Chopped

I chopped my hair! I got an A line and left my natural color. I like it but it is a big change. I cut like 6 inches and 7 in the back where it is shorter. I hope it'll be fun for spring. 

Family Movie Night

In the spirit of finding family friendly activities for free or cheap we had a family movie night. I made caramel popcorn and we watched Summer of the Monkey's together. It was so fun! We actually watched the whole movie and the kids liked it. Right before we had a picnic dinner in the basement on a blanket. That was a hit!!! Looks like there are more picnics in our future. Also, we all can't wait for spring and summer. This winter is no fun anymore. Time to be outside. 

She sits!!!

Today Vivian sat up for a solid minute. She still struggles with balancing for a long time but we are working on it. She looks so big when she sits up. 

Feeding Vivie like Mom

Rachel asked to feed Vivie today, I said yes! She actually did a pretty good job and Carter had to observe the whole time. What good kids we have! Vivian does not like rice cereal. She likes applesauce and beand and peas. I have been holding off on other things as it seemed to be bugging her tummy and she was crying a lot more often. So we stick to those three baby foods and breast milk. Still she does not take a bottle or a binki.

Big Girl in the Big Bath

Vivian has started taking baths in the big tub! She loves it! She kicks and squeels. It is adorable. Here she is at 5 months. Also, this makes me notice I need to scrub the tub. Ha! Things that don't take priority when you have four kids and work extra side jobs.

Rachel's First Time at the Dentist

We took Rachel into Stanton Allen at ABC Pediatric Dentistry. We love Stanton and trust him. He is the one who fixed Dayton's teeth after our old dentist messed his up and didn't catch many cavities that turned into big issues. So of course when Rach complained about a tooth ache we got her in. Stanton started working to fill her cavity and found it was too deep and she needed a polpotomy or baby root canal. She was so sad and cried saying it hurt. Adam took her in since I was teaching preschool. She originally went in at 10:30am and then they scheduled her for 1pm to go back and be sedated. She was sad, so sad. While she was at Dad's office between sessions he didn't watch her close enough and she scratched her chin up and chewed her lip since she was numb. Poor baby. Anyway, when she ended up going back she did okay. She took the medicine that made her way loopy but didn't put her totally to sleep and they did the baby root canal and filled another cavity at the same time. She came home after a long day really sore. She had a smoothie slowly and then a few other things. The next day her lip was really bad and swollen. She was sad about it, I was too. She was a tough little girl. Sure love her and am sad she had to do all that dental work.

Family Vacation

I am happy to say that we are spending the long weekend away. Yeah! It's been a long time since we have had a trip together. First stop was Hill Air Force Base to see the planes. The kids loved it and liked making paper airplanes too. 

Then we went to Scales and Tails in West Valley. It's a small gig but very hands on. The kids got to touch reptiles, we left the tarantulas alone though. 

Then it was artic circle for an early dinner and playplace time. The kids liked the play place and ate good too.

At about 5pm we checked into the hotel and went swimming. The kids were most excited about this!! Vivians swimsuit was adorable! 

Sunday we hung out at the hotel til after lunch. Then we hit the dollar theater for Moana. It was a cute show and super affordable which made it even better. Then we visited temple square which was nice but a little out of our kids developmental range. Ha! We made it for a couple hours and then headed back to the hotel for tv dinners and more swimming.

Monday morning we woke up and had a nice breakfast. We loaded up and headed to the Children's Museum at the Gateway. The kids LOVE this place. Uncle Cord and Aunt Lisa gave us a gift card there for our birthdays this year. It was so nice of them. I got lots of pictures but posted them on instagram so refer to our chatbook. Carter loved lots of it, especially the balls and tubes. Rachel loved the grocery shopping area and beeping stuff. Dayton loved anything that required building like the legos, magnets, tubes with balls on the wall. It was all wonderful. We headed home after grabbing Wendy's. It was a good trip!

Valentines

Scavenger hunt for Adam.

