Bear Lake

We had such a great time at Bear lake! The boys were on cloud nine with family, cousins, water, and constant play time for a whole weekend. Grandma and Grandpa Ellertson were too sick to go, and that broke my heart. They were missed terribly. I'm grateful for the tradition they started and stuck with for over 20 years! Our Highlights were the "speed runners" (wave runners) that the boys were so brave to go on, the circus party night, the playground, "the little boat" (rowing in a raft), throwing rocks, the playground, and making a sand race car. Owen spent hours walking and running in the shallow water and watching the sand dust up behind his feet. He called it smoke and was pretending he was a race car. They were at great ages for a trip to the lake!

Pictures in no particular order:

How Lewie responded when we told him it was time to go home.

Both boys crashed about 3 minutes into the drive back. 

A good sign of a very good weekend.

Making good days

With each pregnancy, I have been surprised at the blues that hit. The whole process of carrying, delivering and having a baby is such an emotional roller coaster! But about half way through I have consistently hit an emotional wall that I'm never quite prepared for. I'm ready for tears and irrational sensitivity, but this is not that. It is a numbness. No energy. No motivation to get stuff done. If I want a good day lately I have to so calculatedly plan and prepare. I need to exercise, eat healthy, have a plan for the day, keep up on my iron pills, pray hard and even having a written list to check off helps a lot. On the days I waver on any one of those items, the day is shot. I am lazy, boring, tired, and basically have no feeling at all. I have felt so bad for my sweet boys that used to have a pretty fun mom, with the physical ability to play hard, and enough lap room for them to sit on. These days I feel like I don't have much to offer. 

So here's to starting new tomorrow and working hard to make good days happen. 

No matter how immobilized and dazed I feel, at the end of the day, I have an overwhelming gratitude for the 3 sweet boys in my life. 

I love these pictures of the munchkins that give my life a lot of meaning. 

Class of '13

It was a big year for graduations! Landon graduated from Dental school in Nebraska and they're back in Utah. We are in heaven having them and they're sweet kids around. Owen has loved playing with Kinnie and Andrew so much. Both Layton and Lauren worked so hard and graduated for the University of Utah. Treavor was able to attend Gunnar's graduation and I was able to attend Haylie's graduation. Where I took a lot of pictures.

I really can't believe our little blue eyed, round faced, happy go-lucky little Haylie Jane is all grown up. It hit me hard that night, how quickly my little baby sisters have become women.

Out at the Ranch.

We got to have dinner at Chad and Tiffany's a few weeks ago. The boys always love the fun toys, the huge yard, the cousins, and of course the beautiful horses. Lewis was a little nervous and made sure not to get too close, Owen couldn't get enough. He pet them all over, talked to them and never wanted to leave them.

4th of July

The 4th was such a good day for all of us. We spent the morning at the Peters home where I alway fail to get enough pictures on my camera, because of the magic Kathryn works behind her own. We had a big, delicious breakfast and a huge pool party. Every year is full of family, cousins, a small history lesson from Grandpa Dennis, the pledge of allegiance, food, water, sun and lots of red white and blue. The perfect way to begin our day and celebrate our independence and freedom. 

After  our fun morning and big naps we were off to the Bell home for a BBQ and fireworks at sugarhouse park. Owen was a little more comfortable with the fireworks that he was last year, but still had his hands over his ears most of the time. Lewis loved them. 

It's a girl.

Eating pink Ice cream for a girl.

 With this pregnancy Treavor and I could not decide if we should find out what we'd be having. For most of the first part of my pregnancy, I was planning on not finding out. The surprise has been an amazing experience with both of our babies and I kind of wanted to stick with tradition. I felt that I was deep down happy about a third boy or a girl, and love the idea of waiting to know what my baby is until i'm actually holding the sweet bundle in my arms.

As the day of the ultrasound approached Treavor and I talked and talked about finding out, and we just could not come to a decision. About 10:00 at night before our scheduled appointment Treavor said he thought we should find out. I got in the shower, prayed for an answer and thought really hard about it and by the time I was ready for bed, I was certain that it was the right decision. Owen was sure we were having a girl, and I felt that he might need to prepared with the idea of another brother. I realized that my emotions might need a little preparation as well on this third child of mine. And with other areas of our life being up in the air and feeling in sort of a state of limbo, I was ready for this to be known.

In the ultrasound we told the technician that we would like to know the gender. As she moved the camera around looking we told her that at my 10 week checkup my Dr. thought that she could already tell it was a boy. the technician got a good shot and said "AAAACTUALLY...." clear as day on the TV in front of me I was looking at a baby girl. Treavor says that I was literally in shock. I couldn't say a thing. I couldn't believe my ears or my eyes. I was thrilled. We felt so blessed as the technician checked organs, and bones and the brain and saw 10 little fingers and 10 little toes and a perfectly beating heart.

My first letter to my first girl:

Dear baby girl,

we started out living off of soda crackers and chocolate milk. We were very sick and we felt like we could sleep all day long!! You are an active baby. We have a schedule. Every night I put the boys to bed at 7:00 I clean up, sometimes do the dishes and then I lay down. You wake up. You have my undivided attention for a little bit while I unwind from a busy day with your brothers. Your little baby flutters have turned into bigger kicks and pokes and movements. I think about how the ultrasound technician said you have beautiful hands and a gorgeous profile. I think about what to name you, because I had a list of about 10 boy names and zero girl names. I think about how very, very loved you will be, and already are. I think about how I will teach Lewie to be gentle and Owen to help you. I think about how you are so blessed to have your daddy who is so full of love and sensitivity for girls and their needs. I think about my relationship with my mom, which is one of my biggest blessings and feel overjoyed that I will get to experience it from the other perspective. I think about the fall and what a beautiful time of year it will be for you to be coming into the world. I think about how blessed I am to have 3 babies. 

I love you

The sweetest boys anxious to welcome a sister

Because I don't want to forget

Lewis has been talking so much. It has eliminated a lot of frustration and has been so fun to watch him comunicate. He at least attempts to try any and all words. His voice and words are so cute and I really wish I could bottle them  up. Here are just a few words that I love an extra lot:

barger - garbage

duch - truck

barger duch - garbage truck

lewithi - lewis

merki aaf - American flag

mam - Gram

da dat - Grandma Kat

bum-aw -Grandpa

dit do - thank you

berder - diaper

bi bop - flip flops

deth - yes

bithy - blankie

beep - book

mawny - marley

munch - jump

wen - Owen