We are excited for an extended vacation filled with family, sun, sand, waves, wedding festivities, Disneyland, and then on to Utah!
Saturday, May 29, 2010
California Here We Come
It's noon on Saturday and we are on our way to Sunny Southern California-for Aunt Christy's wedding!
We are excited for an extended vacation filled with family, sun, sand, waves, wedding festivities, Disneyland, and then on to Utah!
We are excited for an extended vacation filled with family, sun, sand, waves, wedding festivities, Disneyland, and then on to Utah!
Friday, May 28, 2010
Lately We've Been...
Finishing up our gymnastics/dance class:
{Miss Jacqueline the dance teacher}
Soaking up the sun in our backyard 'pool':
Testing the neighbor's homemade Slip 'N Slide:
Learning to put pony tails in hair:
{I think she's getting pretty good!}
A 'date night' for mom and dad:
Helping:
Driving:
Playing dress-up:
Marshmallow shooting:
Making/cleaning up messes:
And boating:
{Miss Jacqueline the dance teacher}Soaking up the sun in our backyard 'pool':
Testing the neighbor's homemade Slip 'N Slide:
Learning to put pony tails in hair:
{I think she's getting pretty good!}A 'date night' for mom and dad:
Helping:
Driving:
Playing dress-up:
Marshmallow shooting:
Making/cleaning up messes:
And boating:
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Goodbye Preschool.... Hello Kindergarten
Madisen officially graduated from preschool today! Where did this year go?
{I love her!}Pledge:
Good Morning:
Months in English. I'll spare you the Spanish version because it was a bit hard to understand on my camera.:
Madisen's award:
(She was one of the last to receive her award and the crowd was a little restless so you have to strain to hear.)
{Madisen truly blossomed as a student, friend, sister, and daughter this year!}{She is thoughtful, kind, considerate, independent, assertive, keen & a leader.}
Then it was off to celebrate at the Splash Pad. Brooklyn was in heaven! The other 2 didn't stay in one place long enough for me to get a good picture of them. I was pleasantly surprised at Brooklyn's interest in the sprinklers. She had NO FEAR and continuously walked under the streams of water.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Old MacDonald Had A Farm
And on his farm he had:
{Babies in strollers.}
{Moms and kids on the train}
{Guided pony rides}
{And VERY tame, spoiled animals}
E-I-E-I-O
{Babies in strollers.}
{Moms and kids on the train}
{Guided pony rides}
{And VERY tame, spoiled animals}
E-I-E-I-O
Dance Recital
A friend in our ward has been teaching a little dance class to some girls at the church each week. Madisen seems to have an instinctual love for dancing so we jumped at the chance to have her in the class! It's been a great experience for her. (And sweet Amy let Caitlyn join, too.) Last week they had a dance recital.
{Check out that form.}
{And the outfit that was purchased for last year's dance recital. The one she missed b/c of Brooklyn's baby blessins.}
{Waiting for her turn.}
{Precious in pink!}
{Daddy missed the recital thanks to the traffic. But he showed up with a daisy for each girl!}
{Check out that form.}{And the outfit that was purchased for last year's dance recital. The one she missed b/c of Brooklyn's baby blessins.}
{Waiting for her turn.}
{Precious in pink!}
{Daddy missed the recital thanks to the traffic. But he showed up with a daisy for each girl!}
Houston Temple
About a six weeks ago we took the girls to see the Houston temple. It was a peaceful and beautiful Saturday afternoon as we felt the spirit on the temple grounds.
{This was in Brooklyn's pre-walking days.}
{I always love to see the well groomed and carefully tended flower beds. There truly was "beauty all around"!}
{Madisen is self-accessorized}
{Our eternal family.}
{Yes, we're nerdy.}
{This was in Brooklyn's pre-walking days.}
{I always love to see the well groomed and carefully tended flower beds. There truly was "beauty all around"!}
{Madisen is self-accessorized}
{Our eternal family.}
{Yes, we're nerdy.}Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Still Funny
We've been faithful American Idol watchers this season. We are still laughing about this Minute Maid commercial. It's not new, but it's still funny to us!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Unexpected
On Wednesday, April 28 we had an unusual experience at our house.
