NOTES FROM THE FOWLES FLOCK

Labor Day Fun

2011-09-20T11:53:00.000-07:00

On Saturday of Labor Day weekend Jordan and I were still having a blast in California. Since we missed our kids and wanted to have some fun together, we took off to Galveston Monday morning and spent the day playing on the beach. It's about an hour and 15 minutes away from home, the water is warm, and as seen in the picture below, you can drive your car right up to the water. It's very convenient when you have lots of little people and their things! Not the greatest pic of me but hey, I was helping Hannah build a moat! You can see all six of the kiddos in this pic working away.
Our finished product, after being knocked a bit by two toddlers!
Two by two. These two do EVERYTHING together. If one of them is off by themselves for long, the other will go find them. They are inseparable. Here's a cute pic of them just taking it all in together.
The four older kids working on their own sand projects:
Matthew boy, proud of his writing-in-the-sand skills.
It was a great day! One interesting thing about our beaches here is the water is more like a murky lake. On the up-side, it is warm and calm. On the down-side, you don't hear the lovely crashing-wave sound or feel a lot of the salty air blowing through the air. It is safer for the littles though. Fun had by all!

I'm Back!

2011-09-12T19:04:00.000-07:00

It has been over a year since I have written! I figured it is high time I scrub off the rust and sweep out the cobwebs. I have wanted to write for a long time but have been a bit overwhelmed about how to begin. I guess now is as good a time as ever, so here I go. Here is a bit about our fun little getaway to beautiful San Francisco, CA last week. Jordan needed to go for a work thing and I got to go with him this time. It was SO FUN! Part of the reason I don't blog is because I a) have a hard time getting the pictures in the correct order and b)I tend to do things like delete the words I write and have to end up starting over. Frustrating! I am so un-tech savvy, it drives me nuts!! Anywho, here are some pics of our wonderful trip! Enjoying a zippy boat ride around the San Francisco Bay.
Delish clam chowder in a San Fran sourdough bread bowl. Oh my, it was good!!

Here is Jordan, attempting skim boarding for the first time. He did fall and soak his jacket but he had a great time doing it!
Soaking in the beauty of the ocean. Having grown up in Oregon, close to the coast, I have missed it TERRIBLY! Sometimes I ache for sound of the waves, the smell, even the cold of the air. It was SO refreshing to be back at my beloved Pacific Ocean. We made a stop at the beach every day of out trip.
We got to attend the LDS Oakland Temple. It was BEAUTIFUL! It was special for us both as my parents were married there and Jordan's became engaged there. Truly one of the loveliest temples I have been to.
Me and my Sweetheart in front of the Golden Gate Bridge. It was all SO beautiful and amazing!! Another wonderful part of our trip was meeting up with my brother Jared and his wonderful family. They moved to CA in June. I would add pictures but then I will mess the order all up! I am so glad I got to go with him. It was really, really good to get away together.

I can't wait!

2010-06-07T23:47:00.001-07:00

On June 26th we are moving into our new home! We have been renting here in Cypress, TX (a nice suburb of Houston) for the past 6 months and just purchased a home in the same subdivision we are in. We are SO looking forward to owning again and being able to do what we want with the house. We bought a home that was built in 1994 and needs a bit of updating but is in great shape. It's a cute little house (2850 sq ft- small compared to our last home) surrounded by big pine trees. I will post pictures after we get in. I am hoping to get some painting done before we move in and have been spending WAY too much time stewing over what color scheme I want. I love color and don't mind being bold in my colors but want to love it and not get tired of it, ya know? Right now the office is a great shade of red which I love but the rest of the house can use some paint- it's all very neutral or some funky faux designs. Not that there's anything at all wrong with neutral but some of it is a little too dark for my liking.

Maybe because we are moving three minutes away from where we are or maybe because this will be our third move in a year and a half I can't bring myself to pack. I think I have packed all of 5 boxes. I find I just want to enjoy my kids being home from school and play with them rather than busting it and getting a ton of packing done. We'll see how that works out!

So the kids got out of school last Wedesday. So far we have packed it in pretty good:

-A trip to the Houston Children's museum- known as one of the best in the country. SUPER fun!

-Swimming at the local community pool

-splash park (just yesterday)

-gymnastics and tumbling classes

-continued music lessons for the older kids

-neighborhood block party

-ice-cream sundaes with the neighbors in the new neighborhood on the last day of school

-one birthday party for a neighbor boy

-walks/bike-rides through neighborhood

-bead crafts while the babies are napping

-lots of reading with the kids

-helping Peter cook the best banana bread I have ever had!

-summer planning sessions with the kids (helping chart out what Peter wants to accomplish for scouts and Faith in God and helping Leah with her Faith in God)

Not bad for being out of school for less than a week! Now I suppose I should get packing...

Catching up a bit, again...

2010-06-06T11:50:00.000-07:00

So in in my last post I promised pictures of the babies' 1st birthday. It's been awhile but here they are! A gal in my ward is starting a photography business and took these for me. I thought she did a great job, especially for a beginner! The babies did well, Lizzie hamming it up as usual. Emms is more serene and serious about such things. We sure are enjoying them being 1. So much fun! They are not walking yet but standing alone. They clap for themselves after standing. They think they are pretty awesome! Anyway, here are their birthday pictures. Enjoy!

The top two are Elizabeth, the black and white below is Emmeline.

This is Lizzie. One of the unique things she does is crinkle up her nose when she smiles. Although they are technically identical we can tell them apart. Can you?
Pretty Emmie.
Solemn-faced Lizzie

I Can't Believe they are 1!

2010-04-22T20:13:00.000-07:00

I am tired and need to go to bed but just need to write a bit about my last year. How my life has changed in 1 short year!

Today is my girls' birthday. Can it be? Are they really already 1? I remember right after they were born feeling so sad that I just knew it would go too fast. And it certainly has. I knew this day would come faster than it has with any of my other kids, just because life is moving so fast for us now with all our business. My heart is just full today as I think of the blessing these precious little ones have been in my life. I just love them so much and can't imagine NOT having these two.

This has been a year of personal growth for me for sure. Taking care of one baby is hard. Taking care of two is really hard. No one came to stay with me after they were born (although Jordan was home for several weeks which helped a ton). Other than that is has been all me except for short little breaks here and there. My kids all came home for the summer when the babies were 6 weeks old so just like that I had six kids at home. It was a hard summer! I have never been so tired, so emotionally stretched, so focused on being the best mom I can be to all these little people in my home. I have often had people say to me, "You are done, right?" or Better you than me!" or "Wow, you really have your hands full!" To them all I say, yes, I do have my hands full of 6 wonderful children and yup, better me than you! I love that I have 6 kids! Those who know me well know I have always wanted a big family. I wanted 12 growing up! That has surely changed! But I love that I will have lots of grandchildren and that my life will be full of family. To be truthful I do feel overwhelmed a lot, I am really tired most of the time, my house never looks the way I want to, daily showers have gone by the wayside, there are behaivors in every one of my children I would like to see go, I have put on some pounds in the last year as a "coping" mechanism, and there are many, MANY projects that are just going to have to wait. I don't really have hobbies. There are many things I would like to do, I just don't have the time or energy to put into them at the moment. But if you were to ask me if it's worth it, I would say absolutely and would I do it again? YES! So very worth it.

