It's a grand night for singing...

... the stars are bright above. The moon is aglow and to add to the show, I think I am falling in love. Falling, falling in love.

You know that musical, "State Fair"? I felt like we were in it yesterday. No, we weren't at our state fair, just a small county one, but we had a wonderful time and it even included a little "falling in love" of our own. :)

Sammy loved the pigs and kept telling me about their "boobs."

Gracie loved hanging out with her friend Hunter.

All of the kids loved the sheep.



Benson loved the train ride.


But not the carousel so much. I think maybe it scared him a little because the horse he is riding looks so freaky... what do you think. Gracie and Sammy and Hunter loved the carousel though.

Benson loved Brother Hemis. We thought we had missed our county fair... actually we did, but some friends in our ward invited us to go with them to one of the neighboring county fairs and told us it was a way better one than ours anyway. Thanks Hemis's.

Everyone loved the "Super Slide." David even rode that one. He kept trying to get me to go down it, but I don't really think they would have let a 9 month prego woman on nor do I think I could have held on to my cookies.

The rodeo was fun too. I always love to see the American Flag as it is carried around the stadium.

There were lots of cute cowboys.

And cowgirls.

And these funny little kids riding sheep... I think it is called "muttin bustin?"
Gracie really wanted to go ride the sheep. And then she wanted to do the barrel racing. And then she wanted to be the fair queen. We might have a little cowgirl in the making here.

Gracie even got asked out on her first date! How is that for finding love at the fair. I was taking Sammy to the bathroom so I didn't hear about this until after we went home or we would have taken a picture of the little boy. But while we were watching the rodeo a cute little 7 year old asked Gracie if she would go ride the rides with him. Actually he asked David, which David said made him a gentleman. But he still said no. She has a LONG time to go before she can go on a date! I never thought I would say this, but I think it may be time for us to buy a gun...

They were all asleep before we got home. David took this picture because every single one of their heads was leaning in the same direction. We had a great time falling in love with the fair!

"I love to see the temple. I'm going there someday."

We went to the temple yesterday. It was so wonderful! David's amazing and wonderful brother and sister-in-law made it possible for us to go. David and I left early (like 6:20 am) and just barely made it to our 9:00 appointment (we sped a little bit to make it on time). Micah and Sarah drove the almost 3 hours with all three of our kids plus their own 2 as well. They left after us because their appointments were at a later time. They are the BEST! It was just so wonderful, the feeling that you get in the temple. This last week has been weighing me down and to go to the temple was the very thing I needed to remember what things really matter.

We took the kids for a walk around the temple. It was so peaceful even with 6 kids running around (okay only 5, Micah and Sarah's baby, Elsa, can't run around yet). And the weather was so perfect. We really couldn't have asked for a more perfect day.




The little boy in the red striped shirt is Andrew. His mom and dad got to go to the temple too. He sure is a cute little boy. We were glad he could hang out with us.

I am in love with the above picture. Sammy is helping Benson climb up on a bench and it just warms my heart. This is just the perfect picture of two brothers.
Benson and Asher are so cute together. They LOVE each other. Benson asks for Asher all the time. It is nice to live close enough to them that we get to see them regularly. Cousins are so fun!

I have no idea what this face is, but it makes me laugh.

Here is my little dancing queen.

We are so greatful to be an eternal family! Heavenly Father sure knew what he was doing when he put us here on earth in families!

Random Stuff

Everyone in my house was down for quiet time. David and I really needed a nap (David because he is working tonight and me because I am in that last month of pregnancy where I can't sleep and can't get comfortable and am basically tired all the time). So we put Benson down for a nap and let the other kids watch "The Prince of Egypt" (Gracie learned about the 10 commandments in primary today and Moses came to visit so I thought it was a good movie to help her remember what she had learned). But true to my pregnacy induced insomnia self I couldn't take a nap no matter how much my body hurt or how tired I was so here I am blogging. Just some random things and thoughts...

I had some things I needed to get done on Friday afternoon so while Gracie was at school and Benson took a nap I turned on "The Land Before Time" on Netflix for Sammy. He really didn't want to watch it. Actually what he really wanted was to watch Diego or Dora or Backyardigains or something. But I needed a little more time than that so I picked the Land Before Time. I remember watching it as a kid. You can see by his face he was not very excited about it when I started it. But by the time Littlefoot hatches this is what his face looked like.

That little dinosaur won him over.

