Halloween Fun

I love this time of year. When fall starts to set in. There is a coolness in the air...we get in the 70's and 80's. There is a smell in the air that makes me want to cuddle up in a blanket. Most especially, I love to curl up next to a fire when it gets cold. Along with this time of year comes great things like piles of leaves, football, holidays, good food. When Donny and I were dating we went to a place down here called Schnepf Farm's. Since then we have gone every fall. It is one of our most favorite things to do each year and this year it was so fun to take Addison. It's like a fair and carnival wrapped up in to one big family fun filled park. Around Halloween time if you dress up you get in for half price...and we will do anything to save a buck or two.

P.S. This good looking sight turned 30 on the 16th! I know, I know he is irresistible. He is the best husband and dad. There isn't a day that goes by that he doesn't make me laugh.

Some cute little pumpkin found their thumb


Addie first slide ride

Her first carnival ride

Here we are going through the corn maze, isn't she adorable (I'm talking about Addie)

Daddy showing her proper form.

After all the fun at Shnepf's we went trick or treating. Addie was a little lady bug.

She is doing her best bug face here.

This little princess was so tired by the end of the day.

What a great day!

Ward Camp Out

Our ward had a camp out and we LOVE to camp and thought Addie was ready to experience her first camp out. We went up to Camp Lo Mia, the girl's camp her in Arizona. It was really cold, especially for those of us that have been acclimated to the warm Arizona weather. We love our ward and had so much fun with everyone. We ate some yummy soup and then watched the different skits and performances. Donny was in one of these, the crowd favorite. He and two other men taped glow sticks to their clothes in the shape of stick figures and then they got jiggy with it. When I figure out how to upload a video on this darn blog I'll post it, Donny is so funny!

We got to sleep in little cabins that were filled with bunk beds. It got down to 30 degrees and that is really cold for us who grew up in the cold but have turned in to pansies...ok I've always been a pansy to cold. Addie did so good, we wrapped her up in three blankets so that she couldn't even wiggle her toes. She slept like a champ.

She looks like a little elf

Update on the Cuteness

I just wanted to share some pictures of this cute little girl...who really isn't little anymore. At her one month doctor's appointment she weighed 11 lbs 4 ounces! We are happy to report she is healthy and growing well. She is such a good baby. She is starting to interact with us, smiling and trying to talk. When she is done with her nap she just gives these little cries that sound like "Hey, come get me." One night Donny and I were talking about what she really is saying is something like, "Hey I know you're out there, it's dark in here and I think these animals in my crib are moving, you better come get me, Hey!"

Our little family at the Mesa temple.

This was after an early morning. She is so fun to cuddle with.

Donny is such a good dad, he can always make her smile and is so excited to hold her when he comes home from work and school.

Tuckered out after an exhausting day of being mauled at church.

Addie: "When are you guys going to do something with this hair"

Getting ready for bed.

Somebody was sad to get out of the bathtub...she loves taking baths.

This is what she looks like when we put her to sleep, but this little fighter always manages to wiggle loose. We will hear her grunting as she fights to break free.

(Don't you just want to rub that fuzzy hair)

All I can say is CUTE

She fell asleep sitting up on the couch next to dad while he was doing his homework, law isn't her favorite subject.

Our Sweet Little Addie

On Saturday August 14th we went to the hospital at 7:30 am. We began the induction process shortly there after. We went through different induction procedures but my body didn't quite know what to do. It was a slow process but a very special one. I look back on the experience and can't help but smile I really loved every moment of it all. That doesn't mean I was in pain for most of it, but it is something that I am so excited to experience again. I loved the connection I felt with my Father in Heaven as I worked with Him to bring one of His most precious children in to this world for us to care for. Donny was there by my side every step of the way and was the support I needed at every moment. I was so grateful my sister Angie was able to be there for support as well. She and I have shared a lot of things throughout our lives and I loved sharing this moment with her and having her strength there. In the end I don't know who was more tired the two of them or me. On August 15th at 6:10 this precious little angel finally joined us. She weighed 8.1 lbs and was 20 3/4 inches long. As you can see she has a lot of cute blond hair that likes to stand straight up in the back. It is amazing how you can love someone instantly. The other day Donny said, "I feel like I've known her forever." She is as about as perfect as they come. When anyone came in to test her or prick her foot she would just grunt and take it but never cried. That is how she has continued to be. When she is hungry she grunts and lets us know she wants to be fed. We hardly get anything done anymore because we just love to sit and stare at our little Addie that we love so much!

