Sleepy Addy

A friend gave Addyson the most wonderful gift when she was born...a cute, soft minky blanket.  Addy is rarely seen without her blanket, and ever since she was tiny has held it up to her little nose and rubbed her nose in its softness.  In fact, I have to smuggle it away from her to wash it, and even then half the time she figures out where it is and stands in front of the washer crying for it. 

 

The other night we were eating dinner...Addy had finished and was just sitting in her chair when we looked over and she had put her blanket up over her head.  When we peeked underneath, we found that she was fast asleep.  Too cute!

 

We must have really worn her out playing outside with the big kids...

 

And now that she had a full belly...and her snuggly blankey...she was ready for sleep. 

No Mistake About It!

When you are expecting baby #7, not very many people are excited.  It is a shame, but it is the truth.  In fact, you get so many comments from friends and strangers alike that are just plain vulgar and un-called for.  Most of the time, these little statements or inappropriate questions are posed under false façade of humor...but the words are cutting and offensive and vulgar, nonetheless.  I wrote a post just before I had Addyson two years ago about giving people warning labels...I do wish you could stick labels on certain people's foreheads...it would make everyone else's lives a lot easier!

 

With this baby, both Andy and I have had MANY people ask us this question, and I quote: "So...was this one a mistake, or did you plan it?"

 

WHAT!?!?!

 

So far, Andy and I have answered with a respect and politeness that does not match the disrespect or rudeness of the question.  But I just have to say that I cannot think of how this question is anyone's business, nor is it appropriate, nor is it friendly in nature, nor is it funny.  It is just plain wrong, offensive, and rude.

 

 

Yep...even though she'll be the 5th girl...I can't NOT shop for her.  Already accumulating cute little frilly outfits for our newest princess!

Yes, this is our seventh baby, but Andy and I (and the kids for that matter!) are just as excited about welcoming her into our home as we were to welcome our first baby 14 years ago.  I for one, do not believe that ANY baby born into our world was a "mistake."  Life is precious.  It is especially surprising and offensive to get open criticism and sarcastic comments when the new little one will be born to two parents who love each other, and who will be providing a loving, nurturing environment for the babe to grow up in.  It just seems unreal to me that others would call this a "mistake."  What a sad commentary on our time and societal values (or lack thereof) even amongst those of us who hold traditional religious values and should know better.

I used to wake up in the middle of the night when I was expecting Taylor (our first baby) and think of names, and what he would look like, what he would be like, etc.  I've done this with each of my children. Last night I was awake from about 2:30-3:00 am doing the same thing.  In fact, I even got up out of bed to write a name down on our white board because the cutest little girly name came to my mind as I was thinking about her. I am so thankful to soon be the mother of seven children.  It is a great responsibility as well as a privilege that I am so thankful for and would not trade for ANYTHING in the world.  Not one single thing, not any title, not any amount of wealth, not any possession...nothing could possibly even start to compare with how much I love and value and adore my children.

So make no "mistake" about it baby girl and seventh child...YOU were MEANT to come to our home.  We KNOW it, and we are SO excited to be welcoming you to our family...you are much loved already by the people who REALLY matter.

Dating our Kids

After we graduated from dental school, Andy and I were listening to a talk about ways to be better parents, and the speaker, who was the father of 8 children, talked about how he and his wife started doing weekly dates with their children while they were young.  He talked about how it was initially a sacrifice to find the time, but that as each of his children grew to adulthood, he could see how many blessings came from spending the one on one time with each child, and how he and his wife's relationships with their children were so much stronger and deeper because of it. 

 

Well, that didn't take much convincing.  We set up a schedule immediately, and started taking the kids out on weekly dates.  It wasn't anything big, and we never spent a lot of money, if any at all, but what we did is spent one hour each week alone with one of our children. 

 

Then we opened our dental practice...the dates ended.  I would never have believed anyone if they would have told me that we could ever possibly be more stressed or busy than we were during our 4 years at dental school...but starting your own private dental practice with no outside private financial backing in a downed economy...yep.  That's more stressful.  Way more time-consuming and stressful.

