Lily turns "UNO"

This last week we had a blast partying almost each day! It started with my mom and Grandma Archibald flying into town. The kids were thrilled to see them. We celebrated Lily's first birthday on Wednesday. Her theme was UNO! I made mer birthday outfit and it was fun watching her as she dove into her mini cake! We had friends over for Hamburgers and enjoyed the celebration. Lily was so cute and has such a fun personality. It shows in her pictures. She smiles a lot and loves to give hugs and kisses! She is such a wonderful child and I am so happy to have her in our family. There is always something about a first birthday party which is a right of passage and with each of my children they didn't start walking until after the celebration which is also the case with Lily. She finally started standing and walks with you holding onto her hands. This is a pretty big step seeing that she just started crawling a few weeks ago :) After the celebration we took the Grandma's to the American Girl Store where we browsed and had a Tea Party in their Bistro. It was such a darling opportunity and I was glad I could share the joy with my 3 sweet girls and very well-mannered little prince. He knew this was a special occasion and so as we walked in the store he had his arms folded and was very polite. After saying good-bye to the grandma's we went back to our normal routine. Life isn't all fun! I posted the mounds of laundry which I had to do and YES that is a weekly occurrence. You experienced mothers well know, but I didn't know that with four kids came monumental amounts of Laundry!!! On Saturday we took Jon to Lake View Farms and picked strawberries and raspberries. We ate as many as we picked and the kids loved eating the yummy fresh fruit. Dean especially loves them and was so fun to watch chomping on the berries. Lily loved sitting in the fields with us and it was pure bliss being together on a farm. Loved it! Then later that day was Craig school's end of year carnival. We went and jumped on bounce toys got snow cones and cotton candy and the kid's face's painted! Then after a very hot day we jumped in the now opened pool to cool off. It was another very busy and eventful week, but it was certainly full of joy! We are so blessed to have these experiences.

Mother's Day a Wonderful Blessed Week

This week has been one filled with a lot of FUN!!! It started out slow and easy. The usual of Makenna attending Craig Elementary, Autumn going to preschool at the Methodist Church and Dean and Lily hanging out with me. Jon and I took Dean and Lily to the park one morning and he wanted to see how strong Lily was so he had her hang on a bar and yep. As you can see she hung on TIGHT! Earlier my in the week my Dad had called and as we were talking I mentioned that we had Cardinals tickets for this Friday. Well, I got a call back saying he was flying out on Friday to go to the game! Then, I got a phone call that are sweet little Rocky wasn't doing so good at the home where we had left him so I called my Dad and asked him if he would fly our dog out. . . He reluctantly said yes. Purcahsed a Carryer and flew with Rocky! He lucked out Rocky was a great flyer and didn't make much noise he also didn't have any accidents which is better than my kids! So we are happily reunited and the kids are thrilled to have Rocky home. ME TOO! and I think Jon is just a little. Also, on Thursday the girls had there end of the term gymnastics performance. They did routines on the bars, beam, floor, and vault. They earned medals and were so proud of them. Then I learned that Kerri Strung was at the Mall for a meet and greet thanks to the Gymnastics Team I had put them on. So we quickly ran over to the Mall the girls got in line while I ran up to the American girl store and purchased a McKenna Book which is the doll of the year for those who don't know and she is also a gymnast. So the girls had her sign the book and we got to see an Olympic Gold Medalist. SUPER COOL! On Friday we went and picked my dad up from the airport and Rocky of course and then drove down to the game which was super fun. Jon met us as we were just finishing up dinner then we walked my Dad around the arch and towards the Mississippi and then to the Awesome Busch Stadium where we kept the kids up late and watched a game. They had fireworks every time the Cards hit a homer and the kids loved that. Dean kept saying, "I want it to go boom" :) We left at the bottom of the 8th and it was tied so we listened on the way home and it ended up going to the 12th inning and sadly the Cardinals lost. We sent my dad on a plane on Saturday, then went to the church and cleaned the building and all the kids helped even Dean washed a few windows. After I wanted to spoil Rocky so we headed out to Purina Farms and wandered around and watched a few dog shows. I could tell Rocky was in heaven and the kids loved it too. Lastly, this mother's day I have been richly blessed. The kids had made me cards and Autumn said, "It's Mother's Day mom gets to sleep in as long as she wants and no one can bother her." So, Jon let me sleep-in which is always a treat and he brought me breakfast in bed. Church is always wonderful on Mother's Day with the primary singing mother's day songs it melts my heart! Then when we got home Jon had purchased steaks and we went and had a very delicious BBQ! I feel SO loved and I married the best husband. He knows how to make it special just the way I like it. One last silly Autumnism, today she was misbehaving so I said, "Autumn you need to keep the rules." She said very sophisticated, "Oh I am so sorry, I didn't know. I haven't been in your family very long." I love being a Mother!

