Josh and Dana Carpenter Family

Going Private

2011-05-29T18:43:00.000-07:00

We have decided to go private so if you would like to continue to read the blog please comment here and include your email if I don't have it so I can send you an invite. Don't be left wondering what's going on with our awesome family! I promise that we will be posting more often now that summer it here!

Introducing Jaxon Robert Bear Carpenter

2011-04-27T12:15:00.000-07:00

Jaxon - born April 12 10:44 pm

8lbs. 11 oz. 21.75 inches long

J Bear

Our Complete Family!!!

Jaxon, or J Bear made his entrance into this world on Tuesday April 12 10:44 pm. It was a week before my due date and Josh and I had been toying with the idea of take in castor oil for the past week but never really felt good about it. Finally on this day we felt like it was the right time and Josh cleared his schedule for the next couple of days so he could be with us. I started the castor oil at 12:30 pm but didn't feel it's effects until around 3:00 pm. Josh came home from work early to see if things started to happen. I was having some contractions but I was worried that they were not strong enough. Finally around 6 we called the hospital and decided we would go in. On the way to the hospital I only had two contractions which meant they were slowing down so I was afraid we would be sent home. We went to the water birthing center in Women's Hospital because even though I received epidurals with all my other children I really wanted to do a water birth with Jaxon. They showed us the suite and it was huge with a king size bed, flat screen tv and birthing tub. I was hooked up to monitors to monitor the contractions and the nurse left. Well the contractions were getting weaker and weaker and I was sure we would be sent home. A nurse came in and said that the monitor must have moved because they weren't getting the baby's heart rate. She began to move it on my belly and then the panic set in. She began to call all the other nurses, requesting a gurney and yelling for me to get on all fours. She said the baby's heart rate was in the 60's and 80's. At one point she couldn't even find it! They hooked me up to oxygen and we were off. They were yelling at people in the hall to get out of the way. They said they were taking me up to the third floor but I didn't know if that meant c-section or what. When we got there they hooked me up again to a different monitor and there it was a normal heart rate. He was just fine. Now whether it was a technical problem or what I don't know but they weren't going to send me home in fear that he was having problems. Now my sweet midwife Wendy wasn't on call that night but it turned out that she came in and covered some one's shift for a couple of hours. When she found out I was there she went to bat for me to go back downstairs for the water birth but they wouldn't budge. They said I could labor in the tub they had upstairs but I couldn't do a water birth because of the heart rate episode earlier. They wanted to be able to monitor everything. So around 8:30 pm they broke my water because the contractions were slowing down. I labored in the tub most of the time except when they had me get out to monitor his heartbeat. Wendy was suppose to get off at 9:30 but stayed saying the Directv was out at her house so she might as well stay! I was doing well with pain management until I had two contractions right in a row with no break in between. At that point I asked what my pain options were and Wendy checked me quickly and said I was a 9 and asked if I felt the urge to push and if I did to go for it. Well I wanted to end it quick so I began to push and in one push he was out! In fact she had to tell me to stop because they weren't ready!

He was 8 lbs. 11 oz. and 21.75 inches long. He is such a good baby! After the last two I know that the Lord must have seen that we needed an easy baby. I had him without any drugs. For those who want to know if the recovery is faster without drugs I would say for me it was the same. The only difference was that I could walk right away if I wanted to but they still have you lay there for about an hour anyway. With that said I was glad I had the natural experience.

Some of you may know that he was a surprise. We thought we would have another baby but not at that time. In fact there were times during the pregnancy when I really didn't want another baby. But he was meant to come at this time. That was expressed in a blessing Josh gave me when we found out I was pregnant and I know that it is true. He may have entered our family at the most inconvenient time ever but he came at the appointed time. He has mended broken hearts and brought a special feeling to our home. It's hard to imagine him not here. I love that little boy!

He is my miracle baby because he has worked a miracle in me!

Maternity Shoot

2011-04-08T08:30:00.000-07:00

I've never been a big fan of me pregnant and I'm still not. My friend Tammy convinced me that since this is our last baby we should get some pictures to remember it. She did a great job and you can visit her at http://www.staleyphotography.com/. Josh was a trooper and even participated. So here I am all fat and pregnant! Enjoy!!

Here is our family before baby Jaxon Robert Bear Carpenter makes his entrance into this world. By the way, yes you read that right. His name is BEAR!!!!!

Thanksgiving in Hawaii

2011-01-13T14:35:00.000-08:00

We had so much fun in Hawaii. We went to Oahu and stayed on Waikiki Beach. We can honestly saw it was the best Thanksgiving Ever! We hit the beaches, PCC, Pearl Harbor, The Big Island for a volcano tour and many other things. Hope you enjoy the pictures!

New Family Pictures

2010-12-12T19:55:00.001-08:00

We recently took family pictures by the bosque. My friend Tammy Staley took them and did a great job. She is an awesome photographer and it also helped me fulfill my fundraising requirement for the preschool where Nate attends. Here are some of my favorites plus look to the side to see individuals of kiddos!

Going Through The Motions

2010-11-15T19:30:00.000-08:00

It's seems like for months now that the title of this post describes my life. I don't know if it was that the timing of this baby was a surprise or that I have four other children to take care of, or that I'm just getting too old to be pregnant. This pregnancy has really been rough and I keep thinking that the light is just around the bend just to find that it is still out of reach. I still feel horrible eventhough I'm 18 weeks. Yes, I know that things are a little better because I can actually get out of bed and do things. Yet still it is a daily struggle to get out of bed and accomplish anything. I really feel and see the toll it is taking on my family. My kids are troppers but still dealing with a sick and tired mom that has no patience is no walk in the park! Josh is swamped at work trying to solve everyone's problems (litterally). He has had so many rapes of children and child abuse cases that they have really taken a toll on him. How do we get back on track because that is what it feels like. It feels like our train has derailed and we are using so much effort to move but make little progress.

Today I got my hair cut and colored and I brought the Ensign to read. I think I cried or at least teared up as I read every article. Yes, I know that I am hormonal but I know that it was mostly The Spirit. Elder Uchtdorf's talk was just what I needed. He spoke about how people, when they hit hard times sometimes try to go faster to try and make it through the rough spot faster. This is wrong. It is times like these that we need to slow down and focus on what is important. It was like music to my ears~ slow down and not go faster! We need to focus on our relationship with God, with our family, with our fellowmen and with ourselves. So, that is what I am going to do. Slow down and focus on what really matters until we can put this train back on track.

I am so thankful for the Gospel and for living prophets who recieve revelation for what we are going through today!

Ultrasound for Baby #5

2010-11-10T12:11:00.000-08:00

We finally had an ultrasound to get a due date last week. I was 16 weeks so just one week farther than I thought. That gives us a due date of April 19!

I love the little feet!

Arm and leg

Profile shot!

