Meet Halli

Once again, all pictures are backwards. I'll start from the beginning this time.

Friends from my Relay for Life team- Rashelle, Marie, and Debbie! (the real reason Halli decided to come 10 days early!)

Such a proud sister!

The Big Protector (brother).
Meeting for the first time!

The Proud Daddy and his beautiful daughter!


Halli's first night.

Halli right after her first bath

(Cauley "evaluating me")

(Me, showing one last look at my HUGE pregnant belly!)


Well, like life, nothing with the end of this pregnancy happened the way it was "supposed to." I was actually scheduled to be induced on Sunday, April 25th at 3:00 p.m., but questioned whether or not my "date" would stick. (The hospital I was delivering at has been so overloaded with babies lately that no inductions were taking place when they were supposed to.) So, knowing this, I headed down to join my teammates and have a great time walking in the Queen Creek Relay for Life on Friday afternoon. We were all laughing so hard because the lady who was in charge was VERY concerned for me and the baby and pointed out where there were nurses stationed, where the firemen and ambulance were stationed, and where to find a cart to get me some place quickly if needed. I didn't know until later that she had told the firemen there to keep an eye on me. (They seriously were watching my every move all night long! It kinda gave me a complex!) I walked with a few friends for a while, but had some pretty hard contractions that were anything but regular so I took it easy, eating the fruit bouquet I won in a raffle that night from Edible Arrangements, walking around "shopping" at different booths, and chatting with awesome friends. I seriously LOVE being a part of Relay for Life! My walking time was from 10:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m. and by then I knew I had overdone it, so Debbie and I walked really slow. By 11, I could barely move any longer so I packed up my chair and went home.



I woke up at 3:02 a.m. to go to the bathroom and had another hard contraction. Before I was able to climb back into bed, another one. I laid down, another, and so on. I woke up Cauley so he could time them (I couldn't see the clock) and within a few more, we knew we needed to call someone to come stay with the kids. We got to the hospital around 4 where we spent some time walking around the L&D floor, trying to make some progress (I was only at a 2 & 60%, but my contractions were every 2-3 minutes or less still.) After a long walk, and me being exhausted, we were reevaluated and admitted to the hospital. Time to have this baby! I was immediately started on antibiotics because of an allergy. It took forever to get to L&D because all the computer systems were down (and stayed down even after we left the hospital on Monday!)


Things were not going as fast as I'd have liked. My body didn't want to be done being pregnant, and the Dr. and nurses didn't want to hurry me along either. (The antibiotics I had to have had to come with 2 doses every 6 hours apart.) I was frustrated, but what can you do? I tried holding out on the epidural for as long as I could, but by 3 in the afternoon my body couldn't take any more. I was EXHAUSTED!! I got my epidural, which was a wonderful experience this time, unlike with Tyli! FINALLY, around 6 p.m. I had had all my antibiotics and the Dr. told me he would break my water. Once that happened, I went from a 3-5 in half an hour, and then was ready to push in another 45 minutes. I pushed for about 30 minutes before the Dr. told me I had to stop because she was stuck, and probably wouldn't move without help. I wanted to cry, but opted for help with suction. A few contractions later, out came my beautiful baby girl- quietly looking around at her new world. I was worried she wasn't crying, as was everyone else in the room, but she was just content to give us a quiet squawk every few seconds when prodded. She is seriously my quietest baby by far! We all spent another 2 hours in L&D before being shown to our new room.

We were really blessed to get a great location for our recovery room. It was totally out of the way from all the others and had no neighbors- just a supply closet! It was so quiet and nice that we all got pretty good rest. On Sunday we had a few visitors, 3 of my friends from Relay for life (top picture) and my kids who were brought by my in-laws. It was fun sharing our new sweet moments with good friends and family! Monday Morning came and I begged to get to go home- which we did, just at about noon! Aunt LaRee came right as we were being discharged, and it is always fun to see her. Then we came home where we are all happy to be, getting to know our new beautiful family member- Halli D Clark!

Halli D Clark
Saturday, April 24, 2010
8:20 p.m.
7 lbs 10.4 oz
21 inches long

*The D in her name stands for 3 important women in her life; her great grandma, Dora Turley (Cauley's grandma), Halli's grandmother, Debi Ruth (my mom), and my Aunt, Dorothy Ruth.

A little bit of this and that- with a few pictures this time.

I have been doing lots lately to prepare for this little girl to get here and I thought I would add it here for journaling purposes. For those who haven't checked it out lately, Cauley finally did update his blog (it's under my family list on the left hand side under "our other blog").

First off, my baby shower; thrown by these two beautiful ladies, my sister-in-laws, Stephanie and Jennifer.

Here is the dessert table from my shower. The funniest part was I let Tyli come and her first thing she spotted was the diaper cake that's in the background. She said, "Mom, look at that pretty cake!" I asked if she knew what it was made of and she just looked at me like "crazy lady, it's a cake!" So I said "It's made of diapers." "OOOOH GROSS!" she yelled. I laughed so hard!
Here is the other food that was served. Doesn't everything look so yummy? (It was, too. I think I ate WAY too much!)
Here is just one picture from the Clark family's Father and Sons outing the same weekend as my shower. All the guys met at Grandma Greer's house (Brad's mom's) and camped out in her backyard. It was perfect for them! (They had a fire and slept in tents- what more do you need to camp out?) For more details about this, go read Cauley's blog.

