proud of himself because Joel pretty much let him do it all by himself. While we were eating dinner Thomas kept saying, "Ohhh, this is delicious!" It was so cute. He is very gung ho about his scouting requirements. He wanted to earn a beltloop so he was looking through the different ones available and decided to earn the computers beltloop. He did all the requirements for that today and is now working to earn the computers pin. By doing the beltloop he also passed off a Faith in God requirement. It is so fun to see him take charge and ownership with cub scouts and Faith in God. I only hope I can keep up with him!

Trampoline, Wii, and Just Plain Good Fun

We have had so much fun yesterday and today. It is so fun to play with the kids as they try out all their new toys and fun things from Christmas. The kids have had a great time on the trampoline. They all love it. We have also had a great time with the Wii! Just this afternoon we tried out the boxing game and have had a great time with it. Emily and I tried it out together and she knocked me out at the last second. Then I boxed with Joel's mom. Everyone got a good laugh out of me boxing against my mother in law. I ended up with the win by KO! It has all been so much fun.

Aunt Emily gave Sammy the book, "Not a box" and some boxes and markers for Christmas. He and Mary have had a great time playing in the boxes. It has been a wonderful couple of days. I miss my side of the family, though, and wish we could have been with them too!

Christmas Morning

Our Christmas morning started "dark" and early! Thomas was up at about 1:15 am and every 30 minutes or so thereafter. Starting around 3:30 am he and I were on my bedroom floor talking together. He was telling me how excited he was for everyone to open the presents he made or picked out for them. He really was so good but he just couldn't fall back to sleep. It reminded me of when I was a child and just couldn't sleep on Christmas Eve. Finally, at about 5:15 I told him he could start waking people up. First, he woke up Spring and Sammy and then they all worked together to wake up Daddy, Grandma and Grandpa, and Aunt Emily!

They were so excited to come out and look through their stockings. Thomas, Spring, and Sammy loved their beanbag chairs from Santa and Mary loved her little ride on bike. She even tried to sit on it before it was out of the box. It was great fun to see the excitement and joy on their faces. They really liked handing out all the presents that they had made or picked out for everyone else. The last present under the tree was for all of our family from my parents. We had the kids open it and they were so excited to see it was a Wii! Thomas said, "WOW...I can't believe we got a Wii!" To which Spring replied, "What's a Wii?" Then we had the kids check very carefully because we saw an envelope on the tree. It was a letter from Santa telling them he had left one more gift for them. They had to complete a few 'tasks' first and the last thing they had to do was go in the backyard to see what he had left for them. It was a trampoline! They were SO excited. They have had a great time with it too!

Christmas Eve

We had a great Christmas Eve day and night! Joel went into work really early so he was home around lunchtime. We baked some cookies and just enjoyed the afternoon as a family. Thomas made dinner for us to pass off a cub scout requirement. He did an excellent job! After dinner we read the story of Christ's birth from the scriptures while Spring and Sammy portrayed Mary and Joseph. Then we read a few Christmas stories until it was time for the kids to open one gift. They all opened new PJ's. It was fun to have them so excited to get their new PJ's on.

Spring and Thomas made a plate of cookies for Santa and a mug of milk. Then they ran outside to the front yard so they could sprinkle Christmas Dust on the lawn. The Christmas Dust was given to Spring by her teacher. It was some oats to help the reindeer smell their way to our house and some sparkling confetti to shine in the moonlight for Santa to see his way to our house. Oh, the magic of Christmas Eve is amazing. It is so fun to watch their excitement!

Christmas Cookies

The kids and I have been making cookies the last few days. One of their all time favorites to make is sugar cookies. We made the dough, cut them out, and baked them yesterday. Then, this morning we decorated them. Boy, did we ever have a mess in the kitchen and on the kids. I think Mary thought she was decorating herself not cookies. It was fun to see them be creative, especially Spring. Spring was so detailed in all the cookies she decorated. In fact, she decorated a gingerbread family. She was so proud of her creations. Sammy did really well and then he started to just put the frosting directly into his mouth! It was fun and messy and it was time for baths after we were finished.

