Sickies

I've spent the last two days laying on my bed with two sick kids laying on me. I've watched more TV in these two days then in the last two months- ok not quite but it feels like it. It's days like these that I'm grateful I get to be home with them and especially grateful that we have insurance now (it only took 4 months) so a doctor visit is possible. Sierra has a respiratory infection which triggered her asthma. I've suspected she's had asthma for a while, but now that I have an official prognosis I can treat her more effectively- bring on the breathing treatments! I haven't taken Gideon into the doctor because what can they do- he throws up everything that enters his mouth. I just heard the finishing beep of the fourth load of throw-up laundry today. Craig has been out of town- he always seems to be out of town when the kids are ill. He was in Colorado last week and is in Texas this week. They can't be sick forever and the down time has been relaxing but I'm ready to get out of this room!

Play Time

Last week my little brother and I got the bright idea to jump out of the two story barn onto the trampoline in my parent's backyard. Well it was super fun but we both felt it afterwards. I want to be able to do crazy things even as I get older so I thought I'd better get in shape. So this week I started doing yoga every morning. Well I hurt more from the yoga than from my jumping. I should probably just give up the yoga and play more.Spring is here which means you never know what the weather will bring here in northern Nevada. It was a particularly nice afternoon so I took my four charges outside(two of mine and two of my sisters). We lasted just long enough for a breath or two of fresh air and a picture before meltdown occurred, which happens often with 4 babies (2, 14 mo., 6 mo., and 3 weeks). Gideon is getting so big! He's seven months old today. He sits up like a champ, is sleeping mostly through the nigh and is really beginning to be a happy boy. We love having him in our home!
Sierra got to enjoy some four wheeling fun with her Auntie who spent her spring break with us.
My nephew turned six and had a party at my parents house complete with a pinata. Sierra played on the trampoline and in the bounce house with the group of rowdy boys like she was one of them, but when it came time to hit the pinata she couldn't bear to. Of course, she had no problem eating her share of candy that came tumbling out of it.

Giggles

There are so many moments throughout the day when I am just filled with the joy of motherhood. I love being home with my children! Motherhood was a long time in coming to me and I spent a number of years on the "career track". Perhaps that is why I can honestly say there is nowhere else I would rather be. I've been deeply saddened as I've contemplated returning to that working world again as Craig looks for a job. What would I miss- everything! The other night I was putting the children to bed and I began singing to them and Gideon just bursts out laughing (Craig is the one with the good voice in the family-not me). Well that sent Sierra into fits of giggles, which made Gideon laugh even harder. It was a priceless moment to listen to these two little ones giggle like crazy. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Happy Easter!

We had such a wonderful Easter. Little children truly make holidays fun and exciting. Sierra was thrilled with her easter basket which contained snacks for church and books. I made her a little "Jesus book" that she thinks is a singing book. I had to take it away during church because she was singing a little too loud at all the wrong times. She also got two easter dresses (thanks Grandma Miller) and had to model them before choosing which one to wear. She is such a little girl! We got to eat two delicious dinners- the advantages of having both our families so close by. Saturday we dyed eggs and had an egg hunt at my mom's house. Sierra was more interested in the swings and just wandering outside than in finding easter eggs so my 5 year old nephew and I got to enjoy the hunt all to ourselves.

Last week I was also able to visit with some of my high school friends Laney and Holly. It was so fun to chat and catch up on our lives that have gone in such different directions. I am ever so grateful for friends who help us through the many stages of life. What would life be like without good friends?

We also welcomed two new boys to our family last week. My brother Josh and his wife Juli who live in Austin, Texas had a little boy- Stewart last sunday. Yesterday my sister Allison who lives here in Sparks had a little boy- Isaac. There's nothing like new babies to celebrate springtime.

Missing Arizona

I know everyone is swimming in Arizona this time of year and we sure are missing it! Sierra talks about swimming all the time and even "swimming" in the big bathtub doesn't cut it. It is starting to warm up here in Nevada so maybe soon...

Road Trip!

Craig and I just returned from a quick road trip to Utah and back. We left Friday night, and after a gazillion stops to secure our load of furniture and after using two rolls of duct tape on it we finally arrived in Provo early Saturday morning. My little brother Tim and his darling bride of three months are living there in a cute old house without any furniture. We unloaded the furniture to the happy and grateful couple (they now have a couch to sit on). We then stopped by Sandy to have lunch with Craig's grandparents. Sierra insisted on having her own "to go" box which she filled with rice (which promptly fell all over the car). My Grandma Loveland in Ogden was our next stop where we stayed the night. Sierra loved playing with her two puppies and I loved sitting by the warm fire. Sunday morning we hit the road again for home. The amazing thing was how wonderfully behaved our children were. I couldn't believe that they sat in the car the whole day with hardly a whine or a cry. Sierra read books, colored, sang and talked and talked and talked. Gideon just slept and played with his car seat toys. Wow I'm ready to go on a longer trip now.

Gideon with his Great-Grandma Loveland

House Flipping

We've been watching a lot of HGTV episodes about house flipping lately and acquired our first flip. It's an eight room Victorian fixer-upper that Sierra LOVES. Ok so it's just a doll house, but it'll be fun to give it some TLC. My mother-in-law had it in the goodwill pile so I rescued it. We've already had a lot of fun with it. I'm not sure how we will move it when the time comes, perhaps we can find another little girl who would enjoy it.

This is Gideon experiencing cereal for the first time. Nope, he didn't like it and cried the whole time. He's a pretty fussy boy so I wasn't too surprised.