Summer happenings

So...Summer has just been breezing by.  It seems we are busy everyday...and yet not really.

A million times everyday I think...I need to blog this.  I write the whole blog post up in my head even.  But then I don't.  Most of my computer time is spent on my iPad...and it isn't easy to post from my iPad.  So I just don't.  I think it is also the reason I don't always comment on other people's blogs.  I also tell myself this is why no one comments on my blog.  Hahaa...isn't that right.  No one comments because they are reading on their phones.  Yeah I am pretty sure that is the reason.

On Sunday we didn't have Henry and Theo go to church because they both were coughing pretty hard.  Henry bawled while saying "I just wanna go to church so bad!"  I love that he wanted to go to church.

Today, I paid 980 dollars for 4 tiny little injections.  And that is just my part.  My insurance is paying 1200.  It sucks.  I keep thinking about all the clothes I could have for that much.  Or I could buy 5 day park hopper passes to disneyland for each person in my family.  Or tickets to cancun.  Bahhhhh.  I was feeling pretty sad about the whole thing and went two weeks without my shots only to wake up yesterday morning crippled.  Sooooo yeah.  I have a disease.  I do this over and over again.  I keep having to come to terms with the fact that I will be sick for the rest of my life....and my medicines/treatments are expensive.   BUT...they work for me....with them I feel great...so I guess it is worth it, it is a huge blessing to even have medicines to take...even if they cost more than all of the clothes I have purchased in the last 10 years combined.  The great news is now I have met my out of pocket maximum, so everything for the rest of the year is FREE.  Holla.

Okay...enough with the serious stuff on to some pictures....all of these were taken with my phone.  If you follow me on instagram some of these might be repeats.

 The view from the front deck of our house.  Beautiful, right?

 A couple of Saturdays ago we got a pizza from costco and sat in the park near by eating it.  There was a man with bagpipes there.   It was really windy and I may have spilled half of the pizza in the parking lot.  A lot of the time now it is just Cort, me and Theo....the other boys are always busy playing somewhere.  I can't wait until this little guy can join them. 

  

 Kisses.

The kids piled up a bunch of blankets so they could jump off of the overhead balcony.  This is Oliver jumping off of the couch.  I can't imagine how loud this was down stairs.  I put an end to it real fast.  (after I took a picture of course)

 We've been taking lots of walks around.  Henry is finally learning how to pedal his little trike. ('bout time).  The school is practically in our back yard.  Henry loves going over there.

Grace, Cc, Jack, Oli, Tyson, Henry (in his unitard...my third

 kid to wear this little number.)  

I took all of the kids (minus Theo and Fiona) swimming with Angelique and her kids.  It was a great day and we stayed for 4 hours.  The big boys swam alone...while I stayed with Henry and Grace and Carolina.  I took the little ones down the big waterside a million times.  My thighs were killing me for days after.  hahaa.  I really need to get in shape.  It was such a fun time.  I can't believe how much easier it has gotten to take them swimming compared to a couple of years ago when we got passes.  Cali and her pregnant tummy stayed home. 

 Carolina had a birthday party at the park...whil we were there 

Oli pulled this snake out of the river....so fast....just like that.

The snake was massive and looked like he had just eaten something.  I couldn't believe they weren't scared of it. 

The birthday girl. 

 I think these pajamas are some of my favorite.  They were Oli's first christmas pajamas.  I love every time one of my kids where them. 

Here is a picture of Robbie in the same PJ's 

Look at Robbies cheeks.  Love them. 

We have been going to the free lunch at our old school.  It is awesome.  No mess...no cost...and they have a lot of different options.  

 

A typical school lunch. 

On Friday we took the kids to OremFest.  It was SO HOT...and so exhausting.   Oliver said to me..."I don't know why parents think this is fun, it isn't fun for grown ups"  No kidding Oli.  No Kidding.   I thought Cali and I were going to faint.  Our cousin Angie and her daughter Qianna came too...it was great to see them.  

Henry and Fi...on the boat. 

Pure joy. 

These little ones are pretty fun. 

Pretty CC. 

P.s...you gotta love the carnival worker in the background...yes he does have an actual pirate patch on under his sunglasses.  Henry is really interested in him.  

Pretty Gigi. 

Twin cousins. 