SATURDAY AT THE MAGIC HOUSE

Saturday we decided we needed to get out so I drove over to Kirkwood and we spent the day at the Children's Museum.  The kids love it!  It is an old Vicotrian Home that has been revamped into a Children's Museum.  There is tons to do for all ages.  We have a membership so I am thrilled that on HOT days like yesterday we can go and have some fun!

Chapter 9

2012

I am starting this post half-way through the year so I am sure I will miss a lot.

Starting with today May 6, 2012  

We have moved to Creve Coeur Missouri and are living in a town home.  So far it has been extremely exciting and fun.  Jon is working for Vivint Alarm for the 9th year in a row!  Wow that sounds crazy when I write it down.  We have been searching for a job change for nearly 4 years now, but this has been revealed to us that it is what the Lord wants us to be doing so we will be patient with His timing.

Makenna is in 1st grade and I was really nervous for her to make the change.  She loved her teacher, Mrs. Fry, and was learning to read quite well.  I didn't want her to have a dip and I worry about her confident.  However, the move has proved to be just the opposite of what I had thought.  She is very proud of her accomplishment of moving and making new friends and her schooling hasn't dropped at all.  She is actually doing even better as she gains more confidence in herself and being adventurous!

Autumn is my very active strong willed one.  I was very anxious to get her involved upon arriving in St. Louis.  She doesn't do well with just hanging out.  She needs to stay busy, otherwise disaster can srike.  I therefore decided it would be beneficial to put her in a preschool and happens chance that there is a Methodist church across the street from the elementary school that does one.  I enrolled her and it has been a fun new adventure.  The school is quite cute and there are 3 women that run it.  Two of which are older like grandma's.  Autumn comes home with the cutest crafts and is learning all about St. Louis.  The other day she came home with a life size paper of herself with the body being the state of Missouri.  On it, it said. . . I live in Missouri and then there was a heart on her chest that said "And Utah"  Autumn has such a wonderful ability to make people fall in Love with her and to do the things she wants!

Dean has been a new challenge.  He is very attached to mom and dad and with the move he has wanted more and more attention.  This proves difficult seeing that Lily is also very needy.  However, I am finding that as I love him more and try to show him and tell him.  He has been more willing to grow independent. We started potty-training this week!  One of my least favorite things of parenting and so far it is going well.  He is about 50/50 and I am certain he will have it by the time we arrive back in Utah.  

Lily, my sweet baby is growing and growing.  When we left Utah she barely could sit up.  In the past month she has learned to sit, roll-over, scoot, army crawl, and crawl!  It is nice to see her finally hit these milestones yet I wasn't encouraging them intensely because of the challenges that come with crawling.  She is nearly one now so I should expect it :)  She is such a happy little thing, and when you look at her she always smile's back.  She also waves at you when you wave to her, and is constantly making silly funny faces.  She is darling and I love my baby!

Jon is selling well as always and working hard to support our family.  We celebrated our 8th Anniversary a week ago and we are still in love and happy married even more so than when we got married!  He's a great Dad and very helpful to me I couldn't be more blessed.

I am staying super busy with the 4 kids.  From taxiing kids around from school to going to the Zoo, The Magic House, and I also put the girls into a gymnastics class which is super Awesome!  I have started running again and am planning on doing a 10K and then a Half Marathon!  It excites me to have fun things to accomplish.  Also, the ward here immursed  me quickly.  I had my records transferred, the next week gave the opening prayer, and then the next week gave a talk and received a calling as a primary substitute.  WOW!