Cauley's latest around-the-house project has been working on our backyard. This is a total "before" picture. He has since extended the patio to the far end of the air conditioning units and as far out as the dirt goes clear across. It looks so nice! He also got the jungle weeds (we've had lots of rain!) outta there and cleaned up the yard. It really looks so much better- come and see!
(See the pavers hiding behind the slide?)

You know you're about ready to have a baby when everyone in the ward, including some men, keep asking "How much longer?" Seriously! (I'm HUGE!) *For those who want a belly shot, check out Cauley's blog cause I refuse to post that for journaling purposes! I just had another ultrasound on Tuesday because my belly is what my doctor calls "all baby- not even room for an ounce of fat". (Of course he's wrong, but it sounds good, eh?) Anyways, since there is no give to my belly, he wasn't able to tell how she is laying. He thought she was head down, but couldn't figure anything else out so he just wanted to make sure. She is indeed head down, bum straight up, but instead of facing my back or front, she is sideways, mostly with her feet and knees toward the head. (I was told that's why she sticks out so much- it's her hips and shoulders poking out at everyone.) I have almost gained a full 20 pounds now, so she should be a healthy weight like the others. I am just getting tired of going to stores and having those nosy people say, "Oh wow. You have a baby in your belly!" I was a little insulted the other day when I went down the ice cream isle (not even for ice cream, just cutting down the isle for milk) and a guy who was on that isle looked at me and busted up laughing. "Need a snack?" he said. Oh well. I just hope she gets here soon! I did finish my preschool year out with a graduation last week. Now that it's done, I'm grateful for a little more flexible free time. I am also getting ready to participate in the Queen Creek Relay for Life for the American Cancer Society again. It's next weekend and I plan on walking until this baby falls out!

Cauley has also been very busy helping me get ready for this baby around the house, school, and track. He has been working so hard and I appreciate all that he does. It's hard, having him leave really early (around 5:30 a.m.) and not ever getting home before 6:30 p.m., usually after 10 on meet nights, and then having him busy still with school or track stuff until late at night. Even his weekends are taken. Can you believe he had the nerve to ask me to prom for this Saturday. (He has to chaperon and we usually do that together as a date.) I think I'd be the laughing stock of the world, showing up literally ready to pop!

Well, you are somewhat updated for now. This summer has LOTS going on, including a baby being born, a few family weddings (which we are SO excited for!!!), baby blessing, my parents may come down for a visit (first time in 3 1/2 years!), and other fun adventures. I'll try and do better at posting- unless everyone is right about #4 being a LOT harder to get used to.

Our little one

(I think she looks just like Dallin as a newborn in these pictures!)
Since my weight gain has been very minimal, my Dr. wanted to make sure the baby was growing as she should. We got to go in on Tuesday for another ultrasound. Knowing that's normal for me, we brought Dallin along to see the baby as he's old enough to remember and we thought he would enjoy it. Everything is fine- she's actually a little bigger than all my other babies at this point, which worries me just a little. One thing that surprised me was seeing all her hair- something we've never had pointed out to us before. (all our kids were born with hair, McKade having the least so far.) We got a "for sure it's a girl pic"- too graphic to post! The Ultrasound tech then switched over to 3D and these are the sweet pictures we got- not as clear as what was on the screen, but I still love looking at them! She made the screen go back and forth so the baby looked like she was "talking" to Dallin, which he really thought was funny. It was real reassuring for me to see her sweet little face! I can't wait until she gets here so I can hold and snuggle her to my heart's content!

I am somewhat ready for her to get here. (we have no name put in place yet- for those wondering. I have the one I want chosen, but Cauley isn't positive yet.) The crib is up and I have most of the laundry for her done and put away. I've done most of the shopping for all the needs, but I still am waiting for a few things like diapers and such to go on sale. My sewing attempts for her have proven to be disastrous- seriously! Now I am just at the waiting stage. I do have preschool graduation in 2 weeks, which I am looking forward to. (I love my kids, but it'll be good to be done and not have that to worry about too.) We are going to be doing big sibling classes here at home with our kids for FHE the next few weeks, teaching them where the burp cloths are, how to help change a diaper and give a bath, and how to leave the baby alone. (that'll be mostly for Tyli.) Dallin will probably learn how to pick up and hold a baby, but being a paranoid mom, the thought of that worries me a little. I have to remind myself that he is almost 7, but still. I really am looking forward to the upcoming weeks and what they'll bring.

Spring Break- in a flash!

Once again, my pictures are way out order- oh well, we'll go backwards! Every year Spring Break comes around and we find ourselves busy with life. I know, no excuses, but when your husband is the head track coach and that still happens and I am 34 weeks pregnant, options for fun are somewhat limited! Since my pictures are backward, that's the way I'll go!

On Saturday we decided to head on over to the Arizona Museum of Natural History in Mesa. We started off our trip by making a picnic lunch and heading to the Mesa Temple to eat, but since it closes stating today for the next few weeks for it's annual cleaning, it was REALLY busy! (Plus it was set up for the Easter Pageant, so space was limited to begin with.) So we headed for the Museum and ate our picnic in the parking lot.

This first picture you see is of the puzzle we put together as a family. It was much harder than it looks! (Notice how wet Tyli is- it's from the next picture of her panning for gold!)

This was a hit with our kids! Dallin and I panned for the bigger nuggets while Cauley helped McKade and Tyli go for "quantity." It was actually a lot of fun! I just wish it were real gold!

The Museum was really cool. I had a blast looking around and I actually learned a lot of new information. I think Cauley and I'll have to go back when we can leave the kids, who ran from exhibit to exhibit, home so we can spend more time there. Then again, wasn't this trip for the kids?

