Our Adventures...

Family Pictures - Salem Pond

2010-07-07T07:46:00.000-07:00

Here we are! The series of pictures were so funny. Grant was laughing at his "hilarious" Uncle Laren, so in some pictures he was doubled over laughing. It was really cute - he finds Laren just SO SO funny!

And here is my goofy family. We always have to do a silly picture - I think I love this picture even more than the serious one! This is just how we are!

Ok, here is the serious shot. It's almost impossible to get all 13 kids looking AND the adults, so we're happy with this one!

Here are the amazing Mimi and Papa, the two who started all of this! Thank you, Mom and Dad, for loving us and teaching us to love each other. Out of all the children in the world, they would choose their cousins!

Salem Pond

2010-06-24T16:25:00.000-07:00

With Mom's surgery schedule for Wednesday, we had a family BBQ at Salem Pond. For the first time in YEARS, someone took a picture of Andrew and I. Sadly, the only picture that turned out was the one that best shows my crooked smile. I am a girl who loves to smile, but if I smile too big, it goes CROOKED! One of my flaws...oh well.

Then, we wanted a Girls-Only picture. This was a funny one of us "in-action", so I had to include it. Keep reading and you'll see the finished product.

From left: Danielle, Me, Mindy, Mom and Joanna. Oh, how I love my sisters! Thanks for a great night!

Candy, anyone?

2010-06-10T06:33:00.000-07:00

For our first Cousin Camp of the summer, we visited the Sweet's Candy Factory! Sadly, I look pregnant in this picture - um...I'm not. Just need to lay off the CANDY!

Here's the whole crew after the tour. After staying in the yellow lines and NOT touching anything for 30 minutes, we made it to the end. It was SO interesting to see how they make cinnamon bears and MILLIONS of pounds of jelly beans. Of course, there were samples along the way, and the kids were in HEAVEN!

Oh, did I mention that we got to wear these adorable hats? Keeping them on the babies was a bit of a challenge, but we had a GREAT day! The Candy Factory is out by the Salt Lake City Airport and the tours are absolutely FREE!

Spirit Week!

2010-06-06T20:41:00.000-07:00

Can you guess? NERD DAY! The kids had SO much fun dressing up and Faith sat completely still while I did this to her hair - very atypical of my daughter!

The next day was...CRAZY HAIR/HAT DAY! Clark wanted a spike like Lewis from "Meet the Robinsons". Faith wanted volcanoes all over her head. So, 25 minutes later, we had done it!

Grant's hair is so incredibly short after his self-inflicted reverse mohawk, that we couldn't do a thing to it. So, he wore a soccer cone on his head - not my idea, but he thought it was hilarious! This picture makes me laugh so hard! Each showing their personalities so well!

Faith's trick - cross-eyes. I hadn't seen her do this in ages, but when I asked to take a picture of her hair, this was her immediate reaction. Grant looks so cute in the background too.

Stay tuned for Pioneer Pictures. Although I'm not supposed to look 21st century, I"m going to insist on bringing my camera to This is the Place next week, where we volunteer on Fridays from 10-2. Come visit us in the Rich home - we'd love to have you!

Draper Elementary FUN RUN!

2010-06-06T20:36:00.000-07:00

Boy, this was a long time coming. For the past month, Grant has run around the block (.5 miles) every day, trying to improve his speed. Not because he WANTED to, but because it was part of his consequence for getting an unacceptable grade on his report card (it was lower than D-). Which class you ask? COMPREHENSIVE READING! If you know Grant, you're laughing out loud right now, because he is a voracious reader! Just didn't feel like doing his book reports. Hmmmm...

Anyway, we challenged him to run as much as he could, and complete the race in less than 20 minutes. Result...he was RUNNING when I saw him, and he actually finished in about 21 minutes. MUCH improved over last year - way to go, buddy!

Here comes my happy little Clark, running with a smile on his face, as always! Clark doesn't need to run with friends, he's just having a great time and doing his best! I was proud of him---(don't tell Faith but he was ahead of her at this point)

Here is my little ray of sunshine named Drew-bug. We played at the park after the race, and I got ths cute one. It almost looks like he doesn't have hair, he has turned so blonde!

John on his last day of preschool. So, we did something crazy...we combed his hair! His teacher, Mrs. King, has been absolutely precious, and we have loved her so much. He has learned an amazing amount and is READY for Kindergarten in the fall! What will I do with only one child home every morning? Hm...I can think of about 46 things of the top of my head!

Dear friends make everything better!

2010-05-16T20:19:00.000-07:00

Faith received a Principal's Pride award for a silly poem she wrote about the ice cream that they stored in the bathroom. She has quite an imagination!

Our dear, sweet friend, Heather, got married to her sweetheart, Jed. We were thrilled to be invited to all the festivities! We love Heather like she is our own. She has been THE favorite babysitter since we lived in Indiana, and we are so grateful to live close again! Love you, Heather!

My Clark is a CHARACTER with a capital C! The Kindergarten class was putting on a ZOO, each child dressing up as the animal of their choice. During this song, he's doing a little jive, and really hamming it up. Maybe he got this from his Mimi!?!

Here are the desert animals. The children designed their own habitat background, and used household items to make into the scenery. Miss Ipson is just so darling - Clark has learned so much, and really had a GREAT time at school this year!

The Basement Project

2010-05-16T20:13:00.000-07:00

Here is the progress on the basement. Kellert (our amazing Contractor) has all the wainscoting up, and will work this week on the stairway up. You can see in this picture the little Kids Clubhouse that Kellert built under the stairs - this will be just so fun for them to have their own little space. Even the light switch is lower for them. I think I might put my cousin Ann's Solar System vinyl in there. Might as well learn something, right?

At the end of this room will be two benches and a short entertainment center with a TV on the wall (maybe by Christmas).

This is the doorway into the bathroom, and the continuing into the BIG room. Because it's a walk-out basement, it will be really light and useful space - not feeling like a basement. EXCITED!

This is the nook for the desk, and then on up the stairs. Stay tuned. In about 4 weeks, this should look MUCH different!

It's a SNAKE!

2010-04-25T15:31:00.000-07:00

I was outside using the Weed Whacker in the front yard. As I headed around to the side of the yard, I saw a snake staring at me between the wheels of Grant's bike. It took me a second to figure out what it was, and then I RAN inside and screamed to Andrew "There is a HUGE snake in our front yard!" His reaction? "COOL!" My reaction? "Get him out of here!"

My brave Prince Charming went out to battle the snake. He was over 4 feet long, and was not happy about us bothering him. At one point, Mr. Slither tried to get away, but Andrew reached into the bushes, grabbed his tail and yanked him back out onto the driveway! Not long after, we had a whole crowd of neighbor kids over looking at the snake.

What do you do when you find a snake? On Saturday? We called the POLICE! The first cop said with no hesitation, "I am NOT touching that thing!" When his backup arrived, he was a bit more brave. We got the snake into a pillow case, and they took him to "relocate" him.
SCARY! The biggest snake either of us have ever seen in the wild! But, we are now safe again!

Here's a cute picture of Drew after church today. He loves bread!

And Clark and Faith? Um...Let me just say goofus on the roofus! Love those kids so much!

The Many Faces of our Drew-bug

2010-04-13T08:17:00.000-07:00

Our little Drew-bug is 14 months now, and I am just enjoying every single day. People often ask "Aren't you sad that he's growing out of this stage, or that stage?" Honestly, NO. I'm not. I try to have no regrets and spend as much time as I can with my little miracle boy, and then let him grow up to the next fun stage!

He loves to scrunch up his nose and make funny faces. During this photo "shoot", he started to really perform, pulling all these funny faces, and loving every click of the camera!

Just plain silly, that's what he is. And I love every inch of his squishy little body!

Drew knows where his head is. He also knows how to say: All done, ball, a version of "dog", and he sings "Pop, Pop" (Popcorn Popping). The great thing about having Drew is that every one of the children get to enjoy each phase with us! None of them remember any other baby in our family, so this is their first experience and they LAUGH, oh how they LAUGH at the darling things he does.

Faith's Baptism

2010-04-13T08:12:00.000-07:00

Oh, what a special day we had on Saturday! Faith was surrounded by SO many loved ones on her special day. Thank you to each one of you who came to share your love for Faith. She truly felt it, and so did we.

The only way we could get a "real" smile out of Faith is if we let her do her "sassy" pose. So, here she is in her truest form! Oh, how I love that not-so-little girl!

Daddy was beaming with tears in his eyes almost the whole morning. So pleased with the activities of the day. He gave her a beautiful Confirmation and blessing that we will always remember - she truly HAS blessed our lives and I have learned so much from this spunky little gal!

Our dear, sweet Grandma Mix, who turns 91 this month - with Grandpa Jack & Grandma Rosemary. We were so touched that they would come. Thank you for loving us as your own!

Halloween 2009

2009-11-06T16:20:00.000-08:00

I know that it's been 2 months since my last post - sorry! We had a GREAT Halloween at L & J's house in Salem. All the cousins went Trick-or-treating together for the first time EVER! Afterwards, Drew and I snuggled on the BIG Love Sac. Drew is almost 9 months and we have just hit the "get-into-absolutely-everything" phase! So fun, but a bit exhausting!

These are the "triplets": Alice (5 months), Drew (8 months) and Ruthie (2 months). Amazing how these babies' mothers all have the same parents, because they don't look a thing alike! But, they sure like each other!

Andrew was a jailbird and I was a 50s girl. Not easy to explain to my kids what exactly a 50s girl is, but they just liked that I dressed up!

We got them to stop long enough to snap this picture: Monkey (John), Luke Skywalker (Clark), Bat (Jack), Rock Star (Faith), Cheerleader (Abbie), Alien (BJ) and Frog (Drew).

Now that Halloween is over, I am getting SO excited for Thanksgiving, where we can show our gratitude to our Savior, Jesus Christ and all that He has given us. We get to host this year, so pictures will follow!

THEN...on to CHRISTMAS! It's the most wonderful time of the year!

John Turns 4!

2009-08-12T20:39:00.000-07:00

For John's Birthday, we celebrated with his Hawkins cousins. The kids played outside in the sprinklers, and we just had a great time!

We visited with Grandma Ottley, and happened to catch her on a REALLY great day. She was smiling, laughing and singing along with the children. Grandma is the center of our world and we just love her so much. This "Tender Mercy" came for Grandpa, as we visited on his 87th birthday.

She went back to her "unhealthy" self the next morning. Faith played Lightly Row for Grandma and Grandma sang right along!

Andrew and I went to Logan two weekends ago to visit our cousins and do a little SHOOTING! What? I had never shot a gun in my life, and until about 3 months ago, had NO desire to do so. But, we felt like we needed a little bit of training, JUST IN CASE, and I have to admit...it was fun!

What are we up to?

2009-06-23T21:20:00.000-07:00

Some of EVERYTHING! Daddy found this toad and he quickly became John's best friend! I was amazed at John's courage to just pick him up! We were telling Faith that if she kissed the toad, it would turn into a handsome prince. But, before John could hear that we were JUST KIDDING...he kissed the toad! YUCK!

Grant with my sweet sister, Joanna. These two have a very special bond - they adore each other! Jo loves to hear Grant laugh, and Grant thinks JO (and Laren) are hilarious!

This is my sweet neice, Jane. We were trying to take a picture of her with her new baby sister, but without success. I honestly think this was the cutest picture of them all - Jane could not be more beautiful, but she certainly did not want her picture taken! We love you Janie!

Ok,,,what have we been doing so far this summer? A whole lot of THIS! Cousin Camps every Thursday, reading, jumping on the trampoline, riding bikes, scooters, skateboards, and so much more! Now that the rain has stopped, we will enjoy the summer even more. Mommy's new pasttime...the GYM! And the kids love it too!

BJ's party!

2009-05-30T22:25:00.000-07:00

This is Drew (18 pounds) with his newborn cousin, Alice Malee. I'm so glad we captured this while they were asleep. Aren't they adorable? What makes my babies grow so big? I think I will take the credit in THICK, NUTRITIOUS Mommy milk. Thank you, thank you very much.