Yes, baby #5 is boy #3. I was shocked! I was SO sure that is was a girl. We had a name picked out and we even built the house around it. With the girls having bigger rooms so that two could share and the two boys would have their own rooms. I mean I was positive. So it has taken a week to adjust to the fact that our last baby will be a boy. Yes, we've decided that this is the end of our family for my health and the well being of our family. So slowly I guess I will start to give away our little girl clothes. I mean I'm lucky that I had two of each sex going into the ultrasound. So... any good boy names :).

p.s. I won't be completely convinced until the second ultrasound next month!

Hello Old Friend, It's Bitter Sweet to See You Again!

2010-10-11T09:03:00.000-07:00

On our travels this summer I picked up a little bug! It took me awhile to figure it out. Thanks goodness when we returned from our very last trip it finally hit me. I'm pregnant! I go to the doctor tomorrow to find our how far along I am but I think it's about 3 months so that means an April baby.

It was a shock even though we knew we weren't done having kids. The timing was a little off but the Lord knows all. I feel horrible which is normal for me. Throwing up is all I seem to do. No, none of the medicines work so it's just try and stay hydrated and wait it out. I have had wonderful help from family and friends which has been awesome. This kids are really excited about the baby and are always trying to help me feel better. We are excited to have another baby in the house.

NYC Day 2

2010-08-25T14:49:00.001-07:00

Here are some pictures from Day 2 in New York City. We went to The Today Show, Fox News, saw Enrique Iglesias in concert and a lot of site seeing!

New York City Day One

2010-08-24T14:27:00.000-07:00

Our first night we went to the opening night of Harry Connick Jr. He has always been a favorite of ours. He was amazing!

Harry himself

So excited to be there!

Here he is on stage!

After the show we were hungry and stopped at a place called Carve and had some of the best pizza ever!!!!

Regulators... Mount Up!!!

2010-08-18T19:27:00.001-07:00

The last leg of our trip through New Mexico was to Lincoln County and Raton. It was beautiful. You would never know that you are in NM because it is so green there. Lincoln County is famous for the Lincoln County Wars. If you saw any of the Young Guns movies growing up then you know what I am talking about. This is what made Billy the Kid famous. Basically the man he was working for here was murdered and this is where he began to avenge his death.

Here is a picture of the Regulators. They were the group that road with Billy the Kid

This is the bullet hole where Billy shot the deputy and escaped from prison.

Kiddos pretending to be in jail.

A picture of Billy the Kid. This place was so cool and full of information. If you are a fan of the Old West then you need to go here! The town is small but you can walk and vist several of the orginal buldings from the time of the Lincoln County War.

Carlsbad Caverns

2010-08-18T13:32:00.001-07:00

Our second stop on visting the Land of Enchantment was Carlsbad Caverns. I was amazed. They are quite beautiful. The girls really thought that it was cool. My Dad hadn't been there since he was a boy scout. Few tips for those who want to visit. It is always around 58 degrees year round there so bring a sweater or buy one there . It's really too dark to take pictures unless you have a low light lens. And invest in the hand held radios for the tour. They give you a lot of neat info. Take the elevator down. It saves you walking 1.5 miles and you don't miss a thing. You go down 700 ft in about a minute. It's crazy how your ears pop.

Much pretty in person.

Mom, Dad and Ali

One picture that wasn't too bad.

Overall I would say that it is a great family vacation spot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Roswell and it's Aliens

2010-08-14T20:56:00.001-07:00

We decided that we needed to go on vaction in our own state and see what it has to offer. This particular trip had three stops, Roswell, Carlsbad Caverns, and Lincoln County. I admit I had low expectations but wow did we have fun! I recommend doing this for all families that live in the state or surrounding areas! We invited my parents to some with us and they had fun too. Here are the pictures from our stop in Rowell. I got onto Tripadvior.com and found our that the hot spot to stop isn't the Alien Museum but a little whole in the wall store called The Alien Zone. It is so cheezy but the kids had a blast. Here are some pictures we took with the aliens.

A world up-side-down

When you got to go you got to go!

We found the crash site!

I thought this poster was funny!

The kids made some new friends

We even stayed and ate with them!

4th of July (Finally)

2010-08-11T10:45:00.000-07:00

We had our 4th annual 4th of July Party. We had so much fun and Josh and Jason had the best fireworks. You know the kind... illeagle and from the reservation. Too many pictures so I had to do a slide show!

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My Birthday!!

2010-08-01T19:49:00.001-07:00

This is what Josh got for my birthday!!!!

His new commuter car!!

Of course he had to get a convertible!

Oh, by the way, he got one for me too! This is mine.

I love it!!!!

And this was the cherry on top!

It was a great birthday!!!!

Princess Abby in a Nut Shell

2010-07-28T14:03:00.000-07:00

My baby girl turned 6. She calls herself my baby girl because she is the youngest of the girls in our family. She is such a great girl. She loves to sing and dance. In fact she makes up her own songs and sings them all of the time. She wants to be in ballet and gymnastics. She even has her Mom a little scared because she says she wants to be a cheerleader and not a basketball player!

She has a great imagination and has the great talent of staying out of trouble. She will be in first grade this year and loves school. She is reading great and loves to read to her little brothers.

Her favorite colors are gold and silver. Her favortie food is pretty much anything Italian. She loves to play with her cousin Colin.

Most importantly she has learned to recognize The Spirit and has the habit of reading her scriptures and saying her prayer. We are so proud of her! WE LOVE YOU BABY GIRL!!!!

Abby Turns 6

2010-07-19T10:28:00.000-07:00

This year Abby wanted her bday party at ABQ Jump. Here are all of the girls who came.

Abby's iCarly Cake

The princess herself!

Daddy surprised us and showed up at Abby's party with his staff!

The kids had a lot of fun going down all of the inflatable slides

Make a wish!

Puppy Love

2010-07-04T17:33:00.000-07:00

We recently added two white German shepards to our family. They are 10 weeks old and adorable. They are so good with the kids and the kids have done really well with the responsibility of having dogs. They are brother and sister. If you have seen the Disney movie Bolt than they might seem familiar. The movie's main character "Bolt" is a white German shepard. So it seemed only right that they be named Bolt and Penny.

Bolt is in the orange collar and his ears point up where Penny is in the pink and has floppy ears.

They are really good with the kids. Even Tyson isn't afraid of them.

Bolt relaxing in the grass

Penny with the floppy ears.

Ali loves the dogs and is in charge of taking care of them. She has done awesome! She puts them out every morning and then lets them back in at night. She is even really good about picking up their poop!

Swimming Lessons

2010-06-27T19:45:00.001-07:00

We had swimming lessons this year for 2 weeks. This was the first time I didn't have to bribe someone to get in the water. I guess having a pool helps! The kids did great and even went down the slide during the party on the last day.

Nate, I love that look

Ali, going into the water.

