Rappleye Family Bliss

whaaaat

2012-02-15T13:29:00.003-07:00

It's been almost a year since I've blogged! Whaaat! I can't recall why. My opinion, I got busy with baby #5 and lost track of life a bit. That and I kind of feel that I haven't done anything noteworthy for a while. While I am constantly learning new things I feel like I am just ok at a couple things and not really good at anything!! does that make any sense?
So here's what we have been up to, in a nut shell! In June Avonell turned 7! Crazy girl is growing up way to fast! In July, the 31st to be specific, Baby #5 came to our family! Spencer Drew Rappleye is our gentle giant. He is now 6 1/2 months and a good 20 pounds (his big sister Samantha is 2 1/2 and is only 25 pounds!!) August brought the kids back to school and me home with 3 kiddos. Porter and Avonell love school and their teachers;) In September I turned 33 and 2 days later Samantha turned 2! She is such a spit fire. Not quite sure what to do with her. I think she's got a little bit of her Great Grandma Stewart in her! In October Porter turned 10! He is loving scouts and plays xbox with his daddy any chance he gets! which brings us to November! Drew turned 33 and decided to start college!! Better later than never right. Crazy man is the 2nd counselor in the bishopric, on the Library board for Apache Junction and is a precinct committee person for AJ as well! So lets throw collage into the mix, why not huh!! December was pretty boring other than Christmas and all that entailed. January brought sweet Rebecca Suzanne's birthday. YEAHHH She is 5 and prays every night that she can go to school! It's going to be a long couple of months until August!
So there you have it! Sorry for the long boring post! Now I can get on with the fun stuff for this year right!?! I have decided to start Weight Watchers. I figure the more people that know about it, the more poeple I am accountable to! This weight has to come off!! I am tired of lugging it around and my self esteem has taken a major hit so.....time to do something about it!

Pictures next time I promise!!

When I grow up!

2011-04-14T09:12:00.005-07:00

When I grow up I want to:
Run a marathon
Be a great cake decorator
Know many of languages
Travel the world
Be a really smart historian
Sew wedding dresses
Be an author
Write beautiful music
Help women in the birthing process
Be a genealogist
Be an incredible pianist
Learn the guitar and many other instruments!
Sing in an amazing full choir
Serve many missions with my husband
Fit into my clogging shoes and dance till I sweat!
Allow my body to move to music in a beautiful way
Brush up on my sign language

And many, many more...for right now I'm a MOM! I always wanted to be a mom and I am! Sure I am still working on those other things. Sometimes I lose focus and try to do to much at a time. It's hard to admit that the most important thing I do right now is laundry, dishes, clean, and wipe butts! I am also wiping tears, making smiles, creating smart brains, being an example of one individual's potential, giving kisses, creating life and LIVING it! I love this opportunity I have to LIVE! I get to learn and grow. I just hope that I can keep pushing forward at a steady pace so I can do all those things I want to do when I grow up!

What do you want to do when you grow up???!!!

My bright idea!

2011-04-11T12:08:00.003-07:00

So here it is... my big idea for the day! As I was snuggling my screaming baby last night (turns out she has the flu), and wishing I could fall asleep, I came up with this brilliant concept! MY HOUSE IS A DISASTER! My kids couldn't care less if they live like pigs but it is driving me nuts I say! So I decided for Family Home Evening we would take a trip to the temple and visitor's center. Drew and I would make sure we point out things like: Wow it's so clean, There aren't any weeds, no litter on the carpet or outside, no bugars on the walls, everyone is so quiet and helpful... and so on. Then we will get into our filthy car and drive to our filthy home and notice things like: wow look at that underware on the floor! I would never have seen that at the temple! You get the idea right!! Let's hope that they get the idea...at least for a couple of days before they forget it all!! P.S. this is the most boring looking blog ever! I can't seem to change the background without it taking away my blog lists and such! HELP! Advice anyone??

Yipeeee!

2011-02-25T07:22:00.003-07:00

We're having a BOY, we're having a BOY! (You can't see me but I am doing my touchdown dance;) Went to the doc yesterday and he is 90% sure this one is a boy! We have the big ultrasound in 3 weeks so we will know for sure by then!

I am also out of the poor-me-I-feel-so-crappy phase and into the let's-get-this-party-started phase. I like this phase much better. My house isn't a total wreck all of the time, I started reading again, I have ventured into the land of cake decorating and I am learning A LOT, we are planting our garden hopefully this weekend! So many beautiful things on the horizon!!

So that's it for now folks! I am off to make "Aunt Laurla's" birthday cake, maybe do some sewing, finish my FHE board I started like a month ago, laundry, bills, dishes, cleaning;) You know the drill!!

Let's get this over with!

2011-01-20T11:38:00.003-07:00

Why.....WHY do I have to keep reminding myself that life is good? I am so spoiled and all I can think about is how I hate feeling sick, my lungs hurt, everytime I cough I freaking pee my pants because I have been pregnant 7 times! My house is dirty cause I am always tired, my kids are messy, we have to many bills..........WAAAAAAA somebody call a wambulance!!! What the heck is my problem? I have a home, a comfortable home! My husband has a job and a very VERY good boss, all of my children are well and whole! Not so much as a doctors visit in many months! My family loves me. My husband loves me and puts up with my moaning all the time. I have incredible friends!

Where did the old Kristy go that was at peace with life and sang as she went along? I want her back! That's my goal from now until Valentine's day!!! (and beyond) Bring the LOVE back into my home and my life. Find JOY and stop being a baby!!! Heaven knows we have been blessed with many of those! I don't mean that the "old Kristy" has to come back because I am constantly growing and changing (yep that's the understatement of the year!). So what I am looking for is a new and improved Kristy. Pitty parties will still happen I am sure of it BUT they will not be as frequent and they will not last as long!

So TODAY I am picking up my scriptures. May not sound big but tomorrow...who knows...maybe we can add something more. As long as I am moving forward!

Once again, thanks for listening to me learn;)

This little piggy ate mmmmmm leftovers!

2010-12-28T10:14:00.003-07:00

I have found myself being very hungry these days! I am starting to wonder if my body thinks I am growing an army instead of just 1 baby! I made this soup last night for dinner. I actually doubled the darn thing and there was only 1 serving left for me to scarf down for my second breakfast/first lunch;) It is a perfect winter soup.

Cream Cheese Chicken Soup (feel free to go vegetarian!)
By Kathy Rappleye
1 small onion, chopped
1 T butter
3 C chicken broth
3 medium carrots, sliced
2 medium potatoes, cubed
2 C cooked chicken, cubed
2 T minced fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 C flour
1 C milk
1 pkg cream cheese (8 oz), cubed

In a large saucepan saute the onion in the butter. Add broth, carrots and potatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until vegetables are tender. Add the chicken, parsley, salt and pepper. Heat through. Combine flour and milk until smooth; add to the vegetable mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat. Add the cream cheese; cook and stir until melted.

Ready or not!

2010-12-13T14:32:00.003-07:00

Ready or not here comes #5! Yep we are going to have a baby! We are still a little shocked but thrilled as well. We don't have a definate due date yet but know it will be July or August. I am finally starting to feel sick. I know that sounds weird but after 2 miscarriages we rejoice at the first barf and find peace in the nausea! I am excited for just about everything about this baby! I am excited to experience birth again. I am excited to find out if we will have a boy or girl. Porter REALLY wants a brother! Not so much excited to be pregnant during the summer again but oh well! So there you have it, by next year we will be a family of 7!!!

What I am learning

2010-11-18T12:21:00.003-07:00

Since I was not able to watch General Conference on TV this last October I have found great joy in reading the talks in the Ensign. In an effort to internalize some of what I am learning I am sharing glimpses of my favorite quotes. To read or not to read.... that is your question!

Todays talk was "Reflections on a Consecrated Life" by Elder D. Todd Christofferson

"Life offers you two precious gifts—one is time, the other freedom of choice, the freedom to buy with your time what you will. You are free to exchange your allotment of time for thrills. You may trade it for base desires. You may invest it in greed. …

“Yours is the freedom to choose. But these are no bargains, for in them you find no lasting satisfaction.

“Every day, every hour, every minute of your span of mortal years must sometime be accounted for."

"A prophet of God has said: ‘Men are that they might have joy’—a joy that includes a fullness of life, a life dedicated to service, to love and harmony in the home, and the fruits of honest toil—an acceptance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ—of its requirements and commandments.

“Only in these will you find true happiness, the happiness which doesn’t fade with the lights and the music and the crowds.”

"To consecrate is to set apart or dedicate something as sacred, devoted to holy purposes."

Five elements of a consecrated life: purity, work, respect for one’s physical body, service, and integrity.

Consecration therefore means repentance. Stubbornness, rebellion, and rationalization must be abandoned, and in their place submission, a desire for correction, and acceptance of all that the Lord may require. This is what King Benjamin called putting off the natural man, yielding to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and becoming “a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord” (Mosiah 3:19).

Elder B. H. Roberts once expressed the process in these words: “The man who so walks in the light and wisdom and power of God, will at the last, by the very force of association, make the light and wisdom and power of God his own—weaving those bright rays into a chain divine, linking himself forever to God and God to him. This [is] the sum of Messiah’s mystic words, ‘Thou, Father, in me, and I in thee’—beyond this human greatness cannot achieve.”

"God has designed this mortal existence to require nearly constant exertion."

"A consecrated life is filled with work, sometimes repetitive, sometimes menial, sometimes unappreciated but always work that improves, orders, sustains, lifts, ministers, aspires."

*******"In this fallen world, some lives will be painfully brief; some bodies will be malformed, broken, or barely adequate to maintain life; yet life will be long enough for each spirit, and each body will qualify for resurrection."******

"Integrity is not naiveté. What is naive is to suppose that we are not accountable to God. The Savior declared: “My Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; … that as I have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil” (3 Nephi 27:14)."

"May we consecrate ourselves as sons and daughters of God, “that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope” (Moroni 7:48; see also 1 John 3:2), I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

And there ya have it! I am positive this wasn't the most exciting post but it did me a lot of good and may just stick with me a little longer than usual! Thanks for enduring my rant:)

Elder Holland

2010-11-09T12:43:00.003-07:00

I finally got my copy of General Conference Addresses Ensign and quickly opened it up! Can I just say that I love Elder Holland! There is something about his spirit that makes my spirit pay attention! I am only half way through his talk and here is what I LOVE so far!

"In whatever country you live, however young or inadequate you feel, or however aged or limited you see yourself as being, I testify you are individually loved of God, you are central to the meaning of His work, and you are cherished and prayed for by the presiding officers of His Church. The personal value, the sacred splendor of every one of you, is the very reason there is a plan for salvation and exaltation. Contrary to the parlance of the day, this is about you. No, don’t turn and look at your neighbor. I am talking to you!

I have struggled to find an adequate way to tell you how loved of God you are and how grateful we on this stand are for you. I am trying to be voice for the very angels of heaven in thanking you for every good thing you have ever done, for every kind word you have ever said, for every sacrifice you have ever made in extending to someone—to anyone—the beauty and blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ."

As I read it again I cry because there are many days I don't feel adequate and do feel very limited. It is nice to be reminded of how loved we truly are. So loved that a father would sacrifice His Son! And that is all I will say about that as the keyboard blurs out of focus:)

P.S When I changed the background on my blog it made it so your blogs don't show up! Anyone know how to fix that?

Deciding

2010-10-16T07:27:00.003-07:00

Yep it has been a while and sad to say this post is mostly for me. I have been in a funk this week and need to get out of it. I am hoping that if I list the things that are bugging me and then the things that I am thankful for I will be able to put things into perspective! So here goes!

Deciding that....
Depression is just a part of my life and I have to take it 1 day at a time.
Feeling like the family maid is not for me.
Children are messy and slightly selfish by nature. (Husbands too sometimes)
I have too many responsibilities.
I hate being overweight.
Summer needs to be a little shorter and a little less hot!
Cleaning toilets is an AWEFUL chore (good thing we only have 1 boy)
Kids that talk back and argue with their parents need a little lesson in history.

Now that I have purged myself of some of my woes I shall review my blessings and hopefully I can stop feeling sorry for myself and get on with life;)

Blessed....
Depression keeps me relying on my Heavenly Father.
Depression humbles me.
Having a clean home relaxes me.
Having responsibilities makes me feel needed and wanted.
I am very seldom bored.
I am overweight because I have children (who keep me laughing).
I love to run and am blessed to have 2 healthy legs.
I love fruits that are in season during summer.
Canning peaches with my husband until 3 in the morning is a fun memory.
I love watching my kids swim.
Summer reminds me of my Grandparents and my youth.
Sorry, nothing good to say about cleaning toilets! I still think it is aweful!!
Oh!! Indoor plumbing!! There you go!
Love listening to the funny things my kids say.
I have a husband that works so very hard.
We have a comfortable home.
Parents who love me.
Eyes to read with.
A sense of smell to enjoy citrus blossoms.
Arms to give lovin's.
I am able to have children.
A husband who puts up with my moods and whims and loves me anyways!
Music! Music! Music!
I have a piano in my home.
Sewing during the Autumn makes me excited for the holidays.
Healthy home. No major sicknesses.
Awesome friends.
Wind
Monsoons
My little girls lisp:)

I am sure there are many more:) Thanks for indulging me on this journey! I shall now turn the music up and dance while I clean!!

