Trying to keep up!

My computer died over Christmas break and so I haven't posted anything for awhile.  Loren bought me a Mac.  I have never used one before and so I am still getting to know how it works.  It is pretty sad when your eight year old tells you what do next and how to open up files.  All of the children work on mac's at school.  I guess it is good someone knows how to work this thing.  I don't have many things installed yet, so no pictures this time...sorry!

Alright, I got the photo's working!!

We have been busy people for the last while.  We had a great Christmas vacation.  We went Grandpa and Grandma R's for Christmas eve.  The whole family gets together for dinner and to act out the Christmas story.  The children had a lot of fun.  Of course they couldn't wait to open up the gift from their cousins and from the grandparents.  Ethan and Parker were so excited for Santa to come, they asked if they could go to bed at 8:00 p.m.. Of course we said,"YES"knowing that they wouldn't get to sleep right away.

Loren's parents sent the boys Christmas gift in the mail because it was big and they had ordered it online.  It was a huge double basketball hoop with the net that goes around it.  It is also electronic and keeps track of scores and has different games to play on it.  There was only a LITTLE bit of building to get it together.  It took Braden and myself 2 1/2 hours to get the thing put together.  It had over 50 wing nuts-our thumbs hurt by the time we were done.  Grandpa what were you thinking?  No, the boys love it.  Paige and her friends have even been found playing with it.

For our New Years eve tradition,  we ate soup,cheese and crackers ( the tradition is to eat oyster stew but I'm the only one that likes it, so we ate 3 kinds of soup) by candle light.  We played boards games and watched movies until midnight.  Poor Parker feel asleep 5 minutes before midnight, he just couldn't make it.  The next day we went to a hotel that has an inside water park and a huge slide that is inclosed.  The children enjoyed playing and swimming.  We went to the movies and shopped at the mall.  FUN!
Hope and I caught colds Saturday and weren't feeling so well on Sunday.  We were both still ill on Thursday, so I hauled us both in to the doctors.  We had sinus infections and put on med's.  We are both doing a lot better now.

The children are back in school and Braden and Paige have started a new semester with new classes.  Braden has Driver's ED now.  Every one watch out.  Paige was invited to dance with a group of girls for an assembly at school.  She had to get up many early mornings for practice. And had to practice on Saturday, as well.  I went to watch her perform, she did a great job.
I have finally finished making Hope's blessing/sealing dress and head band.  I made it a size bigger than I thought she would need and tried it on her.  It just fits.  If she grows to much in the next 2 weeks, I will have to move the buttons over.

I took Hope to her 4 month check and she is now a whopping 15 pounds and 11 ounces.  She is 25 3/4 inches long.  She is a cute chubby little girl.  The shots she got gave her a sore leg and a fever for 2 days.  I felt really bad for her and held her most of the time.  She is now back to her happy self.  After her three month check, she started sleeping great through the night.  She now sleeps anywhere from 8 to 10 hours.  I love it.  However, she takes short naps during the day.  But I'm not complaining.

I made invites to Hopes blessing and sealing and finally got them out the beginning of this week.  We bought new white shirts and ties for all of the boys and a new white dress for Paige.  We thought that they should have something to keep for remembrance of this very special day.  The children had temple interviews with the Bishop and a member of the Stake Presidency.  We are all very excited about going to the temple together to have Hope sealed to us.

I however, am not excited about going to pre court because of our not so nice neighbors.  I honestly don't think this whole thing is over our dog.  They have some kind of vendetta against us and just like to try and make our lives miserable. Pray for them! And us!!

Winter Fun!!

This month has been a busy one.  Shopping for Christmas presents,performances, and Hope's adoption finalization.
I think that I am done shopping for Christmas. I hope, anyways.  It isn't fun finding out that you have forgotten something, and have to do last minute shopping.  I ordered most of Christmas online this year. It has been fun getting boxes at the door.  Loren's office is filled with boxes.
All of the children were in a school performance.  Zach, Ethan and Parker were in the Jingle Jam at school and sang Christmas songs.  Loren got pic's and video of them.  So I will have to post them later.
Paige and Braden both had choir performances that we attended.  Their choirs did a great job.  Paige performed at the Mall and a few other places.

This morning was Hope's adoption finalization.  We were able to do it via telephone.  Our awesome friend Chris Olsen is a notary and came to help with the swearing in and signing of papers. It only took about 7 minutes to complete all of it.  Hope is now legally a part of our family.  I am so over joyed and humbled at the same time.  I thank God for letting this sweet spirit be a part of our lives.  Susan (birth mother) still keeps in touch with us and it is good to hear how she is doing.  This to has been a miracle in and of it's self.  We were told at the being of being matched with Susan that she did not want to meet us and that she would never write to us.  As you know, when we arrived in Florida it all changed.  We where able to meet with both the birth Father and Susan.  I keep all of the letters that they send so Hope will know a little about her birth parents and that they LOVE her.

Merry Christmas to all!  I bought cards but didn't get any of them mailed.

