Christmas

This year was a very different year but a good time to reflect on our blessings. My parents were here for 10 days after the baby and we had a great time with them. We were able to have a Christmas eve with them before they let. Grandpa taught the children using a small nativity scene. We had a secret Santa this year who gave us a piece of a nativity scene each night and on Christmas Eve they brought us the baby Jesus. It was the Bruce Frodsham family in our ward. They are great people. So the kids learned about Jesus' birth from Grandpa and talked about Bethlehem and the star after. It was a neat experience. We ate finger foods and played cards. We didn't get to play cards as much as they would have liked but we had a good time. They left on Christmas Eve which was a very sad day for us but Jerry made plans with two families in our ward who came over for dinner that night. The Childs' made all the food and the Jensen's brought a salad. We had a good time. Christmas morning was great. The kids has such a great time. Landon got crashy, crashy race cars and Lauren got a kitchen. They said Santa brought Mommy a baby and Daddy a video game. We were also very spoiled by Uncle Rod. He did way too much for us but we appreciate it. They LOVE Santa and can't for him to come again next year. We were very blessed and so happy to be together as a family.

BYU Game

Thanks to Michael Groberg (and Natalee), Jerry and my Dad were able to get tickets to the Las Vegas bowl. They had a great time eating at In and Out.....TWICE and running into Lavell Edwards. You couldn't ask for a more exciting finish to a game!

Anniversary

Today we have been married for five years. It has been an amazing journey and I am so grateful to have Jerry by my side. We were able to go to dinner ALONE...thanks to Grandma and Grandpa and also to pick up a few things for Christmas...this is the usual routine for our Anniversary. After we went to Maui last year...I told Jerry this would count for the next few anniversaries. This day is also my Dad's birthday, Kevin and Lindsay's anniversary and Brent and Jill's anniversary. It is a very special day. I know for sure the Lord had a hand in helping me to find Jerry and I am so grateful. I am also grateful for my three beautiful children. They are truly each a miracle.

Our New Addition

We are so excited about our new little girl, Avery Noel North. We took one trip BEFORE she came to the hospital and were sent home but the night we went in to have her, our wonderful doctor was there and allowed us to stay! Dr Chad Lunt was our OB/GYN and did such an excellent job with little Avery. We went to the hospital about 5 am and had Steve Bingham come over and stay with our children. My friend Mary Jane then came and took Landon and Lauren for the duration of the day. She is the best! We were mission companions and she continues to look out for me. My parents were on their way down to St George. The doctor had told me he would start me on Friday the 14th if I had not had the baby yet and they had decided to leave to be here for that. I was able to get my full IV for strep B and then I was put on PIT to get my contractions started again. I had the baby about one hour later. She was born at 11:13 am on December 13th which should help me to remember. She weighed 8 pounds 12 oz and was 2o inches long. Her father and I were so happy to have her here. She was born on Clyde Barson's birthday and the anniversary of my return from the Germany, Duesseldorf mission in 1998. What a wonderful day!

Avery Noel North

Avery Noel North was born December 13th at 11:13 AM. She weighed 8 pounds 12 ounces and was 20 inches long. She is a beautiful baby. Landon and Lauren love her and are so cute with her. Grandma and Grandpa came from Idaho and are taking great care of us and the kids.

Baby...not yet

No, we have not had the baby yet but hopefully soon. I am feeling like it could be this week. My doctor says I am progressing well. I am officially 37 weeks and would welcome the baby anytime. I have been having contractions and feel like it will be soon. I just get nervous about being at the hospital in time. I am strep B positive which means I need 8 hours of an antibiotic before the baby comes. I am praying I will know when to go in and everything will be OK. The young women threw a surprise baby shower for me on Tuesday. It was so fun. I really appreciated the things they gave me and I was truly surprised. Jerry officiated 3 games yesterday in Cedar City in the snow. I didn't feel well but my friend Mary Jane came and got me some medicine I needed. We went to the Oak Ridge Boys concert on the 29th with Glenn and Jolynn Carpenter. Glenn works with Jerry and they are a great couple. Jerry won tickets to a Travis Tritt concert in Mesquite and a two night stay at the Oasis (thanks to Glenn's suggestion) but we were unable to go because it was two days later. Glenn's nephew used the tickets so we were happy about that. Jerry is doing awesome at work. He just got a work cell phone so this is awesome for me because now I have a phone. He is working very hard and I know his bosses are pleased. I am so grateful for him and for his great job. I am still working and doing what I can. I enjoy the people I work with. Hopefully, our next entry will be about the baby! We are anxious to get her here.

Nikolaus Tag

We did our German Christmas tradition ( a day late) on Thursday morning. I don't know if the kids or Jerry had more fun. Landon had been talking about traditions at preschool and told them about this tradition. On the 5th of December the kids clean their shoes and put them out on the doorstep and Santa fills them with nuts, fruit and treats. If your shoes or not clean or you haven't been good, you get a potato in your shoe. So we did a day late and I can't decide if Jerry or the kids had more fun. St Nick came and Jerry had Christmas music playing as he woke up the children before work. He really wanted to see their reaction. They were very happy and we had a fun day. We also got a fun Christmas package from the Robb's. They are so generous and take such good care of us. It contains gifts for the kids to open as needed throughout the month. Mimi remembers their ages and knows how difficult it is when you are nine months pregnant! Thanks so much Mimi and Poppy!