Abby, having her teacher catch her.

Ali, playing in the water

Nate doing the aligator crawl.

Disney World 2010 ~ The After Party

2010-06-27T09:14:00.000-07:00

We went to Disney World after the cruise and had a great time. Josh scuba dived at Epcot and the kids got makeovers at Magic Kingdom. It was so much fun

The Disney Cruise

2010-06-20T19:53:00.000-07:00

The Disney Cruise was so AWESOME. If you have ever thought about going DO IT! Best family vaction ever!

The Girls Get a Mani/Pedi

2010-06-20T19:34:00.001-07:00

I took the girls to get their first mani/pedi and boy did they love it! They are now asking when they can go back.

Ali is waiting her turn

Abby kept saying this was the best day ever!

Abby's toes!

Two Graduations!!!

2010-06-12T17:17:00.000-07:00

Nate and Abby both graduated the end of May. Nate graduated from his first year at preschool and Abby from kindergarten.

Here Mrs. Aragon is bragging on Nate. He really liked the space unit so he received the astronaut award. It is amazing how much he learned in that unit. He reminds me all the time that the sun isn't a planet but a star. He even talks about the Milky Way Galaxy!

Here he is singing a song with a hand puppet.

Every year they put their hand prints on the wall. Nate's is down at the bottom. There were two Nathans so he went by Nate C. and now he gets mad if I don't put a C. when I write his name.

Here is Abby getting ready for here graduation. She is wearing a cute Starbursts lei given to her by Lana Biggs!

She loved her teacher Mrs. Talik. Ali had her also.

Seaworld San Diego

2010-05-16T07:05:00.000-07:00

Seaworld was fun. The kids really enjoyed it but Ty was a little tired of being in his stroller. He isn't walking and wanted to crawl but I wouldn't let him. This poor little guy had a hard time.

The kids were feeding sea turtles

The Shamu show

We had great seats! But since the trainer was killer recently the show has really changed. It is only 20 minutes long and the trainers never get in the water with the whales. I miss the old show!

The family!

The flamingo parade

Here the kids are petting baby sharks!!

Feeding the sea turtles lettuce

Legoland

2010-05-11T19:37:00.000-07:00

Legoland was fun. We hadn't really heard anything about it before we went other than it is for smaller kids so it seemed to fit our family. The kids had a blast! They could go an everything except for Nate. He met the height requirement but not the age. Some of the rides you had to be 4 to go on.

Abby and Ali enjoying their boat ride.

Next door to Legoland it an aquarium. Here the kids are touching some type of sea creature.

Nate received his drivers license after displaying his mastery of the wheel.

Now at Legoland if you pay extra you get these awesome wristbands. These awesome thing allow you to go to the front of EVERY line! That's right, there is no need for fast past, you just cut to the front. This was awesome because from noon on there were an hour to an hour and a half wait for almost every ride. But we were able to walk right up and go before everyone who had been waiting. Yes we received many dirt looks but hey the wristband speaks. Now they only sell a limited amount of these bands and the only requirement is that you wait an hour before going on the same ride again.

All in all Legoland was fun. Is it better than Disney? No, not in my book but it is great for kids under 12.

San Diego and Mission Beach

2010-05-06T20:19:00.000-07:00

Megan and I left with the kids on Wednesday and drove to Phoenix after fighting a windstorm that actually closed I-40. We then continued Thrusday on to San Diego where Josh joined us later that night. We went to Legoland, Sea World and the Animal Wild Park. Those pictures will follow. We went to the beach twice and the kids loved it. That is until a wave knocked Nate and Abby over and got them all wet! They were good sports about it and went back the next day.

Ali loved to feel the wind on her face!

Abby before the wave got her

Nate was a little cold

Ty was experiencing the feeling of sand for the first time

Easter Pictures

2010-04-19T19:58:00.000-07:00

Here are pictures actually taken the week after Easter because of conference. This might be the last time they can all dress alike because Ali is in the largest size of clothes that Gymboree makes! Sad ):

MAC Reunion

2010-04-14T11:50:00.000-07:00

MAC stands for Mision Argentina Cordoba! Josh and I served in the Grand MAC and so it was fun to go to Utah for a reunion Easter weekend. After all, it all began in a mission reunion 11 1/2 years ago! Here are those who made it.

It was awesome to see Pte. Etchegaray. He was my second pres while being Josh's third! He came all the way from Uruguay for conference so that was why the reunion was held. He is a spiritual giant. When he bore his testimony that night I felt like a missionary all over again.

This is Hermana Hadfield, Krista now. We were such good friends on the mission and shared so many great experiences! We hung out tons after the mission also. I hadn't seen her in about 11 years to this was perfect. I am hoping we can pick-up where we left off. She has a cute family now that I was able to meet. I am glad we have reconnected and can't wait to tell her girls about all of our crazy times!

Here are both Elder Butterfields with Josh.

Here is Elder Hall. Spencer now writes the blog for the Utah Jazz. He was in my first zone, comps with Spangler. He was a great reminder of all of the good memories in Norte!

In conclusion, this reunion brought a flood of memories and feelings to the surface. First, my mission is still to this day the best thing I have ever done! Josh takes offense to that but I remind him that it was there that we met! No mission, no Josh! But seriously, it taught me so many things both spiritual and temporal. It molded my thoughts about my future eternal family and who I wanted to be. I made some of the best friends that I will ever have there. My patriarchal blessing says that sometime, somewhere, if I desire I will serve a mission. A little vague but no doubt about it the mission was for me!!

Belinda Carliel was right...

2010-03-18T19:16:00.001-07:00

... HEAVEN IS A PLACE ON EARTH! No, this isn't a post card. I took this picture! This was our view of the Atlantic Ocean from the balconey of our room. For our 11th anniversary we went to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. The trip was awesome. Our hotel was amazing. Not only was is beautiful but the service was outstanding. They remembered your name, where you are from and even our favorite drink (ours was their freshly squeezed juice). Whatever you wanted they would find and try to make it happen. This was the perfect spot to relax! We can't say enough about the food, the rooms, pretty much every thing that has to do with this hotel and the Dominican Republic in general. The people are so friendly and the country is truely spectacular. Mostly Eurpeans vaction there but we did run into some couples from the USA. You must vist this amazing county.

This is me out on our balconey.

Can you belive our amazing view. Where most hotels give you an ocean veiw, here they put your room right on the beach.

This pool ran like a snake and throughout the property and then emptied into an infinity pool.

This is our room on the top.

The beaches were clean and went on for miles. There are only 53 suites on the property so at times you felt like you were the only ones there. No fighting for a spot on the beach or pool. They even bring food and drinks to you out on the beach. It's like room service. They have waiters that roam and ask you what you want. Now that's what I call a beach!

More of the amazing beach.

Josh and I

Josh, my P90x stud!

I love that Josh is a romantic at heart!

This was our amazing room.