Background to story: My sister Kellie and I are allergic to milk. Caitlyn is allergic to milk. My sister Tiffany has 2 sons that have multiple, EXTREME food allergies. I have felt an urgency to be methodical and exact when introducing new foods to Brooklyn. Since about September I have suspected that she had a wheat allergy. (Anytime someone would 'share' a cracker with her she would instantly break out in a red rash around her mouth.) In March I became suspicious about a milk allergy. (When she found some stray pieces of cottage cheese on the floor.) So we have been avoiding those foods.
Back to the story: After returning from our morning walk I was making scrambled eggs for breakfast. Brooklyn had never tasted an egg and I decided this was a great time to introduce it to her. After all, she was almost 1- in 2 days- and I hadn't introduced a new food for a while. She eagerly ate an entire egg & would have eaten more. But just as she finished I noticed a rash appearing around her mouth. And then she started scratching at her neck. And now it was red. So I whisked her off to the bath tub where I discovered at least 15 hives on her stomach. After an accurate dose of Benadryl I layed her down for her morning nap. She had only been asleep for about 15 minutes when I heard her fussing. But then she quit & went back to sleep. I finished getting ready and went to get her so we could take the older girls to gymnastics. I was horrified to find her lying in a pile of egg that she had thrown up. As I scooped her out of bed and headed back to the bath it was obvious that now her entire body was covered in hives and a rash.
I immediately called the pediatrician as I loaded everyone in the car. I was frustrated and unimpressed with their inefficient phone system. I just got the run around from the operator, even after I explained the situation. Really, I just wanted to be seen so I didn't have to go to Urgent Care or the ER. After I dropped the girls off at gymnastics, I drove straight to the pediatrician's office. And requested an appointment- now! They were kind enough to work me in right then during their lunch break. Brooklyn was diagnosed with an allergy to egg white and egg yolk. And I was sent home with a prescription for an EpiPen and strict instructions to fill it immediately. Then I made an appointment with an Allergist. And signed up to attend an annual parent conference sponsored by the Houston FAAN (Food Allergy and Awareness Network) chapter. This also brought my days of nursing to an abrupt end. The first night that I didn't nurse her before bed she slept through the entire night. I'm guessing that she has been having stomach aches that wake her up at night. Maybe?
Today was my appointment with the Allergist. There are no answers yet. Just a lot of information about avoiding eggs. And what a food allergy is verses and intolerance- Caitlyn just has an intolerance to milk. Then it was on to a 40 minute battle with Brooklyn to draw 3 vials of blood. And now we wait for results.
My sister posted this on her blog yesterday:
Give it Up
This week is Food Allergy Awareness Week, and one of the national advocacy organizations (Food Allergy Initiative) is sponsoring a 'give it up' contest.
The "Give It Up" campaign encourages children, parents, families and friends to show their support for the millions of Americans with food allergies by abstaining from eating a favorite food during the entire week. The "Give It Up" Facebook page also encourages supporters to share photos and/or videos on how they're "giving up" a favorite food. One lucky submitter will win an Apple iPad.
So if you want to be like Brooklyn this week, you can avoid wheat, milk, and egg. Good luck! (Notice I said Brooklyn. They don't encourage you to hold out major foods from your diet unless necessary. It's simply not healthy. So for now the rest of us are still eating those things. We shall see what the future holds.)
Background to story: My sister Kellie and I are allergic to milk. Caitlyn is allergic to milk. My sister Tiffany has 2 sons that have multiple, EXTREME food allergies. I have felt an urgency to be methodical and exact when introducing new foods to Brooklyn. Since about September I have suspected that she had a wheat allergy. (Anytime someone would 'share' a cracker with her she would instantly break out in a red rash around her mouth.) In March I became suspicious about a milk allergy. (When she found some stray pieces of cottage cheese on the floor.) So we have been avoiding those foods.
