Quote of the Day

Erin is working on not sucking her thumb. If she can go 7 days in a row without sucking her thumb, she gets the second Barbie Diamond Castle doll. Apparently this isn't sitting so well with her sisters...

Brooke - "Mom, Alix and I have decided to develop some really bad habits so we get a toy too!"

Perfect. Glad my system is working sooooo well....

Delicious, Declicious Guilt...

I'm off to softball practice. I'm ecstatic. I'm elated. I'm giddy. I'm leaving behind a shell of a husband. To watch the children, while secretly (or not so secretly) pining away at the fact that he is not playing on a team this year. And his wife is. I'm seriously working on feeling guilty... It's not working too well though...
No pictures of me playing ball, so here's one of Brooke from last year...

Happy hunting...

Every year, the Monday after Easter, we do a Day-After-Easter-Egg-Hunt for family home evening. It's fun because all of our friends can usually come since everyone else does their hunts on Saturday. This year, it started our sunny, rained, hailed, and then poured. But we hunted through all the crazy weather... You'll notice the kids are all soaking wet. This is always my favorite picture that we take all year. A couple of good friends are missing, but Happy Birthday Colleen, we missed your family and good luck to Alyssa, who is in the hospital with the flu... Happy hunting...
We decided that Brooke was taller than Mya this year, but I think there is a hill where Mya is standing. Because in the picture she's taller and when Brooke was there, she was taller... She'll be so disappointed!

SOLD!!!

Our home is sold! The last hurdle is the inspection tomorrow.... We put in an offer on another house - in our same ward - and if all of it comes together the way it's looking like it will, we owe the Lord a big Thank You. We have seen His hand in making it all work. We are staying in Puyallup, not because Sam is so sick, but because she is improving. We can't take her away from what's working so well...

Quote of the Day

I had just asked Brooke to do some terribly horrible thing like "pick up your shoes" or "clean your room"...
Brooke - "I hate you! You are worse than a monster! You are a MOMster!"

Such a great kid... So respectful. So kind. So gentle. So in time-out...

Keep on Keepin' on...

Here is an update on our sweet little Sam. She is doing really, really well. Therapy twice a week has made a huge difference. She is starting to crawl and pull herself up to a stand. Which creates it's own problems... In order to stand up, Sam isn't strong enough to do it "right". She has to lock her whole body and then she can stand. So when she gets tired or loses her balance, she just falls like a tree. Straight back. It's the saddest, funniest thing you've ever seen. It knocks the wind out of her and she bonks her head. Thus, standing is only allowed on the carpet... Her left side doesn't work as well as the right. We are working on that, and aren't sure what is causing the problem. She had an MRI, which she had to be sedated for. She did fine. I did not... But we made it through. It was normal, she has not had a stroke or brain injury and it looks like her brain developed as it should have. Her blood work has come back not normal however. I'm not sure what this means, but her doctors think she might have a metabolic problem. Her next neurologist appt. is on the 16th and I'll have more for you then... We are worried about her heart and circulation as well. Her feet are always freezing and turn dark purple. A lot. So, we are going to a pediatric cardiologist as well. She is happy and getting closer and closer to laughing. She is still really small. Just above the 5th percentile. Is she just little? or does it have to do with her heart? Or her brain? Her therapist dexcribed her "condition" a great way. "She not normal, but there's not a thing wrong with her..." Maybe one day we'll have answers. Until then, we'll just keep on keepin' on!

One week...

What a difference a week makes! From snow to jumping on the trampoline with the sprinklers on. (Okay, it was only 64 degrees, but it was SUNNY and wonderful out. We had a great time. And came in and had hot chocolate...

10 Things I Learned During Spring Break...

1- If you start with one sick baby, you will finish out the week with five sick girls
2- If you promise your children they can build a balance beam for spring break, they WILL NOT forget it.

3-If you think you can successfully maneuver a power saw alone, you WILL NOT be able to.

4- Since your husband can successfully maneuver the saw, his coolness rating will exponentially go up...

5- Just because it's called Spring break, does not mean it will be warm enough to paint outside...

6- No matter how laid back you think you are, three little girls with paint, brushes and free reign, WILL stress you out.

7- However, the baby will be entertained for an entire week with no mother needed

8- After the balance beam is finished, you can entertain a houseful of children - with no mother needed.
9- If your baby is strong enough to pull herself up the balance beam, but not control her momentum... She will invariable fall on her face on the tile on the other side of the beam.
10- Birthday roses are for the whole family to enjoy!

Birthday slide show from my mum

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Birthday Quote of the Day...

I was playing with Brooke and some of her school friends when I overheard this conversation...
Joshua: "Brooke, your mom is a teenager I think"
Brooke: "Uh. I don't think so. She's a little old."
Erin (or Alix- who can be sure...): No, my mom is seventy eleven!"

I now claim Joshua as my only child and son...