What We've Been Up To

Hello!  Anyone out there?  I figure it's high time I update my blog and update everyone on what's been going on around here in the last year.  Things have been crazy, and challenging, but there's been a whole lot of good mixed in there too and I'm finally ready to share it.  I've probably forgotten a few things along the way, but these are the major milestones.

2010

April

• drove to Utah for Gabe's sister Sarah's graduation from BYU
• I was called to be second counselor in the relief society presidency after our ward split

May

• Gabe was called to be the stake executive secretary, so I started taking the boys to church by myself while he goes to presidency meeting in the morning
• travelled to Cincinnati to visit Gabe's parents

June

• found out we were expecting baby #3
• Carter turned 1

July

• had my first OB appointment and saw the baby's heartbeat on the little ultrasound machine there in the office
• drove to Utah for a family reunion with my dad's entire side of the family, told everyone we were expecting
• Gabe and I went to Hawaii for 5 days while my parent's watched our boys
• Preston turned 3
• my brother Royce returned from his mission in Argentina and we were able to meet him at the airport and attend his homecoming

August 

• I started having stomach pain and pain in my kidneys (after kidney stones I know how that feels)
• the day we were supposed to leave to drive home all night I started having bleeding, we decided to stay another day to go to a doctor in Utah instead of waiting until we got home
• we found out I did have a UTI and our baby didn't have a heartbeat, it stopped growing around 9 weeks even though I had already passed my 13 week mark
• we decided to have a d&c that day and stay in Utah an extra week because I had a hard recovery thanks to the UTI.  It was nice to have the support of family while we were there.
• my brother Royce drove home with us to visit our home for the first time and help out while I continued to heal

September

• Preston started preschool (an amazing co-op with other mom's, there are nine kids and nine months, we each teach a month and pay close to nothing)
• I attended a photography workshop called "After Dark Education" for 3 days in Portland while Gabe stayed home with the boys
• Finally had Preston's 3rd birthday party

October

• I taught preschool with a nocturnal animals theme
• we visited a few pumpkin farms
• Preston was a firefighter for halloween and Carter was a dalmation dog

November

• We stayed home for our first Thanksgiving together with just our family and some good friends
• I cooked my first Turkey (in a crockpot)
• we bought new couches for our family room

December

• I started painting our entire house and was able to finish most of the family room and kitchen, I was still having a hard time emotionally and needed to keep myself busy
• I kept having unexplained belly pain but the doctor's couldn't figure out what was wrong
• I planned our ward relief society activity, including writing a program about service in the season
• I started having pain all over due to high stress.  Symptoms of fibromyalgia.
• the boys and I travelled to Utah for Christmas break a week earlier than Gabe
• I started feeling sick to my stomach four days before Christmas and woke up with severe stomach pain in the middle of the night so my mom took me to the ER while my brothers stayed home with the boys
• I was diagnosed with appendicitis and prepped for surgery, I called Gabe to let him know what was going on
• I had the same anesthesiologist as I had during my d&c in August, he wondered why I was in Utah again 
• Gabe flew into Utah that same day, luckily that was the day he was already planning on coming
• Although I was in pain (I would rather have 10 babies than have my appendix removed again) we were still able to have a wonderful holiday with family, and once again we were blessed to have all of the help and support during my sickness

2011

January

• We enjoyed new years' eve at my parent's house with aunts, uncles, cousins, and Gabe's sister Arien.  My aunt brought her two adorable wiener dog puppies over which the boys loved.
• A few weeks after returning home I happened to pop one of the internal stitches right above my bellybutton.  After a few doctor's visits we found out I would not have to do anything to fix it, but had to be very careful.  If I lifted anything or moved around too much it could turn into a hernia and then I would have to have surgery again.  Since I didn't want that to happen I was very careful for the recommended 3 months.  

February

• I started doing more painting and decorating projects around the house
• we started getting organic produce delivered from a local farm
• valentine's day was especially hard for me because it was my due date

March

• I started feeling much better physically and emotionally!  I started on more projects around the house including starting on painting the kitchen cabinets
• We found out that we are expecting again!