Darling neice, Amelia, with her "curlies" and ketchup face. Isn't she a crackup?

The "triplets" (my John, BJ - birthday boy, and Jane) all born 2 months apart from each other. This potato sack race was the funniest one. Within 4 feet, Jane fell and started to cry. One more jump beyond Jane, BJ tripped, fell and started to cry. John happened to be ahead of them, so he just continued on and finished the race. The other two DID finish with the help of the magic jumping parents!

My sisters and I. Thanks, Mom, for capturing this picture! Love you sisters! I really love living close and buzzing down for a quick birthday party - we have never been able to do this, and now I"m trying to take advantage of every chance I have to be with family!

Family Fun!

2009-05-30T22:20:00.000-07:00

Part of the fun we had in Logan (sorry, these posts are out of order) was riding Aunt Connie's BIG motorcycle. Thank you, Connie, for loving our kids enough to take them. You made their week!

Clark just hanging out in the tree!

Here is the FAMOUS "A" at Utah State, that has turned many a commoner into an official TRUE AGGIE. The kids were in SUPER goof mode, but were really good sports as we drove them around campus, reminiscing about our life there 13 years ago. We even got a chance to peek into Trailer #65 at USU MObile Home Park where we first lived. Same green carpet, same trellis border that we put in and the same cozy feel - we loved that trailer so much!

Oh, and we had to remember what it felt like to kiss on the "A". ARE YOU A TRUE AGGIE?

Here's the Latest!

2009-05-30T22:15:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, Dad Croshaw came up and he, with Andrew, worked to fix the fountain! I am pleased to say, after much ado, that it is working and wonderful! It creates a nice, gentle stream sound and it's going to be lovely.

Also on Saturday, Grant celebrated his 9th birthday. Here are the darling kids - they love Grant! We bought him trick candles, but they "tricked" me and didn't relight. Oh well!

On Memorial Day, we drove to Logan to visit the gravesite of Cristin, Andrew's sister, who passed away in 1990. We had such a great time reuniting with so many Croshaw cousins. There were probably 50 of us there, and as we stood in a circle and sang, there was a very sweet Spirit.

When we lived away from Utah, we started a tradition of letting a yellow balloon "go" up into the sky in memory of Cristin. After hearing much about "No, I want to let it go", "No, I do"...we got four balloons, and each child let them go in his/her own style! We loved that trip.

Here's a cute picture of Drew! The weirdest thing happened this past week. Drew's naturally-occuring mowhawk DISAPPEARED! His hair just laid down and he honestly looked like a different baby! We love him either way and he is just a DELIGHT in our family! He'll talk and talk to me, while I hold him. He can make many different shapes with his mouth, and has recently discovered the art of pulling mommy's hair! It's a milestone...it hurts, but I'm thrilled!

Drew-bug is 3 months old!

2009-05-15T21:37:00.000-07:00

I took this picture yesterday while Mimi and Papa were here. He was looking out the back door and the lighting was so perfect! I just love those little lips and kiss them at least 50 times a day! Ooh...we love this boy!

Funny Face

2009-05-04T20:55:00.000-07:00

I took these pictures to send to my cute Auntie Gaye, who gave this outfit to Drew. It's a 6-12 month outfit, and Drew will be just 3 months this week! We put him on the scale with Grant, and with Grant weighing in at 70 pounds, Drew weighs 15 pounds! And we love every ounce of him!

Somber Boy

2009-05-04T20:50:00.000-07:00

Many people tell us that Drew looks just like his brother, Grant. Grant was a very serious baby and it took the Circus to make him smile.

Although these pictures show the serious side of Drew, he has really started to smile and even "talk" lately. I could listen to him talk all day. If I put him in the bend of my elbow with him looking up at me, he'll talk and talk - music to Mommy's ears.

Here's a cute one of his smile.

He is just so angelic - we can't count our blessings fast enough!

Children's Museum with the cousins!

2009-04-15T07:45:00.000-07:00

On Monday, we ventured up to the Gateway to spend the day at the Children's Museum. After having visited the world-renowned Indianapolis Children's Museum and the Port Discovery in Baltimore, our expectations were pretty high! But, I can happily say that we were pleased with what we found!

"The Garden" was the kids' favorite spot. Even the big kiddos loved putting balls in the tubes and watching where they went!

Sweet little Drew has had an episode of Eczema lately and we can't figure out how to treat it. Any suggestions? We're trying Vaseline, Neutrogena lotion and even diaper creme.

Here they are! Mia, Christian, Clark, Grant, John, Abbie, BJ, Jack, Faith and Jane. All 10 cousins together in one place! We love living close!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-15T07:42:00.000-07:00

On Sunday evening, we went to Mimi and Papa's house for a wonderful Easter Dinner, complete with 11 kids and 10 adults! Mimi asked the big kids to hide the eggs for the little kids...then, of course, they got to "search" for their own loot.

John is so happy because I'm positive he's never eaten as much candy as he did on Sunday!

I'm glad that Mindy grabbed my camera, so that I could participate with my kiddos in the HUNT! Clark was so sweet at our Neighborhood Egg Hunt in the dark. Each child was supposed to go out and find 12 eggs, but he came back with only 2! You'd think a 5-year old would be in tears about that, but not Clark! He just said "Just got two, Mom!" and went about his business. When I gave him one out of JOhn's basket, he was thrilled and said "THANKS, MOM!" He has such a soft heart and is always trying to help others be happy.

So, I wanted to make sure that he got his share at this hunt, as a reward for his sweetness.

I can't remember what Grant was laughing at, but Mindy can always make him laugh, and HARD! He's not pretending... he really is in STITCHES about something!

Happy Birthday, Faith!

2009-04-15T07:36:00.000-07:00

Mimi came to help with Faith's Dress-up party last WEdnesday afternoon. The kids were out early from school because it was the start of Spring Break.

Faith determined all the activities: Pin the tail on the Pony (drawn by herself); Horse, Horse, Pony (aka Duck Duck Goose), Who stole the cookies? and of course PINK cupcakes! Have you read the book called "Pinkalicious" about a girl who eats too many pink cupcakes? It's darling and could very well happen to my little Faith!

Mommy quickly wrote out this poster so that the girls could decorate it at the beginning of the party. Now, Mommy DOES know how to spell Birthday, there was just a lot going on! Oops!

Clark thought he was SO funny to jump into the pictures, that he got us all laughing! Life with brothers - faith is so lucky!

A dog...a what? A dog!

2009-04-15T07:32:00.000-07:00

Presenting...Lucy! An 8 week old Golden Retriever. The breeder told the kids that Lucy will love the child who treats her the best. I have been amazed at how well Faith has done, volunteering to take her out and go potty, patiently waiting outside in the rain for her, carrying her in the bucket, and so much more.

This is a patient dog. Faith carries her around like a baby doll with her legs dangling below and Lucy doesn't even react! She's so cute!

If you look closely, you can see her pink polka-dot collar. She will receive the fullest treatment of GIRL that a dog possibly can. Afterall, this IS Faith's new sister (sadly the only sister she'll have)

We got this kennel that is made for Golden Retrievers. IT's hard to believe that Lucy will fill this, but I'm sure it will be sooner than we think. Potty report...Lucy now knows to go potty only in the mulch at the back of the yard. I'm not kidding! If you run with her out there, and say "Go Potty, Lucy!" she goes! She's a GOOD GIRL!

Weekend Fun!

2009-04-06T08:30:00.000-07:00

This is our dear Grandma M. who will turn 90 at the end of the month. She does such a wonderful job of staying involved with all the goings-on in our lives. Something amazing...she sends Birthday Cards to every one of her grand children AND great grandchildren. You are amazing, Grandma. Thanks for your amazing example.

Uncle Jesse is always fun, even when reading a book!

Grant doing his Science Project. Sucking the egg up into the bottle. We finally found the right size egg and it worked! He was so excited to take his project to school today. Can't wait to hear about the results!

We are so blessed!

2009-04-06T08:25:00.000-07:00

We spent our weekend with 42 of our very favorite people. 16 of the Croshaw Family slept at our home both on Friday and Saturday, and it was just so wonderful to see the kids playing together, being SUPER silly together, and just getting reacquainted after living away from Utah for so long. We had great discussions with the adults, and thoroughly loved having Grandma M. come for the blessing Sunday morning.

This is the RICH side of the family - all who live closeby. We couldn't be grateful enough to everyone for coming to support our little Drew Michael. Let's see...11 grandkids on the Rich side...11 on the Croshaw side. Which made for an active General Conference!

My sweet Drew Michael who is getting SO BIG! He's 7 weeks now and is such a wonderful child. Very patient with all the love he gets from his siblings, cousins and especially Faith!

I'm not sure Drew was trying to smile, but it sure looks like one...we'll take it! For his blessing, he was wrapped in a beautiful crocheted blanket made by his Mimi and the blanket that his Daddy was blessed in almost 36 years ago!

April Fools!

2009-04-01T15:57:00.000-07:00

The kids are eating their "eggs" for an after school snack. Can you guess what they're made of?

I also put candy in their beds, with a little note "Happy April Fool's Day"
Grant's after school chores today were: Homework, Climb Mt. Everest, Laundry Basket, Fly to the Moon, Eat the Garbage
Faith's were: Call Hannah Montana, Homework, Carry the van to Hattie's house, Laundry Basket, Ride your bike to California and Eat your Coat.

I heard Faith singing the same April Fool's song that I sang when I was in Elementary School. That sure brought back a lot of memories!

Baby Drew, and a sneak peak at our next addition!

2009-04-01T15:52:00.000-07:00

I took these pictures of Drew the other day, and realized that he has officially grown out of the 0-3 month clothing. Yes, that's right. He's only 7 weeks old. He has changed so much, I can hardly believe it! Every little thing he does is sentimental because this is the last time we'll have a little one in our home so small. Faith likes to hold Drew like I do, walk around, put him on her hip, and (needless to say) it gives me a minor heart attack. But, she sure loves him and just wants to be a big girl.

This is the sneak peak of our new addition! I know, I know. I'm crazy. Didn't I just give birth 7 weeks ago? Yes. But, didn't we promise the kids a dog as soon as we got into a house? Yes. When you love your kids, you do crazy things! This little Golden Retriever will be OURS beginning next Wednesday, April 8th.

We wrote a list of about 40 names - some silly, some serious - and will have to narrow it down in the next week.

She will be a BIG dog and will spend MOST of her days in the backyard. The kids had so much fun playing with our little GIRL dog and her siblings. Why a girl? So Faith can have a sister, of course! Well, maybe the next best thing. More details about HER later.

Clark and Drew just being cute - age 7 weeks.

John loves this boy SO much. Not an ounce of jealousy - just lots of slobbery kisses on Drew's head. Drew must not be allergic to Peanut Butter, because John left a little deposit on his face the other day, and we didn't get a reaction. Phew!

Happy Spring - it snowed today. But, that doesn't stop the kids from jumping on the trampoline.

Funnies: John said "Mom, I need to FLOOS my teeth!"

Silly Kids!

2009-03-29T19:15:00.000-07:00

Tonight after we got our jammies on, we had a family Photo Shoot. Aren't my three "big" boys adorable? Getting them to hold still for this picture was difficult!!! Grant likes to do bunny ears, Clark likes to do funny faces, and John puts his arms in front of his face! Silly boys!

Here's our whole gang! They couldn't make us any happier! This shows their personalities so well! Look at Clark's smirk! I happened to catch John without his hand in front of his face. Faith is holding Drew maybe a bit too tight - doesn't his face seem a bit red? Grant is just happy to be there! In the background, you can see a sneak peak of our kitchen.

Mommy and Daddy with Drew. Drew's not happy, Daddy's half-happy, and Grant is thrilled that we let him take the picture!

Um...guess who took this one? JOHNNY! We all "fit" in the picture, but this wouldn't win any awards! We're just having fun, and that's what it's all about. Good night, Grant. Good night, Faith. Good night, Clark. Good night, John. I love you all!

Puttin' on the Pounds!

2009-03-29T18:51:00.000-07:00

Our little Drew is getting not-so-little! His cheeks have really filled out in the past week, and he is looking more and more like our other kiddos did at that age. Drew loves his pacifier and loves it even more when he's held. Faith is our little "holder", and will run to him anytime he cries. I am so grateful for her.