Thanksgiving

We had a really good Thanksgiving. We had planned to stay home with Lauren's tonsil surgery and feeling like we couldn't afford to travel and me being pregnant but when Jerry got home from work on Wednesday, we decided we should just drive up to Idaho and surprise my family. We left about 4:30pm and got there at 12:30am. We called Kevin along the way and let him know we were coming. He and Lindsay had gotten there earlier in the day. The kids did really well on the drive. Lauren hadn't been sleeping well but slept for almost six hours in the car. I think it was more comfortable for her in the carseat. We don't like driving in the dark but we got there safe and sound. My parents were very suprised and excited. We had a fun Thanksgiving day. Mike, Karen and their family came and spent most of the day. It was so fun to spend time with them. Rod came over later in the day as did Teresa and the kids. She brought Doug (a guy she is dating) and his kids as well. There was a big football game full of lots of laughs. Jerry was very sore afterward. Jerry brought a TV shooting game that he got with a gift card from Sportsman's Warehouse. He said it was for Landon but Landon always ends up crying because he doesn't get a turn. The guys and kids had fun with that. The next day Jerry made plans with Natalee to go to lunch and she did my hair. It was such a fun surprise. We really miss Nat and Mike. They are such good friends. We had fun with them. Jerry, Kev and Lindsay had a pool game that was quite competitive. Apparently at one point Lindsay had taken back her maiden name and was not on speaking terms with Kevin or Jerry. Dave's family came the next day and we had a great time with them. They were on their way to cut down a Christmas tree. Katherine is graduating in a few weeks from BYU-I. We are excited for her. Dave brought his pigeons and let them fly. The kids loved it. Kevin and Lindsay left on Saturday. I went and visited Gary's grave which I had not done yet and saw Teresa's new house. It was strange not having him there. His kids came over a few nights when we were there and it is fun to spend time with them. Shelby and Ethan also came over and spent the night on Saturday. It was fun to see them. We helped my parents get started on putting their Christmas stuff up. They had said they were not decorating this year but after they got started they did put most of their things up. We stopped and saw Rod at work on our way home. The drive home seemed much longer but we were glad we went and had a much better Thanksgiving than we had anticipated. Landon had a blast and Lauren just survived (due to the surgery) but I think she would have had just as much pain at home. It was great to be with family during this holiday.

Tonsils

Lauren's tonsil and adenoid removal took place today. It was quite the ordeal. We took her in early in the morning and got her checked into the hospital. We had taken her to a dentist who said her tonsils were rather large. We then took her to an ENT who confirmed we should have them taken out. We decided to do it the next week because we were planning to be home for Thanksgiving and thought it would be a good long weekend for her to recover. So, she had a bit of trouble cooperating at the hospital. They put her in a little hospital gown with tigers on it and let her color for a while. Her biggest contention was that the doctor wouldn't give her any candy (she was supposed to be fasting). They gave her a "cocktail" which was supposed to help her become sedated. She would not take it well and looking back we should have known she would not take her pain medication after the surgery. So I rode on the gurney with her up to the operating floor. She started to get a little out of it and then the nurse just picked her up and took her. They took her into the operating room and the anesthesiologist just puts a mask on her, she takes a few puffs and she is out. Then they had to put a tube down her throat and do the surgery. Her doctor was Dr Gardner and did an excellent job. They use a high powered water pressure device to cut out the tonsils and adenoids. The surgery went well and only took about 30 minutes. She was a little sad when she woke up but I held her for a while and then they sent us home. The doctor said it would take a few weeks for her to recover and he was right. That afternoon she seemed ok but that was because her pain meds from the hospital were still in tact. We struggled the whole time to get her to take her pain meds. Jerry literally had to force them down her throat. She didn't even take her antibiotic and we just gave her the pain meds when she wasn't sleeping or totally in pain. She had a hard time eating and drinking because she was in pain. We hope she does not get sick again any time soon. She is a stubborn little two year old. She just spent most of the time whining and clinging to Mom. I did my best to take care of her with a huge belly and a small lap. We are so glad she is better!

Uncle Landon and Aunt Dana

We had a wonderful visit from Uncle Landon and Aunt Dana. The kids absolutely adore them and we had so much fun. Jerry and I had the opportunity to attend a festival of trees dinner which Jacobsen paid for ($100/ticket). We had to dress up in formal attire.....needless to day, my outfit was interesting but we went and had a really nice time. When we got home, Landon and Dana were here. They stayed up in Landon's room. The next morning the guys went shooting and Dana and I took the kids to the library. They have a new splash park there and I thought it would be fun to let the kids get their feet wet. Needless to say, the kids were soaking wet and we decided it was time to leave as soon as Lauren took her diaper off. Crazy kids. When the guys got home, Dana and I went to Tai Pan trading and made a few other stops. The shopping was so fun. I hadn't been to this store yet. We got Lauren a trike and Uncle Landon put it together. Jerry added a set of lights to his outside decor. They came to church with us and got roped into teaching the CTR class. We hope they will come back again! We had a nice lunch together and then they took off. We loved having them here and hope we can live close someday!

Veteran's Day

I have been thinking a lot about the freedoms we enjoy today. I am grateful Jerry had an opportunity to serve our country when he did. We are grateful for Uncle Joe who is in Iraq now and my cousin, Ronnie who has previously served in Iraq. It is such a blessing to have all the freedoms we enjoy. Landon was able to take some photos of his Dad and his uniform to preschool on Thursday. We didn't participate in the parades they had here but there were several different celebrations. We had a good sabbath day. We went to church and then later to get our temple recommends from the stake. They are updating to recommends to have barcodes and we needed to do that. After we went to the Joseph Smith movie at the visitors center. It is such a special movie and our kids sat through it exceptionally well. It was an experiment and they did great. It always makes me remember the sacrifices of others and seeing all the trials he faced I am reminded that my own are small in comparison. We had another busy week. Jerry got all the Christmas decorations up. He is such a holiday person. He was a bit disappointed realizing some of our stuff is still in Idaho but his villages are all up. He had his friend who is an electrician come and install a plug on the top of our kitchen cupboards so he could plug everything in up there. It looks really nice. He is such a big help and I am so grateful to have him. He made dinner a few times this week and always cleans up for me. I worked a few nights during the week. On Friday, we went on a date which was much needed and enjoyable. We went to a movie that was actually pretty good. On Saturday we had our BBBS monthly activity and had a good turnout. Jerry went shooting in the afternoon. I worked at a dance helping with pictures. A couple in our ward has a successful business here and this is the second time I have helped them. This was a formal dance and it was fun to see all the dresses. Times have changed a bit since I was in high school but I guess this is good preparation for having kids grow up. We are enjoying the fall weather here and have been reminded why people live here. It has been in the high 70's and perfect weather for the park and playing outside. Lauren and Landon are doing really well. They are the most friendly kids and talk to everyone they meet. They are happy and growing up. Landon told me when the baby comes out of my tummy she can sit in his car seat. I think he is starting to realize he will have a little sister soon. I am not so sure about Lauren. She loves her little pink baby and takes good care of her. I am not so sure about how she will do with a real one. We are wishing we could go up to Idaho for Thanksgiving but I don't think we will make it. Landon asked if we are going to have a "wonderful feast" for Thanksgiving....I assured him they will be having one at Grandma's but I am not so sure about here.