P.S. Babies who turn off computers in the middle of a post are stinkers and need to be tickled!

One more!

2010-06-05T22:37:00.004-07:00

Yes I know, I am crazy! Maybe I am just trying to uncover an identity underneath the mommy mask but here goes! Beyond baking I love to read so I thought I would start a reading blog too! I would love to hear from you!

www.comfortreadingwithkristy.blogspot.com

My new blog

2010-06-04T15:12:00.002-07:00

For those of you who are interested I have started a new blog journaling my joy of baking so check it out when you have a minute!

www.thebreadlady-kristy.blogspot.com

What we have been up to!

2010-06-02T10:40:00.002-07:00

Yep an update is much needed! For now a list will have to do! So here is what we Rappleyes have been up to lately:)

School programs
Samantha is cruising the furnature
The Gila Valley Temple open house
Father's and sons
A visit from Aunt Lorita
Scouts
Lots of hiking
Pat's Run
Zoo trips
Gardening
Bread making

Details and pictures are soon to come!

Wrinkled Ladies

2010-04-30T12:12:00.000-07:00

I hope this works because I seriously laughed my bum off!

Our Garden!

2010-02-24T13:22:00.004-07:00

I have been wanting a garden for years! We had an incredible garden when Porter was a baby but had to leave it behind when we moved. We finally started the back breaking labor of clearing rock, tilling, shoveling, running sprinklers and dripper lines, putting up a fence and finally planting! So far we have planted watermelon, green onion,, spinach, beans, okra, tomato, artichokes, brussels sprouts, jalepeno peppers, bell peppers, carrots, radishes and squash. We still need to plant canteloupe, cucumber and corn. I am so excited I can hardly stand it:) The kids have loved the outside time too!

Porter's scouts

2010-02-24T12:41:00.004-07:00

Porter is having a blast participating in Cub Scouts! He just placed third in his first ever Pinewood Derby. In January he earned his Bobcat and is well on his way to becoming a Wolf. It has been so fun to work with him on advancing in scouts. It has given me a much needed chance to have some one on one time with Porter and I have loved it!

Becca's birthday

2010-02-24T11:56:00.002-07:00

Our Becca Sue turned 3 in January! She has been so much fun and I couldn't imagine our lives without her!

Hiking backpack

2010-02-24T10:56:00.004-07:00

My brother gave me the coolest hiking backpack that I have been dying to try out so when a good friend called and wanted to go for a hike we jumped at the chance! It was a little chilly but the girls had fun. Samantha slept through the whole thing:) She loved the ride.

New camera! New pictures! New year! New goals!

2010-01-04T10:45:00.006-07:00

All things feel new and wonderful today! We woke up and barely got the kids to school on time, but there were no arguments this morning! No fighting. It was wonderful! I started running again this morning. Packed Becca and Samantha in the jogging stroller and headed to the track. Kind of made me feel like a super woman with all of the snowbirds at the track saying "Wow you have 2 in there?!" Then I looked at how long it took me to run 1 mile! Oh well, baby steps huh!?

I have to admit I think that the New Year as a holiday is a joke! Big deal stay up until midnight! I am an adult I can stay up until midnight any time I want to! BUT the New Year as a concept I LOVE! I love to make new goals and see how I did on my goals from the previous year. I love to make lists and calendars and plans! I love the potential that a new year holds! You now know what a HUGE nerd I am:)

I got a nice sparkling new camera for Christmas so I thought what a good time to share some beautiful pictures!

My slow return to the land of the living!

2009-12-04T12:01:00.002-07:00

Yes, it has been a while since I last posted. Life has been BUSY! Who knew that one little body could create so much more laundry? So here is a little update. Sorry no picts this week:(
Hopefully next week!

Porter is doing great. He is loving scouts and has even passed off all of the requirements for his bobcat! His baptism was beautiful. I decided at the last minute to make him a nice crisp new tie for the occasion. So the day before the baptism I pulled out some leftover fabric from my wedding dress and made him one. It turned out very handsome. He even got a CTR tie tack from his primary teacher (Thanks Sister Gardner!!). He has been very responsible with his new scriptures with his name on them, and has finished the first chapter of Nephi all on his own!

Avonell has been a little attitude girl lately! I guess she figured that since Porter was behaving himself that she could have a turn to be a stinker! Even at her worst she is pretty sweet so I can't complain. She is loving school and reads like there is no tomorrow. She informed me a couple of weeks ago that she has 2 boyfriends at school and one of them told her he wants to marry her! Oh boy, am I worried about that one! All she has to do is bat those eyelashes and she's got just about anyone hooked!

Becca is finally adjusting to being "de-throned"! I think it is mostly because I am getting a good schedule down again and she knows when to expect to get some special attention. She loves to climb on my lap and read and probably would do that all day if we could! I think she is finally getting a hang of this potty training thing too! We still need to work on getting her through the night but we are getting there!

Little Samantha is just as cute as ever. She is smiling and cooing. I found a tickle spot last week and even got a laugh out of her! Everywhere we go we get comments on her hair. Try as we might we can not get it to lay down flat! It is always sticking straight up in the air:) She has been a sweet and snuggly addition to our family.

Drew and I are the boring ones! Just the same as ever. The whole family has been suffering from colds in varying stages oddly enough I think it has hit Drew and I the hardest! You should hear the Rappleye family first thing in the morning! Coughing, hacking, sneezing, groaning times 6!

There you have it! The latest from our house to yours!

Samantha Jane Rappleye

2009-09-16T09:52:00.004-07:00

It is my great pleasure to introduce you to our sweet Samantha Jane Rappleye! She came to our family on September 12th, 2009 at 9:41 pm. She weighed 7 pounds 11 ounces and was 20 1/2 inches long. I wouldn't be a proud momma if I didn't share my birth story so if you want to avoid all the details then skip this part and head on down to the pictures!!

My labor started Friday night at about 8:30 with contractions coming and going until I finally had had it and went into the hospital at 6:30 Saturday morning. I labored and labored and labored but this little girl did not want to drop down into my pelvis. So I begged and begged and begged the nurses to contact my doctor (the on call doc wouldn't break my water). So there I sat stuck between 3-4cm dialated until about 6:30 pm Saturday when they finally broke my water. I went from 4cm to delivering my sweet baby in 2 hours! This was my first natural delivery. Yes that means 25 hours of labor with no pain meds! Drew was amazing, he held me and coached me and watched me go through the most intense pain I've ever felt in my life. The nurses were amazing, when I told them I was going natural they said "That's great! We won't be asking you again if you want pain meds. If you want something for the pain you'll have to ask us". I was so relieved. I was certain there would be a disagreement there but they supported me all the way to the end when I was begging to be done. They coached me through transition when I felt like I was losing control. When she finally SHOT out (I mean that in every sense of the word!) the doc barely made it in time.

She's a perfect little angel! She had a little brusing on her arm from delivery but other than that she's been incredible!

Samantha and her friend Ellie! They're 6 weeks apart.

Big sister Avonell

Big brother Porter

Big sister Becca

Porter keeps asking "Can I be the one to burp her?"

Avonell washes her hands about a million times a day so she can touch her sister.

Samantha Jane our sweet baby girl!

She has black hair that is thick and curly and super chubby cheeks. She looks like a little eskimo baby!

I feel very brave to be posting this, but hey looking like this during labor can only be earned! This is just after a pretty intense contraction hence the very-happy-to-be-done-with-that face!

Answers

2009-09-06T17:00:00.003-07:00

Today was one of those days that I wasn't expecting to hit me with full force as it did. I have been praying, nay begging, all week to know when this baby is going to come. "Is today the day" "Is she ready? am I ready?" My body is sending me all the right signals. The doctor is saying she's healthy and it could be any day. I've read all the books I can to know what this process is going to be like, so I my mind is prepared to take this on.

When I got up this morning I was VERY grumpy. I got everyone ready for church and sat down to realized that tomorrow will be 2 months since my grandma passed away as well as 2 months since I landed myself in the hospital trying NOT to have this baby. Then Our friends blessed their sweet baby boy and the dad just couldn't hold back the tears. This is their first baby and I can only imagine the spirit that has entered their home. If that weren't enough we sang one of my all time favorite Sacrament Hymns: "How Great the Wisdom and the Love"

How great the wisdom and the love that filled the courts on high
And sent the Savior from above to suffer, bleed, and die!

His precious blood He freely spilt; His life He freely gave,
A sinless sacrifice for guilt, a dying world to save.

By strict obedience Jesus won the prize with glory rife:
"Thy will, O God, not mine be done," adorned His mortal life.

He marked the path and led the way, and every point defines
To light and life and endless day where God's full presence shines.

In mem'ry of the broken flesh we eat the broken bread
And withness with the cup, afresh, our faith in Christ, our Head.

How great, how glorious, how complete redemption's grand design,
Where justice, love, and mercy meet in harmony divine!

It hit me like a ton of bricks! Sure my body is ready, her body is ready, my mind is ready. I have overlooked the thing that's MOST important. Is my spirit ready? Is her spirit ready? Am I ready to let the Savior help me through the pain that my body will have to endure to get this baby here? Until today I don't think I realy was ready, maybe I'm still not ready. All I know is that the Lord will let me know when the time is right and I need to trust in Him and have more peace and patience in this process. I'm looking forward to this being a very spiritual event and I can't wait! But I will!;)

Chomping at the bit

2009-08-31T10:51:00.003-07:00

This baby girl is a little too anxious to get here (not that i'm not to anxious as well!). Thursday I started contracting at about noon. They were 3-4 minutes apart and 30-45 seconds long. I was within an inch of heading to the hospital when they finally calmed down at about midnight. So in bed I have been and there I have stayed until today. I will be 36 weeks as of tomorrow which is when my doc says things have a good chance of turning out well. As of last Monday he thought she was about 6 pounds. I have another appointment this afternoon and I'm hoping for good news. I'm hoping that all these contractions are doing something!

I have been doing a lot of reading up on child birth, go figure I finally start reading up on it when I'm pregnant with my 4th baby! I have found that I have an exceptional doctor! I've read all of the negative aspects to delivering in a hospital with an OB and realize that my doctor doesn't do any of the things that would deter from a hospital birth. When I told him I want to have this baby naturally he told me he would love that and he thinks I can do it. He always puts the baby right on my tummy after birth and if the cord is long enough the baby goes right to feeding. He doesn't do epesiotomies unless absolutely necessary. He told me I don't have to have an IV if I don't want one. He listens to me. Last week I asked him if he was going to do the strep B test at that visit and he said he would probably wait a week. I reminded him that with my last baby the test results didn't come back in time and he said lets go ahead and do it then. When we were leaving he told me that was a good call on doing the strep B test early! When I had my miscarriages he sat down with me in an unscheduled visit and talked me through things and then just let me cry like I was his only patient. I have always liked my doctor but I'm just now realizing what a gem he really is. Between my reading, Drew's support, and my doctor's encouraging attitude I feel a great deal of confidence going into this labor and know that I can succeed in doing this the way I want to.

Long story short! The bags are packed and we are meeting with both my parents and Drew's parents tonight to make tenative plans for the kids when I do go into labor. I can not wait to see what this little girl looks like!!

The men in my life

2009-08-20T08:40:00.003-07:00

Can I just say that I have a fantastic husband! After 9 years of marriage he still keeps me laughing and never ceases to amaze me. Tuesday night he overheard Porter throwing a fit and yelling at me. Drew sat down with him for quite a while and talked about all of the things that I do for him and how he needs to respect me and show me that he loves me. He told Porter how much of my life I have given up to be a mother, how I had dreams and goals of my own before I became a mother (being a mother was my biggest dream by the way!). As I sat there trying really hard not to cry I realized I am living my dreams. Sure there are things that I wanted to do that I haven't been able to, but my goals and dreams have changed over the years. Some have stayed the same but it's just not the right time in my life to accomplish them, some I am working towards and I'm becoming a better person because of them. It feels good to look at my life and see that I'm right where I want to be for the moment. I can see that I have my own identity along with being a mother. I can honestly say that I didn't feel this way even a year ago.

Porter has been saintly since then! He is constantly asking me "mom is there anything I can do to make your life easier?" He's been a busy little bee trying to help around the house and I can see the satisfaction in his eyes when I tell him that everything is in order and he should just go play and have fun. We have been sending high praises his way and I think it is making a big difference. I hope we can hold on to this for a very long time!

The first week of school!

2009-08-16T15:42:00.003-07:00

I haven't uploaded my pictures yet (maybe later this week) but so many cute things were said in our house this last week that I wanted to get them recorded before I forgot!

Monday was meet the teacher. Avonell wouldn't even look at her teacher but Becca had no problem sitting her butt right down in someone else's seat and start coloring! Porter said "Hi" to his new teacher but that was about it! Later that night when we asked him if he liked his teacher he said "why? What do you mean?" with a super panicked look on his face! We had to re-phrase and ask if he thought she would be a good teacher and he said yes. I think he already has a crush on her!

Monday was also another doctor's appointment. Everything looks good. Baby is healthy and happy. I have not progressed since last appointment so the doc was happy about that. He said that if everything looks good at my next appointment which is the 24th then we can ease up on the bed rest.