We sent Oli, Tyson, and Jack off with tickets and told them to meet us in an hour.  Interesting to have older kids that is for sure.  It was still petty scary but the boys did great.  For the first time they rode the big kid rides.  Gravitron and the Tornado.  

Rob on the swings. 

He and CC were old enough to ride the ferris wheel.  They loved it.  Although the operator did have to stop the ride to tell Robbie to stop rocking his seat. 

Typical. 

Special kids. 

This is Q with some random stranger with amazing face paint.  You should have seen Q's face as the ride operator put that boy in with her.  SCARY.  It was some of the most realistic face paint I have ever seen.   Q is a trooper.  Any of my kids would have been out of there. 

 Cousins.

Group pictures.  This is our longest running tradition here in Utah.  Cali and I were wondering the whole time why we do this every year.  It really isn't that fun with so many kids.  :)  Memories, though are priceless.  And...this year we didn't have to go to the port-a-potties once.  YAY. 

We were going to get fair food but it was too hot and too expensive.  We took the kids to Macey's (grocery store) for some soft serve...I think our total bill for all 8 kids was under 5 bucks.  

Henry had to have two ice cream cones he ate his so fast. 

Cali and I put out blankets on Friday for the Parade the next day.  It was so windy 40-20 mph winds all of Saturday so we had to stop by a couple of times to check on our blankets.  It was CRAZY windy.  

The kids always love the parade.  Ty was seeming a little old for it.   The others grabbed candy and flyers down on the street the whole time. 

We got a brick of potato strings made of 4 potatoes.  It was DELISH.  Henry was eating it frantically. 

Rob and CC.  Besties.  

 Love them. 

We were all chilled to the bone once it was over.  I even had to come home and take a bath...which I NEVER ever do.  I couldn't get warm no matter what. 

This summer I have finally gotten summer chores set in place.  I don't know what happened but when Oliver was little he was just not a messy kid.  He always keeps his stuff pretty neat.  Then Rob came along and it just was easier for me to do all the cleaning up...then Henry...still me doing all the cleaning.   Now that Theo is here it is just too much for me...and my kids are getting older so I am making them help me.  It is awesome so far.  Every morning they have to do what chores I tell them clean room make bed, clean bathroom (my kids have been cleaning their own toilet...hallelujah), empty dishwasher, straighten front room and vacuum.  It has been really helpful.   

 Oli. 

Now just a couple randoms. 

Cort and Henry. Lazy Sunday. 

Oliver is close to being 9 so we are trying to pass everything off.  Scouting is so weird.  I have a hard time understanding it.  HOwever...it has a lot of good ideas for wholesome family activities, and I have been finding myself loving to ask oliver the questions listed.  I guess there is really something to "being prepared". 

Haircut. (oliver wanted me to mention that we were headed swimming so no one thought he was a weirdo). 

So far the summer has been great.  I am trying to get home to Moses Lake once or twice...and hope to do some camping and hiking and things like that...but man it is so much work with so many kids.  

2nd grade

Oliver's second grade class had a party last Wednesday.  They put on a little program for the parents.  It was awesome.  They took turns reading from Skippy John Jones.  Oliver's part was of a Chihuahua with a mexican accent.  He read it with the perfect accent.  I was amazed, with a huge smile on my face.  He said it loud and with tons of expression...which is something he has really been working on this year.  

Here he is reading his part of the alphabet.  He read it so loud and clear.  He said he was really nervous and his hands were shaking but you could have fooled me.

Oliver got an award for being a great writer and a superstar mathematician...He is so smart and works so hard.  He really wants to do good in school and is always working to do better.  I couldn't have asked for a better kid and am so proud of the little man he is becoming.  

(he's almost 9 so we have been working hard to get his wolf badge taken care of.  Tonight he planned and prepared dinner, set the table and cleaned up.   He took it so seriously and tried hard to do his best.  I was kinda shocked because I expected him to just want to get it over with. What a good boy. )

Oliver had the best teacher Mrs. Gustin.  She is amazing (and tiny).  She is so smart and really pushed Oliver to try his hardest.  I am sooo grateful for such wonderful teachers.  My boys have had the best there is.   Oliver loved her and was so sad to say goodbye to her. 

Oliver's good friends.  He loves them.  

After I took Oli home this day I backed into another car that was also backing out.  I couldn't believe it.  I felt like such a dummy.  It was the mom of another girl in Oliver's class.  I hugged her and we decided that the damage was about the same on both cars....so we would leave it at that.  I was so embarrassed...and sad that I put a little scratch in my car.  