On Friday, after Cauley worked outside for a while, we decided we needed to get out! We drove over to Canyon Lake, a 38 mile drive from our house. Even though we don't have a boat or any kind of water toy, we had fun. It was a little chilly and we left all swim stuff at home (on purpose) so we enjoyed watching the kids explore by the lake, watching the boats and ducks, and throwing rocks. It was so nice to get out and away!

Cauley and Ty posing by the lake.

Our attempt at a family picture in front of the lake.

Thursday afternoon/evening was our big surprise party for Grandma Kathy's birthday. (sorry no pics!) We all had fun planning out dinner and then getting together to enjoy the feast with the whole Clark family! (Except Jeff, we really missed you!) My kids really loved hearing about when their Grandma was a little girl. At one point Tyli was being noisy and I told her to be quiet as Grandma was telling about when she was a little girl like her and Ty's response was "That's amazing!"
The morning was spent making the giant cupcake for Grandma (me and Ty) and the boys went with Cauley to his track practice.
Wednesday we just worked around the house and Cauley had practice- no pictures again.
Tuesday was much the same, except Dallin got to join us for our ultrasound and Dr. appointment in the afternoon. (see previous post.) That evening we had a few friends over for dinner as a thank-you for their help getting us to and from places when I was confined to the house with my broken foot.
Monday was so far away from today that my pregnant mind has NO recollection whatsoever!

I realize this was a real quick recap of our week, so check out Cauley's blog for more info and pictures. (It may take him a few days to get them posted- he's a busy man!)

Finally, something positive!

I had yet another foot dr. appointment on Friday, and left feeling so free! The final x-ray showed that the side of my foot is completely healed and my big toe is not alighned correctly, but the doc said he thinks it may correct itself on it's own by me actually walking on it. (I know, it really didn't make sense to me either!) Then he explained that there are a lot of people (I believe he said "most people") that walk around with broken, crooked toes and are perfectly fine. The only trouble would be if there is a lot of pain when I walk. The joint should be ok, but we're still waiting for the toe to go back together. I will not need surgery unless there is pain when I walk after the bone should be healed, which he estimates to be around 6 weeks after having the baby. Guess what that means. I CAN DRIVE AGAIN!!! I now am back to the special "shoe" I was given at the Urgent Care and have to wear that all around the house until I feel comfortable enough to graduate to a regular tennis shoe until my toe is fully healed. I'm supposed to take the boot with me everywhere I go, and wear it (mostly in public) when I'm going to be on my feet a while. (when am I NOT on my feel for awhile?) Other than that, I am a "free" woman! My foot was really weak at first, and it even swelled a lot when I started walking on it again, but it's getting stronger each day. It does still look funny to me, but hopefully I get used to it fast. (My toe is still sideways a little.) Flip flops, here I come- in June!
I love being able to shower standing on both feet once again (especially with this HUGE belly of mine!), being able to bend my ankle once again, and especially being able to paint my toes, which Cauley is going to do for me since I can no longer reach them! (He doesn't think a pedicure before the baby comes is a good idea this time.;( Best of all, in these final 8 weeks, I can get all the errands done to get ready for this baby girl to come that I haven't been able to do for the past 6 weeks!

It's been a while!

Well, I haven't had too much to post on lately since I can't go anywhere or do anything. I just get to sit and wonder when I'll be able to prepare for this new little girl to come. I can't even do laundry easily as my BIG belly makes it really hard to bend over and get the clothes out of both the washer and the dryer and then, once they are done, I can't carry them up the stairs because I can barely get up them without anything in my hands! I have started "nesting" a bit, but again, I can only do things that don't require climbing, reaching from tip toes, carrying heavy items, bending over, and so on. (my boot also doesn't allow any type of bending over without throwing me backwards, which was kinda funny the first few times I tried, since then has become annoying!)

I am 30 weeks now, but am feeling like 36. This baby literally grew to fill my whole belly overnight! I can't tell how she is laying, but I feel her EVERYWHERE, including my sides. She's got quite a personality already, and I've decided she needs to start putting some fat on those bony stubs she keeps sticking out! I have now officially gained a full 9 lbs (YEA!) and if I have't gained around 6 more at my next appointment next Monday, I may be put on a high calorie diet so I make the minimum of 25 lbs. Boy, I do NOT look like I've gained only 9! (Nor do I feel like it!) We still can't agree on anything for a name. We have 2 totally different ideas about this baby's name! Any suggestions? I am still having to take the Zophran, but am hoping I can stop within the next few weeks. Some mornings I do great without it, and of course, others I don't. I am also going to graduate my preschoolers early this year. I've chosen to do so April 8th so I have 3 weeks before the baby should come. I have mixed feelings about this. Also, I go in next Friday for another x-ray on my foot. If it is healing in the correct position, I may get to start taking the boot off for very short periods of time so that we can have it fully off when the baby comes. I am only praying it's in the right position!

Cauley's started track already, and I think He's enjoing it. I know it's been stressful having around 100 kids with very few coaches, but I'm glad all the winter sports are over now so the other coaches should all be starting to show up to run their events. He is worn out, but I'm grateful for all his hard work and help around the house!

Dallin is finishing up his soccer season. He LOVES to play goalie, but if he is playing anything else, he likes "defense" the best. I'm amazed at how good he's gotten this season!
McKade is the same. He loves to play anything and everything he gets a chance to do. He is graduating from my preschool in April, but since he won't be 5 until the end of August, he isn't going to start Kindergarten this next fall.
Tyli has been taking a dance class from a young lady in our ward. She LOVES it and it's nice that she has someplace to go once a week. She is so full of spunk and can't wait for her new sister to arrive. Now, if only she could understand that this baby can't run up the stairs and play with her like her brothers and cousins can! Ty is also determined she can fit into the baby clothes I've started pulling out, and has successfully ruined a pair of pajamas trying to while I was out of the room. She's definitly a stinker!

