2015

A new year. Fresh start. Adjusting to life with 4 active kids. I used to have some control. I never understood how people claimed to be so busy, I never felt overwhelmed with my life. And here I am. Living that life.

It's crazy.

Days are hectic. 

Blurry.

But everyone is happy.

Everyone is healthy. 

We're figuring it out.

It's messy. But it's working.

Drew turns 4

I feel as though I've turned a corner. Knowing that I will not be having any more kids. I am completely happy with what I have and totally content knowing my baby making days are over.

That time has past.

Now I enter a new season and focus on raising these small humans. 

I wonder what kind of adults they will become. 

What exactly do I hope they learn from me?

Do I want them to learn from my mistakes?

Knotts Berry Farm

Isn't it okay for them to learn for themselves?
I'm sure everyone has to eventually figure those things out themselves.
But I worry what will happen to them after their trials.
How will they come out of the hard things?
Will they be stronger? Wiser?
Will they be able to look back and know what they have learned and WHO they can put all their faith and trust?
Do they know who their Savior is?
Exactly what can I possibly teach them without their own experience?

I've heard my Grandma say "They are born who they are." I can try to influence who they are and what I want them to become, but they ultimately are their own people. They will make their choices, find their own paths and all I can do is watch.
Watch and worry.
Watch and be proud.
Watch and cheer them on.
Watch and pray.
They will be an eternal burden to me, even when they no longer live in my home.

We are set up in families, so it must be part of the design.
I teach them. On purpose or otherwise.
I learn from them. Willingly or not.

Life is so crazy.

Life is so good

Simply Having A Wonderful

Christmastime!
We always try to do Christmas right. Trying to make traditions and then keep up those traditions gets harder as the kids get older. But it's also fun to see them growing up and what they love to do together during Christmas. My favorite is everything leading up to Christmas Day. Decorating, baking, chilly weather, school projects and singing programs, all the Christmas music, Christmas PJs and shopping. I love trying to find special gifts for my people. I've started making lists on my cell phone whenever I get a good idea that I need to save for later. Then seeing them open it totally unexpected and excited, totally twinges my heart.

Every December I say I want to take the kids to the snow and let whoever wants to try winter sports. But it just never happens. It's a busy time, but hopefully someday it will happen.

In the meantime, we'll just enjoy life to the fullest while making plans for the future.

Merry Christmas World! May we always remember the Greatest Gift given to us by our Heavenly Father.

Halloween 2014

Dillan wanted to be a purple minion for Halloween. Fine. We'll piece it together somehow. But ever since he was a baby I've never like overalls. And I could not justify buying a pair just for Halloween that I'm sure NO ONE would ever wear again. Not gonna happen. But thanks to Pinterest, I found an alternative. Except, it was going to take every ounce of creativity, patience, and bravery I could find. I even had to borrow from others. Forget about sewing. Bring on the hot glue. And felt. Lots of felt.

Step one was finding a big enough box. Thankfully, Chris took care of that pretty quick. Then I was worried about making a cylinder. Then I tried it. Then it worked! After that, I was pretty excited about what I was creating. Everywhere I went I had the costume in my mind and trying to figure out the right materials to make a one-eyed-goggle, hair, and how it would stay on his body. As it began taking shape, I was proud of myself. My confidence increased. My son loved it. My husband over-the-top gave me praise. Not too shabby.

Of course, for the Trunk or Treat, he wasn't able to sit down. Then on Halloween night, he got sweaty and itchy, so it didn't last long. Then it was thrown away. But I was OK with all that. Really. I surprised myself. So now my limit is no more than ONE homemade costume each year.

 

Fall 2014

August 2014. Finishing up the summer days with San Clemente and lots of family time. BIG family time too. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it definitely feels right.

2014 Babies. Marin, Aisley, Lexi, Cooper, & Taylee. Hope I got that right?

The two who started it all. Still so much life and love to give even as they get older and slow down. So blessed to have them in my kids' lives.

Yes, school starts BEFORE Labor Day. Even though we are all excited to get back to school and get back on a schedule, it still FEELS like summer. So of course, we STILL want to do summer things. Talk about brain adjustment.

