Oops... Did I forget something???

Well, It has been a very fast 7 months since my last post. I think that I had forgotten that blogs even existed! Yet, we are still here and still enjoying life!
Really this just shows how good I am at journaling. 8 months of journaling went reasonably well, then I fell off the wagon. 7 months later here I am... let's see how well I can do this time!



Lots has happened since my last post:
-- In August we took a trip to Washington to visit with my family. We got to spend time with all of my 6 sisters, go hiking and swimming in the Columbia River, tour the Wanapum Dam, stay in Chalets on the beach in Oregon (Josh bought me a wave board which I almost killed myself on), and spend a few days camping with my aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents! 3000 miles of driving later... we were home.
-- Elizabeth turned 4 in September! Yah! Big girl! We had a cute little party at the park with her frineds. We decided that we wanted to teach her simple outdoor kids games. So we played Red Rover and Duck, Duck, Goose. (FYI-- these games are not played the same way as I played them growing up. Nowadays, if you send a kid to the mush pot... they cry. Instead, if you get tagged... you get to go again. Woops... I wish someone would have told me that sooner!)
-- In October we went on a wonderful vacation back east! I had never been much farther east than Colorado, so this was a fun adventure. We stayed in New Jersey with family (thanks Shaun and Maria!) that toured us through New York, New Jersey, and Pittsburg. We especially enjoyed a trip to the Manhattan Temple! What an amazing place to have a temple... at the intersection of 3 major streets!
-- In November, Jorgan and I traveled to Ellensburg for my sister Melodie's wedding. So grateful to have a new brother! Hope he feels welcome and loved in our family! P.S. A 5 day vaction with 1 extremely mellow child, and 8 adults... is HEAVEN!!!
-- Right before Thanksgiving we moved into a rental house! It is amazing the difference a garage and a backyard has on the peace in a home! Everyone seems to have a little more personal space. The kids have friends to play with right outside the front door! Never knew how a house could change so much! Thank you Heavenly Father!
-- Christmas! It was fun to just be our little family! On a whim, we decided to take the kids to a movie Christmas Day. Alvin and the Chipminks: The Squeekquel. Cute! The girls loved it! Or maybe they loved sitting in a cushy chair with a lap full of popcorn! Who wouldn't?
-- From after Christmas through New Years we spent with both sets of Grandparents... at the same time! Can't get much better than that. Rachel kept telling my mom, "No! You're not Grandma! You are Grandma Patti!" Wow... why do two year olds have to be right all the time!
-- Finally the New Year. We celebrated our anniversary at the Venetian watching Phantom of the Opera! Amazing!! Except for the part where I had to walk from the Venetian to Planet Hollywood in my 4 in heels. If the pain wasn't bad enough... I had to wiggle my way through a thousand street junkies handing out naked lady pamphlets! AHH!! Needless to say, to save our marriage, my husband got us a taxi back to the Venetian!




-- Now here we are! Mid January. Josh loves his job! He transfered over to the ER and is doing amazing there! I am doing the best I can to be the best mom I can! Which sometimes I fail miserably at... but my kids still love me and we are learning together! Jorgan will be one next month... I can't believe how he has grown and become such an important part of our family. Rachel will be three in March! She amazes me more and more everyday! She learns so quickly! Elizabeth is taking gymnastics at the community center! She is adorable to watch and frequently asks, "Mom, can I go to gymnastics every day?" By the way, she is going to start Kindergarten this year! Life flies by way too fast! We are happier than ever and loving eachother more each day!



-- Here's to another day, another week, another year, an entire lifetime, and forever! Thank goodness for the life of our Savior, Jesus Christ, the atonement, and His love for us. I am eternally grateful to our Father in Heaven for the incredible blessings that he showers on us each day! I love my family and the life we have together here on earth. I am so grateful that we can be together for eternity. Who could ask for anything more?

Yah for Primary!!

Ok, so I know it's been a really long time since I've posted anything... but I don't get much computer time these days. Monday in the car I hear Elizabeth in the back seat talking to herself... not unusual. But as I listened to what she was saying, I realized that she was reciting the Faith in God Declaration that she repeats every Sunday in Primary. So today I had her recite it to the camera. I love Primary!!!

Good News!

So I think that it is just our lot in life to have really fussy babies. We love our little Jorgan, but it has been rough on everyone for him to be so fussy all the time. Not to mention the fact that he is constantly hurting!
On Monday Josh called the pediatrician and it was decided that it is finally time to medicate the baby that never stops screaming. It has been an incredible blessing. We starting him on Zantac, an acid reducer, Monday night. On Thursday morning I got up and fed Jorgan, then laid him down on the floor so I could get some breakfast. I walked into the kitchen and whispered to Josh, "Listen.... no crying!"
I can't tell you how wonderful it is to have such a sweet baby. He smiles constantly now! There's more smiling than crying... I love it!

Who needs a backyard...

...when you have a blow up pool, a slide, and a patio!




It got super hot all of the sudden... as it always does... and it's been more difficult to go outside and play. I took the kids to the park Friday morning, and it was just too hot for Jorgan. The girls were ok with running around in the heat, but Jorgan just cried. I can't keep everyone inside all summer... so we ran to Target and bought a blow up pool for the patio. Now Jorgan can watch from inside with the a/c and the girls can still play outside.

Elizabeth keeps saying, "Thanks mom for my whale pool!" Rachel says, "Mommy!! Watch me!!" Jorgan sleeps peacefully in the swing!




Now... if I only had a hose, I wouldn't have to fill up the pool one pot of water at a time!

Jorgan's Blessing

Today was a beautiful day! I guess there is always a special peace about having your baby blessed. Jorgan had such a sweet spirit about him today! This morning when I went to get him out of bed to go to church I caught him smiling in his sleep. Then he smiled at me while I changed his clothes and got him ready. I kept telling him that today was a special day and he seemed to know it.
He received a sweet blessing from our Heavenly Father and I felt the truth of His words so strongly. The thing that I remember most strongly about his blessing was that he was blessed to be patient with his sisters and that he would always be respectful to his sisters and to his mother. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I received a testimony of the tenderness of his spirit. I guess he'll grow up to be a lot like his daddy!
Ok, enough with the mushy-stuff... here's some pictures!



This is our super cute baby boy! Thanks to Grandma Patti for the sweet blessing outfit.



This is Jorgan with his Great Grandma Junia. Aren't they a beautiful pair!



Uncle Kevin, Aunt Mechel, Jacob, Jared, and Cameron all made the trek from Spanish Fork to be with us on our special day. It was so fun to have family here!



Here's Grandpa Davin, Josh , Grandpa Dwayne, and Jorgan. What a group of handsome men!



And, of course, Jorgan and Daddy. What a perfect day!

Our Easter Hunt

Jorgan is Smiling!

So for the last few weeks Jorgan has been giving me occassional smiles. The last few weeks of practice has paid off because he is now smiling at lost of things and, when he is in a good mood, lots of people. He loves faces and yesterday I even got a little giggle. He is growing up fast! Tomorrow he will be blessed by his daddy, so we want to invite everyone to be there if they can. Our meeting starts at 9am at the building behind Cimarron Memorial High School on Smoke Ranch and Buffalo. Hope to see you all there!