Well, that's us for now. I'll let you know if anything else changes. We are loving the nice weather, but I'm not able to do much more than sit out front and watch the kids ride bikes. I can't wait to get this boot off and to feel "normal" again!

Not My Idea of Fun!

So, last Thursday, as I was hurrying the 2 younger kids to get down the stairs to get dressed so we could get ready for preschool, I fell. I was carrying an arm load of clothes and started to slip, slightly twisting my left ankle. With my belly getting larger due to being 26 weeks, it threw me off balance, sending me toward the bottom of our stairs. My immediate thought was, SAVE the BABY! So, once I started going forward, I did the opposite and threw myself backward, somehow catching my right foot. When I came to a stop, about 5 stairs down (luckily only 5!) I was in so much pain!
After calming both kids down who were somewhat freaked out from watching me fall, I was able to have McKade get me the phone and then run across the street to get the neighbors. I couldn't get a hold of my in-laws, so I called Cauley's school and they let me right through to his classroom. He came as soon as he could get out the door, and, can I just say I am SO thankful for wonderful friends and neighbors who all jumped into action to help out! I, myself, was a little bit freaking out, looking at my big toe which was going the wrong direction and my foot that was increasingly getting larger by the minute. Brianna and Stephanie both stayed with me until Cauley got here and then Steph took my kids over to her house while we loaded up and headed out. Brianna had lent me some crutches, but with the left ankle hurting too, they seemed useless.
We went to the Urgent Care that's pretty close to our house. We didn't have to wait long, and I think their service is great! The Dr. I saw was hesitant to do x-rays because of me being pregnant, but they were able to find a big 50 lb. apron that they could shield me and the baby with. They only took 2 though, just in case. They came back shortly, telling me that my big toe was obviously broken, but the rest of my foot, despite his initial thinking of it being broken right under the ankle, looked to be only sprained. They gave me a walking shoe, exactly like the one McKade had this summer when he broke his big toe, some crutches, and a prescription for a low dose of pain meds, and told me to contact a foot doctor.
Nothing I did would alleviate the pain throughout my foot! The shoe allowed me to twist my ankle every direction, making that first night very unbearable! I don't think Cauley or I slept- I kept him up from all the pain I was in! The next day I called and got right in to the foot doctor. They decided to just use my x-rays from the urgent care because I am pregnant, but I got a little different prognosis. This time, after looking at the x-rays, they discovered that I had indeed fractured my foot where the other Dr. suspected a break. He also said he knew exactly how it all happened; When I had fallen, I must have caught my toes, mainly my big one when I started to fall, allowing my foot to "fold over" itself. Then, when I had thrown myself backward, I bent my foot in half, twisting as I went down. This doctor also found more areas of my foot that are to now be "watched" as both tendons and ligaments are very pulled, some more possibly being snapped. I was amazed at the x-ray of my big toe, seeing the big piece of bone completely apart from the rest of my foot. (It broke at the joint, right where it all connects to my foot.) That part, the Dr. said will more than likely need surgery after I have this baby.=( He told me the shoe I was given isn't good enough for my "broken foot", leaving me trying to get around with a big "boot" on instead. (So much more like able than a cast!)
That night was MUCH better sleeping, although Cauley said I still whimpered as I slept. I had a hard time at first getting around in the boot, but have now lost the aid of the crutches and am starting to walk somewhat human again. (although, I must look odd, limping like crazy and being big preggo!)
I have now been "resting" for a week, which has been both nice and awful! I have been able to catch up on a lot of Relief Society stuff, mainly phone calls, paperwork, and organizing things. At the same time, I can't drive with this boot on (it doesn't allow you to move your foot down to push on the peddle, plus, I will be cited if ever getting into a crash with it on.) so we are going STIR CRAZY!! My little ones are going so nuts that I had to lock myself in my bathroom earlier today for a good cry because of everything around the house they've gotten into and destroyed. They're smart. Too smart. If I'm upstairs, they're downstairs getting into something, and then when I make the adventure down, they come upstairs to destroy something else. NAUGHTY!!! So, although I have had a week of not going on visits, grocery shopping, running kids to and from places they need to be, I am ready for some freedom!
Now Cauley told me not to brag about him, but I can't help it. I just have to say how thankful I am for him and all his help and support the past week! He has been the one to do EVERYTHING around the house (except teaching preschool) all while doing his everyday job of teaching and coaching. He has been sick this week, making it even harder, but he hasn't complained. Last Saturday he cleaned the house from top to bottom, doing all laundry, dishes, bathrooms, bedrooms, and vacuuming. Oh how I love him!!! Thank you, Babe!

Lots of happenings!

So much has happened since I even got on here last! I can't believe it's almost been a month! Of course, Christmas came and went once again without me posting anything, so, trying to catch up on my posts, I'm going to give you a Clark family overload! The first pic is of Ty on Christmas Eve. We have a big tradition of always getting together with the whole Ruth Clan at my Grandma's house in Idaho. Let's face it- NO house is big enough for us all now, especially all the kids, so this year we all met in the church across the street from her house. All of the kids put on their Rudolf gear for the big song, and Tyli sang her little heart out! McKade was being too shy and wouldn't participate, and D-Man was at my parent's house with Cauley because he had a stomach bug of some sorts. (I felt SOOO bad for him, being sick on Christmas Eve! He kept apologizing, saying sorry he was ruining Christmas, but I was way more concerned for him that what got missed!)