Tuesday was the first day of school. I walked the kids to their classes. Porter didn't even say good-bye and Avonell had to be reminded to! The minute we walked out the door Becca was saying "where's Porter and Avonell?" She said it 4 times before we even got to the car! She would ask about Avonell and then say "but I need her" or she would ask about Porter and then say "oh, he's waiting for me?". It just about broke my heart!! She's adjusted a little better since then and has enjoyed being an only child for a couple of hours during the day. We even re-started potty training. So maybe, just maybe we can be done before Samantha Jane gets here. The kids had happy report of their first day. Porter got to do his math that he has been looking forward to. Avonell came home and said that Teancum, her buddy that's in her church class, was so happy to see her that he gave her a hug and a kiss right on the lips! So big day for Avonell, first day of school and first kiss too! I guess his parents sat down with him to explain that we only kiss people we really love and he said "But I do really love her!" Someone asked him if he was going to kiss Avonell again and he said "no, papa said I'm not supposed to".

We set up the cradle in our room yesterday and the kids just couldn't get enough of it! Becca came running in this morning and went straight to the cradle. She looked at me pretty confused and said "where's baby Samantha?" I have a feeling this little girl is going to be smothered from day one!

That was our exciting week in a nutshell! Hopefully pictures will be posted this week!

Progress

2009-08-05T15:54:00.004-07:00

Nothing very exciting has happened lately hence the lack of blogging. Summer vacation is coming to an end and the kids are getting so bored! Yesterday they were up by 6:00AM had eaten and done their chores by 7:00AM. By 8 they had already gone swimming in the back yard, blew bubbles, and eaten otter pops. We had a serious problem on our hands! Luckly my mom rescued us and treated us to a trip to Costco. We walked around for a bit, ate some samples, and then she even bought us lunch! It was nice to get out of the house.

My goal of having the girls' room done before school starts is in sight. All that needs to be done is the chair rail and pictures on the walls!

The kids get to meet their teachers on Monday and I have yet another doctor's appointment later that evening. Tuesday comes the long awaited start of school. Porter keeps telling me he can't wait to do math and history. Avonell asks me everyday if tomorrow is a school day. She is so excited to wear her new school clothes. We have started our school schedule this week so that there will be less of an adjustment. I honestly think Becca and I will have the biggest adjustment!

Poor Becca she's going to be without her best buddies all day and have a new sibling to contend with! I'm excited to get to spend some quality time with just her for a couple of weeks at least. She keeps trying to sit on my lap and there is just no room left. She says "Mantha Jane is taking all the spots?". She's also very thrilled about her "purple nerkins" (purple curtains) that I finally put up today. "You working on my purple nerkins mommy?" "I sure am princess!"

That's about it! Pretty exciting huh? Next week will be way more exciting with back to school pictures and stories to tell. Maybe even a few of all the work we have done on the rooms!!

My word of the day

2009-07-28T08:57:00.002-07:00

CABIN FEVER!
I did get out yesterday for a doctor's appointment not great fun but it was fresh air! He didn't have bad news but he didn't have good news either. He redid the fetal fibronectin test again we'll have the results later this week. He also said that I'm now dialated to a 1 on the outside and 1/2 cm on the inside. Two weeks ago I was completely closed. So a little change which means I'm still homebound. He said I can get out once in a while for a date and I can attempt church but only if I'm feeling well enough.

Can I just say, today I'm grumpy! I miss the track. I miss getting my own groceries. I miss feeling like a productive person! Yes I have so much to be grateful for. I have a baby that is growing and getting stronger everyday. I have a doctor that is watching out for my health and a husband and parents who are doing the things that I can't. I have friends that make me laugh and keep me as sane as possible. But today I'm grumpy!! So in an effort to chase the grumpies away I'm going to go turn on some music, sing, and do the things that I CAN do! Anyone else needing to chase their grumpies away is welcome to join me!!

Raw Granola baby!!

2009-07-20T08:47:00.002-07:00

About this time last year we had an Enrichment night on how to make raw granola and healthy smoothies. I have finally gotten around to making said raw granola and I'm in love! Breakfast is the hardest meal of the day for me. The milk in cereal makes me sick first thing in the morning, I don't really like oatmeal, and I can very well make pancakes every morning. This granola is healthy and it doesn't make me feel yucky first thing in the morning.

Raw Granola by Charlene Higley

1 cup raw almonds
soak the almonds for 8 hours or overnight, they almost double in size and improve the
nutritional value.
Rinse and drain almonds
Place in food processor, pulse off and on until ground up.
Add 1-2 Tbsp olive oil and 1-2 Tbsp honey.
Add about 12 Zahidi dates cut up.
Pulse off and on until a sticky dough forms.
Place dough in a large bowl and add:
1 cup chopped raw nuts like walnuts, cashews, pecans, etc.
1/2 cup chopped dates, raisons, or any dried fruit. (I like cranberries!)
Mix well with a large spoon.
Add 3 cups rolled oats, adding 1/2 cup at a time. If it's getting dry use only 2 1/2 cups oats.
Store in the refridgerator in a plastic bag.

Serving suggestion:1/2 cup granola with yogurt and berries, bananas or fresh peaches.
This can be dehydrated at 140 degrees or less to preserve enzymes. it can also be toasted but this will destroy the food enzymes.

Other suggestions:
Grate a peeled apple and add it along with 2 tsp. of cinnamon to dough. Use dried apple for the dried fruit.
Add flaked coconut to granola.

Thanks Charlene, this recipe has been a lifesaver! I hope you all find as much joy in it as I have!!

Loving

2009-07-18T19:05:00.003-07:00

Loving the day,
Loving the time,
Loving this time for me to unwind.

Loving the man,
Loving the kids,
Loving the ones who I will miss.

Loving the laughter,
Loving the smiles,
Loving the lessons learned from trials.

Loving the music,
Loving the dance,
Loving each day is one more chance.

Loving my Father,
Loving His Son,
Loving that He was the perfect one.

A Sigh of Relief...

2009-07-13T16:56:00.003-07:00

I got a very happy phone call today from the doctor's office. The FFN test came back negative! My glucose levels are normal and I'm not anemic! He said I can gradually increase my activities through the next little bit but back off if I notice more contractions or cramping. I am so relieved and feel so blessed. Thank you for your prayers, meals, help with the kids, and general concern:)

An update

2009-07-11T13:22:00.003-07:00

I honestly don't know how to start this blog entry so I'll just dive right into it. I have felt so much love come through my door the past couple days. I feel so blessed I can't even explain it. My friends and loved ones have taken such good care of me and my family. Drew has been a real trooper. He's keeping up with everything and doing it with a smile on his face and that endearing whistle of his!

Drew and I both feel that the outcome of this trial will be a positive one. I can't say that won't mean she will not come early or that she will not need extra help. It doesn't mean this won't be hard. It just means we have a good feeling about it. That being said, I'll share with you what the doctor told me yesterday. He redid the Fetal Fibronectin test and said that if it comes back positive again that we will have more need to worry. He told me I am to be completely homebound. I can get up to fix a sandwich or do other little things but most of my time needs to be in bed. My next appointment is in 2 weeks.

I have felt pretty good emotionally (thank you Zoloft!). I have had a hard time today because I missed my Grandma Stewart's funeral up in Utah. I wanted to be there so badly. I am thankful this happened now though and not while I was on the road to Utah or home. I don't know what I would have done. So I know the Lord is looking out for me and this sweet baby.

Thank you to everyone who has helped or who has been praying for us. We have had a sweet spirit in our home the last couple of days and I know it is because of the many prayers that are being said in our behalf.

My week so far, finding joy in the journey, don't sweat the small stuff, the future is as bright as your faith.....

2009-07-09T08:45:00.003-07:00

It has been a very interesting week so far. Since I have not been very good at keeping my regular journal lately and I really feel like I need to get these experiences recorded somewhere I thought I'd start here.

SUNDAY was a beautiful day. I thought it would be awful! It was my turn to teach the lesson in Relief Society. I had been preparing for it for weeks because it scares me to death to teach! I have to say that the spirit was very strong and there was so much peace in the room and in my heart. The lesson was on making our homes more like the temple or a "Spiritual Mansion". I also got to play piano for the primary which I always love to do because the kids crack me up! And at the last minute the Sister that plays the piano in Relief Society called and said her son was sick so she wouldn't be there. That was added to the list. As we left FOR church I had the worst attitude. As We left FROM I was on a spiritual high.

So pretty good start to the week right!!

MONDAY as I was cleaning the house I noticed some water under the piano so I pulled it away from the wall a bit and noticed water behind the piano. I pulled the fridge away from the opposite side of the wall and there was water behind it! The water line had a slow drip! How long has this been going on? Long enough for the carpet to begin to stink and the drywall behind the fridge to be moist.

A little worse but not too bad right!!

TUESDAY Drew calls to tell me that his childhood dog that lives at his parents house has passed away and he and his brother have to go take care of things there. My mom calls from Utah where she has been for 2 weeks by my grandmother's side to tell me that my grandma is finally at peace and has passed away. She was almost 94 years-old. At about 5:00 I started cramping so I laid down until 7:00 when I headed off to Enrichment night. By 7:30 I was having contractions too. At 8:30 we headed to the hospital. Needless to say I was pretty scared. I got 2 shots of Terbutaline to stop the contractions and they did a Fetal Fibronectin (FFN) test. I was told this test is 99% accurate in predicting whether I would deliver or be at high risk of delivering within 3 weeks. It came back positive and I am 1 CM dialated. So I was sent home with strict instructions to stay down. I can get up to go to the bathroom and take a shower and that's it! So here I sit/lay! I am only 28 weeks so this might be a long hard summer but I have incredible friends and family that are already spoiling me rotten. Not to mention a husband who is being very protective. He's taking over the kids, the laundry, the shopping, and is taking care of me. He even brought me a bell to have on my night stand. I think that was more of a joke than anything else though!

Day 1 -Wednesday
From the moment I woke up I felt very loved and taken care of. I had to explain to the kids what was going on since they were asleep while all of this happened. Porter's reaction when I told him he had to be the big man of the house while daddy was gone was " I can do that. I'll take care of you, you won't even know I'm here!" He was so excited! Avonell was scared because Porter told her I had to get shots last night, but she's gotten over that. Becca hasn't got a clue! After breakfast my kindred spirit sister Nicole came and got the kids until Drew was able to pick them up. She even brought me lunch so I didn't have to get up to make lunch! The kids had so much fun. Another kindred spirit sister Joni brought dinner, YUMMY. My brother Tony came by to give Avonell a birthday present, a sweet card for me, and his wife even made us super yummy donuts (thank you Sarah, they were awesome! and happy birthday yesterday to Payton). Drew's brother Ben and his wife Sarah came with food and helping hands. My fridge is full, my pantry is full, and my heart is full. Thank you so much. It was so nice to have people to talk to I was seriously going stir crazy and it was only the first day! To end the day. Porter threw up in the middle of the night!

Water fun

2009-07-07T14:09:00.005-07:00

We had a blast this morning out in the little pool! The kids all got their chores done first thing this morning. As their reward they got to swim, blow, bubbles and eat otter pops! We made this really cool "foamerator" I got the idea from my favorite magazine Family Fun. These are the directions from the magazine you can also go to their website at www.familyfun.com/magazine
"Create wacky foam snakes by blowing air throught this simple, homemade bubble-making device. To make one, use scissors to cut the bottom off a plastic water bottle. Cover the open end with a circular piece of towel that's a few inches wider than the bottle. Secure the towel with a rubber band and dampen it with water, then dip it into a shallow bowl of dish soap. blow gently through the mouth of the bottle to create snakes of tiny bubbles" This was so fun and super easy. As you can see even Becca was able to do it without any problem!

Avonell's turn!

Becca could only get little puffs out but had a great time with it!
Turns out our dog, Shelby, LOVES bubbles! The kids had some scented bubbles and she chased after them and ate them.

All kinds of fun!

2009-07-07T13:44:00.003-07:00

Saturday was the party of the year for my girls. They had been looking forward to it for at least a month. Their frined Jocie turned 4 and had a super fun pixie party. They had skirts, wands, a pixie crown, a pixie pouch and even wings. They played games, decorated a picture frame, got their pictures taken, had cake and ice cream and even got some freestyle dancing in! Jocie was in true Jocie form. She was hilarious. I only wish I could be a fly on the wall in that home on Christmas morning! Every present and card was welcomed with a scream of joy and excitment.

Here's Avonell in her pixie get up.

Becca chillin' with her cake and ice cream.
This is the present we made for Jocie. Very rarely does a project turn out the way I have it envisioned in my head but this wall hanging turned out just right! It was fun and easy to make. It's kind of hard to see but it says Pixie Princess Jocie Clancy.

Avonell and Becca pretending to sleep on the new princess sheets Avonell got for her birthday.

Avonell blowing out her 5 candles!

My beautiful Avonell on her 5th birthday!

This time of year there is a special kind of frog that comes out right before and after a monsoon storm. One night Porter went out to feed our dog and found one of these frogs in her water dish. We told him he was a hero because not only did he save the frog from Shelby but that particular frog can be lethal to dogs if they eat them. So he saved Shelby too!

Porter and Avonell best buddies sitting on the picnic table, eating ice, and watching for wildlife!

I could not keep clothes on this girl for a month straight! One morning this is what I found her wearing. A hat and nothing else. She ran around the house like this all day! Oh to be young and free!