 

Well, we have been very blessed during these past 5 years and our practice continues to grow and I don't know if the stress is any less, or if we have just learned how to shoulder it better...but we decided during our business trip last week that we needed to begin dating our children again.  So we started last Tuesday.

 

I took Lainah to the Walmart and let her choose 2 new nail polish colors...and on our way out we couldn't help but buy a beautiful bouquet of roses...

 We came back home, and I had everything set up in my bedroom to give her a manicure.  I locked the door, gave the older kids instructions that until I opened the door to pretend that we weren't home...and spent the next little while just talking with my 5 year old about her favorite things while painting her nails.

When we were done with nails, we tied some pretty ribbon around a few of the roses, and delivered them to a few ladies in our neighborhood that we thought would enjoy a pretty flower from the cutest little 5 year old ever!

At the end of the day, Lainah told me, "Mommy!  That was the BEST day ever!"  I thought so too.

And I don't have pictures, but Andy took Rachey on a date.  They went to Sonic, got shakes and then bought bike parts and went out to the garage and tuned her bike up for the season.  Simple and easy...but so great to be spending the time with each of them individually.

Life Scout

Taylor earned his Life Scout rank advancement this month.

Taylor has enjoyed scouting ever since he started Cub Scouts at 8 years old and immediately started earning as many belt loops as he could.  He has slowed down a little bit as he's gotten older because he is so involved in school, athletics, and music...but he still enjoys scouting.  He has an awesome leader, Carter Andrews, who puts in a lot of time for our boys.

Taylor is a good 3 inches taller than me now, and just keeps on growing!  He is a great kid, and I'm so proud of all that he is doing, and how hard he works in his achievements.

 He's currently serving as the Deacon's Quorum President, and we have seen tremendous growth in him from that calling...we have seen him looking more outward, seeing the other boys in ways that he never did before, and trying to find ways to include them all and help them all to feel a part of the group. 

So from his Star Scout advancement to his Life Scout, we have seen tremendous maturity and growth, and we've been thankful for the learning opportunities that have come his way.  It's amazing what just one year can do in the life of a young man. 

We couldn't be happier to have such an amazing son.

"Remember When" Wednesday...

I love family vacations.  I love getting to spend an entire week with my husband and children alone and away from our day to day schedules.  I love hearing my kids say things like, "hey do you remember on the beach when..." or "remember last year in California when..."  Taking a yearly family vacation is something that I did as a kid, and I'm glad that it is a tradition that Andy and I have incorporated into our own family.  I'm the planner, the one who chooses where we go, makes all the arrangements, and plans all the activities...and I find that even before we're unpacked from one vacation, my mind is already thinking ahead to where we would enjoy going next.  Our world is an amazing place...there are so many places to see and things to do! 

 

Today I found myself thinking a lot about last summer's Oregon Coast trip.  I went through all of our pictures and chose some highlights.

 

Brooklynn and the seafoam...beautiful!

Mom...trailguide extraordinaire!

Lainah's important phone call...

Lainah dragging seaweed...yuck!

Rachel finding jellyfish...

Tay being Lainah's "prince."

Addy hiding in the TV console

Daddy & Addy watching the sunset off our balcony

Matthew overcoming his fear of the water

Taylor auditioning for Baywatch...

driftwood fires on the beach

Addy's cute chubby baby legs!

What!?!  Turn of the century lighthouses had thermostats?  Who knew!

Sharing jokes with Rachel

hiking with these clowns

Eewww!  Slimy Squishy Slugs!  Everywhere!

Pretending we're on "Survivor" and realizing...nope...I'd rather have chowder.

Lainah braving the slug stick

Mom's closeup shot...a cool funnel web

Tay's closeup shot...somebody's litter

Sleepy Addy...snuggled on Andy's back

Finding a secret mystical Pirate's Cove...or so we imagined

 

touring lighthouses...

Finding primitive tiny people huts deep in the Oregon coastal forests...

We had so much fun...can't wait to go back in a couple years!