Back to the story: After returning from our morning walk I was making scrambled eggs for breakfast. Brooklyn had never tasted an egg and I decided this was a great time to introduce it to her. After all, she was almost 1- in 2 days- and I hadn't introduced a new food for a while. She eagerly ate an entire egg & would have eaten more. But just as she finished I noticed a rash appearing around her mouth. And then she started scratching at her neck. And now it was red. So I whisked her off to the bath tub where I discovered at least 15 hives on her stomach. After an accurate dose of Benadryl I layed her down for her morning nap. She had only been asleep for about 15 minutes when I heard her fussing. But then she quit & went back to sleep. I finished getting ready and went to get her so we could take the older girls to gymnastics. I was horrified to find her lying in a pile of egg that she had thrown up. As I scooped her out of bed and headed back to the bath it was obvious that now her entire body was covered in hives and a rash.
I immediately called the pediatrician as I loaded everyone in the car. I was frustrated and unimpressed with their inefficient phone system. I just got the run around from the operator, even after I explained the situation. Really, I just wanted to be seen so I didn't have to go to Urgent Care or the ER. After I dropped the girls off at gymnastics, I drove straight to the pediatrician's office. And requested an appointment- now! They were kind enough to work me in right then during their lunch break. Brooklyn was diagnosed with an allergy to egg white and egg yolk. And I was sent home with a prescription for an EpiPen and strict instructions to fill it immediately. Then I made an appointment with an Allergist. And signed up to attend an annual parent conference sponsored by the Houston FAAN (Food Allergy and Awareness Network) chapter. This also brought my days of nursing to an abrupt end. The first night that I didn't nurse her before bed she slept through the entire night. I'm guessing that she has been having stomach aches that wake her up at night. Maybe?Today was my appointment with the Allergist. There are no answers yet. Just a lot of information about avoiding eggs. And what a food allergy is verses and intolerance- Caitlyn just has an intolerance to milk. Then it was on to a 40 minute battle with Brooklyn to draw 3 vials of blood. And now we wait for results.
My sister posted this on her blog yesterday:
Give it Up
This week is Food Allergy Awareness Week, and one of the national advocacy organizations (Food Allergy Initiative) is sponsoring a 'give it up' contest.
The "Give It Up" campaign encourages children, parents, families and friends to show their support for the millions of Americans with food allergies by abstaining from eating a favorite food during the entire week. The "Give It Up" Facebook page also encourages supporters to share photos and/or videos on how they're "giving up" a favorite food. One lucky submitter will win an Apple iPad.
So if you want to be like Brooklyn this week, you can avoid wheat, milk, and egg. Good luck! (Notice I said Brooklyn. They don't encourage you to hold out major foods from your diet unless necessary. It's simply not healthy. So for now the rest of us are still eating those things. We shall see what the future holds.)
Monday, May 10, 2010
Dates with Dad
As in all things around here, the girls dates nights with dad seem to ebb and flow. We are taking some wonderful parenting classes right now (more on that later) & are recommitted to fitting this one-on-one time into our schedules. I have to laugh at the pictures Bill took of their dates... because he's not in any of them.
A few weeks ago our good friends from Vegas, the Nelson's, came to visit their family. Well, just half of them came- Mike and Makayla. So Bill and Madisen drove to Vyder to spend a few hours with them. The girls laughed, giggled, played dress up, colored, and rode the golf cart for hours. Bill said they picked up where they left off and really enjoyed being together. I love this sweet picture of them. Two mis-matched girly girls posing for the camera.
I have to take a trip down memory lane here for a minute. Madisen and Makayla have been friends since they were about 2. Here is the earliest picture I have of them. They spent many hours together playing babies, dress ups, at the park, riding bikes, swimming, and more.
About 2 weeks later Bill was invited to a baseball game with Justin and Spencer. It was Caitlyn's turn for a date with dad so off they went. She had a BLAST! Popcorn, soda, hot dogs, a late night and dad's undivided attention... what more could you want? She's still talking about the train that whistled every time the Astros scored and riding in Spencer's car.
