2017 Family Pics

 Family pictures.  I've been holding on to these for over a month because I didn't want to ruin the surprise of my Christmas card.  I'd never thought about it really, but last year my brother made a very pointed comment about how difficult it is to get excited about a Christmas card with pictures he'd seen splashed all over Facebook and Instagram.  I thought he was being totally annoying.  I love Christmas cards, even if they are pictures I've seen a million times before but I took it to heart so I've saved these ones.  I did post one of the kid's ones on Instagram so my father in law knew I had them and begged me to send him one.  I finally did so now Mr. Squish will finally be on the grandkids wall.  He is only 15 months old.  It isn't my in-laws fault though.  Last years pictures were such a fiasco that I still get mad talking about so they didn't get much play. 

This years pictures I'm much more pleased with.  I benefited from last years lessons.  I had two outfits for each kid to choose from (four for Gigi).  So they all picked what they wanted.  The negative on that is all my older kids picked blue shirts and there was less pink and teal then I'd intended but at least everyone was happy.  I'm very pleased with all the shots.  Excuse me my motherhood but my children are beautiful.  The only bum deal, I don't love the photographer. This was my second time doing photos with her.  She took some of a cake smash for Mr. Squish and she just never does a good job of putting me at ease.  I miss Jessica.  It is nice when you love the person taking your picture.  Then you can one have fun, and two when things go to pot, like they always do when you are taking pics you know they will understand, and you trusted them to squeak out amazing.  Thanks a lot Jess for giving me such high expectations :)  I miss you!

LDS Temple Tour

 A couple weeks ago we had the opportunity to tour the Meridian Temple.  It was a great opportunity.  Normally only endowed members of the church who hold a current recommend are allowed to enter the temple but during the time before completion of the construction of a new temple and the dedication everyone is allowed to tour.  Our kids loved the tour.  The temple is truly beautiful inside.  The wood work, tile, furniture, paintings, mirrors, everything is of the highest quality.  The kids favorite places were the baptismal font on 12 oxen and the sealing room where members can be married.  This week the temple is being dedicated and the kids will no longer be allowed to go but before that Captain E had the opportunity to participate in the cultutal celebration.  It was the culmination of 9 weeks of practice.  Their were dances and singing.  E was part of the choir.  I had to drop him off to be taken down to the performance at 5:30 in the morning.  There were 5000 youth performing so there was no room for parents.  We watched instead at the stake center.  Remarkably I actually caught a glipse of him.  There were so many youth I'm pretty sure not every parent can say that.  It was a great experience.  He never once complained about practising and had a great time performing.

Flashback to my premature baby

Cheetah's birth was still the hardest thing I've ever gone through, so I shouldn't have been shocked when last month during that birth survey I started crying talking about it.  I now have a vibrant, enchanting 6 year old but that it hard to imagine when you are on bed rest, with ruptured membranes at 27 weeks.  I knew early on there was a very good chance she would survive.  I was in the hospital long enough to get steriods and babies born post 27 weeks have like an 80% survival rate, by the time she was born at 29 weeks it was 90%.  She was still born though with a collapsed lung and need surfactant and cpap to get her going.  Had she been born in Eldoret Kenya where we took her two years later she may not have made it.  We were lucky she was born in the time and place she was.  Earlier when I was thinking about it I was tempted to say blessed but if you believe in a God and believe he loves all of his children it almost seems cruel to me to claim that as a blessing while it is still an opportunity lacked by many. 

Years later when I was pregnant with Mr Squish my pregnancy was more closely monitored.  It felt like an intrusion almost but it was also great luck to have people who cared so much and the technology to keep that pregnancy healthy.

The Catch All

 I have this desk counter in my kitchen that 90% of the time is covered in odds and ends.  It is the bane if my house cleaning existance.  The rest of the house can be immaculate  (you know the one day a week Esperanza comes that one hour before the kids get home) but this space is normally just the worst.  The problem is it is a catch all and clearing this one space takes a ton of effort. I started this morning and after covering my other counter trying to organize stuff to decidw where it went I just gave up.

Birth Choice Survey

I had the opportunity to participate in a survey about feeling pressured in birth choices.  I saw the survey on empowered birth project a birth instagram site I follow.   The survey was pretty easy and after I was asked to share my personal info if I was willing to talk with the researcher.  She called me last week and it was a great experience.  We talked for about an hour discussing birth experiences and things she's learned talking with OB and nursing staff.  There are many times I'm grateful to be out of school and separated from Dr. Js school but I do miss academia occasionally.  If you have any interest in participating feel free to check it out here.

Barn Update One

 We are in the process of updating our barn.  It was probably put together with a kit but for whatever reason they never pur any siding over the OSB board.  J bought the siding but first things first he wanted to replace this side door with an actual door.  It was just a cutout with some hinges, a backstop, and a latch.  It worked but it wasn't great.  The OSB board was getting torn to shreds at the bottom, it was very narrow, it didn't lock, and worst of all it opened out.  That doesn't seem like that big of a deal until you get two feet of snow and your sliding doors freezes shut and then it super sucks.  So J bought a prehung door and today he replaced the OSB board and made a box for the door.  We got it all the way hung before he had to head to work.  I'm super excited to have a inward opening door this winter and to be a step closer to uodating the barn.

Family Resemblance?

 Facebook is this weird time suck but it also gives you access to things you wouldn't normal see.  Yesterday J's aunt posted a picture of his grandad from when he was in the navy.  J's grandad wasn't much for talking or sharing and honestly there just aren't that many pictures of him and the ones there were he didn't display so this is the first time J had seen this picture.  We scrutinised it for a bit trying to find the resemblance.  Then I spent this evening checking over my kids to see if I could see him in them.  Maybe a tiny bit but it seems like at least in their family grandmas genes were stronger.

Veteran's Day

A kiss and a good wish to my father on Veteran's Day who started serving this country even before he was a citizen of it.  He taught me the importance of order, clean shoes, and service to others.  This picture was taken in Iraq during Iraq II. 

Random pics from Grandma and Granpa's visit.

 When Grandma and Grandpa were here we took the kids to a Brazilian Grill.  My oldest of course complained a ton about it, "Why can't we just go someplace normal."  Turns out everyone loved this place.  They bring you meat.  They have cheese puff breads.  There is a salad bar.  What is not to love.  We also went to the water park but because I refused to take my phone with me there are zero pictures.  Thank goodness.  J got me to go down one of the crazy slides.  My eyes were so big he said it made his life.  I did grab a couple pictures at Grandma and Grandpa's hotel pool. 

 I didn't bring any swim trunks for Mr Squish but he kept crawling to the edge so much that his clothes ended up soaked. 

 This was after the water park.  Can you tell what he is doing.  This ended up going all over the floor.  It was a disaster. 

 Before they moved Peach got to go to her best friend from Indiana's birthday party.  We really will miss them.  I hope someday we get to live in the same state again. 

Me and my mom.  I ordered this shirt for myself.  It was a 2xl.  Um...not really.  This thing was so tiny that my tiny mom fit it perfectly.  My loss was her gain but I am super sad I missed out on the shirt.