I can honestly say I haven't read a Christmas post on any one's blog where they didn't post their kids in costume re-enacting the Christmas Story from Luke 2, so here is my contribution. Bad pic, but I wanted one where I had Tyli and Brooklynn (her cousin that is 2 weeks younger than her). Tyli played an angle and Brooks was a wise man with a Shepherd's towel on her head? Again, McKade was too shy.

My totally awesome cousin Mike and, my cousin's husband ??? (Sorry, Melissa, I have no clue as to what his name is.) Isn't Mike's outfit the BEST!?! (red sweater, turtleneck, hat) We won't even mention where he found his ensemble, but it wasn't even at DI! The hat was from a game we played- so much fun! I love the kids running around on the stage behind them. That's what they all did all night long!

The day after Christmas was Ty's 3rd birthday. It was all right. We went bowling again with my whole family. Dallin ended up coming back and beating everyone. Tyli was tired coming home, but we managed to keep her awake to open presents. She got through the first one before she threw up. Dallin had passed along the stomach bug. She threw up 2 more times and then fell asleep for the night. Thank goodness. The other kids were confused why the party ended without cake and ice cream or the rest of the presents opened. The next morning she still didn't feel well, but around noon she asked where her presents were. She was excited to finally blow out her candles on a cupcake (so as not to spread the bug on and on!). Like her barbie cake? Yah, it wasn't the best looking cake ever, but Tyli told me it was "Beautiful!" Thank goodness she was just 3 and didn't care.

Another thing Ty got for her birthday was a pedicure from Grandma Ruth. I had got little "bling" jewels for my toenails or fingernails from Santa so all us girls did a home pedicure.

After we got back from Idaho, we had the Clark family pictures. I was dreading it, but they actually didn't turn out too bad. Hopefully there are some good ones I can hang on my bare walls!

My 3 munchkins! (Cauley was able to take out a little cousin who wandered into the shot.) ((Now that I read that, I decided it sounds bad. Cauley removed the little cousin on photoshop who wandered into the shot, I promise nobody got hurt.))

The best Clark family shot we got- not one family has it perfect, but it's the best without a kid looking completely away. I liked the ones where we don't look as posed a lot better, but Cauley needs to do a little "work" on those first.

My absolute favorite picture from that night! catching us all as our true selves!

And finally, the love of my life! We also got great single shots of each of our kids, but I'll have to post those another time. It's nice that all these pictures were taken with our camera, by none other than either Grandma Greer or Jeff. (Dallin took some with the camera he got from Santa, but I didn't post any of those on here.)

I'm 24 weeks and I am finally starting to feel better. (If I take my medicine, I am fine.) I'm starting to wean myself from the Zofran, but can't stop completely. I have gained about 8 pounds total now, and am definitely showing a ton! Still carrying really high with this little girl, which makes me look even bigger than I am. She has caught up in size now and moves as much as my others did. I am so tired all the time, but when I finally take a moment to sit down and figure out why, I fall asleep. That's what teaching preschool, being Relief Society President, being pregnant for the 6th time, and raising 3 rambunctious kiddos does to a woman!

Dallin started his soccer. He is LOVING playing the next age group up. He goes by D-Man to everyone on his team, even his coaches because there is another Dallon on the team. His favorite is when he gets to play goalie. He has made several diving stop, and loves it when he gets to "tackle" the ball. I wish we had a video camera! He looks like he's done it for years.

McKade has found his Independence. We're still teaching him where the boundaries are. He got a new bike from Cauley and I for Christmas and LOVES riding it around. He's missing having his brother back in school.

Tyli has started taking dance lessons from one of the young women in our ward. She loves, loves, LOVES it! It's even something I can hold over her head all week long, which is nice for me. She comes home and dances up a storm for us. She especially loves her "dancing clothes and ballet shoes" she gets to wear.

Cauley is busy as ever. He does get to come home sometimes right after school, but track starts next week. This week he is helping his family out with moving things around and wrestling, so his early days are gone until school is out for the year. He is such a blessing for me! I love how hard he works at everything he has to do, and yet still has time for me and the kids!

That's our happenings for now! I have so much coming up this week for my calling and other tasks in life, so you may not hear from me for awhile again. Maybe. Now you know what we've been up to the past 3+ weeks!

A song for us Mormons from Conan O'Brian

(Thanks, Becky!) This is really funny- you should watch.

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Happy Birthday to me!!!

Guess what I got for my birthday this year? (Hint: I've been asking for one for about 10 years now!) I got a new sewing machine! My wonderful hubby surprised me and picked out the PERFECT machine! (I don't think I've mentioned yet how much I LOVE it!) I didn't actually get to use it on my birthday as we waited until the following week for it to go on sale at Joann's and for them to get a new shipment in, but I was finally able to break it open and start sewing last week. So, without pins, a measuring tape, or anything most (smart) people would use to make their daughter a dress or skirt, I went ahead and made the dress for Ty that I've had the material for for a little while now. (Some people have asked how the heck I measured it, and I'll tell you the same thing- I used a piece of thread.) It is FAR from perfect, but I am NOT perfect as you all know. (There are definitely things I'd do differently if I were to make it over again!) I have never sewn on a machine I have loved so much before. I can't even begin to tell you how "natural" this machine feels to me. It's SO easy to use and I can't wait for more free time so I can make something else! I was hoping to find some white leggings instead of tights and also a long sleeved shirt that fits tighter underneath (this one is way too baggy and bunches funny after Tyli moves around), but that will have to wait. OR, I could make them!?! (just kidding!) Now I can't wait to get sewing some new baby items.