I love this time of year.  Christ is fore front of my mind. And people think of others and help them out.
Hope has found her fingers and like to suck on them.  She also likes playing with her blankets and burb clothes.  She can grab the toys on her toy bar but gets made when she can't get them into her mouth. She thinks that everything should go into her mouth already. We are in trouble when she is mobile.  She is the the happiest first thing in the morning.  She wakes up and plays in her crib and talks.  None of our other children have done that.  They all woke up crying to be feed.  When I go in her room to get her, she is all smiles and giggles. We started feeding her rice cereal this month.  She loves it.  She cries if I don't get it in her mouth fast enough.

We will be Blessing Hope on Janruary 24th .  And we will be having her Sealed to us on Janruary 26th.  Look for invitations-coming soon- I hope!

Braden is on the back row second from right.  The lighting was dark and I was far away.

Caught a smile on camera-finally!!

3 months old

first time eating rice cereal

Hope 3 months old

Hope is three months old today. Boy, how time flies.  She still thinks that she needs to eat every two hours during the day.  But she is actually sleeping at night now.  She sleeps anywhere from 6 to 8 hours at a time.  It is so nice to get sleep.  I'm jumping for joy...can you see me? 
Hope has learned so much this last month.  She has a fake little cough she does ,when she wants attention.  She has discovered her hands and tries to suck on her fingers.  They don't stay in her mouth very long and she gets frustrated and cries that they left.  She is holding toys and reaching for things. She holds her head up quit well now and makes fun baby sounds.  She has the cutest smiles but we can't seem to get any on photo's.  As soon a the camera comes out the smiles leave.  When the camera is put away, the smiles come back.  She is so funny that way.  Last night we gave her baby cereal for the first time.  She loved it. She didn't even do the spit out thing, where half of it comes back out of their mouth.  She just ate it like she had done it a hundred times before. She cried when we took it away and tried to give her a bottle.  She loves her food.  You can probably tell by her chubby cheecks and the3 rest of her.  She now weighs 13 pounds.  WOW.

Loren's father had quadriple bi-pass surgery and is home now recovering.  We are hoping that he will be well enough to travel when we have Hope sealed to us, sometime in Janruary.
This last week has been a stressful one for me.  Coming home to find our dear neighbor had passed away.  Lorens father in the hospital and Loren in Florida, really kept me busy and worrying about things that I really didn't have much control over.  I helped prpared food for the funeral but was unable to attend.  Hope had a bad cold all week and I didn't dare leave her with anyone.  She was pretty grumpy.  Also, Paige had a choir performance,  I went to it and took grumpy with me.  Paige and her group did well.  So did the other groups that performed.  I love Christmas music.  I love the Christmas season and remember to put Christ in my life.

Thanksgiving fun and then worry and sorrow

We went to spend Thanksgiving with Loren's parents in Phoenix Arizona. It is an 11 1/2 hour drive (including bathroom breaks and lunch). We all got restless about the las hour from sitting so long. Hope did very well. She had had enough of her car seat 1/2 before we got there. She did the same on the way home. However, she was quit grumpy the day after we arrived and today. I guess thats her way of getting us back.

We had a great time with the Aunts, Uncles, and cousins that also live there. They have grown in the last 6 months since they where at our house.Ethan and Hailey were so cute playing and reading together. The younger boys played all kinds of games together and kept themselves busy. All of the children enjoyed going to the children's museum and to the zoo lights.

Paige, Braden and Zach played a game of football. What is Thanksgiving without some kind of football game? Loren got pictures on his camera, so I will post them later. Crazy Zach decided to try out the swimming pool. He jumped off of the diving board, came up shouting, "IT'S COLD", and quickly jumped out and headed for the hot tub. The silly thing is he was warned that the water was only 76 degrees. He even waded in the shallow end before jumping in. Zach, what will we do with you? All of my children loved spending time in the big hot tub and so did Loren and I. It was great to get away from cold Utah for a short while.

Loren's mother was so great at preparing The Thanksgiving feast and also inviting everyone to dinner every night while we were there. I'm sure that she is in need of a big rest. Thanks, Marcia, you are amazing.

Aunt Gwenn recently purchased her first house. It looked small from the outside but was big on the inside. She even has a pool in her backyard. She also has a energetic dog that my kids liked to play with.

Uncle Nathan and Aunt Amanda's family also purchased a new home. It was fun to see. Their family room is set up to be every childs dream. Toys, games, books and more toys. I can't wait to see what it looks like when they get the new paint finished. They have the greeniest grass in Arizona, I believe. Uncle Brian is the children's favorite. I don't know why. They all just love him and get along with him.

Thanks family for the great Thankgiving Holiday.

Uncle Nathan gave us a tour of the T.V. station that he works for. And let the children try being news anchors and weather persons. What fun!! Thanks Nathan for the tour.

When we arrived home, Loren called his parents to let them know that we arrived safetly, only to find that his father had had a heart attack right after we left Sunday Morning. He is scheduled for a triple bypass this afternoon. We are praying for you, Dad.

Also, Our neighbors came over to let us know that our wonderful neighbor was killed in a motorbike accident on Saturday. His wife is ecpecting their third child in the next two weeks. We are in shock and sorry. She is in our prayers. We love their family so much. Her husband will be missed by many.