Our last night there they had a dinner on the beach.

So romantic!

Here we are on the zip lines. They were amazing. This wasn't even the longest one!

Josh

The course we went on

We went to Santo Domingo for the day to tour the capital. It is a very beautiful and historic city. They are very proud to say that Christopher Columbus landed there. This is the oldest cathedral in the Americas. His remains are burried here.

In front of the cathedral

Here we are in the main plaza, outside of the Hard Rock Cafe where we had lunch.

This is the castle that Christopher Columbus's son and brother built.

Here is the castle again.

All in all the trip was amazing. We aslo went snorkeling and drove 2 person speed boats. It was just like James Bond. We took pictures of that with a waterproof camera so I will post those later. We love the DR. We will return.

Winter Pictures of the Kids

2010-02-24T19:34:00.001-08:00

Here are some pictures I took of the kids after a snow storm in December. It's great to finally have a backyard for them to play in!

Christmas..... finally!!

2010-02-14T18:32:00.000-08:00

The kids's tree in the family room.

The kids put all of their homemade ornaments and decorate it anyway they want.

Christmas morning

Some of the stockings and my new temple picture!!!

The 12 foot tree in the entry way

The living room after Santa came. (Yes, that is tree #3)!

Looking at the entry way from the 2nd floor

Daddy and Ty on Christmas morning.

Ali and Nate

Abby opening presents

Ali with her Book of Mormon action figure!!!

Sorry that it took so long to update the blog. I don't know where the time goes. Oh, maybe it is two kids in school, one in preschool, one 11 month old, 3 kids in basketball, 3 practices a week, 3 games on Saturday, 5 days of early morning seminary and one hardworking husband. I guess I have been a little busy!!!!

Christmas Card Pictures

2009-12-02T18:18:00.001-08:00

Here is a preview of our Christmas card this year.

Alison's Hero

2009-11-16T18:22:00.001-08:00

Ali's teacher showed this to me at parent teacher conference. She is right, he is a hero!

Disney World

2009-10-18T14:17:00.000-07:00

Disney World was great. We spent six days there in which we were able to go to Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot and Hollywood Studios. The weather was in the 90's with a heat index of 102-104. It was a little warmer than we expected and they broke all kinds of records while we were there.

Disney was decorated for Halloween which was fun to see. October was a great time to go because there were hardly any lines to wait in.

Ali and Abby experience all the the "big" rides this year. Ali loved the Rock and Roll Roller Coaster and Abby the Tower of Terror.

Ty was a trooper. He loved riding with Daddy in the backpack. He did really well until the end when he began to get sick. We stayed on Disney property at our favorite hotel The Grand Floridian. This helped because if we needed the kids to rest we took the monorail or ferry and we were back in 5 minutes.

Yes, that is an electric wheelchair. We rented it for most of the days we were there. It helped with my recent leg operation and with my handicap pass we didn't wait in any lines. This came in handy on the weekend when the lines were longer. The pass allowed us to get in the fast pass line for every ride. For those who are familiar with this know you can only fast pass one ride at a time and then come back at a certain time to ride the ride. With my pass we didn't need a fast pass ticket but could still go in the fast pass line. Ex. the wait line for Toy Story was 100 minutes. That is just to ride it once. The fast passes were all given out by 11:30 am that day. Thanks to my pass we went through the fast pass line 4 times throughout the day. So we rode it 4 times that day and never stood in line once!!!! I guess something good did come from my fall!

We had a great time but took turns being sick. The girls at the beginning of the trip and the boys at the end. Josh and Nate are finally feeling better but Ty is still pretty bad. If he isn't better tomorrow I will take him in again. And to top it all off I too am getting sick again. But at least we had a "magical time" considering this was Josh's first day off in 18 months. (can't count the days he took off for Ty's birth and my surgery :)

Princess Abby's Smile

2009-10-02T21:45:00.000-07:00

This pretty princess...

is hiding something with a smile.

A hole where a tooth use to be!!!

This is the first tooth Abby has lost. She told us it was wiggly and it finally came out eating an orange. She was so excited and as you can tell the new one is already there.

Alison's Baptism

2009-09-13T16:17:00.001-07:00

Alison in the dress her grandmother made

Mother and daughter

Josh and Alison

Ali and Abby

Alison

Can't believe she turned 8! She looked beautiful all in white. Her Grandma Carpenter made a beautiful white dress to wear to her baptism. I even got choked up when Josh came down the hall dressed in white at the chapel. Alison was so excited to make this covenant and has been prepared for awhile. Family came and we ate and did some swimming at the house after the program.

Nate's First Day of Preschool

2009-09-13T15:59:00.000-07:00

Nate finally started preschool this week. He thought this day would never come since his sisters started school serveral weeks ago. He did really well and was excited to go. His first day was also my first day of driving since my fall. No more house arrest. It felt so good to be back in the drivers seat!

Silly smile

Posing for more pictures

Outside of his school

Ready with his backpack at school

Two Birthdays and a Milestone

2009-09-07T20:42:00.001-07:00

Just took pictures of the kids. It was for Ali and Nate's birthdays and Ty being 6 months old.

Alison

The girls being silly

Ty 6 months old

Nate turns 3

Ty and Nate

Cake, Cake and More Cake!!!!!!!

2009-09-06T20:30:00.000-07:00

We have two birthdays in August. Ali's and Nate's birthdays are one day apart so we decided to celebrated them on the same day. In the morning we took Nate to Chuck E. Cheese and then in the evening we had a swim party for Ali. We even snuck in a birthday party for one of Abby's friends in the afternoon! Let's just say we are tired of eating cake. All in all it was a great day. Ali is now 8 and excited for her baptism this coming week. Nate turned 3 and starts preschool this week. Can't believe how fast they grow!

Abby

Ali and some of her friends

The Littlest Pet Shop Cake

Nate at Chuck E. Cheese

The birthday boy

The Start of a New School Year

2009-08-23T21:52:00.000-07:00

School started last Wednesday. Ali started 3rd grade and Abby started kindergarten. I was bumbed that I couldn't take them that first day. Josh said that Abby did well and could care less if he was there. I miss them because they have been my helpers here especially after my fall. But Nate, Ty and I are bonding and Nate takes good care of me. There are several new posts after this so keep scrolling if you want!!

What a cheese!!

Always ready to pose!

Our big 3rd grader!

Yes, they wanted to dress alike!!!!!!

A Visit from a Macaw

2009-08-23T21:30:00.000-07:00

A friend of ours surprised the kids with a visit from his pet macaw. The kids were so excited because this is their favorite bird.

Tyson Tries Rice Ceral

2009-08-23T21:14:00.000-07:00

We finally are giving Tyson cereal. But believe me this kid has not been starved. This 5 month old is 23.5 lbs! And yes, he DOESN'T take a bottle!!!!!!!!!!!

