~Temple~

WE DID IT!

After 4 years, 6 months, and 3 days, we finally made it to the temple and it was DEFINITELY worth the wait! Wow!

Joe and I went early and had some pictures taken of just the two of us. I was so glad we did... we didn't have a real wedding (I realize that was our choice...) so it was nice for me to feel like a real bride, even though we were just in regular clothes.

My good friend Chantelle was SUPER nice and came early to take the pictures. She also waited around town until the sealing started, and then stayed after to take some more. Not only did she take some great pictures, she made me a beautiful bouquet, and Joe, Haylie and Connor some really beautiful corsages. What a great friend! Thank you Chantelle!!! :)

March 19, 2009

After the sealing (which was AMAZING) we took some family pictures with Haylie and Connor, and Joe's side of the family.

Haylie in the fountain.

Connor in the fountain.

My beautiful sister-in-law Lis and I. She probably won't appreciate me putting this picture on here, since it shows her teeth, but tough luck! Lis, your smile is gorgeous! ;)

Joe's dad Mark and brother Will. Will JUST got home from his mission, so we were very happy to have him at the sealing. We love you guys.

The four of us... 1 of about 12 pictures where we are all looking at the camera, with our eyes open. I think 50% of the pictures we took, I had my eyes closed.

I love this picture... she looks like an angel.

Cute kid.

Haylie and Connor got bored so they decided to do some work on the temple grounds.

What a blessing. I had no idea how amazing the temple would be... I'm so glad I decided to find out.

Don't You Love It When You're Right?

The kids have been through the ringer lately.... ear infections, bronchiolitis, pneumonia (for 2 days, then found out there was no pneumonia), nebulizers, medicines, medicines, and more medicines.....

At the doctor's office on the 3rd, I was looking through Connor's files with our nurse, and we discovered that he's had 4 ear infections since October:

#1- October
#2- November 15th. The reason I know it was then, is because we moved into our new house that day, and ended up spending the night in the E.R. After the diagnosis, they gave us a prescription for Amoxicillin, but said that since it was late, to get it the next day.
#3- Mid - February... around the 13th/ right before we left for Arizona.
#4- February 28. The day after we got back from Arizona.

Anyway, we left the appointment with instructions to contact the walk-in clinics where #3 and #4 were treated, and have the proof/paperwork sent to our regular pediatrician (for insurance purposes in case he needs tubes in his ears). At our check-up this past Tuesday, our Dr. was trying to tell me that he didn't have #2. The paperwork said that he was treated for "General Illness - i.e. cough and fever. After what seemed like hours of trying to tell her that he did in fact have one, she gave in. Later that day, she called to tell me that the E.R. did not have record of his ear infection.

Which brings me to today. I sat on the couch tonight cleaning out my purse and what did I come across?:

November 15, 2008
Kadlec Medical Center
Emergency Room
Instructions for Medication
Medication: Amoxicillin
yadda yadda yadda.....

Correct me if I'm wrong... last time I checked, a cough and fever isn't treated with Amoxicillin.

EAT THAT!

Arizona

I guess it's about time I posted about our trip to Arizona. We left February 19th and drove all the way to Lehi, Utah with 2 kids and 3 dogs (don't recommend it) and then drove the rest of the way to Page the next day. Saturday, we headed down to Lake Powell and let the dogs play in the water (and the kids...) Haylie, Lucy (the kids' cousin) and Connor all tested out the freezing 50 degree water too. Brrr..... (By the way, somehow my computer won't let me move the pictures around, so it's a little out of order.)

Wednesday: Joe and Will decided they needed to jump the freezing cold, 50 degree water too.

Below: Wednesday we headed out for a hike to a place called Lee's Ferry. Fun place! There's a river that runs through there which used to have a Ferry that crossed it; hence the name Lee's Ferry. :) There were some old cabins and some fun little trails. The kids had fun and it was so nice to get out in some warm weather.

