Getting Closer

AHHHHH!!!! 36 weeks

Not much longer and I'll have another little peanut. Its hard for me to really even THINK about or fathom. Honestly, the idea of having 5 children still scares me to death. And with this being the hardest pregnancy mentally and physically, yikes...But I know I can do it, I have amazing support around here!!!!

Have I said how much I LOVE my midwife? I should say midwives...plus all the student midwives. I adore all of them. And I know without a doubt that they CARE about me. I am not just a name on a chart that they see for 2 minutes every appt. They KNOW me and they KNOW my family. They are concerned for me and for my well being. They know my fears, my emotions...everything. I am so happy that I decided to make a change long ago, I have never regretted it.

In other news, I should probably decide on a carseat already. HAHAHAHA

A Bday & 5K

Yep she did...she went and growed up on me...sniff sniff...NiNe YeArS OlD!!!!!

The Thursday before her birthday we got subway and picnic'd at the park!Saturday we had our stake service project for the child crisis center.
We signed up to help set everything up before the race.
Walker proudly wearing his race bib! :)

Before the race....

Yay Dad!!!!

Nathan did a great job. He came in 4th or 5th place, I don't remember...oops

He had a great pace and I was so proud of him!!!

I was known as the "crazy pregnant lady"!!!!

I had a great time and wasn't far behind Nathan.

I was actually the first girl to come in!!!

Mind you, this wasn't a "professional" race, but still! I'm 33 weeks pregnant!

That made me feel good:)

After our 5K we did the 1 mile with the kids and Gma Lainey and Gpa Jan!

(I think Gpa did it just for the candy afterwards)

Rebekkah and Abby ran pretty much the whole mile. Go Girls!!!

They were all so excited about the medal at the end!!!

We all had a great time!

After the race, we came home to roll out the cookies (Abby's request of course) for her bday. She wanted to decorate Halloween sugar cookies. Not a hint of healthiness in these cookies, but we all had a fun time cutting them out and everything.

Rebekkah wanted to be in charge of taking the cookies in and out of the oven. I think she will be rethinking that in the future, since she got like a 3rd degree burn on her arm! ouch! Took the skin right off, but she's all good!

Abby and her ghost!

Hmmmmm....what can I make a mess with now??!!!!

After the cookies were all baked, I got to lay down for about a 1/2 hour before getting BACK into the kitchen. Abby also requested my homemade pizza for dinner...much healthier then the sugar cookies thats for sure! And it was Delish!!!! It was a great weekend!!!!

Good Stuff...Oh and I'm 32 Weeks!!!

We made jack-o-lanterns out of mason jars!!!

The kids had a blast

Abby "pretending" to not know I'm taking her picture...

Walker-Man
Rylie liked doing it "ALL BY MYSELF!!!!"
(Did I mention this cute little thing is out of diapers??!!!)

You put one of those battery powered tea lights inside

I'll have to take a picture at night-time to show how it really turned out

Rebekkah's not "pretending" very well!!!

Her face cracks me up

GARDEN!!!! It's growing great.

Except now we gotta build something to keep the birds out:(

They are pulling all of our plants out!!!!

Pregnant mama is drinking lots of green smoothies!

I'm feeling very large. HA!

I can't believe I have around 8 weeks left to go!!

It seems so close, yet still so far away.

Hoping my midwife won't kill me at my appt on Thursday.

As of 28 weeks I had only get 8.5 lbs

hmmmmm, thats why I've been eating like a horse lately.

Good news!!! I am still running, I was able to do 5 miles on Monday!!

I love it. I love it. I love it!!!!

More good news. Cute hubby is running his first race with me this saturday!!!!

Just a 5K for a stake service project thingy we are doing.

But I'm way excited! I love that he is enjoying running more now.

Somedays he hates me. Like when we ran 5 1/2 miles and ran up and down the bleachers at the high school. HAHAHAHAHA I told him it was good for him;)

Kinda wishing it was cooler already during the day.

But what can ya do??!!!

I'll enjoy the cool nights and mornings in the meantime.

Happy Tuesday! I'm off to make homemade spelt biscuits to go with dinner!!!

Making Me Smile

Somedays:

I forget to smile....

I forget to laugh...

I don't remember what my kids say...

I don't listen with my whole heart...

It takes a near tragedy to remind me of what I really have....

I'm thankful for little reminders

A Little Catch Up...Ok maybe a LOT

Time has flown by!! And yet, it seems like it takes forever...hmmm, maybe its the pregnancy!!

First up, Walker decided it was okay to ride his real bike...yessssss...and we can't get him off the thing!!! I've had to sit out front in the 115 degree weather in the middle of the afternoon so he can ride!! haha.

Cutie Rebekkah turned the big 11!!!!

Mom is getting fatter!!! Oh wait, she's growing a baby, that's what it is!! 24 weeks!

Walker waiting for his best friend Grayson to pick him up for preschool.

It was a last minute decision, and he has loved it so much!!!

CaMpInG!!!!!

Somebody enjoyed the dirt a little TOO much!

