Mother's Day 2014

Sometimes life doesn't seem to be going your way.  Today started out that way.  However, now that the day is coming to a close I can say it was perfect.  I wouldn't want it any other way.
Jacob has a cold that has been making it hard for him to sleep.  Therefore, I don't get much sleep either.  Last night was one of those nights.  It was long with frequent interruptions to sleep.  Morning came and I got up and made us breakfast while Les came home from work and fell asleep instantly.  Breakfast was so good.  We had German pancakes with strawberries and cool whip on top (yes I am keeping to a low sugar diet).  The kids saw me making eggs and decided before I had even whisked the eggs together that breakfast was going to be yucky.  They all tried it and at least one of the kids finished a whole portion.  Another one at all that I gave her but would only allow half of one on her plate.  The other girl ate the toppings and then refused to eat anymore. 
Then it was time to get ready for church.  They all got into beautiful dresses while I called to talk to my mom.  I was given enough time to shower and get myself ready.  As soon as I was done the girls were going a little stir crazy so they went to Emma's room and held a "rememberance" party for our cat Midnight (I'll talk about Midnight at the end).  After they headed off Jacob came to me crying so I pulled him onto my lap.  He laid down as best as he could in my lap and within minutes was off to dreamland.  This never happens.  Ever.  So now I'm thinking this illness is really doing a number on him.  A short while later the girls come back to me telling me they are sick and they think they should stay home from church.  the bad mom I am thinks, "I don't want to stay home and be their entertainment all day.  Especially on Mother's Day!"  Emma must have been able to read my expression because she quickly changes her mind about staying home.  She tells me, "I want to go to church mom."  I tell her I can't let her go because if she is sick I can't let her spread it to all the other kids.  She so sweetly replies, "I promise not to get anyone sick."  If only it could be that easy.  So I tell the kids that if they are staying home to go change out of their dresses.  They argue with me for sometime about how they now will go to church anyway so I can go.  I finally tell them to keep themselves busy and I will think about what to do.  I finally decide that I will take at least Emma to church so she can give her Article of Faith in Primary and then we can go home.  I tell the girls this plan and all of them want to go.  Right before I go Santiago comes home early from church (he told me he would be so if I needed someone to watch sick kids he would be here) and then Jacob wakes up.  Let's just say that by the time I make it out the door church has started.  The girls were really quite good in Sacrament.  Then I take them to Primary.  Emma sits up front while we wait for it to start.  As I am looking around I remember that the music leader had asked me some questions for a surprise for the kids on Mother's Day.  I thought it would be a shame if they missed it.  So I sat and thought and thought.  The only one who had any signs of sickness was Samantha.  She had been sick but by this point she hasn't had a fever in more than 24 hours.  In theory, she shouldn't be contagious anymore.  After Emma finishes reading her Article of Faith I ask the girls how they feel.  Emma and Khloe say they are fine and I haven't observed them coughing or having snot run out of their noses.  So I send them to sit with their classes.  Sammi on the other hand says she is still feeling sick.  However, she keeps asking me about what she can eat for lunch when we get home and when are we going home to have lunch.  I think to myself this girl must not be too sick if she is hungry.  I decide to sit and watch music time to see my kids reaction when one of the mystery moms is me.  Just before they do the questions for me Sammi decides she wants to go to class.  I send her to sit with her class and then watch as Emma's eyes get larger and larger as the clues about me are given.  I thought it was quite fun.I got to sit in Relief Society and listen to the lesson with all the other women in the ward.
We went home and I warmed up lasagna for lunch.  Then Emma and Santiago (with a little help from the other two girls) made a sugar free cake for dessert.  I made dinner and Les even got up and spent some time with us for an hour or two before he had to head off to work.  Then it was dessert time and I was rather surprised at how good the cake turned out. 
The kids are in bed (even Jacob but I am afraid at how short lived that will turn out to be) and I am about ready to head to my own.  I will try to remember to get on tomorrow to tell the sad tell of the cat named Midnight.

A few things we are doing and a little surprise!

So a lot of things have happened recently.  We took the kids to see the Christmas lights at the Washington DC Temple.  Those pictures are still on my camera so I will put them and a few cute stories about that trip on another post.  Last week I managed to show up at the church house to drop off food for a funeral at the same time the as the lady who does the music for Sacrament meeting.  She told me she had gone to call a few other people to sing and my face kept coming coming to mind.  So since we were there at the same time it was meant to be.  So here is the deal.  Our family will be singing, "When Joseph Went to Bethlehem" on Christmas morning.  I couldn't turn her down after hearing that my face came to her while trying to put the program together.  So I delayed by saying that I had to make sure Les was okay with it.  He wasn't exactly okay with it but he did say that we could do it. 