We had a surprise visit from Amelia Bedelia herself on Friday night who came to read some books to the children about her adventures! They loved it, Grandma. Thanks for being so fun!

Did I mention that Drew has figured out how to cry? And I mean really CRY! Clark said "Mom, I had no idea that a baby could cry THAT loud for THAT long!" Mind you, it was about 5 minutes while I was finishing up something, but that was plenty for Clark to hear!

He brings just so much joy to our lives. I can't look at him enough. I can't kiss him enough. These precious first weeks of his life are slipping away and before we know it, he'll be a toddler. I'm trying to enjoy every single day with this sweetheart sent from my Heavenly Father. The children love to nurture him and help make him happy, each with their own style. Faith picks him up and sits on the couch with him, Grant says "Hello, little Drew bug" and then moves on. Clark "Hi...(picture a very high sing-songy voice)" and John puts his face RIGHT in Drew's face, and leaves sloppy kisses on him, multiple times a day.

At 6 weeks now, we are STILL waiting for Drew's smile to emerge. We've seen it in his sleep, but he's quite somber during the awake hours. Of course, Grant was this way. And look at him now! Mr. Silly Pants for sure. We'll appreciate the smiles even more when they come!

This week I made a trip to the ER, worried that I might be experiencing the RETURN OF THE BLOOD CLOTS! But, my lungs were clear. I was just extremely sore from all the nighttime hours attempting to sleep with Drew in my arms. Weird positions, EXTREME exhaustion and a hungry baby are not a good combination. We are in the midst of watching the entire series of LOST, which probably causes more loss of sleep than the baby does. It's our own fault, I know!

I can hardly wait for General Conference next weekend, where we will hear the words of our Prophets! We will also be blessing little Drew in our home on Sunday. Great pictures to come of ALL the family with this little guy! Next week...pictures of the house (as per request from our GV6th friends)

Every Single Day is special

2009-03-17T18:53:00.000-07:00

When I nurse, I don't read books. I stare at my beautiful, miracle baby. He has brought so much joy into our lives in his short month of life. His cheeks have doubled in size, which makes him look more and more like our other kids. This one of him sleeping looks like Clark's hair...

This one looks like Grant a lot, and a bit of Clark's nose. I am waiting EVER so patiently for the first smile. He's almost 5 weeks, and it should be arriving any day. I will think of it as Drew's gift to me for feeding him every 3 hours for the past 35 days. Well worth it!

Here Grant is reading to the boys about "World Leaders", and even Drew is participating (on left). Grant was supposed to be holding him, but decided that the couch was doing a fine job. He's multi-tasking.

Daddy loves to give Drew a bath, and Drew loves to get them. He just sits there enjoying the warm water, never making a sound. For as much as he spits, he gets a lot of baths to clean out that cute little (chubby) neck. We love this little boy SO much!

Funny story about Clark.. (I do have 4 other children, who have adjusted quite nicely to the move, by the way). I handed Clark a cookie from Ikea in the car the other day. You know the ones that are round, with a round dollup of chocolate in the middle? Anyway, I handed it to him, and he said "Wow...these are well designed!"

One more funny... our John is known for having one volume...LOUD! NO matter how much you ask him to speak sweetly or softly, he retreats back to his normal volume within seconds. Last Saturday, while we were setting up the trampoline, I heard John yelling at full voice about something...right afterwards, Clark said (in a yelling voice himself) "John! You do not have to yell as loud as a fire engine!" Well said, buddy!

Presenting...Drew Michael Croshaw!

2009-02-15T15:00:00.000-08:00

The kids absolutely ADORE him, and can't say enough how tiny he is, and cute, and sweet!

Drew was just out of his Bili Bed, hence the diaper-only attire. The kids just want to hold him all the time and I love it. It's really brought them together, and they love to just watch his every move!

Here's our little angel, in a super-soft blanket from Mimi. Who do you think he looks like?

This is what Faith spends her days doing lately - kissing Drew! I think she might even kiss him more than I do, and that's a lot!

They are so happy to have a new brother - AND we'll be moving into our new house this week. Thank you so much to everyone who helped with the big unpack yesterday. I can't wait to go and see it tomorrow morning!

We also had a delicious dinner brought by the sweet Nelson Family, complete with Rootbeer floats. That certainly hit the spot, and their generosity was amazing! In times like these, when I am on the receiving end, it reminds me to really Pay it Forward whenever I get a chance.

More of Drew...

2009-02-15T14:52:00.000-08:00

This is Drew's home tanning bed - aka the Bili Bed. When we left the hospital, they delivered this for his continued treatment of his Bilirubin. The bed glows, as does the little paddle that we lay on his tummy. He was SO cute, and the kids loved the glasses. We were even tempted to color the glasses to look like Mr. Incredible!

Just home from the hospital on Saturday, Feb. 14, Valentine's Day! I can already tell that this boy is going to be a patient one! He just lets out these little mini-cries and then waits for someone to come. He is already such a joy in our home!

Drew's Bilirubin treatments in the hospital. Because his levels were still too high, they kept him one day longer than I stayed. At first thought, I didn't worry about it, because they said I could do a "Hotel Stay" at the hospital, and be right there to nurse him. But, when my sweet nurse, Marcia, said that the beds were all full and I couldn't stay, my post-pregnancy emotions went into overload and I just cried and cried!

It was SO hard to leave him there, but as it always does, everything worked out and we brought him home the next morning! We are just so blessed and can't even count our blessings fast enough!

Here's our little munchkin making a funny face. This shiny blanket was provided by Mimi, and does NOT work as a blanket because he slides right out. Maybe he'll like it as his little "lovey".

Just out! Sweet as can be, and already bringing such a peaceful Spirit into our home.

Ta Da! He's here...

2009-02-15T14:46:00.000-08:00

Drew Michael Croshaw arrived on Wednesday, Feb. 11th at 1:10pm, weighing in at 7 pounds 11 ounces. The delivery was flawless, and I felt GREAT afterwards.

Just as the kids had requested for months before, they were able to meet their brother just 10 minutes after he was born, still slimy and everything!

Faith wanted to sit by me, and make sure I was doing alright - I can already tell that she will be my BIGGEST helper with our little guy!

Proud Mimi - doesn't it almost look like Drew is smiling too? This Mimi has done EVERYTHING in my place for the past 5 days, and I can't be grateful enough! So much for retiring, right mom?

Here's Faith and I in a picture taken by the amazing Grant! He covered ALL the details about this delivery, including the mountains out the window. Thanks for being so thorough, buddy!

Baby Day Tomorrow

2009-02-10T19:50:00.000-08:00

Hello, Folks.
Baby Boy Croshaw (possibly to be named Drew) is coming tomorrow.
They will call me anytime after 5am and tell me to come to the hospital.
I took my last Lovenox shot this morning (Wahoo!) and so it will need to be at least 24 hours before they are able to give me my Epidural. Looks like everything is working like clockwork.
So so grateful.

I suspect that by the early afternoon, we will meet our little bundle for the first time.
As excited as I am, I can hardly wait for the kids to meet him.
We have counted down days since it was over 100, and now it's TOMORROW.

They want to make posters for him, and see him when he's only 10 minutes old.
I hope they can. I know that they will remember this day forever.
What's a better memory than the day that your baby brother was born.

So, stay tuned...more details to come!

7 days to BABY...and counting!

2009-02-04T20:02:00.000-08:00

What would YOU do the week before your baby arrives?

I am definitely nesting...cleaning every cupboard in Mom's house that I come in contact with. We even tackled the Storage Room today - big improvement, but not completely done yet.

I am preparing for baby...got my onesies, sleepers, binkies, bottles, burp cloths, hats and blankets. It's fun to find great deals for this little guy! And because I have NOTHING from my previous babies here at the house (it's all in the POD), I was justified in stocking up, at least enough to get us through the first couple weeks without our stuff.

I am sleepy and worn out, yet uncomfortable when I'm in my bed. This is not a good combination. I am fully aware that my life will be turned upside down in just 7 short days. Believe me...I"d love to sleep more than I am, but it's just not happening.

I am still giving myself Lovenox shots everyday, only now I do it in the morning rather than the evening. This will make it easier to "time" the induction, and better ensure that I will, in fact, be able to have an epidural at delivery. If, for some reason, I went into labor by myself, and it hadn't been 24 hours since the last shot, they would NOT give me an epidural! So, I'll skip my last shot, and everything should be just great. I have done more than 250 shots, and I only have about 7 more...Hallelujah!

Today, I did something not many pregnant women do a week before delivery...I went to the Cannery! I canned about 500 pounds of Hard White Wheat, as well as Oats, White Beans, Pinto Beans and Black Beans. I didn't even begin to complete my list of "wants", but we are again ready for an emergency, and it feels GOOD! A dear member of our new Draper ward came to the house and unloaded every one of those boxes into our garage. Wasn't that sweet?

Things to do before baby...speak in church, close on house, arrival of appliances, carpets cleaned, highlight my hair, shave legs, finish packing the hospital bag, download pictures, Valentines for the kids and Andrew, and more (I'm sure there's more).

Stay tuned...

It's my Birthday!

2009-01-22T08:11:00.000-08:00

Dear Blog Readers (hope you're still out there),
We have officially been in Utah for a MONTH, and it's more than I can comprehend.
We have filled our days with COUSIN fun to the max, sleepovers, birthday parties. Not to mention house hunting, phone calls with the bank, job searching and so much more.

Grant and Faith are in school at my Alma Mater, Westridge Elementary, and seem to be doing fine. Baby is coming in just 3 weeks, and the kids can hardly wait one more second. We attended a Baby Class at the Intermountain Medical Center (5300 & State) last night, and I think it boosted ALL of our excitement for this little guy to arrive.

Clark and John are enjoying their time here, although I think they miss the schedule of their Preschool. We read extra books and play the Wii (Santa's gift for Christmas) together. Clark is quite the little bowler. Clark's favorite activity so far here in Utah is SLEDDING. As he walked up the hill for the 50th time, I asked him "Clark, is this better than Disneyland?" His reply...YES!

Today's my birthday, and to celebrate, I invited my entire family (all 20 of them) to join me at the Open House of the Draper Temple. I can't think of a better place to celebrate.

Oh, did I mention? Through a twist of fate, we GOT A HOUSE for a great price! We'll be living in Draper beginning in February sometime. The 1/2 acre yard is just too good to be true, and can't wait for you to come share it with us. We literally close the DAY before the baby is to arrive - this might be interesting. I'm happy to let my husband sneak away from the hospital after baby arrives, because I know he will be inching us closer to being in our own place.

I am SO grateful to my sweet parents who have hosted all 6+ of us so beautifully. It truly has not been inconvenient for us at all, and I hope that we have lightened their load rather than burdened it. They sure act like they like us (wink).

Pictures will come soon - I'm just not sure how to do it on my mom's computer.

We miss all our dear friends in Arlington, and hope they know how much they have influenced our lives for good. Please keep in touch - we love you!

Faith's Night Out!

2008-12-14T06:31:00.000-08:00

this is
me with addie. I learned to teach her how to stand up on two legs.

rachel watsen is puting MY hands in water so they will be clean.

and rachel allen is painting my fingernails red.

This is me, BIG Rachel (Allen), Rachel Watson and Addie, the dog. It was fun because we got to go to McDonalds, and paint fingernails and pet the dog and teach him tricks. That's all!

the rockstar

2008-12-02T05:49:00.000-08:00

this is faith with hannah!

"About the Rock Star"

2008-12-02T05:24:00.000-08:00

This is a blog entry requested by and written by Faith:

abbie i just wrote a letter to... HANNAH MONTANA!
is that fun or what?

Moving to Utah...on Christmas Day?

2008-12-01T08:36:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's true.
We are relocating to Utah. Where? Mimi and Papa's basement for right now.
Andrew's working on the job front, I'm working on the house and baby. We hope our little guy will stay INSIDE until the time is right. Better for us all.

We feel very RIGHT about it, and we know that the Lord will help us work out all the details.