After telling Porter of his new baby sister he was pretty upset. He perked up a bit when hid daddy told him they could start having a boys only club. This is their first boys only club event. They built a fort in the living room, ate junk food and watched a movie. They had a blast!

Camping and Easter

2009-07-07T13:27:00.003-07:00

In April we went camping as a family for the first time since before Avonell was born. It was a lot of fun and nice to get out of town for a night.

Here we have Avonell and Daddy on top of the big boulder in camp.

Becca and her everlasting sippie. She was content next to the fire with me!
Avonell sporting Porter's jacket because we couldn't find hers. At least not until we were already home!

Grandma Kosta and Becca making and eating smores. Oh the joy of your first smore!

This girl did not want her picture taken! This is the only picture of the whole trip that I got of her face. The rest are of the back of her head.

Porter all to willing to get messy. He had so much fun being a free spirited mountain boy!

Avonell looking a little tipsy! I promise no drugs were involved on this excursion. Maybe it was the fresh mountain air!?

Easter! Yes, I'm very behind on my posts. Porter and Avonell looking dashing. I could not for the life of me get a picture of all three of the kids together.

Becca and Avonell in their matching Easter dresses.

Summer time and the livin' is easy.....

2009-07-06T12:44:00.004-07:00

There are so many things I hate about summer! The high electicity bills, the heat, the days are longer, it feels like we are living on the surface of the sun, we get cabin fever, it's hot, and I can't go to the track to run!

Sunday as I was really reflecting on how many things I don't like about summer I realized that there are even more things I love about summer. That really surprised me! So here are some things that I love about summer:

swimming lessons with the kids
watermelon and other yummy fruits in season
fresh salads
ice cream and popsicles
Peach and apple crisps
not having to wake up early to get kids ready and off to school
watching my kids faces light up during fireworks
turning all the fans on in the house (weird I know!)
the monsoons
drinking ice cold water
spending more time with my mom (she works at a school)
summer vacations
canning peaches and pears
my bread rises a lot faster
the way my sweet girls look in their sun dresses
sandals
wearing shorts
So You Think You Can Dance
getting ready for fall and school shopping

So it seems summer and I have a love/hate relationship!

My Love

2009-06-30T12:21:00.003-07:00

Today is my Anniversary! Drew and I have been married for 9 years today so I thought I'd take a minute and share our story. Drew doesn't remember our first meeting but I certainly do. We were on the track team together in 9th grade. I was working on the hurdles when my foot caught on the hurdle and I fell flat on my face! I ended up with one nasty skinned knee and the other knee was sprained. What I remember is this boy with long blond hair coming to ask me if I was ok. He was the only one to come and see if I was alright! From then on I had a strange curiosity for him! Almost like my spirit already knew what I was in store for!

We ended up in the same French class in high school and even worked together at Hogi Yogi! I thought he was really weird to tell you the truth! We never dated through high school he had his girls friends(many of them I might add!) and I had a boyfriend or two. Then one fateful day I went into our beloved Hogi Yogi for a sandwich and lo and behold he was working there again! He told me he was to leave on a mission in 3 months and could he call me sometime! I said ok and not a week later we were on our first date.

I was still a little leary of this boy mind you! He was the Fonz rebel type with the hot rod and long hair I was the total opposite. I was the bookworm nerd who loved to sing in choir,dance, and sew! Why he picked me I still have no idea! I remember after our second date he called me and said "we need to go out again, promise me we can go out this week." My reply was "I'm not going to promise you anything!" I was still a little bitter from my last releationship! We did go out one more time and it was magic at that point. I knew, I knew he was the one for me! The only problem was he was leaving on a mission to Louisiana. We were supposed to have 3 months we ended up with two!

He called to invite me to his farewell and there I sat with all of his ex-girlfriends still swooning over him! But he was to be mine and I his! We wrote for the two years. We still have 4 three inch binders of letters to document the time we got to know each other better. Priceless if you ask me! When he got home I was at the airport with his family. It was like breathing fresh air to see him again! He proposed a week later and two minths after that we were married.

So that's it! Nine years and 3 and 3/4 children later! I love him dearly he is still my best friend and my home. Here are some things I adore about my Drew:

1. He whistles while he works.
2. I love it when he laughs REALLY hard.
3. I love that we can sit and read next to each other for hours.
4. He keeps me laughing.
5. He lightens the mood in our home.
6. He works sooooo hard.
7. He has many talents. To many to list!
8. He has no care for physical appearances.
9. He serves the Lord.
10. He loves his children.
11. His love of his Mustang. He's had it since high school!
12. His love of politics.
13. His love of little critters (tide pools are the best!).
14. The way he lovingly takes care of me.
15. The way he accepts that I have depression issues and helps me keep it in check.
16. He encourages me in everything I do.
17. He has never once yelled at me.
18. He shows me respect and teaches our children that that is how they should treat me.
19. He has never forgotten a birthday or anniversary.
20. His knowledge and love of the gospel. He honors his Priesthood and uses it to bless our home.

There are many more things I love about Drew. So many that I can't list them all!

Happy Anniversary my love!

Avonell Celeste Turns 5!

2009-06-18T07:35:00.003-07:00

Today marks a big day in my little girl's life. She's FINALLY 5! She's such a ray of sunshine in our lives. We call her our little flower child because everything is rainbows and giggles for her. I asked her what she wanted for her birthday and this was her list. Strawberry Shortcake shoes, Strawberry Shortcake toys, Strawberry Shortcake movie! Oh and she requested 2 cakes, a rainbow cake and a "chlocate" cake with "chlocate" ice cream. She's so stinking excited! Here are some things I LOVE about my sweet Avonell.
1. Her beautiful smile
2. Her chipmonk laugh
3. Her squeeky nose
4. Her artistic sense
5. The way she loves to be tickled
6. Her willingness to "share" with Becca
7. The way her face lights up when she conquers a challenge
8. She's super snuggly
9. She loves to help mommy
10. The way she accepts and loves everyone she meets
11. Her beautiful brown eyes and long eye lashes

Avonell told us a couple of days ago that she now has 2 boyfriends. Teancum (a boy in her Primary class) and her swimming teacher (he must be pretty cute)! I don't even want to know what her life will be like as a teenager!

We have been getting her ready to start school in August. She can't wait to be in Mrs. Shasta's class. She is reading really well and learning to write her letters better. We have also started working on math this summer. The only thing she's not looking forward to is getting one more shot before school starts:(

Avonell has been such a light in our lives since the day she entered our family. We love her so much! HAPPY BIRTHDAY AVONELL CELESTE RAPPLEYE!

And she shall be called.......

2009-05-20T06:50:00.002-07:00

Since the day we found out we were having another girl events have been set in motion! The bathroom is almost done. I got paint yesterday for Porter's new room. The baby girl clothes have been sifted through and washed. Here's the shocking news... Drew and I agreed on a name yesterday!! The newest Rappleye baby girl will be named Samantha Jane Rappleye. We told the kids last night. Porter thinks it's weird, Avonell still wants us to name her Mikala, and Becca still won't have any part of this baby thing. She won't even try to say her name! She's going to have quite the shock in 4 months!!

On a side note, has anyone ever had an allergic reaction the Excedrin's back and body pain med? Drew took some last night and woke up at about 3:00 choking. His uvula was swollen and everytime he tried to talk it triggered his gag reflex. I gave him some benedryl but it was still swollen this morning.

Drum roll please!!

2009-05-02T09:22:00.003-07:00

We found out yesterday that Rappleye family baby #4 is most positively a GIRL!! I'm so excited to know. Things get really exciting around here when the gender is made known, but I'll get back to that in a minute.

I was really hesitant to tell Porter. He was so set on having a brother. I didn't want to be the one to break his heart! So we sat all of the kids on the couch and Drew broke the news to them. Avonell jumped for joy, Becca is still in denial that she will not be the baby of the family and really couldn't care less, but Porter ran from the room crying. Drew went after him and it took a good 15 minutes before he was calmed down. He said things like, "I was praying so hard for a boy" and "no one ever wants to play boy stuff they only want to play princess". Drew told him they could start having guys night. So tonight marks the first official guys night. The girls will go to bed as usual and Drew and Porter will get pizza, build a fort, and watch a boys only movie! I hope they let me in the room long enough to take some pictures!

I woke this morning thinking "I have so much to do!" The girls need to be moved into Porter's room because it's much bigger and Porter needs to be moved into the girls room but before that can happen they both have to be painted and cleaned up quite a bit. Porter saw me making my list of things to get done and he said, "I can't wait until our baby comes, but I still remember that it is a girl". I told him what that meant about the room situation and he got pretty excited. He asked if we could start painting it today and I told him that daddy wants us to finish the bathroom first. The next thing I know my sweet boy is in the bathroom with a putty knife getting the rest of the lenolium and glue off of the floor so we can tile it. I think he's finding out that there are some pirks to being the only boy!

Comming soon: pictures of spring break, Easter, and our first family camping trip since before Avonell was born! Yeah, we've been very busy!

To sweet Harry, you will be missed.

2009-04-25T14:25:00.003-07:00

Sweet Harry Stewart Randall entered this world on April 19, 2009 and was called home to our loving Father in Heaven on April 24, 2009. His mommy and daddy and sister Gracie will miss him dearly as will all those who had the great pleasure of getting to meet him.

Shannan has been a dear friend and kindred spirit to me for sometime now and it breaks my heart that she has to go through this. I beg of you to please support this family that I love so much. They need all of the prayers and support they can get . They have a difficult road ahead of them. I realize many of you may not know them but most if not all of us have lost a loved one sometime in our lives and have seen the emotional and financial toll that it takes on the family. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

If you have the means and the desire to donate, a memorial fund has been set up at Desert Schools. The account # is 9686904 the name is Shannan Randall FBO Harry Randall fund, or you can mail it to: Desert Schools P.O Box 2945 Phoenix AZ 85062 you need to include the account info. If you have a Desert Schools account you can transfer funds by phone.

Thank you to those who have already been supporting them through this difficult time. Shannan told me earlier in the week that she can feel our prayers and she appreciates them.

"This is the Christ"

2009-04-07T17:26:00.004-07:00

I found this sheet music a couple of weeks ago and have kept the lyrics and melody in my heart all of this time. I can't help but share it at this special Easter time. I played it through and looked at the lyrics and only then did I bother to look at who wrote them (the words at least). Then the tears started to fall and they haven't stopped! If I can find a copy of the music for you to listen to I will post it but until then here are the lyrics:

This is the Christ
Text by James E Faust and Jan Pinborough
Mucis by Michael F. Moody

They heard His voice, a voice so mild;
It pierced them through and made their souls to quake;
They saw Him come, a man in white,
The Savior who had suffered for their sake.
They felt the wounds in hands and side,
And each could testify: This is the Christ;
This is the Christ, the holy Son of God,
Our Savior, Lord, Redeemer of mankind.
This is the Christ, the healer or our souls
Who ransomed us with love divine.

I read His words, the words He prayed
While bearing sorrow in Gethsemane;
I feel His love, the price He paid
How many drops of blood were spilled for me?
With saints of old in jouyful cry
I too can testify: This is the Christ;
This is the Christ, the holy Son of God,
Our Savior, Lord, Redeemer of mankind
This is the Christ, the healer of our souls
Who ransomed us with love divine.

Has it been only a month?

2009-03-11T19:51:00.003-07:00

Yes, I know it has been a whole month since my last entry. Oddly enough it feels like I have aged years this last month! More specifically this last week. Did I really do this before, cause really, my body forgot how to do this I think! I was doing relatively well and then BAM last weekend I was able to keep 1 meal a day down and by Monday it was nothing. No meals. So I called the Doc Monday and picked up the RX Monday night. I looked at the price before insurance. Sit down ladies this may knock you off your feet otherwise! $1300!!! No not $13.00 or even $130.00 but $1300.00. I seriously about had a coronary right then and there. The good news is that I have insurance and I have kept every meal since then down and I can get on with life. I got to thinking about it and I feel like I lost a little of me the last couple of weeks. My list of loves is as follows (not in any particular order):
1. Holding my kiddos.
2. Reading with and to Porter.
3. Reading my own books.
4. Running.
5. Eating.
6. Sewing.
7. Playing the piano.
8. Spending time with the hubby.
9. Watching chick flicks while the kids nap.
10. Cooking.
Now as I look at this list I think "How much of this have I really gotten to do since my butt has been parked on the couch?". Not to mention all of the stuff that has to be done like dishes, laundry, cleaning, Relief Society calling. It is really bad when my 2 year-old says "Mommy sick, lay on couch".

In other news,
Porter gets to go to Wildlife World Zoo tomorrow for his school field trip and he is beyond excited. I will be surprised if he gets any sleep tonight. He's been such a good helper and everynight in his prayers he asks that the people who are sick in the hospitals can get better so they can go home!
Avonell has asked everyday when her birthday is. The girl has a one track mind and it is on her Birthday! We are going to start her on the reading program that I did with Porter. She's so excited!
And who can forget our sweet Becca Sue! She went potty on the toilet for the first time ever this week. Since then she has been saying "Stinky, change me" every time she goes potty in her diaper. I think we're getting close! I can't wait to have no diapers at least for a couple of months!
Drew woke up this morning in severe pain. He has been dealing with some back pain for a couple of months now and I told him when it first started that he needed to see a doctor. Did he listen? NO! So this morning it took him at least 15 minutes to even be able to stand up. I nearly had to threaten him with his life to get him to the doctor. So we went and he got some nice drugs to help him relax and set things right. He is going in for an x-ray to rule out a form of arthritis that his grandpa has but the doctor was fairly certain that he doesn't have it.
So there you go! You are all caught up and then some!

