Boys and their Toys

This last weekend we went to Gunnison to spend time with some of our good friends. Harley went shooting with Jason. She had a lot of fun. The boys, Novalee and I stayed at our friends house, while I watched my friend make the food for the barbecue. They got back from the range and we ate, played games, and Jason wanted to get home before dark but we had to take pictures of him and his gun first. We didn't leave before dark but luckily we only saw one deer in the road and were able to swerve to not hit it.

For those who are wanting to see Axel

Before The Baby

The week before Axel came Jason had some time off work since there was a school break. We went to Chuck E Cheese since Gunnar now sleeps in his own bed. Jason was also asked to baptize his nephew Tru. It was pretty neat!

We were at the hospital around 7. I got hooked up to the pitocin and the IV. My dr came and broke my water. Of course I had the epidural. By about 10 I was at a 4. I was so excited because I thought that meant we would get to see Axel sometime in the afternoon. However Axel had other plans. He decided sometime after 10 to stick his hand above his head which slowed the labor down and I was at a 4 until at least 4 in the afternoon. By 5 I had went to a 6 which was so exciting because the dr had been thinking that we would have to do a c section just in case there was a problem with Axel's hand and arm coming out first. At about 5:45 I started feeling so miserable and they checked and it was time to get the dr. I went from a 6 to a 9 almost 10 in 45 minutes. The kids rushed up to the hospital with our mom's. The dr came and at about 6:15 pm we had Axel! Nothing is better then seeing your baby for the first time. The kids were in the room while I had Axel but they were busy playing games. When Axel was born they were so happy to see him! He was born healthy and adorable with a heart shaped birthmark on his chest. He has been such a blessing to us. He was on bilirubin blanket for a week and a half. That was an after effect from the blood imcompatibility problem we were having. Everthing is good now and we love our Axel!

I will update soon!!

Axel is here and is great. He was born just over 2 weeks ago on Feb 16. He is so adorable. I will post more later.

Fighting

Harley is coloring and telling us that she is not using her imagination while coloring its just how it needs to be, Novalee tells us she is using her imagination. Don't you love how our arguements start out?

Today my kids love me, well they LOVE to make me feel guilty I think because they know how to do it so well.
The rule at our house is if you want to have Mommy curl your hair before school you need to get right up and get ready. I knew Novalee wanted to curl her hair today so this morning I went in at 6 and turned the light on, Harley was already awake anyways so I said, "Novalee you need to get up now if you want your hair curled" I went in there at least 5 more times. At 6:40 I gave up trying to get her up since I can't do more then tell her to get up over and over again and I got in the shower. I got out and she was up and dressed and said, "Mommy! I am ready for my hair to be curled!" I told her, "Sorry, you should have gotten up when I came in the first time" Her smile instantly faded and had this look of disappointment on her face. I hate seeing my kids sad so I told her to finish getting ready while the curlers warmed up and we would just take Daddy to work with the curlers in her hair. We got Novalee's hair in curlers in time, had to fight with Harley to get dressed even though she was up, she didn't want to get dressed because "I like to tell her what to do, and I control her life" something like that.
We take Jason to work, run back home, take the curlers out, get back in the car, and Harley tells me that she wants her hair curled too. It is after 8 by now and if you have ever seen Harley's hair, it is incredibly thick and takes a long time to curl. I sighed and said, "well we don't have time if you had asked earlier I could have done it but can I please do something else to your hair? At least let Mommy brush it?" Harley goes to school everyday with this wild hair and bangs that are growing out. She looks at me and said, "Well I asked you before to curl my hair." I didn't remember that and she said, "I came in when you were sleeping last night and asked you" I smiled and said , "Harley that doesn't count if I am asleep" then she said, "well it wasn't last night and you were awake and playing with Daddy" Then she got a sad look on her face. I HATE SAD FACES! I didn't curl her hair but I told her if she got up early tomorrow we can curl it. She seemed halfway okay with that. While we were driving to school, Novalee was sitting in the front seat and kept moving the rearview mirror to look at herself in the mirror. I don't live far from the school at all but it was driving me crazy, so I told her to stop looking at herself in the mirror. She moved the mirror again and started posing. Finally I just said, "Novalee I am sick of this stop it! This is ridiculous! don't sit there and look at yourself" Another sad face.
Gunnar and I got home, he wanted to way a dinosaur movie which was fine so I could clean. I put it on and started cleaning. His movie finished and came out and wanted to play preschool. I was in the middle of cleaning out the oven so I told him to hold on. He said okay then kept asking if I was done. Sad face.
Novalee JUST called me and told me I need to come down right away to sign a paper for the science fair that she wants to be in, doesn't know what she wants to do for it but she wants to be in the science fair which is around the time that I am due. Jason told her he would help her with it but I apparently needed to go down this minute and sign the paper. Gunnar just fell asleep, I have to go pick them up in 10 minutes anyways can't I come later, I hear a big sigh then with this sad voice, "Okay Mommy" I tell her it will be okay and she can still do the science fair, then we hang up I call the school and talk to the teacher in charge about it, and I can come sign the paper tomorrow.
My kids know how to get me good.