Oh and on our way to practice the song after church a member of the bishopric pulled us aside.  He asked me to serve in the Nursery.  As background a few days earlier I had felt that I would get a calling in the Primary.  In my way of thinking I wouldn't be put into Nursery because I am pregnant and there is no way I am going to risk my newborn being around a bunch of toddlers during RSV season.  Our last newborn got RSV and ended up at Priamry Children's for a few weeks.  So my thought is are they going to release me from this calling in just over 3 months?  I have never in my life turned down a calling.  I don't intend to start now.  I am, however, praying that they will find something else for me by the time the baby comes.  Les is so jealous.  The ideal calling to him is nursery.  Instead, he was put in as the Elder's Quorum secretary.  It has crossed my mind that I will be kept in the nursery because Les can take the baby while I am there.  But that would be just cruel to make me give up my newborn for even a little while.

Here is a little story that broke my heart.  When we moved into this house we gave each of the girls their own room.  We let them know it would be temporary because when the baby came they would have to start sharing again.  Emma piped up and said she wants to share her room with the baby.  We tell her that she can but first the baby will sleep in a basinet next to Mommy's bed for a little while.  This was all there was until Emma recently mentioned the baby sleeping in her bed with her.  I told her that the baby was going to be to small to sleep in her bed and that it would sleep in a crib in her room.  She cried alligator tears.  She told me it wasn't fair that the baby could sleep in my bed but not her's.  I gently explained that the baby would sleep in a small bed NEXT to my bed not in my bed.  I would be too afraid of rolling over on it or something like that for the little tiny baby to sleep with me.  I think she understands why the baby can't actually sleep in her bed but it is still hard on her.

So for the big news!  I went to have my ultrasound today.  To prep the kids for what I was hoping to learn I talked to them about how the baby is either a girl or boy.  I asked them which they would want the baby to be.  They all gave me their answers.  Then I asked them if it would be okay if the baby was the other gender than what they wanted.  I got all but Samantha convinced that either way would be great.  She on the other hand flat out told me, "I don't want a boy!  I want a sister!"  I asked her if she could love a boy baby just as much as a girl.  She shouted, "NO I CAN'T!"  So with that in mind we headed off for the appointment.

Here is a picture of our adorable little one's face.  So now for what you have all been waiting for.  We are having a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Wait for it  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A little further . . . . . . . .

A BOY!!!! 

So now I need to figure out what to name the little guy. 

Half way there!