A Quick Thought

2009-02-07T19:32:00.002-07:00

This is just a quick note to myself that I think will facilitate some healing on my part. I was watching a National Geographic movie called "In the Womb" a couple of days ago. It was very well done and fascinating. My problem was that all that I could think of during the first little bit was the miscarriage I had. It will be 3 years in April. My baby was developed to 5 weeks but I didn't find out until 8 weeks. He would have had a beating heart and the beginnings of electrical brain impulses. Yes I say he because I belive this baby was a boy. I believe that he was just not ready to come to our family at that time for some reason or another. I will not even begin to question God's purposes. I only have faith that He has my best interests at heart. Please don't get me wrong either, I felt my Savior by my side during this whole experience. That was the most spiritual Easter I have ever had in my life. I truly learned what the Atonement means to me and my family. At first I thought how silly that I would still be sad about this after this much time has passed but I now realize it won't matter how much time has passed I will mourn this loss for the rest of my life. It may not always be as painful as it is now but I will always have a spot in my heart for this experience that taught me so much. I know that at some point I will be able to raise that baby whether in this life or during another time in my existence. I know that he will be a part of my eternal family and for that knowledge I am more grateful than words will ever be able to express. My love and prayers go out to any family that has had to deal with this kind of loss and I hope that if you haven't found love and peace through our Savior Jesus Christ that you will seek it. I promise you it will come!

I have one word to say GUMBO!

2009-02-06T09:44:00.003-07:00

Tonight we are having a gumbo night with Drew's family. What is gumbo you might ask!? Well, it is a cross between a soup and a stew. You can make seafood gumbo or chicken and sausage gumbo. I prefer the chicken and sausage kind. On occasion we will batter and fry up some catfish strips, shrimp, and my favorite fried pickles! (Yes, I liked the fried pickles long before I became pregnant!) Drew served his mission in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and was taught this recipe by a true blue through and through cajun. It is awesome and we try to come up with as many excuses we can to make gumbo. It just so happens that his grandma Rappleye is in town so that is our very good excuse tonight! I will try to take pictures of the wonderful event (not so you can be jealous, but so you can share in the experience with us!!!!).

Becca Sue's birthday pictures (finally!)

2009-02-06T09:29:00.003-07:00

Okay, since I think we are all over the flu and there is relative peace in the house (for now) I have a minute to post some pictures of Becca's birthday! I know it has been a couple of weeks coming but I figured better late than never right!?!

This first picture needs some explaining! I was explaining to a friend that I didn't like it when Becca's dresses are too short and her butt hangs out and at that precise moment this is what happened! Impecible timing don't you think? This girl can't keep pants on to save her life!

Becca snuggling up to Avonell while she reads her a book!

Becca and her Tinkerbell wand. Becca loves all things tinkerbell! Please pay no heed to the goofy face on the mom sitting next to her!

Becca got an array of new church dresses for her birthday which she desperately needed.

Becca also got some food to go with the kitchen she and Avonell got for Christmas.

This little girl had a great birthday, thank you to everyone for all of the fun presents and for celebrating her 2nd birthday with us!

Update on Porter's tooth!

2009-01-28T14:15:00.000-07:00

For the sake of having to repeat this about a million times I am updating you on the dentist experience! Porter and I made a trip to the dentist yesterday and the prognosis was not good and very expensive. He has a nasty cavity that has gone down into the nerve. So we went back today to get it taken care of. He was very less than thrilled to get a shot in his mouth and after he did get it he wouldn't open his mouth! The doctor looked at me and said he was afraid he might have to send him to a different doctor so they could knock him out for the procedure. I explained to Porter that we could either get this over with now or go to another doctor and get another shot. He was still not happy about it, who would, but he cooperated after that. Long story short he has a silver cap on one if his molars until he loses that tooth in a couple of years. I told him that maybe the tooth fairy would pay more for that tooth and still let him keep it. We of course will not tell daddy that because I can just here him now "we already paid $500 for that tooth I'm not spending another penny!" I'm sure by the time he is 10 and loses that tooth it will be a laughing matter, at least we can hope!

Oh what a night!

2009-01-27T10:51:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had one of those nights where you wonder why you even bother trying to go to sleep and instead should just pick up a good book? Well, I had one last night! The husband was snoring so loud I had to "sleep" on the couch, poor Porter had a nasty tooth ache and couldn't sleep, Avonell dropped her white and pink doggie, and Becca was VERY constipated! I'm telling you now that if I don't get some sleep tonight I will morph into the Queen of Hearts and my new catch phrase will be "Off with their heads!"

I feel the only solution will have to be as follows, drugging the husband, Porter is going to the dentist this afternoon (which is another story in and of itself), I will be Duct taping the dang white and pink doggie to Avonell, and Becca well she took care of business at about 2:00 this morning!

My stinker pot pie is now 2!

2009-01-26T21:19:00.000-07:00

Oh how I love this girl. She is so snuggly that I could just squeeze her all day! I can't believe she is 2 already. Rebecca Suzanne Rappleye was my biggest baby to date. She was born 3 weeks and 1 day early and was 7 pounds 11 ounces. Just to give you an idea of what that means Porter was 2 weeks early and weighed in at 7 pounds 15 ounces, Avonell was 3 weeks early and was 6 pounds 14 ounces. So had Becca been only 2 weeks early like Porter she would have outweighed him! I am scared to know what a baby of mine would weigh at 40 weeks!

I had a hard time finding a name that Drew would agree on! I would text him name after name everyday and he didn't like any of them. Finally I remembered the story of Rebekah and Issac in the bible and that's where she got her name. Her name is not spelled the same but that's where the idea came from. I loved that Rebekah was a righteous woman who was in tune with the spirit and was prepared by the Lord for great things.

Becca had a very endearing little whine when she was born. She was a little overwhelmed when she was born and was whinning when she slept. The nurses were a little concerned but nothing came of it and she stopped a couple days after we got home. As silly as it sounds it actually helped me sleep at night because I could constantly hear her!

Becca had a fun day and a great party. I will be posting pictures shortly!
I sure love you my Becca Sue!

Baby #4!

2009-01-22T11:53:00.001-07:00

Yes, it is true and we couldn't be more thrilled that we are expecting baby #4 in September. I had been having some funky experiences like getting dizzy when I stood up, gagging while changing diapers, and being a little irritable! So when I had some major crazy dreams Tuesday night I though "that"s it, the only time I have all of these symptoms all at the same time is when I'm pregnant." So Wednesday morning I took a test and it was POSITIVE! Anyone who knows me knows that it rarely happens that I get a positive result on the very first test so I was pretty thrilled!

We Celebrated last night by getting Pizza Hut and watching some Mythbusters! We told the kids while sitting at the dinner table. Porter freaked out. He has been wanting a new baby for so long. He got to the point that he would say that his stuffed animals were his brother. Sad huh? Last night when he was saying his prayers he said "please, please, please, please can our baby be a boy!" All I could do was laugh. He put his hands on my tummy this morning and swore up and down that he felt the baby move!

Avonell looked a little confused at first. She had a look on her face like "what, I have to compete with another one! Dang it!" She's been pretty excited today though. It is no surprise that Becca has no idea what is going on! She will before too long I'm sure.

A baby no more :(

2008-12-31T17:27:00.000-07:00

My baby is no longer a baby! Monday night I went to put Becca to bed and she all of a sudden knew how to climb/fall out of her crib. I found her crying on the floor so I snuggled her for a while and tried to put her back to bed. I stood uotside the door this time and not 1 minute later she was crying on the floor again! So that was the end of that chapter in Becca's life. Her crib came down and she is in a toddler bed. She had a pretty rough night Monday night but last night was much better.
Drew is so good at lightening any situation for me. I was sitting on the bed being sad and he said "well she tried to stay a baby for you. It took her a long time to grow hair and teeth! She just had to grow up sometime!" This is very true. It feels like she stayed baby longer than Porter and Avonell, they were both in toddler beds before they were one and here Becca will be two in a month!
Anyways, here are some cute picture of my Becca!

Avonell got some head bands for Christmas and Becca decided to put them all on at the same time!

Becca reading her new book.

At the park finding joy in throwing sand!

Christmas day

2008-12-29T16:11:00.000-07:00

Christmas morning was so much fun. We have a tradition that no one can get up until they hear me playing Silent Night on the piano.
Porter was awake at 5:00 or so just bouncing off of the walls! I mean that quite literally, he had shoes on with his jammies and was running around his room waiting until it was time to come out!
Avonell got up at about 6:00 needing to go to the bathroom and completely forgot that it was Christmas! She went right back to bed and fell asleep! Drew's said she was a little disoriented when he tried to get her up!
This being Becca's second Christmas in her lifetime she had no idea what was in store but liked every bit of what was going on!

Avonell and Becca got this kitchen to share.

I've never seen a boy so happy to get clothes!

Grandma and Becca opening the present that our special Santa left for her!

Drew looking so excited in his Dr. Pepper pajamas!

Becca and Mommy opening Becca's stocking. Yes, it says dad on it because I still haven't finished her stocking! Maybe by the time she is almost 3 she will have one of her own!

Christmas Eve

2008-12-29T15:37:00.000-07:00

We went to my parents for Christmas eve dinner. The kids had fun making edible Christmas trees. Later on the way home we told them that they could open 1 present (the pjs) before they went to bed. When we were pulling into the garage we told them to run in and sit on the couch with their arms folded and wait for mommy and daddy. I walked into the living room and lo and behold all three of them (Becca included) were sitting on the couch with their arms folded! Why can't Santa come every night?

Becca's not too happy about having to say cheese when it's past her bedtime!

I can't tell if they had more fun making them or eating them!

Later when the kids where in bed I got a text message that Santa had come and we needed to look outside. There on our front porch were boxes and boxes of food and a present for each of us along with some stocking stuffers. All I could do was cry! I don't know who was behind all of it, the only clue that I have is that the food had the Deseret logo on it so it was someone from church. I can't begin to express how this act of love changed my heart. I felt so much love and hope. As I sat there crying (which I did most of the night) a specific hymn came to my mind the words that were most significant to me were, "count your many blessing; angels will attend, Help and comfort give you to your journey's end." I don't believe I will ever be able to sing this hymn without thinking of the service and sacrifice that someone made in my behalf. Thank you my angels whoever you may be! The rest of the words seem rather poignant at this time as well so I feel they need to be shared.

"When upon life's billowes you are tempest tossed,

When you are discouraged thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings; name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

Count you many blessings; every doubt will fly,

And you will be singing as the days go by.

When you look at others with their lands and gold,

Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold.

Count your many blessings; money cannot buy

Your reward in Heaven nor your home on high.

So amid the conflict, whether great or small,

Do not be discouraged; God is over all.

Count your many blessings; angels will attend,

Help and comfort give you to your journey's end.

Count you blessings name them one by one.

Count you blessings ; see what God hath done.

Count your blessings name them one by one.

Count your many blessings; see what God hath done"

The first thing that we did Christmas morning was say a special family prayer thanking our Father in Heaven for all that we have been blessed with, especially the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Finally a lost tooth!

2008-12-29T15:28:00.000-07:00

I was getting ready for a Christmas performance I was playing the piano for when Porter came running into my room with a mouth full of blood and a HUGE smile on his face! He had finally lost his first tooth! He was really excited until he looked in the mirror and saw all of the blood and started to panic! So here are some pictures to commemorate the moment.

He has since lost the tooth right next to it too! Don't ya love the big blue eyes!

Christmas program

2008-12-11T09:26:00.000-07:00

Porter's school had a Christmas program on Monday night. I was so proud of him. Last year he pretty much just stood there and goofed off while everyone else sang. This year he knew all the words and sang very well!
Porter and this little girl sang a part together in "I'm gettin' nuttin' for Christmas"
Here they are waiting to sing their part.

Becca loves the camera. Everytime I get the camera out she is right there saying "cheese"!

This is Porter's class singing Jingle Bells. The teacher was even brave enough to give them bells to jingle!

School Carnival

2008-12-11T08:27:00.001-07:00

Porter's school has a fall carnival every October just before Halloween. The kids love it. They have pony rides, face painting, snow cones, and all kinds of games to play. This year they even added a bouncy house. Avonell actually got on the pony this year! Maybe next year she will be brave enough to ride it!

As you can see Becca loves to be outside! (No matter how hot it is)
Here's Porter with his pirate moustache!

Halloween

2008-12-11T08:23:00.000-07:00

Finally a Halloween post! I figured that soon I will have to be doing a Christmas post so I'd better get Halloween done! I know I'm a major slacker!

Porter got to carve his very own pumpkin this year! This is what his masterpiece looked like when it was all done!

Avonell was so cute with her Halloween candy. You can tell that she doesn't get candy very often, she took like a half an hour setting out all of the candy and choosing just one!

We were fortunate enough not to have to buy any costumes this year! Avonell wanted to be Sleeping Beauty again this year and her costume still fit! Yay! Porter was a Ninja Turtle again this year. Sadly I did not get a picture of him in his costume. Becca was the cutest little kitty on the block!

Here's Avonell kissing her kitty sister!