More randomness... I made trail mix yesterday for a car trip we went on. My kids picked out all of the M&M's (of course) so when I got home I added some butterscotch chips to it because David loves butterschotch chips. I HATE butterscotch chips. I just think they are too sweet. But they actually tasted good with the salty cashews. Don't tell David I admitted that they taste good.
Speaking of David. He worked at a dunk tank recently to benefit the American Heart Association. The kids had an AWESOME time dunking their dad. People kept coming by and paying for them to do it again because they were so cute and funny.

We had our first cool day in a LONG time yesterday. It was beautiful! I think the high was 69 or something. I mentioned to David that we had all of the stuff for potato corn chowder and he wanted me to make it. I don't like soup in the summer so I didn't really want to make it, but if I don't make it today he is going to want it tomorrow and it is supposed to start getting hot again tomorrow... so I guess today it is.

I thought this was funny. I mentioned before that it was cooler yesterday. Well yesterday evening the boys decided they needed to play in the sandbox, but they were cold. So they pulled the tarp that we use to cover the sandbox over themselves to keep warm. When I looked out at them all I saw was this big blue moving blob where my children were supposed to be.

Hmmm.... oh yeah, we finished reading "Mocking Jay" (you were right Mary) yesterday on our car trip. David and I like to read books together and this was our latest. Still trying to figure out what I think of it. At the last minute, right before it happened, David and I figured out what the ending was going to be. Then I balled throught the whole epilogue, even though I was reading it out loud to David while we were driving in the car. I felt kind of silly, but I couldn't help myself. I think David laughed at me.

I guess that is it. I have more random pictures to post, but the kids are running around and getting into trouble and Sammy wants cookies. I want cookies too, but he had a wet pull up at church today :( and we told him we would make cookies if he kept his pull up dry. Guess we will have to make cookies tomorrow.

The Sandbox

Cement mixing container from Home Depot: $12.97

Measuring cups/spoons and sand toys on clearance: $4.50

Three fifty pound bags of play sand: $2.50 each

Seeing Sammy's cute dimples and smile while he played in our new sandbox: PRICELESS!

I knew we would need something fun today today while Gracie was away at school. Sammy is usually attached to Gracie at the hip. He wants to do everything she does. So we decided we would make ourselves a little sandbox today while she was at school. We spent the morning getting the supplies, and can I just say how awesome Home Depot is! They have the friendliest people working there and are extremely helpful. One lady that worked there almost wouldn't even let me push my shopping cart once she loaded the 150 pounds of sand onto it. It was actually still really easy to push so I was able to manage it. I waited until David got home from his lunch meeting to help me unload the sand so Benson was actually taking a nap and didn't get to play in our sandbox until after Gracie got home from school, but they all had a blast! And they were all covered with sand! And so is my kitchen floor, but honestly, I think it is worth it... for now. :) I am glad that they love it!

First Day of Kindergarten

Gracie had her first day of Kindergarten today. As a mom, I was filled with all of those normal mixed up mom emotions. Excited for her to start this new stage of life, worried and scared that kids might not be friendly, she might get scared, she might get lost, she might not have any friends... I can keep going... I should have know she would have a great time though. We cut out this giant "K" so we would always remember in years to come that this is her Kindergarten picture (thanks for the idea Jamie). I cried all the way home after she left. I thought Sammy would be pretty sad too, but he didn't really talk a lot about it.

Gracie climbed up on the bus, stopped at the very first seat, pushed her way between the two kids sitting on it, talked to them for a minute, and sat right down. What a brave, friendly girl. I just love her.

Here she is getting off the bus after school was over. Her happy little face lit up when she saw me waiting for her to get off the bus. She climbed off, ran to me and said, "It was so fun mom! Way funner than home!" I am happy that she had a good time, even if she did say it was funner than home. I know you will be amazing in Kindergarten Gracie. I love you!

Baby Shoes

I made these shoes (with some help from my super crafty sister-in-law) while our husbands and sons were at father's and sons a week ago. We stayed up late and sewed and ate caremel popcorn... just us girls (Sarah and Elsa, and Gracie and I). We definitely need to do it again soon. Hopefully my baby's feet won't be too big to wear them when he is born (my kids have HUGE feet).

Getting ready for baby...

I had to order a new car seat for this little fellah that is coming to join our family soon. Our old one lasted through the other three kids, but it expired. I decided I wanted to make a cute car seat cover for the new seat.

I used my cute sister-in-law's car seat cover (that her mom made) as a pattern and kind of went from there. Thanks Sarah!

I think it turned out pretty good. Gracie's "baby daughter woodpecker" seems to like it too because I keep finding her in the car seat. Gracie and Sammy seem to think she belongs in there. "Woodpecker" is going to be in for a rude awakening when she gets kicked out of her favorite spot in a few weeks. We are one step closer to being ready for our new baby to get here.