So a little more info about the babies. They are so funny to watch. They are like little puppies, following each other around, getting into trouble together, fighting over coveted things like the remote or the phone. They move together. One can be on the other side of the house and they find each other. It's so, so adorable. Even though they can't talk they communicate. In the morning when they wake up they are so happy to see each other. They often just sit and grin at each other and last week Emmie put her head in Lizzie's lap for a long time (we have them separated at the moment in an attempt to help them sleep better). They are both pulling themselves up on everything but aren't walking yet. Fine by me! Life will instantly get much busier once they walk.

One of the things I have treasured most about this year has been nursing my twins. It is a special experience. Most of the time I nurse them both at the same time. They just sit and stare either at me or at each other. They hold hands or try to poke each other in the eye. It really is just precious and I feel so grateful it has worked out to nurse them so long. That was one of my biggest concerns about having twins. Nursing is really important to me and I so wanted it to work out!

I realize I have written a novel. I should stop now! As Jordan is out of town until tomorrow we are waiting until Saturday to have their party. So I will post pictures after that.

I made it! I made it through the first year of life with twins. I will forever be grateful that the Lord saw fit to send these two to my home. They are wonderful. Happy birthday my sweet baby girls!

Fun with IVideo on a Sunday Afternoon

2010-02-28T22:04:00.001-08:00

The kids and I are having fun learning to use the video editing software on my (Jordan's) new macbook. Enjoy this short, poorly-edited but fun and spazzy video featuring me, Peter, Leah and Hannah!

P.S. - made while Andrea was napping, of course- otherwise there would have been much eye-rolling! :)

My Sweet Valentine

2010-02-12T18:22:00.000-08:00

I am pretty sure I married the most thoughtful man alive.
When I met Jordan that was one of the first things that attracted me to him. He was serving as Elder's Quorum President in our ward and he often made deliveries of golden brownies to all kinds of people in the ward. He tried to think about the needs of people without them telling him outright and made sure those needs were met. This kindness, generosity, and thoughtfulness has been shown time and time again throughout our almost 13 years of marriage. Let me name a few of my most memorable gifts from him:

Coming home from work, hugely pregnant with Peter. I walk into the room and find nicely laid out on the bed a lovely dress, nylons and a card asking me out

to the BYU homecoming dance. I didn't know it until he snuck out but he was hiding in the closet watching my reaction.

A few years ago I got one of the most wonderful gifts- Jordan burned CD's of lots of different songs that mean something to us. Songs from when we were dating, songs about our kids, about our future, etc. He burned two CD's worth of songs and wrote me a beautiful letter with details about why he picked each song. I will always treasure that gift.

There are the COUNTLESS times when Jordan will come home with some kind of treat for me (he knows the way to my heart is through treats! He knows all my favorites!). The many times he lets me sleep even though he is just as tired as I am. The times he spends hours trying to prepare the perfect breakfast for me. The times he calls me just to say hello (several times a day!). The times he stays up to make sure the whites get into the drier. The many homemade cards he and the kids have made together for me. Although we have had our share of rocky times and I can't say our life is just perfect I can say I have NEVER doubted that my husband loves me and would do anything, yes, anything, to make me happy. I know this with certainty. He is my best friend, my confidant, my love. I am grateful to have him by my side as we make our way through this difficult life. Our children are blessed to have him for a father. He loves them so much and would do anything for them. He goofs off with them a lot and is good at making them laugh. He tries to speak to each child in their own language by doing the things they want to do. He is constantly trying to be better. If he falters or gets angry with the kids he is quick to try to fix it and do better tomorrow. I am so grateful I have a good man by my side. I love you Jordan and am so blessed to have you in my life.

I'm Back!

2010-02-07T19:31:00.000-08:00

Wow, how very quickly life can change. Most of you readers know that we moved to Austin in January of 2009. We were moving close to family; my sister and parents both live there. We were excited about living in the hill country of Texas as well as being in a smaller city. Well, unfortunately our stay in Austin did not last long. In September of last year my husband's law firm decided to close down their Austin office. They gave a reasonable severance package which bought us some time. Within a couple of months Jordan had two offers. One in Dallas, one in Houston. None in Austin. The one in Dallas did not feel right for our family so off to Houston we went! Jordan started the new job in Houston at the beginning of December. I stayed behind with the kids (with the house on the market mind you- not a small feat!) and saw Jordan on the weekends. We moved here on January 7th. The house is still on the market and we pray it'll sell soon. For now we are renting a darling little home in a beautiful neighborhood full of huge pine trees. We are really loving it here! We are astounded at the mercies of the Lord through all of this. Although is was hard for Jordan to lose his job we are so grateful he found a new one so soon. We are so happy to be in this lovely place and for the opportunity to meet new people and let the kids stretch their wings a bit as they acclimate to yet another place. They are doing great! We are so proud of them. People have been so kind to us here. I was asked last week to serve as 1st counselor with the young women at church which I am thrilled about. I love working with the youth. So far we have all good things to say about living here. Except for the commute. It's long. And I am sure we will have something to say this summer!!

So moving on...here are a few pics of our life recently. Just last week (Feb 2) our sweet Matthew had his 4th birthday. He had such a fun day, eating his breakfast of choice (cinnamon toast-crunch) and going to Chuck-E-Cheese's for the afternoon. It was so fun to hang out with him while the kids were at school. Our Matthew can be a handful- very busy and VERY LOUD but we love him so much. He is really funny, always coming up with the most bizarre things and doing things that just make us laugh. Just last week I asked him what the most fun thing in the world would be for him to do and without missing a beat he answered, "I would take lots of handfuls of mud, make a pool of mud and go swimming in it." Sounds fun to me! Awhile back I had several of my kids at the store with me and as we were walking out the door I noticed Matthew had gone to one of the produce bins by the doors, taken a cantaloupe, and was hauling out the door with it. He looked so funny trying to run with a big cantaloupe I couldn't help but laugh! So here are a few pics of him celebrating with his desired dessert- strawberry shortcake. We love this boy so much!

My goofy kids.
I am this many now!! He says it "fowa" instead of "four." He sounds like a New Yorker.
Isn't he the cutest little guy? I just want to eat him up sometimes.
In other news, Hannah has a toothless grin! She loves that she is missing teeth and is sure to point it out to anyone willing to admire her. She's such a goof-ball.
I promise I am going to blog more! I just have to make time! Life is going too fast and I want to document it better. For now I will close by saying we are grateful to be here, loving our new life and feeling so blessed to have all these sweet little people in our lives. We couldn't ask for more.