I loved these pictures of the girls with their daddy!

4th of the 4th tag!

2008-10-22T13:45:00.000-07:00

What a fun tag. I love to look at my old pictures and remember when they were taken and what we were doing.

So here is the 4th picture in the 4th album on my computer right now. This is Porter and Avonell. Porter was 3 years-old and Avonell was 6 months-old. It's so weird to see them this size, I forget to quickly. It makes me sad that they are growing up and getting more independent.
I now tag Cassi, Shana, Lindsey, and Tiffany.

Great Great Uncle Bob

2008-10-21T10:41:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago my Great Uncle Bob Starr cam for a visit. I hadn't seen him since I was in high school so it was fun to visit with him. Porter made a new best friend. He LOVED his Great Great Uncle Bob. He got to ride in his big truck and honk the big horn. To this day Porter is still drawing pictures of Uncle Bob and his truck and everytime we see a big truck on the freeway he says "you know what that reminds me of? My GREAT GREAT UNCLE BOB!" It cracks me up!

Are you mad?

2008-10-20T19:04:00.000-07:00

Becca has this uncanny way of copying her family members. Well, one day on our way home from picking up Porter from school Porter got mad at something I said and started to throw a fit. He folded his arms, stuck out his bottom lip, and "hummphed" at me. Becca thought this was great fun and now whenever we ask her if she is mad she will fold her arms, stick out her bottom lip, and "hummph" at me. It is the funniest thing in the world! We will ask her if she is mad at random times during the day even when she is happy and she will have a hard time sticking that lip out because she would much rather smile (and I'm sure she knows it's funny because we get a good chuckle out of it!)

King Benjamin's tents

2008-10-20T18:55:00.000-07:00

We have a tradition in our family. Every April and October (for general conference) we get the tent out and set it up in the living room. We talk about how King Benjamin called everyone together and asked them to put their tents to face the temple so that he could talk to them. So everytime we tell the kids that we are watching conference the first thing that they ask is when we will put the tent up! We usually wait until the Sunday morning session, right after breakfast. The kids help Drew set up the tent and I make popcorn and chocolate chip cookies. They love to stuff their pillows and blanket in the tent and snuggle up. I'm sure that the meaning behind this tradition is lost on them but I hope that they will remember this as a time we spent as a family listening to the words of the prophet. Anyways, here are the pictures from October conference.

Porter's birthday

2008-10-20T14:27:00.000-07:00

Porter Loves to draw, can you tell!
Bionicles, Awesome!!
The long awaited K'nex set!
Trick candles...heee...heee....heee!

My big boy Porter turned 7 on October 1, 2008. I can't believe how big he is getting. I love to see how he is learning and growing. He was so excited for his birthday, he asked me a couple days before the big day if he had to do chores on his Birthday. He was a little excited when I told him he could have a day off of chores. I took cupcakes to his class and I thought he was going to squeeze me to death! He had a great day!

My return to the land of the living

2008-09-19T07:49:00.000-07:00

This was quite possibly one of the worst weeks ever!! Saturday Becca was sad and pulling on her ears, Sunday morning her right ear drum had burst in the night, and if I didn't feel guilty enough from that her left ear drum had burst by Monday morning and she was inconsolable. I seriously felt like the crappiest mom in the world. I took her to the doctor first thing Monday morning and got her looked at, by Tuesday she was feeling a lot better. In the mean time, Sunday morning I woke up with a little sore throat but didn't think anything of it, by night time I had a fever and could hardly swallow! I went in to the doctor Monday afternoon and came home with the diagnosis of strep throat! I have never had strep throat and I can now say that it is HORRIBLE!! The fever gets so high that your body hurts all over and you can't decide if you're hot or cold and your throat hurts so bad you can't eat. My wonderful husband just had to tease me when I bought some Carnation instant breakfast. His words were "well you are 30 now!" If I wasn't so weak from malnutrition I would have taken him down!! We are all nice and healthy and plan on staying that way for some time now. I will be scrubbing the house, washing the sheets, and Lysoling the door knobs today! There will also be plenty of thank yous to write for all of the help I got this week!

In other news I was able to start on the crafts that my friend and I are making for The Tattered Ladies Boutique. I am really excited and have high hopes that we will sell a lot of fun wall hangings. For those who don't have the info for this boutique here it is!

Where: 3745 E. Hopi Ave in Mesa (Val Vista and the 60)
When: October 16th, 17th, and 18th
Time: Thursday and Friday from 10 am-7pm
Saturday from 10am-5pm

As we get some of our projects done I will post pictures of them! They are going to be super cute so everyone should come and support "Scrantnicity 2, NOT Scrantnicity"(sorry I had to throw in a little bit of The Office humor since the session premier is the 25th!)

Happy Birthday!

2008-09-12T16:09:00.000-07:00

I have to send a big thank you to the best friends and family in the world! I had an incredible birthday on Wednesday! Porter brought me breakfast in bed. My best friends "surprised" me with lunch from Panda's, a super yummy cheesecake, and a gift certificate to Barnes & Noble (they know how much I love books!). Sister Heywood who I serve with in the Relief Society brought me a huge ice cream cake roll. I will have to post my picture of it, it was beautiful! Then later in the evening my wonderful husband had all of the family over for dinner, pizza, cake and ice cream. He put 30 candles on the cake but he put them on the cake so that they looked like the number 23! It truly was a great day! I have to admit 30 doesn't feel any different than 29!

2008-09-12T15:18:00.000-07:00

Here we are again on a Friday afternoon with nothing to do. The kids are coloring so I thought what a good time to update my blog! I had a whole bunch of random pictures that I forgot to post last time so here we go!

Becca being the popcorn Queen! It took some convincing that she really could share and it would be okay!
Happy times return!
Ahh the curtains! I have to brag a bit. These curtains turned out exactly the way I wanted them to. That rarely happens that I have an idea in my head and something turns out exactly the way I imagined them. These are in my kitchen and dining area.

Becca and her cousin Maddie at Makutu's island. We had so much fun and Maddie was so sweet to follow Becca around a bit to give me a little break. Becca Loves her cousin "Mammie"!
My little goobers at the local swimming pool on their last day open for the summer.
Porter and cousin Nick at the swimming pool. This is the first time Porter went off the diving board. I was super proud of him. Those swimming lessons over the summer paid off big time!
I was sewing a couple of skirts one day and Becca wanted to be involved so here you go! She loves to be included in mommy's projects whenever it is possible.
I have no idea don't even ask! She was in a silly mood and I couldn't resist! (yes she got the shirt on her head like this all by herself)

We finally got back to the track this week! It was still a little bit warm but we survived and next week the low temperatures will be even lower so we may be able to try for more than a mile!
Silly Becca with Porter's construction glasses on. What a goof ball!
Porter build this ferris wheel all by himself. He had a little diagram that came with his K'NEX set that helped him know where to put what piece. He emerged from his room after quiet time with his awesome creation. I was stunned! I think K'NEX will be on his Christmas list again this year!
Becca and one of her best buddies Gracie. Their birthdays are only 8 days apart! I really like Becca's chocolate lips and Gracie's beautiful eyes! Sooooooo cute.
Porter and Avonell looking for gold at the "dinosaur museum". This was another fun excursion we went on when my sister and her children were here. It was a lot of fun. Thanks Wilde family for reminding us to stop and have some fun every once in a while! We sure love you ;)

Random Everything!

2008-08-26T14:46:00.000-07:00

Okay so I haven't updated for a while so this will be a lot of random stuff! We have been having a lot of fun lately. My kids have been cracking me up and I am having a great time being a mom. I think the phrase "never a dull moment" applies in a big way!

Porter started 1st grade 2 1/2 weeks ago and is loving it! This kid loves to learn! He is learning about the earth and all of its layers right now, so everything he creates is centered around that. He is our mechanically minded child. We got him some K'nex for Christmas last year and he built a mini basketball game with it, catapult and all. He is so left brained it is scary!

Porter's 1st day of 1st grade! Becca had to be in on the fun!

Porter reading to Becca.

We finally got our swing set!! We waited for 2 months for ToysRus to get one in the store. Here are a couple of pictures of the kids enjoying being outside while daddy put the swing set together.

Porter is the bus driver!
Who knew a box could be so much fun!

I have decided that Avonell is my little flower child! She is so creative and nature oriented it is hilarious! I started teaching her perschool at home a couple of weeks ago and I am having so much fun spending extra time with her. She is saying some of the funniest things. Here are a couple of examples:

As we were driving past our over grown bush in the front yard she said, "Wow those bees sure are working hard!"

Last night as we were eating dinner she decided that she didn't like what I made and wouldn't eat it. She said her tummy hurt, but after a little coaxing we finally got the truth out of her. She said, "I think my tummy is saying that it just wants to go out and play on the swing!" What a goober! Drew and I tried so hard not to laugh!

Yesterday as we were on our way to pick up Porter from school she was telling me all about what she learned in her Primary class. She said, "My teacher told me that once Elmo was not good in the church and then Elmo was good in the church." I thought what the heck does Elmo have to do with the church? Then I realized that they had a lesson on Alma the younger! I thought that was pretty funny. Kuddos to Avonell for listening and retaining her Primary lesson!!

Okay, last one I promise! I let the kids run around in the rain a couple of weeks ago and ever since then they have been waiting (not very patiently) for it to rain again. Every time they say their prayers the phrase "thank you for the rain" is said. Well, one particular day Avonell would not leave me alone about getting to play in the rain. I tried to explain to her that I do not have the power to make it rain. She said, "but I said thank you for the rain in my prayers!" What faith she has. Drew and I tried to explain to her that just because we ask for something in our prayers doesn't mean that we are going to get what we asked for. We had to explain to her that in some parts of Arizona it was flooding and if Heavenly Father made it rain again it would be bad for some other people. Drew made her a promise that if it didn't rain by that Saturday then he would squirt them with the garden hose and we would pretend like it was raining! Well, come Saturday she had forgotten all about that promise! Sure enough about an hour after she was in bed it started to pour! When we told her the next morning that it rained she got so excited!

Well, that's what has been going on in the Rappleye house!

Raise your hand if you are ready for it to cool down! I am so ready for the morning to cool off. I got a jogging stroller that I have been dying to try out and the weather is just not cooperating! I miss the track! I know I'm a freak but that is my stress reducer.

Cute Story!

2008-07-31T09:18:00.000-07:00

This was the cutest story! My Aunt Lorita sent it to me, I hope she doesn't mind that I share it!

Joel, is a loan officer at Sterling Bank. He works downtown in a Second story office building, overlooking busy Riverside Avenue . Several weeks ago he watched a mother Duck choose the cement awning outside his window as the uncanny place to build a nest above the sidewalk. The mallard laid ten eggs in a nest in the corner of the planter that is perched over 10 feet in the air. She dutifully kept the eggs warm for weeks and Monday afternoon all of her ten ducklings hatched.

Joel worried all night how the mamma duck was going to get those babies safely off their perch in a busy, downtown, urban environment to take to water, which typically happens in the first 48 hours of a duck hatching.

Thankfully, one of the secretaries had a digital camera and was able to capture most of it (except the actual mid-air catching) in a series of attached photographs. The mother flew down below and started quacking to her babies above. In his disbelief Joel watched as the first fuzzy newborn toddled to the edge and astonishingly leapt into thin air, crashing onto the cement below. He couldn't watch how this might play out. He dashed out of his office and ran down the stairs the sidewalk where the first obedient duckling was stuporing near its mother from the near fatal fall.

Joel looked up. The second duckling was getting ready to jump! He quickly dodged under the awning while the Mother duck quacked at him and the babies above. As the second one took the plunge, Joel jumped forward and caught it with his bare hands before it hit the cement. Safe and sound, he set it by the mamma and the other stunned sibling, still recovering from its painful leap.
One by one the babies continued to jump to join their anxious family below. Each time Joel hid under the awning just to reach out in the nick of time as the duckling made its free fall. The downtown sidewalk came to a standstill. Time after time, Joel was able to catch the remaining 8 and set them by their approving mother.

At this point Joel realized the duck family had only made part of its dangerous journey. They had 2 full blocks to walk across traffic, crosswalks, curbs, and pedestrians to get to the closest open water, the Spokane River . The onlooking office secretaries then joined in, and hurriedly brought an empty copy paper box to collect the babies. They carefully corralled them, with the mother's approval, and loaded them up into the white cardboard container. Joel held the box low enough for the mom to see her brood. He then slowly navigated through the downtown streets toward the Spokane River , as the mother waddled behind and kept her babies in sight.

As they reached the river, the mother took over and passed him, jumping into the river and quacking loudly. At the water's edge, the Sterling Bank office staff then tipped the box and helped shepherd the babies toward the water and to their mother after their adventurous ride.
All nine darling ducklings safely made it into the water and paddled up snugly to mamma duck. Joel said the mom swam in circles, looking back toward the beaming bank workers, and proudly quacking as if to say,

See, we did it! Thanks for all the help!

Tagged

2008-07-29T09:53:00.000-07:00

I've been tagged by Wendi! Believe it or not I do like to be tagged because it gives me something to blog about! So here goes! I will try to make it all cute like Wendi but don't hold me to that!

JOYS

1. My first joy has to be my children. I love to watch them learn and grow. I really do believe that children keep you young but I think there's probably a ratio that goes to that. They take 20 years of while they at add least 10. I do love to be a mom and I love that I get to teach and mold them into the people that they are supposed to become.