The last day of school after Rob's graduation, we stood outside with the whole school to sing the school anthem one more time.  I teared up.  I felt so sad to be leaving all the teachers I love, and the only school my kids have known.  We have loved it there...and we all felt pretty sad leaving. 

Kinder graduation.

So last thursday was the last day of school.  Rob had his Kindergarten graduation.  I am sure proud of this guy.  He has excelled in school this year.  Top of his class in all areas.  He scored all 4's with only one 3. (out of 4).  He is reading and writing like crazy.  I was really scared that he would have behavioral problems this year but he didn't once get in trouble.  His teacher Mrs. Miles is amazing, and just what he needed.  He loves her with all of his heart.  

The whole last week of school everyone went at 8 am.  So for Robbie this was pretty darn early.  (instead of 12:40 pm).  We had to wake him every morning a couple of hours before it was time to go.  

He was pretty nervous. 

This is so what this little guy is looking like these days.  Scowl, pj's (previously worn by three of his brothers).  I love him.  Tonight as he had his last bottle I just held and loved him after he went to sleep.  I am so grateful for all of my children. 

It amazes me how much taller Rob is than the rest of his class.  At least a head taller.  

Love those folded arms.  His teacher really likes them to have their arms folded...and amazingly they obey. 

Here he is looking right at his daddy. 

I love these two pictures of him shaking the teachers and principles hands.  He looks so serious and scared.  

He's not messing around. 

Me struggling with the two kids in the back.  haahaa. 

this was an early morning for all of us. 

We had to leave so fast too that we didn't get the right lens for the camera. Oh well better than nothing.

  

Nothing like a picture with the garbage can to show you made it out of kindergarten. 

The AMAZING Mrs. Miles.  Both of my kids had her.  She worked really hard with Rob this year and taught him so much.  Mostly to believe in himself. 

I hate me in this picture.  My shirt is doing this poof-ing thing that is really making my stomach look big (ummmm it really kinda is though...remember not too long ago I had a baby....that and I love to eat all day and night non stop.  :)

However...I love that it is a picture of all four of us.  And that Henry is trying to take his pants off.  He is having a real naked stage.  

Proud mom. 

Tired Henry. 

Tired Robbie.  (I really need to get him sunday shoes....)

For the dance festival his class danced to Little Mermaid's Under the Sea.  It was awesome.  I have no pictures or video but I had a HUGE smile plastered on my face watching both my boys dance.  It doesn't get better than that.  

Theo 6 months Henry 2.5 years

I took Oli, Henry, and Theo to the Doctor on friday.  It was pretty crazy.

Theo is getting big.  I can't believe it.  It seems like yesterday I was getting ready for him to be born.  We are so lucky to have him in our family.  He is the best baby.  (seriously, I have had a lot of really good babies and he just might be my best so far!)  He hardly ever cries, and when he does I know he means business.

He still isn't sitting up, which makes me a little worried, to be honest, but he is rolling real good.  He also has to go to see the pediatric dermatologist up at Primary Children's hospital on Friday so they can take a look at his little red birthmarks.  But other than that the doctor thought he look great.

Theo's stats:

Weight 14.97 lbs--7.86% (up from .81% last time, whoop whoop.)
Height 26.2 inches--29.65% (up from 12.55%)
Head 17 inches--44.79% (up from 26.7%)

The doctor was thrilled with his weight gain especially since he is nonstop spit up all the time.

I have been wanting Cortney to take some pictures of him but he has been so busy so I pulled the camera out today and shot a few pictures before his nap.  (i suck at taking pictures...out of focus...white balance is off...but I am thrilled to just have some shots of THEO...at six months)

He is starting to get dark hair and dark eyes.  

 He really wasn't sure about me taking pictures. Unlike Henry...henry has always loved the camera. 

 He always has his tongue out like this.  And I think he is getting a tooth, hence the drool. 

 This one was under exposed and out of focus but I LOVE how he looks in it.  It shows how big he is too.  He still has a real hard time sitting in the bumbo.  His head goes to the side, some of our other kids have done this too.  Eventually they grow out of it.  I need to do some baby stretching.

 His eyes were getting so sleepy from being outside where it was bright...plus he needed to go to bed. 