The Tooth Fairy

Gracie lost her first tooth last night. I didn't think it was loose enough, but David did. He grabbed some suturing thread and tied it around her wiggly little tooth. He yanked up hard once and out came the tooth. Her grown up tooth has been growing in behind the baby one for a few weeks. The dentist said not to worry about it, but that it would move up on its own when the baby one fell out.

I feel just a little gypped that I didn't get a little jack-o-lantern smile just yet. I am sure that will come though.

There it is. Gracie put it under her pillow last night in a little bag. The tooth fairy was very generous, hopefully just because it was a "first" tooth. I don't think she can keep up with this. She even let Gracie keep the tooth too! Congratulations Gracie!

From round foods to large aquatic mammals.

I figured it was about time for another belly picture. I am a little over 34 weeks now, and really I feel ready to POP! This little boy surely can't really grow for another 5 1/2 weeks. David is doing a month of OB/Pediatrics right now in his residency. He is having a fun time delivering babies and taking care of them after they are born. He came home from work a few days ago and told me about a conversation he had with one of the other residents. When a woman first gets pregnant all the books, web sites, and doctors compare the baby inside of you to a bean, peanut, or other small food when describing to you how big your baby is. From there they use apricot, plum, apple, orange, gourd, cantalope, squash, etc... always using a fruit or vegetable to give you the general idea of how big your baby is getting. Then all of a sudden the next thing used to describe the baby/woman's size is whale... Why is that? They don't use other sea animals when describing the size. It's not like they say, "Your baby is the size of a minnow, or a trout or a salmon." Nope, just whale. Well, whatever, I am ready for this baby blue whale to come out whenever he feels like it (preferably sooner than later after 37 weeks). If all you are waiting for is an invitation little boy, consider yourself invited. :)

Benson hearts "Diedo"

(Pictures taken by Jonae Cheger)

This silly little boy woke up crying this morning at 2:00 asking to watch "Diedo" (which means Diego). He LOVES Diego. I wouldn't let him watch it. I know I am a really mean mother, but I am not willing to give up my sleep so that my 22 month old can sit and watch some animal rescuer show where the main character's head is too big for his body. I got him a drink of water and brought him to my bed instead. Big mistake! He wouldn't go to sleep. I already have pregnancy insomnia (I went to bed last night around 10:30 but just can't shut my brain off for hours after I turn off the light) and adding a little boy to the bed who keeps reaching up to hug me or pat my face or stroke my hair didn't help (I know all of those things sound sweet in the day time, but not so at two in the morning). I finally made him go back to his bed (now close to 3-ish) because I was close to crying over lack of sleep. David carried him back to his bed, and he didn't cry or anything. He just lay there in his bed for about 15 minutes and then I hear the sweet pitter patter of little feet (not as sweet during he middle of the night again, but still sweet). He came and climbed back into my bed again and this time curled up to me and fell asleep almost immediately. I woke up with him still curled up against my back like a little kitten. After breakfast this morning I finally let him watch Diego. I got comfortable on the couch next to all the other kids and tried to catch a couple minutes of sleep while they watched (I am not a good mommy when I don't get enough sleep, it was necessary to try and get a little more). Benson climbed up next to me in my arms and within just a few minutes of watching his favorite show... he fell asleep. Guess he needed to catch up a little bit too.

My BFF

(Pictures taken by Jonae Cheger)

Dear Little Gracie Girl,

On Saturday we went to a primary activity at the church. We played in the water and rode bikes and you had a great time... until a couple of unkind children told you that you rode a baby bike (because you still had training wheels on your bike). After that you wouldn't ride your bike any more and you only wanted to hang out with the adults and it made me sad. Last night your Daddy took the training wheels off your bike and we went to the same parking lot and you learned how to ride your bike without them. You are so big and smart and cool and you are 5 years old and I forget a lot of times just how big you are getting. Kindergarten starts in a few weeks. You can read and count to 100 and write and you love computers and science and Littlest Pet Shops and Polly Pockets and pump your feet when you swing and now you can ride your bike too. Don't forget that you promised to be my BFF. Last night we wished on the "first star I see tonight" and that is what I wished for... for us to be BFFs for the rest of our lives. I sure love you chickadee.

Love,
Mom

after 9 years...

(Pictures taken by Jonae Cheger)

We have been married 9 years today, and look what we have to show for it! 3 almost 4 beautiful children, not to mention you are one heck of a doctor .
I love you David. You have been an amazing father and husband. I need you in my life every day. Thanks for choosing me.