April

• we started putting an engineered hardwood floor into our living room (eventually it will be on the entire first floor)
• we continued with more house projects including organizing all of the kitchen cabinets and the pantry
• I made chore charts for us to start using with the boys
• I was called to be secretary and personal progress advisor for the young women in my ward

May

• Preston had his last day of his first year of preschool
• we flew to Cincinnati to visit with Gabe's parents
• in Cincinnati we were able to have an amazing vacation visiting a local miniature train place, the science and children's museum's, and King's Island to name a few, who knew Preston would love rollercoasters so much.  We are also able to enjoy the heat and swimming in their pool.

June

• we returned home from Cincinnati
• Carter had his 2nd Birthday.  Crazy huh?
• we updated our deck with a play structure for the boys (their main combined birthday present) and a new table and outdoor pillows
• we planted our garden
• I am continuing to be tired, and napping almost every day.

July

• Gabe, Preston and I celebrated birthdays.  Preston was lucky enough to have his while my parent's were visiting
• I found out on my birthday that we are having another BOY!  We're so grateful to have a healthy baby.  I do admit I had a hard time, but mostly because I could hear the disappointment in everyone else's voices when they found out.  I don't want anyone to feel sorry for me.  This baby is and will always be a blessing to our family. ;)
• I got a blendtec for my birthday and have enjoyed making yummy green smoothies, soups, and even ice cream in it.  I have even been able to get Carter to learn to love some healthy foods and eat spinach ice cream!
• my parent's stayed for almost a week and were able to enjoy some of the northwest rain.  We did get to see a lot of the sights too
• my mom and I made strawberry and raspberry jam

August

• Gabe's mom arrived here the same day my parent's left.  She visited with us while his dad was on a business trip.  He came at the end of the week and spent a few days with us as well.
• The sun finally decided to come out and pretend like it was summer.
• our garden finally started producing some produce
• Preston was finally able to have his birthday party (earlier than last year), he really wanted a pool party and we had to wait for the weather to warm up, the kids mostly played on the slip n' slide in the backyard
• by the time I'm no longer too tired to stay awake all day I started having pre-term contractions again (21 weeks), around the time people starting finding out I was pregnant.  I didn't really tell anyone unless they asked. ;)
• I have learned that as long as I rest, get enough sleep and eat well I can keep my contractions under control
• the boys and I were able to have a few beach days despite the bad weather this year

September

• The last couple of weeks I've been feeling much better with my contractions under control.
• I've been focusing on eating and feeding my family healthy, natural foods.  We all feel so much better when we do!  I'm not completely strict about it, we do eat treats every now and then. ;)
• our garden has actually produced a lot this year, we've been able to not only eat but also freeze a lot.  We have at least 6 huge zucchini's I still need to shred and freeze to make zucchini bread with.  I've also frozen a lot of greens and berries for making smoothies with during the winter
• we took a family trip to Lake Chelan for a few days this past week, it was a wonderful healing trip for our family, we only wish we had stayed longer!  
• Gabe is making progress on the floor, it's almost finished

Overall, despite the ups and downs, I'm so grateful for this past year.  I feel like I've been able to grow closer to the Lord, Gabe and I have grown closer, and we've grown closer together as a family.  I've learned to be grateful for all of the little things, including not being in pain, and being able to get up to cook myself something, or even pick up my boys.  I have come to realize just how important my time is with them and always make them my number one priority.  I've taken a lot of stress out of my life by always remembering that they are the most important thing to me and dishes can wait a little bit longer.  I've appreciated the teaching moments we've had, and the opportunities I've had to teach them to help out around the house and be independent.  I'm so glad they love each other and are beginning to play together so well.  I love hearing their little conversations  I love that they both snuggle with me and want hugs constantly.  I'm grateful for a supportive husband who takes care of me and is always helpful around the house and plays with our boys.  I'm grateful I've been able to organize our life so that our home can always be a place of solace for our children, and hope they know it is always a place of love.  We're so excited to be able to welcome our next little one into the world surrounded by family.  I can honestly say that I am so happy with my life and wouldn't trade anything for it.  I know this is where I'm supposed to be.  I'm so lucky to be living where we are we wonderful friends and supportive family. 

Maybe someday I'll post more pictures of each of those events (the happy ones), but for now here are some random cell phone picks from the last year and a half... just a warning, there are a lot, and they are most likely out of order.

My mom and Royce took the boys to the farm at Thanksgiving point while we were in Utah in April

The boys held hands in their stroller.  I love Carter's wrist roll, he doesn't have that anymore.

