Tu...Tu....Cute!!

I had to post these pictures of my girls because I thought that they were so stinkin' cute. My friend wants to have a boutique at her house in the near future and I was trying to think of something that I could make for it. I came across some really cute tutus online and I thought that I would try and duplicate them. I think that they turned out really cute and my girls look absolutely adorable in them. Now....I'll just have to wait and see if anybody else in interested in buying them. Hopefully.....

I love this tutu. It is a halter tutu (immodest..I know. My girls already called me on that one.) I saw it online and had to try and make it. I think it turned out cute.

It can also be worn as a classic, longer tutu. Very versatile..don't you think? Can we see a little sass in this picture? Not my sweet Brin...no way!! (said with a very sarcastic tone.)
Sweet Addie. This is just a classic tutu. Very basic, but very fun and cute. This happened to be the same day that we cut her hair. We were experimenting with curl and she decided, after much whining about the time involved in the process, that she liked it. Good thing!!Can you see why we say that she has "Addie"tude?? What a character.

Preggo Mama!!

It is about time that I blogged about my pregnancy. There isn't anything too significant to say though. I am 21 weeks along and everything has been great so far. I am finally starting to show, although some people would argue with that. You really wouldn't know that I am pregnant if I hadn't already told you. I think that I look bigger, but really it just looks like I have gotten fat all of the sudden. Most of the people in my ward don't know that I am pregnant yet. But that is because we only see each other once a week and I am in the Primary the whole time so they don't see me anyway. We did, however, find out a couple of weeks ago that we are having another GIRL!!!! I really did think that it was a boy. Babies seem to come in crops and those who are due around the same time as me are having a boy, so I just assumed that I was having one also. I had to step back and rethink when they said that it was a girl. I am excited for bracelets and bows again and for the cute clothes. Poor Porter, though. He will be totally outnumbered. It is a good thing that he can hold his own. He knows how to play cars and throw balls like it is his job. I will insert a picture, for my own documentation, so please pay no mind to the pasty, didn't get ready today, getting larger every day photo. I really do hate getting my picture taken...and for good reason. I am just not very photogenic. This picture, however makes me look bigger than I really am. I can still wear my regular jeans, thank goodness. I don't know why, but I was already wearing maternity clothes with my other three pregnancies by now. I love low-rise jeans!!! This is going to sound shallow, but I can still wear my size six Luckys....they must be my "lucky" jeans. For those who have asked I just thought that I would finally let you know how far along I am and what I am having. Sorry it has taken me so long. Oh, and I am due June 9th.

***If anyone has any good ideas for pretty girl names would you please let me know? We are totally stumped. I got nuthin'. I really like the names Cambria or just Bria. What do you think? Please give me some ideas!!

Porter's Evening 'O Mischief

If you saw the last blog about Porter, then this post won't surprise you. I was talking to my mom today and she told me that I needed to update my blog. I let her know that I didn't have anything really good to blog about and I didn't have any new pictures to share. Well, little did I know, that while we were talking Porter was creating some new memories for me to write about. As soon as I got off the phone with her I heard nothing but silence. Well, in our house that can't mean anything good is happening. I listened down the stairs and the girls had turned on the t.v., but where was Porter? I heard a squirting sound coming from the bathroom and I knew that I was in trouble. Porter was in there spraying the hairspray directly onto his head and hands (his little arms can't reach far enough to spray the recommended distance of 1 ft. away). I asked him what he was doing and he said, "I am doing my hair. I am making a mohawk." Sure enough, he reached up and was pushing his hair into the center of his head. It was still wet, but was already starting to get crusty. I took away the hairspray and washed his hands, but he immediately went for my bathroom and told me that he needed some gel. I calmly explained that he didn't need anything else in his hair and he was on his way. I thought that then was as good a time as any to get the pictures uploaded onto my computer so that I could blog later. I wasn't at the computer for more than five minutes when Addie came upstairs with a popsicle and said that Porter told her that she could have it. Of course, I have to check on the situation and where is Porter??? He is hanging out in the living room with his very own red popsicle that he has treated himself to. The wrapper dripping red juice onto the floor and Porter licking away. I have to get my camera now because this whole blog of mischief will be even better with two examples, right. After fighting Porter for the popsicle, I get the situation under control and start to make dinner. All goes well of course. Well, not really. I again turn my back for a couple of minutes(you think I would have learned by now) while I try and find something to make for dinner.