Our Sabbath Day

We usually try to get the kids a new church outfit for the Sunday before Christmas. They usually have outgrown their clothes about this time so it just works out nicely. They were all so excited to wear their new outfits this time. Earlier this week they all tried on their clothes which just added to the excitement. It was so funny to see Mary especially this morning. She could hardly contain herself as I was getting her dressed. After the girls got all dressed Spring wanted me to paint her nails so we were doing that at the counter. Mary climbed up and begged me to paint her nails too. Spring thought that was a great idea and I caved. I was actually surprised how still Mary sat while I painted her nails. It's a good thing Sammy was in the shower or he would have been begging to have his painted too!

Thomas had his baptism interview with the Bishop before church today. He was very excited for that. As soon as Mary saw Joel at church she ran up to him and showed him her nails. She had this huge smile on her face. It was really cute.

We realized today how difficult it is going to be for Mary when Sammy goes into Sunbeams in a couple weeks. We picked Sammy up from nursery to take him potty and when we returned Mary was sobbing with big tears running down her face. Joel told her, "look...Sammy's right here." She looked and looked and when she saw Sammy she ran over to him and held his hand and then she was just fine. The leaders always tell us how protective Sammy is to her and how sweet he is when she is sad in nursery. I am not looking forward to the new year and having to take her to nursery without Sammy!

We had a fun afternoon and evening as well. We watched a movie together and Thomas and Spring are having a sleepover in the family room by the Christmas tree. I am so excited for them to be home with me for the next 3 weeks during their Christmas vacation. I love having them all home! That is a great Christmas present for me!

Sammy's Stickers

When Grandma was visiting for Thanksgiving she potty trained Sammy. She told him that when he had been doing really well for a while she would send him something in the mail. He has done so well and Grandma sent him some stickers in the mail this week. He was so excited when he opened them. He tells us all about who/what is on each sticker. He carries them everywhere with him and calls them, "My grandma stickers for going potty in the toilet." He even takes them to bed with him and has to tuck them in on something soft so it doesn't hurt their heads! Thanks Mom for potty training him. We all appreciate it so much!

Storytime with Santa

The library had a special storytime with Santa this morning that I was able to take Sammy, Mary, and Joshua to. Santa was awesome and he read the children "The Night Before Christmas." Sammy was a little more brave today than he was at our Ward Christmas Breakfast. He even gave Santa a "high five." Mary even was willing to get close enough to Santa to get a candy cane but that was about it.

Thomas' Big Day

Thomas is now 8 years old. How can it be that we have an 8 year old child? Joel and I were talking last night about Thomas turning 8 and all the changes that come with this birthday for him. He is now in Cub Scouts and will be baptized in a few weeks. He will then be accountable for all that he does. I have found myself reflecting on the importance of teaching our children correct principles. We pray that he will continue to choose to be obedient and do those things that will increase his testimony and help him to live the life our Father in Heaven wants him to live. What a blessing, yet incredible responsibility, we have as parents to teach and guide these precious children of God while they are in our stewartship.

This morning I gave Thomas a big hug and told him "Happy Birthday!" He got a huge smile on his face and hugged me so tight. He had a great day at school. He came home so excited. For dinner he chose to have spaghetti, "the kind you can twist up on your fork" with white sauce. He wanted french bread as well. For dessert he wanted brownies with chocolate frosting and rainbow sherbet. We had a great dinner together. Then he opened his birthday presents. He has been asking me for the past while if we could get his cub scout uniform. I kept telling him I had to find a time to drive to Fresno to get it and I just hadn't done it yet. He handled it so well even though we knew he really wanted it. He was so excited when he opened his presents to find his uniform and wolf book. He kept giving us hugs over and over and telling us "thank you, thank you."

We then ran off to his very first pack meeting for cub scouts. We went Christmas caroling. He looked so grown up in his uniform and he was so proud of himself. While we were waiting at the church to go caroling he took off his coat because he was so excited to be in his uniform. He just beamed when he was told how great he looked. I am so happy that he is so excited to start cub scouts. He is already working on the requirements for his Bobcat. In the time we were driving around for caroling he memorized the Cub Scout Promise.

We got home and he very carefully hung up his uniform. After prayers he told me, "Before I go to sleep I have some important things to do. I need to read my scriptures, practice some more things from my cub scout book, and look through my Faith in God book." Our little boy is growing up. I am so grateful for his obedient nature and his burning testimony. He is an example to me.