Twins...

Okay I couldn't help but post this! 

 

The man in the red shirt with his arms folded, with dark hair and glasses is NOT my older brother Trever. 

But...

As Andy and I were listening about dental implants, Andy glanced over and I hear "ahh!"  I look over at him and his eyes are huge and he leans over and whispers, "Sherr...don't look now, but Trever is here!"  Well, of course I looked over and gasped!  I had to do a double take...and then a triple.  This guy is my brother's twin!

 

So Andy takes out his phone and casually takes this picture.  It makes me laugh every time I look at it! 

 

Trever, are you SURE this isn't you?  Were you down in Scottsdale for an Idaho Potato Growers meeting...and decided to catch up on dental implants while you were at it!?  We kept laughing about this all the way through the airport...expecting to see you on the flight home.  You were secretly spying on us...

 

 

When we got home, I showed this picture to each of the kids individually and in turn asked them who this was in the picture.  Each one of them looked at me funny, like "duh Mom" and said, "it's Uncle Trever." 

 

We'll just call him Trevon...Trever's Scottsdale twin.

Business and Pleasure

Last week, Andy and I were able to go out of town for a couple of days together on a business trip.  It was wonderful.  For him, it was lots of meetings, but for me...once we finally made it down there...it was just rest, which is exactly what I needed.  My doctor told me that after week 30 I can't travel out of Boise, I'm currently at week 27, so this was my last "hurrah" before the baby comes in July. 

 

I was worried about the plane travel and security checks, especially with my heparin vials and needles.  My doctor told me not to worry, just put them in my checked luggage and I'd have no problems.  Well, I didn't have any problems making it through security...but when we made it to our condo and started unpacking, we knew immediately that our suitcase had been searched.  The corner pocket where I had all the needles must have made them nervous...a druggy was on the plane!  I just wish that as they're searching, they could be polite enough to put things back where they were and zip things back up. 

On the other hand, going through the Boise airport was pretty funny for me.  Right at the kiosk where we were printing out our boarding passes, the security officer commented on my "cute little baby bump" and started telling me about another woman who had boarded an earlier plane and how from the front you couldn't tell she was pregnant, but when she turned sideways, her tummy was huge.  This officer told me how sorry she was for the lady because she was only 18 weeks along!  But she said it was her 4th baby...so you couldn't expect much else.  In other words, she thought that if you've had any more than 3 children, you will automatically just be a huge pregnant woman.  huh.  Why is it that society just thinks it's okay to scrutinize and make negative comments about a pregnant woman's body?  I just don't get it.  It's offensive and it's wrong!

 

Then, she looked at me and said, how far along are you?  I told her, "I'm 26 weeks." and then she said, "Oh!  Well, you're so cute and little this must be your first?"  I shook my head "no."  Then she guessed "2nd?"  I again shook my head, and said, "No, this is my SEVENTH!"  I thought she was going to hyperventilate and fall to the floor.  At least she was nice though...most people I run into cannot think of one nice thing to say to me about having 7 children.  They can get so offensive, but she was nice.  So Andy and I proceeded our way through the different security checks and when we finally made it to the boarding gate...the officer there says, "Oh you ARE so cute!  We've heard this is your 7th baby!"  Okay, that's a little weird, to know that the airport personnel are talking about you.  Anyway, I just said, "wow!  I'm famous at the Boise airport!"  Andy laughed and said that maybe they needed to know where I was in case I went into labor or something.  ha ha ha.

 

Friday Andy was in meetings all day, and I kept trying to tell myself that I was in Arizona, it was beautiful sunny 90 degree weather and that I should go outside for a walk or something...but I didn't listen.  I stayed in the condo and slept, worked on a church lesson, and read a book.  I did pretty much exactly what my doctor has been trying to get me to do at my house...except I could actually do it because I didn't have little ones running around or big kids' schedules to accommodate.  The best part was that I rested without having to feel guilt about not doing the million things around the house that always need to be done.  Guiltless rest!  It is amazing!