And no, he doesn't really like it!!

Things I've Learned

2009-08-18T08:24:00.000-07:00

WARNING: LONG RANT AHEAD, MAY NOT BE WORTH YOUR TIME TO READ!!! Well it has been almost 6 weeks since I have been stuck in bed. The doc says that my leg is healing well from the x-rays. I still use crutches or a wheelchair to get around and I lay in bed most of the day. I can put some pressure on my foot, like let it rest on the floor. That is progress. Since I am in my bed most of the day I have had plenty of time to think so here is what I have learned.

1. I have been doing way too much for my kids. Since my injury they have been so helpful. Ali is changing diapers, Abby makes breakfast for us (frozen waffles), and Nate can clean up almost any spill on the floor. When I am well we are definitely making a permanent chore chart!

2. I love to read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have known that since high school but with kids and everything else I had forgotten how much I enjoyed it. I've even started to read long chapter books to the kids. We are currently reading "Where the Red Fern Grows" and Ali is loving it. She keeps saying "read one more chapter please."

3. TV really does stink 95% of the time. OK so we have like 999 channels and I am not exaggerating all that much. We even have the premium movie channels but there really isn't anything good to watch. Granted, I love my Spanish novelas, Operation Repo and the cake decorating/cooking shows but other than that there is nothing. This is extremely frustrating when you are stuck in a bed for 6 weeks until you turn it off and pick up a book!

4. I LOVE TO EXERCISE (enough said).

5. I am independent! I like to do things for myself and in my own little special way. Yes, I clean my bathroom, do my laundry and load my dishwasher in certain special ways. Yes, I know there is more than one way to do these things so I am learning to let go. I also don't like to ask for help. This has been hard because I haven't really had a choice. It is hard to watch others clean my house, take care of my kids, and cook for me. I don't understand why I love to serve others yet have such a hard time letting them serve me.

6. I love to drive. I hate having to be dependent on someone to take me somewhere. If I want to go to Target to look to see what is new then I go. If I want a drink from Sonic, a burrito from Taco Bell and fries from Mc Donalds than I go and do it. Boy I miss that!!

7. Lying in bed with nothing to do is not all that grand! It stinks hearing your child crying in another room and not being able to see what it wrong. It's hard when your highlight of the day is when your husband comes home and can finally help you into the shower. It sucks having to wake your exhausted husband up in the middle of the night one more time because your teething infant is crying and wants to be walked.

8. I love to cook! Making cookies just because... enough said!

9. I have the best ward in the world. My visiting teacher and RS President have been amazing. I couldn't list all of the things they have done for me. And just friends in the ward who call every Friday for a shopping list, bring books to read, projects I can do from bed, and a Sonic drink because they thought I might like one. They have cleaned my house, colored my hair, brought meals and flowers, and watched my kids. They have been like family and I am so thankful for them.

10. I have an awesome family! My mom and sisters have helped so much. My mom has traveled hours to come and help just for a day or two several times. My sister from Florida used her vacation time here to clean my house and help us out. And then there is my husband. I can't say enough about him. He has suffered the brunt of all of this misfortune. He has done so much and said so little (no complaining). He truly has stayed true to the "in sickness and in health" part of the whole marriage thing. He has been both mom and dad. He jumps right in after coming home from an 11 hour day and has been getting 4-5 hours of extremely interrupted sleep for the last 6 weeks. He has been my hero through this all. I love you Josh!

The 9th of July, The End of the World as I Knew it!!!

2009-07-19T12:17:00.000-07:00

Well the picture of the x-ray didn't turn out so it doesn't do it justice. I have 9 screws, 1 plate and some wire keeping my leg together. Wire because he couldn't get the screw to take so he had to wire the bone together in a spot. Here is the story:
I was nursing Ty on my bed and heard Nate cry down stairs. I realized that Ty was asleep so I put him down on my bed and was going to check on the kids and start things in motion for the day. On the second or third stair on the spriral staircase I apparently overshot it and just my heel landed on the step and the rest of me went forward. As I fell I heard a crack and before I stopped sliding down for another 6-7 steps I knew I had broke it. Ali called my sister Joslin and she and another memeber from our ward helped me into a van and off to the ER we went. Long story short, I had surgery the following day thanks to our good family friend Dr. Ivey!
This is definately the most painful thing I have ever gone through. I am pretty much bedridden. I haven't left my house in 9 days and have only been out of my room twice! I am not taking pain meds as often now so my head is a little clearer. Josh has been great being both mom and dad. I can't tell you how frustrating it is to not be able to walk my teething baby, pick things off the floor when they have fallen or even sit up on a bed for an extended amount of time. We live in an awesome ward who has helped out so much. My mom and sisters have helped a ton too. Even my kids have helped me so much.
Too bad I am missing the Rogers family reunion as I write. This was the one week out of the whole summer that I was looking forward to. My sister and her family flew in from FL, we have a family reunion and the Mormon Pioneer Days. Anyone who knows me I love to exercise, cook and do almost everything on my own. Well none of that is possibile and it is killing me! I won't be walking anytime soon. And the only good thing I can see from this is that I get a handicap sticker and a wheelchair! Oh, wait I can't even drive for another 6-8 weeks because it is my right leg!!!!
OK, so that is my pitty party. I don't know when I'll come downstairs again so this may not be updated soon. Wish me luck!!

4th of July

2009-07-05T20:58:00.001-07:00

We decided to have a last minute 4th of July party. We had the Kohls and Harpers come over to swim, eat and watch the fire works. It rained a little but after it ended there was a cool double rainbow. And one of the rainbows was a full rainbow. It was really pretty. Everyone had a great time. We did some fireworks of our own but also had a great veiw of all of the fireworks in the valley.

The full rainbow

The double rainbow

Some of the kids

Josh, Jason, Mary and Ian

Susan with Ty and Leanna

Alone Time with Josh

2009-07-05T20:42:00.000-07:00

Josh wanted some alone time with just the two of us so we went fishing. It was great to be with him, have it quiet while fishing, and enjoy God's beautiful creations. He tried to teach me how to fly fish. I'm not that good but it was cool to stand in the river and try it out. He even bought me my own pole and waders. We didn't catch anything but it was still awesome. That is one of the many things I love about Josh. He always makes alone time for the two of us. I felt bad though because I left the kids with my mom and thought that Ty would take a bottle but no. I guess he just cried. I guess it was a good thing that we were only gone for 4 hours! Oh, I broke Josh's best fishing pole by shutting it in the door, broke my line and lost a lure, and then lost all of my line towards the end. I did all this and not a cross word or anything from Josh! Now that's what I call a gentleman!

My Man!

Busy fishing

Almost up to Platoro Colorado. Some of the prettiest mountains in the world!

Birthday, Milestone, and the 4th of July

2009-06-17T20:55:00.001-07:00

We took pictures to celebrate Abby's 5 th birthday and Ty being 3 months. I couldn't resist getting a family 4th of July picture also!