Gingerbread Houses

We made our annual gingerbread house last night. This is something my mom always did with us as we were growing up and we have continued the tradition with our children. We decided to invite our neighbors to make one as well. They came over for dinner last night and then had FHE with us. We talked about Christ's birth and watched "The Nativity" together. Then we decorated gingerbread houses for our activity. The kids had so much fun. Mary loved eating the candy. Every time we looked over she was putting more candy in her mouth. She also liked to grab handfuls of candy and just drop them on the house. Thomas and Spring were so good about being patient with her. Sammy got so excited about the chocolate covered raisans. He thought they were rocks and wanted to make a road with them. We all had a fun evening together. We will keep the house as a decoration until New Year's Eve when the kids can break the house and enjoy the candy!

Christmas Recital

Thomas had his Christmas Recital this afternoon. His teacher, Sandra Ball, is amazing with him. She thinks it is important for the children to learn to accompany as well as just play different pieces. Thomas really wants to be able to open up the hymnbook and play any song he wants to play so he can be a pianist so we appreciate all the efforts of his piano teacher.

Thomas played 4 pieces for the recital. He played the opening hymn, Christmas Bells, while the audience sang along. He also performed Carol of the Bells, Angel Eyes, and accompanied us for I Belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He did so well. We love to listen to him play because he loves it so much. You can just see it on his face. He does not have lessons for the next 4 weeks because of Christmas break and he has plans to teach himself new hymns and also the song, 100 Years, during his break. I am sure he will be able to do it!

Thomas with his friend, Carter, who also performed at the recital.

Thomas' school teacher, Mrs. Magpayo, and her daughter also came to his recital. I thought that was so nice of her to come.

Ward Christmas Party

This morning we had our Ward Christmas Breakfast. Then the Primary children performed a short nativity with a few musical numbers. Thomas was able to accompany them when they sang, "Away in a Manger." He has been so excited to do this and he did a great job. Spring really sang the songs well too and was so cute in her angel costume. Spring also made a new friend with Ashley. Her family just moved into the ward from Washington. Her dad had Thanksgiving with us before the rest of his family had moved here. They were so cute together today and once they met each other they were inseparable.

After the Nativity the children were able to sit on Santa's lap. Sammy and Mary wouldn't get anywhere near Santa and Spring wouldn't either until Thomas was on his lap. Then she thought it was safe enough for her to sit on his lap as well.

Thomas' Tonsils

Well...yesterday Thomas came home from school with yet another sore throat so we hurried over to the pediatrician's office before they closed. They swabbed his throat and yes...strep AGAIN! This is the 4th time he has had strep throat since November 1st. Each time he has completed the antibiotic and 1-2 days later he is complaining of a sore throat. We go back to the Doctor and sure enough...strep. After the second time they scheduled an appointment with the ENT for the end of January. Well, yesterday the doctor called the ENT and told them he needed to be seen sooner. We got an appointment for this morning.

The ENT doctor said he has very infected and inflamed tonsils. On a scale of 1-4 with 4 being the largest possible he is at a 3.5-3.75. He is now a carrier of strep so he will continue to get strep anytime he gets a cold or his immune system is compromised in the least degree. So, it is time for his tonsils and adenoids to be removed. Thomas is actually excited about this because he is so tired of getting strep and having sore throats. He is scheduled for surgery for the 15th of January. That is the earliest slot available. I will be so grateful when we aren't going to the doctor every 10-12 days!

Recent Events in Joshua's Life

Joshua is doing so many new things lately. He loves to play with his hands. We will often look over at him and he is just mesmerized by his hands. He smiles so much now. When I hold him he will look up at me and coo and smile as if he is trying to talk to me. He started this with my mom when she was visiting for Thanksgiving and now he does it almost all the time. The kids love to listen to him and tell us he is saying specific words. He also loves to grab onto things lately. One of his favorite things to grab hold up is Spring's hair. He has a strong grip too and he always goes away with a fistful of hair. He really enjoys it when Thomas and Spring clap his hands together. He will smile so big. He is even beginning to laugh when he gets really excited about something. It is so fun to watch him grow and interact more with us; however, I am saddened to see how quickly it is all happening. I know I should be used to these 'stages' by now but they still sneak up on me way too quickly!