Pregnancy

I need to document a few things about this pregnancy. We found out we were pregnant in May and have been very excited ever since. I am feeling somewhat better this last trimester. The first trimester I was naseous but did not throw up. Instead, I threw up the whole second trimester. Some highlights were throwing up in an elevator, on the side of the highway on the way to Cedar City and every other place we went, aspirating in Jill's yard because I was searching for an "appropriate" place to throw up, running out of sacrament because I wanted to throw up while I was at the organ. The list goes on and on but this last trimester has been better. I did use the preggie pops and try to suck on something if I am feeling sick. I did not pass the screening for gestational diabetes so I had to do the diagnostic 3 hour lab and the results came back ok so that was a blessing. This past week I have been tired and in a lot of pain. My body seems to be preparing to deliver and I just have a lot of aches and pains. There have been lots of good times as well but I want to remember a few things for my next pregnancy. We are anxious to get our baby girl here healthy and are praying for patience for the next 6 1/2 weeks!

Baby, LV and Stake Conference

So I went to the doctor on Thursday. The baby is doing very well. I did not pass the initial screening for gestational diabetes so I had to do the diagnostic test. I found out I passed the test so I was very pleased. I am now going on 33 weeks. I don't know what it is with the third one but I feel so much more achy and ready to have the baby much sooner. The doctor says things are going good. The baby is moving a lot and is active most of the day. I can tell things are getting a little cramped....at least for me. We are very excited and anxious for this new addition in our family. The kids are excited, sometimes although I don't think they actually comprehend what changes this will bring to our little family. We have come to somewhat of a resolution on the name but I decided we will wait to tell anyone. We are getting closer, though. It has been a good pregnancy and has gone by so quickly. I am grateful for this time and look forward to having a Christmas baby! Jerry came home early on Friday and I was able to work for several hours. He then went to a question and answer session with President Kim B Clark of BYU-Idaho. He enjoyed it. Yesterday we went to Las Vegas for Marie's baptism. We got the car serviced and ate at In N Out which is always a highlight. We then took the kids to the water show at the Bellagio. The kids absolutely loved it. The laughed and giggled and can't wait to go back again. The baptism was very nice and the kids did well considering the amount of time it took. We went to eat at Bajio after with Dave and Rebecca's extended family. We enjoyed talking with them as much as we could and then headed home. Today we had a stake conference via satellite. We were able to hear from Elder Judd, Elder Zwick, Elder Holland and the Prophet. We really enjoyed it. President Hinckley talked about ways to strengthen your marriage. It was very inspired and spiritual. The technology we have today is amazing!

Halloween

The kids had a fun Halloween. We had a potluck with our neighbors on Monday night which they wore their costumes too. Landon had already been to one Halloween party on Saturday which you saw the pictures for. Then on Tuesday he had a preschool Halloween party. He loves going to preschool. Lauren and I ran errands and did as much as we could while he was in school She actually came to work with me for a bit and I accomplished a few things. We had a ward trunk or treat and chili cook off. Jerry did not make his famous chili this year but maybe next year. We ate and then the kids got candy from all the neighbors. I want to upload some pictures but we are having problems with our camera so we will see if it works. After the trunk or treat our REAL Halloween adventure began. Jerry had dressed as a hunter and I wore his Navy uniform. He decided we should go check out the neighborhoods where they give out "big" candy bars. We went to Stonecliff where Dr J and Celine Dion supposedly have homes. The neighborhood was really dark and there were no kids there. Did I mention it is a gated community but we just happen to follow a car in? That's part of the thrill of it. So we drive around looking for any sign of candy and finally see a bucket of candy on a porch. Jerry decides to go in and see what's there. I reminded him maybe he should take a child with him so he didn't look "suspicious." At this point Landon was no more in costume but Jerry took him regardless. He came back with a whole bunch of full size candy bars. He was very pleased with the success of his mission. That is exactly what it turned into was more of a military operation. So at the next house, he didn't even have to take a child with him. We had fun and Jerry got lots of his own trick or treat candy to take to work. We considered the evening a success.

The Week Before Halloween

We had a good week. We finally found the kids costumes. Landon is insisting on being a power ranger which I would have no problem with except for the fact that his costume is spandex red with black lightning bolts (pics to follow) and you can see his striped underwear through the back. The other issue I have is that he doesn't know what Power Rangers are but whatever. He went to a Halloween party yesterday and Jerry and I had a hard time not laughing. Of course, he looks cute because he is our child but the costume is just funny. I also borrowed a Thomas the Train costume which I am encouraging him to wear to future halloween functions. We will see how it goes. Lauren is planning on being a princess and we have lots of accessories we borrowed from a friend. I spoke at our Young Women in Excellence this week. I am very grateful for this new calling and I am enjoying the presidency and getting to know the girls. A few of the girls also spoke and did a great job. We have a good program and the parents and girls seem very involved. I went to the What Women Want Expo here at the Dixie Center. There were lots of interesting booths there. I ran into some people from Rexburg which was fun. I helped at Landon's preschool this week and am amazed at how much he is learning. It is so fun to watch him grow up and discover new things. He constantly asks what time it is and how to spell words. He is also recognizing letters on signs because he is learning how to draw them at school. Lauren came as well and did pretty good. I am hoping to get her in this same preschool next year. I taught my first lesson today and it went well. We are doing good.

Dentist

I took the kids to the dentist today. It was the first time for Lauren and the second for Landon. I just have to document this because they were both so well behaved. Landon coached Lauren through the whole thing and they did great! They both had two x-rays and sat perfectly still. They got their teeth cleaned and I got an evaluation from the dentist. Lauren has very large tonsils and he suggested I take her to an ENT and have her evaluated. I am planning to do that this week. We need to teach Landon to floss and continue to help them to brush everyday but they did great. We met Jerry and had lunch together. Lauren is so busy I think lunch with his co-workers may be a bit less stressful. We had fun though.

