Baby Booty!

Belly measuring can only happen at a baby shower, right?

Two of my sisters-in-law are pregnant with their FIRST baby!

So, we put on the first baby shower for Shae this month.

Baby Showers also mean good yummy chocolate!

As you can see all over Anna's face...

Oreo Truffles are the best.

Shae has two half sisters who were teenagers when she was born.

They live in Utah and were able to join us

with their own daughters to celebrate!

And provide a gift like this...

A baby spa? Are you serious?
They didn't have stuff like this when I had my first...

and it wasn't THAT long ago.

Lilly, my neice, is now full time with her daddy and Carly...
so she got to join us, as well.

The only reason I put this picture in is because...

Look how long my hair is?!?

Do you know how long I've been growing it for?

I have not cut it (besides trims) since before I got married!

This is 10 years of hair growing!

My mom with two of her best friends, Sharon & Cindy...

who I always considered my "2nd moms"

and now consider my friends, as well.

They are always so supportive.

The McEntire gals...me & my 4 sisters-in-law.

With the nana & some kids

Shae with her best friend, Jen, who came all the way from California.

I think the picture shows the belly off, perfectly!

Shae with her sister's creative "diaper" cake.

And all of this will lead to this....

Welcome to Motherhood! Can't wait!

You'll be a great mom!

When it rains, it pours...but there is always a rainbow!

What a week we've had. Saturday night, while enjoying a Valentine's Day dinner together, Ben & I got a call from our babysitter that Anna was throwing up.

Oh great, so much for date night.

Her throwing up, though, wasn't just your ordinary flu. Except for the time Colton was sick with Kawasaki Disease, I have never seen any of my children as sick as Anna became. We had to make a trip to the ER late Sunday night to try and get fluids in her tiny, severly dehydrated body. Blood wasn't getting to her hands and feet, she was completely listless and almost non-responsive. She was so sick, she just layed there while the nurse attempted FOUR different viens to insert an IV...no fighting. Now that is sick for my little fighter. The nurse finally gave up and I just had to wake her up every 10 minutes and force her to drink for the next 24 hours. She hardly responded at all during that time--she'd wake up just enough to drink a little, then fall right back to sleep. She started getting a little better Wednesday...but still isn't quite back to normal.

Friday, though, added a little more to our "sick" plate. Bryson had been complaining all week that his stomach hurt, he hadn't been eating very well, and was really tired. We thought it was probably just the flu passed onto him fron Anna, until really early in the morning Friday, he woke up screaming that his stomach hurt "right there" pointing to his lower right abdomen. Great! That sounds like appendicitis. So, off to the ER, he went with Ben; while I stayed home with still sick Anna. It turned out not to be appendicitis, thank goodness. He spent the rest of the day, though, throwing up--thanks to Anna.

It was then passed onto Daddy. Sorry, Daddy!

So, what is the rainbow?

We sold our Colorado house.

It will finally be behind us. We were contacted by a couple who found our expired listing on MLS and wanted to see the house. Our renters were very gracious and accomodating. The couple gave us an offer this week and after some back and forth, we finally came to an agreement.

We feel very blessed that this burden will be gone.

So that was our week! Not a very fun post, I know...

Look at those cute kids!

In honor of Valentine's Day

I am posting a picture of me and my hubby

back in our dating days

even though it was only 9 years ago...

it looks like a lot longer

not only because I am wearing overalls

(what was I thinking)

but we look SO dang young!

Kids.

Love ya, baby!

Happy Valentines Day!

Roses, Cars & Rockets

I've been really loving fresh flowers this winter.

I used to think it was such a waste of money--

they just die.

But, I bought some in the beginning of January

and just threw them out when Ben

brought these home.

I now think it is a very inexpensive way

to brighten up a dreary winter day...

especially when they last for a month!

(Maybe I just got a lucky batch)

So, Valentines is my time to get creative with the kids...

(Disclaimer: not creative enough to come up with the ideas

--thanks internet users--

but creative enough to spend the time to carry out others ideas)

This year was candy rockets for Bryce

(I only have 1 here, because he had his party before I got the pics)

They were made with a giant smarty roll wrapped in paper
with a hershey kiss on one end

And paper flames on the other


Colt's appropriately involved hot wheels...

We rolled lego cars wheels in paint and drove them on the card,

then taped a car to the card.

I hear they were a hit with the kids

(and probably moms, too, since there wasn't any more candy).

Thanks to Wal-Mart for making it semi-affordable.

And for the culmination of this Valentine's post...

My smiling ANNA who LOVES the camera!

Happy Valentine's Day!