Spring has also become very interested in taking pictures. She will pose Joshua and then take his picture. We have many pictures taken by her so I will just include a couple.

Spelling Bee

Thomas participated in his first ever spelling bee today. I got to the school a few minutes early and he came running up to me with a big smile on his face. He said he was excited but a little nervous too. He looked so cute up there on the stage. He does not have a very good poker face...you could tell right away how confident he was on the spelling of different words. There were 10 children in the spelling bee. They were all given the same word and they had to write it down and then hold it up when they were told. Nobody was eliminated until their 3rd incorrect word. Before too long it was just Thomas and one other girl and neither of them had missed any words. They kept going and then Thomas missed the word, "cozy." He spelled it "cossy." Afterwards he told me, "Mom, I knew that word. I guess I just got kinda nervous." He handled missing it very well though. They kept going and then they both missed the word, "detective." Thomas spelled it "detecktive." They spelled a lot more and then they both missed the word, "muscles." Thomas left out the "c." So, that meant that was Thomas' 3rd miss so he won 2nd place! He was so happy with himself though which I was so relieved about. He is really learning to handle frustration so much better. He is so hard on himself and tends to get emotional when he makes mistakes. He didn't get that way at all today. He was happy and proud of how well he had done. I think that was the best part of it for me...to see that he was happy with himself because he had done his best. He earned a trophy and a ribbon. He is the alternate for the district spelling bee that will be held in January.

Thomas with Mom and his teacher, Mrs. Magpayo.

Our little boy is sure growing up. Today as I sat and watched his excitement and saw the smile on his face as he competed I realized how much he has matured. Then I found myself realizing he will be turning 8 next week, joining Cub Scouts, and then being baptized a few weeks later. Where have the last 8 years gone? It really doesn't seem that long ago that we were holding him in our arms like he now holds Joshua. We have been so blessed by his spirit in our home. He is so kind and sensitive. We love you, Thomas and we are so proud of you!

Sammy's 3 year Pictures

Here are Sammy's 3 year old pictures! Mom...let me know which one you want in a 5x7. I only got an 8x10 of him standing so choose from the other ones. Also, Alanna and anyone else let me know which one you want in wallets!

2 Months Old

Our little Joshua is already 2 months old. He is so fun. We just love having him in our family. He is quick to smile and is starting to try to laugh. We love how he responds when we talk to him or when he hears the kids laughing. His coos and little noises are so fun. He still loves to cuddle and he just molds into our chests when we hold him. One of my favorite times with him is in the evening after the older kids are all in bed because I feel I can give him some one on one time and really enjoy his sweet smile, noises, and cuddles.

He had his check up and shots yesterday. He did so well with the shots and stopped crying as soon as I picked him up. Joel and I went to the temple last night and he wasn't fussy at all for the babysitter. He slept most of the time or played with the kids. He is such a good little baby for us. He is growing like a weed and getting more and more chuncky everyday. He now weighs 13 pounds 4 ounces and is 22 inches long. He is around the 75th percentile in both. What a blessing this sweet boy is to our family.

Joshua's Blessing Outift

Here is Joshua in his blessing outfit that Grandma Powell made for him. We have been so blessed by Grandma's sewing talent. She has made all of her grandchildren their own blessing outfit after they are born. Each outfit has been different and wonderful. Our children will be so blessed to have such a special gift from their grandma.

Christmas Decorations

We decided to get all our decorations out and decorate for Christmas. The kids loved going through all the decorations. It was so fun to see Sammy and Mary's reactions to the excitement of Thomas and Spring. Sammy kept running around saying, "It's Christmastime...it's Christmastime!" Mary was in awe of everything, especially the lights on the tree. Decorating really seemed to go quickly this year. Joel and I realized it was because the kids are getting to an age that they are much more independent and are a huge help in getting things set up. Thomas and Spring set up a nativity on the piano and Sammy and Mary set up one down lower that they could play with. Later in the day we found Sammy lining up all the people from the nativity in front of Jesus. As we listened to him play he was telling all the people to come and see the new baby Jesus. It was cute to listen to him and watch him.