A few more of the bebes

2009-12-06T15:29:00.000-08:00

So here are a few more pics of our photo shoot with the babies at 6 months. Love these girls!
Here's a good Texas picture. A big field with a big tree. This is Lizzie.
Love this picture of my honey and his babe. So sweet.
I love their glassy blue eyes.

A Little Catch-up

2009-12-06T06:49:00.000-08:00

Since it's been a long while since I have blogged I thought I would begin with a few Halloween pics. We had a great Halloween!Hannah and Matthew, aka ninja and witch.
Matthew showing off his mad ninja skills.
A sad little love-bug, Emmeline.
Me and my two lovelies. They were a lady bug and a love-bug.
All the chilluns- Peter is a vampire, Leah is Princess Leah.
Pumpkin carving fun!
The final products. I thought the kids did quite well this year. Overall a super fun Halloween.

A few pics

2009-10-25T18:10:00.000-07:00

About a month and a half ago my neighbor took these shots of my babes. Aren't they cute?! I have been very negligent in getting pictures up here so I am going to try to catch up some tonight. At this photo shoot Emmie was NOT interested in smiling. She wanted so badly to just go to sleep. She is usually delightful and smiley but not so much in this shoot.
Emmeline
My funny Lizzie-girl. She is a hoot and gives the biggest, most joy-filled smiles.
Happy Lizzie.
Jordan and I loving our babies. We LOVE these girls and are so grateful to have them in our lives

I Have to Share!

2009-08-07T19:46:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how sparse the pictures of my little babies are on this pathetic blog of mine! I was admiring them both today as they layed on my bed next to each other, both cooing and smiling away at me. As I delighted in their sweetness I decided that today is the the day I have to gets some pics up of these angels. We are just so happy to have these little ones in our home. They bring so much joy. They really are the sweetest, happiest, cutest little babies. Enjoy the pics! They are already three months old!! I can't believe how very fast time goes. I wish I could just freeze them right now as they are. So fun!!Emmeline- 2 days ago
Elizabeth, also 2 days ago
Chillin' together in their swing- a favorite pastime of theirs.
I love the little grin on Emmi's face in this picture.
Emmi on top, Lizzie on bottom.
These are my favorite outfits of theirs as it makes their blue eyes POP! Lizzie on left, Emms on the right. Aren't they cute??!! (I'm not a proud mama or anything am I??!!)

A Fun-Filled Fourth

2009-07-05T19:48:00.000-07:00

For the 4th I met up with my parents and we headed to the scenic little town of Salado, Texas. What a fun little place it was! Lots of cute little shops, big beautiful trees and a fantastic park. We set up under a massive pecan tree and let the kids head to the creek. They had such a fun time. At first Peter was being a bit moody, saying he was too hot, etc. He did have a late night the night before. After eating lunch, and more importantly, roasting marshmallows, he commented, "I feel so much better now after eating marshmallows!" A little sugar can go a long way! I still can't figure out how to get the pics in order. Oh well. And I forgot to get one of my sweet babies in their 4th of July dresses! Shame on me! But they did look adorable though, just for the record!

Matthew all tuckered out after playing all day. He rested his head on my lap and fell dead asleep within a few minutes.
Here's Hannah making a splash.
Hannah tried and tried to catch a minnow to no avail. I did manage to catch her a polliwog though.

Peter enjoyed Matthew's water shooter as Matthew spent most of the time under the water.
Coming up from a swim.
This is how my boy spends most of the time in the water. He really is a fish. He could swim when he was 1. Seriously. He has always known how to hold his breath under water and how to get around. It's so fun to watch!

After the park we were all so hot and needed a treat. So off to ice-cream we went!
Hannah enjoyed strawberry ice-cream with blue sprinkles.
I rarely let the kids get a double-dipper but in honor of the holiday I let Peter partake. He wore out at the end and shared with his mom. :)

We headed to Papa and Grandma's for awhile to relax, then off to the fireworks display in the town my parents live in, Georgetown. We did not get home until 10:45. Jordan is out of town currently (Leah is with him, hence the lack of Leah-lou pics- they are in Utah for Jordan's Grandfather's burial services) so I manned getting everyone in and in bed alone. No small task with the twins! Matthew was so out of it he stood in the garage and peed his pants in a sleepy stupor. As I cleaned him up both babies woke up and were MAD. They started screaming as I got everyone in their beds. Crazy, crazy but overall a wonderful day. God Bless America, my home sweet home!!

Rub-a-Dub-Dub, Two Babes in a Tub

2009-05-17T16:28:00.000-07:00

A couple of days after bringing the babies home from the hospital Jordan and I had a wonferful time bathing the babies. It was so adorable to see their reactions to the water. So much fun!

Miss Elizabeth after her bath, happy to be done with that ordeal.
Can you see the sad little pout on Lizzie's face?
Not sure what to think...
Lizzie
Miss Emmi curled up and hiding in her towel after a traumatic experience. She DID NOT like it!!
Please STOP!!
Do I have to take a bath?!

We are loving these little peas. They are so much fun.

The Twins Have Arrived!

2009-05-03T17:13:00.000-07:00

We are so thrilled to announce here on our blog the long-anticipated birth of our twin daughters, Emmeline and Elizabeth, on April 22, 2009. I (Andrea) can't seem to get the pics in the order that I want but oh well, here they are anyway! So I will share a bit of the birth story...

I went in to the OB Tuesday, April 21st in the morning to find out I was dilated to a 3, 75% effaced. The OB told me if I wanted to she could break my water the next morning. After discussing it with Jordan we decided to make the appt and get the show on the road. I was much relieved though to go into labor on my own that night at about 11:00 PM. With each kid my labors get longer so I was not worried about getting to the hospital anytime soon. My contractions continued all night and we went in at 8:30 AM where I learned I was dilated to a 4. I kept laboring as they hooked me up to the monitors and IV, etc, then learned I was at a 6 and 100% effaced. At that point they broke my water and I got an epidural (only my second one with all the kids I have had). It was great! Before long I was ready to have these babies and was wheeled to the OR in case they had to do an emergency C-section. The nurses were so intrigued I was opting for a vaginal birth with twins they called in their buddies, thus bringing in an audience of 15 people to watch the birth! By this point I could care less though, anxious to meet the babies. They came easily, 4 minutes apart and beautiful. Let me introduce them...

Tired MamaBorn first...Emmeline Sue, 5 lbs, 7 oz 19.5 inches, born at 4:58 PM. Elizabeth Anne, 6 lbs, 3 oz, 19 inches long, born at 5:02 PM.

Pic taken before getting into the car to go to the hospital. Ahhh, what a relief it is not to be pregnant anymore!

The ladies all bundled up. Lizzy on the right, Emmi on the left.
Proud Daddy, already in love with his ladies.
The nurses let Jordan bathe the babes in the nursery. He loved it!

I stayed at the hospital for 2 days after the babies came. My mom stayed with me both nights to help with the babies while I tried (quite unsuccessfully) to get some sleep. It is so wonderful to have my family here!! We are so thrilled to have these babies here and are absolutely in love with them, as are the other children. What a blessing it is to have them.