In my temporary lapse of better judgement Porter decided to push a bucket of wheat to the refrigerator and tear off magnets and papers and whatever else he thought would be fun. Of course, I have to get the camera out again. This just keeps getting better. We get through dinner with only a few mishaps...noodles poured into the cup, dipping hands into the now noodly cup and flinging water and noodles everywhere. Where was I during all this dinner fun?? I stepped into the restroom for a few moments take care of some business. No pictures this time. I wasn't thinking this was funny. Well, dinner is over and we are going upstairs to get their pajamas on. I sit down at the computer to upload my new mischievious pictures and Porter is using my bathroom (we potty-trained last week). All is going well, I hear the regular sounds coming from there. However,I retune my ears just a few seconds later because I now hear splashing sounds. What the???

No worries, Porter is just plunging the toilet and splashing around. His pants are still down and he is having a great time. "What are you doing Porter", I say. "Nothing, just getting into trouble,"replies Porter. I, of course, take pictures and smile to myself. This one is a boy through and through. Well, that is the end of the picture taking, but not the end of Porter's mischief making. We got through the end of the night with only one incident of running around the house naked. Lucky me. I left a bit later to take a movie back and on my return I noticed the upstairs light on. I questioned Nate and he said he was sure that there were no lights on upstairs. I knew better, so I went on a search to find the culprit. I should have guessed. Porter was in our room, with the door closed (smart boy), and was pushing buttons on the computer. AAAhhhh!! He keeps me on my toes, but I wouldn't have him any other way. Well, a little less mischievious maybe, but just as cute.

'Twas the night before Christmas...

We have a tradition that we started many years ago with our family. Nathan wanted us to go ice skating every year on the day of Christmas Eve. We have enjoyed it every year and as the kids have grown we have been excited for them to try on their first pair of skates. There have been times that we have gone alone but we have invited friends and family to join us several times. In previous years the Peaks Arena has allowed strollers on the ice, but for some reason they did away with that this year. It made it a little harder to keep all three kids up on their skates the whole time.

This was Porter's first year on skates and he did an awesome job. We let him walk around outside the rink for a bit while he tried to get his balance. We were quite impressed with his ability to walk so quickly in the skates.

We had a little help this year with the kids since we couldn't hold all three ourselves. My brother Chris and his wife Ashlie and my brother Anthony and his wife Ta hnee all came with us. We had a great time. I decided not to skate this year. I sat out with Ashlie and Mylie. It probably would have been all right for me to go, but I didn't want to risk falling and hurting the baby. Especially when I would be trying to skate and hold an unsteady child in my arms. Chris and Anthony were a bit help..thanks you guys.

The kids had a great time and we can't wait to go again next Christmas Eve.

Of course, later that evening we read the Christmas story from Luke 2 and the kids were allowed to open their Christmas Eve presents. I say "presents" (plural) because I can never decide what to give them. I love the idea of giving them a new, nice book on Christmas Eve, but I also love the new pajamas....so, this year they got both. I know it is a bit superfluous, but hey, it is Christmas, right?? They loved the pajamas, but my kids love books even more (do they take after me or what?). As soon as the book were opened they each rushed off to their own space and began reading (Brinley), looking at the pictures (Adalynn), and asking for someone to read it to them (Porter). It was a great day.

It's that time of year.....

Behind, again, in my blogging, but I figure "better late than never"!! Here were some of the things on our family "to do" list for the holidays.

1- Visit with Santa. (check)

2 - Find the perfect Christmas tree. (check)

3 - Decorate the Christmas tree. (check)

( Is this a kid tree or what?? All of the ornaments were eye-level to the kids and they rearranged

them a little bit every day. What is Christmas for anyway, huh?)

4 - Snack on - I mean decorate- a gingerbread house. (check)

5 - Exchange gifts with our bestest friends. (check)

Boy, were we busy, but we loved every minute of it.