 Me tickling him with my little toes so I could get him to smile.  

What a good boy. 

The day he got his shots he was so sad.  I mean SAD.  He couldn't move his legs at all.  It was the weirdest thing I have ever seen.  He just had his legs up like a frog and kept them like that all day.  If I touched his legs at all he would bawl his brains out.  I had a picture of his legs but I lost it.  It really was so funny, and sad.  The next morning he was still under his covers because he couldn't kick his covers off or roll around at all.  I have never had a kid get so hurt from shots. 

Here he is so sad. 

I was supposed to take Henry in for his 2 year appointment right around the time when Theo was going to be born.  However, I forgot all about the appointment in all the stress that surrounded Theo's birth.  So here are Henry's 2.5 year stats...

Henry 

Weight 33.29 lbs---82.01%

Height 36.7 inches---65.83% (haha he's a little heavy for his height)

Henry didn't even flinch when he got his shots...he just wanted a bandage so bad.  He loves the doctor.  He just kept wanting it to be his turn. 

Oliver went to the doctor because he eyes were almost swollen shut.  I thought he maybe had pink eye but it turns out it was just really bad allergies.  :)

'round here

Things have been going pretty good over here at the a-frame.  We are adjusting pretty well.  Henry still says "I wanna go home mom....please??", every time we pass our old house on the way to take the boys to school.  It breaks my heart every time.  He has stopped waking up in the night though...and that is nice. I too experience pretty strong heart pains every time I go over there and have been avoiding our old house.  I feel sad closing that chapter of my life.  I have some really good memories there.  (still getting the run around on closing...ahhhh biggest stress ever)  We are meeting lots of our new neighbors and there are TONS of little kids for my kids to play with.  Just last night I let my boys stay out playing night games until WAY past their bedtimes.  Oliver said he's never had so much fun.  It makes me happy that there are so many kids.  They are constantly playing basketball, baseball or tag in our huge yard (or one of the neighbors).  

Tomorrow we go to a new ward, and we are ALL REALLY nervous about that.  Oliver already has his scriptures by the door ready to go.  So scary. 

Cortney and I both spoke in church last week.  We talked about mothers.  It was a HUGE stress for both of us.  Our friends Will and LorriAnn sat with our kids so we could sit on the stand.  (of course Henry stayed with us...and took his shirt off during Cortney's talk...happy mother's day...hahaa)  I had told Cortney I would try my hardest to take up 20 minutes and leave him with 10, however the night before I did a little run through of my talk and it took 8 minutes!!!  That left he and I freaking out.  (I honestly have never seen Cortney so nervous...well not in a long time anyways)  I got up and the first time I looked at the clock to see how much time I had left I had already gone 30 minutes.  OOOPS.   I felt like my talk went great and I said all of the things I wanted to say (funny, heartfelt, informative..hahahaa).  They canceled the intermission hymn and Cortney was left with 5 minutes to speak.  He gave a touching testimony and before we knew it, it was all over.  I went on to primary and we said most of our goodbye's.  It was really sad for me to leave the ward, and I mostly just keep pretending it isn't happening.  I think it will probably hit tomorrow when we are at a place where we know no one.  

Besides having to speak in church my mother's day was great.  I love being a mom. Cortney and the kids got me our traditional dozen bagels from Einstein's and some coconut m&m's (to die for seriously...I polished off the whole big bag in two days).  Cortney asked the boys what kinds of things I like and Rob said "burp rags"...haha, he is so right.  The boys both gave me beautiful cards.   Rob's said "Mom thanks for always taking me to church."  I loved that.  Oliver's was a play on the book "if you give a moose a muffin",  It was about giving mom a muffin, and then the rest of the book was talking about how I really like my house clean and my kids to be well behaved.  Hahaa.  So true.  

I just said to Henry.. "my back hurts".  Then he said, "your back hurts? you need a bandage?"  I love that kid. 

I have been so stressed out about our house selling or not selling and then having two payments...but I have really been trying to remember how good my life is.   Stress, shmess.  Haha.

Last Thursday the office at Rob's school called me.  She said "I am here with Rob and his teacher... (I immediately thought, oh crap, what has he done to get in trouble)...then she goes on to say...he isn't bleeding or crying, but he bumped his head pretty bad at recess and you need to come here."  I wasn't too stressed out, bumps are old hat for me.  I deal with that kind of thing all the time.   When I got to the school I walked into the office and there was Rob sitting with an ice pack on his head.  He took it off and I gasp in surprise.  It was much worse than I expected. 