Salt Lake City

We went to Salt Lake this weekend and I was reminded of how cold it actually gets. I do have to say Friday was a nice day so I can't complain but we were not too prepared for the cold. We drove up Thursday night after Jerry's game he officiated. We stayed with Landon and Dana and it was fun to see where they live. They were very gracious hosts. The next day my parents came down and we went shopping in Park City with Lindsay and her kids. Grandpa and Jerry watched the kids at McDonalds and the playground while we helped my Mom Christmas shop. We had a good time. That night we had a birthday party for Brooklyn at Kevin's. Jerry took Landon to Cabela's and they brought Landon and Dana with him so we all ate together. The next day I went to a baby shower for Rozalynn. It was so fun to see all my friends from Rexburg and also some of our college roommates. It is so fun to catch up and see everyone. We need to do it more often. I was able to talk Kevin and Lindsay into going on a date and watched their kids. Roz came over to see me and we caught up since we didn't talk too much at the shower. Jerry went hunting with Landon and his Dad in Logan and they had a fun time. They apparently climbed two mountains. I guess that is fun dressed in camoflauge and looking for deer. We had fun visiting with Landon's parents. They are great people. Kevin and Lindsay are awesome hosts and we had fun playing with the kids. Landon's favorite part of the trip was playing in the leaves at Brooklyn's. It is great to be with family.

Lauren

There are so many stories about our wonderful Lauren. She keeps me so busy and on my toes. There is at least one story a day I tell myself I need to write down. I will see now how much I can remember. Lauren did well on our trip to SLC. She has all of her teeth in now and is growing up so much. She had fun with Grandma and Grandpa. One of her habits is to come and sleep on the couch which is OK with me as long as she is not in our bed. She usually waits until she thinks we are asleep and then brings her blanket and baby and sleeps on the couch. She doesn't do it every single night but she definitely has a bad habit. We found out she could unlock her door so it does no good to try and keep her in her room. She is sleeping in Landon's little toddler bed and the crib is set up for the new baby. We also put some curtains up in her room so it is starting to come together well. I have so much I want to do but I will have to do it a little at a time. She plays really well with her dolls and is always concerned about taking care of them. She loves to dance and move her hips. I think we need to put her in dance next year. Her and I have enjoyed spending our time together while Landon is in preschool. I pack her and I a lunch and we take it with us so we can eat in between our errands. Some events which have taken place in public.......I took her and Landon to Wal-mart last week. I asked Landon to use the potty at home which he did not do which meant he had to go right when we got there. I was helping him and Lauren ran in the huge stall and locked me out. I got Landon all set and started "encouraging" Lauren to come out. I noticed her pants, shoes and diaper were all on the floor but was concerned because of the size of my stomach and my inability to crawl under the stall. My encouragement turned to threats and at one point she opened the door and ran out towards the store with only a shirt on. I caught her right before she went out and then attempted to clothe her before having a nervous breakdown. We got everyone all together and were attempting to shop when Landon got a stomachache. He was told to get in the fetal position in the cart and try not to cry. The experience seemed much more traumatic at the time but I remember thinking that we should just stay at home from now on. When we took Landon to the doctor (on the third floor of the hospital) we went down to the basement to get Jerry. As we were leaving, Lauren ran outside of the office and I couldn't see her. I saw one of the employees with his arm in the door of the elevator and we found her with both hands over her eyes. I am glad he was there to save her so we didn't have to put the hospital on lock down in order to find her. I thought she was scared by this experience but she did the same thing the next day at BBBS and I got my arm in the door at the last second. She calls the elevator the "alligator" and apparently would like to ride on it all by herself. The other major incident involved "the moose." Jerry took the kids to Sportsman's Warehouse one day while I was working. He came home and when Lauren wasn't looking he bit her toes. Somehow he convinced her a moose bit her in the foot. He called me and said she was sobbing and wouldn't get off the couch. I told him to find some aerosol spray and tell her it was moose spray and the moose would be gone. This worked somewhat well although she ended up on the couch that night. We ended up having to go to Albertsons and get a can of brown air freshener which is our moose spray and we have to use nightly before going to bed and for naps. Things have been better the past week but we have at least one discussion daily about the moose getting a spanking from Dad and returning to live in the woods. If you ever have a moose, now you know what to do. Lauren talks extremely well and is very smart. She loves to read books and build with blocks. She loves milk wants to drink it nonstop. She just put a bowl of green chili dip on her head for some reason and I have to go put her in the shower. Like I said, she keeps me moving and I love her.

Landon

It is hard to document all the changes our Landon is going through. He loves his grandparents and had so much fun while they were here. Grandma bought him some puzzles and he can already put all of them together. He loves reading "Word Bird" books and reads to Lauren all the time. He insists on wearing his sliding jammies every night and has to wear long sleeves and long pants on a daily basis. I am grateful it is getting colder so he doesn't get quite so hot. He also has to wear socks and his basketball shoes. There is no talking him out of it. He is learning so much in preschool. He was drawing with sidewalk chalk and was drawing a capital F, capital A and just learned W. He has a great teacher and loves going. When I go to pick him up he runs and yells, "Mommy!" He is always so excited to see me. He is a very loving little boy and always tells me he loves me. He did get sick and by the time I took him to the doctor, he was better. He had RSV when he was little and seems to always take respiratory illness a little harder than Lauren does. He had a sore on his mouth which I thought was a virus but turned out to just be injured from him biting the sides of his mouth so we are working on that. When he was sick he told everyone he had "the coughs and the sneezes." Landon is a very good big brother. He takes care of Lauren. He always reassures her and does everything he can to help her. It is fun to see their relationship develop and they play well together most of the time. He is memorizing the articles of faith. One night when he was saying the second one he said, "We believe that men will be punished for their own sins and not for baby Adam's" (Adam is the Rogers' little baby). He is very observant and takes in so much.