Summer 2014

Summer Memories. Anderson Family reunion (with some family) in St George

Growing Baby Girl Lexi

Lexi and cousin Marin

Dillan begins club soccer

Blueberry picking

Our New Normal

Spring 2014

Lexi was SUPPOSED to be born on 4.14.14. Easy to remember. But no. She is actually 4.15.14.

Anyway....

Life doesn't really slow down with kid #4. Business as usual around here. Baby girl gets dragged all over the place. Put her in her car seat and say, "Well, I hope you catch a nap sometime today. We've got school drop off, preschool drop off, grocery store (since we have NO food), preschool pick up, school pick up, soccer practice, etc etc."

It was around this time that Dillan found his spark. Soccer. He started club. He was finished with everything else. After many seasons of success and learning so much with Coach Edgar, he is moving forward.

My grandmother assured me that #4 had to be easy going. Heavenly Father made her that way.



Cub Scouts

 We're all smitten with this girl. She's scrumptious!

 Last day of school for these two! Both had same teachers 2 years in a row! Mrs Hoadley and Mrs Falciano are amazing.

Look how cute he is in his new club uniform.

And the cousins came out for blueberry picking!

Life is crazy. Crazy good.

Lexi Belle

Turns out, her name HAD to start with an L. That's the pattern, right? Chris and I couldn't agree on anything. Not even her middle name. Did I mention I can't stand naming babies? Especially girls. Who needs that kind of pressure? Eventually I found the name Lexi, and Chris, of course, didn't like it. When she was penciled in as a boy, we agreed on a name fairly quickly. Caleb Charles. Why did it have to be so hard.

Little by little, Chris started to like the name. He'd bring it up random-like. Standing in the kitchen, cooking dinner, he'd come in and say "I kind of like Lexi." This happened more than once, so we started to settle in. Then my aunt told me of a student she had in her PE class who had Lexi A written on her PE clothes and instantly knew it was meant to be. We looked through French dictionaries, books, hymn books, looking for a good french name (word) that would work for a middle name. Chris wanted Belle. That was it. He wasn't hearing anything else. Yes, it took me awhile, but I came around. It's even the title of the hit song from Notre Dame de Paris, which I was okay with.

My new doctor, Dr. Langford, was highly recommended. On my first visit, in January, he read through my history and we talked for what seemed like forever as I recounted the drama and also lack of drama with all my previous pregnancies. He looked like a seasoned doctor who had seen and experienced a lot with bringing babies into the world and after that first visit, I felt so much peace and knowing I and my baby were well taken care of.

Each visit I had an in-depth ultrasound, more in-depth than I had ever had. He checked the baby's heart every visit. Not just a sonogram. He checked it's growth down to the last detail. But he never revealed what IT was! I guess I could have asked? Maybe. It obviously wasn't as much a priority to him. And for me, I was 100% positive BOY or GIRL...I was DONE. My body hated me the whole pregnancy. I was sick. Forever. My skin was itchy. I got hemmorroids right from the start. Acid reflux (that was new). In the middle of the night, I'd wake up choking, not being able to breath with my throat on fire! Leg cramps. I was moody. I was miserable. And I made sure my family knew it. Too bad for them.

In February Chris had apparently had enough. He called me up one day and told him to meet him in Old Town at a small ultrasound boutique. We were going to do it right. We all went down to this small place. I was totally bitter, feeling like it was a waste of money to find out what we already knew. A boy. We were taken to a dark room with a raised bed for mom, a couch for the family, and a large projection screen on a wall by itself. She pulled out the cold slime gel, pulled up my shirt and started. There's the baby. Baby's head. Baby's heart. Going lower. I'll never forget what she said "Ummm, I hope you haven't bought all boy stuff for this baby." Not really, I said, I have stuff leftover from the other boys. "Because this baby is a GIRL!" Wait WHAT? Are you serious? "See the three shapes stacked, we call that the hamburger. Hamburger means girl." Oh my gosh. I couldn't believe it. I was shocked. Best day of pregnancy so far.



We took the kids across the street to a park and plopped down on a bench. Chris was beside himself. He was so excited. This is what he wanted. He would have been happy with a boy, but more than anything he wanted a baby girl. 2 and 2. We felt like we had won the lottery. We felt like celebrating. This was for real and I felt complete joy for this amazing gift. My amazing family.