Some Prego Pics

2009-04-04T18:38:00.000-07:00

Jordan snapped a couple pics of me while getting birthday stuff ready for Leah. They are not great pics- I think I look half asleep (which I usually am these days) in the second one. But you get the general idea of my big pregnant tummy. I am happy to report the babies are doing so well. They really are very healthy- no complications at all. And although I am super-duper uncomfortable I still get around a lot and live life pretty normally. I am slowing down though and really just get so tired and sore by the end of the day. I have ultrasounds every week now and my perinatologist says by next week they are on track to weigh 6 pounds a piece. They are growing at a rate of 1 oz a day each. They have also said I have the body for holding these babies in pretty close to 40 weeks so I may end up with big babies!! I am 35 weeks Monday so things are moving along. I have had such a fun time getting their cute little things washed and ready for them. Still struggling with the name decision but one way or another they will have names!! Thanks all for the very nice comments and name suggestions!! I really appreciate it.

Me and Matthew getting the cake ready (he almost always pulls the stool over to "help" me whenever I make anything in the kitchen.

Me and the babies, almost 35 weeks pregnant. Don't I look like I am about to fall asleep? Oh well. Not the best pic but then again I am not looking my best right now!!

Happy Birthday Leah

2009-04-04T17:34:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was my Lovely Leah's 8th birthday. I can hardly believe I have two kids over the age of 8 now. Where does the time go? She had a really fun day doing all the things she wanted to do. It started off with a yummy breakfast made my my awesome husband. She really wanted a fruit salad with a special sauce to go over it. So that's what she got! Jordan got up at 5:15 to make it since the kids are out the door at 7 AM for school. For lunch Jordan and I both went to her school and brought her lunch. It was so fun to be with her, despite all the gawking children admiring (or being horrified by) my enormous tummy! After school Leah went to a friend's house to play, then came home to her favorite dinner of chicken enchiladas, Mexican rice and salad. Then onto the cake- I did a homemade white cake with blue frosting since it's her favorite. I did some of the batter into cones too for a little extra fun. My parents came for the festivities. It's so nice to have them so close!! Then on to present time. I put together a sewing kit for Leah as well as a pot-holder making kit, a paper-doll set and some blue crocs. She loved all her presents and has been busy making bean-bags today. So overall a success! I love this girl and am so grateful to have her in my home. She is the peace-maker of the household, trying to smooth things over for everyone. She is very, very affectionate and sweet and wants to please. She really is a good girl. Anyway, here are some pics of the big day...

Opening presents
My pretty Mom and Leah all snuggled up

Leah's breakfast, fruit salad

Happy Birthday! Doesn't she look big??!

Big Ol' Mama!

2009-03-03T19:45:00.000-08:00

So we moved to Austin! We have been here for five weeks and so far, so good. Moving is always hard and we have of course had some rough spots with kids adjusting and all. We have really enjoyed the new area. Lots of really nice people, beautiful scenery and enjoying the new house. Best of all I am by my parents and sister. I LOVE IT!! It's so fun to be able to call up my sister or mom and actually be able to get together with them. And the kids have loved being closer to their Papa and Grandma and cousins. Good times!!
Many people have asked for prego pictures. It's amazing to me that during the craziness of moving and all I have gotten HUGE!! I am now 30 weeks but am bigger than I ever have been in any pregnancy. Really wierd. For me being pregnant with twins has been quite an adventure. I feel very, very blessed to have this choice experience (although when my ribs feel they are going to crack I may not think so!). Basically I am just bigger faster, hurt more, eat a lot more and get pummelled by babies a lot more!! Really they move so much! It feels like they are doing constant somersaults. It's really crazy how hungry I am! The docs have said I have to gain between 40-56 pounds (YIKES) and so far I am doing just fine. Almost to 30 pounds. Hopefully I will stay on the low end not pass up 40 pounds. The babies are doing great- growing at the same rate with healthy heart-rates and all. If only we could get their names down! I have lost many hours of sleep trying to figure this out. Any great suggestions anyone??

So the pics are to make a point...The one on the bottom was taken two weeks ago, the one on top just two days ago. Look closely and you can see how much bigger I am in the top pic. I am growing really fast!! What an adventure!!

My goal is to get more updates on here so keep watching. We finally got a new camera so I have some fun pics to add on here.

Change in the Air

2009-01-03T19:22:00.000-08:00

So it's been awhile, a long while, since I have posted anything. I think I will now. There is so much going on right now and our lives are about to take yet another major turn. In less than two weeks from now we are loading up and heading to our new home in Cedar Park , TX. For those of you who don't know Texas, that's a suburb of Austin. Jordan will be working at the same firm he has been at, Fish and Richardson, in their Austin office. Although life has been very stressful of late as we prepare for this big change we feel so very blessed right now. I mentioned to my mom recently I feel Heavenly Father sometimes rolls out the red carpet for us (not just us, I mean us all, His children) and just makes things happen. For example, several months ago we knew we wanted to move to Austin and found a home we likes in SW Austin. We even put money on it. We got our house on the market and waited for it to sell. Six weeks went by and nothing. In the meantime we learned we were expecting what we thought would be our fifth child. I got more sick than I have ever been in a pregnancy and just had a really hard time staying on top of the house showings, kids, etc so we decided to let the house down there go and take our home off the market until I felt better. At the beginning of November we decided to try again with the house-selling thing. In the time we had the house off the market we found out some things. First of all, we found out where my parents decided to move to: Georgetown which would have been quite a drive from SW Austin. Next we learned we are having not one but two babies! This time when we put the house on the market it sold in two and a half weeks and we were able to quickly find a home we love in Austin. I am starting to get really big now (at least I feel l look huge).. I commented to Jordan I really think this is how I normally look at 7 months and I am only 5 1/2 months along. That's what twins will do I suppose. Anyway we will be all moved and hopefully unpacked long before the last weeks of pregnancy are here. We feel very well taken care of and just very grateful. We are excited to see what Cedar Park and Austin hold for our family. Today we took down all the Christmas decor, cleaned, packed, etc and took some time off from work to enjoy each other. We took the kids bowling (I won!), grilled some burgers, then took a nice soak in the hottub. As we sat there we asked the kids their favorite memories of our time in this home and what they came up with was very sweet. We have definitely made some very special memories here we will never forget and feel this has been the right place for us at this time in life. But change does happen and it's time to move on to the next stage of our lives. New home, two more children, living close to my parents and sister. I can't wait to see what lies in store!!! On to the next adventure!!