So I am 20 weeks along.  Well actually as of tomorrow I will be 21 weeks.  It is amazing to think I am so far along.  In fact, I had a lady at church who found out at our ward christmas party and she told me she couldn't tell that I was pregnant.  My thoughts were so I just look fat huh?  Good to know.  The next day at church she came over and told me that she could tell now and that it must be dependant on what I wear.  I'll admit that I am no where as big as I thought I would be at this point.  I shouldn't be so surprised.  I have carried all of my babies in toward my back.  Good news I don't look so front heavy that I could fall over at any second.  Bad news that gives the baby great access to my spine, stomach, lungs, and bladder.  Also, when I have trouble getting up I get these looks from people that clearly say, "Exercise! Then it won't be so hard for you to sit up." 
So I had thought about doing the weekly profile shots that others have done.  I really don't think I am much bigger than I was the last time I took a picture.  So there really isn't a point to the weekly ones.  I may do monthly ones though.  We will see if Les is willing to play photographer for me.  He really is a good sport when it comes to things he thinks will make me happy.  How could I ask for anything more?  I have a great man who loves to make me happy.  I am so blessed.  I know I went off on a tangent but he is such a good father to our kids.  When I run out of patience he steps and is ever so patient with the kids. 
Les is so excited about having another baby.  We are going to find out what we will be having.  I wondered if it mattered to him what we end up having.  He told me that he would of course love to have a boy.  On the other hand it would be so much easier to have a girl what with all the girls stuff scattered all over the place.  In either case this baby will be loved.  I couldn't agree more.
The other morning I rolled onto my back and partly removed my blanket.  I am use to the sight of my belly sticking up into the air.  So of course, I was confused when on this morning it wasn't.  I felt my tummy thinking that my eyes were deceiving me.  They weren't.  I felt around some more and there off to one side was this lump.  There was my little baby curled up into a ball snuggled almost literally into my side.  It was the cutest little lump ever.  I had slept so long on the one side that the baby followed gravity down to be wedged between the bed and I.  I gently massaged the lump until it was slowly swallowed up in the mass of the rest of my abdomen.  I love this evidence of the precious little life that is growing inside of me. 
So I need to tell of a few cute things the girls have said lately.  On December 3rd we had our ward Christmas party.  Emma sang a song with the rest of the primary as part of the program.  She was so nervous.  Then after the program we lined up to go to the Primary room to see "Santa."  My kids have little to no experience with Santa.  They do know who he is but I wasn't thinking so I didn't prepare them for "the" question.  Samantha went first.  When asked what she wanted for Christmas she said, "Jesus . . . to come for his birthday party."  Oh my little love.  I was prepared for her to be shy and not answer him at all.  Instead, I was in awe of her. 
On Sunday night we went to the bishop's home for family home evening.  He was calling Emma "Bacon."  Emma of course was thrilled and laughed hysterically each time.  Khloe on the other hand would yell back at him, "She not bacon.  Her Emma.  Bacon at home."  We still aren't sure what she meant by bacon at home but is sure was cute that she was trying to stick up for Emma.  I could tell that she was a little disturbed by the whole matter so I told her that Emma liked it and that the bishop was just teasing Emma.  She seemed to calm down over the whole thing after that.
Emma will often come whisper things in my ear.  At the end she tells me not to tell daddy cause it is a secret.  Yesterday, Emma came into my room early and crawled into bed with me.  After a while she whispered into my ear, "Mom I have a secret.  Don't let Daddy know that I am a Mommy's girl."  She knows how to melt my heart that is for sure.  Don't let her know but it hasn't been much of a secret for a while.
Last night we headed to the store as a family to pick up ingredients for some cookies I am making for a RS meeting.  While we were in the car Emma pipes up and starts talking about how she stayed at Aunt Jana's when I had gotten on an airplane (she was referring to the time I flew out here and looked at houses with Les).  Then she reminded me of how we stayed at Aunt Jana's again after we left Logan (before we flew across country to live with Les).  Finally she got around to her point and told us she wished she could stay the night at Aunt Jana's again.  I of course was feeling guilty that I couldn't give her what she wanted.  Les was a few steps ahead of me.  He told Emma that if she earned $500 we would stick her on a plane and she could have her sleepover.  Then he amended it with, "Better make that $550 so that you can pay tithing on it too."  Emma commented, "We sure do pay a lot of tithing." (Background: every few weeks Les sits the girls down to go over what they owe in tithing.  Then he asks if they would like to donate any money to any of the other church programs.  They usually donate to the Temple and the Book of Mormon.)  So Les asked her what tithing is for.  She thought about it for a little bit and then she said, "It is to buy Temples.  I bought one before cause I pay tithing."  I love how her mind works.  It makes me laugh everytime.  After posting it on facebook a friend asked us what temple we had bought and which one was next.  Les replied with, "The Brigham City Temple and we are hoping for a southern Maryland Temple."
I love my little family.

Happy Halloween from Maryland!

As we were preparing for our move to Maryland I thought a lot about how to make Halloween special for the girls while we would be in a strange place without friends or family.   I made sure that I packed their costumes to bring on the plane.   I wanted the girls to have a great holiday and I think they did.  We started with Saturday October 29th with a Chili Cook Off and Trunk-or-Treat with our new ward.

 Emma and Les

 Khloe and Samantha

 Sammi chowing down on Chili (she was the first one to finish)

 Khloe enjoying her dinner

 Emma looks sick but she had just stuffed her mouth full of corn bread

 Les thinking about making a funny face for the camera.  Thankfully he did resist.

 Family photo at the trunk-or-treat.

I know this pic is crazy but it shows how crazy Sammi was being.  Poor girl was freezing.  She couldn't stop moving.  All through the trunk-or-treat and afterward while taking pictures she was hopping up and down.  Not to worry though we got them into the car right after this and turned on the heater. Of course, they also got to eat a few pieces of candy.
Next we go to Halloween day!  We ran some errands in the morning including sending out a letter to some of our friends.  Then for dinner I made:

 Chicken Cordon Bleu my style (meaning with what limited supplies I have).  It was super good.

 After dinner Les took the girls outside to run around,

jump like frogs (or bunnies depending on who you ask),

 run circles around each other,

 and play ring around the rosies!  Then we went in to make sugar cookies.  I do this every year with the kids.  Usually I make my own dough, have cookie cutters, frost the cookies, and drop them off to neighbors. This year was different obviously but I tried to keep the spirit of the activity.  So this is Khloe putting sprinkles on her cookies.

 Here are pics of Sammi and Emma putting sprinkles on their cookies.

 Before and after cooking.

We had apples covered in carmel with our cookies for dessert. 

It was all so good.  The girls seemed to have a great time.  After we ate we watched It's the Great Pumpin, Charlie Brown.  Then we got ready for bed and Skyped with Grandma and Grandpa Perkins.  It was a great Halloween.  We hope you all were able to enjoy family time this Halloween as well.

What we have been up to lately

There has been so much going on so hold on while I try to fit it all in.
August: 
I already covered the Family Reunion, Sealing Khloe in the Temple, and putting grass in mom and dad's front yard.