2. I find joy in church and the knowledge that I am a child of a Heavenly Father who loves me and sent His Only Begotton Son, Jesus Christ to this earth. I have joy in the knowledge that I can be with my family for all of eternity if I live worthy of that blessing. I have extreme joy to know that I don't have to be perfect but that I just have to always be trying to be better!

3. I find joy in my love, Drew. He is constantly keeping me laughing. I love the way he takes care of me. I love the way he plays with our children and teaches them how to have a positive outlook on life especially when they are having a hard time.

FEARS

1. I am afraid of M. Night Shymalan movies. Ask Drew I will not watch them with him because they give me nightmares!

2. I am scared to death of dogs! This may sound weird because we have a pit bull, I used to walk with a friend at night and she would laugh at me because I would jump at every little noise thinking it was a dog coming to chomp on my legs!

3. I am terrified of heights and extremely claustrophobic. I can't even watch shows on tv where people are in caves or underwater!

GOALS

1. I want to run a 10K someday. I have come to the conclusion that this goal may have to wait until I am done having kids. Who knows miracles never cease maybe I will be able to do this in the near future!

2. I want to get my house decorated the way I want it before we have to move. That's not any kind of announcement it is just a reality that it will probably take many years to get it the way I want it!

3. I am trying really hard to get a swing set! I am hoping that once the weather cools down Toys R Us will finally have the swing set I want in stock.

CURRENT OBSESSIONS/COLLECTIONS

1. I am obsessed with reading. I love to be taken to new and exciting places through reading.

2. I am obsessed with sewing. I just finished curtains for the kitchen and I have already started on some new clothes for the girls. Porter has requested Ironman shorts so we'll see if we can find Ironman fabric!

3. I am obsessed with "So You Think You Can Dance". I used to dance so it would make sense that I love to watch people dance. I get to re-live that feeling of dance when I watch others. I know it's weird (at least that's what Drew thinks!).

RANDOM SURPRISING FACTS

1. I kind of like to do laundry. That doesn't mean that it is ever done, it is just something that is mindless and I can be alone with my thoughts when I do it. I HATE ironing on the other hand!

2. I am shy and socially paralyzed! I guess that's not much of a surprise to those who know me well!

3. I was a pretty big nerd in High School and therefore hated High School but loved college!

Now that you all know way too much about me and probably won't look me in the eye for some time to come, I now tag Wendy Pitney, Lindsey Tyler, Shana Johnson, Cassi Willoughby, and Daren Leon Erickson!

Here's to being good!

2008-07-20T15:15:00.000-07:00

Okay so my room, closet, and bathroom all got cleaned yesterday! And so I thought that since I can now not only see but get to my treadmill I am going to embark on a healthier lifestyle! Now this may come as a shock to some but I haven't had a coke for 3 or 4 weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If I could just swear off all pops and sugary treats I would be on my way! I have even made a list of healthy foods that I like and come up with a good schedule of when I can get some exercise without interrupting my day in a drastic way. I'm telling ya' success is mine!

We have decided to take a trip to the Oregon coast next summer. I am so excited I can hardly wait. I think it is our favorite place in the world so far. Miles of beaches, cold weather, relaxing ocean sounds to sleep to, crabbing and deep sea fishing for Drew, tide pools with little critters for the kids, and the sunsets for me! I am hoping to make this a family tradition to go every other year. I figured since Drew only gets 2 weeks off a year that he should get to go where he wants on vacation and Oregon is it!

This is the last week of swimming lessons for the kids. I'm a little nervous about what is going to break up our day now. Porter still has 3 weeks left of summer vacation, which I guess is only 2 weeks after swimming is over so that's not too bad. I am going to push for the goal of finishing their reading charts before school starts so we can go to Makutu's Island. Maybe we'll spend more time at grandma and grandpa's swimming in our little pool and eating snow cones!

Porter's faith

2008-07-10T13:41:00.003-07:00

Porter said a pretty profound thing today that I thought I'd share. We were in the car on the way to the Library and he said, "We can get a cat when Jesus comes again!" I was kind of surprised by this and wondering what his thought process was asked him why. He said, "because when Jesus comes again he makes our bodies all better and you won't be allergic anymore!" I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. It was just what I needed to hear because I have been having a very hard time with my asthma this last month. I need to remember and have faith that I will be healed and that the limitations of this earthly body are temporary. What a sweet boy with such a sweet spirit of love and compassion for others (I'm sure some of that compassion was driven by his want of a cat though!!)

In other news, Avonell passed level 1 of swimming lessons and gets to start level 2 on Monday. We have 2 weeks left and then lessons are over for the summer. I think all of the kids, well maybe except for Becca, will be sad to see them end. I'm sure we will make many trips to the pool as long as it is open though.

The kids finished their "Read your way to the ball park" this week and now get to go to a baseball game with Drew. I decided that since they did so well with the Library's reading program that I made up our own reading program. After they have read 10 books they get to buy a candy bar, after 20 books they get to buy a new book, after 30 books they get to go to Mcdonald's, and after 40 books they get to go to Makutu's Island. For those of you who are not familiar with makutu's Island, it is a large indoor play place that has a 35 foot bananna tree they can climb up and tons of slides to go down. We love it but don't make it there often enough.

Porter is looking forward to school starting. I have tried to keep him busy but his heart is in learning constantly and I just can't keep up with the school environment while keeping 2 other children busy at the same time. I am still trying to figure out what to do for Avonell's preschool. I have a feeling I will end up doing it at home again, which I love to do so I am actually looking forward to it.

I finished the Book of Mormon last month and I have started the Doctrine and Covenants. I have been surprised at how much more quickly answers to my prayers come when I am immersing myself in the word of the Lord. My goal is to get all the way through the Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith History and the New Testament by the end of the year. If I keep a steady pace it shouldn't be to hard to do.

Avonell is 4 years old!!

2008-06-18T13:55:00.001-07:00

My Sweet Avonell

2008-06-10T14:40:00.001-07:00

Since Avonell is now 4 years old. I thought I would take some time and tell you more about her! I was so excited to find out we were having another baby. A two year wait almost killed me. I was much more sick with Avonell than I was with Porter. There were days that all I could do was lay very still or suffer the consequences and even then not much was kept down! Needless to say I was happy to be past the first trimester.

At about 23 weeks I starting having some extreme pain that we couldn't figure out. It got bad enought that I thought I was in labor. Come to find out I had a kidney stone and that triggered early labor! That was the first of an exciting time. At 34 weeks I went into labor again and had to be stopped. I was ticked by then!

Finally on June 18th, 2004 at 12:03 am Avonell Celeste came into the world. She was beautiful with tons of hair and a little nose. Too little of a nose in fact. At 5 hours old she was flown via helicopter to a nearby hospital that had a NICU. They figured out on the way that her lungs were just fine because she pulled out her intubation tubes! What a stinker! Once we figured out that her nasal passages were too small she decided to have problems with her billiruben levels and had to be under lights for 3 days. We tease that before she was a week old she had already had a helicopter flight, nose job, and her first tanning session! We were thrilled when we got to bring her home. She was still a stinker thought. She was given a bottle in the NICU and as a consequience she would not nurse until she was 2 months old.

Avonell was named after her Great grandmother Avonell Rappleye who was able to be here in Arizona for Avonell's blessing.

Avonell's favorite color is, can you guess, purple. She loves princesses, reading, and dressing up.

She can be heard across the house when she is eating because her nose wheezes.

She has the silliest of personalities and I love it. She has two giggles one sounds like a little chipmunk and the other sounds like a witch cackling! It is hilarious!

When she was probably 2 or so she would tell her daddy "tickle me! tickle me!".

She loves to sing to mommy. She thinks my favorite song is "twinkle, twinkle, little star" because I can play it on the piano in diffefent variations written by Mozart and she likes to sing along.

What else can I say? My life has changed since the day Avonell came into our family. She is growing up so fast. It makes me sad that she will be off to school next year, but I am so proud of the sweet girl that she is.

I love you so much my precious Avonell Celeste! Happy Birthday!

Pictures for fun!

2008-06-10T10:01:00.001-07:00

Becca and her Daddy, where there's a pillow there's a snuggly baby!
Avonell coloring with a cheesy smile!
Becca coloring like big sister.
Brookly's baptism dress. It looks much prettier with Brookly in it!
Becca trying to be a big girl.
She sure loves her brother.
She sure loves the computer.
I think she loves climbing the best!

Baptism dress

2008-06-10T09:29:00.000-07:00

I am finally getting around to updating my blog! So much has happened since May. I finished Brookly Gardner's baptism dress and she looked beautiful in it. If you haven't seen the pictures on Nicole's blog check them out. She is truly a princess.

Porter graduated from kindergarten. He loves school and has had quite the time adjusting to summer break, but I think he is starting to settle in a bit.

The kids started swimming lessons. Porter gets to swim without me this year and is loving the freedom. Becca and I take a Parent & infant class together and later after dinner Avonell and I take a "shrimps" class together. It has been fun to get to spend individual time with the girls, and see how excited Porter is about learning new stuff. He told me he invented a new kind of floating yesterday called a "monster float".

My mom and I have taken on weeding the back yard this week. Surprisingly we are probably 85% done already. My hope is that we can get a swing set out there this weekend. The hard part is that I am not only allergic to the dog but I am also allergic to the weeds that I pull! So I come in after we are done with swollen and scratched up arms. Benadryl here I come!!

We have also gotten to go to the high school for free lunches. We did this last summer and loved it. The kids get a free lunch with everything including a main dish, fruit, veggies, and all the chocolate milk they can drink (or that I will allow them to drink ;) It has been a great way to break up the day a bit. We get up, do chores, play/weed the back yard, go to swimming lessons, eat lunch, come home and take naps. By the time all of that is done Daddy is almost home!

The kids started the summer reading program at the library. They get a prize for every 10 books they read and after they have read 40 books they get free Diamondbacks baseball tickets! Porter has been pretty thrilled that he can read his own books this year without any help. He is so cute, he's starting to be very animated when he reads and it cracks me up!

Tagged!

2008-05-20T09:35:00.000-07:00

I've been tagged by Teanne!

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN TOGETHER? Drew and I have been together for 10 years, married for almost 8. We went on 3 dates before his mission, wrote each other during his mission, and he asked me to marry him 1 week after he got home! We have known each other since 9th grade though.

HOW LONG DID YOU DATE? Hmm lets see 1 month! I don't know if you can consider writing letters dating, but we sure did get to know each other through ups and downs.

WHO SAID " I LOVE YOU" FIRST? I don't really remember it was kind of a mutual thing. I think when true love hits you square in the eyes, like it did us, there are no words that can express that not even "I love you" if that makes sense!

WHO EATS MORE? Definately me! I am a big time emotional eater!

WHO HAS MORE SPEEDING TICKETS? I think that would be me. Drew has only had 2 and I have had 3. Anyone who knows Drew and his lead foot may be surprised by this!

WHO IS SMARTER? Drew is definately smarter when it comes to cars and politics, but I would like to think I am smarter at history and childhood education.

WHO IS MORE SENSITIVE? I am certain I am the one more sensitive and I'm sure he would agree whole heartedly!

WHO DOES THE LAUNDRY? Me

WHO DOES THE DISHES? Me

WHO IS MORE ROMANTIC? Probably Drew, he likes to take care of me. Sadly I'm so busy taking care of 3 children that I'm not very good at taking care of him. It is definately something I need to work on.

WHO PAYS THE BILLS? That would be me again!

WHO MOWS THE LAWN? Luky for me we don't have a lawn!! Just kidding I'm sure that is something Drew would take on if we had grass. He did mow the lawn at our last residence.

WHO COOKS DINNER? That is one of the more shared jobs. Drew is a very good cook. If you haven't had a chance to sample his authentic homemade cajun gumbo you need to. It is fantastic!

WHO IS MESSIER? Hmm... that's a tough one. I would say Drew because I'm always putting things away that he gets out but I'm sure he would say me because I have piles of stuff everywhere that need to be put away. In all fairness though the piles of stuff are things that belong to the kids so it's not really MY mess;)

WHO DRIVES WHEN YOU ARE TOGETHER? Drew

WHO IS MORE STUBBORN? Me

WHO IS FUNNIER? Definately Drew, he is always cracking me up in one way or another.

WHO ASKED WHO OUT FIRST? Drew did. We went to see "Lost in Space" and ate at Mimi's Cafe.

WHO PROPOSED? Drew did. We off roaded to the top of one of the little mountains right off of Brown road before you get to Power. We were overlooking all of Mesa and that's where he asked me. I was surprised to find out later that he was nervous even though I was sure he knew what the answer would be!!

I now tag Wendy, Nicole, and Lindsey

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-05-08T17:35:00.001-07:00

Last day in Paris

2008-05-08T16:57:00.000-07:00

Our last day in Paris was nice and relaxing! We got some good rest and then headed out to Sacre Cour, a beautiful church. The only draw back was that there were about a million steps to get to it! We chose a really good day to go because the weather was very nice and admission was free so there were no lines!

Later that night we got to go to the Eiffel Tower and eat dinner at Altitude 95, the 1st level of the Eiffel Tower. We had split pea soup, duck, and the most amazing cheesecake! We got to see the tower all lit up. In all this trip was an incredible experience. I feel so blessed to have had this opportunity.