Oddly enough my girls don't mind being dressed alike. Doesn't Ali look tall!

Love that smile, not sure why he is sideways.

He loves to giggle!

My Abby!

She is my tender hearted girl!

Kid Rock and Siblings

2009-06-06T20:00:00.001-07:00

I bought Ali and Abby these pink cowgirls hats and sunglasses recently. Abby decided that she has to wear them almost everywhere. I think she looks like Kid Rock. What do you think?

Ali, Abby and Nate
Kid Rock Abby

Abby at the preschool fieldtrip.

Paradise Hills Community Preschool

2009-06-06T19:41:00.001-07:00

Abby just finished her two years at Paradise Hills Communtiy Preschool. We love this school. It isn't a daycare. It is a school where learning is fun and age appropriate. Ali went there also and Nate will attend in the Fall. We would highly recommend it to any family!

Abby, Collin, Nate, and Olivia at the famous end of the year fieldtrip to Village Pizza. Each student (and sibling and parent) get to make thier OWN pizza!

Abby, Collin and Nate with the Wonderful Ms. Linsey

Abby outside the school

At the end of the year the students make their "mark" on the school by putting their handprints on the wall.

Abby after making "her mark."

Grand Canyon Part 2 (Please See Previous Post)

2009-05-24T19:38:00.000-07:00

Sorry, this is in two post, for some reason it wouldn't let me do it all in one. But after the movie the sun came out for about an hour and a half so we rushed back to the park and the fog lifted!!! We were able to SEE the Grand Canyon. Then the heavens opened and it poured. So we got back in our car and went home. 15 hours in a car and 1.5 hours to enjoy it. Yeah, it was worth it!!!

The Grand Canyon

2009-05-24T16:09:00.001-07:00

So we decided to go the the Grand Canyon for memorial day weekend. We have heard it is beautiful and after making the trip and being there we were afraid that we would have to say... we wouldn't know!!!

It was so funny that we had to take picutres to just have proof!

One tour guide said that in his 20 plus years of giving tours that he had never seen it this foggy.

Here is the family at the Grand Canyon

Notice the date, we were there on the 22nd and this was for the 15th. There was maybe 10 feet for the visual range while we were there.

How's the View?

Well we drove almost 8 hours to get there so we went back into the little town outside of the park and saw the Imax movie and got something to eat. We thought that if we waited around that it would get warmer or the wind would blow the fog out. The lady at the National Geographic Center said that the forecast was for thunderstorms that afternoon and that the next day there was a chance of snow!

Tyson is 3 Months Old!

2009-05-20T18:01:00.000-07:00

Ty is such a happy boy! I don't think I have ever seen a baby smile as much as he does. He is even giggling. It is the cutest thing ever. We are so blessed to have him in our family. He is growing like a weed. He is almost too big for his 3-6 month onesies! He sometimes sleeps through the night and during the day when he is awake he is eating. Well it's as the old saying goes, you won't get a shetland pony from two thoroughbreds!

Mother's Day

2009-05-13T12:25:00.001-07:00

Flowers from Nate $0.00 (free from nursery!)

Card, bowl, and necklace from Abby $0.00 (free done at preschool and primary)

Record your vioce card and flowers from Alison $8.00

Flowers from Josh with a trip to the Melting Pot $ a lot :)

Spending the day with my family at church and then a picnic behind Sandia Peak

PRICELESS!

This day was great! I was served breakfast in bed to begin the day. Then I recieved presents. I loved them all. But the best part was when Josh said we were going for a picnic. It was a beautiful day and we had never been behind Sandia Peak. It was a nice drive but the company was what made it great. I am so blessed to be a mother. I love my children and husband so much. I love my mother and grandmothers. They have left a legacy that I want to pass on. Happy late Mother's Day to all the moms who read this!

Ty

2009-04-20T18:52:00.000-07:00

Ty is almost 8 weeks old and is getting so big. At his 7 week check-up he was 13lbs 8 oz and 24.5 inches long. He has been in 3-6 month clothing for 2 weeks now. He's huge! He has also captured the hearts of his siblings. They all ask to hold him all the time.

Ali and Ty

The Chubbs

I love that fat face!

Ty Abby and Nate

Soccer Comes to an End!!!

2009-04-20T18:39:00.001-07:00

Ali had her last soccer game Saturday. They ended well and were 6-2 for the season. Alison did great and really improved thanks to her coach who by the way is way Hot! Great season Reindeer!

Coach Josh with the girls

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T18:48:00.000-07:00

The family without Mom

The family without Dad

Ali, Abby and Nate

Easter Baking!

Coloring Easter Eggs!

My Sweet Abby

2009-04-12T18:38:00.000-07:00

I guess from being the middle child she has developed "tender feelings". She cried when I ripped off her necklace she made in primary only after Josh pointed out that here was hair attached. Like the awesome big sister she is, Ali went over to hug her and make her feel better and then Nate joined them. The other picture is just her asleep. See she can fall asleep anywhere and you can't waker her. She will but herself to bed early in the evening and sleep until late. Not like my other nightowls. I love you Abby!

Ty's Blessing

2009-04-02T14:15:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday was Ty's blessing. We are thankful to all who sacrificed to come. Josh's parents, my parents and my brother and his family were here. My Mother-in-law is a talented seamstress. She made Ty's blessing outfit as well as the blessing outfits for all of my other children. The blessing was beautiful. It said he would be a peacemaker. He already is. Josh and I have felt that he truly has a special spirit. We love our Ty-Ty. See the post under this for more pictures of Tyson.

Josh's parents

Ty in his blessing outfit

Tyson

My parents

Ty 4 Weeks Old

2009-04-02T13:10:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of Ty 4 weeks old. He is a good baby and the kids love him. He eats all the time. He is 24 inches and 12 lbs!

10 Down and Eternity to Go!

2009-03-12T20:02:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from our Engagement and our Wedding!

Tomorrow is our 10 year anniversary. The time has gone fast and I can honestly say I love him more today then I did then and I thought that was impossible. When we got married I knew Josh had all of the qualities that I wanted but what I didn't know was that he also has all of the qualities that I should have wanted in a husband. For example, I knew that I wanted someone who worked hard to provide for his family. I should have looked for someone who worked hard but always put his family first. Luckily Josh is just that man. But he has so many more awesome traits that I didn't know would be important and it turns out that they are. Thank goodness he has them all.

So here is to you Josh, your top ten list

1. You always put me and our family first.

2. Your testimony is always growing. I love that fact that the Book of Mormon is always turned open to a different spot in the bathroom!

3. You never yell or raise your voice at me much less touch me in anger.

4. Your role as a father is important to you. Once a friend asked how I got you to spend time with our kids, I told her I don't, that is just you!

