Today was pretty crazy. Chloe woke up sick so she is already missing a day of school during the first week. After taking Tallie to school I had a doctors appointment at 9:30 in Pleasant grove in which I was told that I am anemic which is why I have no energy and feel pooped after doing the smallest things. Then we came home and had time for lunch and time for me to make one more baby bib for my friend Becky who had her baby last night. I made her the cutest burp cloths and bibs ever if I do say so myself. Maybe one of these days I will make my own child some stuff. Then it was time for Chloe's arm appointment to see if it was time to take her cast off. It's almost healed completely but they sent us home with an arm brace just to give it extra protection incase she falls at school at recess or something. But she can take it off to write and bathe and sleep. However I doubt she will be taking it off. She likes the security of the brace and is so nervous with it off. I had a flashback to when I first had my leg cast taken off. When they took my cast off my leg looked funny, like it was not my own and it was weird to see it since I hadn't seen or used it for so long. It kinda made me sick and I totally passed out right there and had a little seizure. Well Chloe started getting woozy and said she all of a sudden got a bad headache. She went pale as a ghost and her eyes started rolling back in her head. She started to kick her legs and spaz out a little bit and she broke out into a huge sweat. Classic signs of passing out. I told TJ she was about to loose it but we quickly gave her a boost of sugar with candy and cold water and she came to. She looked awful. And I totally knew just how she felt. How the look of her arm made her sick and played games with her head. Such a yucky feeling. Good thing I am no stranger to passing out or seizures. I have had them my whole life and watched Tessa and TJ go through them. I guess we are just passing  our "passing out genes" on to our kids...poor guys.

After a haircut and packing we are now waiting for TJ to get home so we can leave for St. George for Labor day weekend.

Chloe goes to Kindergarten!

So I'm pretty sure that Chloe has been mad for the last 2 years just knowing that this day would come. She could not understand why everyone she knew would ask her if she was excited to go to kindergarten. She wasn't and she wondered what was wrong with all of the kids who were. She wanted to stay home with mom and never grow up. She had such anxiety about this day and I knew it would be a tough morning. 

She woke up in tears and refused to eat or get dressed.

She wanted to stay wrapped in her blankie hoping it would keep her safe. 

Tallie did her best to calm Chloe's fears about school and I think it helped a little. After many tears and hugs and with a smoothie in hand we started our walk to school.

It didn't help that she is in the spanish dual-immersion class and that her teacher would be starting the first half of class only in spanish. I knew that once she got into class and settled that she would be okay and calm down and enjoy the day. And I was right, I met her with smiles after school and she said it was fun. She said tomorrow she won't be scared because it won't be the first day anymore. I'm hoping she still feels that way in the morning.  I am very proud of her for being so brave. 

When we hugged tonight I told her to stop growing and she told me she had to grow up because that is what Jesus wants.

 In between tears she finally gave me a smile.

The night before school started we had a family home evening in which we talked about one of the most important things our Heavenly Father gave us which is our minds. We talked about how important  it is to nourish and learn in this world so we can take our knowledge with us into the next life. We talked about how important school is and why we go. TJ then told the girls he wanted to give them all a father's blessing. Lexi was super excited and just had to be first. She was the example and let the older girls know that a blessing is a good thing. Chloe finally said yes and for whatever reason Tallie decided she did not want a blessing. She broke out in tears. I'm not quite sure why she is so nervous about it but I hope that TJ and I can help her to feel comfortable and help her understand so that sometime in the near future she will want one.

1st GRADE

Seems like just yesterday I was holding this little baby in my arms. I still try to do that but she is getting more and more resistant with the years and wants to be big and independent. Only when no one is looking do I get to hold her hand for a split second before she takes it back. I am so proud of my Tallie. She has grown up and has really come leaps and bounds. She used to be so SHY and I had to go with her to the backdoor neighbors door to ask her friend to play. She would cry and cry when left with babysitters and hold on for dear life. She now is still shy and quiet and reserved but she is venturing out and slowly leaving her comfort zone. She wants to try new things and is ok to be the new kid. 

This year she got into the Spanish dual-immersion class for 1st grade. Most kids start in kindergarten. She didn't get in last year so she entered this year never having been exposed to spanish in school. I had major doubts and anxiety and was so stressed about making this decision to put her in. I wasn't sure it was the right choice or if it would be too much stress for her. I worried she would come home crying for weeks and months hating school. On the first day I took her to her class which was Spanish for the first half of the day, meaning that for 4 hours her teacher would not speak english at all and Tallie's first experience in 1st grade would be complete confusion. I was SO NERVOUS and felt just sick about leaving her. She looked at me with worried eyes and I tried really hard not to let the tears fall until I was at least out of the building. I told her to just follow everyone and do what they do and to not worry because NO ONE understood what was going on. I hoped that she wouldn't cry once I left or get too frustrated. I walked out of school and just cried. Not only did I just leave my baby in a world of chaos, but she would be gone ALL day! I miss having her home.