We took some pictures the second we got home. 

 He fell and hit his head on the bars at school.  I am pretty sure now he had a concussion because he didn't remember anything from the next day.  

Oh did I mention that this tough guy didn't even shed a SINGLE tear??  

 Look at that.

I took this one a couple of days later.  His eye swelled so much that he couldn't see out of it at all.  He couldn't even open it.  (yup still wearing the same shirt)

I snapped these next pictures one morning when Rob was helping me out with the morning feeding.

 Sweet boys. 

Henry joining in too.  He got a hair cut last tuesday and looks so grown up.  (where did my baby go)

I am kinda coming around to this mother of only boys thing.  :)

Gotta go, henry is standing on top of Cortney's desk and getting down a fly rod.  YIKES. 

Theo firsts

When I went to go get Theo out of his bed last night he was on his tummy.  It was his first time rolling over and he officially beat all my other kids...they didn't roll for a while.  It makes me happy, especially because he was supposed to be handicapped.  I have a feeling that every milestone is going to be a huge accomplishment for me.  (I can't wait to see him rolling in person)

Also, I may have accidentally given him Henry's milk bottle this morning instead of the formula one.  (ooooopppss) Poor baby drank the whole thing right down.  (oh and yeah I know Henry is too old for a baba...but he LOOOOOVVES it.)

Yup...we live in an a-frame

The first weekend of April when we first got an offer on our house we were a little panicked because there was nothing for sale in the neighborhood we were looking to buy in.  we weren't sure what we were going to do.  The day we got on offer I looked in our local rental listings...and I noticed there was an ad for a house that was an A-frame.  There is only one A-frame house around and it happens to be right by Cali's house.  So we went right then and looked at it (all of these pictures are from that day).   It was big (like almost 2500 sq feet) had four bedrooms and two baths and best of all was in our budget.  We filled out an application that day.  

Over the next month I kept looking for other places but no other place came up that was in the right school boundaries.  It looked like it was just meant to be.  We were supposed to live in the a frame house.  

We moved here on Saturday.  So far it has been weird for all of us...just trying to get used to a new house.  

We rent the two top floors.  In the bottom floor lives 3 single girls.  They brought us a welcome basket the first day we were here.  

The house is on .44 acre lot.  Nice and big. 

We get to our house from the stairs on the side where you can see a deck. 

living room. 

 

Yup there is a catwalk going to one of the balconies. 

I really hope my kids don't die on this. 

 Both bathrooms are huge.  We have never had more than one bathroom so it feels pretty decadent to have two.  

The house also has a HUGE laundry room.  I love it.  It might be my favorite room in the house. 

 My room (plus cortney too) main floor. 

 Cortney's office. main floor. 

Kitchen (it has the smallest oven I have ever seen in my life....guess I won't be making cookies that often)

 Henry's room (upstairs)

 Oli and Rob's room (upstairs) (this room is huge....at least double their old room)

I took this picture today...it is taken from the boys window and it is a picture of Rob and a neighbor kid.  Oliver is there too you just can't see him.  They were playing baseball.  There are tons of kids my kids ages around here.  I am SO excited for that.  (I really hope my kids never fall out the window, we are sooooo high up)

It feels weird to be living in a new space....but good at the same time.  We are trying to get used to it and trying to get unpacked.  I need everything in its place before I can really relax.  So far, I have got the kitchen and The boys room done.  I am really working hard.  It is hard for me to have things out of order.  

Neighbors have come by and greeted us.  The kids have been walking back and forth to Cali's house.  I think it is going to be great.  I think it is the right thing for us (so hard to know). 

Cortney said to me today...someday we are going to look back on this time of our lives and say..."remember when we lived in that funny house that one time...."

not okay

So we're moving.

I am kinda freaking out.

It is really hard to pack up your whole life (six years in one place!), and be okay with it.

I am excited for a new chapter of our lives.  I really am.

But this is sad, and scary.  (and not fun at all)

I used to be a old pro at moving, not so much anymore.

Really all I want to do is climb under my covers with a good book and pretend that none of this is happening.

Hey, if you are in the neighborhood, you wanna help us load up a u-haul tomorrow?