GIRLS WEEKEND

So, for those of you who have been to St. George, you know that there are not many places here to go shopping. No toy stores, a teeny-tiny mall, and not many surrounding cities to try out either. Last year my best friend, Linzee Hickman, another friend, also Lindsay, and I decided to head down to Las Vegas and get some of our Christmas shopping done there. We had an absolute blast, so we decided to make a yearly trip of it. Last year we just went down on a Saturday and spent the day there frantically trying to get everything done. This year we decided to go down on Friday night and get a good nights rest before the frenzy of the next day started. Our friend, Lindsay Sparti, had moved down there a few months previous and had offered to let us stay at her house. Linz and I were so excited to go. We looked forward to it for weeks. Anyway, when it came time to head out we were bursting at the seams.

It is amazing that when you find a good friend that you can talk for hours and never run out of things to say. Linz and I drove the whole way to Vegas, almost two hours by the time we got through traffic and down to the southwest end, and talked the whole time. We are so different, yet we have so much in common. I just love being around her. She is such an amazing person. I am so lucky to have found such a wonderful, life-long friend. Anyway, enough with the mushy stuff. After the drive we went to our friend Lindsay's, we call her Sparti to avoid confusion, and saw her new house. (Oh, how I am jealous of her fourth bedroom!!) She took us to a new bar and grill near her house. I got some wings, which didn't taste so well after driving for two hours on a pregnant stomach. Afterwards, we swung by the movie store and picked up "Hairspray" for our viewing pleasure. Chick flicks are so fun when you really get to watch them with a bunch of other girls!! We had a fun night and it was fun to see Sparti's family too. The next morning we got a slow start after our late evening the night before, but once we were ready we were off. A quick breakfast on the go and we shopped, shopped, shopped. A quick lunch at the Cheesecake Factory and we were off again. I wish that I would have taken a picture of the trunk of my car after the night was over. We were able to get a lot accomplished and we had such a great time. I love my friends. They make everything so much more enjoyable. After the shopping was done, or in all honesty, after the two of us tired and pregnant women were all shopped out we headed home early. I say early because the stores weren't closed yet, but we knew we had a big drive ahead and that we would lose an hour on the way back. We reached home a little after midnight and still had a little bit of energy to spare.

As you can tell, I am looking a LOT scraggly and very tired in the eyes, but we had a wonderful time. I can't wait until next year, or maybe we will try and make it to "Time Out for Women" in Vegas this year. We deserve it right?? A special thanks to the husbands for watching the kids for the weekend and allowing us to go and get a few things done kid-free. It was sorely needed and greatly appreciated. We love you guys!

My Crazy Little Man

I know it's been a while and I am way behind. In my defense, I have been super busy the past couple of months. With my flu clinics to run, preggo sickness to get over and Primary callings to submit I have been a little weighed down. Things have been sliding for a while now and I am sure that they will continue until all of the holiday madness blows over. I am not sure I even know where to start. Where did I leave off? I have taken a lot of pictures lately with the intent to blog, but I never got here. Here are a couple recent pictures of Porter. He constantly keeps me on my toes with his little antics.

If this smile doesn't SCREAM "Did you say MISCHIEF??

I am so there!!" I don't know what does.

Porter took it on himself the other day to make sure that he was dressed. If you can't quite tell, those are running pants, cowboy boots and his Sunday tie. He must get his sense of style from his father!

Again, loves the boots, but still doesn't know the best way to wear them.

It is so hard to keep Port away from a full bathtub. At least he jumped in with his clothes on before he had actually been bathed. The other day I had him all dried off and ready for lotion. The second I turned my head he took off for the tub and dove back in. What a goof!

Port seriously is the biggest stud ever!! He is at such a fun age, but also a frustrating one. He never listens, is constantly bugging his sisters, and gets into mischief at the drop of a hat. But, when he is good he is so cute. I love listening to the new phrases and words that he comes up with, his smile can just melt my heart, and I love to hear him laugh. My favorite of his lately is "You better watch out, better not cry, better not pout, I'm TELLING ON YOU!!" I can't believe how fast he has grown. Love you Portis!!!