 

That night we went to the Scottsdale outdoor mall for dinner.  I loved it, they had live bands playing, and yummy Mexican food.  We were both kind of sad that I couldn't walk around more, it looked like there was lots to see.

 

And Saturday after I checked us out, I met Andy back at the venue and attended the last two seminars with him.  It was fun...it sort of reminded me of our college days, flirting together in our institute classes at ISU.  ha ha!  Except now we were listening about medical billing...and watching a dental implant surgery.  But some things don't change.  I was the one taking notes on my Ipad...and he was the one who kept leaning over saying, "did you get that down?  I think that might be important."  We make a great pair.

 

After the meetings, we had a couple hours before we needed to get back to the airport, so we went to the Nascar racing museum in Scottsdale.  We both kept saying, "oh man...Matthew would love this!"  The museum is located inside the luxury car dealership buildings...no.  Not BMWs.  Those were across the street in the "regular" car lots.  We're talking Rolls Royce, Astin Martins, etc. type luxury models. 

My favorite race car. 

Andy's favorite.  He stuck his head inside, and said, "Yep.  It smells like a racecar!"

We thought Matthew would like these ones.

Okay...forget the race cars.  I fell in love with this car!  The sales associate (who happened to have the most delightful British accent) said I had good taste.  Ya...it's a 2014 Astin Martin Vanquish.  The sticker price is only $335,000.  It was a SWEET car.

Andy liked these Lambourgini's that were outside.  I wish the glare wasn't there so you could see the grin on his face. 

After perusing we headed back to Phoenix and checked in to the airport.  Going through security check, Andy's backpack got stopped because there was a big chunk of metal in it.  He had found a bolt of some sort on the ground and being Andy, had picked it up and put it in his backpack.  Oh brother.  First my needles...then his bolts.  Just a warning to any and all who may be reading this...you DON'T want to travel with us!

And I just have to document how thankful we are to our friends who took all four of our school aged kids while we were gone...who got them to and from school, brought them home from track meets, and showed them such a great time on Friday night...fishing, painting nails, etc.  The kids had a blast!  And we're so thankful to Uncle Kyle and Aunt Ashleigh for taking Lainah and Addy for us...they had so much fun at the zoo and playing with their cousins!  Andy and I have been able to go away just the two of us exactly...three times... since we were married with kids.  This trip was the third...the first was about 10 years ago when we lived in Iona and a friend offered to take our kids for us in return for some car work that Andy had done for her, last year we took a business trip to CA and our kids went to different friends' houses, and this trip.  Crazy that we've been married almost 16 years and only been able to get away alone 3 times!  Life is busy.  We SO appreciate you, the Andrews family and Kyle and Ashleigh!!!  Thank you for loving our kids for us while we took a little time away!

Are You My Mother?

Taylor is such a nut.  He makes me laugh ever single day with his funny stories about school, or just the way he can see the humor in about anything.  I think it's a gift that he has, and I'm thankful that he has the ability to laugh at himself and find humor in life. 

 

Today he came home from track practice to the kitchen where I was getting dinner ready, and with a huge smirky grin he said, "Mom!  You'll never believe what happened to me today at school!"  I thought, "Oh boy...what this time?" 

 

I better back up and say that this morning before he and Rachey left for school, I was wearing a pink maternity t-shirt with shorts, and I had my hair up in a messy ponytail. 

 

Okay, back to Taylor's day.  So at lunch, he said he saw from across the cafeteria a woman who he was SURE was me.  He said she was pregnant, wearing a pink shirt and shorts...and he thought, "Hey!  Mom came to say 'hi'!"  (I think I'll take this as a MAJOR compliment, that to him it didn't seem out of the ordinary for me to be seen in the school...so okay, pat on the back for me for being an involved parent who regularly volunteers.)  Anyway, he got up from his friends and said that he walked straight towards this woman, who had stopped and was talking to some kids...Tay kept walking, and he said it wasn't until his was about 5 feet from her and she turned and looked directly at him, walking directly towards her with an excited smile on his face that he realized, "this lady is NOT my mom!"  He said he was actually trying to sneak up behind her to give her a big hug! 