That evening we continued our tradition of watching the Polar Express as a family the evening we set up the tree. We had all the lights out except for the tree lights and we had a pizza picnic on the floor. Sammy was enthralled with the movie. It took him the entire movie to eat one piece of pizza and I think Mary actually ate 1/2 of it. Mary loved the part in the train when the kids are being served cocoa with all the dancing and singing. She was standing up waving her arms around and singing along. It was such a wonderful day and evening. I love this time of year as we are more prone to reflect on the life of our Savior Jesus Christ. I love the Spirit of Christmas and the excitement and joy that fills the air.

Making Memories

Mom and I found some card making kits for the kids so Friday afternoon Thomas, Spring,and Sammy made the cards. They all made one and sent it to Great-Grandma Skipper (Spring). We enjoyed helping them and being with them while they made their cards.

Then Grandma and Grandpa gave Thomas his birthday present early since they were here. Thomas was so excited to open it and even more excited when he discovered it was a LEGO set. He immediately set up making it. It was cute to watch him want Grandma to sit with him and help him because he always makes them on his own but he just wanted that special time with Grandma. He has made and remade the set many times already.

While Thomas was working on his LEGOS Spring convinced Grandpa to play twister with her. Grandpa was a great sport with it and provided us all some wonderful entertainment. Spring was giggling so hard and we were all laughing. Grandma even came in and took her turn playing. We got some great video footage that will serve us well for blackmail purposes!

Mary enjoyed all the cuddle time she could get with Grandma and Grandpa. She was so cute with Grandpa especially. She would walk over to him and get his attention so he would pick her up and cuddle with her. She would also flirt with him and do all she could to get his attention. She definitely loves cuddling with her grandpa. Grandma was also successful at potty training Sammy!!!! He is doing really well and we are so grateful for that. It was a great week that ended so quickly yet we are so grateful for the time was all shared together and the many memories we were able to make that will last forever in our hearts.

Friday Activities

Mom and I got up early to go shopping on Friday morning. We were at Walmart by 4:40 am for their 5:00 opening. We got all we needed there including a family gift we are giving our children for Christmas. It was packed and after we go the "big" item mom stayed with the basket and slowly tried to manuever through the crowd to the checkout while I went and picked up the other items we both needed. We waited in line for about an hour to check out but it was fun to be together. We called Alanna a couple times because she was out shopping too. Then we headed to a couple more stores but by then the crowds were much less and we still were able to get everything on our list. We were home by about 9:30 but it felt like it should have been much later in the morning! A few hours later we wanted to go a couple more stores so we took Mary and Joshua with us. Joel and Grandpa took the older 3 kids bowling during this time. They had a great time bowling and mom and I loved spending the time together shopping. I am now almost all done with our Christmas shopping which is always a big relief. We forgot to take the camera on any of our shopping trips so we were going to take a picture of all our purchases and then decided that wouldn't be a good idea because then everyone would see them! It was fun to go shopping and not have to hurry in and out really fast with all the kids. I am so glad Mom and I had this time together.

Pranks, Baths, and Cuddle Time

Thanksgiving evening Joel took Dad for a tour of the plant and Grandma decided to show some jokes to the kids. She did the trick with Spring where she sits on the ground with her legs spread apart. You pour some water on the floor between her legs, give her 2 forks and grandma had a towel in her hand. Grandma said, "OK, I bet I can wipe up the water before you poke me with the forks." Spring was so excited. Grandma said, "1,2,3, go!" Then she grabbed Spring's legs and pulled her forward so the water was wiped up with her bottom. We all got such a good laugh out of it. Spring was laughing and said, "Grandma, you cheated!" Then she had Thomas put a funnel in his pants and a quarter on his forehead and lean his head back. He was supposed to drop the quarter in the funnel. As he leaned his head back Grandma poured water into the funnel. Thomas got kinda embarrassed by it but it was so funny. Then they played the quarter basketball game that gets pencil marks on their faces. It was a fun evening. I am sure they will want to try out the pranks on others when they get the chance. Joshua enjoyed a bath in the sink and then some cuddle time with Grandpa. The kids loved having grandma read them stories while she was here. Our children are so blessed to have such wonderful grandparents.