Valentines for the kids and love notes.

Surprise flowers for me.

Pink heart pancakes too.

Plus class parties and valentines giving. 

A perfect day of love! 

Aggie Game

Boys night at the Aggie basketball game. This boy cheered his heart out! 

Mama I lay by Vivie

Carter says this all the time and then lays by her on our bed and watches a show. Tonight I came in to see this sight, arm wrapped around hers. These two are going to be besties. I just have a feeling they will have a special bond through out life.

Lunch with Dad and Raven

Today we took Rachel down for a sleepover with grandma Sue. While we were down we got to go to lunch with Dad and Raven at the old spaghetti factory. It was so nice to visit with them and the food was yummy too. Happy early Valentines day date to us! I am grateful for Adam every day. 

Rodan and Fields

I started Rodan and Fields on feb 2nd. I got the Reverse regimen. It was nearly $200 but my face is aging so fast and I need to use some actual facial products other than soap and water. So here is my before picture,  wrinkles and freckles and acne scars. Yuck! I hope to have good results in a month or two. Watch for an after picture. 

Finding Joy

Trying to find the joy in the day to day drudge of motherhood is tough sometimes. Diapers, dishes, laundry, marker drawn on your pretty barstools, then bed frame, and walls. Add in homework, crying and crying, up at night with baby, toys being dumped all over after we just spent an hour picking it all up, dinner planning and making and cleaning up, poop messes from "doing it myself" and being cooped up all winter inside makes it almost impossible to see what could possibly be good. Yet, this little girl allows me to see it. God knew I needed her. ❤️

This winter is kicking my butt! The inversion and lack of sun plus so many little kids all the time and absolutely no "me" time, ever. I am sad. I honestly can't think of a time I have felt so bummed except for maybe Adams diagnosis last year. Life right now just seems so hard. So day to day on repeat. I get up and work hard everyday to wake up and have nothing accomplished but rather it all undone and having to do it all again.  Sometimes it seems like this will never end. I know people say time flies so enjoy your children while they are young, don't blink. But to be honest I feel like most days could go by a lot faster. I love my children and I love the baby phase but it is so draining. Emotionally and physically. And to be honest I feel like I am failing. I try so hard yet our children still misbehave, still push my patience, and often fight. It is part of them growing up and learning yes, but right now I just want it all to magically get better. Plus I don't feel good, head cold, likely doesn't help. 

I'm feeling discouraged about preschool registration for next fall. Selling Gymboree online or rather my inability to find time to do so. Discouraged about money and how no matter how hard we both work and try and how responsible we are things are never looking up. Seems like we budget all for not and never get ahead. I swear I don't know two people who work harder than us and are more financially responsible than we are that have so little financially and are unable to afford things we need. Tires on the van being one example. 

I am grateful for Vivian. She reminds me of heaven and right now that's all the good I can see.

PS I wanted to write this post as a record for my daughters. Post baby is hard, hormones me nursing and no sleep is rough. Life isn't always easy and happy and perfect. That is why we have the Savior. He makes up for where we lack. 

Elbow Update

I remember that I never updated on Carter's extra bone growth on his elbow. We went to Primary's in Salt Lake shortly after the cast was removed and they said watch it for 6 weeks for mobility. Try to work with him on straitening it and touching his shoulder to help his range of motion. Then to come back and follow up. We went back this past month and the doctor said the extra growth was still there and would likely reabsorb over time, years, not weeks. So we wait. We will keep getting it checked once a year to make sure it is not affecting his nerves or growth plates or anything like that but hopefully it will slowly get smaller and not bug him too much. His range of motion is much better than it was initially which we are grateful for!

Watching

Tonight I caught this picture of these 3 watching Star Wars together. So cute! 

Last round today!

Happy Groundhog Day to us, last round of infusions for Adam! Yeah! It's a happy day indeed. Except the groundhog saw his shadow so looks like more winter. No surprise with all this snow. 

And grandma brought lunch, and saw Vivie!