Walker and Rylie have become really good friends. They LoVe playing with each other, most of the time! haha

LoVe ThEm!!!! Family picnic at the park...good times

My handsome little man. He's growing up!!!!

Officially 28 weeks. Yay for 3rd trimesters!!!!

I see the midwife today. Hopefully all is well!!! And hopefully the scale will be kind to this soon to be mother of 5. 5???!!! Really??!!! I better stop thinking about it.

Super excited for this Saturday. Me and cute hubby celebrate 12 years!!! Wahoo!!!!

What are we doing?? No idea, do we ever plan???!!!!

The weather is changing, can you feel it??!!!!

Happy Tuesday!!!!

I've been thinking.....

• About the fall season....is it too early??? It's my absolute favorite time of year and I can't stop thinking about it...I'm almost giddy inside...altho its still seems too far away....


• Newborns...soft, sweet, and cuddly


• Dean Karnazes AKA Ultramarathon Man....if you haven't read his books, you definitely should. One word....WOW...I was greatly inspired


• Running....4 miles a day seems so small compared to Dean Karnazes, HAHA....but I AM proud of myself for still running even that much being pregnant...I can't get away from running, I love it SO!


• Happiness....how do others describe it?


• Loving myself


• Being more self-less, and not self-ish


• How hard I'm trying....always trying


• The bank charging me a 1.95 security fee on my checking account....is this new??? I hate banks


• Constant movement from the cute babe that everyone in the family keeps calling THEIR baby......


• Getting thru my talk in church....and feeling like a blubbering idiot....why am i so emotional???


• Enjoying the time we have N.O.W.


• Feeling unworthy of the many things people have been doing for me lately...one of them being something HUGE....


• Gardens....deeply saddened that ours didn't bring forth anything this year


• Receiving a wake-up call when Walker biffed it pretty hard on his bike....without a helmet...


• Camping....its never-ending


• Missing old friends

The baby who is not a boy...

17 Weeks

20 Weeks
Yep, if the baby is not a boy, then apparently it's another GiRl!!!!!
Poor Walker. Ah well, he'll survive.
There's no way this mama is trying again for another boy....
sorry buddy!!!!!

I am feeling pretty good these days.

I am able to exercise everyday and
eat lots of yummy food.

As you can tell...I think my butt is bigger

then my stomach
at this point.

WHY must it grow with every pregnancy???!!!!!

I don't have a lot of "cravings" per say. Except for chocolate chip cookie dough.
AGAIN WHY???!!!! (I've only actually made it once, whew!)
I'm trying my best to stay away from the sweets, some days are better then others.
But I always get in lots of fruits, veggies and protein....yay for higher iron levels!!!

I had to throw this picture in here cz I just think its hilarious.

They were all supposedly watching a movie...I was reading in the other room.

I heard the movie end, but heard no movement from anyone!

I came in to find this...haha
Abby's laying on Rebekkah on the left...
Rylie is laying on Nathan, and Walker's on the right.

Too funny.

She is just the cutest thing I have ever seen,

and is getting big WAY too fast...sniff sniff

If this next girl is as cute and fun as her, I guess I'm okay with that....

Time Passing

What a crazy couple of months it's been. I can't believe July is already here!!! We are definitely feeling the heat wave here in AZ!!! Holy cow.

Sometimes, time feels like it's at a standstill...moving ever so slowly. Then all of a sudden you realize that it hasn't moved as slowly as you initially thought. For the last few months, as I spent most of the time on the couch, day after day after day....I would think...OH MY GOSH, is it really only 9am??

Now I look back and wonder where the time even went. Now I'm 4 months along (oh ya, I'm pregnant btw) and feeling a TON better. Hallelujah. I've been able to start exercising again and start eating better meals. Hallelujah one more time!!!!

Baby number 5. It's been a hard adjustment, just realizing that this is for real. Physically, mentally...every aspect of my life has changed because of this pregnancy. So many questions, so many doubts....but I know it'll all work out.

We had the pleasure of visiting my brother in Kanab last week. Scenery on the way up, thanks to Rebekkah. She loved the drive up there, I can't tell you how many pictures she took from the car. Cute, Cute Girl. Such a great time....kids had a blast...I loved the talks w/my brother and his cute wife. They help give me perspective and a feeling of great love.

Time is going to continue to pass...will it seem slow, or fast, good or bad? I guess that's up to me. How do I want to spend each day? Each moment. Things can change so quickly...moods, attitudes, etc. Feelings can be hurt, or hearts lifted. Heads can hang down, or be held high. Tempers can flare, or be calmed by a single breath. Mornings can change with a single smile.

It's Friday....make it happy!

New Life and Things....

Spring flowers are coming to life, Abby planted these sunflowers...

we have enjoyed watching them transform, little by little, step by step.

I love watching them come to life...the colors it brings....
My dad was in a play called "Into the Woods" recently. I took the girls to see it and we loved it!!! Dad did a great job!!! We LoVe going to see him!!

We spend so much time outdoors. I love it.

I can just sit out there and enjoy the weather, listen to laughter, read a book, just BE.
This day was spent painting, and then it turned into painting rocks.

Life. Ever Changing. Constantly moving. Beautiful.