Pictures

I finally figured out how to load pictures from my camera to my computer. I am not a pro at taking pictures at all, but I hope you enjoy.

This was on purpose with the kiddos, Andrew just so happened to walk in at the right time- I think it's funny.

My birthday cake - yes, I made and decorated it. Inside was chocolate with a fresh strawberry mousse filling. Oh... so yummy!

We ran over Sarah's bike with the van and replaced it with a new one. (Cheaper than buying just a back wheel, or so we thought.)

One day, I got the kids dressed, Sarah ready for school -- everything. I had been away with Science Olympiad all week long and spent the weekend up in Syracuse, UT. Sarah started crying on the way to school, said she missed me, Michael joined which caused James to pipe in....

She didn't go to school that day. I drove to the Zoo instead.

The newer Rocky Shores exhibit is awesome! Sea lions, otters, eagles, polar bear.

James reaction to Easter- he discovered that the eggs had candy inside very quickly.

Mikey & Sarah collecting Easter Eggs!

James had claimed the tricycle. Even though it's way too big....

Sarah's replacement bike. She no longer needs training wheels and has been going on longer bike rides with Daddy with Mikey & James in the kids trailer.

Remember that we replaced Sarah's bike beacuse the van ran over it? Well, when I opened the new bike (same company) and put it together, I found a service number to call. I called and asked if it was possible to purchase a replacement back wheel (which is what we ran over...) The guy on the phone responded-- "Your bike is less than 1 year old, we are sending your replacment for free."  Therefore, Mikey has a bike...

Sarah's Birthday. I was too tired to make a cake- she chose this one from Costco. *sigh*

We stopped the destruction of the flowers.

She chose Heap's Brick Oven for dinner. Actually- several months earlier we were at Brick Oven and she found a "Fill out this Birthday card" Being an excellent reader and writer (I LOVE her Kindergarten teacher Ms. Park)- she filled it out with a crayon (name, address, phone number, birthdate) and gave it to the server. Just before her birthday, they mailed it to us- she received a free pizza dinner with soda, a lollipop and ice cream.

Andrew was on a business trip in Ohio, auditing aerospace/airplane Manufacturing parts/businesses. I asked him to take pictures, but apparently the camera's battery died, oops! Here's one picture.

Coming Baby?

I am measuring at 41 weeks (though I should only be 36) 3 cm dialated. According to ultrasound measurements, the baby is somewhere close to 7 pounds... if I go full term I'll have an 11 pound baby... teaser contractions have been going all week long, my feet are swollen, I can barely walk.... Can this be over please? (provided the tiny P is ready....) Please, Please, Please....

Darling Little Ones

In 2011, my daughter Sarah-Ruby came to me one evening and said, "Mommy, get ready you are going to have a little brother that looks like Daddy and a sister that looks like me." I've shared this before-but I left out the last part, because of uncertainty.

I called our birth mom's family (from whom we adopted Sarah and Michael) and they didn't know where Birth Mom (BM) was. Two weeks later I found out I was pregnant. 4 months later the birth family called back, BM was in prison and pregnant.

BM invited us to visit her in prison and we did with the kids. I didn't share with her that I was expecting because it didn't seem right.

Sarah-Ruby remained adamant that she was getting a sister. BM was expecting a girl. I was expecting James.

We discovered that BM choose another family to adopt the little girl and in March 2012--Caitlin was placed into a loving couples arms whom we are not allowed to contact. We don't even truly know her birthday. Also, I have never seen a picture of Caitlin, but I know without a doubt that she looks like my daughter. And Sarah-Ruby still insists that her sister should be in our home.

I have heard people say, "If the Lord wishes it, then it will happen." But I disagree with this statement. The Lord allows people their agency and allows them to choose what they will do with their lives. He told Sarah-Ruby about her sister and told Andrew and I to get ready which we did. But the Lord did not interfere with BM's agency when she choose another couple.

I hope that someday, we will be able to meet this couple, so that my little Sarie will have a chance to meet her sister.

I am expecting and due in June-another boy! We received a text tonight that BM is pregnant too, due the same week (or maybe the week before) that I am.

Merry Christmas, Review of 2012

Merry Christmas to you!

Changes this year:

James joined the family  on February 27th a full month early. He is a big boy (99% percentile for height) and has mastered sitting up, crawling and holding his own bottle. He loves to sit at the table and laughs at his siblings.

Michael is in Preschool and speech therapy class. He loves trains and My Little Pony. His teacher told me to get him different whistles/horns to help his speech which he loves to play.

Sarah is lovely Kindergarten and can read most simple books. She loves to write letters and especially grocery lists for when she goes shopping with me. She is a girly-girly and loves to do her hair, paint her nails and wear dresses.

Andrew is enjoying work at Wencor, where he was recently promoted to a full engineer. He was working in the inspection department previously. He also has been wonderful at helping me around the house.

Amy. I am getting used to being at home. It's been a rough transition from working but I'm taking things one day at a time. I still volunteer to OHMS on Thursdays for Science Olympiad and have started tutoring some local teenagers with Science Fair. In other news---shocker-- I'm pregnant again. Due June 19th 2013 o.O Yikes!

Kitchen Pictures to Drool Over

Kitchen Before:

On Oct 21st, our dishwasher line broke. We didn't discover this until 3am in the morning when Andrew woke up and thought he heard water running. They had to remove my entire kitchen and replaced it with this:

Kitchen After:

And you can see the newest MOBILE member of my house in the picture above-Little James started crawling.

At first I was apprehensive-Andrew removed the soffit and upper cabinets.

But I have to admit, I totally LOVE my kitchen now!!

Hogle Zoo

Hogle Zoo has greatly changed since I was younger. The newest edition is called Rocky Shores and hosts a variety of eagles, otters, seals, sea lions, polar bears and other bears.

We bought a year pass which also allows 2 visitors in free. So if you're in the area and want to go to the Zoo, call me, I'll get 2 people in free! :)

Polar Bear Awesomeness.

My favorite animal - Snow Leopard.

Life, Universe and Everything

Here's a little bit of what we have been doing.

The kiddos and I made finger puppets out of pipe cleaners and pom-poms. I hot glued a small piece of fabric over a glue stick then wrapped the pipecleaners around and decorated them. The kids love them!

Here's the animals the kiddos requested: Antelope, Mountain Goat, Parrot, Doggie, Giraffe, Tiger, Bunny, Crazy Caterpillar.

I added the aliens. Evil Mr. Pineapple, Green Dude, Ms. Squiggles, Flower Head and Cherry Crab.

James first experience with rice cereal. He is so big (97% percentile) the doctor is having him start now. He was so excited he started trying to eat through his bib.

James is also teething.

I've been making/canning homemade applesauce - delicious!

He rolled over for the first time on July 28th!

Pardon my foot!

Antelope Island- I drove there with my kiddos and two of my best friends Kaitlin and Tiffany. I have known Kait and Tiff since I was in elementary school.

Kaitlin was awesome and requested to carry James.

Sarah wouldn't look at my camera she was too busy running to the salt water.

Looks like she's flying.

Mikey is right behind her-they got sandy and wet but had a blast.

Chub, Chub - I've never had a baby this tiny! Sarah was 2 when we adopted her and Mikey was 1. So, having a baby in the house is a new experience for us.

If the sound doesn't work-sorry. He was giggling.