Our soon to be new house!

So - here it is!  Any volunteers to come help us make this liveable?  :-)

Ever Feel Busy?

But feel like nothing has really happened?  Yeah, that's been about the last month.  We've had plenty happen, maybe I'm just too tired by the end of the day to post pictures about it.  But, here we are again - mostly for family so they can see our family's goings-on.

First, we had a wounded goat.  We're not sure how it happened, but it did and good thing Dr. Tyler and his trusty assistant Collin were there to patch up a cut on her leg.

Then, we started school.  Eliza is getting quite efficient at coloring and will be all set for Nursery on Sunday (she's 18 months already?!).  Now, hopefully we can get her to keep it on the paper.

My dad was able to fly in for a quick weekend visit while he was on some business and the kids loved making up their own verses to silly songs.

Then the lady we were borrowing goats from wanted them back.  We've had them since May and learned a lot.  Everyone had gotten pretty attached to those gals, so we were sad to see them go.

But then, good news.  The next day the lady called us back and offered Lola to us to keep (the white one that looks like a camel without a hump).  She is our main milker (gives us up to a gallon a day), so we were quite thrilled!

Just a few weeks ago we got to play in the snow.  Yes.  The snow.  In Georgia.  

In our house, actually.  For school we were learning about polar bears and I remembered that I had saved some snow from December when we had that strange stuff falling down here.  I figured that it was the perfect day to pull that out.  The kids LOVED it.  They gathered all their arctic and polar animals and played in the snow with them until it all melted.  Which actually took a lot longer than I expected.  About 3 and a half hours, actually.  Their hands were quite cold when they were done, but they were happy.  And so was I.

These next pictures are the kids with their breakfast.  I have to brag on them a little.  Every morning they come in at exactly 6:50 and catch me reading my book.  So they bring in their own, we read until about 7:30, then get up, dressed, make beds and then they make breakfast while I get my makeup and hair done.  Usually they are very nice and tidy about breakfast, but on this particular morning I don't know what happened.  I couldn't quite capture the chaos that was the table, but here they are with their bowls.

Everyone's bowls were full to the brim and there was cereal all over the table.  It was great.  I love these kids.

And, last but not least I'm sure my family would like to see my growing belly, so here it is.  This was at 23 weeks (last week).

Big as it may be, I think this is the smallest pregnancy I've had.  I started showing QUICKLY.  Like, no one was surprised when we announced I was pregnant.  No joke, most people said, "Yeah, I figured."  But then 2 weeks ago at church someone asked how far along I was and she said, "Oh!  You're so small!"  That's when I realized that I have never EVER heard those words during any of my pregnancies.  Everything is still going well and I'm feeling great.  I'm getting growing and stretching pains now that baby is growing faster and it's getting uncomfortable to bend over to get things, but otherwise I can't complain.

So, to wrap it all up, here's Eliza to say:

Well, nothing I guess.  She's too pooped.

Utah. The Rest of It.

Ok, I think I'm ready to finish my story.

We were able to fly out thanks to my grandma.  She wanted to put together a family reunion and wanted EVERYONE there.  Since Tyler just graduated and we had $100 to our name (but no debt!), there was no way we could afford to come out otherwise.  So, thanks Grandma!

We mostly stayed with my dad, but spent the first weekend with my mom.  We took the kids to Kangaroo Zoo:

Then went to a breakfast/parade the next morning.

My mom bought all the girls matching dresses.

This was during the parade.  I love that my kids love each other so much.  :)

Then we headed back to my dad's house.  My awesome sister stayed the night pretty much wherever I was so we could have lots of late night chats.  Thanks, Micah for letting me steal her!

The kids wanted to build bird nests.  And then put birds in them.  These 3 are complete with a chicken, a robin and a sparrow.  They stayed for a day, then apparently flew off to find food or something.

We went to the local aquarium and had lots of fun looking into giant crystal balls.

 I think this was actually jelly fish.

Then Papa got to share his love of music with the kids.  Cade especially loved it.  He would be the first one up every morning and the two of them would sing, "I Wish I Was A Fuzzy, Wuzzy Bear..." and make up their own lyrics as well.  It's a song my grandpa used to sing with us and I'm glad my kids get to experience it as well.

We were going to miss my niece's birthday, so we did a little pre-party party at Jungle Jim's.  It's a great place my sister and I always went to when we were little.  It hasn't changed a bit.  They have little rides for the kids like a carousel, bumper cars and roller coaster.  The roller coaster is my favorite.  :)

Here are the yungin's enjoying their cupcakes. 

And then, of course was the big reunion.  I haven't seen some of my cousins for at least 10 years, so it was great to get together again.  

My grandma is very patriotic.  Very.  Her entire house is red, white and blue.  Inside and out.  So Eliza's cute outfit for pictures was this little beauty:

 And she's all wet from running on a homemade slip-n-slide. 

We had cupcakes in celebration of everyone's birthdays that we all miss every year.

Who knew the icing would stain your teeth?

 My cousin, Rachel showing off her beautiful smile.

And Grandma, who made all of it possible.  She had a blue cupcake.