Kathryn

I had a BBBS training in SLC the same time as Jerry's meetings. Kevin and Lindsay and my parents were able to help with the kids and make it possible for me to go to the corporate office one afternoon and Cabela's the next day. It was nice to meet the staff there and I had fun with the girls from our office. Sue, Jill, Teri, Sarah and I went to dinner at Cafe Med. The food was really good but mine was a little spicy. Sue made me laugh really hard when she ordered dessert for me. She kept telling me "not to embarrass her because we were in a fine establishment." I really like my co-workers. The training at Cabela's was good as well. I took my Dad to pick up Jerry with me and we spent some time at the Jacobsen corporate office. Lindsay made us dinner and we took off to come home so Jerry could work the next day. My parents spent the night and came to St George the next day. My mom and I went shopping that evening with Lauren and the boys went to a football game. My mom and I left the next day for Las Vegas. We met my Aunt Jenness and her daughter Jennifer. We went shopping at the outlets, ate at PF Changs, saw Celine Dion in concert (which was really well done and enjoyable) , played cards and had fun visiting. We drove home Monday morning and Grandpa had everything under control with the kids. They were coloring. Grandpa and I took the kids to Lowe's while Grandma took a nap. We looked at all the Christmas stuff and got popcorn from Target. That night Grandma made halibut chowder and we went to Blue Bunny for ice cream. The kids really love that place. The next day I had to do a first aid training so the kids spent time with their grandparents. Jerry had his last softball game and Grandpa and Landon attended while my mom helped me sort through all the kids clothes and get them into sizes. As usual, I had way too many ideas about what we could accomplish while they were here but we all had a great time. The kids all slept in Grandma and Grandpa's room. Luckily, they brought a double bed so we have a guest bed and they had a more comfortable place to sleep. My mom was able to attend a doctor's appointment with me and was impressed with the doctor. I was glad she was able to meet me. I was called to be the Laurel advisor so I am excited for this new opportunity. I have been to mutual the past two weeks and am enjoying getting to know the girls. I have to say I was OK to leave the organ behind but feel I did gain confidence to play if I need to. I really like the women in the presidency and am looking forward to getting to know them better. I was able to attend the Relief Society broadcast which I throughly enjoyed. I always leave feeling inspired to try and be better. I need to be more grateful and look for more opportunities to serve. I also had a chance to work with a photographer in our ward at one of the high school dances. I realized things have changed since I was in high school. It was a fun way to earn some extra money. We had a great conference weekend. I survived a week with sick kids staying home and they are all now better. We drove to an apple festival in New Plymouth it was very pretty but their were no apples there. The kids enjoyed it. We have enjoyed lots of time together as a family since moving here and I am grateful for that.

Jerry

I decided to to an update on each family member because it has been so long since I have written. Our laptop battery needs to be replaced but we let the computer sit for a week before we realized we could just take the battery out and use it without until we get a new one. So I want to give a quick update on Jerry. We went to SLC a few weeks ago because he had a quarterly meeting with Jacobsen. He also had a golf outing in which he took second place. He also got a closest to the pin award which he was happy with. He gives all the credit to Kevin because he borrowed his golf clubs. He had a great time. We came back and my parents followed us down to spend a few days. Jerry entertained my Dad and the kids for a few days while my Mom and I went to Las Vegas. They went to a football game with Landon, drove to Pine Valley and took great care of the kids while we were gone. Jerry cooked for him as well and he was very happy with the meals. He has been officiating and the kids and I had a chance to go and watch one of his games. He does a really good job and luckily we sat on the winning teams side. I found out fans can get a little crazy even at freshman football games. We enjoyed watching conference as a family and hearing the words of the prophets. It is such a blessing to be able to stay in our homes and listen to all the sessions. We were able to set some personal and family goals together after hearing all the inspired words. Last week he and his SOCOM team passed their X-squared review with flying colors and got a $50 bonus from the corporate office. He called and told me to get a babysitter because we were going to dinner. He feels bad for me because he eats out all the time with his work and I eat a lot of Macaroni and Cheese. We went to a hibatchi Japanese grill and the food was very good. We had a great time. He is teaching the 14-15 year olds and does a great job with them. I had a parent call and tell me what a great job he has done with her son. He spends a lot of time with the kids and is a wonderful father to them. I am so grateful to have him.

Rebel

I am entitling this rebel because of Landon and the attitude he had this morning. He came down from upstairs where I was getting Lauren ready for church and announced, " I don't want to go to church, I want to go do something fun." Now for some unknown reason I thought the whole "not going to church" thing started around age 13, 14, 15 but apparently it can occur around the age of three. I tried to think about all the articles I had read in the Ensign about how to handle this and settled on telling him, " You can just stay home alone then." He actually seemed OK with it. He kept going with his declarations of, "I'm never, ever going to church again, just to preschool." " Just quit bugging me, I don't want to go to church." Lauren took it upon herself to try and reprimand him and these were some of the responses she got. I just kept getting ready. Then he said, "Can you stay home and make me a sandwich?" I said, "No, I have to go to church." He said, "But then I will be home all alone!" I said, " That's why you should get ready and go to church!." Well, I had to write about this just because I think he will laugh about it when he is older but after I left to play the organ (about 25 minutes early) Jerry said he just went and got his clothes and got dressed. He seemed very happy at church and I think he may be done with this phase. We will see how next week goes. He is a funny kid. Jerry actually didn't think he was very funny yesterday when the toilet upstairs flooded over and he went and hid because he didn't want to tell Jerry. I wasn't here but apparently, "Daddy got really mad and freaked out!" (sources, Landon and Lauren) I can only imagine. Jerry noticed when water started coming through the vent in the downstairs bathroom. I only saw a large pile of towels used to clean up and some wet carpet as the aftermath. A quick recap on the week. I spent Monday still sick. I think the kids and I all had a bit of the stomach flu but I am happy to report we are all doing better. Landon had preschool again which he loved. I got to go to Costco with my wonderful friend, Mary Jane. Her daughter attends preschool with Landon so we get to see each other a few times a week now. We had fun. Lauren and I had a library date on Thursday and she thrived at Toddler Time. She loves to sing and can be heard singing her favorite songs at various times throughout the day. She is getting so grown up. She copies everything Landon says and does and it is amazing to see how quick she has developed with him as her mentor. Landon is working on memorizing the articles of faith and is teaching Lauren, "word by word." Last night he insisted on reading her a story but wanted her to sit on his lap. I really wanted to take a picture but realized I left my camera in the car. They love these word bird books from the library and both of them try to memorize them and read them to each other. I am glad they have a love for books. My parents did a great job at instilling this love in us and I am attempting to pass it on to my children. Jerry has been very busy at work because they are in the closing part of a phase of the project. He will be this way for the next few weeks. He did take time to play softball and officiate. He keeps himself super busy. He knows so many people and wherever he goes, he finds a friend. It is a trait I admire in him. I worked yesterday and when Jerry came to get me, a parade was starting so the kids went to their first official parade. They had a great time. They got lots of candy and saw the horses and fire engines. There was a rodeo in town which Jerry really wanted to attend but he decided not to go. We got some pizza, came home and put the kids to bed. We spent the rest of the night watching college football and trying to find out the score of the BYU game. Unfortunately, this search went on until after 11pm. Not quite the result we had hoped for but maybe next week.