A few weeks ago our good friends from Vegas, the Nelson's, came to visit their family. Well, just half of them came- Mike and Makayla. So Bill and Madisen drove to Vyder to spend a few hours with them. The girls laughed, giggled, played dress up, colored, and rode the golf cart for hours. Bill said they picked up where they left off and really enjoyed being together. I love this sweet picture of them. Two mis-matched girly girls posing for the camera.
I have to take a trip down memory lane here for a minute. Madisen and Makayla have been friends since they were about 2. Here is the earliest picture I have of them. They spent many hours together playing babies, dress ups, at the park, riding bikes, swimming, and more.
About 2 weeks later Bill was invited to a baseball game with Justin and Spencer. It was Caitlyn's turn for a date with dad so off they went. She had a BLAST! Popcorn, soda, hot dogs, a late night and dad's undivided attention... what more could you want? She's still talking about the train that whistled every time the Astros scored and riding in Spencer's car.
A Walker
Once she figured out how to walk, she hasn't spent much time crawling. (Thankfully, because she was starting to wear holes in her pants & shoes.) This is a short clip, but I love how she steadies herself with her arms. She's not really even too wobbly but her legs sure are far apart! Oh, and she's making new discoveries with her voice each day. Today she was delighted as she echoed me at breakfast, asking for her 'nana'. I love it!!
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Mothers Day 2010
This Mothers Day weekend was simply perfect; attending the temple, a primary activity, hair cut, dinner with friends, Stake Conference, and tonight dinner with grandparents & talking to the others on the computer... not to mention spending time with my family!
I am so pleased to all these 3 darlings my own... they bring me such joy! Here they are fencing on the Wii. Brooklyn found one of the rubber covers and was just shaking away. She already wants to be like the big girls.
Bill prepared the table for dinner (and most of the meal). His parents joined us, hence the extra 2 seats & the extra gift. I'm not usually a flower girl, but this year they seemed to be just what the doctor ordered! When Bill asked the girls what they wanted to get me, he primed them with a few options; a new pair of shoes, a dress, some flowers, etc. they chose flowers and a box of chocolates. They're precious! My favorite was the cards they drew for me this morning and brought up with breakfast in bed.
Oh, and I LOVED the gift that was wrapped on my plate. Do you remember that giveaway I participated in a few weeks ago? Well, I won the BEST prize! Janet created this for me using some pictures I sent here. Isn't it wonderful? I think it turned out perfectly perfect. (And I think the grandmas agreed!)
Today our Stake President quoted one of my favorite quotes from Sister Hinckley.
"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails.
I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp.
I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children.
I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden.
I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder.
I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived."
What a beautiful reminder to really live and celebrate all of these moments with my wonderful family! I'm grateful to be a mother.
I am so pleased to all these 3 darlings my own... they bring me such joy! Here they are fencing on the Wii. Brooklyn found one of the rubber covers and was just shaking away. She already wants to be like the big girls.
Bill prepared the table for dinner (and most of the meal). His parents joined us, hence the extra 2 seats & the extra gift. I'm not usually a flower girl, but this year they seemed to be just what the doctor ordered! When Bill asked the girls what they wanted to get me, he primed them with a few options; a new pair of shoes, a dress, some flowers, etc. they chose flowers and a box of chocolates. They're precious! My favorite was the cards they drew for me this morning and brought up with breakfast in bed.
Oh, and I LOVED the gift that was wrapped on my plate. Do you remember that giveaway I participated in a few weeks ago? Well, I won the BEST prize! Janet created this for me using some pictures I sent here. Isn't it wonderful? I think it turned out perfectly perfect. (And I think the grandmas agreed!)
Today our Stake President quoted one of my favorite quotes from Sister Hinckley."I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails.
I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp.
I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children.
I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden.
I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder.
I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived."
What a beautiful reminder to really live and celebrate all of these moments with my wonderful family! I'm grateful to be a mother.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Celebrations
Brooklyn's sisters were MUCH more excited about her birthday this year than she was. Since I was watching a friends girls that afternoon, I decided call it a party. We even played "Cup, Cup, Cake" and "Hullabaloo". (I went all out with the planning of this one- poor 3rd child.)