Before the Munchkin Came

Weeks before our due date we moved in to a two bedroom apartment. Well we got moved in and got the nursery all set up (pictures below) and I finally felt settled and prepared for our little girl to come. Before I was so worried that she might come before we moved because every pregnant woman I knew was having their baby at least four weeks early and I thought our little girl might come early...boy was I wrong! My sisters, two of which are pregnant, came down the day after my due date. They were worried they might miss it, ha. Here are the three of us in order of due date, not necessarily largeness, ok I am the biggest and shortest. When they got here I hadn't progressed very much at all. So they were determined to put me in to labor. We tried everything possible, I walked every waking moment we had, I did stairs, I treaded water, jumped on a trampoline, swung on a swing, walked one foot on the curb and the other one off, and even took castor oil (that was when we hit the point of desperation). One of the methods I didn't mind one bit. There are pressure points that are supposed to put you in to labor if they are rubbed. Here you will see me busy at work trying to go in to labor.

When we had given up hope on all the "traditional" ways of making someone go in to labor we tried a different method...relaxation. It was quite the site to see three pregnant ladies and one cute not pregnant lady basking in the sun. We enjoyed a lot of pool time, watched some chick flicks (D0nny's suggested it), ate ice cream and oreos, shopping at H&M, and naps.

Donny was so good to put up with four girls and be the only man in the house. I think he enjoyed it with all the meals and entertainment. He got some pool time too.

Well after a week had gone by and I still was at the same state that I was a week earlier Niki and Tenille had to get back to their families and lives. What was supposed to be a week of delivering a baby and then adjusting at home with the baby turned in to a sisters week long vacation!

Trip part 2...

While we were staying with my parents we went around to a couple of the church history sites. We First went to Far West at the temple site. The corner stones are still present there. This was quite a large city at one point in the saint's travels. It is a beautiful here and we even found Burnett road.

Next we went to the Liberty Jail in Independence. My dad served his mission in Missouri, back in the day. While he was there the dome over the jail had not yet been completed. One day they were out and about and they knocked on a lady's door that told them that she had the key to the jail. They asked if they could take it and try it out on the door. So they took it but it didn't fit, because the RLDS church owns the door and it is located in their temple. So again, back in the day, dad held that very key! The jail is such a sacred place. To think about the horrible circumstances that the prophet Joseph and the other brethren went through while at the jail makes me hurt. However, to think also about the amazing revelation that we have while they were in the jail makes me think about what I do during those hard times in my life. Am I searching to see what I can learn and what the Lord can teach me?

Then we said good bye to Elder and Sister Permann. It was so fun to be with them and to see them busy doing the work of the Lord as they are fulfilling that call.

Next we went to Nauvoo, the city beautiful. This was my second visit to Nauvoo and I can't begin to describe the feelings you have as you are in this city. It is filled with life. You can tell that this was a place that the saints just loved. A place that they loved and made their homes at, a place of peace and excitement. The temple is the center of all that. We went around to the different homes and buildings and it is as if the city was frozen in time after the saints were forced to leave. One of my favorite buildings is the one pictured first, this is the social hall. This is where they had plays and dances and you can tell that they loved to have a good time together. Then we finished our journey at Carthage Jail. What an amazing man the Prophet was. He lived life to it's fullest and helped everyone he came in contact with to do the same. He loved life and loved those people that were in his life.

Then we all piled in to our lovely carriage and drove back to Utah, very nice and cozy.