Awesome week

This is one of my favorite weeks of the year.

Last year it was kind of ruined by my Pre-eclampsia.

Not this year.

I am enjoying the quiet.  I only have to feed one little child. 

No making them do chores, practice guitar, read, come inside and get ready for bed, no toys to pick up and fights to break up. 

I love those boys.

But I love that they're having a blast in Colorado with their grandma and grandpa and cousins, and Jared and I are having a break. 

I should probably say I miss them and can't wait to see them again, but I actually don't, and I know they're in good hands.

The time goes so fast!  

We were going to leave Allie with my friend, Emmalie while we went to see a movie, but it looks like it was not meant to be. 

I hope this doesn't gross you out too much.  It kind of does me.

I think it's chicken pox.  She had the vaccine almost 2 weeks ago, and sometimes I guess it takes that long for it to appear.  She has these on her back, a couple on her arm, one on her abdomen and one on her forehead.  I guess she's contagious, so we can't let her near little babies, like Emmalie's little Alex.

She seems like she's feeling fine, though.  She's not even cranky, she's just walks around, happy as a clam.  As much as she loves her brothers, I think she's enjoying the break too.

A little video

Did it actually work? 
I've had the worst time uploading videos onto the blog (curse you, lousy slow internet!!)

Since I haven't taken any pictures since Allie's B-day, and I've already shared all my good pictures, the only thing left was a video. 
I hope this one makes you smile. 

Allie's First Birthday

Remember this little shrimp?  A year ago today, after a whole lot of drama, she came into our lives.  From  3 lbs. 11 oz. to 15 lbs. 1 oz.  Pretty good, don't you think?  She's finally on the chart!  (1.27 percentile).  She is healthy and happy (when she's not cranky).  Her ears are fine, she's gaining weight well, and she's walking all over the place.  Her communication and her cognitive skills are slightly behind for a 1 year old:  She hasn't said any real words and she doesn't understand a simple command (like "go get the ball") and she doesn't yet do things like pass a ball back and forth with someone or put toys in and out of a box.  So in that respect she's more like her gestational age, 10 1/2 months. 

Here she is when we brought her home:

Can you believe this is the same baby??

I didn't want any elaborate cake so I did these easy cupcake "balloons." 

She approved. 

She didn't get the whole 'unwrap the present' thing.  Fortunately her brothers were there to help her out.

Update

Summer is in full swing, and we are all loving it. 
Jared passed the NCLEX, so he is now officially a registered nurse!  YAY!  Now he just needs to find a job, and we might have to actually decide if we're moving and where. 

I love not waking up to an alarm clock.  I love having the kids all home (for now).  I got a new calling at church; I'm second counselor in the Relief Society, which means I'm in charge of activities.  I'm not good at that sort of thing, so I expect it will be a learning opportunity.  At least, that's what I say when I'm having a good attitude   :)

Joey is taking guitar lessons, thanks to Jared's dad.  He enjoys the lessons and has a great teacher, but he doesn't like practicing, of course.  He moved far beyond my ability after the first lesson.  Joey wishes he could spend every waking moment playing Minecraft, a new computer game he saved up for, and is now basically obsessed with.  Sometimes I get annoyed that he plays it so much (when I let him) but then I remember that I probably played video games all day when I was his age.  And it has totally payed off because I still ROCK at Dr. Mario.

Jason had his first day of school on Monday.  Yup, poor bloke has to go to summer school.  He cried the first morning, and I felt so bad for him.  What a way to ruin a kid's summer!  But after the first day he was fine.  It's only a couple hours and it's not so bad.  Do you think his teacher will teach the kids how to drive or let them recreate the Texas Chainsaw Massacre in the classroom? 
(If that makes no sense to you perhaps you never saw that classic 80's flick, Summer School)

Tyler is Tyler.  He plays all day with his brothers and Dougie and never seems to get bored.  He's trying to learn how to ride a bike, but I can't say the lessons are going very well.

Allie is moving right along.  She's walking more and more, and it just looks so cute!  She'll be a year tomorrow, so I'll write more about her then.  But here's a picture for today.  She didn't take a very good morning nap, can you tell?

Headband Tan

It's what happens when a baby girl wears a headband all the time.  Pretty much the weirdest tan line ever. 

But on the upside, it looks like she got her dad's nice skin that tans easily, thank heavens.  I've been cursed with blinding white skin that looks like it hasn't ever seen the sun.

I'm pretty sure this headband tan is going to be way worse at the end of summer.

And I think it's hilarious.

Summer is here

School is out!  I slept in till 8:45 this morning.  Allie slept late becasue she woke up at 3:00 Am and I gave her a bottle.  I took her to the doctor again because I thought it was her ears, but they look better, so I'm thinking it's her teeth. 

 Anyway. 

I loved Jason's teacher, Mrs. Lunceford.  I'm hoping Tyler get's her next year.  She was so awesome!

The kids had a dance festival and Author's fair (parents go check a book the kids wrote).

Jason't dance was some sort of jazz dance.  I asked him a few days ago what his dance was going to be and he said he couldn't remember what it was called.  Now I see why.  It was Skit Skat Scoot or something like that. 

Allie was a big hit in Jason't class.Tyler's was a cowboy dance that was really adorable.

Mrs. Williams, who is retiring this year, and Mrs. Freelove. 

Joey's book he made, which he finished the night before, after a whole lot of complaining.  He loved having Allie in his classroom.

And the pictures of Joey's dance wouldn't download, but this is how Allie felt about the dance festival.  She didn't like all the loud music and she seriously needed a nap.

I'm so glad its summer!! 

In a few months I'll be saying I'm so glad summer is over!!  But for now I'm enjoying it.

A story about a girl and a flower and a mom with a camera

 I wanted a picture of her with a pretty flower.  But before I got anything better than this . . .

She accidently ripped some petals off.

 

And that turned out to be great fun so she ripped them all off.

And played with the petals.

The end.