San Diego, Sunshine, Shamu, and Stones (kidney that is)

A couple of weeks ago my mom and sisters decided that they wanted to go to Sea World during Spring Break. They stopped at our house for the night on their way down to San Diego. At the last minute (as in the next morning, an hour or so before they were planning on leaving) Nate and I decided that we would join them on their journey. We thought that it might be fun for one last little trip before the baby comes. As soon as Porter heard that we might be going with Grammy he decided that he had better get packed. This is what he thought was most important to take.

Of course, he had to bring his boots, which he already had on, his swimming board, and two shoes, both of which didn't match. What a character!

Well, we threw our stuff together and we were off. About a half an hour into the trip I started to not feel so hot and started getting a weird pain in my side. I just figured that I was sitting some-what uncomfortably in the front seat (pregnancy will do that to you) and was getting a little car sick. I hadn't been feeling well earlier that week, and I just figured that my antibiotics hadn't kicked in yet too. Long story short, the seven hour ride down was completely miserable. After we had checked into our hotel and got everybody settled I told Nate that I needed to go to the hospital. The pain in my side was unbearable and I knew that I needed some help. Twelve hours, four ultrasounds, a diagnosis of a kidney stone, and a lot of pain medication later they realeased me from the hospital and we were able to get back to our kids. Thank goodness for my mom who stayed with them through the night in our hotel room.

The day I was realeased was supposed to be the day that we went to Sea World. Instead, my mom and sisters took my kids to the pool and on a small jaunt to the beach while I rested. I was hoping that the pain medication, love me some Vicoden, would help me through the day, but it made me extremely drowsy. Another long story short, because of the many prayers and fasting of others (thanks everybody), I was able to have a better day the next day. We went to Sea World and had a great time.

We started our day by feeding the dolphins, which my kids were not too sure about. You have to touch them on the head first, before you put the fish in their mouths. Well, the awaiting dolphin sits there with its mouth wide open and all you can see is teeth. Needless to say, it took a bit of coaxing before they would touch anything.

We also watched the shows and the kids loved them.

Good 'ol Shamu. Although, I think this whale was really named "Corky". My kids were so entranced with this show. I almost teared up a couple of times just looking at their faces. It was just the perfect look of child-like amazement and wonder. I am so glad that they were able to see it.

They liked the dolphin show, but their all-time favorite had to be the sea lions. They still talk about bits and pieces of this show all the time. I think it was a little more interactive than the others and they remember quite a bit about it.

Of course, we saw the sharks....

fed the flamingoes....

tried to get the kids to touch the sting rays (that was a no-go)...

visited the sea turtles...

and touched the star fish.

We had a great day. We had a blast and can't wait until we someday return. I was blessed to have been able to walk around that day without my pain meds. (Thanks for all of your prayers and concern on my behalf.) We spent that night at my aunt and uncle's house in San Moreno Valley.

Porter was exhausted, but wouldn't let go of his new Shamu souvenier. I am so glad that we were able to go when our kids were old enought to remember the trip.

The return journey was long and uncomfortable for me, but we made it. Thank goodness, the next morning the stone passed and I was able to get some much needed rest and recovery after a week in pain. Miracles do happen.We had a wonderful trip and we are looking forward to when we can do it again and really enjoy ourselves. Thanks mom for letting us crash your party and for looking after the kids when things were looking bleak. We love you. Thanks also to my wonderful husband Nate who put up with everything and was very patient with me. He stayed by my side through the night in the hospital and wouldn't leave me even though I insisted that he return to the hotel to be with the kids. You are the best. I love you!

SPRING!!!

So... you know it is spring here when the kids are dying to eat lunch outside every day and you have to put up an umbrella for shade. I love that spring comes here a little earlier than up north. It has been so nice to be outside with just a light jacket, and lately not even that. I am going to enjoy this weather while it lasts because the "hot season" is just around the corner. Spring, Spring, Spring...oh how I've missed you!!

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.