And we're having another.....

Now what fun would it be if I just came right out and told you what it is we're having. For those who REALLY can't stand the suspense; we're painting the "girl's room" pink- by May! That's right, we are evening things out around here by adding another girl to the family.

The best news of the day is that she is healthy! I have really been paranoid about this. So many things can be wrong, and with 2 miscarriages and then to know so many friends who have lost babies late in pregnancy an other misfortunes, I haven't been able to stop worrying. Tyli and Cauley were right- both have been saying it's a girl from the beginning.

The ultrasound itself was almost comical to watch. It is looking like we have an acrobat on our hands. She kept bending her legs all different directions, blocking any view we tried getting. Then, once she tired of this, she decided to lay straight on her back and stick her legs right up and kick like she was riding a bike. (she was sideways, so it was like she was trying to kick off the ultrasound wand.) Sure, it's getting "squishy" in there, but don't tell her that. She OWNS that place! I think this one is my wiggliest baby yet! Then, we never got a good profile pic or a good look at her face as she kept "scratching" her head, then her back, rubbing her nose or eyes, grabbing and sucking on her umbilical cord, and on and on. Even though the top picture is not the best, I like it cause it looks like she's laughing at us. "haha, Mom and Dad- you can't see me!" My most favorite part of the ultrasound was when I was asking the tech if it's normal not to feel the baby move every day or very strong and just as the words came out, this little girl literally did a somersault which I DEFINITELY felt! The tech laughed and said that some babies will do that a lot, but it was just the timing of everything.

I am grateful to have a healthy, growing baby girl inside of me. I can tell she's getting stronger, and am looking forward to when my other kids can feel her kick and wiggle. (Dallin always puts his hands on my belly and asks if the baby is kicking yet.) I feel so blessed. Yet, I fear the day Tyli becomes a big sister. (I hear a dun, dun, dun in the background!) She'll be great, but we've definitely got to work on the sharing thing and the "you're too big for that now" thing!

My not-so traditional Thanksgiving

I love Thanksgiving. It is the one holiday out of the year where I get to chow down on my 2 favorite foods: turkey and stuffing. Not this year!

When I went to bed on Wednesday night I felt like my throat was swelling shut. It hurt to swallow, but I've had a bad cold for over a week now, so a sore throat didn't phase me. (I have been coughing for over a week too, so maybe that's why my throat hurt?) Anyways, I awoke in the early nighttime realizing that I was having a hard time breathing and swallowing. Yep, my throat was swollen, and Holy Cow did it hurt. Cauley got up around 5 am to put the turkey in and I decided that as soon as Urgent Care was open I was headed out.

I got to Urgent Care sometime around 8 am and was immediately seen and swabbed. (throat culture.) Then the nurse took me back and listened to the baby's heartbeat (a policy for that office). Right after she left, the Dr came in wearing a mask. She told me I was positive for strep and then checked me for other things. (I think I only have strep.) The dr said I had a really severe case of strep and wasn't allowed to be around ANYONE for 24 hours. I also wasn't supposed to eat anything I had to chew well for 24 hours as my throat was so swollen I could easily choke on it or it could make me throw up because something about the chewing process and having my throat so swollen. (?) My mind went directly to my favorite feast that was to take place in about 4 hours. I was really bummed- but determined! I got my prescription, then they checked me in and out at the same time, and I went to Walgreens to fill my script. Since I was supposed to be drinking a huge amount of fluids that day, I went and got me a big Caff. Free Diet coke while I waited for my script to be filled. I immediately took the first dose (cause I had my coke!) and drove home and went back to bed.

My family left me with a plate of turkey, a chocolate cream pie and an pumpkin pie and went to Cauley's parent's house for the big feast. I am told they all had a great time eating, going to the park, and eating dessert. They even brought me back a plate with everything on it. I love my husband, but he didn't listen when I told him I wanted a plate with nothing but stuffing on it. Oh well- I had a few good bites of the stuffing he brought me home before I turned my plate over to him to eat the green bean casserole and mashed potatoes and gravy. (they're ok, but when you wait an entire YEAR to eat stuffing and turkey, who wants to eat filler foods?)

No, this wasn't the day I dreamed about for 51 weeks straight since last year, but at least I got my turkey fix. As I lay in bed after waking from an afternoon nap, I thought back on my unfortunate circumstances of the day. I decided to count my blessings instead. Blessing #1- I got to hear my baby's heartbeat again! I have been worried as can be as we have had so many misfortunate circumstances of women losing babies (especially later on in pregnancies) lately in my ward. Even if it did take the nurse a while to find it, the heartbeat was there and it was strong! Blessing #2-I finally got some much needed R&R. Yes, I did spend all day in bed, but I can't even remember the last time I got to stay in bed past 6! I told a friend this last week that all I wanted for Christmas was a pajama day, and I guess my wish came true early. I have been going and going and going since getting this new calling, and I REALLY needed this break! Blessing #3- as I lay there counting my blessings, I felt something very distinct- my baby moving! I have had instances where I thought to myself "was that the baby?" But I was never quite sure. As I lay there, however, I am POSITIVE it was my baby. I finally was taking the time to sit quietly enough to know that my baby is alive and moving inside me- what a miracle I can treasure! I wanted to continue counting my blessings of the day after that, but decided I needed my turkey and pies to fill my growling belly! I ate until I was full, ignoring the UC doctor's orders. (It was pretty hard to swallow the turkey, but worth every bit of pain!) Cauley made the BEST turkey this year and I can't wait for leftover turkey sandwiches! So, even though I only got a 1oth of the stuffing I needed to satisfy me until next Thanksgiving and the turkey was painful to swallow, my day was great. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving too!