3 WEEKS!!

This week, I have 3 weeks left. Which finally doesn't seem so long! Its great knowing that I could have him any day, which in reality I most likely won't until my due date, but still I am so excited. I still haven't gotten around to taking a pregnant picture of me which is okay since I look miserable everyday. I put makeup on one day last week, went to check on the girls in their afterschool art class, they didn't see me, but when I picked them up, they ran out to the car asking why I had makeup on. I guess the word got around. We are pretty much ready for the baby to get here. Well, I guess as ready as we are going to be. We bought all the baby things a few weeks ago and yesterday we stocked our pantry and freezer. There is a store going out of business by Jason's work so we have a huge supply of baby lotion, they were pretty much out of diapers by the time we went over there but Jason was able to buy a few packages. We were also able to stock up on non food items. After being too tired to go to the store for groceries for the last 2 months, it is SO nice to finally have food in this house again!
I am waiting for something to be shipped from Walmart and I want to get a digital camera still but we have time.
So lucky me I get to wait for the next few weeks, trying to keep up on housework and homework for me and the kids. Crossing my fingers that pretty soon my baby will be here!!!

Suprise I am Reading!

While I have always loved to read, I don't do enough of it, I have been reading this good book called Princess of the Midnight Ball, by Jessica Day George. She came to Dixon and signed books and Jason bought I think one of all hers and that is the one I started reading. Its a different version of the 12 dancing princesses story.
Today though I have been reading an old Ensign that was near the computer, its Feb 2007 about Temples. If anyone hasn't read that lately, it had really good article and I am glad I found it today. Here is the online link (hope it works!!) http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?locale=0&sourceId=933b3c7842470110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=ccb1d48fa58db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

Harley is 7!!

These last week has been beyond hectic. However, Harley still turned 7 and had so much fun! She is such a fun girl! She is such a loving girl and is getting to show more and more personality lately. We love her so much!! We went to Classic Skating on Monday which was so much fun. Only Novalee and Harley went out and used scooters. Daddy and Gunnar went a little wild with the Deal or No Deal game on the side to earn tickets for prizes. She got a Disney Polly Pocket castle that we have been keeping hidden since last year with 2 princess sets to go with it from Jason and I. Also thanks to some wonderful grandparents, she also got a creepy doll that won't stop making noises and a Hannah Montana microphone. Don't you love loud toys? I don't have a lot of pictures since I forgot my camera at everything we did but even though tears came and went and then came again, she loved her birthday!! To end it all we ended her birthday celebration on Wednesday by finishing up their room and going to our new favorite place for dessert.

Things I Have Learned Watching Jr Jazz

I am sitting at Dixon watching 4th grade boys playing basketball. We came to visit Jason and he gets home in a little over an hour so I am not going to go home and then come back to pick him up. Its so interesting sometimes to watch these how these parents talk to these kids playing basketball. I used to come with Jason all the time but as our kids have gotten older and don't just sit and watch anymore. The first year Jason did this I think was the hardest for us to get used to because the coaches would not only yell at Jason because he used to keep score and supervise the gym but they would just be so mean to the refs and the kids. Fights break out between adults watching and refs have quit because of the parents being so mean to them. Now Jason can take it all under control no problem. There was this guy who coached for a few years and I guess after he was kicked out of the games so many times, he wasn't allowed to be a coach anymore for that neighborhood. However he would still come to the games to "help". One family that we saw for a few years had a really mean dad. I would have thought it was just during basketball but, when I was working at Dixon as an aid, I worked with one of his sons and his sons friends that didn't know that I knew the family would tell me how mean his dad was all the time. Talking to Jason about it at home, he told me how they had discussed the family at a school meeting.
We have gotten to know a lot of nice people through this job and while I sometimes wish Jason would tell them he can't work, he does a great job at it.
The game just finished and we are waiting for another game to start. one thing I am sure of right now, my kids will never be in a sport where the coaches act the way they do.

When Gunnar Grows Up!

(He wasn't really asleep in this picture, I told him he had to take it off around his neck but he wanted a picture first)

Today while we were waiting for our ramen noodles to cool down at lunch Gunnar was telling me what he was going to do when he grows up. The majority of it was about Jason and I.

Gunnar: When I grow up I am going to slap you and Daddy.

Me: Why we don't slap you

Gunnar: I am going to slap your faces

Me: We don't do that to you why would you do that to us?