We'll let you know more when we do, but for now we're moving on Christmas Morning to UTAH! Ready or not...here we come!

Thanksgiving Day

2008-11-30T18:42:00.000-08:00

Cute John in front of the American History Museum.

My sweetheart, Andrew, washing dishes at the Wixom's home.

Here's the group on ONE end of the table - I was silly and didn't get other side of the table!

Our friend, Candus, made this beautiful Apple Pie. I love the little cutouts of leaves - it was amazing!

Bag Lady, Pilgrim & Indian

2008-11-30T18:38:00.000-08:00

Our Stake put on the play "Midsummer Night's Dream" set in modern day. The orchestra was supposed to be a homeless performing group and this was my outfit! I had leaves sticking out of my hat, boots and dress. Everyone loved my bright blue hat!

John and Clark had a Thanksgiving Program at their preschool. John was the cutest pilgrim I've ever seen, and posed like this when he saw I had the camera.

See! The Pilgrims and Indians CAN be friends! Aren't they darling?

Thanksgiving morning, we visited The American History Smithsonian that was recently reopened. We met some friends there and then went home in time to drive to the Wixoms and have a GREAT Thanksgiving dinner!

Pull those babies out!

2008-11-13T08:51:00.000-08:00

For weeks and weeks, Faith would tell me that her bottom teeth were hurting. I would feel them, decide they weren't loose, and we'd move on. Until, about a week ago, she said "Mom, I have teeth behind my other teeth!" And, sure enough, her two bottom teeth had grown in BEHIND the baby teeth!

Dr. Griffin (who also works with Andrew on the High Council) took her today and they just pulled them out! Andrew called me later to say that Faith had handled it like a CHAMP! "She couldn't have been more brave!" So, tonight we'll put her two cute little teeth (with big, long roots) under her pillow for the Tooth Fairy. Her BIG reward for being brave was this doll who looks just like Faith!

Pumpkin Carving

2008-11-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

Daddy went with the kids to pick out pumpkins and they came back with two GIANT ones!

You can tell who likes the goopy stuff inside. She is so adorable!

Clark has some gunk on his hand, and is having fun with it. John didn't really like the gunk.

The kids were playing in their room and called to me "Mom, come take a picture!" This is what I found. I love being a mother!

Late-in-coming Halloween pictures

2008-11-13T05:55:00.000-08:00

At Campbell School, the kids don't wear their costumes on Halloween, they have CRAZY SOCKS day. Faith wore her crazy leggings and Grant wore my witch socks with his matching shirt. Aren't they funny?

Clark and John had a preschool party later in the morning, and they are showing you their characters. As hard as John tried to growl, he was just too cute, and decided to be a "nice lion". I found this Peter Pan costume at the Disney Store and bought it for the sole reason of using the boots for Grant's Obi Wan Kenobi costume, but Clark loved it so much, he wore it all day, and the next day, and the next...

Can anyone explain WHY they make cupcakes with food coloring this color? And why do we give it to our children? I don't get it.

In the evening, our ward had our Trunk or Treat party. Daddy was a Lion Hunter (but John decided to be a Power Ranger), Faith was a darling witch, but didn't wear her hat or carry her broom, Clark was Peter Pan, Grant was Obi Wan Kenobi and I was a witch, of sorts. We had a great time and came home with WAY too much candy! Has anyone else heard of the Tooth Fairy trading prizes for candy? I think it's a brilliant idea!

Visit to Glen & Sherie

2008-10-23T06:06:00.000-07:00

Ok, this isn't at Glen & Sherie's house. This is at Epcot. We saw an amazing interactive show with all the Nemo characters, where the animated characters on the screen talked to the kids in the audience, personally! Calling them by name! Hard to describe, but very impressive!

On Sunday, we went to visit Uncle Glen & Aunt Sherie in a place called The Villages, FL. They do all their transportation on Golf Carts! In fact, Glen is a Golf Cart Salesman! So, at the end of the night, he let Faith drive! No Disney ride is cooler than this!

John fell right asleep on our little tour of the town. The weather was beautiful and they treated us so kindly! Thank you so much, Ottleys!

I love this picture of Mom with Johnny! The kids just LOVED all the attention from their grandparents, and we can't wait to see them again - hopefully soon!

Family time is PRICELESS!

2008-10-23T06:01:00.000-07:00

I just love this picture of John, standing in front of Pluto. Clark must have done something funny, but this is just so typical of our little funny-guy, Johnny! I love you, sweet boy!

Each morning before the parks would open, people would be lined up behind ropes, and...

they'd bring out the characters! They did a little dance and skit which made us all smile, and then OFF YOU GO to your destination within the park!

Mimi and Papa spoiled the kids with YUMMY chocolate ice cream bars almost every DAY! It's crazy, but I guess that's just what Grandparents do, right? We love you so much, and thank you for such a magical week together!

I love my kids, oh yeah, oh yeah!

2008-10-23T05:57:00.000-07:00

Daddy and Faith just taking a break! We packed our lunches into our backpacks each day, which was great, because we could stop to eat whenever we got hungry, AND we figured that the whole lunch cost us about $4 instead of $84!

Faith and John in Dino-Rama, a carnival-type section in Animal Kingdom.

John and I waiting for Faith to finish coloring her Dinosaur! John was such a trooper through the whole trip, just napping as we went, and being a happy as can be! Couldn't have been a better trip!

Here we are riding on the Dinosaurs, a ride exactly like Dumbo, minus about a 45 minute wait! Aren't they cute?

Quick, stop for a picture!

2008-10-23T05:53:00.000-07:00

Andrew's not a BIG fan of pictures, especially when we're trying to hurry and get to a ride before everyone else does! But, on our way in on the first morning, I said "Turn around for 5 seconds" and this is what I got! Not bad, huh? Those Fast Passes really are brilliant, and we used them to the fullest extent while we were there!

Here's cute Minnie in the Animal Kingdom. This was orange-shirt day, and we even ran into some other families all in orange as well!

While we rested for a minute, the kids got laughing SO hard with their "boingy toys". THIS is what it's all about - siblings laughing and playing together - who needs all that Disney to have our own kind of magic?

Here's Goofy and Pluto just outside the Dinosaur ride at Animal Kingdom. Our kids were all such a perfect age for this trip! John and Clark were about 40 1/2 inches tall, which meant (in Johnny's words) "I'm tall enough! I'm tall enough" to ride almost every ride in every park! Baby inside did just fine, and I kept myself off a few rides. My only mistake was the Everest roller coaster that I shouldn't have ridden a second time - I was this close to losing my cookies!

The Speedway!

2008-10-23T05:47:00.000-07:00

The kids loved the Buzz ride at the Magic Kingdom, and thought it was so funny to get in jail with Zurg! We rode that ride at least 3 times during the week, but we have to say that it's not quite as neat as the new Toy Story Ride. Sorry, Buzz!

Mimi and John coming off the Autopia ride. This is what the kids talked the most about - driving a car ALL BY THEMSELVES! So, on our first morning in the Magic Kingdom, we went straight to this ride, and practically walked on, while Papa was picking up Fast Passes to Splash Mountain!

He made it back just as we were getting off the ride, so Grant jumped on for another round with HIM!

Here's Daddy and Clark waiting for their car to arrive. Clark is SO excited, he can't even look at the camera!

Disney Fun!

2008-10-23T05:44:00.000-07:00

Here's the gang (minus Mommy who's taking the picture) right before we entered the PhilharMAGIC show. It was very well done, and the kids got quite used to putting these 3-D glasses on during the week. We saw at least one in each park

Here's "THE PICTURE" that we really wanted to get, and it turned out pretty well! Faith absolutely LOVED Minnie, and held her tight like that for as long as we were there!

Our matching shirts were so wonderful! I recommend that to ANYONE going to a big park like this. We stood out to others, who would comment about our family, AND we were able to "count heads" in an instant! It was SO GREAT

The kids sitting on Minnie's couch in her house. That house was the cutest thing I think I've ever seen! Faith and I would have moved in in a "heart beat"! (the whole house was COVERED with hearts!)

Wow...what a week!

2008-10-23T05:39:00.000-07:00

We just returned from a magical week with our Mimi and Papa in Orlando! The weather was great, the company was fantastic, and we wore ourselves right OUT!

We had a 5 day pass to the Disney Parks, and were pooped by the end, but fit in almost everything that the kids wanted to ride.

Yes, we DO have a carousel at Clemyjontri park, but Faith insisted on riding this one, and they loved it! We arrived at the park 30 minutes before it opened each morning, and those first couple hours were priceless! Lines were little to NONE, and we were able to ride the BIG rides during that time AND get Fast Passes for later!

This is waiting in line at the new Toy Story ride in the Hollywood Studios. It was Andrew's favorite ride of the whole week and right up there for me. You wear 3-D glasses and shoot targets as you spin around. The technology is GREAT and any age can do it! Mimi was so great to bring little Dollar-store toys each day that the kids could play with while we waited in line. They're still a hit here at home, MOm!

Caramel Apples - Our new Fall Conference Tradition

2008-10-09T03:34:00.000-07:00

Ooh, these tasted SO good! Daddy helped the kids make these as the final session of General Conference.

They were easily the stickiest and messiest food we have ever fed our kids, but BOY did they love them!

Everyone needs a Caramel Apple every once in awhile, right? I have to admit - they were yummy!

It's a BOY baby!

2008-10-07T08:49:00.000-07:00

After much anticipation, we visited the doctor this morning to discover that we are having another BOY! Is it even possible that I will be the mother of FOUR sons? In the spirit of making Faith feel special, we had the doctor whisper it to FAITH and then she told us the news.

She didn't cry, but was less than thrilled about the possibility of another BROTHER! But, I reassured her that she will be my princess forever and ever! More girls nights out, more fingernail painting, shopping, and taking care of our new baby brother!

She will be the BIGGEST helper when this baby arrives in February! This whole baby experience will be different than the last 4 because my other children are more grown up. When we had John, our OLDEST, I repeat OLDEST of 4 children had just turned 5. Faith was only 3, Clark was ONE. So, this will be different all together!

We are thrilled that the baby is doing well, and now are planning for our trip this FRIDAY to Orlando with Mimi and Papa. More on that later!

Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers in our behalf!

A fun week so far...

2008-10-03T06:02:00.000-07:00

We had our Primary Program this past Sunday at church, and it went VERY well. I'm the Music Director for the Primary Kids, and I love it! Everyone's favorite song is "Called To Serve", and I told them beforehand to sing as loud as they can, and they certainly DID! In fact, our non-member friend, Chris (who's been taking the discussions at our home) broke into applause at the end, quickly quieted by those around him. It made me smile, and I was grateful that he liked it so much.

We also invited our friends, the Filpis, our backdoor neighbors, to come with us on Sunday. They have 4 young children and they said the really liked it. The next morning, Kristen and I made Mom Croshaw's famous bread and had another great gospel conversation. They are such a sweet family.

This picture above is John combing his hair for church. He wanted a turn, and this is what he came up with. Even though I fixed it afterwards, his rowdy play made it look about like this before we entered the church. What's a mom to do? (wink)

Last night (Thursday) we went to see the Bar J Wranglers at the Kennedy Center in downtown DC. It was a FREE concert! Every night at 6pm, the Kennedy Center has a different group at the Millenium Stage, and we'd always wanted to go. So, when we heard it was the Bar J Wranglers, we were IN!

Tim Hodgson, the fiddler, was my fiddle teacher when I was about 15 and it was SO fun to hear them play again. I miss being on the stage, but can live vicariously through people I know who are doing it everyday! I don't think the crowd at the Kennedy Center knew what to think of them. They were all dressed up fancy for their other concerts later in the night (opera, Symphony) and so when a few of us were "whooping and hollering", they started to loosen up, just a bit.

It was a great night. Tonight (Friday) we're headed to the Nelson's home, a beautiful home in Alexandria. They have 5 children and a GREAT kid yard complete with zipline and fire pit. Andrew served his mission with Ryan, so we are excited to get to know them, again!

