Where is the Time Going??

Tommy is one and several days. His Birthday was February 17. I cannot believe how quickly the time flew by. Happy Birthday my sweet Boy!!
I really wanted Tommy to be a girl those first few months of pregancy. Then I learned he was a boy and that was fine (We sure love James and Charlie). Well, Tommy came and he has been the most charming, darling, little guy. I really just adore him.
Rich would tell me in those early infant months that Tommy looked at me like he was in love with me. Things haven't changed. I'm his favorite gal for the time being (The next several forever I hope).
I am so glad that he is a boy and that he is part of our family. We are all still smitten with the little guy. He has a smile that makes you melt, he's quick to laugh, he loves to cuddle. He even sleeps well, except right now, but he's getting teeth. He gets so excited to see his Dad, sister, and brothers. He really has been a blessing.
I'm so thankful for my sweet baby. And yes he is still my baby-if only time would just stop cruising along. Happy Birthday Tommy!
A few of Tommy's Likes
1.cords and outlets
2.flushing the toilet
3.pulling out all of the toilet paper
4.cookies and chocolate chips (obviously part of our family)
5.watching TV with Mom and Dad at the end of the day
All things that are going to have to change! Except the chocolate.

A Little Political!

I married someone who really enjoys politics. When we were dating I even helped him go door to door helping him campaign for some various candidate. Wow, it must be love. We even spent a semester in Washington D.C. while he interned for Senator Hatch, which was amazing, but I don't think my passion for politics has ever matched his.

I will say that all of the sudden he is looking at me with renewed hope as I, myself, have asked him if we could watch CNN or Foxnews for the latest primary election coverage. I'm a bit miffed myself, hoping to get the kids to bed early so we can watch the votes come in with each primary. Feeling a little defeated when my candidate gets defeated or slighted by the media. Or elated when he wins and those same people give him some well deserved praise. Finally! It's been fun. Even my kids get a little into it.

Rich walked in and noticed Charlie watching, kind of intently, one of the debates. Rich said, "Charlie, what are they talking about." Charlie replied, "They're talking about aliens Dad, aliens." It must have sounded a little scary listening to them talk about the increasing number of aliens in our country.

I can't leave out our other political story mishap. A couple of years ago James learned about the restoration of the church in primary. His teacher told me we may want to review it for family night as the kids were a little confused. So come Monday evening that's what we did. We asked James who restored the church. He thought for moment and blurted out, President Bush. We laughed and said no James it was a Prophet. He thought a little longer and little more tenatively mumbled, Obama.

Election years are always more fun political years. And we may just have some kids that are just as into politics as Rich, or maybe even me.

Joy comes in Small Packages!

Well, I guess the Holidays are coming to an end. We've unwrapped every last gift, drank the last sips of eggnog, and uncinched our belts for those expanding waistlines. I have to say it has all been worth it. My four little ones were just a joy this Christmas season.
Each one of them believing in the magic of Christmas (Tommy still might be a little small.) and wanting to share in giving gifts to family and friends, but mostly trying their hardest to be good in hopes that they wouldn't be giftless Christmas morning. I don't know what I'm going to do without the threat of Santa not coming. Here are some of my favorite Holiday moments.
1. Advent Calenders-Just the little store bought ones my kids always want and I never buy. They all got one this year after about a week they realized that the chocolate in those cheap calenders was yucky. They then would just ask me how many more day until Christmas. I guess I'll never have to buy those again.
2. Christmas shopping with the kids. They had so much fun picking out gifts for the names drawn in our own family and for cousins. This time because they have earned a little money I made them each contribute a dollar to each gift. Wow. It amazed me at how much more they felt excited to give those gifts.
3. Decorating with my kids. I did most of the decorating on my own, but they loved to help when they felt like it. I laughed when charlie had put a few dinosaurs on our Christmas tree and Bella kept putting little nick-nacks everywhere. I never knew how a little girl could be so much more into the decorating. It's been fun and a little cluttered. I have to say they were also really good little gingerbread house decorators too.
4. Watching the kids participate in acting out the nativity for both mine and Rich's families. They looked so cute dressed up for their parts and Bella did such an angelic job reciting her angel part to the sheperds. I hope that they remember with all the hustle and bustle the true meaning of Christmas.
5. Of course we had fun opening presents and seeing the kids feeled with excitement. But we also has fun visiting Santa, visiting Temple square and seeing the lights, going to a few Christmas events put on by the city, driving around looking at Christmas lights, making hot chocolate, making eggnog, making chocolate covered pretzles, making gingerbread men. I guess I'm beginning to see why our pants are a bit snug, but that's why we have New Year's resolutions right?
We are so greatful for a wonderful Christmas with family and friends, but especially with our four sweet kids who really are such a JOY!