5. Your love for the Latin culture. Not only because of my Grandma but because of my mission. I love that culture and am glad we can share it together.

6. I totally trust you. I know that you would never lie to me and that means a lot.

7. You always make time for the two of us. Those Friday night date nights are the highlight of my week.

8. You are my biggest fan. According to you I am the best cook, Mom, basketball player, scrapbooker, etc. I think that people are sometimes disappointed when they meet me cause of the picture you always paint.

9. You are my best friend! There are no words to describe how I love to just be with you. We can do nothing or anything, just being with you makes it great!

10. You have the huge calves!!! Josh loves to run and exercise and I always tease him about his calves. Yes they are big, and yes they are sexy!

I love you Handsome!!

TY IS HERE!

2009-03-04T12:31:00.000-08:00

Ty (Tyson) was born on Feb. 25 at 4:52 am. He was two weeks early and boy are we glad! He weighed 9 lbs. 3 oz. and 22 inches long. He would have been 10 lbs. had he gone full term. He is a healthy and happy baby so far. We are both doing well. Read on if you want to hear the whole story.

Tyson Lowell Glenn Carpenter

Baby Ty

Nate, Alison, Ty and Abby

This is me right before it all began. On Tuesday the 24th I had a check-up and my midwife told me that she was on call that night. I was done with being pregnant so I had her strip my membranes and told her I was taking castor oil that night. She said I was at a 3 so I would have a chance that it would work. She also said that if I came in with my body doing something on its own that she could help wink wink. So Josh cancelled his trial the next day and at 6:00 pm I took castor oil. I didn't take a lot because I felt like I was going to throw it all up.
By 9:00 pm nothing was happening, I hadn't even had to go to the bathroom so I thought that I hadn't taken enough castor oil and thought well it just isn't going to work. Around 9:30 pm the castor oil started to send me to the bathroom but still nothing in the contraction department. I was having some but nothing to get excited about. I fell asleep and woke up around 10:30 pm and still nothing new. Went back to sleep and woke up around 12:30 and got some water, watched some TV and felt some contractions but nothing new. I couldn't really go back to sleep so I decided to walk around our room to see if I could get something going.
I was having contractions around 2-5 minutes apart but they only lasted for 30 seconds or so. So I got in the shower to see if anything would change and they just continued the same way. Josh convinced me to call my midwife so I did. I really felt like if was false labor but she said to come in anyway. So we called our RS president to come and stay with the kids and Josh jumped in the shower. Within a couple of minutes of hanging up with the hospital my contractions became so much stronger. I was pounding on the shower door telling Josh to hurry because we needed to go.
As we drove to the hospital I was having contractions a minuted apart and they were 45-50 seconds long. I was so afraid that they were going to tell me that I was too far along for an epidural but I was only at a 4 when we got there. Things were slow that night so they hooked me up to an IV and Mr. Epidural man came and gave me my meds and 30 minutes later he was born. I went from a 4 to a 10 in an hour. He was born an hour and a half from the time we pulled into the hospital parking lot. He came out in two pushes. It really was easy and I feel great. I think the difference was that I was spinning everyday (6 days a week) until the week I had him. That week I walked on the treadmill.
He is handsome and a sweet baby. The kids love him to death and Nate will grab his hand and say "Baby likes me." We are so glad he is here.

I've Been Tagged!

2009-02-18T15:40:00.000-08:00

Just today Abby asked me how I met her daddy. I said on my mission and she said that "Daddy said he saw you at a party. Did you think he was handsome?" I guess that was a sign that I needed to fill something like this out.

Josh and I will celebrate 10 yrs of marriage on the 13th of March so this is a great way to stop thinking about the baby and focus a little more on the great husband and marriage we share. Thanks Michelle for tagging me!

What is your hubby's name? Joshua but I never call him that…it’s mostly Josh, Daddy or Handsome

How long have you been together? Married almost 10 years

How long did you date? Dated for 4 weeks, got engaged and married 4 months later so a total of 5 months!

Who said I love you first? Josh, I think his words were I think I am falling in love with you.

Who is taller? Josh by a couple of inches

Who is smarter? He's not reading this right? Josh, hands down. He is one of the smartest people I know.

Who does the laundry? 100% me

Who does the dishes? 100% me

Who cleans the house? 100% me

Who sleeps on the right? me, closest to the door for when the kids cry or come in.

Who pays the bills? 100% me

Who mows the lawn? 100 % Josh

Who cooks dinner? 100% me. Josh makes breakfast on the Weekends.

Who drives when you are together? 100% Josh

Who is more stubborn? Me, yes I'll admit it

Who kissed who first? Josh kissed me first. But I was the one who suggested Squaw Peak at BYU so it left little doubt that I wanted him to kiss me.

Who asked who out first? He asked for my phone number at our mission reunion saying that he wanted to talk to my trainer from the mission. Since I didn't have her phone number with me he asked for mine to call and get it later. He called 2 days later and we went out the next day. He NEVER did ask again for Darrington's phone number. Side note; Josh was there with his fiance and I had just broken up with another Elder from the mission who was also there. On our first date he went and saw an ex-girlfriend before picking me up. I didn't take the first date serious because everything pointed to him being a player! By my count I was the third girl he had taken out in 3 days!

Who proposed? Josh. You have to remember that Josh has his own version as to how everything happened but I came up to see him late one evening after he got off of work. We took a walk in the cold and the U was lit because they had won a game. He said that we was falling in love with me and wanted to know if I felt the same . After I said that I did he asked if we should pray about getting married. Then 5 minutes later we were kneeling in his parents house praying about getting married. I remember thinking, am I crazy? What am I doing kneeling with this guy who I thought was a player still at this time, praying about marriage?The actual proposal came after he asked for my hand in Colorado.

Who has more siblings? Me 5 brothers and 2 sister.

Who wears the pants? Depends on the issue. We agree on so many things so it is hard to say. I'm sure he let’s me have my way more than I realize.

I have the best man in the wold but I will elaborate more on that closer to our anniversary! I tag Trisha, Megan, Melissa, Terri, Angela, Aubrey, Mary, and Audrey

Pictures of Baby Ty

2009-02-06T16:51:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures that we took at a 3D/4D ultrasound a couple of weeks ago. He looks a lot like Nate. He has chubby cheeks and a lot of hair. It was neat watching him swallow, yawn, and even smile! He is extremely squished with feet and hands covering his face so it was hard to get the pictures. The placenta was in the way also so it made some of the pictures blurry. Sorry it took awhile to post these. Now that the phone works we are having problems with our computer!

