Hope is 5 months old

Hope is 5 months old today. 
She is growing to fast and learning new things every day.  She can sit up by herself for a while.  But she gets excited and throws herself backwards or falls over to the side. 

She has learned a new game...throw your toys on the floor so someone will come and give them back.  She has learned to make things work on her activity center and turn herself around in it.

 She loves to talk and make sounds.  She makes noises with her mouth closed, Parker calls this hum talking.  She has learned to blow rasberries and pucker her lips.  We all think that she is so darn cute when she does it.  She tries to sit up in her bouncer chair and her car seat.  She gets mad when she can't.  If you hear her screaming it is because she has a temper and is just a little spoiled.

I love that it is getting warmer outside.  Tulips and daffadils are poping up in my garden.  Spring fever is here.

We enjoyed the Super Bowl yesterday.  Okay, only a few watched it but we all enjoyed the food.  Loren found some yummy recipes to makeand he made a few Saturday and a few Sunday.  We all ate way to much...yummy food.  It was interesting at our house to say the least,
 Loren was voting for the Saints and Zach was for the Colt's.  There was a lot of cheers and boo's at the same time.  The rest of us didn't care who won.  We watched bits and pieces of it.  It was nice when it was over...quieter.

A very spiritual few days

We were able to bless Hope in church on Sunday. Loren gave the sweetest blessing. He had me crying.

We are so grateful to all the the friends and family that came to support us. I thought that they might have to open the over flow because the chapel was very packed. They didn't though.

After the 3 block meetings we gathered back at our house to visit and eat. I loved catching up with people that we haven't been in contact with for a while.

Loren's parents flew in from Arizona late Saturday afternoon. They stayed until Wednesday morning. It was great having them here. Hope had to warm up to Marcia before she would let her hold her. It didn't take very long and Hope was talking and smiling at her.

Hope has learned how to squeal very loud. It is so darling. I admit, she gets a lot of attention when she does it. And many laughs. Although church and the temple aren't the best places to be happy loud.

On Tuesday we where able to go to the temple and have Hope sealed to us. I can not express the great joy and love that was felt there. All of the children were able to attend and witness the sealing. I cried when all of the children came into the room dressed in white, looking like angels. What a blessing it is to have the gospel in our lives and the blessings of the temple. We were able to get a family photo of us all in white. This will be a day that will always be remembered by us and the friends and family that joined us.Thanks to all who took time out of their busy live to be with us.

Paige's choir sang The Star spangled banner at the Utah flash game on Monday.  It sounded awesome. They sang occapla.  We were able to get tickets for the family. So we went and watched the game up to half time and then came home.  Parker caught a shirt that they were throwing to the fans.  He is so excited about it, he wore it to bed.  Great job Paige!!

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