Labor Day and Preschool

I think Jerry really gets the award for actual "labor" on Labor Day. I gently persuaded him to paint Lauren's room and he graciously accepted. We switched her and Landon rooms so we could make Landon's room into a guest room as well. We are hoping to get ourselves a new bed and give him our queen bed so when we have company they will have a place to stay. We spent Sunday night looking through magazines and decided how we wanted to paint. Then Monday morning we took a trip to Lowe's. My job was to occupy the children and help mask while they were sleeping. I really didn't do that much but the kids and I took a trip to McDonald's playland, came home and had naps and then went to the grocery store so Jerry would have the time he needed to paint without "help" from the kids. Landon really wants to help his Dad but it was a bit too stressful for Jerry to have him involved. I think Landon was happy with McDonald's. The room turned out really good and we want to do Landon's room next. Somehow, we always end up painting when I am expecting a baby which means Jerry ends up doing the work. I am grateful he enjoys it and is willing to do it. Lucky me! The other big news of the week was Landon starting preschool. He started Tuesday morning and I had signed up to be the parent helper. I had my friend watch Lauren. Landon said he wasn't feeling good and I thought maybe he was just nervous. He also said he wanted to throw up in the car on the way there but I had just thrown up so I thought maybe he was just saying that because I was sick. So when we got there he was not his usual self. We made it to lunch time before he finally threw up........needless to say, we got to leave early. I felt bad because it was his first day and he actually felt much better after puking but we opted to leave. He ended up getting a fever and I think he just had a stomach bug. Thursday was a much better day for him. He loves getting his lunch box ready for school. Speaking of lunch boxes, Lauren lost her baby on the weekend and it had been a rough week for us. This is her precious baby given to her by Mimi and Poppy when we lived in Texas. She carries this baby everywhere and we have considered buying multiples of the baby for a time like this when she goes missing. After almost a week of no baby, Lauren pulled out her Dora lunch box and asked me to open it. Much to my surprise, I found baby. I think our whole household has benefited greatly from this find. I think we will actually order a new baby now after enduring a week without her. It wasn't that fun. I am attempting to start my food storage....I am way behind on this but hopefully I can get started this week. I had a friend over who showed me where I need to start. It is such an overwhelming task but I know we will be blessed if I just put some effort into it. Jerry had two games this weekend so he got his workout and football fix. I have been sick so he has been taking care of the kids. They had a birthday party last night which he took them to. They had a bounce house which was definitely the highlight. I watched the BYU game and was throughly disappointed when they lost but I hope to be resilient and recover. Jerry took the kids to church which gave me three hours to lay on the couch, sleep and watch BYU devotionals. I am actually feeling much better today. We have much to be grateful for and continue to count our blessings.

Another Week

On Thursday, Jerry officiated two games......needless to say, he was exhausted. We shuttled him to his games and went to Landon's open house for his pre-school. He was so cute with his teacher. He kept calling her by name, "Mrs. Shakspear" and talking about all the things he would do. Lauren was well behaved and we stayed for a while filling out papers and learning about the cirriculum. Then we went shopping for lunch boxes. Landon picked a Spiderman lunch box and Lauren a Dora lunch box. It was quite the Wal-mart adventure. We picked Jerry up and headed home. One important detail about the day I forgot to mention was the period of time when Lauren locked Landon and I out of the house. It was really exciting....actually Lauren had a great time. She looked through the window and laughed every time we asked her to let us in. After she got tired of laughing, she began to meow like a kitten. It was great. Luckily, my friend Kendra was just leaving and I was able to call Jerry on her cell phone to come and rescue us. He had been doing interviews with the CEO of Jacobsen and luckily, they were on a lunch break. They are hiring a new project superintendent. When Jerry gave Lauren the lecture about not locking the door she just said, "Right." Like she knew all along it was the wrong thing to do. We spent Friday getting ready for company to come. We had a visit from Uncle Rod and his friend Jamie. During the preparation, I fell on the stairs and sprained my toe while trying to put Lauren in time out. We have now decided the timeout spot will have to be downstairs to protect my feet and anything else that may break or be sprained. Shortly after the fall, Lauren decided to drink bubble bath. I called poison control and they said she just needed to be monitored. She spit in a bowl for a while but that was it. She was really excited when they called back and wanted to talk to them. She is such a character. So Rod came on Friday and stayed until Saturday. We tried to convince him to stay longer but he did not cooperate. We had fun visiting with him. He and Jerry had a meeting on Friday night and we had Brad and Liz over for dinner as well. We left on Saturday and went to Las Vegas. Of course our first stop was In and Out for a healthy lunch and then to Dave and Rebecca's. They blessed their new baby Evelyn on Sunday. We had a nice time visiting with them and their family. Dave and Jerry were able to attend the temple together which I know they enjoyed. We came back on Sunday night ready to be home and grateful Jerry had Monday off of work.