Gunnar: You are mean and put me in time out

Me: Well you don't make good choices and have to go to time out

Gunnar: You and Daddy are mean and I am going to slap you and Daddy and Novalee because she tattles.

Aren't I a great parent

So maybe

So maybe I have been up since 3 this morning, I felt fine, just couldn't sleep. It may be the messy house that we are trying to get back to normal, it may be because I am 33 weeks pregnant but it most likely is that even though I had a Spicy Chicken sandwich from Wendy's yesterday, I still am craving one, so maybe I will take Jason to work today just so I can go get another one.

Christmas spoiling and other things

Some of you might want to see a post about Christmas, being woken up at 2 am I took one close up picture of each of the kids and blurry ones too. From then on until about 6 we were putting things together and taking things out of boxes.
We have spent the last 2 weeks cleaning and putting things out in the shed. We still have more to do. We are getting Gunnar a "fort" bed which is a loft bed with space for his new playsets underneath, however to do that Jason is going to have to put it together and buy 3 new mattresses since the girls need that also. We told the girls that they can get new sheet sets too since Gunnar is getting one. That means no more toddler bed for my getting bigger boy. This project will take a whole day to get set up not to mention the time to shop and wait for the kids to pick out what they want on their beds.
I think it should go with out the pictures though that my kids had a great Christmas, the girls each got dolls that need diaper changes, numerous barbies and a new Snow White cottage. They got things for their dolls like a playpen and a stroller and high chairs. They got little princess playsets that haven't been played with. Novalee was lovingly given a microphone from Grandpa and Kathy. Still don't like that we were woken up Christmas morning over and over from Novalee telling the other kids what to do. Gunnar got more Bakugans then we can count in case you don't know what those are, we called those monster balls at first, its supposed to be part of a game but we haven't figured that out yet Gunnar just wants to have his monsters attack us and if we want to win we are told thats not how you play, he got a batcave, a dinosaur castle and a toystory playset with figures for all those different playsets with them. Luckily we got those ones last and they came with the figures so we didn't have to buy any extra. That is only a small portion of what they were given for Christmas. Maybe I will take pictures of the kids playing with their new toys later, maybe not. I still have a lot to do to get ready for the baby.We finally got the carseat this weekend and now I need to go buy some clothes. We didn't save much from Gunnar but thats okay its just the matter of having enough energy to go shopping.
Jason took the girls to get their nails done last night and they had so much fun! They can't wait to go to school tomorrow and show them off. I wanted to get a mani and pedi but since I am pregnant that wasn't an option. Gunnar and I went and got ice cream and Jason sat with the girls and helped them pick out their colors and all that fun stuff.
School starts tomorrow Jason and I are both going to only go part time this semester. It will be nice to have a chance to clean the house without my kids following us pulling stuff out as we clean. I have loved having Jason home but time is up and he needs to go back to work, and the girls get to go back to school.

Just a Few Pictures of my Kids

These are just a few pictures of things we have been doing, Harley had a program in her class where they all sang, I had to be sneaky on taking pictures because she kept getting mad if I took her picture. She also stood in the back so I couldn't take them. Luckily Jason was able to leave work early so we could both be there. The picture of Gunnar was when we went with Novalee on her field trip to BYU for the Christmas around the World program. I was so tired that day because I had Gunnar with me I couldn't ride the school bus to BYU but when I got there they made me park in a completely different parking lot and had to walk to the building. Not a great day to not bring a coat too. I think Gunnar just had a sweatshirt on too. It was freezing! Then we also were able to go to Disney on Ice again. It was the princess on this time and it was so fun! We had spilled slushes on us and Gunnar almost had an accident because he didn't want to leave to go potty but luckily made it on time. We were close to the ice and the kids came home happy. The picture of Novalee's hair is how we did her hair for the Christmas program at the girls school. Harley didn't want a picture but we did the same hair to both girls. I did take video but I didn't download any videos yet to my computer and plus the program consists of Gunnar pulling the camera down to see through the camera.