Happy Thanksgiving

We had a great Thanksgiving this year. It was so wonderful to have my mom and dad here with us. They surprised the kids when they drove up to our house as we got home from church last Sunday. It was such a wonderful week with them and it went way too fast. I loved having the time with them and I know the kids did too. I just wish we all lived closer so these visits could be more frequent but we were sure thankful for their willingness to make the long drive.

On Wednesday Thomas woke up with a sore throat again so he stayed home from school and we took him to the doctor. He has strep AGAIN! This is the third time in 24 days that he has had strep. He finishes his medicine and a few days later he gets it again. So, he got a prescription and by the next day was feeling better. That afternoon mom and I made pies and the kids made their turkeys that we make each year. They also made placemats for everyone. We had a good time together.

I started to get really fevered and sick Wednesday night and it got worse through the night. The next morning Joel took me into the ER because that was the only place open until Saturday. I had a fever of 103 and I couldn't talk and my throat was so swollen I could barely swallow. I ended up having strep again as well as a viral laryngitis. Once I got some medicine in me I felt a lot better. We had invited some friends over for our "Pie for Breakfast" tradition. Thankfully, my parents filled in for us and took care of entertaining and carrying on that tradition for our children. Mom ended up doing most of the cooking that day because I was so tired. I am so grateful for her help. During the day the kids enjoyed having Grandpa throw them into piles of pillows and blankets! We had a member from our ward spend Thanksgiving dinner with us. He was just transferred to the NAS here but his family is still in Washington. Joel and Dad enjoyed watching football and we just had a great time sharing time with each other. I am always reminded of how the wonderful blessing that family is to me.

Potty Training Duo

Grandma decided to try to get Sammy to potty train while she is here. He has done it for a day here and there before but then just decides he wants his diaper again. So, this morning he put on underwear. He went outside to play and came back in with his jeans and his underwear in his hands and said to me, "Mom...you help me pee in the dirt?" I told him that he doesn't pee in the dirt but he needs to pee in the toilet. He said, "No, me have to pee in the dirt." We went back and forth a couple times and then Sammy said, "Thomas do it." I told him Thomas does not pee in the dirt and he wasn't going to either. Reluctantly he headed into the bathroom to go potty. When he sat on the toilet then Mary decided she was going to also. So, all day whenever Sammy tries to go potty Mary follows behind, takes off her diaper, and has to try also. I wouldn't mind at all if Grandma is successful at potty training Sammy and even Mary. We could go down to only 2 or maybe even 1 child in diapers!

In-n-Out

It has become tradition for us to go to In-n-Out when my parents come to visit. When they got here and realized we don't have one in our small town Dad had to look up on the internet to find the nearest In-n-Out. The closest one was about 40 minutes away. Well, for FHE tonight we made the trek to In-n-Out for dinner. We had a great time together.

Li'l Bro

This evening we were all together in the front room when Joshua woke up from his nap. The kids were excited to have him awake and join in our fun chaos. As I watched the kids with Joshua I took the time to reflect and appreciate the different relationship each of our children have their newest little brother.

Thomas is so loving with Joshua. He loves to hold him and cuddle him close. We often find him kissing Joshua's cheeks even if someone else is holding him. He has a talent to soothe Joshua and calm him down when he is fussy. Thomas loves to help Joshua clap his hands because it makes Joshua smile really big.

Spring is a little mother with Joshua. She loves to burp him, get him dressed, and help change his diapers. She always wants to get him out of bed when he wakes up. She can hear the slightest cry and will go running to get him up. She also loves to have him lay by her or sit on her lap if she is watching cartoons or reading a book. She is very protective of her little brother.

Sammy LOVES to hold Joshua. He will say, "Me hold Joshie" all the time! If I tell him that Joshua needs to eat first then Sammy will respond, "Me feed him" as he lifts his shirt up to his neck. Sammy also likes to lay on the floor next to Joshua and play with him. We have to be really careful because he thinks he can pick Joshua up and walk with him. This has resulted in a few falls but nothing major...yet! I can see in Sammy's eyes that he just can't wait to be able to really play with Joshua.