Two Peas in the Pod

2008-11-16T18:31:00.000-08:00

Most of you already know we are expecting another baby next May. A week and a half ago I went in for the second ultrasound in this pregnancy for some pre-screening. I have had a harder time this pregnancy with sickness and mostly massive headaches on nearly a daily basis. So my OB told me she thought I should get this test done where I go see a doctor who specializes in looking for anything that could be wrong with the baby. They do this through an ultrasound and a bloodtest. So I went in, mostly for my own peace of mind, thinking it would be a routine ultrasound. Wrong about that!! Within seconds of looking at my belly she says, "You already had an ultrasound with this pregnancy, right?" I told her, yes, I had one at 8 weeks. "Then you know there's more than one in there, right" WHAT!!!!???? I really thought she was joking for quite awhile until I saw for myself that yes, sure enough, there are two little ones growing in my pregnant belly. My heart was racing out of my chest. I probably sounded like an idiot, repeating over and over "Oh my gosh. Are you serious?" I SOOO did not see that coming, especially since they did not spot the other twin playing an early game of peek-a-boo at 8 weeks. She told me right away they are identical. I have had many people ask me how she could tell so quickly and this is what they told me: You can tell they are identical by the way they are growing in the womb. They share a big sack but have a thin membrane between them. They share one placenta. I learned in this same meeting (really by this point my mind was reeling and I had to call her later to have her repeat this information) that the babies have a 5-15% chance of developing what's called Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome. Once developed it is rather serious but since there is a small chance they are not too concerned yet. From what I have read myself it basically means one baby out-eats the other and leaves the other with nothing which can result in some major issues for the unfed baby. They will be doing lots of ultrasounds to watch these two. She also told me (this is amazing that she could tell already) that she was 95% sure they are identical girls. I already felt I was having a girl and have been right every time so I really think she is correct.

Although I was completely shocked I can honestly say I immediately thought of this as a huge blessing and thanked Heavenly Father for trusting me two of His little ones. I know it will be crazy hard and that I will know fatigue like no other time in my life. But I also know how much joy these little ones bring into our hearts and homes and am so excited that I get to meet two new little people that are mine. Sometimes I get a bit overwhelmed at the thought of suddenly having six children and how busy our lives will be. We have just been easing up this year as all three of the older kids are in school and Matthew is the only one home. That is going to change!!! Anyway let me introduce you to our baby girls in their first shots together:

You can see their heads on the left and right facing each other and their little bodies together in the middle.

This baby is affectionately named "Baby A" for now.

And meet "Baby B."

So that's our exciting news. I am now 15 weeks and feel more like 20 weeks as my tummy is popping out, I am hungry all the time and just feel bigger in general. But the headaches are getting a little better, much to my relief and the relief of my family (Jordan!!). Speaking of Jordan, I am so grateful I married someone who has been absolutely delighted every time I tell him we are having another baby. This time was no different. I called him at work as soon as I left the hospital. My heart was still racing and he could probably hear the anxiousness in my voice. I asked him is he was sitting down which worried him as he knew I was getting the pre-screening that day. I told him I was fine but asked again if he was sitting down. I said, "I found out some news. We are not having one baby, we are having two." He was explosive on the other end of the phone. "ARE YOU SERIOUS!!?" When I assured him I was and that they were most likely identical girls he just started laughing. It was really funny actually. He was being so loud all the people outside his office wondered what in the world was going on. His door was wide open when I called. Although he, like me was in shock for awhile we are both delighted. So that's that. I will use this blog to post updates on how the little ones are doing. For those of you reading this who already know, THANK YOU!! for your encouragement and support. We definitely need it!!

2008-11-11T05:39:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Peter!!

Today is our sweet Peter's 10th birthday. Ten years already! It's hard to believe I have a kid in the double digits. Peter is so excited for today- he got up at the crack of dawn (which actually is nothing too new for him!). We have so enjoyed having Peter is our lives. From the first moments of his life we learned he is a mellow, kind person. He is a friendly kid, trying hard to talk to those who may not have many friends. It's fun to take him to school and hear the chorus of "Hi Peter!"'s from his schoolmates. He is a very creative kid and spends much of his time creating games or other various activities to pass the time. He also spends much of his time reading. He loves to read, especially the Harry Potter series which is his favorite. He helps me out a lot in the kitchen and likes to sit and chat with me about life. He made his own cupcakes to bring to school- white cupcakes with green-dyed cream cheese frosting. He put on green spinkles and platic army guys since today is Veteran's Day. He did a gret job! So happy birthday to my sweet boy. We love you Peter!!

We miss you Sweet Matthew

2008-10-05T18:12:00.000-07:00

One year ago today my little 21-month old friend Matthew passed away. Oh, what a very difficult year it has been for his wonderful family.

Many of you readers know about this tragedy as it has so heavily effected my life. On October 2nd of last year I got a phone call in the evening from Michael, Matthew's dad saying that Matthew had gotten outside and in just a short time climbed the back of the soccer net and got strangled in it. When Ave, my dear friend and mother of Matthew, found him it was too late to save him. He did live for a few days but it was evident fairly early on that his chances were not good. I spent that evening with my friend at the police station and then at the hospital where they evaluated her. The next day I took her to the hospital where she saw her boy for the first time since he was taken away in the ambulence. I spent every day, all day with them at the hospital, waiting to know the fate of this sweet boy.

I have never felt such anguish or suffering as I did watching my friends lose thier son. To make matters worse, Ave and I had our boys at the same time and both named them Matthew. So I got to go home to my sweet boy and hold his breathing, healthy, beautiful body in my arms while they were left with a gaping wound of loss.

It has been a hard year and one I will forever be grateful for. I have learned a bit about what the Savior means when he tells us to mourn with those who mourn. I feel closer to Him, my Savior, because of this experience. My heart still aches for my friends as I watch them deal with their loss. They still hurt and probably will for a very long time. But the Lord has blessed them with something wonderful, a new child. Little Christpoher Luke was born on September 28th and is a beautiful, sweet little healing addition to their family. I know he brings them joy and some comfort. I am so very, very thankful to know where little Matthew is and that he is alive and well. What would be do without that powerful knowledge? I know I would be lost.

A few words about sweet Matthew: He was one of the happiest kids I have ever met. Really he always had a smile on his face. He was very athletic and smart. He could talk well for his age. He cocked his head to the side with a cute little mischevious smile. Boy, I miss him! I can still see him playing here at my house with balls-he always went for the balls and could really throw them, even at 21 months. He and my Matthew had a great time together. We miss you Matthew and can't wait to see you again.

Husbands are a Blessing

2008-10-05T17:17:00.001-07:00

It is Sunday evening and after a very LOOOOOOONG weekend of being alone with the kids I will interrupt my dish-doing to write a few words about my husband. He has been gone since Thursday morning in Utah for a leadership conference he was involved in as well as attending General Conference with his dad. While I am so happy to support him as he goes to these things, I am so worn out now at the end of this weekend!! I have to say I am so very grateful for a hard-working, hands-on husband and father of my children. It is telling how much the kids adore their daddy when they talk about him all day, pray about him in every prayer, and when Matthew wakes up crying for Daddy to get him, not me. Matthew especially is in love with his daddy. Those of you who know my Jordan know he can be a bit what some may say "high-strung" at times but I tell you what, that man knows how to get a job done. With that high-strungness comes an amazing drive and work ethic I have never seen equalled. He is extremely helpful around here- he is happy to do dishes, fold laundry, bathe children, etc...whatever needs to be done. And most of the time it is done with a cheerful attitude. The Lord knew what he was doing when he gave me Jordan. I need his horse-like strength since I tend to wear out easily. I am also grateful for a man who WANTS to go to general conference and delights in it. I am so glad he is coming home tonight!!