And here's the whole group together!

Thank you everyone for a fantastic time!  Especially Grandma for getting us out there!

Utah Trip (part 1)

We were able to go to Utah last month and I'm just now getting around to writing about it.  Who knew life was so busy with 3.5 kids?  Whew!  We did a lot, and I'm not going to bore you with a million details.  I'm mainly breaking up the posting of our vacation because it's late and I'm too tired to post all the pictures.

So, for now here's our first day there.  The kids and I flew out a week before Tyler.  We were SO SO SO lucky enough to meet up with some of the best friends I've ever have.  They were in Utah to photograph a wedding and their last day there was my first day there.  OK, so I begged them to stay until I got there so I could see them.  And they are so crazy awesome that they obliged.  Thank you so much - I love you!

We just met up for dinner at the local Chuck-A-Rama.

 Sherrie and I have both had another baby girl since the last time we saw each other, so this was their first meeting.

 All our kids together.

Ethan and Ali.  He was totally willing to hold her hand as we tried to get them to reenact this shot,

but Ali was a little shy.  Look how tiny they were!  They don't remember how much they liked each other.  Oh, well.

Anyway, it was a fabulous meeting and I can't wait to do it again.  Only maybe next time, Eliza won't have a blow-out diaper all over her clothes and mine.  That part was not so fabulous.  Memorable, but not fabulous.  We stayed out in the parking lot talking until probably almost 9:00, not getting the kids in bed until after 10:00.  Salt Lake time.  That's after midnight our time.  Thankfully, no one was super-super cranky and it was well worth the craziness.  

Now I've got to get to bed.  More to come on our trip.  Soon, hopefully.    

Graduation Congratulations

This is the Brown School of Radiology Class of 2011.  Only 7 students accepted into this program this year, and all of them graduated.  Most importantly, Tyler graduated.  (He's the 2nd from the left)

Two years ago I read this scripture when he was accepted into the program because I thought it applied to us at the time:

"And it came to pass that they journeyed many days in the wilderness, and they fasted much and ^aprayed much that the Lord would grant unto them a portion of his Spirit to go with them, and abide with them...  And it came to pass that the Lord did ^avisit them with his ^bSpirit, and said unto them: Be ^ccomforted. And they were comforted."  -Alma 17:9-10

But now reading it over again, I realize how much more it applies to us.  The past two years have certainly felt like passing through the wilderness.  I spent most of the first year pregnant with two small children at home to take care of while Tyler was gone on average 14 hours a day.  Most weeks the kids would only see him 3 days of that week because he was gone before they got up and home after they went to bed.   I went by myself to a lot of things.  

Then the second year he was able to start working at the hospital doing x-rays, but working later hours.  Again, he was gone an average of 14-16 hours a day.  Add that up.  He was literally only home to sleep.  Now I'm dealing with two young children and a newborn.  Mostly by myself.

Yet, somehow, the burden was not too heavy.  Tyler was able to do well through school and keep his grades up.  I was able to quickly adapt to 3 kids (much faster than I did to 2).  Many, many nights I felt the Lord did visit me with his Spirit and said to me, "Be comforted."  And I was.  

We made a lot of lifestyle changes that we would not have otherwise made that have brought us so much joy and a deeper understanding of this life.  I am thankful for the lessons I have learned, for the strong woman I've discovered myself to be and the opportunities that have presented themselves for us.  I am thankful for the unending  help I have received - both the seen and the unseen.

Thank you all for your support, your prayers, your fasting, your faith, your inviting us to dinner (Johnsons especially- so the kids and I didn't have to eat alone every night.  Gosh, I miss you all), your love and encouragement, your financial help (so we were able to make it through debt free), your phone calls, your babysitting, and for letting me use your shower (and curling my hair), Cari, because our power went out the day of graduation.  We owe you all so much and hope that somehow we can repay you all for all your kindness.

Now, for some pictures.  I sadly discovered when I pulled out my camera to start clicking away that I had no memory card.  I took it out after my last photo session and forgot to replace it, so all I have are these pics from my mother-in-law's blackberry.  If any of you who were there have some others, I'd love to have them, please.  :)

 Tyler and his dad

 Tyler, Kirk and some of the kids

 Eliza grabbed for his boutonniere right as she took the picture. 

 Can you tell Cade's excited?

My Latest Photo Shoot

I went in and had some pictures taken today.

Baby #4 expected to make its big debut January 2, 2012.  

We can't wait.  :)

Father's Day

We had a really fun Father's Day yesterday.  I don't have a ton of time to share all the details, but I did want to post some pictures of the presents we gave.

I had each of the kids who could draw something recognizable draw a picture of themselves with Tyler, then had my in-laws put it on a shirt.  The results?  Fabulous.

 This is Ali's.  Her big brother taught her how to draw real people.  Not like a 3-year-old draws them with the legs and arms coming straight out of their heads, but giving them bodies.  Apparently the two of them are flying together.  And they have bug bites on their faces, she told me.

Here is Cade's.  Can you tell what's going on here?  They are milking a goat together.  And I was going to make Cade correct "Dabs," but dang, I like it that way.