PS- I am making me a box of stove top today- not the best, but I can eat it with some leftover turkey. Also, a BIG thank you to all my friends who braved the sunshine and their health to bring me a thanksgiving goody! You guys are the best!

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving

Click on the link below to find a WONDERFUL message!

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving

Articles of Faith of Mormon Culture

1. We believe in SUVs and minivans, as the form of transportation, and in knee lengthshorts, which are always nice, and in multilevel marking.

2. We believe that church ball players should be punishedfor their own fouls, and not for unsportsmanlike aggression.

3. We believe that through bread crumbs, cheese, creamysoups, and rice all casseroles can be saved through obedience to wardcookbooks and creativity in the mixing bowl.

4. We believe that the first layers and ingredients of theDip are: first, beans; second, cheese; third, chopped tomatoes; fourth, thegift of sour cream; fifth, olives; sixth, salsa; seventh, guacamole, that is,if you have it.

5. We believe that a Mormon shouldhave a distinguished or a cute name, that it is appropriateto name a child after a church leader or a historical figure including anancestor, that alternative spellings and French prefixes only add to a name, and thatwhen referring to the names of General Authorities, middle initials should bea part thereof.

6. We believe in the same wall decor that exists in manyMormon homes, namely, framed family proclamations, vinyl lettering, inspirationalword signs, family photos, pictures of temples and Jesus, and so forth.

7. We believe in the gift of the re-gift, church books,crafts, family photos, baked goods, emergency supplykits, and so forth.

8. We believe in sparkling grape juice so long as it isnonalcoholic; we also believe in bringing root beer and sprite to ward parties.

9. We believe in all that we have scrapbooked, all that wewill now scrapbook, and we believe that we will yet scrapbook many great andimportant things pertaining to our family, friends, pets, and vacations.

10. We believe in the literal mixing of ketchup and mayo and in thegenerous application of ranch dressing;that CBAs (church-based acronyms) will be used to describeYM/YW, PEC, the Y, NCMO, and CTR; that Mitt Romneywill get Mormons to vote for him any time heruns; and, that the Mormons will enjoy readingTwilight and The Work and the Glory.

11. We claim the privilege of trying to identify commonacquaintances with any visitor at church, and allow all other people at church thesame privilege, and let them name drop the names of Famous and generalauthorities how, where, or what they may.

12. We believe in beingsubject to scoutmasters, pampered chef hostesses, and the writers ofthe U.S. News and World Report Rankings for professional schools, and inobeying, honoring, and sustaining Glenn Beck.13. We believe in being above average, good at crafts,optimistic, and being fifteen minutes late everywhere we go. Indeed, we may saythat we follow BYU football. We believe rumors about famous people joining thechurch, we hope to meet the three Nephites, we have endured many pyramidschemes, and hope to be able to endure all pyramid schemes. If there is anythingcheap, free, sold in bulk, or given away when somebody is moving, we seek afterthese things.

A new begining for us!

Well, most of you who read my blog (all 5 of you!) are in my ward or are family, so you probably already know the big news. A few weeks ago our ward split. (hopefully our last for a long time!) We are now part of the Pecan Ranch Ward, which consists of 1/4 mile by almost a mile the other direction. It was pretty exciting, especially since I didn't know too many people anyway. The next Sunday no callings were made, which I thought was pretty odd. They asked all of us to keep serving in our old callings that we were before we split off, so Brianne and I kept up for the Relief Society. However, I did get a call to meet with the Bishop later that week. Uh OH! (Just kidding!) I was called as our ward's new Relief Society President. I laugh even looking at it. My mom's first reaction was "You can't be a Relief Society President- you're too young!" Well, as young as I feel, I know that Heavenly Father needs me, and that He has prepared a way for me to do whatever it is that He is needing me for at this time. I have been able to get the medicines I need to stop throwing up, I have been blessed to feel a lot better then any other pregnancy, and I have somehow found a way to do all that He's asked of me so far. I'm not going to say it's been easy, because I've spent countless hours on my knees and in tears in behalf of the sisters, but I've never felt the love for my fellow Relief Society sisters before, which is turning out to be a pretty amazing thing. The following week after meeting with the bishop to receive this calling we had Stake Conference and so today my two counselors and I were sustained. Can I just tell you how much I LOVE the sisters who are serving with me!! They were definitely put there to help me and teach me how things go, that is for sure! Hopefully by next Sunday I'll have 2 secretaries called, as well as a few other things that need filled.

Happy Halloween!

Tyli, our fairy princess.
All glittered up!

Luigi and Mario! (Brothers!)

(One of my favorite pics of them. )

Our 2009 Preschool Halloween Party. I do have to say the costumes this year were PHENOMENAL!!! One of my friends made 2 of them, the elephant (her daughter's) and Ariel. She is so very talented and some day I want to be like her! I loved EVERY costume this year!


Halloween was a very much anticipated event for our house this year! Tyli asked EVERY morning if it was Halloween day yet (and her birthday, but lets not go there!). She was mostly excited for the glitter spray and getting to wear her wings. My boys had the perfect costumes for them. They LOVE Mario and Luigi! They did have real mustaches that came with the costumes, but it looked better having me paint them on.

