...Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Ruth 1:16 This is the journey of our lives...

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Getting ready to show!


A horse show!
Graham's first:) he is thrilled!
Gunny's was gifted to us by Susan, she has been training Graham and Gunny to drive a cart but we are not quite ready for that yet. So on April 10th, Graham will do a halter show with Gunny. Gunny has much more experience than us, so we are really just along for the ride. We have been blanketing him every night to get all his hair off, but he will still get a full body clip and bath next Friday.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

I hate toilet humor...(Warning graphic dialogue)


My children are a little like Adam Sandler....funny, yet they tend to go overboard with the toilet.

Let me explain...

yesterday morning began with Strawberry shortcake getting a bath in the bidet (pronounced - biday)...Cozy found this a perfect bathtub for her dolly. It was easy to reach, a doll fits in perfectly. Unfortunately Braxtyn thinks she's french and uses it daily. Never the less, Strawberry, got a real Clorox bath.


This morning as the girls were bathing, they both started screaming as #2 floated amongst the bath tub toys.. I know..I'm gagging too. YOU didn't have to clean it up.


So, in short I'm over toilet humor.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Random catching up...

This is Ayla and my mom

(These are two of Cozette's very favorite things in the world, she speaks of them to everyone we meet and asks about them at least every hour:))


5,6,7 weeks... What is the difference? This is by far the hardest time in any one's pregnancy. Except for my first. With Noah, there were a lot of naps, I went to work and someone really appreciated everything I did, I finished projects, I came home to a clean house, I rarely cooked big meals and I spent most evenings relaxing on the couch next to my sweet husband. Noah came two weeks early, his nursery was ready, his clothes were washed, and I spent two long guilt-free days just lying in the hospital with him and Daniel. Ahh, that is called first baby bliss. However, to be fair this also included my hardest recovery, hardest new-mommy adjustment, total confusion, colicky baby every night kind of homecoming. so since then each new baby it has been easier and easier...


On the other side, the last few weeks are a nightmare. I have been having painful contractions since last night. They stop when I lay down. So no real worries, IF I COULD LAY DOWN!:) it has been painful to just stand up, bend over, pick something up, and walk around... so all my daily activities are a joke. I know I'm not in labor and its my body just doing what it knows how to do, but its a little early for this!




Well since I've last posted, Braxtyn has found many things to occupy her time... burying the key to the little tractor cart, losing some earrings, and of course cutting her hair! I never thought she'd do it but sure enough. She has bangs now and a few short layers on the sides. ugh..it's not easy to fix with such long hair!




Graham has also lost the pin to the trailer for the cart, lost his cowboy hat and needs new boots after just three months. I should learn how to make boots..hmm..




Cozette has found her will, she enjoys getting her way and lets us know very well when she doesn't. she is learning new words, but mostly talks about the dogs and horses. she loves to tell stories and uses big hand movements and uses her limited word choices to describe everything. Very entertaining, not very coherent.




Noah is at a very helpful age. He is very willing to give a hand. He has however, figured how to pull the " Do what I want to do quietly and no one will notice I'm disobeying" trick, or the "I'm such a great kid, how could you tell me no!" thing. Funny how they figure things out so quickly.




Quinn is miss active throughout the night. We have some adorable ultrasound pics of her and are just anticipating her arrival.




Daniel and I are very happy. We are enjoying our stay with my parents. They have been amazing, and although we are looking forward to our own home very soon. We will miss our communal living experience. If you can believe it, the kids are happily sharing one room! Daniel is working like crazy and enjoying every challenging minute. We are at home quite a bit and I'm thankful we are staying here during the most beautiful weather months in Arizona. We spend most of our time outdoors. Cozy's first request in the morning is "I want a gack (snack which means food), Ayla and Zip pease (let's feed the horses and dogs please). Zip, is the dog that puts up with Cozy's affections; mainly because he knows it comes with food and crumbs.


6 weeks and counting!

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Settling in...

We are settling in, I have some great pictures but I can't post them. I don't have my computer set up yet. I'm still using my dad's laptop. So words will have to do for now. I know one day I will look to these posts and see from a better perspective what this journey means and what we have learned along the way.

Daniel got in safely and we were able to keep all of our things in Daniel's parents garage. The other part of our things are here at my parent's house. The addition is done. Leave it to my parent's to close in a room, add a closet, move electrical, paint, order custom doors and move furniture in a weeks time. Noah and Graham are in their beds, but they are side by side instead of bunk beds. The girls are sharing a bunk bed (well, Cozy will try the bottom bunk next weekend). We have the girls dresser and some toys in there. Thankfully its a very large room so it works out great. They are all getting used to sleeping together and try not to wake each other up in the mornings. Mornings are still earlier here, we use the time by feeding and getting school done. Daniel and I have a room to ourselves, which is so nice. We all share the bathroom, which makes things easier at these ages since I help them all bathe and get ready for bed still anyways. Noah is requiring more privacy, so he just locks the doors to keep Cozette out. They are loving it and working hard to earn money by cleaning corrals for Grandma and Grandpa. Noah has learned to drive the cart and can pull the wagon. So he dumps the manure for grandpa. He is showing so much maturity these days.

The kids all got some kind of flu/upper respiratory thing this week. High fevers and cold like symptoms, they are still battling it but are feeling much better today.

I'm feeling bigger and pretty uncomfortable this time around. Baby #5 is definitely taking its toll on me. I have this weird rash on my stomach and some crazy uncomfortable veins on my leg.

We are celebrating Valentine's Day at home with the sick kids tomorrow!
Have a great love day:)

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Coming Back

What a journey we have been on. We are back in Arizona and loving the beautiful weather. The time change has been tricky, we are still going to bed early getting up earlier than usual. In NC, we would get up around 8:30 or 9, it was so dark and cold. But here we are up by 7 and can't seem to stay indoors. That has been so fun for the kids. My parents have been overwhelmingly gracious to us. We have enjoyed our stay here so much. We are looking forward to Daniel's arrival. He has been packing, cleaning the rental and now driving across the country. Hopefully he will be home at the end of the week.

Taking care of the horses is and being outdoors is therapeutic for me. It has been good for my body and soul to have this each morning. I do so much better outdoors than in. I'm not riding but I'm looking forward to it after the baby comes. Graham is riding Gunny and the boys are cleaning stalls everyday and fixing their fort, they had to leave behind. They panned for gold in the wash this morning and were convinced they had struck it rich. Braxtyn is enjoying her job of taking care of the dogs, they greet each morning and evening and she loves their attention. cozy is appreciating all the extra attention from grandparents and loving wandering outside and getting into lots of trouble:). She calls my mom and dad bopbop or just ba. Its too funny, we try to correct her to saying grandma, but she has refused to change it. Mom's not to pleased with the name, but answers to it all the same. We are sharing one room and working on remodeling the other bedroom. We will have two rooms and a bathroom to ourselves, this will be a nice re-treat especially with the big property to play on.