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-05-08T14:27:00.000-07:00

Day 4 of Paris trip!

2008-05-08T13:21:00.000-07:00

The fourth day of Paris was probably the most jam packed day of all! First thing in the morning we went to Le Louvre. It was sooooo big there was no way we could possibly see the whole thing in 1 day, so we picked what we wanted to see the most and did the best we could. In all we spent about 2 hours in the Louvre. We saw the Mona Lisa and the crowned jewels as well as some midieval sections.

Next, we went to the catacombes. "The Catacombes" is a place where bones from nearby cemetaries were relocated to unused quarries because the cemetaries were causing the residents to become ill. The bones were arrainged in rows and throughout the tunnels there are dates and quotes to explain when the bones were put there. Ater we finally emerged from the catacombes we grabbed some lunch crepes and a dessert crepe and ate in a little park were Drew had little finches eating out of his hand!

Finally, we rushed back into the heart of Paris and got in yet another line to see the beautiful stained glass in the cathedral of Saint-Chapelle. It was incredible! We got in at just the right time of day when the sun was lighting up the glass.

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-05-08T13:08:00.001-07:00

Day 3 of Paris trip

2008-05-08T12:41:00.000-07:00

Our third day in Paris was another favorite! How can I choose between such great days of the adventure of my life! Anyways, we spent the day at Chateau De Versailles. We spent about 2 hours in line to get tickets and then they told us we had to go to another line to actually get in. Well that line was even longer than the one we were just in! We had some very smart people in our group that found a guided tour that we were able to get into,our guide was incredible. He was very familiar with his history and did a phenomenal job. The gardens were awe inspiring and probably twice the size of the chateau if not more. Part of The Chateau De Versialles was the winter home of Marie Antoinette. It was amazing being in a place that was so old and had so much history between its walls.

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-05-08T12:39:00.000-07:00

Day 2 of Paris trip

2008-05-08T12:10:00.000-07:00

The second day in Paris was one of my favorite days of the trip. We found out early in the day that May 1st just happens to be a holiday so everything was closed. We did, however, find out that the town that Vincent Van Gogh, Auvers-sur-Oise, was open and welcoming visitors! We had a little adventure with our first experience on the Metro and trying to communicate. When we got there I was in heaven! The pictures prove my point! We saw the place of his last residence, where he shot himself, and a cathedral that he painted as well as his grave site. We found a great little bakery on the way back to the train station. Later on in the day there were some pretty interesting protests in the streets. Drew thought this was super cool and wanted to sty to watch the action but we opted to leave.

Day 1 of Paris trip

2008-05-08T12:00:00.000-07:00

The Magnificent Cathedral of Notre Dame
This is the view of the Opera House from our balcony!

I have never been on a plane for so long in my life! We were lucky though and there were little screens to watch movies on the seats in front of us. Drew was pretty cheesed because his didn't work, so we took turns watching movies! When we got to Paris our rooms weren't quite ready so we all ended up walking around trying to find the cathedral of Notre Dame. When we found it it was well worth the walk! Huge, beautiful, and an amazing architectural feat are the words that come to mind.

Stranded

2008-04-23T08:38:00.000-07:00

Sweet little Becca fell asleep at the table during lunch!

When it rains it pours I suppose! Tuesday my car started to stall in the middle of the intersection while taking Porter to school! I was able to get it off to the side of the road and my awesome sister-in-law came to my rescue. I can honestly say that I have never had so much fun pushing a suburban! Anyways, it turned out to be the alternator which wasn't that big of a fix except that today when I went to pick up my nephew the car wouldn't start again. The battery or something else has gone all funky on me! So here we are stranded at home again when there are so many things that need to be done. Dinner will be very interesting when groceries haven't been bought this week! Top Ramen here we come. I can't complain to much though I did get a Coke out of the whole deal, oh not just a Coke a cherry Coke!! I am just glad that all this is happening before we leave instead of while we are gone.

The flu!

2008-04-20T11:56:00.000-07:00

Don't you hate it when people start blogs and then never update them! This past week has been a crazy one at best. Monday Becca got the flu, Tuesday Avonell got the chicken pox and Becca still had the flu, Wednesday Becca STILL had the flu, ThursdayAvonell got the flu and Becca kept on barfing, Friday I got the flu, Avonell felt better and Becca upchucked for the last time this week, and Saturday Drew got the flu. I don't know how Porter got so lucky he completely evaded all of the craziness! I think we are finally all better and we can get caught up on all of the stuff we didn't get done this week. Wish me luck.

tagged

2008-04-10T15:29:00.000-07:00

I've been tagged by Wendy!!

What was I doing 10 years ago?
Ten years ago I was going to MCC and was just starting to date Drew. I was also working at a podiatrists office.

5 Things on my To-Do list:
1. Lose 30 pounds
2. Finish the Book of Mormon
3. Decorate my house the way I want it.
4. Run a 10K
5. Get all my laundry done. HAAAAA HAAAA!

5 Snacks I Enjoy:
1. Carmel corn
2. Chocolate
3. Orange julius
4. Carrots and ranch dip
5. Seven layer bean dip

5 Places I have lived: (earliest to most recent)
1. Salt Lake City, Utah
2. Mesa, Arizona
3. Gilbert, Arizona
4. Apache Junction, Arizona

What would I do if I were suddenly a billionaire?
Hmmm, I would pay off my house, pay off the credit cards, take a couple of weeks and live on the Oregon coast, help Drew's parents get the hotel in Nauvoo going, and then put the rest in savings for the future. Oh, I'd probably buy a lot of books too!

What are 5 jobs I have had?
1. Babysitter
2. Secretary for insurance agency
3. Medical Transcriptionist
4. Dance teacher
5. Worked with special needs children

What are 5 things you don’t know about me?
1. I ran away when I was a teenager
2. I used to clogg at state fairs, talent shows, and ward functions.
3. I wish I could be a pastry chef
4. I want to tour the Revolutionary War and World War sites
5. I would like to be a foster parent someday

I now tag: Nicole Gardner, Lindsey Tyler, and Teanne Fenter.

A little frustrated!

2008-04-05T12:46:00.000-07:00

I don't even know where to begin with my level of frustration right now! I realized today that I have no identity beyond being a mom, and don't get me wrong I LOVE being a mom. I have figured out that this is why I am having a hard time getting excited about going to Paris. Without my children who am I supposed to hide behind, what am I supposed to talk about? Without them I feel lost and akward. I guess this is a natural thing and I am supposed to feel this way but I never thought I would feel so dependent on someone else. I have always been a pretty independent person. So to feel this way seems really weak to me! I have thought how nice would it be just to be able to go do whatever I want whenever I want, but then I thought what would I go do? If I would have asked myself that question 10 years ago I would have had a handful of answers. I guess I'm feeling a little lost today. Tears are good on occasion right? They cleanse the soul or something like that!! On a lighter note I am having a good day with the kids, the laundry is done, the sheets are changed, the dishes are done, and I am going to watch a chick flick tonight while my husband is off to the Priesthood session!WHOOO-HOOO!!

Easter

2008-04-03T20:15:00.000-07:00

I know it's been almost 2 weeks since Easter, but I finally got my pictures on the computer! So here are my cutie pies all decked out in their Easter clothes! I had fun putting the dresses together. I am excited to get going on my next project, sweet Brookly Gardner's Baptism dress. We are calling it a mini wedding dress!!

Avonell said the sweetest thing last Sunday, she came running into my room at the crack of dawn and said "Mommy, I saw the sunrise, it was amazing, it was like a dream come true!". I couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry. My sweet girl brings life to everything around her. The most simple thing brings her joy. I have so much to learn from her as well as Porter and Becca. As stressful as it can be as a mom I sure wouldn't trade it for the world!

A new nephew!

2008-04-01T17:36:00.000-07:00

I have to take a minute to congratulate my little sister Lindsey on a job well done bringing her third baby boy into this world! I am so proud of her and hope to get to see pictures soon! I believe they named him Bryce Lincoln Tyler. You are an amazing mom Lindsey and I am so blessed to have you and your sweet family in my life! Give Garen, Wyatt and little Bryce a big hug for me.

Thankful!

2008-03-28T08:10:00.000-07:00

I just got a pretty scary call from Drew. He made a little small talk and then told me that he totaled his truck! He was going through an intersection and was t-boned by someone who didn't see the red light because the sun was in his eyes. His truck rolled over and landed on its side. He was pinned by all of his tools so he was stuck in his truck for a couple of minutes. In all, he walked away with a bruise and some glass in his shoes! I can't believe how blessed we are. How does someone only get a bruise from and accident like that? Needless to say we are spending some time on our knees today thanking our Heavenly Father for protecting Drew.

Poor baby update

2008-03-18T18:59:00.000-07:00

My poor little Becca has an ear infection and a double eye infection. Luckly we got her on some antibiotics tonight so hopefully we will have our happy little girl back within the next couple of days.

so sick

2008-03-18T10:22:00.000-07:00

poor Becca as sick as can be, but still with a little smile on her face for the camera!

Nothing better than a good read when you don't feel well!

The kids have been so sick this week. I feel so bad for them. I am actually taking Becca in to the doctor today. She is just so miserable we can't stand it any longer! On a happy note the Easter dresses are almost done!

Tagged

2008-03-11T11:42:00.000-07:00

I've been tagged by Teanne!!

1. Pick up the nearest book with a minimum of 123 pages. Mine was New Moon by Stephenie Meyer.

2. Turn to page 123.

3. Find the 5th sentence.

4. Post the 5th sentence on your blog.

"That was usually about when the screaming started"

5. I tag Wendy, Joni, and Shana.

Balloooooons!!!

2008-03-11T11:19:00.001-07:00

30 balloons and two very happy girls!

Today is our Enrichment night celebrating the birthday of Relief Society. We thought we'd have plenty of room for 30 balloons, a jogging stroller, groceries, and 2 little girls. We were so very wrong!!!! The girls loved it and I have to admit I got a good laugh out of it once we arrived at our destination. All I can say is that Coke and Pepsi are my best friends today, sincere apologies to my real friends!

Meanest mom!

2008-02-27T16:24:00.000-07:00

Okay, so today I feel like the meanest mom in the world! We have had a stray cat that keeps sneaking into the garage. It is a cute and VERY affectionate cat and the kids really want to keep it, but unfortunately I am allergic to cats so that is not an option. Porter went to school crying today because of this and as I told Avonell that we needed to run some errands she asked if we needed to get cat food! I'm sure that if Becca could talk she would have something to say to make me feel guilty of depriving her of the need for a cute little kitty cat! Oh well, I guess it's all part of the job. Sometimes being a mean mom is what I have to be :(

music

2008-02-21T12:06:00.000-07:00

For anyone who knows me well, they know that music is life! Hence the playlist. I have to explain the first song though. It sounds a little sad but the reason I like it is because I saw a couple do a lyrical dance to this song on last seasons "So You Think You Can Dance" and I fell in love with the song along with the dance. The other songs are just ones that I like!

A new first!

2008-02-20T13:26:00.000-07:00

Okay, so last night was my first Enrichment night. For those of you who don't know last month I was called as a counseler in the Relief Society presidency over Enrichment. This is so foreign to me I have ALWAYS been in Primary. I spent a little over a year in Young Womens last year and then BAM they surprise me with this. I can literally count on one hand how many times I've actually been able to go to Relief Society since I've been married. Anyways, last night was our first Enrichment night that I was in charge of. We made 40 meals to be frozen and used by the compassionate service leader when people in the ward need meals. I have to say it was a lot of work, but we had a lot of fun and I got to know some of the sisters in the ward better. I can honestly say that I'm getting excited about this calling. So if there is anyone out there reading this that has good ideas for Enrichment activities please share!!

Wednesday......snore!

2008-02-06T15:35:00.000-07:00

Today has been a pretty boring day! I didn't get to run today because the girls got 4 shots each yesterday and Becca was extra grumpy. I did get the usual Homemaker stuff done. Dishes, laundry, sweep, mop. Like I said SNORE! I did get to make snickerdoodles and read more of The Candy Shop War. I think I have decided to start teaching sewing lessons. Anyone out there have any comments on how much to charge?? I don't want to rip people off but I want it to be worth it to me at the same time. I'm open to any suggestions! I am working on some super cute Easter dresses for the girls right now.

London's Run

2008-02-03T18:10:00.000-07:00

Porter showing us his muscles!
Becca snoozing comfortably
At the very top of the rock wall!
Porter on his way down from the rock wall.
In the helicopter.

I had the most fun with my children on Saturday. We braved the cold and woke up before the sun to head over to London's Run. We had a pancake breakfast while we waited for our turn to run. Porter rode his bike, Avonell rode in the stroller for the first half and actually ran with us for almost all of the 2nd mile, Becca slept in the stroller! When we neared the finish line there were people cheering on the runners. Porter took it very personally! He had this look on his face like he was a rock star meeting all of his adoring fans!! He kept telling me that he was a hero! They also got to sit in a helicopter. Porter told me he wanted to climb the rock wall they had set up and I thought for sure he would get scared 2 feet off the ground and need help, but he zipped right up to the very top! Then I though, oh he will panic when he gets to the top and doesn't know how to get down. Nope, he just let go and lightly floated to the ground. He loved it! We had so much fun, I would recommend this function to anyone who can attend. It was a fun family event and was for a great cause.