Highlights

This was a good but fast week. Jerry has started officiating high school football which means he has meetings on Wednesday nights but also had his first game this week on Thursday. He really enjoyed it. He got an awesome workout and also had fun. He says some of the officials are pretty intense but I think he will like doing it. He was so dehydrated he had to get up through out the night to drink water. I ended up going to the girls night in our ward when he got home and enjoyed chatting with the girls in the ward. I always tell Jerry I will be home early......I am usually very tired on Friday. I had to work on Friday afternoon. Jerry usually comes home early but called about one and announced he was taking the kids to work with him. I quickly found the portable DVD player and put some movies in it. I had to go do a match with one of the people I work with. I work for the Big Brothers Big Sisters Mentoring agency and we went to a home to pair a little sister with a big sister. I called Jerry before he left work but was unable to reach him and ended up at the temple visitors center for a few hours. I actually had an awesome experience. I ended up finding a sister missionary whose ward I had served in back when I was on my mission. It was so fun to catch up with her and I am hoping to regain contact with some of the people who were in that ward through her. We also talked to another couple who were in St George from Freiburg, Germany. They were going to suprise their daughter who is serving as a missionary on temple square the next day. I had a great time. All the while, Jerry was doing errands with the kids and he didn't have a phone so I couldn't reach him. I am not sure if the grocery shopping experience was quite as pleasant for him. On Saturday we went to the What Kids Want Expo at the Dixie Center. Jerry whipped up a french toast breakfast which was amazing....he loves the food network website so that gave the day a great start. The kids ate lots of candy at the expo. I was able to get tickets through work. I have been more aware of the community activities which has really livened up our Saturdays. One more funny experience from church today.....I was very naseous in Sacrament meeting (this is very normal for me with pregnancy...I throw up with no warning which is so baffling to Jerry) so I left the meeting to go in the hall. The problem I have is I play the organ so I was running in and out to play the songs. Well, on my way back in to play the closing song, Jerry opens the door of the men's bathroom and I see Lauren standing on the counter in a diaper. Jerry says," She had a blowout you have to take her home right now!" He was a bit panicked because he teaches Sunday School and wanted to get in the room to prepare his lesson. I was a bit panicked because the speaker was winding down. So I inform him I can't do anything until I play the closing song. I ran in and played some version of a song I have never heard, ran into Jerry (who had placed Lauren in the car) and ran Lauren home to get a new dress. It was quite the Sunday.

Family Day in the Park

We went to the family day in the park on Saturday. It was really fun. They had a bounce house and other little play things for the kids. They also got to see a fire engine and other large city machines which Landon was really happy about. They went on one slide that had water at the bottom which bothered Landon. He didn't like being wet and touching other things. We also had snow cones and Landon was very angry because an ant ate some of his snow cone. It fell on the ground and then the ant just came and ate it without asking permission. I am not sure what to teach my kids about ants because when I see them, I usually just step on them but I don't know if that is the best strategy as far as killing things goes. I am working on this. We took the kids grocery shopping which was also fun. I don't mind taking them when Dad is there because I just have him push the cart and if things go awry, I can just run off and grab something in another aisle. It's pretty awesome. That night we went to a BBQ with Jerry's new officiating friends. He is officiating high school football and committed to baseball as well. He has been warned if he takes on anymore activities he is in big trouble. We now have something every night of the week plus he got me a "part-time" job so I have that to do in my off time. So we swam and ate a a club house of a housing development. The kids had a really good time. Jerry made an awesome German dinner yesterday. He made schneitzel, cucumber salad and baked potatoes. I love it when he cooks. He makes so much we have leftovers so I didn't have to cook tonight. He is the best.

County Fair

Wow. What can I say about the county fair? There is lots of grease, tons of opportunity for people watching, animals, sweet rides and lots of whining children. We had a good time. I actually had to work at the fair for several hours. I have taken a part-time job with the Big Brothers Big Sisters Mentoring agency and volunteered to sit at our booth at the fair. Jerry dropped me off and took the kids home for naps. When he came back, we let the kids go on a few rides. They were so excited. They chose two train rides.....obviously because they love TRAINS and a car ride. We ate some food.....a baked Idaho potato and some corn on the cob. It was very tasty. The kids also had fun at the other booths and rides which were available. I think they may have been experiencing some over stimulation issues or maybe it was me, but we didn't last that long. We saw the Rogers there which was fun and also ran into another missionary from my mission who had just moved here from Las Vegas who I had not seen since the mission. Besides the extreme heat I think we can consider it a successful family outing. The kids can't wait until next year!

Raise

One of the biggest events of the year happened on Thursday. Jerry had his annual review. We have been praying he would get a raise because the cost of living here is high and we are still recovering from our no income college days. Well, our prayers were answered. He ask for a raise and they doubled his offer. I am so proud of him. He has worked really hard and deserves all the praise and recognition he was given. Let's see....this week we have been busy. We went to Cedar City so Jerry could do his training for football officiating. The kids and I drove around for hours trying to find a Wal-mart. We finally found it and had time to purchase three items, use the "potty" and make it back to pick him up. Last night Jerry had his 14-15 year old Sunday School class over for pizza. I think they had a great time. We also received a gift back from them in the form of toilet papering. The funny thing is we yelled up to Landon to go to bed because he was leaning over the rail (which has a perfect view out front) and he said, "I can't because they are putting paper all over everywhere!" So we peeked out the window and Jerry was able to video his kids doing the dirty deed. He then opened the door (while filming) and suprised them. Landon also came down to tell them "That is a big No-N0 and what you did was very naughty!" I wonder where he learned those phrases? Well, it made for an interesting night anyway. The kids and I got to clean up this morning which we really enjoyed.

Blue Bunny

We were finally able to take a trip to Blue Bunny and get ice cream as a family. Lauren and Landon were able to fill up their sticker charts based on good behavior, using the potty and responding to things Mom and Dad say. We were proud of them. We didn't realize until we actually ordered the ice cream that the portions were rather large. The kids had a great time licking their purple bubble gum ice cream cones and also bringing them home to finish tomorrow. We had our friends over last night, the Bingham's and the Tollefson's. Jerry made his strawberry shortcake his Dad made growing up. We had a great time visiting with them and catching up. Things have been so crazy the past few months we have not spent much time with them. We ended up planning a date night for this weekend which should be really fun. We don't go on dates alone much but we never go out with anyone so this should be a real treat. Landon and Lauren are working on memorizing the family mission statement...a portion of the proclamation on the family. Their Dad has picked a short segment and is repeating it with the kids each night. It is amazing how quickly they catch on. They are wonderful kids and we are so blessed to have them.