So what have the kids and I been doing? All kinds of things and that is why I am a bit worn out. I tried to make it a memorable weekend with the kids by taking on some projects. Yesterday I took them all shopping and let them pick out a few new craft items such as pipe cleaners and fuzzy balls, modeling clay and fun new paper. I figured it would keep them busy while we watched conference. Peter and Leah LOVE to cook (in fact they all do and clamour around me as I prepare each meal...that can be a bit overwhelming). They each have a cookbook of their own and I let them pick out a recipe to try. Peter chose dilly dip- he loves dip and fresh veggies. Leah chose tomato and mozerella pizza. So we got the ingredients for these at the store as well and came home. Then the fun (and mess) began!! Wow, it's amazing what a mess crafts make. Little bits of things flying here and there, Matthew coming by to dump everyones' piles, glue stuck to the table, or dripped on the floor...So I spent much time helping the kids clean up their messes. They did have fun though. Then it was on to making dinner. Peter did a great job making the dip all on his own and it was quite tasty!! We cut up celery, carrots and red peppers and enjoyed. Leah had fun making the pizza, especially the dough. And that turned out quite well too. So overall it was a success, just exhausting as the mom to let them have such times. Today the kids spent the morning crafting again- making bead necklaces, coloring, pasting, drawing, etc, etc. Again, a ginormous mess was made. After cleaning up they decided to make forts out of all the barstools and chairs in the house. Blankets and pillows everywhere as well as heavy books to anchor them down. Then it was off to play in the backyard for awhile. The city has been doing some construction in my yard as well as the neighbors (long story) so for now where there will be grass there is dirt. Hannah (of course Hannah, who else?) decided to spray water all over the dirt and play in the newly created mud. Although it is the Sabbath I allowed it and all the kids had a good ol' time wallowing in the mud. That was actually really fun to watch and I even camcorded some of it. Then baths, dinner, stories, prayers and finally bed time!! Aaaaah. That blessed time of day. So now it is quiet and Jordan is flying home as I type. Hooray! Long weekends like this sure make me wonder how my single sister, mother of four, does it every day. How do you do it Heidi? You are amazing!! And her house is always clean.

So again, I say I am grateful for a wonderful, helpful husband. Husbands are a blessing indeed.

Proud Mama Moment

2008-10-04T18:13:00.000-07:00

So a few weeks ago Peter comes to me and says,

"Mom, I think I want to try out for honors choir at school."
me: "Wow. Really? That's great!"
Peter: "Do you know why? Because I just really like to sing!"
Me: Stunned!

Let me share a little background here. He is the kid that does NOT sing in the primary sacrament performances, nor in Family Home Evening unless we bribe him, or threaten! :) (Whichever works best at the moment!). So I was a bit, or rather, ALOT surprised to hear this! Apparently a new choir director started at his school this year and he really likes her. He says she makes singing fun. The kids who want to be in honors choir have to be in 4th or 5th grade and have to sing solo "America the Beautiful." Peter practiced for me a few times and wow! the kid has a great voice! Who knew??! Very clear and in-tune.

So he autitioned two weeks ago and came home yesterday with the news that he made it. I am so proud of him for trying. None of his friends did- he just decided he wanted to, even though he knows our time here is limited. He will only be in it for a few months. I am so hoping that he will love the experience and continue to sing. He gets to prectice after school once a week, have a few evening rehearsals and then some concerts. I can't wait to watch!

I have to add how grateful I am for dedicated teachers. They truly make a difference, and a big one, in the lives of children. I have had a few teachers in my life who make the list. Not many, as they are hard to find. David Pool, for one, cemented my love of music in 8th grade choir. Never have I had a more decicated teacher since him. I love him for it and am so grateful to all he taught me. Vic Bucy- my junior and senior year journalism teacher who helped me to believe in myself academically and as a person. He saw in me qualities I did not see in myself. And Sherm Lloyd, my social studies teacher who became my friend who I kept in touch with until he passed away 8 years ago. I still miss him. I am very grateful that there are other adults in this world who care about my children and see the good in them and care to have relationships with them. It is truly a blessing for us parents.

So good work Peter and good work Mrs. Gulley for inspiring him to try out!!! I will keep you posted on the outcome of his choir experience.

Off to School

2008-09-14T16:43:00.000-07:00

On August 25th we all had a very big day around here. Peter started 4th grade, Leah 2nd and our little Hannah started Kindergarten. They were all so excited although a little nervous. Jordan and I had just gotten back from our cruise 2 days before so it was a little crazy making sure they had everything they needed but all went well. For me personally it was a big day as I have not had just one kid home for years. I have to admit it is quite nice!! The mornings are always hectic as we cram in a lot- Family scripture reading and family prayer at 6:30, breakfast,brush teeth, shoes and socks, making sure everyone has everything they need for school that day, lunches and snacks packed, etc. By the time they are gone (Jordan almost always takes them on his way to work) I am ready for a little breather. It has been particularly helpful as our home is on the market. It's hard enough to keep all perfect without all the kids here. All in all school has been great for the kids. They are all good students and have fun at school. They do come home exhausted though. They work very hard! The kiddos all ready to go.

We walked the kids to school as a family the first day. Hannah was so confident. She almost always is. She is one tough little girl.
Leah up front and center. She was so excited about the teacher she got, Mrs. Marek. A good teacher makes all the difference!
Here is the reading rug. The kids got to school and picked books to read. Hannah is by the basket picking out a book.
Leah was thrilled to be able to sit by her friend Taylor. She loves school.

More from the Bahamas

2008-09-14T16:27:00.001-07:00

That's Jordan out there enjoying some body surfing on the choppy waves. This was in Freeport. The weather was overcast but the water was still very nice and warm. We both swam pretty far out there that day.
Here is another shot of that incredible sunset. We ate our meal out on the deck of the ship. Truly beautiful.
The last full day of the cruise we were at a private island owned by the cruiseline. It was exactly what I had in mind for our trip. The water was so clear we could see the bottom even when the water was several feet deep. We enjoyed snorkeling, climbing on the rocks, hanging out on the beach with our yummy virgin pina coladas, eating great food and swimming some more. It was a wonderful day. We did both get pretty burned though from all that sun.
On the rocks overlooking our ship in the background.
My handsome husband out on the rocks.