Saturday: At Lake Powell. Above: Connor, Haylie & Lucy at Lee's Ferry

Below: Cute cousin Lucy at Lake Powell

Haylie and Joe at Lake Powell

Below: On the Colorado River near Lee's Ferry... Lucy accidentally (I think) fell in the water. After a hilarious outburst from Rachel, "Get out!" (about 10 times in a row) she finally stood up out of the water. SO funny!

Below: Joe and Connor riding with the dogs

Connor just had to test out his new boots in the water... YEP! His socks still got wet. Connor hiding behind Uncle Will. He took to Joe's brother very well... I'm so glad. I'm sure they'll be so close forever.

Again, on the Colorado River.

Connor striking a pose at Lake Powell.

Look at that face. That's pretty much how he looked every day we were there. That kid can cover some ground!

Overall we had a great time! We were so glad to see Uncle Will and his homecoming talk at church was very inspired. We are so happy he's home!

We didn't want to leave the warm weather, and the kids miss their grandma and grandpa, Aunt Rachel, Lucy, Auntie Lis, and Uncle Wee-yum ;) very much, but it's a good thing we came home when we did because the kids have been sick ever since. We can't wait til they all come for spring break!

*Valentine's Day*

Joe and I always like to stay up the night before a holiday and give gifts to each other at midnight. This is the necklace he gave me for Valentine's Day. Totally unexpected! I'd say he did pretty well this year... ;) I LOVED it! (Yes, I said, "Loved." Saturday before we went out, I was vacuuming. Our vacuum is VERY powerful. I didn't see the necklace on the floor and by the time I heard the clinking sound making its way up the hose, it was too late. We managed to find the diamond and the heart, but the chain was just shredded in pieces. :( I was not a happy girl.

Saturday day, our friends Bren and Rebekah invited us over to Bren's parents house out in the country. Bren and Joe both like to Mountain bike, and they have a course out there, so they worked on getting it back in shape. They also have a calf, sheep, chickens, pigs, and a turkey. It's lambing season and so some of the ewes have had their babies; one in particular had a black lamb this year, and so of course we HAD to go see. It was a really, really fun day and we had a blast!

Momma sheep was not too thrilled with us holding her baby. But how can you resist?
This little guy is less than a week old and Connor just LOVED him. Both Haylie and Connor got to see twin lambs born that afternoon too, and so they were named "Haylie" and "Connor." :)

He couldn't figure out why the chickens wouldn't let him pet them...

Notice how everyone is heading in the same direction? Poor guy... I ran to the store, and Connor stayed with Mr. Norman. (Surprisingly. Usually he freaks out if I leave w/out him. This time he just said, "By Mom!") Anyway, right after we left, Connor decided that he WAS going to pet one of the hens. Well Mr. Rooster didn't like that too much and attacked him, knocking him to the ground and pecking him on the head. :( Kinda funny?

This little calf was NOT Connor's favorite. But he was so cute and tame that we just had to include him in the blog.

Just a good one of the kids NOT trying to kill each other HA!

In case you are wondering....

.... what a diaper park looks like, this is it.

Last weekend, we made a trip to Costco to refuel our diaper supply. Joe took them all out of the box and lined them up in Connor's dresser all neatly. I love "organized" so I was happy. Apparently Haylie doesn't share my enthusiasm of being tidy. So while I was sitting at the computer, I heard her tell Connor they were going to "get dressed and go to the park." I thought, 'Oh no... how am I going to explain to them that it's too cold to go to the park, without causing a huge meltdown?' Well "park" turned to "Diaper Park."

Diaper Park?????

I walked into Connor's room and this is what I found:

I mean, come on. A diaper park, duh!
Whatever, I guess. At least they weren't fighting. :)

Priceless...

Louis, (pronounced Loo-wee :), our pet Mini-Schnauzer, running under the deck, catching a nail on his back, on a Sunday, which left a huge gash, forcing us to take him to Pet Emergency.........

$570.00

Danner, our pet Yellow Lab, getting Parvo, being sick for 4 weeks straight.........

a whole lotta stress and $760.00

Lady, our pet Beagle, scratching her eye, causing an ulcer (TODAY).........

$130.00

3 sick dogs in 6 weeks and $1460.00 later.....................

PRICELESS.

(but not really)

Don't ask why.