Fun with Rachel & James

2008-09-21T06:01:00.000-07:00

Our kids LOVE to ride on legs - do yours? They had so much fun last night! Rachel & James came over and hosted a "Breakfast for Dinner" Party complete with pajamas! Rachel sent each child an invitation earlier in the week, asking which breakfast foods they would like, and then...

they fixed them ALL: french toast, waffles, pancakes, eggs, bacon, orange juice, chocolate milk, and more! They also let the kids be "chef's assistants", which the kids LOVED (I think Rachel even let Grant crack the eggs - Mom's not quite that confident). Did I mention that Rachel ran 20 miles earlier in the day? I'm grateful that she can sleep in before church!

Here they are enjoying the fruits of their labors. Part of the "party" was that the kids each got to choose an activity. Clark chose to play "Zingo", James chose to build a train, John and Grant chose... (I don't know what they chose - I"ll get back to you on that one) and...

Faith chose to make a necklace! But, just in Rachel fashion, she went the Second Mile and made not only a beautiful necklace (Faith is wearing it) but a bracelet as well, which will be proudly worn to church this morning!

Thank you, Rachel and James for a lovely evening that the kids will never forget.

Where were Mommy and Daddy during all of this fun?

At the Kennedy Center in downtown DC, enjoying the amazing talent of Itzak Perlman and Pinchas Zucherman. It's an experience I will never forget. To watch Mr. Perlman hobble out on stage, bairly making it to the front, plop down on his chair, drop his crutches to his side, adjust his seat many times and then begin to play the most BEAUTIFUL music you've ever heard was AWE-inspiring. I will not be the same person again. He was a reminder to me of taking what the Lord has given you and not worrying about your challenges along the way. I can't say it eloquently, but his example (and talent) has truly changed my perspective on life.

Soccer and Swimming!

2008-09-17T07:08:00.000-07:00

Here's Grant giving some brotherly advice to Clark during a Timeout of Clark's game. Such a precious moment!

On Monday night, we started swimming lessons! First, Clark and John swim, then it's Grant and Faith's turn. Lastly, MOMMY gets to swim. I have never learned how to REALLY swim and I'm excited! The water is freezing cold at this pool, but I guess it will make me want to get MOVING to warm up! So, this is what we'll be doing for FHE for the next 10 weeks!

Fun, fun, fun.

2008-09-17T07:06:00.000-07:00

This picture is in the Rotunda of the US Capitol. We were posing with Grandpa Brigham Young! He is a 5th Great Grandfather to these little boys!

Andrew and I celebrated our 12th Anniversary by going to see Les Miserables at WolfTrap, an outdoor ampitheatre. The quality was incredible and we were in tears many times throughout the show. ON Saturday morning, we took Spencer and Emily on their final adventure of the trip down to Eastern Market in downtown DC. IT was raining SO SO SO hard. Hard to even describe, but we still had a great breakfast in the market and Andrew bought me these beautiful flowers! If you look closely, you can see that the orange and red ones look like brains! Each was so unique and I loved the surprise! Thanks, sweetheart!

First day of school for my little boys! Clark and John are going to a preschool together on Tuesdays and Thursday mornings. They felt like big boys taking their own lunches and adapted immediately to the enrivonment. I have BIG plans for my mornings with NO children for the next few months. Some of my ideas are: practice my violin, get the attic organized for a possible move in the future, read more of the Conference Ensigns and really STUDY my scriptures while I have quiet in the house!

Let me tell you about CLARK and soccer. He was incredible! ON Saturday mornings, he will go to the Ft. Scott Park with all the other 4-year olds in the county (it seemed that way at least) and play soccer! That boy just GOT IT! He understood to run after the ball, get in front of his opponents and kick it into the goal! I have never had so much fun watching soccer in my life!
He can hardly wait to go back next week- more on that later!

US Capitol Tour

2008-09-17T06:57:00.000-07:00

We were so lucky to get a tour of the inside of the Capitol Building. John had his Cinderella Cell PHone and was taking a picture of me! And Clark is just being his cute self.

This is what the inside of the Rotunda looks like. The Rotunda is SO tall that if you took Lady Liberty off her pedestal, she could fit inside! Those little octagons at the top can open up - snipers put their guns through there for important events. The picture of the men around the the bottom of the Rotunda is incredible. Painted with white and shades of brown. It looks like it's 3-D. How'd they do that?

This is a picture of little Grace (Emily & Spencer's daughter) crawling on the floor of the Rotunda. Isn't she darling?

Clark wasn't interested in this picture, but at least we captured everyone else! Thanks, Andrew, for setting this up with Representative Matheson's office.

National Archives & Bureau of Printing/Engraving

2008-09-17T06:51:00.000-07:00

We were lucky enough to have Emily & Spencer here for a whole week, so we tried to fit in everything! Andrew and I had never visited the National Archives, and so we picked up the kids from school on early day and headed downtown to meet up with Em & Spencer. Because it was after Labor Day, there were NO crowds - LUCKY US!

We walked right up into the Rotunda to see the Bill of Rights, Magna Carta (which is 700 years old-am I right?) and the Declaration of Independence. This was the best picture I coud get without a flash - all the others would make you nauseated.

We also visited the Bureau of Printing and Engraving, where they make all the paper money. If I remember correctly, they print about 600 million dollars in money every day! 95% of it is to replace old money, and 5% is NEW money. You weren't allowed to take any pictures, but the kids were fascinated by all the machines and the process that happens to keep our money safe!

After our Museum stops, we went to the Sculpture Gardens and put our feet in this ENORMOUS fountain! People bring their lunches here and just relax, and that sounded great to us!

First Day of school 2008!

2008-09-17T06:43:00.000-07:00

These kids were excited for their first day of school! ARen't they cute? I can't believe that I have a 3rd grader and a 1st grader! But, they love their teachers and are ready for another great year!

I just love knee socks, but Faith says they won't stay up! What should I do? Sacrifice the look? No way. When we bought the backpacks, about a month before school, that really sparked Faith's interest to go back to school. We tried to fill all the inside pockets with pencils, paper, snack, and even a little toy. But, no doubt, everything had to be pink!

Look at this handsome boy! As I was pulling out school clothes and buying a few new things, I decided that this year we were going to dress Grant in nicer clothes, not the basketball shirt from last season with VERY un-matching shorts ANYMORE! But, when I asked Grant if he'd wear collared shirts to school, he gave me a hard time and thought he was SO funny when he said "Ok...on picture day!" Fridays are casual day - that was our compromise!

Here's Faith on the first morning of school, putting her lunch in the fridge.

Our visit to George & Martha

2008-09-17T06:37:00.000-07:00

We had a GREAT, week-long visit from Andrew's sister Emily, husband Spencer and baby Grace (corner of her stroller is next to John). The kids loved and kissed and carried Grace all over the place and most of the time, she thought they were pretty hilarious! This was our visit to Mount Vernon, George Washington's estate. We have been there many times, but love it every time we go. I have no doubt that George WAshington was preserved through all the battles in order to lead our country to where we are today! An amazing man.

This is John in the kids room, dressed up in the time period clothing. He is just so photogenic, and loves to have his picture taken. Lately, though, he wants to TAKE the picture, which is a bit more of a challenge

Faith talks about this "kids room" all the time because she loves the babies! She immediately ran in, and began dressing the babies, and didn't want to leave. She is wearing a cute dress from the time period. They told us that in that day, they would begin putting corsets on girls at age 2! WHY? I don't think I could do that to my daughter, let alone myself!

This is Martha Washington! Isn't she adorable? Ok...maybe it's not the REAL Martha, but she certainly convinced me! She was adorable, and would sit and stitch as she told us stories about George and her children. If you asked about anything in the future, she would just look puzzled and say she had never heard of that. Probably my favorite part of the day!

It's been a LONG time!

2008-09-17T06:28:00.000-07:00

Everything is going very well in our lives - we just had to redo our whole computer, and took a few weeks to transfer everything back over from the external hard drive. We just now got Picasa loaded again, so we are back in business with the blog! These pictures all came from our adventures in August.

This picture is Johnny going to the potty (something he's doing regularly now - hallelujah!), but for a few days he insisted that he take THIS book in with him to read. The ironic part is that the book is called "How to behave so your child will too!" I wonder if he has any pointers for me, because John certainly knows how to be a challenge these days. He runs FAR away and has no problem with it - but Mommy does! Obedience? Hmmm... when I ask him to organize the shoes (which is his daily job) he either says "I can't!" or "I don't want to" and walks off. Any ideas?

But, in the next minute he has us laughing so hard as his antics and cute little body. He's such a grownup in a 3-year-old, beer-bellied body!

Our friend, Jami, chaperoned this Trampoline Party in our backyard and the kids loved it! They tried it in the spring, and Grant was the only one to last all night, but they ALL survived this time. Jami brought some friends over and they watched a movie beginning around midnight, but by then the kids were ASLEEP! Thanks, Jami, for a great time, and for allowing me to sleep in my own bed!

This is a small water park that's just 10 minutes from our house. We took an afternoon and went with Daddy and had a great time! Grant's favorite part was this dumping bucket. I had to agree. The anticipation of when it will come is so fun! The pressure almost knocks off your swimsuit! Look at Grant's face!

We went hiking over some boulders and near a waterfall up in Maryland with our friends, the Huish's. It was more of a 'hike' than Ithought it would be but Grant sure liked it, and John and I pulled up the back most of the time, holding hands so "mommy wouldn't fall".

Splash Down!

2008-08-15T16:56:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of the summer, we made the decision NOT to join a pool, mostly because it costs about $400 for the cheapest option, and we just didn't know if we'd get our money's worth. So, to get our "water fun", Daddy took the day off on Tuesday and we went to Splash Down!

It was affordable, and just the right size for the kids. They had free life jackets to wear, a lazy river, about 8 slides, a lap pool, and a kids play area.

For the past few weeks it's been just HOT HOT HOT around here - somewhere in the 90s with about 50% humidity. But, on Tuesday, (just our luck) it was actually cool! Andrew and I shivered through a bit of the day, but the kids loved every minute! I love to see them growing up, doing their own things, and being so independent in the water. Clark didn't want to hold onto anyone's tube in the Lazy River. He liked the way the water pushed him downstream...until he got TOO far downstream and couldn't find us. Just as we said "I can't see Clark anymore", we noticed him on the side with the lifeguard crying. Poor guy - he stayed a little closer after that!

This slide was in the Children's Area, and was the perfect size for John. He could walk up to the top and come down at his own pace, and then do it again and again. When he'd get to the bottom, he'd check to see where I was, and then yell "I don't want to go home", and run back up to the top, over and over again! He is our least comfortable in the water, but I think that's starting to change. Overall, it was a great day!

Claude Moore Memorial Farm

2008-08-15T16:48:00.000-07:00

I took the kids to McLean where we jumped back in time to the year 1771. The kids got to try living this life hands-on, and I think they liked it. There is something very soothing about the simplicity of life back then. Laundry = one set of clothes per person per week

Kids games = rolling a wooden hoop with a stick, playing "9 pin" and swinging on a rope

and swinging on the rope, and swinging and swinging - I think they would have stayed there all day! I think we need to get a rope at our house!

Here Clark and John are "carding" wool, where you pull it apart to make the fibers soft and separated, so that you can then change it into string. We had a great day, which ended with us being stuck in a huge rain storm. Those are what make memories, right?

Our Biggest Surprise Ever!

2008-08-12T04:43:00.000-07:00

Before I left the hospital with my Pulmonary Embolism, the doctor told me 5 times (no exaggeration) that under NO circumstance should I get pregnant. Coumadin can be very damaging to a fetus, particularly in weeks 6-12 of pregnancy. And because I would be on Coumadin for the rest of my life, our childbearing years were over. With heavy hearts we agreed, and were even giggling that she repeated herself SO many times.

So, we came home and tried to stay "out of trouble". We did pretty well, I thought.

But...SURPRISE! We're pregnant! I have seen baby on ultrasound twice, and he/she is absolutely a miracle!

Because I stopped Coumadin at 4 weeks pregnancy, they think baby will probably avoid any side effects of the medicine.

