Loren's neck

Loren is having neck surgery on May 5th.  He will be in the hospital for 3 days and then home out of commission for at least 3 weeks.  I'm feeling sorry for him already.  And what am I going to do with him for all of that time to keep him entertained???

Braden had choir festival this month and they received a 1-.  Braden has been driving in the neighborhood and to church with Loren.  We need to get him to the range.
 Paige also had choir festival had they received a 1.  They are judged 1-5, 1 being the best.  Paige might be singing either a solo or in a duet  her next performance.
All of the children are doing CRT testing in school and can't wait for school to get out.
Ethan and Zach's birthdays are coming up soon and they both keep asking me if  I've been shopping for them yet?  Zach says it is so he can sneak and see what he is getting.

Zach completed the NOVA program at school and they had a certification program for them at school.
Shay Goulding ( women's volleyball couch at BYU) came and spoke to the kids about being the best that they could be, and to never let anyone tell you, that you can't do something.

We bought a new trampoline last Saturday.  We put it together in about 2 hours.  We then took the old one down Monday as part of FHE.  We have had the old one for 10 years and it was falling apart.  It was so bad that I wouldn't let the kids on it.  They all thought that they were dying, not being able to jump.

Paige decided to try a new hair style today....here it is...

My dear little Parker, informed me, the other day, that we need 7 kids in our family.  I asked him,"why"?
He said"so I can know if Hope is really the cutest baby ever".  I told him that we didn't need to have another baby to figure that out.  He can just look at all of the baby's he sees and figure it out.  What would I do with another one? Oh my, children.

April-Easter and Spring break

Easter was a blast as always.  We had an Easter egg, hunt dinner and fun with relatives at Grandpa and Grandma R's.  The kids and women chatted and played games while the young and old men went to the Priesthood meeting.
Paige and I were able to attend the  Women's meeting at the Conference Center the Saturday before.  The messages were great and the spirit was strong.  Paige had a few friends in the choir and it was fun looking for them.  Note to self...always check what floor you park before you get off the elevator.  Yes Paige and I had a blast going up and down the stairs at the parking garage until we found the level we we're parked on.  Good thing that we were both happy and not in a hurry.  We still had to wait in a long line to get out of the parking garage.

The Easter bunny hides the baskets at our house and the kids have to find them in the morning.  It is fun hearing the kids yell, I found one but it isn't mine.  The rest of the kids then go running to see if it belongs to them.

It was great to listen to conference and enjoy feel the sweet spirit it always brings.  The kids played conference bingo and color the ties.

For spring break we went to a big cabin in Kamas.  It slept up to 21 people.  Their were many th
ings to keep us entertained.

Ethan went sledding right into the mud and fell off the sled.  Yes, he got muddy and says he is never going sledding again.

Hope turned 7 months old while we were there.

She is getting so big and heavy.  She is our rolly polly baby. She weighs 21.3 lbs.

She loves 3rd foods, cheerio's, fries, crackers, bread and anything we give her.

She rolls over both directions but doesn't do it a lot.She reaches for people when she wants them. Her favorite toy is a cell phone. We have switched her to the next car seat.  She loves being able to see out the window.

Hope's 6 month's

Loren took Hope in for her 6 month check up last friday.  I had the stomach flue so it was cancel or have Loren save the day.  Zach also went and got his imm's for 7th grade.  Wow, kids grow up to fast.

Thanks, Aunt Teri for the cute matching skirts!

Loren said Hope was very happy and talkative with the nurses and the doctor.  Of course all of that changed when she got her shots.  Hope now weighs 19 lbs (96% )and is 27 1/2 inches long (98%).

P.S. Loren has an appointment in mid April with a specialist to talk about surgery on his neck.

How time flies!!

February has gone by too fast.   We were all sick during the month.  I had a sinus infection.  Hope had an ear infection.  Everyone (except Braden) had a cold and Paige and Zach ended up with bronchitis.

Loren has had a bad neck for a few years and it has really been bothering him lately.  He has been to therapy for it and to the chiropractor.  He went into the doctors again and they did an MRI on it.  They found that he has 3 herniated disc's and that the center of one is small and pinching his nerve. They had him go to the hospital to get a cordizone injection which is supposed to take away the pain for about 6 months or more....it didn't work.  So he know has an appointment to meet with specialist to talk about having surgery on his neck.

The 3 boys in elementary school had big valentine party's at school.  They each decorated a box to put their valentines in.

Parker made a cute heart to wear. It was a present to his parents...

Hope is growing like a weed.  She weighs 18 pounds now. And she is wearing 6 to 9 months cloths.  She wore a size 12 month dress and it was a little tight around.  She is such a cute chunk.
She learned to say dada and Loren is in heaven.  The other kids learned to say dada before learned mama. But Hope has been saying mama fore a few months.  She loves to scratch things and see what kind of sounds they make and then she squeals.  She was doing it at church last week so Loren had to take her out.  She has learned to reach for things and for people.  Loren waved to her this morning and she waved back.  I wonder if she'll do it again.  She sits up pretty well but still tips over.  She giggles when we wash her hands with a wash cloth.  And loves to play in the running water in the sink. she also loves buttons and music. She will be 6 months old in 2 days.  How time flies.

                                                   Playing the piano with Braden

and Paige

                                                                       and Zach

                                           Learning all about the computer with Dad