THE BAHAMAS

2008-09-14T14:19:00.000-07:00

On August 17 Jordan and I took off from Austin to Miami where we boarded a the Norwegian Sky heading to the Bahamas. When we got to the ship, about two hours early, they told us to hurry on- that tropical storm Faye was heading our way and they were leaving in 15 minutes to avoid the storm. So we got on and were on our way. We had such a relaxing, happy time. The kids stayed with my awesome sister, Heidi in Austin and had a great time there. She was such a trooper to keep 8 crazy kids for almost a week. Thank you Heidi! Here are some pictures of our trip:

I love this picture of Jordan sucking in his tummy. Enjoying the view from the ship's restaurant. One night we got to enjoy the most beautiful sunset. The wind was whipping around but the air was warm and pleasant. So pretty!Our ship out yonder. We had to take a ferry to get to the island since it was a small, privately owned island. Definitely our favorite day of the cruise. It was so beautiful.

This was our first day in the Bahamas, Nassau. Unfortunately due to the tropical storm it rained all morning so we just hung out on the ship all morning. That too was very nice though...a good book, great food, naps, etc. We got out in the afternoon and explored a bit.

Incommunicado

2008-08-22T19:34:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to drop a quick line or two to explain our sudden and mysterious disappearance from the Blogosphere. Put simply, we have been (1) on vacation and (2) scrambling, crazy busy getting our house ready to sell!

As to (1), we travelled to Austin the week after Andrea's birthday to visit Andrea's sister and to look for new homes! (We are moving to Austin very soon- surprised?!?- details forthcoming...) Right after we got back from Austin, we drove out to Arizona for a week with the Fowles- John and Allison had flown in from London with their girls, Adam and Eve came down from Logan, Utah, and Jenna and company were there in Mesa. We had fun with so many cousins for our kids to play with- always good to see everyone. I will post some pictures as soon as I get them downloaded. Finally, after a week of madness getting our house ready to sell (more below), Andrea and I dropped the kids off at Heidi's and headed down to Florida for a week-long cruise to the Bahamas. We managed to just barely skirt Tropical Storm Faye and enjoyed the last week of paradise (and waaay too much food!). I will post more specific blogs about that with pictures when I get them downloaded.

As to (2), we have been thinking about moving to Austin for a while now, but I finally got the approval from my law firm to do so just last month, and we worked furiously to get our house on the market before we left for the Bahamas. With the help of many dear friends, we repainted a good portion of the house, got new carpet throughout, and basically cleaned up the house very well for sale. After an exhausting week we were able to get the house on the market the day before we left for our cruise- let's hope it sells quickly! If anyone is interested in purchasing a nice home in Dallas, here is the link to our beautiful home. We have loved living here and will really miss it! We plan on moving to Austin just as soon as we can sell our house in Dallas, and we already have money on a home down there.

Watch for more coming soon! For now, Andrea and I are back in Texas with sandy clothes, burnt skin, awesome memories of the Bahamas, and happy smiles on our faces after reuniting with our children!

The Eleventh Prime Meets the Fifth Mersenne: Cheers, Andrea!

2008-07-25T18:50:00.000-07:00

THIRTY-ONE. 31. XXXI. 00011111. 1F.

It's the 11th prime, the fifth Mersenne, and the third Mersenne prime! It's the number of flavors of ice-creamy goodness traditionally associated with Baskin Robbins. It's the number of days in the months January, March, May, July, August, October and December, as well as the code for international direct-dial phone calls to the Netherlands.

And today, it is the number of years the Earth has been graced with the presence of the beautiful Andrea Sue Clavin Fowles:

She was born on July 25, 1977. Here's another shot of birthday past:

But that was then, and this is now. Today, we helped her celebrate her birthday by ordering take out, making her a cake, giving her presents, and having an interesting pool party. Among other things, she got an ipod nano complete with an armband and some in-ear headphones to use for working out with her ipod. Here she is trying it out already!

All of the kids helped me make her pineapple upside down cake, and Peter even helped me flip the cake without destroying as I usually do! Matthew helped put the cherries in the pineapples and to blow out the candles.

Earlier in the day, Andrea enjoyed lunch with some girlfriends at Pappasitos. ¡Feliz cumpleaños! Happy Birthday, Andrea, on the 31st anniversary of your birth! The world is a better place with you in it! We love you!

Independence Day Redux

2008-07-22T07:48:00.000-07:00

We had a truly all-American Fourth of July this year- it was great!

Part 1: The Flag Raising
The day started out bright and early with a pancake and sausage breakfast associated with a flag-raising ceremony at our church. The sobering confluence of religious ideal and energetic patriotism felt there reminded us that both our spiritual and our temporal freedoms were purchased by sacrifices made by others, even the sacrifice of their very blood. We are grateful for the blood of our Savior and the blood of Patriots- the extreme cost for the freedoms we enjoy today, and hope that the memory of the price paid never grows dim in our hearts and minds.

Part 2: The Parade
We went from the ward breakfast to Independence Parkway in Plano to watch the Plano City Parade. The Plano parade is a fantastic one to attend- if anyone is ever in Texas for the Fourth of July, I highly recommend it. It helped us to again reflect on our precious freedoms as we saw veterans, fire fighters, policemen, community dignitaries, representatives from various political parties, and disciples of various Christian and other religions marching by. Of course, there were also clowns, floats, bubbles, marching bands, loud fog horns, classic cars and motorcyles, and plenty of candy tossed out for the kids. I think both Andrea and I got a little choked up at times as we waved our American flags with our children for the soldiers who sacrifice much and generally basked in the rays of July freedom sunshine. Here are a few pictures of the kids at the Plano Parade:

(P.S. We note with serious chagrine the shocking dearth of pictures of Andrea- Jordan will try to do better at taking pictures too so that Andrea appears- she is definitely easier to look at!)

Part 3: The Lunch and Rest
After the Parade, we headed out for some all-American (and, infinitely more importantly, TEXAN) barbecue at Dickeys. We enjoyed an assortment of meats, sides like mashed potatoes, baked potato casserole, barbecue beans, jalapeno beans, potato salad, mac & cheese, all topped off with Dickey's delicious regular, sweet and spicy barbecue sauces. We topped it off with soft-serve vanilla ice cream, always included in the price of every meal at Dickeys. Here is a picture of an all-American boy (Matthew) enjoying his Fourth of July Dickeys treat:

After lunch, we headed home for some rest before proceeding with the rest of the day's festivities.

Part 4: The Pool Party
Once we had sufficiently recuperated from our busy morning and stuffing lunch, we got into our swimsuits and headed over to our friends' home (two doors down) for an afternoon of fun and swimming with the our friends and neighbors from around our neighborhood. The pool was packed with kids, the coooler with cold drinks, the barbecue with good food, and the chairs with chatting adults, all celebrating under the hot Texas, July sun.

After swimming for a while, the kids enjoyed soaking Andrea and me with water balloons, usually at most unexpected times. Hannah was the sneakiest, one time waiting for me outside the back door for probably over five minutes to soak me with a water balloon and a squirting (i.e., untied) water balloon as I came out of the house with a plate full of food! Every time I dried off again, another one of my four kids would suddenly appear, get me dripping wet again, then run away laughing hysterically before I could gather my senses and throw them into the pool (I did manage to get Leah once). None of the other adults there were quite as soaked time and time again- of course, none of them had four children. Getting wet at pool parties is just one of the hazards of fruitful loins, I suppose.