(08-11-2011)

 Emma and Khloe in Vernal as we waited to honor the life of Sgt. Daniel Gurr (the first casualty of war in the area in 40 some years). 

 Samantha waiting for Sgt. Daniel Gurr's body to pass through Vernal.

 The girls as Sgt. Gurr's body passes.

(08-25-2011)

 Another thing that happened in August is that I found out I am pregnant!

(08-27-2011)

We took the girls and one of our neighbors to the Willow Park Zoo here in Logan.  The kids love seeing all the animals.  Les and I jokingly call it an Avery rather than a zoo due to the fact that there are way more birds than anything else.

(08-30-2011)

Emma finally got to start preschool!  She was a bit jealous that Khloe had been able to start school before her.  Now it doesn't even matter because she is just so happy to go to school.  This is her first day.  She asked me to take pictures of her.

Emma getting into school as I walk away and leave her on her first day.  I worked really hard to not cry.  I didn't want to ruin the moment for her.

September:

(09-05-2011)

For Labor Day we went out to the Basin.  We went with most of my siblings to Starvation Reservoir.  Here is Khloe playing in the water and learning to cast with her fishing pole.

Here is Sammi playing in the sand.  She also practiced with her fishing pole.

Emma went fishing with Les.  They didn't catch anything but Emma loved the whole thing.  I wish I could say that it was the best day ever but so much drama put a damper on the whole day.  I have enough drama going on I really didn't need the extra drama.  So despite the fact that I love my family and spending time with them when all was said and done I really wished we hadn't gone.  Don't get me wrong it was fun and the kids had a great time.  I just felt that I could do without it. 

More of the kids playing in the sand.  The kids were in heaven between the water, sand, and rides in Uncle Ted's boat.

(09-20-2011)

 This is Les with his girls at the airport before he left for the east coast.  We sure do miss him.

My love and I at the airport. For all the crying I did leading up to this day I managed to hold it together as he actually left.  The girls are holding together well.  Occasionally, they ask when he will be back but over all they are happy with life.  I am sure that the longer he is gone the more pronounced his absence will be.  Yesterday he looked a some houses in southern Maryland.  Today he is in northern Virginia looking at houses.  Tomorrow he will look at more houses in Maryland that are a bit closer to his new job.  After he narrows down the list I will fly out and look at the leading contenders.  I'm hoping to be there within a month.

Here is a video I made of the girls receiving they going away presents from their Dad.  We forgot them in the car while we were at the airport.  So as soon as I remembered about them and Les could hear their response on the phone I gave them the presents.  They were so excited.  Emma's gift was something Les had promised her he would get for her when he had a job.  She has been waiting for this for a long time.

Just a few funny things that have been said by the kids.

(08-21-2011) Sammi was just telling us her name. Then she told us that we have names too. She pointed at us and had on her thinking face. She then blurted out, "It's NOT pain in the bum!"  

(08-22-2011) In the store Sammi starts singing, "Its the Mickey Mouse "Chub"house! Come inside it's *BIG PAUSE* hot outside!"  

(09-06-2011) E: Mommy there's a baby in your tummy, and when you eat, the food will drop on its eyes!
Mom: Why wouldn't the food drop in the baby's mouth?

E: It's like when my sisters shower, they try to drink the water, but it gets in their eyes!

It has been a while since I have posted anything.  So to catch up on our doings this summer here are pictures.

On May 21st we took the kids for a walk and picnic by the Logan River. 

 For Les' birthday I made him a cake with inspiration from mint chocolate (one of his favorite ice creams).  There are mint chocolate chips in the cake and mint candy on top.

 My brother Daniel blessed his newest edition on June 5th.

On June 6th we went to Liberty park in Salt Lake.  The girls fed the birds . . .

 and played in the water.

 Sammi started throwing a tantrum when water playing was just beginning so she didn't get to participate.

 Here is Les in his new suit and when we went to see the very pink "Pink Heals" firetruck.

 We have done many things at home too!  Here we are playing with sidewalk chalk.

 We ride our bikes everyday!

 Here are the hats we got to decorate at Texas Roadhouse when Les took us there for my birthday!

 We also had swimming lessons from June 20th - 30th and July 5th - 15th (today).  Here is Khloe doing Alligator Crawls.

 This is Emma practicing her kicks.

Last of all Samantha jumping off the side of the pool (yes on purpose).

We went out to the Basin for the 4th of July but that weekend requires a post of its own.  So that is our update for the last little while.  Oh I should share a funny story.  Les had taken the girls to the store when they saw a big van full of kids.  Les said, "Look at all the kids in that van."  Emma replied with, "I bet they had to go to the hospital a whole bunches of times to get all those kids!"  Les told her that they could be babysitting some of them.  Emma said, "I don't know Daddy, some people have lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of kids!"  It made Les laugh so he called to tell me so then I laughed too!  I hope you enjoyed it.