Saturday

We had a great day today. We went to lunch at the Olive Garden so Jerry could start his fast and I could eat all the soup, salad and breadsticks I could manage. We do love that place. Then we went to the library where....luckily...we were able to rent "The Polar Express" for another three weeks since we found out after searching yesterday it is not available in stores until closer to Christmas (imagine that?). So we considered this video rental a blessing of sorts. We went to find Jerry an officiating outfit. He is planning to be an official for High School football this fall. When he came out in the outfit Landon said, "Dad, are you pretending to be a coach?" Jerry said," No, an official." Then Landon told the people working there his Dad was pretending to be an official. Kids are the best. We then went to the Brigham Young home since this is a site we have not yet visited here in St George. Landon and I made it through the whole tour, Jerry and Lauren through a portion. Lauren needed a nap. Jerry was determined to make the kids stay awake all day because yesterday they had a long nap and the bedtime routine was rather difficult. So Landon met a boy close to his age and they held hands for most of the tour. Landon kept saying, "Where is my boy?" if they were separated for any amount of time. He is such a friendly kid and loves everyone. We came home and I made homemade Minestrone soup for lunch tomorrow. I remember now why I don't make homemade soup very often....it's quite the time commitment but I am sure tomorrow after church we will be very happy.

Doctor

I took the kids with me to the doctor today. It was an experiment which actually worked quite well. I was amazed at how well they behaved. As we entered the office, Landon ran up to the receptionist's desk and said, "My Mommy has the throw ups!" She said, "Well, you are in the right place." He proceeded to tell her about "last year when he had an earache and went to the doctor (which was actually a few months ago). He is a very outgoing, friendly kid. It is amazing how perceptive your children are. We have never discussed "the throw ups" but apparently he is aware I throw up when I am expecting a baby. We met Jerry for lunch which was fun for us. It breaks up the day nicely. Then we attempted naptime (which didn't work at all) and finally gave in to letting the kids watch "The Polar Express." We checked this out from the library three weeks ago and finally came to our last renewal time. It was a sad day for the children and we may have to break down and purchase it. They absolutely love it. Which is amazing because Lauren will not sit still to watch ANY television and never has but this movie does something to her. She is so busy she doesn't like to stop for anything. We finished the movie, cleaned up (because during the movie the kids thought it would be a good idea to pour popcorn all over the floor...when confronted they just said...you can just vacuum it up Mom...what am I supposed to say to that? So we vacuumed it up and went to Costco. One of my favorite stores on earth besides Gap, Kohl's(I support the Pothier's :>) and Children's Place. We had an eventful trip and Landon enjoyed samples from the "cooker guys." We had fun.

Name

so jerry named our blog. i am not to sure how i feel about it. he also attempted to change the photos and i quickly changed them back. i told him he should get his own blog if he wants to start making changes. i realize this is harsh but i have but quite a bit of thought and effort into what i am doing with the blog....i think i have been working on it a whole week.....so i feel he should not disturb what i am doing. jerry is playing softball.....he thinks the whole kidney stone is cured and all is well. if he gets injured..he is in very big trouble by me......very big trouble.....i was opposed to the softball game. not because i don't value exercise but because three surgeries and thousands of dollars later i want a healthy husband. i have been making him drink a gallon of water a day at work. he feels it is harsh but i read it was good for kidney stone people. i have his co-worker patrolling this (their relationship is becoming strained which i take as a good sign...he is doing a good job). so i made a sticker chart for the kids to motivate them towards good behavior. i told them they would get a sticker if they stayed in their beds for naptime. after several hours and landon blatantly ignoring all requests to stay in bed he told me,"maybe i will make a better choice tomorrow." i guess we will see.

Kidney Stone and Ultrasound

We have had lots of excitement in the past two days. I just wanted to update you on Jerry's surgery (his third in the past five weeks to be exact). He had Lithotripsy done yesterday (for the second time) and the Doctor feels confident he got the whole stone. Apparently he blasted the stone approx 15 times (whatever that means). We will have a more conclusive answer next Wednesday when he meets with the doctor to go over a post surgery x-ray (hopefully, his last). I wouldn't recommend getting a kidney stone. As far as I can tell, Jerry hasn't been having too much fun. So today we had an ultrasound. I am 18 weeks along. I had a feeling it would be a girl and in all polls taken, a girl was the overwhelming guess. When the x-ray tech said it was a girl, Jerry's face was a picture I wish I would have had on camera. He loves Lauren but is unsure about how to handle girls and is constantly concerned about how he is going to discipline Lauren. I think the major concern lately has been that when he tries to discipline Lauren, instead of bursting into tears like she usually does, she now says, "Give me a kiss, Dad?" He insists she is using "girl power" and feels all her actions and words are intended to cause him grief. He is happy the baby is healthy and I think with a little more time, he won't be so concerned about being "outnumbered." He actually got an x-ray done just before the ultrasound so we could multi-task and effectively use our time at the hospital. We are lucky our ward and friends have been so supportive and helpful with our children as we have had so many other medical obligations to meet lately.

You Have to Start Somewhere

After viewing my friends blog spots and seeing what an easy way it is to keep track of life I decided to give it a try. Things have been crazy for us so I don't think I have kept track of anything but like the title says...you have to start somewhere. We just returned from a family reunion for my family in Idaho. We had a great trip and lots of good memories of our time in Rexburg. The trip was a little short but nonetheless, fun. Jerry had to be back to work tomorrow because he has to have surgery on Thursday. This is actually his third surgery for a kidney stone that will not go away. We are praying it works this time. It has been a rough few months for him and we are hoping soon this kidney stone will be gone. The kids had a great time camping at Lava Hot Springs and proved be much better campers than their mom is. I think the pregnancy thing takes the "thrill" out of sleeping in a tent on the ground. I ended up in the car without a blanket. It did feel good to actually be cold because of how hot it has been in St George. We also had an adventure going down the river in an intertube (Jerry, Landon and me) we decided that was also not as fun under the circumstances. We may try again at a later date when we all feel "healthy." Landon and I fell off on the first waterfall and I hit a rock with my tailbone which produced really loud screams (much to Jerry's dismay). We had fun with the family though. It was strange not to have my brother Gary there...he passed away suddenly in February. We did have his wife and kids with us and we enjoyed them. We went to Idaho on Saturday night, spent Sunday in bed sick and went to the Playmill in West Yellowstone on Monday. We ate at the Gusher and enjoyed the fudge at intermission. Today we drove home stopping to see Kevin and Lindsay in Alpine at her sister's place. It was a long drive and we both decided maybe we should move to Salt Lake someday...not quite such a long drive.