We partied into the twilight hours, but then it was time for fireworks.

Part 5: The Fireworks
As dusk fell, the pool party disbanded and everyone headed back home to change into dry clothes so that we could go see the Fourth of July fireworks. We are lucky to live right beside the main 500 acre park in Richardson, Texas (Breckinridge Park) where they have the big Richardson fireworks show every year. We walked across the street to the park with some church friends who parked at our house, and set up our blankets on a promising spot of grass situated on a bluff that overlooked the rest of the park. We were not disappointed.

The fireworks began at 9:45 pm and were accompanied by live (Richardson Community Band) and pre-recorded music. Hearing the loud booms accompanied by patriotic music, Andrea and I both got a bit choked up again as we thought of the artillery in the battles fought for this country represented by the colorful spectacle of fireworks exploding above us. Our kids were also mesmerized by the brilliant (and loud) display- not one was scared in the least.

As we tucked the exhausted kids into bed at the end of the celebratory, fun-filled and sobering day, Leah sleepily whispered to me that she liked the Fourth of July almost as much as Christmas. Indeed.

A Visit from the Kings

2008-07-20T18:52:00.000-07:00

Last week Jordan's only sister Jenna came for a visit from Arizona. She and her husband flew here with their four darling children. We had a wonderful time and really packed it in. We did lots of fun things and kept the kids busy. We did activities with them daily and at night after they all crashed us adults played games. It really was so much fun.

Hanging out in the hottub. Jenna, Travis, Matthew and Leah:

Travis (left) and Matthew happy to be going for a bike ride in Mimosa Park:

Peter and Matthew enjoying a chat in Mimosa Park:

Our newest niece Eliza and her cute mom, Jenna:

Jordan and Matthew sharing a snuggle at Allen Splash Pad:

A thirsty Matthew excited about a drink of water at Mimosa Park:

The kiddos enjoying a snack of muffins at Mimosa Park :

Super Hannah enjoying the Allen splashpad:

Missing: Peter's Tonsils

2008-07-18T14:38:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Peter had his tonsils and adenoids removed. We were a little nervous as we kissed him goodbye just before he went "under," but he woke up about 40 minutes later as scheduled. As he came out of his drug-induced haze, he was a bit groggy and disoriented, but still very polite with the "thanks" and "no, thanks", etc. So far, he has not been in very much pain, and has loved eating all the ice cream, popsicles, frozen fruit pops, and Ramen he can eat. Hopefully that will continue to be the case until he is completely recovered. Here is a pre-op picture of Peter, taken on Andrea's cell phone:

As a side note, some of you know that Hannah has a sort of obsession with disgusting things. That is, she loves to look at things that make most normal stomachs churn. For example, she always wants to look at Matthews poopy diapers before we roll them up, etc.

Before we took Peter in for his surgery, I teased the kids that the doctor was going to let us keep Peter's tonsils and adenoids in a jar to put on our fireplace mantel as a decoration. When I got home, Hannah of course asked to see the jar of tonsils first thing, and seemed genuinely disappointed when I reported that the doctor did not let us keep them.

Wish Peter a speedy recovery!

Catching Up a Bit

2008-07-07T11:04:00.001-07:00

ROCK STAR PETER
I thought I would share a few fun pics of the kids. A few weeks ago Peter went to a party and this is what he came home looking like!! Needless to say I was a bit shocked. You can't see too well but he has on a lip ring and a tattoo on his arm. It was a rock-and -roll/ swim party. He really had fun!!
Notice the tiny violins on the wall behind him. One is Peter's and one is Leah's.

A Day at Six Flags
For Hannah's birthday in May I took her all by herself to Six Flags over Texas, a huge amusement park for those who may not know. We had a great time. She is my dare-devil and will try anything she is big enough to ride. While there though a single father with his daughter decided he wanted to spend the day with us. Grr! I told him all about my husband and my three other children but that didn't seem to bother him. I finally told him (after hanging around us for almost two hours!!) that I wanted to spend time alone with my daughter. Kinda funny but at the time it was annoying!!

Trip to Utah
At the beginning of May we went out to Utah for Jordan's brother's wedding. Adam married a beautiful girl named Eve. Yes, they are Adam and Eve! We drove up to Sundance while we were there. Here is our family. It is so beautiful there and it sure made us miss mountains!

Hopping on the Blog Bandwagon!

2008-07-06T16:07:00.000-07:00

Okay, here I go. My very first blog!! I have been wanting to do this for a long time but have been intimidated at the process. I guess I have to learn by jumping in. So for my first blog I think I will introduce my little family since many of you live far away and don't know my children well.

Peter

Peter is a sweet 9 year old boy and I am grateful he is our first. He has always been pretty easy going and cheerful. He is curious about everything and picks up on things quickly. He loves science. He is so helpful with the younger kids, especially Matthew. He is currently taking violin lessons and has a really good ear for it. He likes cruising around on his bike, swimming and reading.

Leah
Leah turned 7 in April. She is a sweetheart, most of the time. :) She is very affectionate and sweet. She enjoys reading, pretending with her sister, dressing up, getting her toenails painted, swimming, playing at the park and helping me in the kitchen. She, with her brother, is taking violin lessons and is doing great. She tries hard to be a good girl but has a crazy girl streak in her where she gets all hyper and giggly. She is a lot of fun.

Hannah Banana

Hannah, Hannah. What would we do without our Hannah?? She is our fiesty five-year-old. She keeps us on our toes for sure. She was born with a very independent, strong spirit and although we know this is a strength in her she can be tough sometimes!! She is very, very sweet too though. She loves to make up little ditties and prances around the house singing her songs. She loves to dress up with Leah, play with dolls, swim (she is quite athletic), do gymnastics, pick up songs on the piano and tease her siblings. She can get a rise out of them easier than anyone!! She is a strong, beautiful girl.

Matthew

Matthew turned two in Februaury. Although he is in those "Terrible Two's" he is so darn cute most of the time we just laugh at his antics. He is the sweetest boy. One of his first words was "Thank you" (dee-doo) and he still says that for every little thing anyone does for him. He is such a boy. He loves playing in dirt, swinging swords, turning things into guns, driving cars and trains around and being loud!! He is very, very affectionate and gives the best hugs. He loves to pray and has to say prayers before he takes naps and won't ever let us forget.

My Man

I can't write about my kids without writing about their wonderful Daddy. They all adore him and can't get enough of him. He plays with them as much as he can but teaches them important things as well. The longer I am married to him (we just celebrated out 11 year anniversary) the more I realize how blessed I am. He is amazing!! He is an extremely hard worker, very ambitous, smart, generally cheerful and just a great guy. He has a very kind heart and cares a lot about others. I am very grateful to be married to him and love him very much.

Okay, that's all for post #1. I plan to post often now that this is started. Love to all!!