TO my surprise she loved school and said Spanish was easy because her teacher used a lot of body language to help the kids know what she was saying. WHEW!! It helps she has her BF in her class, Maili Wilkins. I wish that I could be a fly on the wall and see really how her day goes. I know she is still so shy and it will take her awhile to get comfortable and open up to friends. She is such a good student and loves to listen and be rewarded for doing what she is supposed to. I hope this year she develops a desire to learn and want to read more. I love that I get to walk her to school and that she wants to see me waiting for her when school gets out. I love that she LOVES the love notes I leave in her lunch box and that it makes her smile. 

I am so in LOVE with my sweet Tallie!

Star Gazing

The other night we packed the back of the truck with blankets, pillows and the telescope.  We drove up to South Fork Park up Provo Canyon. While we waited for it to get dark we played in the river and played UNO on the grass. And since I am a great mom I only packed Lexi a jacket and the rest of us were freezing because apparently it's cold up the canyon at night in August. So Lame. 

We had to stay up pretty late for it to get dark enough to see the stars. Lexi was grumpy and so tired and kept asking to go home and the other two couldn't keep from bugging each other and crying. So only after a few looks at the stars we packed up and drove home. The kids were out in minutes.
Sometimes our great ideas don't pan out but at least we try to make cool memories right?

Chloe turns 5!!

Chloe turning older is never easy for me. The older she gets just means she gets closer and closer to not being able to fit in my lap so I can hold and rock her. I can't believe that she is the big 5 now and on her way to kindergarten. 

For her party this year she wanted to have lots of kids over (prob to get more presents I'm sure). She made her list of girls to invite and it was too many but we did it anyway. She wanted games and a piñata. The piñata was pretty much a cry fest because it was broke open on the 3rd girl with 9 kids who never got to swing the bat. So we had to tape and re-tape and stuff the candy back inside to give everyone a turn.

 She got a basket for her bike and the best gift of all were her Toy Story and Rapunzel toy figures.

 She wanted to decorate purses for the gift bags so here are the girls stenciling their names on their bags.

Probably the best part of the party was the make up relay race. The girls got to get eye shadow, blush, and lipstick put on with a silly hat (makeup applied by TJ and I) and after they got to take silly pictures.

Sometimes I wish that the neighborhood wasn't crawling with so many little girls so that we could choose just the friends we really play with and do something really cool. All that matters I guess is that Chloe had fun.
Earlier that day we went to 7 peaks to celebrate her birthday and the fact that just the day before she got her waterproof cast on! no swimming or water for 3 weeks during 100 degrees was just not fun so it was great to get to the pool again. As a family when TJ was around we went to Trafalga and played mini golf, rode the go carts, rode rides, played mini bowling, and bumper boats.
I sure love my Chlo-bug!! Some things she is into right now are: Legos, coloring, running super fast, playing with Tallie's friends and staying right by my side! She is so sweet to Lexi and always making sure she is safe and happy. She loves Tallie and loves to play house and school and is super excited for her baby brother to get out of my belly. She is a big help who knows how to throw a really good tantrum. I love you to pieces Chloe!!!

YARD SALES!

I have had such awesome luck at yard sales the past couple of weeks. One I found a huge brand new piece of canvas that would normally be at least 50$ for only 5$ and I was just telling TJ the night before how I needed to wait for canvas to go on sale so I could do a cool art project for the babies room. SCORE! I found a cute cream sleigh bed for Tallies new room, I found an almost new diaper bag that I love, a chalkboard and magnet board I am going to revamp for Tallies room. I found cute clothes for the kids, even shirts for me and a nativity set I have been looking for forever for only a 1$! I have saved a lot of money and I know that if I'm just patient I can always find what I am looking for. I even bought cute dishes I have been wanting and a bad midden set that I was so stoked to find for only 2$. I used to play all the time with my best friend growing up and now TJ and I play and Tallie loves to play and is getting better and its good quality time with her too. The neighbor kids are always knocking on my door asking if they can play.

For Family Home Evening instead of me always doing it (which is overwhelming) I have started to hand out assignments. TJ now takes turns with me with the lessons and it is so good to hear him teach the kids the gospel and I think it is so good for them to listen to their dad and not just me. The girls are having fun being involved doing the music and games and treats. The other night Tallie served us all hot chocolate for desert and Lexi chose hide and seek for the game.

Soccer for Tallie starts pretty soon and it was fun to buy her soccer cleats and shin guards and a tiny soccer ball. It would be great if she loved it and wanted to play all growing up. I guess we will see.