We started off the holiday with our preschool party. It went ok, but I kept remembering last year's preschool party (when I started miscarrying) and freaked out so I took it really easy and made it all low key. McKade said it was still fun. Then Friday night was our ward's Trunk or Treat. It was stressful- myself with the 3 kids eating dinner and all wanting to run different directions. (Cauley had a varsity football game.) Dallin is at the age where he thinks he should be able to go off by himself with his friends, but I'm not ready to give him that much freedom. We made it around the parking lot once and I decided I had had enough trying to keep us all together so we left- with fits from all 3 kids of course! The fun part was just about every trunk we went to where the dad was handing out candy, he would say "It's mario and Luigi!" (In a funny Italian accent.) Some even got their camera out of their car and took pictures of the "Mario Brothers! "Then we headed over to my friends the Richetto's for an adult Halloween party. Sarah had hired a babysitter for the kids upstairs which was WONDERFUL! I laughed so hard and had a great time, but wish Cauley could have been there with me! It was fun seeing old friends while getting to know new friends from my new ward. (I'll explain that one in a different post in 1 week!)

The next day was Halloween. With our procrastination, we almost missed out on pumpkin carving this year! I went to 2 stores before being told by someone else looking for pumpkins that had also been to 2 other stores that the only pumpkins left in our area were at the Olive Mill. I drove as fast as I could and actually got the very last one! (I got a 3 dollar discount for that too!) Cauley and the kids had a great time cleaning and carving it, but the smell was too awful for me. It turned out really great! That evening I helped get the kids ready and off they went with Cauley Trick or Treating! (I went to Stake Conference.) They didn't go far but got so much candy that Ty couldn't even carry her bag! (she drug it along behind her until Cauley convinced her to let him carry it.) Again, the boys' costumes here a hit according to Cauley. Some people even thought that Tyli was the princess to finish off the group. (She corrected them of course!)They had a blast though. They really only went a few streets but came home with a bag full each. Now I gotta hide it- from myself!

Blessed!

My posts all seem to be around one theme: How sick I am during pregnancy. Sorry about that. I did just want to say that I am so blessed.
The only medicine that works that I'm not allergic to that can help me stop throwing up a ton is zophran ODT- the 8 mg one. My last Dr. appointment I was able to finally get the script., but was told my insurance will only cover 12 tabs a month. My dr. and I had set it up so that once I finished my 12 tablets for October, I'd be given an at-home IV pump of the zophran so I wouldn't lose anymore weight. (I had lost only 13 lbs since my last dr appointment, but that's more then they'd like me to lose.) I went and filled my script and was talking to the pharmacist about this. She was really sympathetic because she has a little sister who has the same condition when pregnant (hyperemisis gravadarium) and the pharmacist said she literally had to go live with her sister and help her out during her last pregnancy. She then told me about a loophole she may have found for me to get more medicine, but told me not to get my hopes up, just in case.

Well, I took my last tablet this morning, but felt I needed to try and get more before I wake up tomorrow morning, knowing I'll be too sick if I don't take my meds within the first 5 minutes of regaining consciousness. I went to Walmart and guess what- I GOT MORE!!! The pharmacist just smiled when she saw me and was putting it into the computer before I even got to the counter. She said she was waiting for me to come back. (I had 2 extra tablets from my pregnancy with Tyli that I was saving- and had taken in case I couldn't get more.) I truly felt the hand of the Lord in all of this! I am just so happy right now. I literally had to restrain myself from hugging the pharmacist! I know that Heavenly Father has something for me to be doing right now, and I am praying I am strong and healthy enough to do it! This was a very nice tender mercy for me to receive!

Some relief in site!

I finally figured out why my stinking medicine wasn't working this time- it was the wrong dose! I had saved some of my Z. from when I had been pregnant with Tyli because we fought HARD to get the insurance to cover it (it's very expensive otherwise!!!) and so even though it was expired, I vowed I would still use it when it came down to me being sick or not. So, I pulled it out, and in a moment of stupor, sat daydreaming/staring at the box that last time brought me so much relief. My eye finally caught the mg # and I about cried. My new prescription was for 2mg, and my old one was for 8mg! YEA!!! No wonder it wasn't working- I was only getting 1/4 the dose that after trial and error we know DOES work!

I needed a new post....

I am getting tired of nothing new on my blog- probably like the rest of you so I thought I'd share some good news... We are having a baby!!! Yes, you read it right, I am pregnant. I've been worried out of my mind~ especially since I hit my famous 7 week mark and didn't really get very sick like I normally do. My mom reminded me that all pregnancies are different, which brought a little relief, but not much. I guess I just had to wait until my 8th week for this pregnancy because the past week or so has been a major killer for me! Also since my previous 2 miscarriages, my worry about that happening again has left a lot of doubt that otherwise wouldn't be there. FINALLY, after waiting 3 weeks since my first Dr. appointment, I had an ultrasound which showed us the baby and the baby's heartbeat. I cannot begin to tell you just how comforting it was! I read somewhere that once you see the heartbeat (or hear it), the chance of miscarriage drops to 3%. We even got those un-tellable pictures for proof. (I would post one, but really, all you can see is a little white blob amongst black.) My confirmed due date is May 2nd. We celebrated afterword at the Yogurt Jungle. Like I said, morning sickness has truly hit now, and even though I'm not down major pounds like normal, I'm down 7 since Friday. The hard part is even with knocking myself out with the meds that usually work for me and not being able to take care of my kids, I am still sick! A BIG thank you to my sis-in-laws for the help and food they've brought over!!!

I just loved this. If you haven't seen the new Reflections of Christ Project: Another Testament of Christ, please go here.