We Are Up and Running (Literally)

2009-01-26T16:24:00.000-08:00

We have phone and internet. Well kind of. Half of the phone jacks are up and running. The Qwest guy couldn't figure out how to hook the whole network up so we have to get our AV guy to come out and do it. I guess we have 22 phone jacks in the house or we have only 11 and they can each do two? I don't know but I know Shane the AV guy can figure it out. I mean I can't expect too much from Qwest since it did take them from November 17 until January 26 to hook up one phone line to my house. To make this a more memorable occasion we woke up to a partially flooded basement. Last week was the first time I used our central vac and it was awesome. Because of the size of the home they had to put the industrial size vac in. The install guy said to never let the kids look inside the hole because the suction is so great that it will suck out their eye! No joke! So after using the central vac I noticed that the toe kick didn't work anymore. (the little thing the will suck up stuff off the floor so you don't have to use a dust pan). I told Josh, called our builder and didn't think much of it after that. Apparently because of this industrial vac, I tripped a fuse and this fuse also runs the sub pump. (Can you see where this is going?) So this morning after the pump being off for several days and no one knowing Josh went down to the basement to workout. Well the toilet, tub and and hidden room were all backed up and wet with let us just say not clean water!!!! The smell was pretty bad. So now we have to have everything rewired for our big vacuum. Who said bigger was better?
So I am off to post on others blogs so that you all don't think I am rude!!!

We Were Robbed!!

2009-01-20T12:31:00.000-08:00

Last night someone broke into our car and robbed cash, the dvd player, Josh's wallet and a couple of other things. We were at Texas Roadhouse and came out to find that the console and glove compartment were open and the wires were hanging from the celing where the dvd/tv once was. We hurried and made a police report and they had already made several charges on our amex and bank accounts. They were mostly at gas stations but these guys are fast and they were good. Nothing was "ripped out". They used wire cutters and screw drivers to do everything so at least my car doesn't look too bad. We had a crazy night calling banks and etc. So now in addition to no phone or internet we now have no debt cards, credit cards or valid checks. They have all been cancelled and we are waiting for new ones. Wow, it is crazy living without modern technology! (Don't even ask when the phone line will be connected!)

Qwest Has Put Us On Hold

2009-01-03T11:02:00.001-08:00

Still no Internet or phone at our lovely new home. We contacted them almost two months ago to set this up. Monday I'll call again but I think Cable One is starting to look good at this point. So I will be more chatty when everything is working. For now, some of you asked where we took our pictures for Christmas. We went to Kiddie Kandids. They have always done a good job for use. Well, Happy New Year and I'll try to borrow another computer again here shortly!

Now That Christmas is Over

2008-12-26T12:37:00.000-08:00

Now that Christmas is over I can finally post the Christmas pictures our family took this year. Hopefully our Internet and phone will be hooked up on Dec 29! But I'm not holding my breath. Meanwhile we have temporary service with Verizon Wireless. I hope everyone had a great holiday!!

Please Stay Posted

2008-12-07T08:01:00.000-08:00

Well we are in the new house but due to the great planning and customer service our local telphone provider has given us we are without phone or internet. As soon as I can I will post pictures of the house and update the blog. In the mean time please use my cell as it is the only way to reach me!

Fun with Grandma and Papa in the yellow house

2008-11-15T17:50:00.000-08:00

I know it is weird but our kids call my parents Grandma and Papa in the yellow house. This is because Ali was with them when they were looking at homes and bought the yellow one they currently live in. They love going to visit. Who wouldn't when there are dogs, cats, cows and 4 wheelers. Plus cousins, fishing trips and a million other things to do there. They ask several times a week when we can go to their house. Here are some pictures of our most recent trip. The kids call Josh's parents Grandma and Papa with the mustache. They are so excited to see them for Thanksgiving.

Pictures from October

2008-11-14T09:51:00.000-08:00

I know that October is long gone but here are some pictures from pumkin patch field trips, the Balloon Fiesta, and Halloween. For Halloween Abby was riding a unicorn, Nate rode a pony and Ali was a pink bunny. Enjoy!

Manchild Part 2 (Baby makes 6)

2008-10-13T20:16:00.000-07:00

Title says it all. Nate is getting a brother! Josh is so thrilled. He says he has an heir and a spare. We went to Sneak Peek Ultrasound on Friday but the 3D/4D pictures are not the best because the baby was so skinny. He had his legs crossed the whole time but they are pretty sure it's a boy. In one of the pictures it looks like he is sucking his thumb. We get to go back around Christmas time when the baby is nice and fat and they say the pictures will be better. My official due date is March 9, a week before our 10 year anniversary. Sorry honey, no trip to Hawaii this year. I hope no one is offended that this is the first that they heard about my pregnancy. With two miscarriages and horrible morning sickness we always wait a while before we say anything. It has actually made the pregnancy go by a little faster. If you want to see our web site at http://www.sneakpeekultrasound.com/ just enter the access code 1017nm.

Cordoba is getting a Temple!!!!!

2008-10-05T14:59:00.000-07:00

Some of you know that Josh and I served in the same mission, Argentina Cordoba Mission or La MAC. Yesterday during the morning session President Monson announced that Cordoba will be getting it's own temple. Josh just broke down in tears and all I could think about were all of the faithful members that I worked with who were promised one so many years ago. While I was there is was rumored in one of my areas that the Church already owned a piece of land big enough for a temple (an area called Nueve de Julio) by the road that goes on to Carlos Paz. I will be excited to see where the actual site is. While Argentina has a temple in Buenos Aires, it is an 8-10 hour trip one way by bus to get there (no one has cars). From La Rioja and Catamarca I believe it is almost 2 days one way (also areas in our mission I served in). So this is a great area because it will serve so many in this great country who don't have the funds to make that long trip. Another testimony that the Lord blesses the faithful and fullfils all of his promises and prophesies!! Anyone feel like a road trip to go to the dedication? Viva Argentina! Here is the news http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/a-second-temple-in-argentina-is-announced

Soccer Fun

2008-09-29T18:23:00.000-07:00

Ali and Abby are both in soccer this year. Ali loves the fact the her dad is helping coach. Abby has already asked when he will coach her team. Here are some recent pictures of them playing. It was a great game for each because both Ali and Abby scored three goals each to help their teams win!!! Sorry some of the pictures are blurry.

I finally gave in!

2008-09-13T12:44:00.000-07:00

After months of enjoying the blogs of family and friends I have finally given in! I kept saying that I don't have time to do things like that but I feel like this might be the only way to keep in touch with most of you. I hope that I can keep it updated with new events in our lives.

Josh is busy with work and coaching Ali's soccer team. I am a true soccer mom with both Ali and Abby in soccer this year. Nate is all boy and like my little (huge) backpack that goes everywhere with me. It has been crazy but we are loving it. We are selling our current home and waiting for our new one to be completed. Our closing date is next month in October but as you can tell by the pictures below that isn't going to happen. So for now we don't know when we will move but at least they started to dig the pool!

Looking through the front door at the spiral staircase.

The view of the front of the new house.

They view of the back of the new house and the hole for the pool!

The theater room and stage.

View from the master bedroom of Sandia peak and the valley