Library reading party

To try and get my kids more involved with reading, hoping they will come to love it and actually want to read I signed them up at the library for the summer reading program. They get prizes for the month of June and July if they read 5 days a week and if they do that then they get a ticket to the movie pajama party. Well we made it to the party but I'm not so sure they love to read anymore than when we started. I guess I'll keep trying.

Park City

Right after Chloe broke her arm TJ told me of the secret trip he had planned to Park City that upcoming weekend. It was supposed to be our anniversary getaway. Because of the circumstances he tried to cancel and reschedule but because of short notice we would still have to pay. So instead of leaving the kids he thought it would be best to bring them and not leave Chloe home after such a traumatic experience. We would have an checkup for Chloe's arm the Friday we were to leave and we were sure she would be getting her waterproof cast that day so we didn't worry and we thought it would be fun. However she was not able to get her cast that day which was a huge bummer because the hotel we were staying at had 6 mini pools and one big pool. I was stressed and didn't think we should go because I worried that it would be super hard on Chloe. We went anyway and we did our best to involve her in everything we could. I didn't swim like everyone else, I stayed on the stairs and sat out when Chloe did so she wouldn't feel like the only one left out. We wrapped her arm in a plastic bag and  I did see some smiles from her while at the pool. One night we bought glow sticks and took them to the pools when it was dark. The other kids bobbed for them and chloe bobbed on the stairs for them. She did have a good time and will now say that the pool was her favorite part. We went bowling while we were there and watched a movie one night in the hotel and during the day the hotel does craft hours and  the girls painted a ceramic owl, turtle, and cupcake coin banks. They had a game room where we played Just Dance and ping pong and Chloe's favorite thing was shuffle board. She wanted to play it non-stop. Of course just being at a hotel and riding on the elevators are all it takes to make the kids smile and thats why we do it. It was a good time together and just what we all needed. It was a reminder that a broken arm is not the end of life and that we can still have fun. I sure love my family and can't wait for next year when we do this again.

TJ made pancakes for breakfast and he made a special one for me.

Movie in the park=broken arm

Every Monday during the summer Springville plays a movie in the park. Since they start so late I have always been hesitant to go since I know the following day will be full of cranky kids. But we decided to finally go and watch "The Muppets". We met our friends Becky and Rob and their kids there and settled down for a nice family photo. As we were waiting for it to get dark so the movie could start all of the kids were running and rolling down the big grassy hill. We hadn't even been there for 15 min when I hear Chloe screaming and I see her running to me with a noodle arm. I knew instantly that she had broken her arm. I pick her up and we immediately head for the car leaving Tallie and Lexi with Becky. It was a horribly long drive up to Timp Hospital. I so bad wanted to take my little Chloe's pain away. Luckily we got looked at right away. They needed to inject anesthesia into her where the fractures were. She had broken both bones. It was so hard to hold her and try and comfort her while they gave her these painful shots.  Since I am pregnant I had to leave the room while they set the bones because of the X-ray machine. Chloe did not want her mom to leave her and that was extremely hard for me to have to walk away when she wanted and needed me the most. But it would have been even harder to hold her as they manipulated her arm. It was hard enough to hear her screams of pain. Finally she was put in a splint and pain free and ready to go home to bed. It was 11PM. On the way home she fell asleep and TJ stopped at walmart for some pain meds and a little care package for Chlo-bug that consisted of sprite and a legos tree set. She has been such a trooper and seems to be taking it ok. She does have her moments of frustration because it's her right arm and she needs help with so many things.  The first week actually was rough for all. Chloe was depressed and sad and felt left out of everything and I was struggling to find things to make her happy and keep her occupied as well as the other girls. It was a hot week and there would be no swimming or water or riding bikes or swing sets or trampolines or sandbox. We are doing much better now and have adjusted and can't with for just one more week to pass before we can get her hard WATERPROOF cast on. She will get it on the day before her birthday and we will have about 2 weeks left to go to the pools before they close.

I'm a real hairstylist now!

The other night I had a color. A long color. And when I was done and my back was killing me from standing and heating the foils with my blowdryer I knew I needed to finally invest in a hooded dryer. I searched the classifieds and found just what I was looking for at a great price. And let me tell you I SHOULD have bought this years ago!! Instead of waisting time chit chatting and spending twice as long with a client while waiting for their hair to process at room temperature or without me standing forever using my blowdryer I can now set them and forget them. They process twice as fast and I can get other things done that I need (which in the  near future will be nursing a baby). I LOVE this dryer and so do the girls. They play "hairstore" everyday in the laundry room where I keep it. Maybe down the road I will get me a salon in the basement with a real shampoo sink...maybe.