Carter used to think he was a dog.  He thoroughly enjoyed dog toys.

Preston pushing Carter in the stroller after Sarah's graduation

I have no idea what Carter is reaching for here.  Our trip is April was the last time the boys saw Uncle Kyle before he left on his mission to Nicaragua

We passed East High in Salt Lake on our way to the zoo and I had to take a picture.  You know where High School Musical was filmed.  Yea, I'm a dork.

The boys enjoying his lime at cafe rio

The dogs loved my snuggie, and stayed on my lap to comfort me when I was sick

I love how Bentley has his paws crossed.

The view behind my parent's house.  Too bad they just built a house in that lot.

Preston got his own dough to play with at the bakery with Grandma.  He built some kind of train track and baked it

The flowers Gabe bought me for our anniversary.  Compliments of my talented Aunt Tami.  Everything she does is beautiful.

Bentley misses Kyle too.  And yes, that outfit is a joke, I think...

Preston enjoyed my mom's primary class even though he technically was still in nursery.  The other teacher let them do fun things like sleep on the floor during the lesson.

Preston fell asleep on Bryant's bed

The sunset in Idaho on the way home from Utah

Aunt Sarah drove back with us and stayed for a while.  The boys enjoyed it.

I think we were shopping...

flying to Cincinnati

These are the colors our walls used to be.

Carter figured out how to put olives on his thumb all by himself.

A funny sign in Hawaii

horseback riding at Turtle Bay

Carter and his cousin Ashton having fun while we were away

I have no idea what he is doing, and this is not our house.  I think we're at playgroup...

crazy curls after naptime

Partly finished painted cabinets and the tile we're eventually putting in as a backsplash.  The countertop will be grey too.

Our new couch.  Eventually all the cabinets will be white when I finally get around to painting them all

More of the family room.  The floor is now all hardwood.

My dollar store flowers in a pottery barn vase.  They're actually white and cream, they're just sitting right under the light.

Dollar store vases and bowl.  I made the puffs out of napkins I had laying around.

The organized pantry

The living room new paint.  The paint color on the left of the picture is still the old color.  It is now painted and the floor is 1/4 hardwood.  Only 2/4 to go.

Preston started having rest time in our room while Carter naps, and sometimes while I nap too.  He's obsessed with puzzles.

He did this "Where's Waldo" puzzle all by himself.

We had a fun playdate with good friends.  They have three boys too, all close in age to ours.

Notice the fireplace is no longer red?  The rug is new too.  

The boys both love legos.

The only finished white cabinets, and our yummy farm produce.

Gabe putting in the very first pieces of the floor in our living room.

More legos.

We found Preston in Carter's bed one night.  Yes, Carter has a bruise on his chin.  That kid is a daredevil.

Enjoying the first summer sun on our deck.

Decorations for Carter's birthday.  The boys had fun just as I had hoped.

It was Mickey Mouse Clubhouse themed.  The cupcakes are little donald ducks, his favorite character.

We've enjoyed the Children's museum thanks to all the rain this year.

Whenever it isn't raining the boys are enjoying the deck.

Bowling pins I made for the birthday party.

Fruit pizza and artichoke heart salad I made for the 4th of July

Carter stealing chips at the 4th of July barbeque

The first batch of strawberries from our garden this year.  We got a lot more than this!

We went hiking and the boys enjoyed throwing rocks in the water

When I got him in trouble for coloring on his face he just said "but mommy it looks like a mustache!"  More unfinished floor is in the background.

The first time they've had corn on the cob this year.

Picking blueberries with Grandma Becky and Grandpa Carlton

Enjoying a baseball game.

The carousel at the zoo

Dinosaurs at the zoo.  Carter was a little scared that they were hissing and spitting water at him.

We went hiking with Grandma Debbie and Grandpa Larry, Gabe built a fire at the top to roast hotdogs and marshmallows

The boys play so well together I can leave them in their room with toys in the morning while I get stuff done, or keep sleeping. ;)

Preston playing at rest time

We went to a splash park once this summer

The lilies in our backyard.  They lasted about a week.

I'm so glad when they participate in storytime

The boys always like to take pictures of me with their toy camera

We got to meet the animals before the circus

Our Lake Chelan vacation