A Fab' Fall!

I can't believe how quickly time is flying by. We have been in our home for three months now and it's really starting to feel like home. We have been busy still getting home organized, but mostly with school, soccer, scouts, piano, family vacations, and just playing a lot. Maybe that why we're still getting organized

My kids loved dressing up for Halloween and all the festivities and candy. I loved dressing them up too and helping them look the part.
In early November we took a trip to California with most of my family. It was wonderful-perfect weather, great days at Disneyland, San Diego, and Laguna beach. We have been going each year for the past four years. We may have to start going a little less frequently, but we sure do love it.



We loved seeing a lot of our family on Thanksgiving. We are so thankful for them and the many ways in which we are blessed. So with that Christmas here we come!

Star Struck- With My Little Ones!

I have always thought my children were darling, but that's because they are mine. However, I have had quite a few people tell me James looks like a young Taylor Lautner and Charlie like a little Matt Damon. Wow, what babes and sooo tough! I still think my boys are even better looking, but again that's because they're mine. Well, we now have little Thomas in the boy mix. Who is he going to look like? My sister once thought Harrison Ford- I think in his more youthful Han Solo days. We got pictures of Tommy last week. Who do you think he looks like?

Rich and I laughed when we saw this picture. We both thought he looked like a little Chris Farley. Maybe it's the double chin the hand kind of on his hip I don't know, but we were reminded of "Tommy Boy" (a nickname we use). I guess none of the other pictures look as much like the funny comedian, but if he makes us laugh as much as Chris Farley did we should have some fun days ahead.




I'm so thankful for this precious, sweet and maybe funny little guy and for the big boys and Bella. (As a side note we think Bella looks like Repunzle aside from the 70 foot long hair, which she is determined to grow out) I'm thankful to be blessed with these great children who fill our days with a little more craziness and a lot more love. Thanks Patience for your awesome and affordable photography skills.

There's no Place like Home

We have had a lot of change in the last couple of months. With all the change and craziness updating my blog came in complete last place. So I guess you could say we are finally settling in and life is settling down.
Our biggest change was finally finding a place to call home. After making offers on two different homes and losing them because we couldn't sell ours we finally sold our home in April without a place to go. I guess we had a place to go. We hunkered in with my Mom and Dad. Which could be a whole other blog post. I'll just say it was wonderful and blog about it later. We stayed with them for four months and house shopped to no avail. Except for one short/long sale that didn't seem to budge. It was okay though because neither Rich or I wanted it to budge. We just kept waiting and hoping that another house would come along that we would just love.
We decided to go through an older home in my parents ward, which was a great home, but not unlike the home we sold. We were hoping for something bigger. When we left that house showing, Rich said he liked the house across the street. It wasn't for sale. Three days later I picked up James from a friend and drove home down that street and that house had a for sale sign up. Well, the rest is history. I guess that's what they say. We got the house on August 22nd. Everything just worked out without a glich. Which was not the case with any other house. We feel very looked out for and so grateful to be in a home that we are thrilled about.
I guess the rest of the change comes with the territory and mostly for the kids. New school, new ward, new stake, new friends and really just new territory. They have handled it all wonderfully. It surprises me that moving probably less than a mile away can cause such newness for us all. I'm glad that the kids still can call old friends and really it is not so hard to get them together.
We're grateful to have a place to call home and such a beautiful and safe neighborhood to raise our children. and yes we are even in my parents ward, which might really come in handy.

It's Great to be Eight!

We are so proud of James and his decision to be baptized. I have had so many friends tell me what a special day it was to have their son or daughter baptized. Not that I didn't believe them, but it really was a special day. I guess better than expected.

Rich and I decided to start the day by going to the temple, so early, the 0600 session. It was a nice way to start the day and for me it's been a while with little Tommy. Then we got ready for the baptism. We decided to have an open house at In-and-Out Burger, which we thought may be crazy, but they have an outside pavilion, so it actually was fun-we could actually visit. What I loved about it was we did not have to worry about food and cleaning in the morning we just prepared for the baptism and helped James.

Our stake does baptisms by ward so it ended up just being James. Our family got to put on the entire program. It was fun to have our families give talks, do musical numbers, and everything else. We had all of our families there excluding cute Jon and Rachelle in New York. We missed them. We are so thankful for our wonderful supportive families.

We are so thankful for James. He has been a joy in our family and a great example to his younger brothers and sister. Now if this growing up thing could just slow down a bit.