Due Date: February 23, 2009
Current Status: 12 weeks

I have felt nauseated, but have not experienced any vomiting. I have started to see the light at the end of the tunnel with my energy level. Thanks to a sweet summer "helper" and patience from the kids, I have been able to take a nap everyday during "quiet time". I look forward to being my OLD self again!

They switched me to a medication called Lovenox, a daily injection. It's worth it for the baby!

We have faith that the Lord is watching over us and our little lime-sized baby and He knows our needs and loves us very much.

A Busy Week Afterall!

2008-08-10T03:54:00.000-07:00

No pictures on this post, but I wanted to capture all that we did this week!

On Monday morning, I was feeling guilty because the kids were doing "nothing" (pretend, magnatiles, pirates, doggy, etc) while I was doing laundry and cleaning the house.

For some reason, I was feeling guilty because, obviously, we NEVER do anything fun and I need to be a FUN-ner mom! But, as I reflect back on my week, I think we had our share of fun, and I think the kids are JUST FINE to stay home one day out of the week. They don't complain one bit about it, and Grant actually ASKS "Can we just stay home and be a family today?" Isn't that sweet?

These are hours of "free play" that we just don't get during the school year, so come on, enjoy them!

Monday evening - we went swimming at the Fairlington pool for FHE, thanks to our dear friend, Nicole, and we had a great time! The kids would swim every day, so when we actually go, they just eat it up! Everyone except John, who's a lot more content in the "baby" pool, but we're working on that.

Tuesday - National Aquarium in Baltimore with our friend, Jami.

Wednesday - Playgroup at the Sprayground - a playground with sprinklers shooting out

Thursday - Claude Moore Memorial Farm - took us back to the year 1771 where we learned to card wool, crush corn, wash clothes in a basin with lye soap and play children's games - it's amazing what fun a child can have with a rope tied to a tree! TARZAN, eat your heart out!

Friday - Arlington County Fair. We climbed in a fireman's truck, watched a demonstration of Thai Chi, got lots of free candy, shook hands with the police officers, and brought home gobs of free pencils, coloring books and the like. We didn't see any animals - I couldn't find them anywhere!

Friday night, we all watched the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics! They were breathtaking! I was so impressed with the precision of the 2008 dancers who beat the drums and danced. And the boxes that bobbed up and down, run by people inside? It's beyond my comprehension how they were so completely accurate! The only word to describe it is WOW!

Saturday - Andrew took the kids to swim lessons in the morning, and John and I stayed home to watch the Olympics and clean the house. Later, while John and I napped, Daddy took the 3 "big kids" to the Air and Space Museum downtown. At dinner, they told me in full detail all about what they saw - I was amazed at what they remembered. We finished off the day with some more Olympic Swimming, and a great conversation with Mom C.

We love our family and miss them all deeply! Who knows? Maybe someday we'll live closer.

Fun with Chuck!

2008-08-01T17:28:00.000-07:00

Do you know Chuck? He has his own place with lots of fun games and so many sounds that your head feels like it might explode!

But John liked it, and that's all that mattered. We visit Chuck (aka Chuck E. Cheese) about once a year, and this was our ONCE! We ended up with about 160 tokens (thanks to some great coupons) and used almost all of them. Even Johnny got the concept "May I please have another penny?" And then he'd run, put it into a game and come back for more! He's such a silly guy - we're so glad he's in our family!

Grant and I playing a racing game. The first time, I pushed the gas while he drove, and the next time, he gave me pointers while I drove. It was a lot harder than it looked!

Faith on the helicopter ride. It's so cute how such a simple ride makes them so happy. What will they think of Disney World with Mimi and Papa in October? I can hardly wait to see!

Happy 3rd Birthday, John

2008-07-31T14:19:00.000-07:00

We had quite a time choosing a theme for John's birthday. Initially, we thought we'd do Knights, but when we got to the Party store, there was nothing to support that. So, Grant influenced him to choose cowboys (for the simple reason that he could get a gun), but I needed something a bit more 3-year old. So, then we're standing in front of Mickey Mouse and Curious George, with John changing his mind every 5 seconds. We were all laughing so hard at John. He liked everyone's ideas and ultimately didn't care! So, we went with George and RAN out of there after a whole hour!

This was John's first REAL birthday. I don't know what was happening last year, because I don't even remember it. I know that on his first birthday, we were staying in a hotel in Washington D.C., it was a Sunday, and I bought him a Big, Big Loader which was way too Big Big for a one year old, and I couldn't even figure out how to put it together. So, there we were. 6 of us in a hotel room with a toy that wasn't working - I burst into tears and hoped that John would never remember that he ever turned one!

John is such a sunshine in our lives. He tells jokes all the time, and occasionally they are actually funny. His favorite is "I'm not afraid of birds like you, Mr. Snoops!" I know, it's not really a joke, but he always prefaces it with "I have a joke for you, Mom!"

I love John so much, and can hardly believe that my baby is 3 years old! We are having so much fun with these kids right now! They are all self-sufficient and happy to play together! They play swords, cars, and John's newest toy - Magna Tiles, which are magnetic shapes that can be built into thousands of different things. Everyone loves them! And we love YOU Johnny!

Andrew's Fishing Trip

2008-07-31T14:11:00.000-07:00

Andrew traveled to Alaska for Business reasons, but stayed an extra couple days to FISH! He said he felt so manly! On the very first day, he caught this 45 pound King Salmon! It took 15 minutes to reel in, and he brought us home some great looking salmon that we'll share with the Wixoms this weekend.

Here are the two fish from the trip - they said the river was pretty "dry", but at least they caught something! The usual limit is one giant fish per day - can you even imagine?

Andrew and Secretary Mike Leavitt. Andrew has truly enjoyed working for him these past 2 years. We feel so grateful to know him.

This cake picture snuck onto the end of this post - you can see the rest about JOhn's birthday on the post above. But, this was my attempt at the Curious George cake. Mindy gave me some great coaching via IM from Thailand, and I thought it turned out pretty cute - I wouldn't say it looks like George, but definitely a monkey, right?

More Beach Fun!

2008-07-21T06:32:00.000-07:00

Documentation - I actually WAS at the beach, but didn't venture very far into the water. I enjoy the beach in a very different way than Andrew does. I love to watch him out there kicking around, and enjoy the kids digging in the sand! After my rescue from a very handsome lifeguard last summer, my confidence in my swimming abilities has diminished drastically!

Ron buried the kids up to their necks, and then they thought it was hilarious to put chairs on top of their heads!

Here's the sand bunch with their friends. From left: Claire, Faith, Clark, Grant, John and Brig, with a very handsome Andrew in the Superman shorts.

Grant loved this little Body Board, and if we return to the beach this summer, we will definitely need to take one of these along! Ok...I think I"m officially caught up. Stay tuned for next week's post of Andrew's Adventure to Alaska!

Beach Fun!

2008-07-21T06:25:00.000-07:00

We were at Cape May in New Jersey, and had a great day! The weather wasn't too warm, which also made it a bit cold for the swimmers! The kids dug and buried themselves for hours,

and even tried some "surfing". Clark was great at it! Daddy was a good sport to send them in. If you look closely, you can see that he is FREEZING!

Here comes Daddy! He loves the water and would rather spend a week at the beach then almost anywhere else in the world!

Here's my cute Johnny who wasn't interested in the water, but had a great time digging and "accidentally" dumping sand on everyone!

Camping with our NJ friends!

2008-07-21T06:16:00.000-07:00

There is something magical about camping in a tent - I honestly think I could do it for a month...with my raised Aerobed, of course (wink). The boys are wrestling on the air mattress, but look at Clark's feet! They were filthy for the whole trip - part of the fun, I guess!

Here's my princess, Faith, in her pink and purple (her favorite colors) sleeping bag with "Sweet Sara" as her companion. We had to warn them all that IF they wet the bed, (which has been happening a lot lately) we would have to come home with STINKY sleeping bags! I think one of them still wet - what do you do???

The kids are "roasting" their sausages in the morning. It was more for the experience, because I think more ended up in the fire than in their mouths! But, I did make Buttermilk Pancakes and they turned out great!

Here's about half the crew eating breakfast. We had 6 adults and 10 children over 3 camping spots. Next post will talk about the BEACH, where we headed right after breakfast!

School Picnic

2008-07-21T06:07:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure who thought of this idea, but it seemed a LITTLE dangerous to do with Kindergarteners!
They were roasting marshmallows over the grill! They had a great time, but I'm quite sure the Principal didn't know about it! (wink)

Faith's little friend, Briya. I remember one day when I was dropping Faith off at school...Briya came running out of the school and THREW her arms around Faith and said "Hi Faith!" I knew Faith had made a true friend! And she is so adorable and just tiny!

At the picnic I snapped this shot of Faith looking at her class garden. With the effects, you don't see her "kool-aid" mustache or anything! I love watching Faith with her friends. She's very sweet and laughs a lot!

End of Year Party

2008-07-21T06:02:00.000-07:00

I am SO far behind, that my blogs are all out of order, but please bear with me! The day before the LAST day of school, all the classes had a picnic on the playground. We ate hot dogs, and watched the kids play together. The little boys loved all the attention from Faith's little friends! This is Grant riding one of the "school" scooters around the track.

They set up a sprinkler on the black top and Faith and Grant couldn't stay away from it! They were having so much fun together!

This is Faith's little friend, Kimberly. I believe she's the guilty one for making Faith such a BIG fan of Hannah Montana. Kimberly is always wearing something with Hannah on the front! She is a darling girl and Faith has really had a great year!

Kimberly is dancing to the music while the boys blow bubbles to their heart's content!

Slip Sliding Away!

2008-07-21T05:58:00.000-07:00

A piece of plastic and some water can make for some serious fun! We set this up in the backyard and had a GREAT time!

Faith is so beautiful, and I love the way the water turned out! John is our only child who's not a big fan of the water, so he sat with a stick and poked it into the water as the kids would slide by.

What fun! Who needs to pay hundreds of dollars to join a pool when we have a Slip N Slide?

In action! Faith even added soap to the "track" so it would be extra slippery!

Grant's Cub Scout Camp

2008-07-21T05:54:00.000-07:00

I know that I haven't blogged for WEEKS and weeks - we've been busy having FUN! We are about a month into summer, and we're having a great time! The first week after school let out, Grant attended a Basketball Camp with two of his church buddies - the next week, he went to Cub Scout Camp! I know...this boy is having some serious fun!

They did Archery, shot BB Guns (his favorite, by far), climbed into a cave, went on Treasure Hunts, and engraved leather.

They also swam every morning, oh no...not in a lake. IN a swimming pool complete with slides! This is the life!

These are my two sweet "babies", Clark and John, asleep in our bed. I can't remember now why they fell asleep in our bed, but aren't they just angelic? I love being a mother!

Grant is Baptized!

2008-06-09T09:54:00.000-07:00

Our Saturday was so wonderful! Our oldest son, Grant, was baptized as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! Mimi led the music, Faith gave the opening prayer, Aunt Rosemary gave a sweet talk, acting as her twin sister (Grandma Croshaw), and Uncle Jack (President Wixom) spoke about the Holy Ghost.

After Grant was baptized, he got up and bore a very sweet testimony. He told us afterwards "I was really, really nervous, but I was trying to make it look like I wasn't!" Andrew reassured him that we all feel that way when we speak, and Mimi added that it shouldn't keep him from sharing his testimony in the future!

Heavenly Father "granted" me this sweet boy 8 years ago, and now as I get to see him join the church and become one of Heavenly Father's Valiant Servants, I just couldn't be happier. Grant will do so much good in his life, and I feel so blessed to be his mother!

The baptism was held at the Mt. Vernon building, just across the street from the Potomac River and a couple miles from Mt. Vernon, where George Washington had an estate. I think this will be a fun memory for Grant to share with his friends as he grows older. We love you, Grant!

We finished out our day with a trip to the Washington D.C. temple. The kids stayed and played with our dear friends, Jon and Melissa, while we enjoyed some adult time. The temple was beautiful and we enjoyed a very impressive lightning show on our drive home!

Our Nation's Capitol!

2008-06-09T09:41:00.000-07:00

John and I waited for everyone to go to the bathroom, and had a little silly face photo shoot to pass the time!