 

By this time, I have the tears just rolling down my face as I'm trying to imagine what this poor woman's reaction would have been to some strange kid coming up behind her and giving her hugs, saying "hey mom!"  Tay said that as soon as he realized his mistake, he just kind of changed directions and walked off.  He said she was looking at him sort of strange because it had been obvious he was walking to her before he all of a sudden changed course. 

 

Too funny!

I didn't say this to Tay...but I thought to myself how sweet it was that my almost 14 year old son was ready to come and give me a hug in front of everyone in the lunchroom and wouldn't have been embarrassed by it.  I'm glad he hasn't outgrown that yet.  I'm still cool enough for him. 

 

Taylor, Oregon Coast, August 2013...being a goof as always.

He really is such a nut.  I think I'll be laughing about this little mom mixup for a while...and I'm sure Taylor will be more cautious about who he sneaks up on...hee hee.

Conference Traditions

I love General Conference weekend.  I look forward to it every six months.  It refuels me, gives me encouragement and hope, and helps me to see where I need to make improvements in my life.  It also always helps me to feel so much love for my family...every time we finish with the weekend, I just find myself looking around the living room at my children and husband and feel so much love for them.  I'm so thankful for them.

 

Andy and I started some fun little conference traditions while we lived in Cleveland...we don't really do much with the general conference packets that can be printed out online...our kids seem happier and more attentive just snuggling up and watching or building legos or working on puzzles while they listen...and hey let's face it...when the kids are happy and quiet...then the adults can listen too.

 

One of our favorite traditions is Saturday night dessert after the Priesthood session.  This year, I wasn't feeling up to baking the pies as usual...so we took the kids out to ice cream instead.  Funny enough, I didn't hear any complaints!  Win/Win.

 

I think most of our traditions center around food.  I'm not sure what that says about us.  hmm...Another tradition is a big Sunday morning brunch.  We're talking the whole spread, breakfast burritos with all the toppings, fresh fruit, different kinds of cereals, yogurt, waffles...you name it.  All of our favorite breakfast foods are usually prepared and then spread out for a big Sunday brunch feast.  The kids love it. 

 

And then...inbetween sessions, we put together a big fruit pizza to snack on during the last session.  Yum.  Here are my little busy helpers this year.  Matthew, Lainah, and Brooklynn could hardly wait for me to get the fruit prepared so they could start designing. 

 

 They did an awesome job and were so proud of their beautiful design!

 

 

Another tradition that some of us have is to fall asleep...ha ha!  Rachel zonked out just as the first session was ending and had a good nap inbetween...but Addy was wide awake all day until about the last 30 minutes of the second session.  We had Rachel's under-the-bed bin out, which had all of her art supplies in it.  Addy emptied it out, and snuggled in it with pillows and blankets.  It was the cutest thing to see her all snuggled up in this plastic bin.  Such a funny girl!

 

I noticed that this year, Taylor was really soaking in everything he heard.  He made so many comments about the "awesome talks."  He came home from the priesthood session so excited to tell me all about it...I have really seen him mature this year.  He is awesome.  And I think my favorite part of conference this year was watching the Women's session with Rachel and Brooklynn.  Looks like we'll have to figure out another tradition to go with the women's broadcast for next time!  Maybe something like the BOYS bake desserts for us, ha ha!  Weird to think that by the time the next General Conference rolls around...we will have seven kiddos gathered around the living room with us!

Time for Another Dinner Date!

Last week Lainah finished the second book in her preschool series, "Explode the Code."  She was SO excited because she knows that means another special dinner date with mom and dad.  We took her to Sizzler last time...and she wants to go there again.  She's already talking about the ice cream bar.

 

Kindergarten registration is coming up in a few weeks...and she is so excited!  She is so ready for Kindergarten, and I know that, but I'm going to miss her so much next fall...she has been such a joy to have with me all the time, and she has been so fun to teach.  She is so bright and fun and eager to learn new things!