Quick Update....also known as may be too much info

We have been so busy lately. There are so many things on my to do list but yet I seem to be spending my time not getting anything done. Jason and I have both been swamped with homework and are both looking forward to next semester where we are both only taking 6 credits. We still have lots to do to finish up this semester. At times I have felt overwhelmed by it but I keep telling myself what is the worst that is going to happen? Jason hasn't had too much work with his sports job which is good because the one at Dixon has been more time consuming working with kids that can't be in a regular classroom. I haven't had time to help at the school a lot which makes me so sad. I can't even get enough energy half the time to walk upstairs to Novalee's room so usually I just walk her to the ramp by Harley's room so she can go upstairs. I miss playing with the kids in the classrooms and letting Gunnar have fun with the other kids. I know he misses that one of his friends in Harley's class moved and he was really sad about that.
I have so many pictures that I need to download along with videos but our new camera that we got in September has so many different things I still need to look up to figure out before I want to download them to the computer.
I have been feeling incredibly guilty lately for the things that I haven't been able to do with my kids and for my kids and I feel so lucky that they have great teachers this year that understand and give me too much slack on my part. I am really excited though because I am starting to do one on one time with each of my kids each day which has been fun. I am glad that we started doing it and Jason takes the other 2 while I am doing this.
I am counting down the days which at time goes by too slow for this baby to get here. He is constantly kicking me which the dr found to be really funny last time we went. Next week I am in the third trimester which seems to have taken so long to get here. I don't know how many of you know how this pregnancy came to come to our family. In case you are wondering, Jason and I have been praying about this for a long time. I didn't want a huge age gap between this baby and the other kids but we never had the strong impression to start trying. So last May, we realized that Gunnar would be 4 before I even had another baby. We started trying which meant I had to stop taking this prescription that I had been taking hoping to lose weight (it wasn't working) going off that was so hard and I was sick for over 2 weeks where I couldn't walk very well, and was so lucky that my husband was able to be home with me. We had only been trying for 2 weeks and I had the strongest impression that I was pregnant which didn't make sense because after 4 years, I thought it would take at least a year and but still we had promised each other that if nothing happened within the summer we would stop trying. I took a test at my dr's office that was negative, (helping with the withdrawls) the following week, I took 3 tests and they were all positive. Obviously this baby knew the time frame that we had set and wanted to come to us. At times, it has been scary but for the most part I am so excited to have him here. I can't wait to meet him. There was a time where the specialist that I was seeing told me that we might have to induce early but as of now all the problems have cleared up. I can't wait for our last little baby to get here and we can continue and grow as an eternal family!

Fall Break

The original plan was to go to AZ but, things happen and we didn't think the trip would be a great idea right now. Anyways we did something fun everyday and the kids had a blast!

We started off the fun week by getting the kids some cold weather clothes. That is something that Novalee loved to do. There was only school for 2 days so on Wednesday, we went to Cornbelly's. It was so cold but the kids wanted to go so bad! We got there right as it opened and they didn't have any of the little activities open! Gunnar did find the big lizard called "The Creature" and he went through that a few times. Then after trying different activities and waiting for the face painting booth to open, we went through the corn maze. We got lost, we lost Jason, and then gave up and cut through to the end.

The next day we woke up and went to the zoo since we wanted to be there when they fed the animals. We made it with perfect timing and the kids just stared at the animals while the ate. The baby animals were out and playing and it was a lot of fun. If you notice in the giraffe picture. The 2 were outside and then the one just stuck its head out too. We also had to get as many pictures as we could of the wolf for Harley.

Friday, we stayed home for most of the day, then for dinner we were invited to our friends house for games and dinner. I had been looking forward to it all week since my friend makes the best Thai food. I was reminded while playing spades that I am not very good at it yet. I still had lots of fun and the kids ran crazy through the house with their friends.

Saturday, we went to the Scarecrow festival. It is put on by school as a fundraising project. They had over 10 blowup slides and jumping thins. The kids could have spent all day there! They also had the long waited face painting booth that Novalee had been waiting for and pony rides. We also got to go fish and get fun prizes. Gunnar spent the day following Logan around and after we hit the little craft store there buying fun decorations for Halloween and Christmas, we went to eat at this hamburger place down the street.

I can't find my picture of the other activities other then the zoo but I did take some. Maybe on the other camera. We had a blast and I had to spend the next day resting from all the fun things we did. Check back later for those pictures!!

Pictures of Gunnar on his birthday

After not planning a big party for him last year, I was going to be a better mom this year, however that didn't work. He kept talking about all his guests that were going to come and all the presents he was going to get. Then the morning of the "party" I realized I should have invited more and planned more for his party. Luckily he didn't seem to notice that he only had one friend come with his 2 sisters. (I had invited 2 but with their siblings it would have been more like 6 kids) Once again I felt like a failure as a mom but the party was during conference sessions so as soon as it was over, we went and saw Toy Story 1 and 2 in 3d. I am so lucky that Gunnar is such a happy boy despite my flaws as a mommy. So next year I can't make the same mistake 3 times in a row!!

Halloween 2009

Novalee was Cinderella, Gunnar was Captain Hook, and Harley was Ariel

I couldn't get Novalee and Harley to smile for pictures at school, well really at all. Despite my constant crying and oversensitivity, the kids had a blast. They came home with tons of candy that they don't want to share and were exhausted by the time we got in.

What Harley Thinks...........

Harley really likes to come to my class with me on Mondays, my teacher has 4 different classrooms and teaches from St George. Its a Parenting class, its really interesting.

Last time she came with me, I had her fill in the blanks on a piece of paper.