I got this great picture with OUT the flash. I had to hold the camera so still, but was very pleased with the result. Something I would love to do someday is sit at the Lincoln Memorial and ask people where they're from. I'm sure I could find someone from almost every state and many, many countries all there to celebrate our past Presidents. God Bless the USA!

Lincoln Memorial as the sun has finally gone to sleep. Isn't that amazing? No Photoshop on that blue sky, just a still hand to capture the picture without the flash.

Here Daddy is explaining all that he knows about the Vietnam War. Walking through these Memorials is such a humbling experience as you realize that every name on that wall is a son, uncle, husband, friend, or father. I am so grateful to them all for serving our country and sacrificing their lives for my sake!

Potomac, here we come!

2008-06-09T09:35:00.000-07:00

On Friday night, we went down to see the Monuments at nighttime, something we've never done because of bedtimes. First, we stopped by the Potomac River, climbed a tree...

walked along the river, and incredibly didn't have ONE child fall into that mucky water. Now everyone knows that Mommy likes water, and I don't mind a bit jumping into a swimming pool fully clothed, but this water was gross! Glad that everyone was obedient tonight!

The lighting was amazing, and Grant was on a SILLY streak, hence the pose. Faith looks cute in anything, and of course, my beautiful Mom is enjoying the kiddos.

What do you think boys would do if they couldn't jump in the water? They'd live vicariously through the rocks! They thres handfuls and handfuls and handfuls of rocks into the water, and loved it! Mimi's face doesn't look pleasant - I'm wondering if something other than rocks was just thrown in. I don't want to know.

Mimi and Papa come for the weekend!

2008-06-09T09:26:00.000-07:00

This was a special weekend for us, and we are so grateful that Mimi and Papa could come and be with us! This is our adventure to the Clemyjontri Park in McLean. It's a children's DREAM and the overcast weather made our morning just wonderful!

Here's the whole gang by the rainbow. We rode on the carousel, climbed on the helicopter, raced on the racecars, flew across the monkey bars, ate a picnic...

got pushed on the swings REALLY high, went through the maze, played songs on the piano, had races on the track, rode on the "boat", and...

their favorite...the tire swing! They like to be pushed "Robby Roundy" where they're not only spinning, but also going in a circle with the swing. They laughed SO hard, and eventually Grant got sick and had to sit out on the carousel while his stomach recovered! What a GREAT morning we had.

Singing in the Rain!

2008-05-31T11:34:00.000-07:00

Grant and I just ran outside and danced in the rain.

I have NEVER seen rain like this in my life! We were only outside for about 10 seconds before we were completely drenched! Clark and John just stood at the open screen door watching us be silly - they weren't interested in participating.

The thunder was clapping RIGHT over our house and it was just GREAT!

I love the rain!

Here are the pictures from the previous post!

2008-05-30T18:53:00.000-07:00

Grant's is 8 Years Old!

2008-05-29T11:17:00.000-07:00

I love this boy! Grant has lived in 5 states and is attending his 5th school right now. We have made a lot of memories with this amazing child! He never ceases to amaze us with his love of life! He has figured out his new Heelys, reads a book in a day, and is excited to be a new Cub Scout! Happy Birthday, Grant!

For Memorial Day weekend, Andrew brought home a yellow balloon in remembrance of his sweet sister, Cristin. Cristin passed away at the age of 19 in a serious car accident. Although I never met Cristin, I feel very close to her. Cristin was a violinist and the shortest member of the family. She had a love for all people, and was just amazing.

When Faith (age 6) was born by Emergency C-Section, I felt a closeness to Cristin that I had never felt before. I truly felt that Cristin was watching over this little girl. She knew how much Andrew and I both needed to raise this daughter, in order to grow and develop into the people we could become, and maybe even encouraged her to stay.

So, now Faith Cristin shares her name with her Aunt and I know they will have a very sweet reunion someday!

Happy Birthday, Sweetheart!

2008-05-29T11:06:00.000-07:00

My amazingly talented and sweet Andrew had his 35th birthday! I knew I loved every bit of him when we got married, but now I love him 10 times more than that! I am so grateful to be married to this wonderful man, who is a great father and husband. He and Faith went to Las Vegas this weekend for Jeff & Jenn's wedding - more on that later.

While Mimi was in town, she and Andrew took Faith and Clark to the Air Show at Andrews Air Force Base. Despite the HUGE crowds, they had a GREAT time and loved the Blue Angels the best.

I am amazed that four planes that are completely different can fly so perfectly in sync with each other! Incredible! Clark was VERY impressed, but said that he wants to fly even HIGHER than the planes and be an Astronaut! Go for it, buddy!

Grant's trip to the Baltimore Zoo

2008-05-20T14:30:00.000-07:00

(Grant is dictating to me about his trip today - this blog is in his own words) Today we went to the Baltimore Zoo and this turtle was in a tank with a lot of fish, which you see behind him, and a big crocodile. This tank was inside a building and inside the same building there was a monkey cage, and when we came back, Mrs. Rockwell as a fact why they put glass up. And do you know why? They will try and throw poop at you!

This curled up thing, even though you can't see it so well, is an Arctic Fox. Arctic Foxes live in the Arctic and they're basically the scavengers of Polar Bears. That means they follow Polar Bears around to get their food. The Arctic fox is the grey/white thing in the middle and the brown stuff around him is the log he likes to sleep in.

This is a Polar Bear named either Magnet or Alaska (hard to tell them apart) because even though they stood really close together, they don't realy have any height or fatness difference, it was hard to tell them apart. Here's what I know about Polar Bears:
1. Polar Bears are on the Threatened list - that means they are above Endangered, but below Extinct
2. Polar Bears hunt and kill seals and they only eat the blubber, so Arctic Fox's eat the meat.
3. Polar Bears have regular behavior that they do everyday, and one of them is called "lipsmacking", but it's not what you think it is. It's really opening and closing the Polar Bear's mouth.
4. Polar Bears will never meet with penguins because they are on the other side of the world!
5. If Polar Bears don't get enough food in the winter then they may have to eat in the summer because it's hard to find seals in the summer. They may have to eat plants in the summer.

This is me taking a picture of myself. I am a little bit cuckoo, but I had a great time with my friends. 5 of my friends are: John, Spencer, Deepak, Ian and Miss Gale.

She will sleep well tonight...

2008-05-19T19:30:00.000-07:00

My dear mother, Linda, left me today. As my tears drip onto the keyboard, I can only tell you how grateful I am for her!

She washed/folded at least 10 loads of laundry, did all the dishes, cleanup, read books, sang songs, held my sweet John who was feverish from Strep Throat when I knew she could barely hold herself up, decorated for Andrew's birthday, made a homemade cake, organized my Rubbermaid drawer, and so much more!

I know that I could not have recovered like I have without my amazing mother. Thanks, Mom, for dropping everything in YOUR life to come save MY life. Your advice (and past personal experience) took me to the ER, where they discovered my blood clots, and possibly saved my life. Your Christlike service has helped in ways that you will never know. I love you and thank you from the bottom of my heart (and lungs!)

A boy and a tree...

2008-05-19T19:22:00.000-07:00

While Faith was playing soccer...

Clark found a tree. These pictures make it look big, but as Clark climbed, I wondered if the tree would even stay upright. He climbed and he climbed until...

He got as high as he could go! It made me smile to watch my boy (1) find a tree (2) determine it was climbable, and (3) without checking with anyone, just start climbing! Great job, Clark!

Here's Faith doing a BIG kick! She loves soccer, and will someday get the concept of the game! Till then, we're just having fun!
By the way, my INR number on Friday was up to 2.0, barely into the "safe zone", so I got to stop my stomach shots (Yay!). I am feeling stronger every day, and my pain is very minimal. The only issue right now is that I run out of energy very quickly. But, I know that will change. Back to the gym beginning tomorrow morning - that will make me stronger, right?

Fun at the park

2008-05-19T19:16:00.000-07:00

The park right outside Clark's gymnastics has this great "Spider Web" that the kids love! I'm not sure how they justified this as being safe for kids to climb on (he's up about 15 feet), but they think it's great to be so "tall"! These pictures are from awhile ago - I haven't ventured out to a park yet since the hospital stay!

This was a seesaw that bounced up and down all by itself, and the boys were laughing SO hard on it! I can't think of anything better than to see my children enjoying each other!

Faith had a "Water Presentation" on Friday at school, (Mommy's first big outing since the hospital) where they taught the parents (and the other grades) about Water. Faith wanted to wear her Thailand dress because it was blue, and everyone loved it. IN this picture, Grant is experimenting to see what dissolves in water. I think he's pouring in Baking Soda?

At the end of the "presentation", the kids sat in the hallway and sang songs about water. I took this picture to display the diversity in her class. The kids call her Hannah Montana, because she's the only caucasian girl in the class. Faith loves these kids and they love her - what more could a mother ask?

Mother's Day Pictures

2008-05-15T09:31:00.000-07:00

The family came to visit me right after church on Sunday. The little boys brought me pens with flowers on top of them, which were adorable. Clark's lips ARE blue, from his delicious Gatorade he had just eaten down in the Cafeteria. Thanks Daddy for packing the picnic lunch for them!

John was a little troubled why I was lying in the bed. He kept asking and my answer never seemed to be good enough. But, by the end, he realized that he was supposed to be very "gentle" to Mommy. I had just taken some of my pain medication before they arrived, and I was very drowsy, but they perked me right back up!

I have the sweetest children in the world! They each brought me a little home-made gift, and Andrew brought me some beautiful pearl earrings.

Having my Mom here was the best gift of all, because she has helped SO much, and I know her body has been blessed to keep up with all the tasks around our house. I love you, Mom. As you can see in this picture, I AM looking a bit drowsy!

I'm Home!!!

2008-05-13T14:22:00.001-07:00

I was supposed to come home yesterday. But, as I sat in the wheelchair waiting for my chest x-ray, I realized how much my lung hurt! It hurt so much when I took in a deep breath that my back would spasm and shoot pain throughout. And that was with 2 Percocet!

My INR number was also only 1.7 (they wanted it to be 2), so we decided I should wait one more day to come home. So, after a very rough morning full of tears and pain, they gave me some Delodin (?) and evvvveerrrrryyyyytthtinnnnngggg was much better. In fact, it practically knocked me out for 4 hours!

That one more day of healing was just what I needed! They put me on a different pain medication that helped with the pain without making me drowsy or dizzy, and I was feeling good. To be able to take in a breath without pain was incredible, and I knew I was ready!

So, this morning, my number was at 1.9, but the other dr. said that he'd send me home at that level. Mom came to get me, we packed up all my things and were waiting on the bed for the doctor to discharge me. Much to our surprise, he came in and said "You really should stay for one more day!" But, he said he'd leave it up to me, and so I'm home. I will take Percocet every 8 hours for the pain, 5 mg of Coumadin every night at 6pm and Andrew will give me two shots of Lovenox in my stomach each day until Thursday when I'll go back to be tested again. By then, it most definitely will be at the level they'd like (between 2.0-3.0).

Thank you all for your kind words, prayers and SERVICE! My family has benefited so much from your kind acts, and it has made it easy for me to relax in the hospital, knowing that the Crystal City Ward is taking care of my sweet ones!

I won't be myself for awhile - the dr. insisted that I stay in bed at least until my numbers are above 2.0, but I'm going to make the most of my time with the kids. We'll do homework, read books, and play all from bed.

My dear mother has definitely saved the day, cleaning and folding all the laundry yesterday and keeping our house running like clockwork. Thank you, Mom, for coming to our rescue. From the bottom of my heart, (and my lungs) I am grateful!

We've turned a corner!

2008-05-11T03:15:00.000-07:00

Andrew has done such a wonderful job of detailing all of my symptoms and the events of the past few days. I am so grateful for all that he's done to play Mr. Mom as well as Super Daddy! I feel so blessed to have him as my support! And I can't be grateful enough to all of you who have helped my family over the past few days: Corinne, Michelle, Lindsay, Shane, Mary, Rosemay, Spencer, Nicole, Jami, Eppersons, Margaret. Thank you for your calls of support to Andrew, who has appreciated them so much! It feels so good to know that we truly have a ward "family" here who has taken such wonderful care of us during our time of need!