Mary loves to sit by me when I am nursing Joshua. She will rub his head or his tummy with one hand as she sucks her other thumb! She puts her arms out for us so she can hold him too but the holding is often shortlived. Mary gets very concerned when she hears him cry and if I don't respond quick enough she will come running to me and pull me towards Joshua. Her love and concern for him is so sweet. She is young but she is a great big sister for Joshua.

I love our children so much and I love to see them interact with each other and share their love for each other. I love it when I am in the store with all of them and I get people say things like, "Are these ALL your children?" It makes me so happy to tell them that "yes they are." Children are indeed a blessing from our loving Father in Heaven.

Everday Blessings

My sister recently posted 5 things she is grateful for each day. I thought it was such a good idea that I would do the same. There really are so many blessings in my life but I will just list 5 for now.

1. ETERNAL FAMILIES: This includes my dear husband, our children, my parents, siblings, and all our extended family. I don't think a day goes by that I don't think of how blessed I am to know of the joy that comes from eternal families.

2. MEMORIES: I find such comfort in the wonderful memories I have from all different stages in my life. As I am still working at finding my place since we have moved here, I especially find comfort in remembering all the fun times and all the great friends and family that are part of my great memories. It helps to remind me that with time I will find that same joy in memories that I make here.

3. DISPOSABLE DIAPERS: 3 kids in diapers...need I say more! :)

4. JOEL'S JOB: It allows me to be a stay at home mom which brings such joy to me everyday as I am able to watch our children learn and grow. I also love being able to be here as soon as Thomas and Spring get home from school and hearing all the wonderful things and not so great things that happened during their day.

5. BEDTIME FOR OUR KIDS: I love spending time with our children and I also love the time after they have gone to bed. It gives Joel and I some alone time. It also gives me the opportunity to reflect on the day. As I go in to check on our kids they look like angels as they sleep and it reminds me that any struggles and frustrations of the day really aren't that big in the eternal scheme. This time rejuvenates me as I set goals to be a better mom the next day.

Dancing Fun

Last night the kids were having fun dancing and goofing around. Sammy ended up taking Mary's pink skirt from her so he could wear it while he danced. Mary really enjoys dancing lately and she is so funny as she dances. She will dance, fall down, giggle, get up and start all over again. It was crazy and loud but they were all having a great time.

Bathtime and Rolling Over

We were all outside this afternoon/evening for quite a while. Thomas was down at the dirt ramp and Joel, the other kids, and I were in the front yard. They were playing and we were talking with our neighbor. It was later by the time we came in for dinner. All the kids then really needed to shower or bath because they were so dirty from being outside. Joel needed to shower as well because he had to hurry off for Bishopric meetings. So, we did the fast shower/bath ritual. The plan was for Mary and Sammy to get in the bath together but Sammy decided he wanted to shower with Joel. So Joel and Sammy were in the shower while Mary was in the other bath. Spring was our big helper and bathed Mary for us. While this was going on I handed Joshua in to Joel as well and then got all the diapers and PJ's ready. As soon as Mary was ready to get out so was Joshua so that took some juggling. Mary and Joshua were in their towels on our bed and Mary wanted to hold Joshua. It looked so cute I had to get a picture. As soon as Mary was out of the bath Thomas got in the bath and Spring showered as soon as Dad and Sammy were out. Not bad...6 people showered/bathed in about 20 minutes! That may be a record!

After the older 4 kids were in bed I was going to watch Dr. Phil while nursing Joshua since Joel was gone to the church. Only, I could not find the remote control. Now, it may seem weird but I just can't seem to watch TV if I don't have the remote control. I remember one evening a couple years ago when Mom was visiting. We couldn't find the remote control and so instead of just turning on the TV I spent almost an hour looking for the remote. I know...lazy but that's just me. Now, back to my point. I layed Joshua on the floor so I could look inside the couch and behind things for the remote. Three different times I looked back over at him and he had rolled onto his back but I never saw him do it. So, I took a break from my search to get out the camera. Sure enough, I had barely put him back on his tummy and turned on the camera when he rolled over again. He has been rolling over for a couple weeks but tonight he really was doing it. Even being tired and hungry he kept rolling himself over but he doesn't like to be on his back so he will cry. It is fun to see him do these things but I get sad too because I realize how quickly he is growing up already. I treasure this time when they are so little and all the work is so worth it. They get so big and independent too quickly.