They were even sweet enough to bring her some gifts, a book and some bubbles.
Before the guests arrived, while the birthday girl was getting her beauty sleep, the big girls and I went to work on these little cupcakes.
(OK, so they're not as cute as the idea I saw on-line, but we had fun making them!)
I even let the girls each blow out 1 candle... in honor of the 1 year old!
B's favorite part was the sugar covered marshmallows.
After dinner we had some other friends over for cupcakes.
Brooklyn has a special affinity for Megan, so it only made sense that we invite Megan and her family over to celebrate with us!
(The birthday hat is a tradition at our house. But this little chicka didn't really want it on for long. And yes, that is a small tuft of once-pony-tailed- and curled-hair on her head below. See photos above.)
(Notice that Brooklyn's cupcake is different than the ones forming the 'balloon cake'. More on that later. It's also the reason there are no pictures of her devouring her cake--- the texture was a bit off so I was hand feeding it to her. She really did love the part with the icing!)
Her birthday loot.
(Caitlyn is showing off the card that Madisen made for Brooklyn.)
Grandma & grandpa sent a suitcase full of surprises, the aunts sent a darling outfit & new toy, the Kroff's brought a frog pull-toy, and mom & dad got her a swing for the backyard. The sisters gave her a new pkg. of binkies and a new pkg. of sippy cups... and she was THRILLED!
And nope, she's not going to share that pink binky with Alli... no way!
Brooklyn's 1 year stats:
Height: 29 inches = 47%
Weight: 20 lb. 12 oz. = 45%
She is by far my 'biggest' baby. The others are still well below the 10% for both weight & height. She is proving to be unique in so many ways! She went from knowing how to walk to preferring to walk in just a matter of days. It's been fun to watch her confidence increase daily! She likes to be right in the mix of what her big sisters are doing. She's completely weaned to a cup and Rice Milk, and uses words like NO, Don't, Mom, Dad, and Ma- which seems to be her universal word for now; more, drink, Madisen, etc.
They were even sweet enough to bring her some gifts, a book and some bubbles.Before the guests arrived, while the birthday girl was getting her beauty sleep, the big girls and I went to work on these little cupcakes.
(OK, so they're not as cute as the idea I saw on-line, but we had fun making them!)
I even let the girls each blow out 1 candle... in honor of the 1 year old!
B's favorite part was the sugar covered marshmallows.After dinner we had some other friends over for cupcakes.
Brooklyn has a special affinity for Megan, so it only made sense that we invite Megan and her family over to celebrate with us!
(The birthday hat is a tradition at our house. But this little chicka didn't really want it on for long. And yes, that is a small tuft of once-pony-tailed- and curled-hair on her head below. See photos above.)
(Notice that Brooklyn's cupcake is different than the ones forming the 'balloon cake'. More on that later. It's also the reason there are no pictures of her devouring her cake--- the texture was a bit off so I was hand feeding it to her. She really did love the part with the icing!)
Her birthday loot.
(Caitlyn is showing off the card that Madisen made for Brooklyn.)
Grandma & grandpa sent a suitcase full of surprises, the aunts sent a darling outfit & new toy, the Kroff's brought a frog pull-toy, and mom & dad got her a swing for the backyard. The sisters gave her a new pkg. of binkies and a new pkg. of sippy cups... and she was THRILLED!
And nope, she's not going to share that pink binky with Alli... no way!Brooklyn's 1 year stats:
Height: 29 inches = 47%
Weight: 20 lb. 12 oz. = 45%
She is by far my 'biggest' baby. The others are still well below the 10% for both weight & height. She is proving to be unique in so many ways! She went from knowing how to walk to preferring to walk in just a matter of days. It's been fun to watch her confidence increase daily! She likes to be right in the mix of what her big sisters are doing. She's completely weaned to a cup and Rice Milk, and uses words like NO, Don't, Mom, Dad, and Ma- which seems to be her universal word for now; more, drink, Madisen, etc.
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