Here are a few details leading up to my hospital stay.

Tuesday - sore through my right shoulder and back, but thought it was because I was doing so much writing in my Mother's day book for my Mom.
Continued to get worse into the evening.
By bedtime, I was only taking shallow breaths and my right shoulder was SO painful.
Took some Tylenol, went up to bed, and my pain went through the roof! I couldn't call downstairs to Andrew, because I was gasping for a breath. My right shoulder felt like there was a knife stabbed in the front! I made it downstairs gasping and crying for help.
Andrew administered a blessing to me, and commanded me to be healed and that I would make a "full recovery". I was able to find a comfortable spot on my left side and slept without moving an inch all night.

Wednesday - Woke up and felt the need to immobilize my right arm. Was inspired to call Mom Rich and ask her about her symptoms with her blood clot. When she described a PAINFUL 3-inch diameter circle in her back and 'a knife in her shoulder', I felt like we were onto something.

Gratefully, Andrew works with 2 doctors who were extremely helpful, and ultimately decided that I'd need at least a CT scan, EKG and Doppler tests, all which could be done at the hospital, so we brought the whole family down to the ER, and now here I am!

I am grateful that we were able to discover this "Protein S Deficiency" without having tragic results. My lungs are feeling better every day, and once I reach the right level of Coumadin in my system, they will let me come home. Hopefully, that will be tomorrow (Monday).

Happy Mother's day to you all - I am especially grateful to my mother who arrived last night to help! I love you so much, Mom!

Another Update

2008-05-10T13:34:00.000-07:00

We have completed day three in the hospital and find ourselves in an improving situation. The quick summary is below

--Pain is under control and improving
--No new clots or new problematic symptoms
--Blood-thinning agents slowly beginning to take effect
--Some new answers as to "why" this happened
--New ETA for leaving the hospital is Monday.

Vanessa's pain is under better control and appears to be lessening somewhat. The goal is to transition her from intervenous delivery of medication to an oral form that she will be able to continue taking when she returns home.

It is great news that after 72 hours no new symptoms have arisen, especially because the blood-thinning agents are slowly but surely taking effect. The hemotologist (blood doctor) explained that, while we cannot know for certain that additional clots are not traveling toward her brain or heart, as each hour and each day passes without new issues it is a very good sign.

We have received some answers as to 'why' this could have happened. (Before reading further, please scroll to the bottom and check the box acknowledging your status as a HIPAA covered entity.) Blood tests reveal that Vanessa has a rare genetic permutation called Protein S Deficiency. We are told that it is exceedingly rare, manifesting in only 1:500,000 or 1:1,000,000 people. I knew Vanessa was special, but now I finally have clinical proof. Essentially, "normal people" bodies (sorry Vanessa) have multiple mechanisms that naturally prevent clotting. One of those mechanisms relies on a protein S. Vanessa's deficiency substantially raised the risk of clots, but gratefully, she made it through 4 pregnancies without a complication. The car ride from Provo to St. George may have been the cause or a contributor to this occurance.

We are literally feeling the power of prayers on Vanessa's behalf and witnesses to the charity of Christ as expressed through acts of service from our church family and friends. AND, we now have Vanessa's mom in town for the next 9 days!

Status Update on Vanessa

2008-05-09T10:24:00.000-07:00

Family and friends:

We are almost 48 hours into this situation and I am just now taking the time to provide an update on Vanessa’s condition. There has been a lot of interest from family and friends so it seemed that posting something might be a good way to provide a status update.

For those in a hurry, here’s the deal:

--Vanessa developed blood clots which traveled to her lungs
--We are hopeful that she will make a complete recovery
--We are hopeful she will be released sometime on Sunday
--Our family has been blessed in many ways thanks to God’s love and mercy, and thanks to the faith and prayers of loved ones like you.

For those interested in more detail, here it goes.

Vanessa began experiencing acute pain on Monday of this week in her chest and back. By Wednesday, we were feeling she should see a physician. In discussing symptoms with physicians at work, we were advised to bring her directly to an emergency department. That was really good advice, though I am not sure I could have kept Vanessa away from the ER as her pain escalated. Once admitted, she received an EKG to assess heart function and a CT scan with contrast (meaning she was given an IV that allowed for better imaging). The scan was of her chest. It revealed a bilateral pulmonary embolism, a cluster of blood clots in each lung in the lower part of the lungs. I guess all that chain smoking is finally catching up with the old girl.

The acute pain she was experiencing is explained by the reaction of her lungs to the absence of blood flow. The doctors called this a pulmonary infarction. Similar to the way a heart attack is a myocardial infarction, a pulmonary infarction is a “lung” attack.

Her blood was also drawn in the first hours. Blood work can reveal some causes of clotting, and there is a scary list of conditions that can cause it such as cancer, heart malfunctions, diabetes, too much Neil Diamond, extended periods of stasis (immobilization due to travel, etc), and genetic irregularities. Thankfully, all the tests for which we have received results were normal. The genetic tests were sent away and results should be back early next week.

Apparently, most clots begin in the legs or abdomen because blood flow can sometimes be slower there. From there, the clot can travel through the veins to the heart and on to the lungs where it becomes oxygenated. Many patients with clotting have swelling or pain in the legs or ankles where clots originate. Vanessa never had those symptoms, and an ultrasound of her legs suggested no clots there now. The attending physician believes that there are not any additional clots somewhere in her body on the way to her lungs. I don’t know how he could be very certain of this. He also believes that there is a very, very low likelihood that one of the clots in her lungs could travel to the brain.

Regardless of whether all the clots have been found, I believe the treatment plan is the same. Vanessa began receiving Lovenox injections (blood thinner) twice per day on Wednesday. On Thursday, they began a once per day pill called Coumadin (also a blood thinner). Once the Coumadin begins taking effect, the injections will stop. The blood thinners require careful management, as too much can cause internal bleeding and too little will not stabilize the clots.

We learned that the medicine does not dissolve the clots, our amazing bodies can break down and dissolve the clots. The medicine, when dosed correctly, prevents additional platelets from flocking to the clot and expanding it. The body’s dissolving process can take place over a few week period when the medicine is dosed correctly. Then, based upon the original reason for the clotting, the medication will continue for 3-6 months or longer, possibly for life. The genetic blood test may shed light here. Though the idea of lifetime medication is sobering, this particular medication does not appear to have undesirable side effects (nausea, weight gain, elongation of the ear lobes). Interestingly, vitamin k acts contrary to the blood thinners so Vanessa will have to be avoid green leafy vegetables, especially dark green veggies like broccoli, spinach for a time.

The doctors feel that it is possible and even likely that Vanessa could make a complete recovery from this. The focus right now is to get the pain under control and to get the blood thinner up and working. We are being told that Sunday is a possibility for coming home if both these goals can be achieved.

Vanessa is comical and even cute on the painkiller medication, though our conversations are not what they used to be. Last night she fell asleep in the middle of putting her hair back behind her ear. There she was, asleep with her hand elevated resting by her ear. At times, she mixes dreams with reality. She asked me recently if the port authority got a new scripture case, and on another occasion, if the purpose of the hospital was to stabilize the carrots. Tough questions, I have to admit. She is coherent a lot of the time, but given the situation, visits from friends are probably going to go better once she is home rather than while she is in the hospital. In the meantime, I want to say how humbled and grateful we both are for the many prayers on Vanessa’s behalf that we feel. We have great peace with the situation and the prospect of recovery. Though God’s ways are not always the ways of man, there is great love and purpose in life’s experiences, including our trials.

Jesse's Wedding!

2008-05-03T18:08:00.000-07:00

My youngest (and only) brother, Jesse, was married last Friday, April 25th and the trip was fantastic! Here he is with his new bride, Danielle, and all of the neices and nephews! The reception was held on a golf course in St. George, UT and the weather couldn't have been more perfect!

Here I am with my two buddies, John and Clark. The colors for the wedding were based on SKITTLES - that's right, the candy. It turned out wonderfully, and I especially loved her bouquet!

This waterfall, just outside the reception center, was too pretty to pass up. Everyone was so well-behaved all day: running to the temple, then to the luncheon, then back to the hotel, and then the reception. About 30 minutes into the reception, my sweet Andrew took the kids back to the hotel and they just crashed from exhaustion! I was able to stay until the end and play my violin with my sisters, and visit with all the guests. It was a magical day.

I love this picture of everyone getting their food at the luncheon. Their faces describe how the day went - lots of laughing and a handful of tears out of love for our dear brother, who has married the greatest addition to our family! We can't wait to get to know her better! We love you, Danielle!

Happy Birthday, Joanna!

2008-04-13T04:49:00.000-07:00

My darling sister, Joanna, turns 30 today! I am so grateful for my relationship with her, where we can share our joys, frustrations, recipes, tricks, and ideas about anything! When I asked my kids what they wanted to do in Utah, they said "Go to JoJo's house!" She makes them feel so loved and appreciated! Thanks for being my sister, and loving my family so much!

Picnic at the FDR Memorial

2008-04-13T04:46:00.000-07:00

I feel so blessed to be able to look across the river and see THIS! We were walking to the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Monument last night for a picnic, and the sun was shining so beautifully on the Jefferson. Can you believe that we live here?

As you can see in the background, the blossoms are so beautiful! Talk about popcorn on the trees. It's amazing, though, because the Cherry Blossoms around the Tidal Basin are completely gone! I'm thankful that Heavenly Father timed the blossoms to come out at different times, so that we could enjoy them for even longer!

The kids trying to get a drink at the same time! They got laughing so hard, and I had to grab a picture. The FDR Memorial is so amazing! I think it might be my favorite one! So many wonderful quotes and beautiful rock everywhere! They spare no expense when creating these memorials, and rightfully so. I"m so glad we could come down and have a picnic at such an amazing place

Hard to capture, but the sunset was absolutely incredible. The weather was just perfect too. No coats, no humidity, no wind, just the kind of weather that you don't even think about! Mindy and Jeff have now arrived in Utah and we are only 10 days behind them. It will be so fun to be together for Jesse's wedding! We can hardly wait!

Y is for Yellow!

2008-04-10T10:32:00.000-07:00

What a perfect day to talk about the color Yellow! The boys had a great time painting with their lemons. We played with yellow buses, cars, dump trucks, yellow blocks, yellow bean bags and even had a taste test of...

Lemons! These boys are so cute! They just don't expect it to be that sour, and so they chomp right into it, and the reaction is...

PRICELESS!

Clark was faking this face a bit, but he chomped right into it again and again! This has been a great day, and these boys have so much fun together! Now, I need to get outside! Mr. Sun is calling my name!

Happy 6th Birthday to our sweet Faith!

2008-04-09T16:29:00.000-07:00

These are our friends, "Big" Rachel and Shiloh - they joined us for cake and ice cream on Monday night, because Faith was sick on her real birthday, Sunday.

Faith is known as "Hannah Montana" at school. She is the only caucasian girl in her class, and so the cute little Hispanic girls ask her to take out her ponytails and shake her hair around. They make a show at recess and sing her songs -Faith is telling me this as I type. I had no idea she knew any of her songs. So, because we were only having a family party, I decided to indulge Faith with this giant picture of Miley Cyrus. Believe me, though. We will NOT be paying $2000 or sleeping out to get tickets for her anytime soon!

We gave Faith some "magic" candles, but I'm not sure she liked it. They kept re-lighting!

Here's Clark and Faith helping with the cake. They put Reeses Pieces all over and Faith decided when we had put on enough! It looked just perfect to her, and that's all that mattered!

A beautiful day!

2008-04-06T12:42:00.000-07:00

Here's Faith wearing Clark's jean jacket, but I thought she looked adorable. She doesn't often share her 'real' smile for long, so I took advantage of our little photo shoot.

Clark would only do silly faces, but he's cute even looking like this!!

Hey, that's me! I'm not in very many shots, so I was glad that Andrew would click one of Johnny on my shoulders. Family time is PRICELESS, and I'm so grateful to my sweet Andrew who gets us out the door, despite the mile-long "to-do" list that never seems to get done. I love being outside with my children!