Hodge Podge Pictures

Here are a couple more pictures from Joshua's blessing.

We were able to travel to Ontario, CA this weekend so we could listen to Allison's farewell talk. Allison is Joel's cousin. She leaves to serve her mission in New Jersey next week. Our kids love her and her family and we all had such a wonderful time this weekend. She is going to make a wonderful missionary.

I love Joshua's smile. He is quick to smile yet sometimes it is difficult to get on camera. The other morning Spring was holding him before school and he was smiling so much. She wanted me to be sure to get a picture of her with him! Then she told me I needed to be sure to put it on the blog.

Joshua's 1 Month Check Up

Yesterday Joshua had his one month check up. It was nice because he didn't need any shots even though Sammy told me "Me hold Joshie when Doctor gives him shots." Sammy was disappointed that Joshua didn't need shots! We are so blessed to have such a healthy little boy. He now weighs 11 pounds 7 ounces and is 21 inches long. He has gained almost 3 1/2 pounds in the first month. It didn't surprise us because he sure loves to eat! We are enjoying his smiles and coos. He is really beginning to enjoy his tummy time...especially if someone is on the floor talking to him. I am always amazed at how they can change so quickly. I just wish I could freeze time.

Prop 8 Victory!!!

What a marvelous day it is! Proposition 8 has passed in California. This will restore traditional marriage and add an amendment to the California Constitution that "only marriage between a man and a woman is legal and recognized in the state of California." We are so grateful to the many good people of California who supported this proposition at the polls yesterday. We have had the wonderful opportunity to donate our time and money to this effort and what a blessed feeling it is to have heard that it passed! After countless hours knocking on doors, making phone calls, distributing information, passing out yard signs, waving signs on street corners, and praying it is all worth it. Our efforts have been rewarded and our Father in Heaven made up the difference for what we couldn't do on our own! Monday afternoon/evening our family (including all 5 of our children) were on a busy intersection in town with signs raised high to passerbys encouraging them to vote "yes" on proposition 8. It was a sight to join with others this evening. We were met with some positive support as well as some very negative. I am so grateful we have been able to help in this effort and to see it pass is overwhelming. I have found myself on my knees expressing my gratitude to our Father in Heaven for His help.

I am so grateful our children have had this experience as well. Thomas and Spring could probably tell you just about anything you wanted to know about Proposition 8. We have had many FHE's about marriage and family and what it all means. This morning the first thing Thomas asked me was, "Mom, did Proposition 8 pass?" It was too early to know yet. I can't wait to tell him when he gets home from school. When I picked up Spring from school I told her that it passed. Her eyes lit up and she had a HUGE smile on her face as she said, "YES! Now we don't have to stand on street corners or knock on more doors! Everyone knows marriage is only between a man and a woman." What a great opportunity for them to gain that testimony.

Joshua's Baby Blessing

Joel had the opportunity to bless our little Joshua at church today. Our dear friends, the Herrins, from our ward in Manteca came this morning to attend the blessing and visit with us after church. We had over 40 people visiting with us. People joked with us that our group made up half the congregation in Sacrament Meeting. It was wonderful and we are so grateful for them to be able to come and share that time with us. It was especially wonderful to visit with our wonderful friends again. The kids loved having their kids with them in primary again!

The following men stood in the circle for the blessing offered by Joel:

Grandpa Biggs, Great-Grandpa Miller, Uncle Carl, Uncle Ty, Steve Herrin, Bishop Ball, Brother Millet, and President Evans. Joel offered a beautiful blessing for our son. I am so grateful for the power of the Priesthood in our lives.

This is Lisa Herrin...my dear friend. I miss her so much. Today was the best day I have had at church since we moved here because of having our wonderful friends and family with us. It was so great to feel like I had a close friend with me at church again.

We did not get a picture of the whole group on our camera, somehow. I am anxiously awaiting this picture to be emailed to me so I can add it to this post. I have put off posting about this hoping the picture would come but decided I didn't want to wait any longer. So, stay tuned for that picture!